2024 Draft

[mvr]

I would avoid Eiserman and Catton for the same reason. Neither is going to help here given the surplus at the position Davidson already has in the system.

If either falls to pick 19, I trade down a couple of places and pick a physical forward.

I am trying to think of the last time a team traded from a position of surplus to acquire a player they needed. It has not happened often in recent years. The last big one was the Taylor Hall trade out of Edmonton. The Oilers had drafted too many forwards and needed a defencemen. To my mind, they would have been better drafting a few with some of their high picks.

Neil Yakubov might have been the "best available," but he certainly did not yield much of value to the team which drafted him first overall.

[BigT]

Apr 26, 2024 12:20:19 GMT -6 mvr said:

Apr 26, 2024 11:37:06 GMT -6 Nikos said:

KD is on record saying best available, regardless if they have surplus or need. Guess will find if he drafts the Russian winger Ivan Demidov. That would not be my choice if they get the second pick, but he is climbing up the draft boards and some are comparing him to Kucherov.

He would certainly not be my pick, but I fear Davidson thinks otherwise.   

I have always felt this idea that amateur scouts somehow can determine "the best" out of what is available to be laughable. Most of these kids still need plenty of development.   Some will get better, and others will lose interest or stagnate.

Was Anton Babchuk better than Duncan Keith?    The Hawks' scouts thought so.    They picked three players before settling on Brandon Saad. The Hawks got lucky with Jonathan Toews.   St. Louis and Pittsburg both thought they were picking the "best available."

There certainly are levels within each draft.   The top five picks tend to very good.   The next ten likely will make it.   But then it starts to get iffy.  More picks in a lottery lead to more possible successes.  

One thing we know for sure -  Deminov is a small scoring winger, and the Hawks have plenty of these types.    He will never develop into a power forward.   He is not a physical player.  On the other hand, Levchunov plays right-defence.  He is thought to be just about ready to play a top four role right now. The Hawks need a player for that position.   

I agree with most of this. Just remember, you and I both were against drafting Quinn Hughes. Although the Hawks didn’t get him. They got Boqvist. And he was the much bigger of the two. But Quinn has been a future hall of famer it seems.

Hawks have enough size on D. Maybe it’s time to grab a scoring dman? Parekh could eventually play with Vlasic. Korchinski with Seth!!!

[mvr]

Apr 26, 2024 16:45:04 GMT -6 BigT said:

Apr 26, 2024 12:20:19 GMT -6 mvr said:

He would certainly not be my pick, but I fear Davidson thinks otherwise.   

I have always felt this idea that amateur scouts somehow can determine "the best" out of what is available to be laughable. Most of these kids still need plenty of development.   Some will get better, and others will lose interest or stagnate.

Was Anton Babchuk better than Duncan Keith?    The Hawks' scouts thought so.    They picked three players before settling on Brandon Saad. The Hawks got lucky with Jonathan Toews.   St. Louis and Pittsburg both thought they were picking the "best available."

There certainly are levels within each draft.   The top five picks tend to very good.   The next ten likely will make it.   But then it starts to get iffy.  More picks in a lottery lead to more possible successes.  

One thing we know for sure -  Deminov is a small scoring winger, and the Hawks have plenty of these types.    He will never develop into a power forward.   He is not a physical player.  On the other hand, Levchunov plays right-defence.  He is thought to be just about ready to play a top four role right now. The Hawks need a player for that position.   

I agree with most of this. Just remember, you and I both were against drafting Quinn Hughes. Although the Hawks didn’t get him. They got Boqvist. And he was the much bigger of the two. But Quinn has been a future hall of famer it seems.

Hawks have enough size on D. Maybe it’s time to grab a scoring dman? Parekh could eventually play with Vlasic. Korchinski with Seth!!!

I am more than okay with Parekh.   If the Hawks brass prefers him to Levchunov, he'd be a good choice.   The team still needs a right-shot defenceman for the top four. 

Most of the scout lists I have read put Levchunov above Parekh.   But Parekh seems to be rising on many draft boards.   Do you pick Drew Doughty or Erik Karlson if you had a choice?   To me, it is Doughty.   But Karlson has won the Norris trophies.   

I just don't want more of the same - small speedy scoring wingers.   Enough.   

