2011 NHL Entry Draft Watch

NEELY wrote:Because it's very rare you find as complete a player in Jr hockey as Landeskog. Last kid I remember being that solid all around was Duchene... very similar numbers too if I am not mistaken.

I`m not sure he has Duchene`s puck handling or passing skills, but that said, I want him pretty bad, so I hope they all pass on him. I would if I was Florida, I`d go for skill, but Ottawa NEEDS this for their transition from crappy to hard working and gritty. He compliments Spezza very well, I could see him on his wing for the next 10+ years.

Big Ev wrote:PS, it's obviously just for fun and means nothing, but I picked Mika Zibanejad and Rocco Grimaldi with our two first round picks in a board mock draft at Dobber Hockey. We get a solid two-way player who is a lot like Landeskog, and we get a home-run potential pick at #21. Grimaldi has arguably the most skill in the draft aside from RNH. Dorion said himself we can afford to gamble at 21 because we have lots of other picks.

Almost time for me to pick at #36!

If we could trade down from 6 to 10 and get another 2nd - then grab Zib and Grimaldi, we're onto something real nice.

I have a feeling we won't move from our 6th place and we'll draft Strome. I have no problem with that either, like I've said before I have a feeling that even a year from now they'll say he should of gone top 4. lots of upsides. Lets not muck about and use all our 1sts and 2nds picks and come out of this with hot prospects up the wazoo! BM and his team have done a solid job so far in previous drafts that I'd be very intrigued to see what he can get us with our first 5-6 pick down the road. this could be the year where the forward ranks are refilled completely.

SpezDispenser wrote:

Big Ev wrote:PS, it's obviously just for fun and means nothing, but I picked Mika Zibanejad and Rocco Grimaldi with our two first round picks in a board mock draft at Dobber Hockey. We get a solid two-way player who is a lot like Landeskog, and we get a home-run potential pick at #21. Grimaldi has arguably the most skill in the draft aside from RNH. Dorion said himself we can afford to gamble at 21 because we have lots of other picks.

Almost time for me to pick at #36!

If we could trade down from 6 to 10 and get another 2nd - then grab Zib and Grimaldi, we're onto something real nice.

Don't think you'd get Zibanejad at 10. He'll be gone.

I guess I'm really old school, but I just couldn't bring myself to draft Zibanejad at 6. He played in the Swedish Jr. league last year (at least from what the CSS bureau has him listed) and he only had 5 goals and 9 points in 26 games.

I really worry about a guy who has moved from being projected in the 2nd round to now in the top 10 (according to some people) in less than 1/2 season.

With that 6th pick you have to, absolutely have to get a stud. I'm not sure he's that. Could he be? Yes, but it's still a big chance, where as others like Strome are going to be studs.

22_4_ever wrote:I guess I'm really old school, but I just couldn't bring myself to draft Zibanejad at 6. He played in the Swedish Jr. league last year (at least from what the CSS bureau has him listed) and he only had 5 goals and 9 points in 26 games.

I really worry about a guy who has moved from being projected in the 2nd round to now in the top 10 (according to some people) in less than 1/2 season.

With that 6th pick you have to, absolutely have to get a stud. I'm not sure he's that. Could he be? Yes, but it's still a big chance, where as others like Strome are going to be studs.

see i don't think Strome is a stud for sure. But i think there' s more upsides for sure. Some have said he could play in the NHL, personally I would like him to play another year in juniors and see if he can tear it up. I think if he's in junior next year his goal scoring could go thru the roof.

SpezD changes his tune every 2 days

As for the article, there are some truth but I wouldn't certainly put him 13th. I'd say 6-7th after the other forwards. I certainly wouldn't trade up to get Landeskog. He can be a 1st line player I think but I don't expect him to be that much better than he is today, unline guys like Huberdeau, Strome and RNH who completely dominated the league while being as big or way smaller than the competition. Huberdeau won the memorial Cup against a Mississauga team full of 19 and 20 year olds and I like that. Other previous similar prospects are Claude Giroux and Zach Parise, who were taken after bigger guys like Steve Bernier, James Sheppard and Peter Mueller who had good rookie seasons but clearly didn't get any better after that.
It's not a science but it is a valid argument.

marakh wrote:SpezD changes his tune every 2 days

As for the article, there are some truth but I wouldn't certainly put him 13th. I'd say 6-7th after the other forwards. I certainly wouldn't trade up to get Landeskog. He can be a 1st line player I think but I don't expect him to be that much better than he is today, unline guys like Huberdeau, Strome and RNH who completely dominated the league while being as big or way smaller than the competition. Huberdeau won the memorial Cup against a Mississauga team full of 19 and 20 year olds and I like that. Other previous similar prospects are Claude Giroux and Zach Parise, who were taken after bigger guys like Steve Bernier, James Sheppard and Peter Mueller who had good rookie seasons but clearly didn't get any better after that.
It's not a science but it is a valid argument.

I know which of the two pools you identify that I'd like us to pick from.

Gimme Landeskog, Couturier, or Huberdeau with the top 6 pick and I'll be happy.

22_4_ever wrote:I guess I'm really old school, but I just couldn't bring myself to draft Zibanejad at 6. He played in the Swedish Jr. league last year (at least from what the CSS bureau has him listed) and he only had 5 goals and 9 points in 26 games.

