Good to see Travis Yost has up his first Trade Wars II blog. I'll send out a response in 24 hours or less. Can't rush these things...Need to build suspense. We have two deals sorted out already, and I will be accepting at least one of the deals he's proposed, so we're off to a good start.

In the mean time, and I've been sitting on this blog for a while...I present to you my final mock draft for the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. This is not a draft listed in order of how I rank the prospects; this is a draft predicting who teams will take if everyone uses their picks according to plan. Of course, they won't be. With names like Rick Nash and Roberto Luongo up for trade, there could be some serious moves during the 1st round of the draft that completely scramble the order, making the list I've spent weeks working on nothing more than toilet paper.

For now, I'm predicting the first 31 picks, which includes the Oilers 2nd round pick (the Devils, no doubt, will cough up their 1st round pick to pay a debt they have with the league, so that means the Jackets and Oilers 2nd round picks bump up a spot).

Are you sitting comfortably? Then we'll be begin.

1. Edmonton Oilers - Nail Yakupov (RW)
Thing about this pick is, the internal discussion over whether to take Yakupov or Ryan Murray is closer than people realize. Yakupov is clearly the better talent, but Murray is so much of what the Oilers defense is missing. In the end, talent will win the day, as will the "predictability" of forwards over D. We know Nail is going to be a huge star in the NHL, and as much as the Oilers D needs to get better, the team does need more offense. Yakupov helps give the Oilers a Top 6 that can run with any other team in the league.

2. Columbus Blue Jackets - Alex Galchenyuk (C)
The Oilers brought Yakupov, Murray, and Mikhail Grigorenko to Edmonton for in-depth interviews. Ever wonder why Galchenyuk wasn't invited? Call it a "Gentleman's Agreement" between the Oilers and Jackets. Since the debate in Edmonton is actually only between Yaks and Murray, the Oilers completely left the true 2nd best prospect alone. Galchenyuk is big and plays a power game...will help make the Jackets scary to play against someday.

3. Montreal Canadiens - Filip Forsberg (C)
This is a simple matter of mathematics: The Habs have decent current D and a few blue-chip D prospects on the way. They don't need a goalie...so what's missing? A big center. The Habs have been following Forsberg around for the last six months. Members of the Forsberg family seen hanging around with Habs management and such. Seems fairly clear to me what direction they are going with this.

4. New York Islanders - Ryan Murray (D)
Last year, the Devils won the lottery when they were able to draft Adam Larsson at #4. Why did Larsson fall in the ratings? Because he's a defenseman, no other reason. Forwards are easier to predict. The Islanders win the lottery here, drafting solid all-around defenseman Murray, who will wear a "C" one day for the team. Murray will instantly improve the Islanders.

5. Toronto Maple Leafs - Radek Faksa (C)
Oh, how I struggled with this, listing Faksa ahead of Grigorenko. Why did I do it? Obviously the Leafs aren't going to draft a defenseman, let's start there. Grigorenko, aside for having a rep of being a lazy player, is absolutely not physical for someone his size. Faksa has size and a good attitude. Perhaps he's a more coachable player? Radek has serious skill and tremendous potential to go along with his size. Better chance he becomes the power center the Leafs crave.

6. Anaheim Ducks - Griffin Reinhart (D)
Big. Skilled. Huge shot. Gifted at both ends of the rink. Needs to become more physical, but is improving that area of his game. Reinhart could be the next Shea Weber. Very hard to ignore a player like this at #6.

7. Minnesota Wild - Teuvo Teravainen (RW)
In a season or two, the Wild will be Mikael Granlund's team. Is there any better way to welcome your future #1 center than by adding a countryman to be the future #1 RW? Teravainen has scary levels of offensive skill. He's small, but he's tenacious. Will become a quality scoring winger in the NHL when he fills out.

8. Carolina Hurricanes - Morgan Rielly (D)
The 'Canes can pick between two amazing defensemen at this point - Rielly or Trouba - Trouba is bigger and he's perhaps the better all-around D man. Rielly? The best offensive defenseman in the draft, and perhaps, best skater. Either way Carolina goes here, they win. They'll pick the elite skater.

