2018 NHL Draft Prospects

[Wintersun]

I know it is early, but does Tkachuk project as a potential number 1 center?

He plays the wing every time I watch NTDP18. And he doesn't project as someone who will drive offense on his line in the NHL in my opinion. He's not as good as Matthew to me.

 

[93LEAFS]

Many consider Thornton as a future Hall of Fame member, so you may assume he is a great center (or was a great center), probably not worse, than Matthews. Has he driven Sharks to Promised Land? Yeah, Kovy got Devils to the Final. What did Thronton do to Sharks?

How often did Thornton's team make the playoffs? Kovalchuk had a good run on a team he was traded to that was already a fringe contender. Where did Kovalchuk get Atlanta? Usually, you can acquire high-end wingers, later on to finish off a team. Pitt got Kessel, Blackhawks signed Hossa, Kings acquired Gaborik, Ducks re-acquiring Selanne, etc. Outside of Thornton, how many franchise center's have been moved?

Thornton's career destroy's Kovalchuk's.When did Kovalchuk finish top 5 in Hart voting? Answer. Never. Thornton has won it, and finished in the top 5 4 other times. How many times did Thornton make the playoffs? 15 times. 5 times with the team that drafted him. He only missed it 3 times in his career. Kovalchuk made it 3 times, only once with the team that drafted him. He missed it another 8 times.

Looking at those numbers, and even if you factor in Thornton's extra longevity, it's quite clear, you had more opportunities to win the cup building around Thornton.

 

[93LEAFS]

I know it is early, but does Tkachuk project as a potential number 1 center?

No, he projects as a winger.

 

[93LEAFS]

Hmm, as far as I remember, he did.

What team played in the final last year? I'll give you a hint, a team Thornton played on.

 

[hockeydraftcentral]

Jay Bouwmeester was hyped a lot as a 16-year-old. A lot. However he faded in his draft year, and the hopes weren't as high for him as the draft rolled around. I remember 2002 very well, since I was working at a major website and posted a lot of draft stuff for them. I remember being surprised at how fast Rick Nash came up in the rankings as he emerged in his draft year. In the end, the Columbus scouts made the right call there.

I go back a long, long way. Prior to your era (post-Bouwmeester), the most hyped defensemen in draft history have been Denis Potvin (1973), Barry Beck (1977), Scott Niedermayer (1991), Chris Pronger (1993), Ed Jovanovski (1994), and Bryan Berard (1995).

I did a lot of research a couple of these guys.

Potvin
Beck

Personally, I think Pronger was the most-hyped defenseman from this pre-1999 period. People were talking about his dominance at a very young age. Potvin is also up there in terms of pre-draft hype, but the draft didn't get as much attention back then, and players were drafted at age 20.

 

[Juxtaposer]

This draft isn't as strong as I thought it would be since Wise and Veleno haven't lived up to expectations, but I think Dahlin, Svechnikov, and Wilde will be a very strong top-3. There is a lot of risky skill in this draft, that is to say I think there are a ton of Josh Ho-Sang types, boom-bust types.

 

[Buchnevich]

I know he's not at the top of lists, but Akil Thomas is a player that I'm excited to see in his draft year. I really like his game.

 

[93LEAFS]

Jay Bouwmeester was hyped a lot as a 16-year-old. A lot. However he faded in his draft year, and the hopes weren't as high for him as the draft rolled around. I remember 2002 very well, since I was working at a major website and posted a lot of draft stuff for them. I remember being surprised at how fast Rick Nash came up in the rankings as he emerged in his draft year. In the end, the Columbus scouts made the right call there.

I go back a long, long way. Prior to your era (post-Bouwmeester), the most hyped defensemen in draft history have been Denis Potvin (1973), Barry Beck (1977), Scott Niedermayer (1991), Chris Pronger (1993), Ed Jovanovski (1994), and Bryan Berard (1995).

I did a lot of research a couple of these guys.

Potvin
Beck

Personally, I think Pronger was the most-hyped defenseman from this pre-1999 period. People were talking about his dominance at a very young age. Potvin is also up there in terms of pre-draft hype, but the draft didn't get as much attention back then, and players were drafted at age 20.

