I thought I would have another crack at putting together a mock Entry Draft again this year. I've done it for a few years now to some very limited success, but it's still fun. I do want to make a note, this isn't more a prediction of what I think will happen, more as it is what I think
should happen. Trying to second guess scouting staffs and general managers is more difficult than I initally thought, but it's also not very much fun. It's definitely more fun to try and piece together possibly some good ideas and see if the real teams follow suit. I'm pretty sure I try to second guess a
little bit through this Mock Draft, but it's also in an attempt to make better picks.
| Team | Pick | Player | Pos | |
 | 1 | Taylor Hall | F | There is a fair bit of debate as to who the Oilers will select with their first pick overall in the NHL Draft and I have a pretty good feeling that the Oilers will indeed go with Taylor Hall, who has shown all sorts of flashes both in the junior ranks in Canada, both in the OHL and the Memorial Cup tournament, not to mention getting some great reviews from his play in the World Juniors. Hall has been said to have the complete package in skill and speed, which would compliment some of the centres that the Oilers already have in their stables. |
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 from Toronto | 2 | Cam Fowler | D | Now, this pick is the real debatable one for me, as I honestly think the Bruins would be better off drafting themselves a future number one defenseman, as their stables are full of good forwards and as much as they have a chance to Draft a very good all around forward, the franchise could definitely use a top end defenseman in front of some good goaltending in their future. The Bruins do have another pick and I think it would be wise to get Fowler now and get themselves a blue chip forward with their second pick in the round. |
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 | 3 | Tyler Seguin | F | The Panthers cannot afford to move past a sure thing like Tyler Seguin at this point, even though they have some great talent up front already, but no one in Florida has been able to take the reins and lead the team with the flair that a sunbelt team truly needs. Seguin is rated number one by the NHL's Central Scouting Bureau as the best all-around forward, being a centre, which is a position that is hard to fill for any team. Seguin would be an excellent fit with such good wingers as Booth and Frolik, if need be. |
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 | 4 | Erik Gudbranson | D | With the 4th pick, I am looking for the Blue Jackets to try and find a good franchise piece for their puzzle, I would say more likely on the blueline, if any of their forward prospects can pan out. It was a tough pick, but size was the determining factor for the Jackets picking Erik Gudbranson from the OHL. Lots of good words from scouts and solid comparisons to NHL players. With the Western Conference being as tight defensively as it is, I like the Blue Jackets trying to shore up their blueline with this pick. |
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 | 5 | Nino Niederreiter | F | In my Pool Outlook for the Islanders, I had a feeling that they will want to add some flash and dash at this draft and I had also mentioned that Niederreiter would be the right guy for the job. On Long Island, they have been adding some good pieces to their franchise and after the World Junior tournament this past Winter, I really believe that Niederreiter is a marketable player, one that should compliment the direction that the Islanders are taking. Also, having Mark Streit, a fellow Swiss player, on the team, it might be a very tempting prospect to take. |
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 | 6 | Brett Connolly | F | The Lightning are going to be looking for the best prospect available and you could argue between a few players at this point, but I think in the grand scheme of things, especially in the Southeast Division, scoring forwards are going to be great prospects that can develop quite quickly in the free-flowing nature of the division. Brett Connolly has lots of praise for his scoring ability, but has had some concerns about his health, but if he's healthy, he could be a great compliment to the Lightning and Steven Stamkos. |
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 | 7 | Brandon Gormley | D | Another point I made in the Pool Outlook suggests that the Hurricanes will be looking at a big defenseman at the draft this year and Brandon Gormley looks to fit the bill for the Hurricanes. Gormley is 6'2" and has a lot of buzz about being a safe defenseman with above-average mobility. Of course, he'll have to develop into a top end mobile defenseman to make it big in the Southeast Division, but being above-average is a pretty good start. The Hurricanes would do well to pick up a guy like him, not too big, but certainly not small. |
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 | 8 | Jack Campbell | G | I went out on a limb in the Pool Outlook to suggest that the Thrashers should be looking to get themselves a franchise goalie, especially with the team trading away Kari Lehtonen to the Dallas Stars in the season and they should guarantee themselves a great goalie with one of their two 1st round picks. Jack Campbell has been the highest rated goalie for the bulk of the year and I really think it would be wise for them to take a chance on him going forward. Campbell isn't going to be an immediate impact player, but he'll come eventually. |
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 | 9 | Nick Bjugstad | F | The Wild are deep on defense and the goaltending prospects past Campbell are thin, so to the forward ranks will the Wild go. It also seems rather fitting that they can pick up a good Minnesota kid in Nick Bjugstad, a big 6'4" centre who can play a good two-way game and has a comparison to current Wild centre, Andrew Brunette, so that's pretty good praise for an up-and-comer. The Wild require good size and talent down the middle, which matches up well against other Northwest Division opponents. I like this fit. |
