Top 8 draft queries
A quick and early look at some key storylines
It doesn’t matter if you finished dead-last or won the Stanley Cup, the NHL entry draft has a way of breathing new life into even the most beleaguered fan bases.
With just one pick or one trade, you can theoretically turn a franchise around. And with five of the seven Canadian teams having missed the playoffs last year, that certainly is the hope heading into the two-day event held in Dallas on Friday and Saturday.
From finding a trading partner for Erik Karlsson and Max Pacioretty to why Canadians could be shut out of the top five, here are eight questions heading into this weekend’s draft :
Will Ottawa trade Erik Karlsson and Mike Hoffman?
The Senators have the fourth and 22nd picks in the first round, but expect them to have plenty more if Karlsson and Hoffman are moved. In Karlsson’s case, look for Vegas as a potential destination, with a package including centre Cody Glass (sixth overall, 2017) and defenceman Erik Brannstrom (15th overall), as well as a roster player such as Tomas Tatar. Hoffman won’t fetch nearly as much now that Ottawa is painted into a corner of having to move him, but it’s not unrealistic to assume that the Rangers could offer one of the first-round picks they acquired from Tampa Bay or Boston.
What other trades might we see?
Montreal already acquired Max Domi from Arizona in exchange for Alex Galchenyuk, but it doesn’t mean the Canadiens won’t trade captain Max Pacioretty if it means filling a void at the centre position. Nashville is reportedly gauging interest on P.K. Subban, while Edmonton goalie Cam Talbot might be available, and just about everyone needs a defenceman.
How good is this year’s No. 1 pick?
The term “generational talent” gets thrown around more than it probably should. But in the case of Rasmus Dahlin, who is going to be the first Swede since Mats Sundin to go first overall, it’s appropriate. Described as a mix between Nicklas Lidstrom and Erik Karlsson, the 6-foot-3 defenceman has the potential to be a franchise-changer. In other words, get your Sabres’ jokes out of your system. The days of Buffalo being a punch line are coming to an end.
If Dahlin is so good, why are people comparing him to Nail Yakupov?
The comparison to the first-overall bust is more a reflection of the 2012 draft, which saw eight defencemen selected in the Top
10. This year’s draft could be just as rich with defenders. It obviously begins with Dahlin at No. 1, but scouts also believe that Boqvist, Hughes, Dobson, Bouchard and Bode Wilde could all grow into top-pairing defencemen in a few years.
Why did the Sens keep their pick?
As part of the Matt Duchene trade, the Senators have the choice of giving the Avalanche either this year’s or next year’s first round pick. It looks like they are keeping this year’s pick, which is a bit of a gamble considering that Ottawa could be just as bad next year and potentially lose out on the No. 1 pick and a chance to select top prospect Jack Hughes. At the same time, selecting fourth overall in this year’s draft was too much to pass up considering that their choices in that spot (wingers Filip Zadina and Brady Tkachuk) are NHL-ready and could make the sort of impact as rookies that ensures Ottawa won’t be picking in the Top 5 again.
Which top prospect is going to tumble?
It was a year ago when Gabe Vilardi fell outside the Top 10 — despite being the fourth-ranked North American skater according to NHL Central Scouting — because of concerns with his skating. That’s not an issue with Quinn Hughes or Adam Boqvist, who might be the two best skaters in the entire draft. But there are concerns surrounding their size. It’s not that just that the 5-foot-10 Hughes or the 5-foot-9 Boqvist are short — it’s that they are also slight with Hughes weighing in around 170 pounds and Boqvist barely tipping the scales at 154 pounds. Maybe one of the teams picking in the top five will look past this, but with 6-foot-3 Noah Dobson and 6-foot-2 Evan Bouchard also available in that area, expect one of Hughes or Boqvist to drop.
Who is this year’s sleeper pick?
There were five other players ahead of Jesperi Kotkaniemi on NHL Central Scouting’s latest European rankings, but don’t be surprised if he leapfrogs past most of them on the day of the draft. After all, he can do something that none of the others can: play centre. Teams will say they don’t select based on position, but finding a No. 1 centre — or even a No. 2 — these days is next to impossible outside of the draft. In other words, don’t be surprised if the Canadiens, who are picking third overall, already have Kotkaniemi’s name on a jersey.
Where are all the Canadians?
The best defenceman in the draft is Swedish. The best forwards are Russian, American, Finnish or from the Czech Republic. So where does that leave Canada, which enters this draft lacking in top-end talent? It’s been almost 20 since a Canadian-born player wasn’t selected in the top three. This year, there probably won’t even be one taken in the top five. That’s not a knock on Bouchard or Dobson, who are this country’s top-ranked prospects and should be snatched up within the top 10 picks. Just don’t expect them to be the next Connor McDavid or even Aaron Ekblad.