- HAHA!!!
- Si on refait le DRAFT 2014...
- Nikita Scherbak n'est plus là...évidemment...
- Et le CH repêche Elvis Merzilikins..le gardien MERVEILLE de Columbus...
- On aurait pu échanger Carey Price STI!!!!
1. Florida Panthers: Leon Draisaitl, C
Pronman’s 2014 ranking: No. 7
Florida’s actual pick: Aaron Ekblad
Then: Draisaitl was a top player in the WHL who played very well in the league, albeit he didn’t dominate. He was excellent at the international level as well during his amateur years, although his final world juniors he had a hit from behind misconduct. Draisaitl was a player whose skill and offensive IQ stood out whenever you watched him, his passing was clearly elite. There were minor concerns at the time on his skating for such a projected high pick.
Now: Draisaitl is a star, one of the very best centers in the league. His skating has improved and has not held him back from being a dominant offensive force, as he just came off a season with 50 goals and 55 assists. He is dynamic and highly entertaining to watch.
2. Buffalo Sabres: David Pastrnak, RW
Pronman’s 2014 ranking: No. 16
Buffalo’s actual pick: Sam Reinhart
Then: Pastrnak was excellent for a 17-year-old playing versus men in Sweden. He was good, not great at the international level, but showed well at the world juniors for a player his age. There was never any doubt about skill or hockey sense. He could dazzle with the puck on his stick. He got to the 25th-overall pick because his pure physical skills, skating, size and ability to win battles were fine but not all that impressive.
Now: Pastrnak has emerged as a top player in the league, a true star and a major component of one of the very best teams in the NHL. He’s one of the most skilled players in the NHL. I think everyone knew he was very talented, but it could be argued the scouting industry underrated just how much skill he had.
3. Edmonton Oilers: Brayden Point, C
Pronman’s 2014 ranking: No. 25
Edmonton’s actual pick: Leon Draisaitl
Then: Point was one of the top scorers in the WHL. I remember at the time of the draft liking a lot of elements about his game, particularly I loved his hockey sense. He wasn’t the biggest guy, but off the puck he was good enough to project as a pro center. And while I thought he skated well, it wasn’t great quickness for a player his size.
Now: Point has become a top NHL center and a critical player for one of the best teams in the league. His skating has improved from when he was a junior, as well. You will notice a theme from the top three picks. They were all players with a lot of skill and vision, who were not tremendous skaters at 17 and 18, and are now legit NHL stars.
4. Calgary Flames: Dylan Larkin, C
Pronman’s 2014 ranking: No. 26
Calgary’s actual pick: Sam Bennett
Then: Larkin was a tough player to evaluate in his draft season. He was the USNTDP’s No. 2 center. Its top center was Jack Eichel, who had first-round picks Sonny Milano and Alex Tuch on his wings. Larkin opened the U18 worlds playing between Anders Bjork and Ryan Hitchcock. I knew plenty of scouts who loved Larkin because of his great speed, compete level and how he drove offense without elite linemates. I had questions on the skill and offensive upside.
Now: Larkin has emerged as a true No. 1 center, logging huge minutes for the Red Wings the past few years. The physical tools he always had are still apparent, but his skill and particularly his offensive IQ were better than I thought, and it resulted in a top offensive performer even though he’s having a bit of a down season in 2019-20.
5. New York Islanders: William Nylander, RW
Pronman’s 2014 ranking: No. 3
Islanders’ actual pick: Michael Dal Colle
Then: Nylander had a bit of a tumultuous season, bouncing between several organizations until he got into a rhythm with Sodertalje. He had been hyped for many years due to his terrific skill set and was a mildly divisive prospect among scouts. He wrapped up his season with a great U18 worlds, where he led the tournament in scoring.
Now: Nylander developed into a legit top-line forward in the NHL, with two 60-point seasons and well on his way to a third. His career had a mild hiccup last season on the heels of a lengthy contract negotiation, but now he looks every bit like the top talent he was billed as when he was a teenager. He’s a player with all the offensive tools you want in a top forward.
6. Vancouver Canucks: Sam Reinhart, RW
Pronman’s 2014 ranking: No. 4
Vancouver’s actual pick: Jake Virtanen
Then: Reinhart was one of the best players in the WHL during his draft season and made Canada’s U20 team. He was a player touted for his elite hockey sense, however he wasn’t an overly flashy player skill-wise. He had great hands, but he wasn’t that big and his skating was just fine. I thought given his brain he would be a great two-way center but not a star.
