- 2019 NHL Mock Draft: Round 1
- 2019 NHL Mock Draft: Round 2
- 2019 NHL Mock Draft: Round 3
- 2019 NHL Mock Draft: Round 4
- 2019 NHL Mock Draft: Round 6
- 2019 NHL Mock Draft: Round 7
- 2019 NHL Mock Draft: Team Results
Let the real guessing begin now, with every draft turning into a crapshoot beyond the top 100.
This year is no different, with no real guide to follow from here on out since there are hundreds of prospects — as in several hundred — worthy of consideration for these final three rounds.
The Senators are back on the clock. Drum roll . . .
2023 NHL DRAFT GUIDE
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Fifth Round
125) Ottawa Senators — Xavier Parent (LW, Canada, Halifax QMJHL)
Height/Weight: 5-foot-7, 168 pounds
Playoff Stats: 23 GP-4 G-2 A-6 PTS, 4 GP-1 G-0 A-1 PTS (Memorial Cup)
Regular Season Stats: 67 GP-15 G-19 A-34 PTS
Central Scouting: 209 NAS
THW Larry Fisher: 132
THW Ryan Pike: Not Ranked
THW Andrew Forbes: 121
ANALYSIS: The Senators select their third straight prospect from the QMJHL after starting my mock with three in a row from the OHL. That was more random than intentional, but Parent would be a solid pick and a potential steal here. Parent looked like a potential first-round talent at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup to start the draft year but didn’t have a statistically strong season for Memorial Cup host Halifax. He didn’t put up the points like many anticipated and thus Parent’s stock steadily fell to the point he could still be available into the fifth round. In saying that, Parent’s skill level passes the eye test and he did score some big goals in Halifax’s playoff run, so some team could still take a chance on him inside the top 100.
126) Los Angeles Kings — Bryce Brodzinski (RW, USA, Blaine High School, overager)
Height/Weight: 6-foot-0, 196 pounds
Playoff Stats: 5 GP-4 G-10 A-14 PTS (USHS)
Regular Season Stats: 23 GP-32 G-44 A-76 PTS (USHS), 19 GP-7 G-10 A-17 PTS (USHL)
Central Scouting: 89 NAS
THW Larry Fisher: 198
THW Ryan Pike: Not Ranked
THW Andrew Forbes: Not Ranked
ANALYSIS: Yes, this is the younger brother of current Kings forward Jonny Brodzinski, who will be a Group 6 unrestricted free agent this summer if Los Angeles doesn’t re-sign him between now and July 1. Bryce is seven years Jonny’s junior but seems to have a similar skill-set with the potential to emerge as the better sibling after winning the prestigious Mr. Hockey award in 2019. Jonny was a fifth-round pick for L.A. in 2013 and managed to make it to the big league, so don’t count out Bryce, who will no doubt be using his big bro’s success as motivation. If this selection comes to fruition, it’s possible they could become teammates for the first time in their hockey careers. That would no doubt be a dream come true for the entire Brodzinski family.
127) New Jersey Devils — Marc Del Gaizo (LD, USA, UMass Amherst NCAA, overager)
Height/Weight: 5-foot-9, 170 pounds
Playoff Stats: N/A
Regular Season Stats: 41 GP-13 G-16 A-29 PTS
Central Scouting: 134 NAS
THW Larry Fisher: 125
THW Ryan Pike: Not Ranked
THW Andrew Forbes: Not Ranked
ANALYSIS: Del Gaizo is another kid who could go a lot higher than here after scoring the overtime-winning goal in the Frozen Four semifinals as Cale Makar’s running mate on UMass Amherst’s blue line. Del Gaizo probably should have been drafted last year after leading the USHL in defence goals, but he’s even more likely to get selected the second time around after shining at the NCAA level.
This would be the fifth defenceman for the Devils through eight picks in my mock — with three of the others also left-handed — but Del Gaizo is closer to being NHL-ready as an overager and more offensive-minded than those taken before him. All things considered, this would be a good pick for New Jersey.
128) Detroit Red Wings — Tag Bertuzzi (LW, Canada, Hamilton OHL)
Height/Weight: 6-foot-1, 198 pounds
Playoff Stats: N/A
Regular Season Stats: 30 GP-4 G-5 A-9 PTS
Central Scouting: Not Ranked
THW Larry Fisher: 175
THW Ryan Pike: Not Ranked
THW Andrew Forbes: Not Ranked
ANALYSIS: Yes, this is Tyler Bertuzzi’s cousin and the son of former NHL star Todd Bertuzzi. Tag or is more like Tyler than Todd in terms of size and playing style as of today, and worth noting Tyler was a bit of a late-bloomer too. Well, Tag isn’t necessarily a late-bloomer, but he has lost a lot of development time to injuries during his OHL career to date, including a dislocated shoulder that ended his draft year. He got hurt in his first and only game with his new team after getting traded from eventual OHL champion Guelph to Hamilton. Tag couldn’t catch a break in his draft year and hadn’t lived up to expectations for Guelph as the second overall selection in the 2017 OHL draft behind Ryan Suzuki, who is a potential first-rounder in this year’s NHL draft.
