Who will Benning draft?

[Razors_Edge]

Basically said it's going to be Ritchie or Virtanen bring drafted, A big Skilled player that can play can rugged, and gritty

Richie is a lot better player than Virtanen, so I guess it will be him unless Draisatl falls, that would make the pick tougher. Draisatl is pretty good and a center, wheras Richie is a winger.

[ForsbergTheGreat]

Richie is a lot better player than Virtanen, so I guess it will be him unless Draisatl falls, that would make the pick tougher. Draisatl is pretty good and a center, wheras Richie is a winger.

Flames have been eyeing up Draisalt, they have him pegged if the first three are selected. only way he's still around is if Oilers draft someone other than Bennett Reinhart or Ekblad, Oilers have been talking up Ritchie.

Out of the three (virtanen, Draisalt, and Ritchie) Draisalt fits our needs the best, a big center who could take over number 1 spot when hank retires.

[TS06]

Basically said it's going to be Ritchie or Virtanen bring drafted, A big Skilled player that can play can rugged, and gritty

I'd be excited to see how either one plays if we go that way. I haven't been following draft class much this year, but I have read great things about those two. I like what I hear about Ritchie's shot too. In a couple years Kass could be his set-up man? Who knows..

[Razors_Edge]

Live: Jim Benning Introductory Press Conference (May 23, 2014)

Benning plainly says he wants the team bigger and more rugged. If Richie is available he will be our pick!

Watch from 23:30

He also says many of the scouts are excellent, they just need direction as to what the team is looking for.

[Merci]

Live: Jim Benning Introductory Press Conference (May 23, 2014)

Benning plainly says he wants the team bigger and more rugged. If Richie is available he will be our pick!

Watch from 23:30

He also says many of the scouts are excellent, they just need direction as to what the team is looking for.

Yea I am finding it hard with the Virtanen injury that we pick Ehlers or Nylander over Ritchie when the guy outright says he wants a big physical team throughout,

He mention only needing physicality on the bottom two lines, but Ritchie is perennially different.

Only thing that happens now is NYI pick Ehlers over Dal colle

[Westcoasting]

He will draft me and I will lead us to the promised land.

Do you play hockey right now?

[Shinkaruk_9]

Nick Ritchie it is, and I am glad. Ritchie was being called a first overall pick by a few scouts, believe it or not. He is going to be a force to be wreckoning with. A few years down the road when we have Kassian and Ritchie on our top 2 lines, who's going to have the balls to push around our star players? No one. Not even the rat.

[Sedintwinpowersactivate]

I agree if the Canucks were in the East it would be Ehlers or Nylander.... but in the West we will draft Ritchie. I hope that he is developed correctly, because size with skill is better than skill alone.

[Outsiders]

I can see the canucks taking Nylander for some reason. Cant wait tell the combine to get his official size and weight. I can see him playing in 3 years time in the Nhl. The Sedins are perfect role models for him.

Although id prefer Ritchie or Virtanen

Honestly I see Sam Bennett falling to us.

1. Ekbald

2. Reinhart

3. Drasatil

4. Ritchie or Virtanen

5 MDC or Ehlers

6. Bennett

[Gaudette Celly]

If it's between Bennett and Nylander there should be not a moment's hesitation. Guys like Bennett, Dougie, and Toews are who you build championships around. Dal Colle may be more likely to drop and should be taken, but getting Bennett would be outstanding.

[Merci]

I can see the canucks taking Nylander for some reason. Cant wait tell the combine to get his official size and weight. I can see him playing in 3 years time in the Nhl. The Sedins are perfect role models for him.

Although id prefer Ritchie or Virtanen

Honestly I see Sam Bennett falling to us.

1. Ekbald

2. Reinhart

3. Drasatil

4. Ritchie or Virtanen

5 MDC or Ehlers

6. Bennett

You don't know how good Bennett is. No way both Edmonton Calgary and NYI pass on him for Ritchie or Ehlers

You dun goofed

[Gollumpus]

Any normal sized player can finish his check if taught how properly. I mean big guys who rely on that size for the fact they are good players. Chara, Lucic, Jamie Benn .

I am not talking Kopitar or Malkin. These guys would still be stars at 6ft. There is no way the first three would. Rick Nash plays a far softer game than Brad Marchand. Matt Cooke is feared way more than Blake Wheeler.

The players are getting bigger. Humans in general are getting bigger. This idea that someone drafts for size really is a mid first and farther kind of experience.

Jordan Schroeder is small. He is 5ft 8 . I am tired of people trying to 'blend' guys like Schroeder in with 5ft 11 and 6ft players. They are not. They are a world away from 6ft. Just as a 6ft guy is a world away from 6ft 4 players such as Joe Thorton .

Ten years ago a guy like Schroeder would never be drafted in the first round. Martin St Louis is twice as skilled as Schroeder and twice as mentally focused. He wasnt even drafted because of the size bias.

Today small guys dont have to put up with the obnoxious hooking holding or intimidating that they used to. There is way more space out there now. Schroeder failed due to his inability to focus. He just isnt there sometimes.

I cant name one guy who was drafted because he was HUGE ...........and then had a bit of skill thrown in. Those guys are marketed as 'crashers and bangers' . They dont get drafted in the top 10. Neither do minature guys. Ehlers and Nylander are 6ft players. If they arent, its by 1/2 an inch and they are still only 18.

