God Flower
Somebody hold me
Okay, this is my 1st attempt at a mock draft and it took a ridiculous amount of time to compile, so be gentle! My picks are based off of draft rankings (CS, ISS, etc), GM tendencies, team needs, and personal hunches. Anyway, I would love to hear what people think, so without further ado...
1- EDMONTON OILERS select Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (C)
Stat line: (6'0", 155lbs) 69GP 31G 75A 106pts 51PIM +29, PO: 9GP 4G 7A 11Pts
Skinny: Oilers get the 1st line center they crave who will set up Hall for years to come. By passing up Larsson, the Oilers will hope to grab a solid defenseman with their 19th pick.
2- COLORADO AVALANCHE select Adam Larsson (D)
Stat line: (6'2", 209 lbs) 37GP 1G 8A 9pts 41PIM +12, PO: 17GP 0G 4A 4PTS
Skinny: Some Avalanche fans might be disappointed that they didn't grab one of the offensive prospects available (Landeskog, Huberdeau, etc) in the top 5, but Larsson is the BPA and should form a formidable duo for EJ for years to come. Similar to the Oilers, the Avalanche will address other needs with their later pick in the 1st round (#11).
3- FLORIDA PANTHERS select Sean Couturier (C)
Stat line: (6'4", 191 lbs) 58GP 36G 60A 96PTS 36PIM +55, PO: 10GP 6G 5A 11pts
Skinny: Sean Couturier is a Dave Tallon type player and the Panthers would welcome some size and skill up the middle. Couturier could form a solid 1-2 punch with Nick Bjugstad (6'4", 204lbs), making life difficult for defensemen in the EC moving forward. Couturier is underrated IMO and you don't pass up on this kind of skill set.
4- NEW JERSEY DEVILS select Ryan Murphy (D)
Stat line: (5'11", 176 lbs) 63GP 26G 53A 79pts 36PIM +22, PO: 7GP 2G 9A 11Pts
Skinny: Sweet Lou will draft the offensive minded and puck moving guru from Kitchener and mold him into the Canadian version of Brian Rafalski. The Devils require some help on the backend and Ryan Murphy definitely fits the bill. Check out that stat line. Crazy! Very similar to PK Subban in his last year in the O and the trend only continued at the WU18's (7GP 4G 9A 13pts).
5- NEW YORK ISLANDERS select Gabriel Landeskog (RW)
Stat line: (6'0", 201 lbs) 53GP 36G 30A 66Pts 61PIM +27, PO: 7GP 6G 4A 10Pts
Skinny: Garth Snow is extremely giddy to have Landeskog fall to #5, but he's even happier that Bryan Murray will finally stop calling him now that Landeskog is off the table. A 1st line of Nino - Tavares - Landskog will haunt the Atlantic division for the next decade or so.
6- OTTAWA SENATORS select Jonathan Huberdeau (C/LW)
Stat line: (6'1", 171 lbs) 67GP 43G 62A 105pts 88PIM +59, PO: 16GP 14G 13A 27pts
Skinny: Even though Bryan Murray was drooling over Landeskog (my opinion), he is still extremely happy to select the talented Huberdeau with the 6th pick. Management plans to switch Huberdeau to the wing and if Bobby Butler continues to develop, a top line of Huberdeau - Spezza - Butler could dominate all offensive categories league wide.
7- ATLANTA THRASHERS select Dougie Hamilton (D)
Stat line: (6'4", 193lbs) 67GP 12G 46A 58pts 77PIM +35, PO: 14GP 4G 12A 16pts
Skinny: Dougie Hamilton's package of size, talent, and grit is too much for Atlanta to pass up on. Hamilton does everything right and and will use his skill set to combine an aggressive 1-2 punch with Byfuglien on the backend for the Thrashers.
8- COLUMBUS BLUEJACKETS select Mika Zibanejad (C)
Stat line: (6'2", 192lbs) 26GP 5G 4A 9pts 2PIM +1, PO: 7GP 1G 1A 2pts
Skinny: Z-bad's stock has risen over the final 1/3 of the year, culminating with an impressive tourney at the WU18's. Z-bad could be the center Columbus has been looking for (assuming Filatov doesn't work out), making a 1st line of Nash - Zbad - Voracek to build around.
