2017 Draft Review

[herman]

I feel like the overage Russian drafted in the 4th round was specifically targeted to troll me.

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=205476

Never a good sign.

http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=322627

It's not terrible. A pretty substantial jump up from his draft season. Probably could've saved this pick for the 7th though.

[herman]

Chayka remarked about his draft that he was aiming for market needs, rather than team needs outside the first two rounds, deliberately going for the best C or RHD on the board to hoard value down the line.

If I'm giving Hunter the benefit of the doubt here, I'd say he was cornering a market for (really) big defensive defensemen. If he can get them to skate and hold gaps, that's pretty expensive to trade for.

I do like that Hunter is giving his scouts some spotlight picks: Gordeev from Hofford, Kara from Vuori/Ladygin/Namestnikov...

[CarltonTheBear]

I do like that Hunter is giving his scouts some spotlight picks: Gordeev from Hofford, Kara from Vuori/Ladygin/Namestnikov...

Pretty boss move there. Now he can blame them when they don't pan out.

[herman]

I do like that Hunter is giving his scouts some spotlight picks: Gordeev from Hofford, Kara from Vuori/Ladygin/Namestnikov...

Pretty boss move there. Now he can blame them when they don't pan out.

That's the plan.

[herman]

http://mapleleafshotstove.com/2017/06/26/2017-draft-notebook-trends-analysis-thoughts-toronto-maple-leafs-strategy/

[Highlander]

Trying to grade a draft a day or two later is obviously a sucker's game but I will say that what they did this year, drafting defensemen with upside, at least makes sense to me in a way their strategy last year of drafting nondescript overage forwards didn't.

Obviously after banging the drum all year about what Nashville did last year at the draft I might have preferred an even heavier leaning into the smaller puck moving guys but that's hair splitting in a year where there weren't a ton of those options available.

I feel like the overage Russian drafted in the 4th round was specifically targeted to troll me.

That may be a bit of over inflated self indulgence, don't ya think Nik?

[herman]

I feel like the overage Russian drafted in the 4th round was specifically targeted to troll me.

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=205476

Never a good sign.

http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=322627

It's not terrible. A pretty substantial jump up from his draft season. Probably could've saved this pick for the 7th though.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6bzvuBnJWY

These are just his offensive plays, but the skills and drive and opportunistic streak are clear. If he plays defense even half as well, he'd be the player I hoped Soshnikov (and Komarov) would become (grind, pass, and shoot). The slot play, tips, and garbage cleanup looks like it can carry over. Blind wristers from the blue line probably won't. Good snapper, strong wrister (but will need to speed up or make more deceptive the release), moves around the ice pretty easily.

Similar profile to Korshkov, Grundstrom, with a slightly different flavour. Reminds me of a 1/3 skilled Matthews actually.

[KadriFan]

I feel like the overage Russian drafted in the 4th round was specifically targeted to troll me.

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=205476

Never a good sign.

http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=322627

It's not terrible. A pretty substantial jump up from his draft season. Probably could've saved this pick for the 7th though.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6bzvuBnJWY

These are just his offensive plays, but the skills and drive and opportunistic streak are clear. If he plays defense even half as well, he'd be the player I hoped Soshnikov (and Komarov) would become (grind, pass, and shoot). The slot play, tips, and garbage cleanup looks like it can carry over. Blind wristers from the blue line probably won't. Good snapper, strong wrister (but will need to speed up or make more deceptive the release), moves around the ice pretty easily.

Similar profile to Korshkov, Grundstrom, with a slightly different flavour. Reminds me of a 1/3 skilled Matthews actually.

Looks good.  Wow, the stands look pretty empty. 

[Zanzibar Buck-Buck McFate]

I dunno. It's hard tell much when he's loping around such big ice with all kinds of time and space that he won't get over here. But that's what low picks are for , to take a bit of a chance.

[CarltonTheBear]

Wow is that ever a bad league.

[herman]

https://www.pensionplanpuppets.com/toronto-maple-leafs-prospects/2017/6/29/15872622/toronto-maple-leafs-draft-pick-prospect-a-deeper-look-at-eemeli-rasanen

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dc7ryu_3S00 - a penalty and fight he took for being big.

Rasanen's growth outpaced his strength, but I think he'll catch back up in the next two years. Skating has already improved from the previous season, and will only improve with added strength.

Highlights video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cAboQukUWQE

[herman]

Fedor Gordeev highlights:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q-DqxTdJvEs

This is a very very mobile 6'6", and he's actually got the hands to pull off the moves that Gauthier dreams of.

[Highlander]

Funny but I have a better feeling of this dude than the 2nd round pick.

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

Funny but I have a better feeling of this dude than the 2nd round pick.

Very different players, Gordeev is a pretty good skating winger who is learning to play defense. Rasanen is a limited skater who is a tank defensively if you could combine the two you'd have an all world prospect.

It'll come down to who can fill out their game, but I get the sense both are infinitely more promising that Middleton and Mattinen from the year before.

[herman]

Funny but I have a better feeling of this dude than the 2nd round pick.

Very different players, Gordeev is a pretty good skating winger who is learning to play defense. Rasanen is a limited skater who is a tank defensively if you could combine the two you'd have an all world prospect.

It'll come down to who can fill out their game, but I get the sense both are infinitely more promising that Middleton and Mattinen from the year before.

Absolutely better bets than Middleton/Mattinen (who both improved, but that's not a high hurdle).

As WIGWAL pointed out, they're both projects approaching a similar target from different ends, but they have nearly the same physical profile.

They're both super tall with huge wingspans, which is what Hunter appears to be going for with picks like Nielsen, Desrocher, JD Greenway, and the aforementioned Middleton and Mattinen.

Rasanen sprouted up rather quickly and is still adjusting to his new size. His strength, especially lower half, hasn't caught up yet, but eventually it will. His skating technique will need improvement and adjustment as a result (he falls a lot), but his defensive instincts and skills are there. The Finnish hockey style is probably the closest of the European hockey styles to North America's.

Gordeev is pretty much a newb to playing full time defense, also sorting out new size issues and figuring out his limits. Fortunately, he already skates very well and with added strength could be really hard to deal with. He has the offensive instincts from his time as a forward (a la Gardiner), but needs to work on his defense reads, gap control, pivots, positioning, etc.

If they both max out their potential, we could be looking at players bordering on Parayko, or Franson with speed/physicality. They'll be given pretty long leashes to develop alongside Nielsen (who also needs skating and defensive instinct coaching).