Who do you want at #4OA? *It's Luke! *

[EdgeControl]

Would have liked to parlay all our picks into a guenther/lambos 1/2 combination.. But the isles screwed that.

[AEWHistory]

Well, I didn’t really expect that we might get Owen Power, but for a few months now I had secretly hoped he fell into our lap.  That is over.  In this Article is the following bit:

Power added to his response, stating why he’d like to return to Ann Arbor this upcoming fall.

“I think it would be pretty special. Just actually going to class and not do it online,” he said. “Just being able to do stuff other than go to the rink and home, I think would be something that I would like to do.”

Now I am sure many of you will say this is an over reaction, and maybe it is, but I want my early first round picks to breathe hockey, eat hockey, piss hockey, LIVE hockey.  What I don’t want is a major asset saying things like, “boy, it’d be cool to do more things NOT related to hockey.”  This is a guy on the cusp of being a number one pick and making millions of dollars and he is chirping about how he wants more freedom to do other things before his career has actually started.  Bye.    I will add one thing: I know something about dedicating yourself for years to something.  I did my PhD work in history.  I lived in $10k a year for years while I worked toward my degree and I knew that there weren’t millions of dollars at the end of the tunnel when it all ended and I entered the workforce.  But I love history and wouldn’t change a thing…. and I would never have completed any of it if I needed to get away from my studies as early on as he is.  
okay, my rant is over.  I feel bad for whomever drafts this kid…. But I really hope it isn’t the devils.

Edited July 11, 2021 by AEWHistory

[NJDevils1214]

2 hours ago, AEWHistory said:

Well, I didn’t really expect that we might get Owen Power, but for a few months now I had secretly hoped he fell into our lap.  That is over.  In this Article is the following bit:

Power added to his response, stating why he’d like to return to Ann Arbor this upcoming fall.

“I think it would be pretty special. Just actually going to class and not do it online,” he said. “Just being able to do stuff other than go to the rink and home, I think would be something that I would like to do.”

Now I am sure many of you will say this is an over reaction, and maybe it is, but I want my early first round picks to breathe hockey, eat hockey, piss hockey, LIVE hockey.  What I don’t want is a major asset saying things like, “boy, it’d be cool to do more things NOT related to hockey.”  This is a guy on the cusp of being a number one pick and making millions of dollars and he is chirping about how he wants more freedom to do other things before his career has actually started.  Bye.    I will add one thing: I know something about dedicating yourself for years to something.  I did my PhD work in history.  I lived in $10k a year for years while I worked toward my degree and I knew that there weren’t millions of dollars at the end of the tunnel when it all ended and I entered the workforce.  But I love history and wouldn’t change a thing…. and I would never have completed any of it if I needed to get away from my studies as early on as he is.  
okay, my rant is over.  I feel bad for whomever drafts this kid…. But I really hope it isn’t the devils.

Doesn't really seem like a story to me. The world is going back to "normal" and he wants to experience some "normal". He's an 18 year old kid ffs-- so he wants to go to class, learn in a collaborative environment, and interact with other people outside of hockey...big deal

[EdgeControl]

3 hours ago, NJDevils1214 said:

Doesn't really seem like a story to me. The world is going back to "normal" and he wants to experience some "normal". He's an 18 year old kid ffs-- so he wants to go to class, learn in a collaborative environment, and interact with other people outside of hockey...big deal

 

[MadDog2020]

5 hours ago, NJDevils1214 said:

Doesn't really seem like a story to me. The world is going back to "normal" and he wants to experience some "normal". He's an 18 year old kid ffs-- so he wants to go to class, learn in a collaborative environment, and interact with other people outside of hockey...big deal

 

[mfitz804]

When I was 18 I would rather have been the #1 pick in the NHL draft. 

[SterioDesign]

I mean i understand what's said here. Crosby is a good example and why he's been the best player in the world for awhile. The guy is obsessed and do EVERYTHING in his power to a ridiculous extent to get better.

