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2024 NHL Draft: First Round Reaction & Looking Towards the Second Round | THW Prospect Corner
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Jun 29, 2024
The Hockey Writers' prospects experts Dayton Reimer and Matthew Zator react to the first round of the 2024 NHL Draft which saw Macklin Celebrini (Sharks), Artyom Levshunov (Blackhawks) and Beckett Sennecke (Ducks) go first, second and third overall respectively. They also discuss some surprises, favorite picks and the big talent still left over for the second round. Check out THW's 2024 NHL Draft Live Tracker - https://thehockeywriters.com/2024-nhl-draft-live-tracker/ 0:00 Intro 1:47 Blackhawks Select Artyom Levshunov 2nd Overall 4:21 Ducks Select Beckett Sennecke 3rd Overall 8:44 Canadiens Select Ivan Demidov 5th Overall 11:49 Utah HC Selects Tij Iginla 6th Overall 14:10 Senators Select Carter Yakemchuk 7th Overall 18:07 Surprises in the 1st Round 25:47 Favorite Picks/Stories of the 1st Round 28:21 Top Names Still Available For Round 2 The THW Prospect Corner crew are great writers too: Dayton Reimer - https://thehockeywriters.com/author/dreimer/ Matthew Zator - https://thehockeywriters.com/author/mzator/ Peter Baracchini - https://thehockeywriters.com/author/pbaracchini/ And, make sure to check out all our great prospects content - https://thehockeywriters.com/category/prospects/
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0:00
Hello, everybody
0:02
Welcome into a special episode of Prospect Corner here at the Hockey Writers. And we are coming to you right after the draft, first round of the draft has been completed
0:12
And lots of surprises, lots of trades in this first round. And at the sphere, it was actually a really cool atmosphere
0:21
Just watching on TV. I mean, being there, I don't have to ask Peter how it was being there because it was a spectacle on TV
0:30
Thanks big screen and the trades and stuff but uh dayton how's it going it's good yeah the draft
0:36
was a lot of fun this year uh i remember kind of almost like half tuning out in the first round when
0:42
i was watching for 2023 couldn't do that this year it was uh you never knew what was going to happen
0:47
lots of surprising picks lots of trades yeah it was great i loved it and the sphere can't imagine
0:53
being there in person like it's just if you didn't watch it on tv it you can see that just a whole
0:59
it's basically a big screen, right? Everything is a screen. The goal horn for the trade announcement is always fun
1:08
The crowd was into it at that point. Yeah, no. It's, uh, there's no better way to spend a Friday evening
1:16
For sure. And yeah, well, we, you manned the draft tracker at the hockey writers
1:20
So, uh, we, you know, after the picks, we got all the, all the profiles out and all the different things
1:26
And, uh, a few surprises, uh, towards the end of the first rounds. We'll talk about that a bit
1:31
But let's start with the top five and talk about them. Obviously, Maclin Celebrating went first overall
1:37
It was no surprise. It was just, I published my piece, like, right then
1:42
It was easy. And then, guess who went second overall, Ardennellov? And, you know, for mock drafts and, you know, comments and saying, well, they're going
1:53
to go with Demadov. Why are they saying left you enough? Well, in reality, it's Arden left shoeing off
1:57
they liked him going second overall. So we'll start there. What do you think
2:02
I mean, obviously we predicted it. Many mock drafts. I don't think there was a mock draft we did not predict
2:08
let you know of going to the Blackhawks. What did you think about that one? Yeah, I think it was probably the right pick for the Blackhawks
2:16
Demadov is a very intriguing forward. And they would have been well within their right to grab him
2:23
He would have made a really good partner for Conor Baderd. on the first line there
2:29
But Artem Lev Shunov completely solidifies their defense. There are some concerns that maybe he's not as
2:39
like his potential isn't quite as high as we've been talking about. I think he's still easily a top pairing defenseman
2:46
He has really good offensive upside. He's got a really good character
2:51
and that was evident on the draft combine. and a player like that does not show up every draft, right
3:00
If you pick in the top five, generally you're going to get a really good forward
3:04
They're available every year. Beyond that, you never know. But in the top five, you're generally getting someone really, really good
3:12
You're not always getting a top right-handed, right-shot defenseman who can play in the top pairing, right
3:19
And I feel like I've kind of mentioned that in our mock draft
3:23
And more than a few comments went after me, deservedly so. I wasn't very clear
3:28
But yeah, I think that was a really, really good pick for them
3:33
And I think it's going to make them a better team in the future
3:38
Yeah, like I said it too, it's like they've got their generational forward in Bedard
3:43
And he made the pick. He was up there. He was the one that announced it
3:48
And Lev Shunov will anchor their defense for many years. I'm not saying he's a generational talent
3:53
but he is a legitimate, going to be a legitimate top pairing defenseman
3:57
that will eat minutes, play on both special teams, and, you know
4:01
he may not be there next season, but he's going to be a big part of their team moving forward
4:06
So they've got that anchor now on defense. And I think that's a big thing
4:10
And then, no later on, they got another two first round picks
4:14
uh, towards the end, they ended up with three first rounders. Maybe we'll talk about that
4:19
uh, later on. but let's go to the first surprise of the draft third overall and the Anaheim ducks do it again
4:26
instead of going with i mean we were there was a few guys we mocked kaden lindstrom many times to
4:32
them i know i know we mocked i think it was lynstrum most of the time was going to the ducks
4:38
i think demadov i had demidov there with one of the mocks but they go for beck at seneca
4:45
who i mean arguably probably biggest riser throughout the year and you know
4:50
kind of ranging around the 10th, right around where the Red Wings were picking
4:55
And I think that's where the Red Wings were sitting. We mocked that many times on Grindline
5:00
But he goes to the Anaheim Ducks. First of all, were you surprised by Seneca going third overall over, you know, guys like
5:07
Lindstrom, Demidov, Ginnla, who went right after them. Is it a reach going for Seneca third
5:15
What did you think about that pick? Yeah, like I was and I wasn't surprised, right
