The Buffalo Sabres: Here we go again.

 

I realize this blog has been rather dormant, as life happens. As luck would have it, however, I have some hockey to talk about once again. If you guessed that the subject is the Buffalo Sabres, you win nothing, just like the team. As I'm writing this, they have just wrapped up their 11th straight loss, a 6-1 drubbing at the hands of fellow basement dwellers in the Montreal Canadiens. This needs a deep dive, and the best way to start it is at the beginning, which for the purposes of this piece, will be the 2010-11 season, the last time they made the playoffs and the beginning of the current ownership time-line. 

The 2010-11 season was one of major turnover, as this was the Sabres first season moving away from the infamous Buffaslug uniforms that had been around since 2006. It was also the beginning of the Pegula era, as they would become owners in February 2011. The Sabres would make the playoffs that year, losing in the first round to Philadelphia. Things looked promising. The 2011 off-season was important, as they looked to bolster their lineup. They signed Christian Ehrhoff and Ville Leino to multi-year deals. However, things didn't go as planned, as a Milan Lucic run in on goaltender Ryan Miller in a game, combined with the subsequent inaction by the team, started a downward spiral that ultimately led to the Sabres missing the playoffs by three points that year. 

The 2013 season was shortened due to yet another lockout, this would be three in 20 years at this point. A poor start spelled the end for coach Lindy Ruff, and he was replaced by Ron Rolston. Rolston lasted parts of two seasons before he got fired, along with long time general manager Darcy Regier in November 2013. 

At this point, it's wise to simply go through the names that have been coach and gm up to now. Coaches since 2013 have been a second coming off Ted Nolan, Dan Bylsma, Phil Housley, Ralph Kruger, Don Granato, and now, a return of Lindy Ruff. General managers in that same time frame have included Tim Murray, Jason Botterill, and Kevyn Adams. 

There are some key moments to also consider, such as the failed tank for Connor McDavid in 2015, where despite finishing last, lost the draft lottery to Edmonton, the subsequent pick of Jack Eichel, a name that will be important in the team's further dysfunction, ill-advised trades, failed attempts at capturing former glory, and now, the palm tree remarks made by current gm Kevyn Adams.

That brings us to now, where the Sabres are on an 11 game losing streak as of this writing, and not even a rousing speech by the owner prior to the game in Montreal could reverse the team's fortunes. Where did it go wrong this time? 

On the surface, everything should be good, but looking at the situation in goal, it looks either largely unproven (U-P Lukkonen and Devon Levi) or past their prime mediocrity (James Reimer). Veteran leadership is also lacking, as the only proven players with substantial NHL experience are Alex Tuch and Jason Zucker. Playoff experience is significantly less, as only Bowen Byram has been on a team with such experience. Physicality? It's long been an issue during the playoff drought, and this year has been no exception. And the coaching? A return of Lindy Ruff? Anyone that saw his run as the Devils head coach could have told you this wasn't going to end well. Outside of one season there, it wasn't great. 

What can be done to fix the problems this time around? In all honesty, it seems like everything and nothing has been done to fix the issues to the point of the last ditch option, which is ownership needs to change. It's been the one constant, and every time you think the solution is at hand, it ends up being worse at the end. Let's come back to this in a few years, when there is most likely a different general manager and head coach likely on their way out. 

Dissecting Flyer Futility

 This has been on my things to talk about ever since the Philadelphia Flyers decided to can Alain Vigneault as head coach a month ago. Given their position right now, and their embarrassment on Saturday at the hands of Buffalo, it's time to talk about the general futility of the Flyers. For reference, I will use a quote from Bobby Clarke taken from "The Cam & Strick podcast" to frame everything wrong about the Flyers draft and development acumen.

The following quote is in reference to Ron Hextall's time as General Manager and specifically, the 2017 draft.

