Flames won’t pass on Iginla if he is there at 9. I could see Helenius being the pick if Iginla is gone. Still not convinced Catton will play C in NHL - all the more reason to go with Iginla.
I'll say this, wildcards are Lindstrom and Parekh. You can probably just as easily put Parekh into ANA at 3 than anybody else. Lindstrom could fall but then I think CLB would take Helenius in lieu of him. Does Lindstrom fall to CGY? Then the debate is do they take Lindstrom.over anyone else at 9?
Columbus needs center away more than anyone, they're taking a center at 4, I'm confident in that.
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I think the key is if CBJ takes Silayev. It pushes Lindstrom to the Habs pick at 5 and they’ve pretty much said they’re taking a forward. I feel comfortable that Utah, Ottawa and Seattle will scoop Parekh, Dickinson and Buium with those picks, leaving us Tij.
If CBJ takes Lindstrom, I think Tij is gone at 5 to the Habs and hopefully the Flames can grab Buium, Dickinson or Parekh.
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RW/C Natan Teshome will likely never be a top-6 player in the NHL, and may not even be drafted, but there's enough here for a team to potentially want to spend a late-round pick on him. Teshome is a two-way player in junior, but is used internationally by Finland as a checker, and he fulfills that role quite well. No points in 5 games on the fourth line at the U-18's before the Finns were eliminated by arch-rival Sweden, who then went on to win bronze. He had a similar stat-line at last summer's Hlinka, posting no points in 4 games, but was a standout performer in the U-18 5 Nations Tournaments this season, with 3 points in 3 games at the November edition in Hameenlinna, Finland, but had only 1 point in 4 games in the most recent 5 Nations in February that took place in Plymouth, Michigan. He was named Player of the Game against the host Americans, despite getting no points in that particular contest. In league play, he produced 4 goals and 14 points in 37 games for Jokerit J20, but enjoyed a fairly good playoff performance with 5 points in 7 games. The 5'11",165lb forward can play center or wing, and is still young by draft standards, with a June 9th birthday.
Though many scouts believe he deserves more opportunities to play up the lineup, Teshome already plays a fairly mature, translatable game and always contributes in a positive way to whatever team he's playing for. He knows his role, and plays his game, which is often that of a tenacious energy player who plays a mostly defensive game. He's highly active and competitive with an unrelenting motor, and I would dare say that he carries a presence when he's on the ice. He hounds puck-carriers, closing quick on his opponents and shutting them down in a multitude of ways using his keen anticipation and awareness, as well as his uncanny timing. He makes excellent reads, and causes more than his fair share of turnovers, interceptions, and stripped pucks, and can also pick the pockets of unsuspecting attackers. Penalty-killing is one of his specialties, and he performs his man-down duties with his sky-high workrate. Teshome is an excellent skater with a quick small-area burst who wins plenty of races to loose pucks, and can separate from most opponents in open ice. He is quite agile, and strong on his blades, though he appears light on his feet, and he doesn't shy away from the rough stuff, with the ability to win battles in the tough areas.
Teshome contributes well to his team's possession game, as he's confident with the puck on his blade, and manages it well under pressure. He will attack the middle and go to the net in the offensive zone, and has the moves to go 1-on-1 with goalies- there's footage of a few of his Michigan goals from past years floating around. On the cycle, he contributes well, but doesn't have a very scary shot to work with, although he can pick corners if he gets the chance. He is already a consistently good short-area passer, and has underrated skill in this area, but what differentiates him from other bottom-6 checkers is that he often teases high-end playmaking sense. He shows an ability to see the ice with top-notch vision, and get crisp, accurate passes through layers of traffic, and needs more opportunities in offensive situations to prove himself. To go with these flashes of offense, he demonstrates keen spatial awareness, and can find seams and open lanes to exploit his playmaking acumen. In the latest edition of the 5 Nations, he generated a plethora of chances for teammates, but he didn't get rewarded with any assists, unfortunately. If all works out, he could concievably one day make a good bottom-6, playmaking winger- but that's if he gets drafted...
