Anaheim Ducks: Cayden Lindstrom, C/Medicine Hat Tigers
The Anaheim Ducks may be wiser to go with Ivan Demidov here, but as with the Berkly Catton pick, I’m not complaining if Cayden Lindstrom ends up in Southern California - or will ultimately end up there. As with the previous pick, this one would get an A.
Columbus Blue Jackets: Sam Dickinson, D/London Knights
I don’t mind Sam Dickinson going here, but I also don’t believe the Columbus Blue Jackets would pick the best blueliner in the draft if they rolled with him over Artyom Levshunov. This pick would still receive a passing grade, but I’m giving it a solid B.
Montreal Canadiens: Artyom Levshunov, D/Michigan State
Cole Eiserman or Ivan Demidov would be a more logical pick, but whatever, this is what the simulation rolled with, so we’re penciling in Artyom Levshunov. This pick would get a C grade, receiving passing marks mainly because of the scary pairing he could make with someone like David Reinbacher or Lane Hutson in time.
Utah Hockey Club: Ivan Demidov, RW/SKA St. Petersburg
All I’d like to see is for the Utah Hockey Club to have a successful first draft for their new fans, and taking Ivan Demidov at No. 6 in this scenario makes it well worth the trouble. There is no way I can go any lower than an A-plus for what would be a steal.
Philadelphia Flyers (from Ottawa): Zayne Parekh, D/Saginaw Spirit
Remember, in this scenario, the Flyers and Senators swapped draft picks in a mock trade prior to the Linus Ullmark deal. And with the seventh pick, Philadelphia rolled with Zayne Parekh, a high-scoring defenseman who can quarterback power plays with the potential to be a dynamic two-way player, something that Flyers fans will like, so my immediate reaction here would be an A.