Flamestr's Draft Picks - NHL's Got Talent

All eyes are on the Sens, with two lottery picks. And the third one of them because of the Islanders trade. This year's Draft will be interesting because it will be harder to determine how good the player is due to the pandemic. Teams will have to go on what they have seen earlier in the year. Hence the ratings are what they are. 

The top two players in the Draft are a given. Who is next in line depends on who you talk to. Teams are going to draft on the team's needs rather than the players. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder in this Draft.

New York Rangers

Alexis Lafreniere - Left-Wing 

Alexis is a game-changer; he is the most talented player in the Draft. He is a slick passer who has excellent vision. His ability to get the pass to its destination is uncanny. He has a great shot. More to the point, it is deadly accurate. An excellent skater with excellent hands; he is a magician with the puck. 

 

LA Kings

Quinton Byfield - Centre

Byfield is a smooth-skating forward with skills to burn. A terrific playmaking center who has great vision on the ice. What makes him special is his size. He uses it to his advantage—a sturdy individual who won't be easily taken off the puck. 

Ottawa Senators

Tim Stützle - Centre, Left-Wing

Most of the experts have him at number three. Tim's strength is his skating. A speedy skater who intimidates defence into making mistakes. A terrific skilled forward who has a ton of offensive skill. He needs to be buffed up a little, but that will come.  

 

Detroit Red Wings

Jamie Drysdale - Defence

Jamie is easily the best all-round defenceman in the Draft. He has a solid two-way game. A fast skater who can distribute the puck to forwards. He will be utilized in the powerplay and penalty-killing. Jamie has a great shot to add his offensive skill. He will be a dynamic NHLer for years to come. 

Ottawa Senators 

Marco Rossi - Centre 

Depending on who you read, Marco is or is close to NHL-ready. One thing is for sure—Marco is a very talented offensive forward. He has excellent puck control, which makes him a dangerous weapon for the NHL Club. The only downside on this kid is his size, but he can over easily overcome that obstacle. 

Anaheim Ducks

Lucas Raymond - Right-Wing, Left-Wing

Lucas is a highly-skilled forward who has good lateral movement. His speed can get him in and out of trouble. A smooth skater who will make coaches drool.  

New Jersey Devils

Alexander Holtz - Right-Wing 

I could tell you look at Raymond, and you see Holtz. The most significant difference is Alexander is a pure scorer. Holtz has a great release and accurate shot. Teams will be lining up for his services at the Draft. He can be vital to the team's powerplay because of his one-time shots. 

Buffalo Sabres

Jake Sanderson  

Sanderson is a very smart defender with a high hockey IQ. Jake knows when to pitch in and when not to. He has a terrific shot with a quick release. He is rated as the second-best defenceman in the Draft. 

 

Minnesota Wild

Cole Perfetti - Center

Cole is a skilled center-winger who is not opposed to getting his nose dirty. Excellent with the puck and has good vision. Depending on who you ask, his skating might be a concern. There is no doubting Cole's offensive abilities; he should be able to develop his skating skills.  

Winnipeg Jets

Dawson Mercer - Right-Wing

Dawson is a slick playmaking centre of decent size. An excellent passer, he is a smooth-skating forward with a ton of potential. Dawson has a chip on his shoulder. He won't shy from the corners. A typical prospect from the Quebec junior league, Mercer will have to work on his defensive zone game.

Nashville Predators 

Anton Lundell - Centre

Anton is a reliable two-way forward with some offensive punch. He stands out with one skill, but he is known as a jack-of-all-trades. A hard worker, he will contribute on the powerplay and the penalty kill. He is known for his soft passes to set up scoring chances.  

Florida Panthers

Dylan Holloway - Centre, Left-Wing

How much talent this kid has depends on who you ask. He is a smooth skater who is hard to take the puck off of. His lateral movement is outstanding. He has to develop his game to be a complete player. Has tons of potential to be a star. 

Carolina Hurricanes 

Yaroslav Askarov - Goalie 

Yaroslav has a terrific quick glove hand. He plays his angles very well and has fast reflexes. Yaroslav can win a game by himself. A very agile keeper who controls his rebounds. It is rare to have a goalie in the first round, which just goes to show how much potential this kid has. 

Edmonton Oilers

Jack Quinn - Right-wing

Depending on who you listen to, Jack lands anywhere from 6th to 13th. Jack is an elite finisher who cleans up his chances to the net. He has speed, but needs to develop his skating skills. Teams love his one-timer. He will be an excellent asset on the powerplay. 

Toronto Maple Leafs

Kaiden Guhle - Defence

Kaiden is ranked from 14th to 23rd. His greatest strength is he is an excellent skater. Kaiden is a top physical, no-nonsense defenseman.

Solid defensive defensemen teams will value his puck-handling skills, probably the third best defenseman in the Draft. 

