2017 NHL Draft -- General NHL Thread

[TrueBlueGED]

Any players who you want me to have "fail their physical" so they drop to eight?

 

Mittelstadt, Heiskanen, Makar. In no particular order.

[LGR4GM]

With the #54 or possibly #68 pick the Sabres select... maybe... if they want... 

 

Jarret Tyszka, 6'3" LHD 191lbs. Above average speed with excellent agility (according to reports) this guy is the type of player that I might take a chance on. I like him better at 68 but that depends on who is available at #54 (see David Farrance). He isn't a playmaker or a shooter but he does show flashes of both. His offensive game is just okay. On a stacked WHL team he had 25pts in 54 games. This is also his 2nd WHL season so ideally I would want to see more offense but he did improve from year 1 to year 2 in a significant way. Unfortunately he isn't a guy who will hold the puck and make under pressure, he will pass it away because that offensive part of the game is really not higher. Hence the reason he is at the end or beginning of the 3rd round. Players here have warts. 

 

Why should we even consider him then? He has a March 99 bday so that means he is in the middle in this class for age. That makes me a little more comfortable. Also everyone talks about his defensive game. He is physical in the corners and around the net. The big thing in scouting reports you want to read is "gap control". He has good gap control because he is agile and skates backwards very well. Physically in the defensive zone he is strong. He reminds me of a lesser Jake McCabe a little but I have honestly only seen some highlights. I have time this year to read but finding video not so much. 

 

 

 

Sabres current 2017 picks: 8 (1st), 37 (2nd), 54 (2nd), 68 (3rd), 89 (3rd), 99 (4th), 161 (6th), 192 (7th)

[3putt]

Mittelstadt, Heiskanen, Makar. In no particular order.

Yeah this.  And there will be no money involved but on your death bed you will receive total consciousness. So you have that going for you.  Which is nice.

[LGR4GM]

I'm realizing I am not a big fan of the forwards in that 45-65 range. They all seem either small and offensive gifted or bigger and question marks on the offensive end. I might look at the forwards in the 35-45 range to see if someone I like is there. 

[LGR4GM]

Kris Baker "No chance Cale Makar is there at #8, no chance" on the instigators right now. "I'm hearing he goes in the top 5". Baker speculated that Dallas will def take a defender with their pick. 

Edited May 31, 2017 by LGR4GM

[Derrico]

Kris Baker "No chance Cale Makar is there at #8, no chance" on the instigators right now. "I'm hearing he goes in the top 5". Baker speculated that Dallas will def take a defender with their pick. 

It'll be interesting to see if one of the 'big 3' dmen are available at 8 or if we go BPA forward.

[LGR4GM]

With the number #37 pick the Buffalo Sabres could select... Morgan Frost or Grant Mismash

 

Morgan Frost: 6' C(LHS) 170lbs. I want Frost. I want him because I think he fits perfectly with Jack Eichel in 2 years (yea I know a long time away). He is a good skater in all aspects. Fast, agile and motors his way everywhere. He is elusive and smart. Known as a playmaker, I think that fits Eichel perfectly because someone needs to be quick and smart to get jack the back when he needs it. Frost is solid in the defensive zone too. Scouting reports note his hockey IQ and ability to get in lanes and break up passes. One knock is he needs to get stronger to be more effective down low helping out his defenders. I really like him. He wears #16 and Jack is #15... seems perfect!

 

Grant Mismash: 6' C/LW 186lbs. Mismash is a mishmash (hehe) of agility and some speed mixed with an arsenal of shots. Everyone loves this kid's shot. He is also good at getting open and ready to receive a pass and take the shot. In addition he is good at the cycle game, solid on his skates. Very aggressive down low and can protect the puck and make the simple smart play. Doesn't force things. He sometimes is over the top in his physical game but honestly I am fine with that. I like a good physical winger. His defensive game is just ok. Tends to puck chase and basically everyone thinks he projects out to a "power winger' in the NHL. His defensive issues make it likely he will be a winger. Also he is good along the boards. He is going to college next year and had 61pts in 65 USDP games.

 

Either one of these guys at #38 if Jukiharju and Timmins are gone would make me feel warm and fuzzy. They seem dedicated to the game and hard workers. Either guy makes me happy.

It'll be interesting to see if one of the 'big 3' dmen are available at 8 or if we go BPA forward.

Baker seemed to think that Hiskainen was below Liljegren but just barely. Liked both and thought one could be there at #8 but the draft between #3 and #12 are all really close to each other. Edited May 31, 2017 by LGR4GM

[Randall Flagg]

Flagg's official draft preferences:
1.) Hischier

2.) Makar

3.) Heiskanen

4.) Mittelstadt 

5.) Vilardi

6.) Glass

7.) Liljegren

8.) Patrick

9.) Brannstrom

 

Don't care about/want the rest of the first rounders. Patrick would be 2nd if he had had more than one healthy season in his last six.

