2016 Draft

[PenguinHunter]

Make sense. And we must have a debate for the 1st overall pick..NHL marketing

Very true.... even last year they made a debate for Eichel over McDavid...

[SeaDawg]

I have no doubt there are some scouts who have Pujujarvi ranked #1, but you could probably find a scout who has Tkachuk or Chychrun ranked #1 also. I mean, it is all a matter of opinion. What we really care about is consensus, and just like McDavid was the consensus #1 last year, Matthews is the consensus #1 this year and I don't see that changing.

I mean, Matthews has done nothing to lose his hold on the top spot with his play. He has done quite well in the Swiss league and he wasn't horrible in the WJHC (even if JP outplayed him). And as I have already mentioned, as a center Matthews' value is higher. Wingers simply don't have the same value as centers, everything else being equal.

Rarely do we see a winger of equal value go before the center in the draft, and when that has happened in recent history, hindsight has shown us that it was arguably a mistake (Hall vs Seguin, Yakupov vs Galchenyuk).

[Big Ev]

It's too bad we couldn't see the Euros on North American ice as its a completely different game. Matthews will for sure go number one. Puujlarvi will probably be taken right after like barkov was

[franklin]

Bob McKenzie ‏@TSNBobMcKenzie
On the draft, some scouts/GMs I talked to last week were discussing whether Juolevi might displace Tkachuk as consensus No. 4 after Big 3.

[mikeymac]

Saw that Mckenzie tweet.
That would also mean than Juolevi has overtaken Chychrun as top D.

[Axeman33]

Saw that Mckenzie tweet.
That would also mean than Juolevi has overtaken Chychrun as top D.

Keep in mind, he says "some scouts". It's a question of "which" scouts that matters come draft day.

[franklin]

Keep in mind, he says "some scouts". It's a question of "which" scouts that matters come draft day.

You're right Axeman but at the same time this was not a discussion at the beginning of the year so it's very interesting.

[Axeman33]

You're right Axeman but at the same time this was not a discussion at the beginning of the year so it's very interesting.

True enough.

[franklin]

Corey Pronman ‏@coreypronman
Feelings around NHL teams in October: Chychrun clear top d in draft.
January: 50-50 between him and Juolevi
March: Probably Juolevi is 1.

[JagrBomb]

Corey Pronman ‏@coreypronman
Feelings around NHL teams in October: Chychrun clear top d in draft.
January: 50-50 between him and Juolevi
March: Probably Juolevi is 1.

i think it will come down to personal preference, as i don't think there's a huge gap between either at this point. both should still be top 10 picks, in fact if the standings were as is today i could see vancouver taking chychrun at 5 and buffalo taking juolevi at 6. can you imagine ristolainen + juolevi?

[Big Ev]

Corey "Rocco Grimaldi" Pronman doesn't know his ass from a hole in the ground

[Goldendelicious]

From what I have seen from both players in action is that both are about equal in terms of offensive ability but Chychrun is a little more sound defensively. He does though play a much more physical brand of hockey than Juolevi. From what I have witnessed, I would be pretty surprised if Juolevi goes ahead of Chychrun.

[Instant Karma]

Maybe it's too early to ask, but where would you rate the top three or four relative to the better picks of recent drafts (McDavid, Eichel, MacK, Barkov, Ekblad, Nylander, etc.)?

[JagrBomb]

Maybe it's too early to ask, but where would you rate the top three or four relative to the better picks of recent drafts (McDavid, Eichel, MacK, Barkov, Ekblad, Nylander, etc.)?

fantasy?

mcdavid

eichel
mack
matthews

laine
puljujarvi
barkov
nylander

ekblad


i put them into groupings. if your league values D highly then you can bump ekblad a tier up or two depending on how much they are worth

[lucafen4]

I am kinda surprised there has been little to no mention of Pierre Luc Dubois in the top 5, when there has been talk recently that he could push one of the Fins out of the top 3.

I'll go on a limb here and say Chychurn slips out of the top 5 and goes 6th

That said, my prediction (unless the Leafs draft 4th - then London biases... again and flip Dubois & Tkachuk):
Matthews,
Fin 1
Fin 2
Dubois
Tkachuk
Chychurn
Juolevi