Speculation: With the third pick in the 2024 NHL draft the Anaheim Ducks select...(Draft is June 28th @ 4pm PT. ESPN. ESPN+)

[Rasp]

At pick 3 we should be getting first line player. There are multiple guys with the potential to be a #1 or #2 D and I trust our scouts to pick the best one

 

[tomd]

Getting a guy who tops out as a 3D is a massive miss at 3rd overall.

Well, that is Craig Button's opinion and he certainly has some "interesting" takes on players. The Ducks may or may not agree with him. The truth is that there isn't a surefire top pairing D or a surefire 1st line F in this draft after Celebrini.

At pick 3 we should be getting first line player. There are multiple guys with the potential to be a #1 or #2 D and I trust our scouts to pick the best one

Yup and Silayev is one of those guys.

 

[Hockey Duckie]

Getting a guy who tops out as a 3D is a massive miss at 3rd overall.

Figured I'd share that info from the same article since it didn't get coverage here.

Silayev's offensive history just isn't there like a Hedman, Hampus Lindholm, Power, or Jake Sanderson. Defensively, he's behind Lindholm in his draft year when Hampus led his HA team into SHL regulation. The Locked on Prospects YouTubers didn't have Silayev as the best defensive d-man prospects for 2024; that spot was reserved for Dickinson.

 

[tomd]

 

[Ducks DVM]

Well, that is Craig Button's opinion and he certainly has some "interesting" takes on players. The Ducks may or may not agree with him. The truth is that there isn't a surefire top pairing D or a surefire 1st line F in this draft after Celebrini.


Yup and Silayev is one of those guys.

Many people are saying that he has a long way to go and may not ever be a top pairing guy.

Too many people are reading “MAY be a unicorn IF he continues to improve” as “HE’S A UNICORN!!!!!!!!!!”

I don’t follow prospects, and I don’t put a lot of credence into the talking heads, but my point still stands - a 3D at 3rd overall is a big miss. I’m not saying he will be, but I also don’t know that people aren’t looking at his size and having their eyes go all Bugs Bunny on them.

 

[tomd]

Many people are saying that he has a long way to go and may not ever be a top pairing guy.

Too many people are reading “MAY be a unicorn IF he continues to improve” as “HE’S A UNICORN!!!!!!!!!!”

I don’t follow prospects, and I don’t put a lot of credence into the talking heads, but my point still stands - a 3D at 3rd overall is a big miss. I’m not saying he will be, but I also don’t know that people aren’t looking at his size and having their eyes go all Bugs Bunny on them.

View attachment 882601

Realistically, if Celebrini and Levshunov go 1-2 then the Ducks will be choosing from Silayev, Lindstrom, and Dickinson. Each have pros and cons but IMO it will be one of those three. I can't see another serious candidate at 3OA. So who would you take?

 

[Static]

Would silayev be the biggest swing this team has ever taken?

 

[Hockey Duckie]

Yikes! Guess Demidov isn't fit for #3 OA if he isn't on equal footing with Lev.

 

[tomd]

Yikes! Guess Demidov isn't fit for #3 OA if he isn't on equal footing with Lev.

No, I honestly don't think Demidov is a player PV would take at 3OA. You'd really have to sell me that he'd take a 5'11 winger over a 6'4" C/LW or a 6'7 D or a 6'3 D. I stopped considering Demidov as a realistic option at least a month ago.

 

[Hockey Duckie]

Would silayev be the biggest swing this team has ever taken?

I still believe Lindholm was the biggest swing. The only thing the draft telecast can say about Lindholm was he had the best endurance from the combine and could be in the Tour de France.

Here's MyNHLDraft's 2012 mock draft that had Lindholm going 15th overall: link.

With Silayev, at least he's on the radar to be in the top-10.

 

[Hockey Duckie]

No, I honestly don't think Demidov is a player PV would take at 3OA. You'd really have to sell me that he'd take a 5'11 winger over a 6'4" C/LW or a 6'7 D or a 6'3 D. I stopped considering Demidov as a realistic option at least a month ago.

