2012 NHL Entry Draft

[Fanatic]

I know this is an NHL type topic, but it is also the best Leafs topic I can think of these days.

First we have the lottery on April 10th. How does this work exactly? Is there a lottery for the # 1 pick and then everyone else falls in line behind that or is it possible that # 1 stays # 1 and yet still have # 4 move to # 3 etc.?

Then we have the draft on June 22nd and 23rd from Pittsburgh.

What are the latest prognostications on the order of the draft etc?

I am hoping that the Leafs fall to a spot that does not only give them a godo pick, but a great pick. How many in this years draft are expected to be great picks? Two? Three?

 

[brothert]

I know this is an NHL type topic, but it is also the best Leafs topic I can think of these days.

First we have the lottery on April 10th. How does this work exactly? Is there a lottery for the # 1 pick and then everyone else falls in line behind that or is it possible that # 1 stays # 1 and yet still have # 4 move to # 3 etc.?

Then we have the draft on June 22nd and 23rd from Pittsburgh.

What are the latest prognostications on the order of the draft etc?

I am hoping that the Leafs fall to a spot that does not only give them a godo pick, but a great pick. How many in this years draft are expected to be great picks? Two? Three?

Dont worry we'll pick the guy with a career threatening illness or injury.  Book it!

 

[Fanatic]

It is hard to believe that for all the dismal years since the lockout all the Leafs got was:

2005 - Tuuka Rask
2006 - Jiri Tlusty
2007 - traded away pick to San Jose
2008 - Schenn (5th)
2009 - Kadri (7th)
2010 - gone for Kessel
2011 - gone for Kessel

If you miss the playoffs for this many years in a row you are supposed to have an army of draft picks in your system - like the Oilers or the Pens did.

 

[Erndog]

I know this is an NHL type topic, but it is also the best Leafs topic I can think of these days.

First we have the lottery on April 10th. How does this work exactly? Is there a lottery for the # 1 pick and then everyone else falls in line behind that or is it possible that # 1 stays # 1 and yet still have # 4 move to # 3 etc.?

Then we have the draft on June 22nd and 23rd from Pittsburgh.

What are the latest prognostications on the order of the draft etc?

I am hoping that the Leafs fall to a spot that does not only give them a godo pick, but a great pick. How many in this years draft are expected to be great picks? Two? Three?

#4 cannot move to #3.

#4 can move to #1 (if they win the lottery), stay at #4 (if #1, 2, or 3 win) or move down one to #5 (if someone behind them wins).

Basically, whomever wins the lottery moves up 4 spots.  Thats all it boils down too.  So the bottom 5 are the only teams that can get the #1 pick.  The 6th team can win the lottery, but they only move up 4 spots to #2.

 

[Zee]

I know this is an NHL type topic, but it is also the best Leafs topic I can think of these days.

First we have the lottery on April 10th. How does this work exactly? Is there a lottery for the # 1 pick and then everyone else falls in line behind that or is it possible that # 1 stays # 1 and yet still have # 4 move to # 3 etc.?

Then we have the draft on June 22nd and 23rd from Pittsburgh.

What are the latest prognostications on the order of the draft etc?

I am hoping that the Leafs fall to a spot that does not only give them a godo pick, but a great pick. How many in this years draft are expected to be great picks? Two? Three?

The lower in the standings you are the better odds you have of winning the draft lottery.  If you're in the bottom 5 in the league you have a shot to move up to #1

48.2% - Columbus Blue Jackets
18.8% - Edmonton Oilers
14.2% - Montreal Canadiens
10.7% - Minnesota Wild
8.1% - Toronto Maple Leafs

I *think* those are the current odds of getting the #1 pick based on today's standings.  You can only move up 4 spots, so only the bottom 5 teams have a chance at #1 (i.e. if the team in 6th last place wins the lottery they move up to spot #2)

 

[Optimus Reimer]

It won't matter.  The Leafs #1 pick will be traded away.

 

[Erndog]

It won't matter.  The Leafs #1 pick will be traded away.

Or will bust, or Burke will be charged with some weird tampering charge and the pick will be revoked.

Either way... no hope.

 

[Fanatic]

Wow. I must be the only one excited about the high draft pick. Everyone else is already assuming the worst.

 

[Arn]

Whatever pick we get, based entirely on a 4 minute video I saw on YouTube, I hope Grigorenko is available.

 

[Erndog]

Wow. I must be the only one excited about the high draft pick. Everyone else is already assuming the worst.

It's a bad year to have a top pick (of course!).

A lot of the top end prospects have issues.  Galchenyuk missed the entire season with a leg injury.  Faksa just got injured last night I believe and apparently it's a serious "head injury".  Gaunce is seen as a 2nd line center at best (that's if all the dominoes fall into place).  Grigorenko's heart and work ethic is being questioned.  Just read this:

As talented as Grigorenko is, he simply does not work hard AT ALL when he doesn?t have the puck, even at crucial moments in a game.  One shift he had about four minutes left to go in a game his team was only losing by one goal perfectly illustrated the point.  After attempting an individualistic play, Grigorenko lost the puck behind the net in the attacking zone, it squirted free to a defenseman about two feet to his right, and he just stood there watching as the defender skated the puck out of trouble without even a hint of trying to track him down or even put mild pressure on him.  It would have been a real eye-opener for us ? if we hadn?t been seeing the exact same thing from him for three years now.