I remember hearing Lachance was a legitimate challenger to Niedermayer at one point.

Historically, just looking at the big defensive prospects you can tell they are fairly erratic compared to highly touted forwards. At least, throughout the 2000's. Although, in recent years, Doughty and Hedman have been major successess. EJ is a good player but never put it all togeather to be a top 10 defender. Bouwmeester has the same issues.

I would just always have more faith in predicting a draft to be great if they are built around a strong crop of centers. Similar to 2015 and to a lesser extent 2013. I'm also, always naturally suspect of a draft class when the OHL looks significantly below par, which it currently does. Although, Svechnikov and some USNTDP kids leaving for it could drastically change the strength of the 2018 draft class coming from that league.

 

[GetThePuckOuttaHere*]

I think it will be a very deep draft with plenty of quality talent available throughout the 1st and 2nd round. Not really sure what the top-end looks like though outside of Dahlin and Svechnikov.

Right now, I'd have Wilde, Veleno, and McIsaac rounding out the top 5.

 

[GetThePuckOuttaHere*]

Thanks for all of that good info. Kind of shatters my excitement, but you mention a lot of upside on these kids. I just sense that this is a very high-character group and they will push each other to be better as they jockey for first-round status.

By the way, I don't see Dahlin being anything less than an All-Star. He seems to be at least as good if not better than both Karlsson and Hedman at his age. Sweden is pretty reliable for defensemen when they come up with this much hype.

As far as team success goes, I don't look at players on that basis, because much of that is beyond their individual control. I just want to look back at a draftee and say how great of a player was he? A lot of great players played for bad teams, and I don't think any less of their accomplishments.

Speaking of centers, what do people think of Jake Wise, Alexander Khovanov, Isac Lundestrom, and Oliver Wahlstrom? Could any of them be in the conversation with Dahlin and Svechnikov next year?

Wise and Wahlstrom have had immensely disappointing years in comparison to expectations from last year. Really, only thing keeping them in projected first rounds for most people nowadays is that pedigree. I think that both of them have the talent to jump back up the draft boards, though.

 

[Morgs]

My favourite prospect from this draft right now is Merkley. Guy is just a treat to watch in the offensive zone, but that -41 though, hahaha Guelph.

I have a feeling he's going to drop too far, and teams are going to regret it.

 

[93LEAFS]

Speaking of centers, what do people think of Jake Wise, Alexander Khovanov, Isac Lundestrom, and Oliver Wahlstrom? Could any of them be in the conversation with Dahlin and Svechnikov next year?

Don't know enough about Lundestrom. But, Wise and Wahlstrom haven't looked good, they still getting top 15 discussion right now based on prior hype.

Khovanov I doubt challenges them. Small center from Russia not playing in NA will always have problems gaining on those guys. Also, for a smaller guy, he doesn't have the explosive skating you would want to counter-act being on the smaller side.

There is a large gap between Svechnikov/Dahlin and the rest of the draft right now is a quite sizable gap. Doesn't mean some kids won't put it all togeather next year and rapidly rise.This draft looks good, with one of the best defencemen crop we've seen in awhile. If I was a rebuilding team though, I wouldn't be that excited about the lack of high-end center prospects. But, maybe Veleno lives up to prior expectations or Jack McBain starts to amaze (although, I would think he would have to find a stronger league). The upcoming under-18's should give a good idea for next year.

 

[HuGo Sham]

hoping bergevin hangs onto all 3 of his 2nds...habs will have 4 picks in 1st 2 rounds

 

[Starry Knight]

My favourite prospect from this draft right now is Merkley. Guy is just a treat to watch in the offensive zone, but that -41 though, hahaha Guelph.

I have a feeling he's going to drop too far, and teams are going to regret it.

He's really not even that bad defensively. Guelph is just such a bad team all around and he plays like half the game.

 

[Goose of Reason]

Veleno may not be tearing the q up like would be expected from an exceptional player, but imo it's only because he's buried in depth in Saint John. When the Dogs are missing players (nhl camps and resting after clinching their playoff birth) he's been excellent and one of the best players on the ice. He's a very good 3c on a contending team which at 16 is pretty good. He's gonna make some noise next season when he gets the chance to be the guy imo.

