Specialists are already busy, three years later, to redo the 2018 draft. Such analyzes are talking about, but the last chapter is far from being written.
Take the 2016 draft. Even after five years, we are barely starting to see any more clearly.
If we had drawn conclusions two years ago, as some are doing today with the 2018 draft, we would have had to go back to the drawing board and redo the job completely.
The choice of Auston Matthews in the first row was obviously no doubt. Nor that of Patrik Laine in second row. The Finnish colossus had 110 goals in his 237 NHL games.
Third pick Pierre-Luc Dubois had cemented his place in the Columbus Blue Jackets’ top line and was one of coach John Tortorella’s favorites.
PHOTO ARCHIVES THE CANADIAN PRESS
Patrik Laine, Auston Matthews and Pierre-Luc Dubois, the first three players selected in the 2016 draft.
The fourth pick, Jesse Puljujarvi, was already considered a failure. After three mixed years, tossed between the American League and the NHL, the one who had eclipsed Laine at the World Junior Championship with Finland in his draft year had just shunned the Edmonton Oilers camp and demanded a trade. He spent the winter of 2020 in Finland.
On his return last year, Puljujarvi scored 15 goals in 55 games, or 27 in proportion to a year of 82 games.
Meanwhile, Jets and Blue Jackets traded two problematic players for their respective organizations… Laine for Dubois. The two searched for their bearings all year round.
Puljujarvi has started the current season on hats. He already has six points in three games. The young man obviously has the privilege of playing with Connor McDavid. But that did not mean he was producing with him at the start of his career. And do we take merit away from Leon Draisaitl because he and McDavid are having fun like thieves?
Another proof that you should never conclude too quickly: after a month in the NHL in 2018, defenseman Dennis Cholowski, first choice of the Red Wings, 20e in total, was playing 24 minutes per game as part of the premier defensive duo and observers already saw him as a possible number one, while second-round pick, Detroit’s third player after Cholowski and Givani Smith in 2016, Filip Hronek , was discreetly relegated to the third pair.
Hronek is the Wings’ number one defenseman today. He played 25 minutes in the inaugural match and finished first in club scoring last year.
PHOTO JEROME MIRON, USA TODAY SPORTS
Filip Hronek
Cholowski was not protected in the enlargement draft. Seattle picked him but gave him waivers before sending him back to the minors. Washington has claimed it and the young man will try to restart his career with the Capitals.
Cholowski is also one of the many players of this curious vintage to have changed sides since the draft. Seven of the top 13 picks were traded: Laine, Dubois, Olli Juolevi (recently in Florida), Alexander Nylander, Mikhail Sergachev, Logan Brown and Jake Bean.
Today we find four number one defenders, Charlie McAvoy, Jakob Chychrun, Adam Fox (the most recent winner of the Norris Trophy) and Hronek, with Samuel Girard not very far behind, but none of these drafted before the 14th.e rank. Like what it is not always enough to choose among the first two or three to obtain a dominant player.
A little last? Jordan Kyrou, 23, Blues second-round pick, 12 points in his first 44 NHL games, tossed between minors and the National League for two years, finally hatching at 22 last year with 35 points in 55 games and an amazing start this year: 7 points in his first 3 meetings …
There is no point in running, you have to start on time.
A healthy press briefing
PHOTO HUGO-SÉBASTIEN AUBERT, THE PRESS
Marc Bergevin
The Canadian made the right decision by organizing an impromptu press conference with GM Marc Bergevin. The CH general manager was in control and sent an unequivocal message about his ascendancy over the team and his interest in remaining in Montreal beyond the season. It was time to see the boss assume his leadership in this difficult period. Without fully explaining the club’s failures, too much uncertainty within management can have negative effects on the troops.
(Finally) the start of a new era in Detroit
PHOTO PAUL SANCYA, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Lucas Raymond (23)
The patience of GM Steve Yzerman will soon be rewarded. Two of the team’s most promising rookies, Lucas Raymond and defenseman Moritz Seider, two top draft picks, started the season in Detroit and are making an immediate impact. Raymond, 19, fourth pick in 2020, scored his first NHL goal on Tuesday, in the first line with Dylan Larkin and Tyler Bertuzzi. He has three points in as many games. Seider, 20, sixth pick in 2019, has played over 21 minutes and has amassed three assists so far. The Wings haven’t lost yet. What bad news for the CH who play in the same division …
Quote of the day
Always nice to get one (first victory). We played well, defended well, I could see all the shots well, and most of it came from outlying areas.
Former San Jose Sharks goaltender Martin Jones, hired by the Flyers this summer to support youngster Carter Hart.
The Flyers beat the Bruins 6-3 on Wednesday. Will Jones relaunch his career in Philadelphia?