DBTB –
We’re just about on Draft Day Eve. This will be the last Mock Draft of 2025, thus I’ve included over-agers and all the bits and pieces floating around. I’ll have one Top 125 Big Board that I’ll get in to Calvin, Melissa, et al a couple days before the actual Draft. Hope everyone is doing great and looking forward to a productive Draft weekend! Let’s get into it.
First, a note about this Draft class. To be honest, this might be the thinnest class I’ve seen in a while, at least since 2022 (the Slafkovsky Draft) but maybe back to 2020. At this point in time, I would say there’s probably 2-3 surefire top line quality forwards (Misa, maybe Hagens, maybe Martone) and really 1 surefire top pair D-Man (Schaefer, and I’m not nearly as confident in him as others). Does that mean others won’t rise to the occasion, or have a developmental breakthrough, and become a star in the NHL after a few years…but there’s a possibility that a few of the players in the Top 10 max out as 3rd liners or #4 defenders. And if that’s the Top 10, that says a lot about the rest of the class. So, if I’m a Sabres fan, I’m not getting overly excited about the 2025 class. There will be players who have the skills and the mindset to become valuable parts of a winning team, but as far as transformative players go, this group might not have a single one.
Rumors are flying about who might be selected where, what teams are interested in what players, and trade ups or downs. Many of those originated at the Combine, held right there at Harborcenter in BFLO. Unlike this year’s Draft, which will be largely virtual, nearly all the teams were present in BFLO and taking in the performances and interviews of the many prospects in attendance. Anton Frondell was one of the players who came out of the Combine with a lot of buzz, as did Brady Martin. Frondell is likely a guarantee in the Top 10, and quite possibly securing a spot in the Top 5. A favorite of Jedi, Shane Vansaghi, impressed teams with his sheer power and good interviews. Caleb Desnoyers might have gotten the biggest boost, although news that he injured both wrists during their run to the Memorial Cup (he played through it, of course!) might have caused a little shine to come off in the process. One player that had a mixed Combine was big Lynden Lakovic, who got a number of questions from teams about his compete level…or lack thereof. Usually a red flag, right? But reportedly, teams were impressed with his ability to take criticism, accept the issues teams pointed out with his play, and vow to improve. On the other hand, Ivan Ryabkin continued his slide down the Board, coming to the Combine notably overweight and dismissive in his interviews. Maybe it’s all some grand plan to get him to a team of his choice, but it’s a bad look. After a year where he started out as a Top 5 player, fell out of the 1st round due to character concerns, came to the US to play in the USHL and then fumbled the Combine…he’s not even on my Draft list at this point. Let someone else take the chance.
There are a lot of selections reportedly on the move. Chicago wants to get up to #2, Utah is willing to move #4, and Boston, BFLO and Nashville may have a For Sale sign on their Top 10 picks. As a number of folks who were at the Combine are advising, once you get past the first pick, ‘expect the unexpected!’
For the Sabres, things are very interesting. They could move #9 overall by itself, they could move it as part of a package or as a sweetener, they could stay put if the market isn’t there. And as far as who might be there at their selection, your guess is as good as mine. This could be a wacky Top 8. One name I would watch: Jackson Smith. Not that the Sabres should choose him, but if he goes in the Top 8 – and he’s a 6’4, dynamic puck-moving D, so that will draw quite a bit of interest – that changes a lot. Right now, it’s widely accepted that Misa, Frondell and Schaefer will go in the Top 8. So that’s 3 of the 8. Then it gets really interesting. Since the Combine, a lot of folks believe Brady Martin goes early. If Smith goes there as well, that’s 5 of the 8. So the Sabres could be looking at one of the following players sitting there at #9: Jake O’Brien, Porter Martone, James Hagens, or Caleb Desnoyers. Along with Radim Mrtka, the big RHD, and Kashawn Aitchison, the bruising LHD, and the wild card of the Draft, Roger McQueen. It should be wild!
