He gets love in some drafts and not in others.

Juuso Valimaki is almost forgotten about because he was too old to play on Finland this year at the u18s. 61 points in 60 games this year is pretty good.
- manvanfan

He will be gone by 12 if the jets are still picking there. I could see them moving up this year to grab a Heikanen or Makar. They have players they will loose via expansion and lots of prospects, might be time for them to make a move for quality of quantity.

No, who? Where did he have Liljegren?
- DrChristianTroy

He was with McKeen's the last few years and now does his own draft rankings. he updates his list weekly so it has wild fluctuations. Liljegren is ranked 15th I think.

agreed...McCag has Patrick going 5th which is a stretch but I wouldn't be surprised if he slips a couple spots. one of the D will go in the top 3 I think. We will get our center no matter where we are picking
- CanuckDon

Now that's a stretch haha

agreed...McCag has Patrick going 5th which is a stretch but I wouldn't be surprised if he slips a couple spots. one of the D will go in the top 3 I think. We will get our center no matter where we are picking
- CanuckDon

His rankings are pretty lame in my opinion. vesa at 3, doubt he goes top 15.

I could see Nolan or Nico dropping to 3 depending on draft order cus a dman could go much higher than expected. If we pick 3 and the yotes are picking 1 or 2 that is a great thing for us.

Now that's a stretch haha
- manvanfan

I dont think so at all. The rankings this year are crazy with no top 5 the same anywhere. Even if we pick 4 we could still get nolan or nico, not likely but possible. The teams at the top end of the draft have brutal defense prospects and with this draft being seen as weak and wide open teams maybe drafting for need more so than years previous.

His rankings are pretty lame in my opinion. vesa at 3, doubt he goes top 15.

I could see Nolan or Nico dropping to 3 depending on draft order cus a dman could go much higher than expected. If we pick 3 and the yotes are picking 1 or 2 that is a great thing for us.
- mauryballstein

they are bizarre but he does have a pretty good track record as he speaks with scouts to help formalize his list. He is the guy that had Mcleod at 3rd last year

His rankings are pretty lame in my opinion. vesa at 3, doubt he goes top 15.

I could see Nolan or Nico dropping to 3 depending on draft order cus a dman could go much higher than expected. If we pick 3 and the yotes are picking 1 or 2 that is a great thing for us.
- mauryballstein

No way... He was ridiculous at that tourney. He really should go top 5.

The Finns and Americans are taking over hockey
- CanuckDon

American's have 10 times the populations of Canada. Finns going through a purple patch. It all goes around haha. Canada still produces the best generational players.

they are bizarre but he does have a pretty good track record as he speaks with scouts to help formalize his list. He is the guy that had Mcleod at 3rd last year
- CanuckDon

trading down when we have a top 5 pick is insanely stupid. We are a rebuilding team that is desperate for high end talent. We don't need more DEPTH we need a potential star
- CanuckDon

common sense for the win - you're a good poster

common sense for the win - you're a good poster
- Brooks_Light

sorry about the Doritos...it took me 2 years to get any avatar

No way... He was ridiculous at that tourney. He really should go top 5.
- DrChristianTroy

I heard he was having a poor season until that tourny. So how much does a few games make up for a poor season.. I dont know. Not to many teams are looking for wingers at the top end of this draft.. Maybe Dallas at 7-8?

I just dont know how much that pushes him past some of these centers and now just the 2 man.

I dont think so at all. The rankings this year are crazy with no top 5 the same anywhere. Even if we pick 4 we could still get nolan or nico, not likely but possible. The teams at the top end of the draft have brutal defense prospects and with this draft being seen as weak and wide open teams maybe drafting for need more so than years previous.
- mauryballstein

Draft for need and your going to end up with Virtanen at 6.

There is always hype. I'm pretty sure most have the top 5 set. After that there might be some difference in preference after that.

Pronman had Jost and Keller in the top 5 last season and ended up going 7 and 10.
Lots of others had Keller in the mid teens.

