Just like that, the 2016 NHL Draft is a thing of the past.
But before we turn our attention to free agency, and what will be a fascinating, if not fierce, courtship of Steven Stamkos, we need to dish out some grades.
Here's our evaluation of the Atlantic Division:
| Round | Pick | Player |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 14 | Charles McAvoy |
| 1 | 29 | Trent Frederic |
| 2 | 49 | Ryan Lindgren |
| 5 | 135 | Joona Koppanen |
| 5 | 136 | Cameron Clarke |
| 6 | 165 | Oskar Steen |
It's not necessarily a bad thing that Don Sweeney and his scouting staff are working off a big board inconsistent with most. The problem, and what's irked Bruins fans, is their inability to recognize this as fact.
It's a tremendous oversight, and frankly, mismanagement, to continue making blind submissions without considering how that player is valued elsewhere. Sure, they're not privy to specific draft strategies, but they must gauge overall interest in a prospect like Trent Frederic in a more efficient manner.
Grade: D
| Round | Pick | Player |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 8 | Alexander Nylander |
| 2 | 33 | Rasmus Asplund |
| 3 | 69 | Cliff Pu |
| 3 | 86 | Casey Fitzgerald |
| 4 | 99 | Brett Murray |
| 5 | 129 | Philip Nyberg |
| 5 | 130 | Vojtech Budik |
| 6 | 159 | Brandon Hagel |
| 7 | 189 | Austin Osmanski |
| 7 | 190 | Vasily Glotov |
In adding lottery skill up front and a more stability on the back end through trade, Buffalo continues its aggressive pursuit of icing a competitive roster.
Some consider second-round pick, Rasmus Asplund - who has previously played with Nylander - a first-round talent, and third rounder Cliff Pu could prove to be a value selection at 69th overall.
Grade: B+
| Round | Pick | Player |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 20 | Dennis Cholowski |
| 2 | 46 | Givani Smith |
| 2 | 53 | Filip Hronek |
| 4 | 107 | Alfons Malmstrom |
| 5 | 137 | Jordan Sambrook |
| 6 | 167 | Filip Larsson |
| 7 | 197 | Mattias Elfstrom |
Invariably, Detroit will have picked up on something others hadn't, but at a quick glance, this draft class doesn't appear to quite measure up.
That said, Ken Holland finding the means to extricate the Pavel Datsyuk's contract from their tangled web could be worth so much more to the franchise than the skilled forwards who have fallen to them in recent seasons.
Grade: B-
| Round | Pick | Player |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 23 | Henrik Borgstrom |
| 2 | 38 | Adam Mascherin |
| 3 | 89 | Linus Nassen |
| 4 | 94 | Jonathan Ang |
| 4 | 114 | Riley Stillman |
| 6 | 175 | Maxim Mamim |
| 7 | 195 | Benjamin Finkelstein |
A team on the rise is now suddenly very much in transition. The Kulikov deal means one of the best defenses in the East last season will see at least a 50-percent turnover.
Meanwhile, the new-look management team went a touch off the board with Borgstrom at No. 23. He's no lock to be a quality pro, but many believe he can reach the value Florida suited him for.
Grade: C-
| Round | Pick | Player |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9 | Mikhail Sergachev |
| 3 | 70 | William Bitten |
| 4 | 100 | Victor Mete |
| 5 | 124 | Casey Staum |
| 6 | 160 | Michael Pezzetta |
| 7 | 187 | Arvid Henrikson |
With the defenseman many believe to be the best in his class, squeezing an undeniably effective middle-six forward out of Chicago in Andrew Shaw, and recouping lost value with the selection of Bitten in the third round, Canadiens fans should be relatively satisfied with the effort, at least for the moment.
Marc Bergevin's work takes on a different inference should Shaw be overpaid with his evidently imminent long-term extension.
