While we're all excited about the top 20 prospects in the 2018 NHL draft, I'm more intrigued by what happens in the back half of the first round. With almost no consensus, teams are going to be all over the map in their selections. The good news, however, is that the skill level all the way down to about the 60th pick should give teams a number of prospects to help their systems in a big way.
The nervous energy among scouts who I've talked to is noticeable. You don't know how many times I've heard, "I don't know if he'll be there for us when we want him, but we'd love to have him." The entertainment value is certainly going to be high in the first round and the early portion of Day 2.
So let's get to some more of the higher-end players available in 2018, looking here at those ranking Nos. 21-40 on my big board.
Top 80 | Nos. 1-20 | Nos. 41-60 | Nos. 61-80
Notable late-rounders | Top goalies
21. Jonatan Berggren, RW, Skelleftea Jr. (Sweden-Jr.)
Age: 17 | Shoot: L | Ht: 5-10 | Wt: 181
38 GP | 18 G | 39 A
Another player who has really jumped out to me over the course of the year, Berggren is one of the more dynamic players still on the board in this range and a personal favorite of mine this draft season. He led Sweden's top junior league with 57 points this season, posting the fourth-best season ever by a U18 player in that league. His scoring rates compare favorably with last year's No. 7 pick Lias Andersson and exceeds those of Stanley Cup finalists Lars Eller and William Karlsson at the same age. Berggren also saw some time in the pro ranks with Skelleftea and even appeared in two playoff games. He followed that up with an especially strong performance for Sweden at the World U18 Championship, leading the team with 10 points. In pretty much all of my viewings this year, Berggren stood out as a higher-end skill player who can get by defenders and create chances for himself and his teammates.
22. Akil Thomas, C, Niagara (OHL)
Age: 18 | Shoot: R | Ht: 6-0 | Wt: 171
68 GP | 22 G | 59 A
Thomas is one of those players who basically no one has a bad word to say about. Thomas clearly works very hard on his game, which includes excellent playmaking skills. Thomas describes himself as a pass-first player, and at times he can probably be a little too pass-happy. He tried to shoot more as the season wore on, even noting to me that he switched up the curve on his stick to improve his shot. He also noted that he started working with sports psychologists in the second half of the season to help work on the mental aspects of his game and maintain focus in the challenging draft season.
"I've enjoyed it at times, and it's been rough at times," Thomas said of the added attention in his draft season. "It's a really hectic year. [The sports psychologists] help me a lot. They have me doing rituals that I haven't been doing any other year. It's interesting to see how that stuff can change your game."
Scouts I've talked to want to see Thomas get more aggressive and add a little more grit in his game. He has the speed and athleticism to make even more of an impact, but he's already in a pretty good place. He was a top performer for a very good Niagara team and led all U18 players in the OHL with 81 points. I think he can be a play-driving forward as he progresses, just as he is in the OHL already. Look for him to take a big leap forward next season.
23. Vitali Kravtsov, RW, Chelyabinsk (Russia)
Age: 18 | Shoot: L | Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 170
35 GP | 4 G | 3 A
A highly-skilled player with size, Kravtsov really shot up the charts with his playoff performance in the KHL. The big winger had 11 points in 16 games for Traktor in the postseason, a new high-water mark for players under the age of 20 in the Gagarin Cup playoffs. To have done that at 18 years old is truly remarkable. It wasn't just the late-season production that stood out, though. Kravtsov's ability to attack opposing players and confidence in making plays at a time of year when it's harder to do those kinds of things really stood out.
His puck skills are high end, and he has a good shot. He's still developing more of a power game, but already shows a propensity for getting to the middle of the ice and going to the harder areas for the sake of offense. Relative to the class, he seems like a bit of a late bloomer, having never played for Russia at any major international event (a rarity for a prospect as highly regarded as Kravtsov).
I really like what Kravtsov did in the KHL playoffs, his skills and his size, but I had just enough doubt about his long-term ceiling to keep him out of the top 20, despite the fact he's risen up so many boards of late.
24. Bode Wilde, D, USA U18 (NTDP)
Age: 18 | Shoot: R | Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 195
53 GP | 11 G | 25 A
Wilde has immense physical tools, along with high-end skating and an ability to make a lot of plays from the back end. He also has a very good shot and strong distribution skills. There are rising concerns about his overall hockey sense, though, which I tend to agree with. While Wilde has a lot of skill in his game and can play at pretty decent speed, he too often makes poor puck decisions and can get himself into trouble. The steadiness and easiness that you'd want to see in a facilitator from the back end isn't there. I think it's going to take time and reps in games when there isn't a ton of time and space to become more comfortable in those pressure situations. If he improves that, his value skyrockets. Hockey sense can be one of the hardest things to come by, but finding defensemen with the mix of size, skill and athleticism that Wilde possesses is even harder. That's why the hockey-sense concerns aren't enough for me to drop him any further than this.
