2018 HF Team Boards Mock Draft -- Pick #28

[Inferno]

Honestly I keep waffling on zadina or tkachuk....I just have this gut feeling that tkachuk is going to end up being the best forward in this draft...his hands are just so...so good.

 

[Kakko Schmakko]

I find it hard to believe that if Tkachuk is there at 9 the Rangers pick Kotkaniemi instead and let the Islanders pick Tkachuk two spots later. There are a few reasons including the Rangers Boston U. and David Quinn connections that also connect to Tkachuk. The fact that Brady also would bring physical play and edge and the Rangers wanting to be a harder team to play against---well that would address that at least to a degree. That being said I have Kotkaniemi as my 10--he should become a really, really good player.

As for their 26th and 28th picks. I really, really don't like Ryan McLeod at 26. IMO he drops to the 2nd round and maybe more towards the middle. Grigori Denisenko I don't think will be around at 28 but if he was---he'd be a good pick.

Agreed, I also hate their picks and logic for our 26 and 28 picks.

 

[Edge]

Give us your top 3

I think Lundkvist is coming in pretty underrated, he'd be my choice most likely.

Olofsson, Dellandrea and Wise. Sandin is in the mix as well.

 

[Edge]

Honestly I keep waffling on zadina or tkachuk....I just have this gut feeling that tkachuk is going to end up being the best forward in this draft...his hands are just so...so good.

I have a feeling the Rangers have Tkachuk second or third on their list.

 

[JESSEWENEEDTOCOOK]

I have a feeling the Rangers have Tkachuk second or third on their list.

List of realistic options or overall draft list?

 

[Edge]

List of realistic options or overall draft list?

Overall.

 

[eco's bones]

Agreed, I also hate their picks and logic for our 26 and 28 picks.

Denisenko at 28 would be great. McLeod at 26--no f***ing way. As for taking Kotkaniemi I could easily live with that but I'd be a bit pissed about it if we left Tkachuk on the board for the Islanders to take two picks later. I don't think it will happen either if only because of all the Boston U. connections and Gorton saying the team needing to be harder to play against--because if Tkachuk is there--he's your man for that and he hits a lot of other dots for us as well.

Typically though Kotkaniemi is a Rangers kind of pick. A very skilled European--he has size and put up a lot of points in Liiga as a 17 year old and that's a highly competitive league. There are some similarities IMO with Lias Andersson who was putting up offense in the SHL. The other thing about Kotkaniemi is he's one of the younger players in the draft and Tkachuk by contrast is one of the older--almost 10 months older.

I wouldn't be surprised either if both are gone by the time we pick at 9---I actually expect Tkachuk to be gone by 6 at the latest.

 

[Trxjw]

I'd be surprised to see Tkachuk on their list above Svechnikov, but not at all surprised to see him right there with Zadina. I still think there's more offensive potential there than people give him credit for. Can't imagine having his coach in the fold did anything but boost his stock with the Rangers.

 

[Inferno]

The thing I love about tkachuk is I just don't see any way he busts. All the tools are there for him to be a top line player but even at his worst he should be a 2nd line player. Size hands vision snarl...the kid is soooooo intriguing. I get so annoyed how many people piss all over him. If the rangers had 3rd overall and took tkachuk is have zero problems...none.

 

[Sayba]

Sorry if it has been discussed but I haven't seen it. Liam Foudy, described as 1 of the fastest players in the draft an had a great combine. Could be a high upside pick with our 3rd 1st round pick.

 

[NYR713]

I wouldn't mind seeing them take a shot at someone like Kirill Marchenko with one of the late 1st rd picks. He wasn't available to vote for on the list, but that's where my vote would have been. He can use some work on his speed, but good agility and sick hands. He wouldn't get away with half the shit he does with his slick mitts at higher levels, but I think he has the skill to improve as he matures.

 

[pblawr]

I'm getting to this late, but I wonder if we didn't make a mistake passing over Hallander / Olofsson here. Here are the players who have scored more points than Hallander and Olofsson in the Allsvenskan in their U18 seasons:

William Nylander
David Pastrnak

That's it.

They've outscored Filip Forsberg, Bratt, Rask, Burakovsky, and Pettersson (although Petterson scored more in his pre-draft season when he was just over 18). In general, it seems to me like the Allsvenskan generates a lot of very good prospects but gets overlooked due to being a 2nd league and Hallander and Oloffson have generated excellent performance relative to some very good players in the NHL today. Olofsson is a Feb birthday and Hallander, with a June 29 birthday, is almost in next year's draft. They both seem to have plenty of hockey sense and skill, are fine skaters, and are both over 6 feet and capable of winning puck battles.

I'd be curious if anyone else has thoughts on them as prospects and if they should be targets here (potentially over Addison and Wise).