2018 NHL mock draft: Eastern Conference teams

26. New York Rangers (from Boston) – Jett Woo

First things first, we have to get something out of the way. This might be one of the best years for names in an NHL Draft. Between Bode Wilde and Blade Jenkins, we have Jett Woo.

Woo, however, is not one of the faster defensemen in the draft. He projects to be known more for his toughness than his playmaking. Standing an even six feet, he already is at least 205 pounds. He plays a rough game despite his size and his play on the defensive side of the puck  is probably one of the better parts of his game. A scout said this in The Hockey News Draft Preview issue,

"“A lot of times with smaller guys you want their physical game to complement their defensive game… With him, it’s the opposite.”"

The concern for him is that his physical game could wear him when he’s facing bigger players in the NHL. Hopefully that can become less of a concern as he puts on more muscle. That being siad, he might have the best potential to become a shutdown defenseman in the draft. Anyone who needs one could look at selecting Woo.

With the second of three first round picks, the Rangers come out with their second defenseman. They are starting to amass a good group of prospects already and adding Bouchard and Woo would be a coup. Depending on how things work out, they could then have a few great additions to the blue line in a couple of seasons. It would also give them the option to deal from a position of strength to address a weakness.