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I took a look at North American Centers in the upcoming draft in a previous post, and a few international centers last time. There’s already been some ‘fantasy draft’ shuffling over at TSN, but I really have no idea who will be available at 9 (or certainly later in the first round with the Isles pick assuming we don’t do a trade)
Today I’m taking a look at right side defense. Yzerman’s first ever pick for Detroit as GM in 2019, Moritz Seider, has been a huge bright spot. Last season, Seider found chemistry with Walman later in the season. To start the season, we had some good looks with Seider on the top line and Hronek on the second line as far as the right side was concerned. With Hronek gone, that’s an area I’d like to readdress. In all likelihood, a veteran free agent or trade (we’ll look at that later) will fill the spot. For the future, I’m taking a look at some of the top ranked right side defenseman.
I’m looking at TSN’s top picks via elite prospects. I’m going to pull several of the top right shot defenseman and see what we come up with.
David Reinbacher is the highest listed dman taken in the first round for this list. . A right shot defenseman from Austria listed at 6’2…, Reinbacher is guessed to go 11th overall. With 22 points (3g 19a) and not a lot of offense in the tournament circuit, the numbers don’t jump off the page. But, he was playing in a Swiss Men’s league and had numbers similar to Josi (7g 7a) and Moser (0 goals and 7 assists). His rankings go from 10 (central scouting) to 26 (McKeen) and so there is, at least on this list, a chance he could be available at 9. The first round seems forward heavy for sure.
Oliver Bonk is the next Right shot D on this mock draft, picked to go at 26 (before him Michael Gulyayev, a left shot D, is picked to go at 18). Oliver is another right shot Dman listed at 6’1… with rankings from 26 (THN) to 65 (Eliteprospects). That’s some serious separation in value between those two. Oliver had 40 points (10g 30a) in 67 games in the OHL for the London Knights. His dad played parts of 14 seasons in the NHL.