Pick 36: Andrew Basha, LW/Medicine Hat Tigers
I almost took Andrew Basha over Cole Hutson, thinking there was a good chance he would be gone in the few picks that followed. But that wasn’t the case, and I managed to land the high-energy winger who already possessed good size and room to grow his defensive game. Plus, his 30 goals and 55 assists throughout the 2023-24 regular season tell us he can be a scorer and a playmaker.
Pick 51: Henry Mews, D/Ottawa 67’s
Yep, I ended up rolling with quite a few blueliners with a fair share of two-way potential, and Henry Mews is no exception. To be fair, it would be tough to see Mews, Hutson, and Parekh all make the big club in time, thanks to a potential lack of room, just depending on how the circumstances play out. But that doesn’t mean one of them won’t develop into a potentially outstanding trade piece, and that was my thought process here.
Pick 77: Julius Miettinen, C/Everett Silvertips
Heading into the true middle rounds, I was looking for players with high potential that included either versatility, size, productivity, or a combination. Julius Miettinen possesses that combo at 6’3, 201 pounds, and the ability to play center or wing. But let’s not forget about his debut in North America, in which he scored 31 goals and 67 points for the Everett Silvertips in the regular season.
Pick 148: Louka Cloutier, G/Chicago Steel
When I wasn’t looking for one of those high-potential skaters, I was instead looking to draft at least one (if not more) goaltender. And I did so with the thought process of drafting them regardless of whether they would end up with the big club in time, or if they could be developed and packaged into a trade. The potential-laden Louka Cloutier was one of those players, as was my next pick.