1 | | - | | Yes, Kakko is making a very strong case to be #1, but it's still Hughes in my eyes. Having a 1-2 down the middle of Hughes and Nico for the long haul is going to be crucial for them in their rebuild |
2 | | - | | Rangers grab the face of their rebuild. He's the most NHL ready player in this draft and I'd expect him to start out playing with Zibanejad. He'll be one of the best players in the league for a while and the Rangers have a true superstar on their hands. |
3 | | - | | Some are going to want Chicago to take a forward here, but Byram is certainly the best player available. He's got all the makings of a #1 defenseman that can play in all three zones and in transition beautifully. Chicago should be running to the podium to take him |
4 | | | | To me, it comes down to Cozens and Turcotte with this pick. If I'm the Avs, I'd go with Cozens, simply because I feel he can drive play more with his size and great skating ability. He'd make a great second line center behind Mackinnon, which would be a matchup nightmare for the opposition. This kid can do a little bit of everything and would be a great choice at 4. |
5 | | - | | LA swoops in and picks up Turcotte at number 5. He's one of the most versatile players in this draft and I think he can fit anywhere into their top six in the long haul. He can skate well and has great vision with the puck. He's got a decent shot, but he'd be much more lethal if he can improve his goal scoring ability. Regardless, he's a great pick at 5. |
6 | | - | | Yzerman's first draft as the GM is where he takes the best goal scorer in the class. Ideally he could find a top pairing defenseman at this spot, but Byram is the only one in the class with that distinction. Instead, he goes with the small kid who I could easily see being a consistent 40 goal scorer in the NHL. While yes, he's small, his shot makes up for it, and he'd be a great add to this rebuild. |
7 | | - | | The Sabres draft a big center who reminds me a lot of Evgeni Malkin. He's similar to Cozens in the sense that he uses his size and skating ability to drive play. He's a very smart player and would make a great 2C behind Eichel. |
8 | | - | | Zegras reminds me a lot of Mat Barzal with his skating, vision and playmaking ability. Drafting Zegras to be the Oilers long-term 2C allows them to permanently put Drai on McDavid's wing, and then Nuge can go to Zegras' wing. He's got the skill to run a power play unit, and Edmonton needs a lot of help in that area. One of the best players at consistently entering the zone in this class. |
9 | | - | | Krebs drove all of the offense on the worst team in the WHL. He had very little linemate support, meaning a lot of times he was on his own to produce. He was still one of the best players in the WHL this season, which means that the Ducks should be all over him here. He's shifty and creative in the offensive zone |
10 | | - | | If I'm the Canucks, the pick comes down to Boldy or Soderstrom. I'd go with Boldy, as he's got more upside and would be a great complement in the Canucks top six. He's a really good two-way player that has a nose for the net and a good set-up man as well. Just a complete player that the Canucks are thrilled to add. |
11 | | - | | Soderstrom has all the makings of being a really good, top four defenseman in this league. Nothing flashy about his game, but he moves the puck quick and efficiently, as well as stays in defensive position. Philly grabs him as they already have a ton of high end forward prospects, and a right shot defenseman would be a nice add to their pipeline. |
12 | | - | | He's clearly got a ton of skill, but a lot of people are skeptical on his ability to translate it to the NHL level. The Wild need a game-breaking talent, and Podkolzin could be that guy. The combination of him and Kaprizov potentially would be very nice, and the Wild are hoping they can get a Russian connection going with them. |
13 | | - | | The Panthers desperately need a defenseman, and Broberg makes the most sense at this spot. He's a good offensive defenseman, and his defense really turned a corner this year. Florida should jump on him if he's available, which I expect him to be. |
14 | | - | | The Coyotes need more pure skill, and Kaliyev is just that. He's probably the second best goal scorer in the class behind Caufield, and he's a great option to have on a power play. That's two things the Coyotes desparately need to add into their lineup, and Kaliyev checks off all the boxes for them. |
15 | | - | | IMO Cam York is one of the most underrated prospects in the draft. He can QB a power play unit, moves the puck very well and plays a strong defensive game. I have him higher than both Soderstrom and Broberg on my list, but that's my unpopular opinion. Montreal would have a great pick here at a position of need. |
