Detroit Red Wings: Priority Waste - Our Sponsor and Our Defense Core

Discussion in 'The Mainboard' started by DeToxRox, Jan 24, 2016.

  1. DeToxRox

    DeToxRox Uncle T
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    Not that things can’t be undone but he just took a KHL gig apparently.

    Fedorov just won the KHL title though. I’m not discounting him as a candidate either.
     
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  2. The Banks

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    Would love to snag Filip Forsberg if he hits FA. We have the cap space to make the best offer and not affect our long term goals.
     
  3. ~ taylor ~

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    Sergei would be fun.
     
  4. Vinegar Strokes

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    Ilitch hates him. Will never happen.
     
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  5. DayDomination

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    He’s dead
     
  6. Vinegar Strokes

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    right. And they still haven’t retired his jersey.
     
  7. spartanchuck

    spartanchuck Well-Known Member

    Federov
     
  8. MG2

    MG2 I like to give away joy for free
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    Lambert looks like Willem Dafoe. I don't know if that makes me want him as coach more or less.

    [​IMG]
     
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  9. DeToxRox

    DeToxRox Uncle T
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    I only just noticed that the release from the team doesn’t include Tanguay. I wonder if just maybe he’s being kept under contract to replace Simon in GR.
     
  10. DeToxRox

    DeToxRox Uncle T
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  11. The Banks

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    A 53 min highlight reel for a rookie defenseman. Don't see that every day.

    In other news, our unicorn prospect keeps doing things no one his size should be able to do.

     
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  12. DeToxRox

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    Pretty much every answer Steve is giving at this press conference is about how bad we are defensively. He seems genuinely pissed. I think he’s going to be very active this Summer getting that fixed.
     
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  13. DeToxRox

    DeToxRox Uncle T
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  14. DeToxRox

    DeToxRox Uncle T
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    Going to be Lambert if I had to guess. Plenty of options of course but it just makes too much sense.
     
  15. DetroitNole

    DetroitNole Well-Known Member
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    Need more defense, need a guy you've worked with before. How about a guy who was so good defensively as a forward his coach played him at D one season when there was injuries. The same guy who won 3 cups with Yzerman. Bring Fedorov home!

    Nostalgia trip over, I'm sure Yzerman will find the right guy and I highly doubt that guy is Sergei
     
  16. DeToxRox

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    Cossa is 6-0 with 3 SO and a .957 % so far these playoffs.

    His real test comes next round against Winnipeg. They won the division and they have two top 10 picks on Savoie and Geekie. Whoever wins that series shouldn’t have any trouble in the Championship.
     
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  17. DeToxRox

    DeToxRox Uncle T
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    Lottery is tomorrow night. So that will be dumb.
     
  18. Vinegar Strokes

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    We are due to win one of these things.
     
  19. DeToxRox

    DeToxRox Uncle T
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    Would you take Shane Wright for five more years of Avila tho
     
  20. Constant

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    Can we have the second pick and shoot Avila into the sun?
     
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  21. The Banks

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    Who/what is avila?
     
  22. Constant

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    Detroit Tigers general manager. Some crossover fan reference.
     
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  23. DeToxRox

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    Barry Trotz was fired. I don’t even care that he plays boring hockey, sign me up.
     
  24. nofatchildren - cissp

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    Draft Big Board

    Tuesday night, the Red Wings will once again wait as the whims of a lottery ball decide their fate.

    After a 25th-place finish this season, Detroit’s odds of landing a top-two pick won’t be as significant as they’ve been in previous years (not that it got them anywhere). But entering the night with a six percent chance at the No. 1 overall pick (and about the same for the No. 2 selection), there’s nonetheless a lot at stake for the Red Wings when the balls start bouncing.

    But once they stop, the task will be the same — find the next player to join Moritz Seider, Lucas Raymond and Simon Edvinsson as a young building block for the franchise. So, leading up to the lottery, what better time to debut our first Red Wings-specific draft big board of the summer?

