After failing in my repeat bid for a ship last year and coming in third, I was left waiting until late in the third round to make my first pick. But that’s the cost of being competitive every year in this league.
My keepers were:
F – Mackinnon, Trocheck, E Lindholm, Ovechkin, Marchand, Pastrnak
D – Dobson, Hedman, Trouba, Chabot
G – Vasilevsky
NA - Wright
12. (166) Pyotr Kochetkov (CAR - G)
I was pretty stoked to bring Koch back after having to throw him back to the draft. I’m expecting him to prove himself as the Canes #1 starter when Freddie inevitably gets injured at some point.
13. (169) Frederik Andersen (CAR - G)
That being said, having a pick 3 picks later meant there was no harm in grabbing Freddie and his strong numbers to hedge my bets. Rostering the Canes tandem has been a personal recipe for success in many leagues for me the last few years.
14. (174) Claude Giroux (OTT - C,RW)
5 picks later I had a chance to grab the cagey vet Giroux and all those juicy FWs from the wing slot.
15. (178) William Eklund (SJ - LW)
My team on the whole is one of the older ones in the league and most of the really interesting young talent was gone by this point. But I like the youth in San Jose. I nearly went Smith here but figured Eklund is further along and a LW. Smith went with the next pick.
16. (188) Brent Burns (CAR - D)
What was that I said about age? I’ll give Burns another shot this year to help me compete. He’s not going to challenge for a keeper slot, but should be pretty productive at this point in the draft.
17. (190) Radko Gudas (ANA - D)
Another player I had to toss back into the draft. He was going to be my #4D keeper until I landed Chabot in an offseason trade. Happy to land him back.
18. (202) Mark Stone (VGK - RW)
Guess I’ve got one of my IR slots filled for the season
19. (214) Jonathan Huberdeau (CGY - C,LW)
My queue got picked pretty clean with 3 of the 5 picks directly before me going in Hartman, McTavish, Kuemper. I had no intention of going Huberdeau with this pick but for some reason my queue glitched and the player I was really looking for wasn’t there. I had also considered a couple of goalies at this point right after Kuemper but ran out of time and it snagged Huberdeau (who shouldn’t have been at the top). However, maybe it’s the universe throwing me a bone and Hubs gets his groove back.
20. (219) Logan Thompson (WSH - G)
Since I had been looking at one of Kuemper, Gus or Thompson in this range and the other two were gone, I went with the last one available. I think he is a better goalie than Lindgren and should be the #1 on a Caps team that will surprise many.
21. (250) Jamie Drysdale (PHI - D)
Honestly a little surprised that Drysdale was still available at this point. He was once a top prospect and the player that the Flyers gave up for him went in the first round of this draft. I know the Philly blue line is crowded, but I’ll take a chance on him at this point.
22. (274) Ilya Lyubushkin (DAL - D)
A peripherals monster, hell he may make Captain Duck expendable for me now.
23. (277) Dmitri Voronkov (CBJ - LW)
Last round flyer on a player who could contribute significantly this year. If not, he’ll be on the WW before the season is very old.
This draft is always a blast and such a great group of GMs. I can’t wait to see how the season unfolds. I’ll be in tight to keep my podium streak going into it’s 9th year. But I think I’ve got a good shot at it with a little luck. Cheers to a great season gents!