It hasn't even been a year since names were called during the 2017 NHL draft, but seasons are wrapping up everywhere. That gives us a chance to look back and see how some of the first-rounders performed in their "draft-plus-1" season.
Drafts often take years to properly evaluate, but we'll use our one year of extra data and the benefit of hindsight to attach grades more in the form of a progress report. As these players remain works in progress, there's a lot of room for error, but there's less than there was a year ago.
One of the things that struck me was the chatter about how last year's draft was weaker than previous years. While definitely true in terms of top-end talent, the way the depth of this draft has shaken out, there was a lot more quality than previously thought. That's not to say that the assessment of relative weakness compared to 2015 and 2016 were off base, but perhaps the criticism of the 2017 class was a tad harsher than it needed to be based on the way this group has performed this year.
Nico Hischier and Nolan Patrick were the only two players in this draft to become immediate everyday NHLers. They both helped their respective teams reach the postseason. Hischier played a substantial role for the New Jersey Devils and Patrick developed very well on the job, finishing the season much stronger than he started it with the Philadelphia Flyers. Meanwhile, many 2017 first-round picks -- and a few Day 2 selections -- had massive years in their respective leagues, raising the expectations and sharpening their overall projections.
Here's a look at the 2017 draft with hindsight grades for how teams did and what a way-too-early re-draft might look like, taking into consideration a player's entire body of work, including this season.
1. New Jersey Devils: Nico Hischier, C
Grade: A
Re-draft: Nico Hischier
Hischier had a great rookie season and showed he was ready to center the team's top line. He helped the club reach the playoffs and finished second on the team with 52 points. There's a lot of signs that he's got plenty more potential to reach, and he's going to be a great core player for New Jersey.
2. Philadelphia Flyers: Nolan Patrick, C
Grade: A-
Re-draft: Nolan Patrick
Patrick's ability to grow into his role and his progression says a lot about his potential. He got stronger and more comfortable as the season went on, putting up 19 of his 30 points over his last 32 games. He doesn't have the high-end skill that Hischier and some others taken after him do, but he's a smart hockey player with a chance to be an impact player for Philly going forward.
3. Dallas Stars: Miro Heiskanen, D
Grade: A-
Re-draft: Miro Heiskanen
I think Heiskanen can play solid minutes for Dallas as early as next season. He was one of the most utilized defensemen in the Finnish league this season, played in the Olympics and was the top defenseman for Finland's World Junior team. He's an especially smart player who moves the puck well and shows flashes of higher-end offensive capabilities. His maturity sets him apart, and the Stars are going to reap the benefits of his skills very soon.
4. Colorado Avalanche: Cale Makar, D
Grade: B+
Re-draft: Cale Makar
Makar going back to school at UMass has done nothing to sway me about what I think of the player. In fact, it says more to me about his wanting to go back than coming out early. It is clear that he hasn't mastered the college game yet, but considering how big the jump is from the Alberta Junior Hockey League to NCAA, that's not a surprise. We saw his immense skills throughout the season, especially late. He was also dynamic in a limited role at the World Juniors. The Avs badly needed to add defense at the time, and they have a potential asset in Makar coming in the near future.
5. Vancouver Canucks: Elias Pettersson, C/W
Grade: A
Re-draft: Elias Pettersson
I listed Pettersson as my top prospect outside of the NHL last month, but there are still a few areas of his game that need to improve before he can make an NHL impact. Physical strength is one, and 5-on-5 play is another. I think both areas are going to be fine, though, as Pettersson has an immense skill set highlighted by his incredible shooting ability and offensive timing. He could be playing for the Canucks as early as next season after an MVP-like campaign in the Swedish league this year.
6. Vegas Golden Knights: Cody Glass, C
Grade: B+
Re-draft: Casey Mittelstadt
I think Cody Glass is a heck of a prospect. He had an exceptional season in the WHL this year with 102 points and could help the Golden Knights as early as next season and be an impact player for them down the line. I went with Mittelstadt in the re-draft because I think he has higher-upside potential and looks like the kind of center you'd want to build a team around.
