Welcome to the 2021 NHL Mock Draft by the Blueshirts Breakaway draft crew: Drew Way, George Obremski and Rich Coyle. This will be our final article of the 2021 NHL Draft season. We also recently published our final rankings and Drew’s 2021 Ty Smith Memorial Trophy article, both of which we’d love for you to check out if you haven’t already.
Just a couple of quick ground rules before we get into the mock draft results:
- Our methodology for this was NOT to try and predict what each team will do during the draft. We are not insiders, so it would literally be pointless and disingenuous for us to try and pretend like we have any insight into what team might actually do. Instead, each pick is what each of our draft analysts would do if they were the one making the selection for the team.
- We rotated picks throughout the entirety of the mock draft, which covers the first two rounds, plus a bonus selection of the first pick in round 3, which belongs to the New York Rangers (thank you Jimmy Vesey). The order of selections is as follows: Drew, Rich then George. So, Drew made picks 1, 4, 7, 10, etc., Rich picked 2, 5, 8, 11, etc., and George picked 3, 6, 9, 12, etc., for the entirety of the two-round mock draft (well, the majority of it at least, Drew took over for George at the very end because we all dragged our feet a bit on doing the mock and it encroached on his family vacation).
- We decided to provide brief write-ups outlining why each selection was made for the first-round picks, and then we simply list the selections for round two. With every player, we list some key demographic details (courtesy of Elite Prospects), as well as the aggregate site rank and the individual rank of the analyst who made the selection from our final draft ranks.
If you have any question, comments or feedback about any of the players or selections made, please feel free to reach out to any of us on Twitter. Thanks, and enjoy!
Round 1
1. Buffalo Sabres – Owen Power
D, 6’ 5’’, 214 lbs, University of Michigan (NCAA), Site Rank: 3, Drew Rank: 1
Not to kick off a mock by talking shit about the #1 pick, but I find it very odd how Power has become the consensus top pick. He’s a great prospect, don’t get me wrong, and I do have him at the top of my own rankings. However, I have him on a tier with five other players, all of whom I think Buffalo should do their homework on and should strongly consider for the top spot. That said, regardless of how confusing I find the consensus on Power as the top prospect, the consensus is still there, so if I’m Buffalo I either take Power at 1, or I pull a card out of Danny Ainge of the Boston Celtics playbook and trade back a few spots, get some real assets, and still get the guy I would’ve taken at 1 anyway. – Drew
2. Seattle Kraken – Luke Hughes
D, 6’ 2’’, 176 lbs, U.S. National U18 (USDP), Site Rank: 2, Rich Rank: 2
Who better to be the first pick in franchise history than the last of the Hughes’ clan!? Similar to his brother Quinn, but dissimilar at the same time. The smooth skating defenseman is sound in all three zones with the best of his game being played in transition. He may not produce as much as Quinn offensively, but there is no reason why Luke cannot become the anchor of the Seattle defense for many years to come. Right from the get-go, Seattle gets an elite defensive prospect who is the #2 overall ranked skater on my board. – Rich
3. Anaheim Ducks – Matthew Beniers
C, 6’1’’, 174 lbs, University of Michigan (NCAA), Site Rank: 1, George Rank: 5
Beniers is widely considered the best center in this year’s draft. At the very least, he projects to be a solid two-way center and a very good second line center, with possible upside for more. If all goes well for Anaheim, he can slot right behind the more offensively dynamic Trevor Zegras, and create a very good 1-2 punch at the center position for the Ducks for years to come. He is already a very good defender and possesses strong skating and well-rounded offensive ability, and I do believe he has more upside than many credit him for, and can become a franchise center. – George
4. New Jersey Devils – Brandt Clarke
D, 6’ 2’’, 190 lbs, Barrie (OHL), Site Rank: 5, Drew Rank: 4
The storybook fit here would be to take Luke Hughes and allow him to develop with his brother Jack, whom the Devils selected first overall in 2019. However, Hughes is off the board already, and I actually have Brandt Clarke one spot ahead of him in my ranks anyway. The Devils definitely should look into a legit pro skating coach for Clarke, whose skating stride looks reminiscent of my own at times (to be clear, I am a terrible skater). But skating aside, Clarke might be the most purely gifted defensemen in this class, and if he can become even an average NHL skater he has a realistic shot of becoming the best player of this class in a few years. – Drew
5. Columbus Blue Jackets – Kent Johnson
C/LW, 6’ 1’’, 165 lbs, University of Michigan (NCAA), Site Rank: 4, Rich Rank: 3
