With the 2018 NHL Scouting Combine behind us, attention will now turn towards the NHL Draft, which will be in Dallas on June 22-23. But first, let’s have a look at the top 10 performers in each drill at the combine, from NHL Central Scouting. Wingate Cycle Ergometer Test – The athlete warms up by pedalling at a low resistance for two minutes. When given the start command, the player will perform the following intervals while seated. Mean Power Output (watts/kg) Peak Power Output (watts/kg) Fatigue Index Bench Press – Conducted using a standard padded bench with the athlete lifting 50% of his body weight (pre-determined) utilizing free weights (including the barbell). The athlete lies on his back on the bench and grips the barbell with thumbs approximately shoulder width apart. The buttocks must remain on the bench with the feet on the floor. The starting position is with the arms fully extended. The bar is lowered to the chest, after a slight pause, athlete pushes the bar as quickly as possible until their arms are fully extended. Each athlete will perform three reps at maximum velocity, with a slight pause between each rep at the chest position. A “Gym Aware” device will be used to measure the velocity of the bar and the athlete’s ability to produce power. The reported score will be measured in watts/kg. 50% of Body Weight (Power – watts/kg) Jump Station (AccuPower Dual Force Plate System) – An AccuPower Dual Force Plate system will be used to objectively measure the direction, strength and timing of the three-dimensional (3D) forces that the athlete produces during hockey related movement. The AccuPower system also captures synchronized video data from two high speed cameras and overlays the 3D force vector produced from each leg. The test will provide immediate feedback allowing teams to assess movement efficiency, physical performance and injury potential.… Three jump types will be performed: Vertical Jump (with arm swing), No Arm Jump (no arm swing / hands on hips) and Squat Jump (squat start / hands on hips). Each jump test will include three separate maximum effort vertical jumps separated by 10 seconds of rest. The athlete’s best vertical jump height from the three attempts of each jump will be recorded. Vertical Jump (inches) Squat Jump (inches) No Arm Jump (inches) Grip Strength – The athlete adjusts a hand grip dynamometer to his hand size, fully extends his arm and squeezes the dynamometer as forcefully as possible. The test is conducted on both hands. Left Hand Grip (lb) Right Hand Grip (lb) Standing Height – Athlete stands against a wall (barefoot, heels together with the backs of the feet touching the wall) and their height is measured to the nearest quarter inch. Wingspan – Athlete extends his arms straight out to the sides. Wingspan is measured to the nearest quarter inch from the middle finger tip to middle finger tip. Wingspan (Inches) Pro Agility Test – The 5-10-5 yard shuttle (or 15-30-15 feet) evaluates multi-directional speed, agility and whole body reaction plus control. Each player will perform one sequence starting to the right and one sequence starting to the left. Pro Agility Left (sec) Pro Agility Right (sec) Pull Ups – Athlete does as many consecutive pull ups they can while maintaining the correct technique. Pull Ups Consecutive (max #) Standing Long Jump – Athlete stands with feet slightly apart with toes behind the jumping line. Using an arm swing to assist, the athlete jumps as far as possible. Long Jump (inches) Aerobic Fitness VO2max – Aerobic fitness is assessed by measuring the amount of oxygen utilized (VO2 max) during maximal exercise employing volume determination and analysis of expired air. In addition, heart rate is monitored continuously, providing data for heartrate-based training. This test will be performed on a professional grade spin bike (Watt Bike) cycle ergometer using a Cortex Metalyzer VO2 cart. The end point is determined by either: a) the athlete physically stops pedalling b) the athlete experiences difficulty breathing or chest pain or c) the appraiser stops the subject because the athlete can no longer maintain the required rpm despite intense effort. Test Duration VO2 Max (ml/kg/min) The graphics above were created by Erika Vanderveer. Descriptions of the tests were provided by the NHL.