- 2019 NHL Mock Draft: Round 1
- 2019 NHL Mock Draft: Round 2
- 2019 NHL Mock Draft: Round 4
- 2019 NHL Mock Draft: Round 5
- 2019 NHL Mock Draft: Round 6
- 2019 NHL Mock Draft: Round 7
- 2019 NHL Mock Draft: Team Results
Again, we’re in the midst of a big tier of talent that overlaps the end of the second round and the start of the third round.
There are at least a handful and upwards of 10 prospects in this round of my mock that could be gone by here, but there are also plenty of potential steals outside the top 62 as per usual.
So let’s forge ahead with the Colorado Avalanche having the honours of getting this round started as owners of Ottawa’s pick.
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Third Round
63) Colorado Avalanche (from Ottawa) — Michal Teply (RW, Czech Republic, Bili Tygri Liberec)
Height/Weight: 6-foot-3, 187 pounds (Combine Official)
Playoff Stats: 4 GP-2 G-4 A-6 PTS (Czech U19)
Regular Season Stats: 15 GP-0 G-2 A-2 PTS (Czech), 23 GP-4 G-6 A-10 PTS (Czech2), 8 GP-4 G-5 A-9 PTS (Czech U19)
Central Scouting: 14 EUS
THW Larry Fisher: 60
THW Ryan Pike: 64
THW Andrew Forbes: 51
ANALYSIS: The Avs are shocked to see Teply still available, having reluctantly passed on him in the second round, at 47th overall, in order to take a hometown kid and feel-good story in Nolan Foote. Like Foote, Teply is a sniper — a shoot-first winger with good size. Colorado could see Teply as a future complement for last year’s first-rounder and fellow Czech forward Martin Kaut.
64) Los Angeles Kings — Blake Murray (LC, Canada, Sudbury OHL)
Height/Weight: 6-foot-3, 185 pounds
Playoff Stats: 8 GP-4 G-1 A-5 PTS
Regular Season Stats: 66 GP-30 G-20 A-50 PTS
Central Scouting: 104 NAS
THW Larry Fisher: 62
THW Ryan Pike: 85
THW Andrew Forbes: 91
ANALYSIS: The Kings really like their OHL forwards — taking Gabe Vilardi, Drake Rymsha, Akil Thomas and Aidan Dudas over the last two years, with Tyler Toffoli, Tanner Pearson, Andy Andreoff and Mike Amadio among those preceding them since 2010 — so Murray could certainly be in L.A.’s sights here. But it’s no certainty that he’ll still be available into the third round since Murray had some first-round hype earlier in the draft year and actually came on strong towards the end. If he’s gone, the Kings could reach for another OHL forward in Ethan Keppen or look west for WHL forward Adam Beckman, a teammate of L.A. prospect Jaret Anderson-Dolan in Spokane.
65) Philadelphia Flyers (from New Jersey via Edmonton) — Samuel Bolduc (LD, Canada, Blainville-Boisbriand QMJHL)
Height/Weight: 6-foot-4.25, 209 pounds (CO)
Playoff Stats: 5 GP-1 G-1 A-2 PTS
Regular Season Stats: 65 GP-9 G-28 A-37 PTS
Central Scouting: 42 NAS
THW Larry Fisher: 63
THW Ryan Pike: 75
THW Andrew Forbes: Not Ranked
ANALYSIS: The Flyers get a real beast here in Boldoc, a future Broad Street Bully. He’s one of the strongest, most physical players in this draft class, which will endear him to Philadelphia. Bolduc isn’t a goon, he’s got some Radko Gudas in him, but Bolduc is also a powerful skater with some offensive skill to boot. The Flyers could have bash brothers on their back end with Bolduc joining Sam Morin in the system. Bolduc would be a rock-solid pick, literally and figuratively.
66) Detroit Red Wings — Karl Henriksson (LC/LW, Sweden, Frölunda J20)
Height/Weight: 5-foot-9.25, 176 pounds (CO)
Playoff Stats: 6 GP-2 G-7 A-9 PTS (SuperElit-J20), 7 GP-2 G-5 A-7 PTS (Allsvenskan-J18)
Regular Season Stats: 45 GP-13 G-36 A-49 PTS (SuperElit-J20)
Central Scouting: 23 EUS
THW Larry Fisher: 69
THW Ryan Pike: 112
THW Andrew Forbes: 96
ANALYSIS: Detroit goes back to Sweden for Henriksson, who I had debated for the Red Wings at the end of the second round before deciding to go with goaltender Hugo Alnefelt, one of Henriksson’s teammates from Sweden’s gold medal-winning squad at the under-18 worlds. Henriksson led Sweden in scoring while centering his country’s top line at that tournament — flanked by a pair of top prospects for the 2020 draft, Lucas Raymond and Alexander Holtz, both of whom could be of interest to Detroit if the Red Wings are picking in the top 10 again next year. Henriksson isn’t overly flashy, his point total was perhaps inflated by his linemates during that showcase, but he’s effective in all three zones and should be a quality pro.
