1 | | - | | No brainer for MTL. I know Cooley's name has been mentioned but I think MTL takes Wright in hopes he can play similar to how Danault did in last years playoffs. |
2 | | - | | Having Hughes and Hischier makes me think NJ takes a winger at this pick and the best available would be Slafkovsky. I could also see them taking Jiricek or Nemec or maybe even trading out of the pick. |
3 | | - | | With the 3rd pick ARZ gets their future number 1 center. 2nd best player in the draft IMO and ARZ can afford to let him develop a year or two in college |
4 | | - | | After picking Beniers 2nd overall last year, I think it’s a no brainer for Seattle to go with a defenseman here. I think Jiricek and Nemec are 1A and 1B, so either one could be taken at this pick, but I like Nemec just a little better. |
5 | | - | | Although he’s a bit undersized, I feel like teams have learned from players like Caufield and DeBrincat, and Philly picksup a very talented center. With the loss of Giroux and contracts of Ellis and Ristolainen, I find it hard to think Philly picks up another D-man. |
6 | | | | With the Russia/Ukraine altercation going on overseas, It wouldn’t surprise me at all if Russian players fell in the draft. Yurov is very talented and the pick just seems right to me. It also wouldn’t surprise me if Jiricek is picked here. |
7 | | - | | Ottawa is in desperate need of a top 6 forward and trading this pick to get one is in the air. I think they go in a different direction and picks a RHD. I think the Brannstrom experiment is over and Ottawa needs to move on. Jiricek has good size (pause) and I think could play very well with Sanderson for years to come. |
8 | | - | | Brad Lambert was once projected top 3, and I think he is very boom or bust. I think Detroit is in the position to take a chance on a guy like Lambert considering I feel their depth at C is quite thin. I could also see DET picking Kemell here to add some scoring but I think they go for a center of a winger. |
9 | | - | | Kemell falls to 9 and BUF jumps at the opportunity to add him to their roster. Kemell has a lot of upside, and BUF wouldn’t mind adding another goal scorer. |
10 | | - | | Nazar is one of my favorite players in the draft this year and I think would fit well with the Ducks. I could see them choosing Geekie due to his big frame and their loss of Getzlaf this year, but I think they go BPA and to me at 10 that’s Nazar. |
11 | | - | | San Jose is in for a tough time with loads of terrible contracts for aging players that aren’t performing like they should. Lekkerimaki gives sharks fan a bit of hope as he is one of the most talented players in the draft, and having played with Eklund before this pick just feels right. |
12 | | - | | CBJ have 2 picks in the top 15 thanks to Chicago’s disappointing season and although one of the picks may get traded, I think they pick with both and grabs a center. McGroarty’s draft stock has been very high lately and I think CBJ pick him at 12. |
13 | | - | | Gauthier is another player whose draft stock has skyrocketed lately but I think he falls to 13. He has 34 goals in 54 games, and I think the Islanders could use another goal scorer. |
14 | | - | | WPG could use a big center like Geekie. I see a lot of hate about Geekie, but IMO its hard to ignore a 6’3 center putting up 70 points in 63 games. I think he is a very boom or bust player, but I think if he falls to 14, the Jets take a chance on him and Geekie gets to stay home in WPG. |
15 | | - | | Although undersized, Nelson is very talented offensively. I think him and Hughes could work well on the power play together and Vancouver could use another RHD in their prospect pool. |
16 | | | | Howard’s value has also gone up, and I think the Sabres jump on the opportunity to select another talented goal scorer in Isaac Howard. I could also see them selecting a RHD but I think the temptastion of adding another goal scorer is too much for them to resist. |
17 | | - | | Nashville has a very underrated prospect pool IMO and adding a playmaker like Ostlund makes it that much better. |
18 | | - | | Dallas has one of the best prospect pools in the league, but I find they could use more defense. Although they have more depth at LHD than RHD, I think they select Bichsel. I think he’s very good defensively and at 6’5 I think the Stars take a shot with him. I could also see them taking Mateychuk. |
19 | | - | | Losing Brown this year will be hard for Kings fans and he has big shoes to fill. I think they go for the best winger available and to me that’s Snuggerud. After going over a point per game in the USNDP, I think LA picks him up. |
20 | | - | | I have the Capitals taking Mateychuk in the draft this year. He absolutely could go higher so I think Washington picks him up if he falls to them. After getting eliminated in the first round this year, and the aging of core players like Ovi, Backstrom, Carlson and Oshie, I think its time to rebuild and Mateychuk is a great player to build around. |
21 | | - | | With a similar situation like Washington, I think the Pittsburgh front office opt to start a rebuild. Pittsburgh’s prospect pool isn’t the greatest IMO and adding a good RHD never hurt anyone. |
22 | | - | | Edmonton should go with a defenseman with this pick IMO and Salomonsson checks off what I think Edmonton shoul be looking for in a d-man. |
23 | | | | I think Anaheim could use another LHD in their prospect pool, and at this point in the draft I think Pickering is the best LHD available. He put up decent numbers this year and I think Anaheim would be very happy to pick him with their pick from Boston. |
24 | | - | | I think Blues fans should be very happy with the state their team is in. Adding another Center to their prospect pool will only make their team better and IMO a 6’4 PPG center like Bystedt fits what STL should be looking to add this draft. |
25 | | - | | The back to back Stanley Cup champs go with a D-man here for me. They traded away their FRP for next 2 years, and need to make this one count as their prospect pool is quite disappointing. I think Chesley fits in Tampa. I could see them go with Del Bel Belluz if they opt for a forward. |
26 | | - | | I think Kasper to the Rangers makes sense. I could see them also taking a D-man here but I think they go Center. I’ve seen Kasper high up on some boards but I’m not entirely sold on him yet to have him in the top 20. |
27 | | - | | Every draft has players that fall later than expected and players that fans consider reaches. I think Del Bel Belluz falls to Minnesota. I think he fits what they are building, and with the talented roster and prospect pool they have, there is no rush for him to join the Wild and he will have time to go back another year to develop further in the OHL. |
28 | | - | | After another first round exit for Toronto, I see them selecting a defenseman at their pick. Luneau is very good offensively and I think the Leafs take advantage of the fact he is still there at their pick. |
29 | | | | Growing up in Montreal, its quite obvious they love their Quebecois players. They have a lot of Defensemen in their system so I think they opt for another forward. Gaucher is big and put up decent numbers this year. I could also see them taking Jack Hughes as his dad is the GM but it seems unlikely. |
30 | | | | Ohgren put up great numbers this year, and I think ARZ is in a positon where they just select the BPA |
31 | | | | Korchinski put up great numbers this year going almost PPG as a D-man. IMO he is the next best D-man at this pick and ARZ will gladly select him. I could also see them taking a risk on Miroshnichenko due to their large draft capital, but to me seems more like a second round pick. |
32 | | | | Buffalo end the draft picking Mintyukov with their 3rd pick of the night. He put up great numbers and another D-man thast scoring almost a PPG never hurt anyone. I could see them opt for a RHD instead but I think MIntyukov is too good to pass up here. |