2019 NHL Mock Draft: First Edition

Here is the first edition of my 2019 NHL Mock Draft.

1. New Jersey Devils- Jack Hughes, Center, USNDT: Hughes is somebody people have been talking about since last year in terms of young up and coming impact draft prospects. He's going to come in and have an immediate impact on a team that needs young assets to go with Taylor Hall and former number one overall pick Nico Hischier.

2. New York Rangers- Kaapo Kakko, Right Wing, Liija (TPS): The Rangers have to be thrilled for making this big of a jump in the lottery. Kakko is somebody that will jumpstart this rebuild as he broke a ton of scoring records in Liija. He will also make an immediate impact and would be yet another prospect to add to a suddenly loaded prospect group featuring Vitaly Kravstov and K'Andre Miller.

3. Chicago Blackhawks- Bowen Bryam, Defenseman, Vancouver (WHL): The Blackhawks have options with this pick as they can either trade the pick for even more picks or for an established player, take a forward, or go defense like I have here. Bryam is the best defenseman in the draft and he'd be yet another young defenseman to go with Henri Jokiharju and Adam Boqvist.

4. Colorado Avalanche (from Ottawa Senators)- Dylan Cozens, Center, Lethbridge (WHL): Cozens is somebody I'm very high on and I feel has a ton of potential. He's very dynamic and would give the Avalanche a great number two center behind Nathan MacKinnon down the road.

5. Los Angeles Kings- Vasili Podkolzin, Right Wing, St. Petersburg (KHL): Podkolzin is someone that was outstanding in the World Junior, but wasn't putting up stats offensively in Russia. I can see Podkolzin slipping further than this due to contract concerns with the KHL, but at the same time due to his upside, I can see him being picked in the top three.

 6. Detroit Red Wings- Kirby Dach, Center, Saskatoon (WHL): The Red Wings go with a big center here in Dach. He has a nice combination of speed and skill and maybe could be a number two center behind Dylan Larkin if he were to land here.

7. Buffalo Sabres- Alex Turcotte, Center, USNDT: Turcotte is somebody that is very a dynamic two-way center that's stock is rising. He's playing in the Under-18 World Championship and if he dominates that tournament, people will start to look at him as a top five pick.

8. Edmonton Oilers- Trevor Zegras, Center/Wing, USNDT: Zegras is somebody that is a versatile player and has smart vision. He's a good two-way player too and he would be someone the Oilers would move around in their lineup because of his versatility.

9. Anaheim Ducks- Peyton Kerbs, Left Wing, Kootenay (WHL): Kerbs is somebody that is a dynamic offensive force like some of the other wingers in the top of the draft. He's fast and has a good hockey IQ which the Ducks would like.

10. Vancouver Cancuks- Victor Sodestrom, Defenseman, Brynas (Superelite): The Canucks go defense for the second straight year as they take Sodestrom to go with Quinn Hughes. He's someone that is a smart player that could be great offensively and is reliable defensively.

11. Philadelphia Flyers- Matthew Bodly, Right Wing, USNDT: Bodly is yet another USNDT player taken in the lottery. He has a ton of size and score the puck from both sides of the wing and is someone the Flyers would take a chance on.

12. Minnesota Wild- Cole Caufield, Center/Wing, USNDT: The Wild are a team that should be entering a rebuild. Other than a franchise changing player, something a rebuilding team would want is someone that's versatile and that's what Caufield provides as well as scoring ability.

13. Florida Panthers- Cam York, Defenseman, USNDT: The USNDT lottery dominance continues as the Panthers take York. He's somebody that could be a top four D-man on someone's roster and he could solidify being a sure fire lottery pick with a good tournament coming up.

14. Arizona Coyotes- Arthur Kaliev, Left Wing, Hamilton (OHL): Kaliev is somebody that can flag out score. Some people have concerns with his skating ability and his two-way game, or else he would be in the conversation for a top ten or even a top five pick.

