The 2015 NHL Draft has come and gone, and it left us with a lot to think about. Clearly, the Bruins stole the show, but not in the best way possible. After trading off Dougie Hamilton and Milan Lucic, you’d think they would be able to reload with some blue chip prospects, however they made reaches at 13, 14, and 15 taking two players who were projected to be late first round picks. There were some other interesting trades and picks made at the draft, but all in all, most teams walked away with some very good prospects.
Ratings:
A+ = Flawless draft
A = Very good draft, smart moves
A – = Very good draft, 1/2 question marks
B+ = Smart selections beyond the first round
B = Some good late picks, some reaches
B- = An average draft
C = Some good picks, nothing stands out
D = A decent pick, some reaches and misses
F = Complete misses across the board
Anaheim Ducks: B
27. (D) Jacob Larsson
59. (C) Julius Nattinen
80. (C) Brent Gates
84. (RW) Deven Sideroff
148. (C) Troy Terry
178. (D) Steven Ruggiero
179. (G) Garrett Metcalf
Additions:
– 2016 3rd
– Carl Hagelin
– Anton Khudobin
Subtractions:
– Kyle Palmieri
– Emerson Etem
– James Wisniewski
Love Nattinen and Larsson. They’re both big Swedes who will see NHL time. The Hagelin trade makes sense as Getzlaf and Perry will finally have a left winger to play with. Terry, Gates, and Sideroff were all great selections as they all bring offensive skill as well as defensive ability.
Arizona Coyotes: B+
3. (C) Dylan Strome
30. (C) Nick Merkley
32. (RW) Christian Fischer
63. (D) Kyle Capobianco
76. (G) Adin Hill
81. (LW) Brendan Warren
83. (RW) Jens Looke
123. (RW) Conor Garland
183. (G) Erik Kallgren
Additions:
– Nicklas Grossman
– Chris Pronger
Subtractions:
– Sam Gagner
– Conditional Pick
A great haul for the Coyotes. Merkley shouldn’t have been there at 30, so I’ll label him the steal of round one. Fischer was a great pick at 32. Underrated by most services, he will be a contributor at the NHL level sooner than later. Hill was a good pick, may be one of the best three goalies in the draft. Capobianco, Warren, Looke, and Garland all have good potential, but I think Capobianco or Looke are the most likely to crack an NHL spot. Love the Kallgren pick. He’s a big Swedish netminder who recorded great numbers in the SuperElit league, what else needs to be said?
Boston Bruins: C
13. (D) Jakub Zboril
14. (LW) Jake Debrusk
15. (RW) Zach Senyshyn
37. (D) Brandon Carlo
45. (C) Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson
52. (D) Jeremy Lauzon
75. (G) Daniel Vladar
105. (LW) Jesse Gabrielle
165. (C) Cameron Hughes
195. (C) Jack Becker
Additions:
– Martin Jones
– Colin Miller
Subtractions:
– Milan Lucic
– Dougie Hamilton
Yikes. Lucic and Hamilton are gone (for reasons beyond on ice play, obviously), and the B’s look like they’re moving in a new direction. Zboril brings a style of play that will let him fit in quite easily. Debrusk, though a surprise, has good offensive upside. I’ve come around a bit on the selection as Debrusk plays a style that, like Zboril, makes him a great fit in Boston. Senyshyn was the shock of the first round. passing on Barzal will prove to be costly. Beyond the first, the B’s did as good a job as anyone. Carlo, JFK, Lauzon, and Vladar were all great selections and each one of them bring a unique element. Gabrielle may be a steal, we’ll wait and see. Fans should be optimistic about him. Jack Becker may be the gem of this crop.
