Rangers, Devils, and Blackhawks all bucking the odds and moving up to top 3 picks. Coming up after the commercial break, of course.
OT: NHL draft lottery
- Thread starter ClassOf02v.2
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Great day for hockey in the region.
Ranger-Devil rivalry just got a bit more interesting for years
Hughes vs Kaako.
Ranger-Devil rivalry just got a bit more interesting for years
Hughes vs Kaako.
Bad night for Flyers fans :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:
Did the Devils sign Walsh yet?
Since he was drafted I said to keep an eye on him. Future stud offensive defenseman.
Looks like Hall is leaving the Devils after next season, he doesn't seem too happy with the franchise:
“I’ve been to the playoffs once in my career. I’ve played five playoff games and won once,” he said. “There’s only so much patience you can have at this age and at this point in time. The league is getting younger and younger. Father Time is undefeated.”
https://www.northjersey.com/story/s...ck-some-talent-addresses-contract/3397591002/
That is a fair assessment. However, provided the Devs don't trade him, if they can get back to the playoffs and make a run next season, that could change.
Seriously, what are the chances of the 3rd worst team in the NHL making a "run" next season? Playoffs perhaps, but a legit run?
All depends on your goal tender. Goalie gets hot and away you go.
I'm not sold on Walsh yet, he has a legit cannon for a shot but I do wonder if that's all he has because I don't recall him scoring any other way, he had 12 goals but 9 came on the PP, but man, that shot of his is a rocket!
I do know his defensive game needs work.
Still can't believe we won that damn lottery tonight.
This is the other reason winning this lottery was big tonight, it helps keep Hall in Jersey.
I also suspect Hall made those comments more towards Shero, because last off season Shero **** the bed not improving the defense and the team in general, he basically stood pat, so Hall is right to be annoyed by that. But bottom line is with the addition of Hughes and if Shero can pick up a top defenseman, there is reason to be optimistic.
He shoots it and BANG it's in the net. That's a gift from the Hockey God's.
I think the only thing any scout knows is Hughes and Kakko are the only elite prospects in this draft, they're too close in talent to pick one over the other for certain, but I think the majority of scouts have Hughes.... for now.
Hughes is buddies with Hall. Or at least they train together in the summers.
Hughes has to be picked by the Devils.
Hughes has to be picked by the Devils.
Would be thrilled to see the Rangers land Kakko.
Yep. Which is why both the Devils and the Rangers are HUGE winners tonight. There’s a clear top 2 prospects and these teams’ odds had their most likely picks to be 3 (NJD) and 6 (NYR). Massive for both teams.
Still over two months for the Devils to decide.
Around this time two years ago, Nolan Patrick was the popular top prospect
Nico then overtook him on most draft boards leading up to June.
So far, Nico has been way better in the NHL
Around this time two years ago, Nolan Patrick was the popular top prospect
Nico then overtook him on most draft boards leading up to June.
So far, Nico has been way better in the NHL
And Flyers HUGE losers. Things have been looking up for them, they still do, but the last thing them or their fans wanted to see was two of their top rivals significantly closing the talent gap as Flyers have one of the best prospect pools in the league. But both the Devils and Rangers prospect pools took big leaps tonight.
This is the 4th time in his 9-year career that Taylor Hall has won the draft lottery. Thanks to his unrivaled excellence in these lotteries, at the end of the day the Devils have traded Adam Larsson for Taylor Hall, Nico Hischier and either Jack Hughes or Kaapo Kakko.
On a serious note, also worthy of mentioning in my opinion is that a local kid named Arthur Kaliyev is projected to go somewhere between 10th and 20th overall. He was born in Uzbekistan and raised in Staten Island. He frequently came to the rink I work at in Somerset to take private lessons and attend clinics up until about five years ago when he moved to Michigan to play U14 AAA as a 13-year old, glad it has paid off for him!
