The end of the scouting season officially ends this weekend, with the NHL Draft taking place in Las Vegas.
At the very top, there’s little surprise the San Jose Sharks will select Macklin Celebrini, who will be the centrepiece of their ongoing rebuild. After that, however, all bets are off, with many factors (including trades) that make for a highly unpredictable first round.
Following Jason Bukala’s on Wednesday, here is my take on how the first round could play out with a mock draft.
No. 1 San Jose Sharks: Macklin Celebrini, F, Boston University, (NCAA)
Height: 6-feet, Weight: 190 pounds
In similar fashion to Connor Bedard, Celebrini has embraced everything about going wire-to-wire as the top prospect available for this draft. He demonstrates a complete two-way game, competes all over the ice and is at his best in the most important moments.
No. 2 Chicago Blackhawks: Ivan Demidov, F, SKA St. Petersburg (MHL)
Height: 5-foot-11 Weight: 181 pounds
Looks like the Russian version of Celebrini in that he plays with details in his game. He competes hard and is willing to work to get the puck back. With the puck on his stick, he can beat defenders one-on-one, use a change of pace to beat them wide or create space to find teammates.
No. 3 Anaheim Ducks: Artyom Levshunov, D, Michigan State University (NCAA)
Height: 6-foot-2 Weight: 205 pounds
Has spent most of the season as the top-ranked defenceman. A force on his skates, he moves around effortlessly. Puck and stick skills make him a threat on the rush either initiating or supporting it. Can defend with some nastiness. Has PP1 QB potential.
No. 4 Columbus Blue Jackets: Cayden Lindstrom, F, Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
Height: 6-foot-3, Weight: 213 pounds
Displays great skating ability with hands that can keep up. Definitely a shoot-first player who has some undercover playmaking abilities. Can dominate when he plays with an edge. There seems to be little concern about back issues that have lingered well into the off-season.
No. 5 Montreal Canadiens: Beckett Sennecke, F, Oshawa Generals (OHL)
Height: 6-foot-3, Weight: 182 pounds
Montreal is stocked with up-and-coming defencemen. Size up front is a priority. Two months ago, this pick would’ve been a reach, but with plenty of chatter around Sennecke as a top-10 pick, Kent Hughes jumps in on a player who has been on a steady climb up the charts all season long. If their intelligence informs the team that Sennecke could be available a little later, a trade back is not out of the question.
No. 6 Utah Hockey Club: Anton Silayev, D, Torpedo (KHL)
Height: 6-foot-7 Weight: 211 pounds
Two things were clearly evident in this regime’s drafting strategy last season: 1.) they are not deterred from selecting Russian players, and 2.) more than any team, Utah GM Bill Armstrong likes size. Silayev fits perfectly into this profile. Utah seems to be ultra confident with its Russian intel.
No. 7 Ottawa Senators: Sam Dickinson, D, London Knights (OHL)
Height: 6-foot-3, Weight 203 pounds
Glides around the ice effortlessly with a long, powerful stride. Has had two great seasons of producing at an elite rate for a stacked London team. Projects as a top-pairing defenceman who will eat major minutes and contribute on both special teams. At the very least, he’s a second pairing minute munching machine.
No. 8 Seattle Kraken: Zeev Buium, D, Denver University (NCAA)
Height: 6-feet, Weight: 186 pounds
Elite two-way defenceman who defends with purpose and passion. Offensively, his 50-point freshman campaign is the third such season in the past 20 years. Aside from his two-way game, he’s a winner: U18s, world juniors, Frozen Four. He’s a player you hoist with.
No. 9 Calgary Flames: Tij Iginla, F, Kelowna Rockets (WHL)
Height: 6-feet Weight: 185 pounds
A strong developmental curve has seen Iggy 2.0 rise from being a fringe first-rounder to a top 10 pick from the start of the season until now. He exhibits great edge work, plays with plenty of deception and he has elite finishing ability. Although listed as a centre, he played wing most of the season and a move back to centre next season will be the next major marker in his development.
No. 10 New Jersey Devils: Carter Yakemchuk, D, Calgary Hitmen (WHL)
Height: 6-foot-3, Weight: 202 pounds
The Devils would prefer a forward with size, but there’s not one that fits that bill in this spot. A great fallback position is Yakemchuk, as a right shot defenceman who brings it offensively. He shoots the puck like a pro and handles it like a forward. He has some bite to his game and is not afraid to mix it up physically.
No. 11 San Jose Sharks (via Buffalo): Cole Eiserman, F, USNTDP
Height: 6-feet, Weight: 197 pounds
The Sharks move up a couple of spots to ensure they hit their target. Celebrini and Eiserman played together at Shattuck St. Mary’s and are best of friends. With Boston-area intelligence, Mike Grier goes back to his roots with the selection of the most prolific goal-scorer this draft has to offer. Eiserman can score in a number of ways from both distance and in tight. Finding a way to defend adequately and work to be in the right areas away from the puck will allow him to find a spot in the top six. His shot projects to be a big part of a PP1 unit at the NHL level. Being reunited with Celebrini should help in the development process.
