A few quick disclaimers. The grades are based on where they were pick. If I give a guy a lower grade, it doesn’t mean he’s a bad player, just that I think he was drafted in a bad spot. So there is no bell curve, simply, was this a good pick here or not.

 

Picks 17-32 will be out later today hopefully.

 

Overall team grades and a more detailed breakdown of rounds 2-7 will be on the podcast.

 

 

 

Pick – 1

Team – Vancouver

Player – Nico Hischier

Breakdown – The top ranked guy on I suspect most lists. Hischier has a remarkably high floor, and has already shown some of the talent he has. The fact he and Taylor hall show chemistry means Hischier will have a top tier running mate as well. The consensus number one pick, Rob did not homer up, and went for the smart selection here.

Grade – A

Pick – 2

Team – Anaheim

Player – Elias Pettersson

Breakdown – The consensus number two pick, Pettersson had a great year, lighting up the SHL, WJC, and a strong showing at the World Championships. With a good frame, he will fill out as he grows up, but the high end talent is there. A player who will likely be a consistent 30g, 50a type player. He was a safe choice here. Given his NHL team blows, he should start getting heavy minutes this season

Grade – A

 

Pick – 3

Team –Montreal

Player – Casey Middlestadt

Breakdown – Had a great freshman year at Minnesota, was the best player at the World Juniors, and showed immediately he could produce in the NHL with 5 points in 6 cameo games at the end of the year. Middelstadt is all offense, other parts of his game need work, but he has great vision, and if he and Eichel can get chemistry, the Sabres should be loaded up front. A solid safe pick by Steve at this spot.

Grade – A

 

Pick – 4

Team – Edmonton

Player – Nolan Patrick

Breakdown – Patrick actually stayed mostly healthy in his rookie year, and seemed to get better as the year went. However concerns about his health will continue to linger. When healthy he’s a fairly big body that should increase his physical game as he matures. I don’t think there is high end upside here though, and this was an extremely safe pick, perhaps indicating the plan for Leon was to go safe here, and take a few more gambles later (that’s foreshadowing kids). I had Patrick 7^th on my board, I didn’t love him going here.

Grade – B-

 

Pick – 5

Team – Washington

Player – Eeli Tolvanen  

Breakdown – Loved the pick, Tolvanen was dynamite no matter where he played as an 18 year old. Putting up unheard fo numbers in the KHL for a player that age, having a pretty good WJC with 6 points in 5 games, He dominated at the Olympics with 9 points in 5 games for the Finns, and played very well at the World Championships, despite being in a depth role. He is a dynamic, one shot scorer, who is the best bet of anyone in this draft to be a 50 goal guy in the NHL. A terrific pick by Larry and a cornerstone to build the franchise around.

Grade – A+

 

Pick – 6

Team – Stoners

Player – Miro Heiskanen

Breakdown – By far, the best defenseman in this draft. Heiskanen is a franchise building block and Rex was fortunate he fell here. Putting up 23 points, including 11 goals as a 18 year old dman in the Liiga is unheard of. He’s also solid in his own end, and when he fills out, size will not be a concern. I can legit see him in the running for ROY in the NHL next year, he’s that damn good. Add in the weapons he has on Dallas’ PP to help with numbers, and he’s going to make a huge impact. Like Tolvanen, he made both the Finnish Olympic team and World Championship team as an 18 year old.

Grade – A

 

Pick – 7

Team – Golden Knights

Player – Robert Thomas

Breakdown – Sadly, I have no music to accompany this. I like the player, I knew he would get drafted higher, and he took the expected jump as an 18 year old in junior. He’s got a great opportunity looking at him in St. Louis . My only problem is I thought this was high. I liked the trade to get this pick, but thought the Knights could have traded back a few spots and still got him. I believe he was 12 on my board. Like the player, question the value here.

Grade – C

 

Pick – 8

Team – Sabres

Player – Gabriel Vilardi

Breakdown – Big center, tore shit up coming back from injury. He has a decent two way game, and has done nothing to damage his stock. I had him ranked later, but Not too far off, so while I liked the pick, I again thought the chance to trade down was there (especially with the insanity of the next pick), and perhaps some value was left on the table. But I like the player, I think the Kopitar lite comparisons hold merit.

Grade – B

 

Pick – 9

Team – Anaheim

Player – Conor Timmins

Breakdown – Disclaimer, I really like the player, I said at the draft last year he was better than Makar. He plays a solid two way game with a bit of an edge, and has done nothing but enhance his value internationally. He likely will never be a first power play unit type of guy, but he has a very high floor and seems a safe bet to be a top second paring dman in very short order. All that said. What in the absolute hell was Devon thinking here? I had Timmins rated 23 on my board, I know others had him similar. If he is the “key’ to your draft, and you’re holding 14 and 18 as well, you’re going to get a chance to grab him still. But to move an asset (used by the Habs to select Brayden Burke), to move up 1 spot, to take a guy that would almost definitely be there at 14 and even 18. I mean, there’s a reason bad asset management is referred to as Devon level. Like the player, hate the pick.

