Draft #6

[MoneypuckOverlord]

The reason we need to pick Ehlers or Nylander is they both have UNUSUAL speed and can operate at top speed. Especially in Ehlers case.

These guys keep wanting SIZE , and try to claim they are also just as fast and talented. If Ritchie or Vit were as fast and talented as Ehlers not only would they go 1-2 in the draft, they would all be calling them both the next Eric Lindros .

Its far easier to see NHL potential in guys like Ehlers because of their speed and skill. He isnt bullying over kids . He is so fast that you can actually clock his speed and know for a fact he will be effective at the NHL level.

Big guys who use their body are playing against amateur boys . Most of whom arent fully grown or filled out. Its very easy to see a power forward from a guy who is just bigger and stronger than junior boys. They get to the NHL level and they do not have the same size or speed advantage, and are at a loss to figure out a plan B.

So they end up being grinders. Ask Steve Bernier , Raffi Torres, and Taylor Pyatt. All whom bullied they way around junior. True power forwards are very rare.

So when you have a real chance to draft unusual talent, you throw it away to draft a big winger? Big wingers being touted as the next power forward are proclaimed every draft. We just got Jensen and Gaunce at 29 and 26. They will be there next year and the year after too.

Finding guys like Ehlers and Nylander are very rare. Lets take advantage of it.

what the hell... the 3 players you just named, their are plenty of those at every draft. A player who is probably not even 6'0 with high speed and skill right?

Michael Grabner, Mason Raymond,

Alexander Daigle,

Rico Fata ,

MIchael Henrich,

Nikita Filatov,

Oleg Saprykin

Denis Svhiki

Pavel Vorobiev

Alexerder Volchkov

Nikolai Zherdev

Pavel Brendl

The list goes on.

my point is.. the 6 feet stature, highly skilled wingers are a plenty. They come extremely often. As for a 6'3 power winger 230 lbs does not come very often. The last time a player like Ritchie was really available was Zack Kassian. Prior to that was Milan Lucic.

So yes, I believe I stand by my point, take the 6'3 power winger now, because next year they won't be a similar player like that.

Also whats with you and using the world unusual? This is not marketing. There is nothing unusual about Ehlers Kapanen or Nylander. Just a bunch European Wingers who are soft, and not the direction we going towards.

Its far easier to see NHL potential in guys like Ehlers because of their speed and skill.

sure thing buddy. How did Nikita Filatov fair?

[Salmonberries]

Still like Ehlers at 6.

[Smashian Kassian]

Since Kapanen isn't a 6th overall-worthy pick in this years' draft, I suppose it doesn't really matter what you or I think of him, does it? At least as it pertains to the Canucks.

I've expressed valid reasons and concerns about said players multiple times, but I will again, because it's nice to remind people.

Ehlers is a lightweight and always will be due to his skinny frame and therefore his speed will easily be nullified after a few hard hits by our division rivals' much, much bigger skaters. He is fast, but so was Anton Rodin. The QMJHL and Claude Drouin overrated him, but he is still not worth a 6th overall pick. Pass.

Nylander is too small to be an effective NHL centerman unless he's sheltered. Problem with that is that he has an attitude problem similar to Coho and he'll whine his way off the team. His skill is perimeter/powerplay style and really, he's a mid-1st rounder due to these issues. Pass.

Kapanen is better than Nylander overall, and he has a better attitude, but he is still not skilled enough to be a 6th overall pick. I think Carolina picks him up, and he'd be better off there.

This is a weak draft partly because there are no excellent pmd defensemen beyond Ekblad and the euro class is puffed wheat.

To be fair, there are concerns for some of the top-5 as well. Every prospect has his flaws. Some more than others. We should cross out the ones with major risk factors though. Like the undersized ones.

Some of your concerns are valid.

I don't agree with your comparisons to Rodin for Ehlers, much different players, Ehlers has much higher skill, much better skater, much smarter player, has much better tools to overcome being a smaller player.

