Prospect Info: The 2015 NHL Draft Thread VII

[devils61]

I've been high on barzal for quite some time now. I feel like he would be a pick we could look back on and be very happy with. However rantanan is getting me curious. What seems to be the consensus on his overall ability and projected future in the league?

 

[Marshal Rochambeau]

I've been high on barzal for quite some time now. I feel like he would be a pick we could look back on and be very happy with. However rantanan is getting me curious. What seems to be the consensus on his overall ability and projected future in the league?

Rantanen is a big, talented winger who doesn't play physical. He has great playmaking abilities.

 

[Marshal Rochambeau]

A very interesting thread full of in-depth analyses of most 2015 draftees: http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=1819069

Using the letter grades to convert prospect grades into GPA numbers and rank them:

Barzal: 3.34
Provorov: 3.46
Zacha: 3.2
Crouse: 3.24
Rantanen: 3.14
Marner: 3.54
Strome: 3.34
Hanifin: 3.74
McDavid: 3.84
Eichel: 3.78
Connor: 3.26

For potential second round picks:

Guryanov: 2.86
Korostelev: 2.72
Roslovic: 2.86
Dergachyov: 2.8
Senyshyn: 2.82
Beauvillier: 2.74
Hintz: 3.06
Looke: 2.74
Bittner: 2.98
Sprong: 2.74

 

[MichaelJ]

Zach Senyshyn with our second 2nd round pick?

Never heard of him until now. I really like what I've read. RH shot, good size, skating, toughness, and untapped potential.

Add him to the list...along with Nicolas Roy. 6'4", great hands and skating, RH C, could be a wing and apparently has had a solid playoffs and is learning to use his size more. He's 200lbs but I think he'll fill out with another 10-15 lbs. could be another steal later on.

 

[Devils Dominion]

Never heard of him until now. I really like what I've read. RH shot, good size, skating, toughness, and untapped potential.

Add him to the list...along with Nicolas Roy. 6'4", great hands and skating, RH C, could be a wing and apparently has had a solid playoffs and is learning to use his size more. He's 200lbs but I think he'll fill out with another 10-15 lbs. could be another steal later on.

Biggest knock on Roy is his inadequate skating.
I'd stay away from Roy.

 

[Cheddabombs]

I've been high on barzal for quite some time now. I feel like he would be a pick we could look back on and be very happy with. However rantanan is getting me curious. What seems to be the consensus on his overall ability and projected future in the league?

Potential 1st line RW, more of a goal scorer in my opinion. Rantanen has just as much potential as anyone else around our draft pick. It's just a matter of preference really, and whether you'd want a center or winger.

 

[thethinglonger]

Potential 1st line RW, more of a goal scorer in my opinion. Rantanen has just as much potential as anyone else around our draft pick. It's just a matter of preference really, and whether you'd want a center or winger.

Rantanen also plays center, but he's been playing better as a RW. He has potential to be a real thorn in opponent's sides, whether he's scoring goals with his nifty hands or causing chaos on the forecheck with Matteau.

Interesting pick to consider but I'm personally more interested in Barzal/Zacha for this pick.

 

[Kurt Cobain]

If Marner and Strome aren't there at 6 and I don't expect them to be I want Barzal. I firmly believe that if he was healthy all season he would be ranked in the same tier as Marner and Strome.

 

[theoptimist]

I have yet to still understand why people want Barzal?

#Zacha

 

[theoptimist]

One of the biggest mistakes we can make going forward would be not drafting Pavel Zacha.

#Zacha

 

[Cheddabombs]

One of the biggest mistakes we can make going forward would be not drafting Pavel Zacha.

#Zacha

I feel the same way, but with Rantanen.

But not really, All 3 of those guys (Barzal, Zacha, and Rantanen) are great talents and whichever one they choose I'll be happy with. I just prefer Rantanen.

 

[Buggsy]

I have yet to still understand why people want Barzal?

#Zacha

Fantastic skating, playmaking center seems like something good to have?

We need high end skill and Barzal has it and has shown it.

 

[HobokenIrish]

I have yet to still understand why people want Barzal?

#Zacha

Potential as a #1 C with incredible vision. He was derailed by an injury last year but prior to that wasn't he always in "talk" as being in the top 5 of this draft? Had a great World Juniors just recently. At least that is my guess as why people want him

Personally sitting at 6 I hope we come away with one of Strome, Marner, Zacha, Barzal or Rantannen. I'll leave it up to Shero and Conte to pick the best one! They just better pick a good one who doesn't bust!!!

We need this like I need oxygen

 

[Marshal Rochambeau]

I believe Zacha and Rantanen would be reaches at 6, but Provorov or Barzal are ok.

 

[Cheddabombs]

I believe Zacha and Rantanen would be reaches at 6, but Provorov or Barzal are ok.

Definitely not reaches, at least Rantanen isn't. But there are simply a lot of good players around that tier level that arguments can be made for taking. Not too much is separating the likes of Barzal, Rantanen, Zacha, Provorov, heck even Crouse - it's just a matter of preference really. But that's just in terms of talent level, the combine should give scouts a deeper understanding at who really stands out from the pack.

