All eyes on Benning at NHL draft
POLL PICK: Flashy Nico Hischier would be first Swiss player taken No. 1 in NHL draft
Over to you Ray.
After two months of speculation, of educated guessing, of back-room deliberations, New Jersey Devils GM Ray Shero will step to the podium Friday night at the United Center and reveal to the hockey world whether the first overall pick in the 2017 NHL draft is Nolan Patrick or Nico Hischier.
In an informal poll of 10 NHL scouts conducted by Postmedia, the results ended up 8-2 in favour of Hischier being the Devils selection. If so, he would be the first Swiss-born player to be taken No. 1 in NHL history.
Without further ado, here is our mock draft for the first round. Keep in mind that there is a reason why they call it a mock, because, more often than not, it is fodder for being mocked when the actual picks have been made.
1. NEW JERSEY DEVILS Nico Hischier, C, Halifax (QMJHL) HT: 6-1 WT: 176 GP: 57 G: 38 A: 48 P: 86 Patrick might be the steadier pick, but Hischier is flashier and GM Ray Shero needs that to attract fans in Jersey.
2. PHILADELPHIA FLYERS Nolan Patrick, C, Brandon (WHL) HT: 6-2 WT: 198 GP: 33 G: 20 A: 26 P: 46 Flyers GM Ron Hextall is in the perfect spot. Whichever blue chipper Shero doesn’t take, he will. Makes his decision easy.
3. DALLAS STARS Miro Heiskanen, D, HIFK (SM Liiga) HT: 6-0 WT: 170 GP: 37 G:5 A: 5 P: 10 Stars need a D-man and many feel he’s the best. Could pick Makar here, too. GM Jim Nill has received plenty of calls for this pick but needs to be “blown away” to move it. Interested in Canucks’ Chris Tanev but Vancouver reluctant to move him.
4. COLORADO AVALANCHE Cale Makar, D, Brooks (AJHL) HT: 5-11 WT: 180 GP: 54 G: 24 A: 51 P: 75 Whichever of the top two blueliners are available, defensively-needing Avs would be wise to take him.
5. VANCOUVER CANUCKS Cody Glass, C, Portland (WHL) HT: 6-2 WT: 178 GP: 69 G: 32 A: 62 P: 94 If top two defencemen are gone, he’d certainly fill a need at centre.
6. VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS Gabe Vilardi, C, Windsor (OHL) HT: 6-3 WT: 201 GP: 49 G: 29 A: 32 P: 61 Strength up the middle key to any team, and this kid will help.
7. ARIZONA COYOTES Timothy Liljegren, D, Rogle (SWE) HT: 6-0 WT: 191 GP: 19 G:1 A: 4 P: 5 This is a team full of holes and he addresses one of them.
8. BUFFALO SABRES Casey Mittelstadt, C, Green Bay (USHL) HT: 6-1 WT: 201 GP: 25 G: 21 A: 43 P: 64 Imagine a one-two punch of centres Jack Eichel and Mittelstadt down the road.
9. DETROIT RED WINGS Elias Pettersson, C, Timra (SWEAls) HT: 6-2 WT: 161 GP: 43 G: 19 A: 22 P: 41 Pavel Datsyuk is gone, Henrik Zetterberg is getting long in the tooth and the Wings need help up the middle.
10. FLORIDA PANTHERS Owen Tippett, RW, Mississauga (OHL) HT: 6-0 WT: 200 GP: 60 G: 44 A: 31 P: 75 Some scouts feel he’s the most natural goal scorer in the draft. Remember, Reilly Smith and Jonathan Marchessault are gone.
11. LOS ANGELES KINGS Nick Suzuki, RW, Owen Sound (OHL) HT: 5-11 WT: 183 GP: 65 G: 45 A: 51 P: 96 The Kings lack both youth and scoring, two characteristics Suzuki brings to the table.
12. CAROLINA HURRICANES Martin Necas, C, Brno (CZE) HT: 6-0 WT: 167 GP: 41 G: 7 A:8 P: 15 After addressing the blueline by acquiring Trevor van Riemsdyk from Vegas, it’s time to add depth up front.
13. VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS Michael Rasmussen, C, Tri-City (WHL) HT: 6-6 WT: 215 GP: 50 G: 32 A: 23 P: 55 Adding big skilled centres in Vilardi and Rasmussen certainly provides Knights with a bright future up the middle.
14. TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING Juuso Valimaki, D, Tri-City (WHL) HT: 6-2 WT: 204 GP: 60 G: 19 A: 42 P: 61 GM Steve Yzerman continues to bolster his blueline with another offensive threat from the back end.
15. VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS Nicolas Hague, D, Mississauga (OHL) HT: 6-6 WT: 215 GP: 64 G: 18 A: 26 P: 44 With their third pick in the top 15, it’s time to address the blueline after picking two forwards.
16. CALGARY FLAMES Lias Andersson, C, HV71 (SHL) HT: 5-11 WT: 198 GP: 42 G: 9 A: 10 P: 19 Director of scouting Todd Button has a good batting average picking forwards recently, specifically Johnny Gaudreau, Matthew Tkachuk and Sean Monahan.
17. TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS Cal Foote, D, Kelowna (WHL) HT: 6-4 WT: 210 GP: 71 G: 6 A: 51 P: 57 If he gets by Vegas and Calgary, would be a good fit with Leafs. Comes from good bloodlines. His dad is former NHLer Adam.
18. BOSTON BRUINS Ryan Poehling, C, St. Cloud State (NCAA) HT: 6-2 WT: 183 GP: 35 G:7 A: 6 P: 13 Is competent at both ends of the ice, which would certainly open the door for Patrice Bergeron to be his mentor.
19. SAN JOSE SHARKS Pierre-Olivier Joseph, D, Charlottetown (QMJHL) HT: 6-2 WT: 160 GP: 62 G: 6 A: 33 P: 39 With the loss of David Schlemko in the expansion draft, here comes some future blueline help.
20. ST. LOUIS BLUES Eeli Tolvanen, RW, Sioux City (USHL) HT: 5-10 WT: 170 GP: 52 G: 30 A: 24 P: 54 Natural goal scorer who one day could be part of a lethal book-end combo with Vladimir Tarasenko.
21. NEW YORK RANGERS Kristian Vesalainen, LW, HPK (SM Liiga) HT: 6-3 WT: 207 GP: 26 G:1 A: 5 P: 6 Lost forward Oscar Lindberg in expansion draft.
22. EDMONTON OILERS Kailer Yamamoto, RW, Spokane (WHL) HT: 5-8 WT: 153 GP: 65 G: 42 A: 57 P: 99 With Jordan Eberle now an Islander, time to get some young future point producers to surround core of McDavid and Draisaidl.
23. ARIZONA COYOTES Klim Kostin, RW, Moscow (KHL) HT: 6-3 WT: 196 GP: 9 G:1 A: 0 P: 1 Power forward with lethal shot.
24. WINNIPEG JETS Erik Brannstrom, D, HV71 Jr. (SWE-J20) HT: 5-10 WT: 173 GP: 19 G: 9 A:14 P: 23 If comparisons to a young Kris Letang prove accurate, he could be a steal. Could Boston U. goalie Jake Oettinger be in the mix?
25. MONTREAL CANADIENS Urho Vaakanainen, D, Jyvaskala (SM Liiga) HT: 6-0 WT: 185 GP: 41 G: 2 A:4 P: 6 GM Marc Bergevin says he wants to bolster blueline even after trading for Schlemko from Vegas.
26. CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS Josh Norris, C, USA NTDP (USHL) HT: 6-1 WT: 192 GP: 52 G: 23 A: 28 P: 51 Two-way centres are always a plus for any coach, including three-time Cup bench boss Joel Quenneville.
27. ST. LOUIS BLUES Conor Timmins, D, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL) HT: 6-1 WT: 185 GP: 67 G: 7 A: 54 P: 61 After going with a forward with the first of his two first-round picks, GM Doug Armstrong now bolsters his defence.
28. OTTAWA SENATORS Rob Thomas, C, London (OHL) HT: 6-0 WT: 185 GP: 66 G: 16 A: 50 P: 66 Do they reach for a remaining D-man or do they go for the safer bet in Thomas? Sens do claim they won’t go for a goalie this high. Will they change their mind if Oettinger is still on the board?
29. DALLAS STARS Jake Oettinger, G, Boston U (NCAA) HT: 6-4 WT: 212 GP: 35 GAA: 2.11 SV%: .927 If Winnipeg and Ottawa don’t take him, can GM Jim Nill pass on a future backup for vet Ben Bishop?
30. NASHVILLE PREDATORS Filip Chytil, LW, Zlin (CZE Jr.) HT: 6-0 WT: 178 GP: 38 G:4 A: 4 P: 8 Offensively challenged squad now needs playmakers up front more than ever after losing James Neal to Vegas.
31. PITTSBURGH PENGUINS Shane Bowers, C, Waterloo (USHL) HT: 6-1 WT: 178 GP: 60 G: 22 A: 29 P: 51 Could use depth up middle after retirement of Matt Cullen.