Kraken 2024 draft

[majormajor]

Never watched a single game of his so I cannot argue against that but could it be him playing in a mens league has something to do with him playing it safe and not taking chances at all? I think if he can somehow turn into a 25-30 point D-man, he could be invaluable to whatever team he goes to.

I don't see Francis going for a Russian anyway, so doubt he is a Kraken.

He didn't show any offensive skill / inclination before this year either. He didn't show any last year before he joined the KHL and he didn't show any after going down for the MHL playoffs this Spring.

 

[kihei]

He didn't show any offensive skill / inclination before this year either. He didn't show any last year before he joined the KHL and he didn't show any after going down for the MHL playoffs this Spring.

There is that curious anomaly of Silayev scoring six points in his first six KHL games this year, then following that with five points in the remaining 57. I initially wondered whether his dramatic decline had anything to do with a coach's decision--kind of a "don't get any ideas about why you are here, kid" message. He has not been a scorer at any level, but he is also still very inexperienced, playing in 112 games in the last two years, and not much before that. He does seem to have spent time on the power play for Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod this season. I think it is way too early to try to make any generalizations as to how much offense he is going to develop with experience and greater physical maturity. He may not contribute much, but I don't think the possibility that he might eventually become a 25/30 point scorer is a crazy idea.

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

There is that curious anomaly of Silayev scoring six points in his first six KHL games this year, then following that with five points in the remaining 57. I initially wondered whether his dramatic decline had anything to do with a coach's decision--kind of a "don't get any ideas about why you are here, kid" message. He has not been a scorer at any level, but he is also still very inexperienced, playing in 112 games in the last two years, and not much before that. He does seem to have spent time on the power play for Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod this season. I think it is way too early to try to make any generalizations as to how much offense he is going to develop with experience and greater physical maturity. He may not contribute much, but I don't think the possibility that he might eventually become a 25/30 point scorer is a crazy idea.

This is what was going through my head as well. I don't see anything on EP before his 2021-22 season when he played just 6 games.

And playing in KHL, he may have been asked to just focus on D OR he wanted to play as much error free hockey as possible. I am just guessing here, but since he is just 18, I can see him developing some offense. However, I don't know if that happens in Russia.

 

[majormajor]

There is that curious anomaly of Silayev scoring six points in his first six KHL games this year, then following that with five points in the remaining 57. I initially wondered whether his dramatic decline had anything to do with a coach's decision--kind of a "don't get any ideas about why you are here, kid" message. He has not been a scorer at any level, but he is also still very inexperienced, playing in 112 games in the last two years, and not much before that. He does seem to have spent time on the power play for Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod this season. I think it is way too early to try to make any generalizations as to how much offense he is going to develop with experience and greater physical maturity. He may not contribute much, but I don't think the possibility that he might eventually become a 25/30 point scorer is a crazy idea.

It's been a while but in my memory of those early season points there isn't anything highly intentional about it. Just chucking pucks into traffic the way any defensive D would.

His coach is Igor Larionov, he's the last coach I would suspect of telling a young player to stop doing something right.

 

[RainyCityHockey]

Hockey Writers after the combine


Elite Prospects - 2024 NHL Draft Top 96 Ranking

 

[kihei]

I don't know if all these people can be trusted with what they are talking about, but there seems to be a lot of chatter that Chicago will go with Levshunov, who is at Michigan State, and that Demidov and Silayev, still in Russia, will drop because a) they weren't at the combine and b) teams have little control over their development and when and if they actually show up (Demidov and Silayev's management is supposedly arranging for a meeting between them and their NHL suitors before the draft, for what that is worth). Maybe there is more than a grain of truth there, maybe it is mostly stuff and nonsense. However, if teams become cautious, it could make for some unexpected picks in unexpected spots. Perhaps one or more of these scenarios becomes true:

Silayev is available at #8

Eiserman goes in the top ten

Buium goes in the top five

Demidov falls out of the top five

Catton goes in the top seven

Iginla goes in the top six

Solberg goes in the top 20

Some of those things already might happen (Iginla, for instance) but it's fun to speculate and it kills the time before the draft.

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

On a scale of 1-5, with 5 being as close to a lock.

Silayev is available at #8

2: I think a GM is more likely to take a chance on him than on Demidov, given Silayev's uniqueness.

Eiserman goes in the top ten

3: Some GM has to like what he said in his interviews for this to happen. From what I hear, these were positive, with him acknowledging areas of improvement, etc. Goal scorers are always at a premium.

Buium goes in the top five

4: Very likely. The more I read, the more I believe he's the first D-man off the board. There are concerns about Levshunov's hockey sense and his defensive acumen.

Demidov falls out of the top five

2: I am not very confident about this, but I am going with my gut.

Catton goes in the top seven

2: The main concern seems to be a low floor and that his game won't translate to the pros. I can see Senneke going before him and in the top-7.

Iginla goes in the top six

4: Going with my feeling that Demidov drops. If that happens, I can see Iginla going top-5.

Solberg goes in the top 20

4: He has vaulted through the rankings because of his physicality and good defensive play.

