2010 NHL (Mock) Entry Draft
Here is my mock draft for this season. Normally you see these things pop up all over the place around the time the playoffs begin, but I like to wait until the draft order is actually finalized before I begin speculating.
Bare in mind that I’m not a professional by any means, this is just my take on what these teams need and the players I think will fit into those organizations. Players I’ve had very little time to actually watch play, mind you. So you’ll have to take this with a grain of salt, but nevertheless, here it is…
1. Edmonton Oilers -- Tyler Seguin, C, Plymouth Whalers (OHL)
This one will surprise a few people, I’m sure, but the fact of the matter is that Seguin is the kind of player the Oilers need to build around. They already have Jordan Eberle and Magnus Paajarvi-Svensson coming in (both wingers with large offensive upside) and lack real depth at center. Drafting a player like Seguin gives the Svenssons and the Eberles someone to feed them the puck for the future, whereas if they were to draft Taylor Hall, they’d be stuck with (at least) 3 stellar wingers and no one to dish the rock. Also bare in mind that Seguin can put up a ton of points in his own right, where he had little support in Plymouth (Hall was surrounded by an all-star team in Windsor).
2. Boston Bruins (from Toronto) -- Taylor Hall, LW, Windsor Spitfires (OHL)
The Bruins have a wealth of depth at center. Marc Savard (now healthy), David Krejci, Patrice Bergeron are on their current roster, while Joe Colborne, Zach Hamill and Jordan Caron top their prospect list at pivot within the organization. What the Bruins really need is a winger that can score goals -- and they need one a lot. Since they dealt Phil Kessel to the Maple Leafs before the opening of the 2009-10 season, they haven’t had anybody to really take advantage of Marc Savard’s playmaking prowess. Taylor Hall is the perfect fit for the Bruins, and a line of Hall - Savard - Lucic is downright frightening to think about.
3. Florida Panthers -- Erik Gudbranson, D, Kingston Frontenacs (OHL)
Since the Panthers lost Jay Bouwmeester last summer, they’ve struggled finding a defender to step up and fill in those huge minutes. Keith Ballard and Bryan McCabe are good defensemen in their own right, but the fact of the matter is that they’re not going to shut down an Alex Ovechkin or Sidney Crosby AND have the offensive prowess of somebody like Bouwmeester. Enter Erik Gudbranson, arguably the best defensive prospect in this year’s draft. No, he’s not going to step into the Panthers lineup and start shutting down the opposition immediately (they can’t all be like Drew Doughty), but he’s got the makings of a 25-30 minute per game defensive stalwart written all over him, and has some offensive upside to boot!
4. Columbus Blue Jackets -- Cam Fowler, D, Windsor Spitfires (OHL)
He’s everything the Blue Jackets want (and need) right now. A smooth skating, agile defenseman with serious offensive upside. If he’s still available at #4, Jackets GM Scott Howson will be sprinting to the podium to call Fowler’s name.
5. New York Islanders -- Brandon Gormley, D, Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL)
Just what the Islanders need - a well rounded, steady blue liner that can grow and mature with their core of young players.
6. Tampa Bay Lightning -- Nino Niederreiter, LW, Portland Winterhawks (WHL)
Just the kind of winger Steven Stamkos could use on his left side. Big, strong, speedy and has a nose for the net. A perfect fit in Tampa.
7. Carolina Hurricanes -- Mark Pysyk, D, Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL)
The Hurricanes are unhappy with their current set of D-men, and Mark Pysyk is exactly the offensive defender they’re looking for. Don’t let his numbers fool you (played on a bad junior team), he’s got the offensive upside to his game that the Hurricanes are looking for.
8. Atlanta Thrashers -- Jack Campbell, G, US U-18 (NTDP)
Big, athletic goaltender with a championship pedigree. Johan Hedberg can’t alternate with Ondrej Pavelec forever. They’re going to need him sooner than they realize.
9. Minnesota Wild -- Ryan Johansson, C, Portland Winterhawks (WHL)
Big body and a great skater with lots of offensive upside. A perfect fit behind Mikko Koivu.
10. New York Rangers -- Nick Bjugstad, C, Blaine (MN-HS)
The Rangers are almost barren down the middle, adding a big, strong (and I mean strong) center like Bjugstad will help a lot in the years to come.
11. Dallas Stars -- Mikael Granlund, C, HIFK (Finland)
Finnish pivot fits well into their system, especially if Mike Modano calls it a career.
