2016 NHL Draft

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2016 NHL Draft

Post by WaukeeBlues »

I am so happy the Oilers fell to 4th. It's about darn time.

Fun question: Not that I think they will, but lets say for the sake of argument that the Maple Leafs would consider trading their top pick, who could put together enough of a package that Shanny would bite?

Personally I don't think there's any way Lou or Shanahan would even consider it unless such a trade very clearly made their team better than it would be without
Auston Matthews, which is a tall order.

For fun I imagined if I was the Arizona Coyotes GM and wanted to put a package together so that Matthews could "come home" so to speak.

To even get Lou to pick up the phone I'd have to think it's swapping first rounders, Dylan Strome/Max Domi, and a first in 2017. And I don't even think that would be enough to do it.

Strome AND Domi, swapping first's this year and 2017 first rounder and the Leafs might do it but then from the Coyotes standpoint you're giving up too much. Then again all depends on how highly you think of Matthews as your #1 center for 10-15 years, which I think he absolutely is.

In any event, there's a broad consensus on the top 5 picks:
1. Toronto Maple Leafs - Auston Matthews, C, Zurich (SUI)

The 6-foot-1, 210-pound left-shot forward is a world-class two-way center in the mold of Anze Kopitar of the Los Angeles Kings. He had 24 goals and 46 points in 36 games, won the Rising Star Award and was second in voting for MVP in National League A, Switzerland's top professional league. He also led the United States to the bronze medal with seven goals and 11 points at the 2016 IIHF World Junior Championship.

2. Winnipeg Jets - Patrik Laine, RW, Tappara (FIN)

The 6-4, 206-pound forward, who might possess the best one-timer of anyone in the draft class, has a combination of size, skill, strength, vision and soft hands. He had 10 goals in 18 playoff games and was named postseason MVP while leading Tappara to the championship in Liiga, Finland's top professional league. His 17 goals and 33 points in 46 games led Liiga rookies. He tied Matthews for most goals at the WJC while helping Finland win the gold medal.

3. Columbus Blue Jackets - Jesse Puljujarvi, RW, Karpat (FIN)

A powerful skater with good acceleration, balance and outstanding hockey sense, Puljujarvi (6-3, 203) has what it takes to play center but is better suited at right wing. He had 13 goals and 28 points in 50 games for Karpat in Liiga. The 17-year-old had 17 points in seven games for Finland at the WJC, one point shy of Jaromir Jagr's record for under-18 players at the tournament.

4. Edmonton Oilers - Jakob Chychrun, D, Sarnia (OHL)

A gifted puck-handler, Chychrun (6-2, 215) is considered the best and most NHL-ready defenseman available on the draft board. He is an excellent skater with very good offensive instincts, has good defensive awareness and enjoys playing physical. He had 11 goals, 49 points and a plus-23 rating in 62 games.

5. Vancouver Canucks - Matthew Tkachuk, LW, London (OHL)

The son of U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame member Keith Tkachuk is too good to pass up at this point. He combines a gritty style with strength, skill and smarts. Tkachuk (6-1, 195), who might be the best player below the faceoff dots available in the draft, had 30 goals, 107 points and 42 power-play points in 57 games. He finished tied with Matthews in scoring for the U.S. at the WJC with 11 points.
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Re: 2016 NHL Draft

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Pierre Luc Dubois is rated higher right now than Tkachuk.
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Re: 2016 NHL Draft

Post by glen a richter »

I may be crucified for this, but I'd offer Shatty, Stastny and our 1st. Easier to make the trade if we win the Cup because now it's no longer trying to win one, it's gearing up to win many.
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Re: 2016 NHL Draft

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You might like our podcast on the Draft Lottery from earlier this past April.
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Re: 2016 NHL Draft

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glen a richter wrote:I may be crucified for this, but I'd offer Shatty, Stastny and our 1st. Easier to make the trade if we win the Cup because now it's no longer trying to win one, it's gearing up to win many.
For who?

For Auston Matthews? Shanahan would laugh and promptly hang up.

Lou and Shanahan want kids that are going to form the bedrock for the next 10-15 years, not vets. They get those on the UFA market for over-paying 1-2 year deals as a stopgap and teaching the kids as they mature.

Fabbri, Parayko, Edmundson, Schwartz, our first this year and our first in 2017 maybe. And that's a big maybe because what's missing in that package is a #1 center for your team for the future.

