JoinTheArmia
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- Jun 12, 2013
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2013 NHL Mock Draft
1. Colorado Avalanche - Seth Jones, D, Portland Winterhawks
Why: Colorado has some strong pieces up from and a young goaltender with Duchene, O'Rielly, Landeskog, and Varlamov. On the back end they only have Johnson and Barrie who look like regular top-4 guys. Solution? Take a big number 1 defenseman in Seth Jones to solidify the back end.
2. Florida Panthers - Nathan MacKinnon, C, Halifax Mooseheads
Why: Florida has a star LW in the making in Huberdeau, a big young centerman in Bjugstad, a young physical shutdown defenseman in Gudbranson, a young potential no.1 goalie in Markstrom and other strong pieces like Kulikov, Petrovic, Howden, Shore and Trocheck. What are they missing? A true number 1 centerman. Nathan MacKinnon can be that guy.
3. Tampa Bay Lightning - Jonathan Drouin, LW, Halifax Mooseheads
Why: No surprise here. Tampa Bay selects the eventual replacement of Martin St. Louis. Drouin has the potential to be a PPG player in the NHL. They thing that was hard to choose with this pick was would Tampa like a center like Barkov for the top-6 to eventually replace Lecaviler, a young big powerforward in Nichushkin or the shifty Drouin? I went with Drouin.
4. Nashville Predators - Alexandr Barkov, C, Tappara
Why: Nashville is in some trouble right now. They don't have a true number 1 centerman and they have trouble attracting free agents. Solution? Draft a solid two-way franchise center who fits into the Predator's system to a tee.
5. Carolina Hurricanes - Ramus Ristolainen, D, TPS
Why: Carolina has a couple options here. They could take the risky Nichushkin who has boatloads of potential and try and find a place for him in the top-six with E.Staal, J.Staal, Skinner, Tlusty, Semin, and Ruutu. They could take a forward like Monahan with excellent two-way ability and try the same thing, or they could take a potential top-pairing defenseman that they don't have. Rasmus Ristolainen could be in the top-four right away with Faulk, Pitkanen, and Gleason.
6. Calgary Flames - Sean Monahan, C, Ottawa 67s
Why: Calgary has holes all over the place. The only real pieces that they have are Baertschi, Brodie, Giordano, Reinhart, Backlund, Glencross and maybe Cammelleri. In the system they have John Gaudreau and The Jankowski. Not really awe inspiring. For those reasons, Calgary goes BPA and take the highly skilled Monahan.
7. Edmonton Oilers - Valeri Nichushkin, LW, HC Dynamo
Why: Edmonton needs a big physical presence in the top six or a big top-2 centerman. That leaves Elias Lindholm and Valeri Nichushkin. (Although Lindholm isn't that big) Edmonton takes Nichushkin because Hartikainen left for the KHL and Sam Gagner is a capable top-2 centerman to play behind The Nuge.
8. Buffalo Sabres - Elias Lindholm, C, Brynas
Why: Aren't all top teams build through the middle? Boston? Krejci, Bergeron & Kelly. Pittsburgh? Crosby, Malkin, & Sutter. Los Angelas? Kopitar, Richards & Stoll. Chicago? Toews, Handzus, and Bolland. (Chicago is an exception because they have many ultra skilled wingers.) The point being is that a successful team is usually build through the middle. Right now Buffalo hinges its hopes on Hodgson, Grigorenko, Girgensons, and Ennis. Ennis usally plays LW so he is out. Same for Girgensons for now. Grigorenko and Hodgson can play C and RW. This is a good dilemma. Because of that, Buffalo takes BPA and selects the highly talented Swede.
9. New Jersey Devils - Bo Horvat, C, London Knights
Why: Bo Horvat is a really big guess here. I could see NJ taking Shinkaruk without batting and eyelash, but I'm going to guess this anyway. Horvat is the most annoying person in the draft. People hate playing against him. Why? Because he is hard to knock off the puck and is very aggressive. I could see him working this guy working the corners to get the puck to Kovalchuk in the near future. Oh, and he is a great two-way centerman that is very characteristic of the Devils.
10. Dallas Stars - Hunter Shinkaruk, LW/C, Medicine Hat Tigers
Why: Dallas has recently stored up on defense with Morrow, Oleksiak, Dillion, and Larsen. In goal they have Lehtonen with Campbell still having the potential to be a starter. That leaves forwards. The Stars take the explosive scorer Shinkaruk to help with the departure of Jagr, Ryder, and Morrow. If the Devils take Shinkaruk, I could see Dallas taking Horvat to play behind Benn and maybe Eakin.
11. Philadelphia Flyers - Darnell Nurse, D, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
Why: Philadelphia is all over the map in terms of drafting so your guess is as good as mine. The Flyers take Nurse because he as some ties to the city and he is the exact type of player the Flyers covet. Also, with Pronger still there, he could mentor Nurse into being that ferocious shutdown defenseman that Philadelphia has lacked since Pronger's injury.
12. Phoenix Coyotes - Max Domi, C, London Knights
Why: A bit of a gamble, but the payout of a franchise center could well be worth it. The desert dogs have the piece in the back end with Gormley, Rundblad, Yandle and most importantly OEL. In goal they have a hole, but that can be rectified in free agency. The Coyotes swing for the fences to try and get that elusive number 1 center to play in front of Hanzal and Vermette.
13. Winnipeg Jets - Alexander Wennberg, C/LW/RW, Djurgarden
Why: A versatile player who can slot in anywhere in the lineup. Wennberg uses his speed to set up teammates. I could see him in the future as a RW or second line C that feeds pucks to either Evander Kane and Mark Schiefele or whoever his wingers are on the second line. I don't think they go defense here because of Bogosian, Trouba, and Enstrom all going to be here in the future.
