2023 NHL Draft Thread

1
May as well get this thread going as it's what we are all looking forward to at this point.

Pronman released his latest rankings. Below are 5-10. Bedard, Michkov, Fantilli, Carlsson are 1-4. Michkov will be an interesting watch because he has that pesky two year KHL contract still.

https://theathletic.com/4257787/2023/03 ... y-pronman/

5. Nate Danielson, C, Brandon (WHL)

Sep. 27, 2004 | 6′ 1.5″ | 185 pounds | Shoots right

January 2023 Ranking: 9

Tier: Projected top of the lineup player

Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: Above NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average
Shot: Above NHL average

Player comparable: Dylan Cozens

Background: Danielson was named co-captain of his WHL team during his draft season and has played a big all-situations role for Brandon. He is one of the top play-drivers in the WHL this season and was over a point per game the prior season. He was invited to Canada’s U20 camp in the summer and their U18 camp the prior summer. He was the No. 5 pick in his WHL Bantam Draft.

Analysis: Danielson is a well-rounded center who has a lot of NHL traits. He’s a big body who skates and competes well which, when combined with his offensive touch, allows him to be effective in a lot of situations. He has an excellent stick, and is able to beat defenders with skill at NHL speeds often. He makes a lot of plays with pace but also shows the vision and shot threat to run a power play off the edge. Danielson is a competitive two-way center who wins a good share of puck battles and can kill penalties. He looks like a potential high-in-the-lineup all-situations center in the NHL.

6. William Smith, C, Usa U-18 (NTDP)

Mar. 17, 2005 | 5′ 11.75″ | 178 pounds | Shoots right

January 2023 Ranking: 5

Tier: Projected top of the lineup player

Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: Above NHL average
Hockey sense: Above NHL average
Compete: NHL average
Shot: Above NHL average

Player comparable: Evgeny Kuznetsov

Background: Smith is the No. 1 center and leading player on this year’s U.S. NTDP team. He has been one of the most productive players ever in their U18 season with the program. Smith was invited to USA’s world juniors camp but was cut. He is committed to Boston College.

Analysis: Smith is a dynamic offensive player who stands out every game with his talent. He has tremendous puck skills, vision and overall offensive creativity and projects to be a major asset on an NHL power play. He skates well and makes so many high-difficulty plays at a strong pace, which lends well to his pro projection. Smith is a high-end passer who is also able to finish chances from the dots. The only real wart in his game is I wouldn’t call him an overly-physical or high-energy player. I don’t think he lacks effort. He’s around the puck a ton whenever he’s on the ice and even at times killed penalties for the program.

7. David Reinbacher, D, Kloten (SWISS)

Oct. 25, 2004 | 6′ 2.0″ | 185 pounds | Shoots right

January 2023 Ranking: 6

Tier: Projected top of the lineup player

Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average

Player comparable: Brett Pesce

Background: Reinbacher was a top-four defenseman for his NLA team this season. He had the second most productive draft season by a player in NLA history, behind Auston Matthews, and the best by a defenseman. He was a top player for Austria at the 2023 world juniors. He played regular minutes for Autria’s senior team at the Deutschland Cup. He played for Austria’s U20 team at the 2022 world juniors as well.

Analysis: Reinbacher is an excellent all-around defenseman. His mobility stands out immediately, especially as a 6-foot-2 right-shot defender. Reinbacher’s gap control is quite strong, killing a lot of plays due to his feet. He can close on guys with his body too, and shows a high compete level to win back pucks. He’s very polished defensively for such a young player, and projects to shut down good NHL forwards. He’s able to both skate and pass pucks up ice. His offensive touch isn’t elite, but he has creativity with the puck and sees the ice well. He projects as a two-way top pair defenseman.

8. Danil But, LW, Yaroslavl (RUSSIA)

Feb. 15, 2005 | 6′ 5.0″ | 203 pounds | Shoots right

January 2023 Ranking: 8

Tier: Projected top of the lineup player

Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: NHL average
Shot: Above NHL average

Player comparable: Alex Tuch

Background: But has been one of the top forwards in Russia’s junior league this season and was a near-point-per-game player in the league the prior season. He earned limited ice time with Lokomotiv’s KHL team. Both Loko’s MHL and KHL teams were top clubs this season. But suited up for Russia’s U18 team as a 16-year-old at the Hlinka Gretzky, Black Sea Cup and the European Youth Olympics. His father Anton But played professional hockey in the KHL and Russian Super League for 17 seasons.

