Just finished my first mock draft attempt of the year and thought I would let you all flame away at my Oiler picks. I will post the pick, and the five guys drafted after for debate.
1.(3) - D - Jakob Chychrun - Sarnia Sting - If the Oilers find the defenseman they are looking for through a trade leading up to the draft, I would switch this pick to Puljujarvi, but I can't see a scenario where drafting at 3 and having not found a trade partner that they don't draft the top D available. (C-Michael McLeod, RW-Jesse Puljujarvi, LW-Pierre-Luc Dubois, D-Olli Juolevi, LW-Matthew Tkachuk)
2.(33) - LW - Brett Howden - Moose Jaw Warriors - Reality is he probably tops out as a 3rd line winger, but he plays a 200 foot game and does have some offensive potential. Has the size and grit we are looking for.(D-Sean Day, LW-Vitaly Abramov, D-Jacob Moverare, G-Carter Hart, D-Cameron Dineen)
3.(63) - RW - Nicholas Caamano - Flint Firebirds - Another large winger who skates well and does his best work right around the net.(D-Max Lajoie, LW-Simon Stransky, C-Adam Mascherin, RW-Cliff Pu, D-Kale Clague)
4.(93) - D - Adam Fox - US NTDP - US NTDP - Right shooting offensive defenseman who is a little shy in the size department. (C-Matt Filipe, RW-Janne Kuokkanen, C-Matthew Boucher, LW-Nick Pastujov, LW-Tanner Kaspick)
Two notes before the flaming begins because I am sure that the questions will arise.
1. I am still quite high on Sean Day. He has had a tough season with some off ice problems, but with his size and skating combo, I would take a chance on him early in the second and hope my development team could get the max out of him)
2. I am not high on Kale Clague. He has probably slipped the furthest in the draft for me, and I just don't think he has the size to be a reliable defender in his own end, and he isn't dynamic enough offensively to outweigh that.