newdimension
Registered User
- May 18, 2013
- 177
- 646
Notes:
- It's a new month, which means it's time for a new monthly mock. I like to keep adding rounds until the actual draft, so I'll go with 3 rounds for now.
- As usual, it's a post-playoff format ranking, as of February 1st, with divisional winners, conference finalists and then finalists on last. Right now, I'm thinking it'll be the resurging Tampa Bay Lightning against the Penguins, with Crosby, Malkin and company taking out the favorite Capitals a round earlier. As for the West, I'm predicting St. Louis to steam-roll through the playoffs, winning the West after taking out the surprising Edmonton Oilers, who could make some noise if they get in and have McDavid and Draisaitl firing on all cylinders. For the Finals, I think Tampa Bay finally exorcises their past, poetically beating the Blues, last year's champions. It'd be storybook-like, but I'll run with it.
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Also, reminder: I'm not a scout or anything. I don't get to follow or watch every player, so every note and comparison should be taken lightly.
- My lottery, courtesy of tankathon: 1. Buffalo; 2. Los Angeles; 3. Ottawa [from San Jose].
- There'll be a per-team summary at the end for the "tl,dr" crew.
Round 1
1. Buffalo: Alexis Lafreniere, LW
The Sabres have fallen back to earth after a hot start. If they can win the lottery, they can get more help on the wing for Eichel, which should give them a healthy boost. He's done pretty much everything he can to solidify himself as the first overall pick, making him the big prize of the draft.
Comparison: To me, he's kind of a combination of Leon Draisaitl's offensive skill and skating, mixed with the tenacity and aggression of a Matthew Tkachuk.
2. Ottawa [from San Jose]: Quinton Byfield, C
They're able to finally snag a big center that they highly covet. I think a lot of talk about Byfield slipping is bunk as his upside, along with the later birthday, is too much to skip. There's plenty of room for him to develop and he could become a swift power center for years to come. That Erik Karlsson trade really pays off in the end as this pick comes from that trade.
Comparison: The Evgeni Malkin comparison is a lofty one... but it's kind of apt. If he can't reach those heights, he could be a Mark Scheifele type of center.
3. Los Angeles: Lucas Raymond, RW
The Kings need offensive firepower and that's exactly the type of game Raymond brings. Thanks to questionable coaching, his deployment in Sweden hasn't been great, yet when he's been given time, he's looked fantastic. While not a big kid, he's got offensive skill for days.
Comparison: Nikita Kucherov. Like Kucherov, he isn't going to wow you with his skating, insteading using his playmaking ability and offensive skill to put up points.
4. Detroit: Tim Stutzle, LW/C
They grabbed the German, Mortiz Seider last year. They could definitely go back there to grab Stutzle, who's steadily risen to the top of rankings throughout the season. Yzerman could love the pure addition of skill he'd add to their roster, including the possibility of him becoming a center.
Comparison: To me, he's a mixture of Mathew Barzal and Jonathan Huberdeau. He mixes blazing speed with great vision, playmaking and offensive skill.
5. New Jersey: Jamie Drysdale, D
They'd have a hard time passing on Drysdale, as he'd add an element of swift skill from the blueline -- something they definitely need. They could then use their 2nd first rounder on a scoring forward.
Comparison: Miro Heiskanen. He's able to move the puck with skill, make precision passes and also owns excellent skating skill.
6. Anaheim: Alexander Holtz, RW/LW
They've gone to Sweden a few times in the past few years in the first round. They return there and take Holtz, whom they feel could make a good tandem with Trevor Zegras, who could be his setup man. Holtz is renowned for his lethal release, which should help them score goals.
Comparison: Filip Forsberg. He's a Swedish sniping winger that loves to unleash a lot of shots on net and score goals.
7. Ottawa: Marco Rossi, C
With both Byfield and Rossi, the Sens set themselves up down the middle for years to come. They now have a big center and a smaller, slick center to help build the future. With Rossi playing locally for the '67's, it might give them a further incentive to draft him.
Comparison: Brad Marchand. The comparison isn't perfect, as he isn't an agitator in the same way as Marchand, nor is he as good a skater. He does know how to put up points effectively and how to never stop competing at opposing ends of the ice, despite only being 5'9".
8. Minnesota: Cole Perfetti, LW/C
They have a lot of "safe" prospects within their system. They might on the lookout for someone with some more offensive upside. Perfetti could be that guy, as he's really turned it up after Ryan Suzuki has come over to play with him. He's probably a winger at the pro-level, but the fact that he can play center makes him even more valuable to the Wild.
Comparison: William Nylander. While Nylander has better skating, there are some similarities in how they're both offense-first players with excellent skill in both playmaking and scoring, using their high hockey IQ to produce.
9. New York Rangers: Anton Lundell, C
The Rangers are in need of depth down the middle. Lundell could be their guy, creating a stellar Finnish pairing with Kaapo Kakko. He's a "safer" prospect that's excellent in his all-around play, but still has good scoring instincts, especially with his good shot. I don't really buy into the idea of him falling out of the top 10, considering there's always a need for centers over wingers.
Comparison: Mikko Koivu. He's a "safe" two-way type of center that works hard, quietly puts up points and can be a premier shutdown center in the league.
10. Winnipeg: Dylan Holloway, LW/C
The Jets love drafting players that are developing within American systems. He also plays a power forward style of game, mixing that with some scoring skill, which seems right up their alley. He's quite versatile, able to play wing or center, which would make him a valuable selection.
Comparison: He's sort of a lesser Brady Tkachuk/JT Miller type of hybrid power forward. He's versatile, feisty, plays with great speed and has nice playmaking skill.
11. Chicago: Yaroslav Askarov, G
The Hawks desperately need a goaltender of the future. Askarov could be that guy, making him the highest draft goalie in decades. Despite his cold WJC, he's still got tremendous upside and plenty of development left to come.
Comparison: Tuukka Rask. Likely a perennial Vezina candidate with good athleticism and puck stopping skill.
12. Montreal: Jake Sanderson, D
I'm going to be honest... I'm a Habs fan and I wouldn't necessarily like this pick. That said, my drafts are based more on what I think teams will do and not what they should do. Sanderson is a riser -- and the Habs love their risers. He's also got good bloodlines, which they also like. On top of all that, he's developing within American systems, which is like tasty soup for their scouting staff. On the plus side, I guess it does give them even more much-needed depth on the left side of defense.
Comparison: To me, he's kind of a Jaccob Slavin-meets-Ryan McDonagh type of defensemen. He's skating is his best asset, he shuts opponents down, plays a simple and effective game and can play a secondary powerplay.
13. Nashville: Jan Mysak, LW/C
Mysak being ranked in the 50's on McKenzie's list should be criminal. All throughout the year, he's shown excellent two-way skills and speedy scoring ability, which has only increased since his move to the OHL. Knowing that they need more talent upfront, especially those that are capable of playing center, the Preds should be all over him.
Comparison: Thomas Hertl. He's a speedy, all-around scoring threat that plays well on a powerplay and on a penalty kill.
14. Philadelphia: Dawson Mercer, RW/C
With their first rounders, the Flyers generally tend to select skill and talent first. Mercer's got the mixture of skill, tenacity and all-around smarts that makes him a really nice, well-rounded prospect.
Comparison: He's sort of a Justin Williams/younger Kyle Turris type of hybrid. They've got a similar ability to come up clutch when it matters, with an equally solid ability to score and be elusive. I could see him settling in as a solid #2 right winger that plays powerplay minutes and kills penalties.
15. Carolina: Connor Zary, C
The Hurricanes could use some more centers in their prospect depth. If Zary's available, he'd make a solid pickup. He's one of the "older" draft-eligible players, which means he's likely a little closer to making the jump to the pros, which would be great for a team such as Carolina that are close to being contenders.
Comparison: Bo Horvat. He's a hard-working, physical, speedy center that's probably an excellent #2 at the professional level.
16. New Jersey [from Arizona]: Jack Quinn, RW
After taking Jamie Drysdale earlier, they return to the OHL and grabbing the rising Jack Quinn. They need someone that excels in scoring goals and right now, Quinn is leading the OHL in that area.
Comparison: Rickard Rakell. He's a skilled, speedy goal scoring winger with some versatility in his game that also allows him to play a two-way game. Like Rakell, he's capable of becoming a 30-goal scorer.
17. Vegas: Braden Schneider, D
They have club connections with the Brandon Wheat Kings via Kelly McCrimmon, so they likely know what kind of player they're getting with Schneider. They could use a right-shooting defender with size, prompting them to jump on him if he's available.
Comparison: Erik Johnson. He's a big, shutdown type of defenseman that can be physical, keep things calm and owns a big shot from the point.
18. Calgary: Kaiden Guhle, D
Hoping to boost their defensive core, the Flames take a local kid, Kaiden Guhle. Their prospect depth on the blueline really could use a few more names, with Guhle's physical, mobile, shutdown style providing more depth for them.
Comparison: Darnell Nurse. As said, he's a mobile, physical, shutdown style of defenseman, who may/may not have an underrated offensive game.
19. Dallas: Jacob Perreault, RW
They tend to draft heavily out of the OHL. In selecting Perreault, they get a goal-scoring winger, who's worked hard to improve his skating throughout the season. Scouts will see that progression and could come away impressed, knowing he has the inclination and will to keep developing.
Comparison: Victor Olofsson. He's a goal scoring winger that'd go well with a good playmaker.
20. Carolina [from Toronto]: Noel Gunler, RW
Carolina are known to take big swings for the fences. Gunler can be considered one of those types of picks. The big Swedish winger is known for his excellent goal scoring ability, while also able to make some slick plays. There are rumors of him having "atittude issues" or whatever, which could keep him from going higher, I guess... but he's a guy I personally really like and have ranked pretty high.
Comparison: Brock Boeser. Not fleet of foot on his skates, he's a guy that can slow the pace of game down, make good decisions with the puck and unleash dangerous shots to put up points.
21. Florida: Justin Barron, D
Despite his blood-clotting illness and some sketchy play, Barron's still rated highly in rankings. The Panthers could use some depth on their right-hand side. Plus he's got the size they usually like in their players and very good mobility. He might be an option for them.
Comparison: Alex Edler. He's a big, mobile defenseman that does a little of everything. He can hit, skate and move the puck up ice, even if his overall offensive upside isn't exactly what many thought it was.
