2019 NHL 2nd Round Mock Draft
One would expect the Detroit Red Wings to be players in the trade market with three 2nd round picks. It would not be all that surprising to see Steve Yzerman look to move a couple of those picks to back into the 1st round in an attempt to add quality over quantity. The same can also be said for the Carolina Hurricanes who also own three 2nd round draft picks.
If goalie Spencer Knight slides down a bit in the 1st round, I would not be surprised to see Detroit or Carolina to jump into the 1st round to select Knight. In doing so, they might have to make sure they move ahead of the Los Angeles Kings at #22.
Each draft pick lists the Central Scouting (CS) ranking {which is broken down by North American skaters (NA), European skaters (E), North American Goalies (NA-G) and European Goalies (E-G)}, the ranking by McKeen’s (McK) and the ranking by The Hockey News (THN) along with THN’s best case scenario for their first 62 players.
32. OTTAWA SENATORS – Matthew Robertson (D)
CS: # 26NA – McK: # 29 – THN: # 31 (Jacob Trouba)
Robertson could find his way into the 1st round if a team is looking for a steady blueliner with size (6-4/201) and will be a safe pick. He has a pretty good shot, but is reluctant to unleash all the time. If he develops his offensive game, he can have an impact in the NHL.
33. LOS ANGELES KINGS – Johnny Beecher (C)
CS: # 49NA – McK: # 30 – THN: # 35 (Ryan Kesler)
After taking two d-men in the first round, LA for the 6-3/203 Beecher. The Kings are deep enough in their forward corps that they can let him develop his game at the University of Michigan. He has all the tools you want from a player, now he needs to harness those tools and build on his hockey IQ.
34. NEW JERSEY DEVILS – Brett Leason (C/RW)
CS: # 25NA – McK: # 34 – THN: # 26 (Tanner Pearson)
When you have as many draft picks as the Devils you can take a shot on a high-risk/high-reward player. The 6-5/200 Leason came into his own after being traded from Tri-City to Prince Albert in the WHL. He went from 51 points in his first two years in the WHL to 89 last season. The question scouts have is whether his improvement came from a natural progression is his game or from Leason taking advantage of being an older player in the WHL.
35. DETROIT RED WINGS – Tobias Bjornfot (D)
CS: # 7E – McK: # 19 – THN: # 32 (Chris Tanev)
He is another solid pick that combines the ability to move the puck and makes the most out of his size (6-0/196). Bjornfot captained Sweden’s Hlinka-Gretzky Tournament team and should be a second pair d-man.
36. CAROLINA HURRICANES – Jameson Rees (C)
CS: # 30NA – McK: # 42 – THN: # 38 (Cal Clutterbuck)
Rees may be small in stature (5-10/172), but he plays a physical game and when he hits, he hits to hurt. Injuries and suspensions have limited him to just 83 games in two seasons. He has the skill to score more than the 15 goals and 37 assists he has posted in the OHL. He will need to learn to pick his spots and get strong to thrive in the NHL. The talent is there; he just needs to give himself a chance to grow it.
37. CAROLINA HURRICANES – Lassi Thomson (D)
CS: # 15NA – McK: # 45 – THN: # 36 (Ryan Pulock)
After being forced to deal away Adam Fox, Carolina recoups some of that offensive talent on the blue line. The native of Finland played in the WHL last year for Kelowna. The 6-0/187 Thomson fits the new NHL with is ability to move the puck and join in the transition game – and he has a big-time shot. He just needs to develop his defensive game.
38. EDMONTON OILERS – Nolan Foote (LW)
CS: # 37NA – McK: # 38 – THN: # 44 (Josh Anderson)
The Oilers are trying to get out from under the contract of Milan Lucic. If they are able to do so, Foote can bring similar size (6-3/190) and a fraction of the cost. Unlike his father Adam or his brother Cal (TB), Foote bypassed a career as a d-man. He is a power forward who has a plus shot. His numbers in three years at Kelowna have improved incrementally. His skating is okay for the NHL, but if he can improve on it he will be able to have an impact in the league.
39. ANAHEIM DUCKS – Ilya Nikolayev (C)
CS: # 9E – McK: # 61 – THN: # 47 (Ryan O’Reilly)
Nikolayev’s draft stock improved when he teamed with Vasili Podkolzin in the World Jr. A Challenge. He is a strong skater who is a solid two-way center. He will surely be a third-line center at the very least and has the skill set and ability to become a second-line center.
40. VANCOUVER CANUCKS – Alex Vlasic (D)
CS: # 38NA – McK: # 54 – THN: # 33 (Mattias Ekholm)
The 6-6/192 blueliner in a throwback to the days of defensive d-men. He skates well for someone his size and is able to move the puck out of his zone. Vlasic, cousin of Marc-Edouard, will be attending Boston University and will use his time in collegiate hockey to work on adding an offensive component to his arsenal.