14. Columbus Blue Jackets - Mirco Mueller, D, Everett Silvertips
Why: I would like to apologize beforehand to Columbus fans for making them select a defenseman. This is a dark horse for going this high, but it wouldn't surprise me. There are a number of factors that I looked at when choosing to put him here. 1) He has chemistry with Ryan Murray. In today's game, chemistry is an important factor. Myers with Tallinder, Seabrook with Keith, Subban with Wisnewski, etc. I could see them selecting him here much like Pittsburgh selected Derrick Pouliot last year because he had chemistry with Joe Morrow. 2) He was really good at the VO2 test at the combine. This is a lesser factor, but I think it is a factor to some teams. Look at Anaheim last year, they selected Hampus Lindholm who was projected to go in the late teens to early twenties. I could see this somewhat coming into play here.
15. New York Islanders - Ryan Pulock, D, Brandon Wheat Kings
Why: Pulock is a big boy. 6'1" and 211 with a slapshot clocked at 102mph? Yes please. Imagine Pulock being set but by Tavares or de Haan as he unleashes bombs. Or imagine him forming a twin tower shutdown pair with Griffin Reinhart? Plus he would replace Streit as PP quarterback. The only other option here is a top-6 winger like Zykov or Rychel to create space for JT.
16. Buffalo Sabres - Nikita Zadorov, D, London Knights
Why: You remember how I talked about the twin towers? I lied. Zadorov and Myers would be the twin towers. Zadorov being the more defensively responsible player letting Myers be more creative offensively. I like how that would work out. Buffalo needs more physical players to compete with Toronto and Boston so that is also a reason behind this.
17. Ottawa Senators - Kerby Kychel, LW, Windsor Spitfires
Why: The Ottawa fans were talking about wanting to get a LW. Your wish is granted as you get a hard working, scoring forward. With no real needs, Ottawa Senators take a luxury item.
18. Detroit Red Wings - Valentin Zykov, LW, Baie Comeau Drakkar
Why: When a farmer's mule is getting old, he replaces it. Zykov can step in in a year or two and provide a net front presence just like Johan Franzen. Plus Zykov has better skating. The other pick I though about was Frederik Gauthier. i decided against it because the Wings still have Zetterberg, Datsyuk and Helm down the middle with the chance that Jankrok will be there is a year or two.
19. Columbus Blue Jackets (from NYR) - Curtis Lazar, C/RW, Edmonton Oil Kings
Why: Lazar is not the most skilled guy ever, but he does possess a well rounded package of size, grit, scoring, defensive awareness, and faceoff prowess. Columbus has implemented a new philosophy where hard work is what wins championships. Lazar would fit in perfectly with the likes of Dubinsky, Foligno, Calvert and Jenner. (I gave you a forward this time.
)20. San Jose Sharks - Anthony Mantha, RW, Val-d'Or Foreurs
Why: Character issues are a problem, but Mantha possesses a unique blend of size and scoring. The Sharks like big forwards as evident by the heights and weights found on their website and Mantha would fit in with that mindset of "Bigger is Better."
21. Toronto Maple Leafs - Adam Erne, RW, Quebec Remparts
Why: A lot of defensemen in the system. Two solid young goalies in Reimer and Scrivens. A good stable of forwards. Now what? Your guess is as good as mine. I put Erne because it is rumored that Toronto likes him and also because he fits with their style of play.
22. Calgary Flames (from STL) - Joshua Morrissey, D, Prince Albert Raiders
Why: Smooth skating puck mover. Calgary could use one of those. It also helps that Morrissey is from Calgary and Calgary has a history of drafting WHL players.
23. Washington Capitals - Samuel Morin, D, Rimouski Oceanic
Why: You want a tank? Have Sam Morin. 6'6" and 205 pounds and is possibly the best shutdown defenseman in the draft. Washington has Carlson, Alzner, Green, and Orlov in the future. The only true shutdown guy is Alzner. Since there is not many holes to fill organizationally, Morin is the pick.
24. Vancouver Canucks - Chris Bigras, D, Owen Sound Attack
Why: A reliable two-way defenseman with great stamina. I actually don't know that much about him, but he is the best pick for the Canucks because of not many defensive prospects.
25. Montreal Canadiens - Frederik Gauthier, C, Rimouski Oceanic
Why: Frederik Gauthier sounds like a player that Montreal would pick right? I jest, they take him here because he fills the need for larger players and expecially a large centerman. His shutdown ability would be even better if he is tutored by Tomas Plekanec.
26. Anaheim Ducks - Robert Hagg, D, Modo
Why: Outside of Vatanen and Lindholm, the Ducks don't really have many good defensive prospects. The Ducks therefore continue the trend of drafting from Sweden and select the high skilled Hagg. Consistency is an issue, but with some work Hagg should be a reliable top-4 defenseman in the future.
27. Columbus Blue Jackets (from LAK) - Ryan Hartman, RW, Plymouth Whalers
Why: As I stated earlier, Columbus is now a blue collar team with great work ethic. Therefore, they select Hartman would probably has the most heart out of anyone in the draft.
28. Calgary Flames (from PIT) - Morgan Klimchuk, RW, Regina Pats
Why: Taking BPA to try and restock the cupboards, Calgary take the small but fast forward from Regina in the WHL.
29. Dallas Stars (from BOS) - Zach Nastasiuk, RW, Owen Sound Attack
Why: Dallas takes a forward that has the potential to be a big strong powerforward at the next level.
30. Chicago Blackhawks - Shea Theodore, D, Seattle Thunderbirds
Why: No organizational needs. Takes a PP quarterback with unlimited offensive potential.
Hope you enjoyed it. Sorry for skimping near the end, I got bored.
iFruscia 7:195 Niagara(OHL)LW
