The Never Too Early 2021 NHL Entry Draft Discussion

[aingefan]

DMen are funny things. Often second round picks, or fifth round picks end up being fabulous d-men. Even mid to late first rounders. I'm happy having picked Amirov where we did. I don't wish that we'd moved back and grabbed a Guhle, or a Schneider... but I do wish we had some of those guys in the system. It's hard to flaw the picks we've made this year, they've been some fantastic value, and have mostly had very good years. You think about Hirvonen and Niemala and the years, and World Juniors that they had... Miettenen has had a great year. Some will work out, some won't... same with Guhle and Schneider... they might be better than expected, about as expected or worse at the NHL level.

We go around in circles about a diversified prospect pool, and we get the.. .you don't draft for size... and of course you don't.. but maybe once in a while, if your ratings are real close on two prospects, and you have an abundance of small skill, you take the size, where the ratings are near equal.

Funny enough, we traded for Andersen, and the picks we traded ended up being Sam Steel, and Max Comtois. Comtois is EXACTLY the type of player we could use in our top six right now. A skilled LW, with size on a ELC. Look trading for Andersen was the right thing to do, no question about that, so I'm not saying it was a mistake. But you can't trade for a Comtois now, without a massive overpayment, where he was a second round pick, with size. Surely Dubas and co. are skilled enough to identify such players, who are underrated, but also have size.

It’s kinda crazy how effectively ANA used all those Leaf picks over all those deals.

 

[LeafChief]

Sad to see the 1st rounder go but we've been very strong with our 2nd rounders recently. Maybe Engvall an be liquidated into some mid round picks? We only have 3 picks in the upcoming draft at this point.

 

[Maplebeasts]

I bet we move Dermott and a sweetener to get back into the first round. Let's us bring Sandin in for the playoffs and makes the expansion draft scenario a bit more clear.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Sad to see the 1st rounder go but we've been very strong with our 2nd rounders recently. Maybe Engvall an be liquidated into some mid round picks? We only have 3 picks in the upcoming draft at this point.

Only 4 in 2022 as well.

People may not care about the draft, but this also hampers our ability to make moves next year when, y'know, we probably want to compete again?

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Sad to see the 1st rounder go but we've been very strong with our 2nd rounders recently. Maybe Engvall an be liquidated into some mid round picks? We only have 3 picks in the upcoming draft at this point.

It is possible we move Engvall, but we would need Spezza or Foligno to be a center for the rest of the regular season (Nash can take over after that). Engvall is not super important so if we get a 3rd round pick out of him, we could swing that now and replace him internally. Thornton-Spezza-Simmonds could be a 4th line for the rest of the year and then eventually Nash replaces Thornton. IDK if Thornton or Spezza can handle (or split) center duties like Kerfoot had been doing (even though Spezza was taking draws) but if they are just playing 10-11 minutes on a 4th line, I imagine it can't be that bad. Worst case, we can give Brooks an audition.

It would be hilarious if the Leafs retain 2 mill on Hall to move him to a 3rd team and we get a 3rd round pick out of it though. That would be a saavy move by Dubas to upgrade a round in 2021.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

I bet we move Dermott and a sweetener to get back into the first round. Let's us bring Sandin in for the playoffs and makes the expansion draft scenario a bit more clear.

We should probably add a pair of depth guys then.

Not sure Oleksiak is a guy we get, especially if the price is high. I can see a team like Winnipeg overpaying by a lot to get him now that there are not many options left out there.

 

[Eternal Leaf]

Sad to see the 1st rounder go but we've been very strong with our 2nd rounders recently. Maybe Engvall an be liquidated into some mid round picks? We only have 3 picks in the upcoming draft at this point.

Yeah, if the Leafs end up losing then 2-3 of these guys will be traded for picks anyway.

I don't foresee regaining picks being a real hurdle for Dubas especially late-round selections.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Yeah, if the Leafs end up losing then 2-3 of these guys will be traded for picks anyway.

I don't foresee regaining picks being a real hurdle for Dubas especially late-round selections.

I imagine they will move Malgin for a pick. Not sure there is room for him on our roster but someone will take a chance on a 24 year old PPG NLA player and they could receive major dividends. I would be happy to return an early 2021 4th or a 2022 4th round pick for him. May only get a 5th but that would be fine too.

Engvall could probably get a 3rd if we move him. I think Kerfoot can get a 2nd+ or a really good NHL-ready prospect like Anderson, but I think Seattle takes him in expansion. Not sure the Leafs consider moving Dermott unless it is for an overpayment like a couple of 2nd's or something like that.

 

[pspot]

If anderson is on ir do they have enough room to claim vatanen?

 

[ErnieLeafs]

I can’t see us trusting a Campbell/Rittich combo on a cup run, at all. Freddie’s going to play a big role for us still. I hope he gets where he needs to be.

 

[Fogelhund]

I bet we move Dermott and a sweetener to get back into the first round. Let's us bring Sandin in for the playoffs and makes the expansion draft scenario a bit more clear.

i highly doubt that. If anything we will seek to improve our D, and D depth, not subtract from it.

 

[Fogelhund]

If anderson is on ir do they have enough room to claim vatanen?

I think Vatanen would go before we could put in a claim anyway.