We end up getting the second pick in the draft, and we end up drafting Nolan Patrick. None of our scouts wanted Nolan Patrick. I don’t know where Patrick should have gone, after his performances in Brandon — he’s a pretty good player. But certainly, they wanted Makar. Of course he went next. Now he’s a superstar and Patrick hasn’t played. But Hextall made that choice himself, and there were other choices that were made at our drafts that we’re paying for. We have two or three first-round picks that are never going to play, and that’s why we’re struggling. Hextall made some huge mistakes.

There's a few things here to note. Yes, Makar was a top 10 prospect entering the draft, but very few, if any, people had him going top 2. Hindsight is 20/20, but had Philadelphia truly thought Makar was their guy, why not trade down a spot or two. It was near consensus that Nolan Patrick and Nico Hischier were going one and two, with Miro Heiskanen possibly sneaking into the second overall pick. As for Makar that year, he was seen as a boom or bust pick that had more questions due to level of competition, as the AJHL is a step below major junior and would have allowed him to go to college after he got drafted, which he did.

Suppose the Flyers did take Makar, now we have look at the Flyers history of developing those picks. Clarke has been in his current role as Senior Vice President since December 2006, so for the purpose of this article, I will begin with the 2007 Draft and move onwards to 2018.

In the time between 2007 and 2018, the Flyers made 85 picks, and of those picks, 21 have played more than 50 games in their career. Nine of the 21 were drafted in the 3rd round or later, and none since 2014. Only two of those picks made a significant impact with the Flyers, being Shayne Gostisbehere and Oskar Lindblom. The Flyers also had some godawful drafts, with 2009 taking the cake, as the entire draft class couldn't crack 50 games played...combined. 2010 was marginally better, but it says something about the 2013 draft class that the most games played by one player was traded (Robert Hagg with 224, and he was traded prior to this season for Rasmus Ristolainen). 2016 is already looking like an all-time bust, with Carter Hart leading the way, but likely needing a fresh start somewhere else. 

That brings us to 2017, and Nolan Patrick. 70 points in 197 games, and missing an entire season to injury, it's obvious the injury bug that plagued him in his final year of junior followed him to the NHL level, and now, he's trying to resurrect his career in Vegas. 

All of this has been overseen by Clarke on some level, and at some point, player development should come into question. Most of the picks that were successful don't have sustained impact (I.e. Ivan Provorov and Carter Hart) and the ones that do, those are few and far in between (Sean Couturier). Also, in relation to the 2017 draft, that too, is looking bad, with 2018 not looking so promising, either. 

As I'm finishing this piece, the Flyers winless streak is now at 13 after a loss to the Islanders. Yes, it is time to blow it up, and that includes the front office. The days of the Broad Street Bullies is long gone, and it's time to give Claude Giroux a chance at a Stanley Cup elsewhere because it's not happening in Philadelphia for the foreseeable future. This is what happens when a team is merely content with just making the playoffs. 

I Watched This Game: Wrong for Wright

 It's been a trying season for both the Montreal Canadiens and the Arizona Coyotes, as one team was expected to be awful and rebuild a rebuild while the other is experiencing a riches to rags story. Yes, both teams are ahead in the Shane Wright sweepstakes and they squared off this week. I watched this game.

First period

• The Canadiens are starting Cayden Primeau while the Coyotes are starting Karel Vejmelka. This is also where the Canadiens are without Jake Allen and Brendan Gallagher, and are suiting up recent waiver wire pickup Rem Pitlick, who still has his Minnesota Wild bag amongst the Canadiens bags.
• Really good seats were available for this game, you could even see empty seats on the hard camera side.
• At 5:19, the Coyotes see their hard work pay off, as their persistence leads to a Travis Boyd goal from the dots. Nick Schmaltz and Clayton Keller get the assists. 
• Liam O'Brien gets called for holding at 5:38, putting the Canadiens on the power play. Nothing came of it, as has been the case all season long.
• At 8:18, Phil Kessel makes a beautiful pass across the ice to Johan Larsson, who fires from almost the same spot as the Boyd goal past Primeau to make it 2-0. Dysin Mayo gets the other assist.
• Victor Soderstrom makes a terrible pass in his own end to Jonathan Drouin, who finds Pitlick in the slot. He beats a sprawling Vejmelka to cut the lead to 1 at 15:11. That is where the score stands, as the period would end.

