I'm sure I have absolutely no credibility on this message board, I do not host my own prospect website and I really only watch the OHL closely, but I have been reading mock draft after mock draft and studying up on the prospects more than I have for any other entry draft so I feel educated enough to create my own mock. I have taken some ideas/projections that I liked from other mocks and incorporated it into my own (Katic going to COL and Aliu going to OTT).
Criticize or comment as you wish... (teams with multiple selections have their pick number in parentheses.)
1. Chicago -- Patrick Kane - C (An obvious choice for a team stocked with young talent, but lacking a pure goal scoring prospect that can play with Toews.)
2. Philadelphia -- James Van Riemsdyk - LW (At no.2 the Flyers just can't help selecting the big hulking power forward out of the USDP; JVR has all of the skills to be a star forward for the flyers while being surrounded by their young talent.)
3. Phoenix (1) -- Kyle Turris - C (Gretzky gets a gift with the Flyers reverting back to their old ways, and he snatches up the Joe Sakic clone.)
4. Los Angeles -- Karl Alzner - D (The best all-around defenseman in the draft goes to the Kings as they imagine the pairing of Jack Johnson and Alzner for years to come.)
5. Washington -- Alexei Cherepanov - RW (Another Russian prospect is lured to Washington, as they build an offensive army of Russian players)
6. Edmonton (1) -- Jakub Voracek - RW (The wishes of so badly wanting Alzner are quickly erased as the Oilers get a very smart, solid forward prospect.)
7. Columbus -- Keaton Ellerby - D (Defense wins championships, and the Blue Jackets haven't come close to one, so they select an impressive defender in Ellerby.)
8. Boston -- Sam Gagner - C (Boston goes with the best player available approach, and gets just that, one of the best offensive players available in the draft.)
9. St. Louis (1) -- Ryan McDonagh - D (Some could say this is a reach at no.9, but the Blues like the idea of building up the back end, and becoming a defense first team, preparing for the full arrival of goalie super prospect Marek Schwarz.)
10. Florida -- Mikael Backlund - C (No real reason for this pick, just a gut feeling. May take a few years for Backlund to find his stride in the NHL, but results could remind fans of the way Olli Jokinen broke out.)
11. Carolina -- Logan Couture - C (The Hurricanes get Couture at pick no.11, which is in preparation for Rod the Bod's eventual departure... if he ever retires.)
12. Montreal (1) -- Angelo Esposito - C (Habs fans rejoice! The city finally gets what they wish for, a hometown hero. Local newspapers promptly remove the Lecavalier rumors, and start pumping up Esposito for his short trip to Montreal.)
13. Toronto -- Lars Eller - LW (Leafs fans get upset yet again, when the Toronto scouting staff goes overseas. Leafs fans change their minds in a couple of years when Eller and Tlusty become a dynamic duo.)
14. Colorado -- Mark Katic - D (Fell massively in the rankings from the beginnign of the season, but the Avalanche scouting staff always seems to pick the right player, and without wanting to wait until pick 45 to get a solid defender they get their guy.)
15. Edmonton (2) -- Kevin Shattenkirk - D (The Oil need defense, the Oil get defense. Projected as a top 10 pick in some areas, Shattenkirk slips to Edmonton and they jump all over him.)
16. Anaheim -- Nick Petrecki - D (Mark Mitera anyone?)
17. NY Rangers -- Brandon Sutter - C (The Rangers get an excellent North American talent, that plays a two way game and may offer more scoring in the future. A one-game-a-season rivalry develops between the Rangers and Flames after Brandon is jacked from Calgary.)
18. Calgary -- Zach Hamill - C (An excellent fit into the Flames' offensive plans, getting a western boy with dynamic offensive capabilities. Sutter follows with a "Rocky-esque" press conference with a dumbfounded look on his face, stating how he can't believe Hamill was available at the 18th pick.)
19. Minnesota -- Thomas Hickey - D (In a system built on speed and skill, Minnesota gets a quick puck moving defenseman that will rack up the assists on the PP unit with Gaborik, Rolston, Demitra and Bouchard... assuming they all stay put.)
