Sunday morning and I have too much time on my hands. So here is my May version of who I want the Canes to draft.
Rd 1 (pick 31): Ilya Nikolayev
On the younger side with a June birthday. From everything I read Nikolayev is above average in all aspects and has the potential to be a 2nd line center. Good value at 31. Also, I think the 2nd round picks should be used to find a scoring forward.
Rd 2 (36): Samuel Fagemo
Probably the highest ceiling outside the first 15 picks or so. He is a goal scorer. Inexplicably not drafted last year when he was first eligible. He played in the SHL and outproduced both Bokk (who was taken in the first last year) and Hallander (who was taken in the second in 2018). He has continued to score, goals and 10 points in 16 games, in the SHL playoffs.
Rd 2 (37): Patrik Puistola
Nine months young but basically a left-shot version of Fagemo . He is a goal scorer pure and simple.
Rd 2 (62): Zachary Jones
Time for a defenseman. The video I have seen of Jones has been impressive. He plays a simple game in the defensive zone. However, in the offensive zone and on the power play he is electric. His skating allows him to weave between players while his puck-control and passing creates great looks for teammates.
Rd 3: Whichever goalie is available (in order): Lukas Parik, Trent Miner, Isaiah Saville
Parik has good size and has good numbers in international play this year. Miner is on the small side but was one of the most successful WHL goalies. I had Saville at the top of my list a few weeks ago, but he has struggled in the USHL playoffs.
Rd 4: Ryan Siedem
The first defenseman pick based on my formula to identify middle and late round steals like Pesce and Slavin. Siedem is a right-shot with good size (6'2", 190). His draft year numbers are close to those of Slavin in the USHL.
Rd 5: Ondrej Psenicka
All the forwards taken with the first three picks were smaller. Psenick is big (6'5, 195). The best draft strategy in later rounds is to draft for potential.
Rd 6 (two picks): Alexander Lundqvist and another goalie in this order (Roman Basran, Roddy Ross, Dominic Basse).
Lundqvist is another d-man who fits the profile of a late-round steal.
The goalies are just to overfill the pipeline. These three all have a decent combination of size and success in their respective leagues.
Rd 7: Grayson Ladd or Thomas Pelletier.
Two more defensemen my model really likes. Ladd is a right-shot (6'1", 172) and Pelletier is a bigger left-shot (6'3", 192).
* If the Canes could trade their 1st and one of their seconds to move up to the late teens or 20 and nab Tomasino, that would be my preferred outcome.