10th annual "Official Habs Board Mock Draft" 2016 edition (Part 2) - COMPLETE!

Habsfan18 · May 15, 2016

You know the drill..

TO BEGIN MAY 1ST 7 ROUND MOCK DRAFT

- For teams, we will use the same method as previous years..."putting everyone's name into a hat" the old school way. If you guys want a different method..let me know.

- As always, please PM the next guy in the draft once you're done making your selection.

- If you feel you may miss your selection, please PM myself or another active draft member with a list of players. If it's decided that you've taken too long and you're MIA, an auto-pick will be made for you.

- When making your selection, please include a gm or scout-like quote about that player stating why you selected him.

- As with the more recent drafts, we will begin the draft with no set time limit on the picks. We're all reasonably active posters, so let's try to make this a very active draft. We'll see how it goes and then make a decision if we have to. If a poster is taking too long, we'll shoot them a PM to see what's up.

http://www.prosportstransactions.com/hockey/DraftTrades/Years/2016.htm

Team Name | General Manager
Anaheim Ducks|

Jeffrey

Arizona Coyotes|

FieryTherrien

Boston Bruins|

TT1

Buffalo Sabres|

Whitesnake

Calgary Flames|

That

Carolina Hurricanes|

Grant McCagg

Chicago Blackhawks|

Habs76

Colorado Avalanche|

Habsfan18

Columbus Blue Jackets|

Mathletic

Dallas Stars|

WeThreeKings

Detroit Red Wings|

Hope Of Glory

Edmonton Oilers|

IceDaddy

Florida Panthers|

hototogisu

Los Angeles Kings|

Watsatheo

Minnesota Wild|

Galchenyuksnipes

Montreal Canadiens|

Ohashi_Jouzu

Nashville Predators|

Fozz

New Jersey Devils|

Petry Dish

New York Islanders|

DekeLikeYouMeanIt

New York Rangers|

zaluty

Ottawa Senators|

Crimson Skorpion

Philadelphia Flyers|

yoteshot

Pittsburgh Penguins|

Natey

San Jose Sharks|

MarkovtoSubban

St.Louis Blues|

Chris Cutter

Tampa Bay Lightning|

L4br3cqu3

Toronto Maple Leafs|

le_sean

Vanouver Canucks|

QuebecPride

Washington Capitals|
Winnipeg Jets|

eaglesmaster

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Round 1:

1. Toronto - Auston Matthews
"This was actually a difficult decision. But in the end, the package of size, speed, scoring instincts, puckhandling, and passing ability was just too much to really go with any other option. Auston is a phenom, and we have been waiting for a top flight centre since Mats Sundin left. At 17 years old, Matthews was the offensive catalyst of his adult team in Switzerland, scoring 6 more goals than the second place player on his team, in 9 less games. A top centreman is the key to any successful franchise, and with the likes of Eichel, Stamkos, Barkov, Galchenyuk in the division, it was imperative that the Leafs get a player that will match-up against them. We are very excited with our core going forward."

2. Winnipeg - Patrik Laine
"We are excited to add Patrik Laine to our team. Laine is the most natural goal scorer in this draft. His shot would already rank him among the elite of the NHL. It's this deadly weapon, along with his ability to read the game and his constant drive and hunger to put up pts that lead to him dominating the Liiga playoffs and winning the Jari Kurri trophy (best player in playoffs). His skating could use some more work, but he has been improving in this regard. Time will also help him in rounding out his game. Ultimately, to quote the great John Madden "Usually the team who scores the most pts wins the game", and Laine will help us do just that."

3. Columbus - Jesse PuljujÃ¤rvi
"PuljujÃ¤rvi is a big winger who combines size, skating and skill. A strong skater who can blast past the opposition in full speed. Able to use his size, reach and stickhandling skills to retain the puck in speed. A smart player at both ends of the ice, both on and off the puck. Great work ethic and positive attitude. Comparable to Jamie Benn of the Dallas Stars, PuljujÃ¤rvi owns a dangerously accurate shot, as well as exceptional playmaking ability that pairs up quite nicely with his superb vision and enthusiasm. Has the ability to absolutely dominate by using his size and speed to keep possession of the puck."

4. Edmonton - Olli Juolevi
"Olli is a complete, all-around defenceman. He is a strong skater and can use his size to his advantage. We feel he will be a big step towards solidifying our defence for many years to come."

5. Vancouver - Pierre-Luc Dubois
"We're fortunate to land such a complete player with exciting Pro offensive potential. Pierre-Luc, since his QMJHL draft, has shown steady improvement. He was amongst the best players for Canada at last year's U18, being a year younger than most of the players there. We're confident he'll be an important player for our franchise for years to come as he can pretty do everything on a sheet of ice to win hockey games, whether it is win physical battles, shutdown opponents, score, pass or skate."

6. Calgary - Alex Nylander
"Alex Nylander is a complete offensive threat. He combines a high-end shot with tremendous vision and incredible hands. He's lethal from the point on the PP. While Nylander has to improve his consistency, we believe that he is the most skilled player available."

7. Arizona - Clayton Keller
"Clayton Keller is an excellent player who has the skills, brain, competitiveness and confidence to not only impact the game, but to also dictate significant portions of offensive play. The U.S. NTDP centre has panorama vision - there is no play he doesn’t see and he is always dangerous even when it may appear that he isn’t. Keller controls the game and brings out the best abilities of those he plays with."

8. Buffalo - Matthew Tkachuk
"Tkachuk, son of ex-NHL player Keith Tkachuk, is the perfect mix between skills and strength. This power forward has plenty of tools in his toolset, from his great hockey IQ, to his 3-zone awareness, while always showing his natural scoring talent yet also showing his insane passing, all this while being tough to play against. Just a complete hockey player."

9. Montreal - Jakob Chychrun
"What can we say. We were excited at the possibility of adding another top quality defenseman to the fold, but had no idea Chychrun might still be available. Impossible to pass on a player with the drive and determination to take an incredible toolbox of skills to the elite level in the pros. Excels in so many facets of the game, both with and without the puck, and stamps his name on all zones of the ice with his anticipation and assertiveness. We couldn't ask for a better chance at developing our next superstar."

10. Colorado - Tyson Jost
"Tyson completely dominated the BCHL, netting almost a goal per game, and finishing the season over a 2PPG pace. He possesses elite speed, fantastic anticipation, and shows leadership skills beyond his years. He thinks the game two-steps ahead and has the ability to make a variety of plays at a high tempo. He has stepped up his game on the big stage, and we view him as a dynamic offensive player that we are thrilled to add to our system. We look forward to watching him progress, beginning next season at the University of North Dakota."

11. New Jersey - Jake Bean
"We came into this draft expecting to address our forward prospect pool, but as the head scout, I was absolutely thrilled when I saw all the teams who picked before us passing on Jake. The New Jersey Devils think he's the best defenseman from this draft and that he'll fit perfectly with Adam Larsson or Damon Severson down the road. Jake is an extremely adept offensive player, whilst also being strong in his own zone. We also admire Bean's skating and decision and we know he'll be an important piece for us down the road. We think Jake will be a force in the NHL as soon as next year."

12. Ottawa - Mikhail Sergachev
"This was a no-brainer for us. Solid at both ends of the ice, Sergachev is a big-body defenseman that is a smooth skater, has skilled hands and a knack for the back of the net. He was defenseman of the year in the OHL, for good reason. He has some work to do in his own end, but we believe that with our development staff in place, Sergachev will be with our team for a very, very long time."

13. Carolina - Michael McLeod
"The best skater available in the first round..he's a big speedy center that brings top-two center upside while providing great defence, a non-stop motor, strong faceoff skills and competitiveness. He's a safe pick who at the very worst will be an impact third-line center, but also has the potential to fulfill a top-line center role if his hands ever catch up to his feet."

14. Boston - Logan Brown
"Like his teammate (Sergachev), Brown needs to be more consistent but he already has a solid foundation and excellent tools to transition into the NHL, learning the game from a player like Bergeron will also be a great bonus for him."

15. Minnesota - Luke Kunin
"Luke is a player who has been trending upwards all year long in our rankings and was our main target from the get go with the 15th pick. He is a smart gifted forward who is a tremendous leader and has shown flashes of elite scoring ability. He has a quick, accurate release that could fool even the best goalies in the world. He works hard and isn't afraid to fight for puck possession, he can also make plays and makes the players around him better. We are thrilled to add Luke as we believe he has a great chance of becoming a top 2C in the NHL."

16. Detroit - Kieffer Bellows
"We're really happy to select a pure goalscorer like Kieffer Bellows with our pick. Built like a truck, this really intense forward is blessed with a natural ability to find the net. Whether it's by crashing it or releasing a hard, accurate shot from the slot, Bellows can hurt the opponent in many ways, both on the scoreboard and along the boards. Add to that some pretty solid stickhandling abilities and you get a pretty intriguing package."

