Jump to content

2018 draft thread


Meller93

Recommended Posts

10 hours ago, alfredoh2009 said:

Tkachuk at 5th if Kotkaniemi is not available, I am still hoping Arizona and Montreal swap picks and that we get Chychrun ( more dreaming than hoping) for that

Why do we want another RH d-man?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 minutes ago, Chris said:

That trade would never happen, he shoots LH.

Yes was looking at his father's profile, who was RH

Link to comment
Share on other sites

22 minutes ago, Chris said:

That trade would never happen, he shoots LH.

 

18 minutes ago, DON said:

Yes was looking at his father's profile, who was RH

He hasn't produced too many points at the NHL level and the Coyotes may want to draft a more elite D from this year's draft

Or they may be fine with an established LD with 15-20 point production (via trade) and would draft an elite forward at 3rd overall

Link to comment
Share on other sites

55 minutes ago, DON said:

Why down on, or not fond of Tkachuk as a pick?

 

Poor skater

 

Poor results in terms of scoring at the US NTDP and at Boston University (poor for a top 5 pick). 

 

I think he is getting overrated because of his name. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 minutes ago, Commandant said:

 

Poor skater

 

Poor results in terms of scoring at the US NTDP and at Boston University (poor for a top 5 pick). 

 

I think he is getting overrated because of his name. 

 

Sounds like a perfect fit for Bergevin.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, Commandant said:

 

Poor skater

 

Poor results in terms of scoring at the US NTDP and at Boston University (poor for a top 5 pick). 

 

I think he is getting overrated because of his name. 

Wouldn't the scout poll factor that in, or name/size/truculence blinds them a bit?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, DON said:

Wouldn't the scout poll factor that in, or name/size/truculence blinds them a bit?

 

Name, size, truculence. 

 

How else does Jordan Staal get drafted ahead of Nicklas Backstrom and Jonathan Toews?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

42 minutes ago, Chris said:

Kotkaniemi seems to be about the same as Tkachuk, 

 

Zadina or hughes have to be the pick at 3

 

Going by that website that averages points by league and transfers them to what production would be at the NHL level....

 

(Last Year)

 

Svechnikov - 40.25 points

Zadina - 33.03 points

Dahlin (D) - 23.6 points 

Kotkaniemi - 22.52 points 

Hughes (D) - 21.2 points

Tkachuk - 20.97 points

 

Boqvist isn’t a great point getter. (Since playing with men)

 

I don’t mind Tkachuk but based on last year’s projected NHL points, he does seem quite close with Kotkaniemi. I also think Zadina is still the pick at 3. Hughes would be my second choice. Kotkaniemi would be my 3rd, and Tkachuk would be my 4th. 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think I will be very surprised if they don't pick Kotkaniemi at #3 or trade down to draft him. After all of these years of saying how hard it is to acquire a 1C, this is the time to pull the trigger. Even if it is a bit of reach to grab him there, I think they pretty much have to at this point. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 minutes ago, illWill said:

I think I will be very surprised if they don't pick Kotkaniemi at #3 or trade down to draft him. After all of these years of saying how hard it is to acquire a 1C, this is the time to pull the trigger. Even if it is a bit of reach to grab him there, I think they pretty much have to at this point. 

It’s hard not to imagine that the reason we would be picking him is simply because he is the best center available rather than him

actually being the best player available at the 3rd pick. In any mock I’ve seen, we either pick Zadina, or Ottawa 100% picks Zadina after we choose not to. 

 

Switch our draft position with any team in the league and is Kotkaniemi in the discussion for 3rd overall? 

 

I like Kotkaniemi because I like the fact that he has size and can still be an average to above average skater. If he is indeed an Anze Kopitar, then that’s good enough for me. I’m just not sure he is. 

 

I understand the thought, and I even caught myself mentioning in another thread that I would rather simply draft Kotkaniemi than trade Pacioretty for another prospect center who has even less upside, but that reasoning also worries me after having gone through a dismal season in order to get a top 3 pick. 

 

I’m no expert but I still think it’s clear, unlike some experts, that Zadina is the slightly better player at 3. Hughes is the next closest thing as there is nothing wrong with being the second best defenseman in a draft behind Dahlin. Only then does Kotkaniemi come into the conversation and while I understand the thought, I think people’s blood starts rushing with excitement when they think that we may actually be able to draft a center with great potential. For me, the rational mind thinks that that’s not good enough of a reason to pass up on a player with even more potential, despite being a winger.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, Habopotamus said:

You're jokinen, right?    :mellow:

Why, 6'3" left centre, Finnish, similar Finn league offense in draft year.

(actually Jokinen had much better offense in same league same age)

Edited by DON
2nd thought
Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 minutes ago, DON said:

Would Olli Jokinen be a good comparable to Kotkaniemi?

It’s actually a great comparable as Jokinen was drafted 3rd overall and had 21 points in his first two NHL seasons. I had Kotkaniemi getting 22 points last year in the NHL. 

 

That being said, times have changed and point structures amongst leagues have likely changed in value. 

 

I think Jokinen was the player with slightly more potential (going to be tough for Kotkaniemi to outproduce Jokinen’s 91 point season) but that doesn’t mean Kotkaniemi can’t be a better player than Jokinen was in terms of consistency. There were many seasons he underperformed and one has to think it was slightly mental on his part rather than skill.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Another fun fact from that 1997 draft is that Ottawa was also immediately behind us there as well.

 

11th overall - Montreal Canadiens : Jason Ward

12th overall - Ottawa Senators - Marian Hossa 

 

:)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

34 minutes ago, xXx..CK..xXx said:

It’s hard not to imagine that the reason we would be picking him is simply because he is the best center available rather than him

actually being the best player available at the 3rd pick. In any mock I’ve seen, we either pick Zadina, or Ottawa 100% picks Zadina after we choose not to. 

 

Switch our draft position with any team in the league and is Kotkaniemi in the discussion for 3rd overall? 

 

I like Kotkaniemi because I like the fact that he has size and can still be an average to above average skater. If he is indeed an Anze Kopitar, then that’s good enough for me. I’m just not sure he is. 

 

I understand the thought, and I even caught myself mentioning in another thread that I would rather simply draft Kotkaniemi than trade Pacioretty for another prospect center who has even less upside, but that reasoning also worries me after having gone through a dismal season in order to get a top 3 pick. 

 

I’m no expert but I still think it’s clear, unlike some experts, that Zadina is the slightly better player at 3. Hughes is the next closest thing as there is nothing wrong with being the second best defenseman in a draft behind Dahlin. Only then does Kotkaniemi come into the conversation and while I understand the thought, I think people’s blood starts rushing with excitement when they think that we may actually be able to draft a center with great potential. For me, the rational mind thinks that that’s not good enough of a reason to pass up on a player with even more potential, despite being a winger.

 

The thing is that a #1 center actually has more value than a top line winger even if the skill level is equal. So if the skill level of the winger is slightly better, then that will offset the values. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wonder what it would take to drop down to around 6th but pick up another top 10 pick?

 

I like Zadina, but I like Dobson, Hughes, Kotkaniemi, Whalstrom and Boqvist close to as much. I’d rather give up something, while moving down to take two of these players.

 

 Ideally we pick up Kotkaniemi and a LHD. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...