Bolts Get Defensive At 2014 NHL Draft

The Lightning used the 19th pick of the first round to draft a defenseman and it didn’t end there. The Bolts took offensive minded defenseman Anthony DeAngelo of Sewell, New Jersey. The 5’11,” 168-pound prospect had 30 goals and 152 points in 181 OHL games with the Sarnia Sting, 

NHL Central Scouting’s Chris Edwards says of DeAngelo:

“Anthony is a skilled offensive defenseman. His puck skills and playmaking ability are excellent. He sees the ice very well and creates offensive scoring chances with great passes. He has a very good shot and gets it on net. DeAngelo likes to jump up into the rush and makes good decisions with the puck.”

“I think I am going to fit in well,” said DeAngelo, who compared his game to veteran defenseman Dan Boyle. “They are a young team and a fast team. They like to get up and skate. So I think I am going to fit well with their style.”

The Bolts selected two defensemen in the second round, Dominik Masin from Slavia Praha (Czech Republic) with pick 35 and  Johnathan MacLeod from the U.S. National Team Development Program at number 57.  Both prospects are smart, stay at home blueliners that can chip in offensively. The gritty MacLeod has committed to Boston University. Masin has twice captained the Czech Republic junior team.

In the third round, Tampa Bay gave up their 2015 seventh-round pick acquired from Vancouver in the Jason Garrison deal and selected Brayden Point, a diminutive, but high scoring center.

Next, the Lightning  traded its two fifth-round picks (140 and 142) to move up to the number 119 slot and selected defenseman Ben Thomas of the Calgary Hitmen where he accumulated 31 points in 72 games.

With that, Tampa Bay had drafted four defensemen in their first five picks.

In the sixth round, the Bolts selected a scrappy winger, Cristiano Digiacinto of the Windsor Spitfires. Digiacinto has a reputation as a brawler with nine fights in the OHL last season. Despite his reputation, he netted 28 points in 50 games. If he continues to develop, he could be the steal of the draft.

The Bolts then traded their seventh round pick (200th overall) and a 2015 seventh round pick to move up to the 185th spot and selected forward Cameron Darcy, of Cape Breton in the QMJHL. The 20 year old Darcy has played with the US National Junior squad and the Muskegon Lumberjacks in the USHL before leading Cape Breton of the QMJHL in scoring. with 35 goals and 47 assists in 65 games.

“Just like last year where it was forward after forward, this year defensemen after defensemen that we liked fell to us,” Director of Amatuer Scouting AlMurray said. “We took in every case a guy we felt was the best NHL prospect and it certainly helped balance out the reserve list.”

2014 Lightning Draft Picks

FIRST ROUND – NO. 19 – ANTHONY DEANGELO

FIRST ROUND – NO. 28 (FROM NYR — TRADED TO NYI)

SECOND ROUND – NO. 35 – DOMINIK MASIN (FROM NYI)

SECOND ROUND – NO. 50 (TRADED TO VAN)

SECOND ROUND – NO. 57 – JOHNATHAN MACLEOD (FROM NYI)

THIRD ROUND – NO. 79 – BRAYDEN POINT (FROM MIN)

FOURTH ROUND – NO. 119 – BEN THOMAS (FROM NYR)

FIFTH ROUND – NO. 140 – TRADED TO NYR

FIFTH ROUND – NO. 142 – TRADED TO NYR (FROM STL)

SIXTH ROUND – NO. 170 – CRISTIANO DIGIACINTO

SEVENTH ROUND – NO. 185 – CAM DARCY (FROM NYI)

SEVENTH ROUND – NO. 200 – TRADED TO NYI

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