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Playoffs are done, the Hawks are celebrating, and the ‘playing’ season is over.
Next up – Draft Day, UFA Opening Day and then prospect & development camps open up.
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Just some quick Sens house cleaning;
Looks like I was dead wrong about Alfie not returning. One of those times I’m stoked to be wrong.
I wouldn’t get your hopes up about the Sens signing Briere, or Bickell.
While it’s fun to picture bringing in any of these guys, the reality is none of them will be worth their UFA signing price, in terms of caphit vs. production and the Sens brass seems intent not to overspend.
Bickell is likely your playoff UFA this year, like Sean Bergenheim and Joel Ward before him. Could he be a late bloomer and this performance be his coming out party? Sure, but given the history of players in his position, I’d bet good money he’s a product of his environment and an overachiever about to cash in. The Sens showed no interest in Joel Ward when he has his big run, so I highly doubt they go after Bickell.
Briere is still one of the best clutch players in the NHL, as demonstrated by his career playoff numbers. The problem with Briere is the amount of injuries he has sustained over the years, and what he’ll fetch on the weak UFA market. Briere signing for around 4-5 a year is not a stretch at all when you figure that’s what analysts expect Clarkson to draw that kind of money as a glorified 3rd liner. Also you need to factor in Briere will be signing as close to Philly as possible, since his kids live their with his, reportedly ‘less then friendly’ ex-wife, in Philly. Wouldn’t be a shock to see Briere sign with Buffalo, Pittsburgh, or any of the other 3 NY based teams.
Trade Rumors:
I’ve also seen some odd trade suggestions and rumors around this site and HFboards and the likes.
Stuff like our 1st rounder and Jared Cowen for Carolina’s 5th ovr pick is just flat out crazy. While Cowen struggled in the playoffs, he is still just 22, 6’6” and 220+ lbs, oh and already an established NHL ready Dman. There is not one player in this draft that can have an immediate impact (or even the next 2 seasons) that Jared Cowen can have, outside of Jones and Drouin. I’m assuming this is just based on a couple guys that were unhappy with how Cowen played specifically against the Penguins.
Zack Smith for Hemsky….I hate Hemsky’s caphit, and he is a fairly injury-proned player, similar to Michalek, but I could get behind moving just Zack Smith for Hemsky. I however would be pushing Edmonton to retain a portion of his salary in the trade aswell. This one just seems a little far-fetched to happen, but it is MacT and does have a history of chasing players he hates out of town, when he was a coach.
I said it before; if Sens bring in a player to boost offense its going to be through trade not UFA.
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Now that I’m done being negative and a killjoy, on to the Draft:
Instead of laying of a direct mockdraft, I’ve profiled the players by my rankings and after each profile I’ve layed out 3 or so teams likely to draft him, and in some cases a * marks a team that might trade up to grab them. This is just easier to then assuming no one will be traded picks.
2013 Entry Draft:
Nathan Mackinnon – Strong all-around Center, with amazing breakout strides. He won’t out skating a lot of guys down the.ice, but he’ll get the jump on them, and his strong Hockey IQ will make up for his some-what lacking top-speed.
Likely Team: Colorado Avalanche
Jonathan Drouin – One of the top offensive talents of the draft pool, Drouin is in a very similar position has Tyler Seguin was, in that he blossomed later then Mackinnon and Jones. Tremedous Vision and a pair of hands to match it.
Likely Team: Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning
Seth Jones – Hands down the top defensemen of the draft, Seth is a big mobile Dman that can play all facets of the game well. Given his already developed size, Jones will have every opportunity to play in the NHL next season.
Likely Team: Tampa Bay Lightning, Nashville Predators, *Edmonton Oilers, * Calgary Flames, Carolina Hurricanes
Aleksander Barkov – One of a few players that scouts universally believe is NHL ready and capable of making a big impact for his future club, Barkov is a beast of a 17 year old and has proven capable of making anyone he plays with better. Think a Finnish Joe Thorton, if you need a comparison, only think missing from Barkov’s game is a mean streak, and that can be taught. Almost any other draft year and he would likely be a top-3 selection. Hard to see him fall beyond 4th or 5th this year.
Likely Team: Nashville Predators
Darnell Nurse - A late riser to the party, Nurse’ stock has been on a steady rise through the backend of the season. Another big-mobile Dman, Nurse is going to be the consolation prize to a team that misses out on Jones, and the reality is Nurse has the potential to be every bit as good or possibly even better then Jones. The one thing Nurse has over Jones is a penchant for the gritty areas.