This was relatively even, with Arizona doing more with their chances, but also making a major mistake that led to the Canadiens goal.

Second period

• At the 4:27 mark, the Canadiens season in a nutshell occurs, as a rebound finds Janis Moser at the point. He proceeds to skate in, weaving through traffic with little resistance to sneak one past Primeau to make it 3-1. Moser was drafted in 2021 as a 21-year old. I get late bloomer, but the Canadiens made him look like Connor McDavid out there. No wonder there's talk about the Canadiens possibly looking for a new coach.
• O'Brien was interfering with Joel Armia, and now sits for two at the 6:18 mark. The Canadiens still can't score, as their only shots were from the point with no one in front to deflect. 
• As Christian Dvorak chases Moser behind the Coyotes net, Ilya Lyubushkin gets in his way, and setting a pick is seen as interference. He sits at 9:34.
• Oh, look, the Canadiens actually score on the power play, and it took Ryan Poehling being in front of the net to tip in a Drouin shot from the point. Jeff Petry also gets the assist at 11:13.
• A Mike Hoffman slash at 15:41 puts Arizona on the power play. They don't convert, but...
• ...they do score at 18:02, thanks to Nick Schmaltz finding a loose puck in front of the net. Antoine Roussel and Larsson get the assists. Montreal thinks the goalie was being interfered with, but lose the challenge. As a result, they are given two minutes for delay of game and lose their time out. Cole Caufield serves the penalty. 

At the end of two, it is 4-2 Arizona. Montreal had more shots, but fewer quality chances. Arizona plays hard, no one can deny that. The talent level isn't there, and it was evident on a couple of missed chances. 

Third period 

• The Canadiens begin the period by switching out Primeau for Sam Montembeault, and also killing off the remaining two seconds of the Coyotes power play that carried over.
• 4:52 sees Brett Kulak clear the puck over the glass, and he sits for delay of game. No score occurs.
• Hoffman is off at 12:40 for a slash against Keller, and once again, Arizona does not score.
• The Coyotes do score at 18:18, on an empty net by Keller. Schmaltz and Moser get the assists, and that is pretty much game.
• Alex Romanov gets delay of game at 19:41, wrapping up a 5-2 final for the Coyotes.

The Coyotes were the team for much of this game, and the result reflects that. The Canadiens didn't have answers for much of the game, though they do put some distance between themselves and Arizona for best odds to draft first overall. 

Expansion Draft Post-mortem

 

The expansion draft happened Wednesday, and now, we know who will be taking the ice for the Seattle Kraken. Little happened of note, as teams were reluctant to trade in order to get contracts off their books. As far as who will be on the team, here's some of the notables:

• Mark Giordano from the Calgary Flames is near the end of his career, but is still a solid defenseman and is likely the first captain in franchise history. 
• His defense partners include Jamie Oleksiak and Adam Larsson, both solid in their own end, with Oleksiak being the better shot blocker and Larsson the more responsible in his own end.
• Up front, Jordan Eberle is the Kraken's top scorer, though he is also decent playing defense.
• The forward core is pretty much full of solid two way players, headlined by Brandon Tanev, Jared McCann, and Mason Appleton.
• Goaltending is still largely unproven, but young enough to reach full potential. Chris Driedger goes in as the starter, but Vitek Vanecek and Joey D'Accord will get looks, too.
• Vince Dunn, Mason Appleton, and Carson Soucy stand to benefit the most, as all three will have expanded roles. Calle Jarnkrok and Joonas Donskoi are players to watch up front, as they too, will have bigger roles as the veterans to lead the younger players.

The basis of the Kraken squad is a team of players that will make the opposition have to play the full 60 while they still have cap room, meaning they may go for a bigger name or two. We find out starting Wednesday whether they can attract a Gabriel Landeskog or not.

