6th Pick: 2014 NHL Entry Draft

[Ihatetomatoes]

And I'm not sold on Nick Ritchie, just seems to me like he's doing well in junior because he's 6'3 230, and in the NHL while thats still big, he won't be able to push people around like he does in junior. I just see him being a 3rd liner for most of his career IMHO

Have you seen him play much?

Just curious if he does use his size to bully around junior players for points as much as you say.

I watched him only a few times on TV and I I didn't noticed his size being the main reason he's putting up points. I saw a big guy who really impressed me with how quickly and efficiently he skates and gets around the ice. He seems to know where to go and get there quick, add a huge frame and a great shot I see potentially great NHL player. I see Jaime Benn all over him and would be happy that the Canucks draft him.

However that is in a very limited sample size and I definitely am not any sort of scout.

[shiznak]

A lot of people rave about Ehlers' skating/speed and his puck-handling abilities, which are amazing, but he plays in a league where there is a ton of open ice for him to pull those moves and skate around. I don't think he'll be able to stick-hand through guys that much if he were playing in the OHL or WHL, where there isn't much open ice and is much more defensive oriented than the Q.

Not saying, he isn't talent, but I much rather pick someone in the OHL or WHL than in the QMJHL, with our top 10 pick. History shows, it's best to pick guys playing in the Q, in the later rounds. (Giroux, Bergeron, Perron, Vlsaic, Letang, etc)

[Warhippy]

I'd take Ehlers over Ritchie every day of the week, Ritchie is effective because he's 6'3 230 playing against 17-19 year olds.. He dominates them physically, you telling me that he's going to push around grown men in a league where the average defensemen is 6'1 210, not 6'0 190. If Ehlers can make mobile defensemen with 20 less pounds and a non-injury riddled body, look ridiculous when he blows by them, I'm salivating at what he could do to the Edlers of the world. If we take Ritchie over Ehlers ill punch a hole in my drywall, repair it, and then punch it again.

Now. I ask about ehlers for the exact same reason. Questioning how a large bodied fast skating (like really fast for his size) will transition into a larger bodied league without asking the same thing about Ehlers is kind of one sided.

Ritchie has all the skill and speed to spare and is a workhorse, he put his team on his back and won their playoff series. Added he has the potential to grow another 1 inch 2 maybe 3 inches and put on another 20+ pounds of lean muscle making him and absolute monster

Ehlers is incredible yes I agree. I am also not sold on him though. What happens if he comes in and gets pasted by a guy like Brown and his hanging knee, or Byfuglien squishes him against the board. All the speed in the world means nothing when someone that much larger than you leans in on you.

For the same reasons you question Ritchie I question Ehlers as larger bodied people seem to fake it in the NHL better than smaller bodied people.

And again, think of the division we play in and the team we play on. It seems liberties can be taken with all of our guys without anything more than a fine to the opposing player

Have you seen him play much?

Just curious if he does use his size to bully around junior players for points as much as you say.

I watched him only a few times on TV and I I didn't noticed his size being the main reason he's putting up points. I saw a big guy who really impressed me with how quickly and efficiently he skates and gets around the ice. He seems to know where to go and get there quick, add a huge frame and a great shot I see potentially great NHL player. I see Jaime Benn all over him and would be happy that the Canucks draft him.

However that is in a very limited sample size and I definitely am not any sort of scout.

I have the same though process.

He is big, he is so very fast for his size and no he doesn't just bull through D men, he dangles and deaks. He is surprisingly agile and has a Blake Wheeler look to him with more offensive upside and speed.

Him coming in to the league right away would be foolish for the same reason as Ehlers.

Both would be projects over a 2 or 3 year term and I would be happy with that really. Honestly I think all of our current prospects deserve a solid year + in the AHL

Ritchie's size is the only thing that would make him NHL viable though, although it could impact his development negatively the same way Kassian's was stunted when Buffalo threw his bag self into the line up without considering what he'd gone through regarding his killer hit in junior or how big men need grooming.

Ehlers WILL be a game breaker if he can translate his skill set to the NHL level accordingly.

But Ritchie will be as well.

IMO honestly at where we stand today we have a chance at

Ehlers

Dal Colle (way outside chance)

Draistl

Ritchie

Virtanen

And shouldn't look far beyond that unless we add another top 10 draft pick (Ottawa's via Anaheim maybe?)

