NHL Draft 2015: Team-by-Team Letter Marks After Day 1 Results

The 2015 NHL draft could turn out to be a memorable one because of the talent at the top of the first round.

The selections of Connor McDavid by the Edmonton Oilers and Jack Eichel by the Buffalo Sabres could turn out to be monumental for those two teams, because both players have off-the-charts talent and are expected to become impact players in their rookie years.

McDavid and Eichel dominated the draft talk in the days and weeks preceding their selection at the BB&T Center in Sunrise, Florida. However, there were 28 other players selected in the first round, and many of them will have a chance to become productive players and possibly develop into superstars by the time they reach their prime.

In this piece are grades for each team's Day 1 results and a look at four of the key players selected in the opening round who are not named McDavid or Eichel.

Pick	Team	Pos.	Player	Grade
1	Oilers	C	Connor McDavid	A+
2	Sabres	C	Jack Eichel	A+
3	Coyotes	C	Dylan Strome	A-
4	Maple Leafs	C	Mitch Marner	B
5	Hurricanes	D	Noah Hanifin	A
6	Devils	C	Pavel Zacha	B-
7	Flyers	D	Ivan Provorov	A-
8	Blue Jackets	D	Zach Werenski	B+
9	Sharks	RW	Timo Meier	B-
10	Avalanche	RW	Mikko Rantanen	B
11	Panthers	LW	Lawson Crouse	B
12	Stars	RW	Denis Gurianov	C
13	Bruins	D	Jakub Zboril	B
14	Bruins	LW	Jake DeBrusk	B-
15	Bruins	RW	Zachary Senyshyn	D
16	Islanders	C	Mathew Barzal	A-
17	Jets	C	Kyle Connor	B+
18	Senators	D	Thomas Chabot	C+
19	Red Wings	LW	Evgeny Svechnikov	B+
20	Wild	C	Joel Eriksson Ek	C
21	Senators	C	Colin White	B
22	Capitals	G	Ilya Samsonov	C
23	Canucks	RW	Brock Boeser	C
24	Flyers	C	Travis Konecny	B+
25	Jets	C	Jack Roslovic	C+
26	Canadiens	D	Noah Juulsen	B-
27	Ducks	D	Jacob Larsson	B
28	Islanders	LW-C	Anthony Beauvillier	B+
29	Blue Jackets	D	Gabriel Carlsson	B
30	Coyotes	RW	Nicholas Merkley	C+

No. 3, C Dylan Strome, Arizona Coyotes

Strome is one of the overlooked jewels in the draft because he came right after McDavid and Eichel. While he is not as accomplished or gifted as either of the first two draft picks, Strome has remarkable hands and the ability to put the puck in the top corner from close quarters.

That's an ability that many young players don't have, and it takes many years for most players to develop that skill. Strome played with McDavid for the Erie Otters of the OHL, and he scored 45 goals and 84 assists in 2014-15 to lead that league.

The Coyotes made the selection despite the potential of trading out of the pick, something the team's brass discussed:

"If we wanted to give up Number 3, we could have done a big deal with multiple players involved and good players," General Manager Don Maloney said, via Sarah McLellan of AZCentral.com. "But our goal is to win a Stanley Cup, and so we said, 'Let's continue to build this thing for the future.'"

Strome is 6'3" and 185 pounds, and he has the agility and hockey intelligence to get into the right spot to create opportunities for himself and his teammates.

"He has that competitive edge and grittiness," said Dan Marr, the director of the NHL's Central Scouting bureau. "He wants to succeed, wants the puck, wants to score and wants to win. He’s a skilled, driven player, a strong skater with the agility and reach that scouts love." 

No. 4, D Noah Hanifin, Carolina Hurricanes

Alan Diaz/Associated Press

Hanifin slid for a couple of picks, as many mock drafts had him going third to the Arizona Coyotes, but the Hurricanes were thrilled to get the top-rated defenseman on the board. Hanifin had a strong freshman year at Boston College, scoring five goals and 18 assists in 37 games for the Eagles.

While that is solid production, Hanifin is at his best in the defensive zone when he is shutting down opponents. He has fine size at 6'3" and 203 pounds, and he does an excellent job of getting in the passing and shooting lanes. Hanifin has an excellent stick, and he uses it to break up plays, take away the puck and then start the play going in the opposite direction.

“Everybody looks at him and says he’s a gifted offensive player, and he is, but what makes him so special is his transition game," said Marr. "He 'gets it'—that you have to play defense first and the offense will follow.”

No. 6, C Pavel Zacha, New Jersey Devils

There were several questions about Zacha as he played his first season in North America for the Sarnia Sting of the Ontario Hockey League, but the Czech native answered all of them in impressive fashion.

The 6'3", 210-pound center demonstrated excellent skating ability, power and skill as he scored 16 goals and 18 assists. Zacha has the tenacity to go into the corner and take the hit but still find a way to come away with the puck and create scoring opportunities.

“He's got high-end skill and is an excellent competitor; he plays an excellent two-way game," said Chris Edwards of Central Scouting. "He's physical and solid on his skates and can separate guys from the puck."

No. 11, LW Lawson Crouse, Florida Panthers

Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

The Panthers seem to be stockpiling big players, and Crouse is a 6'4", 215-pound winger who fits right in with Calder Trophy winner Aaron Ekblad, Aleksander Barkov and Jonathan Huberdeau because of his size and talent.

Crouse is a strong, pounding player who loves to play the physical game, and he is not shy about taking the puck to the net and scoring. He scored 29 goals and added 22 assists for Kingston of the Ontario Hockey League last season, and he also had 70 penalty minutes.

"A big-bodied power winger with the ability to physically dominate, making him a prominent forechecking presence every night," said Curtis Joe of Elite Prospects. "Possesses good hands that can be used to make crisp passes or to let loose accurate, NHL-level shots; paired with his strength and skating ability, his skill set allows him to contribute offensively, as well as create space for teammates."