Brock
Registered User
OHL Prospects: 2021 NHL Mock Draft
This is now an annual tradition. As I always mention, while I cover the OHL extensively, my role at McKeen’s Hockey gives me a fair amount of knowledge of the other players available.
There are so many reasons that this draft has the likelihood of being extremely unpredictable. Firstly, due to the pandemic, we have such unevenness in terms of exposure and playing time across the various junior leagues in the world. The USHL played a full season. European men’s leagues played a full year. The QMJHL had a fairly full year. However, the WHL, European junior leagues (especially Sweden), and of course the OHL were disrupted, shortened, or canceled. We can only hypothesize how that affects things. Secondly, this draft does leave some to be desired due to its lack of superstar potential. That means a lot of players will be ranked closely together and teams will, no doubt, have very different draft boards in comparison.
So what does that mean? It means I am making an excuse for this mock draft to be very inaccurate! In all seriousness, all mock drafts are hard to peg down, but it is still a fun endeavour that provides an easy and fun read.
Just as was the case last year, I am mocking the first two rounds.
1. Buffalo Sabres - Owen Power, D, Michigan (NCAA)
Much has been made about the validity of Power as a first overall selection in recent months. However, I do believe that the NHL scouting community does see a gap between Power and the other contenders; that appears to be clear in reading anonymous quotes from polls (like Bob McKenzie’s or Corey Pronman’s, for example). His phenomenal play at the World Championships for Canada had to solidify that even further. While Power may not end up as the best NHL player in this draft class, he should end up as ONE of the best and that sort of stability is greatly needed in Buffalo. By adding someone like Power, perhaps the Sabres can finally unleash the likes of Dahlin and Ristolainen. I do believe that he has a chance to help turn this organization around finally.
2. Seattle Kraken - Matthew Beniers, C, Michigan (NCAA)
How do you determine potential preferences of an organization that has yet to make a draft selection? I think the easy answer there is to look at who they hired as their head scout; Robert Kron (previously head of European scouting for Carolina). With Carolina, their European picks did largely follow a trend. They valued skating ability and well rounded skill sets, which should not come as a surprise given that they described Kron’s NHL skill set to an extent. So who fits that bill the most at the top of the draft? Probably Beniers. Not to mention that Beniers is also one of the draft’s only true premier centers, something Seattle likely wants to build around. I am sure we will get more intel on the type of team they want to build after the expansion draft, but this pick makes sense to me at the moment.
3. Anaheim Ducks - Dylan Guenther, RW, Edmonton (WHL)
This pick is so hard to nail down with so many of the top options available for Anaheim. The team just does not seem to have scouting preferences like other organizations. Could they go with a two-way defender with size in Edvinsson, someone they can pair with Drysdale in the future? Could they go with William Eklund? What about a surprise pick of someone like Mason McTavish who could give the team such incredible depth down the middle? At the end of the day, I see them leaning towards Guenther. Not only would his offensive skill set fit extremely well alongside someone like Zegras (or the other young players they have in the organization), but he is someone who seems to be really appreciated by scouts.
4. New Jersey Devils - William Eklund, LW, Djurgardens (SHL)
Look, I know there is a lot of speculation that the Devils will select either Brandt Clarke or Luke Hughes based on the family ties in the organization. And they very well could and either player would be a great selection for the franchise. But I do think that us, as fans, care more about this stuff than NHL scouts. In William Eklund, we have a real connection as the Devils would be very familiar with him given that he has been playing with Alexander Holtz. However, he also gives the organization a winger with elite skating ability and hockey sense, someone who can really help drive play alongside Hughes and Hischier. This is also someone who should be able to help in a year’s time (after another year in Sweden). His accelerated timeline over someone like Hughes or Clarke (who I think will take a few years to develop) would also be attractive to a team like Jersey who has to feel close to turning their rebuild around.
