The Toronto Maple Leafs[1], after finishing in last place during the regular season, got the greatest reward they could ask for. Despite the new draft lottery rules, the Leafs will pick first in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.
They have plenty of time to prepare, but it will be a rather small group they'll have to pick from as the top three in this draft is well established. Auston Matthews, an American forward who played pro in Europe this season season, has spent most of the year as the consensus No. 1. Finnish sniper Patrik Laine and Jesse Puljujarvi are also among the most highly regarded players in the draft. More than likely for the Leafs, they'll be choosing between Matthews and Laine.
Toronto can breathe a deep sigh of relief as it only had a 20 percent chance at picking first. As we've seen in recent years, sometimes a last-place finish can be a curse. This year it could have been even worse as the NHL's new rules would have made it possible for the Leafs to drop as far as fourth overall. Lucky for them, it didn't happen. This is the first time Toronto will pick first overall since they selected Wendel Clark with the top pick in 1985.
The Vancouver Canucks[2] and Edmonton Oilers[3], teams that each finished in the bottom three in the league, dropped out of those draft positions due to the new lottery rules. The Oilers slipped two spots to fourth, while the Canucks dropped two to fifth.
The Winnipeg Jets[4] and Columbus Blue Jackets[5] were the lucky teams to land in the top three as Winnipeg leaped four spots to second overall, while the Jackets moved up two spots to No. 3. Even though they missed out on the top pick, they're going to end up with an elite forward out of this lottery.
The Calgary Flames[6] were the only other team that dropped from their standings position as a result of the lottery results. They went from fifth to sixth.
Here is the official order for the first 14 picks of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft:
1. Toronto Maple Leafs
2. Winnipeg Jets
3. Columbus Blue Jackets
4. Edmonton Oilers
5. Vancouver Canucks
6. Calgary Flames
It is a really, really good year to be in that top three as there are three forwards who could very well change the outlook for each of those franchises. That said, there is some depth to this first round, which could still bring in some
Auston Matthews, a native of Scottsdale, Arizona, has been the consensus No. 1 all season long. There has been a late push from Patrik Laine, the Finnish scoring sensation who was just named the MVP of the playoffs in Finland's top pro league, making it only a little less of a sure thing that Matthews would go first. On top of those two, there's Jesse Puljujarvi, who was the MVP of this year's World Junior Championship and had a sensational year in Finland's top pro league.
Here's a look at 10 prospects to know for the draft lottery:
1. Auston Matthews, C, ZSC Lions (NLA): After making the unorthodox decision to play professionally in Europe as opposed to the more traditional junior or college hockey routes, Matthews put the hockey world on notice. He's a special player who dominated Switzerland's top pro league and will be representing the U.S. in the IIHF Men's World Championship. Matthews possesses top-end speed, a terrific shot and has power elements in his game. With the smarts he's shown and the pace he plays at, it should be an easy transition to the NHL. Matthews put up 46 points in 36 games, including 24 goals. He also was Team USA's top scorer at the World Junior Championship.
2. Patrik Laine, LW, Tappara (SM-Liiga): The Finnish scoring sensation has really closed the gap on Matthews, making him look like at least a possibility to go first if the right team won the lottery. Laine is definitely benefiting from something Matthews did not in that his team made it all the way to and won the Finnish title. Laine was the MVP with 10 goals in the 18 games of the Finnish league playoffs. He only turned 18 two weeks ago and was a dominant scoring force against seasoned pros. At 6-foot-4, 209 pounds, he's got great strength, but really impresses with his hands and he has the best shot in the draft. It might be one of the best shots in the NHL by the time he sets foot on the ice. He's a special talent.
3. Jesse Puljujarvi, C/W, Karpat (SM-Liiga): Another dynamic Finn, whoever picks third is going to be landing themselves a guy who should be able to step right into the NHL next season. His team was actually bounced by Laine's in the Finnish league playoffs, but Puljujarvi had nine points in 10 playoff games. He also had 28 points in 50 games during the regular season. Puljujarvi really turned heads, however, during the World Junior Championship, where he led Finland with 17 points en route to the gold medal.
