Trade: I traded the 4th OV pick along with Brendan Brisson and a 6th round pick to the Rangers for the 3rd OV pick. Big price to pay, but adding either Fantilli or Carlsson was crucial for my rebuild.
The picks:
1st Round, 3rd overall: F Leo Carlsson
NHL: 1st Round, 2nd overall, Anaheim Ducks
Love how that turned out. The Ducks are the perfect destination for Carlsson and he is going to be the top dog on a team thats going to be loaded with talent in a few years.
1st Round, 30th overall: D Oliver Bonk
NHL: 1st Round, 22nd overall, Philadelphia Flyers
Bonk has what I am looking for in a hockey player: smarts, skills, skating. He needs time to develop but should turn out a top 4 defenseman in 3-4 years for the Flyers.
2nd Round, 36th overall: D Etienne Morin
NHL: 2nd Round, 48th overall, Calgary Flames
The target was Michael Hrabal here, who was picked at 35. As an alternative I went with one of the more talented offensive defensemen in the draft. Some issues to work on, but lots of potential to put up points from the blueline.
2nd Round, 46th overall: D Tanner Molendyk
NHL: 1st Round, 24th overall, Nashville Predators
Smallish defenseman, but how can you not love his skating skills - and he is more than his skating. In my rankings about at 45 was the spot where I expected a drop in talent, so it was quite surprising that Molendyk was still there.
2nd Round, 50th overall: G Adam Gajan
NHL: 2nd Round, 35th overall, Chicago Blackhawks
BPA at this point for me and a goalie to boot. If i had gotten Hrabal at 36, i might have picked a forward here, but things turned out nicely. Gajan was the first goalie off the board in the NHL draft.
3rd Round, 68th overall, F Easton Cowan
NHL: 1st Round, 28th overall, Toronto Maple Leafs
Smarts, skills, skating. London Knights again, as with Bonk. Appealing enough to the Leafs to draft him in the first round.
3rd Round, 86th overall, G Damien Clara
NHL: 2nd Round, 60th overall, Anaheim Ducks
Clara received a good chunk of his hockey education in Austria. Also played against Austria at the WJC-18 B group. Also already debuted for the Italian Men's team, not looking out of place. A huge, very athletic goalie who is technically sound - i really believe the question with him is not IF, but WHEN he is keeping pucks out of NHL nets.
7th Round, 196th overall, F Gavyn Thoreson
NHL: undrafted
A 5'8 I did not believe that Thoreson would be drafted. Kid is very skilled tough and I expect him to terrorize the USHL next season before heading to St. Cloud State in the fall of 2024.
7th Round, 219th overall, F Benjamin Rautiainen
NHL: undrafted
Another player I did not expect to get drafted this season. He does have some sleeper potential though and that was worth a 7th round pick to me.
The picks:
1st Round, 3rd overall: F Leo Carlsson
NHL: 1st Round, 2nd overall, Anaheim Ducks
Love how that turned out. The Ducks are the perfect destination for Carlsson and he is going to be the top dog on a team thats going to be loaded with talent in a few years.
1st Round, 30th overall: D Oliver Bonk
NHL: 1st Round, 22nd overall, Philadelphia Flyers
Bonk has what I am looking for in a hockey player: smarts, skills, skating. He needs time to develop but should turn out a top 4 defenseman in 3-4 years for the Flyers.
2nd Round, 36th overall: D Etienne Morin
NHL: 2nd Round, 48th overall, Calgary Flames
The target was Michael Hrabal here, who was picked at 35. As an alternative I went with one of the more talented offensive defensemen in the draft. Some issues to work on, but lots of potential to put up points from the blueline.
2nd Round, 46th overall: D Tanner Molendyk
NHL: 1st Round, 24th overall, Nashville Predators
Smallish defenseman, but how can you not love his skating skills - and he is more than his skating. In my rankings about at 45 was the spot where I expected a drop in talent, so it was quite surprising that Molendyk was still there.
2nd Round, 50th overall: G Adam Gajan
NHL: 2nd Round, 35th overall, Chicago Blackhawks
BPA at this point for me and a goalie to boot. If i had gotten Hrabal at 36, i might have picked a forward here, but things turned out nicely. Gajan was the first goalie off the board in the NHL draft.
3rd Round, 68th overall, F Easton Cowan
NHL: 1st Round, 28th overall, Toronto Maple Leafs
Smarts, skills, skating. London Knights again, as with Bonk. Appealing enough to the Leafs to draft him in the first round.
3rd Round, 86th overall, G Damien Clara
NHL: 2nd Round, 60th overall, Anaheim Ducks
Clara received a good chunk of his hockey education in Austria. Also played against Austria at the WJC-18 B group. Also already debuted for the Italian Men's team, not looking out of place. A huge, very athletic goalie who is technically sound - i really believe the question with him is not IF, but WHEN he is keeping pucks out of NHL nets.
7th Round, 196th overall, F Gavyn Thoreson
NHL: undrafted
A 5'8 I did not believe that Thoreson would be drafted. Kid is very skilled tough and I expect him to terrorize the USHL next season before heading to St. Cloud State in the fall of 2024.
7th Round, 219th overall, F Benjamin Rautiainen
NHL: undrafted
Another player I did not expect to get drafted this season. He does have some sleeper potential though and that was worth a 7th round pick to me.