Buffalo Sabres: A
2. (C) Jack Eichel
51. (D) Brendan Guhle
92. (D) William Borgen
122. (D) Devante Stephens
152. (C) Giorgio Estephan
182. (LW) Ivan Chukarov
Additions:
– Ryan O’Reilly
– Jamie McGinn
– Robin Lehner
– David Legwand
Subtractions:
– Nikita Zadorov
– Mikhail Grigorenko
– JT Compher
A great day for Sabres fans as they walk away with a franchise center as well as a starting goalie and top 6 winger. After Eichel, the picks were less than stellar, but that’s not a huge problem considering who they’ve added via trade. Guhle and Estephan are my favourites from this crop as they are both poised to have a big season next year. Borgen and Chukarov are wait and see guys, but I’m high on both. It was a good day for the Sabres.
Calgary Flames: B+
53. (D) Rasmus Andersson
60. (D) Oliver Kylington
136. (C) Pavel Karnaukhov
166. (LW) Andrew Mangiapane
196. (D) Riley Bruce
Additions:
– Dougie Hamilton
After adding Dougie Hamilton to the fold, The Flames were an automatic top 5 draft day team, but they didn’t stop there. In the second round they grabbed two very good Swedish defenders. Kylington, a bit of a project, has huge upside. Andersson needs to round out his game, but he will be a good defenceman. Mangiapane at 169 is good value for a guy who put up 104 points. Karnaukhov and Bruce are unlikely NHL’ers, but each one of them possesses some rather intriguing tools.
Carolina Hurricanes: A
5. (D) Noah Hanifin
35. (RW) Sebastian Aho
93. (G) Callum Booth
96. (C) Nicolas Roy
126. (LW) Luke Stevens
138. (RW) Spencer Smallman
156. (D) Jake Massie
169. (C) David Cotton
Additions:
– Eddie Lack
– James Wisniewski
Subtractions:
– Anton Khudobin
– 2016 7th
The Canes may have had the best day at the draft out of anyone. Hanifin at five is a steal, and people will realize it when we look back in 4 or 5 years. Aho is a very skilled winger who I see as a third liner who can contribute 30-40 points. LOVE Booth and Roy at 93 and 96. I think Roy has great upside and will be a 3rd line center in the NHL. Stevens and Cotton are great picks. Both have NHL upside.
Chicago Blackhawks: C
54. (LW) Graham Knott
91. (D) Dennis Gilbert
121. (D) Ryan Shea
151. (RW) Radovan Bondra
164. (RW) Roy Radke
181. (D) Joni Tuuola
211. (RW) John Dahlstrom
Additions:
– Ryan Haggerty
Subtractions:
– Antti Raanta
The Hawks were average, but they always seem to come away with great prospects. Knott may be Andrew Shaw 2.0, if he can figure things out off the ice. Gilbert, Shea, and Tuulola are all pretty good defensive prospects. Gilbert had a good season and I am quite high on him. Tuulola the dark horse of the crop, could have a future in the NHL, but it’s a long road. Bondra a good project, but he has a LONG way to go. Dahlstrom a smart and safe pick in the 7th.
Colorado Avalanche: B-
10. (RW) Mikko Rantanen
39. (LW) AJ Greer
40. (D) Nicolas Meloche
101. (D) Andrei Mironov
161. (D) Sergei Boikov
191. (C) Gustav Olhaver
Additions:
– Carl Soderberg
– Nikita Zadorov
– Mikhail Grigorenko
– JT Compher
Subtractions:
– Ryan O’Reilly
– Jamie McGinn
I like what the Avs did via trade, but I like the Rantanen pick even more. He’s going to be a stud, and at ten it’s not even fair. Greer and Meloche are solid second rounders, but Greer has to round out his game a bit before we see him in the NHL. Meloche is a gritty two way defender with good offensive ability. I hop he can crack a spot in a few years. Mironov a good offensive defenceman from Russia. Gustav Olhaver is a monster at 6’6. He’s good offensively, but doesn’t bring a lot in the way of offence. Not big on Boikov.
