What a time to be alive hockey fans. What a great finish to the year watching the Pens and Sharks in a good finals. Now time to switch focus to the offseason. Fast approaching is the NHL draft which this year is taking place in Buffalo, New York.
Each year the draft get’s a little more exciting with trades, off the board pics and etc. But this year is very interesting. Could be the most fun as a fan to watch as this will be the last off season before an expansion team enters play. We can talk about that later. Here is our mock draft from OTSN. Enjoy everyone!
ROUND ONE
1st Overall- Toronto Maple Leafs- Auston Matthews
Position- Center
2015-2016 Team- ZSC Lions
Height- 6’2
Weight- 216 LBS
Leafs are 100% taking Auston Matthews. Auston is the type of center that leads you to the promise land. Leafs desperately need that 1C. No brainer.
2nd Overall- Winnipeg Jets- Patrik Laine
Position- Wing
2015-2016 Team- Tappara Liiga
Height- 6’4
Weight- 201
Similar to last year’s draft with Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel, Laine is a pretty solid consolation prize. Will be a big name player for the next 10-15 years. Probably the most lethal wrist shot in the draft.
3rd Overall- Columbus Blue Jackets- Jesse Puljujarvi (RW) – Karpat (SM-Liiga)
Position- Wing
2015-2016 Team- Karpatt Liiga
Height- 6’3
Weight-201
Big body who can skate well and posses a ton of skill. Little work is needed to be done in order for him to excel at the next level.
4th Overall- Edmonton Oilers- Mikhail Sergachev
Position- Defence
2015-2016 Team- Windsor Spitfires
Height- 6’2
Weight- 220
Physically ready for the NHL game today. Skills are there but feel that another year in the CHL would benefit. Would be hard passing up the forwards still on the board but I think for once the Oilers are looking at the bigger picture. Drafting and developing all three positions.
5th Overall- Vancouver Canucks- Matthew Tkachuk
Position- Left Wing
2015-2016 Team- London Knights
Height- 6’1
Weight- 194
NHL ready in terms of skill and size. Probably one of the two or three best skaters in the draft. Drives the net well, great pair of hands and plays with a little bit of an edge. Could contend for a spot in the NHL in the fall.
6th Overall- Calgary Flames- Pierre Luc Dubois
Position- C/W
2015-2016 Team- Cape Breton Screaming Eagles
Height- 6’2
Weight- 205
Many would argue that their is no way Dubois falls to Calgary. Hard to ignore his skill set. Scored forty two goals and had over one hundred penalty minutes in sixty two games. One of if not the most complete player in the draft.
7th Overall- Arizona Coyotes- Olli Juolevi
Position- Defence
2015-2016 Team- London Knights
Height- 6’2
Weight-183
Olli is probably the most calm blue liner in the draft. Has the ability to move up the ice quickly while still being defensively responsible. Had fourteen points in eighteen games in the OHL Playoffs this past season. Arizona takes a blue liner at this pick.
8th Overall- Buffalo Sabre’s- Alexander Nylander
Position- Winger
2015-2016 Team- Mississauga Steelheads
Height- 6′
Weight- 179 LBS
Nylander is a very slick and crafty player. Often makes goalies/Defenders look foolish on a nightly basis. Put up seventy five points this season which earned him CHL rookie of the year award.
9th Overall- Montreal Canadiens- Logan Brown
Position- Center
2015-2016 Team- Windsor Spitfires
Height- 6’6
Weight- 220
Brown uses his size to his advantage. Great at protecting the puck. Very responsible in all three zones on the ice and possess a very lethal shot.
10th Overall- Colorado Avalanche- Tyson Jost
Position- C/W
2015-2016 Team- Penticton Vees
Height- 5’11
Weight- 190
Tyson Jost is a slick, energetic forward. Has a great shot, and really crafty in the O Zone. Put up fifteen points at the World Under 18’s.
11th Overall- New Jersey- Clayton Keller
Generated by IJG JPEG Library
Position- Center
2015-2016 Team- US National U-18
Height- 5’10
Weight- 163
Didn’t get many views of Keller this season. But from what I gathered he is a pure goalscorer with excellent vision. Draws similarities to Patrick Kane.
12th Overall- Ottawa Senators- Jakob Chychrun
Position- Defence
2015-2016 Team- Sarnia Sting
Height- 6’2
Weight- 200
Physically ready to play pros now. Looks like a man playing with boys. Very good two way defender but sometimes is a bit of a disaster when he gets caught. Will need one more year of seasoning and will be groomed for the big game.
13th Overall- Carolina Hurricanes- Michael McLeod
Position- Center
2015-2016 Team- Mississauga Steelheads
Height- 6’2
Weight- 185
Unreal skater. Has no quit in his game. One thing I’d like to see from McLeod is his goal production go up but took a ton of strides forward this past season, is responsible in all three zones and a candidate for the Canada World Junior team this coming winter.
14th Overall- Boston Bruins- Dante Fabbro
Position- Defence
2015-2016 Team- Penticton Vees
Height- 6′
Weight- 192
Fabbro is an energetic two way player. Very vocal in his end, and has the creativity in the O zone that most teams love to have have on the back end.
15th Overall- Minnesota Wild- Luke Kunin
Position- Center
2015-2016 Team- Wisconsin (NCAA)
Height- 5’11
Weight- 190
Pure goal scorer. If this guy is in the slot, he won’t miss much. Needs to improve on both sides of the puck but posses a great shot, decent footwork. Works hard in the O zone.
