2024 NBA Mock Draft: Third Edition

Here is the third edition of my 2024 NBA Mock Draft.

1. Atlanta Hawks- Zachaire Risacher, Forward, France: Many people expect the Hawks to take Alex Sarr here, but I can see Risacher being the choice. Risacher is a versatile player and can be a sharp shooter as a stretch four. He may not be that savior that teams usually get at the first overall pick, but it's worth the risk for the Hawks in a weaker draft.

2. Washington Wizards- Alex Sarr, Center, France: The Wizards take the player many feel is the best in this class in Sarr. He is an elite rim protector and excels in pick-and-roll situations. Sarr and last years lottery pick Bilal Coulibaly make a nice foundation for a Wizards team that is in dire need of young talent.

3. Houston Rockets (from Brooklyn Nets)- Reed Sheppard, Guard, Kentucky: Courtesy of the James Harden trade, the Rockets end up with a top three pick. Sheppard's a perfect player for today's NBA with his shot creativity, athleticism, and passing. Sheppard has the upside to be another blue chipper from this draft.

4. San Antonio Spurs- Stephon Castle, Guard, Connecticut: The Spurs need the most help at the either guard position and Castle here makes sense. Castle's stock rose due to a great NCAA Tournament run caped off with another championship. Castle's size and two-way play can make him a star in a draft that isn't perceived to have stars.

5. Detroit Pistons- Matas Buzelis, Forward, Ignite:  The Pistons need more young building blocks to go around Cade Cunningham and Buzelis would be an interesting fit. He is somebody that can help space the floor and score and that is something that the Pistons can use.

6. Charlotte Hornets- Dalton Knecht, Guard, Tennessee: Knecht became in play to be a lottery pick after the fantastic season he had with the Vols. I actually like the fit here with LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller for Knecht with his scoring ability.

7. Portland Trail Blazers- Donovan Clingan, Center, Connecticut: Clingan also benefited from being on the back-to-back National Champions and could go even higher than this. I like the fit on this Blazers team to go with Anfernee Simons and Scoot Henderson and Clingan plays super hard and has a solid all-around game.

8. San Antonio Spurs (from Toronto Raptors)- Tidjane Salaun, Guard/Forward, France: Courtesy of the Jakob Poeltl trade from a while back, the Spurs end up with a second lottery pick. Salaun has potential and upside to be a solid all around player as he showed in the LNB Pro A league playoffs.

9. Memphis Grizzlies- Ron Holland, Forward, Ignite: The Grizzlies here go with one of the drafts more interesting prospects in Holland. He brings defense, energy, and versatility to the table as well as high upside, despite not having a great season in the G-league.

10. Utah Jazz- Cody Williams, Guard/Forward, Colorado: This would be a nice pick for the Jazz from a fit standpoint to put with Lauri Markkanen and Walker Kessler. Williams has great all around play with his three-point shooting, defense, and and playmaking upside.

11. Chicago Bulls- Devin Carter, Guard, Providence: Apparently, Carter got a promise from a lottery team that they'd pick him, and the Bulls do make sense. Carter can hit it from three well and is an excellent defender.

12. Oklahoma City Thunder (from Houston Rockets)- Ja'Kobe Walker, Guard, Baylor:  The Thunder end up with a lottery pick courtesy of the Russell Westbrook/Chris Paul trade all those years back. Walker isn't the best athlete, but he has a solid skill set and good length.

13. Sacramento Kings- Rob Dillingham, Guard, Kentucky: Dillingham to the Kings would be interesting considering it would tell us how they feel about Davion Mitchell and/or replacing Malik Monk, who's a free agent. Dillingham has a great scoring touch and a good shot creator.

14. Portland Trail Blazers (from Golden State Warriors via Memphis Grizzlies/Boston Celtics)- KyShawn George, Forward, Miami: The Blazers end up with a second lottery pick because the Warriors attached this pick in the Andre Igoudala trade back in 2019 to Memphis. George excels at spacing the floor and knockdown shooting.

15. Miami Heat- Nikola Topic, Guard, Serbia: If Topic didn't tear his ACL, he would be talked about as a possible top five pick. This would be a fun, but risky pick for the Heat as Topic has great all around play with his passing and playmaking and has great size for a guard as well.

16. Philadelphia 76ers- Kyle Filipowski, Center, Duke: I'm not sure if I like this pick for Philly considering he would be playing behind Joel Embiid and not have the minutes. Filipowski has the mobility and shooting to succeed.