Now, sit back and relax and enjoy some good old fashioned Draft prognostication. Thanks everyone for reading and look forward to Night One of the Draft. Woo…ha, Sabres on the warpath, Woo…ha…
ROUND ONE:
1#1 NY ISLANDERS: Matthew Schaefer, 6’2 LHD, OHL
1#2 SAN JOSE: Mike Misa, 6’0 C, OHL
1#3 CHICAGO: Anton Frondell, 6’1 C, SWE
1#4 UTAH: Brady Martin, 6’0 C, OHL
1#5 NASHVILLE: Jake O’Brien, 6’2 C, OHL
1#6 PHILADELPHIA: Jackson Smith, 6’4 LHD, WHL
1#7 BOSTON: James Hagens, 5’10 C/W, NCAA
1#8 SEATTLE: Porter Martone, 6’3 RW, OHL
1#9 BUFFALO: Radim Mrtek, 6’6 RHD, WHL
1#10 ANAHEIM: Kashawn Aitchison, 6’2 LHD, OHL
1#11 PITTSBURGH: Caleb Desnoyers, 6’1 C, QMJHL
1#12 NY RANGERS: Roger McQueen, 6’5 C, WHL
1#13 DETROIT: Jack Nesbitt, 6’4 C, OHL
1#14 COLUMBUS: Sasha Boumedienne, 6’2 LHD, NCAA
1#15 VANCOUVER: Viktor Eklund, 5’11 LW, SWE
1#16 MONTREAL (CALGARY): Carter Bear, 6’1 LW, WHL
1#17 MONTREAL: Logan Hensler, 6’2 RHD, NCAA
1#18 CALGARY (NEW JERSEY): Cullen Potter, 5’10 LW, NCAA
1#19 ST LOUIS: Bill Zonnon, 6’3 C/RW, QMJHL
1#20 COLUMBUS (MINNESOTA): Blake Fiddler, 6’4 RHD, WHL
1#21 OTTAWA: Ryker Lee, 6’0 C, US HS
1#22 PHILADELPHIA (COLORADO): Vaclav Nesterasil, 6’4 RW, USHL
1#23 NASHVILLE (TAMPA BAY): Cole Reschny, 5’10 C/W, WHL
1#24 LOS ANGELES: Lynden Lakovic, 6’4 W, WHL
1#25 CHICAGO (TORONTO): Jacob Rombach, 6’6 LHD, USHL
1#26 NASHVILLE (VEGAS): Carter Amico, 6’6 RHD, US NTDP
1#27 WASHINGTON: Braeden Cootes, 5’11 C, WHL
1#28 WINNIPEG: Milton Gastrin, 6’2 C, SWE
1#29 CAROLINA: Alex Zharovsky, 6’1 RW, RUS
1#30 DALLAS: Theo Stockselius, 6’2 W, SWE
1#31 CALGARY (FLORIDA): Josh Ravensbergen, 6’5 G, WHL
1#32 PHILADELPHIA (EDMONTON): Shane Vanshagi, 6’3 C, NCAA
ROUND TWO:
2#1 SAN JOSE: Will Horcoff, 6’5 W, NCAA
2#2 CHICAGO: Kurban Limatov, 6’4 LHD, RUS
2#3 NASHVILLE: Justin Carbonneau, 6’1 LW, QMJHL
2#4 PHILADELPHIA: Jack Ivankovic, 6’0 G, OHL
2#5 WASHINGTON (BOSTON): Henry Bruzustewicz, 6’2 RHD, OHL
2#6 SEATTLE: Danill Prokhorov, 6’6 RW, RUS
2#7 BUFFALO: Ed Genbourg, 6’2 W, SWE
2#8 PHILADELPHIA (ANAHEIM): Malcolm Spence, 6’1 LW, OHL
2#9 MONTREAL (PITTSBURGH): Cole McKinney, 6’0 C, US NTDP
2#10 NY ISLANDERS: Ben Kindel, 5’10 C/W, WHL
2#11 COLORADO (NY RANGERS): Jack Murtaugh, 6’0 C, US NTDP
2#12 DETROIT: Jakob Ihs-Wozniak, 6’3 RW, SWE
2#13 PHILADELPHIA (COLUMBUS): David Bedkowsky, 6’5 RHD, OHL
2#14 UTAH: Semyon Frolov, 6’3 G, RUS
2#15 VANCOUVER: Michal Pradel, 6’4 G, SVK
2#16 CALGARY: Mason West, 6’6 RW, US HS
2#17 MONTREAL: Simon Wang, 6’6 LHD, OJHL
2#18 NEW JERSEY: ** Kristian Epperson, 6’1 LW, OHL
2#19 EDMONTON (ST LOUIS): Cam Reid, 6’0 LHD, OHL
2#20 MINNESOTA: Erik Nilson, 6’0 C, SWE
2#21 OTTAWA: Nathan Behm, 6’2 RW, WHL
2#22 CALGARY (COLORADO): Gus Hillstrom, 6’2 C, SWE
2#23 NASHVILLE (TAMPA BAY): Malte Vaas, 6’2 LHD, SWE
2#24 TAMPA BAY (LOS ANGELES): Max Psenicka, 6’4 RHD, CZE
2#25 TAMPA BAY (TORONTO): Pyotr Andreyanov, 6’0 G, RUS
2#26 VEGAS: Peyton Kettles, 6’5 RHD, WHL
2#27 WASHINGTON: Mace’o Phillips, 6’5 LHD, US NTDP
2#28 NEW JERSEY (WINNIPEG): Lasse Boelius, 6’1 LHD, FIN
2#29 CAROLINA: Mateo Nobert, 6’0 C, QMJHL
2#30 DALLAS: Filip Ekberg, 5’10 LW, OHL
2#31 TORONTO (FLORIDA): Matthew Gard, 6’5 LW, WHL
2#32 NEW JERSEY (EDMONTON): Will Moore, 6’2 C, US NTDP
ROUND THREE:
3#1 VEGAS (SAN JOSE): Vojtech Cinar, 6’1 LW, CZE
3#2 CHICAGO: Alexander Medvedev, 6’1 G, OHL
3#3 NASHVILLE: Carlos Handel, 6’1 RHD, QMJHL
3#4 PHILADELPHIA: Theo Hallsqvith, 6’2 RHD, SWE
3#5 BOSTON: Sean Barnhill, 6’5 RHD, USHL
3#6 SEATTLE: Will Reynolds, 6’3 LHD, QMJHL
3#7 BUFFALO: Tomas Pobezal, 5’11 C, SVK
3#8 ANAHEIM: Ethan Czata, 6’1 C, OHL
3#9 PITTSBURGH: Quinn Beauchesne, 6’0 RHD, OHL
3#10 NY ISLANDERS: Charlie Trethawey, 6’1 RHD, US NTDP