17. Nashville - Julien Gauthier
"We're excited to draft a thoroughbred that brings excellent goal scoring abilities in an intriguing package of size, strength and speed. We have no doubt that his game will translate well to the next level and that the second half of his season was nothing more than an anomaly."

18. Philadelphia - Dante Fabbro
"While it's true that the Flyers' prospect cupboard is rich in defencemen, Gostisbehere, Morin, Sanheim, Provorov and Hagg are all lefthanded defencemen. At this stage, the BPA for us is Fabbro and he happens to fill a position of need: RD. We really like his potential as a two-way defencemen who excels at creating offense on the counterattack. Committed to Boston University next year, he'll be part of a great core there and he'll be able to continue developping in what we think could be a first pairing defender that we are glad to add to our great group on the back-end."

19. Tampa Bay - Charlie McAvoy
"Despite the fact that the organization need wingers, we couldn't let McAvoy slip further away. He may not be the tallest, be he's built for the game. Strong skater with excellent balance and superior mobility both up and across the ice. McAvoy loves to join the rush and can read a play as good as any of his draft-eligible peers. He’s a confident puck carrier who attacks openings with speed, but can also slow it down and patiently weigh his options. Always moving his feet, McAvoy is capable of slipping through gaps without the puck, or stickhandling around traffic while keeping the puck close to his body. He has a heavy shot that can be delivered with accuracy, and his passes are tape to tape, An undervalued part of his game is physicality, which gets him in hot water as he’s still learning the difference between a timely, legal bone-crushing hit and gross negligence of the rule book. (thedraftanalysis.com)"

20. Boston (From San Jose) - Samuel Girard

21. NYI - German Rubtsov
"We are delighted that Ruby was available to us. At this point in the draft, it's hard to find a skilled centre with his size, poise and intelligence. Rubtsov has a great understanding of the game, excellent puck skills in tight, impressive vision and a deceptive shot. He proved himself in his home country and on the international stage a couple of times. We don't think his absence from the U18 tournament had any effect on our evaluation of him."

22. Arizona (From NYR) - Tage Thompson
"Tage offers a unique blend of size and skill. He's had a growth spurt and is just getting used to his giant 6'5 frame, but he showed no hesitation in making the most of his opportunities as a NCAA freshman."

23. Carolina (From Los Angeles) - Riley Tufte
"Tufte is a 6-5, 200-pound with excellent speed and a deft scoring touch who is raw given the level of hockey he played for most of the season. Named Mr. Hockey for the state of Minnesota, Tufte will attend the University of Minn-Duluth next season."

24. Florida - Max Jones
"Max is a throwback power forward. He plays the game with an edge, drives the net hard, and can score goals with a whip of a wrist shot. He also has above average speed and footwork for a guy his size. Max battles hard and although he needs to work on his consistency in the offensive zone he's the type of player who can play up and down your lineup. Even if he doesn't turn into a top flight offensive player we're confident he'll find a home on our team in the near future."

25. Anaheim - Vitalii Abramov
"To play in the NHL while being under 5'10 you have to be incredibly skilled and even then it's very hard to stick as you have to be a top 6 and not much else. Very few as talented as there are have achieved it but if one guy can do it it's Vitalii. When you watch him it does not take much of a long look to see that this guy skillset is off the roof. He is a dynamic skater with quick hands, agility, shot and he is always dangerous with the puck on his stick."

26. Winnipeg (From Chicago) - Rasmus Asplund
"We are very excited to add Asplund to our prospect pool. In many ways Asplund presents himself as complete player. His defensive game is quite advanced for a forward of his age. This is in addition to his great speed and agility, that pair with his tremendous hockey smarts and very good shot which make him a dangerous player offensively. Asplund also possesses tremendous work ethic on and off the ice, and is tenacious on the forecheck, using primarily his speed and determination to pressure the opposition and force turnovers. Although he lacks a bit in size and physicality, we feel he has the necessary tools to become an excellent 2-way center at the nhl level."

27. Toronto (From Pittsburgh) - Pascal Laberge
"Pascal Laberge is a workhorse. At the age of 17, he led the Victoriaville Tigers offensively, and has also stood out in competitions against his higher end peers, such as the Top Prospects game and the U-18. A quick, shifty and strong player, Laberge gives 100% whenever he steps on the ice and has made huge strides his draft year. We feel he can be a great two-way compliment to our top 2 centres in Matthews and Nylander, and can even fit on the RW in the Top 6 if he continues this development. We are extremely pleased in getting Laberge here."

28. St. Louis - Lucas Johansen
''As an organization we see LD being one of our biggest need from an organizational standpoint. Beyond Jay Bouwmeester who will turn 33 next fall, our team along with our prospect pool is thin on left-handed defenseman which is why we believe Johansen is a tremendous fit for the Blues. We have been very impressed by the younger brother of the Johansen family who went from 8 pts in his very first WHL season to 49 this year. At this stage of the draft, we believe that we are getting our money's worth with Lucas.''

29. Dallas - Carter Hart
"We firmly believe that Hart is the best goaltender in this draft class. We don't have very many selections and there will not be a good goalie prospect available when we select later. Hart gets undervalued because he is 1" undersized. He admires the way Carey Price plays, works hard on the ice and off the ice. Shares a sports psychologist with Braden Holtby. Hart is always on the cutting edge of new goaltending techniques, new goaltending training and methods. Hart dominates on a team without goal support. He's calm, he's athletic, he's reactive and athletic."

30. Washington - Dennis Cholowski
"Cholowski is a calm, composed, and responsible defender who possesses enormous upside. A classic late bloomer, having grown over 9 inches in the past 2 years, we feel his upside is amongst the highest of all defenders in this draft. His late-onset growth spurt has gifted him with the hands and shiftiness traditionally associated with smaller players, but also with that drive to continue improving - he truly carries that ethos of an undersized, overlooked player. Today, however, those qualities are packaged up in a nearly 6'3 frame. Cholowski is a beanpole, and will likely need at least 3 years in college to pack on weight, but the Caps will be patient in nurturing this talented defender."

Round 2:

31. Toronto - Kale Clague
"Kale brings a combination of speed and intelligence. He is an excellent player with the puck on his stick, able to beat defenders with his skating and make smart tape-to-tape passes. Defensively, he's able to stay on anyone and uses his stick effectively. What we like most about him is his exponential growth in his draft year. He started off slowly with only 8 points in his first 31 games, but ended the season with 27 points in his last 26 games, along with 14 points in 16 playoff games. With our elite group of young forwards, the goal will be to get the puck up the ice quickly. Kale will fit in very well."

32. Boston (From Edmonton) - Libor Hajek
"Libor is a modern day shutdown dman, he has the skill to keep up with talented players and hes rock solid defensively. Great gap control, great positioning and board work, hes an extremely smart player and a smooth skater, his tools also provide him the potential to develop his o-game further more. He's the type of d-man that makes his partner even better."

33. Vancouver - Alex Debrincat
"Alex has been scoring at a terrific pace for his team the past couple of seasons, allbeit on the same team as three very talented players in Strome, McDavid and Dermott. Thanks to his smaller stature, he was still available to us at this point in the draft and we're very grateful for that as he's a tenacious little bugger that scores goals a shovelful and has the mindset and the skillset (speed and talent) required for smaller players to succeed in Professional ranks. Considering the fact that the Canucks will need Offensive players sooner than later with the Sedin twins getting closer to retirement, we were comfortable swinging for the fences with Alex."

34. Columbus - Tyler Benson
"A powerful kid who uses both his brains and skill to outplay his opponent. He has some skating issues that will need work, but is hard to contain down low and can really be dangerous deep in the offensive zone. He just owns the boards, protects the puck and wills himself to win most one-on-one battles. His shot is pro caliber, and he needs little space or time to put the puck in the net. Also is a very good playmaker. Injuries have played a factor in the decline, and he has been inconsistent at times. However, he has also had to deal with the trials of being a 17-year-old captain on a WHL club that has had its fair share of difficulties both on and off the ice over the past two seasons. Projects as a middle six forward."

35. Calgary - Will Bitten
"Bitten had a tremendous year on a disastrous Flint Firebirds team. He's high energy forward with excellent feet and hockey sense. He possesses deft hands and a sneaky good release. He's lightning fast, wins battles, and creates chances. Additionally, he's a solid defensive player who is equally adept at scoring and he is playmaking."

36. Winnipeg - Brett Howden
"We are excited to add Howden to our prospect pool. Brett is a solid two-way forward who use his size to his advantage, notably in the crease to screen the goalie and pick up rebounds. He battles hard in front and in the corners and displays a physical edge. Makes good use of his reach to protect the puck. Has shown significant improvement in his defensive game and shows maturity when distributing the puck. We feel howden projects nicely to a middle six role, where he can contribute offensively and work to shutdown the oppositions top lines."

