Mitch Marner arrives in the 17–32 tier with Vegas, pairing him with Jack Eichel and Pavel Dorofeyev to boost multi-category upside and power-play production. Braden Point and Sam Reinhardt offer solid two-way floors on balanced teams, while Sidney Crosby remains a durable, 80+ point anchor with steady peripherals. Artemi Panarin and Clayton Keller provide high-end scoring ceilings in top-six roles, with Jake Gensel and Roope Hintz offering reliable 80–90 point ranges and solid peripherals as late-round seeds.

Rasmus Dahlin stands out as a high-floor defenseman who contributes across categories, and Andre Vasilevskiy remains the keystone goalie behind a strong Tampa Bay core. This slice favors high-volume shooters and elite PP specialists, with the Vegas stack a realistic pivot for leverage. The goaltending slate should be navigated with Vasilevskiy as a reliable anchor in this phase of drafts.

Overall, this second-round window rewards players who carry multi-cat appeal, top-line assignments, and strong power-play upside, while balancing health and team context as the season looms.