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 and Columbus added Bode Wilde. The consensus was that Wilde was the right pick, with 73% of the approximately 150 votes agreeing with the selection.
To help us catch up after posting the blog on Larry Brooks' column, below are Philly's, Los Angeles' and San Jose's picks. That puts us at 21 picks, leaving 10 remaining. My plan is to finish by Thursday morning, allowing almost all day Thursday for rumors etc. leading into the draft Friday. I hope to post picks 22-23 Monday evening, 24-26 on Tuesday, 27-29 on Wednesday and 30-31 on Thursday am.
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 19th overall pick in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, the Philadelphia Flyers, represented by jmatchett383, select Jonatan Berggen, forward, Skellefteå AIK
Rationale for the selection:
The Philadelphia Flyers go off the board a bit here in taking Berggen, but not without reason. The leading scorer across the junior Swedish ranks (57 points in 38 games), Berggen was moved up to the SHL at age 17, and also had a dominating performance at the U18 WJC. Berggeb's playmaking skills are already NHL-level and his creativity is what one would expect from the crafty Swedes.
Like earlier first round pick Joel Farabee, Berggen is a bit undersized at 5’11”, yet he is one of the best skaters available in the draft and uses his skating and IQ to be effective in the defensive zone just as well as he is with the puck on his stick. Though primarily utilized as a right winger, Berggen also has played center in his career, adding a dose of versatility at Philadelphia’s largest hole in its prospect pool. Despite his “lack” of size (not exactly Theo Fleury sized), Berggen is adept at shielding the puck and uses his low center of gravity and 185 pound frame to keep from getting knocked off of the puck when he’s not blowing by defenders.
Originally, the Flyers were going to pick Wayne Gretzky, but the league informed us that he was not available to be drafted, so we went with the next player on their draft board and project Berggen, who will probably spend at least 2 more years in Sweden, to be a top-9 forward playmaker. Also, being Swedish, he may be a fan of Scandinavian metal, which is an added bonus to this GM.
With the 20th overall pick in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, the Los Angeles, represented by Steve Kournianos, @thedraftanalyst, select Dominic Bokk, Vaxjo
Rationale for the selection:
The Kings need goal-scoring help and speed on the flanks, and Bokk has both the size and the compete level the organization appears to put a premium on. Plus he’d be a nice compliment to playmaking centers like Gabe Vilardi and Jaret Anderson-Dolan.
This is what Steve wrote on Bokk in his overall draft preview available on his website:
This German-born goal scorer poses a bit of a conundrum for draft evaluators because he was too good for junior hockey but very green for the SHL. Bokk's puck skills are undeniable, however, and he's proven to be a low-maintenance winger in terms of creating his own chances.A powerful skater with a deadly shot, Bokk is the top German-born draft prospect since Leon Draisaitl went in the Top-10 in 2014. He was a high CHL import pick of the WHL’s Prince Albert Raiders, probably for his ability to fill the net and create room for others around him. Bokk is a goal-scoring winger with soft hands and an excellent release who can deke or dangle his way into prime shooting areas, and he has the size, puck control and balance to ward off harassment. His plays hard in all three zones and will drop down below his own goal line to lend support, but is smart enough to sniff a possession change and dart into open ice for a counterattack.
With the 21st overall pick in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, the San Jose, represented by Sharksfan68, select Martin Kaut, right wing, Czech Republic
Rationale for the selection:
Through the years Doug Wilson has bucked the trend of going with the perceived best player available. Best example would be Johnathan Cheechoo 29th overall . when he was drafted announcers were shocked saying he was a 3rd rounder at best ,well he ended up winning the Rocket Richard trophy. And he's done it other times.
The Sharks are strong down the middle with Couture, Pavelski, Hertl, Tierney and an aging Thornton for another year or two. Defence wise, they will look to improve through free agency or trade. As for the Goalies they are set with Jones/Dell.
So with the Sharks in need of wingers, the pick is Kaut.
Here's what Bill Placzek had to say about him :
High-end skater with top end speed, separation, and skills. Uses his elite puck handling and stick skills to blow out of his defensive zone, and will back up the defenders when he quickly gets to attacking zone blueline. Lethal shooter who can target the corners, jump on the rebounds and even deflect shots from the point. Has a deceptive way of stickhandling and diguising when he going to release his shots, and will use defenders as screens in the process. Very imaginative in his strategies and passes. There is much to like, but seems a bit disinterested in his own end and when his team gets behind or out-matched.
I like his speed , the Sharks have some power forwards in Hertl, Meier so currently they do lack a little team speed.
Lottery teams :
Buffalo - Rasmus Dahlin
Carolina - Andrei Svechnikov
Montréal – Filip Zadina
Ottawa - Noah Dobson (nyrangers9479 will be up again later with pick 22)
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 – tumbleweed, original trade overturned, select Vitali Kravtsov,
Philadelphia (via St. Louis)- Joel Farabee (jmatchett383 will also pick 19th)
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) - nyrangers9479
Anaheim - Climbdenali12
Minnesota - Dan Wallace (Wild blogger on site)
Toronto - Matt1337
Rangers (via Boston) - tomburton
Chicago (via Nashvile) - Panarin27
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 • 
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