37. Arizona - Nathan Bastian
"Nathan may be the strong, silent type and admits his game isn't flashy, but his coach will suggest he's a bit too modest and improved every day of his draft year. He has a decent set of tools and never stops working on improving all areas of his game, like his skating, his play without the puck and his penalty killing. A decent upside to go along with a lanky frame to fill out and hopefully become a towering top 6 centre or RW."

38. Buffalo - Cam Dineen
"Dineen showed tremendous progression all year long, finished 2nd in Rookie of the year voting, losing to Alex Nylander, 2nd in D in points. What he doesn't have in size and strength so far, Cam has it with his impressive IQ, vision and great skating/agility. A first and foremost really offensive d-man that is great on the powerplay, Dineen uses his IQ with his stickwork on his own end and does a very good job. People starts to love using the Gostisbehere comparison....let's wish he goes on the same path. Ways to go....but we belive he has the potential to get there. We love the fact that he is amongst one of the youngest player in this draft being born in June 98."

39. Montreal - Jordan Kyrou
"We're excited to reunite our top two picks and close friends from Sarnia on their path to the pros. Jordan is a gifted playmaker with an intriguing offensive ceiling in general. He's a strong skater who controls the puck very well at speed, and has the vision and creativity to dissect any style of defense. Works hard, reads the game well (occasionally makes ill-advised plays trying to use that creativity), and has excellent eye-hand coordination, which has helped him become a dependable forechecker, too. Lots to like about this kid, especially if he puts on a few pounds of muscle."

40. Colorado - Sam Steel
"An excellent skater with soft hands, Steel has fallen a bit in the rankings (he was once viewed as a potential top 15 pick) but we still like his potential, and at pick 40 we felt comfortable taking a chance on him. He has great hockey IQ and is a hard worker. He had a good performance in the WHL playoffs and in our viewings throughout the season we watched as he made opposing defenseman look silly. In many viewings, he was the best player on the ice. Just needs to work on his consistency and must get stronger."

41. New Jersey - Dillon Dube
"As an organization, we pride ourselves on having players that are multi-dimensional and Dillon embodies this ideology. Dillon is a hard-working player that excels at both ends of the ice. He has a great motor, and an underrated shot. We believe as an organization that he could become a key piece to our organization, with his tangibles (everyone's favourite word) and his dedication."

42. Ottawa - Carl GrundstrÃ¶m
"Good north/south player that plays an effective dump and chase game, and is quite physical. He's a nightmare to knock off the puck, especially in corners, and he also has some nice hands and flashes of someone who can put up some points. He lacks explosive speed, but he's still a strong skater and has great balance and strength in his lower-body."

43. Carolina - Boris Katchouk
"Katchouk is regarded by many scouts as the hardest working player in this draft..he brings a high motor and work ethic to every game, not to mention smarts, decent hands and playmaking skills. He had a very strong OHL playoff, and was considered by many to be the best Greyhound's play throughout."

44. Tampa Bay (From Boston) - Yegor Korshkov
"Big time gamble here, and an overager to boot, but kid is still only developping, had a pretty decent season in the KHL, had a great U20 tournament with Russia (only undrafted prospect to finish the tournament with 1PPG (8pts in 7 games). Tall but still lanky, but knows how to use his size, and he doesn't mind the rough stuff. Likes to rush the net and is a pretty good playmaker overall, but needs to work on his shot."

45. Montreal (From Buffalo, Minnesota) - Adam Mascherin
"Adam has taken a very professional approach to his training and preparation this year, and the result was very much a coming out party. Once just a "competent" skater, he gets around the ice well enough to be relied on as a two-way force as opposed to simply an offensive threat. Though short in stature, he is already "man strong" and capable of playing a cycle game. But what everyone talks about is that shot. He's able to release the puck as well as anyone, in any space from any angle at any speed, yet manages a rare combination of power and accuracy as well. As a result, he was top 5 in ES points/game in the OHL this year, despite being in a 2nd line role on his team. His solid personality and hockey IQ are just a bonus."

46. Detroit - Jonathan Dahlen
"We were really happy to see that he was available when it was our turn the pick. Not really big at 5'11, he makes up for his lack of size with really good skating abilities, both in terms of speed and edgework. He also has a great shot that serves his natural scoring instincts perfectly. His playmaking ability is also solid but not on the same level as his finisher skills."

47. Nashville - Cameron Morrison
"After selecting Gauthier in the first round, we get another big and strong forward that plays with purpose and that uses his strength and reach to win battles. Morrison thinks the game at a high level and executes plays with drive. Improved his skating tremendously as the year progressed."

48. Philadelphia - Cliff Pu
"This might be a tad early to pick Pu, but I've always thought when you like a player, you don't wait for him to be snagged by someone else. Pu has been playing great in the OHL playoffs and we are looking forward to seeing him in a more offensive role come next season. He has great speed and a good shot and he just does the little things needed to win. We feel that he could develop as a solid complementary player to our offensive stars, here in Philadelphia."

49. Tampa Bay - Taylor Raddysh
"Raddysh is strong on the puck, protects it well and reads plays well. He is strong on his skates and difficult to knock off the puck but lacks acceleration, top speed or elite mobility. Raddysh plays a heavy game and is aggressive on the forecheck, delivers hard hits, is a force both in front of the goal and along the wall in board battles. Raddysh has made significant strides in his offensive game with a breakout season seeing his point totals jump from 27 in his rookie season to 73 in his draft year with the Erie Otters. Skating is average but adequate and will need to improve to succeed at the NHL level."

50. San Jose - Markus Niemelainen
"He stands out for his size but he really catches the eye when you see how easily he covers the ice. Reads the game so well and gives his team a high level of comfort when he is out there. Knows when to join the rush and support the attack and has some untapped offensive potential."

51. Boston (From NYI) - Janne Kuokkanen
"Janne is a calm player who boasts extremely high hockey IQ, he's very good under pressure and reads/anticipates the game very well. He's also a very competitive player who's been one of Finland's main offensive catalysts in international play."

52. Carolina (From NYR) - Adam Fox
"Considered by many scouts to the the blueliner with the second most offensive upside, Foxs display great puck skills and offensive creativity in addition to his high-end mobility and hockey sense. He will run Carolina's power play in a few years alongside fellow Americans Noah Hanifin and Justin Faulk."

53. Los Angeles - Filip Gustavsson
"Perhaps a reach but the winner of the U18 goalie of the tournament had impressive numbers in the SHL at 17 years old."

54. Calgary (From Florida) - Victor Mete
"Mete is a highly skilled two-way defender. Throughout the season, Mete's role on London has continued to increase. He's a dynamic skater, with separation speed, explosive acceleration, and graceful edge work. A tremendous transition player, Mete is able to use his feet and skill level to create scoring chances out of nothing. In his own he makes quick decisions, plays physical, and uses his stick well. He must continue to improve his positioning, but overall a tremendous talent."

55. Pittsburgh (From Vancouver, Anaheim) - Noah Gregor
"We are very happy to welcome Noah to the organization. This kid missed an entire year of hockey, only to come back and post a point per game throughout an entire season. Noah's worked hard to make sure he fit in on the ice in all three zones, despite missing so much time. To come back and do what he did is truly amazing. We see big things for Noah in the future, but for now he'll likely head back to junior where we expect him to be even better next year."

56. Philadelphia (From Chicago) - Aapeli RÃ¤sÃ¤nen
"We came away very impressed by this young Finn's showing at the U18 and we feel he could develop into a great 2-way center. He has also shown some interesting offensive flair and he has great hockey sense."

57. Pittsburgh - Linus Lindstrom
"We are very happy to welcome Linus to the organization. Linus is an extremely smart player with incredible leadership qualities. His leadership qualities alone will grant him a long future in hockey. Linus managed to get a cup of coffee in the Swedish Elite League and impressed late in the season. We look for Linus to make a huge impact next season in the men's league."

58. St. Louis - Joey Anderson
''We like Anderson's chances of becoming an NHLer. He's a very skilled player who thinks the game very well. We believe he has a strong change of becoming a middle six winger if he keeps progressing.''

59. Calgary (From Dallas) - Henrik Borgstrom
"Borgstrom is a DU commit who spent this season playing in the Finnish U20 league. Borgstrom has an arsenal of offensive tools: Flashy hands, crafty playmaking, and a deceptive shot. He's an above-average skater. He has to improve his defensive zone coverage and add some urgency to his game, but overall he's a creative offensive threat with loads of potential."

60. Toronto (From Washington) - Givani Smith
"Smith is a tenacious winger with a nose for the net. He has underrated hands in tight spaces. We love his physical tools and feel he will be a great compliment to the skill we have accumulated up front."

