Photo credit: Nick Wosika-Imagn Images
Quinn Hughes and head coach John Hynes are seeing it firsthand in Minnesota. If the 2018 NHL Draft happened again today, Hughes would hear his name first.
Scouts loved the class at the time. The reality looks very different eight years later.
Development changed the order. A few stars rose. Several early picks slid down the board.
Here is how a realistic re draft looks now.
Quinn Hughes takes the top spot. His skating and puck movement completely control the pace of a game, and he runs the offense from the blue line every night.
Few defensemen in the league dictate play the way he does.
Rasmus Dahlin stays near the top at No. 2. Buffalo still leans heavily on him to drive play from the back end and handle huge minutes in every situation.
A franchise defenseman still deserves a top spot.
Brady Tkachuk moves up to third overall. Ottawa's captain brings relentless net front pressure and leadership that sets the tone for the entire bench.
Teams still build identity around players like him.
The second half of the top ten brings surprises
Kirill Marchenko jumps all the way into the fourth spot. The Columbus winger developed into a dangerous scorer who can change a game quickly with his release.
His finishing ability turned him into one of the biggest late draft wins.
Andrei Svechnikov lands at No. 5. Injuries slowed some momentum, but his combination of power, speed and shot still makes him one of the most dangerous wingers from that class.
Carolina still leans on him in key offensive moments.
K'Andre Miller rises to sixth. His skating allows him to shut down rush chances while still jumping into the attack when the opportunity appears.
Few defensemen cover ice the way he does.
Evan Bouchard slides into seventh. Edmonton's power play runs through his heavy shot from the blue line and his calm puck decisions.
His offensive instincts from the point remain elite.
Noah Dobson grabs the eighth spot. The Canadiens defenseman matured into a reliable top pair player who handles major minutes.
His offensive confidence keeps growing each season.
Martin Fehervary lands ninth. Washington values his physical style and defensive reliability on the blue line.
He may not grab headlines, but coaches trust him in tough minutes.
Lukas Dostal closes the list at tenth. Anaheim's goaltender developed into a dependable starter who can steal games when the Ducks need it.
Finding a starting goalie from outside the first round always changes the draft story.
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