You can't get #1 centers in this league unless you draft them or trade major assets (see, e.g. O'Reilly) to a team fortunate enough to even be offering one up. The Leafs have their #2 center in Nazem Kadri and Auston Matthews is that bona fide #1. Perfect for them. It would take a LOT to get them off of that #1 overall. I don't see them doing it.

But the 'Yotes have 2 that they could conceivably offer up if they desperately wanted Matthews. But, again, just depends on how highly the Leafs think of Matthews. Probably very highly.
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Re: 2016 NHL Draft

Post by glen a richter »

I didn't say they'd accept it, I said I'd offer it. The crucifixion comes from me suggesting trading Shattenkirk.

I'd love for this team to trade into the top 5 and I have no doubt that the #1 pick is staying put. It would have no matter who got it. I think the most likely trade partner is Edmonton, especially moreso now that they're not drafting #1.
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Re: 2016 NHL Draft

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glen a richter wrote:I didn't say they'd accept it, I said I'd offer it. The crucifixion comes from me suggesting trading Shattenkirk.

I'd love for this team to trade into the top 5 and I have no doubt that the #1 pick is staying put. It would have no matter who got it. I think the most likely trade partner is Edmonton, especially moreso now that they're not drafting #1.
I'd trade Shattenkirk given the defensive depth in the system, the number of them who are right-handed, and the opportunity to get DuBois. Everyone knows what we have in Steen, right? Imagine a guy who plays like Steen, both ways, with better offensive skill and who wins faceoffs. You could trade Stastny, too, to make room at center for DuBois.

Most teams need a great top 4 on defense. Parayko and Pietrangelo are the Blues right side D moving forwards. Shattenkirk does not play well on the left side. The issue for the Blues is which of the prospects replaces Bouwmeester, because Edmundson is proving he is at least the #2 left-handed D-man. Not so much who becomes the Blues 3rd right-handed D. Bortuzzo is fine as that guy now while they figure out who eventually replaces him.

Pietrangelo-Edmundson/depth D guy
Parayko-Gunnarson/depth D guy
Bortuzzo/depth D-guy - Walman/Lindbohm/depth guy

At some point, the Blues have to start taking advantage of the depth they've drafted in terms of using those players.
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Re: 2016 NHL Draft

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In general, I would much sooner get rid of Bouwmeester and Gunnarsson than trade Shattenkirk. He has one of the most cap friendly deals in the entire NHL(for another year anyway) and is still by far our best offensive defenseman.

For Edmonton, picking 4 may be a bit of a blessing in disguise since they desperately need to get blue chip defensive prospects and #4 is likely the perfect spot to grab one. Had they won the lottery yet again they'd be virtually compelled to draft yet another stud center that is frankly last on their list of needs.

I feel like trading into the top 5 of a draft means that you desperately need something. The Blues aren't in that camp.
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Re: 2016 NHL Draft

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WaukeeBlues wrote:In general, I would much sooner get rid of Bouwmeester and Gunnarsson than trade Shattenkirk. He has one of the most cap friendly deals in the entire NHL(for another year anyway) and is still by far our best offensive defenseman.
That doesn't solve the problem of having too many great right-handed D-men. Bouwmeester and Gunnarson are both lefties. Moving them exacerbates the problem. Pietrangelo, Shattenkirk, Parayko - who do you give the least ice time to while playing them in their best position? Shattenkirk absolutely sucks when playing his off-side. Parayko handles it better, but isn't as effective offensively from his off-side. The Blues aren't going to play a 6th defenseman 20 minutes a night and all 3 - 27, 22, and 55 are 20+ minute defenseman.
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Re: 2016 NHL Draft

Post by ecbm »

The asking price for the #1 would be so high, I really can't envision any team for whom it would be worth it.

If I'm making a trade for a pick, maybe move a veteran D and our 1st with a D prospect or a 2nd thrown in to Edmonton for their first and take Tkachuk or Dubois or if the planets align maybe make off with one of the forwards currently at #2 & 3.

You don't have to have a top-5 pick to make hay at the draft (see: Schwartz, Jaden and Tarasenko, Vladimir...and also Keith, Duncan-for that matter). I see no reason to offer commodities like Fabbri or Parayko.

