2014 Draft - what's after the top 5?

[metaldude26]

You take the best player but if you rank two guys the same you should take the d.

That's fair enough. D tend to be more impactful because they play more minutes though I do think that if you have a forward that you are very certain projects to be a center then you could argue to take him over a similarly graded D because they are almost as important and are more likely to play sooner.

[Shift Disturber]

I have little doubt that Ekblad will be their choice should he be available to them when their pick comes around, but I wish they would get that big body down the middle. It seems no one wants to trade a big center any more then they want to trade that franchise Dman either. Both are hard finds, either in trade or FA.

What big-bodied centre are you referring to? I wouldn't consider Reinhart or Bennett to be "big-bodied"

[metaldude26]

The problem is, who we think is the best player and who Stu MacGregor thinks is the best player is sometimes two different things.

I totally agree that Ekblad is going to be a horse but I still think their biggest need is down the middle, more so then on the back end. Ya ya, I know, their D is weak but at least they have help coming down the pipe to help there. What they seriously lack is a that big bodied center. You can say they can draft one of them next year, but last year they drafted what they felt was their anchor in Nurse.

I have little doubt that Ekblad will be their choice should he be available to them when their pick comes around, but I wish they would get that big body down the middle. It seems no one wants to trade a big center any more then they want to trade that franchise Dman either. Both are hard finds, either in trade or FA.

The crappy to the Oilers' rebuild is that by tearing things down to the bedrock they had little chance of succeeding right away and of course they didn't but they've actually done a solid job with their draft/development of defensemen. It's just taken forever. We are starting to see guys like Marincin, Klefbom arrive and there will be other contributors on the way.

I don't think you ever draft for "need" in the NHL. Take the best player, you'll find room for them. If you can't then you have trade equity. But watch some team move up and drop Edmonton back to third so they miss out on Ekblad.

[Big Ev]

Who was? Trouba? Murray? I think it's too early to tell.

it it is too early. I haven't been impressed with either forward though. Galchenyuk is way too overhyped for me personallly.

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The crappy to the Oilers' rebuild is that by tearing things down to the bedrock they had little chance of succeeding right away and of course they didn't but they've actually done a solid job with their draft/development of defensemen. It's just taken forever. We are starting to see guys like Marincin, Klefbom arrive and there will be other contributors on the way.

I don't think you ever draft for "need" in the NHL. Take the best player, you'll find room for them. If you can't then you have trade equity. But watch some team move up and drop Edmonton back to third so they miss out on Ekblad.

If buffalo has the first pick then I doubt they pass on ekblad so it's probably a moot point.

[Shift Disturber]

it it is too early. I haven't been impressed with either forward though. Galchenyuk is way too overhyped for me personally.

It was Jankowski. Just ask Feaster.

[metaldude26]

it it is too early. I haven't been impressed with either forward though. Galchenyuk is way too overhyped for me personallly.

I want to see him play up the middle where I think he'd have more impact on the game.

If buffalo has the first pick then I doubt they pass on ekblad so it's probably a moot point.

It's what the smart team would do.

[Axeman33]

What big-bodied centre are you referring to? I wouldn't consider Reinhart or Bennett to be "big-bodied"

At 18 years old, 6'1 and 185lbs, I would consider Reinhart to be a solid upgrade to the center position in skill and size for the Oilers.

[Axeman33]

If buffalo has the first pick then I doubt they pass on ekblad so it's probably a moot point.

After taking Ristolainen and Zadorov in the first round last year, you think they would take another D with their 1st overall pick when they need scoring?

[metaldude26]

At 18 years old, 6'1 and 185lbs, I would consider Reinhart to be a solid upgrade to the center position in skill and size for the Oilers.

Just like the Nuge! http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/teams/players/bio/?id=8684

[metaldude26]

After taking Ristolainen and Zadorov in the first round last year, you think they would take another D with their 1st overall pick when they need scoring?

If a D is the best player available. They also took Grigorenko and Girgensons the year before. Team "need" shouldn't matter, especially not when you are as talent hungry as the Sabres.

[mounD]

At 18 years old, 6'1 and 185lbs, I would consider Reinhart to be a solid upgrade to the center position in skill and size for the Oilers.

Yeah, neither Reinhart (6'0.75" / 185) nor Bennett (6' 0.25" / 178) are really big bodies, but they aren't small either. For 18 year olds, especially Bennett who is a June '96 birthday, that's pretty solid size.

[Axeman33]

Just like the Nuge! http://www.tsn.ca/nhl/teams/players/bio/?id=8684

And if you go to NHL.com, he was 6.0' 171lbs when he was drafted. Goes to show there is room to grow.

http://www.nhl.com/ice/draftstats.ht...sition=&round=

[metaldude26]

And if you go to NHL.com, he was 6.0' 171lbs when he was drafted. Goes to show there is room to grow.

http://www.nhl.com/ice/draftstats.ht...sition=&round=

And Reinhart is a late '95 instead of a '96 so he's already had extra time to grow. He's not bringing a size component right away, which this being the Oiler, you know they are using him right away. Doesn't fill the void.

[mounD]

I think Bennett is the real one with "room to grow" since he's a young buck in this draft class. Reinhart is considerably older in terms of draft eligible comparison.

[bigbabybuda]

I'm talking Reinhart at 1 no matter what team I am. As far as I'm concerned he's the best player in the draft. Love his I.Q and compete level. I don't even think it is really as close as people are making it out to be. Button having him at 4 is ridiculous. He knows his shit and is connected up the ying-yang but he has been spewing garbage all year with his rankings