I don't see Nylander as a center at the next level, I think he will be a winger, so those issues about his size as a center aren't really of concern, the presumed attitude problems (if he has them or not, I've seen one USA today article bring that up, alot of other sources refute that) if he does have them are a concern of mine aswell, and I would probably pass on him due to it, again if they are true or not.

Kapanen isn't skilled enough? Completely disagree. His skill is right up there with some of the top guys in the draft. And the thing about his skill is I think it will be easier for his skill to translate than some of the other high skill guys. I don't know why you think his skill isn't that high but so be it.

If those players aren't worthy of the 6th pick than who do you think is?

[MoneypuckOverlord]

Still like Ehlers at 6.

Then thank god your not in charge of things.

[CanuckleHorse]

Im not sure if the people who want our Canucks to pick small soft Europeans are even fans if you want the Canucks to be small and weak you must hate them or you want those tough players fall to the team you love!

[Honky Cat]

I know Ritchie has good skill, and I know he's not slow, he's got great acceleration and good speed.

Does he have high end skill however like a Ehlers/Nylander/Kapanen. Is he as good a skater? No, I don't believe so.

That's the issue here..I believe that Ehlers/Nylander/Kapenen have 1C potential,but can they play defence?..will they be strong enough..Ritchie is a safer pick,as a big player,he could never bust completely..

Since we're drafting this high,I'm more tempted to take skill over size..

[Salmonberries]

Here's another list; this time from The Hockey Writers. It's a top 150.

They have Ehlers at 6!

http://thehockeywriters.com/2014-nhl-draft-rankings-war-room-april-edition/

Risers of Note

2. 6 from 13 - Ehlers, Nikolaj, W/C, 6’0, 162 lb., Halifax, QMJHL

If there was anyone hotter than Leon Draisaitl, it could only be Nikolaj Ehlers who finished the year with 104 points and an incredible league-leading +65. This is what I wrote about him in February in the Prospect Profile Series: “if he keeps improving on his dynamic play as he has so far this year, I could see him pushing the top 10 by the end of the year.” He not only continued his improvements, he accelerated his growth; he brought out both the inner Drouin and the inner MacKinnon within himself. A star in the making, so exhilarating to watch.

- See more at: http://thehockeywriters.com/2014-nhl-draft-rankings-war-room-april-edition/#sthash.tggzN9Y0.dpuf

[Smashian Kassian]

That's the issue here..I believe that Ehlers/Nylander/Kapenen have 1C potential,but can they play defence?..will they be strong enough..Ritchie is a safer pick,as a big player,he could never bust completely..

Since we're drafting this high,I'm more tempted to take skill over size..

Kapanen is a good two-way player.

I'm more inclined to go with skill & high upside aswell.

[chompers14]

I would like If we drafted one of these guys. I think would help when we play those California teams.

[TOMapleLaughs]

Here's another list; this time from The Hockey Writers. It's a top 150.

They have Ehlers at 6!

http://thehockeywriters.com/2014-nhl-draft-rankings-war-room-april-edition/

Risers of Note

• 6 from 13 - Ehlers, Nikolaj, W/C, 60, 162 lb., Halifax, QMJHL

If there was anyone hotter than Leon Draisaitl, it could only be Nikolaj Ehlers who finished the year with 104 points and an incredible league-leading +65. This is what I wrote about him in February in the Prospect Profile Series: if he keeps improving on his dynamic play as he has so far this year, I could see him pushing the top 10 by the end of the year. He not only continued his improvements, he accelerated his growth; he brought out both the inner Drouin and the inner MacKinnon within himself. A star in the making, so exhilarating to watch.

- See more at: http://thehockeywriters.com/2014-nhl-draft-rankings-war-room-april-edition/#sthash.tggzN9Y0.dpuf

That article is awful. "OMG Everyone is Drouin and MacKinnon!"