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Re: 2016 NHL Draft

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I could absolutely see Edmonton jump at the offer. They're woefully thin at D and would be over the moon to get an experienced blueliner in Shattenkirk. They could get Stastny to work with the younger kids and just let him go when his contract is up. Shattenkirk, Stastny, 1st for Edmonton's 1st would be groovy. Top 5, we're getting an NHL ready player, we're sickeningly deep at defense and sacking the Stastny contract makes it easier to retain other players.
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Re: 2016 NHL Draft

Post by glen a richter »

FWIW, mynhldraft.com currently has us picking a defenseman. I don't usually put a whole ton of stock into mock drafts, but I'd actually be inclined this time to say no. We're swimming in young defensive prospects to the point that guys have to be traded because there won't be room for them on the NHL roster. Where our depth sorely lacks is left wing. I'm thinking a trade slightly up--costs a lot less to move up to top 15 than it does to move into top 5. Get Max Jones. If you can move up higher, Logan Brown both for the skill he brings as a power forward and the family tie to St. Louis. But obviously it'll be easier/less costly to trade for pick 20 than it would be for pick 10 and Brown will be long gone by 20.

If they hold onto their pick, I'm looking at Roman Asplund or Vitali Abramov.
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Re: 2016 NHL Draft

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glen a richter wrote:I could absolutely see Edmonton jump at the offer. They're woefully thin at D and would be over the moon to get an experienced blueliner in Shattenkirk. They could get Stastny to work with the younger kids and just let him go when his contract is up. Shattenkirk, Stastny, 1st for Edmonton's 1st would be groovy. Top 5, we're getting an NHL ready player, we're sickeningly deep at defense and sacking the Stastny contract makes it easier to retain other players.
Well Edmonton has to do something. They'll trade one of Hall, Nuge, Yakopov (for whatever he would bring :roll: ) or Eberle before the summer is over and most likely for a d-man.

The good thing for us is that now with the emergence of Parayko and Edmundson we're one of the very few teams in the league who would listen to an offer trading one of our top 6 (heck even top 4) if the return was right, even at forward.

I really like Shatty though, he's by far our best 0-Dman, cap friendly contract for the moment... it'd stink to trade him. Or do it next offseason when his contract is up and it's going to be looking like serious money coming his way.
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Re: 2016 NHL Draft

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WaukeeBlues wrote:
glen a richter wrote:I could absolutely see Edmonton jump at the offer. They're woefully thin at D and would be over the moon to get an experienced blueliner in Shattenkirk. They could get Stastny to work with the younger kids and just let him go when his contract is up. Shattenkirk, Stastny, 1st for Edmonton's 1st would be groovy. Top 5, we're getting an NHL ready player, we're sickeningly deep at defense and sacking the Stastny contract makes it easier to retain other players.
Well Edmonton has to do something. They'll trade one of Hall, Nuge, Yakopov (for whatever he would bring :roll: ) or Eberle before the summer is over and most likely for a d-man.

The good thing for us is that now with the emergence of Parayko and Edmundson we're one of the very few teams in the league who would listen to an offer trading one of our top 6 (heck even top 4) if the return was right, even at forward.

I really like Shatty though, he's by far our best 0-Dman, cap friendly contract for the moment... it'd stink to trade him. Or do it next offseason when his contract is up and it's going to be looking like serious money coming his way.
The problem with waiting is the draft. This is one of the deepest drafts in awhile and I haven't heard anything about the "next thing" after the large number of highly talented players available early in this draft. None of the 2017 top 5 are getting the "franchise player" comments Matthews and McDavid have drawn. The Blues have potential to get more for a guy under contract before this draft than one at the trade deadline whose a pending UFA given how little movement there was this past trade deadline.

It's a tough call. I love the way Shatty plays offensively, too, and it would be nice to move Bouwmeester, but Shattenkirk will likely get the return to get a top 10 draft pick. Bouwmeester? Not so much.
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Re: 2016 NHL Draft

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theohall wrote:Shattenkirk will likely get the return to get a top 10 draft pick. Bouwmeester? Not so much.
I'm not so sure, honestly. In the right package, he might. I know I'm a broken records with this comparison but if the Flyers can turn Coburn into a 1st, a 3rd and a decent player coming back and also turn the ghost of Timonen into a 2nd and a 4th I think you might get Edmonton to go for him in the right package-include a D prospect (rightly pointed out above that we have too many to use anyway) and maybe an extra pick. Or maybe Allen? I think it could be done. You'd have to get Bouwmeester to agree though. That might be tough.