Grade: B
| Round | Pick | Player |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 11 | Logan Brown |
| 2 | 42 | Jonathan Dahlen |
| 4 | 103 | Todd Burgess |
| 5 | 133 | Maxime Lajoie |
| 6 | 163 | Markus Nurmi |
Ottawa has been criticized for conceding too much to its players, and that same argument can be made even before selecting Logan Brown at No. 11. Few doubt Brown will be an impact pro, and he possesses the qualities this team needs, but that doesn't change the fact this is an asset management league.
The Senators showed a level of skittishness on draft night, and it cost them a future asset. New Jersey's willingness to even entertain the idea of trading down one spot should have been enough of a tell that they planned on going in another direction at No. 11.
Grade: C+
| Round | Pick | Player |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 27 | Brett Howden |
| 2 | 37 | Libor Hajek |
| 2 | 44 | Boris Katchouk |
| 2 | 58 | Taylor Raddysh |
| 3 | 88 | Connor Ingram |
| 4 | 118 | Ross Colton |
| 5 | 148 | Christopher Paquette |
| 6 | 178 | Oleg Sosunov |
| 7 | 206 | Otto Somppi |
| 7 | 208 | Ryan Lohin |
It should be no surprise that the Lightning loaded up on late-first and second-round talent; their detailed strategy to swell their collection of picks was left in the hotel lobby for everyone to see. But they succeeded nonetheless.
Steve Yzerman made four selections between No. 27 and No. 58 after netting a second-round pick for Anthony DeAngelo. Howden, Hajek, Katchouk, and Raddysh are all valuable assets, and will lead another six selections into the system.
Grade: B
| Round | Pick | Player |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Auston Matthews |
| 2 | 31 | Yegor Korshkov |
| 2 | 57 | Carl Grundstrom |
| 3 | 62 | Joseph Woll |
| 3 | 72 | James Greenway |
| 4 | 92 | Adam Brooks |
| 4 | 101 | Keaton Middleton |
| 5 | 122 | Vladimir Bobylev |
| 6 | 152 | Jonathan Walker |
| 6 | 179 | Nicolas Mattinen |
| 7 | 182 | Nikolai Chebykin |
Following up a brilliantly executed, markedly patient strategy from last summer, in which the Leafs delved into Mark Hunter's backyard and found value in dynamic imports, it was a perplexing, oddly specific plan of attack for the Leafs once the best prospect in his class was fitted with a cap.
After Matthews, the Leafs almost exclusively targeted towering defenders, over-aged domestic-level talent, and relatively unheralded Europeans with pro experience.
This will endure as the Matthews draft, and good thing.
Grade: B-
Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Face it: Every team's draft can be summed up in a 140 characters, in a tweet. But after a Stanley Cup Playoffs devoid of Canadian teams, we're shining a light on the north's clubs as they look to right their respective ships.
Let's go, in alphabetical order.
Calgary Flames
Brian Burke wants more "pains in the ass" on his roster If Brad Treliving keeps this up, he'll be just that to 29 of his fellow general managers.
Edmonton Oilers
The Oilers were forced to take one of the consensus top-three forwards in the draft. One day, things will go Edmonton's way.
Montreal Canadiens
Sergachev's going to look great with Subban, and just the thought of Gallagher and Shaw playing together is enough to make one go crazy.
Ottawa Senators
The Maple Leafs weren't the only Ontario-based team to land their future No. 1 center, and the Dahlen bloodlines appear strong.
Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto drafted 11 players over the weekend, as many as it did in 2013 and 2014 combined. The Shanaplan is real. Lamoriello said it himself.
Vancouver Canucks
Jim Benning has a plan. He will tell you all about it. No, really, he'll tell you everything.
Winnipeg Jets
The chip on Patrik Laine's shoulder is exactly what Winnipeg needs, and the city treats its Finns the best. This is going to be fun.
Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Doug Wilson is leaning toward parting with the pending unrestricted free agents he added during the season.
The San Jose Sharks general manager told reporters at the NHL draft Saturday that he'll probably let goaltender James Reimer, forwards Nick Spaling and Dainus Zubrus, and defenseman Roman Polak reach the open market on July 1, according to Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News.
"We have a lot of guys internally that will be knocking on the door,” Wilson said, adding that he'll likely be in the market for a new backup netminder if and when Reimer signs elsewhere.
