Prospect Info: The 2018 NHL Entry Draft Discussion Thread
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Juxtaposer
Outro: Divina Comedia
Two guys who remain perplexingly low on draft rankings are Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Joel Farabee.
Wahlstrom is (rightly) getting a lot of hype, but Farabee much less so. Farabee isn't quite as good as Keller was as a prospect, but I think we'll see a lot of the same "how did he go that low?" types of reactions in a couple years.
Kotkaniemi has been ranked in the mid-low teens all year despite very good production for a 17 year old in the Finnish Elite League. I thought, there must be something obviously wrong with him when you watch him if he's ranked so consistently low despite his stats. But there isn't. I'm watching the US-Finland Five Nations U18 game right now, and he's really good. He's got the puck on a string, he's creative, makes strong passes, and has good size. His skating isn't the greatest but it's definitely passable. He's a really young (July) birthday too.
Bode Wilde is really interesting. Isn't nearly as skilled but he reminds me of Burns stylistically, in that he'll make some gaffe at the blueline but then turn around and rush the puck through five guys and get a shot on net. Big kid, skates well. Definitely a BOOM-bust type of guy. Could be not an NHLer, could be a future star. I'd take him past 15th overall.
K'Andre Miller is the player I thought Wilde was. He's a big guy, a smooth skater, and has good hockey IQ. Not nearly the Burns type I've been told he was. I don't know why he's consistently ranked in the 2nd round. I'd take him around 20-25th overall and be happy.
And lastly, while not an early pick, I like Patrick Giles a lot. He seems like a prototypical third liner. Good size, persistent, decently skilled. Would be a good pick in the 4th round or later.
Wahlstrom is (rightly) getting a lot of hype, but Farabee much less so. Farabee isn't quite as good as Keller was as a prospect, but I think we'll see a lot of the same "how did he go that low?" types of reactions in a couple years.
Kotkaniemi has been ranked in the mid-low teens all year despite very good production for a 17 year old in the Finnish Elite League. I thought, there must be something obviously wrong with him when you watch him if he's ranked so consistently low despite his stats. But there isn't. I'm watching the US-Finland Five Nations U18 game right now, and he's really good. He's got the puck on a string, he's creative, makes strong passes, and has good size. His skating isn't the greatest but it's definitely passable. He's a really young (July) birthday too.
Bode Wilde is really interesting. Isn't nearly as skilled but he reminds me of Burns stylistically, in that he'll make some gaffe at the blueline but then turn around and rush the puck through five guys and get a shot on net. Big kid, skates well. Definitely a BOOM-bust type of guy. Could be not an NHLer, could be a future star. I'd take him past 15th overall.
K'Andre Miller is the player I thought Wilde was. He's a big guy, a smooth skater, and has good hockey IQ. Not nearly the Burns type I've been told he was. I don't know why he's consistently ranked in the 2nd round. I'd take him around 20-25th overall and be happy.
And lastly, while not an early pick, I like Patrick Giles a lot. He seems like a prototypical third liner. Good size, persistent, decently skilled. Would be a good pick in the 4th round or later.
Fistfullofbeer
Moderator
Any thoughts on Barrett Hayton? His numbers are pretty good, for one of the younger draft eligible players.
Juxtaposer
Outro: Divina Comedia
I haven’t seen any of Hayton. But from his size, numbers, scoring relative to his teammates, and scouting reports, I imagine he’s a Bo Horvat type. He’ll probably be taken higher than he should be due to the lack of centers in this draft. Who knows. Hopefully he plays at the U18 in a few months so I can see him.
Gecklund
Registered User
Who’s everyone’s semi realistic top 3 picks for the Sharks? By that I mean players that could be available around where the Sharks pick. Mine are
Veleno
Merkley
Kotkaniemi
Veleno
Merkley
Kotkaniemi
rangerssharks414
Registered User
Juxtaposer
Outro: Divina Comedia
Depends on where we pick. I think Kotkaniemi will go somewhere from 14-18. Veleno might end up going top-10 after all. Merkley is not someone I’ve got interest in (in the 1st round).
Gene Parmesan
Dedicated to babies who came feet first
I'm on board with K'Andre Miller. Big and mobile. Plus going to Wisconsin he's only going to get stronger and faster. Wisconsin has one of the best strength and conditioning programs in the country.
I posted this in another thread, but it really belongs in here.
Doug Wilson and Tim Burke have never drafted a skater in the 3rd round that has played a game in the NHL. They've drafted 2 goalies who have played a combined 206 NHL games, 205 of those by Thomas Greiss and 1 by Timo Pielmeier. They've made 9 selections with 3rd round picks, 4 of those picks were goalies, Greiss, Pielmeier, Tyson Sexsmith and Mike Robinson, 4 forwards, Alex Schoenborn, Dylan Sadowy, Max Gaede and Justin Daniels, and 1 dman Justin Sefton.
In the 4th round, it's not much better. 12 selections, 1 of which is Torrey Mitchell who accounts for all the games played by a skater at 654 and counting. 2 goalies, Alex Stalock and Harri Sateri have combined to play 97 games, 88 by Stalock. Goalies Jason Churchill and Frederik Bergvik, forwards Christophe Lalancette, Adam Helewka, Noah Gregor and Scott Reedy, and dmen Alexis Vanier, Samuel Groulx and James DeLory, either have yet to make it, or never made it.
