Craig's List 2014 Prospects

[djsFlames]

If we get one of the Sams at 4, I'm all for going after d-men with 3 or all 4 of the 2nd/3rd rounders. Especially since there's a lot of big kids in that range. We should throw all our darts at the board and hope to come away with a big, mobile top 4 (or better) d-man for the future core.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by Francis's Hairpiece

I want Kaapo Kahkonen with our 3rd.

We do well with Finnish Goaltenders and he sounds darn fine. PLUS, as I said in the other thread, anyone whose nickname will be "The Kahk" gets my vote.

I actually thought of being able to snag him with Pittsburgh's pick. I think he's a late 3rd/early 4th rounder.

[ForeverFlameFan]

A great draft for me would be:

4th OA - Sam R/Sam B/Leon Draisaitl (don't trade up or down)
34th OA - Roland McKeown/Jack Dougherty/Jack Glover
54th OA - Joshua Jacobs/Hunter Smith
64th OA - Ben Thomas/Nejezchleb
83rd OA - Keegan Iverson/Kaapo Kahkonen

Throw darts at 6th/7th.

Don't mind going for Ekblad, but there really isn't any incentive to when you have a whole load of defenseman available to choose from in the 2nd/3rd rounds.

[Point Blank]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

A great draft for me would be:

4th OA - Sam R/Sam B/Leon Draisaitl (don't trade up or down)
34th OA - Roland McKeown/Jack Dougherty/Jack Glover
54th OA - Joshua Jacobs/Hunter Smith
64th OA - Ben Thomas/Nejezchleb
83rd OA - Keegan Iverson/Kaapo Kahkonen

Throw darts at 6th/7th.

Don't mind going for Ekblad, but there really isn't any incentive to when you have a whole load of defenseman available to choose from in the 2nd/3rd rounds.

The incentive would be to get a defenseman who's more likely to play games in the NHL... Not that I'm for moving up to get Ekblad though.

[FAN]

Wow Craig really dislikes Jake Virtanen.

[FlameZilla]

Scouts seem to be really high on Demko. Is he really all that? I wasn't all that impressed in the BC games that I watched for Johnny Hockey reasons. I thought he let in weak goals at inoportune times. They must see lots of potential.

I like the look of Kahkonen a LOT, but how about Ville Husso? Posted 1.99 GAA and .923 SP in 41 games in the Finnish men's league as a 17-year-old... How is this guy not a 2nd round pick at least??!

I would use #34 on one of the potential top 4 defencemen who are available (or someone like Bleackey, Cornel or Scherbak if they dropped out of the 1st round) and I would use one of the 3rd rounders on one of these Finnish goalies.

These would be my preferences, assuming Ekblad doesn't drop to #4:

#4: Sam Reinhart/Sam Bennett/Leon Draisaitl

#34: Jack Glover/Travis Sanheim/Josh Jacobs

#54: Alexis Vanier/Ryan Collins/Hunter Smith

#64: Ben Thomas/Nick Magyar/Kaapo Kahkonen

#83: Ville Husso/Ondrej Kase/Aaron Irving

[Mitch]

Originally Posted by FlameZilla

Scouts seem to be really high on Demko. Is he really all that? I wasn't all that impressed in the BC games that I watched for Johnny Hockey reasons. I thought he let in weak goals at inoportune times. They must see lots of potential.

I like the look of Kahkonen a LOT, but how about Ville Husso? Posted 1.99 GAA and .923 SP in 41 games in the Finnish men's league as a 17-year-old... How is this guy not a 2nd round pick at least??!

I would use #34 on one of the potential top 4 defencemen who are available (or someone like Bleackey, Cornel or Scherbak if they dropped out of the 1st round) and I would use one of the 3rd rounders on one of these Finnish goalies.

These would be my preferences, assuming Ekblad doesn't drop to #4:

#4: Sam Reinhart/Sam Bennett/Leon Draisaitl

#34: Jack Glover/Travis Sanheim/Josh Jacobs

#54: Alexis Vanier/Ryan Collins/Hunter Smith

#64: Ben Thomas/Nick Magyar/Kaapo Kahkonen

#83: Ville Husso/Ondrej Kase/Aaron Irving

As a 19 year old... Husso is a draft overager.

[devo22]

Yeah Husso was already eligible last year. Not a bad thing though: he'll probably be ready earlier than Kahkonen etc. His stats in Finland are unbelievable, would take a flyer on him if he's available at 64.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by FlameZilla

Scouts seem to be really high on Demko. Is he really all that? I wasn't all that impressed in the BC games that I watched for Johnny Hockey reasons. I thought he let in weak goals at inopportune times. They must see lots of potential.

There were games where he looked unbeatable, and some where he struggled.

