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Carolina Hurricanes: Who to take in the NHL Draft 1st Round?

By Bryan Walsh

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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BUFFALO, NY – MAY 30: Egor Afanasyev poses for a portrait at the 2019 NHL Scouting Combine on May 30, 2019 at the HarborCenter in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Chase Agnello-Dean/NHLI via Getty Images)
BUFFALO, NY – MAY 30: Egor Afanasyev poses for a portrait at the 2019 NHL Scouting Combine on May 30, 2019 at the HarborCenter in Buffalo, New York. (Photo by Chase Agnello-Dean/NHLI via Getty Images) /

Egor Afanasyev – 18 – LW – Russia

I really like this guy a lot, and he has been projected as a high second round guy so he will probably be available at Pick 28.

Apart from being from Russia, he has a similar background to Svech. Originally from Russia, he has spent most of his amateur career in North America. If you watched any Hurricanes games this season on FS Carolinas, you know how much Tripp Tracy loves to talk about Svech’s Russian nationality with his North American influence. I think that really is a big part of what makes Svech Svech.

I wouldn’t be surprised if the Hurricanes saw a little bit of Svech in Yegor. He is also a little over 6-3 and weighs over 200 pounds, so he’s a big dude. As discussed below, the Canes may be needing some bulk in the lineup if Ferland decides to walk.

Egor definitely plays more of a power forward game than the other guys on this list, but as I’m writing that, I like it more and more. The only true power forward on the team, other than Ferland, is Jordan Staal (in my opinion, you might disagree), and Egor could really add to that. It could really change the make up of the lineup. If the Hurricanes are worried about getting pushed around on the ice (perhaps after the Boston series), a guy like Egor makes a lot of sense.

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