Back at it. I was looking to get this out like, a month ago, but…well, things get in the way of your plans sometimes. Kinda like how the Wild planned to make the playoffs, but…
Anyway, see below. Let's chat this out.
13th overall: Adam Jiricek – RHD – HC Plzen / Czechia
I'll be honest with you, I'm not so much a fan of the options that are currently being projected to be available at our spot here. Right now it seems like we'll have a mix of options that may or may not include Zayne Parekh, Carter Yakemchuk, and Jiricek. Parekh and Yakemchuk are wild offensive defensemen, and both of them feel like busts to me. If the chips do fall that way, and we don't have the option of taking a guy like Anton Silayev with our choice, then Adam Jiricek would be my preference.
Jiricek is a bit rough around the edges, but his skills project to NHL success more, to me. He's agile, shifty, and smart. He's a really solid two-way defenseman who plays with some physicality against much bigger competition, despite being 17 years old and only 160 pounds. He knows how to play the physical game, and once he puts on some more weight, he could be the kind of tenacious guy that Bill Guerin and traditional hockey fans are adamant the Wild need on their roster. He suffered an awful injury against Slovakia this year, which has put his draft positioning into question.
He's a smart player, but he needs to work on his tempo. Too often he slows the game to a crawl and loses his windows of opportunity to make a play, or has a hard time catching up to his positioning mistakes. Ultimately though, I think with a bit of improvement there's a real chance Jiricek ends up being a very good 3rd or 4th defender.
45th overall: Marek Vanacker – LW – Brantford Bulldogs / OHL
This kid has been ranked all over the second round, so who's to say exactly where he's going to go come draft day. But, if he is available, I would thoroughly enjoy seeing the Minnesota Fighting Wild take him with their second round draft choice this summer. He's a tantalizing prospect because of his speed and his fluid shot, which he uses to score from all parts of the ice. He's smart too, and isn't caught out of positioning, where he can use his length to retrieve passes and break up pucks carried by his opponents.
He's a bit raw, and will need to marinate a while before he's ready to jump to the show, as most second round picks do. He's fast, but isn't incredibly shifty, and improving his skating is going to be a necessity at the next level. He's six foot one, but isn't bulky. Adding some mass will improve his game, and I expect that to come.
110th overall: Felix Lacerte – RW/C – Shawinigan Cataractes / QMJHL
Felix is a lottery pick. On one hand, he's posted impressive numbers in the Q ever since he got there… he's creative, talented, and has a powerful shot he's not afraid to use.
His offensive skills are there. But he has a lot of work to do when it comes to his skating. His smaller size means he can't afford to not be a shiftier, swift player, and he's just not there right now. If he can find a way to improve his skating and get stronger on the puck in general, his skills should begin to translate to games against tougher competition.
140th overall: William McIsaac – RHD – Spokane Chiefs / WHL
Big, slick-skating right shot defender out in the WHL. I like this guy as a depth bet, I think he's strong and his solid speed and agility in his frame makes a lot of sense. I'd say he's got bottom pairing upside. I don't think the offensive flair he's shown will end up translating to the show, but his physicality and intelligence will. An extra body in the defensive prospect pool.
142nd overall: – Darels Uljanskis – LHD – AIK J20 / J20 Nationell
This dude is going under the radar, but I think he's a sneaky interesting prospect this year. He's very intelligent and sees the ice well, and it's hard not to be impressed with the way he dishes the puck to his teammates, or fishes out the puck during the front-of-the-net scrum. I'd like to see him play against some better competition more so we can get a sense as to what we have in this kid, but I think his rounded game, skating, and IQ make him someone worth grabbing later on in the draft.
174th overall: – Harrison Meneghin – G – Lethbridge Hurricanes / WHL
If you read my last mock for this year, you'll remember that i'm a big fan of Jakub Milota, goaltender with the Cape Breton Eagles. That's still true, but for the sake of keeping things fresh, I wouldn't be unhappy if the Wild grabbed Harrison Meneghin with a later round choice. He's an overager, and has kind of come out of nowhere to be one of the better goalies in the WHL. He's played with an inconsistent, oft-injured Lethbridge squad and has stolen several games for them. He's pretty consistent and sound on a technical level, and quick for his size. Question certainly remains if he will be fast enough to be a good netminder against quicker, more deadly competition. Remains to be seen, and with how things are going with goalies, who knows where this kid will ultimately be drafted. Attended the Wild development camp last year.