FC's Final Ranking for 2018

[Aaron Vickers]

Hey guys, a few weeks ago we rolled out our Final ranking for the 2018 NHL Draft. Not sure I saw a thread, so wanted to point them out. There's the ability to flip back through each of our top-100 rankings (five in all) throughout the season. If I'm duplicating a thread, my apologies and please merge.

FC Hockey | 2018 NHL Draft Ranking

If you have a question, feel free to leave it and I'll relay it back to our group.

Enjoy.

1	Dahlin, Rasmus	Frolunda	SHL	D	6’2	180	SWE
2	Svechnikov, Andrei	Barrie	OHL	RW	6’2	185	RUS
3	Zadina, Filip	Halifax	QMJHL	LW	6’0	200	CZE
4	Tkachuk, Brady	Boston University	NCAA	LW	6'3	200	USA
5	Wahlstrom, Oliver	NTDP U18	USHL	C	6'1	170	USA
6	Hughes, Quinn	U Michigan	NCAA	D	5'10	175	USA
7	Boqvist, Adam	Brynas	J20 Superelit	D	5’11	170	SWE
8	Bouchard, Evan	London	OHL	D	6’2	180	CAN
9	Smith, Ty	Spokane	WHL	D	5’11	175	CAN
10	Dobson, Noah	Acadie-Bathurst	QMJHL	D	6’3	180	CAN

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Click to read more...

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Hey guys, a few weeks ago we rolled out our Final ranking for the 2018 NHL Draft. Not sure I saw a thread, so wanted to point them out. There's the ability to flip back through each of our top-100 rankings (five in all) throughout the season. If I'm duplicating a thread, my apologies and please merge.

FC Hockey | 2018 NHL Draft Ranking

If you have a question, feel free to leave it and I'll relay it back to our group.

Enjoy.

1	Dahlin, Rasmus	Frolunda	SHL	D	6’2	180	SWE
2	Svechnikov, Andrei	Barrie	OHL	RW	6’2	185	RUS
3	Zadina, Filip	Halifax	QMJHL	LW	6’0	200	CZE
4	Tkachuk, Brady	Boston University	NCAA	LW	6'3	200	USA
5	Wahlstrom, Oliver	NTDP U18	USHL	C	6'1	170	USA
6	Hughes, Quinn	U Michigan	NCAA	D	5'10	175	USA
7	Boqvist, Adam	Brynas	J20 Superelit	D	5’11	170	SWE
8	Bouchard, Evan	London	OHL	D	6’2	180	CAN
9	Smith, Ty	Spokane	WHL	D	5’11	175	CAN
10	Dobson, Noah	Acadie-Bathurst	QMJHL	D	6’3	180	CAN

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Thanks for this.
I would be interested in the tiers and how closely the top 15 are ranked.

I'd also like Tkachuk vs Wahlstrom analysis. Hughes vs Boqvist. Bouchard vs Smith vs Dobson. If you're group is willing to provide.. thanks

 

[AmericanDream]

appreciate the effort Aaron!

pretty surprising to see Wilde so high, and Miller top 20..I know they both have so much upside which is why you probably have them ranked there, but their play has been so up and down, they both are risky picks IMO, no fear wit either?? I liked M Samuelsson above both of them this year, and feel Emberson out of that group might have the longest pro career when it is all said and done.

enjoyed the read, thanks again!

 

[Aerrol]

Big surprise to me is ranking Smith over Dobson. Would love to hear the reasoning behind that - I am fairly skeptical of Dobson's upside vs Hughes, Boqvist and Bouchard, but he definitely has impressed this year, stepping up in big games.

 

[Lays]

Why is McLaughlin so low? I’m a big fan of his (have him ranked in the 20s personally.) so I’m just curious

 

[Kevin Musto]

Real happy with that Smith ranking. He's 10th in my ranking and ahead of Dobson and Bouchard. It's bizarre that he's rarely in the discussion of who's the best D amongst Hughes, Bouchard, Dobson and Boqvist.

 

[Aaron Vickers]

Thanks for this.
I would be interested in the tiers and how closely the top 15 are ranked.

I'd also like Tkachuk vs Wahlstrom analysis. Hughes vs Boqvist. Bouchard vs Smith vs Dobson. If you're group is willing to provide.. thanks

To answer this one quickly, we had a clear consensus top-3 and that order clearly defined. Then it sort of became a bit of a mashup, as you can imagine.

To your point, we had Wahlstrom over Tkachuk until our final debates. To expand, the discussion to order our next three also involved Hughes. We opted with Hughes third, and turned the debate into what you've asked about. In the end (and to condense a larger chat), our group liked Tkachuk's all-round game over Wahlstrom's offensive potential. No doubt Wahlstrom's upside to produce is greater, but Tkachuk, in our eyes, has the ability to impact more areas.

To circle back on the rest of your question, we were pretty clear on who our top-10 was going to be. It's just a matter of getting the order correctly to our liking. Slotting the next five to get to 15 opened up more debate (Kotkaniemi/Kupari, and where to slot each, being a focal point of that discussion), and to extend it to 20, we had guys grouped very close together.

