NHL Entry Draft: Mock Draft Poll: 19th Overall

[Edge]

With the 18th pick in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, the New Jersey Devils select Dylan Holloway with Wisconsin of the WCHA.

The draft thus far:

1. The New York Rangers select Alexis Lafreniere, LW, Rimouski
2. The LA Kings select Quinton Byfield, C, Sudbury
3. The Ottawa Senators select Tim Stutzle, LW, Adler Manheim
4. The Detroit Red Wings select Cole Perfetti, LW, Saginaw
5. The Ottawa Senators select Jamie Drysdale, D, Erie
6. The Anaheim Ducks select Lucas Raymond, RW, Frölunda
7. The New Jersey Devils select Alexander Holtz, RW, Djurgårdens
8. The Buffalo Sabres select Marco Rossi, C, Ottawa
9. The Minnesota Wild select Anton Lundell, C, HIFK
10. The Winnipeg Jets select Jake Sanderson, D, USA NTDP
11. The Nashville Predators select Seth Jarvis, RW, Portland
12. The Florida Panthers select Jack Quinn, RW, Ottawa
13. The Carolina Hurricanes select Yaroslav Askarov, G, SKA St. Petersburg
14. The Edmonton Oilers select Dawson Mercer, RW, Drummondville
15. The Toronto Maple Leafs select Braden Schneider, D, Brandon
16. The Montreal Canadiens select Hendrix Lapierre, C, Chicoutimi
17. The Chicago Blackhawks select Kaiden Guhle, D, Prince Albert
18. The New Jersey Devils select Dylan Holloway, LW, Wisonsin

The Calgary Flames are on the clock...

Click to read more...

 

[Edge]

I am somewhat torn between Zary and Amirov here.

Both "feel" like Flames picks. I think we aren't as high on Zary as certain teams are.

Went with Zary here.

 

[Ratelleitlikeitis]

He has played in their backyard so seems solid for organization and fans.

 

[Brooklyn Rangers Fan]

Zary.

 

[eco's bones]

Calgary keeps it Western Canadian. I would have had them take Holloway if he were here instead.

 

[Edge]

So let's talk about Zary for a second, because I feel like he's become the guy no one on here wants.

We'll start with the good. He's a very smart player who brings a complete 2o0 foot game to the table. He's not afraid of physical play and he controls the flow of play when he's on the ice. He "gets" the entire game and impacts it in all three zones. He plays in all situations and gets to the areas where he is going to be successful. He's near the top of this year's list for IQ and he's remarkably consistent. I've heard people remark that there was never a game where they had to check to see if he dressed.

The concerns really revolve around upside. Zary's skating is strong, but average. Though difficult to knock off the puck, he's not going to beat your better NHL defenders in a foot race. He's also a player who doesn't necessarily have elite skills under the hood. He's very much about reading the play and being in a position to capitalize on what develops. As an older player, he's going generate concern that his production is a result of being almost a year older than some of his peers such as Greig or Byfield or others.

I feel like that last point can be a bit unfair. It's not like he came our of nowhere this season. He was very productive last year, and would've been applauded for his efforts if he was born a few weeks earlier and was drafted as one of the younger prospects in 2019.

If we view this as a D+1 season, he picked up right where he left off and scored at a 108 point pace in the WHL.

So the question with Zary is, what type of NHL player are you looking at? Is he in that Horvat, second line/55-60 point kind of mold? Or he is he more of a third line center who pops in 45 points?

There are some people who feel the skating and the lack of portfolio of standout skills pushes Zary closer to that third line projection. They see a kid who definitely has a role to play in the NHL, but might not be worth passing on more dynamic talents.

There are others, and quite a few of them I might add, who really think this Zary's IQ and complete game is going to carry him to be a very important role at the higher levels --- especially on a team that has serious skill surrounding him.

The Rangers were very high on him to start the season, but I think they cooled on him as their original top pick. I just think there were other players who jumped ahead of him on their list.

But at this point in the draft? I think he's actually under-valued and could still very well be on the Rangers radar.

 

[bobbop]

I feel like a few of these picks are based on a a Ranger focus rather than a focus on the presumed team picking.

 

[Edge]

I feel like a few of these picks are based on a a Ranger focus rather than a focus on the presumed team picking.