    This board isn’t a true prospect ranking, because it factors in things like the Red Wings’ particular needs and tendencies under the current regime. It should, however, be read as the order I’d rank these players for Detroit specifically, based on all that information.

    So, one day before the lottery, let’s dig in:

    1. Shane Wright, C, shoots right, 6 foot, Kingston (OHL)

    Wright will only be available to the Red Wings if they land in one of the two lottery spots — and likely only if they pick first. But if they do, it’d be the dream situation, allowing them to walk away with a smart two-way centerman who would have a good chance to step right into their lineup and contribute. The details and maturity in Wright’s game complement his excellent shot and make him the top prospect in the class.

    2. Logan Cooley, C, shoots left, 5-foot-10, U.S. NTDP (USHL)

    Cooley brings electric speed and skill at the Red Wings’ biggest position of need. He may not have ideal size for a top-line center, but he has just about everything else, and looks like a clear fit if Detroit moves up to No. 2.

    3. Juraj Slafkovsky, LW, shoots left, 6-foot-4, TPS (Liiga)

    If the Red Wings weren’t so center-needy, Slafkovsky would have a real case to be higher on this board. His goal-per-game showing at the Olympics propelled him to a strong finish to the Liiga regular season and playoffs, and the tools are impressive in such a big body. Detroit should go with one of the centers if they win a lottery spot, but Slafkovsky is an easy prospect to get excited about.

    4. David Jiříček, RHD, 6-foot-3 Plzen (Czech)

    Jiříček missed a lot of time this season due to a knee injury sustained at the world juniors, but he’s back playing now and still looks like a strong candidate to be the top defenseman in the draft. He’s got a lot of what the Red Wings typically have targeted from defensemen early in the draft, with great size and range, solid mobility and good passing. He’s also got a cannon from the point. He looks like an all-situations blueliner who could make the Red Wings’ defense corps one of the more feared in the league.

    5. Simon Nemec, RHD, 6-foot, Nitra (Slovakia)

    Nemec’s sense and poise stand out quickly, and his production as a 17-year-old in the Slovakian pro league is outstanding — even better than 2021 top-10 pick Brandt Clarke’s was last season. He’s an impressive puck mover, and he added five goals in 19 pro playoff games too. You might prefer he be an inch or two taller for a potential top-five pick, but he looks like a good bet to be at least a top-four defenseman who can play in any phase of the game. And, like Jiříček, it’s easy to get excited about the possibility of pairing him alongside Edvinsson.

    6. Matthew Savoie, C/W, shoots right, 5-foot-9, Winnipeg (WHL)

    Savoie’s a tricky one for the Red Wings’ purposes, as he’s played both center and wing, and it’s not clear where he’d project at the next level. But he’s an exciting player, with strong skill and skating to complement his shot, and would have at least an argument to go in this range even as a pure winger. The fact he could potentially play down the middle is a bonus — and one the Red Wings would surely appreciate coming to fruition.

    7. Joakim Kemell, RW, shoots right, 5-foot-11, JYP (Liiga)

    Kemell looks like a complete winger with a real penchant for scoring goals. His numbers in Liiga this season compare favorably to recent high picks Anton Lundell, Jesperi Kotkaniemi and Jesse Puljujarvi — as well as Slafkovsky’s this season — although the fact that he’s not a center and doesn’t have the physical tools Slafkovsky and Puljujarvi have does matter. His position would be a legitimate reason for Detroit to drop him lower, but I think his proven production will at least be tempting. His hat trick in a big World U18 elimination game — including the overtime game winner — stands out in particular.



    8. Marco Kasper, C, shoots left, 6-foot-1, Rögle (SHL)

    I really liked Kasper’s playoffs in the SHL. He’s fast, hard to play against and has a nose for the net. I’m admittedly not sure what the ultimate ceiling looks like production-wise, but he does a lot of things well that lead to offense, and I think Detroit will appreciate his competitiveness. I think he’s a second-line center, and the fact he rose to the occasion in the playoffs is especially encouraging.

