Pre-Game Talk: 2024 Draft Thread

[SirPaste]

Interestingly enough, Pronman released his latest mock this morning and has us taking Solberg at 16.

 

[tfriede2]

Interestingly enough, Pronman released his latest mock this morning and has us taking Solberg at 16.

I think he reads our board!

 

[PerryTurnbullfan]

Hockey writers had Freij. This is going to be like picking a Kentucky derby winner…

 

[PerryTurnbullfan]

What kind of prospect mix would you like to see in the first 3 rounds and then overall?

I would like to see 3 D hopefully 2 playing the right side and two forwards hopefully a center and another plus skater with size.

 

[Blueston]

Interestingly enough, Pronman released his latest mock this morning and has us taking Solberg at 16.

That would be huge reach. I like the kid, and if you think he is best guy on board take him, but I have a couple d still on his board at this point I like much better (freij, brunicke, and emery).

 

[SirPaste]

What kind of prospect mix would you like to see in the first 3 rounds and then overall?

I would like to see 3 D hopefully 2 playing the right side and two forwards hopefully a center and another plus skater with size.

I would like to get at least a couple dmen but really not super worried about it. There are holes that need to be filled all over the roster and these guys wont be helping for quite some time so position is secondary to me, I just want guys who they see as NHL players

 

[SirPaste]

That would be huge reach. I like the kid, and if you think he is best guy on board take him, but I have a couple d still on his board at this point I like much better (freij, brunicke, and emery).

He had Emery going 30th but neither Freij or Brunicke in the 1st at all. I take all mocks with a giant grain of salt but Pronman is usually more accurate than most at least in my judgment the last few seasons. I know some others would view Freij as a reach at our pick as well but I like him too so wouldn't be upset about it. I haven't had a chance to learn much about Brunicke yet.

 

[bleedblue1223]

The defensemen in that mid 1st to mid 2nd are such a toss up IMO. Even someone like Badinka could go in the first like Lindstein last year. I really like some in that group, but also realizing that while they could fill a #2 or #3 role, a buch of those guys won't become anything.

And then there is Jiricek that probably should be in that group, but his injury left him in the weird middle spot where he didn't get a chance to really prove himself this season. I could see him being taken before us or fall quite a bit.

 

[Stupendous Yappi]

He had Emery going 30th but neither Freij or Brunicke in the 1st at all. I take all mocks with a giant grain of salt but Pronman is usually more accurate than most at least in my judgment the last few seasons. I know some others would view Freij as a reach at our pick as well but I like him too so wouldn't be upset about it. I haven't had a chance to learn much about Brunicke yet.

Man if they got a good player at 16 and then circle back to get Freij later, I’d be ecstatic. Package and trade up. That would be a great outcome.

 

[PerryTurnbullfan]

He had Emery going 30th but neither Freij or Brunicke in the 1st at all. I take all mocks with a giant grain of salt but Pronman is usually more accurate than most at least in my judgment the last few seasons. I know some others would view Freij as a reach at our pick as well but I like him too so wouldn't be upset about it. I haven't had a chance to learn much about Brunicke yet.

Sometimes I think the mocksters just stick you with guys without looking at your talent pool so the guy they want on their primary team is part of their mock.

 

[Beauterham]

What kind of prospect mix would you like to see in the first 3 rounds and then overall?

I would like to see 3 D hopefully 2 playing the right side and two forwards hopefully a center and another plus skater with size.

I'd just go for the BPA at 16 and a combination of BPA / MVPA (most valuable player avaliable) with all other picks and a slight focus for RHD in the 2nd/3rd. When the retool is almost done we're very likely going to have to move some of our prospects for good rosterplayers to make that jump to being a contender. I think we should start drafting with the focus that some of the prospects are going to be future trade assets, so it doesn't hurt to pick guys based on value (for example, picking a RHD or a C over a LHD/W if they're in the same 'tier').

In the end I hope we get at least one LHD and at least one RHD in the first 3 rounds that has top-4 potential. I also expect us to use one of our picks on a goalie (3rd round+).

 

[STL fan in MN]

What kind of prospect mix would you like to see in the first 3 rounds and then overall?

I would like to see 3 D hopefully 2 playing the right side and two forwards hopefully a center and another plus skater with size.

I want all of the defensemen.

But seriously, I want them to take BPA. My preference is that BPA leans more D heavy this year but I’ll be a little annoyed if they take D with clearly better forwards still on the board.*

*knowing full well BPA is an opinion and in the eye of the beholder.

 

[bleedblue1223]

BPA obviously, but would be nice if that happened to be 2 defensemen in the first 3 with one being a 2-way type and the other can either be a defensive shutdown type or an offensive type to drive production.

 

[SirPaste]

I want all of the defensemen.
View attachment 870680

But seriously, I want them to take BPA. My preference is that BPA leans more D heavy this year but I’ll be a little annoyed if they take D with clearly better forwards still on the board.*

*knowing full well BPA is an opinion and in the eye of the beholder.

lol getting those 3 with our top 3 picks would be a dream come true!

