HF Habs: What are your initial impressions of the Habs 2023 Draft class?

[calder candidate]

So geo politics was not the reason they did not pick him. Must had been other serious concerns about him.

Didn't see him live, What they knew vs. what they didn't know... They should has had similar concern with the other two Russian... If you passing on Michkov and picking 2 russians it is more puzzeling than passing on all russian...
But I agree considering Bobrov connection either they had serious concern or they were told in the meeting he wouldn't come to MTL

 

[Spearmint Rhino]

Weren’t we A+ in 2012 and 2013?

Hopefully we are totally wrong again

 

[WinterLion]

Weren’t we A+ in 2012 and 2013?

Hopefully we are totally wrong again

Oh don't worry. We will be.

 

[GrandBison]

This draft is random but it makes me remember our best HF draft ever when we got Galchenyuk and Collberg.

 

[GrandBison]

Except for the Fischer experiment, Habs had more success selecting and developping their drafted D than forwards.

 

[Garnet76]

I didn't cast a vote because outside of the top 3 picks I really don't have knowledge on any of these players. Looking at lists though it seems that most picks were a reach and clearly picked for need at to early of the stage of the build in my opinion.

I wanted michkov as well and dont see the upside of Reinbacker being a #1 dman but I'm no scout and hope for the best.
Best case senerio is Reinbacher develops, one of the goalies pan out, and we got a diamond in the rough with one of the other picks

 

[Tripledeke333]

C.

I like Reinbecker, but really think you just have to grab Mitchkov there. Mitchkov has the talent to carry a line offensively. It is good to get some goalies in the pipeline, but besides Reinbecker we likely won’t get any star skaters.

I like the Newhook move a lot, but more because I have low confidence in our organizations ability to draft. Newhook should be a solid third liner with second line upside. That prob more than we can expect from 2 picks in that range.

 

[morhilane]

I like these three picks a lot:
5th overall - David Reinbacher, D
69th overall - Jacob Fowler, G
110th overall - Bogdan Konyushkov, D

Here we have the gambles and/or development farm fillers
101st overall - Florian Xhekaj, LW
128th overall - Quentin Miller, G
144th overall - Yevgeni Volokhin, G
165th overall - Filip Eriksson, C

I don't know anything about these two, both are overagers I believe.
133rd overall - Sam Harris, LW
197th overall - Luke Mittelstadt, D

I'm not sure how to grade that thought.

 

[montreal]

After time to cool off and having watched my first few full games of Reinbacher and Fowler, I have to say I over reacted in giving an F. I think it was more about the Newhook trade, which I didn't mind so much since I liked him at lot in the NCAA but thought they overpaid a little and was NOT happy at all they for a 2nd year in a row Hughes traded a 1st round pick.

I thought for sure I would be pissed that someone would be there with at least one of the picks we traded but there's not really anyone that I would have really wanted as the key would have been that we would have had to move up several spots from 31st in order to get one of Moore or Sale. But Perreault or Musty would have been very interesting as well.

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

After time to cool off and having watched my first few full games of Reinbacher and Fowler, I have to say I over reacted in giving an F. I think it was more about the Newhook trade, which I didn't mind so much since I liked him at lot in the NCAA but thought they overpaid a little and was NOT happy at all they for a 2nd year in a row Hughes traded a 1st round pick.

I thought for sure I would be pissed that someone would be there with at least one of the picks we traded but there's not really anyone that I would have really wanted as the key would have been that we would have had to move up several spots from 31st in order to get one of Moore or Sale. But Perreault or Musty would have been very interesting as well.

There were still players that I liked such as Strbak, Edstrom and Gauthier but Newhook was a much better prospect than all of him and he has yet to be given a chance to excel in the NHL. I thought the price was a little steep but it also shows that Colorado were not trying to get rid of him. Hughes came asking and this was the best price that he could negotiate.

 

[blueberry]

Well I'm really disappointed with this draft. Supposedly a great draft with a lot of talent. Losing all those games we sat thru at least knowing we'd get rewarded with some high end talent and really we got nothing. Not to take away from Reinbacher but he's not a stud defenseman and we have loads of defense. WTF!! He's probably a second pair defenseman. Did we really need that. And after him what did we draft....nada. There were a lot of interesting forwards and which ones did we get....nada. No new guys to follow next year, no possible hotshots to see in training camp. Sorry but I'm really pissed about this draft. I'm not crazy about the last draft either.