Likely Team: Carolina Hurricanes, Calgary Flames, *Edmonton Oilers
Sean Monahan – Seemingly the most popular player in the draft among Canadian hockey fans, Monahan is a true heart’n’soul player. Played on the abysmal Ottawa 67’s, got hurt and still managed to repeat his point totals from the previous season. Wouldn’t shock me to see him go Top-5 because of hockey sense and dedication to his all-around game. Sens fans really hope for a move up to acquire him, but the price is probably going to keep that from happening.
Likely Team: Calgary Flames, New Jersey Devils, Dallas Stars, *Ottawa Senators
Rasmus Ristolainen – Lots of experience playing against men is Rasmus’ best assest. Not a dynamic player by any standard but what he lacks in flash he makes up for in reliability and size. Has some offensive tools, but likely to take a backseat when he hits the NHL. Rasmus will be going higher than he should because of the amount of teams after defensemen.
Likely Team: Calgary Flames, Buffalo Sabres, Philadelphia Flyers, Dallas Stars
Elias Lindholm –The top-rated European prospect this year, Lindholm is your proto-typical 2nd/3rd line center. Responsible in all facets of his game, Lindholm will rarely be a risk for his future club, but on the same hand he’ll likely never be a gamebreaker or a big producer. Going to spend next season in Sweden, so his future team will be waiting and watching how he develops. Has a chance to fall in draft, due to needs for defensemen and amount of flashy forwards in draft.
Likely Team – New Jersey, Phoenix Coyotes, New York Islanders
Bo Horvat - Very responsible forward, the fits the mold of your proto- 2nd/3rd line center…expect the kid is goal-scoring machine, and loves to score late goals to boot. Horvat has shown that he can keep getting better, it’s just a matter of finding his ceiling. A lock to return to London for 1 more year, his future team is going to watching to see if they stole a top-line player, or a clutch scorer ala Briere or Drury.
Likely Team – Dallas Stars, New Jersey Devils, Phoenix Coyotes, Winnipeg Jets
Curtis Lazar - As I said before, one of the safest picks in this draft, teams know exactly what they’ll get out of Lazar, and that’s what makes him such an attractive pick. Pure character player with a vastly under-rated shot. Similar to Brendan Gallagher in that he’ll get gritty and just seems to always find himself in the right place at the right time.
Likely Team – New Jersey Devils, Dallas Stars, Phoenix Coyotes, Columbus Blue Jackets
Nikita Zadorov – Being a Russian won’t likely affect him much, as dmen are the rave this year, he’s already playing in NA, oh and he is 6’5” man-beast. Already NHL ready (in the right situation) Zadorov has yet to reach his ceiling and most scouts are curious to see what it could be. He has shown a decent offensive side, that most agree could develop even further. Think Chris Pronger.
Likely Team – Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames, Buffalo Sabres, Philadelphia Flyers (my bet)
Anthony Mantha – Arguably the most gifted goal-scorer in the draft, the knock on Mantha is ‘he looks like he is working hard when he plays’ and because of this there is questions about his effort consistency. Seriously, scouts knock him because his all-around game didn’t come naturally to him. Over recent years Mantha has apparently put in endless amounts of time to develop his all-around hockey ability to match his natural scoring ability. He’s a dedicated sniper that’s working to hard to make sure he is NHL capable.
Likely Team – Winnipeg Jets (Jets are reportedly very high on him)
Robert Hagg – A couple years from being NHL ready, Hagg is a very reliable shutdown Dman, as seen at the World Jrs. He’s your typical quiet, non-flashy dman, very similar to Anton Volchenkov, except he has an offensive side and the hockey IQ to know when to use it.
Likely Team – New York Islanders, Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings
Max Domi – A wildcard of the draft, Domi has been projected to go anywhere from 10th to 30th. I’ve said it before, but it’s worth repeating, Max Domi is the mostly candidate for steal of the draft. His size is his only real knock, but as scouts have pointed out he plays much bigger and is a true offensive dynamo. Think the tenacity of his dad, with the skill-set of Theo Fluery or Danny Briere.
Likely Team – Dallas Stars, Columbus Blue Jackets, Buffalo Sabres, Ottawa Senators, *Toronto Maple Leafs (Internal Pressure to bring in the ‘leaf legacy’)
Alexander Wennberg – Phenomenal Vision and a dynamic hockey sense, makes Wennberg an intriguing option for clubs. Has the size, strength and ability to be a top center, similar to a Patrice Bergeron (being generous). Needs to shoot more often, but that can be said about a lot of players. Likely wont hit N.A. ice until 2015.
