7 round mock draft w/ descriptions

[bdn00707]

Welcome to my 7 round mock draft. It's a very long read below. I tried my best at describing what I think of players and how they fit. I am open to any critiques of players or what possible picks make more sense. Please comment below! Obviously, i'm not a professional so all of these are purely my opinion. In total I have 23 goalies being drafted and the following number of players from each nation. (Canada: 82, USA: 43, Russia: 25, Sweden: 24, Finland: 21, Czech Republic: 14, Switzerland: 4, Slovakia: 4, Belarus: 3, Norway: 2, Latvia: 2 and lastly Slovenia: 1). Thanks for reading.

FIRST ROUND

1. San Jose Sharks
   Macklin Celebrini
   C 6’0” 190 lbs NCAA Boston University
   -Clear cut top pick. Great two way center with elite skills off the rush. Youngest to ever win the Hobey Baker. Sharks turbo charge there rebuild with a stud no. 1 center.

1. Chicago Blackhawks
   Ivan Demidov
   RW 5’11” 168 lbs MHL SKA St. Petersburg
   -This is where the draft actually starts. The Hawks have to decide between Demidov or Levshunov. They go with Demidov. He is the most creative player in the draft. Has the puck on a string and shows great playmaking instincts. The second best forward in this draft, Chicago adds an impressive Russian forward who will make the players around him better. Demidov and Bedard make an impressive duo.
   
   
2. Anaheim Ducks
   Artyom Levshunov
   RHD 6’2” 209 lbs NCAA Michigan State
   -Top RHD this year. Shows all the tools and potential to be a top defenseman. Offensively gifted and has shown tremendous growth year over year. Has ideal NHL size and skating. Needs a bit more seasoning defensively/decision making but the Ducks would be fine with that.

1. Columbus Blue Jackets
   Anton Silayev
   LHD 6’7” 207 lbs KHL Torpedo
   -This pick is the wild card in the early going. I have Columbus taking a big swing and going for the large Russian. A growing Russian contingent in the organization makes this selection easier. Hard to go wrong with the powerful Silayev. He has the highest ceiling of the LHD and will be a fantastic prospect to watch. He is all you can ask for defensively however the offensive game is where questions arise. He can play both sides and they add another mutant to there back end.
   
   
2. Montreal Canadiens
   Cayden Lindstrom
   C 6’4” 216 lbs WHL Medicine Hat
   -Canadiens would like a forward as they have many young defenseman in the pool. Montreal goes with the physically imposing Lindstrom. 6'4" tank with great hands. Moves well for his size but needs to continue to improve his skating. He has injury concerns and also benefited from having fantastic linemates (Mckenna (2025) and Basha)
   
   
3. Utah
   Sam Dickinson
   LHD 6’3” 194 lbs OHL London Knights
   -Safest projection outside of Celebrini. Looks to be a surefire bet to be a top 4 D at the next level. Fantastic skater and uses his edges to separate from forwards. Great, hard shot as well. Jack of all trades and will be a dependable player in the future. Clutch performer when it is required. Utah tries to bank on a sure thing with the first pick of the (relocated) franchise’s history.
   
   
4. Ottawa Senators
   Zayne Parekh
   RHD 6’0” 181 lbs OHL Saginaw
   -Sens are looking for a RHD. Parekh is an offensive dynamo who is putting up astronomical point totals. Will be a playmaker from the back end but could use some more coaching in his own zone. Could be Erik Karlsson fever in Ottawa again.

1. Seattle Kraken
   Zeev Buium
   LHD 6’0” 183 lbs NCAA Denver
   -Could end up being the top defenseman of the draft. The quality of the defenseman really shows by the drop by Buium. He has great instincts and rises to the occasion. A sublime skater and drives offense from the back end. Was a strong performer for team USA at WJC and Denver in the NCAA Frozen Four. Seems to be a winner at every level. Seattle finally spends a top pick on a defender.
   
   
2. Calgary Flames
   Tij Iginla
   W/C 6’0” 185 WHL Kelowna
   -CGY needs to rebuild. Would you look at that the son of a franchise legend is there for the taking. The younger Iginla plays with a fiery style and is a great playmaker. Scores goals in bunches and has had a crazy rise this past year. Flames fans will love this pick.
   
   
3. New Jersey Devils
   Konsta Helenius
   RW/C 5’11” 181 lbs Liiga Jukurit
   -The Devils go with a NHL ready forward. Helenius has been playing extremely well against men and projects as a solid two way forward. Uses his intelligence to perform offensively and is no slouch in the defensive end. Will probably shift to center in the future. No major standout attributes but will be a great complimentary piece in the NHL.
   
   
4. Buffalo Sabres
   Carter Yakemchuk
   RHD 6’3” 194 lbs WHL Calgary
   -Yakemchuk is skilled, mean and has exciting potential as a bona fide top pair defenseman. He has a cannon of a shot from the point and is a one man highlight reel. He is mocked all over the place as the raw talent is definitely there just needs to be coached out. Buffalo has a loaded pipeline and RHD is the only spot where they could use some premier talent.
   
   
5. Philadelphia Flyers
   Berkly Catton
   C/W 5’11” 163 lbs WHL Spokane
   -Philly scoops up a top forward that slips out of the top 10. Similar to Benson last year, Catton is a super skilled, smaller forward who is a modern playmaker in today's game. Catton can play center and wing as Philadelphia will be overjoyed with this pick.
   
   
6. Minnesota Wild
   Cole Eiserman
   LW 6’0” 196 lbs NTDP
   -Wild go with the top goalscorer in the draft. Broke Caufield’s goal record for the US development program. Crazy release on his shot and instincts. I think this is still a steal as his two way play and skating concerns are a bit overblown. There is nothing wrong with a sniper who scores goals at a crazy rate.
   
   
7. San Jose Sharks
   Michael Brandsegg-Nygard
   RW 6’1” 198 lbs HockeyAllsvenskan Mora IK
   -Sharks add to Celebrini with Nygard. Super cool to see more and more countries produce top prospects. MBN is another two way forward that doesn't shy from the physical side of the game. He has a fantastic shot and leadership abilities as he is far and away the best Norwegian prospect in recent memory.
   
   
8. Detroit Red Wings
   Beckett Sennecke
   RW 6’2” 181 lbs OHL Oshawa
   -A large forward who hit a growth spurt and has started performing to his potential. Has legit skill and smarts and will be a fantastic player to watch. Has improved in every zone of the ice this season. A huge playoff performance will see him rise up draft boards.
   
   
9. St. Louis Blues
   Adam Jiricek
   RHD 6’2” 170 lbs Czech HC Plzen
   -Blues need defenders and are happy Jiricek slips to them. There are concerns over his injuries and general play in Czechia at the beginning of the year. Wiping out this crucial year in his development is a major bummer but he is still an exciting potential top rhd. Great shot, skating and positioning it is easy to see the similarities to his brother David (CBJ prospect)
   
   
10. Washington Capitals
    Liam Greentree
    RW 6’2” 198 lbs OHL Windsor
    -Washington adds the big, power forward Greentree. He was basically a one man show on a poor Windsor team. Has a nhl ready shot and strong compete level where he likes to throw the body around. Needs to improve his poor skating to have a major role in the show.
    
    
11. Chicago Blackhawks
    Igor Chernyshov
    LW 6’3” 196 lbs MHL MHK Dynamo Moskva
    -Russian power winger. Excellent two way player who loves to drive the net off the rush. Makes the right decision more often than not with the puck on his stick coming up the ice. Pro style game and he adds some more dynamism to the Blackhawks forward line.
    
    
12. Vegas Golden Knights
    Sacha Boisvert
    C 6’2” 179 lbs USHL Muskegon
    -Big center who projects as a mid line center. Not a great skater but plays a strong two way game and uses his size to bully opponents. BPA here as the Knights almost always select a center in the first round.
    
    
13. New York Islanders
    Trevor Connelly
    LW 6’1” 161 lbs USHL Tri-City
    -Slick skating playmaker that would look right at home in a new look Islanders offense. Relies on his fantastic edgework and acceleration to be a menace off the rush. Pure offense and I believe still will be drafted highly even with his off ice concerns.
    
    
14. Los Angeles Kings
    Andrew Basha
    LW 6’0 185 lbs WHL Medicine Hat
    -Speedy winger and strong puck carrier through the neutral zone. One of the fastest skaters in the draft. Fantastic vision and would fit right in with the future Kings forwards. Provides future depth scoring for LA.
    
    
15. Nashville Predators
    Michael Hage
    C 6’1” 190 USHL Chicago
    -Skilled center. Great pick in this range as he has exciting potential with his offensive vision and off puck skills. Excellent at spacing with his linemates to maximize his offensive game. Will drop a bit due to his past injury. Preds take the gamble.

1. Toronto Maple Leafs
   Charlie Elick
   RHD 6’3” 198 lbs WHL Brandon
   -Physical defenseman who is a strong skater from back to front. Steady in his own zone he will not be expected to put up a lot of points. Toronto could use his physicality along the boards but he still possesses a solid range of passing out from the back.
   
   
2. Colorado Avalanche
   Jett Luchanko
   C 5’11” 183 lbs OHL Guelph
   -One of the younger players in this class. Jett is a fantastic skater who brings a balanced game to the forward line. Can play Center and Wing and has strong offensive instincts. Won't be a star but will be a great value player for the Avs. His high floor looks to be an effective bottom 6 forward.
   
   
3. Ottawa Senators
   Teddy Stiga
   LW 5’10” 176 lbs USDP
   -Well-rounded player that brings strong analytics. A natural play driver that allow teammates to flourish. Stiga is a bit undersized but has a strong two way game and experience in various roles. Has a strong defensive game and the only thing holding him back is his size. Performed well at the U18s for the USA.
   
   
4. Montreal Canadiens
   Cole Beaudoin
   C 6’2” 201 lbs OHL Barrie
   -Size and versatility. Habs get another forward that fits exactly what they're looking for. Beaudoin can do a bit of everything. Strong compete level and showed very well at the U18s.
   
   
5. Carolina Hurricanes
   Emil Hemming
   RW 6’2” 194 lbs Liiga TPS
   -Strong forward with an excellent shot but he doesn't use it enough. He plays a power game and has a scorer’s mentality that could be executed on more. Hemming displays high attacking instincts and positioning when he has the time and space. Has consistency issues but still is a high floor prospect. Has played in a men’s league all year so the points are a bit down. Always willing to help on the backcheck.
   
   
6. Calgary Flames
   EJ Emery
   RHD 6’3” 185 USDP
   -Flames add a rising prospect in Emery to fill there RHD spot. Emery is pure defense with miniscule offensive output so far. Plays physical and has great gap and stick control on opposing forwards. If Calgary can coax some offensive production out of him he will be a stud.
   
   
7. Dallas Stars
   Terik Parascak
   RW 5’11” 179 lbs WHL Prince George
   -Complimentary scorer who scored points in bunches. Plays in all situations and is a fluid skater. Stars look to select the best forward they can and get a steal as Parascak falls late in the first round. Stars love to draft high potential forwards from the CHL.
   
   
8. New York Rangers
   Cole Hutson
   LHD 5’10” 159 lbs USDP
   -Looks like he is trending towards a first round pick especially with the recent success of his brother. Small defenseman could be another puck moving savant who ends up flourishing in the NHL. Still a long time till he's strong enough for the big leagues. Wide range of outcomes could be picked in the 1st round or all the way late in the 2nd. Rangers continue to draft from the US program where they’ve had recent success.

1. Philadelphia Flyers
   Stian Solberg
   LHD 6’2” 201 lbs Norway Valerenga
   -Norway's top defender and caps a banner day for Norway. A big, physical minute muncher in Norway's top league as well as national team. Has been steadily rising all year and has had a great end to the season. Starting to add some snarl to his game as well. Performed great in the World Championships but the only concerns would be the competition of the league he plays in.
   
   
2. Anaheim Ducks
   Ryder Ritchie
   RW 6’0” 174 lbs WHL Prince Albert
   -Was considered a surefire 1st round prospect but injuries hampered his season so could slip into the second. Had a strong U18s which could boost his stock once again. Skilled scorer who fits well with great teammates internationally. Creative on the puck. Great sign for the Ducks prospect pool.
   

SECOND ROUND

1. San Jose Sharks
   Henry Mews
   RHD 6’0” 185 lbs OHL Ottawa
   -Modern, playmaking RHD. Uses his skating and strong vision to bring the best out of his teammates. Sharks desperately need a strong RHD for there prospect pool and get a good one early in the second.
   
