yoteshot
Lazy Habs fan
Alright, so I made a mock draft for the first round with write-ups in French (all 30), and intended on translating the whole thing in English, but because of limited time, I only have the top 10. Here it is, along with the rest of the first round, without write-ups. Obviously, comments are welcomed, as are questions.
1-Edmonton Oilers
Connor McDavid - C - Erie (OHL)
The Oilers have had it rough these last few years and despite several high draft picks (read: first overall picks), they will again be called to the podium first this year. This time should be different though, as they really can't go wrong with Connor McDavid. The prodigy has absolutely torn the OHL apart last season, maintaining an astonishing 2,55 PPG (point-per-game) average. Whether it's skating ability, shooting skills or hockey sense, he is the total package and has all the talents to be a dominant player in the NHL as soon as next season. If Peter Chiarelli can add some talented defensemen to surround his young forwards, McDavid could very well be the symbol of Edmonton's comeback to relevance.
Potential : Franchise center
Plan B : None. McDavid will be an Oiler on June 26th
2-Buffalo Sabres
Jack Eichel - C - Boston College (NCAA)
The Sabres have had a historically bad season last year, lost out on the McDavid sweepstakes and were turned down by Mike Babcock. Yet, they can be pleased with themselves as they will now be able to draft Jack Eichel, presumably the best 2nd overall pick in a decade. Barely 18, Eichel dominated the collegiate ranks last year, scoring 71 points in 40 games (10 more than his closest rival). The young American has no fault in his game and his maturity on the ice should lead him to captain a young Sabres squad in no time.
Potential : Franchise center
Plan B : None. Eichel will be the Sabres' franchise player
3-Arizona Coyotes
Dylan Strome - C - Erie (OHL)
Ryan's little brother went from a 39 points a year ago to 129 this season, opening many eyes along the way. A 6'3" center with deft hands, Strome's best assets are visible when he's in possession of the puck. He excels at protecting it and his elite vision allows him to see and execute plays that few players his age can. Like many other prospects, his defensive effort needs some work, but he has mostly been criticized for his lack of intensity in the playoffs as well as its skating speed, which could use an extra gear. In a lot of ways, he reminds me of Jason Spezza.
Potential : Playmaking first line center
Plan B : Noah Hanifin, if the Coyotes opt for a defenseman
4-Toronto Maple Leafs
Mitch Marner - C - London (OHL)
Toronto wants to rebuild and what better way to do so than drafting a spectacular player that's often compared to Patrick Kane… and that's from the GTA, to boot!? Of course, the Leafs would probably like to draft Strome as a big first-line center, but despite his smaller stature (5'11", 163 lbs), Marner is more complete. His defensive game is already one of his trademarks, especially when it comes to taking away the puck from the opponent. A dynamic skater, he's a better playmaker than scorer, but his quick hands make him a threat in every situation. Given his size, his play is probably more suited to the wing, but in any case, he is an asset the Leafs can't afford to let slip.
Potential: Dynamic two-way first-line forward
Plan B : Noah Hanifin
5-Carolina Hurricanes
Noah Hanifin - D - Boston College
The Hurricanes would gladly take this scenario and run with it. Carolina boasts an interesting group of young defensemen, but none who really has the potential of an elite number 1. Hanifin is one of the best rearguards to be drafted in recent years and I wouldn't be surprised to see a team trade up to grab him sooner than number 5. Built on a 6'2" frame, his skating is his best attribute, though his hockey sense, positioning and offensive skills are also excellent. His mature defensive game is impressive for his age and he also likes to play with an edge. His consistency needs some work, but the Hurricanes can afford to be patient with him.
Potential : Elite number 1 two-way defenseman
Plan B : Kyle Connor
6-New Jersey Devils
Pavel Zacha - C/LW - Sarnia (OHL)
Few players see other players creeping into the top 5 hereinabove. The Devils thus have the tough task of picking 6 and, seeing the state of their forward prospect pool, they might as well go for the home run. Zacha has all the tools, be it skating, shot, size (6'3", 214 lbs) or hands, the question remains if he is all tools and no toolbox. Last season, his first in America, was a disappointment, with him playing only 37 games and failing to maintain a PPG average (34 pts), albeit on a weak Sarnia team. In terms of potential, Zacha has as high a ceiling as anyone at this point and the Devils could certainly use a star forward.
