Two-hundred-and-seventeen players were drafted this weekend, and for most, it’s far too early to know what kind of players they’re going to be, especially given how much influence what happens after the draft has. We can only judge on what we know now - but we’re going to judge anyway.

It’s time for draft grades. First up: the Eastern Conference.

Boston Bruins: C–

It’s difficult to get top marks when you don’t draft until the third round, but there’s nothing particularly enamoring about the rest of the Bruins’ picks either. Jakub Lauko has potential and Axel Andersson is a good skater. Everyone else is kind of “eh, we’ll see, I guess.”

Buffalo Sabres: A–

Rasmus Dahlin is an amazing defenseman. Mattias Samuelsson has the potential to be a pretty good one, although he could stand to work on the offensive side of his game in college. The rest of the Sabres’ Day 2 group are more unknown quantities and none of them really jump off the page. If it weren’t for Dahlin throwing off the curve, this grade would be slightly lower.

Carolina Hurricanes: B+

Andrei Svechnikov instantly becomes one of the Hurricanes’ best forwards, especially with Elias Lindholm now in Calgary. Jack Drury, who heads to Harvard University next season, has potential but was picked perhaps a bit higher than necessary - the Hurricanes left a little talent on the board there. Luke Henman’s hockey IQ is good and Lenni Killinen is a good skater, but it’ll take time and development to get a clear picture of what they really got on Day 2.

Columbus Blue Jackets: B+

Liam Foudy was a reach at 18 - perhaps too much of one. The Blue Jackets somewhat made up for that when they managed to snag Kirill Marchenko in the second round, especially as Marchenko was a player general manager Jarmo Kekalainen said that they had ranked in the first round on their list. The chances they took later on Day 2 could pay off for them as well.

Detroit Red Wings: A+

The Red Wings had the best draft in the East (besides the New York Islanders). Great picks just kept falling into general manager Ken Holland’s lap, and he didn’t overthink them, and the Red Wings’ prospect pool benefited immensely. After getting Filip Zadina and Joe Veleno on Day 1, they kicked Day 2 off with Jonatan Berggren and Jared McIsaac, two players many prospect pundits had ranked inside their first round. Alec Regula of the London Knights could end up a good bet as well. They added 10 prospects in all, and in drafting, quantity is almost always beneficial (with some exceptions).

Florida Panthers: B+

After the Panthers chose Grigori Denisenko on Day 1, they launched Day 2 with Serron Noel, a player who could have easily been a first rounder. Logan Hutsko is more of an unknown than the two before him, but if he can be the player scouts say he is, there’s serious potential there. Those three tip the scales toward a higher grade.

Montreal Canadiens: A–

Choosing Jesperi Kotkaniemi at 3rd overall when a player like Filip Zadina was still on the board may have caused some to look askance at the Canadiens, but their overall draft haul - 11 prospects - puts them in a much better position than they were prior to this weekend. After Kotkaniemi, who was possibly the best center in the draft, they drafted Jesse Ylonen, Jacob Olofsson, Cameron Hillis, Jordan Harris, Allan McShane, Cole Fonstad, and several others.

New Jersey Devils: B

The Devils were pleased when defenseman Ty Smith fell to them, and rightfully so. Smith could’ve gone higher than 17, and will be a great addition to their defensive pool. The rest of their picks were guys who could skate well, or guys who could make plays, along with a decent goalie prospect in Akira Schmid. Given that they didn’t have a second or a third round pick, they definitely could’ve done a lot worse.

New York Islanders: A+

Best draft in the East besides the Red Wings. When you start your picks off with offensive standout Oliver Wahlstrom and Memorial Cup Champion Noah Dobson, and then select Bode Wilde, Ruslan Ishakov, Blade Jenkins, Jake Pivonka, and Jakub Skarek on Day 2 - that’s a pretty good weekend, folks. The Islanders’ prospect pool got a much-needed kick in the pants at this year’s draft.