Analysis: But is a large, highly-skilled forward who can score. But makes a lot of crafty plays with the puck in small areas, and with his massive wingspan he’s able to pull pucks past a lot of checkers. He can both make and finish plays well, but he’s more of a goal scorer with a shot that can score from range. But isn’t blazing fast and his stride technique is just OK, but for a 6-foot-5 guy he can motor up the ice quite well, has a strong first step and he’ll be able to power his way to the net off rushes at higher levels. He gives a solid effort and is often involved in the play. Even though I don’t see a high-end trait other than his size, But checks every box and projects to be a major part of an NHL lineup.

Projected bubble top and middle of the lineup player (Tier 7)

9. Colby Barlow, LW, Owen Sound (OHL)

Feb. 14, 2005 | 6′ 0.25″ | 193 pounds | Shoots left

January 2023 Ranking: 18

Tier: Projected bubble top and middle of the lineup player

Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: Above NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average
Shot: High-end

Player comparable: Carter Verhaeghe

Background: Barlow is one of the top-scoring and shot-generating forwards in the OHL this season. He scored 30 goals in 59 games as a 16-year-old in the OHL. He was a member of Canada’s Hlinka Gretzky team, where he played a big role and scored five points in five games despite no power-play time. He was the eighth pick in his OHL Draft.

Analysis: Barlow is a well-rounded winger. He is a strong skater who can transport pucks through the neutral zone. He’s a hard-working forward who has some physicality, can kill penalties, and is quite physically advanced for his age. Offensively he has excellent stick skills and a great shot. He’s a threat to score off the rush and from a standstill with his one-timer. Barlow’s playmaking isn’t his selling point, but it’s good enough, especially with how skilled he is at creating scoring opportunities for himself. He projects as a high-in-the-lineup wing who can play on both special teams in the NHL.

10. Samuel Honzek, LW, Vancouver (WHL)

Nov. 12, 2004 | 6′ 3.5″ | 186 pounds | Shoots left

January 2023 Ranking: 11

Tier: Projected bubble top and middle of the lineup player

Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: NHL average
Compete: Above NHL average

Player comparable: Pavel Zacha

Background: Honzek has been an all-situations winger for Vancouver. A leg cut suffered at the world juniors kept him out for several months. Honzek played for Slovakia in the summer 2022 world juniors. He got an invite to their senior team camp in the spring of 2022. He was a part of the Hlinka Gretzky team that won silver.

Analysis: Honzek’s game is exciting from a pro projection standpoint. He’s a big forward who can skate well, which when combined with the offense he’s showing makes for a well-rounded player. I don’t think he’s amazing with the puck, but he has good hands and can make tough plays. In the WHL he ran the power play from the flank but that likely won’t be his role as a pro. Off the puck he shows good details, and a strong work rate. He wins a lot of battles and can kill penalties. Honzek dabbled at center for a couple of WHL games but is likely a winger as a pro. Even as a wing he projects to be an important two-way player for an NHL team.
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Re: 2023 NHL Draft Thread

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BluesSK wrote: Fri Mar 10, 2023 10:29 am Out of all those the report on Nate Danielson really jumps out at me.

The Dman is an obvious need too so maybe the Blues go that way.
Pronman always has a guy or two each year that he falls in love with and Danielson seems to be one of those guys for him this year. He's been constantly ranked in the teens by most I've seen. Craig Button has him at 18 for example. I would expect him to probably be on the board when the Blues pick and that's not a bad thing.

Easy to fall in love with a center with both size and skating ability though. Those are the guys that make teams go.
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Re: 2023 NHL Draft Thread

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BluesSK wrote: Fri Mar 10, 2023 10:29 am Out of all those the report on Nate Danielson really jumps out at me.

The Dman is an obvious need too so maybe the Blues go that way.
No thanks... always draft offensive talent.... defense takes too long to develop... we all seent it... second hardest position to develop next to goaltending. Sign veteran defense... draft top end scoring

Re: 2023 NHL Draft Thread

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BluesSK wrote: Fri Mar 10, 2023 10:29 am Out of all those the report on Nate Danielson really jumps out at me.

The Dman is an obvious need too so maybe the Blues go that way.
No thanks... always draft offensive talent.... defense takes too long to develop... we all seent it... second hardest position to develop next to goaltending. Sign veteran defense... draft top end scoring

Re: 2023 NHL Draft Thread

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CaptSMRT wrote: Fri Mar 10, 2023 1:18 pm
BluesSK wrote: Fri Mar 10, 2023 10:29 am Out of all those the report on Nate Danielson really jumps out at me.