67) Buffalo Sabres — Albert Johansson (LD, Sweden, Farjestad SHL)
Height/Weight: 5-foot-11.75, 165 pounds (CO)
Playoff Stats: 6 GP-2 G-3 A-5 PTS (Allsvenskan-J18), 2 GP-0 G-0 A-0 PTS (SuperElit-J20)
Regular Season Stats: 3 GP-0 G-0 A-0 PTS (SHL), 40 GP-5 G-24 A-29 PTS (SuperElit-J20)
Central Scouting: 37 EUS
THW Larry Fisher: 83
THW Ryan Pike: Honourable Mention (126-135)
THW Andrew Forbes: 130
ANALYSIS: The Sabres also go back to Sweden — for the third time in as many picks to start their draft — by selecting their best player available here in Johansson. Buffalo used its two first-rounders on Philip Broberg and Nils Hoglander in my mock but couldn’t resist taking Johansson, another mobile defender with nice upside. There are lots of other defence options in this range, more so than forwards, but the Sabres take the top guy on their list regardless of position. If Buffalo had a second-round selection, Johansson might have been the top guy there too, as some teams will likely have him in their top 62 or even their top 50.
68) New York Rangers — Antti Tuomisto (RD, Finland, Assat U20)
Height/Weight: 6-foot-4.5, 193 pounds (CO)
Playoff Stats: 5 GP-1 G-1 A-2 PTS (U18)
Regular Season Stats: 45 GP-9 G-26 A-35 PTS (U20)
Central Scouting: 15 EUS
THW Larry Fisher: 55
THW Ryan Pike: 96
THW Andrew Forbes: Not Ranked
ANALYSIS: The Rangers take their third Finn with their fifth pick of the draft, opting for the rangy-but-raw package of Tuomisto, an intriguing talent with all the tools to be an impactful NHL defenceman. He’ll need a fair bit of development, but the Rangers won’t have to rush Tuomisto since they already have several blueliners on the cusp of being NHL-ready. Tuomisto could be worth the wait with his size and overall skill.
69) Florida Panthers (from Edmonton) — Ilya Konovalov (G, Russia, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl KHL, overager)
Height/Weight: 6-foot-0, 194 pounds
Playoff Stats: 8 GP-2.42 GAA-.905 SaveP
Regular Season Stats: 45 GP-1.89 GAA-.930 SaveP
Central Scouting: 4 EUG
THW Larry Fisher: 104
THW Ryan Pike: Not Ranked
THW Andrew Forbes: Not Ranked
ANALYSIS: The Panthers could be on the verge of a Russian invasion, with Florida the favourite to land prized free agents Artemi Panarin and Sergei Bobrovsky this summer. Bobrovsky would take over as the team’s starting goaltender, with Roberto Luongo likely headed for long-term injury reserve. Panarin will be brought in to mentor 2018 first-rounder Grigori Denisenko as forward snipers, so perhaps the Panthers will look for Bobrovsky to do the same by drafting a Russian goaltending prospect this year.
The top two are both overagers in Pyotr Kochetkov, who I have going to Chicago in the second round, and Konovalov, who turns 21 in July and enjoyed a sensational KHL campaign in his final year of draft eligibility. Konovalov doesn’t have Kochetkov’s size, but he’s every bit as skilled at stopping the puck. Either of them would be quality additions to Florida’s prospect pool, especially if they had the opportunity to serve as Bobrovsky’s understudy.
70) New Jersey Devils (from Anaheim) — Henry Thrun (LD, USA, NTDP U18)
Height/Weight: 6-foot-2, 188 pounds (CO)
Playoff Stats: 7 GP-0 G-1 A-1 PTS (WJC-18)
Regular Season Stats: 64 GP-8 G-29 A-37 PTS (NTDP), 28 GP-4 G-19 A-23 PTS (USHL)
Central Scouting: 39 NAS
THW Larry Fisher: 74
THW Ryan Pike: 44
THW Andrew Forbes: 73
ANALYSIS: In taking Thrun here, the Devils have taken three straight left-handed defenders from the U.S. National Team Development Program, following the selections of Alex Vlasic and Marshall Warren in the second round. That would be a bold strategy, to say the least, but could you blame them?
