Tag Archives: @NHLDraftTalk

Brennen York, NHL, NHL Entry Draft, Prospects

2 – Buffalo Sabres

It’s been a rough off season already for GM Tim Murray, however he has consistently come away with some good consolation prizes. First he suffered through the draft lottery in which the first overall pick was ripped from his hands, and we also witnessed something similar when Mike Babcock passed on the Sabres and their vacant coaching spot and moved on to tackle the Toronto Maple Leafs. However, in both of those situations, the Sabres walked away with some pieces that you’d still consider to be very good. Dan Bylsma will prove to be a very wise investment, and though Murray had his eyes (and heart) set on Connor McDavid, Jack Eichel has the ability to be the franchise center the Sabres need. 

This draft is a game changer for the Sabres, and they have a chance to do things even bigger than many expect. I’ve thrown this proposal around in the past, and please note this is purely speculation, but I wonder if Murray would consider shipping off Sam Reinhart in order to attain the third overall selection and grab one of Marner or, the more likely pick, Noah Hanifin. Grabbing a franchise defenceman and a franchise center in the same draft could end up being one of the most brilliant moments in draft day history we’ve seen in a while. 

Aside from the speculation talk, the Sabres have a pretty straightforward draft day ahead of them. Make picks and find a goalie. With the depth in the Sabres organization, it’s possible we see them move one or two pieces or picks in order to grab a goalie like Lehner or Talbot. With picks at 21, 31, and 51, Murray can definitely walk away with some solid prospects. 

At 21, likely a faller, watch for Zboril, Kylington, maybe a guy like Nick Merkley. At 31, if he’s still available, Ilya Samsonov is the guy. At 51, it’s tough to say who’s available, but possibly a player like Travis Dermott or Parker Wotherspoon would be good additions. All in all, it may not be an action packed weekend for the Sabres, but with the promise of Eichel, it will surely be a day to remember.

Draft Day Gameplan

– Stay the course, acquire good, young talent whether it’s through picks or trades.

– Add a young goaltender. I would not pass on Samsonov at 31, but I’d also be very interested in adding a goaltender like Lehner to the mix.

– If there’s a good deal for Grigorenko consider it. Maybe a Grigorenko for Gormley swap?

– Hit it big with 21. I love Jacob Larsson and Oliver Kylington, both of whom are likely available come the 21st pick.

Sabres Big Board

1. Connor McDavid
2. Jack Eichel
3. Noah Hanifin
4. Dylan Strome
5. Mitchell Marner
6. Ivan Provorov
7. Zach Werenski
8. Pavel Zacha
9. Mikko Rantanen
10. Mathew Barzal

Who do they take?

Jack Eichel.

Darkhorse?

Jack Eichel. No darkhorse, but I do think that grabbing Hanifin at 3 would make a huge difference moving forward.

Brennen York, NHL, Prospects

4 – Toronto Maple Leafs

No team has more eyes on them heading into the draft than the Toronto Maple Leafs. There are a lot of difficult decisions to be made, and none more intriguing than what will come of the fourth overall pick. Granted, there is a lot of curiosity around which players will be traded, but the only guarantee is that the Leafs will be walking away with a blue chip prospect. There will be elite level skill on the board when the Leafs are on the clock, and Shanahan, Dubas, and Hunter will have an extremely difficult decision to make. McDavid and Eichel will be off the board, Arizona is heavily interested in Dylan Strome and many have him penciled in as the third selection already. That leaves Noah Hanifin, Mitchell Marner, and Ivan Provorov. Some have included Mikko Rantanen and Mathew Barzal into the equation, but I find it highly unlikely given the sure fire prospects that will remain on the board. So circling back to the big three (big four if you include Strome), you have to look at how you’re going to build this Maple Leafs squad. If you take Mitchell Marner, you’re getting an elite playmaker who may be an 80 point guy in the NHL, but you’re also accepting that your team will struggle on the blue line for at least a few years. Drafting Strome brings something similar to Marner in the fact that you leave the blue line rather bare, though you do get a 6’3 center, a size and position combo that is highly coveted around the league. Now if the Leafs go with one of Hanifin or Provorov, which in my opinion is the best route, you attain a franchise defenceman, something every recent Stanley Cup winner has relied heavily upon. Without Doughty or Keith does LA or Chicago win more than one cup? It’s doubtful. I get the hype around Marner, and I’m a huge fan, but if you’re looking at starting a team from scratch, you can’t pass up on a future top 10 defenceman in the NHL. Throughout the draft, the Leafs could use help at almost all positions. At 24, they’re going to get a good prospect, likely someone who fell. Keep an eye on Bittner, Debrusk, and Boeser. It’ll be a tough call for the Leafs brass come June 26th, and will certainly be surrounded with skepticism, but whichever way they go they’re going to get a great prospect.

Draft Day Gameplan

– Attain as many top 60 picks as possible. With the lack of depth throughout the organization, you need as many prospects as you can get.

