The Vancouver Canucks sold their 33rd and 94th-overall picks in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft in an attempt to strengthen their defense — which makes the remaining picks even more important.
When a team is rebuilding but not really, like the Vancouver Canucks apparently are, the draft is extremely importnat. Well, it always is. But when you trade your draft picks to fill immediate needs and try to improve your prospect pool at the same time, landing diamonds in the rough becomes ever so important.
Losing the 33rd pick to the Florida Panthers in the trade that acquired defenseman Erik Gudbranson hurt. It really did. A lot. But once you look at the draft and realize that around the 25th pick, the entire thing becomes a coin toss, it hurts a little bit less.
The 2016 NHL Entry Draft really has scouts earning their money. The top-six players are forwards, there are six extremely talented defensemen in the first round, and about 10 other players have a spot in the first round guaranteed. But what will happen behind that?
Predicting the first round is tough enough, but starting with pick No. 25 or so, things get extremely difficult. Some rank 6-foot-7 defenseman Logan Stanley as a mid-first rounder, others have him barely cracking the second round. Some have 5-foot-9 forward Adam Mascherin as one of the first players to go off the board in the second round, others have him dropping down to the end of the third. You see, size is an important theme here.
So, let’s take a look at some draft sleepers, or diamonds in the rough, who will likely be selected in the later rounds, but could easily be two or three rounds higher in a redraft three to five years from now.
C/LW Janne Kuokkanen – Karpat Oulu U20, Jr. A SM-Liiga
To start things off, we won’t go too deep into the draft just yet. Janne Kuokkanen is the 20th European skater on NHL Central Scouting’s final list, but he could — and probably should — be selected long before many think. Kuokkanen could be this year’s Sebastian Aho, who also spent his junior career in Oulu, and was drafted in the second round of the 2014 draft by the Carolina Hurricanes.
Tall, lean puck distributor who we expect to beef up when it’s time to make the jump to North America. Kuokkanen is a highly-cerebral player, using patience and precision passing to carve up any defensive scheme. He’s been a star for Finland in the international circuit, culminating with a superb performance and a gold medal at the U18 World championship. His instant chemistry with Jesse Puljujarvi is something to keep an eye on — both should play for Karpat if Puljujarvi decides to stay in Europe.
Janne Kuokkanen had 22 goals and 53 points in 47 games this season, and showed how much of an offensive threat he is. If Finnish junior hockey doesn’t convince you, he also played one game in the Mestis, Finland’s second-tier professional league, and scored a goal and an assist. Still not convinced? Kuokkanen gave his Liiga debut for Karpat this season and scored two goals in one game.
To round out the season, Kuokkanen won gold at the Under-18 Worlds, playing on a line with projected top-three pick Jesse Puljujarvi. Kuokkanen had three goals and seven points in the tournament.
Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if a team used their late first-round pick on Kuokkanen. If he falls to the third round, he will be a big-time steal. This is the kind of moment where losing a 33rd-overall pick hurts again.
Next: D David Bernhardt
Oct 14, 2015; Columbus, OH, USA; A general view of the NHL logo on a net prior to the game of the Ottawa Senators against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports /
D David Bernhardt – Djurgardens IF U20 – SuperElit
Staying in Europe, but moving over to Sweden, we find defenseman David Bernhardt, the 39th European Skater on NHL CSS’s list. To get you excited, I would like to mention one name that Bernhardt’s draft-year stats compare to: Erik Karlsson.
Okay, comparing him to the Ottawa Senators captain probably isn’t fair. But, Bernhardt’s 10 goals and 38 points in 45 games from the blue line are definitely impressive. Especially considering that he has an NHL frame at 6-foot-3 and 203 pounds.
A big, somewhat mobile defenseman with room for improvement who can shoot the puck with authority and help run a power play. Bernhardt won’t blow the doors open with speed, but he’s a smart skater who makes up for his lack of first-step quickness with good instincts and the ability to see plays unfold. He is the perfect option for an organization known to breed quality defenders, and with older brother (and New York Rangers’ draft pick) Daniel leaving Sweden for the London Knights, the chance to coach and mentor the younger Bernhardt without the burden of overseas travel makes the gamble palatable. He was one of the Superelit’s top scoring rearguards this season, finishing second in both assists (28) and points (38).
As Steve Kournianos noted, there is a lot of room for improvement in Bernhardt’s defensive game, but his offensive tools and frame are enough to get excited. Bernhardt is projected to be picked in the fourth round, and that is probably a fair assessment. But don’t be surprised if he comes off the board in the mid to late third round.
David Bernhardt has an intriguing skill-set and all he needs to do is develop his defensive game. Seriously, it’s that easy.
Of course, Europe is not the only place that has sleeper picks to offer. But, European and North American draft sleepers are not the same breed. European junior players are harder to judge because they play a different style and play against weaker competition, which is why (every once in a while) a talented player slips through to the later rounds. North American sleepers, on the other hand, are often that because they are extremely talented but way too short — like David Quenneville.