<doc-sep>The NHL Scouting Combine just wrapped up last weekend in Buffalo. We’ve had some interesting chatter that has come out of the weekend. With the changing landscape, you’ll notice a lot of changes in this version from the previous Also, you’ll notice I’ve added trades into the mix this time around. Including a juicy one in the middle of round one. Let’s get to mock draft 2.0! 1. Buffalo Sabres | Rasmus Dahlin - D - Frolunda (SHL) Duh. 2. Carolina Hurricanes | Andrei Svechnikov - RW - Barrie Colts (OHL) Last mock draft I had Carolina going with Brady Tkachuk here. Although the Hurricanes could throw in a curve ball here, I think Svechnikov has become the obvious pick at two. 3. Montreal Canadiens | Jesperi Kotkaniemi - C - Assat (Liiga) I tried to figure out some sort of a trade here, but couldn’t find one that really worked. I believe that the Canadiens covet Kotkaniemi due to their desperate need for a center. The Finnish pivot man is climbing up draft boards. The Habs, Detroit Red Wings, and Edmonton Oilers all took him out to dinner during the Scouting Combine last week. 4. Ottawa Senators | Filip Zadina - LW - Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL) Again I have the Senators getting a nice gift with the high-scoring Czech, Zadina, dropping to them at four. TRADE: NEW YORK RANGERS ACQUIRE 5TH OVERALL FOR 9TH AND 26TH OVERALL 5. New York Rangers (via Arizona Coyotes) | Oliver Wahlstrom - C/LW - US National Team U18 (USDP) The Rangers have three first round picks and are in a power position this year. They move up to get the player they coveted in the high-scoring forward Wahlstrom. The Coyotes drop back a few spots and pick up another first-round pick. 6. Detroit Red Wings | Quinn Hughes - D - Michigan University (NCAA) The Red Wings stay put and get the defenseman they really want in Hughes. 7. Vancouver Canucks | Brady Tkachuk - LW - Boston University (NCAA) The Canucks grab the big winger from Boston University in Tkachuk. He’ll fit in nicely with Vancouver’s other two young stars in Bo Horvat and Brock Boeser. TRADE: NEW YORK ISLANDERS ACQUIRE 8TH OVERALL FOR 11TH AND 43RD OVERALL 8. New York Islanders (via Chicago Blackhawks) | Noah Dobson - D - Acadie-Bathurst Titan (QMJHL) Things are a changing for the Islanders. Both head coach Doug Weight and general manager Garth Snow were recently fired. It’s officially the Lou Lamoriello show now. The Islanders use one of their two second-round picks to move up a few spots to jump ahead of the Coyotes who are sitting at nine now with the trade they made. Isles pick up Memorial Cup Champion Dobson and are will be back up at 12. 9. Arizona Coyotes (via New York Rangers) | Adam Boqvist - D - Brynas IF (SuperElit) The trade ends up working out pretty well for the Coyotes. They pick up another first round pick and get the offensively gifted Boqvist. 10. Edmonton Oilers | Evan Bouchard - D - London Knights (OHL) The run on defense continues with the Oilers. Edmonton gets much needed help for their blue line in London Knights defender Bouchard. 11. Chicago Blackhawks (via New York Islanders) | Joseph Veleno - C - Drummondville Voltigeurs (QMJHL) The Blackhawks pick up center Veleno. Chicago finds themselves in the middle of a transition. The Drummondville pivot man could be a nice compliment for Jonathan Toews who just turned 30-years-old in a few years. 12. New York Islanders (via Calgary Flames) | Barrett Hayton - C - Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL) The Islanders pick up a center here to start to recoup some of the void that will be left by the likely departure of John Tavares. 13. Dallas Stars | Joel Farabee | LW - US National Team U18 (UNDP) The Stars go with scoring winger Farabee. He’s a quick forward that scored 76 points in 62 games while wearing the “C” for the U18 USA National Team. He’ll fit right in on the wing with Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin down the road. TRADE: OTTAWA SENATORS ACQUIRE 14TH OVERALL, (D) SAM MORIN & (F) MICHAEL RAFFL FOR (F) MIKE HOFFMAN & 95TH OVERALL (FOURTH-ROUND PICK) 14. Ottawa Senators (via St. Louis Blues/Philadelphia Flyers) | Ty Smith - D - Spokane Chiefs The Senators make a big move here to acquire their third pick of the first-round now. They grab their second defender in the speedy Smith, as well as another young defender and a former first-round pick in Sam Morin. The Flyers acquire that top six-winger that they’ve needed in Hoffman. They also are back up on the board at 19. 