ANALYTICS.
SCOUTING.
EDGE.

The Sharks got lucky in the lottery moving up to pick 2 from 9, allowing them to take Stenberg — the most complete player in this draft. GM Mike Grier then made a savvy move to acquire Michael Kesserling by moving back 7 spots, only to acquire pick 21 at a fraction of the cost to select Ryan Lin, who should have gone way earlier. Think we forgot about the Sharks' other pick? San Jose also had pick 9, acquiring it from the Ottawa Senators in exchange for William Eklund to select Keaton Verhoeff — one of the former #1 overall ranked prospects, a steal of a pick. A first line left winger along with two future Top 4 defencemen? This is one of the best draft hauls in recent memory.

The Ducks had no 1st round selections to start the draft, before moving Mason McTavish to the St. Louis Blues for picks #15 and #28. Many believed the Ducks would use these picks in another trade for a roster player — instead they kept both, selecting Nikita Klepov and Marcus Nordmark. Klepov was a great pick — a true full package player who can slot in anywhere in your lineup with his defensive abilities and strong puck skills. Nordmark is a fascinating pick who has all the skill in the world and would probably have gone top 15 if he had a more pro game away from the puck. Nordmark oozes confidence, much like his fellow puck-handling Swedes from this draft class. Capping off a strong draft from Verbeek, the Ducks scooped up Mathis Preston at #50 — a player IceIndex had rated in the 1st round (#28). Injuries plagued him this year but his skill will make a lot of teams regret passing on him, including his hometown Vancouver Canucks.

The Leafs lucked out at the Draft Lottery in May, going from a team expected to make the playoffs to a brutal finish down the stretch — allowing them to enter the McKenna sweepstakes. Nabbing McKenna at #1 is a clear win; he should be a franchise player for the next decade in Toronto. GM John Chayka then shifted his plan to volume over quality, moving Brandon Carlo to acquire picks #73 and #76, then moving a 5th next year to Vancouver for a 6th in this draft. Grabbing Ethan Mackenzie was a smart move — yes he is an overager, but with the Leafs' D-core well over 30 they need players with the upside and potential to step in sooner rather than later. Chayka had a strong first draft considering the limited capital he had going into it.

GM Ryan Johnson has stated over and over this offseason the Canucks are going to build a tight-knit locker room first and foremost, with high character players who prepare the right way. RJ did just that with his first two picks — grabbing the consensus choice in Caleb Malhotra, a hard working gamer who went from barely producing in the BCHL to being a top producer on one of the best OHL teams in Brampton, then snagging Adam Novotný, a hard-working forechecker who can also rip the puck with the best of them from Peterborough where he led the team in scoring. The Canucks leaned into size for once — all picks are over 6'0, with Brooks Rogowski at #33 being the largest at 6'7. Rogowski could project as a winger through development despite being a smooth, powerful skater for his size — IceIndex had him as a 1st round pick, so the Canucks scooped up real value in the early 2nd. Lastly, the Canucks grabbed one of IceIndex's favourite picks in Niklas Aaram-Olsen — a true sniper with huge upside — before selecting Dmitri Ivchenko, a Russian goalie who hasn't posted a save percentage below .915 in any league he's started in.

The Predators and their new GM Chris McFarland were able to get Wyatt Cullen at 10 — one of IceIndex's favourite players in the draft and the #9 rated prospect on our board. A complete player who, like Malhotra, is growing his game at a fast pace — creative, scoring goals, and showing the skill to be a true play driver. Nashville then traded up (a move the Canucks should have made) to get Tommy Bleyl, the QMJHL Defenceman of the Year. An amazing skater with PP1 upside who controls possession — ranked #20–25 on many boards. McFarland's first draft was an impressive one.

The Blues were moving all around the board, striking multiple deals before and during the draft. The biggest move, aside from trading Kyrou to Washington earlier in the week, was getting Mason McTavish from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for picks 15 and 28. The Blues walked away with a smart gamble in Tynan Lawrence, a pick in Maddox Dagenais, and McTavish — a 23-year-old centre/wing with term. The Blues appear to be building something unique down the middle, with Thomas, Dvorsky, McTavish, McMichael, Lawrence, and Dagenais all natural centres — with some likely shifting to wing down the line. A fascinating organizational build.

I have been critical of Craig Conroy's moves over the past few seasons — I just didn't see high-end assets being acquired, wasn't a big fan of the draft selections, and didn't see a clear direction. Conroy earned some respect back this draft, snagging Carson Carels — IceIndex's top rated defenceman in this class — after acquiring Simon Nemec earlier in the week. Carels should be a top-pairing, all-situations player for the Flames who brings everything a franchise defenceman needs. If you haven't seen the photo of Carels watching the draft from his farm in Alberta, it is nothing short of epic. The Flames then used their next first round pick on Jack Hextall — whom IceIndex had going to the Flames in our mock draft at #30. Hextall brings smooth hands, great vision and above-average passing, which he'll take to a loaded Michigan State next season. The Flames capped off a strong start taking Chase Harrington (F) and Tobias Trejbal (G) in round 2 — both solid selections with NHL upside.

GM Bill Armstrong has always impressed me at the draft — whether taking risks on high-ceiling unknowns (Simashev, But) or pulling the trigger on draft-day trades that immediately improve his roster (Sergachev). Armstrong did it again, trading pick #23 to DET to acquire Sebastian Cossa, a former 1st round pick who never got a real chance in Detroit and could become the Mammoth's goalie of the future. For their picks, Armstrong stopped Ethan Belchetz's mini-slide, grabbing the Tom Wilson-like behemoth at pick #17. Known for his physical strength, nose for the net, and tenacity — Belchetz was projected top 15 (IceIndex #12). The Mammoth always look for size and they nailed this pick. To cap it off, Armstrong picked Adam Valentini — a once 1st-round lock out of the GTHL. Slightly undersized, but the talent is there. Going from the GTHL to the NCAA in 2 years at only 17 years old is impressive on its own — Valentini also had a strong U18 showing for Team Canada.