Columbus Blue Jackets: B
8. (D) Zach Werenski
29. (D) Gabriel Carlsson
38. (LW) Paul Bittner
58. (C) Kevin Stenlund
69. (RW) Keegan Kolesar
129 (D) Sam Ruopp
141. (D) Veeti Vainio
158. (D) Vladislav Gavrikov
189. (D) Markus Nutivaara
The Jackets brought home one hell of a haul. Werenski at 8 is a great pick. He’ll be on the blue line in a few years no doubt. Carlsson is a defensive defenceman who may turn out to be a good number four on this Jackets roster. Bittner is a steal at 38. No one saw him going this late, and I feel he could be the next Max Pacioretty. Stenlund was one of my favourites, and I’d love to see him in the AHL next season given contracts work out. Ruopp, Vainio, and Gavrikov are all good picks, especially that late. Nutivaara was not a smart pick.
Dallas Stars: B-
12. (LW) Denis Guryanov
49. (LW) Roope Hintz
103. (D) Chris Martenet
133. (D) Joseph Cecconi
163. (G) Markus Ruusu
Additions:
– Antti Niemi UFA Rights
The Stars walked away from the draft with the the most intriguing first round prospect. Guryanov has an NHL caliber shot, as well as the speed to make him a constant threat. Roope Hintz went about where he was projected. He’s a gritty two way forward who doesn’t have a ton of offensive upside but will be a good bottom 6 player. Martenet and Cecconi are both project defenceman who need work rounding out their game. If they see NHL time, it’s as a 6th or 7th defenceman, but I’m doubtful. Ruusu is an interesting goalie. Put up good numbers in both Jr. B and Jr. A, so we’ll wait and see what happens with him.
Detroit Red Wings: C
19. (F) Evgeny Svechnikov
73. (D) Vili Saarijarvi
110. (G) Joren Van Pottleberghe
140. (C) Chase Pearson
170. (D) Patrick Holway
200. (LW) Adam Marsh
The Red Wings walked away from the draft with a fairly weak crop of players. Svechnikov stands out as the obvious best selection, but beyond that it isn’t great. Saarijarvi impressed at U-18’s, but at 5’9, his NHL dreams may be just that, a dream. Van Pottleberghe is a decent prospect, but still has a lot to prove. Pearson and Holway need to have a big year in order to justify their selection, but of the two I think Holway has the better potential. Adam Marsh, another SNB player, may be their second best selection, as the 6’0 winger has great offensive upside. He makes smart plays, and has good vision. Look for Marsh to have a strong offensive season next year.
Edmonton Oilers: A
1. (C) Connor McDavid
117. (D) Caleb Jones
124. (D) Ethan Bear
154. (D) John Marino
208. (G) Miroslav Svoboda
209. (D) Ziyat Paygin
Additions:
– Cam Talbot
– Brad Ross
– Eric Gryba
– Griffin Reinhart
Subtractions:
– Travis Ewanyk
– Martin Marincin
It was a huge draft for the Oilers as they walked away with franchise center Connor McDavid. He was the obvious pick, but beyond that they did quite well for themselves. The Reinhart trade is a move where we won’t know winners or losers for a few years, but right now I’d say the aisles won the deal. Adding Gryba was a great, underrated move, and Cam Talbot is the starter the Oilers have needed for a long time. The selections of Bear and Jones show that management is moving away from the reaches we’ve seen in the past and going after more solidified prospects. Both guys will be in the WHL next season so it’ll be interesting to see how they progress. John Marino was an EXCELLENT pick. The 6’2 raw right handed defenceman will have the next four years to progress at Harvard, and after that I could see him as a 6th defenceman who will work his way up. Svoboda was a good pick later on. He put up good numbers in the Czech and at U20’s. Ziyat Paygin won’t bring much in the way of offence, but he’s a big shutdown defenceman who saw time in the KHL this past season. May be a while before he sees NHL time, but with his size and defensive ability it’s possible.
