National hockey league Make fun of Draft: Who goes 3 soon after Dahlin, Svechnikov?

How the 2018 Draft Actually Unfolded

The 2018 NHL Draft has long since taken place, so the speculation in mock drafts like the one above can now be checked against what happened. The event was held in Dallas in June 2018, and the first two picks went the way most observers expected. The Buffalo Sabres, holding the first overall selection, took Swedish defenceman Rasmus Dahlin, widely considered one of the most complete blueline prospects in years. The Carolina Hurricanes followed at second with Russian winger Andrei Svechnikov, a powerful scorer who had played junior hockey in the Ontario Hockey League.

The real debate was over the third pick, and that is where the Montreal Canadiens surprised many forecasters. Instead of the wingers often projected in that slot, Montreal chose Finnish centre Jesperi Kotkaniemi, valuing his size and two-way play at a position the club badly needed to strengthen. That single choice reshaped the next few picks:

• The Ottawa Senators selected Brady Tkachuk fourth, adding a physical forward from a well-known hockey family.
• The Arizona Coyotes took centre Barrett Hayton fifth.
• The Detroit Red Wings landed Czech winger Filip Zadina sixth, a player many mock drafts had placed in the top three.

Why mock drafts so often miss

Mock drafts are useful for understanding how scouts rank talent, but they rarely predict team behaviour precisely. Clubs draft for positional need, organisational depth and their own internal scouting reports, none of which are fully visible to outside writers. Trades on draft day can also reorder the board in minutes. Reading a mock draft after the fact is a good reminder that rankings and real selections are two different exercises.

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