Welcome to the Dark Side Minions: The Top Draft Prospects'14

[olpaddy]

Im with Craig Button, Virtanen is a late first rounder or a second rounder.

Didn't Button pick us to take Virtanen at 6?

Lol, I'm going back to Buttons previous ranking. Buttons a clown, I should stop reading his draft rankings

What are your thoughts on Virtanen?

Watch the video AND LISTEN BC BOY RIGHT HANDED SHOT PHYSICAL AND CAN SKATE... Your Boy Button has him going to us at 6

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpbmydIO1aY

[SKYO]

So much Swedish love for the 50/50 Canadian/Swedish William Nylander, ask almost swedish hockey fan and they got nothing but praise for him, elite skills.

Cuz he's the best draft-eligible prospect they have this year. Steer clear of him unless you want to wait 3+ years for a 2nd line C who won't bowl anybody over.

Meh....

He could be the more talented Teravainen of this draft though, all he needs is some Patrick Kane like muscle, asap as he's 17 playing against men in MODO in the SHL, which will help him develop faster.
In a couple years he should ready to go and thats when Kesler's contract is finished.

Virtanen could be changing my mind though haha, in these under18 championships.

Ah well luckily there's still a lot of time to analyze these future draftees, and who knows what can transpire at the draft.

[Island Nucklehead]

He could be the more talented Teravainen of this draft though, all he needs is some Patrick Kane like muscle, asap as he's 17 playing against men in MODO in the SHL, which will help him develop faster.
In a couple years he should ready to go and thats when Kesler's contract is finished.

Naslund should be able to give us the straight goods then? No?

I'm not opposed to Nylander, but many scouts have him going in the 8-11 range.

For me, it's Ritchie or Ehlers. Both guys are playing in NA, for one, so both should have been scouted more regularly. Ritchie could go in the top-5, and Ehlers is looking like a dynamic player that could balance our attack nicely as a skill guy to compliment the size game we appear to be going for.

Kassian-Ritchie could be hard to pass up on the wings, and Ehlers has that top-end talent that could be a pure speed-sniper that we so desperately lack.

[Meds]

I thought I read in THN that Draisaitl has gotten comparison's to Joe Thornton, and that he's a LW but also plays C.....if this is true, then he should be the top choice. He's European, but he's playing in the Dub, so he's no stranger to the North American game, and puts up crazy numbers in the defense first league of the CHL.

After him.....

Dal Colle, Virtanen, or Ritchie. All of them get props for having a nose for scoring goals, and all of them have some size, Dal Colle apparently has the best shot of them all but he's a slighter frame. Either of Ritchie or Virtanen would be strong additions, they can score and take the body.

Ehlers is small. The Canucks don't need another lightweight, Shinkaruk will do nicely.

[Canuck-One]

I want a physically proactive team that has the oppositions head on a swivel. We won't get that with little soft players. Either Ritchie or Virtanen should be the first pick. We have some decent young potential but until it's realized that's all it is, potential. So draft for size and skill not simply Mason Raymonds.

[Chef Boi RD]

Virtanen might be winning me back with his great U-18 showing. If the consensus top 5 are gone by the time we pick, it's

Ritchie
Virtanen
Perlini
Tuch

All big forwards. No to the wee forwards - Nylander, Ehlers, Kapanen, McCann

[Chef Boi RD]

RD's top 6 mock draft

Florida - Ekblad
Buffalo - Reinhart
Edmonton - Draisaitl
Calgary - Bennett
Islanders - Dal Colle
Vancouver - Ritchie

[rats19]

Ritchie should be good hey?

[olpaddy]

RD's top 6 mock draft

Florida - Ekblad
Buffalo - Reinhart
Edmonton - Draisaitl
Calgary - Bennett
Islanders - Dal Colle
Vancouver - Ritchie

its a 4 player draft Pacific Blue if Draisaitl or Dal Colle fall u take em if Not its between Ritchie and the Local boy Virtanen...

Stay away from this at all costs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VK28r7DxHzo

sidenote Virtanen a late b day doesn`t turn 18 til August

[Chef Boi RD]

I agree Paddy, Ehlers will get brought back down to earth pretty quickly in the big league. Ritchie or Virtanen.

[Island Nucklehead]

Stay away from this at all costs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VK28r7DxHzo

Don't see your point. Ritchie already has a history of concussion and shoulder injuries, which is a bit scary for a guy that likes to bang and fight. He's going to have to work on his conditioning before he makes the jump to the NHL, he probably could stand to drop 10-15 pounds and play in that 220 pound range.

Ehlers finished 8th in goals in the entire CHL. What are the odds he winds up putting on 15 pounds of muscle when he physically develops? I'd say pretty good. Obviously there's risk, and Ritchie might be the "safer" pick, but if Ehlers develops into the next Zach Parise we'll be kicking ourselves. 5'11 isn't tiny, it's slightly undersized. Ehlers will probably wind up playing in the NHL at 5'11, 185. Just as examples, in their draft year Teuro Teravainen was the same size. Erik Karlsson was even slighter.

