GDT: NHL Entry Draft 2018: The Attitude Era Begins @ 7PM ET June 22, 2018

[1909]

Honestly, no problem with Kotkaniemi. I've said it before and I'll say it again. At #3 there wasn't a consensus franchise esque player. Just guys a tier after #1-2. The reality however is it's not enough. Even the 4 2nds, not enough.

Habs need another tank year or 2 to really build a new core IMO.

Habs needed at least two, even three 1st round picks tonight to go back on track. Isles got very lucky getting Walstrom and Dobson, because two worst rated guys were taken by Arizona and the Rangers. Dobson is even better than Bouchard.

 

[Habaneros]

Next year we will draft one of the top center available to complete the center squad : DLR-Danault- Poelhing- Kotkaniemi-First round 2019.

after the 3rd pick this year..i hope we finish 15th next year....

 

[dcal64]

I think calling Kotkaniemi a reach is a little odd as he's been a part of the main stream discussion for the top-5 since at least the U18s. Glad we could hunker down and finally go for a center though - even if he "could" have been taken later, I'm not going to say no to a top-10 ranked center. Really excited to see how his skating develops because improvement in that is what's going to take his game to another level. Bergevin made the right call here.

I think we're going to see a lot of arguing on this board about our next two picks.

Next guys on my list are McIsaac, Berggren, Noel, Olofsson, Hallander, McLeod, Roman, Wilde.... So many of the defenceman I wanted are already gone!

Arizona took a center at #5, how do you know they would not have taken him at #5 instead of Hayton? The Habs could not drop down.

 

[danyhabsfan]

Got a shot at one of Berggren, Hallander, Thomas, Ylonen

and hopefully one of Tychonick or McIsaac

 

[Weber Fan]

Akil Thomas could be a good second rounder!

 

[WeThreeKings]

and hopefully one of Tychonick or McIsaac

Hopefully not.

 

[Habby Patty]

My thoughts:
Honestly, the draft was quite uneventful. Crowd sucked during the picks. Should never be in Dallas again. There was so much hype for trades and not a single player was traded after Dahlin got selected 1st. I was super excited for Kotka at 3 and then I see those braindead fans getting mad about it and the camera focusing on them instead of Kotka. Then that Pejorative Slur on the panel kept 'disrespecting' Kotkaniemi and where he got picked. I think the draft should have been A LOT better. There is always tomorrow at least.

 

[le_sean]

I'd rather not but it's whatever.. think there's more talent in Berggren in Hallander.. you're not hoping for a guy to put everything together like NOel.

Ryan McLeod, here we come.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Akil Thomas could be a good second rounder!

He'd be exceptional. It's consistency that's the issue here. If you look at pure talent, he actually checks off every box.

 

[LaP]

Well he was generic but... Players drafted center often end up pushed to the wing/hardest position to play/need a 200ft game/blablabla.

My **** god. Fire this moron.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Ryan McLeod, here we come.

Would be supremely underwhelming. The guys I mentioned are just so low upside.

 

[The Great Weal]

Akil Thomas said that he would love to get drafted by the Habs and it is his dream.

 

[sheed36]

The NYI got an unexpected gift handed to them tonight. They must be over the moon happy with their first 2 draft picks tonight.

 

[nhlfan9191]

Kotkaniemi certainly isnt the safest pick at 3rd, he in my opinion was more ideally in the 5-7 range but we'll see. At 3rd overall with our center problem it just made sense going with Kotkaniemi. Time will tell if we should have gone BPA and taken Zadina.

Arizona taking a center made me feel a lot more comfortable with not trading down. To move from 3rd to 4th would’ve been hardly anything anyways and Ottawa wanted Tkachuk so we could’ve played head games but it just wasn’t worth it. Grab the player you really want and don’t fool around.

 

[The Great Weal]

Dobson+Wahlstrom>Svechnikov

 

[vokiel]

Ryan McLeod, here we come.

Yeah lets get all the McLeod

 

[Treb]

Would be supremely underwhelming. The guys I mentioned are just so low upside.

Guy was worth a top5 pick

 

[JeffreyLFC]

I really like Olofsson. He is not liked because he is not flashy but I really like him.

McIsaac could also be interesting but not sure of his upside.

I must say the scouts killed it this year with Beaudin/O'brien/Alexeyev who were hopeful in the 2nd round.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Akil Thomas said that he would love to get drafted by the Habs and it is his dream.

I'd love it, honestly. He has all he needs just consistency. Would be blessed.

 

[The Great Weal]

I'd love it, honestly. He has all he needs just consistency. Would be blessed.

I'm torn between him and Ylonen.

 

[Habs Icing]

He'd be exceptional. It's consistency that's the issue here. If you look at pure talent, he actually checks off every box.

So the U18 was an example of his inconsistency?

 

[Habby Patty]

Boys, I don't know if any of you value my opinions but It was a good 2 months of posting for me leading up to the draft. Looking forward to see what happens this summer and looking forward to some great debates. Cheers boys! The hype for the 2019 draft has officially begun! #LoseForHughes

 

[Fazkovsky]

I’m hoping Noel Thomas tychonik Berggren

 

[Nedved]

What was asked?

he was trying to enjoy the moment, and the journalist mentioned the recent passing of his mom. some people focus on the negative, it really turned me off.

 

[Schooner Guy]

Yeah I'm scared Kotkaniemi is the Elias Lindholm of the draft.

I'm scared he's the Kyle Chipchura of the draft.

 

[Redux91]

For the argument that Habs should have moved back into the 1st round, I say that the teams that did move up and down in the draft were teams that moved a 1st round pick for a 1st round pick. There weren't teams that moved only 2nd round picks for a 1st round pick.

Hayton at 5 pretty much assures there was no way we could trade back if they really wanted Jesperi

pretty happy honestly