NHL Draft Grades 2016: Final Report Card for Every Team
The 2016 NHL draft is over for another year, and the topic turns to teams that won the draft or lost ground during the annual selection. As this season was not as strong as the 2015 edition, the thought going into the draft was that trades early on would be possible.
As it turned out, the draft selection of the first few picks may have derailed some trades, but it all made for an entertaining weekend. Several teams stepped up and grabbed more than their share of talent, and some teams shocked the gathered throng with off-the-board picks.
Here are the grades for all 30 NHL teams after the 2016 draft.
Note: Value was the primary factor in determining the overall grades, with team needs and any transactions made and the relative cost to acquire the pick also considered. Also, worst pick implies a poor or failed selection. The worst picks are often reach picks—players chosen a little early or the last pick by a team in the draft.
Atlantic Divsion
1 of 4
Boston Bruins
Draft picks: The Boston Bruins had six selections, including Boston University defenseman Charlie McAvoy.
Best and worst choices: The best pick was McAvoy, who is a bona fide two-way defender who could emerge as one of the top defensemen in the entire draft. The worst—or most controversial—was another first-round selection, Trent Frederic. He was likely a draft for need, as Boston badly needs size at center. The club could have traded the Frederic pick for additional assets and likely drafted him later.
Grade: C-
Buffalo Sabres
Draft picks: The Sabres had 10 selections in this draft, including top 10 selection Alex Nylander.
Best and worst choices: Nylander was a strong pick. He was one of the best offensive talents in the draft and could end up playing a role on Jack Eichel's line. The other end of the spectrum might be Austin Osmanski, who is a big defensive defender in an era where that player type is fading from the game. The team's first three selections made the draft a success.
Grade: B
Detroit Red Wings
Draft picks: The Red Wings had seven picks in this year's draft, including first-round selection Dennis Cholowski.
Best and worst choices: Grabbing Jordan Sambrook in the fifth round is one of the most astute picks of the draft. The Cholowski pick is somewhat risky in that the young defenseman played tier-two hockey in the BCJHL, but there were no poor choices by Detroit.
Grade: B-
Florida Panthers
Draft picks: The Panthers had seven picks in the 2016 draft, most notably first-round pick Henrik Borgstrom.
Best and worst choices: Second-round pick Adam Mascherin was first-round value—he is a very promising offensive player. Maxim Mamin is a curious choice as a 21-year-old KHL winger with just four goals. No real harm; he was a sixth-round selection.
Grade: C
Montreal Canadiens
Draft picks: The Canadiens chose six players at the draft, including top pick Mikhail Sergachev.
Best and worst choices: Sergachev is a brilliant offensive defenseman; he could be an impact player for years. Casey Staum is not a poor pick—he is a good skater and has skill—but he's the least impressive in a solid group of Canadiens selections.
Grade: B+
Ottawa Senators
Draft picks: The Senators picked five players in the draft, including center Logan Brown.
Best and worst choices: Brown was the best choice; he is an outstanding prospect. All of Ottawa's choices were solid—even sixth-round pick Markus Nurmi—so the worst choice might be giving up a third-round selection to move up one spot in order to select Brown. That is nitpicking, though.
Grade: B
Tampa Bay Lightning
Draft picks: The Lightning had 10 picks at the 2016 draft, including first-round selection Brett Howden.
Best and worst choices: Second-round pick Taylor Raddysh is a substantial offensive prospect. Fellow second-rounder Libor Hajek is an effective defender but is shy offensively for a prospect taken so early.
Grade: B-
Toronto Maple Leafs
Draft picks: The Maple Leafs had 11 picks, including No. 1 overall pick Auston Matthews.
Best and worst choices: Matthews was the top pick and talent in the draft, so he easily qualifies as the best pick. Jack Walker qualifies as the worst choice. Despite impressive offensive numbers, he turns 20 in July and has less potential than other selections.
Grade: A
Central Division
2 of 4
Chicago Blackhawks
Draft picks: The Blackhawks used nine picks, including second-round selection Alex DeBrincat.
Best and worst choices: At at No. 39 overall, DeBrincat was a brilliant selection and is definitely a first-round talent. He scored 50 goals in the two seasons before he was drafted, making him one of the top snipers available. The worst Chicago choice may be Nathan Noel, who had passed through the draft once and did not blossom offensively in his third QMJHL season.
