We can finally close the scouting notebook on the 2019 NHL draft. Two hundred and seventeen names were called, and all 31 teams walked away from Vancouver with some new prospects to develop. But not everyone navigated the draft board the same way, and while some teams should be ecstatic about their classes, others ... should not.
With that in mind, let's grade each team's draft class. Who aced the draft? Remember, there's a long way to go in player development, so don't view this as a final assessment but rather the initial impression. And learn more about the class with our extensive draft content:
Every pick | Takeaways | Day 1 recap
Top 100 | Best by skill
Here are my draft grades for every NHL team, listed from the best class to the worst (teams with the same grade are in alphabetical order).
Jump to a team:
ANA | ARI | BOS | BUF | CGY | CAR | CHI
COL | CBJ | DAL | DET | EDM | FLA
LA | MIN | MTL | NSH | NJ | NYI
NYR | OTT | PHI | PIT | SJ | STL
TB | TOR | VAN | VGS | WSH | WPG
Carolina Hurricanes: A
Favorite pick: Patrik Puistola
Considering this team was just in the Eastern Conference finals, the Canes had an absurd amount of picks -- seven in the top 100, and even added a 2020 first-rounder in the Patrick Marleau trade -- and I loved the value they got. It starts with Ryan Suzuki and his elite passing slipping to them at No. 28. He has elite vision and anticipates exceptionally well. They got the No. 2-ranked goalie on my board in Pyotr Kochetkov at No. 36 and two highly-ranked prospects in Jamieson Rees and Puistola at Nos. 44 and 73. Puistola drives offense with skill and creativity. A pair of high-risk, high-reward defensemen in Anttoni Honka and Domenick Fensore, along with a raw talent in big Cade Webber at 99th overall, gave Carolina even more depth.
And I know I was way higher on Kirill Slepets than the consensus, putting him 50th on my board, but Carolina got him at No. 152. He's got wheels. Blake Murray, selected at No. 183, was one of my favorite sleepers to top it all off. There is a good physical frame and compete level there, and he can score. The value added to their prospect pool was exceptional.
Read more analysis on the Hurricanes' first-rounder, Ryan Suzuki.
Los Angeles Kings: A
Favorite pick: Arthur Kaliyev
Just look at the first three picks the Kings made. Alex Turcotte looks like a top-six talent for their future. Tobias Bjornfot has some limited offensive upside but is an incredibly poised and mature defender who should challenge for minutes in a couple of years. And the Kings were fortunate enough to have the second-best goal scorer in the draft slide to them in the second round with Kaliyev. Complaints about the consistency of his effort contributed to him dropping all the way to Day 2, but let's not forget Kaliyev scored 51 goals last season and is fantastic when shooting off the pass. Not too shabby for the Kings.
Samuel Fagemo was a second-year eligible who really come on strong this season. Lukas Parik is a really solid goaltending prospect with great size and athleticism. Jordan Spence at No. 95 gives some really nice value as a defenseman who can get the puck up ice quickly. Andre Lee looks like a really sneaky smart pick in the seventh after an excellent postseason for USHL champion Sioux Falls this season. There were a lot of potential home runs here.
Read more analysis on the Kings' first-rounders, Alex Turcotte and Tobias Bjornfot.
New Jersey Devils: A
Favorite pick: Jack Hughes
This grade was decided the second the Devils won the lottery. Hughes is a game-changer and will only get better as he gets stronger in the coming years. He has such great burst and an effortless glide in his skating, and he consistently takes over games and drives the play. On top of Hughes, the Devils loaded up with 11 draft picks and added plenty of value, including five players from my top 100.
This draft class is all about Hughes, but the Devils also built up their prospect system with some solid players who should help down the road. Nikita Okhotyuk has good mobility and defends well, and Graeme Clarke has a lot of potential. Michael Vukojevic needs to find the offensive element of his game, but he plays in a pretty simple, effective way on the backend.
Read more analysis on the Devils' first-rounder, Jack Hughes.
