Future Considerations has asked a few of our evaluators who have been in the rinks all season scouting 2016 eligible prospects to give their input on team need, drafting tendencies and who they think NHL teams will be looking to add to their prospect pool in this first round mock draft.
FC’s STAFF MOCK DRAFT (1-10)
FC’s STAFF MOCK DRAFT (21-30)
#11 NEW JERSEY DEVILS
Top Need: Elite talent to play in the top six
Secondary Needs: Top-line center, puck moving defenders
Top Five In Pipeline:
- C Pavel Zacha
- G Mackenzie Blackwood
- D Steve Santini
- LW John Quenneville
- LW Joeseph Blandisi
New Jersey selects: C Tyson Jost, 6-0, 190, Penticton, BCHL
SCOUTING REPORT: A gifted two-way player who isn’t big, but lets his play pack a punch. Jost plays the simple game but won’t be the guy who just goes through the motions. Has the ability to flash elite puck handling skill and savvy playmaking ability and does so frequently. His offensive sense is top notch and he has a ton of tools in his bag of tricks that he overwhelms opponents with. Has the skating ability and awareness to get the space necessary to be the focal point of the attack. Equally dangerous as a passer or a shooter with sure handed ability to execute consistently. Leads by example on the ice and shows strong commitment to doing more than filling the net with his defensive acumen.
REASONING: With John Hynes at the helm, the winds of change swept through the Devils system. Emphasis on playing a fast, puck pressure game is now at the forefront, in attempt to shake their defensive stereotype. To do so, the Devils need the type of highly skilled players who can be poster boys for this type of hockey. With some marquee talent gobbled up, Jost is just the guy that will fit the bill.
Pick and team report by: Justin Froese – FC Western Canadian Evaluator
#12 OTTAWA SENATORS
Top Need: Top-nine skilled forward
Secondary Needs: Skilled defenseman
Top Five In Pipeline:
- C Colin White
- D Thomas Chabot
- LW Matt Puempel
- C Nick Paul
- LW Francis Perron
Ottawa selects: D Mikhail Sergachev, 6-3, 205, Windsor, OHL
SCOUTING REPORT: Sergachev is a smooth skating defenceman that plays with complete poise, always remaining calm and collected in every situation he faces and ready for what comes his way. While still developing his ability to process the game, he makes strong plays that allow him to drive the play forward with a hard pass or quick decision to carry the puck. An all situations contributor, look for him to make an impact on an NHL blueline in the near future with slight offensive upside in his arsenal.
REASONING: Newly appointed GM Pierre Dorion goes with the best player available and jumps at the chance to select the Russian defender as a piece that adds to a growing blue line with a focus on moving the puck and playing strong defensively.
Pick and team report by: Daniel Deschenes – FC Head Ontario Scout
#13 CAROLINA HURRICANES
Top Need: Top-six forwards
Secondary Needs: Blue chip puck stopper to develop
Top Five In Pipeline:
- C Sebastian Aho
- G Alex Nedeljkovic
- D Haydn Fleury
- LW Phil DiGiuseppe
- C Nicolas Roy
Carolina selects: C Michael McLeod, 6-2, 186, Mississauga, OHL
SCOUTING REPORT: McLeod is a pass first two-way forward who has the ability to create his own space in order to make play at the net. Equally responsible in all three zones of the rink and can be trusted and affective with complicated assignments. Ability to move up and down the rink at a fast pace is most definitely the strong set of this center’s game, combined with a dangerous first step, makes it hard for the opposition to defend him. Can be trusted to take the important draws and well accounted for in the face-off circle.
REASONING: Carolina will look to add a top six guy to the mix in the near future to play a two way center role. With the acquisitions of Bryan Bickell and Teuvo Teravainen the Hurricanes will look to provide needed two-way depth in the middle of the ice.