No. 12 Philadelphia Flyers: Michael Hage, F, Chicago Steel (USHL)
Height: 6-feet, Weight: 188 pounds
The Flyers and Hage have been connected since the NHL Combine. Hage can create space for himself with nifty handles, deception and more than adequate skating ability. He will work all over the offensive zone to create offence, including taking it to the net when the opportunity presents itself.
No. 13 Minnesota Wild: Zayne Parekh, D, Saginaw Spirit (OHL)
Height: 6-feet, Weight: 178 pounds
This would be an absolute steal if Parekh was available here. In my personal opinion, he’s the second-best defenceman available in this draft class. He’s certainly the most dynamic of the rearguards. There is some risk if he doesn’t become a major point producer, but the upside is too much to overlook. He does things I’ve never seen a junior defenceman do before, including a 96-point season with the Memorial Cup champs.
No. 14 Buffalo Sabres (via Pittsburgh): Berkly Catton, F, Spokane Chiefs (WHL)
Height: 5-foot-11, Weight: 163 pounds
Buffalo traded back to make this pick, which would resemble that of Zach Benson (13th overall) from last year. Catton is similar in size with better point production. They both process that game at a high level, while Catton offers a bit more dynamism.
No. 15 Detroit Red Wings: Konsta Helenius, F, Jukurit (Liiga)
Height: 5-foot-11, Weight: 189 pounds
Another top 10 projected player that slips due to the number of high-end defencemen available ahead of him. Liiga numbers (36 points) were the fourth-most by a U18 player in league history. There’s plenty of creativity and finish to his game, which are elements prioritized by Wings GM Steve Yzerman.
No. 16 St. Louis Blues: Jett Luchanko, F, Guelph Storm (OHL)
Height: 5-foot-11 Weight: 170 pounds
Like Iginla, Luchanko has been on the rise since the start of the season. His skating is the elite element that will translate easily to the NHL. Coaches will love the versatility he can offer and the intelligence he exhibits. This pick will look a little like Robert Thomas.
No. 17 Washington Capitals: Adam Jiricek, D, Plzen (Extraliiga)
Height: 6-foot-2, Weight: 178 pounds
One of the more polarizing players in this draft class in that he was well on his way to being a top 10 pick when projecting after his draft minus one season. He had to adjust to playing against men at the start of this season, but didn’t play long enough to see it through. His recovery from knee surgery has been long and arduous. The returns on his interviews at the NHL Combine were all over the map. Bloodlines (Brother David is with Columbus) help his cause.
No. 18 Chicago Blackhawks (via NY Islanders): Yegor Surin, F, Yaroslavl (KHL/MHL)
Height: 6-foot-1, Weight: 176 pounds
The curiosity of moving up two spots in a trade with the Islanders indicates the Hawks have a player target in mind, or at least a small group of players who they think may not be available two picks later. It wouldn’t surprise me that the fluidity of this draft may force the Hawks to inch a little further up to guarantee their target’s availability. Surin comes to the table with size, skill and bite. If he is indeed the target, I’d suggest he would have been available two spots later.
No. 19 Vegas Golden Knights: Trevor Connelly, F, Tri-City Storm (USHL)
Height: 6-feet, 160 pounds
Considering the off-ice noise, this would be a gutsy pick for any GM to make, especially by Kelly McCrimmon in front of the home crowd. McCrimmon is not afraid to go against the grain and the Knights would find value in this asset here as a top 10 talent. Going to Providence should provide the structure, discipline and stability he requires to move forward.
No. 20 New York Islanders (via Tampa Bay): Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, F, Mora (Allsvensken)
Height: 6-foot-1 Weight: 207 pounds
There is some potential for Brandsegg-Nygard to go a bit earlier than this, but if not, the Islanders will be happy to get a two-way right-winger. While there are some questions in the scouting world about his ability to naturally provide offence, Brandsegg-Nygard will bottom out as a middle six player who will be able to handle PK duties.
No. 21 Los Angeles Kings: Liam Greentree, F, Windsor Spitfires (OHL)
Height: 6-foot-2 Weight: 215 pounds
The Kings have plenty of boots on the ground in Ontario where there would’ve been several viewings of Greentree. A power-forward type who scored 25 goals as a rookie, he came back this season and produced 90 points and was named captain on a junior team at the start of a rebuild. Greentree is good around the net. He protects pucks well and can shoot it a ton.
No. 22 Nashville Predators: Stian Solberg, D, Valerenga (Norway)
Height: 6-foot-1 Weight: 201 pounds
A franchise with the reputation for drafting defencemen dips into the market here with a player who has a significant recency bias. Solberg was a beast at the men’s worlds, and some scouts saw him as the nation’s best player. He played the most minutes and was adept at running Norway’s power play. He can transition the puck and play with some bump. Not to mention, he’s got swagger.