I'd probably prefer Ritchie, because personally I like the big bodied/physical/mean-streak style of hockey players in the Cam Neely mould. But I wouldn't be terribly upset to get a skilled player like Ehlers.

[Diehard1]

Stay away from this at all costs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VK28r7DxHzo

Don't see your point. Ritchie already has a history of concussion and shoulder injuries, which is a bit scary for a guy that likes to bang and fight. He's going to have to work on his conditioning before he makes the jump to the NHL, he probably could stand to drop 10-15 pounds and play in that 220 pound range.

Ehlers finished 8th in goals in the entire CHL. What are the odds he winds up putting on 15 pounds of muscle when he physically develops? I'd say pretty good. Obviously there's risk, and Ritchie might be the "safer" pick, but if Ehlers develops into the next Zach Parise we'll be kicking ourselves. 5'11 isn't tiny, it's slightly undersized. Ehlers will probably wind up playing in the NHL at 5'11, 185. Just as examples, in their draft year Teuro Teravainen was the same size. Erik Karlsson was even slighter.

I'd probably prefer Ritchie, because personally I like the big bodied/physical/mean-streak style of hockey players in the Cam Neely mould. But I wouldn't be terribly upset to get a skilled player like Ehlers.

When will people stop thinking this? Ritchie had one concussion, two years ago - that's a history? Well the. Every single hockey player has a history. He also had a sinus infection that was initially thought to be a concussion but wasn't. His shoulder was fixed through surgery and he's played a full season since. The kid is fine. He will have to change his body composition but I think he will play at 230, he's got a huge frame and he's only 18 so will definitely lose fat and put on muscle. This 'history of injuries' drives me nuts, do your homework people!

Ehlers is small (160 pounds) and will definitely also gain muscle, maybe play at 180 or so. Thing is, we have a player who is very similar in Shinkaruk who also plays LW and is small and speedy. I like the guy, think he will be a very good player, but Ritchie's type is needed more.

If Ritchie isn't the choice then for me it's Nylander. He can play all 3 forward positions and is just as good a skater as Ehlers.

Ritchie or Nylander make the most sense. Judging by Trevor's comments that he sees a few big, physical forwards around 6 I think he agrees as well.

[ClamRussel]

The idea of Ritchie & Kassian manning the wings together in a couple years is intriguing.

[Chef Boi RD]

Yes, Ehlers is intriguing but Shinkaruk is enough for us in that department, not to mention Schroeder. We need a Ritchie, Virtanen type on the wings.

What's this stuff about Nylander being a primadonna?

[SKYO]

Yes, Ehlers is intriguing but Shinkaruk is enough for us in that department, not to mention Schroeder. We need a Ritchie, Virtanen type on the wings.

What's this stuff about Nylander being a primadonna?

I think his pops was trying to control his swedish hockey life, when modo sent william to his dads team, he won't have that power over here obviously.

hf/joe89: He signed with MoDo for two years, they then assigned him to Rögle to play with his father, didn't work out well so they worked something out with his old club Södertälje(without father) mid-season instead. And somewhere in between and after that, he's been up with MoDo.

there's a whole thread about him on hf with swedes chiming in, some quotes:

Watched him against Västerås the other night and he looked great. He still has the body of a kid, think RNH in his draft year, maybe even smaller. Yet he manages to be a major factor against men. Extremely skilled with the puck, smooth skating, the ability to change pace and fantastic passing, great at getting the puck into a players wheelhouse for the onetimer. Actually made some nifty defensive plays to steal the puck, playing in SHL and Allsvenskan is probably great for his development since there's a big focus on centers holding their own defensively, he's no defensive stalwart but he seems willing to learn. Still tends to make a few stupid plays and give away the puck, also gets outmuscled in pretty much every man on man battle but I have to give him credit for trying.

If he were playing in the CHL I believe he'd put up great offensive numbers and likely challenge for the number 1 spot. I do however believe playing in Sweden against men is much better for his development since there's a focus on getting stronger and better defensively, his two main flaws. Probably needs to work on his shot as well, but I do believe that'll come with strength.

He'd be a perfect fit on the Sabres considering they're looking for highly skilled offensive guys. However probably a bit too high risk-high reward for them with the top pick even though I'd consider it if I were them. If he drops, which is a clear possibility, he could be a massive steal for a team looking for offense.

One of the highest pure offensive ceilings out of a swedish prospect in a long long time. Bäckström I guess? Still only potential and he certainly is high risk but could very well be the best player out of this draft in a few years. Not NHL ready in at least 2-3 seasons I'd say.

"How would he rank compared to Zibanejad, Filip Forsberg and Elias Lindholm?"
Short version: He's better offensively than all of them, he doesn't have many weaknesses with the puck. His skating overall is the best of the bunch. He will run your PP. He's the weakest defensively and the other three have solid frames while he's on the small side. Compared to players like Lindholm and Zibanejad he carries a lot of risk.