Post by lari on May 9, 2024 13:16:35 GMT
Might as well put the other top dogs too:
3. Anaheim Ducks: Artyom Levshunov, RHD, Michigan State University
After the Jamie Drysdale-for-Cutter Gauthier swap and the use of recent high picks on Leo Carlsson and Mason McTavish, the belief among scouts I’ve talked to is that the Ducks will target a defenseman with their pick. If the Blackhawks take Demidov, Levshunov comes into focus. If the Blackhawks take Levshunov, the Ducks will likely consider and do their due diligence on each of towering Russian defenseman Anton Silayev, Denver breakout star Zeev Buium and London Knights two-way stud Sam Dickinson. With what they already have in Olen Zellweger and Pavel Mintyukov, I wonder if the size and defensive ability of Silayev and Dickinson will win out over Buium’s more active game. It’s worth noting both Mintyukov and Zellweger are lefties and so are Silayev, Buium and Dickinson, which may place an even greater premium on Levshunov. It’s also worth noting they’ve had a lot of success with CHL D, which could help Dickinson factor into the conversation if they trust their scouts there — even if he’s not the consensus guy at No. 3 league-wide.
4. Columbus Blue Jackets: Anton Silayev, LHD, Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod
I took Medicine Hat center Cayden Lindstrom for the Blue Jackets in our staff mock, and I do still think the appeal of a one-two punch of Adam Fantilli and Lindstrom, with their similar makeups and their ideal size and skating, is and will be a strong consideration for them. But the more I’ve asked around in the last couple of days and the more I’ve thought about it, the more Silayev has come into focus. There’s the obvious connection to their many Russians within the organization, but he also just fits as a left-handed foil to a righty in David Jiricek, and the idea of their back end of the future built around the size, skating and defensive upside of Silayev; the boldness of Jiricek; and the capabilities of Denton Mateychuk is extremely appealing in its own right.
5. Montreal Canadiens: Cayden Lindstrom, C, Medicine Hat Tigers
With Kaiden Guhle already established and Lane Hutson, David Reinbacher and Logan Mailloux coming, plus several other young D who could factor into the depth chart in Montreal, the Habs are in a unique position in that in a draft highlighted by its half-dozen top D prospects, they shouldn’t feel the need to target one and can instead look at the impact forwards. If the Blue Jackets don’t take Lindstrom, he’s a natural priority for the Habs as desired size down the middle and the second top-six center they so desperately need behind (or maybe someday in front of) Nick Suzuki.
6. NHL Utah: Zeev Buium, LHD, University of Denver
The strength of the Coyotes’ pool at forward (Logan Cooley, Dylan Guenther, Daniil But, etc.) and on defense (Dmitri Simashev, Maveric Lamoureux, etc.) allows them to focus on taking the best player. It doesn’t hurt that that player is a California kid who plays a short flight away in Denver and whose game could really complement the length of Simashev or Lamoureux on Utah’s blue line of the future. Buium to Utah makes a lot of sense.
3. Anaheim Ducks: Artyom Levshunov, RHD, Michigan State University
After the Jamie Drysdale-for-Cutter Gauthier swap and the use of recent high picks on Leo Carlsson and Mason McTavish, the belief among scouts I’ve talked to is that the Ducks will target a defenseman with their pick. If the Blackhawks take Demidov, Levshunov comes into focus. If the Blackhawks take Levshunov, the Ducks will likely consider and do their due diligence on each of towering Russian defenseman Anton Silayev, Denver breakout star Zeev Buium and London Knights two-way stud Sam Dickinson. With what they already have in Olen Zellweger and Pavel Mintyukov, I wonder if the size and defensive ability of Silayev and Dickinson will win out over Buium’s more active game. It’s worth noting both Mintyukov and Zellweger are lefties and so are Silayev, Buium and Dickinson, which may place an even greater premium on Levshunov. It’s also worth noting they’ve had a lot of success with CHL D, which could help Dickinson factor into the conversation if they trust their scouts there — even if he’s not the consensus guy at No. 3 league-wide.
4. Columbus Blue Jackets: Anton Silayev, LHD, Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod
I took Medicine Hat center Cayden Lindstrom for the Blue Jackets in our staff mock, and I do still think the appeal of a one-two punch of Adam Fantilli and Lindstrom, with their similar makeups and their ideal size and skating, is and will be a strong consideration for them. But the more I’ve asked around in the last couple of days and the more I’ve thought about it, the more Silayev has come into focus. There’s the obvious connection to their many Russians within the organization, but he also just fits as a left-handed foil to a righty in David Jiricek, and the idea of their back end of the future built around the size, skating and defensive upside of Silayev; the boldness of Jiricek; and the capabilities of Denton Mateychuk is extremely appealing in its own right.
5. Montreal Canadiens: Cayden Lindstrom, C, Medicine Hat Tigers
With Kaiden Guhle already established and Lane Hutson, David Reinbacher and Logan Mailloux coming, plus several other young D who could factor into the depth chart in Montreal, the Habs are in a unique position in that in a draft highlighted by its half-dozen top D prospects, they shouldn’t feel the need to target one and can instead look at the impact forwards. If the Blue Jackets don’t take Lindstrom, he’s a natural priority for the Habs as desired size down the middle and the second top-six center they so desperately need behind (or maybe someday in front of) Nick Suzuki.
6. NHL Utah: Zeev Buium, LHD, University of Denver
The strength of the Coyotes’ pool at forward (Logan Cooley, Dylan Guenther, Daniil But, etc.) and on defense (Dmitri Simashev, Maveric Lamoureux, etc.) allows them to focus on taking the best player. It doesn’t hurt that that player is a California kid who plays a short flight away in Denver and whose game could really complement the length of Simashev or Lamoureux on Utah’s blue line of the future. Buium to Utah makes a lot of sense.