The Sharks acquired Reimer, Spaling, and Polak in two separate trades with the Toronto Maple Leafs in a five-day span before the trade deadline in February. San Jose signed Zubrus in November.
Polak and Spaling played every game for the Sharks during their playoff run, and Zubrus took part in 14 postseason contests.
Reimer only appeared in one playoff game behind Martin Jones, but he went 6-2-0 with a 1.62 GAA and .938 save percentage in eight contests for San Jose following the trade.
ESPN's Pierre LeBrun reported Thursday that the Sharks were open to trading the goalie's rights over the weekend if another team expressed interest in him.
Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
The 2016 NHL Draft concluded Saturday with teams flying through Rounds 2-7.
While most of the elite talent being scooped up Friday, Saturday saw its share of diamonds in the rough.
Some were just on the cusp of being named first-round selections, while others fell by the wayside. Here are three of the best players taken on Day 2 of the draft:
Alex DeBrincat entered the 2016 NHL draft with more goals this season than any draftee in the Canadian Hockey League. He hit the 51-goal mark for the second straight season, despite battling injuries.
The biggest knock on DeBrincat - and likely the biggest factor in his fall to 39th - is his size, as he stands just 5-foot-7. Still, he remains an offensive dynamo with 102 goals and 205 career points in two seasons with the Erie Otters.
He isn't afraid to get in the dirty spots and with the ability to finish, he's an ideal fit with the Chicago Blackhawks.
With the likes of Olli Juolevi, Mikhail Sergachev, and Jakob Chychrun going in the first round, it is safe to say that the Los Angeles Kings may have grabbed the next best defensive talent outside of the first round with Kale Clague.
The Brandon Wheat Kings defender played his first full-season in the Western Hockey League in 2015-16, where he finished with six goals and 43 points in 71 games while playing behind Flyers defensive prospect Ivan Provorov.
Clague was a monster for the Wheat Kings en route to their WHL Championship, leading the team's defense with six goals and 14 points in 21 playoff games.
The 6-foot D-man is a smooth skater with fantastic vision and a comfort while carrying the puck. With more consistent playing time and a couple years of development, he has the tools to be a top-end offensive blue-liner in the league.
Despite a season that was plagued by injury, Tyler Benson still managed nearly a point per game.
He was limited to just 30 games with the Vancouver Giants of the Western Hockey League, but manged nine goals and 28 points. He impressed enough, as the winger was picked up by his hometown Edmonton Oilers after slipping just outside of the first round at 32.
EDM takes Tyler Benson at No. 32. Injury-riddled season. Likely would have been 1st rder if not for injuries. Ranked No. 39 on TSN list.
— Bob McKenzie (@TSNBobMcKenzie) June 25, 2016
His skill has never been overlooked, as he's suited up for Canada internationally on several occasions, including most recently at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament, where his six points in five games helped lead Canada to gold.
He models his game after John Tavares, which should gel perfectly with the Oilers.
Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
Vitaly Abramov, selected 65th overall by the Columbus Blue Jackets, has one of the more unique backstories of the 2016 NHL draft class.
On Feb. 15, 2013, Abramov was attending school in his hometown of Chelyabinsk, Russia when a meteor exploded above the city. The estimated energy released by the explosion was between 300-500 kilotons, roughly 20 times the amount released by the nuclear bomb dropped on Hiroshima, Japan in 1945, according to Adam Kimelman of NHL.com.
"I was in school and all the windows in my class crashed," Abramov said. "All windows in the city was gone. ... It was like big panic because it was something none of us had ever seen. But after that it was fine when everyone said it was a meteorite and we're still alive.
"Normal school day and a meteor came down."
Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
The NHL draft is complete, so it's time to hand out some grades.
We're going team by team in alphabetical order below, listing each club's picks and acquisitions, and evaluating its weekend.
