I regards to Levshunov vs Demidov. I think people are overthinking it. Because NHL drafted players are 17-18 years old and are usually 3-4 years away from playing in the NHL, you draft the best player regardless of position. At #2 you draft potential superstardom in Demidov over potential good in Levshunov. Not many people have Levshunov as a 28 minute shut down #1 defenseman and thats the kind of defenseman you draft #2 overall. People are comparing Levshunov to max out as Evan Bouchard. No thanks. Good player, but never a Norris contender.
Yeah agree, he's not even the best defensive dman in the draft. The projections on Demidov eliteness are too astronomical to not take. When you Look at his draft year stats compared to current greats like kucherov and others he has more points in most comparisons.
Yes, and yes. I'm sorry, but at two, there have to be zero doubts that Levshunov is a number one, and there's plenty to say he's not. Zero so-called "experts" say that Demidov isn't at least special and, even by some, the potential best player in the draft!
You also draft great two-way defenseman that high. Levshunov looks like he’ll be a difference maker in all 3 zones. That’s the most valuable player you can have.
Theres no way you just said evan bouchard could never be a norris D. 82 points in 81 games in his first season as a #1D? Broke out slightly before the playoffs last year and has been one of the best D, in fact probably the best D in the playoffs over the past 2 years And theres no way he could get better at 24yo? Its like erik karlsson didnt just win a norris, and how do people even comprehend thinking evan bouchard isnt worth a number 2 pick. Ahhhhhh
@@the_real_dealwho is calling Levshunov a defensive dman? He was nearly a point per game as a freshman playing college hockey which very seldom happens at that position. Problem with demidov is he’s never even tasted the khl yet.
I don’t. He’s not dynamic offensively. He’s very good offensively, but his bread and butter is his transition game. He’ll likely only be average defensively as well. Not a game breaker, but a really good player.
Demigod at 2 no doubt. Scouted at 6ft plus 190. Watch him play. He is potentially the best player in this draft. And i believe his style will translate perfectly to the nhl. 100pt guy with hustle and competitiveness on the defensive.
Chris respect the analysis at #2 but have to disagree. The offense is really simplistic and not dynamic from Levshunov - he struggles creatively and I'm skeptical on if he gets to be more than a PP2 player. The defensive concerns are consistently waived away because "he's got the toolkit, he'll improve, etc." but he hasn't shown that competence yet, is bad at zone, and sacrifices defense to create his offense. I don't see him more than a #2/#3 and passing on a guy with a very realistic ceiling of 100+ points for even a very good #2 or weak end #1 is the wrong move.
I agree totally. If you look at the Hawks from a need perspective, it isn't close when it comes to defensive prospects vs. offensive ones. Sure, there's some potential, but the Hawks need star potential to go along with 98.
Demidov > Levshunov. Demidov is going to be a STAR. Levshunov MIGHT be a top pair guy. Seems like scouts are 50/50 on him being that guy. Everyone agrees Demidov is special
Demidov might look special but the competition he plays against is worse than the BCHL and he had 2 knee injuries 6 months apart and there is risk of signing long term in Russia and and and you don’t have control over his development. Tons of question marks. I’d pick him, but nhl teams are pretty risk averse.
@@HabsTypeBeatjust saying all that because you want the Habs to take him? Imo the competition thing is overblown. It’s still the top junior league of one of the biggest hockey nations. And I’m saying this as a Finn, obviously with a dislike towards Russia.
@@jyynarpalisenniemi6242 Overblown? Maybe, but it’s only one wrinkle. There are quite a few concerns I listed and they add up. Lookin more likely now that he will be available at 5, at least according to the nhl scouts at the combine and the reporters who cover the draft. Btw I’ve been saying this about Demidov for 6 months.
Connolly for Detroit is very interesting. He is a swing for the fences pick that they do not get a chance to do and shake things up. As for the hit Trevor had 7 games of experience with team USA and committed to the check with USHL style delivery. LHD Stian Solberg also be that swing for the fences pick....a BPA defender, even though they really do not need him.