15. Florida Panthers | Bode Wilde - D - US National Team U18 (UNDP) The Panthers draft the solid two-way defender in Wilde. He’ll head to the University of Michigan next season. 16. Colorado Avalanche | Martin Kaut - RW - HC Dynamo Pardubice (Czech Republic) Kaut is a nice pick here for the Avalanche. It’s possible he can go in the top 12 to 15 picks. Getting him at 16 would be nice grab for Colorado. 17. New Jersey Devils | Rasmus Kupari - C - Karpat (Liiga) I had the Devils going with a center from Sweden in my last mock. This time I have them going with the highly-skilled center from Finland, Rasmus Kupari. 18. Columbus Blue Jackets | Vitali Kravtsov - RW - Traktor Chelyabinsk (KHL) This time around I have the Blue Jackets going with a different Russian winger. Kravtsov is a big kid that could add some nice size to the Jackets roster down the road. 19. Philadelphia Flyers | Isac Lundestrom - C/LW - Lulea (SHL) After making a big trade, the Flyers are back on the clock. They go with the offensively gifted Lundestrom out of Sweden. 20. Los Angeles Kings | K’Andre Miller - D - US National Team U18 (USDP) This just makes too much sense for the Kings. I’ll stick with this pick from last time around. 21. San Jose Sharks | Jared McIsaac - D - Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL) I’ll stick with my original pick here too. The Sharks needs some help on the blue line in their prospect pool. 22. Ottawa Senators (via Pittsburgh Penguins) | Dominik Bokk - F - Vaxjo (SuperElit) Ottawa has certainly had a big night. They’re up for the third time and go with the intriguing German-born forward Bokk. 23. Anaheim Ducks | Ryan McLeod - C - Mississauga Steelheads (OHL) Another pick that I’ll stick from my last mock. Ryan Kesler and Ryan Getzlaf are closer to the end of their careers. McLeod could be a very nice player to plug into the lineup in a few years. TRADE: BUFFALO SABRES ACQUIRE 24TH & 148TH (FIFTH-ROUND PICK) FOR 32ND, 94TH OVERALL (FOURTH-ROUND), 125TH OVERALL (FIFTH-ROUND PICK) & (F) HUDSON FASCHING 24. Buffalo Sabres (via Minnesota Wild) | Jonatan Berggren - RW - Skelleftea (SuperElit) The Sabres trade back into round one to snag the offensively gifted Swede, Berggren. Minnesota grabs an extra pick and move up to the top of round five to drop back eight spots. They also acquire Fasching who played his college hockey at the University of Minnesota. Fasching is a restricted free agent. 25. Toronto Maple Leafs | Ryan Merkley - D - Guelph Storm (OHL) Merkley just makes a ton of sense here for the Leafs. 26. Arizona Coyotes (via Boston Bruins/New York Rangers) | Grigori Denisenko - LW - Loko Yaroslavl (MHL) Denisenko is quick skating, playmaker. The Coyotes add a defenseman and forward in round one. 27. Chicago Blackhawks (via Nashville Predators) | Alexander Alexeyev - D - Red Deer Rebels After grabbing a center at 11, the Blackhawks pick up the solid Russian blueliner from Red Deer. A pretty safe pick at 27. 28. New York Rangers (via Tampa Bay Lightning) | Ty Dellandrea - C - Flint Firebirds (OHL) The Rangers use the first round pick from Lightning to grab another forward in Dellandrea. His high hockey-IQ get him into the last few picks of round one. 29. St. Louis Blues (via Winnipeg Jets) | Nils Lundkvist - D - Lulea (SHL) Lundkvist is a mobile puck-moving defender who has made a late climb up draft boards. He was considered an early second-round pick, but could now sneak into the final few picks of round one. 30. (unconfirmed slot) Detroit Red Wings (via Vegas Golden Knights) | Rasmus Sandin - D - Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL) Sandin is another solid addition to the Red Wings prospect pool on defense. Detroit walks out of round one with two solid potential top four defenders in Sandin and Hughes. 31. (unconfirmed slot) Washington Capitals | Serron Noel - Oshawa Generals (OHL) The Caps are on the verge of locking up the Stanley Cup with a 3-1 lead over the Golden Knights. They wrap up round one selecting the big Canadian winger Noel.<doc-sep>
