Tag Archives: 2019 NHL Entry Draft

Armchair GM, Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, Keith Fries, NHL, NHL Entry Draft, Prospects, TPE Hockey, Trades

BLH Oilers Mailbag: 2019 NHL Draft SPECIAL with @KeithFries and @TPEHockey

With the NHL Entry Draft this Friday and Saturday, let’s circle the wagons one last time with a questionnaire for both of our contributing scouts, Max (@TPEHockey) and Keith (@keithfries). I’ll be participating in this exercise 🙂

Question #1: With the 8th-overall pick, do the Edmonton Oilers move up, trade back, or stay put?

Max: Personally, I always prefer staying put. Moving forward can work out if a team really has an eye on a certain player, but at the 8th-overall spot moving up just a few picks can be costly. Trading back is risky as your guy may be off the board. I’d see Edmonton staying put and selecting from the various talents in the deep #5-#14 range, of this class.

Keith: If you look at Ken Holland’s recent track record, at the draft, he doesn’t usually move up or down. I see him staying put because a) it’s in his nature and b) because the options at #8 are probably as equal as they would be if he moved up to, say, 6th-overall. He might slide back a spot-or-two if he can pick up a valuable asset in a trade, but I just don’t see that happening.

BLH: I concur with the scouts on this one. I don’t really see the advantage in moving up to anything apart from 3rd overall and I can’t see that happening. Trading down would be a more likely event given the group of players ranked #4 to #12, but even then, I just don’t see the point. Get your guy at 8 and walk away happy. Don’t mess around.

Question #2: Playing armchair GM, if you stay at the 8th-overall pick, who would you draft if the following players had already been selected?

1) Jack Hughes
2) Kaapo Kakko
3) Alex Turcotte
4) Bowen Byram
5) Kirby Dach
6) Dylan Cozens
7) Cole Caufield

Max: In this scenario, Peyton Krebs is my guy. Krebs was on a weak Kootenay team but found success, nonetheless. He can run his own line and drive offense even without great teammates.

Keith: I think Trevor Zegras would make a lot of sense. He’s, in my opinion, the smartest player at the top of this class, on-and-off the ice. Really good kid – and when you couple that with all the gifts he has in the rink, it’s really a no-brainer. …See what I did there?

BLH: Krebs and Zegras would definitely be of great value to the Oilers going forth. They’d add an element of flash to the Oilers center depth and if I had to choose one or the other, I’d probably side with Max here and go with Krebs due to his work ethic and two-way game.

With that said, I’m a Matthew Boldy man. For my money, he’s the best all-around forward in the draft and the Oilers are really lacking in those. He can stir the drink from the wing and there aren’t many players in the game you can say do that. He can play across the board and in every situation. To add to that, he’s most likely physically ready to play pro right now and his vision, hands, and hockey IQ are right up there with the best in the draft. A season or two in the NCAA will develop him into an impact player upon his NHL debut.

 Question #3: Who do you think (realistically) will be on the board at #38? Who should the Oilers draft with that pick?

Max: A good option might be Patrik Puistola. Puistola is a popular pick for an under the radar, 2nd-round, option, who’s found a lot of success in the Mestis – the 2nd premiere adult league, in Finland. Puistola is a creative goal scorer who will make the jump to the Liiga, next season.

Keith: A guy that doesn’t get enough love is Maxim Cajkovic. The definition of a “journeyman,” he’s played pretty much all over the world, already, and when you look at how well he’s performed at every stop along the road, he’s the kind of guy that teams will trade for at the deadline to go on a ‘Cup run.

BLH: This will really depend on who the Oilers take at 8th overall. I reckon it’ll be a pretty offensive player, so… I really like John Beecher here. He’s one of the fastest players in the draft, he plays center, and he likes to get mucky. I don’t feel he’s quick like Hughes, but he’s fast like jersey flapping Mike Modano fast. He’s got a pro frame and at the end of the day, it wouldn’t surprise me if he ended up being 6’2″ and 210lbs. Just a beast on skates. The downside is he’s not all that offensively gifted, so the Oilers might be developing a defensive center/wing here in Beecher if they take him.

Question #4: Do you think Edmonton selects a goaltender in this draft? Why or why not?

Max: Edmonton has six picks in this draft and, with no NHL level netminder in their system, it might be worth spending at least one on a goalie. Spencer Knight might be out of the Oilers’ range, but there’s a deep class behind him who could be available in the 3rd-round.

Keith: It depends on who’s available and when. For me, there are three goaltenders in this draft that matter: Spencer Knight, Dustin Wolf, and Ilya Konovalov. If any of those guys are sitting there in the 3rd-or-4th rounds, I don’t care how good of prospects Stuart Skinner or Olivier Rodrigue are, I’m making the pick.

BLH: I’m not sure. With only six picks, I’d be hard-pressed to take one knowing there are four already in the system. I’d probably wait until next season or if I felt the urge to add another one, sign a free agent out of the NCAA or Europe.

Question #5: Another armchair GM scenario… You’re approached by the Avalanche to trade up to #4. It will cost you the: 8th, 85th, and 100th-overall picks. Do you make that trade, knowing the following players are off the board – and who would you select?

1) Jack Hughes
2) Kaapo Kakko
3) Bowen Byram

Max: Alex Turcotte is my 3rd-ranked prospect, in this draft, and I’d jump at the chance to take him. He’s by far the most complete player in the draft. When you combine his skating, creativity, scoring, intellect, and playmaking abilities, he’s easily the best option available after Jack Hughes and Kaapo Kakko.

Keith: I’d likely ask for additional draft pick in-return – 3-for-2 deal – but ultimately, no. I’m projecting the same ceiling for guys in the 3rd-to-12th-overall range. No need to move.

BLH: No, I wouldn’t. I do like Keith’s idea though. The M.O. in Edmonton is draft and develop and removing half of your picks to move up and get a player that might not be any better than the guy you take at 8th overall, doesn’t make sense to me. There should be enough players around 86th and 100th that interest me too. So, no. I wouldn’t do that trade.

Question #6: Who, in your opinion, is the most underrated player? The most overrated player?

Max: My pick for most underrated would be Domenick Fensore. He’s a 5’7” defenseman with high caliber offensive tools. A top-5 skater that defend both sides of the ice. My pick for most overrated would be Vasili Podkolzin. He failed to produce in Russia’s lower leagues while other less-known prospects thrived. A top-10 or even top-15 pick should be owning the MHL.