Potential : Offensive first line forward
Plan B : Kyle Connor / Matt Barzal
7-Philadelphia Flyers
Ivan Provorov – D – Brandon (WHL)
No, the Flyers don’t need another lefthanded defenseman. With Sanheim, Morin, Gostisbehere and Hagg in the pipeline, they probably boast the best pool at this position in the whole league. That being said, I think BPA is the way to go, especially after the top 5. The Russian D isn’t very big, but his anticipation and positioning are exceptional for a player his age. Considering his excellent skating ability and his passing skills, you won’t find many faults in his game. Forget the Russian factor, as Provorov has been playing in North America since he was 14 years old. In a few years, we might very well talk about him as the top defenseman of the 2015 draft.
Potential : Number 1 two-way defenseman
Plan B : Mikko Rantanen
8-Columbus Blue Jackets
Zachary Werenski – D – Michigan (NCAA)
Despite Jarmo Kekelainen’s penchant for young forwards (especially those hailing from Europe), the Jackets have to consider drafting a defenseman here. Considering their numerous Russian players, I think they’d like to add Provorov if he was available, but Werenski is an excellent consolation prize. I don’t think the troubles they just went through with Mike Reilly will prevent them from drafting a defenseman out of the NCAA with their first pick. Werenski boasts a very interesting frame (6’2", 214 lbs) and his best asset is certainly his skating ability. He performed really well offensively in his first collegial season and his defensive game shows a lot of promise, too. He needs to work on his shot and his decision-making, but the Blue Jackets hope they got a first pairing d-man out of this pick.
Potential : Excellent two-way top pairing defenseman
Plan B : Mikko Rantanen
9-San Jose Sharks
Kyle Connor – C/LW – Youngstown (USHL)
The Sharks would certainly like to add one of the top defensemen, but with the top 3 already off the board, I think Connor is the type of player they would like to add to build the after Thornton/Marleau. The young American is a fast-skating scoring winger with good size and a mature defensive game. He is also seen as a leader, which may tempt the Sharks who want to build a new leadership core around players like Couture and Hertl, and Connor would slide right in with those talented forwards. His play might be better suited for the wing, but at the moment, he plays center.
Potential : Scoring top-6 forward with a defensive conscience
Plan B : Mikko Rantanen
10-Colorado Avalanche
Lawson Crouse – LW – Kingston (OHL)
The Avalanche is probably looking to add a defenseman given their numerous young guns on offense. However, given the situation, a player like Crouse would bring something different to their team. The young 6’4â€, 215 lbs winger has all the tools to become a top power forward in the league. His defensive game is already NHL-caliber, as is his size. Questions arise regarding his offensive potential, but with the players already in place in Colorado, Crouse would be an ideal complementary player to their young skilled players.
Potential: Top-6 powerforward
Plan B : Mikko Rantanen
11-Florida : Mikko Rantanen
12-Dallas : Mathew Barzal
13-LA : Travis Konecny
14-Boston : Timo Meier
15-Calgary : Nick Merkley
16-Edmonton (PIT) : Jakub Zboril
17-Winnipeg : Evgeni Svechnikov
18-Ottawa : Noah Juulsen
19-Detroit : Jeremy Roy
20-Minnesota : Colin White
21-Buffalo (NYI) : Brock Boeser
22-Washington : Joel Eriksson-Ek
23-Vancouver : Thomas Chabot
24-Toronto (NSH) : Jansen Harkins
25-Winnipeg (STL) : Jacob Larsson
26-Montreal : Denis Guryanov
27-Anaheim : Paul Bittner
28-Tampa Bay (NYR) : Jack Roslovic
29-Philadelphia (TB) : Jake DeBrusk
30-Arizona (CHI) : Ilya Samsonov
(I had the Coyotes pick Carlo, but then thought they wouldn't take the chance of Buffalo picking Samsonov at 31).
