Prospect Info: 2018 NHL Draft

[Trojans86]

it would be cool if someone did a rankings based on projected potential. e.g. instead of just ranking the players maybe categorize them as generational / elite (all star potential?) / top 6 or top 4 / 3rd line or 3rd pairing etc. it's always hard for me to get a grasp of how good the class is and if the class is just good at the top, if it has some depth, etc

 

[Opak]

Dominik Bokk has really started to emerge as a sleeper candidate to make the first round of the draft. He has the third highest PPG in Sweden's top U20 league (among players with more than 5 games). This is what he did a month ago, the guy is already way too good for that league. He had a beauty of a goal in the SHL as well.

Someone on the main boards threw a Pastrnak comparison out there, but I don't think Bokk has that same tenacity that Pastrnak has. Regardless, he's speedy and he has a boatload of talent/potential, which is what we desperately need in the system right now.

UPDATE:

Bokk is showing more and more promise on the elite league level, video here (1:22 onwards, #15 in blue). He still hasn't become a full-time roster player, but he has been getting some call-ups.

The kid's skill level is ****ing INSANE. How on earth does a 17-year-old deke and dangle his way through multiple elite league players like that? I may be unreasonably excited about this prospect, but based on everything I've seen so far, I think he has the potential of becoming a bonafide star player.

 

[Opak]

As we're soon midway through the season, I thought I'd make a quick prospect ranking, where I rank the top-10 players on each position. I don't want to name any "comparables" or make any "projections", because I'm not an expert and I'd rather not mislead people in any way. I'd also like to point out that these rankings are based on my own views and are by no means perfect in any way.

C:
1 - Isac Lundeström
2 - Jacob Olofsson
3 - Joe Veleno
4 - Rasmus Kupari
5 - Ryan McLeod
6 - Akil Thomas
7 - Jack McBain
8 - Benoit-Olivier Groulx
9 - Jonatan Berggren
10 - Nathan Dunkley

Wild cards: Allan McShane, Ty Dellandrea, Barrett Hayton, Aidan Dudas, Jack Drury


LW:
1 - Filip Zadina
2 - Filip Hållander
3 - Jesperi Kotkaniemi
4 - Dominik Bokk
5 - Joel Farabee
6 - Brady Tkachuk
7 - Cole Fonstad
8 - Grigori Denisenko
9 - Gabriel Fortier
10 - Philipp Kurashev

Wild cards: Nando Eggenberger, David Levin, Adam Liska


RW:
1 - Andrei Svechnikov
2 - Oliver Wahlström
3 - Serron Noel
4 - Jesse Ylönen
5 - Niklas Nordgren
6 - Kody Clark
7 - Yegor Sokolov
8 - Matthew Grouchy
9 - Riley Sutter
10 - Jeremi Gerber

Wild cards: Kirill Nizhnikov, Lenni Killinen, Dmitri Zavgorodny


LD:
1 - Rasmus Dahlin
2 - Ty Smith
3 - Quinn Hughes
4 - Mattias Samuelsson
5 - Rasmus Sandin
6 - Jared McIsaac
7 - K'Andre Miller
8 - Alexander Alexeyev
9 -Nicolas Beaudin
10 - Adam Samuelsson

Wild cards: Toni Utunen, Santeri Salmela, Jacob Ragnarsson, Jonny Tychonick, Filip Kral


RD:
1 - Adam Boqvist
2 - Ryan Merkley
3 - Jett Woo
4 - Evan Bouchard
5 - Noah Dobson
6 - Bode Wilde
7 - Calen Addison
8 - Axel Andersson
9 - Xavier Bouchard
10 -Caleb Everett

Wild cards: Owen Lalonde, Filip Johansson, Alec Regula, Libor Zabransky


G:
1 - Jakub Skarek
2 - Samuel Ersson
3 - Jesper Myrenberg
4 - Justus Annunen
5 - Lukas Dostal
6 - Dominik Pavlat
7 - Olivier Rodrigue
8 - Jacob Ingham
9 - Alexis Gravel
10 - Linus Gidbark

Wild cards: Conrad Mölder, Waltteri Ignatjew, Erik Portillo

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

What happened to veleno, wasn't he considered potentially a top pick of 18? I know mynhldraft.com isn't like a for sure thing but they have us grabbing him at the 13... would be pretty awesome if he fell to us. Granted I hope were not picking 13th... I wouldn't mind trading up into the top 15 to snag him if he was available tho.

