C Mark McNeill
HFNHL: 1st Round, 12th overall
NHL: 1st Round, 18th overall, Chicago
Difference: -6
McNeill is a big and physical forward who seems to be on the fast track to the NHL as Chicago management is not ruling him out to make the team out of camp. The Predators hope that one of McNeill, Leblanc or Turris turns out to be the 2nd line center the team has lacked for so long.
D Scott Mayfield
HFNHL: 2nd, 41st
NHL: 2nd, 34th, New York Islanders
Difference:+7
Mayfield perfectly falls in line with other defensemen the Predators have drafted. Big, great skater, physical and with some offensive upside. Mayfield is going to the University of Denver and was drafted by an NHL organization which isn't shy to give young players a shot at the NHL.
F Mario Lucia
HFNHL: 2nd, 45th
NHL: 2nd, 60th, Minnesota
Difference: -15
If McNeill is on the fast lane to the NHL, this certainly isn't the case with Lucia. He will play either in the USHL or the BCHL next season and move on to college after that, so patience will be necessary. Lucia's upside though is that of a big and fast winger with solid goalscoring upside.
D Joel Edmundson
HFNHL: 3rd, 71st
NHL: 2nd, 46th, St. Louis
Difference: +25
Edmundson may not be the type of player Fantasy-GMs rave about, but he is going to be a huge and rugged customer on the blueline. And since the last season was his first in the WHL, the jury is still out on his offensive upside.
C Joe Cramarossa
HFNHL: 4th, 94th
NHL: 3rd, 65th, Anaheim
Difference: +29
The Predators hope to have found a player similar like 2006 draftee Matt Beleskey. A good two-way player and a hard worker with some offensive upside and good hockey sense.
C Sean Kuraly
HFNHL: 4th, 101st
NHL: 5th, 133rd, San Jose
Difference: -32
This late in the draft it is never safe to say a kid is going to make the NHL, but Kuraly's size and most importantly his mindset is a promising combination. This young man is going to be a leader wherever he goes and this could also be his ticket to the NHL. Kuraly will play another season in the USHL.
G Steve Michalek
HFNHL: 5th, 134th
NHL: 6th, 161st, Minnesota
Difference: -27
Almost every year the Predators get their Harvard recruit and this time it is a goalie. Michalek was playing on a challenged highschool team and therefor had his hands full all season. The first real test for him will come next season when he faces NCAA caliber shooters.
D Jonathan Racine
HFNHL: 6th, 161st
NHL: 3rd, 87th, Florida
Difference: +74
Racine makes a living of shutting down opposing top lines in the QMJHL. It will take some time to see if the overall package is there to see him one day in the NHL.
D Darren Dietz
HFNHL: 7th, 187th
NHL: 5th, 138th, Montreal
Difference: +49
The Predators GM's favourite darkhorse going into the draft, Dietz flew under the radar all season long, stuck on a deep defense behind names like Stefan Elliot, Duncan Siemens or Teigan Zahln. Not even drafted in the WHL, Dietz has worked himself onto the 2nd pairing alongside Siemens and will most likely play on the Blades top pair next season. Dietz is a big and physical defenseman who is not afraid to drop the gloves. Dietz also finished 2nd among defensemen in playoff scoring for Saskatoon, only behind Stefan Elliot and ahead of first rounder Duncan Siemens.
F Cody Beach
HFNHL: 7th, 191st
NHL: 5th in 2010, 134th, St. Louis
Beach is a 6'6 forward with huge physical upside. Aside from being tough to play against and willing to drop the gloves, Beach has shown solid offensive upside by almost scoring a point per game in his second full WHL season.
HFNHL: 1st Round, 12th overall
NHL: 1st Round, 18th overall, Chicago
Difference: -6
McNeill is a big and physical forward who seems to be on the fast track to the NHL as Chicago management is not ruling him out to make the team out of camp. The Predators hope that one of McNeill, Leblanc or Turris turns out to be the 2nd line center the team has lacked for so long.
D Scott Mayfield
HFNHL: 2nd, 41st
NHL: 2nd, 34th, New York Islanders
Difference:+7
Mayfield perfectly falls in line with other defensemen the Predators have drafted. Big, great skater, physical and with some offensive upside. Mayfield is going to the University of Denver and was drafted by an NHL organization which isn't shy to give young players a shot at the NHL.
F Mario Lucia
HFNHL: 2nd, 45th
NHL: 2nd, 60th, Minnesota
Difference: -15
If McNeill is on the fast lane to the NHL, this certainly isn't the case with Lucia. He will play either in the USHL or the BCHL next season and move on to college after that, so patience will be necessary. Lucia's upside though is that of a big and fast winger with solid goalscoring upside.
D Joel Edmundson
HFNHL: 3rd, 71st
NHL: 2nd, 46th, St. Louis
Difference: +25
Edmundson may not be the type of player Fantasy-GMs rave about, but he is going to be a huge and rugged customer on the blueline. And since the last season was his first in the WHL, the jury is still out on his offensive upside.
C Joe Cramarossa
HFNHL: 4th, 94th
NHL: 3rd, 65th, Anaheim
Difference: +29
The Predators hope to have found a player similar like 2006 draftee Matt Beleskey. A good two-way player and a hard worker with some offensive upside and good hockey sense.
C Sean Kuraly
HFNHL: 4th, 101st
NHL: 5th, 133rd, San Jose
Difference: -32
This late in the draft it is never safe to say a kid is going to make the NHL, but Kuraly's size and most importantly his mindset is a promising combination. This young man is going to be a leader wherever he goes and this could also be his ticket to the NHL. Kuraly will play another season in the USHL.
G Steve Michalek
HFNHL: 5th, 134th
NHL: 6th, 161st, Minnesota
Difference: -27
Almost every year the Predators get their Harvard recruit and this time it is a goalie. Michalek was playing on a challenged highschool team and therefor had his hands full all season. The first real test for him will come next season when he faces NCAA caliber shooters.
D Jonathan Racine
HFNHL: 6th, 161st
NHL: 3rd, 87th, Florida
Difference: +74
Racine makes a living of shutting down opposing top lines in the QMJHL. It will take some time to see if the overall package is there to see him one day in the NHL.
D Darren Dietz
HFNHL: 7th, 187th
NHL: 5th, 138th, Montreal
Difference: +49
The Predators GM's favourite darkhorse going into the draft, Dietz flew under the radar all season long, stuck on a deep defense behind names like Stefan Elliot, Duncan Siemens or Teigan Zahln. Not even drafted in the WHL, Dietz has worked himself onto the 2nd pairing alongside Siemens and will most likely play on the Blades top pair next season. Dietz is a big and physical defenseman who is not afraid to drop the gloves. Dietz also finished 2nd among defensemen in playoff scoring for Saskatoon, only behind Stefan Elliot and ahead of first rounder Duncan Siemens.
F Cody Beach
HFNHL: 7th, 191st
NHL: 5th in 2010, 134th, St. Louis
Beach is a 6'6 forward with huge physical upside. Aside from being tough to play against and willing to drop the gloves, Beach has shown solid offensive upside by almost scoring a point per game in his second full WHL season.
