Metropolitan Division team draft needs

The 2018 NHL Draft provides an opportunity for teams to shore up positions of need with an injection of young talent.
The first round of the draft at American Airlines Center in Dallas is Friday (7:30 p.m. ET; NBCSN, SN, TVAS). Rounds 2-7 are Saturday (11 a.m. ET; NHLN, SN, TVAS).

RELATED: [Complete 2018 NHL Draft coverage]
Here are what Metropolitan Division teams could be looking to do when they arrive in Dallas (teams listed in alphabetical order):

CAROLINA HURRICANES

Top priority: Goal-scoring
The situation: The Hurricanes have finished 20th or lower in the NHL in scoring for five straight seasons; they were 23rd with 225 goals this season. With the No. 2 pick in the draft, the first of their seven selections, they'll have the opportunity to add the player they believe is the best goal-scorer in the draft, assuming the Buffalo Sabres select defenseman Rasmus Dahlin at No. 1.
Possible fits: Andrei Svechnikov, RW, Barrie (OHL); Filip Zadina, RW, Halifax (QMJHL); Oliver Wahlstrom, RW, USA U-18 (USHL)

(Filip Zadina in the 2018 Sherwin-Williams CHL/NHL Top Prospects game)

COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS

Top priority: Top-nine forwards
The situation: The Blue Jackets are strong and grinding up front but could use more skill to complement their top line of Artemi Panarin, Pierre-Luc Dubois and Cam Atkinson. They should be able to find a player who can help them at No. 18 in the first round. Finding a goaltender to develop behind Sergei Bobrovsky is a possibility with one of their other four picks.
Possible fits: Grigori Denisenko, LW, Yaroslavl 2 (RUS-JR); Vitali Kravtsov, RW Chelyabinsk (RUS); Isac Lundestrom, C, Lulea (SWE)

NEW JERSEY DEVILS

Top priority: Top-four defenseman
The situation: The Devils did a nice job adding some youth and skill to their defense group with the signing of free agent Will Butcher, 23, and the trade for Sami Vatanen, 27. But they need to draft and develop their own young defensemen, and there should be a solid group of skilled players to pick from at No. 17 in the first round. They have six picks in total, including two in the fifth round.
Possible fits: Bode Wilde, D, USA U-18 (USHL); Rasmus Sandin, D, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL); Alexander Alexeyev, D, Red Deer (WHL)

NEW YORK ISLANDERS

Top priority: Puck-moving defensemen
The situation: The Islanders need to improve the speed and skill of their defensemen, and with four picks in the first two rounds of a draft considered deep at the position, they should be able to find players who fit their needs. With the No. 11 and No. 12 selections in the first round, they also could consider adding a center, especially with free agency a possibility for John Tavares (unrestricted) and Brock Nelson (restricted) on July 1. They acquired No. 12 and a 2018 second-round pick (No. 43) from the Calgary Flames in a trade for defenseman Travis Hamonic on June 24. In all the Islanders have eight picks, including four of the first 43 selections.
Possible fits: Ty Smith, D, Spokane (WHL); Barrett Hayton, C, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL); Jesperi Kotkaniemi, C, Assat (FIN)

NEW YORK RANGERS

Top priority: Top-six wings
The situation: The Rangers have three first-round picks: No. 9; No. 26 from the Boston Bruins in the Rick Nash trade; and No. 28 from the Tampa Bay Lightning in the trade for Ryan McDonagh and J.T. Miller. It's the second straight year they have multiple picks in the first round. After selecting centers Lias Andersson (No. 7) and Filip Chytil (No. 21) in the first round of the 2017 NHL Draft, they added defensemen prospects Ryan Lindgren, Libor Hajek and Yegor Rykov before the NHL Trade Deadline. They'll have the opportunity to add in several areas this year, but wings who can develop alongside Andersson and Chytil, each of whom made his NHL debut this season, would be a smart area to focus on. The Rangers have 10 picks in all, including seven of the first 88 selections.
Possible fits: Jesperi Kotkaniemi, C, Assat (FIN); Oliver Wahlstrom, RW, USA U-18 (USHL); Adam Boqvist, D, Brynas Jr. (SWE-JR)

(Oliver Wahlstrom during the 2018 Under-18 Five Nations Tournament)

PHILADELPHIA FLYERS

Top priority: Defenseman prospects
The situation: GM Ron Hextall said his offseason goals were to add goal-scoring and defensemen into the prospect pipeline. Defensemen could be easier to find with their two picks in the first round, No. 14, which they acquired in a trade with the St. Louis Blues for forward Brayden Schenn on June 23, and No. 19. Hextall said a right-shot defenseman would be preferable but that the team would not move far from its organizational rankings. Radko Gudas and prospects Philippe Myers and Mark Friedman are the only right-shot defenseman signed for next season; since 2010-11, Luke Schenn (213) and Gudas (213) are the only right-shot defensemen to play more than 40 games for the Flyers.
Possible fits: Joel Farabee, LW, USA U-18 (USHL); K'Andre Miller, D, USA U-18 (USHL); Bode Wilde, D, USA U-18 (USHL)

PITTSBURGH PENGUINS

Top priority: Top-nine forwards
The situation: It's the fourth straight year, and fifth time in the past six, that Pittsburgh doesn't have a first-round pick. That's made finding top talent in the draft difficult, but the Penguins have done a nice job finding useful players in later rounds during that span, among them forwards Jake Guentzel (2013; third round, No. 77) and Dominik Simon (2015; fifth round, No. 137). They have six picks this year, and could look for young forwards they eventually can work into their top nine.
Possible fits: Ryan O'Reilly, RW, Madison (USHL); Philipp Kurashev, C, Quebec (QMJHL); Oskar Back, C, Farjestad Jr. (SWE-JR)

WASHINGTON CAPITALS

Top priority: Young, skilled forwards
The situation: The Stanley Cup champions have a dynamic offense, but some key parts are getting a bit older. Captain Alex Ovechkin is 32, forward T.J. Oshie is 31 and center Nicklas Backstrom is 30. While they're far from ancient, the No. 31 pick in the draft could provide a good opportunity to start building for the future up front. The Capitals have a total of six picks.
Possible fits: Liam Foudy, C, London (OHL); Jacob Olofsson, C, Timra (SWE-2); Martin Kaut, RW, Pardubice (CZREP)