The 2018 draft will change many franchises for the better, while some may be disappointed with the results in a few years. This is a deep draft with plenty of talent in every round, and teams such as the Sabres and Hurricanes could add a ton of value in the earlier rounds of the draft. I’ll be writing a full mock draft with explanations of the picks for the first few rounds, and then give a brief player description for rounds 4-7.
Before we begin, let’s discuss the makeup of the draft. There’s a lot of scouts who say that picks 15-45 can go either way. They’re not wrong. The guy you can get at 15 might be just as good as a guy you can get in the second round. Does that mean it’s a weak draft? Not necessarily. The 2015 and 2016 drafts had a lot of high end talent in them. A lot of the players drafted in the first round were projected to be high caliber players. In this draft, you really only have that in the top 15. The 2018 draft is deep, especially in Europe. A lot of the European players eligible to be drafted have NHL talent. You can draft a guy in the fifth round and he might have NHL potential. It’s an incredibly deep draft, but not a draft that has a lot of high end talent. There are quite a few USHL and USNTDP players in this draft as well. Joel Farabee, Oliver Wahlstrom, and Bode Wilde headline that class. The USHL players are definitely more prevalent in the later rounds of the draft, and a lot of those players will be good prospects by the time they leave college.
Some of you are going to read this and wonder where all of the CHL players are. Unfortunately, this is a really weak CHL class, especially in the later rounds of the draft. For whatever reason, the CHL isn’t as deep this year as it has been in previous years, and it shows in my draft. In some cases, I chose high school players over an OHL or QMJHL player because of how poorly some of the Canadian players performed this season. Andrei Svechnikov and Filip Zadina are import players, and they’re expected to go top three in the draft this June. Aside from them, even the draft eligible class of import players is underwhelming. A lot of import players struggled or just had underwhelming seasons, which is discouraging. Not to worry, though. The CHL’s 2019 draft class is incredibly strong, and should be very fun to keep track of.
NOTE: There may be some inaccuracies here with the draft order since it has changed a few times. I’m trying to keep it as accurate as possible, but there may be some issues here and there.
First Round
- Buffalo – Rasmus Dahlin
This shouldn’t be a surprise. Dahlin is the best defenseman in this draft, and plenty of scouts consider him the best Swedish defenseman since Hedman and Karlsson. He’s dynamic offensively, a great skater, and great in all three zones. He’ll be able to play in the NHL immediately, which is what Buffalo needs. Their offense is set, but their defense is lackluster at best. Dahlin will change that almost immediately.
2. Carolina – Andrei Svechnikov
The Canes need more scoring talent, and Svechnikov is just the guy to help with that. He’s scored at an elite rate this season, and plays a powerful, elite game. Svechnikov will transition into the NHL right away, and should easily hit 30 goals. None of the other forwards in this draft compare to Svechnikov as of right now, and saying that he’s not as good as a guy like Tkachuk is insulting. You can make a strong case for Svechnikov going number one, and you can make equally as strong a case for Tkachuk not going in the top ten. Draft Svechnikov you cowards.
3. Montreal – Oliver Wahlstrom
Why not Zadina? For a few years now, Montreal has needed a center. They haven’t really been able to get Galchenyuk to play center effectively, and now they need a top six center in order to succeed. Wahlstrom could be that guy in a year or two. Zadina can’t play center, but Wahlstrom can. I can also see Montreal trading down a spot or two so that they can acquire a few assets and still draft Wahlstrom in the process.
4. Ottawa – Filip Zadina
Zadina has to go here. He’s a great goal scorer that needs to work on his defensive play, but his ability to put the puck in the net has to be tantalizing to Ottawa. Should they draft a defenseman with Karlsson likely being traded? Yes, but the Senators should also try drafting talented forwards. They have Chabot in the system, and can easily draft another defenseman in the second round of this draft.
5. Arizona – Adam Boqvist
Arizona already has one good Swedish defenseman, so why not draft a second one? Boqvist is capable of being an elite offensive defenseman in the NHL, and only needs to get stronger to break out in this league. Arizona already has plenty of talented forwards such as Strome, Perlini, Keller, and Merkley, so now they need an elite defenseman.
6. Detroit – Brady Tkachuk
What doesn’t Detroit need? Years of mediocre draft picks have finally caught up to the Red Wings, and their prospect pool is fairly weak at this point. They need some high-level forwards in the system, and Tkachuk is the best player available.