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C/LW Hugo Orrsten will never wow anyone with his offensive totals, but that's not his game. The 6'2",190lb pivot put up a mere 7 goals and 20 points in a full 50-game slate in the J20 league on a star-studded Orebro squad, with 3 points in 8 playoff games. After Orebro was eliminated from the post-season, he was sent down to the J18 club where he was Playoff MVP, amassing 13 points in just 6 games on the way to winning the Gold medal. Orrsten had to settle for bronze in the U-18 Tournament for Team Sweden though, with a goal (against Team Canada) and an assist in 7 games. With a July 10th birthday, he has youth on his side.
Orrsten obviously has size, but he also has some separation speed, winning most races to pucks at short distance. He could use some work on his top speed but his edges look good, with the ability to pivot quickly, and turn smoothly. There's not much upside offensively, as his puck-skill and playmaking vision are lacklustre, and he doesn't do much on this side of the puck as he's more preoccupied with his defensive duties. He plays well around the net and down low, and will crash the crease (as he did against Team Canada) for rebounds and garbage goals, or to swat in loose pucks. He can be seen stalking the slot looking for high-danger chances, and can unleash a quick wrister in full flight, but it lacks velocity and he's generally not a huge threat to score. Orrsten uses his size as leverage in puck-battles and to seal off the boards, but he's not particularly strong right now, and isn't really a physical player, using his stick and positioning to win 50/50 contests.
Orrsten is defensively responsible, and it's this area of the game that is his bread and butter, now and in the future. He displays a sharp attention to detail, and an immaculate sense of how to position himself and his stick to make stops. He supports his D in all areas and will switch off with them seamlessly to keep their spots covered when they have to move out of position. He blocks shots, clogs lanes effectively, smothers opponents of time and space, and will pressure the point, covering every inch of the defensive zone. As a center, he understands how to remove the middle of the ice as an option, and will make life difficult for attackers in front of the net by taking their sticks any way he can. There's a good motor under the hood, but I think he could use more intensity, and he needs plenty of work on his faceoffs going forward. At the end of the day, there might not be enough upside here to see a team spend a draft-pick on him unfortunately, but if he's chosen, it won't be until the late rounds with the chance that he might one day make it as a bottom-6 defensive center.
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1-24 are the picks locked I believe so I went to 24.
I'm coming around on Helenius, but if Catton is still on the board when we pick at 9, and we don't take him, I'm going to be super bummed out.
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k im just not going to respond to your #### anymore because i have better things to do like #### my model girlfriend rather then try to convince people like you of commonly held hockey knowledge.
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Thoughts from the U-18 Tournament Part One(In no particular order):
D Leo Sahlin Wellenius: He was a workhorse, playing almost half the game in some instances, but he has looked much better in other tournaments in previous years. Most of the time he was playing his usual smooth two-way game, being a calming presence from the backend, but too often mistakes were creeping into his game, including bad decisions, and instances of poor puck management. Only 3 points in 7 games. I was a little disappointed.
D Alfons Freij: I loved his game, and I thought he was one of the top D in the tourney. Very fun to watch with his high-end skating and stickhandling, as well as his ability to generate dangerous scoring chances. He's a more dynamic rearguard than his partner, Leo Sahlin Wellenius. 6 points in 7 games for 3rd overall in D scoring.
D Aron Kiviharju: Another D-man that I expected a whole lot more of. He hasn't played since he was injured near the start of the season, and he was having trouble keeping up mentally with the speed of the game. Finland's Captain moved the puck well, and wasn't bad, but only 3 points in 5 games before the Finns were eliminated. Usually, he's the fastest player out there, with a superhuman brain, and a solid two-way approach.
D Veeti Vaisanen: He played all season against men in the Liiga, and was 3rd overall for U-18 aged players, so I expected more of him too. He played very well in the defensive zone, and was able to show off his skating stride with a surprising amount of physicality. Excellent puck-movement, but little impact offensively. He's a lot less exciting and dynamic than Kiviharju. Only 2 points in 5 games.