There are surprises every year, it NEVER goes the way we expect. So there it is, for fun 1-Celebrini 2-Lindstrom (if the medical tests aren't anything alarming) You have Bedard and Lindstrom 2 punch centers, add size to a already small forward group, big centers like this are rare, Byfield went 2nd overall in 2020) 3-Parekh (off the chart offensive skills for a dman, the best since Makar/Q. Hughes + right dman, Verbeek wants a right D. his defensive approach can be improved, but you cant teach this elite offensive talent) 4-Dickinson (the complete package for a dman, Heiskanen type dman, perfect match for Jiricek long term, although I can REALLY see Demidov landing here, but they please Jiricek by finding him a stud partner) 5-Demidov (the Russian factor and knee injuries make him drop a bit, they can't pass on this talent at this point, and they passed on Michkov last year, MTL fans would love the pick, a miracle if that actually happens. 6-Levshunov (they hesitate between Buium and Levshunov, but they go for the big mobile right D, eventho Buium might be the better player down the road. A duo of Simashev / Levshunov would look scary down the road) 7-Buium ( they already have Jake Sanderson on the left side, but at this point they go for the best player available, the best freshman ever in the NCAA for a D? My favorite dman of the draft ) 8- Seattle - Silayev (perhaps the best defensive dman of the draft, 6'7" who can fly, almost (pretty much) impossible to beat 1 on 1. A rare stereotype, perhaps not the best offensive upside, but dont sleep on that) 9-Calgary - Iginla, its a love story 10- New Jersey - Eiserman....I can just imagine Eiserman alongside J. Hughes if everything pans out. That could be a home run for NJ. Eiserman could become a 50+ goal scorers if he plays with J. Hugues)
I love what both you guys do but with all due respect the Blackhawks didn't move up 2 spots to take Hage. To me this screams Demidov at 2 and Emery at 18, which I feel is a much better duo of picks than Levshunov + Hage
I'll give you Celebrini at #1. Because Chicago made the trade last week with the Islanders to move up to #18, I suspect Chicago plans to take RHD Adam Jiricek. This allows the Black Hawks to take Demidov at #2 and by taking Jiricek at #18 they make up for the RHD they're passing on by not drafting Levshunov. The Ducks then select Levshunov at #3 to replace the defenseman they gave up when they traded Jamie Drydale to Philadelphia for Cutter Gauthier. At #4 I believe Columbus selects Cayden Lindstrom. If you watched the Jackets last year, they struggled with puck possession time. Lindstrom is a guy who wins faceoffs (58%), wins battles along the wall on a consistent basis and is hard to separate from the puck. By increasing puck possession time the Jackets can help their defense. Lindstrom is the guy to do that.
With Toronto's pick you can convince me if he's a Cale makar type dman. But picking small dmen just to become future trade asset at best, doesn't work and highly doubt it does for other teams as well. Though I do believe Toronto needs to start drafting and developing its D core. Meaning Treliving will bring a different philosophy in how it drafts it players from the one Dubas deployed.
A small D for the Leafs who was hurt hilarious ..... actually quite incompetent Dubas days are over ... thanks for pointing it out Chris take Cole the next pick all day long
Columbus needs a center. The Canadian bias is strong in these two. Taking the Russian blue liner at 4 would be malpractice for the Blue Jackets. Nobody forces The Habs to face the more realistic situation where Demidov and Lindstrom are off the board.
I don’t think that is the more realistic option. I think the more realistic scenario is that Habs pass on Lindstrom if he’s available at 5 and do what people don’t want expect and trade back or take Sennecke/Iginla.
"Difficult to predict Montreal's picks" .. that's because they are highly incompetent. I am again worried they will pick the wrong guy. They should go for talent alone and the players with the most talent are: Catton, Sennecke, Iginla and Connelly. Eiserman is a big player that plays a north-south game. This is useless in the NHL
I regards to Levshunov vs Demidov. I think people are overthinking it. Because NHL drafted players are 17-18 years old and are usually 3-4 years away from playing in the NHL, you draft the best player regardless of position. At #2 you draft potential superstardom in Demidov over potential good in Levshunov. Not many people have Levshunov as a 28 minute shut down #1 defenseman and thats the kind of defenseman you draft #2 overall. People are comparing Levshunov to max out as Evan Bouchard. No thanks. Good player, but never a Norris contender.
Yeah agree, he's not even the best defensive dman in the draft. The projections on Demidov eliteness are too astronomical to not take. When you Look at his draft year stats compared to current greats like kucherov and others he has more points in most comparisons.
Yes, and yes. I'm sorry, but at two, there have to be zero doubts that Levshunov is a number one, and there's plenty to say he's not. Zero so-called "experts" say that Demidov isn't at least special and, even by some, the potential best player in the draft!
