Mock Draft Version 2.0

The season is done and we now focus on the off season.  My previous mock at the half way point of the season has now altered drastically as players pushed the final half of the season to solidify their BRHL draft position.

1.     Capitals – Auston Matthews (Previous Auston Matthews). This pick moved around. Ducks, Kings, Avs, Capitals.  First NHL Leaf in history with 40 and only going to get better

2.     Kings  - Laine (Previous Laine). Tyler has depth at center and could afford to move down for the next “Finnish Flash”

3.     Flyers – Pulujarvi (Previous Tkachuk). Edm bias coming in here as I still have Tkachuk as best player available but rumour has that Shuck has hard on for Pulu and will take

4.     Bruins – McAvoy (Previous Pulujarvi). Dan gets his Boston product. After a strong WJC that vaulted him up draft boards he goes to the Bruins

5.     Bruins – Keller (Previous Chychrun). Boston Bias? Keller was strong for BU and didn’t look out of place for Coyotes with a cup of coffee at end of year. I still have Tkachuk as best player on the board but suspect Dan might forego for the homerun and homer pick.

6.     Kings – Tkachuk – (Previous Alex Nylander). With Laine at 2 and Tkachuk at 6, the Kings are the winners of draft no matter what else Tyler gets later in the draft.

7.     Ducks – Sam Steel – (Previous Charlie McAvoy). Vaulting up draft boards, Steel lit the WHL on fire. Bit high for me, but rumours have the Ducks exceptionally high on him.

8.     Jets – Pierre Luc Dubois (Previous Tyson Jost). With several players still on the board, I can totally see 8 on the trade block and have made it publically known. A dman just as easily could go here.

9.     Maple Leafs – Alex Nylander (Previous Olli Juolevi) – Garrett will take best available forward with a solid defensive core already in place.

10. Wild – Sergachyev – (Previous Keller). BPA and is a coin flip with Sergy and Chychrun

11. Kings – Jacob Chychrun (Previous Juolevi). Jacob played the majority of games for NHL Yotes. His rates are solid and should have solid career at 2-4 dman. Questions remain on his hockey IQ and whether he can make step to top dman status. A solid draft for Tyler.

12. Sabres- Olli Juolevi (Previous PLD) – Sabres constantly takes BPA and always seems to come up with mid round steals. Juolevi went 5^th overall. Is he the drafts best dman? Mixed opinions with a mediocre season for Knights this year.

13. Flames – Tyson Jost (Previous Luke Kunin) – solid NCAA and WJC. Went pro and scored in NHL cup of coffee. Will be pro next season. Kevin always takes BPA and see him taking Jost now.

14. Canadiens Luke Kunin (Previous Logan Brown) – solid NCAA freshman was a revelation at WJC. Vaulted up draft boards and may go higher.  

15. Blue Jackets – Henri Borgstrom (Previous Dante Fabbro)- two year NCAA career sees him jump up draft.

16. Sabres – Logan Brown (Previous Julien Gauthier) – Injury plagued year and exclusion from WJC sees monster project drop. Sabres will wait.

17. Canucks – Dante Fabbro (Previous Tage Thompson) – Rob will take BPA. Gauthier and Thompson also considered here.

18. Red Wings – Tage Thompson (Previous Sam Steel) – strong NCAA year with good WJC sees move up board much like Kunin.

19. Flames – Michael Mcleod (Previous Borgstrom). Lots of jets but does he have the skill. Mediocre WJC had most teams dropping. Kevin takes BPA on board.

20. Capitals – Julien Gauthier (Previous Kuokkanen). The monster winger had a mediocre season with trade midseason. Can he regain the sniper form he had in draft year? NHL ready size. Is speed and IQ also ready?

21. Blue Jackets Taylor Raddysh (Previous Jake Bean) Vaulting up draft boards after solid year, WJC and now Mem Cup.

22. Sharks Jake Bean (Previous M. Mcleod) – BPA sharks take a solid dman to build on

23. Flames German Rubtsov (Previous Kieffer Bellows). An enigma. Injuries this year and left off WJC. Is this the steal of the draft?

24. Pens  Brett Howden (Previous Korskkov) – solid all around forward with solid year will be a first round pick

25. Isles Alex Debrincat (Previous Grundstrom). No one can deny his offensive talent. But is he Jonny Gaudreau or Sheldon Keefe?

26. Flames Dennis Cholowski (Previous Rubtsov). Solid but not spectacular NCAA year. Has turned pro and expected to develop in AHL for a few season

27. Canadiens Trent Frederic (Previous Stanley). Solid freshman NCAA year has done nothing to deserve a drop from first round.

28. Flames  Max Jones (Previous Jones). No one questions this guys heart and motor. But is he a top 6 forward or a bottom six. I think the latter and you don’t draft them in the first round. Time will tell.

29. Predators Riley Tufte (Previous Howden). Massive forward from high school ranks and USHL. Concerns about his development persist.

30. Sharks  Jordan Kyrou (Previous Asplund). Rocketed up draft boards this year after marked increase in offensive production

Where you got everyone?