Hayton projects to be a middle-6 pivot thanks to his solid two-way game. Hayton had 21 goals and 39 assists (60 points) in 63 games with Sault Ste. Marie (OHL) this season and has a game that looks similar to Ducks’ centre Adam Henrique.
The brother of Flames’ winger Matthew Tkachuk, Brady had eight goals and 23 assists (31 points) at Boston University this season. Tkachuk elevated his stock during a great World Juniors tournament, where he had nine points (3G / 6A) in seven games. Like his dad Keith, Brady is a big-bodied forward with a great size/skill combo. He will have a chance to make the NHL this fall.
Kotkaniemi climbed up draft boards throughout the season, racking up 10 goals and 19 assists (29 points) in 57 games as a 17-year-old in Finland’s top league. Kotkaniemi is the top centre in the draft and has drawn comparisons to Aleksander Barkov.
Svechnikov started his season with a hand injury that cost him 17 games, but he still went on to finish second in Barrie Colts’ scoring with 40 goals and 32 assists (72 points) in 44 games. Svechnikov could step into the NHL next season and plays a powerful offensive game.
Dahlin is the can’t miss prospect of this year’s draft. He has the size of Victor Hedman, the skating of Erik Karlsson and makes the game look simple like Nicklas Lidstrom. The 18-year-old had seven goals and 13 assists (20 points) in 41 games with Frolunda in Sweden’s top league. He picked up six assists in seven games during the World Juniors as well. He’ll be on the Buffalo blueline in 2019.
Orpik has one year left on his contract that carries a $5.5M cap-hit. The Capitals wanted to get rid of his contract in order to re-sign John Carlson. The Avalanche will reportedly try to move Orpik and if they can’t they plan on buying out the 37-year-old defenseman.
Grubauer is set to become a restricted free agent on July 1st and is expected to be Semyon Varlamov’s backup in 2019. Grubauer was 15-10-3 with a 2.35 GAA, .923 SV% and three shutouts in 35 games with the Capitals last season. Grubauer even started the first two games of the playoffs before Braden Holtby took his job back in Game 3 vs. the Blue Jackets.
Gryba was entering his final season of a two-year, $1.8M contract but spent half of last season in the AHL. The 30-year-old defenseman recorded just three goals and 11 assists (14 points) in 114 games with the Oilers over the last three seasons.
Bachman, 30, spent all of the 2018 season in Utica (AHL) where he went 13-13-0 with a 2.98 GAA and .902 SV%. Bachman is the fourth goalie on the Canucks’ depth chart behind Jacob Markstrom, Anders Nilsson and Thatcher Demko, so he isn’t expected to see any NHL action in 2019, barring something unforeseen.
Pickard, 26, was acquired in a trade with the Vegas Golden Knights in early-October and spent the majority of the season in the AHL. Pickard, who is currently No.4 on the Maple Leafs’ goaltending depth chart, was 21-9-1 with a 2.31 GAA, .918 SV% and one shutout in 33 games with the Marlies. He gave up four goals on 27 shots in his only NHL appearance with the Maple Leafs.
2018 was the most productive season of Carrick’s young career. The 24-year-old right-handed blueliner set career-highs in goals (4), assists (8) and points (12) while appearing in just 47 games for the Maple Leafs. Carrick’s signing suggests that the Maple Leafs won’t bring back Roman Polak and that Carrick will start the season as their third-pairing D-man on the right side.
Boucher has a great shot that helps him continue to post strong numbers in the AHL, but the NHL results still aren’t there. In 2018, the 24-year-old winger had 46 points (25G / 21A) in 45 games with Utica (AHL) but picked up just three goals and two assists in 20 games with Vancouver. He will continue to be a quality depth winger for the Canucks for at least one more season.
Benning is coming off of the best season of his young career, having scored is goals with 15 assists (21 points) in 73 games. The 24-year-old posted one of the best CorsiFor% (51.2) ratings among Oilers’ defensemen and graded out as the No.47 right-handed defenseman in the NHL according to Corsica Player Rankings—not bad for a third-pairing D-man.
Lindberg, who has one of the players acquired in the Derick Brassard trade last season, scored 10 goals with 13 assists (23 points) in 64 games with Chicago (AHL). Lindberg was a fourth-round pick (No.102 overall) in 2013 and has just two assists in six career NHL games (w/ TOR).
Bergman was a second-round pick (No.46 overall) in 2014 and just finished his third season in the AHL. The 22-year-old has good size (6-foot-1 / 205 lbs.) and set a career-high in goals (10) but picked up just 10 assists in 65 games with the San Jose Barracuda (AHL) this season. He will likely report to Belleville to start 2019.
Since signing a four-year, $16.0M deal with the Sharks two years ago, Boedker has recorded just 25 goals and 38 assists (63 points) in 155 games. This comes on the heels of a four-year stretch in which he averaged 20 goals and 32 assists (52 points) per 82 games. Boedker has great speed, but will have an extremely difficult time replacing Hoffman’s production.
Donaghey turned pro this past season after four years in the QMJHL but spent the majority of the year in the ECHL, where he picked up 16 points (9G / 7A) in 54 games with the Brampton Beast. The 22-year-old defenseman will try for a spot with the San Jose Barracuda (AHL).
Hoffman has two-years left on his contract that carries a $5.187M cap-hit. Hoffman, who scored 22 goals and 34 assists (56 points) in 82 games this past season. The 28-year-old is 24th in the NHL in goals (104) and 44th in points (224) over the last four seasons. His trade value took a hit last week when Erik Karlsson’s wife, Melinda, filed for an order of protection related to allegations of harassment against Hoffman’s girlfriend, Monika Caryk.
Galchenyuk, 24, has disappointed since being picked No.3 overall in 2012. Galchenyuk had a breakout campaign in 2015-16, when he collected 30 goals and 26 assists, but is tied for 110th in points (95) in two years since. Galchenyuk has had a difficult time sticking at centre during his NHL career, but the Coyotes are expected to use him as a pivot, likely on the second line behind Derek Stepan.
Domi was acquired from the Coyotes in a straight-up trade for Alex Galchenyuk. Domi was selected No.12 overall in 2013 and has yet to fully live up to expectations after a great rookie season—18 goals and 34 assists in 81 games. Since then he has scored just 18 goals with 65 assists (83 points) in 141 games. Domi brings some physicality along with great playmaking ability to the left-side of the Canadiens’ lineup, where he figures to slot in behind Max Pacioretty.