The Columbus Blue Jackets have a very tough road ahead, and the NHL roster lacks high end talent. Seth Jones and Patrik Laine have been rumored to potentially be on the move. The prospect cupboard is thin. The future is dim. However, picking Kent Johnson (my #3 ranked player) gives the Blue Jackets and their fans a reason to look towards the future with some bit of optimism. His draft year production in the NCAA was not at the level of someone like Jack Eichel, but it was still exceptional (1.04 P/GP) and Johnson is arguably among the most skilled and talented players in this draft. While his skating does hold him back in the minds of some, it would not shock in the slightest if Kent Johnson ended up being the best player in this draft when we look back years from now. – Rich
6. Detroit Red Wings – Simon Edvinsson
D, 6’ 5’’, 207 lbs, Frölunda (SHL), Site Rank: 8, George Rank: 3
His play reminds me of Coyotes defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who is a highly talented offensive defenseman that, at his peak, was also more than capable in his own zone. Edvinsson, at 6’4” has above average skating for a defenseman of any size, let alone one as big as he is. I believe he has top-pairing upside and could make a scary top pair for years to come with 2019 first-round pick Moritz Seider. – George
7. San Jose Sharks – William Eklund
C/LW, 5’ 10’’, 172 lbs, Djurgårdens (SHL), Site Rank: 6, Drew Rank: 3
I’ve seen many mock the news on Twitter of late that Buffalo love Eklund and might consider him at 1. Don’t be one of those people. William Eklund is a fantastic prospect, and I think Buffalo would be doing themselves a disservice to not seriously consider taking Eklund at first overall.
He is a complete player that does not have any noticeable holes in his game. He has a high motor and IQ, is a great skater (a rare trait for the top players in this class), has excellent hands and is as creative as anyone in this class. When you watch him play, he almost reminds you a bit of Artemi Panarin the way he can effortlessly weave his way through traffic and seems to just think the game at a faster pace than his opponents. Had he not missed the WJC due to a false positive COVID test and then missed additional time due to emergency appendix surgery, I think many more would be strongly considering him at least in the conversation for best prospect in this class. – Drew
8. Los Angeles Kings – Dylan Guenther
LW, 6’ 1’’, 181 lbs, Edmonton (WHL), Site Rank: 7, Rich Rank: 6
The Los Angeles Kings have the best prospect pool in the league, and it isn’t particularly close as things currently stand. Adding Dylan Guenther just solidifies that even further. The Kings have more talented forward prospects than they know to do with. Some may argue that the Kings should be looking for a defenseman in this draft and whilst I really like Brandt Clarke for the Kings, Drew picked him for the Devils at 4. It is entirely possible that Guenther isn’t even available for the Kings at this spot if he plays a full season in the WHL in 2020-21. Guenther posted a ridiculous 2 P/GP playing for the Edmonton Oil Kings this past season, but only played 12 games. Nonetheless, Guenther is a dynamic offensive player who has one of the best shots in the draft and undoubtedly has the ability to become a top line forward in the NHL. – Rich
9. Vancouver Canucks – Cole Sillinger
C, 6’ 0’’, 201 lbs, Medicine Hat (WHL), Site Rank: 10, George Rank: 10
Sillinger is a highly skilled center who has a very good shot. His wrist shot has a quick release and could be difficult to read for goaltenders, and is easily among the best in this entire draft class. Skating is a concern with him, but he is able to at least somewhat mitigate this issue with his effective use of deception and patience in the offensive zone. He has clear top-six upside and could be the offensive second line center with great scoring ability the Canucks need. – George
10. Ottawa Senators – Jesper Wallstedt
G, 6’ 3’’, 214 lbs, Luleå (SHL), Site Rank: 11, Drew Rank: 10
I am no goalie expert, so I tend to rely on those that are for how to evaluate goalie prospects and where to slot them into my rankings. Based on everything I’ve read and heard from people I trust that are way smarter than me when it comes to goalie prospect analysis, Wallstedt legitimately might be the best goalie prospect we’ve had in years, which is saying a ton considering both Spencer Knight and Yaroslav Askarov were lottery picks in the past two drafts. Ottawa has a great core of young, talented players on their roster and in their pipeline, and the one thing they are seemingly missing is a potential stud at the goaltender position. Wallstedt could very well be that for them, and would represent a smart choice at 10, if he even lasts this long. – Drew
11. Chicago Blackhawks – Sasha Pastujov
LW, 6’ 0’’, 183 lbs, U.S. National U18 (USDP), Site Rank: 13, Rich Rank: 5
- This may seem high for Sasha Pastujov, but I truly believe he is significantly undervalued by much of the scouting community. I really like the fit with Pastujov and the Chicago Blackhawks at this juncture. After drafting high-end forward prospects Kirby Dach and Lukas Reichel in the previous two drafts, they shoot for another. Sasha Pastujov had a fantastic 2020-21 with the NTDP U-18’s where he posted 65 points in 41 games. His P/GP (1.58) actually eclipses that of Trevor Zegras (1.45) in his draft year.
