2014 Draft Class in the Hockey Pool

Since I was outlining the signings from this Summer's draft class, I guess it is only fitting that I should highlight those players who were taken in the hockey pool draft on Saturday. It would bring the process full-circle, a bit, don't you think?

It was a pretty popular class, with all kinds of hype about who would go number one, and then when it was all said and done, we really got to mull over where (if) we would take them in the hockey pool draft.

The Florida Panthers won the right to the 1st overall pick in the draft and they took defenseman Aaron Ekblad from the Barrie Colts.  He was touted as a physically mature defenseman with some upside to be a franchise guy and indeed, he was the first 2014 draft class player taken.  Grant S. took him in the 13th round, 290th overall and it sounds like he is going to be given every opportunity to stay with the Panthers this year.

Of course, the trouble with these picks is that they do have a likelihood of going back down to the juniors, which would sink a pick pretty quickly in the hockey pool, as those teams that pick them, have to wait until the first official Waiver Draft to drop them.

The 2nd overall pick went to the Buffalo Sabres and they nabbed Sam Reinhart from the Kootenay Ice of the WHL and it looks like he's also being given every opportunity to stay, although it has been a bumpy start to his preseason campaign.  Reinhart struggled offensively at the rookie camp and playing in four out of five preseason games after camp, Reinhart only scored his 1st goal on Wednesday night.  There is a spot for him on the roster, but the Sabres might be thinking twice about it right now.

Pool newcomer, Troy, picked up Reinhart with the 318th overall pick, his last forward pick-up, near the end of the draft.  This could be a home run, assuming Reinhart sticks.

The number four pick overall, Sam Bennett, was scooped up by the Calgary Flames from the Kingston Frontenacs of the OHL and he was in serious competition for the 1st pick. Luckily for Calgary, he slid down a little, but that was to no fault of his.  Bennett has been one of the hardest working Flames in camp to this point, but a lot of people are urging the Flames to send him back down to junior, but Bennett, despite some minor injuries, is giving the team more than enough reason to keep him up.

Bennett was taken just before Reinhart in the pool draft, going 316th to Wyllie and this might be the biggest gamble of the three.

It was awfully surprising that Leon Draisaitl wasn't taken in the draft, as there are some Oilers fans in the pool, but he was probably the most likely to make the NHL, as Edmonton was in desperate need of a centre and Draisaitl isn't a spring chicken.  It looks like he'll make the squad and be a prime candidate for selection in the first Waiver Draft, unless he goes in the preseason Waiver Draft, thanks to another major injury.

For comparison purposes, the 2014 draft class did see three picks go in Saturday's draft, while the 2013 draft class only saw its top two players go, Nathan MacKinnon and Jonathan Drouin, to which only one of them actually played.  MacKinnon went in the 5th round and Drouin in the 8th round, both picked up by Doug, who didn't return for the 2015 pool.

Just for shits and giggles, I had a look at the 2012 class in the pool and only one was taken, the 1st overall pick, Nail Yakupov, also went in the 14th round, 226th overall to Wilton.

Other than MacKinnon, there really haven't been many home runs from the draft picks from that Summer and Doug squandered his chances with some poor picking to finish last in the 2014 pool.  How will this year fare?