- Colorado - D Seth Jones: A big franchise defenseman for a team that needs one.
- Florida - LW Jonathan Drouin: Electric but diminutive winger might have the highest ceiling in the draft. If he improves his skating, watch out!
- Tampa Bay - C Nathan MacKinnon: The second half of Halifax's dynamic duo is a well-rounded center with top-end upside.
- Nashville - C Sasha Barkov: Big two-way center has a great skillset and plays a bullish game. His skating is a bit of an issure, but the Preds don't care.
- Carolina - RW Valeri Nichushkin: Giant russian power forward plays all three forward positions and can dominate a game. Imagine him with Eric Staal or Jeff Skinner. Yeesh.
- Calgary - C Elias Lindholm: Extremely smart two-way center is well-rounded with a high ceiling. The Flames may have set themselves up for quite the 1-2 punch at center with Mikael Backlund.
- Edmonton - C Sean Monahan: Big two-way center is a very complete player, and still plays with a sleight frame. Just what the Oilers need.
- Buffalo - D Darnell Nurse: Large, mobile, all-around defender plays a complete game, and is showing flashes of tremendous offensive upside.
- New Jersey - RW Hunter Shinkaruk: Smallish offensive winger has a ridiculous shot and elite skating.
- Dallas - C Max Domi: The Stars go somewhat off the board, but get a feisty, skilled center with tremendous upside. His size is a bit of a concern.
- Philadelphia D Ryan Pulock: The Flyers are looking for a replacement for Kimmo Timmonen. Pulock might be that player with his blistering slapshot.
- Phoenix - C Frederik Gauthier: The Coyotes can't pass up on the colossal Martin Hanzal clone.
- Winnipeg - LW Anthony Mantha: The Jets need large, talented forwards, and the Quebecois power forward has some real upside.
- Columbus - D Rasmus Ristolainen: The off-the-board picks were getting a bit out of hand, and the Jackets are happy to get the big, nasty, skilled Finnish defender.
- NY Islanders - D Nikita Zadorov: The huge shutdown defender adds to an already impressive group of Islander defensemen.
- Buffalo - RW Adam Erne: Gritty and skilled with a motor that won't quit, Erne is exactly what the Sabres are looking for.
- Detroit - D Josh Morrissey: A talented offensive defender who needs some rounding out; what could be better for the patient Red Wings?
- Ottawa - C Alexander Wennberg: The Sens add to an already crowded stable of Swedes with (yet another) two-way center with an all-around skillset. He'll join Frolunda of the Elitserien next season.
- Columbus - RW Kerby Rychel: Having gone with the BPA with their last pick, the BJs feel Rychel's mix of grit and scoring is worth the (possible) upside issues.
- San Jose - D Robert Hagg: Well-rounded two-way defender makes a good addition to a Sharks system that requires help at all positions.
- Toronto - C/RW Curtis Lazar: Lazar may not be the most skilled player around, but no one works harder. He's a good addition to the Leafs' "new" identity.
- Washington - C Bo Horvat: The hard working forward managed thirty goals on a stacked team. If he can become a Brooks Laich (with perhaps a little more offense) the Caps will be happy.
- Columbus - C/LW Jason Dickinson: The Storm as a whole disappointed this season (and Dickinson wasn't entirely guiltless) but his upside has the Jackets excited.
- Vancouver - C JT Compher: The Canucks continue to add hard-working, gritty forwards with skill.
- Calgary - RW Ryan Hartman: The Flames hope the gritty Whalers forward can become a Brad Marchand type of player who drives the opposition insane, and scores while doing it.
- Boston - C Nic Petan: The ultra-talented center may be tiny, but the Bruins can afford to be patient with him with a young, talented team.
- Montreal - RW Valentin Zykov: The Habs are happy to snag the skilled Russian so low, adding another skilled forward to an already deep system. The rich get richer.
- Anaheim - LW/C Morgan Klimchuk: Klimchuk may not be big, but he's skilled and gritty with solid upside. The Ducks need to repopulate their second line in a hurry, and Klimchuk has a high floor.
- Calgary - D Mirco Mueller: The Flames finally add to an unimpressive stable of young defensemen with the big Swiss defender. Mueller has some untapped offensive upside, as well.
- Chicago - D Madison Bowey: The Hawks already have a deep system and a talented team, so they're free to take whatever player they feel like. Bowey is a moble two-way defender with good upside, and a solid frame.
I feel like the Flames (sort of) address all their needs with this draft, while maintaining a policy of picking (more or less) the best prospect available. They don't quite address the need for size up front, but Ryan Hartman adds some much needed grit and "hard to play against"ness (and he's also a RW). Without going for size for the sake of size, the Flames manage to add a 6'3" defenseman with some upside in Mueller.
I also like Elias Lindholm a lot. I could see the Flames taking Sean Monahan instead, though, and that wouldn't bother me. It would certainly bother the Oilers, though.
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