NHL Entry Draft: Mock Draft Poll: 22nd Overall Pick

[Edge]

The thing I like about Khusnutdinov is he apparently has the skill set of a utility #3/4C. Players like that are super-valuable to contending teams. I don’t see the need to draft a boom-or-bust kid here.

Khusnutdinov is somewhat in the same boat as Greig in the sense that people probably underestimate the skill because they're focused on other areas.

The question with Khusnutdinov is whether the hands can keep up with the feet and head. If they can, you really could have a top six player in there who brings a real exclamation point to a line with elite talent.

If he doesn't, you have a very likeable third line player. But he's another one that could end up as a wing in the NHL level.

For me, the last guys on the board in this range who are likely to be centers are probably Lapierre and Zary. After that, I think you're probably looking at a bunch of wings.

 

[eco's bones]

So here's the deal. If you draft Bourque, you gotta draft him with the idea that playing RW is a distinct possibility.

Right now the defense, the consistency, and the faceoffs will need work to stick at center. To the latter point, he was at 50 percent last year, and the upper 40s the season before. So, in combination, that usually doesn't make for an NHL center projection.

So if the deciding factor is position, we might be in for a little bit of a change down the line.

Chytil's been working through the face-off problem that previous Rangers like Stepan and Hayes went through. Covering ground was never a particular strength of Stepan--he covered up for that a bit with positioning. Hayes' reach was very much part of his dynamic. Of those three Chytil has the best by a pretty good margin skating stride. He covers ice very nicely but almost every 17/18 year has a lot to learn about defensive responsibility and he's been a teenager learning on the job in the NHL.

 

[eco's bones]

This is why I prefer Brisson to Bouque. I have doubts that Bourque stays at C. I have no doubt that Brisson stays at C. I mean there are other reasons I like Brisson better, but that's part of it.

Brisson gets dinged a bit for his skating in scouting reports for his skating though. The mechanics are for the most part fine but his speed is kind of average and what we might be looking at with him is more of a goal scoring version of Stepan.

 

[Edge]

Chytil's been working through the face-off problem that previous Rangers like Stepan and Hayes went through. Covering ground was never a particular strength of Stepan--he covered up for that a bit with positioning. Hayes' reach was very much part of his dynamic. Of those three Chytil has the best by a pretty good margin skating stride. He covers ice very nicely but almost every 17/18 year has a lot to learn about defensive responsibility and he's been a teenager learning on the job in the NHL.

That is certainly possible, though looking at Bourque's make-up, I'm just not sure there's going to be that level of consistency and committment to that side of the puck. I think if it was just one aspect that was off, maybe. But for all three, I think that's going to be a decently tall order for him.

 

[eco's bones]

That is certainly possible, though looking at Bourque's make-up, I'm just not sure there's going to be that level of consistency and committment to that side of the puck. I think if it was just one aspect that was off, maybe. But for all three, I think that's going to be a decently tall order for him.

Looking ahead a few years our 2C spot is likely going to be filled by Chytil not by Bourque and we probably shouldn't forget about Henriksson either. It looks like a hole now so people want to fill it. Again a lot of centers turn into wings. A lot of things flow through your centermen--that's one of the reasons why they need to be good 200' players.

 

[nyr2k2]

Brisson gets dinged a bit for his skating in scouting reports for his skating though. The mechanics are for the most part fine but his speed is kind of average and what we might be looking at with him is more of a goal scoring version of Stepan.

Yeah I think that's totally fair. And if we were able to get Stepan-level production at 22 I think that would be fantastic. That's why I like him.

I feel like his makeup, he's "safer" than Bourque.

 

[RagFinMet]

If the board falls like this I'm trading 22 for 31,34(SJ)
I do it in the draft sim all the time haha
I think i have to add a late pick to make it work
Either way the second round talent almost equals the late first round talent IMO
I target Khus and Hirvonen with the 2 picks

 

[Heckler81]

If the board falls like this I'm trading 22 for 31,34(SJ)
I do it in the draft sim all the time haha
I think i have to add a late pick to make it work
Either way the second round talent almost equals the late first round talent IMO
I target Khus and Hirvonen with the 2 picks

Only way I see a team interested in trading up (ex. 31 and 34 for 22) is if someone like Jarvis is available.

