Official Armchair GM Thread 2014-2015 Leafs

[Frank E]

Since it's minus 100 outside, I was poking around online at the high-end centers available in this draft.

Assuming the big 3 are out, who do you pick at, say, the 5 spot?  Or do you take another winger or d-man?

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Since it's minus 100 outside, I was poking around online at the high-end centers available in this draft.

Assuming the big 3 are out, who do you pick at, say, the 5 spot?  Or do you take another winger or d-man?

The top-4 will very likely go McDavid-Eichel-Hanifin-Strome. The next pack of players are really all wingers (Marner, Crouse) and defencemen (Kylington, Provorov, Werenski) so the Leafs would have to take one of them or trade down to around the 9-11 spot to get a centre (Zacha, Barzal).

If the Leafs were picking 5th and the big 4 were gone, I'd draft Marner. He's a small but very skilled winger. Not our biggest need but you still have to draft BPA there. I'd consider trading down a few spots if we could land another 2nd round pick in the process (reverse-Schenn trade).

 

[Kin]

Since it's minus 100 outside, I was poking around online at the high-end centers available in this draft.

Assuming the big 3 are out, who do you pick at, say, the 5 spot?  Or do you take another winger or d-man?

BPA. The Leafs aren't close enough to putting the pieces together to be overly worried about position right now. They need top flight young players, they can worry about who plays where once they're good NHL players.

 

[L K]

Since it's minus 100 outside, I was poking around online at the high-end centers available in this draft.

Assuming the big 3 are out, who do you pick at, say, the 5 spot?  Or do you take another winger or d-man?

Assuming the Leafs draft top 5 (but miss out on McDavid, Eichel and Hanifin) I would probably take Strome first, Marner second. 

I think the next guy who would really interest me might be Pavel Zacha.  He's a big center playing for Sarnia who might drop a bit because of his injury this year.  He has struggled somewhat, but I always wonder just how much should be put on the shoulders of a 17 year old kid moving from Europe to play in North America.  He has that #1 center size (6'3-4" and will probably be around 215lbs by next year) and he projects to be a pretty solid defensive player.

The biggest knock against Zacha is that he's not the fastest skater in the world but he is by no means terrible.  I'm just not convinced that he should go in the top 5.

Mikko Rantanen would be another guy who would be nice to have.  Big body (6'4") and a really good 2-way player.  He would certainly boost the size up the middle but again, I'm just not sure if he's top 5 worthy as a selection. 

If the Leafs go on a surge and drop out of the top 5, adding Kylington to the defense would be pretty solid.

Talking about the Nashville pick (if it doesn't end up 30th overall), if they get knocked out early and it ends up being the 22nd pick, my hope would be for one of Travis Konecky or Yevgeni Svetchnikov.

 

[Frank E]

Since it's minus 100 outside, I was poking around online at the high-end centers available in this draft.

Assuming the big 3 are out, who do you pick at, say, the 5 spot?  Or do you take another winger or d-man?

Assuming the Leafs draft top 5 (but miss out on McDavid, Eichel and Hanifin) I would probably take Strome first, Marner second. 

I think the next guy who would really interest me might be Pavel Zacha.  He's a big center playing for Sarnia who might drop a bit because of his injury this year.  He has struggled somewhat, but I always wonder just how much should be put on the shoulders of a 17 year old kid moving from Europe to play in North America.  He has that #1 center size (6'3-4" and will probably be around 215lbs by next year) and he projects to be a pretty solid defensive player.

The biggest knock against Zacha is that he's not the fastest skater in the world but he is by no means terrible.  I'm just not convinced that he should go in the top 5.

Mikko Rantanen would be another guy who would be nice to have.  Big body (6'4") and a really good 2-way player.  He would certainly boost the size up the middle but again, I'm just not sure if he's top 5 worthy as a selection. 

If the Leafs go on a surge and drop out of the top 5, adding Kylington to the defense would be pretty solid.

Talking about the Nashville pick (if it doesn't end up 30th overall), if they get knocked out early and it ends up being the 22nd pick, my hope would be for one of Travis Konecky or Yevgeni Svetchnikov.