[galaxytrash]

[OldTimeHawky]

Apr 26, 2024 12:20:19 GMT -6 mvr said:

Apr 26, 2024 11:37:06 GMT -6 Nikos said:

KD is on record saying best available, regardless if they have surplus or need. Guess will find if he drafts the Russian winger Ivan Demidov. That would not be my choice if they get the second pick, but he is climbing up the draft boards and some are comparing him to Kucherov.

He would certainly not be my pick, but I fear Davidson thinks otherwise.   

I have always felt this idea that amateur scouts somehow can determine "the best" out of what is available to be laughable. Most of these kids still need plenty of development.   Some will get better, and others will lose interest or stagnate.

Was Anton Babchuk better than Duncan Keith?    The Hawks' scouts thought so.    They picked three players before settling on Brandon Saad. The Hawks got lucky with Jonathan Toews.   St. Louis and Pittsburg both thought they were picking the "best available."

There certainly are levels within each draft.   The top five picks tend to very good.   The next ten likely will make it.   But then it starts to get iffy.  More picks in a lottery lead to more possible successes.  

One thing we know for sure -  Deminov is a small scoring winger, and the Hawks have plenty of these types.    He will never develop into a power forward.   He is not a physical player.  On the other hand, Levchunov plays right-defence.  He is thought to be just about ready to play a top four role right now. The Hawks need a player for that position.   

At the time it seemed like the 6'5" right handed Babchuk would be better, Keith was really skinny and not very good defensively, that's why the draft isn't a sure thing.

Then there's Boqvist being taken over Dobson and Bouchard, it goes both ways.

I tend to go with the bigger player, especially on D. Parekh is very highly skilled but so is 6'3" 200lb Yakemchuk, both righties, and Yake had risen so much some scouts have him going around #5.

If the Hawks don't get the #1 they should trade down to #5 and take Yakemchuk.

Then move up around #10 and take Lindstrom or Greentree.

[malagahawks]

I am hoping we get lady luck to the 1OA. Celebrini and then whatever falls. Hell I would trade 19 or 20 plus all the 2nd's for a move up to 12-14 if we find a willing partner.

[mvr]

There is a difference between building a successful team during the regular season and one which perseveres in the playoffs.

It looks like the Maple Leafs - once again - will be heading home early this year. To my mind, this is not surprising. The Leafs have a wonderful collection of talented players. But management spent its money and its draft picks in the wrong areas. They have few forwards who play with intensity. The defence and goaltending remain questionable. Two of their four highest paid players - Marner and Nylander - are finesse wingers who tend to shy away from physical play. The best players never seem to be able to rise to the occasion year after year.    I don't like to call out their best players as "chokers."  But clearly there is a pattern here.   Some can handle the pressure, and others can't.   There are some, such as Steve Yzerman, who changed his entire approach in the second half of his career  to become a winner.  But most players show their stripes early in their careers.

I suspected Jonathan Toews was going to be special based on his track record both at college and representing his country in international tournaments. He was a proven winner - a champion. Similarly, Brad Marchand always seems to be in the mix when the games matter. We know of Patrick Roy's history, but there are others - Claude Lemieux, Brian Trottier, Mark Messier, Bryan Bickell etc. whose light switch always seemed to turn on during intense playoff hockey.

Which of the high picks in this draft - if any - have this history? Are there any "winners" here?

[mvr]

I bring this issue up because Davidson hopefully will be in the position to pick a future franchise type player this June.

I would rather he sacrifice a bit in terms of talent in favour of a player with higher intensity, discipline and focus. Playoff hockey requires extreme attention to detail. Much of the game turns into "station-to-station" type hockey. You need players who can avoid making mistakes and play a consistent physical game.

I know many here are very high on the right-shot "rover" Parekh. Does he have that winning pedigree? Does he play with intensity? Can he raise his game when it matters? Does his style of play translate to playoff hockey?

I don't know. But I do think these questions need to be asked.   The idea is to win cups, not individual accolades.

[mvr]

Like all of you, I marveled at the great Denis Savard as he'd undress and spin around a hapless defenceman and make the national highlight reels.

But if you ask me - the Chelios -Savard trade was one of the best moves made by any Hawks general manager in history.

Chelios was a playoff warrior. He was a winner. Savard's game, though exciting, did not translate the same way when the games mattered.

