HockeyProspect.com Top 32 for 2024 Draft -November 27th 2023

[TLEH]

Zayne Parekh ranking makes sense to me when I look at it. So does Yakemchuk and Zeev Buium.

I guess I just like Berkly Catton's game way more than them.

 

[Mark Edwards]

Interesting ranking. Main thing that has been intriguing to me so far is the divisiveness on Lindstrom and the commentary in his thread that he lacks IQ. HP does not seem to have that concern.

If @Mark Edwards pops in by chance, would love to hear more on why you are a fan of the player (Lindstrom).

We don't think he's a dumb player. Not elite hockey IQ but not dumb.

Very hot-takey, but that’s their thing. Don’t usually agree with their lists, and this one is another I think is way off. But it’s not for me to tell them how they have to think.

Actually we are never "hot-takey" and that includes this list. I remember hearing hot take comments on Mintukov too. He looks to be justifying our ranking. You're obviously entitled to your opinion though.

Maybe my biggest question mark? Jett Luchanko? Smallish? Numbers aren’t that exciting? Is there just an exceptional amount of speed? I haven’t seen much of him yet.

I really enjoy this publication. They are not influenced in their rankings by the others. 33 through 64 is a very interesting list. I thought some of these players were not getting enough credit. Some guys that were excluded. I thought we’re getting too much. Excellent work. I really enjoy the articles. It’s a nice early Saturday morning read when everyone is still asleep. I can read focusing on the articles and watch the videos.

He's a smart, skilled. creative player. His biggest weakness is that he lacks strength, much like Jacob Julien last season and Sennecke this season as two other examples of players who lacked or are lacking in the strength department.

Luchanko also plays on a team without a ton of skilled forwards. Guelph struggles to score. That doesn't help his point totals.

We have him rated as a "B" prospect and where we ranked him most likely makes him a mid to late 2nd round pick.

 

[mistaclick]

Wonder if they got viewings of Solberg, since they have him in the first round.

Been hearing he’s a mobile defensive dman but not sure what kind of creativity or manipulation he has in his game. Wonder if there’s more offensive potential there untapped.

@Mark Edwards any comments on Solberg?

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Actually we are never "hot-takey" and that includes this list. I remember hearing hot take comments on Mintukov too. He looks to be justifying our ranking. You're obviously entitled to your opinion though.

I beg to differ.

Anyway, I have no problem saying I’m wrong all the time. Occasionally I get something right. Thats most of us. Mintyukov, I can’t remember being low or wrong about him. I made the thread on this website for him like 3 years before he was drafted and I ranked him 12 on my final list. He went 2 spots later. If you want to find me being overly low on Mintyukov, I’m all ears and can’t remember every opinion I’ve had over the years, but I couldn’t find that after searching and don’t remember that being true either.

 

[Hale The Villain]

I'm a big fan of the work the HP team does and I buy their Black Book every year, but there's no question their early and mid-season rankings often end up looking pretty silly in retrospect, as they try to identify gems early, some of which end up being correct and others not so much.

Having said this, obviously what matters is what the final ranking ends up being after the season is over, which is why I don't tend to put too much stock into their early rankings besides just seeing which players may be on the rise and which may be falling.

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

I beg to differ.

Anyway, I have no problem saying I’m wrong all the time. Occasionally I get something right. Thats most of us. Mintyukov, I can’t remember being low or wrong about him. I made the thread on this website for him like 3 years before he was drafted and I ranked him 12 on my final list. He went 2 spots later. If you want to find me being overly low on Mintyukov, I’m all ears and can’t remember every opinion I’ve had over the years, but I couldn’t find that after searching and don’t remember that being true either.

He didn’t say anything about how you ranked Mintyukov or any other player bro

 

[Poppy Whoa Sonnet]

What's your early read on the quality/depth of the draft @Mark Edwards ? In terms of F/D breakdown?

 

[Mark Edwards]

I beg to differ.

Anyway, I have no problem saying I’m wrong all the time. Occasionally I get something right. Thats most of us. Mintyukov, I can’t remember being low or wrong about him. I made the thread on this website for him like 3 years before he was drafted and I ranked him 12 on my final list. He went 2 spots later. If you want to find me being overly low on Mintyukov, I’m all ears and can’t remember every opinion I’ve had over the years, but I couldn’t find that after searching and don’t remember that being true either.

I have no idea what you said about Mintyukov and I was not referring to you. I was just pointing out that he was one example of us supposedly just being "Hot-Takey" and we simply ranked him where we thought he deserved to be ranked.

 

[Mark Edwards]

What's your early read on the quality/depth of the draft @Mark Edwards ? In terms of F/D breakdown?

As of today it's the worst group I've ever seen in the OHL and probably the QMJHL as well (HP will turn 20 in 2024) - WHL is easily the strongest league in the CHL this year. Down year for the NTDP and Sweden to name a couple more.

