The Detroit Red Wings are in full rebuild now as they look to restore the glory days under new General Manager and franchise legend, Steve Yzerman.
They already have some talented studs on the roster in the ilk of Dylan Larkin and Tyler Bertuzzi, and they could significantly add to that by selecting Kirby Dach with the No.6 pick.
Dach brings size to the table and has been compared to Anaheim Ducks forward Ryan Getzlaf because of his playmaking ability.
Detroit need cornerstone pieces on which to build this franchise around and Dach would tick a lot of boxes for the Red Wings.
He can also play on the wing and has been credited for being able to boast one of the biggest hockey IQ’s in this year’s draft.
Yes, the Buffalo Sabres are already loaded down the middle with Jack Eichel and Casey Mittelstadt, but you simply don’t pass up a chance to take a player of Trevor Zegras’ playmaking ability.
He has all the tools to be able to jump above Mittelstadt in the depth chart and form a deadly one-two punch behind Eichel, which would give the Sabres the offensive spark they so desperately need.
Zegras, who is committed to Boston University for 2018-19, can man the power play and his vision and elite passing would make him a perfect fit for this Buffalo team that is now looking to take that next step.
The Sabres need as much star power as they can get and if they can add Zegras to a roster that already has Eichel, Jeff Skinner and Rasmus Dahlin, then who knows what that franchise will be able to achieve.
The Edmonton Oilers are in dire need of secondary scoring and someone to help carry this franchise back to the glory days alongside Connor McDavid.
Could Dylan Cozens be that guy? At 6’3″ he would add size down the middle and he boasts raw speed and plenty of skill, which are areas the Oilers lack in.
Cozens had 34 goals and 50 assists for 84 points in 68 regular season games for Lethbridge this year, and he’s also able to play on the right wing which could make him a shiny new toy for McDavid in the future.
There have been some question marks over Peyton Krebs heading into this draft after the 18-year-old tore his Achilles, which is nowhere as serious a injury for hockey players as it is for Basketball players.
Krebs had 68 points (19 goals, 49 assists) for Kootenay Ice this year and he would solve the lack of talent the Ducks have down the middle.
Anaheim are trying to rebuild on the fly after buying out Corey Perry’s contract and with Ryan Getzlaf slowing down and Ryan Kesler ravaged by injury, they need a young stud to step up and become the face of this franchise.
With so much talent in the offensive end, the Vancouver Canucks should be focussing on adding some elite talent to their blueline in this year’s draft.
And, with the No.10 pick, they have the chance to select a big defenseman who finished second in scoring at the Under-18 World Championships with six points in seven games to help Sweden win the Gold Medal.
Philip Broberg skates extremely well for a player of his size (6’3″, 203 lb) and he’s a gifted two-way blueliner who could easily play on the top line for the Canucks.
The Flyers already have a glut of talented blueliners on their roster so the wise choice here could be spending their No.11 pick on a highly-talented scoring wing.
Matthew Boldy fits that bill with 81 points (33 goals, 48 assists) in 64 games for the U.S. National U18 Team this year, while he would also suit Philadelphia’s hustle and bustle style of play due to his 6’2″ frame.
Boldy is a big forward that can bring plenty of skill and offensive production to the table, which will make him a valuable commodity for any team lucky enough to take him.