5:20
nobody predicted him to go top three. There was a couple that went as boldly as top five
5:28
And you know, you kind of think, oh, you guys are outliers. But he had a crazy end of the season and a fantastic playoffs
5:36
And one thing that I liked that I read was that he is a big player who plays a small players game
5:45
Because he has that intelligence. He has that speed. He has those hands that you
5:50
need to have when you're a smaller player. And for most of his career, he was. And then over the summer
5:57
he grows several inches and is no longer a smaller player. So he develops that, you know, more physical
6:04
side. He's not a physical player, but he has now that strength, that size that he can use to
6:09
protect the puck even better. So he is a very interesting player. And the ducks have made a, like
6:20
made a history of doing wild things at the draft. And I love it
6:26
I don't think it's a crazy reach. It's a little reach. But I think they're going to be super happy with that pick
6:32
He's going to be a fantastic top six winger. And if this is how he ended the 23, 24 season
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I can't wait to see him next year. I love the pick
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I think he's one of the best, obviously, because I did his draft profile
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So I really, I'm really enamored by this kid. And he's probably like, like you say, very skilled
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Probably going to be a heck of a playmaking winger for whoever he's going to be a winger for
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Could be Mason McTavish. Could be Leo Carlson. But he's going to fit really well to compliment those centers
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And probably going to put up those high assist numbers. And you can score too, which I think
7:19
He's just a very well-rounded skilled player. And maybe, I like I say, third could be a little bit of a reach
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But it's not like something that's like, oh, he's going to go 30th and he's going third
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This, the guy's been rising, you know, all throughout the draft, this draft year
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And those playoffs and up until then, he's just been really good, probably for half the season
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And I think he's deservedly going the top five. I just didn't think he would
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So third is pretty good. Yeah, nobody had a better reaction to getting picked
7:55
Like he was blown away. And that was just like so charming to see
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Because you see a lot of the kids just like, yep, I'm picked now. I'm going to go up and get my jersey
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And it's all very serious and it's very business. And he was just like so happy
8:08
And like, oh, it was the best. I love that. No, he was not anticipating going third
8:13
I think he was like, I don't have to wait a bet. And then he's like, what? That was me
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Okay. But yeah, that was awesome. And I love the pick and I'll be following him
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And he's probably going to be an annoying player in the Pacific Division. I know it already
8:30
Playing against him. So, but yeah, it's going to be exciting to watch him
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All right. Well, Kaden Lindstrom goes forth. That not a surprise going in the top five
8:39
You had him in the top five. And then the Montreal Canadiens, guess who they get
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The Ivan Demadov drops to fifth. overall and Ken Hughes afterwards says yes we wanted him this is the guy we were targeting
8:54
and I know Elliot Friedman was trying to get out of them that you know you going to try whatever you can to try to get him And he like well he dropped us That how it goes What did you think about that one Is this a steel
9:08
I mean, I'll put that in quotes because fifth overall. I mean, you're not going to have a steel, really
9:12
But this is a guy that could have gone second overall and he drops to five
9:19
Is this a steel in your mind for the Canadians getting him here
9:25
I don't think it's a steel. think the top five, or like from two to five, we're all separated very, very closely
9:34
Lev Shunov is a top pairing defenseman. Seneca is most likely a first line winger, right
9:40
Incredible playmaking abilities, like you mentioned. Caden Lindstrom is a first line center with some power forward abilities and also like he's a great
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score and playmaker too. You can kind of do it all. Demadov is right there with him. I don't foresee
9:56
him being incredibly better than that or any worse than that. So it kind of just came down to
10:03
preference. Some other teams had some more preferences and that led Demadov to fall. I think it's a great
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pick for the Canadians. I think there was a little bit of we can't make a Michikov mistake again
10:18
So the fact that they didn't let him drop even further is good because he could have. You know
10:24
The Russian factor is always going to be there, whether we like it or not
10:29
But yeah, he's just an incredible player with the puck. He's got a great shot
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Pretty good playmaking game. There have been some concerns about, if I recall correctly, he's maybe not the nicest skater
10:41
but he can still get up to quite a bit of good speed. And his engagement off the puck has, you know, some concerns
10:49
So he's not a flawless player. And I think you can say that about any of the two to five or even two to ten. guys
10:56
And I think that's totally fine. He has great potential to be an absolute stud on the first line
11:03
And yeah, I'd love to see him, you know, maybe line up with Nick Suzuki or Cole Coughfield
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Yeah. I mean, having Demadov and Cawfield on the same line, my gosh
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that would be a pretty good day. They do play the same position, I think, right
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They do. I mean, they could also play on the same line. On the power play together