New York Rangers: B+

Vitali Kravtsov at 9th overall was a little startling, but not in a bad way. He’s got the potential to be a very good player at the next level. K’Andre Miller is a phenomenal skater who needs some seasoning at the college level, but could be great for them in the future. Picks like Joey Keane, Nico Gross, and Riley Hughes could turn out to be good gets late, and they snagged steady, smooth Nils Lundkvist with their last first-rounder. All in all, a pretty good weekend for the Rangers.

Ottawa Senators: B–

Brady Tkachuk was a good pick at 4th overall, but the Senators absolutely left talent on the board with Filip Zadina still around. Jacob Bernard-Docker was a huge reach in the first round, so that knocked their grade down as well. Still, they ended up with guys like Jonathan Tychonick, Jonathan Gruden, and Angus Crookshank (contender for the runner-up slot in the Best Draft Names category as well as a good puck-handler). Despite making some questionable choices, they still improved their prospect depth overall.

Philadelphia Flyers: C+

Joel Farabee is going to be one exciting player. After that, though, the Flyers sort of underwhelmed. Jay O’Brien was way off-board at 19th - no offense to Jay O’Brien - and they also picked Adam Ginning too high at 50th given who else was still around. They just left too many good players on the board after their first pick to target average skill guys that seemed safe. It was like they got their man in Farabee and just figured they could do whatever afterward.

Pittsburgh Penguins: B–

The Penguins only took four prospects, which bumped their grade down, in the later rounds especially, quantity in prospects is good, but those four prospects were pretty good choices. Calen Addison was an excellent get for the Penguins at 53rd, and filled an organizational need to boot. Filip Hallander was another player ranked higher than he was selected, and he’ll make a great addition to their forward prospect pool. Gorman is somewhat of an unknown quantity, but Almeida could have real potential.

Tampa Bay Lightning: D+

The plus is generous here and was given because Gabriel Fortier or Alexander Green could turn into something. All in all, though, this year’s draft class is not remotely up to the Lightning’s usual standards, and it’s difficult to muster up any real enthusiasm. Here’s hoping they managed to find a diamond in the rough.

Toronto Maple Leafs: B+

This was a pretty good first draft from new Leafs general manager Kyle Dubas. Trading down to take Rasmus Sandin was smart, because they got their guy and got another pick out of it. Sean Durzi attended their camp last summer, and while some could argue (possibly rightfully) that drafting an overager that high is questionable, there’s something to be said for knowing the player you’re getting. The rest of their picks balance it pretty well, given that they got Filip Kral late and picked up Semyon De-Arguchintsev, who has real offensive potential to go with his terrific name. There are reasons to feel good about this year’s haul, Leafs fans.

Washington Capitals: C+

The Stanley Cup Champion Capitals went pretty safe with their picks. Alexander Alexeyev is steady and smart, and has potential to make an impact. Kody Clark and Martin Fehervary can play, but don’t have much in the way of high offensive ceilings. They did get Eric Florchuk, a pretty competent forward, with their seventh-round pick, and the guys chosen in between were pretty safe choices. Overall not a bad around, but not a standout one—they just went more for safety than for offensive upside in most of their choices.

Hannah Stuart keeps a close eye on both drafted and draft-eligible prospects and can usually be found trying to learn more about hockey analytics. She has previously written for FanRag Sports, The Hockey Writers, and Hooked On Hockey Magazine, and can also be found at High Heels and High Sticks. Find her on twitter at @HockeyWthHannah.

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theScore's NHL offseason tracker lists every transaction made since June 8 (in alphabetical order by team per day).

