Final & Best Reasons for Habs to Select Shane Wright over Juraj Slafkovsky

Why I disagree with Grant McCagg & Bob McKenzie ranking Juraj Slafkovsky #1 over Shane Wright for the 2022 NHL entry draft in Montreal.
Why the Montreal Canadiens should still select Shane Wright over Juraj Slafkovsky depite Mckenzie and McCagg ranking Slafkovsky higher than Wright.

#habs #montrealcanadiens #nhl

[DrewDekes]

Folks thanks so much for all the responses and support. If Habs take Slaf, I do also trust our new regime that he’ll be the best player available. It’s an exciting time for us as Habs fans getting a top player to look forward to, and who knows what else they have planned between now and the draft for trades! Exciting times! Thanks all 😎🙏🏻

[arcnail]

Having your top 2 centers being complete players > a potentially good winger. Wright is the only choice.

[larrywatts]

Drew. I hear your passion so remember one thing Mr Gorton and Mr Hughes are not stupid People. Look at all the trades that have taken place in the last few months. From my own perspective every trade made was more beneficial for the habs. When they interview these prospects there is lot's going on and scouting is not the only thing they rely on it's far more complicated than one thinks. You have to trust the system and I'm sure it will work out who ever they pick!!! Good luck

[stockey]

Wright fills all the Habs needs, they will choose him.

[rhong]

I agree with you, and would love to see Suzuki and Wright as a one-two punch. Just a question about Nolan Patrick. Didn’t he have issues with debilitating migraines. I don’t play hockey but I have had migraines. I would think that they could stand in the way of a player’s development. Cheers.

[nrich]

In either case, they need to be carefully developed without rushing him into the lineup. Galchenuk and Kotkenemi were rushed and ruined. Either of these picks on July 7 will be a major step forward in the years to come and I actually don't see a big difference between them - they each have great potential to help any team .

[guythibodeau]

All the injuries Patrick got did not help whatsoever. My Pick is S.Wright and I would even send him back to juniors to make up for the lost year of the Covid lockdown.

[johnnyb]

is it not a lil strange that the draft ranking changed with no hockey being played ?Wrights been #1 when there was hockey being played and for years!

[stenlis]

Hey, great job putting your arguments out in the open.
I have to disagree about your adversity point though. At the start of the year, Slafkovsky demolished the Finnish junior league (1.6 PPG) and a Junior tournament (1.8 PPG). But then management placed him on the 4th line in the Finnish pro league. Wright has never been in that kind of position - little ice time defending against tough adult opponents. Notice that whenever Slaf was put on a scoring line he did well - whether in the junior competitions, at the Olympics and WC, or in the Playoffs in the Liiga when he got 2nd line shifts and some PP time.

Shane Wright on the other hand got to play top line in the junior league the whole season. He may turn out to be a great player and he put a stellar performance in the 2021 IIHWJC but he didn't get to face real adversity on the ice just yet. He's not a slam dunk like Sid Crosby or Patrick Kane who had 2.5 PPG in the juniors.

That's what makes the scouts see Slaf as the more proven player.

[timclark]

Wright give a vibe of Drouin. Full of skills but no heart.

[daveh]

