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

[LAKings88]

I'd be mildly surprised if Detroit passed on Hughes for Wallstedt. Button didn't go beyond the lottery teams in the mock, but Detroit also has Washington's first rounder (currently 24th, could end up as high and 22nd). Could see a scenario where they trade up from that spot to get Sebastian Cossa, granted Cossa could go in the top 15.

I always take Button with a bag of salt honestly. Strange things can always happen tho. Especially this year.

 

[kilowatt]

Michigan Mock: Button has Power to Sabres; Beniers to Seattle, Johnson a Canuck

Has Hughes at 8 to LA.

Button also has "Chad Lucious" to New York at 15; Button is an idiot.

But man, I'd love it if Hughes fell to us. He could end up the best of the three brothers.

 

[kingsfan28]

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

Oh boy....

 

[DoktorJeep]

I have no idea about any of these players after Power, so I’ll wait till after the draft is done to look at the picks. If I was picking a strategy for the Kings at the 8 spot, I would stick with best and youngest point producer available. Ignore issues with size or intangibles, but avoid the KHL eligibles. Tons of teams are kicking themselves for not taking Caulfield before 15 from two years ago. So maybe a Kaliyev type stretch move, just in the top 8.

Going off the board is risky if it is an unknown or someone who didn’t put up numbers at every level their first or second year. But if they pick some character guy over a talented guy who isn’t a captain or 200 foot player, it’ll be a waste IMO.

 

[johnjm22]

I can't see the Devils passing on Hughes at #4. It shouldn't matter that he's Jack's brother, but it does.

I think trading up or down in the top 10 is more realistic this year than in most years. If the Kings want Luke, they'd have to figure out a swap with Anaheim. Yuck.

 

[Mats26]

Remember when we wanted Byram at 5, so did the Kings. No way Hughes gets to 8.
If we want a D send Seattle Turcotte for the #2

 

[kilowatt]

Remember when we wanted Byram at 5, so did the Kings. No way Hughes gets to 8.
If we want a D send Seattle Turcotte for the #2

What else are we going to send them?

 

[Peter James Bond II]

I still see these 6 gone before the Kings pick: Power, Hughes, Beniers, Guenther, Ecklund, Clarke.

Then that leaves: Edvinsson, Johnson, MacTavish, Lucius, Stillman, Wallstedt, Lysell, Coronato, Lambos, Othmann, Ceulemans - that will all go between 7-20 and a few wildcard.
It just depends on what teams want and how they rank them.

 

[Mats26]

What else are we going to send them?

Clague or another pick.

 

[Ray Martyniuk]

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

Well Buffalo takes Owen Powers followed by Seattle taking Matthew Beniers. Anaslime takes Dylan Guenther with NJersey taking Brandt Clark to fill the shoes of the soon to be departing PK Subban. Columbus takes Luke Hughes,Detroit either Kent Johnson or William Eklund. SJose takes the leftovers and LA targets Simon Edvinsson or Jesper Wallstedt! At this rate the Los Angeles Kings could be become the Tre Kroner Kings...pays homage to Juha Widing,Tomas Sandstrom and Mattias Norstrom

 

[Ray Martyniuk]

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

I think the Kings would have to pony up quite a bit more

 

[Ray Martyniuk]

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.

In 2007(P Kane) and again in 2020(A Lafreniere) the Draft was heavily rigged for the Big centers(Chicago and NY) to get their man

 

[raswilliam]

2021 NHL Mock Draft: Post-Lottery Edition (Round 1) - The Draft Analyst

 

[Sybil227]

I would absolutely love to get Edvinsson. Doubt it happens, though.

 

[Brodeur]

In 2007(P Kane) and again in 2020(A Lafreniere) the Draft was heavily rigged for the Big centers(Chicago and NY) to get their man

So the NHL rigged it in 2004 so that Chicago got leapfrogged for Evgeni Malkin and got Cam Barker instead? It's difficult that some folks can't accept that a lottery that is designed to be random produces random results.

 

[AnThGrt]

Button also has "Chad Lucious" to New York at 15; Button is an idiot.

But man, I'd love it if Hughes fell to us. He could end up the best of the three brothers.

You do realize after Mckenzie he has the 2nd best hit rate right? Far from an idiot. His stuff makes me wonder often yet looking over the last numerous years he has done as good or better than anyone not named Mckenzie. Also before you or anyone cherry picks stuff compare the entirety and over a few years to others then get back to me.

