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Jared Brown Mock Draft 2018

Jared Brown Mock Draft 2018

Draft Class: 2018
Created By: Jbrown1997
Published: Jun. 21, 2018 at 3:00 p.m.
ROUND 1TEAMORIGINALPLAYERDETAILS
1Logo of the Buffalo Sabres-We all know this is the Rasmus Dahlin draft and Buffalo winning the lottery is the best thing that happened to Buffalo this season. Was another disappointing season for Buffalo that was riddled with injuries and Lehner having a not so great season. On the bright side they still have their #1 Centre and now will have a #1 Dman. Dahlin is a defenceman who can do it all for his team, he can skate like Karlsson but can defend like Hedman, he likes to play physical and has the size to do it already, just wait until he gets bigger from his training with Buffalo! Future Dman who will contend for the Norris trophy, I can see him putting up 15 goals a season and 60-70 points year round while also being a reliable shutdown guy in his own zone.
2Logo of the Carolina Hurricanes-Carolina available to pick the best forward in this draft which is, Andrei Svechnikov. Some are speculating that the Canes could draft Zadina instead because of the chemistry he had with other Canes 1st round pick Martin Necas because of the chemistry the two had at the World Juniors for the Czech's. However in any other draft I believe Svechnikov is the #1 pick. He has dominated at every level of hockey he has played at excluding the World Juniors but keep in mind he was about 2 years younger than everyone and was underutilized. At 16 years old he played in the USHL where he racked up 58pts in 48games, as a 17 year old this past season in the OHL he put up 72pts in 44games, had he not got injured this season he probably would have put up 100pts. Also has dominated at the international level for Russia. In 40 combined international tournament games, between the U17, U18, World Juniors, YOG, Hlinka Memorial and the WJAC-19, he has put up a combined 56 points! Svechnikov has the 5-tool set to make him a elite winger at the NHL level. Fast skater, lethal and accurate shot, underrated playmaking ability, smart hockey sense, and has the strength to go up against men already. Look for him to compete for the Rookie of the Year next season.
3Logo of the Montreal Canadiens-We all know the need for Montreal, and that is a #1 Centre. Unfortunately the best players in the top 5 this year are either wingers or Dmen. Some have Kotkaniemi as #5 on their rankings, I don't have him that high but I do think he is the best C in this draft. The Habs do need to improve their blue line as well so they could go for a Dman with the 3rd overall pick however, there are reports going around of the Habs looking to trade captain Pacioretty and even Pacioretty came out and said he does not want to be back if he isn’t the captain next year. If they do trade him, which seems likely, there goes their best goal scorer on the team and in that case they should draft Filip Zadina. I do think they could draft Brady Tkachuk since he can play C but is better as a winger but I think Zadina has the best offensive upside out of the two. Ultimately I have them drafting Jesperi Kotkaneimi. Whenever a 17 year old is playing against men in one of the top European leagues, he will get notice very easily. That’s exactly what Kotkaneimi did. 29 points in 57 games is very impressive at his age and with Craig Button saying he plays like Anze Kopitar why wouldn’t you want to draft him! Maybe the best two-way centreman in the draft and one of the most creative, Kotkaneimi brings great vision, a terrific set of hands, an NHL release already and poise. Skating is one thing that’ll stop him from being a #1 centre at the NHL level but if he can improve his skating he could easily be a #1 centre in the NHL. As of right now it really sounds like Montreal is looking to either draft Kotkaneimi or a Dman with the 3rd overall pick but since they are very weak down the middle is why I have them drafting Kotkaneimi over a Dman.
4Logo of the Ottawa Senators-Although Ottawa probably should go for a Dman with the #4 pick you just can’t pass up on a player who is a pure goal scorer and has potential to be a consistent 30 goal scorer in the NHL level. Ottawa is in quite an unusual circumstance with their entire organization and with reports now surfacing that Karlsson has demanded a trade could really lead them to drafting a Dman at 4th overall however I don’t think you can pass up drafting either of Zadina or Tkachuk. I even think Montreal not drafting one of them could be a bad move but they are desperate for a centreman. For me it’s really hard to predict who Ottawa is going to go for at 4th overall but I do have them drafting Filip Zadina over Tkachuk because of the higher offensive upside on Zadina. With the news breaking out about Mike Hoffman’s girlfriend the thought is for sure Ottawa will be looking to trade Hoffman out of Ottawa and they want to try and get rid of Bobby Ryan’s major cap hit, if they trade away all of these players it’s going to leave Ottawa with really no more offense as they would be left with Duchene and Stone who Stone needs a new contract and Duchene will need a new one after this upcoming season. Filip Zadina can become a top line goal scorer for the Sens and could have great chemistry with Duchene as Duchene should be able to find open ice and dish the puck to Zadina so Zadina can use his lethal accurate shot to score.
5Logo of the Arizona Coyotes-Brady Tkachuk is a type of player that doesn’t come around very often, a tenacious hard working power forward that has plenty of first line potential. Now Arizona maybe doesn’t necessarily need him since they have an abundance of forward prospects in the making, it would be very hard to choose anyone else at 5th overall than Brady Tkachuk. Tkachuk can bring toughness to the Arizona Coyotes while playing either 1st line or 2nd line for them. A lot of the Yotes forward prospects are skilled players who don’t engage their bodies enough and well that won’t be an issue for Tkachuk. Just like his brother Matthew he gets in your face and wants to annoy the crap out of you, but he has more speed and more skill than his brother which makes him a damn dangerous player to go up against. Although some worry of his offensive output since he only put home 8 goals in 40 games with BU this past year, I don’t think he will have an issue at the NHL level and can see him scoring 25 goals a year while being a pest. He’s the type of player you want on your team playoff time! You know he is going to go out there and work hard every single shift, throw hits, battle for pucks in the corner and energize his team with his play.
