Yeah, a terriific year for top two pair defenders, developmenatl middle pair defenders, and lots of long term developmentaldefenseman who can grow their games in the minors, and maybe ven two or three top 2 defenders (as in guys wh will NEVER be considered elite all around dominant at both ends but will have the ability to offset a true #1 on a team.)

There are lots of goalies worth selecting but few on a fast track where they have already shown strong all around play.
I don't see anyone praising one goalie specifically.

I think when the season started, there seemed like very few forwards were going to break through that strong top seven defenders and that teams selecting late in the first would STILL be taking many of the big kids who were still building parts of their game as defenders...so that is where the idea of it being less of a forward draft.

You probably saw the Pronman piece about how real scouts told him that there are less true NHL centres in the entire draft.

Whether that gives teama pause in taking some kids, that may mean they go dee and the hawks get a centre who proves them incorrect.
It is not like Moore and Nazar don't fit the ability level but you have to think a big centre is still on the Hawk want list.

I just can see an advantage to taking three of the high paced scoring types, as long as the wingers can handle 200 foot business.

I saw a Demidov tape that made me think he easily can be a NHL F-1 (as in Hagel) who si first in, first going to take pucks and keeps the press on.
If he cannot do that, why convince yourself that he can be a one zone guy who you are covering for?
Does he shoot like Bedard? If so i missed that too.

I can see Anton Silayev or Artyom Levshunov will; have significant value to a improving Hawk club.

Whether you concern about Lindstrom still lingers and then Pronman says "he's not a centre" (LOL) , but you do know Cayden hits lots of people...HARD...and engages with a competitive edge. like Capitals Wilson.

So besides Eiserman's cannon, there are lots of options before the team SIMPLY PLANTS THEIR FLAG on the kid they like.

It doesn't matter what you think or the entire draft thinks is the second overall...they control it. they basically decide which kid should go second.

And now that today there was a Carolina ditty about hoe they are unhappy with Kotkaniemi, and mightv be put him on the market.
He is making a bit less than 5 million until 2030 and is 23.

If they want pick #18 I would take a chance, more guarante a pro than a kid at #18.
- wiz1901

I keep hearing this Anton Silayev is 6'7" with the wingspan of an eagle and can really skate. I prefer North Americans or Swedes to draft but if this kid can be Viktor Hedman the 2nd thats who I'd be taking. Anchor your D for a decade.

Kotkaniemi went 3rd overall in 2018 because idiot Marc Bergevin decided the Habs needed a center. He was never ranked that high by the scouts. He's nowhwere close to Aho or Svechnikov but at worst he is a 3C. And Staal is getting up in years so Carolina might want to hang in with Kotkaniemi.

McKeen's ranks the Hawks prospect pool 19th in the NHL and listed the top 10 prospects here. Love seeing Del Mastro ranked 3rd cuz his feet worried me in the tiny 2 NHL games sample he played.

https://twitter.com/mckee...tatus/1798097248493899928
- Mr Ricochet

Notice who’s missing Misiak and Ludwinski. I’m not sure about Misiak, he’s a real perimeter type guy and even though he’s strong defensively and on the forecheck he’s a complete non hitting type. Ludwinski on the other hand is a high motor guy with great wheels who has no problem getting involved physically and even has some scoring upside.

Hey Canadians, what do you guys watch/prefer the CFL or NHL, or do you watch both?
- Mr Ricochet

Mr. R there are no football fans in Canada who don't watch the NFL.

But I will tell you the CFL game on a 110 yard field with 25 yard end zones can be pretty fun to watch. In the olden days when NFL teams only kept 2 QBs on their roster, there were some great Americans that would wind up as the QBs of CFL teams. Joe Kapp, Warren Moon, Kenny Ploen, Bernie Faloney, Sam Etcheverry. That was the golden era of the CFL.

The rules allowed teams to have 15 Americans and the rest had to be Canadian kids. So the skill positions went to the Americans. Field goal kickers were also the punters. Some guys even played both offence and defence.

And for awhile the American players could make more playing in the CFL - the football salary was competitive and industries in town would give them jobs to supplement their income. Many of them never went back to the USA.

Angelo Mosca came up from Boston and played 10-12 years in the league and stayed.After football he became a professional wrestler 'King Kong Mosca' Sold out Madison Square Garden once for one of his matches.

Mr. R there are no football fans in Canada who don't watch the NFL.