9. Winnipeg Jets - Mikhail Grigorenko (C)
As Grigorenko slides, teams will be going crazy calling Jets management hoping to deal for their pick. But the Jets will do the right thing and hang on to it. Why? Because they need a #1 center, and Grigorenko will immediately be their top prospect in that respect. Big center, huge skill level, offensively gifted.

10. Tampa Bay Lightning - Jacob Trouba (D)
The Lightning simply must grab Trouba at #10, because it's amazing he's still around. Big, defensively sound; has some puck-moving skills too.

11. Washington Capitals - Cody Ceci (D)
I was doin' a little reading on Ceci...didn't realize how solid his numbers were. Huge talent and a knack for putting up points. Could be a steal at #11 for a Washington team that has a habit of drafting skilled puck-moving defensemen.

12. Buffalo Sabres - Brendan Gaunce (C)
I've heard mixed reviews for this guy. He's big...everyone knows he's big. Everything you want in a 3rd line NHL center? I'm not so sure. I've heard mixed reviews on his skating and his offensive potential. Being big and having talent are two different things.

13. Dallas Stars - Olli Maatta (D)
Huge run during the OHL playoffs moves Maatta way up the draft rankings. Decent size, responsible player, offensively gifted. What's not to like?

14. Calgary Flames - Matt Dumba (D)
Dumba is the wild card of the NHL draft. On the plus side, he is a tremendous skater, an offensive dynamo, and a crazy hitter for his size. At the NHL Combine, Dumba showed up in tremendous physical shape. He wants to be a winner so badly. The knock on Dumba is that he plays a reckless style that often leaves him caught out of position, making him irresponsible defensively. He has Top 5 draft level talent, but will drop behind bigger, safer picks like Maatta, Ceci, Trouba, and Reinhart. Flames could have a steal here if they can ever figure Dumba's head out.

15. Ottawa Senators - Sebastian Collberg (RW)
You had to know I was going to put a Swedish winger here. Think of Collberg being the next Daniel Alfredsson, and you'll be fine. Solid skater with quick hands. Lacks size. Like everything in Ottawa lately, Collberg will end up winning a scoring title or something in a few seasons.

16. Washington Capitals - Zemgus Girgensons (C)
Hard to see the Caps drafting two defensemen in one round. Enter Girgensons. Aside from having a name no one can pronounce (remember last year's draft with everyone screwing up trying to say Mark Scheifele) Girgensons is thought by some as being a sleeper in this draft class. A solid two-way center with size, he's the type of 2nd/3rd line center the Caps crave.

17. San Jose Sharks - Malcolm Subban (G)
Big. Physical. Athletic. Competitive. Malcolm Subban is one of the players who greatly improved his standing at the NHL Combine. He's going to be an absolute machine in the NHL some day. The Sharks, who have never had a decent goalie, could have one here.

18. Chicago Blackhawks - Derrick Pouliot (D)
Solid, safe pick for the Hawks. Pouliot is a responsible, hard working puck-moving defenseman who does the little things well. I wouldn't call him a "steal" at #18, but he's a player who absolutely could turn into an NHL defenseman.

19. Tampa Bay Lightning - Colton Sissons (C)
The 2012 NHL Draft Class could be remembered as a year that offered a number of quality plumbers, and Sissons is one of them. Center with reasonable size and grit to his game. Will never win a scoring title, but he could become a solid 3rd line shutdown center in the NHL. Type of player fans love because of his work ethic and dedication to the team.

20. Philadelphia Flyers - Slater Koekkoek (D)
And now, a very Flyers moment, staring Slater Koekkoek. Due to injuries, Koekkoek season was greatly interrupted. If he had been healthy, he'd be drafted higher than at #20. Koekkoek can fight. If you're gonna draft a player for the Flyers, make sure he can play tough hockey, make sure he can score, and make sure he can fight. If he ever gets healthy, look out.

