11th Overall: Philidelphia Flyers
There’s been a lot of talks that this pick is on the table as a potential trade piece, and if the potential to get some immediate help at the expense of this pick is there, I think the Flyers take it. There’s talk that ownership is growing impatient and want to make the playoffs this season, and that puts GM Chuck Fletcher in a bit of a pickle.
The Flyers have drafted pretty well in recent years and it opens up the potential of moving this pick without emptying the cupboard. So, I think it’s entirely likely the Flyers trade this pick, but, regardless of if they do or not, I think Kirby Dach will be the selection here.
A big bodied playmaking winger cut from the same mold that Ryan Getzlaf is cut from, a player of his caliber falling this far would be hard to pass up for the Flyers or anyone else.
12th Overall: Minnesota Wild
The Wild definitely could use an influx of young center talent and Alex Newhook brings that to a struggling Wild team. The Wild could use one of everything at this point but centers are among the hardest commodity’s to find in the NHL and getting a potential #1 center 12th overall is not exactly common.
I’m pretty high on Newhook, I see a lot to like and a high-end skill set to match a “wise beyond his years” level of maturity. Newhook has the potential to be one of the standouts from this draft. A speedy center with great playmaking ability and overall a really smart player. Newhook isn’t projected to have quite the offensive ceiling of the players taken above him but I think it’s pretty close.