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I mean, that's only crap. It would be on the power play together, that's for sure
11:27
Oh, that would be fun. Yeah, and he sounds like he's, I mean, they asked him the question afterward, you know
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was he coming over and he didn't really answer it. I mean, he's like, I'm happy to be a Canadian and, you know, that
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But there's one more year and he'll probably come over, you know, after that
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And we'll see after that what happens. Teaching end of those six
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that's i mean everyone was kind of putting him around the five six spot he goes there
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and that was awesome he goes to utah and i think i was real surprised that utah picked a forward because they got they got a lot of forwards
12:06
i think their defense needs a bit more addressing and they didn't pick a defenseman with any of their two picks
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in this in the first round were you surprised that utah didn't address any defense i mean
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because they don't really have i mean they did draft a few defenseman the last draft. So I mean, I guess maybe they were trying to balance it this year
12:26
Maybe. Yeah. I'm a little surprised that Ginnla went to Utah. Because there were so, like
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there were all the defensemen on the board still, apart from Lev Chuna. But most of us saw him going
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two or three. Yeah. I thought againla would have gone fifth or seventh. Maybe ninth, but I didn't
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see him going down that far. It's a good pick. He's a
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really good left winger. He can also play center. He's got strength. He's got tenacity
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but most importantly, he brings goals. He's a really, really good shooter. And yeah, high
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offensive game, high intelligence. So, you know, it's probably a case of just he was the best
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player available at that point. And so Utah goes up and takes him. Do they have a defensive need? Yes
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They'll probably address that later. There's still lots of picks to be made. And
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they added a few, right? I'm not turning that backwards. They've got a lot of picks
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Yeah. Yeah, they made one later in the first round. Yeah. Yeah, they did add a few
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They traded down from 24, right? Yeah. No, they traded. They got another pick to get that 24th
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Sorry. Dyslexia is taking over here a little bit. So they had a lot of picks
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They moved two of them to get into a second pick in the first round
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Yeah. But yeah, they still have lots of guys that they can add lots of really good players in the next rounds that could be, you know, top four potential defensemen
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Why not grab one of those later if they fall to them? For sure. Right
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Before we talk about some surprising risers and fallers, I want to talk about the senator's pick at seventh overall
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Carter Yakumchuk, I know you've had some comments about him throughout and being frustrated watching him
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Well, obviously you're going to be frustrated watching it maybe again, because now you're going to be following even more because he's now a senator's prospect
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So what did you think about the pick? Out of the defensemen that were left that I would have picked for the senators, he was fourth
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I really liked Perak. I liked Zev Boyam. I liked Sam Dickinson
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I hadn't really considered Yakumchuk because his game is quite raw. He has a fantastic offensive sense
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does things that I don't see forwards do. He'll rush into the offensive zone, try to pull a
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spinner and shoot on the backhand. Like, who does that? Half the time it works, too, right? He's an
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incredible player to watch. And it's no mistake that he got 30 goals with the Calgary Hitman this
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year. He's a really, really good offensive player. He can be good defensively. He is, he can be mean
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he had 120 penalty minutes. He is physical. He's big. He's six foot three
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He's just, my personal problem is that he makes really dumb mistakes sometimes
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He'll be out of position and then he doesn't have that elite skating to fix that quickly
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He'll have to scramble to get back in and leave the hitman kind of in the lurch for a minute or two
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So I. wasn't a huge fan of the pick. I don't hate it, though
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By no means do I hate it. I think that is a very senator's pick
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And I had wondered if they were going to go that way. It just felt a little bit of a reach. Not a crazy reach
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Before any senators fans get mad at me, as I was talking with another senator's writer
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and he loves it. You know, it's all good. Yeah, he has that snarl in his game
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that I think really fits with the Kachuk era of senators. and he could fit with that really, really well
