Silayev, Lindstrom, Catton, Iginla, Parekh, Eiserman

[themilosh]

What if his name was Tij Lindstrom, or Tij Demidov.

Raise one even better - what if our options were Cayden Iginla or Ivan Iginla.

I think it's important to keep ourselves grounded with the players for their objective performances on ice and forget the name attached to it, as prestigious as it may be.

Just because he's Jarome's son does not mean he will have magical attributes. Heck a non-named Iginla may be more Iginla'esque in their play, lol.

I realize I might look pissy, but really I will be happy with any of Demi, Lind, Iginla or Catton. Just wish Michkov was ours last year, as mysterious as the aura around him is - I think he's a real talent...

I dont think anyone disputes his talent.. but hes a small dangly winger with a checkered past and "head case" flags abound.

 

[Beendair Donedat]

but I mean is there an indication that Tij is going to be a "better" leader than a Catton, or are we just basing this on genes? I get the attraction with the name and all, but it could very well be an illusion. Catton had 7 more goals and 26 more assists than Iginla in the same league. Thats quite a gap.

Tij is heavier, sure, but Ill take the proven gap in production over a full season than just hoping one guy is going to be like his father. Doesnt always work out that way with father/son players.

Iginla is also one of the youngest players in this years draft. Catton is 8 months older, and that’s a factor (not the most important one obviously) to consider when comparing their development. Iginla only missed going in next years draft by a month.

And if your aunt had testicles she'd be your uncle.

Not in today’s society anymore.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Yes, I do think they took less skilled Slaf over Cooley (at time of draft) because he was bigger. I love Slaf and am very happy with his development but to say he's more "skilled" than Cooley is up for debate. Cooley played 2-3 minutes less on average vs. Slaf, 1 minute less on the PP and had only 6 points less. That's without getting into speed, vision, stickhandling etc. Slaf's only skill I'd rate higher is his shot from a pure hockey perspective. The team even said openly that they felt "his size" would allow them to pick more freely later in the round. So it was clearly a factor.

I think it should be BPA regardless of size. But yes size is an important part of the mix. 100% agree that skill/skating shouldn't be sacrificed because you're looking at size. I don't think they are picking plugs like we have in the past purely based on size. These are still good players but size is more of a factor in their decision making at these top picks then I'd like. Other posters have clearly said we won't pick players in this upcoming draft if they are below a certain size lol. If that doesn't tell you management is placing too much of an emphasis on it I don't know what to tell you.

They will go BPA according to their draft board. Might not be BPA according to fans boards or other rankings you see on the internet.

Size, Skill, Skating are always 3 areas that result in BPA players. If a player has 2 of the 3, they are usually elite at those 2 areas. Usually, size is a tie breaker on some players who are close on the BPA list.

I've seen smaller type players with great skating/skill in juniors struggle in the NHL. CHL is tricky because it has lots of 16/17 year olds and several 18/19 year olds who are also small. Players with skill/skating can stand out more at times due to miss matches or poor D coverage. If you are targeting a guy like Catton, you must dig into how he handles contact and small spaces... against teams who have sound D. Racking up points against weaker CHL teams can fool you.

 

[Gaud]

The only rumors with Zadina was that "popular" BPA list that so many fall into a trap with. The problem with picking 3 in that draft was due to no real BPA consensus and then we reached for the center. Zadina was in a cluster with so many others in terms of BPA.

cluster or no cluster, the point i was making is that there was very little buzz for Tkachuk being picked by mtl at the time.

Buzz was Zadina as the "best player available" vs. KK as the "best center available, which the habs need". There are a lot of comments about "OMG the habs failed by not picking BK", but Zadina was generally marked as the most talented player available at #3 and not just on habs' boards.

 

[Gaud]

I dont see us picking Demidov after whiffing on Michkov

Interesting haha , i was thinking the opposite; after whiffing on Michkov, they cant afford to let Demidov slide by.

Honestly, he seems like a really fun player to watch and if he is available at 5, I expect the habs to pick him, but ill be fine with whatever Bobrov thinks is best at #5. I sure would prefer a forward though.