It is completely warranted for Sasha Pastujov to be in the conversation for most talented playmaker in the draft. If Pastujov can work out some of the kinks in his game, such as his skating and defensive zone play then I see no reason why he can’t blossom into an elite offensive prospect for a team like Chicago. – Rich
12. Calgary Flames – Fabian Lysell
RW, 5’ 10’’, 176 lbs, Luleå (SHL), Site Rank: 9, George Rank: 9
Lysell had a somewhat down year points-wise in the SHL, but make no mistake, he is a highly skilled forward with excellent hockey IQ. His skating is one of the best in this year’s draft and has great speed and edgework and can turn quickly to evade defenders. He has great vision that allows him to make quick passes to teammates in transition as well as in the offensive zone. Lysell has obvious top-six potential and could be a part of the new core for the Flames for years to come if he can mature a bit and shed some of the recent character concerns that have plagued his draft stock. – George
13. Philadelphia Flyers – Mason McTavish
C, 6’ 2’’, 207 lbs, Peterborough (OHL), Site Rank: 14, Drew Rank: 14
Mason McTavish is a bit of a late riser who many had as a fringe first rounder coming into the year. His raw ability and toolset was never in question, but many, including myself, rated him as an end of the first round prospect because his performance was often too inconsistent for a top prospect and he had significant issues with his skating, even relative to this class. However, his play this year in the Swiss pro league as well as his performance at the WJC under-18 tournament with team Canada showed that he had made a marked improvement on his skating and consistently dominated play in both ends of the ice. While McTavish is still just an average skater at best, that is good enough where coupled with his impressive tool set—which includes strong defensive and transitional games, good physicality, high IQ and an excellent shot—he should be considered one of the most complete and versatile players in this class, and is worthy of a top-10 pick. – Drew
14. Dallas Stars – Matthew Coronato
LW, 5’ 10’’, 183 lbs, Chicago (USHL), Site Rank: 20, Rich Rank: 12
The Dallas Stars’ prospect pool could use help everywhere. Last year, they drafted Mavrik Bourque who I really liked. If I am Jim Nill on Thursday night, I am picking Matthew Coronato. I think Coronato is one of the 3 most likely players (Pastujov and Rosen) to get picked outside of the top-10 to become a superstar in the NHL .
Coronato absolutely demolished the USHL this season, posting 85 points in 51 games (1.67 P/GP). He is one of the most gifted scorers in the draft and has shown the ability to take over games when he wants to. The two things I commonly see that Coronato has going against him are the fact that he is a smaller player (5’10 183lbs) and played a lot of his minutes with Sean Farrell. Knocking a player for having a smaller stature is getting ridiculously old in 2021. The concern about being “carried” by Sean Farrell is a valid one, but I truly don’t believe Coronato is a product of Farrell. He is a fantastic product in his own right. The Stars have the potential to come away with the steal of the draft if Coronato pans out like I think he could. – Rich
15. New York Rangers – Aatu Räty
C, 6’ 1’’, 181 lbs, Kärpät (Liiga), Site Rank: 18, George Rank: 17
At the start of this past season I had Räty as the top ranked prospect on my list. However, he followed up his disappointing 2019-2020 season with a disappointing 2020-21 season and ended up with only 6 points in 35 games for Kärpät in Liiga. That said, I feel his play did improve as the season went on and he routinely showed that even when the box score production isnt’ there, he can contribute to effective hockey through his possession-driving, two-way style of play. He is more of a playmaker than a scorer and can use his hands to stickhandle in tight situations to create offense for both himself and others. He has the upside to be a very good 2C who could play an effective two-way game for any team. – George
If I were the one making the selection here, I probably would have taken Chaz Lucius, who instead I selected for St. Louis with the 16th pick. That said, Aatu Räty is still a great selection for the Rangers at 15, and I’d be very happy with this result come draft day. I agree with George’s assessment that Räty projects as a strong second line center who can be relied upon to play in any zone or situation. At the end of the day though, I will be thrilled if the Rangers get any of the centers I have listed on tier 2 of my rankings at 15: Cole Sillinger, Chaz Lucius, Aatu Räty, Mason McTavish or Fyodor Svechkov. – Drew