Seattle Kraken Expansion Draft predictions

 The team that the Seattle Kraken will be putting on the ice will be known after Wednesday, and the protected lists for every team other than Vegas was released Sunday, and some notable names are on the exposed list. Armed with that knowledge, I take a crack at who I think the Kraken will take, complete with some level of explanation. If you're interested in trying your hand at predicting the team, I used CapFriendly for assistance, and I'll post the screenshots of the picks I made. 

I said I would explain the picks, so I will go down the line, in accordance with the list.

• Nashville is wanting either Ryan Johansen or Matt Duchene to be picked, and I can see them throw in another player plus either a draft pick or lower end prospect to make this happen. I think it will be Johansen, since he has a shorter term than Duchene, albeit by a year.
• Yes, I know Carey Price is available, but I get the feeling Montreal will want the Kraken to take Jonathan Drouin. The Canadiens have a lot of picks in the draft, so I can see them use a couple of them as a lure for that, plus give Drouin a fresh start.
• Tampa Bay needs to get under the cap, and Tyler Johnson is buried on the depth chart. Tampa could add another player to convince the Kraken to take him, if not either Alex Killorn or Yanni Gourde.
• There's not a great amount of players available for the Avs to lose, though the depth means they're still losing a quality player. Joonas Donskoi is that player, unfortunately, and the Kraken are getting a middle six winger.
• Pittsburgh needs to shed salary, and Jason Zucker is certainly an option. I went with Brandon Tanev because he can provide more than just goals. It comes down to term versus cap hit, as Zucker has the higher cap hit while Tanev has the longer term remaining. 
• Ottawa has little to pick from, as Evgeni Dadonov, Chris Tierney, and Matt Murray are the biggest name options. Since there are better goalie options available, Murray is unlikely to be picked, so it's either Dadonov or Tierney. Tierney has the lower cap number, shorter term, and is younger, but is unlikely to remain a Senator in the long run, so I went with him as the pick from Ottawa. 
• Toronto is another team that could use some cap relief. The problem is that their biggest contracts either had to be protected or are free agents. That leaves Alex Kerfoot or Jared McCann, and I went with McCann, as he is the better player for the Kraken middle six and they can at least, retain his rights after next season, as he's still an RFA.
• Los Angeles is not a cap ceiling team at the moment, as they are embarking on a youth movement. However, their dream scenario is more of a pipe dream, as Jonathan Quick was left exposed. Beyond him, the only players that make sense to be selected are Olli Maatta and Austin Wagner, and Wagner is picked here because he's younger and can set the pace as needed.
• Arizona is another team with slim pickings for Seattle, as half of last year's roster was either traded (Adin Hill) or are UFAs. Of this list, it could make sense to pick Ilya Lyabushkin, as he's quality depth on the blue line. I went with Christian Fischer, as he's still young enough to expand on his potential as a power forward type.
• Calgary has options, but I'm simply looking to fill out forward depth, and Brett Ritchie was the pick.
• The same can be said for Julien Gauthier, Morgan Geekie, Cliff Pu, Dominik Kahun, and Kieffer Bellows, although those players are young enough to still have potential. 
• Yes, the Islanders would like to see the Kraken take either Jordan Eberle or Josh Bailey, and that's a strong possibility. This is my opinion, and I opt to go with mostly younger players.
• Defensively, I went with guys who could use fresh starts (Shayne Gostisbehere, Jakub Zboril, and Colin Miller), depth players (Radim Simek, Carson Soucy, and Troy Stetcher), players there just for filling out rosters (Joel Hanley and Nathan Beaulieu), and a decent top pair potential in Kevin Shattenkirk and Vince Dunn. Shattenkirk isn't the player he was in St. Louis, but he's been there and can be a leader on the defense while Dunn is still yet to reach his full potential, but is already a good defender. 
• In goal, Braden Holtby gets another chance to redeem himself while Chris Driedger is likely a 1B goalie that appears to have a deal in place. Vitek Vanecek is the bridge goalie between the NHL and minors, and would be the first call up while Malcolm Subban is simply depth that could get flipped in a trade.