20. Pittsburgh -- Maxim Mayorov - RW (Common sense says the Pens should take a strong defensive defenseman, but with many of them being taken already the team cannot pass up the potential that Mayorov adds to Pittsburgh's offense.)
21. Phoenix (2)-- Billy Sweatt - LW (The organization that is apparently low on LW prospects, picks up one of the best available ones with Sweatt. It is always good to have a power forward with speed and playmaking abilities.)
22. Montreal (2) -- Alex Plante - D (One thing you can't teach is size and Plante has plenty of it. Plante has shown vast improvement playing for the Hitmen, yet could be considered somewhat of a reach at the selection no. 22. But the combination of size and skill is too much for the Canadiens, who are less than confident in their defensive prospects, to pass up with the 22nd overall pick.)
23. Nashville (from Philly) -- David Perron - RW (Nashville's re-acquisition of their original pick will be considered a best player available selection, as they have traded away a lot of their prospects recently. Perron has a lot to prove after not being selected in 2006 and the Predators will enjoy his continued offensive development in the QMJHL.
24. St. Louis (2) -- Max Pacioretty - LW (The Blues continue to stack up on solid, but not spectacular players with Pacioretty. Eventually Max could turn into a Tkachuk type player that St. Louis fans have enjoyed over the past few years.)
25. Vancouver -- Oscar Moller - C (The Canucks dip into familiar territory, taking a swedish born forward who is playing in the WHL. Everything seems like a fit in this situation, and Vancouver is keeping their fingers crossed that Moller is available at no.25.)
26. St. Louis (3) -- Jonathan Blum - D (At this point in the draft, teams will be picking up the players that have slipped through the cracks, and since the Blues have three first rounders it looks like they will select an excellent offensive blueliner in Blum. Could be an excellent compliment to McDonagh who was selected earlier, as well as HF's #1 rated prospect, Erik Johnson.)
27. Detroit -- Colton Gillies - C (If Gillies can get his offensive game in order, the Red Wings will end up with getting one of the steals of the '07 draft. Blessed with superb leadership qualities and above average strength, Detroit may be looking at their next long-term captain with this pick.)
28. Washington -- Logan MacMillan - C (Washington needs to get a solid/safe forward prospect that is basically a guarantee to make the NHL, and his offensive capabilites can only go up from here.)
29. Ottawa -- Akim Aliu - C (Ottawa pulls from the OHL and takes on a project this late in the 1st round, if all of the mental aspects prove untrue, the Sens finally get the toughness and the power forward that they have yearned for.)
30. Edmonton (3) -- Tommy Cross - D (To finish up the first round, the Oilers will be most likely looking to select another defensive prospect to add to their system. Cross is exactly what the Oilers are looking for and for them to get him at 30, and as their third pick of the first round, they will be happy. Since the Oilers pick again at 36, they could choose a forward here and a defenseman in the 2nd round, but if Cross is available they would be smart to choose him.)
2nd round:
31. Buffalo - Ian Cole - D (The defensive defenseman Cole, is one that that the Sabres can use in combination with their quick puck-moving rearguards.)
32. Phoenix - Brett Maclean (The Coyotes yet again turn to North America to make their 2nd round selection. Maclean offers a physical side to his game as well as some scoring touch. He has shown the ability to finish when playing with skilled players (Tavares) and could fit well on a line with Mueller in the future.)
33. Vancouver - Simon Hjalmarsson (It may seem unlikely that the Canucks go for two Swedes with their first two picks, but they have found oodles of success by going there in the past. Hjalmarsson can score--a lot--and that is exactly what the canucks are looking for. )
34. Washington - Scott Jackson - D (The Caps go against the unwritten rule that you never take a player higher in the draft the second time around, but they can't help but want what Jackson has to offer. A big defenseman at 6'4, who has scoring ability is a nice fit for Washinton's power play.)
