Nikolaj Ehlers

[canucklehead44]

There is a huge drop off from Draisitl/Dal Colle to Ehlers/Ritchie/Virtanen/Fleury/Perlini. Nylander and Kapanen are hard to judge, but Nylander has been as high as 5th.

2009 is one year where the top 6 went as expected but like this draft there was a big drop off after 6th. In fact, all of the top 6 have become top line/pairing players (with the exception of Schenn who is very close). That said every other year one player is picked a little off the boards.

Out of the next 10 picks only Leddy and Kadri are top 4/top 6 players from the 09 draft. I could see this year being very similar.

[Warhippy]

Honestly that means zero. A GM wants his assistant to look at a guy who they have the potential to pick. I guarantee Gillman personally has watched/will watch all players ranked in the top 10 before the draft. Their jobs our on the line if they make a bad decision, zero chance they do that without doing their own research.

IN all honesty he could have been scouting a player on the opposing team or on Ehlers' team for target for a later round pick as well.

Just because an assistant GM is in the crowd means nothing.

For all we know he could have been watching Drouin for a possible trade of edler or Kesler and our 1st for Drouin....

[S N Y P E R S 7]

Lol, has anyone noticed Ehlers was picked 6th in the CHL Import Draft?
If we draft him 6th in the NHL draft, it'll be like the Horvat pick: picked 9th in the OHL Draft, picked 9th in the NHL Draft.

[TOMapleLaughs]

Lol, has anyone noticed Ehlers was picked 6th in the CHL Import Draft?

If we draft him 6th in the NHL draft, it'll be like the Horvat pick: picked 9th in the OHL Draft, picked 9th in the NHL Draft.

Hey if we pick Virtanen it will be like we picked a 1st overall then, since he was 1st in the Whl bantam draft.

I like your approach here.

[Hairy Kneel]

Ehlers is too small.

[Absent Canuck]

As it stands right now..I would agree 100% on your assessment..For Gilman to personally go to Halifax ( which is out of the way folks) and watch all those games tells you something...Unless one of the top five fall,or somebody steps up to plate in a big way before the draft..I would say Ehlers is in the drivers seat right now.

Its going to be between Ehlers , Nylander and Ritchie.

If the top 5 go as planned , the next 3 will be these players. The question will be in what order they will go.

[Absent Canuck]

IN all honesty he could have been scouting a player on the opposing team or on Ehlers' team for target for a later round pick as well.

Just because an assistant GM is in the crowd means nothing.

For all we know he could have been watching Drouin for a possible trade of edler or Kesler and our 1st for Drouin....

Your effort to spin it away is admirable but not very convincing.

I think you need to take a step back and ask yourself how invested you are into a decision that has utterly nothing to do with you.

I wouldnt choose to go into willful denial just because the information does not point to the guy you personally want.

I am happy with any of Ehlers, Nylander and Ritchie even though my preference is Ehlers. I am not going to cry a river or find ways to spin the negative on the other guys. There is a 90% chance its one of these three. Unless on of the top 5 fall to us. At this point I think its all talked out.

[canucklehead44]

I find it funny that Ehlers is ranked 13th in the final CSS rankings and Perlini is ranked 8th yet nobody on either CDC or HF Boards seems to want Perlini. After watching the highlights from all players I was more impressed with Carter Verhaeghe than Perlini. He has good size and skills but seems like a Jensen-type player. I am surprised he is ranked so high.

Ritchie reminds me a lot of Rick Nash in the way he protects the puck. A very different player from Zack Kassian (keep hearing comparables!). Virtanen is almost in between Ehlers and Ritchie, where he is super fast with a good shot but is also built like a tank. That said, David Booth even this year combines speed with awesome power moves - I think IQ is very underrated, and Virtanen from the sounds of it doesn't have a lot.

At the end of the day I am happy with Ritchie, Ehlers or Virtanen and hope we don't draft Perlini, Fleury, or McCann.

[MoneypuckOverlord]

I find it funny that Ehlers is ranked 13th in the final CSS rankings and Perlini is ranked 8th yet nobody on either CDC or HF Boards seems to want Perlini. After watching the highlights from all players I was more impressed with Carter Verhaeghe than Perlini. He has good size and skills but seems like a Jensen-type player. I am surprised he is ranked so high.

Ritchie reminds me a lot of Rick Nash in the way he protects the puck. A very different player from Zack Kassian (keep hearing comparables!). Virtanen is almost in between Ehlers and Ritchie, where he is super fast with a good shot but is also built like a tank. That said, David Booth even this year combines speed with awesome power moves - I think IQ is very underrated, and Virtanen from the sounds of it doesn't have a lot.

At the end of the day I am happy with Ritchie, Ehlers or Virtanen and hope we don't draft Perlini, Fleury, or McCann.

It's because Canucks fans are totally clueless.

They see it, as the draft is the opportunity to help the Canucks right away next year.

This is how it goes.

