Doing My First Draft Question

[Aceshigh24]

I have the 6th overall pick and I'm looking to draft Offense. I have 3 or 4 guys that I'm interested in but when looking at their ratings, it can be a little overwhelming. What should be my main focus when comparing these players.

Thanks everyone for the read.

[Adam B]

Originally Posted by Aceshigh24

I have the 6th overall pick and I'm looking to draft Offense. I have 3 or 4 guys that I'm interested in but when looking at their ratings, it can be a little overwhelming. What should be my main focus when comparing these players.

Thanks everyone for the read.

That's a tough question to answer without knowing exactly what your team is looking for. if you're looking for someone who's going to score, looking for someone who has good shooting ability and accuracy would be important. Always look at how they are doing in terms of their stats in what league they're in as well. Even if a player is highly rated but they're not scoring in junior, they're not suddenly going to turn it on when they get to the NHL.

[Aceshigh24]

Originally Posted by Adam B

That's a tough question to answer without knowing exactly what your team is looking for. if you're looking for someone who's going to score, looking for someone who has good shooting ability and accuracy would be important. Always look at how they are doing in terms of their stats in what league they're in as well. Even if a player is highly rated but they're not scoring in junior, they're not suddenly going to turn it on when they get to the NHL.

Appreciate your feedback, yes I'm looking for someone who can score and be the guy.

[Adam B]

Originally Posted by Aceshigh24

Appreciate your feedback, yes I'm looking for someone who can score and be the guy.

The point I mean is what the rest of your team looks like too. If you have a guy who is a sniper, finding that playmaker is just as important too! Or vice versa. Don't overlook having good shutdown guys as well.

[Harveytime]

If you are picking that high on O you will probably want a guy with at least 13-14 speed and 13 O read and 13 shooting accuracy with high potential ratings. The main ratings I look for in defensive ratings is positioning and defensive read so if those are both 13-15 hes probably a good 2 way centre.

TLDR O and D read are the most important along with passing and shooting accuracy for forwards IMO. if you are drafting a big physical dude than look for high screening so he can be set to power forward or screener.

[skunt3m]

First, take a look at your roster. If you have 19 year old Sidney Crosby and 20 year old Evgeni Malkin under contract for the next 10 years then you are obviously all set for scoring centres. Who do you have that you like long term and who are you looking to upgrade on?

Comparing the 3-4 guys on your list:
-Centres are more important than wingers. Everything else being equal, draft a centre.
-Do any of them have downside risk or upside potential listed in their scouting reports? I won't draft guys with downside risk.
-I believe the NHL average for most attributes is around 14. If I was picking between two centres of equal potential, I would pick the more developed guy - the guy with more attributes near/over 14.
-Positional scarcity. Playing a few seasons in FHM 7 as an expansion team, I find that it is hard to acquire high level playmaking centres and high level right shot defensemen.
-Team identity. Are you trying to build a fast team? A tough team? A high character team?

[Aceshigh24]

Originally Posted by Adam B

The point I mean is what the rest of your team looks like too. If you have a guy who is a sniper, finding that playmaker is just as important too! Or vice versa. Don't overlook having good shutdown guys as well.

Best Offensive guy/s have right now are Jaden Schwartz and Tomas Tater who I got in FA after Expansion draft was over. Based on this I should probably draft a Defensive guy but that doesn't sound fun lol.

Originally Posted by skunt3m

First, take a look at your roster. If you have 19 year old Sidney Crosby and 20 year old Evgeni Malkin under contract for the next 10 years then you are obviously all set for scoring centres. Who do you have that you like long term and who are you looking to upgrade on?

Comparing the 3-4 guys on your list:
-Centres are more important than wingers. Everything else being equal, draft a centre.
-Do any of them have downside risk or upside potential listed in their scouting reports? I won't draft guys with downside risk.
-I believe the NHL average for most attributes is around 14. If I was picking between two centres of equal potential, I would pick the more developed guy - the guy with more attributes near/over 14.
-Positional scarcity. Playing a few seasons in FHM 7 as an expansion team, I find that it is hard to acquire high level playmaking centres and high level right shot defensemen.
-Team identity. Are you trying to build a fast team? A tough team? A high character team?

Only player I have long term right now is Jaden Schwartz for 6 years. Everyone else is for 2 years. I am trying to build a team that can compete and just trying to draft someone I can build around.

Actually now that I think of it. All of these players are real players in the upcoming 2021 draft so my choices left are:

Aatu Raty - C
Joshua Roy - C
Chaz Lucius - C
Mason McTavish - RW/C
William Eklund - C/LW
Luke Hughes - LD/RD
Brandt Clarke - RD (Leaning this way now)
Simon Edvinsson - LD

[Kinsella19]

Originally Posted by Aceshigh24

Best Offensive guy/s have right now are Jaden Schwartz and Tomas Tater who I got in FA after Expansion draft was over. Based on this I should probably draft a Defensive guy but that doesn't sound fun lol.



Only player I have long term right now is Jaden Schwartz for 6 years. Everyone else is for 2 years. I am trying to build a team that can compete and just trying to draft someone I can build around.

Actually now that I think of it. All of these players are real players in the upcoming 2021 draft so my choices left are:

Aatu Raty - C
Joshua Roy - C
Chaz Lucius - C
Mason McTavish - RW/C
William Eklund - C/LW
Luke Hughes - LD/RD
Brandt Clarke - RD (Leaning this way now)
Simon Edvinsson - LD

It's tough to go wrong with any of those players, but from personal experience I'd shy away from Raty and Roy, and go for either Eklund or Hughes depending on what you think you'd need more. Eklund can be "The Guy" for you as he was for me in my expansion Kraken save. Hughes has also been great for me in other saves as well on the back-end.