StevenToddIves
Registered User
2021 Devils-Centric Mock Draft, Post Lottery Edition
NOTE: I am using today’s Tankathon draft order.
ANOTHER NOTE: This is a mock draft, NOT a ranking. My rankings are far different — for my mock drafts I factor in organizational need and historical draft tendency.
NOTE: I am using today’s Tankathon draft order.
ANOTHER NOTE: This is a mock draft, NOT a ranking. My rankings are far different — for my mock drafts I factor in organizational need and historical draft tendency.
- Buffalo: LD Owen Power, University of Michigan NCAA Buffalo fans might want a center due to the volatile Jack Eichel situation, but a fragile Sabres front-office cannot afford a misstep in a crucial 2021 off-season. Though for most of the year there was no consensus #1 for 2021, Owen Power has pretty much risen to this lofty status. He is a 6’6 shut-down beast who skates terrifically and has produced offense at every level. He’s been Canada’s best D in the World Championship tournament. It’s tough to see Buffalo passing on him right now.
- Seattle: C Matthew Beniers, University of Michigan NCAA statistically, most expansion teams have used their first-ever pick on a forward, and usually a center. Combined with the fact that current expansion draft rules favor building a deep blueline over the forward core, and a future #1 center seems to make the most sense here. Beniers is a flawless two-way center who oozes speed, skill and features the most ferocious compete level of any player in the 2021 class.
- Anaheim: LD Simon Edvinsson, Vasteras Allvenskan Ducks fans might want a F, but Anaheim is a team which has traditionally stuck closely to draft tendency. The Ducks like to build from the D-core on out, they like them big and fast, and they love to draft out of Sweden. Edvinsson is a 6’5 physical defensive defenseman who may lack offensive upside but fits the Ducks organizational philosophy to a T. It also should be noted that Anaheim is probably as thin in the prospect pool at LD as any position.
- NEW JERSEY DEVILS: RD Brandt Clarke, Nove Zamky Slovakia this is certain to be controversial, due to the “Luke Hughes Effect”. Yes, Luke has huge upside and yes, his brother Jack is the centerpiece of the Devils rebuild. The fact remains, however, that the Devils position of greatest organizational need is at RD, and that Brandt Clarke is an elite offensive prospect who features the best hands, passing ability and shooting ability in the entire 2021 draft class for defensemen. A stellar U-18 tournament showcased all of these, as well as Clarke’s improved defensive play and ridiculously creative and effective transition game. While the Devils front office will be under great pressure to draft Luke Hughes, they are under even greater pressure to build a winner. Clarke is closer to the NHL than Hughes and less risky of a pick. And he’s also the brother of a New Jersey Devils player.
- Columbus: C Mason McTavish, EHC Olten Switzerland the Blue Jackets seem on an endless search for a #1 C, and McTavish has shot up the draft rankings after a superlative U-18 tournament for gold medal-winning Team Canada. He’s big, he’s mean, he’s smart, he’s skilled. McTavish is a physical, high-compete beast who scores and plays two ways, he’s a weapon on both the PP and the PK. Were he able to skate like Matt Beniers, he’d be in the discussion for the #1 overall pick.
- Detroit: LD Luke Hughes, US-NTDP the thinnest position in the Wings organization is LD, and they also lack a high-end offensive weapon from the blueline at both the professional and prospect level. Luke Hughes is offensively comparable to brother Quinn and adds to that a 6’2 frame. He’s the best skater in the 2021 draft and his puck skills are outstanding. Though his upside is simply tremendous, questions surrounding his defensive play and a season-ending foot injury drops him into Detroit’s lap. A potential top “thunder & lightning” defense pair of LD Hughes alongside RD Moritz Seider would be downright scary.