   
2. Chicago Blackhawks
   Dominik Badinka
   RHD 6’3” 190 lbs J20 Malmo
   -Blackhawks address the defense after selecting two impact forwards. Badinka has the size and skating to be an impact defenseman. Czech player who is performing in the SHL. Badinka has improved in multiple leagues and has made himself an intriguing prospect.
   
   
3. Anaheim Ducks
   Maxim Masse
   RW 6’1” 181 lbs QMJHL Chicoutimi
   -Ducks add another RW and fill there pool needs. Masse is a complete player. He can work in front of the net on the powerplay or perform on the penalty kill. Could go higher as I'm sure GMs will love his total package. Needs to work on his skating like many prospects around this spot in the draft.
   
   
4. Philadelphia Flyers
   Yegor Surin
   C/RW 6’1” 192 lbs MHL Loko Yaroslavl
   -Good skater and shows enough skill to play the flank on the power play. Big game player. Extremely physical and a pest on the ice. Plays like Marchand but needs to reign it in more because he costs his team with needless penalties. Flyers continue to stockpile centers.
   
   
5. Winnipeg Jets
   Leo Sahlin Wallenius
   LHD 6’0” 183 lbs J20 Vaxjo Lakers
   -The first Swede off the board as they don’t have a particularly strong class this year. LSW is a strong puck moving defenseman. Great first pass and transporter of the puck. Can play physically but needs to improve in the defensive zone with his decision making. The Jets add a first round talent that slips as they continue to build a promising blue line.
   
   
6. Utah
   Dean Letourneau
   C 6’7” 209 lbs U18 AAA St. Andrew’s College
   -Unicorn of a player. A 6'7" center still playing high school hockey so a lot of development still to go. If Utah is patient he could become a star. Remains to be seen how much of his size is an advantage at youth levels. Plus skater for his size which helps his projection.

1. Ottawa Senators
   Nikita Artamonov
   RW/LW 5’11” 187 lbs KHL Torpedo
   -Smallish winger who brings a lot of skill and awareness to the table. Closer to NHL ready than a lot of the forwards in this class. He performed well in the KHL and should be able to improve his numbers next year. Sens take a bet that his skill shows next year as he asserts himself more in his D+1 year.

1. Seattle Kraken
   Kamil Bednarik
   C 6’0” 185 lbs USDP
   -Hard-working two way center. Extremely well rounded with no standout strengths but no weaknesses either. He uses his smarts and hockey IQ to impact the play around him. Already has a high floor. Probably won't become a superstar but will be a very good secondary scorer somewhere.
   
   
2. Calgary Flames
   Linus Eriksson
   C 6’0” 185 lbs J20 Djurgardens IF
   -Eriksson has been getting some first round buzz as a pro style center with strong intelligence and two way game. Great puck transporter and sees the ice well. More of a facilitator than a finisher. He looks to be a strong, bottom 6 center in the future.

1. San Jose Sharks
   Harrison Brunicke
   RHD 6’3” 187 lbs WHL Kamloops
   -Sharks double dip on RHD in the second round. Brunicke is an excellent prospect from South Africa. High potential but is still a raw defender. Plays well for Canada and plays a pro style game with strong mobility and positioning. Offensive game could use some growth but that can be coached into him.
   
   
2. Buffalo Sabres
   Matvei Gridin
   W 6’1” 185 lbs USHL Muskegon
   -Quick release who can beat goalies clean from distance. Needs to be more consistent but is starting to turn heads. Playing at Michigan will only help him improve. Some rumblings that he is a first round talent. Projectable scorer in the NHL.
   
   
3. Pittsburgh Penguins
   Aron Kiviharju
   LHD 5’10” 172 lbs Liiga HIFK
   -Size concerns will make him drop. Seems to be a bit forgotten as many have not seen him play this year. A supremely talented puck moving defenseman who was once considered one of the top prospects in his draft class. Pittsburgh will be excited about landing a premier player here.
   
   
4. Minnesota Wild
   Alfons Freij
   LHD 6’1” 196 lbs J20 Vaxjo Lakers
   -Offensive defenseman that leans pass heavy and joining off the rush. Late season riser. Freij likes to roam and walk the line in the offensive zone. Would look great commanding a powerplay.
   
   
5. Pittsburgh Penguins
   John Mustard
   LW 6’0” 185 lbs USHL Waterloo
   -More of a shooter. Can play up and down the lineup with skill and pace of play. Flies up and down the ice but gets a bit of tunnel vision as his brain can't keep up with his legs. Can play a physical game if required. Big potential here.

1. Detroit Red Wings
   Lucas Pettersson
   C 5’11” 172 lbs J20 MoDo Hockey
   -Well rounded two way center. Quick skater and shows solid decision making in all phases of the game. Shows patience as he waits for plays to develop. Could sneak into the first round.
   
   
2. St. Louis Blues
   Matvei Shuravin
   LHD 6’2” 172 MHL Krasnaya Armiya
   -Defenders performing in the KHL as teenagers will always get some attention. Shuravin plays a simple game which is what you want out of a young defender. If he reaches his potential he can be a shutdown presence for the Blues.
   
   
3. Utah
   Colton Roberts
   RHD 6’4” 194 lbs WHL Vancouver
   -Roberts is a big RHD who skates well for his size. Plays a spirited game and is surprisingly very mobile in his skates. If he can improve his offensive play, Utah will love his two way potential.
   
   
4. Chicago Blackhawks
   Tanner Howe
   F 5’11” 181 lbs WHL Regina
   -Bedard's former running mate. Howe has impressed again as he has overcome doubts about whether he could perform without the former no. 1 pick. Howe is an energetic scorer that adds depth for the Hawks.
   
   
5. Philadelphia Flyers
   Adam Jecho
   RW 6’5” 201 lbs WHL Edmonton
   -Big bodied Czech forward. Struggled for consistency but the potential is there to be a strong two way forward. Needs to improve his skating to make an impact. Flyers take a swing on a project player to improve their size up front.
   
   
6. Washington Capitals
   Ben Danford
   RHD 6’0” 176 lbs OHL Oshawa
   -Shutdown defender. Danford plays with a lot of heart, blocking lots of shots on the penalty kill and well as being a physical presence along the boards. Displays sneaky upside on the offensive end.
   
   
7. Nashville Predators
   Jesse Pulkkinen (OA1)
   LHD 6’6” 216 lbs Sm-sarja JYP
   -First overager off the board. Hulking defender who improved in leaps and bounds this year playing in Liiga. Came out of nowhere to shoulder big time minutes for his club. Preds snag a monster European to patrol the back end.
   
   
8. New York Islanders
   Melvin Fernstrom
   RW 6’0” 185 lbs J20 Orebro
   -Wizard on the puck. One of the better finishers in the draft class. Plus level shot and stickhandling in close. Changes direction at pace and conceals his movements well enough to beat defenders. Needs to improve his commitment to playing off the puck.
   
   
9. Nashville Predators
   Julius Miettinen
   C 6’3” 207 lbs WHL Everett
   -Another big center that can be a potential bottom 6 pivot in the NHL. Has a great shot and a power forward type of game. Great skater that shows off deceptive hands when protecting the puck. He can be a shutdown type in the future. Nashville gets a strong center later in the 2nd.
   
   
10. St. Louis Blues
    Brodie Ziemer
    F 5’11” 192 lbs NTDP
    -Well rounded forward who has potential to give more. Strong leadership as he was the captain of the U18s. Good hockey sense and vision around the ice. Always around the puck and making plays.
    
    
11. Montreal Canadiens
    Sam O’Reilly
    W 6’1” 176 lbs OHL London
    -Dependable, structurally sound winger from the London Knights. O’Reilly is a strong support player who wins the majority of his battles along the wall in the offensive zone. Has a non stop motor and shows strong consistency in any role.
    
    
12. Anaheim Ducks
    Will Skahan
    LHD 6’4” 212 lbs NTDP
    -Physical, shutdown defenseman. Big bodied and likes to body check opponents. Could potentially become a two way defender but leans a stay home, shutdown defender. Looks like he lives in the gym. Dad was on the coaching staff of the Ducks so he knows them well.
    
    
13. Nashville Predators
    Marek Vanacker
    LW 6’0” 165 lbs OHL Brantford
    -Adaptable forward that can gel with different teammates. Excellent two way game and always pops up with important contributions. Uses his skill and intelligence to gain the right position on his defender.
    
    
14. Carolina Hurricanes
    Simon Zether
    C 6’3” 187 lbs J20 Rogle
    -Another Swedish center as the second round this year seems to be littered with similar prospects. Zether received minutes in the SHL and has an NHL ready frame. Strong two way game that still needs to grow his offensive capabilities. Leans bottom 6 center.
    
    
15. New York Islanders
    Spencer Gill
    RHD 6’3” 179 lbs QMJHL Rimouski Oceanic
    -Achieves success by knowing his role and sticking to it. Skates well and possesses good enough vision on his outlet passes. Doesn't have the highest ceiling but will be a dependable defender at the next level.
    
    
16. Calgary Flames
    Leon Muggli
    LHD 6’0” 176 lbs NL EV Zug
    -One of the top defenders in his own zone this year. Muggli plays a mature defensive game and is always on top of puck retrievals in his own zone. He plays a shut down role with tough matchups as well as penalty killing minutes. Not much offensive ability he projects as a bottom pair defender in the NHL.
    
    
17. Seattle Kraken
    Carter George
    G 6’1” 196 lbs OHL Owen Sound
    -First goalie off the board and it’s a surprising one. George is supremely talented but lacks size in net. He boasts strong positioning and technical attributes that enable him to succeed. The Kraken hope his pure athletic ability works out in the long run. His consistency is what sets him apart from the other goalie prospects.
    
    
18. Utah
    Luke Misa
    C 5’10” 165 lbs OHL Mississauga
    -One of the fastest players in the draft. Pure upside pick which will surely excite Utah. Likes to hound opponents on the forecheck using his quickness. On the small side which will impact his draft position. Late 2nd round is good value. Look out for his brother as well who is one of the top prospects in the World.
    
    
19. Edmonton Oilers
    Daniil Ustinkov
    LHD 6’1” 201 lbs NL Zurich SC
    -Aggressive defender from Switzerland. Drives up and down the ice while engaging physically the whole time. Ustinkov plays at a fast pace and is one of the youngest players in the draft class. Needs to improve decision making.

THIRD ROUND

1. Anaheim Ducks
   Miguel Marques
   F 5’11” 172 lbs WHL Lethbridge
   -Very talented forward that falls to the third round. Feisty player with strong technical ability around the net. Plays a power game even though he is not very big. Surprisingly wasn’t included on the U18 roster so may fall a bit.
   
   
2. Chicago Blackhawks
   Pavel Moysevich (OA1)
   G 6’5” 176 lbs KHL SKA St. Petersburg
   -Large, overager playing in Russia. Possesses ideal size for a NHL goalie. Moysevich produced strong numbers behind a loaded SKA St. Petersburg team. He has great positioning and reactions but needs to improve his skating side to side.
   
   
3. Anaheim Ducks
   Tomas Lavoie
   RHD 6’4” 225 lbs QMJHL Cape Breton
   -Mammoth RHD out of the Q. Lavoie will be a physical beast at the next level if he can improve his decision making. Can be molded by the Ducks coaching staff into a shutdown defenseman.
   
   
4. Columbus Blue Jackets
   Ilya Nabokov (OA3)
   G 6’1” 180 lbs KHL Magnitogorsk
   -On the small side for a goaltender. Nabokov was undrafted last few years but has impressed this year while graduating to the KHL. Elite athleticism, positioning and does well to square up to shooters. High upside wildcard.
   
   
5. Montreal Canadiens
   Raoul Boilard
   C 6’2” 190 lbs QMJHL Baie-Comeau
   Big center from Montreal’s backyard. The local kid projects as a two-way center with strong defensive numbers. Next season he will be asked to take on a more prominent role.
   
   
6. Utah
   Tomas Galvas
   LHD 5’10” 148 lbs Czech Liberec
   -Small, highly skilled defender with upside at the next level. Already a great passer just needs to improve his positioning and to prove he can handle pro style forwards. Been performing extremely well in the Czech league.
   
