Montreal Canadiens: Mock Draft for the first round of the 2019 NHL Draft
With the 2019 NHL Draft around the corner, we created our own a mock draft of the first round including making the Montreal Canadiens selection at 15.
1st Overall: New Jersey – Jack Hughes, C (Dom)
While the battle for 1st overall has been a much talked about topic, Hughes seems to be the best player available. Even though he may not be more NHL ready than Kappo Kakko, he is a centre and in this league, nothing is more valuable than a centreman.
2nd Overall: New York Rangers – Kaapo Kakko, RW (Omar)
The New York Rangers hit the jackpot winning the second lottery and the chance to draft this incredible player. Kakko is one of the most NHL-ready players in the draft based on his playing style and production playing overseas with men in Liiga (the same league Jesperi Kotkaniemi was drafted out of in 2018). He’s a very strong player who rarely loses the puck and has the IQ to make something happen with it whenever it lands on his stick.
The Rangers have done a good job in stockpiling first-round talent over the years with Lias Andersson, Filip Chytil, Vitali Kravtsov, K’Andre Miller, and Nils Lundkvist. Kaapo is another piece that can help them change the scope of the organization likely being able to see time with the likes of Mika Zibanejad sometime next season.
3rd Overall: Chicago Blackhawks – Bowen Byram, LHD (Ken)
The Blackhawks continue to build what will one day be the best blue line in the league. In the past two drafts they have taken Adam Boqvist, Henri Jokiharju and Nicolas Beaudin. With Duncan Keith and Brent Seabrook unable to handle the minutes they once did, it will soon be time to pass the torch. A top four of Byram with Boqvist, Erik Gustafsson and Jokiharju will make the Blackhawks a dynasty once again in the near future.
4th Overall: Colorado Avalanche – Kirby Dach, C (Josh)
The Colorado Avalanche should be looking for the next top-6 centreman with this pick. Nathan MacKinnon has definitely proven and established himself as a top centreman in the league, but the Avs are going to need another centre to slot in behind him. The forward depth with prospects is decent in Colorado, with Tyson Jost and Shane Bowers as young centremen to come. Jost has struggled to carve out a role for himself in the lineup and could end up being a very good third line centreman, with Bowers looking more like a winger to me.
The big 6’4” centreman has the ability to put the shoulder down and drive to the net to create second scoring opportunities and isn’t afraid to go to the dirty areas to make a play. Dach would be the perfect second line centre to slot behind MacKinnon, which would give the Avs incredible centre depth.
5th Overall: Los Angeles Kings – Alex Turcotte, C (Emmanuel)
After Jack Hughes, Turcotte is the best two-way centre available in the draft. His speed and skating complement each other to back-check whenever necessary and control the play down the middle in the offensive zone. What is even more impressive is that at 5’11, he plays the game as if he is a foot taller.
6th Overall: Buffalo Sabres – Dylan Cozens, C/RW (Dom)
By far the easiest selection I made. Cozens is the 5th best prospect in this draft, in my opinion, so selecting him at 7 was a no-brainer. His combination of speed and size down the middle is exactly what Buffalo needs to get them back to the playoffs.
7th Overall: Detroit Red Wings – Cole Caufield, RW (Sebastian)
The Detroit Red Wings add an elite pure goalscorer to their prospect pool in drafting Cole Caufield at sixth overall. The diminutive winger holds the USNTDP for most career goals and goals in a season, with 72 in just 64 games this past season. While most analysts have him pegged a little bit lower, he is by no means unworthy of being selected this high up. If he were 5’11”, he would easily be the third forward selected, and with today’s NHL evolving toward speed (which Caufield has plenty of), Detroit will choose the best player available at #6.
8th Overall: Edmonton Oilers – Trevor Zegras, C/W (Omar)
The Oilers are in an odd spot organizationally in that they don’t have enough high-end wingers in the organization. There’s help coming with Kailer Yamamoto, but it’s still an area that needs to be improved considering the team feels they have no chance unless Leon Draisaitl (who should be able to centre his own line) is playing next to Connor McDavid. WIth Caufield off the board, Zegras is the next likely option in that category.
He’s a complete player that can play either position as well as being solid at both ends of the ice. Zegras can put the puck in the net (26 goals) or set up a pretty play with skill (61 assists) or drive hard to the slot and score that way. It doesn’t matter where he will excel. His game, in my opinion, is reminiscent of Matthew Tkachuk as he has high-end skill and can frustrate you throwing the opposition off its hinges.
9th Overall: Anaheim Ducks – Matthew Boldy, LW (Ken)
The Ducks are retooling with a new coach and the news that longtime winger Corey Perry will be bought out. They already have a nice group of defenders built around Hampus Lindholm, Cam Fowler and Josh Manson. What they need is an offensive punch up front. Boldy will combine with Sam Steel and Troy Terry to bring an infusion of youth, skill and scoring to the Ducks.