Likely Team – Buffalo Sabres, Ottawa Senators, Detroit Red Wings
Hunter Shinkaruk – Probably the most explosive skater in the draft, Shinkaruk is all about the offense. He seems to score at will, and never looks like he is working hard to pull of flashy plays. The big knock on Shinkaruk is he is very one-dimensonal and will need to really develop his defensive game, which could ultimately hurt his offensive numbers.
Likely Team – Detroit Red Wings, Columbus Blue Jackets, San Jose Sharks
Adam Erne – Another player that goes about his job quietly, Erne has put up 55 and 72 points over the last two seasons, and has done so without making very many highlight reels. Erne is a stocky kid who’s strong on the puck, and incredibly hard to beat down low. Scouts love him because he seems to be capable of playing all facets of the game natural well. Conditioning is the only question mark surrounding him.
Likely Team – Columbus Blue Jackets, Toronto Maple Leafs, Calgary Flames, Vancouver Canucks
Zachary Fucale – Far and away the top goalie in the draft, Fucale could be drafted anywhere in the 1st round. A very positionally sound goalie, who, thanks to playing for Halifax, has experience being peppered night-in night-out (last year), to facing 20 or less shots (this season), and seems to have developed mentally further then most goalies at his age. While he won’t be jumping into the NHL immediately, Fucale is widely regarded as a surefire NHL starter one day.
Likely Team: New Jersey Devils, Calgary Flames, Winnipeg Jets
Samuel Morin – Yet another big hulking dman that can skate, hit and move the puck well. Morin is yet another in a wave of smooth skating monsters, who would likely be going higher if not for an injury late in the 2nd half of the season. Scouts love his that he’s so well rounded and that he already plays with an edge.
Likely Team: Calgary Flames, Washington Capitals, Anaheim Ducks
Kerby Rychel – A gifted scorer, that can play in all situations, Rychel is going to make a GM very happy. He’ll fight for you as much as he’ll score, and has a ton of character to go with his skillset. While he’s not projected to be a leader, he will be a very potent 2nd line power-forward who can change the flow of the game in a variety of ways.
Likely Team: Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks, Montreal Canadiens, Anaheim Ducks
Josh Morrissey – Under-sized, but he makes up for it in natural talent. Morrissey is similar to Ryan Ellis, without as much fanfare as Ellis had. He plays big minutes against the best the WHL has to offer and put up almost 50 points while doing it. Like Ellis, Morrissey has to continue to play big and be strong offensively if he wants to play regular shifts at the next level.
Likely Team: Washington Capitals, Vancouver Canucks, Chicago Blackhawks, 2nd Colorado Avalanche
Jacob De La Rose – A pure grit player, and an entertaining crash’n’banger De La Rose is one of the safer players to pick. He has the potential to be a top-six forward with his scoring prowess, but should that fail teams would still have a sparkplug 3rd liner. Popular among scouts and teams De La Rose could see his stock rise draft day. However should he fall out of the 1st round, I wouldn’t be shocked to see Ottawa or even Detroit scramble to trade into position to draft him.
Likely Team: Columbus Blue Jackets, Dallas Stars, Calgary Flames, *Ottawa Senators
Ian McCoshen – While he doesn’t have the fanfare of some of the D projected ahead of him, McCoshen have scouts drooling over him anyways. While he doesn’t play with much of an edge, he does use his big frame well and projects to be rock solid shutdown D-man.
Likely Team: Montreal Canadiens, Anaheim Ducks, Columbus Blue Jackets, 2nd round Florida Panthers, Colorado Avalanche
Ryan Hartman – The clear Lapierre, Marchard, Downie type agitator of the draft. Every team will take a long look at him late in the 1st round and early in the 2nd round. Hartman can play both Center and on the right-wing well, but will likely play winger at the NHL level. While he has the tools to be a top-six, realistic expectations are he’ll settle in as a 3rd line agitator and complementary scorer.
Likely Team: Toronto Maple Leafs, Columbus Blue Jackets, Calgary Flames, Chicago Blackhawks
Players to Watch:
Mirco Mueller – Yet another Dman that seems to do a little of everything, but not a lot of one thing, Mueller is wildcard for the first round. Every report you read has scouts thinking he could be an all-star to 3rd pairing serviceable. Of all the highly rated dmen in the draft Mueller projects to be a longer-term option, as he will need a lot more seasoning before making the jump.
Likely Team: Calgary Flames, Chicago Blackhawks : 2nd round – Colorado Avalanche, Montreal Canadiens
Valeri Nichushkin – Only reason Nichushkin will fall is because of his Russia origin. Widely believed to have top-tier talent, Nichushkin is a long-term prospect and teams will be waiting to get a better read on his offensive production, as he plays more minutes in the KHL. The fact he is a big power-forward, may help offset his birthplace, but like previous years is in for a free-fall in this draft.