22. Colorado: Ty Smilanic, C/LW
He grew up idolizing Joe Sakic. He might actually get drafted by him, too. The Avs are known to go a little off-the-board sometimes... and he plays with the level of speed that they love to play with. Injuries have been an issue for him, yet they hope he can bounce back next year.
Comparison: Jack Roslovic. He's a speedy forward that can do a little of everything, while simultaneously adding good offensive depth.
23. Columbus: Mavrik Bourque, C
He seems like the type of player that the Jackets could really like. Despite his less-than-stellar skating, he's got excellent upside as a scoring forward that can score and make plays. There's even some grit and two-way appeal in his game, despite being undersized.
Comparison: Joe Pavelski. Pavelski isn't known as a fantastic skater -- instead relying on his wits, grit and skill to make a successful career. Bourque is kind of in the similar mould.
24. New York Islanders: JJ Peterka, LW
They went overseas last year. I could see them returning there again by taking Peterka. The swift German winger is an offense-producer that could content for a top 6 -- maybe even top line -- role in the future, as long as he's developed properly.
Comparison: Evgenii Dadonov. He attacks the net with pure speed and skill, making him a talented pickup for a team's forward core.
25. Tampa Bay [from Vancouver]: Seth Jarvis, RW
These past few years, they've been targeting the WHL heavily. It could continue again if they were to take Jarvis, who's been jumping up draftlists, thanks to his excellent play. With some sparks in his game, he's shown to be the type of player that can do a little of everything and can slot in anywhere in any line.
Comparison: Travis Konecny/Kyle Palmieri type of forward. Not exactly a huge kid, Jarvis is a fireball of energy that goes hard to the net, can unleash an excellent shot and can even be a threat on a penalty kill, thanks to his speed.
26. Boston: Sam Colangelo, RW
The Bruins are known for doing things their own way. This one goes a little off-the-board, with the Bruins liking he's a local kid and a speedy power forward with some skill. They'll be able to track his college development as he's going to school locally.
Comparison: He's something of a Chris Kreider-to-Warren Foegele type of winger. He can come down off the ring with great speed,
27. Washington: Rodion Amirov, LW/RW
They've never feared the Russian factor, which is also what could cost him in his draft ranking. He's probably a top 20 player overall, yet teams will still fear the ominous "Russian factor". If he's still here, the Capitals would definitely love to grab him, though.
Comparison: David Perron. He isn't a "great" skater, per se. He's more of a talented forward with excellent stickhandling and vision that knows how to provide offense.
28. Edmonton: Hendrix Lapierre, C/LW
Similar to Justin Barron, Lapierre's had injury and consistency issues... and yet I can still see Lapierre going relatively high, even in the first round. The Oilers have picked up a few guys that have dropped in previous years. They could follow the similar pattern here, giving them more depth.
Comparison: His upside is probably something like a David Krejci, if he's healthy and sticks to center. Otherwise, maybe he's a Marcus Johansson type.
29. Pittsburgh: Brendan Brisson, C
He's been jumping up draft boards, especially after his tremendous WJAC performance. On top of that, his father is Sidney Crosby's agent. Sometimes it just works out that way. Nevertheless, it gives the Penguins another center in their prospect pool.
Comparison: Nazem Kadri. He's a forward that's got a knack for scoring, while also providing some grit and all-around ability.
30. St. Louis: William Wallinder, D
At this point, the Blues could probably take whomever they feel is best on the board. Since they won the Cup thanks to a lot of help from their sizeable defenders, taking Wallinder might make some sense for them.
Comparison: Travis Sanheim. He's a big, mobile defender that can rush pucks up the ice, despite the occasional blunders in his own end.
31. Tampa Bay: Jeremie Poirier, D
After taking a forward with their first pick, they make sure to keep their blueline stacked by aiming for a defenseman. Poirier could be considered the best left on the board. Plus they've been known to venture to the Q before for talent. It could be worth a shot for them, even if he's a little atrocious defensively.
Comparison: He could become something like a Mike Green as his pure ceiling. If not, maybe he's more of a Kevin Shattenkirk type of defenseman. Basically, a guy that's all offense, yet lacking a lot in defensive ability.
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Round 2
32. Detroit: Lukas Cormier, D
Even though he isn't large in size, he makes up for it in ability. With his mobility and offensive skill, they could feel he'd make an absolutely perfect partner for Mortiz Seider.
Comparison: Ryan Ellis. His pure skating ability is top tier; and he's got plenty of offensive skills. He probably resembles something of an Ellis/Samuel Girard type of defenseman.
33. Los Angeles: Lukas Reichel, LW
He definitely could go in the first round. If not, the Kings would love to grab him here. He likely tops out as an efficient scoring forward in a middle 6 role.
Comparison: Kasperi Kapanen. He's got skill, speed and the ability to score goals. Unlike Stutzle and Peterka, he's a little more well-rounded, allowing him to play multiple roles.
34. Nashville [from New Jersey]: Thomas Bordeleau, LW/C
By taking Bordeleau, they again return to US developmental systems. Bordeleau is an undersized, yet extremely crafty forward with good offensive skill. He could be someone the Preds like.
Comparison: Jaden Schwartz. Undersized, yet blessed with plenty of skill and playmaking ability.
35. Anaheim: Helge Grans, D
It seems like they'd be really interested in him. He's got the size and skill to be an impact player of some kind. He's sort of similar to Wallinder, in that regard, with the Ducks happy to grab him.
Comparison: Jeff Petry. He's a big, risky defenseman that can join the rush, put up points and play a lot of minutes.
36. Ottawa: Topi Niemela, D
After grabbing Lassi Thomson last year, they grab another Finn this year. He's another guy that can play on the right side, boosting their depth in that area.
Comparison: Michal Kempy. He's a multi-dimensional defender that works hard and does a lot of different things to make things work.
37. San Jose: Tyson Foerster, RW
The Sharks need someone that'll score for them. Foerster's a pure sniper whose best asset is his ability to unleash the puck. He's a big bodied winger, which should situation himself well on the Sharks.
Comparison: For me, he's something between a James Neal and Artur Kaliyev. He's a pure shooter with size, but sometimes it's pretty much all he is.
38. Minnesota: Brock Faber, D
They love drafting Americans and defensemen. Put those 2 together and they could be interested in Faber, who's a solid, all-around, puck mover. The fact that he's a local player could be of interest, as well.
Comparison: Nate Schmidt. He's not a big guy, he's more of a multi-purpose defenseman that can help in many avenues.
39. Carolina [from New York Rangers]: Joni Jurmo, D
Jurmo's an underrated defenseman that should be getting more love on rankings. He's got excellent size and skates well for a big man. He screams "Carolina" to me.
Comparison: Mattias Ekholm. Like I said, he's a big kid that skates well for his size. As a result, he can aide in the transition game.
40. Buffalo: Dylan Peterson, RW
The Sabres love drafting out of American developmental systems. They'd love to grab a big power forward, with Peterson being someone they'd love to grab. I'm not sure if his offensive output is ideal, but he's got plenty of speed and physicality.
Comparison: Austin Watson. He's a 6'4" power forward that skates well and owns an array of tools.
41. Winnipeg: Shakir Mukhamadullin, D
A strong performance at the WJAC has him leaping up draft boards. The Jets need defenseman and he's got the big, physical mould that they tend to enjoy.
Comparison: Johnny Boychuk. He's a big, physical defensemen that unleash heavy shots from the point to assist a powerplay, if needed.
42. Montreal [from Chicago]: Vasiliy Ponomaryov, LW
Questionable consistency might keep him out of the first round. He does have excellent offensive sill, though. When he's on, he can be on fire, especially considering his WJAC campaign. The Wild need more offensive skill, so he might be worth a pick for them here.
Comparison: Mike Hoffman. He's got talent and excellent scoring skills that can come at the cost of defensive ability.
43. Montreal: William Villeneuve, D
Deciding to go local, the Habs build up the right side of their blueline by drafting Villeneuve. Even though he isn't an "exciting" player, he's adept to keeping things calm, cool and collected, giving them some more depth on the backend.
Comparison: Rasmus Andersson. He's an agile, non-flashy defenseman that's able to move the puck with aplomb, make smart decisions and has good all-around skills.
44. Nashville: Tyler Kleven, D
Always a team to keep their blueline well-stocked, the Preds will hope they've drafted the next Shea Weber. That said, I don't think he has the same upside... but he's got similar size... and that's something you can't teach players.
Comparison: Brenden Dillon. He's probably more like to become a Brenden Dillon type of big, physical defenseman. He's got a hard, heavy shot like Weber's, though, so you never know... the Preds are good at developing defenders.
45. Philadelphia: Eamon Powell, D
They've been known to scout heavily from American systems. Powell's a pretty heady puck-mover with some skill. He could position himself as a decent middle-pairing guy with upside in the future.
Comparison: Devon Toews. Maybe not a world-beater, but a guy that keeps the puck puck, skates well and can help a powerplay.
46. Carolina: Jake Neighbours, LW
The only thing keeping Neighbours from going higher is possibly concerns over his overall offensive upside. Other than that, he's a surefire first rounder. He's a multi-faceted forward that can work hard, hit and bring an all-around game, which could be tantalizing for the 'Canes.
Comparison: At top end, he's a Dustin Brown type. If he can't reach those heights, he could become something of a Sam Bennett/Brock McGinn type of aggressive depth forward.
47. Arizona: Joel Blomqvist, G
This is right around the time that the next tier of goalies begin dropping off the board. Blomqvist still has things to work on, but he has good upside, which could make him attractive to a team such as the Coyotes.
Comparison: Braden Holtby. He's got decent mobility and respectable size for a goaltender, along with a decent ability to track pucks.
48. Vegas: Drew Commesso, G
They're another team on the lookout for goalie depth. Depending on who you ask, Commesso could be the 2nd best goalie in the draft. The Coyotes could use a few more high-end goalies in their system and Commesso seems like the type that goes earlier than expected.
Comparison: Tristan Jarry. He's one of the more underrated goalie prospects in the draft. He's got plenty of upside and athleticism. As always, goalies are hard to rate, so they'll have to give him time to develop.
49. Calgary: Martin Chromiak, LW
They've got a thing for draft Slovaks. Seriously, that's my reasoning for this pick. They tend to draft a lot of them... plus he's likely rising up boards thanks to his play after coming over to the OHL.
