SIX BIG AND SKILLED FORWARDS FOR PICKS 26-37
Or earlier, if the Islanders want to make their move
Today, we turn our focus to the prospects the Islanders could grab with the 26th pick (from Ottawa in the Chris Campoli deal), by making a deal to move from pick 26 to anywhere in the 12-22 range, and possibly with the 31st and 37th overall selections.
Heading into this draft, the Islanders’ prospect chart has holes all over the place. Heading into this draft, the Islanders’ prospect chart is inarguably in the back half of the league, arguably in the bottom third. There is still a lot of work to be done. A successful 2009 draft, coupled with the development of prospects selected from 2006-2008, could place them around 10th by this time next year.
Among the Islanders’ needs, one of the most obvious is size and skill on the wings. The list of the Islanders’ top junior, college and European prospects is short on scoring forwards with great size. The exception, Kirill Petrov, is under contract for the next three years in Russia. 2008 5th round pick Matt Martin is expected to be more of an intangibles, bottom-six wing. In Bridgeport, 6-4, 225-pound Jesse Joensuu likely maxes out as a second-line player.
For certain, this draft is not bountiful in first round power forwards, but there is quality of players with size and skill - especially if the Islanders want to make a bold move. Here are a few of their options.
ZACK KASSIAN (pictured above and left): 6-3, 210-pound right wing with Peterborough (OHL) destined to be an NHL fan favorite. Hits, fights, leads, scores (24-39-63 and 136 PIMs in 61 games).
NHL Central Scouting: 10th among North American skaters
International Scouting Service: 20th overall
Point Blank projected draft range: 12 - 22nd pick overall
Islanders value: Worth trading an early 2 to move up to 15-18 to grab? Absofrigginlutely.
CARTER ASHTON: 6-2, 205-pound right wing with Lethbridge (WHL) is your classic Western power forward. His numbers (30-20-50 and 93 PIMs in 71 games) are solid for an 18-year old big man, but prove he has more to learn.
NHL Central Scouting: 12th among N.A. skaters.
International Scouting Service: outside of top-30
Point Blank projected draft range: 14 - 24th pick overall
Islanders value: Not worth trading one of the team’s early second round picks to move up to grab Ashton, but if it costs the late second (from Boston) or a third round pick to go from 26 to, say, 22 and get him because he’s high on their board, then they could go for it.
CHRIS KREIDER: 6-2, 210-pound left wing/center is on his way to Boston College after dominating at Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts.
NHL Central Scouting: 14th among N.A. skaters.
International Scouting Service: 24th overall
Point Blank projected draft range: 14 - 24th pick overall
Islanders value: Will likely be gone before the 26th pick. All depends on how badly the Islanders want him.
JORDAN CARON: Talented 6-2 forward with Rimouski of the Quebec League can play wing and center. In 56 games this season was 36-31-67. Could look nice on a second line with Josh Bailey.
NHL Central Scouting: 21st among N.A. skaters.
International Scouting Service: 25th overall
Point Blank projected draft range: 20 - 30th pick overall
Islanders value: The team might be able to wait for him at 26, which would be excellent value for a player of this upside.
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Here are two centers the Islanders could select. They have size, skill and hockey sense and could still be around in the 26-37 range.
ETHAN WEREK: 6-2, 200-pound two-way center in the mold of Mike Richards. 32-32-64 in 61 games with Kingston of the Ontario League.
NHL Central Scouting: 32nd among N.A. skaters.
International Scouting Service: 26th overall
Point Blank projected draft range: 22 - 32nd pick overall
Islanders value: No need to make a move up from 26th if the Islanders have John Tavares, Josh Bailey and Frans Nielsen down the middle. But a strong pick, and a center who could possibly be converted to wing, if the Islanders can get Werek between 26 and 37.
JOONAS NATTINEN: Solid performance at the World Junior Championships opened scouts’ eyes to the 6-2, 195-pound two-way center. His advocates believe there is more offensive ability than he has shown so far.
