I was recently talking to a friend of mine about the NHL draft and who had the best draft this year. We got into a lively debate and it got me thinking, who has the best NHL draft? It’s been an interesting and unpredictable season, with some teams like the San Jose Sharks making big trade deals and some teams like the St Louis Blues, not having such an impressive draft.
As I began to do some research, I started to realize that, in a way, everyone had a good cheap nhl jerseys draft. The team that went into the draft with the smallest amount of draft picks had to make their choices very carefully, and I’m sure that they’ve done their homework getting ready for the draft. On the other hand, teams with more draft picks seemingly had the opportunity to take some risks and bring in some exciting new faces.
With teams like Toronto Maple Leafs, Chicago Blackhawks, and Montreal Canadiens having so many first-round picks, they could have potentially taken players with more than just the potential to be great pros, but also the potential to shape the team’s identity for the future.
On the other hand, the New York Islanders took a rather different approach to the NHL draft. It seemed that they focused more on stocking up for the future, by taking chances on players who are expected to be a bit of a project.
At the end of the day though, the Washington Capitals had a really solid draft. They managed to snag some promising young talents like forward Jakub Vrana as well as adding solid veterans like goalie Justin Peters and forwards Paul Carey and Stanislav Galiev that can help in the present.
The top overall pick, it has to be said, went to the Florida Panthers who selected defenseman Aaron Ekblad. All in all, the Panthers did a good job of stocking up for the future.
Overall, I think the way this year’s NHL draft unfolded, and the different approaches different teams took to the draft, it’s safe to say that individuals are the ultimate determiners of who the best nhl shop draft was. Only time will tell who had the best draft, and if any team’s picks pan out to be stars.
In terms of how the Canadiens draft might go, let’s just say they were very fortunate to pick up forward Nikita Scherbak. His story is inspiring and he’s a great guy who, if he continues on his current trajectory, could be a real asset for the team. Not to mention, having five of their seven picks be forwards, I imagine coach Michel Therrien is feeling a bit more confident about his team’s offensive prospects.
On the other side of the country, the Vancouver Canucks surprised almost everyone when they picked defenseman Jake Virtanen with the sixth overall pick. But it seems they had their eyes on the prize and, though it came as a shock, he’s shaping up to be a great prospect.
In the end, teams that haven’t had a great draft can be salvaged by making some smart trades throughout the season. For example, the Winnipeg Jets had an okay draft, but the trade for Mathieu Perreault put them in a great position. And, the Buffalo Sabres trade for Ryan O’Reilly – a move which surprised everyone – made them a much more dangerous team.
Finally, looking back on all the picks from the NHL draft and the way in which teams decided to approach the draft, it’s hard to make a definitive determination as to who made the best picks. It’s all up to the players and if they make the most of their opportunities working hard and staying focused on their goals. The best NHL draft will only be revealed in the long run.