 

[Habs Halifax]

cluster or no cluster, the point i was making is that there was very little buzz for Tkachuk being picked by mtl at the time.

Buzz was Zadina as the "best player available" vs. KK as the "best center available, which the habs need". There are a lot of comments about "OMG the habs failed by not picking BK", but Zadina was generally marked as the most talented player available at #3 and not just on habs' boards.

I remember it well. Zadina was in the mix but with us fans, there were many others being talked about. This is the BPA trap for the popular internet ranking where Zadina was ranked very well. But each teams draft board is different and we all know how Zadina and KK developed. I am a Moosehead season ticket holder and I liked Zadina but he was not my preferred pick.

I'm not fooled anymore. BPA from internet rankings is not a real list. It's a popularity list. Each team has there draft board build differently.

I personally did not have Zadina as the clear BPA at 3 for that draft and I remember several others who also didn't. Some had KK, some had Boqvist, Some had Hughes, Some had Dobson, and even some had Tkachuk. I was high on Tkachuk but got influenced from talking with some posters on these boards. I wanted KK due to popularity influence but my gut told me Tkachuk. I remember the attacks on the "small tournament" narrative where Tkachuk looked very good at the world juniors. Several fans said he was not even in their top 10.

Call me crazy but my targets are Demidov/Iggy and I'm undecided who I would take. Lindstrom is close. Those are the 3 BPA's I have if they are on the board at 5. I am not afraid one bit to take Iggy over Demidov. My gut tells me Iggy and I've dug into pros/cons with several guys in this top 10 a fair amount. Iggy stands out to me. I'm also not afraid of not taking a D because I see a lot of top 4D vs sure shot top pairing guys.

 

[417]

I’d trust what Basu knows. Doesn’t mean the draft will go as he guessed hut he said some interesting things.

It's not that I don't trust Basu, I don't think trust has anything to do with it. This is a particular draft because it seems there's really not a consensus on the top 15 past Celebrini.

But like I said, once they have the combine we'll have a better idea.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Yes, I do think they took less skilled Slaf over Cooley (at time of draft) because he was bigger. I love Slaf and am very happy with his development but to say he's more "skilled" than Cooley is up for debate. Cooley played 2-3 minutes less on average vs. Slaf, 1 minute less on the PP and had only 6 points less. That's without getting into speed, vision, stickhandling etc. Slaf's only skill I'd rate higher is his shot from a pure hockey perspective. The team even said openly that they felt "his size" would allow them to pick more freely later in the round. So it was clearly a factor.

I think it should be BPA regardless of size. But yes size is an important part of the mix. 100% agree that skill/skating shouldn't be sacrificed because you're looking at size. I don't think they are picking plugs like we have in the past purely based on size. These are still good players but size is more of a factor in their decision making at these top picks then I'd like. Other posters have clearly said we won't pick players in this upcoming draft if they are below a certain size lol. If that doesn't tell you management is placing too much of an emphasis on it I don't know what to tell you.

I've actually had a conversation with a scout on this a few years ago. This Size/Skill is a real debate.

What he told me was there are many situations where teams went for size over skill and missed but he said there are also many other situations where teams went for skill over size and missed. Each angle someone is taking is overlooking misses from both sides of the fence.

The real evaluation is to assign grades to several areas:
* Skill
* Skating (Speed, Edge work, Cross overs)
* Size (Are they gritty or a gentile giant. Size is just not only height)
* Hockey IQ
* Work Ethic (are they obsessed at improving)
* Character
* How are they trending and at what age.

Usually teams that target all 3 (Size, Skating, Skill) do well. At the end of the day, the prospects who disappoint are the ones who can't handle less time and space and are afraid of traffic/contact. Game changes when they turn pro and play against the best in the world. Some of the skilled/skater types survive as perimeter players and then others who like the contact thrive. Got to have the body to handle the big boys though. If you are Gallagher's size, you are very strong and hard headed. lol.

 

[WeThreeKings]

It's not that I don't trust Basu, I don't think trust has anything to do with it. This is a particular draft because it seems there's really not a consensus on the top 15 past Celebrini.

But like I said, once they have the combine we'll have a better idea.