I heard he was having a poor season until that tourny. So how much does a few games make up for a poor season.. I dont know. Not to many teams are looking for wingers at the top end of this draft.. Maybe Dallas at 7-8?

I just dont know how much that pushes him past some of these centers and now just the 2 man.
- mauryballstein

A poor season against men with not much opportunity... and he dominated the (frank) out of his peers... Based on his skillset alone, he's a top 5 talent.

What do you purpose we do when 14 million comes off for the Sedin's? Sign John Tavares because he's going to come to a losing team?
- manvanfan

uhh just leave the Salary free? If we are rebuilding and trying to find youth, that youth will require real contracts eventually, if you have a ton of salary to play around with, trades and waiver pickups and free agents become way easier to manage.

I'd personally like to see management try to shed Markstrom/LE contract before the Sedins retire, so that we have like 20 million in available salary, instead of getting a low first round pick and not being able to make any moves because we are close to the cap.

Draft for need and your going to end up with Virtanen at 6.

There is always hype. I'm pretty sure most have the top 5 set. After that there might be some difference in preference after that.

Pronman had Jost and Keller in the top 5 last season and ended up going 7 and 10.
Lots of others had Keller in the mid teens.
- manvanfan

JV was a top 10 pick everywhere, that pick wasnt a stretch and I didnt like it or want him. I was hoping for ehlers.

Many have 2 dmen in the top 5. So picking dmen for need is not a stretch. You may not want one for the canucks and neither do i but it doesnt mean other teams wont take Makar or Heiskanen top 5.

I am interested to see what Green does with his lineups when he has first choice of players, as opposed to Utica leftovers. It might not end up being the rookie free-for-all that we are worried about
- WhiteLie

I hope this helps Virtanens development as well, I've heard this season him and Green get along very well.

A new coach can go both ways, I hope he can get 70 point seasons out of the Sedins, maybe with some added pieces in the summer (draft, free agency etc) they can make an actual run.

I'm just thankful Lidster is unemployed.

A poor season against men with not much opportunity... and he dominated the (frank) out of his peers... Based on his skillset alone, he's a top 5 talent.
- DrChristianTroy

He very well could and nothing in this draft will surprise me.

uhh just leave the Salary free? If we are rebuilding and trying to find youth, that youth will require real contracts eventually, if you have a ton of salary to play around with, trades and waiver pickups and free agents become way easier to manage.

I'd personally like to see management try to shed Markstrom/LE contract before the Sedins retire, so that we have like 20 million in available salary, instead of getting a low first round pick and not being able to make any moves because we are close to the cap.
- Crazybagoham

Yeah that's working real well for NJ the past couple of seasons.

JV was a top 10 pick everywhere, that pick wasnt a stretch and I didnt like it or want him. I was hoping for ehlers.

Many have 2 dmen in the top 5. So picking dmen for need is not a stretch. You may not want one for the canucks and neither do i but it doesnt mean other teams won't take Makar or Heiskanen top 5.
- mauryballstein

Shall see come draft day.

What the (frank) are we talking about today?

JV was a top 10 pick everywhere, that pick wasnt a stretch and I didnt like it or want him. I was hoping for ehlers.

Many have 2 dmen in the top 5. So picking dmen for need is not a stretch. You may not want one for the canucks and neither do i but it doesnt mean other teams wont take Makar or Heiskanen top 5.
- mauryballstein

I think you can draft for need if the player can make the jump to the NHL quickly.

A poor season against men with not much opportunity... and he dominated the (frank) out of his peers... Based on his skillset alone, he's a top 5 talent.
- DrChristianTroy

There are a lot of other european players that had better seasons against men then he did.

What the (frank) are we talking about today?
- bloatedmosquito

how green was a poor choice that will prevent us from returning to the playoffs next year

how green was a poor choice that will prevent us from returning to the playoffs next year
- CanuckDon