Mintyukov
Mctavish
Zellweger
Dostal
Luneau
Gaucher
Perreault
Moore
Lopina
Thrun
So, yeah. I like Mctavish a lot, but I believe Mintykov will be the most dynamic defensman this team has seen since Niedermayer and the most dynamic we have ever drafted. I think if he hits his ceiling he will have the effect on the back end that Zegras does up front, in fact this to me is the Zegras defenseman pick.
The parallels are uncanny; seen as almost too flashy for his own good, questioned for his aggressive nature, some light skating concerns, but undeniably confident, dictates play, and one of if not the most creative player in the draft. I think this kid is going to be an absolute home run.
Couple other notes: The list is more who I think will be the most impactful in our lineup. I think Luneau is going to be in our top four as a jack-of-all trades dman for a long time. I think Gaucher has lower upside than Perreault, but is going to consistently be a difference-maker in the lineup for us in a way Perreault has not shown. Think Max Jones with better hands and not injured.
I am a huge believer in Ian Moore. He is such a ball of clay but took big strides this year for Harvard, aided by playing with a steady partner in Thrun who I can see becoming our new age Sean Odonnell.
Lopina may seem out of place, but he was trusted and elevated quickly in San Diego in a way that is rare for a new pro. He may only be a fourth line center but I think he becomes a mainstay Pker and big time matchup player in the not too distant future.
I am not sold on Pastujov. I think he has special hands but his pace is going to be too slow for him to overcome. I like Tracey a lot, but his game is suited for down low and I dont think he has the frame to sustain that. His skating isn't good enough to be a purely skilled player, either. I hope I'm wrong there.
I don't have a good read on Warren. He has athletic traits that we can drool over, but will he be able to play with the puck enough to be in the lineup effectively? He is the most likely to make this list look bad.