2018 Mock

Draft Class: 2018

Created By: ruxpin

Published: May 24, 2018 at 10:07 p.m.

DRAFT

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Round 1
1. Rasmus Dahlin (Buffalo Sabres) (Details: You were expecting someone else?   He instantly moves Buffalo's blueline light years forward.  He and Risto could be a terrific team for years.).
2. Andrei Svechnikov (Carolina Hurricanes) (Details: I have zero reason to believe the Hurricanes take anyone else.).
3. Filip Zadina (Montreal Canadiens) (Details: BPA, you take Zadina here, though Habs really need help at center.).
4. Brady Tkachuk (Ottawa Senators) (Details: The Senators should consider a defensemanv given Karlsson's situation. But Tkachuk gives them help they need up the middle.).
5. Adam Boqvist (Arizona Coyotes) (Details: The Coyotes need a defenseman for similar reasons the Senators do. Who knows what happens with OEL?   If Oliver stays, Boqvist will give them a really nice back end.  They take Tkachuk if the Sens go defenseman.).
6. Quinn Hughes (Detroit Red Wings) (Details: Wings need defense and they'll go with Michigan's very own.).
7. Oliver Wahlstrom (Vancouver Canucks) (Details: He potentially gives the Canucks a pretty good 1-2 punch with Horvat.).
8. Evan Bouchard (Chicago Blackhawks) (Details: Keith and Seabrook are not getting any younger.).
9. Joseph Veleno (New York Rangers) (Details: The Rangers are like a house fire victim:  they need everything. I'd like to see them go defense, especially with Ty Smith sitting there, but Veleno's their guy.).
10. Ty Smith (Edmonton Oilers) (Details: The Oilers really should go defense here., and Ty Smith is really a good fit.  If there are plans to move RNH, they might go with a center.).
11. Joel Farabee (New York Islanders) (Details: The Isles need a lot, too.   Farabee looks great with Tavares, if he stays.).
12. Noah Dobson (New York Islanders from Calgary Flames) (Details: Our favorite itinerant team walks away with a forward and a needed defenseman in the first round.).
13. Jared McIsaac (Dallas Stars) (Details: Why not?  The Stars have Klingberg and...well, Klingberg on the blueline.).
14. Rasmus Kupari (Philadelphia Flyers from St. Louis Blues) (Details: One of my favorite players in the draft with a lot of upside but some risk.  Given their prospect pool, the Flyers can afford a little bit of a risk. However, expect the Flyers to try to move up to #7 (Vancouver) or #8 (Chicago) with both this and their 19th.  They look to lose one of their touted young defensemen in the Seattle expansion draft, so this is their chance to grab a repcement and there will be a couple available at #7 or #8.).
15. Jesperi Kotkaniemi (Florida Panthers) (Details: Exactly Florida's kind of player.).
16. Grigori Denisenko (Colorado Avalanche) (Details: They may take Addison here, but they could really use some help on LW with Landeskog.).
17. Calen Addison (New Jersey Devils) (Details: Wouldn't he look good feeding Hirschier and Hall in a couple years?).
18. Barrett Hayton (Columbus Blue Jackets) (Details: Columbus does not have a lot of depth at center.  Hayton helps there and is a decent playmaker who works hard.).
19. Rasmus Sandin (Philadelphia Flyers) (Details: I'm not expecting the Flyers to use this pick.  If they've use #14, it's because they couldn't move up.  In that case, look for Hextall to trade back from #19.   If not, they grab their defenseman.   They likely could get Sandin further back, so...).
20. Ryan McLeod (Los Angeles Kings).
21. Akil Thomas (San Jose Sharks).
22. Bode Wilde (Ottawa Senators from Pittsburgh Penguins) (Details: Especially if Karlsson stays, he's a good--if unspectacular--stay-at-home defenseman.).
23. Serron Noel (Anaheim Ducks) (Details: Did Corey Perry turn 50 yet?).
24. Isac Lundeström (Minnesota Wild) (Details: Where do you start?  This team needs so much work.  I'd start at center.).
25. Jett Woo (Toronto Maple Leafs) (Details: I'd prefer more of an offensive defenseman for Toronto, but he'll do at #25.   I've seen him as high as #12 in some mocks, which should get a GM fired on the way home.).
26. Mattias Samuelsson (New York Rangers from Boston Bruins) (Details: The Blue Shirts come away with the defenseman they didn't grab at #9. Son of Kjeil Sammelsson, so he's expectedly a big guy.  He could be a steal at #26.).
27. Benoit-Olivier Groulx (Chicago Blackhawks from Nashville Predators).
28. Ryan Merkley (New York Rangers from Tampa Bay Lightning) (Details: With three first round picks, the Rangers can maybe afford to take a risk.  And make no mistake, this is a risk.   Lots of upside offensively, but Merkely is a terrifice mixture of great ability but incredible stupidity and selfishness.  If the Rangers can figure out how to teach him that life goes on behind the blueine, this is a good pick.  Otherwise, maybe try to convince him to play wing.).
29. Vitali Kravtsov (St. Louis Blues from Winnipeg Jets) (Details: This is a reach, but man would he look good with Tarasenko.).
30. Vladislav Kotkov (Washington Capitals) (Details: Because why not?).
31. Jack McBain (Detroit Red Wings from Vegas Golden Knights) (Details: Tallish center who still needs to fill out a bit, but could be a good 2nd or 3rd line center.).