I think the thing that has pushed him to the top of the list is that he played the majority of his team's games on one of the top teams in the NCAA as a "17 year-old".

He's two years younger than Jonathan Quick was when he played his first NCAA season. In Quick's freshman year, he didn't play the majority of his team's games, and he posted worse stats than Demko did.

The biggest question mark for Demko right now is how he'll play when the Gaudreau-Arnold-Hayes line isn't controlling the puck for half the game and giving him solid leads early in most games. Where he really seemed to struggle was in the close games late in the season.



When you look at the bottom five teams in the first round this year: Montreal, Chicago, Tampa (from the Rangers), Los Angeles, and New Jersey, any of them could be looking to pick up their goalie of the future this year. All of their current starters are in their late 20s, and if Demko takes 5-7 years to develop into an NHL starter, he'd be perfectly placed to take over.

[ForeverFlameFan]

If we had a 4th or 5th I would have taken a goalie there. But, our 3rd or Pittsburgh's 3rd will do. Kahkonen with Pitt's 3rd would be awesome.

[Monahan23]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

If we had a 4th or 5th I would have taken a goalie there. But, our 3rd or Pittsburgh's 3rd will do. Kahkonen with Pitt's 3rd would be awesome.

I'm looking at Kahkonen, Iverson or Chartier for PIT's 3rd. Kahkonen is built for the NHL's new breed of goalie. Iverson will be a crash and bang top 9 winger. Chartier is one of the smartest players in the draft.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by Monahan23

I'm looking at Kahkonen, Iverson or Chartier for PIT's 3rd. Kahkonen is built for the NHL's new breed of goalie. Iverson will be a crash and bang top 9 winger. Chartier is one of the smartest players in the draft.

Guess it will depend on who is available? I am fine with any of those 3.

Maybe we can trade a team Cammy's rights for a 4th/5th to grab Chartier with that pick. He looks like a late 4th/early 5th player.

[Monahan23]

4: Sam Reinhart / Leon Draisaitl / Sam Bennett
34: Jack Dougherty / Eric Cornel / Thatcher Demko
54: Nick Magyar / Ryan Collins / Alexis Vanier
64: Ben Thomas / Ondrej Kase / Blake Seibenaler
83: Kaapo Kahkonen / Keegan Iverson / Rourke Chartier
175: Ivan Nikolishin / Radel Fazleev / Joe Hicketts
184: Adam Ollas Mattsson / Karson Kuhlman / Anthony Angelo

[Gaskal]

It's like the weeks get longer closer to draft day.

[cral12]

We've got dedicated thread in "Backburner" section of CP, but in case ya missed it THW has intense and detailed draft info, much of which can be found in the "living" document:

2014 NHL Draft Guide: The Next Ones

77 prospects profiled thus far with much more to come, along with rankings, mocks, team specific articles and other unique perspectives.

[mile]

I know its HFBoards, but the fans at the Sabres board over there are speculating that Reinhart is likely the top forward on their board - and it seems to me that most are assuming Reinhart is theirs.

[Matty81]

Chartier is a very good player, mature, poised and plays a two way game. He looks like captain type material to me. Great penalty killer and good offensive instincts.

Areas of his game that aren't great, his shot needs work, his skating is solid but not exceptional, he is not very physical and he is undersized. Worth a flyer in a later round but probably by a team like the ducks or wings and not Brian Burke if I'm guessing. Kelowna and Portland have so much depth this year that these guys like him, Kirkland, Stadel, Iverson, Shoernborn etc would have twice the icetime and points with a worse team.

Only Kelowna draft eligible who really saw frontline ice was Tyson Baillie.

[JJ1532]

Originally Posted by cral12

We've got dedicated thread in "Backburner" section of CP, but in case ya missed it THW has intense and detailed draft info, much of which can be found in the "living" document:

2014 NHL Draft Guide: The Next Ones

77 prospects profiled thus far with much more to come, along with rankings, mocks, team specific articles and other unique perspectives.

Some good stuff in that link, but you might want to update your mock draft lists now that the play offs have finished.

[cral12]

Originally Posted by JJ1532

Some good stuff in that link, but you might want to update your mock draft lists now that the play offs have finished.

At least one mock definitely to be posted; might see a couple THW writers doing one. I'll be doing at least another 2 round mock (possibly 3 rnds if time permits)

E-Mac's War Room Final Rankings just posted today as well - Top 180 in informative table format.

Intro to final rankings here.

[sureLoss]

Haven't actually read it, but some people on twitter are saying in the Sportsnet Magazine's NHL Draft Report, Damien Cox suggests the Oilers should take Ritchie 3rd overall and that Ekblad should be plan B if Ritchie is not there.