Despite a disappointing and injury-plagued rookie season in the OHL, Tag was still projected to be a second- or third-rounder to start the draft year, but not now — not with such a small sample size for scouts to evaluate him as a sophomore. Out of sight, out of mind for Tag, but he still has the tools to be a steal in the long run — especially if he can stay healthy and productive for Hamilton in his draft-plus-one campaign. Somebody will take a chance on this Bertuzzi in the middle rounds — likely in this range — and it could very well be the Red Wings with their ties to the family tree.
129) Washington Capitals (from Buffalo via Detroit) — Dillon Hamaliuk (LW, Canada, Seattle/Kelowna WHL)
Height/Weight: 6-foot-3, 201 pounds (did not test at combine)
Playoff Stats: N/A
Regular Season Stats: 31 GP-11 G-15 A-26 PTS
Central Scouting: Not Ranked
THW Larry Fisher: 133
THW Ryan Pike: 84
THW Andrew Forbes: 77
ANALYSIS: The Capitals used their fourth-round pick in my mock on Hamaliuk’s teammate, defenceman Jake Lee — the two were traded together from Seattle to Memorial Cup host Kelowna this offseason — so that was part of the rationale for this selection. Like Bertuzzi, Hamaliuk lost the second half of his draft year to injury. Unlike Bertuzzi, Hamaliuk had been a riser throughout the first half, with some scouts projecting him as a second- or third-round pick right around the time he got hurt. How much Hamaliuk’s stock has suffered due to being sidelined is debatable, but expect Washington to be one of the teams with interest — especially if he falls this far.
130) New York Rangers — Kalle Loponen (RD, Finland, Hermes Mestis)
Height/Weight: 5-foot-11, 187 pounds
Playoff Stats: 6 GP-1 G-2 A-3 PTS (Mestis)
Regular Season Stats: 30 GP-4 G-8 A-12 PTS (Mestis), 18 GP-2 G-7 A-9 PTS (U20-Liiga)
Central Scouting: 64 EUS
THW Larry Fisher: 184
THW Ryan Pike: Not Ranked
THW Andrew Forbes: 108
ANALYSIS: Following the easy choice of Kaapo Kakko at second overall, I have the Rangers selecting three Finnish defencemen — all right-handed — in Anttoni Honka, with their second first-rounder, Antti Tuomisto, in the third round, and lastly Loponen here in the fifth round. The Rangers are fairly deep on defence in the present — with their right side including Kevin Shattenkirk, Anthony DeAngelo, Neal Pionk and Adam Fox for next season — but that shouldn’t stop them from stockpiling in order to deal from a position of strength in the future. After all, right-handed defencemen are one of the most coveted commodities across the entire NHL.
Loponen is more of a long-term project — as is Tuomisto — so it’s not like he’d be knocking on the door next season or even the year after. Both are boom-or-bust types and — like Tuomisto — Loponen appears to have a fairly high ceiling if he pans out. The Rangers rolled the dice on a similar Finn a few years back in Tarmo Reunanen and that 2016 fourth-round pick seems to be paying off so far, with Reunanen fresh off a breakout season in the Liiga.
131) Montreal Canadiens (from Edmonton) — Colten Ellis (G, Canada, Rimouski QMJHL)
Height/Weight: 6-foot-1, 188 pounds (Combine Official)
Playoff Stats: 12 GP-2.36 GAA-.919 SaveP
Regular Season Stats: 46 GP-2.47 GAA-.910 SaveP
Central Scouting: 8 NAG
THW Larry Fisher: 106
THW Ryan Pike: 94
THW Andrew Forbes: 74
ANALYSIS: Carey Price showed this season that he’s still got a lot of good hockey left in him — nearly backstopping the Canadiens to an improbable playoff berth — but Montreal is eventually going to need a new goalie. Cayden Primeau could be that guy — he’s trending well, towards becoming a pro starter — with Charlie Lindgren and Michael McNiven also being quality netminders, albeit likely backup calibre. The Canadiens didn’t draft any goaltenders among their 11 selections last year, so they could be due to use one of their 10 picks on a goalie this year. This is a better year — a better draft class — for goalies and Ellis is the best one available from the QMJHL. Thus a good fit for Montreal here.
132) Anaheim Ducks — Ronnie Attard (RD, USA, Tri-City USHL, overager)
Height/Weight: 6-foot-3.75, 205 pounds (CO)
Playoff Stats: 6 GP-0 G-1 A-1 PTS
Regular Season Stats: 48 GP-30 G-34 A-64 PTS
Central Scouting: 76 NAS
THW Larry Fisher: 126
THW Ryan Pike: Honourable Mention (126-135)
THW Andrew Forbes: Not Ranked
ANALYSIS: The Ducks go with their best player available here in Attard, a double-overager who broke out in a big way by dominating the USHL to the tune of 30 goals from a defenceman. Attard’s stat-line from the regular season surely got the attention of all 31 teams and somebody could select him long before the fifth round. He’s got good size and he’s right-handed, so those are two more checkmarks in Attard’s favour. Based on his age, Attard should also be closer to NHL-ready than the majority of his draft-eligible peers, which will appeal to certain teams. Not necessarily to Anaheim, which is in good shape on the back end for the foreseeable future, but Attard would be tough to pass up at this spot.