On a serious note, also worthy of mentioning in my opinion is that a local kid named Arthur Kaliyev is projected to go somewhere between 10th and 20th overall. He was born in Uzbekistan and raised in Staten Island. He frequently came to the rink I work at in Somerset to take private lessons and attend clinics up until about five years ago when he moved to Michigan to play U14 AAA as a 13-year old, glad it has paid off for him!
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I have seen Kaliyev move into the top 10 in some mocks, and he was rumored to be someone the Rangers were interested in if they had their usual luck and dropped in the lottery from 6th to 8th.
Clearly a sour rangers fan, it is entirely possible for the devils to make a run at the playoffs next year. They made it in last season, and then this year played without their top player and top goalie for most of the year. Hall is healthy, schneider finished strong. I am not saying its a lock but this isn't a team that is lacking considerable talent. They have holes for sure but they aren't empty.
As for Hughes vs Kakko. It is closer than originally thought, but Hughes is the better prospect. Kakko is great too and rangers fans should be happy to get him, but the Rangers might find themselves at the bottom of the barrell again next season.
Another thing to take under consideration - the core of young Devils players (Nico, Bratt, Wood, Coleman, Zacha, Severson...) will all have another year under their belt.
And I do place some of the blame on last year on Shero even so I like the guy and think we're fortunate to have him, but when we let John Moore go and didn't replace him or upgrade the defense at all, that was a miscalculation on his part because it turned into a disaster.....which looks like will turn into Jack Hughes, but still, you can't stand pat with that unit if we want to compete because when your toughest defenseman is Vatanen, that's not good.
Clearly a sour Devils fan.....I kid, I kid :sunglasses:
As a Rangers fan, I agree we're likely to have a rough year again next year, but I do like the way we're handling this rebuild (finally). We'll likely get Kakko, another high draft pick next year, and we'll have had 7 first round picks since 2017. If Tampa wins the cup, make that 8. If Dallas makes it to the western conference finals and Zucc plays in half their games, make that 9. We finally have had the patience required to do this the right way.
As a Ranger fan, I'd love that. I wanted to get the #2 because I think Kakko will have the better career despite Hughes having a higher ceiling and I doubt any NHL GM will risk reaching over the consensus #1.
Few things on prospects... Hughes is the clear 1 OA at this point. It's effectively unanimous across scouting reports, polls, etc. Kakko is clear #2 as well because there's drop after that.
Kakko has gained traction since WJC and has closed the gap for sure (people were citing Hughes as #1 prior to last years draft). But hard to see him surpassing Hughes given (a) general league-wide NA bias, (b) Shero is a big USDP guy and knows Hughes family, and (to far lesser extent, if at all, (c) the Hall factor.
That said, Kakko is a more NHL ready in terms of current level of competition and his size / frame. He'd have good shot to play on big boy club next year. Hughes hasn't disclosed intentions yet Re pro or college, but his body hasn't matured yet and he's strongly benefit from adding weight to his frame. He'd be first player to directly jump from USDP to pros as well.
Either way, the two local teams won last night and will win regardless of who picks who.
Kakko has gained traction since WJC and has closed the gap for sure (people were citing Hughes as #1 prior to last years draft). But hard to see him surpassing Hughes given (a) general league-wide NA bias, (b) Shero is a big USDP guy and knows Hughes family, and (to far lesser extent, if at all, (c) the Hall factor.
That said, Kakko is a more NHL ready in terms of current level of competition and his size / frame. He'd have good shot to play on big boy club next year. Hughes hasn't disclosed intentions yet Re pro or college, but his body hasn't matured yet and he's strongly benefit from adding weight to his frame. He'd be first player to directly jump from USDP to pros as well.
Either way, the two local teams won last night and will win regardless of who picks who.
Now that the Flyers finally have a goalie, and with the Islanders having greatly upgraded their management this past year, the situation is poised for there to be some sick rivalries between the Rangers/Devils/Isles/Flyers over the next bunch of years as the window closes on the Washington and Pittsburgh dominance.