Who from the 2018 Draft is in your opening night lineup?

[Mattavarner]

Guys like Dahlin, Svechnikov, Kotkaniemi, and Tkachuk all have a shot, but are there others?

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[ConnorMcMullet]

Evan Bouchard is probable.

It is unlikely, but Ryan McLoed has a chance as well. He's been amazing in the preseason.

 

[Tad Mikowsky]

Evan Bouchard is probable.

It is unlikely, but Ryan McLoed has a chance as well. He's been amazing in the preseason.

Yep basically came in here to say this.

Bouchard has looked good offensively, while his Defence can use some work, he’s outplayed other guys competing for the 6/7 spot save for Bear.

McLeod has looked good in every single game. Counting the rookie games, he’s played seven so far.

 

[Pyrophorus]

Only SDA on the deep outside.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

Svechnikov has more than a shot at being on the opening night line-up. He's pretty much guaranteed to be.

 

[Hatter of the Beach]

Zadina = 50ish%. Looked bad first preseason game, but much better last two. He'll get his 9 games for sure this year, but unsure if they want to start him in GR early season for some tune up.

Veleno - 15%: Honestly, he looks more NHL ready than Zadina, and could probably stick into a bottom 6 role right now, but I don't get the feeling the Wings brass want that, especially with our glut of players.

Veleno may be more NHL ready tbh, but if one gets picked, it's probably Zadina for the "new toy" factor.

 

[Mattavarner]

Only SDA on the deep outside.

SDA has 0 shot this year lol, great pick though, looks good in camp

 

[Colin226]

Devils fans feel Ty Smith has been pushing to get a 9-game look. Not sure though if he would actually start on opening night though, and nobody seems to think he will stick for the season.

 

[And You Feel Shame]

Outside shot that Dobson gets a 9 game look.

EDIT: nevermind, just saw that he got sent back.

 

[tony d]

Will be interesting to see who makes which team. With Zadina and Veleno Detroit has their next top players IMO.

 

[Kamiccolo]

Honestly no one aside from maybe the top 3 picks should be making their teams this year if they have any competent development. Just why rush a prospect? Give them a year even if they look good, they will have some area to improve on even if it is just to get a bit stronger.

I 100% get that some guys have the skills to play in the NHL right away but that is not everything. You have to let them develop the confidence naturally and make sure they are good to go.

Even Dahlin in the two games vs the Leafs in pre-season looked terrible defensively and not NHL ready. In his case you can make an exception and give him 9 games to get comfortable but for everyone else, especially defense and centers?

Why risk it?

 

[rent free]

no one and i'd imagine thats the answer for most fans for this question

 

[Kcb12345]

Honestly no one aside from maybe the top 3 picks should be making their teams this year if they have any competent development. Just why rush a prospect? Give them a year even if they look good, they will have some area to improve on even if it is just to get a bit stronger.

I 100% get that some guys have the skills to play in the NHL right away but that is not everything. You have to let them develop the confidence naturally and make sure they are good to go.

Even Dahlin in the two games vs the Leafs in pre-season looked terrible defensively and not NHL ready. In his case you can make an exception and give him 9 games to get comfortable but for everyone else, especially defense and centers?

Why risk it?

Dahlin is a lock for the opening night lineup imo. Doesn't matter how he plays in preseason I'd assume

 

[MackAttack26]

Honestly no one aside from maybe the top 3 picks should be making their teams this year if they have any competent development. Just why rush a prospect? Give them a year even if they look good, they will have some area to improve on even if it is just to get a bit stronger.

I 100% get that some guys have the skills to play in the NHL right away but that is not everything. You have to let them develop the confidence naturally and make sure they are good to go.

Even Dahlin in the two games vs the Leafs in pre-season looked terrible defensively and not NHL ready. In his case you can make an exception and give him 9 games to get comfortable but for everyone else, especially defense and centers?

Just wanted to clarify Dahlin only played in 1 of those games vs. the Leafs. But yeah, he had a rough game and can hopefully learn a lot from it.

 

[93LEAFS]

I think the Oilers will give Evan Bouchard every chance to make it, I'm not sure it is the wisest strategy for his development though.

I only think Dahlin, Svechnikov and Tkachuk stick though. Its uncommon for more than 3 guys to stick the entire years. Just looking at this decade.

2017: Hischier, Patrick
2016: Matthews, Laine, Tkachuk, Chychrun, with Puljujarvi being yo-yo'd
2015: McDavid, Eichel, Hanifin
2014: Ekblad, with Pastrnak getting a mid-season call-up and sticking
2013: MacKinnon, Barkov, Jones, Monahan and Nicushkin
2012: Yakupov, Galchenyuk keep in mind it was a shortened year. Ryan Murray probably would have stuck if he didn't get injured during the lockout
2011: RNH, Landeskog, Larsson, and Couturier
2010: Hall, Seguin, Skinner, Fowler

So, we saw more guys sticking up a couple years ago. I think more teams have started to be more cautious. Although, most of the guys who were up early have developed very well, there have been some cases where you wonder if a guy was rushed (Galchenyuk and Nicushkin being the most obvious, it might be true for Hanifin, and I'm not sure it was in Chychrun's best interests but those guys are still fairly early on in their careers).

 

[AveryStar4Eva]

The CHL rule really needs to be changed, some players should be able to play in the AHL at 19/20. What else is Evan Bouchard going to do in the OHL after leading his team in scoring as an 18 year old by 30 points? Just because he’s to good for the OHL doesn’t mean he is NHL ready.

 

[greasysnapper]

Why you'll see very few 2018 draftees in lineups this season:

- The need to hide assets from Seattle
- Most of the draft class isn't there yet

Very few posts are talking about it but GM's are very conscious now of preparing for the onslaught of Seattle so they won't repeat the mistakes they made with Vegas.

 

[StreetHawk]

Why you'll see very few 2018 draftees in lineups this season:

- The need to hide assets from Seattle
- Most of the draft class isn't there yet

Very few posts are talking about it but GM's are very conscious now of preparing for the onslaught of Seattle so they won't repeat the mistakes they made with Vegas.

A Seattle ED should t impact the 2018 draft class. They would be exempt for a 2019 or 2020 ED. Unless of course the NHL pushes the ED for Seattle until after a CBA is signed would it matter. I would have expected this t have been brought up during league meetings or in the back channels.

 

[greasysnapper]

A Seattle ED should t impact the 2018 draft class. They would be exempt for a 2019 or 2020 ED. Unless of course the NHL pushes the ED for Seattle until after a CBA is signed would it matter. I would have expected this t have been brought up during league meetings or in the back channels.

Yep, however there's considerable speculation given when the arena renovations would be done that we'd be looking at a 2020-21 launch for the new franchise. The thinking being it's already atleast 1 season away, and why show off your new toy in a crappy arena that could taint fans. Which gives 2 seasons of pro play from now until then.

 

[WhatTheDuck]

There's a slight chance Lundestrom makes it but he'll likely be back in Sweden this year.

 

[jetsforever]

No one for the Jets

 

[BenningHurtsMySoul]

Hughes almost certainly would have made the Canucks if he hadn't gone back to college. Our defense is a trainwreck.

 

[Gnashville]

Lol there was a draft in 2018? my team forgot about it.

 

[MMC]

Lundestrom has a shot at a 9 game look.

 

[PatrikBerglund]

Dahlin's last game was rough, but you learn more from those games than when everything works.

He will of course not be a Norris contender, not even close, he'll probably be a good #4 this first season.