   
7. Chicago Blackhawks
   Topias Hynninen
   C 5’10” 164 lbs Liiga Jukurit
   -Works well in the middle of the ice with his wingers and defenders. Solid positioning in both the offensive and defensive ends of the ice. Always seems to be involved in the play which is a good sign for a center. Could be a little more selfish however.
   
   
8. Seattle Kraken
   Adam Kleber
   RHD 6’5” 203 lbs USHL Lincoln
   -6'5" monster, right hand shot. Basically all you need to be a good pick this spot in the draft. Kleber is a projectable player that is starting to blossom with strong puck moving and decision making.
   
   
9. Calgary Flames
   Clarke Caswell
   LW 5’11” 170 lbs WHL Swift Current
   -Slight build but a crafty playmaker with high vision on the ice. One of the best passers. Caswell has been on mock drafts for the past 3 years as he produced points at a high rate and looked great on the puck. Has fallen a little recently due to consistency but still has great potential to be a scorer in the pros. Needs to improve his defensive output to make an impact.
   
   
10. New Jersey Devils
    Eemil Vinni
    G 6’3” 187 lbs Finland Jokipojat
    -Aggressive netminder playing against men in Finland. One of the top European goalie options this year. Speed and lateral ability has been solid but he sometimes struggles tracking the puck and using his body to “swallow” the puck.
    
    
11. Buffalo Sabres
    Maximilian Curran
    C 6’2” 179 lbs WHL Tri-City
    -Versatile Czech forward that can play center and winger. Came over to play in the WHL this year. Plays both the powerplay and the penalty kill and understands how to create offense through his playmaking ability. Strong motor and work ethic. Could see more growth as he continues to learn how to impact the game on North American ice.
    
    
12. Philadelphia Flyers
    Lukas Fischer
    LHD 6’4” 181 lbs OHL Sarnia
    -Son of former Detroit Red Wing, Jiri Fischer. The Flyers bet on his bloodlines and strong work ethic. Excellent size and projects as a shutdown defender at the next level.

1. Montreal Canadiens
   Colin Ralph
   LHD 6’4” 216 lbs High School Shattuck St-Mary’s
   -Very young defender that plays a pro style game. Tantalizing size and skating that shows a lot of runway left to grow. Shows a solid understanding of how to pressure opponents and knock them off their game.
   
   
2. Anaheim Ducks
   Ondrej Kos
   LW 6’2” 167 lbs Finland Jr Ilves Jr.
   -Heavy metal winger that can shield the puck anywhere on the ice. Quick off the blocks but plays a simple game. Needs playmakers around him to thrive and reach his potential.
   
   
3. Detroit Red Wings
   Veeti Vaisanen
   LHD 6’0” 177 lbs Liiga Kookoo
   -Smart defender that is a little too passive to be a top prospect. Uses solid skating and passing to influence play but should be more aggressive to really show his talent. Two way game shows promise and he will be an important player for Finland's youth teams.
   
   
4. St. Louis Blues
   Max Plante
   LW/C 5’11” 170 lbs NTDP
   -Playmaker for the NTDP. Committed to Minnesota-Duluth next year. Manipulates defenders through casual head fakes and twitches of his body. Great passer but will need to improve his skating and strength.
   
   
5. Washington Capitals
   Carson Wetsch
   RW 6’0” 190 lbs WHL Calgary
   -Hard working forward from the WHL. Wetsch has a unique ability to remain consistent throughout the season. He produced 50 pts and was steady all year. Can be physical but is more of a shooter than a playmaker. Needs to add more variety to his game to take the next step.
   
   
6. Washington Capitals
   Luca Marrelli
   RHD 6’2” 179 lbs OHL Oshawa
   -Marrelli is a dependable blueliner who does his job with minimal fuss. Playing a simpler game allows his skilled teammates a chance to be creative and shine. A late season riser he may be well off the board at this point.
   
   
7. Calgary Flames
   Nathan Villeneuve
   C 5’11” 192 lbs OHL Sudbury
   -Pesty, agitator on the ice. Was suspended for social media posts so that could affect his draft stock. Flames would love a tough to play against forward that still performs effectively on both ends of the ice.
   
   
8. San Jose Sharks
   Mikhail Yegorov
   G 6’4” 179 lbs USHL Omaha
   -Another Boston University commit, Yegorov is the No.1 on NHL Central Scouting for North American goalies. Has a NHL goalie frame and moves well laterally in net. His quickness and reactions showcase an exciting potential number 1 goaltender. Needs to continue to get more repetitions and improve consistency.
   
   
9. Columbus Blue Jackets
   Lucas Van Vliet
   C/LW 6’2” 175 lbs NTDP
   -Strong leader for the developmental program. Van Vliet is an exciting center prospect that plays a strong two-way game. Excellent skater and is strong on the backcheck. He also developed a scoring touch as the year went on. High end compete and can drive plays on a line. Committed to Michigan State.
   
   
10. Nashville Predators
    Justin Poirier
    RW 5’8” 181 lbs QMJHL Baie-Comeau
    -Top goal scorer in the QMJHL. Poirier puts himself in spots to score around the net and uses his elite quickness to get around defenders. Scored 51 goals which is an astounding number. Special in the offensive zone but lacks in other areas. The only thing that holds him back from being a top pick is his size. Could be a bargain pick at this point in the draft.
    
    
11. Seattle Kraken
    Timur Kol
    LHD 6’3” 198 lbs MHL Omsk
    -Quick defender out of Russia. Solid skating technique that allows him to keep up with quicker forwards. Needs to improve his reactions and discipline in the defensive zone in regards to positioning.
    
    
12. Utah
    Kim Saarinen
    G 6’4” 176 lbs SM-sarja HPK
    -Efficient netminder that got games in the pro level in Finland. Tracks the puck well and uses his flexible, large frame to make saves look easy. Like many of the goalies around this point, could be the first taken.
    
    
13. Washington Capitals
    Hagen Burrows
    RW 6’2” 174 lbs Minnetonka High
    -High school player that plays an old school two-way game. Loves to play physical and get involved all over the ice. Will have to see how his game evolves as he begins to climb up the levels.
    
    
14. New Jersey Devils
    Eriks Mateiko
    LW 6’5” 209 lbs QMJHL Saint John
    -Large frame and heavy shot. Mateiko is a solid two way forward using his long reach to produce great results on both ends of the ice. He is a strong skater and performs much like an old school power forward in the offensive zone. Physical and engaging around the net he could be a solid contributor at the next level.
    
    
15. Carolina Hurricanes
    Sebastian Soini
    RHD 6’2” 183 lbs Finland Jr. Ilves Jr.
    -Defensive defenseman that does well defending the rush and uses his size effectively to body forwards. Gap control and skating are appealing to NHL Gms. Excellent mobility but has average puck skills and offensive ability. Overall a solid defender.
    
    
16. Vancouver Canucks
    John Whipple
    LHD 6’1” 192 lbs NTDP
    -Good size and performs his role admirably for the NTDP. He can perform on the penalty kill and is more than willing to block shots and clear the front of the net. A simple passer, he is an all around good defender that is worthy of a mid round pick.
    
    
17. Nashville Predators
    Alexander Zetterberg
    C 5’8” 159 lbs J20 Orebro
    -Supremely talented but will be drafted lower because of his size. He is a shifty playmaker in space and produces points at a fantastic rate. Always seems to be in the right place and uses his vision to make the right choice with the puck. Will be fascinating to see where he goes on draft night. Preds own a lot of picks so take some gambles.
    
    
18. St. Louis Blues
    Tarin Smith
    LHD 6’1” 175 lbs WHL Everett
    -Strong skating defenseman out of the WHL. Equips himself well in the offensive zone glimpses of high creativity. Could be more physical but has strong potential as a puck moving defenseman. One of the steals of the round.
    
    
19. Florida Panthers
    Kasper Pikkarainen
    RW 6’3” 190 lbs Finland Jr. TPS Jr.
    -Strong, defensive forward. Always in the right position supporting teammates offensively and defensively. Has a tantalizing physical frame and potential skillset. He hasn’t figured out how to impact the game with the puck on his stick yet but if he does he will be a weapon for the Panthers.
    
    
20. Utah
    William Zellers
    LW 5’10” 163 lbs High School Shattuck St Mary’s
    -Committed to North Dakota next year. Zellers shows strong offensive acumen and has the skills to take advantage. Great hands in tight and shows strong decision making with his release. Extremely smooth skater as well. Talented player that still has a long road to go.

FOURTH ROUND

1. Utah
   Christian Humphreys
   C 5’11” 170 lbs NTDP
   -Michigan bound. Lots of potential growth still as he showed glimpses of strong offensive play with the development program. Skilled passer but could use some seasoning in college.
   
   
2. Nashville Predators
   Jacob Battaglia
   RW 6’0” 205 lbs OHL Kingston
   -Very hard working forward. Plays a modern power forward style. Uses his speed to get involved in the play and matches opponents physicality. Needs to improve his skill on the puck to be even more effective.
   
   
3. Anaheim Ducks
   Kieron Walton
   C/W 6’6” 210 lbs OHL Sudbury
   -Massive forward for the stacked Sudbury Wolves. Solid skating for a big man and shows adequate skills around the net. Shows potential playmaking and his size/makeup will be tough to pass up by most GMs.
   
   
4. Columbus Blue Jackets
   Alexandre Blais
   C/LW 5’10” 154 lbs QMJHL Rimouski Oceanic
   -Dynamic playmaker from the Q. Strong vision and intelligence when moving the puck around the ice. Very creative with his body positioning to deceive the defender when releasing a pass. Might go higher as players with his production usually do well. Short height and smaller frame enables Columbus to snap him up in the 4th round.
   
   
5. Montreal Canadiens
   Aatos Koivu
   C 6’1” 165 lbs Liiga TPS
   -Total nostalgia pick. Koivu will be picked somewhere in this range as he is a budding center with famous dad bloodlines. Aatos is young for this draft but has one of the best skating techniques around. Superb balance and agility as he uses that to increase his playmaking ability. Still a raw player, Koivu needs to improve his defensive awareness as well as physical bulk. One of the higher potential players in the middle rounds.
   
   
6. Utah
   Karl Sterner
   LW/C 6’3” 192 lbs J20 Frolunda
   -Another solid skater for a big winger. Quick off the blocks and displays impressive agility down tight against defenders of the goalie. His long reach helps his anticipation defensively and offensively protecting the puck. Off the puck, Sterner struggles to make a difference.
   
   
7. Ottawa Senators
   Oliver Josephson
   C 6’0” 181 lbs WHL Red Deer
   -Two-way center with solid playmaking ability. A hard working player that plays like a NHL vet with his forechecking and versatile offensive game. Adaptable player.
   
   
8. Seattle Kraken
   Noel Fransen
   LHD 6’0” 183 lbs J20 Farjestad BK
   -Smooth skating Swedish defender. Fransen is a pass-first defenseman who displays solid decision making and anticipation of defenders. He is a bit on the small side and needs to develop physically.
   
   
9. Calgary Flames
   Anthony Cristoforo
   RHD 5’11” 181 OHL Windsor
   -Mobile, offensive defenseman. Jumps into the rush any chance he gets. Can quarterback the PP but doesn’t have the strongest shot. He prefers to make plays with quick passes side to side. Occasionally lacks compete and sometimes cheats the defensive zone which is a big no-no for a defender.
   
   
10. Calgary Flames
    Riley Patterson
    C 6’0” 192 lbs OHL Barrie
    -Solid, two way power forward who plays both special teams for Barrie. Plays with high energy and hunts pucks all over. Relies on his short passing and shielding the puck in the offensive zone. Has improved all year and is a late riser up draft boards.
    
    
11. Buffalo Sabres
    Maxim Velikov
    LW 6’1” 198 lbs MHL Krasnaya
    -Promising Russian winger that can play both sides. Possesses a strong hockey IQ with a fantastic wrist shot. Can be a goal scorer or the playmaker as he can mold his play to what the team requires. Quick hands and 1 on 1 skills as well as a growing defensive game. Strong potential here although he is inconsistent like many young Russian wingers. Similar to multiple Sabres picks throughout the years.
    
    
12. Buffalo Sabres
    Jack Berglund
    F 6’3” 207 lbs SHL Farjestad
    -Son of former NHLer Christian. Shutdown defensively responsible center. He is a solid passer and is physically a beast in the offensive zone. Can perform on the penalty kill and defensive situations. Needs to work on his skating.
    