Guy Boucher was saying that when he coached him in juniors. Crosby would ask him to find him new dekes. So Guy would actually go through tapes and records NHL games and cut together new dekes ideas for him and Crosby kept asking for more and more. 10 wasn't enough, he wanted 100. And kept pushing all the time. And that was in the VHS days, it was a crazy thing to do for Guy and to this day said he never ever saw a player more dedicated than Crosby.

Then when he was younger he'd spend literally days shooting in his dryer in the basement to practice his accuracy. All the things he does that makes no sense, he got to that point by putting all that effort on top of his natural abilities.

And you never see Crosby out living the superstar life and doing a thousand things for attention. He's just committed in studying and putting the time and effort to get better than he is. No distractions at all. 

And as for Power. I mean, if he was some enforcer or projected to be a bottom pairing guy that might not even play a full career in the NHL, yeah i'd put some stock into studying or planning something. But if you're first overall, you gotta deliver and project that you'll be breathing hockey for the next 15-20 years

Edited July 11, 2021 by SterioDesign

[RunninWithTheDevil]

 

[Nicomo]

We could use a little crazy. 

[AEWHistory]

15 hours ago, NJDevils1214 said:

Doesn't really seem like a story to me. The world is going back to "normal" and he wants to experience some "normal". He's an 18 year old kid ffs-- so he wants to go to class, learn in a collaborative environment, and interact with other people outside of hockey...big deal

But that is exactly my point: he wants to have the life of a normal kid his age.  That’s fine, but that won’t work for someone in his position and people who want to be number one in their profession. It sucks, but it is true.  Is there anything wrong with wanting “normal”?  No.  Does it make him a FAR less desirable prospect?  Oh yes.  After all, how many Olympic gold medalists, HoF players in pretty much any sport, or any top achiever started their career by saying, “I’d like to do more things NOT associated with my career”?  You’ll probably find a few, but not many.  So if he wants “normal” then he isn’t going to work for “exceptional” and being the number one pick in the NHL draft is for someone exceptional.

I will put my money where my mouth is and document this: Power will be a disappointment.  He is very talented, but he will underachieve to some level.  I can’t say to what level yet, but he will.

 

Edited July 12, 2021 by AEWHistory

[mfitz804]

4 minutes ago, AEWHistory said:

I will put my money where my mouth is and document this: Power will be a disappointment.  He is very talented, but he will underachieve to some level.  I can’t say to what level yet, but he will.

Can we refer to it as a blackout when he does?

[SterioDesign]

That was actually a big character arc for Buffy in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer tv show where she just wanted to have a normal life, have a BF, do her thing, have fun but being the chosen one she had responsibilities she couldn't escape and had to train, kill monsters and save the world constantly

[mfitz804]

2 minutes ago, SterioDesign said:

That was actually a big character arc for Buffy in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer tv show where she just wanted to have a normal life, have a BF, do her thing, have fun but being the chosen one she had responsibilities she couldn't escape and had to train, kill monsters and save the world constantly

I mean I think that is dispositive on this issue. If a fictional character who kills fictional monsters wants that, Power can too. 

Edited July 12, 2021 by mfitz804

[Guadana]

47 minutes ago, SterioDesign said:

That was actually a big character arc for Buffy in the Buffy the Vampire Slayer tv show where she just wanted to have a normal life, have a BF, do her thing, have fun but being the chosen one she had responsibilities she couldn't escape and had to train, kill monsters and save the world constantly

I love her and spikes relationship arc. This tv show transformed surprisingly

[SterioDesign]

19 minutes ago, Guadana said:

I love her and spikes relationship arc. This tv show transformed surprisingly

It's my fav tv show of all time haha

Joss Whedon truly understood how to address all those social issues back then using all those monsters as metaphors without having to shove it down your throats literally like most tv are doing now. Now It's just a constant woke fest trying to shame people constantly like "SEE HOW MUCH OF AN a$$holE YOU ARE FOR DOING THIS AND LOOK HOW MISERABLE THE LIFE OF SOMEONE DEALING WITH THIS IS!!!"

