Hey guys, it’s almost time to start postulating whom your team will select with their first rounder as central scouting and TSN begin the hype machine…in TSN’s case this is one of the only reasons to stay on the air as they lose all rights to everything hockey related systematically to Rogers. I try to do this every year and sometimes a few years early to make myself look smart…or stupid…you kind of roll the dice when talking prospects (See my 2011 Barkov first prediction which was ridiculed for a large space of time…or more sadly my Huberdeau for first in 2009 which was pretty homeristic on my part…damnit Florida helping and hindering me). I like to do early lists including mock drafts and rankings, but I figured I would switch things up and try to pick the best player to fit team’s needs as well the logical choice of who “should… be available at that place. Obviously the lottery and final positions are unknown, so I’m going by where teams currently stand.
I will not be using multiples.
Anaheim Ducks
Now the Ducks are in an interesting place. They have drafted extremely well and had a continuous stream of talent running through the organization. Their goaltending situation is one to be envied by most of the league and their forward depth is nutty as they have guys ready to waltz in at any second. Their defense is still the “concern,… though how much so on a first placed team? Lindholm, Fowler, Theodore and Vatanen are all very solid young guys developing into great players and at the theoretical 30th pick one is never really expecting a superstar…so who do they pick? A guy who could potentially become their 2nd line centre of the future? Or a defenseman of the two-way/shutdown variety which they could use in 3 or so years?
11th Overall Pick From Ottawa : Centre William Nylander from Södertà¤lje in the Allsvenskan
6 Games 5 Goals 3 Assists 8 Points
Once viewed as a top-5 pick, the talented son of Michael Nylander has fallen a bit due to inconsistency and failure to meet aggrandized expectations. The 5’10 pivot is an extremely talented offensive producer who can find space where nobody else can. Gifted at playmaking and scoring he just has that instinct you need from a scorer. He has been loaned around twice already in Sweden losing his place on his Elitserien squad then being loaned again by Rögle to Södertà¤lje a place where young players are actually given time to play in the hard to crack professional world of Swedish hockey. His speed and skill are undeniable, but he needs to improve his defensive game and his game to game consistency. Now this isn’t a typical Ducks pick, who love to select North American players, but I think if Nylander made it to 11…which he probably will (much like Forsberg in his year) he is too skilled and too needed by Anaheim to let pass through their fingers.
30th Overall Pick : Defenseman Jack Dougherty of the USNTDP Juniors in the USHL
10 Games 3 Goals 6 Assists 9 Points
Dougherty is the typical boom/bust defender, he has incredible upside, but his raw game style will see him either be taken early on a whim, or late due to fear. Most places have him hovering around the late first and early second, and I think that is a bit of a disservice to his upside. The 6’2 17 year old is an interesting mix of physicality and offensive PP QBing. His major weakness is his foot speed and he has to use his smarts to make up for it…something that really worries scouts in this fast paced NHL. However he has shown that he is not only exceptional offensively in the higher competition of the USHL (compared to the USHS he played in before) but that his defensive positioning is strong and his physicality both smart and often. He takes his man, but doesn’t take stupid runs at players. I think he has it in him to develop into a strong two-way player in the mold of a Beauchemin player…which is exactly what the Ducks will need in a few years, which coincidentally is likely the timetable for Dougherty’s development as he will head to the University of Wisconsin next season for at least 3 years.
Boston Bruins
What do you offer the perennial contending Bruins? Well…maybe defense. While their prospect pool isn’t the greatest, they do have several offensive weapons coming through, especially thanks to the Seguin trade and their own drafting. We have already seen Smith scoring well, while Spooner has been solid in his NHL play and a few others are dominating the AHL level and getting ready for Bruins roles. The Bruins don’t like young defenders, it’s just a fact, they insulate them with veterans and don’t force them into massive minutes early. So who to pick? I say defense if they don’t deal their pick at the deadline.
23rd Overall Pick : Defenseman Alexis Vanier of Baie-Comeau Drakkar in the QMJHL
40 games 15 Goals 16 Assists 31 Points
Now I have to admit I’m a bit of a homer when it comes to Vanier and while most view him as a second rounder, I think he will go in the first easily (mark it down). His size and skill are too great a package to go unnoticed. The 6’6 225lb Vanier has one of the hardest shots in the draft; he brings an overall package of physical play and offensive dominance. His one weakness is his speed, like Dougherty, it will be the difference between NHL play or not. Yet his size alone will be of big interest to the Bruins as well as playing a similar (though obviously lesser) game as Chara. He’s a bit raw, but he has the size and skill that a contender like the B’s can mold and develop into a serious defenseman.
