Draft Grades: Atlantic Division
Just like that, the 2016 NHL Draft is a thing of the past.
But before we turn our attention to free agency, and what will be a fascinating, if not fierce, courtship of Steven Stamkos, we need to dish out some grades.
Here's our evaluation of the Atlantic Division:
Boston Bruins| Round | Pick | Player |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 14 | Charles McAvoy |
| 1 | 29 | Trent Frederic |
| 2 | 49 | Ryan Lindgren |
| 5 | 135 | Joona Koppanen |
| 5 | 136 | Cameron Clarke |
| 6 | 165 | Oskar Steen |
It's not necessarily a bad thing that Don Sweeney and his scouting staff are working off a big board inconsistent with most. The problem, and what's irked Bruins fans, is their inability to recognize this as fact.
It's a tremendous oversight, and frankly, mismanagement, to continue making blind submissions without considering how that player is valued elsewhere. Sure, they're not privy to specific draft strategies, but they must gauge overall interest in a prospect like Trent Frederic in a more efficient manner.
Grade: D
Buffalo Sabres| Round | Pick | Player |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 | Alexander Nylander |
| 2 | 33 | Rasmus Asplund |
| 3 | 69 | Cliff Pu |
| 3 | 86 | Casey Fitzgerald |
| 4 | 99 | Brett Murray |
| 5 | 129 | Philip Nyberg |
| 5 | 130 | Vojtech Budik |
| 6 | 159 | Brandon Hagel |
| 7 | 189 | Austin Osmanski |
| 7 | 190 | Vasily Glotov |
In adding lottery skill up front and a more stability on the back end through trade, Buffalo continues its aggressive pursuit of icing a competitive roster.
Some consider second-round pick, Rasmus Asplund - who has previously played with Nylander - a first-round talent, and third rounder Cliff Pu could prove to be a value selection at 69th overall.
Grade: B+
Detroit Red Wings| Round | Pick | Player |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 20 | Dennis Cholowski |
| 2 | 46 | Givani Smith |
| 2 | 53 | Filip Hronek |
| 4 | 107 | Alfons Malmstrom |
| 5 | 137 | Jordan Sambrook |
| 6 | 167 | Filip Larsson |
| 7 | 197 | Mattias Elfstrom |
Invariably, Detroit will have picked up on something others hadn't, but at a quick glance, this draft class doesn't appear to quite measure up.
That said, Ken Holland finding the means to extricate the Pavel Datsyuk's contract from their tangled web could be worth so much more to the franchise than the skilled forwards who have fallen to them in recent seasons.
Grade: B-
Florida Panthers| Round | Pick | Player |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 23 | Henrik Borgstrom |
| 2 | 38 | Adam Mascherin |
| 3 | 89 | Linus Nassen |
| 4 | 94 | Jonathan Ang |
| 4 | 114 | Riley Stillman |
| 6 | 175 | Maxim Mamim |
| 7 | 195 | Benjamin Finkelstein |
A team on the rise is now suddenly very much in transition. The Kulikov deal means one of the best defenses in the East last season will see at least a 50-percent turnover.
Meanwhile, the new-look management team went a touch off the board with Borgstrom at No. 23. He's no lock to be a quality pro, but many believe he can reach the value Florida suited him for.
Grade: C-
Montreal Canadiens| Round | Pick | Player |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9 | Mikhail Sergachev |
| 3 | 70 | William Bitten |
| 4 | 100 | Victor Mete |
| 5 | 124 | Casey Staum |
| 6 | 160 | Michael Pezzetta |
| 7 | 187 | Arvid Henrikson |
With the defenseman many believe to be the best in his class, squeezing an undeniably effective middle-six forward out of Chicago in Andrew Shaw, and recouping lost value with the selection of Bitten in the third round, Canadiens fans should be relatively satisfied with the effort, at least for the moment.
Marc Bergevin's work takes on a different inference should Shaw be overpaid with his evidently imminent long-term extension.
Grade: B
Ottawa Senators| Round | Pick | Player |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11 | Logan Brown |
| 2 | 42 | Jonathan Dahlen |
| 4 | 103 | Todd Burgess |
| 5 | 133 | Maxime Lajoie |
| 6 | 163 | Markus Nurmi |
Ottawa has been criticized for conceding too much to its players, and that same argument can be made even before selecting Logan Brown at No. 11. Few doubt Brown will be an impact pro, and he possesses the qualities this team needs, but that doesn't change the fact this is an asset management league.
The Senators showed a level of skittishness on draft night, and it cost them a future asset. New Jersey's willingness to even entertain the idea of trading down one spot should have been enough of a tell that they planned on going in another direction at No. 11.
Grade: C+
Tampa Bay Lightning| Round | Pick | Player |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 27 | Brett Howden |
| 2 | 37 | Libor Hajek |
| 2 | 44 | Boris Katchouk |
| 2 | 58 | Taylor Raddysh |
| 3 | 88 | Connor Ingram |
| 4 | 118 | Ross Colton |
| 5 | 148 | Christopher Paquette |
| 6 | 178 | Oleg Sosunov |
| 7 | 206 | Otto Somppi |
| 7 | 208 | Ryan Lohin |
It should be no surprise that the Lightning loaded up on late-first and second-round talent; their detailed strategy to swell their collection of picks was left in the hotel lobby for everyone to see. But they succeeded nonetheless.
Steve Yzerman made four selections between No. 27 and No. 58 after trading a second-round pick for Anthony DeAngelo. Howden, Hajek, Katchouk, and Raddysh are all valuable assets, and will lead another six selections into the system.
Grade: B
Toronto Maple Leafs| Round | Pick | Player |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Auston Matthews |
| 2 | 31 | Yegor Korshkov |
| 2 | 57 | Carl Grundstrom |
| 3 | 62 | Joseph Woll |
| 3 | 72 | James Greenway |
| 4 | 92 | Adam Brooks |
| 4 | 101 | Keaton Middleton |
| 5 | 122 | Vladimir Bobylev |
| 6 | 152 | Jonathan Walker |
| 6 | 179 | Nicolas Mattinen |
| 7 | 182 | Nikolai Chebykin |
Following up a brilliantly executed, markedly patient strategy from last summer, in which the Leafs delved into Mark Hunter's backyard and found value in dynamic imports, it was a perplexing, oddly specific plan of attack for the Leafs once the best prospect in his class was fitted with a cap.
After Matthews, the Leafs almost exclusively targeted towering defenders, over-aged domestic-level talent, and relatively unheralded Europeans with pro experience.
This will endure as the Matthews draft, and good thing.
Grade: B-
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