If you waited by the television or any device for the big Carolina Hurricanes move last night, I am sorry and hope rewarded yourself with an adult beverage of choice or at least some ice cream. As many of you know, Eric Tulsky traded the 27th pick(which Chicago took previously mentioned, Marek Vanecker) in the draft to the Chicago Blackhawks for the 34th and 50th picks of the draft, which will start today at 11:30 am. A solid business move but disappointing for the fans to watch.
The Canes have 10 picks today in rounds 2 through 7, which is a good start for Tulsky to make his mark on the system. Carolina holds the second pick of today. It is never out of the question to see a trade on the second day of the draft so don't be surprised if Tulsky trades down again or even makes the anticipated Martin Necas trade.
Andrew Basha is still available from my previous targets for the 27th overall draft choice. Dean Letourneau was taken with the 25th pick by the Boston Bruins, and Jett Luchanko was taken 13th overall by the Philadelphia Flyers. As mentioned, Vanecker was taken with the 27th pick, just not to the Canes.
Basha would be a solid pick for the second round as he has first-round talent and has a similar game to Seth Jarvis. It would replenish the forwards in the system as they are currently defense-heavy.
A player that was not expected to be available today is Igor Chernyshov from the Dynamo Moscow team in the KHL. Although he is 6'2, 192 pounds, he does not play a physical game and can shy away from the dirty areas of the ice. He does have a ton of skill but will need some time to develop it all together. Some scouts had him ranked as high as 18th.
Another surprising player still available today is Nizhny Novgorod forward, Nikita Artamonov. He has poor skating ability but that can be assisted by an NHL club's development. Other than that he is one of the smartest players in the draft and follows that up with outstanding playmaking ability. He could end up being better than the 5th overall pick by the Montreal Canadiens, Ivan Demidov.
As the draft progresses, a couple of guys stand out to me, starting with Tanner Howe of Regina. He is small but plays with all heart and has many strong skills to outweigh the size issue.
Leo Sahlin Wallenius of the Vaxjo Jr. is another small player but is one of the faster skaters in the draft and is a skilled skater.
Gabriel Eliasson of the HV71 Jr. in Sweden is a monster in size at 6'6, 192 pounds. To go along with that size, Eliasson plays a nasty, mean style of play and hits to hurt people. His offensive skill leaves much to be desired but the framework is there for a nasty depth forward.
Mississauga's 6-foot defenceman, Jakub Fibigr could be the hidden gem of the draft. He is a left-handed defenseman who can transition the play from the defensive zone to offense quickly. His hockey IQ is off the charts, but he tends to stay away from physical play, which concerns some scouts.
Another defender that is solid all around in his game is Finnish defenseman, Sebastian Soini. Soini has good speed and is a plus skater with strong size. He is physically ready for the NHL currently and is still growing.
If you are looking for a strong stick handler, Miguel Marques is your guy. The Lethbridge winger is not the biggest player at 5'11, 172 pounds but he is highly skilled offensively and can make his teammates better.
Enjoy your Saturday, Caniacs! This should be a much more eventful day for Carolina than last night!