New York Rangers: A
Favorite pick: Kaapo Kakko
The Rangers selected a franchise winger with Kakko, so that's a pretty easy way to land yourself a high grade. The team also nabbed prospects off my top 100 rankings with each of its next three picks -- Matthew Robertson, Karl Henriksson and Zachary Jones -- and got some nice value in the fifth round with the speedy Leevi Aaltonen. Robertson's footwork is superb and he defends at a pretty high level, and Henriksson is particularly creative. Additionally, Eric Ciccolini is an intriguing seventh-rounder. The Rangers can let him develop in college for a few years before having to make a decision on him.
Overall, they loaded up on picks, keeping a good prospect system well stocked with a budding star at the very top. The Rangers are in a really good spot as they look to leave the rebuilding phase and start competing again.
Read more analysis on the Rangers' first-rounder, Kaapo Kakko.
Philadelphia Flyers: A-
Favorite pick: Bobby Brink
The Flyers had a really strong draft that was aided by moving some picks around and getting guys they liked. Cam York was the No. 2 defenseman on my board, and they managed to pick up an asset while trading down to get him. Then they used that pick to move up and land Brink, who slipped out of the first round. York jumps into plays with relative ease and has good instincts for when he has to get back -- and his defensive game improved greatly over the past two seasons. And Brink comes with elite vision and offensive sense. At No. 72, they landed the USHL's best player in productive defenseman Ronnie Attard.
I thought the Flyers also made a nice bet on Minnesota Mr. Hockey, Bryce Brodzinski, who has a lot of developing left to do. The overall haul might be more of a B-plus grade, but I liked the way they built their board with effective trades.
Read more analysis on the Flyers' first-rounder, Cam York.
Anaheim Ducks: B+
Favorite pick: Trevor Zegras
Zegras slipping to No. 9 was fortuitous. It's just such a great match of player and organization. He's highly skilled and bolsters an already-deep forward group, as does Brayden Tracey, the WHL Rookie of the Year and one of the season's biggest risers. Zegras is fantastic at zone entries, and Tracey can make plays on the rush.
The Ducks' pipeline is a little thinner on defensemen, and they targeted some raw talents there who could have high ceilings. That's especially true of Jackson LaCombe, who raised his stock a bunch with a massive season at Shattuck St. Mary's in only his second campaign as a blueliner. Henry Thrun is a confident puck-mover, and Will Francis is a big player with some athleticism who needs a lot of refining. The same goes for Matthew Hill.
Overall, the Ducks are betting big on potential, and they made the most of their two first-round picks. They did exactly what they needed to.
Read more analysis on the Ducks' first-rounders, Trevor Zegras and Brayden Tracey.
Chicago Blackhawks: B+
Favorite pick: Alex Vlasic
I felt pretty strongly that Chicago needed to add a forward at No. 3. It went with Kirby Dach, a big playmaking center who very well could be its future No. 2 pivot. He drives the net very well but can also pick teams apart from the outside, thanks to high-end vision and distribution skills. Then the Hawks got bigger with 6-foot-6 defenseman Vlasic, a local kid who had first-round upside. He is perhaps the best pure defender in the draft.
With two fourth-rounders, the Blackhawks got some nice value in the skilled but inconsistent Michal Teply and the crafty Antti Saarela. And Dominic Basse is a super intriguing goalie with great size. He should be a long-term project but was worth a shot late in the draft. Chicago needed to add more skill in its pipeline, and it did that, especially with the elite playmaker Dach.
Read more analysis on the Blackhawks' first-rounder, Kirby Dach.
Colorado Avalanche: B+
Favorite pick: Alex Newhook
Having two of the first 16 picks in this draft goes a long way for a team. Now the Avs have a second cornerstone defenseman to continue building around with Bowen Byram joining Cale Makar. At No. 16, the team added a player who should fit right in with its style; Newhook can absolutely fly and make plays at top speed. Big defenseman Drew Helleson was a solid second-round pick, and I really liked the value Colorado got with Alex Beaucage, Sasha Mutala and Luka Burzan in the latter half of the draft. Beaucage has a high-end shot.
A lot of people thought the Avs would draft from this deep goalie crop. They waited until the seventh round and still got a quality prospect in Trent Miner. All in all, the Avalanche really improved their system with this group.
Read more analysis on the Avalanche's first-rounders, Bowen Byram and Alex Newhook.
