Here is my third edition of my 2019 NBA Mock Draft. We now know the draft order now that the lottery happened.
1. New Orleans Pelicans- Zion Williamson, Power Forward/Center, Duke: The Pelicans are massive winners here for landing the best prospect since LeBron James. Unfortunately, Anthony Davis still wants out of New Orleans and maybe they ship him to New York or Los Angeles for a bunch of young assets and either the third or fourth pick of the draft. That said, assuming they move on from Davis, they can start fresh with Williamson on board.
2. Memphis Grizzlies- Ja Morant, Point Guard, Murray State: The Grizzlies are big winners here as they jump to two. Morant is someone that people are down on due to weaker competition, but he really showed that he can be the real deal. Assuming he is the selection, he'd be the perfect replacement for Mike Conley, who they can trade this offseason for more assets to build around.
3. New York Knicks- RJ Barrett, Shooting Guard/Small Forward, Duke: Barrett was the preseason top prospect before Zion broke onto the scenes and wowed everyone. He was overshadowed due to Zion's presence on the team, but he had his moments. There is the possibility the Knicks move this pick in a possible Anthony Davis trade, which would be a win for both parties involved as the Knicks would have a star to possibly pair with Kevin Durant (if he signs in New York).
4. Los Angeles Lakers- De'Andre Hunter, Small Forward/Power Forward, Virginia: Hunter is somebody that was excellent in Virginia's run to the title last season and his stock rose in light of it. I like Hunter and I believe he could surprise some folks as a rookie because of his fine two-way play. There is a distinct possibility that this pick is shopped though as they find another star to pair with LeBron James.
5. Cleveland Cavaliers- Jarrett Culver, Shooting Guard, Texas Tech: The Cavaliers are one of the lottery losers as they drop from two to five. Culver is somebody that had a sensational sophomore season to become a projected top lottery pick. He's somebody that can shoot the ball and rebound well for his position. He and Collin Sexton would make an interesting backcourt.
6. Phoenix Suns- Darius Garland, Point Guard, Vanderbilt: The Suns were another lottery loser as they dropped from three to six. They're biggest need coming into the offseason was a point guard and they land one here with Garland. He did only play in five games this past season due to the knee injury he suffered. A backcourt with him and Devin Booker would be interesting.
7. Chicago Bulls- Coby White, Point Guard/Shooting Guard: North Carolina: The Bulls drop from four to seven which isn't ideal for them. This would be an interesting selection considering they already have Kris Dunn on their roster. White is someone who was great in his lone collegiate season and that's what got him to this position. He and Zach LaVine would be an interesting backcourt pairing.
8. Atlanta Hawks- Cam Reddish, Small Forward, Duke: Reddish, like RJ Barrett, is someone that was overshadowed on the Blue Devils squad because of Zion's presence. Reddish did not shoot the ball well at times throughout the season and he needs to develop that consistent shot in the pro's. If he does that, than the Hawks got themselves another building block to go with the rest of their young core.
9. Washington Wizards- Bol Bol, Center, Oregon: The Wizards were a lottery loser as they fell from six to nine. Bol is somebody that is very talented, but has major bust potential. He did miss most of the season with a foot injury. He can protect the rim and shoot the three ball pretty well too for a seven footer.
10. Atlanta Hawks (from Dallas Mavericks)- Romeo Langford, Shooting Guard, Indiana: Langford is someone that dealt with a torn labrum this past season which probably held him back in college. He didn't shoot the ball well last season, but if that improves, maybe the Hawks find their backcourt mate for Trae Young.
11. Minnesota Timberwolves- Sekou Doumbouya, Small Forward/Shooting Guard, France: Doumbouya is somebody that showed a good jump shot and qualify defensive play too. The defensive side needs to be more proven once he is in the league full time. He's someone that will probably be a bench player for the Timberwolves that could see G-league time if he needs more development time.
12. Charlotte Hornets- Jaxson Hayes, Center, Texas: Hayes is someone who developed later on in his high school days and carried it over to college. He shot from a high percentage this past season and showed an ability to protect the rim. In this scenario, he'd come in and probably come off the bench behind Frank Kaminsky unless the team finally moves on from him.
13. Miami Heat- Kevin Porter Jr, Shooting Guard, USC: Porter is somebody that's a lottery talent that could very well drop into the twenties due to the injuries and suspension he had in college. If Porter lived up to the expectations he was given before college, the Heat could be getting themselves a player.
14. Boston Celtics (from Sacramento Kings)- Brandon Clarke, Power Forward, Gonzaga: The Celtics have some options here as they can trade the pick for something else or just simply take who they feel is the best player available. Clarke provides energy and great two way play and he is someone analytic nerds will love with his high PER this past college season.
15. Detroit Pistons- Tyler Herro, Shooting Guard, Kentucky: Herro is somebody that is a very fast riser of late. He's someone that can flat out shoot the ball and the Pistons are a team that needs outside perimeter shooting badly. If they take Herro, it would not shock me if he ends up being a big contributor immediately.
16. Orlando Magic- Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Shooting Guard, Virginia Tech: Alexander-Walker had a great sophomore season for improve his draft stock. What makes him a hot commodity is that he can guard multiple positions and play on and off the ball. The Magic are a team that needs good two-way guard help and Alexander-Walker can provide that.
17. Brooklyn Nets- PJ Washington, Power Forward, Kentucky: The Nets finally own their first round pick after years of paying for the trade they made back in 2013 with the Celtics. Washington is someone that has the talent of a lottery pick with his ability to stretch the floor. The Nets also have a need at the position and Washington could possibly start for them down the road.
18. Indiana Pacers- Rui Hachimua, Small Forward, Gonzaga: Hachimura is someone that is super talented and really took his game a notch this past season. The Pacers depth at wing outside of Victor Oladipo is thin, especially if they let go of Bojan Bogdanovic this summer. Hachimura is somebody that would probably start out as a bench player and develop his way into a starter.
19. San Antonio Spurs- Keldon Johnson, Shooting Guard/Small Forward, Kentucky: The Spurs are a team that is very guard heavy and pretty big man heavy. Where they lack is forward depth and Johnson is somebody that can come in and develop with a team that is notoriously known for developing well. He can shoot the three-ball well, but he needs to develop more defensively, which the Spurs can help him with.
20. Boston Celtics (from Los Angeles Clippers)- Ty Jerome, Point Guard/Shooting Guard, Virginia: Jerome is somebody that was very good in Virginia's Championship run. He's someone that is versatile and can defend multiple positions very well. The Celtics might lose Kyrie Irving this summer so they can use more depth and versatility at the position.
21. Oklahoma City Thunder- Matisse Thybulle, Small Forward, Washington: Thybulle is somebody who was curiously left off the NBA combine list, but has the talent to be a first round pick. He's somebody that showed fine two-way play with solid three-point shooting and great defensive instincts.
22. Boston Celtics- Nassir Little, Small Forward, North Carolina: Little is somebody who had an uneven season with North Carolina to the point Coby White became the best freshman on the team. He showed flashes of good shooting and always has been a great athlete. He has lottery talent and if he lives up to capability, the Celtics got themselves a player.
23. Utah Jazz- Admiral Schofield, Shooting Guard, Tennessee: Schofield was great this past season in college with his dedication and hard work. He is someone that can shoot the three ball well and rebounds well for his position. This would be a solid pick for the Jazz as he'd be someone that would provide energy off the bench.
24. Philadelphia 76ers- Grant Williams, Power Forward, Tennessee: Williams, the two-time SEC Player of the Year, ends up in the area where he should be picked. He's someone who isn't athlete or has a good perimeter game, but he can score in the post and could adjust to the league better than people think.
25. Portland Trail Blazers- Cameron Johnson, Small Forward, North Carolina: Johnson is someone that was a very steady player in college for the Tar Heels. He's someone that can defend pretty well and shoot the 3-ball well. I wouldn't be surprised if he goes higher than this or he goes in the second round.
26. Cleveland Cavaliers (from Houston Rockets)- Talen Horton-Tucker, Shooting Guard/Small Forward, Iowa State: Horton-Tucker is somebody that had a very good year with the Cyclones this past season as a freshman which got him to this position. The Cavs are a team that could afford to take chances on overachievers and Horton-Tucker would be someone that would provide solid minutes for them.
27. Brooklyn Nets (from Denver Nuggets)- KZ Okpala, Small Forward, Stanford: Okpala is somebody who's stock is rising at the moment due to his length and wingspan. The Nets could use some wing depth and Okpala could be a bench guy for them and provide valuable minutes.
28. Golden State Warriors- Bruno Fernando, Center, Maryland: Fernando is somebody that has tantalizing upside that averaged a double-double this past season. He has an NBA ready body and could be a contributor for the Warriors off the bench.
29. San Antonio Spurs (from Toronto Raptors)- Dylan Windler, Shooting Guard/Small Forward, Belmont: Windler is somebody that is very underrated coming into the draft. He's someone that can flat out score, shoot it from three, and space the floor well.
30. Milwaukee Bucks- Daniel Gafford, Center, Arkansas: Gafford is somebody that could have been drafted last year, but decided to come back to school for his sophomore season. He has tantalizing upside and is somebody that if the Bucks were to take here, would make a possible immediate contribution, especially if Brook Lopez bolts this summer.