Draft picks
| Round | Pick | Player |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 13 | D Jake Bean |
| 1 | 21 | F Julien Gauthier |
| 2 | 43 | F Janne Kuokkanen |
| 3 | 67 | F Matt Filipe |
| 3 | 74 | F Hudson Elynuik |
| 3 | 75 | G Jack LaFontaine |
| 4 | 104 | F Max Zimmer |
| 5 | 134 | G Jeremy Helvig |
| 5 | 164 | D Noah Carroll |
Bean is another young defenseman injected into the Hurricanes' system, and he's got tremendous offensive upside. The rest of the club's draft was focused on forwards, highlighted by snipers Gauthier and Kuokkanen. Carolina had six picks in the first three rounds - that's a great draft no matter how you look at it. And you can never have too many goalies in the system.
Grade: A
Draft picks
| Round | Pick | Player |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | F Pierre-Luc Dubois |
| 2 | 34 | D Andrew Peeke |
| 3 | 65 | F Vitaly Abramov |
| 6 | 155 | G Peter Thome |
| 7 | 185 | F Calvin Thurkauf |
Everyone had Jesse Puljujarvi going third in the first round - except the Blue Jackets. Watching how the careers of Pierre-Luc Dubois and Puljujarvi evolve will be fascinating, but the bottom line is that Columbus got a highly touted offensive player it desperately needs. Peeke was projected to go later in the draft, but Columbus was able to snag Abramov late, and he's an offensive dynamo - he put up similar numbers to Dubois in the QMJHL last season. The club also traded Kerby Rychel, but the return - Scott Harrington and a conditional fifth-round pick - will only serve as minor-league depth. A few more selections over the weekend would have been ideal.
Grade: C+
Draft picks
| Round | Pick | Player |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 | F Michael McLeod |
| 2 | 41 | F Nathan Bastian |
| 3 | 73 | F Joey Anderson |
| 3 | 80 | F Brandon Gignac |
| 4 | 102 | F Mikhail Maltsev |
| 4 | 105 | G Evan Cormier |
| 5 | 132 | D Yegor Rykov |
| 6 | 162 | F Jesper Bratt |
| 7 | 192 | D Jeremy Davies |
The Devils traded down one selection to select Michael McLeod, picking up the 80th pick from the Ottawa Senators in the process. McLeod has the talent to become a No. 1 center, and Bastian is another big body who played with McLeod in Mississauga. New Jersey loaded up on young offensive talent, because that's what it needs. The club also added Beau Bennett for a third-round pick, and he's got ties to general manager Ray Shero.
Grade: B
Draft picks
| Round | Pick | Player |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 19 | F Kieffer Bellows |
| 4 | 95 | F Anatoli Golyshev |
| 4 | 120 | F Otto Koivula |
| 6 | 170 | F Collin Adams |
| 7 | 193 | F Nick Pastujov |
| 8 | 200 | D David Quenneville |
In a perfect world - and a few years down the line - Kieffer Bellows will be the Islanders' next Kyle Okposo. The kid can flat out score, and to get him at No. 19 is a win. New York traded up to grab Golyshev, who scored 25 goals in the KHL last year. He's a small, skilled forward who's older than most draftees at 21 and signed to play in Russia through 2019. Garth Snow also traded up to draft Koivula, who's a massive 17-year-old with offensive talent. The club made moves to secure help up front, and did it with only one pick through the first three rounds. We applaud their faith.
Grade: A-
Draft picks
| Round | Pick | Player |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 81 | D Sean Day |
| 4 | 98 | D Tarmo Reunanen |
| 5 | 141 | F Tim Gettinger |
| 6 | 171 | F Gabriel Fontaine |
| 6 | 174 | G Tyler Wall |
| 7 | 201 | F Ty Ronning |
Nobody remembers the last time the Rangers drafted in the first round. Day had exceptional status to play in the OHL at 15, and he fell to New York in the third round. The Rangers will have to work with him, but there's definitely talent there as well as in offensively minded Reunanen. Gettinger is a huge body and has upside as well. The club made a late trade in acquiring defenseman Nick Holden from the Colorado Avalanche for a fourth-rounder, but eventually New York has to learn that it needs more picks, not less.
