1 | | - | | Consensus #1, no brainer. |
2 | | - | | Big skilled centreman, fills need, can slot 2C when ready. Personality fits with core group. |
3 | | - | | Kekalainen knows the value, will take a gamble despite KHL contract. |
4 | | - | | Best available player at 4, big centreman to rebuild around, fills need. |
5 | | - | | Fills need, can slot 2C behind Zegras when ready. Committed to Boston College for next season, no rush for success from Ducks, Henrique off books after 23/24, likely to beat out Strome eventually. |
6 | | - | | Philly disregards size as per their current roster, highest ceiling available and fills winger need Philly has struggled with in the past. Possible that Matthew Wood also is selected here but I feel Benson fits the organization better. |
7 | | - | | Arizona gets big sniper in Wood, gives Cooley another option other than Guenther. No rush for success, can season at UConn until ready. |
8 | | - | | Home town boy, likely most sure fire pick available which the Canucks would be searching for just to fill the cupboards. Can season for another year in the WHL before joining Abbotsford. |
9 | | - | | Fills centre need for Blues, Blues have Snuggerud and Neighbours as wingers so Dvorsky makes more sense than Sale here. |
10 | | - | | Red Wings type of player. If not for the already solid young d-core, Detroit maybe has a look at the plethora of defensemen in the 10-16 slots. Sale is the best available prospect with the highest ceiling, steal for the Red Wings. |
11 | | | | Classic Coyotes go off script and select Moore who is projected lower than Heidt or Barlow for forwards. I also think Arizona stays away from the d-men. Moore is a good fit over Heidt or Barlow, more tools, seems to be the mantra for Arizona lately is avoid one dimensional players. Also University of Minnesota commit next season, can join Cooley if he stays. |
12 | | - | | Caps get solid playmaker here and best forward available at 12. I don't think Washington even considers a d-man as most of their core is young and they have decent defense prospects. I could be wrong given the availability of Reinbacher for one, but Heidt makes sense here. |
13 | | - | | Many solid forward prospects - all positions for that matter - but Buffalo selects a defenseman here, the first of the draft and an absolute steal given what Reinbacher has done in the top Swiss league. |
14 | | | | Montreal hasn't shied away from Russian d-men in the past and won't here either. The Canadiens get a speedy offensive LHD that can challenge Guhle for a top spot or slot into a second pairing. Sandin Pellikka could have been an option here if it werent for a bit of a logjam at RHD and a history of MTL avoiding Swedish prospects. |
15 | | - | | Calgary gets a quality goal scorer in Barlow, the best available forward at this selection and they add another scoring option next to Coronato. |
16 | | - | | Nashville has a young forward core already established and selects a solid offensive d-men following suit of franchise past and likely one of Poile's last moves at the helm. |
17 | | | | |
18 | | - | | |
19 | | - | | |
20 | | - | | |
21 | | - | | |
22 | | | | |
23 | | - | | |
24 | | | | |
25 | | | | |
26 | | | | |
27 | | | | |
28 | | | | |
29 | | - | | |
30 | | | | |
31 | | - | | |
32 | | | | |