Ray Shero would certainly be shoring up New Jersey’s future defence by taking that trio, and Thrun could still be the best of that bunch. Those three could go in any order, with Thrun having logged a lot of top-pairing time for the NTDP throughout their draft year. They would relish the chance to continue developing together, to continue that healthy competition amongst themselves with the goal of rejoining Jack Hughes in New Jersey down the road.
71) Vancouver Canucks — Jordan Spence (RD, Canada, Moncton QMJHL)
Height/Weight: 5-foot-10, 177 pounds (CO)
Playoff Stats: 4 GP-1 G-3 A-4 PTS
Regular Season Stats: 68 GP-6 G-43 A-49 PTS
Central Scouting: 59 NAS
THW Larry Fisher: 64
THW Ryan Pike: 72
THW Andrew Forbes: 88
ANALYSIS: The Canucks shift their focus to defence after taking forwards in the first two rounds, but they continue to target high-skill players with Spence following the selections of Alex Newhook and Robert Mastrosimone. Vancouver has drafted its share of defencemen from the QMJHL over the years, including 2015 third-rounder Guillaume Brisebois, who made his NHL debut this season, and the late Luc Bourdon, their first-rounder back in 2005.
Spence is a super intriguing prospect, well-travelled with a diverse background, and his talents were on full display as a QMJHL rookie during his draft year. He put up nice numbers as a smooth-skating puck-mover and appears to have significant upside. The Canucks drafted Jett Woo of Chinese descent in 2018 and would be adding Spence of Japanese descent in 2019.
72) Philadelphia Flyers — Dustin Wolf (G, USA, Everett WHL)
Height/Weight: 6-foot-0, 161 pounds
Playoff Stats: 10 GP-2.02 GAA-.914 SaveP
Regular Season Stats: 61 GP-1.69 GAA-.936 SaveP
Central Scouting: 12 NAG
THW Larry Fisher: 75
THW Ryan Pike: 47
THW Andrew Forbes: 84
ANALYSIS: The Flyers don’t need to draft another goaltender this year — they have plenty in their prospect pipeline — but this pick would reunite Wolf with Carter Hart, having previously formed a tandem in Everett. They could be the future in goal for Philadelphia, which also has two Swedes on the way in Felix Sandstrom and Samuel Ersson as well as a Russian in Kirill Ustimenko. Hart is the Flyers’ projected starter going forward, with Alex Lyon still in the system too and a veteran backup likely to be signed for next season.
Goaltending has been Philadelphia’s weakness in recent years, but that should change during Hart’s tenure. Drafting Wolf as further insurance wouldn’t be a bad idea, especially given his established relationship with Hart. Together, they could turn that position into a strength for the Flyers.
73) Minnesota Wild — Mads Sogaard (G, Denmark, Medicine Hat WHL)
Height/Weight: 6-foot-7.5, 199 pounds (CO)
Playoff Stats: 6 GP-3.16 GAA-.919 SaveP
Regular Season Stats: 37 GP-2.64 GAA-.921 SaveP
Central Scouting: 2 NAG
THW Larry Fisher: 76
THW Ryan Pike: 53
THW Andrew Forbes: 82
ANALYSIS: Minnesota might have been eyeing Wolf here — a Wolf for the Wild — but this is a team that should definitely be drafting a goalie fairly high this year. Sogaard would be a nice fallback option to Wolf, having been among the best goalies in the same league during their draft year. Sogaard is much bigger than Wolf and even bigger than Devan Dubnyk. The hope would be for Sogaard to develop along the lines of fellow Dane Frederik Andersen.
Dubnyk still has two seasons left on his contract and local boy Alex Stalock is locked in as Minnesota’s backup for three more years. So there isn’t an immediate need, but the future of the position is very much up in the air with current goaltending prospects Kaapo Kähkönen, Mat Robson and Déreck Baribeau not necessarily possessing starter potential. The Wild haven’t drafted a goalie in the last three years, not since 2015, so they are due and Sogaard does have a high ceiling.
74) Arizona Coyotes (from Chicago) — Adam Beckman (LW/LC, Canada, Spokane WHL)
Height/Weight: 6-foot-1, 168 pounds (CO)
Playoff Stats: 15 GP-8 G-4 A-12 PTS
Regular Season Stats: 68 GP-32 G-30 A-62 PTS
Central Scouting: 34 NAS
THW Larry Fisher: 77
THW Ryan Pike: 76
THW Andrew Forbes: Not Ranked
ANALYSIS: The Coyotes snatch up another top rookie from the WHL, taking Beckman in addition to their second-rounder Brayden Tracey — that league’s rookie of the year. Beckman was in the running for that award too, as his team’s leading goal-scorer in both the regular season and the playoffs. Beckman exceeded all expectations as a fifth-round bantam draft pick, but he has produced at every level and is showing no signs of letting up on his way to the NHL.