 

[BaseballCoach]

I warmed up to Reinbacher. Lots of advance stats and NL people saying what he did is unique.

I think it's b/s when they say they couldn't get eyes on Michkov. If that's true how are you comfortable drafting all those Russians in later rounds?

Michkov better not turn into a 100-pt forward because that's HuGo and Bobrovs legacy right there.

Honeymoon is over at my end.

Michkov is a small winger without explosive skating. If his team runs a system designed to maximize his points, they will likely not be playing top winning hockey. But he might get 100 points one year in four.

Alex deBrincat has scored quite a few goals in his career, and his team never made it to the actual 16-team playoffs in six seasons.

There is some small chance Michkov has the talent and drive to overcome his size limitations and be more like Patrick Kane than deBrincat, but Kane had elite skating when young, and was drafted at 168 pounds not 148. Michkov is more likely to resemble Caufield than Kane, even if he is a success.

Meanwhile, taking the consensus best D-man in the draft who can hopefully become a right-handed Duncan Keith who tilts the ice in his team's favour game after game, when there is no such other player in the Habs system, is a sensible swing - and that's without factoring in some non-negligible percentage chance that Michkov's NHL arrival is screwed up by politics.

 

[BaseballCoach]

Well I'm really disappointed with this draft. Supposedly a great draft with a lot of talent. Losing all those games we sat thru at least knowing we'd get rewarded with some high end talent and really we got nothing. Not to take away from Reinbacher but he's not a stud defenseman and we have loads of defense. WTF!! He's probably a second pair defenseman. Did we really need that. And after him what did we draft....nada. There were a lot of interesting forwards and which ones did we get....nada. No new guys to follow next year, no possible hotshots to see in training camp. Sorry but I'm really pissed about this draft. I'm not crazy about the last draft either.

It seems you don't think defencemen can be talented. Had ANA, CBJ or SJ taken Michkov I believe the "get talent" folks would have clamoured for Will Smith, but I see no reason to believe that Smith would tilt the ice in the HJabs favour as much as Reinbacher could, if both hit their potential.

Having grown up on Robinson-Lapointe-Savard and seen how guys like Doughty and Keith and of course Hedman-McDonagh-Sergachev won multiple Cups with their teams, I am not ready to rate top D below top forwards so easily.

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

Michkov is a small winger without explosive skating. If his team runs a system designed to maximize his points, they will likely not be playing top winning hockey. But he might get 100 points one year in four.

Alex deBrincat has scored quite a few goals in his career, and his team never made it to the actual 16-team playoffs in six seasons.

There is some small chance Michkov has the talent and drive to overcome his size limitations and be more like Patrick Kane than deBrincat, but Kane had elite skating when young, and was drafted at 168 pounds not 148. Michkov is more likely to resemble Caufield than Kane, even if he is a success.

Meanwhile, taking the consensus best D-man in the draft who can hopefully become a right-handed Duncan Keith who tilts the ice in his team's favour game after game, when there is no such other player in the Habs system, is a sensible swing - and that's without factoring in some non-negligible percentage chance that Michkov's NHL arrival is screwed up by politics.

Flyers scout says Michkov was weighted at 180.

 

[yianik]

Well when you pass on a guy with elite upside for a D who is stronger on the D side, trade away a late 1st and early 2nd for a middle 6 C/ W in a deep draft, draft a bunch of goalies, overagers and guys nobody has heard about, I have a meh response.

However. If the team has picked up a no.1 D ( addressing a critical position ) , a guy who maybe develops into a top 6C or W, and if we now have a quality and quantity in the goalie pipeline, we'll then that's a really good draft.

 

[BaseballCoach]

Flyers scout says Michkov was weighted at 180.

Hockeydb updated to 172 now, thanks for checking

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

Hockeydb updated to 172 now, thanks for checking

He's also 4 f***ing inches taller than Caufield

 

[badfish]

Michkov is a small winger without explosive skating. If his team runs a system designed to maximize his points, they will likely not be playing top winning hockey. But he might get 100 points one year in four.

Alex deBrincat has scored quite a few goals in his career, and his team never made it to the actual 16-team playoffs in six seasons.

There is some small chance Michkov has the talent and drive to overcome his size limitations and be more like Patrick Kane than deBrincat, but Kane had elite skating when young, and was drafted at 168 pounds not 148. Michkov is more likely to resemble Caufield than Kane, even if he is a success.