That is how I think the expansion draft will go, and there are sure to be a few surprises, but it will be interesting to see how the Kraken look after Wednesday. 

2021 NHL Draft: Needs and mock draft, part 4

 

With the deadline for protected players due today, as of the start of this writing, trades were made that will impact draft positions, as well as who goes where. I will get to that AFTER the entry draft, since more trades are likely. In the meantime, let's finish the look at team needs and mock draft. 

24. Toronto Maple Leafs 

Their first round pick belongs to Columbus as part of the Nick Foligno trade, and they only have three picks total this year, with nothing between rounds two and five. They're built to win now, but have nothing to show for it plus impending cap problems. Now, they take on Jared McCann's contract in the Hope's that depth will be less of a problem. 

Projected pick (Columbus): Matt Coronato, LW, Chicago (USHL)

Not a big player, Coronato put up good numbers on the Steel, and he's willing to go into the rough areas to score. He's already fairly established, so it will be interesting if he's maxed out on his development. 

Projected pick (Toronto): Jack Bar, D, Chicago (USHL)

Since Toronto picks late in the second round, they will need to go with someone that needs at least two years before they sign him. Getting a Harvard commit in Bar buys them at least three years for a player whose only major issue is turnovers.

25. Pittsburgh Penguins 

Their first round pick belongs to Minnesota as a result of the Jason Zucker trade, and like Toronto, they also have no picks between rounds two and five. Besides depth, the most pressing need for Pittsburgh will be center, as Crosby and Malkin can't play forever. They would be wise to move a contract or two, as their cap situation is not good.

Projected pick (Minnesota): Xavier Bourgault, RW, Shawinigan (QMJHL)

Very good at creating offense, his caveat appears to be that he needs the right players to succeed. If Kevin Fiala and Kirill Kaprizov both get signed long term, that bodes well for Bourgault, who has the mentality to weather the chaos around him.

Projected pick (Pittsburgh): Red Savage, C, US NTDP 

Along the lines of needing center depth, and in accordance with their draft position, the Penguins go with a safe pick in Red Savage, son of former Canadien Brian. He projects as a fringe second liner with Selke potential. 

26. Carolina Hurricanes 

Two things are on the Hurricanes agenda, and one will be easier to fill via free agency than the other. Dougie Hamilton may have priced himself out of Carolina, so an offensive defender would be nice. Jake Bean could be the first in line to answer that question. The other is in goal, and whether Alex Nedeljkovic is the starter next season. They may look internally to answer that question, but could look to free agency or trade.

Projected pick: Daniil Chayka, D, CSKA

The read on Chayka was complicated when the OHL season was shelved, thus robbing him of more time in Guelph. He went across the pond to Russia, where the reports were incomplete outside of he got to play against older competition on a strong CSKA squad. At worst, he's a shutdown defender. 

27. Colorado Avalanche 

Colorado still has a healthy prospect pool that will likely be used more to fill depth, but goal remains an issue, especially if Phillipp Grubauer leaves in free agency. They only have four picks in this year's draft, but won't need it as badly, since they do have a pick in each of the first three rounds, thanks to trading away Ryan Graves.

Projected pick: Zach Bolduc, C, Rimouski (QMJHL)

Bolduc got attention after last season thanks to Alexis Lafreniere. Without Lafreniere this season, Bolduc got off to a slow start. Once he got going, his skill set was on full display. More of a middle six center, he would make a potent Avalanche offense even better down the line.

28. New York Islanders 

Their first round pick belongs to New Jersey as a result of the Kyle Palmieri and Travis Zajac trade. Offense remains a thing, as their flaws were exposed by Tampa Bay in the playoffs. The good news is that their core is still young, and their system at least, is good for deep playoff runs. The key will be continuing to replenish the prospect system while remaining competitive. 