I believe Mtl's situation right now completely stems on Carey Price and his $10.5mil/yr for 4yrs contract...with all due respect to Carey (his well being is at the utmost importance), but his situation is handcuffing what HuGo (Hughes/Gorton) can do cap wise. Now regards to the draft, I am over all these so-called scouts, ex-scouts, ex-players, media, and couch GMs consider "rumours"?! I understand the entertainment of simply trying to predict who/what will happen at the draft but simply stating something that has no concrete basis is not a rumour, it's someone trying to get front page attention and seeing if what they say gets public traction. I have great respect for Bob McKenzie and I've heard his explanation for his last ranking. He admits he is not a scout and his ranking does not mean he think Mtl will select Slaf @ #1...he bases his rankings with the connections (NHL scouts) he knows and trusts throughout the year. With who is rated #1 at this moment, he spoke to 10 scouts, 5 picked Slaf, 4 picked Wright and 1 picked Cooley. Now Bob added in the 2017 draft, Hischier got 5 votes, Patrick got 4 and Makar got 1. I want to know if the same scout who voted for Makar @ #1 is the same scout who picked Cooley @ #1, and if so, I might seriously consider Cooley. I personally think Mtl will select Wright @ #1 and all the stuff you hear saying otherwise is just noise and trying to build intrigue and excitement for fans but mainly to play mind games with the other NHL GMs specifically NJ #2 and Arizona #3. However, if HuGo have the ballz...I wouldn't be shocked if Cooley gets selected #1. Why? IMO, Wright is very similar to Suzuki, 200ft game, not flashy, cerebral, both right-handed...the part of the game I'm not a fan of with Suzuki is he doesn't look engaged at times but that is bc he is "thinking" the game (working smarter not harder) and that is what Wright does as well. Do we want 2 similar skilled Centers? Also, as Hughes' son Jack plays US hockey, I wonder if Hughes knows Cooley very well and seen him play and develop over the years. The ONLY reason they select Slaf @ #1 is if HuGo have plans to get another Center via trade/UFA but that is highly doubtful. Since the management regime change, although most fans/media seem to be pleased and impressed with HuGo and MSL, I have remained indifferent but remain open-minded. The return for Toffoli, Chairot, Lehkonen, Kulak seemed impressive...those trades are all meaningless if the picks and young players you received/develop do not pan out. So for me, this draft is super important bc it will show me what kind of management team we really have and what the true direction of this team will be. I know HuGo want to make a "splash" at the draft so let's see what happens. My apologies for the super long comment but as a passionate Habs fan, I just wanted to chime in. I enjoy your channel Drew/Andrew! Go Habs Go!

To me, Slaf is like Nichushkin, he was projected top 3, big and strong, great release, same stats in the same circonstances (junior, playing against men, international). Today, he ends up being great, but it took years and he didnt deal well with adversity at first. I would pick him in my team for sure, but he's not a first overall, same for Slaf. It's almost the same situation for Laine and Matthews. Some people said Laine would be first, even Puljujarvi would be first and had more talent, but in the end, Matthews completly passed the other 2.

[zblip]

I think Shane Write will turn out to be somewhat like a Plekanec with a better shot. A consistent and responsible player with a predictable style. The Habs chose a bad year to be first and there will never be a clear answer about who to pick. Another comparative, Joe Veleno was an exceptional status player at 15 like Wright. He was methodical and played a quality too way game. He will never be a first line center. To be a first line center, you have to generate magic. Like Veleno, Write doesn't have it in him. Slafkovsky also doesn't generate magic. He is unidimensional and doesn't possess awesome skills. He is just so strong and huge. How will that transfer when the game accelerates 25%? This isn't clear also. Good luck Habs on choosing the right guy. The only standing argument that I could build on would be that it is better to have two dangerous trios then having one that is more dangerous. So Wright wins for this reason.

[Mudpuddle]

Absolutely. The comparison to Jeremy is probable and hypothetical only but scary. Lol

[jackspacer]

We've all seen Wright getting compared to Patrice Bergeron, John Tavares and even Nick Suzuki. I'm curious how do you all think Shane Wright compares to Henrik Zetterberg?

[APJTA]

Johnston and McTavish were drafted and went to NHL camps. Not only that, McTavish actually played in his birth country of Switzerland in his draft year, and then got a 9-game in the NHL with the Ducks.

[noluck]

It’s not bob’s rankings. It’s the scouts.

[keshasmith]

All of the internet, ,scouts´´ didnt realize, that Slafkovsky is playing men hockey for 2 years ang Wright played in kid league so far. Do you think, if Wright was playing at olympics, that he became MVP and top scorer of olympic tournament? Answer is up to you.

[mannyo]

I was beginning to slide over to the slafkovsky side but after watching your video I’m convinced that Wright will be an excellent choice and be a leader on the Canadiens for a long time.

[leeanderson]

Dekes…… you hit the nail on the head ….. amazing video thank you for what you do 🙏# make the wright move