Unfortunately, I don't know if there's any way to completely eliminate that.

On the positive side, I think we've also done a good job of not just leaving the players we want to draft on the board. I'm happy not to see all of Jarvis, Mercer, Lundell magically sitting on the board as we get close to the 22nd pick.

 

[Mac n Gs]

I couldn't even tell you the last time the Flames took a Russian pick that high. With a WHL kid on the board, I can't imagine them passing up Zary here.

 

[Trxjw]

I can't help but see Zary as a guy who could eventually succeed Backlund in Calgary. He's my pick here.

 

[Savant]

I feel like a few of these picks are based on a a Ranger focus rather than a focus on the presumed team picking.

Maybe? But not too jazzed on anyone left for 22 either. Maybe (redacted) but moreso because it seems the Rangers are interested than him being a slam dunk pick.

went Zary btw

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

just skip to 22 already who tf cares who the Flames or the Panthers pick, sheeeeiiiittt

 

[Brooklyn Rangers Fan]

just skip to 22 already who tf cares who the Flames or the Panthers pick, sheeeeiiiittt

Me? I'm looking forward to comparing our board's performance against the real thing on draft night.

Though I appreciate the Clay Davis reference.

 

[eco's bones]

I feel like a few of these picks are based on a a Ranger focus rather than a focus on the presumed team picking.

From my point of view I would kind of like to see a worst case scenario at 22. All that said I think certain teams are looking for certain things. My main objection to anyone taken off the board so far is to Lapierre and I know there are people who really like him but I wouldn't have him in my first round. That's nobody else's but my problem though. But the rest of the guys coming off the board so far I don't expect to be there at 22 on draft day so this is going along okay for me so far.

New Jersey at 20--still with either Gunler or Amirov because they need wingers. Columbus might take the other or someone like Bourque.

 

[Fireonk]

Ok, you guys have convinced me that Zary is their pick here.

 

[Greg02]

Unfortunately, I don't know if there's any way to completely eliminate that.

On the positive side, I think we've also done a good job of not just leaving the players we want to draft on the board. I'm happy not to see all of Jarvis, Mercer, Lundell magically sitting on the board as we get close to the 22nd pick.

In past years people have done mock drafts where each team's subforum votes on their own picks.

EDIT: Not that I'm saying that should be your responsibility, but I thought it was a clever idea when I saw it in the past.

 

[Harbour Dog]

In past years people have done mock drafts where each team's subforum votes on their own picks.

EDIT: Not that I'm saying that should be your responsibility, but I thought it was a clever idea when I saw it in the past.

There is a guy doing that this year as well.

I believe it is around the 14th or 15th pick right now. He just gave us Alf without a vote.

 

[Harbour Dog]

If there was a guy like Holloway or Mercer left now, I would be on them for sure.

Treliving is fresh off having to defend Gaudreau for being "soft" in a playoff performance, and I'm sure he would love to grab a guy that plays in more of a straight line to compliment the team that Tkachuk is going have around him.

With that in mind, Zary and Peterka stand out to me. It sounds like Zary is running away with it, so I'll go Peterka, because anarchy.

 

[Edge]

If there was a guy like Holloway or Mercer left now, I would be on them for sure.

Treliving is fresh off having to defend Gaudreau for being "soft" in a playoff performance, and I'm sure he would love to grab a guy that plays in more of a straight line to compliment the team that Tkachuk is going have around him.

With that in mind, Zary and Peterka stand out to me. It sounds like Zary is running away with it, so I'll go Peterka, because anarchy.

@jas and I were talking about this the other day, but I think Greig is a potential dark horse candidate for someone like Calgary as well --- especially if there's a scenario where Zary and Holloway are off the board.

 

[Harbour Dog]

@jas and I were talking about this the other day, but I think Greig is a potential dark horse candidate for someone like Calgary as well --- especially if there's a scenario where Zary and Holloway are off the board.

Greig fits that mold for sure. It may be because I hyper-focused on him a bit this past week, but I'm not sure I see a team taking him this early.

Comparably, I have only seen a couple highlights and scouting reports of Peterka, so Greig may have overtaken him if I had put more time into checking out JJP.

 

[Edge]

I think I'm calling this one early. It's really not even close.