Based on what I've recently heard, switch those 2 groups around. Many are now saying Dubois>Tkachuk, while reports from scouts now appear to becoming out rating Juolevi over Chychrun
I mean, it depends on who you listen to. I think the more credible ones have Chychrun and Tkachuk still as 4-5 altough it seems indeed Juolevi is climbing for some reason. Obviously Dubois has been talked about a lot as a potential top4 pick, not least by myself, but he has still been universally ranked lower than that by most scouts, altough Button just had him at #4 but Button is Button and his lists are not meant to be consensus. Basically, all the guys that follow OHL closely like Brock Otten and everyone else has Chychrun as the unanimous top defenseman. Tkachuk hasn't really fallen from his top4-5 position either. It might change in the coming months though, I don't know...
No question, my point is that it's annoying there aren't very high end defensive prospects in this draft.
No one challenging to be picked #1, 2 or 3.
I mean, it depends what you mean with high end defensive prospects. Juolevi/Sergachyov/Chychrun are all high end but none of them project as a Doughty for instance. Chychrun was #2 for half the year pretty much though and has drawn lots and lots of comparisons to Ekblad in terms of ability. I think all of those guys are pretty safe bets to be top4 d-men in the NHL and all of them have #1 potential, Serg and Chychrun moreso than Juolevi IMO. They're basically the same tier as Jones/Risto/Nurse as prospects, and at least one of them looks like a #1 (Risto) and Jones might get there too.
So...to say that they aren't high end would be wrong. You could basically compare Risto to Juolevi with their calm and smarts, Jones to Chychrun for their athletic ability, size, mobility and all-around game and Nurse to Sergachyov as they are both a little bit of wildcards in terms of having the biggest upside but being a bit more risky.
