Over a two part series, I will break down how each team did at the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. Let me first caution you, that I am not familiar with all of the players drafted over the weekend but over the course of the next few months I will surely attempt to educate myself on all of them. As that happens, I will pass on what I am hearing from others who follow their play and/or leagues closely.

At the conclusion of the two-part series, a full 30 team ranking will be released based on my knowledge of each team’s drafted players and how well they used their picks. Please be aware that when analyzing prospects it takes years to accurately determine whether a prospect has succeeded or failed and this preliminary ranking/anaylsis is just that, my initial opinion of these players at this moment in time. These rankings will certainly change as we observe the players develop over the next few seasons.

I surely cannot go in-depth with every prospect drafted so I am going to name a few players from each team that fit under the following categories:

Best Fantasy ’12 Pock (FP): Here I will name the drafted player(s) who I feel has the potential to become the most valuable fantasy option of the team’s ’12 drafted players (I will consider NHL likelihood).

Best Potential NHLer (PN): For this category, I will name the player(s) who I feel has the fundamental skills, work ethic and overall game to become a long-time NHL player (offensive upside is not a requirement here).

Shrewdest Pick (SP): The shrewdest pick will be the player(s) who I feel has good NHL likelihood, the skills and, at this time, was underrated enough to be picked later than his initial ranking indicated (ie. The Jamie Benn type pick). Consider this the sleeper pick.

Youngblood’s Personal Favourite (YPF): Pretty simple, the team’s pick(s) that I best like.

Here we go….

ANAHEIM DUCKS: Hampus Lindholm (6^th), Nicolas Kerdiles (36^th), Frederik Andersen (87^th), Kevin Roy (97^th), Andrew O’Brien (108^th), Brian Cooper (127^th), Kenton Helgen (187^th), Jaycob Megna (210^th)

Draft Recap: Ducks selected used 5 of their 8 selections on defenseman, including the 6^th overall to make Hampus Lindholm the fourth defender taken in the draft.

Draft Grade: B+

FP – Nicolas Kerdiles

PN – Hampus Lindholm

SP – Kevin Roy & Frederik Andersen (G)

YPF – Kevin Roy

BOSTON BRUINS: Malcolm Subban (24^th), Matthew Grzelcyk (85^th), Seth Griffith (131^st), Cody Payne (145^th), Matthew Benning (175^th), Colton Hargrove (205^th)

Draft Recap: The Bruins’ continued their keep-it-simple approach to drafting adding really strong character guys with a willingness to work their asses off.

Draft Grade: B+

FP – Malcolm Subban

PN – Seth Griffith

SP – Matt Grzelcyk

YPF – Malcolm Subban

BUFFALO SABRES: Mikhail Grigorenko (12^th), Zemgus Girgensons (14^th), Jake McCabe (44^th), Justin Kea (73^rd), Logan Nelson (133^rd), Linus Ullmark (163^rd), Brady Austin (193^rd), Judd Peterson (204^th)

Draft Recap: Regier sought out big centerman to address the team’s lack of size up the middle and added five centerman, four of which stand out over 6-1.

Draft Grade: A+

FP – Mikhail Grigorenko

PN –Zemgus Girgensons

SP – Linus Ullmark (G)

YPF – Jake McCabe

CALGARY FLAMES: Mark Jankowski (21^st), Patrick Sieloff (42^nd), Jon Gillies (75^th), Brett Kulak (105^th), Ryan Culkin (124^th), Coda Gordon (165^th), Matthew Deblouw (186^th)

Draft Recap: Feaster surprised many by trading down in the first but he was able to add a raw forward in Mark Jankowski with good upside and an intimidating defenseman Pat Sieloff by doing so.