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 | 10 | Derek Forbort | D | After the high premium that was put on defensemen at the trade deadline this past year, I would imagine that teams that are going to look for the best prospect available will lean towards a defenseman more than a forward, unless of course that position has been plucked dry. There is a lot of great write-ups around Derek Forbort as a 6'3" defenseman, already hovering the 200 lbs. with good mobility and puck skills. A lot of those talents are becoming quite popular and really makes prospects like these more valuable. |
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 | 11 | Mikael Granlund | F | Even after the miss that Fabian Brunnstrom eventually was, I don't think the Dallas Stars will shy away from European talent, especially with some key Europeans still in their line-up. Mikael Grandlund may still be available at the 11th spot and his comparisons to a player like Saku Koivu certainly have long-term benefits, especially if he has the skills to match-up with Koivu. With the long-term futures of some of the team's veterans in question over the next few years, I would imagine that the Stars would be looking towards some leadership qualities in their new prospects. |
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 | 12 | Ryan Johansen | F | The Ducks seem to like the North American product and I think that leads me to believe that Ryan Johansen will be a good pick as another big centre that could eventually find himself playing behind guys like Ryan Getzlaf somewhere down the road. Johansen is listed as a lanky 6'3" that needs to fill out, but his strengths are more mental then they are physical, which bodes well with wingers like Corey Perry and Bobby Ryan to possibly play with down the line. The Ducks have two picks in this round, but I'm thinking they'll safe with both picks. |
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 from Calgary | 13 | Alex Burmistrov | F | One of the key aspects of the Phoenix Coyotes development system is their lack of fear surrounding European talents coming into their system, as they seem to have a good handle on how to get the most out of them, while not putting too much pressure on them to succeed. I like the idea of hedging their bets a little bit with Alex Burmistrov, who has been playing in the OHL in the North American system, but still has that European skill flair. The Coyotes have two picks in this year's draft and I think more skill is on the docket for them going forward. |
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 | 14 | Emerson Etem | F | In my Pool Outlook for the Blues, I suggested that they might be leaning towards a playmaking forward as their first pick, but I couldn't really see much in the way of a straight-up playmaker, so I will revert to the same sort of model that they have in place already in the smaller skilled forwards. Emerson Etem has been shifting up some of the scouting ranks with his solid frame, good skating and two-way abilities, which seems to fit the mould that the Blues have set-up for themselves. There is no rush for new forwards, so he might be a good project down the line. |
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| 15 | Vladimir Tarasenko | F | The Bruins do not really go out on a limb with Russians, but with the possibility of picking a very dynamic forward after getting a very dynamic defenseman does seem very tempting for me picking for Boston, but I'll be one of the few that think so. Tarasenko falls under the category of Russian players that may prefer to stay in the KHL for the big money, but that hasn't been truly determined. I think the Bruins have some gaps to fill with talented offensive forwards, so if Tarasenko can prove himself worthy, there might be a spot for him right away. |
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 | 16 | Tyler Toffoli | F | I always like to think that there are teams that like to make good on hometown boys and I think the Senators need for a good forward and the goal-scoring prowess of the Ottawa 67's Tyler Toffoli makes a perfect match. Toffoli moved up a few spots in the CSB rankings and put up 37 goals during the 2010 season in the OHL, so I think there is a fair bit to like in this match. He isn't the biggest guy in the draft, but he should be good enough to work his way into the league, possibly down the middle for the Senators. |
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 | 17 | Austin Watson | F | I still like the Avalanche to trade their pick this year, but if they don't, the next best available forward may be in their crosshairs and I'm looking at Austin Wilson to fit that bill right now. Watson made a good push up the CSB rankings at the end of the season and finished over a point-per-game in the OHL. He's a good sized forward that may have a shot at making the team out of training camp, which doesn't seem to be out of the question, since the Avalanche were good enough to put Duchene and O'Reilly in their line-up in 2010. |
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 | 18 | Mark Pysyk | D | I just get that sinking feeling that 2010 won't stray too far away from Nashville's tendencies to draft defensemen really early and by a lot of accounts in my reading that Mark Pysyk is a very sound selection, possibly a little lower than some suggest, but will at least go to a factory for good young defensemen. Pysyk is considered to be a very sound skater and is already carrying some decent size. The Predators seem to enjoy bringing their talented blueliners in gradually and if size is an issue, Pysyk still has a couple years to bulk up. |
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 | 19 | Dylan McIlrath | D | For the Kings, I think they will follow suit in the 19th spot and also take a defenseman, hoping they can shore up their blueline with some good young prospects as well. With Drew Doughty doing a lot of the business, a pick like McIlrath might make some sense, helping to police around the team's most valuable player and also provide a bit of a punch, in terms of a big shot (not just his fists). McIlrath stormed up the CSB rankings of late while playing for Moose Jaw in the WHL, but should need some development time to finally come up. |
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 | 20 | Calle Jarnkrok | F | The talent meters seem to be going off the charts after a late surge in the Swedish Elite League for Calle Jarnkrok, who may have played well enough to be a mid-round 1st round pick in this draft and what better place to put skill than on a team with plenty of skill on it at the moment. The Penguins have the ability to pick up some quality talent and make good use of an earlier exit from the playoffs and it sounds like this Jarnkrok has great hands and decent skating to make a push, likely not right away though. |
