rezero wrote: ↑09 May 2025 20:29 pm
I like Fiddler as the write up on him reads like he is a solid defenseman with good skating skills and a rocket shot. Sounds like a young Parayko.
Very poor hockey sense.
That’s just not true at at all. He’s not getting drafted for his playmaking abilities in the offensive zone. He’s getting drafted for what he brings on the back end and his ability to move the puck which he excels at. If you watched him in the U18’s….he was very good. He’s pretty much where Parayko was at the same age, but he’s more physical. Coaching and development will round out his game.
Blues are also in a position where the can afford to take a chance with a big swing when it comes to a prospect and Fiddler certainly fits that bill
I’ll admit he looked quite a bit better at the U18s. But I know what I saw in his play with the Oil Kings. Looked a lot like Jecho but just from the defensive end. Lots of poor reads. But maybe their coach is just a moron and it makes the players look dumb? Idk. His performance at the U18s gave me pause but he’s still not one of my favorites in this draft.
I like Reid but we have so many lefties it's hard to argue he'd be BPA at 19.
Zonnon I kind of like, he played well in the series against Moncton from what I saw. Also kind of a reach at 19 IMO.
This is literally what the link provided in OP says about Fiddler:
The only issue with his performance is that his offensive game is weak, as he only put up 33 points through 64 games with the Edmonton Oil Kings this season. Fiddler also lacks a sound puck-handling ability and is known to make bad decisions under pressure, and take too many penalties, which the Blues want to do less if they want to become a consistent playoff contender.
That said, these weaknesses in Fiddler’s game are fixable once he gets to the NHL level and can work on them slowly in his development process.
Hockey sense and bad puck handling is just fixable once he gets to the NHL is it? Good writeup.
rezero wrote: ↑09 May 2025 20:29 pm
I like Fiddler as the write up on him reads like he is a solid defenseman with good skating skills and a rocket shot. Sounds like a young Parayko.
Very poor hockey sense.
That’s just not true at at all. He’s not getting drafted for his playmaking abilities in the offensive zone. He’s getting drafted for what he brings on the back end and his ability to move the puck which he excels at. If you watched him in the U18’s….he was very good. He’s pretty much where Parayko was at the same age, but he’s more physical. Coaching and development will round out his game.
Blues are also in a position where the can afford to take a chance with a big swing when it comes to a prospect and Fiddler certainly fits that bill
I’ll admit he looked quite a bit better at the U18s. But I know what I saw in his play with the Oil Kings. Looked a lot like Jecho but just from the defensive end. Lots of poor reads. But maybe their coach is just a moron and it makes the players look dumb? Idk. His performance at the U18s gave me pause but he’s still not one of my favorites in this draft.
STL fan in MN wrote: ↑09 May 2025 21:16 pm
Very poor hockey sense.
I think you’re over rating him.
And you like him even less than I do! Haha, I can’t win.
But I guess just goes to show that different people see different things in players.
The package of tools is incredibly interesting but he makes Chris Stewart look like a savant IMO. Just a dumb player that is going to need a TON of coaching to become passable at the NHL level.
BPA is likely to be a winger or LD or small center (Cullen Potter) at 19.
7 weeks before draft weekend, I am kind of hoping we can take a Lakovic, Martin, Nesbitt or Bear. While they mostly project about 5-10 spots higher than where we pick there are several of them and one will fall.
I'm going to tell you guys right now that if Carbonneau is still on the board at 19 I probably want him the most. He is like Holloway.
seattleblue wrote: ↑11 May 2025 11:07 am
BPA is likely to be a winger or LD or small center (Cullen Potter) at 19.
7 weeks before draft weekend, I am kind of hoping we can take a Lakovic, Martin, Nesbitt or Bear. While they mostly project about 5-10 spots higher than where we pick there are several of them and one will fall.
I'm going to tell you guys right now that if Carbonneau is still on the board at 19 I probably want him the most. He is like Holloway.
Lakovic has been my guy for 3 months . If he’s there at 19 that would be a steal for the Blues.
seattleblue wrote: ↑11 May 2025 11:07 am
BPA is likely to be a winger or LD or small center (Cullen Potter) at 19.
7 weeks before draft weekend, I am kind of hoping we can take a Lakovic, Martin, Nesbitt or Bear. While they mostly project about 5-10 spots higher than where we pick there are several of them and one will fall.
I'm going to tell you guys right now that if Carbonneau is still on the board at 19 I probably want him the most. He is like Holloway.
Lakovic has been my guy for 3 months . If he’s there at 19 that would be a steal for the Blues.
don't most mocks have him going 12-15? I haven't looked at one in a while, so I could be wrong
seattleblue wrote: ↑11 May 2025 11:07 am
BPA is likely to be a winger or LD or small center (Cullen Potter) at 19.
7 weeks before draft weekend, I am kind of hoping we can take a Lakovic, Martin, Nesbitt or Bear. While they mostly project about 5-10 spots higher than where we pick there are several of them and one will fall.
I'm going to tell you guys right now that if Carbonneau is still on the board at 19 I probably want him the most. He is like Holloway.
Lakovic has been my guy for 3 months . If he’s there at 19 that would be a steal for the Blues.
don't most mocks have him going 12-15? I haven't looked at one in a while, so I could be wrong
I really like Hensler at 19. He has a high floor and a high ceiling. Probably would have gone top 10 but he wasn't great at WJC20 and started his colleg career off poorly. He ended his season playing much more like the player preseason scouting pegged him to be though. Think young Justin Faulk.
There are a handful of appealing LD near where we pick, but we are loaded there.
BPA is the right way to go in Round 1
BPA where we pick is likely going to be LD or LW/RW
Let's say the Blues did like RD Fiddler and wanted to pick him, I think they could trade down and get him, ideally adding back some picks (Blues have none in rounds 2-4 this year). I think they could also trade down and get Cootes. If you can pick yourself up a Holloway (Carbonneau comp) or Tage Thompson (Lakovic comp) because they slip then keep the pick. But if unfolds like last year then I'd probably trade down if possible.