Draft Grade: A-

FP – Mark Jankowski

PN – Patrick Sieloff

SP – Brett Kulak

YPF – Mark Jankowski

CAROLINA HURRICANES: Phillip Di Giuseppe (38^th), Brock McGinn (47^th), Daniel Altshuller (67^th), Erik Karlsson (99^th), Trevor Carrick (115^th), Jaccob Slavin (120^th), Brendan Woods (129^th), Collin Olson (159^th), Brendan Collier (189^th)

Draft Recap: Void of a first round selection after trading it for Jordan Staal, Carolina grabbed a first-round wothy candidate in Di Giuseppe and followed by adding a nice balance of skill and compete with their next four picks.

Draft Grade: A-

FP – Phil Di Giuseppe

PN – Trevor Carrick

SP – Brock McGinn & Daniel Altshuller (G)

YPF – Phil Di Giuseppe

CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS: Teuvo Teravainen (18^th), Dillon Fournier (48^th), Chris Calnan (79^th), Garret Ross (139^th), Travis Brown (149^th), Vincent Hinostroza (169^th), Brandon Whitney (191^st),  Matt Tomkins (199^th)

Draft Recap: Stan Bowman gladly drafted Finnish forward Teravainen after he fell down the draft board and then continued to add hard working forwards in Calnan and overage forward Garret Ross followed by a few goaltenders late in the draft.

Draft Recap: B+

FP – Teuvo Teravainen

PN – Garret Ross

SP – Vincent Hinostroza

YPF – Brandon Whitney (extremely good value)

COLORADO AVALANCHE: Mitchell Heard (41^st), Troy Bourke (72^nd), Michael Clarke (132^nd), Joseph Blandisi (162^nd), Colin Smith (192^nd)

Draft Recap: With no first round pick and only five selections total, the Avalanche adopted a straight forward approach draft five forwards from the Canadian Hockey League including overager Mitch Heard, who the Leafs allowed to go unsigned after a strong camp last year.

Draft Grade: C -

FP – Troy Bourke

PN – Mitchell Heard

SP – Colin Smith

YPF - Michael Clarke

COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS: Ryan Murray (2^nd), Oscar Dansk (31^st), Joonas Korpisalo (62^nd), Josh Anderson (95^th), Daniel Zaar (152^nd), Gianluca Curcuruto (182^nd)

Draft Recap: Scott Howson showed that he is fighting for his job nailing down safe picks at each draft position including selecting future captain Ryan  Murray second overall and adding much needed goaltending help with their next two picks.

Draft Grade: A

FP – Oscar Dansk (G)

PN – Ryan Murray

SP – Joonas Korpisalo (G) & Gianluca Curcuruto

YPF – Josh Anderson

DALLAS STARS: Radek Faksa (13^th), Ludwig Bystrom (43^rd), Mike Winther (54^th), Devin Shore (61^st), Esa Lindell (74^th), Gemel Smith (104^th), Brenden Troock (134^th), Henri Kiviaho (144^th), Dmitry Sinitsyn (183^rd)

Draft Recap: Stellar job by the Dallas Stars organization as I feel their drafting was among the best of the NHL this season. Adding Faksa, Bystrom, Winther and Shore inside the top two rounds is fantastic but getting Smith, Lindell and Troock after that is unreal.

Draft Grade: A+

FP – Radek Faksa

PN – Radek Faksa & Mike Winther

SP – Esa Lindell & Dmityr Sinitsyn

YPF – Devin Shore & Gemel Smith

DETROIT RED WINGS: Martin Frk (49^th), Jake Paterson (80^th), Andreas Athanasiou (110^th), Michael McKee (140^th), James De Haas (170^th), Rasmus Bodin (200^th)

Draft Recap: The Red Wings did their usual “we’ll take the prospects that fall to us” approach drafting Martin Frk and Andreas Athanasiou, two players with big upside but with concerning issues. Then, Holland and his staff added a much needed goaltender in Paterson and added a hulking swede (6’6”) Rasmus Bodin with their final selection. The players Detroit selected have the boom-bust potential.

