Zeroknowledge*
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Pick 1: Hurricanes- Nathan Mackinnon: After landing Jordan Staal and now landing Mackinnon the Canes are definitely a team to watch in the East, Mackinnon on the power play with Eric Staal, Jeff Skinner and eventually Ryan Murphy at the point will be deadly. The organization as a whole would get a tremendous boost locally and financially from this pick.
Pick 2: Predators- Seth Jones: Talk about redemption, they lose Ryan Suter for free and immediately gain a player back that can potentially be as good or even better two to three years from now. Their offense could've used a boost but the organization is known to value a strong defensive game first and foremost.
Pick 3: Sharks- Alexander Barkov: What better player to mentor Barkov than Joe Thornton, they have a similar game, play the same style of game although Barkov has been known to drive the net and scrap it a bit more than Joe. Having Barkov play to his potential will be tremendous for the Sharks especially when Thornton leaves.
Pick 4: Penguins- Jonathan Drouin: The rich get richer, everyone and their mother will scream at Bettman for having rigged this once again, can you imagine Drouin with Crosy and Malkin... Has an unmatched vision in the offensive zone and will be a game breaker one day.
Pick 5: Stars- Elias Lindholm: The Stars pick one of the 2 BPA's left, having a strong Nordic history they select Elias Lindholm and hope he can bring his game to North America and line up with Loui Eriksson as soon as possible, the Backstrom comparisons are too good to pass up.
Pick 6: Canadiens- Sean Monahan: Another team that gets lucky here, no brainer they draft Manahan at 6, Habs fans can't help but to drool at a future with Monahan and Galchenyuk after years of having a lack of depth at center. The future is looking good for the Habs.
Pick 7: Lightning- Ryan Pulock: The one area of need they have is a solid PMD, Pulock is not only that but he is an offensive wizard, no brainer here for Tampa, actually he does strike me as a Steve Yzerman type of pick. I can definitely see him a couple years from now feeding Stamkos some amazing one timers.
Pick 8: Leafs- Hunter Shinkaruk: Small consolation price for Leafs fans not landing a top 6 pick but a price nonetheless, this is strictly a BPA selection at this point at 8. Still with prospects like Shinkaruk and Rielly, Leafs fans finally have something to look forward for.
Pick 9: Rangers (Jackets)- Rasmus Ristolainen: Another BPA selection, as much as they need forwards the Jackets can't pass up on Ristolainen at 9, a D core based of Murray, Johnson and Risto will be hard to break into by opponents.
Pick 10: Sabres- Darnell Nurse: This is where the draft becomes a crap shoot, no one from 10-20 is a sure shot at this point, the Sabres select Nurse whose development to this point along with his impressive size reminds them of Tyler Myers.
Pick 11: Blues- Attruri Lehkonen: Some compare his game to Zach Parise and Blues head scouts are prominent scouts in the Nordic regions, his lack of size might cause him to drop but with the Blues strong core of young players a gamble at 11 is worth it.
Pick 12: Jets- Adam Erne: Strong offensive minded player with size, already has an imposing NHL ready frame. He immediately becomes the Jets second best forward prospect after Scheifele, with a young solid Defensive core those additions will be appreciated.
Pick 13: Coyotes- Anthony Mantha: The Coyotes have an urgent need of young offensive prospects, Mantha is a great selection here, natural scoring wingers with size are rarely available at this point.
Pick 14: Ducks- Nikita Zadorov: The Ducks select a young kid with the body of a 5 year veteran, the perfect type of player to eventually complement Cam Fowler. An amazing skater considering his size, needs to get a bit more physical in order to become imposing.
Pick 15: Jackets- Curtis Lazar: Unlucky to see their pick fall up to 15 the Jackets still select a player many had envisioned as a top 10 pick unfortunately his offense has been sub-par, on the other hand his 2 way game and his effort every night is too noticeable to be neglected. At worst he will anchor a third line and become an elite shut down center that wears the C one day.
Pick 16: Capitals- Josh Morrissey: The Caps go for a flexible D-Man, one that can skate, move the puck, size is a slight concern but he is still a safe pick that will most likely top off as a good second pairing D-Man.
Pick 17: Panthers- Valeri Niscushkin: The panthers roll the dice here, they select a boom or bust prospect, the explosive tools are there but he hasn't yet proved much and is very raw, if he pans out though he will be a solid big center with tremendous skill, a very rare skillset.
Pick 18: Islanders- Max Domi: In Max Domi the Islanders select a player who has been improving quietly but surely, can play the center position but will most likely end up as a winger, with Strome, Nieddereiter and Reinhart gives the organization a depth chart to look forward too.
Pick 19: Wild- Jason Dickinson: Already boosting a prospect list that compete with any other team the Wild add a player that complements their needs, a solid forward that doesn't look out of place in his zone and has been slowly rising in most draft lists.
