6th Pick: 2014 NHL Entry Draft

[thad]

The ideal situation would be for us to trade up to acquire another top 10 pick in this draft, say by moving either Kesler to Ana or a d-man like Edler to the Canes.

Then we could take one power and one skill player in a combo, such as Ritchie/Nylander (my preference) or Virtanen/Kapanen or Perlini/Ehlers. Having acquired two top prospects in each draft of the last two years, plus our later round picks, goes a long way towards the future of this team. I believe it can even be done without a major sacrifice to the present.

Moves such as:

Kelser for Vatanen, Ott 1st 2014, Ana 1st 2014

Edler for Riley Nash/ Brock McGinn, 2015 1st/2nd

Sign Paul Stastny, 5 years $6.0 mil

Draft skill-power combo, Ritchie/Nylander - Virtanen/Kapanen - Perlini/Ehlers

Re-sign Kassian, Tanev, Santorelli, Schroeder

Buyout/trade Booth

Sedins-Jensen

Burr-Stastny-Kassian

Higgins-Horvat-Santorelli

Matthias-Richardson-Hansen

Schroeder, Sestitio

Hamhuis-Tanev

Garrison-Bieksa

Stanton-Vatanen

Corrado

Lack

Markstrom

Shinkaruk, Gaunce, Fox, Grenier, Archibald, Lain, Hutton, Ritchie/Nylander-Virtanen/Kapanen-Perlini/Ehlers

This is a younger line-up with good call up potential and promise for the future. It also retains some significant cap space to address other issues as needed. It's not all bleak in Canuck town.

I really llike this.. imagine we do it and end up getting draisaitl with the first pick haha. I think i would take virtanen if hes still there then. Then with the late pick go for Fiala, high end skill/speed and not quite as light as the others.

[Goal:thecup]

Wrong thread but you did mention it, so...

I am starting to think we should not sign Stasny.

Of course he would fit very nicely on our team but I think the UFA bidding is going to be extreme.

I don't think he will sign for your 5 years at $6 million.

Look at the money Weber ($14m), Suter ($12m), and Parise ($12m) are getting.

Stasny is going to get at least $7m maybe $9m.

I think we might be better off saving the cap space so that we can take on big contracts in trades.

I realize that we do not have to sacrifice player assets to get him like we would in a trade, but other teams are going to go nuts this year and we might be more able to get what we need if we don't have to exchange similar cap-hits with a trading partner to get a deal done.

Plus, a big UFA signing will throw the salary structure on the team right out of whack.

You think Kes is dissatisfied now, wait until Stasny is making twice as much as he is!

(I know, you think we will trade Kesler and maybe we will, it was just an example of how one big contract might affect the team.)

[PowerAids]

Well, yeah, if we had more picks, we could take more players.

First off, these players have NTCs and we cannot assume that they will waive them.

We cannot assume that we are going to get all these draft picks for these players either.

If we have more picks, this is a different discussion.

If we only have the #6 pick in the first round 2014, we cannot waste it hoping some player is good enough to negate their small stature.

We need big help now and in the future.

You said yourself that these smaller players would need 2 years or more before being ready for the big club.

Ritchie may be able to crack the lineup (albeit in a limited role) as early as this year because of his size/maturity and ability to mix it up.

Even if we do not acquire extra and higher picks, our 2nd round pick is 36th and we can still get a good prospect at that level (big defenseman would be my choice).

It's not a waste, it's a calculated risk.

I think it's so short sighted to just be looking at the size of these players and no further.

One thing I wish this team would stop doing is talking about the "Boston model" or the Anaheim model, or what have you. Why don't we create the "Canucks model" like we had in 2011 before the rule book got tossed out the window for the finals.

A blend of size skill speed 4 lines rolling beat them on the score board instead of worrying about the scrums after the whistles.

The league seems to go In cycles, 5 years ago speed and skill was king, now it's all about size and grit. If we draft the players today according to the particular style that is popular right now, when these kids are ready to step in to the league the model will have changed again and we will still be playing catch up.

Now I don't mind drafting Ritchie or Virtanen, but just looking at a players size and instantly writing them off because we play in the west is just so wrong.

[PowerAids]

What websites is everyone looking at to find more info on these players? I've been looking at elite prospects but other than a quick blurb it doesn't get into much detail. Hf boards is okay too, but it's generally just fans opinions and not pro scout opinions.