Edmonton Oilers: B+
Favorite pick: Matej Blumel
I had no problem with the Oilers going for Philip Broberg in the top 10. He has his flaws, but his speed fits right in with the way Edmonton wants to play, and his offensive skill should help, too. And Raphael Lavoie falling out of the first round benefited the Oilers, even if the concerns about his inconsistency of effort are valid. When he's on, he can dominate games.
Ilya Konovalov was the KHL's Rookie of the Year after a great campaign in net, and I've really liked Blumel in multiple viewings over the past two seasons. He really broke out this year, and there's a lot more potential to unlock. I consider him very multidimensional. Overall, it was an effective first draft for Ken Holland as the Oilers addressed some needs.
Read more analysis on the Oilers' first-rounder, Philip Broberg.
Nashville Predators: B+
Favorite pick: Marc Del Gaizo
I thought the Preds hit a home run in the first round with Philip Tomasino and got another high-end offensive talent at No. 45 with Egor Afanasyev. Tomasino comes with an elite-level skating ability, and Afanasyev is a real power winger. Then they made a pretty solid bet on upside and skill with Alexander Campbell, who has some filling out to do.
Meanwhile, the Preds landed two defensemen I like quite a bit in Del Gaizo and Semyon Chystyakov. Both have some strong two-way skills. Del Gaizo is aggressive and can close on forwards very well. I've heard a lot of good things from scouts about Ethan Haider as a high-upside goalie prospect who still has a lot of development ahead of him. And Jusso Parsinen provides some intrigue as a seventh-rounder.
Read more analysis on the Predators' first-rounder, Philip Tomasino.
Buffalo Sabres: B
Favorite pick: Aaron Huglen
Adding a big center like Dylan Cozens with speed is going to help the Sabres. I think his offensive upside is lower than that of some of the other guys they passed up, but the gap was very thin in this range anyway. Ryan Johnson was trending up all season and made sense at No. 31, as the team continues bolstering its blue line. He could be a longer-range prospect as he has some more developing to do and is heading to college.
I thought Erik Portillo was a pretty big swing in the third round, but he's a massive kid and is playing in North America next season. And I liked the Huglen pick. He's a skilled player with really good hockey sense, providing value for Buffalo at No. 102.
Read more analysis on the Sabres' first-rounders, Dylan Cozens and Ryan Johnson.
Detroit Red Wings: B
Favorite pick: Robert Mastrosimone
Let's talk about reaching. The Red Wings definitely went a bit off the board to get Moritz Seider, but I like the player. Had they traded down, perhaps no one would have batted an eye. But in the end, they got the guy they ultimately wanted. Where he goes from here is a bit of a mystery because of the relatively small role he played on his German pro team. There's no question he has talent -- we just need to see him in more situations. I also thought Antti Tuomisto was a really risky pick where the Red Wings got him, but I don't mind the bet on a towering defenseman who is still pretty raw.
The Red Wings get a higher grade despite the risk because of the value they got out of the middle-round picks. I really like Mastrosimone for both his skill and competitiveness. Albert Johansson has some legit skill and poise, too. Albin Grewe is a physical forward with some limited offensive upside, but I've long been intrigued by his toolbox. And my favorite bet that the Red Wings made? Elmer Soderblom, a 6-foot-7 forward who needs a lot of work. But I think he skates well for such a big man, and he has some hands. If they hit on him, he'd be one of the more distinctive forwards in the game, given his size and apparent skill. Whether the Red Wings reached early on, they made their system better at this draft.
Read more analysis on the Red Wings' first-rounder, Moritz Seider.
Minnesota Wild: B
Favorite pick: Matthew Boldy
Boldy is going to be a really strong player for the Wild a few years down the road. He can make the plays in small areas and has an excellent, heavy, accurate shot. Skill was a big-time theme of Minnesota's draft. Vladislav Firstov, Adam Beckman, Matvey Guskov and Marshall Warren all bring some solid puck skills to the table. Firstov is creative and finds ways to slip through defenses and get off his shot with a quick release.
The Wild did draft two goalies, which I thought was a little interesting. I wasn't particularly high on second-rounder Hunter Jones. Filip Lindberg, who backstopped UMass to the NCAA national championship game this season, was their last pick and could be a really good one down the line. Overall, the Wild built up a prospect pool that needed some new blood.
