The drama of the NHL draft lottery has long since played out. With the Lightning and Blackhawks duelling it out for Lord Stanley’s Cup, the final order of the draft is almost set. Let’s get right to the picks.
Round 1
- Edmonton Oilers: Connor McDavid
Ht/Wt: 6′ 1″/190 lbs
Position: C
Team: Erie (OHL)
Prospect Profiler Notes: Dynamic forward; generational talent
No brainer here. McDavid now a McOiler. Edmonton fourth 1st overall pick in 6 years. This is the one that truly makes the difference, is it not?
[Related: Connor McDavid Worthy of “The Next One” Moniker]
- Buffalo Sabres: Jack Eichel
Ht/Wt: 6′ 2″/194 lbs
Position: C
Team: Boston Univ. (NCAA)
Prospect Profiler Notes: The 2015 Hobey Baker winner is a high octane, cornerstone franchise centre.
Don’t feel bad for the Sabres; Eichel will be phenomenal.
[Related: Jack Eichel: Hockey’s Ultimate Consolation Prize]
- Arizona Coyotes: Noah Hanifin
Ht/Wt: 6′ 2″/200 lbs
Position: D
Team: Boston College (NCAA)
Prospect Profiler Notes: Phenomenal skating ability, high hockey IQ, mature game; has the tools and potential to contend for the title of Next Great American Defenseman.
Coyotes contemplate both Strome and Marner, but can’t pass on this blueliner with scintillating skating.
- Toronto Maple Leafs: Dylan Strome
Ht/Wt: 6′ 3″/187 lbs
Position: C
Team: Erie (OHL)
Prospect Profiler Notes: NYI’s Ryan’s brother; creative, visionary offensive centre, defensively responsible; The Comeback Kid came from behind on last day of OHL regular season to overtake Mitch Marner for OHL scoring crown and tie for CHL scoring lead.
Leafs Nation become immediately enamoured with the talented centreman with desirable size and extraordinary upside.
Ht/Wt: 5’11″/164 lbs
Position: C/RW
Team: London (OHL)
Prospect Profiler Notes: Exceptional acceleration and highly creative, The Magician won’t be denied at the next level; after slow start, perhaps most impressive CHLer this season
The Canes cannot pass up the best player available – they rightfully feel he will be a dynamic spark plug difference-maker.
https://twitter.com/KatsHockey/status/595993151380271106
- New Jersey Devils: Mathew Barzal
Ht/Wt: 6’0″/183 lbs
Position: C
Team: Seattle (WHL)
Prospect Profiler Notes: The Cerebral Catalyst is a visionary playmaking centreman.
Devils’ brass opt for the kid they think can evolve into the next coming of Claude Giroux, much to the chagrin of Flyers faithful.
- Philadelphia Flyers: Kyle Connor
Ht/Wt: 6′ 1″/170 lbs
Position:C
Team: Youngstown (USHL)
Prospect Profiler Notes: Two-way, intelligent playmaking centreman; The It Factor of this draft class.
Flyerss go slightly off the board, but get their guy.
- Columbus Blue Jackets: Zack Werenski
Ht/Wt: 6′ 1″/206 lbs
Position: D
Team: Univ. of Michigan (NCAA)
Prospect Profiler Notes: Versatile combination of size, skating, strength, two-way blueliner; some think Werenski (Mr. Potential) could develop into the best defenseman of this draft class.
- San Jose Sharks: Pavel Zacha
Ht/Wt: 6′ 3″/200 lbs
Position: C/LW
Team: Liberec (CZE)
Prospect Profiler Notes: Tantalizing combination of size, skill, shot & work ethic
- Colorado Avalanche: Ivan Provorov
Ht/Wt: 6′ 0″/191 lbs
Position: D
Team: Brandon (WHL)
Prospect Profiler Notes: Highly skilled, super-poised, versatile defender with laser-like precision passing skills, close to NHL-ready
The Avs might have just snagged ultimately the best blueliner in this draft class
[Related: Ivan Provorov, not just a great Bond villain name, but a Russian Factor in the 2015 NHL Draft]
- Florida Panthers: Lawson Crouse
Ht/Wt: 6′ 3″/200 lbs
Position: LW
Team: Kingston (OHL)
Prospect Profiler Notes: Burgeoning power forward impressive as draft eligible prospect at World Juniors; he’s Every Coach’s Dream and possesses a unique brand of passing.
http://t.co/XjymQcv3NG
#4 Lawson Crouse @LawCrouse
Big strong fwd that competes at the highest level. Very good IQ & shot @jherrington17— ISS Hockey (@ISShockey) May 10, 2015
- Dallas Stars: Mikko Rantanen
Ht/Wt: 6′ 4″/195 lbs
Position: C/RW
Team: TPS Turku (a) (SM-liiga)
Prospect Profiler Notes: Great size, high hockey IQ, tough on the boards, good puck protections skills; The Finnish Havoc is the 2015 NHL Draft’s Top European Prospect.
- Los Angeles Kings: Travis Konecny
Ht/Wt: 5’10″/172 lbs
Position: C
Team: Ottawa 67’s (OHL)
Prospect Profiler Notes: Picasso-on-ice; sensational creativity, speed and blistering shot; CHL Top Prospects game MVP
- Boston Bruins: Timo Meier
Ht/Wt: 6′ 1″/209 lbs
Position: RW
Team: Halifax Mooseheads
Prospect Profiler Notes: Good size, strong, responsible Swiss winger with excellent puck skills; the top prospect out of the Q this year delivers the works.