    9. Frank Nazar, C, shoots right, 5-foot-10, U.S. NTDP

    Nazar brings exciting speed, and he’s produced all year at the NTDP — including some really nice playmaking. That’s a great place to start, and he complements it with a willingness to battle down low and good skill. Add in the fact that he fits a need at center and the Mount Clemens native should certainly be in the mix for the Red Wings.

    10. Cutter Gauthier, C/W, shoots left, 6-foot-2, U.S. NTDP

    Gauthier played on the wing down the stretch (including at the World U18 championship), but he also played some center this season and brings an appealing tool kit with speed, skill and a heavy shot in his big frame. As with Savoie, the potential to play center would be a bonus for the Red Wings, but he belongs in the conversation even as a winger because of his tools.

    11. Conor Geekie, C, shoots left, 6-foot-3, Winnipeg (WHL)

    The profile for Geekie, as a big-bodied center with skill and creativity, is certainly appealing — he may not even be there when the Red Wings pick for that reason. But skating is a concern, and I still would have liked to see him get a bit more production out of his skill, even though it’s clearly a positive attribute.

    12. Pavel Mintyukov, LHD, 6-foot-1, Saginaw (OHL)

    The upside with Mintyukov is really exciting. He plays an extremely aggressive game, to the point it’s almost certainly going to have to get reined in to work in the NHL. But he’s got great feet and good hands to go with solid size, and clear creativity to match. Those are strong tools, and he’s a treat to watch.

    Other names to know

    Russian winger Danila Yurov played less than five minutes per game in the KHL, but he’s shown obvious skill in a 6-foot-1 frame, and would likely belong higher on this list just based on talent. Combining his position, the lack of draft-year ice time and the fact he plays in Russia, though, he’s in this group instead. Swedish winger Jonathan Lekkerimaki had a strong World U18s, leading the tournament in scoring by a healthy margin, and brings a compelling offensive skill set to the table. NTDP forward Rutger McGroarty is also coming off a strong U18 Worlds, including a pair of goals in the gold medal game. His skating is the big concern, but I like everything else he brings, and he draws rave reviews for his intangibles. And on the blue line, left-shot defensemen Owen Pickering and Kevin Korchinski both fit the big, mobile mold the Red Wings have gravitated toward early in drafts.
     
  25. DetroitNole

    DetroitNole Well-Known Member
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    We could do a lot worse than bringing in Trotz
     
  26. Vinegar Strokes

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    Sounds like we are in the top 2, per the leaks on Twitter. Should find out shortly.
     
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  27. MG2

    MG2 I like to give away joy for free
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    Any hopes I had for us being top 2 went away after the Tigers scored 6 runs in a win today. No chance something that improbably happens twice in the same day.
     
  28. Vinegar Strokes

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    Anyone know what channel this is on?
     
  29. The Banks

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    ESPN+ for me
     
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  30. ~ taylor ~

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    Of course The Athletic is running features about the top players in the draft being weak.
     
  31. DetroitNole

    DetroitNole Well-Known Member
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    Yea right...with the Wings keeping the pick we start with and not moving down is a victory
     
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  32. ~ taylor ~

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    You fucking moron.
     
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  33. DetroitNole

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    More predictable result today? Wings not moving up in lottery or tigers being shut out by a pitcher with a minor league era over 7 this year?
     
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  34. DeToxRox

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    Let’s get Marco Kasper or Frank Nazar now please.
     
  35. Vinegar Strokes

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    I was just making that up to see who believed me. Looks like you’re the moron.
     
  36. ~ taylor ~

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    If I can't trust a psycho named Vinegar Strokes on the internet, who can I trust?!?!?
     
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  37. nofatchildren - cissp

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    Mock Draft from Pronman

    NHL Mock Draft 2022: Shane Wright to Canadiens as we pick for every lottery team
    Corey Pronman
    May 10, 2022
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    The lottery balls have fallen into place: The top of the NHL Draft order starts with the Montreal Canadiens at No. 1, the New Jersey Devils at No. 2 and the Arizona Coyotes at No. 3.