D Mitja Jokinen: He and partner Niklas Nykyri stepped up for team Finland, and I thought they were the best tandem on the team, with Jokinen looking like one of the best in the tournament. Jokinen is small, standing only 5'11", so he tends to struggle in physical battles, and is largely ineffective in front of his net, but plays an exciting offensive game and moves the puck well. 5 points in 5 games, which was 7th in D scoring.
D Niklas Nykyri: I was extremely impressed with him, even though he was a bit sloppy. Defense-first, but contributes well with an underrated offensive game, and the ability to ride shotgun with the more talented players, in this case, Mitja Jokinen. I think he might develop into a good two-way player in the future. 3 points in 5 games.
C Petr Sikora: I really like this kid, but he didn't put up the numbers I was hoping to see. He's unrelentingly mean and physical, but needs to calm down a bit as he was ejected from the game against Team Canada. He's better offensive performer than his 2 points in 5 games would indicate. Good 200-ft game, and plays the agitator role.
RW Adam Jecho: Some of the concerns I had about Jecho were quelled, namely his skating- which looked quite good, although he can still be beaten by some of the faster players on the ice. Jecho played in all situations, and put up 3 points in 5 games on a weak Czech squad. I get why many scouts have him in the second round.
C Max Curran: 3 points in 5 games for the Czechs, but I don't like him. For a player who is 6'3", he plays incredibly soft, although he showed some good defense.
D Cole Hutson: Best D in the tournament, with an incredible 13 points in 7 games. He came as advertised, tying Ryan Murphy for the most points all-time by a defenseman in one U-18 tournament. The record for most points in one tournament for a 16 year-old defenseman? Cole Hutson in 2023, with 12 points. He's everywhere all at once in the offensive zone, seemingly touching every square inch, every shift. Superb imagination and creativity.
RW Brodie Ziemer: The Captain of team USA was incredible, with 12 points in 7 games to tie Tij Iginla for 5th in the tournament. He gives 100% at all times, and does the dirty work along the walls, and in the corners. Plays a tight 200-ft game with physicality, but obviously has plenty of skill.
LW Teddy Stiga: He's not big, at 5'10",176lbs, but brings speed and energy, along with a high-octane offensive game. 11 points in 7 games, playing on a line with James Hagens. Good hockey sense, and smarts, with a nose for the net.
C Max Plante: He's not big either, at 5'10",170lbs, but is a high-end playmaker with the vision and IQ to match. He's one of the best playmakers in the 2024 Draft, and works hard in the defensive end.
LW Cole Eiserman: His 9 goals were tied for 2nd with teammate James Hagens, and just below the leader, Gavin McKenna- who had 10. Eiserman added an assist for 10 points in 7 games, and broke the all-time record for goals in the NTDP, with 127- beating out Cole Caufield. Eiserman has an elite shot, with the ability to find the soft spots in coverage. He displayed some physicality, and an attention to defense as well.
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Thoughts from the U-18 Tournament, Part Two (In no particular order):
D EJ Emery: 6 assists in 7 games, and was tied with a tournament-leading +15. I love this kid, he's huge at 6'3",185lbs, and he skates incredibly well- which makes him very hard to play against, as he's quite mean and physical, but also a defensive stalwart, and elite shut-down defenseman. He's been building his offensive game all year, and he showed that he can contribute.
LW Trevor Connelly: He was 10th-overall in scoring, with 9 points- but cost his team the gold medal, getting 5 and a game in the third period for checking to the head in the final game against Canada. Team Canada used the 5 minute powerplay to score 3, and go up 5-3 in the game, after being down 3-2. Connelly is supremely talented, but like the Grinch, he has all the warmth and character of a seasick crocodile. I don't think he left the dressing room after being ejected to collect his medal, or participate in the closing ceremony.