Yeah, I meant with Strome already taken, but for sure if he's there at 5 he's my guy.

Crouse is intriguing from a size perspective, but Marner is seen as more skilled...You're a Knights guy (as I was), have you seen Marner play much?

 

[CarltonTheBear]

I think the next guy who would really interest me might be Pavel Zacha.  He's a big center playing for Sarnia who might drop a bit because of his injury this year.  He has struggled somewhat, but I always wonder just how much should be put on the shoulders of a 17 year old kid moving from Europe to play in North America.  He has that #1 center size (6'3-4" and will probably be around 215lbs by next year) and he projects to be a pretty solid defensive player.

The biggest knock against Zacha is that he's not the fastest skater in the world but he is by no means terrible.  I'm just not convinced that he should go in the top 5.

Mikko Rantanen would be another guy who would be nice to have.  Big body (6'4") and a really good 2-way player.  He would certainly boost the size up the middle but again, I'm just not sure if he's top 5 worthy as a selection.

I wrote a couple of months ago that these two would be my two biggest targets at the draft, for all the reasons that you mentioned. Of course, that was before the massive free fall began and we thought we'd be drafting around the 10-spot.

You mentioned Kylington, I'm reading a lot of good things about Provorov too recently, he seems to be moving up the rankings a bit. Either of those defencemen would look nice alongside Rielly. There's a lot of very good players available in this draft, you probably can't go wrong anywhere in the top-10.

 

[Frank E]

Since it's minus 100 outside, I was poking around online at the high-end centers available in this draft.

Assuming the big 3 are out, who do you pick at, say, the 5 spot?  Or do you take another winger or d-man?

BPA. The Leafs aren't close enough to putting the pieces together to be overly worried about position right now. They need top flight young players, they can worry about who plays where once they're good NHL players.

Agreed, but there are a few guys there at every position that seem to all be ranked in that 4-9 range...like no clear-cut BPA in that 5-8.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Talking about the Nashville pick (if it doesn't end up 30th overall), if they get knocked out early and it ends up being the 22nd pick, my hope would be for one of Travis Konecky

Konecny is who  I hope they can snag.

 

[L K]

Since it's minus 100 outside, I was poking around online at the high-end centers available in this draft.

Assuming the big 3 are out, who do you pick at, say, the 5 spot?  Or do you take another winger or d-man?

Assuming the Leafs draft top 5 (but miss out on McDavid, Eichel and Hanifin) I would probably take Strome first, Marner second. 

I think the next guy who would really interest me might be Pavel Zacha.  He's a big center playing for Sarnia who might drop a bit because of his injury this year.  He has struggled somewhat, but I always wonder just how much should be put on the shoulders of a 17 year old kid moving from Europe to play in North America.  He has that #1 center size (6'3-4" and will probably be around 215lbs by next year) and he projects to be a pretty solid defensive player.

The biggest knock against Zacha is that he's not the fastest skater in the world but he is by no means terrible.  I'm just not convinced that he should go in the top 5.

Mikko Rantanen would be another guy who would be nice to have.  Big body (6'4") and a really good 2-way player.  He would certainly boost the size up the middle but again, I'm just not sure if he's top 5 worthy as a selection. 

If the Leafs go on a surge and drop out of the top 5, adding Kylington to the defense would be pretty solid.

Talking about the Nashville pick (if it doesn't end up 30th overall), if they get knocked out early and it ends up being the 22nd pick, my hope would be for one of Travis Konecky or Yevgeni Svetchnikov.

Yeah, I meant with Strome already taken, but for sure if he's there at 5 he's my guy.

Crouse is intriguing from a size perspective, but Marner is seen as more skilled...You're a Knights guy (as I was), have you seen Marner play much?

Not as much as in years past but I have been to 7 games this year and saw more of him last year.  He's really good.  A much better prospect than Kadri and easily the best prospect coming out of London since Patrick Kane (Tavares doesn't count as a rental).

Marner plays in all three zones already.  He works hard on and off the ice.  He's definitely more of a play-making winger than a sniper but his shot is actually pretty solid.  He's a great skater too.  It's not really an entirely fair comparison but he's actually somewhat of a Patrick Kane-lite to be honest.  He models a decent amount of his game off Kane and Kane works with him in the offseasons when he comes back to visit the Knights.