75) Nashville Predators (from Florida) — Domenick Fensore (LD, USA, NTDP U18)
Height/Weight: 5-foot-7.5, 153 pounds (CO)
Playoff Stats: 7 GP-0 G-4 A-4 PTS (WJC-18)
Regular Season Stats: 55 GP-6 G-36 A-42 PTS (NTDP), 25 GP-6 G-20 A-26 PTS (USHL)
Central Scouting: 68 NAS
THW Larry Fisher: 66
THW Ryan Pike: Not Ranked
THW Andrew Forbes: Not Ranked
ANALYSIS: Nashville has drafted an undersized defender from the U.S. National Team Development Program in each of the last two years — namely, 2017 third-rounder David Farrance and 2018 fifth-rounder Spencer Stastney — so this pick wouldn’t be unprecedented for David Poile’s scouting staff. Going back to 2016, the Predators also selected Sam Girard, who has gone on to star for Colorado as another smaller puck-mover with promising offensive upside. So Nashville won’t be scared off by the size concerns surrounding Fensore, whose ceiling could be as high as any of the aforementioned three — yes, even Girard. Fensore is a fun prospect to watch, but he’ll be a longer-term project. With the right development at Boston University, where Farrance is already thriving, Fensore could be part of Nashville’s future.
76) Arizona Coyotes — Ben Brinkman (LD, USA, Minnesota NCAA)
Height/Weight: 6-foot-0, 216 pounds
Playoff Stats: N/A
Regular Season Stats: 38 GP-1 G-6 A-7 PTS
Central Scouting: 115 NAS
THW Larry Fisher: 88
THW Ryan Pike: 114
THW Andrew Forbes: 104
ANALYSIS: Beckman & Brinkman, that sounds like some kind of law firm. Their names may rhyme, but these prospects have nothing else in common for the Coyotes. Brinkman is a physically mature kid — somewhat similar to Jakob Chychrun in his draft year — and was one of the only first-time eligible prospects playing in the NCAA this season. Brinkman’s offence didn’t translate in making the big jump from high school hockey but, by all accounts, he played a solid all-around game and more than held his own against college competition. There is a good chance that Brinkman will enjoy something of an offensive breakout next season as a sophomore at the University of Minnesota. Arizona will like the sounds of that, especially with John Chayka and the Coyotes’ staff capable of making those kind of projections.
77) Montreal Canadiens — Daniil Misyul (LD, Russia/Belarus, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl KHL)
Height/Weight: 6-foot-3, 176 pounds (did not attend combine)
Playoff Stats: 6 GP-1 G-0 A-1 PTS (KHL), 10 GP-0 G-0 A-0 PTS (MHL)
Regular Season Stats: 3 GP-0 G-1 A-1 PTS (KHL), 46 GP-4 G-6 A-10 PTS (MHL)
Central Scouting: 8 EUS
THW Larry Fisher: 56
THW Ryan Pike: Honourable Mention (126-135)
THW Andrew Forbes: 117
ANALYSIS: The Canadiens take their second straight defenceman from Russia, grabbing Misyul here after getting Semyon Chistyakov in the second round. The hope is for another hit like Alexander Romanov is proving to be as a second-rounder from last year’s draft. Misyul really emerged during the KHL playoffs, embracing that stage as a confident teenager with plenty of poise when the puck is on his stick. Misyul is pretty mobile for his size and could develop into a two-way threat for Montreal.
78) Colorado Avalanche — John Farinacci (RC, USA, Dexter U.S. High School)
Height/Weight: 5-foot-11, 190 pounds (CO)
Playoff Stats: N/A
Regular Season Stats: 16 GP-12 G-21 A-33 PTS
Central Scouting: 35 NAS
THW Larry Fisher: 73
THW Ryan Pike: 86
THW Andrew Forbes: 60
ANALYSIS: J.T. Compher had a big hand in Colorado’s playoff success and Farinacci projects to be that type of player. It’s often hard to project the high-schoolers, but Farinacci left a lasting impression with his performance at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup back in August when he captained Team USA to start the draft year. Farinacci is headed to Harvard next season, so he’s obviously a bright kid and could have a bright future as a complement to the Avs’ young core.
