2017 NHL Mock Draft: Third Edition

Here is my third edition of my 2017 NHL Mock Draft.

1. New Jersey Devils- Nolan Patrick, Center, Brandon (WHL): He's been the guy from the very start of the draft process. But just like in year's past, another player puts together a great season and makes a charge for the top spot. Last season it was Patrik Laine who put on a great campaign to knock off Austin Matthews for the top spot and in 2015 it was Jack Eichel who put forth a valiant effort to go number one over Connor McDavid. Just like those drafts, the team in the top spot will stick with the guy who's been at the top the whole time.

2. Philadelphia Flyers- Nico Hischier, Center, Halifax (QMJHL): The Flyers are still pumped about winning a top-three selection in the draft lottery, so they don’t really care whether it’s Nolan or Nico. They get Nico, an extremely promising playmaker, and make him the highest-drafted Swiss player of all time.

3. Dallas Stars- Casey Mittelsdalt, Center, Eden (High-MN): At 6-foot-1 and 200-pounds, Mittelstadt has ideal size to go along with his elite skill. Playing for the Green Bay Gamblers in the USHL, the centre put up 30 points in just 24 games. He has a fantastic first step and can use his quickness to make defenders miss.

4. Colorado Avalanche- Miro Heiskanen, Defenseman, HIFK Helsinki (SM-Liiga): Heiskanen is an excellent two-way defender with top-pairing potential. Having played his entire draft year in Finland’s top professional league, Heiskanen is one of the most pro-ready prospects available.

5. Vancouver Canucks- Gabriel Vilardi, Center, Windsor (OHL): One of the OHL's top players in 2016/17, Vilardi is a big centre who has great offensive awareness and the dynamic skill to take advantage. While he is not the fastest player on the ice, he can maneuver in a phone booth and make things happen with a great passing ability.

6. Las Vegas Golden Knights- Cody Glass, Center, Portland (WHL): Having grown a couple of inches and gained some muscle in the process, Glass has been rising up draft boards around the NHL. Glass plays strong on the puck and uses his excellent speed to create space and finish with his quick release.

7. Arizona Coyotes- Cale Makar, Defenseman, Brooks (AJHL): The Coyotes are loaded with high-end offensive talent, so they go for a dynamic blueliner who can lead the offense from the backend. Makar has some question marks, but the Coyotes see his upside and simply can’t pass up on him.

8. Buffalo Sabres- Timothy Liljegren, Defenseman, Rogle (SHL): What a year it’s been for Liljegren. After being projected as the second overall pick behind Nolan Patrick, he saw his stock drop. Nevertheless, whoever lands Liljegren will be getting a top end defensive prospect.

9. Detroit Red Wings- Nick Suzuki, Center, Owen (OHL): Even if Suzuki doesn’t end up as a pivot in the NHL, he projects as an impactful, all-situations forward. A feared penalty killer for years in the OHL, Suzuki’s offensive game blossomed this season into one of the league’s top scorers. Few draft players compete as well and as hard as him.

10. Florida Panthers- Kristian Vesalainen, Wing, Frolunda (SHL): This Finnish winger fell in draft rankings after a slower year, but the offensive skills are still there. The 6’4 winger is a power forward in the making, with a strong drive to the net and a well-developing defensive game.

11. Los Angeles Kings- Elias Pettersson, Center, Kimra (SHL): A playmaking center in the truest sense of the term, Pettersson owns a nice mix of speed, vision, and passing ability that makes him an offensive threat. He also has shown some tenacity in board play and forechecking, indicating he might become a better all-around player than he seems to be now.

12. Carolina Hurricanes- Lias Andersson, Center, HV (SHL): Andersson spent this season playing against men in the SHL and he’s looking like a very solid prospect. Andersson is an incredible skater and though he’s committed to Frolunda HC for next season, if the Islanders like what they see, it’s possible that he could move to North America in order for the organization to be able to keep a close eye on him.

13. Winnipeg Jets- Juuso Valimaki, Defenseman, Tri-City (WHL): At 13, Winnipeg is happy to pick up one of Finland’s many up-and-coming prospects in two-way defenceman Juuso Valimaki. At this point, the Jets find Eeli Tolvanen almost too good to pass up on, but they decide a D-man is the higher priority with this pick.

14. Tampa Bay Lightning- Callan Foote, Defenseman, Kelowna (WHL): Following a similar storyline to last year's draft, the Flames once again take a player with a strong NHL lineage. Foote is a big, right-shot defenceman who has a powerful shot from the point. He is able to use his size and skating ability to take away time and space from opposing forwards.

15. New York Islanders- Owen Tippett, Wing, Mississauga (OHL): Tippett scored 44 goals and put up 75 points through 60 games in the OHL this season, and scouts say he already has an NHL shot. He’ll likely spend one more season in the OHL before making the jump to the NHL.

16. Calgary Flames- Klim Kostin, Center, Dynamo (KHL): A big body, a non-stop motor, and a quick release - that's what the Bruins are getting with the versatile forward. Kostin is a guy that will work hard in the dirty areas and use his size to keep possession of the puck. Once he fills out his big frame, he could be a beast in the NHL.

