NO

Artyom Levshunov has the most upside of the defenders. He is pretty smartand able at his position, just not "complete" enough to be ready to play in a NHL pair with dominant success (yet).
Sam ****inson is poorer at tracking attacking plays and in his offense he is no where near as much consistency in creating quality looks. Playing with London helps him off the hook b/c others can do it there.
You can’t really say he’ll be a No. 1 defenceman the way he sees the ice. Will he play a style similar to Miro H. but he isn't a shut down defender, and he is not a legimate offensivce guy either.
Being a bigger kid who skates so darn well, he has een able to use his feet and just get away from the average sized guy. There are hockey sense concerns on both O & D and that might be what separates him from being a good defender and a dominent defender.

Teams might differ in their opinions but they do know hesitations, missed opportunities in a player's carries enough to see the differences.

If I had more time I would have you pick a draft year and I would pull the Hockey News Draft issue and show you a litany of poor mocks by Ryan Kennedy there...
- wiz1901

From watching all the video of the top 15 draft eligible players i could, as a gm i go a different route 2nd OA i go who has the lowest floor, i personally draft Silyaev, if Silyaev wants to play here has a work ethic and is coachable. He's my #2 pick.

I just can't resist drafting someone who plays really good defense already and skates like Roman Josi.

Oh and is a giant on skates

Bedard also wasn't playing against a bunch of guys who are only playing just to avoid conscription in the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.
- Rota's Rooter

I guess that eliminates all the russian prospects.

New blog up kids

Ok! My bad

- MjulQvist

I didnt say hes older, i said i read some people in the know said hes older… and he does look older than 18.

Again, (I guess i have to ask the question once a week) Can you name me all the Russian top players, drafted in the NHL, that want to come over and play within a couple years of being drafted that can't?

I'm ok with the hockey criticisms about the flaws in his skating that will lead knee injuries, the Russian factor thing is straight BS and doesn't exist.



- vabeachbear

The vast majority of Russians, like Michkov last yr, fall in the draft. That is a part of the "Russian Factor" and it's real. It's real that NHL clubs pass on the BPA if it's a Russian. If they weren't worried why would Russians fall in the draft.

And you want your draft pick to be the FIRST one to be conscripted and get killed, wounded or maimed with the SECOND overall pick? Not so bad with the 7th pick like Philly used on Michkov but with the 2nd pick it hurts much more especially since you have 3-4-5 guys who are worthy of the 2nd pick. ....Michkov fell so far that he was by far, eons ahead, the BPA so they swing with the 7th.

There is no doubt a Russian Factor.

Nazar, I guess I can see. What have you seen in Hayes' game that makes you so confident?
- Chunk

He's a confident shoot first, north south player that can get up the ice and who seems to know what his strengths are. Projectable frame.

Maybe a business opportunity, No?

Wish i knew how to build that site, that said, how weak is the Capitals organization that they didn't already have a cap friendly type system, or honestly, something much better

- vabeachbear

I guess this shows the fancy stats are almost in it's infancy stage for some NHL organIzations. Also shows me the Hawks, KD, realized this and hired away the guy who put together fancy stat infrastructure for the Cubs.

Even most old school hard liners realize you have to use fancies to compete in today's NHL. .......... And yea man, if Capfriendly is indeed gone it's a helluv an opportunity for some pointy headed rocket scientist to create a new one and cash in when the time comes.

Nazar and Hayes will both surpass Kurachev and Reichel this year in the depth charts this year.

Also if he gives you a chance to snag say Eiserman at 11 then I think you probably make that deal.

I'm not convinced any of his success last year was sustainable and you'd be better overpaying for DeBrusk than running him out another year.
- fattybeef

Would love to see this. Nazar blew me away in his few games as a Hawk. Kid showed IQ I had no idea he had in all 3 zones. Simply said nazar made plays in all 3 zones in just about every shift.

Hayes is a guy who might be the real deal. He showed fantastic muturity as a 20 yr old last yr. He was polished and controlled a lot of the play. You could visually see his jump in development.

He scored 40 in his draft +1 yr and 37 goals in 55 games last yr. To me he has a chance to be a Patrick Sharp for the Hawks. ....... But, I think he starts the yr in RKF getting big and important minutes. Watching KD operate so far I doubt he rushes Hayes. ...

Friedman doesn't pull anything out of his ass. Like uncle Bob if he says it he heard it from a reliable source and has a good chance of happening.
- fattybeef

Fatty, Friedman stipulated he had not heard Guentzel to the Hawks he said it would be a good fit. Not what he was hearing it's just speculation on his part.. Not a rumor he heard.

Buium is Jewish and Connolly retweeted a swastika on his social media account.
- paulr

You do realize they were teammates on the US U18 team, right.

Connelly did that when he was 13. Since then he apparently has taken steps to learn from his mistake and broaden his horizons.

To the kid's credit, he has owned it and has said he will not hide from questions regarding that incident and talk openly and honestly to teams about it.

I didnt say hes older, i said i read some people in the know said hes older… and he does look older than 18.
- LFS

Then quote the source. Otherwise its pure bullpoop.

Its because of his hairline that people are making up this poop.

I'm calling it out now, Levshunov is Seth Jones part 2. Has the tools and is Ok to good but just leaves you feeling that he lacks something.

Demidov at #2, EJ Emery at #18 for me
- Black Raven

I wouldn't go that far.

The thing that makes Seth Jones kind of disappointing is the enormous price tag and cost to get over.

The thing that would separate the MSU kid is that he can move in all of the directions exceptionally well not just forward.

If his ceiling was Seth Jones but with even better mobility I think that would be a pretty excellent pick at 2.

Buium is Jewish and Connolly retweeted a swastika on his social media account.
- paulr

I really hate the fact that even someone in their young teens makes a mistake, apologizes of it, and is branded for life.

Did he go something stupid? He did. He apologized for it, and doing things to help right what he did wrong. Obviously i'm not there and don't know the real truth, but think the kid deserves at least a 2nd chance.

Hopefully a team has the balls to take him, and I hope he thrives never does anything like this again, and can make the other 31 teams kick themselves for not giving him a chance.

Thank god none of this stuff was around in my 20s and 30s let alone my mid teens....

I'd probably be in one of those goolags that all the Russian players who want to play in the NHL keep getting thrown in.