BSH 2018 Community Draft Board, No. 16: Bode Wilde

Bode Wilde’s smooth skating, and hard shot have many scouts impressed. Let’s learn a little more about the right-handed American defenseman.

BSH 2018 Community Draft Board, No. 16: Bode Wilde

Position / Team: RD / USNTDP Juniors (USHL)
2017-18 Statistics: 3 G, 13 A in 25 GP
Size: 6’2”, 198

Pre-draft rankings

No. 17 (NA Skaters) by NHL Central Scouting
No. 12 by Future Considerations
No. 23 by ISS Hockey
No. 19 by Pronman/The Athletic (Final)

What’s there to like?

Bode Wilde’s skating and shooting are easily the two most impressive aspects of his game. He has a great ability to join the rush knowing confidently he can get back in time to cover on defense, and push defenses back with his skating alone. With his speed and overall great skating ability, in addition to his size, Wilde makes for a possibly dynamic blueliner. In The Athletic’s Corey Pronman’s draft board, he said this about Wilde.

He can blow you away on a given shift. His speed and skill level for a 6-foot-2 defenseman is elite. You see rushes from Wilde where he looks like a potential top 3-5 pick with the way he can blow by guys, create a clean zone entry and start the offense for his club.

The University of Michigan commit has one of the better shots from defensemen in this draft class. He’s got a lightning quick release and a hard shot to boot. Wilde is also very willing to shoot at all times, which although can get him in trouble at times, it also makes him a very dangerous scoring threat off the rush. He would absolutely be a solid power play quarterback option considering how well he gets his shot through.

His defense definitely still has some work to do, but I think there’s encouraging signs. He’s solid with gap control and he’s physical enough for it to be effective. His offensive potential is definitely the better one, but I don’t think his overall defense is something that needs drastic changing.

Here’s what Mitch Brown of The Athletic tracked of Wilde during the 2017-2018 season.

What’s not to like?

The 100 percent biggest issue with Wilde’s game is his decision making. As seen in controlled exit success percentage above, it was one of the weaker points of Wilde’s game. From what I’ve seen it seems like Wilde simply has a difficult time breaking the puck up the ice, and sometimes tries to do too much. His zone entry numbers are fantastic which makes a ton of sense given what we know about his skating, but the decision making is clearly hurting his exit success rate. If he can refine that part of his game, I think he could be a steal for a team in the mid to late first round.

How would he fit in the Flyers’ system?

Wilde would be right up there with Phil Myers in regards to defense prospects. I think at the moment I’d rank Myers ahead of him but Wilde certainly would not be too far behind.

Could the Flyers actually get him?

They may honestly have two chances at him. I think for sure he’s going to be there at 14, and maybe if they’re lucky at 19. Wilde could be a high-risk, high-reward kind of player which tends to lower draft selection just a bit, but you may have that one team who says nuts to that and gets their guy.

Additional reading

2018 NHL Draft prospect profile: Bode Wilde’s offensive output masks a few issues with his game (Habs Eyes on the Prize)

He is a great skater in all facets. He’s agile, speedy, and displays a good acceleration; all qualities that push his offensive prowess to the next level and allow him to pivot and come back on defence just as easily.

His strength on his skates also allows him to go for his one-on-one move and not get knocked out. He can also recover his balance easily after having barely slipped through a hole between two defenders to create a scoring chance.

2018 NHL Draft Prospect Profile: Bode Wilde (Mile High Hockey)

In his second NTDP season, with a new coach at the helm, Wilde has shown NHL scouts, and me, what people were getting excited about him for in the first place. Playing on the same pairing as fellow top 2018 draft prospect K’Andre Miller, Wilde has brought his offense back up, made tremendous strides in his play in his own end, and although he is a righty, has proven he is adept at playing on either side of the ice. Leading into the upcoming World Under-18 Championships, Wilde has 11 goals and 36 points across all competitions. He is expected to play top-end minutes for the favored Americans as they seek their eleventh title at the tournament.

Highlights (video credit to The Draft Analyst):

Once again, just one player added to the board: French born center, Benoit-Olivier Grouxl.

Benoit-Olivier Grouxl — C, Halifax Mooseheads  (QMJHL) — 28 G, 27 A in 68 GP

Groulx was Zadina’s centre with the Halifax Mooseheads for most of the season and put up good numbers as a result. In 68 games, he had 55 points (28 goals), 42 of which were primary points. At 5v5, he put up 38 points, 30 of which were primary points. His 5v5 numbers were second in the QMJHL among players in their first year of draft eligibility, ahead of even Joe Veleno who is consistently ranked ahead of him.

— via Habs Eyes on the Prize

2018 BSH Community Draft Board

1. Rasmus Dahlin — D, Frolunda (SHL) (no vote)
2. Andrei Svechnikov — RW, Barrie (OHL) (60% of the vote)
3. Filip Zadina — LW, Halifax (QMJHL) (74%)
4. Brady Tkachuk — LW, Boston University (NCAA) (57%)
5. Oliver Wahlstrom — C/RW, USNTDP (USHL) (40%)
6. Quinn Hughes — D, Michigan University (NCAA) (50%)
7. Adam Boqvist — D, Brynas IF (SHL) (42%)
8. Evan Bouchard — D, London (OHL) (49%)
9. Noah Dobson — D, Acadie-Bathurst (QMJHL) (50%)
10. Jesperi Kotkaniemi — C, Assat (Liiga) (34%)
11. Joe Veleno — C, Drummondville (QMJHL) (38%)
12. Joel Farabee — LW, USNTDP Juniors (USHL) (45%)
13. Rasmus Kupari — C, Karpat (Liiga) (31%)
14. Ty Smith — D, Spokane (WHL) (22%)
15. Barrett Hayton — C, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL) (34%)
16. Bode Wilde — D, USNTDP Juniors (USHL) (30%)

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Please use your vote below to answer the following question: If all of the players listed were available when the Flyers were on the clock, who would you want them to pick?

Who should be No. 17 in the 2018 BSH Community Draft Board?