Quote:
Originally Posted by Pierre Jr
Thanks for posting. I thought I had entered into a parellel universe where midgets have taken over the NHL, lol. Who do you think the Habs should draft?
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I don't even bother entering that specific of a conversation usually, because there's always a wrinkle around #6 or 7 that makes everyone start re-evaluating if they stick to the "formula", or if there's all of a sudden a guy available at an organizational need that wasn't expected to be there. So, at #17, there's a list of players I'd go after. Who knows who will be there though. They're not all necessarily 6'2" or above, but there's no one below 5'10" on my list of 1st round pick targets, I can assure you of that.
I'd be looking for another player in the mold of MaxPac for sure - with maybe a bit more bias towards taking shots and burying them instead of making "smart plays", if I'm allowed to dream a bit. For all our love of Desharnais and the rest of the crew, everyone seemed to be more impressed with the package that Pacioretty brought late in the season, so why not add another? That's what I say. Not like anyone else around could fill those shoes if he goes down again. And centre certainly doesn't seem like an organizational deficiency, so I wouldn't be biased that way either.
Give me the best available winger with size, hands, and creativity, I guess, whoever that may end up being. Failing that, give me an ultra-talented centre of at least average size whose decision-making seems good enough that I'd entrust an offense to go through him, and who has above average shooting and passing, but not necessarily exceptional at either. I'd start listing names, but again, who knows who will actually be there at #17 on draft day. Heck, who wants to do an over/under with Baertschi at #7 or Strome at #8? Let's just say that I won't be surprised if someone after the 10th pick has a shot at one (or both) of those guys.
Looking at CS rankings though, as a "guide", I'd be happy with just about anyone from McNeill (14th) to JT Miller (23rd), although I'm not as high on Miller and Biggs as some seem to be. Scratch that. Rattie and Jenner are "do not wants" in that range, as far as I'm concerned, and Jurco could be oh so good OR... simply ineffective at the NHL level.