1-Edmonton Oilers
Connor McDavid - C - Erie (OHL)
The Oilers have had it rough these last few years and despite several high draft picks (read: first overall picks), they will again be called to the podium first this year. This time should be different though, as they really can't go wrong with Connor McDavid. The prodigy has absolutely torn the OHL apart last season, maintaining an astonishing 2,55 PPG (point-per-game) average. Whether it's skating ability, shooting skills or hockey sense, he is the total package and has all the talents to be a dominant player in the NHL as soon as next season. If Peter Chiarelli can add some talented defensemen to surround his young forwards, McDavid could very well be the symbol of Edmonton's comeback to relevance.
Potential : Franchise center
Plan B : None. McDavid will be an Oiler on June 26th
2-Buffalo Sabres
Jack Eichel - C - Boston College (NCAA)
The Sabres have had a historically bad season last year, lost out on the McDavid sweepstakes and were turned down by Mike Babcock. Yet, they can be pleased with themselves as they will now be able to draft Jack Eichel, presumably the best 2nd overall pick in a decade. Barely 18, Eichel dominated the collegiate ranks last year, scoring 71 points in 40 games (10 more than his closest rival). The young American has no fault in his game and his maturity on the ice should lead him to captain a young Sabres squad in no time.
Potential : Franchise center
Plan B : None. Eichel will be the Sabres' franchise player
3-Arizona Coyotes
Dylan Strome - C - Erie (OHL)
Ryan's little brother went from a 39 points a year ago to 129 this season, opening many eyes along the way. A 6'3" center with deft hands, Strome's best assets are visible when he's in possession of the puck. He excels at protecting it and his elite vision allows him to see and execute plays that few players his age can. Like many other prospects, his defensive effort needs some work, but he has mostly been criticized for his lack of intensity in the playoffs as well as its skating speed, which could use an extra gear. In a lot of ways, he reminds me of Jason Spezza.
Potential : Playmaking first line center
Plan B : Noah Hanifin, if the Coyotes opt for a defenseman
4-Toronto Maple Leafs
Mitch Marner - C - London (OHL)
Toronto wants to rebuild and what better way to do so than drafting a spectacular player that's often compared to Patrick Kane… and that's from the GTA, to boot!? Of course, the Leafs would probably like to draft Strome as a big first-line center, but despite his smaller stature (5'11", 163 lbs), Marner is more complete. His defensive game is already one of his trademarks, especially when it comes to taking away the puck from the opponent. A dynamic skater, he's a better playmaker than scorer, but his quick hands make him a threat in every situation. Given his size, his play is probably more suited to the wing, but in any case, he is an asset the Leafs can't afford to let slip.
Potential: Dynamic two-way first-line forward
Plan B : Noah Hanifin
5-Carolina Hurricanes
Noah Hanifin - D - Boston College
The Hurricanes would gladly take this scenario and run with it. Carolina boasts an interesting group of young defensemen, but none who really has the potential of an elite number 1. Hanifin is one of the best rearguards to be drafted in recent years and I wouldn't be surprised to see a team trade up to grab him sooner than number 5. Built on a 6'2" frame, his skating is his best attribute, though his hockey sense, positioning and offensive skills are also excellent. His mature defensive game is impressive for his age and he also likes to play with an edge. His consistency needs some work, but the Hurricanes can afford to be patient with him.
Potential : Elite number 1 two-way defenseman
Plan B : Kyle Connor
6-New Jersey Devils
Pavel Zacha - C/LW - Sarnia (OHL)
Few players see other players creeping into the top 5 hereinabove. The Devils thus have the tough task of picking 6 and, seeing the state of their forward prospect pool, they might as well go for the home run. Zacha has all the tools, be it skating, shot, size (6'3", 214 lbs) or hands, the question remains if he is all tools and no toolbox. Last season, his first in America, was a disappointment, with him playing only 37 games and failing to maintain a PPG average (34 pts), albeit on a weak Sarnia team. In terms of potential, Zacha has as high a ceiling as anyone at this point and the Devils could certainly use a star forward.
