Secretaries of Defense

Zach Hopkins

2014-11-22

AaronEkblad

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)

HAYDN FLEURY</a></p> <p> </p> <p><div id="imageright"><script type="text/javascript"src="http://ap.lijit.com///www/delivery/fpi.js?z=198568&u=dobbersports&width=300&height=250″></script></div></p> <p>Seventh overall pick in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft by the Carolina Hurricanes</p> <p> </p> <p>A second round pick in the 2011 WHL Bantam Draft, Fleury plays his junior hockey for the Red Deer Rebels. In his first full season in the WHL, he posted a respectable 19 points and plus-four rating in 66 games while adding an additional two points and a plus-four rating in nine playoff games as the Rebels reached the second round. He was a selection of the Canada Western U17 team and posted three points in five contests at the WHC. Assuming more of a leadership role in Red Deer, he posted 46 points in 70 games and finished with a plus-15 rating in his second season. One of the reasons for his breakout season was increased physicality, which began to open up the ice for his teammates. Hockey Canada certainly noticed and he was selected for the U18 team that competed at the WJC. After the season, Fleury was locked in as the ninth ranked skater by central scouting and was thought to be the second best defenseman in the draft. This ended up being true in the sense that he was the second defenseman selected and went seventh overall to the Carolina Hurricanes, a team with obvious holes on the blueline.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>2014-2015 Season</strong></p> <p> </p> <p>Fleury had a very good showing at prospect camp and then at training camp. He was never seriously considered a contender for a roster spot on the NHL level but the experience gained and taken with him back to Red Deer could prove to be the stepping stone needed to stick with the big club next season as he is not thought to be that far away fundamentally. Through 16 WHL contests this season, Fleury has deposited one goal to go along with six assists for seven points and a minus-seven rating for a Rebels team that is 12-9-2-1.</p> <p> </p> <p>Haydn Fleury goal vs. Prince Albert</p> <div style="margin: 20px 0px; width: 100%; min-height 50px; background-color: lightgray;"> 📢 advertisement:  <div align="center" data-freestar-ad="__336x280 __336x280" id="dobberhockey_incontent_1"> <script data-cfasync="false" type="text/javascript"> freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: "dobberhockey_incontent_1", slotId: "dobberhockey_incontent_1" }); </script> </div> </div> <p> </p> <p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/p_tc3z51FJI?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen>

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

JULIUS HONKA</a></p> <p> </p> <p>14<sup>th</sup> overall pick in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft by the Dallas Stars</p> <p> </p> <p>Honka is thought to be one of the gems of the 2014 NHL Draft. Clearly ranked behind defensemen such as Aaron Ekblad and Haydn Fleury, Honka was more in line with lower first round picks <a href="http://prospects.dobbersports.com/Tampa-Bay-Lightning-Top-Prospects/anthony-deangelo">Anthony DeAngelo</a> and <a href="http://prospects.dobbersports.com/Philadelphia-Flyers-Top-Prospects/travis-sanheim">Travis Sanheim</a>. The single factor that is thought to set him apart is his elusiveness on the ice. Although small, he controls the puck and moves better than most forwards. Honka had a successful run in his native Finland while playing for various levels of the Jr. C SM-sarja, Jr. B2 and B SM-sarja and Jr. A SM-liiga leagues. He competed for JYP U16, U17, U18 and U20. Aside from league play, he also was a member of the Finland U16, U17, U18 and U20 teams at the International Juniors as well as Finland's U18 and U20 teams at the WJC. Despite his respectable numbers and development in Finland, Honka truly broke out when he crossed the pond and joined the Swift Current of the Western Hockey League. In 62 contests last season, he recorded 16 goals, 40 assists and 56 points with a plus-10 rating. He was an obviously selection to the Finnish team in the WJC and he also competed in the CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game. The Dallas Stars had scouted Honka and viewed him favorably as a top selection. They made it official at the 2014 NHL Entry Draft and selected him with the 14<sup>th</sup> overall pick.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>2014-2015 Season</strong></p> <p> </p> <p>Before the Dallas Stars final preseason game, Honka was re-assigned to the Texas Stars of the American Hockey League. It was initially thought that he may return to the WHL or even Finland for the season. So far in 14 games for Texas, he has recorded six points and a minus-three rating. The Dallas farm system is deep with defensemen and should provide him with the training and tools needed to reach the next level and have a long, prosperous career.</p> <p> </p> <p>Julius Honka's first professional goal with the Texas Stars</p> <p> </p> <p><iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/D7OPi4WYfR8?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen>

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