Round 3:

61. Toronto - Jacob Moverare
"We are very excited to get a defenceman of Jacob's quality at this point in the draft. Jacob is a big mobile defenceman that shows ability to play in all three zones. Though he will have to work a bit on his mobility, we love his upside after standing out at the U-18."

62. Edmonton - Logan Stanley (missed pick)

63. Vancouver - FrÃ©dÃ©ric Allard
"FrÃ©dÃ©ric is a jack-of-all trades that excels at moving the puck. He posted a near point per game season for the Sags this year and has the makings of a powerplay quarterback. What our scouting team liked about Allard besides his offensive potential is the fact that he's versatile. His main asset though remains his smarts, as he rarely gets outwited by opponents. We think that one day, he'll be patrolling our blue line as a 20 minutes defender who will be reliable in all situations."

64. Columbus - Casey Fitzgerald
"A hard-nosed fluid skating blueliner who comes from a hockey family. Compares his game to that of Kris Letang. Smaller guy who prides himself on his defensive game. Has good hockey IQ and makes things happen whenever he's on the ice for Boston College. Fitzgerald was a major reason why BC made it to the Frozen Four in 2016."

65. Calgary - Mitchell Mattson

66. Carolina (From Winnipeg) - Sean Day
"One of only a handful of CHL players to ever be granted exceptional player status, Day has failed to live up to his tremendous potential, but he is quite simply the best skater in this draft. If he can figure things out off the ice and mature he still has the talent to become one of the better players from this draft."

67. Arizona - Ty Ronning
"Ty is reminiscent of his father, and he just might have a better career than his old man in the new NHL. If there's any organization that can teach a small speedy forward how to succeed in the NHL it's the Vancouver Giants."

68. Buffalo - Ryan Lindgren

69. Montreal - Vladimir Kuznetzov
"Vladimir is already a big strong boy, and has been learning how to apply that size to the North American game when it comes to board battles and protecting the puck in traffic. He has improved his skating speed tremendously over the course of the year (posting the 2nd fastest lap on the team at a timed practice), but still has struggles with his footwork and lateral mobility. He's a great shooter, but will have to learn to use teammates better to keep defenses honest and afford him the room to get it off at the next level. Now that he's feeling the game as opposed to interpreting it, so to speak, he has been able to contribute consistently to the offense and appears to be getting around the ice better despite the footwork concerns."

70. Colorado - Luke Green
"A former 1st overall pick in the Q, Green is a smooth skating defenseman with impressive mobility that we feel has the potential to develop into a strong two-way defenseman at the NHL level providing he continues to work on his defensive game. We like what we see when it comes to his puck skills, but the knock coming into this season was his defensive game. We feel he has improved in that category but work still needs to be done. In the 3rd round, we felt comfortable making Luke a project for our development staff and see him potentially anchoring an NHL PP down the road."

71. Toronto (From Pittsburgh, New Jersey) - Max Lajoie
"Max Lajoie is a good skating young defenceman that was thrown into the fray this year in Swift Current with the departure of Dillon Heatherington and Brett Lernout. Though his offensive numbers did not improve drastically, Lajoie has shown big progression in the defensive side of the game having to play against top lines. We like his potential to be a top 4 defenceman."

72. New Jersey (From Ottawa) - Otto Makinen
"Makinen is a great playmaker, and he thinks the play well. The former teammate of Laine, we see Makinen as a player who can complement snipers on our team like Reid Boucher and Mike Cammalleri down the road. We hope Makinen will look up to centres on our team like Henrique and Zajac, and learn to play the game at both ways of the ice. Makinen still has room to grow, and his smarts will keep him a threat to make the NHL for years to come."

73. Carolina - Wade Allison
"Allison is a strong power forward with good puck skills and smarts who finished among the top dozen goal scorers in the USHL, and has followed that up with a solid playoff performance. He is solid along the boards, drives to the net with force and powers through opponents."

74. Carolina (From Boston) - Matt Filipe
"Filipe is one of the speediest and hardest working players in the draft. He plays with an edge and a non stop motor in addition to possessing some goal scoring potential."

75. Buffalo (From Anaheim, New Jersey, Florida, Minnesota) - Dylan Gambrell
"His freshman season with the Denver Pioneers was just too good to ignore. If this kid would have been picked last year, we would have been thrilled by his season. Despite on the small side, kid oozes with offensive skills and the past season, we have seen him control more his game on the other zones than the offensive one. As a NCAA fan, we have seen him a lot this year and love this pick.....future will tell us how good...or bad that was."

76. New Jersey (From Detroit) - Artur Kayumov
"An extremely undersized, but agile player, we hope Kayumov can continue to develop in Russia, gaining muscle and strength so he can adapt to the NHL game. His skillset isn't to be denied though, a very crisp skater and and a knack for creating things with the puck, the New Jersey Devils believe that if Kayumov puts in the effort he can be a strong offensive force."

77. Nashville - Simon Stransky
"A bit surprised to see Stranksy still available past the mid-way of round 3. He's a cerebral player that possesses very good playmaking abilities and a knack for knowing where the puck will be. A shifty skater, even if not very fast, he's elusive and patient with the puck and shows great hands. Hopefully, he improves his speed and strength as he matures physically."

78. Philadelphia- Jack Kopacka
"A solid sized winger, Kopacka has speed to boot and a good shot. He also likes to engage in physical play, though we wish he would be more consistent in that aspect of his game. He will never be mistaken for a deft playmaker, but with a little more consistency, this north-south skater could become an integral piece of a contender's middle six."

79. Tampa Bay - Tim Gettinger
"Hulking winger, with surprising mobility, hockey sense and hands. Plays on both the PP and PK. A 3-zone player with a good release, soft hands, and inside touch. Strong player along the boards, and protects the puck well, doesn't mind the rough stuff. Long-term project with good upside, needs to work on consistency, and needs faster decision making."

80. Dallas (From San Jose) - Dmitri Sokolov
"Sokolov was a highly regarded prospect coming to the CHL this season. Originally thought to be a sure fire top pick, Sokolov has had a number of struggles. 1: He plays in Sudbury where good things go to die. 2. He came into camp out of shape 3. His shoulder issues had him learn to pop his own shoulder back into place on a game by game basis. With surgery, a year to work on his conditioning, we believe that Sokolov is worth the game. He still scored 30 goals with a bad team in his first N-A season. Sokolov is a heavy player, his skating needs work but he uses change of pace well, protects the puck well as he is a tank out there, great vision, a deadly wrist shot, and a behemoth below the goal line. We are content to take a gamble like this late in the 3rd round."

81. Ottawa (From NYI) - Jacob Cederholm

82. NYR - Andrew Peeke
"Big, mobile defenceman with great vision and hockey sense. Possesses a hard, accurate shot, but needs to use it more. Smooth skater, but has room for improvement in his acceleration with the puck. Reads plays well in his own end and has a well-rounded understanding of the defensive game. Starting to play a gritty game, but that will take time to develop. Physical game is definitely ripening."

83. Philadelphia (From Los Angeles) - Evan Fitzpatrick
"We do have a lot of young goalies in the system, but competition is never bad and we believe Fitzpatrick might be a great pick for us at this point. Yes, he had a few rough moments, especially in the U18, but he also recorded a 70 saves performance in an OT playoff loss where he was pretty much alone out there. He is obviously a long term project, but at the end of the 3rd round, one we are confident with. Also, Quebec Pride picking before our next pick haha."

84. Edmonton (From Florida) - Adam Brooks
"He will require a few more years of seasoning but we feel confident he has the ability to be a full time NHLer. His size is an issue but we think he has the hart to overcome it."

85. Anaheim - Travis Barron

86. Chicago - Otto Somppi

87. Edmonton (From Pittsburgh) - Lucas Carlsson

88. Buffalo (From St. Louis) - Trent Frederic

89. Buffalo (From Dallas) - Maxime Fortier
"Pure offensive player with great speed that despite being small in size, is big on commitment and determination. What encourages us mostly though is that he became really stronger as this year progressed."

90. St. Louis (From Washington) - Hudson Elynuik

Round 4:

91. Toronto - Nicholas Caamano
"Nicholas is one of the youngest players in the draft, missing 2017 eligibility by only a week. We like what he has shown for a poor Flint team, scoring 20 goals and playing with some grit by standing up for teammates and laying the body on opponents. We like his potential."

92. Anaheim (From Edmonton) - Colton Point

93. Vancouver - Chad Krys
"Krys is a mobile, puck moving defenseman we have been following since his junior major draft days. Once one of the highest profile of his crop amongst defenceman, Chad has since been surpassed by a lot of his peers. But he still has the same tools (vision, smarts, mobility) that made him an enticing player to most scouts back then. His fall in the rankings is certainly related to his smaller stature in Modern day NHL standards for Defencemen. We feel he's quick and witty enough to survive against bigger players in the profesionnal ranks. Beyond that, we note that Chad comes from an athletic family, his father having played college hockey and his mother college lacrosse. The fact that he's committed to a great program in Boston University also weighted in our decision."