NHL Central Scouting: 10th among European skaters.
International Scouting Service: 28th overall
Point Blank projected draft range: 24 - 34th pick overall
Islanders value: A major wild card the Islanders can wait to come to them early in the second round. Maybe someday he can be part of a line with Joensuu.
Comments on this topic only here. The Josh Bailey and player-fan experience discussion continues in next thread.
93 Responses to “SIX BIG AND SKILLED FORWARDS FOR PICKS 26-37
Or earlier, if the Islanders want to make their move”
Please Wait
Great Info CB, now Im going to go see what else I can find out about these guys. Great work as always.
Would LOOOVE to grab Kassian!!
This is exactly what I want to read. Thanks very much!!
Excellent list. The Isles can get one of them sitting at 26 since two or three of the six could still be on the board. If Jankowski has one very high then a trade up.
great post Chris. I have heard alot of great things about Chris Kreider.
This is great Chris. Just what I was interested in. Thanks.
How about a preview of the defenceman that could be available?
Again Chris, great info. Can I assume/hope that we’ll see a similar post about defenseman soon?
Great Info for us CB! Really opened my eyes on the talent that could be heading to the Island.
I promise Angry Bill and I did not plan this.
Make the move for Zack Kassian absolutely. If your gonna make the move for a defensemen its gotta be Simon Despres..I’d be more then willing to trade 26,31,and 37 for either of them
Judging just from this write-up, it sounds like Kassian is the type of player the franchise should be targeting. Isles system is sorely lacking in both the physical and scoring departments.
Kassian is sounding good. Good blog!
With so much hype surrounded the Tavares-Hedman debate it has been easy to forget about all the other rounds (and all of our picks)! Great to see this info about guys I haven’t heard of (yet). Always a good read and I would certainly get more excited if I had more confidence in our scouting staff. Let’s hope they pick some quality players….
Would love to see the isles get kassian he’s exactly wat they need in the system especially if they take hedman…snow and janks should definely get back in the top 15 somehow… With the second first rounder they need either kassian or john moore from the ushl no questions asked
Remind me why we are focusing on fowards? Kassian does look interesting.
I just htought of another instance where you argue go with Tavares.
St louis drafted Johnson (defense) first and passed on Jonathan Toews. How has that worked out lately.
Great stuff CB. I’d also like you to have a look at late 1st round D-men, as I can imagine Snow going for D if he selects Tavares 1st overall.
Did you consider Peter Holland for the list of centers? I know he’s dropped a little bit, but his numbers are solid.
Of the power forwards I think I’d go for Carter Ashton. Somehow the WHL is a great league for powerful, hard-hitting players to develop, i.e. Getzlaf, Lucic and Phaneuf. If Snow can get him at 26 without giving up anything it would be great.
great article! this is what most of us have been wanting. kassian would be great. if we can trade say… witt or sutton and package more it would be cool to get caron and kassian.
Nice article, like Kassian. I say trade up and get em.
i really like Kassian but I have heard alot of negatives about him. Supposedly his skating is not too good. Also I have read that he lets anger get the best of him and can take stupid penalties because of it.
i think matt martin serves kassian’s purpose so i pass on him. i like werek and i don’t think nyi would have to move up to get him. i don’t want to waste picks in a deep draft. i would, however, be tempted to trade up for scott glennie whose fairly similar to duchene. i’ll also throw in jeremy morin’s name, who might be available at 26.
You are the boss CB, awesome work.
Great post Chris. I agree that we need more size and toughness in the system. Garth undoubtedly recognizes this, but I hope he doesn’t become blinded by size. If they think a guy like Landon Ferraro (average size but talented and fast) is the best player available, and he’s on the board at 26, then you take him. I wonder if the Isles have their eyes on Ethan Werek. He is buddies with Corey Trivino and played juniors with him last on year on the same line. Chris Kreider also seems like a really interesting pick. From what I’ve read, the kid has explosive skating, good hands, and is not afraid to mix it up. It would be a roll of the dice considering the league he is playing in, but he could blossom into a stud.
bergie. martin may be more like say cal clutterbuck or actually he’ll be less than that. kassian is more like lucic. score, fight, hit big time!
