Acording to Bob McKenzie ( Picks 5 through 8)

[IBatch]

1 hour ago, Fateless said:

I refuse to buy into the Bouchard hype. I think he's the one that some fool takes between 5 and 8 and in a re-draft the guy isn't even in the first round anymore.

I'm happy with any of Boqvist, Dobson, Hughes, or Wahlstrom. They're all fantastic picks.

So you refuse to educate yourself about him or just gave a gut feeling or don't like his name or number or something of the sort?  Its not really hype.

[dpn1]

I am in favor of taking Dobson.  I like his size and we have enough smallish players.  He has good skill and should be able to be a power play dman as well.  I think he will play at around 6' 3" 210 lb.

[CanadianRugby]

Unless Benning has his eyes set on a specific player, maybe trade down a few spots and try to get a 2nd out of it. 

[Fateless]

13 minutes ago, Dazzle said:

Can you elaborate on this? There's enough scouting reports out there from credible analysts that suggest he is a good pick, like the other top 10 prospects that are found in the OP.

 

8 minutes ago, IBatch said:

So you refuse to educate yourself about him or just gave a gut feeling or don't like his name or number or something of the sort?  Its not really hype.

Over the last couple of years, the NHL has sped up significantly. We're starting to see the rise of smaller, faster players. There is a premium on speed that we haven't seen in a long time, if ever. I'm happy with this development because I believe the speed makes for better hockey. It excites me as a fan.

What is the biggest knock on Bouchard? His skating. The guy is not a great skater. Out of the other defensive prospects at the top of the draft, he's by far the slowest. I believe that he will be left behind by faster players and that he won't be able to translate his offensive prowess into the NHL because he won't be able to keep the puck out of his own net.

There's also concern about the competition he's playing against compared to his own personal development - the guy is already in a man's body and learned to use it. His points are inflated because of that. I wouldn't be surprised to see him struggle at the next level.

Ultimately I think Dahlin, Boqvist, Dobson, and Hughes are better defensive prospects and that all of them have a much lower chance of busting than Bouchard does. Some of that is personal belief and I'm aware that many professional scouts don't agree with me. If we end up picking him, I hope to God that I'm wrong about this.

I'd be willing to take the risk on Bouchard if the other four defensive prospects I named are gone and Benning believes we need to take a defensive prospect still. I'd be fine spending a 10th OA pick on a player like Bouchard. But at 7th OA, I believe there are better options.

[peaches5]

No way Detroit passes on Boqvist

[komodo0921]

One thing about JB is his unpredictability.

Last year he took Pettersson; a move no one saw coming.

The before that it was Jualevi when everyone was salivating over Tkachuk.

I could see this being another situation where he takes a player who may be a little lower on the board.

[peaches5]

2 minutes ago, komodo0921 said:

One thing about JB is his unpredictability.

Last year he took Pettersson; a move no one saw coming.

The before that it was Jualevi when everyone was salivating over Tkachuk.

I could see this being another situation where he takes a player who may be a little lower on the board.

let's not forget he took Jake Virtanen who was ranked 10+ at 5

[Dazzle]

Just now, Fateless said:

 

Over the last couple of years, the NHL has sped up significantly. We're starting to see the rise of smaller, faster players. There is a premium on speed that we haven't seen in a long time, if ever. I'm happy with this development because I believe the speed makes for better hockey. It excites me as a fan.

What is the biggest knock on Bouchard? His skating. The guy is not a great skater. Out of the other defensive prospects at the top of the draft, he's by far the slowest. I believe that he will be left behind by faster players and that he won't be able to translate his offensive prowess into the NHL because he won't be able to keep the puck out of his own net.

There's also concern about the competition he's playing against compared to his own personal development - the guy is already in a man's body and learned to use it. His points are inflated because of that. I wouldn't be surprised to see him struggle at the next level.

Ultimately I think Dahlin, Boqvist, Dobson, and Hughes are better defensive prospects and that all of them have a much lower chance of busting than Bouchard does. Some of that is personal belief and I'm aware that many professional scouts don't agree with me. If we end up picking him, I hope to God that I'm wrong about this.

I'd be willing to take the risk on Bouchard if the other four defensive prospects I named are gone and Benning believes we need to take a defensive prospect still. I'd be fine spending a 10th OA pick on a player like Bouchard. But at 7th OA, I believe there are better options.

https://thehockeywriters.com/evan-bouchard-2018-draft-value/

 

...

