The Ottawa Senators traded up one spot with the New Jersey Devils and selected Windsor Spitfires forward Logan Brown with the 11th overall pick in the 2016 NHL Draft.
Position: Center
Height: 6-6
Weight: 218 pounds
Age: 18
Club: Windsor (OHL)
Nationality: American
| GP | G | A | P | ES GPG | ES PPG | ES GF% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 59 | 21 | 43 | 74 | 0.254 | 0.763 | 64.211 |
(Even-strength stats courtesy: prospect-stats.com)
Brown ranks seventh among North American skaters on the NHL's Central Scouting rankings, having jumped up seven spots since the midterm rankings. Brown is also the highest ranking center in North America.
The 18-year-old is coming off his second season with the Spitfires where he finished second in scoring with 74 points.
He is a reliable two-way-center who has an NHL-ready shot and great creativity in the offensive zone. He is sound on both sides of the puck, but despite his towering frame is not overly physical, according to Elite Prospects.
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The Montreal Canadiens selected defenseman Mikhail Sergachev with the ninth overall pick in the 2016 NHL Draft on Friday.
Position: Defense
Height: 6-2
Weight: 205 pounds
Age: 17
Club: Windsor (OHL)
Nationality: Russian
| GP | G | A | P | ES GPG | ES PPG | ES GF% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 67 | 17 | 40 | 57 | .134 | .373 | 56.693 |
(Even-strength stats courtesy: prospect-stats.com)
Sergachev entered the draft as the fourth-highest-ranked defenseman in North America, according to NHL Central Scouting, and the eighth-ranked skater overall.
The 17-year-old is coming off his first season in North America. He had a stellar campaign, leading all OHL defensemen with 17 goals and finishing third with 57 points in 67 games. His incredible play saw him awarded the Max Kaminsky Trophy as the league's most outstanding defenseman.
Sergachev is a two-way defender who, according to Elite Prospects, "plays with a poise and confidence that facilitates his creativity with the puck." He's a speedy and fluid skater with an incredibly strong shot, with the lone knock against him being his defensive-zone coverage.
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The Calgary Flames will field a goaltender next season.
Calgary has acquired veteran Brian Elliott from the St. Louis Blues from the 35th overall pick at the 2016 NHL Draft, as first reported by Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.
St. Louis will also get a conditional third round pick in 2018 if the Flames re-sign Elliott, who is scheduled for unrestricted free agency next summer. He will earn just $2.5 million for this upcoming season.
Elliott posted sparkling numbers in split duties with Jake Allen last season, finishing with a .930 save percentage and 2.07 goals-against average in 42 games. He was banged up for portions of the season, but was able to win the starting job for the postseason and lead the Blues past the Chicago Blackhawks and Dallas Stars, and into the Western Conference Final.
The 31-year-old likely will not have to compete for the crease in Calgary, being the only Flames netminder on an NHL contract.
Allen, who also posted strong numbers in 47 appearances last season, will be the starter moving forward for St. Louis at a $2.35-million cap hit.
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The Arizona Coyotes have selected center Clayton Keller with the seventh overall pick in the 2016 NHL Draft on Friday.
Position: Center
Height: 5-10
Weight: 178 lbs
Age: 17
Club: U.S. National Development Program (U-18)
Nationality: American
| GP | G | A | P | ES GPG | ES PPG | ES GF% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 | 13 | 24 | 37 | 0.304 | 1.00 | 72.973 |
(Even-strength stats courtesy: prospect-stats.com)
Keller won't turn 18 until July 29, but the young centerman already has the look of an impact player.
Ranked ninth among North American skaters in advance of the draft, Keller has put up big offensive numbers at every level to date, and while some teams may be turned off by his size, his game belies his under 6-foot frame.
From Future Considerations:
A small but highly dynamic playmaker that is not afraid to go to the greasy areas for a scoring chance. He skates well with the ability to rocket down the ice and add a quick lateral burst to get through a hole when required. Has very impressive vision and ability to pick up options all over the ice all while maintaining possession and protecting the puck. Is a 100% effort player who rarely takes a shift off. Also possesses a pin-point shot that he hits his mark with when in a position to score. A very dangerous offensive player who has definite top six NHL potential ...
He may be a couple years away, but the harvest of this pick down the line could be plentiful.
