This article is part of our From the Press Box series.
Today, From the Press Box:
The NHL amateur draft was held in Florida on June 26-27. Apart from the anticipation for the players who would go in the first round, teams engaged in a number of trades to spice up the proceedings.
The NHL Amateur Draft
This Ddaft had long been billed as the unveiling of two "generational talents." Connor McDavid had been touted as the grand prize for the past three years, so it was no surprise at all that the Edmonton Oilers chose him with the first overall pick that they won in the lottery. They have now chosen the first player in four of the last six drafts.
McDavid is coming off a season when he tallied 44 goals and 120 points in only 47 regular-season games, before adding 21 goals and 49 points in 20 playoff games. What those numbers don't tell you is that he is so highly skilled in every facet of the game that he is generally regarded as the top prospect to come out of the draft process since Sidney Crosby.
Right behind him for the past year, in terms of all the speculation, was Jack Eichel, who is one of the most-highly touted American–born prospects in hockey history. The Buffalo Sabres were quick to snag the Boston College star who totaled 26 goals and 71 points in 40 games last year with the second pick. He is a little bigger than McDavid and not lacking in confidence as an
Today, From the Press Box:
The NHL amateur draft was held in Florida on June 26-27. Apart from the anticipation for the players who would go in the first round, teams engaged in a number of trades to spice up the proceedings.
The NHL Amateur Draft
This Ddaft had long been billed as the unveiling of two "generational talents." Connor McDavid had been touted as the grand prize for the past three years, so it was no surprise at all that the Edmonton Oilers chose him with the first overall pick that they won in the lottery. They have now chosen the first player in four of the last six drafts.
McDavid is coming off a season when he tallied 44 goals and 120 points in only 47 regular-season games, before adding 21 goals and 49 points in 20 playoff games. What those numbers don't tell you is that he is so highly skilled in every facet of the game that he is generally regarded as the top prospect to come out of the draft process since Sidney Crosby.
Right behind him for the past year, in terms of all the speculation, was Jack Eichel, who is one of the most-highly touted American–born prospects in hockey history. The Buffalo Sabres were quick to snag the Boston College star who totaled 26 goals and 71 points in 40 games last year with the second pick. He is a little bigger than McDavid and not lacking in confidence as an elite prospect who projects as a first line center for the Sabres.
The third pick was the first one that had any element of surprise, not just for the player who might be selected, but also the team that would make the selection. In the end, Arizona held onto the pick despite fielding a number of offers. They opted for McDavid's Erie teammate, Dylan Strome, who was the OHL's leading scorer last year, with 45 goals and 129 points in 68 games. Strome is a solid prospect who fits the profile of another future first line pivot, based on his skills and size (6-foot-3, 185 pounds).
The fourth pick was also the source of much conjecture simply because the Maple Leafs have great needs at all positions. They were also fielding trade offers for this selection. Ultimately, the long-standing relationship between Mark Hunter, the Leafs' Director of Player Personnel, and Mitch Marner, the speedy forward who finished second in OHL scoring with 44 goals and 126 points, trumped all other considerations. You see, Marner was also chosen by Hunter in the midget draft that brought him to London two years ago, so Hunter has intimate first-hand knowledge of this talented forward.
Completing the selection of top-tier prospects, the Carolina Hurricanes were quite happy to claim Noah Hanifan, the first defensemen chosen. Hanifan also played at Boston College last season and despite modest scoring totals of 23 points in 37 games, he was widely regarded as the defender who had the most complete game at both ends of the ice among all his peers. In fact, there are many observers who believe he is the third best player among this year's group of draft prospects.
Beyond these selections, there were several other prospects who should make their mark in the NHL, as this draft class is regarded as one of the deepest in years. To underscore that fact, a number of teams exchanged draft picks to try to get more choices in the first four rounds and take a shot at unearthing gems after the first.
Among the intriguing selections were:
- Ivan Provorov – (seventh overall by Philadelphia) Some observers suggest Provorov is every bit as good as Hanifan.
- Zach Werenski (eighth by Columbus): third rated defenseman with a big body and good mobility
- Lawson Crouse (11th by Florida): Panthers add yet another big power forward to the mix
- Mathew Barzal (16th by NY Islanders): another skilled offensive weapon
- Ilya Samsonov (22nd by Washington): top goalie picked; committed to KHL for three years
- Travis Konecny (24th by Philadelphia): smallish center, projected much higher
- Nick Merkley (30th by Arizona): playmaking winger joins a stable of top prospects with Coyotes
- Daniel Sprong (46th by Pittsburgh): QMJHL junior star winger was projected as first-rounder
- Jansen Harkins (47th by Winnipeg): big, playmaking center whose father was an NHL player
- Oliver Kylington (60th by Calgary): high first-round projection was offset by a poor season last year
Trade Activity during the Draft
In addition to this new crop of players, a number of trades saw established veterans move to other teams.
Among the most significant deals were:
Sam Gagner and a conditional pick going from Arizona to Philadelphia for Nicklas Grossman and Chris Pronger's contract
This deal will help the Coyotes reach the cap floor.
Antti Raanta going from Chicago to the New York Rangers for Ryan Haggerty
The Rangers get their new backup goalie
James Wisniewski going from Anaheim to Carolina for Anton Khudobin
The Hurricanes get a quality offensive blueliner, while Anaheim gets a third goalie (?)
Cam Talbot and a seventh round pick going from New York Rangers to Edmonton for a second, third and seventh-round pick
Talbot gets a shot at the top goalie job in Edmonton
Carl Hagelin, second and sixth round picks going from the New York Rangers to Anaheim for Emerson Etem and a second-round pick
Rangers get some physical presence while Ducks add a speedster
Antti Niemi going from San Jose to Dallas for a 7th round pick in 2015
Dallas welcomes Niemi to share the net with Kari Lehtonen (a lot of money tied up in goal)
Eddie Lack going from Vancouver to Carolina for a third-round pick and a seventh-round pick in 2016
Lack will share the net with Cam Ward, who's in the last year of a fat contract ($6M cap hit) and is 31 years old
Griffin Reinhart going from New York Islanders to Edmonton for a first-round pick (16 overall) and a second-round pick (33 overall)
Edmonton pays a steep price for Reinhart (fourth overall pick in 2012), who has not yet panned out as a top defensive prospect
Ryan O'Reilly and Jamie McGinn from Colorado to Buffalo for Nikita Zhadorov, Mikhail Grigorenko, J.T. Compher and a second-round pick (32 overall)
Sabres give up early on three top prospects to add a big ticket center to their list of pivots that also includes Eichel and Sam Reinhart…maybe O'Reilly plays wing
Milan Lucic going from Boston to Los Angeles for a first-round pick (13th overall), Martin Jones and Colin Miller Boston later flipped Jones to San Jose for their 2016 first-round pick and unsigned prospect Sean Kuraly
Dougie Hamilton going from Boston to Calgary for a first-round pick and two second-round picks
Bruins make a pair of stunning moves that signal a rebuild, while Kings and Flames get stronger
Robin Lehner and David Legwand going from Ottawa to Buffalo for a first-round pick (21st overall)
The Sabres will give Lehner a shot at the top goalie job.
Hopefully we will see similar, if not more, movement in the upcoming free agent frenzy that begins July 1.
