Russian right-wing Vasili Podkolzin, who became as soon as projected as a pinnacle-3 prospect in this draft magnificence, has fallen out of a top 10 dominated via American-born gamers in TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button’s contemporary NHL mock draft at the realization of the second round of the playoffs.
Podkolzin, who grew to become heads at the 2018 Hlinka Gretzky Cup and performed at 3 one of a kind tiers for SKA St. Petersburg this season, changed into the third-universal pick out in TSN Hockey’s post-lottery mock draft. He has now slid all of the manners right down to the Florida Panthers at No. 13.
“Podkolzin simply doesn’t have as plenty high-cease skill as others at the pinnacle of this class have demonstrated,” Button said. “He’s extra of a bulldog-kind player. He might become being plenty like Lawson Crouse.”
USNTDP center Jack Hughes and Finnish proper winger Kaapo Kakko continue to be virtual locks to go first and 2nd, respectively, to New Jersey and the New York Rangers.
In this draft, the two top possibilities will face every different on Monday, May 13, whilst Finland plays the USA at the IIHF World Hockey Championship in Slovakia. The game may be shown live on TSN 1 and four at 10 a.M. ET.
Vancouver Giants defenceman Bowen Byram has solidified his keep on the No. Three spots with an excellent showing in the WHL playoffs, where he’s tied for the scoring lead with seven dreams and 16 assists in 19 video games. Byram is projected to be both the first Canadian and the first blueliner off the board, giving the Chicago Blackhawks an ability dynamic top pairing for the future with 2018 first-round pick Adam Boqvist.
“Bowen is a number-one defenceman who controls play in all areas,” Button stated. “He’s robust defensively and a terrific skater who excels in transition. He has the vision, poise, and % talents to be a standout offensive player. He and Boqvist can be a dynamic pair, possibly in a similar mild to [Duncan] Keith and [Brent] Seabrook.”
Saskatoon Blades center Kirby Dach is up to one spot to the Colorado Avalanche at No. 4, whilst diminutive American scoring phenom Cole Caufield, who netted 14 goals on his manner to being named MVP of the U-18 World Hockey Championship, is going to the L.A. Kings to spherical out the pinnacle five.
The Edmonton Oilers are the first Canadian crew with a select, and Button sees dynamic USNTDP center Trevor Zegras as an awesome match at No. Eight. The Vancouver Canucks are the alternative Canadian franchise with a diffusion in the pinnacle 10, and Button projects the crew will take smooth-skating Swedish defenceman Philip Broberg at No. 10.
As in our first mock drafts, Button has Halifax Mooseheads winger Raphael Lavoie going to Montreal’s place of the birth crew at No. 15. The 6-foot-3 1/2, 191-pounder is 2d in QMJHL playoff scoring with 19 dreams and 30 points in 21 games.
The Ottawa Senators have the No. 19 choose as a part of the Matt Duchene alternate with Columbus, in which Button has them adding center Connor McMichael. The Ajax, Ont., native had 36 dreams and 36 assists in 72 video games for the OHL’s London Knights this season.
The Calgary Flames have the twenty-sixth pick, where Button thinks German defenceman Moritz Seider makes a variety of sense. The 6-foot-3 half of, 183-pound, right-shot blueliner plays for Adler Mannheim of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga. It could represent his united states of America IIHF World Hockey Championship this month.
“Seider is an outstanding skating defenceman and positionally robust,” Button said. “I like his competitiveness and experience for the game. I suppose he may be a sturdy 2d-pair defenceman inside the NHL, possibly within the mold of Adam Larsson.”