Now: Reinhart of late has become a top scorer for Buffalo and looks like a great top-line forward. He never became the two-way force I thought he would and has been on the wing for most of his career.
7. Carolina Hurricanes: Aaron Ekblad, D
Pronman’s 2014 ranking: No. 1
Carolina’s actual pick: Haydn Fleury
Then: Ekblad was the second exceptional status player in the CHL. He didn’t have incredible boxcar numbers, but he was one of the best all-around defensemen in junior. He played a top role for Canada’s U20 team, an extremely unusual position for a 17-year-old. There was nothing flashy about his toolkit, but he was a very smart defenseman who could skate, play well on the power play, had a big shot, defend speed and size, and was physically advanced for his age.
Now: Ekblad has been a top pair caliber defenseman arguably since he entered the league. He also hasn’t shown significant change as a player output wise in that timeframe. He’s a great two-way player who is valuable, but he isn’t a star. Some would argue it’s because he plays on the same team as Keith Yandle, preventing him from getting PP1 time.
8. Toronto Maple Leafs: Viktor Arvidsson, RW
Pronman’s 2014 ranking: Outside top 100 (ranked 55th in 2013)
Toronto’s actual pick: William Nylander
Then: Arvidsson went undrafted three times going into the 2013-14 season. I liked him in 2013 following a great world juniors, but he was just OK versus men. In his 2014 season, Arvidsson was a top scorer in the SHL, including a great postseason. I had always been impressed by his great skill, his plus shot and his compete, but he was passed over numerous times due to his size and average skating. I’d like to pat myself on the back for listing him in 2013, but I gave up on him in 2014, when Nashville didn’t. I’d like to think at this point in my career I wouldn’t have made such an error as I did in 2014.
Now: Arvidsson came over right away for his age 21 season and within a year of being drafted he was in the NHL. He has two 30-goal seasons already to his name and plays at the top of Nashville’s lineup. His physical limitations haven’t hampered him.
9. Winnipeg Jets: Nikolaj Ehlers, LW
Pronman’s 2014 ranking: No. 5
Winnipeg’s actual pick: Nikolaj Ehlers
Then: Ehlers came over to the CHL as an import and surpassed even his biggest fans’ expectations. He was a top five scorer in the Q, as part of a dynamic tandem with Jonathan Drouin. Ehlers wowed observers with his great speed, skill and playmaking.
Now: Ehlers has had two 60-point seasons and is on pace for a third. I thought he could be a star when I saw him in junior. He hasn’t developed into that, but he’s a great player, someone who could be a top-line forward on several NHL teams.
10. Anaheim Ducks: Jakub Vrana, LW
Pronman’s 2014 ranking: No. 13
Anaheim’s actual pick: Nick Ritchie
Then: Vrana was a highly touted prospect for years leading into his draft season. Before being picked, he had played in two world juniors and three U18 world championships, including being a top 10 scorer at the U18s during his 15-year-old season. He was a player with all the attributes you wanted in a skilled forward between his skating, skill and hockey sense. His consistency and play off the puck wasn’t always the best.
Now: Vrana’s development was up and down after his draft, but in the past one-and-a-half seasons he’s emerged as an important player for a top NHL team in Washington. Particularly of late he’s shown he could be a legit top of the lineup player, living up to the promise of his skill set that people saw when he was such a young player.
11. Nashville Predators: Victor Olofsson, LW
Pronman’s 2014 ranking: Outside top 100
Nashville’s actual pick: Kevin Fiala
Then: Olofsson was picked in the seventh round as a re-entry prospect following a very good, albeit not great, junior season in Sweden. He was highly touted for his shot and hockey sense, but had warts as an undersized forward without top-end speed or skill. There are a lot of players like him picked over the years that you never hear from again.
Now: You heard from him again. Olofsson arrived in the NHL as a 24-year-old with a rocket for a shot shot. He’s scored 16 in 42 games for Buffalo this season. His shot was always considered good, but I underrated just how good it was – not to mention he added some speed to his game from his teenage years.