9- BOSTON BRUINS select Nathan Beaulieu (D)
Stat line: (6'3", 191lbs) 65GP 12G 33A 45pts 52PIM +44, PO: 16GP 3G 12A 15pts
Skinny: With lots of young talent up front, the Bruins decide to bolster their backend with defensive prospect Nathan Beauieu. Beaulieu's stock has risen during the back half of the season as his SJ Seadogs push for a Memorial Cup birth from the Q. Beaulieu has been impressive in the playoffs, neutralizing defensive traps with his ability to rush the puck and will be a welcomed asset to the Bruins' prospect pool.
10- MINNESOTA WILD select Joel Armia (F)
Stat line: (6'3", 187lbs) 48GP 18G 11A 29pts 24PIM +9, PO: N/A
Skinny: the Minnesota Wild continue their mini trend of drafting Finnish players and select power forward Joel Armia to compliment last year's bluechip pick of Mikael Granlund. Armia wasn't projected to go in the top 10, but he's had a solid second half, including a brilliant performance at the WU18's (6GP 4G 9A 13pts).
11- COLORADO AVALANCHE select Ryan Strome (C)
Stat line: (6'1", 183lbs) 65GP 33G 73A 106pts 82PIM +28, PO: 14GP 6G 6A 12pts
Skinny: Ryan Strome took the OHL by storm this year and vaulted up the prospect rankings as a result. His 106 points were amongst the league's best and the Avalanche are extremely happy to add this offensive talent to their organization. Considering they took Adam Larsson with their 1st pick, I would say it's a pretty successful 1st round for the Lanche.
12- CAROLINA HURRICANES select Jamieson Oleksiak (D)
Stat line: (6'7", 240lbs) 38GP 4G 9A 13pts 57PIM, PO: N/A
Skinny: Some Hurricane fans might be little frustrated/disappointed that GM Rutherford selected a "project" dman in the 1st round, but their smiles will return when they see a 6'7" bohemoth skating like a 6 footer in training camp come September. Oleksiak could prove to be the steal of the draft IMO.
13- CALGARY FLAMES select Sven Bartschi (F)
Stat line: (5'10", 185lbs) 66GP 34G 51A 85pts 74PIM +23, PO: 19GP 10G 16A 26pts
Skinny: The Calgary Flames are ecstatic that Bartschi fell out of the top 10 and instantly bolster their forward prospect pool with an offensie dynamo. Bartschi took the WHL by storm and saved his best hockey for the playoffs as Portland pushes for a Memorial Cup birth. Like Oleksiak (taken above), Bartschi could prove to be the steal of the 1st round.
14- DALLAS STARS select Duncan Siemens (D)
Stat line: (6'3", 192lbs) 72GP 5G 38A 43pts 121PIM +40, PO: 10GP 1G 3A 4pts
Skinny: Like the Flames above, the Dallas Stars are extremely happy that Duncan Siemens fell out of the top 10 and into their laps. Siemens is well rounded defenseman with a good blend of size and skill. Even with the addition of Goglioski at the deadline, the Stars could use some defensive help.
15- NEW YORK RANGERS select Zack Phillips (C)
Stat line: (6'0", 180lbs) 67GP 38G 57A 95pts 16PIM +48, PO: 16GP 8G 14A 22pts
Skinny: Many hockey pundits find it difficult to evaluate talent from the Saint John SeaDogs as the organization is deep at all positions. Zack Phillips centers the top line on Canada's best (arguably) junior team and his production this year has resulted in his subsequent rise up the prospect rankings. If Phillips can improve on his skating, he could challenge Evgeny Grachev as NYR's top prospect at the center position.
16- BUFFALO SABRES select Mark McNeill (C)
Stat line: (6'2", 210lbs) 70GP 32G 49A 81pts 53PIM -4, PO: 6GP 2G 3A 5pts
Skinny: With the possible departure of Tim Connolly, the Sabres are anxious to stockpile talent up the middle and Mark McNeill fits this mold perfectly. A future line of Gerbe - McNeill - Kassian could fill out Buffalo's bottom 6 quite nicely. McNeill is a solid power foward with lots of offensive upside.
