2022 Draft Thread

[glen a richter]

I'm just disappointed with the lack of a d-man so far, but I suppose it was essentially a free pick so maybe he'll develop well.

As the draft wears on, everyone becomes a project so we'll see what they do at 88. Almost up.

LD Michael Buchinger, now there's a pick I like. Looks like he could work on his physicality but has a high IQ and is a hard worker.

[theohall]

https://thehockeywriters.com/michael-bu ... t-profile/

Michael Buchinger LD at 88. Good scouting report. That report reads like a bigger version of Krug. He'll add weight over the next couple years.

[theohall]

Canucks are funny. They drafted a defenseman named.... Elias Petterson. That won't be confusing at all....

[theohall]

Reading about Kaskimaki, he was projected as a bottom 6 forward - BEFORE this season with the U20 team and his performance at the World Championships. Most reports changed to have him mid 2nd round with only a couple having him drop to the 3rd at 73 or 74.

The thing I remember is how he would do the Perron thing and hold the puck away from guys along the boards using his frame and skates, then find someone in a shooting position. IMO, he fits the mold of what we expect from Blues forwards and we'll see where he winds up in the next 2-3 years give the Blues have ROR, Thomas, Schenn and Barbashev as centers right now.

[theohall]

Arseni Koromyslov LD 6'3 181 at 120. Considered a top 100. Physical defenseman.

https://thehockeywriters.com/arseni-kor ... t-profile/

[glen a richter]

Canucks are funny. They drafted a defenseman named.... Elias Petterson. That won't be confusing at all....

I saw the name on the draft board and thought I was hallucinating.

I remember in football the Jets drafting two Michael Carters and the running joke was that the organization is so mismanaged they drafted the wrong one first and had to fix the mistake by drafting the right one second.

Probably not a lot of instances in pro sports where you have two players with the exact same name on the club at the same time.

[theohall]

Marc-Andre Gaudet @152. Another 6'3 180+ LD. Struggling with GoogleFu to find a good scouting report.

[theohall]

2020 article on Gaudet. https://firstdownsportspodcast.com/2020 ... ing-about/

He posted 38 points (13G 25A) in 68 games and was +25 last season with Acadia-Bathurst. Another big, strong defensively defenseman. Could easily become a "steal" from this draft given how late he was drafted.

[glen a richter]

I dug up some stuff, not professional scouting reports or anything but local reports praising him has hard working, a two way defender with a high IQ. Another good find on D, I’d say.

[theohall]

Last pick, Landon Sim, Winger shoots left. Don't expect anything, yet. Small, only one year in juniors. We'll see.

[theohall]

Kinda laughing at NHL.com and the Blues site listing Sim as a RW, when hockeydb and EliteProspects both have him as a LW. Then again, the Blues don't seem to care which hand a guy shoots when determining which wing he plays.

As an aside, Neighbours got considerable time playing RW for Edmonton this season in addition to his usual work on LW.

[glen a richter]

With Maxim Barbashev being drafted by the rangers that gives the Blues and rags two sets of siblings in their respective organizations… first the Lindgren’s and now the Barbashev’s.

[glen a richter]

Out of the whole affair the one I’m most excited about is Buchinger. With a few years of development and filling out more he’s going to be a third round steal the same way Parayko was but probably more offensive upside.