Keith: If we’re speaking in terms of the entire draft class, then Simon Holmstrom would be my most underrated. Really skilled winger. Good playmaking IQ, and did a lot down the stretch that showed a return to his dominant form. The most overrated would be Arthur Kaliyev. The kid can score like nobody’s business. It’s a beautiful shot, and it’s really something fun to watch. But that’s it. I see no compete. I see no hustle. For a kid who’s 6’2” – 190, I see no checking. It’s incredibly frustrating. Do I think he’s a first-round talent? Absolutely. But a late first-rounder. Anyone telling you he’s a top-10 pick lives in a padded cell.

BLH: My most underrated player might be Anttoni Honka. This guy has got some real talent but has disappeared off of scouts’ radars due to a really tough season he’s had. At the beginning of the year, I had him as the 3rd best prospect in the draft. Honka reminds me of Sergei Gonchar so much in his ability to stay cool under pressure. His offensive game is really good and he can thread a needle as well as any other prospect in this draft I feel. Some people might say he looks lazy on the ice, but I just find he’s just so collected it appears that he doesn’t care. I think that some scouts are scared off of him due to his brother Julius’ inability to develop into the player he was expected to. Some team is going to get a good player later on in the draft here, book it.

The other guy who’s being underrated is Vasili Podkolzin. He might not be putting up very much on the scoresheet, but make no bones about it, the Russian Hockey Federation doesn’t push its young players to play at higher levels often and Podkolzin is getting just that from them. He’s special. You try traveling as much as this guy has over the season and still maintain a high degree of production. You’ll see, once he’s settled in one spot for a year, he’ll start to tear things up.

Question #7: Final question… We’ll do one last armchair GM scenario. What kind of deal would you be asking for in return for Jesse Puljujarvi?

Max: The ask would probably be a high pick in his draft and an NHL-ready prospect. You’re taking a chance that he just needed a change of scenery and could look like a real fool if he ends up overperforming.

Keith: Realistically, a 1-1-and-1 – as in: a player, a prospect, and a pick. But, I think the trade market has soured a bit on JP. While there are teams that likely have interest, they probably also have that lingering concern of “is he another Yakupov?” So, a 1-for-2 would be nice, and realistic. Let’s say, for example, if they made a deal with the Los Angeles Kings, it might look like: Jesse Puljujarvi for Alec Martinez or Tyler Toffoli + 64th-overall pick.

BLH: My feeling is that he’s right on the cusp of breaking out. The double hip surgery might slow down the beginning of his season, but I’d be willing to bet that he’ll be producing in the 2nd half and teams are cognizant of that. They’re aware of how young he still is and how the Oilers management, coaching, and playing staff have treated him, and they’ll try to fleece Ken Holland, but I can’t see him falling for it.

There are two trade scenarios for me,

  1. The “futures” ask, meaning picks/prospects.
  2. The “help now” ask, meaning an NHL player.

So for scenario “A”, I’m asking looking for the kind of prospect that will even out the scales in the case that Puljujarvi does turn things around. I’m not sure if we’re talking about an Eeli Tolvanen here, a Drake Batherson/Filip Chlapik, or possibly a bigger deal that would bring a Nolan Patrick to Edmonton. Roslovic out of Winnipeg is an interesting option as well. But something in that range. Gotta play hardball in a deal like this.

In scenario “B”, I’d look at oft-maligned players. Maybe guys who are on the outs with their current organization. Nikita Zadorov, Rasmus Ristolainen, and Jason Zucker are names that come to mind immediately. There are also teams that need to shed salary badly, so what about a Tyler Johnson or Nazem Kadri trade?

Be sure to follow both Max (@TPEHockey) and Keith (@keithfries) on Twitter and tune into the NHL Entry Draft, this weekend, and have a cold one on us. Or… 8 cold ones. Cheers!

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Edmonton Oilers, NHL, NHL Entry Draft, Prospects

BLH Guest Post: A 2019 NHL Mock Draft (Picks 1-15) by Terrance Grise

Today’s guest post is from a fellow Oilers fan named Terrance Grise. He wanted to have a mock draft of his published and I’m happy to help him out.

If you’re looking to dip your toes into the water with regards to blogging, feel free to reach out and get in touch with me! Best bet is probably on Twitter here.

I’ll turn it over to Terrance now. Enjoy!

Elias Pettersson’s nickname is “Alien”. Here’s a shirt to celebrate it! Click the image to buy one!

Hey, hockey fans! If you think you’ve read every 2019 mock draft you can handle then you’re wrong cause I’ve got one more for you! Don’t worry it is slightly expedited as I chose to only cover the first 15 picks. I am a big draft nerd largely due to Edmonton’s positional tendencies over the past decade.

So this is how I think the top-15 picks should play out. Having said that as with most drafts this will most likely play out very differently than I think it will but that’s half the fun!

1.) Jack Hughes – (NJ Devils)

Posting 34 goals and 78 assists (112 Points) in 50 games (2.24 PPG), Jack Hughes is the bell of the ball for the 2019 draft class. Every aspect of his game screams franchise player, to the point that comparisons have been drawn to Connor McDavid. I am hesitant to draw the same parallels only because Hughes plays much more of an East-West game and forces openings by getting the defense out of position. He doesn’t seem to possess the same breakneck speed that #97 uses to embarrass defensemen. Having said that, he is an elite skater who will break his opponent’s ankles with perfect edge work and stick handling.

A part of me wanted to predict a Kaapo Kakko upset at first overall, largely due to the fact that New Jersey has done it before with the Nico Hischier selection back in 2017, that saw Nolan Patrick fall to Philadelphia. But given New Jersey’s need for a centerman and how elite of a prospect Hughes has proven to be, I just couldn’t justify it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yR7VH4Xirr4

2.) Kaapo Kakko – (NY Rangers)

It was awesome watching Kakko in the Word Championship tournament less than a month back. You really got to see why he always seems to be mentioned in the same breath as Jack Hughes. It was also very apparent that he has been playing above his age class for a while now, looking very comfortable going up against some of the best that the NHL has to offer. He had a very strong season in the LIIGA scoring 22 goals and 16 assists for TPS. He is so strong on his skates and stick, this allows him to control the game down low and really dictate the play in the offensive zone. Being a left shot on the right wing, he really uses the inside angle to his advantage, beating goalies on either the short or far side from outside the slot. He also has the ability to make defenders look silly from in tight.