In terms of Hughes vs. Boqvist and the slotting order of Bouchard/Smith/Dobson, we're talking razor-thin differences here. Literally one spot each. Comes down to who yells the loudest! (only half-joking).

 

[Aaron Vickers]

Real happy with that Smith ranking. He's 10th in my ranking and ahead of Dobson and Bouchard. It's bizarre that he's rarely in the discussion of who's the best D amongst Hughes, Bouchard, Dobson and Boqvist.

Down year for the WHL in general, in terms of the NHL Draft, may play a bit of a role in that. It's not the most flattering year out West in general. Fortunately, 2019 is a big year for the region.

I'll try to tackle a few more of these questions as we progress through the week(end). Have questions out to a few of our regional guys to tackle specific in-league questions.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

To answer this one quickly, we had a clear consensus top-3 and that order clearly defined. Then it sort of became a bit of a mashup, as you can imagine.

To your point, we had Wahlstrom over Tkachuk until our final debates. To expand, the discussion to order our next three also involved Hughes. We opted with Hughes third, and turned the debate into what you've asked about. In the end (and to condense a larger chat), our group liked Tkachuk's all-round game over Wahlstrom's offensive potential. No doubt Wahlstrom's upside to produce is greater, but Tkachuk, in our eyes, has the ability to impact more areas.

To circle back on the rest of your question, we were pretty clear on who our top-10 was going to be. It's just a matter of getting the order correctly to our liking. Slotting the next five to get to 15 opened up more debate (Kotkaniemi/Kupari, and where to slot each, being a focal point of that discussion), and to extend it to 20, we had guys grouped very close together.

In terms of Hughes vs. Boqvist and the slotting order of Bouchard/Smith/Dobson, we're talking razor-thin differences here. Literally one spot each. Comes down to who yells the loudest! (only half-joking).

Much appreciated .. thanks

 

[Marc the Habs Fan]

I was surprised about Addison being so low. Is there a key reason as to why?

Also, I would like more info on Vladislav Kotkov. What does FC see in this player that the stats don't tell?

 

[Aaron Vickers]

Why is McLaughlin so low? I’m a big fan of his (have him ranked in the 20s personally.) so I’m just curious

Slowly getting around to more and more of these (currently on vacation, but do get to take some time in the mornings to pitch questions to our regional guys).

Consistency was one of the big factors. Predictability in his game was another.

Excerpt from our 2018 NHL Draft Guide: "There’s enough performance to project NHL potential for the Grand Rapids, Minn., native. Consistency is something to brush up, as scouts were faced with night- and-day viewings."

And directly from one of our USHL guys: "He's a very skilled player, intriguing hands and mobility with the puck, finds ways to generate offense / score goals and produce points… Plays high energy and great vision… can get robotic at times and his skating is good, but could be better."

 

[Aaron Vickers]

Real happy with that Smith ranking. He's 10th in my ranking and ahead of Dobson and Bouchard. It's bizarre that he's rarely in the discussion of who's the best D amongst Hughes, Bouchard, Dobson and Boqvist.

On Smith, from our head WHL guy:

He's a highly skilled puck mover who accesses a tonne or possibilities with his skating, skills and sense. Plays with a conscience in his own and seldom takes a short cut that leads to mistakes. Has the upside no other in Western Canada has in his class in that he should be able to play top pairing minutes and produce offence while not giving up any ground defensively.

Also lauded his leadership and work ethic.

 

[theVladiator]

Really do not get Kravtsov at 28. Very rarely a prospect achieves so much in a pro league before the draft. What are the flaws that made you drop him so far?

 

[steveat]

Really do not get Kravtsov at 28. Very rarely a prospect achieves so much in a pro league before the draft. What are the flaws that made you drop him so far?

No flaws.

Kravtsov didn't do anything wrong..it's because he is under contract with a KHL team and..TO ME, I doubt he will come over until his last year of his ELC. The only time a KHL prospect comes over to play earlier is if he is guaranteed a spot on the team. Or why else would you come to NA? He makes more money in the K. Others magically think he's be over here playing AHL for 1-2-3 years and then work his way onto the team...culture is different there..they don't do that.

 

[Aaron Vickers]

Really do not get Kravtsov at 28. Very rarely a prospect achieves so much in a pro league before the draft. What are the flaws that made you drop him so far?

To answer your question, part of the thought process behind Kravtsov, via Dennis Schellenberg, our lead European scout (grab a coffee and plunge in):

Kravtsov is a technically gifted player that can undress opposing defensemen, no doubt. He has had a fantastic playoff run for Chelyabinsk and really impressed me with his impact he had scoring clutch goals. However, I’d not overrate it and look at his overall season. Playing for the national junior team, he did not always impress me and disappeared over stretches. Kravtsov really needs to add strength in his lower body and legs as he can be separated too easily and loses balance too quickly. His defensive game still needs developing as well as he tries to play his man in his own zone, however, still floats around the defensive zone too many times already thinking of a quick counter attack.