7. Vancouver – Evan Bouchard
The Canucks need more defensemen. Olli Juolevi has taken a lot longer to become NHL ready than the Canucks would have liked, and they don’t really have any great defensemen in their pool. Bouchard could be a fantastic power play quarterback for the Canucks, and he also brings a great two way game. What’s not to like?
8. Chicago Blackhawks – Quinn Hughes
Chicago needs defense. Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook are getting older, and the Hawks don’t have a lot of great defensive prospects. Hughes has elite potential, and could be NHL ready as early as the 2019 season. He’s got what it takes to be a dynamic defenseman in the NHL in the future, and is what the Blackhawks need to succeed.
9. New York Rangers – Joe Veleno
The Rangers took two risky picks in the first round last year, and so it’s leading me to believe that they’ll take another risky pick here. Veleno has the potential to be an elite forward, but he really struggles with consistency. Some games he’ll be an elite player, whereas other games he’ll disappear. The Rangers have a few good forward prospects, but adding Veleno would be huge for them.
10. Edmonton – Noah Dobson
Man, the Oilers are still looking for defense? What about Franchise Legend Adam Larsson? All jokes aside, Dobson would be a nice add for a team looking to improve their defense, and he’ll be ready in a year. He’s got a well-rounded two way game, and will help Edmonton’s subpar defense.
11. NYI – Ty Smith
The Islanders have decent defensive prospects, but only a few of them have legitimate top four potential. Smith could be a really good offensive defenseman on a fast paced Islanders team in the next few years.
12. NYI – Barrett Hayton
The Islanders may need a dynamic center in the next few years, and Hayton could be that guy. He’s fast, has a blistering shot, and has all of the offensive tools he needs to succeed in this league. Will he be defensively and physically ready for the NHL soon? Probably not. Still, he’s too talented to pass up.
13. Dallas – Bode Wilde
He’s a little polarizing since he has some issues defensively, but the Stars need another defenseman and Wilde could be a very nice addition. He’ll fit right in on their blue line in a couple years.
14. Philadelphia Flyers – Jesperi Kotkaniemi
He’ll go later than he should thanks to all of the great defensemen in this draft. Kotkaniemi is a really talented forward that plays a little more physically than your average Finnish forward.
15. Florida – Rasmus Sandin
He’s a really underrated defenseman that does everything right, just nothing spectacularly. Sandin is extremely reliable, and could be a reliable second pairing guy in the near future.
16. Colorado – Joel Farabee
He’s explosive, and talented for sure, but there are concerns about defensive play. Colorado has enough talent offensively to let him develop for a few years in the NCAA.
17. New Jersey – Akil Thomas
He’s probably the best power forward in this draft not named Svechnikov. Thomas will need two years in the OHL to develop, but could be a dominant physical and offensive presence on the Devils after that.
18. Columbus – Rasmus Kupari
He’s another player going way later than he should due to NHL teams not scouting European teams as hard. Kupari could be the next Aho, or he could be playing like Puljujarvi is now. There’s definitely some concerns there.
19. Philadelphia – K’Andre Miller
He’s adjusted seamlessly to playing defenseman, and could be an excellent player in the near future. He’s reliable, has a booming shot, and plays a very sound two way game.
20. Los Angeles – Grigori Denisenko
He’s got loads of talent, and LA will need offense in order to stay afloat in this league. The Kings definitely play a gritty game, so they may go with another player. If they’re smart, they’ll go with the talented option.
21. San Jose – Vitali Kravtsov
San Jose has plenty of talented young forwards, and Kravtsov would be another good addition. He had an excellent playoffs in the KHL, which helped his stock a lot. Kravtsov is tall, but needs to add at least 15 pounds of muscle.
22. Ottawa – Jett Woo
Ottawa drafted a forward with the fourth overall pick, now they need to draft a defenseman. Woo is a project, he’s slow and still needs work defensively, but could be an excellent offensive defenseman if he’s given enough time.
23. Anaheim – Ryan McLeod
He’s not overly dynamic, but fits Anaheim’s physical system fairly well. He’ll develop into a reliable middle six forward that can play with an edge.
24. Minnesota – Isac Lundestrom
He’s one of those players that is reliable in many ways, but not great in any category. He seems like he could be similar to Elias Lindholm, but it may take a year or two for him to achieve that. Lundestrom is still a good pick, but this is where you start to take risks.
25. Toronto – Jared McIsaac
Toronto still needs defense, and while they do have Liljegren, it wouldn’t hurt to have McIsaac. He’s a reliable two way defenseman that will eventually provide some consistency to an otherwise chaotic Toronto blue line.