[tincup]

Apr 28, 2024 9:02:08 GMT -6 mvr said:

Like all of you, I marveled at the great Denis Savard as he'd undress and spin around a hapless defenceman and make the national highlight reels.

But if you ask me - the Chelios -Savard trade was one of the best moves made by any Hawks general manager in history.

Chelios was a playoff warrior. He was a winner. Savard's game, though exciting, did not translate the same way when the games mattered.

I’ll beg to differ here. I’ll agree that the trade was a good one due to need at the time but Savard averaged better than a point per game during the playoffs and had a positive +/- as well, even through those high scoring ‘80’s. If the Hawks hadn’t been playing through the Oilers ascendancy there might very well have been a cup there. Savard always played all out and was a tough little SOB for his size.

[T-man2010]

Apr 28, 2024 12:25:17 GMT -6 tincup said:

Apr 28, 2024 9:02:08 GMT -6 mvr said:

Like all of you, I marveled at the great Denis Savard as he'd undress and spin around a hapless defenceman and make the national highlight reels.

But if you ask me - the Chelios -Savard trade was one of the best moves made by any Hawks general manager in history.

Chelios was a playoff warrior. He was a winner. Savard's game, though exciting, did not translate the same way when the games mattered.

I’ll beg to differ here. I’ll agree that the trade was a good one due to need at the time but Savard averaged better than a point per game during the playoffs and had a positive +/- as well, even through those high scoring ‘80’s. If the Hawks hadn’t been playing through the Oilers ascendancy there might very well have been a cup there. Savard always played all out and was a tough little SOB for his size.

Watching Savard and Dino fight was like midget wrestling.

[BigT]

Apr 28, 2024 8:37:32 GMT -6 mvr said:

I bring this issue up because Davidson hopefully will be in the position to pick a future franchise type player this June.

I would rather he sacrifice a bit in terms of talent in favour of a player with higher intensity, discipline and focus. Playoff hockey requires extreme attention to detail. Much of the game turns into "station-to-station" type hockey. You need players who can avoid making mistakes and play a consistent physical game.

I know many here are very high on the right-shot "rover" Parekh. Does he have that winning pedigree? Does he play with intensity? Can he raise his game when it matters? Does his style of play translate to playoff hockey?

I don't know. But I do think these questions need to be asked.   The idea is to win cups, not individual accolades.

While I totally agree with you. Especially the goal is to win cups. So I’m a bit confused. You’ve repeatedly said that the goal was not to tank and try to be competitive every year no matter what. Spend to the cap ceiling and just hope for a playoff miracle. I’ve brought up to you Nashville. And you’ve stated that you like the way they’re run. Which is fine.

The team needed to be rebuilt. There was not much in the pipeline, and the ones there got a shot to actually develop because the team had no need to rush them.

But I have no problem taking a bigger kid. Parekh is not small. 6’ is not bad. If he was 5’8”. Then I’d have to rethink. But the Hawks can’t score. That’s a fact. The good ship GT posted that the Hawks were shut out I believe 12 times this year. Parekh will help with that. There’s enough size on the back end. They need to focus on forward size now!!!

[mvr]

Apr 28, 2024 12:44:58 GMT -6 BigT said:

Apr 28, 2024 8:37:32 GMT -6 mvr said:

I bring this issue up because Davidson hopefully will be in the position to pick a future franchise type player this June.

I would rather he sacrifice a bit in terms of talent in favour of a player with higher intensity, discipline and focus. Playoff hockey requires extreme attention to detail. Much of the game turns into "station-to-station" type hockey. You need players who can avoid making mistakes and play a consistent physical game.

I know many here are very high on the right-shot "rover" Parekh. Does he have that winning pedigree? Does he play with intensity? Can he raise his game when it matters? Does his style of play translate to playoff hockey?

I don't know. But I do think these questions need to be asked.   The idea is to win cups, not individual accolades.

While I totally agree with you. Especially the goal is to win cups. So I’m a bit confused. You’ve repeatedly said that the goal was not to tank and try to be competitive every year no matter what. Spend to the cap ceiling and just hope for a playoff miracle. I’ve brought up to you Nashville. And you’ve stated that you like the way they’re run. Which is fine.

