2024 NHL Draft Thread

[dammage79]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

The Connelly thing is tough...

I'm sure I had stuff that I said/did at 16 when amongst friends that would be seen as racist / sexist / homophobic, just lucky enough that not everything was captured on social media / pictures when I was 16.

I'll say this, the kid has met the situation head and sounds like he came out to it first.

I've been saying this for a while about post genx youth in general is that we as a society are pretty far removed (timespan wise) from wwii I don't believe the general populace understands the gravity of WWII and how bad the Nazis actually were , even putting aside the entire systemic removal of all things Jewish.

I've read Connelly purposefully went out of his way afterwards to educate himself on the history. But again, is that all PR stuff or is it genuine ignorance and lack of gravitas in the understanding.

[Ziggy Lidstrom]

Looked up some videos of lindstrom and he is far and away my favourite prospect this draft. Skills alone he’s a top 15 pick but all those skills and that upside in 6’5 frame? We may have a lindros on our hands. Maybe not the same tier of power center but one that exceeds similar ones in the league. He will be better tHan Dubois and Byfied.

This team needs that guy. He’s everything we need with our smallish winger group. Him and Honzek would be a literal terror on the pp.

To those who say he isn’t physical, I say he picks his spots. When you out him in a pro system with their trainers he’s going to become a literal monster. I watched a video of him working with a skills coach after last season. Look at him now. This kid is figuring out his coordination with his skill set and is very coachable. Add that to the fact he’s from Northern BC, he’s going to love Calgary and never want to leave: especially if we have a solid team around him.

This kid is going to be better than getzlaf. Getz had a super team around him. He’s way faster and will be a nightmare in front of goalies in the pp for years to come. A PP1 of him Honzek and scoronato is incredibly tantalizing.

I haven’t been this excited by a prospect in a long time.

Hey sandman, how’s Carson rehpkof looking? Pretty sure you and I were the only one on him. I even touted Honzek a bit before the draft talk really got started.

Power centres who can score and play first line are super rare. The kid hits. He’s got mitz. And he’s got amazing wheels. 3 big kids with good wheels are a really good looking way to retool: Honzek, Bell and Lindstrom.

Get this guy. Sure he needs more reps but imo he’s more valuable than Bedard. Bedard is going to only do one thing and that’s score from the perimeter. This guy is gonna score from everywhere. I’d even take him over macklin. I’d take him over Leo Carlson and fantilli. Malkin or Crosby or MacKinnon are the only guys who I wouldn’t. I’d even take him over Ovechkin and stamkos.

The size and the upside is just too salivating. Watch some YouTube videos like blue chip scouting and let me know your thoughts.

[dammage79]

The kicker on Lindstrom is his speed. There's no way a man that size should have the agility AND straight line speed that he does. Pair that with the rest of package I'm not sure what I'm missing when it comes to ranking this player below #2 or 3 OA in this draft. And as a 17 year old (Febuary BDay so he'll be 18 in a month.)

[looooob]

Originally Posted by sureLoss

Sportsnet has released their January rankings:
https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article...nuary-edition/

Iginla at 12 with potential to go top 10.

Constentino says there are teams that have Connelly on their Do Not Draft list.

I think that's at least 6 names on there with at least tenuous and in most case real connections to Calgary?

[Sofa GM]

Originally Posted by Sandman

Helenius has been listed as a C/RW, and I could see an argument for him playing either position at the next level. Apparently, he started the year as Jukurit’s second-line C, not sure if it lasted. He’s got a very advanced two-way game that might translate well as a C. Just my opinion.

I watched Helenius closely at the WJC, he was my son’s favourite player there. He is an excellent playmaker and has excellent hands. I would be absolutely over the moon if the Flames selected Helenius.

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by Ziggy Lidstrom

Looked up some videos of lindstrom and he is far and away my favourite prospect this draft. Skills alone he’s a top 15 pick but all those skills and that upside in 6’5 frame? We may have a lindros on our hands. Maybe not the same tier of power center but one that exceeds similar ones in the league. He will be better tHan Dubois and Byfied.

This team needs that guy. He’s everything we need with our smallish winger group. Him and Honzek would be a literal terror on the pp.

