Wanna blog? Start your own hockey blog with My HockeyBuzz. Register for free today!
 

Mock Draft Part Two: Six-Ten

June 5, 2012, 9:47 AM ET [48 Comments]
Adam French
RSSArchiveCONTACT
This is part two of my mock draft that will span...well I haven’t decided yet but likely past the third round. In the first installment most fans liked it but Leafs fans. For that I’m sorry and if I had my way I’d draft the big Russian center too, but I’m just trying to guess who they’d pick and not just make a list of the “best” prospects in order. If you want to see that one check it out here :


http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog/Adam-French/Mock-Draft-Part-One-One-Five/155/44766

1. Nail Yakupov
2. Alex Galchenyuk
3. Filip Forsberg
4. Ryan Murray
5. Matt Dumba


6. Anaheim Ducks select Defenseman Jacob Trouba USNTDP Juniors (USHL) 94/02/26 (18 years old) – 22GP – 4G – 14A – 18P



With the uncertainty around their top blueline prospect Justin Schultz, the trading of Jake Gardiner and the large amount of forward prospects you know they will want a defenseman. With Cam Fowler as their top young puck moving defenseman I think they’ll try for a Pronger to their Neidermayer. Trouba has all the tools to be a top pairing defenseman. He has a great shot, very good closing speed and hits everything he can...usually to hurt. Like Murray he competed in the WJC and showed he belonged with the older guys, he played well in a shutdown role that he isn’t used to. His two-way skills are sublime and his size and play-style are something teams will really want to look at. Mobility is becoming a prime factor for the new NHL and size + mobility is coveted. One of the detractions on Trouba is that he can get overwhelmed when he isn’t physically dominant. He has a tendency to make poor choices when getting outmuscled off the puck like chasing the guy down and forgetting the play. While these plays are few and far between, it is a factor.



7. Minnesota Wild select Center Mikhail Grigorenko Quebec Ramparts (QMJHL) 94-05-16 (18 years old) – 59GP – 40G – 45A – 85P



After an amazing year in the MHL the 27 year old Grigorenko was convinced to move to the QMJHL to help his chances of becoming an NHLer leaving behind everybody but his Mom. Despite winning many awards and having an all around great year, scouts still have problems with the big center. There are questions about his fitness and compete levels. Grigorenko suffered from two injuries this year, one during the WJC where he kept on playing despite a dislocated ankle and when he suffered mononucleosis to end the year (which he is still suffering currently). This along with being a rookie in a new country adapting to a new game style has me wondering if the hate is just that. Here’s what we know, he’s big, can control the play, has amazing hands, one of the best shots in the draft but can be inconsistent. I think the Wild under the more risky Fletcher will go for BPA and draft Grigorenko. The Wild need offensive stars and adding a big scoring center to the mix would go a long way especially considering Granlund might be shifted to wing.



8. Carolina Hurricanes select “Center” Radek Faksa Kitchener Rangers (OHL) 94/01/09 (18 years old) – 62GP – 29G – 38A – 67P



I wanted to select a defenseman here because in my opinion the Canes could use one, but they also need some more depth at forward. A lot of their flashy picks have fallen by the wayside, yet the Kitchener connection has continued to prove its worth. Faksa is an interesting player, he’s a big guy at 6’3 207 and unlike many Czech’s is a fairly physical player. He brings one of the better two-way games in the draft and is great at coverage and creating turnovers. While he boasts modest offensive skills, he goes to the dirty areas with authority and can plow through players to get where he wants to go. Much like a Brandon Sutter or Martin Hanzal he lacks a wow factor, but hits, gives his all every game and can be used in any situation, versatility is the name of the game for Faksa. One issue is his face-off skills, he struggled all year in the dot and needs to improve that or see himself moved to the wing where he isn’t as effective.



9. Winnipeg Jets select Left Winger Teuvo Teräväinen Jokerit (SM-liiga) 94/09/11 (17 years old) – 40GP – 11G – 7A – 18P



With the strong young defense the Jets are compiling and developing I think they could use another high skilled forward to go along with their bigger top-6 players. Teräväinen is the fastest rising player in this year’s draft going from relatively unknown second rounder to legitimate contender for the top-5. A combination of a very solid year in the SM-liiga, a ridiculous stint in the U20 Finnish league and a great U18 WJC have boosted his rating. He posses one of the beast packages of skill in the draft and some scouts say he rivals Yakupov in that department. While I disagree on the last statement it should be known that he is one month away from being a complete year younger than him and is the youngest player in the draft, if he had been born a few days later he would be in next year’s draft. He has dynamic speed and shiftiness along with a fantastic one-timer and great hands. On the PP he sets up much like Stamkos and is known to let it rip from the often and accurately. The biggest issue with him is that he is tiny, 5’11 and 168 lbs. At the combine they made notice about his lack of strength and the need to really build himself up or he would get punished around an NHL rink. He can be a perimeter player when being pressured physically and will often try to go down the wing and play a wide game instead of going to the middle. He could well be the steal of the draft if he develops properly (aka get this kid a sandwich and a ticket to the CHL).



10. Tampa Bay Lightning select Defenseman Griffin Reinhart Oil Kings (WHL) 94/01/24 (18 years old) – 58GP – 12G – 24A – 36P



At the beginning of the year Reinhart fell down many people’s charts after a slow start. The 6’4 defender had huge expectations and it wasn’t until the halfway point that he really met them. He’s an excellent two-way defenseman with mobility and size. He has some offensive skills but they aren’t his main focus, his strong shot and good puck moving abilities are only an addition, this is a player who won’t force a play and won’t cost you a turnover. He’s great in his own zone and use’s his speed and stick to disrupt most plays. He isn’t a physical defenseman by any means, he isn’t Dumba who will go for the kill, and he delivers hits when he needs to but only if it won’t endanger the team. He plays a relatively safe game that saw him become one of the best defensemen in the WHL playoffs where he played a major role in shutting down the Portland All-Star Team. The scary thing was this strong play was all during a time where he was injured. Some wish that at his size he could be meaner, but that is one of the few complaints.



Thanks for reading. Stay tuned for picks 11-15.

Follow me on Twitter @AdamFrenchReal
Join the Discussion: » 48 Comments » Post New Comment
More from Adam French
» NHL Thoughts : Russian Tides Were Up All Sides
» 2022 Draft Class : Star Studded Draft
» The Toronto Maple Leafs: A Team of Odds and Ends
» Hockey Thoughts
» The Prospect Blog: Byfield Looms Large Over Rossi