puck stoppa
Registered User
No surprise that's Mitts will fall. I'm hoping someone takes a flyer on Kostin ahead of us. He's a guy no one is talking about and could be a steal a la Tarasenko if he falls to mid first.
Situation I'm considering would have the following gone in picks 1-12
Hischier
Patrick
Mittlestadt
Heiskanen
Vilardi
Pettersson
Liljegren
Makar
Valimaki
Glass
Necas
Suzuki
A kid I would really like to fall to us in the second round (unlikely but possible).
https://canucksarmy.com/2017/06/03/nation-network-2017-prospect-profiles-32-urho-vaakanainen/
Nice review by Garret.
No surprise that's Mitts will fall. I'm hoping someone takes a flyer on Kostin ahead of us. He's a guy no one is talking about and could be a steal a la Tarasenko if he falls to mid first.
Pronman is a guy who rankings are close to mine, and one thing I like about him is he cares less about weight and height when assessing talent and skill
Don’t put too much stock into the fact that Mittelstadt only did one rep on the bench press and no pull-ups. It actually presents an opportunity for change and improvement that will only help him. He’s still a really talented hockey player. Whoever drafts him will put him in a workout regimen to improve his upper-body strength. He’ll be fine.
It’s not often that a prospect admits that a team had dinner with them. That was the case for Martin Necas (ranked 5th on the European skaters list.) He told me the Detroit Red Wings had dinner with him. This of course is no guarantee he gets drafted as their first-round pick, but it’s intriguing to see this as it does express a level of interest higher than usual.
Something that helps me drill down my draft rankings is the number of teams that a prospect talks to during the week. Those that talked with 29-31 teams tend to be more highly valued. It helps me break ties in similar prospects. Let me give you an example. Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds center Morgan Frost told me he spoke to 23 teams this week. Hamilton forward MacKenzie Entwistle spoke to 21 teams. I had both as second rounders and this confirms it for me. No guarantees, but knowing the league interest of a prospect has some merit to it based on where they’re ranked.
Now consider this. Guelph winger Isaac Ratcliffe spoke to 30 teams while Matthew Strome spoke to 17 teams. I had Ratcliffe early in the second round. I believe he goes in the first round now. I had Strome as a second rounder. He might fall even more. All 17 teams asked about his skating. He says he will work to improve it. At what point does a team take him knowing those concerns?
Grant Mismash and Jason Robertson each spoke to 25 teams. In my mind, those are both early second rounders.
Let’s talk about someone who’s going to rise to the first round in my mind. Meet Josh Norris. As of late in the afternoon Saturday, Norris led in three different tests, the Wingate, the long jump and vertical jump. He’s very athletic. He’s also a center. He’s playing hockey next season at the University of Michigan. He spoke to 29 teams. There is high interest in him. I definitely think a team like Columbus would take him at 24 if still available. Norris and Zach Werenski each had the same skating coach.
Memorial Cup winning goalie Michael DiPietro said he spoke to 16 teams this week. He’s an intersting case given his size. He checks in at 6-foot. I asked him if smaller goalies have a bigger place in this league now. I loved this answer. “If you can stop the puck, you deserve a chance to play.†He’s projected as a number-one goalie in this league.
Prospect Klim Kostin completed the fitness testing Saturday, but was not made available to the media afterwards. I was told he doesn’t speak English and that a translator was not available. There are teams that have him third behind Patrick and Hischier on their list. But questions remain. Other teams have him as a mid first rounder. Which team is willing to step up and take a chance on a dynamic player?
Timothy Liljegren confirmed he will stay in Sweden next season. He said it was the best thing for him.
would be sweet if it played out like pronman's list. my nerves would be a lot calmer if i heard one or more of tippett/kostin/vesalainen/rasmussen being called before 13.
from the remainders after 13 on his list my preffered order would be:
1. makar
2. petterson
3. valimaki/liljegren
4. andersson/necas
Those are all nice options. I'd love to see the jets draft board.