Comparison: Oskar Lindblom. He's a shooting winger that uses his scoring ability to put up points on a powerplay.
50. Ottawa [from Dallas]: Carson Bantle, LW
The Sens love drafting big players and they love their Americans. Bantle's been the sole producer on a weaker team, meaning he may have some upside. At this range and owning plenty of picks, the Senators can afford to take the shot.
Comparison: Kevin Hayes. He's a big American forward with an underrated skillset.
51. Toronto: Ryan O'Rourke, D
Thanks to their Kyle Dubas connection, they love drafting players from Sault Ste. Marie. He's a solid defender that could go even higher than this, if a certainly team likes him.
Comparison: Ian Cole. While he may not be a high-end offensive contributor, he can be a guy that eats up plenty of minutes, works hard, hits hard, blocks shot and can be a team leader.
52. Florida: Jean-Luc Foudy, C/LW
He's the best skater in the draft, bar-none. The only thing left to wonder is just how much offensive upside does he have. He needs to learn to shoot more and work on providing more offense, which hasn't come this year. Nonetheless, you can't deny that skating ability.
Comparison: His upside is probably something akin to a William Karlsson, but could most likely settle in as a speedy Mikkel Boedker type of depth forward.
53. Washington [from Colorado]: Zion Nybeck, RW
His lack of size is going to be an issue and is going to knock him down the board further than expected. The Capitals love their Swedish players and he'd make an excellent pick for them at this location.
Comparison: He's somethiing of a Max Domi-meets-Mats Zuccarello type of forward. He can cut you down in the neutral zone, especially on a penalty kill. He can also be a prime playmaker despute his lack of size.
54. Ottawa [from Columbus]: Ozzy Weisblatt, RW
The Sens grab the best player available. That could be Weisblatt, who's an all-around threat that could develop into a middle-six role at the pro level.
Comparison: Ondrej Palat. He's a dilligent worker with some skill and a bundle of energy that works hard to win games. To me, he's sort of a Swiss Army knife type of forward that can do a bit of everything.
55. New York Islanders: Ridly Greig, LW
He seems like the type of energetic, hard-working type of forward that Lou Lamoriello could really like. He hits, agitates and has scoring ability, making him an effective prospect for the club.
Comparison: Andrew Shaw. As stated, he's a hard-working forward with some offensive skill and agitating qualities that make it difficult for opponents.
56. Vancouver: Justin Sourdif, RW
Going local, they take Sourdif, who's got the ability to play a speedy, two-way game at both ends of the ice. The Canucks take him to buildup their winger depth.
Comparison: Jason Zucker. He's a hard-worker that skates with an energetic passion. When he's not scoring, he tries hard to do the things to help win games, ie: block shots, hit, etc..
57. Boston: Sean Farrell, LW
The Bruins again go for another local, Massachusetts kid. Farrell's undersized, yet is also a tenacious two-way forward that also knows how to provide offense and skill.
Comparison: Tyler Johnson. Like Johnson, he's an undersized forward that's capable of playing many roles and can be a two-way threat.
58. Detroit [from Washington]: Roni Hirvonen, RW/C
Hirvonen's got first round level of talent and skill, but gets pushed down the board due to his lack of size. He'd join a few other Finns they've got percolating, giving them more skill upfront.
Comparison: Vincent Trochek. He's a two-way, playmaking forward that could settle in as a secondary offensive threat.
59. Edmonton: Will Cuylle, LW
They've been known to take a few guys from the OHL. This time, they grab Will Cuylle, which would give them another power forward prospect. You've probably recently seen him fighting at the Top Prospects Game, which was fun, but he's also got a deadly shot and plays with some physicality. It gives the Oilers more depth on the wings.
Comparison: Boone Jenner. He's a power forward that hits hard, brings some leadership and loves to shoot the puck.
60. Vegas [from Pittsburgh]: Antonio Stranges, LW
Vegas goes shooting for the stars with this selection. For many, Stranges is a first round talent. However, I could see him dropping, with teams uncertain of his level of consistency. As a result, he could find himself in the latter half of the second, with Vegas looking for a high-risk/high-reward type.
Comparison: If he ever puts his game together, he could be similar to a Jeff Skinner type, complete with similar skating 10-2 skating stride. Maybe moreso a Sonny Milano, Josh ho-Sang or Jeremy Bracco type of offensive forward type.
61. St. Louis: Luke Evangelista, RW
Stranges own teammates, Luke Evangelista, goes off the board right after him, making it fun to look back at how things develop in the next few years. Evangelista's actually been rocketing up draft boards and could find himself even higher if he continues producing at his current rate. He comes from a good organization, the London Knights, and they've always produced quality guys.
Comparison: Jordan Kyrou. He's a skilled player, similar to their own Kyrou, who shows uncanny playmaking and setup skills.
62. Tampa Bay: Jaromir Pytlik, C/RW
His offense has sprouted this year as many had hopes. Instead, he looks to be the type of player that can eat you alive on a penalty kill and in a shutdown role. For a late 2nd, it's still an excellent pickup.
Comparison: Artem Anisimov. As said above, he's likely a shutdown forward at the pro-level, using his excellent size to rub out forwards, block shots and owns good puck protecting ability.
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Round 3
63. Detroit: Nick Malik, G
With Malik now playing in the OHL, it should make him a higher commodity. The Wings jump on him now, wanting to boost their goalie depth, hoping he can develop into a starter someday soon.
Comparison: Joonas Korpisalo. He's an athletic netminder with a good, solid frame that could compete for a starter's role some day.
64. Los Angeles: Eemil Viro, D
They went forward-heavy for their first 2 picks. Next, they grab a defenseman that's shown some skill. They tend to love Finns, so adding another one to the ppile wouldn't be so bad.
Comparison: Filip Hronek. Not saying he'll turn out as good as Hronek, but they're booth incredibly mobile guys that do a good job at puck-movement, who are capable of playing a two-way support game.
65. Vegas [from New Jersey]: Daniil Guschin, RW
They swing for the fences with Guschin. He's got a lot of skill... but his lack of size can scare teams away. He's got plenty of talent and an inate ability to wire the puck, however.
Comparison: Nikita Gusev. He's an ultra-talented, feisty, flashy forward with skill... but stands only 5'9".
66. Anaheim: Luke Tuch, LW
Tuch's more in line with what you'd expect out of Anaheim Ducks draft selections. He's a heavy power forward that goes hard to the net to try and be a net-front presence. He's also the brother of current Vegas player, Alex Tuch, playing a similar type of power forward role.
Comparison: Barclay Goodrow. A speedy power forward that likes to get plenty of shots on net. Their best bet is to give him time and see how he develops.
67. Ottawa: Simon Kubicek, D
He had a coming-out show at the World Juniors. He's likely to become a steady, minute-eating defenseman that plays a solid all-around game. It's another boost to their blueline depth.
Comparison: David Savard. He's got good size, two-way ability and plays a reliable, steady game from the point.
68. Detroit [from San Jose]: Theodor Niederbach, C
They've got a smart scouting staff that drafts well from Europe, especially from Sweden. Niederbach's underrated and has a good skillset, he'd make a good pickup in the third.
Comparison: Gustav Nyquist. He's a shifty, creative Swedish forward that can play center, with good hands and vision.
69. Nashville [from Minnesota]: Emil Andrae, D
Again, the Preds grab another skilled defensemen, which has become their motto. He's a first round caliber of player; but considering he isn't ranked in McKenzie's rankings, I'm thinking his lack of size is holding him back.
Comparison: Jared Spurgeon. He's undersized, yet he's a criminally underrated, smoother defenseman that aides on the transition, puts up points and plays a well-rounded offensive game.
70. New York Rangers: Marat Khusnutdinov, C/LW
The Rangers have dipped their toes in the Russian prospect pool before. They return there, boosting their center depth, by grabbing Khusnutdinov, who suffers from a severe calls of "the smalls", which drops him into the third. In other words, he's tiny, but got plenty of skill.
Comparison: Jonathan Marchessault/Brayden Point type of forward/center. Woefully undersized as of now, a team that drafts him hopes he can squeak out another inch or so. He's got tremendous skill and speed and it wouldn't surprise me if he develops into a Brayden Point type of first liner, whether it be at the NHL or KHL level.
71. Carolina [from Buffalo]: Michael Benning, D
They hope to recoup their losses from the Adam Fox trade by drafting a similar type of defenseman. Benning, of course, is undersized and also plays in a lesser league, which results in him falling into the third. He's got plenty of upside, though.
Comparison: Adam Fox. He's an undersized, offense-first blueliner that's put up numbers similar to those set by Cale Makar.
72. Winnipeg: Ruben Rafkin, D
They love their Finns. They need more depth on the right side of defense, thus Rafkin could be an option for them here. With Ville Heinola coming up, Rafkin should be a nice option to further bolster their depth.
Comparison: Neal Pionk. He's a mobile puck-mover that keeps things honest and simple, while able to provide some physical play.
73. Chicago: Brett Berard, LW
Standing only 5'9", his lack of size keeps him from going higher. Nonetheless, he's a speedster and overall sparkplug on the ice with the ability to score. He seems like he'd be a good pickup for the Hawks.
Comparison: Cam Atkinson. He's a speedy, undersized scorer that's capable of scoring scoring and providing offense.
74. Montreal: Yegor Sokolov, RW
The Habs, who have history of taking overagers, decide to take the big Russian bear, Sokolov, who had an excellent showing at the WJC. They're going to need size upfront, especially when guys such as Cole Caufield come along. He'd be an infusion of size, giving them exactly what they need.
Comparison: Jordan Greenway. As stated, he's a huge, heavy power forward that can be like an oxe on skates.
75. Nashville: Veeti Miettinen, RW
A pure scorer, Miettinen is an undersized forward that has an uncanny ability to put pucks in the net. He's been dominating the SM-Lilga, doing nothing but scoring goals and heavily shooting pucks on net.
Comparison: Viktor Arvidsson. Arvidsson's probably his overall upside. He's a shoot-first winger that provides a bevy of offense, despite lacking in size.
76. San Jose [from Philadelphia]: Artur Akhtyamov, G
Needing goaltending depth, the Sharks go deep-diving in Europe for goalies. Akhtyamov is an athletic goalie that's put up excellent numbers and has plenty of athletic prowess. He's probably a long-term project, with the Sharks taking the chance on him.
Comparison: Craig Anderson. He's an agile, athletic goaltender with a lot of upside and has the size of the modern day goalie.
