The 2017 NHL Entry Draft

[Rede]

After the top 2 picks It's so disarray nobody really knows who for sure is going.

#3 - #4 has a mix of opinions Mittelstadt, Heiskanen, Makar and Vilardi, it's no secret Avs and Arizona want dmen, same with Dallas wanting dmen, but who knows. Nashville is providing an incentive to shore up your D.

IF AZ really wants a shot at Makar they should swap picks with the Canucks.

So the easiest thing for the canucks to do is wait and see if GV is avail at #5 if not, team trades and can drop down #7 and swap #5 + #33 for #7 + #23.

At #7 we can still select a decent center and a decent dman at #23 (20's Benning special)

#7 take pettersson or necas.
#23 take hague or brannstrom or poehling

I think I remember reading somewhere that Arizona is under pressure to start getting better. I was wondering about whether or not they'd actually move that pick rather than move up...

[SKYO]

I think it was Elliotte guessing about that, I forget.

I dunno but looking at AZ will take BPA could be Makar.

Some podcast mentioned.

Jersey likes Heiskenan. Some fear he goes at 1. Dallas has Middelstadt as top forward after Patrick and Hischier.

I think the Avs like Heiskanen and Vilardi, they are meh on Glass.

NJ just tweeted out about Heiskanen.
https://www.nhl.com/devils/news/experts ... -289705932

The New Jersey Devils defense is pretty pathetic.

In any case the Devils could be a prime target to trade a dman to.

Devils fans:
I think we're two top four defenseman away, and if any offseason is the time to get a pair it's this one.

'If we are trading Zacha (and I wouldn't), it has to be for a DMan'

our LHD depth is putrid.

[Chef Boi RD]

"A Devils fan" SKYO?

Lemme guess, a Devils fan from Hockeysfuture?

[SKYO]

Pettersson on the 2nd interview.

Rick Dhaliwal‏:

Pettersson on his visit to VAN on Monday, "I head breakfast with Trevor Linden and met the Sedin twins which was awesome." #Canucks

Pettersson on teammate & VAN prospect Jonathan Dahlen, "Jonathan is a good friend, would be cool to play with him on the #Canucks."

Pettersson on why #Canucks like him, "They like my playmaking and hockey sense and the way I create chances."

Pettersson would generate the most assists if he does get drafted/developed here.
Has insane stick handling/deking ability to boot.


The Russian X-factor sleeper pick

Rick Dhaliwal‏

The #Canucks were 1 of 19 teams who met with Russian prospect Klim Kostin in Detroit in the weeks leading up to the NHL Combine in Buffalo.

Kostin has a lot of skill, high risk/reward type.

[nuckster]

Here's Button's final ranking before the draft:
http://www.tsn.ca/craig-s-list-final-ranking-1.294692

According to him, Makar moves up to #3 overall. If it actually pans out that way, it'll free up some great options at #5. I wonder if Benning will opt for Petterson even if Vilardi is still available? I guess Petterson has chemistry with our other swede acquired from Ottawa - kinda like the Sedin redux.

[theman]

Stuff like this makes me more inclined to get 1 more top 5 pick. Try to get 2 centres.

[Strangelove]

I wonder if Benning will opt for Petterson even if Vilardi is still available?

He better not or some more of us might go over to the dark side.

[theman]

I wonder if Benning will opt for Petterson even if Vilardi is still available?

He better not or some more of us might go over to the dark side.

As I said above, with the chatter about this draft, this could be the time to get 2 top 5 picks and nap 2 centre's. You can never have enough quality centre's.

[SKYO]

Here's Button's final ranking before the draft:
http://www.tsn.ca/craig-s-list-final-ranking-1.294692

According to him, Makar moves up to #3 overall. If it actually pans out that way, it'll free up some great options at #5. I wonder if Benning will opt for Petterson even if Vilardi is still available? I guess Petterson has chemistry with our other swede acquired from Ottawa - kinda like the Sedin redux.

Nope he'd take Vilardi, it's why the Canucks are rumoured to be interested in #3, which is an extremely logical POV as Vilardi has been a consensus #3 for awhile now, plus with the canucks saying they want a playmaker center or quarterback, Vilardi fits the former to a T.