41. SAN JOSE SHARKS – Antti Tuomisto (D)
CS: # 15E – McK: # 44 – THN: # Not Rated in Top 100
If you want your defensemen to be able to move the puck – and what coach doesn’t – then Tuomisto is your man. He also as a hard shot that makes him a valuable joining the play off the rush. His size (6-4/190) and ability to beat on opposing forwards is a nice luxury in any coach’s system.
42. MINNESOTA WILD – Nick Robertson (LW)
CS: # 17NA – McK: # 40 – THN: # 42 (Jaden Schwartz)
The Wild need to start injecting some offensive youth to their forward corps. The 5-9/160 younger brother of Dallas draft pick Jason Robertson, Nick is equal parts scorer and playmaker. He will need to get stronger because he doesn’t shy away from physical play. His skating is a work in progress and he has some issues with his work in the defensive zone. He is a skilled, offensive player.
43. CHICAGO BLACKHAWKS – Nils Hoglander (LW)
CS: # 11E – McK: # 41 – THN: # 28 (Viktor Arvidsson)
Hoglander’s size (5-9/185) does not stop him from playing a physical game. He is a good skater based more on his quickness and agility rather than speed. He works hard every shift, but he will never be the main scorer on his line.
44. OTTAWA SENATORS – Albin Grewe (C/RW)
CS: # 13E – McK: # 56 – THN: # 43 (Brendan Gallagher)
The 6-0/176 Grewe plays much bigger than his size. As THN noted, his coach gave him the nickname “’T-Rex’ because he eats guys up.” In 25 games for Djurgarden’s Jr team, he scored 13 goals and 21 assists in 25 games – along with a whopping 102PIMs. In addition to the dirty work in terms of being physical, he does the dirty work in the defensive zone (e.g. blocking shots and deflecting pucks).
45. ARIZONA COYOTES – Robert Mastrosimone (C/LW)
CS: # 53NA – McK: # 27 – THN: # 54 (Brendan Gallagher)
Mastrosimone is another one of those players who plays bigger than he is (5-10/170). He is tough on the puck who can a physical defensive element to a 2nd line or some offense to a 3rd line. His play in the playoffs showed he has the ability to step up his play as he led the USHL in postseason scoring. He plays with jam and is ready, willing and able to mix it up with bigger opponents. He will be attending Boston University.
46. MONTREAL CANADIENS – Samuel Fagemo (RW)
CS: # 20E – McK: # 39 – THN: # 78 (N/A)
There are going to be 30 teams that wished they had taken a 7th round flyer on Fagemo in 2018. Passed over last year, the 6-0/195 RW made believers as he scored 10 goals in 8 games in Sweden’s Jr. League before jumping up to the Elite League where he scored 14 goals and 11 assists in 42 games. He also represented Sweden at the WJC.
47. COLORADO AVALANCHE – Jackson Lacombe (D)
CS: # 36NA – McK: # 78 – THN: # 67 (N/A)
After passing on the offensive talents of Bowen Byram in the 1st round, the Avs can bring a d-man who put big numbers at Shattuck-St. Mary’s (22 goals and 67 assists in 54 games). The 6-1/172 d-man is a strong skater and puck-mover who will hone those skills at the University of Minnesota.
48. VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS – Mads Sodgaard (G)
CS: # 2E – McK: # 65 – THN: # 60 (Ben Bishop)
After just missing out on the chance at Spencer Knight in the 1st round, Vegas starts preparing for life without Marc-Andre Fleury by taking the 6-7/196 native of Denmark. Sodgaard had a horrible WJC behind a bad Danish team. However, he responded when he returned to Medicine Hat (WHL). He needs to refine his game and work on his weaknesses, but his size, athleticism and ability to cover a lot of the net in the butterfly are things that are not taught.
49. NEW YORK RANGERS – Vladislav Firstov (LW)
CS: # 23NA – McK: # 75 – THN: # 51 (Vladimir Tarasenko)
This is a great spot for the Rangers to take a Tarasenko-like player considering they drafted Dylan McIlrath instead of the real thing. Firstov has he offensive ability to play in the NHL, but he needs to be more consistent within in games and from game-to-game. Part of that could be him getting used to North America as he played in the USHL and played more games in a season than ever before. He is scheduled to attend the University of Connecticut.
50. MONTREAL CANADIENS – Jaydon Struble (D)
CS: # 48NA – McK: # 111 – THN: # 50 (Matthew Dumba)
Struble was a man among boys at the prep level in MA. While not the biggest player (6-0/194), Struble packs a wallop when he hits. The problem is he has a tendency to go out of his way to deliver the big hits. He will need to rein in his physical game a bit and continue to develop his overall game – which he will get a chance to do at Northeastern.
51. WINNIPEG JETS – Matvei Guskov (C)
CS: # 65NA – McK: # 114 – THN: # 53 (Alex Galchenyuk)
The 6-1/172 Guskov came across the Atlantic to play for a London (OHL) team that featured older NHL prospects and were led in scoring by 2019 draftee Connor McMichael. Because of London’s depth at center to wing to get him more ice time. His game is driven by his skating.
