2018 NHL Draft: 5 best prospects for the Carolina Hurricanes to pursue
The Carolina Hurricanes got some great news on April 28, when they landed the No. 2 overall pick in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. Who do they go with?
With the 2018 NHL Entry Draft Lottery a thing of the past now, it’s time to turn our attention to how the Carolina Hurricanes can put together a good list of selections. Carolina got very lucky in the draft lottery, landing the No. 2 overall pick despite the slim chances to do so.
The only team ahead of the Canes in the draft order is a fellow Eastern Conference squad in the Buffalo Sabres. Buffalo head coach Phil Housley has to be thrilled about getting the chance to improve his roster around a budding superstar in American forward Jack Eichel.
Moreover, this is a great opportunity for the Canes to get that final push they need to break a nine year long playoff drought (longest active streak in the NHL). The last time this franchise qualified for the postseason came two seasons before the debut of assistant captain forward Jeff Skinner, during the 2008-09 campaign.
This is some of the best luck sent the Canes way in a long time. They now can add one final piece to a very potent young group of forwards. Skilled forwards like Sebastian Aho, Teuvo Teravainen, Valentin Zykov, Warren Foegele, Brock McGinn, and Skinner also have to be excited.
The projected first overall pick in this draft for a long time now is current Frolunda defenseman Rasmus Dahlin. More than likely, Dahlin ends up falling to a team that drastically needs help along the blue line in the Sabres.
Here’s the five best prospects that the Carolina Hurricanes should scout and pursue with their second overall pick in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft.
Scouting Report. Right Wing. Brady Tkachuk. player. 109. Pick Analysis. Boston College. 5
Carolina has a huge need to still add steady scoring to the mix on a consistent basis. Considering Skinner and Teravainen were very streaky scorers last season as two of their top point getters, any prospect that could contribute at least 50 points can provide stability in the offensive zone.
In this regards, Boston College Eagles star winger Brady Tkachuk projects as a top 10 pick no matter where you look. He’s got a solid hockey bloodline since his father is former St. Louis Blues star forward Keith Tkachuk, and his brother Matthew Tkachuk plays for the Calgary Flames.
This would be a reach for the Canes by all intents and purposes, but any NHL team would be lucky to get a skill the level of Tkachuk. The fact that the Canes are even in the position to say that Tkachuk would be a bit of a reach is great for this organization.
Tkachuk was once a captain for the USA 18-U National Team during the 2017 World Championships. His leadership characteristics and physical tools, at 6-foot-2, are unquestioned. It’s just up to the front office for the Canes if they feel like he is worth taking with the second pick.
Halifax. Pick Analysis. Left Wing. Filip Zadina. 4. player. 109. Scouting Report
If the Canes are going to look at any true left winger in this draft, it should be the standout Czech scorer Filip Zadina. It’s likely that Zadina will start to garner a ton of hype as a top three pick as we get closer to the start of the first round of the draft.
There might not be a single forward from the QMJHL in this draft class that comes close to matching up with the talent level of Zadina. If the Canes do let him go, he’ll fall off the board within the next three picks.
The Halifax Moosheads saw Zadina produce 82 points in 57 games played for them last season. Zadina also scored seven goals in seven games for the Czech Republic in the 2018 World Junior Championships, which really elevated his draft status more than anything else.
The area where Zadina would really provide value to the Canes comes with his facilitating ability. While he’s a very different player than Aho, both guys could help spark offense at a higher level than any other forward for the Canes. Put Zadina on a roster that already features Aho and Teravainen and you get one of the scariest attacks of any in the Metropolitan Division.
Scouting Report. Center. 109. player. Pick Analysis. USA National Team. Oliver Wahlstrom. 3
Most draft pundits would put US National Team center Oliver Wahlstrom behind other prospects like Tkachuk and Zidina. However, this ranking looks at who would be best for the Canes to take with the team’s current roster situation.
Few teams have a bigger need to add a first line center to the mix than the Canes. Drafting Wahlstrom puts the Canes in a position to have Aho and Teravainen centered by a potential 60 point scorer when he develops into his best years.
With the US National Team in the World Junior Championships, Wahlstrom racked up an impressive nine points in seven games. Moreover, Wahlstrom is committed to play college hockey at Harvard University next season, and spent this past year with the US National Development program. That’s where he posted 92 points in 62 games played.
It’s tough to think up a better prospect for the Canes to nab outside of the obvious top two guys. Wahlstrom fills a need for the Canes and he’s get a great scoring prowess for how young he is. His skating ability, puck handling, and quick shot make him a very unique forward for the Canes to take a deeper look into.
Scouting Report. Frolunda. 109. Pick Analysis. Defense. Rasmus Dahlin. 2. player
If the Canes had the Sabres spot with the top overall pick, then nabbing Frolunda defenseman Rasmus Dahlin would be the definite top priority. Yet, chances are that Dahlin is gone before the Canes could even think about drafting him in the second slot.
The idea of trading up to get Dahlin could be intriguing if the Canes could work out a good trade deal with Buffalo. Yet, it would probably take too many assets for this to be a worthwhile move for the Canes, especially if they have to give up someone like Zykov or Jake Bean.
There’s a good amount of defensive prospects that the Canes do already have in the pipeline, mainly with the AHL affiliate Charlotte Checkers. Defenders like Roland McKeown, Trevor Carrick, and Bean signal a bright future for Carolina’s blue line.
Due to all these factors mentioned, the Canes could afford to look beyond doing whatever it takes to draft Dahlin. However, if Dahlin does slip to the second spot, if the Sabres fall in love with another prospect, the Canes shouldn’t think twice about drafting Dahlin as it’s the obvious move.
player. Right Wing. Andrei Svechnikov. Barrie Colts. 1. 109. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis
Since we hit on how likely it is that the Sabres take Dahlin with the top pick, the Canes should focus elsewhere to make sure they find the right fit for their system. It is hard to tell what system the Canes end up running since the head coach and general manager positions are still vacant.
Because of that, the Canes should first look at Russian winger Andrei Svechnikov. The early hype has this Barrie Colts (of the OHL) forward as the Canes best option at this point. Some comparisons for Svechnikov liken his skill set to Alex Ovechkin and Vladimir Tarasenko.
If Svechnikov pans out anywhere near the level of Ovechkin or Tarasenko, the Canes will have a winner on their hands. It is an odd fit for the Canes since they are pretty deep at right wing, but there’s always room to add a player like Svechnikov to the roster.
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Last season in the OHL, Svechnikov led all league rookies with 72 points. He also managed 40 goals to land the title of OHL Rookie of the year. The logical move for the Canes here is to select Svechnikov, as the probable direction with the second overall pick.