Pick and team report by: Jake VanBesien – FC USHL Evaluator
#14 BOSTON BRUINS
Top Need: Puck-moving defenseman
Secondary Needs: Depth on the wing, scoring forwards
Top Five In Pipeline:
- LW Jake DeBrusk
- RW Zach Senyshyn
- D Brandon Carlo
- D Jeremy Lauzon
- C Jakob Forsbacka-Karlson
Boston selects: D Charlie McAvoy, 6-0, 200, Boston University, NCAA
SCOUTING REPORT: A puck-moving defenseman who can play on a top power play unit and should also be able to play at least middle pairing minutes. His skating is at an elite level, and being right handed certainly helps. A bit undersized, McAvoy uses his IQ and athleticism to make up for his lack of sheer force; something that isn’t a problem in today’s high paced NHL.
REASONING: McAvoy checks off plenty of boxes for the Bruins. He is a right-shot defenseman who can play on a top power play unit and has the ability to transport the puck up ice. He is also playing locally, which the Bruins seem to lean towards every year in the draft. He adds depth at a position that the Bruins desperately need to re-tool before being a serious Stanley Cup contender again.
Pick and team report by: John Healy – FC New England Evaluator
#15 MINNESOTA WILD
Top Need: Top talent at any position
Secondary Needs: Depth at every position and a goaltender to develop
Top Five In Pipeline:
- C Joel Eriksson-Ek
- RW Alex Tuch
- D Mike Rielly
- D Gustav Olofsson
- RW Jordan Greenway
Minnesota selects: RW Julien Gauthier, 6-4, 225, Val d-Or, QMJHL
SCOUTING REPORT: For some teams he is a highly-risked pick, for others he is a bust…but for the Wild, Gauthier could be a home run. The best thing Gauthier knows how is to fill the net and he did with the Foreurs, netting 79 goals in 122 games over the past two seasons. His heavy shot his among the best in the QMJHL, as for his ability to manage and protect the puck to have a crack at the net. Gauthier also possesses a big and strong mature frame, and he’s not afraid to use to his advantage. When he hits, he does with speed and eagerness.
REASONING: He had some slumps during the season, but everything combined, Gauthier remains a top prospect. Truly….he’s a horse. With some balance in their prospects pool, the Wild pick the best player available this year, with an eye towards their goaltending need later in the draft.
Pick and team report by: Simon Rouillard – FC Quebec Evaluator
#16 DETROIT RED WINGS
Top Need: A puck-moving blueliner
Secondary Needs: Forwards with size, grit and skill
Top Five In Pipeline:
- LW Evgeny Svechnikov
- RW Anthony Mantha
- D Xavier Ouellet
- LW Dylan Sadowy
- D Vili Saarijarvi
Detroit selects D Dante Fabbro, 6-0, 190, Penticton BCHL
SCOUTING REPORT: A dependable, safe and steady blue liner who tends to make the correct choice in all areas of the game but does not possess the same puck rushing flash and dash some of the other defenders available in this class have. He sees the ice well, makes strong passes and just does the little things right. Composed in his own zone even with multiple fore checkers on him; does not just throw the puck away. Defensively he plays the body, stays in strong position and moves well in all directions. But it is his overall awareness and senses that make him potentially special.
REASONING: After taking a forward in the first round the past half dozen drafts Detroit is able to add a blueliner who should help boost their prospects cupboard in terms of their back end. They likely think about guys like Bellows and Rubtsov or especially a guy like Max Jones who plays with the type of size and grit they want to add but ultimately feel they can add that grit later on in the draft.
Pick and team report by: Dan Stewart– FC Scouting Director
#17 NASHVILLE PREDATORS
Top Need: Top-six wingers
Secondary Needs: High-end skilled forwards to provide offense
Top Five In Pipeline:
- C Vladislav Kamenev
- LW Kevin Fiala
- G Juuse Saros
- C Yakov Trenin
- C Thomas Novak
Nashville selects: LW Kieffer Bellows, 6-1, 195, US NTDP U18, USHL
SCOUTING REPORT: Bellows is a player who knows how to pull the trigger. His 50 goals with the with the NTDP showed what a prolific goal scorer he is. Possesses a hard and accurate shot and fires the puck with a quick release. Can beat goaltenders up high with ease and is one of the best goal-scoring talents in the draft. Shows good strength on skates and can play a gritty game if needed as he uses his crafty frame to win board battles or plant himself in front of the net. Has the determination and will to score which could make him an effective scorer at NHL-level.
