If not Dahlen...

[SpikeDDS]

Obviously, if the Red Wings are fortunate enough to actually get the first pick of the draft, they take Rasmus Dahlin.

 

But let’s say they DON’T get the first pick, but DO get the second pick, and of course Dahlin gets taken by whomever gets the first pick. There are actually quite a number of very solid D-man prospects available other than Dahlen at the top end of this draft, and they have different skill sets to choose from.

 

Do you go with size? Skating ability? Puck movers? Shooting ability/accuracy? Which factors do you rate higher than others in your matrix for that pick?

 

For example, Quinn Hughes is considered one of the best skaters of the bunch. But he lacks size. He, of course, is a Michigan man. Is that what we should be going after? (I say no.)

 

Or Boqvist? Bigger, still a good skater, and a good puck mover? (I like this better, personally.)

 

Bouchard is also bigger. Also a good puck mover. Perhaps he fits better?

 

I just see the Wings’ defense needing size to clear out the net front area. Dekeyser is just not built big enough to handle elite net front players with excellence. And when he does try, it hampers his game. Too much on one guy.

 

OR since the next three best players after Dahlen  are forwards, do you take the most talented remaining in the draft regardless of position? If Svechnikov is available, do you wait and fill your D with your next picks? (I say no to this. We need elite D in the worst way.)

 

And how important is it to pick an NHL-ready player? Would you bring them up for what many are suggesting could be Henrik Zetterberg’s last year to learn to be a pro from an elite one?

 

What do you do if you are Kenny Holland with the second pick of the draft?

[flyercanuck]

1 hour ago, SpikeDDS said:

Obviously, if the Red Wings are fortunate enough to actually get the first pick of the draft, they take Rasmus Dahlin.

 

But let’s say they DON’T get the first pick, but DO get the second pick, and of course Dahlin gets taken by whomever gets the first pick. There are actually quite a number of very solid D-man prospects available other than Dahlen at the top end of this draft, and they have different skill sets to choose from.

 

Do you go with size? Skating ability? Puck movers? Shooting ability/accuracy? Which factors do you rate higher than others in your matrix for that pick?

 

For example, Quinn Hughes is considered one of the best skaters of the bunch. But he lacks size. He, of course, is a Michigan man. Is that what we should be going after? (I say no.)

 

Or Boqvist? Bigger, still a good skater, and a good puck mover? (I like this better, personally.)

 

Bouchard is also bigger. Also a good puck mover. Perhaps he fits better?

 

I just see the Wings’ defense needing size to clear out the net front area. Dekeyser is just not built big enough to handle elite net front players with excellence. And when he does try, it hampers his game. Too much on one guy.

 

OR since the next three best players after Dahlen  are forwards, do you take the most talented remaining in the draft regardless of position? If Svechnikov is available, do you wait and fill your D with your next picks? (I say no to this. We need elite D in the worst way.)

 

And how important is it to pick an NHL-ready player? Would you bring them up for what many are suggesting could be Henrik Zetterberg’s last year to learn to be a pro from an elite one?

 

What do you do if you are Kenny Holland with the second pick of the draft?

 

I take Svechnikov and don't even think about it. 

[yave1964]

1 hour ago, flyercanuck said:

 

I take Svechnikov and don't even think about it. 

THIS

 

  Svechnikov the younger is an elite power forward, to me he is clearly the second best player in the draft besides Dahlin. The problem is the Wings have forwards, maybe not elite but it is the strength of the team is the young forwards. Mantha, Larkin, Athanasiou, Bertuzzi, Rassmussen coming likely as soon as next year. The other Svechnikov. Oodles or young forwards and our defense is putrid, IMHO there is not a single blueliner on the NHL team capable of being more than a third pair guy on a decent team. By the time the Wings get good again they will all be gone.

  That said, you just don't pass on Svechnikov if we get the second pick. 

 So the real question, IMHO is who to take at number three and to me it would have to be a defenseman and I would personally go Adam Boqvist or Evan Bouchard. I would be inclined to go Bouchard who I see as a Shea Weber type, big foreboding power play guy with an edge, I see Boqvist as a Torrey Krug type, a scoring blueliner who gets pushed a round a bit because of his size. Boqvist has enormous offensive potential on the back end but I think all things being equal, with the third pick we take Bouchard almost a no brainer.

[flyercanuck]

@yave1964

 

 If the Wings really wanted to take a blueliner with their first pick, I'd be trading down to somewhere between 4-6 before I'd go using the 2nd or 3rd overall on one. I think Svechnikov is barely below Dahlin in potential/skill and NHL readiness. He'll play next year. Zadina is a step below those two but ahead of anyone else IMO. Then it becomes more of a "who do you take, and there are several defencemen right up there.