Grade: B+
Colorado Avalanche
Draft picks: The Colorado Avalanche picked six players, including Tyson Jost in the first round.
Best and worst choices: Jost is a tremendous player with a complete skill set and a maturity seldom found in a draft-eligible player. Travis Barron has good size but lacks the kind of skill teams look for in a future NHL player. That said, he was taken No. 191 overall in the draft when the best talent was gone. He will need to improve greatly in the coming season if he is to earn a pro contract.
Grade: B
Dallas Stars
Draft picks: Dallas had six picks during the draft, with Riley Tufte being one of them at No. 25 overall.
Best and worst choices: Tufte is a raw player for a first-round selection, but the size—he is 6'5'', 205 pounds—makes him a worthy bet. Rhett Gardner is a lower value pick considering he is already 20 and his scoring rate in the NCAA was average.
Grade: B-
Minnesota Wild
Draft picks: The Minnesota Wild had just four picks in the 2016 draft, with first-round selection Luke Kunin being the main prize.
Best and worst choices: Kunin is a bona fide prospect with substantial offensive potential. Unfortunately, Minnesota did not have another pick until the fourth round. In that round, the club chose forward Brandon Duhaime who scored well—but did not dominate—in the USHL as an 18-year-old.
Grade: C-
Nashville Predators
Draft picks: The Predators had eight picks in the draft, most notably defenseman Dante Fabbro.
Best and worst choices: It was surprising that Fabbro fell to No. 17; the Predators received exceptional value. He is a complete defender and a high-skill player. On the other end, Samuel Girard in the second round was not a poor selection but a somewhat risky one. Another skilled defender, he is just 5'10'', 160 pounds. There was good value and less risk still on the board when Nashville chose him No. 47 overall.
Grade: A-
St. Louis Blues
Draft picks: The Blues had eight picks, led by center Tage Thompson in the first round.
Best and worst choices: St. Louis picked forward Nolan Stevens at No. 125 overall, and he posted quality offense at Northeastern University. The worst pick might be the team's first-rounder, as Thompson delivered offense for the University of Connecticut but almost exclusively on the power play. His even-strength numbers are poor for a first-round pick.
Grade: C-
Winnipeg Jets
Draft picks: The Jets had six picks, featuring brilliant sniper Patrik Laine.
Best and worst choices: Laine is the best scorer in the draft, so adding him lifts the entire organization immediately. Second selection Logan Stanley is a big defender—he is 6'7'', 220 pounds—but has limited offense and was probably a reach at No. 18 overall.
Grade: B-
Metropolitan Division
3 of 4
Carolina Hurricanes
Draft picks: The Hurricanes had nine selections, including two first-round picks in Jake Bean and Julien Gauthier.
Best and worst choices: Bean is one of the finest offensive defenders in the draft and should join a very good emerging defense in Carolina over the next couple of seasons. Carolina won the draft with a brilliant flurry of selections, so Noah Carroll qualifies as the worst since he was the last pick. The Hurricanes rocked this draft.
Grade: A+
Columbus Blue Jackets
Draft picks: The Blue Jackets had just five picks, including the surprise selection of the draft in Pierre-Luc Dubois.
Best and worst choices: Dubois is one of the best players in this draft and should be a quality NHL forward in the next few years. Despite the surprise of the pick at No. 3 overall, he is a fine player with a complete skill set. Vitaly Abramov was another splendid pick. He was an impact offensive player in juniors. The weakest pick was the seventh-round selection, Calvin Thurkauf. He is overage—turned 19 the week after the draft—and appears to be shy offensively.
Grade: B-
New Jersey Devils
Draft picks: The Devils chose nine players in the draft, including first-round selection Michael McLeod.
Best and worst choices: There are several candidates for best pick, including wingers Nathan Bastian and Joey Anderson. Goalie Evan Cormier posted save percentages below .900 in his two OHL seasons, a concerning total for any prospect. He will need a strong year in 2015-16 to establish himself as a bona fide NHL prospect.
Grade: B+
New York Islanders
Draft picks: The New York Islanders chose six players in the 2016 draft, including top pick Kieffer Bellows.
Best and worst choices: New York plucked one of the best scoring forwards in Bellows, who has a strong resume and should be considered a safe pick. Nick Pastujov may not be the worst pick, but he did not bring a lot of offense to his USHL team this past season (eight points). The Islanders have no player we could pick on as being obviously poor.