“Mete was their leader at the blue-line, chewed up huge chunks of ice time, ran the power play and gave the Knights something they don’t have a great deal of — a player that can lift fans out of their comfortable Budweiser Garden’s seats,” Dalla Costa wrote in October 2017.

However, Bouchard took matters into his own hands and currently ranks 4th among OHL skaters with 55 assists and is averaging points at a 1.3 clip. He has even been drawing comparisons to Washington Capitals all-star defensemen John Carlson according to Knights head coach Dale Hunter.

“They’re both offensive D and (Bouchard) is right there (at the same age),” Hunter said. “He’s big and strong. He can skate and shoot and he’s got a good head. The numbers may be there too. He’ll be right around there,” Hunter said to the London Free Press in early February.

That’s mighty praise coming from a hockey mind like Hunter’s. He coached Carlson with the London Knights during the 2008-2009 season when he posted 76 points in 59 games. Bouchard can set the pace of a game from the backend and is one of the best two-way defenders in this draft class."

 

Dale Hunter said that.

 

The difference between 3 picks isn't nearly as night and day as you make it seem to be.

 

By no means am I on the bandwagon for Bouchard. I'm actually pretty indifferent because they all sound like they're good. I've read stuff that Bouchard is 'indifferent' on the ice at times, which sounded a lot like Juolevi was, as well as hearing that he is a 'can't miss prospect'.

 

He probably isn't THAT slow.

 

 

[luckylager]

55 minutes ago, Fateless said:

 

Over the last couple of years, the NHL has sped up significantly. We're starting to see the rise of smaller, faster players. There is a premium on speed that we haven't seen in a long time, if ever. I'm happy with this development because I believe the speed makes for better hockey. It excites me as a fan.

What is the biggest knock on Bouchard? His skating. The guy is not a great skater. Out of the other defensive prospects at the top of the draft, he's by far the slowest. I believe that he will be left behind by faster players and that he won't be able to translate his offensive prowess into the NHL because he won't be able to keep the puck out of his own net.

There's also concern about the competition he's playing against compared to his own personal development - the guy is already in a man's body and learned to use it. His points are inflated because of that. I wouldn't be surprised to see him struggle at the next level.

Ultimately I think Dahlin, Boqvist, Dobson, and Hughes are better defensive prospects and that all of them have a much lower chance of busting than Bouchard does. Some of that is personal belief and I'm aware that many professional scouts don't agree with me. If we end up picking him, I hope to God that I'm wrong about this.

I'd be willing to take the risk on Bouchard if the other four defensive prospects I named are gone and Benning believes we need to take a defensive prospect still. I'd be fine spending a 10th OA pick on a player like Bouchard. But at 7th OA, I believe there are better options.

Brock and Bo had neg scouting reports on their skating, Bo sure used that as motivation, Boeser's skating is improving. You can coach skating, can't coach size or IQ. 

 

" 67 games with London, Bouchard led all CHL defenders with 87 points - outscoring top prospects like Kale Clague, Conor Timmins, Cal Foote and Juuso Valimaki. What makes his numbers even more impressive is the fact that, while he is an elite powerplay quarterback, Bouchard also led OHL defenders with 45 5v5 points."

 

 "In the OHL’s annual coaches poll, Bouchard was named the best offensive defenseman in the Western conference. He was also voted to have the hardest shot and placed second in the Best Shot category."

 

There are many, many other quotes and fancy stats showing he's the best defensive prospect in the OHL. I'm not sure how you know more than Pro scouts, but that's beside the point.

 

He's better than Dobson according to every report I've read and a far more complete player than Hughes, who has the biggest bust potential out of them all.

 

That said, I'm banging the Bouchard drum because I fully expect Boqvist to be gone,(the 5'11, 170lb, 17y/o Boqvist) 

 

no matter how it all shakes out, I'm sold on JB and will be very excited to see his pick at camp.

[komodo0921]

4 minutes ago, peaches5 said:

let's not forget he took Jake Virtanen who was ranked 10+ at 5

My only wish is that he parlay some of these lower ranked players into some extra pieces to drop down to a more logical spot. 

But then again, his wheeling and dealing can be suspect at times.