16th Overall- Detroit Red Wings- Jake Bean
Position- Defence
2015-2016 Team- Calgary Hitmen
Height- 6’1
Weight- 175
Very solid defender who is extremely hard to beat one on one. Possess a great shot from the point scoring twenty four goals this past season.
17th Overall- Nashville Predators- Charlie McAvoy
Generated by IJG JPEG Library
Position- Defence
2015-2016 Team- Boston University
Height- 6′
Weight- 195
Calm defensive defenceman. Has a lethal shot when he uses it (Needs to use it more). Moves the puck well and is one of if not the most defensive responsible players in the draft.
18th Overall- Philadelphia Flyers- Julien Gauthier
Position- Wing
2015-2016 Team- Val-D’Or Foreurs
Height- 6’3
Weight- 230
Julien fit’s the brand of hockey the Flyers have been selling us for years. A big power forward who has seventy nine goals in his past two seasons. Really love his ability to make in game adjustments. Stays cool under pressure.
19th Overall- NY Islanders- Kieffer Bellows
Chicago Steel vs USA National Team Development Program
Position- C/W
2015-2016 Team- USA National U-18
Height- 6′
Weight- 195
Kieffer is an excellent skater and arguably one of the best pure goal scorers in the draft. Wins a lot of the small battles, is really great on his feet and possess a lethal shot.
20th Overall- Arizona (from NYR)- Max Jones
Position- Wing
2015-2016 Team- London Knights
Height- 6’3
Weight- 200
Power forward who possess a high skill package and ability to open ice for his team mates. Big bodied guy who has used a fair bit of bad judgement at times during the 2015-2016 season but hard to ignore what he brings to the table. He reminds me of a poor man’s Corey Perry. Probably needs another year of seasoning but physically ready to compete with the pros.
21st Overall- Carolina (from LAK)- Vitali Abramov
Position- Wing
2015-2016 Team- Gatineau Olympique
Height- 5’10
Weight- 175
Slick skating winger who nearly hit the century mark in points while playing on a very good Gatineau team. If he was 6’1 we would have had him in the top ten. High skill package. Scores often but has great vision as well.
22nd Overall- Winnipeg (from CHI)-William Bitten
Position- Center
2015-2016 Team- Flint Firebirds
Height- 5’10
Weight- 170
Will is one of the best skaters in the draft. Combines his skating with elite level skill. Has the ability to remain calm under pressure. May have dropped on many charts due to the situation he was in but all things considered nearly played every game this past season and averaged just under a point per game.
23rd Overall- Florida Panthers- German Rubtsov
Position- Center
2015-2016 Team- Russia U-18
Height- 6′
Weight- 190
No Viewing. But this is the area most expect him to go in.
24th Overall- Anaheim Ducks- Pascal Laberge
Position- C/W
2015-2016 Team- Victoriaville Tigres
Height- 6’1
Weight- 175
Solid two way forward who posses a high level of hockey sense. Like’s to establish a physical presence.
25th Overall- Dallas Stars- Riley Tufte
Generated by IJG JPEG Library
Position- Wing
2015-2016 Team- USHL/USHS
Height- 6’5
Weight- 210
Big bodied pure goal scorer. Very defensively responsible.
26th Overall- Washington Capitals- Rasmus Asplund
Position- C/W
2015-2016 Team- Färjestad BK
Height- 5’10
Weight- 175
Does a lot of things right. Skating is great, needs to work on being a better two way forward. A year in the AHL should groom him well. Might not be a star but will likely be a very good NHL player for fifteen years.
27th Overall- Tampa Bay Lightning- Logan Stanley
Position- Defence
2015-2016 Team- Windsor Spitfires
Height- 6’7
Weight- 225
He is the OHL’s Zdeno Chara. A player 99% of the league hates playing against. Has a bit of a nasty edge to his game. Known mainly for his defence but offence skills are improving. Will make a great top pairing D in the league for years.
28th Overall St. Louis Blues- Tyler Benson
Position- Wing
2015-2016 Team- Vancouver Giants
Height- 6′
Weight- 195
Tyler at one point was projected to be a top five pick in this entry draft. Injuries have changed that. I have him ranked higher due to the fact he is still the same player. Will take some time still to adjust. Elite offensively.
29th Overall-Boston Bruins (from SJS)- Boris Katchouk-
Position- Wing
2015-2016 Team- Sault Ste Marie Greyhounds
Height- 6’1
Weight- 190
Boris has really developed into a top prospect over the last fourteen months. Only finished his first OHL season this past season where he put up fifty one points in sixty three games. Very solid two way forward. Very consistent.
30th Overall- Anaheim (from PIT via TOR)- Sean Day
Position- Defence
2015-2016 Team- Mississauga Steelheads
Height- 6’2
Weight- 230
Sean Day has fallen off in most mock drafts. For me this is a guy if I’m picking in the later stages of the first round I take him. Had a disappointing draft season this past year only putting up twenty two points. During Sean’s sixteen year old season however, he put up two more points than former first overall pick Aaron Ekblad. That is not a comparison of players, just food for thought. Sean is going to play in the NHL for a long time. Will get a fresh start with a fairly new coaching staff in Mississauga in the fall, earned an invite to the USA Summer camp and will likely be pushing for a spot in the winter for World Juniors.
Thanks for reading everyone and be sure to follow @OtSportsNation on twitter to stay up to date on draft day
Sebastian Jackson
SebJackson90 on Twitter
