There are plenty of value in these rounds and players coming out of the NTDP may prove to be some of the best value down the road.
Stars n' Stripes breaks things down by projecting what order the NTDP players will be selected in the 2nd and 3rd rounds.
We start by offering our opinion on what order the NTDP players will be selected. We also hypothesize on just where each player may land in the 2nd and 3rd rounds and offer a brief breakdown of each individual player.
Round Two
John Beecher: We had the University of Michigan commit teetering just outside of the first round pretty much all season but would not be surprised if some team grabs him late in the opening round.
Beecher has the size and speed and also plays with a slight edge. More often than not if the U18s got in to any type of skirmish, Beecher was right there front and center.
His offensive skill set doesn’t jump off the page, but he is very capable of putting up numbers. Playing with so many dynamic offensive players may have Beecher flying under the radar a bit and also somewhat under appreciated.
Selection 34—New Jersey Devils: The Devils grab their second NTDP player to go along with Jack Hughes. Devils fans will soon delight in seeing Beecher streaking down the wing like a freight train at the Prudential Center.
Alex Vlasic: Somewhat of an enigma, Vlasic’s stock has fallen a bit over the second half of the season. Once thought of as a late first round selection, some draft boards have him falling to possibly the 3rd or even 4th round. We just can’t see that happening.
At 6’6” and just under 200 pounds, Vlasic has the prototypical size of a bruising blueliner, but he isn’t a dominating physical presence. Vlasic relies more on positioning and utilizing his long reach, but as he matures we believe he will tap in to the side of his game more often.
Vlasic also has very good mobility for someone his size and he uses his angles extremely well to defend efficiently. His mobility tends to get overlooked because he finds himself on a blue line with exceptional skaters like Cam York, Marshall Warren and Domenic Fensore.
Selection 52—Florida Panthers: The Illinois native and Boston University commit gets selected late in the second round by the Panthers.
Round Three
Marshall Warren: Maybe a slight surprise to some, but not to anyone who has watched him play the last few years. Warren is a dynamic defender who not surprisingly started out as a forward before shifting back to the blue line. Labeled by some as undersized (5’11”, 167 lbs.), Warren is a left-shot defenseman who fits in perfectly in today’s NHL where speed is at a premium.
Defensively, Warren is the consummate battler, utilizing his athleticism to win his fair share of puck battles. He also does an excellent job of reading and reacting in his own zone, trusting his instincts to consistently make plays.
Warren is also not afraid to activate and jump into the play offensively. Last year, in a season where he battled some injuries, Warren tallied 34 points (8g, 26a) in 54 games.
Selection 81—Columbus Blue Jackets: Way back when the Jackets grabbed another “undersized” defenseman in the 3rd round in Kris Russell. Could history repeat itself?
Domenic Fensore: The 11th selection from the NTDP’s will be Domenic Fensore. The Boston University commit has skyrocketed up some boards of late, while others have yet to jump on the Fensore bandwagon. Good thing we bought our ticket early.
A textbook example when it comes to being undersized, Fensore stands 5’7”, tipping the scale at 151 pounds. There is no doubt the NHL is trending away from size, but that is more in terms of forwards, not on defense. It only stands to reason that trend finds its way to the blue line and Fensore could be one of the trailblazers.
Fensore is another dynamic blueliner from the NTDP who tallied 42 points (6g, 36a) in 55 games, second best among defensemen on the team. His ability to make controlled exits and jump in to the play proved invaluable this past season for the U18s, often igniting their dazzling transition game.
Selection 85—Edmonton Oilers: Some team is going to take a flyer on Fensore, we believe sooner rather than later, and that team is Edmonton.
Judd Caulfield: The North Dakota commit often provided the thunder to an otherwise lightning fast forward unit with the NTDP. Blessed with the prototypical power forward frame at 6’3”, 207 pounds, Caulfield is a force down low, along the walls and as a net front presence. He plays very heavy in the offensive zone, putting plenty of pressure on opposing defenses.
He is also a very versatile player who can adapt to a variety of roles. Like most NTDP players, Caulfield skated all on four lines, contributing in a variety of ways. He tallied 12 goals, 24 assists in 64 games with Team USA. Numbers that don’t jump out at you, but Caulfield has some offensive upside.
Caulfield also excels on the penalty kill. He does an excellent job patrolling the top of the box, wreaking havoc in the passing lanes with his ability to read and react and long reach. He was on the top PK unit for the U18s and projects to do much of the same at the next level.
Henry Thrun and Drew Helleson: The next two players selected from the NTDP program will be two defenseman who have games that resemble one and other, Henry Thrun and Drew Helleson.
Very similar in stature, Thrun listed at 6’2”, 190 lbs. while Helleson checks in at 6’3”, 193 lbs. Both players are very efficient blueliners with strong all around games.
While Helleson might be looked at by some as the better puck mover, Thrun is also very competent in that area. Both do an excellent job in their own zone, quietly going about their business.
Many times after watching an NTDP game, we have come away having a hard time recounting areas where either player has stood out. Both have had their share of highlights, but they also tend to have very few negative plays, which often times is what you want from your defensemen.
Each will make the smart, safe play before something high risk. That is never a negative, but both players could also benefit from being more aggressive on either end of the ice. More controlled zone exits or being a little tougher to play against in their own zone are steps each could benefit from making and those type of improvements could dictate their success in the coming levels.