94. Chicago (From Columbus) - Stefan Falkovsky

95. Calgary - Riley Stillman
"Stillman is a no-nonsense two-day defender. His progression over the course of the season was quite impressive. Stillman moves the puck quite well, possessing quality vision and a powerful shot. He loves physical play, no stranger to crushing incoming forwards. His skating will have to improve going forward, but we like his progression this season."

96. Winnipeg - David Quenneville
"David is a small defenseman in possession of a lot of poise and a ton of skill when it comes to the offensive side of the game. His speed needs to improve, as he is more quick than fast, and he needs to continue to improve defensively. We feel that David has the ability to thrive in the new NHL, where skills and ability to move the puck are becoming more important than being simply solid defensively."

97. NYR (From Arizona) - Jesper Bratt

98. Buffalo - Jordy Stallard
"An effective offensive forward that started to be more dangerous as the year progressed. Good skater too with great size."

99. Montreal - David Bernhardt
"Brother of former Rangers' pick, Daniel, David has also made a name for himself by putting up points in the SuperElit League... and being big. He's a good passer who possesses a decent shot, and has a bit of speed to go with his size. As a sizeable youngster, though, he still lacks the explosive starts you'd like to see, and his lateral mobility is somewhat of a concern. David is a competitor and self-aware of what he needs to improve, and has already enlisted the services of a skating coach for the off season. We're very interested to see the results, as he's already playing at a level comparable to older/higher ranked players who excelled in the same league."

100. Toronto (From Colorado) - Filip Hronek
"Filip is a smooth skating defenceman with offensive upside. He has a crisp first pass and stood out for the Czechs as an 18 year old at the WJC. He has played a lot of hockey, and put up nice offensive numbers on lower level Czech teams, and has had a good amount of appearances on the senior team. He will have to bulk up but we like this potential at this point of the draft."

101. New Jersey - Brayden Burke
"Brayden is a overager who has exceeded expectations this year. He's great offensively, playing very intelligently with his soft hands. He creates ways for his teammates to score, simply because Brayden is a pass first type of player. Brayden still has great speed, which our scouts feel could be put to good use. Brayden's ceiling is high, so we feel at this point we can be taking our chances at finding a gem in the later rounds."

102. Ottawa - Eetu Tuulola
"We are pleased to add Eetu to our crop of forwards. He's a responsible two-way forward with a scoring touch and a work ethic that we believe could end him up in the NHL some day. He dealt with injuries this year, and his performance with bigger competition left us wanting more, but we believe in Eetu and have seen enough of his game to know there is something to work with."

103. Carolina - Tyler Parsons

104. New Jersey (From Boston) - Ben Gleason
" Ben, a cousin to NHLer Tim Gleason has been a player we've had our eye on all season. After being traded, Ben took a leap into becoming a top pairing defenseman on the struggling Bulldogs. Able to make crisp passes whilst on the go, while also having a great shot, we think that Ben's potential is very high. His smooth skating also makes him a good defender, always able to keep his opponents on their toes. We're very happy with Ben and we hope he'll bulk up in the summer to grow into his larger frame."

105. Minnesota - Kasper Bjorkqvist
"Kasper is a player that has really grown his game year over year, his body has matured and he has shown a nice offensive touch this past season leading the Jr. A Liiga in point-per-game. He's a dedicated hockey player who will put the effort in order to reach the next levels and is a natural leader. He was a member of the gold winning Finland team at the 2016 World Juniors and was kept of the Senior Liiga team as his desire is to join the NCAA ranks next year, his decision should be known soon but according to him the 4 schools in play are Denver U, Massachusetts-Lowell, Providence and Connecticut U."

106. Detroit - Connor Hall
"He didn't have a great season, with injuries not helping, but he finished the season strongly and had good playoffs. Good hitter too, hopefully he keeps on progressing."

107. Nashville - Matthew Phillips
"We're praying for a much needed growth spurt for this immensely talented offensive wizard. If he can add a couple of inches and about 30lbs, watch out!"

108. Philadelphia - Brandon Gignac
"We like his clutchness (7 of 24 goals were GWG) and general offensive skill along with his skating ability and drive. If he was a little bigger, he'd be a definite consideration in the first few rounds and we are happy to add him at this point in the draft."

109. Tampa Bay - Daniel Kurovsky
''Daniel Kurovsky is a big scoring forward who was one of the few bright spots of the Czech U18 team that participated in the WJC-18. Early in the season, he was dominating against his peers in the Czech junior U18 league, then climbed to U20 competition but still dominated. A bit over 6'3 and already 200lbs, he owns solid offensive instincts, a pretty good shot, surprising vision, goes straight to the net and doesn't mind rough stuff. Needs to work on his skating though, and needs to play against even better opposition. A darkhorse prospect for us.''

110. San Jose - Ross Colton
"He's scored at every level, including 5 points at the US prospects game and wore a C this year. Committed to the Vermont program and could be their best player since John LeClair."

111. NYI - Jonathan Ang
"Ang is a powerful skater with smooth puck skills. Comes from a sporting family. Entered the league with high expectations and had a tough time in typical Peterborough fashion. But in the 2nd half of his sophomore, he got moved to the wing mostly and he's been much more effective. Had a great playoff where he gave North Bay fits. We think he will carry this over to next season. Did I mention he played lacrosse? Yea."

112. San Jose (From NYR) - Todd Burgess
"Top scorer in the NAHL which is a league known for producing good goalies. He's a 6'2 right handed shot who plays an honest game. An RPI commit but we may have him look at junior options or at least a year in the USHL first."

113. Los Angeles - Anatoli Golyshev

114. Florida - James "J.D." Greenway
"J.D. is a hulking defenseman with good mobility and good offensive instincts (witness his dazzling shorthanded goal at the U18's for more proof). He's very raw but has a ton of tools that make him a good project pick at this point in the draft. He's been through two great programs at Shattuck St. Mary's and the U.S. NTDP and will be gaining even more valuable experience under former NHL coach Tony Granato at the U. of Wisconsin next year."

115. Anaheim - Otto Koivula

116. Chicago - Antti Kalapudas

117. Pittsburgh - Josh Anderson
"Many people may think that Anderson isn't a sexy pick, but we do. Josh Anderson is a big, physical, and mean defenseman who happens to be very smart. He's learning the game at such a quick pace. He skates pretty well for his size, but it's something we'll be working on him with on his journey to the NHL. The best thing about Josh Anderson? He was born two weeks before the cutoff date. That means he's many months and as much as one year behind some of the prospects who are eligible for this draft for the first time in both game development and physical development. Can you imagine this kid with another year on his frame? We are very happy to have Josh join our organization."

118. St. Louis - Griffin Luce
''We like the fact that Griffin comes from a hockey family with his grandfather playing in the NHL and being a well-respected scout (Don) and his Dad also being a scout (Panthers). Plus we figured with him going to Michigan & al next year, he must have been on Whitesnake's radar.''

119. Dallas - Rem Pitlick
"This undersized forward is absolutely dynamic. He is one of the few Muskegon Lumberjacks to eclipse 40 goals in an USHL season. He can shoot the puck, he can distribute the puck, he thinks the game well, he got used to the physicality of the league and bigger players and still managed to produce. He's committed to a great university in Minnesota where he will pack some muscle onto his frame in order to be pro ready. With the success of smaller players in the league, we don't mind taking a gamble on a talented player of his stature especially with the type of forwards we've been drafting lately."

120. Washington - Garrett Pilon
"Well-rounded if not a bit undersized, Pilon brings a nonstop motor along with an underrated scoring touch. Should be taking on a bigger role for a Kamloops team that is on the rise. 80 point threat next season."

Round 5:

121. Toronto - Mathias From

122. Edmonton - Dylan Wells

123. Montreal (From Vancouver) - Alan Lyszczarczyk
"While most eyes in Sudbury were on Dmitri Sokolov this year, we couldn't help but notice the Wolves' co-Rookie of the Year as he continued to adjust and improve over the year. After struggling during his initial adjustment - even spending a game as a healthy scratch - Alan has put his speed and skill on display and started turning heads when his name started floating to the top of team scoring. Also voted the team's Most Underrated Player, a spot opened up for him in the top 6 when they released Graaskamp and he has turned this into an opportunity to develop his 2-way play and forechecking on top of the offensive ability that he put on display while living away from home and playing in the Czech development league the previous four seasons. He has a great work ethic, and has been extremely dedicated to improving for years now. While perhaps not so much of a highlight reel player, he's definitely an impact player, and we're excited to see where his development goes from here."