The next question is if someone like Jarvis is available. Why would we trade back instead of taking him?

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

I think we should target elite skating with our other picks. With Kakko and Lafreniere having doubts about their skating ability I think we should supplement them with some speedsters.

 

[Sayba]

I would like to move back into the 2nd round to pick up a big winger or preferably find a way to move up for Lundell, Mercer, Hollway, Lapierre or Zary.

Greig seems interesting if we stay put.

 

[eco's bones]

If the board falls like this I'm trading 22 for 31,34(SJ)
I do it in the draft sim all the time haha
I think i have to add a late pick to make it work
Either way the second round talent almost equals the late first round talent IMO
I target Khus and Hirvonen with the 2 picks

I just don't see San Jose doing this----well maybe, Doug Wilson is kind of dumb if you ask me. The Sharks need quality prospects but they need a quantity of them even more. Pronman didn't put them at 28 out of 31 teams for no reason. Their best prospect is Right D Ryan Merkley and he played his way off of something like 3 OHL teams with his attitude issues and very shoddy could give a shit less defensive play. One of his teams didn't even invite him their training camp. The Sharks are full of old guys---they don't have nearly enough young guys to pass the torch on to.

 

[Edge]

Looking ahead a few years our 2C spot is likely going to be filled by Chytil not by Bourque and we probably shouldn't forget about Henriksson either. It looks like a hole now so people want to fill it. Again a lot of centers turn into wings. A lot of things flow through your centermen--that's one of the reasons why they need to be good 200' players.

And that being the question, is it pure offense we need on the wings, or a more balanced approach that combines offense with other things?

As I always say, the idea is to build a team that can compete in the playoffs, not necessarily win the skills competition at the all-star game.

For the record, I don't dislike Bourque as the pick. He's second on my list of available talents.

I do have some concerns that he hasn't quite faced the same level scrutiny on our board and that people may not be getting quite the player they think they're getting. Because based on 20+ years, Bourque has a lot of the makings of a future whipping boy on here.

 

[Sayba]

And that being the question, is it pure offense we need on the wings, or a more balanced approach that combines offense with other things?

As I always say, the idea is to build a team that can compete in the playoffs, not necessarily win the skills competition at the all-star game.

For the record, I don't dislike Bourque as the pick. He's second on my list of available talents.

I do have some concerns that he hasn't quite faced the same level scrutiny on our board and that people may not be getting quite the player they think they're getting. Because based on 20+ years, Bourque has a lot of the makings of a future whipping boy on here.

This is why I'm interested in getting back into the 2nd round. How do you feel about any of Colangelo, Cuylle, Finley and Tuch? We have a lot of talent on this team already. We need some other things to compete.

 

[Edge]

This is why I'm interested in getting back into the 2nd round. How do you feel about any of Colangelo, Cuylle, Finley and Tuch? We have a lot of talent on this team already. We need some other things to compete.

I like Cuylle the best of the bunch and think he's another guy who has that grit/skill combination and could potentially compliment more skilled players.

Finley I like as more of a third round pick. Personally, he reminds me a lot of Brian Boyle. I can see him serving in a similar role if the pieces keep coming together.

Tuch I am fairly lukewarm on. I see him getting attention as a poor man's version of his brother, but I think there's a lot of development that would need to go on for that to happen. There are guys I like more than him.

Colangelo is an interesting case. He's got a great shot and nose for the net, but I just don't know if the other elements are there. His skating needs work, his effort needs work, his defense is inconsistent and I'm just not sure if I see an NHL player there or a journeyman who teams bring in because he can provide offense at the AHL level. In many ways he reminds me a bit of Tyson Foerster, just maybe not quite as cooked.

 

[Edge]

Thought this might be closer. I'm probably going to call it this afternoon.

 

[bobbop]

Looking at this draft in total, one word describes it; chalk.

I expect there will be a couple of surprises between 1 and 21 that will give the Rangers a different playing field.

 

[eco's bones]

And that being the question, is it pure offense we need on the wings, or a more balanced approach that combines offense with other things?