Read more analysis on the Wild's first-rounder, Matthew Boldy.
Montreal Canadiens: B
Favorite pick: Cole Caufield
Getting the best goal scorer in the draft, Caufield, to fall into their laps at No. 15 was pretty nice for the Canadiens. He has fantastic offensive sense and scored 72 goals this season. The Habs once again were dealing with volume, with 10 picks. Prep standout Jayden Struble is one of the best athletes in the draft and has a boatload of upside. Mattias Norlinder and Rhett Pitlick were two picks that I really liked, as well. Pitlick has some speed to play with. Montreal's pipeline is in very good shape.
Read more analysis on the Canadiens' first-rounder, Cole Caufield.
Toronto Maple Leafs: B
Favorite pick: Nicholas Robertson
For not having a first-rounder, Toronto had a pretty nice haul. I'm a big fan of Robertson, who was 19th on my board and slipped all the way to No. 53. That should provide great value. He's undersized at 5-foot-9, but his puck skills and shot are extremely good. And he plays with a tenacity that makes me worry less about the size.
Mikko Kokkonen put up some really strong numbers in Finland, and I've been a big fan of Mikhail Abramov as a heady two-way center. Kokkonen makes good decisions, and Abramov has some vision when he has the puck. Nick Abruzzese is a pretty slippery forward with excellent vision. Michael Koster is a small blueliner with some big-time offensive upside, too. Toronto will always put skill over size, and there's no better evidence than how it drafted this year. Not one player selected is listed above 5-foot-11, which probably won't make Mike Babcock terribly happy.
Vegas Golden Knights: B
Favorite pick: Pavel Dorofeyev
The Knights were pretty fortunate in the first round. Peyton Krebs slipped far enough for the Knights to land an impact prospect at No. 17. He does have an Achilles injury at the moment, but his hockey sense is off the charts. Then the good fortune continued for Vegas. Kaedan Korczak is a mature defender, and Dorofeyev is an extremely skilled, productive forward who probably slipped to No. 79 due to his skating.
The Golden Knights also got a lot of size added to their system with big blueliner Layton Ahac, athletic but risky forward Ryder Donovan, slick-shooting Marcus Kallionkieli and 6-foot-5 Mason Primeau. I also really like Isaiah Saville as a goaltender and think he's going to look like a steal down the road. The Knights have drafted well since entering the league, and this class will only bolster that opinion.
Read more analysis on the Golden Knights' first-rounder, Peyton Krebs.
Washington Capitals: B
Favorite pick: Brett Leason
Washington had only four picks, but three of them came from my top 100 rankings. Connor McMichael is a really nice fit, as he'll add speed and skill to the lineup a few years down the line. Leason slipped more than I expected, even though the chatter had him trending down. But I think he has a chance to be a strong power forward. While McMichael is one of the fastest skaters in the class, Leason is very good at driving to the net.
Their fifth-round pick, Martin Hugo Has, is a super interesting defenseman with a bunch of upside, too. He brings some physicality to the blue line. Washington's pipeline is a little thin, but I think it gave that system a nice boost with this class.
Read more analysis on the Capitals' first-rounder, Connor McMichael.
Florida Panthers: B-
Favorite pick: Vladislav Kolyachonok
We were wondering who was going to do it. It ended up being the Panthers. They took a goalie higher than any team has since 2010 when they snagged Spencer Knight at No. 13. He has a high, high ceiling thanks to his athleticism and elite hockey sense, but goalies always come with a bit of risk. That's true even of the best prospects. Still, he's a pretty special prospect among netminders, and this was an area of need for Florida.
Defense was an area of need, too, and that was addressed well by adding Kolyachonok, who skates especially well for a big blueliner. He's no sure thing, but there are some nice tools in there. His skating, in particular, stands out. The rest of the picks were fairly safe yet unexciting selections, but all are also effective players who will have a shot to make an impact down the road. Cole Schwindt has good size, but he needs more consistency in his offensive game. Florida's prospect system is strong at the top, but thin beyond its top five guys. And the Panthers were able to address those depth issues with nine picks at the draft.
