2018 HF Team Boards Mock Draft -- Pick #18

[mcpw]

Every year there's a mock draft done by the team boards of HF -- here are the results of 2015, 2016, and 2017. Rules are easy: just pick the player you want your team to draft based on who is still available; "trade the pick" is not an option

2018 Mock Draft
1 BUF --- D Rasmus Dahlin 117/126 (93%)
2 CAR --- F Andrei Svechnikov 69/74 (93%)
3 MTL --- F Filip Zadina 56/71 (79%)
4 OTT --- F Brady Tkachuk 38/71 (54%)
5 ARI --- F Oliver Wahlstrom 34/49 (69%)
6 DET --- D Adam Boqvist 41/93 (44%)
7 VAN --- D Quinton Hughes 34/64 (53%)
8 CHI --- D Evan Bouchard 28/39 (72%)
9 NYR --- D Noah Dobson 61/132 (46%)
10 EDM --- F Jesperi Kotkaniemi 41/65 (63%)
11 NYI --- F Joseph Veleno 52/68 (76%)
12 NYI* --- D Ty Smith 44/68 (65%)
13 DAL --- F Joel Farabee 10/30 (33%)
14 PHI* --- F Vitali Kravtsov 30/67 (45%)
15 FLA --- F Grigori Denisenko 5/18 (28%)
16 COL --- F Barrett Hayton 15/47 (32%)
17 NJD --- D Bode Wilde 23/63 (37%) (Tiebreaker)
18 CBJ ---
19 PHI ---
20 LAK ---
21 SJS ---
22 OTT* ---
23 ANA ---
24 MIN ---
25 TOR ---
26 NYR* ---
27 CHI* ---
28
29
30
31​

Click to read more...

 

[Viqsi]

I'm still not sure if I'm making a truly objective pick or if I'm just leaning on an apparent love affair with American blueliners.

 

[spintheblackcircle]

I am a fan of McLeod.

 

[Viqsi]

I am a fan of McLeod.

Yeah; he's another guy I was considering. But I really think playing the game quickly requires being able to know the game well enough to act and react quickly, and the various reports I've read are not as encouraging about him on that score for whatever reason. Would still take him, but compare that with a guy who seems to know it well enough to switch to a harder position and still do well and is also an excellent athlete and I'm torn.

 

[Hello Johnny]

Tough choice here..

Forwards:
-Lundestrom is the safest pick IMO. Will probably be a middle 6 center but doesn't have a high ceiling. Doesn't wow me with any attributes, seems like a player we have in spades.
-McLeod is the next safest pick, and I'd be ok with this pick simply because he's a magnificent skater. But again, I don't see a high ceiling or anything more than average skill.
-Bokk looks like he has some of the best pure skill in the class and may be a victim of being underscouted and underutilized. Could have some great untapped potential.
-Kupari is another guy with immense amounts of skill. But is he more like Kasperi Kapanen or Sebastian Aho? Hard to say based on my viewings.
-Thomas has skill as well, just not very sure about how it will translate.
-Ditto for Jake Wise.
-Noel is one of the youngest guys in the draft and scored a good amount of goals this year, especially in high danger areas. S% was at 27% and seems to find the right places to score. At 6'5" 209 lbs. he may turn into a beast, but may just become a secondary scorer.

Haven't done enough research on Berggren, Kaut, or Olofsson.

Defensemen:
-We're rumored to be interested in Alexeyev. Low-risk player, but good all-around. Dealt with the death of his mother earlier in the season and played well through it, which gives him bonus points for character.
-McIsaac is a safe pick. Excellent skater, already very good defensively, good passer, solid work ethic. Reminds me of Brandon Carlo whom I was in love with back in 2015.
-Lundkvist is interesting. Perhaps our biggest weakness in our prospect pool is RHD, so I wouldn't be terribly surprised for us to address that area. He's a great skater with excellent IQ, but needs work defensively. Very high ceiling though, and is the type of defenseman the game is trending towards.
-K'Andre Miller could end up being the best defenseman in the class outside of Dahlin. He's a great skater, has NHL size, and has great offensive instincts as he was converted from forward a couple years back. Uses his stick well defensively and uses skating ability to force forwards to the outside. Seth Jones-lite potential.
-Merkley, IMO will have a similar fate as Oliver Kylington. So if we want him we can probably snag him later in the draft. But it seems like his character issues will get in the way of his NHL potential.

