EagleShield

I think he needs a year of AHL seasoning after this. No point in rushing him. 2019-20 Top 9 of: Baertschi Horvat Boeser Goldobin Pettersson Dahlen Lind Gaudette Virtanen D core will need some work, but if Tryamkin comes back... Tanev, Hutton, Stecher, Pouliot, Juolevi, Tryamkin is decent.

McDavid, Eichel, Hanfin for sure ahead of him. After that he's in a bunch of 3 with Marner and Hanafin.

So, should Boeser have been a top 5 pick that year?

I just remember that video of Benning wondering why no one was picking Kole Lind. I wonder how high he was on our list? 12-15 range?

Yes

Did he clear?

In this draft, anyone born between 15 Sept and 31 Dec 1998 and drafted out of the CHL only needs to do one more year before being AHL eligible. CHL drafters born in 1999 (e.g. DiPietro) must complete two more seasons. Obviously, anyone drafted from outside the CHL can go to the minors immediately. So everyone we drafted bar the goalie can be in the minors in the 2019-20 season. Shinkaruk was the same. It's a dumb rule, and the reason why Virtanen was forced into the NHL too early (too good for junior, not eligible for minor for another year).

6th round home-run swing, ain't nothing wrong with that. If he was 4-6 inches taller, he'd have gone in the first 3 rounds in 2015.

Due to his birthday, he only has to play one more year of junior before going to the AHL. Interesting that both 2nd rounders have that this year.

AFAIK CBJ have until tomorrow night to decide on what they'll do with their 2nd. Any reason they'd hold onto it that anyone can see?

Those were in the order I saw them on CapFriendly, not any particular preference! Tanev is an elite defensive defenceman, and could potentially be a top pairing D man with a PPQB type as his partner. Edler is a top 4 dman on most teams in the league, but I wouldn't see anyone else on our depth chart playing for a contender at present. I'd say the dark horse is McEneny - was a projected 1st round pick prior to his draft year injury. He had a stellar 2nd half this year and if that continues he may have a shot as an NHLer. Luckily we are likely to suck ass next year and there are 2 really good Dmen in Dahlin and Merkely in next year's draft!

Our current D depth is: Edler Tanev Sbisa Gudbranson Tryamkin Stecher Hutton Biega Juolevi Subban Brisebois Pedan McEneny I think Sbisa goes to Vegas, but no other moves happen, maybe Subban gets moved because management doesn't seem to believe in him as a defenseman (I'd be looking to offload/never have acquired Gudbranson, and one of the top pair for a scoring forward). I don't see Juolevi cracking the roster and playing meaningful minutes. Loan him to a Swedish team for a year or keep him in junior - no point having him play 200 minutes in the season. Injuries aside, it just doesn't make sense.

For me, based on organisational need and a few top D men being available next year, it's currently: Hischier - Probably the best player, but the fact that he can go straight to the AHL is the clincher Vilardi - Just really like this kid Patrick - Injuries and relative age are an issue for me (won't exactly be upset if we get to select him though!) Mittelstadt Suzuki - some publications have him in the late 20s so If he's on the board @ 25 we need to look at trading up from the top of the 2nd round (or 31st)!

With a bit of Shark luck in the few weeks to come, we could have 2 picks in the early-mid 20s per ratings upon whom we should jump if available at 31/33... Thoughts? Klim Kostin Kole Lind Nick Suzuki Jaret Anderson-Dolan Urho Vaakanainen

I still can't believe we took Ryan Thorpe over Zetterberg. WHAT WERE WE THINKING?!

Tanev, Baertschi + 2nd (preferably CBJ's) for Landeskog is about the only scenario I'd accept for either if them leaving. Landeskog - Horvat - Eriksson Granlund - Hischier - Boeser Sedin - Sedin - Goldobin Boucher - Sutter - Virtanen *drools* Sbisa, Gudbranson and Edler are the three D-men we need to shed. We've got a log jam there and there are 3 top end D men that we should be targeting at the 2018 draft (Dahlin, Merkley, Boqvist). Obviously Tanev (as one of the best defensive players in the league and on a good contract) will command a high price, but hopefully we can lose Sbisa and his awful contract to Vegas and recoup reasonable value for Guddy (who is overrated and will definitely look for too much money) and Edler (given we likely won't be a serious contender before 2020, when he'd be 34, I think we should move him before he declines - he's still a decent Top 4 D man for a contender).

The highest GWG per Game ration in his draft class (1.000)!

Applies only to players playing in WHL, OHL and QMJHL with the exception of those who have been loaned by their club which is not a CHL club.

What was that Gretzky quote about skating to where the puck will be and not where it is...

Had a rough start to his pro career this season but at this stage I expect him to confirm that he's too good for the AHL by mid next season.

Why don't most of you put Cody Glass in your top 10? Also, no mention of Merkley for the 2018 class - dude is 16 until August and is nearly PPG in the OHL, as a right-shot Dman... My top 10 (assuming we don't go any lower - I call us tanking down to 2nd, but picking 3rd overall) Hischier Patrick Vilardi Glass Tippett Liljegren Mittelstadt Tolvanen Suzuki Andersson

In his AHL starts in 2017 he's 10-3-1 with 2 SOs and a SV% of 0.930 If he can replicate and improve on that next year for Utica, he'll be ready to move up to the big club.

Can anyone tell me why he went 27th overall - ie are there concerns? He had roughly the same draft year PPG, in the same league, as Dal Colle and Bennett who were top 5 picks...

Ranieri

His second half this year makes it clear that consistency is the only thing that stands between him and a 60 point season 3 years post-draft. He's defensively responsible, offensively talented, big, strong, fast, has a huge skillset (dem dangles) and has character. In baseball, you'd call him a 5 tool player. At 21. Still not sure that giving up the best goalie in the league was worth it, but the fact that it's as much of a toss up as it is in my head means he is one hell of a player. He'll be a PPG, elite defensive 2nd liner in the next 3 years.