    
13. Minnesota Wild
    Gabriel Eliasson
    LHD 6’6” 205 lbs J20 HV71
    -Huge defender that is a great skater with strong mobility and pace. Loves to throw the body around. He supports the rush well using his speed. Needs to be more comfortable with the puck on his stick but has the body and skating to be a solid NHL defender.
    
    
14. Pittsburgh Penguins
    Marcus Gidlof
    G 6’6” 212 lbs J20 Leksands
    -Massive goalie who has done very well over in Sweden. Aggressive in challenging shooters and takes away the net. Needs to improve laterally which is common for a goalie his size. Been rising recently and has a shot at being the first goalie taken.
    
    
15. Ottawa Senators
    Anthony Romani (OA1)
    C/RW 6’0” 176 lbs OHL North Bay
    -Late bloomer who was buried on the depth chart last season. 111 points in the regular season this year as he showcases a brilliant display of passing and consistency. A high hockey IQ helps him get into strong positioning to score. Has some pop on his shot that improves year over year. Improving his defensive game will see him be an even better prospect.
    
    
16. St. Louis Blues
    Niilopekka Muhonen
    LHD 6’4” 185 lbs Liiga KalPa
    -Another big body for the Blues prospect pool. Muhonen displays strong defensive acumen and is especially adept at cutting off passing lanes with his large reach. Has performed well in a men's league and for Finland’s youth teams.
    
    
17. Washington Capitals
    Roman Shokhrin
    LHD 6’4” 198 lbs MHL Loko
    -Another fantastic skating, massive defender from Russia. Uses his stick to disrupt plays rather than his body. Protects the puck with his massive frame and prefers to play like a playmaker from the back end. Purely a potential pick as he hasn’t put it all together yet.
    
    
18. New York Islanders
    Oskar Vuollet
    C/W 5’11” 172 lbs SHL Skelleftea
    -Offensive player with high IQ and attacking skills. Confident with the puck on his stick and shifty skating as he beats defenders 1 on 1 routinely. Good shot that explodes off the stick. Needs to become aware in the defensive zone as well as more physical to have a chance. Islanders keep grabbing skilled forwards.
    
    
19. San Jose Sharks
    Herman Traff
    W 6’3” 203 lbs J20 HV71
    -Raw player who skates pretty well. More of a goal scorer and loves to park in front of the net for the tip. He reads the game well from an offensive and defensive standpoint. Works hard every night and could be a solid bottom 6 option.
    
    
20. Ottawa Senators
    Nicholas Kempf
    G 6’2” 190 lbs NTDP
    -Competitive athlete and a positionally sound keeper for the NTDP. Athletic between the posts and uses quick reads to challenge shooters. One risk is that he has not seen a lot of shots and has been on the dominating team far too often.
    
    
21. Los Angeles Kings
    Dawson Cowan
    G 6’3” 185 lbs WHL Spokane
    -Had a strong season in the WHL. Dawson is a competitive goalie who uses his supreme confidence and focus to read shooters. He can track pucks and still has the quickness to make great reaction saves. Trending upwards.
    
    
22. Nashville Predators
    Jakub Fibigr
    LHD 6’0” 172 lbs OHL Mississauga
    -Solid two-way defenseman receiving a lot of minutes in the OHL. Ranked extremely high in some places. Aggressive to step up to forwards off the rush and willing to join the rush when he gets the chance. Fibigr is solid in all zones of the ice without any elite traits. Needs to improve consistency and continue to grow his two way game.
    
    
23. Toronto Maple Leafs
    Eric Burger
    LHD 6’0” 181 lbs J20 Orebro
    -Rugged defender from Sweden. Physical defender who separates the opponent from the puck with ease. Fantastic player in his own zone. Shows strong puck skills as he is able to make direct passes and possesses a strong shot. High potential pick by Toronto.
    
    
24. Colorado Avalanche
    Heikki Ruohonen
    C 6’1” 196 lbs U20 SM-sarja Kiekko-Espoo
    -Two way player with nice vision and IQ. Puts up a lot of points in the Finnish junior leagues. Needs to work on his skating to make an impact. Was the #1 pick in the USHL draft.
    
    
25. Boston Bruins
    Jack Pridham
    RW 6’2” 174 lbs BCHL West Kelowna
    -Power forward build with strong skating and technique. Plays with a tremendous amount of compete and is skilled at stripping defenders from the puck with his long reach. A shoot first type of player with a cannon of a release. Committed to BU, conveniently in the Bruins backyard, and it will be exciting to see him play with other top players. Could be an absolute home run of a pick here.
    
    
26. Winnipeg Jets
    Hiroki Gojsic
    F 6’3” 198 lbs WHL Kelowna
    -Power forward who has a scoring touch. A simple north, south player in the offensive zone. Gojsic also has grown in the defensive zone and improved mightily as the season goes on. Projects as a typical NHL middle winger.
    
    
27. Carolina Hurricanes
    Yegor Graf
    C 5’11” 161 lbs MHL SKA St. Petersburg
    -Solid two-way center who pays attention in the defensive zone. Plays like a potential NHL center and has developed an offensive game this season. Carolina loves the mid round Russian steals and get another one here.
    
    
28. Vancouver Canucks
    Martin Haronik
    G 6’5” 205 lbs Slovakia2 HC Modre Kridla
    -Slovakian netminder playing in the second division. Has size GMs covet at the goalie position and has solid movement in net. Can be quick to challenge shooters and is calm under pressure. Has faced a lot of shots in international play for Slovakia and has risen to the challenge.
    
    
29. Detroit Red Wings
    Fyodor Avramov
    LW 6’3” 190 lbs MHL Kapitan
    -Power forward who displays legit skill while bullying players around the ice. Put up a bunch of points in the MHL. Strong shooter with exciting offensive talents, but has slow skating and attention to detail in the defensive zone. Detroit can afford to wait for him which could pay off in a huge way.
    
    
30. New York Rangers
    Austin Baker
    F 6’0” 192 lbs NCAA Michigan St.
    -Well rounded player who can play across the forward lines. Reliable on the puck and doesn’t shy from his defensive duties. Not very creative or fancy with the puck and does his job without fuss. Projects as a decent nhl third line winger.
    
    
31. Ottawa Senators
    Darels Uljanskis
    LHD 6’2” 187 lbs J20 AIK
    -Efficient on both ends of the ice Uljanskis has been a powerplay weapon with a plus level shot. He needs to improve his defensive abilities and tends to make too many boneheaded plays.
    
    
32. Tampa Bay Lightning
    Gabriel Frasca
    C 6’0” 170 lbs OHL Kingston
    -200 ft player who is strong on both ends of the ice. Excellent IQ and vision as well as a fantastic shot. Good faceoff taker. Needs to show more in the offensive zone to warrant a higher pick. Strong floor as a bottom 6 contributor.

FIFTH ROUND

1. Montreal Canadiens
   Javon Moore
   LW 6’2” 181 lbs Minnetonka High
   -Very athletic winger who is committed to the University of Minnesota. Fantastic wrist shot and can play both a skilled or hard nosed game depending on game conditions. Will need to improve his defensive game as well as speed up his decision making/IQ but Moore has strong potential.
   
   
2. San Jose Sharks
   Kevin He
   LW 6’0” 183 lbs OHL Niagara
   -Beautiful skater. Can fly around the ice and is one of the fastest players in the OHL. Born in China, Kevin has had a very cool upbringing in the world of hockey. He is a goalscorer who has no problem mucking it up in front to hammer home a goal. Possesses lots of talent but has been criticized for being selfish at times. Great potential here as San Jose gets another toolsy forward.
   
   
3. Colorado Avalanche
   Arsen Taimazov
   RHD 6’4” 215 lbs MHL Dynamo
   -Athletic and built like a truck. Exceptional skater and a beast in the defensive zone. Taimazov eats up minutes while mostly being deployed in the defensive zone and playing the penalty kill. Projects as a bottom pair stay at home defenseman. Might be early here as he shows up later on most mocks.
   
   
4. Columbus Blue Jackets
   AJ Spellacy
   C 6’3” 190 lbs OHL Windsor
   -Big forward with strong skating and a high compete level. A great pick in the mid rounds, Spellacy has great speed and defensive acumen. His finishing around the net has continued to improve and he blows by defenders off the rush. His tremendous second half of the season could see him picked higher than here.
   
   
5. Montreal Canadiens
   Felix Lacerte
   RW/C 5’10” 165 lbs QMJHL Shawinigan
   -High point totals on a poor team in the Q. Lacerte is a smallish goalscorer who uses strong instincts to patiently wait for scoring opportunities. He is a good puck handler as well as committed defensively. A big knock on him seems to be his lack of pace or intensity when the games ramp up in difficulty.
   
   
6. Utah
   Will Felicio
   LHD 5’10” 161 lbs USHL Waterloo
   -Committed to U of Denver. Smallish defender that excels as a puck mover and transporter up the ice. Good passer and shows strong IQ in both zones. Needs to get stronger.
   
   
7. Ottawa Senators
   Alexis Bernier
   RHD 6’1” 190 lbs QMJHL Baie-Comeau
   -All situations defender that has a well rounded skill set. He can contribute offensively and has strong one on one defending ability. He needs to improve his skating as that is his major weakness.
   
   
8. Colorado Avalanche
   Mac Swanson
   LW 5’7” 157 lbs USHL Fargo Force
   -Diminutive playmaker who won USHL player of the year. Has had a fantastic playoffs so may rise even more. A tremendous stick handler and has an eye for goal. Needs to be aggressive with high intensity to win the puck due to his size. Could work on improving his skating especially his acceleration if he wants a chance.
   
   
9. Chicago Blackhawks
   Ethan Procyszyn
   RW 6’3” 189 lbs OHL North Bay
   -Procyszyn falls to the fifth round which is music to Chicago’s ears. A huge winger that can skate extremely well and plays physical all over the ice. Has quality puck control and can perform on a powerplay unit in front of the net. He needs to improve his shot and compete level but when he’s on he is a truly exciting forward.
   
   
10. New Jersey Devils
    Tory Pitner
    RHD 6’1” 183 lbs USHL Youngstown
    -Quality defender out of the USHL. Pitner can perform in both zones as a hard hitting defenseman who has underrated offensive talents. Joins the rush with ease and has a nice shot. Strong positioning in the defensive zone usually enables him to eliminate opposing forwards.
    
    
11. Minnesota Wild
    Miroslav Holinka
    C/RW 6’1” 183 lbs Czechia HC Ocelari Trinec
    -Versatile forward that can play all 3 forward positions and multiple roles on the ice. Holinka is a two way forward that is strong on the boards and a skilled passer. Not the most potential but can be a bottom six player in the future.
    
    
12. Florida Panthers
    Daniel Nieminen
    LHD 6’0” 176 lbs U20 SM-sarja Pelicans
    -Good leader and a fierce competitor on the ice. Nieminen is a bit small but still plays physical and can perform most tasks given to him. Good passer and can turn quickly on his edges. Needs to work on his acceleration to keep up with forwards in short sprints.
    
    
13. Minnesota Wild
    Lukas Matecha (OA1)
    G 6’3” 196 lbs WHL Tri-City
    -Strong first half of the season followed by a puzzling struggle of a second. Still a highly rated goalie prospect, Matecha succeeds with exceptional positioning and angling on shooters.
    
    
14. San Jose Sharks
    Luke Osburn
    LHD 6’0” 172 lbs USHL Youngstown
    -Younger player in this draft. Excellent skater and uses strong defensive awareness to cut off passing lanes. Still room for more growth into his frame, Osburn also has to showcase more playmaking ability to be a higher pick.
    
    
15. Detroit Red Wings
    Petr Sikora
    C 6’0” 174 lbs Czechia HC Ocelari Trinec
    -Solid jack of all trades player who likes to throw the body around in the Czech league. He has good vision and a strong puckhandler but doesn’t excel in any particular area. If he can improve his processing speed and decision making he can be a contributor in the NHL.
    
    
16. St. Louis Blues
    Tomas Mrsic
    C 6’0” 170 lbs WHL Medicine Hat
    -Another forward from the stacked Medicine Hat team. Can play either role of scorer or playmaker and has put up lots of points on the powerplay. His offensive talents rely on puck control and capitalizing on defender’s mistakes.
    
    
17. Washington Capitals
    Ilya Protas
    F 6’3” 183 lbs USHL Des Moines
    -Performed well in his first year in the USHL. Profiles as a tough power forward on the wing. Strong motor and a high compete level. He is a bad skater for his size and it will drop him down some draft boards. His brother is already on the Caps so they take a familiar pick here.
    