21. Buffalo Sabres - Thomas Wilson (RW)
Certain teams have goals set going into the draft. For the Sabres, it was to get bigger up front. Wilson could become a Milan Lucic-type winger. He also could become a huge waste of a draft pick. Either way, he's big, and the Sabres like big this year.

22. Pittsburgh Penguins - Henrik Sameulsson (C)
Here's a few predictions: I am guessing the Penguins were watching Sameulsson shine during the CHL playoffs. I am also guessing Jordan Staal's days are numbered in Pittsburgh as the team's 3rd line center. Sameulsson could turn into a decent replacement. Talented enough to score a few goals. Big and defensively aware enough to play a shut-down role in the NHL. And, like his dad, Henrik knows how and when to deliver a well-placed cheap shot. Solid pick at #22.

23. Florida Panthers - Nicholas Kerdiles (C)
The Year of the Plumber continues. Kerdiles has decent size, decent skills, plays a decent two-way game. A few of these centers, I swear, they could have been ordered from a MacDonald's drive thru. There is nothing to dislike about Kerdiles, but nothing to get too excited about either. A decent depth forward.

24. Boston Bruins - Pontus Aberg (RW)
At this point, predicting the draft is like throwing a hot dog down a hallway. The only reason I am predicting Aberg is because the Bruins suck on the right side and need to add someone. Aberg is small, but a great skater with sound offensive instincts.

25. St. Louis Blues - Hampus Lindholm (D)
It seems to me I have this guy ranked way too low, but I'm not sure who I'd move to get Lindholm higher. Typical Swedish defensive prospect: Quality puck mover; smart and responsible defensively; has decent size. Does not play a mean or physical game. Will likely turn out to be an incredible player, just because that's how Swedish defensemen roll.

26. Vancouver Canucks - Matt Finn (D)
Finn turned himself into a Top 30 pick last season. Very determined player who rose up the rankings throughout the year as he improved. Solid puck mover and decent skater. Work ethic is the key here...When Finn works hard, success happens.

27. Phoenix Coyotes - Andrei Vasilevski (G)
Second goalie to go is perhaps the one I think has the most potential. He's like a young, sober, good version of Nikolai Khabibulin.

28. New York Rangers - Stefan Matteau (C)
Give Slats a chunk of clay and let him sculpt you a player. What do you get? Not the love scene from the movie "Ghost." You get Stefan Matteau. Has some offensive skill. Has some talent. He's big and physical. Mostly, he's a cheap-shot artist who will annoy the hell out of the opposition. Every team needs a jerk like this on the 3rd line to create chaos. Matteau could be the next Sean Avery (in more ways than one). Sloppy seconds, indeed.

29. Los Angeles Kings - Brady Skjei (D)
Smart defenseman. Has size, but uses skill and hockey IQ to make the right play more often than not. A bit of a steal at #29, but this draft is defenseman crazy, so steals at D were bound to happen.

Round 2

30. Columbus Blue Jackets - Oscar Dansk (G)
The only reason I am discussing the Jackets 2nd round pick is because it's in the way of the Oilers 2nd round pick. They need to take a goalie. Honest. Please. Dansk is a great prospect. Just take him and be happy you'll sooner or later escape the awful Steve Mason.

31. Edmonton Oilers - Ludvig Bystrom (D)
This is a very Oilers 2nd round pick. Took a forward in the 1st round? Take a D man in the 2nd. Makes sense. The Oil love Swedish players, even though, when you think about it, none of them recently have completely panned out yet. Oh well. Bystrom has size, is a great skater, and is a quality puck mover. He's nice, which is a problem. Too nice is not good in the NHL. The challenge with Bystrom will be to find him some grit. A project, but one that has Top 4 potential.

Join the Discussion: » 177 Comments » Post New Comment

» Goodbye and Good Luck

» Ranking Top 5 Roster Groups - Blog #1

» Mods and Rockers

» The Reverse Psychology Blog

» The 10 Least Interesting Teams in the NHL