12. Arizona Coyotes: Christian Dvorak, C
Pronman’s 2014 ranking: Outside top 100
Arizona’s actual pick: Brendan Perlini
Then: Evaluating Dvorak as a draft prospect was very tough. He tore his ACL midseason. He also played on a deep offensive London team where future NHL players in Mitch Marner, Josh Anderson and Nikita Zadorov weren’t among the top five scorers. I couldn’t get a good read on the player at all given his role on London and that he didn’t play junior the prior season. It was an extremely gutsy call on the Coyotes’ part to pick him in the second round.
Now: And it worked out. Dvorak developed into a top junior player and then an important part of an NHL team, looking now like a middle-six center in the NHL. He checks a lot of boxes between his speed, skill and brain. I thought he’d be a penalty kill type as a pro, but even without that, he’s a reliable NHL center.
13. Washington Capitals: Jared McCann, C
Pronman’s 2014 ranking: No. 19
Washington’s actual pick: Jakub Vrana
Then: McCann was a pretty good, albeit not great junior player in his draft season. There was a lot of things about his game to like. I thought his playmaking and his shot were very good. I thought he had skill and was a quality skater. The attributes were there for him to succeed as a pro. Some scouts didn’t like his consistency.
Now: It took a while over three NHL organizations for McCann to get it going, but with the Penguins he’s become the player some scouts envisioned he could be as a U18. He’s now a quality NHL center.
14. Dallas Stars: Kasperi Kapanen, RW
Pronman’s 2014 ranking: No. 9
Dallas’ actual pick: Julius Honka
Then: Kapanen entered his draft season with a fair amount of hype following a great performance at the U18 worlds as an underage. He looked like a player who had the tools to be a great NHL player between his top-end speed and playmaking skill. His draft season wasn’t the best, with up and down performances at the Liiga and international levels, including an average U18 worlds.
Now: Kapanen is now a very solid middle-six forward in the NHL. He still brings the speed and skill he was known for as a teenager, but his two-way game showed significant improvement, and he’s now a regular penalty killer for Toronto.
15. Detroit Red Wings: Alex Tuch, RW
Pronman’s 2014 ranking: No. 21
Detroit’s actual pick: Dylan Larkin
Then: Tuch was part of one of the USNTDP lines I can remember. He was a powerful winger with size and great hands. I didn’t think he made a ton of plays and thought his skating was decent. I liked Tuch but thought on the same line with Eichel and Milano, Tuch was the third wheel.
Now: I was wrong! Tuch developed quite well, getting a minor jump in his quickness and becoming a good NHL forward. He’s having a bit of a down year right now, so this high slot is in part based on what he did last season and his overall toolkit.
16. Columbus Blue Jackets: Nick Schmaltz, C
Pronman’s 2014 ranking: No. 30
Columbus’ actual pick: Sonny Milano
Then: Schmaltz had a very good stint in the USHL, being a top scorer in the league, although he didn’t dominate that level as you’d expect for a top 20 pick. He was great at the international level including a great World Jr. A Challenge where he’s still tied for the most points ever in a tournament. Scouts loved his skill and vision, and I thought he skated fine, but his compete level and consistency were questioned.
Now: Schmaltz’s development went better than I thought it would when he was 18, as he’s turned into a quality NHL center. He still has his limitations and he’s not the best off the puck, but his ability to make plays is high-end and he’s going to get a lot of assists in his career.
17. Philadelphia Flyers: Kevin Fiala, LW
Pronman’s 2014 ranking: No. 6
Philadelphia’s actual pick: Travis Sanheim
Then: Fiala had a very impressive season at all levels. He played well at the world juniors and U18 worlds, he was one of the best 17-year-olds I’ve ever seen in the SHL and even made Switzerland’s World Championship team. I thought he was extremely skilled with great offensive IQ. He skated well but his skating wasn’t at the level of his skill. His size was his main drawback.
Now: Fiala has developed into a good NHL player, but it’s fair to say he hasn’t developed into a great one. He’s a tough case for me because I really don’t know to this day what I missed in the evaluation of Fiala.
18. Minnesota Wild: Ondrej Kase, RW
Pronman’s 2014 ranking: No. 46
Minnesota’s actual pick: Alex Tuch
Then: Kase had a just OK draft season playing versus men. I liked him a lot, though, because I thought he had one of the highest skill levels in the draft outside the top 10 prospects. He slid to the seventh round in part because of his so-so season, his physicality not being best the best and his skating being just fine.