77. Carolina: Oliver Suni, RW
They love drafting Finns. It's been a system that's worked out well for them thus far. They can go and grab Suni, who's had some medical issues this season, but has shown to be an effective playmaker.
Comparison: Ilya Mikheyev. Despite his ability to put up points at a junior level, I'm not 100% sold on his overall scoring level as a pro. For now, let's say he could become something like Mikheyev: basically, a middle-six type of winger that provides energy and offense.
78. Washington [from Arizona]: Donovan Sebrango, D
They went forward for their first 2 selections. For their next pick, they take whomever they feel is the best defenseman left on the boards.
Comparison: Justin Braun. While he does have some offensive skill, he's probably more of an all-rounder type of defenseman.
79. Vegas: Yan Kuznetsov, D
Grabbing another big defender, they keep shoring up their blueline by grabbing an all-around type. The Russian import has looked decent and has shown he might have some potential to become a pro, even if it's as a bottom pairing type.
Comparison: Phillippe Myers. He's an incredibly raw, mobile defenseman that'll likely take some time to develop. If it works out, they have a depth defenseman that skates fast for his size and moves the puck along, while having some shutdown skill.
80. Calgary: Carter Savoie, LW
They've taken a shot at smaller players in middle rounds these past few years. Savoie's playing in a lesser league (well, destroying it) and it could drop him down draft boards.
Comparison: Mike Cammalleri. He's smaller, not a speed-burner and has some limitations on his upside, which keeps him in the third or lower. He's a good scorer, able to unload lethal shots.
81. New York Rangers [from Dallas]: Noah Ellis, D
The Rangers always seem to draft a few defenders throughout the draft. They like their Americans, so Ellis could be at play for here for them.
Comparison: Colin Miller. He's a hard-shooting defenseman that can provide offense and some physicality from the backend.
82. Colorado [from Toronto]: Maxim Groshev, LW/RW
He's a big Russian winger, who, if he pans out, could help fill out the Avs bottom lines. He's a 200-foot player that helps his team in multiple ways, thanks to his big frame.
Comparison: Joel Armia. He's a big power winger that works hard at all ends of the ice and can contribute to a penalty kill and/or work hard in front of the net on a powerplay.
83. Florida: Kasper Simontaival, RW
After starting the year as a surefire first rounder, he's been dropping heavily on draft boards. From his lack of size, lack of production and lack of skating speed, there are some red flags with him. That said, in the third round, the Panthers, who like their Finns, would surely take a crack at him.
Comparison: Sven Andrighetto. He's an undersized scoring winger with some skill and consistency issues. If he can find his game, he can be a riser in any fantasy re-drafts. His upside is probably something of a more shoot-first version of Mikael Granlund... that's if he ever reaches it.
84. Florida [from Colorado]: Alexander Nikishin, D
A heavy hitter, he seems like the type of big defenseman the Panthers would love to add. His offense may not be high and his skating may not be ideal, but he's got upside as a shutdown type.
Comparison: Nikita Zadorov. He's a big shutdown defender that hits incredibly hard, wiping his opponents out.
85. Toronto [from Columbus]: Ty Tullio, LW/RW
Dropping solely due to size, Tullio would be a great pickup for the Leafs in this range. He's got some peskiness in his game, along with some scoring upside, often getting comparisons to a Brendan Gallagher.
Comparison: As stated, Brendan Gallagher is probably his upside. Maybe more of a Robby Fabbri type of hard-working forward that doesn't quit playing, no matter what.
86. New York Islanders: Samuel Knazko, D
Grabbing a defenseman to boost their depth in that area could be a smart idea. Knazko is a smart, non-flashy offensive defenseman, which could make a nice addition to their already strong blueline depth.
Comparison: Erik Gustafsson. An offensive defenseman that keeps it simple by moving the pucks with aplomb and with ease.
87. Vancouver: Jack Finley, C
Thanks to his size and overall two-way skill, Finley's been leaping up draft boards. It'd give the Canucks some more depth at center, thinking he's got really good potential as a pro.
Comparison: Adam Lowry. He's a tall center with good size and some underrated skill. Probably plays a 3/4th line center role as a pro.
88. Boston: Daniel Torgersson, RW
This Swedish kid is a big scoring winger, which is something they'd probably really like. He knows how to put the puck on and in the net, which is always useful, especially for a team such as the Bruins.
Comparison: Brett Connolly. Maybe not a huge scorer, he's a guy that gives added depth on their wing and who uses his size and decent skating to produce.
89. Washington: Alex Laferriere, RW
They look towards the American developmental system, snagging Laferriere, who could make a decent role player type of forward. He's got a good shot and can fight like a dog on the ice, working hard to score.
Comparison: Connor Brown. He's a hard-working forward that'll battle to the net, uses his good shot to score and plays an all-around role.
90. Calgary [from Edmonton]: Alex Cotton, D
First off, I'm gonna go on a hunch and say James Neal is going to reach 21 goals, which would give the Flames this pick from Edmonton. After being passed over last year, after a mediocre season, Cotton has re-emerged this year and is a leader in points by a defenseman from the WHL. Thanks to his improvements, it could get him drafted within the top 100, with teams loving that progression.
Comparison: Jake Gardiner. As a pro, he may be more of a depth offensive defenseman with size. The comparison is imperfect, but he's the type of puck mover that can work well in a depth role.
91. Pittsburgh: Charlie Desroches, D
The Penguins love drafting from the QMJHL. Desroches is not a huge guy, but he's excellent at moving the puck and keeping his team out of trouble.
Comparison: Alex Goligoski. An undersized puck mover tbat keeps things simple and efficient; able to put up points, as well.
92. St. Louis: Roby Jarventie, RW
Jarventie's a big, speedy, Finnish winger. If he's still there, he could make a nice add for the Blues. It keeps giving them both size and scoring upfront.
Comparison: Denis Gurianov. Combines speed and goal scoring in a winger's scoring touch.
93. Tampa Bay: Pavel Novak, LW/RW
His lack of size is concerning, which drops him down the board. Yet he probably has top 60 level of skill, profiling as someone that never stops moving their feet and has some good hands and vision, the Lightning go back to the WHL and grab another future piece.
Comparison: Tomas Tatar. He's an effective scoring winger that works hard, owns nice hands and owns plenty of offensive skill.
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10 guys missing the cut:
1. Ryan Francis: His lack of size probably knocks him into the 4th or 5th round. He's got plenty of talent, though.
2. Alexander Pashin: Ditto with Pashin, who's only 5'7". He's like a speedier version of Alex Debrincat.
3. Evgeni Oksentyuk: Another smaller forward (sensing a pattern here?) that could drop because of size. Plays like a firebug on the ice.
4. Connor McClennon: Lack of size and injuries could hurt his draft stock. Can be a nice scorer.
5. Blake Biondi: On the bubble for me. Probably slots in anywhere in a 3-4th round.
6. Christoffer Sedoff: Could become a decent depth option and defensive stalwart that plays a simple, yet effective game.
7. Brandon Coe: Power forward that could find himself in the top 90. Moving up the board.
8. Theo Rochette: Crafty Swiss player. Seems like a guy that goes in the 3-5th round.
9. Dmitri Ovchinnikov: The Russian factor is always scaring teams off Russian talent.
10. Emil Heineman: Swedish goal scorer that could land anywhere from the 3rd-4th round.
---
Per Team Summary
Anaheim:
6. Alexander Holtz
35. Helge Grans
66. Luke Tuch
Arizona:
47. Joel Blomqvist
Boston:
26. Sam Colangelo
57. Sean Farrell
88. Daniel Torgersson
Buffalo:
1. Alexis Lafreniere
40. Dylan Peterson
Calgary:
18. Kaiden Guhle
49. Martin Chromiak
80. Carter Savoie
90. Alex Cotton
Carolina:
15. Connor Zary
20. Noel Gunler
39. Joni Jurmo
46. Jake Neighbours
71. Michael Benning
77. Oliver Suni
Chicago:
11. Yaroslav Askarov
73. Brett Berard
Colorado:
22. Ty Smilanic
82. Maxim Groshev
Columbus:
23. Mavrik Bourque
Dallas:
19. Jacob Perreault
Detroit:
4. Tim Stutzle
32. Lukas Cormier
38. Roni Hirvonen
63. Nick Malik
68. Theodor Niederbach
Edmonton:
28. Hendrix Lapierre
59. Will Cuylle
Florida:
21. Justin Barron
52. Jean-Luc Foudy
83. Kasper Simontaival
84. Alexander Nikishin
Los Angeles:
3. Lucas Raymond
33. Lukas Reichel
64. Eemil Viro
Minnesota:
8. Cole Perfetti
38. Brock Faber
Montreal:
12. Jake Sanderson
42. Vasiliy Ponomaryov
43. William Villeneuve
74. Yegor Sokolov
Nashville:
13. Jan Mysak
34. Thomas Bordeleau
44. Tyler Kleven
69. Emil Andrae
75. Veeti Miettinen
New Jersey:
5. Jamie Drysdale
16. Jack Quinn
New York Islanders:
24. JJ Peterka
55. Ridly Greig
86. Samuel Knazko
New York Rangers:
9. Anton Lundell
70. Marat Khusnutdinov
81. Noah Ellis
Ottawa:
2. Quinton Byfield
7. Marco Rossi
36. Topi Niemela
50. Carson Bantle
54. Ozzy Weisblatt
67. Simon Kubicek
Philadelphia:
14. Dawson Mercer
45. Eamon Powell
Pittsburgh:
29. Brendan Brisson
91. Charlie Desroches
San Jose:
37. Tyson Foerster
76. Artur Akhtyamov
St. Louis:
30. William Wallinder
61. Luke Evangelista
92. Roby Jarventie
Tampa Bay:
25. Seth Jarvis
31. Jeremie Poirier
62. Jaromir Pytlik
93. Pavel Novak
Toronto:
51. Ryan O'Rourke
85. Ty Tullio
Vancouver:
56. Justin Sourdif
87. Jack Finley
Vegas:
17. Braden Schneider
48. Drew Commesso
60. Antonio Stranges
65. Daniil Guschin
79. Yan Kuznetsov
Washington:
27. Rodion Amirov
53. Zion Nybeck
78. Donovan Sebrango
89. Alex Laferriere
Winnipeg:
10. Dylan Holloway
41. Shakir Mukhamadullin
72. Ruben Rafkin
- It's a new month, which means it's time for a new monthly mock. I like to keep adding rounds until the actual draft, so I'll go with 3 rounds for now.