124. St. Louis (From Columbus) - Ondrej Najman

125. Calgary - Oskar Steen
"Steen is a relentless forward with very good skating. What he lacks in size he makes up for in sheer determination. Although he's not the most purely skilled player, he skilled and smart plays across the ice. Also plays a solid defensive game."

126. Winnipeg - Zach Sawchenko

127. Arizona - Kyle Maksimovich
"Diminutive speedster Maksimovich was voted by OHL coaches as one of the most improved players in the league this year."

128. Buffalo - Brandon Hagel

129. Buffalo (From Montreal) - Willie Knierim
"Big man evolved a lot during the year, power forward to be who is already working hard in improving his skating has shown all sorts of aspects in his game including his passing and vision. As raw as you can get....really fun to work with if it pans out."

130. Colorado - Joseph Woll

131. New Jersey - Cole Candella

132. Ottawa - Mikhail Maltsev

133. Carolina - Will Lockwood
"Lockwood is one of the fastest skaters in this draft, and averaged a ppg at the recent U-18's. He is a valued prospect given his terrific speed and tenacity, which should translate into an NHL position some day."

134. Boston - Tarmo Reunanen

135. Boston (From Minnesota) - Filip Berglund

136. Detroit - Jordan Sambrook

137. Nashville - Colby Sissons
"WHL rookie d-man took a while to get accustomed to the pace of the league but showed impressive improvement in the second half of the season. Smooth skater with solid first pass but needs to add bulk to a slight frame. It's all about upside with this kid."

138. Philadelphia - Ondrej Vala
"Big defenceman who was logging key minutes for the Blazers down the line and in the playoffs. We hope his offense can pickup a little bit, but his physical game is already promising."

139. Tampa Bay - Tanner Kaspick
''Tanner does everything right, stands in front of the net, goes hard to the corners, competes at 100%, loves the game and scores greasy goals. Will never wow with skills , but is determined. Just a solid 2-way player, who had an unspectacular season behind phenom Nolan Patrick.''

140. San Jose - Beck Malenstyn
"A late riser who held his own at the U-18s and raised his game for the playoffs after a disappointing year in Calgary. A 6'2 winger who plays a power forward game and shows flashes of an exciting offensive potential."

141. Florida (From NYI) - Marco Miranda
"Marco is a big, skilled winger with soft hands and a scoring touch. He's also responsible defensively and has shown to be a solid option on both the powerplay and the penalty kill. He acquitted himself well playing against men in Switzerland's 2nd tier, putting up 15 points in 36 games. When he returned to his junior club for the playoffs he delivered there too, posting 10 points in 12 games. As with many young Swiss players, he needs to work on using his body more and engaging himself physically when needed."

142. NYR - Andrei Svetlakov

143. Los Angeles - Tyler Soy

144. Chicago (From Florida) - Nick Pastujov

145. Washington (From Anaheim, Toronto) - Daniel Marmenlind (missed pick)

146. Chicago - Josh Mahura

147. Pittsburgh - Anthony Salinitri
"We are very pleased to get Anthony this late in the draft. Anthony has incredible speed and his two way game is very sound. His consitenct improved greatly this season. A lot of people may look at his numbers and think that this selection is off the board, but they also need to realize he was stuck behind a lot of older players on the depth chart. Welcome to the organization."

148. Edmonton (From St. Louis) - Nikolai Chebykin

149. Dallas - Jakob Stukel
"It is not like us to take an overage player. Passed in last years draft and starting off slow, Stukel showed incredible development once he got out of Vancouver. Scoring almost at a point per game with his new team and following it up with a good, albeit short, play-off appearance. Stukel is an elite skater who has shown before the WHL and is showing now, that he can put the puck in the net. He slips behind the defense and stretches the ice. We believe that if Stukel's offensive game doesn't translate, he could be a PK weapon at the next level."

150. Washington - Carsen Twarynski (missed pick)

Round 6:

151. Toronto - Brett Murray
"We like Brett's package of size and smarts. We feel he has a lot of room to grow and has flown under the radar because of the league he plays in. He's a project but we feel he can turn into a versatile player after spending a few years at Penn State."

152. Edmonton - Max Gerlach

153. Vancouver - Alexis D'Aoust
"After a couple of quiet years to start his junior career, Alexis got out of his shell like the rest of his team during the 14-15 season. He improved on that this season by nearly breaking the century in points and leading his team to a President Cup final. D'Aoust started by learning to play well defensively during his first couple of years, so once he got going offensively, he was a complete player that was relied upon by his coaches in all situations. His storyline reminds our staff a lot of Ondrej Palat, and we hope he goes down the same path in the next few years."

154. Columbus - Veini VehvilÃ¤inen
"VehvilÃ¤inen is a very mobile goaltender who displays a quick glove hand and a calm demeanor in the crease. Not the biggest of goalies but has developed a very good technique over the years. Had a tremendous U18 in 2015. Just had a great first pro season, although he didn't play well at the U20."

155. Calgary - Brinson Pasichnuk
"Pasichnuk led all AJHL defenders in scoring in 65 points in 52 games. While he has a ton of work to do in his own zone, we love his explosive skating and booming shot. He has the ability to make spectacular rushes and incredible passes. While he is undersized, he plays a fiery game and loves to make big open ice hits."

156. Winnipeg - Gustaf Westlund
"Westlund is a very raw talent oozing with potential. He is an excellent skater with good vision and has a soft touch. He also has a quick and hard wrist shot. He has been a two-sport athlete, which has prevented him from playing hockey at the highest level possible for his age group. His commitment to Michigan is a good sign. After 4 years there, we think he could really become something special."

157. Arizona - Matt Fonteyne
"Matt is a well rounded forward with decent speed and smarts. Another Coyote prospect with NHL bloodlines, his grandfather played 800 games in the NHL."

158. Buffalo - Max Zimmer
" Offensive prospect who has everything you want in an offensive player....skills, speed and a great shot. Will need to bulk up though but with 1 more year in the USHL before he goes in the NCAA with Wisconsin, he has time to do it."

159. Montreal - Vojtech Budik
"After struggling with adjustment to the North American game earlier in the season, Budik has made serious strides to improve his draft stock over the second half of the season. Already a gifted skater and showing excellent eye-hand coordination and positioning on the defensive side of the puck, Vojtech's biggest adjustments involved using his footwork and mobility to get himself into better position to move the puck. As a result of learning to use his feet to break forechecking pressure, he's fumbling the puck less and not responsible for as many defensive zone turnovers. Named Prince Albert's Most Improved Player at the end of the year, we think there's still plenty of room for further development into a more complete 200 ft. defenseman."

160. Colorado - Matthew Cairns
"Heading to Cornell next season but IMO he should be playing for the Petes. I like his upside."

161. New Jersey - Olivier Galipeau

162. Ottawa - Tanner Laczynski
"Tanner was on a point-per-game pace in his third season with the Chicago Steel this year before he was shipped to the Lincoln Stars, aiding them to the first seed in the Western Conference. He gained momentum late in the season, showcasing great puck skills and looking like a real offensive threat, and that's something we can work with. He'll need to work on his compete level, as that is something we're a little concerned with at this time, but that's something you can teach as he continues to develop. His blend of soft hands, vision and knack for the net is something you can't teach."

163. Carolina - Jack Walker
"The speedy, highly skilled winger continued his marked improvement this season, garnering 84 points before enjoying a superb playoff run with Victoria, with 8 goals and 8 assists in 13 games. He was arguably the best player through two rounds of the WHL playoffs. He should step right into the AHL next season given his skillset."

164. Boston - Tim Wahlgren

165. Calgary (From Minnesota) - Domenic Commisso
"Commisso had a strong second half in his OHL rookie season. He's skilled forward with great hands and a crafty playmaking ability. Although he's on the smaller side, he's a competitor who routinely wins battles. He will have to improve his skating, but I believe he has solid long-term upside."

166. Detroit - Kristian Reichel

167. Nashville - Colin Grannary
"The commit of the University of Nebraska Omaha Mavericks and Team West MVP during the Canadian Junior Hockey League Prospects Game. He has a very high skill level with the puck and plays a smart offensive game."

168. Philadelphia - Matt Luff
“Undrafted last year, Luff found a bit of the offense he had at the midget level and led the Bulldogs in scoring this year. A 6’2” forward who is at his best in puck protection and around the net, Luff finished the season strongly, notching 17 goals and 14 assists in his last 19 games, including 9 games of 2 points or more. That more than made up for his slow start and leads us to believe he may still have untapped offensive potential that he hasn’t shown at the OHL level yet.”

169. Tampa Bay - Pius Suter

170. San Jose - Jack LaFontaine
"He's big and handles the puck well so has the basics for the modern game. Battles hard and plays an aggressive style but needs some good coaching to refine his technique. Was top goalie in his league and will take a year in the USHL before joining the U of Michigan Wolverines"

171. NYI - Connor Bunnaman
"An energizer bunny. Hard working guy with good smarts and decent hands. Plays hard-nosed and drives the net. Can play all fwd positions. Should develop into the ultimate utility bottom 6 guy if he adds another gear."

