2nd Best Dman in 2018 Draft

[McBackup]

9 hours ago, Rob_Zepp said:

I hear this constantly and it is annoying.   BPA is only logical if ALL other things are equal.   It is like setting up a free-for-all fighting tournament, if you took the BPA from the goalies (say Tae Kwon Do) and dmen (say boxers) and then say forwards (MMA) and tried to compare them it would be a mess.   There can be some differences in there nuance wise depending upon organizational needs that make the need for a boxer over the MMA type, for example.

 

Of course, in my example the MMA/Boxers would destroy the TKD dude early and then depending upon size, it would be a toss up.   So, don't draft a goalie with your first pick, but your BPA Dman and BPA Forward cannot be so readily compared even if "experts" like to imply they can be but those experts have never been in a street fight.

This is a pretty bad example because MMA is by its very name and nature a mixture of disciplines.

 

You pick the BPA until its a tossup, then you go by need.

[CAkNUCKle sandwich]

On March 31, 2018 at 5:33 PM, Gollumpus said:

I have to lean towards Bouchard on this. Boqvist may indeed become a very good offensive d-man, but from what (little) I have seen of him, that is pretty much his whole game. The Canucks already have a number of offensive talented d-men without size. In Bouchard, they get a guy with size, who is still a fairly good skater, has hockey smarts, has a sound defensive game, and has also put up points in his OHL career. He also has a number of those intangibles (eg. leadership qualities).

 

All of this being said, if the Canucks did get Boqvist I'd be quite happy with that result.

 

                                                              regards,  G.

I wish u were right but we don't have that Hedman, Klingberg, Karlsson type defenseman with offensive prowess. Once we get one of those, we're set but much easier said than done. Hope JB can again find a gem in the draft!! 

[ForsbergTheGreat]

8 hours ago, CAkNUCKle sandwich said:

I wish u were right but we don't have that Hedman, Klingberg, Karlsson type defenseman with offensive prowess. Once we get one of those, we're set but much easier said than done. Hope JB can again find a gem in the draft!! 

Yeah. Im curious to who these offensive producing D are that G was referring to.  Stecher, pouliot, hutton?  They combined for a total of a whooping 4 goals last year.  Canucks are desperate for an offensive driver from the back end. 

[aGENT]

17 minutes ago, ForsbergTheGreat said:

Yeah. Im curious to who these offensive producing D are that G was referring to.  Stecher, pouliot, hutton?  They combined for a total of a whooping 4 goals last year.  Canucks are desperate for an offensive driver from the back end. 

Yeah I assume we keep 1, maybe 2 of those guys long term as a bottom 4 'depth offensive D'. The sort that play PP2.

 

But we desperately need a top 4 (if not top 2) guy that can QB a PP1 from the blue line. 

 

I mean Rathbone could possibly fill that role in a few years should his development go better than expected but I sure as $#@! wouldn't be counting on him. 

[Where'd Luongo?]

On 3/31/2018 at 4:44 PM, N7Nucks said:

Jett Woo, y'all sheeple can play it safe picking a top 10 D-man 

Honestly Jett Woo is unreal, I would love to see the Canucks make a trade for a mid-round 1st to get him!

[NHTyrany]

Watch Ty Smith bull through to a cornerstone D position with a US team. Humble upbringing and a big Canadian boy--might be the sleeper pick. If you have watched him play live, please comment?

[Smashian Kassian]

Hypothetically if we were picking and all these guys were available I would probably take Boqvist.

 

It seems like you get these hyped OFD's every year or so near the top of the draft or first round, with amazing skill level and some size/defensive question marks. But for me Boqvist is the most intriguing one since.... I don't know maybe Cam Fowler? I wasn't as into the draft back then. So basically that I can remember anyways. I certainly like him more than Makar/Liljegren/DeAngelo/Murphy/exc.

 

BUT I'm kind of torn b/c I think there is alot to like about Evan Bouchard aswell. I also have Noah Dobson right there with them, his potential looks very good. 

 

I currently have them Boqvist - Bouchard - Dobson in that order & would be delighted with any of em. 

 

 

[runtzguy]

On 4/22/2018 at 12:02 PM, Isam said:

So you are basing your decision off of one YouTube clip and not the entire body of work.

The clip encompasses the body of work. The section of the video I posted encompasses why we should pick him.

[189lb enforcers?]

23 hours ago, Smashian Kassian said:

Hypothetically if we were picking and all these guys were available I would probably take Boqvist.

 

It seems like you get these hyped OFD's every year or so near the top of the draft or first round, with amazing skill level and some size/defensive question marks. But for me Boqvist is the most intriguing one since.... I don't know maybe Cam Fowler? I wasn't as into the draft back then. So basically that I can remember anyways. I certainly like him more than Makar/Liljegren/DeAngelo/Murphy/exc.

 

BUT I'm kind of torn b/c I think there is alot to like about Evan Bouchard aswell. I also have Noah Dobson right there with them, his potential looks very good. 