[Mackcanuck]

Stastny is the #1 pick of the UFA's

He will be worth every penny of the $7M to $8M he will get.

I seriously doubt that he will sign in Vancouver, if Tortorella is the coach!

[theminister]

What websites is everyone looking at to find more info on these players? I've been looking at elite prospects but other than a quick blurb it doesn't get into much detail. Hf boards is okay too, but it's generally just fans opinions and not pro scout opinions.

You won't hear much from NHL based scouts right now. The only tidbits you'll get from them will be anonymous quotes from many months ago. They are going to hold their cards tight to their chest and, if anything, are prone to misdirection at this time of year. This is their intellectual capital.

You can get the opinions of independent scouting services like Redline, Hockeyprospect.com and the like, but they are not bulletproof appraisals either.

I only use what I've seen myself.

[theminister]

Stastny is the #1 pick of the UFA's

He will be worth every penny of the $7M to $8M he will get.

I seriously doubt that he will sign in Vancouver, if Tortorella is the coach!

You might be right. Who knows?

Torts may not even be the coach and dollar figures may not be as high as we think this year. It may be more Term focused.

I expect many of the UFAs will be re-signing with their former teams eating up much of the cap space around the league… the Boyles and Timonens et al. RFAs are getting more money as well these days so that is also a factor.

My point was that there could be many options in the next few months. I expect the new GM will put his stamp on the team pretty quickly.

[PowerAids]

I think I'll wait until the combine to form a concrete opinion on our options. I'm curious to see what kind of conditioning Ritchie has, 236lbs is awfully big for an 18 year old... And if a guy like Ehlers comes in at over 170 than he may overcome some of his size concerns. When he cracks the league he will probably be around 6' 180lbs, not big, but not overly small either.

[thad]

What websites is everyone looking at to find more info on these players? I've been looking at elite prospects but other than a quick blurb it doesn't get into much detail. Hf boards is okay too, but it's generally just fans opinions and not pro scout opinions.

I usually just google the players name and things like draft profile or player bio. Lots of times you can find a great write up on him. Sometimes it's just some news paper but the good ones will have quotes from coaches and scouts that give great insight and views you never really thought of.

[Goal:thecup]

It's not a waste, it's a calculated risk.

I think it's so short sighted to just be looking at the size of these players and no further.

One thing I wish this team would stop doing is talking about the "Boston model" or the Anaheim model, or what have you. Why don't we create the "Canucks model" like we had in 2011 before the rule book got tossed out the window for the finals.

A blend of size skill speed 4 lines rolling beat them on the score board instead of worrying about the scrums after the whistles.

The league seems to go In cycles, 5 years ago speed and skill was king, now it's all about size and grit. If we draft the players today according to the particular style that is popular right now, when these kids are ready to step in to the league the model will have changed again and we will still be playing catch up.

Now I don't mind drafting Ritchie or Virtanen, but just looking at a players size and instantly writing them off because we play in the west is just so wrong.

I am not short-sighted nor only looking at size. Ritchie has tremendous skill as well as great size and toughness; that is, in fact, the point.

Why take a flyer on some little guy when Ritchie is the complete package?

As the minister said, if one of the top 5 drop to us, we should take them, but if not, Ritchie is a fine pick.

This 2014 draft is not full of top-end little guys that we should risk our #6 overall on.

Once Bennett and Reinhart are gone, the choices for smaller highly-skilled offensive forwards is too risky for that high of a pick.

This 2012 draft does however, have some very nice big, fast, tough, and talented forwards right in our wheelhouse.

As to your point about the league changing the rules or the way they call them, we are much less likely to be caught by any refereeing change if we are already big and talented.

We have always had to beat the refs as well as the other team and I find this unlikely to change.

Much as I would like to get the borderline calls to go our way for a change, I do not want to rely on it.

Take matters into our own hands and rip the Cup out of Buttman's hands!

[sting]

After watching some of the LA-Anaheim game last night, I'm pretty much convinced that our pick should be one of Dal Colle, Virtanen or Ritchie.

55 hits in the first period. Goals from either flat out speed or from scoring in the tough areas. None of this perimeter Mason Raymond type garbage.

