2018 mock drafts

[Jouko-Pouko]

Anybody familiar with https://www.thedraftanalyst.com/; they posted a top-500 list. And have top-500 lists for 2017 and 2016. Dahlin at 2. Farabee at 5. Veleno at 6. It seems an earlier version of these rankings were featured in the sporting news.

The 2017 rankings, at quick glance, look good.

Steve Kournianos is a smart guy. His rankings can be controversial at times but he watches a lot of hockey, knows a ton about all the prospects and doesn't just throw numbers in front of names - he puts a lot of thought into his rankings. He writes some articles for DobberProspects as well. Here are some of his articles at DP:
Top 25 Centers for the 2018 NHL Draft
NHL Draft: Top USHL Prospects
2018 NHL Draft: Top 10 Goalies

[als_revenge]

Steve Kournianos is a smart guy. His rankings can be controversial at times but he watches a lot of hockey, knows a ton about all the prospects and doesn't just throw numbers in front of names - he puts a lot of thought into his rankings. He writes some articles for DobberProspects as well. Here are some of his articles at DP:
Top 25 Centers for the 2018 NHL Draft
NHL Draft: Top USHL Prospects
2018 NHL Draft: Top 10 Goalies

Thanks for the insight. His web site looks snazzy, but I've never come across his rankings before. So it's hard to know if it's just some hack in his basement with decent coding skills. Appreciate the insight. Would rep ya if I could, but alas, I need to share...

[Slythefly]

Steve Kournianos is a smart guy. His rankings can be controversial at times but he watches a lot of hockey, knows a ton about all the prospects and doesn't just throw numbers in front of names - he puts a lot of thought into his rankings. He writes some articles for DobberProspects as well. Here are some of his articles at DP:
Top 25 Centers for the 2018 NHL Draft
NHL Draft: Top USHL Prospects
2018 NHL Draft: Top 10 Goalies

In the article top 25 centers, Kotkaniemi is not there?

[fungchen3]

Steve Kournianos is a smart guy. His rankings can be controversial at times but he watches a lot of hockey, knows a ton about all the prospects and doesn't just throw numbers in front of names - he puts a lot of thought into his rankings.

I agree. I actually like Steve's analysis overall and he takes some undeserved flack at times for misses, probably because he's so enthusiastic with his opinions. I happen to like his approach quite a bit and seem to agree with him more often than not. He's also had some impressive picks in the past. His stuff is well-written and enjoyable to read as well.

[tcat]

In the article top 25 centers, Kotkaniemi is not there?

He's got him at 11th overall, and listed as a LW/C, so maybe he doesn't consider him a straight up C?


500 rankings!? I remember reading some of the profiles last year on that site, 500 seems like a crazy number of players to rank. They either must have a huge array of scouts working on this ranking or they are spread too thin.

[Jouko-Pouko]

In the article top 25 centers, Kotkaniemi is not there?

Kotkaniemi spent the entire season playing wing. Steve only considered players who played center most of the season.

[Slythefly]

Kotkaniemi spent the entire season playing wing. Steve only considered players who played center most of the season.

Bizarre because the others sites put Kotkaniemi as a center.

[Jouko-Pouko]

Bizarre because the others sites put Kotkaniemi as a center.

He's a natural center and projects to play that position in the future, and has played that position for Team Finland in their tournaments like the U18 Worlds. But yeah, he spent the entire season playing wing. It was his rookie season in a pro league.

[FantasyKing]

The Hurricanes take Andrei Svechnikov and don't look back , Filip Zadina is heading to MTL

[havanablast21]

The Hurricanes take Andrei Svechnikov and don't look back , Filip Zadina is heading to MTL

But who gets the player most suited for their team’s needs?

[FantasyKing]

I would say the Canes they need that game changing sniper, I'm also not 100% sure MTL keeps the pick knowing Bergevin. They mainly need Center help but they also need scoring wingers and Zadina is the person to take @ 3. I'm just not buying the whole Carolina takes Zadina because of Necas thing ..

But who gets the player most suited for their team’s needs?

[Mr. Guru]

I'll be shocked if Kotkaniemi isn't a top 7 selection.

"He played center for Finland and was a winger for his pro team, but he projects as a center."

[donpaulo]

Yeah I just don't see Carolina passing on Zadina. Its a natural fit.

Then again with the recent comments about how Carolina is a tire fire maybe they blow it ?

[Pengwin7]

Yeah I just don't see Carolina passing on Zadina. Its a natural fit.
Then again with the recent comments about how Carolina is a tire fire maybe they blow it ?

Well... Waddell IS a terrible GM that has been burned by building his team around a Russian (Kovalchuk - Thrashers).
Waddell has a TERRIBLE track record with evaluating Russians... including, reportedly, offering Kovalchuk $101m over 12years when the team couldn't win with him making $6m per.

The awesome return that Waddell got when he did trade Kovalchuk:
*Niclas Bergfors, Johnny Oduya, Patrice Cormier, and a 1st round draft pick that ATL traded away**

**The draft pick could have been used @ #24 to draft Evgeny Kuznetsov had Waddell tried to replace his Russian... oh, but wait, that wouldn't have happened because Waddell&Dudley used the ATL #8 overall that year to take Alexander effin Burmmistrov INSTEAD of Vladimir Tarasenko or Evgeny Kuznetsov. #InCaseYouHadntNoticed...IhateWaddell.)


Short Summary: Waddell has to take Zadina because he has no success with Russians.

[lucafen4]

But who gets the player most suited for their team’s needs?

they're both wingers, so basically fill a similar need.