TOP 5 PICK!!!

[Corn Flake]

Another notch on the card of Alex Galchenyuk to the Leafs is that his father isn't Russian (as it had been reported in a number of places), he's from Belarus.  Draft this kid and plunk him beside Grabovski to teach him how to be a pro...... and the rest will probably take care of itself.

I doubt this fact bears any weight at all in the decision-making process. He also speaks Italian and English.

Its just a very small thing, not really a language thing but a cultural thing, but might play into one of the many factors.

 

[Jolly good show chaps]

Hi chaps.

Just wondering...

1) What would the cost be to trade for the 1 or 2 overall pick while keeping our 5th overall?
2) What chance of us trading our second rounder plus in order to get a first round pick between 10th and 15th overall?
3) We turned down offers of first round picks for a few of our players at the deadline. Is there any chance of ressurecting these?

 

[Fanatic]

3 straight years at #1 overall.

I wonder if they are kicking themselves for not getting Kessel when they could have.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Hi chaps.

Just wondering...

1) What would the cost be to trade for the 1 or 2 overall pick while keeping our 5th overall?

Probably way too much. I'd imagine any trade talk would have to at least start with Gardiner.

2) What chance of us trading our second rounder plus in order to get a first round pick between 10th and 15th overall?

Some feel that the draft gets a bit weaker after the first 15 or so picks. So there might be a bit of movement after that. I'm hoping Burke moves up into the 20s somewhere to grab one of the top-2 goalies if they're available.

3) We turned down offers of first round picks for a few of our players at the deadline. Is there any chance of ressurecting these?

If Burke wouldn't pull the trigger then I'm not sure he does it now. One of the offers would have probably been for Grabovski so that would be off the table. While I like MacArthur, I can't see Kadri having any real success as a Maple Leaf if he's in the line-up so I'd have no problems moving him for a late first if the opportunity arose.

 

[Tigger]

3 straight years at #1 overall.

I wonder if they are kicking themselves for not getting Kessel when they could have.

I wonder if people will ever tire of hearing complaints about that trade.

 

[KW Sluggo]

We constantly talk about Burke trying to move up to obtain the 1st overall and draft Yakupov.  But failing that, it'll be curious to know/find out if the Leafs feel and have their sights set on a clear #2 (ie. Grigorenko), or feel that there is a clear top 3 that they don't want to be scooped on any of them, that they try and move up to one of those picks.   

Then again, if the grandiose plan is to get Yakupov (all for speculative purposes), I also wonder if Burke is formulating a two-step process where they somehow get Columbus to move the 2nd pick in a deal for the 5th ++, then call up Edmonton and say, "We want Yakupov, Murray might be better suited for you...what can we give up to make us both happy?"

So many possibilities. 

If he moves up to the number 1, I think that is how he'll have to do, in two moves....

Really?  Edmonton seems the most interested in moving down of all 4 teams ahead of Toronto.  The others I don't really see willing to move down at all, and one would have to for it to be a two-step thing. 

I mean, maybe NYI moves down 1 spot but that isn't really a gain.  MTL I can't see moving down and CBJ simply HAS to walk away from this draft with a top flight pick.. has to be top 3 for sure.

If any of the 4 teams ahead is willing to drop, it's Edmonton for sure.

The Edmonton GM has even mused about being free to trade this pick due to the earlier two 1sts the Oilers have had.

If Oilers need a defenseman as is generally supposed, perhaps we could send them one plus our pick at #5 (unfortunately it won't be Komisarik).for #1.

 

[AvroArrow]

3 straight years at #1 overall.

I wonder if they are kicking themselves for not getting Kessel when they could have.

Why don't you just do it already, and become a sens fan.

 

[maplesyrup]

I just read Forsberg can play center too?  Well this changes things for me. Can anyone confirm?

 

[Stickytape]

Apparently he does play center, too, yes.  I get a good vibe off Forsberg.  From some of his highlight videos he seems to be a confident, stable kid who isn't afraid to shoot and appears to have good instincts.  That sounds like exactly the sort of thing the team needs. 

However he's kinda small, and I was hoping for a center with a bit more of a presence; perhaps that's the wrong tack though.  I also don't hear much about how he is defensively, and the team seriously needs guys who can backcheck.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

3 straight years at #1 overall.

I wonder if they are kicking themselves for not getting Kessel when they could have.

This is just getting pathetic.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

I just read Forsberg can play center too?  Well this changes things for me. Can anyone confirm?

His primary position is wing, but yeah he's apparently played a bit of centre too. Not sure how much I would read it into it though. Most scouts talk about him as a winger.

 

[Deebo]

3 straight years at #1 overall.

I wonder if they are kicking themselves for not getting Kessel when they could have.

Why don't you just do it already, and become a sens fan.

Or the Penguins.... wait.. I thought Fanatic already disowned the Leafs for the Penguins a few years ago.

 

[bustaheims]

His primary position is wing, but yeah he's apparently played a bit of centre too. Not sure how much I would read it into it though. Most scouts talk about him as a winger.