17. Los Angeles Lakers- Tristian da Silva, Forward, Colorado: This would be an interesting pick for the Lakers as they get some front court depth. Teams all seem to like his positional size, shooting versatility and all-around polish, on and off the floor.

18. Orlando Magic- Jared McCain, Guard, Duke: This would be a decent pick for the Magic, who can use some guard depth off the bench. McCain has a good IQ and shot really well in the combine.

19. Toronto Raptors (from Indiana Pacers)- Kel'el Ware, Center, Indiana: The Raptors get this pick in the Pascal Siakam trade and the Raptors go with a position of need pick with Ware. He is a great athlete and has massive frame and he'd also help space the floor and protect the rim.

20. Cleveland Cavaliers- Isaiah Collier, Guard, USC: Collier was thought out to be a top five pick from a talent standpoint, but injuries and inconsistencies have hurt his stock. His game could translate to the league and Collier would be an interesting bench piece for this team.

21. New Orleans Pelicans (from Milwaukee Bucks)- Yves Missi, Center, Baylor: The Pelicans get this pick swap courtesy of the Jrue Holliday trade a while back. Missi is somebody that provides good rim protection and defensive upside.

22. Phoenix Suns- Tyler Kolek, Guard, Marquette: This would be a decent pick for the Suns, who need some bench pieces that can help right away. Kolek is a wizard with the ball and he is a good decision maker as well.

23. Milwaukee Bucks (from New Orleans Pelicans)- DaRon Holmes II, Forward, Dayton: There are talks about Holmes getting a late first round promise from someone and the Bucks make some sense. Holmes can stretch the floor and shoot it from three and that's what the Bucks can use off the bench.

24. New York Knicks (from Dallas Mavericks)- Ryan Dunn, Forward, Virgia: This would be a solid pick for the Knicks as they can use some depth at power forward. Dunn is someone that is a good defender that Tom Thibodeau would love.

25. New York Knicks- Zach Edey, Center, Purdue: There is a would where Edey is picked higher than this, heck even the lottery considering he was the back to back National Player of the Year. I like this fit with the Knicks as he can replace Isaiah Hartenstein or Mitchell Robinson if one of them is not on the team next season.

26. Washington Wizards- Jaylon Tyson, Guard, Cal: With their second first rounder, the Wizards go with an interesting prospect in Tyson. He has shown a good scoring touch, despite his height.

27. Minnesota Timberwovles- Johnny Furphy, Guard, Kansas: The T-Wolves are a candidate to trade their pick for veteran help and if they were to keep the pick, Furphy would be an interesting pick. Furphy is good in transition and has a solid three-point shot.

28. Denver Nuggets- Tyler Smith, Forward, Ignite: This would be an interesting pick for the Nuggets, who can use some forward depth. Smith has good length and a decent jump shot.

29. Utah Jazz (from Oklahoma City Thunder)- Pacome Dadiet, Forward, Germany: This would be an interesting possible draft and stash possibility for the Jazz or whomever selects Dadiet. He is one of the youngest players in the draft and has good all-around skills.

30. Boston Celtics- Cam Christie, Guard, Minnesota: The Celtics after winning the NBA title feel likely to trade the pick, but you never know. Christie is a late riser and could sneak into the back half of the first round with how well he’s been performing in team workouts.

2024 NHL Mock Draft: Second Edition

Here is the second edition of my 2024 NHL Mock Draft.

1. San Jose Sharks- Macklin Celebrini, Center, Boston University (NCAA): This is a slam dunk pick for the Sharks, who need a young star to build around for the foreseeable future. Celebrini has the experience of excelling against strong competition so he should fit right in.

2. Chicago Blackhawks- Artyom Levshunov, Defenseman, Michigan State (NCAA): The Blackhawks have plenty of choices of fine defenseman here and they chose Levshunov. He has the NHL size already and he has a great two-way game too.

3. Anaheim Ducks- Anton Silayev, Defenseman, Torpedo (Rus.): The Ducks are still looking for longterm keepers, especially on defense and Silayev is a good start. He has great defensive upside due to his skating and range.

4. Columbus Blue Jackets- Cayden Lindstrom, Center, Medicine Hat (WHL): The Jackets at four go take the center in Lindstrom to go with the rest of their young forward group. Lindstrom is a physical presence who can produce, despite injury questions.