Still holds us really well to this day

Edited July 12, 2021 by SterioDesign

[Guadana]

Yeah, in Buffy characters were much more grey. I can’t watch tv shows this year. Only a couple. Dialogues and screaming moral make it unwatchable. Everybody talk how vanda vision is a great tv show this year. About First three episodes I can agree. But after shows goin into disaster.

the most funny thing - it is a communism/socialism propaganda in every tv American product. collectivism, theory of classes, morals.It was said that you, guys, would destroy the evil, not join them! Bring balance to the life, not leave it in darkness!

 

 

Edited July 12, 2021 by Guadana

[Guadana]

I`m not the man who is absolutely agree with Scouching in everything. We have  a lot of different in views.
Anyway i preceate his work and he has his own view and argumantaion logic.

Edvinsson was pretty good(may be +\- excellent) on junior level. He did play this year on adult level and he is only one who play adult out of top-4 defensemen this year. He is one from only two u-18 defenseman who play more than one game in SHL. He is one of only three u-18 defenseman who did play 4+ games in Alssvenskan - second adult sweden league(where he was point leader defenseman in his age ppg is second best in the last 10 years). This is absolutely another level of competition. And Edvinsson is look like a better well around defenseman. I think he is a safeiest pick out of this three. May be not, but he is pretty good for it. And on the other hand he has great potential to be NHL defenseman. He will not produce on quinn hughes level, but he will not failing on his level in defensive and central zones. He is great to close gaps, he has good starting speed and use his body to create space and win puck battles. He is defenseman you want to play in your team. He is on pretty the same level of production Lindholm has in his years. And he was drafted after Reilly, who is better as producer, be he isnt even close to the level of defensive game Lindholm play. Not only Linholm. Ekman Larson was on his level of production on his age. Why we are talk about this guys? They both were elite skaters and have great defensive abuility for their age.

Clarke has great potential to be great playmaker, and im in his camp still, because we are lack of RD, and I think his iq is best or one of the best on this draft. He has bad start and lack of phisicality. He shows great signs he can compensate it by his stick playing, but what can work on junior level - can not on adult level.

And Hughes. Luke-Luke-Luke... He is little overrated at this moment. If you will watch his games on youtube you will see he has great skating and, he is great puckhandler and zone driver. But he doesnt show sign of great iq. He didnt try to make cross passes, he didnt use potential open spots to create dangerous chances, he didnt manage the puck on the blue line to create good chances like Drysdale, Q Hughes did in their draft years. And he is failing in zone protection, he cant push and close gaps, what is remarkaby bad for his size and level of competiotion. He isnt geat in puck battles and isnt well in board plays. I think he can push his offensive game and will use his strength to create dynamic offinsive. But I dont think he will be good in defense. And this part of the game is really... really important in modern game. 

Every streingths and weaknesses I mentioned are in prospect games you can see on youtube. There are full games of  prospect. 


Devils has 5 top-6 guys are in regular roster, and the six member will be selevted between Holtz, Mercer and CLarke. Or may be Kuokkanen will win this spot. Anyway devils has options and some fight for their right to be a Devils forward. What we have in defensive line for today? Smith and Severson, who can leave this place after two years. And bunch of players, who can or can not be NHL player, we still dont know.

I`m still in Clarke camp. He is too smart. He made so many creative things and try to manage the game of his team. And our massive black hole on the right side of defense dictate rules for our draft choice. But if he will picked earlier. Edvinsson MUST be our guy. 

Edited July 12, 2021 by Guadana

[nessus]

^ Great insight, I appreciate your perspective on all these players.