Grade: B
New York Rangers
Draft picks: The Rangers selected six players in the 2016 draft. The club did not have a first- or second-round selection, so the grade below does not reflect the expectation of a complete draft.
Best and worst choices: Sean Day is a fast defender with size who could be prove to be tremendous value for a third-round pick. Tarmo Reunanen is a small puck-moving defender who—at 5'11'', 163 pounds—may need a growth spurt to be considered a viable NHL option.
Grade: C+
Philadelphia Flyers
Draft picks: The Flyers had a busy weekend, adding 10 players to the team's prospect list. Philadelphia spent a first-round selection on Russian center German Rubtsov.
Best and worst choices: Wade Allison was an inspired selection; he is a natural Flyers winger with grit and skill. The least impressive choice is probably Anthony Salinitri, who delivered just 30 points in 62 OHL games this past season. He will need to improve if he is to have a chance at pro hockey.
Grade: B+
Pittsburgh Penguins
Draft picks: The Penguins plucked six players from the draft pool, but none in Round 1.
Best and worst choices: Pittsburgh's best pick was probably its first, goalie Filip Gustavsson. NHL Central Scouting had him ranked as the No. 1 European goalie, and he has a strong resume. Worst choice candidate is Connor Hall, who brings little offense despite being regarded as a legitimate defensive player.
Grade: C
Washington Capitals
Draft picks: The Capitals had seven picks in the 2016 draft, including first-round selection Lucas Johansen.
Best and worst choices: Johansen, the brother of Nashville Predators center Ryan Johansen, has the complete range of skills and was an astute choice. Damien Riat is also an under-the-radar gem for the Capitals. Worst pick is likely Beck Malenstyn, who is an energy player but a little shy offensively.
Grade: C+
Pacific Division
4 of 4
Anaheim Ducks
Draft picks: The Ducks had six picks this year, including first-rounders Max Jones and Sam Steel.
Best and worst choices: Jones is a solid selection as a player who has enough talent to arrive on a scoring line and enough grit to make it as a checker. The worst pick, or at least the most risky one, is likely Josh Mahura of the Red Deer Rebels, who missed almost the entire regular season in 2015-16.
Grade: B
Arizona Coyotes
Draft picks: The Coyotes had just five picks this year, but they made them count.
Best and worst choices: Clayton Keller is a fantastic talent the Coyotes were able to grab at No. 7 overall. There is a good chance we look back on that pick as extreme value in a few years. Patrick Kudla qualifies as the worst pick. He is 19 and played in an obscure league (OJHL) in 2015-16—making him a real long shot. The Coyotes had an amazing draft.
Grade: A+
Calgary Flames
Draft picks: The Flames picked nine times this year, including first-rounder Matt Tkachuk.
Best and worst choices: Tkachuk qualifies as the best pick. His rugged play and offense make him a top-flight prospect. Tyler Parsons qualifies at the other end. He is a quality pick but was chosen a little early.
Grade: B
Edmonton Oilers
Draft picks: The Oilers had nine picks and used them all—the most notable being Finnish power winger Jesse Puljujarvi.
Best and worst choices: Puljujarvi is a dynamic offensive player with two-way ability; he's easily the best pick for Edmonton. Matthew Cairns qualifies as the worst pick, but he is a fine young prospect, and the big criticism is he was chosen early.
Grade: B
Los Angeles Kings
Draft picks: The Kings grabbed just four prospects and none in the first round.
Best and worst choices: Kale Clague was a dandy pick at No. 51. He is a fine offensive defenseman and a promising prospect. Jacob Moverare is another solid young player. Jacob Friend was the last player chosen, so he qualifies as the worst pick.
Grade: C-
San Jose Sharks
Draft picks: The Sharks had just five picks and none in the first round, but they were quite productive during the weekend.
Best and worst choices: Dylan Gambrell was chosen right at the end of the second round, but he might have first-round offensive talent. An obscure pick but very worthwhile. Mark Shoemaker, a defensive defenseman, qualifies as the worst pick because his player type is not as popular in the modern NHL.
Grade: C+
Vancouver Canucks
Draft picks: The Canucks had six selections in the draft, led by first-round selection Olli Joulevi.
Best and worst choices: Juolevi is an elite passer with terrific vision. His outlet passes are a wonder to watch, and he has defensive acumen as well. A wonderful young player. Worst pick goes to William Lockwood, who is a talented checker taken a little early.
Grade: B-
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