5. Columbus Blue Jackets - Simon Edvinsson, D, Frolunda (SHL)
I think this pick does make sense for a few reasons. The first is the obvious European bias that Columbus has shown at the draft in recent years. Hard to ignore that trend. The second is that Columbus has shown a real affinity for those who skate at an elite level. Insert Simon Edvinsson. While he seems to be a pretty polarizing player, those who love him, love him a lot and believe that he has the ceiling to be one of the better two-way defenders in the NHL. If his floor is someone like Seth Jones, even that would be fine for the Jackets, given that they are likely waving goodbye to said player this offseason.
6. Detroit Red Wings - Mason McTavish, C, Peterborough (OHL)
There is a lot of talk about the Wings taking a goaltender here (either Wallstedt or Cossa). Quite frankly, I could see it, especially given that they will not be able to sign Keith Petruzzelli. However, the Wings also have a bunch of second round picks that they could use to take one of the guys in the next tier. The reality is, the team’s center depth is not great. Michael Rasmussen has not developed the way they thought he would. Joe Veleno’s development could be classified the same way. So here the Wings see a potentially dominant two-way center who can really fit in well with the kinds of skilled wingers that they have accumulated. Detroit is going to focus on the BPA and I think they see that as McTavish. Of course, they could opt for the hometown kid in Luke Hughes, but they passed on Quinn once upon a time ago too.
7. San Jose Sharks - Sebastian Cossa, G, Edmonton (WHL)
The first shocker (of which there are bound to be many this year) sees the Sharks take Cossa at #7. This might be more shocking because Cossa goes before Wallstedt, not because the Sharks take a netminder. The reality is that everything I’m reading and hearing lately is suggesting that NHL scouts may like Cossa more because of his size and athleticism combination; he is far from a finished product. Whereas Wallstedt is not in the same category as an athlete and scouts may be concerned that he has less room for growth. Both are phenomenal goaltending prospects but I do believe Cossa goes first. Sharks fans may not feel great about this given that this is the team’s only pick in the first two rounds. However, we know that San Jose loves drafting out of the WHL. There is a bias there. The team has also drafted only one goalie in the last five years...and it shows. At some point, the Sharks need to bite the bullet and try to bring in a blue chipper at the position. Cossa has the chance to be a Vezina winner.
8. Los Angeles Kings - Brandt Clarke, D, Barrie (OHL)
If Clarke and Hughes are still available here for the Kings, I would be shocked if one of those two are not LA’s selection. So which one would they favor? On one hand, with such a deep farm system, maybe the Kings take Hughes knowing that he is more of a longer term project. On the other hand, LA has always valued vision and hockey sense at the draft, more so than skating. They believe that their development team can fix skating deficiencies (much like Toronto), and that’s why I see them leaning towards Clarke, who can be an anchor of a likely very dangerous powerplay in a few years.
9. Vancouver Canucks - Luke Hughes, D, USDP (USHL)
This is a tough one. I could see the Canucks passing on Hughes here because he profiles similar to some of the young defenders that they already have in the system like his brother Quinn and Jack Rathbone. But the same could be said for a lot of players in this range. You draft the best player available and that is Hughes. Sure there is the family connection. But that won't matter as much as you think. Instead, the Canucks see the Avalanche and what they have built...and then think of having to play them again next year. With Quinn, Rathbone, Luke, and Jett Woo, Vancouver focuses on skating on the back-end. Imagine the possibilities available to them with those four in the fold? That’s modern day hockey.
10. Ottawa Senators - Chaz Lucius, F, USDP (USHL)
This pick could go in so many different ways. But I do feel like Ottawa might show preference to one of the top goal scoring options available in Lucius or Sillinger...or even Matt Coronato. Lucius was robbed of the opportunity of showing his skills at the U18’s due to injury, and the injury concerns are real, but his anticipation and awareness in the offensive end are terrific. It is easy to see his goal scoring ability translating well given how he scores. And where he scores would fit in very well with the system Ottawa is trying to employ and the players that they would surround him with.
Check the link for the rest of the first two rounds. Hope you enjoy. Happy to answer any questions or justify things further.
