Prospect Info: NHL Entry Draft Discussion Thread - First Round Tuesday October 6th

[Subway Schenn]

Just a few weeks ago Askarov might have been a possibility at #15, now all of a sudden he's going Top 5. Interesting.

Jarvis, Lapierre, Amirov, Lundell, Sanderson for me. Or Askarov.

 

[Northernguy10]

I wouldn't be shocked, I'm a big fan of Zary even though I know some of the guys on this website don't like him. He's a good player, skating is just average/below average.

Personally I prefer Bourque if we're grabbing a C, but that's just me.

Of the guys I think might be available at 15 , after Lapierre, I have Zary and Amirov as my next 2 in no particular order...Would be happy with any of the 3... Seems like a lot of hype being built up for this pick. Hopefully they don't trade the pick and burst our bubbles...

 

[HC7]

And they're all rated in the later half of the first round. You'd be pretty bad at your job if you used the 15th overal pick on those players other than maybe Guhle but even still it's a reach.

Would Tampa be pretty bad at scouting if they took Point in the 1st round despite him being ranked in the 3rd round?

Watch on Tuesday when those players are off the board sooner than you think. Teams aren't dumb, and players like that go higher than analytics nerds rank them.

 

[KMNRB]

I don't think I've seen him mentioned too often, but would Noel Gunler be a realistic option for us at 15?

Gunler has been dropped from the fourth line to the 13th forward on his team (benched or scratched). Previously he has been playing like 2 or 3 minutes per game.

Button said in the draft podcast that he won't touch him until the 2nd round due to his vastly inconsistent plays from shift to shift, and the fact that he is never picked for Sweden's international teams reveals that coaches don't like him. Others may see differently and have him higher, but for sure he has a bad start to the season.

 

[Byron Bitz]

I don't think I've seen him mentioned too often, but would Noel Gunler be a realistic option for us at 15?

Yes, but I think he’s going to Edmonton. They could use a goal scoring winger

 

[Morgs]

Of the guys I think might be available at 15 , after Lapierre, I have Zary and Amirov as my next 2 in no particular order...Would be happy with any of the 3... Seems like a lot of hype being built up for this pick. Hopefully they don't trade the pick and burst our bubbles...

Well I only started following the draft because we acquired the pick. I've spent so many hours studying about ~90 players, so yeah, I'd be disappointed as hell if we dont pick on Tuesday.

But I'd also understand if it was traded for something that improves our team in both the short and long term.

 

[LeafChief]

Would Tampa be pretty bad at scouting if they took Point in the 1st round despite him being ranked in the 3rd round?

Watch on Tuesday when those players are off the board sooner than you think. Teams aren't dumb, and players like that go higher than analytics nerds rank them.

I very much hope some of the players you listed are off the board early so one of the good players slides to us at 15.

We're hoping for the same thing.

 

[Morgs]

Gunler has been dropped from the fourth line to the 13th forward on his team (benched or scratched). Previously he has been playing like 2 or 3 minutes per game.

Button said in the draft podcast that he won't touch him until the 2nd round due to his vastly inconsistent plays from shift to shift, and the fact that he is never picked for Sweden's international teams reveals that coaches don't like him. Others may see differently and have him higher, but for sure he has a bad start to the season.

He's been playing exclusively on the 4th line. He's inconsistent, but playing with poor players with no minutes isnt exactly a fair valuation when you have all last season of fantastic play to go on.

Plus even guys I dont agree with at all on this website I'd trust more than I trust Button. The guy literally only watches international tournaments, so yeah.... I'd assume he has no idea how Gunler even plays other than reading other scouts opinions.

 

[Northernguy10]

Well I only started following the draft because we acquired the pick. I've spent so many hours studying about ~90 players, so yeah, I'd be disappointed as hell if we dont pick on Tuesday.

But I'd also understand if it was traded for something that improves our team in both the short and long term.

Yep... I have no problem if they work a good trade for a young controllable player that we need but it sure would take the fun out of the draft... Do they not realize how much time us armchair quarterbacks put into this draft?...

 

[Leafs at Knight]

Seems like 10 names have been thrown out and people would be fine with it, so that tells me we should trade down.

 

[Kiwi]

Seems like 10 names have been thrown out and people would be fine with it, so that tells me we should trade down.

The problem with that is if the other teams feel the same way how keen are they going to be to trade up?