Thursday, May 16, 2019
Saturday, May 11, 2019
2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs: Conference Final Predictions
Here are my predictions for the Conference Final of the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Eastern Conference Final
(A2) Boston Bruins vs (WC1) Carolina Hurricanes: This should be a vastly entertaining series. The Bruins are deep offensively led by the likes of Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron, David Pasternak, Charlie Coyle, and David Krejci. Their defense is deep too led by Torey Krug, Charlie McAvoy, Brandon Carlo, and Zdeno Chara. Tukka Rask has been great in this postseason run so far. The Hurricanes offense is very good led by Sebastian Aho, Andrei Schvetnikov, Teuvo Teräväinen, Justin Williams, and Micheal Ferland. Their defense is deep too led by Dougie Hamilton, Justin Faulk, Adam Fox, and Jaccob Slavin. Petr Mrazek has been very good in the playoffs thus far (many Curtis McHinney stepped up in those games where Mrazek could not go due to the injury he suffered in that Islanders series. Both teams special teams have been very good throughout the postseason. That said, as great as this Hurricanes run has been, the Bruins are the better team and I expect them to go their first Stanley Cup Final in six seasons.
Prediction: Bruins in six games.
Western Conference Final
(P2) San Jose Sharks vs (C3) St. Louis Blues: This is going to be some series as these teams hook up in the same spot as they did three seasons ago. The Sharks are deep offensively led by Tomas Hertl, Timo Meier, Logan Couture, Evander Kane, Gustav Nyquist, and Joe Pavelski. Their defense is solid led by Brent Burns, Erik Karlsson, Marc-Édouard Vlasic, and Brendan Dillon. Mark Jones after a slow start to the postseason has been great. The Blues are deep offensively led by Vladimir Tarasenko, Ryan O'Reilly, Brayden Schenn, Alex Steen, and David Perron. Their deep defensively too with Alex Pietrangelo, Jay Boumeester, Vince Dunn, and Colton Parayko. Jordan Binnington has been amazing in goal throughout this run. Special teams for both teams have been great, especially the Sharks power play. That said, this is bound to go the distance, but I feel that the Blues are the deeper team and that will be the difference.
Prediction: Blues in seven games.
Eastern Conference Final
(A2) Boston Bruins vs (WC1) Carolina Hurricanes: This should be a vastly entertaining series. The Bruins are deep offensively led by the likes of Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron, David Pasternak, Charlie Coyle, and David Krejci. Their defense is deep too led by Torey Krug, Charlie McAvoy, Brandon Carlo, and Zdeno Chara. Tukka Rask has been great in this postseason run so far. The Hurricanes offense is very good led by Sebastian Aho, Andrei Schvetnikov, Teuvo Teräväinen, Justin Williams, and Micheal Ferland. Their defense is deep too led by Dougie Hamilton, Justin Faulk, Adam Fox, and Jaccob Slavin. Petr Mrazek has been very good in the playoffs thus far (many Curtis McHinney stepped up in those games where Mrazek could not go due to the injury he suffered in that Islanders series. Both teams special teams have been very good throughout the postseason. That said, as great as this Hurricanes run has been, the Bruins are the better team and I expect them to go their first Stanley Cup Final in six seasons.
Prediction: Bruins in six games.
Western Conference Final
(P2) San Jose Sharks vs (C3) St. Louis Blues: This is going to be some series as these teams hook up in the same spot as they did three seasons ago. The Sharks are deep offensively led by Tomas Hertl, Timo Meier, Logan Couture, Evander Kane, Gustav Nyquist, and Joe Pavelski. Their defense is solid led by Brent Burns, Erik Karlsson, Marc-Édouard Vlasic, and Brendan Dillon. Mark Jones after a slow start to the postseason has been great. The Blues are deep offensively led by Vladimir Tarasenko, Ryan O'Reilly, Brayden Schenn, Alex Steen, and David Perron. Their deep defensively too with Alex Pietrangelo, Jay Boumeester, Vince Dunn, and Colton Parayko. Jordan Binnington has been amazing in goal throughout this run. Special teams for both teams have been great, especially the Sharks power play. That said, this is bound to go the distance, but I feel that the Blues are the deeper team and that will be the difference.
Prediction: Blues in seven games.
Friday, May 10, 2019
2019 NHL Mock Draft: Second Edition
Here is the second 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- 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 is thriving in the tournament, which is making people think he could be the third guy off the board on draft night.
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- Bowen Bryam, Defenseman, Vancouver (WHL): The Kings have options with this pick as they could trade the pick, take a forward, or go defense like I have here. Bryam is the best defenseman in the draft and the Kings need more young defenseman as Drew Doughty is aging.
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- 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 Sabres would like.
8. Edmonton Oilers- Cole Caufield, Center/Wing, USNDT: The Oilers are under immense pressure at the draft as much as anyone. Caufield is someone who's draft stock is rising due to his versatility he provides and he could pan out into a top six forward.
9. Anaheim Ducks- 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.
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- 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 Wild would move around in their lineup because of his versatility.
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- Raphael Lavoie, Center/Wing, Halifax (OHL): Lavoie is someone who's draft stock is rising that could be a immediate contributor for the Coyotes. He is a physical player, but also someone with speed and can wire a heavy shot.
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- 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.
17. Vegas Golden Knights- 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 Knights would pair with Shea Theodore down the road.
18. Dallas Stars- 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.
19. Ottawa Senators (from Columbus Blue Jackets)- Alex Newhook, Center, victoria (BCHL): Newhook is such a fast riser right now that it wouldn't surprise me if he went in the back end of the lottery. He is somebody that is a big offensive force and he has blazing speed.
20. New York Rangers (from Winnipeg Jets)- Moritz Seider, Defenseman, Adler (SEL): The Rangers go defense here with their second first rounder to continue building their defense depth. Seider is somebody that is a great-two way defenseman and is a force to be reckoned with.
21. Pittsburgh Penguins- Matthew Robertson, Defenseman, Edmonton (OHL): Robertson is somebody that provided very good two-way play this past season. He seems like somebody the Penguins would take a chance on.
22. Los Angeles Kings (from Toronto Maple Leafs)- Connor McMichael, Center, London (OHL): McMichael is somebody that is very crafty and a type of player that the Kings add to what might be a long rebuild. He's also great at finishing and he stood out among a London Knights team that's loaded with scorers.
23. New York Islanders- 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 Islanders are looking for in players.
24. Nashville Predators- Brett Leason, Center/Wing, Prince Albert (WHL): Leason is somebody rare in the sense he was undrafted last season and now projected to be a late first or second round pick and that says a lot on how much he has improved as a player. He can flat out score and has good size and plays a power game.
25. Washington Capitals- Jakob Pelletier, Center/Wing, Moncoton (QMJHL): The Capitals take a versatile forward here with their first rounder. Pelletier is somebody that has great tenacity and skill as well as generating chances off the forecheck.
26. 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.
27. Tampa Bay Lightning- 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.
28. Anaheim Ducks (from Buffalo Sabres via St. Louis Blues)- Lassi Thomson, Defenseman, Kelowna (WHL): The Ducks go defense with their second first rounder with Thomson. He's someone that has the upside of being a top four pairing and is a good skater, but needs help on his defensive game.
29. Carolina Hurricanes- Samuel Poulin, Left Wing, Sherbrooke (QMJHL): Poulin is someone that could go higher than this or fall into the second round. His size, combined with above average puck handling, shooting, and play-making skills makes him an attractive ‘power forward’ NHL prospect.
30. Buffalo Sabres (from San Jose Sharks)- Bobby Brink, Right Wing, Sioux Falls (USHL): The Sabres take the fast rising winger here with their second first rounder. Brink isn't the fastest skater, but has good footwork and agility, allowing him to weave in and out of traffic and around defenders.
31. Boston Bruins- Anttoni Honka, Defenseman, JYP (SM-Liiga): The Bruins go defense with their first rounder and settle on Honka. He is someone that agile puck rusher and distributor who can elude pressure in a variety of ways.
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- 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 is thriving in the tournament, which is making people think he could be the third guy off the board on draft night.
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- Bowen Bryam, Defenseman, Vancouver (WHL): The Kings have options with this pick as they could trade the pick, take a forward, or go defense like I have here. Bryam is the best defenseman in the draft and the Kings need more young defenseman as Drew Doughty is aging.
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- 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 Sabres would like.
8. Edmonton Oilers- Cole Caufield, Center/Wing, USNDT: The Oilers are under immense pressure at the draft as much as anyone. Caufield is someone who's draft stock is rising due to his versatility he provides and he could pan out into a top six forward.
9. Anaheim Ducks- 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.
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- 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 Wild would move around in their lineup because of his versatility.
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- Raphael Lavoie, Center/Wing, Halifax (OHL): Lavoie is someone who's draft stock is rising that could be a immediate contributor for the Coyotes. He is a physical player, but also someone with speed and can wire a heavy shot.
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- 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.
17. Vegas Golden Knights- 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 Knights would pair with Shea Theodore down the road.
18. Dallas Stars- 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.
19. Ottawa Senators (from Columbus Blue Jackets)- Alex Newhook, Center, victoria (BCHL): Newhook is such a fast riser right now that it wouldn't surprise me if he went in the back end of the lottery. He is somebody that is a big offensive force and he has blazing speed.
20. New York Rangers (from Winnipeg Jets)- Moritz Seider, Defenseman, Adler (SEL): The Rangers go defense here with their second first rounder to continue building their defense depth. Seider is somebody that is a great-two way defenseman and is a force to be reckoned with.
21. Pittsburgh Penguins- Matthew Robertson, Defenseman, Edmonton (OHL): Robertson is somebody that provided very good two-way play this past season. He seems like somebody the Penguins would take a chance on.
22. Los Angeles Kings (from Toronto Maple Leafs)- Connor McMichael, Center, London (OHL): McMichael is somebody that is very crafty and a type of player that the Kings add to what might be a long rebuild. He's also great at finishing and he stood out among a London Knights team that's loaded with scorers.