- As usual, it's a post-playoff format ranking, as of February 1st, with divisional winners, conference finalists and then finalists on last. Right now, I'm thinking it'll be the resurging Tampa Bay Lightning against the Penguins, with Crosby, Malkin and company taking out the favorite Capitals a round earlier. As for the West, I'm predicting St. Louis to steam-roll through the playoffs, winning the West after taking out the surprising Edmonton Oilers, who could make some noise if they get in and have McDavid and Draisaitl firing on all cylinders. For the Finals, I think Tampa Bay finally exorcises their past, poetically beating the Blues, last year's champions. It'd be storybook-like, but I'll run with it.
-
Also, reminder: I'm not a scout or anything. I don't get to follow or watch every player, so every note and comparison should be taken lightly.
- My lottery, courtesy of tankathon: 1. Buffalo; 2. Los Angeles; 3. Ottawa [from San Jose].
- There'll be a per-team summary at the end for the "tl,dr" crew.
Round 1
1. Buffalo: Alexis Lafreniere, LW
The Sabres have fallen back to earth after a hot start. If they can win the lottery, they can get more help on the wing for Eichel, which should give them a healthy boost. He's done pretty much everything he can to solidify himself as the first overall pick, making him the big prize of the draft.
Comparison: To me, he's kind of a combination of Leon Draisaitl's offensive skill and skating, mixed with the tenacity and aggression of a Matthew Tkachuk.
2. Ottawa [from San Jose]: Quinton Byfield, C
They're able to finally snag a big center that they highly covet. I think a lot of talk about Byfield slipping is bunk as his upside, along with the later birthday, is too much to skip. There's plenty of room for him to develop and he could become a swift power center for years to come. That Erik Karlsson trade really pays off in the end as this pick comes from that trade.
Comparison: The Evgeni Malkin comparison is a lofty one... but it's kind of apt. If he can't reach those heights, he could be a Mark Scheifele type of center.
3. Los Angeles: Lucas Raymond, RW
The Kings need offensive firepower and that's exactly the type of game Raymond brings. Thanks to questionable coaching, his deployment in Sweden hasn't been great, yet when he's been given time, he's looked fantastic. While not a big kid, he's got offensive skill for days.
Comparison: Nikita Kucherov. Like Kucherov, he isn't going to wow you with his skating, insteading using his playmaking ability and offensive skill to put up points.
4. Detroit: Tim Stutzle, LW/C
They grabbed the German, Mortiz Seider last year. They could definitely go back there to grab Stutzle, who's steadily risen to the top of rankings throughout the season. Yzerman could love the pure addition of skill he'd add to their roster, including the possibility of him becoming a center.
Comparison: To me, he's a mixture of Mathew Barzal and Jonathan Huberdeau. He mixes blazing speed with great vision, playmaking and offensive skill.
5. New Jersey: Jamie Drysdale, D
They'd have a hard time passing on Drysdale, as he'd add an element of swift skill from the blueline -- something they definitely need. They could then use their 2nd first rounder on a scoring forward.
Comparison: Miro Heiskanen. He's able to move the puck with skill, make precision passes and also owns excellent skating skill.
6. Anaheim: Alexander Holtz, RW/LW
They've gone to Sweden a few times in the past few years in the first round. They return there and take Holtz, whom they feel could make a good tandem with Trevor Zegras, who could be his setup man. Holtz is renowned for his lethal release, which should help them score goals.
Comparison: Filip Forsberg. He's a Swedish sniping winger that loves to unleash a lot of shots on net and score goals.
7. Ottawa: Marco Rossi, C
With both Byfield and Rossi, the Sens set themselves up down the middle for years to come. They now have a big center and a smaller, slick center to help build the future. With Rossi playing locally for the '67's, it might give them a further incentive to draft him.
Comparison: Brad Marchand. The comparison isn't perfect, as he isn't an agitator in the same way as Marchand, nor is he as good a skater. He does know how to put up points effectively and how to never stop competing at opposing ends of the ice, despite only being 5'9".
8. Minnesota: Cole Perfetti, LW/C
They have a lot of "safe" prospects within their system. They might on the lookout for someone with some more offensive upside. Perfetti could be that guy, as he's really turned it up after Ryan Suzuki has come over to play with him. He's probably a winger at the pro-level, but the fact that he can play center makes him even more valuable to the Wild.
Comparison: William Nylander. While Nylander has better skating, there are some similarities in how they're both offense-first players with excellent skill in both playmaking and scoring, using their high hockey IQ to produce.
9. New York Rangers: Anton Lundell, C
The Rangers are in need of depth down the middle. Lundell could be their guy, creating a stellar Finnish pairing with Kaapo Kakko. He's a "safer" prospect that's excellent in his all-around play, but still has good scoring instincts, especially with his good shot. I don't really buy into the idea of him falling out of the top 10, considering there's always a need for centers over wingers.
Comparison: Mikko Koivu. He's a "safe" two-way type of center that works hard, quietly puts up points and can be a premier shutdown center in the league.
10. Winnipeg: Dylan Holloway, LW/C
The Jets love drafting players that are developing within American systems. He also plays a power forward style of game, mixing that with some scoring skill, which seems right up their alley. He's quite versatile, able to play wing or center, which would make him a valuable selection.
Comparison: He's sort of a lesser Brady Tkachuk/JT Miller type of hybrid power forward. He's versatile, feisty, plays with great speed and has nice playmaking skill.
11. Chicago: Yaroslav Askarov, G
The Hawks desperately need a goaltender of the future. Askarov could be that guy, making him the highest draft goalie in decades. Despite his cold WJC, he's still got tremendous upside and plenty of development left to come.
Comparison: Tuukka Rask. Likely a perennial Vezina candidate with good athleticism and puck stopping skill.
12. Montreal: Jake Sanderson, D
I'm going to be honest... I'm a Habs fan and I wouldn't necessarily like this pick. That said, my drafts are based more on what I think teams will do and not what they should do. Sanderson is a riser -- and the Habs love their risers. He's also got good bloodlines, which they also like. On top of all that, he's developing within American systems, which is like tasty soup for their scouting staff. On the plus side, I guess it does give them even more much-needed depth on the left side of defense.
Comparison: To me, he's kind of a Jaccob Slavin-meets-Ryan McDonagh type of defensemen. He's skating is his best asset, he shuts opponents down, plays a simple and effective game and can play a secondary powerplay.
13. Nashville: Jan Mysak, LW/C
Mysak being ranked in the 50's on McKenzie's list should be criminal. All throughout the year, he's shown excellent two-way skills and speedy scoring ability, which has only increased since his move to the OHL. Knowing that they need more talent upfront, especially those that are capable of playing center, the Preds should be all over him.
Comparison: Thomas Hertl. He's a speedy, all-around scoring threat that plays well on a powerplay and on a penalty kill.
14. Philadelphia: Dawson Mercer, RW/C
With their first rounders, the Flyers generally tend to select skill and talent first. Mercer's got the mixture of skill, tenacity and all-around smarts that makes him a really nice, well-rounded prospect.
Comparison: He's sort of a Justin Williams/younger Kyle Turris type of hybrid. They've got a similar ability to come up clutch when it matters, with an equally solid ability to score and be elusive. I could see him settling in as a solid #2 right winger that plays powerplay minutes and kills penalties.
15. Carolina: Connor Zary, C
The Hurricanes could use some more centers in their prospect depth. If Zary's available, he'd make a solid pickup. He's one of the "older" draft-eligible players, which means he's likely a little closer to making the jump to the pros, which would be great for a team such as Carolina that are close to being contenders.
Comparison: Bo Horvat. He's a hard-working, physical, speedy center that's probably an excellent #2 at the professional level.
16. New Jersey [from Arizona]: Jack Quinn, RW
After taking Jamie Drysdale earlier, they return to the OHL and grabbing the rising Jack Quinn. They need someone that excels in scoring goals and right now, Quinn is leading the OHL in that area.
Comparison: Rickard Rakell. He's a skilled, speedy goal scoring winger with some versatility in his game that also allows him to play a two-way game. Like Rakell, he's capable of becoming a 30-goal scorer.
17. Vegas: Braden Schneider, D
They have club connections with the Brandon Wheat Kings via Kelly McCrimmon, so they likely know what kind of player they're getting with Schneider. They could use a right-shooting defender with size, prompting them to jump on him if he's available.
Comparison: Erik Johnson. He's a big, shutdown type of defenseman that can be physical, keep things calm and owns a big shot from the point.
18. Calgary: Kaiden Guhle, D
Hoping to boost their defensive core, the Flames take a local kid, Kaiden Guhle. Their prospect depth on the blueline really could use a few more names, with Guhle's physical, mobile, shutdown style providing more depth for them.
Comparison: Darnell Nurse. As said, he's a mobile, physical, shutdown style of defenseman, who may/may not have an underrated offensive game.
19. Dallas: Jacob Perreault, RW
They tend to draft heavily out of the OHL. In selecting Perreault, they get a goal-scoring winger, who's worked hard to improve his skating throughout the season. Scouts will see that progression and could come away impressed, knowing he has the inclination and will to keep developing.
Comparison: Victor Olofsson. He's a goal scoring winger that'd go well with a good playmaker.
20. Carolina [from Toronto]: Noel Gunler, RW
Carolina are known to take big swings for the fences. Gunler can be considered one of those types of picks. The big Swedish winger is known for his excellent goal scoring ability, while also able to make some slick plays. There are rumors of him having "atittude issues" or whatever, which could keep him from going higher, I guess... but he's a guy I personally really like and have ranked pretty high.
Comparison: Brock Boeser. Not fleet of foot on his skates, he's a guy that can slow the pace of game down, make good decisions with the puck and unleash dangerous shots to put up points.
21. Florida: Justin Barron, D
Despite his blood-clotting illness and some sketchy play, Barron's still rated highly in rankings. The Panthers could use some depth on their right-hand side. Plus he's got the size they usually like in their players and very good mobility. He might be an option for them.
Comparison: Alex Edler. He's a big, mobile defenseman that does a little of everything. He can hit, skate and move the puck up ice, even if his overall offensive upside isn't exactly what many thought it was.