172. NYR - Dante Salituro

173. Philadelphia (From Los Angeles) - Connor Ingram

174. Florida - Tobias Eder
"What's most impressive about Tobias is his hockey IQ. He thinks the game well and has shown good offensive awareness. Tobias was loaned from his youth club to Germany's third tier league and put up good numbers playing against men. He may not do one thing exceptionally well but he has a good all-around game and it's easy to project him as an NHLer at some point in the future."

175. Florida (From Anaheim) - Kristians Rubins
"Kristians is a Latvian-born defenseman playing for Sweden's Vasteras junior team. At 6'4", 216lbs, he's already man-sized and now just needs to work on honing his skills with the puck. He defends well and uses his stick and his body well. He may never turn into an offensive wizard but he can certainly hold his own defensively."

176. Chicago - Mikhail Berdin

177. Pittsburgh - Dawson Davidson

178. Toronto (From St. Louis) - Patrick Bajkov
"Patrick is a smart two-way forward that has shown good offensive abilities. He has not had a big supporting cast in Everett, but has been one of the standouts on the goal starved team. He has a great shot, but can work on his skating. We feel he has middle 6 upside."

179. Dallas - Cameron Clarke
"He was passed over as a forward but the switch to defense reminds us a bit of Jake Walman when he made the switch and immediately became a viable prospect. He has great size, he can skate, though he needs to work on his defense specific cuts a lot more. He's a great puck mover, anticipates the play, joins the rush."

180. Washington - Brogan O'Brien

Round 7:

181. Toronto - Luke McInnis
"We like Luke's mobility and offensive upside. He was close to being the highest scoring defenceman on the Youngstown Phantoms as a 17 year old. He is going to a great hockey program at Boston College where he can develop and get stronger."

182. Edmonton - Keaton Middleton

183. Vancouver - Matthew Boucher
"The son of former Stanley Cup winner and NHL All-Star Phillipe Boucher, Matthew plays the same gutsy brand of hockey of his patriarch. Although he's not the biggest at 5'9'' and 175lbs, he excels at separating himself from the coverage of the opposition. He doesn't possess the best firing arsenal in terms of power yet, but he has a rather accurate wrister. Matthew's the classic case of a player who benefited from being a late birthday, as his numbers were unimpressive prior to his team leading 30-30 season. We think he still has room to grow as his father is 6'2''. Another factor that made our staff love him was the fact that he drives under pressure. In QuÃ©bec, he plays for his father who is the Coach/GM, and that is one of the toughest challenge a hockey player can face, to play under the padrÃ©. His assets actually remind us of another Boucher, Reid de son prÃ©nom, but a lot will to fall into place for him fullfill his potential."

184. Columbus - Fredrik KarlstrÃ¶m
"Fredrik KarlstrÃ¶m is a playmaking centerman with good size. Really came into his own with strong playoffs in his junior league. Also got a glimpse of pro hockey this season. Needs to work on his speed and overall game including faceoffs."

185. Calgary - Michael O'Leary

186. Winnipeg - Chase Priskie
"Chase has seen significant progression in his game. He has developed into one of the better two-way defensemen in the NCAA. Chase is a very intelligent player with excellent puck moving ability and good skating. If he continues to bulk up, and learns to play the body a bit more, he could surprise people in a few years."

187. Arizona - Grant Jozefek

188. Buffalo - Jeremy Helvig
"Overager goalie from the Kingston Frontenacs. Helvig is probably the goalie with the greatest improvement amongst the goalies in the CHL. We want to see where his ceiling is and with that kind of improvement, with his size, with his work ethic, we think he's a good pick at this stage."

189. Buffalo (From Montreal) - Graham McPhee
"McPhee while overshadowed by greater offensive talent, showed all year long his 2-way game, while showing some impressive work ethic, competitiveness, and toughness despite his size. We also think, like some otherse, that there might be a little more offense in him than what has transpired so far. How about using a 7th rounder to know if it's possible. EVen if not, McPHee has the qualities to be an effective bottom 6 player."

190. Colorado - Daniil Miromanov

191. New Jersey - Luc Deschenes
"Growing up he was the talk around town, as though Luc could make the NHL one day. It still is possible I suppose, but not likely. He's got great skills, and definitely has some NHL potential so I'll take him with the last pick of my draft."

192. NYI (From Ottawa) - Nolan Stevens
"Big shot. Late bloomer. Still getting used to his size and gained a lot of strength in the summer. Pro smarts in 3 zones. Can play C or wing. Near PPG and led team in goals in his sophomore year of college/draft eligibility. Huge part of Hockey East championship team. Son of current sought-after LA Kings asst.coach John Stevens."

193. Vancouver (From Carolina) - Samuel Laberge
"In his 2nd year of draft eligiblity, Laberge really seized his chance to become a leader for Rimouski, as the team went all in last year and he was one of the few players to win the 2015 President's cup to come back. While his numbers improved noticeably offensively, we pickedSamuel because he has the tools to become a useful checker for any NHL team: he's tenacious, he's a decent skater and he gives it his all on both sides of the ice sheet. Additionally, although he still has work to do in that area to succeed in the pros, he's already well developed physically. Most of all, he's a player that plays at his best when the odds are at the zenith. Laberge excels at 1v1 battles along the boards or in front of the net and this might just get him to play in the best hockey league one day."

194. Boston - Brett McKenzie

195. Minnesota - Jake Ryczek
"Jake thrived after getting traded from Sioux City to Waterloo, where he was able to put up over a PPG eclipsing his Sioux City point totals in no time. He is an offensively minded defensemen who has the skating and the flair to jump into the rush with autority and create offense from the back end. His defensive game is still rounding out and he has some filling out to do but we believe that his skating ability could take him a long way. He is commited to Providence College."

196. Detroit - Stephen Dhillon

197. Nashville - Jason Masonius
"Masonius is an agile puck moving, offensive minded rearguard that played U.S. U-18 National team 2 years ago before committing to the University of Connecticut, where he had a strong freshman year."

198. Philadelphia - Alex BarrÃ©-Boulet
"He's a small center who produced impressive stats on an otherwise talent-deprived Drummondville team. He and Michael Carcone each got 89 pts while the next forwards had 24 (in 27) and 22 pts. BarrÃ©-Boulet played the point on the PP and was also good on the PP. While not his best asset, he has interesting speed, but what impressed us was his vision and his drive. Being a smaller player, he has a long road ahead of him, but he has shown skills that could lead him to the NHL someday, or at least a big role on an AHL team. We drafted mostly forwards with size in this draft so we are comfortable with giving a shot to a smaller guy who could become a top-6 player if all goes well (May BD so he played the whole year as a 18 year old)."

199. Tampa Bay - Gabriel Sylvestre

200. San Jose - Jack MacNab
"An absolute behemoth on skates who can drive the net with ease. Pretty good football player too. Reminds me of another big multi sport athlete who went to Notre Dame and is now an NHL player after being taken in the 7th round but was not drafted by Montreal despite Whitesnake's prayers."

201. NYI - Kenny Johnson
"Kenny is a solid defender with a mean streak, can skate and has a good breakout pass. Grew to 6'3 over the last year. College should build confidence with the puck, he could be a force. Going to be a Wolverine this fall. Kenny is Jack Motherflubbin' Johnson's younger brother. We'll be sure to keep Daddy Johnson as far away from Kenny's career."

202. NYR - Hayden Verbeek
"Hayden comes from great bloodlines as his Uncle is Pat Verbeek and his dad had a great Junior and Minor League career. Hayden plays a lot bigger than his size, is hard on the forecheck and is a pain for the opposition to play against."

203. Los Angeles - Sebastian Aho

204. Minnesota (From Florida) - Michael Graham
"Michael did not benefit from a lot of exposure playing High School hockey but we believe he is a diamond in the rough. He displays a tremendous offensive ability and was fairly successful in his short stint in the USHL with the Fargo Force where he will play full time next season. He's a natural leader, a good 2 way player with skill and size. Michael is commited to the University of Notre Dame, he will join them for the 2017-2018 season."

205. Anaheim - Kody MacDonald
"There's a 6-2 center in PG for instance...tough as nails, has some smarts, good penalty killer, good skater....wasn't given an offensive role because he was behind some offensive guys...but someone like that stands a chance at playing checking role in the future."

206. Chicago - Mitchell Balmas

207. St. Louis (From Pittsburgh) - Josh Dickinson

208. St. Louis - Tye Felhaber

209. Tampa Bay (From Dallas, Edmonton) - Hugo Danielsson
"Big, tough kid who can skate pretty well, must keep his agressivity in check. Hockey sense is lacking though... (thanks Grant)"

210. Washington - Gabriel Fontaine
"A forward that over the course of the year not only improved greatest his point totals, but also assured himself as a very fine an extremely solid 2-way player."