The Dman is an obvious need too so maybe the Blues go that way.
No thanks... always draft offensive talent.... defense takes too long to develop... we all seent it... second hardest position to develop next to goaltending. Sign veteran defense... draft top end scoring
I agree that I hope the Blues take a forward but the Sabres are proof this isn’t always true. All those premium picks and their best were two defensemen
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Re: 2023 NHL Draft Thread

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Dread_Pirate_Westley wrote: Fri Mar 10, 2023 4:17 pm
CaptSMRT wrote: Fri Mar 10, 2023 1:18 pm
BluesSK wrote: Fri Mar 10, 2023 10:29 am Out of all those the report on Nate Danielson really jumps out at me.

The Dman is an obvious need too so maybe the Blues go that way.
No thanks... always draft offensive talent.... defense takes too long to develop... we all seent it... second hardest position to develop next to goaltending. Sign veteran defense... draft top end scoring
I agree that I hope the Blues take a forward but the Sabres are proof this isn’t always true. All those premium picks and their best were two defensemen
I'd totally pass on Cale Makar.

Re: 2023 NHL Draft Thread

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BluesSK wrote: Fri Mar 10, 2023 6:01 pm
Dread_Pirate_Westley wrote: Fri Mar 10, 2023 4:17 pm
CaptSMRT wrote: Fri Mar 10, 2023 1:18 pm

No thanks... always draft offensive talent.... defense takes too long to develop... we all seent it... second hardest position to develop next to goaltending. Sign veteran defense... draft top end scoring
I agree that I hope the Blues take a forward but the Sabres are proof this isn’t always true. All those premium picks and their best were two defensemen
I'd totally pass on Cale Makar.
Cherry picking outliers is a really hard strategy to employ...

Re: 2023 NHL Draft Thread

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CaptSMRT wrote: Fri Mar 10, 2023 8:41 pm
BluesSK wrote: Fri Mar 10, 2023 6:01 pm
Dread_Pirate_Westley wrote: Fri Mar 10, 2023 4:17 pm

I agree that I hope the Blues take a forward but the Sabres are proof this isn’t always true. All those premium picks and their best were two defensemen
I'd totally pass on Cale Makar.
Cherry picking outliers is a really hard strategy to employ...
Normally, I would advocate for taking a center but there is a real shortage of high end defense in the League and they are extremely expensive.

It's not just Makar. It's Dahlin, Quinn Hughes, Ekblad, Pietrangelo, Doughty, Hedman and others over the years. These players are pretty much untouchable in the market.

Take a look at the defensemen coming up in free agency. It's slim pickings. Even the average guys make a bundle. We aren't contending for several years anyways but we do need to rebuild our defense.

Re: 2023 NHL Draft Thread

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Here's a list of every d-man taken in the top 9 since 2016.

2016: Mikhail Sergachyov
2017: Cale Makar
2018: Rasmus Dahlin / Quin Hughes
2019: Bowen Byram / Moritz Seider / Philip Broberg
2020: Jake Sanderson / Jamie Drysdale
2021: Owen Power / Luke Hughes / Simon Edvinsson / Brandt Clarke

Is Maker an outlier or a trend? A lot of those guys are already some of the best in the league or their teams top prospects. If you can get one of them, they are absolutely priceless to have. My problem is I'm just not sure that specific guy is in this draft, I think when the Blues pick the BPA will be a forward. I can't even find a clear top d-man in this draft. There's 3 or so guys that seem to flip flop depending whose rankings and reports you look at and most don't have them as top 10 picks. Plus if they make their later picks, I think thats where the value will come in on grabbing one or two d-men. Someone will fall in a year that the opinions on them are wide ranging.
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Re: 2023 NHL Draft Thread

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This is not a draft for dmen, too many good offensive players. Maybe you gamble on a dmen with our 3 1st rounder if we keep it.
At this point we should trade up and get Michkov. Yes I know what you’re saying right now but Michkov is guy we should go after without a doubt. If Michkov goes early, then Zach Benson or Colby Barlow would be my pick. Benson is a more explosive player, Barlow has a lot of intangibles. I’d use one of our two late rounders on Charlie Stramel.
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Re: 2023 NHL Draft Thread

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NHLTIM wrote: Mon Mar 13, 2023 2:54 pm This is not a draft for dmen, too many good offensive players. Maybe you gamble on a dmen with our 3 1st rounder if we keep it.
At this point we should trade up and get Michkov. Yes I know what you’re saying right now but Michkov is guy we should go after without a doubt. If Michkov goes early, then Zach Benson or Colby Barlow would be my pick. Benson is a more explosive player, Barlow has a lot of intangibles. I’d use one of our two late rounders on Charlie Stramel.
Satan just threw on a sweater and some mittens.
...but whatever, the Blues won the Cup!!!!!