12. Anaheim Ducks -- Riley Sheahan, C, Notre Dame (CCHA)
Big talented center is just the kind of player the Ducks need to follow up Ryan Getzlaf.
13. Phoenix Coyotes (from Calgary) -- Derek Forbort, D, US U-18 (NTDP)
Maloney gets another big, talented young defenseman.
14. St. Louis Blues -- Calvin Pickard, G, Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL)
Exactly what the Blues needed. A young, talented goalie with a great pedigree. What a rivalry Nashville-St. Louis could become, should the brothers face off in net!
15. Boston Bruins -- Kevin Hayes, RW, Nobles (MA-HS)
The Bruins use their second pick in the opening round to draft a big, talented, home grown kid. Isn’t NHL ready, by a long stretch, yet but will likely pay dividends for the B’s a few years down the road.
16. Ottawa Senators -- Quinton Howden, C, Moose Jaw (WHL)
Center with lots of offensive ability could easily fill Dany Heatley’s skates in a few years, or dare we say, Jason Spezza’s?
17. Colorado Avalanche -- Austin Watson, LW, Peterborough Petes (OHL)
A great fit with the young core in Colorado. Watson has lots of speed and scoring ability and will look very good alongside Matt Duchene in a few years.
18. Nashville Predators -- Emerson Etem, LW, Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
The Predators have spent the last few years bulking up their defense, and now it’s time to bring in some young, skilled forwards for the future. With Etem’s speed and scoring ability, he’ll fit right in.
19. Los Angeles Kings -- Brock Nelson, C, Warroad (MN-HS)
Great genes coming out of a very competitive hockey market. Will be a good fit down the middle for the Kings in a couple of years.
20. Pittsburgh Penguins -- Vladimir Tarasenko, RW, Novosibirsk (KHL)
What the Penguins really need is to develop some wingers for Crosby (and Malkin). Tarasenko has high enough skill level to carry a team almost by himself, but the “Russian factor” will cause him to fall in this year’s draft. At any rate, a bit of a steal for the Penguins.
21. Detroit Red Wings -- Patrik Nemeth, D, AIK Jr. (Sweden Jr.)
The Wings start to rebuild their defensive stockpile with a pick from a system they’re familiar with. The Red Wings taking a Swede, who would have guessed?
22. Phoenix Coyotes -- Jonathan McFarland, C, Sudbury Wolves (OHL)
A steal for the Coyotes. Great two-way center will add lots of depth down the middle.
23. Buffalo Sabres -- Brett Connolly, RW, Prince George Cougars (WHL)
There’s no denying Connolly’s skill level, it’s his trouble with injuries that causes him to drop down to the 23rd pick. But the Sabres won’t make the mistake of passing him up if he’s still on the board. He’ll be a steal for whatever team picks him up.
24. Atlanta Thrashers (from New Jersey) -- Beau Bennett, RW, Penticton (BCHL)
The Thrashers plan to replace Kovalchuk. Bennett is a pure goal scorer and will be in the Thrashers lineup sooner than later.
25. Vancouver Canucks -- Dylan McIlrath, D, Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL)
Adds a lot of grit, determination and toughness as well as reliable defensive skills on the blueline. Just what the Canucks are looking for.
26. Washington Capitals -- Evgeny Kuznetsov, C, Chelyabinsk (KHL)
Again, a skill player falls through the cracks a bit due to the KHL factor, but a chance to play with Ovechkin likely keeps Kuznetsov in North America.
27. Montreal Canadiens -- Jerome Gauthier-Leduc, D, Rouyn-Norunda Huskies (QMJHL)
Good D-man coming right from Quebec.
28. San Jose Sharks -- Jarred Tinordi, D, US U-18 (NTDP)
With Rob Blake retiring, the Sharks will make a pick to bring a defenseman in who can fill his skates. In that case, Tinordi is their guy.
29. Anaheim Ducks (from Philadelphia) -- Kirill Kabanov, LW, Moncton Wildcats (QMJHL)
The Ducks take advantage of their second pick in the first round -- by taking a gamble on Kirill Kabanov. Facts are facts. You gamble when you’ve got the insurance, especially if it could be the jackpot.
30. Chicago Blackhawks -- Jonathan Merrill, D, US U-18 (NTDP)
The Hawks cap off their championship season by adding depth on the blueline with Merrill, a steal this late in the first round.
Edit: My mock draft has been listed over at the NHL Mock Draft Database! Click this link to check it out, it's a pretty cool site!