The team needed to be rebuilt. There was not much in the pipeline, and the ones there got a shot to actually develop because the team had no need to rush them.

But I have no problem taking a bigger kid. Parekh is not small. 6’ is not bad. If he was 5’8”. Then I’d have to rethink. But the Hawks can’t score. That’s a fact. The good ship GT posted that the Hawks were shut out I believe 12 times this year. Parekh will help with that. There’s enough size on the back end. They need to focus on forward size now!!!

Re Rebuilds:   As you know,  I think rebuilds do not require a complete tank job.   I believe in building primarily through the draft and would never trade a high pick away other than in true contending years.  Spend to the cap every year, and make the effect to improve the roster always.   Many of the best all time playoff performers  - Duncan Keith, Brian Trottier, Mark Messier, Bobby Clarke, Patrick Bergeron, Brad Marchand etc - were not top five picks. 

Re Parekh:   I have not watched the kid play at all.  The fact that he shoots right and is likely a top four defender excites me greatly because the team needs someone for this position.   

Like you, I am not concerned about his size or physical game particularly given the other defenders the team already has on its roster and in the system.  A team certainly can carry one smaller offensive defenceman if his game is elite.   The issue is his defensive play.   The scouting reports I have read suggest he's a rover type who doesn't play defence much.   Can he adjust to a disciplined and structured game?   Does his game translate to playoff hockey?   I don't know because I have not seen him.  

Of course, there have been Stanley Cup Champion defenders who play a loose offense style - Ozolinsh and Coffey are two obvious success stories - but it is kind of rare.    Given a choice, I'd rather a more conservative Drew Doughty type to a Erik Karlsson every time.
   

[mvr]

In a typical draft, there are clear levels each year. Certainly the top few guys are likely to be good. Most of the first rounders will make the show, and several will be difference makers.

So I do think you need to hoard your high picks. But the order of selection tends to be overrated. A guy like Ryan Getzlaf or Ryan Kesler can slide into the bottom of the first round or even into the second. I do not think it is worthwhile obsessing about which pick you get. The better approach is to get many high picks and hope for the best.

Amateur scouting is way-overrated. I have more confidence in a weatherman or a stock analyst making predictions.

[mvr]

There are three right shot defencemen projected to go in the top fifteen. I would be more than ok picking the third guy. To my mind, he might turn out to be the best one in the long run.

The key is not which one get picked first..... What matters more is how the team drafting the player develops their asset.

[T-man2010]

Apr 28, 2024 14:52:26 GMT -6 mvr said:

There are three right shot defencemen projected to go in the top fifteen. I would be more than ok picking the third guy. To my mind, he might turn out to be the best one in the long run.

The key is not which one get picked first..... What matters more is how the team drafting the player develops their asset.

Hawks also have 6'6" Crevier in Rockford as well as 6'4" Sam Rinzel at UMINN 1st year.

Another year at school then sign to Rockford for a couple years. A project player for sure but could payoff.

Didn't they say the same thing about 8th rd. pick, Byfuglien.

[BigT]

I understand everyone’s needs for an overall Hedman type or Shae Weber, Drew Doughty etc. I’m not sure there’s one in this draft. Hawks have size covered on the back end. They now need scoring. And bad. I believe the Hawks D was the worst in the league. Yes the Hawks will get better by way of maturity. But to have exactly what the Hawks need, they need a top scoring dman who turns offense into defense. Another big dman that has decent offense is not what is needed. Korchinski is here, Jones is here, and maybe another decent offensive dman. Hawks need that offensive dynamo. Was Letang the best defensive player when the Pens won their Cups? Hope, he created offense from the D. When Ottawa went to the Cup, was Karlsson the best defensive? Nope. But he also dictated the play. So I’ll take that type of player!!!

[OldTimeHawky]

Apr 28, 2024 20:24:28 GMT -6 BigT said:

I understand everyone’s needs for an overall Hedman type or Shae Weber, Drew Doughty etc. I’m not sure there’s one in this draft. Hawks have size covered on the back end. They now need scoring. And bad. I believe the Hawks D was the worst in the league. Yes the Hawks will get better by way of maturity. But to have exactly what the Hawks need, they need a top scoring dman who turns offense into defense. Another big dman that has decent offense is not what is needed. Korchinski is here, Jones is here, and maybe another decent offensive dman. Hawks need that offensive dynamo. Was Letang the best defensive player when the Pens won their Cups? Hope, he created offense from the D. When Ottawa went to the Cup, was Karlsson the best defensive? Nope. But he also dictated the play. So I’ll take that type of player!!!

