2024 NHL Draft Thread

[Badgers Nose]

Originally Posted by The Cobra

I doubt the pieces they add will be at the level of Hanafin, Lindlolm, Tanev and Zadorov.

UFA’s will not have Calgary at the top of their lists, especially since Conroy has indicated he’ll be looking for shorter term players.

Especially if Markstrom is moved.

I’m not sure where Vancouver finished last year is particularly relevant, as we don’t have elite pieces like Petterson, Hughes, Miller etc. on our team.

IMO the adds are probably going to come in the way of salary dumps from other teams (that come with kids or picks), and FAs that linger on the market. They won’t be Lindholm or Hanifin level.

Agree that Vancouver is not a comparable.

Flames are years away from being one game away from the Western final.

I’m hoping we can get more picks by taking salaries. And trading Marky of course. Anything to get more prospects in the system now and the next couple of drafts!

[TOfan]

Originally Posted by Bonded

Yeah, not sure what Weegar’s value is like with his contract but Andersson should be worth a top 15 pick.

The dots I’m trying to connect there are with Ottawa, specifically. They need RHS D and Weegar is from Ottawa, believe his name has come up around the Senators before. His cap hit is pretty good. Term may put a wet blanket on it but he’s been good. Further, there’s a lot of smoke they will move a LHS D, so they may have some assets coming back.

[TOfan]

Originally Posted by Robbob

You don't need to add a pick. Just the retention on Markstrom is worth around a 29th. Just look at what Kuemper and Miller brought back in their trades. Both were also UFAs, so the retention on Markstrom for a couple seasons is worth something.

Mentioned in before, but the pick value for NJs 10th is doable for the Markstrom 50% retained and the Vancouver pick. If the retention is worth a 29th and the Vancouver is about the same, the value gap is a high 2nd round pick, which Markstrom is worth more than that if you look at the Kuemper and Miller trades.

If the flames can trade Markstrom retained and Van 1st for 10OA, I’d make that move.

….that said, the Flames place high value on salary retention. Otherwise, a deal would have already been done from the sounds of things.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Goalie Edition, Vol. 10):

LHG Ilya Nabokov, 6'1",179lbs

Metallurg Magnitogorsk (KHL): 43gp, 23-13-3, 2.15 GAA, .930 SV%
Metallurg Magnitogorsk (Playoffs): 23gp, 16-6-0, 1.82 GAA, .942 SV%

Ilya Nabokov (no relation to any other famous Nabokov) turned 21 in March, but he's still eligible to be drafted into the NHL this year, and he's getting some buzz- even getting some love from Central Scouting, who have ranked him the #2 Goaltender from Europe. This season as a rookie in the KHL, he was named Playoff MVP after leading Metallurg Magnitogorsk to their 3rd Gagarin Cup win in franchise history. Nabokov won KHL Rookie of the Year honors along the way, and trails only Ilya Sorokin and Ilya Samsonov for the best season statistically by a U21 goalie in the history of the KHL. Nabby also holds the record for youngest goalie ever to record a shutout in the Gagarin Cup Finals. The bar seems to be set higher for smaller goalies, so one can theorize that he was never drafted due to size (he is actually 6'0.5"). It's not like he came out of nowhere though, as his stats from the last three years in the MHL are pristine- going back to 2020-21, his SV % has never dipped below .925. He is under contract with Metallurg for one more year.

Nabokov wields infallible positioning, and moves smoothly and quickly in the butterfly position. He owns a wide stance with supernatural knee flexion, and is fast and agile in his crease, with full control. He can dart from post to post in a heartbeat, and will telescope to the top of the crease to challenge shooters. He's quite stable, and stays in position, but will make little micro-adjustments to stay perfectly square to attackers, and recovers to his feet with lightning speed after being down in the butterfly in order to be set to make saves on second-chances. Nabokov is a battler, and shows determination in never giving up on a play, and will make diving, acrobatic, desperation saves when his technique fails him. Many young Russian goalies seem to struggle with consistency, but that is not true of this kid- he's the model of stability and dependability. He shows poise and patience, and remains calm. The top of the net is protected by his nimble hands- his blocker and glove are both strong, and he is blessed with exceptional reflexes. He is proficient in sealing off the bottom of the net with his quick feet and amazing flexibility. He is an excellent puchandler, and can make long-range breakout passes- he even has a few assists to his credit this season. Most of Nabokov's game is predicated on his elite athleticism.