10th Overall: Vancouver Canucks – Moritz Seider, RHD (Josh)
The Vancouver Canucks should be looking to help bolster their future defensive corps. With them convincing Quinn Hughes to turn pro at the end of the season, Moritz Seider would be the perfect future partner for Hughes. The 6’4” right-handed shot defenceman has great two-way abilities, he can see plays before they really start to develop, he is often a few steps ahead of the other players on the ice. He would be the perfect complement to Hughes’ offensive game.
11th Overall: Philadelphia Flyers, Victor Soderstrom, RHD (Emmanuel)
Soderstrom has the potential to be better than some of the other young defensive talent available such as Broberg and Heinola. One can see that by watching him, he plays with a ton of heart, something any coach and general manager would love to have on their team. Soderstrom’s also no slouch in the skating department. Whatever in his own zone or the opposing team’s, he moves the puck well.
12th Overall: Minnesota Wild – Vasili Podkolzin, RW (Sebastian)
The most polarizing prospect of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft is undoubtedly Vasili Podkolzin. He was touted as being the clear third best player available as recently as January. However, the hard-working winger failed to impress in the various Russian leagues he played in this season. Thus, he falls into the laps of the Minnesota Wild who will swing for the fences with their selection. Podkolzin has the potential to be an elite scorer in the NHL, but he could also fail to develop into a player capable of playing against grown men. Minnesota will look past these warning signs and pick Podkolzin at #12, a selection that may very well be seen as a steal in a few years time.
13th Overall: Florida Panthers – Philip Broberg, LDH (Dom)
Florida is a team without many holes, offensively they are elite, and their goaltending situation is likely to be the primary focus in free agency with Bobrovsky believed to be heading to the south shore. That leaves defense, I believe Broberg is quite possibly the best player available as well as being a positional need so it works out perfectly.
14th Overall: Arizona Coyotes – Alex Newhook, C (Omar)
The Coyotes are a team on the rise, but it’s clear goal-scoring is their area of concern. No one on the team this seasons hit the 20-goal mark who finished fifth last in the NHL with 213 goals-for. Enter Alex Newhook, a dynamic and explosive player who creates something each and every shift.
Newhook led all players in the BCHL with 38 goals and 64 assists in 53 games. The second highest producer was 21-year-old Ryan Brushett who had 18 fewer points with two more games played. As far as the other players on his team, the closest one to Newhook was Alexander Campbell who finished with 67 points.
Newhook does it all as far as point production. He’s an excellent skater and can move his feet quickly to gain space on the opposition or draw defenders towards him to only set up a play for another teammate. The Arizona Coyotoes are in need of a dynamic force like Newhook.
15th Overall: Montreal Canadiens – Peyton Krebs, C (Ken)
Some teams will pick to fill a specific need, other teams will just take the best player available. In the first half of the first round, it makes sense to take the best player available, especially when that player has the talent to be a top ten pick. An Achilles injury sees Krebs drop a handful of spots and the Canadiens are fortunate to grab the ultra-talented winger with exceptional vision. Krebs is a leader on and off the ice, dominates when competing internationally against his peers and will be a top-six forward before long on the Montreal Canadiens.
16th Overall: Colorado Avalanche – Spencer Knight, G (Josh)
This guy is just so calm in the crease, I haven’t seen a young goaltender like this for a long time. He reminds me, and has been compared to, a lot of Carey Price with his cool, calm, and collected feel to him, and he just does not get flustered when something happens, or a play breaks down in front of him. With two picks in the first round this year, and a very good young up and coming team the Avalanche should take this opportunity to bring in their next Patrick Roy-type goaltender. The Avs seem to be committed to Grubauer as their starter for the foreseeable future, but Knight would be the perfect guy to take over from him in a few years while this roster has already been competitive.
18th Overall: Dallas Stars – Thomas Harley, LHD (Sebastian)
Dallas adds to their defensive prospect pool in drafting Thomas Harley with their first-round selection. They draft an excellent skater with a plethora of offensive skills who still has to develop the defensive side of his game. In drafting the Mississauga Steelheads product, they get a player with the potential to be the future defensive partner of Miro Heiskanen.
19th Overall: Ottawa Senators – Arthur Kaliyev, LW (Dom)
Ottawa is a team fully committed to a rebuild, they have prospects in every key area so taking the best available player is the best move and always a safe way to draft. I have them taking Kaliyev who is one of the best finishers of this years draft class. While he does have some work ethic concerns and holes to be patched up, Ottawa is a team that will be able to be patient with him and allow him to reach his full potential.
20th Overall: New York Rangers – Raphaël Lavoie, C/RW (Omar)
With such a deep draft, the Rangers are going to have another opportunity to add another fabulous player. It makes the most sense to go with a defenceman as I’ve had them take a forward with their first selection, but if Raphaël Lavoie is on the board, the Rangers can’t pass up on him.
Lavoie had an incredible regular season with the Halifax Mooseheads putting up 73 points in 63 games, but it was his play in the playoffs that drew the most intention. He made the Mooseheads his leading them to both a Presidents Cup and Memorial Cup Final. It didn’t go well for his team, but Lavoie did more than enough scoring 20 goals and 12 assists.
He has a wicked release and has the foundation to be an enforcing power forward in the league standing at 6’4″ and 198 pounds. Chris Kreider won’t be around forever and if the Rangers want to replenish that playing style, drafting Lavoie would be just the way to do it.