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Re: 2016 NHL Draft

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ecbm wrote:
theohall wrote:Shattenkirk will likely get the return to get a top 10 draft pick. Bouwmeester? Not so much.
I'm not so sure, honestly. In the right package, he might. I know I'm a broken records with this comparison but if the Flyers can turn Coburn into a 1st, a 3rd and a decent player coming back and also turn the ghost of Timonen into a 2nd and a 4th I think you might get Edmonton to go for him in the right package-include a D prospect (rightly pointed out above that we have too many to use anyway) and maybe an extra pick. Or maybe Allen? I think it could be done. You'd have to get Bouwmeester to agree though. That might be tough.
We are overpaying Bouwmeester and not Shattenkirk. You trade the higher salary and you are going to get a lesser return. Hextall is turning out to be a very shrewd GM. And that Coburn trade was 2015. This season, teams were not dealing like the Lightning and Flyers did in 2015, outside of Chicago - and we saw how that worked out this time, in spite of Bowman being a "genius" for the trade. The Lightning last season needed depth on defense for a playoff run, which impacts what a team will give up when.
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Re: 2016 NHL Draft

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theohall wrote:We are overpaying Bouwmeester and not Shattenkirk. You trade the higher salary and you are going to get a lesser return.
The market sets prices. If they're getting a better offer, they can take it. I get the impression they aren't-likely due to their glaringly obvious need for veteran D. Given the perceived drop-off in this draft after the first two picks, I wonder what they'd be offered for the 4th that would be more valuable.

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Re: 2016 NHL Draft

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ecbm wrote:
theohall wrote:We are overpaying Bouwmeester and not Shattenkirk. You trade the higher salary and you are going to get a lesser return.
The market sets prices. If they're getting a better offer, they can take it. I get the impression they aren't-likely due to their glaringly obvious need for veteran D. Given the perceived drop-off in this draft after the first two picks, I wonder what they'd be offered for the 4th that would be more valuable.
After the first two picks? What are you talking about?

Puljujarvi, Tkachuk, Dubois, Nylander, Chychrun... Those are all after the first two.

Linus Lindstrom being 10th in EU rankings is indicative of the depth in this draft - at least for the first 15.

Why would the Oilers willingly take on higher salary for an older player vice lower salary for someone everyone considers to be a better defensive player?

On top of that, Bouwmeester is too quiet to be the type of defensive leader they need. Shattenkirk, the way he told Hitchcock to calm down during the 2nd period Game 3 is the type of vocal leader I would want as a GM. Not the silent, high salary, less offensively gifted veteran.
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Re: 2016 NHL Draft

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theohall wrote:
ecbm wrote:
theohall wrote:We are overpaying Bouwmeester and not Shattenkirk. You trade the higher salary and you are going to get a lesser return.
The market sets prices. If they're getting a better offer, they can take it. I get the impression they aren't-likely due to their glaringly obvious need for veteran D. Given the perceived drop-off in this draft after the first two picks, I wonder what they'd be offered for the 4th that would be more valuable.
After the first two picks? What are you talking about?

Puljujarvi, Tkachuk, Dubois, Nylander, Chychrun... Those are all after the first two.

Linus Lindstrom being 10th in EU rankings is indicative of the depth in this draft - at least for the first 15.

Why would the Oilers willingly take on higher salary for an older player vice lower salary for someone everyone considers to be a better defensive player?

On top of that, Bouwmeester is too quiet to be the type of defensive leader they need. Shattenkirk, the way he told Hitchcock to calm down during the 2nd period Game 3 is the type of vocal leader I would want as a GM. Not the silent, high salary, less offensively gifted veteran.
Meh. Honestly, I think most of these kids tend to be overhyped. Mathews, Laine and according to some Puljujarvi are the only ones who are even possibly NHL-ready. To be clear, partly because of what I just stated, I don't think the Blues need to do anything at the draft. And that informs my lack of willingness to offer Shattenkirk-especially as part of an opening offer. See if you can make get lucky offering spare parts; otherwise stand pat or go for a smaller move to go up a few spots.

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Re: 2016 NHL Draft

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Pierre-Luc Dubois, if not NHL ready, is damn close. That kid was the one making things go for Tkachuk in the CHL/NHL prospects game at both ends of the ice. He was also key in making things go during the World Juniors.

Puljujarvi is considered to be equal to Laine, if not better, by many. Heck, Puljujarvi, not Laine, was the Captain on the same team as Laine.

There is more, but I would be typing for the next hour.

Suffice to say this is a deep draft which will show up more quickly than many realize.

What's shocking in this draft - the number of Europeans and US players ranked ahead of Canadians.
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