Kapanen to Carolina is a given. Nylander and Ehlers would break in our division. Draisaitl will likely go to the Oil. Dal Colle may fall. Likely won't, but we'll see.

So Calgary could either pick Ritchie or Virtanen before it's our turn.

If we pass on these guys and say, allow Virtanen to fall to the Ducks, then we'll come to regret that decision, imho.

I certainly hope we make the right call.

I agree with you and GTC.

We are in a unique position at 6 to get a PF that can do damage in playoff hockey. Second tier skill players are easier to acquire than top 6 players with size and snarl.

If someone drops from the top 5 you scoop that player.

At 6 if we dont draft Ritchie or Virtanen we're gonna regret it.

Ritchie really is such an attractive piece. Having him and Kassian makes all our skilled prospects that much bigger/better. Shinkaruk, Jensen, Cassels would flourish with a net and board presence.

Concerns with Ritchie's upside are minimal. Older brother Brett who took a lot longer to develop and is not as polished is going to be a force next season on the Stars. He crushed the AHL this year and will be crushing the Canucks next season.

[TOMapleLaughs]

I think I'll wait until the combine to form a concrete opinion on our options. I'm curious to see what kind of conditioning Ritchie has, 236lbs is awfully big for an 18 year old... And if a guy like Ehlers comes in at over 170 than he may overcome some of his size concerns. When he cracks the league he will probably be around 6' 180lbs, not big, but not overly small either.

That's still too small. But my concern about him would revolve around his overrated one-dimensional play. When he not scoring, he's of no use. And since he'll be too small, it will be fairly easy to stop him from scoring. Esp. when he skates full speed up the ice all the time with his head down. Playing on a strong team in a weak Q may be teaching him some bad habits.

Too high a risk for 6, certainly. Esp. for our division.

[Goal:thecup]

What websites is everyone looking at to find more info on these players? I've been looking at elite prospects but other than a quick blurb it doesn't get into much detail. Hf boards is okay too, but it's generally just fans opinions and not pro scout opinions.

www.mynhldraft.com is pretty good as well as TSN.

[Kooner91]

I'm still not sold on Ritchie. When your 230lb playing in a league where almost all the kids are 16-18 years old, and 30-60 pounds lighter than you, generally the bigger man has a huge advantage. I get that he's skilled too, but I don't see him adapting as well as some think.

The top 5 is really solid, but the fall off and risk after that is annoying, and just bad luck for the Canucks to pick at 6.

Ehlers and Nylander arguably are the 2 most skilled players in the draft, but no one knows how well they will translate their skill in the much tighter, tougher checking NHL. Could be 1st liners potting 80p a year, or could be playing in Europe for the rest of their career.

Ritchie and Virtanen are big, strong, fast. I've already taked about Ritchie, but Virtanen seems like the safer pick out of these 2, but I doubt his upside, which is what the Canucks really need from this draft. We can't waste our pick being "safe" this year, because we have a lot of those future 20g, 45-55p players in our system. We need that offensive gun and I don't think these 2 could provide it, they're more of a supporting cast.

Fleury really just isn't a pick at number 6. He's not going to provide anything more than we already have, I'd rather use our later picks on D rather than waste it on yet another future top 4 D. It's a number 1 D we draft like Ekblad, or it's another position.

Kapanen is a really safe pick. I almost garentee he is a Chris Higgins/Jannik Hansen style player minimum, but just like Ritchie or Virtanen, I question is top end offensive upside.

IMO, I like would rate the players like this.

1)Ekblad

2)Reinhart

3)Bennett

4)Draisatl

5)Dal Colle

6)Ehlers

7)Ritchie

8)Nylander

9)Kapanen

10)Virtanen

11)Fleury

But I see Edmonton going for Draisatl if Ekblad doesn't fall to them, which I just can't see Florida passing up on.

I see Calgary taking Ritchie at 4 no matter what. He fit's Brian Burke's mold perfectly.

NYI will take Dal Colle to flank Tavares for the next 15 years.

So pretty much, if everything goes as I think it will, one of Reinhart or Bennett will fall to us. which is exactly what we need. Just depends on who Buffalo like's better.

Every year plays fall from the top 5. Fowler wen't from a projected top 4 to 12th in 2010. Forsberg went from a projected top 3 to 11th in 2012. Jones went from projected top 2 to 4 last season.