As I always say, the idea is to build a team that can compete in the playoffs, not necessarily win the skills competition at the all-star game.

For the record, I don't dislike Bourque as the pick. He's second on my list of available talents.

I do have some concerns that he hasn't quite faced the same level scrutiny on our board and that people may not be getting quite the player they think they're getting. Because based on 20+ years, Bourque has a lot of the makings of a future whipping boy on here.

We have top end skill so I'm not necessarily looking for the most skilled guy which really for me would be 1. Perreault 2. Bourque anyway. Greig is a more swagger or attitude player and even if he ends up a jack of all trades you need those Swiss Army knives too. Greig is also one of the youngest players in this draft class and pro-rated he would have led his WHL team in scoring as a 17 year old and it was a pretty good team so he's not without skill or upside. To me you draft Greig not because you're hoping to get 30 goal seasons from per se but because you think he's a guy you can win with. One of the messages I got from the play in was the Rangers aren't tough enough or resilient enough yet and until they are that way they might make the playoffs but they won't be a real contender.

 

[Cag29]

I think we should target elite skating with our other picks. With Kakko and Lafreniere having doubts about their skating ability I think we should supplement them with some speedsters.

From what I’ve seen on Laf he skates fine. Is there really a concern with his skating?

 

[cmdevisser]

Probably more likely to be a wing. But I think Perrault and Bourque are in the same boat, and quite possibly Khusnutdinov.

Thanks Edge, always appreciate your perspective.

That said, I really cant see Khusnutdinov as a wing. His value would be cut in half that way, and I really don't want the Rangers to draft him if they would consider transitioning him to the wing.

His game seems to be the perfect prototype of a modern top six NHL center (minus elite creativity and finishing). He's more than adequate at everything on offense, is a relentless back checker & forechecker, never stops moving, and is always looking for simple, high percentage passes that helps his team keep possession of the puck. He covers an insane amount of ice at the MHL level, and looks to be playing at completely different pace than the rest of that league. His stick handling is good enough to help navigate the neutral zone really well at the MHL level as well.

The reason I would want him over Mysak, who I think has a much higher offensive ceiling and has played well already this year, is that you cant field a team of all-star players in today's NHL. Even after the flat cap, you need some guys would can contribute to a Stanley Cup-level hockey on a reasonable salary, and does things to help your team win.

Khusnutdinov has a ceiling that, if he hits it, meshes perfectly with an offense based on winners with elite playmaking and goal scoring ability.

 

[Edge]

We have top end skill so I'm not necessarily looking for the most skilled guy which really for me would be 1. Perreault 2. Bourque anyway. Greig is a more swagger or attitude player and even if he ends up a jack of all trades you need those Swiss Army knives too. Greig is also one of the youngest players in this draft class and pro-rated he would have led his WHL team in scoring as a 17 year old and it was a pretty good team so he's not without skill or upside. To me you draft Greig not because you're hoping to get 30 goal seasons from per se but because you think he's a guy you can win with. One of the messages I got from the play in was the Rangers aren't tough enough or resilient enough yet and until they are that way they might make the playoffs but they won't be a real contender.

And that's kind of why I think Greig could be a primary target for them at 22. Maybe he tops out at 20 goals and 40 points. But he gives him them a different look in their lineup as well. I think he has enough skill that he'll contribute, so long as people can accept that he might not match other draftees goal for goal or point for point.

But, as you said, we might not need him to be that guy. We might need him to be that guy that other teams want to get from us.

 

[aufheben]

Thanks Edge, always appreciate your perspective.

That said, I really cant see Khusnutdinov as a wing. His value would be cut in half that way, and I really don't want the Rangers to draft him if they would consider transitioning him to the wing.

His game seems to be the perfect prototype of a modern top six NHL center (minus elite creativity and finishing). He's more than adequate at everything on offense, is a relentless back checker & forechecker, never stops moving, and is always looking for simple, high percentage passes that helps his team keep possession of the puck. He covers an insane amount of ice at the MHL level, and looks to be playing at completely different pace than the rest of that league. His stick handling is good enough to help navigate the neutral zone really well at the MHL level as well.