 

[Bender]

Wow. I must be the only one excited about the high draft pick. Everyone else is already assuming the worst.

It's a bad year to have a top pick (of course!).

A lot of the top end prospects have issues.  Galchenyuk missed the entire season with a leg injury.  Faksa just got injured last night I believe and apparently it's a serious "head injury".  Gaunce is seen as a 2nd line center at best (that's if all the dominoes fall into place).  Grigorenko's heart and work ethic is being questioned.  Just read this:

As talented as Grigorenko is, he simply does not work hard AT ALL when he doesn?t have the puck, even at crucial moments in a game.  One shift he had about four minutes left to go in a game his team was only losing by one goal perfectly illustrated the point.  After attempting an individualistic play, Grigorenko lost the puck behind the net in the attacking zone, it squirted free to a defenseman about two feet to his right, and he just stood there watching as the defender skated the puck out of trouble without even a hint of trying to track him down or even put mild pressure on him.  It would have been a real eye-opener for us ? if we hadn?t been seeing the exact same thing from him for three years now.

When was that assessment written? I read that Roy was working with him on his two way game.

 

[Fanatic]

http://www.mynhldraft.com/NHL-Mock-Draft/

If they take the best player available they may end up with a D.

 

[Chev-boyar-sky]

I have this odd feeling that any pick in the 3-5 range and we take Murray.

I don't think D is the most glaring need (from a drafting standpoint at least) but think Burke will take him anyways.

He's had more than a few comparisons to Scotty Nieds and he's Canadian (will keep Cherry quite  ). Again I've got nothing to base it on but just feel this is how things will work out.

 

[WhatIfGodWasALeaf]

http://www.mynhldraft.com/NHL-Mock-Draft/

If they take the best player available they may end up with a D.

The rankings past one and two are pretty varied this year.

I think they take Grigorenko or Galyenchuk if they are on the board, if not they might trade down and take Faksa, this might be one of the only times when BPA (which is not really as clearly defined this year) isn't the way to go, organisational needs might trump that.

 

[drummond]

Burke has to pick a centre. Please no D, we have plenty of D prospects. Grigorenko is obviously most talented, but Galchenyuk would be nice pick too. I guess Burke would prefer taking American prospect over Russian, especially if there are some reports that Grigorenko has work-ethic issues (meaning not exactely Carlyle type of player).

 

[Corn Flake]

Burke has to pick a centre. Please no D, we have plenty of D prospects. Grigorenko is obviously most talented, but Galchenyuk would be nice pick too. I guess Burke would prefer taking American prospect over Russian, especially if there are some reports that Grigorenko has work-ethic issues (meaning not exactely Carlyle type of player).

Filip Forsberg.  That is all.

 

[maplesyrup]

Filip Forsberg.  That is all.

I'm behind on my homework. That said, I keep thinking this draft's Filatov. Why? I have no idea. It certainly isn't based on anything tangible.       

 

[Erndog]

Filip Forsberg.  That is all.

I'm behind on my homework. That said, I keep thinking this draft's Filatov. Why? I have no idea. It certainly isn't based on anything tangible.     

I keep thinking this years MSP.

Hands not quite fully caught up to the rest of him?  I don't know.  To be honest, I don't think many of us do considering we don't get to see him ever.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

It's a bad year to have a top pick (of course!).

A lot of the top end prospects have issues. 

I don't really think that's a fair statement to say. This draft appears to actually have very good talent up top, it's later on where it apparently drops off.

Galchenyuk had the injury thing, sure, but based on his play in the playoffs so far it doesn't seem to have effected his game much. At worst, he'll probably just have to stay in the OHL for another season instead of making the jump right away to the NHL.

I think the Grigorenko criticisms are overblown. Those who question his will seem to be in the minority, and I'm a little skeptical that they have only seemed to pop up in the last couple of months or so. Even still, maybe the Q just isn't challenging enough for him. His combination of size and talent is too appealing to pass up I think.

As for Faksa and Gaunce, while they may be the next two best centremen, they certainly aren't the new two best players available. There's a number of defencemen who all have very high-end potential and it'd be disappointing to see them passed up for one of those centres in the top-5.

If we pick smart I think we're going to get a heck of a player anywhere in the top-5.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

I know this is an NHL type topic, but it is also the best Leafs topic I can think of these days.

First we have the lottery on April 10th. How does this work exactly? Is there a lottery for the # 1 pick and then everyone else falls in line behind that or is it possible that # 1 stays # 1 and yet still have # 4 move to # 3 etc.?

Then we have the draft on June 22nd and 23rd from Pittsburgh.

What are the latest prognostications on the order of the draft etc?

I am hoping that the Leafs fall to a spot that does not only give them a godo pick, but a great pick. How many in this years draft are expected to be great picks? Two? Three?

Potvin posted a few links yesterday that you might want to check out:

http://www.mynhldraft.com/NHL-Mock-Draft/
http://www.tsn.ca/draftcentre/
http://thehockeywriters.com/2012-nhl-entry-draft-guide-the-next-ones/
http://www.nhl.com/ice/eventhome.htm?location=/draft/2012

That Hockey Writers link has a few in-depth profiles on some of the top prospects, including Yakupov, Galchenyuk, Dumba, and Trouba.