Sharks with the 1st overall

[mphmiles]

I like Smith a lot as a prospect but it is absolutely not a sure thing he pans out. You take the BPA at the premium position 10 times out of 10.

 

[CaptainShark]

No debate here for me as well, take BPA.

It’s not like having Jumbo, Marleau and Pavelski was a problem….

 

[SlobKnox]

Are we even sure that Hagens goes first?

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

You take the BPA. You can always move a center to the wing.

BPA, most likely to be Hagens, but we'll see by the draft.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Would be cool if Anaheim got 1st overall for once

All California lottery incoming baby

 

[MoneyManny]

Let's say the Sharks get the 1st overall pick, who do they take?

Do they not overthink it and take Hagens (if they all continue to develop at same rate) or do they take Martone out of team needs?

It's hard for me to see 3 smaller centers all with 1C potential on the same team. I don't see any of Hagens, Celebrini or Smith fitting in on the bottom 6, frankly it's a waste unless one is converted to wing.

What's most likely? Take Hagens, take Martone or try to trade back a spot or two for say hypothetically Flyers first and the Colorado or EDM 1st they own (est 3rd and 17th)

I wouldn't overthink it and pick Hagens. Watch the 3 young centers progress and if there's a surplus they'll have a dozen teams lining up to overpay for their young center with upside.

 

[Patty Ice]

You take Hagen and roll out two outstanding centers

I could live with:

Eklund-Celebrini-(Chernyshov/Halttunen/future pick)
Musty-Hagen-Smith

 

[cheechoo]

I don't think we're in a position to be able to get cute with augmenting future lineups when it's impossible to know which of the prospects in our pool will even make it, or meet their projected upside.

We need more skill, we need more size, we need more speed, we need defenders that can defend, we need defenders that can move the puck beyond a rec league level...

Heading into the season I would have taken Hagens, although the gap is shrinking.

I love Matthew Schaefer, and Misa and Martone have been fantastic to start the season. Frondell is lurking as well.

Can't really see us going wrong if we land somewhere in the top three.

 

[Guadana]

Bpa. That's why you should take bpa, especially for so much young team.
If SJ would not overthink 2023, they would be in better position now with MM and if they will have opportunity to draft Havens, this would be even better. Anyway Smith is a great prospect and he will figure it out on the wing if he will need too. For the beggining SJ should be lucky enough to win the lottery second year in a row.

 

[Zalos]

San Jose is not getting 1st overall two years in a row. But yea, I'd take BPA.

 

[WSS11]

Assuming Hagens is the BPA, take him and transition Smith to wing. Celebrini-Hagens as a 1-2 would be amazing.

 

[Mrfenn92]

BPA

 

[cg98]

Take BPA always, so any one of Hagens, Martone and Misa would be the best bet.

 

[Eternal Leaf]

Gotta take Hagens.

He's the best player available right now and you push Smith to the wing over time.

 

[Patty Ice]

If SJ would not overthink 2023, they would be in better position now with MM

It's possible that Michkov let the Sharks know he would stay in Russia when they interviewed him as with the story that he wouldn't play for the Caps and the then Coyotes.

 

[Guadana]

It's possible that Michkov let the Sharks know he would stay in Russia when they interviewed him as with the story that he wouldn't play for the Caps and the then Coyotes.

He didn't. It was speculation and lie. He literally said by himself he talked with every team and he was ready to play for anyone.
There are no fear for Russian player to play in California.

Let's not move this board into another Michkov discussion, part of the blame is on my shoulders, but that was more about "go and draft best player, because you can regret after". Havens is really good.

 

[Trojans86]

I thought they dont allow you to get 1st OA 2 years in a row.

 

[hohosaregood]

Sharks should've never been a position to draft Michkov. If Anaheim or Columbus drafted Michkov 2 or 3 like he was supposed to go, we'd have Carlsson instead like we really wanted

 

[nbwingsfan]

Let's say the Sharks get the 1st overall pick, who do they take?

Do they not overthink it and take Hagens (if they all continue to develop at same rate) or do they take Martone out of team needs?

It's hard for me to see 3 smaller centers all with 1C potential on the same team. I don't see any of Hagens, Celebrini or Smith fitting in on the bottom 6, frankly it's a waste unless one is converted to wing.

What's most likely? Take Hagens, take Martone or try to trade back a spot or two for say hypothetically Flyers first and the Colorado or EDM 1st they own (est 3rd and 17th)

Always take the BPA, especially at a level of Hagens.

Move one of your other C prospects to the W

 

[matt trick]

He didn't. It was speculation and lie. He literally said by himself he talked with every team and he was ready to play for anyone.
There are no fear for Russian player to play in California.

Let's not move this board into another Michkov discussion, part of the blame is on my shoulders, but that was more about "go and draft best player, because you can regret after". Havens is really good.

When asked directly whether the Sharks interviewed Michkov, Grier responded that they interviewed all the Russian players they considered. I always took that to mean they didn't interview Michkov (and I got the sense they didn't interview him because he or his reps hinted/or outright stated he didn't want to be considered). Why not just say yes (if you did). If you didn't (particularly as a new GM with your first top 5 pick, that's moronic).

Grier's been pretty straight up with the media, the only reason to play coy is if it can help confuse team's on who you want, but saying 'yes, we interviewed him, and 40 other guys for our first three picks), we really like the top ~x in this draft, and were impressed by Michkov'. Even if you love the three big centers, and hate Mickov, nothing wrong with trying to incentivise Montreal, Philly, or Washignton to throw the earth at the teams ahead of you to try and grab the guy you want.