 

[Marshal Rochambeau]

Definitely not reaches, at least Rantanen isn't. But there are simply a lot of good players around that tier level that arguments can be made for taking. Not too much is separating the likes of Barzal, Rantanen, Zacha, Provorov, heck even Crouse - it's just a matter of preference really. But that's just in terms of talent level, the combine should give scouts a deeper understanding at who really stands out from the pack.

I think it would be a mistake to not take Barzal. He has above average hockey sense and elite playmaking ability. He has the best offensive talent of the players that will be available at 6. You may have heard that when the Islanders drafted Bossy, they had to choose between him and a player who excelled at defense, and they decided to take Bossy because a player can be taught how to play defense but not how to score. Rantanen, Zacha, Provorov, Crouse will all be good players, but they will not score like Barzal.

 

[Cheddabombs]

I think it would be a mistake to not take Barzal. He has above average hockey sense and elite playmaking ability. He has the best offensive talent of the players that will be available at 6. You may have heard that when the Islanders drafted Bossy, they had to choose between him and a player who excelled at defense, and they decided to take Bossy because a player can be taught how to play defense but not how to score. Rantanen, Zacha, Provorov, Crouse will all be good players, but they will not score like Barzal.

I mean, Rantanen isn't really touted for his two-way game either so that parallel isn't really there. He plays a different game, still very much an offensive threat, but a different style. Considering the state of this team we aren't necessarily looking for a playmaker, or a goalscorer, we need them all.

 

[devilsblood]

I have yet to still understand why people want Barzal?

#Zacha

I feel that way about Zacha. Less then a ppg this year. Queneville had a better draft year.

 

[devilsblood]

I'm leaning Barzal. Guy was just under a ppg as a 16 yr old. And he's still not 18 yet(coming up this week) so he's young for this draft.

 

[MichaelJ]

I feel that way about Zacha. Less then a ppg this year. Queneville had a better draft year.

He played in about 25 less games than Q.

 

[Brodeur]

I have yet to still understand why people want Barzal?

#Zacha

I flip flop between the two. That's the tough thing with gauging prospects since we're still looking at ceilings and you could make a compelling argument that Zacha's ceiling is higher.

For me, Barzal had a tale of two seasons. To start the season, Barzal's linemate was team captain Justin Hickman. Hickman had a shoulder injury which he tried to play through, but he eventually had to have season ending surgery. Seattle's top defenseman Shea Theodore was also injured in the first half of the season.

When Barzal recovered from his knee injury, Seattle was able to bring back Roberts Lipsergs to take Hickman's vacated overage spot; Lipsergs led Seattle in goals in 2013-14. Theodore had also returned.

First half (Hickman, no Theodore): 16 games, 7 goals, 11 assists, 18 points
Second half (Lipsergs, Theodore): 28 games, 5 goals, 34 assists, 39 points

Give Barzal a linemate with two working shoulders and a puck moving D to get him the puck, and he produced at a 1.39 points/game clip. Over a full season, that's a 100 point pace.

Barzal finished 3rd in scoring at last month's U18 tournament (behind Auston Matthews and Jeremy Bracco of Team USA).

 

[devilsblood]

He played in about 25 less games than Q.

ppg wise, very similar. And I don't give Zacha a bonus for missing games.

 

[MichaelJ]

ppg wise, very similar. And I don't give Zacha a bonus for missing games.

You can't compare the sample sizes. Zacha's 1st 30-some games in NA vs Quennevile's 5th year?

Zacha doesn't need a 'bonus' his numbers need to be put into perspective. He's consistently talked as as one of the top forwards in this draft in terms of talent, athleticism, and skillset. It's foolish to ignore all of that over what amounts to a handful of transitional games for him. Quenneville(who I like and think can be part of the solution in some capacity) has never been spoken of similarly.

You want to toss Zacha away over practically nothing? Go ahead. Some other team will be laughing the whole way when he drops to them.

 

[devilsblood]

You can't compare the sample sizes. Zacha's 1st 30-some games in NA vs Quennevile's 5th year?

Zacha doesn't need a 'bonus' his numbers need to be put into perspective. He's consistently talked as as one of the top forwards in this draft in terms of talent, athleticism, and skillset. It's foolish to ignore all of that over what amounts to a handful of transitional games for him. Quenneville(who I like and think can be part of the solution in some capacity) has never been spoken of similarly.

You want to toss Zacha away over practically nothing? Go ahead. Some other team will be laughing the whole way when he drops to them.

I'm not tossing him away. More making note of how guys talk down a Barzal, or a Crouse while pumping up a guy like Zacha. Based on what? Scouting reports? Crouse has those too.

 

[devilsblood]

And this is like the Rantanen vs Barkov comparison I made a couple months ago in that we are talking a lesser draft position. #6 as opposed to #1 or #2, but Nails in his first year in NA, produced at 1.6 ppg. And he had just turned 17 to start that season.

But I do note that Nail's went #1, so yeah take that into account.

But also take into account that Q went 31st(or whatever).