krsmith17

The player I really wanted us to take 6th overall...

Wow, that is next level cringeworthy...

LOL Not even close... You want to see a real look alike?... We need to draft Athanasiou's brother...

Fair enough. I disagree, but we'll have to wait and see. Regardless, I hope both end up being great middle six centers for us for the next 10+ seasons...

"wasn't and won't be *as much* the case when he plays in the NHL, as opposed to the AHL"... Sorry, I left out two words... I obviously think he's going to have a size advantage. I also said this "Ras is built like an ox, but he's still not even completely filled out yet, which is kind of scary"... LOL you would use goals, as opposed to points (in a poor attempt) to prove your point... If Rasmussen is a MUCH more prolific goal scorer, then Veleno is a MUCH much more prolific set up man... You also have to consider that Veleno started juniors a year before Rasmussen due to his exceptional status. Remove that season where he only put up 13 goals in 62 games as a 15 year old, and the numbers are much closer. Veleno scored 77 goals in 168 games and Rasmussen scored 81 goals in 161 games at the same age. Also, add the fact that Rasmussen was a man amongst boys in juniors, and those numbers may even be more skewed, in regards to where he might project as an NHLer. I'm not trying to put down Rasmussen. I think (hope) he will be a very good player for us. It's just absurd to me that people think he's a much better prospect than Veleno... I don't see it.

Very debatable. We'll have to wait and see... I don't think any part of Veleno's game is elite, but very few 2nd line centers have any elite attributes. They just do everything very well. That's Veleno, solid, well-rounded, two-way center. If I were to guess on one thing he could be elite at (or close to it), zone exits and entries. The guy can skate.

I'm curious as to why you don't think Veleno has the offensive capabilities? Was it the monster numbers he put up last year in the Q? or the short stint (first 6 games) in the AHL? I'm more so saying that Rasmussen has the size advantage against his competition, that wasn't and won't be the case when he plays in the NHL, as opposed to the AHL. But yes, Rasmussen does have the size advantage over Veleno, and that's not going to change. However, I'd argue that Veleno has just about every other advantage you want in a forward (center); skating, passing, hockey IQ, etc... So again, aside from these first six games, what gives you the impression that Rasmussen is a better prospect than Veleno?

Making it? Or making the biggest impact? Do you think Rasmussen has the highest ceiling of any prospect in the organization? That I would disagree with. He's looked really good in this short stint, but again, he has the experience and size advantage over most of the other young guys... I definitely don't disagree that Rasmussen is and should be next in line. I just don't think he has the highest ceiling. Ras is built like an ox, but he's still not even completely filled out yet, which is kind of scary... He still gets knocked off the puck too easily, but once he gains that lower body strength, he will be a force down low, in the corners and in his office (front of the net)...

What are you talking about? I didn't say I'm worried about Rasmussen, or that any single one of those players is more likely to hit than him... I said ONE of FIVE (or more, basically any prospect in the system) is more likely to hit their ceiling than ONE player by himself. That's common sense... What's my narrative? I'd love to hear it... Also, while what Rasmussen is doing is very impressive, he is a year older, 2 feet taller and 100lbs heavier than Veleno or Zadina. He also has the NHL experience to help him along. I still think Veleno will end up being the better player, but I'm not as convinced today, as I was a couple weeks ago.

Yeah, I'm hoping we let all of those guys walk, but wouldn't be surprised to see a couple back... Ehn and de la Rose are replaceable by any of Pearson, Turgeon, Kuffner, Smith, etc. Let them walk. Green and Daley are way past their prime, and can be replaced by Seider, or any other UFA defenseman on a short deal. I wouldn't hate bringing Bowey back as the 6th / 7th defenseman, but Biega needs to go as well.

Likely, but still need the balls to fall our way. Not likely, unless we luck out in the draft lottery. I think we'll be out of the bottom 10 next season. I'd say the likelihood of at least one of Veleno, Zadina, Svechnikov, Berggren, McIsaac, etc. turning into a top six forward / top four defenseman is very likely. More likely than Rasmussen in my opinion (and I've come around a lot on Big Ras)... I have no idea how this will play out, but I trust that Yzerman will pull at least one of these off in the next two years...

I think we'll see a pretty significant improvement from this season to next. We might not make the playoffs next season, but I think we'll at least be in the conversation. This season we'll (hopefully)be a bottom three team and actually pick in the top three. Add that player to your 2021 roster, as well as a free agent or two and we'll be in great shape. I'm still confident that all of Rasmussen, Veleno, Zadina, Svechnikov and Seider will be significant pieces to the core of this roster. Add a Lafreniere, Byfield, Raymond, Holtz, etc. and we're back!

