The annual Mock Draft Contest! Where I rigged it to win it for myself last year! I will give you my best guess of what I think is going to happen on Thursday, July 7th. In the comments feel free to put your own mock draft there and I will tally it up on Friday, July 8th. If you win, DM me on Twitter @bmaster716. I think I have a good idea for a championship winning prize.
Remember the point system:
3 points if a player is selected at that draft slot (numbered slot)
1 point if the player is selected in the first round.
That being said: here is my mock draft!
1.) Montreal Canadiens: Shane Wright, C, OHL
2.) New Jersey Devils: Juraj Slafkovsky, LW, Liiga
3) Arizona Coyotes: Logan Cooley, C, USNTDP
4.) Seattle Kraken: Simon Nemec, RHD, Slovakia
5.) Philadelphia Flyers: Cutter Gauthier, LW/C, USNTDP
6.) Columbus Blue Jackets: David Jiricek, RHD, Czechia
7.) Ottawa Senators: Matthew Savoie, C/RW, WHL
8.) Detroit Red Wings: Marco Kasper, C/LW, SHL
9.) Buffalo Sabres: Jonathan Lekkerimaki, RW, J20 Nationell
I think that Buffalo would be between Lekkerimaki and Kemell if the draft fell like this. I like Lekkerimaki’s game slight more so going with one of the Djurgarden trio!
10.) Anaheim Ducks: Kevin Korchinski, LHD, WHL
11.) San Jose Sharks: Joakim Kemell, RW, Liiga
12.) Columbus Blue Jackets: Conor Geekie, C, WHL
13.) New York Islanders: Ivan Miroshnichenko, LW, VHL
14.) Winnipeg Jets: Pavel Mintyukov, LHD, OHL
15.) Vancouver Canucks: Noah Ostlund, C, J20 Nationell
16.) Buffalo Sabres: Danila Yurov, RW, KHL
Just feels like where there’s smoke there’s fire. I lot of people signaling that the Sabres are willing to swing on Yurov, and at this range it would make sense. I debated Ohgren or Yurov, but going with the what tea leaves are reading right now.
17.) Nashville Predators: Denton Mateychuk, LHD, WHL
18.) Dallas Stars: Owen Pickering, LHD, WHL
19.) Minnesota Wild: Brad Lambert, C, Liiga
20.) Washington Capitals: Jiri Kulich, C, Czechia
21.) Pittsburgh Penguins: Liam Ohgren, LW, J20 Nationell
22.) Anaheim Ducks: Frank Nazar, C, USNTDP
23.) St. Louis Blues: Lian Bichsel, LHD, SHL
24.) Minnesota Wild: Jimmy Snuggerud, F, USNTDP
25.) Toronto Maple Leafs: Isaac Howard, W, USNTDP
26.) Montreal Canadiens: Nathan Gaucher, C, QMJHL
27.) Arizona Coyotes: Rutger McGroarty, F, USNTDP
28.) Buffalo Sabres: Sam Rinzel, RHD, USHL
I think that the third pick of the first round we’ll be swinging on a RHD. I think it will be between Chesley, Rinzel, and Noah Warren. That’s the order I think consensus has it, and even if I’d take Casey here, I think that Rinzel would be my preferred pick between Warren and Rinzel given his offensive abilities.
29.) Edmonton Oilers: Tristan Luneau, RHD, QMJHL
30.) Winnipeg Jets: Owen Beck, C, OHL
31.) Tampa Bay Lightning: Jagger Firkus, F, WHL
32.) Arizona Coyotes: Lane Hutson, LHD, USNTDP