I don’t think he plays a bottom-six type of game for North America and therefore it is either top six or nothing for him. I’m also not sure if he is the type of player that would play AHL and fight his way through into the NHL in case he doesn’t make it to the big league right away.

Nevertheless, he is a gifted player and can be a dangerous offensive catalyst if he lands in the right hands.

 

[theVladiator]

To answer your question, part of the thought process behind Kravtsov, via Dennis Schellenberg, our lead European scout (grab a coffee and plunge in):

Really appreciate the detailed response. But reading the report actually re-enforces my disagreement with this ranking, because I do not think it's a very good report. Here is why:

• We are invited to expand the scope beyond the small sample of 16 KHL playoff games, and consider the "whole season". To do that we are seemingly offered a much more representative sample of 4(!) junior national team games.
• The criticisms feel so generic, they become meaningless. How many players can you name that do not have consistency issues at this age? How many offensively talented players can be described as defensively responsible at this age?
• The lack of strength and balance rings hollow in the light of working his way up from 4th line minutes to a larger role and an important scorer by the end of the season. Against men, in the 2nd strongest pro league in the world. If he can do that while lacking strength, someone should grab him in the top 5 (Elias Pettersson, anyone?).

Sorry for the harsh tone, it's a reflection of my frustration.

 

[boredmale]

I think Wise and Drury are rated way to low(you have both early 3rd rounds). I have to believe teams looking for center will pick these guys by mid 2nd at latest

 

[Leopain]

I wonder why you have Gogolev in your top 100 but no Der-Arguchintsev. I thought Gogolev's production was more due to SDA's playmaking than anything else.

 

[Aaron Vickers]

Really appreciate the detailed response. But reading the report actually re-enforces my disagreement with this ranking, because I do not think it's a very good report. Here is why:

• We are invited to expand the scope beyond the small sample of 16 KHL playoff games, and consider the "whole season". To do that we are seemingly offered a much more representative sample of 4(!) junior national team games.
• The criticisms feel so generic, they become meaningless. How many players can you name that do not have consistency issues at this age? How many offensively talented players can be described as defensively responsible at this age?
• The lack of strength and balance rings hollow in the light of working his way up from 4th line minutes to a larger role and an important scorer by the end of the season. Against men, in the 2nd strongest pro league in the world. If he can do that while lacking strength, someone should grab him in the top 5 (Elias Pettersson, anyone?).

Sorry for the harsh tone, it's a reflection of my frustration.

Sorry Vlad, I'm travelling right now and haven't touched the laptop for a few days.

I think what Dennis was trying to portray in terms of games is also a large sample from the regular season (including the 35 games in the KHL and nine in the VHL), in addition to any international experience. There's no doubting Kravtsov's growth, and there's a reason we have him ranked within the first round of the draft (we've had him 43 or higher since last June). We believe in him as a first-round talent for the draft, but there are aspects of his game that our group isn't particularly fond of. Time will bore that out.

 

[Aaron Vickers]

I think Wise and Drury are rated way to low(you have both early 3rd rounds). I have to believe teams looking for center will pick these guys by mid 2nd at latest

In this draft, I would suggest there isn't much separating a guy that we have ranked 65th (Drury) or 63rd (Wise) from being a mid-to-late second round pick. A jump of 15-20 spots wouldn't be a shocker in this range, and I think as centers, you're right in the fact that they may go higher. Having said that, our philosophy in ranking players is BPA (we do our rankings as if we were team 32, but in that we have no organizational strengths or weaknesses we'd be looking to address).

 

[Aaron Vickers]

I wonder why you have Gogolev in your top 100 but no Der-Arguchintsev. I thought Gogolev's production was more due to SDA's playmaking than anything else.

Almost universally, each of our OHL scouts had Gogolev well above Der-Arguchintsev when submitting lists for our final ranking (It might've been unanimous...I'm just doing a quick search through those conversations). I'll try to press them for some feedback.

 

[Aaron Vickers]

I wonder why you have Gogolev in your top 100 but no Der-Arguchintsev. I thought Gogolev's production was more due to SDA's playmaking than anything else.

To follow this up, looking back we had one of our OHL guys with DA higher. Gogolev was typically five-six spots higher among our OHL eligibles (which you'll see reflected in our overall ranking beyond 100 if you've happened to pick up our guide). Biggest thing is projectability moving forward, not so much their production this season.

Via one of our guys:

The thing with Der-Arguchintsev is he’s physically immature and struggled going through traffic and although he has some slick hands and playmaking ability, would like to see him develop more. Goglev is a big power forward guy who can take the puck to the net but I’m really concerned with his skating as it is a work in progress.

From another:

Gogolev finishes. Der-Arguchinstev dishes. They’ve both got great offensive instincts but Gogolev has a better shot and bumps his way into the scoring areas.

 

[Leopain]

Thanks, great feedback!

 

[AuraSphere]

Any list that has Noah Dobson at 10 is garbage

 

[danyhabsfan]

Any list that has Noah Dobson at 10 is garbage

I'm not that high on Dobson. I have him #9.