Likely Team – 2nd round Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers
Frederik Gauthier – Big bodied forward, who’s strong in circle and plays big in his own zone. Scouts feel his scoring numbers are inflated because of his vast size compared o most in the QMJHL. Not overly physical or flashy, Gauthier projects to be a 3rd/4th liner center and PK specialist.
Likely Team – Dallas Stars, Calgary Flames, Chicago Blackhawks
Andre Burakowsky – Due to the joys of playing Sweden scouts don’t have a very accurate read on where Burakowsky’s skill set is, development wise. He can dominate against kids his age, but wasn’t able to show it in Elitserien against men, due to lack of playing time. Very deadly in the offensive zone, with smooth hands and a very quick stride to separate himself from defenders. Big draw on Andre is the opportunity for his future club to bring him over to play AHL as soon as next season.
Likely Team – Detroit Red Wings, Calgary Flames, Dallas Stars, Chicago Blackhawks
Morgan Klimchuk – Another player sneaking under the radar due to playing on a bad junior team, Klimchuk has shown he could hang with the big boys and carry a team on his back. 76 points is nothing to ever sneeze at but scouts are convinced if he played on a better team or at least had some better help around him, he could pushed the 100 point mark. He projects to be a two-way forward, with scoring prowess.
Likely Team – Florida Panthers, Edmonton Oilers, Phoenix Coyotes, St.Louis Blues
Nic Petan – Highest scoring player in the draft, yet likely will fall to mid-late 2nd round. Why? As usual size (5’8”) is part of the reason for his ranking, his weaker skating ability is the other. So it’s top-six forward or bust for Petan. That being said find a scout with anything bad to say about his overall game. You won’t. scouts love him because he is a truly special player, that just needs to add some weight and work on his skating.
Likely Team – Dallas Stars, Detroit Red Wings, Washington Capitals, Winnipeg Jets
Michael McCarron – Another big forward that the scouts can’t get a read on. Everyone agrees he’ll be an NHL’er one day; it’s just a matter If he’ll be a depth player or will he turn into a proto-power forward. The big knock on McCarron is his inconsistent play and effort. Scouts feel he should be much better then he is because of his size, but he just doesn’t use it yet.
Likely Team – 2nd round Montreal Canadiens, Carolina Hurricanes, Edmonton Oilers, Dallas Stars
Artturi Lehkonen – An injury-riddled season has hurt Artturi’s stock, but despite the 2 concussions, he still put up 30 points playing against men. His skill set is mostly average across the board, which is a bad thing, as his offensive IQ and Vision help to compensate for his lack of flash and sizzle. Concussion concerns are going to keep him out of the 1st round, but a prospect worth watching.
Likely Team – St.Louis Blues, San Jose Sharks, Minnesota Wild
Linus Arnesson – Linus won’t ever make a highlight reel for his scoring ability, but he will make a reel for saves of the game. Linus brings nothing but defense to the table. A very strong kid playing in Elitersien against men, Linus never looked out of play or physically outmatched. Always come and has a tremendous vision, which allows him to make a quick first pass to bail his team out of trouble. Scouts have no concern over his NHL ability. Could go anywhere from late 1st, to early 3rd because he is strictly a defensive specialist.
Likely Team – New Jersey Devils, Edmonton Oilers, Colorado Avalanche
A few names for Sens fans to keep an eye on as the day progresses:
Victor Crus-Rydberg – One of the youngest players in the draft, Rydberg has a deadly wrist-shot that has gone a little unnoticed due to his penchant for passing. On paper he looks like a set-up man, but the reality is he needs to learn to shoot more. Likely going to be around we pick in the 4th round. I’ll shocked if the Sens pass on him.
Laurent Dauphin – Extremely fast skater, with a diverse offensive skill-set. Dauphin despite his skill needs to add a considerable amount weight to his frame if he ever expects to play in the AHL let alone the NHL, but weight is easier to add then it is to teach a big player Dauphin’s skillset. Ottawa has never shied away from a player because of his size and as far as 3rd picks go Dauphin is the best candidate to be a Boom rather then a bust.
Jared Hauf – Another big monster of a Dman from the WHL, Hauf is exactly what the Sens need to develop in their system. 6’6” 220 (weight varies from reports) Hauf has been playing big minutes and in all situations since day-one with Seattle. In 120+ WHL games he has put up 2 goals, so scoring isn’t his forte, but he is probably the grittiest defense available in the draft. Teams won’t need to teach him to be more physical. He’s going to be available in the 4th round and unless Ottawa gets a steal of a D-man early look for him to be one of our selections.
