Draft re-caps

[Jiri Hrdina]

Let's use the thread to discuss our picks, decisions made and what not.

For the Minnesota Wild, key picks were as follows.

#2: Quinn Byfield - this is the guy we had at #2 pretty much all summer, but it was hard to ignore the late push from Stutzle. Years ago I made a mistake drafting Dylan Strome over the dynamic winger, Mitch Marner, so I'm a little worried about that. But I couldn't ignore Byfield's very young draft age and that he reminds me so much of Malkin. So I stuck with my gut.

#7 Marco Rossi - I traded up to get this pick, and figured it would come down to Rossi or Holtz here. The 4-6 picks played out as I thought, as I figured Doug would grab Dysdale, and Simmer would take Raymond. I wasn't sure if Ravi would go Perfetti or Rossi, but I didn't have strong views on one over the other. Rossi put up 120 points in 56 games to lead the entire CHL. Hard to ignore that.

#10 Yarslav Askarov - this was the conditional player that Cheese and I agreed on. I have no idea if he would have taken him or not. Taking a goalie this high is risky but when you hear comparisons to Carey Price - it is hard to look past that. I was worried Goffie would take him at 8.

#19 Radion Amirov - there as a bunch of forwards in this range I had targeted including Mercer, Jarivs, Laipierre, Zary Holloway and Amirov. Amirov is the guy that ended up being there. He is a bit polarizing but has a lot of skill. I had him #17 on my overall list.

#26 Jacob Perrrault - one of many prospects in this draft with strong bloodlines (sone of Yannic Perreault) had a good season, and is another skilled forward. Has some issues with consistency which is why i think he's a late 1st rounder. I had him #25 on my overall list.

#27 Jeremie Poirier - Had him specifically targeted in this area. I view him as a boom/bust pick - his offensive play as a dman are elite. His all around game is really rough. Hard to say if he's going to be a Shayne Gostisbehere, or a Ryan Murphy - but I've generally had good luck with offensive dmen. i had him #29 on my overall list, but had highlighted him as someone I would probably take higher than my overall ranking - which I did.

#33 - Jan Mysak. Polarizing prospect, my various lists had him as high as #12 and as low as #43. So I figure 33 is good value for another guy with a lot of skill and high hockey IQ, but has some rough parts to his game. I had him #28 on my list.

#44 - Marat Khusnutdinov. Another guy who was all over the place on lists, as high as #24 and as low as #55. I had him #35 on my list. Another guy with very high upside, but low certainty to make the NHL.

#46 - Zion Nybeck. I was wrestling between him or Marat at 44, so immediately tried to find a way to get another 2nd to get both. Paid a 2nd and a 3rd to get the pick. I've been on Zion for a long time, and at one point would have taken him with my early 2nd, but backed off a touch. None the less I would have been sad not to get him. Huge skill and small stature. The NHL seems to be more likely for guys like Nybeck, but there's still a lot to overcome. Would not be surprised to see him go 3rd or later in the NHL draft but he'll be a guy that I keep as I think there's something there. I had him #45 on my overall list, but ended up taking him over other guys i had higher and still sitting there.

#80 Minnesota: Carter Savoie. This was the other guy I had starred on my list, but without a third was unlikely to get him. I had him #61 on my list, but really wanted to land him, so made a deal to get the third. Various lists had him as high as #29 and as low as 61, so I think there's value here. Playing a lower level of hockey (AJHL) which makes him risky, but the package is appealing. Another one that I'll hold onto to see how he develops.

The rest of my picks were just names plucked largely out of nowhere.

I would say the main guy I was disappointed not to get was Lapierre - who could end up being one of the best players in the draft and only drops for health reasons. Good pick by cheese, as I was hoping he'd be there at 19.

[simmer2]

The Ducks had the 6th pick for a long time. It was difficult to rank Drysdale, Raymond, Perfetti, Rossi and Holtz. I don't know how many scouting reports I read...felt like splitting hairs.

The only guy who really stood out to us from that group was Raymond, with Perfetti as my next choice.

I figured Ravi would take Raymond at 5 so I traded up assuming Cheese went with Stutzle and Hanna Sniper with a Canadian.