17. Toronto Maple Leafs- Eeli Tolvanen, Wing, Sioux City (USHL): Tolvanen is a shooter, and he’s good at it. The Leafs have several high-end forward players on their roster, and with his killer instincts, he would fit right in. He’s headed to Boston College in the fall where his development should continue apace, and it will be exciting to see if he dominates the NCAA as he did the USHL.

18. Boston Bruins- Martin Necas, Center, Brno (CZREP): An offensive-minded centre, Necas has great lateral movement and can make defenders miss in space. He has good vision of the ice and can dissect the play quickly when on the rush.

19. San Jose Sharks- Nicolas Hague, Defenseman, Mississauga (OHL): Hague is a large young man at 6-foot-6, but he combines that size with plenty of skill. He has good straight line speed, which helps him when retreating back into his own zone. He has a big point shot and he has the potential to be a big-time offensive contributor from the back-end.

20. St. Louis Blues- Kailer Yamamoto, Wing, Spokane (WHL): Yamamoto is a 5’8 player and a lock for the first round because his offensive senses and skills are so superior to so many other forwards in this class. He knows how to use his speed and awareness to evade physical opponents.

21. New York Rangers- Ryan Poehling, Center, St. Cloud (NCAA): A big, two-way center in the mold of Brandon Dubinsky or even Pierre-Luc Dubois, who the Jackets drafted third overall last year. He lacks the top-end scoring talent of Dubois, though, and would fill a more secondary role in the top nine.

22. Edmonton Oilers- Kole Lind, Center, Kelowna (WHL): Lind may have struggled to crack the Rockets lineup his rookie season, but he certainly didn’t have any trouble this year. In fact, he finished 17 points ahead of the next highest scorer on his team. He’s both a good playmaker and a goal scorer, and while he encounters a few problems defensively, they’re fixable.

23. Arizona Coyotes (via Minnesota Wild)- Henri Jokiharju, Defenseman, Portland (WHL): If Kelowna is a development factory, Portland isn’t far behind. There’s plenty to like about Jokiharju’s play at both ends of the ice — killer offensive instincts and terrific defensive positioning are two of the first to admire. He’s a bit more of a project than other defensive picks this year, but chances are good he’ll be worth it in the end.

24. Columbus Blue Jackets- Isaac Ratcliffe, Wing, Guelph (OHL): Ratcliffe, 6’6, is a force all over the ice, willing to run over anyone in his way to get to the puck. He is a humongous-big winger with offensive instincts that John Tortorella would like.

25. Montreal Canadiens- Nikita Popugaev, Wing, Moose Jaw (WHL): Popugaev is a massive winger who uses his 6’5 frame to aid his scoring ability as much as remove others from the puck. The knock on him is that he’s a one-trick pony: He waits for the puck and then drives straight to the net and shoots. Can you get him to commit to a 200-foot game and use his strength more? Montreal would like to find out.

26. Chicago Blackhawks- Joshua Norris, Center, USNTDP: Norris, a University of Michigan commit, has all the makings of a strong two-way center. He’s a solid skater, patient with the puck and tenacious away from it, willing to go into the corners to retrieve a loose puck. One of the qualities noted most often about Norris is that he’s “coachable.” And in his case, it’s legitimate and a good thing. He’s shown that he’s willing to work on his weaknesses.

27. St. Louis Blues (via Washington Capitals)- Henri Jokiharju, Defenseman, Portland (WHL): Would the Blues take a defenseman with more flash than defensive substance at this point? I’d like to see them try it out. Much like many of his first-round counterparts, Jokiharju is a puck-rush-first defender who likes to take the puck and cut into the offensive zone. Think Trevor Daley in his heyday with the Stars: A quick defenseman who may not generate points but drags the play into the offensive zone very well.

28. Ottawa Senators- Erik Brannstrom, Defenseman, HV (SHL): Another small (5’10), puck-moving defenseman, eh? And another fast riser: Brannstrom has the makings of a power-play quarterback at the NHL level. The key with any player of this type is his intelligence at both ends, and Brannstrom already demonstrates that. Ottawa adds a defenseman capable of giving their talented forwards the puck.

29. Dallas Stars (via Anaheim Ducks)- Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, Goalie, HPK (Finland): Luukkonen is another 6’4 goalie with good agility and starting potential. Like most Finnish netminders, he possesses a calm focus in his crease at a young age. Dallas fans will rejoice at getting a good quality netminder they can look forward to.

30. Nashville Predators- Shane Bowers, Center, Waterloo (USHL): A gritty centre, Bowers can make life hard on the opposition. He uses his body well to protect the puck and he's willing to go play in the dirty areas. Armed with a quick shot, he is quite dangerous around the net.

31. Pittsburgh Penguins- Maxime Comotis, Wing, Victoriaville (QMJHL): Comtois is the typical low-floor, low-ceiling type of player. He seems like a lock to make the NHL in one role or another, but the Pens might have to be fine with getting a bottom-six grinder with a strong two-way game here, rather than an exciting offensive contributor. Then again, Comtois has nice offensive potential as well.