Montreal Canadians 

Seth Jarvis - Centre, Wing

Seth is a highly-skilled forward who excels in the offensive zone. His versatility is an asset being able to be centre and wing. Teams can use him in all aspects of the game. He especially shines on the penalty-kill. He is the kind of forward you would want on the ice in the last two minutes.  

Chicago Black Hawks

Hendrix Lapierre - Centre

 

Hendrix intimidates defencemen with his speed. He often forces the defence to back up, which allows him to penetrate the offensive zone easily. A highly-skilled puck handler who is capable of making passes that most can only imagine. Again, being from the Quebec junior league, he needs to develop his defensive game. Concussion issues may hinder his development.  

New Jersey Devils

Connor Zary - Centre

Connor not a flashy centre, but has the skill to compete in the NHL. Connor is a man's man. A hard-working hockey player. He will fight in the corner and is solid in his own end. You will want him on your team in the last minutes. Connor may very well have the biggest heart in the Draft. 

Calgary Flames

Jacob Perreault - Right-Wing

Jacob is an offensive centre who will put up some numbers. He is known for his passing, skills and has excellent vision. He is a terrific skater and a finisher around the net. Motivated and the player who wants the puck when the moment counts. 

New Jersey Devils

Rodion Amirov - Left-Wing

Rodion has some strong feedback from the insiders. Rodion is a strong winger who can give teammates space. He is steady on his feet, and it will be hard to take him off the puck. He could be a steal for a team that picks the 20 or 21 spot in the Draft. 

Columbas Blue Jackets

John-Jason Peterka - Right-Wing

I get kind of excited about John-Jason, a right-winger who can finish. Jason has a quick release wrist shot, with some accuracy. Peterka needs to develop his defensive game, but that will come. He was used in all aspects of the game.  

New York Rangers 

Noel Gunler - Right-Wing, Left-Wing

Some have this slick-moving forward in the top ten. Noel's biggest asset is his shot. If Noel brings his size in his game, he could become the perfect power-forward. A powerful sniper who could be a top-six forward. 

Philadelphia Flyers 

Ridly Greig - Right-Wing, Centre

Ridley has one talent right from the start; his versatility. Teams will love the fact he can play RW-centre. Ridley will be used in all aspects of the game. He can be relied on in the last minutes, used as a left-winger or to replace a centre if he gets tossed on the draw.   

Washington Capitals 

Lukas Reichel  - Left-Wing 

Lucis is a skilled left-winger who can put the fear of death into others with his speed in the offensive zone. Lucas has excellent vision, which makes him dangerous shooting or passing.  

Colorado Avalanche 

Justin Barron - Defence

Justin is an all-around defenceman known for his defensive game. He has great vision will be able to get the puck out of the zone for the forwards. He plays great under pressure. Teams will be impressed with his composure. 

St. Louis Blues 

William Wallinder - Defence 

Willam is a big defender who is good in his own zone. William has excellent puck-moving skills and knows how to distribute the puck. He will never be known for his flashy play, but is a steady defender. Teams will like his physical presence in the line-up. It will take time to develop. 

Anaheim Ducks

Ozzy Wiesblatt - Right-Wing

I suppose there is one word to describe Ozzy: fireballer. I am not sure if there is such a word, but that describes him to a T. A consistent player who never quits, he will get his points off turnovers. Sounds like Tkachuk in the rough to me.  

Ottawa Senators

Maverick Bourque - Centre

Maverick is a smart, no-nonsense player who will take the most direct route from A to B. A determined forward who has a never-quit attitude. He'll get it done. Not known for just one skill, he does everything well but not great, potential 2nd/3rd line centre.

Vegas Golden Knights

Jake Neighbours - Centre

Jake is a tireless worker who works for every inch of space. He will tire out the opposition with his relentless pressure. He gets his nose dirty and will score his share of garbage goals—a late first-rounder in the making. 

Dallas Stars

Brendan Brisson

Brendan is a reliable centre with a deadly wrist shot. He will go where the puck is and does not shy away from the physical play. Brisson will get his share of points through his style of play. The kind of player you need to protect your players. 

SJ Sharks

Tyson Foerster 

Tyson can be used in all aspects of the game. He has the offensive skills, with the knowledge to achieve plays in the NHL. Tyson is a hard worker who won't quit. He can and will do what it takes to win. Foerster has a terrific shot and can score from anywhere on the ice. 

Islanders' Powerplay, Where are thou?

The Islanders outplayed the Bolts all night. They were forcing Tampa to take stupid penalties and run all over the ice. The problem, though, was that the powerplay was firing blanks. Good for a show, but not so much on the scoreboard.  

The two significant powerplays were the five-on-three and the full five-minute major. The five-on-three was especially concerning. There was no urgency. One play, Victor Hedman intercepted a pass and was allowed to skate down to the Islanders' end. That cannot happen.  

I understand fans' frustration with certain players. I can even strongly see their point. What do I say to that? Trotz's words continue to go through my head: we lose as a team; we win as a team. Ebs did not have a strong game; I get that. But he was not the only player on the ice during the anemic powerplay. 