Same as above, haven't researched the other guys enough.

I'd say my top two picks at forward would be Bokk and Kupari, on defense my two picks would be Miller and Lundkvist. Gun to my head, I'd take Bokk.

 

[Viqsi]

Tough choice here..

Forwards:
-Lundestrom is the safest pick IMO. Will probably be a middle 6 center but doesn't have a high ceiling. Doesn't wow me with any attributes, seems like a player we have in spades.
-McLeod is the next safest pick, and I'd be ok with this pick simply because he's a magnificent skater. But again, I don't see a high ceiling or anything more than average skill.
-Bokk looks like he has some of the best pure skill in the class and may be a victim of being underscouted and underutilized. Could have some great untapped potential.
-Kupari is another guy with immense amounts of skill. But is he more like Kasperi Kapanen or Sebastian Aho? Hard to say based on my viewings.
-Thomas has skill as well, just not very sure about how it will translate.
-Ditto for Jake Wise.
-Noel is one of the youngest guys in the draft and scored a good amount of goals this year, especially in high danger areas. S% was at 27% and seems to find the right places to score. At 6'5" 209 lbs. he may turn into a beast, but may just become a secondary scorer.

Haven't done enough research on Berggren, Kaut, or Olofsson.

Defensemen:
-We're rumored to be interested in Alexeyev. Low-risk player, but good all-around. Dealt with the death of his mother earlier in the season and played well through it, which gives him bonus points for character.
-McIsaac is a safe pick. Excellent skater, already very good defensively, good passer, solid work ethic. Reminds me of Brandon Carlo whom I was in love with back in 2015.
-Lundkvist is interesting. Perhaps our biggest weakness in our prospect pool is RHD, so I wouldn't be terribly surprised for us to address that area. He's a great skater with excellent IQ, but needs work defensively. Very high ceiling though, and is the type of defenseman the game is trending towards.
-K'Andre Miller could end up being the best defenseman in the class outside of Dahlin. He's a great skater, has NHL size, and has great offensive instincts as he was converted from forward a couple years back. Uses his stick well defensively and uses skating ability to force forwards to the outside. Seth Jones-lite potential.

Same as above, haven't researched the other guys enough.

I'd say my top two picks at forward would be Bokk and Kupari, on defense my two picks would be Miller and Lundkvist. Gun to my head, I'd take Bokk.

Good post; I have to admit I've kind of overlooked Bokk myself. Given where we're picking and the state of our pool, I'd much rather go for the home run than the safe pick.

 

[Johansen2Foligno]

I pick Johansen2Foligno, forward-thinker out of Columbus Technical School of Hockey.

 

[hardkorejackets]

I voted Kupari.

 

[spintheblackcircle]

Yeah; he's another guy I was considering. But I really think playing the game quickly requires being able to know the game well enough to act and react quickly, and the various reports I've read are not as encouraging about him on that score for whatever reason.

From what I read, the biggest issue is his intensity. Sometime they say it doesn't seem like the effort is always there. I admit, sounds a little like he plays like Wennberg, except he is 6'2'' 205. He's on the #1 PK and a great face-off guy. So even if he doesn't become a scorer, he fits as a good 3rd line center with upside.

 

[EspenK]

I voted Kupari. From what I've read he has the highest ceiling. If I wanted a safer pick I'd go McLeod or Miller.

 

[Hello Johnny]

Good post; I have to admit I've kind of overlooked Bokk myself. Given where we're picking and the state of our pool, I'd much rather go for the home run than the safe pick.

Agreed. And as opposed to a guy like Kupari, I could see Bokk adapting as a bottom sixer. I think at this draft position he's the right balance of "potential home run" and "could make it in a non-scoring role". Most other guys to me are either purely boom/bust or safe picks.

 

[Viqsi]

Agreed. And as opposed to a guy like Kupari, I could see Bokk adapting as a bottom sixer. I think at this draft position he's the right balance of "potential home run" and "could make it in a non-scoring role". Most other guys to me are either purely boom/bust or safe picks.

I feel the same way about Miller, myself. "One way or another, we'll get a decent hockey player. I don't know what position he'll be at, but he should be a decent player."

 

[CBJx614]

No idea about any of these kids, picked the only name I've heard of

 

[Nanabijou]

Good post, Mac. You convinced me to vote for Bokk.