6Logo of the Detroit Red Wings-Imagine this. Detroit drafts Quinn Hughes with the #6 pick in 2018, they get the 1st overall pick for the 2019 draft and draft Quinn’s younger brother Jack Hughes! Let’s focus on Quinn here though. Detroit drafted Larkin out of the same University Hughes played at this past season so makes sense for them to go back to Michigan and get another Wolverine alumni. Hughes is going to bring something the aging Red Wings blue line desperately needs and that is a slick skating Dman who can skate the puck out of his own zone or dish it off to his forwards, and mix in his speed with the speedy forwards Detroit have should allow him to fit in perfectly. Has great poise with the puck and terrific vision but like Boqvist his overall defensive play needs improving and strength needs to improve in puck battles, although part of the reason he gets out muscled of the puck by forecheckers is due to his size. Still an unbelievable offensive Dman who has potential to put up 50 points in the NHL.
7Logo of the Vancouver Canucks-Originally I thought Vancouver could draft Wahlstrom to have as a 2nd line scorer after Boeser but after Dobson’s performance at the Memorial Cup it would be hard to pass up on him! After Dahlin he’s the best two-way Dman available in the draft, Has long stride to go with his 6’3 frame and loves to jump in the rush when he sees an opportunity to do so but knows to take care of his own zone first. Has excellent man on man coverage and defends with a very active stick. Could use to get stronger and use his body more defensively and improve his top-end speed but skating isn’t a big problem for Dobson. Can see him being on the PP unit and PK unit for Vancouver and playing big minutes every game when he fully matures at the NHL level. Has grown comparisons to Blues captain Pietrangelo and is a sure fire safe pick at #7 for the Canucks.
8Logo of the Chicago Blackhawks-I have Chicago drafting the next best goal scorer in the draft after Zadina, Oliver Wahlstrom. At 6’1 and 205lbs, Wahlstrom is a strong power forward right winger who has a knack for scoring goals. With 48 goals and 94 points for the USNTDP is a clear indication of the type of offensive threat he can be in the NHL. Wahlstrom is an above average skater with great lateral movements for his size. He’s offensively gifted with a lethal quick shot that can beat goalies from anywhere. Just like a power forward he isn’t afraid to battle in the corners and in the greasy areas and has very good balance. Some worries are his effort level especially when things aren’t going his way he plays at a lesser compete level. He will need to get more consistent with his compete level to be a very dangerous goal scoring power forward at the NHL level. Wahlstrom has the potential to be a solid goal scoring winger playing alongside Toews and learn from one of the greatest captains in the NHL. Want to improve Wahlstrom’s work ethic? Put him alongside Toews and that should sure help.
9Logo of the New York Rangers-With the Rangers looking like they are possibly committed to a rebuild we may expect some tough seasons ahead in New York. Although at the start of the year it didn’t seem all that gloomy for the Rangers it wasn’t until January where they knew they wouldn’t make the playoffs, so in came the trades. If I’m a Rangers fan I would be very pleased with the trades they made. Not only did they acquire some solid B level prospects they also have 7 picks in the first 3 rounds of this draft, 3 in the 1st and 2 in each of the 2nd and 3rd rounds. With all of those picks there could be a good chance they try and trade up from the #9 spot. If they keep the 9th overall pick and not trade upwards on the draft board I have them drafting the next best Swedish Dman Adam Boqvist. When a player is getting compared to Erik Karlsson why wouldn’t you want to draft this player? Explosive skater and puck moving Dman who makes great breakout passes and is offensively gifted on the blue line. He has tremendous vision in the offensive zone and if he can’t find a passing lane for his teammates he will find a lane to shoot the puck towards the net with a hard accurate wrist shot. Big thing for Boqvist is his size. If he had Dahlin’s size he could probably go in the top 3 but at only 5’11 at 170lbs he will need to bulk up to be able to compete in the physical battles at the pro level and as with all prototypical offensive Dman he will need to get better defending in his own zone as his play in his own zone needs improving. Will be a top 4 Dman for the Rangers and will quarterback a PP in no time when he makes the jump to the NHL.
10Logo of the Edmonton Oilers-Now although they need help on forward I do have them drafting Evan Bouchard. Reason why I have them drafting Bouchard over a forward is because I think if Bouchard is available or any of the other top ranked Dmen you have to draft them. Farabee and Hayton are the next best forwards available but Bouchard is going to bring the Oilers a Dman who can quarterback a powerplay who can score from the point with either a hard low slapshot or a hard wrist shot, he also has terrific vision and hockey sense and his playmaking ability from the point should not go unnoticed as he seems to always find a seem through traffic to thread a pass through. The Oilers also need a top 4 Dman who can help produce some offence from the back end. With the speed of the Oilers, specifically McDavid, McDavid should have fun getting a nice crisp pass from Bouchard while he’s in full stride. Bouchard will have to work on his play in the defensive end as at times he tends to get very nonchalant and drifts out of position. His speed is also good but it’s nothing amazing, if he can improve his skating he could be a solid #2 Dman for the Oilers barring he improves his play in his own end.
11Logo of the New York Islanders-Hayton is a Centre who can play in any role you put him in, he was used on both the PK and PP for the Sault Ste. Marie in the OHL and was huge factor as their 2nd line Centre in their record breaking season. Hayton can score with a great shot where he has already a knack for the curl and drag, but just how good of a shooter he is, he’s as good of a passer. Has some of the best hands in the draft and is an aggressive forechecker. All around a great player and seems to not have one bad thing about him just certain things that could use tweaking. One area some scouts have trouble viewing him on is the competition he went up against in the OHL for the majority of the year. As the #2 Centre he wasn’t normally going up against teams #1 line so you could say he had lesser competition. With all of the star Sault players graduating from the OHL, there’s a very good chance he will be going up against the best players every night in the OHL and how will we fair against them is a question that needs to be answered. For the Islanders this is a very good pick because of the leaving of Tavares they will need to get another Centreman who can play a 200 foot game but also brings skill and offence and that’s exactly what Hayton brings.