17- MONTREAL CANADIANS select Tyler Biggs (RW)
Stat line: (6'2", 200lbs) 20GP 7G 4A 11pts 41PIM +8, PO: N/A
Skinny: At 6'2", 200lbs, Tyler Biggs is the power foward Montreal so desperately needs. A future line of Cammaleri - Leblanc - Biggs could provide a lethal combination of finish, passing ability, and power to round out the bottom 6 in Montreal.
18- CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS select Mark Scheifele (C)
Stat line: (6'3", 175lbs) 66GP 22G 53A 75pts 35PIM -22
Skinny: The Blackhawks are extremely lucky to have Scheifele fall to #18. Another late riser, Scheifele's proved his name should be in the conversation after a solid performance at the WU18's (7GP 6G 2A 8pts). Scheifele will challenge Brandon Pirri and Marcus "Freddy" Kruger for the #2 center spot behind Toews in the near future.
19- EDMONTON OILERS (from Los Angeles) select Jonas Brodin (D)
Stat line: (6'0", 172lbs) 42GP 0G 4A 4pts 12PIM +6, PO: 14GP 2G 0A 2pts
Skinny: With the selection of Nugent-Hopkins as the 1st pick, the Oilers decide to fortify their backend with the 3rd rated European prospect as per NHL scouting. Brodin should challenge the likes of Teubert, Marincin, Petry, and Plante in Edmonton's top 4.
20- Phoenix Coyotes select Tomas Jurco (RW)
Stat line: (6'2", 193lbs) 60GP 31G 25A 56pts 17PIM +46, PO: 16GP 6G 11A 17pts
Skinny: This pick may be a little off the radar, but Jurco has been playing 2nd fiddle to Huberdeau/Phillips/Galiev all season long, despite putting up 30+ goals. He's a great blend of size and skill with amazing one on one moves, that will help any team's shootout record. The Coyotes are a little weak on the right side moving forward and if Jurco and Turris could find some chemistry, the end result could be magic.
21- OTTAWA SENATORS (from Nashville) select Nicklas Jensen (RW)
Stat line: (6'3", 186lbs) 61GP 29G 29A 58pts 42PIM +14, PO: 10GP 7G 4A 11pts
Skinny: If Bobby Butler doesn't work out as Ottawa's future 1st line RW'er, the Ottawa Senators have an insurance policy in Nicklas Jensen to fill that void. A future 1st line of Huberdeau - Spezza - Jensen could be even more potent than the former suggestion and this pick wraps up a successful 1st round for the "re-building" Sens.
22- ANAHEIM DUCKS select David Musil (D)
Stat line: (6'3", 191lbs) 62GP 6G 19A 25pts 83PIM O, PO: 4GP 0G 1A 1pt
Skinny: With a young and dynamic 1st line already set in place and Peter Holland, Emerson Etem, and Devante Smith-Pelly coming up the pipeline, the Ducks will look to draft another (Fowler) defenseman to challenge the likes of Sbisa, Fowler, and Vatanen for top minutes moving forward.
23- PITTSBURGH PENGUINS select Brandon Saad (LW)
Stat line: (6'2", 211lbs) 59GP 27G 28A 55pts 47PIM +8, PO: 12GP 3G 9A 12pts
Skinny: Pittsburgh will be taking the BPA at this point and get a steal in Saad. Although he'll take time to develop, they could have a future power forward to play along side either Crosby or Malkin.
24- DETROIT RED WINGS select Joe Morrow (D)
Stat line: (6'1", 198lbs) 60GP 9G 40A 49pts 67PIM +23, PO: 19GP 6G 12A 18pts
Skinny: Detroit has some interesting forward prospects with boom/bust potential in Tatar, Pulkinen, and Jarnkrok, but with Lidstrom and Rafalski so close to retirement, I feel they will choo-choo-choose a defensemen if there's a good one available. Morrow is one of the more underrated prospects IMO and to land such a puckmoving gem in the late 1st round is a victory for the organization.
25- TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS (from Philly) select Matt Puempel (LW)
Stat line: (6'0", 190lbs) 55GP 34G 35A 69pts 49PIM -33, PO: N/A
Skinny: although Puempel can not be described as pugnacious or truculent, there's no doubting his offensive upside, which is much needed in Leafland. A future 1st line of Puempel - Kadri - Kessel could be quite deadly.