3#11 UTAH (NY RANGERS): ** Bruno Idzan, 6’1 W, USHL
3#12 DETROIT: Edison Engle, 6’2 LHD, USHL
3#13 COLUMBUS: Lucas Beckman, 6’2 G, QMJHL
3#14 UTAH: Max Westergard, 5’11 LW, SWE
3#15 MONTREAL (VANCOUVER): Ayrtom Vilchinsky, 6’6 LHD, RUS
3#16 CALGARY: Owen Conrad, 6’3 LHD, QMJHL
3#17 MONTREAL: Ben Kevan, 5’11 C, USHL
3#18 NEW JERSEY: Alex Huang, 6’0 RHD, QMJHL
3#19 EDMONTON (ST LOUIS): Conrad Fondrik, 6’0 C, US NTDP
3#20 PITTSBURGH (MINNESOTA): ** Charlie Cerrato, 6’0 LW, NCAA
3#21 PITTSBURGH (OTTAWA): Roman Baushov, 6’6 RHD, RUS
3#22 SAN JOSE (COLORADO): Eduard Bondar, 6’5 RHD, QMJHL
3#23 CAROLINA (TAMPA BAY): Dakoda Rheaume-Mullen, 6’0 LHD, NCAA
3#24 LOS ANGELES: David Lewandowski, 6’1 C/W, WHL
3#25 ANAHEIM (TORONTO): Jan Chovan, 6’2 C, FIN
3#26 NEW JERSEY (VEGAS): Melvin Novotny, 6’1 LW, SWE
3#27 VEGAS (WASHINGTON): ** Asanali Sarkenov, 6’4 RW, WHL
3#28 WINNIPEG: Hayden Paupanekis, 6’4 C/W, WHL
3#29 WASHINGTON (CAROLINA): Tyler Hopkins, 6’1 C, OHL
3#30 DALLAS: Atte Joki, 6’2 C, FIN
3#31 OTTAWA (FLORIDA): Bogdan Pestretsov, 6’3 LHD, RUS
3#32 SAN JOSE (EDMONTON): Will Belle, 6’4 W, US NTDP
ROUND FOUR:
4#1 SAN JOSE: ** Alexis Cournoyer, 6’4 G, QMJHL
4#2 CHICAGO: ** Bryce Pickford, 6’1 RHD, WHL
4#3 NASHVILLE: Danill Skvortsov, 6’4 LHD, OHL
4#4 PHILADELPHIA: Maxim Schafer, 6’4 LW, GER Zach Morin, 6’2 LW, QMJHL
4#5 DETROIT (BOSTON): Max Agafonov, 6’2 RHD, RUS
4#6 SEATTLE: Luke Vlooswyk, 6’4 RHD, WHL
4#7 BUFFALO: Samuel Meloche, 6’3 G, QMJHL
4#8 ANAHEIM: Elijah Neuenschwander, 6’4 G, SWISS
4#9 PITTSBURGH: Patrik Kerkola, 6’3 G, FIN
4#10 NY ISLANDERS: Viktor Klingsell, 5’10 W, SWE
4#11 NY RANGERS: Luca Romano, 5’11 C, OHL
4#12 DETROIT: Mikkel Eriksen, 6’0 C, NWY
4#13 COLUMBUS: Matous Kucharcik, 6’4 C, CZE
4#14 UTAH: Zeb Lindgren, 6’2 LHD, SWE
4#15 COLORADO (VANCOUVER): Roberto Henriquez, 6’2 G, NAHL
4#16 CALGARY: Linus Funck, 6’3 RHD, SWE
4#17 MONTREAL: ** Ludvig Johnsson, 6’1 LHD, SWISS
4#18 NEW JERSEY: ** Petteri Limpanen, 6’1 G, FIN
4#19 COLUMBUS (ST LOUIS): Arvid Drott, 6’1 RW, SWE
4#20 BUFFALO (MINNESOTA): ** Aiden Park, 6’1 C, WHL
4#21 VANCOUVER (OTTAWA): Brady Peddle, 6’3 LHD, USHL
4#22 COLORADO: Cooper Simpson, 6’1 W, US HS
4#23 TAMPA BAY: Michel Svrcek, 5’10 C, SWE
4#24 LOS ANGELES: Will Sharpe, 6’1 LHD, WHL
4#25 TORONTO: Owen Griffin, 5’10 C, OHL
4#26 VEGAS: Aron Dahlqvist, 6’3 LHD, SWE
4#27 WASHINGTON: Anthony Allaine-Samake, 6’0 LHD, USHL
4#28 DALLAS (WINNIPEG): ** Topias Hyanninen, 5’11 C, FIN
4#29 CAROLINA: Cameron Schmidt, 5’8 W, WHL
4#30 SEATTLE (DALLAS): Karl Annborn, 6’1 RHD, SWE
4#31 FLORIDA: Aiden Lane, 6’1 RW, CCHL
4#32 TAMPA BAY (EDMONTON): Ilya Ryabkin, 6’0 C, RUS
ROUND FIVE:
5#1 FLORIDA (SAN JOSE): ** Sam Laurila, 6’1 LHD, USHL
5#2 PITTSBURGH (CHICAGO): Mason Moe, 6’1 C, USHL
5#3 NASHVILLE: Jimmy Lombardi, 6’0 C, OHL
5#4 PHILADELPHIA: Artyom Gonchar, 6’0 LHD, RUS
5#5 BOSTON: Tinus Klobar, 6’4 C/W, SWE
5#6 SEATTLE: ** Kam Hendrickson, 6’2 G, USHL
5#7 BUFFALO: Tomas Mikel, 6’4 RHD, USHL
5#8 ANAHEIM: Brandon Gorzynski, 6’2 LW, WHL
5#9 PITTSBURGH: Tomas Poletin, 6’0 LW, FIN
5#10 NY ISLANDERS: Nathan Maloney, 6’1 RHD, AJHL
5#11 NY RANGERS: Blake Vanek, 6’4 W, US HS
5#12 DETROIT: Adam Benak, 5’8 C, USHL
5#13 MINNESOTA (COLUMBUS): Alvar Ervasti, 6’3 LHD, FIN
5#14 UTAH: Luka Radivojevic, 5’10 RHD, SWE
5#15 VANCOUVER: Teddy Mutryn, 6’1 C, USHL
5#16 CALGARY: Phillipe Veilluex, 5’9 W, QMJHL
5#17 MONTREAL: LJ Mooney, 5’7 RW, US NTDP
5#18 DALLAS (NEW JERSEY): ** Daniel Shlaine, 6’0 C, USHL
5#19 ST LOUIS: Carter Klippenstein, 6’3 C, WHL
5#20 NY RANGERS (MINNESOTA): ** Francesco Dell’Elce, 6’1 LHD, NCAA
5#21 OTTAWA: ** Andrei Trofimov, 6’2 G, RUS
5#22 SAN JOSE (COLORADO): Mads Klyvo, 6’2 LW, SWE
5#23 TAMPA BAY: Kieren Dervin, 6’2 C, CCHL
5#24 LOS ANGELES: Louis Antoine-Denault, 6’8 G, QMJHL
5#25 MINNESOTA (TORONTO): Ethan Wyttenbach, 5’11 C, USHL
5#26 VEGAS: Lev Katzin, 5’8 C, OHL
5#27 WASHINGTON: Burke Hood, 6’4 G, WHL
5#28 WINNIPEG: Evan Passmore, 6’4 RHD, OHL
5#29 PHILADELPHIA (CAROLINA): Reese Hamilton, 6’0 LHD, WHL
5#30 DALLAS: Emile Guite, 6’2 RW, QMJHL