[Gstank29]

Since Kapanen isn't a 6th overall-worthy pick in this years' draft, I suppose it doesn't really matter what you or I think of him, does it? At least as it pertains to the Canucks.

I've expressed valid reasons and concerns about said players multiple times, but I will again, because it's nice to remind people.

Ehlers is a lightweight and always will be due to his skinny frame and therefore his speed will easily be nullified after a few hard hits by our division rivals' much, much bigger skaters. He is fast, but so was Anton Rodin. The QMJHL and Claude Drouin overrated him, but he is still not worth a 6th overall pick. Pass.

Nylander is too small to be an effective NHL centerman unless he's sheltered. Problem with that is that he has an attitude problem similar to Coho and he'll whine his way off the team. His skill is perimeter/powerplay style and really, he's a mid-1st rounder due to these issues. Pass.

Kapanen is better than Nylander overall, and he has a better attitude, but he is still not skilled enough to be a 6th overall pick. I think Carolina picks him up, and he'd be better off there.

This is a weak draft partly because there are no excellent pmd defensemen beyond Ekblad and the euro class is puffed wheat.

To be fair, there are concerns for some of the top-5 as well. Every prospect has his flaws. Some more than others. We should cross out the ones with major risk factors though. Like the undersized ones.

who is claude drouin?

[youngdad]

It's easy.

Skill first, then size.

Rank everyone based on pure skill and vision. Take the top 50 of those. Then select the 10 who have shown the size, strength, and physicality to push around smaller players and at least perform close to their standard against bigger players. Then look at attitude, real examples of "heart," leadership experience, sacrifice, team play, pedigree, coachability, and the teammates around him (ie who is making who look good?). You probably have a list of 5 or 6 players and one will certainly be available at #6.

Crosby, Datsyuk, Kane, Toews, Bergeron, Sedins (prime). None are big guys but all can be game changers with big guys all around them.

[newgm]

Ovechkin hasn't won a cup, Bure never did. It's taken Taylor Hall 4 years to break out and be a point per game player. Crosby didn't even play in the cup winning game when the Pens won their only cup.

It takes a real chemistry for all the pieces to fall into place on a cup run, nobody had L.A. winning the cup the year they did. You need talent above all, but it's physically too difficult to survive the NHL playoff gauntlet without size, that's undeniable.

The idea that all the Scouts out there don't have the Ehlers, Kapanen type players rated higher, is all we need to know. If a player the size of Jake Virtanen is the fastest skater forwards and backwards, why would I pick a smaller player? if Nick Ritchie can skate and score and he's 6'3 and 230, who can argue his size won't translate because he's playing against teenagers, but the smaller players diminished size will translate better against men, makes no sense.

Ovechkin wasn't a second round surprise, he was number one because his talent was recognized by the scouts as being elite, these same scouts don't have these smaller players ranked in the top 5, so what's with all these people hyper ventilating about this Ehlers kid like he's Pavel Bure reincarnated.

We should make the safe pick at 6, one of the top five slips or Ritchie or Virtanen. If we miss out on the second coming of whoever, so be it. I trust Trevor will make the right pick, it'll take five years toknow in either case.

[Mr.53]

My top 6.

1 Sam Reinhart

2 Aaron Ekbald

3 Sam bennett

4 Leon Drasaitl

5 Michael Dal Colle

6 Nick Ritchie

I'm happy with any of those.

Optimally I would either like to trade up or snag 2 of them but if we stayed pat, kept our assets, and drafted at 6, we are still in a good spot to get a good prospect. You can even add Virtanen into that mix. This draft class is kind of weak; however, it has 10 or QUALITY prospects. So us being at number 6, doesn't really worry me. Very low chance we walk out unhappy

[messier's_elbow]

Ovechkin hasn't won a cup, Bure never did. It's taken Taylor Hall 4 years to break out and be a point per game player. Crosby didn't even play in the cup winning game when the Pens won their only cup.