I hear ya. Our team currently sucks. No doubt about that. However, we have some very promising pieces on the roster and in the pipe. I still think the future is bright, but yeah, it's going to be a couple years before we start to see it come together... I just think we missed an opportunity to add another key piece to the rebuild. Kapanen would have been a great add this past offseason... Oh well...

Still kind of pissed that we didn't offer-sheet Kapanen... We could have offered $4M x 4, and given up our 2020 2nd round pick (well worth it). He would have likely signed the offer and Toronto likely wouldn't have been able to match. Highly skilled winger, right in the range of our young core (a week younger than Larkin). He would also fill a huge hole as a top six right-handed winger... A 2nd line of Athanasiou - Filppula - Kapanen would actually give us a capable 2nd line... Then you have Hirose - Nielsen - Svechnikov and Abdelkader - Glendening - Helm as our 3rd and 4th lines, and on paper it doesn't look too terrible...

Which prospects have "regressed" under Blashill?

Had in on the computer in the background. Watched during intermissions and commercials... From the little I seen, decent game. The only goal I seen live was Kuffner...

2 more assists for the big man tonight.

Is Svechnikov the most skilled player on this team?

I'm not sure how far you want to go back or how recent is fair to evaluate, but looking at 2013 to 2016, we've had two (Bertuzzi and Hronek) out of four 2nd round picks turn into high end NHL players. Nastasiuk is obviously a bust, but Smith could still become a reliable bottom six winger. I'm really not sure what your expectations are, but that's good value for the 2nd round. Since 2017 we've had another six 2nd round picks (Lindstrom, Berggren, McIsaac, Tuomisto, Mastrosimone, Johansson). I'm not personally that high on any of them, besides maybe McIsaac, but it's still too early to say one way or another on any of them at this point. I don't think our optimism and pessimism should be "averaged" though... I think you're off on your analysis. Again, none are likely to be elite players, but you don't get elite players beyond the top 5 or a huge amount of luck. All will be quality NHLers though. I'd honestly be shocked if a single one of the players mentioned end up being complete busts, let alone multiple players...

None of those guys will be flops and I think you can count the number of "gems" pulled beyond the 2nd round on one hand. I don't think you can fault a GM for not finding those gems, and it's still possible that we have already found one in one of the past couple drafts... I may be overly optimistic, but you're most certainly being overly pessimistic... We'll have to wait and see how it pans out, but I disagree wholeheartedly with your opinion of where these prospects end up.

Yes. Yes you are. What do you mean, "will they be any good?"... I don't think any of them will truly be elite, but I do think all of them will be very good players. About what you can expect for where they were all drafted... Svechnikov - middle six winger - 19th overall in 2015 - should have picked Boeser, but so should about 15 other teams... if he can remain healthy, I think he will prove to have been a good pick. Cholowski - top 4 defenseman - 20th overall in 2016 - should have taken DeBrincat, but hindsight is 20/20... overall, looks like a great pick. Rasmussen - middle six center/winger - picked 9th overall in 2017 - I was very critical of the pick at the time, but still think he will be a quality NHLer (should have taken Necas)... jury is still out. Zadina - top six winger - picked 6th overall in 2018 - a lot of people think we should have taken Hughes, but it's still early days, and I still believe Zadina will prove to have been a good pick. Veleno - middle six center - picked 30th overall in 2018 - he was the steal of the draft, and continues to show why teams shouldn't have passed on him... great pick. Seider - top two defenseman - picked 6th overall in 2019 - Yzerman took a lot of heat with his first pick as GM of the Red Wings, but Seider has silenced the critics... still early, but looks like a very good pick. There's no question in my mind that all of these players will be quality NHLers.

Yup, and if the Red Wings drafted Hughes and the Canucks drafted Zadina, Hughes would still be in Grand Rapids and Zadina likely full time in Vancouver...

Exactly. Everyone calling for Blashill to be fired, but for the most part (aside from this past stretch) he's done a good job with what he's had to work with. I'm not saying Blashill is a great coach, but he's definitely not the reason we're losing games. We're a one line team. Our bottom six is filled with borderline NHLers. I'd like to see what he can do with a half decent roster over the next couple seasons before we fire him.

More or less of a cannon than AA?