2018 Draft Ranking by Ryan Kennedy

[Wooren]

http://www.thehockeynews.com/news/article/2018-draft-rankings-dahlin-stands-out-in-first-edition

1. Dahlin
2. Svechnikov
3. Veleno
4. Boqvist
5. Tkachuk
6. Zadina
7. McLeod
8. Hughes
9. Smith
10. Merkley

Click to read more...

 

[TheFinnishTrap]

Kupari is going to rise like a rocket in this ranking.

 

[FlyTimmo]

I see this draft compared a lot to 2015, but I am not a huge fan of the picks ~3-9. Seemingly pretty average group.

 

[Smeagoal]

Is there any possibility of a Center for example: Veleno, knocking out the top-2?

If a team drafts by need perhaps? or is the gap between the top-2 and rest too wide?

 

[Tryamkin]

Is there any possibility of a Center for example: Veleno, knocking out the top-2?

If a team drafts by need perhaps? or is the gap between the top-2 and rest too wide?

I don't think so. The gap is quite big. Compare it to 2015 in a sense. No one dared think about not taking McDavid and Eichel 1-2. Just different positions.

 

[Tryamkin]

I see this draft compared a lot to 2015, but I am not a huge fan of the picks ~3-9. Seemingly pretty average group.

For me at least, Zadina, Hughes, Veleno, McIssac seem pretty dynamic and I'm excited about that area of the draft.

 

[FlyTimmo]

For me at least, Zadina, Hughes, Veleno, McIssac seem pretty dynamic and I'm excited about that area of the draft.

Dynamic but compared to 2015 it seems weaker. It looks comparable to 2016.

 

[Tryamkin]

Dynamic but compared to 2015 it seems weaker. It looks comparable to 2016.

Completely disagree. Svech and Dahlin are franchise potential players. Hischier and Patrick and 1st line potential players. The 1st round depth of this draft is very very strong when you think about the potential of grabbing players like Woo, Kotkaniemi and Wahlstrom around 20. Guys like Quinn Hughes, Filip Zadina and Joe Veleno would be in the discussion for 1st overall in the 2017 draft.

 

[FlyTimmo]

Completely disagree. Svech and Dahlin are franchise potential players. Hischier and Patrick and 1st line potential players. The 1st round depth of this draft is very very strong when you think about the potential of grabbing players like Woo, Kotkaniemi and Wahlstrom around 20. Guys like Quinn Hughes, Filip Zadina and Joe Veleno would be in the discussion for 1st overall in the 2017 draft.

Did you get the years messed up or something? I said it is comparable to 2016, not 2017. Dahlin/Svech are similar to Matthews/Laine (slight edge to 2016 duo). Similar depth afterwards like: Pool Party, Thachuk, PLD, etc. Only difference being 2016 had stronger forwards, 2018 stronger defenseman. 2015 was better and 2016 looks similar, 2017 was weaker (though nothing is set in stone, a lot can change come the draft). And knowing what we know now, I highly doubt Zadina and Veleno go top 2 in 2017.

 

[Tryamkin]

Did you get the years messed up or something? I said it is comparable to 2016, not 2017. Dahlin/Svech are similar to Matthews/Laine (slight edge to 2016 duo). Similar depth afterwards like: Pool Party, Thachuk, PLD, etc. Only difference being 2016 had stronger forwards, 2018 stronger defenseman. 2015 was better and 2016 looks similar, 2017 was weaker (though nothing is set in stone, a lot can change come the draft). And knowing what we know now, I highly doubt Zadina and Veleno go top 2 in 2017.

Right. Too busy with people degrading this years class that I wasn't paying attention. I would take Zadina 1st overall in 2017 tbh.

 

[Club]

It looks like a pretty strong class to me..

 

[Lays]

Right. Too busy with people degrading this years class that I wasn't paying attention. I would take Zadina 1st overall in 2017 tbh.

Agreed here. Love Zadina

 

[FinnishSniper]

Oh boy, is Kupari going to be surprising everybody! The kid is also playing with the U20 team. Players listed from Finland (Ylönen and Kotkaniemi) weren't even invited.

 

[Killerjas]

Changes to the list:
-Merkley should go top 5
-Boqvist should not be in the top 5

 

[Luddowich]

Changes to the list:
-Merkley should go top 5
-Boqvist should not be in the top 5

Interesting, what makes you think that?

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

There is literally no good case for Merkley over Boqvist right now, other than Merkley being NA.

Boqvist is just as dynamic offensively, maybe even more so. He's a smarter player and he's better defensively.

 

[FinnishSniper]

Changes to the list:
-Merkley should go top 5
-Boqvist should not be in the top 5

Changes to your list:
-Merkley should not go in the top 5
-Boqvist should go in the top 5

Boqvist has a great shot which for me gives the edge to him.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Completely disagree. Svech and Dahlin are franchise potential players. Hischier and Patrick and 1st line potential players. The 1st round depth of this draft is very very strong when you think about the potential of grabbing players like Woo, Kotkaniemi and Wahlstrom around 20. Guys like Quinn Hughes, Filip Zadina and Joe Veleno would be in the discussion for 1st overall in the 2017 draft.

Both from 2017..

2015 (McDavid draft) vs 2016 (Matthews draft) is what the Azir said.

As good as 2016 would be a really strong draft.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Changes to the list:
-Merkley should go top 5
-Boqvist should not be in the top 5

Not for me. At this point I have Boqvist over Merkley. ... I would not be surprised if Merkley fell out of the top 10

 

[ijuka]

Changes to the list:
-Merkley should go top 5
-Boqvist should not be in the top 5

I have some big problems with Merkley's game. He has a lot to prove in order to be a top 5 pick in my eyes. Boqvist is easily ahead for me at this point.

 

[kudla]

Merkley is a top 10 pick, no doubt... better in offense than Boqvist but definitely has to improve his defense

 

[FlyTimmo]

Right. Too busy with people degrading this years class that I wasn't paying attention. I would take Zadina 1st overall in 2017 tbh.

Depends a little on need, but I'd take the centers over the LW. If people think Zadina or Veleno would be #1 in 2017 then maybe this draft class is a tad overrated.

 

[Luddowich]

Depends a little on need, but I'd take the centers over the LW. If people think Zadina or Veleno would be #1 in 2017 then maybe this draft class is a tad overrated.

Veleno and Zadina in my eyes are superior prospects to Hischier, but the majority of my viewings of Hischier and Zadina have been internationally where Zadina is a different animal, dude scored 44 pts in 31 U18 games this season as a late birthday.
Share the view of many that his Extraliga play this season didn't show his true abilities and he's due for a huge breakout clubwise with Halifax.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Merkley is a top 10 pick, no doubt... better in offense than Boqvist but definitely has to improve his defense

Boqvist had two more points at the Hlinka.

 

[ijuka]

Boqvist had two more points at the Hlinka.

Indeed, and even in offense I have to wonder about Merkley's IQ. He skips making seemingly superior plays with the apparent goal of being more flashy.