Two years later: a look at the Class of 2018

MONTREAL -- Ah yes, the NHL Entry Draft.

It's where the great unknown intersects with a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma, sitting on top of a healthy dose of excitement and potential.
And while fans spend their days dreaming about what could be, there's a certain reality that cannot be ignored when it comes to drafting hockey players; there are simply too few spots in the NHL for the number of players selected every season.
That's not to say you can't put together a series of successful drafts, but expectations tend to overlook the basis of the draft; you'll probably miss the mark more often than you hit it.
Opinions vary, but I tend to look at the draft this way: if you have nine draft picks, hopefully, a third of them will make their way into the NHL and become useful hockey players. That may seem like a low bar, but it's actually above average when we consider over 200 players are drafted every season, whereas there are a little over 700 roster spots in the NHL.
Oh, and then there's the whole development angle, which ties in directly to the perception of a successful draft, but is far removed from the scouting department's heading into Draft Day.
It's like finding a needle in a haystack, except you have to pick the right needle a few years in advance. And the needle moves. A lot. And so does the haystack.
Sounds pretty easy when you think about it, right?
With that in mind, it's worth noting that the Canadiens have seemingly turned a corner when it comes to finding both talented prospects and a well-structured development program. One is useless without the other, and with Joel Bouchard and company in Laval, a solid development staff led by Martin Lapointe, as well as Trevor Timmins' scouting team producing one of the best prospect pools in the League according to many experts, the future does indeed seem quite bright.
A significant reason is the 2018 Draft, which yielded more than a few very interesting prospects, headlined by none other than third-overall pick, Jesperi Kotkaniemi.

Kotkaniemi has had an interesting start to his NHL career, to say the least.
As an 18-year-old, Kotkaniemi put together the epitome of encouraging rookie season. With 34 points in 79 games, 29 of which came at 5-on-5, the Finn not only produced at a very respectable level given his third-line usage, he also generated a bevy of impressive underlying metrics, controlling over 55 percent of the shots, goals, and high-danger chances while he was on the ice. Last season, however, things took a turn. Call it the sophomore slump, or the fact that he was once again one of the youngest players in the league, but Koktaniemi's numbers dipped.
That is, until an assignment to Laval put Koktaniemi back on the right track.
With 13 points in 13 AHL games, as well as four goals in the NHL playoffs, there's no arguing the assignment was anything but incredibly successful.
It paid off in spades, but as Marc Bergevin pointed out, despite the help Kotkaniemi received, at the core of the improvement was a player focused on working through his growing pains.
In 10 playoff games, the seventh-youngest player in the League produced phenomenal numbers.

While on the ice, Kotkaniemi controlled over 60 percent of the shots, over 80 percent of the goals, and almost 80 percent of the high-danger chances. Even when we keep the context in which he produced those numbers in mind, they're bordering on elite.
With two seasons under his belt at the tender age of 20, Kotkaniemi has already accumulated a wealth of experience at time when most prospects are yet to enter the NHL. He'll need to work on finding the next gear, both literally and figuratively, on a more consistent basis, but given how poorly his season started, there's more than enough reason to be excited about his third season in the League, especially since Kotkaniemi is still a few years away from his statistical prime.
Speaking of prime, there's one particular prospect from the 2018 Draft that stands out when it comes to a crucial skill, a skill that can propel players into the upper echelon of most NHL rosters. No, I'm not talking about Alexander Romanov's ability to confuse historians on social media whenever his name is trending, though you may want to take a look at their perplexed reactions next time it happens.
Jesse Ylonen's skating is already among the best in the organization. Whether it's lateral, acceleration, or outright speed, Ylonen leaves most opponents in the dust. Unfortunately, a minor injury kept him out of action following his loan to the Rocket last season, however, his reason for coming to North America itself, to help the Rocket earn a playoff berth, was a fairly strong indication of his desire to help the organization in any way he can.

Ylonen is part of a very interesting group of 2018 draftees picked outside of the first round that have the potential to make an impact for the Canadiens or the Rocket. Joining him is the
incredibly well-rounded
Jordan Harris, as well as the University of Denver forward Brett Stapley, who increased his production by 33 percent in his sophomore season.
But when it comes to players that took it up a notch in the points department, Cam Hillis stands alone.
Injuries hampered his draft +1 season with the Guelph Storm, resulting in an underwhelming 22 points in 33 games (0.66 points per game). But his draft +2 season went about as well as anyone could have expected, netting him an entry-level contract with the team thanks to his 83 points in 62 games (1.34 points per game).

The first thing that stands out when it comes to Hillis is his cerebral approach to the game, a common theme when discussing Canadiens prospects. Yes, he's skilled, but he's also an incredibly intelligent young man, which serves him well when it comes to anticipating the play and consequently, generating offence.
And that about wraps it up when it comes to the 2018 draft class.
Wait.
Did I forget to mention Romanov's accolades? That would be a mistake. I wouldn't want to forget how he stole the show at the 2019 World Junior Championship, securing a spot on the tournament All-Star team, a feat he repeated last season, as well as being named the best defenseman at the tournament.
Now, there's a lot of hype when it comes to Romanov, and for good reason; he's bursting at the seams with potential.
But it would be a mistake to expect him to arrive in North America and immediately secure a significant role with the team. That should come with time, and he may prove me wrong by establishing himself as a dominant presence from the get-go, but in the meantime, expectations should be adjusted accordingly.

The same can be said about his usage in the KHL, which was relatively limited. While there's no denying he was eased into his KHL role, defensemen tend to need ice time to find their rhythm, and power play opportunities to earn their points.
It remains to be seen exactly how Romanov will adjust to the NHL, but there's one thing every single scout and analyst has pointed out when discussing the Russian defender; his intensity.
He's the type of player that wants to be engaged in every single aspect of the play. He wants to generate high-danger scoring chances and highlight hits. He's that guy in the locker room that makes you shift your beliefs from 'we could win this game' to 'we should win this game'.
Of course, it's much too early to deem the draft haul a success, that'll take a few more years, but at the very least, the signs are there.
There is talent at every position, and potential to burn.
Not every player will make it to the big show, but given their recent success, I wouldn't bet against the 2018 draft class beating the odds.