I'm warming up more to the idea of Edvinsson being a solid prospect, but I'm still thinking he isn't the right pick at 4. Let's say the Devils are in agreement with @Guadana, and Hughes isn't their guy at 4, with Beniers, Power, and Clarke all off the board. I have a tough time taking Edvinsson over William Eklund who had such an excellent year. I understand that Eklund doesn't fit the profile of the player that the Devils need right now, but we have seen several times that you cannot draft for need this high in the draft, especially when you have to reach a few spots to take someone. We needed a "center with size", so we took Zacha, and then McLeod over Chychrun (as much as I like Mikey, this one is still baffling for me). I don't want to look back on this draft to see Edvinsson top out as a second pairing, 30 point guy, while Eklund blossoms into a first line scoring winger.

I feel ambivalent about it because I think in a way, Edvinsson has a lot of untapped potential just like Luke Hughes. But if you draft William Eklund, he's probably the organization's top prospect immediately, whereas I don't think the same would be said about Edvinsson.

[SterioDesign]

51 minutes ago, nessus said:

^ Great insight, I appreciate your perspective on all these players.

I'm warming up more to the idea of Edvinsson being a solid prospect, but I'm still thinking he isn't the right pick at 4. Let's say the Devils are in agreement with @Guadana, and Hughes isn't their guy at 4, with Beniers, Power, and Clarke all off the board. I have a tough time taking Edvinsson over William Eklund who had such an excellent year. I understand that Eklund doesn't fit the profile of the player that the Devils need right now, but we have seen several times that you cannot draft for need this high in the draft, especially when you have to reach a few spots to take someone. We needed a "center with size", so we took Zacha, and then McLeod over Chychrun (as much as I like Mikey, this one is still baffling for me). I don't want to look back on this draft to see Edvinsson top out as a second pairing, 30 point guy, while Eklund blossoms into a first line scoring winger.

I feel ambivalent about it because I think in a way, Edvinsson has a lot of untapped potential just like Luke Hughes. But if you draft William Eklund, he's probably the organization's top prospect immediately, whereas I don't think the same would be said about Edvinsson.

I think i'd rather get Gunther over Eklund. We need D or scorers. We have enough "guys creating a lot and doing everything well but not showing on the scoreboard" we need guy who can find ways to score and he does that.

[CarpathianForest]

We all know defense is what we need, but D men typically take a couple years to develop before seeing the NHL. So we pick a defenseman and any type of improvement is basically deferred. 

We can still go the UFA and trade route to make improvements, but there's the lack of any desirability to come here. sh!t, we weren't even a desirable spot to go to even when we were successful.

[CarpathianForest]

14 minutes ago, SterioDesign said:

I think i'd rather get Gunther over Eklund. We need D or scorers. We have enough "guys creating a lot and doing everything well but not showing on the scoreboard" we need guy who can find ways to score and he does that.

I would be hesitant on Eklund just because we haven't had a ton of luck with Swedish players

[SterioDesign]

2 minutes ago, CarpathianForest said:

I would be hesitant on Eklund just because we haven't had a ton of luck with Swedish players

i don't think nationality has anything to do with anything but he's just not the type of player we need at all.

[Guadana]

3 hours ago, nessus said:

^ Great insight, I appreciate your perspective on all these players.

I'm warming up more to the idea of Edvinsson being a solid prospect, but I'm still thinking he isn't the right pick at 4. Let's say the Devils are in agreement with @Guadana, and Hughes isn't their guy at 4, with Beniers, Power, and Clarke all off the board. I have a tough time taking Edvinsson over William Eklund who had such an excellent year. I understand that Eklund doesn't fit the profile of the player that the Devils need right now, but we have seen several times that you cannot draft for need this high in the draft, especially when you have to reach a few spots to take someone. We needed a "center with size", so we took Zacha, and then McLeod over Chychrun (as much as I like Mikey, this one is still baffling for me). I don't want to look back on this draft to see Edvinsson top out as a second pairing, 30 point guy, while Eklund blossoms into a first line scoring winger.

