2017 Draft Watch

[herman]

Brannstrom plays a bit like a Rielly-Marner hybrid.

The highlights reminded me a lot of Ghostbear, but yeah that works too.

Ghostbear, definitely on the spin-offs at the line and shot selection at the circles.

The slightly hunched skating form/speed and general offense-always mode is very Rielly, and the vision and puck-holding/passing is very Marner to me.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Ghostbear, definitely on the spin-offs at the line and shot selection at the circles.

The slightly hunched skating form/speed and general offense-always mode is very Rielly, and the vision and puck-holding/passing is very Marner to me.

Yeah his shot is what really stood out as Ghostbear-like to me. Anyway, I know that everybody looks good when you make a highlight package for them, but based on everything I've read and seen it really boggles my mind that he isn't being talked about for a much higher draft pick. Particularly since we've been seeing more and more small players getting drafted higher up lately.

 

[herman]

Yeah his shot is what really stood out as Ghostbear-like to me. Anyway, I know that everybody looks good when you make a highlight package for them, but based on everything I've read and seen it really boggles my mind that he isn't being talked about for a much higher draft pick. Particularly since we've been seeing more and more small players getting drafted higher up lately.

Size bias is much stronger on the backend, but not without reason. Carrick mentioned this towards the end of the season: being a smaller defenseman makes things a great deal more difficult as when the smaller defenseman is fully extended in reach, the larger attacker he's fending off still has room to go and can leverage further.

There's still a lot of net-clearing required in scouts/managers' minds. Where this Leafs' management team has acquired smaller defensemen, they've been of dwarvish strength and stoutness (Carrick, Dermott).

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Pronman released his final 2017 draft rankings: http://www.espn.com/nhl/insider/story/_/id/19416323/nhl-top-100-draft-prospect-rankings

He has future Leaf Erik Branstrom ranked 11th, the 2nd highest ranking for a defenceman:

11. Erik Brannstrom, D, HV 71 (SHL)
DOB: 9/02/99 | Ht: 5' 10.0" | Wt: 173
2016-17 stats: 35 GP | 1 G | 5 A

Brannstrom is a favorite of mine relative to the opinions of many scouts. I've been very impressed the past two to three seasons, and I think he has a good pro ceiling. He's a small defenseman at 5-foot-10, but he does a lot well. Brannstrom is a great skater, is gifted on his edges and has a good top gear. He can make plays in open ice because though his puck skills aren't fantastic, they are solid, and his feet and great vision allow him to make a lot happen. His defense could use a little tweaking, as I've seen him make errors he shouldn't, but he has still displayed the ability to play tough minutes. Despite the occasional gaffe, his hockey IQ shines most shifts. Although he is small, Brannstrom has an edge to his game as well.

Liljegren comes in shortly after at 13th:

13. Timothy Liljegren, D, Rogle (SHL)
DOB: 4/30/99 | Ht: 6' 0.0" | Wt: 191
2016-17 stats: 19 GP | 1 G | 4 A

Liljegren missed a sizeable chunk of the season due to mono. When healthy, he's one of the most dynamic offensive defensemen of the past few draft classes. You can tell when Liljegren has the puck. "He was able to quarterback a SHL power play when he was 16. You just don't see that," noted one scout. He's quite creative and quite skilled. He can make the in-tight plays and control the puck in ways that distinguish him as a puck mover. LIljegren skates very well and can get up in a rush, but it's his skill and offensive mind that elevate him to the highest levels. Although he's a very imaginative and effective puck mover, he can get himself into trouble. He gives the puck away a lot going for the one extra play. His defense isn't elite, but it's decent, as he can make a check and not get completely killed in his own end without the puck; however, there are times when he is a clear negative on that side on the puck.

 

[digdug]

Pronman released his final 2017 draft rankings: http://www.espn.com/nhl/insider/story/_/id/19416323/nhl-top-100-draft-prospect-rankings

He has future Leaf Erik Branstrom ranked 11th, the 2nd highest ranking for a defenceman:

Wow  - opinions must be widespread on Mr. Brannstrom
this site has him going at #29 to Ottawa

http://www.mynhldraft.com/NHL-Mock-Draft/

 

[CarltonTheBear]

Jeff Marek's final 2017 draft rankings: http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/jeff-mareks-top-100-prospects-2017-nhl-draft/

Future Leaf All-Star Erik Brannstrom is ranked 14th on his list.

 

[louisstamos]

Conor Timmins is the guy I'm more and more intrigued by the more I read about him.  He's ranked all over the place, from #19 (McKeen) to #45 (Marek).  I'm not sure he'll still be there by the time our 2nd pick rolls around, but if we can acquire a late 1st/early 2nd - he's the guy I take.

http://editorinleaf.com/2017/03/04/toronto-maple-leafs-conor-timmins/

 

[bustaheims]

Brannstrom (or, by some miracle, Liljagren) would obviously be my top choice, but I'd be pretty happy with Juuso Valimaki. Or, to a lesser extent, Hague.

