I certainly don't have major convictions on a lot of prospects in this draft.
Celebrini has got a high ceiling and a high floor, San Jose got lucky here.
My #2 is Demidov, but you are lying to yourself if you think it's a comfortable feeling to take a guy that talented without dynamic skating, a game we've never really seen much of at the NHL level, and being stuck playing at the MHL level again this year. The lack of viewings against professionals makes it hard to be definitive on his upside and the skating is very Hutson-esque.
My #3 is Catton, but I'm not convinced he's a center. I'm not so concerned about the size but he is sleight, so how he plays in the playoffs at the NHL level will be a question. He's got a lot of great skills and tools, but the motor and defense went in and out which can be explained by the late injury and the high minutes he played, but the high minutes also could inflate his production, as well.
My #4 is Lindstrom, but I'm not convinced he's a center. The health issues are a ? that we can't answer so it's just a variable we have to put outside the scope of our armchair evaluations. The skill level and shot are great, he's an exceptional athlete but the sample size of top 5 level play is very small and the skating stride is effective but odd.
My #5 is Sennecke, but the production took off when Ritchie got back off his injury. Now there's reasons why that would be the case as he had a massive growth spurt and getting your coordination and figuring out your game at that new size, as a teenager can be tough. Will his style of play work in the NHL? Can he adapt? Was it a prolonged hot streak or a legitimate high upward trajectory?
My #6 is Parekh, but he's not the biggest guy out there similar build to Catton and there are some skating things, his defense is suspect at best. His shot will play but is there enough of a playmaking game to support that?
My #7 is Dickinson, left hand shot, how much better will be compared to Guhle? He's got a lot of the same elements with the big differentiator being that he has a bigger and heavier shot.
My #8 is Levshunov, is he so advanced physically that he might have plateaud? Are the IQ issues a result of being relatively new to hockey or just not a smart defender?
My #9 is Iginla, but I worry he's just prime Gallagher. A great player to have but there's limitations and is that a 5 overall prospect? Great shot, inside drive, good puck protection but the puck handling goes in and out, he has trouble making passes that he needs to make to be a dual threat and can his style of play be maintained over 82 games with his good but not great size?
My #10 is Buium, very similar to Hutson. Great numbers but on a stacked team. Defense is still suspect and I don't know if his offense will translate to the NHL, Hutson did make that move look easy in 2 games but that's a small sample size. I'd not take him for the Habs as if Hutson makes it, we already have him, if he fails, Buium looks destined to fail too.