Now: Kase took some time to develop physically and get quicker, but the past few years he’s turned into a scorer at the NHL level and a top shot generator. He’s a good example of the benefits of just betting on the skill, even if there’s a lot of players like him over the years who you never hear from again after the draft.
19. Tampa Bay Lightning: Anthony DeAngelo, D
Pronman’s 2014 ranking: No. 37
Tampa Bay’s actual pick: Anthony DeAngelo
Then: DeAngelo was one of the most dynamic defensemen I’ve ever seen as a junior. He could wow with his skill level and led OHL defensemen in scoring during his draft season despite only playing 51 games. There were a lot of warts in his defensive game. As well, he was suspended for directing a slur toward his OHL teammate.
Now: DeAngelo is having his best season in the NHL, now on his third NHL franchise in the Rangers. His tremendous offensive ability remains. He has 37 points in 48 games this season. He is also used very carefully, with his 57 percent offensive zone start rate the clear highest on the Rangers, and he doesn’t get penalty kill time.
20. Chicago Blackhawks: Kevin Labanc, RW
Pronman’s 2014 ranking: Outside top 100
Chicago’s actual pick: Nick Schmaltz
Then: I did not think much of Labanc at the time of his draft. I watched him with the NTDP and in the OHL .I thought he had some skill and competed well but did not see anything resembling NHL upside. He was a bottom of the lineup guy with the NTDP and ninth in scoring for Barrie during his draft season as an older player.
Now: I was very wrong. Labanc not only had more skill than I thought, but he had way more skill than I thought and is a solid NHL forward who is a regular on the power play. The type of player he became stylistically as a pro (I thought he’d be this hard-working two-way type) and his output were both things I was very off on.
21. St. Louis Blues: Danton Heinen, LW
Pronman’s 2014 ranking: Outside top 100
St. Louis’ actual pick: Robby Fabbri
Then: Heinen wasn’t really on my radar in 2014 when the Bruins picked him in the fourth round. He was barely over a point per game in the BCHL as a re-entry prospect. He was considered a highly skilled and intelligent player, but a raw prospect without great speed or value off the puck. Even in the fourth round it was a bit of a gamble.
Now: Heinen has proven to be one of the best picks of the 2014 draft. He’s shown he’s quick enough to play in the NHL. His great playmaking ability has allowed him to be a power play guy at the NHL level and put up points.
22. Pittsburgh Penguins: Jake Virtanen, RW
Pronman’s 2014 ranking: No. 11
Pittsburgh’s actual pick: Kasperi Kapanen
Then: As a draft-eligible there was a lot about Virtanen’s game that intrigued. He was an excellent skater, he was very physical and he was considered a top goal scorer, potting 45 in the WHL as one of the younger players in the draft. He seemed like a potential top-six power forward in the NHL, but the concern was he wasn’t a great playmaker whose game seemed very north-south.
Now: Virtanen is playing some of his best hockey of late, but it’s fair to say since the draft his offensive output hasn’t been all that significant. He hasn’t shown he’s a true power play type in the NHL, but his speed allows him to be a positive factor and he has enough skill to be considered a quality NHL forward.
23. Colorado Avalanche: Travis Sanheim, D
Pronman’s 2014 ranking: No. 32
Colorado’s actual pick: Connor Bleackley
Then: Sanheim wasn’t a projected top prospect going into his draft season, but he improved as the season went along, ending with a great U18 worlds for Canada and going in the first round. He was intriguing because of his great mobility for a tall defenseman and having a lot of skill to go with it. He wasn’t considered a great defender at the time.
Now: Sanheim hasn’t been a top point producer, but he plays on a blue line with a lot of offensive options and has looked the part of a useful top-four defenseman. His offense in the NHL hasn’t been as significant as I thought it would, but his defense has improved a fair amount at the same time.
24. Vancouver Canucks: Brandon Montour, D
Pronman’s 2014 ranking: Outside top 100
Vancouver’s actual pick: Jared McCann
Then: Montour was a third-year-eligible prospect playing in the USHL, where he dominated and was named the best player. When you watched Montour you could see how skilled and creative he was, he skated fine and looked to have upside. He was an old player in a league you expected him to do very well in, though, and his defensive game wasn’t that good.