133) Vancouver Canucks — Jayden Struble (LD, USA, St. Sebastian’s U.S. High School)
Height/Weight: 6-foot-0.25, 205 pounds (CO)
Playoff Stats: N/A
Regular Season Stats: 28 GP-10 G-30 A-40 PTS
Central Scouting: 48 NAS
THW Larry Fisher: 120
THW Ryan Pike: 115
THW Andrew Forbes: Not Ranked
ANALYSIS: The Canucks take a defenceman at the other end of the eligibility spectrum in Struble — one of the younger prospects available with an August birthdate. Struble is the first to go among a handful of talented-but-underexposed high school defencemen — a group that also includes Jackson LaCombe, Mike Koster, Braden Doyle, Thomas Schweighardt, Cooper Moore and overager Mike Vorlicky. Ranking them was difficult to do and mocking them is even tougher because there is no telling which teams will reach for them and when. Some of those kids could go as high as the second round and others will go undrafted.
Vancouver has went this route before with 2017 fourth-rounder Jack Rathbone, another long-term project coming off an impressive NCAA debut. Rathbone’s success so far could encourage the Canucks to select another high-schooler like Struble, who had a strong showing at the draft combine and is committed to BCHL Victoria for next season.
134) Philadelphia Flyers — Artyom Galimov (LC, Russia, Bars Kazan VHL, overager)
Height/Weight: 6-foot-0, 174 pounds
Playoff Stats: N/A, 7 GP-1 G-2 A-3 PTS (WJC-20)
Regular Season Stats: 40 GP-9 G-15 A-24 PTS (VHL), 5 GP-1 G-2 A-3 PTS (MHL)
Central Scouting: Not Ranked
THW Larry Fisher: 141
THW Ryan Pike: Not Ranked
THW Andrew Forbes: Not Ranked
ANALYSIS: Galimov was among the undrafted Russian overagers who made the most of their opportunity at this year’s World Juniors. Galimov emerged as one of his country’s most dangerous forwards, catching the eye of several prominent scouts in attendance. The Flyers are good at identifying Russian talent, so they certainly would have taken notice of Galimov, who could develop along the lines of 2015 fourth-round pick Mikhail Vorobyov, who looks like a player for Philadelphia going forward.
AUTHOR NOTE: This pick now belongs to Winnipeg, acquired from Philadelphia on June 3 for the rights to pending free agent Kevin Hayes. My mock had already been completed at that time, awaiting publishing, so that adjustment will be made for my consensus mock that will publish during the draft week based on feedback and new information between now and then. For the record, Galimov wouldn’t have been my selection for Winnipeg and I don’t see him as a fit for the Jets. I likely would have taken a WHL forward for Winnipeg, probably Reece Newkirk but possibly Logan Barlage or perhaps even Henry Rybinski — all three being available at this spot in my mock.
135) Vegas Golden Knights (from Minnesota) — Vladimir Alistrov (LW, Belarus, Edmonton WHL)
Height/Weight: 6-foot-2, 176 pounds
Playoff Stats: 16 GP-0 G-5 A-5 PTS
Regular Season Stats: 62 GP-12 G-26 A-38 PTS
Central Scouting: 118 NAS
THW Larry Fisher: 129
THW Ryan Pike: Not Ranked
THW Andrew Forbes: Not Ranked
ANALYSIS: There is another fictitious connection here, with Vegas previously taking one of Alistrov’s teammates in the second round of my mock, defenceman Matthew Robertson. The Edmonton Oil Kings are going to be one of the favourites to win the WHL title next season, with this year’s draft-eligible prospects stepping into starring roles. That includes Alistrov, who underachieved statistically in a depth role during his North American debut but passed the eye test as a kid who could potentially explode with more opportunity in his draft-plus-one campaign. Kelly McCrimmon knows the Dub better than any NHL general manager, so he could totally steal Alistrov in the middle rounds.
136) Montreal Canadiens (from Chicago) — Xavier Simoneau (LW/LC, Canada, Drummondville QMJHL)
Height/Weight: 5-foot-7, 172 pounds
Playoff Stats: 16 GP-3 G-7 A-10 PTS
Regular Season Stats: 55 GP-18 G-39 A-57 PTS
Central Scouting: 204 NAS
THW Larry Fisher: 131
THW Ryan Pike: Not Ranked
THW Andrew Forbes: 107
ANALYSIS: The Canadiens often look into their own backyard — that being the QMJHL — to find forwards in the middle rounds, and Simoneau is a highly skilled Francophone who could remind Montreal’s scouts of 2012 fifth-rounder Charles Hudon. There are certainly some similarities, with Simoneau also undersized but a very game competitor. Despite his small stature, Simoneau isn’t a pushover and isn’t afraid to get physical. He’s not easy to knock off the puck in the offensive zone and he’s got moves to get around the biggest defencemen. But it’s one thing to do that in junior and quite another to do it in the NHL, so Simoneau still has an uphill battle ahead of him. If he was even a few inches taller, Simoneau would probably be talked about as a first- or second-round candidate, but Montreal could be the team to recognize and appreciate his talent — ensuring Simoneau hears his name called at some point.