It takes a real chemistry for all the pieces to fall into place on a cup run, nobody had L.A. winning the cup the year they did. You need talent above all, but it's physically too difficult to survive the NHL playoff gauntlet without size, that's undeniable.

The idea that all the Scouts out there don't have the Ehlers, Kapanen type players rated higher, is all we need to know. If a player the size of Jake Virtanen is the fastest skater forwards and backwards, why would I pick a smaller player? if Nick Ritchie can skate and score and he's 6'3 and 230, who can argue his size won't translate because he's playing against teenagers, but the smaller players diminished size will translate better against men, makes no sense.

Ovechkin wasn't a second round surprise, he was number one because his talent was recognized by the scouts as being elite, these same scouts don't have these smaller players ranked in the top 5, so what's with all these people hyper ventilating about this Ehlers kid like he's Pavel Bure reincarnated.

We should make the safe pick at 6, one of the top five slips or Ritchie or Virtanen. If we miss out on the second coming of whoever, so be it. I trust Trevor will make the right pick, it'll take five years toknow in either case.

Hmm I dont where you get your info, but Crosby did indeed play in their cup winning game.

[Robongo]

Hmm I dont where you get your info, but Crosby did indeed play in their cup winning game.

And Taylor Hall was above a ppg last season and pretty damn close the year before

[erkayloomeh]

I would like If we drafted one of these guys. I think would help when we play those California teams.

http://youtu.be/RztPZLG34D0

http://youtu.be/UpbmydIO1aY

i liked those virtanen highlights. From what I saw he reminded me of Kesler.

[From.The.Point]

Me personally, one day Im interested in one guy , the next another. I think if the Canucks dont go off the board i'll be happy with whoever we choose. Of course one of the top5 would be nice!

[S N Y P E R S 7]

Ovechkin hasn't won a cup, Bure never did. It's taken Taylor Hall 4 years to break out and be a point per game player. Crosby didn't even play in the cup winning game when the Pens won their only cup.

It takes a real chemistry for all the pieces to fall into place on a cup run, nobody had L.A. winning the cup the year they did. You need talent above all, but it's physically too difficult to survive the NHL playoff gauntlet without size, that's undeniable.

The idea that all the Scouts out there don't have the Ehlers, Kapanen type players rated higher, is all we need to know. If a player the size of Jake Virtanen is the fastest skater forwards and backwards, why would I pick a smaller player? if Nick Ritchie can skate and score and he's 6'3 and 230, who can argue his size won't translate because he's playing against teenagers, but the smaller players diminished size will translate better against men, makes no sense.

Ovechkin wasn't a second round surprise, he was number one because his talent was recognized by the scouts as being elite, these same scouts don't have these smaller players ranked in the top 5, so what's with all these people hyper ventilating about this Ehlers kid like he's Pavel Bure reincarnated.

We should make the safe pick at 6, one of the top five slips or Ritchie or Virtanen. If we miss out on the second coming of whoever, so be it. I trust Trevor will make the right pick, it'll take five years toknow in either case.

Why would you care?

Uh, Virtanen may be faster backward and forward, and may have a better skill set than many players in this year's draft class, but look at his hockey IQ.

Lowest I've seen on many hockey players - bone-headed mistakes and irrelevant passes that turn into chances against the Hitmen. I'm going to take a guess - you haven't watched any Hitmen games this year? Virtanen's good, but he plays like a rookie that hasn't had much elite league experience.

Somebody like Ehlers, who played in Biel with NHLers and older men, has a highly developed, acute hockey sense. It's also North-American, NHL-style tailored.

Ritchie is a good pick too.

Virtanen at 6 would be a waste of that high a pick. His IQ is not something easily fixed - if you want a player that will play at a rookie-level for the rest of his career, go on ahead with the Virtanen hype.

[S N Y P E R S 7]

Virtanen. can not pass the puck. in the slot.

I have payed attention to the Hitmen, watched most of their games (at least early in the WHL season).

Trust me, you do not want Virtanen at 6 - at 10+ maybe, but not at 6.