Favorite prospects: The merits of drafting Kirby Dach with the third overall pick are up for debate. Stats: 67 GP, 34 G, 38 A, Scouting report: Tomasino is an exciting player because of his elite-level skating ability. Dorofeyev is a very creative winger. Best Selection and Overall Draft Grade.
Ranking: 3 | Nationality: USA That self-reflection, as a form of homework, can only be beneficial — both in the present and in the future, revisiting those results for any takeaways towards improvement.
San Jose Sharks: Yegor Spiridonov, C, Magnitogorsk 2 (Russia Jr.) Age: 18 | Ht: 6-0 | Wt: 178 | Shot: L ANALYSIS: The Coyotes traded up for Söderström, sacrificing a second-rounder to secure that Swedish puck-mover who may or may not have been available at their selection (three picks later). Even in the seventh round, Pittsburgh could have taken Dustin Wolf or Taylor Gauthier, who I had mocked to the Penguins only to go undrafted. He should be a difference maker on the Dallas Stars blueline.
On paper, this is hit after hit, steal after steal.
173. A bit of a reach? That fan base was adamant that Calgary would shift its focus to defence this year, but the Flames defied that logic once again and have now selected forwards with 13 of their last 15 picks — the only exceptions being defenceman Juuso Valimaki as a 2017 first-rounder and Wolf, a goaltender with their final pick of 2019 in the seventh round. I had Honka ranked and mocked as a first-round talent that also slid all the way to the Hurricanes in the third round. Pittsburgh Penguins: Judd Caulfield, RW, USA U18 (NTDP) 149. 121). Today we feature our NHL Draft Grades.
92. Rees has a great motor and he has plenty of offensive upside, while Puistola is loaded with scoring ability. New Jersey Devils: Danil Misyul, D, Yaroslavl 2 (Russia Jr.)
-- Kaplan, Where Dach is most likely to play in 2019-20: WHL, Team: Vancouver (WHL) Turcotte goes hard to the net and into the corners, and he has the touch and plus-level vision to make plays under duress and find better options in tougher situations with the puck on his stick. Krebs could be a steal much like Mathew Barzal has become. -- Peters, Where Zegras is most likely to play in 2019-20: NCAA (Boston University), Team: Neva St. Petersburg (Russia 2) I can’t believe Krebs fell this far. My personal mock deployed the Russian Five strategy, but the Red Wings only took one Russian in the seventh round. As long as those two pan out, anybody else from this draft class will be a bonus. The lottery win to land Kakko was the real coup — and my only perfect pick here — but Robertson and Henriksson were fine picks at their spots and I liked the reach for Jones despite my lower ranking. But does he have enough skill to create on his own? He was a potential first-round selection who slid further than some anticipated. Stats: 60 GP, 26 G, 61 A, Scouting report: With elite vision and passing skills, Zegras is excellent in dictating play from the half wall or making plays on the rush. First Round Selection(s): Nolan Foote (27th). Vancouver Canucks: Jack Malone, RW, Youngstown (USHL) I don’t love those picks, or the second netminder, but I don’t often doubt the Blues when it comes to drafting.
Stats: 39 GP, 11 G, 11 A, Scouting report: Bjornfot is one of the smarter players in this draft. 168. Okhotyuk and Vukojevic have shutdown qualities, while Misyul is more of a puck rusher. As of today, I probably still prefer my mocks for the Blackhawks over their actual results and, truthfully, I wasn’t that thrilled with either mock for Chicago. Abramov has some intriguing potential too as a two-way center. His strong skating ability leads to outstanding gap control. The Predators got him in the first round. Ranking: 34 | Nationality: CAN That’s not to say they weren’t good picks, but it was surprising to see the Sabres pass on talented Swede Nils Hoglander to close out the first round and many expected Trevor Zegras over Cozens with their top pick.
