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

[Lancer]

Apparently another 2 points today for Virtanen at the World U-18's

I'm leaning back to Jake now

Liked how him and Ekblad had there own personal war against each other in that prospect game, laying out vicious hits on each other throughout the game, kid seems like he has a little jarkko ruutu/Matt Cooke running through his veins when it comes to viscous hits. I like that

Dude, the kid has a mean streak, but what really wows me is his shot. The kid can launch a rocket of a wrister from the top of the circles that, frankly, reminds me of Naslund in his hey-day.

I appreciate the power moves a guy like Ritchie can pull off against some big kids in junior, but I can still see him being a bit of a project a-la Kassian. Wouldn't be bent out of shape if Linden & Co. picked him.

I hear what you're saying about the likes of Ehlers and Nylander. Thing is, a kid like Ehlers playing in Junior shows me more than a kid like Nylander playing a bit of time in Sweden. Nothing saying Nylander may not turn out as good, but you have a better idea of what you're getting from the kids in the CHL.

[Meds]

What are the chances that Edmonton will trade up to get Ekblad? They desperately need blueliners in that system, and I can foresee them offering up their 3rd overall + Yakupov + 1st (2016) to get that. I really don't see the Oilers drafting another forward at this juncture.....I mean, as far as franchise and team building goes, they can't be that dumb.....can they?

They would be fucking nuts to do that. Why not offer that package for Shea Weber? You'd probably get him...

They also have Nurse, Marincin and Klefbom developing and Schultz is already playing on the squad, is only 23, and is already a .5 PPG player. I think Ekblad would be a great addition to Edmonton, but they don't need to empty the bank for him. A guy like Bennet as the 2C would be great for Edmonton.

Offense is really not Edmonton's problem. Schultz is useless defensively. Nurse is still another year away. I don't know much about Marincin or Klefbom. Ekblad projects as a blueline anchor that most teams salivate over. None of those other 4 you mentioned come close.

You are right about that being a crazy package, it would be overpayment, although I doubt it gets Shea Weber. Yakupov is just as likely to return to Russia as he is to turn into any kind of impact player in the NHL. Trading this year's 3rd overall for 1st overall cancels out. Yak won't become anything of value if he stays in Oiltown. The Oilers will probably be a candidate for the 1st overall lottery again next season (barring any -highly unlikely- major UFA signings), so they will want to keep the 2015 pick. Giving up the 2016 pick isn't as risky because by then they should be a team that is in the top 20. So really you are giving up Yak and a complete unknown to secure Ekblad. Hardly emptying the bank.

[ClamRussel]

What are the chances that Edmonton will trade up to get Ekblad? They desperately need blueliners in that system, and I can foresee them offering up their 3rd overall + Yakupov + 1st (2016) to get that. I really don't see the Oilers drafting another forward at this juncture.....I mean, as far as franchise and team building goes, they can't be that dumb.....can they?

They would be fucking nuts to do that. Why not offer that package for Shea Weber? You'd probably get him...

They also have Nurse, Marincin and Klefbom developing and Schultz is already playing on the squad, is only 23, and is already a .5 PPG player. I think Ekblad would be a great addition to Edmonton, but they don't need to empty the bank for him. A guy like Bennet as the 2C would be great for Edmonton.

Offense is really not Edmonton's problem. Schultz is useless defensively. Nurse is still another year away. I don't know much about Marincin or Klefbom. Ekblad projects as a blueline anchor that most teams salivate over. None of those other 4 you mentioned come close.

You are right about that being a crazy package, it would be overpayment, although I doubt it gets Shea Weber. Yakupov is just as likely to return to Russia as he is to turn into any kind of impact player in the NHL. Trading this year's 3rd overall for 1st overall cancels out. Yak won't become anything of value if he stays in Oiltown. The Oilers will probably be a candidate for the 1st overall lottery again next season (barring any -highly unlikely- major UFA signings), so they will want to keep the 2015 pick. Giving up the 2016 pick isn't as risky because by then they should be a team that is in the top 20. So really you are giving up Yak and a complete unknown to secure Ekblad. Hardly emptying the bank.

Yak+2 unknowns is way too much for Ekblad. Yak+ flipping picks this year should do it if Florida likes the Yak.

[Meds]

Yak+2 unknowns is way too much for Ekblad. Yak+ flipping picks this year should do it if Florida likes the Yak.

I don't think many teams "like the Yak" right now. Sure he's young, and he's got speed, but he's done nothing with it. 24 points in 63 games is brutal. RNH, Eberle, and Hall, all put up way better numbers in their first two seasons.....and we won't even discuss Yak's Edler-like plus/minus.

I would say that flipping picks is really not a huge trade when you are talking 1st and 3rd overall in the same year. For the Panthers to make that trade they would obviously have identified a team need to be drafting a forward over a defenseman, so they are basically giving up the option to make the choice between Reinhart and Bennet.....not really a big sacrifice, and I probably not "unknowns" in those two skaters.

Yak is probably as much of an unknown at this point as a 2016 first rounder, but there's a chance he still has some big upside in the NHL, probably more chance of it in the eastern conference.

So really it's just 2 unknowns for Ekblad.

[Diehard1]

Yak+2 unknowns is way too much for Ekblad. Yak+ flipping picks this year should do it if Florida likes the Yak.

