2015 NHL Entry Draft - Draft Day!

[LuncheonMeat]

From a Hockey Writers article:

Jeremy Bracco?s accolades are tough to argue against. His 64 assists this season broke a single-season record for the National Team Development Program, and the previous record of 58 was shared by Bracco and Blue Jackets property Sonny Milano. He added 30 goals this season, and at 94 points the list of players who have scored more in a year is pretty short: current teammates Auston Matthews and Matt Tkachuck, and NHL stars Patrick Kane and Phil Kessel.

Over the course of his career, no player in the history of the NTDP has amassed as many assists as Bracco has. In fact, it?s not even close. Jeremy shattered the previous record of 88 (held by Patrick Kane, JD Forrest, and tied this year by Auston Matthews) early on in the season and finished with 122. With 168 points in two seasons, only Phil Kessel (180) and Patrick Kane (172) are above him on the program?s record board.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Alright, this is the last time I'll complain about it, and I understand that plenty of teams passed on him, but getting Marner, Sprong, and Bracco with the first 3 picks would have been incredible. Ah well.

 

[Kin]

Neilson seems to be a big defenseman.

 

[Kin]

Alright, this is the last time I'll complain about it, and I understand that plenty of teams passed on him, but getting Marner, Sprong, and Bracco with the first 3 picks would have been incredible. Ah well.

and then with their next four picks they could have taken Sleepy, Grumpy, Bashful and Doc.

 

[Andy007]

Neilson is 6'3 and 207#. His favourite actor is Jennifer Aniston

 

[Kin]

Martins Dzierkals from Latvia is the #68 pick.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Martin Dzierkals from Latvia is the #68 pick.

From a Score article on sleepers for the draft:

Rising: Martins Dzierkals, F, HK Riga (MHL)

It's basically impossible to be more of a sleeper than Dzierkals. He began the season playing in the Latvian pro league after lighting up the junior divisions in two previous campaigns, but he was quickly signed by the KHL's HK Riga and assigned to the franchise's junior team.

Dzierkals averaged nearly a point per game in the MHL and his production continued in international tournaments. He recorded four points in five games with Latvian's U20 team during the Division 1A tournament and led the U18 team with nine points.

Dzierkals is a relatively raw talent, but his quick, accurate shot release is on par with some players getting first-round consideration. He has been a productive player at every level of competition thus far, which is more than enough of a reason for a team to take a flier on him with a late-round pick.

 

[Andy007]

Dzierkals is 5'11 and 169# from the Russia JR

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Dzierkals is listed at 5'11", 170 lbs. Another shrimp!

 

[Kin]

Well, if nothing else it doesn't seem like the Leafs are sticking with their OHL roots too much.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Well, if nothing else it doesn't seem like the Leafs are sticking with their OHL roots too much.

Blake Speers, a Dubas guy from the Soo, went 1 spot before Dzierkals. A lot of people were wondering if we'd grab him.

 

[Bullfrog]

That paper is impressive except for the fact that he overlooks his single most important finding, which is the huge dropoff between the first and second rounds for skaters (table 3). The take home message is not some spurious additive "value" of picks (that simply captures the trivial observation that it would be better to have some unrealistically greater number of picks than your opponents).  The real message is that you should do whatever you can to get first round picks. Which we managed to trade away one of yesterday.

But on draft day, the round the pick occurs in is irrelevant. Trading a pick during the season is different because you obviously don't know where it will end up. On draft day, you know the exact position of the pick you're getting.

So while you can say a 2nd round pick is more valuable than a 3rd round pick, the truth is there's no difference between 60 and 61.

 

[Kin]

Blake Speers, a Dubas guy from the Soo, went 1 spot before Dzierkals. A lot of people were wondering if we'd grab him.

Couldn't have liked him too much if they went with Nielsen over him.

 

[Stickytape]

Neilson is 6'3 and 207#. His favourite actor is Jennifer Aniston

Nothing makes me realize just how young these kids are more than reading their favourite tv shows and movies.  Honestly, I'd take these things into consideration when drafting players because some of these picks are just unacceptable.

 

[Frank E]

Well, if nothing else it doesn't seem like the Leafs are sticking with their OHL roots too much.

Blake Speers, a Dubas guy from the Soo, went 1 spot before Dzierkals. A lot of people were wondering if we'd grab him.

In years past, CTB, you used to make a thread for each pick.  What the hell?

 

[Frank E]

So 3 forwards and 2 defensemen so far....

 

[KW Sluggo]

Calgary takes Kylington one spot before the Leafs. Blah.

That's what happens when you trade down, you let others take priority.

We should be thrilled we got Travis McDermott.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

In years past, CTB, you used to make a thread for each pick.  What the hell?

I prefer separate threads, but I feel like most of the posters here have gotten used to talking about these types of days/events in a general post. Once we get more information about some of these picks maybe I'll shoot some off in the prospects board.

Also, jerk.

 

[jdh1]

With Nylander last year and this years picks....firewagon hockey is coming to TO.

 

[Kin]

That's what happens when you trade down, you let others take priority.

The Leafs wouldn't have had the #61 pick if they didn't trade down. So unless you're advocating they took him at 24, which pretty clearly would have been crappy value, it's a pretty pointless criticism.