To those who say he isn’t physical, I say he picks his spots. When you out him in a pro system with their trainers he’s going to become a literal monster. I watched a video of him working with a skills coach after last season. Look at him now. This kid is figuring out his coordination with his skill set and is very coachable. Add that to the fact he’s from Northern BC, he’s going to love Calgary and never want to leave: especially if we have a solid team around him.

This kid is going to be better than getzlaf. Getz had a super team around him. He’s way faster and will be a nightmare in front of goalies in the pp for years to come. A PP1 of him Honzek and scoronato is incredibly tantalizing.

I haven’t been this excited by a prospect in a long time.

Hey sandman, how’s Carson rehpkof looking? Pretty sure you and I were the only one on him. I even touted Honzek a bit before the draft talk really got started.

Power centres who can score and play first line are super rare. The kid hits. He’s got mitz. And he’s got amazing wheels. 3 big kids with good wheels are a really good looking way to retool: Honzek, Bell and Lindstrom.

Get this guy. Sure he needs more reps but imo he’s more valuable than Bedard. Bedard is going to only do one thing and that’s score from the perimeter. This guy is gonna score from everywhere. I’d even take him over macklin. I’d take him over Leo Carlson and fantilli. Malkin or Crosby or MacKinnon are the only guys who I wouldn’t. I’d even take him over Ovechkin and stamkos.

The size and the upside is just too salivating. Watch some YouTube videos like blue chip scouting and let me know your thoughts.

1000% Ziggy.

As for Rehkopf, he would be atop the OHL scoring race if he didn’t participate in the WJC. Unbelievable combination of size and speed.

You, dammage and I should start a Lindstrom fan club!

[Sandman]

Originally Posted by dammage79

Dobbers did their top ten on Draft pros.

They got Demidov 2 behind celebrini, Lindstrom at 10 OA, Helenius at 6. I'm curious about Helenius, is he a center or winger? Because that package is enticing as a center.

Dobbers top ten:
1.Celebrini, Fw
2. Demidov, Fw
3. Dickenson, D
4. Parekh, D
5. C.Eiserman, FW
6. Helenius, FW
7. Catton,FW
8. Brandsegg-Norgaard,FW
9. Silayev, D
10. Lindstrom, FW

I have to comment on a player I see high up on that list, D Zayne Parekh. I didn't like him at the Hlinka tourney- I saw a fly by night, offensive D man playing pond hockey, and sacrificing his defense for flashy offense. He would pinch deep to get a shot off, but he was losing the puck, missing the net, and causing turnovers that his teammates would have to make up for, since he was so low in the zone. I think the coaches had the same opinion, as his ice-time was limited in favor of defensemen like Sam Dickinson, Henry Mews (who I love), Frankie Marrelli, and Charlie Ellick.

This year, he's leading the Saginaw Spirit of the OHL in scoring by 9 points (2nd highest D in the league), with a whopping 55 points in 37 games, and is on pace to score 101 points in 68 games with 33 goals. In his rookie year with Saginaw, he set an OHL record for most goals by a 16 year-old D, with 21 (he only had 16 assists). It seems like he's a bit one-dimensional, but that one dimension is astounding. If you ask his coach, he will tell you that Parekh's defensive play is coming along, and that he has one of the best sticks he's ever seen as a coach. It will be interesting to see where he goes on Draft day.

Zayne has excellent feet, and a hard shot. He's not huge, at 6'0", 180lbs, but intimidation is not his game. He has no trouble carrying the puck through transition, and leading the rush. Simply put, he's a scoring force, and may be the most offensively gifted D in this Draft. Still, he comes with some questions, and some risk.

[dammage79]

That's probably the reason why Parekh will go really high though. The soup of the day in the league right now is any player looking close to Cale Makar or Erik Karlsson on offense.

All in all, I'm looking at the top of this draft and can't help but think it's all wide open. It's going to go based on team need. Predicting this one is for the birds.

[Bingo Jr.]

We have to find a way to draft Lindstrom.

Those YouTube highlight packages are tantalizing.

[stemit14]

Originally Posted by Bingo Jr.

We have to find a way to draft Lindstrom.

Those YouTube highlight packages are tantalizing.

I have this unshakeable feeling that, even if he is still listed on most draft boards at 7th to 10th overall come draft day, I think he ends up being taken in the top 5 - even the top 3.

Can anyone speak to any weaknesses that stand out in his game that keeps him from being a top 5 ranking right now? Is it just that he was not projected to be this good based on his bantam draft? Does he have that common issue with power forwards in junior where the effort is inconsistent?