Those are all nice options. I'd love to see the jets draft board.
would be sweet if it played out like pronman's list. my nerves would be a lot calmer if i heard one or more of tippett/kostin/vesalainen/rasmussen being called before 13.
from the remainders after 13 on his list my preferred order would be:
1. makar
2. pettersson
3. valimaki/liljegren
4. andersson/necas
1. Michael Rasmussen
2. Michael Rasmussen
3. Michael Rasmussen
4. Michael Rasmussen
5. Michael Rasmussen
1. Michael Rasmussen
2. Michael Rasmussen
3. Michael Rasmussen
4. Michael Rasmussen
5. Michael Rasmussen
Good post. If all those Ds are gone that quite likely means centres like Suzuki or Pettersson are on the board which would make me very happy. BPA!Assuming for a moment that Heiskanen, Makar, Liljegren, and Valimaki are all drafted before Chevy picks:
I believe a lot of you guys would call for Brannstrom then. I'm not so sure about picking a 5'9 defenseman at #13 overall.
A common point is that 5'9 defensemen are definitely able to be NHL impact players if they have the skills -- see Krug, Spurgeon, Ellis. That's true.
My reply would be: so can big forwards with very mediocre Junior stats in their draft year, see Milan Lucic, James Neal, Wayne Simmonds; yet nobody wants to pick a poorly scoring forward. Outliers are an important part of statistics. Krug, Spurgeon, Ellis, Lucic, Neal, Simmonds are outliers in this world where NHL success is correlated with Junior scoring stats and size. A lot of undersized and dominant defensemen aren't even drafted. Picking Brannstrom is a pretty big risk, betting on his big rink defensive game translating appropriately to NHL ice.
"Draft skill over size" -- true, but this is not Travis Ewanyk vs Johnny Gaudreau, or Keegan Kanzig vs Anthony Duclair. This is a 13th overall pick. There will be players (forwards) who have a) a huge range of skills; b) a size that's 5'11 or more. And a legitimate center prospect wouldn't be too bad to have.
6. Dayton Rasmussen
7. Michael Rasmussen
7. Sebastian Aho
Assuming for a moment that Heiskanen, Makar, Liljegren, and Valimaki are all drafted before Chevy picks:
I believe a lot of you guys would call for Brannstrom then. I'm not so sure about picking a 5'9 defenseman at #13 overall.
A common point is that 5'9 defensemen are definitely able to be NHL impact players if they have the skills -- see Krug, Spurgeon, Ellis. That's true.
My reply would be: so can big forwards with very mediocre Junior stats in their draft year, see Milan Lucic, James Neal, Wayne Simmonds; yet nobody wants to pick a poorly scoring forward. Outliers are an important part of statistics. Krug, Spurgeon, Ellis, Lucic, Neal, Simmonds are outliers in this world where NHL success is correlated with Junior scoring stats and size. A lot of undersized and dominant defensemen aren't even drafted. Picking Brannstrom is a pretty big risk, betting on his big rink defensive game translating appropriately to NHL ice.
"Draft skill over size" -- true, but this is not Travis Ewanyk vs Johnny Gaudreau, or Keegan Kanzig vs Anthony Duclair. This is a 13th overall pick. There will be players (forwards) who have a) a huge range of skills; b) a size that's 5'11 or more. And a legitimate center prospect wouldn't be too bad to have.
I'm still not super high on Makar yet. There is just to much risk associated with him for me to be pumped on him at 13. I think Brannstrom is better and I still think there is to much risk with him too.
My top 31 as of today.
1. Nolan Patrick - RC/RW - 6'2 - 198.82 - Brandon, WHL
Projection: Top 6 two-way physical goalscoring center.
2. Nico Hischier - LC - 6'1.5 - 178.55 - Halifax, QMJHL
Projection: Top 6 two-way speedy playscoring center.
3. Cody Glass - RC - 6'1.75 - 177.86 - Portland, WHL
Projection: Top 6 two-way playscoring center.
4. Miro Heiskanen - LD - 6'2 - 172.16 - HIFK, Liiga
Projection: Top 4 shutdown defender.
5. Gabe Vilardi - RW/RC - 6'2.75 - 202.8 - Windsor, OHL
Projection: Top 6 playmaking center.