 

[jbron]

What kind of prospect mix would you like to see in the first 3 rounds and then overall?

I would like to see 3 D hopefully 2 playing the right side and two forwards hopefully a center and another plus skater with size.

Like others have said, the Blues take the best available player at #16 . However,
the best player on the Blues board might not be the best on others. All things being equal the team picks a D if they have similar ratings to that of a forward. It's really about collecting assets that might be needed in a trade later with that first round pick. For sure, it would be nice to come away with at least two RD adding another LD in the draft. Further, on D, it would be great if the team selected a potential 2D prospect based on their potential to grow and improve. Selecting a prospect based on where they project in 3 to 4 years not just based on their present play. Not a gamble or a reach, but a good analysist of what they do right and can improve upon. I would also like a D prospect that could eat up minutes, adding some physicality, and just playing sound D. Certainly a 2C or 3C would be a nice addition as well. Looking for a C prospect that is good at faceoffs and plays a solid strong 2 way game. Adding a forward that's hard to play against, feisty, and not afraid to go into the corners and come out with the puck would be good as well.

 

[stl76]

You’re not crazy. Not sure I could justify using that high of a pick on him but that’s mostly because I haven’t been able to see too much of him. Not like Norwegian pro league games are available on tv. And it’s such a non-typical path, it’s hard to evaluate guys in that type of league. But if the Blues target him and “reach” on him a bit, I wouldn’t bat an eye. Of what I’ve seen, I don’t see why he wouldn’t be considered in the same tier as Friej, Badinka etc.

Yeah this is my concern as well. Saw a couple Norway game from the WJC and loved what I saw. The Czechia game the other day was phenomenal, obviously. But other than that I haven’t seen him play a ton. Maybe I’m missing his bad games and only seeing the upside?

Going to dig into that shift by shift video whenever I have some time, thanks for posting LGB!

 

[kimzey59]

What kind of prospect mix would you like to see in the first 3 rounds and then overall?

I would like to see 3 D hopefully 2 playing the right side and two forwards hopefully a center and another plus skater with size.

Ideally; I'd like 2 D(ideally a lefty and a righty), 2 forwards and a goalie in the top 4 rounds.

But like others have said, getting the BPA is more important than focusing on a specific position.

Sometimes I think the mocksters just stick you with guys without looking at your talent pool so the guy they want on their primary team is part of their mock.

The Mocksters don't care one bit about what's in a teams talent pool.
It's about forcing their view of the rankings into a mold.
99% of the time, you're better off just blocking out the team name in these "mocks".

 

[Blueston]

What kind of prospect mix would you like to see in the first 3 rounds and then overall?

I would like to see 3 D hopefully 2 playing the right side and two forwards hopefully a center and another plus skater with size.

i'd like a c and 3 d, at least 2 of which are rhd, within the first 3 rounds. after that i'd like us to take a goalie sometime round 4 or later. and i wouldn't draft any d under 6'in 1st round unless i felt them truly exceptional, because if you are fox or makar it doesn't matter how tall you are. but if you are anyone else your size limits you more than I am comfortable spending a high pick on.

 

[Celtic Note]

Let’s say we can trade Buch for 15th.

Question: would you pair that with our 16th and try to move up or keep both and make the picks? And if you do use them to move up, how high do you think you can get?

 

[Blueston]

Let’s say we can trade Buch for 15th.

Question: would you pair that with our 16th and try to move up or keep both and make the picks? And if you do use them to move up, how high do you think you can get?

there's nobody worth paying both to move up for (aside from top few who you couldn't get)..

 

[bleedblue1223]

Let’s say we can trade Buch for 15th.

Question: would you pair that with our 16th and try to move up or keep both and make the picks? And if you do use them to move up, how high do you think you can get?

Draft Simulator

NHL draft simulator.

draftprospectshockey.com

That site has the value of 15+16 being around the 7th overall. Lets use Pronman's latest mock, that would be Buium or Parekh at 7 or Brandsegg-Nygard and Solberg at 15+16.

If you could guarantee that one of our top ranked dmen is available, then I would make that trade, but if our top how ever many guys are already gone, I'd lean towards holding unless we view them all pretty equally.

 

[Davimir Tarablad]

Let’s say we can trade Buch for 15th.

Question: would you pair that with our 16th and try to move up or keep both and make the picks? And if you do use them to move up, how high do you think you can get?

I wouldn't be willing to trade both, but I'd certainly be willing to see if we could slide up into the 12ish range using our 2nd if see a guy sliding we want to grab.

 

[STL fan in MN]

Let’s say we can trade Buch for 15th.

Question: would you pair that with our 16th and try to move up or keep both and make the picks? And if you do use them to move up, how high do you think you can get?

No, don’t think I’d want to trade both unless there’s a can’t miss guy still available.

And Buch is worth more than the 15th overall pick. That pick is enough to be the main piece but I’d like a decent D prospect to also be added - Wallinder or S. Buium.