Projected pick (New Jersey): William Stromgren, LW, Modo

The Devils have guys ready to graduate to the NHL level, but are likely needing a few veterans to show the way. That means they can afford to draft a raw prospect here, which is what Stromgren is at this point. Two points of contention for him are skating and adding a few pounds to a 6'3" frame. He's got the potential to be a steal here.

Projected pick (NY Islanders): Bryce Montgomery, D, London (OHL)

There's always a need to acquire more defenseman, and with Robin Salo or Bode Wilde likely taking Nick Leddy's spot, that means someone new will need to be developed. Montgomery is big, and has some puck movement skills, but is raw and did not play at all this season. A restarting OHL season on a perennially competitive London squad will help shake off the rust.

29. Vegas Golden Knights 

Another year of coming up short has to weigh on the Golden Knights, and one of the culprits was the lack of a true top center. The problem is that it is more likely to be addressed via free agency or hope that a change in scenery makes Nolan Patrick that guy. Other than that, they are with cap issues, and that could take its toll on blue line depth if Alec Martinez is forced to walk.

Projected pick: Francesco Pinelli, C, Jesenice

Displaced to Slovenia from Kitchener, Pinelli raised his stock this season, becoming a player that could do everything well. The question is whether he's a Jack of all trades player or something more.

30. Montreal Canadiens

One of the best prospect systems figures to be even better, as they're armed with 11 draft picks, though they could use a couple of them to package in order to move a contract such as Jonathan Drouin. Center remains an eternal question, but it's less of a dire need, thanks to the continued development of Nick Suzuki and Jesperi Kotkaniemi. Blue line help is also a possibility, with someone likely taking on a bigger role if Shea Weber heads to LTIR.

Projected pick: Samu Salminen, C, Jokerit Jr.

A strong season back in Finland put Salminen on the map, but it remains to be seen where his actual ceiling is going to end. He is a Denver University commit, so North America will have a better idea how his game will translate to the NHL level.

31. Tampa Bay Lightning 

They don't pick until the third round, as their first is property of Columbus in the David Savard trade and their second round pick is Montreal's as a result of moving up to the second round in last year's draft. They did get an extra pick for trading Barclay Goodrow, but will need to shed a few more contracts, likely Tyler Johnson, but Alex Killorn  and Yanni Gourde are also possibilities. As for needs? A backup goalie on the cheap and more prospects, preferably a top scorer. The latter seems impossible with where they're drafting, but they have found players outside the first round who became elite players (see: Kucherov, Nikita and Point, Brayden).

Projected pick (Columbus): Matthew Knies, LW, Tri-City (USHL)

More of a power forward who figures to hone his game at the University of Minnesota, Knies is at his best when he is around the net using his size to his advantage. Columbus could use another blue collar player if they choose to continue their identity as such, and Knies is perfect for that when he remembers to keep physical. 

Projected pick (Tampa Bay): Jackson Blake, RW, Eden Prairie 

The son of former 40 goal scorer Jason Blake will need time at North Dakota, but has potential to be good, and hockey sense and compete level are solid foundations to start.

2021 NHL Draft: Needs and mock draft, part 3

 The third installment of the needs and mock draft continues, and this is where trades figure into the equation. Every team is still getting covered, in order of original draft position, but the mock draft will go as planned, as well as the first picks of teams without a first round pick. 

16. St. Louis Blues

A team that may not go into free agency much this offseason, the Blues now have to consider moving on from Vladimir Tarasenko, who requested a trade. Depth pieces up front and blue line help are possible needs.

Projected pick: Mason McTavish, C, Olten

A team short on high end talent if Tarasenko does get traded, McTavish can provide goal scoring and a big body down the middle for a team that needs to harder to play against, something that has been missing since 2019.

17. Winnipeg Jets 

Offense up front is a major need, especially since Pierre-Luc Dubois is not a guy that can replicate the goal scoring totals Patrik Laine had. That is where replenishing the wings can be a factor. Having fewer worries about free agents in their own end should help the Jets zero in on getting scoring help there, either through draft or free agency. 