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The Calgary Flames drafted London Knights forward Matthew Tkachuk with the sixth overall pick in the 2016 NHL Draft on Friday.
Position: Left Wing
Height: 6-1
Weight: 194 lbs
Age: 17
Club: London Knights (OHL)
Nationality: American
| GP | G | A | P | ES GPG | ES PPG | ES GF% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 57 | 30 | 77 | 107 | 0.526 | 1.877 | 73.737 |
(Even-strength stats courtesy: prospect-stats.com)
The son of longtime-NHLer Keith, Tkachuk was the second-ranked North American skater in this year's draft thanks to an outstanding season with the Knights. He formed a dynamic trio with 2015 fourth overall pick Mitch Marner and 2014 second-rounder Christian Dvorak, leading London to the OHL final. Tkachuk finished fifth in the league in scoring, racking up 107 points in 57 regular-season games.
A "multi-dimensional energy winger," according to Elite Prospects, Tkachuk has a unique combination of grit and skill. He has no problems getting to the front of the net, and is also coveted for his ability to create scoring chances for his linemates. Despite a difference in size, many believe his game is similar to his father's - who scored 538 goals over his career.
Though he possesses incredibly smooth strides, Tkachuk must work on his foot speed to make an immediate impact in the NHL, but his skill set makes him a surefire top prospect for.
Tkachuk fits perfectly into the Brian Burke mold. A player with size who can score, hit, and play a 200-foot game is exactly what Calgary was looking for. He should fit in well with the core of Sean Monahan, Johnny Gaudreau, and Sam Bennett for years to come.
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The Vancouver Canucks selected defenseman Olli Juolevi with the fifth overall pick in the 2016 NHL Draft on Friday.
Position: Defense
Height: 6-2
Weight: 183 pounds
Age: 18
Club: London (OHL)
Nationality: Finnish
| GP | G | A | P | ES GPG | ES PPG | ES GF% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 57 | 9 | 32 | 41 | 0.088 | 0.298 | 72.414 |
(Even-strength stats courtesy: prospect-stats.com)
Juolevi was fantastic in his first season in North America, recording nine goals and 32 assists and leading all rookies with a plus-38 rating after transferring from Jokerit's under-20 team in Finland to the OHL's London Knights.
But the young Finn really made his mark at the World Junior Championship, where he and fellow 2016 draft prospects Patrik Laine and Jesse Puljujarvi led their country to a gold medal in Helsinki. He finished the tournament with nine assists in seven games.
Juolevi is a great two-way defenseman who can play in any situation. With "elite-level vision and hockey sense," according to Elite Prospects, the 18-year-old is comparable to fellow Finnish blue-liner Olli Maatta, who also possesses great skating ability and skill.
The first defenseman off the board, Juolevi is also the third-highest Finnish blue-liner ever selected at the NHL Draft.
With the addition of Erik Gudbranson, Vancouver has six defenders under contract for next year. So despite Juolevi being as NHL-ready as any blue-liner on the board, it's a long shot he'll contribute next season.
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The Edmonton Oilers selected forward Jesse Puljujarvi with the fourth overall pick in the 2016 NHL Draft on Friday.
Position: RW
Height: 6-3
Weight: 210 lbs
Age: 18
Club: Kärpät (Liiga)
Nationality: Finnish
| GP | G | A | P |
|---|---|---|---|
| 50 | 13 | 15 | 28 |
Puljujarvi entered the draft as the third-ranked European skater, bumped down a peg in light of American-born Auston Matthews' decision to play in Switzerland this past season, and ultimately listed behind countryman Patrik Laine, with whom he battled for the second spot for quite some time.
The 18-year-old is described as a big winger who combines size, skating, and skill; a smart player at both ends of the ice who compares well to Jamie Benn of the Dallas Stars, according to Elite Prospects.
Puljujarvi carries 71 games of Finnish Elite League experience with him, recording 17 goals and 39 assists (0.55 point per game) as a teenage pro. He also led the 2016 World Junior Championships in scoring with five goals and 12 assists for the dominant and gold medal winning Finnish side.
The Oilers get another promising winger to add to their stable of talented forwards. Edmonton is loaded with trade assets up front and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is reportedly on the block, so it makes sense to add a blue-chip, cost-effective forward to the organization.
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