5#31 FLORIDA: Noah Read, 6’0 LW, OHL
5#32 ANAHEIM (EDMONTON): Jasper Inkinen, 6’0 W, FIN
ROUND SIX:
6#1 NEW JERSEY (SAN JOSE): Ashton Schultz, 6’0 C, USHL
6#2 CHICAGO: ** Caeden Harrington, 6’2 RHD, USHL
6#3 NASHVILLE: Drew Schock, 6’0 LHD, US NTDP
6#4 PHILADELPHIA: Alex Pershakov, 6’0 RW, RUS
6#5 BOSTON: Stepan Hoch, 6’4 LW, CZE
6#6 NY RANGERS (SEATTLE): ** Luke Mistelbacher, 6’0 RW, WHL
6#7 BUFFALO: Brent Solomon, 5’11 RW, US HS
6#8 ANAHEIM: ** Seth Fryer, 6’7 RHD, WHL
6#9 PITTSBURGH: Tommy Lafreniere, 6’1 C, WHL
6#10 NY ISLANDERS: ** Rasmus Svartstrom, 6’5 LW, BCHL
6#11 NY RANGERS: **Jon Parsons, 6’3 G, USHL
6#12 DETROIT: Mans Goos, 6’5 G, SWE
6#13 COLUMBUS: Lukas Sawchyn, 5’10 RW, WHL
6#14 UTAH: Xander Velliaris, 6’3 LHD, OHL
6#15 VANCOUVER: Shamar Moses, 6’2 RW, OHL
6#16 CALGARY: Viggo Nordlund, 5’10 W, SWE
6#17 MONTREAL: Matthew Grimes, 6’1 LHD, USHL
6#18 NEW JERSEY: Patryk Zubek, 6’3 LHD, SVK
6#19 ST LOUIS: ** Jack Brauti, 6’0 LHD, OHL
6#20 MINNESOTA: ** Richard Baran, 6’1 LHD, USHL
6#21 OTTAWA: Jake Crawford, 6’3 C, OHL
6#22 NASHVILLE (COLORADO): Kirill Yemelyanov, 6’0 C, RUS
6#23 TAMPA BAY: Everett Baldwin, 6’0 RHD, US HS
6#24 LOS ANGELES: Jonas Woo, 6’1 RHD, WHL
6#25 FLORIDA: Oscar Westman, 6’4 G, SWE
6#26 CAROLINA: ** John Stout, 6’2 LHD, USHL
6#27 EDMONTON: Travis Hayes, 5’11 RW, OHL
6#28 DALLAS: Rio Kaiser, 6’7 LHD, OHL
6#29 TORONTO: ** Niklas Nykyri, 6’2 LHD, FIN
6#30 VEGAS: Liam Pettersson, 6’2 LHD, SWE
6#31 WINNIPEG: Carson Cameron, 6’1 RHD, OHL
6#32 VEGAS (WASHINGTON): Gabriel d’Aigle, 6’4 G, QMJHL
ROUND SEVEN:
7#1 SAN JOSE: David Roszival, 6’1 W, CZE
7#2 CHICAGO: Lirim Amidovski, 6’1 LW, OHL
7#3 BUFFALO (NASHVILLE): Oliver Turner, 6’5 RHD, OHL
7#4 PHILADELPHIA: Bruno Osmanis, 5’11 RW, SVK
7#5 WASHINGTON (BOSTON): Kale Dach, 5’10 C/W, BCHL
7#6 SEATTLE: ** Hugo Orrsten, 6’2 C/W, SWE
7#7 BUFFALO: ** David Granberg, 6’2 C, SWE
7#8 PHILADELPHIA (ANAHEIM): ** Finn McLaughlin, 6’2 LHD, NCAA
7#9 MONTREAL (PITTSBURGH): Felix Farhammar, 6’1 LHD, SWE
7#10 NY ISLANDERS: ** Jamiro Reber, 5’11 C/W, SWE
7#11 COLORADO (NY RANGERS): Jeremy Loranger, 5’10 C, BCHL
7#12 DETROIT: Jasper Kuhta, 6’3 C, FIN
7#13 PHILADELPHIA (COLUMBUS): ** Roman Luttsev, 6’1 C, RUS
7#14 UTAH: Noah Tegelaar, 6’4 G, OJHL
7#15 VANCOUVER: Caden Taylor, 6’3 C, OHL
7#16 CALGARY: ** Karl Sterner, 6’4 RW, SWE
7#17 MONTREAL: Ryan Miller, 6’0 C, WHL
7#18 NEW JERSEY: Will Schneid, 6’0 RW, US HS
7#19 EDMONTON (ST LOUIS): Ondrej Stebatack, 6’2 G, WHL
7#20 MINNESOTA: ** Ben Hrabik, 6’3 G, OHL
7#21 OTTAWA: Madox Labre, 6’2 LHD, QMJHL
7#22 CALGARY (COLORADO): Andrew O’Neill, 6’2 C, US NTDP
7#23 NASHVILLE (TAMPA BAY): Julius Saari, 6’2 LHD, FIN
7#24 TAMPA BAY (LOS ANGELES): Shawn Carrier, 5’10 C/LW, QMJHL
7#25 TAMPA BAY (TORONTO): Liam Kilfoil, 5’11 C, QMJHL
7#26 VEGAS: Jabez Seymour, 6’3 C, QMJHL
7#27 BUFFALO (WASHINGTON): Matt Lansing, 6’1 C, USHL
7#28 NEW JERSEY (WINNIPEG): ** Daniel Nieminen, 6’0 LHD, FIN
7#29 CAROLINA: Richard Gallant, 5’9 W, US NTDP
7#30 DALLAS: Harry Nansi, 6’3 C/W, OHL
7#31 TORONTO (FLORIDA): Reko Alanko, 6’6 RHD, FIN
7#32 NEW JERSEY (EDMONTON): Drew Allison, 6’2 LHD, QMJHL
SABRES HAUL:
1#9: Radim Mrtek, 6’6 RHD, WHL: There has been some interest in adding another high-end defensemen to the organization, given the possibility of moving on from one of their existing such players this off-season. In this case, a McGee-favorite falls into the Sabres lap, and they jump at the chance to add this monster. Mrtka began the season in his native Czechia, where he bounced between the U-20 league and the senior men’s league until he came over to North America midway through. Hooking up with the WHL’s Seattle Thunderbirds, Mrtka immediately became a top pair defender protecting the crease of Sabre prospect Scott Ratzlaff despite having never played or lived in North America before. The first thing you notice about Mrtka is how mobile he is for his size. And he is a big boy. 6’6 ½ and 225#, he’s long but graceful and sudden in his movement. Excellent four-way skater. Not scorchingly fast but doesn’t need to be.
