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The 2017 NHL Entry Draft is still more than a month away but I haven't really talked about it much, and the Calgary Flames own a fairly high pick (16th overall), so I figured I'd dip my toes into the water with not much else going on.
There are a few players I like that could and/or should be available around the 16th pick but one guy I'd really be eyeing is forward Nick Suzuki.
He is coming off a magnificent season with the Owen Sound Attack where he tallied 96 points (45 goals, 51 assists) in 65 regular season games and followed it up with 23 points (eight goals, 15 assists) in 17 playoff games.
On top of posting excellent raw totals, Suzuki was the most efficient even-strength producer among all CHL draft eligibles as he averaged 3.17 points per 60 minutes. For perspective of how efficient he was, projected top-5 picks Gabe Vilardi (3.06 per 60) and Nico Hischier (3.04 per 60) were the only other first-year eligible forwards to average better than 3.0 points per 60.
Suzuki possesses high-end puck skills, vision, is very shifty, elusive and can drive play. Quite frankly, if he was a couple inches taller I think he'd be talked about as a potential top-5 pick.
Getting a guy as productive and talented as Suzuki at the 16 spot would be a dream come true. I don't know if I'd say it's likely he'll be available but it seems *possible*.
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I recently wrote a little bit about Mark Jankowski's strong season in the AHL. His production (60 points in 66 games) stands out in a positive way and advanced metrics paint an even brighter picture as he led the AHL in WAR.
I think it's fair to say he'll break camp with the NHL roster. While many expect him to fill Matt Stajan's slot on the 4th line, assuming he is selected by Vegas in the expansion draft, I think there is a decent chance he earns himself a top-9 spot, especially if Curtis Lazar and Troy Brouwer are his competition.
Lazar had four points in 13 AHL games and averaged .84 points per 60 at evens during his time there. Lazar's sample size isn't large, obviously, but Jankowski averaged 2.75 points/60 at the same age. That's a massive difference.
Unless Lazar shows up in camp much better than he is today, I think Jankowski could leapfrog him on the depth chart as early as October.
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