52. FLORIDA PANTHERS – Artemi Knyazev (D)
CS: # 41NA – McK: # 112 – THN: # 58 (Samuel Girard)
Another d-man (5-11/176) who is helped by the shift in thinking in the NHL. However, Knyazev is a willing combatant in physical play and is a good two-way player. He is another European who got a jump start on his transition as he played for Chicoutimi (QMJHL),
53. TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS – Kaedan Korczak (D)
CS: # 32NA – McK: # 68 – THN: # 46 (Joel Edmondson)
Korczak is a physical defensive d-man who is a strong skater with size (6-3/192) has the ability to make the first pass out of the zone. He likes the physical play (corners and slot) but does not get caught running out of position to be physical.
54. DETROIT RED WINGS – Shane Pinto (C/RW)
CS: # 28NA – McK: # 105 – THN: # 39 (Brayden Schenn)
The 6-2/185 Pinto is a center than some scouts believe him to be a better player on the RW. The North Dakota commit is a strong two-way forward with a plus hockey IQ. As a rookie in the USHL, he scored 56 points in 54 games during the regular season and added nine points in six playoff games – leading his team in scoring.
55. NEW JERSEY DEVILS – Simon Holmstrom (RW)
CS: # 27E – McK: # 16 – THN: #: 87 (N/A)
The 6-1/185 RW got off to a rough and tough start. Hip surgery delayed the start of his year and then a broken thumb cost him six weeks. Speed is at the core of Holmstrom’s game and his hockey sense allows his game to keep up with his speed. He has been used on the PK, but will need to add a physical aspect to his game.
56. WASHINGTON CAPITALS – Pavel Dorofeyev (LW)
CS: # 12E – McK: # 31 – THN: # 37 (Evgenii Dadonov)
Dorofeyev has the size (6-1/170) and skill set to play in the NHL, but he is going to need time to develop those skills and get stronger so he can improve his physical game. His defensive zone coverage needs to improve as he matures as a player.
57. NEW YORK ISLANDERS – Michael Vukojevic (D)
CS: # 55NA – McK: # 71 – THN: # 49 (Brian Dumoulin)
Back in the day when dinosaurs ruled the ice, Lou Lamoriello used a 1st round pick on a defensive d-man (Ken Daneyko). The 6-2/203 d-man was paired with Jets prospect Logan Stanley. He is well-coached at Kitchener by former NHLers Jay McKee and Dennis Wideman. Vukojevic is not going to give you much offense, but hockey men like Lamoriello and Barry Trotz recognize the need for d-men who block shots and think defense first.
58. NEW YORK RANGERS – Alex Beaucage (RW)
CS: # 64NA – McK: # 138 – THN: # 93 (N/A)
The Rangers don’t have much of a history of drafting players out of the QMJHL during the past years. With John Davidson at the top of the company ladder, that should change. It was JD’s Blue Jackets that surprised folks at the 2016 Draft when they selected Pierre-Luc Dubois 3rd overall. The 6-2/192 Beaucage has to work on his skating, but he has the ability to score and is a good two-way player. He might be a reach at this point, but with three picks in the Top 58 you can, and should, take a chance on a player.
59. CAROLINA HURRICANES – Pyotor Kochetkov (G)
CS: # 1E-G – McK: # 55 – THN: # Not Rated in Top 100
Carolina got great use out of journeymen goalies Petr Mrazek and Curtis McElhenny. With three 2nd round picks, the Hurricanes can afford to bring in a goalie. Kochetkov (6-3/205) is sure to be drafted this year after being passed over the last two years. The WJC Directorate named him the Best Goalie at the 2019 WJC. He is an aggressive goalie whop relies on his athleticism.
60. DETROIT RED WINGS – Hunter Jones (G)
CS: # 3NA-G – McK: # 92 – THN: # 81 (N/A)
The Red Wings are in the same boat as Carolina with three 2nd round picks. Detroit needs some young blood in goal. The 6-4/195 Jones was overplayed last season, appearing in 57 of 68 games and facing the third most shots in the OHL. The keys to his game are based on his size and athletic ability
61. NEW JERSEY DEVILS – Marcus Kallionkieli (LW)
CS: # 47NA – McK: # 102 – THN: # 57 (Anders Lee)
The 6-2/195 native of Finland played in the USHL last season and was a teammate of 2019 draftee Bobby Brink – finishing third on the team in scoring third among all USHL rookies. He is a power forward type of player who skates well and has a good shot. In addition to getting stronger, THN pointed out that one problem with Kallionkieli is that he has not committed to where he will play in 2019/20.
62. ST. LOUIS BLUES – Mikko Kokkonen (D)
CS: # 10E – McK: # 70 – THN: # 62 (Travis Dermott)
The Blues will need to start rebuilding their blue line (no pun intended). The 5-11/200 Kokkonen saw major ice time in the Liiga as a 17/18-year-old. He is a solid two-way d-man who can over the puck and join in the transition game. The one thing he will need to work on is his skating.
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