The race to be the second overall pick at the 2018 NHL Draft is well underway, but who will it ultimately be?
With the 2018 NHL Draft being five months away and the unofficial home stretch of the regular season coming up, NHL Central Scouting released its Midterm rankings for skaters and goaltenders that are eligible for the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. This year, it will be held in Dallas.
Everyone knows who’s going first. It’s going to be slick-skating, sure-handed defenseman Rasmus Dahlin from Sweden. He is currently putting together a nice season in the Swedish Hockey League for Frolunda HC despite being a 17-year old.
If you haven’t seen what the kid can do, just check out this beautiful end-to-end goal that put everyone on notice.
Having a consensus number one sometimes takes away from the rest of the draft’s prospects. However, this year’s crop is likely to have more NHL ready talent than the 2017 draft.
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Many second overall picks have gone on to have stellar careers despite their fellow classmate touting all the hype. Players like Bobby Ryan (2005), James van Riemsdyk (2007), Drew Doughty (2008), Victor Hedman (2009), Aleksander Barkov (2013), Jack Eichel (2015), and Patrik Laine from 2016 are all major contributors to their team in the NHL despite the spotlight being on the pick before them.
The mystery and lead up to the draft is always exciting. Especially when your team misses the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Since Dahlin is a concrete lock to be the first overall pick, who is going second overall?
Obviously, it depends on the team. As we’ve seen in the last two drafts, any team that doesn’t make the Stanley Cup Playoffs can jump up and claim one of the top three spots through the NHL Draft Lottery despite their superior record than the basement dwellers in the standings.
Here are five prospects that can end up being the second overall pick.
Filip Zadina (LW – Halifax Mooseheads)
An impressive World Junior Tournament vaulted Zadina’s draft stock after posting 7 goals in games including two impressive goals against Team Canada for the Czechs.
The 18-year old’s rise up the rankings is similar to that of Nico Hischier, who wound up going first overall last season. While this likely doesn’t happen with Zadina and Dahlin, any team looking for a great skater with a pro shot will be happy to acquire the NHL-ready winger. He can step right in on the Power-Play which scouts will undoubtedly take into consideration.
Adam Boqvist (D – Almtuma IS)
Don’t take Boqvist lightly. The lack of hype compared to his fellow countryman makes this prospect even more intriguing.
Boqvist turned heads at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial this year against his own age group, posting eight points in just five games for Sweden. If Boqvist happens to go second overall, it would mark the highest back-to-back Swedish picks in NHL history, beating Daniel & Henrik Sedin when they were selected second and third respectively back in 1999.
Brady Tkachuk (C/LW – Boston University)
He has the intangibles that make a great NHL hockey player. He’s fearless, plays with an edge, does well in front of the net and in the corners. And then there’s the obvious fact that he comes from the Tkachuk bloodline.
NHL-ready players coming out of the draft are so hard to come by. A team in need for a gritty and skilled top-six forward right away would make Tkachuk the perfect second overall pick. Just look no further to his older brother Matthew. He was selected sixth overall in the 2016 entry draft, played 76 games in his rookie season and has already made a few enemies.
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Andrei Svechnikov (RW – Barrie Colts)
Svechnikov is the top-ranked North American Skater by NHL Central Scouting. He brings size, speed, and skill to his game. NHL general managers and scouts love the trifecta for potential prospects entering the league right away. Despite missing over 20 games with a hand injury, the 6-foot-2 winger is averaging over a point-per-game player in the highly competitive Ontario Hockey League.
Svechnikov’s draft position will ultimately depend on how the Barrie Colts season ends up. Also, his older brother Evgeny was selected 19th overall in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. He currently plays for the Grand Rapids Griffins in the AHL.
Quinn Hughes (D – University of Michigan)
The biggest wildcard at the top of the 2018 draft class is Quinn Hughes. With the successes of smaller defenseman like Charlie McAvoy and Samuel Girard this season, and defensive prospects commanding so much value it makes sense for a team in need to select the 5-foot-9 Hughes with the second overall pick.
Being the top-ranked defensive prospect in North America by NHL Central Scouting, Hughes might just be worth the risk if a team set up front finds themselves in the top three. A strong end to his freshman season at the University of Michigan will only help his draft stock.
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The top six picks in the draft should very intriguing. Stay tuned for upcoming Mock Drafts as well as any other prospect updates in the future.