6. Tim Liljegren - RD - 5’11.25 - 180 - Rögle, SHL
Projection: Top 4 puck rushing defencemen.
7. Nick Suzuki - RC - 5'11 - 183 - Owen Sound, OHL
Projection: Top 6 two-way playscoring center.
8. Kailer Yamamoto - RW/LW - 5'7.5 - 146.4 - Spokane, WHL
Projection: Top 9 speedy playscoring winger.
9. Jusso Välimäki - LD - 6'1.5 - 211.27 - Tri-City, WHL
Projection: Top 4 puck moving defencemen.
10. Casey Mittelstadt - LC/LW - 5'11.5 - 198.98 - Eden Prairie High, USHS
Projection: Top 9 creative playmaking forward.
11. Martin Necas - RC - 6'1 - 178.34 - Brno, Czech
Projection: Top 9 two-way playmaking center.
12. Elias Pettersson - LC/LW - 6'1.75 - 164.62 - Timrå, Allsvenskan
Projection: Top 9 two-way playmaking forward.
13. Owen Tippet - RW - 6'0.5 - 202.76 - Mississauga, OHL
Projection: Top 6 goalscorer.
14. Antoine Morand - LC - 5'10 - 174.86 - Acadie-Bathurst, QMJHL
Projection: Top 9 playmaking center.
15. Erik Brännström - LD - 5'9 - 170 - HV71, SHL
Projection: Top 4 creative puck rushing defencemen.
16. Cal Foote - RD - 6'4 - 214.98 - Kelowna, WHL
Projection: Top 4 shutdown defender.
17. Cale Makar - RD - 5'11.25 - 187.44 - Brooks, AJHL
Projection: Top 4 speedy puck rushing defencemen.
18. Lias Andersson - LC/LW - 5'11 - 200.68 - HV71, SHL
Projection: Top 9 playscoring forward.
19. Kole Lind - RW - 6'1 - 185 - Kelowna, WHL
Projection: Top 9 playscoring winger
20. Nick Henry - RW - 5'11 - 189.56 - Regina, WHL
Projection: Top 9 creative playscoring winger.
21. Eeli Tolvanen - LW - 5'11.25 - 189.48 - Sioux City, USHL
Projection: Top 9 goalscoring winger.
22. Conor Timmins - RD - 6'1.5 - 183.78 - Sault Ste. Marie, OHL
Projection: Top 4 puck moving defencemen.
23. Jake Leschyshyn - LC/LW - 5'10.75 - 189.26 - Regina, WHL
Projection: Top 9 playmaking forward.
24. Jonah Gadjovich - LW - 6'1 - 198.5 - Owen Sound, OHL
Projection: Top 9 two-way agitating goalscorer.
25. Artyum Minulin - RD - 6'2 - 198 - Swift Current, WHL
Projection: Bottom 4 puck moving defender.
26. Stelio Mattheos - RC/RW - 6'0.25 - 189.42 - Brandon, WHL
Projection: Top 9 goalscoring forward.
27. Nick Hague - LD - 6'5.5 - 207.28 - Mississauga, OHL
Projection: Bottom 4 puck rushing defencemen.
28. Shane Bowers - LC - 6'1.5 - 178.28 - Waterloo, USHL
Projection: Bottom 9 playmaking center.
29. Jarret Anderson-Dolan - LC - 5'11 - 190.74 - Spokane, WHL
Projection: Top 9 goalscoring forward.
30. Josh Norris - LC - 6'0.5 - 188.94 - US18, USDP
Projection: Top 9 two-way playmaking center.
31. Mike Rasmussen - LC - 6'5.5 - 221.22 - Tri-City, WHL
Projection: Bottom 9 goalpoaching forward/PP specialist.
I don't think Mattheos is a first round player, IMO. I don't see the high end skill from him. Some of the behind the scenes stuff I've heard about him aren't great as well, but those reports were from a 14/15 year old so I don't read too much into that.
I'd out money down that he will be one of those late bloomer types. His shot and skating is really solid.
I think he'll have a breakout year next year too, as his role should expand.