November 2018 NHL Draft Rankings

1. Rasmus Dahlin
   Frolunda HC (SHL)
   Defense
   6’2″
   183 lbs
   16GP 3G 4A 7PTS

   Dahlin is the consensus number one for the 2018 draft. He dominates at some points against men in the Swedish elite league and was fantastic at the World Juniors last year as a 16-year-old. There’s a very good chance that he can step into the NHL next season and contribute. He’s the type of defenseman that you build your team around like a Drew Doughty or an Erik Karlsson. Hey, that’s kind of what the Sabres need…

2. Andrei Svechnikov
   Barrie Colts (OHL)
   Right Wing
   6’2″
   187 lbs
   10GP 10G 4A 14PTS

   Svechnikov is the only player in this draft who could have potentially challenged Dahlin to be the number one selection in the draft but now that he’ll be out for 8 weeks with a hand injury, that’ll be very difficult for him. I don’t anticipate his hand injury hurting his draft stock in any way this year. He’s a dynamic winger with elite goal-scoring ability. Svechnikov flat out dominated the USHL last season in Muskegon registering 58 points in 48 games.

3. Adam Boqvist
   Brynas IF (SuperElit)
   Defense
   5’11”
   170 lbs
   13GP 5G 6A 11PTS

   Already drawing Erik Karlsson comparisons from scouts. Boqvist is a great skater with great offensive upside and will be a very important piece on the Swedish World Junior team this year along with Rasmus Dahlin.
4. Filip Zadina
   Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)
   Left Wing
   6’1″
   192 lbs
   19GP 16G 13A 29PTS

   Zadina was selected by Halifax in the 2017 CHL Import Draft and has been lighting up the QMJHL. He’s currently 2nd in the Q in scoring behind Ottawa prospect, Drake Batherson. Zadina is fast and has a really good shot. I have a feeling that Zadina will open the eyes of many at this year’s World Junior tournament.

5. Brady Tkachuk
   Boston University (NCAA)
   Center/Left Wing
   6’3″
   196 lbs
   10GP 0G 5A 5PTS

   Brady Tkachuk is one of the players that just missed the cut off from last year’s draft by only a couple days or so. He’ll get comparisons to his brother, Matt Tkachuk, but Brady may end up being the better player. Brady is a better skater than his brother and is extremely hard to play against. Tkachuk has the total package. Fast, skilled, big, and tough.

6. Quinn Hughes
   University of Michigan (NCAA)
   Defense
   5’10”
   174 lbs
   8GP 1G 4A 5PTS

   Hughes was a standout for Team USA at the World U18s. He’s not the biggest guy but, he has great offensive ability and he’s the type of defenseman that more and more teams are starting to covet. There’s a very good chance that Quinn will play on the American World Junior team with his brother Jack, who’s the projected number one pick in the 2019 NHL Draft.
7. Ryan Merkley
   Guelph Storm (OHL)
   Defense
   5’11”
   170 lbs
   17GP 5G 13A 18PTS

   We may have the Jakob Chychrun/Timothy Liljegren of this draft in Ryan Merkley. Merkley was the number one pick in the 2016 OHL Priority Selection and with there will be a point in time where scouts will start to overanalyze your play and that is exactly what happened to Chychrun and Liljegren. There are question marks around Merkley’s defensive game and his play away from the puck but his sheer offensive ability makes him a slam dunk top ten pick in my book as of right now.

8. Bode Wilde
   USA U18 (USDP)
   Defense
   6’2″
   194 lbs
   13GP 3G 9A 12PTS

   Wilde is off to a fantastic start to the season with the US development team. He’s another very good offensive defenseman that’ll be available in the 2018 Draft. But, the thing that separates him from some of the other D available may be his size. He’s committed to going to the University of Michigan for next season and could potentially play on a pair with Quinn Hughes.

