2021 NHL Entry Draft

[Wolfgang Durst]

7 hours ago, HighOnHockey said:

Trying to get a better handle on Clarke's defensive play. Head-to-head situations give a better idea of how the player will fair against other elite players, the kind he's likely to be up against in the NHL someday, and especially if he's at the top of the lineup drawing top matchups

 

So I looked at him in the gold medal game vs. Russia's top line. Note this is a powerhouse line. Svechkov is a likely top 15 pick for this year, Miroshnichenko (hereafter Miro) is very probably a top 5 pick for 2022, and Yurov is possible top 5, certainly top 15 for 2022.
 

Opening shift he has a poke on Miro and then plays Yurov well down low.
 

Eliminates Miro on the boards, but Miro still chips it over to continue the zone entry.
 

Again he fails to eliminate the rush against Miro. Two on three he maybe could have stepped up sooner, but I guess you have to respect Miro's speed and power to beat you along the wall? Shortly after he has a stick lift on Miro in front and then a poke on Svechkov.
 

A bump on Svechkov knocks the puck loose and then a poke on Yurov for the exit.
 

This one is the most troublesome. Starts with the poke on Miro. But then Svechkov do what he do, draws the defenseman in and finds the lane.

Thanks for your work and passion.

First of all I would like to mention that some scouting reports explicitly state that Clarke's defensive game is a work in progress. 

GM's try to envision what player a prospect can become in 2-3 years from now based on the scouting reports from their scouts. I guarantee you that almost every prospect in this years draft has its weaknesses / areas that need improvement.

More important is:

1. Can this specific weakness / some weaknesses be resolved with continued training / development?

2. Is the prospect well aware of the areas that need improvement?

3. Does the prospect have the work ethic and the stamina to work on these areas continuously?

 

In this regard I really like Kent Johnson. His coach said about Kent Johnson that he is the most improved player on the University of Michigan team once the season 2020/2021 wrapped up. He worked on his skating with a special coach to get better in this area.

If I remember correctly Jim Benning said about Joni Jurmo's defensive game that this is an area which needs improvement and that it can be improved with proper and continous training.

 

[Off_The_Schneid!]

1 hour ago, nzan said:

So maybe he still has Raty in his top 5?

Ratys season wasn’t overly effected by Covid. I was thinking more CHL players 

Chaz Lucius is interesting, they might have some in inside knowledge on him. 

 

 

[Alflives]

1 hour ago, Wolfgang Durst said:

Thanks for your work and passion.

First of all I would like to mention that some scouting reports explicitly state that Clarke's defensive game is a work in progress. 

GM's try to envision what player a prospect can become in 2-3 years from now based on the scouting reports from their scouts. I guarantee you that almost every prospect in this years draft has its weaknesses / areas that need improvement.

More important is:

1. Can this specific weakness / some weaknesses be resolved with continued training / development?

2. Is the prospect well aware of the areas that need improvement?

3. Does the prospect have the work ethic and the stamina to work on these areas continuously?

 

In this regard I really like Kent Johnson. His coach said about Kent Johnson that he is the most improved player on the University of Michigan team once the season 2020/2021 wrapped up. He worked on his skating with a special coach to get better in this area.

If I remember correctly Jim Benning said about Joni Jurmo's defensive game that this is an area which needs improvement and that it can be improved with proper and continous training.

 

Players, especially young bean poles like Clarke, can improve their skating because they are getting stronger as they mature.  My questions are can a guy who is questioned for his character (I think that’s his willingness to compete on and off the ice) improve that, or is that just who guys are?  And can a guy improve his Hockey sense?  Guys like Broberg (Oilers) Jurmo (us) and Edvinson (?) are low hockey IQ guys.  Can they get smarter?  

 

[Nucker 67]

I'm not sure how much trading up or down teams will do, this year's Draft is all over the place and no one really knows who the BPAs are. If VAN trades down a few spots to try and get Ceulemans, who's to say he doesn't go at #10, or even sooner? Benning said they have 9 players they really like, so he'll stand pat at #9 and take that guy, whoever he is. 

[Nucker 67]

Benning's 9?