12Logo of the New York IslandersLogo of the Calgary FlamesThe Islanders with their second pick in a row here in the 1st round thanks to Calgary trading away their 1st round pick for Hamonic last summer. I would assume the Islanders go with a Dman here with their second pick as although there are some very good forwards available that some may say are better than the next list of Dman in the draft, the Islanders have a lot of potential for forwards. Let’s not forget Beauvillier and Barzal are only 21 years old and still just getting use to the NHL level. Ho-sang should have a spot on the roster next season, and lastly they have Bellows who showed at the World Juniors that he knows how to score! That is why I have the Islanders drafting Ty Smith with their 12th overall pick, a smart mobile Dman who may not have one thing in his game that you would classify as elite but is very good in a lot of aspects of his game. Not the biggest Dman as he is only 5’10 close to 5’11 and will need to put on some more muscle for battles at the pro level. Now it’s hard to say he isn’t an elite Dman when he put up 73 points in 69 games including one game where he had 7 points, Smith is a smart Dman who uses his skating and vision to generate offensive chances, great passer who also has an effective shot from the point. The Islanders need a smart two-way Dman who can play in their top 4 and put up 30-40 points a year for them, that’s exactly what I think Smith can be for them he reminds me a lot of Ryan Ellis where some may think he is more of an offensive Dman but isn’t a liability in how own zone.
13Logo of the Dallas Stars-What Dallas needs is additional fire power from their 2nd and 3rd lines and they have some good young forward prospects in the works but a lot of them are left wingers, that’s why I have them drafting Vitali Kravtsov. First of all it’s no secret Dallas is known for going for the top Russian player in the draft and seem to really value their European scouts, second of all they need more help scoring on the right wing and can’t keep only relying on Radulov to produce from the right wing. Kravtsov has the potential to be a top 6 forward for Dallas who could also play Centre but I view him better as a winger, he brings plenty of skill and creativity to the lineup with a good release and great vision in the offensive zone. His play in his own zone is already good but could use improvement especially if he wants to play Centre but all in all he has the potential to really bring some secondary scoring to the Dallas Stars which they need and Kravtsov could come into the NHL sooner rather than later if he opts out of playing in Russia.
14Logo of the Philadelphia FlyersLogo of the St. Louis BluesWith their first pick in the 1st round Philly can set themselves up here with drafting a Dman with their second 1st round pick at the 19th pick. Reason why I don’t have Philly drafting a Dman here at #14 is because we have too many better forwards available before the next set of Dmen. Also doesn’t make sense to me for Philly to draft 2 Dmen with both of their 1st round picks since they have 3 young defenders, Provorov, Sanheim and Hagg, they realistically can take their time with developing the Dman they draft, I have them drafting Joel Farabee with the 14th pick. If Farabee had the size of Svechnikov we would be talking about Farabee being in the top 5 potentially! His size right now is his only disadvantage, at 5’11 isn’t too bad but it’s him weighing in at only around 160lbs makes some scouts wonder he will fair with the more physical battles at the pro level. Think Marner with Farabee, undersized forward who definitely needs to bulk up to play in the NHL but Farabee may be the fastest skater in this draft and he uses his skating ability to generate plenty of offense playing alongside Wahlstrom and future top 2 pick in the 2019 Draft Jack Hughes. Has a quick release with his shot and has a willingness to compete hard and battle every shift, is also a great two-way forward for his age already and a good three zone player. Question for Farabee is can he be like Marner at the NHL level using his blazing speed to blow by the big physical players and be effective that way or will he struggle with physical battles. Either way I project him as a top 6 forward at the NHL level cause of his work ethic, blazing speed, and 200 foot play.
15Logo of the Florida Panthers-The Panthers have drafted a lot of forwards recently and very good forwards picks I may add, with the likes of Borgstrom, Tippett and Heponiemi I like how they are set up with their forwards. Let’s not forget that the star forwards on the team right now are by no means old! That is why I have them drafting Rasmus Sandin. Sandin raised his draft stock by heck ton when he moved over from Sweden to play for the Sault Ste. Marie in the OHL. When Sault Ste. Marie star Dman Conor Timmins went down Sandin had to step up and be the new #1 guy on the blue line for them and he did just that, clearly was a huge help to the Sault’s 55 wins in the regular season. What Sandin brings is maybe not exactly what you think a 5’11 Dman would bring, he isn’t the fastest skater although his skating isn’t poor by any means. He is a very calm and poised Dman on the blue line with great positioning. Scouts have said he is probably the most calmed teenager you will see get drafted this year and his calmness and poise and one-on-one play is what makes him so intriguing to NHL teams. If he can improve his speed and get it into another gear while also getting bigger for the more physical battles at pro level he could become a top pairing Dman for any NHL team because of how smart he is.
16Logo of the Colorado Avalanche-A lot of people I think would have Colorado drafting a Dman here which they very well could do, but I have them drafting Joe Veleno with their #16 pick. Reason I have them drafting a forward and Centreman over a D is because I feel like they need a little more depth down the middle. I project Jost as more of a winger for Colorado so I think they should grab a Centre with this pick. Veleno brings exactly what you want in a Centre, a 200 foot player who is reliable defending in his own zone and effective player in the offensive zone. His hockey IQ and work ethic could land him in the NHL sooner rather than later which could really help Colorado as they don’t seem to have C prospect that can do what Veleno can. Seems to be more of a passer than a shooter but doesn’t shy away from shooting when necessary. For Colorado to become a more dangerous team they need to be tighter defensively and that includes their forwards helping the defense out, this is where I think Veleno will really help Colorado as a 2nd or 3rd line centre.
