The NHL Scouting Combine just wrapped up last weekend in Buffalo. We’ve had some interesting chatter that has come out of the weekend. With the changing landscape, you’ll notice a lot of changes in this version from the previous
Also, you’ll notice I’ve added trades into the mix this time around. Including a juicy one in the middle of round one.
Let’s get to mock draft 2.0!
1. Buffalo Sabres | Rasmus Dahlin – D – Frolunda (SHL)
Duh.
2. Carolina Hurricanes | Andrei Svechnikov – RW – Barrie Colts (OHL)
Last mock draft I had Carolina going with Brady Tkachuk here. Although the Hurricanes could throw in a curve ball here, I think Svechnikov has become the obvious pick at two.
3. Montreal Canadiens | Jesperi Kotkaniemi – C – Assat (Liiga)
I tried to figure out some sort of a trade here, but couldn’t find one that really worked. I believe that the Canadiens covet Kotkaniemi due to their desperate need for a center.
The Finnish pivot man is climbing up draft boards. The Habs, Detroit Red Wings, and Edmonton Oilers all took him out to dinner during the Scouting Combine last week.
4. Ottawa Senators | Filip Zadina – LW – Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)
Again I have the Senators getting a nice gift with the high-scoring Czech, Zadina, dropping to them at four.
TRADE: NEW YORK RANGERS ACQUIRE 5TH OVERALL FOR 9TH AND 26TH OVERALL
5. New York Rangers (via Arizona Coyotes) | Oliver Wahlstrom – C/LW – US National Team U18 (USDP)
The Rangers have three first round picks and are in a power position this year. They move up to get the player they coveted in the high-scoring forward Wahlstrom.
The Coyotes drop back a few spots and pick up another first-round pick.
6. Detroit Red Wings | Quinn Hughes – D – Michigan University (NCAA)
The Red Wings stay put and get the defenseman they really want in Hughes.
7. Vancouver Canucks | Brady Tkachuk – LW – Boston University (NCAA)
The Canucks grab the big winger from Boston University in Tkachuk. He’ll fit in nicely with Vancouver’s other two young stars in Bo Horvat and Brock Boeser.
TRADE: NEW YORK ISLANDERS ACQUIRE 8TH OVERALL FOR 11TH AND 43RD OVERALL
8. New York Islanders (via Chicago Blackhawks) | Noah Dobson – D – Acadie-Bathurst Titan (QMJHL)
Things are a changing for the Islanders. Both head coach Doug Weight and general manager Garth Snow were recently fired. It’s officially the Lou Lamoriello show now.
The Islanders use one of their two second-round picks to move up a few spots to jump ahead of the Coyotes who are sitting at nine now with the trade they made. Isles pick up Memorial Cup Champion Dobson and are will be back up at 12.
9. Arizona Coyotes (via New York Rangers) | Adam Boqvist – D – Brynas IF (SuperElit)
The trade ends up working out pretty well for the Coyotes. They pick up another first round pick and get the offensively gifted Boqvist.
10. Edmonton Oilers | Evan Bouchard – D – London Knights (OHL)
The run on defense continues with the Oilers. Edmonton gets much needed help for their blue line in London Knights defender Bouchard.
11. Chicago Blackhawks (via New York Islanders) | Joseph Veleno – C – Drummondville Voltigeurs (QMJHL)
The Blackhawks pick up center Veleno. Chicago finds themselves in the middle of a transition. The Drummondville pivot man could be a nice compliment for Jonathan Toews who just turned 30-years-old in a few years.
12. New York Islanders (via Calgary Flames) | Barrett Hayton – C – Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL)
The Islanders pick up a center here to start to recoup some of the void that will be left by the likely departure of John Tavares.
13. Dallas Stars | Joel Farabee | LW – US National Team U18 (UNDP)
The Stars go with scoring winger Farabee. He’s a quick forward that scored 76 points in 62 games while wearing the “C” for the U18 USA National Team. He’ll fit right in on the wing with Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin down the road.
TRADE: OTTAWA SENATORS ACQUIRE 14TH OVERALL, (D) SAM MORIN & (F) MICHAEL RAFFL FOR (F) MIKE HOFFMAN & 95TH OVERALL (FOURTH-ROUND PICK)
14. Ottawa Senators (via St. Louis Blues/Philadelphia Flyers) | Ty Smith – D – Spokane Chiefs
The Senators make a big move here to acquire their third pick of the first-round now. They grab their second defender in the speedy Smith, as well as another young defender and a former first-round pick in Sam Morin.
