23rd Pick

[thedddd]

Put this on the other board also.

With the 1st round of the draft is this Friday.

ISS rankings at #23 is Alexander Khokhlachev top scoring rookie in the OHL but more of a gritty player.

TSN final ranking at #23 is Rocco Grimaldi at 5'6" gets the comparisons to Fleury and St. Louis and says he is a top 6 forward.

TSN's Mock Draft they picked Tyler Biggs at 23. Basically a big tough winger.

Sportsnet and Hockey News Mock Draft they picked Ty Rattie. - Remindes me of Bennett needs to add strength but is a talented scorer and does it well.

My feelings if Tyler Rattie drops to them I hope they take him. Seems to have the most upside of the bunch.

 

[DeathByEmu]

Well, given that guys like Kunitz and Neal are the type of winger Disco's system needs.. Biggs or Khokh seem better suited. If Pens had a top-6 of Kunitz clones, they would do it. Nothing wrong there... edgy 20-30 goal guys that hit, score, and grind..

Now, wouldnt we all want to see a guy like Rocco screaming down Malkin/Sid's wing? Hell yea.

 

[thedddd]

Yeah if Rocco has the wheels they state he has it would be fun to watch! I agree with the size and depending on how long it takes to develop a player at the 23rd pick Kunitz and Neal might not be around. If that is the case then the players like Biggs might be a better pick but if Rattie has the scoring ability touted you can't pass on that. Then the other big question is why is he falling in the draft? (ala Angelo Esposito)

The good part is there is enough talent at that pick we won't be disappointed.

 

[DeathByEmu]

Or they sign another defensemen and are content to acquire wingers at the trade dealine by trading them ala Neal/Go-Go....

Wow.

 

[OregonDucks]

Pens signed a Winterhawk!!!! NICE!

 

[DeathByEmu]

Yea, just dont get the first two picks being d-men. Already loaded with them.

I understand Shero uses them to land wingers at the trade deadline.. it works.

But at SOME point, this organization HAS to deal with its demons.
1.) It's inability to draft and develop wingers is beyond sad... it needs fixed. Its been going on wayyyyy too long.

2.) It has to get over this oddball fear of Euros. Perhaps the right scouts are not in place across the pond for the Pens to make informed picks from Europe. But if that is the case, it needs addressed. Even the Pirates were smart enough to dump a pile of money into overseas baseball hotbeds like the Dominican Republic. Yea, let THAT sink in a second.

 

[flyermaniaa90]

Im surprised they didnt go wing dbe...i agree...dont know much about morrow...no doubt jagr coming back probably on the wing...

 

[DeathByEmu]

I dont know, Maniaa.

I do know the Pens CAN develop puck moving d-men... which they use to trade for wingers at the deadline. Whitney for Kunitz, Goligoski for Neal....

...it has worked so far, and I guess the plan is to keep it up, and not bother to find and fix the reason the Penguins can't draft and develop wingers....

 

[evolver115]

Or they sign another defensemen and are content to acquire wingers at the trade dealine by trading them ala Neal/Go-Go....

Wow.

It is interesting how that type of trade has been played by Shero. Ray definitely won the Whitney for Kunitz trade. And, I think in time that we will see something similar with Neal outproducing Goligoski, respectively.

I did read that Shero and his staff have a plan of taking the best available player, regardless of their position.

 

[DeathByEmu]

Yes, I heard that also. I guess stick to your strong points. They do seem to be better at drafting and developing puck-moving d-men than most teams.

So continue to do so... but you know your organization has a glaring weak spot in regards to forward selection and grooming... at SOME point it needs addressed and some attempt made to fix whatever is wrong with the pipeline.

Philly seems to be the exact opposite.. they raise farm-fresh 20+ goal scorers and bring in high profile d-men from free agency.

Is being able to do both just too taxing? I have no idea.

 

[thedddd]

The good part is good defensive prospects get better trade value than winger prospects. I have no problem with this approach but yeah it would be nice to actually develop a goal scoring winger once.

 

[Darkstone42]

The good part is good defensive prospects get better trade value than winger prospects. I have no problem with this approach but yeah it would be nice to actually develop a goal scoring winger once.

I was going to say this same thing. It's the same idea as the Pirates drafting pitcher-heavy, because pitching prospects have more trade value than hitting prospects, even though they're longer shots.

In the hockey draft, you have to take the best player available and not draft by need, because with free agency and what not, you frankly don't know your needs when you're drafting. Especially when you're drafting late like the Penguins and can't get a guy who will jump right into the NHL in his first professional year.

 

[DeathByEmu]

I agree with that.. just like to see if they can pull off raising a winger. Its to the point that by now they should have gotten lucky with SOMEBODY over the last 6 seasons. I'm not expecting a Datsyuk or anything, but the system has been barren of anything over a 3rd line role for far too long.

 

[thedddd]

Out of curiosity checking their drafts outside (Crosby, Staal, Malkin) in this century (disregard the last two drafts too early). Not one developed top 6 forward was drafted in any round. Moulson might be the closest but he never signed/developed with the Penguins, then the a BIG maybe (top 9) is Kennedy but after that is all the way to '99 with Malone.

Pittsburgh Penguins Draft History at hockeydb.com