So in our league, we have a rookie slot.

Last year, I got lucky and drafted Boeser in the 6th round, and he's my rookie carry over into this season, and I'll be singing him to 2 years after 18/19.

Someone astutely added Pettersson, and stashed them in their rookie slot during 17/18, same with another gm with Mittelstadt.

The top 2-3 picks always go high in my league, and then guys generally grab their rookie later on (if at all), or just add one in season.

The Top 2 from the 2018 draft will go high in my league's draft, and a guy like Zadina potentially as well, but he was drafted outside the Top 5 so he may fall a bit off people's radars.

If he happens to be there at 11, whether I happened to be a re-building team, or competitive now, is he can't miss type guy you'd go for, or would you take a chance with rookie and wait till later/if he gets taken, grab someone who may have similar or better upside?

I mean I know best player available is a good strategy, so if it was Zadina vs say Radulov, you'd probably take Radulov, but it's 1 thing to grab Svechnikov if he slipped (he won't) but are there any other prospects other than he or Dahlin you wouldn't let slip past?

D and goalies aren't valued as highly in my league in terms of keepers, but obviously generational D are the exception. And in my league, it's 14 teams x 4 keepers per team + rookie carry-over so the draft pool is watered down for sure. Something keeps drawing my eye to Necas, as a stud potential type guy I could get later on, only downside is he's a centre vs winger, so i'd probably take a guy with similar upside at wing over him, although I won't weigh my decision just based on position, but it's a little different say a guy having Pettersson vs that next tier down and taking a centre over a winger if that makes sense.