Quinn Hughes could wind up being the second-best defenseman out of the 2018 NHL Draft class
The 2018 NHL Draft class is deep with blueliners. It’s possible as many as five could go in the top 10. Even after you look past Rasmus Dahlin, the consensus number one pick, there are numerous options for teams looking to add to their blue line.
Adam Boqvist has a ton of upside, so he rightfully should be the second defenseman chosen. But after him, it could be Quinn Hughes.
Prospect Profile
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Height: 5’10” (178 cm)
Weight: 174 pounds (79 kilograms)
Team: University of Michigan (NCAA); Team USA (WJC U20)
Country: United States
Position: Defenseman
Date of birth: October 14, 1999
NCAA Statistics*: 34 games, 4 goals, 24 assists, 28 points, 24 penalty minutes
WJC Statistics: 7 games, 0 goals, 3 assists, 3 points.
Average Prospect Ranking**: 7.25
*Stats are as of March 19, 2018
** Average prospect rankings are the collective average of a prospect’s rankings (McKeen’s, Hockey Prospect, Future Considerations, ISS Hockey)
Strengths
If you compare Hughes and Boqvist, the former is more NHL ready. He’ll probably be NHL ready by the end of next season. Hughes has the tools to be a very talented two-way defenseman who can consistently put points on the board at a respectable. That’s hard to find.
Today’s defensemen have to be good skaters and Hughes certainly falls into that category. He’s one of those players who might skate faster with the puck than without. Maybe it helps him to have a purpose. But whatever the reason, Hughes is very confident when he’s handling the puck.
Weaknesses
Hughes is a bit small for a defenseman. While his skating is great enough to offset this, it’s worth considering how his play in the defensive zone will develop. Hughes is never going to be an overly physical defenseman. Which is fine. But in order to become that top pairing defenseman he has the potential to be, he’ll have to be more aggressive when going after the puck.
Also, his defensive zone coverage is good but still needs to be redefined. Hughes also has to learn when it’s OK to freelance a little bit and when he should just make the smart play. But to be fair, this is something a lot of young puck movers (including Dahlin) struggle with.
Highlights
Overall Outlook
Hughes has immense offensive upside. And it’s telling he’s probably the best pure skater in this draft. Hughes is a very special talent on the blueline. His defensive game should develop as he gets more minutes and he’s got a heck of a staff in Michigan to help him there.
Next: 2018 NHL Mock Draft Version 2.0
Player Comparison
I see a lot of Dmitry Orlov in his game. Hughes is very aggressive on offense just like him. And just like Orlov, he’s under 6 feet tall. If Hughes’ defensive game develops (and it took a bit for Orlov’s to develop), he could be a first pairing defenseman just like the Capitals defenseman. At the very least, he’s going to be a dangerous weapon in the NHL.
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