15. Montreal Canadiens- Philip Brodberg, Defenseman, AIK (SWE): The Habs could go a number of directions with this pick. Brodberg is someone that is a good offensive defenseman that has good vision as well as controls the game well in all zones.

16. Colorado Avalanche- Thomas Hardley, Defenseman, Mississauga (OHL): Hardley is somebody that is an excellent two-way defenseman and is probably a steal with this pick. He is somebody the Avs would pair with Cale Makar down the road.

17. Vegas Golden Knights- Ryan Suzuki, Center, Barrie (OHL): The younger brother of former Knights first rounder Kurt, Ryan may end up being the better prospect. He's a great skater and has good vision for the game as well as great playmaking skills.

18. Dallas Stars- Pavel Dorofeyev, Left Wing, Metallurg (KHL): The Stars have options here. Dorofeyev is somebody that is good at contorting the pace of a shift in a game and he's someone that is a smart player.

19. Ottawa Senators (from Columbus Blue Jackets)- Ville Heinola, Defenseman, Lukko (SM-Liiga): Heinola is somebody that is very good at attacking and making odd-man situations. His moves make people remind him of Rasmus Dahlin.

20. Anaheim Ducks (from Buffalo Sabres via St. Louis Blues)- Moritz Seider, Defenseman, Adler (SEL): The Ducks go defense again with their second first round pick. Seider is somebody that is a great-two way defenseman and is a force to be reckoned with. Bob Murray likes these types of players.

21. Carolina Hurricanes- Raphael Lavoie, Center/Wing, Halifax (OHL): Lavoie is someone that could be a steal from this spot for the up-and-coming Hurricanes. He is a physical player, but also someone with speed and can wire a heavy shot.

22. New York Rangers (from Winnipeg Jets)- Anttoni Honka, Defenseman, JYP (SM-Liiga): The Rangers go defense with their second first rounder and settle on Honka. He is someone that agile puck rusher and distributor who can elude pressure in a variety of ways.

23. Pittsburgh Penguins- Connor McMichael, Center, London (OHL): McMichael is somebody that is very crafty and that fits into what Jim Rutherford likes in young players. He's also great at finishing and he stood out among a London Knights team that's loaded with scorers.

24. Los Angeles Kings (from Toronto Maple Leafs)- Nils Hoglander, Right Wing, Rogle (SHL): The Kings take another forward with their second first rounder. Hoglander is a small player that is very fineness with and without the puck and a rebuilding team like the Kings could use a player like this.

25. Buffalo Sabres (from San Jose Sharks)- Jakob Pelletier, Left Wing, Moncoton (QMJHL): The Sabres take a forward with their second first rounder. Pelletier is somebody that has great tenacity and skill as well as generating chances off the forecheck.

26. New York Islanders- Ilya Nikolaev, Center, Loko (MHL): Nikolaev is somebody that's a strong body that provides good two-way play. He's a great penalty killer and dishes the puck to his teammates and in the net very well.

27. Boston Bruins- Yegor Spiridonov, Center, Stalnye (MHL): The Bruins are a team with options regarding this pick. Spiridonov is someone that's a very dynamic center that can score as well as finish. He's also a very good penalty killer.

28. Nashville Predators- Michal Teply, Left Wing, Liberec (Extraliga): Teply is somebody that is a two-way winger that is hard-finisher at the net. He possesses the puck very well as well as showing an ability to stickhandle his way into manageable situations.

29. Washington Capitals- Matthew Robertson, Defenseman, Edmonton (OHL): Robertson is somebody that provided very good two-way play this past season. He seems like somebody the Capitals would take a chance on.

30. Calgary Flames- Spencer Knight, Goalie, USNDT: There hasn't been a goalie with the fire and intensity like Knight drafted this high in a long time. Mike Smith is not the long term answer in goal for the Flames and taking a chance on Knight would be wise.

31. Tampa Bay Lightning- Phil Thomasino, Center/Wing, Niagara (OHL): Thomasino is somebody that is versatile and has a knack of making plays with a ton of speed. That's something that the Lightning enjoy in players.