 

[koteka]

Voted for Woo because it would be fun to yell “Woooooooo” when he scored — we like to cheer for players with the oo sound in their name here in Columbus. Kupari might be a good choice as well — we could yell “Kooooooooo”.

 

[EspenK]

The Draft Analyst | 2018 NHL Mock Draft 1.0: Picks 1-31

Here's another guy who based on the writer's opinion could be worth a pick:

"Olofsson is the perfect example of a player who would probably be hovering around the lottery had his first draft year not been loaded with elite defensemen. Big, strong, aggressive, tenacious and equally skilled with the puck on either his forehand or backhand, Olofsson can be used in any situation and has the ability to make slick plays near the net."

Central Scouting ranks him slightly above Kupari and Bokk.

 

[CBJx614]

Voted for Woo because it would be fun to yell “Woooooooo” when he scored — we like to cheer for players with the oo sound in their name here in Columbus. Kupari might be a good choice as well — we could yell “Kooooooooo”.

And woo scores, assist to Boone Jenner and PLD


"Woooooooooooooooo"
"Booooooooooooooooooone"
"Luuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuc"

 

[MoeBartoli]

I'm staying out of this one as I'm just not well versed in the draft pool. But I enjoy reading many of your posts which are good supplements to what I read in The Athletic....Special kudos to Mac.

 

[Hello Johnny]

Good post, Mac. You convinced me to vote for Bokk.

I'm staying out of this one as I'm just not well versed in the draft pool. But I enjoy reading many of your posts which are good supplements to what I read in The Athletic....Special kudos to Mac.

Disclaimer: I'm nowhere close to a professional scout, but I've had an affinity for the draft since I was a teenager, so I always try and do a ton of research. I'm not able to keep as close an eye as I used to, but I always try to put a little work into it.

For example, I just stated that he may be able to make it in a non-scoring role, as I've read reports that Bokk is strong defensively, but since then I've come across him absolutely whiffing a defensive assignment:

So definitely take my post with a grain of salt lol

 

[CBJx614]

Disclaimer: I'm nowhere close to a professional scout, but I've had an affinity for the draft since I was a teenager, so I always try and do a ton of research. I'm not able to keep as close an eye as I used to, but I always try to put a little work into it.

For example, I just stated that he may be able to make it in a non-scoring role, as I've read reports that Bokk is strong defensively, but since then I've come across him absolutely whiffing a defensive assignment:

So definitely take my post with a grain of salt lol

Also gotta take into effect that they are just kids and anything can happen between them getting drafted and making it to the show.

You could love everything a kid does on ice and all that could go away as soon as you talk to a kid. Take puljujarvi for example, the entire hockey world was seemingly fixated on this kid(as was I) and thought he was on the same tier as Matthew's and Laine.

Yet the one man who can actually sit down and have a conversation with him could tell he wasn't the third best player in the draft.

 

[Hello Johnny]

Also gotta take into effect that they are just kids and anything can happen between them getting drafted and making it to the show.

You could love everything a kid does on ice and all that could go away as soon as you talk to a kid. Take puljujarvi for example, the entire hockey world was seemingly fixated on this kid(as was I) and thought he was on the same tier as Matthew's and Laine.

Yet the one man who can actually sit down and have a conversation with him could tell he wasn't the third best player in the draft.

Exactly. It's the same with football recruits. Guys who are 5 star prospects often don't make it to the next level, whereas 3 star guys are very capable of becoming franchise talents.

Aside from very few players, 18 year olds are volatile and need to be interviewed to get a better idea of their character.

 

[Viqsi]

I admit to being slightly annoyed Kupari is in the lead right now as I don't like perpetuating the "Kekalainen will pick the Finn" stereotype that every pundit seems to get into. But he's a worthy choice as is.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

I admit to being slightly annoyed Kupari is in the lead right now as I don't like perpetuating the "Kekalainen will pick the Finn" stereotype that every pundit seems to get into. But he's a worthy choice as is.

LOL it was him or Akil for me and I went away from the Finn for the same reason but Kupari looks good.

 

[EspenK]

Last year we picked Josh Norris...who the heck is he? Of course we didn't have a pick so who cares (He actually was picked 19 by San Jose)
2016 we picked Puljujarvi (95% of the votes)
2015 we nailed it with Zach