Some may not see any NHL upside but as a late project pick, a team could do far worse than the Swiss captain. Nylander is a sexy name with a high ceiling, and the Sabres will swing for the fences here, even if Nylander might be one of those players who feasts on weaker competition but has trouble getting it done against better opponents and in tighter checking games. The Blue Jackets famously passed on Puljujarvi at #3 in the draft and took Pierre-Luc Dubois. There was a lot of NHL buzz on the Illinois native and BU recruit coming in, but it’s warranted. Mareks Mitens, G Latvia “Mittens”- Nearly presided over an epic upset of the Swedes, and if nothing else- gave us an entire game’s worth of entertainment as the Legend of Mittens grew with each save. Former Boston Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli almost tripped over himself in 2016 when he ran to the stage to select Jesse Puljujarvi. Samuel Solensky, C Slovakia- Small but energetic and creative forward hustles and plays hard. Kieffer Bellows, LW USA- The son of former NHL 500-goal, 1000-point man Brian Bellows has a ferocious shot, but when he’s playing physical and with a burr up under his saddle as he did here, he’s a force. 12- Ottawa- Michael McLeod C; The Senators are betting that McLeod’s blend of size, skating and smarts propels him to stardom up the middle, even with questions about his NHL upside. The rookie will head to Bakersfield to tinker with his game, but don’t be surprised … All that is left to do is congratulate Gretzky for the promotion and move up. Jeff Chychrun was not a high-end player but he was tough and gritty- his son brings some of his dad’s toughness but some top-level skill at the defense position as well. I don’t like to make comparisons- but he reminds me of Joe Pavelski in that he comes off like one of those guys who ratchets up his play in big moments. The Boston Bruins have a plan if Charlie McAvoy and Brandon Carlo aren't signed bys camp. Old friend Lucic is in town, and we’ll see what Gretzky can do to help develop the talent in the system and identify new players down the road. Dominic Tiano: Salary Cap 101- Explaining the Bruins’ Cap Situation, 2021 Season Bruins Prospects Ranking- Updated, B’s, Marchand top Devils in shootout to begin 2021 season. There was also no real effort by a young locker room to make him feel comfortable. 9. Anders Bjork was a fifth-round find and gem, who led the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in scoring as a sophomore, and even seventh-rounder Emil Johansson shows promise for being a late pick. He has really seemed to have gained some confidence back as he is almost a point-per-game player in that league. What is less than two months more at this point? And, a team could very well grab Allison in the 1st round when all is said and done. The Edmonton Oilers jerked Jesse Puljujarvi around, mismanaging him from day one. 19- NY Islanders- Riley Tufte, RW; Big, massive, skates well, tremendous long-term promise and the Isles struck gold with Brock Nelson in Minnesota before, so why not take a big payoff project here? Will be on TSN 690 with my Red Line Report boss, Kyle Woodlief, with host Tony Marinaro this Friday, June 24, from 11-noon (Eastern) live from First Niagara Center to talk draft, draft and nothing but draft. His center was a rotating door that included veteran Kyle Brodziak and Sam Gagner. Edmonton- Pierre-Luc Dubois, LW- There’s talk that Peter Chiarelli will deal this pick to get some higher-end D help, as the Oilers don’t really need another early draft pick. Here’s the article and you’ll notice that Kyle mentions Tri-City Storm right wing (and Western Michigan University recruit) Wade Allison as the sleeper. Hagg Bag: Where Are The Moves For The Boston Bruins? 9- Montreal- Alex Nylander, RW; The Canadiens seek skill and scoring, so why not grab the player who might have absolutely been the most talented player in the OHL draft class, even if he doesn’t always bring it. He’ll join an Edmonton organization flush with major talent after winning the Connor McDavid sweeps a year ago and then falling into Jesse Puljujarvi at fourth overall in Buffalo. Thanks as always to Al and his producer Lieutenant Eric for having me on. Look, until he either signs with the Buffalo Sabres or he doesn’t and becomes an unrestricted free agent on August 15, I’m going to do my level best to stay above the fray. 29- Boston via SJS- Markus Niemelainen, D; The B’s could go with a forward with their second pick like a surprise 1st-rounder in Wade Allison here, but if they add another 6-5 D who can really skate, this Finn will complement the right-shooting Brandon Carlo nicely at some point. Gretzky’s 2015 draft could pay big dividends for Boston as well, even if some of the choices in the first round were not popular ones at the time. Markus Niemelainen, D Finland- Huge at 6-5 and a superb skater. BHN Puck Links: Could The Boston Bruins Really Land Dubois? 6- Calgary- Logan Brown, C; Described by my pal Reed Duthie (who calls Hamilton Bulldogs games) as an “aircraft carrier with feet”, this massive center is also highly skilled, meaning- he’s off the board in the blink of an eye.