25. Martin Kaut, RW, Pardubice (Czech)
Age: 18 | Shoot: R | Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 176
38 GP | 9 G | 7 A
After a standout World Juniors performance, Kaut really started garnering attention. He was playing on the top line with Filip Zadina and Martin Necas and was far from a passenger with those two elite players. Kaut was more of a playmaker on that line, happy to set up the other two for the goals and playing a key role in puck possession. His patience with the puck and offensive vision are of the high-end variety. The only U20 player in the Czech pro ranks with more points than his 16 was Necas, who is presently among the best prospects in hockey. Additionally, Kaut was under consideration to play for the men's national team at the Worlds this year, but narrowly missed out. One potential cause for concern is that Kaut was sent home from the NHL draft combine with a minor medical issue. By all accounts, it's not something that will affect him long-term, but it is a thing that teams are going to be monitoring very closely in the build-up to the draft and could lead to a slide for the highly-talented winger.
26. Ty Dellandrea, C, Flint (OHL)
Age: 17 | Shoot: R | Ht: 6-0 | Wt: 185
67 GP | 27 G | 32 A
Dellandrea has gone up and down my board throughout the year, but never strayed terribly far from the top 30. I think his skill level showed more as the season progressed. Despite playing on a poor team in Flint, Dellandrea still took over some games. That's not easy to do when there's so much focus on you as the team's best forward. While his production isn't necessarily jumping out at anybody, his continued improvement over the course of the year should. I think he has higher-end puck skills, possesses the confidence to make plays and is a good enough skater to give opposing teams problems. I'd expect a big step forward from him next season assuming he gets a little stronger and maybe gets some help in Flint.
27. Mattias Samuelsson, D, USA U18 (NTDP)
Age: 18 | Shoot: L | Ht: 6-4 | Wt: 217
50 GP | 9 G | 19 A
A bruising, physical defenseman with NHL bloodlines -- former NHLer Kjell Samuelsson is his father -- Samuelsson had a bit of an up-and-down season. I didn't think he performed overly well at the World U18 Championship compared with his high standard of play previously, but he played a ton. Used more as a shutdown defenseman, his tools in his own end are definitely superior to his offensive abilities. That said, the maturity he displays is a reason some scouts I've talked to see him as not needing as much time before he can make the jump to the NHL. He is currently slated to attend Western Michigan University to play for former NHL head coach Andy Murray, who has developed his share of quality defenders.
The big question with Samuelsson at this point is how high is his ceiling? He's already bigger and stronger than many of his peers, but does he have another gear to get to offensively? I saw enough this season to suggest that he has more to give there. He's got a very good shot when he uses it; he just needs to use it more. Plus, he moves the puck better than he is often given credit for. But I think there are valid concerns about his ability to produce from the back end at the next level. Regardless, he still has a lot of tools that could make him an NHL defenseman for a long, long time, and I still view him as a likely top-four defender long term.
28. Dominik Bokk, RW, Vaxjo Jr. (Sweden-Jr.)
Age: 18 | Shoot: R | Ht: 6-1 | Wt: 180
35 GP | 14 G | 27 A
I've been up and down on Bokk this season, as I believe he definitely has high-end puck skills. There's a lot of dynamism to his game, which you don't often find in German players. He had a strong season in Sweden's U20 ranks and even got some reps with Swedish champion Vaxjo in the SHL this season. He got pretty significant playing time when he was up, though he only ended up with a goal and an assist. That's all great experience for the 17-year-old regardless of how he produced. His passing ability is up there with some of the best players in this draft. He can make defenders miss, and his poise with the puck is pretty solid. He has a good shot, too, but I think he's more of a pass-first guy, and it suits him.
What I'm curious about is how Bokk will do in the tougher games. He had a lot of time and space this year in the U20 ranks and thrived. The pro game showed that he still has a ways to go in terms of making plays under pressure and being behind some of his peers physically. Of the players I have in this range on my board, Bokk probably has the highest upside, which is why I would not be surprised to see him go higher than I have him.
