2015 NHL Entry Draft

[Chev-boyar-sky]

I'm liking what I'm reading about Nikita Korostelev.

He had the best forward totals on, what I'm guessing, wasn't a great Sting team. Similar PPG to Zacha and is rated as the 50th best prospect in NA by NHL central scouting.

Better PPG than Crouse.

"A deft skater that plays a skill-based, puck-possession game. Very creative with the puck: can let loose an accurate bullet, utilize his stickhandling ability to create chances, or make a seeing-eye pass to an open teammate. Good hands around the net and relentless on the forecheck. Doesn't shy away from the physical game. All-in-all, a very creative sniper that can set up, score, and play physical. (Curtis Joe, EP 2014)"

http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=183258

I'd happily acquire a 2nd rounder to pick him up.

 

[Redleaf]

Nothing really new here, just a breakdown of the forward options Hunter and co. are likely debating about heading into the draft...
http://thehockeywriters.com/leafs-4th-must-make-mitch-marner-their-man/

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Sportsnet final Top 30  Draft Prospects:

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/juniors/sportsnets-top-30-nhl-draft-prospects/

Their rankings have been somewhat famous for having Crouse constantly ranked above Marner. In December it was 4th/6th for Crouse. Janurary 4th/7th. February 4th/6th again. March 5th/7th.

Now? Marner is ranked 5th and Crouse dropped all the way down to 13th.

 

[Heroic Shrimp]

Sportsnet final Top 30  Draft Prospects:

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/juniors/sportsnets-top-30-nhl-draft-prospects/

Their rankings have been somewhat famous for having Crouse constantly ranked above Marner. In December it was 4th/6th for Crouse. Janurary 4th/7th. February 4th/6th again. March 5th/7th.

Now? Marner is ranked 5th and Crouse dropped all the way down to 13th.

So we can trade down to get Crouse!

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Sportsnet final Top 30  Draft Prospects:

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/juniors/sportsnets-top-30-nhl-draft-prospects/

Their rankings have been somewhat famous for having Crouse constantly ranked above Marner. In December it was 4th/6th for Crouse. Janurary 4th/7th. February 4th/6th again. March 5th/7th.

Now? Marner is ranked 5th and Crouse dropped all the way down to 13th.

Which, to me, means you should probably take their rankings with a huge grain of salt.  How does he drop that far if they've had him 4th/5th as late as March?

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Which, to me, means you should probably take their rankings with a huge grain of salt.  How does he drop that far if they've had him 4th/5th as late as March?

Well all rankings should be taken with at least a bit of salt really. What's funny is that he actually had his best months offensively in February/March, scoring 25 points in 22 games. You'd think that would have helped his ranking. I guess a short playoff run may have hurt him, but that's a hell of a drop still. He wasn't the biggest mover though. Joel Eriksson Ek went from being outside the top-30 to 17th. Jake DeBrusk from 30 to 19. Konecny fell from 15th to 26th. That's another weird one. He too was ousted in the 1st round of the OHL playoffs but had 10 points in 5 games there. Kylington dropped from 11th to 29th.

 

[Kin]

I don't know that big end of year shifts are really all that suspicious. It seems to me that a scouting service will probably do a lot of work post-season to sort of reach a sort of consensus among the various methods they might use and among their various people. I don't know the precise methodology or anything but if they have a few full time OHL scouts, for instance, then presumably each one will get to see each OHL prospect a handful of times in person and they'll form an incomplete opinion. But then, after the season, those same scouts will probably have time to go back and watch a prospect's entire season at which point their opinion could change in a hurry.

 

[Bullfrog]

28. (NR) Ilya Samsonov, G, Magnitigorsk (Russia), 6-3, 200. The only goalie on this list has all the tools and could go much higher. Teams would get a compensatory second-rounder if doesn?t come to North America.

What does that mean, exactly? I haven't heard of this before. If he doesn't come when?

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

28. (NR) Ilya Samsonov, G, Magnitigorsk (Russia), 6-3, 200. The only goalie on this list has all the tools and could go much higher. Teams would get a compensatory second-rounder if doesn?t come to North America.

