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. The consensus was that Kotkaniemi was by far the correct choice, garnering 70% of the 225+ votes.
The Islanders, represented by eichiefs9, with their two picks select, Joseph Veleno and Ty Smith
Dallas, represented by tumbleweed and Adam French, is on the board for the 13th selection, which will be posted either late tonight or tomorrow 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 11th and 12th overall picks in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, the New York Islanders select Joseph Veleno, center, Drummondville, and Ty Smith, left-handed defenseman, Spokane (WHL).
Rationale for the selections:
With the 11th overall selection in the 2018 NHL draft the New York Islanders select Joseph Veleno. Veleno helps to replenish what is now a terribly-depleted pool of talent at center outside of the NHL for the New York Islanders. Veleno already plays a defensively-responsible 200ft game and can be relied upon in all three situations. Veleno is arguably one of the most NHL-ready prospects in the entire draft class, which could potentially benefit the Islanders with to the likely departure of Brock Nelson looming and the cap-crunch the team faces after being left in a precarious situation by outgoing-GM and local pariah Garth Snow. Veleno possesses good size, high-end skating ability, great speed, and a host of other tools that a fan of any team would love in a center. Veleno seems to be a safe pick, as his floor is likely a third-line center with some offensive upside and he could end up a great 2nd line center, if not a fringe 1st liner.
With the 12th overall selection in the 2018 NHL draft the New York Islanders select defenseman Ty Smith. The Islanders love the WHL and have had several successful picks from there at both forward and defense. Smith measures in only a tad undersized at 5'10.75" and 176lbs, as of the NHL Combine a few weeks ago. Smith is one of the best skaters in the draft and possesses excellent zone-exit ability, being able to either make a strong, high-percentage first pass or utilize his excellent speed/skating to carry the puck out safely, not unlike current-Islander Nick Leddy. Smith carries the puck with confidence and could be a force on zone entries, in addition to exits. He's shown the ability to quarterback a PP and distribute the puck to his teammates. He put up very strong offensive numbers in his draft year and only figures to improve. He may not be an elite scorer at the NHL level, but it's expected that he should at least be a solid contributor from the blueline.
Eichiefs9 gave Bokk a long consideration over Smith. There were others like Kupari, Denisenko, and some others that he didn't think would be too out of line in those slots. But he felt that Veleno and Smith were the right picks here.
Up for the 13th pick in the draft are the Stars and selecting for Dallas will be tumbleweed and Adam French, who is on the clock (Picks posted later today)
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, retains pick
Philadelphia- jmatchett383 (picks 14 and 19)
Florida - jimbo
Non-lottery teams :
Colorado - Ranger71
New Jersey - Todd Cordell (Devils blogger on site)
Columbus - Paul Berthelot (Jackets blogger on the site)
Los Angeles - Steve Kournianos (@thedraftanalyst)
San Jose- Sharksfan68
Toronto - Matt1337
Anaheim - Climbdenali12
Minnesota - Dan Wallace (Wild blogger on site)
St. Louis - Isles (Vukota)
Washington - Russ Cohen (@sportsology)
New York Rangers Blogger • 
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