That · May 15, 2016

With the 155th overall selection, the Calgary Flames are proud to select Brinson Pasichnuk!

Pasichnuk led all AJHL defenders in scoring in 65 points in 52 games. While he has a ton of work to do in his own zone, we love his explosive skating and booming shot. He has the ability to make spectacular rushes and incredible passes. While he is undersized, he plays a fiery game and loves to make big open ice hits.

Next GM has been PM'd.

WeThreeKings · May 15, 2016

That said:
With the 155th overall selection, the Calgary Flames are proud to select Brinson Pasichnuk!

Pasichnuk led all AJHL defenders in scoring in 65 points in 52 games. While he has a ton of work to do in his own zone, we love his explosive skating and booming shot. He has the ability to make spectacular rushes and incredible passes. While he is undersized, he plays a fiery game and loves to make big open ice hits.

Next GM has been PM'd.

Oh you ****er

That · May 15, 2016

WeThreeKings said:
Oh you ****er

You ****ers stole everyone on my list so I decided to sell my soul to fasthockey for a few days to watch Jr. A. I still have two picks left, too.

CupInSIX · May 15, 2016

That said:
With the 155th overall selection, the Calgary Flames are proud to select Brinson Pasichnuk!

Pasichnuk led all AJHL defenders in scoring in 65 points in 52 games. While he has a ton of work to do in his own zone, we love his explosive skating and booming shot. He has the ability to make spectacular rushes and incredible passes. While he is undersized, he plays a fiery game and loves to make big open ice hits.

Next GM has been PM'd.

You took one of the few actual defensemen on my list.

There's no holding back now...

eaglesmaster · May 15, 2016

With the 156th pick, the Jets select forward Gustaf Westlund, from The Gunnery Prep of the USHS.

Westlund is a very raw talent oozing with potential. He is an excellent skater with good vision and has a soft touch. He also has a quick and hard wrist shot. He has been a two-sport athlete, which has prevented him from playing hockey at the highest level possible for his age group. His commitment to Michigan is a good sign. After 4 years there, we think he could really become something special.

*arizona has been pmed

CupInSIX · May 15, 2016

Arizona selects C Matt Fonteyne from the Everett Slivertits of the WHL 157th overall.

Matt is a well rounded forward with decent speed and smarts. Another Coyote prospect with NHL bloodlines, his grandfather played 800 games in the NHL.

Buffalo will be privately massaged.

Le Barron de HF · May 15, 2016

Silvertits nice typo :laugh:

WeThreeKings · May 15, 2016

Chris Cutter said:
Silvertits nice typo

Better that than Slivertits

Whitesnake · May 15, 2016

With the 158th pick, Buffalo Sabres selects...MAX ZIMMER from Chicago Steel in the USHL. Offensive prospect who has everything you want in an offensive player....skills, speed and a great shot. Will need to bulk up though but with 1 more year in the USHL before he goes in the NCAA with Wisconsin, he has time to do it.

Next GM will be PM'ed.

BUFFALO SABRES 2016 DRAFT
8 - Matt Tkachuk
38 - Cam Dineen
68 - Ryan Lindgren
75 - Dylan Gambrell
88 - Trent Frederic
89 - Maxime Fortier
98 - Jordy Stallard
128 - Brandon Hagel
129 - Willie Knierim
158 - Max Zimmer
188 -
189 -

Account Terminated · May 15, 2016

----N/A----

Whitesnake · May 15, 2016

Crimson Skorpion said:
I ****ing hate you, Whitesnake.

This is the best compliment I've ever got on HF.....

DekeLikeYouMeanIt · May 16, 2016

Crimson Skorpion said:
I ****ing hate you, Whitesnake.

Yup. Right now. Yup.

WeThreeKings · May 16, 2016

I liked zimmer. Just thought Pitlick was the better offensive talent in the USHL

Yoshidas Island · May 16, 2016

I'm out with my girlfriend pretty much all day today, don't particularly want to be on my phone making a selection, who can I PM my list to?

WeThreeKings · May 16, 2016

Petry Dish said:
I'm out with my girlfriend pretty much all day today, don't particularly want to be on my phone making a selection, who can I PM my list to?

I'm working.

Yoshidas Island · May 16, 2016

WeThreeKings said:
I'm working.

Does that mean yes for you then I'm assuming?

Ohashi_Jouzu* · May 16, 2016

I'm up. Pick coming in a bit.

WeThreeKings · May 16, 2016

Petry Dish said:
Does that mean yes for you then I'm assuming?

It didn't but I'm slow at work so I can haha

Grant McCagg · May 16, 2016

Twarynski got selected with a missed pick? IMO one of the best picks of the past 30 lol. Really plays a hard and competitive game...wouldn't be shocked if he's an NHL bottom liner some day.

Stukel late in the 4th is decent value too...and Matt Fonteyne is a wildcard for me in this draft..the only thing keeping him from being a top 90 pick is an inch or two.....led Everett in goals and points in the playoffs..always around the puck and smart..I could see him being a 70-80 point player next season....on Everett that's impressive.

Zimmer certainly has the wheels..liked him a lot at the WJAC in the fall, but he didn't really build on that. Still a good pick in the 5th.

My Allison pick at 73 is looking better and better..really like this kid. I'd be looking seriously at him at 39 and 45 if he's there for the Habs....he's a draft riser.

Grant McCagg · May 16, 2016

Whitesnake said:
With the 158th pick, Buffalo Sabres selects...MAX ZIMMER from Chicago Steel in the USHL. Offensive prospect who has everything you want in an offensive player....skills, speed and a great shot. Will need to bulk up though but with 1 more year in the USHL before he goes in the NCAA with Wisconsin, he has time to do it.

Next GM will be PM'ed.

BUFFALO SABRES 2016 DRAFT
8 - Matt Tkachuk
38 - Cam Dineen
68 - Ryan Lindgren
75 - Dylan Gambrell
88 - Trent Frederic
89 - Maxime Fortier
98 - Jordy Stallard
128 - Brandon Hagel
129 - Willie Knierim
158 - Max Zimmer
188 -
189 -

Good depth there..solid draft. Funny thing is I like Zimmer more than Knierim..Hagel and Stallard more than Fortier, Frederic more than Gambrell and Lindgren more than Dineen. So while you may have made some picks I wasn't giddy about value wise..you came back strongly every time on your next.

Good job. Gambrell and Dineen aren't bad prospects..just not sure they'll go that high.

Ohashi_Jouzu* · May 16, 2016

With our final pick of the 2016 NHL Draft, 159th overall, the Canadiens select Vojtech Budik of the WHL's Prince Albert Raiders.

raiders%20vojtech%20budik%20cameron%20hebig.JPG

"After struggling with adjustment to the North American game earlier in the season, Budik has made serious strides to improve his draft stock over the second half of the season. Already a gifted skater and showing excellent eye-hand coordination and positioning on the defensive side of the puck, Vojtech's biggest adjustments involved using his footwork and mobility to get himself into better position to move the puck. As a result of learning to use his feet to break forechecking pressure, he's fumbling the puck less and not responsible for as many defensive zone turnovers. Named Prince Albert's Most Improved Player at the end of the year, we think there's still plenty of room for further development into a more complete 200 ft. defenseman."

edit: Colorado PM'd.

WeThreeKings · May 16, 2016

I like Mr. Budik

Whitesnake · May 16, 2016

Grant McCagg said:
Good depth there..solid draft. Funny thing is I like Zimmer more than Knierim..Hagel and Stallard more than Fortier, Frederic more than Gambrell and Lindgren more than Dineen. So while you may have made some picks I wasn't giddy about value wise..you came back strongly every time on your next. Good job. Gambrell and Dineen aren't bad prospects..just not sure they'll go that high.

Thanks. You are right though, I think I have good depth...but at the game of actual draft vs my draft...I'll have some problems. I'm sure Gambrell won't be picked there. Could probably fall 2 rounds pass my pick. But he's a prospect I would have picked the year before towards the end and I loved how he developed this year. But as an overager, it probably won't be good enough. Dineen is a wildcard for me. I love him so much as I think he is amongst the ones that improved the most as the year pass by....so that's why I went early with him....but it will probably not be enough for that to happen in the real life. I guess I should expect Gambrell in the 4th-5th round.....and Dineen late 2nd?

Ohashi_Jouzu* · May 16, 2016

WeThreeKings said:
I like Mr. Budik

I actually tried not to pick him. Had plenty of centres/RWers I kind of wanted instead, as I already picked two LHS defensemen. But this was my last pick, and how is this guy still on the board?

10th annual "Official Habs Board Mock Draft" 2016 edition (Part 2) - COMPLETE!

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