    
18. New York Islanders
    Mitja Jokinen
    LHD 5’11” 168 lbs Liiga TPS
    -Strong skater with great acceleration. Jokinen is an all around defender who likes the puck on his stick. Shows good playmaking ability. Jokinen has a strong compete level but needs to get bigger to be able to take on higher level forwards. Almost no physical game of note.
    
    
19. Philadelphia Flyers
    Tanner Adams (OA1)
    RW/C 5’11” 184 lbs NCAA Providence
    -Overager for this year playing in the NCAA. He is a strong skater that plays a physical style of hockey. Battles for pucks all over the ice and hounds defenders. Offensively his game continues to improve in leaps and bounds. He could be a bottom 6 contributor someday.
    
    
20. Tampa Bay Lightning
    Elliott Groenewold
    LHD 6’1” 200 lbs USHL Cedar Rapids
    -Defensively responsible two way defender from the USHL. High awareness in the defensive zone as well as adequate skating and compete level. Could be a puck moving, responsible 3rd pairing defender.
    
    
21. Philadelphia Flyers
    Frans Haara (OA2)
    RHD 6’1” 185 lbs SHL Skelleftea
    -A value pick here for the Flyers as Haara has developed into a potential bottom pair defenseman. A good passer and generally just a solid player. No elite skill but can be dependable in any situation.
    
    
22. Toronto Maple Leafs
    Hunter Laing
    W/C 6’6” 192 lbs WHL Prince George
    -Towering forward from the WHL. A late riser up draft boards. Laing is a physical specimen who has improved his point production throughout the year. Could be an interesting project pick for the Leafs.
    
    
23. Toronto Maple Leafs
    Joona Vaisanen (OA2)
    RHD 6’0” 176 lbs USHL Dubuque
    -Finn who came over to North America early from the Finnish leagues. Plays a simple game and is calm and collected under pressure. Still getting used to American ice size but his intelligence sets him apart from others.
    
    
24. New Jersey Devils
    Edvin Nilsson
    LHD 5’11” 183 lbs J20 HV71
    -Smooth skater in all directions. Nilsson is a conservative passer with good stickhandling and a solid point shot. He could use some work defensively as he seems a bit lost in his own zone at some times. Regressed a little bit this season.
    
    
25. Boston Bruins
    Tanner Henricks
    RHD 6’3” 194 lbs USHL Lincoln
    -Classic no nonsense defender. He has a good first pass and an active stick in all zones of the ice. He has strong gap control and disrupts plays by using his strong skating and positioning.
    
    
26. Winnipeg Jets
    Eric Olsson
    G 6’4” 183 lbs USHL Omaha
    -One of the top goalie prospects from early in the season. Olsson has great size and crease composure. Has a quick glove hand and can move laterally quickly from side to side. A bit of a ho hum season has him down on some boards.
    
    
27. Carolina Hurricanes
    Ryerson Leenders
    G 6’2” 179 lbs OHL Mississauga
    -Relies on his reflexes and athletic ability to protect the crease. Decent but not great numbers as he could improve his consistency from game to game. Not a large goalie by any means but has performed well in the OHL.
    
    
28. Toronto Maple Leafs
    Daniil Anatsky
    C 6’3” 214 lbs MHL Yunior Krasnogorsk
    -Youngster who has been performing in the MHL. Anatsky doesn't have much hype around him but is a physical center who plays a direct style. He will be a late round steal at this point.

1. Dallas Stars
   Joona Saarelainen
   C 5’9” 176 lbs Liiga KalPa
   -Playmaking forward from Finland who is one of the best play drivers in the class. His size will hold him back but he plays a style that could potentially work. He is a very good stickhandler and puts himself in the right position more often than not. Will have a hard time sticking to center at higher levels. Stars take a swing on another skilled, small forward that has paid off for them in recent times.
   
   
2. New York Rangers
   Matyas Melovsky (OA2)
   C 6’0” 183 lbs QMJHL Baie-Comeau
   -Overager from the QMJHL. Melovsky has a strong hockey IQ and vision when passing the puck. Leans playmaker more than finisher. I think he gets picked earlier this year than people are expecting.
   
   
3. Florida Panthers
   Jared Woolley
   LHD 6’4” 214 lbs OHL London
   -Plays for one of the top teams in the OHL. He is a defensive defenseman who uses his large frame and stick to separate opponents from the puck. Makes the right decisions in his own zone. Not very active on the offensive side of the puck or else he would be a much higher pick.
   
   
4. Edmonton Oilers
   Lucas Ellinas
   C/LW 6’1” 176 lbs OHL Kitchener
   -Power forward who tries to be the hardest worker on the ice. Not the best skater but makes up for it by being a fantastic defensive forward. Not very strong in the offensive zone so needs to improve his playmaking and shot.

SIXTH ROUND

1. Vancouver Canucks
   Adam Hesselvall
   C/RW 6’0” 176 lbs J20 Sodertalje
   -Floating playmaker who displays great energy to recover loose pucks but is sometimes uninvolved in the play. A streaky scorer he also possesses great vision and quality passing. Could be a quality bottom 6 player who brings some skill to the rink every night. Needs to get stronger.
   
   
2. Chicago Blackhawks
   Frankie Marrelli
   LHD 5’11” 185 lbs OHL Ottawa 67’s
   -Surprise inclusion on the U18 Canada team. Excellent skater and projects as a strong puck moving defenseman. Doesn’t put up many points but can skate/play his way out of danger. Needs to improve his consistency but his skating/passing combo will definitely intrigue teams.
   
   
3. Anaheim Ducks
   Aidan Park
   F 6’0” 185 lbs High School Shattuck St. Mary’s
   -Born in California and played for the youth LA Kings so familiar with the area. Park is a goalscorer who was a star at Shattuck St. Mary’s. Will be interesting to see how he performs at Michigan in the coming seasons. Park plays with high energy and can play multiple offensive roles with a strong skill set.
   
   
4. Columbus Blue Jackets
   Nate Misskey (OA1)
   RHD 6’3” 205 lbs WHL Victoria
   -Well rounded overage defender. Calm and poised on the puck and uses his long reach effectively. Needs to improve his skating to be an even more effective defender. Plays both sides of special teams because he is responsible with the puck.
   
   
5. Montreal Canadiens
   Matvei Babenko
   RW/LW 6’3” 201 lbs VHL Toros Neftekamsk
   -Big bodied winger from Russia. Babenko has a fierce shot and loves to set up shop in the slot or in front of the net. Can play physical if need be and has the work ethic to be a good bottom 6 player. Is effective on the forecheck but needs to increase his skating skill and playmaking ability to realize his potential.
   
   
6. Utah
   Logan Sawyer
   LW/C 6’1” 174 lbs BCHL Brooks Bandits
   -Winger who is the top prospect from the BCHL. BCHL is thought to have a weak class this year so he stood out even more. Sawyer is an offensive weapon who uses his anticipation and hockey IQ to put up points. Has a plus level shot and uses it all the time. Needs to improve his burst while skating. Committed to Providence.
   
   
7. Carolina Hurricanes
   Marcus Kearsey
   LHD 5’11” 172 lbs QMJHL Charlottetown
   -Agile defender who has strong skating and maneuverability on his edges. High point totals in the Q has brought some attention to his play. He can walk the point as well as most of the defenders in this class. A fantastic passer, he is similar to the many undersized playmakers from the back end in this class (Hutson, Kiviharju, Freij). Adding a physical game and working on his defensive awareness will make him a strong prospect.
   
   
8. Seattle Kraken
   Kristian Epperson
   F 5’11” 183 lbs USDP
   -Struggled mightily this year. Was one of the top US prospects coming into the year. Epperson has the skill and talent to be a top forward but was way too inconsistent game to game. Epperson is a strong skater and could benefit from a chance to display his talents on a higher line. He displays goal scoring attributes and his strong work ethic has never been in question. Seattle would be all over this if they can get him in the 6th round.
   
   
9. Calgary Flames
   Kirill Zarubin
   G 6’4” 179 lbs MHL AKM Tula
   -Missed the 2023 draft by a couple days. Zarubin is a big goalie who loves the butterfly style. Over in Russia he faced a ton of volume and performed well against the top teams in the MHL. He is athletic and takes away angles from shooters very quickly with top notch anticipation. He needs to work on his blocker side as this weakness will quickly be exploited in the NHL.
   
   
10. New Jersey Devils
    Markus Loponen
    C 6’1” 185 lbs U20 Sm-sarja Karpat
    -Physical center who likes to drive the net and engage in physical battles all over the ice. He is a good finisher from around the net and is a beast on the forecheck. Some scouts question his compete level and off the puck he struggles to get the right positioning from time to time. Definitely a player with some tools that coaches would love to work with.
    
    
11. Buffalo Sabres
    Will McIsaac
    RHD 6’3” 192 lbs WHL Spokane
    -Stay at home defender who plays with a physical edge. Willing to drop the gloves for his teammates. A fluid skater that plays a risk free, simple game. Offensive awareness is almost zero but could be coached more.
    
    
12. Philadelphia Flyers
    Artyom Shchuchinov
    LHD 5’11” 154 lbs KHL Traktor
    -Appeared in 54 games in the KHL which is crazy for a teenager. A very strong skater, Artyom uses this skill to escape pressure and navigate around the ice. He is smaller so he struggles protecting the puck and defending against physical forwards. Could go higher but I think his deficiencies in the defensive zone will cause him to drop. Projects as a puck moving defender that needs a defensive partner.
    
    
13. Minnesota Wild
    Andrei Krutov
    LW/RW 5’11” 174 lbs MHL Chaika Nizhny
    -Winger that has legitimate potential as a point-producing forward at higher levels. His creativity and playmaking has improved massively this season and he has gotten very good at deceiving defenders enough to get a shot off. Needs to continue to improve his skating to separate quickly from defenders. Needs quality linemates to be at his best as he doesn't drive play.
    
    
14. Pittsburgh Penguins
    Thomas Desruisseaux
    C 5’11” 154 lbs QMJHL Chicoutimi
    -Strong passer of the puck. He has great vision and can place passes where he wants them at high speeds. His creativity and stickhandling enable him to feed his linemates. Sometimes holds the puck for too long and needs to improve his defensive efforts to round out his game. Has a nice shot but could improve his consistency in finishing.
    
    
15. Detroit Red Wings
    Jan Golicic
    LHD 6’6” 198 lbs QMJHL Gatineau
    -Monster European playing in the QMJHL. Golicic has exciting qualities and is very good in his own zone. He uses his reach and positioning to marshall forwards away from his own zone and is not scared to be nasty to opponents in front of the net. Offensively, he enjoys pinching in from the point and getting in the mix near the net. His major drawback is his skating. It is clunky and he struggles to change direction quickly. If he fixes that he could be a bottom pair D-man.
    
    
16. Philadelphia Flyers
    Evan Gardner
    G 6’2” 174 lbs WHL Saskatoon
    -Underrated goalie from the WHL. Plays a mature game with strong awareness of his positioning and when tracking pucks. Diagnosed with diabetes, it will be interesting to see where this impressive young goalie goes or if NHL teams will want to see a larger body of work.
    
    
17. Washington Capitals
    Ivan Yunin
    G 6’2” 196 lbs MHL Omskie Yastreby
    -Athletic goalie who looks chaotic in net at times but it works. He has lightning quick reflexes and the ability to make jaw dropping reaction saves. Needs to play more and work on his positioning but I believe he has a strong chance to be an impact goalie.

1. New York Islanders
   Eric Jamieson (OA1)
   LHD 6’3” 203 lbs WHL Everett
   -Displays strong leadership, wearing a letter for his club. Jamieson is a well rounded defenseman who plays a pro style game. He’s got a solid shot and improved stick work and spacing. He always is willing to block shots and is a leader through his gutsy performances.
   
   
2. Vegas Golden Knights
   Jake Fisher (OA1)
   F 6’2” 192 lbs USHL Fargo Force
   -High hockey IQ and does well in transition as well as shooting from different angles to deceive the goalie. Uses his size defensively and can be a two way player. He needs to improve his skating as I believe this was the main reason he wasn’t drafted last year and might be a repeat again.
   
   
3. Tampa Bay Lightning
   Jack Bodin
   RHD 6’3” 214 lbs J20 Orebro
   -Physical defender out of Sweden. Bodin loves to initiate contact with forwards and clear the front of the net. His skating could use some work and he could be more ambitious with his passing and stickhandling. Solid potential player who will be a tenacious defender if it all works out.
   