July 3

• Hurricanes ink D Calvin de Haan to 4-year, $18.2-million deal
• Blues sign F Robby Fabbri to 1-year contract, worth reported $925K
• Islanders sign G Robin Lehner to 1-year contract worth reported $1.5M
• Maple Leafs re-sign D Justin Holl to 2-year contract worth $1.35M
• Bruins re-sign F Sean Kuraly to 3-year contract worth $3.825M
• Coyotes re-sign F Brad Richardson to 2-year contract worth reported $2.5M
• Maple Leafs trade F Matt Martin to Islanders for G Eamon McAdam
• Stars re-sign F Remi Elie to 1-year deal worth $735K

July 2

• Ducks sign F Brian Gibbons to 1-year deal, F Carter Rowney to 3-year deal
• Flames sign F James Neal to 5-year, $28.75M contract
• Islanders sign F Tom Kuhnhackl to 1-year pact
• Lightning re-sign F Slater Koekkoek to 1-year deal worth $865K
• Sharks re-sign F Joe Thornton to 1-year, $5M contract; F Tomas Hertl to 4-year contract worth reported $5.7M

July 1

• Avalanche sign D Ian Cole, F Matt Calvert to 3-year contracts
• Blackhawks sign G Cam Ward to 1-year, $3M deal; F Chris Kunitz to 1-year deal; D Brandon Manning to 2-year deal
• Blue Jackets sign F Riley Nash to 3-year, $8.25M deal
• Blues sign F Tyler Bozak to 3-year, $15M contract; F David Perron to 4-year, $16M contract; G Chad Johnson to 1-year, $1.75M deal
• Bruins sign G Jaroslav Halak to 2-year deal worth $5.5M; D John Moore to 5-year, $13.75M deal; F Joakim Nordstrom to 2-year, $2M deal; F Chris Wagner to 2-year, $2.5M deal
• Canadiens sign F Tomas Plekanec to 1-year, $2.25M deal; F Matthew Peca to 2-year, $2.6M deal; D Xavier Ouellet to 2-way deal; buy out G Steve Mason
• Canucks sign F Jay Beagle and F Antoine Roussel to 4-year, $12M deals; F Tim Schaller to 2-year, $3.8M deal; re-sign F Sven Baertschi to 3-year, $10M deal
• Capitals sign F Nic Dowd to 1-year, $650K deal; re-sign F Travis Boyd to 2-year, $1.6M deal
• Coyotes sign D Oliver Ekman-Larsson to 8-year extension worth reported $66M; D Niklas Hjalmarsson to 2-year extension worth reported $10M; F Michael Grabner to 3-year deal worth reported $10.05M
• Ducks reportedly sign D Luke Schenn to 1-year deal worth $800K

• Flames sign F Derek Ryan to 3-year, $9.375M deal; F Austin Czarnik to 2-year, $2.5M deal; re-sign D Dalton Prout to 1-year, $800K deal
• Flyers sign F James van Riemsdyk to 5-year, $35M deal
• Golden Knights sign F Paul Stastny to 3-year deal worth reported $19.5M; D Nick Holden to 2-year, $4.4M deal; F Daniel Carr to 1-year, $750K deal
• Hurricanes sign G Petr Mrazek to 1-year, $1.5M deal
• Islanders sign F Leo Komarov to 4-year, $12M deal; re-sign D Thomas Hickey to 4-year, $10M deal; sign F Valtteri Filppula to 1-year, $2.75M deal
• Jets sign G Laurent Brossoit to 1-year, $650K deal
• Kings sign D Drew Doughty to 8-year, $88M extension; F Ilya Kovalchuk to 3-year, $18.75M deal
• Lightning sign D Ryan McDonagh to 7-year, $47.25M extension
• Maple Leafs sign F John Tavares to 7-year, $77M contract; F Josh Jooris to 1-year, $650K deal; F Adam Cracknell to 1-year, $650K deal; D Martin Marincin to 1-year, $800K deal; D Jordan Subban to 2-way contract
• Oilers sign F Kyle Brodziak to 2-year, $2.3M deal, F Tobias Rieder to 1-year, $2M deal
• Panthers sign G Michael Hutchinson to 1-year deal; re-sign F Jared McCann to 2-year extension
• Penguins sign D Jack Johnson to 5-year, $16.25M deal; sign F Matt Cullen to 1-year, $650K deal
• Rangers re-sign F Vladimir Namestnikov to 2-year contract; sign D Fredrik Claesson to 1-year, $700K deal
• Red Wings sign D Mike Green to 2-year extension; G Jonathan Bernier to 3-year, $9M deal; F Thomas Vanek to 1-year, $3M deal
• Sabres sign G Carter Hutton to 3-year, $8.25M deal; F Scott Wilson to 2-year, $2.1M deal; trade F Ryan O'Reilly to Blues for 2019 first-round pick, 2021 second-round pick, F Tage Thompson, F Patrik Berglund, F Vladimir Sobotka
• Sharks sign F Logan Couture to 8-year extension worth reported $64M
• Stars sign F Blake Comeau to 3-year, $7.2M deal; G Anton Khudobin to 2-year, $5M deal; D Roman Polak to 1-year, $1.3M deal
• Wild sign D Greg Pateryn to 3-year, $6.75M deal; F Matt Hendricks to 1-year deal; F Eric Fehr to 1-year deal; F J.T. Brown to 2-year deal; buy out F Tyler Ennis