Buffalo Sabres
The Sabres are destined for a top-5 pick, even if the lottery screwed them rotten, they’d be getting a good place. Now they picked my first and third favourite defenders from the 2013 draft in Ristolainen and Zadorov so they already have made a solid effort at the rebuild in that end. What they need is what every team needs at some point, that undisputed number one centre. Hodgson isn’t it no matter how highly one thinks of him, nor are Grigorenko or Girgensons or Compher likely to get there even though they each bring their own solid skill sets…they need THE guy. Who is it? Well at number one…there are really only three guys to choose from on offense. Those are Reinhart, Bennett and Draisaitl…though I have serious reservations about the German.
1st Overall Pick : Centre Sam Reinhart of the Kootenay Ice in the WHL
36 Games 21 Goals 36 Assists 57 Points
I want to preface this by saying I think Ekblad is higher than Reinhart on the prospect list, but I think if the Sabres are selecting first, as well as the trend to not select dmen first, they will go with Reinhart. He is obviously the most NHL ready of the big talent, his game is advanced and he plays a strong two-way game to go with his skills. Now sadly for Buffalo he is considered one of the weaker 1st overall candidates in a while, which is the stupid way of saying, he isn’t Crosby/OV/Stamkos/Tavares, but in reality when you draft 1st overall chances are you’ll get a stud, even if it takes a while for them to get it (See Patrick Kane). Reinhart has shown amazing leadership at a young age, and has excelled at every level. He carries his team on his back and I think he has a very good chance to be a top line centre, exactly what the Sabres need.
Potential 5th Overall Pick from the NYI : Centre/Left Wing Leon Draisaitl from the Prince Albert Raiders in the WHL
37 Games 19 Goals 37 Assists 56 Points
Highly volatile, yet highly skilled, Draisaitl will likely be the second highest drafted German ever. He's big, and he plays big, having the potential to be a power centre or even winger at the NHL level. Now we saw the good and bad from him in the WJC's, he was electric at times, and a complete unmitigated moron at others cheap shotting players in frustration. However it's that physicality that draws a lot of scouts to him as well as his intensity level. Personally I'm not his biggest fan and I wouldn't touch him in the top-10, but then again, I'm an idiot, but Buffalo after going big on defenders last draft have the potential to hit a double homerun if the Islanders gift them their first rounder.
Calgary Flames
The rebuilders now ostensibly under Burke are going to be a team to watch. Does he make a bold move like the Pronger deal, Sedin deal, or Kessel deal that have trademarked his early days at a franchise? Or will he try for a “traditional… rebuild. I personally can’t see him dealing this year’s first, especially with how the Flames are playing right now, plus they have their early evidence as to what good drafting can do in Monahan. Their prospect pool has a lot of good in it, including a lot of high upside players like Gillies, Gaudreau, Poirier, Klimchuk and of course…the Janitor. I have really liked the Flames drafting since kicking Todd Button from the Head Scout position and letting somebody not named Button do the picking for the first time in a decade of pathetic drafting. I feel that they need what every team needs at this point in the rebuild, the best player available regardless of position.
3rd Overall Pick : Defenseman Roland McKeown of the Kingston Frontenacs in the OHL
41 Games 8 Goals 24 Assists 32 Points
While the hype surrounds Aaron Ekblad (and for good reason) and early super hype has begun for Frontenac Sam Bennett, lost in all of this is Roland McKeown, probably the second best defenseman in the draft and the kind of guy that could be the Pietrangelo of his draft. He does it all and he does it well. He’s physical, he plays a smart style of defense, he skates well, he excels offensively and yet he can play any role you need him to as seen when suiting up for Canada. He doesn’t have the wow factor of size and natural skill as Ekblad does, but he brings a very close level of play and probably a better all-around game (you can notice that McKeown has much better puck skills than Ekblad). While the Kingston curse is seemingly real, McKeown looks like a great choice, and a guy I could see Calgary taking.
Carolina Hurricanes
What do they need? Defensemen. When do they need them? Now. The Canes are in a bit of a predicament because they could use basically anything, more talent essentially. For the most part they have bombed at choosing defensemen in the first round, while their forward selections are usually top notch. With the weak Metro division (which is heating up at least) they do stand a shot at the playoffs, yet in terms of team placement, are they really better than Philly, New York or Washington? Probably not. In late top-10 you either swing for the fences, or you go out with a whimper, and I have never really seen Rutherford go without swinging…outside of the horrendous choice of Phil Paradise. So I think we see another classic Carolina swing.