I love this blog.
Great informative post CB. I visualize so many top pairing potential Dmen anywhere from 22 to 4 in this draft. Mcnabb, Runblad, Erixon, Clack, Dehaan and Despres(has been dropping in rankings) just to name a few. I want the Isles to try and fill as many holes as possible and to me outside of goal scoring there D prospects are the biggest hole in this franchise. Well maybe outside of no young goalie pushing Sir Dipietro.
Mcnabb is a Dman i want the Isles to snag somewhere early in the second , say with Toronto’s pick. Souray type Dman
I’d like to see them take a flyer on Zach Budish, who has potential to be a productive top-six power forward. Big question mark is how he can recover from the leg injury that sidelined him all year. Should go around 20-35.
Other intriguing player in this area: Calvin de Haan, Toni Rajala, Jeremy Morin, Kyle Palmieri, any number of goalies available 25-37.
kevin - i’m worried about kassian’s character. after he injured tavares in the all star game this january kassian said it was good for him b/c it would get his name out there. the guy sounds nuts. you also never ever throw a real check in an all star game. that’s a cardinal rule. i’ll take matt martin instead. give me werek, tim erixon, or morin at 26. glennie if we move up.
nice report cb
talk about potentially replenishing the cupboards with more faces eh
go isles !
Great post CB, exactly what i’ve been looking to see. I hope( and assume) you will be doing a similar piece on defensemen we could land in the same range.
Also, if we were to go with another forward( doubtful if we take tavares) i think kassian looks pretty good to me.
Great stuff CB! Just what we are looking for, info past the first pick. Kassian looks like the type of guy we need riding shotgun for Tavares! Would love to see us grab him, but I think he may go earlier than we think!I really think though that if Tavares is the pick, D-man will be the second pick, especially 1 with size! I look forward to the late rd 1 possible D-men choices blog that I know is coming!I would also love to see the Goaltender rankings and review. With our top 4 picks coming early, we may be able to pick off the top goaltender in the draft! Keep it coming CB!
Great work CB. I have been waiting for this one. Now on to the D!
o wow, yeah bergie that doesnt sound too good. i dont know, i think id still go after him. lets just hope he doesnt pull that in the nhl. especially when they will be on the same team
=) haha
Kassian, Ashton, or Caron. Any would probably be good. Kassian has a bad ass sounding name though. I’d like to see a post on the defensemen we might see taken at this spot and maybe a little discussion about goalies that we might take in the second round, cause let’s face it, Lawson was a nice surprise in the Bridge, and all the rest of the goalie prospects are more or less taking up space.
Brett..Great minds think alike.
I would think we have to use at least two of the picks from 26-60 on d-men. Assuming we don’t take Hedman.
You can bet all of these rumors surrounding Toronto and Tampa Bay swapping picks are once again generated by the same Toronto media that has had Tavares value slipping out of the top ranked spot in an effort or plot to try and draft him at number 2.
let’s draft landon ferraro with 26 overall, and peter volek (david’s son) at 31. i would love to hear the ‘ferraro to volek’ at least one more time.
Sorry to burst your bubble chos500 (34), but there is no conspiracy regarding the Tavares scouting reports. Two major scouting services have dropped Tavares; One (McKeen’s) is based in Canada, and the other (Red Line) is based in the U.S. Furthermore, virtually all the major scouting services had Hedman at number one last summer and early fall. Some have been propagating the myth that Tavares has been the “consensus” number one for years, but it’s simply not true. Hedman has also been talked about for years now.
Nice. I can’t wait for the draft!
Chris - I noticed you have Kassian and Kreider both ranked 10th among NA skaters. Jeez, last time I come here. jk
Great post I’ll definitely have this around during draft day. When are the top goalies expected to go?
