Teams are not waiting terribly long to get some of their draft picks signed up this off-season, giving an idea of just how important they are. On Friday, the Arizona Coyotes signed up the 12th overall pick in forward Brendan Perlini. Perlini was one of the few picks I had got right out of my mock draft, believing that his natural scoring skill was something that the Coyotes should have been looking for and they should take a chance on a player that may have some conditioning issues, but the upside would be too great to pass up. Perlini received the rookie maximum in salary at $925,000 over the next three years, but there will be all kinds of bonuses attached.
On Monday, the Montreal Canadiens put pen to paper with their 1st round draft pick in the Summer, Nikita Scherbak, the 26th overall selection. Scherbak dazzled the scouts on a woeful Saskatoon team in the WHL last season and his skill set should be very complimentary of a Habs team that doesn't rely on size, but more speed and finesse. The 6', 172-pound Russian should fit in just fine with this club. Scherbak also received the rookie maximum in salary for his 3-year entry-level deal, working out to $925,000.
One player I had in my mock draft to possibly go in the 1st round, but didn't, he fell to the 2nd round, was Russian forward Ivan Barbashev, who was then picked by the St. Louis Blues. He was taken 33rd overall and he signed a new deal on Monday, which will have a base salary around the $803,000 mark for his three seasons. Barbashev's game has been described as a very good two-way game, which will have to excite Head Coach Ken Hitchcock, who enjoys a two-way game from his players, so there may have been a great fit found there.
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