Position up front is less of an issue to me, as some scouts apparently have Forsberg as potentially being the 2nd best forward in this draft class. If he's still available at 5, I say grab him.

 

[Kin]

Or the Penguins.... wait.. I thought Fanatic already disowned the Leafs for the Penguins a few years ago.

Turns out it wasn't a keeper league.

 

[donkeyy0]

Apparently he does play center, too, yes.  I get a good vibe off Forsberg.  From some of his highlight videos he seems to be a confident, stable kid who isn't afraid to shoot and appears to have good instincts.  That sounds like exactly the sort of thing the team needs. 

However he's kinda small, and I was hoping for a center with a bit more of a presence; perhaps that's the wrong tack though.  I also don't hear much about how he is defensively, and the team seriously needs guys who can backcheck.

I've read him as 6'1"-6'2" and 176-180 lbs. At 17 years old, that's definitely not small. He's got room to beef up, but if he is 6'2" he's got a pretty good frame to work with (with potential room for growth just based on age)

 

[Stickytape]

Apparently he does play center, too, yes.  I get a good vibe off Forsberg.  From some of his highlight videos he seems to be a confident, stable kid who isn't afraid to shoot and appears to have good instincts.  That sounds like exactly the sort of thing the team needs. 

However he's kinda small, and I was hoping for a center with a bit more of a presence; perhaps that's the wrong tack though.  I also don't hear much about how he is defensively, and the team seriously needs guys who can backcheck.

I've read him as 6'1"-6'2" and 176-180 lbs. At 17 years old, that's definitely not small. He's got room to beef up, but if he is 6'2" he's got a pretty good frame to work with (with potential room for growth just based on age)

Well, the way I was looking at it, Kessel is 6'0" and 200+ lb and even he gets pushed around a fair bit.  Lombardi is 195 on a 5'11" frame and has even more trouble.  Given that, 6'2" and 180 doesn't seem like much.

But you're absolutely right, I'm overlooking that he's still so young; Kessel and Lombardi have a lot of years on him.  Hopefully Forsberg would fill out a little more by fall and over the following years.

 

[hockeyfan1]

This isn't the first time the Leafs have a top five pick...

As for the Maple Leafs, they have picked in the top five six times since 1973 when they chose right winger Lanny McDonald fourth overall. They picked defenceman Gary Nylund third in 1982; defenceman Al Iafrate fourth in 1984; centre Scott Thornton third in 1989 and Luke Schenn fifth in 2008.

....there's hope...

Source:  Sportsnet

Wasn't Wendel Clark selected 1st overall in 85 ?

Yes he was.

 

[LuncheonMeat]

Apparently he does play center, too, yes.  I get a good vibe off Forsberg.  From some of his highlight videos he seems to be a confident, stable kid who isn't afraid to shoot and appears to have good instincts.  That sounds like exactly the sort of thing the team needs. 

However he's kinda small, and I was hoping for a center with a bit more of a presence; perhaps that's the wrong tack though.  I also don't hear much about how he is defensively, and the team seriously needs guys who can backcheck.

I've read him as 6'1"-6'2" and 176-180 lbs. At 17 years old, that's definitely not small. He's got room to beef up, but if he is 6'2" he's got a pretty good frame to work with (with potential room for growth just based on age)

Well, the way I was looking at it, Kessel is 6'0" and 200+ lb and even he gets pushed around a fair bit.  Lombardi is 195 on a 5'11" frame and has even more trouble.  Given that, 6'2" and 180 doesn't seem like much.

But you're absolutely right, I'm overlooking that he's still so young; Kessel and Lombardi have a lot of years on him.  Hopefully Forsberg would fill out a little more by fall and over the following years.

At only 17, he may still grow a couple more inches as well.

 

[Kin]

Well, the way I was looking at it, Kessel is 6'0" and 200+ lb and even he gets pushed around a fair bit.  Lombardi is 195 on a 5'11" frame and has even more trouble.  Given that, 6'2" and 180 doesn't seem like much.

That's not the kind of thing you can really tell from a player's listed height and weight though. Mike Richards is listed at 5'11 199 and he's not easily pushed around. Giroux is listed at 5'11 172 and the same for him. Crosby's listed as 5'11 200, Datsyuk at 5'11 198 and so on.

 

[Jalili]

Well, the way I was looking at it, Kessel is 6'0" and 200+ lb and even he gets pushed around a fair bit.  Lombardi is 195 on a 5'11" frame and has even more trouble.  Given that, 6'2" and 180 doesn't seem like much.

That's not the kind of thing you can really tell from a player's listed height and weight though. Mike Richards is listed at 5'11 199 and he's not easily pushed around. Giroux is listed at 5'11 172 and the same for him. Crosby's listed as 5'11 200, Datsyuk at 5'11 198 and so on.

At any rate we aren't dealing with numbers that are particularly accurate. It's funny how some players well past their stage of adolescence can apparently grow another inch after being traded to a new team.

The only numbers that I think are actually precise are those taken at the draft combine, and since it's not unheard of to keep growing past 18, those numbers are only a snapshot in time.