22. Colorado: Ty Smilanic, C/LW
He grew up idolizing Joe Sakic. He might actually get drafted by him, too. The Avs are known to go a little off-the-board sometimes... and he plays with the level of speed that they love to play with. Injuries have been an issue for him, yet they hope he can bounce back next year.
Comparison: Jack Roslovic. He's a speedy forward that can do a little of everything, while simultaneously adding good offensive depth.
23. Columbus: Mavrik Bourque, C
He seems like the type of player that the Jackets could really like. Despite his less-than-stellar skating, he's got excellent upside as a scoring forward that can score and make plays. There's even some grit and two-way appeal in his game, despite being undersized.
Comparison: Joe Pavelski. Pavelski isn't known as a fantastic skater -- instead relying on his wits, grit and skill to make a successful career. Bourque is kind of in the similar mould.
24. New York Islanders: JJ Peterka, LW
They went overseas last year. I could see them returning there again by taking Peterka. The swift German winger is an offense-producer that could content for a top 6 -- maybe even top line -- role in the future, as long as he's developed properly.
Comparison: Evgenii Dadonov. He attacks the net with pure speed and skill, making him a talented pickup for a team's forward core.
25. Tampa Bay [from Vancouver]: Seth Jarvis, RW
These past few years, they've been targeting the WHL heavily. It could continue again if they were to take Jarvis, who's been jumping up draftlists, thanks to his excellent play. With some sparks in his game, he's shown to be the type of player that can do a little of everything and can slot in anywhere in any line.
Comparison: Travis Konecny/Kyle Palmieri type of forward. Not exactly a huge kid, Jarvis is a fireball of energy that goes hard to the net, can unleash an excellent shot and can even be a threat on a penalty kill, thanks to his speed.
26. Boston: Sam Colangelo, RW
The Bruins are known for doing things their own way. This one goes a little off-the-board, with the Bruins liking he's a local kid and a speedy power forward with some skill. They'll be able to track his college development as he's going to school locally.
Comparison: He's something of a Chris Kreider-to-Warren Foegele type of winger. He can come down off the ring with great speed,
27. Washington: Rodion Amirov, LW/RW
They've never feared the Russian factor, which is also what could cost him in his draft ranking. He's probably a top 20 player overall, yet teams will still fear the ominous "Russian factor". If he's still here, the Capitals would definitely love to grab him, though.
Comparison: David Perron. He isn't a "great" skater, per se. He's more of a talented forward with excellent stickhandling and vision that knows how to provide offense.
28. Edmonton: Hendrix Lapierre, C/LW
Similar to Justin Barron, Lapierre's had injury and consistency issues... and yet I can still see Lapierre going relatively high, even in the first round. The Oilers have picked up a few guys that have dropped in previous years. They could follow the similar pattern here, giving them more depth.
Comparison: His upside is probably something like a David Krejci, if he's healthy and sticks to center. Otherwise, maybe he's a Marcus Johansson type.
29. Pittsburgh: Brendan Brisson, C
He's been jumping up draft boards, especially after his tremendous WJAC performance. On top of that, his father is Sidney Crosby's agent. Sometimes it just works out that way. Nevertheless, it gives the Penguins another center in their prospect pool.
Comparison: Nazem Kadri. He's a forward that's got a knack for scoring, while also providing some grit and all-around ability.
30. St. Louis: William Wallinder, D
At this point, the Blues could probably take whomever they feel is best on the board. Since they won the Cup thanks to a lot of help from their sizeable defenders, taking Wallinder might make some sense for them.
Comparison: Travis Sanheim. He's a big, mobile defender that can rush pucks up the ice, despite the occasional blunders in his own end.
31. Tampa Bay: Jeremie Poirier, D
After taking a forward with their first pick, they make sure to keep their blueline stacked by aiming for a defenseman. Poirier could be considered the best left on the board. Plus they've been known to venture to the Q before for talent. It could be worth a shot for them, even if he's a little atrocious defensively.
Comparison: He could become something like a Mike Green as his pure ceiling. If not, maybe he's more of a Kevin Shattenkirk type of defenseman. Basically, a guy that's all offense, yet lacking a lot in defensive ability.
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Round 2
32. Detroit: Lukas Cormier, D
Even though he isn't large in size, he makes up for it in ability. With his mobility and offensive skill, they could feel he'd make an absolutely perfect partner for Mortiz Seider.
Comparison: Ryan Ellis. His pure skating ability is top tier; and he's got plenty of offensive skills. He probably resembles something of an Ellis/Samuel Girard type of defenseman.
33. Los Angeles: Lukas Reichel, LW
He definitely could go in the first round. If not, the Kings would love to grab him here. He likely tops out as an efficient scoring forward in a middle 6 role.
Comparison: Kasperi Kapanen. He's got skill, speed and the ability to score goals. Unlike Stutzle and Peterka, he's a little more well-rounded, allowing him to play multiple roles.
34. Nashville [from New Jersey]: Thomas Bordeleau, LW/C
By taking Bordeleau, they again return to US developmental systems. Bordeleau is an undersized, yet extremely crafty forward with good offensive skill. He could be someone the Preds like.
Comparison: Jaden Schwartz. Undersized, yet blessed with plenty of skill and playmaking ability.
35. Anaheim: Helge Grans, D
It seems like they'd be really interested in him. He's got the size and skill to be an impact player of some kind. He's sort of similar to Wallinder, in that regard, with the Ducks happy to grab him.
Comparison: Jeff Petry. He's a big, risky defenseman that can join the rush, put up points and play a lot of minutes.
36. Ottawa: Topi Niemela, D
After grabbing Lassi Thomson last year, they grab another Finn this year. He's another guy that can play on the right side, boosting their depth in that area.
Comparison: Michal Kempy. He's a multi-dimensional defender that works hard and does a lot of different things to make things work.
37. San Jose: Tyson Foerster, RW
The Sharks need someone that'll score for them. Foerster's a pure sniper whose best asset is his ability to unleash the puck. He's a big bodied winger, which should situation himself well on the Sharks.
Comparison: For me, he's something between a James Neal and Artur Kaliyev. He's a pure shooter with size, but sometimes it's pretty much all he is.
38. Minnesota: Brock Faber, D
They love drafting Americans and defensemen. Put those 2 together and they could be interested in Faber, who's a solid, all-around, puck mover. The fact that he's a local player could be of interest, as well.
Comparison: Nate Schmidt. He's not a big guy, he's more of a multi-purpose defenseman that can help in many avenues.
39. Carolina [from New York Rangers]: Joni Jurmo, D
Jurmo's an underrated defenseman that should be getting more love on rankings. He's got excellent size and skates well for a big man. He screams "Carolina" to me.
Comparison: Mattias Ekholm. Like I said, he's a big kid that skates well for his size. As a result, he can aide in the transition game.
40. Buffalo: Dylan Peterson, RW
The Sabres love drafting out of American developmental systems. They'd love to grab a big power forward, with Peterson being someone they'd love to grab. I'm not sure if his offensive output is ideal, but he's got plenty of speed and physicality.
Comparison: Austin Watson. He's a 6'4" power forward that skates well and owns an array of tools.
41. Winnipeg: Shakir Mukhamadullin, D
A strong performance at the WJAC has him leaping up draft boards. The Jets need defenseman and he's got the big, physical mould that they tend to enjoy.
Comparison: Johnny Boychuk. He's a big, physical defensemen that unleash heavy shots from the point to assist a powerplay, if needed.
42. Montreal [from Chicago]: Vasiliy Ponomaryov, LW
Questionable consistency might keep him out of the first round. He does have excellent offensive sill, though. When he's on, he can be on fire, especially considering his WJAC campaign. The Wild need more offensive skill, so he might be worth a pick for them here.
Comparison: Mike Hoffman. He's got talent and excellent scoring skills that can come at the cost of defensive ability.
43. Montreal: William Villeneuve, D
Deciding to go local, the Habs build up the right side of their blueline by drafting Villeneuve. Even though he isn't an "exciting" player, he's adept to keeping things calm, cool and collected, giving them some more depth on the backend.
Comparison: Rasmus Andersson. He's an agile, non-flashy defenseman that's able to move the puck with aplomb, make smart decisions and has good all-around skills.
44. Nashville: Tyler Kleven, D
Always a team to keep their blueline well-stocked, the Preds will hope they've drafted the next Shea Weber. That said, I don't think he has the same upside... but he's got similar size... and that's something you can't teach players.
Comparison: Brenden Dillon. He's probably more like to become a Brenden Dillon type of big, physical defenseman. He's got a hard, heavy shot like Weber's, though, so you never know... the Preds are good at developing defenders.
45. Philadelphia: Eamon Powell, D
They've been known to scout heavily from American systems. Powell's a pretty heady puck-mover with some skill. He could position himself as a decent middle-pairing guy with upside in the future.
Comparison: Devon Toews. Maybe not a world-beater, but a guy that keeps the puck puck, skates well and can help a powerplay.
46. Carolina: Jake Neighbours, LW
The only thing keeping Neighbours from going higher is possibly concerns over his overall offensive upside. Other than that, he's a surefire first rounder. He's a multi-faceted forward that can work hard, hit and bring an all-around game, which could be tantalizing for the 'Canes.
Comparison: At top end, he's a Dustin Brown type. If he can't reach those heights, he could become something of a Sam Bennett/Brock McGinn type of aggressive depth forward.
47. Arizona: Joel Blomqvist, G
This is right around the time that the next tier of goalies begin dropping off the board. Blomqvist still has things to work on, but he has good upside, which could make him attractive to a team such as the Coyotes.
Comparison: Braden Holtby. He's got decent mobility and respectable size for a goaltender, along with a decent ability to track pucks.
48. Vegas: Drew Commesso, G
They're another team on the lookout for goalie depth. Depending on who you ask, Commesso could be the 2nd best goalie in the draft. The Coyotes could use a few more high-end goalies in their system and Commesso seems like the type that goes earlier than expected.
Comparison: Tristan Jarry. He's one of the more underrated goalie prospects in the draft. He's got plenty of upside and athleticism. As always, goalies are hard to rate, so they'll have to give him time to develop.
49. Calgary: Martin Chromiak, LW
They've got a thing for draft Slovaks. Seriously, that's my reasoning for this pick. They tend to draft a lot of them... plus he's likely rising up boards thanks to his play after coming over to the OHL.
Comparison: Oskar Lindblom. He's a shooting winger that uses his scoring ability to put up points on a powerplay.
