2018 Sleeper Picks

Leopain

Registered User
Jun 15, 2017
248
216
Nikolai Kovalenko definitely. He has as good an upside as it gets past the second round and not a lot of people talk about him.
 
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Daximus

Wow, what a terrific audience.
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Oct 11, 2014
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24,729
Five Hills
I think Jett Woo may get slept on a bit. Had a great start to the season. Missed time with a concussion and hip pointers. Warriors went out and grabbed Clague who replaced Woo on the PP. Next year he will be able to spread his wings a bit more with a lot of guys leaving the Warriors. Should get PP1 time.
Still probably goes in the 2nd round I'd bet now but I think he will be a solid pickup for anyone who grabs him.
 
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neelynugs

Registered User
Feb 27, 2002
35,390
9,759
curious what some of you guys who watch a lot of Q hockey think of bobby lynch in drummondville.
saw a little of him and was impressed. good size, wheels, up-and-down winger that did a lot of good
things. figure he certainly rates as a sleeper since i haven't seen his name anywhere.
 

Gospel of Prospal

America's Team
May 29, 2010
11,363
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New York City
Semyon Der Arguchintsev. Youngest player in the draft and did very well on an awful Petes team.


Der-Argunchinsec-Semen-cihacademy.com_-522x730.jpg
 

VictorLustig

Registered User
Feb 8, 2012
8,846
2,883
Swedish prospects who I think are too low in many rankings:

Albin Eriksson
- Just looked through some video from the J20 playoffs and he was a dominant player there, outplayed Berggren, Lundeström and Lundkvist. Massive kid with really good hands who can skate. He's in the next group after Dahlin and Boqvist and has the highest upside of that group for sure. I think he could be a big surprise in the 1st round, HP has him as a late 1st rounder and I'm sure some teams absolutely love this player. Played at the Hlinka but was strangely never given a chance with the U18 national team after that, big mistake IMO.

Filip Johansson - Also in that group after Dahlin/Boqvist. Really strong finish to the season. Great skater, decent size, plays a smart game and handles the puck well. Only question mark would be his production at the J20 level, he really should be able to produce at that level given his skillset.

Johan Södergran - Don't see him ranked very often but he will get drafted, maybe as early as in the first 3 rounds. Not much I don't like about him, plays center, high IQ, really good skater, size. Looks a bit like he could be a late bloomer.

Carl Jakobsson - Highly skilled winger. He has turned into a really good skater after looking like a player with skating issues last season. Just like Eriksson he was never given a chance with the U18 team, he was the extra forward at best. He also hasn't been super productive but I still like his offensive upside.
 

Zaddy

Registered User
Feb 8, 2013
13,058
5,850
Swedish prospects who I think are too low in many rankings:

Albin Eriksson
- Just looked through some video from the J20 playoffs and he was a dominant player there, outplayed Berggren, Lundeström and Lundkvist. Massive kid with really good hands who can skate. He's in the next group after Dahlin and Boqvist and has the highest upside of that group for sure. I think he could be a big surprise in the 1st round, HP has him as a late 1st rounder and I'm sure some teams absolutely love this player. Played at the Hlinka but was strangely never given a chance with the U18 national team after that, big mistake IMO.

Filip Johansson - Also in that group after Dahlin/Boqvist. Really strong finish to the season. Great skater, decent size, plays a smart game and handles the puck well. Only question mark would be his production at the J20 level, he really should be able to produce at that level given his skillset.

Johan Södergran - Don't see him ranked very often but he will get drafted, maybe as early as in the first 3 rounds. Not much I don't like about him, plays center, high IQ, really good skater, size. Looks a bit like he could be a late bloomer.

Carl Jakobsson - Highly skilled winger. He has turned into a really good skater after looking like a player with skating issues last season. Just like Eriksson he was never given a chance with the U18 team, he was the extra forward at best.

Cool to see you mention Södergran. He's been a guy I've liked since last year. Took another step forward this year and he's just overall a really hard worker who plays the game the right way. As you say, not much to not like about him. I doubt he goes that early though, to me he's more of a 6th or 7th rounder who may even go undrafted, but we'll see. I was really surprised at who was and wasn't drafted from Sweden last year so I'm not the most reliable predictor of these things.

Also a bit surprised you like Jakobsson. He's been underwhelming in every viewing I've had of him the past two years. Works pretty hard and has decent tools but I don't like his hockey IQ. Has a good shift here and there but way too inconsistent.
 

Zaddy

Registered User
Feb 8, 2013
13,058
5,850
Simon Johansson and Einar Emanuelsson would be my two sleepers from Sweden. Both overagers (Emanuelsson a triple overager at that) who has looked really good this year and has a good amount of upside to them.
 

VictorLustig

Registered User
Feb 8, 2012
8,846
2,883
Cool to see you mention Södergran. He's been a guy I've liked since last year. Took another step forward this year and he's just overall a really hard worker who plays the game the right way. As you say, not much to not like about him. I doubt he goes that early though, to me he's more of a 6th or 7th rounder who may even go undrafted, but we'll see. I was really surprised at who was and wasn't drafted from Sweden last year so I'm not the most reliable predictor of these things.

Also a bit surprised you like Jakobsson. He's been underwhelming in every viewing I've had of him the past two years. Works pretty hard and has decent tools but I don't like his hockey IQ. Has a good shift here and there but way too inconsistent.

