1 | | - | | Duh |
2 | | - | | I think they should go with Byfield, but my gut says they go Stutzle. He'll form a fantastic duo with Turcotte long term |
3 | | | | The elite 1C they need for their rebuild. Give him another year to truly dominate the OHL in every facet and be the go-to guy at the WJC |
4 | | - | | Not the guy that I would go with, but there's elite upside. If his skating and two way game improve (which they should) he'll be a fantastic player to throw on a line with Larkin or Zadina |
5 | | - | | Tkachuk-Byfield-Raymond will terrorize the East for a long time. Raymond needs a bit more seasoning, but he'll also be ready soon. Underrated two-way game to go with the high end offensive skillset |
6 | | - | | A match made in heaven for the Ducks. They need defense and Drysdale has #1 potential. His elite skating and one-on-one defense skills are reminiscent of Miro and we've all seen what he's done this postseason |
7 | | - | | They need help everywhere except centers, so getting strong on the backend first makes sense. Wing help is easier to come by, don't wanna turn into the next Toronto |
8 | | - | | Long-term 2C that can play in the NHL right away. Cozens is better served on the wing anyways, so this is a great fit in the short and long term |
9 | | - | | They should start a rebuild pretty soon so getting their goalie of the future now so he'll be on the rise with the next generation that they draft in years to come makes perfect sense |
10 | | - | | One of the best fits in the whole draft. Lundell can be the long-term 2C with the two way play to let their high flying wingers do their thing |
11 | | - | | Best pure goal scorer of the draft with a more well rounded game than he gets credit for. He's the type of pure goal scorer that they really need. He's certainly better than 11th but someone usually falls unexpectedly |
12 | | - | | Definitely not where I would take him, but he seems like the exact type of player Florida would take. I don't know what Zito's regime will do differently, but scouts seem to like him a lot and Florida needs D |
13 | | | | All around talent with a nonstop motor and a ton of offensive upside. He'll fit right into Carolina's system and be a great fit in their top six soon |
14 | | - | | Should be a great scoring complement to either McDavid or Draisaitl. He could also be the play driver on a second line, but I think he'll be most productive as a shooting complement |
15 | | | | Dubas said he wants another Jake Muzzin, and Schneider is as close to that as he can find. He'll be the perfect guy to pair with Sandin or Rielly and can be the type of player they need in their lineup |
16 | | - | | Fits perfectly in with what they've already built. A well rounded player with a ton of skill that will do wonders in the top six group they're putting together |
17 | | - | | Very skilled and an extremely strong work ethic that can play up and down the lineup. One of the most versatile players in the draft that will make a great top six forward |
18 | | | | A bit of a project, but there's a lot of upside with Reichel. He's very skilled and smart, which will fit nicely alongside either Hughes or Hischier. Once he gets stronger he'll become even better at winning puck battles |
19 | | - | | Calgary seems headed towards mediocrity, so I think they'd take a swing on Lapierre. If he stays healthy and gets stronger, this could be excellent value. One more concussion could end his career though |
20 | | | | This may seem like a reach, but there's a lot of upside with Barron. The blood clot issue seems to be taken care of, so he should ascend to a top four defenseman soon. A D-core of Sanderson, Smith and Barron is a lot better than what they enter the draft with |
21 | | - | | Mysak just screams John Tortorella. He's the fast, hard working, smart player that he loves and will fit right in to their system. |
22 | | | | They need long-term solutions for middle-six centers, and Zary can be just that. A two-way guy with a lot more skill than he gets credit for could be their longterm 2C |
23 | | - | | A project defenseman, but they can afford to be patient with him. If he's able to sharpen his decision making skills he has a very high ceiling |
24 | | - | | He's able to do the dirty work for the skill guys, but he's got a lot of skill himself. He'll be an excellent guy to put in their top six and feels somewhat underrated in this class |
25 | | - | | Some wishful thinking on my part, sure, but this makes a lot of sense. A pure goal scorer that could take Oshie's spot in the top-six in a couple years |
26 | | - | | A shutdown defenseman that has some more offense to his game than he showed this year, and apparently has the intangibles that coaches love |
27 | | | | Elite shot. If his skating improves (which it should), he has 30 goal upside playing next to Zegras. Foerster could be a real steal down the road |
28 | | | | Fast, skilled and determined. He could slot anywhere in the lineup and contribute everywhere. He seems built for playoff hockey |
29 | | - | | Dynamic offensive force to eventually slot behind the big guys. He needs to show more effort defensively, but if he does, this will be a steal of a pick |
30 | | - | | They need some defense help in their system, and Niemela has top four upside. He plays a very simple yet translatable game that will at least make him a player |
31 | | | | Potential steal of round one here. Elite shot and a lot of other excellent offensive tools. Skating needs some work but not as much as some think it does. A bit more effort defensively and he could be a top six dynamo |