Life was a little complicated heading into this draft so my prep time was a fraction of what it normally is. Not that I'm the best drafter or prospect whisperer out there but I've always enjoyed building out rankings and trying to find the players I like. Feeling unprepared isn't a good place so I started looking at options to trade my 1st rounder (#19). Not only would it remove a little of the pressure, depending on the direction I went, it could be used to keep my window of competing open a tiny bit longer.
After a little hunting around a deal came to me that seemed to make too much sense to pass on so I pulled the trigger on acquiring Mattias Samuelsson. He's not someone with crazy upside but he's only 23, already seeing success enough in the NHL to earn a long term extension (at a reasonable $4.3m that will keep my cap happier) that I can hopefully plug into my 2nd pair for many years to come. Perhaps not a best case scenario for the 19th pick, but he's immediate help and way way better than the worst case of someone that never turns out.
With that trade done, I entered the draft with 9 picks, first of which was at 51...
2.41 - Anton Wahlberg, F - 6' 3, 194 lbs - Malmo Jr, SweJR
As my shortlist of players for pick 51 started running out I made the decision to trade up, eventually finding a deal for the 41st pick. I had another player at the top of my list (Tanner Molendyk) but my Director of Amateur Scouting had Wahlberg at the top of his. I deferred to his expertise and selected Wahlberg.
He needs to refine his skating but he finished the season climbing draft boards all over thanks to his enticing skill/size combo that seemed to only improve as the year went on. He split time between Malmo's J20 & SHL teams, not looking out of place in limited time with the big club. We're hoping he can keep the upward trajectory going, turning himself into a top 6 skilled forward with size, but even if his development stalls, he has the chance to make it as a good depth 3rd liner.
3.66 - Carson Bjarnason, G - 6' 3, 186 lbs - Brandon, WHL
After the move up to take Wahlberg I looked at a couple other deals to move up again. First with the intention of taking Molendyk, who went to Nashville at 46, then to take Nick Lardis, who went at 53. With both of them off the board I decided to wait on 66.
Another selection I was urged to make by my Director of Amateur Scouting. I haven't had much (any) luck drafting goalies, and haven't selected one this early in a while, but I'm always game to take at least one a year.
Bjarnason had the opposite season as Wahlberg. He started off hot and finished on a bit of a down note, scaring some scouts along the way. He has good size and athleticism for the position and was tabbed as the #1 for Canada's U18 team before getting injured. In the end, goalies are a mystery to me, but enough people out there thing he has the potential to be a starter, so I'm in.
3.69 - Coulson Pitre, F - 6' 1, 172 lbs - Flint, OHL
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Only a couple picks later and I was back on the clock. The player at the top of my list for pick 66 had just gone (Easton Cowan) so I went with the next in line.
There's a bit of a mixed bag of reviews out there on Pitre but he rated pretty highly through most sources still. He's noted as being underrated and extremely hard working, someone that seems to be able to fit in a variety of different roles for a team. He might be more likely to be a complementary player if he makes it to the NHL, but if he's able to use his smarts and effort to be that player in a top 6 role, I'll take it.
3.87 - Carter Sotheran, D - 6' 3, 197 lbs - Portland, WHL
I leaned towards a forward with this pick but was once again convinced to go another direction. Bit of a theme here as my lack of prep time for this draft left me less confident with some picks than usual.
Sotheran is another player with pro size, something that wasn't necessarily a plan going in, but that's how things ended up. His strength is in transition as he's able to retrieve pucks and get them up ice in a hurry. Didn't produce big offensive numbers but is good with the puck and may have a little offensive upside, at least in the WHL. There are mixed reviews on his skating with the consensus being it needs some work. At this spot, I like the upside.
3.95 - Felix Unger Sorum, RW - 5' 11, 170 lbs - Leksand Jr, SweJr
The one exception to the pro size comment above, Unger Sorum would end up as the only sub 6 footer drafted. A last second offer from another team was almost enough to get me to trade out but I was thrilled when he was still on the board here as this was the player I almost took at 87.