 

[Fogelhund]

We should probably add a pair of depth guys then.

Not sure Oleksiak is a guy we get, especially if the price is high. I can see a team like Winnipeg overpaying by a lot to get him now that there are not many options left out there.

The demand for him is really going to dictate what we can do here. He really could be that final piece Dubas is looking for, but we could be out priced here. That being said, Dubas has already spent a lot of currency for success this year, so I don’t see him hesitating to overpay a bit here, to complete his plan.

 

[Maplebeasts]

i highly doubt that. If anything we will seek to improve our D, and D depth, not subtract from it.

I guess it might make more sense as an offseason move? I'm not very impressed with Dermott though and his lack of growth.

 

[axlrose87]

For good reason. He's going to be a pillar for years to come. 6'3 DMen that skate like the wind and have a serious mean streak don't come along to often.

They are also hard to find..... Montreal didn’t necessarily find one. Plenty of defenders have busted and been drafted much higher.

 

[Menzinger]

 

[horner]

Iam sure Dubas will have a couple Kidd's that will slip through the cracks that our management has been looking at.
This year's draft is a total crap fest .
From what I hear it wasn't a good draft to begin with then adding covid and no hockey not good.

 

[Zonk]

Leafs had 12 picks in the 2020 draft and many of them are performing above expectations. This lessens the blow of giving up so many 2021 and 2022 picks.

 

[WTFMAN99]

I'd guess some players are liquidated for picks.

Also screams a draft where Dubas moves back.

 

[Fogelhund]

 

[4thline]

Has anyone seen Travis Treloar? Lead Ohio State in scoring as a 19 year old freshman. Unless there's something off on their skating him and Josh Lopina both seem like solid reentry draft candidates. Would be happy if you used a late rounder on them two years ago anyway

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Has anyone seen Travis Treloar? Lead Ohio State in scoring as a 19 year old freshman. Unless there's something off on their skating him and Josh Lopina both seem like solid reentry draft candidates. Would be happy if you used a late rounder on them two years ago anyway

Josh Lopina is going to be attractive. I think he even worked his way up to 1C by the end of the season, and UMass were the NCAA Champs this year. Prototypical Tampa pick. They love their D+1 and D+2 USHL/NCAA guys.

I am up and down on Treloar going all the way back to his 2019 season. Skating is not an issue for him and he is a good playmaker, but I am not confident about his shot, he is not a big or overly strong guy, and I doubt he becomes much of a defensive stud. So you are counting on him being a solid middle 6 scorer and you can find a lot of prospects like that.

If I had a lot of extra picks to burn and I was looking in the late rounds, he would be an easy selection. He's played a full season more or less and he has looked promising. Also has 3 years of control left. I've seen worse selections. If I am the Leafs who only have 3 selections, I pass on him. We are not really lacking in those kinds of guys and we can usually find them as NCAA UFA's anyways.

Same goes for Christian Sarlo, Zachary Okabe, the Jackson twins, Kirby Proctor, Ilvari Rasanen, etc. I am keeping tabs on some of them for the next couple of NCAA signings seasons but not so much for the draft.

Cameron Rowe and Anthony Kehrer, both from Wisconsin, have me more on the fence. Kehrer is an 02' RD who was solid in the USHL as a D-1 (which is impressive) but had injuries and wasn't great in his DY. He is not big but he is stout. Hasn't really translated his offense yet but should get more opportunities on a Wisconsin squad with a bunch of graduations. Rowe is fairly athletic and was a once-highly touted. He had a .933 save percentage this year behind a really good team and I believe his goalie partner is graduating. However, he (and his entire team) struggled in some big games this year, Jared Moe (WPG 6th round pick) transferred to Wisconsin to challenge for the starters job, and Rowe could just be a product of his team.

 

[Fogelhund]

A couple of recent draft rankings.

DRAFTPRO – SPRING 2021 NHL DRAFT RANKINGS – DRAFT PROSPECTS HOCKEY

Owen Power the unanimous No. 1 in TSN’s mid-season draft rankings - TSN.ca

Interesting side effect of this weird Covid year.... the top OHL prospects all seem to have played overseas. This will mean that they can go straight to the AHL next year, if their drafting team believes that is what's best for their development, where normally they'd have to go back to the OHL.

***It's been suggested that the above might not be the case, as players were "loaned" by the OHL teams, who still retain their rights....

I really don't know.

 

[lazyboy]

A couple of recent draft rankings.

DRAFTPRO – SPRING 2021 NHL DRAFT RANKINGS – DRAFT PROSPECTS HOCKEY

Owen Power the unanimous No. 1 in TSN’s mid-season draft rankings - TSN.ca

Interesting side effect of this weird Covid year.... the top OHL prospects all seem to have played overseas. This will mean that they can go straight to the AHL next year, if their drafting team believes that is what's best for their development, where normally they'd have to go back to the OHL.

***It's been suggested that the above might not be the case, as players were "loaned" by the OHL teams, who still retain their rights....

I really don't know.

I could be wrong but I do not think that is correct. OHL players were not released from their OHL contract but sent on 'loan' meaning they will still be seen as OHL selections

 

[horner]

Tsn draft rankings 56
Roman Schmidt D 6'5" 200 lbs
Strengths
Skating , strength and hockey sense
What's your thoughts