Re: 2023 NHL Draft Thread

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NHLTIM wrote: Mon Mar 13, 2023 2:54 pm This is not a draft for dmen, too many good offensive players. Maybe you gamble on a dmen with our 3 1st rounder if we keep it.
At this point we should trade up and get Michkov. Yes I know what you’re saying right now but Michkov is guy we should go after without a doubt. If Michkov goes early, then Zach Benson or Colby Barlow would be my pick. Benson is a more explosive player, Barlow has a lot of intangibles. I’d use one of our two late rounders on Charlie Stramel.
What's doing it for you with Stramel? Just the size or more?

Re: 2023 NHL Draft Thread

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NHLTIM wrote: Mon Mar 13, 2023 2:54 pm This is not a draft for dmen, too many good offensive players. Maybe you gamble on a dmen with our 3 1st rounder if we keep it.
At this point we should trade up and get Michkov. Yes I know what you’re saying right now but Michkov is guy we should go after without a doubt. If Michkov goes early, then Zach Benson or Colby Barlow would be my pick. Benson is a more explosive player, Barlow has a lot of intangibles. I’d use one of our two late rounders on Charlie Stramel.
Look at us, hey look at us. Who would’ve thought? Not me
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Re: 2023 NHL Draft Thread

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For those curious.

26. Charlie Stramel, C, Wisconsin (BIG10)

Oct. 15, 2004 | 6′ 3.0″ | 212 pounds | Shoots right

January 2023 Ranking: 23

Tier: Projected middle of the lineup player

Skating: NHL average
Puck skills: NHL average
Hockey sense: Below NHL average
Compete: High-end

Player comparable: Charlie Coyle

Background: Stramel has had a very up-and-down season. He’s struggled with his club team as a freshman at Wisconsin, who were a bottom feeder in the Big Ten. But for two weeks with USA’s U20 team, he looked quite good and reminiscent of the forward from the U.S. NTDP who impacted games at times. He was invited to Team USA at the summer world juniors where he was the 13th forward. He scored five goals in six games at the 2022 U18 Worlds, being the net-front guy on USA’s top power-play unit.

Analysis: Stramel’s pure athletic tools are highly intriguing. Stramel is a 6-foot-3 center who can skate well and plays a highly-physical brand of hockey. He can power his way through checks and to the net and never shies away from an engagement. The degree of offense is the major question on his game. I think he has good hands and can create a little, but he lacks vision and won’t be a big-time scorer as a pro. If you go into picking Stramel understanding the offense may be limited, but you’ll see get a guy who can help you at even strength a lot and potentially be a nice third-line center, you’ll be happy. And I do think there’s a chance he can be more than that ,too.

https://theathletic.com/4257787/2023/03 ... y-pronman/
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Re: 2023 NHL Draft Thread

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Top NCAA free agents who could sign contracts in NHL for stretch run
Brown of Boston University, Ford of Providence, Nelson of Minnesota among best players available

by Mark Divver / NHL.com Independent Correspondent
March 8, 2023

Every NHL team invests time and money in the hunt for NCAA free agents.
Signing undrafted collegiate players to entry-level contracts is an affordable way for teams to add depth and shore up prospect pools without spending draft capital or surrendering an asset in trade.
The 2023 NCAA free agent class is not regarded as a strong one, but serviceable complementary players are available.
As NCAA teams finish their seasons, undrafted players will be free to sign with any NHL team.
The first free agent of note, Bowling Green defenseman Anton Malmstrom, signed with the St. Louis Blues on Monday.
In alphabetical order, here are 15 college free agents in the running to earn pro contracts:

Matt Brown, Boston U
With 43 points (15 goals, 28 assists) in 33 games, the 23-year-old forward is tied for the scoring lead in Hockey East. He played two years at UMass-Lowell before transferring to BU, where he's a senior.

Parker Ford, Providencniversitye
The 22-year-old forward has 25 points (11 goals, 14 assists) in 34 games. A senior captain whose engine never stops, he was plus-17 and won 59.1 of his faceoffs during the regular season.

Riese Gaber, North Dakota
An undersized forward (5-foot-8, 163 pounds), the 23-year-old plays with tremendous energy. A junior, he has 34 points (19 goals, 15 assists) in 35 games.

