WJC 2024 Thread

[BenningHurtsMySoul]

Fun fact - ASP was taken with the pick we flipped to Detroit for Hronek.

Feels kind of like Guenther Pt 2 watching that kid play...I get that we needed a Hronek, but man would it be nice to have another blue chip offensive defenceman on the way.

 

[David Bruce Banner]

I really liked Willander's skating.
ASP from this limited glimpse looks like he is something special with the puck.
Top results, as their games stand now, might be a Tanev vs a Karlsson.
I really hope that Willander manifests a bit more of an offensive game at some point, otherwise we're probably going to be constantly seeing both names dropped in this forum for the next decade or so.

 

[BenningHurtsMySoul]

Both Dman have a chance at being some of the very best in the NHL one day but in different aspects. If we didn't have Hughes I'd be kicking ourselves for not drafting ASP. But with Hughes, then Willander is the obvious choice.

Going to be fun to watch how both of their careers play out.

The issue I see is this - as ASP is entering the NHL, we could be losing Quinn Hughes to free agency. Having someone like that waiting in the wings goes a long way towards our ability to trade Hughes (should he not commit long term) for a King's Ransom. But we're basically screwed without Hughes regardless of what we would realistically receive in return.

This defence is starving for another PMD. Hughes can't do it all himself, and Braunstrom is a decent short term solution but likely not the answer.

I still think Willander will be a surefire top 4 defenceman, but likely not an elite top pairing force. Jury will be out for a while if he was the right pick or not.

 

[LemonSauceD]

Gabe Perrault, third point.

Should have been his 4th point there.

Edit: And there's his 4th point.

I was iffy on his skating in his draft year but I was shocked he fell to 23. IMO, he was the clear driver of that Smith/Leonard line,

 

[BenningHurtsMySoul]

Both Dman have a chance at being some of the very best in the NHL one day but in different aspects. If we didn't have Hughes I'd be kicking ourselves for not drafting ASP. But with Hughes, then Willander is the obvious choice.

Going to be fun to watch how both of their careers play out.

The issue I see is this - as ASP is entering the NHL, we could be losing Quinn Hughes to free agency. Having someone like that waiting in the wings goes a long way towards our ability to trade Hughes (should he not commit long term) for a King's Ransom. But we're basically screwed without Hughes regardless of what we would realistically receive in return.

This defence is starving for another PMD. Hughes can't do it all himself, and Brannstrom is a decent short term solution but not a permanent answer. Willander was a good pick, but the jury is out if he was truly BPA or not. Seems ASP is outperforming pre-draft expectations.

 

[God]

Bourdon... RIP

I have no doubt that the kid would've been a star dman for us. His play on OV still sticks out to me

I liked Bourdon but IIRC he wasn't tracking well at the time of his death despite being a plus skater as he had a few defensive warts. He was a year younger than Edler but if you compare their development post draft, Edler was far ahead. I think he would've been a Jovanovski-lite for us - and even that might've been preferable because they probably don't make a trade for Ballard.

 

[BenningHurtsMySoul]

Hopefully we'll see Mynio get some decent minutes.

 

[Hansen]

Fun fact - ASP was taken with the pick we flipped to Detroit for Hronek.

Feels kind of like Guenther Pt 2 watching that kid play...I get that we needed a Hronek, but man would it be nice to have another blue chip offensive defenceman on the way.

We had the best pairing in hockey last year, youve gotta give up a piece like ASP to get a piece like Hronek in his prime and cost controlled (RFA status)

 

[BenningHurtsMySoul]

We had the best pairing in hockey last year, youve gotta give up a piece like ASP to get a piece like Hronek in his prime and cost controlled (RFA status)

Ideally, you don't give up a blue chip asset with the player at that draft position. You're gambling that the player the other team gets will be worse than the player you're getting.

 

[Bleach Clean]

I was iffy on his skating in his draft year but I was shocked he fell to 23. IMO, he was the clear driver of that Smith/Leonard line,

His IQ was evident. Perreault is an underrated shooter as well.

He may still struggle due to strength and skating, so I understand some of that fear from the scouts showing through.

Let's see how it plays out.

 

[Lemmiwinks]

Hopefully we'll see Mynio get some decent minutes.

I’m a bit doubtful. Has he even been registered yet?