26. NYR – Dominik Bokk
Bokk is one of those players that if you see his stats, you’re underwhelmed. If you see how he plays, however, you’re in love with him. He may be the best puck handler in the draft, and just needs defensive work before he’s ready for the NHL. New York may take another risk here, but it could very well pay off.
27. Chicago – Martin Kaut
Here’s a bit of a risk. Kaut put up similar numbers to Necas in the Czech leagues this season, and looks like he’s close to being NHL ready. He’s flown under the radar, and the Hawks can once again take advantage of other teams neglecting to scout a certain player as well.
28. Washington – Benoit-Olivier Groulx
Washington has a good team as it is, but their prospect pool is just okay. Groulx is a reliable forward that’s just a touch too slow right now, but should develop into a middle six forward that can be used in any situation.
29. St. Louis – Ryan Merkley
Merkley has what it takes to be an elite defenseman in this league. He’s a gifted passer and has elite hockey sense. The problem with Merkley is that he’s terrible in his own end and can’t defend to save his life. St. Louis will hopefully ease him into their system and show him how to play defense.
30. Detroit – Jacob Olofsson
Detroit needs to fill their prospect pool with a bunch of safe picks. Olofsson isn’t going to be elite offensively, but the chances of him being a decent NHLer are pretty high. Fill the pipeline with a bunch of good prospects, and your team won’t be bad for long. Hopefully.
31. NYR – Jacob Bernard-Docker
It’s time for the Rangers to select a defenseman. Three first round picks are great, and drafting Joe Veleno and Dominik Bokk will look great in a few years. Bernard-Docker rounds out their successful first round. He’s got good two way talent, but plays in a less competitive league. The NCAA will be a big challenge for him.
Second Round
32. Buffalo – Serron Noel
Buffalo will be glad that Noel fell to them. He’s a power forward that has improved as the year has gone on, and some even think he could be a late first round pick.
33. Detroit – Nils Lundkvist
They have their two forwards, now they need a quick puck mover to fit their system.
34. Florida – Ryan McLeod
He’s not quite on the same level as his brother, but he’s got potential to be a third line power forward in this league.
35. Montreal – Ty Dellandrea
He’s got potential to be a top nine forward in this league. He’ll need 3+ years though.
36. Detroit – Kevin Bahl
Bahl is a shutdown guy that could be a penalty killer, but is lacking in terms of offensive capabilities.
37. Vancouver – Jonathan Tychonick
He’s a puck mover that will really help Vancouver’s underwhelming blue line in a couple years. Has committed to North Dakota.
38. Montreal – Alexander Khovanov
Injuries kept him out of most of the QMJHL season, which hurt his draft stock. Could be a steal if he gets a little better defensively.
39. NYR – Jay O’Brien
The speedy goal scorer tore up his high school league this season, and will play for Providence next year.
40. Edmonton – Mattias Samuelsson
Edmonton still needs defense, and Samuelsson is another prospect that should turn out fairly nicely for them.
41. NY Islanders – Alexander Alexeyev
The Islanders drafted an offensive defenseman, and now they need a smart two way player to round it out.
42. Carolina – Sampo Ranta
He’s a Finnish goal scorer that did really well in the USHL. Great shot, solid all around play.
43. Islanders – Filip Hallander
Really smart RW that plays a quick, dangerous game.
44. Dallas – Cam Hillis
A bit of a risky pick, but Hillis could be a quick playmaker if given time.
45. St. Louis – Allan McShane
He’s similar to Hillis, just not quite as fast.
46. Washington – Vladislav Kotkov
He’s 6’5 and slow, but Washington has a knack for developing Russian forwards.
47. Colorado – Jonatan Berggren
Hasn’t gotten a chance to shine in the SHL yet, but he’s coming off of a phenomenal U20 season.
48. NYR – Stanislav Demin
He’s a gifted passer on defense that shows flashes of great two way play. Denver commit.
49. Columbus – Alexis Gravel
Our first goalie has been taken! Columbus has Bob, but their goalie pipeline has been just average as of late.
50. Philadelphia – Liam Foudy
He had good numbers on one of the OHL’s worst teams this year. Foudy could be a really great goal scorer.
51. Los Angeles – Calen Addison
LA needs defensemen in their system, so why not give one of the WHL’s best playmaking defenseman a shot?
52. Anaheim – Sean Durzi
An overage player who had a phenomenal season with Owen Sound
53. Arizona – David Gustafsson
Reliable two way center that needs more ice time in the SHL. Not overly exciting, but consistent.
54. Montreal – Jakub Skarek
Struggled at the World Juniors, but he’s arguably one of the best goalies in this draft.