Most fans believe the Vancouver Canucks are in need of a top 6 winger. an offensive top six winger. The Current Vancouver Canucks. So they look at the draft, and see is their any top 6 wingers available? yes their are, in fact, their are plenty 5 feet ten ers soft european (good skating, good skill good offence) prospects in this years draft, their plenty. So because they so desperatly want the Canucks to add a top 6 winger, they believe a Ehlers is the best choice, that said, I am surprised that most of them think this way, because is actually 2-3 years away, so there's no point drafting for Current needs. As for their are not truly looking at long term, and risks,and many failures in the past for a six footer highly skilled fast skating winger. Plenty of busts in that mold.

[BanTSN]

Well, his team finally won a game today, but once again it was Drouin carrying the load. Mantha on the other team was an absolute beast with a hatty. If only we could pick a guy like him up at 20th overall? Maybe the knock on Mantha was that he 'had no vision' or some dumb crap like that.

Ehlers scored two assists, but took two dumb penalties late, including a diving call.

[canucklehead44]

Top 10 busts since 2000 (forwards only):

Alexeev

Yakubov

Svitov

Chistov

Taticek

Olesz

Picard

Pouliot (decent player now, but scored only 9 goals in 4 seasons with Minne)

Brule

Skille

Sheppard

Hamill

Filatov

Glennie

Some players like Zherdev, Mueller etc at least at some productive seasons, so I didn't put them as busts even though they didn't bring much value to their respective teams. A boat load of defenseman and goalies ended up being busts, but I think there is about a 5% chance we get a dman 6th overall. Not really any pattern in terms of player "type", most forwards picked become at least really good third liners, with most being top 6 players. That said, surprising how many russians picked in the first half of the 2000s became total flops. A lot of so called "safe picks" also ended up as fourth liners like Brule, Skille, Sheppard.

There are not a lot of players similar to Ehlers picked, but there are a number similar to Ritchie.

Similar to Ehlers:
Patrick Kane (this one is a stretch)

Similar to Ritchie:
JVR
Bobby Ryan

Nathan Horton

Rick Nash

Dany Heatley

Scott Harnell

Nikita Alexeev

Not much to go off of. Most players other than Hartnell similar to Ritchie were top 3 picks. Alexeev had nowhere near the production level (5th on his team in scoring) so he is almost a write off as well.

Ritchie scored more goals than any of those players in his draft year (Bobby Ryan came the closest at 37 goals). To me Ritchie looks like an incredible pick at 6th and I have a hard time seeing him become a bust.

[Hairy Kneel]

Ritchie I could see us building a 4th line around..I always thought that would be Kass but Kass seems destined for a lock on 3rd line (maybe even 2nd line duty). Aiming a little lower than top 6 for a strong 4th line might not be a bad idea for Ritchie..although my preference is a sniper like Virtanen (because I don't see any top 5 dropping down)..if there are intangibles or character that Linden/GM see in Ritchie then sobeit.

[kmotamed]

Can we trade our 1st round pick to the Red Wings for Nyquist?

[Warhippy]

Your effort to spin it away is admirable but not very convincing.

I think you need to take a step back and ask yourself how invested you are into a decision that has utterly nothing to do with you.

I wouldnt choose to go into willful denial just because the information does not point to the guy you personally want.

I am happy with any of Ehlers, Nylander and Ritchie even though my preference is Ehlers. I am not going to cry a river or find ways to spin the negative on the other guys. There is a 90% chance its one of these three. Unless on of the top 5 fall to us. At this point I think its all talked out.

Just trying to throw some objective water on the fire that is SNYPERS libido for this 18 year old boy.

There are to many variables. After watching Tampa get trounced so quickly it could have even been Gilman watching Drouin debating a trade for him.

I am not saying he wasn't there to watch Ehlers, I am saying think of every variability. We have more picks than normal this year and he could have been scouting anyone for any draft round between the two teams

[Absent Canuck]

@ Warhippy

I can see it partially but 90% of it is to watch Elhers.

Assuming the top 5 go as widely predicted they go, the deal is that 6-8 is pretty much decided as Ehlers Nylander and Ritchie. I am good with all 3. Those three players are the second tier.

Then the third tier starts from 9 through 15. If we get Ottawas pick in a Kesler trade, I pick Vitanen at # 10 if we can.

Speaking of Ehlers:

Last night Halifax staged an improbable comeback against Mantha's crew and Nick had 2 assists and was dominating all over the ice. He was also named one of the 3 stars of the week.

[Warhippy]

@ Warhippy

I can see it partially but 90% of it is to watch Elhers.

Assuming the top 5 go as widely predicted they go, the deal is that 6-8 is pretty much decided as Ehlers Nylander and Ritchie. I am good with all 3. Those three players are the second tier.

Then the third tier starts from 9 through 15. If we get Ottawas pick in a Kesler trade, I pick Vitanen at # 10 if we can.

Speaking of Ehlers:

Last night Halifax staged an improbable comeback against Mantha's crew and Nick had 2 assists and was dominating all over the ice. He was also named one of the 3 stars of the week.