 

1. Power

2. Beniers

3. Eklund

4. McTavish

5. Clarke

6. Hughes

7. Edvinsson

8. Raty

9. Ceulemans

 

Team needs a real good C or D

 

 

 

[Nucker 67]

The more I think about how long it takes for Dmen to develop and be NHL ready, the more I'm starting to feel that they take a Forward at #9. Ceulemans might be the exception, but even if they take Ceulemans, his style is similar to Cale Makar (but not as good), apparently, so do they eventually trade Rathbone? There was an article (rumour) that the Canucks were targeting a C, and I believe that will happen.

 

We all seem to be saying McTavish, Eklund or Johnson, but won't people be surprised when VAN takes LUCIUS. I'd be happy with that pick, and it would bolster the Canucks C depth a bit. 

 

Mike G. Morreale - NHL.com - Apr. 23rd: "Lucius has one of the hardest shots of the 2021 draft class ... A mobile and relentless player around the net."

Tony Ferrari - Dobber Prospects - Mar. 8: "His ability to score in a variety of ways is special whether it’s a big one-timer or a cheeky move in front of the net. His hands are flashy and there are moments where the young NTDP star takes you out of your seat."

 

Josh Bell - FC Hockey - Feb. 10th: "Highlighted by arguably the best shot in this class, Lucius is an intelligent player who knows how to get to the net and get the puck over the goal line."

Cam Robinson - Dobber Prospects - : "He’s large, he’s active, he shows up in big-game moments. Already looking overly comfortable in the SHL. The sky’s the limit here."

 

Cam Robinson - Dobber Prospects - : "A play-creation expert who has nifty hands that can manipulate small spaces. Has the innate ability to ‘feel’ a play. Soft saucers, snap passes, the odd hook dish."

[Alflives]

2 minutes ago, NUCKER67 said:

The more I think about how long it takes for Dmen to develop and be NHL ready, the more I'm starting to feel that they take a Forward at #9. Ceulemans might be the exception, but even if they take Ceulemans, his style is similar to Cale Makar (but not as good), apparently, so do they eventually trade Rathbone? There was an article (rumour) that the Canucks were targeting a C, and I believe that will happen.

 

We all seem to be saying McTavish, Eklund or Johnson, but won't people be surprised when VAN takes LUCIUS. I'd be happy with that pick, and it would bolster the Canucks C depth a bit. 

 

Mike G. Morreale - NHL.com - Apr. 23rd: "Lucius has one of the hardest shots of the 2021 draft class ... A mobile and relentless player around the net."

Tony Ferrari - Dobber Prospects - Mar. 8: "His ability to score in a variety of ways is special whether it’s a big one-timer or a cheeky move in front of the net. His hands are flashy and there are moments where the young NTDP star takes you out of your seat."

 

Josh Bell - FC Hockey - Feb. 10th: "Highlighted by arguably the best shot in this class, Lucius is an intelligent player who knows how to get to the net and get the puck over the goal line."

Cam Robinson - Dobber Prospects - : "He’s large, he’s active, he shows up in big-game moments. Already looking overly comfortable in the SHL. The sky’s the limit here."

 

Cam Robinson - Dobber Prospects - : "A play-creation expert who has nifty hands that can manipulate small spaces. Has the innate ability to ‘feel’ a play. Soft saucers, snap passes, the odd hook dish."

Cuelemans only similarity to Maka is they both played in the AJHL.  Ceulemans is a lot bigger, and plays defensively way better.  He’s already superior to Makar in his play away from the puck.  He brings some nasty too.  Love to get Ceulemans.  He’s more a comparable to a young Shea Weber.  

[Gawdzukes]

1 hour ago, NUCKER67 said:

I'm not sure how much trading up or down teams will do, this year's Draft is all over the place and no one really knows who the BPAs are. If VAN trades down a few spots to try and get Ceulemans, who's to say he doesn't go at #10, or even sooner? Benning said they have 9 players they really like, so he'll stand pat at #9 and take that guy, whoever he is. 

Yeah, I don't like the extra asset route. Like a trade always try to get the best player. Trading down for a 20% chance at a mediocre player isn't worth possibly missing out on a genuine player in the first place. And like you said. If he likes 9 players we are in the perfect spot to guarantee a player we want.

Edited July 5, 2021 by Gawdzukes

[Nucker 67]

 

12 minutes ago, Alflives said:

Cuelemans only similarity to Maka is they both played in the AJHL.  Ceulemans is a lot bigger, and plays defensively way better.  He’s already superior to Makar in his play away from the puck.  He brings some nasty too.  Love to get Ceulemans.  He’s more a comparable to a young Shea Weber.  