No. 23 Toronto Maple Leafs: Andrew Basha, F, Medicine Hat Tigers
Height:5-foot-11, Weight: 185 pounds
Basha would be considered a bit of an underdog, considering he was taken in the fifth round of the WHL bantam draft. He’s had to fight for minutes with the likes of Cayden Lindstrom, Tomas Mrsic and future superstar Gavin McKenna. As a result, his bulldog attitude and never-die engine have allowed him to build a solid resume that includes an 85-point season even when most of the second half was played at sub-optimal health.
No. 24 Colorado Avalanche: Terik Parascak, F, Prince George Cougars (WHL)
Height: 5-foot-11 Weight: 179 pounds
Parascak is one of the most interesting players in this draft class. He’s taken a patient, yet highly effective road to do things as a 17-year old rookie (43 goals, 105 points) that haven’t been done in the WHL in 25 years when Pavel Brendl put up 134 points. He’s one of the smartest players in this draft class, yet is still understated. He’s always around the puck and when he has it in the offensive zone, good things happen.
No. 25 Boston Bruins: Sacha Boisvert, F, Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL)
Height: 6-foot-2 Weight: 183 pounds
This player is tougher than rawhide. His frame is such that there’s plenty of room for growth, but he’s already wiry strong. Boisvert is a great skater who shoots the puck a ton. At his best, he can impact a game in a variety of ways. He projects as a skilled power forward and can play both centre and wing.
No. 26 Montreal Canadiens (via Winnipeg): Dean Letourneau, F, St. Andrew’s College (ON-HS)
Height: 6-foot-7 Weight: 214 pounds
Letourneau fits this spot well. Montreal needs size up front, and with Sennecke already selected, their prospect pool will grow substantially. Taking the college route will suit the long-term development path likely required for a player who tore apart the high school loop. The college game should also encourage more consistent physical play, which was one of the knocks against him in scouting circles.
No. 27 Carolina Hurricanes: Igor Chernyshov, F, Dynamo Moscow (KHL)
Height: 6-foot-3 Weight: 198 pounds
Carolina is constantly on the hunt for value and backed by one of the most robust analytics departments and a GM who is one of the founding fathers of hockey analytics in Eric Tulsky, the Canes see a sizeable forward who provides great value at this spot.
No. 28 Calgary Flames (via Vancouver): Marek Vanacker, F, Brantford Bulldogs (OHL)
Height: 6-foot Weight: 178 pounds
Some teams have expressed concern about recovering from the labrum surgery he had on his shoulder at season’s end. He was also used sparingly at the U18s, so he does not have recency bias in his favour. However, if you watched this country-strong player throughout the season, you would’ve seen tremendous work ethic, the ability to drive the net and make plays. He skates well and has a wide frame that will allow him to be an effective forechecker.
No. 29 Dallas Stars: Emil Hemming, F, TPS (Liiga)
Height: 6-foot-1 Weight: 205 pounds
Hemming started the year as a projected top half of the first round player. With the emergence of a number of defencemen and forwards who worked their way up the board, however, Hemming continued to fall. He’s a first round talent who can really rip pucks. I think his combine didn’t inspire confidence and yet here he is in a spot for the Dallas Stars to take full advantage of their development program that has seen the likes of late picks Mavrik Bourque and Logan Stankoven find success.
No. 30 New York Rangers: Cole Beaudoin, F, Barrie Colts (OHL)
Height: 6-foot-2 Weight: 210 pounds
You’d be hard-pressed to find a player in better shape than Beaudoin. He’s a beast who owns board and corner play, but is still effective as a shooter or at the net-front. If you’re the Rangers, you’re looking at a guy who is very similar to Will Cuylle. Some question his skating, but I defer to Jason Bukala who doesn’t project that to be an issue.
No. 31 Anaheim Ducks (via Edmonton): Sam O’Reilly, F, London Knights (OHL)
Height: 6-foot-1 Weight: 178 pounds
O’Reilly’s progression with the London Knights reminds me a lot of Luke Evangelista’s. Tasked with taking care of the details such as off-puck play, physicality and defensive responsibility, O’Reilly proved that he could provide versatility and offence this season. He’s a right-shot player who can play it any way you want. He doesn’t have the same offensive upside as Evangelista, but there’s still plenty to like.
No. 32 Philadelphia Flyers (via Florida): Tanner Howe, F, Regina Pats (WHL)
Height: 5-foot-10 Weight: 184 pounds
Howe proved this year that he could be successful without Connor Bedard at his side. He’s always had tremendous work ethic and enough skill to consistently be a threat. Regina is back near the bottom of the junior cycle, and Howe has been tasked with leading the charge both on and off the ice as Regina’s captain. I think the Flyers look at him as a Travis Konecny-type.