Yeah Södergran is likely a mid-late rounder but I could see a team pulling the trigger on him as soon as the 3rd round like the habs did with Lukas Vejdemo a couple of years ago. As for Jakobsson, I don't think he is at the level of the others I mentioned but he does show flashes of high end skill that I really like. He is definitely a later round pick though but I can see teams liking him.
 

spikelechien

Registered User
Jan 8, 2007
734
38
Braeshore
Here are my sleepers for the 2018 draft for the first three rounds. It will be interesting to see if the NHL teams share my optimism for these prospects.

1st round
1. Foudy, Liam – C – OHL – 6’0, 184, L – 42pts (68 game equivalent points)

E-Mac – 18; others (I have seen ranked) – 24-51

2. Marchenko, Kirill – RW – MHL – 6’3, 168, R – 35pts

E-Mac – 30; others – 16-73 with most in the 2nd

2nd round
1. Shafigullin, Bulat – RW – MHL – 6’1, 163, L – 110pts

E-Mac – 32; others – 56 to unranked

2. Eriksson, Albin – LW – SWE J20 – 6’4, 205, R – 72pts

E-Mac – 37; others 28 – 143 with most after the 2nd

3. Gruden, John – LW – NTDP – 6’0, 170, L – 67 pts

E-Mac – 51; others – 53-117 with most in the 3rd

4. Mascherin, Adam – LW – OHL – 5’10, 205, L – 87 pts

E-Mac – 55; others - 64 to unranked with most unranked

5. Kondelik, Jachym – LW – USHL – 6’6, 226, L – 53 pts

E-Mac – 60; others - 69 to unranked

3rd round
1. Gogolev, Pavel – RW – OHL – 6’0, 168, L – 48 pts

E-Mac – 64; others – 74 to unranked

2. Smith, Nathan – C – USHL – 6’0, 177, L – 63 pts

E-Mac – 70; others – 75 to unranked with most unranked

3. O’Reilly, Ryan – RW – USHL – 6’2, 201, R – 51 pts

E-Mac – 75; others – 84 to unranked

4. Keane, Joey – D – OHL – 6’0, 185, R – 45pts

E-Mac – 77; others – 81 to unranked with most past the 4th

5. Zhuravlyov, Danila – D – MHL – 6’0, 163, D, L – 44pts

E-Mac – 82; others – 67 to unranked with most after the 4th

6. Brazeau, Justin – RW – OHL – 6’5, 221, R – 75pts

E-Mac – 86; others – 198 to unranked with most unranked

7. Pospisil, Martin – RW – USHL – 6’2, 173, L – 51pts

E-Mac – 90; others – 86 to unranked with most unranked
 

Pavel Buchnevich

Drury and Laviolette Must Go
Dec 8, 2013
57,230
23,101
New York
Also not many people are talking about Jonnhy Gruden. He's good.

I completely disagree.

I don't like what he brings. Works hard and skates well, but thats about it. Doesn't have skill, IQ is questionable, doesn't defend well. He picked up a lot of points playing with much better hockey players this season, and I think he disrupted the play of some of them. I have no clue why Appert decided he was a player who should've played on the higher lines and Weiss is a player who played on the lower lines.
 

Kipper933

Remember the Kipper
Jul 10, 2002
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Toronto, ON
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For picks beyond the first few rounds.

LW German Grachyov (MHL Almaz): Small, fast, skilled. Led his MHL team in goals and points as a 1st year draft eligible.

LW Connor Dewar (WHL Everett): Overage F, plays a very aggressive, high-tempo style. Looked great in the WHL playoffs.

W Daniil Lapin (MHL Sibir): Overage, a complete 2-way forward with good vision and playmaking.

G Daniel Dvorak (CZE Hradec Kralove): In the shadow of Dostal and Skarek, this Czech goalie might be getting overlooked. Strong numbers overall, outside of his play with the CZE u18 team.

C Logan Hutsko (NCAA Boston College): Overage F, led his NCAA team in scoring as a freshman, former USNTDP player. A significant injury limited him to 11 games last year in his first year of draft eligibility.

W Leonid Klimov (MHL Almaz): Big-bodied, puck possession winger with good skating/speed and a strong playmaker.
 
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Kipper933

Remember the Kipper
Jul 10, 2002
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Toronto, ON
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Simon Johansson and Einar Emanuelsson would be my two sleepers from Sweden. Both overagers (Emanuelsson a triple overager at that) who has looked really good this year and has a good amount of upside to them.

My lasting impression from Lundestrom highlight videos was that Emanuelsson was the one who stood out in the highlights, not Lundestrom.
 

Sticktape

Registered User
Jan 25, 2017
817
787
Yegor Sharangovich. Good size, skill, and some KHL experience already. I remember noticing him in the WJC. Could very well go undrafted though.
 
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mazmin

Wig like a mink skin, soft like Twinkie dough
May 15, 2004
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Winnipeg
Liam Foudy, 33pts in 32 games to finish off the season after scoring 7 in the first 32 games.

Great prospect. Huge riser.

I also like Martin Pospisil, Alexander Romanov, Curtis Douglas, Tyler Tucker, and Austin Wong as my sleeper picks.
 
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mazmin

Wig like a mink skin, soft like Twinkie dough
May 15, 2004
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Winnipeg
LW Connor Dewar (WHL Everett): Overage F, plays a very aggressive, high-tempo style. Looked great in the WHL playoffs.

C Logan Hutsko (NCAA Boston College): Overage F, led his NCAA team in scoring as a freshman, former USNTDP player. A significant injury limited him to 11 games last year in his first year of draft eligibility.

I second these two gents
 
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