Considering how far the Rangers jumped at the lottery they will be thrilled with this consolation prize and that there is a strong chance that in five years’ time we will be looking back at this draft and arguing about who should’ve been taken first overall.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0QpejmAih0

3.) Bowen Byram – (CHI Blackhawks)

Bowen Byram is my favorite player from this draft class. Growing up I loved watching Scott Niedermayer, and let’s just say when I watch Byram play, a feeling of nostalgia washes over me. I truly believe if he was eligible for the 2017 draft that he would’ve been the consensus #1 choice. His lateral movement on the blueline alone is enough to make scouts and GMs fall in love with him. Then you add his passing and playmaking ability to the fold and you have the most complete defenseman the draft has seen in a long time. Although his shot does not possess overwhelming power, he beats you with ridiculous accuracy and a fast release.

Byram potted 71 points in 67 games and also carried 33 +/- rating. Really good when you consider he went -3 and -5 in his previous two seasons with the Vancouver Giants. Quite frankly, Chicago would be crazy not to take him at 3rd overall.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96A0xmTFTkA

4.) Alex Turcotte – (COL Avalanche)

If there was a comparable to Alex Turcotte it could be said he resembles a smaller version of Leon Draisaitl. His passing ability is eerily similar and I find that he also likes to slow the game down in the O-zone, even though he is a very good skater and can generate speed through the neutral zone. Any team would love to have his playmaking ability down low, especially on the power play. He has a strong, active stick and always seems to be in the right spot in all three zones. Teams are going to like this guy because he plays a pros game and probably only requires one more year of development before he’s ready for the show.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvR0e2wpj3c

5.) Kirby Dach – (LA Kings)

I am just going to come out and say it, I really like this kid. He just may be the most polarizing player in this draft class, cause people seem to love him or hate him. Not too many people (that I’ve heard from anyways) seem to have a neutral opinion on #77. By all accounts, however, he seemed to really impress at the combine. I think he’s going to take a big step next year for the Saskatoon Blades and prove that he deserved to be a top-5 pick in the draft. Being the other large WHL centermen in this draft, Dach and Cozens have been compared to each other all season.

Personally, I feel that Dach can have more of an impact on the game and is not limited to being solely a point producing centerman. The knock on him, however, is consistency. This is the main area that I am predicting will improve sooner rather than later in the years to come.

I do also foresee the possibility of him transitioning to the wing as an NHLer. Having said that, forwards that can play multiple roles are becoming extremely valuable in this league. So having a big right shot guy who can take faceoffs every now and then could prove to be a game changer for the team who drafts him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOgVdIz6mi4

6.) Cole Caufield – (DET Red Wings)

GOALS, GOALS, GOALS! Alex DeBrincat may be the best thing that has ever happened to Cole Caufield. So many comparisons can be made between these two players, so we’ll see if teams have learned anything from Chicago back in 2015. For most of the year, Caufield has been ranked somewhere in the top-20, finishing the year with an unbelievable 72 goals for the USNDP, has seemed to shoot him up the rankings with the draft now only days away. Elite finishers are becoming increasingly hard to come by nowadays and Caufield may be competing for the Rocket Richard Trophy in the near future. It will be interesting to see how well his game converts to the NHL, but I think that he has proven to GMs and scouts that he has the ability to score goals and be effective in more than just one way.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_XXIDv7Gy0I

7.) Matthew Boldy – (BUF Sabres)

Like Dach, Boldy has incredible hands for a guy his size. His passing ability may also be the most underrated part of his game, as he is known largely for his heavy and accurate shot. He can also use his strength to get past defenders, and usually ends up making space for his teammates in the process. Already weighing in at 192lbs, Boldy may be the most physically prepared prospect in this draft class. There are a couple of aspects of his game that do require a little attention. Unlike his USNDP teammates, he can be caught out of position from time to time. He is also more willing to make riskier plays in the offensive end of the ice, something that he has been able to get away with because of the strength of his team in comparison to their competition. The good news is that these are habits that are arguably some of the easiest to remedy, and the positives that Boldy can provide to the team that drafts him, far outweigh the current downsides.

8.) Dylan Cozens – (EDM Oilers)

As one of the strongest skaters in his class, the pride of Whitehorse – Dylan Cozens – may just turn out to be one of the sleeper picks in the top-10 of this draft. Big right shot centers with skill aren’t easy to come by, and that is why at #8, this could prove to be a value pick. Although he has a big frame, he is more likely to use his speed to overpower the opposition and generate scoring chances. He’s a guy that likes to find the unoccupied areas on the ice, especially in the offensive end. Being one of the most complete two-way players, teams will be very excited to call his name at the podium on Friday.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HkcX4Sf_aU

9.) Trevor Zegras – (ANH Ducks)

At this point in time, Zegras is the best passer in this draft. His vision and hockey sense allow him to predict where his teammates will be, and his execution allows him to get the puck to that exact spot when they arrive. It is beyond impressive watching him place the puck in vacant ice, at the exact moment it needs to be there, time and time again, rarely turning it over. He is a guy that coaches will design set-plays around just because of how perfectly he can execute passes. He loves to use his feet and the boards to his advantage to maintain possession, and also has an above average shot. Would not surprise me in the least if he was not available for the Ducks at #9.

10.) Vasili Podkolzin – (VAN Canucks)

No matter where Podkolzin is drafted, he is going to be one of those picks where the GM will say “We could not believe he was still on the board when Bettman called our name.”. Just based on his skill and the fact that he already has an NHL first step, he should be a lock at 4th overall. But for whatever reason, Russian prospects usually seem to fall a few places. Podkolzin is a big right winger with bite that plays a responsible game and takes pride in helping his defensemen out in his own end. Sample size may be the biggest factor for this pick but this is a guy that always seems to show up when the spotlight is on him, something that will occur quite a lot throughout his career.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFCA6GHrTOg

11.) Peyton Krebs – (PHI Flyers)

You always hate to see guys get injured, but it is especially rough when it happens just before their pro draft. Being that he is very young and has arguably the highest ceiling in this draft, I would hate to see Krebs fall due to this unfortunate Achilles injury. Krebs likes to stir the pot and set the tempo of games, he also has an uncanny ability to avoid taking bad penalties. He is a very competitive player who will out skate opponents to both ends of the ice and will beat them there more often than not, demonstrating his incredible hockey sense and positioning. Krebs may be the only player in this draft that has the potential to be just as effective on both the powerplay and the penalty kill.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMJjAj3v8ks

12.) Phillip Tomasino – (MIN Wild)

Tomasino is a guy that has flown under the radar due to the forward strength in this draft class. However, after researching this kid and watching every one of his highlight videos on YouTube, I cannot see a scenario where 15 straight GMs pass on him. He refuses to be outworked and has one of the quickest releases I have seen out of a major junior player. If I was only given one word to describe him, “dynamic” comes to mind. Another right shot guy who can play multiple roles and has the potential to make GMs who pass on him look back and wonder “what if?” down the road.

