2015 NHL Draft Thread

[sureLoss]

Zacha has been selected 1st overall by Sarnia in the CHL import draft

and per his agent:

Allan Walsh @walsha
Sarnia was advised that Pavel Zacha has a professional contract in Czech Republic for 2 more years and has no interest in playing for them.

[devo22]

why would they waste 1st overall on a player who doesn't want to come over?

Preds 2nd round pick Kamenev goes to Quebec at 2, but I think he has a contract in Russia for next season as well. Russian forward Nikita Milekhin (2015 eligible) is 3rd overall, he goes to Lethbridge.

[sureLoss]

Walsh just ripping into Sarnia's GM

Allan Walsh @walsha
Sarnia just wasted the #1 overall pick in the CHL Import Draft on a player who's not coming and has a professional contract. #RookieGM

[OutOfTheCube]

2015 NHL Draft, aka, "The Big One". With three first round picks (two of them likely in the top ten, or possible top 5), this could be the most important draft round in Sabres history.

[Stanathan]

Probably irrational distaste, but I really hope the Sabres "Oiler" their rebuild, I really don't like them. I'd be happy if they never made the playoffs again and then folded. Like I said, probably irrational distaste.

[Enoch Root]

Originally Posted by OutOfTheCube

2015 NHL Draft, aka, "The Big One". With three first round picks (two of them likely in the top ten, or possible top 5), this could be the most important draft round in Sabres history.

I wouldn't count on the Islanders pick being top 5

[Parallex]

Originally Posted by Enoch Root

I wouldn't count on the Islanders pick being top 5

Yeah... in the East at least on paper they look more like a bubble team then a bottom five team.

[djsFlames]

Originally Posted by OutOfTheCube

2015 NHL Draft, aka, "The Big One". With three first round picks (two of them likely in the top ten, or possible top 5), this could be the most important draft round in Sabres history.

Great for Buffalo. This is a Flames forum. We don't care.

[Headshot]

Originally Posted by djsFlames

Great for Buffalo. This is a Flames forum. We don't care.

I care.

And I'm a flames fan.

[Matty81]

The one guy on early lists I think is rated too highly is Barzal... i don't get how he is a projected top 10 pick and Nick Merkley is not in that list when Merkley outplayed him last year.

I get how some guys who are smallish drop etc but these two guys are almost identical in size and skating is a wash for me, I know the Rockets were better than the t birds but Barzal played 1st line everything last year including PP and Merkley got way less icetime, still scored 9 more goals and more points.

If you get a chance I'd be interested to hear your thoughts FCAV.

[Red John]

Originally Posted by Matty81

The one guy on early lists I think is rated too highly is Barzal... i don't get how he is a projected top 10 pick and Nick Merkley is not in that list when Merkley outplayed him last year.

I get how some guys who are smallish drop etc but these two guys are almost identical in size and skating is a wash for me, I know the Rockets were better than the t birds but Barzal played 1st line everything last year including PP and Merkley got way less icetime, still scored 9 more goals and more points.

If you get a chance I'd be interested to hear your thoughts FCAV.

Was just coming into the thread to post this exactly. Barzal is nothing special, he had a lot of hype last year but wasn't even the top scoring rookie.

Nick Merkley is a better player right now than Barzal. There's been a ton of hype about the 2015 draft but if Barzal ends up a top five pick then it'll be an average draft at best.

[Commandant]

Our look at the top 10.

http://lastwordonsports.com/2014/07/...015-nhl-draft/

[FCAV]

We've opened up our 2015 Draft Center and you can check out profiles on our top-ranked prospects from next year's draft here: http://futureconsiderations.ca/playe...h=2015&letter=

Also, for those that like the looks of our rankings page, it is now updated to reflect the 2015 crop as well: http://futureconsiderations.ca/top-rankings/

[jemjey]

If Calgary picked second, do you think they'd choose Eichel or Hanifin?

I couldn't pass up Eichel, but Hanifin fills a glaring organizational hole.

[Caged Great]

Originally Posted by jemjey

If Calgary picked second, do you think they'd choose Eichel or Hanifin?

I couldn't pass up Eichel, but Hanifin fills a glaring organizational hole.

interesting to think about.

Take Eichel and move other things for D-men like a Sven/Granlund or any of our depth

[Gaskal]

Pretty sure we'll wind up picking Hanifin at 3rd Overall. But hoping that my sig comes true (win lottery, pick Connor).

[sureLoss]

Originally Posted by jemjey

If Calgary picked second, do you think they'd choose Eichel or Hanifin?

I couldn't pass up Eichel, but Hanifin fills a glaring organizational hole.

You go with the one that you think will have the best, most impactful NHL career. Fill the organizational need via trade or free agency.

[Calgary4LIfe]

Exactly as Sureloss posted. You never give up the better player in a draft because organizationally you are weak somewhere else. That is what trades and FA periods are for - to round out your team.

Though it will be a huge piece to the rebuild, having a bona fide #1 defencemen may not be the 'make it or break it' issue with Calgary. If you look at the prospect base as a whole, you see an identity forming. All the prospects are essentially high character, high IQ types, and for the most part are fairly well lauded for their complete 200ft games. Even a guy like Granlund who I had personally pigeon-holed as a highly offensive but defensively deficient player has proved himself to be great in all zones (as evidenced by Hartley loving him and throwing him out in all situations in his brief time up).

To me, this means that these kids will be growing up in an environment that will be promoting strong and complete games, and this will only help the defence out. The Flames may be able to get away with throwing out competent but perhaps not 'top end' top pairing guys. Obviously this is not the preference here, but the Flames in '04 went pretty damn far by having their forwards competing hard in all 3 zones (and of course, a very outstanding goalie).

At any rate, you have to always pick the best player available, and hope that somehow you fill in the other holes at some time by having prospects exceed their potential, trading for them, or signing them as FAs. Never pass on value.

[mile]

Originally Posted by Calgary4LIfe

Exactly as Sureloss posted. You never give up the better player in a draft because organizationally you are weak somewhere else. That is what trades and FA periods are for - to round out your team.

Though it will be a huge piece to the rebuild, having a bona fide #1 defencemen may not be the 'make it or break it' issue with Calgary. If you look at the prospect base as a whole, you see an identity forming. All the prospects are essentially high character, high IQ types, and for the most part are fairly well lauded for their complete 200ft games. Even a guy like Granlund who I had personally pigeon-holed as a highly offensive but defensively deficient player has proved himself to be great in all zones (as evidenced by Hartley loving him and throwing him out in all situations in his brief time up).

To me, this means that these kids will be growing up in an environment that will be promoting strong and complete games, and this will only help the defence out. The Flames may be able to get away with throwing out competent but perhaps not 'top end' top pairing guys. Obviously this is not the preference here, but the Flames in '04 went pretty damn far by having their forwards competing hard in all 3 zones (and of course, a very outstanding goalie).

At any rate, you have to always pick the best player available, and hope that somehow you fill in the other holes at some time by having prospects exceed their potential, trading for them, or signing them as FAs. Never pass on value.

Agreed.

Ideally though, I would like the best player at where we are picking to be a defenseman.

[Caged Great]

Originally Posted by mile

Agreed.

Ideally though, I would like the best player at where we are picking to be a defenseman.

That would be the perfect case scenario, but we would likely be picking 3rd or 4th in that case. Kylington or Hanifin would do nicely in that scenario.