1 | | - | | The easy one, you can put the house on it |
2 | | - | | Stutzle will be going #2 for me, he had a very impressive year and fits the current pipeline of golden prospects the Kings have. |
3 | | | | Byfield is an absolute gift to be 3rd overall, Senators have a lot to be excited about, I see his impact coming over his first few years in the league where he will be much more comfortable finally playing against people the same size as him. |
4 | | - | | Raymond has been getting great attention and the more you hear the more you predict him going very early and right fully so. Raymond fills an immediate need in Detriot possibly playing right away, he is a true corner stone to start an offensive rebuild. he will battle every night. |
5 | | - | | The Senators again get the guy not picked from the team ahead of them and really come out of this first with at least 2 great talents. Ottawa with hpefully a new owner could be a team you can cheer for in a few seasons. |
6 | | - | | This was a tricky pick for me. I do not see the Ducks trading this pick but the options they have here won't solve any immediate issue but Holtz I believe will continue the trend of european skaters going early in this draft. He shows flashes to be a true top line winger and at worst I see him at a top 6 great on the powerplay. |
7 | | - | | The Devils I see taking the shot on Sanderson. The offensive power will come, the young stars really need a face for the D who is not an aging PK. I think if New Jersey is believing in themselves they take the shot on Sanderson early in the first round and look for forwards a bit later in this round |
8 | | - | | The Sabers will be taking Perfetti here, I think he could be a great LW on the first line with Eichel. I think this is the best talent on the board here, he had an unreal juniors career |
9 | | - | | With Koivu on the way out a youth movement is needed for the forward core, Marco Rossi is an elite talent that I feel could replace a lot of the positives Koivu brought to the team in the next few years, Excellent pick. |
10 | | - | | I don't do trades in these mock drafts but for this purpose I have the Jets taking Quinn with the #10 pick, He fits right into the big hard playing jets. |
11 | | - | | The Predators are always that one player away and they don't often draft for immediate impact players. Lundell could be the injection of youth they are looking for. I like his play both ends of the ice, Skating needs work |
12 | | - | | Do they take a goalie just to be safe? The Panthers don't know what to do right now but taking Jarvis here is a great pick, The D in this draft really fall off after the top 2 so getting a great 2 way forward fits here |
13 | | | | Askarov welcome to Carolina, This fits well and I would be very happy to be a urricanes fan, They have elite talent everywhere but the net so this solves that |
14 | | - | | Holloway gets his name called to the Oilers who get the potential winger they need. I see Holloway taking a little bit more time but he is a great pick here |
15 | | | | The trend of great talent but needing development - Justin Barron fits a huge need the leafs have now in both the NHL and pipeling. Barron could be the steal of the draft this late but his skating must improve. |
16 | | - | | Bergevin shows he takes who whoever they need the most, not by draft rankings so I see a bit of a stretch here but Braden Schneider is a great selection here, already has great size and will be a great top 4 pairing for years after some time in the minors (1 maybe 2 seasons) |
17 | | - | | The Blackhawks over achieved this season. They have and always will have great young talent, but grabbing Connor Zary here is going to set the centre role for a perfect transition of talent. I don't see Dach and Zary winning 3 cups but I think this gives them a great foundation to compete for playoffs regularly |
18 | | | | The Devils are rewarded big time for grabbing a great D prospect early and now take Dawson Mercer a excellent wing option to truly complete the dyanmic young talent they already have. He had a fantastic 2nd half to his season and will keep getting better |
19 | | - | | The flames may have a very busy offseason and I think with the team turnover expected we see them taking offensive help by taking Gunler here, He needs to size up a little to fill his frame but I see another excellent winger for years to come |
20 | | | | The devils are back up and taking Jan Mysak who I think will be the best european skater in this draft outside the top 10 picks. I think he is another excellent talent from the Czech Republic, look for immediate impact once he's in the line up |
21 | | - | | A strong team who are a few pieces away from being a true contender. The bluejackets take Lapierre here, who is potentially a great top 6 centre but fills the play style of the Blue jackets perfectly. I think this pick is fitting but could be a number of directions they go. |
22 | | | | The draft winners are back on the stage and grab Jacob Perreault, A very fast, skilled centre who is still a bit raw on fine tuned skills but could centre a second line very soon |
23 | | - | | Philly is finally looking like they have got the star studded roster figured out, drafting Kaiden Guhle might seem early for lots but his size and potential to be a great deffender in his own zone might just be what they need. |
24 | | - | | A difficult finish to a hard season has Colorado selecting here, with amazing talent all nearly ready to take the next step it is wise here for the Avs to take the best talent available with Mavrik Bourque, Mavrik could be a absolute steal here and could go much higher in the draft, He won't be ready right away ut if he continues to develop he will be a excellent pick here. |
25 | | - | | The Capitals are still strong after a early exit from the bubble. Rodion is a great pick here for the Capitals, I see 2-3 years before making the roster but could be a top goal scoring winger given the right development |
26 | | - | | I want to see O'Rielly and O'Rourke on the same team |
27 | | | | The Ducks take a all around great forward in Brendan Brisson, He won't be a superstar but a excellent player for a rebuild on the fly team |
28 | | | | Ottawa is up again and take JJP out of Germany, I think this could be a treand for years with German talent on the rise, I feel JJP should be much higher on draft board, he is an extreamly hard worker |
29 | | - | | Thomas Bordeleau is who I assume the Golden KNights will take, I really don't know what the game plan is for a pipeline of talent as they keep replacing the needs by trades. Bordeleau is a smaller but skill studded centre who might shine in Vegas |
30 | | - | | The Stars should not be this good, but they are and congratulations for that. I see them taking Nico Daws here and it should not be a surprise, he is a elite goalie talent that has been over shadowed by Askarov but I see this as the smartest pick in the draft. |
31 | | | | Hard year. The sharks look to support the blue line with Poirier and start a pipeline of much needed talented prospects. |