We've got a lot of picks this draft, so I'd be happy to sit tight and make the pick especially if Jarvis, Amirov or Lundell are still on the board

 

[Judas Tavares]

Well I only started following the draft because we acquired the pick. I've spent so many hours studying about ~90 players, so yeah, I'd be disappointed as hell if we dont pick on Tuesday.

But I'd also understand if it was traded for something that improves our team in both the short and long term.

I started to get in to the draft in the early to mid 2000s, but the first draft I really devoted a ton of time to was 2007. I was so excited and then day of we make the Toskala trade. It was a bummer, especially since we had just traded a first (Rask) for Raycroft.

 

[Warden of the North]

No thank-you to a goalie in the 1st round.

 

[Havoc]

My only issue with Lapierre is that at some point we're going to need some guys that can battle. I don't mean draft a bunch of goons because that's idiotic. Maybe it's a development thing but Tampas guys like Point, Kuch, and Cierelli all play like grinders when they need to. Similar to Crosby who is the most skilled grinder in the game. As opposed to some guys on the Leafs that think they're the globetrotters.

Give me some players with a Jimmy Butler/Kyle Lowry mentality. Give me some f***ing dogs that will go to battle. Start looking at players like Guhle, Zary, Reichel who are all core players when it comes to international tournaments. Change the mentality from undersized wingers that can only play with the puck. Get some skilled players that can grind. Get some gym rats that aren't 160 lbs at the draft. Get some competitive guys that are already putting in the hours at the gym and showed up to the draft ready to go. Hard work beats skill when skill doesn't work hard. We need to get some skill that works hard in the 1st 2/3 rounds and then try to get skill later on when both skill and hard work isn't on the board anymore.

Well, Cirelli was 160 pounds when drafted. The gym rat grind portion of the game sometimes comes after the draft. Lapierre strikes me as a guy who will work hard post-draft.

 

[ACC1224]

Any chance that Russian goalie is available in the Leafs spot?

 

[Knies iT]

Don't want anything to do with Gunler or Bourque. The former's skating leaves a lot to be desired and his inconsistency only makes it more of a glaring weakness; there's not much I like there at all. As for Bourque, he has disgustingly bad compete level and non-existent commitment to the D zone - no interest in him despite his attractive offensive skillset.

 

[TimeZone]

Any chance that Russian goalie is available in the Leafs spot?

Extremely unlikely.

 

[daner]

I’m not going to pretend like I know a lot of the draft prospects this season but we could really use a player like Schneider. We need more toughness. Competent and tough players.

 

[stickty111]

I’m not going to pretend like I know a lot of the draft prospects this season but we could really use a player like Schneider. We need more toughness. Competent and tough players.

If we trade down then sure, but not at 15. BPA is the way to go.

 

[nuck]

I’m not going to pretend like I know a lot of the draft prospects this season but we could really use a player like Schneider. We need more toughness. Competent and tough players.

The Leafs could really use a player like Schneider could become. At #15 if it happens its years down the road. They need players like that in their system and they have been remiss in finding them.
Whether this year makes sense depends on what their options are when the pick rolls around. They may not even use the pick.

 

[TimeZone]

I’m not going to pretend like I know a lot of the draft prospects this season but we could really use a player like Schneider. We need more toughness. Competent and tough players.

Lol @ using pick #15 in a very deep draft to fill a toughness need.

He's at least two years away and there are much higher upside players in that range.

 

[ToneDog]

No thank-you to a goalie in the 1st round.

I believe the last goalie we took in the first round worked out. Askarov might be a franchise goalie and we might regret passing on him at 15 if we were lucky if he was still there when we pick.

 

[daner]

Lol @ using pick #15 in a very deep draft to fill a toughness need.

He's at least two years away and there are much higher upside players in that range.

Simply stating we could use a competent d man who is tough. At which pick he’s taken was never stated. Be more respectful.

 

[stickty111]

Simply stating we could use a competent d man who is tough. At which pick he’s taken was never stated. Be more respectful.

I never said anything rude. Relax
Your post is fair.

 

[TimeZone]

Simply stating we could use a competent d man who is tough. At which pick he’s taken was never stated. Be more respectful.

We could, but not at the expense of a 15th overall pick.

The only realistic picks we could make at 15 that would genuinely disappoint me would be Schneider or Zary.

I just don't see the upside with those two to warrant a top 15 selection.

Mercer, Amirov, Bourque, Lapierre, Quinn, Guhle, Lundell would all be picks I would be totally okay with at worst and thrilled at best.