Top 10 2018 NHL Draft prospects

This is a great class for defensemen, but Dahlin still sticks out as the best of the bunch. It's rare for a blue liner to be the first overall pick — teams love to grab centers to try and build their offenses around — but the talents of the Swede are undeniable. In fact, Dahlin is so good that Sweden included him on their Olympic roster, even though he was seven years younger than any other player on the team. He held his own, which bodes well for his transition to the NHL.

2. Andrei Svechnikov, RW, Barrie (OHL)

Though he's Russian by birth, the 6-3 forward has plied his trade in America the last couple of years. His brother Evgeny was a first-round pick in 2015 by the Red Wings, and Andrei began his junior career in Muskegon, Mich., because it was close to Grand Rapids, where his brother played for the AHL's Griffins. The younger Svechnikov has more potential than his big brother, which he showed in his one year in the OHL. Playing for the Barrie Colts, he scored a whopping 40 goals in 44 games. He's a truly elite finisher.

3. Quinn Hughes, D, University of Michigan

Sure, at 5-10 Hughes isn't the biggest player, but he has the skills to make up for that. Just watch him skate. It's special to see him jet up the ice. He's the fastest defenseman in this class and perhaps the fastest player overall. His ability to carry the puck up the ice and initiate offense will be a tremendous boon to whichever team selects him.

4. Filip Zadina, RW, Halifax (QMJHL)

Zadina was the best first-year player in the QMJHL, and there's plenty to back that up. His 82 points (including 44 goals) led all rookies in points, and he was awarded the league's Mike Bossy Trophy as the best professional prospect. The 18-year-old also played a couple years in his native Czech Republic before making the move to North America. Being able to hold your own against adults when you are that young tends to be a good sign.

5. Evan Bouchard, D, London (OHL)

If you want a little more size, you could be justified in putting Bouchard over Hughes. Bouchard is more traditionally sized for the NHL (6-2, 193 pounds), and his production from the blue line was staggering. He notched a whopping 87 points in 67 games for the London Knights. Only one other defenseman in the last 20 years, Ryan Ellis, has notched more points than that in the OHL. If Bouchard can be as good as Ellis, he'll make some team very happy.

6. Brady Tkachuk, LW, Boston University

You can't argue with Tkachuk's bloodline. He's the son of former elite goal scorer Keith and brother of Matthew, who plies his trade with the Flames. However, sometimes people buy a little too much into genetics, and Brady didn't light the world on fire with the Terriers. He scored only eight goals while adding 23 assists in 40 games. That being said, he is 6-3 and 196 pounds, and he is an impressive playmaker for somebody his size. Maybe he'll be like a poor man's Joe Thornton. Family history doesn't count for everything, but it's hard to overlook entirely.

7. Adam Boqvist, D, Brynas Jr. (Sweden)

There's projection left for Boqvist, as he's still only 17 and won't turn 18 until August. He may need to add some size, but there is time for him to do that at the NHL level. NHL Central Scouting is certainly high on him, ranking Boqvist as the second-best European prospect in this draft class, right behind his countryman in Dahlin. He is another defenseman who is going to be able to take control of the action and carry the puck up ice. Though the consensus is that he will stay in Sweden for at least another year, it's not unusual for high draft picks to get a little extra seasoning before joining the NHL.

8. Oliver Wahlstrom, RW, USA U-18 (NTDP)

Wahlstrom just turned 18 on June 13, but he's already 6-1 and 205 pounds. He's been playing for America's national development team for two years, and this season he had 45 points in 26 games. The winger also picked up seven goals in seven games at the IIHF U18 World Championship. Some have knocked his competitive streak, but that's splitting hairs at this age. He's committed to playing at Boston College next season, which will give him a chance to work on that at one of the premier college hockey institutions out there.

9. Vitali Kravtsov, RW, Chelyabinsk (Russia)

Kravstov is considered a major riser heading into the draft thanks to his performance in the KHL playoffs. He picked up 11 points in 16 postseason contests, which is a league record for a player under 20. The winger is just a hair under 6-3, and at only 184 pounds at the time of the combine, there is room to grow. He already has power, but there is real offensive skill here too. The KHL is probably the best league outside of the NHL, so it's hard to not be intrigued by Kravstov's playoff run, even if it was only 16 games.

10. Noah Dobson, D, Acadie-Bathurst (QMJHL)

In a draft shaping up to be heavy on promising defensemen, it feels fitting to start and finish this top 10 with blue liners. Dobson is the biggest of the bunch at 6-3 and 180 pounds, but he can still skate and contribute offensively. Acadie-Bathurst made it all the way to the Memorial Cup Final, which meant that Dobson played 91 games this season. During his regular-season campaign, he managed 67 points in 69 games, showing the offensive potential at hand. Unsurprisingly, given his size, he has a big shot to boot.