On the 2018 draft class
Really happy with our selections yesterday and today. We're definitely much deeper down the middle now. We're really happy with Benoit-Olivier [Groulx] in the second round. We added two really skilled kids in the third [round]. We missed on a defenseman we were really looking forward to, but that's all right. We got two longer term development guys there, but really talented, skilled players. We're really happy. Two goalies, obviously. We wanted to add some depth in net. Still very happy with our selection last year, but we still needed some depth there. Both kids are legitimate prospects. Two really good athletes who have performed really well on the international stage.
On Groulx's upside
He plays like a coach's son. Really smart two-way guy with really nice skill and vision. This past summer, he couldn't really train that hard because of a high ankle sprain. [Ivan Hlinka Memorial] was the first time he was on the ice. It affected a little bit of his production this year, but we see some offense coming from him.
Hockey sense, skating ability, competitive drive. Those are the three most important for him. He can shoot the puck and has good skills, as well, but those three define him as a player.
On Blake McLaughlin's upside
Sometimes red-flag rumors end up messing with a players' rank. In this case, we did our homework. We're really excited with Blake in the third round. He has late first/early second-type talent. Really skilled and really creative. Really competitive. He's 162 pounds, so it's going to take a while to build upon that frame, but he's a hockey player.
On the two goaltenders
They both have starter potential. They're both really good athletes. Lukas [Dostal] is a more athletic-looking goalie. He's still very sound technically, but he probably stays on his feet a little longer than Roman [Durny] does. Roman is a bigger kid who likes to use his size to play big. That would be the difference between the two. Durny had a great World Juniors last year and he was very good afterwards on a weak Des Moines team. He's 19 years old, so he's a little older, but his development path is still rising. According to Sudsie [Ducks goaltending coach Sudarshan Maharaj], there are still lots of areas where he can make small adjustments to get even better. That's part of the selection process as well.
On Jackson Perbix
He played center on his high school team and on the wing at the end of the year with Green Bay. Skill, hockey sense and competitive drive define him. He's also light - needs to fill out his frame. He has a big frame and he needs to fill it out. He will play in the USHL next year and then head to the University of Notre Dame. That's the path that makes the most sense for him. He needs to play a lot and continue to develop in a junior environment.