[JeremyCuddles]

2 hours ago, Alflives said:

And he’s almost a full year of growth younger than many of the kids in that draft.  A year from now, he might be 6’ and 190 lbs.  I really think, after reading CDC over the last while, Boquist is the Pettersson of this draft.  The kid has a very high ceiling.  

Kinda like what we expected from Liljegren at his draft 

[canuktravella]

boqvist size is fine hes 17 he might end up having a growth spurt and be 6’4  hell when i was 17 i was 5’7 and im 6’4 225 now  id pick him because hes almost a yr younger than the rest and has huge upside 

[Wise Owl]

2 hours ago, Alflives said:

And he’s almost a full year of growth younger than many of the kids in that draft.  A year from now, he might be 6’ and 190 lbs.  I really think, after reading CDC over the last while, Boquist is the Pettersson of this draft.  The kid has a very high ceiling.  

The nice thing is our scouting in Sweden is fantastic. You can bet no stone has gone un-turned about Boquist. They know everything about this kid. If he's available and they like him they will take him.

[Crabcakes]

1 hour ago, peaches5 said:

let's not forget he took Jake Virtanen who was ranked 10+ at 5

McKenzie had Virtanen at 7 and that's a consensus of 10 or more scouts.   So drafting him at 6 is not a surprise.

[Alflives]

31 minutes ago, N7Nucks said:

Kinda like what we expected from Liljegren at his draft 

I made those comparisons too, and worried Boquist, like Liljegren, would struggle transferring his offence to our tougher game.  But Boquist will not be the bust Liljegren is.  Boquist his a significantly higher hockey Q, and compete level.  

[Wise Owl]

1 hour ago, cripplereh said:

oh and according to Bob the leafs win the cup every year, so who cares what Bob says or thinks as he rarely has anything new to add to hockey and tells people what is there for all to see

But Bob doesn't give his opinion on this. He just averages out what nhl executives tell him.

[stawns]

2 hours ago, Fateless said:

I refuse to buy into the Bouchard hype. I think he's the one that some fool takes between 5 and 8 and in a re-draft the guy isn't even in the first round anymore.

I'm happy with any of Boqvist, Dobson, Hughes, or Wahlstrom. They're all fantastic picks.

I'm curious as to why?  

[Crabcakes]

2 minutes ago, Wise Owl said:

But Bob doesn't give his opinion on this. He just averages out what nhl executives scouts tell him.

ftfy

[JeremyCuddles]

Just now, Alflives said:

I made those comparisons too, and worried Boquist, like Liljegren, would struggle transferring his offence to our tougher game.  But Boquist will not be the bust Liljegren is.  Boquist his a significantly higher hockey Q, and compete level.  

What are you basing this off of? Cause from what I am reading of scouting reports he has very good hockey sense. None of them mention "lack of compete level" either.

[stawns]

1 hour ago, Dazzle said:

https://thehockeywriters.com/evan-bouchard-2018-draft-value/

 

...

“Mete was their leader at the blue-line, chewed up huge chunks of ice time, ran the power play and gave the Knights something they don’t have a great deal of — a player that can lift fans out of their comfortable Budweiser Garden’s seats,” Dalla Costa wrote in October 2017.

However, Bouchard took matters into his own hands and currently ranks 4th among OHL skaters with 55 assists and is averaging points at a 1.3 clip. He has even been drawing comparisons to Washington Capitals all-star defensemen John Carlson according to Knights head coach Dale Hunter.

“They’re both offensive D and (Bouchard) is right there (at the same age),” Hunter said. “He’s big and strong. He can skate and shoot and he’s got a good head. The numbers may be there too. He’ll be right around there,” Hunter said to the London Free Press in early February.

That’s mighty praise coming from a hockey mind like Hunter’s. He coached Carlson with the London Knights during the 2008-2009 season when he posted 76 points in 59 games. Bouchard can set the pace of a game from the backend and is one of the best two-way defenders in this draft class."

 

Dale Hunter said that.

 

The difference between 3 picks isn't nearly as night and day as you make it seem to be.

 

By no means am I on the bandwagon for Bouchard. I'm actually pretty indifferent because they all sound like they're good. I've read stuff that Bouchard is 'indifferent' on the ice at times, which sounded a lot like Juolevi was, as well as hearing that he is a 'can't miss prospect'.

 

He probably isn't THAT slow.

 

 

Mckenzie seems to think his skating is an asset, not a detriment