Now: Montour made the jump quickly to the pro level and showed he could put up points at every level. His offensive skill is still there but he improved enough defensively to become a regular NHL defenseman.
25. Boston Bruins: Igor Shestyorkin, G
Pronman’s 2014 ranking: No. 8 goalie
Boston’s actual pick: David Pastrnak
Then: Shestyorkin was great in Russia’s junior league, helping lead his team to a title. I remembered Shestyorkin primarily from his underage season where I thought he was very impressive, especially for Russia’s U18 team. His athleticism stood out at a top level and he stole games. The reason he got to the fourth round was his size.
Now: Shestyorkin has shown at the KHL level his size would not be a detriment given his elite athletic abilities. He’s played very well at the KHL, AHL and briefly at the NHL level, quieting doubters along the way. He’s one of the very best young goalies in hockey right now, but he also doesn’t have much NHL track record.
26. Montreal Canadiens: Elvis Merzlikins, G
Pronman’s 2014 ranking: Outside top 10 goalies
Montreal’s actual pick: Nikita Scherbak
Then: Merzlikins was drafted in his third draft-eligible season after being a top goalie in Switzerland’s best pro league. He wasn’t a goalie I knew very well at the time, but in the little I had seen, I saw a goalie with great athletic tools who could also be erratic in the net.
Now: Merzlikins has been a top rookie in the league this season at age 25. Some of the erratic behaviors in his game still exist, but he’s smarter than I thought he was and is able to make his playstyle work even at the NHL level.
27. San Jose Sharks: Robby Fabbri, C
Pronman’s 2014 ranking: No. 15
San Jose’s actual pick: Nikolai Goldobin
Then: I was a huge fan of Fabbri going into this draft. I saw a player with a lot of skill who could skate. His size was an issue, but I thought he competed very well and projected to be a good two-way forward as a pro. He was a top scorer in the OHL, with 45 goals and 87 points going into the draft.
Now: Fabbri’s development has been up and down, with it being more up of late. He struggled with injury issues in recent seasons but lately, while healthy and since being traded to Detroit, he has looked more like the old Fabbri. His slotting in this re-draft is a difficult one and I’d be open to reasonable arguments in either direction.
28. New York Islanders: Adrian Kempe, C
Pronman’s 2014 ranking: No. 22
Islanders’ actual pick: Josh Ho-Sang
Then: Kempe was one of the youngest players eligible for the draft, yet he showed that season he could play effectively versus men. He competed well, but what helped him play at the pro level so quickly was his great skating ability. Kempe was considered a skilled player, but there were questions on how much his offense would translate to the higher levels because he wasn’t a true top-end playmaker, but more of a north-south player. He also played wing most of the season.
Now: Kempe has become a middle-six center in the NHL. He’s not a player who is going to be on highlight reels, but he’s a quality forward who has shown he has enough skill to go with his speed to contribute offense in the NHL and to be on the power play.
29. Los Angeles Kings: Sam Bennett, C
Pronman’s 2014 ranking: No. 2
Los Angeles’ actual pick: Adrian Kempe
Then: I thought Bennett would be a great NHL forward when he was 17. I thought he ticked every box. He was very skilled, very creative, he could skate, he competed at a high level, and he had great production relative to his age and league. He seemed on the fast path to being a no-doubt top-six forward in the league.
Now: Bennett is an NHL player and has been for years, but I overrated his skill level and what he projected to be in the league. He’s in a down season and I do think he has more offense than what he’s shown this season, but it’s not significantly more.
30. New Jersey Devils: Devon Toews, D
Pronman’s 2014 ranking: Outside top 100
New Jersey’s actual pick: John Quenneville
Then: Toews was drafted out of Quinnipiac in his third eligible season. I saw him a few times and was familiar with him, but he was not a player I had tabbed as a future NHL prospect; more of a nice college prospect and minor league type as I didn’t see many NHL qualities in his game.
Now: I was clearly wrong, as Toews is playing top-four minutes and top power play duty in the NHL. His skating and puck-moving were both aspects I underrated as a draft prospect. He’s not a top defenseman, but he’s a quality NHL player, which to get from a double re-entry prospect in the fourth round is a huge get.