This is my mock draft of the first round and what I think will happen. Feel free to comment.
1. Nail Yukapov- The Oilers need defense in their system, but if they chose to keep the first overall pick, they can't pass on Yakupov.
Expect some type of trade from Edmonton either before or after the draft.
Yakupov is a 5'11", 189-pound right winger from Russia who played for the OHL's Sarnia Sting.
He totaled 69 points in 42 games this season after racking up 101 in 65 last season.
2. Ryan Murray is a 6'0", 201-pound defenseman from Canada who played for the WHL's Everett Silvertips.
He totaled 31 points in 46 games this season.
Possibly the best defenseman available in the draft, some say Murray will be NHL-ready next season.
His value can only be considered on the rise after an invitation to play with Canada at a pre-competition camp for the 2012 IIHF World Championships. Canada's roster includes 2011 Hart Memorial Trophy winner Corey Perry and the 2011 NHL draft's first overall pick Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.
3. Mikhail Grigorenko is a 6'3", 200-pound center from Russia who played for the QMJHL's Quebec Remparts.
He had a disappointing QMJHL playoffs, scoring 10 points in 11 games after totaling 85 points in 59 games this season.
Still, that may not be enough to deny him a spot as this season's second-best offensive (forward) prospect.
4. Filip Forsberg is a 6'2", 181-pound center from Sweden who played for Leksand of the Swedish league.
He totaled 17 points in 43 games this season with the Division 2 Senior league Leksand.
Forsberg won a gold medal with Sweden at the IIHF Under-20 World Championships.
5. Toronto should be drafting a forward and Alex Galchenyuk would likely be the best one available out of the remaining offensive players.
Galchenyuk is a 6'0", 198-pound center who plays for the OHL's Sarnia Sting. He is of Russian ancestry and was born in the United States.
Galchenyuk totaled 83 points in 68 games in the 2010-11 season. A knee injury limited his playing time this season, but he was able to showcase his talent with a late-season comeback.
6. Mathew Dumba is a 6'0", 183-pound defenseman from Canada who played for the WHL's Red Deer Rebels.
He totaled 50 points in 64 games this season.
He was selected to be Canada's captain at the 2012 IIHF Under-18 World Championships.
Dumba led the tournament in scoring with 12 points in seven games.
7. .Morgan Rielly is a 6'0", 190-pound defenseman from Canada who played for the WHL's Moose Jaw Warriors.
He missed most of this season with a torn ACL. He totaled 18 points in 18 games before the injury. He was able to come back for the playoffs, where he totaled three assists in five games.
8. Griffin Reinhart is a 6'4", 207-pound defenseman from Canada who played for the WHL's Edmonton Oil Kings.
He totaled 36 points in 58 games this season with a plus-23.
The defenseman totaled six points in 13 playoff games. The Oil Kings are now in the WHL's Championship Series.
9. Jacob Trouba- Defenseman Jacob Trouba is a good all-around player who was with the USHL's National Development team.
He totaled 18 points in 22 games and was a plus-eight rating.
Trouba's stock might have dropped after the IIHF Under-18 World Championships, where he was a plus-five with three points in six games. Comparatively, teammate Seth Jones scored eight points with a plus-nine rating.
10.Cody Ceci is a 6'2", 207-pound defenseman from Canada who played for for the OHL's Ottawa 67's.
He totaled 60 points in 64 games this season.
Ceci also had an impressive playoff performance, notching 15 points in 18 games.
11. Teuvo Teravainen is the the second-ranked European skater at NHL.com and he's been climbing other rankings rapidly; he is seventh on TSN's most recent prospect rankings.
Teravainen is a 5'11", 165-pound left winger from Finland who played for Jokerit of the SM-liiga.
He had 18 points in 40 games this season, but totaled eight in six tournament games at the IIHF Under-18 World Championships.
12. Radek Faksa is a 6'3", 202-pound center from the Czech Republic who played for the OHL's Kitchener Rangers.
He totaled 66 points in 62 games this season.
Faksa's production went down dramatically in the OHL playoffs, as he totaled a mere six points in 13 games.
13. Olli Maatta is a 6'2", 202-pound defenseman from Finland who played for the OHL's London Knights.
He totaled 32 points in 58 games this season. He is a good skater who plays well offensively and defensively.
Maatta's impressive playoffs could have his stock rise pretty high going into the draft. In 14 games, he had 19 points and is a plus-11.
14. Zemgus Girgensons is a 6'2", 198-pound center from Latvia who played for the USHL's Dubuque Fighting Saints.
He had 50 points in 47 games this season.
Girgensons recently attempted to play with a fractured jaw that may have ended his season. He will play for the University of Vermont next season.
15. Brendan Gaunce is a 6'2", 215-pound center from Canada who played for the OHL's Belleville Bulls.
He totaled 68 points in 68 games and was a plus-four this season, but was less impressive in six OHL playoff games as he totaled just three points and was a minus-two.
He was better in seven IIHF Under-18 World Junior tournament games, where he totaled four points and was a plus-four.
16. Derrick Pouliot is a 5'11", 186-pound defenseman from Canada who played for the WHL's Portland Winterhawks.
He totaled 59 points in 72 games this season, then impressively totaled 12 points in 15 playoff games.
