Didnt mean draft some in the first just draft more hitmen in general
[off-topic]
The Hitmen field is tough to gauge this year because the team was so bad, and most of their draft eligibles were picked up in trades (so guys going from bottom-6 roles on good teams to top-6 roles on a bad team). My thoughts:
1) Riley Stotts is a player. He gets overlooked because his production in Swift Current was pathetic, but he was seeing really limited ice on an already stacked team. He moved to Calgary, got put top line centre and top powerplay, and basically went point per game on one of the worst teams in the league. He's a good skater and has a hell of a shot. I think he's going to be a steal in the 4th or 5th round, and could be one of those guys that in four years people wonder how so many teams pass on him.
2) Tristan Neilsen has always looked like he's going to be good, but never really grew and his production never moved along. He's always looked really good but small, and every time I watch him I have the thought of "man, in 2 years he's going to be amazing". Of course, now that it's been 4 years of thinking that I'm worried he's never going to get there.
3) Carson Focht is another guy, like Stotts, that came over from a bottom-6 role to a top-6. His production didn't pick up so he doesn't really get the hype Stotts does. I think this is largely utilization based, but he also just doesn't have the tools of the other guys on the list.
4) Yegor Zamula seems to get some traction in deeper draft lists but I can't say he stands out much. Another guy that came over in a mid-season trade and seems... solid.
5) Orca Wiesblatt shows up on some draft lists too, but I think it's mostly that he has a memorable name and the Wiesblatt brothers have been kicked around as a potential "dynasty" family for so long. I really don't see him getting drafted or making the NHL.
6) Drea Esposito, like Nielsen, has always looked like he should develop but never does. He's a lanky, rangy defenceman that skates well but that's about it. Longshot at making the NHL but also has that late-bloomer feel to him.
7) He's low on the list, but Vladislav Yeryomenko is a good overager candidate to be picked. He's steady, can skate well, and has been a big part of team Belarus at the WJC for 2 years now. I think he's a year behind on development because of the whole import thing, so even though this is his second year of draft eligibility, he feels like he's in his first year of eligibility. If he was a year younger, I'd probably put him in the third or fourth round, and wouldn't be surprised to see him get drafted late. If he goes undrafted, he'll almost certainly get a camp invite and is a longshot candidate at a PTO or even a camp signee.
8) I guess technically Mark Kastelic is eligible again this year as an overager as well. He's a gritty forward, and could develop into a bottom-6 guy (think Ryan White), but I don't see why anyone would take a chance on him when there are similar players with higher upside.
Next year looks better with players like Cael Zimmerman, Bryce Bader, and Jackson van de Leest eligible. van de Leest has been occasionally suggested as a first round talent, but I think that's mostly on the mantra of "you can't teach size" (6'6"/215 as a 16 year old).