I like the Top 10 overall and some people tend to just rate a draft on the top 10. It falls off reasonably quickly after that IMO.

In general I go league by league compared to what I've seen in years past. It's a down year based on that.

FWIW, I've never heard this many NHL scouts rip a draft class as much as I've heard it this year.

 

[93LEAFS]

I have no idea what you said about Mintyukov and I was not referring to you. I was just pointing out that he was one example of us supposedly just being "Hot-Takey" and we simply ranked him where we thought he deserved to be ranked.

Knies was one, and Cowan last year was higher than most. Very happy with both picks so far.

 

[JeromeHP]

I'm a big fan of the work the HP team does and I buy their Black Book every year, but there's no question their early and mid-season rankings often end up looking pretty silly in retrospect, as they try to identify gems early, some of which end up being correct and others not so much.

Having said this, obviously what matters is what the final ranking ends up being after the season is over, which is why I don't tend to put too much stock into their early rankings besides just seeing which players may be on the rise and which may be falling.

Appreciate the comment, obviously, players will move around on our list during the season but I took a look at our November 2022 list, and 28 of our 32 players from that list did end up in our final top-32 in June of 2023.

 

[Frk It]

@Mark Edwards What is the main reason you guys do not have Connelly higher? I liked him a lot going into the year and anytime I have seen him. I bellieve Button and EP both had him top 15. I would have expected you guys would have him ranked higher.

 

[Baaaaaaaaaaaaah]

Like the Basha ranking. Very underrated kid.

 

[JeromeHP]

Wonder if they got viewings of Solberg, since they have him in the first round.

Been hearing he’s a mobile defensive dman but not sure what kind of creativity or manipulation he has in his game. Wonder if there’s more offensive potential there untapped.

@Mark Edwards any comments on Solberg?

I'll answer for Mark

Solberg is as you said a mobile defensive dman, highly physical (one of the more physical players in this draft class), great compete / energy level with this player. The offense is just okay, we don't project him as a PP guy at the NHL level but his puck skills are good enough. I see him as an Alex Romanov type of defenseman, he's one of those prospects that is easy to like because of his style of play.

 

[emptyNedder]

I'll answer for Mark

Solberg is as you said a mobile defensive dman, highly physical (one of the more physical players in this draft class), great compete / energy level with this player. The offense is just okay, we don't project him as a PP guy at the NHL level but his puck skills are good enough. I see him as an Alex Romanov type of defenseman, he's one of those prospects that is easy to like because of his style of play.

My model for D-men also has Solberg near the top (admittedly it focuses on D-men who scouts don't view as much--usually outside the first round). The model would agree that his puck skills are reasonably good as he has been able to produce above-average totals in age-group league play.

 

[LeProspector]

Solberg isn’t a first round pick. Literally have same stats as last year and he is a late birthday

 

[Mark Edwards]

Solberg isn’t a first round pick. Literally have same stats as last year and he is a late birthday

Regardless of your stats argument (we are aware of his stats), we have him rated as a "B" prospect and currently have him ranked 27th on our list. Very slim chance he would be our first round pick even if we were picking 32nd.

As an example that I used in our Black Book, an NHL team got their 29th ranked player when they made their selection with the 50th overall pick.

 

[Mark Edwards]

@Mark Edwards What is the main reason you guys do not have Connelly higher? I liked him a lot going into the year and anytime I have seen him. I bellieve Button and EP both had him top 15. I would have expected you guys would have him ranked higher.

Coles notes version because I think our area guy Mike will probably do some audio on him with his impressions at some point...very talented but IMO (this will probably sound harsher than I want it to) he plays the game by himself a little bit.

We don't dislike the player though.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Coles notes version because I think our area guy Mike will probably do some audio on him with his impressions at some point...very talented but IMO (this will probably sound harsher than I want it to) he plays the game by himself a little bit.

We don't dislike the player though.

Agree with you about Connelly. He has the puck skills and skating, but he's very individualistic and once he gets to pro hockey leagues where most players can skate and and handle the puck, the lack of hockey sense and playmaking might lessen the scoring compared to what it looks like sometimes against juniors.

 

[Michael Farkas]

Re: Connelly. In a recent meeting I think I said something to the effect of, "Well, if you're gonna play like that...the puck has to go in the net at some point."

Lot of potential there on the technicals, as Mark notes, but if you're going to play hero ball...you gotta be able to dunk. Or (preferably "and")...we need a "B" game that's transferable to the pro level.

As an American, that's the Cliff's Notes of what we'll be watching for intently as the season progresses.

 

[neelynugs]

when's the black book/final rankings coming out?

 

[Peasy]

when's the black book/final rankings coming out?

May 20th they had a tweet saying 3 more weeks, so should be within the next 2 weeks.