After every NHL draft, I publish my analysis on how I felt teams did during the course of their selections.
With about nine months having passed since I graded every team's haul for 2016, it's time to review my grades and analysis for those classes, and make updates I think are appropriate. Note that this column does not include updates on every team, as some have undergone only minor changes in the time since.
One of the most common complaints I hear from hockey people throughout the year is on my draft grade columns. The complaints aren't about the actual grades, but that they find it unfair since prospects take a while to develop. I disagree with that assertion, since the draft grades are also about the value of the particular player when he is taken.
Nevertheless, this file is for both the fans and the hockey people who had their pitchforks out last June.
Here are the biggest shifts in grades from when I first graded the 2016 NHL draft classes last June to now:
Anaheim Ducks
Old grade: B
New grade: B+
Sam Steel's giant season is the biggest reason for Anaheim's rise in the draft grades. Steel has gone from 30th overall pick to one of the top prospects in hockey, being a critical piece of the top team in the CHL, the Regina Pats (WHL). Josh Mahura (No. 85) has rebounded from an injury-plagued draft season and has looked like a solid two-way defender in the WHL, and Alex Dostie (No. 115) is an impressive small but skilled forward, playing on arguably the top line in the QMJHL in Charlottetown.
Boston Bruins
Old grade: B
New grade: B+
I didn't love the start of Boston's draft last June, but it looks a whole lot better now to me. No. 15 overall pick Charlie McAvoy has been very good at Boston University, and was an All-Star at the World Juniors. Their second first-round pick Trent Frederic (No. 29) was named a second-team All-Star and top freshman in the Big 10 conference, skating for Wisconsin. Ryan Lindgren, the 49th overall pick, doesn't have a huge upside, but he was a solid defenseman as a freshman at Minnesota prior to his injury. While the B's didn't have a ton of picks, their important picks seem to be progressing very well.
Chicago Blackhawks
Old grade: B+
New grade: B
Chicago had nine picks in 2016, and most of them haven't given me many reasons to be very optimistic about their NHL future. Artur Kayumov was a guy I liked last season, and he went higher than I thought he would at 50th overall, but he has struggled this season. No. 45 pick Chad Krys had a tough first half as a freshman at Boston University, but has been a little better of late. No. 83 pick Wouter Peeters couldn't maintain a .900 save percentage in Finland's junior league. On the bright side, despite being cut from the U.S. team for the World Juniors, Alex DeBrincat (No. 39) has continued to light the OHL on fire, currently sitting at 127 points through 63 games for the Erie Otters.
Columbus Blue Jackets
Old grade: B+
New grade: B
Columbus was scrutinized (by me and others) for selecting Pierre-Luc Dubois third overall over Jesse Puljujarvi. While Puljujarvi hasn't established himself in the NHL yet, he has been good in the AHL at age 18. Dubois was a player I liked a lot in his draft season, but he hasn't progressed a ton. His stats are down almost across the board. I still like him as an NHL prospect, but more as a very good one as opposed to a foundational piece. No. 34 pick Andrew Peeke was OK as a freshman at Notre Dame, but I haven't seen a lot of impact qualities. On the other hand, third-round pick Vitaly Abaramov (No. 65) has been very good in his second QMJHL season for the Gatineau Olympiques, and seventh-round pick Calvin Thurkauf (No. 165) has been a riser in the WHL, skating for the Kelowna Rockets.
Florida Panthers
Old grade: B-
New grade: B
A big part of Florida's shift has been the fantastic 19-year-old season from re-entry first-round pick Henrik Borgstrom (No. 23), one of the oddest and more fascinating draft picks of the past decade. He struggled at the World Juniors, but has been dominant in college at the University of Denver, and has an elite talent level, albeit with warts in his all-around play. Third-round pick Linus Nassen (No. 89) has also been intriguing as a mobile puck-moving defender, but he'll need some time to develop. Second-round pick Adam Mascherin (No. 38) has been a top scorer in the OHL (100 points in 65 games), with a great skill/shot combo, but worries about his skating remain. There's room to nitpick this draft that I haven't mentioned, but it's trending in the right direction and Borgstrom's development path provides room for more optimism.
Nashville Predators
Old grade: B+
New grade: A-
Nashville's draft is looking very good nine months later. First-round pick Dante Fabbro's (No. 17) stock has held steady during his first season playing #cawlidgehockey at Boston University, but it's more about their later picks getting to near the same level as Fabbro. No. 47 pick Samuel Girard has been outstanding for Shawinigan in the QMJHL, and is one of the most dynamic defense prospects outside the NHL. Fifth-round pick Patrick Harper (No. 138) has scored at near a point-per-game rate as a freshman at BU, and third-round pick Rem Pitlick (No. 76) was very good at Minnesota, being one of the top freshmen in the conference.
St. Louis Blues
Old grade: B-
New grade: B
I've written a lot about Tage Thompson, the Blues' first-round pick (No. 26) who just turned pro and has four games to his name with the AHL's Chicago Wolves. His progress adds value to the Blues' draft. Their second-round pick Jordan Kyrou (No. 35), who I ranked ahead of Thompson as a draft prospect -- it's a toss-up now -- has also looked very good for the OHL's Sarnia Sting. Nikolaj Krag (No. 209) has also been intriguing to me. No. 59 pick, goaltender Evan Fitzpatrick, has struggled for Sherbrooke in the Q, and Conner Bleackley (No. 144) seems like a lost reclamation project. All in all though, there's a decent bump here for the Blues.
Tampa Bay Lightning
Old grade: B
New grade: B+
Tampa had a lot of picks in 2016, and thus there is a lot to discuss on both the positive and negative fronts. Second-round pick Taylor Raddysh (No. 58) has been one of the top scorers in the CHL as an 18-year-old, and was surprisingly good at the World Juniors for Canada. First-rounder Brett Howden (No. 27) has looked fantastic, as a high-speed big center with skill and defensive capability. Connor Ingram (No. 88) looks like one of the top goalie prospects in the CHL, posting a .927 save percentage in 45 games for Kamloops. On the other end, I've been left wanting from No. 37 pick Libor Hajek, and still have yet to see a "wow" factor from his play.
Vancouver Canucks
Old grade: B+
New grade: B
One of the most hotly debated prospects in hockey this season has been Olli Juolevi, Vancouver's fifth overall pick. I've lowered him from my original draft board after what in my opinion has been a slightly underwhelming 2016-17 season. He's still a very good prospect, a high-end talent, but I've dropped him down a half-tier or so from where he was a year ago based on his play so far between the OHL (London Knights) and the World Juniors. Will Lockwood (No. 64) has been pretty good as a freshman, but I was pretty high on him going into the draft, so there hasn't been much movement for me after his strong start at Michigan. Brett McKenzie (No. 194) hasn't been a huge riser, but he's looked real solid in North Bay and could be a decent AHL depth option as a two-way forward.