7. New York Rangers: Lias Andersson, C
Grade: B-
Re-draft: Eeli Tolvanen
I think Andersson is a good prospect with a chance to grow into a leader for the Rangers down the line. That said, he was a bit of a reach on draft day and still looks like one. Meanwhile, the Rangers are in a more aggressive rebuilding phase than they were when they took Andersson. Tolvanen has all the makings of a first-line scoring winger, whereas I think Andersson more safely projects in a middle-six role.
8. Buffalo Sabres: Casey Mittelstadt, C/W
Grade: A
Re-draft: Gabriel Vilardi
In our re-draft, Mittelstadt would already be gone. But in real life, the Sabres have an ideal No. 2 center behind Jack Eichel, giving teams more matchup headaches (unless the Sabres want to throw Mittelstadt on Eichel's wing for a stronger top unit). They should be able to add another foundational piece with their first-round pick this year, too.
9. Detroit Red Wings: Michael Rasmussen, C
Grade: B-
Re-draft: Robert Thomas
I've been on the fence about Rasmussen due to his skating. Still, his size and offensive skills remain attractive qualities. He was injured for part of the year, but played well. In the WHL playoffs, the Red Wings' top pick has been a monster with 24 points in just eight games, as Tri-City is perfect through two rounds. Despite his incredible run, I still have quite a few players from last year's draft class ahead of him. That includes Thomas, who I think has more offensive upside due to high-end hockey sense and vision. Some scouts I've spoken with this year think Thomas would go in the top five of a re-draft.
10. Florida Panthers: Owen Tippett, LW
Grade: B
Re-draft: Owen Tippett
Tippett certainly fills a need for Florida, and he almost made the Panthers out of camp, but it was clear he still needed time in junior hockey. He has good size and speed, along with a devastating shot, which could be on display as early as next season in Sunrise. If confronted with the picks that shook out here in a do-over, Glass would be another good option, but Florida can use some immediate scoring help on the wing. Tippett should be able to provide that.
11. Los Angeles Kings: Gabriel Vilardi, C
Grade: A
Re-draft: Cody Glass
Vilardi is looking like a great pick by the Kings here. His production with Kingston has been nothing short of remarkable, as he finished second in the OHL with an average of 1.81 points per game despite missing the first half of the season recovering from injury. If he weren't available, they'd be able to get themselves a comparable player in Glass, who has decent size and good speed to go along with superior vision and touch around the net.
12. Carolina Hurricanes: Martin Necas, C
Grade: A-
Re-draft: Martin Necas
The Hurricanes have a versatile forward whose offensive game has taken off in his post-draft season. There's a case for him to go even earlier in a re-draft based on a strong professional campaign with HC Kometa Brno and a tremendous performance at the World Juniors. His versatility and strong hockey sense should put Necas in the mix for a roster spot next season.
13. Vegas Golden Knights: Nick Suzuki, C
Grade: B
Re-draft: Morgan Frost
I really liked the Golden Knights' first round overall, as I think they made the most of their three picks. Suzuki reached 100 points this season and topped 40 goals for the second straight year. He's a high-end offensive talent. Frost, who I'd take here in a re-draft, has really taken off this season and has quieted some concerns about his skating.
14. Tampa Bay Lightning: Cal Foote, D
Grade: C-
Re-draft: Nick Suzuki
I know the Lightning absolutely love Foote, as evidenced by not wanting to deal him in some of the trades they made to add pieces this season. I think Foote has a good chance of being an everyday NHLer. There are just more defensemen in this draft that could have made a more positive impact on Tampa's prospect system. The Lightning have drafted very well over the years, so I'm hesitant to question them, but based on the slot they had, I think they could have gone a variety of other directions. But Foote was obviously their guy.