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 | 21 | Jon Merrill | D | There does seem to be a bit of a pattern, maybe moreso an idea when you look at past drafts by the Red Wings and it's been a few years since they picked a high defenseman and with the possibility of some of the team's veteran defenders possibly fading away, the Red Wings may be looking at someone to help step in down the road and revive the position. Jon Merrill has been noted as a defenseman that can do just about everything right with size. That has to be a worthy skill set for a club that prides itself on skill and smooth play. |
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| 22 | Calvin Pickard | G | The Coyotes were able to tackle some skill up front with their first pick in the draft and with their second I think I am going to follow-up what I had said in my Pool Outlook for Phoenix and suggest that they take a goalie as their second pick, taking highly regarded backstop, Calvin Pickard from the Seattle Thunderbirds of the WHL. Pickard is the CSB's top rated North American goalie this year and he put up some really solid numbers on a weaker team in the league, which does look upon him well. This could be a very good pick. |
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 | 23 | Alex Petrovic | D | The Sabres have their chance to pick up another big young defenseman and they do that with Alex Petrovic, a 6'4", 193lbs. kid that has received some good reviews for his puck-handling, skating and his physical play. The Sabres are another team that likes to draft from the blueline early and with a pick like Petrovic available, it shouldn't come as a big surprise. The Sabres are stocked up on good young defenders, so there likely isn't a big rush for Petrovic to develop, but with his size, he shouldn't take quite as long to make the jump. |
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from New Jersey | 24 | Kirill Kabanov | F | If there is anything that the Atlanta Thrashers seem to love in their organization is troubled Russians and there is a premier example of that, likely to properly replace Ilya Kovalchuk, who this pick is actually thanks to. Kirill Kabanov is supposed to have some prime time skills, but carries some serious attitude issues, but I'm sure there is a contingency plan chapter in their handbook for Rick Dudley to read over. There is a good chance that the Thrashers could hold out until the 2nd round to pick him, but it sounds like he has 1st round talent. |
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 | 25 | Jarred Tinordi | D | Arguably, the Canucks have gaps to fill in their youth system on the blueline, so the size of Mark Tinordi's son, Jarred, should fill some gaps awfully quickly. Tinordi is already 6'5" and 205 lbs at only 18 years old, which puts him in great shape to play against men early on in his career, but now it's just a matter of deciding between NCAA or Canadian Major Junior as his next step, with school leading him on a longer road to the NHL, but he does look more like a surefire pick as a defensive specialist regardless. |
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 | 26 | Riley Sheahan | F | Described as a defensive forward, Riley Sheahan might be able to give the Capitals a little more depth up front as a responsible forward, rather than try to crack the top six as an offensive force. Sheahan plays in the NCAA now and may be a year or two away from taking a shot at the big show, but if his play away from the puck continues to get rave reviews, the Capitals may have a perfect compliment to their offensive force. He may not be the skilled winger I talked about in my Pool Outlook for them, but this pick might even be better. |
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 | 27 | John McFarland | F | He isn't the biggest kid in the draft, but John McFarland has plenty of power, according to some of his Combine results, which has to look good to the Montreal Canadiens, a team that could use a little more brute force in their line-up. McFarland apparently has plenty of speed and finishing talent, which plays into the form of the Habs and if he can carry a guy or two on his back while doing it, he could be a completely different dynamic that the Habs have been missing for a few seasons now. If he drops this far, he could be a good pick-up. |
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 | 28 | Beau Bennett | F | If the Sharks are going to try and hit a homerun with the 28th pick, they'll have to work extra hard and have a lot of faith in their scouts, but from where I sit, a million miles away, I would look at Beau Bennett, who is described as a Playmaking Forward that ranks 32nd with the CSS and 25th with the ISS. He's a fairly good sized forward with a good sense around the net, but apparently has some competitive issues, which oddly enough fits right into the San Jose system historically. Bennett also hails from California, so he could be a good fit that way as well. |
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from Philadelphia | 29 | Tyler Pitlick | F | With the Ducks second pick, I would imagine they will be trying to stock up on forwards, kind of like they did with Getzlaf and Perry a number of years ago. Tyler Pitlick is a fairly well-ranked forward on the list, described as a two-way forward, which fits the bill that the Ducks have made for themselves already. Pitlick has good size, almost NHL-ready pending a Summer's worth of work and doesn't shy away from the physical game, which is an Anaheim special as well. This really does look like a good fit all around. |
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 | 30 | Quinton Howden | F | The Blackhawks could go one of many ways at the Entry Draft, but the safe road would be to go with the best available player, rather than pick for a position. Quinton Howden has been combed over by a number of teams in this mock draft, but it looks like his time has come to the Chiacgo Blackhawks, who could use some more quality talent to help bring up. The Blackhawks system is full of talent, so why not add a little bit more? They could very well move this pick for some help down the line or even trade up, but Howden will be who they go with as it stands now. |
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