Justin Hryckowian, Northeastern
The sophomore forward has good hands and is excellent on face-offs. The 22-year-old, who has 36 points (15 goals, 21 assists) in 34 games, attended development camp with the Washington Capitals prior to this season.

Jake Livingstone, Minnesota State-Mankato
The 23-year-old junior, who was named Central Collegiate Hockey Association Defenseman of the Year last season, has 30 points (seven goals, 23 assists) in 36 games this season.

Sam Malinski, Cornell
The 24-year-old defenseman, who has plenty of poise with the puck, has 25 points (eight goals, 17 assists) in 29 games. He attended New York Rangers development camp in 2022.

Ryan McAllister, Western Michigan
The 21-year-old forward is having a standout freshman season with 45 points (11 goals, 34 assists) in 36 games. The Canadian Junior Hockey League Most Valuable Player last season for Brooks of the Alberta Junior Hockey League, McAllister was named to the National Collegiate Hockey Conference All-Rookie Team on Tuesday.

Hunter McKown, Colorado College
A 20-year-old junior, the forward is a gifted shooter who leads his team with 25 points (19 goals, six assists) in 34 games. He played on the United State world junior team in August.

Travis Mitchell, Cornell
The senior defenseman, who plays in all situations, has 17 points (six goals, 11 assists) in 29 games. The 23-year-old has attended development camps with the St. Louis Blues and Boston Bruins.

Jaxon Nelson, Minnesota
The senior forward has the kind of size (6-4, 220) NHL teams prefer in the middle. The 22-year-old has an NCAA career-best 21 points (seven goals, 14 assists) in 34 games as a second-line center.

Victor Ostman, Maine
The Sweden-born 22-year-old goalie helped his team to a surprising sixth-place finish in Hockey East after finishing last a year ago. The junior is 14-11-4 with a 2.18 goals-against average, .919 save percentage and five shutouts this season.

Jason Polin, Western Michigan
The 23-year-old senior forward has 45 points (29 goals, 16 assists) in 36 games and leads the nation in goal-scoring after totaling 30 goals through his first three seasons.

Max Sasson, Western Michigan
The sophomore plays center on the highest-scoring line in the country with McAllister and Polin. He has 39 points (14 goals, 25 assists) in 35 games. The 22-year-old had seven points (five goals, two assists) in a two-game sweep of Miami University last weekend.

Wilmer Skoog, Boston University
The Sweden-born center has 29 points (12 goals, 17 assists) in 33 games playing on BU's top line. The 23-year-old senior has scored four "Michigan" lacrosse-style goals in collegiate play.

Austen Swankler, Bowling Green
The 21-year-old sophomore was granted NCAA eligibility in 2021 even though he played one season with Erie of the Ontario Hockey League. The forward was Bowling Green's leading scorer with 44 points (19 goals, 25 assists) in 35 games this season.

Re: 2023 NHL Draft Thread

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I do think there is a chance Michkov is still on the board when the Blues pick. He's clearly the 2nd best prospect in this draft and the best Russian prospect since Ovie and all things equal if you hold the second pick in the draft, you run up there to call his name. BUT, all things aren't equal. It's a daunting ask of a team picking in the top 5-10 to know when he puts your jersey on on draft stage, it's the last time he'll put your jersey on until the 2026-27 season. How many GMs have the job security to sit around and wait THREE full seasons on a guy to arrive? You want your top 5/10 pick to be in your lineup either next season or the following. You may just be drafting him for the next GM at that point.

I'm very conflicted on what I'd want the Blues to do if he's on the board when they pick. I guess it depends on who is left on the board.

As for their later picks, I guess there's a chance Daniil But could fall. 6'5 Russian forward with top 15 pick skill but is signed til April 2025.
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Re: 2023 NHL Draft Thread

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Dread_Pirate_Westley wrote: Tue Mar 14, 2023 9:39 am I do think there is a chance Michkov is still on the board when the Blues pick. He's clearly the 2nd best prospect in this draft and the best Russian prospect since Ovie and all things equal if you hold the second pick in the draft, you run up there to call his name. BUT, all things aren't equal. It's a daunting ask of a team picking in the top 5-10 to know when he puts your jersey on on draft stage, it's the last time he'll put your jersey on until the 2026-27 season. How many GMs have the job security to sit around and wait THREE full seasons on a guy to arrive? You want your top 5/10 pick to be in your lineup either next season or the following. You may just be drafting him for the next GM at that point.