June 30

• Ducks trade F Nic Kerdiles to the Jets in exchange for F Chase De Leo
• Devils sign G Eddie Lack to 1-year deal worth $650K
• Golden Knights agree to 2-year contract with F Ryan Reaves
• Hurricanes, F Andrei Svechnikov agree to entry-level contract
• Jets trade G Steve Mason, F Joel Armia, 2019 seventh-round pick, 2020 fourth-round pick to Canadiens for D Simon Bourque

June 29

• Capitals re-sign D Michal Kempny to 4-year, $10M contract
• Hurricanes ink AHL leading goal scorer F Valentin Zykov to 2-year, $1.35M contract
• Islanders sign G Chris Gibson to 2-year deal
• Panthers sign F Frank Vatrano to 1-year contract

June 28

• Capitals sign F Devante Smith-Pelly to 1-year, $1M contract

June 27

• Blue Jackets trade F Jordan Schroeder to Blackhawks for G J-F Berube
• Coyotes sign D Kevin Connauton to 2-year, $2.75M contract
• Penguins sign F Riley Sheahan to 1-year, $2.1M deal
• Penguins trade F Conor Sheary, D Matt Hunwick to Sabres for conditional 4th-round pick in 2019

June 26

• Canucks sign D Derrick Pouliot to 1-year, $1.1M contract
• Jets sign D Joe Morrow to 1-year, $1M contract
• Lightning re-sign F J.T. Miller to 5-year, $26.5M contract
• Penguins sign F Bryan Rust to 4-year, $14M contract
• Senators place F Alex Burrows on waivers for buyout purposes

June 25

• Hurricanes sign F Phil Di Giuseppe
• Penguins sign F Dominik Simon to 2-year contract
• Penguins sign F Daniel Sprong to 2-year contract
• Red Wings sign F Tyler Bertuzzi to 2-year contract
• Red Wings sign F Martin Frk to 1-year contract
• Wild sign D Ryan Murphy 1-year, $650K contract

June 24

• Blues sign F Nikita Soshnikov to 1-year contract
• Capitals sign D John Carlson to 8-year, $64M contract
• Canucks trade F Michael Chaput to Blackhawks for F Tanner Kero
• Red Wings trade D Robbie Russo to Coyotes for conditional seventh-round pick
• Senators sign D Chris Wideman to 1-year, $1M contract extension

June 23

• Avalanche sign G Philipp Grubauer to 3-year deal worth reported $10M
• Canadiens trade G Hayden Hawkey to Oilers for 2019 fifth-round pick
• Flames trade D Dougie Hamilton, F Micheal Ferland, D Adam Fox to Hurricanes for D Noah Hanifin, F Elias Lindholm

June 22

• Capitals trade D Brooks Orpik, G Philipp Grubauer to Avalanche for 2018 second-round pick

