A few years after any NHL draft it is a fun exercise to look back and see how players would rank if the selections were made today. While it takes some time to get a real perspective of the impact each player in the class brings, it’s also a good tool for scouts to look back and see where they may have made mistakes. That’s exactly what Scott Wheeler of The Athletic did by examining the 2018 class and noting just how accurately he ranked the players now that they have a few years of professional experience under their belts.
The headline-grabbing change is at the top, with Rasmus Dahlin replaced by Quinn Hughes as the first pick, but there are several interesting changes beyond that. Perhaps most notable is Joel Farabee’s placement at fifth after breaking out this season for the Philadelphia Flyers. The entire piece is certainly worth the read, especially for the new thoughts on each player that Wheeler provides.
- The Colorado Eagles have extended head coach Greg Cronin for the next three years, keeping him behind the bench through 2023-24. Cronin has been with the team since 2018 and has a long, varied coaching career that includes time with USA Hockey at the IIHF World Championship. In his first three seasons with the team, he has an 85-60-12 record. The team has also signed assistants Aaron Schneekloth and Brett Clark to two-year deals.
- Speaking of minor league head coaches, the Newfoundland Growlers have hired Eric Wellwood as their next bench boss. The ECHL affiliate of the Toronto Maple Leafs won the 2019 Kelly Cup and will now hand the reins to the 31-year-old coaching prospect. Wellwood spent the last three seasons as head coach of the Flint Firebirds, turning a program that was in disarray into one of the strongest teams in the OHL in 2019-20. Philadelphia Flyers fans may remember Wellwood from his time as a player, appearing in 31 NHL games over three seasons before an unfortunate, gruesome injury cut his career short at the age of 24.