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Here is my list. Feel free to discuss. I will revise after the draft, but I just couldn't wait until then.
1. Cutis Lazar - RW/C - If I had to pick one NHL comparison, it would be David Legwand. Tempting to say with more upside, but keep in mind, Legwand was a second overall pick in '98; had he played for another team besides Nashville, he might have been a perennial 70 point-scorer in his prime. Pretty similar players.
2. Mark Stone - RW - Probably more offensive upside than Lazar. I'd say 60+ points in his prime would be a safe bet. 70? Not unlikely, for maybe a season or two. If he ever breaks 80 at the NHL level, I would be very pleasantly surprised.
3. Chris Driedger - G - Still has a long way to go, but definitely has NHL starter potential.
4. Marcus Högberg - G - Sweden might have won gold at the World Juniors if he'd been in net. He was one of only four goalies under 20 to play in the Swedish Allsvenskan this year. The other three played a combined five games, while he played 13. He then got into 4 SHL regular season games, posting 1.08 GAA and .960 Sv% and getting the start for the playoffs before getting pulled in favor of Christian Engstrom, who won them the first two playoff series, but then was thoroughly shellacked by eventual champions Skelleftea 3-0 and 8-2. Högberg came back in and at least gave his team a chance, stopping 36 of 39 shots in a 4-1 loss in game three. The next game, facing elimination, apparently seeing that giving his team a chance wouldn't be enough against the powerhouse Skelleftea, he stole the game 1-0, stopping 37 shots. It was one of Skelleftea's only two losses of the entire playoffs. Högberg doesn't turn 20 until October. In the playoffs he blew a number of leads against weaker opposition, but stood on his head against superior teams, indicating that he still needs to learn that at the pro level he needs to bring his A-game each and every night, regardless of the situation or opposition. But with his skillset and 6'5 frame, if he can do that, he could be a starting goalie in the NHL someday, at least. Still another one or two years in SHL and after that another one or two years in AHL before he sees time in the NHL.
5. Fredrik Claesson - D - For someone who is supposed to be a pure stay-at-home defenseman, he put up better offensive numbers in the SHL than the likes of Nicklas Hjalmarsson, Johnny Oduya and Henrik Tallinder at the same age. And he was simply incredible in the AHL this season.
6. Cole Schneider - RW - I've talked before about his steep developmental curve; and everything I've heard about him - from his size, skating, ability to protect the puck, and willingness to drive the net and get to the dirty areas - suggests there is no reason to think that upward swing won't continue on into the NHL.
7. Chris Wideman - D
8. Derek Grant - C - Very little offensive upside, but should be a staple on our third or forth line and penalty kill for the next decade.
9. Matt Puempel - LW - A bit of a project who still needs a lot of work, but tons of goal-scoring potential. Reminds me of Alexander Frolov.
10. Ryan Dzingel - F - I don't wanna get too worked up over a nine game sample size, but after two big offensive years at Ohio State, and seven points in a nine game AHL stint, there is definitely top-six potential there. Considering he has decent size at 6' and 190lb, and is still fairly young, having just turned 22, I'm starting to get excited about this prospect.
11. Shane Prince - LW - A longshot with some top six potential. He'll need a big AHL year this year.
12. Mike Hoffman - LW/C - Huge year in the AHL, but still hasn't made a major impact at the NHL level... tick tock.
13. Mikael Wikstrand - D - Good young defenseman with a lot of upside, but still question marks as to how well his play translates to the North American game.
14. Jean-Gabrielle Pageau - F - Looked like a sure thing two years ago, and was excellent in the AHL this year, but struggled mightily at the NHL-level, and his size might be his downfall.
15. Mark Borowiecki - D - His size and toughness and play away from the puck make him an asset, but he's still a liability with the puck on his stick.
16. Robbie Baillargeon - F
17. Buddy Robinson - RW - Lots of size, some offensive talent, and still fairly young. Hoping for a Bryan Bickel/ Patrick Maroon type breakout from him at some point.
18. Max McCormick - LW - Solid two-way forward project.
19. Michael Sdao - D - Big, tough, and nasty. His fighting skills should ensure he sees NHL time at some point, but he'll have to play decent enough hockey if he wants to stay there.