5. Montreal Canadiens- Ivan Demidov, Wing, SKA-St. Petersburg (Rus.): The Canadiens still are lacking many different things as they are still in their rebuild. Demidov is a super explosive player that has the skills to be around for a long time.

6. Utah ?- Zeev Buium, Defenseman, Denver (NCAA): The newest team in town that needs a completely fresh start gets a player that is a pretty safe bet in Buium. He has all the makings of a franchise D-man with his ability to put up points, defend his own end, and log up minutes.

7. Ottawa Senators- Zayne Parekh, Defenseman, Saginaw (OHL):Parekh ís a prototypical offensive defenseman and the Sens can use that type of player in its rebuild. As his defensive play improves, so would his value.

8. Seattle Kraken- Carter Yakemchuk, Defenseman, Calgary (WHL): There are many directions the Kraken can go, and defense makes sense. Yakemchuk is super involved for a d-man with his play in transition and creating chances for teammates.

9. Calgary Flames- Tij Iginla, Center, Kelowna (WHL): Of course the first mock has legendary Flame Jarome's son going to Calgary. Iginla improved big time this past season with his great shot and willingness to go to tough areas with the puck.

10. New Jersey Devils- Konsta Helenius, Center, HIFK (Fin.): The Devils need forward prospects badly and here I have them taking Helenius. He's a very well rounded player with his ability to be ahead in the game and excels defensively.

11. Buffalo Sabres- Sam Dickinson, Defenseman, London (OHL): The Sabres can use some defenseman behind Rasmus Dahlin and Owen Power and here I have them taking Dickinson. Some scouts say he's like an NHL veteran with his defensive play and physicality and his offensive game broke out this past season too.

12. Philadelphia Flyers- Berkly Catton, Center, Spokane (WHL): The Flyers cam pretty close to making the playoffs this past season, but they still need youth. Catton excels in all facets of the game, with no glaring weaknesses whatsoever besides his lack of size.

13. Minnesota Wild- Adam Jiricek, Defenseman, Plzen (Cze.): The Wild are getting older defensively, so it makes to go defense here. Jiricek isn't flashy, but his skillset can make him slide into a teams top 4.

14. San Jose Sharks (from Pittsburgh Penguins)- Cole Eiserman, Wing, U.S. NTDP (USHL): The Sharks get another forward with their second first rounder in Eiserman. His scoring ability is top notch, but his defensive play would keep him out of the top ten.

15. Detroit Red Wings- Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, Wing, Mora (Swe.): The Red Wings cam oh so close to breaking their playoff drought and they add to their young collection of talent here with Brandsegg-Nygard. He is a super physical player that excels in the offensive zone too.

16. St. Louis Blues- Beckett Sennecke, Wing, Oshawa (OHL): The Blues can go anywhere here, but some may argue Sennecke here would be solid. Sennecke is a powerful player that overwhelms opponents with driving to the net.

17. Washington Capitals- Michael Hage, Center, Chicago (USHL): The Capitals go with the young American center here with Hage. He excels in the rush and with give-and-go playmaking.

18. Chicago Blackhawks (from New York Islanders)- Liam Greentree, Wing, Windsor (OHL): The Blackhawks with their second first rounder go with the forward in Greentree. He’s constantly scanning, registering his options and the obstacles that would keep him from getting them the puck.

19. Vegas Golden Knights- Trevor Connelly, Wing, Tri-City (USHL): The Knights can go anywhere here, but some may argue Connelly here is somewhat of a reach. Connelly excels with the puck in space and makes good moves when defenders are around.

20. New York Islanders (from Tampa Bay Lightning via Chicago Blackhawks)- Jett Luchanko, Center, Guelph (OHL): The Islanders need more offensive punch in their farm system so Luckanko makes sense. He is a very fast player and applies pressure on opponents.

21. Los Angeles Kings- Sacha Boisvert, Center, Muskegon (USHL): The Kings can go anywhere with their pick and going with Boisvert here makes sense. He is an elite goal scorer and also is a great passer.

22. Nashville Predators- Cole Beaudoin, Center, Barrie (OHL): The Preds here go with the center in Beaudoin. He eats up the boards, grinds them, spins off opponents, drags the puck out of traffic, and gets it to the middle of the ice.

23. Toronto Maple Leafs- Igor Chernyshov, Wing, Dynamo Moscow (Rus.): The Leafs need more forwards in their system and Chernyshov makes sense here. He is great at beating defenders and building up speed below the puck.

