Best available high school player
- Lahey

Best available Canadien

Oh yea? Well....I also havnt taken a sip of my coffee yet and the only thing on my mind right now is that its my last day before I take a 12 day vacation to Italy.


That has to be a legit reason no?
- Colin Dambrauskas

Awesome! Where in Italy are you going? I love it there.

Best available high school player
- Lahey

Eat it Lahey!!!!

I'm pretty sure the Avs not taking Jones bit was just a feeble attempt to pump up interest in their draft pick. If they take another center with that swiss cheese defense they are crazy.
- Pierceme69

If they pass on the next Tavares/Stamkos, they are crazy. You don't pass on forwards like that with a #1 pick. None of their centers are as good as MacKinnon.

Correct me if im wrong but in my scouting opinion the drop from the top 3 forwards to the rest is much much greater than Jones to the next 3 d men IMO.

I take Mackinnon which then leaves Statsny available for a nhl ready d man and maybe even a late teen early 20's pick

If they pass on the next Tavares/Stamkos, they are crazy. You don't pass on forwards like that with a #1 pick. None of their centers are as good as MacKinnon.
- isles10289

By taking MacKinnon, they might pass on the next Pronger or Lindstrom which is what the Avs really need at this point.

By taking MacKinnon, they might pass on the next Pronger or Lindstrom which is what the Avs really need at this point.
- Dekker

key there is at this point Jones who may be elite wouldnt be so for a few eyars down the road.... Mack however would be a star quicker

By taking MacKinnon, they might pass on the next Pronger or Lindstrom which is what the Avs really need at this point.
- Dekker

"Might" is the key word. Defensemen at the top of the draft are notoriously more difficult to predict than forwards. Trust me, as an Islanders fan, I'm not regretting that they picked Tavares over Hedman. Avs fans will similarly not regret having MacKinnon instead of Jones.

"Might" is the key word. Defensemen at the top of the draft are notoriously more difficult to predict than forwards. Trust me, as an Islanders fan, I'm not regretting that they picked Tavares over Hedman. Avs fans will similarly not regret having MacKinnon instead of Jones.
- isles10289

The worse thing is when you are drafting 1st, or 2nd/3rd for that matter that generally speaking you are a very bad team. You are trying to pick the player that is the best in the short term and long term. Taking a d-man you'll never get that. Forward yes.

I actually think it'll get even crazier than this

I actually think it'll get even crazier than this
- Iggysbff

COL-Tebow
FLA-Ochocinco
TBL-Lebron James
NSH-Messi
CAR-Sidney Crosby's 3rd cousin(twice removed)

COL-Tebow
FLA-Ochocinco
TBL-Lebron James
NSH-Messi
CAR-Sidney Crosby's 3rd cousin(twice removed)
CGY - 4th Timbit hockey player to appear on Tim Hortons commercial with Crosby

- bobert836

Fixed.

Fixed.
- Colin Dambrauskas

Yes please

If they pass on the next Tavares/Stamkos, they are crazy. You don't pass on forwards like that with a #1 pick. None of their centers are as good as MacKinnon.
- isles10289

we don't know that yet. Duchene is an absolute stud. ROR and Stastny won't be enough to get them a franchise D man. Don't think taking Nate is the right choice for the org. They'll turn into the oilers. Except at least in EDM's case Yak was by far #1

Adam French: Mock Draft : The Top-Five
- AdamFrench

All 5 picks are wrong, you should watch these players more.

we don't know that yet. Duchene is an absolute stud. ROR and Stastny won't be enough to get them a franchise D man. Don't think taking Nate is the right choice for the org. They'll turn into the oilers. Except at least in EDM's case Yak was by far #1
- TheNugeIsHuge

Galchenyuk > Yakupov

we don't know that yet. Duchene is an absolute stud. ROR and Stastny won't be enough to get them a franchise D man. Don't think taking Nate is the right choice for the org. They'll turn into the oilers. Except at least in EDM's case Yak was by far #1
- TheNugeIsHuge

Look at MacKinnon's age and junior stats. This kid's the same level as Yakupov, Hall, Tavares, Stamkos and these other recent #1 picks. COL is in no danger of turning into EDM in terms of offensive talent, so I wouldn't worry about that.

Look at MacKinnon's age and junior stats. This kid's the same level as Yakupov, Hall, Tavares, Stamkos and these other recent #1 picks. COL is in no danger of turning into EDM in terms of offensive talent, so I wouldn't worry about that.
- isles10289

Not really. Mackinnon is just under two years younger than Yakupov. Comparing the stats of Yak, two years ago, he’s ahead. Not by THAT much, but ahead.

None of them are Crosby/Malkin level though. The next generational type player I see coming along, is Connor McDavid. That kid is absolutely unbelievable.

All 5 picks are wrong, you should watch these players more.
- Djtyczy

Ok.

Not really. Mackinnon is just under two years younger than Yakupov. Comparing the stats of Yak, two years ago, he’s ahead. Not by THAT much, but ahead.

None of them are Crosby/Malkin level though. The next generational type player I see coming along, is Connor McDavid. That kid is absolutely unbelievable.
- Dirte

I mean, you can't use that he's "not Crosby" as a negative against him. Nobody is Crosby. But this kid is on Tavares/Stamkos/Hall/Yakupov level, and no team that picked those guys is regretting it. Jones might be great, yes. But d-men do bust more often than forwards when picked so early- there's a reason for that. Forwards are easier to predict. When a guy like MacKinnon is there, you pick him and don't look back.

Galchenyuk > Yakupov
- ToeBlake

Lol.

I mean, you can't use that he's "not Crosby" as a negative against him. Nobody is Crosby. But this kid is on Tavares/Stamkos/Hall/Yakupov level, and no team that picked those guys is regretting it. Jones might be great, yes. But d-men do bust more often than forwards when picked so early- there's a reason for that. Forwards are easier to predict. When a guy like MacKinnon is there, you pick him and don't look back.
- isles10289

Trying to call someone in the class just behind Crosby/Malkin is about the worst insult anyone could label someone with. I actually think he'll be the best of the rest of the class that you mention above, too....

This could easily happen. I personally think Jones goes second to FL, but it's not that long of a shot for Jones to go #3. Forwards are generally much safer bets at the top of the draft. With a couple high-end guys up there, COL and FL (or a team trading up) could easily decide to go for a forward that high.
- isles10289

Jones is an elite d-man, many scouts are saying they haven't seen talent like this from a d-man for sometime so Jones is in a different league than Fowler, Hedman & some of the other high dmen drafted over the past few years.

People are really under-valuing Jones which is hilarious - this kid is the real deal & whoever drafts him has a franchise dman for the next 10yrs.

Dude, you always say this. Where are you getting this from???

I'm not saying they don't but I haven't heard much saying they love like you seem to think.
- TandA4Flames

I have my sources as Cloutier always says!! Believe me, the Flames want a big centre & it's not that they don't like Lindholm, because they do however they love Monahan's size & what he brings just a little more than the swede!!

He will NOT slip past #6!!