 

I currently have them Boqvist - Bouchard - Dobson in that order & would be delighted with any of em. 

 

 

I’d put them in that order too, but JB’s Team will know every detail about them, where as we just mainly use Google. 

 

Boqvist is a weapon. Only the pro scouts know if it’s going to translate in the NHL. Even then, meh, Segachev and McAvoy are looking pretty good and these ‘pros’ picked OJ, who will have to be pretty freakin awesome to be considered a better player than those two. 

 

JB got the EP pick right. He also scored at 23rd OA with Boeser. He’s batting a decent average with his high picks. I think fans trust his team to pick the best Dman, but what is that? Is it the best Dman out of the gate or is it the late-bloomers? He’s been picking skinny kids since he bombed the JV pick. I’d guess that he’s in no hurry to plug the Tank with a new core. EP seems to be screwing that up though, in a good way. 

 

From what I’ve watched, Boqvist is EP, but on defence. He beats guys clean with his head up the whole way. For me, it’s all about HOW he scores and makes plays. He is a human highlight reel; a PPG player on D. You can picture him with a cigarette in his mouth on some of those snipes. He’s just that precise and confident. 

 

The 2020 WJHC should be memorable for the fact that Boqvist should be playing and, no doubt, dominating, like he has against his own age group. Even if we don’t draft him, I look forward to tracking this kid’s successes. 

 

Looking forward to the draft. 

[alfstonker]

Rathbone will be a lights out ass kicker for us down the line. Watching him skate is like watching DaVinci produce a masterpiece. He will make us forget we missed out on Dahlin. 

 

We can also pick up Nils Lundkvist in the 2nd round - he looks like a beauty and he barely made this draft at 17 years old.

 

"Sometimes it takes playing with great teammates to bring out the best in a prospect. Thats what transpired with this kid when he was surrounded by the cream of the Swedish dee-man crop at the Under-18 Five Nations tournament. Very smart in his decisions, with good vision and execution. There is so much to his game that translates to high levels of competition. He is confident, has very good speed, and plays with edge with big hits, and hard work on the defensive wall and the battle areas. Has the feet to expertly jump up into the play and activating, sometimes being the entry guy.Really good hands too, putting pucks on the sticks of the right teammate.Arguably, might have played better than Adam Boqvist, Adam Ginning, and Filip Johansson, and was a revelation."

 

Interesting video.

 

 

 

[189lb enforcers?]

http://lastwordonhockey.com/2018/04/06/evan-bouchard-scouting-report-2018-nhl-draft/

 

http://lastwordonhockey.com/2018/03/31/adam-boqvist-scouting-report-2018-nhl-draft/

 

http://lastwordonhockey.com/2018/04/02/quinn-hughes-scouting-report-2018-nhl-draft-6/

 

http://lastwordonhockey.com/2018/04/03/noah-dobson-scouting-report-2018-nhl-draft-7/

 

 

 

Not that ^ this is the word of Odin, but if you look at the ‘Projections’ summary, it would rank:

 

Boqvist - franchise Dman, young, young, young.

Dobson - #1 Dman, still growing and learning.

Hughs - elite offensive Dman, size and battle concerns.

Bouchard - #1-4Dman, slow, D-game is suspect despite size. 

 

How often do you hear the word franchise used to describe a smallish, offensive Dman at the draft? 

 

My only regret about this draft will be JB not finding ways to collect one more of these top 10-20 picks. What a year to stockpile Dmen. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[aGENT]

27 minutes ago, 189lb enforcers? said:

http://lastwordonhockey.com/2018/04/06/evan-bouchard-scouting-report-2018-nhl-draft/

 

http://lastwordonhockey.com/2018/03/31/adam-boqvist-scouting-report-2018-nhl-draft/

 

http://lastwordonhockey.com/2018/04/02/quinn-hughes-scouting-report-2018-nhl-draft-6/

 

http://lastwordonhockey.com/2018/04/03/noah-dobson-scouting-report-2018-nhl-draft-7/

 

Pretty good summaries. People adamant that Bouchard is the 2nd or 3rd best D available this draft should give them a good read...

[189lb enforcers?]

28 minutes ago, aGENT said:

Pretty good summaries. People adamant that Bouchard is the 2nd or 3rd best D available this draft should give them a good read...

Agreed. It’s a perspective, at least. 

 

I used to pay more attention to the kids. Life happened and now I rely on internez info. 

 

 

[mikeyman109]

On 4/23/2018 at 12:40 PM, Adarsh Sant said:

We should draft BPA. If that is a D man then so be it.

Again BPA is subjective and what one team thinks is the BPA does not mean the next team thinks is BPA.

If teams are allowed to have differing opinions on BPA then so am I.

Depending on where we pick i would over look the Forwards in the draft and go for a D especially after the top 3 are gone.D is our biggest need and you could make an argument for any player ranked 5-10 being in the top 5.

