Follow me on Twitter @SMaloughney UPDATE 2: Looks like 2 years with an AAV of 1.9 million for Benning. Like Caggiula this is about 500,000 dollars more than I was hoping for. These small overpayments add up. Nonetheless Benning despite some warts on his game was a positive possession defender and helped to boost the numbers of those on the ice with him
1.8 and 2.0 million for Benning deal.
— Ryan Rishaug (@TSNRyanRishaug) June 19, 2018
UPDATE: I appear to have some sort of gift. Whenever I post one of these blogs a couple hours later the Oilers announce they have signed a player. It happened with Caggiula and has happened again with Matt Benning. Will post contract details when I have them.
The #Oilers have agreed to terms with defenceman Matt Benning on a two-year contract extension. pic.twitter.com/anW4cjiH78
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) June 19, 2018
As everyone sits here and waits to see where Hoffman is an hour from now, how about we all take a break and look at part two of my mock draft. If you missed the first part you can check it out here
11. New York Islanders Select Ty Smith - RD Smith was the best producing defenseman in the WHL last season. Like other WHL defensemen the ability to defend at the NHL is the biggest question mark but very little separates this player from the previous draftees Boqvist, Bouchard, or Hughes.
12. New York Islanders Select Vitali Kravtsov - RW Courtesy of the Calgary Flames the Islanders have back to back draft picks. I would not be surprised to see the Islanders shore up their bets by taking a forward and a defender. They select Ty Smith with their first pick and with their second they will pick Vitali Kravstov who has risen through the draft ranks over the past couple of weeks. The big Russian winger plays with an edge and has the ability to be a top 6 talent.
13. Dallas Stars Select Joe Veleno - C It’s strange to see so few centres in the top echelon of the draft but Veleno is only the second centre to be selected so far. Veleno was granted exceptional player status in junior and was once thought of to be a for sure early 1st round pick. The slick two way centre has some rough edges but would be a great pick for the Stars.
14. Philadelphia Flyers Select Serron Noel - RW At 6’5 and 206lbs Noel is likely going to be the biggest player drafted in the first round. His first couple of strides still need work but once he is moving he is a decent skater for his size. Has a heavy shot and isn’t afraid to grind out the puck in the corners.
15. Florida Panthers Select Joel Farabee - LW Played in the same league as Oliver Wahlstrom and while not as offensively dominant a player, Farabee is still one of the best natural goal scorers in the draft. A strong skater who still needs to fill out his frame, Farabee would be a great addition to the skilled group in Florida.
16. Colorado Avalanche Select Rasmus Kupari - C This pick seems almost set in stone for me. The Avalanche have some talented developing players who made an impact last season but their centre depth is still a sore subject. Kupari is the best of the next group of skilled centres which includes McLeod and Lundestrom. Has been called a mixture of Jesse Puljujarvi and Sebastian Aho.
17. New Jersey Devils Select Grigori Denisenko - LW A playmaking winger with a quick shot. Denisenko has risen lately due to his strong performance at the U18 with 6 goals and 11 points in his 14 games played. If he does fall to 19 the Devils will be getting a future NHL player.
18. Columbus Blue Jackets Select Martin Kaut - RW Another player who used the World Juniors to elevate his rank. Kaut is a shoot first winger who not only has an effective wrist shot but will also use his slap shot with regularity. He was an above average in his possession playing against men. The only concern I would have is while he played well at the World Juniors he did so on a line with top-end prospect Zadina.
19. Philadelphia Flyers Select Ryan McLeod - C The 6’2 centreman scored 70 points in 68 games this year with the Mississauga Steelheads. With his quick shot, great hockey IQ, speed, and passing ability this is a player that would normally seem to be a top 10 pick. The biggest concern with McLeod comes with his consistency. He has been known to take games off and was moved from center to wing depending on his performance. If a team is able to help him develop he could be an absolute steal.
20. Los Angeles Kings Select Bode Wilde - RD In a couple of years I wonder if the NHL is going to have the same high market it does for right shot defenders. Bode Wilde is one of the more defensively aware defenders in this draft. For Oilers fans Adam Larsson would be a good comparable. He plays a 200ft game and his biggest assets come from his ability to close off lanes and make life difficult for the opposition. A 2nd pairing on an NHL team is likely this players ceiling.