16. St. Louis Blues – Chaz Lucius
C, 6’ 0’’, 172 lbs, U.S. National U18 (USDP), Site Rank: 12, Drew Rank: 12
I would be shocked if Chaz Lucious makes it to 16 in the actual NHL draft. Personally, I have five centers on my second tier in my ranks—Sillinger, Lucius, Räty, McTavish and Svechkov—and personally I feel the most likely of that group to potentially go in the top-10 are McTavish and Lucius. Lucius is a very gifted goal scorer with perhaps the most versatile scoring toolset in this class, which includes a phenomenal snapshot, plus slapshot, deceptive and powerful wrist shot and strong net-front play. He also has plus hands and playmaking ability to compliment his scoring ability, making him a true force in the offensive zone. – Drew
17. Winnipeg Jets – Logan Stankoven
F, 5’ 8’’, 170 lbs, Kamloops (WHL), Site Rank: 16, Rich Rank: 13
Logan Stankoven is an extremely good prospect. While most of the public rankings may not reflect that, it’s true. If I’m the Winnipeg Jets, this is a no-doubter for me at 17th overall. Stankoven isn’t the best playmaker, but he is one of the best goalscorers in the draft. Stankoven plays at an extremely high pace. Despite being one of the smaller forwards in the draft, Stankoven is one of the most tenacious forecheckers in the draft. He has a relentless work ethic and never gives the opponent an inch when he is on the ice. I see a lot of Rangers’ prospect Brett Berard in Logan Stankoven. Stankoven undoubtedly has the higher ceiling as a potential top-six winger in the NHL, but there are a lot of similarities in their games. I see Stankoven becoming goal-scoring, two-way forward who plays minutes on both PP1 and PK1. Cole Perfetti and Logan Stankoven in back-to-back years doesn’t sound too shabby. – Rich
18. Nashville Predators – Carson Lambos
D, 6’ 1’’, 201 lbs, Winnipeg (WHL), Site Rank: 17, George Rank: 13
Lambos has one of the best shots in this year’s draft among the crop of blueliners. He consistently get his shot through traffic from the point, but he is also a dual threat and also frequently showcases the ability to might tight passes through high danger areas. In transition he is more likely to make stretch passes and has the ability to connect on those passes when exiting the defensive zone. His skating definitely needs some work, but it’s good enough to go zone to zone and with some minor improvements it can be more than good enough to allow him to have a successful NHL career. I believe he has top-four upside and Nashville has a rich history of drafting and developing defensemen and getting the most out of their potential, making this a great fit. – George
19. Edmonton Oilers – Fyodor Svechkov
C, 6’ 0’’, 179 lbs, Togliatti (VHL), Site Rank: 15, Drew Rank: 15
I recently said on an appearance on the Ice Cold Takes Podcast that Fyodor Svechkov is the “most Rangers prospect” of the group of five center prospects that I have on my second tier—all of which I’d be very happy with the Rangers drafting. Svechkov is perhaps the best two-way center in this draft class. He has a true suffocating trait to his defensive game, and is one of the best high-level forwards I’ve seen at this age in a while at positioning, gap control and consistently forcing opposing forwards to the outside. He also has a very high motor and hockey sense, which also allow Svechkov to be a threat in transition and in the offensive zone. He is among the better players in this class off the puck, and to make a cross-sport comparison, he reminds me a bit of Wes Welker in his ability to always find a way to get open, regardless of how much attention he is drawing from the defense. He has a good shot and is a plus playmaker, but like many in this class, has room for improvement in his skating. He’d be a tremendous pick for Edmonton at 19. – Drew
20. Boston Bruins – Mackie Samoskevich
C, 5’ 11’’, 190 lbs, Chicago (USHL), Site Rank: 27, Rich Rank: 18
Boston might have the worst prospect pool in the league, as they lack NHL-quality prospects across the board. Their last first round pick came in 2019 in the form of John Beecher, who in my opinion doesn’t project to be a top-six player at the NHL level. Mackie Samoskevich is a player I would be all over if I am Don Sweeney, and he could significantly help out their depleted prospect pool.
