2021 NHL Entry Draft - Round 1: July 23 (8 p.m. ET; ESPN2, SN, SN NOW, TVA Sports)

[DryIslandBartender]

I'm down for Guenther, if plays out like this. Current, updated MyNhlDraft. I like Lucius at 8, but Guenther even more. I see one or either Wallstedt or Edvinsson dropping.
You never know what Yzerman will do...maybe he goes for Wallstedt.

2021 NHL Mock Draft | 2021 NHL Draft | NHL Draft

1 Buffalo
Owen Power
Ht/Wt:6' 5"/214 lbs
Position:LHD
Team: U. of Michigan (NCAA)

2 Seattle
Matthew Beniers
Ht/Wt:6' 1"/174 lbs
Position:C/LW
Team: U. of Michigan (NCAA)

3 Anaheim
Luke Hughes
Ht/Wt:6' 2"/176 lbs
Position:LHD
Team: US NTDP

4 New Jersey
Simon Edvinsson
Ht/Wt:6' 4"/198 lbs
Position:LHD
Team: Frolunda (SHL)

5 Columbus
William Eklund
Ht/Wt:5'10"/176 lbs
Position:C/LW
Team: Djargarden IF (SHL)

6 Detroit
Jesper Wallstedt
Ht/Wt:6' 3"/214 lbs
Position:G
Team: Lulea HF (SHL)

7 Sharts
Brandt Clarke
Ht/Wt:6' 2"/185 lbs
Position:RHD
Team: HC Nove Zamky (SVK)

8 Los Angeles
Dylan Guenther
Ht/Wt:6' 1"/175 lbs
Position:RW
Team: Edmonton (WHL)

Hockeybuzz will be hyping Eklund.

 

[Peter James Bond III]

I feel like the only LHD that will fall will be Edvinsson and he's just a total wild card imo

Edit: or swing at Lambos

Maybe Lambos is not a reach at #8. A few publications have him top 10. One has him #2 overall and one at #3 overall.
Then again, the one that has him #2, has Beniers at #18. So, really whack. He may well be worthy of #8 overall. Who knows.

Carson Lambos at eliteprospects.com

 

[kingsboy11]

Just happy we didn't move down. Seemed like the past couple of years a bunch of teams that just missed out on the playoffs were able to win the lottery so it's to not see a whole lot of movement.

Of the guys who could be available, I don't know. I like Guenter and Clarke, but I think everyone else in that range all have their own drawbacks. In the past couple of years we've seen teams make a run on defenseman like in Turcottes draft year, I'm wondering if we could see the opposite and see a run on forwards potentially and we could see a defenseman drop.

As for trading the pick I could see that happening, but Yannetti have said its nearly impossible to trade within the first round now, maybe it'll be different this year because of covid and maybe not all of the teams got a good look at certain players.

 

[Herby]

Actually worst spot in draft, feels bad


Kings will likely have a lhd fall into their laps, which I feel is their biggest need. Or they could go skill in guenther/kj

Stop. You are in a way better spot than the Kings if you trust your scouts. This is an unusual draft for a couple of reasons but you're still going to have the chance to draft a bigger fish than the Kings will.

Hughes or Edvinson you stick with Drysdale for the next dozen years.
Beniers you have a championship caliber 2C to play behind Zegras.
Reach for Guenther and you still have a natural goal-scorer to pair with your center with off the charts vision.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

 

[Zegs2sendhelp]

Stop. You are in a way better spot than the Kings if you trust your scouts. This is an unusual draft for a couple of reasons but you're still going to have the chance to draft a bigger fish than the Kings will.

Hughes or Edvinson you stick with Drysdale for the next dozen years.
Beniers you have a championship caliber 2C to play behind Zegras.
Reach for Guenther and you still have a natural goal-scorer to pair with your center with off the charts vision.

I kinda like eklund a lot personally... but ya I see all those scenarios as good... I think on ducks boards we have it down to

eklund Hughes Clarke(assuming beniers is gone) few like guenther . It’ll be interesting draft for us. Def need to nail the pick whoever we end up going with

 

[Schrute farms]

Hughes to Kings at 8 - yes please (make it happen Button boy!)

 

[Bandit]

Hughes to Kings at 8 - yes please (make it happen Button boy!)

Has Button ever been right about anything? Not sure the guy could spell his own name correctly.

