So hard to get excited about skilled sub 6’ forwards. We’ve had many of those over the years and hasn’t got us very far. We’ve seen players like this start at c but get shifted to wing in the nhl as their frame doesn’t translate well to the pro game.
Have to get that element of size/skill at our pick. Likely 2-3 years away at minimum, would love to get that C but if not, top 4 D will be a good consolation prize.
Agreed.
A guy at 5 10 has to overcome a lot to be a top six wing nevermind a top six center.
Now yes i advocate for going after Rossi if possible but Rossi has proven he can do it it isnt an educated guess.
Still say Zonnon is being criminally undervalued here. If his skating was better ( and i think its a little overblown)he would go top 15.
If we want to take a chance on a pick grab Moore. Top ten skill bottom ten attitude.
Riker lee is another guy who has a high end skill set but his skating is literally comical.
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Also just an observation but it seems like almost all the picks we make the last couple of years have a very good shot. Gridin, basha, honzek, battaglia, suniev all have a very good shot. Now it could be coincidence but i think its a drafting strategy whatever other skills they have or lack give them the puck in the offensive zone and it will be flying to the net.
Size does need to be a consideration at some point if we can't land the super skilled guys and speedy guys.
You can be a Chicago and win with skill and speed over size if you have a Kane on your team. You can be a Florida/LA type and win with possession but you need a Kopitar/Barkov on your team.
For TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button, the 2025 NHL Draft will be defined by the centres.
Button has 13 centres in his top 32, including seven in the top 11, headlined by Saginaw’s Michael Misa (No. 2) and Djurgardens’ Anton Frondell (No. 3).
He has Ryabkin at 20. I really think Conroy takes a swing on him in the first round. Conroy seems to have identified a market inefficiency for young Russian players (and has taken advantage of it a number of times now). Also, Ryabkin will be the highest ceiling (and yes, lowest floor) prospect available at the Flames picks.
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"Life of Russian hockey veterans is very hard," said Soviet hockey star Sergei Makarov. "Most of them don't have enough to eat these days. These old players are Russian legends."
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He has Ryabkin at 20. I really think Conroy takes a swing on him in the first round. Conroy seems to have identified a market inefficiency for young Russian players (and has taken advantage of it a number of times now). Also, Ryabkin will be the highest ceiling (and yes, lowest floor) prospect available at the Flames picks.
There were also pretty strong rumors about the flames trying to get up to take Michkov and then again with Demidov
He has Ryabkin at 20. I really think Conroy takes a swing on him in the first round.
Yeah, if we still have two 1st rounders come draft day I could easily see Conroy taking a swing at Ryabkin at 22. He'd almost certainly have the highest upside of anyone left on the board at that point. Big warts for sure but if you have a couple of picks you can take a HR cut on one of them... I think he might go before then (Montreal looks like a likely suspect).
Not for nothing but I saw the Muskegon won the USHL title.
Ryabkin had 16p in 13gp.
Second in the league for playoff scoring (a very impressive fifth for points/game).
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"Life of Russian hockey veterans is very hard," said Soviet hockey star Sergei Makarov. "Most of them don't have enough to eat these days. These old players are Russian legends."
Just watch a few of his MHL highlight packages, the kid has all the tools to be an ELITE power forward if he can just keep it together.
The knock has always been his consistency and his ability to play 200ft (I think this is the most overblown stat for young offensively gifted kids) and the fact that at times he doesn't try as hard on the defensive side. Coupled with some saying he's not easily coachable.
All those things are easily fixable, and or he can grow out of the "attitude" issue.
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Just watch a few of his MHL highlight packages, the kid has all the tools to be an ELITE power forward if he can just keep it together.
The knock has always been his consistency and his ability to play 200ft (I think this is the most overblown stat for young offensively gifted kids) and the fact that at times he doesn't try as hard on the defensive side. Coupled with some saying he's not easily coachable.
All those things are easily fixable, and or he can grow out of the "attitude" issue.
Honestly, sounds like something a new-age coach like Huska could easily deal with.
Not sure who Ryabkin had as his coaches in the MHL/KHL and also at Muskegon, but if they were more old school type coaches, I could see where the narrative of him having "attitude" and not being "coachable" stems from.
The younger generations and especially late Gen Z and Gen Alpha, in general, don't respond well to the motivational tactics that might have worked well in the past. I see it all the time as my wife teaches high school and I sessionally teach university students and while I'm not that old just yet, I see just how different mid-20's university students are nowadays compared to when I was going through university myself not all that long ago.
Yeah, if we still have two 1st rounders come draft day I could easily see Conroy taking a swing at Ryabkin at 22. He'd almost certainly have the highest upside of anyone left on the board at that point. Big warts for sure but if you have a couple of picks you can take a HR cut on one of them... I think he might go before then (Montreal looks like a likely suspect).
Won't be 22 - because Florida is in the final four it will be one of the last four picks in the first round.
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Just watch a few of his MHL highlight packages, the kid has all the tools to be an ELITE power forward if he can just keep it together.
The knock has always been his consistency and his ability to play 200ft (I think this is the most overblown stat for young offensively gifted kids) and the fact that at times he doesn't try as hard on the defensive side. Coupled with some saying he's not easily coachable.
All those things are easily fixable, and or he can grow out of the "attitude" issue.
This was a good watch for me. Surprised by how much the guy hits although looking at his stat line, his PIM jumps out now (70 PIM in 27GP with I believe 2 suspensions). If he makes it to our late first-round pick, might be a good option just based on skill alone, regardless of his attitude problems.
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