Pick 20: Kings (Jackets)- Zach Fucale: With a centerman and a D-man already selected the Jackets go for a goalie, Dansk is having a borderline terrible year, granted he is playing for a brutal team but the Jackets take another goalie, one that could have been selected earlier. Having enough solid goalie prospects never hurt anyone.
Pick 21: Flames- Frederick Gauthier: They are devastated to have to select this low, the Flames select the big centerman that came out of nowhere. At 6'4 220, his frame is size ready, is still years away from being a polished player but if he does reach his potential then he would be the ideal number 2 center behind the legend that is Mark Jankowski.
Pick 22: Oilers- Kerby Rychel: With talent and skill all over the top 6 the Oilers select a forward that provides size, a physical and a scoring touch, will complement their forwards very well.
Pick 23: Bruins- Ian McCoshen: A long term project but with the arrival of Dougie Hamilton, it can wait, can potentially be a great great pick at 24, kind of a risky pick because he is still very raw. Headed to Boston college, a program that had some trouble lately but generally is a great program. If groomed correctly he might turn into a Ryan Mcdonaugh type of player.
Pick 24: Canucks- Robert Hagg: The Canucks keep on adding the their solid blueline, Hagg has shown that he can be creative offensively, can move the puck but still has some concerns defensively, is a long term project but one worth waiting for to fully develop.
Pick 25: Hawks- Anthony Duclair: The Hawks select a player that could have gone in the early teens (11-15) dynamic player offensively, plays a solid game in the opponent's zone, slight size concern but within time should have an average NHL body. Missed a good portion of this year and his stock will rise if he stays consistent.
Pick 26: Devils- They abandon their pick due to the Kovalchuk trade penalty
Pick 27: Avalanche- Shea Theodore: A low key pick here at 27 nets Colorado a Dman that has been quielty climbing the chart, might go earlier by the end of this year if he keeps it up, needs to gain strength but has tons of time to do so, plays a polished offensive game and his play in his zone has been good too.
Pick 28: Wings- JT Compher: A conveted player at 28, Compher plays a skilled game, not the biggest but is built strong and like most prospects drafted by Detroit will take advantage of their development system which does take it's time grooming prospects.
Pick 29: Senators- Jacob De La Rose: The Sens select yet another Swedish player, another skilled forward with finesse that will have the comfort of groing within an organization that eventually might look like Team Sweden. His numbers have been below average this year but the skill is evident.
Pick 30: Flyers: Eric Comrie: They go ahead and draft a goalie even with Bryzgalov signed long term. No other organization has had such a lack of a solid goaltender as much as the Flyers, thy draft Comrie, hoping that in 3 or even 4 years down the line he would be able to step up and have a solid career.
Pick 2: Predators- Seth Jones: Talk about redemption, they lose Ryan Suter for free and immediately gain a player back that can potentially be as good or even better two to three years from now. Their offense could've used a boost but the organization is known to value a strong defensive game first and foremost.
Pick 3: Sharks- Alexander Barkov: What better player to mentor Barkov than Joe Thornton, they have a similar game, play the same style of game although Barkov has been known to drive the net and scrap it a bit more than Joe. Having Barkov play to his potential will be tremendous for the Sharks especially when Thornton leaves.
Pick 4: Penguins- Jonathan Drouin: The rich get richer, everyone and their mother will scream at Bettman for having rigged this once again, can you imagine Drouin with Crosy and Malkin... Has an unmatched vision in the offensive zone and will be a game breaker one day.
Pick 5: Stars- Elias Lindholm: The Stars pick one of the 2 BPA's left, having a strong Nordic history they select Elias Lindholm and hope he can bring his game to North America and line up with Loui Eriksson as soon as possible, the Backstrom comparisons are too good to pass up.
Pick 6: Canadiens- Sean Monahan: Another team that gets lucky here, no brainer they draft Manahan at 6, Habs fans can't help but to drool at a future with Monahan and Galchenyuk after years of having a lack of depth at center. The future is looking good for the Habs.
Pick 7: Lightning- Ryan Pulock: The one area of need they have is a solid PMD, Pulock is not only that but he is an offensive wizard, no brainer here for Tampa, actually he does strike me as a Steve Yzerman type of pick. I can definitely see him a couple years from now feeding Stamkos some amazing one timers.
Pick 8: Leafs- Hunter Shinkaruk: Small consolation price for Leafs fans not landing a top 6 pick but a price nonetheless, this is strictly a BPA selection at this point at 8. Still with prospects like Shinkaruk and Rielly, Leafs fans finally have something to look forward for.
Pick 9: Rangers (Jackets)- Rasmus Ristolainen: Another BPA selection, as much as they need forwards the Jackets can't pass up on Ristolainen at 9, a D core based of Murray, Johnson and Risto will be hard to break into by opponents.
Pick 10: Sabres- Darnell Nurse: This is where the draft becomes a crap shoot, no one from 10-20 is a sure shot at this point, the Sabres select Nurse whose development to this point along with his impressive size reminds them of Tyler Myers.
