Here is my seventh edition of my NHL Mock Draft.
1. Buffalo Sabres- Rasmus Dahlin, Defenseman, Frolunda (SHL): Dahlin is the consensus best player in this draft class and Dahlin gets the chance to go to a young team that needs more transcendent talent other than Jack Eichel. He will pair on the top pair with Rasmus Ristolainen for the foreseeable future.
2. Carolina Hurricanes- Andrei Scechnikov, Wing, Barrie (OHL): The Canes have an up and coming defense, so here they address their biggest need which is scoring. He has elite scoring touch but can also play a power forward game.
3. Montreal Canadiens- Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Center, Assat (FHL): As expected for a 17-year-old Korkaniemi needs to grow and develop, although his stock is trending up as we approach the draft. He is a very good skater and offensive player but he needs to grow his defensive positioning.
4. Ottawa Senators- Brady Tkachuk, Wing, Boston University (NCAA): The Sens have a ton of needs regardless of what they do with Eric Karlsson. Tkachuk has a lot of offensive talent and has greatly improved his skating as the year went on.
5. Arizona Coyotes- Noah Dobson, Defenseman, Acadie-Bathurst (QMJHL): The Coyotes have a need on defense and Dobson would be a nice fit. Dobson had a tremendous second half of the season and climbed up draft boards everywhere.
6. Detroit Red Wings- Quinn Hughes, Defenseman, Michigan (NCAA): The Red Wings have a lot of needs although they do have some promising young players. Hughes is a top puck mover and can skate like the wind.
7. Vancouver Canucks- Filip Zadina, Wing, Halifax (QMJHL): Thr Canucks have a bigger need in defense, but Zadina falling this far might have the Canucks snag him here. He is a pure shooter and his talented shot can be used from anywhere in the offensive zone.
8. Chicago Blackhawks- Oliver Wahlstrom, Central/Wing, USNTDP: The Blackhawks are a team that is aging, so they need a ton of youth. Wahlstrom is a talent that they might not want to pass up on and he has off-the-chart levels of creativity mixed with a high end shot and vision.
9. New York Rangers- Evan Bouchard, Defenseman, London (OHL): Bouchard would be a solid choice here for the Rangers considering they have a need on defense. He is one of the smartest defensemen in the draft and his passing ability allows him to generate offense from all three zones of the ice while staying in great position.
10. Edmonton Oilers- Adam Boqvist, Defenseman, Brynas IF J20 (SHL): The Oilers have a need on defense and Boqvist would be a nice fit. He is an elite puck-moving defenseman who will likely be the second one off the board, although his stock is trending down.
11. New York Islanders- Barrett Hayton, Center, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL): People out there think Hayton is the best two way center in this draft. The one thing holding Hayton back is his production. He has all of the tools to be successful and an elite player, but his numbers just didn’t show it.
12. New York Islanders (from Calgary Flames)- Ty Smith, Defenseman, Spokane (WHL): The Isles have a need on defense and Smith fits the bill. He is more known for his offensive game rather than his defensive game and is slightly undersized but as the game continues to evolve that is less and less of an issue as long as the talent is there to back it up.
13. Dallas Stars- Joe Veleno, Center/Wing, Drummondville (QMJHL): The Stars don't have a need on offense, but Veleno would be hard to pass up on. He is a smart and versatile center who is just as effective defensively as he is offensively.
14. Philadelphia Flyers (from St. Louis Blues)- Joel Farabee, Wing, USNDT: The Flyers take a forward here in Farabee. He possesses an elite shot for his age and is also a gifted skater and he knows how to use it to benefit himself.
15. Florida Panthers- Rasmus Kupari, Center, Liija: The Panthers don't have that many needs but Kupari would be a nice fit. Kupari is a very skilled center from Finland and he may have some the best hands in the draft.
16. Colorado Avalanche- Vitali Kravstov, Wing, Traktor (KHL): For Kravstov's age and the level of competition, he plays at he is a good defender. He needs to continue to grow but he has talent and uses his speed to get himself into a good position, cause turnovers and generate offense.