I'm very conflicted on what I'd want the Blues to do if he's on the board when they pick. I guess it depends on who is left on the board.

As for their later picks, I guess there's a chance Daniil But could fall. 6'5 Russian forward with top 15 pick skill but is signed til April 2025.
I am definitely on board with adding more Russians to our roster. Even upcoming free agents .

Re: 2023 NHL Draft Thread

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Dread_Pirate_Westley wrote: Tue Mar 14, 2023 9:39 am I do think there is a chance Michkov is still on the board when the Blues pick. He's clearly the 2nd best prospect in this draft and the best Russian prospect since Ovie and all things equal if you hold the second pick in the draft, you run up there to call his name. BUT, all things aren't equal. It's a daunting ask of a team picking in the top 5-10 to know when he puts your jersey on on draft stage, it's the last time he'll put your jersey on until the 2026-27 season. How many GMs have the job security to sit around and wait THREE full seasons on a guy to arrive? You want your top 5/10 pick to be in your lineup either next season or the following. You may just be drafting him for the next GM at that point.

I'm very conflicted on what I'd want the Blues to do if he's on the board when they pick. I guess it depends on who is left on the board.

As for their later picks, I guess there's a chance Daniil But could fall. 6'5 Russian forward with top 15 pick skill but is signed til April 2025.
The GM job security thing is usually a good point, but I think all of the GMs in the bottom 5 range are all rock solid in that regard. Jarmo is the only one that isn't almost brand new to the job, and he's not going anywhere (and also will likely end up with top pick). The other element of picking a guy that won't come over for a few seasons is that you could argue that actually buys the GM even more time. "How can you fire me before the savior arrives!" He might slip a pick or two, but I'd be shocked if he made it all the way to 8-9.
...but whatever, the Blues won the Cup!!!!!

Re: 2023 NHL Draft Thread

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Dave's a mess wrote: Tue Mar 14, 2023 9:53 am
Dread_Pirate_Westley wrote: Tue Mar 14, 2023 9:39 am I do think there is a chance Michkov is still on the board when the Blues pick. He's clearly the 2nd best prospect in this draft and the best Russian prospect since Ovie and all things equal if you hold the second pick in the draft, you run up there to call his name. BUT, all things aren't equal. It's a daunting ask of a team picking in the top 5-10 to know when he puts your jersey on on draft stage, it's the last time he'll put your jersey on until the 2026-27 season. How many GMs have the job security to sit around and wait THREE full seasons on a guy to arrive? You want your top 5/10 pick to be in your lineup either next season or the following. You may just be drafting him for the next GM at that point.

I'm very conflicted on what I'd want the Blues to do if he's on the board when they pick. I guess it depends on who is left on the board.

As for their later picks, I guess there's a chance Daniil But could fall. 6'5 Russian forward with top 15 pick skill but is signed til April 2025.
The GM job security thing is usually a good point, but I think all of the GMs in the bottom 5 range are all rock solid in that regard. Jarmo is the only one that isn't almost brand new to the job, and he's not going anywhere (and also will likely end up with top pick). The other element of picking a guy that won't come over for a few seasons is that you could argue that actually buys the GM even more time. "How can you fire me before the savior arrives!" He might slip a pick or two, but I'd be shocked if he made it all the way to 8-9.
So if you're the Blues and you're holding the second pick, are you taking him?
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Re: 2023 NHL Draft Thread

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Dread_Pirate_Westley wrote: I do think there is a chance Michkov is still on the board when the Blues pick. He's clearly the 2nd best prospect in this draft and the best Russian prospect since Ovie and all things equal if you hold the second pick in the draft, you run up there to call his name. BUT, all things aren't equal. It's a daunting ask of a team picking in the top 5-10 to know when he puts your jersey on on draft stage, it's the last time he'll put your jersey on until the 2026-27 season. How many GMs have the job security to sit around and wait THREE full seasons on a guy to arrive? You want your top 5/10 pick to be in your lineup either next season or the following. You may just be drafting him for the next GM at that point.

I'm very conflicted on what I'd want the Blues to do if he's on the board when they pick. I guess it depends on who is left on the board.

As for their later picks, I guess there's a chance Daniil But could fall. 6'5 Russian forward with top 15 pick skill but is signed til April 2025.
If he's that good and he falls in our laps, then I think you do it. Look at Kaprizov. Minnesota waited forever for the kid, but look how that's turned out. As long as his goal is to play in the NHL, then I say do it. But the Blues need to do feel confident that his intention is to be an NHL player.