26- WASHINGTON CAPITALS select Vladislav Namestnikov (C)
Stat line: (6'0", 170lbs) 68GP 30G 38A 68pts 49PIM +12, PO: 6GP 1G 4A 5pts
Skinny: The Capitals will continue their trend of drafting skilled Russian forwards and get lucky at landing Namestnikov so late in the 1st round. Moving forward, the Capitals could ice an all Russian 1st line of Ovechkin - Namestnikov - Kuznetsov which would be pretty scary for the EC.
27- TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING select Ty Rattie (RW)
Stat line: (6'0", 167 lbs) 67GP 28G 51A 79pts 55PIM +20
Skinny: The Lightning will not be able to pass up on offensive sensation Ty Rattie and add him to an already ridiculously talented forward corps. Generally speaking, Rattie is rated in the 17-23 range, so Tampa will be taking the BPA (arguably).
28- SAN JOSE SHARKS select Rocco Grimaldi (F)
Stat line: (5' 6", 163lbs) 50 34 28 62 57
Skinny: I initially had the Sharks taking physical defensemen Scott Mayfield here, but with Taylor Doherty coming up the ranks and upon further reflection, I think the Sharks will be the 1st to blink in the Rocco Grimaldi sweepstakes and select the cute little pocket sized phenom. I'm probably wrong here, but that's the fun of doing a mock draft.
29- TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS (from Boston) select Boone Jenner (C)
Stat line: (6'1", 193lbs) 63GP 25G 41A 66pts 57PIM +10, PO: 10GP 7G 5A 12pts
Skinny: The Leafs will be more than happy to grab such an offensive wizard so late in the 1st round. After drafting Matt Peumpel earlier in the 1st , the Leafs immediately bolster their forward prospects by snagging Jenner at pick #29.
30- VANCOUVER CANUCKS select Dmitri Jaskin (RW)
Stat line: (6' 1", 196lbs) 33GP 3G 7A 10pts 16PIM
Skinny: With Cody Hodgson and Justin Schroeder coming up the pipeline, the Canucks are set in the center position and just might looking for help on the wings. Jaskin had a solid tourney at the WU18's (6GP 4G 1A 5pts) and could fill this roll nicely.
And that's it folks! I'd do a 2nd round, but it takes too much frickin' time. Any thoughts, comments?
1- EDMONTON OILERS select Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (C)
Stat line: (6'0", 155lbs) 69GP 31G 75A 106pts 51PIM +29, PO: 9GP 4G 7A 11Pts
Skinny: Oilers get the 1st line center they crave who will set up Hall for years to come. By passing up Larsson, the Oilers will hope to grab a solid defenseman with their 19th pick.
2- COLORADO AVALANCHE select Adam Larsson (D)
Stat line: (6'2", 209 lbs) 37GP 1G 8A 9pts 41PIM +12, PO: 17GP 0G 4A 4PTS
Skinny: Some Avalanche fans might be disappointed that they didn't grab one of the offensive prospects available (Landeskog, Huberdeau, etc) in the top 5, but Larsson is the BPA and should form a formidable duo for EJ for years to come. Similar to the Oilers, the Avalanche will address other needs with their later pick in the 1st round (#11).
3- FLORIDA PANTHERS select Sean Couturier (C)
Stat line: (6'4", 191 lbs) 58GP 36G 60A 96PTS 36PIM +55, PO: 10GP 6G 5A 11pts
Skinny: Sean Couturier is a Dave Tallon type player and the Panthers would welcome some size and skill up the middle. Couturier could form a solid 1-2 punch with Nick Bjugstad (6'4", 204lbs), making life difficult for defensemen in the EC moving forward. Couturier is underrated IMO and you don't pass up on this kind of skill set.
4- NEW JERSEY DEVILS select Ryan Murphy (D)
Stat line: (5'11", 176 lbs) 63GP 26G 53A 79pts 36PIM +22, PO: 7GP 2G 9A 11Pts
Skinny: Sweet Lou will draft the offensive minded and puck moving guru from Kitchener and mold him into the Canadian version of Brian Rafalski. The Devils require some help on the backend and Ryan Murphy definitely fits the bill. Check out that stat line. Crazy! Very similar to PK Subban in his last year in the O and the trend only continued at the WU18's (7GP 4G 9A 13pts).