I admit it's fairly opaque, but even around the 2024 draft, sharks beat writer Sheng Peng tried to find out whether he was considered and didn't get a straight answer.

I'd love to get a different perspective though. While I liked (and expected) Smith, I wanted Michkov. If you'd be willing, do you mind pointing me in the direction of the sources saying he was open to going anywhere (particularly before the draft, but post-draft is okay too)?

 

[coooldude]

I thought they dont allow you to get 1st OA 2 years in a row.

You aren't allowed to move up from your spot more than 2 years in a 5 year span. Source: NHL.

No single team can advance in the draft order by reason of winning a Lottery Draw more than two times in any five-year period. This limitation will not affect a club’s ability to retain its presumptive draft position in any Draft Lottery, nor would it preclude the possibility of the club moving down in draft order to the extent other clubs advance by reason of winning the Lottery Draws. For purposes of clarity, the limitation would attach to the team, not the specific pick

If the worst team in the league keeps winning the lottery, they can keep picking 1OA.

 

[matt trick]

With regards to the question, San Jose can go BPA.

Celebrini is locked into 1C unless someone can push him to 2C. If someone does, I'd be over the moon, but I don't anticipate that even if we get Hagens and McKenna B2B (6% chance with being 32nd this year and next).

If San Jose drafts Misa or Hagens, Smith as a RHC can move to our the team's weakest F position, RW. Outside Celebrini and Smith our five best forward prospects project as either LW or C/LW (Eklund, Musty, RH LW Chernyshov, Gushchin, and Bystedt is a LHC). If the Sharks believe Martone is the best prospect in the class, great, add a franchise wing to the premier centers and left wings and push middle six at best Graf and Cardwell down on the RW depth chart.

The fact Misa, Martone, and to a lesser degree McQueen are making this a race to #1 overall is ideal. I doubt we get first anyway so the most even distribution of talent across those four works for me. I'd prefer to avoid Hagens given he- like Eklund, Celebrini, and Smith is sub 6'0 (albeit the later two, barely)- however, if he's the best, we can build around 3 of the 4 little guys. Where it gets interesting is if the Sharks project the tiniest of margins between and four of those guys and Schaefer or Hensler.

Dickinson, Muk, Thrun, Thompson, Cagnoni, and Pohlkamp are good or solid. However, if you have the opportunity to bump every one of them down a spot because you project Schaefer or Hensler in the mould of Sanderson, Seider, Hughes, Hughes, Makar, or Heiskanen, that makes the decision much more interesting. If you see Hensler, Schaefer, or Jackson Smith as an Edvinsson, Byram, or Drysdale, obviously you take a forward.

In general, I'd rather San Jose opt for a forward with our high picks. Yes, we need a franchise d-man, but we don't need a #2 d-man more than we need a 2nd (or if we're lucky 3rd) franchise forward. Get a franchise player this draft, I don't care which position.

To early in the college season to say, but I'm currently leaning 1. Misa 2. Martone 3. Hagens 4. Schaefer, but it's awfully unfair with the latter two playing 7 less games.

You aren't allowed to move up from your spot more than 2 years in a 5 year span. Source: NHL.

If the worst team in the league keeps winning the lottery, they can keep picking 1OA.

My dream of Celebrini, Misa, McKenna, Dupont B2B2B2B remains a go!

 

[coooldude]

(edit: complementary post to the one right above from @matt trick)

And adding on my thoughts on the thread topic -- Sharks will pick the obvious best player if there is such as thing as "obvious best player available" at the top of the draft. So if Hagens, yeah. Smith may turn out amazing, but he may not. Celebrini could get injured or peter out as a Tavares-type. I don't think so, but he could.

I, personally, am hoping that Schaefer/Martone/Misa (in that order) make it a difficult choice at #1 because organizationally, if 1-3 of those players look to be in the same tier of "best" with Hagens, Schaefer/Martone fit best with the current prospect pipeline and team, and Misa at least has some size. Not that Celebrini/Smith/Hagens are too small to be amazing NHLers, but they are *kinda* different flavors of each other, and none of them are over 6'. Having 3 of those players in the top 6 might not be the best way to build a contender.

Someone referenced Thornton/Marleau/Pavs -- aside from a) never winning a cup, b) Pavs was much younger so not on the same cycle, and c) 6'4" Jumbo, 6'2" Patty, and 5'10" Pavs had different sizes, styles, and roles to play into the top 6. Whereas (we should be so lucky) Celebrini/Smith/Hagens would be within 2 years birthdates, and possibly complementary, possibly overlapping styles/roles.

 

[matt trick]

On a draft trade value chart, moving from 1 to 3 should snag you an 8th overall pick.

So if a team is willing to go 3+8 for 1, or 3+that crappy teams 1st rounder next year...then maybe worth it.

I rank Misa, Martone, and Hagens about the same right now. If I was guaranteed one of those three (possibly even my first choice!)+8th overall, I'd do it, because I, the unwashed fan don't know the difference between them. Grier and Chris Morehouse may feel there is a collosal difference between the three.

However, the third choice of Misa/Martone/Hagens + Hensler/Schaefer/McQueen/Frondell/Rybakin/Desnoyers/Spence seems better than first choice of Misa/Martone/Hagens to me.

Given the possibility of trading up from 8th to 6th and grabbing McQueen/Frondell/Schaefer as SJ's second pick, for a 1st+2nd+young player would rival the Celebrini, Dickinson, Chernyshov draft last year.