Florida Panthers: B
11. (LW) Lawson Crouse
77. (G) Samuel Montembeault
88. (D) Thomas Schemitsch
102. (C) Denis Malgin
132. (LW) Karch Bachman
162. (RW) Christopher Wilkie
192. (C) Patrick Shea
206. (G) Ryan Bednard
Additions:
– Greg McKegg
Subtractions:
– Zach Hyman
Lawson Crouse will be a valuable addition to the young group of highly skilled forwards in Florida. With players like Barkov and Huburdeau, Crouse adds that grit factor which is lacking. Many scouts were split on the big Fronts forward, but I’m optimistic that he succeeds. At 77, the Cats added Samuel Montembeault to the depth chart. He’s a big goalie at 6’3 who has the raw tools to become a decent NHL’er. Thomas Schemitsch is a nice addition as the right handed defender impressed this season after posting 49 points for the Attack. Malgin is an extremely skilled but undersized forward who recieced a lot of attention due to his impressive offensive ability. Bachman, Wilkie, and Shea all bring impressive offensive ability, but none of the three are considered game breakers. I like Wilkie and Bachman as they are a little bit more responsible in their own end. I’m not big on Ryan Bednard, but he brings good size. Overall, a pretty good day for the Panthers, but nothing too great after the 11th pick.
Los Angeles Kings: B-
43. (D) Erik Cernak
74. (C) Alexander Dergachyov
99. (LW) Austin Wagner
134. (RW) Matt Schmalz
187. (D) Chaz Reddekopp
194. (D) Matt Roy
Additions:
– Milan Lucic
Subtractions:
– Martin Jones
– Colin Miller
Much like the Flames, after adding a player of Lucic’s caliber, the Kings could be considered a winner. They did give away a good pick at 13, but Milan makes up for that. At 43, Erik Cernak is a smart and safe pick. The big Slovakian defender is a great addition to the Kings blue line. He plays smart in his own end, and is one of those cycle busting players many teams covet. I was surprised to see Dergachyov fall to 74, but we’re somewhat unsure on what he’ll bring to the league. He’s gritty, we know that, but how good is his offensive side? Time will tell. Austin Wagner is a value pick at 99. The speedy winger plays an aggressive style, and has a legit shot at being a pro. Schmalz is a beast. At 6’6, he’s a physically punishing winger who has shown that there’s an offensive side to his game. Though he struggled in the plus minus category, you have to appreciate his point totals on a sub par Sudbury team. Be excited about this guy. Chaz Reddekopp is a good late addition. He’s a defensive defenceman with little offensive upside. Matt Roy was a reach.
Minnesota Wild: C
20. (C) Joel Eriksson Ek
50. (LW) Jordan Greenway
111. (G) Ales Stezka
135. (LW) Kirill Kaprizov
171. (D) Nicholas Boka
201. (D) Gustav Bouramman
204. (D) Jack Sadek
The Minnesota Wild made an extremely smart decision taking Joel Eriksson Ek at 20. He’s going to be a guy we look back on and ask how so many teams missed him. I’m not a fan of Jordan Greenway, but at 50 it’s a safe gamble. Stezka is one of my favourite goalies from this class, and I’m glad he went to a team where he will have a legit shot one day. Kaprizov is a speedy winger from Russia who had a good showing at the U-18’s. His chances at the NHL are slim. Boka is a gritty kid who put up some big numbers in the penalty department this season. He’s a defensive defenceman who’s mean in the corners. At 207, Bouramman is a seventh round steal. Love the offence he brings, now he just needs to work on his skating and defensive game. Sadek was very good at the USHS ranks, and at 6’2 he looks like he could be a legit prospect.
Montreal Canadiens: C
26. (D) Noah Juulsen
87. (RW) Lukas Vejdemo
131. (C) Matthew Bradley
177. (D) Simon Bourque
207. (LW) Jeremiah Addison
Perhaps the most underrated prospect in the draft, Lukas Vejdemo goes to the Canadiens at 87. I’m extremely high on this kid as he’s shown impressive offensive instinct as well as good skating ability. However, before Vejdemo, the Habs selected 6’2 defender Noah Juulsen. He was a safe pick in the first, and has some good tools. He needs to round out his game a bit, but I believe he will be a good defender. Matthew Bradley is a slightly undersized forward from the WHL who will take on a bigger role next season with the Cats in Med Hat. Bourque was a good two way defender for the Oceanic this season. He posted an impressive 38 points as well as 69 pims, but remained a plus 27. He has good puck retrieval skills, and can hold his own in the D zone. Jeremiah Addison is the kind of guy you look for in the 7th round. He’s shown some promising signs, and had a great post season, putting up 10 points in 6 games. Will be interesting to see what he does next season.
