Draft #6

[Absent Canuck]

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.

I would be very surprised to see Vitanen being picked by us at 6. Hes not a bad pick at 12 -15.

Its going to come down to Ritchie, Ehlers and Nylander.

[soshified]

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.

Crosby did play in game 7. And Penguins have won 3 SC.

[newgm]

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

That was an aside to what I was getting to but you're right, Crosby did start game seven, injured his knee and left the game pointless. Even the best player in the world was a spectator when his team won their only Cup.

Team success is so hard and fleeting for even the best players in the game, so we shouldn't risk passing on a couple of highly rated power forwards like Virtanen and Ritchie when they're available because you need those kind of players to win a cup, that's all.

[newgm]

Yes, I know Lemieux and company won two cups for Pens, I do mean Crosby's team when comparing him with Gretzky and Lemieux's careers. Crosby's in his 9th year and it's ironic that the one time he won the cup he was on the sidelines.

Picking first overall gets you the Edmonton oilers and once in awhile a Sidney Crosby. It's amazing how hard it is to build a team with the chemistry to win it all.

[TOMapleLaughs]

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.

You're in the slot. Do you pass? Or shoot?

Thinking shoot, as the slot is pretty much the best area to score in.

I know you're obsessed with Ehlers, but perhaps you should note that the QMJHL has manufactured a lot of 1st round busts over the years. Even 'tremendous' 100pt scorers. I think the Q tends to build some bad habits, and that's why they at times fail to transfer skill at all to the NHL.

However, the Q can build major offensive stars as well. Crosby being a prime example. But is skinny Ehlers going to be the next Crosby? The next Giroux? The next eastern conference scoring threat? Maybe.

In the east.

[Derp...]

You're in the slot. Do you pass? Or shoot?

Thinking shoot, as the slot is pretty much the best area to score in.

I know you're obsessed with Ehlers, but perhaps you should note that the QMJHL has manufactured a lot of 1st round busts over the years. Even 'tremendous' 100pt scorers. I think the Q tends to build some bad habits, and that's why they at times fail to transfer skill at all to the NHL.

However, the Q can build major offensive stars as well. Crosby being a prime example. But is skinny Ehlers going to be the next Crosby? The next Giroux? The next eastern conference scoring threat? Maybe.

In the east.

Is that MacKinnon kid good? I heard he's having a decent season coming out of the Q. Even if Ehlers isn't Mackinnon level if he's half of Mackinnon I would be happy.

If he is half as good as MacKinnon he would have 30 points in his rookie season in the NHL which I'm good with.

Guy is beasting the playoffs as well.

Don't know if he's the best choice, but he would be an interesting and exciting one.

[Mathew Barzal]

Nylander or top five fallout. No power forward prospects with a SIXTH OVERALL pick TYVM.

[BurgerKing]

I don't think it works like that

[Smashian Kassian]

I know you're obsessed with Ehlers, but perhaps you should note that the QMJHL has manufactured a lot of 1st round busts over the years. Even 'tremendous' 100pt scorers. I think the Q tends to build some bad habits, and that's why they at times fail to transfer skill at all to the NHL.

Players to score 100 points in there draft year since 04-05 lockout.

Ehlers

Drouin

Huberdeau

Brassard

Crosby

[nuck in cow town]

Had we had Trevor in the roll of GM last year for the draft and he was still of the mindset about size we would have firstly received more for Schneider. Anyway, you would probably be looking at Nicushkin taken by us @ 9 instead of Horvat, and this year instead of looking at Ritchie for our size fix we could take Nylander. So my question is then, who would you rather have as our two picks?

Horvat / Ritchie

or

Nicushkin / Nylander

I like the second one as I think it has more offensive talent but time will tell. Points may prove me wrong at the moment but who can argue with Nicushkin's production playing along side Benn & Seguin. Would we have realized the Sedin slide with Nicushkin playing along side the Sedins all year?

[Warhippy]

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.

I was actually hoping for a player that would make you go away.

Virtanen seems to be that kind of player.

Virtanen is 17 years and 5 months old. Any deficiencies in his game at this stage of his development can easily be corrected with maturity.

He is fast, hits, fights, checks plays a solid 200 foot game. Good by me knowing how far he has to come.

Ehlers may be the end all be all of players, but if he takes a hit like Backes did the other day or like Keith did last night he's out and done for the season. Remember when the Nuge was sidelined for the season with a shoulder injury that Henrik Frigging Sedin caused?

You insult other people, you insult other draft pick possibilities without considering anything but what you want.

Drafting Ehlers is ok, as long as he sits for 3-4 years to develop. Just like Nyquist did.

Drafting Virtanen is ok, as long as he develops for 2 or 3 years like he will need to.

Get off the hate and stop pegging yourself on Ehlers already...by now I sure your towel is stiff and starchy

Go wash it

[Warhippy]

Had we had Trevor in the roll of GM last year for the draft and he was still of the mindset about size we would have firstly received more for Schneider. Anyway, you would probably be looking at Nicushkin taken by us @ 9 instead of Horvat, and this year instead of looking at Ritchie for our size fix we could take Nylander. So my question is then, who would you rather have as our two picks?

