Draft Grades: Pacific Division
The 2016 NHL Draft is in the books, and every club is likely leaving Buffalo believing they've improved.
In reality, though, some did better than others when it came to stocking their organizations with the right ingredients for future success.
Here's our evaluation of the teams in the Pacific Division:
Anaheim Ducks
Draft picks
| Round | Pick | Player |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 24 | Max Jones |
| 1 | 30 | Sam Steel |
| 3 | 85 | Joshua Mahura |
| 4 | 93 | Jack Kopacka |
| 4 | 115 | Alex Dostie |
| 7 | 205 | Tyler Soy |
The Ducks landed a couple of solid forward prospects late in the first round. Jones has issues with discipline, but his offensive skills are undeniable. Steel can skate, has a high hockey IQ, and put up 70 points in 72 OHL games. The Ducks did well getting Mahura and Soy in the third and seventh rounds, respectively.
Grade: B-
Arizona Coyotes
Draft picks
| Round | Pick | Player |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7 | Clayton Keller |
| 1 | 16 | Jakob Chychrun |
| 3 | 68 | Cam Dineen |
| 6 | 158 | Patrick Kudla |
| 7 | 188 | Dean Stewart |
The Coyotes were one of the consensus winners of the draft, and they made the most of it despite having only five picks. They managed to get a tantalizing center and two defensemen with potential in their first three selections.
Keller was one of the most productive players in the history of the U.S. national team program, Chychrun could evolve into a top defensive prospect, and Dineen was one of the best blue-liners in the OHL.
Arizona had the cap space to take Pavel Datsyuk's contract from the Detroit Red Wings, who had to package the 16th pick to make it work. That allowed the Coyotes to move up from No. 20 and grab Chychrun.
Grade: A+
Calgary Flames
Draft picks
| Round | Pick | Player |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | Matthew Tkachuk |
| 2 | 54 | Tyler Parsons |
| 2 | 56 | Dillon Dube |
| 3 | 66 | Adam Fox |
| 4 | 96 | Linus Lindstrom |
| 5 | 126 | Mitchell Mattson |
| 6 | 156 | Eetu Tuulola |
| 6 | 166 | Matthew Phillips |
| 7 | 186 | Stepan Falkovsky |
The Flames were the other consensus winner, and it's an assessment that's hard to argue. They snagged a blue-chip forward in Tkachuk, who was expected by many to go in the top four.
Calgary also acquired an affordable veteran goaltender in Brian Elliott from the St. Louis Blues. Parsons was a bit of a reach in the second round, but the Flames were clearly focused on improving their goaltending - now and in the future.
Grade: A
Edmonton Oilers
Draft picks
| Round | PIck | Player |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Jesse Puljujarvi |
| 2 | 32 | Tyler Benson |
| 3 | 63 | Markus Niemelainen |
| 3 | 84 | Matthew Cairns |
| 3 | 91 | Filip Berglund |
| 5 | 123 | Dylan Wells |
| 5 | 149 | Graham McPhee |
| 6 | 153 | Aapeli Rasanen |
| 7 | 183 | Vincent Desharnais |
Puljujarvi fell into the Oilers' lap when the Columbus Blue Jackets chose Pierre-Luc Dubois at No. 3, but they still deserve credit for nabbing the phenomenal Finnish forward when they did, rather than opting for Tkachuk or another player in the four spot.
The rest of Edmonton's draft was very well done, too. Benson has simply been plagued by injuries, and he was a nice get who could have gone off the board earlier.
The Oilers have plenty of forward prospects, and addressing on the blue line was clearly a priority. Edmonton used four of its nine picks on defensemen.
Grade: A-
Los Angeles Kings
Draft picks
| Round | Pick | Player |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 51 | Kale Clague |
| 4 | 112 | Jacob Moverare |
| 5 | 142 | Michael Eyssimont |
| 7 | 202 | Jacob Friend |
The Kings didn't have much to work with, but they did get a strong two-way defenseman in Clague late in the second round. He put up a 43-point season for Brandon in the WHL, and was a good value pick considering he was Central Scouting's eighth-highest ranked North American defenseman.
Grade: C+
San Jose Sharks
Draft picks
| Round | Pick | Player |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 60 | Dylan Gambrell |
| 4 | 111 | Noah Gregor |
| 5 | 150 | Manuel Wiederer |
| 6 | 180 | Mark Shoemaker |
| 7 | 210 | Joakim Blichfeld |
Like the Kings, the Sharks didn't have a first-round pick, and it's hard to make shrewd moves like the Coyotes did when most of the five picks you do have are late in their respective rounds.
Gambrell has been on scouts' radars for a long time, but his upside is limited. Gregor potted 28 goals and 73 points in 72 games for Moose Jaw in the WHL.
Grade: C
Vancouver Canucks
Draft picks
| Round | Pick | Player |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | Olli Juolevi |
| 3 | 64 | William Lockwood |
| 5 | 140 | Cole Candella |
| 6 | 154 | Jakob Stukel |
| 7 | 184 | Rodrigo Abols |
| 7 | 194 | Brett McKenzie |
Jim Benning may not be the smoothest when it comes to free agents, but he made out reasonably well at the draft table this weekend.
Juolevi was the first defenseman off the board, and rightfully so. The Canucks and their fans should be giddy about landing an elite defensive prospect, and Lockwood has the offensive skills that could make him a nice complementary winger in the future.
Vancouver should be pleased with those two selections, even if the rest of its draft class is a bit underwhelming.
Grade: B