2017 NHL Draft - Chicago, Illinois June 23-24 2017

[ForsbergTheGreat]

38 minutes ago, Warhippy said:

.....nobody said or suggested he was or would be a top 5 pick or that anyone in the top 5 would be a tanner glass.

 

It was a simple reference to solid or serviceable NHL players taken out of junior a leagues

But what good is that reference when the discussion is around who to choose for a top 5 pick. We are looking for a core player.  

 

Again I don't think anyone is stating the lesser league can't produce NHL players. I think what people are getting at is those lesser leagues don't have the greatest track record for producing elite core players. The type of player we are looking to find with our 5th overall. 

[KKnight]

5 hours ago, Sugar baby watermelon said:

Dobber Prospects 2017 has Canucks taking Heiskanen at 5th.  What you think?

 

1. New Jersey Devils – Nolan Patrick, Center (Brandon, WHL)

Patrick is a franchise-level, big, strong, and smart top-line center with a complete game who should pay quick dividends for the low-scoring Devils. Often injured in recent years, they'll do their due diligence and cross their fingers hoping none of his past injuries impact future performance. - Kevin Wickersham@KWcrosscheck

2. Philadelphia Flyers – Nico Hischier, Center (Halifax, QMJHL)

A dynamic offensive force, the 6-0, 179-pound agile, lightning-quick Hischier will likely transition to a high-powered wing spot on the Flyers top-six next season providing a needed scoring boost. - Kevin Wickersham @KWcrosscheck

3. Dallas Stars – Casey Mittelstadt, Center (Green Bay, USHL)

The Stars have plenty of solid D prospects in Esa Lindell, Stephen Johns and Julius Honka and believe Mittelstadt is the best overall player.- Peter Harling @pharling

4. Colorado Avalanche – Owen Tippett, Right Wing (Mississauga, OHL)

Arguably the best player available and the organization lacks true shoot-first forwards. Hayden Soboleskih@soboleskih

5. Vancouver Canucks – Miro Heiskanen, Defence (HIFK, Liiga)

The tremendously gifted left-hander displays all the tools to become a top pairing defender down the road. His skating, vision, and IQ are off the charts and he demonstrated his offensive flair by potting two goals and 12 points in seven U18 contests.

While he's not the biggest player, his ability to process the game at a high level allows him to smoothly disrupt zone entries and transition into the offense. – Cam Robinson @CrazyJoeDavola3

6. Vegas Golden Knights – Gabriel Vilardi, Center (Windsor, OHL)

Same reason as Mock Draft 1.0 and Vilardi will be a great player to build an expansion team around. It really does depend on how Vegas' Expansion Draft goes, if they don't get a stud #1 down the middle in the Expansion, drafting Vilardi to be that guy in the future will help their development in the first few years of Expansion. - Paul Zwambag @zwambag

If Heiskanen is still on the board when we pick, i say we take him. Otherwise im on the Cody Glass train!!

[baumerman77]

Who's interested in Benning taking the 18 year old 5'7" 139 pound Russian - Artyom Manukyan - with a pick in the later rounds? No doubt he is an incredibly long shot to make the NHL, but I'd rather take a shot with him in a late round than another CHL grinder - if for nothing else but the entertainment factor.

[Warhippy]

3 hours ago, ForsbergTheGreat said:

But what good is that reference when the discussion is around who to choose for a top 5 pick. We are looking for a core player.  

 

Again I don't think anyone is stating the lesser league can't produce NHL players. I think what people are getting at is those lesser leagues don't have the greatest track record for producing elite core players. The type of player we are looking to find with our 5th overall. 

With all respect, you kinda jumped in to my response to someone claiming it was a "junior B league" or a sub par league where there is little to no success or record of success for players.  At no point did I suggest Glass was a top 5 pick, nor did I suggest or compare Makar to Glass in regards to quality of player or draft selection.

 

ANY pick that can produce 200+ games in the NHL is a viable pick that is considered successful, Cale Makar by some accounts is positioning himself in to top 7 position.  Glass was a 9th round pick that has played over 500+ games in the NHL and was a Junior provincial league pick.  Makar, again by some accounts; might be the best D pick in the 1st round of this draft.

 

The reference is success at the Junior provincial level at which point I posted numerous players from 1 single team in response to a poster.  Unsure why you are feeling the need to continue to try to brow beat that issue in to some kind of a quality of league, quality of pick/prospect or player comparison via the names I posted.

 

Cale Makar is, by some accounts a potential top 7 pick and by some accounts possibly the best D prospect in the 1st round of the draft and is a junior level player on a provincial league.  That is a non arguable point.

 

My initial statement was, and still is to not be shocked IF Makar is taken in the top 5 regardless of the league he plays in

Edited May 5, 2017 by Warhippy

[R3aL]

11 hours ago, Warhippy said:

Not singling you out man

 

But damn this forum and others have got to stop using 10 day tournaments to qualify prospects.  We have a few recent picks/prospects to qualify that reasoning.