5- NEW YORK ISLANDERS select Gabriel Landeskog (RW)
Stat line: (6'0", 201 lbs) 53GP 36G 30A 66Pts 61PIM +27, PO: 7GP 6G 4A 10Pts
Skinny: Garth Snow is extremely giddy to have Landeskog fall to #5, but he's even happier that Bryan Murray will finally stop calling him now that Landeskog is off the table. A 1st line of Nino - Tavares - Landskog will haunt the Atlantic division for the next decade or so.
6- OTTAWA SENATORS select Jonathan Huberdeau (C/LW)
Stat line: (6'1", 171 lbs) 67GP 43G 62A 105pts 88PIM +59, PO: 16GP 14G 13A 27pts
Skinny: Even though Bryan Murray was drooling over Landeskog (my opinion), he is still extremely happy to select the talented Huberdeau with the 6th pick. Management plans to switch Huberdeau to the wing and if Bobby Butler continues to develop, a top line of Huberdeau - Spezza - Butler could dominate all offensive categories league wide.
7- ATLANTA THRASHERS select Dougie Hamilton (D)
Stat line: (6'4", 193lbs) 67GP 12G 46A 58pts 77PIM +35, PO: 14GP 4G 12A 16pts
Skinny: Dougie Hamilton's package of size, talent, and grit is too much for Atlanta to pass up on. Hamilton does everything right and and will use his skill set to combine an aggressive 1-2 punch with Byfuglien on the backend for the Thrashers.
8- COLUMBUS BLUEJACKETS select Mika Zibanejad (C)
Stat line: (6'2", 192lbs) 26GP 5G 4A 9pts 2PIM +1, PO: 7GP 1G 1A 2pts
Skinny: Z-bad's stock has risen over the final 1/3 of the year, culminating with an impressive tourney at the WU18's. Z-bad could be the center Columbus has been looking for (assuming Filatov doesn't work out), making a 1st line of Nash - Zbad - Voracek to build around.
9- BOSTON BRUINS select Nathan Beaulieu (D)
Stat line: (6'3", 191lbs) 65GP 12G 33A 45pts 52PIM +44, PO: 16GP 3G 12A 15pts
Skinny: With lots of young talent up front, the Bruins decide to bolster their backend with defensive prospect Nathan Beauieu. Beaulieu's stock has risen during the back half of the season as his SJ Seadogs push for a Memorial Cup birth from the Q. Beaulieu has been impressive in the playoffs, neutralizing defensive traps with his ability to rush the puck and will be a welcomed asset to the Bruins' prospect pool.
10- MINNESOTA WILD select Joel Armia (F)
Stat line: (6'3", 187lbs) 48GP 18G 11A 29pts 24PIM +9, PO: N/A
Skinny: the Minnesota Wild continue their mini trend of drafting Finnish players and select power forward Joel Armia to compliment last year's bluechip pick of Mikael Granlund. Armia wasn't projected to go in the top 10, but he's had a solid second half, including a brilliant performance at the WU18's (6GP 4G 9A 13pts).
11- COLORADO AVALANCHE select Ryan Strome (C)
Stat line: (6'1", 183lbs) 65GP 33G 73A 106pts 82PIM +28, PO: 14GP 6G 6A 12pts
Skinny: Ryan Strome took the OHL by storm this year and vaulted up the prospect rankings as a result. His 106 points were amongst the league's best and the Avalanche are extremely happy to add this offensive talent to their organization. Considering they took Adam Larsson with their 1st pick, I would say it's a pretty successful 1st round for the Lanche.
12- CAROLINA HURRICANES select Jamieson Oleksiak (D)
Stat line: (6'7", 240lbs) 38GP 4G 9A 13pts 57PIM, PO: N/A
Skinny: Some Hurricane fans might be little frustrated/disappointed that GM Rutherford selected a "project" dman in the 1st round, but their smiles will return when they see a 6'7" bohemoth skating like a 6 footer in training camp come September. Oleksiak could prove to be the steal of the draft IMO.