I feel ambivalent about it because I think in a way, Edvinsson has a lot of untapped potential just like Luke Hughes. But if you draft William Eklund, he's probably the organization's top prospect immediately, whereas I don't think the same would be said about Edvinsson.

Ok. I will repeat a part om my message from hfboards.

First of all we needs defenseman. Right defenseman at best, but if not - we need left defenseman. Why? Because we have Smith, Severson and Subban in roster. And Subban may left us in a year or less. Severson may left us in two years and taste the market. Our prospects have some potential, but Mukha is still young and raw, Okhotyuk and Vukoevich looks solid in AHL, but they didnt produce much and we dont know how they will translate their game into the NHL. Bahl wasnt bad in NHL and AHL, but he is raw, he lost himself when our team play with the puck, he has some troubles in turnovers etc. All of our prospects arent garantee.
Left wingers? We have Zacha, Yegor and Wood. They aren`t solid best top-6 players over the league level, but they are exist and play on the asking level. Bratt and Kuokka can play on the left side if we will ask. We have prospect Foote. He isnt garantee, but he was good forward for 19-20 yo in AHL. Better than our defensemen. 
Right wingers? We have Bratt and he is good enough to play top-6 role, we have Kuokka and he looks like a middle six guy at least. We have Mercer who was excited in QMJHL, Clarke was good in AHL last year, we have talanted player Holtz. Anyway two players can play in top-9 NOW. Three players have some real potential.

Defense? We are in trouble. Hope we will pick Clarke, but we still need in left defenseman, if Clarke will not be available.

And whats about Edvinsson?
I will not take games from alssvenskan to disassemble, where edvinsson team was good and he was good, where he makes good moves at both ends and his team win it. I`m takin a game where Edvinsson team fvcked up. 

canada 8-1 sweden
6-49 This is how he work with his body and close gaps. against Clarke btw
20-03 Stick work
22-34 easy thing to protect the partner. how often Hughes did make it.
26-00 Edvinsson against Guenther. He did it ok, sweden partners? nope
26-18 tell me how a guy like Clarke and especially Hughes are better defensemen
27-45 yeah. some hightlights, thanks
for this moment of the game edvinsson didnt make any mistake, make two or three entrance and lost the puck because because was covered by 2 canada players, no help from partners, full sweden squad cant build offensive game. covid? coach? I dont know. Best two attacks begin from his pass and one of his zone entrance
29-40 physic dominance
32-40 takeaway
33-33 save the puck in offensive zone in pp. interesting pp. does edvinsson was lookin bad? nope/
36-15 forechecking. body work and stick work in the short moment
37-09 Edvinsson against Guenther
37-22 first mistake. his partner was goin to defense and he should stay on the slot in this moment. and then good body work
38-53. This is how he can work with the puck
47-59 stick work
52-00 create offense
56-55 another pp where edvinsson did everything right
59-20 stick work to trying to save the puck in offensive zone. another time when his partners didnt help him against two opponents.
1-00-38 board battle
1-06-10 pass right into the slot
1-08-37 is it his mistake or team missclick? and what was goin after. no goal, but this team wasnt clickin. and as we will see after - there are no problem in Edvinsson
1-11-29 same move, different result
1-11-58 board battle
1-14-55 makin mistake and neutralize it right after
1-15-10 board play in the corner of blue line
1-15-37 zone entrance
1-19-30 skating, passing and body work to neutralize player when he has partner from the back
1-28-40 gap control
1-29-05 offensive move and than his comeback. If bedard did make a pass - he have to cover it. Anyway Olsson and goalie did fvcked up.
1-32-20 I think he must create pressure here but their full line didnt make it and if he will make a pressure it would have ended with a pass into the opened zone and the Canadians would have scored.
1-37-15 skating that helps to make a safe play
1-38-12 puck racing, puck protection and neutralization. awesome moment against two canadian players.
1-41-20 makin play to safe the puck in offensive zone
1-41-35 - create offense.
1-41-59 - he is still on the ice, he broke the stick and solve the problem by his tools he have
1-42-20 - legs is an option too
1-42-25 - he returned with the stick and neutralize canadian offense. sweden didnt work without him. he is the батя here.
1-43-54 - body work and celan the slot
1-46-53 - Edvinsson against THREE canadian player
1-47-52 - clean the slot. and right after swdish goalie lose the puck after viewable shot.
1-55-52 7th goal of canada. What he actually could do here? And what did olsson do? He was been baaad all game long.
1-59-18 - board battle
1-59-54 - pokechecking, neutralize canadian offense
2-00-12 - 2-00-23 gap control, body work