Grade: C-
| Round | Pick | Player |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 22 | F German Rubtsov |
| 2 | 36 | F Pascal Laberge |
| 2 | 48 | G Carter Hart |
| 2 | 52 | F Wade Allison |
| 3 | 82 | F Carsen Twarynski |
| 4 | 109 | F Connor Bunnaman |
| 5 | 139 | D Linus Hogberg |
| 6 | 169 | F Tanner Laczynski |
| 6 | 172 | F Anthony Salintri |
| 7 | 199 | D David Bernhardt |
Five picks in the first three rounds - and 10 overall - is a definitive win. The Flyers loaded up on offensive talent, trading down four spots to grab a very smart player in Rubtsov while moving up 43 spots later in the draft. Also, Laberge has the talent to become a top-six forward. Ron Hextall also drafted a goalie in Hart who he believes can be a No. 1. A great weekend.
Grade: A+
Draft picks
| Round | Pick | Player |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 55 | G Filip Gustavsson |
| 2 | 61 | F Kasper Bjorkvist |
| 3 | 77 | D Connor Hall |
| 4 | 121 | D Ryan Jones |
| 5 | 151 | D Niclas Almari |
| 6 | 181 | D Joseph Masonius |
The Penguins won the Stanley Cup in 2016, so their 2016 draft isn't necessarily the most important to them. Still, the club targeted defensemen - trading Beau Bennett for the 77th pick in Hall, who can fit into Mike Sullivan's system that emphasizes speed and skill. The blueprint's in place for years to come, and Gustavsson could develop into an NHL starter in the crease. Bjorkvist has been compared to Leo Komarov, and the Pens love the edge in his age. All in all, not a bad weekend for the champs.
Grade: B-
Draft picks
| Round | Pick | Player |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 28 | D Lucas Johansen |
| 3 | 87 | F Garrett Pilon |
| 4 | 117 | F Damien Riat |
| 5 | 145 | F Beck Malenstyn |
| 5 | 147 | F Axel Jonsson-Fjallby |
| 6 | 177 | D Chase Priskie |
| 7 | 207 | D Dmitriy Zaitsev |
The Capitals are hopeful Johansen can be a middle-pairing defenseman. They targeted responsible offensive players on Day 2, and there's nothing wrong with that. Priskie could be a steal out of the NCAA.
Grade: B-
Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
The Ottawa Senators are hoping history doesn't repeat itself.
One year after the team took forward Mike Hoffman to arbitration, the club is hoping they won't have to repeat the process with the 26-year-old - who will once again become a restricted free agent on July 1 - general manager Pierre Dorion said, according to Chris Stevenson of TSN 1200.
Both sides continue to work on a deal and Dorion is willing to discuss various terms in order to avoid an arbitrator's decision.
After leading the Senators with 27 goals during the 2014-15 season, Hoffman was awarded a one-year, $2-million deal in arbitration last offseason.
Hoffman would have a stronger case this time around after leading the club for a second-straight season, with 29 goals in 2015-16.
Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.
For the second time in less than a year, the Buffalo Sabres are addressing potential legal troubles involving winger Evander Kane.
As the NHL Draft was about to get started at the Sabres' home rink Friday, a report emerged that Kane is being investigated for physically harassing two women at a Buffalo bar. Head coach Dan Bylsma and general manager Tim Murray didn't have all the relevant information as the draft wrapped up Saturday, and will wait to see what emerges from the investigation.
"I'm not pleased to see the headline," Bylsma admitted, according to John Vogl of The Buffalo News.
"I've heard the stories," Murray said. "The very first part of it that came out didn't sound very good.
"The police will investigate. There'll be evidence or there won't be evidence, and they'll either go forward or they'll go away."
Kane was the subject of an investigation into a possible sexual assault back in December, but no charges were laid.
Murray alluded to the fact the team will sit down and deal with Kane either way.
"If it's true, then we have to deal with it the way we have to deal with it. If it's false again, then I guess we have to come up with a different plan of attack on how to make sure that these accusations that may not be true, how we stop them."
Copyright © 2016 Score Media Ventures Inc. All rights reserved. Certain content reproduced under license.