Looking for thoughts on Vilardi as the 2nd or 3rd pick in the NHL Entry Draft

[AK_19]

Just now, Alflives said:

Will Necas be a playoff guy, or stay on the perimeter doing nothing like Nylander does?  I've seen Necas play, and love his skill, but we don't want a Nylander - hide on the side boards - player, do we? 

If he scores 60 points in his first full NHL season, it's something I can look over. Regardless, even if there is problems with his "perimeter" play, you're being overly critical of a player in his first full season. It would be like complaining that Horvat has no offense based on his first year in the NHL.

[messier's_elbow]

I've wanted Vilardi since watching him in his playoff series vs London. This kid is going to be a good NHL player. I'd be over the moon if we landed him. Reminds me a lot of Bo. Size, skill, iq. He's gonna be a keeper.

[messier's_elbow]

If we take Liljgren over Vilardi I will be choked. Liljgren is way too risky to take in the top 5. I rather take Foote at 5th if we are taking a Dman. 

[Bur14Kes17]

13 hours ago, DownUndaCanuck said:

I think it'll be between Vilardi or Mittelstatd, and JB seems pretty keen on the latter, even though Vilardi is much younger. They're pretty similar, Vilardi has a bigger frame though and more room to grow and develop whereas Mittelstatd has put up some impressive USHL numbers. Neither will be elite, but both will be valuable top-6 centers in this league for a while and that's all we need to complement Horvat.

 

If I were JB I'd try to trade up hard for Hirschier.

Agreed with that. In Bennings tenure we've had a lot of success picked players from the USHL system and in general the number of players that have had NHL success after spending a year or two in college hockey seems to definitely be on the rise. I'd be all for trying to get that 2nd overall pick and draft Hischier though. I think Hischier has a much higher upside then what we've seen just yet. After all, this was his first year ever playing on an NHL sized rink combined with having to learn English and everything that comes along with that transition. I suspect next year might be a big breakout year no matter where he plays 

[Rush17]

3 minutes ago, messier's_elbow said:

If we take Liljgren over Vilardi I will be choked. Liljgren is way too risky to take in the top 5. I rather take Foote at 5th if we are taking a Dman. 

I would feel the same way but Jim imo has proven too me he has the right idea of what to do.  I would love a potential #1 D but it is very hard to find them if you don't get them in the top 3 of a draft.  Often those top picks are duds too. The only guaranteed elites I can recall are Doughty and Ekblad.    Vilardi from what I have read and heard is a gamer for sure.  I just hope we use this top pick on someone dynamic.  I haven't really heard much about Vilardi fitting that description.  He seems to be a steady player who has been described as the engine of his team in the OHL.  I am optimistic Jim will get the right player.  I just hope its someone with high impactful potential.

 

Hiecshier

Patrick

Mittlestat

Lilegren

 

are the top 4 I am most interested in. But I still know very little compared to these pro scouts.  Jim is the scout master. I trust in his judgement.

[Rush17]

2 minutes ago, Bur14Kes17 said:

Agreed with that. In Bennings tenure we've had a lot of success picked players from the USHL system and in general the number of players that have had NHL success after spending a year or two in college hockey seems to definitely be on the rise. I'd be all for trying to get that 2nd overall pick and draft Hischier though. I think Hischier has a much higher upside then what we've seen just yet. After all, this was his first year ever playing on an NHL sized rink combined with having to learn English and everything that comes along with that transition. I suspect next year might be a big breakout year no matter where he plays 

Yeah Mittlestat looks pretty beast mode.  He can deke you out in a phone booth :DDDD  or so I'm told :DDDDDDDDDDD

[messier's_elbow]

1 minute ago, Rush17 said:

I would feel the same way but Jim imo has proven too me he has the right idea of what to do.  I would love a potential #1 D but it is very hard to find them if you don't get them in the top 3 of a draft.  Often those top picks are duds too. The only guaranteed elites I can recall are Doughty and Ekblad.    Vilardi from what I have read and heard is a gamer for sure.  I just hope we use this top pick on someone dynamic.  I haven't really heard much about Vilardi fitting that description.  He seems to be a steady player who has been described as the engine of his team in the OHL.  I am optimistic Jim will get the right player.  I just hope its someone with high impactful potential.

 

Hiecshier

Patrick

Mittlestat

Lilegren

 

are the top 4 I am most interested in. But I still know very little compared to these pro scouts.  Jim is the scout master. I trust in his judgement.

Vilardi isn't the most "dynamic" player in the draft, but he's got a great work ethic and engine. He's a Horvat type guy who would give us some much needed size up front. He's also skilled and barely old enough to be drafted. It's a no brainer as far as I'm concerned. 

[The Aquamen]

Nothing else matters after Hischier and Patrick, Canucks should pick Hischier, he's like Goudreau but bigger. Meaning he should/could be better than him with the size advantage.                                                                                                                            - The Aquamen 

[PuckYa]

5 hours ago, Warhippy said:

I like Vilardi.  I like his potential.  People keep looking at numbers and thinking he's got no offense without ever seeing what Windsor went through this year or remembering he's 3 weeks away from not being old enough for this year's draft.

 

I'd draft him without hesitating at 3 or 4.  But only if I was positive at the end if next season that I could get him to play in Europe as a 19 year old on the big ice.  Which would help his skating immensely 

 

Draft year + 1 OHL

Draft year + 2 Europe

Draft year + 3 AHL

 

Austin Matthews missed the 2015 NHL draft by 2 days. September 15th is the cut off & Matthews birthday is Setmember 17th 1997.

