Connor McDavid Watch Thread

[forty_three]

Well, it certainly can't be hurting McDavid's confidence, that's for sure. Also, I think it's pretty clear that there's no point sending him back to junior. I can't really say too much about Eichel as I haven't seen him as much as McDavid.

I am more and more in favor of this practice, though. Oliver Bjorkstrand is sitting on 48 goals in 49 games. He was lower on the depth chart than Wennberg who in the NHL has 9 points in 52 games. When Bjorkstrand hits camp this summer he's going to be ten feet tall and bulletproof.

Johansen clearly could have benefited from another year in Junior as well. Although the Jackets could not afford to be patient then.

I know, it doesn't make sense in every case. But if the Jackets wind up with one of the top 2, I would be okay with another Junior season. Eichel especially.

 

[RP-29]

To be fair to scouts and observers, in the past decade the number of "can't miss" guys who went at the top of the draft who missed is very, very small. I'd say it starts and ends with Erik Johnson.

Again, I'm not saying McDavid will be a miss or even could be a miss. I'm saying laying "franchise savior" on the kid before his skates touch pro ice could be setting him up for a reduction of realized potential.

 

[RP-29]

I know, it doesn't make sense in every case. But if the Jackets wind up with one of the top 2, I would be okay with another Junior season. Eichel especially.

Extra time in the minors and AHL is a key reason why the Wings have made the playoffs every year despite always drafting in the bottom half. Let them ripen.

Sometimes the higher profile prospects completely wither among stiffer competition (see Martin Frk) and sometimes the overlooked undrafted guys step in and become very useful NHL workhorses (see Luke Glendening).

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

Extra time in the minors and AHL is a key reason why the Wings have made the playoffs every year despite always drafting in the bottom half. Let them ripen.

Sometimes the higher profile prospects completely wither among stiffer competition (see Martin Frk) and sometimes the overlooked undrafted guys step in and become very useful NHL workhorses (see Luke Glendening).

The Wings don't draft players who are too good for Junior upon drafting. Would McDavid really benefit from beating up on 17 year olds for another year?

The problem is the NHL rules that don't let North American U-20s in the AHL. Absolutely ridiculous, CHL be damned.

 

[RP-29]

The Wings don't draft players who are too good for Junior upon drafting. Would McDavid really benefit from beating up on 17 year olds for another year?

The problem is the NHL rules that don't let North American U-20s in the AHL. Absolutely ridiculous, CHL be damned.

Good points and I agree; In McDavid's rare case, there's not much of an option under the current rules. I'm wondering if an exception could be made in his case, though. It wouldn't be the first time he was granted an exception.

Another out-of-the-box thought might be to request a young elite prospect like McDavid join the college hockey system for a year or two. I'm sure every college hockey program in America would line up to offer him a full scholarship.

That said, those are thoughts that benefit the player's development and long-term franchise success, not the franchise's immediate pocketbook. Whoever drafts McDavid will have jersey sales spike like they've never spiked before. Having him on the ice will sell tickets greater than tickets were sold before. It's the short-sighted financial greed that usually wins-out, even if it's at the expense of the player's development.

 

[puckhead]

that scout though....

 

[puckhead]

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oh my mistake, those are McDavid's words!
set the bar low, I guess. or maybe he's throwing the Oiler's off the scent incase they win the lottery

 

[dash]

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oh my mistake, those are McDavid's words!
set the bar low, I guess. or maybe he's throwing the Oiler's off the scent incase they win the lottery

Oilers might pass the Leafs the way they're playing before this season is over.

 

[Cobiemonster]

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oh my mistake, those are McDavid's words!
set the bar low, I guess. or maybe he's throwing the Oiler's off the scent incase they win the lottery

I think the Oilers are trying to win now so they can't pick him

 

[DragonfromTO]

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oh my mistake, those are McDavid's words!
set the bar low, I guess. or maybe he's throwing the Oiler's off the scent incase they win the lottery

He's trying to be humble. Nothing positive can come from saying "Wayne Gretzky" or "Albert Albert from Canadian Tire", only negative reactions.

 

[BGDave]

I am worried for Eichel. Whoever drafts him will be under a TON of pressure to keep him in the NHL, both because he is a #2 pick and because of McDavid. I have not seen him play this year, but is he really ready for the NHL?