Nashville Predators: B-
55. (LW) Yakov Trenin
85. (C) Tom Novak
100. (C) Anthony Richard
115. (D) Alexandre Carrier
145. (G) Karel Vejmelka
175. (C) Tyler Moy
205. (G) Evan Smith
The Preds are an underrated team when it comes to drafting, and once again they walked away with a good group. With no first round pick, the Preds snag Yakov Trenin at 55. He’s a big bodied, skilled winger who has good offensive abilities. I could see him as a middle six scorer. Novak, who I had ranked in the top 50, fell to 85, which surprised quite a few people. He’s a 6’0 playmaker who’s quite agile and sees the ice well. At 100, the Preds took a gamble on 5’9 playmaker Anthony Richard. Though small in stature, he plays big. He’s versatile in that he can go from the playmaker role to the pest role in a second. Carrier had an impressive season for an undersized defenceman. The skill is there, and that’s reflected in the 55 points he posted in Gatineau. Vejmelka is an absolute gem at 145. He has the size and lateral ability to be a good NHL goaltender, not to mention his numbers were more than impressive. Moy, another good pick late in the draft. Has two more seasons at Harvard where he will look to carry the offence. Smith is a darkhorse. At 6’6 he has a great frame, but I feel numbers in the NAHL are spiked to favour goalies. We’ll wait and see on him.
New Jersey Devils: C
6. (C) Pavel Zacha
42. (G) Mackenzie Blackwood
67. (C) Blake Speers
97. (D) Colton White
157. (LW) Brett Seney
Additions:
– Kyle Palmieri
Subtractions:
2016 3rd
I like what the Devils did. Pavel Zacha is the perfect guy to bring in at this point, He’s big, mean, and has raw offensive tools the Devils so desperately need. Beyond the first, Blackwood was a smart pick as goaltending depth is a concern for the Devils. Speers is going to be an offensive machine this coming year, as his offensive instincts and ability will have him collecting north of 80 points. Both White and Seney are long shots for the NHL. White, a 6’0 defenceman from SSM had a decent season, but played behind an impressive lineup. Seney is an undersized forward who had a good season in the OJHL during the 2013/14 season. It was a good day for the Devils. Nothing great, but a good day.
New York Islanders: B+
16. (C) Mathew Barzal
28. (LW) Anthony Beauvillier
82. (D) Mitchell Vande Sompel
112. (D) Parker Wotherspoon
147. (D) Ryan Pilon
172. (D) Andong Song
202. (D) Petter Hansson
Subtractions:
– Griffin Reinhart
My first question would be why hasn’t Garth Snow been making good trades the previous 8 or so years? The Reinhart deal looks great from the Isles side, and Olson did the remainder of the draft. At 16, Mathew Barzal is a very valuable addition. Many had him legged as a top 10 guy, however I preached you should hesitate on that assumption, and some people found that ridiculous. He’s a good pick up, and a guy who could very well be a top 6 NHL’er. At 28, I was surprised to see Anthony Beauvillier selected as the speedy Cateractes winger is seen as a bit of a project on and especially off the ice. Vande Sompel and Wotherspoon were steals at 82 and 112 respectively. Vande Sompel brings such a strong offensive presence from the blue line it’s hard to pass on a guy like that. Wotherspoon is an underrated defender who put up good numbers on a poor Tri City team. The Islanders seem to have a thing for projects and that’s reflected in the Pilon pick at 147. He’s big, has some good tools, but needs a ton of work in all aspects. I have no idea how Andong Song will fair at the NHL level, but it’s nice to see an NHL team dip their toe in the Chinese market. Hansson was a steal in the 7th, and that’s all I have to say about that..
