Dobson may be coming to Canucks
Here’s how the first 15 picks could play out in the upcoming National Hockey League draft
Quinn Hughes went from a University of Michigan curiosity, to Bobby Orr puck-moving comparisons and a world championship comfort factor with the United States as the tournament’s youngest player last month.
Noah Dobson went from a gold medal with Team Canada at the Ivan Hlinka Tournament last August, then a QMJHL title with Acadie-Bathurst and a Memorial Cup championship last month.
What will this mean when the NHL draft commences in two weeks at Dallas?
You put the most stock in everything a player accomplished during his draft year, but you don’t discount excellence on the national or international stages. You then use the Scouting Combine as a character barometer and fitness baseline and zero in on preferred picks with followup interviews.
Above all, you trust your instincts.
The Vancouver Canucks own the seventh-overall selection and whether they were picking in mid-season rankings in January or final rankings in June, the consensus is a defenceman is there for the taking.
Slick Swedish push-mover Adam Boqvist was slotted fifth at mid-season, but could slip to as low as 10th on draft day. Hughes was rated sixth and could go fifth, top OHL scoring defender Evan Bouchard was seventh and could go sixth, while Dobson was rated eighth and has had the most pre-draft buzz.
In his first playoff experience as a QMJHL rookie two seasons ago, Dobson’s defensive game and confidence level took off. In the second round, he got the call to shut down hulking centre PierreLuc Dubois — now a mainstay with the Columbus Blue Jackets — and held him to four goals in a seven-game umph.
“That really taught me how important your stick work is,” the 6-3, 180-pound Dobson told Postmedia News. “You may not be the biggest or most physical guy and throwing the big hit, but having a good stick and being in the right position at the right time really helped my defensive game.
“A little bit of that is your hockey sense and a little bit is having a great coach in minor hockey who was always thinking the game. Learning how to think at a young age really helped me in going through the ranks. If you can think one play ahead, that really helps you.”
Thinking far ahead separates tri- good NHL scouts from average talent evaluators. And this draft could get interesting if the Detroit Red Wings are so sweet on Hughes that they move up a spot and swap picks with the Arizona Coyotes, who could either pick Bouchard or Dobson.
The Canucks have been the subject of trade rumours for immediate roster help, but it would take a lot to part with the pick and any add-ons in any significant deal. And if they’re thinking of trading down to add a selection, there are other targets to consider, and they may want to add a centre with the retirement of Henrik Sedin.
However, it’s difficult to imagine not picking a potential future top-pairing defender.
“We feel real comfortable with the way we have our list,” said Canucks’ general manager Jim Benning. “We think we’re getting a real good player at No. 7 and we like those who have a chance to be there. However it falls, we just feel we’re in a real good spot.”
Here’s how the top half of the first round could play out June 22 in Dallas: 1. Buffalo: (Rasmus Dahlin, D, Frolunda, SHL)
No brainer. Dominating, game-changing, plug-andplay, potential generational greatness. 2. Carolina: (Andrei Svechnikov, RW, Barrie, OHL)
Big Russian is a horse, had 40-goal season, gives Hurricanes depth. Justin Williams
is 36. 3. Montreal: (Brady Tkachuk, LW, Boston University, NCAA)
Canadiens can’t score, too easy to play against. Tkachuk brings vital grit, will, skill. 4. Ottawa: (Filip Zadina, RW, Halifax, QMJHL)
Dangerous from dots down, 44-goal sniper adds pop to 25th-ranked offence, 27th-rated PP.
5. Detroit: (trade with Arizona, up from No. 6) (Quinn Hughes, D, Michigan, NCAA)
Wings’ coach Jeff Blashill loved homegrown Hughes at worlds. Great wheels, poise.
6. Arizona (trade with Red Wings, down from No. 5) (Evan Bouchard, D, London, OHL) Big stud led league blue-liners strong schooled. 7. with Vancouver in 84 own points (Noah zone, (25-62), Dob- well son, QMJHL) Budding D, Acadie-Bathurst, Seth Jones, 69 points power-play (17-52), potential, right-shot heavy shot, 8. Chicago two-way (Jesperi game. Kotkaniemi, Jonathan C, Assat, Toews, SM-liiga) Artem Anisimov plays a hard are game 30. like Big Cap- Finn tain 9: Serious. New York Rangers (Oliver Wahlstrom, RW, NTDP, USHL)
Re-tooling Blueshirts bleak on right side. Wahlstrom’s quick release brought 39 goals in 51 games.
10. Edmonton (Adam Boqvist, D, Byrnas, Sweden-J20)
Oilers need drive, creativity from the back end, slick Swede often compared to Erik Karlsson.
11. New York Islanders (Bode Wilde, D, U.S. NTDP, USHL)
May package consecutive picks to grab elite D, but Wilde’s size, impact bolsters back end.
12: New York Islanders (from Calgary) (Joe Veleno, C, Drummondville, QMJHL)
If John Tavares bolts, Isles need big centre to add depth behind Mathew Barzal, RFA Brock Nelson. 13. Dallas: (Ty Smith, D, Spokane, WHL)
Stars need to replace Dan Hamhuis (UFA), Marc Methot is 32. Smith calm, steady influence.
14. Philadelphia: (from St Louis) (Joel Farabee, LW, U.S. NTDP, USHL)
Flyers’ left side thins out after Claude Grioux. Versatile Farabee had 26 goals in 51 games.
15. Florida: (Barrett Hayton, C, Sault Ste. Marie, OHL)
Can Jared McCann take next step? Hayton brings an all-around game, had 21 goals, 60 points.