The top two players in the Draft are a given. Who is next in line depends on who you talk to. Teams are going to draft on the team's needs rather than the players. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder in this Draft.
New York Rangers
Alexis Lafreniere - Left-Wing
Alexis is a game-changer; he is the most talented player in the Draft. He is a slick passer who has excellent vision. His ability to get the pass to its destination is uncanny. He has a great shot. More to the point, it is deadly accurate. An excellent skater with excellent hands; he is a magician with the puck.
LA Kings
Quinton Byfield - Centre
Byfield is a smooth-skating forward with skills to burn. A terrific playmaking center who has great vision on the ice. What makes him special is his size. He uses it to his advantage—a sturdy individual who won't be easily taken off the puck.
Ottawa Senators
Tim Stützle - Centre, Left-Wing
Most of the experts have him at number three. Tim's strength is his skating. A speedy skater who intimidates defence into making mistakes. A terrific skilled forward who has a ton of offensive skill. He needs to be buffed up a little, but that will come.
Detroit Red Wings
Jamie Drysdale - Defence
Jamie is easily the best all-round defenceman in the Draft. He has a solid two-way game. A fast skater who can distribute the puck to forwards. He will be utilized in the powerplay and penalty-killing. Jamie has a great shot to add his offensive skill. He will be a dynamic NHLer for years to come.
Ottawa Senators
Marco Rossi - Centre
Depending on who you read, Marco is or is close to NHL-ready. One thing is for sure—Marco is a very talented offensive forward. He has excellent puck control, which makes him a dangerous weapon for the NHL Club. The only downside on this kid is his size, but he can over easily overcome that obstacle.
Anaheim Ducks
Lucas Raymond - Right-Wing, Left-Wing
Lucas is a highly-skilled forward who has good lateral movement. His speed can get him in and out of trouble. A smooth skater who will make coaches drool.
New Jersey Devils
Alexander Holtz - Right-Wing
I could tell you look at Raymond, and you see Holtz. The most significant difference is Alexander is a pure scorer. Holtz has a great release and accurate shot. Teams will be lining up for his services at the Draft. He can be vital to the team's powerplay because of his one-time shots.
Buffalo Sabres
Jake Sanderson
Sanderson is a very smart defender with a high hockey IQ. Jake knows when to pitch in and when not to. He has a terrific shot with a quick release. He is rated as the second-best defenceman in the Draft.
Minnesota Wild
Cole Perfetti - Center
Cole is a skilled center-winger who is not opposed to getting his nose dirty. Excellent with the puck and has good vision. Depending on who you ask, his skating might be a concern. There is no doubting Cole's offensive abilities; he should be able to develop his skating skills.
Winnipeg Jets
Dawson Mercer - Right-Wing
Dawson is a slick playmaking centre of decent size. An excellent passer, he is a smooth-skating forward with a ton of potential. Dawson has a chip on his shoulder. He won't shy from the corners. A typical prospect from the Quebec junior league, Mercer will have to work on his defensive zone game.
Nashville Predators
Anton Lundell - Centre
Anton is a reliable two-way forward with some offensive punch. He stands out with one skill, but he is known as a jack-of-all-trades. A hard worker, he will contribute on the powerplay and the penalty kill. He is known for his soft passes to set up scoring chances.
Florida Panthers
Dylan Holloway - Centre, Left-Wing
How much talent this kid has depends on who you ask. He is a smooth skater who is hard to take the puck off of. His lateral movement is outstanding. He has to develop his game to be a complete player. Has tons of potential to be a star.
Carolina Hurricanes
Yaroslav Askarov - Goalie
Yaroslav has a terrific quick glove hand. He plays his angles very well and has fast reflexes. Yaroslav can win a game by himself. A very agile keeper who controls his rebounds. It is rare to have a goalie in the first round, which just goes to show how much potential this kid has.
Edmonton Oilers
Jack Quinn - Right-wing
Depending on who you listen to, Jack lands anywhere from 6th to 13th. Jack is an elite finisher who cleans up his chances to the net. He has speed, but needs to develop his skating skills. Teams love his one-timer. He will be an excellent asset on the powerplay.
Toronto Maple Leafs
Kaiden Guhle - Defence
Kaiden is ranked from 14th to 23rd. His greatest strength is he is an excellent skater. Kaiden is a top physical, no-nonsense defenseman.
