1. Toronto Maple Leafs
Gavin McKenna — LW
McKenna is easily the best player in the draft. I could sit here all day using all sorts of adjectives to describe him. First, his agility on the ice is remarkable, as he maneuvers the puck in ways that should be illegal. A lethal shot, combined with the ability to think four steps ahead, makes him a bona fide star. His passing skills are deadly accurate.
2. San Jose Sharks
Ivar Stenberg — LW/RW
Ivar’s sauce pass is a thing of beauty. His ability to distribute the puck makes him an extremely dangerous player. He has a terrific shot and can score from anywhere. Ivar’s skating ability is off the charts, and his edge work allows him to protect the puck, making him difficult to defend.
3. Vancouver Canucks
Caleb Malhotra — C
Caleb is excellent off the draw and reliable in the defensive zone. He is known for his 200-foot game. He is an excellent shooter with underrated hands. Caleb is a solid No. 2 centre—some say a No. 1—and a no-nonsense player who goes about his business. His playmaking skills make him a complete player.
4. Chicago Blackhawks
Chase Reid — RD
Chase’s best skill is probably his skating. He is an elite offensive defenceman with a sneaky shot. His hockey IQ is high, and he is tremendous at finding the open man. Experts are calling him a powerplay quarterback.
He has been working hard on his defensive skills, making his game even better. His skating can bail him out of trouble, and he knows his way around the offensive zone.
5. New York Rangers
Carson Carels — LD
Where Carson gets selected is a guessing game, with projections ranging from second to eighth. Carson is a physical monster who hits with the best of them.
He is a two-way defenceman who aggressively attacks opposing forwards, forcing them to give up the puck. Carson is remarkable on breakouts because of his puck distribution and excellent passing.
6. Calgary Flames
Virgo Bjorck — C
Virgo can skate through a telephone booth. His sauce passes in tight areas make him a dangerous offensive weapon. He has excellent edge control, and his first stride gives him the space to maneuver and make plays.
He has a deceptive shot and a quick release and could be lethal on the powerplay. He is reliable defensively, is not a floater, and comes back to help in his own end. He makes up for his lack of size with his tenacity and determination to win.
7. Seattle Kraken
Keaton Verhoeff — RD
Keaton could be picked as high as third in the draft, depending on the type of defenceman a team needs. He is a big, physical defender who likes to hit people in the corners.
Keaton distributes the puck well and creates high-quality scoring chances for his team. He has a heavy shot and could develop into a powerplay player. He is rated behind Reid in most mock drafts, but I love his physical play.
8. Winnipeg Jets
Daxon Rudolph — RD
Daxon is another excellent two-way defenceman. He is a fluid skater whose edge work gets him out of trouble. His ability to dish the puck at the perfect time will get him plenty of apples.
He puts his body on the line to block shots, and his stick work is slick. His physical play would make him a valuable asset to the Jets.
9. Florida Panthers
Tynan Lawrence — C
I might have picked Tynan a little high here. He is a gifted offensive player who dishes the puck as well as anyone. Tynan can dangle the puck, make defencemen focus on it, and then leave them in the dust.
His shot is deadly accurate and he has the potential to become a No. 1 centre. He is one of the youngest players in the draft and will only get better.
10. Nashville Predators
Alberts Šmits — LD
Alberts is a mobile defenceman who uses his physical presence effectively. His greatest strength is his lethal shot. He has excellent puck vision and can be used in a variety of situations.
Alberts is the kind of player who wants the puck in pressure situations. He is an excellent defender with some offence in his game and could develop into a top-pairing defenceman.
11. St. Louis Blues
Eathan Belchetz — LW
Eathan is the kind of dangerous power forward every team needs. His ability to fight for the puck gives him opportunities to score in tight spaces. He has a deadly shot and projects as a traditional power forward.
What scouts will really value is his backchecking and ability to stop scoring chances. Getting a power forward who can also play defence is a bonus.
12. New Jersey Devils
Oscar Hemming — RW
Oscar is a swift, skillful skater who plays a physical game. He thrives in the cycle game in the offensive zone and plays well along the boards.
He will get his share of garbage goals and go to the net like a bull in a china shop. He also uses his strength effectively in the defensive zone. He might not score the prettiest goals, but he will be there to make life miserable for opposing players.
13. New York Islanders
Ryan Lin — RD
Ryan is a highly intelligent defender. He reacts quickly to loose pucks and developing plays, causing havoc for forwards crossing the blue line. His aggressive stickwork breaks up plays.
His defensive play is excellent, and he does not panic in his own zone. He is also an elite skater with excellent puck-distribution skills. The apples will come with this kid. He has been described as a terrific powerplay quarterback.
14. Columbus Blue Jackets
Wyatt Cullen — LW
Wyatt’s best offensive skill is his quick release. His shot is heavy and deadly accurate. He fights for the puck, works hard, plays a strong two-way game, and is defensively responsible.
He might not be a sexy pick, but he is a safe one. You know what you are getting with Wyatt. His growing offensive presence is moving him up the charts.