55. Toronto – Jesse Ylonen
Needs some time to develop, but was one of his league’s best U20 forwards
56. Pittsburgh – Jack McBain
Has potential to be a really good offensive player, but is very rough around the edges. Will need at least 3 years in college.
57. Boston – Phillipp Kurashev
Can make plays out of nowhere. Needs defensive work, but what QMJHL forward doesn’t?
58. Winnipeg – Kody Clark
Definitely more of a two way forward, but the offensive talent is there.
59. Montreal – Nicolas Beaudin
Offensive defenseman that isn’t as dynamic as guys like Smith or Addison, but plays better defense.
60. Vegas – Jakub Lauko
Another Czech forward with offensive talent. Not as polished as Kaut, but has almost as much potential.
61. Tampa Bay – Cole Fonstad
A playmaker under 6 feet tall sounds right up Tampa’s alley.
62. Colorado – Kirill Marchenko
Has what it takes to be an offensive threat, but needs more development. Could be an import draft pick as well.
Third Round
63. Minnesota – Jake Wise
Talented playmaker that’s got a lot of work to do physically and defensively.
64. Pittsburgh – Nikita Rtishchev
Russian scorer that could see KHL time next year.
65. Arizona – Adam Ginning
Risky pick here since he’s pretty one dimensional, but he has top four potential if he ever develops offensively.
66. Montreal – Blade Jenkins
Risky pick as well. Jenkins hasn’t lived up to his potential just yet, but he’s getting better.
67. Detroit – Niklas Nordgren
Undersized forward that possesses a lot of offensive talent. Should go a little higher, but size is a factor.
68. Vancouver – Jack Drury
Tons of offensive talent, but needs work defensively. It’s a long shot, but he could be a top six forward someday.
69. Chicago – Milos Roman
A lot of people thought he would be better, but he took a while to adjust. Bottom six potential.
70. NYR – Luka Burzan
Really started to come into his own after being traded to Brandon. Speedy forward isn’t overly creative, but has a great two way game going for him.
71. Edmonton – Anderson MacDonald
Could be a really solid goal scorer once he gets a little faster.
72. NYI – Chase Wouters
Good two way center. Can make plays effectively, but his shot is just average.
73. Arizona – Alec Regula
Stock up on defensemen. Regula is good and could be a nice addition for the Yotes if they’re looking for more of a shutdown guy.
74. Arizona – Curtis Hall
Yale commit. Hasn’t found his offensive game just yet, but his two way game is great for a kid his age.
75. Dallas – Filip Johansson
Young defenseman with a lot of untapped potential. If he gets stronger, he could have more consistent ice time.
76. St. Louis – Jacob Ingham
The Blues need another goalie prospect, and Ingham is a good pick. Needs at least four years.
77. Boston – Ivan Morozov
Strong forward that will play for SKA St. Petersburg next season.
78. Colorado – Jordan Harris
Puck mover that will really shine with Northeastern next season.
79. Anaheim – Riley Damiani
He’s quick, but needs to bulk up. Offense will start to come with more ice time.
80. Columbus – Nico Gross
Columbus can afford to take a chance on a defenseman who struggled a bit this season.
81. Detroit – Justus Annunen
Detroit needs a goalie, and Justus Annunen is the best Finnish goalie in the draft. Should be a great pick for them.
82. Los Angeles – Jachym Kondelik
He’s 6’6, which is something LA will value. For a big guy, he can skate well and move the puck with ease.
83. Toronto – Martin Fehervary
Plays a two way game that could translate well to the NHL. Offensive stats aren’t great, but he’s improved a lot.
84. Detroit – Filip Kral
He’s 5’11 but plays an excellent two way game. Shot is a little underwhelming, but that will improve with time.
85. Anaheim – Pavel Gogolev
Elite scoring talent that looks average in every other aspect of his game. Had 30 goals for one of the OHL’s worst teams.
86. Minnesota – Tyler Madden
Another Northeastern commit that plays a solid two way game. Bottom six potential.
87. Chicago – Albin Eriksson
Did really well in U20, but struggled in the SHL. Offensive talent is there, but he’s a touch too slow.
88. NYR – Xavier Bernard
One of the more polarizing defensemen in this draft. He’s got two way potential, but consistency is a major issue.
89. Nashville – Jan Jenik
Struggled in the Czech B league, but was a point per game player in U20. Needs to find consistency in his game in order to succeed.
90. Washington – Dmitri Zavgorodny
Undersized forward that will fall this far due to his size. Has a lot of offensive talent and did really well in his first QMJHL season.