The reason I would want him over Mysak, who I think has a much higher offensive ceiling and has played well already this year, is that you cant field a team of all-star players in today's NHL. Even after the flat cap, you need some guys would can contribute to a Stanley Cup-level hockey on a reasonable salary, and does things to help your team win.

Khusnutdinov has a ceiling that, if he hits it, meshes perfectly with an offense based on winners with elite playmaking and goal scoring ability.

What interests me about Khusnutdinov is not is ceiling, it’s the attributes you listed that could one day make for a good—even pivotal—bottom-6 forward.

This is what I’m talking about (stolen from NHL Draft - Prospects board). Everything in here just screams “perfect #3C”:

NHL.com Scouting Report: Explosive two-way center. Flashy, skilled and an offensive threat on every shift. A leader and team player. Wins battles and plays with a lot of confidence.
Final Rank: 12
Age: 18 (7/17/02)
Height: 5-11
Weight: 176
Birthplace: Moscow, Russia
Shoots: Left
One of the youngest players eligible in the draft, Khusnutdinov put in the work as a 17-year-old in Russia's top junior league. The Moscow native recorded 38 points (13g/25a) in 44 games with SKA St. Petersburg's junior club last season, the top team in the league during the 2019-20 campaign. Experts say he's a puck hound and responsible player in all three zones (offensive, defensive and neutral). Highly skilled and a gifted skater, Khusnutdinov captained Team Russia to gold at the 2019 Hlinka Gretzky Cup with three assists/points in five games. He also earned a gold medal at the 2018 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge (2g/3a in six games) and silver at the 2019 Under-18 World Championship (1g/2a in seven games).

"Smart, cagey and understands how to play with a multitude of players and in different situations. Has a understated skill level, but when you package everything together, he's a good player." -- TSN's Craig Butt

"Khusnutdinov has been a leader for Russia's 2002 age group for years and was very impressive with his junior club this season, which was the best in MHL. He has high-end skill components to his game. He's able to make highly creative plays with the puck, improvise in tough situations and be very coordinated in small spaces. He sees the ice very well and can make tough dishes to teammates. He's a great skater too, using his speed to beat defenders wide and making hard plays to the net. He competes hard, frequently getting to the tough areas in the offensive zone and killing penalties well. Khusnutdinov isn't special at any one thing and he's undersized, but it's the combination of his skill, speed and very high compete level that equals a projected NHL player." -- The Athletic's Corey Pronm

"On a loaded team that didn't play him on the top line or power play unit for much of the season, Khusnutdinov put together an impressive rookie season in the MHL - and did it while spending the entire year as a 17-year-old. Khusnutdinov makes plays all over the ice, he's a responsible three-zone player, he doesn't shy away from playing to the interior, he's got enough skill to make plays from the exterior and he tracks the play exceptionally well. That last tool helps him intercept pucks or find space in the offensive zone. He's a long-term project but I see a player who continues to maximize his skill set and makes the most out of his career." -- The Athletic's Scott

 

[JESSEWENEEDTOCOOK]

@Edge how do you think Greig compares to JT Miller

I feel like they’re pretty similar prospects and tht Greig will go in the range Miller went

 

[PuckLuck3043]

From what I’ve seen on Laf he skates fine. Is there really a concern with his skating?

none

 

[Edge]

@Edge how do you think Greig compares to JT Miller

I feel like they’re pretty similar prospects and tht Greig will go in the range Miller went

Greig reminds me of the player I think people thought they were getting with Miller, or hoped he might become. In that sense he's more locked on to the type of player he's going to be, whereas Miller couldn't quite make up his mind if he was grinder with a scoring touch, or a scorer with some sandpaper to his game. I think he's an inherently smarter player than Miller, and consistently more physical, but he doesn't have the physical gifts Miller did.

I've compared Greig to guys like Dubinsky, Callahan, Konowalchuk in the past. I think @Joey Bones had the comparison to Bryaden Schenn, and I can definitely see that one too.

 

[Edge]

Looking at this draft in total, one word describes it; chalk.

I expect there will be a couple of surprises between 1 and 21 that will give the Rangers a different playing field.

I think everything is wide open past the first 10 picks. Even guys who everyone think could go at 12 or 13, could be sitting on the board at 20.