NHL Draft 2018: 5 moves we totally loved

Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images
Photo by Ron Jenkins/Getty Images /
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The NHL Draft 2018 didn’t have the huge moves that everyone wanted, but we still loved these five moves

The NHL Draft 2018 was one of the most memorable in recent memory. Initially, fans were promised huge moves, with players like Max Pacioretty and Ryan O’Reilly on the trade block.

However, the first night of the draft only saw one trade. The second day, however, saw an uptick in action.

Not all the moves in the draft were good. Some of them were boring. But a healthy portion of them were exciting and/or fun. Let’s break down the moves that made the 2018 NHL Draft so great for fans.

Photo by Bill Wippert/NHLI via Getty Images
Photo by Bill Wippert/NHLI via Getty Images /

5. Liam Kirk Gets Drafted

Hockey is slowly but surely becoming a global sport. 2018 was a huge year for the growth of hockey. Washington Capitals forward Nathan Walker became the first Australian to play in the NHL. In his debut, he scored a goal.

Walker also won the Stanley Cup, which means Lord Stanley is heading down under for the first time.

Leon Draisaitl is a great example of how Germany is growing. And we’ll touch on a German goaltender who stole the show on Friday night a bit later. Saturday saw another step in the right direction, as Liam Kirk became the first player born in trained in England to be drafted.

The Arizona Coyotes drafted him in the seventh-round with the 189th overall pick. While the chances of Kirk making the NHL are slim (he’s just 6 feet tall and 160 pounds), even if he never plays in the NHL, he represents the amazing growth England has seen in hockey.

Playing in an adult league as a 17-year-old, he put up 16 points in 52 games. Not too shabby. He also has a lot of international success on his resume. If the Coyotes win the Stanley Cup with Kirk on the roster, will he drink tea from it?