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Sunday we'll find out where everyone goes and who our newest Sens are.
Next up – Draft Day, UFA Opening Day and then prospect & development camps open up.
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Just some quick Sens house cleaning;
Looks like I was dead wrong about Alfie not returning. One of those times I’m stoked to be wrong.
I wouldn’t get your hopes up about the Sens signing Briere, or Bickell.
While it’s fun to picture bringing in any of these guys, the reality is none of them will be worth their UFA signing price, in terms of caphit vs. production and the Sens brass seems intent not to overspend.
Bickell is likely your playoff UFA this year, like Sean Bergenheim and Joel Ward before him. Could he be a late bloomer and this performance be his coming out party? Sure, but given the history of players in his position, I’d bet good money he’s a product of his environment and an overachiever about to cash in. The Sens showed no interest in Joel Ward when he has his big run, so I highly doubt they go after Bickell.
Briere is still one of the best clutch players in the NHL, as demonstrated by his career playoff numbers. The problem with Briere is the amount of injuries he has sustained over the years, and what he’ll fetch on the weak UFA market. Briere signing for around 4-5 a year is not a stretch at all when you figure that’s what analysts expect Clarkson to draw that kind of money as a glorified 3rd liner. Also you need to factor in Briere will be signing as close to Philly as possible, since his kids live their with his, reportedly ‘less then friendly’ ex-wife, in Philly. Wouldn’t be a shock to see Briere sign with Buffalo, Pittsburgh, or any of the other 3 NY based teams.
Trade Rumors:
I’ve also seen some odd trade suggestions and rumors around this site and HFboards and the likes.
Stuff like our 1st rounder and Jared Cowen for Carolina’s 5th ovr pick is just flat out crazy. While Cowen struggled in the playoffs, he is still just 22, 6’6” and 220+ lbs, oh and already an established NHL ready Dman. There is not one player in this draft that can have an immediate impact (or even the next 2 seasons) that Jared Cowen can have, outside of Jones and Drouin. I’m assuming this is just based on a couple guys that were unhappy with how Cowen played specifically against the Penguins.
Zack Smith for Hemsky….I hate Hemsky’s caphit, and he is a fairly injury-proned player, similar to Michalek, but I could get behind moving just Zack Smith for Hemsky. I however would be pushing Edmonton to retain a portion of his salary in the trade aswell. This one just seems a little far-fetched to happen, but it is MacT and does have a history of chasing players he hates out of town, when he was a coach.
I said it before; if Sens bring in a player to boost offense its going to be through trade not UFA.
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Now that I’m done being negative and a killjoy, on to the Draft:
Instead of laying of a direct mockdraft, I’ve profiled the players by my rankings and after each profile I’ve layed out 3 or so teams likely to draft him, and in some cases a * marks a team that might trade up to grab them. This is just easier to then assuming no one will be traded picks.
2013 Entry Draft:
Nathan Mackinnon – Strong all-around Center, with amazing breakout strides. He won’t out skating a lot of guys down the.ice, but he’ll get the jump on them, and his strong Hockey IQ will make up for his some-what lacking top-speed.
Likely Team: Colorado Avalanche
Jonathan Drouin – One of the top offensive talents of the draft pool, Drouin is in a very similar position has Tyler Seguin was, in that he blossomed later then Mackinnon and Jones. Tremedous Vision and a pair of hands to match it.
Likely Team: Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning
Seth Jones – Hands down the top defensemen of the draft, Seth is a big mobile Dman that can play all facets of the game well. Given his already developed size, Jones will have every opportunity to play in the NHL next season.
Likely Team: Tampa Bay Lightning, Nashville Predators, *Edmonton Oilers, * Calgary Flames, Carolina Hurricanes
Aleksander Barkov – One of a few players that scouts universally believe is NHL ready and capable of making a big impact for his future club, Barkov is a beast of a 17 year old and has proven capable of making anyone he plays with better. Think a Finnish Joe Thorton, if you need a comparison, only think missing from Barkov’s game is a mean streak, and that can be taught. Almost any other draft year and he would likely be a top-3 selection. Hard to see him fall beyond 4th or 5th this year.
Likely Team: Nashville Predators
Darnell Nurse - A late riser to the party, Nurse’ stock has been on a steady rise through the backend of the season. Another big-mobile Dman, Nurse is going to be the consolation prize to a team that misses out on Jones, and the reality is Nurse has the potential to be every bit as good or possibly even better then Jones. The one thing Nurse has over Jones is a penchant for the gritty areas.
