Toronto Maple Leafs: 2018 NHL Mock Draft – First Edition
By Austin Owens
player. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. USNTDP (USHL). Bode Wilde. Defence. 15. 97
The Panthers have gone forward-heavy in the early rounds of the draft as of late. Enter Wilde, who would be a welcomed addition to a Florida blueline which already features Aaron Ekblad and Mike Matheson.
Wilde will be attending the University of Michigan next season, giving him some time in school to come into his own as a defenceman.He is a two-way defender who has a huge shot and the ideal frame to play in today’s NHL. He is also a right shot, which is coveted by every team in the league.
With the Panthers just missing out on the postseason this year, building a stronger defensive core will be pivotal to their success over the next decade.
Pick Analysis. Centre. Karpat (Liiga). player. Scouting Report. Rasmus Kupari. 16. 103
Kupari missed out on the opportunity to represent his country at the World Juniors back in December, which could have hurt his stock a bit. But make no mistake, if he manages to fall this far, the Avs will have themselves quite the player.
Kupari has a dynamic skill set and is agile. He can make plays at top speeds and now has experience after playing an entire year in the top flight of Finnish hockey.
Scouts say he could do well to add some muscle to his frame. But already weighing over 180 lbs in his draft year means he doesn’t have as much to pack on as other forwards.
Colorado is no stranger to drafting Finnish prospects either. They struck gold with Mikko Rantanen with the 10th overall pick in 2015. Kupari is a great pickup in this position. He brings a lot of skill to an already budding Avs squad that looks to be on the rise.