9. Joe Veleno
   Saint John Sea Dogs (QMJHL)
   Center
   6’1″
   194 lbs
   20GP 4G 14A 18PTS

   Veleno was the first player to be granted exceptional player status in the QMJHL. I wouldn’t necessarily say that Veleno deserved to be given the exceptional status but, he’s still a very good player. He’s just not going to be as good as previous players who were given the exceptional status like McDavid, Crosby, or Tavares. Veleno has tons of speed and skill and is now in a key role on the Sea Dogs as their captain.
10. Oliver Wahlstrom
    USA U18 (USDP)
    Center/Right Wing
    6’1″
    205 lbs
    13GP 11G 10A 21PTS

    I think we’ve all seen this goal…

    Yes, this is a 9-year-old Oliver Wahlstrom. He’s committed to Harvard next year and he possesses a great shot. He’s tearing it up with the USNTDP with 21 points thus far in 2017.
11. Ty Smith
    Spokane Chiefs (WHL)
    Defense
    5’10”
    174 lbs
    18GP 2G 14A 16PTS

    Smith was the number one pick in the 2015 WHL Bantam Draft. It may sound like I’m a broken record at this point but, Smith is yet another very good offensive defenseman in this draft. He’s not that far off from Merkley, Wilde, and Hughes.

12. Jack McBain
    Toronto Jr. Canadiens (OJHL)
    Center
    6’3″
    196 lbs
    22GP 7G 19A 26PTS

    McBain could very well be the Cale Makar of this draft. He’s currently playing in the OJHL with the Toronto Jr. Canadiens and is just dominating that league. He’s taking a similar path that guys like Cale Makar, Tyson Jost, and Dante Fabbro took. All are Canadian players that want to play college hockey instead of playing major junior. McBain’s CHL rights are owned by the Barrie Colts.

13. Rasmus Kupari
    Karpat (Liiga)
    Center
    5’11”
    163 lbs
    17GP 3G 1A 4PTS

    Kupari will probably get a good look to play for Finland at the World Juniors and if he makes that team, I’m willing to bet that it’ll help raise his draft stock. He’s playing against men in Finland right now and isn’t exactly lighting the world on fire with 4 points in 17 games but, dominating against players in his age group should raise his stock.
14. Jared McIssac
    Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)
    Defense
    6’1″
    194 lbs
    18GP 0G 8A 8PTS

    McIsaac has a very smart 2-way defenseman. Right now, I don’t consider him to be in the same grouping as Hughes, Merkley, Wilde, and Smith but, I think he’s more than capable of catching up to them.

15. Barrett Hayton
    Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL)
    Center
    6’1″
    185 lbs
    17GP 7G 8A 15PTS

    A great skater who really put himself on the map after an impressive Ivan Hlinka tournament.

16. Joel Farabee
    USA U18 (USDP)
    Left Wing
    5’11”
    161 lbs
    13GP 10G 8A 18PTS

    Excellent 2-way game, great vision, and hockey IQ. He’s the captain of the United States Development Team. Committed to Boston University for next season.
17. Evan Bouchard
    London Knights (OHL)
    Defense
    6’2″
    181 lbs
    17GP 4G 12A 16PTS

    Bouchard has a much greater role than expected for this season with the losses of Victor Mete and Olli Juolevi on London’s blueline. Bouchard has an excellent two-way game and can end up being a good powerplay quarterback in the NHL.

18. Ryan McLeod
    Mississauga Steelheads (OHL)
    Center
    6’2″
    190 lbs
    17GP 6G 16A 22PTS

    The brother of New Jersey’s 2016 1st round pick, Mike McLeod. Like his brother, he’s also a very fast skater. He’s off to a great start to the season. With Florida sending Owen Tippett back to Mississauga, I’d expect McLeod’s draft stock to rise now that he has a real offensive weapon on his wing.

