DALLAS – Many of New England's top hockey prospects have anxiously built up to these next two days. At long last, their names could be called at the 2018 NHL Entry Draft at the American Airlines Center.
The first round is slated for Friday at 7:30 p.m. and will be broadcast on NBC Sports Network for those not in Dallas, Texas. Rounds two through seven will commence Saturday morning at 11 a.m. and can be seen on the NHL Network.
But how many of New England’s prospects will be selected? And, perhaps more importantly, where will they fall?
Brady Tkachuk
Prediction: Top 10
The first two selections seem set in stone. All signs point to the Buffalo Sabres picking Swedish defenseman Rasmus Dahlin No. 1, then the Carolina Hurricanes are likely to take Russian center Andrei Svechnikov No. 2.
After that, Tkachuk, the Boston University freshman left wing, could go anywhere in the next three to four picks. His numbers weren’t gaudy in the NCAA, but he was a true freshman often going up against players four-to-six years older than him. If he had been in the OHL, he’d have dominated players his age or younger. He’s terrific below the dots and can drive the net.
Oliver Wahlstrom
Prediction: Top 10
Following two tremendous seasons at USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program, Wahlstrom appears ripe to go in the top 10. The Quincy, Mass., native is committed to play college hockey at Boston College.
With Wahlstrom, teams are going to get a tremendous shooter who is learning to be more of a power forward as a right wing. He fires it with zip, can get it off from anywhere, and just loves to score goals. The Chicago Blackhawks at No. 8 or New York Rangers at No. 9 seem the most likely destinations, but it wouldn’t come as a shock if he went a pick or two before then.
Jay O’Brien
Prediction: Late first to early second round
The Hingham, Mass., native really boosted his stock at the USHL Fall Classic back in September, playing up with the U.S. NTDP U-18 team. He’s a versatile, two-way center who skates well, competes, and is a high-character kid. He dominated the New England prep school scene, scoring nearly three points per game for Thayer. But that’s not why he’ll get drafted so high. It’s the work he did in Cranberry, Pa., against USHL competition.
Committed to Providence, O'Brien could be taken late in the first round by a team with two or three picks in the opening night. If he doesn’t go Friday, he’ll be one of the first names called Saturday morning.
Jake Wise
Prediction: Middle second to late third round
Wise was hampered with an injury that kept him out until the end of December. Playing for USA Hockey’s NTDP, the North Andover, Mass., native came back with a vengeance, scoring over a point per game as the team’s second-line center. His skating and hockey sense are top-notch.
The Boston University recruit was once considered a lock for the first round, but he didn’t grow much over the past two years. He'll likely go anywhere from the middle of the second round to the end of the third round.
Logan Hutsko
Prediction: Third or fourth round
The Boston College freshman right wing was the best playmaker the Eagles had in 2017-18. From North Caldwell, N.J., he was injured in both of his seasons with the NTDP, stunting his development some.
Hutsko is undersized, but can skate and has good vision and skills with the puck. The Hockey East Rookie of the Year will be picked in his second year of draft eligibility, likely in the third or fourth round. NHL clubs will value that he's a proven playmaker against older, better competition than his peers in junior hockey.
Jordan Harris
Prediction: Third or fourth round
Harris is an intriguing prospect since he’s a smooth-skating, puck-moving defender, but doesn’t have a ton of offensive upside. What the Haverhill, Mass., native does extremely well is retrieve pucks and quickly transition from defense to offense. A Northeastern commit, Harris has a good first touch and can sidestep oncoming forecheckers. He doesn’t look overly physical or strong, but he fared well in physical tests at the NHL Scouting Combine.
Boston, Chicago, Vancouver and Minnesota appear to have the most interest in him. The Wild have three third-round picks, so that could be a likely landing spot. He'll ultimately land in the third round or early in the fourth.
Michael Callahan
Prediction: Third or fourth round
The Franklin, Mass., native took his lumps as he moved from prep school to the USHL, but he’s still a big, steady, stay-at-home defender who can skate. He was really good for Youngstown down the stretch after playing the first half with Central Illinois.
The Roxbury Latin product is committed to Providence. He was dropped in many draft rankings, but he’ll go higher than expected. Look for him to be taken in the third or fourth rounds. Whatever team picks him will be fortunate.
Michael Kesselring
Prediction: Late rounds
The opinions on Kesselring vary greatly. The New Hampton, N.H., native played prep school hockey at New Hampton for his father Casey, a former Merrimack star. The younger Kesselring de-committed from Merrimack this past week, in large part due to a coaching change. He’ll now guard the blue line next season for the Des Moines Buccaneers in the USHL.
Despite all that, Kesselring should get picked because of his size and skating ability. Carolina and Edmonton are rumored to like Kesselring, but some organizations don't have him on their boards whatsoever.
He has good reach and can make some nice moves offensively. It's his hockey sense and defensive ability that deter some organizations.
Alex Steeves
Prediction: Fourth or fifth round
The Bedford, N.H., native will be a freshman at Notre Dame this fall after playing three seasons in the USHL, the last two with the Dubuque Fighting Saints. He was more of a bottom-six, penalty-killing specialist a year ago, but his game really evolved. He scored nearly a point per game, which is impressive for a first-year draft eligible in the USHL.
Steeves is often knocked for his skating and average size, but he's working to become stronger. He'll be a prospect an NHL team values in the fourth or fifth round, one that can simmer for a few years in the NCAA with Jeff Jackson's Fighting Irish.
Riley Hughes
Prediction: Seventh round
The Westwood, Mass., native is another player who carries significant disparity in how NHL organizations view him. He’s the son of NHLPA agent Kent Hughes, who played at Middlebury.
Riley is committed to Northeastern, as is his younger brother, ’03 Jack Hughes. Riley, a right wing, has a good shot and has the vision and offensive zone awareness to make some great passes. Despite having some size and skating ability, some scouts lament how Hughes is unwilling to play between and below the circles.
While his compete is certainly questionable, it would be a shock if a NHL team didn’t take a chance on him in the seventh round.
Pete Diliberatore
Prediction: Seventh round or not chosen
The Bedford, Nova Scotia, native has played the past two seasons at prep powerhouse Salisbury. Committed to Quinnipiac, he’s a longshot to hear his name called in Dallas, but it wouldn’t be a surprise. He has the skating ability and offensive acumen to be a puck-transporting defender. He’s turnover prone and has yet to show the ability to successfully defend in his own zone.