This is now an annual tradition. As I always mention, while I cover the OHL extensively, my role at McKeen’s Hockey gives me a fair amount of knowledge of the other players available.
There are so many reasons that this draft has the likelihood of being extremely unpredictable. Firstly, due to the pandemic, we have such unevenness in terms of exposure and playing time across the various junior leagues in the world. The USHL played a full season. European men’s leagues played a full year. The QMJHL had a fairly full year. However, the WHL, European junior leagues (especially Sweden), and of course the OHL were disrupted, shortened, or canceled. We can only hypothesize how that affects things. Secondly, this draft does leave some to be desired due to its lack of superstar potential. That means a lot of players will be ranked closely together and teams will, no doubt, have very different draft boards in comparison.
So what does that mean? It means I am making an excuse for this mock draft to be very inaccurate! In all seriousness, all mock drafts are hard to peg down, but it is still a fun endeavour that provides an easy and fun read.
Just as was the case last year, I am mocking the first two rounds.
1. Buffalo Sabres - Owen Power, D, Michigan (NCAA)
Much has been made about the validity of Power as a first overall selection in recent months. However, I do believe that the NHL scouting community does see a gap between Power and the other contenders; that appears to be clear in reading anonymous quotes from polls (like Bob McKenzie’s or Corey Pronman’s, for example). His phenomenal play at the World Championships for Canada had to solidify that even further. While Power may not end up as the best NHL player in this draft class, he should end up as ONE of the best and that sort of stability is greatly needed in Buffalo. By adding someone like Power, perhaps the Sabres can finally unleash the likes of Dahlin and Ristolainen. I do believe that he has a chance to help turn this organization around finally.
2. Seattle Kraken - Matthew Beniers, C, Michigan (NCAA)
How do you determine potential preferences of an organization that has yet to make a draft selection? I think the easy answer there is to look at who they hired as their head scout; Robert Kron (previously head of European scouting for Carolina). With Carolina, their European picks did largely follow a trend. They valued skating ability and well rounded skill sets, which should not come as a surprise given that they described Kron’s NHL skill set to an extent. So who fits that bill the most at the top of the draft? Probably Beniers. Not to mention that Beniers is also one of the draft’s only true premier centers, something Seattle likely wants to build around. I am sure we will get more intel on the type of team they want to build after the expansion draft, but this pick makes sense to me at the moment.
3. Anaheim Ducks - Dylan Guenther, RW, Edmonton (WHL)
This pick is so hard to nail down with so many of the top options available for Anaheim. The team just does not seem to have scouting preferences like other organizations. Could they go with a two-way defender with size in Edvinsson, someone they can pair with Drysdale in the future? Could they go with William Eklund? What about a surprise pick of someone like Mason McTavish who could give the team such incredible depth down the middle? At the end of the day, I see them leaning towards Guenther. Not only would his offensive skill set fit extremely well alongside someone like Zegras (or the other young players they have in the organization), but he is someone who seems to be really appreciated by scouts.
4. New Jersey Devils - William Eklund, LW, Djurgardens (SHL)
Look, I know there is a lot of speculation that the Devils will select either Brandt Clarke or Luke Hughes based on the family ties in the organization. And they very well could and either player would be a great selection for the franchise. But I do think that us, as fans, care more about this stuff than NHL scouts. In William Eklund, we have a real connection as the Devils would be very familiar with him given that he has been playing with Alexander Holtz. However, he also gives the organization a winger with elite skating ability and hockey sense, someone who can really help drive play alongside Hughes and Hischier. This is also someone who should be able to help in a year’s time (after another year in Sweden). His accelerated timeline over someone like Hughes or Clarke (who I think will take a few years to develop) would also be attractive to a team like Jersey who has to feel close to turning their rebuild around.