 

[kihei]

It is slowly dawning on me that as long as it isn't Helenius whom we draft, l'm happy with any of the likely prospects.

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

It is slowly dawning on me that as long as it isn't Helenius whom we draft, l'm happy with any of the likely prospects.

What are your concerns with Helenius? His ceiling?

 

[kihei]

What are your concerns with Helenius? His ceiling?

Exactly.

 

[RainyCityHockey]

It is slowly dawning on me that as long as it isn't Helenius whom we draft, l'm happy with any of the likely prospects.

I'm also not that interested in Dickinson but yeah, that's my take as well.

What are your concerns with Helenius? His ceiling?

He just doesn't have anything that stands out.
He's a solid all around, 200 feet player and I, for one, am not interested in using a top ten pick on a dude without anything in his game that could become elite or close to that.

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

I'm also not that interested in Dickinson but yeah, that's my take as well.

I honestly won't be too upset with any of the D-men, minus Yakemchuk. After watching the Memorial Cup final, I am more sold on Parekh than I was before. I agree with all who have said that all of the top-6 D-men have flaws and are different types of D-men.

 

[kihei]

I don't want to make a fetish out of size, but our prospect pool is generally on the small size. According to the Seattle prospects page on NHL.com, only one of our nine D prospects is over 6' 2'' tall (Ottavainen, 6-5) and none of of our forward prospects are over 6' 2'' with only six of the forwards weighing more than 180 lbs. Perhaps we could use some of our picks this year to draft a couple of potential power forwards and a couple of D who have the physical tools to the clear the crease with enthusiasm. Though I am definitely not trying to go all Philadelphia Flyer-ish here, I would assume our skill players would play with more confidence if they knew they had teammates who wouldn't allow opposing teams to take liberties.

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

I don't want to make a fetish out of size, but our prospect pool is generally on the small size. According to the Seattle prospects page on NHL.com, only one of our nine D prospects is over 6' 2'' tall (Ottavainen, 6-5) and none of of our forward prospects are over 6' 2'' with only six of the forwards weighing more than 180 lbs. Perhaps we could use some of our picks this year to draft a couple of potential power forwards and a couple of D who have the physical tools to the clear the crease with enthusiasm. Though I am definitely not trying to go all Philadelphia Flyer-ish here, I would assume our skill players would play with more confidence if they knew they had teammates who wouldn't allow opposing teams to take liberties.

Nah. You are 100% right. Someone mentioned us about getting a PF somewhere and it got me thinking that as well. The only other "big" guy I would consider is Melanson. And I do have hopes that he becomes a bottom-6 player for us in another season or two.

You draft for skill in the 1st round, if it has size, great, but either way, focus on taking swings in the later rounds for bigger prospects. I would love to get Lindstrom, but I am 99.9% sure he is gone in the top 5. Outside of that, most high-end forward prospects are on the smaller side in this draft. We can go for Dickinson, Yakemchuk or Silayev from a D perspective but among those, I an not confident about Yakemchuk.

Not having more 1st round picks hurts us pretty bad here. I would love to have gone for the likes of Stolberg, Pulkinnen, Letourneou would be good options if they drop to us in the 2nd. I would consider moving up to grab one of them in the 2nd round (I know Stolberg is not dropping that far). I think our top-6 could potentially get away being small-ish but like you said, we need to protect the younger kids or atleast get some semblance of toughness in the bottom-6.

 

[majormajor]

Nah. You are 100% right. Someone mentioned us about getting a PF somewhere and it got me thinking that as well. The only other "big" guy I would consider is Melanson. And I do have hopes that he becomes a bottom-6 player for us in another season or two.

You draft for skill in the 1st round, if it has size, great, but either way, focus on taking swings in the later rounds for bigger prospects. I would love to get Lindstrom, but I am 99.9% sure he is gone in the top 5. Outside of that, most high-end forward prospects are on the smaller side in this draft. We can go for Dickinson, Yakemchuk or Silayev from a D perspective but among those, I an not confident about Yakemchuk.

Not having more 1st round picks hurts us pretty bad here. I would love to have gone for the likes of Stolberg, Pulkinnen, Letourneou would be good options if they drop to us in the 2nd. I would consider moving up to grab one of them in the 2nd round (I know Stolberg is not dropping that far). I think our top-6 could potentially get away being small-ish but like you said, we need to protect the younger kids or atleast get some semblance of toughness in the bottom-6.

Watching Stolberg's report here, he looks more like someone we could take at #8 than someone we think about later in the 1st. I like what I see from Stolberg more than I like Silayev or Levshunov (I'm not joking). At least from Simon's report, that is. When I watched Stolberg earlier in the year he wasn't good at all, which shows how random scouting can be.

Someone on the mains proposed moving 13 + Ohgren + 3rd rounder to move up to 8, and that is the sort of deal I would take as the Kraken if I wanted Stolberg.