If Matthews was eligible for that 2015 draft, most people had him going 3rd behind McDavid & Eichel at the time. 

I'm not so sure Matthews would go 3rd today. My guess is he would be 2nd today ahead of Eichel on almost everyones list. (maybe challenging McDavid in some eyes as well? maybe not?). 

 

Yes sometimes that year could make a big difference.

http://thehockeywriters.com/late-birthday-prospects-the-biggest-risks-of-the-nhl-draft/

 

At 6'3'' & 200+ lbs. centers, Patrick or Vilardi seem to fit our need more than any other player at this time.

 

 

 

 

[The Aquamen]

11 minutes ago, CoolCanucklehead said:

 

Austin Matthews missed the 2015 NHL draft by 2 days. September 15th is the cut off & Matthews birthday is Setmember 17th 1997.

If Matthews was eligible for that 2015 draft, most people had him going 3rd behind McDavid & Eichel at the time. 

I'm not so sure Matthews would go 3rd today. My guess is he would be 2nd today ahead of Eichel on almost everyones list. (maybe challenging McDavid in some eyes as well? maybe not?). 

 

At 6'3'' & 200+ lbs. centers, Patrick or Vilardi seem to fit our need more than any other player at this time.

 

 

Patrick and Vilardi just aren't on the same level as AM34, he owns them. Having size isn't everything now a days, skill is what defines everything

[nowhereman]

The real question, how many people in this thread have actually seen Vilardi or any of his competition play?

 

I love threads like these. People form such cold, hard opinions, based pretty much on the opinions of others.

[The Aquamen]

1 minute ago, nowhereman said:

The real question, how many people in this thread have actually seen Vilardi or any of his competition play?

 

I love threads like these. People form such cold, hard opinions, based pretty much on the opinions of others.

I watched his playoffs, nothing special broski

[PuckYa]

25 minutes ago, The Aquamen said:

Patrick and Vilardi just aren't on the same level as AM34, he owns them. Having size isn't everything now a days, skill is what defines everything

Did I say anywhere that I was comparing their skills to Matthews? I've watched enough hockey to know that McDavid & Matthews only come around every 10 years or so, which would make this year (3 years in a row with generational talent) highly unlikely as history has shown. Also I do read & follow the drafts so I'm well aware that no one in this draft is close to McDavid or Matthews.

Thanks for the info that everyone is well aware of. 

 

This was my point:

http://thehockeywriters.com/late-birthday-prospects-the-biggest-risks-of-the-nhl-draft/

 

 

[The Aquamen]

9 minutes ago, CoolCanucklehead said:

Did I say anywhere that I was comparing their skills to Matthews? I've watched enough hockey to know that McDavid & Matthews only come around every 10 years or so, which would make this year (3 years in a row with generational talent) highly unlikely as history has shown. Also I do read & follow the drafts so I'm well aware that no one in this draft is close to McDavid or Matthews.

Thanks for the info that everyone is well aware of. 

 

Thought you said something else sorry bro, BUT you did imply that we need size to compete, ie how they are 6'3 200+ pounds. This organization needs skill, size whatever nice to have it but we need SKILL up and down our line up

 

[PuckYa]

1 minute ago, The Aquamen said:

Thought you said something else sorry bro, BUT you did imply that we need size to compete, ie how they are 6'3 200+ pounds. This organization needs skill, size whatever nice to have it but we need SKILL up and down our line up

 

That's why I like these 2 guys, they're supposed to bring BOTH skill & size that we so desperately need. 

What makes you think they can't bring skill with that size. You don't get rated #1 or #3 in a NHL draft without skill. 

[The Aquamen]

I'll give you Patrick, but to be honest with you broski after Hischier and Patrick in that order nothing else stands out. Everyone else is like you know..nothing special. Once we get skill in the next 1-3 years we can beef up. Liljgren will be a stud, but our need is a #1 Centre, Canucks fans need something to look forward too. Horvat isn't it. Not a true #1..  a bit off topic here

7 minutes ago, CoolCanucklehead said:

 

 

[morrissex95]

Morrissex95 draft top 5 list: 

1. Vilardi

2. Patrick

3. Hischier

4. Liljegren 

5. Necas

 

Vilardi is a star-in the making. If we pick him, we've got our future first line centre right there. 

[Vinny in Vancouver]

1. Patrick
2. Hischier
3. Trade or if not, Liljegren
4. Trade or if not, Makar
5. Trade or if not, Kostin or Necas

[PuckYa]

Looking at this picture would anybody know 6 years later that this would be the best player on the planet. lol.

 

 

10. BABYFACED CONNOR

 

via pintrest.com

 

From his days with the Erie Otters, it was evident that this kid was the real deal. Although he looked like a 13 year old that couldn’t even lift a five pound dumbbell on a good day, the kid had once in a lifetime skill. He cemented his legacy during his final OHL season, scoring 120 points in 47 games. Oh, and don’t forget his playoff performance, scoring 49 points in 20 games.

 

His NHL rookie year didn’t do his skill justice, as it was shortened due to injury. This year, however, we’ve seen his brilliance first hand, as not only does he lead the league in points but, more importantly, he’s leading the Oilers back into the post-season after a staggering decade long drought. Looking at his campaign, he’ll definitely be a Hart Trophy contender.

[messier's_elbow]

1 hour ago, nowhereman said:

The real question, how many people in this thread have actually seen Vilardi or any of his competition play?

 

I love threads like these. People form such cold, hard opinions, based pretty much on the opinions of others.

Yeah exactly. I've actually seen Vilardi play a handful of games. He's been the best player on his team every game I've watched. People in love with Necas... have you guys even seen him play before?