Buffalo expects to see Portillo compete in the USHL next year before heading to the University of Michigan. 165. St. Louis Blues: Nikita Alexandrov, C, Charlottetown (QMJHL), This year's second round was especially deep. However, I don't know that there's anything in particular that stands out about Soderstrom aside from the way he thinks the game. Keppen, Plasek, Malone and Costmar were also kids that grew on me throughout the draft year. Robertson was a great way for the Leafs to enter the fray on the second day of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. Ranking: 13 | Nationality: USA New , 6 comments. The Swede is the first defenseman they've drafted in their past 10 picks, and the first defenseman the Kings have taken in the first round since Derek Forbort at No. New York Rangers: Leevi Aaltonen, RW, Kalpa Jr. (Finland Jr.) Tampa Bay Lightning: Hugo Alnefelt, G, HV71 Jr. (Sweden Jr.) Detroit Red Wings: Carter Gylander, G, Sherwood Park (AJHL) Without further ado, here’s how each team did. Blaisdell and Neaton, both from the BCHL, have legit upside too. Why? I get the injury concern, but he’s a top-10 talent in this draft who dragged an awful Ice squad all season and plays a dominating game down the middle of the ice. Stats: 37 GP, 27 G, 35 A, Scouting report: He is a smart, two-way forward with an unrelenting motor and an ability to make plays in the offensive end of the ice. 198. -- Kaplan, Where Beecher is most likely to play in 2019-20: NCAA (Michigan), Team: Sioux Falls (USHL) -- Peters, Where Cozens is most likely to play in 2019-20: WHL, Team: AIK (Sweden 2) Each day I will bring you a new player profile or topical article in the lead-up to the 2019 NHL Draft. No surprise on the three Swedes, but I had the wrong three in each of my mocks. He's an exceptional playmaker and will fit right into a prospect pool that already includes Isac Lundestrom, Max Comtois, Troy Terry, Sam Steel and Max Jones.
182) Quinn Schmiemann, LD = 166, 169, 186. If he develops correctly, he could become a second-line centre, capable of bringing offence and also playing against the opponent’s top lines. Minnesota Wild: Filip Lindberg, G, UMass (Hockey East) Caufield has filled the net wherever he has played and he will look to continue that success in his first year with the University of Wisconsin next season. Stats: 14 GP, 2 G, 3 A, Scouting report: He remains under KHL contract for the next two years, but Podkolzin is an exceptional talent, with high-end skill and power in his game.
ANALYSIS: No more hits for my mocks from here on out, but the Stanley Cup champion Blues might have landed an Ivan Barbashev clone in Alexandrov at the end of the second round. The Predators are among the league’s best at drafting and developing defencemen, with Del Gaizo and Chistyakov both being undersized with big upside. 1 in the NHL draft and Kaapo Kakko going to the Rangers at No. Age: 18 | Ht: 6-0 | Wt: 182 | Shot: R The Avs may have wanted to go with a goalie in Knight here, but he wasn't available. Don’t forget, for everything NHL, check out Rotoworld's Player News, and follow @Rotoworld_ HK and @CoreAbbott on Twitter. 182. Tobias Björnfot - D - Djurgarden IF J20 [SuperElit]. Ranking: 36 | Nationality: CAN Stats: 63 GP, 17 G, 24 A, Scouting report: Thomson is a good two-way defenseman who uses smarts over skill. ANALYSIS: Hear, hear, the Hurricanes are being heralded as draft winners and it’s plain to see why.
Vegas Golden Knights: Mason Primeau, C, North Bay (OHL) He makes pretty good reads in the offensive zone, distributes well from the defensive zone and can use his feet in transition as well as, or better than, any defenseman in this draft. I didn’t like anything they did on the second day. He takes care of his own end and uses those anticipation skills to cut down passing lanes, but his defense needs improvement. His side-to-side movement is especially good. Anaheim Ducks.
It probably won’t be long before he gets a shot with the Hurricanes, but he will likely get some additional time to develop.
161. Age: 18 | Ht: 5-10 | Wt: 170 | Shot: L
New Jersey Devils: Nikita Okhotyuk, D, Ottawa (OHL) Dallas Stars: Samuel Sjolund, D, AIK Jr. (Sweden Jr.) His skating is good enough to get him up the ice and he's sturdy in his own zone, but there's not a lot in terms of overall puck skills or dynamicism. Age: 18 | Ht: 6-0 | Wt: 186 | Shot: R Hatakka plays a solid defensive game and has the offensive tools to be a puck moving defender as well. New Jersey Devils: Arseny Gritsyuk, RW, Omsk 2 (Russia Jr.) Has could be a player too, well worth the risk that late as a boom-or-bust prospect. Brett Leason was a good pick at No. Picks: Connor McMichael, Brett Leason, Aliaksei Protas, Martin Has Least favorite prospects: The Vadim Zherenko pick confused me. A big, powerful forward, Donovan is a good skater for his size. 79. First Round Selection(s): Moritz Seider (6th). The Hurricanes used their cap space to their advantage and Marleau’s $6.25 million cap hit can be bought out if he doesn’t want to play for the team.