Draft Grade: B+

FP – Andreas Athanasiou

PN – Martin Frk

SP – Rasmus Bodin

YPF – Jake Paterson (G)

EDMONTON OILERS: Nail Yakupov (1^st), Mitchell Moroz (32^nd), Jujhar Khaira (63^rd), Daniil Zharkov (91^st), Erik Gustafsson (93^rd), Joey Laleggia (123^rd), John McCarron (153^rd)

Draft Recap: After the no-brainer selection in taking Nail Yakupov, Edmonton showed that they are confident that they’ll find defensive help elsewhere (through trade or free agency) selecting three more forwards before taking flyers on Swedish defender Gustafsson and the offensive overage blueliner Joey Laleggia.

Draft Grade: A

FP – Nail Yakupov

PN – Nail Yakupov

SP – Daniil Zharkov & Joey Lelaggia

YPF – Nail Yakupov & Jujhar Khaira

FLORIDA PANTHERS: Michael Matheson (23^rd), Steven Hodges (84^th), Alexander Delnov (114^th), Francis Beauvillier (173^rd), Jonatan Nielsen (194)

Draft Recap: A rather unspectacular draft at first sight for Pathers’ GM Dale Tallon but it appears that the team felt with their impressive prospect depth that they were able to take on a few more “risky” picks.

Draft Grade: C

FP – Alexander Delnov (longshot though)

PN – Michael Matheson

SP – Francis Beauvillier

FP – Michael Matheson

LOS ANGELES KINGS: Tanner Pearson (30^th), Nikolay Prokhorkin (121^st), Colin Miller (151^st), Tomas Hyka (171^st), Paul Ladue (181^st), Nick Ebert (211^th)

Draft Recap: With only one pick inside the opening three rounds, the Stanley Cup Champions, Los Angeles Kings, opted to take overage standout forward Tanner Pearson 30^th overall. From there, the Kings’ scouts decided to take a flyer on a good Russian talent in Prokkorkin and then add three more overage players in Miller, Hyka and Ladue. With the final pick of the draft, LA added one of the biggest draft fallers in Nick Ebert.

Draft Grade: A-

FP – Tanner Pearson & Nick Ebert

PN – Tanner Pearson

SP – Nick Ebert

YPF – Tomas Hyka

MINNESOTA WILD: Mathew Dumba (7^th), Raphael Bussieres (46^th), John Draeger (68^th), Adam Gilmour (98^th), Daniel Gunnarsson (128^th), Christoph Bertschy (158^th), Louis Nanne (188^th)

Draft Recap: Chuck Fletcher had to ecstatic that Mathew Dumba was still on the board at 7^th as he fits their need perfectly. Minnesota did well throughout the draft adding grit and character including drafting the son of former Minnesota North Stars player and general manager Lou Nanne.

Draft Grade: B+

FP – Mathew Dumba

PN – Mathew Dumba & Raphael Bussieres

SP – Christoph Bertschy

YPF – Mathew Dumba

MONTREAL CANADIENS: Alex Galchenyuk (3^rd), Sebastian Collberg (33^rd), Dalton Thrower (51^st), Tim Bozon (64^th), Brady Vail (94^th), Charles Hudon (122^nd), Erik Nystrom (154^th)

Draft Recap: Newly appointed GM Marc Bergevin could not have had a better debut draft as he nailed down six prospects that I personally had ranked among the top 60. The Habs did well adding depth up front with tantalizing upside and getting Thrower late in the second round strengthens an already strong blueline.

Draft Grade: A + +

FP – Alex Galchenyuk, Sebastian Collberg & Tim Bozon

PN – Alex Galchenyuk & Brady Vail

SP – Brady Vail & Charles Hudon

YPF – Alex Galchenyuk

Please check back tomorrow to view the second part of the 2012 NHL Draft Report Cards. Please feel fee to ask questions via Twitter (@RossyYoungblood) or via the forums on specific players.

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