17. Matt Finn is a 6'0", 195-pound defenseman from Canada who played for the OHL's Guelph Storm.
He has 48 points in 61 games this season and has more than doubled his point total from last season.
Finn has quality awareness for his age in terms of making smart plays. He could be a steal late in the round if he continues to develop rapidly.
18. Sebastian Collberg is a 5'11", 176-pound right winger from Sweden who played for the Elitserien's Frolunda team.
He totaled 17 points in 21 games with the junior-20 Frolunda team this season, then scored nine points in six games at the IIHF Under-18 World Championships.
19. Brady Skjei is a 6'3", 200-pound defenseman from the United States playing for the USHL's National Development Team.
He has 21 points in 53 games this season and will be attending the University of Minnesota.
20. The top goalie prospect is Malcolm Subban, brother of Montreal Canadiens defenseman P.K. Subban.
Subban is a 6'1", 188-pound goalie from Canada who played for the OHL's Belleville Bulls.
In 39 games this season, he had a .923 save percentage and a 2.50 goals-against average.
Subban went 2-4 in six playoff games, but recorded a .917 save percentage while facing an average of 36 shots per game.
21. Andrei Vasilevski is a 6'3", 204-pound goalie from Russia who played for the KHL's Tolpar Ufa.
In 27 games played this season, he had a .931 save percentage and a goals-against average of 2.23.
Vasilevski played in the IIHF Under-18 World Championships, stopping 130 of 141 shots in five games for a .922 save percentage.
22. Stefan Matteau is a 6'2", 210-pound center from the United States who played for the USHL's National Development Team.
The son of New York Rangers great Stephane Matteau totaled 32 points in 46 games this season.
Matteau was ineligible for the World Juniors, so he missed an opportunity to display his skills on a bigger stage.
23. Martin Frk is a 6'0", 198-pound right winger from the Czech Republic who played for the QMJHL's Halifax Mooseheads.
He had 29 points in 34 games this season.
In the playoffs, Frk has totaled 11 points over 16 games.
24. Tom Wilson is a 6'4", 203-pound right winger from Canada who played for the OHL's Plymouth Whalers.
He totaled 27 points in 49 games this season.
He had a very impressive playoffs, being a point-per-game player with 13 points in 13 games. The big winger was also a plus-10.
25. Slater Koekkoek is a 6'2", 184-pound defenseman from Canada who played for the OHL's Peterborough Petes.
He had 18 points in 26 games this season. He is physical and talented both offensively and defensively.
He did not have an opportunity to play in the playoffs this season to improve his stock.
26. Colton Sissons is a 6'1", 189-pound center from Canada who played for the WHL's Kelowna Rockets.
He totaled 41 points in 58 games this season. He only played in four playoff games, totaling two points.
Sissons is captain of his team and regarded as a gritty two-way player.
27. Dalton Thrower is a 5'11", 189-pound defenseman from Canada who played for the WHL's Saskatoon Blades.
He has 54 points in 66 games, but just one point in four playoff games.
In addition to being a productive offensive defenseman, Thrower is very physical.
28. Hampus Lindholm is a 6'2", 196-pound defenseman from Sweden playing for Rogle of the Allsvenskan.
He played at three different levels of Sweden's hockey league but spent the most time with the Rogle junior team, totaling 17 points in 28 games.
Lindholm is considered to be the top European defenseman available in this year's class. He totaled four points in six games at the IIHF Under-18 World Championships.
29. Cristobal Nieves is a 6'3", 184-pound center from the United States playing for Kent High School in Connecticut. He totaled 39 points in 26 games this past season.
He is committed to playing for the University of Michigan.
30. Mark Jankowski is a 6'2", 170-pound center from Stanstead College of Quebec. He totaled 93 points in 57 games.
What do you guys think? I am trying to make the best draft. Comment on any where you think I went wrong and state who you would choose instead and why. Cheers.
Last edited by wreckingcru: 05-10-2012 at 09:33 PM.
If that's just a top 30 ranking list that's not bad. But I don't see any chance of the draft playing out like that. I'm almost certain that the Isles are going to take Forsberg if he's still there, and prettymuch dead certain that the Canes aren't going to take another dman in the first this year after taking Murphy last year and with what they have coming up through the pipeline.
Highly unlikely that Girgensons goes before Faksa, Teravainen, or Guance as well.
Not bad. Can't see Rielly being a Winnipeg pick. They're a new franchise emphasizing a safe managerial strategy. Rielly's injury makes him a risk. I think they go Ceci instead.
I like it a lot. Personally, I think the Senators will end up with a D, but if Gaunce is available at #15 should make them think. I don't know what others think, but I also wouldn't say he had a bad playoffs. It was a super tight series, and Bellvile were huge underdogs. I thought Gaunce always looked dangerous and ridiculously annoyingly good at getting into good positions.
I like it a lot. Personally, I think the Senators will end up with a D, but if Gaunce is available at #15 should make them think. I don't know what others think, but I also wouldn't say he had a bad playoffs. It was a super tight series, and Bellvile were huge underdogs. I thought Gaunce always looked dangerous and ridiculously annoyingly good at getting into good positions.