Watch Yakemchuk highlights, he's exactly what the Hawks need. 23 goals in his first 2 seasons then 30 this season are impressive numbers for a dman. He's very agile and he can dangle, not to mention his lethal shot. Korchinski is more of a passer and Yakemchuk is a sniper, perfect combo, bonus they're both 6'3".

I won't be upset if they draft Parekh but he got rocked in the playoffs and missed a couple games. But there's no denying he's very skilled and an elite skater with amazing puck control and accurate shot.

[BigT]

Apr 28, 2024 22:31:22 GMT -6 OldTimeHawky said:

Apr 28, 2024 20:24:28 GMT -6 BigT said:

I understand everyone’s needs for an overall Hedman type or Shae Weber, Drew Doughty etc. I’m not sure there’s one in this draft. Hawks have size covered on the back end. They now need scoring. And bad. I believe the Hawks D was the worst in the league. Yes the Hawks will get better by way of maturity. But to have exactly what the Hawks need, they need a top scoring dman who turns offense into defense. Another big dman that has decent offense is not what is needed. Korchinski is here, Jones is here, and maybe another decent offensive dman. Hawks need that offensive dynamo. Was Letang the best defensive player when the Pens won their Cups? Hope, he created offense from the D. When Ottawa went to the Cup, was Karlsson the best defensive? Nope. But he also dictated the play. So I’ll take that type of player!!!

Watch Yakemchuk highlights, he's exactly what the Hawks need. 53 goals in 2 his first 2 seasons as a dman in the WHL is very impressive. He's very agile and he can dangle, not to mention his lethal shot. Korchinski is more of a passer and Yakemchuk is a sniper, perfect combo, bonus they're both 6'3".

I won't be upset if they draft Parekh but he got rocked in the playoffs and missed a couple games. But there's no denying he's very skilled and an elite skater with amazing puck control and accurate shot.

I’d take Yakemchuk just for the name! He’s good. Very good. I just think Parekh controls the play. Kinda like how Letang used to be. I don’t think Parekh is ready to do this now. I think he’s looking more at 5-6 years from now. He needs to get in the league and learn to dominate there. But he has at every level!!!

[mvr]

Reading the scouting reports, it seems likely that one of Yakemchuk or Parekh is likely to be available at pick six or later.

I would be thrilled with either. But if these are the targets, I think Davidson needs to trade down.

The last time the Hawks picked third, there were two big centres on the board - Kirby Dach and Dylan Cozens. The Hawks could have traded down at least a few spots and still managed to get one of the two.

A number of teams picking in the six-to-ten slot have two first round picks. I would offer the Hawks pick and a late second for another team's two first rounders.

Adam Jiricek is another right-shot defenceman with some size. He has been injured much of the year which has impacted his draft position. Targeting him with a late first round pick would be a great idea.

[vadarx]

Apr 29, 2024 6:04:38 GMT -6 mvr said:

Reading the scouting reports, it seems likely that one of Yakemchuk or Parekh is likely to be available at pick six or later.

I would be thrilled with either. But if these are the targets, I think Davidson needs to trade down.

The last time the Hawks picked third, there were two big centres on the board - Kirby Dach and Dylan Cozens. The Hawks could have traded down at least a few spots and still managed to get one of the two.

A number of teams picking in the six-to-ten slot have two first round picks. I would offer the Hawks pick and a late second for another team's two first rounders.

Adam Jiricek is another right-shot defenceman with some size. He has been injured much of the year which has impacted his draft position. Targeting him with a late first round pick would be a great idea.

I wouldn't mind this plan at all.

[mvr]

If both Parekh or Yakemchuk are gone, then Levchunov or Dickinson likely would still be there.

So might the big centre Lindstom or the monster defenceman Silayev or even the college kid Buium. Any one of these prospects might turn out to be better over the long term. From what I have read, the only sure thing is the first overall pick, Celebrini.