Kassian seems to be the best fit for the team right now. I wouldn’t mind trading the 26th and 31st OR 37th to get him. Hopefully Tavares is drafted 1st, then Kassian at whatever pick it is possible to get between 13-18 for the 26th and 31st/37th. Whatever 2nd rounder not traded (31st or 37th) should be used on a big defenseman. That would be an A of a draft by the Isles.
TRADE UP UP UP!!! get that kid Kassian. he is a BIG BOY on the wing. Let him protect Tavares!!! ; )
Kassian would be perfect for the Penguins. Skilled enough to play w/ star players and would protect them and win corner battles.. As far as his offensive potential, he is a one-trick pony; he battles hard in front of the net & hass good hands; able to put in rebounds..His skating is not good at all & he is not capable of skating down the wing & creating scoring chances..Some scouts think Ashton is a better power forward, tough to say who’s better. I personally love Werek; I think he will be switched to LW(just like Tavares will be) so I dont think the Isles should worry about having too many centres, unless they draft Duchene..Werek does it all, skates, 2 way play, very good hands, great character, Scored over 30 goals, stepped up in OHL playoffs. for some reason the Major Ranking Services haven’t ranked him high but if the Isles were to get him at 26th I would be doing cartwheels..Kreider looks to be a great prospect. the best upside out of the Forwards named…skates, plays hard, great talent but he has played against weak high school competition so its hard to rate him. Though he did score in the couple int’l tournaments he played in.
Draft Tavares, trade up to get Kassian and put him on the same line with KO and JT. then go out a get a really NASTY and big D-man
Staten - that would be great! Kassian, Okposo, Tavares….and we already have their line name — the TKO line
start printing the posters!
Love these lists! Can’t wait to see the list of Defensemen!
Yes defensemen would be nice. Who is the Runblad guy I have seen the Islanders taking in mock drafts at 26?
I think I’ve been saying Kassian since the first 1/4 of last season. While everyone clearly makes the point the Isles need both a Tavares and a Hedman and it is 100% correct they do need a franchise player at C and D, the Isles 100% also need a Kassian and everything he brings. Snow has to ensure himself he walks away with Tavares or Hedman and Kassian. I do like many of the other players Chris mentioned as well.
I think I would like the Islanders to settle for defense after they select tavares..all I know is, I’m getting anxious..just get these playoffs over and done with, and lets start the draft..
Can we draft Tavares twice
BUDISH
CB, fantastic stuff - as others have said, just want i want to read up on….i sincerely hope we can find a legit, title-contending team-caliber 2nd line winger with the 26th or 30th pick to pair w/ JT if we take him #1….and a solid dman w/ the other late 1st/1st 2nd….hey, a guy can dream.
Thanks for putting together all of this great info.
Count me as very much on the Zach Kassian bandwagon. I know a few people here have questioned drafting him because he laid out Tavares during the OHL all-star game. However, I just see a kid who plays hard no matter the circumstances. If he’s willing to put Tavares almost through the boards in an all-star game, what would he do to someone who cheapshots a teammate?
Not oppsed to trading up if the right deal presents itself.
But…in the dire straights our organIIIIzation is we need bodies. What better way to fill then with 4 picks in the top 36 in one of the deepest drafts in years
That’s OK Nick. We need some mean players.
Here we go again. Calm down everyone with wanting one player (Kassian) who most have never seen…
CB ~ Now this thread is a freakin’ tasty hor devous of who the Isles can take with the second 1st round pick … The Isles certainly need a big skilled winger more than another center if they take Tavares … I also wonder if the Isles would gamble and take Hedman (not that he’s a consolation prize) … and then use that second pick for a big forward?
What about defensive prospects? Any good ones for the offering in the late 1st? I usually can’t wait for my Hockey News Draft Preview edition … but I haven’t really been to thrilled with their last three editions.
This thread is a perfect example of why I come to this site a few times a day.
Keep all picks & stock up this organization - the draft is a crapshoot.
