2018 HFNHL Mock Draft - Lottery Edition

Brock

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Feb 27, 2002
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The 2018 HFNHL Regular season has concluded, meaning the teams competing in the draft lottery (to be held Saturday, April 28) are set. Below you can find the first mock draft of the year (featuring only the teams who missed the playoffs). Draft order based upon draft lottery odds and standing finish.

1. Dallas Stars - Rasmus Dahlin

If the Stars are able to win the draft lottery (they will have the greatest odds), this becomes a no-brainer. And it's perfect for Dallas given their biggest weakness is on the back-end. Dahlin gives them a franchise defender to build around and forms a great one/two nucleus with Nico Hischier.

2. Buffalo Sabres - Andrei Svechnikov
Noticed that GM Joe Bubanj seems to prefer size in the players that he drafts and Svechnikov has that over Zadina, while possessing similar game breaking offensive potential. Plus, he unites him with his brother Evgeny. This is a Sabres team that does need more help up front so Svechnikov fits in perfectly with the team's future plans.

3. Minnesota Wild - Filip Zadina
At this point, the top 3 players seem to be set and Zadina is the 3rd of that group which means that this is likely a no brainer if the draft falls this way for the Wild. And it works out perfectly. The Wild are strong down the middle for the future but could use another future scoring winger to supplement that and Zadina may be the best natural goal scorer available.

4. Washington Capitals - Brady Tkachuk
Given how set the Capitals are for the future on the back-end, it seems like a given that they would look forward at this spot. They need more down the middle, but unfortunately none of the top forwards available this year are centers. Likely comes down to Tkachuk versus Wahlstrom here. And I see Josh Howell going for more size and grit to supplement guys like Eichel and Debrincat.

5. New York Rangers - Quinn Hughes
Perhaps the first major surprise sees Sean Gaffney and the Rangers go with Quinn Hughes out of Michigan. The undersized defender skates like the wind and finished his season strongly. Safe to say Gaffney goes defense here IMO, it's a matter of whether it's Hughes, Boqvist, or Dobson. And Gaffney has always favoured NCAA prospects over Europeans.

6. Philadelphia Flyers - Adam Boqvist

The Flyers on the other hand are definitely more likely to take a European player and just so happens that the team probably leans towards defense with this pick. Boqvist is an elite offensive defender who plays the uptempo and high risk style that GM Alvaro Silvan likes.

7. Carolina Hurricanes - Oliver Wahlstrom

Carolina could go many different directions with this selection. I think that they could use help on the backend and on the wing and there are a bevy of great options at #7. Probably comes down to Wahlstrom versus the likes of Dobson or Bouchard. And I think the Canes go Wahlstrom here, for his high offensive upside, knowing that they could still get a quality defender at #14 later.

8. Arizona Coyotes - Joel Farabee
Not your typical Coyotes pick, per say. Farabee doesn't have the size that GM Ryan Yessie seems to prefer. But, I just don't see the Yotes going defense with this first rounder, given they've done so a few times lately. Instead, they take Farabee, a quality high upside winger who could be the perfect compliment to a guy like Logan Brown in the future.

9. Columbus Blue Jackets - Evan Bouchard
Bouchard or Dobson? That's the decision that GM Douglas Emerson would be faced with in this position. I think it's very likely he goes offensive defender at this spot, a future partner for Dante Fabbro. Probably can't go wrong with either, but Emerson has always preferred OHL players to QMJHL players and I think that gives Bouchard the advantage here.

10. Dallas Stars (via Detroit Red Wings) - Noah Dobson
Talk about a quick way to rebuild your blueline. Dahlin and Dobson? Come on, that's not fair. And it's smart. This team has practically nothing outside of Damon Severson on the backend and some talent up front. So accelerate the rebuild by truly reshaping your backend. Dobson is an Alex Pietrangelo type of defender with size, skating ability and potential to be a Norris candidate.

11. Calgary Flames - Jesperi Kotkaniemi
This pick was almost Buffalo's, but reverts back to Calgary due to a FC clause. The Flames are a tough team to peg due to GM Matt Kershaw's jekyll and hyde drafting approach. Canadian, Swedish, Russian, Alien, Kershaw seems to have no preferences. And the Flames are in a spot where they just have to take the BPA. Denisenko or Kravtsov are options here because of high upside, but with how poor the Nichushkin situation has gone, I think he avoids Russians. Ty Smith is an option, but I don't think he wants another undersized defender. I think one of the Finns goes here or a guy like Dom Bokk. And Kotkaniemi makes most sense because Kershaw seems to really favor forwards with upside and hockey sense/vision.

12. Vegas Golden Knights - Joseph Veleno

While I could definitely see the Golden Knights looking at defense in this spot, Ty Smith just doesn't seem like the type of defender GM Jon Lemoine seems to prefer. And I don't think Bode Wilde possesses the kind of potential Lemoine would be looking for. Veleno has had an up and down year in the QMJHL, but he's the type of prospect that the Vegas GM seems to prefer. Solid all around, while possessing potential to be an impact player offensively. Vegas could use more help down the middle and Veleno is a nice building block there.

13. Vancouver Canucks - Rasmus Kupari

At this spot, I see GM Sean Keogh going Finnish with Kupari, Russian with Denisenko/Kravtsov, or German with Bokk. They have had success with some Finnish players lately and Kupari has the speed and upside that Keogh seems to like. He usually swings for the fences with his higher draft picks. I think he goes Kupari here, preferring his speed oriented approach.

14. Carolina Hurricanes (via Ottawa Senators) - Ty Smith

As stated previously, the Hurricanes will likely go Forward/Defense, or Defense/Forward with their two lottery selections. And after taking Wahlstrom earlier, they opt for Smith here. The undersized defender has oodles of offensive potential and projects as the type of player the SIM seems to prefer. They could go Bode Wilde here too, but I don't see them using two firsts on USDP players.

15. Vegas Golden Knights (via Winnipeg Jets) - Dominik Bokk
After taking Veleno with their first pick, the Golden Knights shoot for the fences with their second lottery pick, opting for the German forward Bokk. Been slowly rising all season long and if Lemoine is patient, he could really develop into a quality top 6 player. A guy like Vitali Kravtsov could be an option here too as a high upside pick.
 
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