MHO.

[mikeyman109]

Breakdown in article in the province today.

Bouchard

(D, London, OHL)

Vitals: 6-2, 193 lbs.; GP: 67, G: 25, A: 62, Pts. 84

Scout says: “He’s more consistent than Boqvist, particularly in defensive habits and awareness. (Coach) Dale Hunter is demanding and doesn’t care how good you are offensively — that’s a bonus — he wants his defencemen to play properly. You’re not going to survive in the NHL as a top three defenceman without being consistent.”

Boqvist

(D, Brynas IF, Sweden, J20)

Vitals: 5-11, 170 lbs.; GP: 25, G: 14, A: 10, Pts. 24

Scout says: “Can skate out of problems and retrieve pucks quickly and turn and make an excellent first pass that can disrupt forecheck. Concern is his defensive awareness and habits. Inconsistent with gap control, taking right angles, keeping head on swivel, having active stick and keeping his feet moving.”

Dobson

(D, Acadie-Bathurst, QMHL)

Vitals: 6-3, 180 lbs.; GP: 67, G: 17, A: 52, Pts: 69

Scout says: “Reminds me of (Colton) Parayko of the Blues without the massive slapshot. He has the best percentage to be a No. 3 D-man in the NHL, but also has the potential for a No. 2 because of his upside.”

Hughes

(D, University of Michigan, NCAA)

Vitals: 5-10, 175 lbs.; GP: 37, G: 5, A: 24, Pts. 29

Scout says: “Exceptional skater and he’s a transporter. He can rush the puck and drive the play out of the defensive zone. That’s rare. Most defencemen are puck movers and distributors.”

Wahlstrom

(C, USNDT, USHL)

Vitals: 6-1, 205 lbs.; GP: 26, G: 22, A: 23, Pts. 45

Scout says: “I would justify taking him in that spot and the reason is the capability of playing centre and right wing. He doesn’t telegraph intentions. He’s equally dangerous at passing and shooting.”

[189lb enforcers?]

As they often do, those two Prospect evaluations contradict each other.

‘Experts’, alright. 

 

I want to hear Gradin’s thoughts on the top 10. 

 

 

[TheGuardian_]

I just can't find any video or stats for Boqvist just rankings and some size data, for me I just can't rank him higher than others. The scouts must have seen something to rank him like that, he just seems like a ghost.

 

Bouchard or Dobson are the second best available to me, maybe Dobson just a little ahead due to skating.

[Screw]

I have always though Boqvist is the second best.   He was always noticeable at the WJC.

[Bure_Pavel]

2 minutes ago, Screw said:

I have always though Boqvist is the second best.   He was always noticeable at the WJC.

I think you were looking at his brother who plays forward, Boqvist was not at the WJC.

[Gollumpus]

On 4/24/2018 at 12:45 AM, CAkNUCKle sandwich said:

I wish u were right but we don't have that Hedman, Klingberg, Karlsson type defenseman with offensive prowess. Once we get one of those, we're set but much easier said than done. Hope JB can again find a gem in the draft!! 

 

On 4/24/2018 at 9:44 AM, ForsbergTheGreat said:

Yeah. Im curious to who these offensive producing D are that G was referring to.  Stecher, pouliot, hutton?  They combined for a total of a whooping 4 goals last year.  Canucks are desperate for an offensive driver from the back end. 

 

On 4/24/2018 at 10:07 AM, aGENT said:

Yeah I assume we keep 1, maybe 2 of those guys long term as a bottom 4 'depth offensive D'. The sort that play PP2.

 

But we desperately need a top 4 (if not top 2) guy that can QB a PP1 from the blue line. 

 

I mean Rathbone could possibly fill that role in a few years should his development go better than expected but I sure as $#@! wouldn't be counting on him. 

True, the Canucks do not have a Hedman, etc, etc, etc (all the names that are usually trotted out when offensive d-men are being discussed). I was not suggesting that the Canucks had such a player currently on their roster.

 

And I was referring to Stecher, Pouliot, and Hutton. Did those guys have a crappy season? Yup. Did pretty much the entire team have a crappy year? Yup. Do they have the potential to have a better season next year? Yup. Are any of the guys named going to become the "offensive driver from the back end" that people are crying for? Probably not. But they do have more offensive talent potential than others who have been on this team for the past few seasons. And I do believe that the Canucks' future will be better served by selecting a larger, more physical. potentially better defending but still able to be a point producing d-man, than a one-trick pony who potentially will only produce points (which is nice), and be a liability in his own zone (which isn't nice). 

 

I was also referring to Juolevi, who may well make the jump to the NHL next season (but I'm expecting the AHL.). Isn't he supposed to become an offensive d-man? Or have you guys written him off as well? <Insert comments from sage posters who will compare Juolevi to various #1 d-men and how he doesn't compare.>

 

                                                     regards,  G.