I'm not too concerned about the Wild draft position.
GMCF, Flahr, and co. seem to have certain types of players in mind for the system they and Yeo want to play, and they aren't necessarily the hottest commodities on draft day: mobile puck moving dmen that don't necessarily rack up huge points, character forwards who have above average but not elite skill.
I really think these guys are trying to build a 4 line, 3 d-pair team that grinds the opposition to dust, relentless, quality players up and down the lineup, but no real "stars." Just character, the infamous intangibles, but more than grinder level of skill.
I think it could work.
Watching Scandella, and to a lesser degree Falk, grow as players by leaps and bounds the end of this season is worth more than a couple positions draft day. I've been quite happy to see the return of the brand of Wild hockey that made a saint/prophet of Yeo.
I'll wager the guys the Wild have pegged will be available when they take the stage, whether it's 3 or 9.
This is the gameplan, alright. First and foremost: tough to play against. Yeo's game is simple but it isn't easy and for rookies playing big minutes it's going to wear on you. Get one more rock steady, skilled guy back there and Falk and Scandella will develop even faster with the pressure off a little more, as some of it came off with the addition of Gilbert.
Yes it's late, but... I think tanking is only fan's thing, and it's their privilege. I would never allow that kind of speculation in the locker room if I was a staff member. While as a fan I've rooted for tanking.
Maybe there's no matter if they lose or win this late. (Or of course there "is" because of the drafting system.) But still, players can't think about that. It's the same thing when the team is winning. You don't think about Stanley Cup or playoffs, you concentrate on the next game. Only! Your job is win the game and let nothing to disturb that. It's a key element of a mentality of an professional athlete.
What happens outside the game happens. Players/coaches can't control that, nor they shouldn't even try to. Draft system, lotterys, trades, cap space negotiations, lockout speculations, injuries, whatever - it's not their job to do.
One positive thing I see. This is still Yeo's rookie year and sure he has made some errors. More or less. Were the last few games meaningless or not, he can still learn how to act with the team. What works and what doesn't. This knowledge will follow him for years to come and helps the team also.
Pretty sure this topic has been talked to death in just about every other thread and GDT weve had for the past two weeks since we started winning games again.
That said, I think the difference between 4th and 7th could be absolutely huge. If were in fourth, we have a shot at one of the top 3 because I think theres a chance that CBJ/Edm/Mtl take a D-man, and if not, we get our first choice of elite defensemen.
Meanwhile at 7th...yeah weve been over this.
I'm just incredibly bitter right now and its gonna take at least until the draft for me to start feeling good about the Wild again.
Ridiculous to win these last meaningless games if you ask me. We could have gone from #3 to #9 depending on tonights outcome. That's huge. One star player (especially a scoring forward) would be huge. Is the op suggesting we just draft another grinder?
Ridiculous to win these last meaningless games if you ask me. We could have gone from #3 to #9 depending on tonights outcome. That's huge. One star player (especially a scoring forward) would be huge. Is the op suggesting we just draft another grinder?
Absolutely, because we all know that out of the Top5 every player is a grinder.
Ridiculous to win these last meaningless games if you ask me. We could have gone from #3 to #9 depending on tonights outcome. That's huge. One star player (especially a scoring forward) would be huge. Is the op suggesting we just draft another grinder?
4 to 9, were locked out of the bottom 3 at this point. But I agree with you.
Quote:
Originally Posted by BuddyMcCormick
Absolutely, because we all know that out of the Top5 every player is a grinder.
You know absolutely well what he meant.
Someone should post that list of the top 10 draft picks from the last 10 years again, that makes a good reply to this since it showed the huge difference in most cases between a top 5 pick and a top 10 pick. That and Jarick's chart that he made. Those two charts pretty much demolish arguments like this.
You "draft position doesn't matter as long as you pick well" people can keep spewing that tripe until you are blue in the face, but the fact remains that the higher you draft the better the quality of player you can get.