24. Colorado Avalanche- Nikita Artamonov, Wing, Torpedo (Rus.): The Avalanche need more offensive weapons with high upside in their system. Artamonov is a high motor, intelligent winger who can beat you with pace or skill.

25. Ottawa Senators (from Boston Bruins)- Terik Parascak, Wing, Prince George (WHL): With their second first rounder, the Sense go offense. Parascak’s a high-end quick-possession player, capable of both setting up plays and finishing them.

26. Montreal Canadiens (from Winnipeg Jets)- Yegor Surin, Center, Loko (Rus.): With their second first, the Habs go with another forward in Surin. He flies around the ice as he does so much at his maximum velocity.

27. Carolina Hurricanes- Leo Sahlin Wallenius, Defenseman, Vaxjo Jr. (SWE-JR): The Hurricanes should go in best available player mode here and Sahlin Wallenius I feel is a reach. He is a good skater with good vision and puck moving skills.

28. Calgary Flames (from Vancouver Canucks)- Charlie Elick, Defenseman, Brandon (WHL): The Flames go defense with their second first rounder and Elick is a solid choice. He is a physical and proactive player and is a great skater too.

29. Dallas Stars- Sam O'Reilly, Center, London (OHL): The Stars should go with best available here and they take a good one in O'Reilly. He is a relentless shutdown defensive centre with physicality, details, and a clever quick-touch passing game.

30. New York Rangers- Dean Letourneau, Center, St. Andrew’s College (HIGH-ON): This would be an interesting pick for the Rangers as they go with an interesting prospect in Letourneau. He is a super physical player with decent skills.

31. Anaheim Ducks (from Edmonton Oilers)- Ryder Ritchie, Wing, Prince Albert (WHL): With their second first rounder, the Ducks go offense here with Ritchie. He is both a scoring and playmaking threat that is great with crossovers.

32. Philadelphia Flyers (from Florida Panthers)- EJ Emery, Defenseman, NTDP (USHL): The Flyers go defense with their second first rounder and Emery may be a reach here. Emery absorbs and erases opposing rushes with smooth backward strides and a stable, perfect posture.

2024 NBA Mock Draft: Second Edition

Here is the second edition of my 2024 NBA Mock Draft.

1. Atlanta Hawks- Atlanta Hawks- Zachaire Risacher, Forward, France: Many people expect the Hawks to take Alex Sarr here, but I can see Risacher being the choice. Risacher is a versatile player and can be a sharp shooter as a stretch four. He may not be that savior that teams usually get at the first overall pick, but it's worth the risk for the Hawks in a weaker draft.

2. Washington Wizards- Alex Sarr, Center, France: The Wizards take the player many feel is the best in this class in Sarr. He is an elite rim protector and excels in pick-and-roll situations. Sarr and last years lottery pick Bilal Coulibaly make a nice foundation for a Wizards team that is in dire need of young talent.

3. Houston Rockets (from Brooklyn Nets)- Reed Sheppard, Guard, Kentucky: Courtesy of the James Harden trade, the Rockets end up with a top three pick. Sheppard's a perfect player for today's NBA with his shot creativity, athleticism, and passing. Sheppard has the upside to be another blue chipper from this draft.

4. San Antonio Spurs- Stephon Castle, Guard, Connecticut: The Spurs need the most help at the either guard position and Castle here makes sense. Castle's stock rose due to a great NCAA Tournament run caped off with another championship. Castle's size and two-way play can make him a star in a draft that isn't perceived to have stars.

5. Detroit Pistons- Cody Williams, Guard/Forward, Colorado: The Pistons need more young building blocks to go around Cade Cunningham and Williams here makes sense. Williams has great all around play with his three-point shooting, defense, and and playmaking upside.

6. Charlotte Hornets- Matas Buzelis, Forward, Ignite: The Hornets need more help around Brandon Miller and LaMelo Ball and Buzelis would be an interesting fit. Buzelis is somebody that can help space the floor and score and that is something that the Hornets can use.

7. Portland Trail Blazers- Donovan Clingan, Center, Connecticut: Clingan also benefited from being on the back-to-back National Champions and could go even higher than this. I like the fit on this Blazers team to go with Anfernee Simons and Scoot Henderson and Clingan plays super hard and has a solid all-around game.