The Flyers acquire that top six-winger that they’ve needed in Hoffman. They also are back up on the board at 19.
15. Florida Panthers | Bode Wilde – D – US National Team U18 (UNDP)
The Panthers draft the solid two-way defender in Wilde. He’ll head to the University of Michigan next season.
16. Colorado Avalanche | Martin Kaut – RW – HC Dynamo Pardubice (Czech Republic)
Kaut is a nice pick here for the Avalanche. It’s possible he can go in the top 12 to 15 picks. Getting him at 16 would be nice grab for Colorado.
17. New Jersey Devils | Rasmus Kupari – C – Karpat (Liiga)
I had the Devils going with a center from Sweden in my last mock. This time I have them going with the highly-skilled center from Finland, Rasmus Kupari.
18. Columbus Blue Jackets | Vitali Kravtsov – RW – Traktor Chelyabinsk (KHL)
This time around I have the Blue Jackets going with a different Russian winger. Kravtsov is a big kid that could add some nice size to the Jackets roster down the road.
19. Philadelphia Flyers | Isac Lundestrom – C/LW – Lulea (SHL)
After making a big trade, the Flyers are back on the clock. They go with the offensively gifted Lundestrom out of Sweden.
20. Los Angeles Kings | K’Andre Miller – D – US National Team U18 (USDP)
This just makes too much sense for the Kings. I’ll stick with this pick from last time around.
21. San Jose Sharks | Jared McIsaac – D – Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)
I’ll stick with my original pick here too. The Sharks needs some help on the blue line in their prospect pool.
22. Ottawa Senators (via Pittsburgh Penguins) | Dominik Bokk – F – Vaxjo (SuperElit)
Ottawa has certainly had a big night. They’re up for the third time and go with the intriguing German-born forward Bokk.
23. Anaheim Ducks | Ryan McLeod – C – Mississauga Steelheads (OHL)
Another pick that I’ll stick from my last mock. Ryan Kesler and Ryan Getzlaf are closer to the end of their careers. McLeod could be a very nice player to plug into the lineup in a few years.
TRADE: BUFFALO SABRES ACQUIRE 24TH & 148TH (FIFTH-ROUND PICK) FOR 32ND, 94TH OVERALL (FOURTH-ROUND), 125TH OVERALL (FIFTH-ROUND PICK) & (F) HUDSON FASCHING
24. Buffalo Sabres (via Minnesota Wild) | Jonatan Berggren – RW – Skelleftea (SuperElit)
The Sabres trade back into round one to snag the offensively gifted Swede, Berggren.
Minnesota grabs an extra pick and move up to the top of round five to drop back eight spots. They also acquire Fasching who played his college hockey at the University of Minnesota. Fasching is a restricted free agent.
25. Toronto Maple Leafs | Ryan Merkley – D – Guelph Storm (OHL)
Merkley just makes a ton of sense here for the Leafs.
26. Arizona Coyotes (via Boston Bruins/New York Rangers) | Grigori Denisenko – LW – Loko Yaroslavl (MHL)
Denisenko is quick skating, playmaker. The Coyotes add a defenseman and forward in round one.
27. Chicago Blackhawks (via Nashville Predators) | Alexander Alexeyev – D – Red Deer Rebels
After grabbing a center at 11, the Blackhawks pick up the solid Russian blueliner from Red Deer. A pretty safe pick at 27.
28. New York Rangers (via Tampa Bay Lightning) | Ty Dellandrea – C – Flint Firebirds (OHL)
The Rangers use the first round pick from Lightning to grab another forward in Dellandrea. His high hockey-IQ get him into the last few picks of round one.
29. St. Louis Blues (via Winnipeg Jets) | Nils Lundkvist – D – Lulea (SHL)
Lundkvist is a mobile puck-moving defender who has made a late climb up draft boards. He was considered an early second-round pick, but could now sneak into the final few picks of round one.
30. (unconfirmed slot) Detroit Red Wings (via Vegas Golden Knights) | Rasmus Sandin – D – Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL)
Sandin is another solid addition to the Red Wings prospect pool on defense. Detroit walks out of round one with two solid potential top four defenders in Sandin and Hughes.
31. (unconfirmed slot) Washington Capitals | Serron Noel – Oshawa Generals (OHL)
The Caps are on the verge of locking up the Stanley Cup with a 3-1 lead over the Golden Knights.
They wrap up round one selecting the big Canadian winger Noel.