137) Florida Panthers — Aku Räty (RW, Finland, Kärpät U20)
Height/Weight: 6-foot-0, 170 pounds
Playoff Stats: 11 GP-3 G-6 A-9 PTS
Regular Season Stats: 52 GP-19 G-26 A-45 PTS
Central Scouting: 67 EUS
THW Larry Fisher: 171
THW Ryan Pike: 121
THW Andrew Forbes: 124
ANALYSIS: Räty’s younger brother, Aatu, is emerging as an elite prospect and potential contender for first overall in 2021, but Aku has really nice upside in his own right. The brothers formed a dynamic duo for Finland at the under-18 worlds, with Aku standing out as much as Aatu during that showcase. Aku enjoyed a stellar season overall and should be getting more hype than he is heading into the draft. Florida could find Aku flying under the radar here in the fifth round, and the Panthers do draft out of Finland as well as anybody.
138) Montreal Canadiens (from Arizona via Los Angeles) — Lucas Feuk (LC/LW, Sweden, Sodertalje J20)
Height/Weight: 6-foot-0, 185 pounds
Playoff Stats: 5 GP-0 G-0 A-0 PTS (SuperElit-J20), 5 GP-4 G-4 A-8 PTS (Allsvenskan-J18)
Regular Season Stats: 5 GP-0 G-0 A-0 PTS (Allsvenskan), 43 GP-21 G-22 A-43 PTS (SuperElit-J20), 3 GP-1 G-1 A-2 PTS (Allsvenskan-J18)
Central Scouting: 79 EUS
THW Larry Fisher: 149
THW Ryan Pike: Not Ranked
THW Andrew Forbes: Not Ranked
ANALYSIS: The Canadiens also like their Swedish forwards in the middle rounds, with Feuk fitting that bill as a longer-term prospect with significant upside. Trevor Timmins and his scouting staff could take long looks at several different Swedes here, with Nikola Pasic, Elmer Soderblom and Albin Sundsvik among the other options. That list could also include a couple overagers in Filip Cederqvist and Carl Jakobsson, with first-time eligibles Arvid Costmar, Max Wahlgren and Jacob Grönhagen being long-shots of potential interest. Montreal will almost certainly select at least one Swedish forward again this year, but correctly predicting which one is the real challenge. I rattled off nine names, but I do like Feuk here for the Habs.
139) Vegas Golden Knights (from Montreal) — Reece Newkirk (LC, Canada, Portland WHL)
Height/Weight: 5-foot-11, 170 pounds
Playoff Stats: 5 GP-0 G-2 A-2 PTS
Regular Season Stats: 68 GP-23 G-36 A-59 PTS
Central Scouting: 81 NAS
THW Larry Fisher: 135
THW Ryan Pike: 90
THW Andrew Forbes: 95
ANALYSIS: This pick is based more on reality than fiction, with the Golden Knights getting to know Newkirk while tracking their top prospect, Cody Glass, in Portland. Newkirk’s stat-line no doubt benefitted from the time he spent playing with Glass — occasionally at even strength and more often on the power play — but Newkirk generated his share of the offence too. He wasn’t simply riding coattails to put up those impressive numbers, though his production did dip when Glass got hurt and opponents were able to key in on Newkirk. Vegas will have its own read on Newkirk after watching him closer than most and witnessing how much he’s progressed over the last two seasons. Newkirk isn’t overly flashy, but he’s effective, and he’ll be taking on a leading role for Portland next season with Glass moving on to the pro ranks.
140) Colorado Avalanche — Juuso Pärssinen (LW/LC, Finland, TPS U20)
Height/Weight: 6-foot-2, 203 pounds
Playoff Stats: 3 GP-2 G-3 A-5 PTS (U18-Sarja)
Regular Season Stats: 7 GP-1 G-0 A-1 PTS (Liiga), 36 GP-13 G-9 A-22 PTS (U20-Liiga)
Central Scouting: 33 EUS
THW Larry Fisher: 172
THW Ryan Pike: Not Ranked
THW Andrew Forbes: Not Ranked
ANALYSIS: Pärssinen is a good-sized Finn with seemingly good scoring ability. Not on the same level as current Avs sniper Mikko Rantanen — not many are — but Pärssinen does appear to have promising upside. My mock has Colorado taking three somewhat similar players with Nolan Foote in the second round, Michal Teply in the third and Pärssinen here in the fifth round, with the hope that at least one of them will wind up filling the net at the NHL level.