17Logo of the New Jersey Devils-With plenty of forwards prospects now for New Jersey it makes a lot of sense for them to go for a Dman with their #17 pick. They have 2 Dmen who contracts are up and need to be resigned, 3 Dmen next year have contracts expiring and 2 more the year after one being Vatanen who they traded Henrique for and the other their captain Greene, the Devils have a lot of decision making to do on their blue line in the next 2 years. A big right handed shot Dman who can carry the puck end-to-end don’t grow on trees. That is what Bode Wilde is going to bring to the Devils, a big right handed Dman who will carry the puck up the ice and drive the net or use his hard shot from the point to generate offense. A 200 foot Dman who plays aggressive at both ends of the ice and likes to keep a close gap on his opponents, however he’s aggressiveness can cause him to get into trouble and hurt his team. At times Wilde will play too aggressive which leads to him taking too many penalties or playing too aggressive where he puts himself out of position. Wilde plays a high risk, high reward type of game kind of like Jake Gardiner, when his on fire his team fuels off of him but when he’s struggling he becomes a liability. The Devils are a fast skating team who generate offence from their speed and I think they will like Wilde’s puck rushing ability.
18Logo of the Columbus Blue Jackets-Denisenko is one of the most talented forwards in this draft who is very nifty with his hands. Has very good skating and is an above average playmaker, has tools to be put in a 2nd line role to give additional scoring but has a gritty side to him where he will take unnecessary penalties putting his team in a disadvantage. Scouts are flagging him as being an undisciplined player at times and needs to mature and iron out “junior hockey” stuff. If he can iron out those things and be more disciplined at the pro level he can give Columbus some additional fire power on the wing for their 2nd line and 2nd PP unit.
19Logo of the Philadelphia Flyers-There are some good forwards available here for Philly at 19th overall but I think they will draft in position here in drafting Jared McIsaac 19th overall. A big physical Dman who is one of the best shutdown Dman in this draft is what Philly will be getting in McIsaac. Likes to step up at the blue line to stop the opponents rush and likes to lay the body, also has very good gap control. Some came away disappointed in McIsaac’s draft season expecting more from him offensively, had an alright offensive year with 9 goals and 47 points in 65 games and showed that he has a cannon of a shot from the point but still some question if he has the offensive upside to be a top 4 Dman in the NHL or is more of just a 2nd – 3rd pair in the NHL. Either way Philly gets a physical presence on their blue line that could replace the reckless Radko Gudas in 2-3 years.
20Logo of the Los Angeles Kings-Offensively I think LA needs to add more skill and more speed to their lineup, their 1st round pick Vilardi I could see coming up and playing next year as he seems to be too good for the OHL but the back injury he suffered at the start of the year could stop him from making the NHL next year and with a lot of forwards locked up long term for LA they can take their time developing their forward prospects. That’s why I have them drafting Akil Thomas. LA can take their time developing Thomas and bulking him up for the NHL and figure out if they want him to be C or a winger. Thomas fits LA perfectly in my eyes as he is a tireless worker and thrives to get better at both ends of the ice, has leadership qualities as he served as an alternate captain on Niagara in the OHL this past season. An excellent skater who seems to just keep getting better, maybe the best playmaker in the draft which shows from his 59 assists, maybe he could help Toffoli become a 30 goal scorer again in the NHL? All-in-all Thomas is a player who seems to do a lot of things very well, great skater, agile, plays PP and PK, tireless worker, great playmaker but also has a really good shot, the one thing stopping him from being a top 10 pick in this draft is his size, can he get bigger to withstand the physical battles along the wall at the pro level and win more puck battles. Either way I think Thomas can become a good 2nd line winger to set up Toffoli or be a skillful forechecking 3rd liner.
21Logo of the San Jose Sharks-I have Miller ranked 27th in my final rankings but some do have him around 20-25, I think you could be drafting Miller a little early here and really for me it was between Miller or Merkley but I found Merkley is too much of a risky pick for San Jose, but I don’t think they go for a Dman here strictly because they have a lot more forward prospects than D prospects and none of the forwards they have left I think have star written potential on them where you think they could potentially be a late round steal and be a 1st liner in the NHL like David Pastrnak. Again they need more certainty on D which is why I think Miller is great pick for them since I think he has all the tools to be a top 4 Dman in the NHL for San Jose. He switched from forward to defence a couple years ago so maybe we got another Brent Burns on our hands! 6’4 and over 200lbs already, Miller is an intimidating, mean defensive Dman but don’t think that’s all he is. Miller’s skating has definite room for improvement but he is not afraid to carry and rush the puck up the ice, has a booming hard shot from the point and a solid one-timer. Should not rush him as he is still getting used to playing defence but give him 2-3 years to develop in the University of Wisconsin and then have him learn from Burns.
22Logo of the Ottawa SenatorsLogo of the Pittsburgh PenguinsWith their 2nd pick in the 1st round of the draft why wouldn’t the Sens draft the most tantalizing prospect in the draft! Maybe it doesn’t make sense for Ottawa to draft Ryan Merkley but with Karlsson most definitely on his way out and wanting out of Ottawa the Sens need to pick up an offensive Dman. Now in no way shape or form is Merkley going to be able to replace Karlsson and I’m not saying he could put up 70-80 points a year like Karlsson can but Merkley, if he can iron out his what’s been reported “attitude problem”, he could be a 50 point man in the NHL. The skill is there it’s undeniable how talented this young man is. Talent alone he is a top 5 pick. The defensive side of his game and his attitude problem is really making teams worry about drafting him is. He isn’t a big Dman at all listed at 5’11 and 170lbs so his defensive side of the game is going to take time to develop as for one, he will need to bulk up and get bigger to within stand battles in the corners or in front of his net at the pro level, and two, his overall decision making is poor at times and plays a really risky game and his overall defensive side of the game is just nowhere close to what it should be at the NHL level. Why should the Sens draft him? Well by the looks of it, Ottawa is starting to head down a dark road and if you thought this was a bad year, well the worse years maybe yet to come, so for Ottawa you can develop Merkley, no need to rush him into the NHL anytime soon, work with him and maybe you get the biggest steal of the 2018 draft.