[thad]

It's not a waste, it's a calculated risk.

I think it's so short sighted to just be looking at the size of these players and no further.

One thing I wish this team would stop doing is talking about the "Boston model" or the Anaheim model, or what have you. Why don't we create the "Canucks model" like we had in 2011 before the rule book got tossed out the window for the finals.

A blend of size skill speed 4 lines rolling beat them on the score board instead of worrying about the scrums after the whistles.

The league seems to go In cycles, 5 years ago speed and skill was king, now it's all about size and grit. If we draft the players today according to the particular style that is popular right now, when these kids are ready to step in to the league the model will have changed again and we will still be playing catch up.

Now I don't mind drafting Ritchie or Virtanen, but just looking at a players size and instantly writing them off because we play in the west is just so wrong.

I think everybody tries to paint the bruins as a team of goons because of their toughness. In reality they are just a perfect mix of exactly what you said size skill speed and rolling 4 lines. The best in the nhl actually.

They aren't a bunch of talentless goons that punch their way to victory night in and night out. They play hard, tough, confident and skilled hockey.

If anything we should be following their model. They have it all(not just toughness) and roll 4 lines with ease. Every guy not only makes plays and tries to score, but plays tough and with authority. Nobody backs down.

This is why I think drafting a guy like Ritchie would be a huge step in the right direction. We don't have to keep adding more nick Ritchie's but just one more guy that is even tougher than Kass with offensive skill is perfect. This allows Kassian to consistently play tough, not have the odd timid night.. He doesn't take a night off because Ritchie's not taking a night off. Ritchie isn't taking a night off because Kassian isn't.

That kind of confidence is contagious. Now Bo Horvat thinks he's 2 inches taller, hunter shinkaruk thinks he's 2 inches taller. Cole Cassels? You know damn well that gritty SOB is going to think he's 5 inches taller... Now you have a team that steps onto the ice every night and says this is our frackin ice!... Not just with their fists, but they are damn ready to fly if you even look at Bo, Nicky or Hunter, but also with their God Given Skills.

All the sudden when you're drafting those small skilled guys that fall to the late first round, you're not so concerned with "jeez I don't know if his size will be able to handle the nhl". He's going to step into a team that demands respect and gives him the room he needs to succeed.

All the sudden Jordan subban has a bright future ahead of him as a high point man in the NHL.

Just my two cents... In my opinion your not going away from speed and skill by drafting toughness, your giving the speed and skill you do draft, confidence and the absolute best chance at having success at the nhl level.

[PowerAids]

That's still too small. But my concern about him would revolve around his overrated one-dimensional play. When he not scoring, he's of no use. And since he'll be too small, it will be fairly easy to stop him from scoring. Esp. when he skates full speed up the ice all the time with his head down. Playing on a strong team in a weak Q may be teaching him some bad habits.

Too high a risk for 6, certainly. Esp. for our division.

Except skating straight forward with his head down is not how he plays at all?

He beats guys off the rush, he beats them in tight in traffic, he dishes the puck off and finds open ice.

He's also defensively responsible and plays the PK.

I fully expect us to pick one of the PWF's I just don't think it's a foregone conclusion the smaller skill won't be able to play in our division.

[PowerAids]

I am not short-sighted nor only looking at size. Ritchie has tremendous skill as well as great size and toughness; that is, in fact, the point.

Why take a flyer on some little guy when Ritchie is the complete package?

Yea, sorry I wasn't talking about you as being short sighted, more some of the other posters who assume these guys have 0 chance in our division because they're not 6' 3 220lbs.

[Smashian Kassian]

Man, all I know is that I'm glad I'm not the one who has to make this pick.

Assuming the top 5 are gone, it seems wide open with at least 5 good options to choose from with different playing styles... Personally I'm leaning towards the high ceiling players like Ehlers, kapanen, nylander as I think their skill sets will improve with being surrounded by better players in the NHL. Although it's hard not to like the physical tools that Virtanen and Ritchie have, but IMO their offensive game will take a step back in the NHL with much stiffer competition, especially Ritchie, all his goals seem to come from standing all alone in the high slot and beating goalies with wristers. Two things that aren't as likely to happen in the NHL.

But In full disclosure I'm only doing you tube scouting, and that hardly paints a complete picture of a player.

