Alan C
Well-known member
The talk has certainly been picking up. We seem interested. Do you think its a reach if we pick 5th?
2024 Draft
- Thread starter GGpX
- Start date
lecoqsportif
Well-known member
Lindstrom.
GGpX
Well-known member
I used to be of the opinion that it would be a reach at our pick (again assuming we don't win the lottery), but seeing him produce in the WHL playoffs is making me change my mind on him.
Here's the thing with this draft. After Celebrini, there's no consensus. Player A could be #2 on half the lists, but ends up being taken 6th overall. Player B could be #7 on a quarter of the lists and ends up being taken 2nd overall.
Take the next 7-8-9 names, pull the names out of a hat one by one and that might be our top-10 this year.
With his family name alone, he'll have some hockey character. He's a playoff performer on top of being a regular season performer, so I like that. From the little I've seen of him, he's a winger at the NHL level.
Here's the thing with this draft. After Celebrini, there's no consensus. Player A could be #2 on half the lists, but ends up being taken 6th overall. Player B could be #7 on a quarter of the lists and ends up being taken 2nd overall.
Take the next 7-8-9 names, pull the names out of a hat one by one and that might be our top-10 this year.
With his family name alone, he'll have some hockey character. He's a playoff performer on top of being a regular season performer, so I like that. From the little I've seen of him, he's a winger at the NHL level.
CH1
The Artist Formerly Known as chiggins.
Berkly
GGpX
Well-known member
View: https://twitter.com/TheWHL/status/1777098933560578351
The defenseman here's scared of his own shadow and makes Patrice Brisebois look like Shea Weber in the corners by comparison, but still. Iginla forechecks hard, creates the turnover, heads to the net to get the rebound.
GrandWazoo
Well-known member
Yeah same. I thought it was quite a stretch but I wouldn’t be upset if he’s our pick, he seems to have a pro game, and it’s hard to ignore the bloodline. Do we really want to make the bet of passing over 2 Iginlas?
GGpX
Well-known member
Iginla's younger son, Joe Iginla, looks like the real deal. He's going to be eligible in the Gavin McKenna draft.
For what it's worth, Iginla's #6 on EliteProspect's April rankings:
www.eliteprospects.com
For what it's worth, Iginla's #6 on EliteProspect's April rankings:
Elite Prospects - NHL Draft Center ELITEPROSPECTS.COM TOP 32
ELITEPROSPECTS.COM TOP 32 - DECEMBER RANKING for the NHL Entry Draft
www.eliteprospects.com
GGpX
Well-known member
By the way, those of you in Western Canada: Another player you absolutely need to keep an eye on in the next year, Landon Dupont.
www.sportsnet.ca
Early indications are he's Makar-esque.
Landon DuPont to be granted exceptional status
Calgary-native Landon DuPont is set to be the next player granted exceptional status by the CHL, with the league reportedly set to announce the decision on Monday, April 8, according to Sportsnet's Eric Francis.
Early indications are he's Makar-esque.
worm
Well-known member
Iginla's younger son, Joe Iginla, looks like the real deal. He's going to be eligible in the Gavin McKenna draft.
For what it's worth, Iginla's #6 on EliteProspect's April rankings:
Elite Prospects - NHL Draft Center ELITEPROSPECTS.COM TOP 32
ELITEPROSPECTS.COM TOP 32 - DECEMBER RANKING for the NHL Entry Draft
Saw them play each other. That is the 2026 draft. Hope we are not still bottom feeders still but for McKenna... Worth it.
worm
Well-known member
With Everett? Think they only play here once a year.By the way, those of you in Western Canada: Another player you absolutely need to keep an eye on in the next year, Landon Dupont.
Landon DuPont to be granted exceptional status
Calgary-native Landon DuPont is set to be the next player granted exceptional status by the CHL, with the league reportedly set to announce the decision on Monday, April 8, according to Sportsnet's Eric Francis.
Early indications are he's Makar-esque.
GGpX
Well-known member
He'll be taken by Everett, yeah. Make sure you buy tickets when they do come to town, though
worm
Well-known member
Maybe the oil kings (5th overall) will pull some shenanigans with their financial might.He'll be taken by Everett, yeah. Make sure you buy tickets when they do come to town, though
But ya. I'll probably buy for McKenna and this guy. And also getting to see Joe Iginla for 36 games would be nice.
How would you compare the quality of the WHL to the USHL? It's clear that the OHL is superior to both.
GGpX
Well-known member
Well there's two sides to the USHL: The first is the USNDP, which might as well be an all-star team of players, and then there's the rest of the USHL. The USNDP might be the single best program in the world for developing talent, but when you look at the rest of the USHL, there aren't that many real NHL prospects taken from there.
I think the USHL is superior to the Q, a step below the WHL and clearly below the OHL, which remains as the gold standard. However, with the increased amount of American kids playing hockey, I believe the USHL will establish itself as #2 within the next ten years.
Kind of off topic, but the NCAA & CHL potentially agreeing to let players keep their eligibility to play American college hockey after their CHL playing days is going to weaken the USHL significantly. We'll see how it turns out.
GGpX
Well-known member
Another problem with the USHL: Not all of the players who want to go to College end up there.
The main difference between the USHL & the CHL was keeping college eligibility to go to the NCAA at 18/19 years old.
However, you have kids in the USHL, prep schools, high schools, hell some even go to the BCHL/AJHL. The amount of talent is watered down.
The main difference between the USHL & the CHL was keeping college eligibility to go to the NCAA at 18/19 years old.
However, you have kids in the USHL, prep schools, high schools, hell some even go to the BCHL/AJHL. The amount of talent is watered down.
GGpX
Well-known member
For those interested, my guy Simon Boisvert talks about some of the forward prospects in the WHL.
View: https://youtu.be/EZpv80AyNII?si=OXQyfSjlYtSdCa3r&t=2233
Thinks Lindstrom is a winger at the NHL level and assuming the Habs have the 5th overall pick, thinks it's too high for Lindstrom. He likes Iginla more, but still wouldn't take him in the 5-6 range. Calls Iginla a high floor, but not necessarily a high ceiling, player with minimal chance of flopping.
For Catton, says it's "night and day" between Catton & Lindstrom/Iginla ability wise.
As it stands, assuming Demidov isn't there and Connolly is a no draft at 5, Catton's the only forward he'd take at 5-6. If not Demidov/Catton, he'd take a d-man.
View: https://youtu.be/EZpv80AyNII?si=OXQyfSjlYtSdCa3r&t=2233
Thinks Lindstrom is a winger at the NHL level and assuming the Habs have the 5th overall pick, thinks it's too high for Lindstrom. He likes Iginla more, but still wouldn't take him in the 5-6 range. Calls Iginla a high floor, but not necessarily a high ceiling, player with minimal chance of flopping.
For Catton, says it's "night and day" between Catton & Lindstrom/Iginla ability wise.
As it stands, assuming Demidov isn't there and Connolly is a no draft at 5, Catton's the only forward he'd take at 5-6. If not Demidov/Catton, he'd take a d-man.