– I don’t believe you necessarily have to trade Kessel for picks alone, in fact if look at moving him for two or three younger forwards who you can add to your core moving forward.

– Trade Dion. Some may disagree, but I wouldn’t want him leading my young group into the future. Add a 1st round pick and other pieces.

– Make a decision on a goalie. Move out one of Reimer or Bernier and add pieces.

Leafs Big Board (Without McEichel)

1. Dylan Strome
2. Noah Hanifin
3. Mitchell Marner
4. Ivan Provorov
5. Mikko Rantanen
6. Mathew Barzal
7. Pavel Zacha
8. Kyle Connor
9. Zach Werenski
10. Travis Konecny

Who do they take?

In my mind there’s a lot of ways it could go. If Hanifin or Marner go 3, Strome goes 4. If Strome goes 3, Hanifin goes 4. I think Hanifin is the guy you build around, so that’s who I’d go with.

Darkhorse?

Ivan Provorov. Yes, he’s top 5 on my list, but he’s still a dark horse this early. He’s going to be a great defenceman just not sure I’d take him ahead of Marner or Hanifin.

Brennen York, NHL, NHL Entry Draft, Prospects

6 – New Jersey Devils

With Ray Shero steering Devils ship, we may finally get to see the inevitable rebuild come to fruition. It’s been a long time coming for Devil fans but this may be the year where the Devils move away from adding veterans like Mike Cammalleri and Tuomo Ruutu, and look the way of young skill in guys like Larsson and Boucher to guide the Devils through the next 10 years. One thing Shero has going for him is the fact that the D core is almost solidified with guys like Gelinas, Merrill, Larsson, and Severson making up the top four. Despite the fact they have a good up and coming defensive core, they are exceptionally weak on the front end. After reaching for guys like Matteau and Quenneville in recent drafts, they lack an elite offensive player under the age of 20. This year however, they will be able to change that. With guys like Barzal, Rantanen, and Zacha basically locks to be on the board, they have a wide range of skill sets to choose from. Rantanen is the biggest, has hands and shooting ability. Barzal, though only 5’11 has the potential to be a future number one center who can put up 50 or 60 assists. Zacha brings a grittier goal scoring side, and if there’s one thing we know it’s that LL loves guys with an edge. That being said, an interesting scenario may play out where we see Ivan Provorov slip to that spot. If so, it would be incredibly hard to pass on a guy like that. In the grand scheme of things, it may be better to grab a guy like Provorov, but right now there’s a desperate need for an elite prospect up front. Throughout the draft, the Devils need to look at adding depth at all positions, especially in net. Daniel Vladar may be sitting there in the third, and if he is that’s the guy you use pick 67 on. In my opinion, the Devils will have the most difficult pick in the draft, and it will be extremely interesting to see who Ray goes with come June 26th.

Draft Day Gameplan

– As much as I’d like to say take Rantanen or Barzal, you have to go BPA at 6.

– If the opportunity is there, move some cap. I know Green is more than “cap”, but moving him and adding a late 1st or a good prospect may be in their best interest.

– Move away from the power forwards, even if it’s just for this year. With two picks in the second round you have to look at adding high end skill.

– Take a low risk goalie. Whether it’s in the 3rd or 4th, grab the best goalie available.

Devils Big Board (Without McEichel)

1. Dylan Strome
2. Mitchell Marner
3. Noah Hanifin
4. Ivan Provorov
5. Mathew Barzal
6. Mikko Rantanen
7. Pavel Zacha
8. Kyle Connor
9. Travis Konecny
10. Zach Werenski

Who do they take?

Can I just say BPA? It’s tough to tell who will remain but I’ll say one of Barzal, Zacha, Rantanen, or Provorov are locks. If it were me I’d take Provorov, if he’s off the board I’d go with Barzal, though Rantanens close behind.

Darkhorse?

Kyle Connor. He has the size and skill to be a good NHL player, and though I’m not a huge fan, I’m sure the Devils brass has given him some consideration.

Brennen York, NHL, NHL Entry Draft, Prospects

7 – Philadelphia Flyers

The Philadelphia Flyers aren’t far off from being a playoff team. Jakub Voracek is coming off a career high 81 points, and captain Claude Giroux, though he didn’t have a bad season, is looking to bounce back to be that 80+ point player we know he is. Aside from Giroux and Voracek, the Flyers look at Sean Couturier, Brayden Schenn, and Wayne Simmonds for scoring. They have some good pieces, but still need to add a few players to the fold if they’re going to be competitive. On the back end, the Flyers are deep in terms of prospects as well as left handed defencemen like Mark Streit, Andrew Macdonald, and Nicklas Grossman. There will be trades made as Hextall and Co. are up against the cap quite closely, meaning prospects like Sam Morin and Shayne Gostisbehere may see their day in the NHL sooner than later. Defence isn’t a weakness for the Flyers, but they due lack that true top pairing potential defenceman. With Sanheim, and the aforementioned Morin and Ghost, already in the system, the Flyers do have the ability to go with a forward this year. There will be a few options available at 7 including the likes of Pavel Zacha, Mathew Barzal, and Mikko Rantanen. Scouts seem to have differing views on Pavel Zacha, the argument being that he’s far too inconsistent to be a top 10 player. Mikko Rantanen, on the other hand, has only trended up. Rantanen’s 6’4 frame, along with his history of playing against men in Liiga, it wouldn’t be outlandish to suggest he may be able to crack a roster spot as early as next year. It’ll be a crazy day for the Flyers, especially if they decide to make some deals on the 26th.