Samoskevich is a dangerous offensive player with high-end skill and is an exciting skater. A lot of what I see in Samoskevich reminds me of what I saw in Trevor Zegras back in 2019. Is Samoskevich as good as Zegras? Absolutely not. Samoskevich’s offensive output leaves a bit to be desired. To be fair, points don’t sound very easy to come by when you also have the mouths of Sean Farrell, Matthew Coronato, Josh Doan, Erik Middendorf, and Adam Fantili to feed as Samoskevich did with the Chicago Steel. It will be interesting to see how Samoskevich progresses at Michigan, where he will likely be playing with some high-end prospects like Kent Johnson and Thomas Bordeleau. Nonetheless, I take a swing and don’t think twice if I am the Bruins. – Rich
21. Minnesota Wild – Sebastian Cossa
G, 6’ 6’’, 212 lbs, Edmonton (WHL), Site Rank: 25, George Rank: 25
At 6’6”, Cossa is a giant in the net and he uses his size and frame very efficiently. He was outstanding in the shortened WHL season this past year going 17-1-1 with a phenomenal .941 SV% and a 1.57 GAA. To be fair, he did have one of the best teams in the WHL in front of him, including Drew Way’s all time favorite prospect Braden Schneider anchoring the back end, which does raise the question about just how much we can trust those stats, rightly or wrongly. That said, he has all the tools and physical attributes to clearly have the upside to be a long-time starter in the NHL, but selecting him in the first round does come with the risk typically involved with picking goalies this high. I think at 21, given his talent, size and athleticism, this is a great gamble for Minnesota to take. – George
22. Detroit Red Wings (via Washington) – Francesco Pinelli
C, 6’ 1’’, 185 lbs, Kitchner (OHL), Site Rank: 23, Drew Rank: 21
Pinelli is in the mold of Fyodor Svechkov where he is not the most dynamic of centers but plays a strong two-way game and is generally regarded as a player with one of the highest hockey senses in the class. In fact, Sam McGilligan recently wrote a fantastic piece for McKeen’s Hockey where he discussed the players he viewed as having the highest hockey sense in the class. I highly recommend everyone check it out, and it has fantastic analysis and breakdowns of the games of many of the top prospects in the class, all of whom he has identified as having top-tier hockey sense, including William Eklund, Matty Beniers, Brandt Clarke, Dylan Guenther and Francesco Pinelli. In fact, Sam went as far as to say, “if there is any player that is going to find success in the NHL based on his brain, it is Francesco Pinelli.” I have to say, based on my own research and viewings of Pinelli, I 100% endorse this statement, and feel Pinelli woud be a great choice by any team in need of a center in the 14-30 range of the draft. – Drew
23. Florida Panthers – Isak Rosén
W, 5’ 11’, 161 lbs, Leksands (SHL), Site Rank: 21, Rich Rank: 14
Isak Rosén is a very fun player to watch as he is among the best skaters in the draft. As you’d expect, his skating leads him to be fantastic in transition where he makes zone exits/entries as cleanly as you possibly can. He has some solid skill in the offensive zone. Rosén is a low-key elite playmaker who scores a lot of goals as well. Rosen only scored 1 point in 22 games this past season for Leksands in the SHL, but it is really not fair to judge Rosén based on that when he really didn’t get enough icetime to make a meaningful impact scoring wise. Ideally, the offensive output (even in J20) is a bit higher, but I love Isak Rosen to become a top-six forward in the NHL, and he would represents strong value for Florida at pick 23. – Rich
24. Columbus Blue Jackets (via Toronto) – Zachary L’Heureux
C, 5’ 11’’, 196 lbs, Halifax (QMJHL), Site Rank: 24, George Rank: 19
Zachary L’Heureux is among the most polarizing prospects in this class, and rightfully so. He started this past season playing very well, and because of that many, including myself, has him ranked much higher than this is early draft rankings. However, his play did slip as the season went on but he was still very noticeable with his style of play. Not to mention he was suspended an astounding four times during a short season, one of which was for spitting on an opponent, which during any circumstance is unacceptable, but especially during a global pandemic.
He reminds me of Tom Wilson where he is extremely physical and a relentless forechecker, but does cross the line with his play at times. Also, similar to Wilson, and perhaps even more so, he possesses a ton of offensive skill, which combined with his playing this style provides him the upside of being a top-six forward in the NHL, and at the very least can be an effective, grinding third liner. – George
25. Minnesota Wild (via Pittsburgh) – Oskar Olausson
W, 6’ 2’’, 181 lbs, HV71 (Allsvenskan), Site Rank: 29, Drew Rank: 20
Olausson is an excellent skater and phenomenal transitional winger that also possesses a fantastic, powerful shot, making him a gifted goal-scorer. He also is an effective forechecker and penalty killer, and uses his speed and positional awareness effectively to be a disruptive force on defense. What holds him back in my eyes from potentially being a lottery pick is he is a pretty poor playmaker and I feel he tends to get lost off the puck watching the play too often. That said, Olausson projects as the type of middle-6 winger that every NHL team needs that can reliably play in all situations while also contributing ample depth scoring. – Drew
26. Carolina Hurricanes – Samu Tuomaala
F, 5’ 10’’, 176 lbs, Kärpät (Liiga), Site Rank: 28, Rich Rank: 22
Carolina absolutely kills the draft every single year, so I expect them to nail this pick. Samu Tuomaala would be a fantastic pick by Don Waddell and co. at this spot. Tuomaala is a straight shooter. He constantly finds his way into the high danger areas where his lethal shot often leads to the puck being fished out of the net by the opposition’s goalie. He’s a good skater who doesn’t sacrifice much defensively despite being such a dangerous offensive player. Tuomaala leaves a bit to be desired as a playmaker, but Carolina really doesn’t need him to be that. Carolina has the luxury of being able to take the risk on a player like Tuomaala since they have drafted so well in the past and are constantly keeping the pool stocked with potential NHL players. – Rich
27. Colorado Avalanche – Zachary Bolduc
C, 6’ 1’’, 174 lbs, Rimouski (QMJHL), Site Rank: 34, George Rank: 15
I am the highest on Bolduc among the three of us, and I am not as concerned as my compadres about the amount his previous production was impacted by playing with a 2020 draft pick by the name of Alexis Lafrenière; perhaps you’ve heard of him?
