Mock draft central

[Hollywood]

Since it's mock draft season, I figured it would be fun to have a place to put ours. I saw the THW's latest mock draft ( see the link below) and I was very surprised by some calls.

I thought it would be fun to see what you guys think of the 2013 draft and how the teams are gonna go. Feel free to send your mock drafts!

http://thehockeywriters.com/2013-nhl...l-cup-edition/

[Hollywood]

1. COL Seth Jones

No chance in hell they don't go with the local boy. JD and Mac are good options but Jones fill a hole right away and he will be a great one for a long time.

2. FLO Jonathan Drouin

Second pick and I'm already torn between two guys. Ultimately, I think they go this way because they already have Bjugstad and Huberdeau as C prospects. I know that they can put Mac on the wing, but I think that they will choose JD. What a nightmare Huberdeau-Drouin will be for goalies!

3. TB Nathan Mackinnon

They go with the other. Will they put him on Stamkos's wing?

4. NAS Sasha Barkov

NHL-ready and he fills a glaring hole on that team. No-brainer!

5. CAR Elias Lindholm

This is where it can go anywhere...
I really think that the Canes are gonna trade down from this spot. But if they stay, I think this guy can really fit in this system.

6. CAL Sean Monahan

I think that the Flames are another candidate for a trade-down. But, again, if they stay, they go with the best forward prospect still on the board. He can be wearing the Flames logo on his chest in October.

7. EDM Darnell Nurse

Oufffff..... I changed my call 3 times on this one. They need D!

8. BUF Valeri Nichushkin

Home run in Buffalo! If he crosses the pond, teams will regret not trading up to secure this guy! If not, Sabres will look more and more like the Bills...

9. NJ Hunter Shinkaruk

They need offense, he brings offense. Nothing more to add...

10. DAL Max Domi

I can see him on a line with Jamie Benn in two years from now...

11. PHI Nikita Zadorov

The Flyers get a player that fits well into the system. A nasty monster with upside...

12. PHO Curtis Lazar

Future captain here!

13. WIN Ryan Pulock

I don't know why but I see this guy slip down on draft day.

14. CBJ Rasmus Ristolainen

Pretty tough call here. Honestly, I think that this guy can go higher on draft day. I also think that the Blue Jackets might go many ways here because they have 3 1st rounders...

Feel free to share your thoughts or your own mock!

[bigbabybuda]

Awesome list bro! I love Mocks and will do one when I get to my computer. I think Edm will take Nurse but think it will be a monumental mistake passing on Ristolianen for him.

[TheZamboniGuy]

Nice mock draft, fun to read ! Everything seem really possible but I would switch these 2 selection :

Panthers : will draft Mack over Drouin and be a 1-2 punch on center or put in the future, Hub at the wing. Having 2 first center, with leadership can only be good for this team.

TB : draft Drouin, they got so nice history with Quebeckers, and he will learn a lot from st louis , playing at wing of Stammer.

Enjoy the Memorial cup !

[NikW71]

Nice mock draft, fun to read ! Everything seem really possible but I would switch these 2 selection :

Panthers : will draft Mack over Drouin and be a 1-2 punch on center or put in the future, Hub at the wing. Having 2 first center, with leadership can only be good for this team.

TB : draft Drouin, they got so nice history with Quebeckers, and he will learn a lot from st louis , playing at wing of Stammer.

Enjoy the Memorial cup !

Huberdeau is already a winger unless you were referring to Mac and Bjugstad as the other guy giving them the 1-2 punch at center.

I also agree with Florida picking Mac over Drouin as well.

[dodospice]

1. Colorado - Seth Jones
2. Florida - Nathan MacKinnon
3. Tampa Bay - Jonathan Drouin
4. Nashville - Aleksander Barkov
5. Carolina - Elias Lindholm
6. Calgary - Sean Monahan
7. Edmonton- Darnell Nurse
8. Buffalo - Valeri Nichushkin
9. New Jersey - Hunter Shinkaruk
10. Dallas - Adam Erne
11. Philadelphia - Rasmus Ristolainen
12. Phoenix - Max Domi
13. Winnipeg - Bo Horvat
14. Columbus - Frederik Gauthier

This is just a guess any number of players could potentially unseat these players in my opinion especially Gauthier and Erne

[bigbabybuda]

I also agree that Mackinnon goes before Drouin but didn't want to nit pick but he is clearly the better prospect I'm . Just trying to get under some peoples skin there I know Drouin is the golden child around here lol.