Grade – F

 

Pick – 10

Team – Montreal

Player – Martin Necas

Breakdown – So Steve essentially turned Jake Guentzel and Jeff Skinner into Middelstadt and Necas. Slow clap good sir. I loved Necas, I had him 7 on my board. He has a good frame, played exceptionally well in the Czech Extraliga, tore up the WJC with 11 points in 7 games, and had a great World Championships with 5 points in 7 games. Necas has first line center written all over him. And with some of the scoring help the Canes have, he’s likely to be playing top 6 minutes from the get go this season in Carolina. Terrific pick. Steve absolutely crushed round 1, and his trades.

Grade – A+

 

Pick – 11

Team – San Jose

Player – Owen Tippett

Breakdown – I am not the biggest fan of Tippett, he’s largely developed already, so shouldn’t have a huge curve to make the NHL, but with flatlining production in the OHL last year, I do have concerns about whether he will be able to score at the NHL level. Given names on the board still, and Mika’s propensity for Finns, this pick shocked me, and not in a good way. I had Tippet ranked 22 I think, and even then was uncomfortable with it. Hopefully I’m wrong, as the Sharks need a high impact player, but I did not like this pick at all.

Grade – D

 

Pick – 12

Team – Toronto

Player – Cody Glass

Breakdown – The streak of me ripping Garrett may be done for good. Overall I thought he had an exceptional draft, and it started right here. While it was hard for him to show a huge age 18 jump stat wise, he nonetheless did improve the numbers, and become a more well-rounded player in the process. Still haven’t figured out how he was left off team Canada in the WJC. I wouldn’t be shocked to again seem him miss the WJC, but this time because he’s in the NHL with Vegas. A big, potential top line center, and a great value here for Toronto.

Grade – A+

 

Pick – 13

Team – Calgary

Player – Juuso Valimaki

Breakdown – A year older than most in this draft, but he’s a top end prospect. To me the #2 dman in the class. He has posted back to back WHL seasons over a point per game, has a big body, and excellent positioning. His stickwork in front is top notch. Even though the NHL Flames have an incredibly deep blue line pool in pros and prospects, Valimaki really doesn’t need that much development. He’s ready to go now. Showed strong at the WJC as well. This guy has the toolkit to be a top defenseman in the NHL. I still can’t believe the Sharks didn’t take him.

Grade – A+

 

Pick – 14            

Team – Anaheim

Player – Kristian Vesalainen

Breakdown – Big hulking winger, put up huge numbers in the Liiga with 39 points in 44 games, and had 4 in 5 games at the WJC. He’s a very good talent. The only knocks on him are the transition from Europe to NA doesn’t always click immediately for big guys such as himself, and his skating is anything but fluid. His combination of size and scoring touch make him a worthwhile project. I liked the pick, had him 16. Thought this was a solid value for Vesalainen.

Grade – B

 

Pick – 15            

Team – Edmonton

Player – Cale Makar

Breakdown – Everyone knows my opinion on him, and it hasn’t changed. He’s a good skater who flashes good offensive instincts. The downside, he has no physical element, and his defensive play is poor, and that’s being kind. He had 21 games in 34 games at UMass, which is solid, but not great. He did have a great WJC for Canada on the scoresheet with 8 points in 7 games, and turned down an invitation to the Olympic team. The problem, he was extremely sheltered at the WJC, getting a ton of PP time, but barely taking a 3^rd line shift at regular strength. But taking him here for Edmonton was a worthwhile gamble, Leon had multiple picks, took a “safe” pick in Patrick at 4, and has the ammunition to take a swing for the fences. I had him ranked 37 on my draft board, but I like the pick here, given team situation, more than my ranking would indicate.

Grade – C

 

Pick – 16            

Team – Calgary

Player – Filip Chytil

Breakdown – I was stunned Kevin passed on Lias Andersson somehow on the board, he took a high upside Dman at 13, and went with another high upside player in Chytil, but with a lot more risk in my opinion than Andersson. Value wise, I had Chytil in this range, it fits. He’s a big winger, who flashed good offense in the AHL as a young 18 year old. Internationally I would have liked to have seen more at the WJC (2 points in 7 games), and that concerns me a bit. I think Chytil is probably an NHL regular this year, but given the other specific name on the board, and a few others I liked more. I’m not loving the value here.

Grade – B