2018 NHL draft prospect profile #20: Dominik Bokk
By Chris Faber
Up next in our draft profiles is a German winger who could possess some of the best hands in this years draft. Dominik Bokk was considered a mid round prospect a year ago but now has solidified his chances of being a first round pick and I’m going to explain how.
The Vancouver Canucks will hope that there is a player who falls into their lap in the second round similar to Kole Lind last year. This year’s pipedream would be Dominik Bokk. Bokk is a 6’1″ winger who played 15 games this past season along side Elias Pettersson with the Växjö Lakers in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL).
The first thing that sticks out about Bokk is his hands, some of the silkiest in this years draft. We see so much movement in player rankings throughout the year as we approach the NHL draft but one thing is certain and that is that Dominik Bokk has done nothing but rise in those rankings.
Earlier this season, many scouts projected Bokk in the second or third round. Since then, Bokk has produced highlight after highlight in the SuperElit league. His raw talent with the puck is surely to catch plenty of scouts eyes and he will for sure have his name called during the first round of the draft.
The Stats Rundown
*Counting Stats provided by EliteProspects
Height: 6’1″/185cm
Weight: 179lbs/81kg
Birthdate: February 3rd, 2000
More from Draft
- Recapping the Canucks picks from rounds five to seven
- Canucks take Daimon Gardner in fourth round
- Canucks select Elias Pettersson in third round
- Canucks select Jonathan Lekkerimäki with 15th overall pick
- Five players the Canucks could draft with the 15th overall pick
Position: RW
Shoots: R
Team: Växjö Lakers (SHL)
Rankings:
#12 by NHL CENTRAL SCOUTING (EU)
Bokk played the majority of the season with Vaxjo’s U20 team in the Superelit where he had 14 goals and 41 points in only 35 games. The fact that he did get 15 games in the SHL proves that he is a high class prospect who could need to develop overseas for another year or two.
Bokk could have been ranked higher in this draft but favouring centres and defencemen creates a logjam. Those positions will warrant a higher draft pick than a winger with good hands. There is a fair amount of risk in this range, but the draft is all about calculated risks.
What the scouts are saying
Patrik Bexell and David St-Louis
"“Bokk is a skillful winger who has some incredible moves in his arsenal of tricks. He has one of the best set of hands in the entire draft, which he constantly uses to beat defenders on his way to the net. His one-on-one ability is very impressive. Any defenceman forced to open ice to take away the puck is just another prey to fall to one of Bokk’s dangles. Even facing multiple opponents, the German forward finds a way to keep the puck out of reach of everyone but himself with soft touches.”"
"“He’s a boom or bust pick, as you’d be banking on him reaching another level offensively. I don’t expect him to excel in the dirty areas, but he’s a talented carrier who can make defenders miss in open space, and it’s easy to dream on his potential.”"
Ben Kerr from LastWordOnHockey
"“Bokk is a talented, but raw player. He needs to continue to work on his game and get good coaching and development. He needs to work on his defensive game, and also to be a bit more physical without the puck. Bokk may be anywhere from two to four years away from being NHL ready, but with good development can be a top-six forward. Bokk’s game is reminiscent of Nikolaj Ehlers. This is simply a style comparison though, and not one based on potential or ability.”"
What we think
I like Bokk’s game, not to sound like Travis Green but, “he was good”. There are a few things that he needs to work on to become a full time NHL player. In this case, developing his defensive game in the SHL will do him wonders. Sometimes you just see a player’s raw talent and want to dream big. And this is a perfect example of that. I’ve been following Dominik Bokk for a long time now and its because of a few highlights that I saw earlier this season.
So long as Bokk can build up his defensive abilities and make a smooth transition to North America, there is definitely a possibility that Bokk is a top 6 winger on a team in three to four years. In light of this, his playmaking is something to marvel at; a good NHL comparison to me is someone like Jason Spezza. Although, Bokk is more of a pass first guy on the wing. His shot is above average but that is only when playing in the U20 SuperElit league.
Next: Vancouver Canucks benefit from Evander Kane re-signing with Sharks
In the end I think Bokk will be selected in the 16-25 range. He is definitely in the second or third tier of wingers in this draft, but shows a ton of raw talent. Furthermore, he integrates some exciting moves that I have never seen before. Bokk is great with one hand on his stick and manages to slip through defenders with ease. Finally, the big question is can he take his game to the next level? I’m betting on Bokk and I wouldn’t want to be the team that passes on him with a pick in the 20’s or Dominik will be saying “I’ll Be Bokk”.