50. Ottawa [from Dallas]: Carson Bantle, LW
The Sens love drafting big players and they love their Americans. Bantle's been the sole producer on a weaker team, meaning he may have some upside. At this range and owning plenty of picks, the Senators can afford to take the shot.
Comparison: Kevin Hayes. He's a big American forward with an underrated skillset.
51. Toronto: Ryan O'Rourke, D
Thanks to their Kyle Dubas connection, they love drafting players from Sault Ste. Marie. He's a solid defender that could go even higher than this, if a certainly team likes him.
Comparison: Ian Cole. While he may not be a high-end offensive contributor, he can be a guy that eats up plenty of minutes, works hard, hits hard, blocks shot and can be a team leader.
52. Florida: Jean-Luc Foudy, C/LW
He's the best skater in the draft, bar-none. The only thing left to wonder is just how much offensive upside does he have. He needs to learn to shoot more and work on providing more offense, which hasn't come this year. Nonetheless, you can't deny that skating ability.
Comparison: His upside is probably something akin to a William Karlsson, but could most likely settle in as a speedy Mikkel Boedker type of depth forward.
53. Washington [from Colorado]: Zion Nybeck, RW
His lack of size is going to be an issue and is going to knock him down the board further than expected. The Capitals love their Swedish players and he'd make an excellent pick for them at this location.
Comparison: He's somethiing of a Max Domi-meets-Mats Zuccarello type of forward. He can cut you down in the neutral zone, especially on a penalty kill. He can also be a prime playmaker despute his lack of size.
54. Ottawa [from Columbus]: Ozzy Weisblatt, RW
The Sens grab the best player available. That could be Weisblatt, who's an all-around threat that could develop into a middle-six role at the pro level.
Comparison: Ondrej Palat. He's a dilligent worker with some skill and a bundle of energy that works hard to win games. To me, he's sort of a Swiss Army knife type of forward that can do a bit of everything.
55. New York Islanders: Ridly Greig, LW
He seems like the type of energetic, hard-working type of forward that Lou Lamoriello could really like. He hits, agitates and has scoring ability, making him an effective prospect for the club.
Comparison: Andrew Shaw. As stated, he's a hard-working forward with some offensive skill and agitating qualities that make it difficult for opponents.
56. Vancouver: Justin Sourdif, RW
Going local, they take Sourdif, who's got the ability to play a speedy, two-way game at both ends of the ice. The Canucks take him to buildup their winger depth.
Comparison: Jason Zucker. He's a hard-worker that skates with an energetic passion. When he's not scoring, he tries hard to do the things to help win games, ie: block shots, hit, etc..
57. Boston: Sean Farrell, LW
The Bruins again go for another local, Massachusetts kid. Farrell's undersized, yet is also a tenacious two-way forward that also knows how to provide offense and skill.
Comparison: Tyler Johnson. Like Johnson, he's an undersized forward that's capable of playing many roles and can be a two-way threat.
58. Detroit [from Washington]: Roni Hirvonen, RW/C
Hirvonen's got first round level of talent and skill, but gets pushed down the board due to his lack of size. He'd join a few other Finns they've got percolating, giving them more skill upfront.
Comparison: Vincent Trochek. He's a two-way, playmaking forward that could settle in as a secondary offensive threat.
59. Edmonton: Will Cuylle, LW
They've been known to take a few guys from the OHL. This time, they grab Will Cuylle, which would give them another power forward prospect. You've probably recently seen him fighting at the Top Prospects Game, which was fun, but he's also got a deadly shot and plays with some physicality. It gives the Oilers more depth on the wings.
Comparison: Boone Jenner. He's a power forward that hits hard, brings some leadership and loves to shoot the puck.
60. Vegas [from Pittsburgh]: Antonio Stranges, LW
Vegas goes shooting for the stars with this selection. For many, Stranges is a first round talent. However, I could see him dropping, with teams uncertain of his level of consistency. As a result, he could find himself in the latter half of the second, with Vegas looking for a high-risk/high-reward type.
Comparison: If he ever puts his game together, he could be similar to a Jeff Skinner type, complete with similar skating 10-2 skating stride. Maybe moreso a Sonny Milano, Josh ho-Sang or Jeremy Bracco type of offensive forward type.
61. St. Louis: Luke Evangelista, RW
Stranges own teammates, Luke Evangelista, goes off the board right after him, making it fun to look back at how things develop in the next few years. Evangelista's actually been rocketing up draft boards and could find himself even higher if he continues producing at his current rate. He comes from a good organization, the London Knights, and they've always produced quality guys.
Comparison: Jordan Kyrou. He's a skilled player, similar to their own Kyrou, who shows uncanny playmaking and setup skills.
62. Tampa Bay: Jaromir Pytlik, C/RW
His offense has sprouted this year as many had hopes. Instead, he looks to be the type of player that can eat you alive on a penalty kill and in a shutdown role. For a late 2nd, it's still an excellent pickup.
Comparison: Artem Anisimov. As said above, he's likely a shutdown forward at the pro-level, using his excellent size to rub out forwards, block shots and owns good puck protecting ability.
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Round 3
63. Detroit: Nick Malik, G
With Malik now playing in the OHL, it should make him a higher commodity. The Wings jump on him now, wanting to boost their goalie depth, hoping he can develop into a starter someday soon.
Comparison: Joonas Korpisalo. He's an athletic netminder with a good, solid frame that could compete for a starter's role some day.
64. Los Angeles: Eemil Viro, D
They went forward-heavy for their first 2 picks. Next, they grab a defenseman that's shown some skill. They tend to love Finns, so adding another one to the ppile wouldn't be so bad.
Comparison: Filip Hronek. Not saying he'll turn out as good as Hronek, but they're booth incredibly mobile guys that do a good job at puck-movement, who are capable of playing a two-way support game.
65. Vegas [from New Jersey]: Daniil Guschin, RW
They swing for the fences with Guschin. He's got a lot of skill... but his lack of size can scare teams away. He's got plenty of talent and an inate ability to wire the puck, however.
Comparison: Nikita Gusev. He's an ultra-talented, feisty, flashy forward with skill... but stands only 5'9".
66. Anaheim: Luke Tuch, LW
Tuch's more in line with what you'd expect out of Anaheim Ducks draft selections. He's a heavy power forward that goes hard to the net to try and be a net-front presence. He's also the brother of current Vegas player, Alex Tuch, playing a similar type of power forward role.
Comparison: Barclay Goodrow. A speedy power forward that likes to get plenty of shots on net. Their best bet is to give him time and see how he develops.
67. Ottawa: Simon Kubicek, D
He had a coming-out show at the World Juniors. He's likely to become a steady, minute-eating defenseman that plays a solid all-around game. It's another boost to their blueline depth.
Comparison: David Savard. He's got good size, two-way ability and plays a reliable, steady game from the point.
68. Detroit [from San Jose]: Theodor Niederbach, C
They've got a smart scouting staff that drafts well from Europe, especially from Sweden. Niederbach's underrated and has a good skillset, he'd make a good pickup in the third.
Comparison: Gustav Nyquist. He's a shifty, creative Swedish forward that can play center, with good hands and vision.
69. Nashville [from Minnesota]: Emil Andrae, D
Again, the Preds grab another skilled defensemen, which has become their motto. He's a first round caliber of player; but considering he isn't ranked in McKenzie's rankings, I'm thinking his lack of size is holding him back.
Comparison: Jared Spurgeon. He's undersized, yet he's a criminally underrated, smoother defenseman that aides on the transition, puts up points and plays a well-rounded offensive game.
70. New York Rangers: Marat Khusnutdinov, C/LW
The Rangers have dipped their toes in the Russian prospect pool before. They return there, boosting their center depth, by grabbing Khusnutdinov, who suffers from a severe calls of "the smalls", which drops him into the third. In other words, he's tiny, but got plenty of skill.
Comparison: Jonathan Marchessault/Brayden Point type of forward/center. Woefully undersized as of now, a team that drafts him hopes he can squeak out another inch or so. He's got tremendous skill and speed and it wouldn't surprise me if he develops into a Brayden Point type of first liner, whether it be at the NHL or KHL level.
71. Carolina [from Buffalo]: Michael Benning, D
They hope to recoup their losses from the Adam Fox trade by drafting a similar type of defenseman. Benning, of course, is undersized and also plays in a lesser league, which results in him falling into the third. He's got plenty of upside, though.
Comparison: Adam Fox. He's an undersized, offense-first blueliner that's put up numbers similar to those set by Cale Makar.
72. Winnipeg: Ruben Rafkin, D
They love their Finns. They need more depth on the right side of defense, thus Rafkin could be an option for them here. With Ville Heinola coming up, Rafkin should be a nice option to further bolster their depth.
Comparison: Neal Pionk. He's a mobile puck-mover that keeps things honest and simple, while able to provide some physical play.
73. Chicago: Brett Berard, LW
Standing only 5'9", his lack of size keeps him from going higher. Nonetheless, he's a speedster and overall sparkplug on the ice with the ability to score. He seems like he'd be a good pickup for the Hawks.
Comparison: Cam Atkinson. He's a speedy, undersized scorer that's capable of scoring scoring and providing offense.
74. Montreal: Yegor Sokolov, RW
The Habs, who have history of taking overagers, decide to take the big Russian bear, Sokolov, who had an excellent showing at the WJC. They're going to need size upfront, especially when guys such as Cole Caufield come along. He'd be an infusion of size, giving them exactly what they need.
Comparison: Jordan Greenway. As stated, he's a huge, heavy power forward that can be like an oxe on skates.
75. Nashville: Veeti Miettinen, RW
A pure scorer, Miettinen is an undersized forward that has an uncanny ability to put pucks in the net. He's been dominating the SM-Lilga, doing nothing but scoring goals and heavily shooting pucks on net.
Comparison: Viktor Arvidsson. Arvidsson's probably his overall upside. He's a shoot-first winger that provides a bevy of offense, despite lacking in size.
76. San Jose [from Philadelphia]: Artur Akhtyamov, G
Needing goaltending depth, the Sharks go deep-diving in Europe for goalies. Akhtyamov is an athletic goalie that's put up excellent numbers and has plenty of athletic prowess. He's probably a long-term project, with the Sharks taking the chance on him.
Comparison: Craig Anderson. He's an agile, athletic goaltender with a lot of upside and has the size of the modern day goalie.
