Jon Love 
It feels like the season just ended, yet here we are watching the NHL Draft in Nasvhille. In our recap below, we will run through some of the surprises and some of the not-so-surprising picks of round 1. We will also touch on the teams we think did well and didn’t. Let’s get right into it!
The Expected
Connor Bedard (CHI): The Canadian phenom who has been making headlines all over the place went first overall to the Chicago Blackhawks. He led the league in points at a whopping 143 in 57 games. He is easily the top prospect that was on the board, and should have an immediate impact for Chicago. The Hawks are a team in a rebuild, so this is a great first step towards a potent team. Bedard will be high on our list of plays this coming season.
Matvei Michkov (PHI): There were a ton of rumors flying around Philly and being really high on Michkov going into the draft. The KHL prospect comes in at number 2 on the international skaters prospect list, and will make a very big impact for the Flyers…eventually. There are a lot of geopolitical issues and other possible roadblocks for Michkov to make it to the NHL. However, this is a team that has finally committed to a rebuild, so even if it takes three years, he should make an impact when he gets there.
The Surprises
Leo Carlsson (ANH): Everyone expected Carlsson to go high, but not to Anaheim. This is where Fantilli was supposed to go, but the Ducks pulled a fast one and went with Leo. He is the 7th player from Sweden picked in the top three in the draft, and should be a solid foundation piece for Anaheim. The Ducks are a young team, and Carlsson should pair really well with the likes of Trevor Zegras and Mason McTavish.
Adam Fantilli (CBJ): Here was Columbus, a team that hasn’t been very successful, waiting to see who would fall to them at the third overall, and little did they know it would be Fantilli. Fantilli is considered the second best prospect in North America, and is a Hobey Baker award winner (think Heisman, but for hockey).
Dmitriy Simashev (ARI): The Coyotes ‘technically’ pulled the first big surprise of the draft by selecting a seemingly middle of the road defenseman. Simashev comes from the KHL and is ranked 19th in the international prospect skater pool. The Coyotes did fill a need here, as their blue line has been depleted with guys like Chychrun and OEL leaving for greener pastures. He won’t make an immediate impact, but once he gets to the NHL, he can become a top-pair D-man.
Gabriel Perreault (NYR): Perrault comes in at number 10 on the North American prospects list, and he was taken all the way at 23rd by the Rangers. This feels like a steal for a team who has a great blend of young talent and veteran presence. The Rangers continue to draft well and are on the upswing.
Winners and Losers
Every draft has winners and losers, and the NHL is no different. Here are some teams we think had good and bad first rounds in this year’s draft:
Winner – St. Louis Blues: The Blues had a very solid draft, as they picked 2 centers and a defenseman. As they try to bolster the middle of their lineup, these are solid picks along with the addition of Kevin Hayes from Philly in a trade. The addition of a D-man helps their blue line and should be a steady presence. With three picks in the first round, the Blues definitely came in as winners.
Winner – Philadelphia Flyers: The Flyers picked two solid players in their first round, kicking off their rebuild with some fireworks. After some trades and moves to get younger and stockpile talent, the Flyers made the first great step to rebuild.
Loser – Arizona Coyotes: The Coyotes didn’t really have a BAD draft, but they passed on some talent when they didn’t need to. For example, they could have had Michkov at six, and they decided to choose a D-man who was ranked 19th on the prospect list. Moreover, the Coyotes desperately need scoring, and they would have been able to get some scoring talent that high in the draft.
Loser – Vegas Golden Knights: A couple of things here – how can you be a loser in the draft when you won the Cup? And, you only had one pick and it was the last one. However, the Knights hedged their future for a win-now attitude, and they are very much lacking from a prospect perspective. They will need to stock up this season to start thinking about the future. If not, then their Cup run and success this year may be short-lived.
Make sure to hop in our Expert Discord Chat for FREE! Jon and the NHL team will be there to talk more NHL all draft and summer long! Be sure to be on the look out for future articles at https://windailysports.com/daily-fantasy-hockey/
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