In my opinion, Bolduc is a highly skilled forward who has a very good shot, but like many in this class he is just an average skater. He has great edge work and an elusive element to his skating style, but his acceleration and top-end speed leave some to be desired. His shot is accurate and hard, and can beat goalies in Juniors from distance—whether or not this can translate to the NHL will be a big factor in how effective he ends up being at the pro level. However, he does not rely on only scoring from outside, and is more than willing to go to the dirty areas and get work for his goals. I believe he projects as a middle-six center, but may wind up on the wing if that’s the developmental route a team chooses. – George
28. New Jersey Devils (via NY Islanders) – Brennan Othmann
LW, 6’ 0’’, 174 lbs, Flint (OHL), Site Rank: 35, Drew Rank: 23
Brennan Othmann is the kind of player that every hockey man yearns for: he plays the game at a consistent high pace, has a motor that never stops, has a well-rounded skillset and is a physical, gritty player that is relentless on the forecheck. He is exactly the type of player that many GMs, including Chris Drury, talk about when they say they want to add skilled players who are also “tough to play against.” In terms of his offensive ability, his standout abilities include an excellent wrist shot that he can effectively snap off at high speeds on the rush and his advanced puck protection skills in the offensive zone. A player of Othmann’s caliber would be a great get for anyone picking outside of the top-20. – Drew
29. Vegas Golden Knights – Sean Behrens
D, 5’ 10’’, 176 lbs, U.S. National U18 (USDP), Site Rank: 30, Rich Rank: 17
If I had a Ty Smith Memorial Award Winner like Drew—it would undoubtedly be Sean Behrens. He is criminally underrated by just about everyone because he is on the smaller side as a defenseman. Nonetheless, it would be a fantastic pickup for Kelly McCrimmon and friends to grab Behrens at #29.
Behrens is your prototypical offensive defenseman—high-end skater with some good skill and can quarterback your powerplay. Despite being offensively inclined as a defenseman, it does not take away from Behrens abilities in the defensive zone. He has an active stick that we see him use often to dispossess the attacker. Despite being around 5’10, Behrens often plays with the physicality of someone who is 6’6. He throws some wild hits for being a bit on the smaller side. He could do with avoiding some simple mistakes in the defensive zone, but I believe that will fix itself as he ages. All in all, Vegas ends up getting a stellar prospect in who I think is the most underrated player in the draft in Sean Behrens. – Rich
30. Montreal Canadians – Nikita Chibrikov
RW, 5’ 10’’, 172 lbs, SKA-1946 (MHL), Site Rank: 22, George Rank: 23
In my opinion, the Canadians getting Chibrikov at 30 represents one of the steals of the first round in our mock. He is a highly skilled Russian winger who also excels on the forecheck and has the ability to pressure defensemen to turn the puck over. He has great vision and the skill to get passes through and given the space, could use his skating to create opportunities for others. While playing for SKA St. Petersburg this past season, he didn’t produce that much—largely due to the role he was playing on the veteran-laden team—but did show plenty flashes of skill, especially in international play. He has top-six upside and would be a great winger to complement the centers that Montreal already has on the roster. – George
31. Columbus Blue Jackets (via Tampa Bay) – Corson Ceulemans
D, 6’ 2’’, 201 lbs, Brooks (AJHL), Site Rank: 19, Drew Rank: 25
If you are asking me to pick a player outside of the top-20 in my rankings that I feel has the best chance to one day be viewed as one of the 3 best players in this class, my answers are Ville Koivunen and Corson Ceulemans. Ceulemans is a big, gifted defenseman with a strong two-way game who played his draft year with Brooks in the AJHL and plans to play in the NCAA after the draft. Remind you of anyone? I will say the Cale Makar comparisons he receives and that I just hinted at are definitely hyperbolic in my opinion, but could he be 80% of Makar potentially? I say definitely, and 80% of Cale Makar is still a very effective NHL defenseman that will have a long career in the NHL. Additionally, his combination of hockey sense, skating ability, size and powerful shot provide him with the upside to, if developed properly, become a top-pairing defenseman that can be relied upon in any situation. – Drew
Round 2
32. Buffalo Sabres – Scott Morrow
D, 6’ 2’’, 192 lbs, Shattuck St. Mary’s (USHS-Prep), Site Rank: 31, Rich Rank: 20
I know we are only supposed to do write-ups for our first round selections in this exercise, but I just had to squeeze in one more for one of my favorite prospects in this class, Scott Morrow. In my opinion, Scott Morrow is certainly one of the most interesting players in the draft. He’s an offensively inclined defenseman who looks like a world beater playing for a prep team in Minnesota. Morrow is an elite skater with some pretty ridiculous skill who flat out dominates his competition both in transition and in the offensive zone. Morrow is pretty iffy defensively, albeit this could be a result of being overconfident in his abilities against weaker competition rather than actual lapses in good decision making.
