StevenToddIves
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2021 Devils-Centric Mock Draft 2.0 for May
Movement is the key — there is a ton of it in both the draft order and the consensus rankings of late. Add to this a very tight-knit top 7 overall and a pandemic-marred draft-eligible season for a multitude of prospects, and predicting the draft is more difficult than I can ever remember.
The #1 fallibility of most mock drafts is when a writer projects his own opinions onto the NHL organizations. I try to counter this by studying organizational tendency and need and keeping my own subjective opinions by the wayside. So remember, this is not a ranking, but rather simply a hypothetical scenario about how the 2021 draft could go (as things currently stand).
Movement is the key — there is a ton of it in both the draft order and the consensus rankings of late. Add to this a very tight-knit top 7 overall and a pandemic-marred draft-eligible season for a multitude of prospects, and predicting the draft is more difficult than I can ever remember.
The #1 fallibility of most mock drafts is when a writer projects his own opinions onto the NHL organizations. I try to counter this by studying organizational tendency and need and keeping my own subjective opinions by the wayside. So remember, this is not a ranking, but rather simply a hypothetical scenario about how the 2021 draft could go (as things currently stand).
- Buffalo: C Matthew Beniers, University of Michigan NCAA it’s very difficult to pinpoint what this turmoil-filled organization would do with the top overall pick. I waver daily between a pair of Wolverines — Beniers and Owen Power. In this scenario I’m going Beniers, due to the future uncertainty surrounding top center Jack Eichel and the fact the organization’s most talented player is another LD in Rasmus Dahlin.
- Anaheim: LD Owen Power, University of Michigan NCAA a potential dream come true for the Ducks, as they love size more than any other NHL team and the almost 6’6 defender is a shut-down beast who can skate and put up offensive numbers. Power would immediately become the most talented Ducks D since the glory days of Niedermeyer and Pronger.
- Seattle: RW/LW Dylan Guenther, Edmonton WHL it’s very difficult to determine what the Kraken will do with their first-ever pick. Certainly, they would love a top-line, two-way center like Beniers or franchise defenseman like Power. With both of those talents off the table, I have them taking an intelligent and versatile two-way winger with massive NHL scoring upside in Guenther.
- NEW JERSEY DEVILS: RD Brandt Clarke, Nove Zamky, Slovakia were the Devils to step to the podium with both Clarke and Hughes on the board, it would be one of the most talked about picks in team history. Both are offensive defensemen with tremendous offensive upside — which the organization desperately covets — and both are brothers of current Devils in Jack Hughes and Graeme Clarke. Two weeks ago, I may have assumed the Devils would lean to Hughes, but Brandt Clarke’s tremendous U-18 tournament has gone a long way to erase (unsubstantiated) doubts about his defensive play and skating ability. The Devils have a greater need at RD than LD, and Clarke has the best combination of hands/passing/shooting of any defenseman in the 2021 draft. Brandt Clarke adds to this a terrific combination of hockey IQ and compete level. Quite simply, this an ideal defenseman to build an NHL blueline around.
- Columbus: LW/C William Eklund, Djurgardens SHL the Blue Jackets crave top-line talent after trading away many picks in recent years. Eklund is a very skilled and versatile two-way talent at forward who might have the highest hockey IQ of any player in the class of 2021.
- Detroit: LD Luke Hughes, US-NTDP the Red Wings greatest organizational need is at LD, and they would be beside themselves if they could get their hands on the youngest Hughes brother. Luke might be the best skater in the entire draft, and as one of the youngest players, his offensive upside is stratospheric. The idea of a top D pairing of Hughes and Moritz Seider would be downright frightening for the rest of the NHL.
- Ottawa: C/LW Mason McTavish, EHC Olten Switzerland my first big surprise correlates with the recent jump of McTavish. His once-questioned skating has meteorically improved to the point where teams see him as having top 6 center potential. McTavish is an old school beast who has used his high-compete physicality and elite sniping ability to dominate the U-18 tournament in Texas.
- San Jose: LD Simon Edvinsson, Vasteras Allsvenskan the Sharks have a ton of needs up and down the organization, defense included. Edvinsson is 6’4 and combines elite skating and puck-handling ability for a rare juxtaposition of talents. If he can clean up a few kinks in his game and decision making, Edvinsson could have top-pairing upside.
- Los Angeles: G Jesper Wallstedt, Lulea SHL the Kings have the top prospect pool in the NHL, but among all the burgeoning stars they lack an elite goaltending option for the future. Wallstedt comes extremely highly regarded, on a par with Yaroslav Askarov last year and Spencer Knight in 2019.
- Vancouver: LW/C Kent Johnson, University of Michigan NCAA Johnson is seen by many to have the highest offensive ceiling of any forward prospect in the 2021 class, so it’s safe to say the Canucks would be beside themselves with joy were the Vancouver native to fall to them in the draft. Johnson’s hands are downright magical, and he is a dual threat with high-end passing and scoring ability.
- Calgary: RW/LW Fabian Lysell, Lulea SHL there will be a lot of attention surrounding a Calgary franchise which has been spinning their wheels for several years and may choose to tear things down and rebuild in the off-season. Lysell would be a great place to start — he’s the best skater of all forwards in the 2021 class and adds a litany of high-end offensive tools.
- Arizona: FORFEIT the beleaguered Coyotes franchise will regret having hired John Chayka as GM for a very long time.
- Chicago: C Chaz Lucius, US-NTDP Lucius might be the best pure shooter in the entire 2021 class, and he surrounds this elite skill with a great all-around game. The only question is his skating, which makes him a bit reminiscent of Mark Scheifele at the same age.
