NHL Entry Draft: Velociraptor's Annual Mock Draft: DRAFTING THREAD

[The Instigator]

As will I with Calgary.

 

[Kirk- NEHJ]

Bruins review:

Round 1 (26th) - LW Phil Di Giuseppe, Michigan (CCHA)

Reason: BPA in my view. Bruins in need of more skilled defensemen with size, but none of the guys in zone of consideration were available, so went with the talent and upside with Di Giuseppe. He does a lot of things well, and with Nathan Horton's status uncertain going forward, Bruins might have openings to work him in sooner rather than later. (Red Line Mar ranking: 21)
Others Considered: Colton Sissons, Ludvig Bystrom, Dalton Thrower, Jordan Schmaltz

Round 3 (86th) - D Gianluca Curcuruto Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)

Reason: It's been a tough draft season for the Greyhounds D-man with good size, mobility and a big shot. The offense simply hasn't come for him as expected, so he's taken a tumble in the rankings. However, for the Bruins who outside of Dougie Hamilton are lacking in defenders with offensive potential, Curcuruto represented good value at the end of the 3rd round. I think Central has him too low, but he's not going to go as high as thought when the season began. Still, a good gamble to make given his tools. (Red Line Mar ranking: 51)
Others Considered: Mark Jankowski, James Melindy Seth Griffith, Jimmy Vesey, Jacob Slavin

Round 5 (146th) - D James Melindy Moncton (QMJHL)

Reason: Had to check and double-check the list three times to make sure I didn't miss Melindy being picked up somewhere between rounds 3-5. Could not believe he was on the board at 146 to be honest. Another mobile D-man with size who many feel is underrated with some raw upside and untapped potential. Very lean and needing to develop physically and a tad laid-back at times, he is nevertheless a good puck-mover who sees the ice well and has solid instincts. (Red Line Mar ranking: 69)
Others Considered: Jimmy Vesey, Mike Houser, Anthony Stolarz Alex Gudbranson

Round 6 (176th) - C/LW Jimmy Vesey, South Shore (EJHL)

Reason: Got my man in Round 6 after gambling that his low, low Central ranking would see him skipped in this mock, although I could have grabbed him in Round 3 and would have been OK with that. Him falling down to R6 won't likely happen in Pittsburgh, though. I was very high on Jimmy a year ago when he was Belmont Hill's best player, but he was inexplicably passed up in St. Paul. Good size with lots of room to grow. His skating is a little above average, but he's twice the skater his old man was, a multiple 40+ goal scorer in the IHL who couldn't crack the Blues and Bruins. Like his dad (a scoring legend for Merrimack College), Jimmy has high-end hockey sense and hands. He destroyed the EJHL scoring records this year- post 48 goals and 91 points in 45 games. (Red Line Mar ranking: 88)
Others Considered: None- Huge (and hugely underrated) Anthony Stolarz was the only player in contention here, and he went off the board a few picks earlier.

Here's a feature I wrote on Vesey last year: http://hockeyjournal.com/2011/27_from_nehj_prospect_vesey.html

Round 7 (206th) - LW Chris Calnan, Nobles (HIGH- MA)

Reason: Another Massachusetts kid, but I benefited from having seen this guy play and knowing him better than most. Big frame and just coming into his own. Good skater- outstanding hustle and compete levels plus physicality. This year, took his game to another level- improved his puck skills and was a consistent scorer with Adam Gilmour- falling in the prep title game to Lawrence Academy by just one goal. I know NHL teams are onto this kid b/c of his size and natural upside. BC recruit is Jeremy Roenick's nephew (by marriage- his mother is JR's wife's sister). Smart, high-character and driven. (Red Line Mar ranking: 107)
Others Considered: Brendan Collier, Evan McEneny

Round 7 (210th) - D Jacob Slavin, Chicago (USHL)