 

[Herby]

Has Button ever been right about anything? Not sure the guy could spell his own name correctly.

His prospect and draft rankings have been stronger than most of the other "experts"

Not very good when it comes to roster construction or trade evaluations. TSN has him in the right role.

 

[Steve Zissou]

This is from Bob's McKenzie's 2021 NHL Mid-Season Draft Ranking Show back in April.

 

[Mats26]

Habs have O D-men that were drafted by them in the lineup for the playoffs. Team is built around a goalie and trades(many trades).

 

[Reclamation Project]

I feel like the only LHD that will fall will be Edvinsson and he's just a total wild card imo

Edit: or swing at Lambos

Kings need a Lambo!

 

[Ray Martyniuk]

Has Button ever been right about anything? Not sure the guy could spell his own name correctly.

I remember in 2000 he drafted Brent Krahn in the first round

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

Kings need a Lambo!

I’ll take the gal.

 

[Lt Dan]

This is from Bob's McKenzie's 2021 NHL Mid-Season Draft Ranking Show back in April.

Ok draft gurus. What do you know about these guys?
Who would you pick? And who do you think we will pick?

 

[King'sPawn]

Ok draft gurus. What do you know about these guys?
Who would you pick? And who do you think we will pick?

They are hockey players. I would pick one of them. So will the Kings.

On a serious note, I'll try to provide some thoughts.

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

I know next to nothing about Eklund because he always seemed to be in that range we couldn't touch, haha.

 

[Steve Zissou]

Ok draft gurus. What do you know about these guys?
Who would you pick? And who do you think we will pick?

The cards may get reshuffled in the deck depending on who Detroit takes at 6.

They are the new wild card with Yzerman at the helm.

I'd love to see the BPA at 8 is NOT solely a C.

Also depends on where Wallstedt goes. If he's there at 8 I'd be a bit intrigued.

 

[Reclamation Project]

I know next to nothing about Eklund because he always seemed to be in that range we couldn't touch, haha.

Hoping he goes fifth overall...


e5

 

[Herby]

The cards may get reshuffled in the deck depending on who Detroit takes at 6.

They are the new wild card with Yzerman at the helm.

I'd love to see the BPA at 8 is NOT solely a C.

Also depends on where Wallstedt goes. If he's there at 8 I'd be a bit intrigued.

Goalie is tempting, because just as with LD and goal-scoring the Kings could use some improvement in goal in the system. But is it worth passing up a left D or a goal-scoring winger for a goalie at #8?

Hell, who are we kidding, Blake is going to pull a Matt Millen and take another center.

 

[kingsfan28]

8th it is then...

At least the Rangers,Hawks and whoever didn't move up 12 spots and take the top pick. The ducks and sharks don't get the top pick either so it's not all bad drafting 8th.

 

[funky]

After watching the scouching guy's reports on Johnson and Edvinsson, I hope the Kings do not draft either....this guy does a 10 game sample of each prospect (does a few each week)
and it's not the end all, be all, but they are pretty revealing in some of the metrics he presents

I was really hoping for him as well until I watched that report. Doesn’t seem to use teammates well and skates himself into trouble a lot.

really hoping for Guenther to pair with Byfield

 

[KingsOfCali25]

8th is not bad. Hopefully 1 of the dman will fall to us but I see it more as either getting a winger, center, goalie or moving back for a dman.

1) BUF = Power
2) SEA = Beniers
3) ANA = Guenther
4) NJ = Hughes
5) CBJ = Clarke
6) DET = Edvinsson
7) SJ = Eklund
8) LA = Johnson

I think a trade with Columbus would be perfect...

#8OA + Vilardi + Walker + Clague + 2nd 2022 for Werenski + Laine + TOR 1st

Edit: #8, Vilardi, Walker for Werenski, TOR 1st

Clague + 2nd for Laine

 

[ru4reals]

Kings need a Lambo!

Wait there's a Lambo in this pic?

 

[Raccoon Jesus]

Goalie is tempting, because just as with LD and goal-scoring the Kings could use some improvement in goal in the system. But is it worth passing up a left D or a goal-scoring winger for a goalie at #8?

Hell, who are we kidding, Blake is going to pull a Matt Millen and take another center.

It's possible in this draft more than other recent ones I think depending on what you think the ceiling of the available players is.

If you don't think the remaining players are more than a 2C/3D, why not take a 1G? It's not like we're short on the previous.