I don't think many teams "like the Yak" right now. Sure he's young, and he's got speed, but he's done nothing with it. 24 points in 63 games is brutal. RNH, Eberle, and Hall, all put up way better numbers in their first two seasons.....and we won't even discuss Yak's Edler-like plus/minus.

I would say that flipping picks is really not a huge trade when you are talking 1st and 3rd overall in the same year. For the Panthers to make that trade they would obviously have identified a team need to be drafting a forward over a defenseman, so they are basically giving up the option to make the choice between Reinhart and Bennet.....not really a big sacrifice, and I probably not "unknowns" in those two skaters.

Yak is probably as much of an unknown at this point as a 2016 first rounder, but there's a chance he still has some big upside in the NHL, probably more chance of it in the eastern conference.

So really it's just 2 unknowns for Ekblad.

Agreed, Yakupov is awful. Just a terrible 1st overall pick, the kid has no idea what he's doing out there if he's not scoring, and he's not scoring right now. The Oil screwed this one up again as he was nowhere near ready for the pros but they force fed him. That organization hasn't got a clue and I'm happy that's the case.

I'm not sure any of the top 5 picks will move given the top 5 players are pretty set in stone.

As for Virtanen, he's got some great tools but looks extremely raw. I like the fact he's a hometown kid but that should only come into play if he's as good or better than others. Ritchie is much more polished - I don't know who said he was a project like Kass but they are wrong. He's likely not ready for the league yet but that's mostly because he needs work on his conditioning, not his skills as much.

Guess we will see - still Ritchie as my pick assuming the top 5 stay as is, followed by Nylander who is looking very good at the u18s. Ehlers and Virtanen are the next two and there's some distance in my mind.

[Chef Boi RD]

Canada is leading the Slovaks 2-1 in the 2nd. Both goals by Perlini

Perlini could be the dark horse here - big, fast, skilled, high IQ, great at puck possession

[olpaddy]

Canada is leading the Slovaks 2-1 in the 2nd. Both goals by Perlini

Perlini could be the dark horse here - big, fast, skilled, high IQ, great at puck possession

for shame pacific blue for shame....

[Blob Mckenzie]

Canada is leading the Slovaks 2-1 in the 2nd. Both goals by Perlini

Perlini could be the dark horse here - big, fast, skilled, high IQ, great at puck possession

Up and down like a whore's pants

[Island Nucklehead]

I can see the Oilers jumping for a guy like Draisaitl 6'1, 210 Centre. Can also see some teams jumping up to grab Ritchie because of the size/skill package. The Canucks could really luck out if a guy like Dal Colle falls to us.

If the Canucks do make a splash by trading Kesler/Edler, and grab a mid-round 1st, I'd look long and hard at Alex Tuch, 6'3/215 RW/C playing for the USDP.

[ClamRussel]

Ritchie is much more polished - I don't know who said he was a project like Kass but they are wrong. He's likely not ready for the league yet but that's mostly because he needs work on his conditioning, not his skills as much.

Guess we will see - still Ritchie as my pick assuming the top 5 stay as is, followed by Nylander who is looking very good at the u18s. Ehlers and Virtanen are the next two and there's some distance in my mind.

I said that, usually w/ power forwards like this it takes longer to arrive at their potential than pure skilled forwards. It takes patience for proper development, it's not a criticism. Kassian needed to work on his conditioning as well, his skills were always there. Coaches wanted a more responsible error free game from him which is reasonable. Do you see Ritchie as sound defensively? Can he step in at 20? How effective would he be playing w/ men as a 19 or 20 yr old? What I was getting at was I saw him as a player who might take a few years to hit his stride. Kassian looked pretty damn good in junior as well, he's starting to look like that in the NHL consistently at 23. Most online opinions are based on limited tv or highlight videos. You've seen Ritchie multiple times so you'd have better insight on him than most.

[Island Nucklehead]

I think they are different players, and both would be useful to the Canucks.

Ritchie has more skill (IMHO), and Kassian is one of the meaner players on the ice. Who knows if Ritchie winds up like a Dustin Penner, but he's got the physical tools to put up serious points if his work-ethic allows it. Kassian is a stone-cold killer, a guy who plays on the edge and hits with bad intentions. He enjoys punishing people much more than Ritchie, it seems. Kassian has good offensive instincts, but is more of the playmaker than shooter. I'd take both guys on my team any day, and they could form one of the scariest lines in the league if they are put together.

[Chef Boi RD]

Hey paddycakes, if we do that rumoured trade deadline deal with Anaheim, snagging Ottawa's first (10th) who are you taking? With the presumption that Nylander, Virtanen, Ritchie and Ehlers are gone by then?

[olpaddy]

Hey paddycakes, if we do that rumoured trade deadline deal with Anaheim, snagging Ottawa's first (10th) who are you taking? With the presumption that Nylander, Virtanen, Ritchie and Ehlers are gone by then?

Fleury

[olpaddy]

Hey paddycakes, if we do that rumoured trade deadline deal with Anaheim, snagging Ottawa's first (10th) who are you taking? With the presumption that Nylander, Virtanen, Ritchie and Ehlers are gone by then?

Fleury

[Chef Boi RD]

Yeah I'd grab Fleury, we could use some depth on D prospects