The 2017 NHL Draft

If there were was one thing that came abundantly clear from the 2016-2017 NHL fantasy season, it was that the incoming rookies are coming to play and prove they are ready to play in the league. In recent years of the NHL, rookies were not necessarily known to be instant impact players on either side of the ball right after they were drafted. The NHL is physically brutal and physically draining. It takes some time for young kids, aged 20-22, come into the United States and perform on one of the biggest hockey stages in the world. So after 2016 brought out daily fantasy hockey stars: Austin Matthews and Patrick Laine. They both were able to play in over 70 games in their rookie campaigns. They both were able to score thirty-five goals and dish out nearly thirty assists as well. Their impact was instantly felt. They instantly made their linemates and any other players that were on the ice with them. And vying for the top pick in the 2017 NHL draft were some high-profile NHL fantasy prospects.

The no. 1 overall player in the national scouting pre-draft ranking was Nolan Patrick. Nolan is son of former NHL player Stephen Patrick and nephew of former player James Patrick. He was highly touted but there were some injury problems. Next on the scouting ranking was international phenom Nico Hischier. Hischier is the highest Switzerland born player ever. He was awarded best professional prospect and offensive rookie of the year in a canadian hockey league last season. The one downfall with the star is that he is still signed to a different professional team, so he wouldn’t be able to play in the NHL until the following season. Finally was international prospect Elias Patterson. Patterson was playing older aged professional hockey in Sweden and was averaging over a point a game.

So, it was clear to see there was no clear top prospect and each one came with their own liabilities. So, it made it difficult on the Calgary Flames to ensure they get this one right so they can add a cornerstone player to their franchise. So on draft night, the Flames made the bold decision in selecting ineligible player Nico Hischier. This is a talent that simply will have to wait for him to get his chance to make his debut in the NHL. With an outstanding talent like that, it was an excellent way to rapidly improve the quality of play for the upcoming season.

Leo Aranas is an online writer and blogger.