You also draft great two-way defenseman that high. Levshunov looks like he’ll be a difference maker in all 3 zones. That’s the most valuable player you can have.
Theres no way you just said evan bouchard could never be a norris D. 82 points in 81 games in his first season as a #1D? Broke out slightly before the playoffs last year and has been one of the best D, in fact probably the best D in the playoffs over the past 2 years And theres no way he could get better at 24yo? Its like erik karlsson didnt just win a norris, and how do people even comprehend thinking evan bouchard isnt worth a number 2 pick. Ahhhhhh
@@the_real_dealwho is calling Levshunov a defensive dman? He was nearly a point per game as a freshman playing college hockey which very seldom happens at that position.
Problem with demidov is he’s never even tasted the khl yet.
I actually think Zeev Buium will more likely be a franchise cornerstone #1 defenseman than Levshunov.
I don’t. He’s not dynamic offensively. He’s very good offensively, but his bread and butter is his transition game. He’ll likely only be average defensively as well. Not a game breaker, but a really good player.
Chris peters is such a gem for the draft junkies
Demigod at 2 no doubt. Scouted at 6ft plus 190. Watch him play. He is potentially the best player in this draft. And i believe his style will translate perfectly to the nhl. 100pt guy with hustle and competitiveness on the defensive.
Russian factor + 2 knee injuries this year, one at the very end of the year, don't know if its serious or not. It's not set in stone that he goes 2nd
@@maxpatenaude2115knee injuries are always serious, especially 2 of them like 6 months apart. Demidov is unlikely to go #2 imo,
Best player in the worst junior league
He’s listed WAY smaller. Like 5’10-5’11 170lbs
Where on earth are you getting 6ft 190
@@italian1ist Russian scouts that work for chicago. Reported recently
Chris respect the analysis at #2 but have to disagree. The offense is really simplistic and not dynamic from Levshunov - he struggles creatively and I'm skeptical on if he gets to be more than a PP2 player. The defensive concerns are consistently waived away because "he's got the toolkit, he'll improve, etc." but he hasn't shown that competence yet, is bad at zone, and sacrifices defense to create his offense. I don't see him more than a #2/#3 and passing on a guy with a very realistic ceiling of 100+ points for even a very good #2 or weak end #1 is the wrong move.
I agree totally. If you look at the Hawks from a need perspective, it isn't close when it comes to defensive prospects vs. offensive ones. Sure, there's some potential, but the Hawks need star potential to go along with 98.
Demidov and Bedard should
Happen
Blackhawks: "We're gonna pass on Demidov to draft Michael Hage." Nah dog.
Nice! 😂
Demidov > Levshunov. Demidov is going to be a STAR. Levshunov MIGHT be a top pair guy. Seems like scouts are 50/50 on him being that guy. Everyone agrees Demidov is special
Demidov might look special but the competition he plays against is worse than the BCHL and he had 2 knee injuries 6 months apart and there is risk of signing long term in Russia and and and you don’t have control over his development. Tons of question marks. I’d pick him, but nhl teams are pretty risk averse.
Plus Demidov has shades of Kaner in him so he would be a perfect successor
@@HabsTypeBeatjust saying all that because you want the Habs to take him? Imo the competition thing is overblown. It’s still the top junior league of one of the biggest hockey nations. And I’m saying this as a Finn, obviously with a dislike towards Russia.
@@jyynarpalisenniemi6242 Overblown? Maybe, but it’s only one wrinkle. There are quite a few concerns I listed and they add up. Lookin more likely now that he will be available at 5, at least according to the nhl scouts at the combine and the reporters who cover the draft. Btw I’ve been saying this about Demidov for 6 months.
Connolly for Detroit is very interesting. He is a swing for the fences pick that they do not get a chance to do and shake things up. As for the hit Trevor had 7 games of experience with team USA and committed to the check with USHL style delivery.
LHD Stian Solberg also be that swing for the fences pick....a BPA defender, even though they really do not need him.
There are surprises every year, it NEVER goes the way we expect. So there it is, for fun 1-Celebrini
2-Lindstrom (if the medical tests aren't anything alarming) You have Bedard and Lindstrom 2 punch centers, add size to a already small forward group, big centers like this are rare, Byfield went 2nd overall in 2020)
3-Parekh (off the chart offensive skills for a dman, the best since Makar/Q. Hughes + right dman, Verbeek wants a right D. his defensive approach can be improved, but you cant teach this elite offensive talent)
4-Dickinson (the complete package for a dman, Heiskanen type dman, perfect match for Jiricek long term, although I can REALLY see Demidov landing here, but they please Jiricek by finding him a stud partner)
5-Demidov (the Russian factor and knee injuries make him drop a bit, they can't pass on this talent at this point, and they passed on Michkov last year, MTL fans would love the pick, a miracle if that actually happens.