29. Nils Lundkvist, D, Lulea (Sweden)
Age: 17 | Shoot: R | Ht: 5-11 | Wt: 180
28 GP | 2 G | 3 A
He's been overshadowed quite a bit by the other Swedish defensemen in his age group, but Lundkvist has many fans in the scouting community. He split his season between Lulea's pro and U20 teams, and looked good for both. He also was a standout player for Sweden at the U18 level internationally. What jumps out to me about Lundkvist is that he's not very big, but he's a very good defender. He's smart in the way he takes players off the puck and gets in the way really well, closing gaps quickly and identifying opportunities when the opposing player is vulnerable. On top of that, he has really good passing skills and can help his team get the puck up and out after he gets it. The hockey sense is a big factor in Lundkvist shooting up my board, but I also think he's just starting to get a handle on how to bring more of his offensive capabilities to the forefront to make him more of a two-way threat.
30. Ryan McLeod, C, Mississauga (OHL)
Age: 18 | Shoot: L | Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 203
68 GP | 26 G | 44 A
One of the draft's most explosive skaters, McLeod is physically advanced among his draft peers. His strength is a big advantage because I think his puck skills are fairly average in terms of stickhandling and shiftiness. He's a good distributor, though, and he has a nice shot. When he has less time and space, he's less effective offensively, as he makes some questionable decisions with the puck. That raises some questions about his overall hockey sense. Being as fast as he is, I'd like to see some more dominance offensively at the junior level. It's going to be interesting to see what his numbers look like next season with brother Michael and Panthers top prospect Owen Tippett likely gone from Mississauga. That will make Ryan the focal point of opposing teams, forcing him to fight through even more adversity to produce. A guy who moves as well as McLeod is certainly going to give himself a chance to make an impact, but there's still rounding out he needs to do.
31. Jonny Tychonick, D, Penticton (BCHL)
Age: 18 | Shoot: L | Ht: 6-0 | Wt: 173
48 GP | 9 G | 38 A
A confident puck-moving defenseman, Tychonick has a lot of tools that would help him succeed at the next level. In the BCHL, Tychonick was the kind of defenseman who could take over games. He produced nearly a point per game in the regular season in the BCHL, earned an invite to play for Canada at the World U18 championship and is slated to play for Brad Berry at the University of North Dakota, a solid training ground for defensemen of his particular skill set. Questions still remain about his skills translating in a faster-paced environment, but he's going to get a really good test next season in the college ranks. Based on his poise with the puck, it should be a smooth transition for him. I'm concerned a bit that things were a little easy for him -- we saw at the World U18s that against tougher competition it was harder for him to make plays, but I think some of his defensive skills popped a little more there, too.
32. Liam Foudy, C, London (OHL)
Age: 18 | Shoot: L | Ht: 6-0 | Wt: 175
65 GP | 24 G | 16 A
One of the biggest risers this draft season, Foudy really flourished once London traded away many of its star players. The lack of opportunity was undoubtedly holding Foudy back, but it's never a guarantee a player will respond when given the chance. Foudy, however, exploded. Once he got more ice time and got more confident in it, he became an offensive force. One of the most agile skaters in this draft class, Foudy attacks with speed, can take defenders wide and gets through the neutral zone in an awful hurry. He has the offensive sense to exploit gaps and enough puck skills to make plays in tight spaces. He averaged better than a point per game over the second half of the season after a very quiet first half. Sometimes players just need the opportunity to really showcase themselves. While you'd certainly prefer Foudy played well over the full 60-plus games of his season, understanding the context of his season makes most concerns fade away. One of the better overall athletes in this draft -- his dad was a CFL defensive back and his mother, France Gareau, is an Olympic silver medalist sprinter -- Foudy has a chance to sneak into the first round, but will provide exceptional value as an early second-rounder, too.
33. Adam Ginning, D, Linkoping (Sweden)
Age: 18 | Shoot: L | Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 196
28 GP | 1 G | 1 A
One of the better pure defenders available this year, Ginning brings with him good size and a higher-end hockey sense. The big concern at this point is that he just doesn't produce. Six points in the Swedish junior league, two in the pros. That's a bit scary, but he did have four points in seven games at the World U18 Championship, where he captained Sweden to bronze. The reason I still think Ginning belongs in the top 40? There are flashes of good puck-moving ability, and while he may lack speed, I think he moves well around the ice. There's an easiness about his game. His defensive instincts also trend towards the elite, with an ability to close on forwards quickly and an ability to keep oncoming forwards to the outside with good footwork. He's a mature player, and given a few more years to work on his skills, he could round out into a reliable NHL defenseman.