- Philadelphia: RD Corson Ceulemans, Brooks AJHL the Philadelphia blueline has been a horror show this season, and sorely needs to be addressed. Ceulemans oozes talent — he’s big, fast and offensively skilled with a physical edge. There were some questions about his own-zone play, but a fantastic U-18 tournament will surely rise him up the rankings.
- Dallas: C Aatu Raty, Karpat FIN the pre-season favorite for #1 overall has had a rocky draft-eligible campaign, but he should still be a top 20 pick. He’s a big kid who can skate and play with skill. Dallas often drafts out of Finland and loves to draft two-way centers with size.
- NY Rangers: C Fyodor Svechkov, Lada Togliatti VHL the only rival to Beniers as the top two-way center in the draft, Svechkov is also an elite passer and has huge offensive upside. The Rangers have built an extremely talented stable of young talent, but still lack a top center anywhere in the organization beyond Mika Zibanejad. This is also a team which has scouted very well in Russia in recent years.
- St. Louis: LD Carson Lambos, Winnipeg WHL the recent loss of Alex Pietrangelo has decimated the Blues blueline and spiraled them from the top of the standings to the playoff bubble. Lambos’ best comparable might be Pietrangelo at the same age — he’s an incredible package of size, skill and speed but just needs to find more consistency and make better decisions with and without the puck.
- Montreal: C Zachary Bolduc, Rimouski QMJHL the Canadiens have built an excellent prospect pool, but they remain a bit thin up the middle. Bolduc is the best two-way center in the Q and adds some very slick puck and playmaking skills to his intriguing package.
- Nashville: LW/C Cole Sillinger, Medicine Hat WHL Predators GM David Poile loves a good throwback scoring forward with power in his game, and Sillinger certainly fits that bill. His skills are high-end across the board and he has major scoring upside, the only question is if his so-so skating will hold him back from an NHL first line.
- Winnipeg: LD Stanislav Svozil, HC Kometa Czech with one of the top forward cores in the NHL, the Jets still need to rebuild the defense from within. This is a team which scouts extremely well and values high-IQ defensemen with shut-down ability, Svozil has all of that in spades and is also a high-end passer with puck savvy and sneaky offensive potential.
- Edmonton: LW/RW Simon Robertsson, Skelleftea SHL the Oilers endless job is surround the sublime duo of McDavid and Draisaitl with top-level forward talent. Robertsson is one of the best pure goal-scorers in the 2021 class and plays a high-effort, complete game around this.
- NEW JERSEY DEVILS: LW Brennan Othmann, EHC Olten Switzerland the Devils lack grit and pure scoring ability on the LW to pair with the emerging dominant center duo of Hughes/Hischier. Othmann is a high-end shooter who plays intelligent two-way hockey with an edge and a nose for the net. Ultimately, Othmann would be a perfect fit in New Jersey.
- Boston: LW Zachary L’Heureux, Halifax QMJHL the Bruins love a power forward, and L’Heureux combines pure sniping ability with a level of sandpaper and toughness which have led to four suspensions this season. Sure to be a controversial NHL player, but L’Heureux’s scoring talent is undeniable.
- Detroit: C Francesco Pinelli, HDD Jesenice Slovenia the lack of an OHL season hurt Pinelli in the early rankings, but an explosively good U-18 should assure a first-round selection. Wings GM Steve Yzerman loves high-IQ, high-effort forwards with high-end skill, and Pinelli describes this to a T.
- Minnesota: G Sebastian Cossa Edmonton WHL GM Billy Guerin knows the Wild lack a goaltender of the future. Cossa is 6’6 with great athleticism and has been shooting up draft boards in the second half of a stellar WHL campaign.
- Florida: LD Daniil Chayka, Krasnaya MHL though Florida has not drafted a first-round defender since Aaron Ekblad went first overall back in 2014, it’s certainly the area of greatest organizational need. Chayka has a few elements of his game to refine, but combines a fascinating mix of size, skating and shooting ability.
- Columbus: RD Scott Morrow, Shattuck St. Mary’s USHS the Blue Jackets hope their trio of first-round picks will revive a moribund prospect pool. Morrow is a project, but he is an electrifying offensive talent with high-end size and skating.
- Colorado: LW Isak Rosen, Leksands SHL no one loves to ice a fast team more than the Avs, and Rosen might be the only forward in the draft who can match Fabian Lysell in terms of pure speed. He’s also a dynamic offensive talent with a high compete level who plays very good two-way hockey.
- Minnesota: RW/LW Matthew Coronato, Chicago USHL all this kid does is score. Coronato absolutely shredded the USHL for 48 goals and 85 points in just 51 games, and the Wild could use some high-end wingers to surround the top-flight centers they drafted last year in Rossi and Khusnutdinov.
- Columbus: RW Samu Tuomaala, Karpat FIN the Blue Jackets simply do not score enough, and Tuomaala is a dynamic offensive player who has been one of the top performers in the current U-18 tournament.
- Carolina: LW/RW Nikita Chibrikov, SKA-St. Petersburg KHL another huge performer in the U-18 tourney has been Chibrikov, a high-compete and gritty two-way forward with dynamic offensive ability which could very much compliment Carolina forwards like Aho and Svechnikov.
- Vegas: RW/C Xavier Bourgault, Shawinigan QMJHL Vegas’ prospect pool is a bit thin when it comes to right-shot forwards and pure goal scorers. Bourgault is both of these things in spades, a projectable top-six offensive talent at the NHL level with 30+ goal upside.
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We’re all in the same boat, I guess. Although if you want to get technical, Zacha is outscoring Meier this year.