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He could balance out Jake Sanderson and let Sanderson play a bit more of an offensive game
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or let Sanderson play more that defensive specialty and kind of fix that defensive laps that Yakumchuk has
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So I think they could both be a really good pair on the top line
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And he does project to be a top line defenseman. The lowest I had him was 15th
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So I knew he was going into lottery picks. He's a really good player. I think the senators are going to be happy
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They just will have to wait for him a little bit. Yeah, I think, okay, I believe, and I've said this many times
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and probably know what I'm going to say, is that you can't teach offense
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You can teach defense. He has the instincts. I'd rather go for a high risk guy like Yakumchuk than, I mean, maybe not
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I like Dickinson, too. I mean, he's going to be a great defenseman too
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But Yakim Chuck is just, I think he's got a lot. of offensive upside that you just can't teach
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You said, he does things like a forward does. And as a defenseman, that's exciting
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And I've watched Quinn Hughes develop from a guy like that, where everyone was worried about his ability to play defense
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And now he's like, well, he's a Norse trophy winner. So it's not saying that all Norse trophy winners can play defense because Eric Carlson
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has won twice. but he has developed that defensive game over time
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And with the right coaching, Yakutnik will be able to do that too, I think
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So I like the pick. Probably, I mean, for me, I probably would have gone Zane Perak at that point But I mean it not a horrible pick by any means No All right What other surprises
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Were there any other surprises apart from Seneca? I mean, there were a lot of different moving parts and some defensemen dropped further
18:15
than I think a lot of people thought. Were there any surprises for you in the first round here
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Yeah, Cole Eiserman falling to 20th. That I didn't see coming. I kept waiting and waiting and waiting for him to go
18:28
And it's like, well, he's the best shooter in the draft. Why is no one taking him
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He's not small, right? I think he's six foot, six foot one. He had some really good development in the under 18s
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He looked like he could play a bit more of a well-rounded game. And then, yeah, just falls into the Islander's lap at 20th
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Yeah. It was surprising. Dean Leterno going 25th, I found a little surprising
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I'm not surprised that he crept into the first round because he's six-foot
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six someone's going to take him um he is a a prep school player playing with st hentrews college
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so there is significant risk with that he just does feel like a very bruin's pick for some reason
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i don't know what it is but maybe it's the size i don't know yeah he definitely does feel like a
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bruin's pick and i was trying to look like who are they going to pick and i was seeing like
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Liam Green Tree. I was thinking maybe that they would pick him. He went to the Kings pick right after that
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I think Green Tree dropping to 26th is insane to me. I mean, our mock draft, he did fall that far too
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And we were surprised. Lucas was surprised by that when he took him
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And he said, well, I'm taking him here because, you know, why is he dropping? Well, he did
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He dropped to 26th in the real draft here. So were you surprised by Green Tree dropping that far
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we were kind of talking about him in the top 15 at one point there. Yeah, I was just going to mention him before you did
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I don't think he was a top 15 guy anymore. There were some concerns that people started bringing up after the playoffs
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and maybe started doing that in the kind of later parts of the season
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He did start to drop off a little bit. But, yeah, falling out of the top 20 is quite surprising
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I thought he would have sure been like right around that area. He has really good instincts
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He's a net front presence. He was the best player on a terrible team
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He, yeah, led the spitfires, I think, in points and goals, if I'm not mistaken
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I don't have the stats right in front of me right now. But, yeah, he's a really good player
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I've liked what I've seen. I definitely ranked him higher than 26th
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So. I mean, there's so many different things happened before that. like Igor Surin going 22nd overall to the Predators
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He was probably ranked in the second round, mostly. I, you know
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like you talked about, you know, guys that weren't projected to be in the first round going in the first round