79) Vegas Golden Knights — Matvei Guskov (LC, Russia, London OHL)
Height/Weight: 6-foot-1.5, 182 pounds (CO)
Playoff Stats: 11 GP-2 G-2 A-4 PTS
Regular Season Stats: 59 GP-12 G-18 A-30 PTS
Central Scouting: 65 NAS
THW Larry Fisher: 95
THW Ryan Pike: 103
THW Andrew Forbes: 57
ANALYSIS: Vegas has three picks in the back half of the third round, and after starting their draft with two defenders, the Golden Knights decide to roll the dice on a high-ceiling Russian in Guskov, who is another breakout candidate for next season. Guskov has some high-end skill, but he had a limited role during his draft year on a deep London team. It was also his first season in North America, so everything was new for Guskov. He’ll have familiarity working in his favour and more opportunity to shine when he returns to London. This is a high-risk, potentially high-reward pick but definitely a gamble worth taking for Vegas.
80) New Jersey Devils (from Dallas) — Nikita Alexandrov (LC, Germany/Russia, Charlottetown QMJHL)
Height/Weight: 6-foot-0.5, 190 pounds (CO)
Playoff Stats: 6 GP-4 G-3 A-7 PTS
Regular Season Stats: 64 GP-27 G-34 A-61 PTS
Central Scouting: 29 NAS
THW Larry Fisher: 80
THW Ryan Pike: 73
THW Andrew Forbes: 75
ANALYSIS: New Jersey is doing its best to develop some Russian forward prospects — Nikita Popugaev and Mikhail Maltsev will be joining Belarusian Yegor Sharangovich with the Baby Devils in Binghamton next season — but Alexandrov could be the one to breakthrough. Not to compare Alexandrov to Evgeni Malkin, but Ray Shero witnessed Malkin’s impact first-hand as Pittsburgh’s architect and Alexandrov does have some similarities as a powerful centre. Alexandrov won’t be as dominant or put up as many points, but he could develop into a two-way force like Artem Anisimov or Nik Antropov in his prime. The Devils would welcome that kind of role player as a third-rounder.
81) Columbus Blue Jackets — Leevi Aaltonen (LW, Finland, KalPa Liiga)
Height/Weight: 5-foot-9, 168 pounds
Playoff Stats: 6 GP-1 G-2 A-3 PTS (U20-Liiga)
Regular Season Stats: 7 GP-0 G-1 A-1 PTS (Liiga), 29 GP-12 G-24 A-36 PTS (U20-Liiga)
Central Scouting: 29 EUS
THW Larry Fisher: 99
THW Ryan Pike: Not Ranked
THW Andrew Forbes: 70
ANALYSIS: It’ll be a long wait for Jarmo Kekalainen and the Blue Jackets at this year’s draft, finally getting to make their first selection here as the second-to-last team to announce a prospect’s name. Only San Jose is still waiting at this point, but Columbus tries to swing for the fences with this boom-or-bust Finn in Aaltonen. The upside could be huge as Aaltonen has flashed what looks like NHL talent during international competitions, but he’s small and far from a sure thing.
If Kekalainen is going back to his Finnish roots for this pick, another potential home-run name to keep in mind is Henri Nikkanen, a skilled centre who was considered a first-round candidate entering the draft year but lost a lot of development to injury and wound up getting cut from Finland’s under-18 team this spring.
82) Vegas Golden Knights (from Winnipeg) — Vladislav Firstov (F, Russia, Waterloo USHL)
Height/Weight: 6-foot-0, 181 pounds (did not attend combine)
Playoff Stats: 4 GP-0 G-2 A-2 PTS
Regular Season Stats: 62 GP-26 G-32 A-58 PTS
Central Scouting: 23 NAS
THW Larry Fisher: 96
THW Ryan Pike: 55
THW Andrew Forbes: 61
ANALYSIS: Vegas goes with another Russian forward developing in North America, with Firstov making more of an immediate impact on this side of the pond than Guskov. They are quite different players in terms of their skill-sets and thus could complement each other down the road for the Golden Knights.
83) Ottawa Senators (from Pittsburgh) — Justin Bergeron (LD, Canada, Rouyn-Noranda QMJHL, overager)
Height/Weight: 6-foot-1, 181 pounds
Playoff Stats: 19 GP-8 G-12 A-20 PTS, 5 GP-0 G-3 A-3 PTS (Memorial Cup)
Regular Season Stats: 65 GP-16 G-41 A-57 PTS
Central Scouting: 153 NAS
THW Larry Fisher: 85
THW Ryan Pike: Not Ranked
THW Andrew Forbes: Not Ranked
ANALYSIS: Ottawa looks to the east, to the QMJHL, for this pick after taking three straight prospects from the OHL in forwards Phillip Tomasino and Ryan Suzuki along with import defenceman Vladislav Kolyachonok. Bergeron is another nice selection for the Senators, technically an overager but born only two days before the 2018 cut-off and thus only two days shy of being a first-time eligible for 2019. So that shouldn’t hurt Bergeron’s stock too much and his stat-lines — both in the regular season and especially in the playoffs — will help ensure he’s drafted sooner than later. Those are the numbers that will matter to the Sens.