If we picked 30th for 3 years in row between 2005 and 2007, we could've drafted:
2005: James Neal or Paul Stastny instead of Benoit Pouliot, and Kris Letang or Keith Yandle instead of Matt Kassian.
2006: Milan Lucic and Artem Anisimov instead of Jimmy Sheppard and Ondrej Fiala
2007: P.K. Subban instead of Colton Gillies
But yeah, it's absolutely necessary to pick in top 3
I'll put it this way: you have a better chance of drafting a great player in top 3-5. But if your scouting is strong (which I believe ours is), they'll find some gems with later picks.
I'm taking off my tank avatar, and rooting for the win tonight.
No, I'm not advocating the Wild draft a grinder. I'm not advocating anything.
I'm looking at the types of players the Wild have drafted the last 2 seasons, and trying to detect a pattern of what to expect.
Do they like character in the forwards they draft? Well, 3 team captains in the last WJC would say yes. Are they interested in mere grinder/plugs like Gillies? The offensive numbers of recent picks would suggest they have more to offer.
Did the Wild get value in respect to their draft slots? Having a large number of elite prospects in the latest Hockey News future watch would also suggest yes.
That's my point. I believe the current regime values overall contributions more than gaudy point totals. Defensemen that can move the puck, and forwards who will do the dirty work yet have the skill to capitalize are what they are after: not grinders, but players with some combo of high skill and character.
If we picked 30th for 3 years in row between 2005 and 2007, we could've drafted:
2005: James Neal or Paul Stastny instead of Benoit Pouliot, and Kris Letang or Keith Yandle instead of Matt Kassian.
2006: Milan Lucic and Artem Anisimov instead of Jimmy Sheppard and Ondrej Fiala
2007: P.K. Subban instead of Colton Gillies
But yeah, it's absolutely necessary to pick in top 3
I'll put it this way: you have a better chance of drafting a great player in top 3-5. But if your scouting is strong (which I believe ours is), they'll find some gems with later picks.
I'm taking off my tank avatar, and rooting for the win tonight.
LET'S GO WILD
Maybe trading the 7th pick to Wsh for 11th and 14th (11th and 41st might be more realistic) would serve well in this scenario...try to get a 2nd pairing dman and character 3rd liner plus two prospects is better than one....less chances of a miss if you hold the 11th/37th/41st picks.
Maybe trading the 7th pick to Wsh for 11th and 14th (11th and 41st might be more realistic) would serve well in this scenario...try to get a 2nd pairing dman and character 3rd liner plus two prospects is better than one....less chances of a miss if you hold the 11th/37th/41st picks.
If we picked 30th for 3 years in row between 2005 and 2007, we could've drafted:
2005: James Neal or Paul Stastny instead of Benoit Pouliot, and Kris Letang or Keith Yandle instead of Matt Kassian.
2006: Milan Lucic and Artem Anisimov instead of Jimmy Sheppard and Ondrej Fiala
2007: P.K. Subban instead of Colton Gillies
But yeah, it's absolutely necessary to pick in top 3
I'll put it this way: you have a better chance of drafting a great player in top 3-5. But if your scouting is strong (which I believe ours is), they'll find some gems with later picks.
I'm taking off my tank avatar, and rooting for the win tonight.
LET'S GO WILD
Thank you!
Our inability to get a top-3 pick is not what's screwing us right now. Six consecutive busted first round picks are. Plus out of those six years, we only had two second rounders who have actually played a game the NHL––and one of them's Kassian.
Maybe trading the 7th pick to Wsh for 11th and 14th (11th and 41st might be more realistic) would serve well in this scenario...try to get a 2nd pairing dman and character 3rd liner plus two prospects is better than one....less chances of a miss if you hold the 11th/37th/41st picks.
We don't have the 37th, San Jose does. We have Washington's 2nd rounder.
Our inability to get a top-3 pick is not what's screwing us right now. Six consecutive busted first round picks are. Plus out of those six years, we only had two second rounders who have actually played a game the NHL––and one of them's Kassian.
Yup. You don't miss that badly and then not pay for it at some point.
