Crazy Joe Davola's Top 75 Draft Eligible Prospects

[Crazy Joe Davola]

Hey Team,

My final draft rankings is out and I figured, "who would want to read this more than the hockey junkies on the Dobber forum?!"

Feel free to tear into me for putting your favourite player too far down the list or overvaluing a guy you dislike (I accept compliments too, if you're feeling rosy)

In compiling this list, I've spent countless hours of live and film viewings, pouring over scouting reports and speaking with scouts whom I respect and trust.

Some players may be a bit further down than I would have like - Filip Chytil for example, but if I hadn't had enough views on a player, its hard to really move the needle.

I hope you enjoy!

https://t.co/8yOwJh86r9

[StuntMan12]

Thanks for the list. About to get my fix now

[Axeman33]

I think you have Foote too low but that's me. I also prefer Vilardi more than Glass and Pettersson.

[Eskimo Brother]

Nice list all in all. Impossible to knock your rankings as they are well informed, it's a very up-in-the-air kind of year, and it's someone's personal opinion.
A few things did stick out to me though:
1) Kostin is out of the first round on your list. I think I have seen him as high as 10 on other lists. I know he's a boom/bust kind of pick, but is there a specific reason that you knocked him down?
2) With having Patrick at 3rd, do you think Dallas waits to deal 3rd overall until they see who is there, and if so, do you think they would then have no choice but to grab Patrick (or Hisher for that matter if he is still there)?
3) Goalies. I have seen a general consensus of the top 3, (MD, JO, UPL) but you have Zhukov right up there with them. I haven't heard much about him, but do you have a couple thoughts for us on why he's up there with the others?

Thanks as always!

[Crazy Joe Davola]

I think you have Foote too low but that's me. I also prefer Vilardi more than Glass and Pettersson.

Foote reminds me a little too much of Griffin Reinhart.. great junior package but the footspeed is a definite concern. It's a skill that's workable so he could become a solid 4/5/6 guy and that wouldn't surprise me too much.

As for Vilardi, Glass and Pettersson.. I stick with my rankings of the three but honestly feel the discrepancy is minimal. That's probably the closest lot of the first round for me. Even Mittelstadt is just a hair above. All four have top line upside and likely second line futures.

[Crazy Joe Davola]

Nice list all in all. Impossible to knock your rankings as they are well informed, it's a very up-in-the-air kind of year, and it's someone's personal opinion.
A few things did stick out to me though:
1) Kostin is out of the first round on your list. I think I have seen him as high as 10 on other lists. I know he's a boom/bust kind of pick, but is there a specific reason that you knocked him down?
2) With having Patrick at 3rd, do you think Dallas waits to deal 3rd overall until they see who is there, and if so, do you think they would then have no choice but to grab Patrick (or Hisher for that matter if he is still there)?
3) Goalies. I have seen a general consensus of the top 3, (MD, JO, UPL) but you have Zhukov right up there with them. I haven't heard much about him, but do you have a couple thoughts for us on why he's up there with the others?

Thanks as always!

Thanks, Eskimo!

Regarding Kostin: His skill is undeniable...when he decides to show it. His moments are much too few and far between for my liking though. He goes completely invisible for long stretches. Perhaps he decides to engage more frequently as he crosses the pond, but I don't love players who don't appear to be committed on a consistent basis. A true Boom or Bust.

Patrick at three on my list doesn't change my feelings that he's almost assuredly going top two. Heiskanen or Makar could surprise and end up in the top two, but it's less than likely. Looking back in 5-10 years, it may be a move that shouldve happened though.

As for Zhukov.. rare does a Russian come over to boost his pre-draft resume like he did this year. He was great in the USHL and at U18's, has good size and terrific skills. My one knock is that he lets a softy in from time to time and can get noticeably upset about it. So hopefully that mental game will come around. He's a competitor though.

[PenguinHunter]

i love that you have moved Patrick down to three... makes the top of the draft soo much more interesting... especially with who the Flyers will pick! I cannot see them drafting a D-man with #2 overall.

[Crazy Joe Davola]

i love that you have moved Patrick down to three... makes the top of the draft soo much more interesting... especially with who the Flyers will pick! I cannot see them drafting a D-man with #2 overall.

I fully expect Hischier and Patrick to go 1 and 2.. Although I'm cueing up an article talking about potential draft day surprises and one of them is Makar or Heiskanen going first overall.

It could happen.

[Thunder]

Thanks for posting.

This is a real life ranking as opposed to fantasy, correct?

[Crazy Joe Davola]

Yes this is real life.

I do have a top 31 fantasy draft eligible that is part of the contribution to the Major group piece that will come out on DP very shortly.

I could share my full rankings once that comes out

[Shift Disturber]

Greatly appreciate the effort!

This draft reminds of 2012 in that there is no consensus no. 1 overall and the top 5 is very much in flux. I wonder if this is going to turn out to be a 'meh' draft class like 2012? Aside from Forsberg, there really have been no impact players that have emerged from the top picks...unless it because it was heavy on defensemen and they have yet to fully develop.

[Jouko-Pouko]

Just for fun, I compared your ranking against consensus ranking I've created based on 6 other rankings.

Here are the guys you had much lower (15 spots or more) than the consensus: Matthew Strome, Filip Chytil, Callan Foote, Michael DiPietro, Klim Kostin

And here are the guys you had much higher (15 spots or more) than the consensus: Joshua Brook, Mario Ferraro, Filip Westerlund, Cameron Crotty, Maxim Zhukov, Dmitri Samorukov, Robin Salo, Aleksi Heponiemi

I think the most interesting names from there are Matthew Strome and Callan Foote. You said you value speed and smarts quite highly, so are those things something you're not seeing with Strome and Foote especially? I'm honestly interested to hear your thoughts about this, not trying to pick apart your ranking.

[Crazy Joe Davola]

Nice to know how I stack up against the consensus! This year in particular is so wild that I'm glad I'm not near for a bunch of players.

As for Strome and Foote, their footspeed is 100% my biggest knock. Neither are overly creative and play a very straight forward north-south game. However, neither can likely do that effectively in the NHL due to sluggish feet.

Foote plays well in his own zone and should be able to translate that, but gap control and zone entries may be a problem.

Strome just really seems like a bottom six player to me. I don't like his upside much at all but if he can clean up his steide and add some further acceleration, perhaps he could become a complimentary guy on a second or third line