23Logo of the Anaheim Ducks-A versatile forward who can either play Centre or on the wing and had a lot of success in the World Juniors on the Czech Republic top line. So what do we have in Kaut? We have a smart reliable player at both ends of the ice as he is already defensively responsible and is not afraid to jump into scrums and battle for the puck despite maybe being undersized at 170lbs to his 6’1 frame. He’s an excellent passer but don’t give him a lane to the net as he is just as good of a finisher. One big questions scouts have for him is was he showing us really what he could be from his World Juniors play or did he have the benefit of playing with 2 other star young players in Zadina and Martin Necas. Can he drive a line? Or is he more of a complementary forward? Either way Anaheim has a lot of good forward prospects already so they have time to develop Kaut and figuring out where he can best be put into their lineup.
24Logo of the Minnesota Wild-With their 24th overall pick I have them drafting Rasmus Kupari out of Finland to help bring in the next wave of forwards to Minnesota. Staal, Koivu and Parise all have questionable futures with the Wild organization and already they are bringing in guys like Kunin, Greenway and Eriksson Ek to start learning from them and then hopefully replace them. Kupari will be another forward you can add to the list of forwards to replace the veterans. Kupari brings a game very similar to Granlund, he has some of the best hands in the draft and is so creative every time he has the puck on his stick. Has the ability to dazzle and deke his way through the zone and score that way or use his excellent release to beat goaltenders, also an excellent skater who can get a burst of acceleration to blow by defenders. Question for him is his compete level. If he really wants to be a C at the NHL level he will need to improve his compete level as times when you watch him he becomes invisible and needs to more consistent if he wants to be a 2nd line centre for the Wild.
25Logo of the Toronto Maple Leafs-Toronto definitely could draft one of the Dman that will go from 15-25 but since I have them all getting drafted before Toronto’s pick I have them going for a centreman. Centre wise though they really only have Brooks in their depth charts down the middle and he is still maybe 2-3 years away. They don’t have enough centres in their prospect pool and that is why I see them drafting Isac Lundestrom. Lundestrom has all the makings to be an effective 3rd line centre in the NHL and since he just finished his 2nd season in SHL in Sweden he could come over and play for the Leafs sooner rather than later perhaps. Lundestrom brings something the Leafs clearly like and that is speed, He’s not just a speedster though he is also a very creative and patient player, will wait that extra second to make the play and has great hands to bury chances in close in front of the net, also is already good and reliable defending in his own zone. Question for him and the Leafs is can he be a fulltime centre in the NHL or is her more effective as a winger? If he wants to be a centre he will need to get bigger and stronger in that position but if he does the Leafs could be getting excellent value at pick #25.
26Logo of the New York RangersLogo of the Boston BruinsIf my earlier predictions are correct and the Rangers draft Adam Boqvist with their 9th overall pick, with this pick they should definitely be going for a forward here. I have them drafting Serron Noel 26th overall and although some have moved him up in the top 20 I am still not convinced on up compared to the other forwards above him. There’s no denying anytime would love a 6’5 power forward winger who can skate and score and coming into the season his biggest question was his skating ability and clearly he worked on that a lot in the summer time last year. He can drive the net and score, exactly what you want in a power forward but some are questioning his offensive upside a bit as he seems to really be a streaky player. When he is on his game he’s so hard to handle and can dominate a game but in other games you don’t notice him at all and is a non-factor for his team, also only generating 105 shots in a 62 games is puzzling. You would think a guy that big and with his skill and good speed for his stature he would be shooting more. Maybe there is an unlocked side to his offence that we haven’t seen yet but for now I like him as a 2nd-3rd line worker who forechecks and can score.
27Logo of the Chicago BlackhawksLogo of the Nashville PredatorsLooking more closely at the defence prospects the Blackhawks have I don’t really see them drafting a Dman with their 2nd pick in the 1st round her. One big factor is the next wave of Dman are a bit behind the forwards available, now if my predictions are wrong and K’Andre Miller and Ryan Merkley or even one of the Dman that I predicted to go top 20 slip down to being available at pick #27 for Chicago I could see them taking a swipe for them but since they aren’t available here I have Chicago drafting Ryan McLeod. The younger brother of Michael McLeod brings a lot of similarities to his game from older brother Michael’s game. They both have size, speed and skill that they bring to the ice and Ryan has all the tools to become a star and a great 2nd line centreman under Toews if he chooses to work for it. Ryan has a great hockey IQ and is a very good skater but what is most impressive is his playmaking ability. Ryan’s ability to always find an open man on the ice is what will make him a potential 40 assist man in the NHL however what won’t help be a 40 assist man is his low compete level at times. He needs show more intensity when he plays as at times during the year Mississauga would switch him from Centre to the wing because of his lack of intensity. If he can compete harder and do so more often he could be star, also for a guy who is 6’2 and 205lbs he shy’s away from physical play, needs to use his body more and be more physical since he has the body to do it.
28Logo of the New York RangersLogo of the Tampa Bay LightningIt’s always hard to make predictions like these mock drafts but it’s even harder to make predictions when a team has 3 picks in the 1st round! The Rangers with their 3rd pick in the 1st round and here they’ll either go for someone maybe off the board that no one saw coming because their scouts really like that player or go with a safe pick. Jacob Olofsson is a safe pick in my eyes and that is why I have New York drafting him 28th overall. Already used to playing against men in Sweden, Olofsson is a dangerous offensive player who will either use his quick release or make incredible passes to generate goals for his team. Olofsson’s skating is average and will need to get better for the NHL but his hockey sense is off the charts and is big aggressive centreman. Not really known as a two-way centreman as his defence is just average but barring he improves his skating and his defensive play he could slot in as a 2nd line centre for the Rangers.
29Logo of the St. Louis BluesLogo of the Winnipeg JetsDoug Armstrong has drafted two future stars recently in Robert Thomas and Jordan Kyrou and so I see them going back to the OHL with their 1st round pick. Scouts and teams are really starting to see the value in drafting this young centreman after he had to endure playing on one of the worst teams in the OHL in Flint. Dellandrea still had a pretty good season despite being a -30, keep in mind, Dellandrea is Flint’s #1 centreman so he goes up against the top shutdown Dman in the OHL every game. Dellandrea can score himself or set up his teammates with his terrific vision on the ice, has very deceptive shot and uses it very well. Needs to round out his game and get better in his own zone first before he can make the jump to the NHL but I still think if the Blues grab Dellandrea, they can have Thomas and Dellandrea down the middle which will be a very good punch down the middle.
