2018 NHL draft

Preliminary Prospect Rankings are now coming out.  

 

Craig Button released his yesterday:

 

http://www.tsn.ca/craig-s-list-defenceman-dahlin-leads-draft-class-1.847739

 

You are seeing more and more Dmen under 6'0 on these lists.

 

Kids I will be keeping a close eye on this year are:

 

1) Adam Boqvist - Swedish RHD. Arguably the best player in this years Ivan Hlinka Tournament.  5GP 1G 7A  (lottery pick)

2) Bode Wilde - RHD US National Team Dman who will be attending Harvard this fall. (1st rounder)

3) Quinton Hughes -LHD US national Team grad who is attending Michigan  (mid 1st rounder)

4) Ryan Merkley  - RHD who plays for Guelph in OHL  5GP 0G 6A in helping Canada win the Ivan Hlinka (Mid 1st rounder)

5) Ty Smith - LHD Spokane WHL - 5GP 0G 3A playing for Canada at Ivan Hlinka (Lottery Pick)

6) Jet Woo RHD Moose Jaw WHL - 0 points an Hlinka but love the name. (1st Rounder)

 

The 2018 draft is shaping up to be much deeper and stronger that the 2017 crop. If teams are looking for a puck moving dman, there should be options available throughout the 1st round.

 

Rasmus Dahlin is considered to be the next big thing, it will be interesting to see if he gets picked apart as much as the other highly touted Dmen entering their draft year - Liljegren, Chychrun and Hanifan come to mind.