- Calgary Flames: Thomas Chabot
Ht/Wt: 6′ 2″/179 lbs
Position: D
Team: Saint John (QMJHL)
Prospect Profiler Notes: Blueliners’ surging stock reminiscent of that of Travis Sanheim’s in 2014.
https://twitter.com/HuwDBD/status/601462527893995523
- Edmonton Oilers (via Pittsburgh Penguins): Jeremy Roy
Ht/Wt: 6′ 0″/183 lbs
Position: D
Team: Sherbrooke (QMJHL)
Prospect Profiler Notes: Offensive, great puck skills, puckmoving defenseman, powerplay QB
- Winnipeg Jets: Evgeni Svechnikov
Ht/Wt: 6′ 1″/180 lbs
Position: LW
Team: Cape Breton (QMJHL)
Prospect Profiler Notes: Ridiculous upside; smooth North American transition for big, skilled forward
- Ottawa Senators: Jansen Harkins
Ht/Wt: 6′ 1″/177 lbs
Position: C
Team: Prince George (WHL)
Prospect Profiler Notes: Bloodlines, character, smart two-way playmaker
https://twitter.com/DubFromAbove/status/582275591623311361
- Detroit Red Wings: Oliver Kylington
Ht/Wt: 6′ 0″/180 lbs
Position: D
Team: Farjestads BK (SHL)
Prospect Profiler Notes: Stock has taken a beating this season, but the tools remain – outstanding skating, puck-moving dman; youngest player to score a goal in the SHL.
Swedish prospect. Slipping stock. Falls to Red Wings. How does this story end?
- Minnesota Wild: Brock Boeser
Ht/Wt: 6′ 1″/192 lbs
Position: RW
Team: Waterloo (USHL)
Prospect Profiler Notes: High hockey IQ and lethal shot
The Wild land the Burnsville, Minnesota native, hoping he develops into elite finisher.
- Buffalo Sabres (via New York Islanders): Jakub Zboril
Ht/Wt: 6′ 1″/184 lbs
Position: D
Team: Saint John (QMJHL)
Prospect Profiler Notes: Well rounded defender with high hockey IQ; some offensive upside, but more smooth than flashy
- Washington Capitals: Colin White
Ht/Wt: 6′ 0″/175 lbs
Position: C/RW
Team: USA U18 NTDP
Prospect Profiler Notes: Patrice Bergeron 2.0 – does all the small things coaches covet
- Vancouver Canucks: Paul Bittner
Ht/Wt: 6′ 4″/201 lbs
Position: LW
Team: Portland (WHL)
Prospect Profiler Notes: Prototypical power forward with a good shot
- Toronto Maple Leafs (via Nashville Predators): Nick Merkley
Ht/Wt: 5’10″/175 lbs
Position: C/RW
Team: Kelowna (WHL)
Prospect Profiler Notes: Catalyst for positive plays all over the rink
Shanny and crew cannot believe their fortune as Merkley slips to them at 24. Size and skating have been criticized by some, but this lad is too smart and too determined to be denied.
Nick Merkley just had a shift and a half for Kelowna to draw a penalty. He has a motor that just does not stop. #WHL #NHLDraft
— Zenon Herasymiuk (@ZenonHerasymiuk) April 12, 2015
- Winnipeg Jets (via St. Louis Blues): Jake DeBrusk
Ht/Wt: 6′ 0″/177 lbs
Position: LW
Team: Swift Current (WHL)
Prospect Profiler Notes: Louie’s son has explosive scoring ability and contributed on over one-third of the Broncos’s points registered.
- Montreal Canadiens: Denis Guryanov
Ht/Wt:6′ 2″/183 lbs
Position:RW
Team: Togliatti 2 (RUS-JR.)
Prospect Profiler Notes: Lethal offensive weapons; tantalizing combination of size and skill
- Anaheim Ducks: Jeremy Bracco
Ht/Wt: 5′ 9″/156 lbs
Position: C/RW
Team: USA U18 NTDP
Prospect Profiler Notes: Undersized but limitless offensive upside – creative, energetic, slick puck skills
Ducks fans hope for another Paul Kariya in the making.
Big believer in Jeremy Bracco. Skill like that doesn’t come around every day, grab it when you can. If I’m drafting late first, he’s my guy
— Sean Lafortune (@SeanLafortune) May 22, 2015
- Tampa Bay Lighting (via New York Rangers): Noah Juulsen
Ht/Wt: 6′ 2″/175 lbs
Position: D
Team: Everett (WHL)
Prospect Profiler Notes: Two-way blueliner with lethal shot and mean streak
- Arizona Coyotes (via Chicago Blackhawks): Joel Eriksson Ek
Ht/Wt: 6′ 2″/180 lbs
Position: C
Team: Farjestad Jr. (SWE-JR.)
Prospect Profiler Notes: Smart, skilled, complete centreman with high compete level
- Philadelphia Flyers (via Tampa Bay Lightning): Daniel Sprong
Ht/Wt: 5’11″/175 lbs
Position: RW
Team: Charlottetown (QMJHL)
Prospect Profiler Notes: Flying Dutchman; electrifying offensive sparkplug originally from Amsterdam; has to continue to develop team game
Often compared to Phil Kessel. It only seems fitting that the Netherlands native sports orange in the big league.
Check Out @DCProSportsRep Latest Mock Draft Database on Upcoming 2015 #NHLDraft! #NHL http://t.co/3619TDxlKC
— NL KING (@TheNLKing) May 22, 2015