Well, the Golden Knights certainly spent a lot of time at the "tables" during their inaugural Draft, as they made a whopping 12 picks in seven rounds. But will George McPhee's gambling pay off? We'll see, but here's a look at every prospect picked by Vegas, from Cody Glass to Ben Jones.
Let's start today with McPhee's first five picks through two rounds. We'll get to rounds 3-7 shortly:
#6 Cody Glass, 6'1", 178, WHL
Check out the Glass profile with exclusive quotes from
Justin Froese of Future Considerations -- in summary, the pivot is compared very favorably to Ryan Johansen, but there are
some technical aspects in his skating which might stop him from reaching such a ceiling.
One thing that stands out about Glass when speaking with him -- he has a good sense of humor. When I asked him how he felt about the recent 115-degree heat wave in Las Vegas, he quipped, "I think that's a lot nicer than Winnipeg." Glass would know, of course, being from Winnipeg.
After Glass was selected, I asked Froese how the Portland Winterhawks pivot would handle the pressure of being an expansion team's first-ever draft pick:
Glass is a top notch character kid who, if you know his background, has overcome incredible odds to get where he is. Not only does he have an incredible skill set and great potential to excel as a hockey player, but he also has the character to eventually wear a letter and not get blinded by the big lights of the NHL's city that never sleeps.
#13 Nick Suzuki, 5'11", 183, OHL
I also wrote about Suzuki before the Draft. The book on the centerman is a little under-sized, some questions about his skating, but he's a truly superior hockey intellect who also
owns a number of other high-end skills which should translate well.
#15 Erik Brannstrom, 5'9", 179, SHL
Uffe Bodin, Editor-in-Chief of Hockeysverige.se, is very high on the Swedish blueliner:
He's got so much poise with the puck. He's got a motor that's running all the time. He's always trying to find ways to get involved in the game.
He's got a good pass. He can run your power play.
I spoke with George McPhee yesterday and he compared him to Ryan Ellis.
In his own end, he's very responsible. He reads the game very well.
HockeyProspect.com spoke to an NHL scout who observed, "He's just a little offensive dynamo. Great skater too. He's a puck carrier and a guy like Liljegren is more of a puck mover."
(HockeyProspect.com's 2017 NHL Draft Black Book
is out now!)
If Brannstrom was a couple inches taller, he might have found himself selected in the top 10. But Bodin believes that the 5'9" defender has that special quality which will help him overcome his size:
Purely, his smarts.
I don't think he was getting manhandled by bigger forwards either [in the SHL]. It's going to be another step when it comes to the NHL.
Bodin compared him to Kimmo Timonen.
The Hockey News spoke to a scout who agreed:
"He's the closest thing to Kimmo Timonen I've seen," said one scout.
(
The Hockey News excerpt from May 29, 2017 Draft Preview issue,
available now.)
Future Considerations projects him to be a top-four, puck-moving defenseman.
(Future Considerations' 2017 NHL Draft guide
is out now!)
#34 Nicolas Hague, 6'5", 207, OHL
Brock Otten from OHL Prospects broke down the towering defender's pluses/minuses:
There were times during the regular season where watching Hague play was extremely frustrating. He had become prone to defensive zone turnovers and was having a real tough time with the forecheck, as he wasn't keeping his feet moving and his decision making was a tad too slow. But he's really cleaned that up this postseason. I think it's still an area of concern for the future, but his improvement late in the year is encouraging...
As an offensive player, Hague is certainly not typical. He's not the type to consistently lead an explosive rush up ice or appear dynamic in nature. But once the Steelheads gain entry into the offensive zone, he's a very, very efficient player. He's got one heck of a point shot, but he's also very good at sliding down into scoring lanes, catching opposing forwards puck watching. Hague is also not afraid to pinch in deep to maintain puck possession, similar to a 4th forward. He uses his size and strength exceptionally well along the wall to extend plays...
Defensively, Hague has really developed quite the mean streak and it's made him very difficult to play against. He uses his reach and mobility very well to defend the rush, but uses his size and strength to defend the corners and the front of the net...
While I'm not entirely sure how much his offensive game translates to the NHL level, and I do think the turnovers and decision making are a concern, there's enough there to suggest that he could develop into a quality top 4 defender at the NHL level. (OHL Prospects)
Future Considerations spoke with a scout who gave insight on Hague's small slide in the Draft:
While sliding a little due to his skating not progressing at a rate that many would like, he still holds very high potential as a do-it-all type of blueliner with NHL upside.
#62 Jake Leschyshyn, 5'10", 189, WHL
The son of Curtis Leschyshyn, the Regina centerman is considered more a defensive stopper at this point. HockeyProspect.com called him the Pats' "best penalty killer":
He is enjoyable to watch on the penalty kill because he can singlehandedly ensure that the opposition does not break out...
A part of the reason he is so effective in these situations is because of his quickness...
Offensively, however, there's untapped potential. HockeyProspect.com continues:
His ability to handle the puck at speed is exceptional and he is dynamic on the rush...
He did not get much help from his linemates...
There's some belief given more offensive responsibility, that side of his game will grow, so Leschyshyn has the look of a sleeper.
***
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