Anyways they are all good players, I just think we need some pure offensive talent to help balance out our prospect pool.

The ideal situation would be for us to trade up to acquire another top 10 pick in this draft, say by moving either Kesler to Ana or a d-man like Edler to the Canes.

Honestly if we got another top 10 pick.

I would lean towards getting another one of the skill guys (Kapanen/Nylander/Ehlers)

Ritchie would get some consideration for me, but adding two high end skill players like that would really be a huge add to what I think is our biggest weakness.

nd if a guy like Ehlers comes in at over 170 than he may overcome some of his size concerns. When he cracks the league he will probably be around 6' 180lbs, not big, but not overly small either.

I'm most interested to see where Ehlers is at the combine, if he's 170 or higher, then he could become the guy I want most again or atleast a 1B situation for me with Kapanen stilll as 1A.

We are in a unique position at 6 to get a PF that can do damage in playoff hockey. Second tier skill players are easier to acquire than top 6 players with size and snarl.

These aren't 2nd tier skill players, there are 1st tier skill players we are talking about. Those are harder to get than 2nd tier big bodied players like Virtanen & Perlini. Ritchie has an a chance to be a 1st tier one more so than the other 2, but I would project more as a good 2nd liner than a 1st liner at this stage.

That's still too small. But my concern about him would revolve around his overrated one-dimensional play. When he not scoring, he's of no use. And since he'll be too small, it will be fairly easy to stop him from scoring. Esp. when he skates full speed up the ice all the time with his head down. Playing on a strong team in a weak Q may be teaching him some bad habits.

Too high a risk for 6, certainly. Esp. for our division.

He's actually got the willingness to play a two-way game, with his far superior speed & skating ability, when he's not scoring/doesn't have the puck, he can still be a useful player on the backcheck or on the forecheck. I think he's more dynamic than Virtanen.

[Smashian Kassian]

I think everybody tries to paint the bruins as a team of goons because of their toughness. In reality they are just a perfect mix of exactly what you said size skill speed and rolling 4 lines. The best in the nhl actually.

They aren't a bunch of talentless goons that punch their way to victory night in and night out. They play hard, tough, confident and skilled hockey.

If anything we should be following their model. They have it all(not just toughness) and roll 4 lines with ease. Every guy not only makes plays and tries to score, but plays tough and with authority. Nobody backs down.

This is why I think drafting a guy like Ritchie would be a huge step in the right direction. We don't have to keep adding more nick Ritchie's but just one more guy that is even tougher than Kass with offensive skill is perfect. This allows Kassian to consistently play tough, not have the odd timid night.. He doesn't take a night off because Ritchie's not taking a night off. Ritchie isn't taking a night off because Kassian isn't.

That kind of confidence is contagious. Now Bo Horvat thinks he's 2 inches taller, hunter shinkaruk thinks he's 2 inches taller. Cole Cassels? You know damn well that gritty SOB is going to think he's 5 inches taller... Now you have a team that steps onto the ice every night and says this is our frackin ice!... Not just with their fists, but they are damn ready to fly if you even look at Bo, Nicky or Hunter, but also with their God Given Skills.

All the sudden when you're drafting those small skilled guys that fall to the late first round, you're not so concerned with "jeez I don't know if his size will be able to handle the nhl". He's going to step into a team that demands respect and gives him the room he needs to succeed.

All the sudden Jordan subban has a bright future ahead of him as a high point man in the NHL.

Just my two cents... In my opinion your not going away from speed and skill by drafting toughness, your giving the speed and skill you do draft, confidence and the absolute best chance at having success at the nhl level.

I see where you are coming from with Ritchie.

I agree (although I think Kassian is tougher than him, and Ritchie is more of a skill PWF than Kassian). Ritchie is the one big guy I wouldn't have any problem getting cause he's dynamic offensively that he should be a good 2nd liner if his wrist shot doesn't translate as well as it is in junior, he's still got the hands to fall back on, and he would be good to have with Kassian. I would still lean to a high skill player myself cause its rare we get these picks & we could really use high end skill. But yeah I wouldn't be unhappy if we take Ritchie (unless a top 5 guy is available)

Its just Virtanen I want to stay away from. (and Perlini to a lesser extent)

[Merci]

La SJ series demonstrated last night why we should never pick Ehlers or Kapanen