91. Minnesota – Gabriel Fortier
Brother of CBJ prospect Maxime Fortier. Has offensive talent, but play in all three zones could use some work. Gotta hit this one out of the park since this is their return for Alex Tuch.
92. Tampa Bay – Nando Eggenberger
Risky only because Eggenberger has lacked consistency this season. Can be explosive offensively, but will take some time.
93. Winnipeg – Xavier Bouchard
Another prospect that scouts can’t decide on. He’s been very disappointing this season, but he has a lot of talent.
Fourth Round
94. Buffalo – Riley Sutter
He’s not overly talented, but his work ethic could be enough to win some teams’ hearts.
95. Ottawa – Jonathan Gruden
Has tons of talent, but chose to go to Miami (Ohio) for college. Could be one of their best forwards in a few years.
96. Carolina – Veini Vehvalainen
He’s the oldest player in the draft, but a highly sought after goalie. The Canes should draft him here to make sure they can sign him after the draft. Has tons of potential as a starter.
97. Montreal – Ty Emberson
Average shot, above average passer, above average defensive game. A bit of a project, but could have a nice career.
98. Detroit – Blake McLaughlin
Lots of offensive potential, but pretty raw in every other area.
99. Vegas – Eric Florchuk
Fairly consistent forward that is just starting to find an offensive touch. Needs to work on his shot, however.
100. Dallas – Merrick Rippon
Defensively responsible. Reminds me of a younger and faster version of Brendan De Jong.
101. NYR – Yegor Sokolov
Has “power forward” written all over him. Could be a force on any team’s bottom six if given time.
102. Montreal – Axel Andersson
Does a lot of things right. Could be a really good puck mover, but will need two years in the SHL first.
103. NYI – Patrick Giles
Not the best offensively, but it’s developing with every game. Powerful skater who plays very well defensively.
104. Carolina – Aidan Dudas
Teams will forget about him since he’s so small, but Dudas has skill. He’s a good puck handler, and can create a lot of chances.
105. Calgary – Filip Hallander
How’d he fall down here? Hallander could be good, but he’s a bit of a project and nothing special as of right now.
106. Dallas – Olivier Rodrigue
Dallas needs good goalies in their system, and while Rodrigue isn’t great yet, he’s got a lot of potential.
107. St. Louis – Oskar Back
Really strong forward that did well in U20 this year. Needs to get a little quicker, but that’ll come with experience.
108. Calgary – Linus Nyman
The overage forward had a phenomenal season with Kingston, and now he’s going to play for Lukko in Finland. Could be a decent goal scorer in the pros.
109. Colorado – Riley Stotts
Went from being a non-factor in Swift Current to one of the Calgary Hitmen’s best forwards.
110. New Jersey – Kristian Reichel
Double overager who showed that he can be an offensive threat in juniors. Has one more year of CHL eligibility.
111. Nashville – Declan Chisholm
Nashville turns average defensemen in to great players. Chisholm has potential but played on a terrible Petes team.
112. Philadelphia – Ryan O’Reilly
Not that guy. The other one. He’s strong and plays an excellent defensive game. Not much on offense yet.
113. Los Angeles – Matej Pekar
Really good playmaker in the USHL, but was underwhelming at the U18s.
114. San Jose – Curtis Douglas
Tallest player in the draft at 6’8. Offensive skills haven’t developed just yet, but you can’t teach 6’8.
115. Vegas – Kevin Mandolese
Still has a lot of work to do, but he’s improved a lot as the year has gone on.
116. Anaheim – Danila Galeniuk
A one dimensional defenseman that has some offensive tools, but not very many. Could be used on the PK in the future.
117. Buffalo – Dmitri Semykin
Played the whole season in the Russian B league and did fairly well. Needs work offensively, but defensive skills are good.
118. Toronto – Giovanni Vallati
Two way defenseman that saw a little bit of growth on the defensive side of the puck this season.
119. Boston – Kyle Topping
More of a playmaker that had a decent season on a pretty solid Kelowna team.
120. Chicago – Logan Hutsko
Overage player, but he was the Hockey East’s rookie of the year.
121. Tampa Bay – Mitchell Hoelscher
Didn’t get a whole lot of playing time, but his speed is something that could really help his development.
122. Montreal – Wyatte Wylie
Moves the puck well. Two way game is alright, but needs to work on acceleration a tad.
123. Washington – Radim Salda
Overager that wasn’t great defensively this season. Has good offensive skills, but isn’t as good defensively as scouts had hoped.