    To give you a look at how things could play out, The Athletic’s NHL writers made picks for every lottery team (plus the Nashville Predators, freshly eliminated from the Stanley Cup Playoffs, who will pick at No. 17). A full first-round mock draft will follow next week.

    Prospect writer Corey Pronman audited their selections. He also sought feedback from NHL scouts.

    The 2022 NHL Entry Draft will take place in Montreal on July 7 and 8.

    1. Montreal Canadiens: Shane Wright, C, Kingston (OHL)

    OK, so Wright isn’t the exciting prospect you would expect to add with the top pick in the draft, but there’s no point wishing for a franchise player when there isn’t one available. I see Wright as a bit like Nico Hischier in his draft year, although there might not be Cale Makars and Elias Petterssons after him like there was behind Hischier in 2017.

    While Wright’s decent season in Kingston raises questions about his true offensive upside, the Habs also need to look at what his floor is. Wright is highly likely to become a very good NHL player and a first-line centerman, and a good enough player to help the Habs build a one-two punch at center that could one day resemble the Patrice Bergeron-David Krejci years in Boston (although, let’s be clear, Shane Wright is not Patrice Bergeron).

    A more electrifying prospect may hint to higher potential or pizzazz, but would he have as good a chance of reaching his ceiling as Wright? Montreal simply doesn’t have the luxury of making a mistake with this pick and Wright can be a great building block for them. —MA Godin

    2. New Jersey Devils: Juraj Slafkovsky, LW, Tps (FINLAND)

    The Devils have their top-six center depth thanks to two previous No. 1 overall picks in Nico Hischier and Jack Hughes. With the second overall pick, New Jersey has options. There’s quite a few skilled defenders to choose from — or maybe they’re enticed by Slafkovsky, the best winger in the draft. That would give them the opportunity to address a legitimate area of need while holding onto the draft pick that Tom Fitzgerald hasn’t ruled out moving … for a high impact forward. Having this good fortune in the draft lottery could change his tune since it gives the Devils the chance to bring in a power forward who could emerge into a core player alongside either of their cornerstone centers. —Shayna Goldman

    [​IMG]

    Logan Cooley (Rena Laverty / U.S. NTDP)
    3. Arizona Coyotes: Logan Cooley, C, USA U-18 (NTDP)

    I suspect the Coyotes, given the makeup of their team and prospect pool, are among the teams drafting at the top who are most likely to select one of the top two defensemen, Simon Nemec and David Jiricek. But if Cooley is on the board, they’ll have an even tougher time passing on the potential center of the future — and a player who would, stylistically, complement wingers like Clayton Keller and top prospect Dylan Guenther beautifully. Cooley, who will play at the University of Minnesota next year, is a potential one-and-done player who plays the game with speed and creativity in the guts of the ice. —Scott Wheeler

    4. Seattle Kraken: David Jiricek, RHD, Plzen (CZREP)

    Look throughout the organization. The Kraken only have one right-handed shooting prospect defenseman, and that is last year’s fourth-round pick Ville Ottavainen. Drafting David Jiricek would give them another right-handed shot with a 6-foot-3 frame. He’s spent the last two seasons playing against older, more physically mature competition in the Extraliga, the highest division of Czech hockey. The 18-year-old finished the regular season with five goals and 11 points in 29 games after scoring nine points in 34 contests a year earlier. Jiricek is considered to be the No. 1 defensive prospect in the draft, according to The Athletic’s Corey Pronman. Knowing the Kraken might add him to a young core that already features Matty Beniers, Ryker Evans, Ryan Winterton and Ottavainen potentially offers more promise. Of course, the Kraken could go in any number of directions. They could go with another right-handed shooting defenseman in Simon Nemec or a forward. Especially if Logan Cooley is available at No. 4 when the draft arrives. —Ryan S. Clark