Kevin i found your post about martin and kassian interesting so i looked into it a bit, they both played 61 games this season, kassian finished with 24 goals martin with 35, Martin also fights and him and kassian actually had a nice tussle this season from what i seen on youtube. And lastly you said about the hitting, in a coaches poll at the end of the ohl season martin finished first in the hardest hitter categorie so i dont see how he is less of a player? now dont get me wrong, id love to have both of these guys on the same team, even better the same line!
Best to let the top two ranked teams in the ohl’s west do talking here, Windsor and London.. Both went to extremes to acquire Matt Martin. In both cases Sarnia was not trading their Captain. London got out of the running early,cause they understood “no” then acquired Tavaras, Windsor tried to trade till the deadline and they offered plenty. Best hitter in the ohl, plays smash mouth hockey and lives in the red zone. The above players mentioned are good players but they take a back seat to Sarnia’s Martin. Snow knows it, Jankowski knows it and Cairnes knows it. Knowing the Ohl well, I am not quite sure what type of team the Isles faithful are hoping to build. Get the best signed at what they do, forget some of the hype, and get on with building a contender not another pretender. Take a shot at Hedman, Tavaras is fine also but needs lots of support on his wing cause he scores from the outside(softzones) and plant Martins butt outfront, cause he is unmoveable and gives the Tavaras’s room to do their thing.
How could Kassian and Kreider both be ranked 10th among NA skaters by NHL Central Scouting Network?
I am not sure I want to move up. I think I prefer to stay at 26 and then draft 31 and 37. We need some good players but I think we can get them in first 2 rounds.
This is what I have been waiting for and why I ordered two draft magazines.. We’ve all heard enough about Hedman and Tavares, but with picks 26, 31, and 37, and this being a deep draft, I want to know more about the guys going 15-40…. Those three picks, 26, 31, and 37 could be just as important as Tavares!!!
But lets not forget Jordan Schroeder because he is small… So is Gionta, Parise, Gomez and St. Louis…. I don’t care Schroeder is small. If he falls tpo #13 0r #14, I’ll take him 100 times over Kassian because his skill set is 100 times better… He dominated the NCAA as a freshman at Minnesota, then dominated at the world juniors…. Size doesn’t mean everything, only according to extenze! LOL
CB, we need a list containing Morin, Leblanc, Drew Shore, Budish, and Palmieri! These guys may not have as much size (except Budish), but huge on skill!
CB & Everyone … for more detail on some of these and other players … Go to NHL Network Online … and you can get some good info on top draft eligible players .. EJ McGuire of NHL Central Scouting does a very brief summary … and they have good video and bios from the players.
After taking Tavares with the first pick, (once again there is no other way to get a goal scorer, it is not going to happen in free agency), this team needs to stock up on guys it thinks can be top six forwards. Unless you have a d-man ranked that far ahead of the others available, go for the offense, with three of those top four picks.
@56 Brian G
Totally agree. More pics equals better odds. Outside of the Top 3 picks who knows what can happen this draft. I’d rather keep as many picks as possible to increase our odds of landing an NHL player. We should be so lucky as to find 2-3 players besides the 1st pick that have a legitimate role in the future with the Islanders
Great article CB
I am also starting to lean towards the stand pat and use the picks group. This organization is still very short on prospects. I say get as many as you can into the system, and either develop them or use them as trade chips later on. This organization needs bodies.
This kid Kassian sounds exactly like the type of guy who would perfectly complement a Tavares and Okposo line. I watched some video of him on youtube. Sounds like a mix of Lucic and Ryan Smyth only with more natural skill. Id try to move mountains to grab this guy. As long as that mountain isnt the 1st overall pick.
#61 IS RIGHT… SCHROEDER IS AWESOME…
Stand Pat. This is a deep draft. Take Ferraro and hope Kassain falls.
I think we should use all of our picks and draft the best players we can..Id hope that the islanders would take 2/3 fowards or 1/2 dmen w/ their first 4 picks…spread out the wealth..draft a goalie with a 3/4th pick…deepen our talent pool..