6-Levshunov (they hesitate between Buium and Levshunov, but they go for the big mobile right D, eventho Buium might be the better player down the road. A duo of Simashev / Levshunov would look scary down the road)
7-Buium ( they already have Jake Sanderson on the left side, but at this point they go for the best player available, the best freshman ever in the NCAA for a D? My favorite dman of the draft )
8- Seattle - Silayev (perhaps the best defensive dman of the draft, 6'7" who can fly, almost (pretty much) impossible to beat 1 on 1. A rare stereotype, perhaps not the best offensive upside, but dont sleep on that)
9-Calgary - Iginla, its a love story
10- New Jersey - Eiserman....I can just imagine Eiserman alongside J. Hughes if everything pans out. That could be a home run for NJ. Eiserman could become a 50+ goal scorers if he plays with J. Hugues)
Lindstrom’s back is a problem. More than Demidov’s knee. You gotta be a habs fan lol
I love what both you guys do but with all due respect the Blackhawks didn't move up 2 spots to take Hage. To me this screams Demidov at 2 and Emery at 18, which I feel is a much better duo of picks than Levshunov + Hage
I'll give you Celebrini at #1. Because Chicago made the trade last week with the Islanders to move up to #18, I suspect Chicago plans to take RHD Adam Jiricek. This allows the Black Hawks to take Demidov at #2 and by taking Jiricek at #18 they make up for the RHD they're passing on by not drafting Levshunov. The Ducks then select Levshunov at #3 to replace the defenseman they gave up when they traded Jamie Drydale to Philadelphia for Cutter Gauthier. At #4 I believe Columbus selects Cayden Lindstrom. If you watched the Jackets last year, they struggled with puck possession time. Lindstrom is a guy who wins faceoffs (58%), wins battles along the wall on a consistent basis and is hard to separate from the puck. By increasing puck possession time the Jackets can help their defense. Lindstrom is the guy to do that.
Where is the board?
Great show! I absolutely agree with Steven Ellis about Toronto drafting Kiviharju.
1:06:20 Eh, I doubt many people are mocking you for picking Celebrini number one.
95% sure the Hawks go with Demidov
Levshunov does not have the ceiling you want out of a typical 2nd overall pick
Happy with your Flyers picks.
With Toronto's pick you can convince me if he's a Cale makar type dman. But picking small dmen just to become future trade asset at best, doesn't work and highly doubt it does for other teams as well. Though I do believe Toronto needs to start drafting and developing its D core. Meaning Treliving will bring a different philosophy in how it drafts it players from the one Dubas deployed.
Respectfully disagree Chris.. it’ll be Demidov
Levshunov is not Heiskanen. Mygod
Great show thank you. But we' are Quebecers, not french Canadian. We are in 2024 not 1950 anymore.
Yakemchuk would be a big win for Buffalo.
bedardemidov > joneshunov!! my new nickname for demidov is "bpa"!!
A small D for the Leafs who was hurt hilarious ..... actually quite incompetent Dubas days are over ... thanks for pointing it out Chris take Cole the next pick all day long
Columbus needs a center. The Canadian bias is strong in these two. Taking the Russian blue liner at 4 would be malpractice for the Blue Jackets. Nobody forces The Habs to face the more realistic situation where Demidov and Lindstrom are off the board.
I don’t think that is the more realistic option. I think the more realistic scenario is that Habs pass on Lindstrom if he’s available at 5 and do what people don’t want expect and trade back or take Sennecke/Iginla.
you underestimate Tij Iginla. Iginla leave very quickly. 9th impossible! Top five, very likely
Hawks take Iginla.
"Difficult to predict Montreal's picks" .. that's because they are highly incompetent. I am again worried they will pick the wrong guy. They should go for talent alone and the players with the most talent are: Catton, Sennecke, Iginla and Connelly. Eiserman is a big player that plays a north-south game. This is useless in the NHL
One thing for sure when Montreal picks, whoever is favored to be picked at that spot, just fade that bet because it won't be him lol!!!