Pick 11: Blues- Attruri Lehkonen: Some compare his game to Zach Parise and Blues head scouts are prominent scouts in the Nordic regions, his lack of size might cause him to drop but with the Blues strong core of young players a gamble at 11 is worth it.
Pick 12: Jets- Adam Erne: Strong offensive minded player with size, already has an imposing NHL ready frame. He immediately becomes the Jets second best forward prospect after Scheifele, with a young solid Defensive core those additions will be appreciated.
Pick 13: Coyotes- Anthony Mantha: The Coyotes have an urgent need of young offensive prospects, Mantha is a great selection here, natural scoring wingers with size are rarely available at this point.
Pick 14: Ducks- Nikita Zadorov: The Ducks select a young kid with the body of a 5 year veteran, the perfect type of player to eventually complement Cam Fowler. An amazing skater considering his size, needs to get a bit more physical in order to become imposing.
Pick 15: Jackets- Curtis Lazar: Unlucky to see their pick fall up to 15 the Jackets still select a player many had envisioned as a top 10 pick unfortunately his offense has been sub-par, on the other hand his 2 way game and his effort every night is too noticeable to be neglected. At worst he will anchor a third line and become an elite shut down center that wears the C one day.
Pick 16: Capitals- Josh Morrissey: The Caps go for a flexible D-Man, one that can skate, move the puck, size is a slight concern but he is still a safe pick that will most likely top off as a good second pairing D-Man.
Pick 17: Panthers- Valeri Niscushkin: The panthers roll the dice here, they select a boom or bust prospect, the explosive tools are there but he hasn't yet proved much and is very raw, if he pans out though he will be a solid big center with tremendous skill, a very rare skillset.
Pick 18: Islanders- Max Domi: In Max Domi the Islanders select a player who has been improving quietly but surely, can play the center position but will most likely end up as a winger, with Strome, Nieddereiter and Reinhart gives the organization a depth chart to look forward too.
Pick 19: Wild- Jason Dickinson: Already boosting a prospect list that compete with any other team the Wild add a player that complements their needs, a solid forward that doesn't look out of place in his zone and has been slowly rising in most draft lists.
Pick 20: Kings (Jackets)- Zach Fucale: With a centerman and a D-man already selected the Jackets go for a goalie, Dansk is having a borderline terrible year, granted he is playing for a brutal team but the Jackets take another goalie, one that could have been selected earlier. Having enough solid goalie prospects never hurt anyone.
Pick 21: Flames- Frederick Gauthier: They are devastated to have to select this low, the Flames select the big centerman that came out of nowhere. At 6'4 220, his frame is size ready, is still years away from being a polished player but if he does reach his potential then he would be the ideal number 2 center behind the legend that is Mark Jankowski.
Pick 22: Oilers- Kerby Rychel: With talent and skill all over the top 6 the Oilers select a forward that provides size, a physical and a scoring touch, will complement their forwards very well.
Pick 23: Bruins- Ian McCoshen: A long term project but with the arrival of Dougie Hamilton, it can wait, can potentially be a great great pick at 24, kind of a risky pick because he is still very raw. Headed to Boston college, a program that had some trouble lately but generally is a great program. If groomed correctly he might turn into a Ryan Mcdonaugh type of player.
Pick 24: Canucks- Robert Hagg: The Canucks keep on adding the their solid blueline, Hagg has shown that he can be creative offensively, can move the puck but still has some concerns defensively, is a long term project but one worth waiting for to fully develop.
Pick 25: Hawks- Anthony Duclair: The Hawks select a player that could have gone in the early teens (11-15) dynamic player offensively, plays a solid game in the opponent's zone, slight size concern but within time should have an average NHL body. Missed a good portion of this year and his stock will rise if he stays consistent.
Pick 26: Devils- They abandon their pick due to the Kovalchuk trade penalty
Pick 27: Avalanche- Shea Theodore: A low key pick here at 27 nets Colorado a Dman that has been quielty climbing the chart, might go earlier by the end of this year if he keeps it up, needs to gain strength but has tons of time to do so, plays a polished offensive game and his play in his zone has been good too.
Pick 28: Wings- JT Compher: A conveted player at 28, Compher plays a skilled game, not the biggest but is built strong and like most prospects drafted by Detroit will take advantage of their development system which does take it's time grooming prospects.
Pick 29: Senators- Jacob De La Rose: The Sens select yet another Swedish player, another skilled forward with finesse that will have the comfort of groing within an organization that eventually might look like Team Sweden. His numbers have been below average this year but the skill is evident.
Pick 30: Flyers: Eric Comrie: They go ahead and draft a goalie even with Bryzgalov signed long term. No other organization has had such a lack of a solid goaltender as much as the Flyers, thy draft Comrie, hoping that in 3 or even 4 years down the line he would be able to step up and have a solid career.