30Logo of the Detroit Red WingsLogo of the Vegas Golden KnightsDetroit goes back to the country that just seems to always produce stars for them in drafting Swedish skilled and speedster Jonatan Berggren. He blew everyone away with his performance at the U18’s and made a lot of scouts wonder why he isn’t in their top 31 rankings. Berggren brings a blend of speed and skill to the ice, blowing by down the wing with his speed and can either finish himself or make a great pass to an open teammate. Looks to be maybe more of a playmaker but he made people question that when he scored 5 goals in 7 games at U18’s. Question for Berggren is since he is only 5’10 can he compete against the bigger and stronger players at the NHL level and the other thing, is he a centre or better off as a winger in the NHL? I like him better off to be a winger in the NHL potentially playing alongside fellow speedster Dylan Larking where they could both utilize their tremendous speed to create scoring chances.
31Logo of the Washington Capitals-Dominik Bokk has plenty of tools that can make him a threat on any NHL teams 2nd line. He has the speed to play in the NHL right now and has a terrific shot, whenever he starts skating through the neutral zone with the puck he becomes an immediate danger for the other team, shut him down quick or he will burn you with his speed, shot, or puckhandling skills. His best attribute is his skill, it’s undeniable how skilled this young man is and he has a lot of reminisces of David Pastrnak in his game. The worries in Bokk’s game are that he can sometimes be too aggressive in the offensive zone and get caught making a bad pinch or bad play with the puck which turns into a rush for the other team or a turnover. His size is the other thing, although he is 6’1 he needs to add more muscle as he can get pushed off the puck easily by bigger and stronger players. Washington loves their fast and skilled European players so why wouldn’t they draft Bokk if he is available at #31? But he has a very good chance he goes before Washington’s pick.
ROUND 2TEAMORIGINALPLAYERDETAILS
32Logo of the Buffalo Sabres-Buffalo is pretty weak on the right side for defenders but with drafting Dahlin do you really need to get better on the right side? In all seriousness obviously you do and Nils Lundkvist is very good puck moving mobile right handed shot Dman. Buffalo also needs another puck moving Dman and they could very much draft Addison instead but I think they’ll love the Swedish connection Lundkvist could have with all of the fellow Swedes they’ve drafted in the past 2 drafts.
33Logo of the Detroit Red WingsLogo of the Ottawa SenatorsDetroit will probably be disappointed to see Lundkvist be drafted before their first 2nd round pick but I wouldn’t say they now have to settle for Adam Ginning as he still is a very good pick at 33rd overall, in fact, a team who is in need of a big physical shutdown Dman could very well pick him in the 1st round. Ginning although being big, he isn’t that poor of a skater and if Detroit can improve his skating they could be getting a really good top 4 Dman who can play 20 minutes a night.
34Logo of the Florida PanthersLogo of the Arizona CoyotesFlorida continues to stockpile their amount of D prospects in this draft with selecting Calen Addison 34th overall. They drafted a safe player in Rasmus Sandin 15th overall so why not draft a player who plays a little bit more of a risky game from the blue line but if he his risk pays off its most likely going to end up as a goal for your team. Great skater, effective passer and has a good hard shot from the point. Needs to get better in his situational awareness and not rely on only the PP for his offensive production. Undersized but has a little mean side to him.
35Logo of the Montreal Canadiens-Montreal would probably love for Alexeyev to develop into their next Andrei Markov and he very well could as he doesn’t play a risky game at all and is a strong defender in his own zone that could also have some untapped offensive upside. Right now Alexeyev could be a boom or bust type of prospect as he has the tools and potential to be a top 4 Dman but has missed a lot of games due to injuries (and the passing of his mother) could raise fragile concerns.
36Logo of the Detroit Red Wings-Detroit now needs to draft a shutdown Dman who can play 20 minutes a game and that’s Mattias Samuelsson’s specialty! Just like Adam Ginning, Samuelsson is a stay at home Dman who’s best asset is his size. At 6’4 and almost 220lbs he is a defender who is tough to play against, uses his body to stop your rush and uses his long reach to force you outside away from the middle. Offensive game needs work if he wants to become a top 4 Dman and skating will need to improve, as of right now he projects as a bottom 4 Dman in the NHL.
37Logo of the Vancouver Canucks-Teams are going to pass up on Jake Wise cause of his injury this season but he could be the steal of the draft as if it weren’t for the injury he probably would have been ranked in the top 31 on most rankings. Wise could potentially hook up with Boeser and the two Americans could be very dangerous on Vancouver together with Wise constantly dishing the puck over to Boeser. Great playmaker but also has a deceptive shot. In order for him to play with Boeser though or even play in the top 6 in the NHL he will need to improve his skating and footwork and get stronger. Either way talent and skill alone projects him as a potential top 6 forward.
38Logo of the Montreal CanadiensLogo of the Chicago BlackhawksMarc Bergevin said he wants to add more speed and skill to their lineup and that’s what Nicolas Beaudin can do from the blue line. They need to generate more speed especially from their blue line as they really only have Mete who is a very good skater and really move the puck up the ice from his own zone, Beaudin will help add a lot more speed to their blue line and can help generate a lot more offense from the Habs blue line. Prototypical offensive Dman who’s undersized and needs to improve his play in his own end but offensively can quarterback a PP and skate the puck out of his own zone and go for a rush. Beaudin helps Montreal’s blue line be a more active blue line.
39Logo of the New York Rangers-I think Jonathon Tychonick falls no shorter than right here. The Rangers will be more than happy to pick him up another puck moving Dman to help get the Rangers offence back up and running. Tychonick is another offensive Dman who reads plays in the offensive zone well his play in his own zone is worrisome at times and play away from the puck needs improving. Great skater who makes excellent passes all the time, adds a puck moving Dman to the left side for New York as they have Boqvist on the right side.