Anyone expecting any type of valuable information prior to the combine would be prematurely getting worked up.

I think from the hit, Basu obviously talking to writers and people covering the teams through the Athletic, so naturally he probably heard that 'Lindstrom looks like a Verbeek style forward, so there's a chance he goes at 3' and the Blackhawks writers being convinced it's Levshunov or Demidov, then you talk to some other people and they;d say, well depending on the medicals, you could see him going to 10-12 range because of that.

It's an educated guess at this point but once the combine happens, we usually get a better understanding but nothing concrete. I don't think Anaheim leaning Carlsson came out until a day or two before the draft, prior to that, everyone thought it was going to be Fantilli.

Best we'll get is a range of a few players to be considered and some best guesses as to where they go.

For me, at right now, what I think is that it's Levshunov/Demidov for Chicago and Anaheim would go Levshunov if they didn't, if they did, I don't think it's Demidov but maybe, and i don't think it's Lindstrom because their forward group is already big and filling up where there's a clear need for a Dickinson/Silayev group. CBJ is the wild card, they;d need both Dickinson and Lindstrom but have needs up front too.

I'm pretty confident that Levshunov and Silayev are gone in the top 4, the question for us will be, is Lindstrom or Demidov the forward gone and if it's Demidov, are we comfortable with Lindstrom's back? If not, then it's who do they prefer between Iginla and Sennecke and the smoke seems Sennecke but that's a whiff of embers nothing that's billowing to this point.

 

[417]

Anyone expecting any type of valuable information prior to the combine would be prematurely getting worked up.

I think from the hit, Basu obviously talking to writers and people covering the teams through the Athletic, so naturally he probably heard that 'Lindstrom looks like a Verbeek style forward, so there's a chance he goes at 3' and the Blackhawks writers being convinced it's Levshunov or Demidov, then you talk to some other people and they;d say, well depending on the medicals, you could see him going to 10-12 range because of that.

It's an educated guess at this point but once the combine happens, we usually get a better understanding but nothing concrete. I don't think Anaheim leaning Carlsson came out until a day or two before the draft, prior to that, everyone thought it was going to be Fantilli.

Best we'll get is a range of a few players to be considered and some best guesses as to where they go.

For me, at right now, what I think is that it's Levshunov/Demidov for Chicago and Anaheim would go Levshunov if they didn't, if they did, I don't think it's Demidov but maybe, and i don't think it's Lindstrom because their forward group is already big and filling up where there's a clear need for a Dickinson/Silayev group. CBJ is the wild card, they;d need both Dickinson and Lindstrom but have needs up front too.

I'm pretty confident that Levshunov and Silayev are gone in the top 4, the question for us will be, is Lindstrom or Demidov the forward gone and if it's Demidov, are we comfortable with Lindstrom's back? If not, then it's who do they prefer between Iginla and Sennecke and the smoke seems Sennecke but that's a whiff of embers nothing that's billowing to this point.

what's the deal with Lindstrom's back? I know he missed some time with it but I don't think he had surgery from what I read and I understand he's participating in the combine.

Seems like an overblown issue? or am I missing something?

 

[WeThreeKings]

what's the deal with Lindstrom's back? I know he missed some time with it but I don't think he had surgery from what I read and I understand he's participating in the combine.

Seems like an overblown issue? or am I missing something?

He had a wrist/hand injury and that kept him out most of the year and then that lead to a back injury, either through rehab or something.. so he only came back and wasn't fully healthy in the playoffs which had him then skip the u18s.

By all accounts, the medicals are good, won't need surgery and his agent is providing the medical evaluations to teams and he'll be participating in the combine.

But until NHL teams see those medicals and everyone says there's no concern, the speculation about how it could affect his draft stock will continue.

 

[Prettyisland]

I just have this strange feeling that Iginla will turn into a great professional hockey player. Pedigree picks have worked out pretty well in the league of late. A surge of improvement at this age is very very interesting to me.

 

[Justin11]

I don't understand the Basu bashing. His mock draft is nothing more than an educated guess and from some of the talk around the league. We know that no team will reveal their pick (aside from San Jose) . The combine is around the corner and pretty sure all management / scouts have and are already going through their lists. I mean it's not like they are waiting with arms crossed for the combine to see how much the kids can bench press and see the answer to what animal they would be. They have been scouted all year. Yes, after the combine some teams will tweak their list, no doubt.

