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Maloughney's Mock Draft (Picks 6-10)

June 18, 2019, 1:30 AM ET [103 Comments]
Sean Maloughney
Edmonton Oilers Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
We are less than two weeks from the 2019 NHL Draft and as the big guns like Bob McKenzie and Craig Button are releasing their final lists, you....yes you the readers here, know all you need to do is come to me for all of your draft needs.

Last time I covered the first five picks of the first round. To recap:

1) New Jersey Devils - Jack Hughes
2) New York Rangers - Kappo Kakko
3) Chicago Blackhawks - Alex Turcotte
4) Colorado Avalanche - Bowen Byram
5) Los Angeles Kings - Cole Caufield

So without further adieu, here are picks 6-10.

Detroit Red Wings - 6th Overall
Dylan Cozens - Centre

This will be the highest draft pick that Yzerman has had since he drafted Jonathan Drouin 3rd overall back in 2013. The Red Wings have some solid prospects up front in Zadina, Veleno, and Rasmussen but will continue to bolster those ranks by adding the 6'3 184lb centre Cozens. Many expect that Dach should be drafted higher, but his complete game and versatility makes me believe Cozens will go over Dach.

Cozens plays a full 200 foot game and might be the best player in his own zone defensively aside from Hughes and Turcotte. Cozens is described as a pure goal scorer and though he played centre predominantly for the Lethbridge Hurricanes, there is suggestion that he would thrive in the NHL as a winger as well. While a tall forward, he is still young and needs to fill out but he could be a mere year away from being an impact forward in the NHL.

Buffalo Sabres - 7th Overall
Kirby Dach - Centre/Right Wing

The St Albert native is likely the biggest forward who will be drafted in the first round. At 6'4 198lbs, the Saskatoon Blades forward is coming off a brilliant season, Hlinka Gretzky Cup, and U17 tournament. Style wise Dach has been compared to the likes of Ryan Kesler. Eichel is a brilliant quick forward, but the recent success of the St Louis Blues shows that having forwards able to play a physical and skill game are essential to the NHL.

Dach uses his size to push players off the puck, though he isn't known as much of a checker. With this ability Dach is able to draw a number of players towards him, then use his vision to dish the puck to another player. Dach is certainly a brilliant goal scorer, but he also excels in using his teammates as much as possible as well. On many teams Dach could easily transform into a top line centre; a 1-2 punch of Eichel and Dach could be one of the strongest duos in the league in the years to come.

Edmonton Oilers - 8th Overall
Matthew Boldy - Left Wing

Based on how I am viewing this draft, it seems very likely that Vasily Podkolzin will be available at the #8 spot. Bob McKenzie himself ranks Podkolzin as his #8 prospect but there are too many question marks about the Russian forward that I believe Holland will select a safer forward in Matthew Boldy.

Boldy is a pure sniper and might have the best one-timer of any forward in this draft class. While some Oilers fans disliked Jordan Eberle because they felt he was a perimeter player, Boldy has no issues with scoring goals under pressure or in the blue paint. I previously brought up the likes of Mark Stone and David Pasternak and the Oilers own Leon Draisaitl as comprable players for Boldy and these still hold true. If the options are between Boldy and Podkolzin, knowing that Boldy already excels in the North American game and will not have to stay overseas sells him first for me.

Anaheim Ducks - 9th Overall
Trevor Zegras - Centre

Doesn't the name "Trevor Zegras" just sound like a Ducks player? He doesn't necessarily play like one however. Acceleration is the name of the game with Zegras, and the young forward plays the game with a high IQ at top speed. It seems strange to call a 60 goal scorer more of a playmaker than a scorer but that remains the case with Zegras. With a number of young defensemen in the Ducks system that are capable of moving the puck quickly, Zegras will fit in nicely with the new Ducks.

Vancouver Canucks - 10th Overall
Peyton Krebs - Centre

The Canucks are building a strong arsenal of young talented players and they will add another great one in Peyton Krebs. I thought this might be where Podkolzin stops but the Canucks have not drafted a Russian in the first couple of rounds for a long time. Krebs dealt with an Achilles injury this past season which certainly caused him to drop a bit in the Draft rankings, however the talented playmaker certainly belongs as a top 10 pick in this draft.

Krebs loves to hold onto the puck and uses all areas of the ice to distribute the puck. Krebs has great IQ and can pass on a dime in traffic to his teammates. Imagine a PP where Krebs is dishing the puck to Elias Pettersson. Krebs doesn't have the offensive prowess of a Matt Barzal but he plays the game in a similar way. Ryan Nugent Hopkins would be another player who matches similar to Krebs.

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There is the next five picks. I know you all wait with baited breath for the rest of my list.
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