The biggest surprise for me during the first round was how far Jordan Schroeder fell. I felt like he was a top 15 pick but looking at the draft as a whole, size matter this year. Coming out of the lockout size hasn’t been an issue before the lockout.
This weekend, I felt like teams were drafting on size. I was surprised how high Nick Leddy went. In my mock draft, I had him as a later first rounder. The Wild did the right thing by drafting down. I believed they could have picked up a few more extra picks by trading down even more.
It brings me to my next point, I had no idea who would be selected next after the first seven picks went. Teams had different opinions then the mock drafts and rankings I had seen before the draft.
I was surprised Ryan Ellis went to the Nashville Predators because I think they are all set on defense. At the sametime, we are in the salary cap age now, so it will be tough to keep Weber, Suter, Ellis, Blum, and Franson three years down the road.
I liked the Islanders being aggressive and getting Calvin de Haan. I was hoping he would be at 25 for the Bruins to select him.
I think the new trend from now on is goalies aren’t going to be selected in the first round unless they are elite. Goalies who I thought were late 1st round or second round players went in the third round or later. Goalies I thought were late round picks went earlier then I expected.
I felt bad for Olivier Roy who I thought could have been one of the first goalies taken went in the fifth round. He has the skills but lack size which made him fall.
That’s My Take