124. Florida – Vladislav Yeryomenko
Was arguably Calgary’s best defenseman this season. Overager, but sees the ice really well. Good gap control.
Fifth Round
125. Buffalo – Vladislav Kotkov
Had an okay season transitioning to North American ice. Is tall, but a little slow.
126. Ottawa – Scott Perunovich
1998 birthday that had a great season with Minnesota-Duluth. Small, but plays well defensively.
127. Philadelphia – Nikolai Kovalenko
Russian playmaker that will go about 30 picks too low because he’s 5’10. Needs KHL time, but did well in the MHL.
128. Montreal – Toni Utunen
5’11 defenseman that played in Mestis. Solid two way play, average shot.
129. Pittsburgh – Pavel Shen
Overage player who played just under 30 KHL games this season. Good point totals in the MHL, and may be a good prospect down the road.
130. Vancouver – Joey Keane
Overage, but one of Barrie’s best defensemen this past season. Moves the puck really well.
131. Nashville – Amir Miftakhov
Goalie that has done incredibly well in the secondary Russian leagues. Didn’t have a great U18, but is still very talented.
132. New York Rangers – Michael Kesselring
Needs to work on speed, but will have four years in college to work on that. Solid defensive play.
133. Edmonton – Adam Samuelsson
Son of Ulf Samuelsson. Committed to Boston College. 6’6 defenseman that plays well defensively, and his offensive game is developing. Bit of a project since he’s about average in everything except height.
134. NY Islanders – Luke Henman
Pass-first forward. Has a below average shot, which he rarely uses.
135. Vegas – Mathias-Emilio Pettersen
Playmaker from the USHL that’s committed to Denver. Improved his play in the defensive zone this season, but it still needs work.
136. New Jersey – Mikhail Bitsadze
A bit of a project since he hasn’t produced a whole lot, but has potential to be a two way forward if given lots of time.
137. Dallas – Libor Zabransky
Struggled in his first North American season, but has potential to be a good two way defenseman. Moves the puck well.
138. St. Louis – Alexander Steeves
Notre Dame commit. Forward with good offensive skills and decent speed.
139. Florida – Billy Moskal
Tough first half but improved as the season went along. Definitely a project on the wing.
140. Colorado – Nikita Rtishchev
Can score goals in the MHL. Hasn’t signed a contract yet, so he could be an import pick.
141. New Jersey – Krystof Hrabik
Has done okay in the Czech B league, but hasn’t played in Extraliga much. Decent speed, decent offensive skills, decent defensive skills.
142. Chicago – Jack Gorniak
One of the youngest players in last year’s draft. Improved tremendously and will head to the University of Wisconsin. Still pretty raw, but decent potential there.
143. Philadelphia – Justin Almeida
Undersized forward that is also a 1999 birthday. Had a breakout season for Moose Jaw with 98 points.
144. Los Angeles – Tyler Weiss
NC product that is committed to Boston University. Good two way player that is starting to develop offensively.
145. San Jose – Alexander Romanov
Defenseman who played well in all three zones in the MHL. Under 6 feet tall, but has skill.
146. Pittsburgh – Seth Barton
Another pass first forward. Has good size, but needs to bulk up. UMass-Lowell commit.
147. Anaheim – Spencer Stastney
Defenseman committed to Notre Dame. Can dish out the puck extremely well, but has a below average shot.
148. Minnesota – Ryan Chyzowski
Had a decent season for Medicine Hat. Needs work in the defensive zone, but has improved.
149. Toronto – Jack Jensen
Will play in the USHL next season. Decent offensive skills, but definitely focuses on two way play.
150. Winnipeg – Brendan Budy
Denver commit. A little small, but is a good passer.
151. Nashville – Lukas Wernblom
Speedy yet undersized. Can deke really well, and has done fairly well in the Swedish secondary leagues and U20.
152. Tampa Bay – Jackson Perbix
Playmaker that struggled to adjust to the USHL out of high school. He’ll have one more year before going to Notre Dame.
153. Winnipeg – Liam Kirk
Goal scorer from Great Britain that needs to work on speed, but has a great shot and good hands.
154. Minnesota – Samuel Bitten
A bit of a project who had an underwhelming season on the 67’s. Brother of Montreal prospect William Bitten.
155. Vegas – Gavin Hain
Had a tough second half, but plays a well-rounded game. North Dakota commit.
Sixth Round
156. Buffalo – Oliver Okuliar
Had a phenomenal season in the Slovakian U20 league, averaging almost two points per game. Had a good U18 tournament as well. Plays in a weaker league, so it’s hard to judge him.