I'm speaking talent-wise. For a prospect who supposedly is on the same level or better than Michkov, to not be in equal consideration for #2 overall with Lev implies that talent isn't worth it at #3OA either, based upon that tweet. In fact, that tweet also has Silayev ahead too - which corresponds with CSB (EU)'s final rankings.

 

[Ducks DVM]

Realistically, if Celebrini and Levshunov go 1-2 then the Ducks will be choosing from Silayev, Lindstrom, and Dickinson. Each have pros and cons but IMO it will be one of those three. I can't see another serious candidate at 3OA. So who would you take?

As I said, I don’t follow prospects closely enough, and don’t believe the various scouting reports are very good at hitting well enough to treat as gospel. I don’t have a dog in this fight.

I made what I think is a pretty safe statement about expectations for 3rd overall. I also made clear I wasn’t saying that was a graven in stone prediction for any player.

I think the majority of people just pick the scouting report that they like best and then argue about it.

How many years does the draft, or any scouting report, actually come even close to being correct in a redraft? It’s incredibly rare. Dying on hills over who to draft makes zero sense to me.

I honestly don’t know who they’ll pick. I do know that the Ducks rarely pick the consensus pick for them though.

 

[tomd]

I'm speaking talent-wise. For a prospect who supposedly is on the same level or better than Michkov, to not be in equal consideration for #2 overall with Lev implies that talent isn't worth it at #3OA either, based upon that tweet. In fact, that tweet also has Silayev ahead too - which corresponds with CSB (EU)'s final rankings.

Maybe we're talking about two different things. I'm just talking about who the Ducks would take at 3OA. I don't think they'd take a 5'11 winger. It would be such an anti-PV type pick. And Demidov has been falling in the rankings the past couple of weeks. There is now a building belief that he could go 5OA or even later. I'd lay heavy heavy odds that the choice is between Silayev, Lindstrom, and Dickinson.

 

[tomd]

As I said, I don’t follow prospects closely enough, and don’t believe the various scouting reports are very good at hitting well enough to treat as gospel. I don’t have a dog in this fight.

I made what I think is a pretty safe statement about expectations for 3rd overall. I also made clear I wasn’t saying that was a graven in stone prediction for any player.

I think the majority of people just pick the scouting report that they like best and then argue about it.

How many years does the draft, or any scouting report, actually come even close to being correct in a redraft? It’s incredibly rare. Dying on hills over who to draft makes zero sense to me.

I honestly don’t know who they’ll pick. I do know that the Ducks rarely pick the consensus pick for them though.

Sadly, the draft is the Stanley Cup for the Ducks and their fans.

 

[The Mighty Duck Man]

Many people are saying that he has a long way to go and may not ever be a top pairing guy.

Too many people are reading “MAY be a unicorn IF he continues to improve” as “HE’S A UNICORN!!!!!!!!!!”

I don’t follow prospects, and I don’t put a lot of credence into the talking heads, but my point still stands - a 3D at 3rd overall is a big miss. I’m not saying he will be, but I also don’t know that people aren’t looking at his size and having their eyes go all Bugs Bunny on them.

View attachment 882601

Not that I’m saying they’re wrong but Silayev seems like the exact kind of prospect that the internet would be pessimistic about. He doesn’t have the numbers so that corner wouldn’t think much of him, he isn’t flashy and doesn’t pop on tape so that corner wouldn’t like him, he’s playing in Russia so both of those things are just enhanced, and the internet can get weird about height so something that’s an obvious advantage almost gets used against him. It’s not a perfect comparison by any stretch but it reminds me a lot about the Slafkovsky discourse in 2022. On at least one end of the spectrum he’s probably the guy this year where there’s a divide between the old guard and new, so to speak.

 

[mightyquack]

Button's view that Silayev tops out as a #3 is not an uncommon one to be fair. End of the day, if Silayev doesn't develop offensively (especially transitioning the puck), then it's pretty unlikely he'll be a top pairing guy. Being elite in one zone and below average in others just doesn't cut it in the modern NHL.

Silayev potentially becomes the best defenceman in the draft if he takes massive strides offensively...it's just a question of how likely that is. Feels like more needs to go right for Silayev then others for that to happen IMO.

