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Mock Draft Part One: One-Five |
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Last year I did a pretty massive mock draft, one that was based off both my views of the players and my best guess as to what the team would do in that situation (organizational need vs BPA). With the draft slowly inching towards us and the final round so unevenly spaced its painful, I’d thought I’d start it now. It’ll be going in fives until the second round where it will speed up until I get around the fourth round or so. In case you're wondering at the picture, there are way too many Pittsburgh ones on here.
1. Edmonton Oilers select Right Winger Nail Yakupov Sarnia Sting (OHL) 93-10-06 (18 years old) – 42GP – 31G – 38A – 69P
Yakupov is the most dynamic forward in the group this season. He has elite speed and plays a hard working game. He never takes a shift off and is always hunting for goals. He has a great one-timer, great wrister and pretty much think of an offensive aspect to the game and add “great” next to it. He’s a small tank and can really surprise players when taking the body; he has some explosiveness to his hits. The biggest issue is of course his injuries. He has had one on the record concussion and one nasty bashing in of his skull, to go along with a wrist injury so far. His reckless style is his strength and weakness, he’s willing to do anything at anytime to get the goal, Mike Halmo taught him that dangling into center with your head down shouldn’t be done on a regular basis. At number one I can’t see how the Oilers don’t take him. Despite having a large number of talented young forwards why is there a limit? What if one is injured or if one just becomes a bust? When is adding another elite offensive force ever a bad idea, hell it gives them options for trades.
2. Columbus Blue Jackets select Center Alex Galchenyuk Sarnia Sting (OHL) 94-02-12 (18 years old) – 2GP – 0P
Galchenyuk quite possibly has the highest ceiling of any player in the draft or so scouts and those who’ve seen him say. He might be the hardest working fitness nut in the draft and adding that to his immense talent is a great combination. He has amazing stamina and is a great skater; at the combine he showed that despite his long injury to his ACL he has the most explosiveness. One of the reasons I think he will go so high is that he is the best center in the draft period. He doesn’t have the same question marks as Grigorenko and he is actually a center unlike some (cough Forsberg). Though his 6’1 height measurement is very generous considering he looks more like 5’11, he is still considered a center with size and is great at protecting the puck. He’s also a center that is versatile; he plays a two-way game and is adept at both playmaking and scoring. Columbus has always searched for “that” center and Brassard isn’t it and I doubt Johansen is, Galchenyuk is their man.
3. Montreal Canadiens select Right Winger Filip Forsberg Leksand (Allsvenskan) 94-08-13 (17 years old) – 43GP – 8G – 9A – 17P
I’m really not a big fan of Forsberg; I see a lot of hype but a lack of him really showing anything other than a guy with a good package (har har) that doesn’t have any elite abilities. Regardless I do think the Canadiens will pick him. Trevor Timmins has never shied away from picking the guy he wants and he has spent several days talking with Forsberg’s family. While Montreal could use a center with size, they will settle with a strong winger. While he isn’t a power forward in the usual sense of the word, he is extremely capable around the boards and shows a willingness to fight for the puck and control possession. He has good hands and a great release, with good breakaway speed. The biggest issue is the league he is coming from, the only other top pick was Oliver Ekman-Larsson (6th) another product of Leksand, the only issue here is that he was dynamically better even offensively at the same age in comparison and at the international level. When all is said and done however, Forsberg is one of the younger players in the draft with a lot of raw skill; he has a lot of room for growth in his game but has already shown signs of being a great two-way forward.
4. New York Islanders select Defenseman Ryan Murray Everett Silvertips (WHL) 93-09-27 (18 years old) – 46GP – 9G – 22A – 31P
I was tempted to put Matt Dumba here in accordance with Garth Snow’s risk taking style, but I can’t see Murray passing this point. He’s the most steady and reliable player in the draft and has by far the least question marks of any player in the draft (including Nail). He’s a great two-way defenseman that gets it down at both ends of the rink; he brings some offensive pop and frustrates opponents with his effective style in his own end. He isn’t a bruiser but he doesn’t shy away from physicality. He has a good slap shot and gets it away quickly. He brings incredible maturity and leadership to the table and was a force for a ragtag Silvertips team in the playoffs. While people will remember the unfortunate bounces in the WJC against Russia, up until that game he was very solid and didn’t look out of place with the older Canadian defense. He was even invited to the WC squad, though he played very small minutes, but as an undrafted 18 year old it is still a rarity. He’s NHL ready and has few weaknesses, watch for him to be a Ryan Suter type guy.
5. Toronto Maple Leafs select Defenseman Matt Dumba Red Deer Rebels (WHL) 94-07-25 (17 years old) – 69GP – 20G – 37A – 57P
Now before you crucify me hear me out. Brian Burke has never, I repeat never, drafted a Russian with his first round pick. Since coming to the Leafs he has picked zero, so while I wish they would pick Grigorenko I doubt they would (Most likely trade down in this scenario). Dumba is a beast, for all intents and purposes. He has the best slapshot in the draft and oozes offensive skill. Though he’s relatively small (Combine listed him at 6’0) he has explosive speed and hits like a freight train. Even with his currently skinny frame, he has made himself known in the WHL as a massive open ice hitter, he likes to track players and catch them with their head down. He’s extremely hardworking and fights for every inch of ice. His main weakness is his decision making, even with all his speed and skill he’s prone to some head scratchers and he lives and dies by the sword. He’s young and has a lot of room to grow, but you can’t teach defensemen to score like him (second in the WHL). At the U18’s Dumba was a beast leading the tournament in scoring with 12 points, second in goals with 5 and won defenseman of the tournament along with his captaincy. He could be the best defender in the draft, plus you have to factor in Burkes hard-on for WHL defensemen.
Thanks for reading. Picks 6-10 upcoming soon. If you want more draft stuff follow along with Brian Huddle and his picks which are going in descending order.
Follow me on Twitter @AdamFrenchReal
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