My first reaction to the powerplay was: "Shoot the ****** puck!" Looking back, I would tone it down to, "Shoot the puck."  In the 1989 Season, the Flames had one of the best powerplays in the NHL. The Calgary Flames had defencemen who could shoot the puck from the blueline. Sound familiar? They would feed Al MacInnis and shoot the crap out of the puck.  Well, the Islanders have Ryan Pulock, who can shoot the crap out of the puck. The Islanders are too busy making things too complicated. I like the KISSD theory (Keep It Simple, Stupid!) When Pulock is not on the ice, let Toews shoot the puck. Go back to the basics. If the Isles had a powerplay, that game is over. Stop trying to impress people and shoot the puck. 

This just in: When you are on a five-on-three powerplay, you should maybe shoot the puck. 

Randy

New York Islanders: is it the goalie or the system?

 

I saw total fear in some of the Isles fans at the start of game four. We don't want Greiss; we want Varly. He is the main reason we are here. But what happened? The same old, same old. The Islanders never lost a beat with the change of goalies.

So maybe this system the Islanders play deserves more credit than I thought. I was among those who questioned the decision to put Greiss in net for the Isles.  

So this system where everyone has their job and does it seems to be working. Just maybe it makes it a little easier to play goal for the Islanders. I mean, everyone looks at this team and shows no respect for the talent and then asks how are they winning? I will tell you why they're winning—because everyone fills in for their teammates. If someone is caught out of position, someone else bails them out. The defence is nothing flashy, yet it is the best in the league. How? 

I will tell you why everyone does their job. The defensemen stand up to play the man, not the puck. Everyone does what they are supposed to. Do you notice that no one does more than they are supposed too? Do you want to know why they don't do the extra? Because eighty percent of the time, they get caught out of position when they do. 

So those people who say it is the defence that makes Varly look so good, they may very well be closer to the mark than you think. The Islanders have shocked me with how well they have played. No other team is clicking s well as they are. They are operating like a well-tuned engine. Sometimes heart wins over talent. Ask the Caps and the Flyers, now on the verge of being eliminated. 

Randy

Can the Maple Leafs deliver? Capitalizing on the Kapanen deal

The trade of Kasperi Kapanen to the Penguins leaves the Maple Leafs with some options. The departures of Kyle Clifford and Tyson Barrie gives you an additional $3.5 million. At $3.2 million, Kapanen gives the Maple Leafs a total of $6.7 million to play with. Previously, I listed possible additions on the defence side.

Now we have to look at how to fit everything together. The Maple Leafs can use that money to grab a defenceman or make another trade. Keep in mind we will have to replace Clifford with another fourth-liner.  

What will we get for Nylander if we go through the trade route? Nylander is coming off of a 30-goal season. Those don't grow on trees. Nylander is being used in all aspects of the game: He has a deadly shot on the powerplay. His speed makes him dangerous in the 5-on-5, allowing him to get around opposing defenders. There should be plenty of teams knocking at the door, especially with Nylander's on contract for another four years.  

Nylander should get us a top-of-the-line second-pairing defenceman. Or maybe even a lower-echelon top-pairing defenseman. There are rumours that the Oilers might part with Oscar Klefbom. Perhaps a deal could be worked out centering around him. If the Leafs use this option, the remaining money could buy a cheaper version of Nylander through free agency. Either way, the Maples Leafs have more options with the shrewd deal made by Dubas. A general manager should get his props for the good as well as getting smacked for the bad. 

Randy

Islanders MVP So Far?

 

So who deserves the most credit for the Islanders? I mean besides Trotz, of course. So you have to think it is between three players. Well, I am going to keep the list to three players because it is my blog. 

Semyon Varlamov 

Where would we be without him? Even more amazing than his record of 8-2 is his 1.50. He is on a roll. What makes him so good is his vision; he keeps track of the puck so well. I love his lateral movement from side to side. He is not the fastest goalie, but by the way, he plays his angles he doesn't have to be. 

Anthony Beauvillier 

Anthony has been outstanding in the playoffs. On any other team, he would be the best. His six goals have been a blessing. Whatever the Islanders need, Beau will get it. He is playing up to his potential as a sniper and a top-six forward. The only bad thing is his next contract negotiations in two years. Anthony is a speed demon with a terrific shot.

Amazing what a little confidence can do for a player. He is running on all cylinders.

Josh Bailey 

Josh is still everything he claims to be. Plus, he is playing like a second-line player. In other words, he has kicked it up a notch. Whether or not he is a second-line or third-line player may be up for debate—but there is no debate in the playoffs. He is a second-line player. 

Last Word

What do the Islanders have to do to win this series? I have noticed one thing: as long as everyone does what he is expected, their chances to win grow. What gets the Isles in trouble is when a player tries to do too much. I am talking to you, Barzal. When they do too much, they make mistakes and leave themselves exposed. Shoot the puck. Do not try to make a play that is not there. Keep it simple. It may be boring, but I promise you, it's effective.

Randy