[Mr. Guru]

I got absolutely rapped on my mock last year, like most people.

The only ones I got right were Yakupov at #1, and Wilson at #16.

In 2012 I did much better,
Hopkins to EDM
Larsson to NJ
Zibanajed to OTT
Miller to NY
Klefbom to EDM
Biggs to TOR

I'll post my mock after the draft combine.

EDIT: I think Jones and Mac are certainly #1 and #2 respectively.

Jones to Colorado and Mac to Florida is, in my mind, a guarantee. Huberdeau was lighting it up as a winger this year and is Bjugstad a #1 center? Def not the upside of MacKinnon.

[Axeman33]

This is just a simple shot in the dark but I think its going to roll something like this:

Axeman33 Mock Draft v1.0

1. Colorado - Seth Jones
2. Florida - Jonathan Drouin
3. Tampa Bay - Nathan MacKinnon
4. Nashville - Aleksander Barkov
5. Carolina - Darnell Nurse
6. Calgary - Elias Lindholm
7. Edmonton- Sean Monahan
8. Buffalo - Valeri Nichushkin
9. New Jersey - Zachary Fucale
10. Dallas - Hunter Shinkaruk
11. Philadelphia - Rasmus Ristolainen
12. Phoenix - Max Domi
13. Winnipeg - Nikita Zadorov
14. Columbus - Ryan Pulock


The first 3 are obvious and just a question of who goes where. I dont think Colorado passes on Jones. I just dont see it.

From there its a bit of a crap shoot who Florida takes. They have some very good young centres already in their system contributing in Florida so that leads me to think they will roll with the winger here and take Drouin.

MacKinnon becomes a no brainer for TBay at this stage. Easily could be the first overall player, Stevie Y is quite happy to see MacKinnon slip to him at 3.

Nashville needs scoring. Desperately needs scoring. Barkov is a kid playing with men in Finlands top league and had no issues there what so ever. This pick should be an easy one for Nashville.

With the minor regression of McBain and after dealing away one of their top D prospects last year in Dumoulin, short of Murphy the D cupboards are fairly thin in Carolina. I see them grabbing a top Dman in this years draft and the one flying up everyones draft board is Nurse.

Calgary needs a bit of everything. They drafted a centre last year with their first pick but Jankowski is leap years away. Lindholm should offer excellent speed and skill up the middle for years to come for the Flames.

As for those who say Edmonton needs D help I disagree to some extent. Sure they need D help in Edmonton but who ever they draft at 8 isnt going to help them in Edmonton now. Also, if you go look in their system they already have some really good young D coming up the pipe. Klefbom, Marincin, Musil, Gernat, and Fedun are some of their better prospect D in their system who will be closer to help then someone drafted at 8. What the Oilers really need is a big #2 Centre (who in the league doesnt need this) and the Oilers are going to take Sean Monahan if he's there. He's pretty much right up Craig MacTavish's alley for style of play. If it isnt Monahan it could be Lindholm if he's still available but for some reason I am seeing Monahan. hey, its my list I can draft who I want where I want.

Buffalo doesnt need a centre so they take the winger and the best one still on the board in Nichushkin. This kid is going to be a good one.

New Jersey has little in the pipe for a true future stud and Fucale fits their need nicely. He's still a few years away at only 17, but Marty will play for another couple years and will eventually stay with the franchise in some capacity anyways and will be the perfect one to mold this kid into their future franchise.

Dallas takes Shinkaruk and finds another player who's a threat to score every time hes on the ice.

Philly taking a D here is about as obvious as it gets after their dismal season and plugging their backend to stop the bleeding. Ristolainen is right up Philly's alley. Big, rangy, plays with a bit of an edge and can play both sides of the puck. If he's still there at 11, I cant see Philly passing on him.