13- CALGARY FLAMES select Sven Bartschi (F)
Stat line: (5'10", 185lbs) 66GP 34G 51A 85pts 74PIM +23, PO: 19GP 10G 16A 26pts
Skinny: The Calgary Flames are ecstatic that Bartschi fell out of the top 10 and instantly bolster their forward prospect pool with an offensie dynamo. Bartschi took the WHL by storm and saved his best hockey for the playoffs as Portland pushes for a Memorial Cup birth. Like Oleksiak (taken above), Bartschi could prove to be the steal of the 1st round.
14- DALLAS STARS select Duncan Siemens (D)
Stat line: (6'3", 192lbs) 72GP 5G 38A 43pts 121PIM +40, PO: 10GP 1G 3A 4pts
Skinny: Like the Flames above, the Dallas Stars are extremely happy that Duncan Siemens fell out of the top 10 and into their laps. Siemens is well rounded defenseman with a good blend of size and skill. Even with the addition of Goglioski at the deadline, the Stars could use some defensive help.
15- NEW YORK RANGERS select Zack Phillips (C)
Stat line: (6'0", 180lbs) 67GP 38G 57A 95pts 16PIM +48, PO: 16GP 8G 14A 22pts
Skinny: Many hockey pundits find it difficult to evaluate talent from the Saint John SeaDogs as the organization is deep at all positions. Zack Phillips centers the top line on Canada's best (arguably) junior team and his production this year has resulted in his subsequent rise up the prospect rankings. If Phillips can improve on his skating, he could challenge Evgeny Grachev as NYR's top prospect at the center position.
16- BUFFALO SABRES select Mark McNeill (C)
Stat line: (6'2", 210lbs) 70GP 32G 49A 81pts 53PIM -4, PO: 6GP 2G 3A 5pts
Skinny: With the possible departure of Tim Connolly, the Sabres are anxious to stockpile talent up the middle and Mark McNeill fits this mold perfectly. A future line of Gerbe - McNeill - Kassian could fill out Buffalo's bottom 6 quite nicely. McNeill is a solid power foward with lots of offensive upside.
17- MONTREAL CANADIANS select Tyler Biggs (RW)
Stat line: (6'2", 200lbs) 20GP 7G 4A 11pts 41PIM +8, PO: N/A
Skinny: At 6'2", 200lbs, Tyler Biggs is the power foward Montreal so desperately needs. A future line of Cammaleri - Leblanc - Biggs could provide a lethal combination of finish, passing ability, and power to round out the bottom 6 in Montreal.
18- CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS select Mark Scheifele (C)
Stat line: (6'3", 175lbs) 66GP 22G 53A 75pts 35PIM -22
Skinny: The Blackhawks are extremely lucky to have Scheifele fall to #18. Another late riser, Scheifele's proved his name should be in the conversation after a solid performance at the WU18's (7GP 6G 2A 8pts). Scheifele will challenge Brandon Pirri and Marcus "Freddy" Kruger for the #2 center spot behind Toews in the near future.
19- EDMONTON OILERS (from Los Angeles) select Jonas Brodin (D)
Stat line: (6'0", 172lbs) 42GP 0G 4A 4pts 12PIM +6, PO: 14GP 2G 0A 2pts
Skinny: With the selection of Nugent-Hopkins as the 1st pick, the Oilers decide to fortify their backend with the 3rd rated European prospect as per NHL scouting. Brodin should challenge the likes of Teubert, Marincin, Petry, and Plante in Edmonton's top 4.
20- Phoenix Coyotes select Tomas Jurco (RW)
Stat line: (6'2", 193lbs) 60GP 31G 25A 56pts 17PIM +46, PO: 16GP 6G 11A 17pts
Skinny: This pick may be a little off the radar, but Jurco has been playing 2nd fiddle to Huberdeau/Phillips/Galiev all season long, despite putting up 30+ goals. He's a great blend of size and skill with amazing one on one moves, that will help any team's shootout record. The Coyotes are a little weak on the right side moving forward and if Jurco and Turris could find some chemistry, the end result could be magic.
21- OTTAWA SENATORS (from Nashville) select Nicklas Jensen (RW)
Stat line: (6'3", 186lbs) 61GP 29G 29A 58pts 42PIM +14, PO: 10GP 7G 4A 11pts
Skinny: If Bobby Butler doesn't work out as Ottawa's future 1st line RW'er, the Ottawa Senators have an insurance policy in Nicklas Jensen to fill that void. A future 1st line of Huberdeau - Spezza - Jensen could be even more potent than the former suggestion and this pick wraps up a successful 1st round for the "re-building" Sens.
