2019 Draft Discussion

[herman]

https://twitter.com/mannyelk/status/1142866381534388224

Corsica.hockey liked our draft

 

[Zee]

Don Cherry is just pro Canadian kids to a fault. His record coaching was terrible because they refused to take imports when everyone else was.

Isn't that exactly the point though?  Cherry thought he could build a team of only "good old Canadian boys" instead of getting the most talented players regardless of nationalities and look at his great results.

 

[Guilt Trip]

Don Cherry is just pro Canadian kids to a fault. His record coaching was terrible because they refused to take imports when everyone else was.

Isn't that exactly the point though?  Cherry thought he could build a team of only "good old Canadian boys" instead of getting the most talented players regardless of nationalities and look at his great results.

Has nothing to do with coaching abilities. Terrible GM? Absolutely.

 

[Kin]

To move a bit beyond just the sort of general problem with his criticism, I always find it particularly cowardly for someone to criticize a draft in the immediate aftermath(which is insane no matter how well versed you are) without actually presenting specific alternatives. Like, who is the big Canadian who can score and skate that Cherry would have taken at 53? Or at 84? If you're confident about those guys becoming better pros, put yourself out there so that your record can be judged.

Sincerely,

The Leafs should have drafted Samuel Girard and Oliver Kylington.

 

[herman]

https://twitter.com/nickdesouza_/status/1142924810483380224

 

[Kin]

So as I established yesterday, I don't generally have a lot of time for the "The Leafs need to get bigger/stronger/more physical" stuff but to the extent I do that's where I really struggled with the people who saw losing Johnsson and Kapanen(if the Leafs couldn't trade Marleau) as some sort of calamity. I like both guys, I think they're good players, but I think they're both sort of in roles that should ideally be going to guys who round out the team and give you dimensions that your stars don't.

 

[herman]

https://theathletic.com/1040675/2019/06/23/from-nicu-to-nhl-the-remarkable-journey-of-second-round-pick-nick-robertson/

This was quite the journey.

Toronto is up for the first time in this draft. Nick hasn?t said it out loud, but Toronto was one of his preferred destinations. The Leafs have a reputation for trusting smaller, skilled players, and he?s comfortable in the area after playing midget hockey there as a teenager.

As I?ve blabbed about previously, Nick also played floorball (a la Matthews) and it?s very evident in his stickhandling capabilities.

https://twitter.com/scottcwheeler/status/1142490781707489281

 

[Heroic Shrimp]

9:35 interview with Nick Robertson here:

https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs/status/1143584554646691841

Here's very articulate.  Good interview on Prime Time Sports yesterday, too.

 

[herman]

https://twitter.com/kristen_shilton/status/1143889532938575875

Nik!!

 

[CarltonTheBear]

We should have given his son an invite too. I mean he's not good, but he's an Antropov!

 

[Redleaf]

9:35 interview with Nick Robertson here:

https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs/status/1143584554646691841

Here's very articulate.  Good interview on Prime Time Sports yesterday, too.

Seems like a good kid and a great story. I?m pulling for this kid to make the Leafs!

 

[Heroic Shrimp]

9:35 interview with Nick Robertson here:

https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs/status/1143584554646691841

Here's very articulate.  Good interview on Prime Time Sports yesterday, too.

Seems like a good kid and a great story. I?m pulling for this kid to make the Leafs!

With him being born premature at 28 weeks and also being born just days from eligibility for next year's draft, he really is physically a year younger than everybody else in this draft.  There's lots of room for development.

 

[cabber24]

https://theathletic.com/1040675/2019/06/23/from-nicu-to-nhl-the-remarkable-journey-of-second-round-pick-nick-robertson/

This was quite the journey.

Toronto is up for the first time in this draft. Nick hasn?t said it out loud, but Toronto was one of his preferred destinations. The Leafs have a reputation for trusting smaller, skilled players, and he?s comfortable in the area after playing midget hockey there as a teenager.

As I?ve blabbed about previously, Nick also played floorball (a la Matthews) and it?s very evident in his stickhandling capabilities.

https://twitter.com/scottcwheeler/status/1142490781707489281

Fantastic scouting report, great analytics. Precise and clear. I feel like I personally know Nicky now.

 

[herman]

https://twitter.com/kristen_shilton/status/1143934019857473536

Nik! Wouldn?t mind if Kaberle swung by as well.

 

[cabber24]

https://twitter.com/kristen_shilton/status/1143934019857473536

Nik! Wouldn?t mind if Kaberle swung by as well.

Nik, come see me in Muskoka, I will take you fishing. I have a few secret spots.

 

[herman]

https://theathletic.com/1046609/2019/06/26/meet-leafs-prospect-mike-koster-the-small-blueliner-who-finds-ways-to-win/

For four years, there are two words Chaska High coaches have heard opposing coaches yell to their players as Mike Koster weaved through them, carving up Minnesota?s high school hockey circuit.

Hit him! Hit him!

And over and over, coaches on the Hawks bench would turn to each other and laugh.

?We just kind of chuckle because that?s the effect he has,? Hawks assistant coach Sean Bloomfield said. ?They?re trying to hit him but he just goes around them and has a way of using his vision to avoid big hits and play with the size that he does have.?

Hitting the 5-foot-9, 172-pound defenceman is easier said than done.

?It?s his ability to make defenders go where he wants with little moves. He just does a little head fake or shoulder fake to get the defender out of the way,? said Jake Krey, the team?s defence coach. ?It looks effortless compared to most kids who are just speed or brute strength. He just uses subtle moves to create passing lanes.?

Ah, Mitch Marner style from the blue line.

Edit: more
https://theleafsnation.com/2019/06/27/2019-nhl-draft-recap-mike-koster-is-a-puck-moving-defenceman-in-the-truest-sense/

 

[herman]

Delicious draft propaganda!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zxh4qFvtogU

 

[ZBBM]

https://twitter.com/kristen_shilton/status/1143889532938575875

Nik!!

Photographic documentation please.

I remember when he joined the Leafs lineup at the age of 14.  He was a dominant manchild even then.

 

[herman]

Photographic documentation please.

I remember when he joined the Leafs lineup at the age of 14.  He was a dominant manchild even then.

https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/video/happy-to-lend-a-hand-at-camp-ex-leaf-antropov-marvels-at-toronto-s-shooting-pad~1716101

 

[ZBBM]

Photographic documentation please.

I remember when he joined the Leafs lineup at the age of 14.  He was a dominant manchild even then.

https://www.tsn.ca/nhl/video/happy-to-lend-a-hand-at-camp-ex-leaf-antropov-marvels-at-toronto-s-shooting-pad~1716101

Thank you.  You're beautiful, and Nuklear Nik is still beautiful.

Screw this, sign him up and stick him with Matthews.  There is no downside.  Heck, the guy's only 29.