13.) Philip Broberg – (FL Panthers)

This may turn out to be one of the most interesting/active drafts in recent memory. I say “active” because I can totally see picks being swapped and teams wanting to move up or down based on what selections occur in the top 5. I say this now because we are at pick #13 and this is only the second defenseman I have on the board. I honestly can’t justify placing Broberg any higher. Although he has very good skating and playmaking ability, he frequently makes questionable decisions with the puck that constantly burn defensemen at the NHL level. That is why I don’t think he is a top 10 player in this or most drafts. Having said that, if he can clean his game up, he does possess the upside to be a solid two-way, top 4 defenseman at the NHL level.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ylLjmJ3tQQ

14.) Spencer Knight – (ARZ Coyotes)

This is probably the pick that I am most skeptical about just because of how reserved GMs have proven to be about drafting goalies early in the first round. I am convinced that Spencer Knight deserves to be taken in the top 15, but would not be shocked at all if he fell as far as the early 2nd round. Knight has ice in his veins and remains composed under pressure. He has also perfected his technique, standing at 6’3” he positions his glove and blocker perfectly, as to not be caught too high or too low, reducing the amount of movement and energy he has to exert to make a save. Another reason I could see him falling is based on the strength of the USNTDP team in front of him, a justification that I acknowledge, but do not believe justifies ranking him lower.

15.) Raphael Lavoie – (MTL Canadiens)

If the Montréal Canadiens want to prove to the league that they are not required to have only small forwards on their team, while at the same time proving that they love their French Canadian players, then they should draft #50 from the Halifax Mooseheads, Raphael Lavoie. Not only does he make dwarves out of the players around him, but he also has tremendous skill and a pro-release. He also has a tendency to show up in big moments and capitalize on his opportunities. Being just 10 days shy from eligibility for the 2018 draft, Lavoie should be eligible to play in the AHL this year, as he turns 20 years old on September 25th. This may be desirable for a team looking to add youth to their pro-roster, sooner rather than later.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4dGcSe1ZHs

Some players I believe deserve an honorable mention as potential top 15 picks include: Moritz Seider (D), Cam York (D), Victor Soderstrom (D), and Alex Newhook (F).

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Recently on Twitter, I have seen a lot of discussion about the Oilers potentially trading down in order to acquire some assets, while at the same time hopefully making a value pick slightly later on. While this idea intrigues me, a friend of mine suggested maybe trading the 8th and Puljujarvi up to 3rd, as it sounds like Chicago really wants to take a forward and may be willing to trade down to do it. Given the current situation with Puljujarvi, and that trading him would help the Oilers with the upcoming Seattle expansion draft considering he will be eligible to be selected. Not to mention the fact that the 3rd overall would basically guarantee that you would draft one of Bowen Byram or Kaapo Kakko, I would make this trade all day long if Chicago was game. Based on what we know about Ken Holland and his recent comments, my guess is they make the pick at #8.

Part two is coming folks! I’ll address picks #16-#31 shortly!

Feel free to comment with your opinions and thanks for reading! You can follow Terrance on Twitter here.

Beer League Hero, Edmonton Oilers, NHL, NHL Entry Draft, Prospects, Rumors

Edmonton Oilers: Rumors and Drafting with The Draft Analyst 2019 NHL Draft Report

We’re going to talk about the recent Oilers rumors making their rounds briefly and then move on to take a look at how the Oilers draft would look like if we used Steve Kournianos’ 2019 NHL Draft Report to make the Oilers selections at this year’s NHL entry draft.

THE RUMORS

Corey Perry is the latest to come up and if Anaheim can’t find him a new home via trade, the talk is that they’ll buy him out. Now, I wouldn’t mind having the former Hart winner on the team because he’s an epic shit talker and you never know when you’ll need someone to concuss a goalie or pick on a rookie? But if he’s going to cost the Oilers anything more than $2M, I don’t think I’m interested. The Oilers ARE trying to get faster right?

Nikita Zaitsev has the same agent as Pavel Datsyuk and we know who the former Red Wing’s GM used to be right? It’s the Oilers new GM, Ken Holland. I don’t believe there’s much to this Dreger rumor and Friedman basically shut it down on Oilers Now yesterday morning. Edmonton’s defense is full at the moment, why would they be looking to add another overpaid option and weaken their leverage? I mean, are the Leafs looking to add some functional truculence to their team? In that scenario, let’s talk.

Would you rather have James Neal, Loui Eriksson, or Milan Lucic? For me it depends. Would I rather have someone who can score, help out on the PK, or address my puck possession numbers? Neal will kill on defensively but he’s not that old and he is still a bit of a pest at times. Lucic can’t score but he doesn’t kill you in the fancies. Whereas Eriksson will offer some veteran guidance to the younger players on the team, but not much more than what Lucic is giving you production-wise, apart from the puck not dying on his stick.

The fact of the matter is, Milan Lucic has gone to management THREE SEASONS IN A ROW and has made it known that he wouldn’t stand in the way of a trade… That followed an incident in Calgary that involved some alcohol and him breaking his leg thus making him ineligible to play in the final Battle of Alberta of the season and subsequently the one game where Connor McDavid gets hurt… I think that’s a poor display of leadership from someone who was brought in to bring just that to the locker room.

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THE DRAFT ANALYST’S 2019 NHL DRAFT REPORT

The 2019 NHL Entry Draft is just around the corner and I’ve got a plethora of draft guides sitting on my desktop and in my tablet just waiting to be utilized. So I thought a good idea might be to use the picks from each guide’s rankings to perform the draft for the Edmonton Oilers.

Check out the previous articles written in the 2019 series below:

Drafting with the Future Considerations NHL Draft Guide
Drafting with the McKeen’s NHL Draft Guide
Drafting with Hockeyprospect.com’s NHL Draft Guide

Now, some guides don’t have enough players ranked to do the entire draft, so we’ll just have to do with rounds one to four in that case, but for the rest that do have enough, I’ll lay them out for you and give you the best brief reports on those players that I can. I haven’t watched all of the players and therefore I’ll be forced to go with reports from other publications and my own digging about to get a good idea on them in order to present it to you.

Today we’re going to use one of the most affordable draft guides available, The Draft Analyst’s 2019 NHL Draft Report. You can find it for the low low price of $5 right here. What will you find in this guide? Let’s let the Draft Analyst himself, Steve Kournianos, tell you,

The Draft Analyst’s 2019 NHL Draft Report is now complete. Inside you’ll find 249 player profiles that take an in-depth look at every prospect’s skills, strengths and weaknesses. Also included are rankings for both first-year eligibles and draft overagers,  as well as the most detailed NHL team previews around! Find out what each club is doing right, doing wrong or in some cases,  not doing a thing! Each team’s top prospects are listed by position, as well as immediate draft needs and the players they should target to address each one.

