Canadiens land a pair of potential stars in Team-by-Team NHL Mock Draft

13th Overall: Minnesota Wild - Tij Iginla, C/Kelowna Rockets

Tij Iginla has fallen to the middle of the first round in other simulations, but it’s something I don’t see happening in reality. Maybe he’s in the top 10 or even the top eight, but there are few prospects at this point who would invigorate the Minnesota Wild’s system more if they did manage to take him at No. 13. 

14th Overall: San Jose Sharks - Emil Hemming, RW/TPS

He’s already 6’1 and 205 pounds and still just 17, and someone like Emil Hemming could easily pair up well with Macklin Celebrini, who possesses similar size. He proved he was too good for SM-sarja this past season with 18 points and 11 goals across 13 regular season games (he did return for the playoffs and picked up where he left off), so Liiga will be calling him this year. 

15th Overall: Detroit Red Wings - Beckett Sennecke, RW/Oshawa Generals

Beckett Sennecke was the best remaining prospect here, and in real life, Steve Yzerman would likely roll with the best available at No. 15. The simulation had similar ideas, and yeah, this is a remarkable system that just became even more luxurious if Sennecke is the pick. 

16th Overall: St. Louis Blues - Lucas Pettersson, C/Modo Hockey

I’m 1,000 percent on board with general manager Doug Armstrong going with a defenseman, and that’s something I haven’t changed my mind on for the Blues. Still, a two-way center operating at over a point-per-game pace against peers his own age is more than enticing, so I’ll agree with the simulator here, even if my preferred pick for St. Louis is going at No. 17. 

17th Overall: Washington Capitals - Stian Solberg, D/Färjestad BK

Perhaps the most underrated defenseman who should go in the first round, Stian Solberg’s game is pure defense, and there may not be another player in this mock draft who enjoys contact more. If the Washington Capitals take him here, they aren’t getting any future help in the offensive zone, but they will be getting a player who will wreak enough havoc to give them chances to regain puck possession. 

18th Overall: Chicago Blackhawks - Adam Jiricek, D/HC Plzen

Whereas Stian Solberg is one of my favorite defensive prospects in this draft, Adam Jiricek is someone I’m not sold on. Not that it matters, but as far as this simulation goes, it would be everything the Chicago Blackhawks shouldn’t do in the first round of this draft. 

19th Overall: Vegas Golden Knights - Jett Luchanko, C/Guelph Storm

He’s currently a smaller player, but Jett Luchanko is 17 and if he can add size while keeping up his awesome skating ability, the Golden Knights prospect pool just added an outstanding talent that doubles up as an absolute playmaker. If he lands with Vegas next week, Luchanko is someone general manager Kelly McCrimmon may want to keep in his prospects pool.