84) Toronto Maple Leafs — Billy Constantinou (RD, Canada, Kingston OHL)
Height/Weight: 5-foot-11, 190 pounds (CO)
Playoff Stats: N/A
Regular Season Stats: 66 GP-10 G-23 A-33 PTS
Central Scouting: 58 NAS
THW Larry Fisher: 86
THW Ryan Pike: 48
THW Andrew Forbes: 50
ANALYSIS: A right-handed defenceman with offensive flair, that should be music to the ears of Kyle Dubas and the Maple Leafs’ scouting staff. Dubas is deeply rooted in the OHL, so he’ll have the book on Constantinou. More than likely, Dubas is a big fan and wouldn’t hesitate to take Constantinou for Toronto at this spot.
85) Edmonton Oilers (from N.Y. Islanders) — Aliaksei Protas (LC, Belarus, Prince Albert WHL)
Height/Weight: 6-foot-5, 190 pounds
Playoff Stats: 23 GP-12 G-10 A-22 PTS, 3 GP-0 G-0 A-0 PTS (Memorial Cup)
Regular Season Stats: 61 GP-11 G-29 A-40 PTS
Central Scouting: 44 NAS
THW Larry Fisher: 112
THW Ryan Pike: 51
THW Andrew Forbes: Not Ranked
ANALYSIS: After taking overager Brett Leason in the second round, the Oilers reach for his junior linemate here. Protas came on strong in the WHL playoffs, netting a couple of hat tricks to eliminate the Edmonton Oil Kings and helping lead Prince Albert to the Memorial Cup. He’s a big, skilled centre from the same program that Edmonton drafted Leon Draisaitl. Like Draisaitl during his junior days, Protas has generally been more of a playmaker than a scorer — more of a passer than a shooter — and he’ll need to work on his skating going forward. Protas is definitely on the upswing, but his ceiling is nowhere near as high as Draisaitl’s, so don’t get carried away with that comparison. Protas is more like the aforementioned Alexandrov — New Jersey’s pick at 80th overall — with that Anisimov or Antropov-type upside as a quality third-liner also applying to Protas.
86) Vegas Golden Knights (from Nashville) — Dmitri Sheshin (RW, Russia, Magnitogorsk MHL)
Height/Weight: 5-foot-8, 143 pounds
Playoff Stats: 3 GP-0 G-1 A-1 PTS
Regular Season Stats: 45 GP-20 G-23 A-43 PTS
Central Scouting: Not Ranked
THW Larry Fisher: 90
THW Ryan Pike: Not Ranked
THW Andrew Forbes: 81
ANALYSIS: Vegas goes all-in on the Russians in this round, with Sheshin making it three in a row after Guskov and Firstov. The difference here is Sheshin remains in Russia and might not be coming overseas anytime soon. His path to the NHL could be similar to Nikita Gusev — who is now, finally, under contract with Vegas — but Sheshin could become the best of these three forwards, making him worth the wait. Sheshin could develop into an impact player like the Golden Knights are expecting to get in Gusev.
87) Los Angeles Kings (from Washington) — Ethan Keppen (LW, Canada, Flint OHL)
Height/Weight: 6-foot-2, 214 pounds
Playoff Stats: N/A
Regular Season Stats: 68 GP-30 G-29 A-59 PTS
Central Scouting: 74 NAS
THW Larry Fisher: 109
THW Ryan Pike: 74
THW Andrew Forbes: 116
ANALYSIS: The Kings would be hoping for Beckman to fall here, but that will likely be wishful thinking and Los Angeles has already got enough luck in my mock. So, instead, the Kings settle for Keppen — their second OHL forward of the third round after landing Murray earlier. Keppen doesn’t do anything fancy, but he finds ways to score through hard work. He’s more like Kyle Clifford than Tyler Toffoli, but that isn’t necessarily meant to be a negative. Clifford is a legit NHLer and was a second-round pick in his draft year, so Keppen can take that as a compliment.
