Wright, Slafkovsky, Cooley : Time to make that final decision

[Naslundforever]

Amazing how 7 posters, representing 2.8% of the poll have been so vocal, banging the drums for Slafkovsky. Crazy how disproportionate this poll is given the conversations going on here.

Slowly restoring my faith in Hab fan being a knowledgeable base.

Not sure we habs fans hold more “knowledge per fan” though… Niche markets are where the real geeks live often, whatever the product.

I do feel contrary opinions on who to draft may have forced those who know more about prospects than some of us to make better arguments for him than “consensus is consensus”. For only the second time in my long-lived fandom it feels like if Toqué had a buffet so I always appreciate informative replies.

 

[tazsub3]

Yeah it would be nice if the Coyotes really wanted Slafkovsky badly but figured NJ will take him 2nd so they call to move up from 3rd to 1st to get him and the Habs would still get one of Wright or Cooley plus an additional late 1st or whatever.

If the Habs though have their minds made up already about who they're gonna take and think he may not be there if they moved down to 3rd just take the guy you want, move on and be happy with the selection.

Always wondered why nba style trades don’t happen where a team draft a player and immediatly trade him for another first rounder . Aka luka vs young trade

 

[Lockin17]

I'm too lazy to search for myself.

Does anyone remembers how KK, another late riser, did at the combine, both athletically and interview wise, compared to Slaf, the current late riser? And also how the combine impacted KK positively or negatively, compared to Slaf?

I'm a Shane Wrighter all the way, though I'd entertain the idea of trading 1st OA to ARI for 3rd OA and another nice asset (maybe 27 OA or 34 OA), in which case we get either Wright or Cooley at 3rd OA AND we get another nice selection at 27 or 34 OA.

i'd rather do 1OV + #26 for #3 + first 2023 (unprotected) ;-)

 

[sheed36]

Always wondered why nba style trades don’t happen where a team draft a player and immediatly trade him for another first rounder . Aka luka vs young trade

Yup I was thinking this exact thing last night. Make the original picks at say 1st and 3rd and then make the trade after selecting so there's no surprises and it guarantee's you each get the players you wanted before making the trade.

I guess NHL GM's don't want to ruin the moment for these picks.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Yup I was thinking this exact thing last night. Make the original picks at say 1st and 3rd and then make the trade after selecting so there's no surprises and it guarantee's you each get the players you wanted before making the trade.

I guess NHL GM's don't want to ruin the moment for these picks.

the Basketball method sucks.

Nobody trades for a pick until its on the clock anyway.

 

[Lockin17]

Wright will beat Bergeron 5 Selkie's

 

[Kriss E]

Looks like Wright by a landslide right. Makes me think a few loud dissenters are banging the drums pretty loud.

Very few posters have seen those kids play more than a handful of times, if even that.
I voted Wright and I don't think I've seen any of those kids play.
I just follow what the consensus is among the community and this is as one sided as it can be outside of McDavid type of unanimous prospect.

 

[sheed36]

the Basketball method sucks.

Nobody trades for a pick until its on the clock anyway.

TBH I don't mind it.

 

[ArtPeur]

Very few posters have seen those kids play more than a handful of times, if even that.
I voted Wright and I don't think I've seen any of those kids play.
I just follow what the consensus is among the community and this is as one sided as it can be outside of McDavid type of unanimous prospect.

Pretty much this.

Looking at profiles only, it feels like having a 1-2 combo of Wright and Suzuki is the best

 

[WeThreeKings]

TBH I don't mind it.

Oh it's awful. I want to know if the guy I took is mine not wait 30 minutes while they have an interview in a Habs cap.

 

[Kaladin]

EXCELLENT. I don't think Wright has Lemaire's slapper, but other than that that's exactly what I hope for him to become.

Now if we can get Bedard next year we'll be a powerhouse in 2027-2032.

Who's going to be the 3rd line C between Suzuki, Bedard and Wright?

Wright - 63-32-62-94 22 pims +23 (1.49 ppg)
Svechnikov - 44-40-32-72 67 pims +26 (1.64 ppg)

Wright had the advantage of growing up in North America, Svechnikov spent 1 year in the OHL after coming over from Russia and almost scored a goal per game.

I don't know which one is better as I don't think I ever saw Svechnikov in the OHL and I've seen very little of Wright this year but clearly Svechnikov was the better goal scorer in their draft year and he outproduced him by a decent clip in terms of ppg.

I'd trade our draft pick for Svechnikov in a heart beat. Puzzled by anyone who wouldn't.

 

[sheed36]

Oh it's awful. I want to know if the guy I took is mine not wait 30 minutes while they have an interview in a Habs cap.

Yeah it sucks for the players being drafted for sure but I get it from the teams POV since it guarantee's you both end up with the player you really want after the trade.

 

[Whalers Fan]

It's a chance you have to be willing to take.

Why? Getting a late 1st round pick is not worth swapping #1OA for #3OA. Quality over quantity.

 

[Gally11]

Don’t get me wrong I think Slaf will be a great player and we’d be lucky to have him but I find NHL people tend to fall in love with anyone over 6’3 and end up with the ideas of the "true power forward" which fogs their vision. It’s easy to value so highly because it’s so easy to see.