157. Ottawa – Yegor Zamula
Was traded to the Hitmen after struggling to adapt to the WHL. Improved with the Hitmen and finished with an okay season. Plays well defensively, but offensive skills are limited.
158. Arizona – Justin Ducharme
Played a minor role on the Memorial Cup winning Titan team. A bit of a project, but has some offensive talent.
159. Detroit – Jacob Pivonka
Notre Dame commit that plays a little undisciplined. Offensive talent is there, but needs to stay out of the box. Father had a successful 13 year career with the Capitals.
160. Detroit – Sean Comrie
Playmaker that has had some success in the AJHL. Denver commit, but will spend one more season in the AJHL to develop.
161. Vancouver – Lenni Killinen
Had a great U20 season with Blues U20 in Finland. Another playmaker that is set to play for Assat next season.
162. Chicago – Nathan Dunkley
Had a great season with the Fronts, and then continued to be successful with London. Can score and dish out the puck, but is below average defensively.
163. NY Rangers – Akira Schmid
Had a great season in the Swiss U20 league, but struggled in international play.
164. Edmonton – Jeremi Gerber
Was a point per game player for his U20 team. Plays a fast paced game.
165. Los Angeles – Connor Dewar
Overage player that had a good season and a great playoffs for Everett. Has a good shot.
166. Carolina – Juuso Ketola
RHD that plays a good two way game. Moves the puck well, which is a necessity in this league.
167. Calgary – William Ennis
Tall LHD whose offensive game is slowly developing. Plays a solid defensive game, though.
168. Dallas – Lukas Dostal
Had an okay U18 but has done well in U18 and U20 this season. Very athletic goalie.
169. St. Louis – Carl Wassenius
Had another great season, this time as a U20 player. He hasn’t gotten any SHL time yet, but his success in junior leagues is encouraging.
170. Florida – Paul Cotter
RW that plays a decent offensive game. Average speed. Western Michigan commit in 2019.
171. Colorado – Nikita Zorkin
LHD that can play in all three zones. Unpolished, but has some potential if he gets faster.
172. New Jersey – Cole Reinhardt
Speedy forward that had a better second half with the Wheat Kings. Needs work in all areas, but could be poised for a big season.
173. Columbus – Riley Hughes
RW that plays a fast offensive game. Only 150 pounds, so will need to bulk up. He’ll play in the USHL before heading to Northeastern.
174. Philadelphia – Samuel Fagemo
Can play either wing, and he has a great shot. Should play for Frolunda in the SHL next season, which will be great for his development.
175. Los Angeles – Jack St. Ivany
6’3 RHD that passes well, but doesn’t really play a physical game. Overager that’s committed to Yale in 2019.
176. San Jose – Anton Malyshev
RHD that plays well defensively. Offensive play is okay. Won’t play in the KHL for another season or so, however.
177. Pittsburgh – Connor Corcoran
Yet another RHD that can pass the puck. Defensive game is getting better, but he needs to get stronger.
178. Anaheim – Marcus Westfalt
Spent most of his season in the SHL, but his numbers weren’t great. Has a well-rounded game, and strength isn’t an issue. Could be a good late round pick.
179. Minnesota – Mac Hollowell
Undersized overage defenseman that had a phenomenal season with the Greyhounds in the OHL. Plays a fast, high scoring game.
180. Vegas – Patrick Khodorenko
Late 1998 birthday that had a great sophomore season at Michigan State. Great offensive force.
181. Boston – Griffin Ness
Did well in high school and will go to the USHL for a season before playing for Air Force in 2019. Decent shot and good passer.
182. San Jose – Jackson Leppard
Had an average season for a pretty underwhelming team. Had almost 3 times as many penalty minutes as he did points.
183. Tampa Bay – Eli Zummack
Speedy forward for Spokane that likes to pass before he shoots.
184. Winnipeg – Hudson Elynuik
Former Canes pick that re-entered the draft. Good shot, good speed, good size. No telling whether or not he’ll sign, though.
185. Washington – Peetro Seppala
He’s a decent passer for a defenseman, but will need to take less penalties. Average shot, he just doesn’t use it.
186. Vegas – David Tendeck
Had a decent season in goal for the Vancouver Giants. Has improved a lot this season, even on an average team. Rough playoffs, though.
Seventh Round
187. Buffalo – David Madsen
Two way center that has a better shot than he lets on. Had some SHL time, but only had one goal in ten games.