- San Jose: LW/C Kent Johnson, University of Michigan NCAA the Sharks have begun to expertly re-tool their prospect pool, but they still need future top-line offensive talents. Johnson might have the most pure offensive upside of any forward in the 2021 class — his hands are dynamic, while his passing and shooting are both elite skills. He may lack the 200-foot play of some of the other top 2021 Fs, but his scoring upside is sky high.
- Los Angeles: G Jesper Wallstedt, Lulea SHL I feel this is the most likely pick to be traded in the top 10, as I expect the Kings to make a serious run at Jack Eichel. But if things stay how they are, the Kings have the top prospect pool in the entire NHL and are stacked at every position except for goaltending. Wallstedt comes with the lofty expectations of recent first-round picks Spencer Knight and Yaroslav Askarov — he’s considered a can’t-miss future stud between the pipes with elite qualities both athletically and technically.
- Vancouver: RW/LW Dylan Guenther, Edmonton WHL the Canucks front office has been maligned in recent years, but their drafting has been unquestionably excellent. They would be thrilled with Guenther, a 6’2 do-it-all two-way winger with near-elite skills across the board and high-end scoring potential. Guenther was good in the U-18 tourney, but his lack of a standout performance might drop him into the tail-end of the top 10.
- Ottawa: C Chaz Lucius, US-NTDP the Senators are another team in search of a top center. Although they will certainly give Tim Stutzle the opportunity to fill that role, there are many in the organization who feel the young German talent is better suited for the LW. Lucius is a phenomenal scorer who might have the best shot of any F in the draft. He’s a two-way stud who excels in every aspect of the game except for skating, where he is adequate. This description harkens back to Mark Scheifele, who went higher than expected in 2011 and turned out to be a phenomenal pick at #7 overall.
- Arizona: FORFEIT lesson learned: don’t hire John Chayka for your front office
- Chicago: LW/C William Eklund, Djurgardens every mock draft must have a “controversial drop”, and I must stress that I have Eklund ranked a lot higher than where I have him being drafted here. Chicago would be thrilled with this hypothetical scenario, however — Eklund might have the highest hockey IQ of any 2021 draft eligible, and he combines this with a high-skill, high-compete two-way game. Just a tremendous player who could go as high as the top 3, but again the 2021 draft is very volatile and unpredictable.
- Calgary: RW Fabian Lysell, Lulea SHL the Flames are a very tough team to predict in every aspect of the 2021 off-season. They have a weak prospect pool and are spinning their wheels as an annual bubble contender at the NHL level. Do they sell off core players Gaudreau, Tkachuk and Monahan to rebuild, or do they go after a few free agents and try to re-tool? The jury is out. Certainly, they need high-end talent all through the prospect pipeline. Lysell offers precisely this — maybe the best combination of speed and skill of any 2021 eligible forward, he shone during the U-18. Lysell has high-scoring, top-line NHL-er written all over him.
- Philadelphia: LW/C Cole Sillinger, Medicine Hat WHL though the 2020-21 season was very rough for the Flyers in the win-loss column, it was excellent in terms of prospect development. LW Joel Farabee emerged as a budding future star, while LD Cam York cracked the roster as a future top-3 D and RW Bobby Brink seems ready to make a big impact next year. Sillinger is an unbelievably skilled young talent who also plays a versatile game with a physical edge. He excels in every single skill area except skating — the singular flaw keeping him out of the top 10 conversation. Sillinger’s shot is in the conversation for tops in the 2021 class, however, and he adds to this a gritty edge and phenomenal puck skills — he is very unlikely to drop out of the top 20.
- Dallas: C Aatu Raty, Karpat Finland a rough draft-eligible season may have dropped Raty out of his pre-season universal top-3 ranking, but the fact remains he’s a two-way center who combines great size, skill and skating. These are very difficult to find, and perennially coveted by NHL executives. Though the Stars have a very nice center prospect in Ty Dellandrea, Mavrik Bourque is more likely to be a RW at the pro level and the Stars could certainly benefit from more organizational depth up the middle.