I think back to Pronman ranking Laine over Matthews because of his size and how he used it. Or you could also look back even more recently at Byfield over Stutzle was generally the consensus because of the "power forward" factor.

I hope we don’t over think it and just go for who’s going to win us more games.

 

[sheed36]

Why? Getting a late 1st round pick is not worth swapping #1OA for #3OA. Quality over quantity.

Lets say the Habs have both Wright and Cooley ranked equally and would be fine with either of them and are having difficulty choosing between the 2.

The Coyotes call and say they really want Slafkovsky (not likely but lets go with it ) but the Coyotes know the Devils are gonna take him 2nd and want to move up to 1st from 3rd to get him.

Why wouldn't you move down to 3rd in that scenario? You pick up a late 1st and still get one of the players at the top of your list in Cooley or Wright at 3rd. You get a free asset and still get one of your guys.

 

[Whalers Fan]

Lets say the Habs have both Wright and Cooley ranked equally and would be fine with either of them and are having difficulty choosing between the 2.

The Coyotes call and say they really want Slafkovsky (not likely but lets go with it ) but the Coyotes know the Devils are gonna take him 2nd and want to move up to 1st from 3rd to get him.

Why wouldn't you move down to 3rd in that scenario? You pick up a late 1st and still get one of the players at the top of your list in Cooley or Wright at 3rd. You get a free asset and still get one of your guys.

I doubt the Habs have the two players ranked equally.

 

[sheed36]

I doubt the Habs have the two players ranked equally.

And that's quite possible. No one knows how the Habs have these players ranked on their list and it might not even be anything close to the discussions going on here at the top of their list.

 

[Redux91]

Same here. My head says Wright. As I read somewhere, he seems to have both the highest floor and the highest ceiling.

My gut says Slaf or Cooley would be better here. Mtl fans won't be fond of Wright's lackadaisical style.

Suzuki also has a very lackadaisical style , it works
Tavares has a very similar style as well
It's not complicated just be a good player and we'll love you lol

 

[Sterling Archer]

Very few posters have seen those kids play more than a handful of times, if even that.
I voted Wright and I don't think I've seen any of those kids play.
I just follow what the consensus is among the community and this is as one sided as it can be outside of McDavid type of unanimous prospect.

What exacerbated your point is that the games people did see Slaf and Cooley play were a small sample size in the Olympics and WC where they played really well. Not a lot to impress when Wright is playing a super defensive role supporting rookies on an awe full team.

I’ll go with the pedigree since he was a tween and take the COVID year as an anomaly.

 

[BenchBrawl]

You all fantasize about Bedard, but a player like Wright, will bring you closer to the cup than Bedard.

We already have Wright.

Who's going to be the 3rd line C between Suzuki, Bedard and Wright?


I'd trade our draft pick for Svechnikov in a heart beat. Puzzled by anyone who wouldn't.

Never got too many great centers.

 

[danisonfire]

This is how I see it:

We will draft Shane Wright with #1. High IQ, defensively responsible, great shot, intelligent, mentally mature (Montreal Market). Exactly what montreal needs. His play in the second half was strong and promising; as the young players on his team got use to playing in the OHL. He has very high-end potential. He put up 14 points in 5 games at the u-18's leading canada to their first gold since 2013. This was after missing an entire year. The tournament were his first games that year he didnt play in the OHL. Here is what that team Canada Coach had to say; "“He was just in the right spots all the time, making tough plays and supporting down low in the D zone. I thought he was fantastic, so I had no problem putting him out on the ice at any moment,” Barr said.

Cooley would be my #2, easily. He might get more points than Shane. I just see Shane as the better fit. Anyone drafting him is lucky.

Nemec or Jiricek #3, We lost Weber, Chiarot and Kulak. We could really use a top D for the rebuild.

Slafkovsky would be #4, I would gamble on him for sure with the 4th OA pick.

This is just based on Montreal's needs. I could see it changing from other teams POV

 

[Kaladin]

We already have Wright.



Never got too many great centers.

The cap unfortunately exists. If suzuki ends up the 3rd C and is making 8M AAV then we're going nowhere in the playoffs. It's a good problem to have though I'll grant you that - we can trade our way out of it.

 

[Garbageyuk]

Suzuki also has a very lackadaisical style , it works
Tavares has a very similar style as well
It's not complicated just be a good player and we'll love you lol

No team will ever win anything with Tavares playing a significant role.

 

[David Suzuki]

1. Wright
2. Cooley
3. Nemec

Are about the only three I'd even remotely be happy with. Anyone else I'd be first off stunned and may have to call out of work the next day because I'd be too hungover.

 

[Mister Hab]

Shane Wright is the "Wright" choice....no doubt.

We're very lucky to have the no.1 pick to be the 1st team to have the choice of selecting Shane "exceptional status" Wright. I'm still SUPER EXCITED that we have the no.1 pick!!!!!

A lot of us Hab fans had to watch closely (entire season) and keep hoping for that last place (to get the no.1 pick)...and we got it....and then we still had to sweat it out for the LOTTERY!! and....we won that, too!!

So...

...easy choice (Shane Wright.




GO Habs GO!!!!!
(Shane Wright all the way!!).