Five sleepers for 2018 draft

[ChicagoBullsFan]

Linus Nyman Kingston Frontenacs
Niklas Nordgren HIFK ( especially if Nordgren has good or very good U18 WJC's)

 

[57special]

I don't agree that he's the best defensive prospect on the team, but I think Samuelsson is one of the more underrated players in this draft.

I think he's one of the most NHL ready players. He could probably play the role that every team's 5-6D plug plays as soon as next season. I've found in the games I've watched that he's very good defensively, well beyond his fellow NTDP defensemen when it comes to defending. Outside of Dahlin, I'm not sure there's a player in this draft who defends better than him currently.

I think Wilde has higher potential though. Miller might have higher potential, but I don't think he shows yet enough to have me rank him above Samuelsson. Wilde is very good offensively, and I think he has good defensive tools, the decision making just isn't there yet. I think he'll improve in that area though.

Miller is a project at D. I'd like to see him go back to playing forward, if he doesn't show some improvement. Some guys just aren't cut out for playing D.

 

[FinPanda]

Severi Lahtinen

34p in 29 Mestis games (FIN-2) and 3 points in 12 Liiga games.

 

[Whalers Fan]

Miller is a project at D. I'd like to see him go back to playing forward, if he doesn't show some improvement. Some guys just aren't cut out for playing D.

I agree with this. Miller really struggles to cover his opponent on the rush -- he looks uncomfortable and awkward in that situation. He'll get even more exposed as he moves up to higher levels of play.

As for Bode Wilde, I do agree with Pavel that his issues are more with decision-making than technique. Whether he can overcome this with better coaching, or if he just has a low hockey IQ, remains to be seen. He is much more of a "boom or bust" prospect than Samuelsson. One thing in Wilde's favor, though, is that he hasn't been done any favors with the coaching switch on the NTDP this season from Danton Cole (now at Michigan State) to Seth Appert, who came from RPI. The entire squad looks terrible defensively most nights -- I cannot remember the last time I've seen a major junior team give up so many breakaways and odd-man rushes due to poor positioning. These same U18 players were not this undisciplined last season as the U17's under Cole.

 

[57special]

Miller is even a project at forward, but he has a lot of potential.

It seems that there are a lot of Dmen prospects that have a lot of "PMD tools", but at the expense of defensive acumen. Meanwhile, at the NHL level, I see a dearth of fleet footed, skilled, high IQ, Dmen who play excellent defense. Everyone wants to be Paul Coffey out there...which is fine, if you're Brent Burns or Klingberg, but ...

 

[Frk It]

I wouldn’t give up on Miller at defense yet; plus he’s going to Wisconsin who has Granato, which should be perfect for his development as a defenseman.

Most young defenseman have some warts, nevertheless guys who switched postions. Give it time.

 

[North Country]

Colin Schmidt - size, tools, and will explode as a prospect when he's done at his high school program. A team will steal him from where he's currently ranked.

 

[firstemperor]

As of now,

Ty Dellandrea, Foudy, Regula, Miller, Hayton, Samuelsson of the N.A guys

 

[landy92mack29]

Ty Dellandrea
Eric Florchuk
Chase Wouters
Luka Burzan
Austin Wong

 

[AmericanDream]

I will also add Jay O'Brien - Thayer Academy/Youngstown -USHL - heading to Providence College -

I have been talking about him a lot more lately, keep an eye out on this kid. 2nd-3rd rounder with a mountain of upside and potential.

 

[DudeWhereIsMakar]

Riley Stotts. I made a thread on him because he impressed me, was on a stacked Swift Current Bronco's team, traded to Calgary and he's already one of their top scorers. I'd 100% take him with my pick.

 

[HasbeenHallzy]

Kody Clarke.

 

[TheMadHatTrick]

Beaudin and Regula are not talked about a lot.

 

[Cap'n Flavour]

My top three sleepers:

Kody Clark: He's not a traditional 4 hours of REM type of sleeper, but this kid has the best power naps of anyone in his age group. He's the kind of guy who can pass out for 15 minutes and wake up completely refreshed and energized.
Demid Mansurov: Russia isn't traditionally known for producing reliable sleepers, but he's a rock. Give him a good pillow and he'll doze right through a rock concert next to an international airport.
Sean Dhooghe: Everyone talks about his size as a disadvantage, but it can be a positive too - Dhooghe is the most versatile sleeper in the draft and can curl up or fold himself to sleep in tiny cracks and crevices that bigger kids would struggle to get a leg into.

HM: Jakub Skarek - absolutely booming exhalations. Wow can he snore!

 

[iserafimov16]

What about Saleh Stevens MMA?

 

[emptyNedder]

Nyman has made me look prescient: 8 points (4 and 4) in 3 games since identifying him as a sleeper last week. My guess is he could end up being late 2nd rounder if he keeps it up.

 

[Kshahdoo]

Bulat Shafigullin is 18+16 after 20 games in the MHL. Better than Kucherov was in his draft year, who had 27+31 after 41 games. Good size as well with 6'1, played in the KHL this season.

 

[Fantomas]

Bulat Shafigullin is 18+16 after 20 games in the MHL. Better than Kucherov was in his draft year, who had 27+31 after 41 games. Good size as well with 6'1, played in the KHL this season.

A bit younger than Kucherov was, but still intriguing.

 

[ProspectsFanatic]

Jan Jenik and Albin Eriksson, their late birthdays making them a bit unnoticed.

 

[Tryamkin]

1. Khovanov
2. Bernard
3. Bokk
4, Ragnarsson
5. Fouda

Khovanov and Bokk are 1st round picks. Not sleepers.

 

[Tryamkin]

curtis douglas, biggest sleeper in the literal sense

ayy I see what you did there

 

[Tryamkin]

Watch most lists have this guy in the top 100 after the U18 5 nations this month. I'm not sure if I've seen a single list have him higher than 200 yet.

You haven’t seen too many lists then obviously.

 

[Maplebeasts]

Khovanov and Bokk are 1st round picks. Not sleepers.

The only list that has Khovanov in the first round is future considerations.

 

[newdimension]

I'm just gonna throw out a boatload of names that'll possibly be there in the later rounds (3rd round and beyond, most likely) that I like and are worth a pick:

Luka Burzan, Kyle Topping, Toni Utunen, Nils Lundkvist, Alexander Steeves, Wyatt Wyelie, Chase Hartje, Jacob Pivonka, Declan Chisholm, Paul Cotter, Ivan Muranov, Brendan Budy, Ben Almquist, Marc del Gaizo, Jerry Turkulainen, Chase Wouters, Hugo Leufvenius, Scott Perunovich, Severi Lahtinen, Keegan Karki

 

[Tryamkin]

The only list that has Khovanov in the first round is future considerations.

Because most people haven’t seen him due to his Hep A. He’s a first round talent and shouldn’t be a shock if drafted there.