    5. Philadelphia Flyers: Simon Nemec, RHD, Nitra (SLOVAKIA)

    While the Flyers could certainly use a dynamic, top-of-the-lineup forward, Nemec strikes me as the best combination of talent plus need available to them at No. 5. Nemec absolutely has top-pair potential, given his well-rounded skillset and the fact that he’s already thriving against men in Slovakia. Philadelphia scouts likely will be impressed by his hockey IQ (always something they prioritize in their evaluations), and his scoring explosion in the Slovakian Elite League playoffs (17 points in 19 games) speaks to his offensive upside. The fact that he’s a right-handed defenseman is just a bonus, but it’s an important bonus given the dearth of them in the NHL and within the Flyers’ system, especially given the legitimate concerns surrounding Ryan Ellis’ health. Nemec would serve as a potential high-end solution to a roster issue they’ve been trying to solve for years. —Charlie O’Connor

    [​IMG]

    Matthew Savoie (Photo courtesy Winnipeg Ice)
    6. Columbus Blue Jackets: Matthew Savoie, C, Winnipeg (WHL)

    The Blue Jackets have been underskilled and unsettled at center ice for most of their existence, but the 2021 and ’22 draft may finally change that.

    Savoie (5-10) does not have classic No. 1 center size, but he has a game-changer’s speed and skill set along with an NHL shot. He plays with a chip on his shoulder, too, and general manager Jarmo Kekalainen has a soft spot for those guys.

    There was no chance the Blue Jackets could get up on the board for Shane Wright or Logan Cooley, so they took the third-ranked center on most scouts’ lists. Cooley projects as a top-six player.

    The Blue Jackets drafted Kent Johnson at No. 5 and Cole Sillinger at No. 12 in last year’s draft. Sillinger played center in Columbus as an 18-year-old this season and sure looks like a budding top-six talent. He had 16-15-31 and was surprisingly consistent defensively. Johnson played exclusively on the wing at the end of this season, but coaches and management insist he’ll get a look in the middle eventually. He is a playmaker extraordinaire but needs to bulk up considerably to play in the middle. The drafting of Savoie makes it increasingly likely that Johnson could remain on the wing. He could eventually push Boone Jenner back to left wing, too, after the captain played in the middle out of necessity. —Aaron Portzline

    7. Ottawa Senators: Joakim Kemell, RW, Jyp (FINLAND)

    The Senators have never picked in the No. 7 slot before, and I do think there is a chance they could trade this pick for some immediate help before the draft. In the past, the name that would have jumped out to me would have been Frank Nazar, because he seems to check a lot of boxes of what the Sens have drafted in recent years.

    But I do think this organization is going to need some high-end talent up front, so as I look at our mock draft up to this point, I’m inclined to lean towards Joakim Kemell in this spot. Kemell exploded out of the gates with his club team in Finland in October, becoming the youngest player in Liiga history to earn the league’s player of the month award. He was leading the entire league in goals (12) and points (16) when a shoulder injury sidelined him in November. From there, he wasn’t able to rediscover his early season magic, but many scouts believe he has the speed and skill that will allow him to be a productive top-six winger in the NHL.

    Again, as we move closer to the draft, I think we should expect to hear more chatter about the Sens being open to trading this pick. But for now, let’s plug in Kemell to Ottawa here. —Ian Mendes

    8. Detroit Red Wings: Cutter Gauthier, C/LW, USA U-18 (NTDP)

    The Red Wings really could have used one of the potential top-line centers at the top of this class, as that position remains one of the weakest spots in their organization behind Dylan Larkin. There are “purer” center options available here in Marco Kasper, Frank Nazar and Conor Geekie, but Gauthier played some center earlier this season and has at least a chance to play there at the next level. Whether he sticks down the middle or ends up on the wing, though, his tool kit is impressive, as a swift skating 6-foot-2 sniper. —Max Bultman