New York Rangers: C
41. (LW) Ryan Gropp
62. (RW) Robin Kovacs
79. (D) Sergey Zborovskiy
89. (C) Aleksi Saarela
113. (C) Brad Morrison
119. (RW) Daniel Bernhardt
184. (G) Adam Huska
Additions:
– Emerson Etem
– Antti Raanta
Subtractions:
– Carl Hagelin
– Cam Talbot
– Ryan Haggerty
The Rangers had an alright day. I wasn’t a fan of Gropp at 41, but the Rangers obviously saw something I didn’t. Kovacs was great at 62, he brings a smart, but exciting style of play. He’s a speedy playmaker. Zborovskiy has good size, but needs some work rounding out his game. Saarela fell a lot this year, but he’s a pretty good gamble in with the 89th pick. Brings good offensive ability, but is pretty solid in his own end. Long shot for the NHL but it’s possible. Morrison is another undersized center, but he brings pure playmaking ability. Will have a big year with PG next season. Bernhardt is dominant offensively and has a great set of hands and shot. His vision in the offensive zone is stellar. He’s the darkhorse of the crop. Love the pick. Adam Huska has a long ways to go.
Ottawa Senators: A+
18. (D) Thomas Chabot
21. (C) Colin White
36. (RW) Gabriel Gagne
48. (C) Filip Chlapik
107. (D) Christian Wolanin
109. (LW) Filip Ahl
139. (D) Christian Jaros
199. (G) Joel Daccord
Additions:
– Travis Ewanyk
Subtractions:
– Eric Gryba
– Robin Lehner
– David Legwand
The Senators had one of the best draft days out of anybody. The Lehner trade was an absolute steal. Chabot at 18 is both safe and smart. He brings an intriguing offensive two way style who will likely be Karlsson’s partner in a few years. White is another very smart and safe pick. He’s dominant in the face off circle, as well as in his own end. Not to mention the kid put up a point per game this season in both the USDP and USHL. Moving up for Gagne was a bit of a reach but he has both the size and offensive ability to warrant a top 40 pick. LOVE Chlapik at 48, as I believed he was a guy we could have seen in the top 30. Wolanin is an offensive two way defender with some bite to his game. Good pick. Absolutely fell in love with Ahl and Jaros this season so to see both of them on the same team is incredible. Smart picks. Daccord could be a sleeper in this draft. Great numbers in the USHS. Great day for the Sens.
Philadelphia Flyers: A
7. (D) Ivan Provorov
24. (C) Travis Konecny
70. (G) Felix Sandstrom
90. (G) Matej Tomek
98. (LW) Samuel Dove-McFls
104. (C) Mikhail Vorobyov
128. (RW) David Kase
158. (C) Cooper Marody
188. (G) Ivan Fedotov
Additions:
– Sam Gagner
– Conditional Pick
Subtractions:
– Chris Pronger
– Nicklas Grossman
After leaving the first round with Provorov and Konecny, the Flyers are instantly a top 10 team from this years draft. Provorov will be a stud, I don’t know if anything more needs to be said on that side. Konecny is a good value pick at 24, I had him ranked in the top 15. I was extremely happy to see a team draft two goalies with back to back picks, and not just two goalies, but Felix Sandstrom AND Matej Tomek. That’s incredible and solved their goaltending depth problem for at least three years. Dove-McFalls was another player I began to focus on down the stretch. One of the more underrated players in the draft, Dove-McFalls is a solid two way forward who can contribute offensively. Not big on Vorobyov, but next season will be big for him so we’ll see. David Kase went later than expected so the Flyers couldn’t pass on the speedy, skilled Czech winger. Marody was heavily underrated and brings a good offensive tool set to the mix. Fedotov is a wildcard, and a risk worth taking.