While it's true that Nabokov played for a very good team with a system that would be advantageous to a goalie, his expected goals per goal conceded was 1.55- which is considered to be outstanding, and is proof that he played well above expectations. If one wants to nitpick his game, they could say that he needs to work a bit on his vertical movement, or that he needs to upgrade his anticipation, as he sometimes appears to be behind the play. This is a player who might be a big steal for the team that drafts him, as many think he has starting goalie potential. I believe he could be drafted anywhere from the 2nd round to the 4th.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Goalie Edition, Vol. 11):

LHG Pavel Moysevich, 6'5",176lbs

SKA- St. Petersburg (KHL): 13gp, 3-2-2, 1.25 GAA, .942 SV%
SKA- St. Petersburg (Playoffs): 1gp, 0-1-0, 1.21 GAA, .941 SV%
SKA- Neva St. Petersburg (VHL): 19gp, 10-7-2, 2.31 GAA, .927 SV%
SKA-1946 St. Petersburg (MHL Playoffs): 10gp, 8-2-0, 1.93 GAA, .946 SV%

Big 19 year-old Belarussian Pavel Moysevich was passed over in last years draft, but an eye-opening season has him ranked the #4 European Goalie in this year's draft by Central Scouting. Though he posted the highest SV% in the KHL, he was basically a back-up who was given mop-up duty. When his season in the KHL was done, he was sent down to the MHL, Russia's junior league, and he responded by leading SKA-1946 St. Petersburg to a Kharlamov Cup Championship.

Moysevich's positioning is top-notch, and he stays square to shooters at all times, covering a ton of net, even when down in the butterfly position. He seals off the bottom of the net quite well, using his pads and his extra long legs that move lightning quick, and flare out for extra coverage. His vertical speed is blindingly quick, and he moves well when in the butterfly, positioning his stick to cover his five-hole. He's ultra-competitive, and never gives up on a play, battling with second, and third efforts to keep the puck out of the net. He will make the desperation, acrobatic saves when his technique isn't enough. He's usually back in his net with an upright stance, but he will explode out to the top of the crease to challenge shooters. Moysevich is perhaps not the most athletic netminder, but he moves around his crease quite well for a big man, and looks light on his feet when rocketing from post-to-post.

Going forward, Moysevich will need to address his hand-speed, as there's a perception that both his glove hand and blocker are a little sluggish. He can easily see over traffic in front of his net, but he has problems finding the puck through screens, and can lose sight of the puck on rebounds. It may be because he's so lanky, but he has a number of holes in his torso that pucks can sneak through, so he'll be wise to learn to close them off quicker. Moysevich has the size that teams covet, and he carries big-time potential. I'm guessing he'll be taken off the board anytime between the 3rd, and 5th round.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Goalie Edition, Vol. 12):

LHG Nicholas Kempf, 6'2",190lbs

NTDP: 37gp, 23-7-0, 2.99 GAA, .897 SV%
U-18 (Team USA): 6gp, 5-1-0, 1.89 GAA, .919 SV%

Nicholas Kempf is a polarizing prospect to say the least, with some saying that the numbers don't tell the story and that he's one of the best goalies in the draft- others say that he's worth a late-round pick at best. Either way, his play this season against USHL competition wasn't very good, despite playing on a talented NTDP team that often limited the number of shots he faced. He looked good for the most part at the U-18's, but struggled against the stronger teams, being pulled in the game against Finland, and giving up 5 goals against Team Canada.

Kempf has strong skills with a ton of raw potential. He's an athletic hybrid goalie who is positionally sound, and technically proficient who plays the angles well. He aggressively challenges shooters, and knows how to get in the way of shots, with the ability to make the net smaller by cutting down angles. He keeps himself square to shooters, and makes micro-adjustments along the way to stay in the right position. Kempf is very athletic, which saves him when he commits errors, and he can move around the crease rapidly. He is mobile when down in the butterfly position, and doesn't overslide. He's highly competitive, and a battler, and never quits on a play- he will make desperation stops, and second-chance saves. He's smart in making astute reads with calmness and confidence, and seems to have pretty good hockey sense in predicting where the play is going. He's patient in waiting for the shooter to make the first move, and he scans his surroundings with his head on a swivel to identify threats. He's infallible in his ability to seal up his posts, and he does the same in flaring out his legs to take away the bottom of the net- he's flexible and his long limbs take up a lot of real estate. His hands look fast as well, and I didn't notice any real weakness in his glove or blocker- if there's a weakness it exists between his ears.

