With six years of recaps in the books, our pursuit of NHL Draft knowledge to determine whether or not the Oilers should use the 10th overall pick has landed us here, the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. After the jump, I’ve listed another group of nine NHL hopefuls that were selected within the 7-15 range in their respective draft year to see if there’s anything we can learn in relation to this year’s pick. Will the following names affect your thinking about what to do with the 10th overall pick? We shall see.
Today, we dive into the 2014 NHL Draft. 

Haydn Fleury (7) – D – Carolina Hurricanes

Rookie Season (2017-18 w/ Carolina Hurricanes): 67GP – 0G, 8A for eight points
Pre-Draft Scouting Report:
“Fleury has already gotten bigger and stronger after a year of emphasizing those features in Red Deer. His offensive production was way down from his draft year numbers — a cause for some concern — but he has improved defensively since coming to Raleigh last summer. Fleury is a great skater for his size but not overly physical. He did not make Canada’s World Junior team last year, but should be a solid candidate to do so this season.”
SeasonTeamLgeGPGAPtsPIM+/-
2017-18
Carolina Hurricanes
NHL
67
0
8
8
14
-2
2017-18
Charlotte Checkers
AHL
3
1
1
2
0
3
NHL Totals
67
0
8
8
14

William Nylander (8) – C – Toronto Maple Leafs

2017-18 Season: 82GP – 20G, 41A for 61 points
Rookie Season (2016-17 w/ Toronto Maple Leafs): 81GP – 22G, 39A for 61 points
Pre-Draft Scouting Report:
“Nylander’s overall hockey sense is special and he has a feeling and understanding for the game that few players enjoy. He can withstand physical pressure and is rarely separated from the puck or knocked around. He is very confident and can play a skill game. He is a go-to player and is very good at working give-and-go plays with teammates. As for weaknesses, Nylander’s shots can be blocked at times and he is susceptible to opponent poke checks. He is relatively light though this doesn’t prevent him from being highly effective and dangerous. Nylander doesn’t always show vigor in backchecking and his desire for puck possession can slow down other teammates.”
SeasonTeamLgeGPGAPtsPIM+/-PGPGAPtsPIM
2017-18
Toronto Maple Leafs
NHL
82
20
41
61
10
20
7
1
3
4
0
NHL Totals
185
48
87
135
46
13
2
6
8
2

Nikolaj Ehlers (9) – LW – Winnipeg Jets

2017-18 Season: 82GP – 29G, 31A for 60 points
Rookie Season (2015-16 w/ Winnipeg Jets): 72GP – 15G, 23A for 38 points
Pre-Draft Scouting Report:
“Blessed with dynamic speed and sniper’s hands, Ehlers did not have to adapt to the QMJHL so much as the league needed to readjust and try to stop the blazing Dane. Able to dance through defenders and fire his laser-precise wrister home, he will only get better as he continues to get stronger and more capable of breaking through physical pressure. Creative with the puck, Ehlers is working hard to round out his game.”
SeasonTeamLgeGPGAPtsPIM+/-PGPGAPtsPIM
2017-18
Winnipeg Jets
NHL
82
29
31
60
26
14
15
0
7
7
2
NHL Totals
236
69
93
162
85
15
0
7
7
2

Nick Ritchie (10) – LW – Anaheim Ducks

2017-18 season: NHL: 76GP – 10-17-27
Rookie Season (2015-16 w/ Anaheim Ducks): 33GP – 2G, 2A for four points
Pre-Draft Scouting Report:
“Ritchie has all the makings of a prototypical, Eric Lindros-type power forward. A big bodied winger with smooth hands and a shooting touch, he is not overly aggressive to make the big hit, but when he does make contact he’s probably one of the smoothest hitters in the game. As with any player his size, his agility and flexibility are two areas that could improve. But he dominated at the junior level and should be effective as he continues to develop.”
SEASONTEAMLGEGPGAPTSPIM+/-PGPGAPTSPIM
2017-18
Anaheim Ducks
NHL
76
10
17
27
72
3
4
0
0
0
8
NHL TOTALS
186
26
33
59
171
19
4
0
4
54