20. Tobias Lindberg - F
1. Cutis Lazar - RW/C - If I had to pick one NHL comparison, it would be David Legwand. Tempting to say with more upside, but keep in mind, Legwand was a second overall pick in '98; had he played for another team besides Nashville, he might have been a perennial 70 point-scorer in his prime. Pretty similar players.
2. Mark Stone - RW - Probably more offensive upside than Lazar. I'd say 60+ points in his prime would be a safe bet. 70? Not unlikely, for maybe a season or two. If he ever breaks 80 at the NHL level, I would be very pleasantly surprised.
3. Chris Driedger - G - Still has a long way to go, but definitely has NHL starter potential.
4. Marcus Högberg - G - Sweden might have won gold at the World Juniors if he'd been in net. He was one of only four goalies under 20 to play in the Swedish Allsvenskan this year. The other three played a combined five games, while he played 13. He then got into 4 SHL regular season games, posting 1.08 GAA and .960 Sv% and getting the start for the playoffs before getting pulled in favor of Christian Engstrom, who won them the first two playoff series, but then was thoroughly shellacked by eventual champions Skelleftea 3-0 and 8-2. Högberg came back in and at least gave his team a chance, stopping 36 of 39 shots in a 4-1 loss in game three. The next game, facing elimination, apparently seeing that giving his team a chance wouldn't be enough against the powerhouse Skelleftea, he stole the game 1-0, stopping 37 shots. It was one of Skelleftea's only two losses of the entire playoffs. Högberg doesn't turn 20 until October. In the playoffs he blew a number of leads against weaker opposition, but stood on his head against superior teams, indicating that he still needs to learn that at the pro level he needs to bring his A-game each and every night, regardless of the situation or opposition. But with his skillset and 6'5 frame, if he can do that, he could be a starting goalie in the NHL someday, at least. Still another one or two years in SHL and after that another one or two years in AHL before he sees time in the NHL.
5. Fredrik Claesson - D - For someone who is supposed to be a pure stay-at-home defenseman, he put up better offensive numbers in the SHL than the likes of Nicklas Hjalmarsson, Johnny Oduya and Henrik Tallinder at the same age. And he was simply incredible in the AHL this season.
6. Cole Schneider - RW - I've talked before about his steep developmental curve; and everything I've heard about him - from his size, skating, ability to protect the puck, and willingness to drive the net and get to the dirty areas - suggests there is no reason to think that upward swing won't continue on into the NHL.
7. Chris Wideman - D
8. Derek Grant - C - Very little offensive upside, but should be a staple on our third or forth line and penalty kill for the next decade.
9. Matt Puempel - LW - A bit of a project who still needs a lot of work, but tons of goal-scoring potential. Reminds me of Alexander Frolov.
10. Ryan Dzingel - F - I don't wanna get too worked up over a nine game sample size, but after two big offensive years at Ohio State, and seven points in a nine game AHL stint, there is definitely top-six potential there. Considering he has decent size at 6' and 190lb, and is still fairly young, having just turned 22, I'm starting to get excited about this prospect.
11. Shane Prince - LW - A longshot with some top six potential. He'll need a big AHL year this year.
12. Mike Hoffman - LW/C - Huge year in the AHL, but still hasn't made a major impact at the NHL level... tick tock.
13. Mikael Wikstrand - D - Good young defenseman with a lot of upside, but still question marks as to how well his play translates to the North American game.
14. Jean-Gabrielle Pageau - F - Looked like a sure thing two years ago, and was excellent in the AHL this year, but struggled mightily at the NHL-level, and his size might be his downfall.
15. Mark Borowiecki - D - His size and toughness and play away from the puck make him an asset, but he's still a liability with the puck on his stick.
16. Robbie Baillargeon - F
17. Buddy Robinson - RW - Lots of size, some offensive talent, and still fairly young. Hoping for a Bryan Bickel/ Patrick Maroon type breakout from him at some point.
18. Max McCormick - LW - Solid two-way forward project.
19. Michael Sdao - D - Big, tough, and nasty. His fighting skills should ensure he sees NHL time at some point, but he'll have to play decent enough hockey if he wants to stay there.
20. Tobias Lindberg - F
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