Lets go Islanders!!
It’s been said several times already but I’ll repeat it in the hopes that repetition will make it happen. Keep all the picks and take the BPA. Every pick, every round.
Great Job as always CB! I’m really high on Werek, I think he can play left wing as well. I’m excited to read your blog about defensemen. I want Despres or Stefan Elliot.
Chris Kreider is an animal. I go to school at UMass and have plenty of friends that live north of Boston, from Andover and Methuen, and they say the kid absolutely dominates. I would love to see us select him if Kassian is not available. I think we should look for a big, work-horse of a blue liner, however, if we are looking for big and skilled winger, Kassian is the man… I mean, boy.
I must disagree I would prefer quality over the quantity. I want another top six forward, not back six.
And if the say that Tavares could be our next Bossy, then I have no doubt that Zach Kassian could be our next Clark Gillies.
tonights game just confirms what a forward can do…. crosby was brilliant. tavares has the possibility of being the same. also interesting to note how with the right offensive lead and coaching, guerin, satan, and fedetenko end up playing playoff level hockey. i am glad for billy for his goals… he deserves it for trying to make something here first and moving quietly to allow us to gather picks.
Lets face it, the forwards on this team aren’t that big. Tavares isn’t that big. We really need some size up front. That 26th pick, or higher, would be well spent on one of these guys.
Great work, as always, Chris. Lot’s of reason for us to get excited about this draft….But please, Garth, Tavares at #1! Blame the fans if it does not work out!
I’d be absolutely ecstatic to land Tavares, Kassian, and 6′8″ dman Taylor Doherty at the draft.
CB,
great stuff, a few points. #77> a great foward playing on a complete team tonite(crosby’s pens) beat a great foward on an incomplete team(ovie’s caps.) its a team sport. the pens played defense, the caps didn’t. you build from the goal line out.
can we be consistant? last year every was screaming about trading down, and yet we have a pile of picks before #38. how’d we get them? making good trades.
last year “how could we skip filatov” despite the fact hes 5 ft nothing, now its all power fowards, big bodies.
CB- if the prospect lineup is full of holes, as you write on 5/13, then why were you in the not so distant past saying, enough with the picks, lets get some bodies in here.
you can’t have it both ways guys. you make deals that are to your benefit. all that trading down from 5 to 7 to 9 added more picks. picks now that everybody is excited about.
lets take hedman, we need a big body to go with our pile of small puck movers on the blue line. make certain our goalie is healthy. then fill up the program with solid picks, the best available player types.
you can buy scoring in the off season, its fifth and sixth defensemen that everybody looks for come playoff time.
the ducks, with 2 stud defenders and solid goaltending, are 1 game away from from killing off the #1 and #2 seeds out west.
lets make moves that make us better, not just to make moves. before you move up into the mid first round, consider the cost. we hammered the leafs and preds last year when they wanted to move up, and we still got the guy we wanted. bailey looks to be a pretty good player. let the scouts do their job, and remember, SNOW signed STREIT and traded CAMPOLI for the 26 pick in the draft. have a little faith in the man, hes doing a good job. if Debo or the russain kid pan out, its good scouting and better management that won the day.
Disagree, but only if they don’t draft Hedman. The Isles haven’t drafted a blue chip defenseman since… geez I’m getting old but I guess Chara? And that was by accident. If they use the first overall on a forward, I’d like to see them spend the second pick on a defenseman.
The Isles have so many holes in their roster it doesn’t matter what position (defense/forward) they pick. They need to pick the best player available. At this time, I would not be in favor of trading 2 picks to move up. But, it depends on how far they can move up.
CB stated the Isles may have the #10 pick in next years draft. What does he see in next years line up that I don’t? The Isles will finish 2009-10 near the bottom if not at the bottom of the league. And this would be a good thing in the long run. Here’s to the FIRST overall pick in the 2010 draft.