   
4. Los Angeles Kings
   Xavier Veilleux
   LHD 6’0” 190 lbs USHL Muskegon
   -Puck moving defenseman who plays a simple game. He is an adequate skater with good edgework and mobility around the ice. Needs to work on his defensive game as his positioning is very inconsistent and gives forwards too much time and space.
   
   
5. Edmonton Oilers
   Jonathan Morello
   F 6’3” 192 lbs OJHL St. Michael’s
   -Speedy forward who is one of the top prospects from the OJHL. He has great size and speed for this level and could potentially be an even higher pick. Needs to showcase his abilities against higher competition as he has clearly outgrown it. Could improve his defensive game but if he continues on his trajectory with high confidence he could play NHL games.
   
   
6. Carolina Hurricanes
   Owen Protz
   LHD 6’1” 201 lbs OHL Brantford
   -Aggressive defender with great mobility around the ice. Protz will throw the body around and can close on forwards quickly with his solid skating. His passing is adequate leaving the zone and he projects as a 3rd pairing defenseman. His consistency needs to improve.
   
   
7. Colorado Avalanche
   Caleb Heil
   G 6’2” 185 lbs USHL Madison
   -Young, athletic goaltender who is extremely quick side to side and out to challenge shooters. He is good at tracking the puck and is a solid stickhandler outside of the crease. If he was a bit bigger he would be one of the top goalies of this draft class.
   
   
8. Boston Bruins
   Ondrej Becher (OA2)
   C/W 6’0” 172 lbs WHL Prince George
   -Excellent year in the WHL finishing as one of the top scorers. Good frame and has produced for Czechia in the World Juniors. Showed impressive growth in his hockey IQ in the offensive zone. His off the puck game has improved especially defensively which was his biggest weakness. Could go anywhere as it’s tough to gauge the overagers.
   
   
9. Winnipeg Jets
   Artur Faizov
   C/LW 6’1” 183 lbs MHL Mamonty Yugry
   -Play driving forward who displays creativity and great passing. Solid stickhandler and shows good enough skating to perform at the next level. He plays with great energy and can win puck battles through his work ethic. Needs to be more physical and we will see how he adapts to the KHL.
   
   
10. Carolina Hurricanes
    Gabe Smith
    C 6’4” 207 lbs QMJHL Moncton
    -Tantalizing physical build for a NHL Center. Smith’s potential will see him rise up draft boards. He competes well around the ice and still has room to grow into his frame. His skating is a bit clunky but he still carries the puck well using his body to protect it. Can play a power game in front of the net and in the coming years will have a chance to become a focal point of his teams.
    
    
11. Vancouver Canucks
    Alexander Siryatsky
    LHD 6’2” 160 lbs MHL Stalnye Lisy
    -A young player for this draft class. Siryatsky is a defensive defenseman who shows impressive stick discipline and attention to detail in the defensive zone. He likes to stop plays in the neutral zone before the play can even start. He displays a strong passing ability that has potential to improve as he matures. He has a ton of runway left to grow so having him play in Russia for a few more years will be very beneficial.
    
    
12. Utah
    Miroslav Satan
    C 6’7” 190 lbs Slovakia2
    -Monster. Son of former NHLer Miro Satan. Miro Jr. is purely a project player who may not even get drafted. He has solid speed and decision making for a player his size but still looks lost sometimes on the ice. Needs to improve his shot and overall skill with the puck to ever have a chance in the NHL. His bloodlines and athletic build means someone will take a shot with him.
    
    
13. New York Rangers
    Jimmy Dodig
    LHD 6’5” 205 lbs High School Cretin-Derhim Hall
    -Huge defender out of Minnesota. Committed to Merrimack for next season. Dodig is one of the youngest players in the class and is a crazy physical specimen that will see him likely get drafted. He was able to dominate physically at lower levels and was a solid skater for his size. Many years away from making an impact but the Rangers like to deploy tough, hard nosed monsters on the back end.
    
    
14. Florida Panthers
    Blake Montgomery (OA1)
    LW 6’4” 181 lbs USHL Lincoln
    -Wisconsin commit. Big bodied forward who has developed a scoring touch this season. Montgomery is more of a goalscorer who can adapt his offensive game. Can play as a typical power forward but has the skill to attack off the rush or counter.
    
    
15. Edmonton Oilers
    Landon Miller
    G 6’4” 193 lbs OHL Sault Ste. Marie
    -Solid potential NHL goalie from the OHL. Miller has ideal size and athletic ability. Is good with the puck and has solid positioning. He is extremely vocal in net which is important for a goalie. Miller needs to improve his consistency as well as anticipating where plays are going rather than reacting.

SEVENTH ROUND

1. San Jose Sharks
   Loke Johansson
   LHD 6’3” 214 lbs Allsvenskan AIK
   -Strong skating Swede who can be a two way presence on the ice. Loke’s offensive game hasn’t fully developed yet as he has been focused much more on the defensive side. Has nhl size and skating. His skating and agility supports the case that he could be a puck moving defenseman with a strong hockey IQ.
   
   
2. Tampa Bay Lightning
   Robin Nico Antenen
   LW 6’2” 190 lbs U20 Switzerland Zug U20
   -All situations player who plays in the Swiss league. Antenen is a solid skater and projects to be a goalscorer for lower lines. His stickhandling and passing is good as well but he needs to be more physically engaged to make his mark.
   
   
3. Edmonton Oilers
   Mason Zebeski
   LW 6’1” 185 lbs OHL Mississauga
   -Projects as a bottom of the lineup grinder who can occasionally score a couple points here and there. Zebeski can play a physical game with a nasty edge. He has solid finishing around the net and works his tail off which will add him well in his quest to make the league. Hands are made of stone however so don’t expect many points.
   
   
4. Vegas Golden Knights
   Nathan Mayes
   LHD 6’3” 181 lbs WHL Spokane
   -Knights head to the WHL to get the physically imposing Mayes. He is an old school defenseman that doesn’t produce much offense but specializes in shutting down the opponents top player. He likes to hit and get aggressive around the net. Will continue to fill out his frame but needs to keep improving his skating and decision making. Fits the Knights style of play.
   
   
5. Montreal Canadiens
   Samuel Kupec
   LHD 6’3” 209 lbs Slovakia2
   -Split time between the men's league in Slovakia as well as the junior league. Kupec is a physically imposing defender who plays simple passes to escape the zone. He can lay down big bodychecks and his skating is a real strength while defending quick forwards. He has to work on his defending from side to side as he sometimes gets exposed positioning wise.
   
   
6. Utah
   Cole Davis
   LW 5’10 174 lbs OHL Windsor
   -Highly competitive winger who can play both sides of the special teams and various roles for his team. He brings energy to the forecheck and competes for every puck. He is a great skater and will be a great defensive winger in the future. Offensively he needs to improve his playmaking but he shows adequate skill to make an impact.
   
   
7. Toronto Maple Leafs
   Cameron Korpi (OA2)
   G 6’4” 172 lbs USHL Tri-City
   -Committed to Michigan. One of the best goalies in the USHL that was passed over in the past drafts. Korpi has great size and agility and he can fill the net. His experience will lead some GM to take a chance on him.
   
   
8. Seattle Kraken
   Tyler Thorpe (OA1)
   F 6’4” 216 lbs WHL Vancouver
   -Just missed the 2024 draft being his first draft year. Late blooming prospect with an appealing NHL size and skillset. Thorpe has a great release on his shot and this season has really started to put up points. Learning how to use his size to his advantage and Seattle takes a gem here late in the draft.
   
   
9. Seattle Kraken
   Luca Testa
   C 6’0” 165 lbs OHL Brantford
   -Could be a sleeper pick here. Really struggled with injuries this year. Testa is a high end, creative player who can drive play when he’s on top of his game. He has great finishing ability and continues to grow his two way game. He is a great late round pick because he can develop into something if he can avoid the injury bug.
   
   
10. Detroit Red Wings
    Christopher Thibodeau
    C 5’9” 143 lbs OHL Kingston
    -Very slight forward that excels in puck transporting and skating. Thibodeau has great acceleration and footwork to evade defenders while displaying a hard, accurate shot. Flies around the ice with great speed. He struggles in the middle of the ice with the physicality so most likely won’t be a center at the next level.
    
    
11. Buffalo Sabres
    Viggo Gustafsson
    LHD 6’2” 192 lbs J20 HV71
    -Shutdown defender who is a solid skater. Simple meat and potatoes type of player who prefers to chip it out of the zone than make a splashy play. Makes the Sabres tougher to play against.
    
    
12. Philadelphia Flyers
    Kaden Pitre
    C 5’11” 168 lbs OHL Flint
    -Battled through injuries this year. His brother was a third round pick last year. Kaden is a scrappy, physical center who loves to wind up opponents. He is a great skater and shows blossoming playmaking talent. Philly gets a good one here as they take advantage of teams being cautious of his injury history.
    
    
13. Tampa Bay Lightning
    Kaden Shahan
    LW 5’11” 170 lbs USHL Sioux City
    -Strong forechecking forward. Shahan forces turnovers by harassing opposing players and then flying up the ice. He has strong puckhandling and an underrated shot. Needs to improve his playmaking as he is very one dimensional on the ice. Embraces his role with vigor which will be a coaches dream at higher levels.
    
    
14. Pittsburgh Penguins
    Eric Nordmark (OA1)
    LW 6’4” 174 lbs J20 Nationell HV71
    -Shows strong offensive acumen. Has a crazy shot and nice hands to get his shots and passes off. Nordmark has great size for a NHL winger but needs to improve his skating and defensive game.
    
    
15. Detroit Red Wings
    Miles Cooper
    C/LW 5’11” 165 lbs WHL Wenatchee
    -Cooper is a playmaker from the center position who has strong skating and vision. He is at his best carrying the puck through the neutral zone. He evades defenders easily using his edges to turn on a dime. Needs to bulk up and provide more consistency with his work ethic and defensive effort.
    
    
16. St. Louis Blues
    Kambryn Hendrickson
    G 6’2” 185 lbs USHL Omaha
    -One of the latest rising goaltenders. Hendrickson has superb agility and reflexes in between the pipes. Hendrickson put up superb numbers in the USHL as was voted a captain. He hasn’t committed to his next team yet so it will be interesting to see where he goes. Could work on his positioning and controlling rebounds.
    
    
17. Montreal Canadiens
    Ilya Pautov
    RW 5’10” 165 lbs MHL Krasnaya
    -Creative offensive playmaker who was one of the top scorers in the MHL. Can produce highlight reel play with a strong shot as well as one of the best stickhandling skills in the class. His skating is solid and allows him to buzz all over the offensive zone with the puck on his stick. The reason he will fall is because he does not physically engage with opponents and can easily get pushed around and out of the game.
    
    
18. St. Louis Blues
    Wilhelm Hallquisth (OA1)
    RHD 5’11” 176 lbs SHL HV71
    -Played 11 games in the SHL this year after spending the majority of his time in the junior league. Hallquisth is an offensive defenseman coming from a loaded HV71 defensive corps. This mock draft has 4 of them getting selected (Nilsson, Eliasson, Gustafsson and Hallquisth). He is at his best next to a defensive partner where he can show his wide range of passing.
    
    
19. Vegas Golden Knights
    Harrison Meneghin (OA1)
    G 6’3” 170 lbs WHL Lethbridge
    -Meneghin is an overager who hasn’t gotten much buzz this year. He has good size and has been solid in net in the WHL. He is a reactive goalie who can make big saves but he struggles reading the play before it happens. He has great reactions and agility but his aforementioned struggles lead to big rebounds being given up. A team may take a shot on him but it will be a late pick like this one.
    
    
20. Nashville Predators
    Noa Vali (OA1)
    G 6’1” 159 lbs Liiga TPS
    -Surprisingly not drafted last year. Extremely quick goalie similar to a certain Juuse Saros. Has great hockey IQ to anticipate shooters and movement of the puck. Vali is a pure potential pick as he has major size concerns. May not even get drafted as goalies in the later rounds are complete wild cards.
    
    
21. Los Angeles Kings
    Nikita Telegin (OA1)
    C 6’1” 157 lbs MHL Belye Medvedi
    -Hard working center who grinds out production through his energy and mucking it up around the net. Telegin is great on faceoffs which will be an advantage to making it as a bottom 6 center. Injury took out a large chunk of his season last year which led him to being passed over. Has a slow, methodical style in the offensive zone which will need to have more pace if he is to reach his potential. Showed improvement this season and hopefully it is enough to get picked.
    
