It's halfway through the season, we've lost most of our stars for long term injuries, even with an easy remainder of the season, it's time to put a for sale sign out front and hope for the best in the summer.

So let's hear your draft hopefuls and why you like them. Once that's out of our system, let's talk about why Verbeeks going to take this guy

I love me some MBN baby!

Gauthier // Zegras // Brandsegg-Nygard

I think that would be disgusting line man

I have a hard time believing Z is going to be a center in Anaheim until I see his defensive game improve quite a bit. We'll see when he comes back from injury.

Certainly would be a huge amount of compete on that line though.

I get that but I just messed with this in a AGM and had em as the 3rd line

This season feels so pathetic. I’d go as far to say this feels worse than last year

If Verbeek doesnt go Levshunov in the first round, I think EJ Emery is the guy in round 2. Defensive defensemen, right shot, good skater, good size if he fills out a bit, high compete, exactly the type of guy this prospect pool is in need of. Just imagine, Lindstrom/MBN and EJ Emery, I would be thrilled. https://www.capfriendly.com/scouting-reports/report/ej-emery-390751

Anyone else you guys are checking out in the second round?

Charlie Elick

Haven't honestly looked outside the 1st pick, we have 2 2nds this year. Just take a bunch of Vatrano clones.

Just read up a bit on him, seems like a perfect fit, more physical shutdown guy if he is available to us in the second round. Would be happy with either of those guys. He sounds like more of a project which actually might work best for us if the Ducks sign a stop-gap guy for 3-4 seasons while he develops. All I know is that we desperately need some defensive guys on the right with the offensive power coming through on the left, and the physical aspect of his game could be the perfect Gudas replacement.

Minty - Emery/Elick
Lacombe - Luneau
Zell - Warren

That is a beautiful defensive core, sign me up.

I would be more than happy if Verbeek used all picks past the first two on Vatrano clones in hopes that just one works out. We will need that kind of middle 6 guy once we make the playoffs.

I just don't want to draft anymore guys like Gaucher. Yes, it's great to have a few in your system at any given time for injury call ups, but I want the draft staff to take swings on high ceiling guys. We can sign bottom 6 guys in free agency, they don't command a ton of money, but we have to build our the top 6/4 internally.

Elick would have to come with the 1st we get for trading Rico at the deadline 🤞🏻 he’s a Manson type guy so yes that’s perfect

Verbeek has already said he sees a Mintyukov Warren pairing for the future though

I don't think Warren is going to be able to keep up, unless we're talking about 2nd pair.

I mean, we will see

I wouldn’t mind having Helleson Warren Elick if it played out like that — just having shut down guys playing RD and our high end offensive guys at LD

There is always Luneau though too — always hard to track who will and who won’t make the proper jumps

Apparently Leshunov is making great strides in his defensive game, I would have Verbeek take him with our 1st and hope we can get a late 1st for Brandsegg Nygard

Like the way Mintyukov made his strained last year? Less offense and more work on the defensive side of the puck?

MBN is going to be gone in the first half of the draft imo. Sad because I would absolutely love for us to draft him

I just don't think Warren has developed as well as we once had hoped, of course anything can change as it is still relatively early. I am very curious to see how he does in the AHL next year, that should tell us a lot. But as of right now, I see him maxing out at third pairing. That and Minty has exceeded expectations and I'm not sure Verbeek expected him to be our 1st pairing guy so soon, so while I think their games play well off each other, I am not so sure we ever actually see them paired up. I would love to be wrong though. All in all I think we are all on the same page, draft forwards and one defense first RHD who can potentially pair Minty. Good to know there are options for any of our first three picks though (assuming we can draw a late first for Rico)