Lateral mobility is excellent and really helps make Mrtka the high-end prospect that he is. It allows him to gap up, defend against transition, and retrieve pucks more efficiently and effectively than any other defender in this class but for Matt Schaefer. And he doesn’t have Mrtka’s size and length. His feet are light, and he has surprisingly soft hands for a defender of his size. Right now, today, he is already what a lot of teams hope their young D-Men with size become. And all this while playing on the small sheet for the first time in his career. A major disruptor when defending transition. Has a very active stick, makes quick decisions, and closes gaps in a hurry. Just getting around him when coming down on the rush is a challenge. And given his balance and strength, you’re not going to go through him. When you combine his stick and ability to get in on opponent’s hands is so quickly, he kills a lot of plays before they get started.
Defending out of sets, Mrtka owns a remarkably solid awareness level. Has a good feel for defending in space, impressive given his lack of familiarity with the North American ice. Fights for pucks on the walls or in the corners, although he doesn’t use his physicality as much as he could, preferring to use his stick and his frame to make things hard on the opposition. Gets to pucks quickly, handles and pivots up ice. Those hands help him corral bouncing or loose pucks. In front of his net, he gets inside leverage and uses that wide body and active stick to protect the crease. Doesn’t manhandle guys in front but does eliminate them from the play with his heavy stick and boxes out guys without the puck. He can be overly hesitant once he gets the puck and begins the breakout.
Decision making could be a beat quicker. Heavy forechecks seem to visibly hurry him. While he can make some very crafty plays – banking outlets off the boards, or curl-and-drag around a forechecker – he also can make some ugly turnovers. Offensively, he’s got a bomb of a clapper but it can be wildly inaccurate. Is an effective passer, something he improved on as the season went on and he started to understand the spacing better. Not a creator, but he’s efficient with the puck and can dance a little bit…enough to make a move at the blue line, beat his man and break down the defense. He’s probably 2 years away, but I think Mrtka still has a lot of upside. He came over mid-season and only has half a year on the smaller ice sheet.
There’s a chance he could turn out to be the best D-Man in this Draft. Or a career 3rd pair guy. Put up an impressive 35P in 43 games…before that, in Czechia, he chipped in 5P in 20 games going back and forth from the senior Men’s League. If there’s a guy who I think of when I watch Mrtka play, it’s Matthias Ekholm.
2#7: Ed Genbourg, 6’2 LW, SWE: For those who like their forwards physical, let me introduce you to Eddie Genbourg. He loves to hit and doesn’t seem to mind getting hit either. He can be a menace on the forecheck, makes life difficult for defenders in puck retrieval. For an organization looking to add this kind of skill set to their group, and the Sabres should be, Genbourg could be a home run. A ferocious competitor, this kid spends most of his time in the parts of the ice others won’t go to. Net front, behind the goal line, in the corners – that’s where he makes his living. He’s scrappy, fearless, and determined. On the forecheck, he pursues the puck carrier and uses his size and his stick to disrupt zone exits and recover pucks off deflections or poor passes.
Will take the body first, then look for the puck. What could help him be even more effective is improving his skating. It’s not bad, per se, but he’s short on explosion, plus he does not change direction easily. Turns are too wide for my taste. His top speed is very good, and once he gets moving, he’s got really good pace. But that’s an area that could make him even more valuable if he can improve there. Genbourg seems like he plays faster, and a lot of that is due to his instincts. He has excellent instincts on both ends. Seems to always go to the right place on the ice for a given situation. And his motor runs hot.
Always hustling, his feet rarely stop moving once he goes over the boards until his shift ends. One of those players who frustrates opponents simply due to his work rate – if he loses leverage around the net, for example, he will not top working to get it until the puck leaves the zone. Heavy on his skates, he has a lot of physical core strength which he uses in stick battles and along the boards. A difficult player to handle on the cycle. Puck protection monster. Uses his big frame to shield pucks and keep pucks away from the defense and can come out of the corners to create chances. Loves to lay big hits. Bone-rattling hits on the forecheck, or coming across the Neutral Zone, are commonplace with him. He’s very aggressive when defending on-puck.
Never hesitates, immediately puts pressure on puck carriers anywhere on the ice. Offensively, he’s more of a scorer than a playmaker. And even that is fairly simple. He scores around the net, gobbling up loose pucks and rebounds, tipping point shots, and deflecting pucks from the high slot or the wing. Not a great stick handler, nor passer, he’s not going to wow you with his moves or his puck skills. Genbourg plays an honest, simple, straight-forward game. Put him on your 2nd line with 2 skill forwards, and he’ll be a great complement. Put him on the 4th line and tell him to keep the puck in other guy’s end…he’ll do that too. In the Swedish U-20 league, he was a beast, with 34P in 28 games and was a PPG guy in the playoffs. But he played half the season up in the SHL, Sweden’s elite men’s league, where he only managed 2G in 28 games but because of his reliability on both ends, he played the most SHL games of any draft eligible, which is a strong statement of how the coaches viewed him.
Also chipped in with 3P in 5 games in both the World Junior A Challenge, the Hlinka, and the silver-medal winning U-18 team. I could see him becoming a Malenstyn-plus, or if he improves his skating, someone like a Dustin Brown type of forward. And that’s something BFLO doesn’t have.
3#7: Tomas Pobezal, 5’11 C, SVK: This kid, on the small side, is a very refined two-way player and owns the kind of skill set that the Sabres don’t have. A slick skater who never shies away from contract or hesitate to get in his shots after the whistle. Pobezal is a heady, mature player. Very smart, positionally sound, detailed but has some flair and creativity to his game. This kid is playing real minutes in the senior Slovakian Men’s League (Extraliga) as one of the youngest players, but still put up very good numbers with 23P in 42 games for Nitra, along with 4P in 20 playoff games for a team that reached the championship round. But that’s not the most notable aspect of his game.