As I have stated numerous times.

I have NO issues picking any of the big 3 PWFs or any one of Kapanen or Ehlers. As long as we all know and understand that all of them will need (for theirs and the teams benefit) a minimum of 3 years of development and at least a full AHL season.

But I am seriously struggling with the mentality of some people

Virtanen is bad no IQ...yet is only 17 years and 5 months old, 1st pick in WHL and projected top 15 all year in the NHL draft. Only room to grow, amazing ceiling for a scoring winger

Ritchie has great acceleration an amazing wrist shot and sees the ice like few large players ever have yet is somehow a detriment and a huge 50/50 player....

But Ehlers who has all the freedom to move in the QMJHL is somehow going to waltz into the biggest toughest division in the NHL and somehow be the saviour people want him to be.

I do not understand how the knocks against any of the other 2 or 3 guys are not being applied to Ehlers. I have no issue with his size, the guy will top out over 190 pounds, will be a solid NHL player I am sure. But is somehow immune to the same development issues as the others.

Sometimes it is frightening how the minds on this board work.

If any of Dal Colle, Reinhart or Draisatl are picked by us....I still want to see them spend an extra year or two developing. Ehlers and Kapenen a minimum of 3 and Virtanen, Perlini or Ritchie again a minimum of 3.

These are kids...not saviours. They represent the potential future of this franchise and need to be groomed for a long long while.

Yet again, for whatever reason, the larger bodied players ; who by virtue of size alone are more NHL ready, are not worth the sniff....

I don't get it

[TOMapleLaughs]

As I have stated numerous times.

I have NO issues picking any of the big 3 PWFs or any one of Kapanen or Ehlers. As long as we all know and understand that all of them will need (for theirs and the teams benefit) a minimum of 3 years of development and at least a full AHL season.

But I am seriously struggling with the mentality of some people

Virtanen is bad no IQ...yet is only 17 years and 5 months old, 1st pick in WHL and projected top 15 all year in the NHL draft. Only room to grow, amazing ceiling for a scoring winger

Ritchie has great acceleration an amazing wrist shot and sees the ice like few large players ever have yet is somehow a detriment and a huge 50/50 player....

But Ehlers who has all the freedom to move in the QMJHL is somehow going to waltz into the biggest toughest division in the NHL and somehow be the saviour people want him to be.

I do not understand how the knocks against any of the other 2 or 3 guys are not being applied to Ehlers. I have no issue with his size, the guy will top out over 190 pounds, will be a solid NHL player I am sure. But is somehow immune to the same development issues as the others.

Sometimes it is frightening how the minds on this board work.

If any of Dal Colle, Reinhart or Draisatl are picked by us....I still want to see them spend an extra year or two developing. Ehlers and Kapenen a minimum of 3 and Virtanen, Perlini or Ritchie again a minimum of 3.

These are kids...not saviours. They represent the potential future of this franchise and need to be groomed for a long long while.

Yet again, for whatever reason, the larger bodied players ; who by virtue of size alone are more NHL ready, are not worth the sniff....

I don't get it

I don't get it either. You beat these people over the head with the facts and they'll just cop out with the same ol' shallow reasonings, and when their guy doesn't pan out he is just discarded and they merely move onto the next hyped-up saviour.

It's like we've totally forgotten what a true stud prospect even looks like. I don't know if cdc could cope.

[Warhippy]

I don't get it either. You beat these people over the head with the facts and they'll just cop out with the same ol' shallow reasonings, and when their guy doesn't pan out he is just discarded and they merely move onto the next hyped-up saviour.

It's like we've totally forgotten what a true stud prospect even looks like. I don't know if cdc could cope.

Here is the even more telling fact.

Drafted Jensen: didn't immediately produce. He's a bust horrible pick waste trade him

Drafted Gaunce: Same thing.

Now they're both showing serious signs of life and nobody ever recalls saying the word bust or bringing their names up into trade conversations.

Imagine actually drafting Ehlers and people being forced to watch him sit in utica for 2-3 years before his body is big enough to handle the Pacific division....

[theminister]

Here is the even more telling fact.

Drafted Jensen: didn't immediately produce. He's a bust horrible pick waste trade him

Drafted Gaunce: Same thing.

Now they're both showing serious signs of life and nobody ever recalls saying the word bust or bringing their names up into trade conversations.

Imagine actually drafting Ehlers and people being forced to watch him sit in utica for 2-3 years before his body is big enough to handle the Pacific division....

This is why quality drafting is so important....it takes time to bear fruit.

A good measure for how long it will take for most draft picks to play at their NHL level is 6 years or 24 years old.

Yes, people. It's a process.

[youngdad]

I'm sorry but Nylander looks like he should be on a Noxema commercial. He looks soft and feminine. Strikes me as a crybaby. I don't know if this means anything with respect to actual ruggedness, as I haven't really seen him play. But it's hard to ignore my gut feeling. Malcolm Gladwell might have something to say about it.