2018 is definitely looking good but it's still too early to compare it to 2003 and other great drafts. Lots of hockey to be played still.

 

[SelltheTeamFrancesco]

It's really early but I think the 2015 and 2016 draft had a lot more depth from 3 -10. Obviously it's early so anything can happen in a year.

 

[Duke16]

It's my draft year!

 

[FlyTimmo]

Does Dahlin go first before Laine/Matthews if he was in their draft class?

 

[Fantomas]

Yes, it would be worse. You want to build from center out, it took Kovalchuk a long while to have any level of team success. Tons of teams have success without a truly elite winger, many can't win without either a Top 10 center or a top 10 defender (or preferably both). Pretty sure, the last draft showed that teams prefer the centers. Very few would have taken the Kovalchuk winger (Laine) over the complete 2-way center (Matthews).

Center is the most important thing, where you can almost always predict sure things. Wingers, you can tell when they are sure things, but they are less important to the cause of building a cup contender. Defenders are always a risky proposition high, and goalies are by far the most erratic.

What a load of nonsense. Kovalchuk's problem was not that he's a winger. He was a one-dimensional winger who played on terribly constructed teams. He wasn't the Atlanta Thrashers GM, for goodness sake.

And the Matthews/Lane debate is far from settled. So far Matthews has been better, and not because he is a center. He has just been a better player.

I can understand seeing the center as slightly more valuable in a situation of a tiebreaker - then you can pick the center over the winger. But that's about as far as I would go.

"Building from the center out" is some kind of silly religion with a few posters here. One of them recently ranked Veleno over Svechnikov because the former is a center. It's laughable.

 

[Fantomas]

On a related note, Svechnikov's forward status has not yet been settled. He played center before this season, and I would not be surprised to see him converted back there. To my eyes, he plays like a center much of the time. Closer to Malkin than Kovalchuk in the way he sees the ice and distributes the puck.

 

[Luddowich]

Does Dahlin go first before Laine/Matthews if he was in their draft class?

In a vaccum ignoring positions theres arguments for it. I've watched Dahlin a lot and i would. Even though im going to be overflown with comments from leafs fans and others. Never seen anything like him.

 

[VictorLustig]

Thanks for all of that good info. Kind of shatters my excitement, but you mention a lot of upside on these kids. I just sense that this is a very high-character group and they will push each other to be better as they jockey for first-round status.

By the way, I don't see Dahlin being anything less than an All-Star. He seems to be at least as good if not better than both Karlsson and Hedman at his age. Sweden is pretty reliable for defensemen when they come up with this much hype.

As far as team success goes, I don't look at players on that basis, because much of that is beyond their individual control. I just want to look back at a draftee and say how great of a player was he? A lot of great players played for bad teams, and I don't think any less of their accomplishments.

Speaking of centers, what do people think of Jake Wise, Alexander Khovanov, Isac Lundestrom, and Oliver Wahlstrom? Could any of them be in the conversation with Dahlin and Svechnikov next year?

I don't think Lundeström belongs in that group. Khovanov was the most impressive forward in the recent U17 5 nations tournament. Thought he outplayed everyone there, including Wise and Wahlstrom on the US team. Svechnikov and Veleno (only seen a couple of games) are the only forwards that have impressed me more than Khovanov. Zadina is up there as well.

 

[Eugene85]

On a related note, Svechnikov's forward status has not yet been settled. He played center before this season.

Nope. He is a winger, Idk where all these rumours about him being a center originate from. I read it on USHL official site in autumn for the first time and had never read and heard about something like that before. Svechnikov's center has always been Khovanov both in Ak Bars and in NT.

 

[Morgs]

He's really not even that bad defensively. Guelph is just such a bad team all around and he plays like half the game.

Yeah I know, I've watched Guelph enough to realize it's definitely not him that's the problem. He's just crazy in the offensive zone.

 

[FlyTimmo]

In a vaccum ignoring positions theres arguments for it. I've watched Dahlin a lot and i would. Even though im going to be overflown with comments from leafs fans and others. Never seen anything like him.

I imagine they are pretty close. But, I probably would choose Dahlin based on predraft performances. McDavid is probably the only player that goes ahead of Dahlin in the last ~5 years.