2016 NHL Mock Draft: 1st Edition

Here is my first edition of my 2016 NHL Mock Draft.

1. Toronto Maple Leafs- Auston Matthews, Center, Zurich, Switzerland: Many scouts were impressed with Matthews’s defensive acumen at the World Championships. Leafs can’t pass on this opportunity.

2. Winnipeg Jets- Patrik Laine, Wing, Tappara, Finland: The big winger believes he is the best player in the draft. Only years of NHL competition will prove whether he’s right.

3. Columbus Blue Jackets- Jesse Puljujarvi, Wing, Karpat, Finland: Blue Jackets can add this outstanding skater to the youngsters that captured the Calder Cup with the Lake Erie Monsters.

4. Edmonton Oilers- Matthew Tkachuk, Wing, London (OHL): Outstanding at Memorial Cup despite playing on one leg because of a bad ankle. Potted OT winner in championship game.

5. Vancouver Canucks- Pierre-Luc Dubois, Wing/Center, Cape Breton (QMJHL): This youngster has added 40 pounds of muscle and two inches in height over two years. Very complete player.

6. Calgary Flames- Alexander Nylander, Wing, Mississauga (OHL): If the Flames don’t trade down, Nylander makes sense to complement young centremen already in organization.

7. Arizona Coyotes- Olli Juolevi, Defenseman, London Knights (OHL): Yotes have a nice group of young forwards, could use a smooth puck mover to work with OEL.

8. Buffalo Sabres- Mikhail Sergachev, Defenseman, Windsor (OHL): Many GMs see the young Russian as the best defenceman in the draft. Could easily be gone by the time Tim Murray picks.

9. Montreal Canadiens- Logan Brown, Center, Windsor (OHL): Great size down the middle is an element the Habs don’t have. Juolevi or Sergachev could fit here if they’re still available.

10. Colorado Avalanche- Logan Stanley, Defenseman, Windsor (OHL): This big defenceman is high on some lists, not so high on others. One of the variables on which the first round could turn.

11. New Jersey Devils- Tyson Jost, Center, Penticton (BCHL): Had an outstanding world under-18 tournament, where he broke Connor McDavid’s Canadian record for points. Scouts say he oozes leadership.

12. Ottawa Senators- Clayton Keller, Center, U.S. National Development Team: If the draft plays out this way, the Senators would have their pick of a potential top-line centre here, be it Keller or Ontario product Michael McLeod. Keller is smaller but he’s always “in the fight” and making things happen offensively. Keller is a catalyst who has chemistry with Colin White, Ottawa’s first-rounder from 2015, having played together in the past.

13. Carolina Hurricanes- Michael McLeod, Center, Mississauga (OHL): Ron Francis probably wants to pick a centre — ideally Brown, for his size, but assuming he’s off the board, McLeod would make for a nice consolation prize.

14. Boston Bruins- Jake Bean, Defenseman, Calgary (WHL): Didn’t get to play under-18s because of a broken foot. Might be best puck mover of the first round blueline candidates.

15. Minnesota Wild- Kieffer Bellows, Wing, U.S. National Development Team: The son of former Minnesota North Star, Brian Bellows, the bloodlines and the goal-scoring ability make this a logical selection. The younger Bellows is quite similar to Canucks prospect Brock Boeser, who had a breakout year at North Dakota. Bellows is bound for Boston University and could have a similar impact as an NCAA freshman.

16. Detroit Red Wings- Jakob Chychrun, Defenseman, Sarnia (OHL): Detroit could use defenseman and word on the street is that they want to trade up for one. Chychrun may have tumbled, but he’s still a blue chip prospect.

17. Nashville Predators- Tyler Benson, Center/Wing, Vancouver (WHL): The Predators seem like a team willing to take a chance on Benson despite his injury-plagued draft year (cyst on tailbone removed, resulting in inflamed pubic bone). Nashville drafts heavily out of the WHL and would have been watching Benson for years already. His skating could use a bit of work, but Benson is a natural centre who could slot in behind Ryan Johansen.