But I will tell you the CFL game on a 110 yard field with 25 yard end zones can be pretty fun to watch. In the olden days when NFL teams only kept 2 QBs on their roster, there were some great Americans that would wind up as the QBs of CFL teams. Joe Kapp, Warren Moon, Kenny Ploen, Bernie Faloney, Sam Etcheverry. That was the golden era of the CFL.

The rules allowed teams to have 15 Americans and the rest had to be Canadian kids. So the skill positions went to the Americans. Field goal kickers were also the punters. Some guys even played both offence and defence.

And for awhile the American players could make more playing in the CFL - the football salary was competitive and industries in town would give them jobs to supplement their income. Many of them never went back to the USA.

Angelo Mosca came up from Boston and played 10-12 years in the league and stayed.After football he became a professional wrestler 'King Kong Mosca' Sold out Madison Square Garden once for one of his matches.
- RickJ

Chuck Ealey, the Toronto Argonauts quarterback in the mid 70s was a substitute teacher at my high school.

McKeen's ranks the Hawks prospect pool 19th in the NHL and listed the top 10 prospects here. Love seeing Del Mastro ranked 3rd cuz his feet worried me in the tiny 2 NHL games sample he played.

https://twitter.com/mckee...tatus/1798097248493899928
- Mr Ricochet

Would love to see who is 18 instead of the Hawks.

I keep hearing this Anton Silayev is 6'7" with the wingspan of an eagle and can really skate. I prefer North Americans or Swedes to draft but if this kid can be Viktor Hedman the 2nd thats who I'd be taking. Anchor your D for a decade.

Kotkaniemi went 3rd overall in 2018 because idiot Marc Bergevin decided the Habs needed a center. He was never ranked that high by the scouts. He's nowhwere close to Aho or Svechnikov but at worst he is a 3C. And Staal is getting up in years so Carolina might want to hang in with Kotkaniemi.
- RickJ

If Silayev has a mean streak like Chara but skates and has similar skill to Hedman he’d be one scary dude on the blueline.

Would love to see who is 18 instead of the Hawks.
- ObeseOprah

Probably depends more on who they’ve excluded. If you are looking at Dach, Moore, Hayes, Greene, Lardis without Nazar and obviously Bedard, it’s a more underwhelming group. It’s someone’s list, there’s bound to be arguments with it.

Probably depends more on who they’ve excluded. If you are looking at Dach, Moore, Hayes, Greene, Lardis without Nazar and obviously Bedard, it’s a more underwhelming group. It’s someone’s list, there’s bound to be arguments with it.
- Chunk

Nazar and Moore are included.

I keep hearing this Anton Silayev is 6'7" with the wingspan of an eagle and can really skate. I prefer North Americans or Swedes to draft but if this kid can be Viktor Hedman the 2nd thats who I'd be taking. Anchor your D for a decade.

Kotkaniemi went 3rd overall in 2018 because idiot Marc Bergevin decided the Habs needed a center. He was never ranked that high by the scouts. He's nowhwere close to Aho or Svechnikov but at worst he is a 3C. And Staal is getting up in years so Carolina might want to hang in with Kotkaniemi.
- RickJ

I watch Silayev skate i think Roman Josi, back and forth, side to side so fluid. Watching all the highlights its as if the coach said you won't play if any opponent gets behind you.

McKeen's ranks the Hawks prospect pool 19th in the NHL and listed the top 10 prospects here. Love seeing Del Mastro ranked 3rd cuz his feet worried me in the tiny 2 NHL games sample he played.

https://twitter.com/mckee...tatus/1798097248493899928
- Mr Ricochet

So Slaggert or Kaiser not in the top 10? WTF
They let anyone do these rankings, don't they?

https://www.nhl.com/black...ions-at-nhl-draft-combine

I keep hearing this Anton Silayev is 6'7" with the wingspan of an eagle and can really skate. I prefer North Americans or Swedes to draft but if this kid can be Viktor Hedman the 2nd thats who I'd be taking. Anchor your D for a decade.

Kotkaniemi went 3rd overall in 2018 because idiot Marc Bergevin decided the Habs needed a center. He was never ranked that high by the scouts. He's nowhwere close to Aho or Svechnikov but at worst he is a 3C. And Staal is getting up in years so Carolina might want to hang in with Kotkaniemi.
- RickJ

Silayev is moving up the rankings. Couple have him up to the #2. But wait, isn't he about to be drafted into the Russian army, or locked behind the iron curtain

Silayev is moving up the rankings. Couple have him up to the #2. But wait, isn't he about to be drafted into the Russian army, or locked behind the iron curtain

- vabeachbear

Although left shot he's playing the right side

Regarding Necas, if I'm KD i sit back and wait to see how this unravels.