This was a freakin 1-8 against Canada. And Edvinsson was lookin like a best swedish player even in disaster game for defense. Everywhere he could make something to save - he saved. Only one of his moves was ended with dangerous chance. In the game where canada create 56 shots! And he create some offense.
Even in the two games with Canada Edvinsson made mistakes, but the whole team did not work. And they, like the U-20 team, looked weak. Both sweden team didnt play well against travel and covid. Like U-20 russia team. But when Edvinsson played against Guenther personally, Edvinsson worked well against Guenther and looked head and shoulders better than him, both physically and in the game against him. Canada managed 20 goals in those two games and Guenther didnt score. Edvinsson worked well against everyone and didnt lose in battles.

Even after this disaster game for sweden you can easily see why you are takin Edvinsson in top-5 over Guenther, over Lysell, over Hughes, who couldn't even come close to being able to endure such pressure.

The story about his lack of offense is a lie. He was pretty productive year before. Yes, he wasnt this year when he play against men. j-20 problems? ok, he is ppg allsvenskan best u-18 defenseman in the past 5 years. second best in ten years. Allsvenskan is adult league. It isnt school competition.

Right in this game we can see great flashes of his offensive potential. We couldnt see how Hughes can play in this swedish roster against canada. He didnt play with usa against canada or russia. It would be hallerious to see how he could play against wright, bedard, mitchkov. Hughes and Edvinsson are nowhere close.

Like Sakic said - if you want true top-4 defenseman in his prime years - you must draft him.
 Edvinsson is what he actully is. He is sweden defenseman with good skating. But with great defensive ability, bodywork and understanding the gap. He isn`t Broberg. He is "why we didnt draft him? Because he didnt produce in adult leagues in covid year when he was 17 yo guy?" guy. Like Power, he is close to have a floor to be top-4 guy, and ceiling to be best defenseman of the team. Hughes has a floor to be 3rd pairing pp specialist and ceiling to be 1st pair pp specialist, who will not play in hard minutes against top-players. If you want to draft #4 you must draft the player with better ceiling and better floor.

If you will not draft defense, you will never have good defense. You can say Vegas has good defense, but they were started... from draft). It`s great to have 60-70 points player or even more, but you will never know will he fits here or no, and you will never build contender. Ask toronto fans.  You can ask Dallas fans btw. When they were 2nd best scoring team, they didnt even make playoff. Year ago they were 3 worst scoring team and made SC final. Look at Islanders. Two conference final in a raw. Look at Nashville 5 years ago. Their defensive line were absolutely better than offensive line. Blues - defensive game. Washington - they were won their stanley cup only with competent defensemen and Trotz. Pens - two center(we have a couple too) and solid defensive line, good role players. Even Tampa. Coleman, Goodroow, Maroon and solid defense, where Hedman, Mcdonaugh and Sergachyov are not only puckmovers, they are hard and heavy to play against. This guys made them champions. Devils did make a lot of good draft and have pretty strong potential in offensive lines, they have some real forwards with potential right in the roster. But our defense are svck.

Edited July 13, 2021 by Guadana

[SterioDesign]

so that was just "a part" of your message? 

[CarpathianForest]

1 minute ago, SterioDesign said:

so that was just "a part" of your message? 

No. It was a part of his "massage"

You need to re-read the post