188. Ottawa – Matthew Grouchy
The most ill-tempered person in the draft. (Please clap.) Had an up and down season, but had a really great playoffs. Consistency is the key to his success.
189. Arizona – Chase Hartje
Defenseman that lacks size, but can play well in all three zones. His shot is below average, but passing is good.
190. Philadelphia – Matthew Struthers
Was traded halfway through the OHL season, and really started to develop offensively with North Bay in the second half. Forward with a good shot.
191. Detroit – Dawson Barteaux
LHD with decent size that’s a good passer. Needs work in the defensive zone, but has good offensive capabilities.
192. Vancouver – Leonid Klimov
One of the youngest forwards in the 2017 draft. Really worked on his shot this year, and now it’s his best asset.
193. Chicago – Martin Pospisil
Playmaking RW that’s committed to St. Lawrence University. Decent size, good passer, but raw everywhere else.
194. Ottawa – Oliver True
Import player that really struggled in his first OHL season. Average player that likely won’t turn into much, but he has two more years to prove people wrong.
195. Edmonton – Alex Gritz
17 year old forward that had an okay season on a pretty terrible team. Has a good shot.
196. NY Islanders – Angus Crookshank
Had a great season as a 1999 birthday in the BCHL. Will play at the University of North Hampshire next season. Forward that has a good shot and is a good passer. Owner of quite possibly the second best name in the draft, right behind Jett Woo.
197. Carolina – Eetu Pakkila
Another Eetu for the Canes. He’s a LW in Karpat’s system that could play for the big club next season. Had 23 goals and 40 points in 48 games for Karpat U20. His shot is phenomenal, but he needs to add muscle to his 168 pound frame.
198. Calgary – Isaac Johnson
Overage forward that did well in his first WHL season. Good passer, but there are questions about his play away from the puck.
199. Dallas – Brett Kemp
Fast C/RW that had an okay season on a terrible Edmonton team. Needs to work on strength and defense.
200. St. Louis – Jesper Eliasson
Had a good U20 season but a bad season in U18. Goalies are weird, man.
201. Florida – Jack Randl
Goal scorer that’s committed to the University of Michigan. Needs to work on discipline, but could be a decent pick.
202. Colorado – Austin Chorney
Ohio State commit. Decent shot for a defenseman, but his defensive play stands out. Will need four years of college.
203. New Jersey – Samuel Houde
He got a lot more comfortable in the offensive zone this season, but the young center needs to work on his play away from the puck.
204. Columbus – Ben Copeland
Playmaker that had a point per game season in the USHL. Will be playing at Colorado College next season.
205. Philadelphia – Jan Kalus
The winger did well in U20, but struggled in the Czech second league. Has a good shot and decent two way play.
206. Tampa Bay – Bryan Lockner
Two way RW that plays more defensively as of right now. Offensive game is developing, but it’s still a work in progress.
207. San Jose – Jakob Heljemo
Overage center/winger that had a good U20 season. Shoot-first player that should have more time in the SHL next season.
208. Pittsburgh – Damien Giroux
Undersized playmaker that did well on an average team. Pretty bad defensively, though.
209. Toronto – Jaxon Nelson
Minnesota commit that had an incredibly underwhelming USHL season. He had 113 points in 25 high school games two years ago, so the kid “can” score. It’s just a matter of when he’ll be able to break through.
210. Minnesota – Brandon Saigeon
Double overager that had a great season for Hamilton. Will have one more OHL season to prove that it wasn’t a fluke. Really worked on his speed, which helped him score 35 goals.
211. Toronto – Justin Brazeau
Double overager that was North Bay’s best forward. Can score lots of goals, but defense is still a minor issue.
212. Boston – John Ludvig
Shutdown defenseman who started to develop offensively towards the end of the season. Should get lots of ice time next season with Texiera and Cholowski leaving.
213. Nashville – David Lilja
Spent most of his season in the Swedish secondary league. Needs a lot of work, but has a good shot.
214. Tampa Bay – Peter Stratis
RHD that struggles defensively, but has tons of potential. Sudbury is bad, but Stillman has done a good job working with their players in his short tenure there.
215. Winnipeg – Kristian Tanus
He’s only 5’6, but the small forward is a great passer. He’s quick, and can make good passes. Should go higher, but his size will affect his draft stock.
216. Washington – Connor Roberts
Not great defensively, but he’s got a good enough shot to warrant a draft pick.
217. Carolina – Eero Teravainen
Teuvo’s brother is a defenseman with a good shot and good hockey sense. His numbers weren’t terrible in his overage year, and he should have a good freshman season at the University of Denver.