But should we win the lottery and NOT take Reinhart or Ekblad though we'd be criminally stupid for the same reason i'd be upset if Virtanen was still on the board and the rest were gone and we didn't pick him.

Local boys will excite the crowd.

Again, Ehlers OR Ritchie will be solid picks for their own reasons, but both have just as much of a chance of not translating in to the NHL level as they do of making it.

Either way this team has no need to rush its players in, the same way Detroit didn't have to. Whoever we pick this, next and the following draft needs to be groomed accordingly. Almost universally we should be letting our guys play a full AHL season before bringing them in to the big club regardless of where they were picked.

[Lonny_Bohonos_14]

...

He is big, he is so very fast for his size and no he doesn't just bull through D men, he dangles and deaks. He is surprisingly agile and has a Blake Wheeler look to him with more offensive upside and speed.

...

And shouldn't look far beyond that unless we add another top 10 draft pick (Ottawa's via Anaheim maybe?)

But should we win the lottery and NOT take Reinhart or Ekblad though we'd be criminally stupid for the same reason i'd be upset if Virtanen was still on the board and the rest were gone and we didn't pick him.

Local boys will excite the crowd.

Again, Ehlers OR Ritchie will be solid picks for their own reasons, but both have just as much of a chance of not translating in to the NHL level as they do of making it.

Either way this team has no need to rush its players in, the same way Detroit didn't have to. Whoever we pick this, next and the following draft needs to be groomed accordingly. Almost universally we should be letting our guys play a full AHL season before bringing them in to the big club regardless of where they were picked.

I haven't watch anything on Ritchie, but I find this statement to be a bit curious. Wheeler has wheels and has posted 64, 41(on pace for 70 over 82 games) and 68 point totals over the last 3 years. To say the Ritchie has more upside in both those category's seems to be pushing it considering where scouts have him ranked.

I would think if Ritchie is expected to be better than Wheeler, we would hear more noise about him being included with the other top 5 of this draft.

As for local boys will excite the crowd - sure, if they're good. I'm not from B.C., so I really don't care if the player is from the area or not, and I always have to laugh at proposals where there reason to get play x is because he's 'a good old B.C. boy!'.

I just want them to be good. Jensen seemed to excite the crowd just fine.

[SID.IS.SID.ME.IS.ME]

If we end up passing on Ehlers in favour of a larger sized player, I'm hoping that Robby Fabbri remains on the board long enough that the Canucks can claim him with their second pick.

Several rankings have him in the 30s although some have put him top-10. Many people expect him to fall to the second round due to his size. But those people also predict he could be the steal of the 2014 Draft.

Here's some scouting on Fabbri:

A few words on Robby Fabbri:

Mr. Forecheck You just have to watch this guy for his forecheck skills alone; he is that little dog that always gets the bone.

Motor His motor is like one those under-sized motor bikes that is grinding away at full throttle all the time, no matter what the gear or the situation.

Skills Acceleration excellent; top gear outstanding; agility elite as he is so elusive; hands soft around the net and an excellent passer; shot quick with an excellent release. Top the physical skills with outstanding vision, desire and you have yourselves an outstanding hockey player.

Draft placement Late twenties or early thirties on most lists; size is the only thing holding him back from going much higher.

Kyle Woodlief from USA Today.com, We just love his up-tempo game, lightning quickness, smarts, and aggressive play down low among the big redwoods. Nothing deters him.

GM Mike Kelly: Robby is the most dynamic 17-year-old forward to come through the Storm organization since Jeff ONeill. Absolutely driven to be an elite NHL player.

Robby Fabbri with the best game of a draft eligible player that I've seen this year. Hat trick. Forced about 5 turnovers on the forecheck.

if Robby Fabbri falls to 38 [current TSN Ranking on Craig Button's list], some team will have committed robbery.

