2015 NHL Entry Draft

[Supernova]

Wouldn't get caught up in Marner's weight.  I've compared him to Giroux before, and Giroux was around 5'10", 160 lbs when he was drafted.  By the time of the Flyers camp he had put on 10 lbs of muscle.  Not hard to imagine the same sort of path for Marner.

I agree.
With the Hunter connection, I am almost certain Marner will be our pick. Just as long as the Yotes don't mess it up. Yotes likely select Strome, which makes the decision between Hanifin and Marner quite the conundrum.

 

[Bullfrog]

Just curious, but why is it likely the Coyotes will pick Strome?

 

[Kin]

Just curious, but why is it likely the Coyotes will pick Strome?

I can't speak for who you asked but I really think the Coyotes will take Strome too. My reasoning is that because the Coyotes were so obviously in the tank for Eichel/McDavid they'll be pretty likely to still want to end up with a Center. 

 

[Bullfrog]

If that's the case, it might be difficult for the Leafs to pass on Hanifin. If there's a chance he could have a future Doughty-like impact, it'd be a real shame to pass on that.

Even though the Leafs need help in every position, having Nylander would soften the blow a bit on missing out on Marner and Strome.

 

[Boston Leaf]

If Marner is there at 4 and Leafs pass on him I would be leary if I were the others picking 5, 6, 7 etc. I would think it would mean that between the Hunter boys (Mark and you know Dale has told him everything as well) they see something in him or his game that they are not comfortable with

 

[Kin]

If Marner is there at 4 and Leafs pass on him I would be leary if I were the others picking 5, 6, 7 etc. I would think it would mean that between the Hunter boys (Mark and you know Dale has told him everything as well) they see something in him or his game that they are not comfortable with

Couldn't it just as easily mean that they just like Strome or Hanifin's game a little better? Or think Defense/Center are positions of greater importance?

 

[Boston Leaf]

If Marner is there at 4 and Leafs pass on him I would be leary if I were the others picking 5, 6, 7 etc. I would think it would mean that between the Hunter boys (Mark and you know Dale has told him everything as well) they see something in him or his game that they are not comfortable with

Couldn't it just as easily mean that they just like Strome or Hanifin's game a little better? Or think Defense/Center are positions of greater importance?

absolutely it could

 

[hockeyfan1]

Trade proposal:  To Islanders >>> Kessel.
                              To Leafs >>> Michael Grabner >>> a 2nd round pick >>> a defensive prospect (Scott Mayfield /  Matt Donovan)

Kessel + Tavares = dynamite ( or something thereof)

 

[L K]

If Marner is there at 4 and Leafs pass on him I would be leary if I were the others picking 5, 6, 7 etc. I would think it would mean that between the Hunter boys (Mark and you know Dale has told him everything as well) they see something in him or his game that they are not comfortable with

Couldn't it just as easily mean that they just like Strome or Hanifin's game a little better? Or think Defense/Center are positions of greater importance?

I'm never going to be disappointed with the Leafs taking Knights players but I think this is a really important statement.  As much as the Knights have been an NHL prospect machine over the last few years the only players who are truly impact players are:

Rick Nash (2002), Corey Perry (2003), Patrick Kane (2007), John Tavares (2009)*

You also have a pretty solid list of complementary players:
Bo Horvat (2014), Olli Maata (2013), Nazem Kadri (2009), Sam Gagner (2007), Steve Mason (2006), Dave Bolland (2004), Brandon Prust (2004)

There are also a bunch of other guys who might amount to something but either haven't had the chance now or are just guys who will be up and down from the minors.

Drafting a player from the Knights organization is a pretty good bet on the odds of getting an NHL player but it is by no means a guarantee of getting an elite talent.  And while the Hunter's both speak incredibly highly of Marner he was also the 19th pick in the OHL Priority selection (and not because he was a USNDT player who has to be wooed by Basil McRae).  Dylan Strome went 2nd overall in the 2013 Priority selection and I'm pretty sure the Knights would have taken him over Marner if they were drafting at the bottom of the draft too.

I really don't see Hunter being in the organization as being any sort of indication that the Leafs are more/less likely to draft him.

 

[Highlander]

When Marner gets onto my Bacardi, Grand Marnier and pasta for breakfast diet plan he will be 6' feet and 260 pounds.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

I'm never going to be disappointed with the Leafs taking Knights players but I think this is a really important statement.  As much as the Knights have been an NHL prospect machine over the last few years the only players who are truly impact players are:

Rick Nash (2002), Corey Perry (2003), Patrick Kane (2007), John Tavares (2009)*

You also have a pretty solid list of complementary players:
Bo Horvat (2014), Olli Maata (2013), Nazem Kadri (2009), Sam Gagner (2007), Steve Mason (2006), Dave Bolland (2004), Brandon Prust (2004)

I mean, from one organization in roughly a decade that's pretty ridiculously impressive.  I can't imagine many other CHL teams can boast that.