17. New Jersey Devils- Bode Wilde, Defenseman, USNDT: The Devils have a need on defense and passing up on a talent like Wilde will be hard. He is a complete defenseman who is talented in both ends of the ice and has a pro level shot and close to pro level skating at the age of 18.
18. Columbus Blue Jackets- Isac Lundestrom, Center/Wing, Lulea (SHL): Lundestrom won’t blow past anyone with blinding speed, but he is a talented skater. He has versatility and powerful strides that make him hard to knock off of the puck.
19. Philadelphia Flyers- Ryan Merkley, Defenseman, Guelp (OHL): The Flyers could afford to select someone like Merkley. He is a boom-or-bust prospect with the most offensive upside of all defensemen in the draft.
20. Los Angeles Kings- Serron Noel, Wing, Oshawa (OHL): Noel is one of the elite wingers this year in terms of projected first round prospects. He is really strong offensively featuring good hands, and a great shot and because of his size and good hands, he can score a lot of his goals from in tight.
21. San Jose Sharks- Rasmus Sandin, Defenseman, Woo (WHL): What makes Sandin great is his ability to play in all situations. It does not matter if it is on the powerplay, penalty kill or even strength Sandin thrives in all of them.
22. Ottawa Senators (from Pittsburgh Penguins)- K'Andre Miller, Defenseman, USNTD: Miller will be a little bit of a project but a project that will be well worth the wait. A lot of young defensemen struggle with defensive responsibility. Not him, his best attribute is his defensive play. As he continues to develop his game he will only get better.
23. Anaheim Ducks- Martin Kaut, Wing, HC Dynamo (Czech): Kaut is a pure goal scorer. His powerful skating ability allows him to drive the net. When he gets there, he has the quick hands to finish in tight. He can also pounce on rebounds or tip in shots.
24. Minnesota Wild- Akil Thomas, Center, Niagara (OHL): Thomas is a center who can put up points in bunches. One of his best attributes is his work ethic with and without the puck and is responsible in all three zones and never takes a shift off.
25. Toronto Maple Leafs- Alexander Alexeyev, Defenseman, Red Deer (WHL): Alexeyev is a big Russian import who has really improved the pace at which he plays in all phases. He's a rangy defender with footwork, who can transport through the neutral zone in a few strides.
26. New York Rangers (from Boston Bruins)- Grigori Denisenko, Wing, Lokomotiv (MHL): Denisenko projects as a high end scorer, but will need to be less generous with the puck on the attack. He has high and dangle and deception skills, and seems to be able to take games over or at very least, looks to me a cut above everyone else on the ice sheet.
27. Chicago Blackhawks (from Nashville Predators)- Ty Dellandrea, Center, Flint (OHL): Dellandrea is versatile and his best attribute is his skating with the puck on his stick. Some players his age have great speed but can struggle to handle the puck he is the opposite and actually gets better with the puck on his stick.
28. New York Rangers (from Tampa Bay Lightning)- Dominik Bokk, Wing, Vaxjo (WHL): The Rangers take Bokk here, who's been a fast riser on folks mock board. He has shredded international competition and is closer to the NHL than you’d think.
29. St. Louis Blues (from Winnipeg Jets)- Jared McIssac, Defenseman, Halifax (QMJHL): Due to his great skating talent, McIssac is able to carry the puck out of his zone and start the offense. He is also able to quickly recover when necessary and does well to get back into position.
30. Detroit Red Wings (from Vegas Golden Knights)- Calen Addison, Defenseman, Lethbridge (WHL): Addison will probably be a late round steal and could be a very nice consolation prize for a team that picks late in the first round (or early in the second). He’s a promising young player with a ton of potential and a high ceiling if he can continue to add to his offensive repertoire.
31. Washington Capitals- Ryan McLeod, Center, Mississauga (OHL): McLeod can create chances everywhere on the ice with his elite skating ability. He can also stickhandle through anyone on the ice at any time.
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