CHL playoffs start tonight

[juliansteed]

He had 4 points in each of the 2 home games, including a hat trick in game 2, and has looked great. He had 2 more in each road game bringing his total to 12 in 3 games. 5 goals and 7 assists.

If the Sens pick him it would likely have to be with their 1st pick. Most have him pegged as a top 10 guy. A lot consider him a candidate to go higher than projected. Every time new rankings come out he keeps getting higher and some are now putting him ahead of Couturier as the Q's top prospect.

What draft position do the Sens currently hold with their 1st pick?

Too late to edit but obviously that should say 12 point in 4 games. And for the record, he's accomplished that while seeing very little action in the 3rd period once the games are out of reach.

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

A lot of people seem to think so, but its really hard to compare between leagues. The Sea Dogs dominated their league more than any team in the other leagues and have been ranked as the top team in the CHL for most of the year, but the Q always seems to be considered the weakest league. I really don't know what to expect if/when the Sea Dogs make the Memorial Cup. They could win it all or go 0-3.

The last time a Q team won was actually in 2006. The Quebec Rempart, lead by Alexandre Radulov, Angelo Esposito, and Marc-Edouard Vlasic won it. They didn't even win the Q title that year but made it in as runner-up because Moncton won the Q and were the hosts that year. It was actually an all Q Memorial Cup final too with the hosts failing to get the job done on home ice.

Windsor isn't the powerhouse it has been the past 2 years so it's definately wide open. The hosts Mississauga are without Casey Cizikas for at least a month with a hand injury. He'll be back for the Memorial Cup though.

 

[juliansteed]

Windsor isn't the powerhouse it has been the past 2 years so it's definately wide open. The hosts Mississauga are without Casey Cizikas for at least a month with a hand injury. He'll be back for the Memorial Cup though.

I'm just afraid that if the Sea Dogs do get to the Memorial Cup they will do so after not really being tested very much this year in their own league and could be a bit overwhelmed when they finally meet some of the powerhouses from the other leagues. They are well couched though by former NHL player and coach Gerard Gallant, so hopefully that won't be a major concern.

 

[KennyBanyeah]

I think Strome could go in the top 5 as well. Good luck trading up for him. It won't come cheap.

That makes for a crowded top 5.

You have:
Larsson : 0% chance he makes it past the 4th pick.
Nugent-Hopkins: just about 0 % chance he's outside the the top 5.
Landeskog: I'd say about 10-15% chance he lasts to pick 6.
Couturier: Seems to be falling but if the above 3 were gone and he was still on the board, I'd bet that a lot of teams grab him; 20-40% chance he goes outside top 5.

Then you have Strome, Murphy and Huberdeau. Throw in Biggs, Hamilton and Siemens and it gets messy.

This is exactly why I'd like to see the Sens move up to the top 10 if possible. There's a very good chance for some steals between 6-10.

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

I'm just afraid that if the Sea Dogs do get to the Memorial Cup they will do so after not really being tested very much this year in their own league and could be a bit overwhelmed when they finally meet some of the powerhouses from the other leagues. They are well couched though by former NHL player and coach Gerard Gallant, so hopefully that won't be a major concern.

The teams from the other leagues could also be beat up by the time they make it. So things could even themselves out.

 

[juliansteed]

The teams from the other leagues could also be beat up by the time they make it. So things could even themselves out.

That is a very good point as well.

 

[juliansteed]

Here's a recent article done on Huberdeau including a highlight video of not the greatest quality:

Draft tracker: 5 questions with Jonathan Huberdeau, Saint John Sea Dogs - Buzzing The Net - Junior HockeyBlog - Yahoo! Sports

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

That makes for a crowded top 5.

You have:
Larsson : 0% chance he makes it past the 4th pick.
Nugent-Hopkins: just about 0 % chance he's outside the the top 5.
Landeskog: I'd say about 10-15% chance he lasts to pick 6.
Couturier: Seems to be falling but if the above 3 were gone and he was still on the board, I'd bet that a lot of teams grab him; 20-40% chance he goes outside top 5.

Then you have Strome, Murphy and Huberdeau. Throw in Biggs, Hamilton and Siemens and it gets messy.

This is exactly why I'd like to see the Sens move up to the top 10 if possible. There's a very good chance for some steals between 6-10.

My top 5 would be:
1.RNH his size may or may not be an issue.
2.Larsson the most sure thing in the draft.
3.Huberdeau
4.Strome
5.Couturier

The lottery will be interesting. If the Islanders are fortunate enough to win it I hope Garth trades the pick. Maybe Edmonton would give up the 2nd pick & their 1st next year.

Colorado could have two picks in the top 14. I'd make that trade if I was Garth.

The one thing that concerns me about RNH is his size. Bouchard of Minny plays a similar style of game & he missed an entire year plus due to a concussion.