Kevin Fiala (11) – LW – Nashville Predators

2017-18 Season: 80GP – 23G, 25A for 48 points
Rookie Season (2016-17 w/ Nashville Predators): 54GP – 11G, 5A for 16 points
Pre-Draft Scouting Report:
“Shifty in his skating, he rarely blows a tire or loses his poise. He is strong on his skates and avoid checks and physical contact from opponents. Fiala’s agility is paramount to the effectiveness of his skill set. He holds onto the puck as if it’s glued to his stick and is very tricky as a dangler, especially when entering the zone with speed; he can accelerate with three short steps. Fiala is creative and loves to put that on display. He has an uncanny ability to determine when teammates are in close vicinity and finds them with the puck. Whether shooting or passing, he uses a slingshot-like motion to accurately send the puck where he wants it to go. His shot has good on-goal accuracy with it, be it a wrister or slapshot. Fiala is a go-to guy with game-breaking skills who is turned to when a goal is required, something he often delivers.”
SeasonTeamLgeGPGAPtsPIM+/-PGPGAPtsPIM
2017-18
Nashville Predators
NHL
80
23
25
48
26
20
12
3
1
4
8
NHL Totals
140
35
30
65
44
18
5
1
6
8

Brendan Perlini (12) – LW – Arizona Coyotes

2017-18 Season: 74GP – 17G, 13A for 30 points
Rookie Season (2016-17 w/ Arizona Coyotes): 57GP – 14G, 7A for 21 points
Pre-Draft Scouting Report:
“Perlini’s primary assets are his speed and puck skills. He has tremendous hands and displays offensive savviness, consistently finding the soft spots in the offensive zone where he can redirect shots and cash in on rebounds. Perlini’s size is his secondary asset. He uses his size and strength to absorb and work through body contact. If he learns to be assertive with his size on the forecheck, his production could explode.”
SeasonTeamLgeGPGAPtsPIM+/-
2017-18
Arizona Coyotes
NHL
74
17
13
30
28
-2
NHL Totals
131
31
20
51
48

Jakub Vrana (13) – LW – Washington Capitals

2017-18 Season: 73GP – 13G, 14A for 27 points
Rookie Season (2016-17 w/ Washington Capitals): 21GP – 3G, 3A for six points
Pre-Draft Scouting Report:
“Vrana is a bit undersized at 5’11 and 185 pounds but is a high-skill winger with even higher upside. He is a good skater, though more smooth than explosive. He possesses a good release and a nose for the net from just about anywhere on the ice, displaying a goal scorer’s touch. Consistency is still an issue with Vrana. When he is frustrated or things are not going well, he tends to disappear for stretches. Like most young offensively-minded forwards, he still needs to work on his defensive game. Shows good creativity and plays an unselfish game despite being more of a scorer than a playmaker. High-end talent.”
SeasonTeamLgeGPGAPtsPIM+/-PGPGAPtsPIM
2017-18
Washington Capitals
NHL
73
13
14
27
12
2
18
2
4
6
2
NHL Totals
94
16
17
33
14
18
2
4
6
2

Julius Honka (14) – D – Dallas Stars

Rookie Season (2017-18 w/ Dallas Stars): 42GP – 1G, 3A for four points
Pre-Draft Scouting Report:
“Honka is a slick, puck-moving defenseman. With a hard, accurate right-handed shot he is a threat from the point and is masterful on the power play unit. Honka can dominate in offensive situations, but also understands positional play. He handles physical play despite his lack of bulk and stature.”
SeasonTeamLgeGPGAPtsPIM+/-
2017-18
Dallas Stars
NHL
42
1
3
4
14
-1
2017-18
Texas Stars
AHL
10
0
2
2
6
-4
NHL Totals
58
2
7
9
18

Dylan Larkin (15) – C – Detroit Red Wings

2017-18 Season: 82GP – 16G, 47A for 63 points
Rookie Season (2015-16 w/ Detroit Red Wings): 80GP – 23G, 22A for 45 points
Pre-Draft Scouting Report:
“Larkin is a fast and offensively skilled, highly-touted forward prospect. He has incredible skating combined with great on-ice vision that aids him in setting up teammates or scoring himself. He works hard and plays a responsible two-way game.”
SeasonTeamLgeGPGAPtsPIM+/-PGPGAPtsPIM
2017-18
Detroit Red Wings
NHL
82
16
47
63
61
-9
NHL Totals
242
56
84
140
132
5
1
0
1
18

THE WRAP…

Add another list of serviceable NHLers to our Draft research assignment. This 2014 Draft list shows me another cluster of young players that are either on the cusp or already contributing at the NHL level less than four years after being drafted in the first round. Sure, four years is a long time when you think of the Oilers need to win now, but it’s not all that long when you consider the bigger picture. For me, doing this project over the past week or so has really strengthened my feeling that the Oilers should use their pick to draft the best player available. Sure, there are risks in using the pick, but there are potentially larger risks in trading the pick for an older, more expensive player. I don’t want to sound like a broken record here, but, after putting together seven years worth of picks, I can’t help but think the best bet is to head up to the podium and make the pick. What do you guys think?

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