RW Ryder Ritchie: I thought he started out a bit slow, and was fading into the background a bit, but he became more and more noticeable as the tournament wore on. It helped that he was playing with Tij Iginla as well. He scored 2 points in the semi-final against Sweden, and another 2 points in the final against the USA. Richie is a much better offensive player than he was able to show in Prince Albert, and his two-way game was on display in this tournament.
C Tuomas Suoniemi: This was a pivotal tournament for Suoniemi, as there's been talk that he might not be drafted this year, due to his lacklustre league play the last two seasons. He was tied with Konsta Helenius for the lead in scoring for Finland, with 7 points in 5 games. Suoniemi has top-tier vision and creativity in his playmaking, but has a spotty defensive game, and is more quick than fast. He's not usually known as a big goal-scorer, but he bagged 3 in this tournament for a disappointing Finnish team.
C Lucas Petterson/ C Linus Eriksson: 8 points for LP, 7 points for Eriksson. These two are so similar that I constantly get them mixed up. Both are swift-skating, two-way centers with offensive touch, although I think Petterson is slightly better offensively, and Eriksson gets the nod defensively. Both remind me of St.Louis center Rob Thomas.
D Gabriel Eliasson: He's a 6'6" defender who skates very well for a player his size, but he hurt his team with all the unnecessary penalties he took. Eliasson is mean and unrelentingly physical, but his 20 penalty minutes in this tournament were all minors. The coaches even benched him for stretches, but he didn't seem to get the message. For the next level, he will need to rein it in a bit and concentrate on playing a quality shutdown game, which he's capable of doing.
D Henry Mews: I've been a big advocate of his since watching him in last summer's Hlinka Gretzky Cup. 7 points in 7 games, and played an excellent two-way game, with fantastic puck movement, and plenty of PP time. There are times that he looks sloppy, and other times where he makes poor decisions with the puck, but he's usually a calming presence on the blueline, and an effortless skater.
C Konsta Helenius: I doubt there's anyone in the hockey world that wasn't disappointed by his performance, with 0 goals and 7 points in 5 games. For most other players, numbers like that would get you positive recognition, but a player like him is expected to dominate. He has supreme skill, vision, and speed, but everyone who watched him seems to say the same thing- that he didn't look like he wanted to be there. It might have just been too much pressure for the kid, playing in front of his home crowd. To me, he seemed to play too much on the perimeter.
RW Melvin Fernstrom: I really like this kid, and I think he's going to make a good NHLer. He's got good hands, and a hard shot, but also has the vision to make plays. 8 points in 7 games, which puts him in a three-way tie for 11th in tournament scoring. He's 6'1", and uses his size to push his way around, but needs a bit of work on his skating and defensive game.
LW Tij Iginla: Craig Button kept calling him, "Teej EYE-ginla", and it was driving me nuts. It seemed like he started a bit slowly, but was one of Canada's best players by the end of the tourney, with 2 points in the semi-final against Sweden, and 3 points in the final against USA. He's true athlete, and an alpha-male like his Dad, with a superb arsenal of shots, a goal-scorer's finish around the net. He's a good skater with a physical game, and forechecks like a beast. He's so good down low too- again, just like Dad. Baby Iggy is no slouch in the playmaking department, either. I think he's a riser on draft day.
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Thoughts from the U-18 Tournament, Part 3 (In no particular order):
RW Liam Greentree: I was a bit disappointed in his output, with only 4 points in 7 games, and looking invisible a lot of the time. 90 points in OHL play this season, and led his team in scoring by 24 points, so more was expected. Greentree is a top-tier offensive weapon, but his skating stride needs plenty of work for the next level. He's a dual threat, with an arsenal of hard, heavy shots, but he can also make high-end plays. Despite his skating, he can drive play, and displays superb stickhandling.
D Charlie Elick: I really like Elick, he's big (6'3",198lbs), skates very well, and plays a heavy physical game with an emphasis on his tight shutdown game. 3 points in 7 games doesn't exactly set the world on fire, but it demonstrates his ability to contribute in the other end of the rink. He's highly competitive, and hard to play against.