CapFriendly.com User-Generated Mock-Draft

ROUND 1	TEAM	ORIGINAL	PLAYER	DETAILS

1	-	Rasmus Dahlin	You were expecting someone else? He instantly moves Buffalo's blueline light years forward. He and Risto could be a terrific team for years.
2	-	Andrei Svechnikov	I have zero reason to believe the Hurricanes take anyone else.
3	-	Filip Zadina	BPA, you take Zadina here, though Habs really need help at center.
4	-	Brady Tkachuk	The Senators should consider a defensemanv given Karlsson's situation. But Tkachuk gives them help they need up the middle.
5	-	Adam Boqvist	The Coyotes need a defenseman for similar reasons the Senators do. Who knows what happens with OEL? If Oliver stays, Boqvist will give them a really nice back end. They take Tkachuk if the Sens go defenseman.
6	-	Quinn Hughes	Wings need defense and they'll go with Michigan's very own.
7	-	Oliver Wahlstrom	He potentially gives the Canucks a pretty good 1-2 punch with Horvat.
8	-	Evan Bouchard	Keith and Seabrook are not getting any younger.
9	-	Joseph Veleno	The Rangers are like a house fire victim: they need everything. I'd like to see them go defense, especially with Ty Smith sitting there, but Veleno's their guy.
10	-	Ty Smith	The Oilers really should go defense here., and Ty Smith is really a good fit. If there are plans to move RNH, they might go with a center.
11	-	Joel Farabee	The Isles need a lot, too. Farabee looks great with Tavares, if he stays.
12		Noah Dobson	Our favorite itinerant team walks away with a forward and a needed defenseman in the first round.
13	-	Jared McIsaac	Why not? The Stars have Klingberg and...well, Klingberg on the blueline.
14		Rasmus Kupari	One of my favorite players in the draft with a lot of upside but some risk. Given their prospect pool, the Flyers can afford a little bit of a risk. However, expect the Flyers to try to move up to #7 (Vancouver) or #8 (Chicago) with both this and their 19th. They look to lose one of their touted young defensemen in the Seattle expansion draft, so this is their chance to grab a repcement and there will be a couple available at #7 or #8.
15	-	Jesperi Kotkaniemi	Exactly Florida's kind of player.
16	-	Grigori Denisenko	They may take Addison here, but they could really use some help on LW with Landeskog.
17	-	Calen Addison	Wouldn't he look good feeding Hirschier and Hall in a couple years?
18	-	Barrett Hayton	Columbus does not have a lot of depth at center. Hayton helps there and is a decent playmaker who works hard.
19	-	Rasmus Sandin	I'm not expecting the Flyers to use this pick. If they've use #14, it's because they couldn't move up. In that case, look for Hextall to trade back from #19. If not, they grab their defenseman. They likely could get Sandin further back, so...
20	-	Ryan McLeod
21	-	Akil Thomas
22		Bode Wilde	Especially if Karlsson stays, he's a good--if unspectacular--stay-at-home defenseman.
23	-	Serron Noel	Did Corey Perry turn 50 yet?
24	-	Isac Lundeström	Where do you start? This team needs so much work. I'd start at center.
25	-	Jett Woo	I'd prefer more of an offensive defenseman for Toronto, but he'll do at #25. I've seen him as high as #12 in some mocks, which should get a GM fired on the way home.
26		Mattias Samuelsson	The Blue Shirts come away with the defenseman they didn't grab at #9. Son of Kjeil Sammelsson, so he's expectedly a big guy. He could be a steal at #26.
27		Benoit-Olivier Groulx
28		Ryan Merkley	With three first round picks, the Rangers can maybe afford to take a risk. And make no mistake, this is a risk. Lots of upside offensively, but Merkely is a terrifice mixture of great ability but incredible stupidity and selfishness. If the Rangers can figure out how to teach him that life goes on behind the blueine, this is a good pick. Otherwise, maybe try to convince him to play wing.
29		Vitali Kravtsov	This is a reach, but man would he look good with Tarasenko.
30	-	Vladislav Kotkov	Because why not?
31		Jack McBain	Tallish center who still needs to fill out a bit, but could be a good 2nd or 3rd line center.

Top Comments

May 24, 2018 at 10:29 p.m.

BluesBandit

Joined: Apr. 2017

Posts: 1,769

Likes: 491

I'd love Kravtsov, guy looks like a serious player

ruxpin liked this.

May 24, 2018 at 11:25 p.m.

TheMooterus

True Reverse Retro

Joined: Mar. 2018

Posts: 4,627

Likes: 3,038

Highly doubt Dallas goes defense with their 1st round pick. They have an pretty loaded defensive prospect pool. They need to add to their center depth. If Veleno falls to them, that's their pick. Assuming he's gone in the top-10 (which he should be), Kotkaniemi and Kupari (in that order) should be their priority.

May 25, 2018 at 12:17 a.m.

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