I think Morrow is a good fit for the Sabres because he will need an ample amount of time to develop his game at the collegiate level, and with the Sabres blowing it up again, there should be no rush to get him to the NHL. Usually, I don’t think it’s particularly smart for newly rebuilding teams such as the Sabres to take a gamble on a huge boom-or-bust prospect like Morrow, but the benefits far outweigh the risks in my eyes. Morrow played against prep teams, so the quality of competition is a huge question mark. However, Morrow’s ceiling is limitless. – Rich
33. Anaheim Ducks – Xavier Bourgault
C, 6’ 0’’, 172 lbs, Shawinigan (QMJHL), Site Rank: 33, George Rank: 21
34. Seattle Kraken – Simon Robertsson
RW, 6’ 0’’, 190 lbs, Skellefteå (SHL), Site Rank: 26, Drew Rank: 22
35. Vegas Golden Knights (via New Jersey) – Olen Zelleweger
D, 5’ 10’’, 174 lbs, Everett (WHL), Site Rank: 45, Rich Rank: 31
36. Arizona Coyotes (via Columbus) – Aiden Hreschuk
D, 5’ 11’’, 187 lbs, U.S. National U18 (USDP), Site Rank: 40, George Rank: 30
37. Detroit Red Wings – Ville Koivunen
W, 6’ 0’’, 165 lbs, Kärpät (Liiga), Site Rank: 44, Drew Rank: 31 – With the 37th pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, the Detroit Red Wings select the winner of the 2021 Ty Smith Memorial Trophy!
38. Ottawa Senators (via San Jose) – Ayrton Martino
LW, 5’ 10’’, 170 lbs, Omaha (USHL), Site Rank: 39, Rich Rank: 30
39. Nashville Predators (via Los Angeles) – Daniil Chayka
D, 6’ 3’’, 185 lbs, Krasnaya Armiya (MHL), Site Rank: 38, George Rank: 29
40. Vancouver Canucks – Dylan Duke
C, 5’ 10’’, 181 lbs, U.S. National U18 (USDP), Site Rank: 32, Drew Rank: 34
41. Ottawa Senators – Xavier Simoneau
C, 5’ 7’’, 174 lbs, Drummondville (QMJHL), Site Rank : NR, Rich Rank: 34
42. Arizona Coyotes – Zach Dean
C, 6’ 0’’, 176 lbs, Gatineau (QMJHL), Site Rank: 41, George Rank: 36
43. Chicago Blackhawks – William Strömgren
LW, 6’ 3’’, 176 lbs, MODO (Allsvenskan), Site Rank: 37, Drew Rank: 39
44. Calgary Flames – Stanislav Svozil
D, 6’ 0’’, 172 lbs, Kometa Brno (Czech), Site Rank: 36, Rich Rank: 36
45. Philadelphia Flyers – Artyom Grushnikov
D, 6’ 2’’, 174 lbs, Hamilton (OHL), Site Rank: 53, George Rank: 33
46. Dallas Stars – Anton Olsson
D, 6’ 0’’, 183 lbs, Malmö (SHL), Site Rank: 58, Drew Rank: 41
47. Detroit Red Wings (via NY Rangers) – Tristan Broz
C, 6’ 0’’, 179 lbs, Fargo (USHL), Site Rank: 49, Rich Rank: 35
48. Los Angeles Kings (via St. Louis) – Evan Nause
D, 6’ 2’’, 185 lbs, Quebec (QMJHL), Site Rank: 46, George Rank:39
49. Winnipeg Jets – Brent Johnson
D, 5’ 11’’, 165 lbs, Sioux Falls (USHL), Site Rank: 55, Drew Rank: 50
50. Nashville Predators – Alexander Kisakov
F, 5’ 10’’, 141 lbs, Moskva (MHL), Site Rank: 42, Rich Rank: 26
51. New York Islanders (via Detroit via Edmonton) – Jack O’Brien
C, 6’ 0’’, 154 lbs, Portland (WHL), Site Rank: NR, George Rank: 37
52. Buffalo Sabres (via Boston) – Prokhor Poltapov
RW, 5’ 11’’, 174 lbs, Krasnaya Armiya (MHL), Site Rank: 48, Drew Rank: 45
53. Minnesota Wild – Jeremy Wilmer
C, 5’ 7’’, 141 lbs, U.S. National U18 (USDP), Site Rank: 47, Rich Rank: 29
54. Washington Capitals – Roman Schmidt
D, 6’ 6’’, 209 lbs, U.S. National U18 (USDP), Site Rank: NR, George Rank: 42
55. Florida Panthers – Samu Salminen
C/LW, 6’ 3’’, 190 lbs, Jokerit U20 (U20 SM-Sarja), Site Rank: NR, Drew Rank: 46