Not always the best at making reads on players, Unger Sorum intrigued me. First, after missing out on representing his country at the Hlinka, his play improved throughout the season to the point he was one of Sweden's better players at the U18's in April. He has a decent shot but excelled as a playmaker, finishing 2nd in assists in the SweJr league. All of this while being the youngest player in the draft, so even though he might need a little extra time, I love the trajectory.
4.115 - Emil Pieniniemi, D - 6' 2, 170 lbs - Karpat Jr, FinJr
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Things always get a little fuzzy for me with day two lists but Pieniniemi was the top on my board so I was happy to land him this far into the 4th.
Arguably the most talented Finish D of his age group, Pieniniemi should have lots of opportunity to play on the biggest stage for his country for the next few years. There may not be any elite skills here but I'll hope he becomes a strong enough all around player to have an impact down the road.
5.147 - Justin Kipkie, D - 6' 3, 195 lbs - Victoria, WHL
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Victoria was awful last season so the situation wasn't ideal but I'm pleased to land a player on my local team here. He played much of the year with fellow draft eligible defender Kalem Parker, who seems to be who more scouts were focused on, but people continuously came away impressed with Kipkie. Yet another player with good size, he also displayed some good development with his puck skills as the year went on. Straight line skating is fine but lateral quickness needs to improve for him to take his game to the big league.
5.154 - Alex Pharand, F - 6' 2, 198 lbs - Sudbury, OHL
Perhaps not a super high upside pick here, Pharand plays a straightforward game that's likely to make him an impact player in the OHL for the next 2-3 seasons, but may not have the skill to go onto NHL success. I'll be happy if he can turn himself into a 4th line energy player.
6.179 - Vadim Moroz, F - 6' 2, 185 lbs - Minsk, KHL
Moroz is an overager, going undrafted in the NHL last year. His promotion to the KHL and strong production (5th in U20 scoring) put him on Black Books radar, and hopefully a few NHL teams as well. Real boom or bust pick here, which I'm fine with in the 6th round.
All told, I'm pretty happy with how this draft ended up for me. It's the first draft in as long as I can remember (possibly ever?) that I didn't take a Russian player (Moroz is from Belarus) or someone from the QMJHL. What I did end up with is a nice positional & geographic balance though.
2 x Centre
3 x Winger
3 x Defenceman
1 x Goalie
3 x WHL
2 x OHL
2 x SweJr
1 x FinJr
1 x KHL
After a little hunting around a deal came to me that seemed to make too much sense to pass on so I pulled the trigger on acquiring Mattias Samuelsson. He's not someone with crazy upside but he's only 23, already seeing success enough in the NHL to earn a long term extension (at a reasonable $4.3m that will keep my cap happier) that I can hopefully plug into my 2nd pair for many years to come. Perhaps not a best case scenario for the 19th pick, but he's immediate help and way way better than the worst case of someone that never turns out.
With that trade done, I entered the draft with 9 picks, first of which was at 51...
2.41 - Anton Wahlberg, F - 6' 3, 194 lbs - Malmo Jr, SweJR
As my shortlist of players for pick 51 started running out I made the decision to trade up, eventually finding a deal for the 41st pick. I had another player at the top of my list (Tanner Molendyk) but my Director of Amateur Scouting had Wahlberg at the top of his. I deferred to his expertise and selected Wahlberg.
He needs to refine his skating but he finished the season climbing draft boards all over thanks to his enticing skill/size combo that seemed to only improve as the year went on. He split time between Malmo's J20 & SHL teams, not looking out of place in limited time with the big club. We're hoping he can keep the upward trajectory going, turning himself into a top 6 skilled forward with size, but even if his development stalls, he has the chance to make it as a good depth 3rd liner.
3.66 - Carson Bjarnason, G - 6' 3, 186 lbs - Brandon, WHL
After the move up to take Wahlberg I looked at a couple other deals to move up again. First with the intention of taking Molendyk, who went to Nashville at 46, then to take Nick Lardis, who went at 53. With both of them off the board I decided to wait on 66.
Another selection I was urged to make by my Director of Amateur Scouting. I haven't had much (any) luck drafting goalies, and haven't selected one this early in a while, but I'm always game to take at least one a year.