 

NHL Potential

Ceulemans is a much rawer player than Makar was at his age, which has some scouts concerned over his long-term potential. Defensive issues and play off the puck have many worried that he won’t be able to transition well into the professional ranks. He has the potential to become a top-pairing offensive, rushing defenseman, but at this point, is more likely to become a middle-pairing defender who can run a power play.

 

This is the Top 6 I want to see one day

 

Pettersson - Horvat - Boeser

Hoglander - Lucius - Podkolzin

[HighOnHockey]

48 minutes ago, Wolfgang Durst said:

Thanks for your work and passion.

First of all I would like to mention that some scouting reports explicitly state that Clarke's defensive game is a work in progress. 

GM's try to envision what player a prospect can become in 2-3 years from now based on the scouting reports from their scouts. I guarantee you that almost every prospect in this years draft has its weaknesses / areas that need improvement.

More important is:

1. Can this specific weakness / some weaknesses be resolved with continued training / development?

2. Is the prospect well aware of the areas that need improvement?

3. Does the prospect have the work ethic and the stamina to work on these areas continuously?

 

In this regard I really like Kent Johnson. His coach said about Kent Johnson that he is the most improved player on the University of Michigan team once the season 2020/2021 wrapped up. He worked on his skating with a special coach to get better in this area.

If I remember correctly Jim Benning said about Joni Jurmo's defensive game that this is an area which needs improvement and that it can be improved with proper and continous training.

 

To me the most improved player in the draft since 2019 U17s when I first saw many of them, has been Mason McTavish. He didn't look like anything special to me at the time, looked like a player who was content to wait for the play to come to him, but now he's making plays happen practically every shift.

 

I actually think Clarke is the better defender than Luke Hughes and certainly Edvinsson. Typically he is at his best defending the neutral zone in transition. He's another player who's made enormous improvement since U17s. At that tournament he wasn't needed to be a rover and his role was more of a two-way defenseman, staying back more, making great breakout plays but rarely carrying the puck up ice or directly creating offense himself. In Slovakia he was forced to make major adjustments, particularly to the size and strength of opponents, but also to the level of offensive skill and deceptiveness. At the junior level I thought he was a really solid defender, but he was definitely exposed in his own zone at times by experienced pro hockey players. But he also added this new element to his game: he'd always had a reputation as an offensive defenseman, but he took it to a whole new level down the stretch in Slovakia, constantly carrying the puck through the neutral zone, beating forecheckers, walking the offensive blueline with so much skill and poise he would shake off defending forwards like a minor nuisance.  Probably this was a bit more what he was in GTHL and he toned it down when he made the step up to junior, and we likely would have seen it come out in Barrie this year, but to do what he did against pros in Slovakia was pretty incredible.

 

I like your point about GMs trying to envision what prospects can become. NHL scouts are obviously all really good at assessing what players are right now, but abstracting to what they could be in five years is a bit of a different skillset. But I don't think it is something you can do just by reading reports, it takes a higher level of familiarity with the players, so I think that is more the role of the scouting director and head scouts.

[Alflives]

2 minutes ago, NUCKER67 said:

 

 

NHL Potential

Ceulemans is a much rawer player than Makar was at his age, which has some scouts concerned over his long-term potential. Defensive issues and play off the puck have many worried that he won’t be able to transition well into the professional ranks. He has the potential to become a top-pairing offensive, rushing defenseman, but at this point, is more likely to become a middle-pairing defender who can run a power play.

 

This is the Top 6 I want to see one day

 

Pettersson - Horvat - Boeser

Hoglander - Lucius - Podkolzin

Makar is great with the puck, but horrid without it.  

[Alflives]

1 minute ago, HighOnHockey said:

To me the most improved player in the draft since 2019 U17s when I first saw many of them, has been Mason McTavish. He didn't look like anything special to me at the time, looked like a player who was content to wait for the play to come to him, but now he's making plays happen practically every shift.