Likely Team: Carolina Hurricanes, Calgary Flames, *Edmonton Oilers
Sean Monahan – Seemingly the most popular player in the draft among Canadian hockey fans, Monahan is a true heart’n’soul player. Played on the abysmal Ottawa 67’s, got hurt and still managed to repeat his point totals from the previous season. Wouldn’t shock me to see him go Top-5 because of hockey sense and dedication to his all-around game. Sens fans really hope for a move up to acquire him, but the price is probably going to keep that from happening.
Likely Team: Calgary Flames, New Jersey Devils, Dallas Stars, *Ottawa Senators
Rasmus Ristolainen – Lots of experience playing against men is Rasmus’ best assest. Not a dynamic player by any standard but what he lacks in flash he makes up for in reliability and size. Has some offensive tools, but likely to take a backseat when he hits the NHL. Rasmus will be going higher than he should because of the amount of teams after defensemen.
Likely Team: Calgary Flames, Buffalo Sabres, Philadelphia Flyers, Dallas Stars
Elias Lindholm –The top-rated European prospect this year, Lindholm is your proto-typical 2nd/3rd line center. Responsible in all facets of his game, Lindholm will rarely be a risk for his future club, but on the same hand he’ll likely never be a gamebreaker or a big producer. Going to spend next season in Sweden, so his future team will be waiting and watching how he develops. Has a chance to fall in draft, due to needs for defensemen and amount of flashy forwards in draft.
Likely Team – New Jersey, Phoenix Coyotes, New York Islanders
Bo Horvat - Very responsible forward, the fits the mold of your proto- 2nd/3rd line center…expect the kid is goal-scoring machine, and loves to score late goals to boot. Horvat has shown that he can keep getting better, it’s just a matter of finding his ceiling. A lock to return to London for 1 more year, his future team is going to watching to see if they stole a top-line player, or a clutch scorer ala Briere or Drury.
Likely Team – Dallas Stars, New Jersey Devils, Phoenix Coyotes, Winnipeg Jets
Curtis Lazar - As I said before, one of the safest picks in this draft, teams know exactly what they’ll get out of Lazar, and that’s what makes him such an attractive pick. Pure character player with a vastly under-rated shot. Similar to Brendan Gallagher in that he’ll get gritty and just seems to always find himself in the right place at the right time.
Likely Team – New Jersey Devils, Dallas Stars, Phoenix Coyotes, Columbus Blue Jackets
Nikita Zadorov – Being a Russian won’t likely affect him much, as dmen are the rave this year, he’s already playing in NA, oh and he is 6’5” man-beast. Already NHL ready (in the right situation) Zadorov has yet to reach his ceiling and most scouts are curious to see what it could be. He has shown a decent offensive side, that most agree could develop even further. Think Chris Pronger.
Likely Team – Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames, Buffalo Sabres, Philadelphia Flyers (my bet)
Anthony Mantha – Arguably the most gifted goal-scorer in the draft, the knock on Mantha is ‘he looks like he is working hard when he plays’ and because of this there is questions about his effort consistency. Seriously, scouts knock him because his all-around game didn’t come naturally to him. Over recent years Mantha has apparently put in endless amounts of time to develop his all-around hockey ability to match his natural scoring ability. He’s a dedicated sniper that’s working to hard to make sure he is NHL capable.
Likely Team – Winnipeg Jets (Jets are reportedly very high on him)
Robert Hagg – A couple years from being NHL ready, Hagg is a very reliable shutdown Dman, as seen at the World Jrs. He’s your typical quiet, non-flashy dman, very similar to Anton Volchenkov, except he has an offensive side and the hockey IQ to know when to use it.
Likely Team – New York Islanders, Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings
Max Domi – A wildcard of the draft, Domi has been projected to go anywhere from 10th to 30th. I’ve said it before, but it’s worth repeating, Max Domi is the mostly candidate for steal of the draft. His size is his only real knock, but as scouts have pointed out he plays much bigger and is a true offensive dynamo. Think the tenacity of his dad, with the skill-set of Theo Fluery or Danny Briere.
Likely Team – Dallas Stars, Columbus Blue Jackets, Buffalo Sabres, Ottawa Senators, *Toronto Maple Leafs (Internal Pressure to bring in the ‘leaf legacy’)
Alexander Wennberg – Phenomenal Vision and a dynamic hockey sense, makes Wennberg an intriguing option for clubs. Has the size, strength and ability to be a top center, similar to a Patrice Bergeron (being generous). Needs to shoot more often, but that can be said about a lot of players. Likely wont hit N.A. ice until 2015.
Likely Team – Buffalo Sabres, Ottawa Senators, Detroit Red Wings
Hunter Shinkaruk – Probably the most explosive skater in the draft, Shinkaruk is all about the offense. He seems to score at will, and never looks like he is working hard to pull of flashy plays. The big knock on Shinkaruk is he is very one-dimensonal and will need to really develop his defensive game, which could ultimately hurt his offensive numbers.