8th Overall Pick : Defenseman Haydn Fleury of the Red Deer Rebels in the WHL
45 Games 6 Goals 27 Assists 33 Points
Fleury is the prototypical defenseman from the WHL, he has size and physicality with a nice blend of two-way game. He’s a very young 2014 draft eligible, which goes well with his natural size (6’3 197) and shows that given time his game could evolve really nicely. He skates very well and closes gaps on players with ease, plus he isn’t afraid of rubbing players out when he needs to. Unlike fellow Rebel rearguard Dumba, Fleury doesn’t go for the all or nothing play, he plays a smarter defensive game, though that also limits his ultimate top-end upside as it were. His offensive game is fairly impressive considering how strong he is defensively and at 8, he could be a real steal down the road once he develops and fills out his frame. It would be a really good choice for Carolina.
Chicago Blackhawks
They have it all, so what else could they use? I struggled with this for a bit, until I came up with what I think is a match made in heaven. The Blackhawks have their core settled and accordingly have been picking complimentary players mostly with their first round picks, you know, the McNeil’s, Danault’s, Hartman’s and Hayes’ of the world, guys who could be solid 3rd line types to go with their established talent. Yet they did pick Taravainen a Patrick Kane style clone of a player and I think we could very well see Chicago take a path close to that, yet with a bit of a twist.
29th Overall Pick : Centre/Right Wing Lucas Wallmark of Asplöven in the Allsvenskan (On loan from Luleà¥)
6 Games 1 Goal 6 Assists 7 Points
The undrafted Wallmark brings elite hockey sense to above average hockey skills and might not even be available at this spot when all is said and done. Wallmark was 14 days from the 2014 draft cut-off and despite elite levels of play at both the Allsvenskan and U18 tournament levels he went undrafted. It was really odd and I had him in the third round of my Mock Draft and despite Button saying it was because he was injured, that is bullshit, Wallmark played a full season only missing 15 games in the middle of the year due to injury…check your facts Craig they pay you hundreds of thousands to do so. Wallmark is a very savvy offensive player that provides a mixture of excellent playmaking and timely scoring; he has good hands in tight and can make defenders look stupid one on one. It was a partial crime he went undrafted last time around and teams will be hoping to grab him this time to rectify their mistake, the contending Blackhawks get an older player (hardly though) who has a bit more development and might be closer to their team than others at 29. I think this would be a superb pick at this place if not at 30th, which is certainly in the realm of possibility for Chicago.
Colorado Avalanche
Patrick Roy, what does he want? I say Roy, because it seems like he is in command of the team, not only on the ice but off it in the head office too. You can see a personality like him taking control. So, who does he pick with a much lower pick than people expected? Hard to say, they could use defensemen and maybe even a goalie prospect, but there are no goalies that should go in the first this year. One thing they have too many of in terms of prospects are smallish offensive defenders, and I think they avoid one if they can…though there is a certain Finn that should be around this pick that most teams would covet. I honestly will roll the dice on Colorado, they are going to be a surprise regardless.
25th Overall Pick : Left Winger Nikolaj Ehlers of the Halifax Mooseheads in the QMJHL
41 Games 26 Goals 35 Assists 61 Points
Ya I went with the Q…sue me Patrick. Ehlers has really come on in a strong way playing with and without Drouin in an electric way. The Dane is very explosive and has a lot of offensive creativity and versatility. He plays on his off-wing and is prone to playmaking before scoring, though he is dangerous at cutting in on goalies and players. Skating is a major strong point and he isn’t just fast, he has that dynamism of changing gears that few can teach. The almost certain QMJHL Rookie of the Year and potential CHL ROY winner would be a very good pick at 25 if he isn’t already gone. Plus as a winger, the Avs could use a player like that down the road, loaded as they are with centres. Plus, depth is always a factor, so more offensive depth can only help.
Columbus Blue Jackets
The Jackets bore me, sorry Jackets fans, but you do. They have a nice mix of a little bit of everything, but offensive depth is key for them going forward. Their d whether they love it or hate it…or a little of both, is set in for a few years, they need scorers and their Finnish GM isn’t afraid to put his balls out there.
14th Overall Pick : Right Wing David Pastrňà¡k of Södertà¤lje in the Allsvenskan
29 Games 7 Goals 14 Assists 21 Points
The highly skilled Czech plays in Sweden in a new trend that seems to be hitting the Czech/Slovak high talent population. Instead of going all the way to the CHL, they go to Sweden which is both closer and close enough to an elite level to get noticed and drafted. He has amazing hands and shiftiness and can change a game all by himself. Offensively, he is simply dominant, and defensively, he is decent enough to cover for any mistakes. He has a deadly shot and is very good at just getting the puck on net. After picking Marko Dano another high-end but slightly wary pick, I could easily see this as being a solid match for the Jackets.
Next up are D-Maybe P? Look for your team!