88) Calgary Flames — Valentin Nussbaumer (LW/LC, Switzerland, Shawinigan QMJHL)
Height/Weight: 6-foot-0, 168 pounds
Playoff Stats: 6 GP-1 G-3 A-4 PTS
Regular Season Stats: 58 GP-17 G-21 A-38 PTS
Central Scouting: 72 NAS
THW Larry Fisher: 68
THW Ryan Pike: 93
THW Andrew Forbes: 55
ANALYSIS: The Flames simply pick their best player available here, with Nussbaumer a potential top-six forward that shouldn’t fall any further. Nussbaumer had some electrifying moments at the World Juniors, where he was among Switzerland’s most dangerous players despite being one of the younger prospects on display at that tournament. Calgary also contemplated this next kid, who might have even more upside.
89) Tampa Bay Lightning — Yaroslav Likhachyov (RW, Russia, Gatineau QMJHL)
Height/Weight: 5-foot-11, 168 pounds
Playoff Stats: 5 GP-0 G-2 A-2 PTS
Regular Season Stats: 57 GP-12 G-12 A-24 PTS
Central Scouting: 166 NAS
THW Larry Fisher: 91
THW Ryan Pike: Not Ranked
THW Andrew Forbes: 110
ANALYSIS: Tampa goes young again, with Likhachyov born on Sept. 2, 2001 — much like the Lightning’s first-rounder Nick Robertson, who has a Sept. 11 birthdate. The cut-off is Sept. 15, so Robertson and Likhachyov are among the very youngest prospects available for 2019.
Likhachyov experienced some growing pains in transitioning to the North American game and the challenges that come with adapting to a new culture, but he shined when representing Russia on the international stage at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup. Likhachyov was a real standout there to start the draft year and showed similar flashes of elite skill without producing as many points at the under-18 worlds to end the draft year. Tampa Bay is one of those teams that will surely have taken notice of Likhachyov’s potential.
90) Carolina Hurricanes — Antti Saarela (LC/LW, Finland, Lukko Liiga)
Height/Weight: 5-foot-11.75, 190 pounds (CO)
Playoff Stats: 4 GP-0 G-0 A-0 PTS (Liiga)
Regular Season Stats: 24 GP-2 G-8 A-10 PTS (Liiga), 21 GP-7 G-8 A-15 PTS (U20-Liiga)
Central Scouting: 24 EUS
THW Larry Fisher: 71
THW Ryan Pike: 81
THW Andrew Forbes: 90
ANALYSIS: Speaking of good matches, Carolina is already developing Saarela’s older brother Aleksi, who scored 30 goals for AHL Charlotte this season and could make his NHL debut next season. The elder Saarela, now 22 and formerly a third-round pick for the Rangers in 2015, is a legit prospect for the Hurricanes. Antti Saarela is certainly cut from the same cloth in terms of playing style. He’s a versatile forward with really good hockey sense, which he displayed for Finland at the under-18 worlds. Knowing his brother as well as they do, the Hurricanes will likely be high on Antti Saarela — so high that I was tempted to take Saarela over Tuukka Tieksola at the end of the second round. Don Waddell’s scouting staff could definitely be targeting both those Finns, in either order. And for those keeping count, that’s four Finns through five picks for Carolina.
91) San Jose Sharks — Matias Maccelli (LW, Finland, Dubuque USHL)
Height/Weight: 5-foot-11, 170 pounds
Playoff Stats: 6 GP-1 G-4 A-5 PTS
Regular Season Stats: 62 GP-31 G-41 A-72 PTS
Central Scouting: 51 NAS
THW Larry Fisher: 98
THW Ryan Pike: 78
THW Andrew Forbes: 86
ANALYSIS: Last but not least, San Jose — with its long-awaited first pick of this year’s draft — takes a flyer on a Finn who was flying high in the USHL. Maccelli made an early move to North America and his improvement year over year in that junior league was very impressive. He’s heading home to play pro in Finland next season, but Maccelli left enough of a mark on this side of the pond to get the attention of the Sharks — and all 31 NHL teams. Yet, it’s tough to tell where Maccelli will get drafted — what round even — but he’d seemingly be good value for San Jose at this spot.
92) Boston Bruins — Drew Helleson (RD, USA, NTDP U18)
Height/Weight: 6-foot-3, 194 pounds (CO)
Playoff Stats: 7 GP-0 G-3 A-3 PTS (WJC-18)
Regular Season Stats: 64 GP-5 G-18 A-23 PTS (NTDP), 28 GP-4 G-7 A-11 PTS (USHL)
Central Scouting: 46 NAS
THW Larry Fisher: 89
THW Ryan Pike: 104
THW Andrew Forbes: 58
ANALYSIS: Boston goes back to the U.S. National Team Development Program for Helleson after taking his teammate John Beecher, a good-sized centre, in the first round. Helleson, who also has good size, had a hard time standing out amongst his peers on such a deep and draft-worthy defence corps for the NTDP, but being right-handed could help his stock and should ensure he goes somewhere in the top three rounds. Helleson would be developing right under the Bruins’ noses at Boston College, another reason for taking him here.