It would be convenient to land one of the D yet not stressed if not. Nice to see all scouts and fans here jumping in the Lucius wagon I've been pumping since the start of the year. If the 3 top D are gone and he is there at 8 I'd be ecstatic. Honestly any of the 3 D (Not including Edvinsson) or Berniers, Eklund, McTavish, Johnson, or Lucius and I'm smiling come draft day. Fun too as all 5 of those are different style players yet would not get upset with anyone ranking them in any order.

If there at 8 and we go Edvinsson will not be upset yet I have him closer to 10/early teens with Lambos, Cossa, Sillinger, Coronato, etc. Please do not touch Wallstedt at 8 my only thing. He will be good I believe yet has a bad draft year and overrated imho. He is not Askarov or even Knight. He is good yet not that level and if going goalie rather swing for upside and select Cossa.

 

[SFKingshomer]

Lucius has great hands and a shot but can work in his skating. He’s much better than Vilardi but it’s not a strength of his. He’s deadly from the hash marks in.

 

[Ray Martyniuk]

So the NHL rigged it in 2004 so that Chicago got leapfrogged for Evgeni Malkin and got Cam Barker instead? It's difficult that some folks can't accept that a lottery that is designed to be random produces random results.

Sure the Penguins were on death's door and got Sidney Crosby...nothing to see there right? And the Rangers got the creme de creme in Lafreniere and that doesn't make you suspicious...there is some beach front property I'd like to sell you in Arizona

 

[Ray Martyniuk]

I think Power goes #1, so probably scratch him off. But yeah, the Ducks hitting a homerun with this pick for the 3rd straight draft would be pretty tough to handle. Zegras and Beniers up the middle is a nice start, that is the ideal type of role for Beniers to play in the NHL. The Ducks will probably be pretty bad again next season so the worry here is they get another top 1-5 pick next season and start to build something like Colorado has.



Power will not be playing 1st pair in the NHL next season, no chance. They might sign him and he might even play in the league, but he won't be a 1st pairing defender. The evidence is tough to ignore with how much better guys develop with the 2nd year as opposed to leaving early. But with the #1 pick it's tough to not have him in the league, while it is clearly better to have players play two years, the last time a #1 pick didn't play in the NHL in his D+1 was Erik Johnson 15 years ago.

Seattle is going to draft Matthew Beniers period!

 

[kovacro]

Sure the Penguins were on death's door and got Sidney Crosby...nothing to see there right? And the Rangers got the creme de creme in Lafreniere and that doesn't make you suspicious...there is some beach front property I'd like to sell you in Arizona

But then why didn’t the league rig the lottery back in 2015 so Arizona could win the lottery and select McDavid? No need for Edmonton to get him, it’s a solid hockey market. Arizona has been a constant issue.

 

[Brodeur]

Sure the Penguins were on death's door and got Sidney Crosby...nothing to see there right? And the Rangers got the creme de creme in Lafreniere and that doesn't make you suspicious...there is some beach front property I'd like to sell you in Arizona

So by your logic, the league is going to rig the lottery for:

A) A small market team who needs a draw
B) A big market team

It's almost like you can retroactively say every lottery winner fits in one of those two buckets. The league must have rigged it in 1995 for the Kings so they could get Aki Berg!

 

[King'sPawn]

If I don't have people blocked already, anyone who yammers on about the "rigged" lottery is an instant ignore from me.

 

[kovacro]

So by your logic, the league is going to rig the lottery for:

A) A small market team who needs a draw
B) A big market team

It's almost like you can retroactively say every lottery winner fits in one of those two buckets. The league must have rigged it in 1995 for the Kings so they could get Aki Berg!

The fix is in!

Just like when the Knicks won the draft lottery and had the right to select Patrick Ewing back in the day.

 

[Ray Martyniuk]

But then why didn’t the league rig the lottery back in 2015 so Arizona could win the lottery and select McDavid? No need for Edmonton to get him, it’s a solid hockey market. Arizona has been a constant issue.

Cause Arizona is a hopeless franchise that's needs moving...they are there to try to produce American hockey players and grow the game

 

[Ray Martyniuk]

So by your logic, the league is going to rig the lottery for:

A) A small market team who needs a draw
B) A big market team

It's almost like you can retroactively say every lottery winner fits in one of those two buckets. The league must have rigged it in 1995 for the Kings so they could get Aki Berg!

So what with Berg! LA missed handled him badly should have sent him back for 2 years maybe 3 years