He was one of their top PK’ers as an 18-year-old! Usually reserved for much older players, the trust in Pobezal shown by the coaches speaks volumes about how reliable a player he can be. A good, not great, skater, Pobezal is shifty, sudden, and has excellent edgework. Tough to pin down in small areas, he uses anticipation and a clever stick to win puck battles, disrupt cycles, and make it difficult for opponents to get clean looks at the net. Doesn’t have much of a burst, which needs to improve, and his top speed could be better, but those are areas where you have to rely on his gaining strength as he gets older to upgrade. Where he really excels is his defensive instincts.
A lot like Genbourg (above), Pobezal is a very disciplined, smart, defensive forward. Takes good routes on the forecheck to disrupt zone exits, fearlessly pursues the puck, and anticipates where the puck will be and beats his check to that spot. High compete level, finishes every check, supports his teammates all over the ice. Understands how to defend in space while making things very hard on his check when defending on the puck. Solid in the dot. Excellent anticipation. Picks off a lot of passes, triggering counterattacks and transition chances. Knows what he’s doing with the puck before he gets it. Never seems to be standing still. Offensively, he’s a slick operator with the puck. Does most of his damage off turnovers, where he can jump on mistakes and turn them into chances.
Given his size, he’s not as effective off the cycle or around the net, where he can be bodied out or outmuscled by bigger defenders. But even in those situations, he’s slippery enough to get shots in traffic, find loose pucks or bang in rebounds around the net. Has a bit of a muffin for a shot but is precise in picking corners and can get the puck up quickly even in tight. Always seems to be on the right side of the puck. Very decisive. Wants to get the puck on and off his stick quickly.
Doesn’t hang on to it too long to survey the ice, just keeps it going in the right direction. Performs in the big games. Wore the C for Team Slovakia in their surprising medal run in the U-18s while being their top scoring forward with 6P in 7 games. Also had 6P in 4 games at the Hlinka this Summer and made Slovakia’s team for the World Juniors despite his young age. If he can get stronger and faster, I could see a Phillip Danault sort of career for him, which is always useful.
4#7: Samuel Meloche, 6’3 G, QMJHL: Cat-quick tendy who can make dynamic, athletic saves but needs more consistency and refinement in his game to really make a splash. In his first season of major junior, Meloche knocked it out of the park with Rouyn-Noranda, playing in a whopping 51 games and putting up 2.90 GAA and a .910 SV%. In the playoffs, he came to play despite the regular season workload, going 8-3-2 with a 2.06 GAA and a .911 SV%. A revelation in net, Meloche was one of the best goalies in the Draft class and while still a bit unknown compared to many of his peers, and a lot of that is due to his combination of size and athleticism.
Meloche is quick and explosive post-to-post. Highly competitive. Movements aren’t wild, when he’s on will be economical but still burst across the crease to make a save. And he can make some amazing saves. Regularly makes bell-ringer saves, usually making a surprising recovery to get a glove or a leg on a puck. Is particularly tough to beat down low. He swallows up rebounds on shots at the bottom half of the net, keeps his pads flat to the ice, and his quickness and good stick make it really tough to beat him. Up high is another story, particularly his blocker side. But he’s not a flopper. Meloche is technically sound. He maintains position even in situations where his defense lets him down, often making quality saves on second- or third shots in a sequence.
Is routinely square on the first shot, even seems to find pucks through crowds or screens and get in the right position to challenge. A willing puckhandler, able to jump-start transition with his stretch passes, but can be pretty cavalier about looking up ice. Has been known to make some ugly turnovers that lead to high-danger chances against. Moving post to post helps him make some of those dynamic saves but loses a lot of technique in the process, opening up targets on the short side or high glove that are normally closed off. Needs to improve his glove use.
Doesn’t always keep it high and can wave at pucks rather than catch them. One of the youngest goalies in the class with a birthday only a couple months from the cut off for next year’s Draft, Meloche has a lot of upside and continues to grow. And the Sabres can afford to be patient with him as he builds on what is a very good base.
4#20: ** Aiden Park, 6’1 C, WHL: Crafty two-way center who combines high-volume shooting with a relentless hustle and smart positional game. An over-ager who finished the season with the Calgary Hitmen in the WHL, he played most of the year in the USHL and has committed to the Michigan Wolverines for next season. So he’s well-traveled. And he’s got good bloodlines. His dad is former Penguin great Richard Park! Park’s calling card is his effort. He works his tail off every shift and constantly has his feet moving. Hustles all over the ice.
Work ethic is off the charts. Has good speed, and his hands and feet move together very well. A shoot-first centerman, Park has the wheels and play style to cover the middle of the ice from one end of the rink to the other. An aggressive checking forward. Closes gaps quickly in the Neutral Zone, disrupts transition early before it can become a threat. Very heady player. Sees plays before they develop, beats opponents to their spots, intercepts passes or clears, or gets his stick on them and forces teams to reload. Defensively savvy. Can get too aggressive at times. Especially when teams have extended possession. Can rush in the D-zone and chase plays attempting to turn over pucks, which takes him out position, resulting in breakdowns and creating high-danger chances.
Needs to do a better job of picking his spots. Willing to play physical. Will put a body on guys on the walls, or in front of the net. There aren’t many shifts that he goes unnoticed. Always in the middle of the action. Offensively, he’s a bit of a throwback. A puck-dominant centerman who carries pucks into the zone and draws the defense. Loves to carry the puck through the NZ and into the O-zone. Will make a slick pass to get an open teammate a good look, and if that’s not there, he will drive the puck to the crease and take on a defender to create chaos at the netfront.
Owns a quick release in the slot, always seems to find just enough space and a shooting lane to rip pucks on net. And his shot is hard, accurate and well-disguised. A wicked wrister. But Park is not just a shooter. He scores more than his share of ugly goals around the net, getting position on bigger, stronger defenders. His details are very good at times; he needs to learn to shift gears and sometimes slow down to process things or show more patience before trying a play. Consistency on his details and showing more variety in his game would make him more difficult to defend; his effort and compete don’t quit, but sometimes he can spend too much time flying around the ice without getting results. That needs to improve.