Stop with teh building from the goalie out crap. In the draft you simply take the best player available with your 1st pick. Are you going to skip 3 top forwards to take a defenseman ranked 4th b/c you should build from goalie out? Give me a break. Tavares is the best player suited for this team and this franchise right now, there is absolutely no question about it. And Chara was not a blue chip prospect when he was drafted. The guy couldnt skate when he was on the Islanders. When was the last time they drafted a blue chip forward? Palffy back in teh 90’s who wasnt even a high pick? Im all for trading up in teh draft to take players who are much more likely to make it to the nhl. Nevermind even having an impact in it. If the Isles can trade up to get in the top 15 of a very deep draft then by all means go for it.
agree w/ both 77 and 84 in parts….there are a few ways to win, and anaheim has 5-6 very talented forwards to go w/ their D…bottom line is we can use help ANYWHERE, so they should just be taking best player available in each spot, i.e. player they have rated the highest…i’m for tavares, but if that’s hedman at #1, i’m still gonna give snow and jank the benefit of the doubt
Absofrigginlutely!
I like your emphasis on SIZE. Watching the playoffs shows how much smaller the Isles are than these teams.
Hathead68(80) … GMTA!! … I’m not 100% sold on Kassian’s cool headedness … but I’m sold on his skill and tenacity … I’ll be shocked if he’s there at 26 … the Isles may have to part with a 2nd or 3rd rounder to move up … Is there a big difference between Kassian & players late in the round? I’ve tracked 6′8″ defenseman Taylor Doherty since I discovered him accidentally … when I saw he was eligible in 2009 I figured he’d be a good pickup … I know very little about him other than he’s good in his zone and is a punishing defenseman that doesn’t shy away from using his size.
Move up to get Kassian. Look who’s scored the most goals in the playoffs the last 2 years, the Mule in Detroit. You need a big guy in front of the net. Give up a 2 or 3 or both and GRAB THIS GUY!!!!!!
#15 - “Remind me why we are focusing on fowards?”
Because we were last in goals scored
And for those who dont think Tavares would want to play w/ Kassian following the allstar game; I am sure Tavares would rather play with him then against him.
#84..why is tavares the best suited player for this team? if you want the best player, then currently its tavares, hedman or duchene, depending on which service your reading. KO was a blue chip prospect, power foward.
looking back, a handful of our latest first round picks were fowards, they currently reside on the fringes of hockey, or in oiler country, not producing.
#85. i was a little unclear, heck it was 4 am when i posted. always take the best player, down the road too many talent guys at one spot becomes a strength, and you deal from strength. if you have two guys rated so close in terms of talent/ability, then i suggest you take need. in this case, my opinion only, a 6′6″ skating skilled defender added to a stockpile of small puck moving defenders is more important then a goal scorer. i know the reply, you dont score, you can’t win. if your giving up 5 goals a nite, theres isnt enough scoring on earth. look at what stay at home defenders are getting paid, and what 30 goal scoring fowards are getting paid. scoring is cheaper and more available on the market. hence, it has less value to the guys running teams in the NHL.
so, would you trade streit + #26 pick to tampa for the #2 pick? cheap contract, fills their defense need, hes 30+ years of age?
I really like CHRIS KREIDER and Jordan Caron. I hope we can get the following forwards in the 2nd rd or later: Ben Hanowski, Mattias Lindstrom and Alexander Fallstrom. All these guys are big talented forwards.
Of the players mentioned here, Kassian might be the ONE player worth moving up for. Some team WILL grab him before 26, likely before 22.
The rest are fairly interchangeable and there are few more nice forward prospects like O’Reilly and Leblanc who are also roughly ranked in the same area as these players.
Of course, this is looking at guys with size, but others like Palmieri, Morin, Rajala and Panik may have too much skill to pass on with the first two 2nd rounders.
Another size+skill forward in the 25-35 range is Sweden’s Klingberg, not one to be forgotten.
It’s getting exciting!