 

[Goose of Reason]

What happened to veleno, wasn't he considered potentially a top pick of 18? I know mynhldraft.com isn't like a for sure thing but they have us grabbing him at the 13... would be pretty awesome if he fell to us. Granted I hope were not picking 13th... I wouldn't mind trading up into the top 15 to snag him if he was available tho.

Had an underwhelming start in Saint John. That team lost most of their talent from their championship team last season and are pretty bad this year. Someone in his main board thread said that at one point he had 4 goals on 82 shots or something like that (I'm not sure where he got those numbers) but if that's true his shooting percentage is abysmal. Seems like a lot if bad luck for him tbh. In my viewings of him last year he was awesome. Such a smart player in all 3 zones. Hopefully the move to Drummondville gives him the change of scenery he needs.

He absolutely fits the profile of the forwards we've been drafting lately. Guys that enter their draft season highly ranked and then fall (Steel, Jones, Comtois). If he's still available when we pick there's no way we don't end up with him, imo.

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

Had an underwhelming start in Saint John. That team lost most of their talent from their championship team last season and are pretty bad this year. Someone in his main board thread said that at one point he had 4 goals on 82 shots or something like that (I'm not sure where he got those numbers) but if that's true his shooting percentage is abysmal. Seems like a lot if bad luck for him tbh. In my viewings of him last year he was awesome. Such a smart player in all 3 zones. Hopefully the move to Drummondville gives him the change of scenery he needs.

He absolutely fits the profile of the forwards we've been drafting lately. Guys that enter their draft season highly ranked and then fall (Steel, Jones, Comtois). If he's still available when we pick there's no way we don't end up with him, imo.

Thanks for the feedback, I was just shocked to see him down at the 13 spot because I remember the draft being between Him, Dahlin, Svech, and Zadina as the potential top pick. The draft looks really good those guys + Hughes boquist tkachuk, lot of good players to be had.

 

[Goose of Reason]

It would be funny if we ended up with Veleno (hopefully we'll be in the playoffs and likely he'll be gone before we pick) because then we'd have the top 3 picks from the 2015 Q draft. Veleno went first, then Morand, then Comtois. Shane Bowers, who was just sent to Colorado in the Duchene deal went 4th.

 

[Mallard]

It would be funny if we ended up with Veleno (hopefully we'll be in the playoffs and likely he'll be gone before we pick) because then we'd have the top 3 picks from the 2015 Q draft. Veleno went first, then Morand, then Comtois. Shane Bowers, who was just sent to Colorado in the Duchene deal went 4th.

BM turning his attention from Fins/Swedes to the Q haha

 

[eternalbedhead]

www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=233499

Patrick Khodorenko. He's a 2nd-year eligible, but is a late birthday. (1998) Anybody have any info on him? Putting up pretty good numbers for Michigan State, but I haven't been able to find anything recent about his draft profile. Seems like our type of draft pick; two-way center with some size and offensive ability who's dropped off the board since his youth. Skating was a major issue from the 2017 draft profile I read but I don't know if that's improved at all. Could be worth going after with a late-round pick.

 

[WhatTheDuck]

It would be funny if we ended up with Veleno (hopefully we'll be in the playoffs and likely he'll be gone before we pick) because then we'd have the top 3 picks from the 2015 Q draft. Veleno went first, then Morand, then Comtois. Shane Bowers, who was just sent to Colorado in the Duchene deal went 4th.

Veleno reminds me of Couturier, I think he can be a very solid 2 foot player, if not the flashy high end guy he was once thought to be.

 

[The Midnight Burrito]

Veleno reminds me of Couturier, I think he can be a very solid 2 foot player, if not the flashy high end guy he was once thought to be.

Verne Troyer is still the best all-time.

 

[WhatTheDuck]

Verne Troyer is still the best all-time.

Lol I watched a video the other day of Verne cruising around in a child size replica Tesla. That dude is awesome

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

do we have a # for veleno? I think its time

Oh I see it

#nobuenoforveleno its on boys

 

[MMC]

www.eliteprospects.com/player.php?player=233499

Patrick Khodorenko. He's a 2nd-year eligible, but is a late birthday. (1998) Anybody have any info on him? Putting up pretty good numbers for Michigan State, but I haven't been able to find anything recent about his draft profile. Seems like our type of draft pick; two-way center with some size and offensive ability who's dropped off the board since his youth. Skating was a major issue from the 2017 draft profile I read but I don't know if that's improved at all. Could be worth going after with a late-round pick.