23. New York Islanders- 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 Islanders are looking for in players.
24. Nashville Predators- Brett Leason, Center/Wing, Prince Albert (WHL): Leason is somebody rare in the sense he was undrafted last season and now projected to be a late first or second round pick and that says a lot on how much he has improved as a player. He can flat out score and has good size and plays a power game.
25. Washington Capitals- Jakob Pelletier, Center/Wing, Moncoton (QMJHL): The Capitals take a versatile forward here with their first rounder. Pelletier is somebody that has great tenacity and skill as well as generating chances off the forecheck.
26. 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.
27. Tampa Bay Lightning- 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.
28. Anaheim Ducks (from Buffalo Sabres via St. Louis Blues)- Lassi Thomson, Defenseman, Kelowna (WHL): The Ducks go defense with their second first rounder with Thomson. He's someone that has the upside of being a top four pairing and is a good skater, but needs help on his defensive game.
29. Carolina Hurricanes- Samuel Poulin, Left Wing, Sherbrooke (QMJHL): Poulin is someone that could go higher than this or fall into the second round. His size, combined with above average puck handling, shooting, and play-making skills makes him an attractive ‘power forward’ NHL prospect.
30. Buffalo Sabres (from San Jose Sharks)- Bobby Brink, Right Wing, Sioux Falls (USHL): The Sabres take the fast rising winger here with their second first rounder. Brink isn't the fastest skater, but has good footwork and agility, allowing him to weave in and out of traffic and around defenders.
31. Boston Bruins- Anttoni Honka, Defenseman, JYP (SM-Liiga): The Bruins go defense with their first rounder and settle on Honka. He is someone that agile puck rusher and distributor who can elude pressure in a variety of ways.
Thursday, May 9, 2019
2019 NBA Mock Draft: Second Edition
Here is the second edition of my 2019 NBA Mock Draft. The lottery portion of the draft order will be determined on May 14th, 2019.
1. New York Knicks- Zion Williamson, Power Forward/Center, Duke: Wherever Williamson lands will immediately change the outlook of the franchise's future. Perhaps the best draft prospect since LeBron James, he is very athletic and will provide so much energy on the floor. Winning the Zion Sweepstakes will make the Knicks the favorites to sign Kevin Durant this summer if they aren't already.
2. Cleveland Cavaliers- Ja Morant, Point Guard, Murray State: Morant is someone who's stock has absolutely tore up after a fantastic sophomore season. He certainly has his doubters since he played in the Ohio Valley Conference but he has shown capabilities to be a franchise point guard. If the Cavaliers are the team that winds up the runners up in the Zion Sweepstakes, landing Morant wouldn't be the worst thing in the world as they'd pair him with Collin Sexton in that back court.
3. Phoenix Suns- RJ Barrett, Shooting Guard/Small Forward, Duke: Barrett is someone that got overshadowed this year at Duke because of the brilliance of Zion. He is a great athlete, but has to get better with his shot selection and becoming a better defender. Barrett could evolve as the second best all around player from this draft if he lives up to potential as the Suns get a young wing player to go with their young core.
4. Chicago Bulls- Jarrett Culver, Shooting Guard, Texas Tech: This is where the draft becomes unpredictable. Culver is somebody that had a sensational sophomore season to become a projected top lottery pick. He's somebody that can shoot the ball and rebound well for his position. He and Zach LaVine would make an interesting backcourt pairing.
5. Atlanta Hawks- DeAndre Hunter, Small Forward, Virginia: Hunter is someone who was sensational for Virginia in their Championship run. The Hawks have Trae Young running the point and John Collins up front and adding a piece like Hunter on the wing would give them much needed two-way perimeter play.
6. Washington Wizards- Coby White, Point Guard, North Carolina: The Wizards are a team that's stuck in limbo with the awful John Wall contract and one really good asset in Bradley Beal, in which teams will demand if they lose out on big free agents this summer. White is somebody that had a great year in college which is what rose his stock. He would likely start for the Wiz in his rookie season due to the fact Wall might not even play next season due to his recovery from his injuries.
7. New Orleans Pelicans- Sekou Doumbouya, Small Forward/Shooting Guard, France: The Pelicans are a team under immense pressure at the draft due to Anthony Davis's future with the team and the fact that they need pieces to build around incase Davis leaves. Doumbouya is somebody that showed a good jump shot and qualify defensive play too. The defensive side needs to be more proven once he is in the league full time. He's someone that will probably be a bench player for the Pelicans that could see G-league time if he needs more development time.
8. Memphis Grizzlies- Darius Garland, Point Guard, Vanderbilt: One of the biggest wild cards of this draft is Garland due to the fact he missed most of the season with a knee injury. He probably would come off the bench if he were to be drafted to the Grizzlies, unless they trade away Mike Conley. He's someone that showed he can shoot the three-ball well as well as dish.
9. Atlanta Hawks (from Dallas Mavericks)- Jaxson Hayes, Center, Texas: Hayes is someone who developed later on in his high school days and carried it over to college. He shot from a high percentage this past season and showed an ability to protect the rim. In this scenario, he'd come in and possibly start alongside John Collins (unless they upgrade the center position in free agency).
10. Minnesota Timberwolves- Cam Reddish, Small Forward, Duke: Reddish, like RJ Barrett, is someone that was overshadowed on the Blue Devils squad because of Zion's presence. Reddish did not shoot the ball well at times throughout the season and he needs to develop that consistent shot in the pro's. If he does that, than the Timberwolves got themselves another building block to go with Karl-Anthony Towns.
11. Los Angeles Lakers- Nassir Little, Small Forward, North Carolina: This is a pick that I can see traded as the Lakers go star hunting to pair somebody with LeBron James. Little is somebody who had an uneven season with North Carolina to the point Coby White became the best freshman on the team. He showed flashes of good shooting and always has been a great athlete. If the Lakers were to keep the pick, he'd be someone that will in all likelihood be a bench guy for them.
12. Charlotte Hornets- Bol Bol, Center, Oregon: The Hornets are a team that's under pressure at the draft since they are facing losing Kemba Walker this summer and they need a young asset to build around incase Walker leaves. Bol is somebody who's a low basement/high ceiling player that missed most of his Freshman season due to a foot injury. He can protect the rim and shoot the three ball pretty well too for a seven footer.
13. Miami Heat- Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Shooting Guard, Virginia Tech: Alexander-Walker had a great sophomore season for improve his draft stock. What makes him a hot commodity is that he can guard multiple positions and play on and off the ball. The Heat are a team that could use good two-way guard help and Alexander-Walker can provide that.
14. Boston Celtics (from Sacramento Kings)- PJ Washington, Power Forward, Kentucky: This pick I can see being shopped if the Celtics choose to chase a star via trade. Washington is somebody that someone that has the talent of a lottery pick with his ability to stretch the floor. If the Celtics choose to keep the pick, Washington is somebody that could possibly start depending on what happens with their current roster.
15. Detroit Pistons- Tyler Herro, Shooting Guard, Kentucky: Herro is somebody that is a very fast riser of late. He's someone that can flat out shoot the ball and the Pistons are a team that needs outside perimeter shooting badly. If they take Herro, it would not shock me if he ends up being a big contributor immediately.
16. Orlando Magic- Keldon Johnson, Small Forward, Kentucky: The Magic are a team that are facing interesting decisions this offseason regarding their roster. Johnson is somebody that can come in and develop with a team that is notoriously known for developing well. He can shoot the three-ball well, but he needs to develop more defensively.
17. Brooklyn Nets- Romeo Langford, Shooting Guard, Indiana: Langford is someone that could possibly go in the top ten so the Nets could be getting a steal here. He's someone that played with a torn labrum this past season which probably held him back. If the Nets lose D'Angelo Russell this summer, they may have a for a young guard. If his shooting improves, he could be a real player for them next season.
18. Indiana Pacers- KZ Okpala, Small Forward, Stanford: Okpala is somebody who's stock is rising at the moment due to his length and wingspan. The Pacers depth at wing outside of Victor Oladipo is thin, especially if they let go of Bojan Bogdanovic this summer. The Pacers probably would have Okpala come off the bench for them and have a veteran start at the 3.
19. San Antonio Spurs- Rui Hachimua, Small Forward, Gonzaga: Hachimura is someone that is super talented and really took his game a notch this past season. Snagging someone with lottery pick talent at this point would be classic Spurs. He probably would be a bench player for the Spurs as a rookie and maybe could develop into a starter within the next few years.
20. Boston Celtics (from Los Angeles Clippers)- Bruno Fernando, Center, Maryland: Fernando is somebody that has tantalizing upside that averaged a double-double this past season. He has an NBA ready body and could be a contributor for the Celtics off the bench.
21. Oklahoma City Thunder- Kevin Porter Jr, Shooting Guard, USC: Porter is somebody that's a lottery talent that could very well drop this far due to the injuries and suspension he had in college. If Porter lived up to the expectations he was given before college, the Thunder could be getting a steal.
22. Boston Celtics- Ty Jerome, Point Guard/Shooting Guard, Virginia: Jerome is somebody that was very good in Virginia's Championship run. He's someone that is versatile and can defend multiple positions very well. The Celtics might lose Kyrie Irving this summer so they can use more depth and versatility at the position.
23. Utah Jazz- Brandon Clarke, Power Forward, Gonzaga: The second Gonzaga player comes off the board with Clarke, who would fill a long term need position for the Jazz. He provides energy and great two way play and he is someone analytic nerds will love with his high PER this past college season.