93) St. Louis Blues — Michael Vukojevic (LD, Canada, Kitchener OHL)
Height/Weight: 6-foot-3.25, 212 pounds (CO)
Playoff Stats: 4 GP-0 G-1 A-1 PTS
Regular Season Stats: 68 GP-3 G-26 A-29 PTS
Central Scouting: 55 NAS
THW Larry Fisher: 87
THW Ryan Pike: 79
THW Andrew Forbes: 83
ANALYSIS: St. Louis has plenty of flashy forward prospects on the way, but knowing that defence wins championships, Doug Armstrong grabs another steady defender here in Vukojevic after getting Ryan Johnson in the second round. Vukojevic, who had a strong showing for Canada at the under-18 worlds, projects as more of a shutdown type — quite comparable to Joel Edmundson, with similar size too. The Blues are tapped into the OHL and Vukojevic should go in this range, so this pick makes a lot of sense. It seems like a good match.
Recapping Third Round
63) Colorado Avalanche (from Ottawa) — Michal Teply (RW, Czech Republic, Bili Tygri Liberec)
64) Los Angeles Kings — Blake Murray (LC, Canada, Sudbury OHL)
65) Philadelphia Flyers (from New Jersey via Edmonton) — Samuel Bolduc (LD, Canada, Blainville-Boisbriand QMJHL)
66) Detroit Red Wings — Karl Henriksson (LC/LW, Sweden, Frölunda J20)
67) Buffalo Sabres — Albert Johansson (LD, Sweden, Farjestad SHL)
68) New York Rangers — Antti Tuomisto (RD, Finland, Assat U20)
69) Florida Panthers (from Edmonton) — Ilya Konovalov (G, Russia, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl KHL, overager)
70) New Jersey Devils (from Anaheim) — Henry Thrun (LD, USA, NTDP U18)
71) Vancouver Canucks — Jordan Spence (RD, Canada, Moncton QMJHL)
72) Philadelphia Flyers — Dustin Wolf (G, USA, Everett WHL)
73) Minnesota Wild — Mads Sogaard (G, Denmark, Medicine Hat WHL)
74) Arizona Coyotes (from Chicago) — Adam Beckman (LW/LC, Canada, Spokane WHL)
75) Nashville Predators (from Florida) — Domenick Fensore (LD, USA, NTDP U18)
76) Arizona Coyotes — Ben Brinkman (LD, USA, Minnesota NCAA)
77) Montreal Canadiens — Daniil Misyul (LD, Russia/Belarus, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl KHL)
78) Colorado Avalanche — John Farinacci (RC, USA, Dexter U.S. High School)
79) Vegas Golden Knights — Matvei Guskov (LC, Russia, London OHL)
80) New Jersey Devils (from Dallas) — Nikita Alexandrov (LC, Germany/Russia, Charlottetown QMJHL)
81) Columbus Blue Jackets — Leevi Aaltonen (LW, Finland, KalPa Liiga)
82) Vegas Golden Knights (from Winnipeg) — Vladislav Firstov (F, Russia, Waterloo USHL)
83) Ottawa Senators (from Pittsburgh) — Justin Bergeron (LD, Canada, Rouyn-Noranda QMJHL, overager)
84) Toronto Maple Leafs — Billy Constantinou (RD, Canada, Kingston OHL)
85) Edmonton Oilers (from N.Y. Islanders) — Aliaksei Protas (LC, Belarus, Prince Albert WHL)
86) Vegas Golden Knights (from Nashville) — Dmitri Sheshin (RW, Russia, Magnitogorsk MHL)
87) Los Angeles Kings (from Washington) — Ethan Keppen (LW, Canada, Flint OHL)
88) Calgary Flames — Valentin Nussbaumer (LW/LC, Switzerland, Shawinigan QMJHL)
89) Tampa Bay Lightning — Yaroslav Likhachyov (RW, Russia, Gatineau QMJHL)
90) Carolina Hurricanes — Antti Saarela (LC/LW, Finland, Lukko Liiga)
91) San Jose Sharks — Matias Maccelli (LW, Finland, Dubuque USHL)
92) Boston Bruins — Drew Helleson (RD, USA, NTDP U18)
93) St. Louis Blues — Michael Vukojevic (LD, Canada, Kitchener OHL)