[OccamsRazor]

1 hour ago, yave1964 said:

That said, you just don't pass on Svechnikov if we get the second pick. 

 

 

Well you could always trade back...say for a defensive prospect....but yeah i think you have to take him unless someone comes in and blows your doors off with a trade offer...

[OccamsRazor]

Just now, flyercanuck said:

 If the Wings really wanted to take a blueliner with their first pick, I'd be trading down to somewhere between 4-6 before I'd go using the 2nd or 3rd overall on one.

 

HA i just posted that.

[SpikeDDS]

@yave1964

 

Svechnikov may be worth it, but I don’t know if it gets us closer to contention than drafting elite D-men. Not without trading. But who trades elite D-men? Nobody...unless you are trading for another elite D-man ala Montreal-Nashville. We end up with an entertaining team that loses games 4-3. Certainly better than we are now, and more competitive, but not seriously competitive. 

[yave1964]

10 hours ago, SpikeDDS said:

@yave1964

 

Svechnikov may be worth it, but I don’t know if it gets us closer to contention than drafting elite D-men. Not without trading. But who trades elite D-men? Nobody...unless you are trading for another elite D-man ala Montreal-Nashville. We end up with an entertaining team that loses games 4-3. Certainly better than we are now, and more competitive, but not seriously competitive. 

I just see Svechnikov as the second best player in the draft and while he does not fit a definite need he would allow us to make a move for the d-men that we are ISO using other assets/free agency to fill the holes. I would love the first pick obviously as Dahlen is the no doubt no brainer pick but if not IMho  Svechnikov might not fill a serious need but he would immediately become the Wings best forward possibly excepting Larkin because Larkin plays a more crucial position at center but he would be a serious upgrade on the wing, a true first line power forward to go with Larkin and arguably Rassmussen. 

[yave1964]

All that said, the Isles have an envious group of insanely skilled young forwards and missed the playoffs by a million points because they canot play D. I just think that Svechnikov would be impossible to pass up at 2.

[flyercanuck]

36 minutes ago, yave1964 said:

All that said, the Isles have an envious group of insanely skilled young forwards and missed the playoffs by a million points because they canot play D. I just think that Svechnikov would be impossible to pass up at 2.

 

I've watched him play live all year....he's really really good. He's actually quite good on the PK as well...something he doesn't get enough credit for. Same with his board game and willingness to go to the dirty areas. He's already got NHL size, shot and skating.

[SpikeDDS]

4 hours ago, yave1964 said:

I just see Svechnikov as the second best player in the draft and while he does not fit a definite need he would allow us to make a move for the d-men that we are ISO using other assets/free agency to fill the holes. I would love the first pick obviously as Dahlen is the no doubt no brainer pick but if not IMho  Svechnikov might not fill a serious need but he would immediately become the Wings best forward possibly excepting Larkin because Larkin plays a more crucial position at center but he would be a serious upgrade on the wing, a true first line power forward to go with Larkin and arguably Rassmussen. 

 

Yeah, I just don't know how realistic trading him for elite D-man talent would be. He doesn't help acquire a FA, other than the attractiveness his offensive skills might offer a FA considering coming to Detroit among other choices. Teams today are just not parting with elite D-man talent unless they are well beyond their peak. And then usually deadline deals as rentals right before their contracts expire. It's just becoming such a rarity in today's NHL.

 

I'd be afraid that we would become the Islanders. Your assessment of them is spot on. And Tavares came and went (assuming he leaves as a FA), never really having seriously contended--at least not enough to win a conference title, much less a Cup while he was there. No back end leaves you there.
 

And history has a tendency to repeat itself.

 

I think Svechnikov is a tougher decision for the Wings vs. most teams. I'm not saying dead no. I'm just saying that decision needs more careful consideration for the good of the franchise. Is he really THAT good? Will his addition give the Wings what they need to eventually compete again? Or would his acquisition make us good enough to compete on the bubble as we have been for several years prior to last season preventing earlier draft picks of the players we will eventually need to seriously contend?

 

To some degree, I think we have ignored our D problem for so long that we really can't afford to ignore it any longer UNLESS the talent is just SO good that it will make us competitive despite getting there unconventionally.

[OccamsRazor]

7 hours ago, yave1964 said:

All that said, the Isles have an envious group of insanely skilled young forwards and missed the playoffs by a million points because they canot play D. I just think that Svechnikov would be impossible to pass up at 2.

 

 

Well you could always draft him and trade him say for a Noah Hanifin or Haydn Fleury or a Olli Juolevi type guy who is already in the NHL or close too it. Not saying any of those guys are available just using them as recent draft picks they could target.