Xoggz22
Registered User
I've always wanted to get flamed on one of these. Never done one, may never do one again. I'm sure there will be plenty to disagree about but here goes....
1) EDM - Hall - Sublime skills and skating make him the #1 (could still be Seguin but....
2) BOS - Seguin - Not a need in bean town but BPA and a good one
3) FLA - Connolly - FLA needs more talent up front and gambles here
4) CBJ - Gudbranson - Projects as a great two way d-man. BPA and position of need in Columbus
5) NYI - Niederreiter - Could be Gormley but big time winger helps Tavares and Okposo
6) TBL - Fowler - Could be best skater in draft and FLA needs talent on the back end
7) CAR - Johansen - Possibly 2nd best center in draft behind Seguin. Fills a major need and is high end skill guy
8) ATL - Gormley - Solid, but not flashy, all around d-man that fits in nicely with ATL prospect pool
9) MIN - Burmistrov - Elite offensive skills and plays on the PK. KHL question raised but appears focused on NHL after playing in NA last year
10) NYR - Tarasenko - High end skill winger. KHL questions but Rangers need for skilled wingers trump KHL questions.
11) DAL - Granlund - Size and skating (minor) a question but skill is abundant and Stars need to restock skilled centers. Eventual replacement for Modano and/or Richards
12) ANA - Watson - Big winger with skill and plays the PK. Fills need for Ducks and his size adds to other big forward pool
13) PHO - Etem - Possibility of Pysyk here but the need for high end forwards and Etem's ability to find the back of the net make him the choice here.
14) STL - Howden - The size combo and skating ability make Howden too much to pass up. A good fit with the serious prospect pool on defense
15) BOS - Pysyk - Bruins add a top end D prospect to go with Seguin. Pysyk's all around skill set provide the B's with long term help.
16) OTT - Skinner - The need for high end forwards is glarring. Skinner can score but carries questions of size and skating. Not the elite skillset of Granlund but the gamble here is worth it.
17) NAS - Bjugstad - The deepest prospect pool gets deeper. Adding a high skilled center like Bjugstad makes the Preds dangerous up front too.
18) COL - Campbell - Top Goalie prospect in the draft finds a fit in Colorado who's goaltending has been questionable since Roy.
19) LAK - Pitlick - Currently a center, could play wing in the NHL. The kings don't have too many needs so they take a player that can be flexible with an all around game.
20) PIT - Weal - Everything screams Kabanov or Kuznetsov but long term the Pens will need to replace one of the big 3 centers. Weal is a high skill guy that can take time to develop
21) DET - Forbort - Wings have a higher need for forward help but it's too hard to pass up Forbort at this spot. He adds to a solid, yet unspectacular D pool.
22) PHO - Pickard - A true gamble on Pickard but the Yotes need goaltending depth and Pickard offers a potential future NHL starter. Will need time to develop
23) BUF - Merrill - A safe pick and rising up the charts. Offers the possibility of being the steal of the round. Developing all around game fits well in Sabres system
24) ATL - Schwartz - Another solid forward prospect. Should be given time to round out his defensive game in college.
25) VAN - Petrovic - d-man that fills a need for the Canucks who lack future skill on the blue line. McFarland is an option here too.
26) WAS - Kabanov - Almost seems too perfect. High end skill with questions about character and KHL draw falls to the Caps.
27) MTL - Mcllrath - Desperate for some size and grit on the back end Le Canadians take the toughest player in the draft. Physical and willing to drop the gloves
28) SJS - McFarland - Had a terrible year but still has elite skills. Needs to find some fire and luck. Fills a need on the wing for the Sharks and could be a high reward pick
29/30) ANA - Spooner - Stock dropped due to injury but with their second pick of the round the risk/reward is pushed more favorably towards reward. Needs work on defensive game but so do all the forwards that are 18
30/29) CHI - Pulkkinen - Injuries robbed Teemu of showcasing his skills but make no mistake they are high end. Needs to avoid injury to further set back his career but fits in nicely with the Hawks future.
OK - that's it. Flame away. I'm working on a second round too but that may never materialize. I do have the CBJ picking Brock Nelson at #34 (That's my team in case you couldn't figure it out.)