 

I posted in another thread players that came through "low level" play 

 

T. Jost

D. Fabbro

D. Keith

C. Kobasew

B. Morrison

T. Glass

P. Kariya

B. Hull

 

These are just players from Pentictons junior club over the last 25 years that stand out, there's plenty more.  Just saying so long as the development is there and teams have the patience, no harm no foul taking a kid from a Junior Club

 

What about Jamie Benn!

[J.I.A.H.N]

Here is my top 5 picks at #5 in the order I would take them

 

#1. Vilardi....almost a year younger than most of the top picks......has been solid near the top all season......center/winger...lots of time to improve

#2. Tippett...a 1st line pure goal scorer......big, fast and lots of room to grow

#3. Heiskanen....I think him and Liljegren are a wash.........maybe more of a sure thing than Liljegren, not as much upside

#4. Liljegren.....I think the mono argument is valid, and he has such a high ceiling

#5. Glass.....well if he continues to grow and add weight, maybe he could be another Backes....

 

Personally, I would like to see them pick a forward, just so that over the next 2 drafts (2018 and 2019) we have the flexibility to pick any position and not be completely plugged.

 

That being said, we could always move a forward  or defenceman if we end up with too many in one position......

 

This draft is so close with where we pick......go with offense.....I am unsure

 

Last thought.......wasn't Morrison really only a second line center? That seemed to work out well!

[cyoung]

3 hours ago, janisahockeynut said:

 

#5. Glass.....well if he continues to grow and add weight, maybe he could be another Backes....

 

No, just no. Have you ever watched him play? So far from backes lol and what on earth makes people think he is gonna grow that big. Sure his family is big but come on..... Let's come back down to earth. 

 

With that being said, I still wouldn't mind drafting him but he is so far from backes.. 

[J.I.A.H.N]

11 minutes ago, cyoung said:

No, just no. Have you ever watched him play? So far from backes lol and what on earth makes people think he is gonna grow that big. Sure his family is big but come on..... Let's come back down to earth. 

 

With that being said, I still wouldn't mind drafting him but he is so far from backes.. 

Did you see Backes when he was 18 ? But you are probably right.......but he could...not my first choice  but he has lots of support for top 6 or 7......

[Blömqvist]

On May 4, 2017 at 8:18 AM, Sugar baby watermelon said:

Just checked out HF Boards Stars page and their draft thread.  Alot of their fans are really high on Heiskanen and don't think too highly of Vilardi.  They sound like they like Glass more than Vilardi.  So there is that haha.

 

A part of me hopes that Heiskanen falls to us at 5 and Jimbo sprints up to the podium to draft him, then a few days later holds a press conference to announce that they traded Tanev+ for Reinhart. Potential #1C and a #1D to pair with fellow Finn Juolevi, but too bad the Stars are high on Heiskanen.

[messier's_elbow]

22 hours ago, 73 Percent said:

Players who probably wouldn't make to 5 according to cdc;

 

Patrick, Hischier, Mittlestadt, heiskanen, vilardi.

 

I have a feeling one of those guys will be available. 

If we somehow draft Vilardi at 5, I will never say another bad thing about JB. 

[messier's_elbow]

18 hours ago, Warhippy said:

Not singling you out man

 

But damn this forum and others have got to stop using 10 day tournaments to qualify prospects.  We have a few recent picks/prospects to qualify that reasoning.

 

I posted in another thread players that came through "low level" play 

 

T. Jost

D. Fabbro

D. Keith

C. Kobasew

B. Morrison

T. Glass

P. Kariya

B. Hull

 

These are just players from Pentictons junior club over the last 25 years that stand out, there's plenty more.  Just saying so long as the development is there and teams have the patience, no harm no foul taking a kid from a Junior Club

 

So are you trying to tell us your in love with Makar? 

Edited May 6, 2017 by messier's_elbow

[messier's_elbow]

17 hours ago, Sugar baby watermelon said:

Dobber Prospects 2017 has Canucks taking Heiskanen at 5th.  What you think?

 

1. New Jersey Devils – Nolan Patrick, Center (Brandon, WHL)

Patrick is a franchise-level, big, strong, and smart top-line center with a complete game who should pay quick dividends for the low-scoring Devils. Often injured in recent years, they'll do their due diligence and cross their fingers hoping none of his past injuries impact future performance. - Kevin Wickersham@KWcrosscheck

2. Philadelphia Flyers – Nico Hischier, Center (Halifax, QMJHL)

A dynamic offensive force, the 6-0, 179-pound agile, lightning-quick Hischier will likely transition to a high-powered wing spot on the Flyers top-six next season providing a needed scoring boost. - Kevin Wickersham @KWcrosscheck

3. Dallas Stars – Casey Mittelstadt, Center (Green Bay, USHL)

The Stars have plenty of solid D prospects in Esa Lindell, Stephen Johns and Julius Honka and believe Mittelstadt is the best overall player.- Peter Harling @pharling

4. Colorado Avalanche – Owen Tippett, Right Wing (Mississauga, OHL)

Arguably the best player available and the organization lacks true shoot-first forwards. Hayden Soboleskih@soboleskih

5. Vancouver Canucks – Miro Heiskanen, Defence (HIFK, Liiga)

The tremendously gifted left-hander displays all the tools to become a top pairing defender down the road. His skating, vision, and IQ are off the charts and he demonstrated his offensive flair by potting two goals and 12 points in seven U18 contests.

