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Prospect Info: Official 2014 NHL Draft Discussion, Suck for Sam or Play Bad For Ekblad?

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Trxjw said:
Yeah I think that's pretty reasonable. Wheeler has really underrated playing ability but doesn't take advantage of his size enough. Tuch will be a complimentary player on his line who forechecks hard, works the boards and provides a really good net-front presence. His shot is good, but his release isn't quick enough.
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I that's why I like the Daze comparison a bit more. Daze knew how to use his size. While he wasn't a banger, he was far better at leveraging his size than Wheeler is.

Think of Tuch as a better skating Daze (Daze was a fairly solid mover for a big man during his time for those on here that have no idea who he is).
 
I think I would prefer a more offensively oriented player, whether that be on offense or defense, in the 1st round this year. The Rangers already have quite a few above average 2-way players. Stepan, Hagelin, Fast, Lindberg, Miller, MZA who look to be around for a long while.

Although they did take (3) mainly offensive forwards with their (3) picks in the 3rd last year in Buch, Duclair and Tambellini. Kristo and Nieves are definitely more offensively oriented as well.

Tough choice.
 
Trxjw said:
His 200ft game is decent, but he's not a center. He might be listed as one, but he's spent most of his time on the RW.

Larkin reminds me a lot of JT Miller. I think they project as similar players.

I think Schultz could be the most dynamic of all US skaters this year. His defensive game is non-existent, but his hands are ridiculously quick and he's a fantastic puck distributor. If he can figure out the defensive side of things, he has top-six scoring center upside. The way he moves on the ice reminds me a bit of Ryan Strome, though I'm not sure he has that kind of upside.
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Interesting, I wonder if it's because he had trouble keeping up with the pace of being a center.

Do you mean Schmalz in the third paragraph? I would take a flyer if we have an extra second or third rounder after drafting a safer player first. I'm not that big of a fan otherwise. Small, slippery, and skilled, but his scouting report reads like Jordan Schroeder's. Small guys with no defensive game usually don't make the NHL unless they're breaking offensive records.

I've seen Schmalz compared to Boyle in this thread. They could not be more different players, just wanted to clear that up. :)

Bird Law said:
Best comparison, IMO, is Eric Daze before his body broke down.
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I can live with that.
 
Bird Law said:
I that's why I like the Daze comparison a bit more. Daze knew how to use his size. While he wasn't a banger, he was far better at leveraging his size than Wheeler is.

Think of Tuch as a better skating Daze (Daze was a fairly solid mover for a big man during his time for those on here that have no idea who he is).
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Yeah I think it's a good comparison. Either way, I think we have a reasonable shot at getting Tuch if we end up with a pick in the mid-to-late teens. Otherwise I think we'll miss out on him. Kids that are that developed already with respectable offensive numbers tend to go early.
 
Are there any late-rising Johansens this year?

I remember that draft, around this time we were starting to get excited that we might have found a late-rising kid with all the tools to develop into a #1C that might actually be available when we picked... but wouldn't ya know it, he just kept getting better and better and he shot up draft charts in the last month or so until CLB wound up taking him well ahead of our pick.
 
I Eat Crow said:
Interesting, I wonder if it's because he had trouble keeping up with the pace of being a center.

Do you mean Schmalz in the third paragraph? I would take a flyer if we have an extra second or third rounder after drafting a safer player first. I'm not that big of a fan otherwise. Small, slippery, and skilled, but his scouting report reads like Jordan Schroeder's. Small guys with no defensive game usually don't make the NHL unless they're breaking offensive records.

I've seen Schmalz compared to Boyle in this thread. They could not be more different players, just wanted to clear that up. :)
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Tuch just isn't really all that great with the puck on his stick in open ice. He's not a creator who can anchor a line. His speed and agility is actually well above average for a kid who is that big.

Yeah I meant Nick Schmaltz. I wrote that one from my phone haha. He's not that small at just shy of 6ft, but he's thin. Skill level is legit though. No idea where the Boyle comparisons came from though.
 
BrooklynRangersFan said:
Are there any late-rising Johansens this year?

I remember that draft, around this time we were starting to get excited that we might have found a late-rising kid with all the tools to develop into a #1C that might actually be available when we picked... but wouldn't ya know it, he just kept getting better and better and he shot up draft charts in the last month or so until CLB wound up taking him well ahead of our pick.
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Not centers, but I thought that all of Honka, Ehlers, and Nylander would be in our sights as recently as a month ago. A Rangers winning streak coupled by those guys rising makes them out of reach. Ehlers and Nylander may go top 10, Honka will be gone by 15 after seeing what Erik Karlsson has done in this league as a 15th overall.
 