The only high ranked player I would be avoiding is Demidov because of the Hawks' surplus at the position. Undoubtedly, however, someone will take him in the top six, and there will be others picked earlier than projected (perhaps Catton, Hellenius, Eiserman, Iginla etc).

So if you are okay with any of the other high ranked prospects (as I am), you're safe to pick somewhere around pick 8-10.

[T-man2010]

Apr 29, 2024 5:02:19 GMT -6 BigT said:

Apr 28, 2024 22:31:22 GMT -6 OldTimeHawky said:

Watch Yakemchuk highlights, he's exactly what the Hawks need. 53 goals in 2 his first 2 seasons as a dman in the WHL is very impressive. He's very agile and he can dangle, not to mention his lethal shot. Korchinski is more of a passer and Yakemchuk is a sniper, perfect combo, bonus they're both 6'3".

I won't be upset if they draft Parekh but he got rocked in the playoffs and missed a couple games. But there's no denying he's very skilled and an elite skater with amazing puck control and accurate shot.

I’d take Yakemchuk just for the name! He’s good. Very good. I just think Parekh controls the play. Kinda like how Letang used to be. I don’t think Parekh is ready to do this now. I think he’s looking more at 5-6 years from now. He needs to get in the league and learn to dominate there. But he has at every level!!!

His name is too close to Yaremchuk, and we know how that turned out.

[mvr]

Apr 28, 2024 20:24:28 GMT -6 BigT said:

I understand everyone’s needs for an overall Hedman type or Shae Weber, Drew Doughty etc. I’m not sure there’s one in this draft. Hawks have size covered on the back end. They now need scoring. And bad. I believe the Hawks D was the worst in the league. Yes the Hawks will get better by way of maturity. But to have exactly what the Hawks need, they need a top scoring dman who turns offense into defense. Another big dman that has decent offense is not what is needed. Korchinski is here, Jones is here, and maybe another decent offensive dman. Hawks need that offensive dynamo. Was Letang the best defensive player when the Pens won their Cups? Hope, he created offense from the D. When Ottawa went to the Cup, was Karlsson the best defensive? Nope. But he also dictated the play. So I’ll take that type of player!!!

Scouts in recent years have become much more proficient in determining a prospect's floor.   Most first round picks and at least half of the second round picks will at the very least make it to the show.

The issue is the ceiling.   How good will they be?   Will Parekh become a star, or will he max out as a second pairing defenceman with defensive limitations?   Who really knows at this stage?   

When Arizona went off the boards twice last year to pick European players very early, I shook my head.   The big forward, But, likely will become an NHL player.  Most scouting services ranked him in the top 50.   But what is his ceiling?  The Coyotes almost certainly could have picked this player or another with the same floor and a similar ceiling 10-15 slots later.   The Coyotes management team must have been enamored with their scouting reports.   They allowed their egos to take centre stage,  They thought they knew better than everyone else.  They should have traded down.  

Similarly, the year Bowman took Adam Boqvist with the 8th pick, Noah Dobson and Evan Bouchard were still on the table as was Oliver Wahlstrom.   We all knew that the three defenceman were likely future NHL players (the floors were set).    Scouting reports varied greatly about which of the three had the highest ceiling.  Bowman picked first and ended up with the third best of the group.  He would have faired better if he traded down. 

Assuming you can predict the future is a recipe for failure.   The best approach is to pick prospects with the highest floors who you know will be useful players.  Hopefully, one or more rises to the occasion.   But don't gamble with low floor/high ceiling types, at least not with your top picks.

[BigT]

Apr 29, 2024 6:04:38 GMT -6 mvr said:

Reading the scouting reports, it seems likely that one of Yakemchuk or Parekh is likely to be available at pick six or later.

I would be thrilled with either. But if these are the targets, I think Davidson needs to trade down.

The last time the Hawks picked third, there were two big centres on the board - Kirby Dach and Dylan Cozens. The Hawks could have traded down at least a few spots and still managed to get one of the two.

A number of teams picking in the six-to-ten slot have two first round picks. I would offer the Hawks pick and a late second for another team's two first rounders.

Adam Jiricek is another right-shot defenceman with some size. He has been injured much of the year which has impacted his draft position. Targeting him with a late first round pick would be a great idea.