Luckily I guessed right and got my guy.

We think if Raymond hadn't been on a stacked Frolunda team playing 4th line minutes, he would have stood out and moved up in the rankings similar to a Stutzle.

We are thrilled to have one of the most skilled guys in the draft in our system.

The future looks bright with Hughes and Raymond.

[TheScorpion]

I picked for Florida and NYI. Let's take a look.

FLA

34 - Jean-Luc Foudy. Incredibly fast player, brother of CBJ's Liam Foudy. Uses great speed to his advantage on breakouts and on the rush. A right-handed centre with pedigree, tremendous playmaking ability, and blazing footwork.

52 - Daemon Hunt. Two-way defenseman whose draft stock was hurt by a freak injury in December. An offensive threat from the point for Moose Jaw but not lumbering in any respect. Very smart player with good leadership qualities. Disciplined.

56 - Vasily Ponomarev. Incredibly flashy little centre for Shawinigan. Definitely a boom/bust-type prospect. Can skate circles around guys. Has great vision. Very dangerous within ten feet of the net.

69 - Antonio Stranges. Another boom/bust guy. A bit more of a perimeter player than Ponomarev. He has the skill and speed to be an NHL superstar but he needs to work on his defense. His skating style is definitely unique but it's effective. He barely uses crossovers!

71 - Eemil Viro. A lanky defenseman with great skating ability who needs to work on his offensive game. His shot is relatively weak but he can use his speed to get in close and become more dangerous. He has good instincts and some natural ability that he needs to build upon physically.

84 - Zayde Wisdom. Played with Shane Wright in Kingston, hence his big numbers, but there's also plenty of natural talent there. He's a workhorse who always keeps skating. He's built in his lower body and is fantastic on the forecheck. If you watch Wright's highlights from this year, a lot of his chances were generated by Wisdom battling and digging out pucks. Wisdom also has great hand-eye.

99 - Ronan Seeley. One of the youngest prospects in the draft. A fantastic skater and stickhandler who can find anybody with a pass from the point. Doesn't possess a booming shot but employs an effective wrister. A very enticing defense prospect who I considered beginning at 52.

127 - Charles Beaudoin. A former first-rounder in the QMJHL draft, Beaudoin had a good sophomore year in Shawinigan and emerged as one of the team's offensive leaders. He often played with Ponomarev and although they were often overshadowed by 2021-eligible Xavier Bourgault and Mavrick Bourque, Beaudoin and Ponomarev both showed promise. Ponomarev is more of a flashy type while Beaudoin is closer to a power forward: he got into three fights this year. Beaudoin has a bit of Mike Ferland in him and actually wears the same number, too.

[TheScorpion]

NYI

124 - James Hardie. No, not the siding brand. Hardie enjoyed a breakout year for Mississauga in 2019-20. He's a great sniper with a fantastic shot in terms of velocity, release, and placement. He's no great shakes defensively but his shot and speed make up for it. There's a bit of Dallas-era James Neal in him.

131 - Simon Knak. Some people had Knak going in the first round before the season and although he hasn't produced to that level, he still had an impressive NA debut with the Winterhawks. He didn't score a ton of goals but he's a good playmaker. Not the fastest guy. Maybe the only guy I picked today who doesn't have great speed.

[Cheese]

The Pens had multiple options and were prepared to go with what we thought was best player available at our picks. Of course after about pick 5 or 6 those players are pretty subjective.
#3 - Tim Stutzle - Center. As per Jiri Hrdina, it was either him or Byfield at this slot and with Stutzle's stock on the rise I was pleased to nab him. “He’s pure excitement and plays the game in a similar fashion to Patrick Kane,” Button said. “He’s quick on his skates and has a fast mind. He’s extremely confident and manages to do things in the game offensively that are completely unexpected. Stutzle is a very difficult guy to try to defend.”


#9 Jack Quinn - RW. I was originally going to take the Goalie Askarov at this or the 10 spot, but made a deal with the devil to add additional picks and walk away from the goalie. Another late riser, Quinn was the top scorer among draft picks and I was happy to snag him here. Scouts like his natural sniping ability but are also impressed with his high-energy two-way game and project that he could be a top NHL scoring forward who can play on the PP and the PK.