Projected pick: Oskar Olausson, LW, HV71

The Jets can afford to develop another player if Cole Perfetti and Kristian Vesalainen both make the leap next season. Olausson has upside that can be worked with for a couple more seasons, as he's signed with HV71 until 2023.

18. Nashville Predators 

The search for a top center continues, and there isn't a top guy available in the draft, much less where the Predators are drafting. As for free agency, it's going to be about shedding either Ryan Johansen or Matt Duchene's contract through the expansion draft.

Projected pick: Fyodor Svechkov, C, Togliatti Jr.

Probably the safest pick if you take away the Russian Factor, Svechkov projects as a middle six player, at worst, thanks to the overall balance in his game.

19. Edmonton Oilers 

The search for wing men that can play alongside either McDavid or Draisaitl continues, as depth once again, became an issue. Blue line help is also a problem, but acquiring Duncan Keith should help the younger players mentally, even if Keith is no longer the player he was even a few years ago. Goalie help is also needed, as there's no sure fire starter now, nor is there a guarantee the prospects will develop as promised. 

Projected pick: Sebastian Cossa, G, Edmonton (WHL)

Goalie is the thinnest spot in the Oilers prospect pool, as they drafted all forwards last season, and they're expecting Evan Bouchard to try for a spot next season. Keeping Cossa in Edmonton would be a boon, as they can keep an eye on him as he looks to continue to post great numbers for a strong Oil Kings squad.

20. Boston Bruins

An aging core will need much more than just David Pastrnak up front and Charlie McAvoy and Brandon Carlo on the blue line. Depth continues to be a major problem, even as Patrice Bergeron continues to play at a high level and Taylor Hall is a possibility to resign with the team. Down the middle is a worry that could be solved in free agency while the blue line needs a more sure thing.

Projected pick: Aatu Raty, C, Karpat

A top 10 projected pick prior to this season, his confidence was rattled at times and he missed the cut for the 2021 WJC tournament, due to no practice for the Finnish squad prior to the start. He still has the tools, and could be an eventual replacement for David Krejci.

21. Minnesota Wild 

Even as they move on from the Parise/Suter era, the Wild need to continue to fill holes in their prospect pool, especially defensively, where only Calen Addison is a top 10 prospect. Their most important thing on the to-do list is getting Kirill Kaprizov signed. 

Projected pick: Sean Behrens, D, US NTDP

A mobile defenseman that got overshadowed by teammate Luke Hughes, Behrens has upside to an already good all-around game and projects to more of a sure thing than 2018 pick Filip Johansson.

22. Washington Capitals

The Capitals first round pick was traded to Detroit in the Anthony Mantha deal, and while Mantha had his moments, not having that first round pick means they don't draft until late in the second round. Their biggest concern is what to do with Alex Ovechkin, who is a UFA. Whether they think they can win one more Cup is going to be a factor in the decision making for at least a couple seasons. Beyond that, they could use another above average prospect in the system, especially up front, as Ovechkin won't easily be replaced by one player.

Projected pick (Detroit): Nikita Chibrikov, RW, CKA

His game is bent more towards offense, and with both size concerns and the Russian Factor, it's easy to see Chibrikov fall. Still, his offense is better than most players in the draft.

Projected pick (Washington): Brett Harrison, C, Koovee Jr.

An offensive threat with consistency issues that were exposed when he had to head to Europe when the OHL season was ultimately canned, Harrison should benefit by returning to Oshawa this coming season, where he performed well. If he can use his size more to his advantage, his potential is higher.

23. Florida Panthers 

Defense is a sore point depth-wise, as evidenced by Aaron Ekblad's injury. Cutting ties with Keith Yandle further reinforces this idea, and with a decent amount of cap space, they can add another player there, if needed, although they did commit 3 million per year for three years to Anthony Duclair.

Projected pick: Scott Morrow, D, Shattuck-St. Mary's 

Far better offensive starter than in his own end at this point, Morrow has the desire to improve upon his weaknesses. It helps that he is a bigger player than the trendy smaller, yet mobile defender some teams take a chance on.