NHL 2017 -Official Discussion Thread

[StCapps]

Rasanen, eh? That's interesting, at least he can actually play and is not just a 6'7" pylon. Middleton and now Rasanen, loading up on giant sized OHL defensemen. Could pay off, who knows? The draft is a total crapshoot at this point anyways, nobody knows.

Indeed. Timmins had first round value, but he was the first pick of the second round, which is basically just a late first round round pick anyway. Nice that someone like him fell out of the first.

[Smitty-48]

Rasanen, eh? That's interesting, at least he can actually play and is not just a 6'7" pylon. Middleton and now Rasanen, loading up on giant sized OHL defensemen. Could pay off, who knows? The draft is a total crapshoot at this point anyways, nobody knows.

Indeed. Timmins had first round value, but he was the first pick of the second round, which is basically just a late first round round pick anyway. Nice that someone like him fell out of the first.

Timmins is a good all round D, not flashy, but he's got hockey IQ, not likely to be a superstar, but likely to the play a regular shift in the NHL.

[Smitty-48]

Mark Hunter doesn't really make "depth" picks, he shoots the moon with almost every pick, Rasanen is this years Korshkov, "maybe he'll turn out to be nothing, maybe he'll turn out to be a force of nature".

[Smitty-48]

So they picked Ian Scott as the goalie pick? Meh. Don't know anything about him, but they did follow your "goaltending is voodoo so don't bother expending a high pick on it" doctrine, Capps.

Vladislav Kara? Another lottery ticket, pick a fast Russian, check back in a few, see what happens.

Fedor Gordeev? Another giant sized OHL defencemam, he's 6'6" and his skating is good for his size, so what the heck? Throw him on the pile.

Ryan McGregor? Looking for a possible late bloomer there, take a shot, never know.

Ryan O'Connell? Same-same.

[Smitty-48]

I'm warming up to that Rasanen pick, he's gangly because he's still growing even at 6'7", Zdeno Chara type, but he's Finnish, which, they tend to keep their noses to the grindstone and put in the work, he can skate, little awkward, but he gets around, he's got a rocket of a shot, and he's nasty, does like to hit people and hits to hurt. And he's got some swagger to him, bit of Laine style arrogance there.

I've seen him play, he was definitely the Big Zee of the Kingston Frontenac, but style wise, he's a Rasmus Ristolainen wannabe. If he fills out and catches up to his frame? Could be a mon-store with skill RHD, Rasmus Ristolainen scaled up to Zdeno Chara size, I think he could have more upside than Hague.

[StCapps]

Nick Henry? 5' 11" 190 RW from the Regina Pats at the 94th pick. Production is real nice, good value at 94 I think.

Petr Kvaca? 6' 1" 174 G from C. Budejovice (CZREP-2) at the 114th pick. Random Euro Overager, don't like the pick, there were better goalies still available. Better dice rolls to be had at goalie, jealous of y'all snagging Scott four picks before, would much rather have him.

Igor Shvyrov? 6' 1" 191 C from Magnitogorsk 2 (RUS) at the 125th pick. Pure skill lottery ticket, love the pick, top 6 F upside in the fifth round? I'll take a shot on that any day.

Denis Smirnov? 5' 8" 185 RW from Penn State at 156th pick. Lesser version of the previous pick, worth a roll of the dice.

Nick Leivermann? 5' 10" 194 LD from Eden Praire at 187th pick. Can skate, not much else, but 7th round pick not expecting anything sexier and we need more LD prospects, not that I'm expecting anything out of this pick.

[Smitty-48]

Two RHD with potentially massive upside, both potential steals of the draft, I'd say that's mission accomplished for now, Hunter, carry on.

[StCapps]

I'm pretty happy with how it turned out for Colorado as well, aside from that Random Euro Overage Goalie we took in the middle of the fourth, especially when Ostap Safin went one pick later and he was projected to go in the mid-late 2nd round. Looks like we'll be stuck with Duchene too, so fuck Sakic for sitting on his hands yet again in that regard, but when it comes to who we actually selected with the picks, can't complain too much.

[Smitty-48]

Getting more excited about Rasanen by the minute, just watching footage, like I said; not. a. pylon. Ristolainen-ish.





Gonna have to do something about the name "Emily" tho, welcome to the Toronto Maple Leafs, Mel Rasanen.

[StCapps]

He's got a bomb for a shot, that's for sure. Better skater than Hague eh? Could be a steal indeed.