He doesn’t have Carlsson’s size, but Carlsson doesn’t have Smith’s vision.Īn unguardable playmaker with exceptional vision, Smith centered one of the most prolific scoring lines in junior hockey history, as he and wingers Gabe Perreault and Ryan Leonard - all Boston College bound, by the way - combined for 155 goals and 353 points over a 63-game slate, with Smith scoring 51 and assisting on 76 others. U18, NTDP) - Smith rose considerably after his 20-point effort in leading Team USA to gold at the U18 worlds, meaning the Jackets have to entertain the idea of supporting all their shoot-first gunslingers with one of the best pure playmakers around. His playmaking and touch near the net shouldn’t take long to translate to impressive scoring totals But much like Adam Fantilli, the 6-foot-2 Carlsson slots in the top three for more than just having ideal measurements. Carlsson’s Orebro squad benefitted greatly from his scoring punch during the regular season and later in the playoffs, and he was productive in a top-six role for the national team at the men’s world championships.īottom line : The Blue Jackets don’t hide from the fact that they prefer their top draft picks to have size and achieve NHL readiness as early as the following season. Surprise pick : Matvei Michkov, RW (HK Sochi, KHL) - Anaheim GM Pat Verbeek, was a feisty winger with elite finishing skills in his day, so he probably knows how deadly a Zegras-Michkov combination would be.Īnother top-flight forward prospect who entered his draft campaign with plenty of hype, Carlsson played with style and produced at a clip rarely seen in a tough elite league like Sweden’s SHL. There simply aren’t many available options beyond Bedard who have the potential to become a bigger hit than current Ducks Trevor Zegras or Mason McTavish, but Fantilli’s definitely one of them. He’s got the size, speed, shot, and desire to be an effective team contributor as early as next season, but his ceiling includes taking over the reins for the franchise in one way or another.īottom line : The Ducks can’t go wrong with this pick for several reasons, beginning with Fantilli’s NHL readiness covering more areas than any other draft prospect, Bedard included. Fantilli’s freshman season for the ages dismissed any doubt about his standing as the best center in the draft behind Connor Bedard, and his impressive resume now includes an NCAA scoring crown, a trip to the Frozen Four semifinals, and the Hobey Baker Memorial Award recognizing college hockey’s best player.
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