19. Jett Woo
    Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL)
    Defense
    6’0″
    205 lbs
    16GP 6G 9A 15PTS

    Woo was a standout for Canada at the World U17 tournament last year. He’s a nice skater that loves play physical.
20. Akil Thomas
    Niagara IceDogs (OHL)
    Center
    5’11”
    170 lbs
    16GP 5G 13A 18PTS

    Thomas joins Quinn Hughes as the 2nd projected 1st round pick that is a Florida native. He was a force for Canada at the Ivan Hlinka tournament.

21. Isac Lundestrom
    Lulea HF (SHL)
    Center/Left Wing
    6’0″
    185 lbs
    16GP 3G 4A 7PTS

    Lundestrom already is in his 2nd year of playing against men in the Swedish Elite League. He’s already surpassed his point total from last season in just 16 games.

22. Benoit-Oliver Groulx
    Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)
    Center
    6’1″
    190 lbs
    19GP 9G 6A 15PTS

    Groulx was the 1st overall pick in the 2016 QMJHL Draft and is the son of Canada’s World Junior coach, Benoit Groulx. Groulx joins Jared McIsaac and Filip Zadina as potential 1st round picks that play for the Halifax Mooseheads.
23. Noah Dobson
    Acadie-Bathurst Titan (QMJHL)
    Defense
    6’3″
    179 lbs
    19GP 1G 16A 17PTS

    Dobson’s off to an excellent start offensively for Acadie-Bathurst. He’s a quick skater with good size.

24. Jacob Olofsson
    Timra IK (Allsvenskan)
    Center
    6’2″
    185 lbs
    15GP 4G 1A 5PTS

    Plays with Canucks prospect, Jonathan Dahlen, in Timra of the Allsvenskan. Olofsson has a really good shot and he was great for Sweden at the Ivan Hlinka tournament.

25. Allan McShane
    Oshawa Generals (OHL)
    Center
    5’11”
    190 lbs
    18GP 3G 16A 19PTS

    The player that was traded by the Erie Otters that helped them land Anthony Cirelli. McShane is a smart player with great hockey IQ.
26. Jesperi Kotkaniemi
    Assat (Liiga)
    Center
    6’2″
    190 lbs
    21GP 5G 4A 9PTS

    Probably has one of the best names of all of the draft-eligible players for this year. He’s a good playmaking center who has pretty good production thus far for playing in a men’s league as an 18-year-old.

27. Calen Addison
    Lethbridge Hurricanes (WHL)
    Defense
    5’10”
    179 lbs
    16GP 4G 12A 16PTS

    Like many other defensemen in this draft, Addison isn’t the biggest guy but, he’s very skilled and has quite the offensive upside.

28. Serron Noel
    Oshawa Generals (OHL)
    Right Wing
    6’5″
    201 lbs
    14GP 10G 4A 14PTS

    Noel is a power forward that is already drawing comparisons to Blake Wheeler. Don’t be surprised if Noel’s stock rises as the season goes on because of his size.
29. K’Andre Miller
    USA U18 (USDP)
    Defense
    6’3″
    205 lbs
    13GP 0G 2A 2PTS

    A good skater that just started playing defense in the last few years. He’s committed to the University of Wisconsin for next year.

30. Dmitri Zavgorodny
    Rimouski Oceanic (QMJHL)
    Center
    5’9″
    161 lbs
    18GP 7G 7A 14PTS

    An undersized player but has a lot of skill. He’ll slide due to being undersized and being Russian.

31. Rasmus Sandin
    Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL)
    Defense
    5’11”
    190 lbs
    5GP 1G 2A 3PTS

    Drafted by the Greyhounds in the 2017 Import Draft. Still adjusting to the North American game but has done well thus far.

We discussed the top 10 in the rankings on this week’s podcast. Check it out.

Thanks for reading. There will be a draft ranking/mock draft published for every month leading up to the 2018 Draft. Follow Sabres Fanatics on Twitter and Instagram @SabresFanatics. You can also follow me on Twitter @JoeSFNHL