I fully agree here. When everyone says there’s Celebrini……. Then everyone else. It’s worth is to trade down. Now, does the org want to “sell” the 2nd or 3rd overall? When selling seasons tickets, they get to sell #1 overall pick Fonnor Bedard and #2 overall pick…….

That’s my worry. However, if Parekh, Yakemchuk etc are all more than likely to be there at pick 6-7. Why not trade down and maybe collect an extra first? Then maybe trade the later 2 firsts to move up into the top 12 or so?

So instead of having pick 2 and 19. Get pick 6 and pick 12? I think you’re likely to nab some good talent there. So let’s say you end up with Parekh and Lindstrom. It was a solid draft. Probably weren’t gonna get that with the picks going into it!!!

[BigT]

Another example is the NJ Devils drafting Simon Nemec 2nd overall. He was ranked anywhere for 5-9. Trading back would still have gotten them this player, as I’m sure others would have targeted Shane Wright. As he fell. So I believe the Devils still would have gotten Nemec and something more they needed!!!

[LordKOTL]

Apr 26, 2024 16:45:04 GMT -6 BigT said:

Apr 26, 2024 12:20:19 GMT -6 mvr said:

He would certainly not be my pick, but I fear Davidson thinks otherwise.   

I have always felt this idea that amateur scouts somehow can determine "the best" out of what is available to be laughable. Most of these kids still need plenty of development.   Some will get better, and others will lose interest or stagnate.

Was Anton Babchuk better than Duncan Keith?    The Hawks' scouts thought so.    They picked three players before settling on Brandon Saad. The Hawks got lucky with Jonathan Toews.   St. Louis and Pittsburg both thought they were picking the "best available."

There certainly are levels within each draft.   The top five picks tend to very good.   The next ten likely will make it.   But then it starts to get iffy.  More picks in a lottery lead to more possible successes.  

One thing we know for sure -  Deminov is a small scoring winger, and the Hawks have plenty of these types.    He will never develop into a power forward.   He is not a physical player.  On the other hand, Levchunov plays right-defence.  He is thought to be just about ready to play a top four role right now. The Hawks need a player for that position.   

I agree with most of this. Just remember, you and I both were against drafting Quinn Hughes. Although the Hawks didn’t get him. They got Boqvist. And he was the much bigger of the two. But Quinn has been a future hall of famer it seems.

Hawks have enough size on D. Maybe it’s time to grab a scoring dman? Parekh could eventually play with Vlasic. Korchinski with Seth!!!

Do we have a clone of Tretiak or a 4x6 cinderblock wall in the prospect pool? Because we'll need that if we have Seth and Korch paired.

Even if we don't need size, I'd want Korch and/or Seth paired with a Hjammer-type; someone who could cover D (like Vlassic) that can compliment Seth's and Korch's games.

[BigT]

We all have to think a lot of teams would like to move up to take Levchunov. If the Hawks moved back to say 7. Ottawa has that pick. Trade back to 7 and get Pinto. Or some type of package like that. I think the Hawks could still get either Parekh, Buium, Silyev, Lindstrom etc. they can still get a solid player and a great player to help now!!!

[Nikos]

Apr 29, 2024 14:34:34 GMT -6 BigT said:

We all have to think a lot of teams would like to move up to take Levchunov. If the Hawks moved back to say 7. Ottawa has that pick. Trade back to 7 and get Pinto. Or some type of package like that. I think the Hawks could still get either Parekh, Buium, Silyev, Lindstrom etc. they can still get a solid player and a great player to help now!!!

Moving from 2 to 7 they would need to get #7, Pinto and more IMO. If Levchunov is that highly coveted, teams need to pay whether it is Ottawa or someone else. Levchonov by almost all accounts steps into a top 4 D almost immediately. Ask the Leafs when they are golfing later this week about having a potential stud D in their lineup.

[vadarx]

Apr 29, 2024 14:34:34 GMT -6 BigT said:

We all have to think a lot of teams would like to move up to take Levchunov. If the Hawks moved back to say 7. Ottawa has that pick. Trade back to 7 and get Pinto. Or some type of package like that. I think the Hawks could still get either Parekh, Buium, Silyev, Lindstrom etc. they can still get a solid player and a great player to help now!!!

yeah, RHD is something the Sens will be looking for @ 7. I dunno if they'll want to move up unless they REALLY like someone, as there are a few RHD to pick from in the top 10.