krsmith17

I know you're probably not serious, but there's not even enough room for all of our guys as it is... Paetsch(?), Lashoff, Renouf, Russo, Hicketts, Cholowski, McIlrath(?), Hronek, Saarijarvi, Sulak...

Well he'll play one more season in the W next year, and hopefully he rips it up (he should). He will then likely get a look in the playoffs with Grand Rapids (depending how Tri-City does next season). He will turn pro after that, and I would expect a season or two, depending how he adapts to the pro game. If all goes well, I hope we see him up full time by the half way point of the 2019-20 season...

3rd line Svechnikov - Grigorenko - Yakupov

Yeah, I'd take him on a short term, low cap hit, show me deal for sure. I still think he has the potential to be a good middle 6 winger.

No he won't and no he shouldn't. Resign RFA's Tatar, Athansiou and Ouellet, let all UFA's walk and stay away from free agency. Any upgrades to this team should come from within or through trade.

This is what I don't get. People keep saying how much this guy would improve our power-play. Do you know why our power-play has struggled even more so than a lack of a net-front presence? A lack of right-shooting snipers. Literally anyone can play net-front and bang in rebounds with enough practice, but not everyone can shoot the puck like Stamkos, Kessel. As you pointed out, Smith could be a net-front on one unit, and we can use any one of Holmstrom, Bertuzzi, Zablocki, etc, etc (who cares) on the other unit. The importance of a great net-front is vastly overstated around here. Maybe it's because we had two of the best ever in Ciccarelli and Holmstrom. The lack of right-shooting forwards is much more of a concern going forward in my opinion and we could have decreased that concern by picking one of Vilardi or Tippett. Side note: I would think (hope) we have better options than DeKeyser, Russo and Jensen by then. Also, Cholowski is a left-handed defenseman. I liked the Lindstrom pick too, and I hope he can quarterback a power-play some day, but is he going to jump past players like Hronek and Saarijarvi?

I find it funny that some keep using this to describe the people that think it was a botched pick. How are we any different than the ones saying it was a good pick? Neither side (for the most part) are saying definitively that Rasmussen IS going to suck or IS going to be great, just what they believe he will develop into at the NHL level. As for whether or not Rasmussen would have been available if they moved back, we'll never know, but I believe he would have been if they moved back 2-3 spots, and would have been worth the risk. They've been willing to risk it several times in the past (Mantha, Cholowski), it just sucks they weren't willing to this time. Why are you so confident that Lindstrom would have been available later? But it's not okay for some of us to believe Rasmussen would have been available at around 12? According to Wright, several teams approached him after the pick, praising them on such a great selection, and they were hoping he would be available shortly after he was selected 38th overall. I think either one of Lindstrom or Kotkansalo have a great chance of being one of those 2nd / 3rd round defense gems. I was pleased with the picks after the first. The only complaint I would make is that we should have traded up to get another 2nd to grab one of Timmins, Hague, or Samberg. The Rasmussen pick doesn't sit well with me though, so I give the two days a C+ overall...

Again, for our first top 10 pick in forever, yes I believe that would be a bad pick. Those are the types you get in the later rounds. Holmstrom was picked 257th overall and one of the best since Homer, Hornqvist was picked 230th overall. Pick the most all around skilled guy that high in the draft, you can pick specialty players later in the draft. That's just my opinion...

I would argue that Mantha is a pure sniper similar to Tippett. One thing that we do lack that Tippett would have brought to the table though is a right-handed sniper.

People are trying to justify the Rasmussen pick because he's a "great net front presence". You don't draft a net front guy with your first top 10 pick in a quarter century. You pick the best player available. In the opinion of 95% of scouts, that would be Vilardi. If we're in such desperate need for a massive player that can bang in rebounds and play net front on the power-play, we could have very easily picked him beyond the first round. We could have even traded up in the 2nd and taken Ratcliffe who is a very similar type player. Rasmussen, may end up being a very good player, but there's a reason we're being viewed by many as "1st round draft losers". No one is saying they know how these kids will turn out, just that on draft day, there were better options available. Anyway, like I said before, Rasmussen is a Wing now, so I'm going to root him on like I do every other player in the organization, but I would have been much more pleased with this draft overall if we had taken any of the handful other guys that were available, rather than big Ras.

#9 - Michael Rasmussen - CAN - 6'5", 220lbs. - C - L http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=286738 #38 - Gustav Lindstrom - SWE - 6'2", 187lbs. - D - R http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=212379 #71 - Kasper Kotkansalo - FIN - 6'2", 190lbs. - D - L http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=221328 #79 - Lane Zablocki - CAN - 6'0", 185lbs. - C - R http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=247919 #83 - Zachary Gallant - CAN - 6'2", 187lbs. - C - L http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=273617 #88 - Keith Petruzzelli - USA - 6'6", 190lbs. - G http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=278954 #100 - Malte Setkov - DEN - 6'6", 192lbs. - D - L http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=265424 #131 - Cole Fraser - CAN - 6'2", 192lbs. - D - R http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=297963 #162 - Jack Adams - USA - 6'5", 194lbs. - RW - R http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=248398 #164 - Reilly Webb - CAN - 6'3", 198lbs. - D - R http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=273694 #193 - Brady Gilmour - CAN - 5'10", 170lbs. - C - L http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=297674

It's Jack. http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=248398

One thing I've notice about this draft is that we've taken a lot of guys with size and also a lot of right shooters.

Reilly Webb.

Jack Adams.

For those that like the tough guys...

http://www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=297963

Cole Fraser

Very pleased with every pick so far today.

I'd take that bet...

NHL scouts / GM's never get it wrong...

Winnipeg grab another player I liked. Stelio Matheos.

Kasper Kotkansalo

Fabian Zetterlund gone to New Jersey... another player I wanted us to go after...

And there goes Brook...