24. Philadelphia 76ers- Cameron Johnson, Small Forward, North Carolina: Johnson is someone that was a very steady player in college for the Tar Heels. He's someone that can defend pretty well and shoot the 3-ball well. I wouldn't be surprised if he goes higher than this or he goes in the second round. The Sixers could use more forward depth incase they lose Tobias Harris and/or Jimmy Butler this summer.
25. Portland Trail Blazers- Mfiondu Kabengele, Power Forward/Center, Florida State: Kabengele is somebody who's stock has risen of late. The Blazers are team that actually has some depth up front, but will probably lose Enes Kanter in free agency and Kabengele is somebody that provides versatility and defends very well.
26. Cleveland Cavaliers (from Houston Rockets)- Talen Horton-Tucker, Shooting Guard/Small Forward, Iowa State: Horton-Tucker is somebody that had a very good year with the Cyclones this past season as a freshman which got him to this position. The Cavs are a team that could afford to take chances on overachievers and Horton-Tucker would be someone that would provide solid minutes for them.
27. Brooklyn Nets (from Denver Nuggets)- Grant Williams, Power Forward, Tennessee: The two-time SEC Player of the Year falls to end of the first round, which could end up a steal for the Nets. He's someone who isn't athlete or has a good perimeter game, but he can score in the post and could adjust to the league better than people think.
28. Golden State Warriors- Louis King, Small Forward, Oregon: King is somebody that has a lot of potential and showed it in his lone college season, especially after he came back from his injury. The Warriors are almost certainly losing Kevin Durant this summer so it makes sense for them to pick somebody that has potential at the position.
29. San Antonio Spurs (from Toronto Raptors)- Dylan Windler, Shooting Guard/Small Forward, Belmont: Windler is somebody that is very underrated coming into the draft. He's someone that can flat out score, shoot it from three, and space the floor well.
30. Milwaukee Bucks- Daniel Gafford, Center, Arkansas: Gafford is somebody that could have been drafted last year, but decided to come back to school for his sophomore season. He has tantalizing upside and is somebody that if the Bucks were to take here, would make a possible immediate contribution, especially if Brook Lopez bolts this summer.
1. New York Knicks- Zion Williamson, Power Forward/Center, Duke: Wherever Williamson lands will immediately change the outlook of the franchise's future. Perhaps the best draft prospect since LeBron James, he is very athletic and will provide so much energy on the floor. Winning the Zion Sweepstakes will make the Knicks the favorites to sign Kevin Durant this summer if they aren't already.
2. Cleveland Cavaliers- Ja Morant, Point Guard, Murray State: Morant is someone who's stock has absolutely tore up after a fantastic sophomore season. He certainly has his doubters since he played in the Ohio Valley Conference but he has shown capabilities to be a franchise point guard. If the Cavaliers are the team that winds up the runners up in the Zion Sweepstakes, landing Morant wouldn't be the worst thing in the world as they'd pair him with Collin Sexton in that back court.
3. Phoenix Suns- RJ Barrett, Shooting Guard/Small Forward, Duke: Barrett is someone that got overshadowed this year at Duke because of the brilliance of Zion. He is a great athlete, but has to get better with his shot selection and becoming a better defender. Barrett could evolve as the second best all around player from this draft if he lives up to potential as the Suns get a young wing player to go with their young core.
4. Chicago Bulls- Jarrett Culver, Shooting Guard, Texas Tech: This is where the draft becomes unpredictable. Culver is somebody that had a sensational sophomore season to become a projected top lottery pick. He's somebody that can shoot the ball and rebound well for his position. He and Zach LaVine would make an interesting backcourt pairing.
5. Atlanta Hawks- DeAndre Hunter, Small Forward, Virginia: Hunter is someone who was sensational for Virginia in their Championship run. The Hawks have Trae Young running the point and John Collins up front and adding a piece like Hunter on the wing would give them much needed two-way perimeter play.
6. Washington Wizards- Coby White, Point Guard, North Carolina: The Wizards are a team that's stuck in limbo with the awful John Wall contract and one really good asset in Bradley Beal, in which teams will demand if they lose out on big free agents this summer. White is somebody that had a great year in college which is what rose his stock. He would likely start for the Wiz in his rookie season due to the fact Wall might not even play next season due to his recovery from his injuries.
7. New Orleans Pelicans- Sekou Doumbouya, Small Forward/Shooting Guard, France: The Pelicans are a team under immense pressure at the draft due to Anthony Davis's future with the team and the fact that they need pieces to build around incase Davis leaves. Doumbouya is somebody that showed a good jump shot and qualify defensive play too. The defensive side needs to be more proven once he is in the league full time. He's someone that will probably be a bench player for the Pelicans that could see G-league time if he needs more development time.
8. Memphis Grizzlies- Darius Garland, Point Guard, Vanderbilt: One of the biggest wild cards of this draft is Garland due to the fact he missed most of the season with a knee injury. He probably would come off the bench if he were to be drafted to the Grizzlies, unless they trade away Mike Conley. He's someone that showed he can shoot the three-ball well as well as dish.
9. Atlanta Hawks (from Dallas Mavericks)- Jaxson Hayes, Center, Texas: Hayes is someone who developed later on in his high school days and carried it over to college. He shot from a high percentage this past season and showed an ability to protect the rim. In this scenario, he'd come in and possibly start alongside John Collins (unless they upgrade the center position in free agency).
10. Minnesota Timberwolves- Cam Reddish, Small Forward, Duke: Reddish, like RJ Barrett, is someone that was overshadowed on the Blue Devils squad because of Zion's presence. Reddish did not shoot the ball well at times throughout the season and he needs to develop that consistent shot in the pro's. If he does that, than the Timberwolves got themselves another building block to go with Karl-Anthony Towns.
11. Los Angeles Lakers- Nassir Little, Small Forward, North Carolina: This is a pick that I can see traded as the Lakers go star hunting to pair somebody with LeBron James. Little is somebody who had an uneven season with North Carolina to the point Coby White became the best freshman on the team. He showed flashes of good shooting and always has been a great athlete. If the Lakers were to keep the pick, he'd be someone that will in all likelihood be a bench guy for them.
12. Charlotte Hornets- Bol Bol, Center, Oregon: The Hornets are a team that's under pressure at the draft since they are facing losing Kemba Walker this summer and they need a young asset to build around incase Walker leaves. Bol is somebody who's a low basement/high ceiling player that missed most of his Freshman season due to a foot injury. He can protect the rim and shoot the three ball pretty well too for a seven footer.
13. Miami Heat- Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Shooting Guard, Virginia Tech: Alexander-Walker had a great sophomore season for improve his draft stock. What makes him a hot commodity is that he can guard multiple positions and play on and off the ball. The Heat are a team that could use good two-way guard help and Alexander-Walker can provide that.
14. Boston Celtics (from Sacramento Kings)- PJ Washington, Power Forward, Kentucky: This pick I can see being shopped if the Celtics choose to chase a star via trade. Washington is somebody that someone that has the talent of a lottery pick with his ability to stretch the floor. If the Celtics choose to keep the pick, Washington is somebody that could possibly start depending on what happens with their current roster.
15. Detroit Pistons- Tyler Herro, Shooting Guard, Kentucky: Herro is somebody that is a very fast riser of late. He's someone that can flat out shoot the ball and the Pistons are a team that needs outside perimeter shooting badly. If they take Herro, it would not shock me if he ends up being a big contributor immediately.
16. Orlando Magic- Keldon Johnson, Small Forward, Kentucky: The Magic are a team that are facing interesting decisions this offseason regarding their roster. Johnson is somebody that can come in and develop with a team that is notoriously known for developing well. He can shoot the three-ball well, but he needs to develop more defensively.
17. Brooklyn Nets- Romeo Langford, Shooting Guard, Indiana: Langford is someone that could possibly go in the top ten so the Nets could be getting a steal here. He's someone that played with a torn labrum this past season which probably held him back. If the Nets lose D'Angelo Russell this summer, they may have a for a young guard. If his shooting improves, he could be a real player for them next season.
18. Indiana Pacers- KZ Okpala, Small Forward, Stanford: Okpala is somebody who's stock is rising at the moment due to his length and wingspan. The Pacers depth at wing outside of Victor Oladipo is thin, especially if they let go of Bojan Bogdanovic this summer. The Pacers probably would have Okpala come off the bench for them and have a veteran start at the 3.
19. San Antonio Spurs- Rui Hachimua, Small Forward, Gonzaga: Hachimura is someone that is super talented and really took his game a notch this past season. Snagging someone with lottery pick talent at this point would be classic Spurs. He probably would be a bench player for the Spurs as a rookie and maybe could develop into a starter within the next few years.
20. Boston Celtics (from Los Angeles Clippers)- Bruno Fernando, Center, Maryland: Fernando is somebody that has tantalizing upside that averaged a double-double this past season. He has an NBA ready body and could be a contributor for the Celtics off the bench.
21. Oklahoma City Thunder- Kevin Porter Jr, Shooting Guard, USC: Porter is somebody that's a lottery talent that could very well drop this far due to the injuries and suspension he had in college. If Porter lived up to the expectations he was given before college, the Thunder could be getting a steal.
22. Boston Celtics- Ty Jerome, Point Guard/Shooting Guard, Virginia: Jerome is somebody that was very good in Virginia's Championship run. He's someone that is versatile and can defend multiple positions very well. The Celtics might lose Kyrie Irving this summer so they can use more depth and versatility at the position.
