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| ROUND 1 | TEAM | ORIGINAL | PLAYER | DETAILS |
|---|
| 1 |  | - | LaFreniere has been the consensus No. 1 pick for the past three seasons. Playing for Sidney Crosby’s former team, the Rimouski Oceanic, LaFreniere put up 112 points (35G, 77A) in 52 games this season. He will be part of a franchise that is gifted offensively and with his elite playmaking skills, he will provide more offense. Some scouts have said that his play style is similar to Patrick Kane of the Chicago Blackhawks. LaFreniere will likely earn a spot with the Rangers and play 15-20 minutes per game. However, it will take him a while to make an instant impact in the NHL. | |
| 2 |  | - | Stutzle’s draft ranking has risen significantly ever since the season was paused, making Byfield no longer be the consensus No. 2 pick. A lot of scouts are saying that Byfield should be taken at this spot, but in my opinion, Stutzle is the better option. Byfield’s readiness to play in the NHL after the draft is uncertain at the moment. Stutzle right now is more NHL-ready. Plus, there have been rumors that the Kings have gained more interest in Stutzle. Another asset that sets Stutzle apart from Byfield is the experience. Stutzle put up 34 points (7G, 27A) in 41 games playing against men in the DEL. If he makes the NHL next season, then he would be a top-nine forward. The Kings have drafted plenty of centers, so it would be best to go for wingers. Gabe Vilardi has NHL experience and is ready to play in the NHL full time. The Kings drafted Alex Turcotte 5th overall last year, and Rasmus Kupari was drafted 20th in 2018. | |
| 3 |  |  | Byfield would be the obvious choice at No. 3. But the reason the Senators pass up on Byfield and take a risk on Rossi is because they know his style more than anyone available at this point. Rossi plays for Ottawa of the OHL, so it would be a perfect fit for Rossi. He has good playmaking skills, but his biggest strength is point production. Rossi put up 120 points (39G, 81A) in 56 games which was high enough for the CHL lead. One thing that sets him apart from Byfield and is also a weakness is the size. Rossi stands at 5’9’’. But some scouts have said that he is able to play bigger than his size. | |
| 4 |  | - | I did a mock draft a few days ago and I had Detroit taking Byfield. But I have heard some scouts say that the Red Wings like Perfetti, who is the most creative player in the draft. If I were to compare Perfetti to a player in the 2019 draft, it would be Trevor Zegras, who the Anaheim Ducks drafted. But unlike Zegras, Perfetti has a chance to make the NHL after the draft (Zegras went to college). Like Rossi and LaFreniere, Perfetti is a playmaker, but he also has a good release on his shot. If Perfetti does make the Red Wings out of training camp, he will likely be the No. 2 center behind Dylan Larkin and play 10-15 minutes per game. | |
| 5 | | - | It is a shock to see Byfield fall to this spot. The reason why he falls to No. 5 is because how certain players such as Marco Rossi and Cole Perfetti were scouted by teams. Since Rossi plays for Ottawa, he would be scouted way more than Byfield, who was the consensus No. 2 pick of the draft until Stutzle improved his game. Once again, Byfield readiness to play in the NHL right away is uncertain, but he has NHL-ready size (6’4’’, 215). Byfield also has smooth skating ability and his shot is mostly accurate. He put up 82 points (32G, 50A) in 45 games this season. Don’t underestimate Byfield’s talents, I could see him going in the top 3 for sure. He is also one of the younger players in the draft. | |
| 6 |  | - | The Ducks have selected many forward prospects throughout the past few drafts, and most of them are already contributing in the NHL. But none of them are goal-scorers, which is one thing that the Ducks have struggled with for the past two seasons. With John Gibson being an elite goaltender, the Ducks really don’t need defense. They have multiple defenseman that can provide leadership, plus Jacob Larsson is on the cusp for full-time NHL duty. This would be the first surprise pick of the draft considering Quinn’s draft ranking, but he is the best goal-scorer in this draft. His defensive abilities are steadily improving as well. Playing as a teammate to Marco Rossi, Quinn scored 52 goals which was second in the OHL to Maple Leafs prospect Nick Robertson (55). Overall, Quinn put up 89 points (52G, 37A) in 62 games this season. It would take a year or two for Quinn to develop, but once he makes the NHL, he will contribute immediately. If he makes the Ducks next season, he will slide into the top-nine and play 10-15 minutes per game. Also, I would not be surprised if the Ducks take Drysdale at this spot because of the small amount of prospect defenseman they have. | |
