2017 Entry Draft watch

[RSchmitz]

Whispers that we are in on Hamonic. Not who I would target, but he has a nice cap hit.

[KuchieMonster]

Whispers that we are in on Hamonic. Not who I would target, but he has a nice cap hit.

Just looked at his point shares and corsi on Hockey-reference and he was terrible last year. Hard pass.

[ZeykShade]

Yeah. Let's hang the Islanders licking complete cock on Hamonic's stats. Hehe.

I don't want Hamonic. He's not what we need. He'd replace Stralman on the 2nd pair, move Stralman up with Hedman again, Dotchin on bottom pair Right Side.

It doesn't help with a PP QB to feed Stamkos. We lost Drouin, the only player other than Kucherov to be able to run a PP from the half-wall. I'd pass on him because it's not what we need unless you want to solidify defensive play. He's not a puck mover or point producer. He's a good defensive defenseman IMO though. Still young too.

[aapbolt]

So who

Will it be Suzuki or Vilamaki or Foote. F Vegas they take Suzuki.

[aapbolt]

Foote

Great hello Callan Foote welcome to tampa. Excellent pick.

[RSchmitz]

Nothing too exciting. Foote was heavily mocked to the Lightning

He's got a very high ceiling. Big, not very agile but good top speed and will probably improve his agility as he adjusts to his height. Slightly above average shot, his passing is elite. If I'm not mistaken he has the highest CHL point total for our D since Barberio(minus DeAngelo). TSN compares him to Parayako.

Personal feelings, I wanted to trade up for Vilardi once he fell past the Rangers. I also would have taken Liljegren, even as someone who favors size/speed combination over latent skill, Liljegren could have been the engine on our PP.

Slight tangent, I really like Kostin. I hope Yzerman swings a trade to put us in better position to get him.

[Bolthed]

If he even approaches his dad's career it'll be a helluva pick.

[aapbolt]

2nd

So who should we look for in the 2nd? Schnarr maybe? Or whom?

[pete]

If it's me, I'm either looking for a goaltender or I'm looking for a playmaker. If it's a goalie:

G Keith Petruzzelli, Muskegeon (USHL)
Quinnipiac commit. Giant. Comparable is Ben Bishop.

G Ukka-Pekka Luukkonen, HPK (FIN)
Another giant goaltender. Comparable is Connor Hellebuyck.

G Michael DiPietro, Windsor (OHL)
He's not big, so I'm not sure he fits Frantz Jean's style. But he's very good and very accomplished already. Comparable is Ryan Miller.

Playmakers:
C Jaret-Anderson Dolan, Spokane (WHL)
Youngest player in the draft class. Blazing speed. Hard worker. Comparable is a young Tomas Plekanec.

C Antoine Morand, Acadie-Bathurst (QMJHL)
Smallish, very creative, pass-first playmaker. Shot is broke. Comparable is Jaden Schwartz.

And your big time swing for the fences:

LW Nikita Popugayev, Prince George (WHL)
Big as a house. Skilled. Natural scorer. Mentally soft. Often disinterested. But he's an all-star if you can get him switched on. Comparable is Mikhail Grigorenko.

[RSchmitz]

Comparable is Mikhail Grigorenko.

That probably spooks teams away until round three

[Derek28]

I still like Jason Robertson and Jonah Gadjovich. Not playmakers, but they both can put the puck in the net with the best of them in this draft class.

[RSchmitz]

I like Hague and Timmins, no reason to go away from D now. We have a terrible track record of managing our goaltender assets.

Freaky sized D, power forwards, and smurfs with good numbers are the only exciting picks left on day 2.

Ratcliffe is falling

[aapbolt]

Volkov

Any information on Alexander Volkov? Evidently, excellent speed and puck skills but needs to learn how to play defense..

[ZeykShade]

Any information on Alexander Volkov? Evidently, excellent speed and puck skills but needs to learn how to play defense..

Think you'll have to get any info from Murray and team, because I can't find shit on the guy.

[Derek28]

At the rate we're going the bolts will be traded to the KHL soon.

Lipanov is really good though.