I really worry about a guy who has moved from being projected in the 2nd round to now in the top 10 (according to some people) in less than 1/2 season.

With that 6th pick you have to, absolutely have to get a stud. I'm not sure he's that. Could he be? Yes, but it's still a big chance, where as others like Strome are going to be studs.

No, Zibanejad actually finished the year (26 games) with the big club in the Swedish Elite League, and by all accounts he was a factor in the playoffs (hard to do at 17/18). Points for Swedish prospects should be taken with a grain of salt.

Risers are the guys you should be looking at the most. Ryan Strome was a projected second rounder before the year started. Landeskog was nowhere near the top. Huberdeau was also projected to go second round. Jeff Skinner was unheard of, and even the final CSS rankings had him in the 30's.

Zibanejad has as much chance of being a stud as Strome. Whoever they pick you gotta believe they believe the player will become a factor in the NHL.

spader wrote:

marakh wrote:SpezD changes his tune every 2 days

As for the article, there are some truth but I wouldn't certainly put him 13th. I'd say 6-7th after the other forwards. I certainly wouldn't trade up to get Landeskog. He can be a 1st line player I think but I don't expect him to be that much better than he is today, unline guys like Huberdeau, Strome and RNH who completely dominated the league while being as big or way smaller than the competition. Huberdeau won the memorial Cup against a Mississauga team full of 19 and 20 year olds and I like that. Other previous similar prospects are Claude Giroux and Zach Parise, who were taken after bigger guys like Steve Bernier, James Sheppard and Peter Mueller who had good rookie seasons but clearly didn't get any better after that.
It's not a science but it is a valid argument.

I know which of the two pools you identify that I'd like us to pick from.

Peter Mueller is actually a VERY good player...Coyotes rushed him like Turris. Too bad he missed all of last year though.

there's not much love for Strome out there...

I really hope lando gets picked before 6th so we can take Strome.
Then again i might be singing a different tune if he's the second incarnation of Richards in a couple of years. I'm a big man, I'll admit I'm wrong... then.

If any of you are on HFBoards, you'll know why people don't want Strome on Ottawa

Michallica wrote:Gimme Landeskog, Couturier, or Huberdeau with the top 6 pick and I'll be happy.

if my predictions are correct none of these players will be available with the 6th pick.

I dunno where this (mis) conception comes from that NJD will pick a defenseman with their pick. So far everything i've read points out they want a forward. they may be lacking a good D now but they have better D prospects then forwards.

Same could be said about NYI, which will probably take the best player available. Which IMO after Larsson there is not D in the top 6 picks.

Big Ev wrote:If any of you are on HFBoards, you'll know why people don't want Strome on Ottawa

i rarely ever go on there. let me guess, something stupid like he's part of leaf nation?

marakh wrote:SpezD changes his tune every 2 days

As for the article, there are some truth but I wouldn't certainly put him 13th. I'd say 6-7th after the other forwards. I certainly wouldn't trade up to get Landeskog. He can be a 1st line player I think but I don't expect him to be that much better than he is today, unline guys like Huberdeau, Strome and RNH who completely dominated the league while being as big or way smaller than the competition. Huberdeau won the memorial Cup against a Mississauga team full of 19 and 20 year olds and I like that. Other previous similar prospects are Claude Giroux and Zach Parise, who were taken after bigger guys like Steve Bernier, James Sheppard and Peter Mueller who had good rookie seasons but clearly didn't get any better after that.
It's not a science but it is a valid argument.

At least I'm assured personally of not being disappointed - I don't think. I can find a lot of merits in any of the guys in question, Landeskog, Larsson, RNH, Huberdeau, Couturier, Hamilton. I'm still a little nervous about Strome and Zib, but the more I read, the more I like.

I'm still firmly in the Landeskog corner - nothing would ever change that as my top pick, but I'm prepared for that not to happen as well.

EDIT: I should also say that I've long since thought the top 7 or maybe 8 are all interchangeable with the exception of RNH and Larsson.

to further prove that the NYI aren't taking a D-man here's a lift from THN who are quoting another article

New York Islanders GM Garth Snow has let it be known he's open to entertaining offers for his first-rounder (fifth overall).

Snow is willing to consider moving up or down in the draft order, but it's also believed he's interested in adding what Chris Botta of Islanders Point Blank called “at least one productive and experienced forward” who would help speed up the club's rebuilding program.

that 5th is available but what's the difference? they are more likely to want a Lando type of guy to round out their young forward prospects.
I tell you Strome it is.

Flo The Action wrote:to further prove that the NYI aren't taking a D-man here's a lift from THN who are quoting another article

New York Islanders GM Garth Snow has let it be known he's open to entertaining offers for his first-rounder (fifth overall).

Snow is willing to consider moving up or down in the draft order, but it's also believed he's interested in adding what Chris Botta of Islanders Point Blank called “at least one productive and experienced forward” who would help speed up the club's rebuilding program.

that 5th is available but what's the difference? they are more likely to want a Lando type of guy to round out their young forward prospects.
I tell you Strome it is.

It would be cool to pick 5th and 6th.

Who would we have to trade? Let's see. If they want a productive AND experienced forward, we have Aflie, Spezza, Michalek, and . . . that's about it. Foligno is fairly experienced, but not overly productive. Alfie and Spezz are obviously non-starters. I don't think they'd take Michalek for the fifth unless we add quite a bit.

Guess not.