Hockey Stop: 2018 NHL Draft Recap (Part 2)

This years draft featured many big name prospects drop drastically, and many teams taking advantage of those drops. Which teams played their cards right and which teams might just be disappointed? Who are late draft steals? We introduce you to all those things and more!

Ottawa- With the fourth overall selection, they went with Brady Tkachuk, a player who plays aggressive, in your face hockey, a style that's been evident in Ottawa for years. Even though Zadina was higher skilled, Tkachuk was the better fit for Ottawa. With the 26th overall selection, the Senators selected Jacob Bernard-Docker, defenseman in the AJHL. Although he dominated, almost scoring a point per game average, he faced weaker competition. With Joe Veleno still available, this was a reach. He could be an okay defenseman, but nothing special. With the 48th overall pick in the draft, they selected Jonathan Tychonick, defenseman in the BCHL. He dominated with a near point per game average as well, and 17 points in 11 playoff games. He has a lot of upside and will be playing with Bernard-Docker next season. He has the potential to be elite if coached well, but he will most likely be a decent top 4 defenseman, so he was a very good pick for the Senators. With the 96th overall pick, the Senators scooped up left wing Jonathan Gruden. He put up good numbers with the USNTDP, but isn't the best offensively. He is a very good shutdown winger, and could be a middle-six winger, potentially with penalty killing minutes. Another decent pick for the organization. With their 126th pick, the Senators selected a player with one of the greatest names I've ever seen, Angus Crookshank, a center in the BCHL. Just like with the other selections, they get a guy that dominated at a low level of hockey, but like the others, probably won't translate that dominance into the NCAA, but only time will tell. On the surface, this could be another middle six forward, in the center position. With their 157th overall pick, they took goaltender Kevin Mandolese of the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles of the QMJHL. He is only 17 years old, and played a lot of games for a struggling team. He wasn't placed in a very good position, and that hurt his numbers in a big way. We all must keep an eye on him next season, as he tries to break out. The 188th overall selection, Jakov Novak, who plays mainly left wing, but can play center as well. He dominated in a weak junior league as an over-ager, but he doesn't have the upside to be much. However, going to a college team over the next four years, we will have to wait and see. But as of now, he has the upside to be a decent AHL player. With their final pick, at 194th overall, they selected right winger Luke Loheit. Loheit played for his high school team, and looked better than the others, but it was just high school hockey, and he is still a long way from any NHL minutes, if at all. Senators fans must watch, like most of the prospects picked later in the draft, this kid over the next few years to see his continuous growth. Overall, the Senators picked a lot of guys from weaker leagues that dominated, giving them some decent upside, while still not high end, top prospects, with most of them needing a few more years to grow.

Arizona- With the fifth pick in the draft, it seemed like a no brainer. Zadina had dropped into their hands, and he's the goal scoring, high skilled winger that Arizona NEEDS. He would work well with any of their good centers, like Keller, Stepan, and others. So if they didn't go him, it has to be either one of Dobson, Bouchard, or Boqvist. No? Uhh... they chose Barrett Hayton? A CENTER???? No bueno, bad pick. I'm fine with them not going Zadina, this is a stacked draft. It's the fact they drafted the one position they didn't need. The fact that they didn't even go the top center, in Joe Veleno. There was much higher talent, in areas that they needed improvement, still available at 5. Terrible mistake by Arizona. Hayton projects as a middle six center, more likely the second line center, but with the good centers already in Arizona, he might just be their third line center with special teams time. With a top 5 pick, you want a guy with at least top 6 upside. Enough about Hayton, let's continue to the other selections. With the 55th overall selection, they selected the big defensive defenseman Kevin Bahl of the OHL. He has great positioning, along with long reach and great anticipation. He will likely make it to the NHL, on the second D-Pair. Ten picks later, at 65 overall, they took another defensive defenseman in Jan Jenik. The difference here is Jenik is more aggressive, but much smaller. As he faces bigger opponents, he will not find success, and must bulk up in order to continue his physical game. As of today, he is 50/50 making the NHL. Ty Emberson was their 73rd overall pick, another defensive minded defender, but has underrated and underused offensive potential, and might be a gem in the later rounds if he catches his offensive strides. They decided to take goalie Ivan Prosvetov with the 114th overall pick. He is a tall goalie, that plays a stand-up style of goaltending. But there's a very low chance he becomes much in the future. With the 142nd overall pick, they selected Michael Callahan, defenseman of the USHL. Yet another stay-at-home defenseman, with very little puck moving skills. He will likely be just another AHL player, who will be moved around from team to team. Three picks later, at 145th overall, they selected Dennis Busby, defenseman of the OHL. He is a skilled defenseman, with great puck moving ability. However, he injured his collarbone last season, and since then has struggled mightily, causing for his drop in the draft. But, he could get right back into it, and have a successful season next year. Keep your eyes on this kid next year Arizona fans, as he might just be a steal. They took another goalie at 158th overall in David Tendeck, of the WHL. He is smaller than Prosvetov, and plays more butterfly, relying heavily on his reflexes. But just like Prosvetov, he most likely won't end up being much in the future. With their final pick in the draft, they selected British left winger Liam Kirk, 189th overall. He has shown bright flashes offensively, but hasn't shown enough in his overall game, especially defensively, to have success at the NHL level, but he could have a small chance if coached well. Overall, they didn't have a great draft, but they did take chances on a few guys that have some potential in the later rounds. But they could've gotten Zadina, 'nuff said.

