PUCK OF THE DRAW
Canadian teams well positioned for draft — with the Karlsson factor also in play
Brady Tkachuk might be playing north of the border after tonight’s NHL draft if the top two picks go according to form in the Lone Star State,
With four of Canada’s seven NHL teams set to select in the top 10 of the draft, The Canadian Press looks at how Friday’s first round might play out at the American Airlines Center in Dallas.
MONTREAL CANADIENS
With the No. 3 selection, the Habs are in desperate need of help in a number of areas, but perhaps nowhere more than at centre. Assuming the Buffalo Sabres draft star Swedish defenceman Rasmus Dahlin first before the Carolina Hurricanes take Russian winger Andrei Svechnikov, look for Montreal to go after centre Jesperi Kotkaniemi. The Finn was just the sixth-ranked European skater in the final Central Scouting rankings, though, so Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin could elect to trade down to gain more assets and still grab Kotkaniemi later in the first round.
OTTAWA SENATORS
They own the fourth pick and, like Montreal, have a number of areas that need to be addressed. Senators general manager Pierre Dorion is expected to be one of the most popular men at the draft with the status of Erik Karlsson, who can become an unrestricted free agent next summer, still a huge question mark. Ottawa can offer its captain and star defenceman a new contract on July 1, but it remains to be seen if Karlsson wants to stick around for what could be a full rebuild. Expect lots of trade chatter surrounding the 28-year-old. As for the fourth pick, the Senators might decide to go for wingers Brady Tkachuk or Filip Zadina, or Swedish defenceman Adam Boqvist. There’s still a chance they will surrender the fourth pick to Colorado as part of Matt Duchene trade instead of giving up its 2019 first-rounder. The Senators also own this year’s 22nd selection, acquired from the Pittsburgh Penguins in the Derick Brassard trade.
VANCOUVER CANUCKS
They have accumulated a number of good prospects up front in recent years, including Brock Boeser and Elias Pettersson, and in goal with Thatcher Demko, but are in big need of some help on defence. Assuming Boqvist is gone when Vancouver picks seventh, they could take the first Canadian player off the board from among defencemen Evan Bouchard, Noah Dobson or Quintin Hughes. But if one of the other highly touted wingers such as Zadina falls, general manager Jim Benning could go that route and try to beef up his blue line later in the draft.
EDMONTON OILERS
They will have to sit back and see where the chips fall ahead of them, but they’ll be in line to get a good player at No. 10. One of the Canadian defencemen mentioned above still could be available, and there’s a chance Boqvist might be waiting in the stands to be selected. Edmonton general manager Peter Chiarelli could choose to go for a forward and select U.S. national development team winger Oliver Wahlstrom to further bolster an attack led by superstar captain Connor McDavid, or trade the pick for more immediate help.
TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS
They won’t step to the podium until No. 25 barring a deal. Rookie GM Kyle Dubas indicated recently he doesn’t draft based on positional needs, preferring to simply select the best player left on his board and sort out where that person fits into the organization later. Dubas will be under the microscope in his first draft at the helm. The Leafs seem most likely to look at their blue line.
WINNIPEG JETS/ CALGARY FLAMES
Neither team has a pick in Friday’s first round, but that could always change with a trade. The Jets dealt what turned out to be the 29th pick when they acquired Paul Stastny from the St. Louis Blues, and don’t have a selection until No. 60 in Saturday’s second round as it stands. The Flames could be twiddling their thumbs far longer after the club traded away its 2018 firstand second-round selections as part of the package sent to the New York Islanders for defenceman Travis Hamonic at last year’s draft. Calgary also gave up its third-round pick in the deal for goalie Mike Smith with the Arizona Coyotes. As of now, the Flames don’t have a selection until picks Nos. 105 and 108.