#12 Jake Sanderson - Defense. He could be a top 10 pick and I was happy to get him at 12.
The son of former NHL speedster forward Geoff Sanderson, who is the pride of Hay River in the Northwest Territories, young American Jake is a shooting star in the 2020 draft class.
At almost 6-foot-2 and a 185-pound frame that will greatly fill out in the years to come, he demonstrated in the first half of the season that he has the physical tools, including elite skating ability, to be a big, mobile shutdown NHL defender.


#15 Hendrix Lapierre - Center. Some worries over his head injuries, however his skill set is still a top 10 in my mind. Took him a bit early but happy to have him on the farm.


18, Mavrik Bourque - Center. Most had Mavrik slotted right in this range and I was happy to take him at 18. He is a smart 2 way forward with great speed.


23. Braden Schneider.- Defence. I had him ranked a bit higher than 23 and was happy to get this defensive defenceman at 23. I think he will be a top 4 in a few years.


25. Brendan Brisson- Center. Another riser in the draft, Brisson is a great skater with a great one timer.



30. William Wallinder - Defence. Ranked anywhere between the 20s and early 30s, he has great agility for a big man. Happy to have another solid dman for our future blueline.


36. Ridley Greig - Center. A clever player with a good scoring touch. Tough player.


61 - Emil Andrae - Defence - I had Emil ranked in the low 40s, so was excited to nab him at 61. A skilled fast offensive dman who doesnt shy from the physical. I think he is a sleeper.


82. Connor McClennon - RW. A great motor and high energy guy. It all a crap shoot at this level.


83. Joel Blomqvist - Goalie - A technically sound Finnish Goalie who has good technique.


107. Oliver Okuliar - LW - A volume shooter with a great motor.


108C - Ryder Rolston - RW - NHL Bloodlines. Speedy offensive forward with very quick feet.


117 - Oskar Magnusson - Center - Fantastic work ethic and high energy. Defensive work ethic. Intelligent player.


129 - Pavel Tyutnev - RW - A great nose for the net that needs work on his skating. A grab bag pick.


The Pens were very happy with this draft, we have some sure things and some very positive prospects. It will be interesting to see where they actually fall in the NHL draft.

[Harry Lime]

Thank you to Jiri "You're embarrassing me in front of the guys, Hrdina!" Hrdina, for running this draft for me. We seem to like the same types of players, so I truly appreciate it.

#59 - Roby Jarventie
Left shooting left wing out of Liiga in Finland. He had his cup of coffee last year, and this development year in should have seen him end in the men's league had there not been stoppage. Fast, good skater, and a sniper. Fatal flaw is defense, but if that can be coached into him everything else is there.

#65 - Yan Kuznetsov
Prototypical defense first guy. Russian playing in the NCAA, this pick could go one of two ways. The first is that he maintains his trajectory and develops into a stable but unexciting bottom pair player. I think once an NHL club has a say in his development, they set him up with a speed skating coach to work on his first step. If that happens he has NHL journeyman written all over him.

#73 - Dmitri Zlodeyev
Sounds like a Russian Derek Ryan who likes open ice hits. OK.

#78 - Alex Pashin
Little guy, but excellent skater. Sounds a lot like Mangiapane, in being even a smaller bulldog type of player. If he figures out how to stay on his feet, he could be a steal at this spot.


#93 - Jacob Truscott
NCAA defensman who does everything well, but without one standout skill. He does seem to improve every year, so this is a wait and see type prospect.

#101 - Colby Ambrosio
Another guy who gets better every year, but is undersized. Plays with a chip on his shoulder, and seems to be the guy in the scrum trying to facewash the biggest guy on the other team.

[Flickered Flame]

Wings draft recap:

[3thirty]

Devils Recap:
#17- Dylan Holloway - We figured we would get the leftover forward of Jarvis/Quinn/Zary/Holloway and were happy to snag Holloway, A fast playmaking C in the NCAA. Looks like he dropped after an average first year with Wisconsin, but all the tools are present to be a top 6 centre in the future.