Detroit- Oh. My. God. Zadina fell right into Detroit’s lap at 6th overall. Already a fantastic pick up. He is NHL ready, a fantastic winger to go with Larkin, with a huge ceiling to be an elite goal scorer for years to come. Unreal, and I still can't fathom the fact that Arizona passed on this guy. Let's continue, with their next pick, at 30th overall, center... JOE VELENO? WHAT? This guy was ranked in the top 5 almost all year, and top 10 before the draft, and he lands at 30th? Wow Detroit, you guys already won this draft. This guy could easily slot in as their second line two-way center behind Larkin, with unbelievable skill. He will absolutely be solid for Detroit for many years, like Zadina. With the 33rd pick, they scooped up Jonatan Berggren, from the SuperElite League. He dominated, leading the league in scoring. Not just that, but he impressed at the international level as well. He, too, could have high upside as a top 6 winger. Another really good pick for Detroit in the early second round. Three picks later, they select, defenseman of the Halifax Mooseheads in the QMJHL, Jared McIsaac. He was a guy that could've gone first round, but dropped to Detroit's pick, of course. He is a talented defender, with the potential to be a top 4 defenseman. He is a more than capable defenseman, and he is yet another steal that fell right into their laps, and in a positional need of defense. Great pick up. At 67th overall, they scoop up another defenseman in Alec Regula, a big man with a high ceiling. He has good skating for a big man, and could be a decent pick for the Wings. Time will tell if this was a good pick for them. At 81st overall, they took another blue liner named Seth Barton of the BCHL. He didn't do very well for a guy playing in a weak league drafted somewhat earlier than expected. This wasn't a very good pick, as he won't amount to much of anything. With the 84th overall pick, they selected goaltender Jesper Eliasson out of the SuperElite league. In 19 games he put up extremely solid stats. He showed a lot of hard work which shows me that he's willing to give his all and do whatever it takes. He's a very underrated pick and could be special for Detroit here. At 98th overall, they selected right winger of the USHL Ryan O'Reilly. This kid is a big body and not the greatest skater, but if he works on his skating and works on his all around game, the Red Wings could have a decent middle-six winger who can bring size and strength to those lines. Not a bad pick there. With the 160th overall pick, they selected their second goaltender of the draft Victor Brattstrom, also from the SuperElite league. He played 15 games, so another small showing of what's to come like Eliasson, and also put up decent stats. He has a big frame and the foundation of what could be a decent NHL backup or a decent goalie to split with another. He doesn't project as a full time starter yet, but he can prove otherwise in the coming years. Again, a decent pick in the later rounds. With their final pick at 191st overall, they get center Otto Kivenmaki of a junior league in Finland. He is extremely undersized, at 5'8 137 pounds, but he has very good hockey sense. He has the foundation of a potential middle six or even top 6 player, but he is tiny compared to the other prospects and players in general. If he wants to make it, he has the skill to improve on, but he must bulk up a lot. He is a project, but might be worth the wait. With all that being said, the Red Wings had an insane first and second round, and after that they made decent, but not great, picks. Fantastic draft by Detroit, and if everyone turns out the way they're expected to, Detroit could find themselves back in the playoffs within the next 5 seasons.