Broberg has made a resurgence at U18 Worlds thank goodness, so he should skirt back into the top 15.
D in the top 15: Byram, York, Broberg (potentially: Soderstrom)
...and they should be picked as many of the teams picking before us are in need of D help!
Maybe. Remember in 2010, three of Gormley, Gubrandson, Forbort, and Fowler were all expected to go well ahead of pick #13. Gubrandson went 3rd, McIlrath wound up jumping up to #10, and Fowler/Gormley, who were both anticipated to go top 8, went 12 and 13, respectively.
I see this draft with Byram likely going within the top 5-8, and then I don't know which D goes ahead of some of the forwards, especially b/c some of these teams have multiple 1sts, and can go forward early, followed by D later.
As an example with Anaheim, with the #9 and #25 pick currently, I think they go forward at #9 and then come back with a defenseman, as York, Seider, Robertson, Heinola, or Harley might slip or are right in that range. Colorado, Buffalo, New York Rangers, L.A., and Anaheim all have a pick in the top 10, followed by a pick in the 15-27 range. I bet all of these teams go forward with their first 1st round pick (partially based on where they are picking at), followed by D later. The elite forwards can start to dry up a little, and may mean forward first, followed by D later.
If you had two 1st round picks like 5 of the teams picking in the top 9, and the noise that is being made by some of the forwards is made, then I think you take the risk of a player like Caufield, Krebs, or Boldy ahead of defensemen. Even with some of these teams needing to re-stock on the defensive end, the risk is mitigated much further by waiting on D.