While he's not the biggest player, his ability to process the game at a high level allows him to smoothly disrupt zone entries and transition into the offense. – Cam Robinson @CrazyJoeDavola3

6. Vegas Golden Knights – Gabriel Vilardi, Center (Windsor, OHL)

Same reason as Mock Draft 1.0 and Vilardi will be a great player to build an expansion team around. It really does depend on how Vegas' Expansion Draft goes, if they don't get a stud #1 down the middle in the Expansion, drafting Vilardi to be that guy in the future will help their development in the first few years of Expansion. - Paul Zwambag @zwambag

I like Heiskanen, but if we pass on Vilardi it's like passing on another Tkatchuk. Vilardi will take another year in junior unlike Tkatchuk, but they are similar players, except Vilardi isn't a rat.  

[N4ZZY]

wouldn't mind Vilardi, Glass, Heiskanen at the number 5 spot. 

wouldn't mind Tippett either, surprised that he hasn't received as much exposure on these boards in whom we should take at the number five spot..

 

Edited May 6, 2017 by N4ZZY

[Agoork]

There are a lot of teams that seem to be interested in D early in this draft.  I wouldn't be too surprised if both Dallas and Colorado take a defenceman, and both Arizona and Buffalo also need D.   I think if JB is planning on taking the best available center, he should leak some info that we are thinking of taking a Defenceman.

If say Heiskanen and Makar go at the 3 and 4 spots, you've got to think that Arizona or Buffalo would start to panic a bit, and would be willing to trade up - ie swap with us to ensure they get the best available D remaining.   They then take Liljegren, Vegas takes a center or maybe even Tippett, and that still leaves us picking a really good center (one of Vilardi, Mittelstadt or Glass).    I read on the the Buffalo HF board, that they expect to take a D and would be willing to trade up using both of their 2nd round picks.  If JB plays the 2 teams against each other he might even get Arizona's late 1st, or maybe a good young forwards like Duclair or Fischer... just for moving back a couple of spaces and picking the guy we want anyways.  

There should still be a lot of good players to pick from in the late 1st/early 2nd, so instead of 1 of these, we could get 2 or even 3....

Jokiharju, Vaakanainen, Joseph, Braanstrom, Thomas, Dolan-Anderson, Strome, Frost, Bowers, Boqvist, Mattheos, Mismash, etc.

[ashlynnbrookefan]

50 minutes ago, N4ZZY said:

wouldn't mind Vilardi, Glass, Heiskanen at the number 5 spot. 

wouldn't mind Tippett either, surprised that he hasn't received as much exposure on these boards in whom we should take at the number five spot..

 

We would have more people looking at Tippett if we weren't so desperate for another center, we ideally need that number 1 center we can pair with Horvat for our major building blocks. 

[N4ZZY]

11 minutes ago, ashlynnbrookefan said:

We would have more people looking at Tippett if we weren't so desperate for another center, we ideally need that number 1 center we can pair with Horvat for our major building blocks. 

take BPA when your drafting top five. 

the better quality prospects you have, the more you have to play with when it comes to trading for a center. 

maybe tanev can net us something mid first round? 

Petterson if available, I'd scoop up. I think he might go just out of the top ten...

 

 

Edited May 6, 2017 by N4ZZY

[ashlynnbrookefan]

I think that's where Petterson goes too. I'm not so sure I think Tippett is better than the available centres or D men that will be there when we pick but really who knows. We'll find out in a few years haha. 

[73 Percent]

5 hours ago, messier's_elbow said:

I like Heiskanen, but if we pass on Vilardi it's like passing on another Tkatchuk. Vilardi will take another year in junior unlike Tkatchuk, but they are similar players, except Vilardi isn't a rat.  

But that's what makes Tkachuk so good. Take away that edge and competitiveness and he isn't that f the player he is.

 

I know many of you aren't going to like this but vilardi reminds me of Shawn matthias.

[spook007]

20 minutes ago, 73 Percent said:

But that's what makes Tkachuk so good. Take away that edge and competitiveness and he isn't that f the player he is.

 

I know many of you aren't going to like this but vilardi reminds me of Shawn matthias.

For whom ever picks him, I hope that is not the case...

[cyoung]

1 hour ago, 73 Percent said:

But that's what makes Tkachuk so good. Take away that edge and competitiveness and he isn't that f the player he is.

 

I know many of you aren't going to like this but vilardi reminds me of Shawn matthias.

With much more talent, drive and top end vision. Skating and size are similar I suppose but come on lol matthias put up 34pts in his draft year while Vilardi posted great numbers and carried his team (he's also one of the youngest in the draft class. 

 

He's a good prospect.