- NY Rangers: C Zachary Bolduc, Rimouski QMJHL recent upheaval in the Rangers front office and scouting departments make them very difficult to predict for the 2021 draft. Whomever is making the final decisions on draft day, they are certainly aware the Rangers are loaded in futures at D and the wing, but sorely lacking at the crucial position of center. Bolduc is a tremendous two-way player, who may lack an all-star scoring ceiling but combines terrific skill with a smart, high-compete game and has the potential to be an all-situations pivot with 60+ point upside.
- Montreal: C Fyodor Svechkov, Lada Togliatti VHL the Habs have built some nice center depth with draft picks of Kotkaniemi and Suzuki, but Svechkov combines the best elements of both these players. His passing ability is elite — on par with Suzuki — while his two-way play and tenacity eclipse those qualities in Kotkaniemi. A spectacular U-18 tourney showed the minority of draft analysts who were hyping Svechkov may have been right all along — he’s a versatile (also shines at LW) high-end playmaker with shut-down defensive upside. Just a tremendous prospect for the middle of the first round.
- St. Louis: RD Corson Ceulemans, Brooks AJHL it can be argued that no team in 2021 missed one player as much as the Blues missed RD Alex Pietrangelo. Ceulemans has a similar skill-set — he’s a big, fast and highly skilled RD with tremendous offensive upside. His defensive game needs refining, but Ceulemans seriously impressed in his all-around play with a terrific U-18 tournament and is now a good bet to be picked in the top 20.
- Nashville: C Francesco Pinelli, HDD Jesenice Slovenia Nashville’s lack of a true #1 center has really hurt them in recent years, and they lack an option to fill this role in the foreseeable future. Pinelli was sorely underrated entering the 2021 U-18 tournament, where he absolutely excelled, dominating shift after shift throughout the tournament with his high-compete, high-skill game. Pinelli might have been in the top 10 conversation had there been an OHL season, but the cancellation sent him to play in a scarcely-scouted Slovenian league. This leaves him as a high-level sleeper candidate for the 2021 draft — we’re talking about a kid with huge scoring potential as a top-line NHL center.
- NEW JERSEY DEVILS: LD Carson Lambos, Winnipeg WHL two defensemen with the Devils first two picks? It’s certainly possible. Carson Lambos had a rough 2020-21 campaign, due to inconsistency and injury, but his upside remains ridiculously high. We’re talking about a big, physical D with tremendous puck skills and an absolute bomb of a shot from the point. Universally considered a top 7 pick before an adversity-filled draft-eligible season, Lambos potential is as a dominant two-way top-pairing defenseman, and despite the risk due to his regression this past year, players with this type of talent are not normally available so late in the first round.
- Edmonton: G Sebastian Cossa, Edmonton WHL the Oilers sorely need a goalie of the future, and there is a 6’6 athletic freak playing right in their backyard. It’s important to note that this pick also has great likelihood of being traded, as another stunning first round playoff exit leaves the team in a desperate state of needing to build an immediate contender for the prime years of McDavid and Draisaitl.
- Minnesota: LD Daniil Chayka, CSKA Moskva KHL the Wild have a nice group of young forwards coming up to surround rookie sensation Kirill Kaprizov with talent, but they need more high-end help for the blueline. Chayka is a bit polarizing, in that his size/speed/skill combination is top-notch but his production and on-ice consistency have fallen somewhat below expectation. There is no denying Chayka’s high floor, however, as he combines effortless calm with the puck with an ace NHL skill set.
- Columbus: RD Aleksi Heimosalmi, Assat FIN Jr. the stunning news that Seth Jones plans to leave Columbus to test the 2022 UFA market will leave the Blue Jackets with a huge hole on the right side of their blueline. Heimosalmi is an incredibly smart D who is very good defensively despite being undersized and has some magic hands and vision to complete sparkling end-to-end rushes. Heimosalmi was arguably the best defenseman at the U-18 tournament and has shot up draft boards, making him a very likely first-round selection.
