The Hockey Buzz Mock Draft rolls on. Rasmus Dahlin went first to Buffalo, Andrei Svechnikov to Carolina, Filip Zadina to Montreal, Noah Dobson to Ottawa, Oliver Wahlstrom to Arizona, Quinn Hughes to Detroit, Vancouver selected Brady Tkachuk, Chicago picked Adam Boqvist, the Rangers selected Evan Bouchard and Edmonton drafted Jesperi Kotkaniemi. Starting the next 10 pick, the Islanders picked Joseph Veleno and Ty Smith, Dallas grabbed Vitali Kravtsov, Philadelphia selected Joel Farabee, Florida took Grigori Denisenko, Colorado added Rasmus Kupari, New Jersey added K'Andre Miller, Columbus added Bode Wilde, Philadelphia picked Jonatan Berggen and Los Angeles selected Dominic Bokk. San Jose started the last 11 picks by picking Martin Kaut, Ottawa selected Serron Noel, Anaheim selected Barrett Hayton, Minnesota grabbed Mattias Samelsson and Toronto traded the pick, Kapanen and Sparks for Hanifin, then selected Ryan Merkely.
The consensus was that Samuelsson was the right pick, with 68% of the approximately 82 votes agreeing with the selection. In the trade, the vote was Toronto wins trade 43% (308 votes) Carolina wins trade 18% (131 votes) and fair trade 39% (276 votes). Personally, I am not in favor of the deal, but while the larger % has the Maple Leafs winning the deal, close to 40% felt it was a fair deal and 18% pick Carolina, so I will not overturn it. For Merkley, 69% of the 83 votes agreed with the pick.
As noted in my blog last night, the plan is to finish by Thursday morning, allowing almost all day Thursday for rumors etc. leading into the draft Friday. Picks 22-23, Ottawa and Anaheim were posted last night. Minnesota and Toronto, picks 24-25 were posted earlier today with the Rangers and Blackhawks selections, 26-27 posted in this blog. Wednesday will bring picks 28-29 (Rangers and Blues, who are on the clock) around noon or so and 30-31 (Detroit and Washington) late that evening, allowing for a selection or two on Thursday morning if some other news breaks that requires a change in schedule.
Overall Rules and Process :
After the pick or trade is made, a poll will be posted to rate the selection or deal. If the majority of people like the pick or trade, that selection stands and it moves on to the next team’s picks. If not, the majority rules and that’s what happens with that team and pick. I have the last right of refusal to keep everything on the up and up and avoid ballot box stuffing. My request to you is that you take this serious and not make a mockery of the mock draft, because that would be an insult to the others who are participating and makes the whole process a sham. But by playing this out, we get to have healthy debate and conversation to remain engaged up and possibly beyond the draft. If teams make deals and they occur before a team’s selection is due, that deal will play a part as to when each person’s selection occurs.
Here how this is working: each evening (for now, one pick per day, but we will go to two when we get to second half of the mock draft and possibly even before that, so that we complete on time) the team’s selector emails me their pick and rationale for that selection to [email protected]. If making a trade, the same applies, and all the selectors have been listed below along with their screen name if from this site or their twitter handle if external to help facilitate making trades. I am posting that pick and rationale on the site and create a voting poll. For now, we are using just a yes or no vote for the poll, but if people want me to list other options for the selection at that pick number in cases of a no vote, I am happy to do so, to help make it more robust.
With the 26th overall pick in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, the New York Rangers, represented by tomburton99 select Akil Thomas. Center, Niagara (OHL)
Rationale for the selection:
The Rangers now looking to trade Hayes, still need more center depth. Akil Thomas is hybrid of Derek Stepan and Brayden Point. Thomas is decent on faceoffs, can play and run the PP on the half wall. Where his game is like Stepan's is that he's smart and can make that extra pass to set up teammates. Where his game is like Point's, he skates like Point and has a decent shot. He led his Niagara team in scoring while also being an assistant captain. All very rare for 17 in the OHL.
With the 27th overall pick in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, the Chicago Blackhawks, represented by Panarin27, select Benoit-Olivier Grouix, center, Halifax (QMJHL)
Rationale for the selection:
French-Canadian style center like JG Pageau or Philip Danault. He plays a very strong two-way game and will in all likelihood end up as a 3rd-line center with the potential to end up as a second-line center. 'Hawks have needed a player like him ever since we traded Danault to Montreal..
Lottery teams :
Buffalo - Rasmus Dahlin
Carolina - Andrei Svechnikov
Montréal – Filip Zadina
Ottawa - Noah Dobson
Arizona - Oliver Wahlstrom
Detroit - Quinn Hughes (Pete will also pick 30th)
Vancouver - Brady Tkachuk
Chicago - Adam Boqvist (Panarin27 will also pick 27th)
Rangers - Evan Bouchard (Tom Burton will also pick 26th and 28th)
Edmonton – trade overturned, Oilers pick Jesperi Kotkaniemi
Islanders (2x) – Joseph Veleno and Ty Smith
Dallas – original trade overturned, select Vitali Kravtsov,
Philadelphia (via st Louis)- Joel Farabee
Florida - Grigori Denisenko
Non-lottery teams :
Colorado - Rasmus Kupari
New Jersey - K'Andre Miller
Columbus - Bode Wilde
Philadelphia - Jonatan Berggen
Los Angeles - Dominic Bokk
San Jose- Martin Kaut
Ottawa (via Pittsburgh) - Serron Noel
Anaheim - Barrett Hayton
Minnesota – Mattias Samuelsson
Toronto - traded to Carolina, who selects Ryan Merkley
Rangers (via Boston) - Akil Thomas
Chicago (via Nashvile) - Benoit-Olivier Grouix
Rangers (via Tampa Bay) - tomburton
St. Louis (via Wnnipeg) - Isles (Vukota)
Detroit (via Las Vegas) - Pete V
Washington - Russ Cohen (@sportsology)
New York Rangers Blogger • 
Join the Discussion:
»