5. Columbus Blue Jackets - Simon Edvinsson, D, Frolunda (SHL)
I think this pick does make sense for a few reasons. The first is the obvious European bias that Columbus has shown at the draft in recent years. Hard to ignore that trend. The second is that Columbus has shown a real affinity for those who skate at an elite level. Insert Simon Edvinsson. While he seems to be a pretty polarizing player, those who love him, love him a lot and believe that he has the ceiling to be one of the better two-way defenders in the NHL. If his floor is someone like Seth Jones, even that would be fine for the Jackets, given that they are likely waving goodbye to said player this offseason.
6. Detroit Red Wings - Mason McTavish, C, Peterborough (OHL)
There is a lot of talk about the Wings taking a goaltender here (either Wallstedt or Cossa). Quite frankly, I could see it, especially given that they will not be able to sign Keith Petruzzelli. However, the Wings also have a bunch of second round picks that they could use to take one of the guys in the next tier. The reality is, the team’s center depth is not great. Michael Rasmussen has not developed the way they thought he would. Joe Veleno’s development could be classified the same way. So here the Wings see a potentially dominant two-way center who can really fit in well with the kinds of skilled wingers that they have accumulated. Detroit is going to focus on the BPA and I think they see that as McTavish. Of course, they could opt for the hometown kid in Luke Hughes, but they passed on Quinn once upon a time ago too.
7. San Jose Sharks - Sebastian Cossa, G, Edmonton (WHL)
The first shocker (of which there are bound to be many this year) sees the Sharks take Cossa at #7. This might be more shocking because Cossa goes before Wallstedt, not because the Sharks take a netminder. The reality is that everything I’m reading and hearing lately is suggesting that NHL scouts may like Cossa more because of his size and athleticism combination; he is far from a finished product. Whereas Wallstedt is not in the same category as an athlete and scouts may be concerned that he has less room for growth. Both are phenomenal goaltending prospects but I do believe Cossa goes first. Sharks fans may not feel great about this given that this is the team’s only pick in the first two rounds. However, we know that San Jose loves drafting out of the WHL. There is a bias there. The team has also drafted only one goalie in the last five years...and it shows. At some point, the Sharks need to bite the bullet and try to bring in a blue chipper at the position. Cossa has the chance to be a Vezina winner.
8. Los Angeles Kings - Brandt Clarke, D, Barrie (OHL)
If Clarke and Hughes are still available here for the Kings, I would be shocked if one of those two are not LA’s selection. So which one would they favor? On one hand, with such a deep farm system, maybe the Kings take Hughes knowing that he is more of a longer term project. On the other hand, LA has always valued vision and hockey sense at the draft, more so than skating. They believe that their development team can fix skating deficiencies (much like Toronto), and that’s why I see them leaning towards Clarke, who can be an anchor of a likely very dangerous powerplay in a few years.
9. Vancouver Canucks - Luke Hughes, D, USDP (USHL)
This is a tough one. I could see the Canucks passing on Hughes here because he profiles similar to some of the young defenders that they already have in the system like his brother Quinn and Jack Rathbone. But the same could be said for a lot of players in this range. You draft the best player available and that is Hughes. Sure there is the family connection. But that won't matter as much as you think. Instead, the Canucks see the Avalanche and what they have built...and then think of having to play them again next year. With Quinn, Rathbone, Luke, and Jett Woo, Vancouver focuses on skating on the back-end. Imagine the possibilities available to them with those four in the fold? That’s modern day hockey.
10. Ottawa Senators - Chaz Lucius, F, USDP (USHL)
This pick could go in so many different ways. But I do feel like Ottawa might show preference to one of the top goal scoring options available in Lucius or Sillinger...or even Matt Coronato. Lucius was robbed of the opportunity of showing his skills at the U18’s due to injury, and the injury concerns are real, but his anticipation and awareness in the offensive end are terrific. It is easy to see his goal scoring ability translating well given how he scores. And where he scores would fit in very well with the system Ottawa is trying to employ and the players that they would surround him with.
Check the link for the rest of the first two rounds. Hope you enjoy. Happy to answer any questions or justify things further.