Likely Team – Detroit Red Wings, Columbus Blue Jackets, San Jose Sharks
Adam Erne – Another player that goes about his job quietly, Erne has put up 55 and 72 points over the last two seasons, and has done so without making very many highlight reels. Erne is a stocky kid who’s strong on the puck, and incredibly hard to beat down low. Scouts love him because he seems to be capable of playing all facets of the game natural well. Conditioning is the only question mark surrounding him.
Likely Team – Columbus Blue Jackets, Toronto Maple Leafs, Calgary Flames, Vancouver Canucks
Zachary Fucale – Far and away the top goalie in the draft, Fucale could be drafted anywhere in the 1st round. A very positionally sound goalie, who, thanks to playing for Halifax, has experience being peppered night-in night-out (last year), to facing 20 or less shots (this season), and seems to have developed mentally further then most goalies at his age. While he won’t be jumping into the NHL immediately, Fucale is widely regarded as a surefire NHL starter one day.
Likely Team: New Jersey Devils, Calgary Flames, Winnipeg Jets
Samuel Morin – Yet another big hulking dman that can skate, hit and move the puck well. Morin is yet another in a wave of smooth skating monsters, who would likely be going higher if not for an injury late in the 2nd half of the season. Scouts love his that he’s so well rounded and that he already plays with an edge.
Likely Team: Calgary Flames, Washington Capitals, Anaheim Ducks
Kerby Rychel – A gifted scorer, that can play in all situations, Rychel is going to make a GM very happy. He’ll fight for you as much as he’ll score, and has a ton of character to go with his skillset. While he’s not projected to be a leader, he will be a very potent 2nd line power-forward who can change the flow of the game in a variety of ways.
Likely Team: Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks, Montreal Canadiens, Anaheim Ducks
Josh Morrissey – Under-sized, but he makes up for it in natural talent. Morrissey is similar to Ryan Ellis, without as much fanfare as Ellis had. He plays big minutes against the best the WHL has to offer and put up almost 50 points while doing it. Like Ellis, Morrissey has to continue to play big and be strong offensively if he wants to play regular shifts at the next level.
Likely Team: Washington Capitals, Vancouver Canucks, Chicago Blackhawks, 2nd Colorado Avalanche
Jacob De La Rose – A pure grit player, and an entertaining crash’n’banger De La Rose is one of the safer players to pick. He has the potential to be a top-six forward with his scoring prowess, but should that fail teams would still have a sparkplug 3rd liner. Popular among scouts and teams De La Rose could see his stock rise draft day. However should he fall out of the 1st round, I wouldn’t be shocked to see Ottawa or even Detroit scramble to trade into position to draft him.
Likely Team: Columbus Blue Jackets, Dallas Stars, Calgary Flames, *Ottawa Senators
Ian McCoshen – While he doesn’t have the fanfare of some of the D projected ahead of him, McCoshen have scouts drooling over him anyways. While he doesn’t play with much of an edge, he does use his big frame well and projects to be rock solid shutdown D-man.
Likely Team: Montreal Canadiens, Anaheim Ducks, Columbus Blue Jackets, 2nd round Florida Panthers, Colorado Avalanche
Ryan Hartman – The clear Lapierre, Marchard, Downie type agitator of the draft. Every team will take a long look at him late in the 1st round and early in the 2nd round. Hartman can play both Center and on the right-wing well, but will likely play winger at the NHL level. While he has the tools to be a top-six, realistic expectations are he’ll settle in as a 3rd line agitator and complementary scorer.
Likely Team: Toronto Maple Leafs, Columbus Blue Jackets, Calgary Flames, Chicago Blackhawks
Players to Watch:
Mirco Mueller – Yet another Dman that seems to do a little of everything, but not a lot of one thing, Mueller is wildcard for the first round. Every report you read has scouts thinking he could be an all-star to 3rd pairing serviceable. Of all the highly rated dmen in the draft Mueller projects to be a longer-term option, as he will need a lot more seasoning before making the jump.
Likely Team: Calgary Flames, Chicago Blackhawks : 2nd round – Colorado Avalanche, Montreal Canadiens
Valeri Nichushkin – Only reason Nichushkin will fall is because of his Russia origin. Widely believed to have top-tier talent, Nichushkin is a long-term prospect and teams will be waiting to get a better read on his offensive production, as he plays more minutes in the KHL. The fact he is a big power-forward, may help offset his birthplace, but like previous years is in for a free-fall in this draft.