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You know, Trevor Connolly going 19th overall. We were projecting him to go a little lower
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The Golden Knights grab him at 19, which I mean, that's, you know, fine
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I think, but a lot of people are saying, well, he's a lot more, skilled, but like his off-ice issues and stuff, we're obviously thing with that
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Yeah. Yeah. So, I mean, what did you think about Connolly? I depend
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I mean, it was, he was a question mark probably throughout the draft season of what, where
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he was going to go. No, I think I mentioned personally that I wouldn't have taken him in the first round
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I think those concerns weren't worthy of a first round pick and some of the actions that
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he did in the under 18s. to me showed that he had not matured
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But I knew he wasn't going to fall to the second round. He was going to go in the first
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He was probably going to go top 25. And to see the Vegas Golden Knights take him
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like who else would have? Yeah. Yeah. I was actually, I'm like, oh, yeah, of course
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I mean, the Golden Knights would be the ones that take him. Yeah. They will just do what they do
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and they seem to be happy with that. Yeah. Black Hawks, just before him
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move to a bit of maybe favorite picks, favorite picks of the round
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The Blackhawks picked Sasha Boy Bear at 18th overall, and our writers, Blackhawks writers
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weren't happy about it. And I want to know why you would think they wouldn't be happy about that
22:44
Yeah. I did his profile. I love his game. Maybe because Michael Haig was still on the board
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I think that was the biggest thing because he played in their backyard with the Chicago Steel
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And he drops to the Canadians, which I love that pick for the Canadians
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It's amazing. I love the story that he was, you know, he's drafted and Fred his hometown team, or not hometown team
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but the team he grew up cheering for, which I love. But before we talk about that, what do you think about Boy, very going to the Blackhawks
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Yeah, so fans might see, you know, some other guys who are still on the board like, like you mentioned, Michael Hage or Cole Eisenman stills on the board at that point
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Emil Hemming, he kind of dropped a little bit. I thought he'd go higher. So some really talented guys are still there and you go for a player who didn't have maybe the greatest end to his season. He had a really, really hot start. Five goals in his
23:49
first five games, 18 goals and 29 games to start the season. He kind of slowed down after that
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He didn't register a single goal in the playoffs, in the USHL playoffs. He's streaky. He has strength
24:06
He's, you know, a decent player. But there's going to be a little bit of a growing curve with him
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and I had him 32nd on my list. I thought he was still worthy of a first round pick
24:21
There's just, you know, he's a little bit more unpredictable. So I can see being a little upset with that
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I don't think he's a bad player by any means, though. A first round pick is still going to get you somebody
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probably in the top six, at minimum top nine. He's, like I said, got that strength
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They were really raving about him as a power forward. And when you have an extra point
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pick after getting someone like Lev Shunov, you can be a little bit riskier. And I think that's probably what the Blackhawks are thinking
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They get a guy who is in that middle six can really support somebody like Bedard on a
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second or third line and just be that anchor, maybe a little bit of snarl, maybe a little bit of
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that dog in him, as Peter loves to say. Yeah, I think it's a solid pick
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It's maybe a little bit of a reach, but I think. a couple of years will help erase some of those upset feelings
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I think so, too. And I did his profile. That's why I think I'm always connected more to the guys that I covered a bit more closely
25:28
And I really liked him. And I was like, why are you upset
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But then I was like, okay, well, you're looking at the other guys that went after. And I get it
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I get it. But yeah, I think he's going to end up being a really good pick for the Blackhawks
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And, you know, they end up with three first rounders, and that's pretty good
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So who is your, I'll say favorite pick or story because, I mean, there's quite a few nice stories that went on throughout the draft first round
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There's more to come, obviously. What was your favorite pick or story of the first round
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I loved the ducks grabbing Stien Solberg, 23rd overall. he becomes the second ever Norwegian taken in the first round following Michael Bransig Nygaard
26:15
15th overall. Really, really great day for Norwegians. And it's really nice to see some of these smaller nations take a big step in development