18. Philadelphia Flyers- Julien Gauthier, Wing, Val-d’Or (QMJHL): The Flyers like them big and strong and Gauthier certainly fits that bill as the son of a champion bodybuilder. Gauthier played for Canada at the world juniors as the lone draft-eligible and had a fairly strong showing on the big ice in Finland, yet seems to be falling for some reason.

19. New York Islanders- Riley Tufte, Wing, Fargo Force (USHL): The Islanders might be losing Kyle Okposo to free agency and would want to replace that size in their top-six forwards eventually. Tufte could be a good long-term option, but he’s really raw and his dominance of high-school hockey didn’t translate to junior.

20. Arizona Coyotes (via New York Rangers)- Max Jones, Wing, London (OHL): Big, rambunctious, fast and skillful. Sounds like nice fit with young forward group Coyotes have put together.

21. Carolina Hurricanes (via Los Angeles Kings)- Charlie McAvoy, Defenseman, Boston University (NCAA): This would be a steal for Carolina if McAvoy drops here. He would pair up nicely with Justin Faulk and last years first round pick Noah Hanifin.

22. Winnipeg Jets (via Chicago Blackhawks)- Kale Clague, Defenseman, Brandon (WHL): Winnipeg would have the book on Clague, with him playing just up the road in Brandon. Clague had his struggles this season and was stuck behind Ivan Provorov and captain Macoy Erkamps on the depth chart, but Clague came on strong in the WHL playoffs and probably did enough to push himself back into the first round.

23. Florida Panthers- Luke Kunin Wing/Center, Wisconsin (NCAA): The Panthers’ new analytics-based scouting department takes their best player available here in Kunin, who could be one of the draft’s biggest risers based on a strong showing at the combine. Some have Kunin inside the top 20 and even close to the top 10, but this spot still seems appropriate.

24. Anaheim Ducks- Alex DeBrincat, Center/Wing, Erie (OHL): The Ducks have a lot of size in their forward group but could use a bit more speed and energy. DeBrincat doesn’t have the wheels of Andrew Cogliano (25th overall in 2005), but he’s a better scorer — as evidenced by back-to-back 50-goal seasons in junior — and doesn’t let his size hold him back.

25. Dallas Stars- Dante Fabbro, Defenseman, Penticton (BCHL): This feels like too low for the talented Penticton blueliner. Dallas is in need of defense and Fabbro would be an excellent pick.

26. Washington Capitals- Vitaly Abramov, Wing/Center, Gatineau (QMJHL): The Capitals like their Russians too and might be hoping Rubtsov falls to them, but Abramov is a nice consolation prize and he’s already playing on this side of the pond. Abramov is a shifty, high-skill player, perhaps a bit more explosive than Capitals forward Andre Burakovsky.

27. Tampa Bay Lightning- Pascal Laberge, Wing/Center, Victoriaville (QMJHL): Speaking of liking Russian forwards, the Lightning would probably take Rubtsov or Abramov if either of them are available here. Instead, Tampa Bay takes Laberge, who was the first star of the CHL Top Prospects Game. 

28. Saint Louis Blues- Tage Thompson, Center, Connecticut (NCAA): The Blues may be surprised to see Thompson still available here, considering his size and stat-line, and the fact his father Brent played in the NHL. Thompson will need to bulk up over the next couple seasons in college, but he has towering potential.

29. Boston Bruins (via San Jose Sharks)- Sam Steel, Center, Regina (WHL): Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci are both 30. Time to start thinking about depth down the middle.

30. Toronto Maple Leafs (via Pittsburgh Penguins)- Dennis Cholowski, Defenseman, Chilliwack (BCHL): Heading to St. Cloud next season. Jumped to No. 23 from No. 48 in final Central Scouting rankings.