2019 EHE DRAFT REVIEW - Metro 2019-07-26 Metro: Kevin Lacy - Carolina Hurricanes: 28th Overall: Connor McMichael C - London Knights (OHL) 70th Overall: Jordan Spence D - Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL) 103rd Overall: Chase Priskie D - Quinnipiac U (NCAA) 121st Overall: Tuukka Tieksola RW - Karpat (Liiga) 135th Overall: Isaiah Saville G - Tri-City Storm (USHL) Last Years Grade: B- This Years Grade: C Not a terrible draft, but I think lots of upside was left on the board at each pick. I'm not sold on McMichael being a top 6 forward. I also think Saville's numbers were inflated due to playing on a strong Tri-City team, he looked pedestrian in the playoffs. Time will tell. Andrew Payeur - Columbus Blue Jackets: 73rd Overall: Dillon Hamaliuk LW - Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL) 113rd Overall: Nikita Okhotyuk D - Ottawa 67's (OHL) Last Years Grade: D This Years Grade: C- Hamaliuk was injured last year and was a bit lost on a terrible Seattle team when he was in the line-up. He'll be suiting up in Kelowna this year but will be behind Foote in the depth chart. Okhotyuk hasn't shown much offense in his two OHL campaigns yet either. Cole Bates - New Jersey Devils: 18th Overall: Ville Heinola D - Lukko (Liiga) 49th Overall: Pavel Dorofeyev W - Metallurg Magnitogorsk (KHL) 65th Overall: Samuel Fagemo W - Frolunda HC (SHL) 66th Overall: Connor Clifton D - Boston Bruins (NHL) 101st Overall: Samuel Ersson G - Vasteras IK (Allsvenskan) 125th Overall: Trey Fix-Wolansky RW - Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL) Last Years Draft: B+ This Years Draft: A A great draft for Cole, high upside projects in rounds 1 & 2 and an NHL player in round 3 are homeruns I think. Some considered Ersson one of the better goalies avalable this year and late bloomer Fix-Wolansky is a great roll of the dice. Solid all around! Martins Auzins - New York Rangers: 1st Overall: Jack Hughes C - USDP 7th Overall: Alex Newhook C - Victoria Grizzlies (BCHL) 37th Overall: Nolan Foote LW - Kelowna Rockets (WHL) 42nd Overall: Matt Robertson D - Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL) 46th Overall: Filip Larsson G - U of Denver (NCAA) 48th Overall: Ilya Mikheyev RW - Avangard Omsk (KHL) 57th Overall: Dominik Kubalik LW - HC Ambri-Piotta (NLA) 89th Overall: Filip Cederqvist LW - Vaxjo Lakers (SHL) 96th Overall: Drew Helleson D - USDP 106th Overall: Joseph Duszak D - Mercyhurst U (NCAA) 109th Overall: Carl-Johan Lerby D - Malmo Redhawks (SHL) 126th Overall: Jake Elmer RW - Lethbridge Hurricanes (WHL) 128th Overall: Jayden Halbgewachs LW - San Jose Barracuda (AHL) 137th Overall: Kevin Lankinen G - Rockford IceHogs (AHL) 138th Overall: ***FORFEITED*** 140th Overall: ***FORFEITED*** 141st Overall: Pavel Shen C - Salavat Yulaev UFA (KHL) 143rd Overall: Michael Vukojevic D - Kitchener Rangers (OHL) 145th Overall: Layton Ahac D - Prince George Spruce Kings (BCHL) 146th Overall: Kirill Slepets W - Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (KHL) 147th Overall: Brady Keeper D - U of Maine (NCAA) 150th Overall: Jan Drozg LW - Shawinigan Cataractes (QMJHL) Last Years Grade: C- This Years Grade: C Hughes is a no brainer at #1, but I loved the reach on Newhook. I love the first 2 rounds here, A+ drafting from Martins. Lots to like lower down too. I'm a big fan of Kubalik. What I don't like seeing is Forfeit, that's leaving potential value on the table and it lowers this grade from an A to a C, one letter grade per forfeiture. Yikes! Tony Chiu - New York Islanders: 9th Overall: Matthew Boldy LW - USDP 40th Overall: Jakob Pelletier LW - Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL) 71st Overall: Mikko Kokkonen D - Jukurit (Liiga) 102ns Overall: Henry Thrun D - USDP Last Years Grade: B+ This Years Grade: B+ Good Draft again from Tony, I had Boldy in the top 10 so that's a great spot to nab him. Pelletier falling to 40th is a steal too, don't get too caught up in his height either, he is the driver of offense on his line. Tommy Barr - Philadelphia Flyers: 3rd Overall: Bowen Byram D - Vancouver Giants (WHL) 5th Overall: Trevor Zegras C/LW - USDP 15th Overall: Cam York D - USDP 36th Overall: Nicholas Robertson C - Peterborough Petes (OHL) 67th Overall: Nathan Legare RW - Baie-Comeau Drakkar (QMJHL) 81st Overall: Nikita Alexandrov C - Charlottetown Islanders (QMJHL) 84th Overall: Ronnie Attard D - Tri-City Storm (USHL) 90th Overall: Dom Fensore D - USDP 98th Overall: Tye Felhaber C/LW - Ottawa 67's (OHL) 112nd Overall: Mikhail Abramov C/RW - Victoriaville Tigres (QMJHL) 120th Overall: Rhett Pitlick LW - Chaska High (USHS) 129th Overall: Leevi Aaltonen W - KalPa (Liiga) Last Years Grade: B+ (Wes Mucyk) This Years Grade: B+ Not a fan of Attard or Fensore and I thought York went a bit to early, but the rest of these picks are great. I actually like Tommy's 4th round better than his 3rd round. Robertson is a highly skilled forward and wasn't picked as early as I thought he'd go. Ian Gurtowski - Pittsburgh Penguins: 51st Overall: Xavier Bouchard D - Baie-Comeau Drakkar (QMJHL) Last Years Grade: B+ This Years Grade: C Sorry Ian, I thought this pick could have been made much later in the draft. Bouchard had a great D+1 in the Q but was probably flying under the radar in our draft, so some value was left on the table. Jared Mitchell - Washington Capitals: 26th Overall: Raphael Lavoie C/RW - Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL) Last Years Grade: B- This Years Grade: B- Bobby Brink was at the top of my list, so not sure what prompted me to pass on him for Lavoie, Brink probably has more upside. For that reason, I'm giving myself a B-.