People say this year is a strong draft year. Well, I only see top 4 are foundational players.

[Ilunga]

On 2/16/2023 at 2:57 AM, Harold Drunken said:

100%, drafting is also about picking guys to compliment a lineup or add something your system doesn't have. Most drafts only have 3 or 4 players that can come in right away and make a difference. We obviously need to take the best players available, but they really need to stock up the back end if they can. There's aren't many Den ranked in the top 10, if any but I hope they can take one if the Islanders pick falls past 12. 

Not many draft's have any players that step into the NHL straight away and make an impact.

Look at all the hype around Slafkovsky and Wright last year.

Slafs got 10 points in 39 games and is now injured and Wright only played 8 games- 2 points, now he is back in the OHL. 

Jiricek only played 2 games however he is playing well in the AHL.

 

They are the only players to have played in the NHL from last year's draft. 

[MaxVerstappen33]

On 2/9/2023 at 10:21 PM, DeNiro said:

Also that’s assuming Michkov won’t drop. That’s far from a guarantee.

 

The team picking 4 or 5 might not wanna risk it and wait 3 years. 
 

Michkov could be had at 6 or later.

 

 

He could be bought out of his KHL contract. If he wanted to play here because we drafted him

[Sophomore Jinx]

Where we are sitting now, and dropping daily, maybe Brayden Yager out of MJW might be a good pick?

 

Or do we go after D man Pellikka? (I prefer Reinbacher, but I doubt he will go after 10OA)

 

McKenzie has Yager ranked at #7, others in the 9-15+ range...he might be one of those anomalies that drop too...

 

He does need to pack on the lbs,, but he is a 2-way centreman with a wicked, accurate shot as well as possessing a good compete level.

 

He's average in other things like skating/passing, but those are learnable.

[cripplereh]

Thing is drafted players are so much better every year as more and more learn better puck control and training itself. 

 

I assume more drafts year and year after will be like this.  

 

But not all pan out and some laters do.That will always be a thing.

[The Lock]

Considering there are drafts with NO foundational players to speak of before the draft, 4's rather good. lol

Edited April 3, 2023 by The Lock

[iceman64]

As long as we wind up with a forward at BPA who can be traded for D if we don't get to pick one OR the right one whatever, then I'm happy, obviously that's our weak point so we need to load up so at some point we finally balance out and the forwards buy all in for a 200' game then we might actually get somewhere for a change.. this is getting ridiculous.. 

 Trying to out score opponents all the time because we can't keep the puck out of our own net is getting old and doesn't work.

 Not to mention a good roster D isn't enough, we need depth there too and that would be weird to see (for once) I can't even remember us having any at all, ever. 

Make it so PA! You can do this! 

Toughen us up too btw! 

[iceman64]

On 3/28/2023 at 3:35 PM, Sophomore Jinx said:

Where we are sitting now, and dropping daily, maybe Brayden Yager out of MJW might be a good pick?

 

Or do we go after D man Pellikka? (I prefer Reinbacher, but I doubt he will go after 10OA)

 

McKenzie has Yager ranked at #7, others in the 9-15+ range...he might be one of those anomalies that drop too...

 

He does need to pack on the lbs,, but he is a 2-way centreman with a wicked, accurate shot as well as possessing a good compete level.

 

He's average in other things like skating/passing, but those are learnable.

Actually after just reading some articles and someone pointed out that there's so many forwards available that are top end that Reinbacher could be available to us and I wouldn't be disappointed at all if we got him. 

 

His D needs work but what 18 year old's doesn't need work right? Plus he's not small at 6'2 either. 

 Has a good upside of a elite stick and good at stripping the puck off a opponent as well and a really good shot. Other things he's "ok" at like his skating and passing but that's what development looks after. 

 It's a mind bender though, our lottery draft luck sucks A$$ so if we did get him that might turn into a huge win for us if he pans out that is... Who knows but if I were PA I'd take a shot as we'll probably pick somewhere from 9-12 OA range.

 

[J-Dizzle]

On 4/3/2023 at 10:47 PM, iceman64 said:

Actually after just reading some articles and someone pointed out that there's so many forwards available that are top end that Reinbacher could be available to us and I wouldn't be disappointed at all if we got him. 

 

His D needs work but what 18 year old's doesn't need work right? Plus he's not small at 6'2 either. 

 Has a good upside of a elite stick and good at stripping the puck off a opponent as well and a really good shot. Other things he's "ok" at like his skating and passing but that's what development looks after. 

 It's a mind bender though, our lottery draft luck sucks A$$ so if we did get him that might turn into a huge win for us if he pans out that is... Who knows but if I were PA I'd take a shot as we'll probably pick somewhere from 9-12 OA range.

 

I believe Button’s latest list has Reinbacher as the third best D in this draft… not that Button is the be all end all, but it does show that perhaps the depth of defencemen in this draft may leave something to be desired up front. 

[iceman64]

On 4/5/2023 at 7:09 PM, J-Dizzle said:

I believe Button’s latest list has Reinbacher as the third best D in this draft… not that Button is the be all end all, but it does show that perhaps the depth of defencemen in this draft may leave something to be desired up front. 

Well everyone has a opinion of what they like or don't like in a player but the main thing we need is size, we need net clearing and guys not afraid to hit so they think twice about touching the puck in our zone as they "expect" to be hit and do. 

 And Demko as any other goalie can't stop what they can't see so screens have to be removed out of the way and we need players with some size who can do that. If it was up to me, 1 big stay at home paired with a O minded pmd, because as a smaller D corps might do ok during the season but WILL get crushed in the playoffs as they always do. 

 Time for things to change around that issue, I'm not a huge Myers fan but if and when he goes, we have to have someone at least decent sized to take his place.  That's a big reason why I hoped Guddy and Tryamkin would have worked out long term. No dice there but maybe sooner than later if Tocchet gets his way, he sees the value in it. 

[Diamonds]

On 4/5/2023 at 7:09 PM, J-Dizzle said:

I believe Button’s latest list has Reinbacher as the third best D in this draft… not that Button is the be all end all, but it does show that perhaps the depth of defencemen in this draft may leave something to be desired up front. 

I think people saying this draft is weak for defencemen is getting overstated because it doesn't have a clear top-end defenseman. There are however a lot of defensemen expected to go in the late 1st round and the 2nd round that in most years with fewer high end forwards would likely go in the 1st round. There could still be a number of good NHL defencemen that come from this draft, but the strength of a team's scouting department might be a big factor.