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And the best part about Steen Solberg is he's Norwegian trained. He's playing currently in Norway's top league
26:32
And he's doing just as good as some of the other prospects that are around playing in more
26:37
traditional development leads. Brandsigniagard has gone to Sweden to play, which is what you'd expect from some of those smaller nations
26:46
But yeah, Solberg, I think, stood out as my favorite pick. The Ducks continuously make really, really fun picks
26:55
One of my favorites last year was when they picked a blade Yeager Sederov who just I think I don know if he led it but he scored 50 goals this season He so good He so fun The Ducks are going to love him And yeah they grabbed him
27:13
probably earlier than anyone else would have, and they're going to be very happy with that
27:18
I think they already are. So, yeah, love the Ducks, love the Silberg pick. That's my favorite
27:23
Yeah. I think my favorite one was Michael Hage. I kind of talked about it. I really
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love stories where they get to play you know they're drafted by the team that they grew up cheering
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for and it's like this is a dream come true i love that and you know going 21st overall probably around
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where everyone was kind of thinking he was going to go and i i just i love that story and how happy
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you look when you know when they interviewed him afterwards and that's just that's just amazing and how
27:52
his dad would be proud of wishes he was there um to see him drafted and it just a great story all
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around. And I'm excited to see his development moving forward to the for the Canadians because
28:05
I think that's a great pick for them. He's going to be a good player for them too
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All right. Let's look into the next day or as everyone's watching this a few hours from now
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Who's still available that you're looking at that's going to go on early that we kind of
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projected to be first rounders that are still available in the early second round to teach
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teams like the sharks, hurricanes who dropped into the second round by trading their pick
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Obviously, they think these guys are still going to be around because they went out of the first round
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Who are your top names still available here? Yeah. Well, the hurricanes are really good at grabbing players that no one else seems to evaluate correctly
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And I think a couple of those guys could be a couple of Russians. Igor Chernishov, who is still around
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I had him ranked 16th. and nobody picked him. He's a fantastic power forward
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He was playing big minutes in the KHL. He's quick. He's strong. He's defensively sound
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He is offensively gifted. Yeah, just really, really solid player. Nobody picked him probably because he's Russian
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I'm not going to lie. Nikita Ardumanov, he's another guy. I ranked him a little bit lower, but still first round
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Nobody took him. He played on the same team as Anton Salaev
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So you would have seen him, right? Salaev went 10th overall to the devils
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He's really good. He's really creative. Maybe not a great skater, but several not great skaters went very early
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So, you know, teams aren't, I think, as worried about that. They're probably thinking that coaching is going to help fix that
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And then there were two Swedes that I was really high on that are still around those being Alphonse Fry
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the defenseman really, really slick. And Lucas Pedersen, who's a really well-rounded center
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who could be kind of like that second, third line guy on a good team
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just being that anchor who can make things happen whether he has the puck or not
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Those will be by top four, I think. Yeah, you got some of the names
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Alphonse Frey was one of mine. I mean, I was surprised that the Maple Leafs didn't pick
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I'm the one for Ben Danford. I mean, he rose from the first, from the second round
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I think a lot of projected to be in the second round. Samuel Riley, going to the Oilers when they traded to go into the first round
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So some of our surprise first rounders made it into the first round
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And, you know, we had the episode talking about some guys that could sneak in and envy surprises
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Well, Samuel Riley was one of Peters there and, you know, he caught that right on the head
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I think he, someone talked about Dean Leterno too, I think. But yeah
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and these are big guys. And that's, and O'Reilly, I think it's because of his two-way game
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that kind of got maybe the Oilers, uh, attention. But yeah, Bray is
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Bray is a big one for me that he's not, he wasn't picked in the first round
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Um, yeah, Leo Salon Wal-Nas, uh, also not a first round pick
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I could be, again, a great offensive, uh, defenseman. Um, Overall, Sweden didn't really, wasn't really represented in the first round too much
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Actually, I'm saying not at all. No first round Swedes. So that's a surprise
