NHL 2017 -Official Discussion Thread

[Smitty-48]

Word is the Avs are eyeing Makar with that fourth pick, might even be the only option they are considering. Sounds like we are one of those teams who has fallen in love with kid, if Heiskanen is still on the board and we pick Makar I'll be disappointed.

Scouts have compared Makar to Erik Karlsson, Hieskanen to Scott Neidermayer, never can tell, but the scouts are in love with both.

For me, Heiskanen has more defensive upside, Makar is more of a pure puck mover.

[StCapps]

Word is the Avs are eyeing Makar with that fourth pick, might even be the only option they are considering. Sounds like we are one of those teams who has fallen in love with kid, if Heiskanen is still on the board and we pick Makar I'll be disappointed.

Scouts have compared Makar to Erik Karlsson, Hieskanen to Scott Neidermayer, never can tell, but the scouts are in love with both.

For me, Heiskanen has more defensive upside, Makar is more of a pure puck mover.

I'll take either. Thank god it looks like we aren't thinking about taking another forward. I prefer Heiskanen because of the defensive upside, but right handed puck movers are at a premium, and I think the Avs prefer Makar's offensive package more. Makar looks like a gazelle on ice, and he uses that skating to open up passing and shooting lanes that he seems adept at recognizing, what's not to love about that? Aside from the AJHL competition he was facing I mean.....

[Smitty-48]

I don't think you can go wrong in terms of potential. Makar; first stride is explosive, skates like the wind, effortlessly, rocket of a shot, touch around the net, makes great decisions with the puck, dances around the zone with the puck on a string, sick mitts; reminds me of Ryan Ellis at that age, and frame wise, he's bigger than Ellis already. Combine measured him at 5'11"+ 187lbs+

[StCapps]

I don't think you can go wrong in terms of potential. Makar; first stride is explosive, skates like the wind, effortlessly, rocket of a shot, touch around the net, makes great decisions with the puck, dances around the zone with the puck on a string, sick mitts; reminds me of Ryan Ellis at that age, and frame wise, he's bigger than Ellis already. Combine measured him at 5'11"+ 187lbs+

Heiskanen is a half inch short of 6'1", and they thought he was 5'11" before the draft. Both were big risers based on the combine, and rightfully so. As far as high end potential goes, Makar might have the highest upside of any player in the draft period.

[Smitty-48]

Makar might have the highest upside of any player in the draft period.

Tru. Draft for skill. Look at Billy Nylander, at the combine he was 5'11" 169lbs, two years later 6'0" 190lbs, they're still growing on draft day.

[StCapps]

Makar might have the highest upside of any player in the draft period.

Tru. Draft for skill. Look at Billy Nylander, at the combine he was 5'11" 169lbs, two years later 6'0" 190lbs, they're still growing on draft day.

Almost all of the top end defensemen in the NHL, both currently and historically, seem to be between 6'0"-6'2"/190-210 lbs, Makar projects right around that frame, as does Heiskanen. The Zdeno Chara/Chris Pronger/Rob Blake sized defensemen much more rarely turn into high end defensemen, especially in the modern NHL.

[Smitty-48]

I think Heiskanen will be more of a steady eddie, not flashy, but money in the bank, Makar will be more highlight reel, too bad you couldn't have both, rightie and leftie, I would make a trade with Dallas, and grab two, forget about Hanafin, he's spoken for, but Dallas thinks they're in the window, so I'd move them Barrie for that pick right now, forget about next year, next year you'll want a high pick too, be agressive in the now, for the future.

[StCapps]

I think Heiskanen will be more of a steady eddie, not flashy, but money in the bank, Makar will be more highlight reel, too bad you couldn't have both, rightie and leftie, I would make a trade with Dallas, and grab two, forget about Hanafin, he's spoken for, but Dallas thinks they're in the window, so I'd move them Barrie for that pick right now, forget about next year, next year you'll want a high pick too, be agressive in the now, for the future.

Not sure Sakic is smart enough to pull the trigger on a trade like that, also not sure the Ownership will let him go into rebuild mode, like you said. If only they could get out of their own way, then we'd be talking.

[Smitty-48]

It's right there for the taking, Dallas is ready to move that pick for top 2D right now, if I was Vegas, I wouldn't bother with next year neither, they could get that pick, and another pick on top, and a prospect too, for Marc Methot, done deal. If I was Sakic, I'd beat Dallas to the punch with Barrie. I'd deal them all for picks and prospects, Duchene, Landeskog, Barrie, everything must go.

[Smitty-48]

Wondering if Lou will actually go off the board tonight, might they pick a goalie? Keith Petruzzelli? He's a Lou type prospect, giant sized, puck handling, plays like Carey Price. At 17th, there's no sure bets, might go for the long term prospect with high upside, best goalie available.

He's almost 6'6", 190lbs, lanky like Matt Murray, Joe Woll is a decent goaltending prospect, but he doesn't project to be a franchise 1G, whereas Petruzzelli has all the ingredients to be a pontential superstar.

They don't have a high second round pick to play with here, where Petruzzelli is projected to go, so they may just take the player they want with their 17th pick, I definitely think they would take him in the 2nd round, but he's not likely to be around when they are picking.