 

[Bjornar Moxnes]

Ideally, you don't give up a blue chip asset with the player at that draft position. You're gambling that the player the other team gets will be worse than the player you're getting.

When the trade happened ASP wasn't even guaranteed to be available. Many thought Canucks, Sabres, or Flames would have selected ASP, aka it was a shock he even fell that much.

 

[SeawaterOnIce]

I liked Bourdon but IIRC he wasn't tracking well at the time of his death despite being a plus skater as he had a few defensive warts. He was a year younger than Edler but if you compare their development post draft, Edler was far ahead. I think he would've been a Jovanovski-lite for us - and even that might've been preferable because they probably don't make a trade for Ballard.

Luc Bourdon was absolutely screwed after his leg and ankle injuries. He was never the same skater which was his strongsuit to play a two-way game. I had serious doubts he would see the NHL as a full-timer here...The mood here was somber those years as Anze Kopitar immediately turned into a franchise player.

Juolevi was a worse prospect but there are parallels with how injuries f***ed up any chance he had to at least be a depth defender while the picks afterwards became stars.

 

[tradervik]

ASP was always the flashier prospect and I would have been happy if the Canucks had taken him instead of Willander but I don't regret the Canucks picking the latter.

 

[cc]

Samsonnens looks like a steady defensive dman so far against Czechia. Active stick. Good mobility

 

[Lemmiwinks]

Samsonnens looks like a steady defensive dman so far against Czechia. Active stick. Good mobility

He actually made a couple good step ups towards the end of that period too.

I know nothing about this player but he’s certainly a big body.

 

[cc]

He actually made a couple good step ups towards the end of that period too.

I know nothing about this player but he’s certainly a big body.

Yeah. He did look like he might be bigger than his listed 6'2 size but it's hard to tell

 

[Lemmiwinks]

Yeah. He did look like he might be bigger than his listed 6'2 size but it's hard to tell

Of course, he’ll look bigger playing next to junior age players

 

[cc]

Of course, he’ll look bigger playing next to junior age players

I went ahead and checked the sizes of some of the dmen on the swiss team. I couldn't find any other dman over 6'2 so Somsonnens would be one of the larger dmen on that roster.

 

[Deeds26]

 

[JT Milker]

“If he can get better at hockey he might make the NHL”

 

[Grantham]

I liked Bourdon but IIRC he wasn't tracking well at the time of his death despite being a plus skater as he had a few defensive warts. He was a year younger than Edler but if you compare their development post draft, Edler was far ahead. I think he would've been a Jovanovski-lite for us - and even that might've been preferable because they probably don't make a trade for Ballard.

That's the way I remember it. I think his first pro camp he blew everyone away, and there were calls to keep him up with the big club, but then we was sent down and broke his ankle I think and it really messed his progress.

He was still super physical send you flying type hitter, but his mobility was never the same. I always wished we never sent him down, but hindsight and all

 

[cc]

They don't put Samsonnens on the PP or PK so I don't think the coach thinks too highly of him

 

[Ernie]

I really hope that Willander manifests a bit more of an offensive game at some point, otherwise we're probably going to be constantly seeing both names dropped in this forum for the next decade or so.

Well I sure hope not.

The draft has plenty of flashy 18 year old defencemen that just don't pan out. If Willander keeps tracking the way he is, it was still the right pick.

Kucherov was drafted at #58 and is the highest scoring player in the 2011 draft, but that doesn't mean the 57 picks before him were all bad.

On the other hand, the Canucks picked Nicklas Jensen at #29 in 2011, which is kinda indicative of how they were drafting at that time.

 

[Jyrki21]

Slovakia has a Centre named Miroslav Satan Jr.

This is even better than the original (namewise)

6 foot 7. A giant Satan.

His mother is named Ingrid. Ingrid Satan.

Please, New Jersey, you screwed up the first time around. Get it together and trade for this kid.

Yeah, I wrote this in the post just above yours:

One last note – Miroslav “son of Satan” Šatan junior is on Slovakia, he’s 6’7” and yet I don’t think I noticed him once after his opening shift. I’m not sure he played much.

I'm not convinced he has a huge role on that team (dude has 3 points in the USHL). And I imagine it's a just combination of size and name recognition – but maybe not much else – that got him drafted, albeit 212th.