Re: 2014 Draft - what's after the top 5?
This draft is just a little unknown at the top. Ekblad should be the best "real life" player but his fantasy value is hard to gauge. The offense has finally come, but it took until his third season, and he's already like 6'4" and 220 pounds. Reinhart is a tough call as well.... I think he's a lock to be a #2 in the NHL.... But is that his ceiling? He's not an explosive guy although his post-WJC domination maybe says otherwise. He has the tools and more importantly the IQ, but something about him just seems kinda iffy when it comes to projections.
Dal Colle is a fairly one-dimensional winger, those types either pan out big (Skinner, Gaborik), or they bust hard (take your pick?). Draisatl was really underwhelming all year until recently, and he's another guy who you worry maybe benefits from more physical development than his opponents. Ehlers is a beauty but damn he is tiny at this point.
This is why I'm so bullish on Bennett. He would be my top pick in a fantasy league.... Of all the guys at the top of this class he doesn't really have too many question marks. He's a late birthday which I like, he's been a riser this season, and probably has a higher points ceiling than Reinhart.
But overall, that is why this draft class is seen as "weak".... It's not a super-draft like 2013 or 2015, and it doesn't have a superstar #1 pick like 2008 or 2009. There may not be too many "stars" but as far as productive players go, this draft runs deep, at least through the 1st round.
20 Team Dynasty (points per) - G (25, 50 for defense) A (25) PIM (3) PPP (15) SHP (25) OTG (15) GWG (25) HTr (50) SOW (75) HIT (1) BLK (2) W (50) SHO (100) OTL (10) GA (-15) SV (2) Use actual NHL salary
Start 12 F, 6 D, 1G weekly
F: Kucherov, Marchand, Barkov, Gaudreau, Laine, Aho, Dubois, Dadonov, Huberdeau, Trocheck, Bertuzzi, Beauvillier, Khaira, Grigorenko
D: Ekman-Larsson, Yandle, Edler, Pulock, Borowiecki, Weegar, Mike Reilly
G: Andersen, Hart
Farm: Boldy, Beckman, Wise, Mascherin, Kovalenko, Manukyan, Walker, Morozov, Shafigullin, Palmu, Tychonic, Zhuravlyov, Kesselring, Zamula, Lankinen, Sogaard, Ingram, Rybar