Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: Worlds Update, Drafting Best Available Player

Bill Meltzer: Meltzer's Musings: Worlds Update, Drafting Best Available Player
- bmeltzer

What are the odds they try to trade up or down?

What are the odds they try to trade up or down?
- BiggE

The price would be high .

Richards, carter and Williams lead the kings in the first period to a game 7 victory. Unreal. Good for them though. Hopefully in the next couple of years we will get our turn.

Richards, carter and Williams lead the kings in the first period to a game 7 victory. Unreal. Good for them though. Hopefully in the next couple of years we will get our turn.
- funmaster18

Will either Kapanen or Nylanders kid be there when we pick? I have to brush up on the bottom part of this draft.

Will either Kapanen or Nylanders kid be there when we pick? I have to brush up on the bottom part of this draft.
- mochoson

Outside of the top 5, I think it could fall a lot of ways. Probably a better chance Kapanen is there than Nylander

What are the odds they try to trade up or down?
- BiggE

I would be open to trading down. They could certainly use more picks over the next couple seasons. It takes two to tango though

Outside of the top 5, I think it could fall a lot of ways. Probably a better chance Kapanen is there than Nylander
- PhillySportsGuy

With the Wings and Jackets picking right in front of you guys though, I don't think there's any real chance. Extremely slim that Kempe will still be there but if he is, that guy could be a real stud. Larkin, Barbashev, Ho-Sang, or Milano are far more likely to be Philly's pick I'd say.

With the Wings and Jackets picking right in front of you guys though, I don't think there's any real chance. Extremely slim that Kempe will still be there but if he is, that guy could be a real stud. Larkin, Barbashev, Ho-Sang, or Milano are far more likely to be Philly's pick I'd say.
- NJD Fan

Yeah I don't think either will be there. I just think there's a better chance on Kapanen.

Kempe sounds like a guy hextall would target. Big guy with good skating ability

Will either Kapanen or Nylanders kid be there when we pick? I have to brush up on the bottom part of this draft.
- mochoson

Nylander: no
Kapanen: doubtful

I just read a short interview with Gus. He said that it will be nice to turn the page and that the past season not what he expected. He also said that he was being a bit egoistic but that he won't be getting better as a healthy scratch. It's a one year deal with Omsk and then he will (hopefully) go back to the NHL. There was no comment regarding the Flyers apart from that the Flyers wanted to resign him (no further details about that).

I can see that Rasmussen would be a good fourth-liner with 3rd line potential since he's still young. He was getting really good reviews from the Swedish commentators. A responsible two-way guy with some offensive upside, kind of like a Read-type. I havent seen him much, but what do you think, Bill? (Im going back right now to your March blog about him right now).

Bill - a question I had after last year's draft is whether the Flyers would have drafted Nichushkin had he fallen 1 more spot to #11. I would think they would have had a really hard time passing on him (a la Couturier in 2011). I was shocked he fell that far. The "Russian Factor" perhaps?

I don't blame Gus for dinging to the KHL. That leaves another hole in the lineup.

I would be open to trading down. They could certainly use more picks over the next couple seasons. It takes two to tango though
- PhillySportsGuy

If they do trade down, I hope they actually hang on to the additional picks this time... because moving down 8 spots for a 2nd-rounder that turns into a sweetener for the Dan Carcillo trade is not something I'd care to repeat.

Not to mention, Oshie, Niskanen and Rask went in the span of those 8 spots.

If they do trade down, I hope they actually hang on to the additional picks this time... because moving down 8 spots for a 2nd-rounder that turns into a sweetener for the Dan Carcillo trade is not something I'd care to repeat.

Not to mention, Oshie, Niskanen and Rask went in the span of those 8 spots.
- Tomahawk

You had to remind us?


I do, though, agree with you 100%. However, I think it will be hard to trade down. Not sure that a team is going to give up much to move from 20-25 to get to 17.

You had to remind us?


I do, though, agree with you 100%. However, I think it will be hard to trade down. Not sure that a team is going to give up much to move from 20-25 to get to 17.
- BiggE

I do agree with what you're saying, but one thing about weaker drafts that sometimes bears fruit: Teams will decide they want one guy, and move to get him, because they don't believe that what they're looking at when they would pick is the direction they want to go.

I don't think you can expect a haul, in those scenarios. But maybe you get a 3rd or 4th or 5th to move down a few spots, depending on the round, especially if another team has a ton of picks, kinda like Edmonton did last year.

You had to remind us?