Scored 66P in 55 games for Green Bay in the USHL and then was a PPG guy during their short stay in the playoffs (3P in 3 games). Was the #2 goal scorer for Team USA at the Hlinka a season ago. A couple years at Michigan should lead to more refinement to his game, and by then he should be ready for Rochester. At the NHL level, he’s probably a Noel Acciari kind of player, but I could see a couple seasons of Zach Hyman-like production if he finds his way to the right linemates.
5#7: Tomas Mikel, 6’4 RHD, USHL: Notice a trend developing? Mikel is a big, bruising right-shot Czech who has a defense-first mentality. He arrived in the US mid-way through the season after playing some international hockey for his home country and suffered through some injuries in the process. But there’s a lot to like here. Very raw, but has some really projectable qualities. First off, obviously, is his size. Mikel is a beast at 6’4 195# and his plays like it. He plays a power game, and much of it is played on the defensive end of the ice.
A ferocious defender, he’s great around his net, moving players out of the crease with gusto. Gets his long stick on top of his opponent’s, and shuts that option off. The middle of the ice is his domain. With his size and his stick, he funnels offensive players to the perimeter or to the corner, where he finishes his checks and gets back into position. Very sound positionally. Rarely lets his check get behind him or between him and his net. While his sheer physicality is not consistent as of yet, when he’s feeling it, he’s a bear. Seals his check in the corners or against the walls, never seems to worry about the puck. Takes his man and lets his support help him out. And once he’s got you pinned, you’re not going anywhere.
Wins a lot of puck battles with his snarl, persistence and stickwork. An extremely strong penalty killer. Knows to take right angles, closing out on opponents before they can make a move and create a good chance. Gaps are good – could be tighter, but with his reach and his stick, he keeps his check close enough. Skating is solid. Not explosive, or very nimble, so as he gets stronger – his frame can easily take on more muscle – his burst should come. Lateral movement will be an important part of his improvement. Good enough for his age group, he’s going to need to get quicker and smoother in transitioning from front-to-back against consistently fast opponents. Edgework will be critical. But he’s not a bad skater.
Just sometimes relies too much on his high-level defensive instincts to make up for the elements of his skating that need work. Again, defends from the net out and up the middle. A solid defender in space, really excels in on-puck defending. His check rarely has the puck for long. Mikel plays a very straight-forward, simple game when the puck winds up on his stick. Some of this may be attributable to his newness in the North American game, but he rushes a lot of his passes, making his first pass an adventure at times. More comfortable chipping pucks out and clearing the zone than starting or trailing transition. In the O-zone, he is not a threat and rarely sees the puck for long.
However, in his U-17 year, he played on the Czechian U-20 team and put up 17P in 32 games and was more than a PPG player in his brief stint in the U-18 league. So maybe, as he becomes more comfortable in the North American game, he can add that offense back into his game. Scheduled to attend UMass the year after next, he’ll be back for a full season in Cedar Rapids of the USHL this coming season. So a long lead time for him to develop into a pro, but the tools are there to become a very useful 3rd pair defender.
6#7: Brent Solomon, 6’0 RW, US HS: Explosive goal-scoring wing with a nose for the net. Solomon, a finalist for the prestigious Mister Hockey in Minnesota, notched an impressive 38G in 28 games. He ended his season playing up in the USHL, where he did not look out of place, putting up 4-2-6 in 8 games while not getting a ton of ice time for Sioux Falls. He’ll be a fixture on the Stampede this coming season before heading off to Wisconsin the following year. Solomon is a dynamic offensive player. Among his many tools, his shot is deadly. He’s got a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it snap shot, and his wrister is hard and comes off his stick in a flash.
Great in transition, where he always looks to shoot first but knows to attack the middle of the ice by driving the net or putting the puck in the slot. Uses nimble footwork to beat defenders off the cycle. Particularly dangerous coming off the wall below the dots and curling into a dangerous spot where he can use his arsenal of shots. Soft hands let him accept tough passes, settle the puck and get off a laser of a shot all in one motion. Possesses a hard, accurate one-timer. Has a plan when he gets the puck. A boatload of dekes and fakes help him get away from tight checks and find open space. And he can score in other ways.
Always trying to get across the slot, has good enough hand-eye to tip point shots or find loose rebounds and jam them in before defenders can get to the puck. Just a natural goal scorer. Linear skating is very good. Has a nice burst, can catch a defender from behind in pass them going up ice in transition. Has some churn in his stride but moves pretty well. Laterally, he can be hit or miss, sometimes looks like he’s dancing out there, other times gets crossed up and takes himself out of plays. Ton of confidence and brings the energy. No qualms about trying different things to beat defenders, is creative with the puck on his stick.
While he doesn’t use his teammates enough, he’s a good passer when the mood strikes. Recognizes how to create space and use that space to get pucks to the scoring areas, whether by himself or to a teammate. Doesn’t back down from puck battles, but like a lot of pure scorers, prefers to be lurking in case a puck squirts out and he can snap it up and get to the net. At 6’0 170#, he’s not especially physical, but that’s not really his role. Still he isn’t a perimeter player – Solomon goes to the net front and the low slot with abandon if he senses a scoring chance.
Defensively, he’s a work in progress, but most high school players are when they move up a level or two. Solomon is on a long development path, but he reminds me a little bit of a Jordan Eberle-type of player. He’s a nice gamble at this late point of the Draft.
7#3: Oliver Turner, 6’5 RHD, OHL: BFLO has some big defenders, and it has some mean defenders. Turner is both. Not unlike Tomas Mikel (above), Turner is a monster of a D-Man whose specialty is in the D-zone while having a very limited offensive skill set. Turner played for a Tier II team (St. Andrews College) for much of the season, before getting a late call-up to the Erie Otters in the OHL. And Turner is a lanky beast at 6’5 200# with a mean streak, but very raw. A solid skater for his size, Turner’s forward-backward movement is efficient and effective. Uses his length and aggressiveness to shut down puck carriers as they enter the zone.
Routinely steps up, gaps up, and gets a forearm or shoulder into puck carriers to end the threat and separate his check from the puck. Gets his body on opponents. Closes off the middle of the ice. Some of this is from necessity – Turner’s lateral movement is not great, and his transitions from forward-to-backward can be clunky. Puck retrievals can be a challenge. So if he can shut off a play higher in the zone, which he does frequently and skillfully, he doesn’t have to deal with his skating concerns. Has a great understanding of the importance of the middle of the ice, drives forwards to the walls and into the corners where he can really use his strength and length to turn pucks over. That’s really where the upside comes in. As he fills out, he’ll become stronger and likely more physical, but his recognition of how to defend and ability to turn over pucks is potentially high-end.
