2018 NHL Entry Draft

[Time Lord]

2 hours ago, Sugar baby watermelon said:

is asking for libor hajek too much as an add-on?  man how sick would our d Corp look with juolevi, whoever is taken at 9 and hajek

This would be great. I suspect we’d have to add something, but it would be an asset with less value than Hajek so nothing significant.

 

Then draft Ty Smith at #9, giving us a future defense of:

Smith - low-end #1 dman

Juolevi - good #2

Hajek - #3-4

Stecher - #4

Brisebois, Rathbone, Tryamkin, Brassard, Hutton, and Pouliot may have top 4 potential

And any future picks 

[cory40]

Bouchard picked number 7. Book it. I like JB leading teams away from not taking bpa. He knows who he wants and my bet is Bouchard based on JB's comments on Bouchard at mid season. Can play 30 mins a game. Can kill the whole 2 min penalty. Can man the power play for 2 mins. Excelled in all areas .

[Sugar baby watermelon]

19 minutes ago, Time Lord said:

This would be great. I suspect we’d have to add something, but it would be an asset with less value than Hajek so nothing significant.

 

Then draft Ty Smith at #9, giving us a future defense of:

Smith - low-end #1 dman

Juolevi - good #2

Hajek - #3-4

Stecher - #4

Brisebois, Rathbone, Tryamkin, Brassard, Hutton, and Pouliot may have top 4 potential

And any future picks 

Smith on his low end had better numbers than Provorov in his draft ear so I would most definitely be on board with that

[TFerguson]

I really hope Benning sticks to his word and drafts the BPA at 7. 

 

The way way I see it, if Whalstrom is there, you take him. From what I’ve read he seems to have the highest ceiling of the potential D men left at that point. If that ends up being true he will be worth a lot as a young prospect trade chip in the next couple years. 

Assuming we still don’t need another forward at that time and still really need a defenceman, we can look around at how the D men have developed since the draft and use a very high level propsect to trade for one based on SO MUCH MORE information. 

 

Drafting the BPA is a win-win scenario (as long as he has good draft+1,2 years). 

[NHL97OneTimer]

53 minutes ago, CoolCanucklehead said:

I doubt he'd be giving any hints away at all on who he wants.

If anything he's luring another team to snatch him up first so he can get his (real) guy...

We (desperately) need a D/C/LW before we need another RW...

I don't recall Vancouver really talking much about Petersson last year.  Perhaps I had my head in the sand but that pick was a surprise to me.  With this in mind, I do think that Benning keeps his cards to himself and when he talks about a player, he's complementary but probably not talking about a player he'll end up picking.  

[Pears]

42 minutes ago, Time Lord said:

This would be great. I suspect we’d have to add something, but it would be an asset with less value than Hajek so nothing significant.

 

Then draft Ty Smith at #9, giving us a future defense of:

Smith - low-end #1 dman

Juolevi - good #2

Hajek - #3-4

Stecher - #4

Brisebois, Rathbone, Tryamkin, Brassard, Hutton, and Pouliot may have top 4 potential

And any future picks 

Hajek would be a really nice get. But unless the Rangers really want to move up two spots, would they give him up?

[theo5789]

25 minutes ago, AllWeatherFan said:

I really hope Benning sticks to his word and drafts the BPA at 7. 

 

The way way I see it, if Whalstrom is there, you take him. From what I’ve read he seems to have the highest ceiling of the potential D men left at that point. If that ends up being true he will be worth a lot as a young prospect trade chip in the next couple years. 

Assuming we still don’t need another forward at that time and still really need a defenceman, we can look around at how the D men have developed since the draft and use a very high level propsect to trade for one based on SO MUCH MORE information. 

 

Drafting the BPA is a win-win scenario (as long as he has good draft+1,2 years). 

Benning will stick to his word, but he may draft someone that he believes to be BPA that is different than what you think.

[DudePerfect]

Any draft parties tmrw? Is so, where at?

[CanuckMan10]

I’m pretty indifferent about Tkachuk, but calling it now, Benning will pick Tkachuk if he’s available. All signs in that TSN interview point to Tkachuk being his guy.

[TheHockeyNerds]

Well everyone, after a year of speculation the 2018 draft is finally here! 

My predications for tomorrow: 

1. Dahlin

2. Svechnikov

3. Kotkaneimi

4. Zadina

5. Tkachuk

6. Dobson

7. Hughes 

 

[Sugar baby watermelon]

36 minutes ago, Pears said:

Hajek would be a really nice get. But unless the Rangers really want to move up two spots, would they give him up?

maybe we can sweeten the deal with someone like Goldobin 

[Odd.]

