TOP 5 PICK!!!

[lamajama]

At least this year, for the most part, Blowhard is keeping his mouth shut. That's usually when he does his "better" work.

 

[Zee]

At least this year, for the most part, Blowhard is keeping his mouth shut. That's usually when he does his "better" work.

Does this make us more or less likely to expect something big to happen?  It's a catch-22!

 

[CarltonTheBear]

With such a high crucial pick, he is not going to start.  Especially with one who's stock is plummeting, who's heart is being questioned, who's age is in debate and who's desire to play in the NHL vs. KHL is also being questioned.

His stock is plummeting and his heart is being questioned because of a poor second half (well, poor by his standards he was still pretty great). In that second half he played through two different injuries. Had he just sat out the rest of the season we wouldn't even be having this conversation. Everybody would just be giving him the benefit of the doubt like they are Galchenyuk. Instead he plays injured and struggles and everybody jumps all over him. I've said this before, if he was Canadian he'd be getting praised right now for what he did. I'll even go one further and say if he was Canadian he'd be going first overall.

As for your other two points, both are media fabrications. When someone comes up with definite proof of either I'll listen.

 

[Bender]

With such a high crucial pick, he is not going to start.  Especially with one who's stock is plummeting, who's heart is being questioned, who's age is in debate and who's desire to play in the NHL vs. KHL is also being questioned.

His stock is plummeting and his heart is being questioned because of a poor second half (well, poor by his standards he was still pretty great). In that second half he played through two different injuries. Had he just sat out the rest of the season we wouldn't even be having this conversation. Everybody would just be giving him the benefit of the doubt like they are Galchenyuk. Instead he plays injured and struggles and everybody jumps all over him. I've said this before, if he was Canadian he'd be getting praised right now for what he did. I'll even go one further and say if he was Canadian he'd be going first overall.

As for your other two points, both are media fabrications. When someone comes up with definite proof of either I'll listen.

Yeah, I mean how the hell does a guy who's injured for a whole year get better treatment than a guy who played through his injuries all year? I don't view a gap in skill in Galchenyuks favour to be quite honest.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Anyone put any stock in the rumor that Grigorenko is actually 20?

No. This isn't Cold War era Russia we're dealing with here. This is someone trying to stir things up.

Starting to feel like one team is planting this stuff to get his stock to drop.  Probably the Islanders.

There was some talk on twitter about that yesterday. Somebody pointed out it wouldn't be a first for Burke:

felixpotvin Chemmy
.@FriedgeHNIC reported that in 1993 Burke left fake draft reports around hotels saying Pronger was 8th on Hartford's list.

 

[Corn Flake]

Anyone put any stock in the rumor that Grigorenko is actually 20?

No. This isn't Cold War era Russia we're dealing with here. This is someone trying to stir things up.

Starting to feel like one team is planting this stuff to get his stock to drop.  Probably the Islanders.

There was some talk on twitter about that yesterday. Somebody pointed out it wouldn't be a first for Burke:

felixpotvin Chemmy
.@FriedgeHNIC reported that in 1993 Burke left fake draft reports around hotels saying Pronger was 8th on Hartford's list.

well there ya go.  We know teams plant trade talk in the media all the time, so no reason why they wouldn't use it to try and manipulate the draft. 

Someone should plant a fake photocopy of Grigorenko's birth certificate showing he's really 37 and a girl.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Someone should plant a fake photocopy of Grigorenko's birth certificate showing he's really 37 and a girl.

I want x-ray photos to prove he literally doesn't have a heart.

 

[rdowdall]

Someone should plant a fake photocopy of Grigorenko's birth certificate showing he's really 37 and a girl.

I want x-ray photos to prove he literally doesn't have a heart.

I know this is way out there, but if Burke or the Leafs did start this plummet by planting the seeds, and he falls to fifth, and the Leafs draft him, then it's gotta be bitter sweet in a way because you could never take credit for it.

 

[Tigger]

Someone should plant a fake photocopy of Grigorenko's birth certificate showing he's really 37 and a girl.

I want x-ray photos to prove he literally doesn't have a heart.

jury duty, jury duty, jury duty, black mail, pink slip, chain letter, eviction notice, jury duty...

How the Grinchorenko stole Christmas.... it's only two sizes too small...

 

[ZBBM]

Someone should plant a fake photocopy of Grigorenko's birth certificate showing he's really 37 and a girl.

I want x-ray photos to prove he literally doesn't have a heart.

jury duty, jury duty, jury duty, black mail, pink slip, chain letter, eviction notice, jury duty...

How the Grinchorenko stole Christmas.... it's only two sizes too small...