| 7 |  | - | For the majority of the regular season, I have been thinking that the Devils would take Yaroslav Askarov, but now I am thinking that they need goal-scoring. The Devils have had a trend of taking centers for two of the past three drafts. It would be smart for them to select a winger with the pick. I’ve also heard that Kyle Palmeri, who plays in their top-six, could be traded soon. Holtz is a goal-scorer just like Jack Quinn, but Holtz plays a more well-rounded game. He can score goals with his accurate shot, as well he is not a bad playmaker. Holtz can find open areas and pass the puck. His game is similar to Patrik Laine of the Winnipeg Jets. Playing in the SHL, Holtz put up 16 points (9G, 7A) in 35 games. If Holtz makes the Devils out of training camp, he would best fit in their top-nine. That’s only if Palmeri gets traded. If the trade occurs, Holtz would be Palmeri’s replacement in the top-six. | |
| 8 |  | - | The Sabres have plenty of centers in their lineup as well as a couple of young defenseman either in the NHL or on the cusp. So it would be time to search for winger depth, and Raymond fits that mold. If he makes the Sabres lineup next season, he will likely earn a bottom-six spot and play 10-15 minutes per game. If the Sabres draft Raymond, they will likely get more goal-scoring, though Raymond isn’t a natural goal-scorer. He plays more of a two-way game, meaning that not only can he score the goals, but he is excels in making smart plays. Put Raymond and Jack Eichel on the same line in the near future and it can be dangerous. Playing in the same league as Alexander Holtz, Raymond put up 10 points (4G, 6A) in 33 games. | |
| 9 |  | - | Like Lucas Raymond, Lundell is a two-way player. I’ve seen multiple mock drafts that have him selected in the top 5, which is definitely way too high. But at the same time, I have heard multiple scouts say that Lundell has the mentality like a pro. If he does make the NHL next season, he will likely be a bottom-six forward. Also, the Wild are lacking youth, and Lundell can change that. Yes, Kirill Kaprizov is entering the NHL, but he is nearly in his prime. Lundell is able to skate in tight areas as well as he has a good release on his shot. In Finland, Lundell put up 28 points (10G, 18A) in 44 games. Also like Tim Stutzle, Lundell also has experience playing with men. | |
| 10 |  | - | Jets fans would erupt with excitement that Drysdale would be selected at this point. Drysdale is considered the best defenseman in this draft, and it would be a miracle for the Jets if he falls to them. Depth at defense was a big issue for the Jets this season, and Drysdale would make the depth better. Drysdale plays an offensive game, similar to Cale Makar of the Colorado Avalanche. He also has great leadership skills as he is an alternate captain of Erie of the OHL. It is also possible that the Jets go a No. 2 center as well because of the rumors of Patrik Laine being traded as well as Nikolaj Ehlers, but no matter what, Drysdale would and should be drafted. He put up 47 points (9G, 38A) in 49 games. | |
| 11 |  | - | Mercer is a specialist on the power play and penalty kill. For the past two seasons, the specials teams have been a struggle for the Predators and Mercer could fit that mold. Playing for Drummondville where he put up 42 points (18G, 24A) in 26 games, he was an alternate captain. But he was traded to Chicoutimi and put up 18 points (6G, 12A) in 16 games. Overall, Mercer will provide a lot of offense. It will a while for Mercer to make the jump to the NHL because of the amount of centers the Predators have but once he does, it will be worth the wait. | |
