Scout 1: “It’s Reinbacher for sure at the top. He looks like a legit pro defenseman, shades of
Noah Dobson. Don’t be surprised if he goes top five.”
Scout 2: “I think Oliver Bonk is going to surprise people with where he goes. First round for sure, could even see him go comfortably in the top 20, there’s a lot of NHL in his game. You look at the playoffs, all those big, mobile puck-moving defensemen, teams will covet a player like him.”
Scout 3: “Simashev should be the first defenseman picked on pure ability. He has top pair tools. Will someone actually do it, especially with how good Reinbacher looked? I’m guessing unlikely.”
Executive 2: “I don’t think Gulyayev is the best, but he’s close. He has high-end hockey sense, he can create versus men with dynamic skating and skill. There’s a lot of modern-day NHL defenseman in his game.”
Executive 3: “I wouldn’t take any defenseman in the upper half of the first. I think guys like Reinbacher, Sandin Pellikka, etc., are being propped up because of the scarcity of D in this draft.”
Scout 4: “Reinbacher is the clear top defenseman, I think he could go top five. After that on talent, it’s Simashev, but in reality, it will likely be Sandin Pellikka or Tom Willander.”
Scout 5: “I’ll go rogue and say Willander is the best defenseman. He’s such a good skater, I think he’s just going to keep getting better and better.”
Scout 6: “He’s not the best, but Tanner Molendyk is not far from the top of the D group for us. He’s an elite skater, a true competitor. He will have a long NHL career.”
Executive 4: “Reinbacher is the best defenseman. I would take Willander next, but in terms of pure ability I would have Simashev narrowly ahead.”
Scout 7: “Simashev is the best D in the draft. Reinbacher and Willander are good players but Simashev is a 6-4, excellent skating defenseman with skill. You can’t find those guys on the open market.”
Scout 8: “Willander is a stud. Not everyone on our staff agrees but he’s the best D for me and would be comfortably in the top 10.”
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