Solid defensive defensemen teams will value his puck-handling skills, probably the third best defenseman in the Draft.
Montreal Canadians
Seth Jarvis - Centre, Wing
Seth is a highly-skilled forward who excels in the offensive zone. His versatility is an asset being able to be centre and wing. Teams can use him in all aspects of the game. He especially shines on the penalty-kill. He is the kind of forward you would want on the ice in the last two minutes.
Chicago Black Hawks
Hendrix Lapierre - Centre
Hendrix intimidates defencemen with his speed. He often forces the defence to back up, which allows him to penetrate the offensive zone easily. A highly-skilled puck handler who is capable of making passes that most can only imagine. Again, being from the Quebec junior league, he needs to develop his defensive game. Concussion issues may hinder his development.
New Jersey Devils
Connor Zary - Centre
Connor not a flashy centre, but has the skill to compete in the NHL. Connor is a man's man. A hard-working hockey player. He will fight in the corner and is solid in his own end. You will want him on your team in the last minutes. Connor may very well have the biggest heart in the Draft.
Calgary Flames
Jacob Perreault - Right-Wing
Jacob is an offensive centre who will put up some numbers. He is known for his passing, skills and has excellent vision. He is a terrific skater and a finisher around the net. Motivated and the player who wants the puck when the moment counts.
New Jersey Devils
Rodion Amirov - Left-Wing
Rodion has some strong feedback from the insiders. Rodion is a strong winger who can give teammates space. He is steady on his feet, and it will be hard to take him off the puck. He could be a steal for a team that picks the 20 or 21 spot in the Draft.
Columbas Blue Jackets
John-Jason Peterka - Right-Wing
I get kind of excited about John-Jason, a right-winger who can finish. Jason has a quick release wrist shot, with some accuracy. Peterka needs to develop his defensive game, but that will come. He was used in all aspects of the game.
New York Rangers
Noel Gunler - Right-Wing, Left-Wing
Some have this slick-moving forward in the top ten. Noel's biggest asset is his shot. If Noel brings his size in his game, he could become the perfect power-forward. A powerful sniper who could be a top-six forward.
Philadelphia Flyers
Ridly Greig - Right-Wing, Centre
Ridley has one talent right from the start; his versatility. Teams will love the fact he can play RW-centre. Ridley will be used in all aspects of the game. He can be relied on in the last minutes, used as a left-winger or to replace a centre if he gets tossed on the draw.
Washington Capitals
Lukas Reichel - Left-Wing
Lucis is a skilled left-winger who can put the fear of death into others with his speed in the offensive zone. Lucas has excellent vision, which makes him dangerous shooting or passing.
Colorado Avalanche
Justin Barron - Defence
Justin is an all-around defenceman known for his defensive game. He has great vision will be able to get the puck out of the zone for the forwards. He plays great under pressure. Teams will be impressed with his composure.
St. Louis Blues
William Wallinder - Defence
Willam is a big defender who is good in his own zone. William has excellent puck-moving skills and knows how to distribute the puck. He will never be known for his flashy play, but is a steady defender. Teams will like his physical presence in the line-up. It will take time to develop.
Anaheim Ducks
Ozzy Wiesblatt - Right-Wing
I suppose there is one word to describe Ozzy: fireballer. I am not sure if there is such a word, but that describes him to a T. A consistent player who never quits, he will get his points off turnovers. Sounds like Tkachuk in the rough to me.
Ottawa Senators
Maverick Bourque - Centre
Maverick is a smart, no-nonsense player who will take the most direct route from A to B. A determined forward who has a never-quit attitude. He'll get it done. Not known for just one skill, he does everything well but not great, potential 2nd/3rd line centre.
Vegas Golden Knights
Jake Neighbours - Centre
Jake is a tireless worker who works for every inch of space. He will tire out the opposition with his relentless pressure. He gets his nose dirty and will score his share of garbage goals—a late first-rounder in the making.
Dallas Stars
Brendan Brisson
Brendan is a reliable centre with a deadly wrist shot. He will go where the puck is and does not shy away from the physical play. Brisson will get his share of points through his style of play. The kind of player you need to protect your players.
SJ Sharks
Tyson Foerster
Tyson can be used in all aspects of the game. He has the offensive skills, with the knowledge to achieve plays in the NHL. Tyson is a hard worker who won't quit. He can and will do what it takes to win. Foerster has a terrific shot and can score from anywhere on the ice.
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