8. San Antonio Spurs (from Toronto Raptors)- Rob Dillingham, Guard, Kentucky: Courtesy of the Jakob Poeltl trade from a while back, the Spurs end up with a second lottery pick. Dillingham would benefit from playing in the Spurs system with his scrappiness and efficiency.

9. Memphis Grizzlies- Dalton Knecht, Guard, Tennessee: Knecht became in play to be a lottery pick after the fantastic season he had with the Vols. Knecht could start alongside Ja Morant or even come off the bench and provide a scoring punch and could be slotted on or off the ball.

10. Utah Jazz- Isaiah Collier, Guard, USC: Collier was thought out to be a top five pick from a talent standpoint, but injuries and inconsistencies have hurt his stock. His game could translate to the league and Collier along with Lauri Markkanen and Walker Kessler would be interesting.

11. Chicago Bulls- Ron Holland, Forward, Ignite: The Bulls are one of the more interesting teams when it comes to the draft, considering they feel like a franchise at a crossroads. Holland brings defense, energy, and versatility to the table as well as high upside, despite not having a great season in the G-league.

12. Oklahoma City Thunder (from Houston Rockets)- Tidjane Salaun, Guard/Forward, France: The Thunder end up with a lottery pick courtesy of the Russell Westbrook/Chris Paul trade all those years back. Salaun has potential and upside to be a solid all around player as he showed in the LNB Pro A league playoffs.

13. Sacramento Kings- Nikola Topic, Guard, Serbia: If Topic didn't tear his ACL, he would be talked about as a possible top five pick. This would be a fun, but risky pick for the Kings as Topic has great all around play with his passing and playmaking and has great size for a guard as well.

14. Portland Trail Blazers (from Golden State Warriors)-  Devin Carter, Guard, Providence: Apparently, Carter got a promise from a lottery team that they'd pick him, but maybe it's the Blazers and they want to move Anfernee Simons. The Blazers need shooting in the worst way and Carter can hit it from three well and is an excellent defender.

15. Miami Heat- Jared McCain, Guard, Duke: I feel that there is a good chance this pick is traded for veteran help, but if it's not, McCain isn't a bad choice here. He has a good IQ and shot really well in the combine.

16. Philadelphia 76ers- Ja'Kobe Walker, Guard, Baylor: Walker makes sense here for Philly if they were to keep the pick since they can use some young shooting off the bench. Walker isn't the best athlete, but he has a solid skill set and good length.

17. Los Angeles Lakers- Zach Edey, Center, Purdue: There is a would where Edey is picked higher than this, heck even the lottery considering he was the back to back National Player of the Year. I like this fit with the Lakers as he can help ease minutes for LeBron and Anthony Davis with his interior play.

18. Orlando Magic- Tyler Kolek, Guard, Marquette: This would be a decent pick for the Magic, who can use some guard depth. Kolek is a wizard with the ball and he is a good decision maker as well.

19. Toronto Raptors (from Indiana Pacers)- Kel'el Ware, Center, Indiana: The Raptors get this pick in the Pascal Siakam trade and the Raptors go with a position of need pick with Ware. He is a great athlete and has massive frame and he'd also help space the floor and protect the rim.

20. Cleveland Cavaliers- Johnny Furphy, Guard, Kansas: The Cavaliers are a strong candidate to trade their pick for veteran help and if they were to keep the pick, Furphy would be an interesting long term play. Furphy is good in transition and has a solid three-point shot.

21. New Orleans Pelicans (from Milwaukee Bucks)- Yves Missi, Center, Baylor: The Pelicans get this pick swap courtesy of the Jrue Holliday trade a while back. Missi is somebody that provides good rim potection and defensive upside.

22. Phoenix Suns- DaRon Holmes II, Forward, Dayton: There are talks about Holmes getting a late first round promise from someone and the Suns make some sense. Holmes can stretch the floor and shoot it from three and that's what the Suns can use off the bench.

23. Milwaukee Bucks (from New Orleans Pelicans)- KyShawn George, Forward, Miami: This would be an interesting pick for the Bucks as they add some much needed youth. George excels at spacing the floor and knockdown shooting.

24. New York Knicks (from Dallas Mavericks)- Ryan Dunn, Forward, Virgia: This would be a solid pick for the Knicks as they can use some depth at power forward. Dunn is someone that is a good defender that Tom Thibodeau would love.