Pittsburgh Penguins: B-
46. (RW) Daniel Sprong
137. (C) Dominik Simon
167. (LW) Frederik Tiffels
197. (C) Nikita Pavlychev
Not a strong day for the Pens. Sprong is a good addition as he could have very well been a first rounder, so I guess that’s one thing the Penguins did right. Simon wasn’t a bad pick, but it’s clear they weren’t going for young, first year eligible prospects. In fact I don’t really mind the Simon pick, he’s pretty solid in the offensive zone and had a good end to the year. Tiffels is a wait and see guy. Had good totals at Western Mich. and has decent size. Pavlychev is a monster at 6’7 and plays the role of the intimidator. There were better players on the board, and I think he has a long road to the NHL.
San Jose Sharks: B
9. (RW) Timo Meier
31. (D) Jeremy Roy
86. (G) Mike Robinson
106. (LW) Adam Helewka
130. (D) Karlis Cukste
142. (LW) Rudolfs Balcers
160. (D) Adam Parsells
190. (C) Marcus Vela
193. (G) John Kupsky
Pretty strong day for the Sharks when it’s all said and done. Meier at 9 surprised a few people, but I had him going 10th in the mock. He’s an aggressive playmaker with a ton of potential. Roy at 31 may prove to be a steal. He’s not a great skater, but his IQ is on a different level compared to other QMJHL defenders. Mike Robinson was the wildcard goalie of the draft class. Not a big body of work but he looks more than promising. Helewka was a guy I figured would be taken last year, but after another strong 80+ point season, he finally saw his draft day dream come true. I’ve got a lot of time for Cukste, a big Latvian defender. He put up a point per game at the U-18’s, and showed signs that he can be a contributor in the O zone. Balcers is another strong Latvian pick. Had good offensive totals in Norway this season and had a good showing at the U-18’s. I was high on Parsells this season as he brings both the size and offensive ability you look for in a defenceman that late in the draft. Vela had a decent season in the BCHL, we’ll see how he does next season. Kupsky is a risk. We’ll wait and see on him.
St. Louis Blues: C
56. (D) Vince Dunn
94. (C) Adam Musil
116. (C) Glenn Gawdin
127. (D) Niko Mikkola
146. (G) Luke Opilka
176. (LW) Liam Dunda
Interesting haul for the Blues. Dunn is a great pick at 56, as he was a consensus top 40. He has great offensive upside and is pretty solid in his own end (still needs work rounding out his game). Musil is a good pick that late. Some were hard on him this year, but I like what he brings. In my viewings, he really carried the load in both ends for the Rebels. Gawdin is a smart playmaker who many thought would be a top 90 guy. Mikkola is an alright pick. Good size, smart in his own end. Opilka is a decent pick. Had a pretty good year, but like it is with all goalies, we’ll wait and see. Liam Dunda is a bit of a sleeper, and in my opinion is a guy we’ll see in the NHL.
Tampa Bay Lightning: B
33. (C) Mitchell Stephens
44. (D) Matthew Spencer
64. (LW) Dennis Yan
72. (C) Anthony Cirelli
118. (RW) Jonne Tammela
120. (RW) Mathieu Joseph
150. (D) Ryan Zuhlsdorf
153. (G) Kristian Oldham
180. (LW) Bokondji Imama
Once again, the Lightning walk away with another good haul. Stephens is a smart pick at 33, he brings a pretty well rounded two way game. Watch for him to break out next year. Spencer is an athletic beast, and like Stephens, will have a big year in 2015/16. Yan is a steal at 64. He brings a poised, yet flashy game and is always a threat in the offensive end. I’m not as big on Cirelli as most, but he went where many projected him to be. Tammela and Joseph are both smart offensive two way forwards who will need to work on a few things before they’re ready to play in the pros, but I like Tammela. Zuhlsdorf is a decent defenceman who needs to get a bit faster. Oldham is a good pick, but went kind of early. Imama is intriguing. Good size and I like his style, so we’ll see.