4. Matthew Tkachuk, RW, London Knights (OHL): A former linemate of Matthews' at the U.S. National Team Development Program, Tkachuk took a star turn of his own with the London in the OHL this season. He was absolutely dominant with 107 points in 57 games. While his dad, longtime NHLer and U.S. Hockey Hall of Famer Keith Tkachuk, was more of a goal scorer in his playing days, Matthew is a terrific setup man. He has great vision and makes a ton of plays around the net.
5. Pierre Luc Dubois, F, Cape Breton Screaming Eagles (QMJHL): Now the No. 1 player among players in North America according to NHL Central Scouting, Dubois' goal scoring in the QMJHL really stands out. He had 42 goals in 62 games this season, making good use of his big frame. He is also lauded for his two-way play.
6. Mikhail Sergachev, D, Windsor Spitfires (OHL): Recently named the top defenseman in the OHL, Sergachev has been a fast-rising talent on a lot of draft boards. He may not be the first defenseman taken, as the next two on this list are really well thought of, but he is an incredibly intriguing talent. The 17-year-old blueliner had 57 points in 67 games for Windsor this year.
7. Jakob Chychrun, D, Sarnia Sting (OHL): Coming into the season, Chychrun was widely considered the top challenger to Matthews for the No. 1 spot. As his season progressed, however, the forwards rose to the top more than Chychrun fell. A dual citizen who represents Canada internationally, Chychrun's father Jeff had a solid NHL career. Jakob had a great year with Sarnia, posting 49 points in 62 games. He looks to be a strong two-way blueliner.
8. Olli Juolevi, D, London Knights (OHL): These defensemen at the top of the draft could easily be reordered and no one would bat an eye. The three of these guys are that good. Juolevi is really, really interesting though. He's such a playmaker from the back end and put up 42 points in 57 games for London this year. He also had nine assists for Finland at the World Juniors.
9. Clayton Keller, C, U.S. Under-18 Team (USHL): The projections from where Keller will go are all over the map. As his season progressed, it looks more and more like he has a legitimate chance to leap-frog the defensemen and perhaps even all the way into the top 5 if the right team is there. The only knock on Keller is his size vs. the other guys available. At 5-10, 170, his particulars aren't all that different from Patrick Kane[15] when he went first overall in 2007. Speaking of Kane, Keller recently surpassed Kane and Phil Kessel[16] as the National Team Development Program's all-time leading scorer with 189 points over two seasons. He had 107 this year and was named the MVP of the recent World Under-18 Championship after putting up 14 points in seven games. He's got incredible puck skills and vision.
10. Logan Brown, C, Windsor Spitfires (OHL): One of the biggest forwards in the draft, Brown is so much more than his size. At 6-foot-6, 218 pounds, he's a difficult guy to take off the puck and it shows in his numbers. He had 74 points in 59 games for Windsor and was an unstoppable force for Team USA at the recent World Under-18 Championship.
The NHL Draft will be held June 24-25 in Buffalo.
References
- ^ Toronto Maple Leafs (www.cbssports.com)
- ^ Vancouver Canucks (www.cbssports.com)
- ^ Edmonton Oilers (www.cbssports.com)
- ^ Winnipeg Jets (www.cbssports.com)
- ^ Columbus Blue Jackets (www.cbssports.com)
- ^ Calgary Flames (www.cbssports.com)
- ^ Arizona Coyotes (www.cbssports.com)
- ^ Buffalo Sabres (www.cbssports.com)
- ^ Montreal Canadiens (www.cbssports.com)
- ^ Colorado Avalanche (www.cbssports.com)
- ^ New Jersey Devils (www.cbssports.com)
- ^ Ottawa Senators (www.cbssports.com)
- ^ Carolina Hurricanes (www.cbssports.com)
- ^ Boston Bruins (www.cbssports.com)
- ^ P atrick Kane (www.cbssports.com)
- ^ Phil Kessel (www.cbssports.com)
Source ↔ MP3 Lagu Baru