Although left shot he's playing the right side

Regarding Necas, if I'm KD i sit back and wait to see how this unravels.
- BetweenTheDots

Every team in the league thinks they’re in on Necas.

Every team in the league thinks they’re in on Necas.
- ObeseOprah

Until they see the price tag. Wouldn't it be great if KD could pull a Poles, trade the 2nd pick to the Ducks for the 3rd pick and Zegras.

Until they see the price tag. Wouldn't it be great if KD could pull a Poles, trade the 2nd pick to the Ducks for the 3rd pick and Zegras.
- BetweenTheDots

No! Zegras puts the Hawks directly on the same path as the Leafs. A soft skill player who is not only terrified of contact he likes to start poop and hide behind his teammates or the refs. At least the soft Marner is exceptionally good defensively. Let Zegras be some other team’s problem.

Until they see the price tag. Wouldn't it be great if KD could pull a Poles, trade the 2nd pick to the Ducks for the 3rd pick and Zegras.
- BetweenTheDots

I know he had a down year, but a Zegras trade is going to command more than just moving up one spot in the draft.

No! Zegras puts the Hawks directly on the same path as the Leafs. A soft skill player who is not only terrified of contact he likes to start poop and hide behind his teammates or the refs. At least the soft Marner is exceptionally good defensively. Let Zegras be some other team’s problem.
- paulr

I would rather take a swing on Kakko than Zegras. If Kakko doesn’t stick as a topic 6 forward he could be useful in the bottom 6. Plus, he would cost a lot less to acquire.

I know he had a down year, but a Zegras trade is going to command more than just moving up one spot in the draft.
- Chunk

Maybe, maybe not.

I would rather take a swing on Kakko than Zegras. If Kakko doesn’t stick as a topic 6 forward he could be useful in the bottom 6. Plus, he would cost a lot less to acquire.
- DarthKane

Id rather go with a guy who could probably be a point per game player being on the number 1 PP with Bedard and if you really don't care for him you can always turn around and trade him, since many teams are always looking to give up a lot for scoring, if all i had to give up was one draft spot.

No! Zegras puts the Hawks directly on the same path as the Leafs. A soft skill player who is not only terrified of contact he likes to start poop and hide behind his teammates or the refs. At least the soft Marner is exceptionally good defensively. Let Zegras be some other team’s problem.
- paulr

No! We'd be on the same path if we 1 had no defenseman and 2 sign Reinhart for $12 mil per yr for 8 years.

Id rather go with a guy who could probably be a point per game player being on the number 1 PP with Bedard and if you really don't care for him you can always turn around and trade him, since many teams are always looking to give up a lot for scoring, if all i had to give up was one draft spot.
- BetweenTheDots

Zegras, Marner, Matthews, Nylander regular season superstars. No thanks. I want guys who play better in the playoffs. Lucky there’s zero chance of it happening.

Zegras, Marner, Matthews, Nylander regular season superstars. No thanks. I want guys who play better in the playoffs. Lucky there’s zero chance of it happening.
- paulr

That's the problem with having very little depth on your hockey team because they were in a big hurry to win.

Btw Draisaitl and McDavid were passengers until this year.

That's the problem with having very little depth on your hockey team because they were in a big hurry to win.

Btw Draisaitl and McDavid were passengers until this year.
- BetweenTheDots

Zegras isn’t McDavid, Draisaitl or even Matthews, Marner or Nylander, not even close. Other than some crazy regular season numbers I don’t see anything good with Zegras on the team. In fact you’ll be the first complaining when he’s completely ineffective in the playoffs.

Maybe, maybe not.
- BetweenTheDots

Verbeek may want to trade him to get a more veteran presence on the team, but he doesn't need to and knows that he is an in-demand asset. They aren't under the gun on the cap or roster space. It's not remotely realistic to think you are getting him simply to move up one spot. Straight up for the #2 you probably have a deal (one that I would not make).

He's made some small strides in attempting to be a bit more sound defensively, but I don't think that's enough to get KD interested. You already have Bedard as a guy who is mostly offense. I don't think you can have many of those on a team and still be competitive. The Hawks had Kane (and Versteeg, but he was normally sheltered). Everyone else played at least a respectable 200' game. You also see it this year with EDM finally realizing you aren't going to play a lot of 6-5 games in the playoffs.