Doug Wilson and Tim Burke have never drafted a skater in the 3rd round that has played a game in the NHL. They've drafted 2 goalies who have played a combined 206 NHL games, 205 of those by Thomas Greiss and 1 by Timo Pielmeier. They've made 9 selections with 3rd round picks, 4 of those picks were goalies, Greiss, Pielmeier, Tyson Sexsmith and Mike Robinson, 4 forwards, Alex Schoenborn, Dylan Sadowy, Max Gaede and Justin Daniels, and 1 dman Justin Sefton.
In the 4th round, it's not much better. 12 selections, 1 of which is Torrey Mitchell who accounts for all the games played by a skater at 654 and counting. 2 goalies, Alex Stalock and Harri Sateri have combined to play 97 games, 88 by Stalock. Goalies Jason Churchill and Frederik Bergvik, forwards Christophe Lalancette, Adam Helewka, Noah Gregor and Scott Reedy, and dmen Alexis Vanier, Samuel Groulx and James DeLory, either have yet to make it, or never made it.
Gene Parmesan
Dedicated to babies who came feet first
OrrNumber4
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In the third round, IIRC around 25% of players play at least 50 NHL games. In the fourth round, it drops to about 18%. So, ideally, they'd have 3 NHL players from those 9 draft picks instead of one...I'd be pedantic and say it is too early to say on Robinson, so they are 1/8 instead of 2/8...not to mention they tend to draft at the end of the third round. They "should" go at least 2/12 in the fourth round. Stalock and Mitchell meet that mark, and Reedy, Gregor, and Sateri could also make it.
PacificOceanPotion
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Gecklund
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The Nemesis
Semper Tyrannus
I need the Sharks to find a 2nd so I can feel good about the potential for them to select Milos Roman 
ThorNton Apologist
Jumbo needs a cup
Curious what’s your opinion on Bowen Byram? I know he’s 2019 not 2018 but he seems to be putting together a great rookie season in VancouverI need the Sharks to find a 2nd so I can feel good about the potential for them to select Milos Roman
The Nemesis
Semper Tyrannus
I really really like him. He's so damned smooth. He also gets a lot of the important minutes and is on the PP and PK.
He's 16 and is 3rd on the team in d scoring behind non-prospect Matt Barbaris (dumb as a sack of doorknobs gambly offensive non-prospect d-man who basically feeds on PP time to mooch assists from Ronning/Benson) and Dylan Plouffe (mostly mediocre all-situations swiss-army-knife guy who does a lot of things pretty good, but no one thing great. Could get a 6th/7th round flyer this draft or be signed as a UDFA).
I've also heard potential that he could get one of the "A"s as the Giants are going to have a bunch of leadership turnover with Benson (captain) and Ronning (alternate) gone after this season. As a pending 17 year old, that's nuts.
I'm loathe to make this comparison because it's soooooooo loaded, and I'm doing it in terms of style and not for-sure talent level, but given that he's also from Cranbrook, it's hard not to maybe see some Scott Niedermayer in him as one of those smooth-skating two-way defenders who just makes the right play all the time.
ThorNton Apologist
Jumbo needs a cup
Thanks for your analysis! From the limited viewings of him, he seems to do a great job of driving the play. Great in all situations. Would love SJ to grab him as I think he’s highly likely to be at least a top 4 guy. I doubt he drops to where SJ would pick if the team doesn’t end up losing the pick to Buffalo anyways.
BaileyMacTavish
Hockey lovin' wolf
All this assuming Sharks don't sign Kane (or Sharks win the cup!) and hand over Buffalo the 2019 1st.
Some guys that I hope fall to the sharks and that we take:
Kravtsov - This guy has high end upside I think. Good numbers in the KHL for his draft year, especially considering how little ice time he gets. Highly skilled and very smooth skater. Only concern is how long it takes Russians to come over so I doubt the sharks take him.
Bokk - Also very skilled. His SuperElit numbers are impressive and even though his SHL numbers are underwhelming, he's only playing 9 minutes a night there.
Alexeyev - Good size and skating for a dman. Just got back from a knee injury I believe so potentially more upside than he's shown.
Later round guy:
Shafigullin - This guy is torching the MHL right now (Russia's junior league). He's not ranked much anywhere but he's got good height but is only like 160lbs. I think he's got good offensive upside if everything goes right.
Kravtsov - This guy has high end upside I think. Good numbers in the KHL for his draft year, especially considering how little ice time he gets. Highly skilled and very smooth skater. Only concern is how long it takes Russians to come over so I doubt the sharks take him.
Bokk - Also very skilled. His SuperElit numbers are impressive and even though his SHL numbers are underwhelming, he's only playing 9 minutes a night there.
Alexeyev - Good size and skating for a dman. Just got back from a knee injury I believe so potentially more upside than he's shown.
Later round guy:
Shafigullin - This guy is torching the MHL right now (Russia's junior league). He's not ranked much anywhere but he's got good height but is only like 160lbs. I think he's got good offensive upside if everything goes right.
Crewouse
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Groo
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hohosaregood
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I'm gonna make a bet on Jake Wise or Khovanov. I don't really follow the draft too hard like who is Serron Noel and why is he ranked in the 20s now.
Juxtaposer
Outro: Divina Comedia
Wise would be an interesting high-risk, high-reward pick. Depending where we end up, I wouldn't mind picking him. I'm also really hoping we pick up Benoit-Olivier Groulx.
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