Secretaries of Defense

 

What to expect from the top three defensemen selected in the 2014 NHL Draft.

 

Offense wins games; defense wins championships. In this edition of The Journey, we will look at the top three first round defenders taken in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft who could have SERIOUS fantasy implications.

 

AARON EKBLAD

 

First overall pick in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft by the Florida Panthers

 

Ekblad is an exceptional prospect. How exceptional one may ask? Enough so that he was one of only three players  (along with John Tavares and Connor McDavid) granted exceptional player status by Hockey Canada, which allowed him to play for the Barrie Colts of the Ontario Hockey League after being selected with the first overall pick in 2011. In his first season in Barrie, he led all Colts defenders in scoring with 29 points and finished with a minus-five rating. He added much needed spark to a team that was trying to rebound from owning the league's worst record the season before. Naturally, he was selected to play for Canada Ontario in the U17 WHC that season and helped lead the squad to a third place finish with three points in five games. Ekblad improved, as expected, in his second season in Barrie scoring 34 points and finishing with a plus-29 rating. He helped lead the Colts to the OHL finals against London and then captained the U17 Ontario team in the WHC scoring six points in five games. In his third and final season in Barrie, the newly named captain broke through in a big way by recording 23 goals and 30 assists for 53 points in 58 games and was a plus-seven. An obvious choice for the Canadian U20 team at the WJC, he posted two points in seven games. Ekblad was rated as the second best skater by Central Scouting and subsequently was selected with the first overall pick in the NHL Entry Draft by the Florida Panthers.

 

2014-2015 Season

 

Ekblad made the Panthers roster out of training camp and was retained past the customary nine-game tryout, thus eating in to his first year on his entry-level deal. Through 17 games, Ekblad has impressed by scoring 10 points with a plus-one rating and is averaging over 20 minutes per game. In most standard fantasy formats, he is already producing and worthy of a roster spot, especially in keeper leagues.

 

Aaron Ekblad's first career NHL goal vs. Philadelphia

 

 

Dobber Prospect Rank: first overall Florida prospect

Fantasy Outlook: A-

Pros: leadership, maturity, plays tough minutes, good on special teams, two-way defender

Cons: professional experience

Anticipated NHL Arrival: 0 years (currently in NHL)

 

 

Dobber Prospect Rank: first overall Carolina prospect

Fantasy Outlook: C-

Pros: big frame, offensive minded, physical, good body-to-body player

Cons: risk taker, experience

Anticipated NHL Arrival: 1-2 years

 

 

Dobber Prospect Rank: second overall Dallas prospect

Fantasy Outlook: B+

Pros: speedy, elusive, two-way defenseman, strong on skates, accurate shot, special teams

Cons: lack of North American experience, overall physicality

Anticipated NHL Arrival: 2 years