35. Chicago - Joakim Andersson - C (The true centerman that the Blackhawks desire can be found in Andersson. An excellent playmaker, as well as a responsible forward in his own zone, Chicago steals what could have been a first round pick.)
36. Edmonton - Dana Tyrell - C (The definition of Oiler hockey is what Tyrell brings to the table. A gritty forward that can also play the wing, who is a little small, but plays a big game; reminiscent of Raffi Torres with some more offense.)
37. Columbus - Michal Repik - RW (The Jackets addressed their need for a Top 2 defenseman earlier, and now look to address scoring. At this point in the draft Repik looks like the closest thing to a future NHL 30 goal scorer and Columbus pulls the trigger.)
38. Boston - Maxime Tanguay - C (Ideally the Bruins would have Tanguay move to the wings where they need the most help. Tanguay may not be considered the best player available, but he may have the most offensive upside among all remaining players if he can put up numbers like his brother Alex.)
39. St. Louis - Stefan Legein - RW (Now that the Blues have addressed some of their defensive needs, they will look for pure scoring. Legein provides this much needed scoring ability for St. Louis, but does not shy away from the rough stuff either.)
40. Florida - Colby Cohen - D (There isn't really too much not to like about Cohen's game and his offensive style could benefit the Panthers greatly. If he continues to work on his defensive game, it is possible Colby could end up as a powerplay defenseman or at very least a good number 3 or 4 d-man. Luca
i could very well go here as the Panthers tend to pick similar players [Frolik, Olesz], but the need for
defensive prospects is too great.)
-->EDIT: I have come up with some modifications of a chunk of the picks in the 1st round, let me know what you think and which mock you would like better... the draft goes the same, only with these picks changed:
7. Columbus - Sam Gagner instead of Ellerby
8. Boston - Angelo Esposito instead of Gagner
9. St. Louis - Logan Couture instead of McDonagh
10. Florida - Mikael Backlund (same)
11. Carolina - Brandon Sutter instead of Couture
12. Montreal - Keaton Ellerby instead of Esposito
13. Toronto - Lars Eller (same)
14. Colorado - Ryan McDonagh instead of Katic
17. NY Rangers - Jim O'Brien instead of Sutter
2nd round-
34. Washington - Mark Katic instead of Scott Jackson
Criticize or comment as you wish... (teams with multiple selections have their pick number in parentheses.)
1. Chicago -- Patrick Kane - C (An obvious choice for a team stocked with young talent, but lacking a pure goal scoring prospect that can play with Toews.)
2. Philadelphia -- James Van Riemsdyk - LW (At no.2 the Flyers just can't help selecting the big hulking power forward out of the USDP; JVR has all of the skills to be a star forward for the flyers while being surrounded by their young talent.)
3. Phoenix (1) -- Kyle Turris - C (Gretzky gets a gift with the Flyers reverting back to their old ways, and he snatches up the Joe Sakic clone.)
4. Los Angeles -- Karl Alzner - D (The best all-around defenseman in the draft goes to the Kings as they imagine the pairing of Jack Johnson and Alzner for years to come.)
5. Washington -- Alexei Cherepanov - RW (Another Russian prospect is lured to Washington, as they build an offensive army of Russian players)
6. Edmonton (1) -- Jakub Voracek - RW (The wishes of so badly wanting Alzner are quickly erased as the Oilers get a very smart, solid forward prospect.)
7. Columbus -- Keaton Ellerby - D (Defense wins championships, and the Blue Jackets haven't come close to one, so they select an impressive defender in Ellerby.)
8. Boston -- Sam Gagner - C (Boston goes with the best player available approach, and gets just that, one of the best offensive players available in the draft.)
9. St. Louis (1) -- Ryan McDonagh - D (Some could say this is a reach at no.9, but the Blues like the idea of building up the back end, and becoming a defense first team, preparing for the full arrival of goalie super prospect Marek Schwarz.)
10. Florida -- Mikael Backlund - C (No real reason for this pick, just a gut feeling. May take a few years for Backlund to find his stride in the NHL, but results could remind fans of the way Olli Jokinen broke out.)