 

[KennyBanyeah]

My top 5 would be:
1.RNH his size may or may not be an issue.
2.Larsson the most sure thing in the draft.
3.Huberdeau
4.Strome
5.Couturier

The lottery will be interesting. If the Islanders are fortunate enough to win it I hope Garth trades the pick. Maybe Edmonton would give up the 2nd pick & their 1st next year.

Colorado could have two picks in the top 14. I'd make that trade if I was Garth.

The one thing that concerns me about RNH is his size. Bouchard of Minny plays a similar style of game & he missed an entire year plus due to a concussion.

My top 5 is close to yours and I agree with the comment on RNH to a degree, but Bouchard is 5'10 NOW and tips the scales at 172. RNH is already 6 feet tall.

Landeskog will be a good one and will probably go in the top 5.

My point is that someone out of Couturier, Huberdeau, Strome or Landeskog is going to drop. If they do I think they'll be a steal closer to the 10 spot then they'd be a bust closer to the 1 spot.

 

[juliansteed]

I don't know a lot about all the top prospects but I suspect that 1 of Huberdeau or Couturier will go in the top 5 but not both. The other will be top 10. I'd be surprised to see 2 Q players taken in the top 5 but you never know.

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

My top 5 is close to yours and I agree with the comment on RNH to a degree, but Bouchard is 5'10 NOW and tips the scales at 172. RNH is already 6 feet tall.

Landeskog will be a good one and will probably go in the top 5.

My point is that someone out of Couturier, Huberdeau, Strome or Landeskog is going to drop. If they do I think they'll be a steal closer to the 10 spot then they'd be a bust closer to the 1 spot.

I knew I had forgot somebody. Landeskog will probably go top 5. The player who's likely going to fall is Couturier. It's not his fault. It's just that he's been on the seen for a long time now. I've read some articles that say scouts wonder how much upside he has. How much better is he going to be??

 

[KennyBanyeah]

I knew I had forgot somebody. Landeskog will probably go top 5. The player who's likely going to fall is Couturier. It's not his fault. It's just that he's been on the seen for a long time now. I've read some articles that say scouts wonder how much upside he has. How much better is he going to be??

I think he'll actually end up being soemwhere between Eric and Jordan Staal.

Not quite the elite scorer that Eric is, but more scoring than Jordan. He looks like he knows his own end of the rink already too, so he should be a solid two-way guy.

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

I think he'll actually end up being soemwhere between Eric and Jordan Staal.

Not quite the elite scorer that Eric is, but more scoring than Jordan. He looks like he knows his own end of the rink already too, so he should be a solid two-way guy.

If the Senators win the Lottery is RNH a lock? Which player do you want them to take?

 

[KennyBanyeah]

If the Senators win the Lottery is RNH a lock? Which player do you want them to take?

Wow. If they win? I'd like to see them take Larsson and trade him to the Oilers for the second pick ans maybe L.A.'s 1st. LOL. Then I'd take RNH with the second.

I just see Nugent-Hopkins being very Sakic-like. He has all the same tools, IMO.

 

[juliansteed]

I think he'll actually end up being soemwhere between Eric and Jordan Staal.

Not quite the elite scorer that Eric is, but more scoring than Jordan. He looks like he knows his own end of the rink already too, so he should be a solid two-way guy.

Yup. He led the Q in scoring last year while also playing shut down against the other teams top lines. He should be a great 2 way player.

And just to add to what Isles mentioned about him, he has a late '92 birthday whereas most of the other players were born in '93. He's in his 3rd year of junior whereas most of the rest would be in their 2nd. Every league he's ever played in considers him to be a year older than those other players. So he might be onto something with perhaps not having quite as much of an upside as some of the others. Should still be a really great player, and probably the best ever that was born in Phoenix. :eek2:

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

Wow. If they win? I'd like to see them take Larsson and trade him to the Oilers for the second pick ans maybe L.A.'s 1st. LOL. Then I'd take RNH with the second.

I just see Nugent-Hopkins being very Sakic-like. He has all the same tools, IMO.

You don't think Edmonton would take RNH to play with Hall & Eberle? I know they need defense but RNH will be tough to pass up.

 

[Destroydacre]

How has Cowen looked this post-season DD?

Unfortunately I haven't had a chance to see any of the games yet. Although Spokane has home ice in the series, the Arena here in Spokane was booked last weekend so the first two games were in Chilliwack. I wasn't able to make it to last night's game. I'm planning on going tonight, I'll make sure to take some notes and let you know how he plays.

 

[dash]

You don't think Edmonton would take RNH to play with Hall & Eberle? I know they need defense but RNH will be tough to pass up.

According to hockeydb.com, RNH is 6 feet tall...That's too tall to be a forward for the Oilers.

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

According to hockeydb.com, RNH is 6 feet tall...That's too tall to be a forward for the Oilers.

Just because he's listed at 6 feet doesn't mean he is. In the prospects game Ryan Murphy looked taller than RNH & he's listed at 6 feet tall.

So if I'm right RNH would fit right in with Edmonton.

 

[puckhead]

Giants swept... yuck.
outscored 16-6, and asswhooped 9-1 at home.