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Only two fins. When was the last time that happened? Oh, it's been a minute
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It's been a long time. Yeah. Yeah. So, I mean, there's a lot of good players still available for the teams in the first half of the second round
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Unfortunately, the Canucks have no picks until the third round, so they're not going to have a chance of getting any of these guys
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But, yeah. Any final thoughts before we kind of look forward to our full wrap-up
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Well, I'm really excited for tomorrow. Like you mentioned, there's a lot of really talented guys
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that I think are going to go early second round. I mentioned the Russians. I mentioned the Swedes
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I'll throw a few more out there because, again, I'm really excited about him. Cole Hudson and Teddy Stiga on US's development team
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Those again were first round picks for me and first round picks for several other people, especially Stiga
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He had a big rise. Rider Richie and Andrew Basha, speaking of Tigers
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Two guys who, I mean, they had slipped a little bit. I thought Richie would have gone on the first round
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I think he's a really smart player. And then Aaron Kivahar you didn't go, but size concerns, I'm not super surprised with that
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So a lot of guys who slipped out of the first round who were expected to be there
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Some guys slipped into the first round who people didn't think so. And yeah, it's just been a fun draft
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I love all the moves. I'm sure there's going to be more trades tomorrow. Teams seem really willing to move around and find the guys that they want because it's a fun draft this year
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Yeah. Lots of stuff happening. And before we end, who do you want the senators to pick
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39th overall. They're, like you say, you talked about a bunch of names there
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They're only, they're really early on. They are. Who would you like to still be around at 39
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I mean, literally any of those guys. Chernishov is probably one of my favorites
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I think he fits the senator's system really well. But one of my underrated favorites
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Justin Porier, he's, I'm going to say it again. I think he's the second best shooter in the
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in the draft this year. He's little, but he's so strong. I think he would be excellent
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And I hope he goes early. and people don't mistake the size thing again because they will
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Well, Berkeley Caton didn't fall as far as we were kind of talked
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Well, he went to eight. I mean, but I think the guys of head of them obviously were deserving to be ahead of them
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So, I mean, it didn't drop as much as Zach Benson did. We're like, Zach Benson, why is he still not picked
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Katten didn't fall as much as maybe we thought he would. Yeah, he was still within that kind of that seven
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range. I think that was about where he was expected to go. I think it would have been really tough
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for him to get into that top five, especially with the excitement around a few of those guys
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But no, I think that's about where I thought he would end up. And, you know, Seattle once again
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has a fantastic prospect. Stop giving Seattle the best players. Like, what are you guys doing here
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I got Maddie Baneers and now Berkeley Caton. That's one two center
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That's pretty good. That's going to be so ugly in a couple of years
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Yeah. So we'll look forward to our full talk about the full draft once Peter's back with us
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and he can talk about his reaction of being there. That's going to be fun
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And so look forward to that of our full episode of Prospect Corner
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But make sure to check out all of our articles onoppeters.com, the live draft
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tracker, which will be, which has been updated for the first round and will be keeping being updated
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tomorrow as the second to seventh round go. So I know it
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I'm going around on the computer all day. It'll be great. Yeah, I remember when I did it
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It was actually really fun. But I was during the pandemic where I'm like, come on
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I get back from commercials and they had like 10 picks done. And I'm like, stop it
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So, yeah, it was a little bit more chaotic. at that point with the virtual draft
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But yeah, it was fun. Anyway, so, but make sure checking on everything that we have
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all of our coverage, all the teams will be doing their coverage of their picks
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with the ysis, but make sure checking all that out. But until our next episode, we'll see you next time
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