11. Carolina -- Logan Couture - C (The Hurricanes get Couture at pick no.11, which is in preparation for Rod the Bod's eventual departure... if he ever retires.)
12. Montreal (1) -- Angelo Esposito - C (Habs fans rejoice! The city finally gets what they wish for, a hometown hero. Local newspapers promptly remove the Lecavalier rumors, and start pumping up Esposito for his short trip to Montreal.)
13. Toronto -- Lars Eller - LW (Leafs fans get upset yet again, when the Toronto scouting staff goes overseas. Leafs fans change their minds in a couple of years when Eller and Tlusty become a dynamic duo.)
14. Colorado -- Mark Katic - D (Fell massively in the rankings from the beginnign of the season, but the Avalanche scouting staff always seems to pick the right player, and without wanting to wait until pick 45 to get a solid defender they get their guy.)
15. Edmonton (2) -- Kevin Shattenkirk - D (The Oil need defense, the Oil get defense. Projected as a top 10 pick in some areas, Shattenkirk slips to Edmonton and they jump all over him.)
16. Anaheim -- Nick Petrecki - D (Mark Mitera anyone?)
17. NY Rangers -- Brandon Sutter - C (The Rangers get an excellent North American talent, that plays a two way game and may offer more scoring in the future. A one-game-a-season rivalry develops between the Rangers and Flames after Brandon is jacked from Calgary.)
18. Calgary -- Zach Hamill - C (An excellent fit into the Flames' offensive plans, getting a western boy with dynamic offensive capabilities. Sutter follows with a "Rocky-esque" press conference with a dumbfounded look on his face, stating how he can't believe Hamill was available at the 18th pick.)
19. Minnesota -- Thomas Hickey - D (In a system built on speed and skill, Minnesota gets a quick puck moving defenseman that will rack up the assists on the PP unit with Gaborik, Rolston, Demitra and Bouchard... assuming they all stay put.)
20. Pittsburgh -- Maxim Mayorov - RW (Common sense says the Pens should take a strong defensive defenseman, but with many of them being taken already the team cannot pass up the potential that Mayorov adds to Pittsburgh's offense.)
21. Phoenix (2)-- Billy Sweatt - LW (The organization that is apparently low on LW prospects, picks up one of the best available ones with Sweatt. It is always good to have a power forward with speed and playmaking abilities.)
22. Montreal (2) -- Alex Plante - D (One thing you can't teach is size and Plante has plenty of it. Plante has shown vast improvement playing for the Hitmen, yet could be considered somewhat of a reach at the selection no. 22. But the combination of size and skill is too much for the Canadiens, who are less than confident in their defensive prospects, to pass up with the 22nd overall pick.)
23. Nashville (from Philly) -- David Perron - RW (Nashville's re-acquisition of their original pick will be considered a best player available selection, as they have traded away a lot of their prospects recently. Perron has a lot to prove after not being selected in 2006 and the Predators will enjoy his continued offensive development in the QMJHL.
24. St. Louis (2) -- Max Pacioretty - LW (The Blues continue to stack up on solid, but not spectacular players with Pacioretty. Eventually Max could turn into a Tkachuk type player that St. Louis fans have enjoyed over the past few years.)
25. Vancouver -- Oscar Moller - C (The Canucks dip into familiar territory, taking a swedish born forward who is playing in the WHL. Everything seems like a fit in this situation, and Vancouver is keeping their fingers crossed that Moller is available at no.25.)
26. St. Louis (3) -- Jonathan Blum - D (At this point in the draft, teams will be picking up the players that have slipped through the cracks, and since the Blues have three first rounders it looks like they will select an excellent offensive blueliner in Blum. Could be an excellent compliment to McDonagh who was selected earlier, as well as HF's #1 rated prospect, Erik Johnson.)
27. Detroit -- Colton Gillies - C (If Gillies can get his offensive game in order, the Red Wings will end up with getting one of the steals of the '07 draft. Blessed with superb leadership qualities and above average strength, Detroit may be looking at their next long-term captain with this pick.)