Or more specifically, if I wanted Stolberg but I had him roughly tied with several other players like Catton and Helenius or Dickinson and Yakemchuk and so on. If we have Stolberg far ahead you just take him, the way scouts are talking about him he really could go #9-#12.

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

Watching Stolberg's report here, he looks more like someone we could take at #8 than someone we think about later in the 1st. I like what I see from Stolberg more than I like Silayev or Levshunov (I'm not joking). At least from Simon's report, that is. When I watched Stolberg earlier in the year he wasn't good at all, which shows how random scouting can be.

Someone on the mains proposed moving 13 + Ohgren + 3rd rounder to move up to 8, and that is the sort of deal I would take as the Kraken if I wanted Stolberg.

Or more specifically, if I wanted Stolberg but I had him roughly tied with several other players like Catton and Helenius or Dickinson and Yakemchuk and so on. If we have Stolberg far ahead you just take him, the way scouts are talking about him he really could go #9-#12.

Yeah. I saw that on the Trade board with the Wild fans vehemently against it. I have no issue dropping back a few spots if that helps us get a prospect more ready for the NHL (as part of the trade). FYI, I have no idea how good Ohgren is.

 

[kihei]

Dropping back makes me nervous. There is no guarantee some other team ahead of you in the draft isn't thinking what you're thinking and nabs him just before you get to pick. Even if there is no advantageous deal to move down available, if we want him at #8, we should take him. All the D by then will have question marks about something, so, in all likelihood, he is as good a choice as any by the time that we pick.

 

[sigma six]

I thought Jani Nyman was 6'-2 or around there.

 

[kihei]

I thought Jani Nyman was 6'-2 or around there.

He is. My statement was "over 6' 2''.

 

[kihei]

Nah. You are 100% right. Someone mentioned us about getting a PF somewhere and it got me thinking that as well. The only other "big" guy I would consider is Melanson. And I do have hopes that he becomes a bottom-6 player for us in another season or two.

You draft for skill in the 1st round, if it has size, great, but either way, focus on taking swings in the later rounds for bigger prospects. I would love to get Lindstrom, but I am 99.9% sure he is gone in the top 5. Outside of that, most high-end forward prospects are on the smaller side in this draft. We can go for Dickinson, Yakemchuk or Silayev from a D perspective but among those, I an not confident about Yakemchuk.

Not having more 1st round picks hurts us pretty bad here. I would love to have gone for the likes of Stolberg, Pulkinnen, Letourneou would be good options if they drop to us in the 2nd. I would consider moving up to grab one of them in the 2nd round (I know Stolberg is not dropping that far). I think our top-6 could potentially get away being small-ish but like you said, we need to protect the younger kids or atleast get some semblance of toughness in the bottom-6.

The absence of a second first-round pick really smarts because I think we could have acquired one in the mid to late 20s for Gourde at the trade deadline. We might have used such a pick to take a chance on, say, Letourneau, whose pedigree is risky but who could become a monster presence in a few years. Though they clearly drop a tier, there are still some very interesting prospects in the 17 or 18 to the 32 or 34 range. The Kraken missed an opportunity to nab one.

 

[majormajor]

Yeah. I saw that on the Trade board with the Wild fans vehemently against it. I have no issue dropping back a few spots if that helps us get a prospect more ready for the NHL (as part of the trade). FYI, I have no idea how good Ohgren is.

Ohgren I haven't seen much since his draft year. But back then he clearly looked like a solid second line type that does the dirty work and a bit of everything. Kind of like a Kraken player. But hey we have to replenish those guys too.

The absence of a second first-round pick really smarts because I think we could have acquired one in the mid to late 20s for Gourde at the trade deadline. We might have used such a pick to take a chance on, say, Letourneau, whose pedigree is risky but who could become a monster presence in a few years. Though they clearly drop a tier, there are still some very interesting prospects in the 17 or 18 to the 32 or 34 range. The Kraken missed an opportunity to nab one.

I have so many guys I'd love to get in the late 1st - Surin, Pulkkinen, MIettinen, Freij, Chernyshev, Jiricek.

But then again, some of those guys will also make it to #40.

 

[RainyCityHockey]

I'm not a fan of moving down since I don't think we need more pieces but rather quality.

So I'd rather us using some of our trade pieces to move up and try and get another first round pick/early 2nd round pick, if possible.

 

[RainyCityHockey]

Emerald City Hockey Mock draft.

 

[kihei]

Emerald City Hockey Mock draft.

Especially like his bottom sixteen. One can nitpick with the order, but I wouldn't be surprised if at least 28 of those guys go in the first round. Only arguable omissions for me are Freij and Letourneau.

 

[kihei]

Not yet up on YouTube, and a fascinating read:

NHL Draft Ranking 2024, by Simon St-L.

NHL Draft Ranking 2024, by Simon St-L. - TSLH -

www.toutsurlehockey.com

Then there is the somewhat alternate universe perspective:

Craig’s List: Tij Iginla, Cole Eiserman rise in final ranking | TSN

The rise of Kelowna Rockets star Tij Iginla this season has been remarkable in the eyes of TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button.

www.tsn.ca