Want more? How about a two-round mock draft, top-25 rankings by position and a detailed breakdown of the draft order. I’ve also added a Top-31 ranking for the 2020 NHL Draft. There’s no better guide to have in your hands as NHL teams run through pick after pick. Don’t miss out on one of the most detailed draft primers on the market.

For $5 there’s no way you can go wrong with the amount of content you’re getting. Steve is an independent scout and you’d be doing a massive service to him and his efforts by grabbing his draft report. For the price of a Big Mac meal, you won’t regret it and you’ll be healthier for it!

The Oilers have the no.8, 38, 85, 100, 162, and 193 picks in the draft. This is who The Draft Analyst has ranked at those numbers.

No. 8 – Cole Caufield – RW – 5’7″ 162lbs – USNDTP (NCAA/USHL) – 64gp 72g 28a 100pts

At this point, you’ve probably heard everything there is to hear about “Goal” Caufield. The comparisons to DeBrincat are a tad shallow I feel. Sure, they’re small and they score goals but I think that Caufield is a bit better off the puck than DeBrincat is. The way that Caufield finds the areas on the ice where he can pull the trigger is really reminiscent of how Brett Hull used to do it. The other thing I like about this little fella is that he’s pretty effective at digging the pucks out of corners and finding an open teammate. I don’t reckon he’ll be winning and Selke trophies anytime soon but nobody cared about Hull’s 200ft game when he was scoring 70 goals a season and Cup-winning goals.

Put him on a line with McDavid or Draisaitl (or both) and the Oilers will reap the benefits.

BLH’s Pick: Cole Caufield – RW – 5’7″ 162lbs 0 USNTDP (NCAA/USHL)

I have to agree with Kournianos here. Boldy is already gone in his rankings, as is Turcotte, Podkolsin, and Zegras. So I’ll take the next best thing in my books, the scoring specialist. It might be fair to wonder about the choice mind you, the Oilers do have Kailer Yamamoto, who is the same size, coming along and there’s been no definite decision made on Jesse Puljujarvi yet. I simply feel that if all the other options are off the board, you take the goal-scoring specialist. 

No. 38 – Samuel Poulin – RW – 6’1″ 208lbs – Sherbrooke (QMJHL) – 66gp 28g 47a 75pts

He’s a bull in a China shop folks. When’s the last time you saw Edmonton draft and develop a proper old-school power forward. I’m not talking about the days when Cameron Abney and Mitch Moroz were picked and no disrespect to Abney and Moroz, but Poulin is much more of a player than those gentlemen.

As I watched Poulin at the U18s, I noticed how responsible of a player he is defensively. Having an NHLer for a father has paid massive dividends with regards to Poulin’s hockey IQ and awareness. He’s not the fastest but he knows where to go and the best way to arrive at his destination. You’d think for a man of his size he’d lack in the finesse dept. but not Poulin. He’s got a good set of soft mitts on him and he can dangle.

BLH’s Pick: Albin Grewe – RW/LW – 5’11” 187lbs – Djurgardens U20 (Superelit) (ranked 50th)

I’ve watched Albin Grewe be a complete non-factor in games and I’ve seen him take over games as well. This is a player who is as feisty and pesky as he is skilled. He could very well be the next elite pest and we might be saying his name in the same breath as the Brad Marchands or Claude Lemieuxs of the world. 

Grewe will blow past you, deke your D partner out of his jock, create a scoring chance, and then wallpaper your teammate in the corner chasing the loose puck. You have to keep our head on a swivel and be mindful of when he’s on the ice or you might just find yourself counting sheep. 

It sounds like Grewe is the next coming of Cam Neely or something, right? He’s pretty dangerous but the way I see him is that he’s a throwback player with modern skills. He’d be the next Esa Tikkanen if the Oilers drafted him sans the Tikkanese. 

No. 85 – Marek Berka – LW – 5’11” 159lbs – Litvinov u20 (Extraliga JR) – 48gp 29g 21a 50pts

The feather-lite Berka is best described as a gamble that could pay off massively should his development plan succeed. He is a dangerous player on the ice at all times as he loves to play inside the dots. His motor runs high at all times and you’ll never question his work ethic.

Berka’s wrist shot is hard and accurate, and he likes to use it off the stride.

BLH’s Pick: Shane Pinto – C – 6’2″ 192lbs – Tri-City (USHL) (ranked 88th)

Pinto is a really smart player that can see the way a play is developing before it does. His wrist/snap shot is pro-ready, he’s got the strength, hockey IQ, and positional flexibility that coaches at the next level will really love. 

He’s not the most physically engaging player, but he doesn’t shy away from it. He could probably work on his defensive awareness in his own zone. I reckon he’d be a good pick for the Oilers as he’s pretty much flown under the radar until recently, I feel like with his size and toolbox, he could turn out be at the very least a depth scorer and at best, a two-way middle-6 forward. Edmonton could use as much depth as possible. 

No. 100 – David Karlstrom – C – 6’1″ 187lbs – AIK U20 (SuperElit) – 41gp 9g 11a 20pts

Karlstrom is your standard 3rd line checking forward. He works his butt off and plays a very honest blue-collar game. He’s pretty average at everything sans his wrister, which is actually quite powerful and accurate.

BLH’s Pick: Dustin Wolf – G – 6’0″ 156lbs – Everett (WHL) (ranked 106th)

Half of my prospect covering super duo, Max (@TPEHockey), had this to say about Wolf at the beginning of the season,

Wolf’s game is highlighted by his technical play that is common with a lot of upcoming high-level goaltenders. Every movement is calculated and crisp. He doesn’t panic when out of position and makes a recovery using his skating ability and edges. Wolf is a butterfly goaltender and makes a lot of his movements on his knees. He’s good at sealing the ice which prevents him from opening up holes when moving.

Another quality to his game is his puck tracking and vision. Screens and tipped shots don’t phase him since often a shot is taken through a screen and Wolf can easily find it and pick it out of the air.

The hits on Wolf are his size and ability to take up the net. He measures in at about 183cm (6’0”) which is under the expected height for a top goaltending prospect at 188 (6’2”). This doesn’t combine well with his lack of aggressiveness. Wolf relies a little too much on his lightning quick reflexes and could come out of his net more to take away space. Although this isn’t a huge issue as it’s something he could easily fix as he progresses his game.