The younger brother of two NHL prospects, John (New Jersey Devils) and Peter (Columbus Blue Jackets), David Quenneville is also the shortest of the bunch. At 5-foot-8, he is far from NHL size, even if we are talking forwards. For a defenseman, however, 5-foot-8 is… man… it’s tough.
Even though David is no less talented than his brother John, who was drafted in the first round in 2014. From TheDraftAnalyst.com:
It pains us to place such a fun player to watch as low as the middle of the fourth round. But the fact remains that Quenneville is a 5’9 defensemen, and we all know how unteachable size can be. Taking the elephant outside the room for a lengthy jog reveals how wonderful a talent this Edmontonian is — a feisty pepper pot who loves to hammer the puck and make highlight-reel plays taking the disc to the cage. Quenneville is unpredictable and hard to wargame, but what surprised us is how strong he is from the waist up. He loves to throw the body and lay out bigger players with open ice hits, regardless of whether they see it coming or not. The Devils already have his older brother John in the pipeline, so why not make it a family affair with one of the draft’s better offensive defensemen?
NHL CSS actually have Quenneville ranked 144th among North American skaters, but the fourth round seems possible for the small D-man. Quenneville is an extremely smart and exciting player, and if it weren’t for his size, he would be in the running for a late first-round selection. In 64 games this season, he had 14 goals and 55 points for the Medicine Hat Tigers.
We really got into the short player section here. Next up is center Matthew Phillips of the Victoria Royals, who is ranked 81st by NHL CSS but much lower by many others, despite scoring 37 goals and 76 points in 72 games in his WHL rookie season. How is that possible? Well, there is a little catch — literally.
Matthew Phillips measures just 5-foot-7. He might be a limbo champ, but that won’t help him in the National Hockey League.
Tampa Bay Lightning forward Tyler Johnson is only one inch taller than Phillips. He went undrafted and was signed by the Lightning as a free agent. Johnson is also seven years older than Phillips, and by now, teams have realized that speed and skill can be more important than size. But how short can a center really be?
I would love to give you a little scouting report from TheDraftAnalyst.com, as I did for the previous players, but Phillips actually did not make their final mock draft. A look at their prospect rankings shows: Phillips is No. 243 — that’s how much size matters to some.
So, from Future Considerations, who have Phillips ranked 135th:
Phillips is a tiny, but intelligent playmaker with elite offensive capability. He processes the speed of the game very well and operates well when in motion. He is a quick, shifty skater who brings agility, acceleration and the power to escape a check in a blink. (…) His speed combines exceptionally well with his offensive hockey sense, and he’s got a real knack for creating opportunities with his skilled playmaking ability for himself and his linemates. He makes those who share the ice with him better players.
Matthew Phillips could easily be the next Tyler Johnson, no matter if he goes off the board in the third round or not at all.
Next: W Mathias From
Jan 9, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Practice pucks at center ice before the Toronto Maple Leafs game against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports /
RW/LW Mathias From – Rogle BK, SHL
Time to go back to Europe for the fifth and final player on our list. If you live in North America, you probably haven’t heard of this guy yet. If you live in Europe, like myself, you might have heard of him, but probably not unless you are an SHL or, more specifically, Rogle fan. Mathias From has not cracked many draft rankings this year, but as NHL Central Scouting’s 26th North American skater, he can be a late-round steal on June 25th.
From started the season playing for Rogle’s under-20 team in the SuperElit, but also got to play 16 games in the SHL. There, he had two goals and two assists in a limited role, and showed flashes of great two-way ability.
A strong transitional forward with solid offensive and defensive upside. Defensively, always active and keeps himself mobile to make sure he’s in a good spot to keep the opposition on their toes. Sees lanes well and is excellent at taking pucks away and moving them up the ice for scoring chances. Offensively, he drives to the net and has a great shot. Definitely not afraid of the physical side of the game, and can play that all-important power role. Mathias From is a multidimensional buzzsaw that has the drive and skill to net wins and contribute in multiple areas of the game.
With From, anything can happen. He could be picked in one of the later rounds or he might go undrafted, but he certainly has enough offensive and defensive upside to make the NHL one day. Playing in Europe, From has various options for his future, which makes him an even better pick for teams looking for talent in the latter rounds of the draft.
If he gets drafted, there will likely be a CHL club who picks him up as well, hoping for him to come over to North America at his earliest convenience. Coming from Europe, he will also get the chance to jump into the American Hockey League immediately, or whenever his NHL club thinks he is ready. Last but not least, he can obviously stay “at home” — in Europe, that is, as From is a Dane playing in Sweden.
Mathias From looks like a decent pick for the later rounds who, with a little bit of luck, can turn into an NHL middle-six player.