- Detroit: LW Brennan Othmann, HC Olten Switzerland the Wings have a lot of skill up front but can still benefit from finishers, and Othmann is one of the best snipers in the draft. He’s also a high-compete, 200-foot player who compliments high skill scorers and plays with a fierce edge. Othmann gained a great deal of exposure with an inspiring performance in the U-18 gold medal win for Team Canada, and could go as high as the top 15 — he’s also likely to be under heavy consideration from the Devils, who need more grit and finishing ability on the LW for the future top 6.
- Columbus: LW Simon Robertsson, Skelleftea SHL this is a crucial draft for Columbus, with a prospect pool sorely in need of retooling and a trio of first-round picks. Robertsson is a tremendous sniper who adds to this a very accomplished compete level and 200-foot game. A somewhat uninspiring U-18 may have dropped him from likely top 20 consideration, but Columbus needs goal-scoring very desperately and Robertsson checks this box in spades.
- Minnesota: RW Matthew Coronato, Chicago USHL all this kid does is score. He’s not the biggest nor the fastest, but he’s got that unteachable ability like a Cole Caufield or Alex DeBrincat to find the soft areas and get pucks past goalies. Minnesota is a team in need of scoring depth, and Coronato is certainly a player who would juice the prospect pool in this respect.
- Florida: LD Stanislav Svozil, HC Kometa Czech the Panthers need to build up the defensive depth and Svozil is as under appreciated as any blue liner in the 2021 class. A silky smooth and cerebral defender with beyond-his-years maturity and awareness, Svozil has true shut-down potential and his puck skills and high-end passing give him very good offensive potential to add to this. A high-floor, future mid-pairing, all-situations stud.
- Vegas: RW/C Xavier Bourgault, Shawinigan QMJHL Bourgault is another high-end sniper who is considered by many to be Bolduc’s only competition as top 2021 draft-eligible out of the QMJHL. Vegas is loaded with potential top-6 left-shot wings with Krebs, Dorofeyev and Brisson, but they are very thin on the right side. Bourgault’s high-scoring upside would greatly alleviate this concern.
- Winnipeg: LW Isak Rosen, Leksands SHL the Jets have traditionally drafted very well in their latest incarnation, and Rosen fits their typical bill as a high-compete, high-skill forward. In terms of speed and scoring ability, Rosen is actually neck-and-neck with Fabian Lysell at the top of the 2021 class. Though his reed-thin 5’11-155 frame will scare off some teams, the Jets did not let lack of size scare them off Nikolai Ehlers and they wouldn’t let a player of Rosen’s immense upside pass them by.
- Boston: LW Zachary L’Heureux, Halifax QMJHL a Bruins pick if there every were one, as they have used late first round selections in recent years on very tough forwards like John Beecher and Trent Frederic. L’Heureux plays on the edge and often crosses it — he’s incredibly physical and borderline dirty. This makes him a very polarizing player, as sometimes his antics seem oblivious to game situation and team need. However, there is no denying his high-end sniping ability and high-skill offensive game.
- Carolina: LW/RW Nikita Chibrikov SKA St. Petersburg KHL traditionally, the Canes like drafting high-upside forwards in the first round and high-upside D in the mid-to-late rounds. Chibrikov is a high-compete and versatile forward who plays with skill and tenacity in all three zones. He captained the Russian U-18 team and plays with a seemingly bottomless well of grit and effort. A potential compliment to either of your top 2 NHL lines who can play either wing, while excelling on both the PP or PK, and in any game situation.
- Colorado: LW Oskar Olausson, HV71 SHL the Avs love to use their top picks on players with elite skating ability. Olausson not only has this, but adds to it a huge 6’3 frame and an outstanding shot. His complete game needs work, but Colorado has a potential powerhouse at the NHL level and the luxury of time in developing their prospects.
I’ll see my way out lol