June 19

• Senators trade F Mike Hoffman, D Cody Donaghey, 2020 fifth-round pick to Sharks for F Mikkel Boedker, D Julius Bergman, 2020 sixth-round pick
• Sharks trade F Mike Hoffman, 2018 seventh-round pick to Panthers for 2019 second-round pick, 2018 fourth-round pick, 2018 fifth-round pick

June 15

• Canadiens trade F Alex Galchenyuk to Coyotes for F Max Domi

June 14

• Sabres trade F Hudson Fasching to Coyotes for F Michael Sislo and rights to D Brandon Hickey
• Sharks trade F Adam Helewka to Coyotes for D Kyle Wood

June 13

• Lightning trade G Peter Budaj to Kings for F Andy Andreoff

June 8

• Maple Leafs trade rights to F Nolan Vesey to Oilers for conditional 2020 seventh-round pick

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)

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This year's NHL draft featured its usual share of noteworthy selections, but the major storylines from the weekend had little or nothing to do with the picks themselves.

With the two-day event in the books, here's a handful of observations:

Opening night was a dud

The first round transpired without much drama.

In the days leading up to the draft, there was trade chatter involving the likes of Ryan O'Reilly, Jeff Skinner, and Craig Anderson, so it was surprising to see no players dealt during the opening round, and only the swap involving Philipp Grubauer and Brooks Orpik in the hours before.

Couple that with the fact the first two picks Friday night (Rasmus Dahlin by the Sabres and Andrei Svechnikov by the Hurricanes, respectively) were virtual locks for weeks - nearly two months, in the case of the former - and the first round didn't quite deliver in terms of intrigue.

Sure, there were a few surprises when it came to the rest of the picks on opening night, as several teams made off-the-board choices and passed on top prospects, but the excitement simply wasn't there.

Day 2 was way more fun

While Day 1 lacked fireworks, the action picked up Saturday, beginning with the Los Angeles Kings landing Ilya Kovalchuk on a three-year deal and culminating with the blockbuster trade between the Calgary Flames and Hurricanes involving Dougie Hamilton, Elias Lindholm, and Noah Hanifin.

There were also some excellent names selected, and some history made, as Liam Kirk became the first player born and trained in England to be drafted by an NHL club.

What Friday night lacked in subplots and major developments, Saturday had in spades.

Kovalchuk's deal may have opened the floodgates

After reportedly meeting with four teams - the Boston Bruins, San Jose Sharks, Vegas Golden Knights, and Kings - Kovalchuk's camp quickly settled on L.A. on Saturday morning.

While the Kovalchuk signing was followed by the aforementioned major move, there may be more coming now that the veteran sniper's market value has been established.

John Tavares still has a decision to make, of course (more on that later), but the first big domino fell Saturday before the second round of the draft got underway, and it would only make sense for more to fall in short order.

Should've seen another Flames trade coming

Flames general manager Brad Treliving has made big trades at or shortly before the draft in each of the last four years, acquiring Travis Hamonic from the New York Islanders in 2017, Brian Elliott from the St. Louis Blues in 2016, and Hamilton from the Bruins in 2015, before sending him to the Hurricanes on Day 2 in 2018.

Whether or not the Flames emerge as the winners of the deal, Calgary's GM showed once again that he's not afraid to pull the trigger on sizable transactions at draft time.

Islanders keep moving in the right direction

Tavares' future is still priority No. 1 for Lou Lamoriello and the Islanders' brass, and, as expected, the superstar forward is going to talk to a handful of other clubs during the upcoming free-agency interview period.

That's largely out of the Islanders' hands (even though they're reportedly planning to meet with him out west), but New York's GM and his staff did well with what they could control this weekend, particularly on Friday night.

They were undoubtedly a winner of Day 1 after landing promising forward Oliver Wahlstrom and highly touted defenseman Noah Dobson with picks No. 11 and 12, respectively. Both players fell right to them, but they still deserve credit for not passing on either, as multiple teams above them inexplicably did.

