Youre right for the sens, RD is the first choice. If not id go Lindstrom/Demidov/Helenius in that order if both RD are gone

I would say very close for the sharks but instead of Demidov or Eisermann I would imagine they go for another center like Lindstrom Grier seems to value size and skill (Musty - Mukhamadulin - Bystedt - Halttunen) but is willing to swing on smaller players with later picks. Based on the Mackenzie board I think the sharks priority on defense would go Levshunov Silayev Parekh/Dickinson

I'm sure the Sens are gonna take a good long look at Demidov as well, but yeah you're on the money as far as I can tell

Agree with you about the Ducks -- I'm convinced that they'll go for a forward, preferably a right-handed one. With LaCombe, Mintyukov and Zellweger developing nicely on the left side, and Luneau and Warren developing (hopefully) on the right, defense isn't a priority with such a high pick.

From what I've seen, Hawks fans are pretty split on Levshunov vs another forward. Based off of things other people have posted, I would say rankings are this ish:

1. Celebrini
2/3 Levshunov/Lindstrom
4 Demidov
5. If we're drafting here = upset

Sharks definitely take Celebrini #1 but part of my hopes we fall to 2nd so that we're forced into taking Levshunov. They need high end RD more than anything else, but yeah, you can't pass on Celebrini

Hawks probably go 1. Celibrini, 2. Lindstrom, 3. Levshunov. Don't see the Hawks using a top 3 or 4 pick on Eiserman or Demidov.

Anaheim in a weird spot in that we don't need Celebrini if we end up with 1OA, he's not an improvement on Carlsson, and I'm not sure he is on McTavish either. It's only the midterm grades so a lot can still change, but this has been Verbeeks drafting process thus far, but I don't know what Anaheim would really do with Celebrini. We've also got a cushy strength of schedule the rest of the way, I assume we pick up a couple positions before years end.

Verbeek likes size with some skill, prioritizing a 200 ft game over putting up raw points. He doesn't mind drafting from Europe, but does have a preference for existing experience with the NA game. He hasn't shown any willingness to F*** around with KHL players yet, so I think Demidov isn't on the list.

Leshunov is probably top of the list, reading very much like a right shot Mintyukov. Size, physicality, raw skill, needs to work on his skating and reads a bit, but otherwise, very complete player.

Eiserman isn't going to be looked at, the knocks on his play away from the puck are too frequent, he's got too much of a one dimensional game, and his stock is falling as a result.

Helenius is too small of a player, unless I'm missing something about his game, he's not a selection.

Dickinson is left shot, have too many of them already, won't be picked, same with Silayev

Lindstrom has a good shot at being taken by the Ducks, great size, good ability, flexibility of forward position, he's probably 3rd on our list.

Brandsegg Nygard doesn't put up the counting stats, but he has a draft profile that reads like a love letter to Verbeek, I think he would be 4th on our list.

To round out 5th, maybe Iginla, maybe Jiricek, maybe a lot of names. Significant movement is still expected before final rankings, so I'm not putting too much stock in their current rankings, rather stating "these are the kind of guys Verbeek would take"

So as follows
1: Celebrini
2: Leshunov
3: Lindstrom
4: Brandsegg Nygard
5: Iginla
6: Jiricek

Who would you have at #4 for them?

I would say this...

1 Celebrini
2/3/4 Demidov/Eisermann/Lindstrom (in that order)
5 Levshunov

Hawks are desperate for top 6 talent and more so with questions around Reichel. If Reichel wasn't having a slump I would put Levshunov higher, but as of now Nazar, Moore, and Reichel (their only bonafide top 6 prospects) all rank lower than Demidov (best play maker in the draft), Eisermann (best shot in the draft), and Lindstrom (best power forward and big). Each of these 3 brings something to the table that they don't have in their prospects today.

I'm not so sure about that old friend, I think the need for a #1RHD and the strength of that position in this draft, I'm thinking we go Leshunov if he's available.

Ducks still need that #1 RD and trading Drysdale further opened the door to taking a defenseman in this D-heavy draft class. If he's on the board when they pick the choice will be Levshunov IMO. Neither Warren nor Helleson have a ceiling any where close to what Levshunov would bring into the organization.

Haven't really thought about it. Seems unlikely Hawks aren't picking in the top 3. Maybe Dickinson? He seems like a can't miss top 4 D. Demidov is a stud. But who knows if or when he actually comes over. I've soured on Eiserman. Great shooter but the rest of his game is nothing special.

Demidov is a stud! Best talent outside of Celebrini in the draft. I don't think they consider Levshunov in the top 4, they have way too much need for top 6 prospects with questions around Reichel and Lindstrom, Demidov, Eiserman at their age all would be ranked ahead of Reichel, Moore and Nazar if drafted in the same year.

Levshunov is very good as well, but Hawks are in desperate need to find Bedard linemates for the long term.