25. New York Knicks- Tyler Smith, Forward, Ignite: Barring a trade, with their second pick in a row, the Knicks get more forward depth with Smith. He has good length and a decent jump shot.

26. Washington Wizards- Jaylon Tyson, Guard, Cal: With their second first rounder, the Wizards go with an interesting prospect in Tyson. He has shown a good scoring touch, despite his height.

27. Minnesota Timberwolves- Justin Edwards, Forward, Kentucky: The Timberwolves can use some forward depth so Edwards here makes sense. Despite inconsistencies at Kentucky, Edwards showed flashes at the combine that can make him a later first round pick.

28. Denver Nuggets- Kyle Filipowski, Center, Duke: I'm not sure if I like this pick for Denver considering he would be playing behind Nikola Jokic and not have the minutes. Filipowski has the mobility and shooting to succeed.

29. Utah Jazz (from Oklahoma City Thunder)- Pacome Dadiet, Forward, Germany: This would be an interesting possible draft and stash possibility for the Jazz or whomever selects Dadiet. He is one of the youngest players in the draft and has good all-around skills.

30. Boston Celtics- Baylor Scheierman, Guard, Creighton: Depending on how the draft board falls, I can totally see the Celtics trading out of this pick. Scheierman has shown play making and three-point shooting ability to be a player in the league.

2024 NHL Mock Draft: First Edition

Here is the first edition of my 2024 NHL Mock Draft.

1. San Jose Sharks- Macklin Celebrini, Center, Boston University (NCAA): This is a slam dunk pick for the Sharks, who need a young star to build around for the foreseeable future. Celebrini has the experience of excelling against strong competition so he should fit right in.

2. Chicago Blackhawks- Artyom Levshunov, Defenseman, Michigan State (NCAA): The Blackhawks have plenty of choices of fine defenseman here and they chose Levshunov. He has the NHL size already and he has a great two-way game too.

3. Anaheim Ducks- Anton Silayev, Defenseman, Torpedo (Rus.): The Ducks are still looking for longterm keepers, especially on defense and Silayev is a good start. He has great defensive upside due to his skating and range.

4. Columbus Blue Jackets- Ivan Demidov, Wing, SKA-St. Petersburg (Rus.): The Jackets snag arguably the second best playler in this draft here with Demidov. He is a super explosive player that has the skills to be around for a long time.

5. Montreal Canadiens- Cayden Lindstrom, Center, Medicine Hat (WHL): The Canadiens still are lacking many different things as they are still in their rebuild. Lindstrom is a physical presence who can produce, despite injury questions.

6. Utah ?- Zeev Buium, Defenseman, Denver (NCAA): The newest team in town that needs a completely fresh start gets a player that is a pretty safe bet in Buium. He has all the makings of a franchise D-man with his ability to put up points, defend his own end, and log up minutes.

7. Ottawa Senators- Zayne Parekh, Defenseman, Saginaw (OHL):Parekh ís a prototypical offensive defenseman and the Sens can use that type of player in its rebuild. As his defensive play improves, so would his value.

8. Seattle Kraken- Sam Dickinson, Defenseman, London (OHL): Defenseman will dominate this top ten and the Kraken get a solid one in Dickinson. Some scouts say he's like an NHL veteran with his defensive play and physicality and his offensive game broke out this past season too.

9. Calgary Flames- Tij Iginla, Center, Kelowna (WHL): Of course the first mock has legendary Flame Jarome's son going to Calgary. Iginla improved big time this past season with his great shot and willingness to go to tough areas with the puck.

10. New Jersey Devils- Berkly Catton, Center, Spokane (WHL): The Devils can use some more offensive fire power so Catton makes sense. Catton excels in all facets of the game, with no glaring weaknesses whatsoever besides his lack of size.

11. Buffalo Sabres- Konsta Helenius, Center, HIFK (Fin.): Now we are on a center's run as the Sabres take Helenius. He's a very well rounded player with his ability to be ahead in the game and excels defensively.

12. Philadelphia Flyers- Beckett Sennecke, Wing, Oshawa (OHL): The Flyers cam pretty close to making the playoffs this past season, but they still need youth. Sennecke is a powerful player that overwhelms opponents with driving to the net.

13. Minnesota Wild- Carter Yakemchuk, Defenseman, Calgary (WHL): The Wild are getting older defensively, so it makes to go defense here. Yakemchuk is super involved for a d-man with his play in transition and creating chances for teammates.