I remember him being talked about as a potential first overall pick for last year’s draft.

 

[Fighter]

I'd love to have a guy named Veleno in Anaheim haha (it's the italian word for "poison").

 

[eternalbedhead]

I remember him being talked about as a potential first overall pick for last year’s draft.

I was honestly surprised no one took him last year. It'll be interesting to see if he goes this time around.

 

[Kalv]

He`s 20 but maybe worth a shot with some lower rounder. Although I doubt it, we have never really drafted out of Russia with this scouting staff. I assume we just doesn`t have scouts there.
This play is nothing jaw opening but the guy has solid size, looks like he can move and snap a wrister and 7p in 22 KHL games.

 

[WhatTheDuck]

He`s 20 but maybe worth a shot with some lower rounder. Although I doubt it, we have never really drafted out of Russia with this scouting staff. I assume we just doesn`t have scouts there.
This play is nothing jaw opening but the guy has solid size, looks like he can move and snap a wrister and 7p in 22 KHL games.

We have a Russian scout (Konstantin Krylov) covering Europe but not specifically anyone just scouting Russia.

 

[Kalv]

We have a Russian scout (Konstantin Krylov) covering Europe but not specifically anyone just scouting Russia.

Ah, I didn`t knew that. Then we are at least somewhat ''watching'' there. I guess he has not been too confident in any players
But maybe he was the one suggesting Kase. Although maybe not, as I was excited about Kase as soon as I saw the WJC video of his play, before he was drafted. From that video alone I would have been ok to spend a higher rounder than 7th on him.

Interesting, what level of involvement this Konstantin is having. We have never really drafted anyone from there. Maybe he is just answering phones with ''meh nothing interesting here'' and goes off drinking vodka and swiming in a freezing water while fighting off bears and wolves with his bear hands. Who knows.

The Swedish scout is doing good. Or we have several there?

 

[WhatTheDuck]

Ah, I didn`t knew that. Then we are at least somewhat ''watching'' there. I guess he has not been too confident in any players
But maybe he was the one suggesting Kase. Although maybe not, as I was excited about Kase as soon as I saw the WJC video of his play, before he was drafted. From that video alone I would have been ok to spend a higher rounder than 7th on him.

Interesting, what level of involvement this Konstantin is having. We have never really drafted anyone from there. Maybe he is just answering phones with ''meh nothing interesting here'' and goes off drinking vodka and swiming in a freezing water while fighting off bears and wolves with his bear hands. Who knows.

The Swedish scout is doing good. Or we have several there?

www.ocregister.com/2016/12/10/rookie-ondrej-kase-gives-ducks-a-spark-with-his-puck-handling-skill-and-hockey-sense/amp/

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

He`s 20 but maybe worth a shot with some lower rounder. Although I doubt it, we have never really drafted out of Russia with this scouting staff. I assume we just doesn`t have scouts there.
This play is nothing jaw opening but the guy has solid size, looks like he can move and snap a wrister and 7p in 22 KHL games.

He looks like he has NHL size... actually seems like a guy you could turn into a bottom pairing dmen with a late pick in the draft

 

[Dr Johnny Fever]

As someone who doesn't follow all the other levels of hockey I'd just like to say thanks to all here that do so, and then share their findings. I enjoy reading through the scouting you all do.

Thanks.

 

[Goose of Reason]

Another guy that fits the profile of touted guys that fall a bit is Jake Wise. A few years back I remember the 3 W's of Wise, Oliver Wahlstrom and Bode Wilde being big names to watch coming up from US players. Wilde and Wahlstrom are generally being ranked as top 10/20 prospects whereas Wise has seemed to drop to 2nd round status. I'm not sure what brought on the drop, he's listed as 5'10 on eliteprospects so it could be a size thing and I'm not sure how his skating is. He has 5 points in 3 games with the NTDP and had 6 in 8 at the U18s this year so his numbers still seem good. He might be injured but I can't find anything on that. Anyhow, he could be a target for us in the 2nd round.

 

[Kalv]

www.ocregister.com/2016/12/10/rookie-ondrej-kase-gives-ducks-a-spark-with-his-puck-handling-skill-and-hockey-sense/amp/

Thanks.

Berkowitz over Kase, ha.

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

Man I hope Veleno lands w/ us that would be amazing... its such a heavy defence draft that I have to imagine a center will be available wherever we pick.