21st Overall: Pittsburgh Penguins – Philip Tomasino, C (Ken)
Tomasino won’t turn 18 until a month after he is drafted but he still scored more than a point per game for the Niagara Ice Dogs of the OHL. He is a smart, steady, two-way player that is not exceptional at any one skill but does everything well. He is exactly the type of player that has found success playing with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin in the past and he gets a chance to do the same.
22nd Overall: Los Angeles Kings – Ryan Suzuki, C (Josh)
Honestly, the Kings need everything right now. Suzuki has to be one of the smartest players in the Ontario Hockey League right now, he has gifted hands and incredible offensive abilities. The Kings are in desperate need for young offensive players, and Suzuki should develop into a good top-6 scoring forward for them in the next few years.
23th Overall: New York Islanders – Ville Heinola, LHD (Emmanuel)
Arguably a safer bet over Broberg, though he does have a lower ceiling, Ville Heinola may get attention from teams looking to improve their top-4 D in 2-3 seasons. Heinola can serve as an offensive LD on the second pairing primarily and as a fringe top-pairing player, though he would have to make a big jump in his development to do so.
24th Overall: Nashville Predators – Nils Hoglander, LW (Sebastian)
In drafting Nils Hoglander, the Predator fanbase receive a potential reiteration of their current star forward, Viktor Arvidsson. The two possess nearly identical statures, with Arvidsson edging out Hoglander by 1 centimetre, but the 18-year-old is 4 pounds heavier, at 185 lbs. They also have similar playing styles in that they have a shoot first mentality. If their pick toward the end of the first round can even come close to emulating Arvidsson, Hoglander will be seen as an absolute steal at 24th overall.
25th Overall: Washington Capitals – Bobby Brink, RW (Dom)
Again, the best player available. The fact that Brink was available at 25 shows you how different scenarios could play out on draft day. He is another sniper who is slight in stature but has the tools to excel at the next level if he develops properly.
26th Overall: Calgary Flames – Connor McMichael, C (Omar)
You can never have enough scoring depth and with the goaltending and defence position looking good for Calgary (prospect-wise), adding some scoring couldn’t hurt. McMichael put up a 36-spot in both goals and assists this year, falling second to Kevin Hancock who joined the team from Owen Sound.
Taking more shots this season was part of the puzzle of his production especially his one-timer. He has solid vision and awareness to break free of defending players and put himself (or others) in positions to produce. All that for a late-round draft pick isn’t bad for the Flames here.
27th Overall: Tampa Bay Lightning – Jakob Pelletier, LW (Ken)
The Lightning have often gambled on speed and skill above size or physicality and they get an abundance of skill late in the first round. Pelletier is not a huge player at 5’9,” but he scored 39 goals and 89 points for the Moncton Wildcats of the QMJHL. He is a smart player and plays well at both ends of the ice. Exactly the type of player the Lightning seem to introduce into their lineup every year.
28th Overall: Carolina Hurricanes – Samuel Poulin, RW (Josh)
The Carolina Hurricanes have a wealth of good young defencemen so I could definitely see them going the forward route with this pick. The Hurricanes are going to need to bring in good young forwards in the next few years to compliment and build off of what they have right now. The Canes are going to need to add some forwards with scoring abilities to their roster, who also have the ability to become a top-6/top-9 scoring forward that the Canes can rely on for scoring depth. Poulin is an offensive player with unbelievable creative instincts. He definitely can carry the puck offensively and distribute the puck to his teammates.
29th Overall: Anaheim Ducks – Lassi Thomson, RHD (Emmanuel)
Although his skating isn’t great and could use some work, Thomson makes up for it in his shooting abilities. Based on videos of his play, teams could use him more as the shooter on the PP more than the playmaker. I would consider him as more of a project compared to the other defensemen available in the draft.
30th Overall: Boston Bruins – Matthew Robertson, LHD (Sebastian)
As much as I was enticed by having the Bruins select a projected undrafted prospect with their first-round selection, I must be unbiased in this mock draft. With that being said, the Bruins should select Karl Alz… I mean Matthew Robertson at 30th overall. He is one of the most complete defensemen in the 2019 draft class. His two-way play caught the eyes of many scouts this season. He was very responsible defensively while putting up 40 points in 52 games for the Edmonton Oil Kings of the WHL this past season. His mature frame is also a big asset. He stands at 6’4″ and weighs in at 201 lbs. The left-shooting defenseman is a rather safe bet to make the NHL for a prospect available this late in the first round.
Next. Seven Players to Target Outside the First Round. dark
31st Overall: Buffalo Sabres – Tobias Björnfot, LHD (Dom)
After drafting a centre 7th overall in Dylan Cozens, it would be wise for the Sabres to take a d-man with their second 1st round pick. This draft is loaded with defensemen in the latter half, so again it works out perfectly for Buffalo. Bjornfot is a second-year eligible player, going undrafted in 2018. I believe he has shown enough to warrant a 1st round selection. Smooth skating prototypical modern-day rearguard.