77. Carolina: Oliver Suni, RW
They love drafting Finns. It's been a system that's worked out well for them thus far. They can go and grab Suni, who's had some medical issues this season, but has shown to be an effective playmaker.
Comparison: Ilya Mikheyev. Despite his ability to put up points at a junior level, I'm not 100% sold on his overall scoring level as a pro. For now, let's say he could become something like Mikheyev: basically, a middle-six type of winger that provides energy and offense.
78. Washington [from Arizona]: Donovan Sebrango, D
They went forward for their first 2 selections. For their next pick, they take whomever they feel is the best defenseman left on the boards.
Comparison: Justin Braun. While he does have some offensive skill, he's probably more of an all-rounder type of defenseman.
79. Vegas: Yan Kuznetsov, D
Grabbing another big defender, they keep shoring up their blueline by grabbing an all-around type. The Russian import has looked decent and has shown he might have some potential to become a pro, even if it's as a bottom pairing type.
Comparison: Phillippe Myers. He's an incredibly raw, mobile defenseman that'll likely take some time to develop. If it works out, they have a depth defenseman that skates fast for his size and moves the puck along, while having some shutdown skill.
80. Calgary: Carter Savoie, LW
They've taken a shot at smaller players in middle rounds these past few years. Savoie's playing in a lesser league (well, destroying it) and it could drop him down draft boards.
Comparison: Mike Cammalleri. He's smaller, not a speed-burner and has some limitations on his upside, which keeps him in the third or lower. He's a good scorer, able to unload lethal shots.
81. New York Rangers [from Dallas]: Noah Ellis, D
The Rangers always seem to draft a few defenders throughout the draft. They like their Americans, so Ellis could be at play for here for them.
Comparison: Colin Miller. He's a hard-shooting defenseman that can provide offense and some physicality from the backend.
82. Colorado [from Toronto]: Maxim Groshev, LW/RW
He's a big Russian winger, who, if he pans out, could help fill out the Avs bottom lines. He's a 200-foot player that helps his team in multiple ways, thanks to his big frame.
Comparison: Joel Armia. He's a big power winger that works hard at all ends of the ice and can contribute to a penalty kill and/or work hard in front of the net on a powerplay.
83. Florida: Kasper Simontaival, RW
After starting the year as a surefire first rounder, he's been dropping heavily on draft boards. From his lack of size, lack of production and lack of skating speed, there are some red flags with him. That said, in the third round, the Panthers, who like their Finns, would surely take a crack at him.
Comparison: Sven Andrighetto. He's an undersized scoring winger with some skill and consistency issues. If he can find his game, he can be a riser in any fantasy re-drafts. His upside is probably something of a more shoot-first version of Mikael Granlund... that's if he ever reaches it.
84. Florida [from Colorado]: Alexander Nikishin, D
A heavy hitter, he seems like the type of big defenseman the Panthers would love to add. His offense may not be high and his skating may not be ideal, but he's got upside as a shutdown type.
Comparison: Nikita Zadorov. He's a big shutdown defender that hits incredibly hard, wiping his opponents out.
85. Toronto [from Columbus]: Ty Tullio, LW/RW
Dropping solely due to size, Tullio would be a great pickup for the Leafs in this range. He's got some peskiness in his game, along with some scoring upside, often getting comparisons to a Brendan Gallagher.
Comparison: As stated, Brendan Gallagher is probably his upside. Maybe more of a Robby Fabbri type of hard-working forward that doesn't quit playing, no matter what.
86. New York Islanders: Samuel Knazko, D
Grabbing a defenseman to boost their depth in that area could be a smart idea. Knazko is a smart, non-flashy offensive defenseman, which could make a nice addition to their already strong blueline depth.
Comparison: Erik Gustafsson. An offensive defenseman that keeps it simple by moving the pucks with aplomb and with ease.
87. Vancouver: Jack Finley, C
Thanks to his size and overall two-way skill, Finley's been leaping up draft boards. It'd give the Canucks some more depth at center, thinking he's got really good potential as a pro.
Comparison: Adam Lowry. He's a tall center with good size and some underrated skill. Probably plays a 3/4th line center role as a pro.
88. Boston: Daniel Torgersson, RW
This Swedish kid is a big scoring winger, which is something they'd probably really like. He knows how to put the puck on and in the net, which is always useful, especially for a team such as the Bruins.
Comparison: Brett Connolly. Maybe not a huge scorer, he's a guy that gives added depth on their wing and who uses his size and decent skating to produce.
89. Washington: Alex Laferriere, RW
They look towards the American developmental system, snagging Laferriere, who could make a decent role player type of forward. He's got a good shot and can fight like a dog on the ice, working hard to score.
Comparison: Connor Brown. He's a hard-working forward that'll battle to the net, uses his good shot to score and plays an all-around role.
90. Calgary [from Edmonton]: Alex Cotton, D
First off, I'm gonna go on a hunch and say James Neal is going to reach 21 goals, which would give the Flames this pick from Edmonton. After being passed over last year, after a mediocre season, Cotton has re-emerged this year and is a leader in points by a defenseman from the WHL. Thanks to his improvements, it could get him drafted within the top 100, with teams loving that progression.
Comparison: Jake Gardiner. As a pro, he may be more of a depth offensive defenseman with size. The comparison is imperfect, but he's the type of puck mover that can work well in a depth role.
91. Pittsburgh: Charlie Desroches, D
The Penguins love drafting from the QMJHL. Desroches is not a huge guy, but he's excellent at moving the puck and keeping his team out of trouble.
Comparison: Alex Goligoski. An undersized puck mover tbat keeps things simple and efficient; able to put up points, as well.
92. St. Louis: Roby Jarventie, RW
Jarventie's a big, speedy, Finnish winger. If he's still there, he could make a nice add for the Blues. It keeps giving them both size and scoring upfront.
Comparison: Denis Gurianov. Combines speed and goal scoring in a winger's scoring touch.
93. Tampa Bay: Pavel Novak, LW/RW
His lack of size is concerning, which drops him down the board. Yet he probably has top 60 level of skill, profiling as someone that never stops moving their feet and has some good hands and vision, the Lightning go back to the WHL and grab another future piece.
Comparison: Tomas Tatar. He's an effective scoring winger that works hard, owns nice hands and owns plenty of offensive skill.
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10 guys missing the cut:
1. Ryan Francis: His lack of size probably knocks him into the 4th or 5th round. He's got plenty of talent, though.
2. Alexander Pashin: Ditto with Pashin, who's only 5'7". He's like a speedier version of Alex Debrincat.
3. Evgeni Oksentyuk: Another smaller forward (sensing a pattern here?) that could drop because of size. Plays like a firebug on the ice.
4. Connor McClennon: Lack of size and injuries could hurt his draft stock. Can be a nice scorer.
5. Blake Biondi: On the bubble for me. Probably slots in anywhere in a 3-4th round.
6. Christoffer Sedoff: Could become a decent depth option and defensive stalwart that plays a simple, yet effective game.
7. Brandon Coe: Power forward that could find himself in the top 90. Moving up the board.
8. Theo Rochette: Crafty Swiss player. Seems like a guy that goes in the 3-5th round.
9. Dmitri Ovchinnikov: The Russian factor is always scaring teams off Russian talent.
10. Emil Heineman: Swedish goal scorer that could land anywhere from the 3rd-4th round.
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Per Team Summary
Anaheim:
6. Alexander Holtz
35. Helge Grans
66. Luke Tuch
Arizona:
47. Joel Blomqvist
Boston:
26. Sam Colangelo
57. Sean Farrell
88. Daniel Torgersson
Buffalo:
1. Alexis Lafreniere
40. Dylan Peterson
Calgary:
18. Kaiden Guhle
49. Martin Chromiak
80. Carter Savoie
90. Alex Cotton
Carolina:
15. Connor Zary
20. Noel Gunler
39. Joni Jurmo
46. Jake Neighbours
71. Michael Benning
77. Oliver Suni
Chicago:
11. Yaroslav Askarov
73. Brett Berard
Colorado:
22. Ty Smilanic
82. Maxim Groshev
Columbus:
23. Mavrik Bourque
Dallas:
19. Jacob Perreault
Detroit:
4. Tim Stutzle
32. Lukas Cormier
38. Roni Hirvonen
63. Nick Malik
68. Theodor Niederbach
Edmonton:
28. Hendrix Lapierre
59. Will Cuylle
Florida:
21. Justin Barron
52. Jean-Luc Foudy
83. Kasper Simontaival
84. Alexander Nikishin
Los Angeles:
3. Lucas Raymond
33. Lukas Reichel
64. Eemil Viro
Minnesota:
8. Cole Perfetti
38. Brock Faber
Montreal:
12. Jake Sanderson
42. Vasiliy Ponomaryov
43. William Villeneuve
74. Yegor Sokolov
Nashville:
13. Jan Mysak
34. Thomas Bordeleau
44. Tyler Kleven
69. Emil Andrae
75. Veeti Miettinen
New Jersey:
5. Jamie Drysdale
16. Jack Quinn
New York Islanders:
24. JJ Peterka
55. Ridly Greig
86. Samuel Knazko
New York Rangers:
9. Anton Lundell
70. Marat Khusnutdinov
81. Noah Ellis
Ottawa:
2. Quinton Byfield
7. Marco Rossi
36. Topi Niemela
50. Carson Bantle
54. Ozzy Weisblatt
67. Simon Kubicek
Philadelphia:
14. Dawson Mercer
45. Eamon Powell
Pittsburgh:
29. Brendan Brisson
91. Charlie Desroches
San Jose:
37. Tyson Foerster
76. Artur Akhtyamov
St. Louis:
30. William Wallinder
61. Luke Evangelista
92. Roby Jarventie
Tampa Bay:
25. Seth Jarvis
31. Jeremie Poirier
62. Jaromir Pytlik
93. Pavel Novak
Toronto:
51. Ryan O'Rourke
85. Ty Tullio
Vancouver:
56. Justin Sourdif
87. Jack Finley
Vegas:
17. Braden Schneider
48. Drew Commesso
60. Antonio Stranges
65. Daniil Guschin
79. Yan Kuznetsov
Washington:
27. Rodion Amirov
53. Zion Nybeck
78. Donovan Sebrango
89. Alex Laferriere
Winnipeg:
10. Dylan Holloway
41. Shakir Mukhamadullin
72. Ruben Rafkin
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