    
22. Colorado Avalanche
    Austin Burnevik (OA1)
    F 6’4” 201 lbs USHL Madison
    -Showed major improvement this year. The biggest change was his improvement in his skating speed and agility. He is more engaged and willing to take over games with the newfound confidence. He is strong at generating offense off the rush even though his decision making still needs to improve.
    
    
23. Toronto Maple Leafs
    Nolan Roed
    F 5’11” 185 lbs USHL Tri-City
    -Center who plays a hard nosed, physical brand of hockey. Good at faceoffs. Projects as a grinder that can kill penalties. Two St. Cloud State commits drafted in a row with Burnevik.

1. Colorado Avalanche
   David Svozil
   LHD 6’2” 172 lbs U20 Sm-sarja Ilves
   -Young defender who’s older brother is a CBJ prospect. He has a great frame that he is still growing into as well as smooth skating technique and a solid shot from the point. He projects as a two way defenseman but it remains to be seen whether he is just a dominant youth player or if he can grow his game.
   
   
2. Edmonton Oilers
   Caeden Herrington
   RHD 6’1” 185 lbs USHL Green Bay
   -One of the top prep school defenseman this year. Herrington is a young offensive defenseman who has great skill with the puck. Scored a “Michigan” goal at one point this season. Will need to improve his consistency and bulk up a little as he upgrades the level of his competition. Committed to Vermont to play his college hockey.
   
   
3. Winnipeg Jets
   Gian Meier
   RHD 6’2” 170 lbs U20 Switzerland GCK Lions
   -Puck moving defender who plays a simple game in his own end. He is a solid skater but uses his smarts and positioning to marshall forwards where he wants them to go. Isn’t the most physical and does not get involved in the offensive zone much.
   
   
4. Carolina Hurricanes
   Filip Sitar (OA1)
   C 5’11” 183 lbs J20 Malmo
   -Only Slovenian drafted in this mock draft. Sitar is an intelligent two-way center who can play both sides of special teams. He is primarily a playmaker and uses his strong puckhandling to get passes around defenders. He has great vision and knows how to link teammates together. Projects as a potential bottom 6 center that can provide depth scoring.
   
   
5. Vancouver Canucks
   Quinn Kennedy
   C 5’10” 172 lbs QMJHL Rimouski Oceanic
   -Well rounded competitive forward who displays strong work ethic and projectable offensive traits. Solid skater and agility on his turns. He has a quick release on his shot and when he is confident he plays a direct, offensive style. Kennedy struggled in the playoffs and this could damper his draft spot and maybe cause him to not be drafted at all.
   
   
6. Dallas Stars
   Eerik Wallenius
   LHD 6’4” 212 lbs U20 Sm-sarja HPK
   -Surprisingly played some 4th line winger for a bit this year. Wallenius is athletic and shows decent skill on the puck. He is a strong puck mover but needs to improve his positioning and decision making. Dallas makes a bet on being able to work with his athletic frame and turn him into a promising hockey player.
   
   
7. Pittsburgh Penguins
   James Reeder
   F 5’9” 168 lbs USHL Dubuque
   -Slight but skilled forward from the USHL. Reeder is hard-working and has a high hockey IQ. His decision making is what sets him apart from other small forwards his age. He won’t blow you away with any elite skills but he projects as a hard working player who can show occasional glimpses of high end talent.
   
   
8. Buffalo Sabres
   Jan Spunar (OA2)
   G 6’3” 198 lbs WHL Portland
   -Overager who’s best skill is his anticipation and reading of the game. Has NHL size and has gained valuable experience after being eligible for the 2022 draft. He is calm in net but could continue to improve his technical skills. Needs to remain consistently healthy as injuries have hurt him in the past.
   
   
9. Montreal Canadiens
   Nathan Aspinall
   LW 6’7” 190 lbs OHL Flint
   -Last pick of the draft and it's a dart throw. Montreal goes with the hulking forward from the OHL who brings great size and shot to the table but has woeful skating. He also needs to use his body more to separate other players from the puck. His ceiling is a bottom 6 forward. Project player.
   
   
   
   The table below shows each team's selections. Below that is some honorable mentions that just missed my mock draft. I could fill a whole 100 more players but just chose some of my favorites. Thanks for reading!

Click to read more...

 

[bdn00707]

Replied so I could fit the table and HM's here.

San Jose

Macklin Celebrini C 6’0” 190 lbs NCAA Boston University

Michael Brandsegg-Nygard RW 6’1” 198 lbs HockeyAllsvenskan Mora IK

Henry Mews RHD 6’0” 185 lbs OHL Ottawa

Harrison Brunicke RHD 6’3” 187 lbs WHL Kamloops

Mikhail Yegorov G 6’4” 179 lbs USHL Omaha

Herman Traff W 6’3” 203 lbs J20 HV71

Kevin He LW 6’0” 183 lbs OHL Niagara

Luke Osburn LHD 6’0” 172 lbs USHL Youngstown

Loke Johansson LHD 6’3” 214 lbs Allsvenskan AIK

Chicago

Ivan Demidov RW 5’11” 168 lbs MHL SKA St. Petersburg

Igor Chernyshov LW 6’3” 196 lbs MHL MHK Dynamo Moskva

Dominik Badinka RHD 6’3” 190 lbs J20 Malmo

Tanner Howe F 5’11” 181 lbs WHL Regina

Topias Hynninen C 5’10” 164 lbs Liiga Jukurit

Pavel Moysevich (OA1) G 6’5” 176 lbs KHL SKA St. Petersburg

Ethan Procyszyn RW 6’3” 189 lbs OHL North Bay

Frankie Marrelli LHD 5’11” 185 lbs OHL Ottawa 67’s

Anaheim

Artyom Levshunov RHD 6’2” 209 lbs NCAA Michigan State

Ryder Ritchie RW 6’0” 174 lbs WHL Prince Albert

Maxim Masse RW 6’1” 181 lbs QMJHL Chicoutimi

Will Skahan LHD 6’4” 212 lbs NTDP

Miguel Marques F 5’11” 172 lbs WHL Lethbridge

Tomas Lavoie RHD 6’4” 225 lbs QMJHL Cape Breton

Ondrej Kos LW 6’2” 167 lbs Finland Jr Ilves Jr.