 

[herman]

Barring a heavy fall by one of the projected first rounders, I'm looking for us to pick up Artyom Minulin in the second round.

Underrated, two-way playmaking RHD that's not small and not afraid to show it. Could really elevate his game with more work on his skating and his shot.

 

[Kin]

Looking at options for the 2nd round pick in the kind of interesting department: Eemeli Rasanen is big(6'7 200lbs), a right handed shot and doesn't appear to just be a lump(39 points).

 

[Frank E]

Anybody got a list of interesting overagers?

Right?

 

[louisstamos]

Anybody got a list of interesting overagers?

Right?

 

[herman]

MLHS did a very thorough report on a prospect I have minimal interest in drafting in the first round, but super excited to draft in the second (which I doubt would happen for us).

https://mapleleafshotstove.com/2017/05/24/nicolas-hague-2017-nhl-draft-profile/

 

[Kin]

So things are mostly settled now. The Leafs have picks #17, 59, 110, 123(or 124), 141, 172 and 203.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

So things are mostly settled now. The Leafs have picks #17, 59, 110, 123(or 124), 141, 172 and 203.

Leafs had 7 of the first 101 picks in last years draft. 6 of the first 95 picks in the 2015 draft. Just 2 in this one (as things stand now).

Obviously we couldn't stockpile picks like that forever. Better hope some of those picks from those 2 years hit though.

 

[Kin]

Leafs had 7 of the first 101 picks in last years draft. 6 of the first 95 picks in the 2015 draft. Just 2 in this one (as things stand now).

Obviously we couldn't stockpile picks like that forever. Better hope some of those picks from those 2 years hit though.

Yeah, I mean, obviously the sacrificed 3rds are what they are and I don't regret the Boyle trade really(I've said my piece on the Andersen deal) but after at one point thinking of this draft as the one where they're loaded up on 2nd round picks to only having the one is a little disappointing. Especially because those are picks that are valuable assets in moving up if, say, one of the defensemen in the draft is one the team likes more than the others.

I suppose they could use next years picks for that but I guess that's the price you pay for the legitimately enjoyable run they went on.

 

[CarltonTheBear]

The Athletic looks at a few potential draft candidates at 17: https://theathletic.com/61259/2017/05/29/seven-great-candidates-for-the-maple-leafs-first-round-pick-at-the-2017-nhl-draft/

The 7 candidates they write-up are:

(Future Leafs great) D Erik Brannstrom, D Callan Foote, D Nicolas Hague, F Nick Suzuki, F Kailer Yamamoto, F Jason Robertson, D Juuso Valimaki

I know everyone here is focusing on the defenceman, and for good reason I think, but if either of Suzuki or Yamamoto are available they could also both be terrific picks. Both are high-end scorers being held back in the draft rankings strictly because of their size it seems.

This draft class obviously doesn't have a McDavid/Eichel/Matthews type player at the top, but the 1st round seems to be pretty deep after that. We should be able to pick-up a very good prospect.

 

[herman]

Here's an old video of Kailer Yamamoto I found back in January. I had hoped he might be one of our 2nd round picks back when we had two, but we've since sold the higher option and Yamamoto has played himself into 1st round projections.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwj4kpGb_GA[/youtube]

However, smaller players can drop an entire round every year, so there might still be a good shot at him (e.g. Vitaly Abramov)

Also, his brother's name is Keanu.

 

[Kin]

I know everyone here is focusing on the defenceman, and for good reason I think, but if either of Suzuki or Yamamoto are available they could also both be terrific picks. Both are high-end scorers being held back in the draft rankings strictly because of their size it seems.

I think that's a really fair point to make. Obviously the backend needs the most help but the sort of accelerated success they experienced last year has kind of forced them into a situation where they can't really address that problem via the draft. Even an accelerated development schedule for one of these guys, where they're making big contributions by 20 or 21, seems like too long to wait. It's probably going to have to be trades and free agency and if drafting a highly skilled forward frees up the possibility of trading guys like Brown or Kapanen in their hunt for defence it's something you at least have to think about. 

 

[herman]

I know everyone here is focusing on the defenceman, and for good reason I think, but if either of Suzuki or Yamamoto are available they could also both be terrific picks. Both are high-end scorers being held back in the draft rankings strictly because of their size it seems.

I think that's a really fair point to make. Obviously the backend needs the most help but the sort of accelerated success they experienced last year has kind of forced them into a situation where they can't really address that problem via the draft. Even an accelerated development schedule for one of these guys, where they're making big contributions by 20 or 21, seems like too long to wait. It's probably going to have to be trades and free agency and if drafting a highly skilled forward frees up the possibility of trading guys like Brown or Kapanen in their hunt for defence it's something you at least have to think about.

It's the direction I thought they would go for goaltending back in 2015, and I think there is an opportunity with the Expansion Draft to swing for something like that.

I'd still like to see the defense pipeline shored up with players that aren't of the Desrocher/Mattinen/Middleton mold.