Mason McDonald has not had a banner day. Everything that beat him went right through him or worse beat him cleanly.
Based on my one development camp session, these are the notables:
Mark Jankowski: head and shoulders the best forward out there. Wasn't lined up with other skill forwards all that much, saw a bunch of rushes with Hunter Smith and those results were predictable.
Brandon Hickey: this is the 4th D-man after Brodie Gio and Dougie. Positioning is excellent. Skating is controlled but powerful. If it starts to look like he's beaten, there's no panic in his stride. He closes the gap and gets his stick in passing lanes. On several different 2-on-1 drills, he could've played his opponents for another ten or fifteen seconds without help, he was that in control.
As has been noted already, Rasmus Andersson doesn't have pro conditioning. He was out of energy by 10:45. Impossible to forecast his future since none of the on ice stuff matters if he can't make it out of the first period.
I'm always in favor of the giant experiments, much like goalies you should probably take one every second draft because they so rarely work out. With that said, Kanzig, AOM, and Hunter Smith have no place in the modern NHL. A defense built around Giordano, Brodie, Dougie and Hickey doesn't need tree trunks that cant skate or play with the puck on their sticks. It needs Oliver Kylington and Adam Fox to handle 18 minutes a night. Hunter Smith's ceiling is a 4th line crash and bang winger but I don't see that coming together for him.
Similarly, I like the small skill gamble pick as well. But when you're Matthew Phillips small, you have to be Johnny Gaudreau good, and I don't think he is.
Pollock has a nice shot - didn't notice him much outside a couple roof jobs.
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