I would stay 1000-yards away from Lawson Crouse.  Crouse has 59 points in 103 OHL games.  That's the kind of production that guarantees a lack of scoring at the NHL level.  I think Crouse is pretty much guaranteed to be a at best a Taylor Pyatt kind of player.

 

[Frank E]

Talking about the Nashville pick (if it doesn't end up 30th overall), if they get knocked out early and it ends up being the 22nd pick, my hope would be for one of Travis Konecky

Konecny is who  I hope they can snag.

Has it all but size?

 

[L K]

Talking about the Nashville pick (if it doesn't end up 30th overall), if they get knocked out early and it ends up being the 22nd pick, my hope would be for one of Travis Konecky

Konecny is who  I hope they can snag.

Has it all but size?

Pretty much.  I think the important distinction though is that the smaller guys we are talking about in the draft this year aren't soft players.  You still don't want your entire lineup to be small but these aren't a bunch of guys who get blown over by a gentle breeze. 

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Any particular reason for Konecny's underwhelming stats this season (and I use that word just because it looks like he won't top his stats from last year when he was a 16-year old).

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Any particular reason for Konecny's underwhelming stats this season (and I use that word just because it looks like he won't top his stats from last year when he was a 16-year old).

He had a slow start to the season (some say a headshot he took early in the season contributed to it) but really took off since the Top Prospects game.  22 points in last 14 games.  Doesn't seem like he's on a very high-flying offensive team either.

Here's a bit more info: http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/juniors/67skonecny-puts-poor-start-behind-him/

 

[Madferret]

Since it's minus 100 outside, I was poking around online at the high-end centers available in this draft.

Assuming the big 3 are out, who do you pick at, say, the 5 spot?  Or do you take another winger or d-man?

Aww muffin. Even with your snow-pants on?

 

[Chev-boyar-sky]

I'd hate to help Montreal out, but in the interest of getting max value out of players and using the Cap to re-build, would there be interest on their part to move Eller plus a first for Winnik, Polak and Panik.

They move a player they've lost confidence in who's overpaid at 3.5M and pick up depth for the playoffs and a youngish prospect in Panik to take away the sting of the first. They only add 300K in Cap space next year with Panik and Polak if they let Winnik walk.

Maybe a pipe dream as 1sts aren't thrown around for depth players but I thought in combination with moving Eller maybe there'd be a possibility there.....

Edit: Bozak in Panik's place get it done?

 

[Kin]

Maybe a pipe dream as 1sts aren't thrown around for depth players but I thought in combination with moving Eller maybe there'd be a possibility there.....

Edit: Bozak in Panik's place get it done?

Nah. Like you said, 1sts don't go for depth players. Bozak, who's probably a 3rd centre on Montreal, doesn't change things substantially.

 

[bustaheims]

I'd hate to help Montreal out, but in the interest of getting max value out of players and using the Cap to re-build, would there be interest on their part to move Eller plus a first for Winnik, Polak and Panik.

I wouldn't trade Panik, but, his situation is complicated. Since he was a waiver pickup this season, before he can be traded, the Leafs have to offer him up for free to any other team that put a claim in on him when he was on waivers.

 

[Crucialness Key]

I'd hate to help Montreal out, but in the interest of getting max value out of players and using the Cap to re-build, would there be interest on their part to move Eller plus a first for Winnik, Polak and Panik.

I wouldn't trade Panik, but, his situation is complicated. Since he was a waiver pickup this season, before he can be traded, the Leafs have to offer him up for free to any other team that put a claim in on him when he was on waivers.

I guess that expires after this season?  That is, he could be included in a draft-day deal (not that I'm eager to dump Panik).

 

[bustaheims]

I guess that expires after this season?  That is, he could be included in a draft-day deal (not that I'm eager to dump Panik).

It does, but I'm not sure if that means end of the regular season or the official end of the season, which if midnight on June 30th.

 

[caver]

Panik would be useful on this team during the rebuild.....