15. Vegas Golden Knights: Erik Brannstrom, D
Grade: B+
Re-draft: Erik Brannstrom
Brannstrom is an exciting prospect and took some noticeable steps forward this year with increased production and a bigger role in the SHL with HV-71. He's a great skater and moves the puck extremely well. He probably needs to get a bit stronger, but he looks like a potential top-four blueliner with a chance to run a power-play unit eventually.
16. Calgary Flames: Juuso Valimaki, D
Grade: B
Re-draft: Filip Chytil
The Flames have done a nice job building a strong group of defensemen in their prospect system, and Valimaki is right at the top of that group. He still needs extra development time, but there's a lot to like about his game. Meanwhile, Chytil was one of the big surprises of the 2017 draft and has been even more surprising in terms of his surge in development, hence him jumping up a few spots.
17. Toronto Maple Leafs: Timothy Liljegren, D
Grade: B
Re-draft: Timothy Liljegren
The Maple Leafs seemed to be looking defense and got a real good blueliner in Liljegren, who had started last season as one of the top prospects. I'm still curious about his offensive upside overall, but his defending is improving in a significant way, which is why I don't see much of a reason to alter the pick here. Liljegren had one of the better production rates by an 18-year-old defenseman in AHL history with 0.39 points per game in 44 contests with the Toronto Marlies.
18. Boston Bruins: Urho Vaakanainen, D
Grade: C-
Re-draft: Juuso Valimaki
The Bruins went with one of the "safe" defensemen in their slot, as Vaakanainen is a solid defender with decent offensive upside. You could make a case that he has potential to be a top-four guy down the road, but that's only if his offensive game continues developing. He may be more safely projected as a bottom-pair defender. Meanwhile, Valimaki dropping slightly in our re-draft provides more value in this slot due to higher offensive upside.
19. San Jose Sharks: Josh Norris, C
Grade: C-
Re-draft: Lias Andersson
Norris had a pretty solid freshman season at Michigan, playing his way up the lineup and providing some good two-way value. He looks more like a lower-lineup center who kills penalties and provides some scoring depth. I think in a re-draft, he'd go much lower and possibly even fall to the second round. I like him as a prospect for his versatility and ability to fit into a role, but is that what most teams are looking for in a top-20 pick?
20. St. Louis Blues: Robert Thomas, C
Grade: A
Re-draft: Kristian Vesalainen
Thomas has been a post-draft darling, particularly before his trade to Hamilton. He's still been productive, but not as much as he was when he was with a star-studded London squad. That said, he makes those around him better with his ability to control shifts and find lanes. His vision is off the charts.
21. New York Rangers: Filip Chytil, C
Grade: B+
Re-draft: Michael Rasmussen
Chytil was one of the youngest players in the draft and a bit of a wild card, but the Rangers have themselves a key prospect for their future. For his age, he was particularly impressive in the AHL after starting the year with the big club. That's why he got bumped up in the re-draft.
22. Edmonton Oilers: Kailer Yamamoto, RW
Grade: B
Re-draft: Kailer Yamamoto
Yamamoto had an up-and-down season, but he got better as the year progressed, dealing first with not making the Oilers full-time after a nine-game tryout and later battling through some injuries. He remains a skilled, tenacious forward who can play the game at a high speed. He should fit into the Oilers' plans sooner rather than later. He fell a little further than I expected on draft day, but No. 22 looks like a pretty solid slot for him now, especially as the Oilers are starved for help on the wing.
23. Arizona Coyotes: Pierre-Olivier Joseph, D
Grade: C-
Re-draft: Conor Timmins
I haven't yet been sold on Joseph as a first-round-caliber prospect, but he's having a strong postseason for Charlottetown in a leading role, helping his team pull off a sweep of a talented Halifax squad. I'm warming up to him more as the season progresses, but I'd go with another option in a re-draft. Conor Timmins, picked 32nd overall by Colorado, has continued opening eyes to his high-end two-way abilities this season. He can produce, as well as play a shutdown role if you need him to. Timmins could end up being one of the most versatile defenders in this draft class.