No one really knows how the draft will go after the first pick. There's a chance that a player will be selected in the top 5, that no one is even discussing in any of the mock drafts. Same has happened in the past.

 

[WeThreeKings]

I don't understand the Basu bashing. His mock draft is nothing more than an educated guess and from some of the talk around the league. We know that no team will reveal their pick (aside from San Jose) . The combine is around the corner and pretty sure all management / scouts have and are already going through their lists. I mean it's not like they are waiting with arms crossed for the combine to see how much the kids can bench press and see the answer to what animal they would be. They have been scouted all year. Yes, after the combine some teams will tweak their list, no doubt.

No one really knows how the draft will go after the first pick. There's a chance that a player will be selected in the top 5, that no one is even discussing in any of the mock drafts. Same has happened in the past.

Every year those guys get bashed, especially if they give information they don't want to hear.. the vitriol last year was unhinged when the messaging was forget Michkov but it was 'smokescreen' and they 'dont know anything'.

 

[Tyson]

what's the deal with Lindstrom's back? I know he missed some time with it but I don't think he had surgery from what I read and I understand he's participating in the combine.

Seems like an overblown issue? or am I missing something?

Mike Bossy and Eric Dazé had their careers cut short because of back issues. If a teenager already misses significant playing time because of back problems, that's concerning.

 

[417]

Mike Bossy and Eric Dazé had their careers cut short because of back issues. If a teenager already misses significant playing time because of back problems, that's concerning.

well not all back issues are the same...Bossy and Daze back issues were chronic.

I'm not sure what happened with Lindstrom, hence my question, is it something that's been recurring throughout his very young career or is it jus a one off?

 

[Justin11]

Every year those guys get bashed, especially if they give information they don't want to hear.. the vitriol last year was unhinged when the messaging was forget Michkov but it was 'smokescreen' and they 'dont know anything'.

Couldn't agree more.

"I don't want the draft to go that way, so let me bash him and the poster that had to audacity to quote him"

 

[WeThreeKings]

Couldn't agree more.

"I don't want the draft to go that way, so let me bash him and the poster that had to audacity to quote him"

- sent from my Sofa.

 

[Tyson]

well not all back issues are the same...Bossy and Daze back issues were chronic.

I'm not sure what happened with Lindstrom, hence my question, is it something that's been recurring throughout his very young career or is it jus a one off?

Totally agree but having a teenager miss significant time because of a back injury is a major flag imo. I am sure the Habs will do their due diligence to see if this is something that they should be weary of longterm

 

[BLONG7]

I dont mind us picking Demidov because what he brings is an element the habs dont have at all. I wouldn’t want 2-3 players like him but just one might be the missing piece. His creativity is off the charts.

Huge help to a very static PP.
Creativity on the PP would be very much welcome....

 

[417]

Totally agree but having a teenager miss significant time because of a back injury is a major flag imo. I am sure the Habs will do their due diligence to see if this is something that they should be weary of longterm

I consider missing significant time as missing an entire season because of an injury...missing 6-8 is not significant to me.

But I suppose we'll know more at the combine

 

[Tyson]

I consider missing significant time as missing an entire season because of an injury...missing 6-8 is not significant to me.

But I suppose we'll know more at the combine

He played 32 games...he missed over half a season.

 

[WeThreeKings]

He played 32 games...he missed over half a season.

Most of that was the hand/wrist injury.. the back injury came during gym sessions during the absence.

 

[Tyson]

Most of that was the hand/wrist injury.. the back injury came during gym sessions during the absence.

Thanks
I hope this kid is deemed GTG and we draft him

 

[417]

He played 32 games...he missed over half a season.

From what I understand, most of that was because of a different injury and then he hurt his back while rehabbing.

He didn't need surgery and he's scheduled to attend the combine.

How serious could it be to the point where it's a legit concern at the draft?

I don't know, until I see more information, it seems amplified.

Missing 32 games isn't exactly the end of the world.