Likely Team – 2nd round Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers
Frederik Gauthier – Big bodied forward, who’s strong in circle and plays big in his own zone. Scouts feel his scoring numbers are inflated because of his vast size compared o most in the QMJHL. Not overly physical or flashy, Gauthier projects to be a 3rd/4th liner center and PK specialist.
Likely Team – Dallas Stars, Calgary Flames, Chicago Blackhawks
Andre Burakowsky – Due to the joys of playing Sweden scouts don’t have a very accurate read on where Burakowsky’s skill set is, development wise. He can dominate against kids his age, but wasn’t able to show it in Elitserien against men, due to lack of playing time. Very deadly in the offensive zone, with smooth hands and a very quick stride to separate himself from defenders. Big draw on Andre is the opportunity for his future club to bring him over to play AHL as soon as next season.
Likely Team – Detroit Red Wings, Calgary Flames, Dallas Stars, Chicago Blackhawks
Morgan Klimchuk – Another player sneaking under the radar due to playing on a bad junior team, Klimchuk has shown he could hang with the big boys and carry a team on his back. 76 points is nothing to ever sneeze at but scouts are convinced if he played on a better team or at least had some better help around him, he could pushed the 100 point mark. He projects to be a two-way forward, with scoring prowess.
Likely Team – Florida Panthers, Edmonton Oilers, Phoenix Coyotes, St.Louis Blues
Nic Petan – Highest scoring player in the draft, yet likely will fall to mid-late 2nd round. Why? As usual size (5’8”) is part of the reason for his ranking, his weaker skating ability is the other. So it’s top-six forward or bust for Petan. That being said find a scout with anything bad to say about his overall game. You won’t. scouts love him because he is a truly special player, that just needs to add some weight and work on his skating.
Likely Team – Dallas Stars, Detroit Red Wings, Washington Capitals, Winnipeg Jets
Michael McCarron – Another big forward that the scouts can’t get a read on. Everyone agrees he’ll be an NHL’er one day; it’s just a matter If he’ll be a depth player or will he turn into a proto-power forward. The big knock on McCarron is his inconsistent play and effort. Scouts feel he should be much better then he is because of his size, but he just doesn’t use it yet.
Likely Team – 2nd round Montreal Canadiens, Carolina Hurricanes, Edmonton Oilers, Dallas Stars
Artturi Lehkonen – An injury-riddled season has hurt Artturi’s stock, but despite the 2 concussions, he still put up 30 points playing against men. His skill set is mostly average across the board, which is a bad thing, as his offensive IQ and Vision help to compensate for his lack of flash and sizzle. Concussion concerns are going to keep him out of the 1st round, but a prospect worth watching.
Likely Team – St.Louis Blues, San Jose Sharks, Minnesota Wild
Linus Arnesson – Linus won’t ever make a highlight reel for his scoring ability, but he will make a reel for saves of the game. Linus brings nothing but defense to the table. A very strong kid playing in Elitersien against men, Linus never looked out of play or physically outmatched. Always come and has a tremendous vision, which allows him to make a quick first pass to bail his team out of trouble. Scouts have no concern over his NHL ability. Could go anywhere from late 1st, to early 3rd because he is strictly a defensive specialist.
Likely Team – New Jersey Devils, Edmonton Oilers, Colorado Avalanche
A few names for Sens fans to keep an eye on as the day progresses:
Victor Crus-Rydberg – One of the youngest players in the draft, Rydberg has a deadly wrist-shot that has gone a little unnoticed due to his penchant for passing. On paper he looks like a set-up man, but the reality is he needs to learn to shoot more. Likely going to be around we pick in the 4th round. I’ll shocked if the Sens pass on him.
Laurent Dauphin – Extremely fast skater, with a diverse offensive skill-set. Dauphin despite his skill needs to add a considerable amount weight to his frame if he ever expects to play in the AHL let alone the NHL, but weight is easier to add then it is to teach a big player Dauphin’s skillset. Ottawa has never shied away from a player because of his size and as far as 3rd picks go Dauphin is the best candidate to be a Boom rather then a bust.
Jared Hauf – Another big monster of a Dman from the WHL, Hauf is exactly what the Sens need to develop in their system. 6’6” 220 (weight varies from reports) Hauf has been playing big minutes and in all situations since day-one with Seattle. In 120+ WHL games he has put up 2 goals, so scoring isn’t his forte, but he is probably the grittiest defense available in the draft. Teams won’t need to teach him to be more physical. He’s going to be available in the 4th round and unless Ottawa gets a steal of a D-man early look for him to be one of our selections.
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Sunday we'll find out where everyone goes and who our newest Sens are.
