Welcome to part three. It's all downhill from here.
1. Edmonton Oilers Select Connor McDavid 2. Buffalo Sabres Select Jack Eichel 3. Arizona Coyotes Select Mitchell Marner 4. Toronto Maple Leafs Select Noah Hanifin 5. Carolina Hurricanes Select Ivan Provorov 6. New Jersey Devils Select Dylan Strome
7. The Philadelphia Flyers Select Centre Mathew Barzal from the Seattle Thunderbirds in the WHL
6’0 181lbs, 18 years old
44gp 12g 45a 57p
The Flyers have always seemed to have good luck (or excellent development) with their first round forward selections. Forging All-Star caliber players from all over the first round. Why not give it another go? Barzal is one of the sleepers in the draft. He plays for a team where scoring goes to die and it has helped hide a player with extremely high offensive instincts and potential. His passing skills are off the chart, he just knows where players are. This also comes up when talking about his defensive game, which is one of his strongest abilities. Despite only playing 44 games, he was one point off the team lead which should tell you something. He also leads all WHL draft eligibles in PPG with 1.30. A fantastic two-way game to mix with amazing passing abilities make him a hard player to pass on, even with the Flyers centre depth. The U18’s were a nice icing on the cake for Barzal. He was consistently the best Canadian forward on the team, though he failed to register a point in the Bronze medal game. Barzal finished third in scoring for the tournament. The Flyers might want a winger more, but Barzal is the player to pick at 7.
NHL Comparable : Nicklas Backstrom
Potential : 1B Centre
8. The Columbus Blue Jackets Select Defenseman Zachary Werenski from the University of Michigan in the NCAA
6’2 207lbs, 17 years old
35gp 9g 16a 25p
Werenski has flown a bit under the radar despite an amazing season. As you might have noticed he outscored Noah Hanifin and did so while being the youngest player in the NCAA. He finished 14th in points for defensemen. The Jackets went a little crazy in recent years with forward selections and while it’s tempting to see how guys like Zacha and Crouse fit the identity the Jackets are building or that Rantanen has to catch the eye of Kekalainen, I think Werenski is a better fit. His skating ability is really impressive and he was one of the few American players who were actually playing well against Russia at the WJC’s. His ability to lead the rush is exciting and he has an effortless stride that looks jarring on a player of his size. Offensive ability will be the primary motivation for selecting Werenski, but the size and speed combination will scream “two-way… defenseman. That and he is one of the younger players in the top of the draft. He’s a little soft for a player of his size, but you can’t have everything.
NHL Comparable : Roman Josi
Potential : Top-Pairing Two-Way Defenseman
9. The San Jose Sharks Select Centre Pavel Zacha from the Sarnia Sting in the OHL
6’3 212lbs, 18 years old
37gp 16g 18a 34p
I was a bit concerned about Zacha’s lack of production…and I still am. However his style of play is one that will find him in the NHL someday. When you watch him, you can see the raw potential and ability; it just doesn’t seem to turn on the score sheet. The U18’s were a moment that really turned me around on him. His net crashing, his surprisingly slick hands and “angry… skating stride were a highlight on a Czech team lacking an identity. There are a lot of “power forwards… in this draft, but he’s the one that really embodies the old definition. He is a mean player and he hits to hurt, not simply to take the puck away. His foray into the OHL was hampered by a few minor injuries and two suspensions. He never really found his stride. Things turned even sourer when the Sting traded their offensive catalyst De Angelo. Zacha is a big of a gamble early on with so many questions. With Thornton looking to be on the out, Pavelski and Marleau up there in age, the Sharks need to make bold moves to keep their pivots a position of strength. Zacha will almost certainly not put up the numbers of the players above, but with his raw talent, style of play and size will be an effective player.
NHL Comparable : David Backes
Potential : 2nd Line Power Centre
Thanks for reading.