Winners
Montreal Canadiens
The Canadiens couldn't have run to the podium any faster when Cole Caufield slipped to 15th overall. He scored 72 goals in 64 games for the U.S. National Team Development Program this past season, and it's quite baffling why he fell as far as he did. His size (5-foot-7, 163 lbs) may have played a role, and while that reasoning has haunted teams in the past, it appears size is still a concern for some in 2019.
It's possible teams attributed Caufield's gaudy numbers to being Jack Hughes' linemate, but Caufield's shot is truly elite. His wrister is hard and accurate, the release is quick, and he's great at getting it through traffic. He uses this off the rush, but his one-time blast from the left circle will arguably be just as lethal, especially as he continues to get stronger.
The Athletic's Corey Pronman had Caufield as his fifth-ranked player overall. Team USA U18 coach John Wroblewski called him "mini Ovechkin."
Colorado Avalanche
The Avalanche already entered the day as winners, as the Matt Duchene thievery from 2017 netted them the fourth overall pick from the Ottawa Senators. The Avs put the selection to good use, snagging dynamic blue-liner Bowen Byram. With Cale Makar already in the fold, Colorado now has two of the world's best defensive prospects. Its under-24 core of Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Rantanen, Makar, and Byram is one of the most enviable in the league.
The Avs made an astute pick with their own first-rounder, too. With the No. 16 selection, they took speedy sniper Alex Newhook. He played center for the Victoria Grizzlies of the BCHL, though he may be better suited to shift to the wing in the pros. Regardless, he plays with a lot of pace, which fits Colorado's style of play, and he's dangerous from all areas of the ice thanks to his lethal shot.
U.S. National Team Development Program
Seven of the first 15 selections on Friday night were graduates of the U.S. National Team Development Program. Add in John Beecher, who went 30th overall to the Boston Bruins, and eight cracked the first round.
| Pick | Player | Pos. | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jack Hughes | F | NJ |
| 5 | Alex Turcotte | F | LA |
| 9 | Trevor Zegras | F | ANA |
| 12 | Matthew Boldy | F | MIN |
| 13 | Spencer Knight | G | FLA |
| 14 | Cam York | D | PHI |
| 15 | Cole Caufield | F | MTL |
| 30 | John Beecher | F | BOS |
The CHL will have more players taken in the draft overall, but the NTDP is now unquestionably ahead of the pack when it comes to producing elite, high-end talent. Of the NTDP's 20 draft eligible players, only 12 remain.
The NTDP has a greater focus on individual skill and growth, and other developmental programs may begin to take note.
Losers
Detroit Red Wings
This is not a knock on Mortiz Seider, whom the Red Wings took with the No. 6 pick. All indicators point to the German defenseman being a good player - but not great. He's big, he can skate, defend well, and make a nice first pass, but his offensive upside is very limited. At sixth overall, teams should be reaching a bit higher. Especially the Red Wings, who have needs throughout their organization and should've take the best player available.
It's difficult to question Steve Yzerman, arguably the best GM in hockey, but it's not like he has spotless track record in the first round. He's made risky picks before, and some, such as Brett Connolly (No. 6, 2010), Slater Koekkoek (No. 10, 2012), and Tony DeAngelo (No. 19, 2014), didn't quite pan out.
If the Wings were that infatuated with Seider, they would've been better off trading down to select him and getting additional darts to throw on the board. For reference, The Athletic's Corey Pronman had Seider as his 22nd ranked player, TSN's Bob McKenzie had him at 16, and Sportsnet's Sam Cosentino slotted him at 24.
Florida Panthers
Again, this is not a knock on the player. Spencer Knight, by all indications, could be a very special goalie. It's about the position.
In the last 11 years, eight goalies have been selected in the first round. Andrei Vasilevskiy, this year's Vezina Trophy winner, is the clear outlier among this group, as the other seven goalies have played a combined 87 games in the NHL.
Sure, it's unfair to group Knight with the likes of Chet Pickard and Mark Visentin, but there's just far less certainty with netminders. They take longer to get to the NHL, and when/if they do, their success is tougher to predict.
With the 13th pick, the Panthers could've gotten a player who could impact the NHL club in a year or two, but instead, they may be waiting on Knight, who's NHL success could be very dependent on the team playing in front of him. It's not out of the question that Knight could have been available in Round 2.
The OHL
Not very long ago, the OHL was the hotbed for producing top talent. After Friday night, that feels like decades ago.
A player from the OHL didn't hear his name called until Thomas Harley was selected 18th overall by the Dallas Stars. That's tied for the longest it's taken for an OHL player to be drafted since the league was founded in 1980. It's also the first time since 1986 an OHL player wasn't drafted in the top 10. In total, just four OHLers were taken in Round 1.
It'd be easy to say the OHL needs to prioritize individual growth like the USNTDP, but for team owners in the OHL, it's a business, and winning - not individual growth and preparation for the draft - drives business. Maybe there needs to be changes made to the developmental strategy at the grassroots level in Ontario, and perhaps Canada as a whole.
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