 

I actually think Clarke is the better defender than Luke Hughes and certainly Edvinsson. Typically he is at his best defending the neutral zone in transition. He's another player who's made enormous improvement since U17s. At that tournament he wasn't needed to be a rover and his role was more of a two-way defenseman, staying back more, making great breakout plays but rarely carrying the puck up ice or directly creating offense himself. In Slovakia he was forced to make major adjustments, particularly to the size and strength of opponents, but also to the level of offensive skill and deceptiveness. At the junior level I thought he was a really solid defender, but he was definitely exposed in his own zone at times by experienced pro hockey players. But he also added this new element to his game: he'd always had a reputation as an offensive defenseman, but he took it to a whole new level down the stretch in Slovakia, constantly carrying the puck through the neutral zone, beating forecheckers, walking the offensive blueline with so much skill and poise he would shake off defending forwards like a minor nuisance.  Probably this was a bit more what he was in GTHL and he toned it down when he made the step up to junior, and we likely would have seen it come out in Barrie this year, but to do what he did against pros in Slovakia was pretty incredible.

 

I like your point about GMs trying to envision what prospects can become. NHL scouts are obviously all really good at assessing what players are right now, but abstracting to what they could be in five years is a bit of a different skillset. But I don't think it is something you can do just by reading reports, it takes a higher level of familiarity with the players, so I think that is more the role of the scouting director and head scouts.

Maybe McTavish improved dramatically because he matured into a more man-like body sooner than his peers?  I really like MacT but think he’s closer to his ceiling than a lot of the other guys.  Many of these other players still have a lot of maturing to do.  

[HighOnHockey]

1 minute ago, Alflives said:

Maybe McTavish improved dramatically because he matured into a more man-like body sooner than his peers?  I really like MacT but think he’s closer to his ceiling than a lot of the other guys.  Many of these other players still have a lot of maturing to do.  

Nope. He was already 196 at U17s. I had the same criticism at that time. He was a bull there, able to physically impose his will all over the ice. He's added a legit high-end playmaking element to his game. I still think there is definitely something to the point you're making, but lets just make sure we're straight about the facts.

[Alflives]

1 minute ago, HighOnHockey said:

Nope. He was already 196 at U17s. I had the same criticism at that time. He was a bull there, able to physically impose his will all over the ice. He's added a legit high-end playmaking element to his game. I still think there is definitely something to the point you're making, but lets just make sure we're straight about the facts.

What facts?  The guy has a full beard already.  The fact is he’s clearly more physically mature than many of his peers.  He’s going early anyway.  It’s moot (or moo for many here.) 

[HighOnHockey]

Just now, Alflives said:

What facts?  The guy has a full beard already.  The fact is he’s clearly more physically mature than many of his peers.  He’s going early anyway.  It’s moot (or moo for many here.) 

The fact is your speculation was false. You guessed that the improvement came from his physical maturity. But he was already a giant at 16.

[Alflives]

7 minutes ago, HighOnHockey said:

The fact is your speculation was false. You guessed that the improvement came from his physical maturity. But he was already a giant at 16.

   Good try. 

Edited July 5, 2021 by Alflives

[Nucker 67]

As much as I'd love to get McTavish, I don't believe he'll still be around at #9. He's a hot tamali these days, so I expect he'll be gone early, possibly Top 3. 

 

Power

Beniers

McTavish

Eklund

Clarke

 

will all be gone

 

Imagine the puns....   Wow! Chaz with the de-Lucius pass to Podkolzin for the goal!  

 

 

[JM_]

30 minutes ago, HighOnHockey said:

I like your point about GMs trying to envision what prospects can become. NHL scouts are obviously all really good at assessing what players are right now, but abstracting to what they could be in five years is a bit of a different skillset. But I don't think it is something you can do just by reading reports, it takes a higher level of familiarity with the players, so I think that is more the role of the scouting director and head scouts.

thats a really interesting point. This is certainly where interviews come into play, also coach-ability, work ethic, family history, and how coaches view them in a teams leadership group would be really important. And then just good old gut feel/eye test of experienced hockey people. And then just plain old luck. 

 

Edited July 5, 2021 by Jimmy McGill

[Bure_Pavel]

Canucks are in a really good spot at 9, and should be able to get a premier prospect. Hoping one of the top six below fall into our lap. 

 

1. Power

2. Beniers

3. Eklund

4. Clarke

5. Hughes

6. Johnson

7. McTavish

8. Edvinsson

9. Guenther

10. Wallstedt

 

 

[J.I.A.H.N]

55 minutes ago, Alflives said:

What facts?  The guy has a full beard already.  The fact is he’s clearly more physically mature than many of his peers.  He’s going early anyway.  It’s moot (or moo for many here.) 

Hey, you have a full beard, sorta

And it is obvious that you have not matured!