If Burke passes on Grig at 5 I'll see that his head ends up on top of a 39-and-a-half-foot pole.

 

[Jalili]

If this guy is still there at 5 you take him, period. I love the comparison to Semin, as if Semin's a complete bust.

I don't think Semin is someone you really want to hope to help build around though.  He is one of the few that I think is rightly criticized for long periods of indifferent play, because he has all the offensive skill to dominate consistently.

Yeah I think semin is a good example of the kind of high skill players that gms are trying to avoid to some extent. They want guys who play into the team concept and everything that goes with it, rather than gambling on individualist type players.. like semin and zherdev.

I don't know if grigorenko is or isn't one of those types though

 

[bustaheims]

I don't think Semin is someone you really want to hope to help build around though.  He is one of the few that I think is rightly criticized for long periods of indifferent play, because he has all the offensive skill to dominate consistently.

Sure, but, at the same time, when you're drafting 5th in a draft like this, you don't pass on a guy like that, because, even with the warts, he's likely to be the best player available to you.

 

[Champ Kind]

Someone should plant a fake photocopy of Grigorenko's birth certificate showing he's really 37 and a girl.

I want x-ray photos to prove he literally doesn't have a heart.

jury duty, jury duty, jury duty, black mail, pink slip, chain letter, eviction notice, jury duty...

How the Grinchorenko stole Christmas.... it's only two sizes too small...

If Burke passes on Grig at 5 I'll see that his head ends up on top of a 39-and-a-half-foot pole.

You know, I get that we're having fun with this discussion, but are any of us on this end really in a position to conclude whether Burke should take this player over that one?  I mean, say the Leafs don't take Grigorenko, the Sunday morning quarterbacks will say it's because he's Russian, it's because of his heart, the KHL< blah blah blah.  But what if the Leafs scouts didn't think Grigo was that good?  Can anyone on this forum dispute that?  Have any of us seen him play enough to make that determination?

Definitely not trying to be disrespectful here, but it just occurs to me that my knowledge of these young players is based on second and third hand knowledge at best.  I happen to like Galchenyuk, but I'm not sure that opinion really means much.

 

[Tigger]

I happen to like Galchenyuk, but I'm not sure that opinion really means much.

Fwiw, I've seen Galchenyuk play and I liked what I saw. I kid over Grigorenko but then it's all about some kind of risk, and I haven't seen him play ( I mean in person ).

"O, you are well-tuned now, / But I'll set down the pegs that make this music, / As honest as I am"....

Cannikins for all...

 

[Corn Flake]

I don't think Semin is someone you really want to hope to help build around though.  He is one of the few that I think is rightly criticized for long periods of indifferent play, because he has all the offensive skill to dominate consistently.

Sure, but, at the same time, when you're drafting 5th in a draft like this, you don't pass on a guy like that, because, even with the warts, he's likely to be the best player available to you.

I would rather end up with a 2nd/3rd line character guy with this pick than a 1st line skill guy who has none.  I don't think you with with Semin type players. Even one is too many.  The Kings and Bruins had none on their cup winning teams. Now that's not to say Grigorenko is like that. I haven't met him so would have no idea, but the Leafs and other teams would/should know.

 

[louisstamos]

    The Kings and Bruins had none on their cup winning teams.

I don't know about that...pre-playoffs, you could say that Dustin Penner was exactly the Semin type.  Took shifts off, had size but didn't use it, floated, etc.  But in the end, he ended up being pretty instrumental in their cup run...

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

I don't think Semin is someone you really want to hope to help build around though.  He is one of the few that I think is rightly criticized for long periods of indifferent play, because he has all the offensive skill to dominate consistently.

Sure, but, at the same time, when you're drafting 5th in a draft like this, you don't pass on a guy like that, because, even with the warts, he's likely to be the best player available to you.

Yeah, and I think the issues with a guy like Semin are things that you probably won't ever be able to tell for sure before drafting him.

 

[Corn Flake]

I don't know about that...pre-playoffs, you could say that Dustin Penner was exactly the Semin type.  Took shifts off, had size but didn't use it, floated, etc.  But in the end, he ended up being pretty instrumental in their cup run...

True.. but Penner has 2 cups and Semin has no cups and was a no show yet again. 

Penner is just one rather unique example of a guy who is stupid lazy in the reg. season and somehow just goes crazy in the playoffs. 

 

[CarltonTheBear]

This draft has potential to be hilariously bad for me. There's rumblings Yakupov might fall to 3 and apparently Burke said he's leaning towards a defenceman at 5. I'm not sure I can watch.

 

[maplesyrup]

Hey, we're back!... Ter?v?inen @3 to Montreal is the latest rumour...