24. Winnipeg Jets: Kristian Vesalainen, LW
Grade: B+
Re-draft: Klim Kostin
Vesalainen was the top U20 scorer in the Liiga this year by 10 points. He's not an overly flashy player, but he just knows how to produce and adds yet another offensive asset to the pipeline that churns top forwards out with stunning regularity in Winnipeg.
25. Montreal Canadiens: Ryan Poehling, C
Grade: B-
Re-draft: Ryan Poehling
Poehling had a very strong sophomore season in helping St. Cloud State become one of the top teams in the country as a key player at both ends of the ice. His two-way value and hockey smarts offset some of the concerns about his overall offensive upside. He still has another gear to get to offensively, but in the end, it looks like the Habs have a pretty safe player here.
26. Dallas Stars: Jake Oettinger, G
Grade: C-
Re-draft: Aleksi Heponiemi
Taking a goalie in the first round has been a fairly risky proposition, and for stretches of this season, the Stars might have been a bit nervous about their gamble. Oettinger had a tough first half, but improved as the season wore on. Since Dallas had two picks, the gamble isn't as costly, and Oettinger still has a chance to be a really solid goaltender. He wouldn't have lasted long enough for the Stars to grab him in the second, so I can't fault them for the pick, but this team hasn't had a lot of home runs in the first round of late. In the re-draft, Heponiemi -- selected 40th overall by Florida -- looks like one of the best playmakers in the class, but is still at least a few years away.
27. Philadelphia Flyers: Morgan Frost, C
Grade: A-
Re-draft: Henri Jokiharju
Drafted with the pick the Flyers acquired from the Blues in the Brayden Schenn trade, Frost has trended way up since draft day. He was a bit of an off-the-board selection, but the season he has had with the Soo Greyhounds has the Flyers excited. Adding both Patrick and Frost to their already strong prospect pool offered a nice little boost.
28. Ottawa Senators: Shane Bowers, C
Grade: B-
Re-draft: Alex Formenton
Bowers had a strong freshman season at Boston University, even though his rights were traded from Ottawa to Colorado in the Matt Duchene deal right in the middle of it. With 32 points in 40 games for BU, Bowers was a top performer for the team. The Sens got Formenton in the second round anyway, but his speed and creativity made him look much closer to a first-round caliber talent this year, making parting with Bowers a bit easier.
29. Chicago Blackhawks: Henri Jokiharju, D
Grade: B
Re-draft: Cal Foote
Jokiharju took another step forward this season, showing poise with the puck and better offensive instincts. As a result, his numbers jumped significantly. Jokiharju needs to focus on getting stronger in the offseason, but as a right-shot defenseman, he should at least have a chance to make the Blackhawks out of camp next season.
30. Nashville Predators: Eeli Tolvanen, LW
Grade: A
Re-draft: Shane Bowers
This could end up going down as the pick of the draft. Tolvanen had dropped from a potential top-10 pick to almost out of the first round. There were some character concerns that might have scared teams off, but Tolvanen showed just how valuable he can be with his record-breaking season in the KHL. His 36 points were the most ever by a U19 player in that league, and his Olympic performance was near historic as well. He's already with the Predators and should provide scoring depth next season.
31. St. Louis Blues: Klim Kostin, C
Grade: B+
Re-draft: Kole Lind
Kostin's first season in North America was an awfully successful one as he proved he could play in the AHL at 18 years old. He was also a dominant force at the World Juniors when playing against his peers. There's no need for the Blues to rush him, so I'd expect to see another year in the AHL for him, but he's probably not that far away, given how smoothly he made his transition to the pro ranks on this side of the pond. In the re-draft, I like what Kole Lind, who was picked 33rd overall in 2017, brings in terms of speed and power. His development has been on an upward trajectory and shows no signs of slowing.