FC's 2013 NHL Draft Thread

[dissentowner]

Originally Posted by drPepper1

Well we do need to stock up on RWs too, so I'd prob still take him if available and hope Nichskuin (spelling!) is available with the Blues pick

Are you talking Valeri Nichushkin? Zero chance he is still there. Some scouts have him #2 overall in the draft.

[kirant]

Originally Posted by dissentowner

Are you talking Valeri Nichushkin? Zero chance he is still there. Some scouts have him #2 overall in the draft.

Yeah.

The RWs likely available at 18th or so are..:
Lehkonen - Explosive, skilled, highly intelligent forward. Low top end speed and is a little concussion prone
Mantha - Big, fast, dynamic power forward. Doesn't stay in the slot long and is pretty lazy at times.
Erne - Really looks a lot like a Maxime Talbot type of player: bottom 6 grinder with higher offensive potential than that title indicates. Solid role player with safe upside.

[Commandant]

We've started our preview as well

General Notes
http://lastwordonsports.com/2013/04/...r-not-so-fast/

#1
http://lastwordonsports.com/2013/04/...yer-profile-1/

#2
http://lastwordonsports.com/2013/04/...yer-profile-2/

#3
http://lastwordonsports.com/2013/04/...yer-profile-3/

[Flames Draft Watcher]

I like that the draft is deep in power forwards. We need one in a really bad way.

[Pierre "Monster" McGuire]

I know this is a 2013 draft thread, but how awesome would it be to draft Sam Reinhart in the top 3 next season? He's only 17 and he's already bigger than Max. He's a centre. He's got skills for days.

I hope we don't suck enough to get a top 3 next season, but that just might be the case. Sam looks like a hell of a player from the games I've seen.

[FlameZilla]

Originally Posted by kirant

Yeah.

The RWs likely available at 18th or so are..:
Lehkonen - Explosive, skilled, highly intelligent forward. Low top end speed and is a little concussion prone
Mantha - Big, fast, dynamic power forward. Doesn't stay in the slot long and is pretty lazy at times.
Erne - Really looks a lot like a Maxime Talbot type of player: bottom 6 grinder with higher offensive potential than that title indicates. Solid role player with safe upside.

Craig Button compares Erne to Simon Gagne. High hockey IQ. Projects as a power forward with good speed, hands and top 10 skills. Plays all 3 forward positions.

If we take a winger with the later 1sts I want to take Valentin Zykov, Lehkonen or Erne.
http://thehockeywriters.com/valentin...spect-profile/

[SuperMatt18]

This is my concern with Jones (from Commandant's post)

He does use his size to lean on forwards and to win board battles, but he’s not a huge hitter, and doesn’t appear to have a real mean streak. There have been comparisons to Chris Pronger, but we don’t like those comparisons due to this lack of a real mean streak.

I am not sure a player learns that "mean streak".

Shea Weber had it, Phaneuf had it, Pronger had it, guys like Erik Johnson never had it, Bouwmeester never had it.

Without the mean streak that is all the Jones is, another Johnson or Bouwmeester.

[Commandant]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

This is my concern with Jones (from Commandant's post)



I am not sure a player learns that "mean streak".

Shea Weber had it, Phaneuf had it, Pronger had it, guys like Erik Johnson never had it, Bouwmeester never had it.

Without the mean streak that is all the Jones is, another Johnson or Bouwmeester.

While this is true. Bouwmeester and Johnson still could have been better than they are.

Johnson's development was stalled after a great season, when he tore his knee to shreds in the golf cart accident in St. Louis. Erik had 10 goals 39 points in his second year in the NHL, at a young age and has never been the same since. His development was sidetracked by the injury.

Bouwmeester, I'm not even sure what went wrong for that kid in Florida. But he had potential to be so much more than he is. Don't get me wrong, as I say in the article, he's a good D, a true top 4, and a minute eater. But, he could have been a Norris contender if he developped properly, even without the mean streak. He should have been a dynamic offensive force with his tools, but never really put it all together for whatever reason.

I don't think Jones will develop a mean streak either. But that alone... with no other hiccups in development, would not stop him from being elite.

[Calgary4LIfe]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

This is my concern with Jones (from Commandant's post)



I am not sure a player learns that "mean streak".

Shea Weber had it, Phaneuf had it, Pronger had it, guys like Erik Johnson never had it, Bouwmeester never had it.

Without the mean streak that is all the Jones is, another Johnson or Bouwmeester.

Lidstrom, MacInnis and Bourque never had it either.

[Commandant]

#4 on the draft board.



http://lastwordonsports.com/2013/04/...yer-profile-4/

[Commandant]

And number 5 on the draft board.

http://lastwordonsports.com/2013/04/...yer-profile-5/

[devo22]

I'd be happy with either one of the two, though I like Barkov more because of size. If MacKinnon plays RW at the NHL level as some suggest, then Barkov would be the one closest to a #1 center.

[carom]

A couple things about Lindhom in the article intrigue me.

First I find it interesting that he has what is described as an awkward skating stride that almost seems to work to his advantage. Does this project to be a big weakness on the smaller NA ice?

Secondly I like that he likes to throw his weight around as it makes him seem like the most physical of the top 5 so far. My questions about this attribute are: does he have any previous injury history? And can this be expected to project effectivly to the NA game?

I ask these questions as someone who has not really spent time watching him.

[kirant]

Originally Posted by carom

First I find it interesting that he has what is described as an awkward skating stride that almost seems to work to his advantage. Does this project to be a big weakness on the smaller NA ice?

It sounds a lot like Regehr's skating style. I don't think it'll hurt him too much...then again, my example never had to make an international/North America transition.

[dammage79]

For the real draft crazy people. Bogdan Yakimov, where does he project in this draft?

[Freeway]

Originally Posted by dammage79

For the real draft crazy people. Bogdan Yakimov, where does he project in this draft?

Most likely late second to early fourth round.

Teams are leery of Russians right now, but he's got promise. He failed to make a quite young Russian U20 team, which merely indicates that he's not elite as a teenager.

[dammage79]

Might be a good grab with the Flames third rounder then.

[Commandant]

Originally Posted by carom

A couple things about Lindhom in the article intrigue me.

First I find it interesting that he has what is described as an awkward skating stride that almost seems to work to his advantage. Does this project to be a big weakness on the smaller NA ice?

Secondly I like that he likes to throw his weight around as it makes him seem like the most physical of the top 5 so far. My questions about this attribute are: does he have any previous injury history? And can this be expected to project effectivly to the NA game?

I ask these questions as someone who has not really spent time watching him.

The skating stride is very wide.... which gives him a lower centre of gravity and better balance IMO. I think it will help more than hurt on smaller ice, because it helps him fight through checks and not be knocked off the puck.

[Commandant]

#6 on the board... another Centre.

http://lastwordonsports.com/2013/04/...yer-profile-6/

[FlameZilla]

Originally Posted by Commandant

#6 on the board... another Centre.

http://lastwordonsports.com/2013/04/...yer-profile-6/

He might end up being the best of the bunch. Gritty, Canadian 6'2" natural centre with great hands and leadership skills. Hopefully we don't end up drafting 6th though... The curse of Tkaczuk/Fata looms!