34. Niklas Nordgren, RW, HIFK Jr. (Finland-Jr.)
Age: 18 | Shoot: R | Ht: 5-9 | Wt: 169
28 GP | 13 G | 29 A
If you like scoring, Nordgren brings a whole bunch of that. With 42 points in just 28 junior games, he was a dominant force in his native Finland. He also excelled on the international stage, scoring eight goals in seven games to lead the World Under-18 Championship and help Finland win the gold medal. He had 15 goals in 17 international games this season. Nordgren also played some pro games with HIFK, registering three assists. His play away from the puck is average, and he doesn't have great size, but he does have a terrific shot and can get to the goal-scoring areas extremely well. I think he skates fine, but would not call it a strength. I'm going to put a lot of stock into a guy who can fill the net with regularity like Nordgren has outside of the pro ranks. He just puts himself in such great positions to score and always wants the puck on his stick.
35. Filip Hallander, C, Timra (Sweden-2)
Age: 17 | Shoot: L | Ht: 5-11 | Wt: 176
40 GP | 9 G | 11 A
Hallander probably could have given his stock a little more of a boost had he not been injured for the World U18 Championship, because he performed extremely well in international duties this year. A highly-skilled forward, Hallander had good enough offensive tools to put up 20 points in Sweden's second pro division. He played a middle-six role, showing an ability to play center or wing. I think he's probably better suited for the wing long term because his offensive skill set exceeds his play away from the puck in a substantial way. Like so many players his age, added strength could unlock more to his game.
36. Jake Wise, C, USA U18 (NTDP)
Age: 18 | Shoot: L | Ht: 5-10 | Wt: 189
30 GP | 9 G | 27 A
After missing a good chunk of the season with an injury, Wise came back in a big way. He plays the game at an extremely high pace with quick hands and fluid skating. He's the kind of guy you want to have to bring the puck into the offensive zone because he's going to create a lot of chances with high-level playmaking abilities. That speed also puts pressure on opposing defenses in transition. Wise needs to get a bit stronger, but he's going to Boston University, which is renowned for its strength program. Had he not been injured and progressed the way he did over the second half of the season over a full season, I think it's reasonable to think he'd have gotten into the first-round conversation more. There are even probably a few teams that still have him under first-round consideration anyway.
37. Kirill Marchenko, RW, Khanty-Mansiysk 2 (Russia-Jr.)
Age: 17 | Shoot: R | Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 187
31 GP | 8 G | 8 A
A highly-skilled player with quick hands for a bigger guy, Marchenko didn't have a particularly productive year in the Russian junior ranks until he got into the playoffs. However, he was a standout for Russia at international U18 events over the course of the season, including his six-point performance in five games at the World U18s. I would not be shocked to see teams with Marchenko slotted near or inside the first round in this draft based on his fantastic hand skills and a frame with room to tack on muscle. If he develops more of a power element to go with that skill, he has a chance to be a highly-productive player at the next level.
38. Jared McIsaac, D, Halifax (QMJHL)
Age: 18 | Shoot: L | Ht: 6-1 | Wt: 196
65 GP | 9 G | 38 A
I've been hot and cold on McIsaac all season. I liked the way he played at the World U18 Championship, and he really stood out to me at the beginning of the season at the Ivan Hlinka. I think other players just got better as the season wore on, though. McIsaac is a pretty good two-way player with decent offensive skills. That said, his overall decision-making with the puck, particularly under pressure, is where I grow concerned. In higher-speed games, he has a harder time completing his passes and sometimes looks indecisive. Physically, the tools are there, and I think he'll be able to get better as he gets more reps playing against top players. I just see a little more risk now than I did earlier in the season.
39. Alexander Alexeyev, D, Red Deer (WHL)
Age: 18 | Shoot: L | Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 200
45 GP | 7 G | 30 A
A big, calculating defenseman, Alexeyev is good at keeping the game in front of him. He moves the puck very well and has a pretty good shot from the point when he leans into it. His big frame makes him tough to beat, but I do have some concern about his skating. His footwork is pretty good in that he's able to establish position on the rush, but as the speed of the game picks up, I'm wondering if he'll be able to keep up with it. As the season progressed in Red Deer, I think he progressed with it, which is why I'm more encouraged by where he's headed as a prospect. He might not be a dynamic player, but he does a lot of little things well, which is why I think he's got a better chance of continuing on this encouraging development arc.
40. Allan McShane, C, Oshawa (OHL)
Age: 18 | Shoot: L | Ht: 5-11 | Wt: 185
67 GP | 20 G | 45 A
A solid play-making center, McShane definitely knows his way around the offensive zone. Yet I think he's very average defensively and perhaps not as dynamic as he needs to be to be a big point producer. McShane is an average-sized forward, but I'd like to see him be stronger on pucks and extend plays more. I think there are also valid questions about his skating at this point, which is another factor in his sliding down my board. The fact that this is a weaker draft for centers probably raises McShane's value a little bit here, as he plays the position well enough. It's just harder to project out what kind of role he can play if he's not dynamic enough to be a top-six producer.