My pessimistic side says we stay at 5 and take Pettersson, they can bulk him up to 200lbs and the Canucks do well with Swedes. Thomas Gradin probably making a huge push for him.

To get another high pick best odds are with the LA Kings and their 11th, by taking Brown's contract and giving them Gudbranson + grans or something.

With the 11th oa you can take a QB dman like Liljegren or Brannstrom.

[Strangelove]

Here's Button's final ranking before the draft:
http://www.tsn.ca/craig-s-list-final-ranking-1.294692

Hmmm...

1. Nico Hischier, C
2. Nolan Patrick, C
3. Cale Makar, D
4. Cody Glass, C
5. Miro Heiskanen, D

6. Gabe Vilardi, C <--
7. Martin Necas, C
8. Elias Pettersson, C <--
9. Casey Mittelstadt, C
10. Timothy Liljegren, D

11. Nick Suzuki, RW
12. Ryan Poehling, C
13. Pierre-Olivier Joseph, D
14. Cal Foote, D
15. Eeli Tolvanen, RW

16. Kailer Yamamoto, RW
17. Juuso Valimaki, D
18. Lias Andersson, C
19. Erik Brannstrom, D
20. Filip Chytil, LW

21. Michael Rasmussen, C
22. Alexei Lipanov, C
23. Owen Tippett, RW

[SKYO]

After the combine and interviews, my guess of the Canucks top 10 rank list. Pettersson and Glass with 2nd interviews have em solidly in focus at #5.

1) Patrick
2) Hischier
3) Vilardi
4) Heiskanen (NJ and Dallas can really use him).
5) Pettersson (slight win over glass)
6) Glass
7) Mittelstadt (drops) or I'm off & they got him at #5.
8) Makar
9) Necas (david krejci 2.0?)
10) Tippett

They will take Vilardi if he drops to #5 but if he's gone by #5, then the Canucks can drop to #7 to #9 safely as they can still nab a solid center and acquire another 2nd.

The team that want our #5 will really want either Mittelstadt or Makar.



But how I think it will go down.

1) Patrick (hard for NJ to pass up on size and skill).
2) Hischier (philly prefer Patrick - legion of doom, but are happy with nico).
3) Heiskanen (Dallas takes the best dman in the draft).
4) Makar (avs sobbing, take the 2nd best dman, probably try to make trade with Canucks).
5) Vilardi (JB gets his man).
6) Mittelstadt (LV hard to pass up on mittelstadt).
7) Glass (Yotes add to Strome).
8) Tippett (Sabres have Eichel/ROR/Reinhart, so add Tippett who kills it next year with 30 goals with Eichel).
9) Pettersson (Detroit thought Necas but Pettersson lands on their laps).
10) Necas (Panthers happily take Necas).

And you know what, if Vilardi is snatched by Dallas or the Avs I'm taking Pettersson, I don't care what the consensus says, remember the majority in 2014 had MDC, Virtanen and Ritchie ahead of Nylander and Ehlers.

So my gut says if Vilardi is gone at #5 we take Pettersson and be done with it.

[nuckster]

I think you've summed it up for me, Skyo. When all is said and done, we cant possibly know what is truly for the best when looking into the future. It seems as reasonable of a theory as anything else that Petterson will evolve into a decent center... what do we know? Now watch Benning select someone right off the radar! Please Jim, I don't want a heart attack.

[Cherry Picker]

Button's list has my main man Necas ahead of the Barry Pederson Homophone.
Does this make me homophobic?
No one is talking about Necas.
Fast and skilled. Looks as good as any to me.
Button's list is pretty whacked compared to what most have been saying.
I think this draft will have a lot of surprises and many top picks sliding because so many picks will be busts.
I won't be surprised if Patrick slides.
Lots of picks people think won't be available likely will be, and lots of reaches will be taken.

[givemeda411]

I haven't been able to find the report, but Botchford mentioned the Canucks may be looking to trade down in order to get another pick in the draft but stay where they will be able to draft Petterson.

[Cousin Strawberry]

I wonder if Benning will opt for Petterson even if Vilardi is still available?

He better not or some more of us might go over to the dark side.