I just hope that if Silayev (I'd rather Dickinson but just my opinion) is the pick, that we are able to get some input on his development. One of the worries for me is that we don't get much input for the next 2 years, and Silayev arrives in Anaheim just as raw offensively as he is today.

 

[Hockey Duckie]

Maybe we're talking about two different things. I'm just talking about who the Ducks would take at 3OA. I don't think they'd take a 5'11 winger. It would be such an anti-PV type pick. And Demidov has been falling in the rankings the past couple of weeks. There is now a building belief that he could go 5OA or even later. I'd lay heavy heavy odds that the choice is between Silayev, Lindstrom, and Dickinson.

My thoughts all along has been...
1. C Celebrini
2. RD Lev
3. C Lindstrom or LD Dickinson

Dickinson is a 2-way, defensive-minded D after his progression from D-1 to D+0. I can see Dickinson in the NHL next season because I think there's nothing left for him defensively in the OHL. He's got the speed and physical build for the NHL. But if a team wants him to continue to develop his offense, then stay another year in the OHL.

Lindstrom is the homerun pick. The Ducks would be viewing him as a scoring, PF winger instead of drafting him as a center. Like Dickinson, Lindstrom's got the build and speed. I don't know if any team will want Lindstrom to play in the NHL next season considering he had back issues this past season. Let him stew in the WHL and wreak havoc while still developing as a center. Could always have a backup center if needed in the NHL. Or could try him out on a 9-game NHL stint to see where he's at, but return him sooner than Luneau.

Lindstrom had 27 goals in 32 WHL games is eye opening! If he had stayed healthy and kept his goal scoring pace throughout the season, then maybe he's be vying for #2 or possibly #1 OA. Therein lies the rub... will his medicals check out? If so, then green light.

 

[SmokeyDuck]

Apparently he was told to stop joining the rush all the time and play more defensively. I can see there being untapped potential. Didnt Button trade Chara away? Bet he was a second pairing D too.

 

[mightyquack]

Apparently he was told to stop joining the rush all the time and play more defensively. I can see there being untapped potential. Didnt Button trade Chara away? Bet he was a second pairing D too.

That would have been Mike Milbury.

 

[SmokeyDuck]

That would have been Mike Milbury.

Ah shit your right!

 

[Static]

I don't know that silayev has to get that much better offensively to be the best dman in the draft. If he's a 25 point guy who gobbles up the top guys on the other team every night that would be tough to beat.

Every one of the other dmen is suspect defensively, except maybe dickenson, who doesn't project to be great offensively either.

 

[tomd]

My thoughts all along has been...
1. C Celebrini
2. RD Lev
3. C Lindstrom or LD Dickinson

Dickinson is a 2-way, defensive-minded D after his progression from D-1 to D+0. I can see Dickinson in the NHL next season because I think there's nothing left for him defensively in the OHL. He's got the speed and physical build for the NHL. But if a team wants him to continue to develop his offense, then stay another year in the OHL.

Lindstrom is the homerun pick. The Ducks would be viewing him as a scoring, PF winger instead of drafting him as a center. Like Dickinson, Lindstrom's got the build and speed. I don't know if any team will want Lindstrom to play in the NHL next season considering he had back issues this past season. Let him stew in the WHL and wreak havoc while still developing as a center. Could always have a backup center if needed in the NHL. Or could try him out on a 9-game NHL stint to see where he's at, but return him sooner than Luneau.

Lindstrom had 27 goals in 32 WHL games is eye opening! If he had stayed healthy and kept his goal scoring pace throughout the season, then maybe he's be vying for #2 or possibly #1 OA. Therein lies the rub... will his medicals check out? If so, then green light.

All good info but I'd add Silayev to your list to have all your bases covered. He's a serious possibility at 3OA.

 

[Terry Yake]

i really hope this is true

 

[Dr Johnny Fever]

Picked at 12, but was a 2 for a period at least.

Yeah, he started the year a top 3 consensus, dropped to top 5 consensus by the end of the year and we ended up with him at 12.

 

[Rasp]

Yakemchuk is also a chance. Some scouts love him and would take him early while others wouldnt take him top 10.