Kempf has an issue tracking pucks as they come at him, and he has a tendency to go down in the butterfly too early. His rebound control needs work, but he can also lose sight of the puck after making a stop, so he needs to track the puck into the save a lot better. There are times that he can overplay his angles when moving laterally, so he needs to learn more control in his movements. There are plenty of little details in his game that will need to be cleaned up before he can turn pro. Kempf is very raw, and needs plenty of polishing- and he'll get time to develop at the University of Notre Dame, where he is committed for the 2025-26 season. Look for him in the 4th, or 5th round.

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Goalie Edition, Vol. 13):

LHG Jakub Milota, 6'2",168lbs

Cape Breton (QMJHL): 33gp, 18-11-1, 2.82 GAA, .905 SV%
U-18 (Czechia): 5gp, 2-3-0, 3.05 GAA, .882 SV%
Hlinka (Czechia): 4gp, 2-2-0, 2.55 GAA, .889 SV%

Jakub Milota was a first-round pick of the Cape Breton Eagles in the 2023 CHL Import Draft, and was named to the QMJHL Rookie All-Star Team this season, after posting the ninth-best save percentage in the league. Milota's U-18 Tournament was marred by his performance against Team Canada, allowing 4 goals on 9 shots before being pulled. As a testament to his mental fortitude, he rebounded nicely the next game against Team Sweden, making 26 saves in a 3-2 shootout win and being named Czechia's Player of the Game.

Milota is hyper-aggressive, with a game that revolves around his speed in the crease. He moves with uncommon pace, anticipates shots keenly, and makes stops with his lightning-quick reaction time. He's extremely athletic, employing fluid lateral movement, going post-to-post in a flash with strong, controlled pushes. His body is very bendable, with long legs and knee flexion. He owns his crease, moving around efficiently, and has mobility when in the butterfly, without oversliding. He goes up and down vertically with fluidity, and splays his legs out for extra coverage. His post-game is flawless, sealing it up with a well-practiced RVH position that he moves into seamlessly, giving puck-carriers no net. His recovery speed is a major facet of his game, and he exhibits good habits in performance of this skill, being able to return to standing position at a high rate of speed, and getting back to being square to the puck- he does this well when giving up rebounds. Milota challenges shooters in the slot, and exerts patience in waiting for them to make the first move.

Milota can give up rebounds into dangerous areas of the ice near the net, but his recoveries usually save him. Still, he will need to clean up his rebound control, also because he can sometimes lose sight of the puck in this scenario. He doesn't do well when the puck goes behind the net, because he doesn't shoulder-check well enough. This hurts him in situations where he's at the top of the crease being aggressive, and fails to notice a back-door threat. All-in-all, I think Milota is an underrated goalie but I see him coming off the board in the 5th, or 6th round. He has potential, though.

[1qqaaz]

Those Russian goalies are pretty interesting. The Flames should probably use another mid round pick on a goalie. These guys look like they could have some upside.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by 1qqaaz

Those Russian goalies are pretty interesting. The Flames should probably use another mid round pick on a goalie. These guys look like they could have some upside.

I saw there is another goalie with the last name Yegorov in this years draft. We should definitely get him. Just because in the off chance both became NHL goalies, it would be funny to have a Yegorov-Yegorov tandem in net. This is why I could never be a GM. I would be too tempted to do stuff like that.

Just like I am super jealous that Colorado has a prospect in their system named Ivan Ivan. If we make any trades with Colorado, I would insist he is part of the return.

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by 1qqaaz

Those Russian goalies are pretty interesting. The Flames should probably use another mid round pick on a goalie. These guys look like they could have some upside.

It will be very interesting to see where the goalies go. My theory is that the two Finnish kids will be taken first, but those Russians are wildcards. Carter George and Yegorov are wildcards too. I could see a team liking any one of the six enough to grab them in the second round, before other team get them.

[Monahammer]

Really hope we take a swing on nabokov with one of the 3rds if he's still around.