He is being hyped as a 1A prospect, a guy who would/should/could be a #1 if this wasnt McDavid's year. Thats an awful lot of pressure.

I went back to look at Crosby's draft year. The next guys: Bobby Ryan, Jack Johnson, Benoit Pouliot (oof), and then some goalie who took years (understandably) to develop.

Whoever drafts Eichel will probably rush him, and it wont be in the kid's best interest.

Unless DET drafts him

 

[Nasty_Magician]

More like Conner McDevil am I right?

 

[sabresfaninthesouth]

I am worried for Eichel. Whoever drafts him will be under a TON of pressure to keep him in the NHL, both because he is a #2 pick and because of McDavid. I have not seen him play this year, but is he really ready for the NHL?

He is being hyped as a 1A prospect, a guy who would/should/could be a #1 if this wasnt McDavid's year. Thats an awful lot of pressure.

I went back to look at Crosby's draft year. The next guys: Bobby Ryan, Jack Johnson, Benoit Pouliot (oof), and then some goalie who took years (understandably) to develop.

Whoever drafts Eichel will probably rush him, and it wont be in the kid's best interest.

Unless DET drafts him

I'm working under the assumption that he ends up in Buffalo since (assuming they finish last) they have only a 20% at McDavid, but an 80% chance at Eichel.

I can't say that I have a ton of insight into how Tim Murray's brain works, but he seems to have a fairly responsible approach to dealing with prospects. Obviously Reinhart didn't come with the same degree of hype, but he wasn't afraid to send him back to juniors. He also sent Zadorov down for a while at the start of the season and hasn't been afraid to keep Grigorenko in the minors. He's also brought in a bunch of space fillers rather than bring up one of their G prospects like Makarov to get slaughtered.

It seems to me that he knows that the team isn't going to turn into an overnight competitor with the addition of one player and that he's willing to give the young guys enough time to develop rather than throwing them to the wolves.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

I'm working under the assumption that he ends up in Buffalo since (assuming they finish last) they have only a 20% at McDavid, but an 80% chance at Eichel.

I can't say that I have a ton of insight into how Tim Murray's brain works, but he seems to have a fairly responsible approach to dealing with prospects. Obviously Reinhart didn't come with the same degree of hype, but he wasn't afraid to send him back to juniors. He also sent Zadorov down for a while at the start of the season and hasn't been afraid to keep Grigorenko in the minors. He's also brought in a bunch of space fillers rather than bring up one of their G prospects like Makarov to get slaughtered.

It seems to me that he knows that the team isn't going to turn into an overnight competitor with the addition of one player and that he's willing to give the young guys enough time to develop rather than throwing them to the wolves.

Can Eichel be sent to the A because he didn't play in the CHL?

 

[dash]

Can Eichel be sent to the A because he didn't play in the CHL?

Yes, I beleve so.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

It's either cool how badly McDavid wants to be a Leaf, or funny how he keeps trolling everybody by making them think he wants to be a Leaf.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

Yes, I beleve so.

That's a nice luxury for them to have. He's played with older guys so maybe he'll be ready anyway, but if he spends a season in the A so be it. They should have Reinhart in the fold next season so they're gonna be crowded up the middle anyway.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

I went back to look at Crosby's draft year. The next guys: Bobby Ryan, Jack Johnson, Benoit Pouliot (oof), and then some goalie who took years (understandably) to develop.

I think you can say "oof" to all three of those guys. Even if Bobby Ryan is a decent enough player, getting a poor man's Kessel as a consolation prize to Sid is rather disappointing.

 

[sabresfaninthesouth]

That's a nice luxury for them to have. He's played with older guys so maybe he'll be ready anyway, but if he spends a season in the A so be it. They should have Reinhart in the fold next season so they're gonna be crowded up the middle anyway.

Several of the guys that traditionally play center can move to the wing though if they feel like Eichel is ready for the big league. Ennis and Hodgson play on the wing fairly often actually.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

Several of the guys that traditionally play center can move to the wing though if they feel like Eichel is ready for the big league. Ennis and Hodgson play on the wing fairly often actually.

Of course this will all change after that Hodgson for Crosby and Geno deal.