#20- Kaiden Guhle - We had him 17 and would have been happy to grab him with our first pick. Smooth skating physical d-man with some offense and good size. Future top-pairing potential if it all works out.

#21- Noel Gunler - Took a chance with multiple picks, seems like a boom/bust prospect. Has put up point in the SHL, but skipped over for Swedish junior teams. A sniper that needs to work on play in his own end.

#22 - JJ Peterka - A german winger that seems to be really good at offense, but needs to work on his defensive game. Another prospect playing against men and put up some points.

#31 - Thomas Bordeleau - I had him ranked higher so was glad he fell (on my list anyway). Undersized at 5’10” but strong, he continues a trend of high-offensive skilled guys that need to work on defensive coverage.

Overall was a fun draft and nice to put some faces to names.

Sad cheese took Lapierre earlier as I think he might be a steal if the concussions were indeed neck issues, but Grant would've continued the yearly trend of taking a prospect right before me at 19 anyway. Also liked Grant snagging Zion Nybeck as he is small, but skilled and worth a mid 2nd lottery ticket.

[Caged Great]

Florida will immediately release all players selected in the draft today.

This is by no means a slight to Mike as he did an impeccable job and those players all would help my team out immensely.

It to me is a competitive advantage for me to even have those selections at all.

I did not ask Mike to draft for me, give him a list or contact anyone, it was all on me for thinking the draft was at 11 and by then most of the draft was over. Therefore by rights I should forfeit those selections. It sucks but I don't view my responsibilities as a GM were fulfilled and I don't know if I should be rewarded with someone elses kindness.

[TheScorpion]

Wait. So if you’re releasing all the players you picked does that mean we can sign them?

But also like... I think you should just keep them, #### happens and some of those players are good assets. Nobody’s complaining that you have them.

[3thirty]

I think you should keep them, they have value and ##### happens with the time mixup

[Caged Great]

Originally Posted by TheScorpion

Wait. So if you’re releasing all the players you picked does that mean we can sign them?

But also like... I think you should just keep them, #### happens and some of those players are good assets. Nobody’s complaining that you have them.

I am fine with whatever the league as I whole decides. I screwed up and did not follow the proper procedure. You did an amazing job with those selections and I would be more than happy to keep any/all of them.

However, I just don't ethically feel that I deserve to keep them at least unless it is viewed as okay by the league. I made the mistake of not making arrangements, and I don't think I should be rewarded for it. However, I think if the league is fine with it than I will keep them.

I am a very honest person and act in an ethical manner in all things and that's why I'm bringing this up. Wouldn't be fair to others otherwise.

[Cheese]

You should keep them. It's not a problem outside of the crap Scorp picked for you.

[TheScorpion]

It’s 100% okay, Grant asked me to pick for you himself... you shouldn’t feel any guilt about owning those players. I was glad to be able to pick them and help the draft along.

Nobody should be complaining about you having those players... if they do they have me to answer to as well as everyone in the zoom and (I’m sure) all of the commissioners. You screwed up something that’s easy to screw up, no big deal, you’re still a part of the league and set to manage whatever assets you are entitled to, and you are entitled to those players 100%.

[Goffie]

Keep the picks!

Everyone in the draft room was good with how it went down. Mistakes happen. Don’t worry about it.

[Cheese]

Right, what Scorp said, even if he missed the crap part.

[devo22]

dude, keep the players. Mistakes happen, and it looks like the other GMs were fine with Scorp making the picks.

as for the Rangers draft:

[Jiri Hrdina]

Yup keep the picks.

[Hanna Sniper]

quick notes

I'm a little overwhelmed with the amount of picks I made so my brain hasn't processed anything at the moment. Doing up and image for my first selection has caused me to be at a loss how I'm going to do a report

Caged Great - Please keep the picks, it sucks personally for you that you missed out on the draft. But It would be a shame if you forfeited the selections. I for one hope that you hit on more than one and that it takes the sting away.

Surprised by the top 4, did not expect it to play out that way regardless that all rankings have it as such

[Caged Great]

Thanks everyone.