Forecasting who’ll follow Hughes at 1
USA TODAY columnist Kevin Allen’s NHL mock draft 2.0 going into Friday’s first round in Vancouver:
1. Devils: Center Jack Hughes (USA), 5-10, 170. Hughes will have a Patrick Kane-like impact in the NHL. He’s dynamic, fast and creative.
2. Rangers: Center-wing Kaapo Kakko (Finland), 6-2, 194. Broke Aleksander Barkov’s record for goals by an NHL draft-eligible player in the Finnish League. He had 22 goals in 45 games for TPS Turku playing against Finland’s pros.
3. Blackhawks: Center Alex Turcotte (USA), 5-11, 185. Possesses the speed, playmaking ability and savvy to be a scoring-line center in the NHL. He’s a noteworthy two-way player.
4. Avalanche (from Senators): Right wing Cole Caufield (USA), 5-7, 162. He’s the best pure scorer in the draft. He had 72 goals in 64 games with the U.S. under-18 team.
5. Kings: Defenseman Bowen Byram (Canada), 6-1, 185. Best offensive defenseman in the draft. Plays with a swagger. Had 26 goals and 71 points in the Western Hockey League.
6. Red Wings: Center Kirby Dach (Canada), 6-4, 200. Ranked No. 3 among North American skaters in NHL Central Scouting’s final rankings. Had 25 goals and 73 points in 62 games in the WHL.
7. Sabres: Right wing Vasili Podkolzin (Russia), 6-1, 190. Impressive shot. Sharp passer. Will power his way to the net. Will be a top-line performer in the NHL. Under contract with the Kontinental Hockey League for two more seasons.
8. Oilers: Center Dylan Cozens (Canada), 6-3, 180. Can contribute physical play as well as offense. He had 34 goals and 84 points in 68 WHL games.
9. Ducks: Left wing Matthew Boldy (USA), 6-1, 187. Committed to Boston College. He had 33 goals and 81 points in 64 games for the USA Hockey NTDP Under-18 team this season.
10. Canucks: Center Trevor Zegras
(USA), 6-0, 170. Headed to Boston University. Smart, gifted offensive catalyst. In 60 games for the NTDP, he had 26 goals, 72 points and 94 penalty minutes.
11. Flyers: Right wing Arthur Kaliyev (Canada), 6-2, 185. Born on Staten Island, New York, Kaliyev posted 51 goals and 102 points in the Ontario Hockey League.
12. Wild: Goalie Spencer Knight (USA), 6-3, 190. Has committed to Boston College. Viewed as a franchise goalie.
13. Panthers: Defenseman Thomas Harley (Canada), 6-3, 190. Skates impressively and moves the puck with flair. Had 11 goals and 58 points in the OHL.
14. Coyotes: Center Peyton Krebs (Canada), 5-11, 180. Plays with overflowing passion and energy. Had 68 points in 64 WHL games.
15. Canadiens: Defenseman Cam
York (USA), 5-11, 175. Has a puck-moving game that fits well in the NHL’s new up-tempo style. Makes smart decisions with the puck.
16. Avalanche: Defenseman Philip Broberg (Sweden), 6-3, 200. Scouts are projecting he will be a top-pairing defenseman who will have an impact in all three zones.
17. Golden Knights: Defenseman Moritz Seider (Germany), 6-3, 210. Everyone loves him because he is comfortable defending against skilled forwards. He’s a poised shutdown guy with size, mobility and decent puck skills.
18. Stars: Left wing Alex Newhook (Canada), 5-10, 192. Can be a Jake Guentzel-style scorer. He also has sharp passing skills.
19. Senators (from Blue Jackets): Right wing Raphael Lavoie (Canada), 6-4, 200. He’s a big winger with a wide body and a quality scoring touch.
20. Jets (from Rangers): Center Philip Tomasino (Canada), 6-0, 185.
Uses blazing speed to create breakaways and scoring chances.
21. Penguins: Defenseman Victor Soderstrom (Sweden), 6-0, 182. He’s an exceptional skater and an impressive puck handler. Will eventually quarterback a power play.
22. Kings (from Maple Leafs): Right wing Bobby Brink (USA), 5-8, 165. The Minnetonka, Minnesota, native scored 35 goals in 43 games for Sioux City in the United States Hockey League. He has the shot and a knack for getting open.
23. Islanders: Defenseman Ville Heinola (Finland), 6-0, 180. He seems to be above average in every facet of the game. Plays a safe, effective style.
24. Predators: Center Ryan Suzuki (Canada), 6-0, 180. He’s a superb playmaker who can control the pace of the game with the puck on his stick.
25. Capitals: Left wing Egor Afanasyev (Russia), 6-4, 201. He had 27 goals and 62 points in 58 games for the Muskegon Lumberjacks in the USHL.
26. Flames: Forward Samuel Poulin (Canada), 6-1, 208. He projects to be a second-line power forward. He’s the son of former NHL player Patrick Poulin.
27. Lightning: Defenseman Tobias Bjornfot (Sweden), 6-0, 195. He’s a composed puck mover who can make the home-run pass up the middle.
28. Hurricanes: Center Connor McMichael (Canada), 6-0, 182. McMichael totaled 36 goals and 72 points for the London Knights in the OHL. Has an instinctive scoring touch.
29. Ducks (from Sabres via Sharks): Defenseman Matthew Robertson (Canada), 6-3, 200. Projects to be a top four defenseman with strong one-on-one defending skills.
30. Bruins: Right wing-left wing Nils Hoglander (Sweden), 5-10, 190.
Lightning quick. Creative. Often dazzling. He has a wow factor.
31. Sabres (from Blues): Defenseman Alex Vlasic (USA), 6-6, 200. The NTDP standout is projected to land in the second round on some lists, but his combination of size and skill might be too good to pass up at the bottom of the first round.