D Spencer Gill: Only 2 points in 7 games for Gill, although he wasn't picked for the team to be a points-producer. Gill is big (6'3",179lbs) and still quite young, with an August birthday. He can play in any situation, but he plays a calm, poised shutdown game with physicality, and quickness. 46 points in 65 games in the Q for Rimouski, which would put him 10th in scoring by defense in that league- showing that Gill can contribute to the offense.
D Frankie Marrelli: Marrelli makes mistakes, but I just love his competitive fire. He's a bit small, at 5'11",185lbs, but he plays like he's 6'3", with his tenacity and relentless physicality. He's extremely competitive and hard to play against, and is stronger and tougher than he looks. Marrelli can play in any situation, but didn't put up big numbers this year, focusing on playing a smart shutdown game- but he has much more in the tank. Marrelli had 2 points in 7 games in the tournament, with 29 PIM.
C Jett Luchanko: Luch had a great tournament with 7 points in 7 games for team Canada. He's a creator who manufactures chances for his teammates, and he skates as good as anyone in the tournament. His defense is spotty though, and he's not as effective without the puck.
RW Emil Hemming: I like him, but the Finns were not a very good team. Hemming is primarily a shooter, so his 4 goals (and 2 assists) in 5 games show that he was doing his job. He's a lethal shooter, but also has finish around the net. He skates well, but could use a better top gear, although he has the 1-on-1 moves to get around in traffic. He uses his size (6'2",194lbs) well as leverage to bully his way around, and battles in the hard areas, but I wonder about his pace.
RW Maxim Masse': Masse' finished with 5 points in 7 games, but had no points in the medal round- which wasn't really his fault, he was creating opportunities, but his linemates couldn't finish. Masse' is a power-winger, who can score and make plays, and displays excellent vision and IQ. His mobility needs some work, but he's physical and battles in all the greasy areas.
C Jack Berglund: 6'2",207lb Jack Berglund was very noticeable for Sweden, with his physical two-way game, and for his 5 points in 7 games. I thought he looked a lot faster than I've seen him in previous viewings, and he played with a lot of energy. He's a power-forward who goes to the front of the net, and will muck and grind for pucks.
D Harrison Brunicke: He's a 6'3" rearguard who skates very well, and contributes in all areas of the ice. 4 points in 7 games are very good numbers for this two-way defenseman, who right now is a jack-of-all-trades, but a master of none- though I believe he has a lot more to show in the future. He can rush the puck, and make some high-end plays. Big fan of this kid.
D Tomas Galvas: The Czechs didn't generate much, with only 10 goals-scored in 5 games- and that hurt this diminutive defenseman's game. He's a dynamic skater, who can move the puck and create chances- which he did, to no avail.
D Jakub Fibigr: This kid is more of a two-way performer, and isn't elite in any one thing. 1 goal in 5 games, although he was pinching into the play looking for chances.
C Aatos Koivu: He was one of the biggest disappointments in the tournament, with only 1 assist in 5 games- although he was the best player in the event in faceoffs, at 74% in 50 tries. Other than that, he was invisible in every category, except for his feistiness and physicality. Koivu is physically raw, but skates very well, and has a blistering one-timer.
RW Kasper Pikkarainen: Only 1 goal in 5 games, but the 6'3",194lb power-forward impressed with his rambunctious physical game, and his mobility. Pikkarainen could make it to the NHL as a bottom-6 two-way player, as he displays plenty of defensive acumen, with good anticipation, and smart positioning.
D Viggo Gustafsson: Gus needs work on his skating, but he was really hard to play against, and was reliable defensively. He's a shutdown D, and is one of the best at his craft in this year's draft crop. I like his high-end awareness, and his nasty disposition combined with his physical presence. He seemed to be in the middle of most scrums in Sweden's games. When he fixes his mobility, he will be a seriously good player. I like him.
RW Karl Sterner: Only 1 point in the tournament, but the 6'3",187lb power-forward displayed his quick feet and his physicality, hitting everything in sight.
Last edited by Sandman; 05-08-2024 at 05:16 AM.
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