One of the reasons I really like this player is his ability to handle the puck. Watching the Oilers offensive attack die on the vine because they’ve attempted to dump it in only to see the goalie stop it and make a counter play, it’s made me really appreciate how much skill it takes to handle a puck for a goalie. To add to that, Wolf put up comparable stats to Ian Scott (Prince Albert) but because Everett wasn’t as deep (read: successful), he lost the WHL Goalie of the Year to Scott. 

I know that Edmonton has Skinner, Wells, Starrett, and Rodrigue in the system, but none of those netminders have the hands and calmness that Wolf has. I’m not sure I see Wells and Starrett as long-term members of the Oilers as it is. 

No. 162 – Simon Jellus – C – 6’2″ 194lbs – Lulea U20 (SuperElit) – 35gp 12g 15a 27pts

Kournianos is the only person who has a report on Jellus in the draft guides I’ve covered so far. So really, all I’ve got to go on is what The Draft Analyst says with the young Slovak, which is thus,

An inventive playmaking center with size and strength who shows flashes of dynamism.

Jellus is crafty and creative with the puck, using a series of moves and tricks to get himself inside for a clean look at the net. Jellus is a very good set-up man who looks to involve the entire five-man unit into the attack.

Jellus is a heady player who keeps his eyes open and looks over his shoulder quite a bit, even when moving quickly up ice. He has excellent speed and strong balance, with little to no regard for traffic no matter how thick the wall of opponents at the line may be.

BLH’s Pick: Jackson Lacombe – D –  6’1″ 171lbs – Shattuck (HS-MN) (ranked 164th)

The Eden Prairie native is a fantastic skater with the silky mitts who models his game after Shea Theodore (VGK). Lacombe is an intelligent puck mover and an adaptable defender. Meaning, he can read situations quite well and he’s not all gung-ho offense all of the time. He knows when to go and when to stay back. He used to be a forward, so he has those scoring instincts ingrained into him hence the gaudy point totals. 

This puck-moving defender played for Shattuck St. Mary’s High School program last season and racked up 89pts in 54 games. He did play five games for the Chicago Steel (USHL) but didn’t manage to put up any points. Apparently, Lacombe would’ve played more if not for an injury. According to Hockeyprospect.com, he should spend the year playing in the USHL next year and then move on to the Univ. of Minnesota. 

I wonder long-term if we’re looking at a player who will find himself being compared to Cale Makar, Thomas Chabot, and Shea Theodore due to his outstanding mobility and edgework?

No. 193 – Keean Washkurak – W – 5″10 184lbs – Mississauga (OHL) – 66gp 16g 31a 47pts

Washkurak is your typical short-statured hard-working grinder. He’s a smart player who knows where to go with and without the puck. He’s the kind of player that teammates love having on their squad because he goes to battle for them. Problem is, his skating isn’t great and he’s not that skilled. His ceiling is a 4th-line role player if he makes it to the NHL.

For me, I really think that these players can be found as free agents and that using a draft pick on them is a bit of a waste with the way the league is trending.

BLH’s Pick: Jonathan Brinkman – W – 5’11” 165lbs – Aalborg (DEN) (ranked 204th)

Brinkman is considered Denmark’s premier u18 prospect. He’s fast, intense, tenacious, gritty, elusive, and his shot and release are both lightning quick. I look at players like Michael Grabner and Marcus Sorenson, for example, and I think that taking a shot at Brinkman in the 7th round has very little risk and quite a bit of upside. I think the Oilers’ plan is to get faster and more skilled and Brinkman is both of those. 

What do you think of those selections? Let us know in the comments below!

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Edmonton Oilers: Drafting with Hockey Prospect’s Black Book

The 2019 NHL Entry Draft is just around the corner and I’ve got a plethora of draft guides sitting on my desktop and in my tablet just waiting to be utilized. So I thought a good idea might be to use the picks from each guide’s rankings to perform the draft for the Edmonton Oilers.

Check out the previous articles written in the 2019 series below:

Drafting with the Future Considerations NHL Draft Guide
Drafting with the McKeen’s NHL Draft Guide

Now, some guides don’t have enough players ranked to do the entire draft, so we’ll just have to do with rounds one to four in that case, but for the rest that do have enough, I’ll lay them out for you and give you the best brief reports on those players that I can. I haven’t watched all of the players and therefore I’ll be forced to go with reports from other publications and my own digging about to get a good idea on them in order to present it to you.

Today we’re going to use the HockeyProspect.com’s Black Book,  which you can find here. At a cost of 54.99, this guide is 675 pages deep and includes 317 player profiles for the 2019 NHL draft as well as 151 profiles for the 2020 NHL draft AND 97 profiles for the 2021 NHL draft. It also gifts you with enough of their scout’s game reports to keep you busy until draft day this year. It’s probably the most in-depth guide out there that doesn’t just wax poetically about every prospect. It also includes some pretty scathing reports and if you get the iBooks version, it has a lot of little audio snippets regarding the players.

The Oilers have the no.8, 38, 85, 100, 162, and 193 picks in the draft but the Black Book’s rankings only go up to 108. So we’ll only be going over the Oilers first four picks. This is who HockeyProspect.com has ranked at those numbers.

No. 8 – Kirby Dach – 6’3″ 197lbs – C – Saskatoon (WHL) – 62gp 25g 48a 73pts 40PIM

Okay, let’s start with the bad. Dach has a tendency to go invisible in games and there are some questions regarding his internal drive. In addition to those things, he hasn’t quite made friends with consistency yet and for a center, he’s pretty horrid at taking faceoffs. A tad weird given how good his hands are and how big he is. Some might pick on his skating a bit but I actually don’t mind it. Once he gets going, there’s not a lot to stop him.

Now, the good. Dach’s vision and ability to pass the puck due to his ridiculous vision might be unrivaled in this draft. Couple that with the fact that he may very well be the best passer in this class and you’ve got yourself one helluva playmaker. But that’s not all with this behemoth, the way he can handle the puck and use his body to dictate the play, it reminds me of Ryan Getzlaf. He doesn’t have Getzlaf’s intensity (at all), but he does possess the ability to control the ice when the puck is on his stick.

Do the Oilers really need another high-end center? My feeling is that they do not UNLESS the plan is to move on from Ryan Nugent-Hopkins at some point. Then, in that scenario, they might be smart to draft this player.