I do, though, agree with you 100%. However, I think it will be hard to trade down. Not sure that a team is going to give up much to move from 20-25 to get to 17.
- BiggE

If a team likes a player enough, we may be able to squeeze a pick out of somebody.

I'm a big fan of Scherbak, Fabbri, Mckeown, Ho-Sang, Honka, and Larkin. I've seen mocks with these guys going all over, with Fabbri and Mckeown being my top forward and D that could be there at 17, respectfully.

I do agree with what you're saying, but one thing about weaker drafts that sometimes bears fruit: Teams will decide they want one guy, and move to get him, because they don't believe that what they're looking at when they would pick is the direction they want to go.

I don't think you can expect a haul, in those scenarios. But maybe you get a 3rd or 4th or 5th to move down a few spots, depending on the round, especially if another team has a ton of picks, kinda like Edmonton did last year.
- AllInForFlyers

Yeah, I'd have no problem dropping down 10 spots if I could snag an additional 3rd both this year and next.

This year's draft...they're all important. Everything in pro sports is important, we all know that.

But this draft is one where, even if the Flyers don't see the players from it for two or three or four years, is vitally important. They need to get some players out of this thing, honest-to-gosh NHL players, because Bill hasn't touched on it yet, but the Flyers are in a precarious position with organizational depth at forward.

Some people wouldn't mind seeing a move made to shore up defense that would maybe involve Brayden Schenn, and I understand that -- I'm not dense. It makes sense, in some ways.

But when I look at the forwards the Flyers have, the forwards that we need to do things in order for this team to get better and challenge for the Cup...I just don't see how we do it. We don't have the replacements in they system to just dump Schenn's 20 goals and 40 points, at least not yet.

We need more skill, more speed, more size. Every team says that. But with us...we're playing a dangerous game. If Giroux gets hurt...it could get ugly. The player doesn't have to be a first-rounder -- Jamie Benn was a fourth-rounder, and Wayne Simmonds was a second-rounder.

But this draft needs to net the Flyers some forwards who have a chance to make an impact. Even if that player is a project. But this year...this is a big draft year, I think.

Dan Boyle not coming back to the Sharks.

Interested?

Yeah, I'd have no problem dropping down 10 spots if I could snag an additional 3rd both this year and next.
- BiggE

I just think that this year, in a weaker draft year, if they can move down...accumulate more lottery tickets, and hopefully you pull a Jamie Benn out of your ass, or a Patrick Sharp.

If a team likes a player enough, we may be able to squeeze a pick out of somebody.

I'm a big fan of Scherbak, Fabbri, Mckeown, Ho-Sang, Honka, and Larkin. I've seen mocks with these guys going all over, with Fabbri and Mckeown being my top forward and D that could be there at 17, respectfully.
- mochoson

McKeown has apparently gotten some attention.

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=718277

Defenseman Roland McKeown, a 6-foot-1, 197-pound right-shot defenseman, was another gem added to the short list.

...

"I love this kid … he can play offensively and move the puck and has a bomb of a shot," Gregory said. "When defending you he presents himself as a big, strong and mobile guy. He'll push guys to the side; he's a legitimate top prospect."

This year's draft...they're all important. Everything in pro sports is important, we all know that.

But this draft is one where, even if the Flyers don't see the players from it for two or three or four years, is vitally important. They need to get some players out of this thing, honest-to-gosh NHL players, because Bill hasn't touched on it yet, but the Flyers are in a precarious position with organizational depth at forward.

Some people wouldn't mind seeing a move made to shore up defense that would maybe involve Brayden Schenn, and I understand that -- I'm not dense. It makes sense, in some ways.

But when I look at the forwards the Flyers have, the forwards that we need to do things in order for this team to get better and challenge for the Cup...I just don't see how we do it. We don't have the replacements in they system to just dump Schenn's 20 goals and 40 points, at least not yet.

We need more skill, more speed, more size. Every team says that. But with us...we're playing a dangerous game. If Giroux gets hurt...it could get ugly. The player doesn't have to be a first-rounder -- Jamie Benn was a fourth-rounder, and Wayne Simmonds was a second-rounder.

But this draft needs to net the Flyers some forwards who have a chance to make an impact. Even if that player is a project. But this year...this is a big draft year, I think.
- AllInForFlyers

Agreed, very encouraging to hear Hex say he really wants to build through the draft

McKeown has apparently gotten some attention.

http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=718277
- wolfhounds

I know we're stocking up on D prospecs, but if he's there at 17 Id take him. He seems like one of those players that 2 years down the road well be going "Damn, we could have had him over player (x)"