I want to start this piece off by stating that I am in no way, shape, or form an expert when in comes to prospects. There are a lot of people out there that dedicate an incredible amount of time dissecting every player eligible to be drafted in extension detail. I am not one of those people. I could pretend to be but I would fail miserably in my attempt.
What I do know is that this year's draft does not come close to comparing to what 2015 and 2016 had to offer. There is no Connor McDavid, Auston Matthews, Jack Eichel, or Patrik Laine. For 2017, it is pretty much Nolan Patrick, Nico Hischier, and then everybody else. That is not to say that this draft is not going to wind up being a good one, it just won't be a great one like the past two.
The Tampa Bay Lightning have the 14th pick this year, which is the highest they have selected since picking third in 2013. After failing to make the postseason, they want to make sure they take advantage of being a part of the NHL's bottom half by getting this pick right. With that being said, there are a lot of mixed feelings as to who the "right" pick for the Lightning is.
As I mentioned earlier, I'm no prospect expert. So I did some searching, looking at various mock drafts from different reputable sources. To put it simply, they were all over the place with their projections. Some people say the Bolts will go with a forward while other go the opposite route and claim the team will select a defenseman.
The only name I saw twice was Tri-City defenseman Juuso Valimaki. I have provided a scouting report of Valimaki from Guillaume Lepage of NHL.com below.
"The Finland-born defenseman has an intriguing mix of speed and mobility that allows him to join the attack. He had 61 points (19 goals, 42 assists) in 60 games, seventh among WHL defensemen. In addition to his vision and ability to quickly transition from defense to offense, his size (6-2, 204) makes him an imposing figure protecting his net."
When it comes to draft strategy, I think Steve Yzerman would be smart to just go with the best player available. There is nobody here that can come in immediately and make an impact. All of these players are going to need time to develop. With that in mind, the Lightning can use young talent at any position. Their need for help on the blueline is more immediate while they have plenty of depth at the forward position.
I am fully aware that my analysis of what the Lightning should do with the 14th pick is far from in-depth. However, simple answers are sometimes the best. The Bolts should pick the best player available and they pay people good money to figure out who that prospect is.
Lucky for them, I am not one of those people.