Tkachuk/Horvat/Boeser

 

pls

[Kanukfanatic]

27 minutes ago, TheHockeyNerds said:

Well everyone, after a year of speculation the 2018 draft is finally here! 

My predications for tomorrow: 

1. Dahlin

2. Svechnikov

3. Kotkaneimi

4. Zadina

5. Tkachuk

6. Dobson

7. Hughes 

 

I sure hope not. I do not want another little guy like Hughes. If your top 6 are right I hope JB picks Wahlstrom or Bouchard.

[Silky mitts]

38 minutes ago, CanuckMan10 said:

I’m pretty indifferent about Tkachuk, but calling it now, Benning will pick Tkachuk if he’s available. All signs in that TSN interview point to Tkachuk being his guy.

It was rumoured awhile back the Canucks were very high on Dobson and tkachuk 

[The Bookie]

After sifting through all those Benning and Linden quotes that came out today, I have to say it's kind of refreshing - for once it seems like everyone, not just the fans but the managers and the insiders, are completely in the dark about how the top ten is going to go down. This really is going to be a fun first round. Some of it is obv how interchangeable that group is, but I think having Montreal and Ottawa in the 3/4 slots are what's mucking things up the most. They've been duelling one another for biggest chit chow franchise all season and they're not gonna let things get dull on draft day.

 

But anyhow my best guess how the Canucks list looks like based off JB's comments about goal scoring and speed (not just skating but general processing/gameplay ability):

 

Zadina (should we be lucky enough he's there!)

Hughes

Wahlstrom

 

^just to stress that's not personal preference although I like all three, just my best guess at what they want, with either Dobson or Tkachuck as consolation prizes

 

for whatever reasons, JB doesn't seem to have any interest in Boqvist or Bouchard, which is a shame cause I'm still pretty optimistic for Boq, but on the other hand it'll be a lot less stress over the next cpl years watching him develop

 

--------------------------------------

 

and my final guess how it actually plays out

 

Buffalo - Dahlin

Carolina - Svech

Montreal - Kotkaniemi

Ottawa - Zadina

Arizona - Tkachuck

Detroit -  Bouchard

Vancouver - Hughes

Chicago - Wahlstrom

NYR - Boqvist

Edmonton - Dobson

[Silky mitts]

If Ottawa had any sort of common sense they would give up this years pick. They are going to be absolute garbage upcoming season probably last in the league . Would rather play the percentages game and hope for Hughes 

[Canuck Drogo]

3 minutes ago, Silky mitts said:

If Ottawa had any sort of common sense they would give up this years pick. They are going to be absolute garbage upcoming season probably last in the league . Would rather play the percentages game and hope for Hughes 

When do they have to decide by? If I was them I would hang on until the last second and see if Zadina is there. If he’s off the board then I’d give Colorado the pick. 

[theo5789]

3 minutes ago, Silky mitts said:

If Ottawa had any sort of common sense they would give up this years pick. They are going to be absolute garbage upcoming season probably last in the league . Would rather play the percentages game and hope for Hughes 

Ottawa can wait until their pick to decide, so maybe they will see who is available before deciding. If Montreal does indeed pass on Zadina, then they are getting a very good player who could probably step in immediately. With Hoffman gone (and Zadina replaces him), hopefully a major distraction is gone and Karlsson can focus more and either play his heart out for the city that he would like to extend in or boost his stock to hit free agency. They could have a bit of a bounce back next season. Maybe not playoff contention, but not last place in the NHL. If Zadina does get taken, Ottawa could still go after Tkachuk for a similar but not as effective result or they could go with a dman, but that might not make enough of a difference or will take development time and maybe it would be better off to pass up this year's pick.

[kenhodgejr]

I remember Benning saying that they try and consider who the best player will be 3-5 years from now. Taking into account skating and edge work, shot, hockey IQ, playmaking, size and strength. 

 

He said strength is less important because it can be added later as the player ages but skill and edge work are hard to teach. Last year he shocked us all and took a small skinny kid with lots of talent.

 

I think he will do the same this year with Adam Boqvist or Quinton Hughes. 

 

Whoever he picks I will be optimistic and support his decision. 

 

[messier's_elbow]

I’m happy with anyone but Boqvist. 2 concussions already is very bad. He looks dynamic but I’d rather take a shot at Bouchard, Dobson or Hughes.