14. San Jose Sharks (from Pittsburgh Penguins)- Cole Eiserman, Wing, U.S. NTDP (USHL): The Sharks get another forward with their second first rounder in Eiserman. His scoring ability is top notch, but his defensive play would keep him out of the top ten.

15. Detroit Red Wings- Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, Wing, Mora (Swe.): The Red Wings cam oh so close to breaking their playoff drought and they add to their young collection of talent here with Brandsegg-Nygard. He is a super physical player that excels in the offensive zone too.

16. St. Louis Blues- Trevor Connelly, Wing, Tri-City (USHL): The Blues can go anywhere here, but some may argue Connelly here is a reach. Connelly excels with the puck in space and makes good moves when defenders are around.

17. Washington Capitals- Adam Jiricek, Defenseman, Plzen (Cze.): The Capitals still need top notch talent that can help them right away on the NHL level and Jiricek is a good choice. He isn't flashy, but his skillset can make him slide into a teams top 4.

18. Chicago Blackhawks (from New York Islanders)- Michael Hage, Center, Chicago (USHL): The Blackhawks with their second first rounder go with the hometown kid in Hage. He excels in the rush and with give-and-go playmaking.

19. Vegas Golden Knights- Liam Greentree, Wing, Windsor (OHL): The Golden Knights need more youth in their system and Greentree here would be solid. He’s constantly scanning, registering his options and the obstacles that would keep him from getting them the puck.

20. New York Islanders- Igor Chernyshov, Wing, Dynamo Moscow (Rus.): The Islanders need more forwards in their system and Chernyshov makes sense here. He is great at beating defenders and building up speed below the puck.

21. Los Angeles Kings- Sacha Boisvert, Center, Muskegon (USHL): The Kings can go anywhere with their pick and going with Boisvert here makes sense. He is an elite goal scorer and also is a great passer.

22. Nashville Predators- Cole Beaudoin, Center, Barrie (OHL): The Preds here go with the center in Beaudoin. He eats up the boards, grinds them, spins off opponents, drags the puck out of traffic, and gets it to the middle of the ice.

23. Toronto Maple Leafs- Jett Luchanko, Center, Guelph (OHL): The Leafs need more offensive punch in their farm system so Luckanko makes sense. He is a very fast player and applies pressure on opponents.

24. Colorado Avalanche- Nikita Artamonov, Wing, Torpedo (Rus.): The Avalanche need more offensive weapons with high upside in their system. Artamonov is a high motor, intelligent winger who can beat you with pace or skill.

25. Ottawa Senators (from Boston Bruins)- Terik Parascak, Wing, Prince George (WHL): With their second first rounder, the Sense go offense. Parascak’s a high-end quick-possession player, capable of both setting up plays and finishing them.

26. Montreal Canadiens (from Winnipeg Jets)-  Cole Hutson, Defenseman, U.S. NTDP (USHL2): With their second first, the Habs go defense with a player at this point would be a reach. Hutson has a good one-on-one play and gets past the first layer of defence.

27. Carolina Hurricanes- Yegor Surin, Center, Loko (Rus.): The Canes have to go best player available route considering how many pending free agents they have. Surin flies around the ice as he does so much at his maximum velocity.

28. Calgary Flames (from Vancouver Canucks)- EJ Emery, Defenseman, NTDP (USHL): The Flames go defense with their second first rounder and Emery may be a reach here. Emery absorbs and erases opposing rushes with smooth backward strides and a stable, perfect posture.

29. Dallas Stars- Emil Hemming, Wing, TPS (Fin.): The Stars should go with best available here and they take a good one in Hemming. He is an explosive scorer as his shot types vary and can score from a distance.

30. New York Rangers- Charlie Elick, Defenseman, Brandon (WHL): The Rangers should go defense with their pick and they do here with Elick. He is a physical and proactive player and is a great skater too.

31. Anaheim Ducks (from Edmonton Oilers)- Sam O'Reilly, Center, London (OHL): With their second first rounder, the Ducks go with the forward in O'Reilly, who may be a reach here. O'Reilly is a relentless shutdown defensive centre with physicality, details, and a clever quick-touch passing game.

32. Philadelphia Flyers (from Florida Panthers)- Ryder Ritchie, Wing, Prince Albert (WHL): With their second first rounder, the Flyers go offense here with Ritchie. He is both a scoring and playmaking threat that is great with crossovers.