15. St. Louis Blues
Malte Gustafsson — RD
Malte is a solid defender with a punch of offence. He will be a monster in his own zone because of his strong positional play.
He is a physical defenceman who aggressively closes the gap on opposing skaters. If you are skating through this kid’s zone, keep your head up! He is known for his physical play.
16. Washington Capitals
Adam Novotny — C
Adam is a triggerman. His shot is deadly accurate and he can score from anywhere. He is also a powerful skater who can get in and out of traffic.
Adam is close to the complete package. If he develops his defensive play, he could become a top-six forward. He is also willing to get his nose dirty in the corners.
17. Los Angeles Kings
Nikita Klepov — LW
Nikita’s stickhandling skills are second to none. He has a quick snapshot that fools goaltenders. His ability to dish off the puck also makes him a powerful weapon on the powerplay.
He is a fast, powerful skater who should get plenty of attention in the first round. He and Adam could easily flip-flop. It is all in the eye of the beholder.
18. Washington Capitals
Alexander Command — C
Alexander has consistently been moving up the charts. He is one of the hardest-working players in the draft.
He is a highly competitive centre with enough offensive skill to make him an attractive late, first-round selection. He is also very good on the boards.
19. Utah Mammoth
Liam Ruck — RW
Liam is an offensive forward with an exceptional talent for coming through in the clutch. He has scored 45 goals since last season.
His maneuverability allows him to get into position and set up teammates for easy goals. He will be plucking plenty of apples from the orchard. Ruck is also very good defensively, backchecks hard, and is an excellent penalty killer.
20. Buffalo Sabres
Xavier Villeneuve — LD
Xavier has elite puck-moving skills and is an exceptional skater. His hockey IQ is off the charts, and he knows exactly when to use his shot.
His excellent shot, combined with his playmaking skills, makes him a natural powerplay quarterback.
21. Philadelphia Flyers
Oliver Suvanto — C/LW
Oliver quietly goes about his business. He is a strong forward who thrives in the cycle game and along the boards. Much of his offence will come from the nitty-gritty areas—or what I like to call garbage goals.
Oliver can be trusted in the defensive zone and is considered an elite player in the faceoff circle. He is a perfect fit for any team that needs a physical centre.
22. Pittsburgh Penguins
Yegor Shilov — C
Yegor is a dangerous, skilled centre whose greatest strength is probably his smooth stickhandling through tight spaces.
He has a dangerous shot with a quick release and the ability to use it from anywhere on the ice.
23. Boston Bruins
Elton Hermansson — RW
If Elton develops defensively, he could move up in the draft. He excels in transition and might be one of the best passers available.
He plays mostly on the right wing but is capable of playing either side. He has a high hockey IQ and an explosive shot. If a team is patient with him, it could end up with an elite forward.
24. Vancouver Canucks
Ilia Morozov — C
Ilia is a big, strong, centre who can contribute in every aspect of the game. He is a strong passer with a high hockey IQ and a solid one-timer on the power play.
He reminds me of a Joel Otto-type player. He is not a flashy or spectacular pick. He is a reliable player who can grind it out with the best of them.
25. Seattle Kraken
Marcus Nordmark — RW
Marcus might be one of the smartest players in the draft. His hockey IQ is off the charts, and his stickhandling and playmaking skills make him a desirable prospect.
26. New York Rangers
Maddox Dagenais — C
I could probably copy and paste here. Seriously, Maddox is a skilled forward with great potential.
He is a smooth-skating playmaker with a good shot and the potential to become a second-line centre. He would have been rated higher in many other draft years. He has the DNA of an offensive juggernaut.
27. San Jose Sharks
Juho Piiparinen — RD
Juho is a defensive defenceman who could develop into an effective shutdown player. He keeps his game simple, knows his limitations, and might be one of the best shutdown defencemen in the draft.
He has the potential to become a steady No. 4 or 5 defenceman.
28. Montreal Canadiens
Jeffrey Paul Hurlbert — RW/LW
Jeffrey has an electric wrist shot with tons of voltage. His quick release gives him a highly dangerous weapon.
He is lethal on the powerplay because of his ability to find open space. He has a high hockey IQ and can make plays on the fly.
29. St. Louis Blues
Ryan Roobroeck — C
Ryan possesses a howitzer of a shot that will give goaltenders nightmares. He also has surprising passing and playmaking skills and can set up his teammates.
He is a traditional power forward with a strong physical game and will be a pistol in the dressing room.
30. Calgary Flames
Markus Ruck — C
Markus is a playmaker who does not show up every night. He has terrific stick skills, and his passing ability is out of this world because of his exceptional puck vision.
The Flames may go after both Rucks.
31. Carolina Hurricanes
Mathis Preston — RW
Mathis is a sneaky-good forward who is constantly thinking three moves ahead. He draws defenders toward him, opening space for teammates and creating clear passing lanes.
He excels as a playmaker and has an excellent release, making his shot deadly.
32. Ottawa Senators
Brooks Rogowski — C
Brooks uses his size to create scoring chances and is difficult to knock off the puck. He is a great skater for a player of his size and will fight for possession along the boards.
He has the potential to develop into a third-line centre.
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