23. Utah Jazz- Brandon Clarke, Power Forward, Gonzaga: The second Gonzaga player comes off the board with Clarke, who would fill a long term need position for the Jazz. He provides energy and great two way play and he is someone analytic nerds will love with his high PER this past college season.
24. Philadelphia 76ers- Cameron Johnson, Small Forward, North Carolina: Johnson is someone that was a very steady player in college for the Tar Heels. He's someone that can defend pretty well and shoot the 3-ball well. I wouldn't be surprised if he goes higher than this or he goes in the second round. The Sixers could use more forward depth incase they lose Tobias Harris and/or Jimmy Butler this summer.
25. Portland Trail Blazers- Mfiondu Kabengele, Power Forward/Center, Florida State: Kabengele is somebody who's stock has risen of late. The Blazers are team that actually has some depth up front, but will probably lose Enes Kanter in free agency and Kabengele is somebody that provides versatility and defends very well.
26. Cleveland Cavaliers (from Houston Rockets)- Talen Horton-Tucker, Shooting Guard/Small Forward, Iowa State: Horton-Tucker is somebody that had a very good year with the Cyclones this past season as a freshman which got him to this position. The Cavs are a team that could afford to take chances on overachievers and Horton-Tucker would be someone that would provide solid minutes for them.
27. Brooklyn Nets (from Denver Nuggets)- Grant Williams, Power Forward, Tennessee: The two-time SEC Player of the Year falls to end of the first round, which could end up a steal for the Nets. He's someone who isn't athlete or has a good perimeter game, but he can score in the post and could adjust to the league better than people think.
28. Golden State Warriors- Louis King, Small Forward, Oregon: King is somebody that has a lot of potential and showed it in his lone college season, especially after he came back from his injury. The Warriors are almost certainly losing Kevin Durant this summer so it makes sense for them to pick somebody that has potential at the position.
29. San Antonio Spurs (from Toronto Raptors)- Dylan Windler, Shooting Guard/Small Forward, Belmont: Windler is somebody that is very underrated coming into the draft. He's someone that can flat out score, shoot it from three, and space the floor well.
30. Milwaukee Bucks- Daniel Gafford, Center, Arkansas: Gafford is somebody that could have been drafted last year, but decided to come back to school for his sophomore season. He has tantalizing upside and is somebody that if the Bucks were to take here, would make a possible immediate contribution, especially if Brook Lopez bolts this summer.
Wednesday, May 8, 2019
2019 MLB Mock Draft: First Edition
Here is my first edition of my 2019 MLB Mock Draft.
1. Baltimore Orioles- Adley Rutschman, Catcher, Oregon State: Rutschman is the heavy favorite to go first overall according to many people in the industry. He would immediately become the Orioles catcher of the future and he could get to the big leagues faster than a lot of folks due to his switch hitting ability and he provides a lot of power.
2. Kansas City Royals- Bobby Witt Jr., Shortstop, Colleyville Heritage HS (Texas): The Royals are a team that wants top tier talent to build around and in their system. Enter Witt, who is a five-tool prospect that hits for a ton of power and projects to be a shortstop long term would immediately become the Royals top prospect.
3. Chicago White Sox- CJ Abrams, Shortstop, Blessed Trinity HS (California): The White Sox have options with this choice. They decide to go with a middle infielder with Abrams, who is one of the best hitters and athletes in this draft. If it doesn't work out for him as a middle infielder, than he could work out in center field.
4. Miami Marlins- Andrew Vaughn, First Baseman, California: The Marlins are a team that lacks college position players in their system. Vaughn is arguably the best all-around hitter in this draft and he could go third to the White Sox. If Vaughn falls here, it's a major win for the Marlins as they finally have a possible franchise player.
5. Detroit Tigers- Riley Greene, Outfielder, Hagerty HS (Florida): Greene is the best high school hitter in this draft and the Tigers snag him here. They could go with a college hitter here, but they settle on Greene here, who is a below average defensive player that could end up a longterm DH.
6. San Diego Padres- J. J. Bleday, Outfielder, Vanderbilt: The Padres went with lefty pitchers the last few years, but this time wptheg go with a college position player. Bleday is someone that scouts thought had some power to go with his bat and he's displayed it this year in college.
7. Cincinnati Reds- Nick Lodolo, LHP, TCU: The Reds have a farm system that's loaded with hitters and high school pitchers, but it lacks collegiate arms. Lodolo is the first pitcher taken off the board as he's the best pitcher in the draft and he's someone that has three good pitches.
8. Texas Rangers- Hunter Bishop, Outfielder, Arizona State: The Rangers system lacks college hitters and they take one here in Bishop. The Orioles apparently like him too, but taking him number one overall is a bit of a stretch. Bishop is somebody who's stock has risen from the start of the season to put him in this position.
9. Atlanta Braves (compensation pick)- Shea Langeliers, Catcher, Baylor: If it weren't for Adley Rutschman, Langeliers would have been the best catcher in this draft. He doesn't have Rutschman's offensive upside, but he's one of the best defensive catchers of the last decade and is hitting better this spring despite a broken hamate that sidelined him for just three weeks.
10. San Francisco Giants- Jackson Rutledge, RHP, San Jacinto (Texas): The Giants have been taking college prospects the past few years and this time around with a new front office, they settle on a high school arm in Rutledge. He's shown high velocity and is an analytics darling and that's something the Giants would like.
11. Toronto Blue Jays- Bryson Stott, Shortstop, UNLV: The Blue Jays should go with best player available at this point and Stott would be the choice. He has a lot of upside and good bat-to-ball skills for a middle infielder. Don't rule out the possibility of them going with a pitcher, though.
12. New York Mets- Corbin Carroll, Outfielder, Lakwood HS (California): Carroll is somebody that can rake and the Mets need some more high school position players in their system. He has a nice lefty swing and can hit to all fields, but lacks physicality.
13. Minnesota Twins- Zach Thompson, LHP, Kentucky: The Twins system is one that lacks college arms and Thompson is one of the better ones in this draft. If it weren't for injury concerns, he'd go in the top ten of this draft, but he has put together a great season.
14. Philadelphia Phillies- Matthew Allan, RHP, Seminole HS (Florida): The Phillies have drafted a lot of position players in the first round the past few seasons, but this time around they take a high school arm in Allan. Scouts love his curveball and his fastball, but if he falls far, he may be heading to college rather than the pros.
15. Los Angeles Angels- Alek Manoah, RHP, West Virginia: The irony here is that Erik Manoah (the brother of Alek) is in the Angels system. Manoah is the best college righty pitcher in the draft and he's somebody that has improved his walk rate from last year to this year.
16. Arizona Diamondbacks- Quinn Priester, RHP, Cary-Grove HS (Illinois): The Diamondbacks are a team that Matthew Allan falls to them, but instead they go with another high school righty. Priester is somebody that is one of the fastest risers of the spring and has a great curveball.
17. Washington Nationals- George Kirby, RHP, Elon: The lack of college arms that are first round worthy will push guys like Kirby up the draft boards. He is someone that is a great strike thrower and he lead the country in strikeout-walk ratio to back it up.
18. Pittsburgh Pirates- Logan Davidson, SS, Clemson: The Pirates are a team that's taken chances on high school guys a ton the past few years. Here, they take the college position player in Davidson who is a switch-hitting shortstop that plays good defense and runs the bases well too.
19. St. Louis Cardinals- Kameron Misner, Outfielder, Missouri: Misner is the college prospect with the best tools package among college position players. He has a good lefty swing and significant power potential, plus he draws praise for his makeup and worth ethic, but there are lingering concerns about his ability to make consistent contact at the upper levels.
20. Seattle Mariners- Josh Jung, Third Baseman, Texas Tech: Jung is somebody that was thought out to be a top ten or even top five pick prior to this season. He's having a down season, but is still producing solid numbers and he's worth a first round choice due to his past success.
21. Atlanta Braves- Brennan Malone, RHP, IMG Academy (Florida): The Braves go with a high school arm with their second first round choice. Malone is somebody that displays four good pitches and I wouldn't rule out him going ninth to the Braves or between 10 and 15.
22. Tampa Bay Rays- Brett Baty, Third Baseman, Lake Travis HS (Texas): Baty is somebody with tremendous upside and possibly could go higher than this. Some scouts believe he's the best high school hitter and not Riley Greene as he's also shown to hit for average and power. There are teams that won't touch him in the first round because of his age while others don't think he'll last 20 picks.
23. Colorado Rockies- Michael Busch, First Baseman/Outfielder, North Carolina: Busch is someone that is very polished and mature as a hitter, but he doesn't have a clear position. He hits for a ton of power and many folks he's a first baseman long term.
24. Cleveland Indians- Braden Shewmake, SS, Texas A&M: The Indians decide to go with the college position player in Shewmake. He's a grinder whose whole is greater than the sum of the parts and has outstanding hand-eye coordination and rarely strikes out, and he'll pepper the ball to all fields.
25. Los Angeles Dodgers- Daniel Espino, RHP, Georgia Premier Academy: With the first of two first round picks, the Dodgers go with a high school righty with a ton of upside in Espino. He offers plenty of good pitches and has big velocity and spin rate.
26. Arizona Diamondbacks (compensation pick)- Jack Leiter, RHP, Delbarton HS (New Jersey): We all know Jack's father Al, who was a great major league pitcher in his prime. Jack is somebody that has a chance to go pro if he is drafted this high. Leiter's fastball isn't the best, but his curveball is among the best in the draft class, and his changeup and command are very good as well.
27. Chicago Cubs- Seth Johnson, RHP, Campbell: The Cubs are a team that has drafted some college pitching the last few years, but their developments aren't going as strong as they'd hope. Johnson doesn't have much experience, but is very polished and has swing-and-miss stuff.
