Which 2017 Draft Picks Will Make Their Teams?
This year’s draft was notoriously thin in terms of elite talent, but that doesn’t mean that some of the top choices won’t make an impact. Of course, a lot will depend on training camp and whether players will return to Juniors, College, or overseas. Nico Hischier has already signed his entry-level contract with New Jersey, as has Nolan Patrick with Philadelphia. Both look primed to make their teams out of camp, even though Patrick will be recovering from an injury. It’s common for top picks to make their teams, and it would be shocking to see either fall short. Beyond these two, however, many of the top players till need seasoning.
The third pick, Miro Heiskanen, very well could return to the Finish Elite League for IFK, or theoretically be taken in the CHL import draft. Dallas doesn’t look like they’ll try to rush it with him, but anything is possible with this talented a player. Fourth overall was defenseman Cale Makar for Colorado, who is committed to play with the University of Massachussetts. Still, Colorado is hurting badly for skill and could benefit mightily from his dynamic presence on the blueline. Fifth overall was Elias Pettersson for Vancouver, who should return to Vaxjo of the SHL. He hasn’t signed an ELC and won’t attend training camp. Sixth overall Cody Glass looks primed to make a push for a spot in Vegas if he can show he belongs. The offense acquired via the expansion draft is very lean, and if Glass can round out his frame, the team may opt to toss him into the fire. He comes from a solid program with the Portland Winterhawks, and already surprised many with his ascension to first-round status in 2016-17.
Seventh overall was 5’11 center Lias Anderssson, who will fight for a position on the New York Rangers. In May, he signed a two-year contract with SHL’s Frolunda, so he might be one of the least likely of the group to see playing time in the near future. Casey Mittelstadt went eighth overall to Buffalo, and his phenomenal performance in the 2016 U-18 World Juniors played a large role in that. He only has USHL experience under his belt, however, and is committed to the Minnesota Gophers for the 2017-18 season. Michael Rasmussen is a towering, 6’6 center from Tri City of the WHL, and his overall physical package propelled him into that 9th selection by Detroit. Detroit is in need of cheap roster players on ELCs, but rushing a player of his caliber, especially coming off an injury-marred 2016-17 season, seems unlikely. GM Ken Holland is known for his patience when it comes to prospects. Rounding out the list, we have one of the few wingers selected in the first round – Owen Tippett of the OHL’s Mississauga Steelheads. His 44 goals in 60 games caught the attention of Florida’s scouts, and he could make things interesting with a solid camp showing.
In the final evaluation, there are really only two sure-fire picks to make their teams in the 2017-18 season. Of course, there are players later in the order who could surprise and get a look as well. Gabriel Vilardi (11) would inject some much needed offense to a floundering Los Angeles squad, and already possesses NHL size. Nick Suzuki (13) could transcend Glass in Vegas as his flashy speed and exceptional passing are already pro-level. Future teammate Erik Brannstrom (15) proved again that he belongs in the conversation in the recent Summer Showcase. Timothy Liljegren (17) is already making Toronto fans salivate at his potential, and there is always someone unexpected who completely blows away the competition in camp. We shouldn’t see more than one or two surprises, but anything is possible once the players retake the ice in August for some internal competition.
In your mind, which 2017 draft picks make the NHL starting roster for their teams, excluding the obvious Hischier and Patrick? Will any of these names compete for a Calder, or will there only be one or two immediately successful rookies from this class? (For comparison’s sake, 4 players played regularly last season of all the players selected in 2016).
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Which 2017 Draft Picks Will Make Their Teams?
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Draft Capital: The Path To Success For Vegas
Recently we looked at how the Vegas Golden Knights could still hold court at the 2018 trade deadline, a roster filled with pieces on short term deals that could be attractive to teams for the stretch run. The team has burdened itself with so few long-term commitments that it can move salary in and out as it tries to slowly bring it self into contention. 
As with any build (re or otherwise) in the NHL, the best players on your team must come through the draft. Bringing a core group through together is the key for any dominant team, with examples like Sidney Crosby–Evgeni Malkin–Kris Letang, Jonathan Toews–Patrick Kane–Duncan Keith or Anze Kopitar–Drew Doughty–Jonathan Quick winning several Stanley Cups as young players together. The Golden Knights are hoping their first draft group can replicate that success.
When the Golden Knights secured three first-round picks in this year, selecting Cody Glass, Nick Suzuki and Erik Brannstrom (6th, 13th and 15th-overall) they pumped an incredible amount of high-end talent into their system in one day. Those three could easily become the backbone of a competitive team, but it was the other work they’ve done that will really result in some success in the future. On day two of the draft, Vegas selected nine more players including Nicolas Hague who was expected to go in the late first round and Jake Leschyshyn who has NHL pedigree (father Curtis Leschyshyn played over 1,000 games and won the Stanley Cup with Colorado in 1996) and took a huge step forward in the WHL this season.
It’s the sheer amount of lottery tickets they’ve purchased that is sure to pay off for the Golden Knights. Over the next three drafts they have ten selections in the first two rounds, and as noted earlier could gather even more this season. Not only would that allow them to pump their system full of a huge number of prospects, but should also let them move up to get the specific players they want to target. Though 2018 picks are hard to come by, as teams are viewing the first round as one of the deepest in recent memory, it’s harder to project the talent further down the line. Vegas is set up to compete for the very best players available those years, just through sheer draft capital.
So when you look at the Vegas roster, and don’t see a ton of youth and upside (outside of a select few like Shea Theodore) remember that they’ve just started to build a pipeline that should be among the league’s best in just a few years. With a bottom five finish the most likely outcome of this season, they’ll be in the lottery conversation again to select at the top of the draft, and perhaps pull in Andrei Svechnikov, Joe Veleno, Rasmus Dahlin or one of the other elite prospects available next year. That slow build to contention might not take nearly as long as you think.
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