[cral12]

@Sandman - shared in E-NG thread, but we our first anti-fan at Upside Hockey lol

https://twitter.com/user/status/1792627981929550105

[FlamesAddiction]

Haha, what a baby.

If you're in the hockey business, you can't pick sides. Tell that to HNIC.

[Sandman]

Lol, what posts is he referring to? I don’t think I said anything anti-Oiler….

[cral12]

Originally Posted by Sandman

Lol, what posts is he referring to? I don’t think I said anything anti-Oiler….

haha - no not your stuff Sandman - must have been a tweet or three of mine that he didn't like lol - guessing might be one where I said Oilers is a poor team name and conducted a poll if the team should be renamed Zebras or Divers.

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by cral12

haha - no not your stuff Sandman - must have been a tweet or three of mine that he didn't like lol - guessing might be one where I said Oilers is a poor team name and conducted a poll if the team should be renamed Zebras or Divers.

Lol, that’s awesome…

[dammage79]

Nothing on G Jan Spunar of the Winterhawks Sandman??

Also C Peter Repcik of Drummondville seems like a decent gamble later in the draft. Ruzicka kind of pick.

[Samonadreau]

Originally Posted by dammage79

Nothing on G Jan Spunar of the Winterhawks Sandman??

Also C Peter Repcik of Drummondville seems like a decent gamble later in the draft. Ruzicka kind of pick.

Spunar looks to be ranked 21st among NA goalies. Probably a fair bit down the radar.

[Sandman]

nvm

[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Goalie Edition, Vol. 14):

LHG Jan Spunar, 6'3",198lbs

Portland (WHL): 35gp, 25-6-2, 2.12 GAA, .913 SV%
Portland (Playoffs): 18gp, 12-5-1, 2.63 GAA, .914 SV%

Jan Spunar has gone undrafted in the last two seasons, but fans of the WHL know what this player brings to the Winterhawks- he's been one of the best goalies in the league for two years. Though Portland is a powerhouse team, Spunar makes them true contenders- just go take a look at the stats of the other three goalies they used this year, and you'll see what I mean. Unfortunately, the Moose Jaw Warriors had their number, and swept them in the finals to become WHL Champions. Spunar turns 20 in late May, and despite being ranked the #21 North American Goaltender by Central Scouting, his name has been whispered plenty in recent months leading up to the Draft. In his first year of eligibility in 2022, he was ranked the #3 European Goaltender by CS. His stats, and maybe Portland's position in the standings, took a bit of a hit when Spunar went on the IR after having surgery on his foot that took him out of action for nine weeks.

One of the pillars of Spunar's game is his hockey sense and situational awareness that puts him often well ahead of the action- he reads the play very well, and knows where the puck is going. To add to this is that he seems to be able to track the play through traffic, and is unhindered by screens in front of him. Another pillar of his game is his mental strength, which makes him a calming presence for his team as he stays focused and poised, even when under immense pressure. He is always firmly in control of his game and his movements, staying mentally strong and never getting flustered- even when things aren't going well for himself or his team. He has improved his patience by leaps and bounds over the last few seasons, and now waits for the shooter to make the first move. Spunar covers a ton of net, even when down in the butterfly, and seals off the top of the net with his lightning-quick hands, and his keen reflexes. He seals off the lower part of the net too, with quick legs that explode out in the knick of time to rob opponents. He moves well, without overcommitting or oversliding, and employs effortless lateral mobility. The default position is usually deep in the net with his glove hand high, but he will telescope out to the edge of the crease to challenge shooters before resetting. He will leave the crease to stop, and set up the puck for his D, but he doesn't play it very often- although his skills in this regard have improved.

Many of his weaknesses back in his draft year have been worked on and improved- he seals up his posts well these days, and doesn't slide out of position. Spunar relies heavily on his technique, and doesn't need to improvise as much as some other netminders, but he will battle in making desperation saves when he has to. Rebound control is still a bit of a problem, as a ton of shots bounce off of various pieces of his equipment, particularly his pads, and he tends to lose sight of those pucks. In his draft year, there was talk that Spunar would only make a good backup in the NHL, but he hadn't yet had the opportunity to show his stuff on North American ice, and he's vastly improved his performance of the craft since then. It will be interesting to see what happens, but if he's drafted, he will likely have to wait until the later rounds.