40Logo of the Edmonton Oilers-Just imagine Liam Foudy and Connor McDavid playing on a line together? How do you defend two players who can just outright skater right by you? Now I’m not saying Foudy is a futer 1st line player but we’ve seen good depth players be able to play with Crosby and Crosby makes them better and that’s what I think could happen for Foudy. Foudy is fast skating winger who loves to control the puck and can finish with an excellent shot, will need to work on his consistency of play to be a top 6 forward in the NHL.
41Logo of the New York Islanders-If Tavares does leave they will lost a lot of leadership in that locker room and although Jack Drury isn’t maybe a future #1 centre he has all the tools to become a middle six forward preferably playing down the middle. Drury has leadership qualities written all over him and it starts by watching him work incredibly hard every single shift, high intense forward who plays hard and loves to forecheck. His skating needs work and although he can score, most of his goals are from right in front of the net, will need to improve his shot to become an effective player in the NHL and not just a 4th line checker.
42Logo of the Carolina Hurricanes-The Hurricanes seem to love their Fins and although a change in management maybe will have them take a different direction in drafting, adding another skilled, goal scoring Finnish winger to your team can’t hurt Carolina. Nordgren impressed pretty much everyone when he scored 8 goals in 7 games at U18’s playing on the top line for Finland with fellow draftee Kotkaneimi. Size is the biggest factor for this player as he is only 5’9 but doesn’t mind using his body. A very effective shooter on the right wing and a player who works very hard. Should find chemistry alongside all of the Fins on Carolina.
43Logo of the New York IslandersLogo of the Calgary FlamesUndersized forward who will really need to bulk up to within stand the physical battles at the NHL level as he is only around 160lbs but don’t let his small stature fool you, Blake is an undersized forward but with a very high skill level, very possible he could go earlier in the 2nd round. The Islanders could go for a Dman with this pick but they have a lot of young D signed maybe they see how those Dmen develop.
44Logo of the Dallas Stars-It would not surprise me if Dallas goes with another Russian forward with this pick or at least a European forward. There’s no secret Dallas trusts their European scouts a lot and Kirill Marchenko has the skill to be possibly a better Valeri Nichushkin. Nichushkin wants back into the NHL but if he doesn’t pan out for Dallas or goes/stays in Russia they can have Marchenko as his replacement. Marchenko is a tall but lanky skilled offensive forward who can play centre but is probably more effective as a winger.
45Logo of the St. Louis Blues-Bernard-Docker has the potential to go earlier and potentially could go in the 1st round as some really value his offensive skill and point production in the AJHL but some are also saying it’s the AJHL, can he put up 20 goals in the WHL? I think St. Louis will take him here at 45th overall not because he’s a risky pick but more so that he is more a work in progress pick and will take maybe longer to get to the NHL than some of the D prospects here like Jett Woo or Swedish defender Filip Johansson. Bernard-Docker will bring more mobility to the Blues blue line.
46Logo of the Washington CapitalsLogo of the Florida PanthersBy far the best name in the draft, Jett Woo isn’t a flashy Dman at all but does a lot of thing very right. Washington has plucked players in recent years from the WHL in Bowey and Johansen, Jett Woo would help add some more depth on the right side for Washington and could replace Brooks Orpik as their next shutdown Dman. He’s a physical Dman who is tough to play against but sometimes puts himself out of position being too physical, has some offensive upside but definitely is viewed as one of the better shutdown Dman in this draft. Injury concerns are lowering his draft stock.
47Logo of the Colorado Avalanche-Kevin Bahl is either going to go somewhere in the middle of the 2nd round or early 3rd round. We all know the league is getting much faster and that doesn’t bode well for big defensive Dmen like Bahl but he is still a mammoth on the blue line at 6’6 and almost 220lbs you can imagine this player could be a pain to go up against in the NHL. Colorado has 2 very good offensive smaller Dmen in Makar and Girard so they’ll look to add some more size and toughness to their blue line this draft.
48Logo of the New York RangersLogo of the New Jersey DevilsRangers go for the best player available at 48th overall and I could see them grabbing another Czech player in either Jakub Lauko or Jan Jenik but I think Jay O’Brien is the better player out of the three of them. O’Brien is another one of those special American high school players who every scout wants to see how he will play against higher and better competition. O’Brien is a very good skater with terrific puck handling skills, he clearly knows how to finish as shown by his 43 goals. Rangers need someone who can score playing down the middle and that’s what O’Brien will bring.
49Logo of the Columbus Blue Jackets-Columbus needs a little bit more help down the middle so they very well could go for a centre with their 1st round pick over Russian Denisenko. David Gustafsson will add depth down the middle for Columbus and could be a nice centreman to have underneath fellow Swede Alexander Wennberg. Played a full a season in the SHL, playing against men and played fairly well putting up 12 points in 45 games but showed more of what he has to offer at the U18’s with 7 points in 7 games.
50Logo of the Philadelphia Flyers-Jack McBain fits Philadelphia’s playing style perfectly, a big strong 6’3 centreman who plays a rough style of game thanks to his big frame. McBain is a tireless worker with great vision and is a good effective two-way centre and has potential to be a 2nd line centre but a lot of question is who he played against this past season and could he had been a dominant player in the OHL. Had a lot of hype going into the year but his play this year made a lot of people question can he be effective against better competition.
51Logo of the Los Angeles Kings-Filip Johansson just fits the bill for the LA Kings, Not very small, 6’1 175lbs, but a very good puck moving Dman. Johansson could very well be a nice successor to Alec Martinez when Martinez’s contract expires in 3 years. Could find chemistry with fellow countryman Jacob Moverare, Johansson could play the right side and play more offensive as Moverare can play the left side and be more of a shutdown guy.