Meanwhile, taking the consensus best D-man in the draft who can hopefully become a right-handed Duncan Keith who tilts the ice in his team's favour game after game, when there is no such other player in the Habs system, is a sensible swing - and that's without factoring in some non-negligible percentage chance that Michkov's NHL arrival is screwed up by politics.

I think the post you quoted me on was two weeks old or so. Regardless I'm past the sour grapes about skipping on Michkov. Ive come to realize what Reinbacher achieved is quite unique and if that translates to the NHL it is an important asset, and if he can help Hutson excel then all the better.

I think what pissed me off was the comments about not finding a way to watch him live. I'd find more confidence in the Reinbacher selection if the Habs had watched Michkov and determined Reinbacher is better. Given the stakes of a top pick / resources Montreal has I am shocked they are not exhaustive in their efforts. I know in my line of work if I showed up to a client/board of directors/etc. And told them I didn't evaluate a credible and promising opportunity despite having the resources I would be skewered.

 

[Galaxydoggystyle]

I graded this years draft an F and even after warming up a little bit to the Reinbacker pick I still think the choice should have been Michkov or Leonard. I think we should have absolutely drafted a forward with our top pick.

We are really missing that game breaking forward and there is no chance in hell we can trade for one so the only option is to try and draft one.

 

[xposbrad]

Considering we finished bottom 5 and relative to the other teams we are competing with on the rebuild, I would grade the draft a D.

 

[BehindTheTimes]

C- or d+, I can live with the Reinbacher pick, I think we gave up too much for Newhook and the only other pick I really liked was Fowler.

 

[Jaynki]

Weren’t we A+ in 2012 and 2013?

Hopefully we are totally wrong again

Yes. We had some terrific steal those years. We were so incredibly lucky to snag Collberg at 33!

You know what is considered a steal post draft?

Picking a player ranked 30-40th by public list at 150 is considered a steal.

In other words, a player EVERYONE KNOWS is a 1st RD talent but for some dubious reason NHL teams skips him and he is available in the 6th RD. Thats a steal

It doesnt make any f***ing sense, i agree.

really, The jury is still out and we don't know anything yet about the futures except they havent drafted our beloved child wright and michkov so their draft is at best a C- because they hate talent and overestimate size.

C- or d+, I can live with the Reinbacher pick, I think we gave up too much for Newhook and the only other pick I really liked was Fowler.

If Reinbacher becomes a top pair RD, if Newhook becomes a top 6 contributor, lets say he average 50-60 over the next 4 years. And if just one of the goalie hit...

Thats an A right?

 

[BaseballCoach]

I graded this years draft an F and even after warming up a little bit to the Reinbacker pick I still think the choice should have been Michkov or Leonard. I think we should have absolutely drafted a forward with our top pick.

We are really missing that game breaking forward and there is no chance in hell we can trade for one so the only option is to try and draft one.

But Leonard is highly, highly unlikely to be a game breaking forward.

 

[Jaynki]

I graded this years draft an F and even after warming up a little bit to the Reinbacker pick I still think the choice should have been Michkov or Leonard. I think we should have absolutely drafted a forward with our top pick.

We are really missing that game breaking forward and there is no chance in hell we can trade for one so the only option is to try and draft one.

Not sure Leonard would qualify as a game breaking forward. Also, impact forward are traded each and every year.(Meier, Dubois this season)

Top pairing RD are way more harder to find, are way less traded and when they are available (on trade or FA and very f***ing rarely) they are the assets that command the biggest premium.

Ask the Leafs.

 

[ZUKI]

since i never saw most of these players , i won’t make an evaluation for that draft.

But what i see here is a lot of contradictions and unrealistic expectations. How many times i’ve read that Habs need an elite forward to score more goals, but they complain that we draft for the needs instead of the bpa.
I don’t think that Habs needed another dman so if they took him it was more about his skills.

Mitchkov is probably a good player but i think that he’s overrated here . I also have the feeling that he’s a Prima Donna , a player that plays for himself instead of the team. Anyway, his choice was already made for Philadelphia.

To end , i want to bring that if 2 players make the team in a same draft, it’s a very good result. Reading this thread , it seems as some fans are expecting all the selections to make the NHL… it won’t happen. The team is full of good prospects, we just have seen the first wave last season. So in my mind, to get that dman + Newhook means that it’s already a good draft year