141) Vegas Golden Knights — Logan Barlage (RC/RW, Canada, Lethbridge WHL)
Height/Weight: 6-foot-4, 201 pounds
Playoff Stats: 7 GP-2 G-1 A-3 PTS
Regular Season Stats: 68 GP-15 G-24 A-39 PTS
Central Scouting: 188 NAS
THW Larry Fisher: 134
THW Ryan Pike: Not Ranked
THW Andrew Forbes: Not Ranked
ANALYSIS: McCrimmon makes it three straight WHL forwards for Vegas in this round, bringing an early end to the Golden Knights’ draft by using their ninth selection on Barlage. There is a little bit of familiarity at play again here, with Vegas forward prospect Jake Leschyshyn getting traded to Lethbridge for the second half of this season. That blockbuster bumped Barlage down the depth chart — a demotion that prevented him from fully breaking out. Barlage is a big kid who still possesses big-league potential, but he’ll always be saddled with the distinction of being the fourth overall pick from the WHL’s stacked bantam draft in 2016 behind Peyton Krebs, Kirby Dach and Bowen Byram, who are all first-round locks for this year’s NHL draft. Barlage is no longer on their level — at least not in the present — but it’s far too early to write him off as a bust. If Vegas makes this pick, you can count McCrimmon among those who still believe in Barlage.
142) Dallas Stars — Alex Brännstam (LD, Sweden, Djurgårdens J20)
Height/Weight: 5-foot-11, 170 pounds
Playoff Stats: 8 GP-0 G-0 A-0 PTS (SuperElit-J20), 3 GP-0 G-3 A-3 PTS (Allsvenskan-J18)
Regular Season Stats: 43 GP-2 G-7 A-9 PTS (SuperElit-J20)
Central Scouting: Not Ranked
THW Larry Fisher: 148
THW Ryan Pike: Not Ranked
THW Andrew Forbes: Not Ranked
ANALYSIS: Brännstam’s stock should be on the rise thanks to a strong showing at the under-18 worlds, which included the primary assist on the overtime-winning goal in the championship game to deliver gold for host Sweden. The fact that Brännstam was on the ice in that situation spoke volumes about the tournament he was having, with his set-up putting on the exclamation point. Dallas only has four picks heading into the draft and I used two of them on Swedish defencemen in my mock, with the other being Simon Lundmark in the fourth round. The Stars could do a lot worse than those two in the middle rounds.
143) Detroit Red Wings (from Columbus) — Yegor Chinakhov (F, Russia, Omskie Yastreby MHL)
Height/Weight: 5-foot-11, 157 pounds
Playoff Stats: 7 GP-1 G-1 A-2 PTS
Regular Season Stats: 37 GP-8 G-8 A-16 PTS
Central Scouting: 30 EUS
THW Larry Fisher: 143
THW Ryan Pike: Not Ranked
THW Andrew Forbes: 152
ANALYSIS: Steve Yzerman takes another step towards rounding out his Russian Five, completing a full forward line with the selection of Chinakhov after previously picking Vasili Podkolzin in the first round and Ilya Nikolayev in the second round — in addition to defenceman Artemi Knyazev as another second-rounder. Detroit now only needs one more Russian defenceman for Yzerman to accomplish that feat. Perhaps it’s farfetched to expect that many Russians for the Red Wings, but a Chinakhov-Nikolayev-Podkolzin line could be dynamite for real. This might not be a bad draft plan for Detroit.
144) Winnipeg Jets — Nolan Maier (G, Canada, Saskatoon WHL)
Height/Weight: 6-foot-0, 170 pounds
Playoff Stats: 10 GP-2.86 GAA-.903 SaveP
Regular Season Stats: 53 GP-2.64 GAA-.910 SaveP
Central Scouting: 22 NAG
THW Larry Fisher: 113
THW Ryan Pike: 105
THW Andrew Forbes: 118
ANALYSIS: The Jets are also finishing up here in the fifth round, with only three picks in this year’s draft. After taking USHL teammates Shane Pinto, a forward in the second round, and Zac Jones, a defenceman in the fourth round, Winnipeg goes back to a familiar well for another goaltending prospect. The Jets previously drafted Eric Comrie out of the WHL and that is the same junior league that developed their current backup Laurent Brossoit.
Maier reminds me a lot of Connor Ingram, who came out of WHL Kamloops as a 2016 third-round pick for Tampa Bay and has gone on to become an AHL all-star. Maier has already been his team’s starter for two seasons and Saskatoon is shaping up to be another title contender during his draft-plus-one campaign. Maier represented Canada at both the Hlinka Gretzky Cup and the under-18 worlds, sharing the crease with fellow WHL netminder Taylor Gauthier, who I have going to Pittsburgh in the fourth round. If Winnipeg does draft a goalie this year, there’s a good chance it could be either one of them.
145) Pittsburgh Penguins — Owen Lindmark (RC, USA, NTDP U18)
Height/Weight: 6-foot-0.25, 193 pounds (CO)
Playoff Stats: 7 GP-1 G-0 A-1 PTS (WJC-18)
Regular Season Stats: 56 GP-11 G-14 A-25 PTS (NTDP), 24 GP-5 G-9 A-14 PTS (USHL)
Central Scouting: 93 NAS
THW Larry Fisher: 145
THW Ryan Pike: Not Ranked
THW Andrew Forbes: 122
ANALYSIS: Barlage would have made a lot of sense here too as a teammate of Pittsburgh prospects Calen Addison and Jordy Bellerive in Lethbridge, but with Barlage off the board, the Penguins pivot to take Lindmark — a teammate of their first-round pick from my mock, defenceman Cam York. Lindmark played down the depth chart on a very deep NTDP squad and thus out of the spotlight for much of the draft year, but he established himself as a legitimate prospect during the under-18 worlds. Lindmark still didn’t have a starring role there and only scored the one goal, but he stood out with his speed and ability to make plays at a high pace. He looked like a good fit for Pittsburgh’s future.
