‘Tis the season to freak out over the teens.
It’s time for the annual conspiracy theories surrounding the NHL Entry Draft Lottery and things that require more critical thinking, like this mock draft.
It’s not easy to predict how every player– drafted or undrafted– will perform as they embark on making their mark at the professional level, but it’s worth the fun if you’re merely passing the time between the end of the regular season and the Entry Draft in June and your team missed the postseason.
Otherwise, you’re probably too focused on your team’s current playoff series to really get into a deep-dive on why your team should have taken Player A instead of Player B with the 27th overall pick in the 1st round– and that’s probably for the better. Hindsight is always 20/20 and you really shouldn’t put more stress on your heart than it is already taking from every tumbling muffin of the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
This is just the first of three editions of my mock draft from now until draft day (June 22nd).
This year’s NHL Entry Draft is being held at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas from June 22nd-23rd.
Draft lottery results (a synopsis): Carolina leaped into a top-three pick, as did Montreal, while Ottawa fell from second to fourth overall and Arizona fell from third to fifth.
1. Buffalo Sabres –> D Rasmus Dahlin, Frolunda (Sweden)
The Sabres already have a solid group of young forwards, why not add the best player in the draft into the mix? Oh yeah, and he’s a two-way defenseman, so that’ll finally help Buffalo (think back to Tyler Myers‘s rookie season, only much, much better). At 6-foot-2, 181-pounds, Dahlin is the perfect fit on the blueline as someone who can shutdown and get the puck out of the zone.
2. Carolina Hurricanes–> RW Andrei Svechnikov, Barrie (OHL)
The second-best prospect in the draft, Svechnikov’s nothing to feel bad about, especially for the Hurricanes, who, unlike the Sabres, already have a plethora of youth and skill on the back end and will now finally have that missing piece among their forwards. He had 40-32–72 totals in 44 games with the Barrie Colts– in just his first season of Junior hockey.
3. Montreal Canadiens–> LW Brady Tkachuk, Boston University (H-East)
Tkachuk is big and strong. That’s what the Canadiens have been trying to add, but not in the right way the last few seasons. They’ve got their guy in Tkachuk, though, he’s intense, gritty and, more importantly, has scoring ability. Something Montreal has lacked for a year or two– and desperately needs in an ever-evolving speed and skill game.
4. Ottawa Senators–> RW Filip Zadina, Halifax (QMJHL)
One of the most dynamic goal scorers and underrated players, Zadina could go in the top-three, but falls into Ottawa’s lap as the perfect fit. He had 44 goals in 57 games for the Halifax Mooseheads– who just keep churning out quality player after player, year-to-year.
5. Arizona Coyotes–> RW Oliver Wahlstrom, USA U-18 (USNTDP)
A lot of experts have Wahlstrom falling somewhere near 10th overall. I’m no expert, but I do believe he’s a bit better than that. After all, Wahlstrom had 47 goals in 60 games this season and only has more room to grow with the youth infused Coyotes. He’ll fit in with his hands and scoring prowess.
6. Detroit Red Wings–> D Quintin Hughes, Michigan (BIG10)
Detroit has a need for a good, young defender and Hughes fits that bill. Torey Krug is the player that comes to mind when watching Hughes control the game. Did I mention he’s got a hard, accurate, shot like Krug too?
7. Vancouver Canucks–> D Evan Bouchard, London (OHL)
Losing the Sedins to retirement hurts a bit less when you add one of the best new-age defenders that put up 25-62–87 totals in 67 games for the London Knights this season. Bouchard should make Vancouver better at transitioning the puck up ice and getting it to their core players, like Bo Horvat and Brock Boeser.
8. Chicago Blackhawks–> D Adam Boqvist, Brynas (SWE-JR)
Chicago is rather depleted on the blueline since they lost Trevor van Riemsdyk in the Vegas expansion draft. They’ve also got an aging problem, with Duncan Keith (34) and Brent Seabrook (33) signed for a long time. With proper development, Boqvist should come into his own and start carrying the Blackhawks defense in due time.
9. New York Rangers–> C Rasmus Kupari, Karpat (Finland)
The first of three first round picks, the Rangers can’t go wrong selecting the best Finnish forward in the draft. With Ryan Spooner as a pending-RFA and more to sort out this offseason, New York’s looking to make smart picks in both the now and down the road. A 6-foot-1, 183-pound center isn’t the worst place to start as they continue to transition their game with the likes of Lias Andersson, Spooner and Vladislav Namestnikov.