“His tools are built for hockey, but his mindset lacks an internal-drive. This can be seen when he’s on the forecheck and loses a battle against a smaller player, or when he’s disengaged during a secondary-scoring chance. There’s been performances where he doesn’t look like he wants to win the game for his team, and instead coasts” – Hockeyprospect.com

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOgVdIz6mi4

BLH’s Pick: Matthew Boldy – 6’1″ 190lbs – USNTDP (NCAA/USHL) (ranked 9th)

As I said in the two previous segments of this series, if Matthew Boldy is available at 8th overall, he is the perfect fit for the Oilers. They need an elite two-way left-wing in their system as the best player they have developing at the moment is Tyler Benson and his ceiling might top out on the 2nd line. Boldy is a player that you can put in any situation and he won’t be a liability. He’s a heady player, he’s extremely hard working, he’s a better passer and would be second only to Kiril Maksimov in the shooting department amongst the Oilers’ prospects. 

I’ve compared him to Ryan O’Reilly in the past whereas others have compared him to Marian Hossa. Not too shabby at 8th overall AND he’d be a safe pick there whereas Holland could be reaching with Zegras, Caufield, Krebs, or Broberg. 

No. 38 – Zach Jones – 5’10” 172lbs – D – Tri-City (USHL) – 56gp 7g 45a 52pts 38PIM

When I read reports on last season’s USHL rookie of the year, I come away thinking that this player could be another Caleb Jones. He’s fleet-footed, his edgework and escapability is right up there. He’s got really decent vision, he passes well, and he likes to dangle and go walkabout every now and then. McKeen’s says that he has everything you want in a powerplay quarterback aside from his shot, that needs work. An undersized offensive defenseman to put it plainly.

If I were running the draft for the Oilers, I’m not sure I’d spend my 2nd round pick on Zach Jones. If I were going to draft a defenseman, I’d be looking for somebody whose potential is a bit higher than powerplay specialist.

Although he will be drafted for the offensive game he supplies from the backline, Jones is a competent defender as well, with tight gaps on zone entries and good technique defending against odd-man rushes. – McKeen’s Draft Guide

BLH’s Pick: John Beecher – 6’3″ 210lbs – C – USNTDP (NCAA/USHL) (ranked 45th)

I LOVE THIS PLAYER! The first time I saw Beecher on the ice I thought Mike Modano 2.0 due to how fast he was skating and the jersey whipping around as he flew around the ice. I don’t think he’ll last until the 2nd round because of this skating ability. but not only that, he’s got pro-size and he’s not afraid to go into the mucky areas to get the job done. Beecher could be considered a bit of a throwback player considering how willing he is to sacrifice his body to stop a play/shot. Chris Kreider comparisons are cropping up now and I think that’s fair, but I’d say he’s less dirty than the Ranger. Unlucky for him that this year the USNTDP program was stacked or else he would’ve been centering one of the top two lines and would’ve had some more offensive-minded wingers.

If I were the Oilers and Beecher was still available late in the first round, I’d definitely be exploring the possibility of trading up to select him. If Holland wants to get faster, Beecher has speed in spades!

No. 85 – Michael Teply – 6’3″ 197lbs – LW – Benatky (CZE2) – 23gp 4g 6a 10pts 8PIM

This big Czech winger has some sweet silky mitts on him and he has a fair bit of speed in his boots, but his skating is a bit wonky. He kinda looks like he’s skating in sand for his first few steps. Once he gets going it’s okay, but he’ll need some drastic improvement there. Another thing that is a bit troubling with this player is that even though he’s got a pretty zippy wrist shot, he doesn’t score a lot of goals. Tends to play the role of passer more often than not.

I’m not sure this player is one that would interest the Oilers. He’s not a great skater and they’re trying to acquire better skaters (ie: Joakim Nygard). And I’m not all that convinced Teply will make it past the AHL.

BLH’s Pick: Robert Mastrosimone – 5’10” 158lbs – LW – Chicago (USHL) (ranked 93rd)

Mastrosimone has been on my radar all season. He’s just a tiny fella but he’s fearless and he’s got a massive motor that doesn’t stop. Sort of in the same vein as the Oilers 1st rounder a couple of seasons ago, Kailer Yamamoto. He’s so tenacious on the puck and despite being 50lbs lighter than some of his opponents, he often comes away with the biscuit. Mastrosimone is a bit of a sniper too (31 goals in 54 games). The release on this kid’s wrist shot is very good. On the downside, he’s not really that fast nor is he a dangler. So when he tries to put on a puckhandling clinic, he is prone to turnovers. He likes to use the toe drag quite a bit and at the next level, that’ll get stopped. I imagine he might develop into a real asset for someone’s powerplay with the way he scores. 

A speedy forward, Mastrosimone can get a lot of mileage out of streaking down the wing and ripping a shot high on a goalie. He has a quick release and can whiz one by a goalie’s ear without a lot of wind-up. His north-south game is when he’s at his most effective. While he does flash some moves from time to time, he’s just as likely to have a puck roll off of his stick as he is to finish the move successfully – Hockeyprospect.com

No. 100 – Tuukka Tieksola – 5’9″ 146lbs – RW – Karpat (FIN-JR) – 51gp 15g 45a 60pts 26PIM

Is it me or are there more and more little guys making their ways to the pro scene? Tieksola is all of 146lbs but he’s a wizard with the puck. I wonder if he’s got a bit of the Vladdy Hockey (Tkachev) in his game? From all the reports that I’ve read, he’s got insane vision, is uber creative and very smart with the puck, and he can shoot the pill to boot. At that size though, he’s going to have problems as he progresses. Just look at how Kailer Yamamoto fared in his first pro season, but apparently, he’s a fan of the rough stuff. He’ll get his nose dirty if need be.

This fella might be one wildcard to keep an eye on for the next couple of years and maybe the Oilers would be smart to take a chance on Tieksola if the mandate is to draft more skilled and entertaining players.

https://youtu.be/gKxIQhMhneA

BLH’s Pick: Alex Beaucage – 6’1″ 193lbs – RW – Rouyn-Noranda (QMJHL) (ranked 101st)

Some scouts say that Beaucage has a better shot than Hamilton’s Arthur Kailyev and what differentiates the two is that Beaucage works harder. He’s a naturally gifted offensive player with outstanding work ethic. The one thing that stops him from being a first rounder is his skating. He’s got to get faster or he’ll struggle as he moves on from major junior.

Alex Beaucage is a pretty raw prospect but despite that, he had his fair share of points this season. He has an NHL release. He has good size. He will need to work on his skating. He is not flashy and isn’t the most physical player. He has good hockey IQ and a good compete level – QMJHL Scout

What do you think of these players? Would you take the Blackbook’s selections or mine? Let us know in the comments section below!