Reason: So, I make the Calnan pick and am feeling satisfied. I go back to look at the list to see where Jacob Slavin was taken and who got him (somehow I swore I saw his name in the 4th round) and to my shock...nada. So, I made a trade to surrender a 6th-rounder to grab the Steel two-way D-man and add more depth to B's organization. Good size and tools but gets no credit playing for the Steel and not a big name for the draft. Yet, has those projectable attributes NHL teams like and crave. We'll see, but had to do it at 210, just as the Bruins did a couple of years ago when they traded with Chicago to grab Zach Trotman with the last pick. I agonized also over taking undersized warrior Brendan Collier of Malden Catholic, one of my favorite players this year for his character, courage, tenacity and big-game ability. Brendo helped lead his Lancers to their 2nd consecutive Mass. Super 8 title and although he's limited with his size and doesn't have dynamic skills, he's one of those guys who is much more than the sum of his parts. In the end, though- had to go Slavin. Also considered a gamble on injured Kitchener Rangers' D man Evan McEneny. (Red Line Mar ranking: 100)
Others Considered: Brendan Collier, Evan McEneny

Thanks to Velociraptor for a nice opportunity to play GM and to Cup for letting me make the deal. Bruins did not have great pick positions, so just tried to do what I could to land some value and upside with them. Doubt it even remotely plays out this way in June.

 

[AlexanderTheGood]

Am I missing something, or did nobody draft Chris Tierney?

 

[Holden Caulfield]

Ok, not sure how many of you are still looking at Mock Draft forum, but here goes my WPG picks...

Player Name - Where I drafted them - Where they got drafted - Random Chatter
1. C Radek Faksa - 9 (WPG) - 13 (DAL) - Well WPG went with Trouba, my #2 for that pick, so it's all good I guess, but I love Faksa's upside none the less. I really hate that a team I hate in Dallas got him

2. C Henrik Samuelsson - 39 (WPG) - 27 (PHX) - Well PHO took him off the board before WPG had a chance, I am not surprised. He has all the makings of a solid power forward, I could not believe in our mock he was available at 39. Great pick by another team I hate in PHX (hated teams 2/2 taking my players)

3. D Trevor Carrick - 69 (WPG) - 115 (CAR) - He fell after our mock due to his lack of offensive production, IMO, but he still has a solid chance to be a solid twoway defenseman, and in the middle of the draft is a very solid pick for CAR. Could be a very solid depth guy in 3/4 years.

4. G Patrick Bartosak - 129 (WPG) - Undrafted - I have exactly ZERO idea how this guy went undrafted, he is good size and was the BEST by far rookie WHL goalie this year, in fact he was very good among ALL goalies on a poor Red Deer team. I really think that the injury unfairly scared teams off, and he will be a player.

5. D Alex Gudbranson - 159 (WPG) - Undrafted - This one I am a little more understanding of, he has very limited upside. He projects as a 6th/7th defensive defenseman, he hits hard, works hard, but has very little else going for him.

6. LW Artemi Panarin - 189 (WPG) - Undrafted - Russian factor, understandable he didn't go in the draft, but if this guy ever wants to try NA I guarantee he will have 20-30 teams lining up at his doorstep trying to sign him, has loads of talent, IMO.

Now for the real draft...
Player - Where Velociraptor Mock Drafted Them - Where they got drafted - Random Chatter

1. D Jacob Trouba - 7 (TBL) - 9 (WPG) - Honestly I had Trouba as the 2nd best D man in the draft, smart defenseman with offensive upside and a nasty mean streak...Yeah he was a favourite of mine...he was my #2 selection behind Faksa for the #9 (excluding obvious ones that wouldn't fall like Yakupov, Murray). Quite happy with this pick for WPG.

2. C Lukas Sutter - 46 (TOR) - 39 (WPG) - Passed up on him for Samuelsson (who went 27 in real draft) and had a few others between those two, but this is still a solid pick. Gritty twoway center proved some offensive upside with a solid season, could be a solid 2nd liner, more likely a very good 3rd/4th line C.

3. RW Scott Kosmachuk - 40 (SJS) - 70 (WPG) - A very solid pick at this spot, he does not have great size, but he is a gritty character type driven player that works his ass off day in, day out that is solid value in the 3rd round. Has upside as a smallish power forward.

4. G Connor Hellebuyck - Undrafted - 130 (WPG) - The big 6'4'' goalie out of "Friday Night Lights" Odessa Texas has loads of untapped potential, but is a long way away from the pro game and went undrafted in the mock. A project no doubt.

5. C Ryan Olsen - 188 (PHO) - 160 (WPG) - A player I confess, I know little about. I have heard he is a two way centerman that works hard, but that is all I know.

6. G Jamie Phillips - Undrafted - 190 (WPG) - I know basically nothing about his guy except he will head to college for 4 years, hopefully he can develop there, NCAA has proven a fertile ground for goalies of late.