The 2018 NHL Draft will take place on June 22-23, and pundits expect that at least two Wisconsin players will hear their names called during the two-day selection process.
One hockey website sees Ty Emberson, former Eau Claire Memorial defenseman going in the third round and also lists Jack Gorniak, West Salem forward, as being tabbed in the sixth round.
Here is what Larry Fisher of The Hockey Writers.com website has to say about the Wisconsin duo:
Height/Weight: 6-foot-0.5, 200 pounds (CO)
Playoff Stats: NA
Regular Season Stats: 61 GP-4 G-23 A-27 PTS; 25 GP-4 G-11 A-15 PTS in USHL
Central Scouting: 42 NAS
THW Larry Fisher: 57
THW Ryan Pike: 90
ANALYSIS: Emberson was a pleasant surprise at the under-18 tournament, impressive and effective in boosting his draft stock by showing up on the scoresheet a fair bit. John Chayka may like him as a potential future partner for Quinn Hughes, my first-round selection for the Coyotes.
Height/Weight: 5-foot-10.75, 181 pounds (CO)
Playoff Stats: 3 GP-2 G-3 A-5 PTS
Regular Season Stats: 24 GP-28 G-28 A-56 PTS; 2 GP-0 G-0 A-0 PTS with USHL Lincoln
Central Scouting: 87 NAS
ANALYSIS: Pittsburgh is another team — thanks to its organizational depth — that can look longer-term in the later rounds and target some real boom-or-bust type prospects such as a high-schooler like Gorniak.
I don’t have a great scouting report on Gorniak, but I’ve heard he’s got top-six upside with speed and goal-scoring ability among his best attributes.
My mock has the Penguins using their top pick, in the second round, on another high-schooler in the highly touted Jay O’Brien, who is also a shoot-first scorer. It’s a longshot that O’Brien and Gorniak will become the next Phil Kessel or Jake Guentzel, but it’s worth that shot for Pittsburgh, which can afford the odd miss.
Also listed under the 'Honourable Mention' category is former Madison West star Mick Messner. The '99 birthyear forward is a three-year veteran of the USHL Madison Capitols and last appeared in a Regents sweater as a sophomore during the 2014-15 season.
The Hockey Writers.com