28. Milwaukee Brewers- Rece Hinds, Third Baseman, IMG Academy (Florida): The Brewers have hit on a some of high school hitters the past few years (Keston Hiura being the most recent). Hinds has as much raw power as anyone in the Draft, although there are swing-and-miss concerns too.
29. Oakland Athletics- Will Wilson, Shortstop, NC State: The A's system is very pitching pull as well as international position players. Wilson is not the sexiest pick, but in a draft that lacks quality middle infielders, the A's snag one here with Wilson, who's a righty hitter that has struck out more than walked.
30. New York Yankees- Kody Hoese, Third Baseman, Tulane: The Yankees system lacks college position players, so they take one here with Hoese. He's someone that's improved his power game tremendously, which has risen his draft stock.
31. Los Angeles Dodgers (compensation pick)- Tyler Callihan, Third Baseman, Providence HS (Florida): Callihan profiles similar to Brett Bady due to his being old for the high school class. He is someone else that's worth a first round pick due to the fact he can flat out hit.
32. Houston Astros- J. J. Goss, RHP, Cypress Ranch HS (Texas): The Astros have hit jackpot on high school pitching of late (latest example Forrest Whitley). Goss is somebody that has similar raw tools to Whitley and he has a great curveball and slider and would slide right in to the Astros collection of good young pitching prospects.
33. Arizona Diamondbacks (compensation pick)- Keoni Cavaco, Third Baseman, Eastlake HS (California): The Diamondbacks go with the high school bat with their second of three compensation picks. Cavaco is somebody that could go higher than this and he is having a breakout season and scouts really like his power.
34. Arizona Diamondbacks (compensation pick)- Maurice Hampton, Outfielder, Memphis University HS (Tennessee): Hampton is somebody that's committed to playing both baseball and football at LSU, and it would take a big offer from someone to pry him away from college to play pro-ball. If he refines his tools in center field, he could be a 25-25 guy.
1. Baltimore Orioles- Adley Rutschman, Catcher, Oregon State: Rutschman is the heavy favorite to go first overall according to many people in the industry. He would immediately become the Orioles catcher of the future and he could get to the big leagues faster than a lot of folks due to his switch hitting ability and he provides a lot of power.
2. Kansas City Royals- Bobby Witt Jr., Shortstop, Colleyville Heritage HS (Texas): The Royals are a team that wants top tier talent to build around and in their system. Enter Witt, who is a five-tool prospect that hits for a ton of power and projects to be a shortstop long term would immediately become the Royals top prospect.
3. Chicago White Sox- CJ Abrams, Shortstop, Blessed Trinity HS (California): The White Sox have options with this choice. They decide to go with a middle infielder with Abrams, who is one of the best hitters and athletes in this draft. If it doesn't work out for him as a middle infielder, than he could work out in center field.
4. Miami Marlins- Andrew Vaughn, First Baseman, California: The Marlins are a team that lacks college position players in their system. Vaughn is arguably the best all-around hitter in this draft and he could go third to the White Sox. If Vaughn falls here, it's a major win for the Marlins as they finally have a possible franchise player.
5. Detroit Tigers- Riley Greene, Outfielder, Hagerty HS (Florida): Greene is the best high school hitter in this draft and the Tigers snag him here. They could go with a college hitter here, but they settle on Greene here, who is a below average defensive player that could end up a longterm DH.
6. San Diego Padres- J. J. Bleday, Outfielder, Vanderbilt: The Padres went with lefty pitchers the last few years, but this time wptheg go with a college position player. Bleday is someone that scouts thought had some power to go with his bat and he's displayed it this year in college.
7. Cincinnati Reds- Nick Lodolo, LHP, TCU: The Reds have a farm system that's loaded with hitters and high school pitchers, but it lacks collegiate arms. Lodolo is the first pitcher taken off the board as he's the best pitcher in the draft and he's someone that has three good pitches.
8. Texas Rangers- Hunter Bishop, Outfielder, Arizona State: The Rangers system lacks college hitters and they take one here in Bishop. The Orioles apparently like him too, but taking him number one overall is a bit of a stretch. Bishop is somebody who's stock has risen from the start of the season to put him in this position.
9. Atlanta Braves (compensation pick)- Shea Langeliers, Catcher, Baylor: If it weren't for Adley Rutschman, Langeliers would have been the best catcher in this draft. He doesn't have Rutschman's offensive upside, but he's one of the best defensive catchers of the last decade and is hitting better this spring despite a broken hamate that sidelined him for just three weeks.
10. San Francisco Giants- Jackson Rutledge, RHP, San Jacinto (Texas): The Giants have been taking college prospects the past few years and this time around with a new front office, they settle on a high school arm in Rutledge. He's shown high velocity and is an analytics darling and that's something the Giants would like.
11. Toronto Blue Jays- Bryson Stott, Shortstop, UNLV: The Blue Jays should go with best player available at this point and Stott would be the choice. He has a lot of upside and good bat-to-ball skills for a middle infielder. Don't rule out the possibility of them going with a pitcher, though.
12. New York Mets- Corbin Carroll, Outfielder, Lakwood HS (California): Carroll is somebody that can rake and the Mets need some more high school position players in their system. He has a nice lefty swing and can hit to all fields, but lacks physicality.
13. Minnesota Twins- Zach Thompson, LHP, Kentucky: The Twins system is one that lacks college arms and Thompson is one of the better ones in this draft. If it weren't for injury concerns, he'd go in the top ten of this draft, but he has put together a great season.
14. Philadelphia Phillies- Matthew Allan, RHP, Seminole HS (Florida): The Phillies have drafted a lot of position players in the first round the past few seasons, but this time around they take a high school arm in Allan. Scouts love his curveball and his fastball, but if he falls far, he may be heading to college rather than the pros.
15. Los Angeles Angels- Alek Manoah, RHP, West Virginia: The irony here is that Erik Manoah (the brother of Alek) is in the Angels system. Manoah is the best college righty pitcher in the draft and he's somebody that has improved his walk rate from last year to this year.
16. Arizona Diamondbacks- Quinn Priester, RHP, Cary-Grove HS (Illinois): The Diamondbacks are a team that Matthew Allan falls to them, but instead they go with another high school righty. Priester is somebody that is one of the fastest risers of the spring and has a great curveball.
17. Washington Nationals- George Kirby, RHP, Elon: The lack of college arms that are first round worthy will push guys like Kirby up the draft boards. He is someone that is a great strike thrower and he lead the country in strikeout-walk ratio to back it up.
18. Pittsburgh Pirates- Logan Davidson, SS, Clemson: The Pirates are a team that's taken chances on high school guys a ton the past few years. Here, they take the college position player in Davidson who is a switch-hitting shortstop that plays good defense and runs the bases well too.
19. St. Louis Cardinals- Kameron Misner, Outfielder, Missouri: Misner is the college prospect with the best tools package among college position players. He has a good lefty swing and significant power potential, plus he draws praise for his makeup and worth ethic, but there are lingering concerns about his ability to make consistent contact at the upper levels.
20. Seattle Mariners- Josh Jung, Third Baseman, Texas Tech: Jung is somebody that was thought out to be a top ten or even top five pick prior to this season. He's having a down season, but is still producing solid numbers and he's worth a first round choice due to his past success.
21. Atlanta Braves- Brennan Malone, RHP, IMG Academy (Florida): The Braves go with a high school arm with their second first round choice. Malone is somebody that displays four good pitches and I wouldn't rule out him going ninth to the Braves or between 10 and 15.
22. Tampa Bay Rays- Brett Baty, Third Baseman, Lake Travis HS (Texas): Baty is somebody with tremendous upside and possibly could go higher than this. Some scouts believe he's the best high school hitter and not Riley Greene as he's also shown to hit for average and power. There are teams that won't touch him in the first round because of his age while others don't think he'll last 20 picks.
23. Colorado Rockies- Michael Busch, First Baseman/Outfielder, North Carolina: Busch is someone that is very polished and mature as a hitter, but he doesn't have a clear position. He hits for a ton of power and many folks he's a first baseman long term.
24. Cleveland Indians- Braden Shewmake, SS, Texas A&M: The Indians decide to go with the college position player in Shewmake. He's a grinder whose whole is greater than the sum of the parts and has outstanding hand-eye coordination and rarely strikes out, and he'll pepper the ball to all fields.
25. Los Angeles Dodgers- Daniel Espino, RHP, Georgia Premier Academy: With the first of two first round picks, the Dodgers go with a high school righty with a ton of upside in Espino. He offers plenty of good pitches and has big velocity and spin rate.
26. Arizona Diamondbacks (compensation pick)- Jack Leiter, RHP, Delbarton HS (New Jersey): We all know Jack's father Al, who was a great major league pitcher in his prime. Jack is somebody that has a chance to go pro if he is drafted this high. Leiter's fastball isn't the best, but his curveball is among the best in the draft class, and his changeup and command are very good as well.
27. Chicago Cubs- Seth Johnson, RHP, Campbell: The Cubs are a team that has drafted some college pitching the last few years, but their developments aren't going as strong as they'd hope. Johnson doesn't have much experience, but is very polished and has swing-and-miss stuff.
28. Milwaukee Brewers- Rece Hinds, Third Baseman, IMG Academy (Florida): The Brewers have hit on a some of high school hitters the past few years (Keston Hiura being the most recent). Hinds has as much raw power as anyone in the Draft, although there are swing-and-miss concerns too.