Trxjw said:
Tuch just isn't really all that great with the puck on his stick in open ice. He's not a creator who can anchor a line. His speed and agility is actually well above average for a kid who is that big.

Yeah I meant Nick Schmaltz. I wrote that one from my phone haha. He's not that small at just shy of 6ft, but he's thin. Skill level is legit though. No idea where the Boyle comparisons came from though.
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A big body on the wings is nice, and he would be a welcome addition to this team, as I would think his possession numbers are good with his size coupled with his speed. I'm just a little upset to hear he probably won't be a center at the next level.

Connor Bleakley is another name to keep an eye on if we're talking about big centers. He'll probably go late 20's to early 2nd round. If the Rangers have two 1st's, say 21 and 26 overall, I'd trade up and try to get an Ehlers or a McCann, or I would use one pick on Pastrnak and the other on Bleakley or Tuch. Draft a safe defenseman after that in the second round, bonus points if right handed.
 
Nothing more obnoxious than people who demand size just for the sake of size. This team needs skill, and particularly someone who can put the puck in the net. Doesn't matter if it comes in a 5'8 package or 6'8.
 
Trxjw said:
Very few people actually demand size for the sake of size.
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i want size that can play. guys like Backes Hartnell etc... those guys have skill. Jamie Benn is another player that is big and have skill. maybe the Rangers wanna be like the Habs full of smurfs.. :help: if a player has NHL skill would you take him as a 5'10 forward or a 6'3 forward???
 
Punxrocknyc19 said:
for some reason i hope he is available and maybe the Rangers should trade up for him.... i can see a team like Flyers or Devils drafting him.
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He's definitely not getting past the first round. Devils aren't getting him, unless they trade for a 1st, I think. Are they even aloud to do that?
 
slipknottin said:
Am I the only one who is really interested in Anton Karlsson?
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No, I love that kid. I've seen him play a number of times and I really like how he battles in every shift like it would be his last. He throws his body around and is great on the forecheck. He really get under his opponents skins. He's a locker room guy who makes a lot of jokes and always has a smile on his face and the players loves him.

But in my opinion he seems more like a late first rounder/early second round. If the Rangers pick around the 20's, I think there are other players we would be more interested in to be honest.
 
BrooklynRangersFan said:
Are there any late-rising Johansens this year?

I remember that draft, around this time we were starting to get excited that we might have found a late-rising kid with all the tools to develop into a #1C that might actually be available when we picked... but wouldn't ya know it, he just kept getting better and better and he shot up draft charts in the last month or so until CLB wound up taking him well ahead of our pick.
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I don't have a Johansen or Scheifele for you, but Matt Mistele is a guy to keep an eye on as a 2nd, or even 3rd round pick. Was considered to be a late first rounder by many at the start of the year, but a concussion and some inconsistency issues offensively have caused him to slide into the 50's amongst Central Scouting's NA Skaters. He's not a flashy player, but he's solid in all three areas of the ice and has good size to go along with very good hockey sense. He also has the ability to really get under the skin of opponents. Scored 34 goals in 60 games with Plymouth as a 17 year old last year.
 
BrooklynRangersFan said:
Are there any late-rising Johansens this year?

I remember that draft, around this time we were starting to get excited that we might have found a late-rising kid with all the tools to develop into a #1C that might actually be available when we picked... but wouldn't ya know it, he just kept getting better and better and he shot up draft charts in the last month or so until CLB wound up taking him well ahead of our pick.
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G Thatcher Demko is dominating the NCAA and rising fast now. Other than that, all the names that could potentially soar have been heard already like Virtanen, Fabbri, etc.

The wildcard's will come out of Europe with the U18's.
 
Eric Cornel is a big Center playing for Peterborough. Jayce Hawryluk is a Center playing for Brandon. I think these two guys have nice potential, a bit underrated at the moment.
 
Anthony Mauro said:
G Thatcher Demko is dominating the NCAA and rising fast now. Other than that, all the names that could potentially soar have been heard already like Virtanen, Fabbri, etc.

The wildcard's will come out of Europe with the U18's.
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Demko looks promising, but you could put a put a wet mop and bucket in goal for BC and it would win plenty of games.

I'll keep a closer eye on him come NCAA tourney time.

Nelson Armstrong is on the same team as Cornel, he left SLU early for more minutes and better production in juniors.
 
Trxjw said:
Tuch just isn't really all that great with the puck on his stick in open ice. He's not a creator who can anchor a line. His speed and agility is actually well above average for a kid who is that big.

Yeah I meant Nick Schmaltz. I wrote that one from my phone haha. He's not that small at just shy of 6ft, but he's thin. Skill level is legit though. No idea where the Boyle comparisons came from though.
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People said that about Kreider at BC and during his struggles in the AHL. Yet he's clearly carried his line most of this season.
 
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