    9. Buffalo Sabres: Jonathan Lekkerimaki, RW, Djurgarden (SWEDEN)

    All things equal, the Sabres would likely want a center with their selection (given what they already have coming on the flanks in Jack Quinn and J.J. Peterka, and potentially even Isak Rosen, last year’s second first rounder). I thought about Frank Nazar and Conor Geekie here. But Lekkerimaki, one of the more dynamic players in this draft class irrespective of position, is widely viewed as the better prospect. I think the Sabres will likely get the best value going after a winger with their first pick (at least if center Matthew Savoie, who may be there, is gone) and a center or defenseman with their second, even if they’d want to target the latter positions more aggressively. —Scott Wheeler

    10. Anaheim Ducks: Marco Kasper, C, Rogle (SWEDEN)

    Cutter Gauthier was a target if he fell, but the big winger with speed and a huge shot was snapped up, so the Ducks could go in different directions given the need for higher-end talent up front and on the blue line in the system.

    First-year GM Pat Verbeek wants more size on his club, but he also really wants players who will covet the puck with the kind of tenacity he did throughout his stellar career. Kasper, 17, already has a solid 6-foot-1, 187-pound frame and is a very good skater who does not lack in compete. He has a nose for the net and has shown with Rögle of the SHL that he’s got a deft touch when it comes to tipping point shots.

    Now it’s possible that Verbeek could shop this pick and seek more immediate help for his roster or move down a few spots to pick up some additional assets. Speedy center Frank Nazar or offensive-minded defenseman Pavel Mintyukov could still be lying around at a lower position, and Anaheim could get one and have an extra high-round pick to dangle in a trade package. But even with the center position theoretically set in Anaheim, Kasper would be a fine pick to present options toward either having him on the wing or moving either Trevor Zegras or Mason McTavish there down the line to strengthen overall groupings.

    11. San Jose Sharks: Brad Lambert, C, Pelicans (FINLAND)

    Whether or not the Sharks have a new GM by the draft remains to be seen. There were a few interesting prospects available at No. 11, including a pair of guys who were ranked higher early on during the process for this draft class – Lambert and Ivan Miroshnichenko. Two of San Jose’s recent first-round picks – Ryan Merkley and William Eklund – were also players who were ranked higher than they were drafted (for different reasons). The Sharks could tab Lambert here with the hope that his high-end skating ability gets him to the NHL soon, and the club’s development staff can help ease some of the issues that led to his slide from once being considered a potential top-3 selection in this class. —Corey Masisak

    [​IMG]

    Conor Geekie (Chris Tanouye / Getty Images)
    12. Columbus Blue Jackets: Conor Geekie, C, Winnipeg (WHL)

    The Blue Jackets gave serious consideration to drafting Conor Geekie with the No. 6 overall pick but instead went with the speedy, skilled Savoie. Geekie is a center, too, but a totally different player.

    Geekie is the kind of big (6-4, 205 pounds) skilled center that NHL clubs usually covet, which is why it was a pleasant surprise to see him still on the board at No. 12. When he’s done growing he’s expected to hit 6-5, 225 pounds. Imagine him on a line with Patrik Laine.

    The Blue Jackets, as noted above, are desperate to fix their center ice position. But they also need some size, some muscle, some snarl in their lineup after getting abused at times this season. Geekie can bring that element, too.

    The one complaint about Geekie is his skating. But the tools are there for him to be an impact player. —Aaron Portzline

    13. New York Islanders: Danila Yurov, RW, Magnitogorsk (RUSSIA)

    There’s probably just as good of a chance that the Islanders use this pick as trade bait for an established NHL veteran, as general manager Lou Lamoriello has said on multiple occasions that he’ll be pursuing trades in the offseason, likely for a left-shot defenseman to pair with Noah Dobson and a scoring winger.

