The final two positions for the 2018 NHL Draft were determined when the Stanley Cup Final came to an end, with the Washington Capitals’ championship putting them into the 31st and final position of each of the seven rounds. The placement had an impact on the Montreal Canadiens, who acquired the second-round pick originally assigned to the Capitals in a trade of Lars Eller. The Dane’s goal that stood as the game-winner for his new team ensured that the Habs would have to wait until the final selection of the second phase of the draft to use that voucher to add a prospect to their organization. The slots for the Canadiens’ 10 picks are now known. The Habs are slated to pick third in the first round thanks to a draft lottery win on April 28, and fourth with their picks in rounds two to five. There are five picks between 35 and 66, as the team has a chance to utilize months of scouting work to give their prospect pool a major injection of talent in the span of an hour on June 23. You can see this table anytime, along with details of all the acquired selections as well as a history of draft picks dating back to 2005, and the players and prospects currently in the Canadiens system in our organizational depth chart.<doc-sep>It’s time for the SB Nation 2018 NHL Mock Draft to get underway. We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to kick things off. So without further ado... With the first pick in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft the Buffalo Sabres select defenseman from the Frolunda Indians of the SHL, Rasmus Dahlin. Not a lot of suspense this year in the first round for the Sabres. They finally got the ping pong balls to bounce their way and have the luxury of selecting first overall. The luck continues this time around as one of the best defense prospects to come out in a very long time happens to be the unquestioned top pick in the draft. It’s not just that Dahlin is very good in his own end of the ice, but he has incredible offensive upside. His stickhandling, playmaking and scoring talent even have some people saying he would still go first overall as a forward. He’s an excellent skater and is very shifty with the puck on his stick for a 6’2” defender. It’s easy to see why he’s drawing comparisons to Ottawa Senators defenseman Erik Karlsson. Dahlin is really the full package and exactly what the Sabres have been looking for to anchor their blue line for the next 10 years. He’ll slot right into the opening night lineup next season and start to form a pretty good young core with Jack Eichel, Sam Reinhart, and Casey Mittelstadt. Things appear to be (hopefully) starting to turn around the for the Sabres. A fan base that has gone through a lot of disappointment the past few years finally has something to get really excited about besides Eichel. The Carolina Hurricanes are up next on the clock. Make sure you follow along to the full SB Nation NHL Mock Draft right here.<doc-sep>Yesterday we covered the first two picks of the SBNation Mock NHL Draft. Today we have picks three through five, and while there’s a lot of consensus out there about who will go in those spots on draft day, the opinions are not unanimous. Day 1 SBNation Mock Draft Day 2 SBNation Mock Draft The Habs are reported, by Filip Zadina himself, to be interested in a centre or a defender. Might they trade down at the real draft? Interesting comment from Filip Zadina pertaining to #Habs in @Michael_Traikos story: "Montreal, I know very well. I've been to the city many times and they're fans are awesome. But I think they're looking for a centre or a D." — Murray Pam (@Pammerhockey) June 5, 2018 Habs Eyes on the Prize took the BPA: While we discussed a few other possibilities to draft in the number three slot, notably Finnish centre Jesperi Kotkaniemi and American defenceman Quinn Hughes, it was a unanimous decision to select Zadina. The feeling is that he holds more value than the other two options, both immediately and thanks to the goal-scoring prowess he projects to show over an NHL career. Silver Seven bypassed the truculent Tkachuk and went for the epitome of the modern defenceman in Hughes: Players like Hughes are a rare breed in the NHL. First, he’s from Orlando, Florida, and could be the first NHLer from the city. But more importantly, he has an incredible skillset, with big emphasis on his skating ability and hockey IQ. At 5’10”, he’s undersized compared to your average NHL defenceman. Although, considering his high-end ability to process the game, he’s shown no weakness in playing against top competition. He’s been tagged as the proto-typical new-age defenceman in the NHL — he’s a monster when it comes to zone transitions, and can limit the opposition’s chances using his speed and positioning. In a league where speed is becoming more and more valuable, you’d be glad to know that Hughes has been touted by many as the draft class’ best skater. Arizona is really experienced at drafting with a high pick, just not a first overall, so Five for Howling should be good at this game by now. They picked a player a little different from what you might expect John Chayka to choose. But he can surprise you. Maybe he’d like some snarl on his offensive lines. Most of the major ranking sites have Brady Tkachuk ranked as the 4th or 5th best player in this year’s entry draft. He’s been described as a very physical player with a lot of skill. Although projected to be an NHL wing, Tkachuk is a versatile player and has played both center and wing in his amateur career. He’s a very good skater, has an excellent wrist shot and has a extremely high hockey IQ which helped him adjust to playing NCAA hockey. In an Associated Press article, Tkachuk admitted that he struggled at the beginning of his freshman season with the Terriers but he was able to make the adjustment. Today, three teams pick, and we get into the area of the draft where the choices get more contentious. Detroit is in this group, and now there’s a team that isn’t experienced with picking high in the draft. I wonder how they’ll do? Tomorrow, we’ll update those picks for you. Until then, have your say: Would you have taken Hughes fourth overall? Or are Silver Sevens just trying to build a new Erik Karlsson knowing the old one is leaving?<doc-sep>
With the third overall pick in the 2018 SB Nation NHL Mock Draft, the Montreal Canadiens have selected Filip Zadina. The winger played his season in North America, dressing for 57 regular-season games with the Halifax Mooseheads of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. He finished seventh in the league in scoring with 82 points, and was tied for third with 44 goals. He added another 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in nine post-season contests. Splitting his draft season in The Q was an appearance at the 2018 World Junior Hockey Championship, where he fared very well against his under-20 peers, scoring seven goals in seven games for Team Czech Republic in a run that came up just short of a bronze medal. Zadina isn’t just a player with a great shot. He works hard to get the puck in the zone, and protects it well thanks to some shifty hands and great speed. A willingness to go right to the slot places him in a prime position to let his shot fly, and that opens up options for his teammates to join the offence as well. Rankings Future Considerations: #3 HockeyProspect: #3 ISS: #3 McKeen’s: #3 NHL Central Scouting #2 (North American skaters) While we discussed a few other possibilities to draft in the number three slot, notably Finnish centre Jesperi Kotkaniemi and American defenceman Quinn Hughes, it was a unanimous decision to select Zadina. The feeling is that he holds more value than the other two options, both immediately and thanks to the goal-scoring prowess he projects to show over an NHL career. See the list of the top prospects as ranked by Central Scouting, with links to the 40+ profiles we’ve written on the top draft-eligible players right here. First up to the podium were those at Buffalo Sabres site Die By The Blade, who selected Rasmus Dahlin first overall. Carolina Hurricanes site Canes Country nabbed Andrei Svechnikov at #2. Will the Senators choose one of the two options we discussed, or pick a different player entirely? You can find that out later today, and see all 31 first-round selections be revealed over the coming weeks in SB Nation’s Mock Draft hub.