29. Oakland Athletics- Will Wilson, Shortstop, NC State: The A's system is very pitching pull as well as international position players. Wilson is not the sexiest pick, but in a draft that lacks quality middle infielders, the A's snag one here with Wilson, who's a righty hitter that has struck out more than walked.
30. New York Yankees- Kody Hoese, Third Baseman, Tulane: The Yankees system lacks college position players, so they take one here with Hoese. He's someone that's improved his power game tremendously, which has risen his draft stock.
31. Los Angeles Dodgers (compensation pick)- Tyler Callihan, Third Baseman, Providence HS (Florida): Callihan profiles similar to Brett Bady due to his being old for the high school class. He is someone else that's worth a first round pick due to the fact he can flat out hit.
32. Houston Astros- J. J. Goss, RHP, Cypress Ranch HS (Texas): The Astros have hit jackpot on high school pitching of late (latest example Forrest Whitley). Goss is somebody that has similar raw tools to Whitley and he has a great curveball and slider and would slide right in to the Astros collection of good young pitching prospects.
33. Arizona Diamondbacks (compensation pick)- Keoni Cavaco, Third Baseman, Eastlake HS (California): The Diamondbacks go with the high school bat with their second of three compensation picks. Cavaco is somebody that could go higher than this and he is having a breakout season and scouts really like his power.
34. Arizona Diamondbacks (compensation pick)- Maurice Hampton, Outfielder, Memphis University HS (Tennessee): Hampton is somebody that's committed to playing both baseball and football at LSU, and it would take a big offer from someone to pry him away from college to play pro-ball. If he refines his tools in center field, he could be a 25-25 guy.
Saturday, April 27, 2019
2019 NBA Playoffs: Semifinal Predictions
Here are my predictions for the Semifinals of the 2019 NBA Playoffs.
Eastern Conference
(4) Boston Celtics vs (1) Milwaukee Bucks: This should be some series between two teams that met in the first round a year ago. The Celtics are coming off a four game sweep over the Indiana Pacers, who lost their best player in Victor Oladipo due to a torn achilles mid-season. The Bucks are coming off a four game sweep over the Detroit Pistons. The Celtics played very well on both ends in the first round. Their core of Kyrie Irivng, Gordon Hayward, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, and Al Horford played well as a whole. Role players such as Marcus Morris stepped up as well and they might be getting Marcus Smart back some point in this series. The Bucks were amazing on both ends as Giannis Antetokounmpo led the way and they wound up getting Nikola Mirotic back from injury to help Giannis and the rest of the core with guys like Khris Middleton, Brook Lopez, and Eric Bledsoe. Malcolm Brogdon might be back for this round for the Bucks which would make their bench deeper. I think this will be a phenomenal series that will go to distance and Giannis's breakthrough in a big stage continues to grow as I like the Bucks to advance to their first conference final since 2001.
Prediction: Bucks in seven games.
(3) Philadelphia 76ers vs (2) Toronto Raptors: I think this is going to be a fun series as well. The 76ers are coming off a five game series win over the Brooklyn Nets. The Raptors are coming off a five game series win over the Orlando Magic. The 76ers didn't have Joel Embiid healthy, but he has contributed in a major way. Ben Simmons, Jimmy Butler, JJ Reddick, and Tobias Harris have all stepped up big time too. Role players such as Bojan Marjonovich, Greg Monroe, and Jhonathan Simmons stepped up too. After losing game one, the Raptors have been awesome led by their main six of Kawahi Leonard, Kyle Lowry, Pascal Siakam, Marc Gasol, Serge Ibaka, and Danny Green. They survived the loss of OG Anouby, who we mash see back in this round. Guys like Norman Powell and Fred Van Vleet did their jobs. That said, this should be fun and competitive and I like the Raptors to go to the Conference Finals for the second time in four years.
Prediction: Raptors in six games.
Western Conference
(4) Houston Rockets vs (1) Golden State Warriors: This is going to be some rematch of last years Western Conference Finals. The Warriors coming off a six game series win over the gritty Los Angeles Clippers. The Rockets are coming off a five game series win over the Utah Jazz. The Rockets look like the hungriest team in the playoffs with James Harden, Chris Paul, Clint Capela, PJ Tucker, and Eric Gordon. Bench players such as Kenneth Faried and Gerard Green will have impacts in this series. The Warriors have been a little inconsistent these past few weeks, but Kevin Durant has been amazing meanwhile Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson are banged up and DeMarcus Cousins is out for the rest of the playoffs with a torn quad. Draymond Green has been solid and looked like him old self of late. Role players such as Andre Igoudala, Andrew Bogut, and Quinn Cook must step up for the Dubs. That said this should be a great series and I like the Warriors, sans Thompson having a bad ankle to make their fifth consecutive conference finals.
Prediction: Warriors in six games.
(3) Portland Trail Blazers vs (2) Denver Nuggets: Here we have a sneaky great series. The Trail Blazers are coming off an impressive five game series win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Nuggets are coming off a seven game series win over the San Antonio Spurs. Damien Lillard has been the best player of the playoffs so for and CJ McCollum, Al-Farouq Aminu, Maurice Harkless, and Enes Kanter have done their jobs. Their bench needs to step up like it did last round with guys like Seth Curry, Rodney Hood, Jake Layman, and Zach Collins. The Nuggets core led by Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Gary Harris have been great. Paul Milsap has been a solid vet and the move to the sixth man for Will Barton has worked so far in playoff play. Role players such as new starter Torrey Craig, Malik Beasley, Isaiah Thomas, Monte Morris, Mason Plumlee, and Juan Hernangomez must step up. That said, Lillard is unstoppable right now and I like the Trail Blazers to advance to their first conference finals in nineteen years.
Prediction: Trail Blazers in six games.
Eastern Conference
(4) Boston Celtics vs (1) Milwaukee Bucks: This should be some series between two teams that met in the first round a year ago. The Celtics are coming off a four game sweep over the Indiana Pacers, who lost their best player in Victor Oladipo due to a torn achilles mid-season. The Bucks are coming off a four game sweep over the Detroit Pistons. The Celtics played very well on both ends in the first round. Their core of Kyrie Irivng, Gordon Hayward, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, and Al Horford played well as a whole. Role players such as Marcus Morris stepped up as well and they might be getting Marcus Smart back some point in this series. The Bucks were amazing on both ends as Giannis Antetokounmpo led the way and they wound up getting Nikola Mirotic back from injury to help Giannis and the rest of the core with guys like Khris Middleton, Brook Lopez, and Eric Bledsoe. Malcolm Brogdon might be back for this round for the Bucks which would make their bench deeper. I think this will be a phenomenal series that will go to distance and Giannis's breakthrough in a big stage continues to grow as I like the Bucks to advance to their first conference final since 2001.
Prediction: Bucks in seven games.
(3) Philadelphia 76ers vs (2) Toronto Raptors: I think this is going to be a fun series as well. The 76ers are coming off a five game series win over the Brooklyn Nets. The Raptors are coming off a five game series win over the Orlando Magic. The 76ers didn't have Joel Embiid healthy, but he has contributed in a major way. Ben Simmons, Jimmy Butler, JJ Reddick, and Tobias Harris have all stepped up big time too. Role players such as Bojan Marjonovich, Greg Monroe, and Jhonathan Simmons stepped up too. After losing game one, the Raptors have been awesome led by their main six of Kawahi Leonard, Kyle Lowry, Pascal Siakam, Marc Gasol, Serge Ibaka, and Danny Green. They survived the loss of OG Anouby, who we mash see back in this round. Guys like Norman Powell and Fred Van Vleet did their jobs. That said, this should be fun and competitive and I like the Raptors to go to the Conference Finals for the second time in four years.
Prediction: Raptors in six games.
Western Conference
(4) Houston Rockets vs (1) Golden State Warriors: This is going to be some rematch of last years Western Conference Finals. The Warriors coming off a six game series win over the gritty Los Angeles Clippers. The Rockets are coming off a five game series win over the Utah Jazz. The Rockets look like the hungriest team in the playoffs with James Harden, Chris Paul, Clint Capela, PJ Tucker, and Eric Gordon. Bench players such as Kenneth Faried and Gerard Green will have impacts in this series. The Warriors have been a little inconsistent these past few weeks, but Kevin Durant has been amazing meanwhile Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson are banged up and DeMarcus Cousins is out for the rest of the playoffs with a torn quad. Draymond Green has been solid and looked like him old self of late. Role players such as Andre Igoudala, Andrew Bogut, and Quinn Cook must step up for the Dubs. That said this should be a great series and I like the Warriors, sans Thompson having a bad ankle to make their fifth consecutive conference finals.
Prediction: Warriors in six games.
(3) Portland Trail Blazers vs (2) Denver Nuggets: Here we have a sneaky great series. The Trail Blazers are coming off an impressive five game series win over the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Nuggets are coming off a seven game series win over the San Antonio Spurs. Damien Lillard has been the best player of the playoffs so for and CJ McCollum, Al-Farouq Aminu, Maurice Harkless, and Enes Kanter have done their jobs. Their bench needs to step up like it did last round with guys like Seth Curry, Rodney Hood, Jake Layman, and Zach Collins. The Nuggets core led by Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, and Gary Harris have been great. Paul Milsap has been a solid vet and the move to the sixth man for Will Barton has worked so far in playoff play. Role players such as new starter Torrey Craig, Malik Beasley, Isaiah Thomas, Monte Morris, Mason Plumlee, and Juan Hernangomez must step up. That said, Lillard is unstoppable right now and I like the Trail Blazers to advance to their first conference finals in nineteen years.
Prediction: Trail Blazers in six games.