    But if they keep it, considering their prospect pool is pretty barren at the moment, they should probably just simply target the best forward or defenseman available at this stage of the first round. They could use more depth in the system at every position. So, the pick here is winger Danila Yurov, a playmaking winger who spent last year in Russia. He would arguably be the Islanders’ best prospect upon his arrival, depending on what you think of center Aatu Raty, who could conceivably challenge for an NHL roster spot next season but is still far from a sure thing. —Kevin Kurz

    14. Winnipeg Jets: Frank Nazar, C, USA U-18 (NTDP)

    The board has broken just right to give Winnipeg a tough decision. Dominion City, Manitoba-born defenseman Denton Mateychuk is still available after a standout season for Moose Jaw. The five-foot-11 Mateychuk played big minutes and scored at a point per game, excelling in transition and adding a dynamic layer to the Warriors’ offence. Drafting Mateychuk could make sense for the Jets beyond his local roots — it could allow Winnipeg to package similarly skilled and undersized defenseman Ville Heinola for more immediate help.

    Other highly ranked defensemen on the board include smooth skating six-foot-two Pavel Mintyukov and six-foot-two Seattle Thunderbird Kevin Korchinski, but Winnipeg chooses the speediest center available: 5-foot-10 Frank Nazar from the US National Development Team Program.

    Nazar is a top-10 rated talent known for his blazing speed, willingness to attack from the middle of the ice, and the 70 points he put up for the U.S. under-18 team this season. Nazar is committed to the University of Michigan next season — a top NCAA program — where he will look to produce offence with his combination of high-end competitiveness and top-flight speed. —Murat Ates

    15. Vancouver Canucks: Nathan Gaucher, C, Quebec (QMJHL)

    The Vancouver Canucks need basically everything in their relatively barren prospect system.

    Even with sub-6-foot defenders like Quinn Hughes and Jack Rathbone in the system, the club can’t overlook the likes of Kevin Korchinski and Denton Mateychuk if they’re the best players available.

    Centermen like Jiri Kulich and Nathan Gaucher will hold significant appeal too, as would more rugged scoring wingers like Jimmy Snuggerud and Rutger McGroarty.

    There’s likely a couple of more dynamic pieces that went ahead of 15th in this mock that the Canucks would have their eye on, but the organization feels that there’s not a ton of separation between the fifth-overall selection and the fifteenth in this particular draft class. I think they’ll seriously consider trading down too, as a means of adding additional picks in an effort to address the significant gap in their prospect pipeline.

    I’ve decided to mock them selecting Gaucher for now. Gaucher is a 6-foot-3 defensive-oriented centerman out of the QMJHL with good feet for his size and decent hands. Gaucher is the pick partly because I’ve heard that the organization quite admires the player (although 15th overall might be a bit rich for him), and partly because it’s a high upside pick in the middle of the first round. —Thomas Drance

    16. Buffalo Sabres: Denton Mateychuk, LHD, Moose Jaw (WHL)

    I think the NTDP’s Isaac Howard is the best prospect available here, but there’s no way the Sabres take two wingers, there isn’t a worthy center left (they’d probably think about Noah Ostlund, if anything), defensemen always get passed over when we do this exercise, and there’s no way one (or two) of Denton Mateychuk, Pavel Mintyukov, and Kevin Korchinski aren’t selected in the lottery range. I like Mateychuk, who is having a stellar playoff run with the Moose Jaw Warriors at the moment, for the Sabres. —Scott Wheeler

    17. Nashville Predators: Kevin Korchinski, LHD, Seattle (WHL)

    Korchinski is a high-scoring defenseman who can handle the puck, so he would fit right in with the Predators. Nashville’s left side is anchored by Roman Josi and Mattias Ekholm, both of whom are 31. Korchinski would provide young depth. —Adam Vingan

    Pronman’s audit
    The first thing I noticed as the mock went on was the long run on forwards. Between picks No. 6 and No. 15 only forwards were selected. Based on history in the draft, it’s unlikely we won’t see a defenseman or three picked in that range. The one that stood out to me as potentially too low was Seattle defenseman Kevin Korchinski. While that is where I have him on my personal list, in discussions with league personnel over the last month he is a player trending up, especially after a strong WHL playoffs. He is more likely to go top 12 than top 20. Pavel Mintyukov is also a strong consideration in that range. Both Korchinski and Mintyukov have similarities as mobile, highly skilled defensemen with good size who aren’t the best defensively, and I would guess they both go before Mateychuk.