Read more analysis on the Panthers' first-rounder, Spencer Knight.
Vancouver Canucks: B-
Favorite pick: Nils Hoglander
Vasily Podkolzin was viewed as a risk because of his KHL contract, but I think it was a worthwhile gamble. The Canucks can afford to let him develop in Russia and come over prepared to contribute right away. He is very skilled but also plays a brand of power hockey. Vancouver also landed a really special player at No. 40. I think Hoglander is one of the most skilled players in this draft. He competes well for pucks. Additionally, Ethan Keppen plays a style that should fit well in the Pacific Division, as he's rugged and huge.
With nine picks in the draft, the Canucks filled out more depth in a prospect pool that keeps turning guys around relatively quickly -- especially top prospects. This particular draft class will need more development time, but Vancouver is in a good position to wait.
Read more analysis on the Canucks' first-rounder, Vasily Podkolzin.
New York Islanders: C+
Favorite pick: Samuel Bolduc
I think Simon Holmstrom was a fine pick in the first round, though maybe a little earlier than I would have liked to see him go. But I know the opinions on him ranged pretty wide. He has some versatility and a power element to his game. I also have a lot of time for Bolduc, but he has to develop his hockey sense more to have a shot at the next level. He might be one of the best athletes in the draft, though. Reece Newkirk provides some extra value as a late pick, too.
I don't know if this group makes that much of an impact on the prospect pool, but that pipeline is in pretty good shape. The Islanders did nice work a year ago and continue to develop some real talent.
Read more analysis on the Islanders' first-rounder, Simon Holmstrom.
San Jose Sharks: C+
Favorite pick: Dillon Hamaliuk
Not having a first-rounder this year hurt, but I liked what the Sharks did with the picks they had. Artemi Kniazev is a high-upside offensive defenseman. He can stretch the ice with outlet passes. And Hamaliuk and Yegor Spiridonov are a couple of big forwards who play disparate styles and provide some nice versatility to the forward prospect pool. Spiridonov is effective driving to the net, but he needs to become more consistent.
Tampa Bay Lightning: C+
Favorite pick: Hugo Alnefelt
Tampa Bay had an interesting draft. Nolan Foote has received mixed reviews throughout the season, and the Bolts didn't have a second-round pick. Foote has high-end hockey sense and is a smart passer. Alnefelt is a really nice add at the goaltending position, though, especially in the third round. He controls his rebounds very well. Maxim Cajkovic needs work, but there's some upside to be mined there. I love the release on his shot. Max Crozier, who really rose up the charts on the way to a USHL championship with Sioux Falls, also needs some work. And seventh-rounder Mikhail Shalagin has the chance to be one of those sneaky Tampa Bay picks that often pan out.
Read more analysis on the Lightning's first-rounder, Nolan Foote.
Winnipeg Jets: C+
Favorite pick: Henri Nikkanen
The Jets paid a big price to get back into the first round this year, and I wasn't terribly surprised to see them go with Ville Heinola. He's a heady defenseman, but how much skill is there? I still like the player, but it's hard to judge that pick without the context of the trade that preceded it.
Simon Lundmark has been a rising prospect this season, and I think Nikkanen could be a nice little value add at No. 113 overall. He has some real goal-scoring talent to go with a big frame. And his shot is very good. Harrison Blaisdell was also among my favorite sleepers. Because the Jets didn't have a ton of picks, there was only so much value they could add.
Read more analysis on the Jets' first-rounder, Ville Heinola.
Arizona Coyotes: C
Favorite pick: Victor Soderstrom
I know the Coyotes love Soderstrom, and they should. He's a really good player, and he showcased puck-moving talent and high-end hockey sense this season. I just don't know if they needed to trade up to get him.
On top of that questionable move, they had nine picks, and I don't know that they managed to land a ton of impact prospects with them, though John Farinacci and Matias Maccelli were top 100 prospects for me. Farinacci has strong two-way skills, and Maccelli is clever on offense. The Yotes' greatest value pick of the draft might have been their last. Valentin Nussbaumer has some tantalizing skill.
Read more analysis on the Coyotes' first-rounder, Victor Soderstrom.