146) Toronto Maple Leafs — Nick Porco (LW, Canada, Saginaw OHL)
Height/Weight: 6-foot-0, 176 pounds
Playoff Stats: 16 GP-3 G-4 A-7 PTS
Regular Season Stats: 67 GP-20 G-16 A-36 PTS
Central Scouting: 103 NAS
THW Larry Fisher: 176
THW Ryan Pike: Not Ranked
THW Andrew Forbes: Not Ranked
ANALYSIS: Porco hails from Kyle Dubas’ old stomping grounds in Sault Ste. Marie, so you know Toronto’s general manager will be familiar with this prospect from his minor hockey days. And Porco was a minor hockey star, entering the OHL as the fourth overall pick in that league’s 2017 draft — behind the aforementioned Suzuki and Bertuzzi, the first and second picks, respectively, as well as third overall Brandon Coe, a late birthday eligible for the 2020 NHL draft. Porco was picked ahead of the likes of Philip Tomasino (fifth), Graeme Clarke (sixth), Blake Murray (seventh), Jamieson Rees (ninth), Ethan Keppen (10th), Connor McMichael (11th), Thomas Harley (14th) and Nick Robertson (16th) — not to mention Jack Hughes (eighth), who would have went first overall but was already committed to going the NTDP route.
All those prospects are now ranked higher than Porco for this year’s NHL draft, but that speaks to Porco’s talent level and potential. Dubas and the Leafs may still see that high-end upside and likely wouldn’t hesitate in picking Porco if he falls to the fifth round.
147) New York Islanders — Grant Silianoff (F, USA, Cedar Rapids USHL)
Height/Weight: 5-foot-11, 170 pounds
Playoff Stats: 6 GP-2 G-1 A-3 PTS
Regular Season Stats: 55 GP-18 G-23 A-41 PTS
Central Scouting: 60 NAS
THW Larry Fisher: 146
THW Ryan Pike: 82
THW Andrew Forbes: 146
ANALYSIS: Silianoff is another high-skill forward who put up pretty nice numbers in his draft year despite finishing fifth on his team in scoring. The potential is there for Silianoff to eventually be a point-producer in the NHL, so he’d be a quality pick for the Islanders at this spot. The Islanders aren’t overthinking their picks to this point in my mock, simply taking the best players available with their first three selections.
148) Nashville Predators — Jami Krannila (LC, Finland, Sioux Falls USHL)
Height/Weight: 5-foot-10, 161 pounds
Playoff Stats: 12 GP-2 G-3 A-5 PTS
Regular Season Stats: 60 GP-17 G-28 A-45 PTS
Central Scouting: 143 NAS
THW Larry Fisher: 160
THW Ryan Pike: Not Ranked
THW Andrew Forbes: Not Ranked
ANALYSIS: This wouldn’t be the first time the Predators have picked a Finnish forward from the USHL — 2017 first-rounder Eeli Tolvanen was also drafted out of that junior league, from Sioux City as opposed to Sioux Falls. Krannila isn’t regarded as an elite prospect like Tolvanen, but he’s got above-average skills and impressed the masses during his team’s run to a playoff championship despite not producing at the same rate as he did during the regular season. For a North American debut, Krannila couldn’t have asked for much better. And Nashville couldn’t ask for a much better prospect here in the fifth round.
149) Minnesota Wild (from Washington via Montreal) — Mattias Norlinder (LD, Sweden, MODO Allsvenskan, overager)
Height/Weight: 6-foot-0.25, 187 pounds (CO)
Playoff Stats: 5 GP-1 G-2 A-3 PTS (Allsvenskan), 5 GP-2 G-4 A-6 PTS (SuperElit-J20)
Regular Season Stats: 14 GP-2 G-4 A-6 PTS (Allsvenskan), 30 GP-5 G-16 A-21 PTS (SuperElit-J20)
Central Scouting: 25 EUS
THW Larry Fisher: 81
THW Ryan Pike: Not Ranked
THW Andrew Forbes: Not Ranked
ANALYSIS: Last year, at 148th overall, Minnesota took Swedish overager Simon Johansson as an offensive-minded defenceman. This year, at 149th overall, the Wild could follow the same script by selecting Norlinder — another Swedish overager with good offensive instincts as a blueliner. That is, if Norlinder is still available in the fifth round. And that is a big “if” considering his second-half surge, which should have Norlinder’s stock on the rise. As a result, Norlinder could go significantly higher — perhaps as high as the second round — but, if that momentum doesn’t carry over to the draft, Minnesota should snatch him up at this spot.