Kieron Walton C/W 6’6” 210 lbs OHL Sudbury

Aidan Park F 6’0” 185 lbs High School Shattuck St. Mary’s

Columbus

Anton Silayev LHD 6’7” 207 lbs KHL Torpedo

Ilya Nabokov (OA3) G 6’1” 180 lbs KHL Magnitogorsk

Lucas Van Vliet C/LW 6’2” 175 lbs NTDP

Alexandre Blais C/LW 5’10” 154 lbs QMJHL Rimouski Oceanic

AJ Spellacy C 6’3” 190 lbs OHL Windsor

Nate Misskey (OA1) RHD 6’3” 205 lbs WHL Victoria

Montreal

Cayden Lindstrom C 6’4” 216 lbs WHL Medicine Hat

Cole Beaudoin C 6’2” 201 lbs OHL Barrie

Sam O’Reilly W 6’1” 176 lbs OHL London

Raoul Boilard C 6’2” 190 lbs QMJHL Baie-Comeau

Colin Ralph LHD 6’4” 216 lbs High School Shattuck St-Mary’s

Aatos Koivu C 6’1” 165 lbs Liiga TPS

Javon Moore LW 6’2” 181 lbs Minnetonka High

Felix Lacerte RW/C 5’10” 165 lbs QMJHL Shawinigan

Matvei Babenko RW/LW 6’3” 201 lbs VHL Toros Neftekamsk

Samuel Kupec LHD 6’3” 209 lbs Slovakia2

Ilya Pautov RW 5’10” 165 lbs MHL Krasnaya

Nathan Aspinall LW 6’7” 190 lbs OHL Flint

Utah

Sam Dickinson LHD 6’3” 194 lbs OHL London Knights

Dean Letourneau C 6’7” 209 lbs U18 AAA St. Andrew’s College

Colton Roberts RHD 6’4” 194 lbs WHL Vancouver

Luke Misa C 5’10” 165 lbs OHL Mississauga

Tomas Galvas LHD 5’10” 148 lbs Czech Liberec

Kim Saarinen G 6’4” 176 lbs SM-sarja HPK

William Zellers LW 5’10” 163 lbs High School Shattuck St Mary’s

Christian Humphreys C 5’11” 170 lbs NTDP

Karl Sterner LW/C 6’3” 192 lbs J20 Frolunda

Will Felicio LHD 5’10” 161 lbs USHL Waterloo

Logan Sawyer LW/C 6’1” 174 lbs BCHL Brooks Bandits

Miroslav Satan C 6’7” 190 lbs Slovakia2

Cole Davis LW 5’10 174 lbs OHL Windsor

Ottawa

Zayne Parekh RHD 6’0” 181 lbs OHL Saginaw

Teddy Stiga LW 5’10” 176 lbs USDP

Nikita Artamonov RW/LW 5’11” 187 lbs KHL Torpedo

Oliver Josephson C 6’0” 181 lbs WHL Red Deer

Anthony Romani (OA1) C/RW 6’0” 176 lbs OHL North Bay

Nicholas Kempf G 6’2” 190 lbs NTDP

Darels Uljanskis LHD 6’2” 187 lbs J20 AIK

Alexis Bernier RHD 6’1” 190 lbs QMJHL Baie-Comeau

Seattle

Zeev Buium LHD 6’0” 183 lbs NCAA Denver

Kamil Bednarik C 6’0” 185 lbs USDP

Carter George G 6’1” 196 lbs OHL Owen Sound

Adam Kleber RHD 6’5” 203 lbs USHL Lincoln

Timur Kol LHD 6’3” 198 lbs MHL Omsk

Noel Fransen LHD 6’0” 183 lbs J20 Farjestad BK

Kristian Epperson F 5’11” 183 lbs USDP

Tyler Thorpe (OA1) F 6’4” 216 lbs WHL Vancouver

Luca Testa C 6’0” 165 lbs OHL Brantford

Calgary

Tij Iginla W/C 6’0” 185 WHL Kelowna

EJ Emery RHD 6’3” 185 USDP

Linus Eriksson C 6’0” 185 lbs J20 Djurgardens IF

Leon Muggli LHD 6’0” 176 lbs NL EV Zug

Clarke Caswell LW 5’11” 170 lbs WHL Swift Current

Nathan Villeneuve C 5’11” 192 lbs OHL Sudbury

Anthony Cristoforo RHD 5’11” 181 OHL Windsor

Riley Patterson C 6’0” 192 lbs OHL Barrie

Kirill Zarubin G 6’4” 179 lbs MHL AKM Tula

New Jersey

Konsta Helenius RW/C 5’11” 181 lbs Liiga Jukurit

Eemil Vinni G 6’3” 187 lbs Finland Jokipojat

Eriks Mateiko LW 6’5” 209 lbs QMJHL Saint John

Tory Pitner RHD 6’1” 183 lbs USHL Youngstown

Edvin Nilsson LHD 5’11” 183 lbs J20 HV71

Markus Loponen C 6’1” 185 lbs U20 Sm-sarja Karpat

Buffalo

Carter Yakemchuk RHD 6’3” 194 lbs WHL Calgary

Matvei Gridin W 6’1” 185 lbs USHL Muskegon

Maximilian Curran C 6’2” 179 lbs WHL Tri-City

Maxim Velikov LW 6’1” 198 lbs MHL Krasnaya

Jack Berglund F 6’3” 207 lbs SHL Farjestad

Will McIsaac RHD 6’3” 192 lbs WHL Spokane

Viggo Gustafsson LHD 6’2” 192 lbs J20 HV71

Jan Spunar (OA2) G 6’3” 198 lbs WHL Portland

Philadelphia

Berkly Catton C/W 5’11” 163 lbs WHL Spokane

Stian Solberg LHD 6’2” 201 lbs Norway Valerenga

Yegor Surin C/RW 6’1” 192 lbs MHL Loko Yaroslavl

Adam Jecho RW 6’5” 201 lbs WHL Edmonton

Lukas Fischer LHD 6’4” 181 lbs OHL Sarnia

Tanner Adams (OA1) RW/C 5’11” 184 lbs NCAA Providence

Frans Haara (OA2) RHD 6’1” 185 lbs SHL Skelleftea

Artyom Shchuchinov LHD 5’11” 154 lbs KHL Traktor

Evan Gardner G 6’2” 174 lbs WHL Saskatoon

Kaden Pitre C 5’11” 168 lbs OHL Flint

Minnesota

Cole Eiserman LW 6’0” 196 lbs NTDP

Alfons Freij LHD 6’1” 196 lbs J20 Vaxjo Lakers

Gabriel Eliasson LHD 6’6” 205 lbs J20 HV71

Miroslav Holinka C/RW 6’1” 183 lbs Czechia HC Ocelari Trinec

Lukas Matecha (OA1) G 6’3” 196 lbs WHL Tri-City

Andrei Krutov LW/RW 5’11” 174 lbs MHL Chaika Nizhny

Pittsburgh

Aron Kiviharju LHD 5’10” 172 lbs Liiga HIFK

John Mustard LW 6’0” 185 lbs USHL Waterloo

Marcus Gidlof G 6’6” 212 lbs J20 Leksands

Thomas Desruisseaux C 5’11” 154 lbs QMJHL Chicoutimi

Eric Nordmark (OA1) LW 6’4” 174 lbs J20 Nationell HV71

James Reeder F 5’9” 168 lbs USHL Dubuque

Detroit

Beckett Sennecke RW 6’2” 181 lbs OHL Oshawa

Lucas Pettersson C 5’11” 172 lbs J20 MoDo Hockey

Veeti Vaisanen LHD 6’0” 177 lbs Liiga Kookoo

Fyodor Avramov LW 6’3” 190 lbs MHL Kapitan

Petr Sikora C 6’0” 174 lbs Czechia HC Ocelari Trinec

Jan Golicic LHD 6’6” 198 lbs QMJHL Gatineau

Christopher Thibodeau C 5’9” 143 lbs OHL Kingston

Miles Cooper C/LW 5’11” 165 lbs WHL Wenatchee

St. Louis

Adam Jiricek RHD 6’2” 170 lbs Czech HC Plzen

Matvei Shuravin LHD 6’2” 172 MHL Krasnaya Armiya

Brodie Ziemer F 5’11” 192 lbs NTDP

Max Plante LW/C 5’11” 170 lbs NTDP

Tarin Smith LHD 6’1” 175 lbs WHL Everett

Niilopekka Muhonen LHD 6’4” 185 lbs Liiga KalPa

Tomas Mrsic C 6’0” 170 lbs WHL Medicine Hat

Kambryn Hendrickson G 6’2” 185 lbs USHL Omaha

Wilhelm Hallquisth (OA1) RHD 5’11” 176 lbs SHL HV71

Washington

Liam Greentree RW 6’2” 198 lbs OHL Windsor

Ben Danford RHD 6’0” 176 lbs OHL Oshawa

Carson Wetsch RW 6’0” 190 lbs WHL Calgary

Luca Marrelli RHD 6’2” 179 lbs OHL Oshawa

Hagen Burrows RW 6’2” 174 lbs Minnetonka High

Roman Shokhrin LHD 6’4” 198 lbs MHL Loko

Ilya Protas F 6’3” 183 lbs USHL Des Moines

Ivan Yunin G 6’2” 196 lbs MHL Omskie Yastreby

New York Islanders

Trevor Connelly LW 6’1” 161 lbs USHL Tri-City

Melvin Fernstrom RW 6’0” 185 lbs J20 Orebro

Spencer Gill RHD 6’3” 179 lbs QMJHL Rimouski Oceanic

Oskar Vuollet C/W 5’11” 172 lbs SHL Skelleftea

Mitja Jokinen LHD 5’11” 168 lbs Liiga TPS

Eric Jamieson (OA1) LHD 6’3” 203 lbs WHL Everett

Vegas

Sacha Boisvert C 6’2” 179 lbs USHL Muskegon

Jake Fisher (OA1) F 6’2” 192 lbs USHL Fargo Force

Nathan Mayes LHD 6’3” 181 lbs WHL Spokane

Harrison Meneghin (OA1) G 6’3” 170 lbs WHL Lethbridge

Tampa Bay

Gabriel Frasca C 6’0” 170 lbs OHL Kingston

Elliott Groenewold LHD 6’1” 200 lbs USHL Cedar Rapids

Jack Bodin RHD 6’3” 214 lbs J20 Orebro

Robin Nico Antenen LW 6’2” 190 lbs U20 Switzerland Zug U20

Kaden Shahan LW 5’11” 170 lbs USHL Sioux City

Los Angeles

Andrew Basha LW 6’0 185 lbs WHL Medicine Hat

Dawson Cowan G 6’3” 185 lbs WHL Spokane

Xavier Veilleux LHD 6’0” 190 lbs USHL Muskegon

Nikita Telegin (OA1) C 6’1” 157 lbs MHL Belye Medvedi

Nashville

Michael Hage C 6’1” 190 USHL Chicago

Jesse Pulkkinen (OA1) LHD 6’6” 216 lbs Sm-sarja JYP

Julius Miettinen C 6’3” 207 lbs WHL Everett

Marek Vanacker LW 6’0” 165 lbs OHL Brantford

Justin Poirier RW 5’8” 181 lbs QMJHL Baie-Comeau

Alexander Zetterberg C 5’8” 159 lbs J20 Orebro

Jacob Battaglia RW 6’0” 205 lbs OHL Kingston

Jakub Fibigr LHD 6’0” 172 lbs OHL Mississauga

Noa Vali (OA1) G 6’1” 159 lbs Liiga TPS

Toronto

Charlie Elick RHD 6’3” 198 lbs WHL Brandon

Eric Burger LHD 6’0” 181 lbs J20 Orebro

Hunter Laing W/C 6’6” 192 lbs WHL Prince George

Joona Vaisanen (OA2) RHD 6’0” 176 lbs USHL Dubuque

Daniil Anatsky C 6’3” 214 lbs MHL Yunior Krasnogorsk

Cameron Korpi (OA2) G 6’4” 172 lbs USHL Tri-City

Nolan Roed F 5’11” 185 lbs USHL Tri-City

Edmonton

Daniil Ustinkov LHD 6’1” 201 lbs NL Zurich SC

Lucas Ellinas C/LW 6’1” 176 lbs OHL Kitchener

Jonathan Morello F 6’3” 192 lbs OJHL St. Michael’s

Landon Miller G 6’4” 193 lbs OHL Sault Ste. Marie

Mason Zebeski LW 6’1” 185 lbs OHL Mississauga

Caeden Herrington RHD 6’1” 185 lbs USHL Green Bay

Colorado

Jett Luchanko C 5’11” 183 lbs OHL Guelph

Heikki Ruohonen C 6’1” 196 lbs U20 SM-sarja Kiekko-Espoo

Arsen Taimazov RHD 6’4” 215 lbs MHL Dynamo

Mac Swanson LW 5’7” 157 lbs USHL Fargo Force

Caleb Heil G 6’2” 185 lbs USHL Madison

Austin Burnevik (OA1) F 6’4” 201 lbs USHL Madison

David Svozil LHD 6’2” 172 lbs U20 Sm-sarja Ilves

Boston

Jack Pridham RW 6’2” 174 lbs BCHL West Kelowna

Tanner Henricks RHD 6’3” 194 lbs USHL Lincoln

Ondrej Becher (OA2) C/W 6’0” 172 lbs WHL Prince George

Winnipeg

Leo Sahlin Wallenius LHD 6’0” 183 lbs J20 Vaxjo Lakers

Hiroki Gojsic F 6’3” 198 lbs WHL Kelowna

Eric Olsson G 6’4” 183 lbs USHL Omaha

Artur Faizov C/LW 6’1” 183 lbs MHL Mamonty Yugry

Gian Meier RHD 6’2” 170 lbs U20 Switzerland GCK Lions

Carolina

Emil Hemming RW 6’2” 194 lbs Liiga TPS

Simon Zether C 6’3” 187 lbs J20 Rogle

Sebastian Soini RHD 6’2” 183 lbs Finland Jr. Ilves Jr.

Yegor Graf C 5’11” 161 lbs MHL SKA St. Petersburg

Ryerson Leenders G 6’2” 179 lbs OHL Mississauga

Marcus Kearsey LHD 5’11” 172 lbs QMJHL Charlottetown

Owen Protz LHD 6’1” 201 lbs OHL Brantford

Gabe Smith C 6’4” 207 lbs QMJHL Moncton

Filip Sitar (OA1) C 5’11” 183 lbs J20 Malmo

Vancouver

John Whipple LHD 6’1” 192 lbs NTDP

Martin Haronik G 6’5” 205 lbs Slovakia2 HC Modre Kridla

Adam Hesselvall C/RW 6’0” 176 lbs J20 Sodertalje

Alexander Siryatsky LHD 6’2” 160 lbs MHL Stalnye Lisy

Quinn Kennedy C 5’10” 172 lbs QMJHL Rimouski Oceanic

Florida

Kasper Pikkarainen RW 6’3” 190 lbs Finland Jr. TPS Jr.

Daniel Nieminen LHD 6’0” 176 lbs U20 SM-sarja Pelicans

Jared Woolley LHD 6’4” 214 lbs OHL London

Blake Montgomery (OA1) LW 6’4” 181 lbs USHL Lincoln

Dallas

Terik Parascak RW 5’11” 179 lbs WHL Prince George

Joona Saarelainen C 5’9” 176 lbs Liiga KalPa

Eerik Wallenius LHD 6’4” 212 lbs U20 Sm-sarja HPK

NY Rangers

Cole Hutson LHD 5’10” 159 lbs USDP

Austin Baker F 6’0” 192 lbs NCAA Michigan St.

Matyas Melovsky (OA2) C 6’0” 183 lbs QMJHL Baie-Comeau

Jimmy Dodig LHD 6’5” 205 lbs High School Cretin-Derhim Hall

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Vojtech Hradec
C 6’4” 201 lbs U20 Czechia BK Mlada Boleslav

Charlie Cerrato (OA1)
F 6’0” 190 lbs USHL Youngstown

Lauri Sinivuori
C/LW 6’1” 179 lbs U20 SM-sarja HIFK

Noah Steen (OA2)
LW/RW 6’1” 192 lbs SHL Orebro

Benjamin Rautianinen (OA1)
F 6’0” 174 lbs U20 Sm-sarja Tappara

Svante Sjodin (OA1)
C 6’1” 183 lbs SHL Orebro

Luke Mistelbacher Canada
F 6’0” 194 lbs WHL Swift Current

Callum Hughes
F 6’1” 170 lbs BCHL West Kelowna

Max Vilen Sweden
LHD 6’3” 198 lbs J20 Malmo Redhawks

Chase Pietela (OA2)
RHD 6’1” 185 lbs NCAA Michigan Tech

David Green
LHD 6’2” 196 lbs OJHL St. Michael’s

Adam Kral
RHD 6’2” 181 lbs Czechia Bili Tygri Liberec

Parker Von Richter
RHD 6’1” 183 lbs OHL Mississauga

Simon Pier Brunet
RHD 6’2” 196 lbs QMJHL Drummondville

Bryce Pickford
RHD 6’0” 170 lbs WHL Medicine Hat

Chase Wutkze
G 6’2” 161 lbs WHL Red Deer

John Parsons G
G 6’4” 183 lbs NTDP

 

[Grinner]

I like it from a Sharks fan perspective
Give it an A

 

[pooch]

I like it for the Flyers.

What is going on with your numbering system?

 

[bdn00707]

I like it for the Flyers.

What is going on with your numbering system?

Got messed up when I copied it over from google docs. Still in order but no clue what happened there haha.

 

[pooch]

Got messed up when I copied it over from google docs. Still in order but no clue what happened there haha.

Nice work. That looks like it took a lot of effort.

 

[Gecklund]

Appreciate the work! Obviously a huge effort and a fun read.

I don’t love the Sharks picks outside of the first 2. I do like Brunicke but think there’s a couple guys over him.

 

[Ford Prefect]

If Montreal got Koivu with their 5th pick, I'd be ecstatic.

 

[Muffinalt]

Nice work!

 

[Mrfenn92]

Good list

 

[SimGrindcore]

Wow! Massive work!

 

[c_mak]

Thank you I love reading this stuff at this time of year

 

[Breeze 44]

Damn, I don't know if I could type that much if I was sitting at work getting paid lol.
Nice job.