Day 2 also went well for New York, as it picked Bode Wilde and Blade Jenkins - the 17th- and 26th-ranked North American skaters, by NHL Central Scouting's standards - with the 41st and 134th selections, respectively.

The successful weekend continued an encouraging offseason for the club, following the hiring of Lamoriello and Stanley Cup-winning head coach Barry Trotz. Whether the overhaul and astute drafting convince Tavares to stay remains to be seen, but the 2018 draft was yet another step forward for the Islanders.

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)

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The Washington Capitals wanted Philipp Grubauer out of the Metropolitan Division and turned down a better trade offer from the Carolina Hurricanes to ensure that happened, reports Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic.

The Hurricanes offered up their second-round pick - 42nd overall - and were also willing to take on veteran defenseman Brooks Orpik's $5.5-million salary to obtain Grubauer, but the Capitals preferred to send the netminder to an opponent outside of their division.

They ultimately shipped Grubauer, alongside Orpik, to the Colorado Avalanche for the 47th selection. Given Colorado is in the opposite conference, Washington will only face the goaltender twice next season if he suits up for both games.

The Avalanche signed Grubauer to a three-year extension Saturday reportedly worth $3.33 million per season.

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New York Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello doesn't seem too worried about his franchise player exploring the open market.

Following a report that the Islanders captain will speak with five clubs once the pre-free agency talking period opens Monday - reportedly including the Dallas Stars, San Jose Sharks, and Toronto Maple Leafs - New York's approach to negotiations hasn't changed.

"I have no disappointment, no discouragement," Lamoriello said on Saturday. "I think that he's earned every right to make whatever choice he has. The most important thing is that we hope the decision is to be an Islander."

Should Tavares reach free agency, he'll be the biggest name to hit the open market since Zach Parise and Ryan Suter in 2012.

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Just when it appeared the second day of the NHL draft was going to end without any fireworks, the Calgary Flames and Carolina Hurricanes pulled off a blockbuster five-player swap in Dallas on Saturday.

Noah Hanifin and Elias Lindholm were shipped west, while Dougie Hamilton, Micheal Ferland, and unsigned prospect Adam Fox are headed to Raleigh.

At first glance, the deal works for each side, as both the Flames and 'Canes are getting a potential top-pairing defenseman who can anchor their blue line. Below, we'll take a closer look at what each team received and assign trade grades to determine who won the draft-day deal.

Flames

Acquisitions: C Elias Lindholm, D Noah Hanifin

Despite having arguably the best-looking D corps on paper entering last season, the Flames flopped hard in 2017-18, failing to qualify for the postseason for the seventh time in nine years.

So, in an attempt to inject some fresh blood into his lineup, general manager Brad Treliving brought in a player in Hanifin who's just scratching the surface of the potential that convinced the Hurricanes to select the young American fifth overall in 2015. From the Flames' perspective, Hanifin is the crown jewel of the exchange, and how his career pans out will decide who won the trade.

However, Lindholm's value as a capable second-line center with 40-50-point potential clearly sweetens the pot for Calgary. He's also a former fifth overall pick in his early 20s who's yet to hit his ceiling.

Interestingly enough, both Hanifin and Lindholm are set to become restricted free agents July 1, so Treliving has some work to do to ensure his newly added pieces remain in Cow Town for the foreseeable future. With former Hurricanes head coach Bill Peters now behind Calgary's bench, don't be surprised if both re-up with the Flames very soon.

There's no denying Hamilton's potential as a top-pairing rearguard, but Hanifin's upside and Lindholm's consistency are enough to give the Flames a solid grade. - Livingstone

Grade: B-

Hurricanes

Acquisitions: D Dougie Hamilton, F Micheal Ferland, D Adam Fox

In most cases, the team that receives the best player in a trade comes out victorious. That means we won't know the winner of this one for at least a few seasons. Don Waddell could either regret the deal for years or end up looking like a genius.