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Edmonton Oilers: Weekly #AskBLH Mailbag + The 2019 NHL Entry Drafts 1st and 2nd Team All-Stars from @KeithFries

It’s time to get into the #AskBLH mailbag one more time! This is where you ask me any question you’d like and I give you my honest answer. Topics might simply be centered on the Edmonton Oilers, but I encourage folks to step outside that box and ask me whatever is on their minds.

Now, I hope to get around to everybody who sends me their question, but sometimes it doesn’t work out. In that case, I will do my best to get back to you on the ol’ Twitter machine.

THE MAILBAG!

@dashate24 asks: Why do we want to trade Lucic for a more useless player?

Good question my friend! I think it’s just a matter of giving guys a fresh start in other markets. What I’m wondering is why the Oilers are the ones having to sweeten the deal if the Canucks are the ones who really want Lucic?

@AhmedMayta asks: Realistic free agents Oilers should target?

You know what Ahmed? I think it’s going to be really hard to gauge this until we know what the roster is going to look like the night before Canada Day. I would say they should go after players like Dan Carr, Brandon Pirri, Joonas Donskoi, and Brian Elliott, but if they find a way to clear up some cap space by trading some of their bigger tickets, that changes things. You might see them go after players like Gus Nyquist, Marcus Johansson, or Anton Stralman then.

@adnacOilGhost asks: You replace Bob Nicholson as CEO, what’s the very first thing you do?

Oh! I like this question. I’d make it as affordable as possible to go to regular season games for everyone. Bringing down the prices on healthier food options would be a must for me. I’d do what it takes to make the in-game presentation one that rivals that of Vegas’ or Nashville’s. The fan experience is really important to me, so I’d try to maximize that potential the most.

I enjoy anarchy a bit, so I’d also give media passes to the Oilers bloggers out there who pass my rigorous interview process.

As for the team itself, I’d encourage my GM to expand the scouting team as much as possible. I feel like teams really skimp out here. I want scouts everywhere, including Asia. I’d be having hockey camps all over the world promoting the brand and keeping an eye out for talent.

@dashate24 asks: Is it possible that Poolparty (Puljujarvi) gets an offer sheet at $2M x 4 years, and if he does, do we take the 3rd rounder?

I’d match it. JP at $2M for four years would be an amazing contract.

@ArchivistSports asks: What do you think JP will do this June/July?

I think he’ll head home and resume his off-ice training and participate in his annual charity games. Whether he comes back in September or not, we’ll have to wait and see on that.

@Tusen_bitar asks: Why and when you have chosen Oilers?

I was born in 1980, so one might consider me to have been born into the Oilers. My father tells me stories of cheering for Edmonton when I was a very young lad during their Cup dynasty days but I don’t really remember much about that.

As I got older I gravitated towards the Red Wings because of Yzerman/Coffey/Federov and the Penguins for Lemieux/Jagr/Coffey in the early 90s. I liked Peter Forsberg and the Avs for a while and also the Maple Leafs when Curtis Joseph was playing net for them too.

But I always had the Oilers in my back pocket. It wasn’t really until they started to get really bad as to when I ramped up my interest in the team and I simply haven’t found a reason to not cheer for them since then.

@OilDoug asks: What happens with Lucic this offseason. Stay? Go? What comes back?

He gone. What comes back for him? Who knows? It sounds like a player who needs a change of scenery like Milan.

@LonnbergMari asks: If Leavins is right and part of the team just doesn’t want to play with him, what should a smart gm do? Resign or trade and in either case, just hope for the best?

I’m torn on this. Aren’t we sick of the locker room cliques on this team yet? If Holland believes there’s still something in Jesse, he could sit down those guilty of alienating Jesse and give them a stern grilling. Then at the same time, sit Pulju down and tell him it’s time to grow up and that we don’t always work/play with people we like.

But if things are simply too broken, he would find a way to move him and get a good like-aged player in return. My fear in this scenario is that Jesse hits his stride on another club and the Oilers get burned though.

When it’s all said and done though, the players have a job to do, so they should go and do it.

THE 2019 NHL ENTRY DRAFTS 1ST AND 2ND TEAM ALL-STARS by Keith Fries

With this article, I thought it’d be fun to try and construct all-first and all-second teams for this year’s draft-eligible prospects.

Keep in mind that I went with the player’s primary position.

All-First Team

LW – Matthew Boldy  /  C – Jack Hughes  /  RW – Kaapo Kakko

LD – Bowen Byram  /  RD – Moritz Seider

LG – Spencer Knight

A forward line made up of Boldy, Hughes, and Kakko would likely be nicknamed, “Goals and Grit.”

While Hughes maybe is more on the “goals” side than the grit one, there’s no doubt that he’s flanked by some rough riders with skill. We know of Kakko’s explosive offensive abilities, but Boldy also shows a propensity to score. All three are great puck movers. Speaking of which, there’s Byram whose bread and butter is getting the puck out of his own zone. Playing alongside the physically imposing Seider would make those breakout rushes much easier for Byram. Once the puck enters the offensive zone, both defensemen have the ability to jump into the play as a fourth-forward. In their own zone, Seider is the more reliable defender of the two and is helped in net by arguably one of the best goaltending prospects of all-time. Knight, who some would say has franchise potential, doesn’t need much help in front of him to be the brick wall that he is.

This starting line-up certainly helps, though, but even if playing with an All-Worst Team, Knight would find ways to make his squad seem competitive.

All-Second Team

LW – Peyton Krebs  /  C – Alex Turcotte  /  RW – Cole Caufield

LD – Philip Broberg  /  RD – Victor Soderstrom

LG – Dustin Wolf

Krebs, Turcotte, and Caufield would not only be a hell of a trio, but could legitimately be one of the best power play units, in history.

Krebs’ distribution game is off the charts, and with his smart reads and calculated timing, could dish out some beautiful primary assists to either Caufield or Turcotte. We know Caufield is arguably the best sniper in his entire draft class, but Turcotte’s shooting stroke is just as pretty and just as effective. While he may be more of a playmaker, like Krebs, Turcotte has the kind of slick mitts that you want in a centerman to either set up his linemates or finish with a remarkable shot. On the back end, they’re flanked by two highly-skilled Swedish-born defensemen, Soderstrom and Broberg. While Soderstrom handles more of the defensive duties – sound play in his own end, moving the puck along the boards, or manning the point, Broberg is able to jump into the rush with his lightning quick speed and heads up play. The two would make a formidable pairing, with a complimentary skill set. An argument could be made about who slots in at goaltender, here – possibly Ilya Konovalov or Mads Sogaard – but there’s no argument in my mind. Wolf has been lights out since debuting in the WHL in 2017 and has received nothing but criticism along the way – all because of his undersized frame. His IQ, compete level, and maturity are all well beyond his years.

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