Centermen take center stage for Wild on Day 2 of 2018 NHL Draft

DALLAS -- Wild General Manager Paul Fenton was set on getting the best player available each time Minnesota was on the clock during day two of the NHL Draft on Saturday at American Airlines Center.
Often times that player was a center; the Wild drafted of them in rounds 2-7 on Saturday, helping to add needed depth for the pivot in Minnesota's prospect system.
"I think a lot of us like to have a lot of centers because of their versatility," Fenton said. "My days in Nashville recently, we didn't have that in the beginning. Now down the stretch here, they've been able to build an abundance of centers and I think you can't have enough is probably the best way to describe it."

With his first draft as GM of the Wild now in the books, Fenton said he was pleased with the weekend Minnesota had in the Lone Star State.
"I thought it went really well," Fenton said. "I'm glad we got a number of players to fill up our depth charts."
Among the players the Wild took on day two was one about which Fenton has some level of insider knowledge: center Jack McBain.
Picked at the top of round three
, McBain was the first player selected by the Wild on Saturday. His father, Andrew, played 608 games in the NHL, with a few of those coming as a teammate of Fenton in Winnipeg during the 1989-90 season.
"I think that'll be great. I really do," Fenton said. "This one's a big kid. Got to watch him, I think it was before the world junior (championship), they had a game in the smaller rink there, so I got to see him at least a couple times play and have an opinion, at least have an honest opinion, instead of just watching it from afar. So I was glad that our guys got a player they were very interested in."

McBain, who is headed to Boston College in the fall, stands 6-foot-3 and weighs more than 200 pounds. He scored 41 points in 42 games with Toronto JC of the Ontario Junior Hockey League last season.
In addition to his offensive upside, McBain said he plays a strong 200-foot game.
"I think that's one of the biggest parts of my game," McBain said. "I think I'm pretty good in all zones of the ice. I think I've got a high hockey IQ and have the ability to make plays."
McBain said having a former NHLer under the same roof to lean on throughout the process was valuable. In addition to the on-ice details, McBain said his dad provided simple advice as the draft process played out.
"He's been great. He's been with me throughout the whole thing. It was a lot of, 'Just relax and enjoy the process. And wherever you go in there and try to prove yourself,'" McBain said. "It's been awesome picking up little things in my game. As I've gotten older a lot of it what kind of person you are off the ice. Just little pieces that he can help me with my game has always been great."

With its second of three third-round selections, the Wild
picked a Russian centerman
with big upside in Alexander Khovanov.
Just 5-foot-10 but 200 pounds, Khovanov last summer contracted Hepatitis A, an illness that cost him part of his first season in North America with Moncton of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.
One of the best playmakers in this draft, Khovanov tallied 28 points in 29 games for Moncton once he returned, and added seven more points in 12 playoff games.
Ranked as the 43rd best player in the draft by NHL.com and 53rd by The Hockey News, Khovanov likely slipped to the Wild with the 86th pick because of his illness.
"He was a kid that, coming into the season, we had ranked him highly," said Wild Vice President of Hockey Operations Brent Flahr. "He's a skilled kid. He can really pass the puck, he's got good vision. I think he's going to need a big summer to catch up physically. He lost a lot of weight, and when he did come back, he wasn't able to train properly.
"But he's a guy with his skill set, if he can get stronger and get quicker, he could have a big year next year."

Khovanov, who models his game after Auston Matthews, said he enjoys watching fellow Russian Evgeny Kuznetsov of the Washington Capitals.
"He plays pretty good every year, better and better," Khovanov said.
With its last third-round pick, Minnesota
selected center Connor Dewar
of Everett in the Western Hockey League.
Dewar, who turns 21 on Tuesday, had a big year for the Silvertips, scoring 38 goals and 68 points in 68 games.
"He's got a great engine and good speed, but he has a knack for the net," Flahr said. "He's scored goals over the years and this year especially, but his biggest asset is his engine; he's got a high compete level and is a guy that our guys identified as someone we should keep a close eye on."
After selecting defenseman Filip Johansson in the first round on Friday night, the Wild
doubled down on the surname
in Round 5 on Saturday, picking fellow right-shot blueliner Simon Johansson with the 148th pick.
While the two are not related, both are Swedish. Simon, a classic late bloomer, comes with a bit more offensive pedigree, having scored 16 goals and 36 points in 43 games with Djurgardens in the Swedish Junior League.
"He's gotta get stronger and put on some weight, but as the season went on, he played really well," Flahr said. "He's got an offensive dimension, and he's highly competitive. He's going to have to fill out and get stronger, but he's got another dimension, and he's in a good program."
Minnesota went back to the center position with its second pick in the fifth round when it
selected Damien Giroux
155th overall.
Giroux, who scored 19 goals and 43 points in 68 games with Saginaw of the Ontario Hockey League last season, has a high hockey IQ with a work ethic to match.
"He's undersized, but he's another guy with a good engine," Flahr said of the 5-foot-9, 177-pounder. "He's very strong on the puck for a smaller body. As a young player, he played on a top line and in all situations for his junior team."
The Wild drafted its lone wing in round six,
selecting Shawn Boudrias
of Gatineau of the QMJHL at 179th overall.
Boudrias brings plenty of size at 6-foot-3, 197 pounds and scored 28 goals and was a point-per-game player in 60 games this past season.
"Another guy who was a bit of a late bloomer but he had a big year this year," Flahr said. "He's going to have to get a step quicker, but he's a big body who likes to be around the net."
Minnesota didn't venture far for its final pick of the draft, selecting
Fridley native and Totino-Grace graduate Sam Hentges
with the 210th pick.
Hentges was plagued by injury in the United States Hockey League last season, but was productive when he was on the ice, scoring eight goals and 18 points in 23 games with Tri-City and Des Moines. He'll suit up for St. Cloud State University beginning this fall.
"Skilled kid," Flahr said. "We had limited viewings on him but if it wasn't for his injury, he would have gone much higher in the draft."

With the draft over, Minnesota will turn its attention to free agency. The period for teams to initiate talks with pending free agents begins on Sunday, but players cannot sign with new clubs until July 1.
After that, Minnesota will host its prospect development camp in mid-July. Most, if not all, of the players selected this weekend are expected to take part.
"It's going to be good when we get to our development camp here and get to see some of these players live and have an assessment of them on my own," Fenton said. "I've listened to everybody about what we think we have, but again, when your own eye looks at it, it tries to get a live look at things, then I think I'll probably have a better feel."
Related:
- Draft Central - Watch: Filip Johansson's draft experience