ISS December Top 30 - 2016 Draft Class

[Coldrice]

Hey! Charlie McAvoy made the top 30

http://www.isshockey.com/iss-hockey-releases-iss-top-30-for-december/

[Derek28]

Here's the bolts draft picks: rd (pick#)

1 (27)
2 (44) via Boston
2 (57)
3 (87)
4 (117)
5 (147)
6 (177)
7 (205) from Dallas via Edmonton
7 (207)

[pete]

RLR is out and their two mock drafts had the Lightning taking RW Alex DeBrincat of Erie in one of them and C Pascal Laberge of Victoriaville with the other pick.

DeBrincat is undersized (5'7" 160 lbs.) but is described as the best pure goal scorer in the draft. Compared to Johnny Gaudreau.

Laberge is also undersized (6'1" 172 lbs.) and is described as a playmaking speed merchant with a subpar shot that isn't get NHL quality. Compared to Derrick Brassard.

This draft also features several sons of ex-Lightning players. The highest rated is goal scoring winger Kiefer Bellows of the USNDP, who is unlikely to slip past Minnesota at #15, IMO. Later round picks include LW Hudson Elynuik and RW Kevin Klima. Klima carries a very low ranking in RLR but they also mention he is the biggest agitator in this draft and one of the fiercest competitors.

[aapbolt]

Draft

I have been going through different mocks and have seen the following at our 1 spot: Dennis Cholowski (have seen one mock where we picked him at 44) Tage Thompson, Marcus Niemelainen and Kale Clague. In reading about these kids it seems it could be possible to pick any of them although Thompson seems like he might be a riskier pick than the other three.
Here are some other additions to the list: Rasmus Asplund, Alex DeBrincat, Carl Grundstrom and Nathan Bastain ( I have seen Nathan all over the board and as far down as the 3rd round, NESN said since we interviewed him at a combine we would take him here...weird logic if you ask me).

[pete]

Bastian might make sense considering Murray said they were thinking about taking someone with some size. He's ranked #41 in RLR and they pan his acceleration and hockey sense, and say he's probably going to be a better north-south winger than a center in the pros. They say he's a very safe pick but probably tops out as a character third liner. Kind of a bigger version of Killorn, in some respects.

[aapbolt]

3rd

Not sure we need anymore 3rd liners. Pete who would you recommend?

[pete]

Honestly, there's nothing we need (center, goaltender, sniper, power winger) that's going to be available where we pick, so I suspect they will trade back into the 2nd round and maybe end up picking up an extra 3rd rounder or something.

I really like Bellows' kid and think he'd be a good fit for what this team needs in terms of getting a power forward/sniper to get on the end of Drouin and Namestnikov's passes. He'll be long gone when we pick.

Debrincat's probably going to be off the board too and there's a better than 50/50 chance IMO that Laberge will be also. What that leaves me is the hope that maybe German Rubtsov (compared to Tomas Plekanec) is there. If not, I'd probably be all for trading back.

If they trade back then maybe you take your Bastian or your Thompson (compared to Jimmy Hayes). Will Bitten (compared to young Val Filppula), Dillon Dube (compared to Carl Hagelin), Brandon Gignac (compared to Mikael Boedker), Jordy Stallard (compared to Brooks Laich) are all nice center options in the second round. IMO you never lose drafting speed so I'd like to grab at least one of Dube or Gignac, personally.

RLR, for the record, really craps on Tage Thompson pointing out his skating is subpar and that he scored 1 even strength goal for UConn all year, and UConn isn't exactly BU or North Dakota.

[bolts37205]

compilation from 12 drafts has us all over the board

I don't want Thompson for the mentioned reason above by Pete, 1/16 goals is even strength:

http://www.mynhldraft.com/2016-draft/nhl-draft-rankings/

[aapbolt]

Thanks

Thanks Pete, yeah I looked at Thompsons stats after I wrote the post, I had read his skating was not very good which screamed "Pilon" to me, but I am not the expert here. I also wondered about the value of the late picks, the only one that had very good skating ability was Clague. It would make sense to trade back unless someone decent falls to us.

[HoseEmDown]

I wouldn't take DeBrincat at 27, not sure his game is good enough to overcome his size. I'd be more than happy with Labarge there, I also wouldn't be upset with Thompson. I think we can trade back a few spots and get Thompson or DeBrincat in the early 30's, I'd take DeBrincat at that spot. Thompson has skating issues but you can't teach size you can skating. He's 6'5, players that size typically have skating issues at that age, he also has a great shot and we need more shooters on the team. Playing in the NCAA will allow him to fill out his frame better than he would in junior and work on his skating as they train and practice more than they play games.

[pete]

Debrincat won't last to 27 IMO. He's the best pure goal scorer in the draft. Someone will take a flyer on him just like someone took a flyer on Fabbri, etc. etc. I believe we've gone too heavily in on character role players beginning with the last draft and would welcome more speed/skill in the pipeline. I don't want a team of Callahan clones.

[Alex]

Debrincat won't last to 27 IMO. He's the best pure goal scorer in the draft. Someone will take a flyer on him just like someone took a flyer on Fabbri, etc. etc. I believe we've gone too heavily in on character role players beginning with the last draft and would welcome more speed/skill in the pipeline. I don't want a team of Callahan clones.

DeadMoneyOctet just doesn't have the same ring to it.

[Donnie D]

So who is there at 6 if Yzerman makes the Bishop trade?

[Coldrice]

Just me but

Olli Juolevi, Matt Tkachuk, Logan Brown (in that order if any or all are on the board still)

Or flip the pick for a roster player now. I'd rather have any of the 3 above

[Derek28]

I like both Logan's from Windsor, Logan Brown and Logan Stanley. Logan Brown is basically a higher upside version of Joe Colborne. Not very physical for a guy his size, but uses that size well in front of the net and in the corners. He's definitely a top 10 pick or at least he should be with his skating and puck handling ability.

Stanley would be for our original pick if he's still around. Probably the most improved player that I seen on Windsor over the course of the season. Huge (6'7" 225lbs) skates pretty well and has no issues making good passes or skating up and joining the rush. May have the most risk/reward of anyone within the 20-40 range. His upside is probably a more physical left shot version of Sustr, but much better overall.