1 | | - | | Obvious |
2 | | - | | Anaheim isn't desperate for centres, but they aren't going to turn down one of his calibre. |
3 | | - | | Columbus needs centres and NHL-ready prospects. Carlsson has done a lot to prove himself as a centre against men, so he seems like the obvious choice. |
4 | | - | | San Jose can afford to wait for Michkov, an incredible talent who is worth the risk of drafting despite the Russia situation. |
5 | | - | | Montreal takes the last of the top 5 forwards in the draft. Smith has a lot of development to do, but adding his talent onto the roster could be huge in a few years. |
6 | | - | | It's very difficult to acquire high-end RHD in the NHL, so with the top tier of talent off the board, Arizona grabs the most proven RHD prospect of the draft. |
7 | | - | | Leonard is one of the most well-rounded players in the draft. He's strong, skates well, has good skill, can shoot, and drives to the net really well. |
8 | | - | | Washington needs centre depth, and Dvorsky brings the blend of size, skill, physicality, compete, and shooting prowess that brought them success with Ovechkin. |
9 | | - | | Detroit may be wary of drafting a skilled forward who falls on draft day, but Benson brings a lot to the table in terms of skill, hockey sense, and compete at both ends of the ice. |
10 | | - | | Another well-rounded player, Danielson fills a need for St. Louis at centre. He brings size, speed, great playmaking ability, and a pretty decent shot. |
11 | | - | | Willander shows great promise defensively, is one of the best skaters in the draft, and has offence to offer as well. He would make a great defensive partner for Hughes. |
12 | | | | Perreault was a great complimentary player to Smith this year. Arizona will hope he can play the same role with Cooley in the future. |
13 | | - | | Buffalo hopes to replicate the success of Thompson with a similar player on the wing. |
14 | | - | | Pittsburgh looks to add speed and centre depth to support their aging core. Moore may eventually develop into a top six centre as the old core ages out. |
15 | | - | | Nashville adds size and scoring power on the wing with Barlow. |
16 | | - | | Calgary picks up a highly touted offensive RHD. |
17 | | | | Having gone with a small, skilled player at 9OA, Detroit opts to go for size with their second 1st round pick. |
18 | | - | | But is a huge winger with surprising skill and few weaknesses. He would go higher if not for the situation in Russia. |
19 | | | | Having secured the best forward in the draft, Chicago adds size and defensive prowess in Simashev. His puck skills and decision making need some work, but if they improve, this pick will look like a steal. |
20 | | - | | Seattle takes a skilled winger with high upside to inject into their very solid forward core. |
21 | | - | | While Yager's size is a bit of a concern, Minnesota have bet on small players before and won. He fills an important position of need at centre, plays a strong two-way game, and has one of the best shots of the draft class. |
22 | | | | Another centre for Columbus ensures that their woes down the middle of the ice are at an end. |
23 | | - | | With so many questions surrounding the Rangers' roster construction, they will need versatility. Heidt provides that with his ability to play both centre and wing, as well as up and down the lineup. He's a strong playmaker who brings a ton of energy. |
24 | | | | Nashville takes a gamble on Gulyayev, hoping to unlock his high ceiling as an offensive defenceman with a strong transition game. |
25 | | | | Having picked up a centre already, St. Louis grabs a solid defensive RHD just before the Sharks get the chance to do so. |
26 | | | | San Jose takes the best RHD available. Dragicevic struggles defensively, but is a major asset in transition and the offensive zone. |
27 | | - | | Colorado looks to shore up their centre depth with an underrated prospect who has good tools. Edstrom is strong defensively and has a good understanding of how to score goals around the front of the net. |
28 | | | | Toronto grabs a solid depth forward who scores goals in big moments; a trait sorely needed on this team. |
29 | | | | St. Louis moves to the left side now, grabbing another solid defensive defenceman. |
30 | | - | | Cristall is an odd fit for Carolina, but after years of falling short due to a lack of scoring, they're willing to take a bet on a dynamic offensive player. |
31 | | | | Montreal takes a goaltender; a position of need with a long development time. Hrabal is big and athletic, so he could turn into something great. |
32 | | - | | Vegas takes a big, one-way winger with great playmaking abilities. |