REASONING: The Predators could need an elite goal-scoring talent like Bellows. They also need some high-end forwards who could crack the top-six. Bellows combines both needs and seems like a good fit for the Predators. Bellows is not the most creative player in the draft but if you pair him with a creative playmaking center like Ryan Johansen or Mike Ribeiro, he can live up to his offensive upside.
Pick and team report by: Dennis Schellenberg – FC European Evaluator
#18 PHILADELPHIA FLYERS
Top Need: Skilled forwards at all positions
Secondary Needs: Blue chip goaltending prospect
Top Five In Pipeline:
- DIvan Provorov
- RW Travis Konecny
- D Travis Sanheim
- D Samuel Morin
- RW Oskar Lindbolm
Philadelphia selects: C German Rubtsov, 6-2, 175, Russia U18, MHL
SCOUTING REPORT: Rubtsov has the ability to step into the NHL within a few years and make an impact offensively thanks to his strong understanding of the game and ability to play at both ends of the ice. Rubtsov is a creative, playmaking center that can slide over to the wing and contribute on the rush and down low. Highly competitive and a strong desire to control the play and be in possession are two strengths that will lend to his ability to contribute at the NHL level.
REASONING: With a prospect cupboard fully stocked on the blue line, Philadelphia takes the creative young Russian that can eventually add speed and skill to a top-nine with the likes of Claude Giroux, Wayne Simmonds, Jakub Voracek, and Travis Konecny.
Pick and team report by: Daniel Deschenes – FC Head Ontario Scout
#19 NEW YORK ISLANDERS
Top Need: Top-six wingers
Secondary Needs: Another horse on the blue line and forward deptH
Top Five In Pipeline:
- D Ryan Pulock
- C Mathew Barzal
- LW Anthony Beauvillier
- C Josh Ho-Sang
- G Ilya Sorokin
New York selects: F Max Jones, 6-3, 205, London, OHL
SCOUTING REPORT: For all intensive purposes, Jones is a bull in a china shop – when he so chooses to be. He can skate, he can hit, he can score, he can protect the puck, and he can make space for his teammates. He’s very driven and has a top-flight compete level – also when he so chooses. Coachable and adept at understanding what’s required of him to help the team, he can be the consummate banging forward that every coach leans on.
REASONING: The Islanders could be getting anything from an above-average fourth line grinder to the kind of top-six winger teams crave and winning teams roll with. There’s also plenty of reason to believe that, having played for the CHL’s powerhouse, there’s a lot more offense there when he gets the respective ice time. Sure, there are consistency issues and his puck skills need to keep developing, but these are things that can be worked on. The attitude and work ethic is there.
Pick and team report by: Chapin Landvogt – FC European Evaluator
#20 ARIZONA COYOTES (from NYR)
Top Need: Top-four defensive prospects
Secondary Needs: Depth on the backend and a goaltending prospect
Top Five In Pipeline:
- C Dylan Strome
- LW Christian Dvorak
- RW Conor Garland
- LW Brendan Perlini
- RW Christian Fischer
Arizona selects: D Jake Bean, 6-1, 175, Calgary, WHL
SCOUTING REPORT: There are six top defensemen in the 2016 draft class. Bean has solidified is place in that group and is one of the most dynamic. Not only is he a gifted puck handler and passer, but Bean’s ability to jump up into the play with his skating also makes him one of the best goal-producers from the back end – his 24 goals speaks to that. Bean’s ability as a puck carrier who can create clean lanes for himself and teammates up ice make him a dynamic threat offensively. His skating and ability to close gaps have also made him an excellent defender, one who played big minutes in all situations in Calgary.
REASONING: The chance to add two of the six-best defensemen in the class and instantaneously reshape the organizational depth chart in Arizona is something that will be too hard to pass up on. No draft-eligible defensemen in the CHL registered more primary points-per-game this year than Jake Bean. The addition of he and Olli Juolevi continues to bolster what is already one of the handful of best prospect pools in the NHL.
Pick and team report by: Scott Wheeler – FC Quebec Evaluator