DALLAS – There isn’t much time left for organizations and prospects to ponder the 2018 NHL Draft.
The draft begins Friday at 6:30 p.m. from the American Airlines Center, home of the Dallas Stars. Viewers in New England and across the country can watch the first round in its entirety on NBC Sports Network. Rounds Nos. 2-7 commence Saturday at 11 a.m. and can be seen on the NHL Network.
The hometown Boston Bruins don't hold a pick in round No. 1 unless Don Sweeney and company decide to trade up. However, local hockey fans still have plenty of reason to watch Friday night.
Brady Tkachuk, a left wing who played his freshman season at Boston University in 2017-18, will likely be the first taken with ties to the region. He’s projected to go anywhere from picks Nos. 3-7.
“It’s almost surreal that it’s already here. I’ve been looking forward to this moment for over a year now,” said Tkachuk, who is the son of former Terrier and NHL great Keith Tkachuk and the younger brother of Calgary Flames star Matthew Tkachuk.
“I’m really excited to be able to celebrate it with family and friends. It's something I've been dreaming of my whole life,” he added.
Tkachuk is a power forward who goes to the dirty areas and scores by dominating physically. He’s not the most gifted offensive player in terms of his hands or skating, but he drives the net, plays hard and wins battles below the dots. While the transition to college – playing against much older players – proved difficult, he excelled at the 2018 IIHF World Junior Championship and had his moments of brilliance in a Terrier uniform.
Next off the board from the region should be right wing Oliver Wahlstrom. The Quincy, Mass., native played for USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program the past two seasons and is committed to Boston College.
Wahlstrom is known for his tremendous shot. It’s accurate and comes at goaltenders with velocity. He’ll fire the puck from anywhere and is growing into more of a complete, power forward. It’s believed that the Chicago Blackhawks at No. 8 or the New York Rangers at No. 9 are his most likely landing spots.
Finally, there is an outside chance that Thayer Academy center Jay O’Brien could be selected towards the end of the first round. If not, he’ll be taken early in the second round. The Hingham, Mass., native is committed to Providence College and is a two-way forward who plays a complete game.
His versatility is another factor working in his favor. He’s a high character kid with a strong work ethic. He’ll retrieve pucks and make plays, whether it be with his shot or passing ability. He’s best when going north-south and keeping it simple. If O’Brien hears his name called Friday night, it will most likely be by a team with two first-round picks.
The Buffalo Sabres hold the first pick and are expected to take Swedish defenseman Rasmus Dahlin. Russian forward Andrei Svechnikov out of the Barrie Colts in the Ontario Hockey League is expected to be the second selection.