BUFFALO, N.Y. — For all the buzz Rasmus Dahlin has generated at just 18, the Swedish defenceman joked he had never encountered a mob scene such as the one before him on Friday. There were as many as a dozen cameras and two dozen more reporters packed three- and four-deep surrounding Dahlin, seated on a stool at the NHL pre-draft scouting combine in Buffalo. "Yeah, it’s pretty awesome actually," Dahlin said, his blond hair offset by the jet-black suit he wore. "It’s the first time so many cameras, I think. It’s fun. I love it." Dahlin had better become accustomed to it, because the lean, play-making and smooth-skating blue-liner should remain the focus of attention in the days leading up to the NHL draft being held in Dallas in three weeks. That’s when Dahlin is projected to be the first overall pick and join Mats Sundin as the only other Swedish-born player to go No. 1. "If that happens, I would be so glad and proud," Dahlin said, his eyes growing bigger at the mention of Sundin, who was selected No. 1 by the Quebec Nordiques in 1989. At 6-foot-2 and 181 pounds, Dahlin is considered the most NHL-ready prospect in this year’s draft class for his all-around ability. He’s already drawing comparisons to other elite Swedish defencemen, such as former Detroit star and seven-time Norris Trophy-winner Nicklas Lidstrom and Ottawa captain and two-time Norris winner Erik Karlsson. "All those characteristics they bring to the game, Dahlin has the same potential to bring those same characteristics," NHL Central Scouting director Dan Marr, told The Associated Press last week. "It’s not fair to compare him to those players, but everything that made them successful National Hockey League players, this kid has it in his game," Marr added. "This here’s a player that could be a cornerstone to a franchise. And he’ll be a staple on their blue line for years and years to come." It’s not just one aspect of Dahlin’s game in which he excels, Marr said. It’s all of them. Whether it’s hitting, scoring or defending, Marr said Dahlin has "shown he can rise to the occasion or rise to perform whatever needs to be done for that situation." And the significance of Dahlin being in Buffalo for the combine wasn’t lost on anyone, given the Sabres own the top pick . General manager Jason Botterill isn’t tipping his hand on whether he’ll select Dahlin, but coach Phil Housley has already been crowing about the youngster’s potential. "I’ve been watching on YouTube, and boy it’s incredible," Housley, a Hall of Fame defenceman, told The Buffalo News last month. "He’s going to be a complete package in today’s NHL." Among the prospects ranked behind Dahlin by central scouting are Russian forward Andrei Svechnikov, who played in the Ontario Junior League last season, and Boston University’s Brady Tkachuk, the son of former NHL star Keith Tkachuk. Dahlin is taking nothing for granted in saying, he’s not sure of the Sabres’ intentions. "Of course, nothing is done," he said. "But yeah, if I’m coming here, I would love to be here. I heard they have great fans and everybody loves hockey here." Stanley Cup Playoffs on Sportsnet NOW Livestream every single game of the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs—blackout free—plus the Toronto Blue Jays, key Raptors & NBA Playoffs matchups and the 100th Mastercard Memorial Cup, all in one subscription. Dahlin got his first taste of Buffalo’s hockey fans this past winter when he was part of Sweden’s silver medal-winning team at the World Junior hockey championships held in the city. Some five months later, the sting of a 3-1 loss to Canada in the championship game had mostly worn off. "At that moment it was pretty bad," said Dahlin, one of four Swedish players disciplined by the International Ice Hockey Federation for refusing to wear the silver medal during the postgame ceremony. "But now, if I look back to the tournament, it was a great tournament. It was awesome to be here. We had a great team. We were so close." Dahlin was named the tournament’s top defenceman after finishing with six assists in seven games. At just 17, he then represented Sweden at the Winter Olympics, where he had an assist in two games. Add to that, Dahlin scored seven goals and 13 assists in 41 games with Frolunda of the Swedish Hockey League, and earned junior player of the year honours. "I went through so many great experiences.