Toronto Maple Leafs: A
4. (RW) Mitchell Marner
34. (D) Travis Dermott
61. (RW) Jeremy Bracco
65. (D) Andrew Nielsen
68. (LW) Martins Dzierkals
95. (D) Jesper Lindgren
125. (LW) Dmytro Timashov
155. (D) Stephen Desrocher
185. (LW) Nikita Korostelev
Additions:
– Martin Marincin
– Zach Hyman
Subtractions:
– Brad Ross
– Greg McKegg
A very interesting day for the Maple Leafs. Ran with big skill in Marner, Bracco, Timashov, and Dzierkals. Marner will be a stud and I can’t wait to see him at the NHL level. He will dominate the OHL next season. Dermott was a smart pick as you can never have enough puck moving defenceman on your roster. Bracco fell a ton and this may prove to be the steal of the draft. Nielsen is a big, smart defensive defenceman who has been on a poor Lethbridge team for a while now. Love Dzierkals. He’s an exciting, dynamic playmaker who’s a constant threat to score. Lindgren is my favourite pick because like Dermott, he can really move the puck. Timashov is very threatening player when he has the puck on his stick. Good vision and passing ability. Desrocher is a riser as many didn’t have an eye on him until the Mem Cup came around, but he proved to be a reliable defensive defenceman. Korostelev is a steal at 185, and its a crime he went that late.
Vancouver Canucks: B-
23. (RW) Brock Boeser
66. (D) Guillaume Brisebois
114. (C) Dmitry Zhukenov
144. (D) Carl Neill
149. (C) Adam Gaudette
174. (RW) Lukas Jasek
210. (D) Tate Olson
Additions:
– 2016 7th
– Patrick McNally
Subtractions:
– Eddie Lack
You never really know where the Canucks are going to go with their pick, but this year they went with a guy who can shoot the puck as good as anyone. He’s quick, smart, and is alway in good position to get the shot off. At 66, Brisebois is alright. I’m not a fan, but many have him ranked in the top 50. Zhukenov is a decent pick, but a bit of a reach. Not sure he sees NHL time. Neill is a great pick. Had good offensive totals and was especially good down the stretch and into the playoffs. Gaudette and Jasek are both pretty good picks. Jasek fell, and does have decent NHL potential. Olson is a competitive, defensive defenceman who can throw the body. He can be mean down low, and at 210 is an excellent pick.
Washington Capitals: B-
22. (G) Ilya Samsonov
57. (D) Jonas Siegenthaler
143. (D) Connor Hobbs
173. (D) Colby Williams
The Caps had a pretty good day. I was happy to see a team take Samsonov in the first because he’s going to be an absolute stud. Siegenthaler fell quite a bit, but the big Swiss defender may see NHL time sooner than later. He has a lot of good tools and is solid in his own end. Connor Hobbs fell a bit but is another solid defensive prospect. Next year will be big for him as we’ll get to see him put in a full campaign instead of jumping around to different teams. Williams is a vet who figured out how to get it done offensively this season for the Pats. I like him at 173, not sure how he project at the NHL level.
Winnipeg Jets: A
17. (LW) Kyle Connor
25. (C) Jack Roslovic
47. (C) Jansen Harkins
78. (LW) Erik Foley
108. (RW) Michael Spacek
168. (C) Mason Appleton
198. (D) Sami Niku
203. (C) Matteo Gennaro
The Jets make every other team look like clowns on draft day, and this year was no exception. Kyle Connor at 18 is an absolute steal. He’s an intelligent playmaker who can make plays out of nothing. Roslovic is one of my five favourite players in the draft. Could’ve went top 20. Jansen Harkins IS my favourite player in this draft and at 47 is the biggest steal out there. There’s no reason he should’ve fell, but he’s going to a great team so I’m happy for him. Foley and Spacek are both studs. Foley, a bit of a pest, can also put up good numbers. May be a Brad Marchand/Brendan Gallagher type. Spacek is a speedy offensive player who can contribute. Appleton is a big two way center with offensive ability. He’s a fiery guy who can hit. Sami Niku was projected to go much higher, and is a great value pick at 198. Gennaro has a ways to go, but he has good size and a few good tools which make him a decent pick in the 7th.
Well that’s all for this year. I’d like to apologize for getting this out so late but I’ve been working on some big things I hope to share in the next couple weeks! Thanks for reading!!