North American scouts have long ago designated 1996 DOB forward Robert Fabbri as one of the few elite multifaceted prospects in [his] class

Fabbri is an underrated player heading towards the draft. He owns top-end hockey sense and a sly ability to find soft spots on the ice quickly exposing defenses when the puck arrives. He's quick, elusive and owns some soft mitts

Although his smallish frame might steer away some teams, Guelph Storm forward Robby Fabbri is a player who has shown extremely well. Hes got an innate ability to sneak into scoring areas uncontested and strike quickly. Fabbri displays great hands and hockey sense so productive numbers naturally follow him. His skating is top-end featuring quick first steps and elusive edgework, both elements that contribute to his success as an undersized player. Fabbri thinks the game at an advanced level, possesses a competitive attitude and if size wasnt a consideration, hed be considered a top 10 pick. Dont be surprised to see him as a top player years from now as his potential is very high

Fabbri is a below average sized buzz saw who works hard and has some of the best feet in the entire draft. He uses his speed and mobility to be shifty and elusive but is also willing to play physical. His hands are skilled, he shows some creativity on the ice and has a quick shot release

For a smaller guy Fabbri plays with tremendous courage and heart according to one scout

Robert is the type of player that does whatever it takes to win. Whether it means taking a hit to get a puck out, blocking a shot while killing a penalty, scoring the big goal in the third period or matching up against another team's top centre and being asked to shut him down. He plays much bigger than his stature and won't back down against anyone no matter how big they are. Robert is definitely a big game player, the bigger the game the better he plays. He is a very strong skater that has a low center of gravity which makes it very hard to knock him off of the puck

Fabbri's stats line:

2013-14 Regular Season: 58 GP, 45 G, 42 A, 87 PTS, +45, 55 PIM

2014 OHL Playoffs: 5 GP (missed 4 games due to injury), 4 G, 3 A, 7 PTS, +2, 2 PIM

Size:

5'10" (5' 10 1/4" on most recent charts--if that last 1/4 inch matters)

166 lbs (170 lbs on some recent charts)

Other vitals:

Centre (C/LW), shoots left, January 1996 born

[aGENT]

So we're sitting currently at a 4.7% chance at the lottery pick eh?

[Lonny_Bohonos_14]

If we end up passing on Ehlers in favour of a larger sized player, I'm hoping that Robby Fabbri remains on the board long enough that the Canucks can claim him with their second pick.

Several rankings have him in the 30s although some have put him top-10. Many people expect him to fall to the second round due to his size. But those people also predict he could be the steal of the 2014 Draft.

Here's some scouting on Fabbri:

Fabbri's stats line:

2013-14 Regular Season: 58 GP, 45 G, 42 A, 87 PTS, +45, 55 PIM

2014 OHL Playoffs: 5 GP (missed 4 games due to injury), 4 G, 3 A, 7 PTS, +2, 2 PIM

Size:

5'10" (5' 10 1/4" on most recent charts--if that last 1/4 inch matters)

166 lbs (170 lbs on some recent charts)

Other vitals:

Centre (C/LW), shoots left, January 1996 born

After reading those scouting reports, it definitely sounded like a player to take a shot on, but being listed at 166/170 is a bit concerning. The height doesn't concern me, but he would have to bulk up considerably. It is a lot easier to forecheck against junior players than it is in the NHL.

I wouldn't be upset if we picked him, but I wouldn't cry if we didn't either.

[ice orca]

Any good PMD's that we should look at in the 1st round? maybe move down and get an extra 2nd round pick.

[Lonny_Bohonos_14]

Any good PMD's that we should look at in the 1st round? maybe move down and get an extra 2nd round pick.

There's Honka, DeAngelo and McKeown (more two-way). McKeown is projected to go mid to late 1st, but Honka and DeAngelo are all over the map. I have seen them both just outside the top 10, and in some cases they're not even top 30. DeAngelo reportedly has some attitude issues, and I think Honka is a boom/bust kind of pick - but that seems to be the case with a lot of guys this year.

I don't think I would trade down with our 1st. Pick one of Ehlers/Ritchie/Nylander/Virtanen/anyone who might fall from top 5 and hope someone falls to our 2nd. Maybe trade up with our 2nd or acquire a late first through trade.

[R3aL]

If we pick 6/7 and MDC falls to us I will cry,,, I will be so happy!

Buffalo- Bennett

Edm - reinhart jk! Ekblad

Florida - reinhart

Nyi - Draisaitl

Calgary - Ritchie - although I doubt they pass on MDC

Carolina- ehlers/nylander/Kapanen

Us- MDC

Whatever seems like a long shot to get MDC but if 1 team takes a risk higher on ehlers nylander or Kapanen we will have

A

Chance!

Just curious who here likes Ehlers>Nylander ?

[Derp...]

PMD is more of a second round option. Hope Roland Mckeown falls to us in the second.