56. Toronto Maple Leafs – Jack Peart
D, 5’ 11’’, 181 lbs, Fargo (USHL), Site Rank: 54, Rich Rank: 40
57. Pittsburgh Penguins – Ryder Korczak
C, 5’ 10’’, 159 lbs, Moose Jaw (WHL), Site Rank: 51, Drew Rank: 48
58. Carolina Hurricanes – Matthew Knies
F, 6’ 3’’, 205 lbs, Tri-City (USHL), Site Rank: 52, Drew Rank: 51
59. Arizona Coyotes (via NY Islanders via Colorado) – Oliver Kapanen
C, 6’ 1’’, 179 lbs, KalPa (Liiga), Site Rank: 57, Rich Rank: 43
60. Colorado Avalanche (via New Jersey via NY Islanders) – Sean Tschigerl
LW, 6’ 0’’, 181 lbs, Calgary (WHL), Site Rank: NR, Drew Rank: 57
61. Chicago Blackhawks (via Vegas) – Brett Harrison
C, 6’ 2’’, 185 lbs, Oshawa (OHL), Site Rank: NR, Drew Rank: 55
62. Montreal Canadians – Ryan Ufko
D, 5’ 10’’, 181 lbs, Chicago (USHL), Site Rank: 59, Rich Rank: 53
63. Montreal Canadians (via Tampa Bay) – Aleksi Heimosalmi
D, 5’ 11’’, 168 lbs, Ässät (Liiga), Site Rank: 60, Drew Rank: 56
Round 3
64. New York Rangers (via Buffalo) – Red Savage
C/LW, 5’ 11’’, 181 lbs, U.S. National U18 (USDP), Site Rank: 50, Drew Rank: 64
While we decided to not do write-ups for the second round selections due to time constraints, we did want to provide some analysis to this bonus pick we included, as the Rangers have the 64th selection in the draft courtesy of the brilliant trade Jeff Gorton finagled where he got Buffalo to give us a third round pick for a Jimmy Vesey entering the last year of his contract.
The has been an endless amount of chatter about how the New York Rangers want to get “tougher to play against” and how they are looking to add players that are both skilled and physical. Red Savage is exactly that, and would be a tremendous pick by the Rangers at the top of the third round.
Despite not being the biggest player at only 5’ 11’’ and about a buck eighty, he is a tenacious, physical player who is among the most relentless forecheckers in this class and not afraid of anyone. He is a tremendous penalty killer and has a very mature defensive game, and is certainly in the top-tier of defensive forwards in this entire draft class. However, he is not all defense, as he possesses a well-rounded offensive toolset.
Based on my description above, it should come as no surprise that he is a beast in front of the net, and is among the better players in this class at getting to the “dirty areas of the ice” to create scoring chances for both himself and his teammates. He also is a good skater, has plus passing skills (although they can be inconsistent at times) and very good hockey sense, but he could afford to improve his shot. Overall I’d say he projects as a do-it-all third line center that has the upside to perhaps develop into a 2C. That might not sound like the flashiest pick, but when you are talking about picks this late, it would represent fantastic value if he can develop into that role.
My dream scenario is that the Rangers can nab the 2021 Ty Smith Memorial Trophy winner Ville Koivunen with this pick, but I suspect he’ll likely go in the second round. Among players that I think are very likely to be available at the top of the third round, I’d be thrilled if the Rangers can nab Red Savage or a player picked a few picks earlier in this mock, Sean Tschigerl, with pick 64 in the draft. – Drew