    Only one Russian player went in the top 17, with Yurov going to the Islanders. My personal opinion is he probably goes between 15-25 even though I have him top 10 on my list, but honestly it’s hard to say. It will only take one team thinking they can get him a visa with no problems. I can’t say the writers got the Russian thing wrong — it very well could play out like this, but it’s something to note for sure.

    Conor Geekie’s slot is interesting. He’s a really divisive player in the industry, with some scouts thinking he’s a top 5-8 candidate, and others thinking he’s a teens pick. I can see where he landed on our mock as a realistic slot.

    Also, have to love Porty uniting the Winnipeg ICE duo. That would be a great story!

    NHL scouts’ audit
    Almost every scout I polled said Korchinski should have been a lottery team pick. He’s the odds-on favorite to be the third defenseman picked in the draft currently. Almost every scout said Yurov went too high as well, even if they are big fans of the players. A sentiment felt around the league is that they don’t think a team will gamble on him that high when they feel there are good alternatives to pick from instead. “Yurov is that high on my board but I’m not sure I see a team step up to take him there,” said one scout.

    There was less consensus on other picks. Some scouts felt Marco Kasper went too high, whereas other scouts had no issue with his slotting. Several felt Brad Lambert will go lower than where we had him slotted but some felt he was fine where he was. Some felt Gaucher went too high and some felt that was a good spot for him. Several scouts like Geekie’s spot and several sources said they’d be very surprised if he got out of the top 10. Some scouts felt Nazar went too low, and some felt he went too high.

    Some who were following the draft leadup this season may raise their eyebrow at Bultman taking Gauthier at No. 8, but one of the NHL executives I polled said he will go higher than we mocked him; none said he went too high.

    “Reading your mock, it’s almost too chalk,” said one scout. “I think there’s going to be some surprise names people aren’t uniformly discussing.”

    (Illustration: Wes McCabe / The Athletic; Photos: Ken Andersen, Jean Catuffe / Getty Images; Russell Hons / CSM via ZUMA Wire; Cal Sport Media via AP Images)

    View attachment 157472
    Corey Pronman is the Senior NHL Prospects Writer for The Athletic. Previously, Corey worked in a similar role at ESPN. Follow Corey on Twitter @coreypronman
     
  38. DeToxRox

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  39. DeToxRox

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    This is my guy at 8. Wouldn’t shock me if his stock explodes and he isn’t available to us, but if he’s around, I hope like hell we land him.
     
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  40. DeToxRox

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    The Isles promoted Lambert to HC. I kind of feel like it’ll be Lalonde or Grouxl but we shall see.
     
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  41. The Banks

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    Glad that happened.
     
  42. MG2

    MG2 I like to give away joy for free
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    Pronman's mock today...

    8. Detroit Red Wings: Marco Kasper, C, Rogle-SHL

    Detroit’s need for a center is well-documented and Kasper looks like a potential top two line center. Some may be surprised to see Kasper’s name this high, but he’s trending in this range with some teams and a strong World Championships is only helping that argument.
     
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  43. DeToxRox

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    No one ever knows what Yzerman will do, but Lalonde seems to be the name most associated with Detroit at this point. We won’t hear about him until Tampa is eliminated, but if the search continues on as Tampa keeps winning, it feels like it’ll be Lalonde or maybe Halpern.

    Benoit Groulx, TB’s AHL coach, is now available following their playoff loss last night. I would suspect Yzerman talks to him and I feel like he’s a legit candidate.
     
  44. DeToxRox

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    Friedman reported tonight that Trotz is expected to interview with us. I want to believe, but I don’t see it happening.
     
  45. Constant

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    Am I correct to be very happy if that comes to pass?
     
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  46. DeToxRox

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    yes
     
  47. DeToxRox

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    7th D in the NHL, or potentially 1D in GR. Good low risk signing.
     
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  48. DeToxRox

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    I don’t have high hopes for him but this is probably the best thing he could do to salvage his development.
     
  49. ~ taylor ~

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    So we retain his rights?