Pucks of a Feather 2015 NHL Mock Draft: Picks 1-10
Everyone else is doing it – why not us?!?
It’s draft week, everyone! That exciting time of the year when every team is getting better, and every fan likes his or her team’s chances of lifting Lord Stanley’s Cup.
‘Tis the season for mock drafts, then, so we here at Pucks of a Feather have decided to whip up our own 2015 NHL Mock Draft! I’ll be handling the top ten of this year’s draft, while Chris and Griffin will take my cues and head from there.
I’m tempted to blather on and on about how much thought we’ve put into this, and how earth-shattering it will be . . . but truth be told, I’m winging it, because no one knows what the hell is going to go down on draft day! Let’s just have fun – discuss and debate my picks in the comments section below, and then we’ll have a good laugh when we’re all proven wrong!
1. Edmonton Oilers
No sense in trying to over-think this one; McDavid is being billed as the next Sidney Crosby.Edmonton already had The Great One; seems kind of fitting that they land The Next Great One, eh?. Center. Erie (OHL). Connor McDavid. 1. player. 148
2. Buffalo Sabres
Jack Eichel. 2. player. 12. Sabres fans who were disappointed to learn that Buffalo did not win the first pick in thisyear’s draft, take a deep breath: you still get a superstar out of this year’s draft. Eichel would easily be the number one pick in this year’s draft if not for McDavid – not a bad consolation prize. The Sabres have solidified their D; now they get a center to build around.. Center. Boston U (NCAA)
3. Arizona Coyotes
Erie (OHL). Dylan Strome. 3. player. 121. Here’s where things get interesting. An awful lot of drafts have Arizona going with a defenseman here, but Strome would have been the starting center for his team had he not been playing with . . . Connor McDavid. Strome led the OHL with 129 points this season, and is big boy ( 6’3″ ) who knows how to get to the net. Hard to see the Coyotes passing up on a game-changer like Strome.. Center
4. Toronto Maple Leafs
5. Carolina Hurricanes
Name a team that needs goal scorers more than the Hurricanes. Quick – this is a bit of a trick question, as the two worst scoring teams in the NHL are drafting above Carolina, and third-worst, right below them. Marner has been compared to Chicago’s Patrick Kane – ’nuff said.. Right Wing. London (OHL). Mitch Marner. 5. player. 109
6. New Jersey Devils
I was tempted to go big here, with either Mikko Rantanen or Lawson Crouse, but our friends over at Pucks and Pitchforks went with Barzal, strengthening the Devils up the middle. Who am I to argue?. Center. Seattle (WHL). Mathew Barzal. 6. player. 85
7. Philadelphia Flyers
Right Wing. TPS (SM Liiga). Mikko Rantanen. 7. player. 68. Since the Devils passed on Rantanen, the Flyers will be glad to pounce on the monstrous power forward.
8. Columbus Blue Jackets
9. San Jose Sharks
Kingston (OHL). Lawson Crouse. 9. player. 120. San Jose has to be aware that life without Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau is right around the corner. Bringing in the brusing Crouse will lay the foundation for a smooth transition into the next phase of the Sharks’ franchise.. Left Wing
10. Colorado Avalanche
Defense. Michigan (NCAA). Zach Werenski. 10. player. 103. This pick changes if the Avalanche find a suitor for Ryan O’Reilly. Joe Sakic has already admitted that the Avs need a leftie blueliner to help out on offense, and Werenski had at least one scout label him the best blueliner in the draft. This pick is a no-brainer for Colorado.