150) Calgary Flames — Yannick Bruschweiler (LW, Switzerland, Zurich Lions NLA, overager)
Height/Weight: 5-foot-10, 172 pounds
Playoff Stats: 6 GP-1 G-2 A-3 PTS (NLA), 4 GP-4 G-1 A-5 PTS (Elite Jr. A)
Regular Season Stats: 2 GP-0 G-0 A-0 PTS (NLA), 32 GP-11 G-10 A-21 PTS (NLB), 10 GP-5 G-12 A-17 PTS (Elite Jr. A)
Central Scouting: 60 EUS
THW Larry Fisher: 162
THW Ryan Pike: Not Ranked
THW Andrew Forbes: Not Ranked
ANALYSIS: Believe it or not, Bruschweiler would be the second Swiss forward selected by Calgary in my mock. The first was Valentin Nussbaumer, back in the third round. There is no rhyme or reason for the Flames to be tapping into that non-traditional hockey country, but Bruschweiler and Nussbaumer are legit talents regardless of their passports. They stood out as Switzerland’s top draft-eligible forwards at this year’s World Juniors — helping produce a surprising semifinal appearance, along with sharpshooting Chicago prospect Philipp Kurashev. Nussbaumer was a known commodity prior to that tournament, but Bruschweiler opened a lot of eyes to his potential on that stage. My mock makes the assumption that Calgary’s brass was keeping a close watch.
151) Chicago Blackhawks (from Tampa Bay) — Evgeny Oxentyuk (RW/LC, Belarus, Team Belarus U20)
Height/Weight: 5-foot-7, 154 pounds
Playoff Stats: 11 GP-0 G-0 A-0 PTS (Belarus)
Regular Season Stats: 51 GP-6 G-12 A-18 PTS (Belarus), 3 GP-2 G-4 A-6 PTS (Belarus3)
Central Scouting: Not Ranked
THW Larry Fisher: 153
THW Ryan Pike: Not Ranked
THW Andrew Forbes: Not Ranked
ANALYSIS: Speaking of kids who came out of nowhere to shine against international competition, Oxentyuk was something of a sensation at the under-18 worlds. His performance — with six points (three goals, three assists) in five games — sent most scouts scrambling for more information on this pleasant surprise. Turns out, from my research, Oxentyuk’s skill level was no secret to those from Belarus, but he hadn’t got some of the previous exposure of his compatriots for the same reasons that Artemi Panarin remained a hidden gem in his younger years. Of course, Chicago was the team to discover Panarin — or to take a chance on him. The Blackhawks do the same here with Oxentyuk.
152) Carolina Hurricanes — Lukas Parik (G, Czech Republic, Bili Tygri Liberec U19)
Height/Weight: 6-foot-4, 185 pounds
Playoff Stats: 4 GP-3.63 GAA-.903 SaveP (Czech U19)
Regular Season Stats: 8 GP-3.39 GAA-.886 SaveP (Czech2), 32 GP-2.85 GAA-.917 SaveP (Czech U19)
Central Scouting: 3 EUG
THW Larry Fisher: 140
THW Ryan Pike: Not Ranked
THW Andrew Forbes: Not Ranked
ANALYSIS: Carolina rode Czech goaltender Petr Mrazek all the way to an improbable Eastern Conference final appearance this spring, so why not try to draft the next Mrazek? Parik is the best Czech prospect between the pipes this year, boasting an impressive package of size and skill. The Hurricanes will try to re-sign Mrazek as their starter for next season, and they plan on graduating AHL goaltender of the year Alex Nedeljkovic to be the backup. Nedeljkovic is looking like Carolina’s goalie of the future, but the Hurricanes could use another legit prospect in their system and Parik could be that guy.
153) San Jose Sharks — Jackson LaCombe (LD, USA, Shattuck St. Mary’s U.S. High School)
Height/Weight: 6-foot-1.75, 187 pounds (CO)
Playoff Stats: 2 GP-0 G-0 A-0 PTS (USHL)
Regular Season Stats: 3 GP-0 G-0 A-0 PTS (USHL), 54 GP-22 G-67 A-89 PTS (USHS)
Central Scouting: 36 NAS
THW Larry Fisher: 121
THW Ryan Pike: 107
THW Andrew Forbes: Not Ranked
ANALYSIS: San Jose’s picks are few and far between, so the Sharks are seeking prospects with high ceilings and plenty of potential. LaCombe is another one of those high school defencemen with tantalizing upside, as evidenced by his stat-line for the famed Shattuck program. Central Scouting is highest on LaCombe and he could become the best of that bunch with proper development, which will continue at the University of Minnesota starting next season.
154) Boston Bruins — Mike Koster (LD, USA, Chaska U.S. High School)
Height/Weight: 5-foot-8.75, 172 pounds (CO)
Playoff Stats: 6 GP-0 G-0 A-0 PTS (USHL), 5 GP-3 G-1 A-4 PTS (USHS)
Regular Season Stats: 15 GP-2 G-4 A-6 PTS (USHL), 40 GP-21 G-50 A-71 PTS (USHS)
Central Scouting: 69 NAS
THW Larry Fisher: 122
THW Ryan Pike: Not Ranked
THW Andrew Forbes: 128
ANALYSIS: From that list of high school defencemen, Koster is the closest thing to a known commodity thanks to a decent sample size with USHL Tri-City. Koster has been on the scouting radar for a couple years already and also suited up for Team USA at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, so we’ve seen a bit more of him. Koster is undersized but big on skill, the kind of puck-moving defender that is thriving in today’s NHL. Some scouts see shades of Torey Krug in Koster, which would obviously appeal to Boston. The Bruins know the value of their little blueliner, so Don Sweeney might be taking a closer look at Koster to determine if he could, indeed, be the second coming of Krug, who was notably never drafted.