[shutout]

Originally Posted by stemit14

I have this unshakeable feeling that, even if he is still listed on most draft boards at 7th to 10th overall come draft day, I think he ends up being taken in the top 5 - even the top 3.

Can anyone speak to any weaknesses that stand out in his game that keeps him from being a top 5 ranking right now? Is it just that he was not projected to be this good based on his bantam draft? Does he have that common issue with power forwards in junior where the effort is inconsistent?

Especially since the top rated Russians are most likely to drop

[1qqaaz]

Originally Posted by stemit14

I have this unshakeable feeling that, even if he is still listed on most draft boards at 7th to 10th overall come draft day, I think he ends up being taken in the top 5 - even the top 3.

Can anyone speak to any weaknesses that stand out in his game that keeps him from being a top 5 ranking right now? Is it just that he was not projected to be this good based on his bantam draft? Does he have that common issue with power forwards in junior where the effort is inconsistent?

I agree, I think he’s basically a lock for top 5. Maybe even top 2/3.

All his intangibles are great. His point totals are good, but not great. So one may ask, if he’s so dominant, why is he only 4th on his team for scoring?

But even then, he seems to be producing more as the season progresses.

[devo22]

Button's new rankings are out. He still has Eiserman at 2 and a total of 7 defensemen in his top 12.

https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/craig-s-list-...raft-1.2061018

[Matty81]

Originally Posted by devo22

Button's new rankings are out. He still has Eiserman at 2 and a total of 7 defensemen in his top 12.

https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/craig-s-list-...raft-1.2061018

Interesting to see Helenius in that group of the top forwards and it be a group of 6 vs. 5... didn't perform very well at WJs but mckeens and button just seem to love his two way game. Bit wary of the numbers in the finnish league being a great indicator.

Feels like in most lists there 3 dmen who everybody has at the top and then a bunch of movement from list to list.

[devo22]

yeah it feels like Silayev, Levshunov and Dickinson at the top, then that second group with Parekh, Buium, Jiricek and Yakemchuk. I guess with some of those defensemen it really comes down to what you're looking for ... there's jack of all trades types like Dickinson, whereas a guy like Parekh is offensive dynamite, but poor defensively. And then you have Jiricek, whose injury might make him drop a bit. Will be interesting to see how it all shakes out.

I still wonder if Aron Kiviharju would be worth a flyer with a late 1st or early 2nd. Kind of feels like Kylington back then, who was also touted as a top 5 pick before falling in his draft year. It's similar for Kiviharju, and his injury hasn't helped. Undersized, but great skating and puck-moving skills. Still think there's a player there.

[ComixZone]

NHL Central Scouting Bureau relased their mid-year rankings.

Article

NA Skaters:

1. Celebrini
2. Levshunov
3. Lindstrom
4. Buium
5. Connelly
6. Yakemchuk
7. Dickinson
8. Eiserman
9. Catton
10. Parekh
11. Iginla

They also list Tij as being a centre...with where he ranks, and where the Flames are likely to draft...C'mon...C'mon...

International Skaters:

1. Helenius
2. Silayev
3. Demidov
4. Jiricek
5. Hemming
6. Brandsegg-Nygard
7. Kiviharju
8. Shuravin
9. Chernyshov
10. Pettersson
11. Sahlin Wallenius

[Royle9]

This thread just further supports the need for the flames to acquire 1st's and early 2nds...

I want the flames to draft about 8 different guys now.

[Jiri Hrdina]

My god, the refusal of central scouting to move to a unified list, instead of the separate NA/European lists is so idiotic. Makes their list useless.

[FlamesAddiction]

Originally Posted by Jiri Hrdina

My god, the refusal of central scouting to move to a unified list, instead of the separate NA/European lists is so idiotic. Makes their list useless.

I don't get it either. I always found it pointless, but assumed there is some logic or reasoning to it. Is there a rationale for why they do that? Is it because their scouts only focus on one or the other, so they don't know how to weave the lists together?

[shutout]

Originally Posted by FlamesAddiction

I don't get it either. I always found it pointless, but assumed there is some logic or reasoning to it. Is there a rationale for why they do that?

I believe its because their scouts don't cross over regions and there is no real way of determining how to slot the players against each other without some form of Rochambeau between the scouts.