28. Washington -- Logan MacMillan - C (Washington needs to get a solid/safe forward prospect that is basically a guarantee to make the NHL, and his offensive capabilites can only go up from here.)
29. Ottawa -- Akim Aliu - C (Ottawa pulls from the OHL and takes on a project this late in the 1st round, if all of the mental aspects prove untrue, the Sens finally get the toughness and the power forward that they have yearned for.)
30. Edmonton (3) -- Tommy Cross - D (To finish up the first round, the Oilers will be most likely looking to select another defensive prospect to add to their system. Cross is exactly what the Oilers are looking for and for them to get him at 30, and as their third pick of the first round, they will be happy. Since the Oilers pick again at 36, they could choose a forward here and a defenseman in the 2nd round, but if Cross is available they would be smart to choose him.)
2nd round:
31. Buffalo - Ian Cole - D (The defensive defenseman Cole, is one that that the Sabres can use in combination with their quick puck-moving rearguards.)
32. Phoenix - Brett Maclean (The Coyotes yet again turn to North America to make their 2nd round selection. Maclean offers a physical side to his game as well as some scoring touch. He has shown the ability to finish when playing with skilled players (Tavares) and could fit well on a line with Mueller in the future.)
33. Vancouver - Simon Hjalmarsson (It may seem unlikely that the Canucks go for two Swedes with their first two picks, but they have found oodles of success by going there in the past. Hjalmarsson can score--a lot--and that is exactly what the canucks are looking for. )
34. Washington - Scott Jackson - D (The Caps go against the unwritten rule that you never take a player higher in the draft the second time around, but they can't help but want what Jackson has to offer. A big defenseman at 6'4, who has scoring ability is a nice fit for Washinton's power play.)
35. Chicago - Joakim Andersson - C (The true centerman that the Blackhawks desire can be found in Andersson. An excellent playmaker, as well as a responsible forward in his own zone, Chicago steals what could have been a first round pick.)
36. Edmonton - Dana Tyrell - C (The definition of Oiler hockey is what Tyrell brings to the table. A gritty forward that can also play the wing, who is a little small, but plays a big game; reminiscent of Raffi Torres with some more offense.)
37. Columbus - Michal Repik - RW (The Jackets addressed their need for a Top 2 defenseman earlier, and now look to address scoring. At this point in the draft Repik looks like the closest thing to a future NHL 30 goal scorer and Columbus pulls the trigger.)
38. Boston - Maxime Tanguay - C (Ideally the Bruins would have Tanguay move to the wings where they need the most help. Tanguay may not be considered the best player available, but he may have the most offensive upside among all remaining players if he can put up numbers like his brother Alex.)
39. St. Louis - Stefan Legein - RW (Now that the Blues have addressed some of their defensive needs, they will look for pure scoring. Legein provides this much needed scoring ability for St. Louis, but does not shy away from the rough stuff either.)
40. Florida - Colby Cohen - D (There isn't really too much not to like about Cohen's game and his offensive style could benefit the Panthers greatly. If he continues to work on his defensive game, it is possible Colby could end up as a powerplay defenseman or at very least a good number 3 or 4 d-man. Luca
i could very well go here as the Panthers tend to pick similar players [Frolik, Olesz], but the need for defensive prospects is too great.)
-->EDIT: I have come up with some modifications of a chunk of the picks in the 1st round, let me know what you think and which mock you would like better... the draft goes the same, only with these picks changed:
7. Columbus - Sam Gagner instead of Ellerby
8. Boston - Angelo Esposito instead of Gagner
9. St. Louis - Logan Couture instead of McDonagh
10. Florida - Mikael Backlund (same)
11. Carolina - Brandon Sutter instead of Couture
12. Montreal - Keaton Ellerby instead of Esposito
13. Toronto - Lars Eller (same)
14. Colorado - Ryan McDonagh instead of Katic
17. NY Rangers - Jim O'Brien instead of Sutter
2nd round-
34. Washington - Mark Katic instead of Scott Jackson
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