Phoenix needs skill up front. Max Domi isnt the biggest guy in the draft but is full of speed and skill.

Winnipeg isnt screaming for a need at D but the BPA is Zadorov at this point and I dont see the Jets letting him slip by them.

Same as Winnipeg, the CBJ have decent depth at D coming through their system but Pulock is just too good to let pass. I think he goes here.


Well there's my list. Version 1.0 and quite possibly could change but if it does, I dont expect it to be much of a change. Either way, this is going to be a very good draft, I could have easily put a few other guys in my top 14 that I had to struggle to leave out (Gauthier, Wennberg, Morin off the top of my head) so its going to be fun to read everyone elses.

[Potatoeman]

Every list posted in this thread has Barkov at #4 going to Nashville and I get the "Nashville needs scoring" argument. But if Trotz is still at the helm, I don'T know that Barkov is the right fit. Sure Nashville doesn't score much, but they never really have, they've always been a defense 1st type of team that scores by commitee and that relies more on two-way play. Radulov wasn't a good fit there IMO, so I don't think they'd go for a purely offense-driven player like Barkov, but rather a two-way player with good offensive upside like Lindholm or Monahan (and also why Forsberg is a good fit there IMO). Unless they really want to go for the best player available...

Please feel free to point out anything that I've missed (I must admit that I've no knowledge of Barkov's defensive abilities), as this is simply a thought that popped up while I was reading the posts in this thread and not an opinion based on an extensive analysis...

What do you think?

[shanny_drw]

ISS hockey had Valeri Nichushkin ranked number 2 in this months top 30, and hes already stated that he wants to give the NHL a shot and terminated his KHL contract. I see him going to 3-4 area. he has size and skill and above all others, has proven himself at a pro level in the KHL. If he slips i dont see him going past the 6th overall slot. Any team who drafts this guy has a potential HOME RUN on there hands. Personally wouldnt take him over the top 3 seeing as Jones Mack and Druin are nothing short of sure things, but wouldnt be suprised if NSH takes him over Barkov.

[dodospice]

Every list posted in this thread has Barkov at #4 going to Nashville and I get the "Nashville needs scoring" argument. But if Trotz is still at the helm, I don'T know that Barkov is the right fit. Sure Nashville doesn't score much, but they never really have, they've always been a defense 1st type of team that scores by commitee and that relies more on two-way play. Radulov wasn't a good fit there IMO, so I don't think they'd go for a purely offense-driven player like Barkov, but rather a two-way player with good offensive upside like Lindholm or Monahan (and also why Forsberg is a good fit there IMO). Unless they really want to go for the best player available...

Please feel free to point out anything that I've missed (I must admit that I've no knowledge of Barkov's defensive abilities), as this is simply a thought that popped up while I was reading the posts in this thread and not an opinion based on an extensive analysis...

What do you think?

Barkov has a pretty good two-way game, however I won't lie Monahan or Lindholm have crossed my mind as potential Nashville picks (especially Monahan) not sure when Barkov is coming over but Monahan could help them as soon as next season if they want to go that route..

[Mr. Guru]

Please feel free to point out anything that I've missed (I must admit that I've no knowledge of Barkov's defensive abilities), as this is simply a thought that popped up while I was reading the posts in this thread and not an opinion based on an extensive analysis...

What do you think?

I think everyone is thinking Barkov's offensive potential is too much to pass on even with Lindholm and Monahan's strong two way play. I think if Nashville were to draft one of those three it would be between Monahan (North American) vs Barkov (European).

ISS hockey had Valeri Nichushkin ranked number 2 in this months top 30, and hes already stated that he wants to give the NHL a shot and terminated his KHL contract

I must have missed Nichuskin terminate his KHL contract. That would be huge for his draft stock. Is this confirmed? Source?

[Axeman33]

I must have missed Nichuskin terminate his KHL contract. That would be huge for his draft stock. Is this confirmed? Source?

I started a thread here on the forums earlier about it.

http://forums.dobbersports.com/showthread.php?t=152887

[Mr. Guru]

Just saw it.

Thanks!