Horvat / Ritchie

or

Nicushkin / Nylander

I like the second one as I think it has more offensive talent but time will tell. Points may prove me wrong at the moment but who can argue with Nicushkin's production playing along side Benn & Seguin. Would we have realized the Sedin slide with Nicushkin playing along side the Sedins all year?

That's a bold statement and kind of foolish honestly.

Nobody can say that with any conviction because this what if game is childish and immature.

If my dad had a better job when I was a kid I would have gotten better Christmas toys.

See how foolish that sounds?

Now stop, there are multiple threads about the CS trade, the Horvat draft Horvat the player and Nicushkin. We picked who we picked and be happy for it.

How about this what if....

We drafted Nicushkin, it masked our problems, Gillis still has a job, but we missed the playoffs and still traded for a rental player at the deadline.

I am sure Linden would have done differently.

This is why we don't dwell on past events. You end up with 16 years of 1994 was awesome, 2011 was awesome, we traded Neely....

[nuck in cow town]

That's a bold statement and kind of foolish honestly.

Nobody can say that with any conviction because this what if game is childish and immature.

If my dad had a better job when I was a kid I would have gotten better Christmas toys.

See how foolish that sounds?

Now stop, there are multiple threads about the CS trade, the Horvat draft Horvat the player and Nicushkin. We picked who we picked and be happy for it.

How about this what if....

We drafted Nicushkin, it masked our problems, Gillis still has a job, but we missed the playoffs and still traded for a rental player at the deadline.

I am sure Linden would have done differently.

This is why we don't dwell on past events. You end up with 16 years of 1994 was awesome, 2011 was awesome, we traded Neely....

Is that you Trevor? You come off all sanctimonious like your word is gospel. I came on to offer a what if, just hypothetical, not the spoken word. These forums are for all to use as I see you just waiting, lurking to give your morning diatribe. I'm the lucky one today I suppose. Now we can all go amongst our business now that we've been educated by someone who averages 138 posts a week, seriously! That makes you the man & me the student doesn't it, get a life! What do you do in your spare time, hunt bunnies?

People come on because we like our Canucks but people like you with small minds & small ideas will never see tomorrow for what it is, you're just busy living in the past.

Now I'm going to sign off this silly CDC thing as someone of your calibre has scared me back into my moms basement. Bring on your calculated response however, let it be said I gave you your chance to shine today! You're probably dancing around your basement naked singing to the Village People thinking "boy I sure got that guy". Imagine that, me living in my past with a reference to 1978... now go live in yours & enjoy. Just think of how much education you have coming!

[70seven]

I think that if you take organizational need and combine it with BPA, your choices come down to Nylander and Ehlers.

The Canucks have plenty of guys with size and 2 way gritty games with some top 6 potential, but moreso bottom 6 type games at the moment. They sort of have all their eggs in a basket on the speed/skill side with only really Shinkaruk and Jensen having the potential to deliver on that end, and the jury is still out on how high that potential is.

Ehlers as a fast and shifty offensive winger.

or

Nylander as an elusive cerebral offensive center.

Both are CLEARLY players whos role is to SCORE.

Having a big tough squad is good, but you still need the skill to win. Kane, Krejci, Seguin, Selanne, Zetterberg, Nyquist, Stepan, StLouis, Giroux.... There isnt anywhere near enough offensive talent in the Canucks system.

We NEED to draft skill. And 5'11" isnt "small" for a skilled 17 year old player.

[Ronning4center]

I'd draft Ritchie with the 6th

Trade Kesler to Anaheim for Etem, 10th overall, and 27th

Draft Virtanen with 10th or Perlini.

Etem, Ritchie, Virtanen, Horvat, Shinkaruk, Gaunce, Cassels, Fox

Kesler to Anaheim? We have little chance beating them WITH Kesler...let alone with out him and against him....very bad idea.

[Tangelos]

Kesler to Anaheim? We have little chance beating them WITH Kesler...let alone with out him and against him....very bad idea.

We won't be a contender again for at least 5 years so it doesn't really matter. And by then, Kesler, Getzlaf and Perry will be old farts that we should be able to take advantage of

[Og Kassian Doe]

Attempt to draft McDavid this year and hope nobody remembers that he is not eligible until next year

[CanuckleHorse]

After the top 5 its like this for me Ritchie, Tuch, Virtanen and Perlini i think Perlini playing with a better team could have MDC like numbers and you never know he could very well be the best of this group.

[Angry Goose]

Perliini reminds me alot of Jensen actually, skilled, fast big forward.

[chompers14]

After the top 5 its like this for me Ritchie, Tuch, Virtanen and Perlini i think Perlini playing with a better team could have MDC like numbers and you never know he could very well be the best of this group.

Agree. I for one am sick of this Ehlers slurping. These people on CDC want our asses handed to us when we play those Californian teams. Then you draft Ehlers. One of the mentioned above could help us beat those teams.