Drafting for size first asset in the top 10 is a mistake. Draft skill first, then out of those equally talented prospects then pick the biggest one. Who is bigger and faster? Ehlers or Nylander?

The other way around is a mistake......drafted the biggest guy around, and out of those equally huge guys, pick the one with the most talent avail at our draft position.

When we are dealing with talent, Bennett Dal Colle and Daisaitl rival Nylander and Ehlers skill. So pick the biggest one.

I was going to wrte a longer response, but I'm out of "give a damn." It's on back order. Perhaps it will be in some time in July.

Size, and the use thereof, is just one more tool which a player can develop and use over his career. There seems to be a deliberate oversight of this "ability" because it puts certain people's positions at a disadvantage.

This being said, you say you are "tired of people trying to 'blend' guys like Schroeder in with 5ft 11 and 6ft players."

Well, I'm tired of people (apparently) gauging the size of a player based only on his height. They are not in the same class with guys who have similar height but who also have weight. (Believe it or not, I do look at both height and weight.) A player at 180 lbs is a world away from a player who is 200 lbs.

You believe Ehlers is 6' (or really close if he wears an extra pair of socks). I haven't seen anything that says he is anywhere near 180 lbs. Crosby is 5' 11" and and is listed as weighing 200 lbs. Who is the "bigger" player?

regards,

G.

[Tangerines]

If Gretzky can be traded then so could Malkin...or crosby

Kesler, 6th overal, 2015 first overal, Hammuis

Over payment. I'd rather have all of our guys in that trade over Malkin.

[Gollumpus]

I can see the canucks taking Nylander for some reason. Cant wait tell the combine to get his official size and weight. I can see him playing in 3 years time in the Nhl. The Sedins are perfect role models for him.

Although id prefer Ritchie or Virtanen

Honestly I see Sam Bennett falling to us.

1. Ekbald

2. Reinhart

3. Drasatil

4. Ritchie or Virtanen

5 MDC or Ehlers

6. Bennett

It could happen. Maybe not something that I would put (a lot of) money on.

I could also see the following:

1.) Florida decides that they need a winger more than another d-man prospect, so they take Draisaitl or Dal Colle?

* Maybe they even trade down * They've lost a lot of guys over the last while and I believe they don't have a whole lot in the way of winger prospects. Yes, a guy like Bennett could play wing. There are those who follow Florida a bit more closely than I. Perhaps they can speak to this.

2.) Reinhardt - maybe Buffalo decides that Hodgson is not the long term answer. They take a center and move Hodgson in a couple of years.

3.) Edmonton would likely take Ekblad if he was still there, otherwise they'll go with one of the bigger wingers.

4.) Calgary may well take Ritchie, but if one of Bennett/Reinhardt is still there then there's a good chance that that's who they will pick.

5.) The Islanders will take a winger to replace Moulson (Draisaitl/Dal Colle?). Maybe they would even take Ritchie, with an eye towards playing Boston.

6.) Ritchie if he's available, otherwise one of the other wingers.

regards,

G.

[UFCanuck]

Ritchie better not be Kyle Beach

[Gstank29]

Ritchie better not be Kyle Beach

Probably will be. Power forwards are a rare breed and can take years till they reach there true

potential,and the chances of them busting is high due to the fact that in junior they dominated due to out

weighing and "bullying" their way to the net. I haven't watch Ritchie play but from what people are saying, he sounds like he fits the mold of being a big bully IMO.

edit: also one of my cousins played with beach when he was young and from what he said

Beaches dad sounded like a physio and Beach was the same way.

[luongo_01]

Reinhart won't fall to us.

He won't. TL and Jimbo will trade for him

[nuckster33]

Probably will be. Power forwards are a rare breed and can take years till they reach there true

potential,and the chances of them busting is high due to the fact that in junior they dominated due to out

weighing and "bullying" their way to the net. I haven't watch Ritchie play but from what people are saying, he sounds like he fits the mold of being a big bully IMO.

edit: also one of my cousins played with beach when he was young and from what he said

Beaches dad sounded like a physio and Beach was the same way.

Its a bit unfair to say/imply Ritchie isn't skilled and simply uses his braun.

I prefer Ehlers or Nylander with our early pick then looking for the 2 way player w size.

That being said, Ritchie does have alot of skill, is a good skater and has a tremendous shot and release.

He is as tough as they come and can play the game. The questions on him are consistency and as you say is his size advantage a big part of why he's been successful, if its the main reason, well when he gets to the big leagues he's screwed...

That is the big question right?

Personally, if we don't move up to a top 3 or even top 5 to grab one of the big 5 i prefer Ehlers with the early pick. Grab a big guy at 36, still could get a good one there, but you won't find elite skill unless very lucky.

[Sweathog]

Tanev + our pick to move up

I like this trade, but will it be enough for Florida? You might have to add a 3rd, and mabye a player like Hansen or Higgins.

The question is, if we do get the top pick, who do we pick? A potential franchise d-man, or a possible #1 center?

[geebster]

It's kind of funny how Benning himself was a 6th overall pick, and then 33 years later, his first draft choice as GM is in the same position.

...the circle of...life...

So Benning and Linden get married, have a baby Ehlers together, Gillis gets his brother Linden killed. Baby Ehlers grows up then kills Gillis.

This gets us a Stanley Cup how?