 

[Kin]

Another impressive list would be Barrie:

Aaron Ekblad, Alex Pietrangelo, Ryan Strome, Mark Scheifle, Bryan Little, Dan Girardi, Corey Stillman, TJ Brodie and some role players like Kyle Clifford, Michael Hutchinson and Zac Rinaldo

 

[Joe S.]

Wasn't Gilmour's playing weight about 160?

And wasn't he down to about 90lbs at end of each game?

 

[L K]

I'm never going to be disappointed with the Leafs taking Knights players but I think this is a really important statement.  As much as the Knights have been an NHL prospect machine over the last few years the only players who are truly impact players are:

Rick Nash (2002), Corey Perry (2003), Patrick Kane (2007), John Tavares (2009)*

You also have a pretty solid list of complementary players:
Bo Horvat (2014), Olli Maata (2013), Nazem Kadri (2009), Sam Gagner (2007), Steve Mason (2006), Dave Bolland (2004), Brandon Prust (2004)

I mean, from one organization in roughly a decade that's pretty ridiculously impressive.  I can't imagine many other CHL teams can boast that.

I think the only team with more drafted players over the last 5 years is Portland.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Another impressive list would be Barrie:

Aaron Ekblad, Alex Pietrangelo, Ryan Strome, Mark Scheifle, Bryan Little, Dan Girardi, Corey Stillman, TJ Brodie and some role players like Kyle Clifford, Michael Hutchinson and Zac Rinaldo

Barrie traded for Pietrangelo after he was drafted in the NHL, and they traded Strome away very early in his OHL career. Not sure I'd give them credit for those 2.

Anyway, I was looking through hockeydb a bit. London has had 12 first rounders since Nash in 2002, that leads all OHL teams since that period I think. These are the next best from what I could find, including their best players:

Kitchener 10: M. Richards, Skinner, Landeskog
Peterborough 8: E. Staal, J. Staal
Guelph 8: Doughty
Windsor 8: Hall, Fowler
Sarnia 6: Stamkos, Yakupov, Galchenyuk

So London has everyone beat both in terms of quantity and quality.

 

[louisstamos]

Maybe my memory is fuzzy, but wasn't Tavares an Oshawa General for most of his junior career?  I think he was traded to London the year right before he was drafted for their playoff run (and played a lot with Kadri).

 

[Kin]

Barrie traded for Pietrangelo after he was drafted in the NHL, and they traded Strome away very early in his OHL career. Not sure I'd give them credit for those 2.

True. But I was responding to a list that gave London credit, albeit asterisked, for 30 or so games of John Tavares.

 

[L K]

Maybe my memory is fuzzy, but wasn't Tavares an Oshawa General for most of his junior career?  I think he was traded to London the year right before he was drafted for their playoff run (and played a lot with Kadri).

Yep, hence the asterisk.  I wasn't actually implying the Knights had anything to do with Tavares getting drafted.  If anything, Tavares was somewhat disappointing in his brief stretch with the Knights.

 

[GhostofPotvin29]

Another impressive list would be Barrie:

Aaron Ekblad, Alex Pietrangelo, Ryan Strome, Mark Scheifle, Bryan Little, Dan Girardi, Corey Stillman, TJ Brodie and some role players like Kyle Clifford, Michael Hutchinson and Zac Rinaldo

Barrie traded for Pietrangelo after he was drafted in the NHL, and they traded Strome away very early in his OHL career. Not sure I'd give them credit for those 2.

Anyway, I was looking through hockeydb a bit. London has had 12 first rounders since Nash in 2002, that leads all OHL teams since that period I think. These are the next best from what I could find, including their best players:

Kitchener 10: M. Richards, Skinner, Landeskog
Peterborough 8: E. Staal, J. Staal
Guelph 8: Doughty
Windsor 8: Hall, Fowler
Sarnia 6: Stamkos, Yakupov, Galchenyuk

So London has everyone beat both in terms of quantity and quality.

Mirtle had an article when Hunter was hired saying 4% of the league played for London: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/hockey/leafs-beat/mirtle-leafs-finally-start-to-flex-financial-muscle/article21217233/

 

[ZBBM]

Just for comparison's sake, Tyler Johnson weighs 180-185.  So I would assume Marner, who's listed as being slightly taller, would have to put on at least 20 lbs and maybe more like 25 or 30 to be able to compete in the league.  Roughly speaking, of course.