Bjarnason had the opposite season as Wahlberg. He started off hot and finished on a bit of a down note, scaring some scouts along the way. He has good size and athleticism for the position and was tabbed as the #1 for Canada's U18 team before getting injured. In the end, goalies are a mystery to me, but enough people out there thing he has the potential to be a starter, so I'm in.
3.69 - Coulson Pitre, F - 6' 1, 172 lbs - Flint, OHL
Only a couple picks later and I was back on the clock. The player at the top of my list for pick 66 had just gone (Easton Cowan) so I went with the next in line.
There's a bit of a mixed bag of reviews out there on Pitre but he rated pretty highly through most sources still. He's noted as being underrated and extremely hard working, someone that seems to be able to fit in a variety of different roles for a team. He might be more likely to be a complementary player if he makes it to the NHL, but if he's able to use his smarts and effort to be that player in a top 6 role, I'll take it.
3.87 - Carter Sotheran, D - 6' 3, 197 lbs - Portland, WHL
I leaned towards a forward with this pick but was once again convinced to go another direction. Bit of a theme here as my lack of prep time for this draft left me less confident with some picks than usual.
Sotheran is another player with pro size, something that wasn't necessarily a plan going in, but that's how things ended up. His strength is in transition as he's able to retrieve pucks and get them up ice in a hurry. Didn't produce big offensive numbers but is good with the puck and may have a little offensive upside, at least in the WHL. There are mixed reviews on his skating with the consensus being it needs some work. At this spot, I like the upside.
3.95 - Felix Unger Sorum, RW - 5' 11, 170 lbs - Leksand Jr, SweJr
The one exception to the pro size comment above, Unger Sorum would end up as the only sub 6 footer drafted. A last second offer from another team was almost enough to get me to trade out but I was thrilled when he was still on the board here as this was the player I almost took at 87.
Not always the best at making reads on players, Unger Sorum intrigued me. First, after missing out on representing his country at the Hlinka, his play improved throughout the season to the point he was one of Sweden's better players at the U18's in April. He has a decent shot but excelled as a playmaker, finishing 2nd in assists in the SweJr league. All of this while being the youngest player in the draft, so even though he might need a little extra time, I love the trajectory.
4.115 - Emil Pieniniemi, D - 6' 2, 170 lbs - Karpat Jr, FinJr
Things always get a little fuzzy for me with day two lists but Pieniniemi was the top on my board so I was happy to land him this far into the 4th.
Arguably the most talented Finish D of his age group, Pieniniemi should have lots of opportunity to play on the biggest stage for his country for the next few years. There may not be any elite skills here but I'll hope he becomes a strong enough all around player to have an impact down the road.
5.147 - Justin Kipkie, D - 6' 3, 195 lbs - Victoria, WHL
Victoria was awful last season so the situation wasn't ideal but I'm pleased to land a player on my local team here. He played much of the year with fellow draft eligible defender Kalem Parker, who seems to be who more scouts were focused on, but people continuously came away impressed with Kipkie. Yet another player with good size, he also displayed some good development with his puck skills as the year went on. Straight line skating is fine but lateral quickness needs to improve for him to take his game to the big league.
5.154 - Alex Pharand, F - 6' 2, 198 lbs - Sudbury, OHL
Perhaps not a super high upside pick here, Pharand plays a straightforward game that's likely to make him an impact player in the OHL for the next 2-3 seasons, but may not have the skill to go onto NHL success. I'll be happy if he can turn himself into a 4th line energy player.
6.179 - Vadim Moroz, F - 6' 2, 185 lbs - Minsk, KHL
Moroz is an overager, going undrafted in the NHL last year. His promotion to the KHL and strong production (5th in U20 scoring) put him on Black Books radar, and hopefully a few NHL teams as well. Real boom or bust pick here, which I'm fine with in the 6th round.
All told, I'm pretty happy with how this draft ended up for me. It's the first draft in as long as I can remember (possibly ever?) that I didn't take a Russian player (Moroz is from Belarus) or someone from the QMJHL. What I did end up with is a nice positional & geographic balance though.
2 x Centre
3 x Winger
3 x Defenceman
1 x Goalie
3 x WHL
2 x OHL
2 x SweJr
1 x FinJr
1 x KHL
