Last year was a struggle for the teams from Canada as not a single squad from the hockey crazed country made the top-8 in either conference, but this year’s turnaround is amazing with five teams likely to begin the quest for a Stanley Cup. It all happened with good selecting of young talent over the last couple of years.
Vancouver is the one franchise that is once again struggling as the Canucks are having problems scoring goals. The front office will have a pick early in the opening round to add some scoring prowess and the latest reports have center Cody Glass and Casey Mittelstadt as the prime targets.
Both of these young men have the skill set needed at the professional level and the ability to make those around them play at a higher level. This franchise must get this pick right to begin the rebuilding process and with a bit of luck and some hard work over the summer, Vancouver could be the surprise club in 2018.
Colorado has been a big disappointment this season, but the Avalanche will get the top pick and perhaps the player that can lead this squad to the playoffs in the near future.
Nolan Patrick has been ranked as the top prospect for nearly the last twelve months and has done little this year to make anyone think otherwise. At 6’3″ and 200 pounds, the 18-year-old already has the size for the NHL and with the ability to put the puck in the net and play strong on the defensive end of the ice, Patrick could be the real deal and a leader for the Av’s for the next ten years.