Will drop the gloves and loves to get an extra cross-check in after the whistle blows. Offensively, I don’t know. Turner isn’t a great passer, although his first pass can be effective in triggering transition. But he doesn’t trail the play, lug the puck or lead the rush. Unless he makes a mistake, he’s always the last guy back. A lot of dump-ins and the like when he does get the puck on the offensive side of the red line. His shot isn’t bad, but he rarely uses it, and his wind-up takes a while. So there’s a lot to improve for Turner, but his snarl, size and defensive instincts are all high-level.
His development – in Erie, with the Sabres, and beyond – will determine where he winds up. Turner put up 29P in 52 games for St. Andrew’s College outside of Toronto, but also managed to add 109 PIMs, the most for draft eligibles. I think taking a flier on a guy with this kind of physical edge isn’t a bad thing, and if everything works out, you have a Xhekaj or Logan Stanley-sort of player in your system.
7#7: ** David Granberg, 6’2 C, SWE: This double over-ager is a solid, reliable two-way centerman who can play on special teams and get meaningful bottom 6 minutes. Granberg suited up for SHL champion Lulea this season and spent the entirety of the season with the big club as they vied for the title in Sweden’s elite men’s league. Has some very positive intangibles as well as a strong skill set on the ice. Versatile, he can play all three forward spots although he plays his best down the middle. And he wore a letter last season on his U-20 team, as well as internationally. So there’s a lot to like here for a late rounder. Right out of the box you notice Granberg’s sturdy, mature, pro-style game.
Plays smart hockey with a good mix of power and skill. Positionally sound in all three zones, he doesn’t flash very often but he does the little things that coaches take a shine to. He played very limited minutes when the playoffs started, but as the SHL post season continued, Granberg saw more and more ice time and even got some valuable special teams time. So the Lulea coaches clearly saw something in his game that warranted more ice time. Solid, powerful skater. Doesn’t dance around the ice or fly down the wing but gets around more than well enough.
Transitions well from forward to backward, can explode out of changes in direction. Tough to move off the puck. Has a good center of gravity and can be a possession force especially in the O-zone, where he tends to dump in, retrieve the puck, and wait until his teammates arrive to take advantage of the forecheck. A capable F1 or F3 on the forecheck. Part of Granberg’s qualities on the forecheck translate to other parts of his game. He’s an eager bodychecker, lays the body defensively as well as in puck recovery. Will bump, lean, body and push opponents to get to prime real estate or inside leverage. Defensively, he’s very accomplished. Is a physical, aggressive on-puck defender who won’t take a lot of risks but will do whatever he can to separate a check from the puck and prevent them from getting it back. Wins a lot of stick battles around the crease.
Does a solid job covering the low slot, closes on shooters, blocks shots without a second thought. Even against men, does well in space, frequently using shoulder checks to prevent breakdowns or losing his man. Offensively, plays a simple game. Usually, the first forward in on the forecheck, when he recovers pucks he doesn’t delay. That puck goes right to the high-danger areas, either via a shot or pass. Granberg possesses the puck well, using his strength and positioning to scan the ice for open teammates. Surprisingly good passer, especially in small areas.
Has a great feel for locating the lanes in a defense and getting the puck on-time to those open guys. As a relatively young player, he put up 10P in 42 games for Lulea and chipped in 4P in 17 playoff games for the eventual champ. But really showed more of his offensive game at the World Juniors, where he was Sweden’s 3rd leading scorer with 6P in 7 games. May wind up being a Brett Murray-type of AHL tweener, maybe becomes a good bottom 6 player…either way, plenty of potential value at this spot.
7#27: Matt Lansing, 6’1 C, USHL: Let’s close out this Mock Draft with a local boy. And what is more local than Tonawanda? A former skater for the Junior Sabres, Lansing is not a flashy, eye-popping forward that draws your attention. What he is, is a solid, reliable, smart centerman in all three zones who does the right little things, and the little things right. Lansing started out slowly, struggling to find his rhythm with Waterloo before getting moved to Fargo later in the year, and in the meantime getting the call from the US National Development program for the odd game here or there.
His skating is good, but not great, yet he plays with a lot of pace and grinds all game long. Decent burst, good lateral movement, and his turns are sharp. Smooth change of direction. Isn’t going to win a lot of footraces, but uses his body, stick, and smarts to win a lot of loose pucks. Never hesitates going to the hard areas. Will battle at the top of the crease, navigate through the trees around the net, and stick his nose into puck battles with bigger players. Loves cutting to the middle of the ice. But he remains highly disciplined. Lansing does not take many penalties and knows how to toe the line without getting the eye from the referees. That makes him a versatile player you can count on who is effective at evens, on the PP, and on the PK.
Offensively, he doesn’t make mistakes with his puck management. The puck gets deep when it needs to, but he’s got surprisingly good hands and enters the zone with control and can beat a defender one-v-one. Has a dangerous wrister that he can one-time or shoot on the move with some impressive velocity. Capable of beating a goalie from the top of the circles with that shot. Attacks the net, able to slither and slip into inside position against defenders and get his stick on point shots or scrap for rebounds. Rarely drives play, serving as F3 on the forecheck, covering for pinching defenders, or backchecking like a demon to eliminate odd-man rushes.
Defensively, he’s got a good stick and closes on shooters aggressively but doesn’t get beat in the process. Dogged on-puck defender. Supports his teammates all over the ice, gets pucks out and plays with desperation. Lansing’s smarts mitigate a lot of breakdowns on the D-zone. Seems to be a future Captain. Put up 17P in 40 games for Waterloo, before getting dealt to Fargo, where he had 10P in 14 games. Was great at the Hlinka for Team USA with 4G in 5 games and played limited minutes on the U-18s team, getting ice in all 7 games without getting on the scoreboard. He’s the kind of versatile centerman who plays a little like Anthony Cirelli, but if he reaches the NHL, he’s likely got a role like a Tyson Kozak.