Potential : Offensive first line forward
Plan B : Kyle Connor / Matt Barzal
7-Philadelphia Flyers
Ivan Provorov – D – Brandon (WHL)
No, the Flyers don’t need another lefthanded defenseman. With Sanheim, Morin, Gostisbehere and Hagg in the pipeline, they probably boast the best pool at this position in the whole league. That being said, I think BPA is the way to go, especially after the top 5. The Russian D isn’t very big, but his anticipation and positioning are exceptional for a player his age. Considering his excellent skating ability and his passing skills, you won’t find many faults in his game. Forget the Russian factor, as Provorov has been playing in North America since he was 14 years old. In a few years, we might very well talk about him as the top defenseman of the 2015 draft.
Potential : Number 1 two-way defenseman
Plan B : Mikko Rantanen
8-Columbus Blue Jackets
Zachary Werenski – D – Michigan (NCAA)
Despite Jarmo Kekelainen’s penchant for young forwards (especially those hailing from Europe), the Jackets have to consider drafting a defenseman here. Considering their numerous Russian players, I think they’d like to add Provorov if he was available, but Werenski is an excellent consolation prize. I don’t think the troubles they just went through with Mike Reilly will prevent them from drafting a defenseman out of the NCAA with their first pick. Werenski boasts a very interesting frame (6’2", 214 lbs) and his best asset is certainly his skating ability. He performed really well offensively in his first collegial season and his defensive game shows a lot of promise, too. He needs to work on his shot and his decision-making, but the Blue Jackets hope they got a first pairing d-man out of this pick.
Potential : Excellent two-way top pairing defenseman
Plan B : Mikko Rantanen
9-San Jose Sharks
Kyle Connor – C/LW – Youngstown (USHL)
The Sharks would certainly like to add one of the top defensemen, but with the top 3 already off the board, I think Connor is the type of player they would like to add to build the after Thornton/Marleau. The young American is a fast-skating scoring winger with good size and a mature defensive game. He is also seen as a leader, which may tempt the Sharks who want to build a new leadership core around players like Couture and Hertl, and Connor would slide right in with those talented forwards. His play might be better suited for the wing, but at the moment, he plays center.
Potential : Scoring top-6 forward with a defensive conscience
Plan B : Mikko Rantanen
10-Colorado Avalanche
Lawson Crouse – LW – Kingston (OHL)
The Avalanche is probably looking to add a defenseman given their numerous young guns on offense. However, given the situation, a player like Crouse would bring something different to their team. The young 6’4â€, 215 lbs winger has all the tools to become a top power forward in the league. His defensive game is already NHL-caliber, as is his size. Questions arise regarding his offensive potential, but with the players already in place in Colorado, Crouse would be an ideal complementary player to their young skilled players.
Potential: Top-6 powerforward
Plan B : Mikko Rantanen
11-Florida : Mikko Rantanen
12-Dallas : Mathew Barzal
13-LA : Travis Konecny
14-Boston : Timo Meier
15-Calgary : Nick Merkley
16-Edmonton (PIT) : Jakub Zboril
17-Winnipeg : Evgeni Svechnikov
18-Ottawa : Noah Juulsen
19-Detroit : Jeremy Roy
20-Minnesota : Colin White
21-Buffalo (NYI) : Brock Boeser
22-Washington : Joel Eriksson-Ek
23-Vancouver : Thomas Chabot
24-Toronto (NSH) : Jansen Harkins
25-Winnipeg (STL) : Jacob Larsson
26-Montreal : Denis Guryanov
27-Anaheim : Paul Bittner
28-Tampa Bay (NYR) : Jack Roslovic
29-Philadelphia (TB) : Jake DeBrusk
30-Arizona (CHI) : Ilya Samsonov
(I had the Coyotes pick Carlo, but then thought they wouldn't take the chance of Buffalo picking Samsonov at 31).