What does that mean, exactly? I haven't heard of this before. If he doesn't come when?

Apparently the league gives teams a compensatory pick if a 1st rounder doesn't sign.  I'm sure there's some caveats I'm missing.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

28. (NR) Ilya Samsonov, G, Magnitigorsk (Russia), 6-3, 200. The only goalie on this list has all the tools and could go much higher. Teams would get a compensatory second-rounder if doesn?t come to North America.

What does that mean, exactly? I haven't heard of this before. If he doesn't come when?

Basically if a 1st round pick doesn't sign a contract with the team that drafts him and either re-enters the draft or becomes a free agent that team receives a compensatory pick 30 spots after the original selection.

It's rare, and it usually happens with college kids since it's somewhat easy for them to become free agents if they stay in school. It happened last year with Chicago and Kevin Hayes. Hayes was drafted 24th overall in 2010, after 4 years of college he was eligible to become a free agent so he opted not to sign with Chicago and the Hawks got 54th overall pick in 2014 as compensation.

edit: Since Samsonov is being drafted out of Europe, the team who drafts him would keep his rights for 4 years. So if he isn't signed to a contract after that they'd receive compensation.

 

[Bullfrog]

Ah, interesting.

Sucks for the team that drafts 31st overall and has the draftee not sign, but I guess you have to cut it off somewhere.

 

[93forever]

I like all the front moves the Leafs have been making and how there is a plan in place to make the Leafs successful on the ice.  What I would really like to see now is improved drafting.  All we hear about is how great the Leafs are stockpiling prospects when the simple reality is most of those prospects are third liners at best.  I really want to see the Leafs draft the way the Wings drafted.

 

[Fanatic]

A couple of worthwhile reads.

Hunter on Size and Skill

Would The Leafs Trade the 4th Pick?

 

[L K]

Marner is going to have an excellent chance at a Memorial Cup next year.  Matthew Tkachuk (Keith's kid) and now Max Jones signed on with the Knights.  They are both projected potential top 10 picks next year.

 

[mr grieves]

A couple of worthwhile reads.

Hunter on Size and Skill

Would The Leafs Trade the 4th Pick?

This bit is interesting:

The chatter among the scouts at the Memorial Cup was all about the depth of this draft class, combined with the fact so many teams don't have first-round picks.

[...]

The Rangers, Islanders, Predators and Blues are other teams without first-round picks.
The Maple Leafs, Coyotes, Oilers, Flyers and Jets have two picks apiece.

Wonder if there's anything those without 1sts have got that'd be worth moving our 24th pick for...

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Marner is going to have an excellent chance at a Memorial Cup next year.  Matthew Tkachuk (Keith's kid) and now Max Jones signed on with the Knights.  They are both projected potential top 10 picks next year.

I'm not sure if you saw it, but I posed this question before: what do you think the chances are of London using Marner as a full-time centre next season (assuming of course he's returned)?

They had Dvorak-McCarron as their top-2 centres to start this season, both won't be there next season. Marner was moved to the middle during the playoffs already to help offset the loss of McCarron. Like you said they have Jones and Tkachuk coming in next season and from what I can tell they're both wingers. Do they have anybody else who could fill that 1C role for them?

 

[Kin]

Wonder if there's anything those without 1sts have got that'd be worth moving our 24th pick for...

Strikes me as the kind of thing that would almost have to be a zero-sum game, right? Like they wouldn't trade a more valuable future piece for the 24th pick.

 

[Highlander]

So Marner if picked cannot play for the Marlies? He has to go back to the OHL?

 

[L K]

So Marner if picked cannot play for the Marlies? He has to go back to the OHL?

Yes.  18 year olds play in the NHL or the CHL.

 

[bustaheims]

So Marner if picked cannot play for the Marlies? He has to go back to the OHL?

Yes.  18 year olds play in the NHL or the CHL.

Just to be clear, that only applies to players drafted from CHL teams. Players drafted from European leagues can play in the AHL, as can those drafted out the NCAA or USHL (I believe - they may have to go to the CHL if a team has their rights).