| 12 |  | - | The Panthers have a team full of offensive weapons. Goaltending depth isn’t an issue either, with Spencer Knight being close to making the jump to the NHL. Yes, Sergei Bobrovsky had a down season but the Panthers have a lot of veterans on defense. They also haven’t drafted a defenseman since Aaron Ekblad was selected No. 1 in 2014. What I am saying is that the Panthers don’t have much young guns on defense. Sanderson, within one year, can change that. The reason why I say one year is because he is committed to the University of North Dakota next season. Sanderson’s draft rankings rose up significantly, possibly more than Stutzle. He is now the obvious No. 2 defenseman in the draft. Sanderson’s defensive game is better than Drysdale, I’ve seen many mock drafts having Sanderson taking before Drysdale. I’ve even seen Sanderson being taken in the top 5, which is definitely too high for me. Playing in the same league that Jack Hughes, the No. 1 pick in last year’s draft played in (US National Team Development Program), Sanderson put up 29 points (7G, 22A) in 47 games. He will likely start off as the Panther’s bottom-pairing when he makes the NHL. | |
| 13 |  |  | The Hurricanes have one of the deepest defensive cores in the league (seven NHL-ready defenseman). So they really don’t need defense. But the thing they really need is secondary scoring. Their one and only goal-scorer is Andrei Svechnikov. If Gunler makes the Hurricanes lineup, they will be able to score goals. Gunler has goal-scoring ability with his elite shot and release. He loves to shoot the puck. He may not have the size to play in the NHL right away (6’2’’, 174), but once he does, he will be a goal-scorer. Playing in the SHL, Gunler scored 13 points (4G, 9P) in 45 games. | |
| 14 |  | - | The Oilers with this pick would probably get the best goalie prospect drafted since Carey Price in 2005. Askarov, unlike most goalies, has a right-handed glove. So it would confuse shooter when they are on a breakaway. Some scouts have said that Askarov has NHL-ready size (6’3’’, 176), but I disagree. Most goaltenders weigh over 200 lb. But in the VHL, a league that is below the KHL where Askarov also played, he was 12-3 with a 2.45 GAA and a .920 SV%. The Oilers have no elite goalie prospects as well as their goalie depth is very thin. Mike Smith underperformed and Mikko Koskinen, who had a solid season, is in his prime. So Askarov being their No. 1 goalie in a few years would be dangerous for most teams. | |
| 15 | |  | This pick belongs to Toronto. I was originally thinking that Toronto should take a defenseman with this pick, but they have Liljegren and Sandin as their two prospects. But with the trade of Kasperi Kapanen and the rumors that Andreas Johnnson will be traded, Toronto should select a forward that plays similar to Kapanen and Johnnson’s style. Zary plays a similar style to them. Also, after Auston Matthews and John Tavares, Toronto center core is thin. It would take a while for Zary to develop. He is a dominant two-way center but is mostly known for having elite playmaking skills. Zary put up 86 points (38G, 48A) in 57 WHL games. | |
| 16 |  | - | With the status of Cole Caufield being NHL-ready, the Canadiens need secondary-scoring. Amirov is a goal-scorer and he isn’t a bad playmaker either. In the KHL, Amirov played 21 games, putting up 2 assists. | |
| 17 |  | - | Chicago needs young defenseman in their system with Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook aging. I’ve seen many mock drafts say that Guhle is currently establishing himself as the No. 3 defenseman in the draft. Guhle brings physicality to the table and has a great shot as well. Guhle put up 40 points (11G, 29A) when he played in the WHL this season. | |
| 18 | |  | Most mock drafts have said that Schneider should go to Toronto at No. 15. But with the amount of prospects the Maple Leafs have, they will pass up on Schneider. After losing Andy Greene, who was the Devils captain before getting traded to the New York Islanders, they need leadership. Schneider being an alternate captain can provide a similar type of leadership. He put up 42 points (7G, 35A) in 60 WHL games. | |
| 19 |  | - | The Flames defense underachieved this season. So drafting a defenseman would be smart. And Barron was once projected to be selected in the top 10 before COVID-19. He put up 19 points (4G, 15A) in 34 QMJHL games. | |
| 20 | |  | With the Devils third pick in the first round, they will draft secondary-scoring. Holloway can play at any position and has goal-scoring abilities. He put up 17 points (8G, 9A) playing for the University of Wisconsin, where he will play next season. | |
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