2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs: Semifinal Predictions
Here are my predictions for the Semifinal of the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Eastern Conference
(A2) Boston Bruins vs (WC2) Columbus Blue Jackets: The Bruins are coming off a seven game series win over their division rival Maple Leafs. The Blue Jackets are coming off a stunning four game sweep over the President Trophy winning Tampa Bay Lightning. The Bruins are deep offensively led by the likes of Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron, David Pasternak, Charlie Coyle, and David Krejci. Their defense is deep too led by Torey Krug, Charlie McAvoy, Brandon Carlo, and Zdeno Chara. Tukka Rask has stepped up in goal so far in the playoffs. The Blue Jackets are really good offensively led by Artemi Panarin, Matt Duchene, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Cam Atkinson, and Josh Anderson. Their defense has been awesome led by Seth Jones, Zach Werenski, and Ryan Murray. Sergei Brovovsky finally stepped up in a playoff series and it paid off big time in the upset. Both teams have been great with their special teams play in their first round series wins. This should be a very competitive series and these two teams have good coaches in Bruce Cassidy and John Tortorella, respectively. That said, the Bruins are better and deeper and I expect them to advance to the Conference Finals for the first time in six seasons.
Prediction: Bruins in six games.
(M2) New York Islanders vs (WC1) Carolina Hurricanes: This should be a very interesting series to say the least between these two surprise teams. The Islanders are coming off an impressive four game sweep over the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Carolina Hurricanes are coming off a seven game series win over the reigning champion Washington Capitals. The Isles offense is solid led by Anders Lee, Mathew Barzal, Josh Bailey, and Brock Nelson. Their defense is pretty good with Johnny Boychuk (who isn't healthy at the moment), Nick Leddy, and Ryan Pulock. The goaltending by Robin Lehner has been nothing short of spectacular. The Hurricanes offense is very good led by Sebastian Aho, Andrei Schvetnikov, Teuvo Teräväinen, Justin Williams, and Micheal Ferland. Their defense is deep too led by Dougie Hamilton, Justin Faulk, Adam Fox, and Jaccob Slavin. Petr Mrazek has been very good in the playoffs thus far. Special teams for both teams have been solid for the most part, but I'd say the Islanders's have been better. Barry Trotz will win the Jack Adams Award, but Rod Bin'Amour has done a phenomenal job this year too. This should be a long series and with home ice advantage, (although it's Brooklyn not Uniondale) I like the Islanders to advance.
Prediction: Islanders in seven games.
Western Conference
(C3) St. Louis Blues vs (WC1) Dallas Stars: This should be a fun series between these division rivals. The Blues are coming off a six game series win over the Winnipeg Jets. The Stars are coming off a six game series win over the Nashville Predators. The Blues are deep offensively led by Vladimir Tarasenko, Ryan O'Reilly, Brayden Schenn, Alex Steen, and David Perron. Their deep defensively too with Alex Pietrangelo, Jay Boumeester, Vince Dunn, and Colton Parayko. Jordan Binnington was great in the first round and he reminds me of Matt Murray three years ago. The Stars are solid offensively led by Tyler Seguin, Jamie Benn, Alexander Radulov, and Mats Zuccarello. Their defense has been better with John Klingberg, Miro Hiskanen, and Esa Lindell. The Stars power play has been great throughout the playoffs and I think the Blues have the penalty kill to slow down that unit, but it won't be easy. Jim Montgomery has been great in year one in Dallas and Craig Berube is a Jack Adams finalist after taking over for the fired Mike Yeo with the Blues. That said, I love how the Blues have been playing them and I think they win a good series.
Prediction: Blues in six games.
(P2) San Jose Sharks vs (WC2) Colorado Avalanche: This is a sneaky good series. The Sharks are coming off a seven game series win over the Vegas Golden Knights in which they trailed 3-1 in that series. The Avalanche are coming off a surprising five game series win over the one-seeded Calgary Flames. The Sharks are deep offensively led by Tomas Hertl, Timo Meier, Logan Couture, Evander Kane, Gustav Nyquist, and Joe Pavelski (who's currently injured). Their defense is solid led by Brent Burns, Erik Karlsson, Marc-Édouard Vlasic, and Brendan Dillon. Mark Jones had a remarkable turnaround in goal from the first round series after struggling the first four games. The Avalanche are great offensively led by Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Ratenen, Gabriel Landeskog, Carl Soderberg, and JT Compher. Their defense is improved with Cale Makar joining Tyson Barrie, Samuel Girard, and Erik Johnson. The desicion to go with Philip Gaubauer instead of Semyon Varlamov in goal has paid off so far. Both teams have been awesome on the power play throughout the playoffs thus far, but who's penalty kill steps up the most? Peter DeBoar and Jared Bednar have done great jobs with their respective teams thus far. That said, I expect this to go to distance and I like the Sharks and their experience to pay off in the end.
Prediction: Sharks in seven games.
Eastern Conference
(A2) Boston Bruins vs (WC2) Columbus Blue Jackets: The Bruins are coming off a seven game series win over their division rival Maple Leafs. The Blue Jackets are coming off a stunning four game sweep over the President Trophy winning Tampa Bay Lightning. The Bruins are deep offensively led by the likes of Brad Marchand, Patrice Bergeron, David Pasternak, Charlie Coyle, and David Krejci. Their defense is deep too led by Torey Krug, Charlie McAvoy, Brandon Carlo, and Zdeno Chara. Tukka Rask has stepped up in goal so far in the playoffs. The Blue Jackets are really good offensively led by Artemi Panarin, Matt Duchene, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Cam Atkinson, and Josh Anderson. Their defense has been awesome led by Seth Jones, Zach Werenski, and Ryan Murray. Sergei Brovovsky finally stepped up in a playoff series and it paid off big time in the upset. Both teams have been great with their special teams play in their first round series wins. This should be a very competitive series and these two teams have good coaches in Bruce Cassidy and John Tortorella, respectively. That said, the Bruins are better and deeper and I expect them to advance to the Conference Finals for the first time in six seasons.
Prediction: Bruins in six games.
(M2) New York Islanders vs (WC1) Carolina Hurricanes: This should be a very interesting series to say the least between these two surprise teams. The Islanders are coming off an impressive four game sweep over the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Carolina Hurricanes are coming off a seven game series win over the reigning champion Washington Capitals. The Isles offense is solid led by Anders Lee, Mathew Barzal, Josh Bailey, and Brock Nelson. Their defense is pretty good with Johnny Boychuk (who isn't healthy at the moment), Nick Leddy, and Ryan Pulock. The goaltending by Robin Lehner has been nothing short of spectacular. The Hurricanes offense is very good led by Sebastian Aho, Andrei Schvetnikov, Teuvo Teräväinen, Justin Williams, and Micheal Ferland. Their defense is deep too led by Dougie Hamilton, Justin Faulk, Adam Fox, and Jaccob Slavin. Petr Mrazek has been very good in the playoffs thus far. Special teams for both teams have been solid for the most part, but I'd say the Islanders's have been better. Barry Trotz will win the Jack Adams Award, but Rod Bin'Amour has done a phenomenal job this year too. This should be a long series and with home ice advantage, (although it's Brooklyn not Uniondale) I like the Islanders to advance.
Prediction: Islanders in seven games.
Western Conference
(C3) St. Louis Blues vs (WC1) Dallas Stars: This should be a fun series between these division rivals. The Blues are coming off a six game series win over the Winnipeg Jets. The Stars are coming off a six game series win over the Nashville Predators. The Blues are deep offensively led by Vladimir Tarasenko, Ryan O'Reilly, Brayden Schenn, Alex Steen, and David Perron. Their deep defensively too with Alex Pietrangelo, Jay Boumeester, Vince Dunn, and Colton Parayko. Jordan Binnington was great in the first round and he reminds me of Matt Murray three years ago. The Stars are solid offensively led by Tyler Seguin, Jamie Benn, Alexander Radulov, and Mats Zuccarello. Their defense has been better with John Klingberg, Miro Hiskanen, and Esa Lindell. The Stars power play has been great throughout the playoffs and I think the Blues have the penalty kill to slow down that unit, but it won't be easy. Jim Montgomery has been great in year one in Dallas and Craig Berube is a Jack Adams finalist after taking over for the fired Mike Yeo with the Blues. That said, I love how the Blues have been playing them and I think they win a good series.
Prediction: Blues in six games.
(P2) San Jose Sharks vs (WC2) Colorado Avalanche: This is a sneaky good series. The Sharks are coming off a seven game series win over the Vegas Golden Knights in which they trailed 3-1 in that series. The Avalanche are coming off a surprising five game series win over the one-seeded Calgary Flames. The Sharks are deep offensively led by Tomas Hertl, Timo Meier, Logan Couture, Evander Kane, Gustav Nyquist, and Joe Pavelski (who's currently injured). Their defense is solid led by Brent Burns, Erik Karlsson, Marc-Édouard Vlasic, and Brendan Dillon. Mark Jones had a remarkable turnaround in goal from the first round series after struggling the first four games. The Avalanche are great offensively led by Nathan MacKinnon, Mikko Ratenen, Gabriel Landeskog, Carl Soderberg, and JT Compher. Their defense is improved with Cale Makar joining Tyson Barrie, Samuel Girard, and Erik Johnson. The desicion to go with Philip Gaubauer instead of Semyon Varlamov in goal has paid off so far. Both teams have been awesome on the power play throughout the playoffs thus far, but who's penalty kill steps up the most? Peter DeBoar and Jared Bednar have done great jobs with their respective teams thus far. That said, I expect this to go to distance and I like the Sharks and their experience to pay off in the end.
Prediction: Sharks in seven games.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)