Calgary Flames: C
Favorite pick: Josh Nodler
I was a little surprised to see the Flames go with Jakob Pelletier in the first round. He's a smaller player, though he plays with skill and tenacity. It seemed like an odd fit to me. They did end up nabbing a pair of my top 100 guys later than I thought they'd be available, though. Ilya Nikolaev and Nodler bring some decent skill to the table. Nodler's vision and hockey sense will be welcomed in Calgary, while Nikolaev plays with grit.
The Flames also selected a great WHL goalie in Dustin Wolf in the seventh round, a strong pick even though Wolf does not boast the size typically found in NHL goalies these days. It was a small haul for them, but I thought they did decently well with what was available amid fewer picks.
Read more analysis on the Flames' first-rounder, Jakob Pelletier.
Dallas Stars: C
Favorite pick: Thomas Harley
I really liked the Stars' pick of Harley at No. 18. He's going to be an impact prospect in their system. But the team had only four picks, and the last three came outside of the top 100. It's harder to add value at that point to fill out the prospect system. Harley is the key piece, and the Stars should be very happy to have him, but there just wasn't much beyond that Day 1 pick.
Read more analysis on the Stars' first-rounder, Thomas Harley.
Ottawa Senators: C
Favorite pick: Mads Sogaard
The Sens were able to address some pipeline needs, especially at the goaltender position by landing my No. 3 goalie, Sogaard. He's massive in the net at 6-foot-8. Lassi Thomson and Shane Pinto seem like relatively safe bets, though I'm not sold on overall upside. Thomson is decisive with the puck, and Pinto has some versatility. Viktor Lodin was a particularly intriguing pick, too.
I was just a little underwhelmed with what they ended up getting based on where they were picking. They still have the most loaded prospect pool in the NHL and made it a little deeper along the way, but the potential was there to really add some value pieces.
Read more analysis on the Senators' first-rounder, Lassi Thomson.
St. Louis Blues: C
Favorite pick: Keean Washkurak
Without a first-rounder, the Blues couldn't make a substantial impact on what is a pretty sound prospect pool. They did, however, land an especially intriguing player in Nikita Alexandrov, who I think has a lot of potential. He anticipates very well. Colten Ellis was also one of the goaltenders I liked quite a bit in this class, despite not providing the massive frame teams crave now. And I really enjoyed watching Washkurak over the course of the season, as his work ethic is impressive.
Even without much of a draft haul, St. Louis will glady bask in its Stanley Cup championship while the other 30 clubs scramble to dethrone it.
Boston Bruins: C-
Favorite pick: John Beecher
Not having a second-round pick might lead a team to reach a little if they have a late first. That seemed to be the case with the Bruins and Beecher. Sure, he has a lot of potential and is an incredible skater, but he was No. 41 on my rankings. The back half of that first round right on into the second was so tightly packed with talent that I don't really hold it against them, though.
However, I don't think the Bruins made an especially big impact on their prospect pool with their later picks.
Read more analysis on the Bruins' first-rounder, John Beecher.
Pittsburgh Penguins: C-
Favorite pick: Nathan Legare
The Penguins are typically light on draft picks, as they continue to try to remain competitive. This year wasn't much different. I'm lukewarm on Samuel Poulin, but I appreciate his potential because of some really solid skills and a heavy frame. Legare at No. 74 was a nice value add; his standout skill is his goal-scoring ability. Judd Caulfield was a semi-safe pick as a rugged two-way forward.
All three of those players were in my top 100 rankings, so I liked what Pittsburgh was able to do with limited resources. But it just didn't have enough picks to make a huge impact.
Read more analysis on the Penguins' first-rounder, Samuel Poulin.
Columbus Blue Jackets: D
Favorite pick: Eric Hjorth
It's hard to do much at a draft when you have only three picks, all of which were outside of the top 100. It's the aftermath of going for it, which I had zero issue with the team doing at the time. But now this was the cost of doing business.
That said, I'm intrigued by the Jackets' first pick, Hjorth. He was really off the radar this season as he dealt with a knee injury that limited his playing time. It's a big bet by the Jackets with so few picks, but I like the strategy of taking a swing, especially after trading down.