16 | | - | | After landing Cozens at 4, the Avs decide to take more of a risk/reward with their second first round pick. They take Newhook, who has a bunch of talent but is yet to prove it against top competition. If the Avs are even getting a second liner here, it's a success. |
17 | | - | | Vegas could really use a goalie of the future, and Knight is the best goalie prospect we've seen in years. Vegas decides that now is the time to start grooming their heir to MAF, and Knight would be great in Vegas. Also, the Golden Knights twitter guy would love drafting a guy name Knight. |
18 | | - | | Hoglander is a very mature player for his age. He plays a very responsible game and yet has really good offensive upside as well. He's a great pick for the Stars at 18, as he should be ready for the NHL in no less than two years. |
19 | | | | Given that this is Ottawa's only first round pick in this draft and that it doesn't look like they'll be out of the bottom five of the league for a few years, it makes sense to take a guy with high upside. At this point in the draft, Suzuki has the highest ceiling of anyone on the board. He's an excellent playmaking center that has a ton of skill and creates a lot of offense |
20 | | | | Lavoie is another guy with a lot of upside, as he had a bit of a disappointing regular season but has really turned it on in the playoffs. The Rangers can take a bit of a flyer on a guy with their second first round pick, and if Lavoie is still on the board, he makes a lot of sense for them. |
21 | | - | | Pittsburgh's pool of prospects is extremely, extremely thin, and right now. It makes a lot of sense to go after a guy that seems like a sure thing to at least play in the NHL, and I see Pelletier being that guy. He's got enough skills where he can make it on any line, and he has top six upside to his game. |
22 | | | | As LA starts their rebuild, they need a lot of everything in their system. One thing that they really don't have a lot of is defense. Heinola has a ton of upside, and after taking Turcotte at 5, they grab a potential top four defenseman with their second first round pick. |
23 | | - | | One of the better playdrivers in the draft, Brink can carry a line on his own with his skating ability and shot. He's also a good playmaker, considering he's a winger. He's one of my favorites in this draft, and he'd be a great pickup for a late first rounder. The Isles are all over him here. |
24 | | - | | What this team needs is strength down the middle of the ice, and someone with a dynamic skillset at C. Given that they're this far back, it's tough to find that. McMichael is the best option for them here. He's a little raw, but they're in no rush to get him there. |
25 | | - | | Dorofeyev is the best player that nobody's talking about. Playing the Russia's minor league, he has an outstanding amount of skill and flare. He can shoot the puck and drives play from the wing. He's the ultimate sleeper in this draft, and he's a guy that could easily be going higher than this come draft day. |
26 | | - | | Tomasino is a guy with a lot of raw talent and is able to create offense with ease. It'd be nice to see a better shot from him, but that should come with time. There's not a lot to critique with his offensive game, but it's the defense that holds him back. As a center, he needs to have a better 200 foot game, especially on the backcheck. |
27 | | - | | The Finnish defenseman is one of the more underrated prospects in the class IMO. He's a very smart player and thinks the game at a high level. He plays a solid defensive game, has a good shot and an excellent first pass. He could be the steal of the draft. |
28 | | | | Seider is another prospect with a lot of upside. He's got a great offensive mind and can QB a power play unit. He has an uncanny ability to get pucks through to the net and great vision in the offensive zone. His talent is a little raw and he needs to tidy up his defensive game, but he's still got a good amount of potential at this phase in the first round. |
29 | | - | | Leason was draft eligible last year, meaning he's closer to the NHL than a lot of these other guys are. At this stage of the first round, getting a guy that looks like a sure fire NHLer is a huge plus. He's a mature player with a solid 200 foot game that can score, and Carolina loves him at the back of the round. |
30 | | | | There are some who love this kid, and I'm really not sure why. He's good, but not top 15 good. I see him being a fringe first rounder, but he's the type of guy that Buffalo would like to add to their group. Considering they don't have their own second rounder this year from the Skinner trade, take the guy they want the most here. |
31 | | - | | Poulin is a very talented player that can drive a line and work in a complementary role. I like his game a lot and Boston is very happy to see him still sitting here at the end of the first round. |