We legit have a chance at finishing 6th, and the absolute worst we could do as of right now is 12th I think so there's a pretty big incentive for management to try and lose the next two games...

[theminister]

Have you seen him play much?

Just curious if he does use his size to bully around junior players for points as much as you say.

I watched him only a few times on TV and I I didn't noticed his size being the main reason he's putting up points. I saw a big guy who really impressed me with how quickly and efficiently he skates and gets around the ice. He seems to know where to go and get there quick, add a huge frame and a great shot I see potentially great NHL player. I see Jaime Benn all over him and would be happy that the Canucks draft him.

However that is in a very limited sample size and I definitely am not any sort of scout.

This is the most accurate description of Ritchie in this thread.

Is obvious you are one of the few who has actually watched him play.

[Warhippy]

I haven't watch anything on Ritchie, but I find this statement to be a bit curious. Wheeler has wheels and has posted 64, 41(on pace for 70 over 82 games) and 68 point totals over the last 3 years. To say the Ritchie has more upside in both those category's seems to be pushing it considering where scouts have him ranked.

I would think if Ritchie is expected to be better than Wheeler, we would hear more noise about him being included with the other top 5 of this draft.

As for local boys will excite the crowd - sure, if they're good. I'm not from B.C., so I really don't care if the player is from the area or not, and I always have to laugh at proposals where there reason to get play x is because he's 'a good old B.C. boy!'.

I just want them to be good. Jensen seemed to excite the crowd just fine.

Wheeler was good, but he also was a product of the US and college system. Honestly and to a fault less competitive than the CHL.

Ritchie has more speed a better wrist shot and is more willing to drop the gloves to protect a team mate. Where one of Wheelers biggest knocks is his unwillingness to use that side. He is also turning out to be quite a stud in this years playoffs with 10 points in 11 games and JUST turned 18 in december so has quite a long ways to go.

Ritchie is also a work horse and if rumours are true quite a gym and fitness guy. He's bigger than Wheeler currently as per stats on a few different sites and as such even if he starts slimming into pure lean muscle will still be a very large bodied player with speed.

Wheeler is a solid player don't get me wrong but Ritchie has what Wheeler has in spades and possibly more. And I wanted Wheeler bad for our RW.

I have no issues picking Ritchie and then developing him properly. Between Ritchie, Lain Kassian, Grenier and a few solid bodied D men like Olatts Mattsson/ Vanier/ Collins (this years draft) we will by default become one of the largest and most mobile (for size) groups in the league

[thad]

Halifax vs Gatineau on sportsnet 1 today at 4.

took a quick look at the final ISS list and the highest ranked Gatineau player is Vaclav Karabacek. I think he was ranked around 41 can't remember if that was the exact spot.

[Scorevat]

Gonna be fun watching Ehlers and Drouin shred Gatineau's D. Here's everyones opportunity to get a small sample size at ehlers.

Edit: Ehlers wears #24 for whoever didn't know

[Southpop45]

so i just want some clarification is there any way calgary can pass us in the standings? some people are saying yes some are saying no just want to be sure

(i know they tie us in points if we lose every game and they win every game from now on)

[Scorevat]

so i just want some clarification is there any way calgary can pass us in the standings? some people are saying yes some are saying no just want to be sure

(i know they tie us in points if we lose every game and they win every game from now on)

No due to the fact we beat em in the season series, we'll be somewhere in between 6-10 most likely.

Edit: unless we of course win the lottery, fingers crossed.

[S N Y P E R S 7]

Nikolaj. Ehlers.

[Southpop45]

No due to the face we beat em in the season series, we'll be somewhere in between 6-10 most likely.

Edit: unless we of course win the lottery, fingers crossed.

thanks for clearing that up hoping winnipeg beats them tonight for a bit of a cushion then

[S N Y P E R S 7]

My two favorites for where we're picking are:

a.) Nik Ehlers. you all already know why.

b.) (new one) Alex friggin' Tuch:
I've been watching him closely and my predictions that he'd get a higher ranking came true.

A very skilled power-forward, at 6'3.5 and 215lbs, you can't go wrong. Plays an intense, hard-hitting game, skating is excellent, great character, skilled hands, playmaking/hockey-IQ is top notch. Can't go wrong with this guy.

Oh - and he's a RHS (which the Canucks need desperately). Easily top ten material, as easy as Ehlers.