I personally agree, my preference would be Celebrini, Demidov, Catton (very high on his skill set), Lindstrom. I think the Reichel point is exactly the reason you draft another elite talent with our 1st pick this year, and depending how the draft board plays out, maybe even the Lightning pick. But I have seen a lot of other Hawks fans on here have Levshunov ranked 2nd on their boards due to positional need

Demidov is a stud. But who knows if or when he actually comes over. Can't chance a top 3 pick on him if it's 4 or 5 years before he plays for you.

He has 1 year left on his agreement and according to a few insiders and a interview with him, he wants to come over right away. I think he's worth the risk of being a a year away.

I agree, Hawks just can't go defense with their first pick and depending on the board plays out, use Tampa's on a forward as well with someone like Catton, Demidov, Lindstrom, Eisermann if any of those players fall for individual reasons

I think the hawks fans who say take Leshunov based on need also think the Hawks top 6 can be filled out with the pieces already in the system. Which makes two errors in believing that 1: every player they drafted in the first two rounds the last two years will hit and 2: generally being way to high on guys who realistically are at best middle 6 players in the NHL.

I agree with you, you guys have to take the highest ceiling guy available with every pick in the first two rounds for the next 2-3 years just to build up enough of a prospect base.

Well, Levshunov was my first thought last month when the subject first came up, but everyone started talking about Eiserman. Nevertheless, I still think that Verbeek and the scouting staff will pick a forward, although naturally I won't be disappointed if they select Levshunov.

With quality offense on the LD, I think that we can succeed with complementary players at RD; the need for a star is lessened, in my view. But I may be ploughing my own lonely furrow here.

Nazar and Moore are really the only top 6 potential prospects they have (some argue Colton Dach). While I think Nazar will hit, Moore could end up a 3rd liner or 1st...he's a wild card though.

Our defensive prospect/young player system is loaded, albeit a bit shy on the right, but even too many today that should be getting more NHL time. Going with D would be a big mistake.

TL;DR of CBJ needs ranked from biggest need to least need: RHD - G - LHD - RW - C - LW. my guess would be celebrini, demidov, levshunov, dickinson, best available

columbus needs RHD long-term prospects badly. we have jiricek (as you may have heard) and then ceulemans is cooking in the AHL but needs time. those are the only NHL-caliber or NHL-potential RHD we have under the age of 29 anywhere in the organization.

we have lots of centers in the system but we'd never say no to celebrini. macklin would guarantee pretty much that kent johnson remains a wing for the duration of his time in columbus at least. any center with less pedigree than celebrini would not be a priority.

we've got kirill marchenko as our premium long-term piece as a right winger but chinakhov has been playing well on the right even though he's traditionally been LW. laine still is a blue jacket, and we have jordan dumais and gavin brindley on the way and both are RW (brindley could be a C but he's playing the wing at UM and will likely be an NHL winger). however, there's definitely space for more prospects on the right wing, especially since dumais is not a sure thing.

on the left wing we're jam packed. johnny has forever left on the contract, kent johnson will likely play LW forever, boone jenner should be moved back over here before long, this is chinakhov's natural position, texier is beloved in the org and is more LW than RW. plus in the AHL we have james malatesta who is looking destined to be an excellent fourth line LW as well as luca del bel belluz who will likely be an NHL LW someday. pyyhtia might be an NHL LW and so might luca pinelli who is the captain of the 67's and top 10 in the OHL in goals per game. he's playing C but has johnny gaudreau size.

similarly, we had a lot of LHD. werenski is here for the long haul. captain serious denton mateychuk is also as a sure a thing as there can be. behind those two we have a trio of 21 year olds in stanislav svozil, samuel knazko, and ole julian bjorgvik holm. svozil most likely to be an NHL guy while the other two are projects. strathmann in the ushl is looking alright and headed to univ of north dakota next year.

goalie we have questions. jet greaves is not highly touted but has a wicked glove hand and looks spectacular in the NHL (3 starts, 0.935 SV%). daniil tarasov is... ??????? sergei ivanov looks like the real deal, absolutely crushing in the khl as a 19 year old kinda undersized goalie. i think the big question is getting him out of russia eventually. we could absolutely use some high-end goaltending added to the system but that's not a top 3 rounds priority lol

Maybe, I might just be gun shy about Murray attempting year after year after year to find the missing top 4 RHD and making more and more desperate trades as the years of our last cup window dragged by.

It's a lot easier to find a winger via trade or free agency than a RHD. I'd rather load up there and not have to worry about than live through that again.

Last month I was reading apparently outdated info on Leahunov that noted defensive defincies in his game, he's apparently cleaned that up quite a bit, so I'm back on board.

I think Verbeek would take Nygard over Eiserman though, again, the 200 ft game in eiserman is lacking.

I wonder if OTT would consider trading back with MTL (ex: pick #5 for pick #7 for some assets so that MTL might jump over MIN to draft one of the remaining top forward prospect over MN.

AKA if one of Demidov, Eiserman or Lindstrom is still available at 5.

What would be the price?

Yeah - that same logic is behind Reinbacher's selection in the draft... These players just don't come by easy.