10. Edmonton Oilers–> D Noah Dobson, Acadie-Bathurst (QMJHL)
Peter Chiarelli wants a young defenseman that can get pucks up the ice to Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl instead of having to over rely on Kris Russell to block shots. Thankfully, Dobson can be that defenseman without the Oilers having to work a potential trade with that other team in Alberta for Dougie Hamilton.
11. New York Islanders–> C/LW Isac Lundestrom, Lulea (Sweden)
In the first of back-to-back picks, the Islanders look to round-out a group of young forwards that can develop and work together.
12. New York Islanders (via Calgary Flames)–> LW Joel Farabee, USA U-18 (USNTDP)
That’s where Farabee can become the winger to Lundestrom’s line someday or something, I’m sure. New York is too busy trying to re-sign John Tavares right now, probably.
13. Dallas Stars–> D Ty Smith, Spokane (WHL)
Whoever ends up as the new head coach in Dallas should have no problem making that offense work. It seems like the Stars could get away with highway robbery, having Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin and Alexander Radulov on the same line, if they could just get things going. Having said that, Smith adds to the transition game that’s already pretty strong (and reliant) on John Klingberg.
14. Philadelphia Flyers (via St. Louis Blues)–> D Bode Wilde, USA U-18 (USNTDP)
An underrated defender, Wilde, should become a decent top-four blueliner in an already stacked group of young players for the Flyers. Now if only they could finally do something about that goaltending…
15. Florida Panthers–> C Barrett Hayton, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)
Hayton had 21 goals and 39 assists (60 points) in 63 games for the Greyhounds this season and should help the Panthers ease the loss of Reilly Smith and Jonathan Marchessault to the Golden Knights last June. The only problem might be that Hayton could need a year or two, but it’s a gain, nonetheless as he’s one of the “best available” picks that slides a bit and lands in Florida’s lap.
16. Colorado Avalanche–> C Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Assat (Finland)
Colorado makes out with a pretty safe pick that can take his time to develop for a year while the Avalanche continue to make some noise in the Central Division that, after Winnipeg and Nashville, looks like it’s anyone’s game.
17. New Jersey Devils–> C Joseph Veleno, Drummondville (QMJHL)
Veleno shouldn’t be overlooked as he had 22-57–79 totals in 64 games for Drummondville this season. Thankfully the Devils know talent when they see it and can continue transitioning to a youthful roster that’ll compliment Nico Hischier and Taylor Hall pretty well.
18. Columbus Blue Jackets–> C Jack McBain, Toronto (OJHL)
The Blue Jackets take a risk that’s worth it in a couple of years, focusing on a playmaker that should fit the likes of Artemi Panarin and Co. pretty well in front of The Fifth Line at Nationwide Arena.
19. Philadelphia Flyers–> LW Girgori Denisenko, Yaroslavl 2 (Russia)
Whereas the Flyers went with a defender for their first pick in the first round, they should opt for a forward five picks later. Denisenko is crafty and should really come into his own in two-to-three years.
20. Los Angeles Kings–> RW Serron Noel, Oshawa (OHL)
No doubts about it, Noel is the prototypical power-forward that fits the Kings well. The 6-foot-5, 205-pound right-winger just might fall far enough for Los Angeles’s taking. His offensive skills add to the emergence of youth in Hollywood that’s bound to regain control of the Pacific.
21. San Jose Sharks–> D Jared McIsaac, Halifax (QMJHL)
22. Ottawa Senators (via Pittsburgh Penguins)–> D Ryan Merkley, Guelph (OHL)
23. Anaheim Ducks–> C Benoit-Olivier Groulx, Halifax (QMJHL)
24. Minnesota Wild–> D Rasmus Sandin, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)
25. Toronto Maple Leafs–> RW Akil Thomas, Niagara (OHL)
26. Washington Capitals–> D Mattias Samuelsson, USA U-18 (USNTDP)
27. Detroit Red Wings (via Vegas Golden Knights)–> C/LW Filip Hallander, Timra (Sweden)
28. New York Rangers (via Boston Bruins)–> D Adam Ginning, Linköping (SHL)
29. New York Rangers (via Tampa Bay Lightning)–> C/LW Ryan McLeod, Mississauga (OHL)
30. St. Louis Blues (via Winnipeg Jets)–> C David Gustafsson, HV71 (SHL)
31. Chicago Blackhawks (via Nashville Predators)–> D Alexander Alexeyev, Red Deer (WHL)
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