Hamilton is a legitimate No. 1 defenseman and is only 25 years old. That's a rarity. He had 17 goals last year and has recorded at least 40 points in four straight seasons. He's 6-foot-6 and can skate like the wind. To say he's plateaued in his development wouldn't be fair at all.

The concern is that Hanifin, 21, could be better than Hamilton within a couple of years. When you factor in Lindholm's potential, this has the makings to be catastrophic for the 'Canes. At the same time, there's also no guarantee either player reaches their ceiling.

Additionally, Ferland is a decent top-nine forward, while Fox is a wild card.

The problem is the Hurricanes aren't exactly in win-now mode. They haven't made the playoffs since 2008-09 and weren't very close last season. As good as Hamilton is, he's not going to make them a Cup contender within the next couple of years. Ultimately, it would be a good trade if the Hurricanes were ready to contend, but they're not.

If they can quickly become a playoff team again, this deal will be worth it. If not, it'll be a waste of Hamilton's prime years. - Wegman

Grade: C+

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)

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There were plenty of outstanding names called during the 2018 NHL Draft, but these 10 stood out above the rest:

10. Michael Kesselring, Oilers

This name should be a bitter reminder to all of Phil Kessel's haters that the Penguins forward has not one Stanley Cup ring, but two.

9. Shamil Shmakov, Avalanche

Shamil Shmakov sounds like a regular name at first, then someone added the "sh" at the beginning to make it sound made up. But it's not, and it's awesome.

8. Trey Fix-Wolansky, Blue Jackets

Fix-Wolansky could provide a quick fix for the Blue Jackets' defensive corps. Imagine a Werenski and Fix-Wolansky pairing on the back end? We can only dream.

7. Eetu Pakkila, Devils

If the Devils don't play this song when Pakkila scores, but replace the word "tequila" with his last name, they need a new in-arena entertainment person. The fans would go crazy.

6. Wyatte Wylie, Flyers

The Arizona Coyotes should've done the entire hockey community a favor by drafting this man. The Wylie Coyote? Even if he never made the NHL, Wylie would've been a fan favorite with Arizona's AHL club, the Tucson Roadrunners. Talk about an opportunity squandered.

5. Linus Lindstrand Kronholm, Sabres

This is perhaps the most Swedish name of all time, and oh my is it ever glorious. It will be a headache for broadcasters and writers, but a joy for fans.

4. Blade Jenkins, Islanders

Blade has a truly a great hockey name, and he could slide right in as a member of White Goodman's dodgeball team. Too bad it's not a more common name. Stick blade? Skate blade? This guy was born to play hockey.

3. Semyon Der-Arguchintsev, Maple Leafs

Hyphenating "Der" as a part of any last name makes it incredibly cool, but ahead of Arguchintsev? That's a dynamic der-oh.

2. Angus Crookshank, Senators

Wouldn't Angus Crookshank be a great name for the villain in a horror movie?

1. Bulat Shafigullin, Kings

Most of the players on this list were only blessed with either an amazing first name or last name. But Bulat Shafigullin has it all. We can only hope he has a Bulat of a shot.

Honorable mentions: Lenni Killinen, Jonathan Gruden, Jasper Weatherby, Demetrios Koumontzis, Jacob Bernard-Docker, Yegor Sharangovich, Bode Wilde, Jett Woo

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The Colorado Avalanche signed newly acquired netminder Philipp Grubauer to a three-year contract on Saturday, the team announced.

The deal reportedly carries a $3.33-million cap hit, according to Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman.

The Avalanche obtained Grubauer from the Washington Capitals in a draft-day deal that saw the club part with its second-round pick. Colorado also acquired veteran defenseman Brooks Orpik as part of the trade, who was placed on waivers Sunday.

In 35 appearances last season, Grubauer posted a 15-10-3 record with a .923 save percentage.

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