[dudacek]

I don't think Hirschier gets enough hype

[French Collection]

Thoughts on the 2008 combine. Bogosian blew away Erik Karlsson.

 

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/bogosian-vs-karlsson-cant-overvalue-nhl-combine/

[dudacek]

Bogo's a better player #becauseanalytics

[LGR4GM]

Thoughts on the 2008 combine. Bogosian blew away Erik Karlsson.

 

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/bogosian-vs-karlsson-cant-overvalue-nhl-combine/

The physical testing at the combine barely matters. The interviews are important.

[inkman]

The physical testing at the combine barely matters. The interviews are important.

Or the ability to actually play hockey. The testing doesn't even look remotely close to anything game related. I'm not sure why any stock is put into that garbage at all.

[LGR4GM]

Or the ability to actually play hockey. The testing doesn't even look remotely close to anything game related. I'm not sure why any stock is put into that garbage at all.

Let's know if there are any immediate physical problems or if you draft the guy what he should work on but that's about it.

[Brawndo]

Mittelstadt, Heiskanen, Makar. In no particular order.

I did what I could for 2 out of those 3

[thewookie1]

Any inside scoops Brawn?

[3putt]

I did what I could for 2 out of those 3

How big are those lads?

[Brawndo]

Makar has interviews with 29 out of 31 teams, Montreal and San Jose are the hold outs. He interviewed with Buffalo yesterday and felt it went very well. He is small in terms of height, but he is very muscular.

Wants to play one to two years at UMass before going pro.

He is confident but not cocky and was very at ease with everyone.

 

Middelstadt talked about how cool it was to play his high school state semi final in front of 20,000 people.

Has good size, needs to bulk up though.

 

Cody Glass is one tall dude.

 

Callan Foote has a quiet confidence and could not get over the fact that he was being discussed on GR this AM with Craig Button

 

San Jose and Detroit have the toughest interview process.

[3putt]

Good stuff thanks for sharing.

[JohnRobertEichel]

I think your top 8 is the closest thing to a consensus top 8 out there. Not the particular order, but just the guys: 3 D and 5 C.

 

Liljegren, Mittelstadt, and Glass are probably the only ones who have a realistic chance to fall to us at # 8.

 

 

Flagg's official draft preferences:
1.) Hischier

2.) Makar

3.) Heiskanen

4.) Mittelstadt 

5.) Vilardi

6.) Glass

7.) Liljegren

8.) Patrick

9.) Brannstrom

 

Don't care about/want the rest of the first rounders. Patrick would be 2nd if he had had more than one healthy season in his last six.

[LGR4GM]

The Great 8.

 

The player I see sliding into the top 8 not listed is Elias Pettersson. He's a 6'2" center but only 160ish lbs. Well regarded though with excellent skating, relentless back checking, and good offensive skills. Could be the steal of the draft depending on where he goes.

[Sabre fan]

while we are hot-to-trot to draft a good young defenceman we need help on the blueline now...so really it will be a situation again whereby we will probably just draft the best player available regardless of position. Hopefully that new GM of our's will get the blueline straightened out this summer...

[GASabresIUFAN]

People, including me, say some prospect(s) slips in the draft. Forsberg, and Chychrun are classic examples. However, is it possible that they didn't slip, but just weren't as highly ranked as the media thought?

[pi2000]

People, including me, say some prospect(s) slips in the draft. Forsberg, and Chychrun are classic examples. However, is it possible that they didn't slip, but just weren't as highly ranked as the media thought?

 

I still can't figure out why Chychrun fell.   He was a top prospect, outstanding character, great skater, physically mature, no injury concerns that I'm aware of.   He checked all the boxes,  I was hoping he would be BUFs pick at the time.     When it's all said and done, Nylander may end up the better player, but thought Chychrun was exactly the type of guy they were looking for.

[LGR4GM]

I still can't figure out why Chychrun fell.   He was a top prospect, outstanding character, great skater, physically mature, no injury concerns that I'm aware of.   He checked all the boxes,  I was hoping he would be BUFs pick at the time.     When it's all said and done, Nylander may end up the better player, but thought Chychrun was exactly the type of guy they were looking for.

Chychrun suffered from a bias in that he was good going into his draft year and then was under an intense microscope all year. He played to expectations and so people weren't as excited about him and he slid. I think scouts wanted to see more growth then they did. It was foolish of other teams to bypass on him but I think Nylander also slid a bit and we were smart to take him. Nylander "slid" slightly because his defensive game was very raw. Chychrun I think really suffered from being good early and then consistent. Recency bias as Botterill called it.