52Logo of the Toronto Maple LeafsLogo of the San Jose Sharks
Sean Durzi
Leafs will probably be upset to see Swedish Dman Johansson go to LA right before their 52nd overall pick but going with Sean Durzi could really pay off for the Leafs. The Leafs are weak on their right side for D and we saw them address some of that weakness by drafting Liljegren and Rasanen in the first two rounds in last year’s draft but I think they’ll look to improve it even more at 52nd overall. Durzi is an over-ager and was passed up in last year’s draft after only scoring 2 goals, this past season he improved drastically by putting up 15 goals and being a point per game in the regular season and in the playoffs for Owen Sound. He could help improve the Leafs D sooner rather than later as an over-ager.
53Logo of the Pittsburgh Penguins-Pittsburgh goes for the fast skating Czech Jakub Lauko with their 1st pick of the draft. Lauko has a very good work ethic and like I said earlier is a fast skating forward, has great acceleration and a good set of hands. Pittsburgh are liking the progress of fellow Czech Dominik Simon so I think they go back to the Czech Republic and help add more speed to their lineup. Lauko good develop into a very good depth forward for Pittsburgh who gives them additional scoring from the third line.
54Logo of the Anaheim Ducks-Groulx has really slipped from the start of the season and a lot of it is due to his underwhelming offensive production this past season. He did put up 28 goals but only 55 points in 68 games and also skipped out on the U18’s for Canada, scouts were not happy to see him not play at U18’s. Anaheim could have potentially drafting Comtois out of the QMJHL last draft late in the second round, a player who was very likely to go in the first round last year but slipped a lot, just like Groulx this year. This pick could be a steal at 54th overall if Groulx can have a big season in the QMJHL next year.
55Logo of the Arizona CoyotesLogo of the Minnesota WildArizona has taken the risk of taking smaller skilled forwards under Chayka and Alexander Khovanov fits that description very well. A potential first round pick at the start of the season but missed 2 months because he had Mono, came over to play in North America for Moncton in the QMJHL and did struggle at first to adapt to the different style of game played in North America but showed he can be an offensive catalyst with his high skill level. Khovanov will need to play a more mature style of hockey and be more disciplined at the pro level but has the potential of being a steal here at 55th overall.
56Logo of the Montreal CanadiensLogo of the Toronto Maple LeafsA tireless worker who can play either centre or on the wing, has a very good skillset that could make him a top 6 forward in the NHL but needs to develop another gear in his skating and play more consistently. There’s also the question for whoever drafts him, is he a centre? Or is he better as a winger in the NHL, but keep a close eye on him next season as again his skillset and offensive play can have him put up 80+ points in the OHL.
57Logo of the Boston Bruins-Sampo Ranta is one of the sleepers in this year’s draft as some teams could have him on their list a lot higher than other teams and I think Boston is one of them. Boston must be pleasantly pleased with DeBrusks development so far and his ability to make plays at high speeds is very good for how the NHL is now and that’s what Ranta can do. Ranta is a very good skater, one of the best in the draft, and can make plays with the puck on his stick at high speeds. He’s a goal scorer and maybe you could say needs to improve his playmaking skills, but has the potential to give Boston 20 goals a season while playing 3rd line but could also develop into a 2nd line winger.
58Logo of the Colorado AvalancheLogo of the Nashville PredatorsWith plenty of Dman prospects and plenty of young forwards in the NHL already I believe Colorado will draft the first goalie here in the 2nd round. Colorado would love to get another superstar Quebec goalie like they had a long time ago in Patrick Roy. Now Rodrigue may not become a superstar goalie but out of all the goalies available in this draft, which is a weak year for goaltenders, Rodrigue has maybe the most potential to become a starter in the NHL. Colorado needs to address their goaltending soon as Bernier needs to be resigned and people are questioning if Varlamov can be a #1 goalie still in the NHL.
59Logo of the Tampa Bay Lightning-Tampa Bay may be the second best team in drafting players out of the OHL behind St. Louis and Cameron Hillis was one of the top rookies in the OHL this past season putting up 59 points in 60 games. Hillis plays a very similar game to Lightning forward Brayden Point and has the potential to breakout like Point. Hillis is an excellent playmaker with great patience with the puck on his stick and a very smooth skater, just like Point when he was drafted, will need to get bigger and stronger and improve his defensive play if he wants to be a fulltime 2nd line centre in the NHL.
60Logo of the Winnipeg Jets-One of the more interesting players going into the draft as it’s very hard to predict where Roman will get drafted. A potential top 50 pick but injuries this past year limited him to only 39 games this past season in his first year playing in North America. In only playing 39 games, he managed to still put up 32 points and 6 points in 7 playoff games for the Giants in the WHL. Roman is one of the smarter prospects available in this draft as he has a very strong hockey IQ and reads the ice in all three zones very well. Doesn’t play a physical game but does like to constantly forecheck, Winnipeg could get him to play meaner and more physical as that’s how Winnipeg likes to play.
61Logo of the Vegas Golden Knights-After following the insane success from William Karlsson this past season, I could very likely see Vegas with their 1st pick of the draft go with a Swedish forward. With a good amount of Swedish forwards still available for Vegas at #61, Filip Hallander, Oskar Back, Albin Eriksson and even Dman Axel Andersson, I think Vegas goes with the best Swedish forward available here in Filip Hallander. I like players who have experience winning and winning in big games, that’s what Hallander was a part of when his Timra team got promoted from the second tier league in Sweden to the top league in Sweden the SHL. Hallander will also give Vegas a little more prospect depth down the middle which you can never have enough.
62Logo of the Montreal CanadiensLogo of the Washington CapitalsMontreal with their 4th pick in the second round goes back to the Quebec league and draft undersized skilled forward Gabriel Fortier. Fortier served as an assistant captain for Baie-Comeau in the QMJHL and was almost a point per game on one of the weaker teams in the QMJHL. Undersized forward he played centre for majority of the year but is he better off as a winger in the NHL because of his size?
Jun. 21, 2018 at 6:33 p.m.
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great job, Detroit fan here,
 
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