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2019 NHL Draft: Grading each team’s draft class

By Dave Stevenson

TORONTO, ON - APRIL 10: An NHL official holds the cards during The National Hockey League Draft Lotteryat the CBC Studios on April 10, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Kevin Sousa/NHLI via Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - APRIL 10: An NHL official holds the cards during The National Hockey League Draft Lotteryat the CBC Studios on April 10, 2019 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Kevin Sousa/NHLI via Getty Images) /
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Metropolitan Division

Carolina Hurricanes

Favorite prospects: Patrik Puistola has a ton of skill. The Carolina Hurricanes said they were going to draft skill and they kept their word. I love Ryan Suzuki as well. His hockey IQ is off the charts. Anttoni Honka has a ton of upside as well. I had Pyotr Kochetkov as my third-best goalie in the draft.

Least favorite prospects: I think the Hurricanes reached a bit for Domenick Fensore, especially given their surplus of right-handed defensemen, but if that’s the worst draft decision you make in a draft, you’re doing pretty darn well.

Grade: A. Though I love the guys the Hurricanes added, they didn’t get the necessary game changer to get this grade to an A+.

Columbus Blue Jackets

Favorite prospects: Eric Hjorth has health concerns, but I really like his game.

Least favorite prospects: Tyler Angle is a small player who has very little skill. That’s not a good combination. Dmitri Voronkov had a decent season on paper, but he was an overager playing in a second-tier league.

Grade: D-. The only reason they didn’t get an F is that I don’t give out Fs.

New Jersey Devils

Favorite prospects: In case you haven’t heard, Jack Hughes is really freaking good at hockey. Nikola Pasic was a great choice in the seventh round because he’s so skilled.

Least favorite prospects: There were better players available with the 61st pick than defenseman Nikita Okhotyuk.

Grade: A+. There’s a decent chance the Devils will get one player from this draft. That’s usually bad, but this time, that one player is a franchise center.

New York Islanders

Favorite prospects: Simon Holmstrom has the tools to be a top-nine forward in today’s NHL. He has soft hands and I like the pace of his game. Holmstrom has injury concerns, though.

Least favorite prospects: I didn’t like any of the second-day guys for the Islanders other than Samuel Bolduc, who the Islanders drafted in the second round. For me, he was a third-round talent.

Grade: C-. Last year’s draft was terrific for the Islanders. This year’s draft was not nearly as good.

New York Rangers

Favorite prospects: You don’t need me to tell you how awesome Kaapo Kakko is. In case you do need me to do that, read this. So let me tell you about Matthew Robertson. He’s got the hockey IQ and skating to be a complementary top-four defenseman in the NHL. I really like Zach Jones too. Karl Henriksson has a fascinating skill set that I think could get him to the NHL.

Least favorite prospects: Hunter Skinner is a below-average skater, which isn’t good in today’s NHL. He doesn’t have the skill to justify ignoring his skating, either.

Grade: A+. The Rangers did terrific in the draft. Not only did they get a franchise talent in Kakko, they added some really nice pieces. Their blueline could be a bit crowded in a few years, but that would be a fantastic problem to have.

Philadelphia Flyers

Favorite prospects: Bobby Brink should have gone in the first round. The Flyers got him in the second round. Brink is a uniquely gifted player who has an incredibly high hockey IQ and can be lethal with the puck. Cam York was a terrific pick as well, even though Flyers fans are probably upset they didn’t get Caufield.

Least favorite prospects: I watched a fair bit of Mason Millman this season and was rarely impressed with him.

Grade: A-. York’s going to be a stud and I’m thinking they have at least one more NHL player in this draft. They could have as many as three or four more.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Favorite prospects: Nathan Legare has a ton of skill and probably has enough to stick in the NHL. Unfortunately, he’s not a good skater, but his shot is outrageously good. Legare could be another Jake Guentzel. I like Judd Caulfield as well.

Least favorite prospects: Samuel Poulin is a project, so I think drafting him with the 21st pick is a bit of a stretch.

Grade: C+. Pittsburgh really needed to add some talent to their system and I think they did that.

Washington Capitals

Favorite prospects: Connor McMichael could emerge from this draft as one of its best goal scorers. Brett Leason was a terrific value pick in the second round. As an added bonus, he gets to go right to the AHL (or maybe even NHL).

I really like them gambling on Martin Hugo Has in the fourth round. He’s a big defenseman who stood out to me quite a bit, even if his draft year couldn’t have gone worse.

Least favorite prospects: Alexei Protas is big, a solid skater, and a nice playmaker, but that’s about it. His terrific postseason makes him interesting, though. Maybe Protas is someone whose developmental curve hit a little late (albeit not as late as his teammate Leason)?

Grade: B-. They had four picks and will probably have at least two NHL players from this draft. I didn’t like Protas at first, but he grew on me, so I think he could be one too.

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