155) St. Louis Blues — Marcel Barinka (F, Czech Republic, Halifax QMJHL)
Height/Weight: 6-foot-0, 165 pounds
Playoff Stats: 2 GP-0 G-0 A-0 PTS
Regular Season Stats: 51 GP-7 G-11 A-18 PTS
Central Scouting: Not Ranked
THW Larry Fisher: 151
THW Ryan Pike: Not Ranked
THW Andrew Forbes: 99
ANALYSIS: Barinka really bolstered his draft stock at the under-18 worlds too. He put up a point-per-game for the Czechs — with two goals and three assists over five games — and passed the eye test throughout that showcase. Barinka was struggling to gain traction in his North America debut — failing to find a role on a deep Memorial Cup host roster in Halifax — but he made the most of his opportunity to go home and regroup for the U18 tourney. Barinka certainly put himself back on the draft radar by flashing his significant upside. St. Louis strikes me as a team that would have taken a liking to Barinka’s skill-set, with the Blues often drafting for potential.
Recapping Fifth Round
125) Ottawa Senators — Xavier Parent (LW, Canada, Halifax QMJHL)
126) Los Angeles Kings — Bryce Brodzinski (RW, USA, Blaine High School, overager)
127) New Jersey Devils — Marc Del Gaizo (LD, USA, UMass Amherst NCAA, overager)
128) Detroit Red Wings — Tag Bertuzzi (LW, Canada, Hamilton OHL)
129) Washington Capitals (from Buffalo via Detroit) — Dillon Hamaliuk (LW, Canada, Seattle/Kelowna WHL)
130) New York Rangers — Kalle Loponen (RD, Finland, Hermes Mestis)
131) Montreal Canadiens (from Edmonton) — Colten Ellis (G, Canada, Rimouski QMJHL)
132) Anaheim Ducks — Ronnie Attard (RD, USA, Tri-City USHL, overager)
133) Vancouver Canucks — Jayden Struble (LD, USA, St. Sebastian’s U.S. High School)
134) Philadelphia Flyers — Artyom Galimov (LC, Russia, Bars Kazan VHL, overager)
135) Vegas Golden Knights (from Minnesota) — Vladimir Alistrov (LW, Belarus, Edmonton WHL)
136) Montreal Canadiens (from Chicago) — Xavier Simoneau (LW/LC, Canada, Drummondville QMJHL)
137) Florida Panthers — Aku Räty (RW, Finland, Kärpät U20)
138) Montreal Canadiens (from Arizona via Los Angeles) — Lucas Feuk (LC/LW, Sweden, Sodertalje J20)
139) Vegas Golden Knights (from Montreal) — Reece Newkirk (LC, Canada, Portland WHL)
140) Colorado Avalanche — Juuso Pärssinen (LW/LC, Finland, TPS U20)
141) Vegas Golden Knights — Logan Barlage (RC/RW, Canada, Lethbridge WHL)
142) Dallas Stars — Alex Brännstam (LD, Sweden, Djurgårdens J20)
143) Detroit Red Wings (from Columbus) — Yegor Chinakhov (F, Russia, Omskie Yastreby MHL)
144) Winnipeg Jets — Nolan Maier (G, Canada, Saskatoon WHL)
145) Pittsburgh Penguins — Owen Lindmark (RC, USA, NTDP U18)
146) Toronto Maple Leafs — Nick Porco (LW, Canada, Saginaw OHL)
147) New York Islanders — Grant Silianoff (F, USA, Cedar Rapids USHL)
148) Nashville Predators — Jami Krannila (LC, Finland, Sioux Falls USHL)
149) Minnesota Wild (from Washington via Montreal) — Mattias Norlinder (LD, Sweden, MODO Allsvenskan, overager)
150) Calgary Flames — Yannick Bruschweiler (LW, Switzerland, Zurich Lions NLA, overager)
151) Chicago Blackhawks (from Tampa Bay) — Evgeny Oxentyuk (RW/LC, Belarus, Team Belarus U20)
152) Carolina Hurricanes — Lukas Parik (G, Czech Republic, Bili Tygri Liberec U19)
153) San Jose Sharks — Jackson LaCombe (LD, USA, Shattuck St. Mary’s U.S. High School)
154) Boston Bruins — Mike Koster (LD, USA, Chaska U.S. High School)
155) St. Louis Blues — Marcel Barinka (F, Czech Republic, Halifax QMJHL)
AUTHOR NOTE: Pick No. 134 was traded from Philadelphia to Winnipeg on June 3 for the rights to pending free agent Kevin Hayes. My mock had already been completed at that time, awaiting publishing, so that adjustment will be made for my consensus mock that will publish during the draft week based on feedback and new information between now and then. For the record, I likely would have taken a WHL forward for Winnipeg at No. 134, probably Reece Newkirk.