Draft Day Gameplan

– Shed cap. Grossman, L. Schenn, Macdonald, Streit, and now Medvedev are eating up a lot of salary on the back end.

– Don’t take a gamble at 7. If a guy like Provorov or Hanifin have slipped, grab the BPA.

– Through rounds 2-7 go after forwards. The depth chart on the back end is loaded,

– Consider Samsonov at 29. Behind Mason, there’s no real A grade prospect.

Flyers Big Board (Without McEichel)

1. Mitchell Marner
2. Noah Hanifin
3. Dylan Strome
4. Ivan Provorov
5. Mikko Rantanen
6. Pavel Zacha
7. Mathew Barzal
8. Zach Werenski
9. Lawson Crouse
10. Denis Guryanov

Who do they take?

Could go any way for the Flyers. In my opinion it’ll be BPA, so in the range would be Provorov, Rantanen, Barzal, or Zacha. If it were me making the pick, and Provorov/Hanifin were gone, I’d take Mikko Rantanen, but Barzal would be heavily considered.

Darkhorse?

At 7 there’s too many sure fire prospects to be able to list a dark horse here, but if I were considering anyone outside the top 10 at this point then Timo Meier and Denis Guryanov would be at the top of the list.

Brennen York, NHL, NHL Entry Draft, Prospects

8 – Columbus Blue Jackets

The Blue Jackets are building something special. Not only are the cupboards stocked full with elite prospects in Bjorkstrand, Rychel, Milano; they also have some of their most valuable youngsters in Wennberg and Dano playing a big role on the Jackets. GM Jarmo Kekalainen has only been on the job for about two and a half seasons, but during that time has built a nice core around top line pivot Ryan Johansen. With veterans like Hartnell, Foligno, Tyutin, and now David Clarkson, CBJ prospects have a great leadership core to feed off of. The only issue facing the Jackets is their lack of defensive depth. After the departure of James Wisniewski and the fact that Mike Reilly has chosen to walk, it’s clear the Jackets need to do something to address their blue line. With a deep pool of prospects, a trade is always possible, but if the Jackets are looking at continuing the trend of building through the draft you’d have to think that – much like the Avs and Sharks – they are looking at acquiring a potential top pairing defenceman in one of Werenski, Provorov, or Hanifin. In a case where four forwards are selected with the first four picks, there’s a scenario where the Jackets look at moving up to 5 or 6 in order to grab one of Hanifin or Provorov. They have enough depth at forward where moving a player like Bjorkstrand, Rychel, Anderson, or even Milano are trade options. The name Mikko Rantanen has been tossed around a lot as well, mainly due to the fact he of Finnish descent. Rantanen is a good player, he just doesn’t seem to be a great fit given the amount of forwards already in the organization. In my opinion, it’s defence or trade for the Jackets and it’ll be a very interesting day for Jarmo and all CBJ fans.

Draft Day Gameplan

– Bring in a defenceman via trade. Whether you move out Rychel, Milano, or Bjorkstrand, a defenceman has to be on his way to Ohio.

– If there’s a deal for Dansk consider it. Bob’s not giving up the crease any time soon, so if there’s a deal for a 2nd rounder or defenceman, take it.

– There’s enough high end talent, look for guys like Knott or Dergachyov in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th.

– Go heavy on defence. There’s a good amount of defence scattered throughout the draft, don’t be afraid to grab around 5 of them.
Jackets Big Board (Without McEichel)

1. Noah Hanifin
2. Ivan Provorov
3. Dylan Strome
4. Mitchell Marner
5. Zach Werenski
6. Mikko Rantanen
7. Pavel Zacha
8. Mathew Barzal
9. Lawson Crouse
10. Jakub Zboril

Who do they take?

There’s a good chance that Zach Werenski is still on the board at 8 so he’d be the obvious pick. Don’t be surprised if the Jackets are picking somewhere other than 8 though, as they are in dire need of defence who can step into the NHL next season.

Darkhorse?

Two names come to mind when I look at darkhorses and the Jackets. Denis Guryanov and Oliver Kylington. Both have huge upside but also come with a bit of risk. Kylington the more likely pick in my opinion.