22- ANAHEIM DUCKS select David Musil (D)
Stat line: (6'3", 191lbs) 62GP 6G 19A 25pts 83PIM O, PO: 4GP 0G 1A 1pt
Skinny: With a young and dynamic 1st line already set in place and Peter Holland, Emerson Etem, and Devante Smith-Pelly coming up the pipeline, the Ducks will look to draft another (Fowler) defenseman to challenge the likes of Sbisa, Fowler, and Vatanen for top minutes moving forward.
23- PITTSBURGH PENGUINS select Brandon Saad (LW)
Stat line: (6'2", 211lbs) 59GP 27G 28A 55pts 47PIM +8, PO: 12GP 3G 9A 12pts
Skinny: Pittsburgh will be taking the BPA at this point and get a steal in Saad. Although he'll take time to develop, they could have a future power forward to play along side either Crosby or Malkin.
24- DETROIT RED WINGS select Joe Morrow (D)
Stat line: (6'1", 198lbs) 60GP 9G 40A 49pts 67PIM +23, PO: 19GP 6G 12A 18pts
Skinny: Detroit has some interesting forward prospects with boom/bust potential in Tatar, Pulkinen, and Jarnkrok, but with Lidstrom and Rafalski so close to retirement, I feel they will choo-choo-choose a defensemen if there's a good one available. Morrow is one of the more underrated prospects IMO and to land such a puckmoving gem in the late 1st round is a victory for the organization.
25- TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS (from Philly) select Matt Puempel (LW)
Stat line: (6'0", 190lbs) 55GP 34G 35A 69pts 49PIM -33, PO: N/A
Skinny: although Puempel can not be described as pugnacious or truculent, there's no doubting his offensive upside, which is much needed in Leafland. A future 1st line of Puempel - Kadri - Kessel could be quite deadly.
26- WASHINGTON CAPITALS select Vladislav Namestnikov (C)
Stat line: (6'0", 170lbs) 68GP 30G 38A 68pts 49PIM +12, PO: 6GP 1G 4A 5pts
Skinny: The Capitals will continue their trend of drafting skilled Russian forwards and get lucky at landing Namestnikov so late in the 1st round. Moving forward, the Capitals could ice an all Russian 1st line of Ovechkin - Namestnikov - Kuznetsov which would be pretty scary for the EC.
27- TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING select Ty Rattie (RW)
Stat line: (6'0", 167 lbs) 67GP 28G 51A 79pts 55PIM +20
Skinny: The Lightning will not be able to pass up on offensive sensation Ty Rattie and add him to an already ridiculously talented forward corps. Generally speaking, Rattie is rated in the 17-23 range, so Tampa will be taking the BPA (arguably).
28- SAN JOSE SHARKS select Rocco Grimaldi (F)
Stat line: (5' 6", 163lbs) 50 34 28 62 57
Skinny: I initially had the Sharks taking physical defensemen Scott Mayfield here, but with Taylor Doherty coming up the ranks and upon further reflection, I think the Sharks will be the 1st to blink in the Rocco Grimaldi sweepstakes and select the cute little pocket sized phenom. I'm probably wrong here, but that's the fun of doing a mock draft.
29- TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS (from Boston) select Boone Jenner (C)
Stat line: (6'1", 193lbs) 63GP 25G 41A 66pts 57PIM +10, PO: 10GP 7G 5A 12pts
Skinny: The Leafs will be more than happy to grab such an offensive wizard so late in the 1st round. After drafting Matt Peumpel earlier in the 1st , the Leafs immediately bolster their forward prospects by snagging Jenner at pick #29.
30- VANCOUVER CANUCKS select Dmitri Jaskin (RW)
Stat line: (6' 1", 196lbs) 33GP 3G 7A 10pts 16PIM
Skinny: With Cody Hodgson and Justin Schroeder coming up the pipeline, the Canucks are set in the center position and just might looking for help on the wings. Jaskin had a solid tourney at the WU18's (6GP 4G 1A 5pts) and could fill this roll nicely.
And that's it folks! I'd do a 2nd round, but it takes too much frickin' time. Any thoughts, comments?
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