NHL Mock Draft 2013: Colorado Avalanche Select Nathan MacKinnon
FIRST ROUND MOCK DRAFT | ||||
No. | Team | Name | Previous Team | Thought |
1 |  | Nathan MacKinnon, C | Halifax (QMJHL) | MacKinnon is the absolute best player in the draft. He has Crosby-like talent, and will make Colorado instantly better. |
2 |  | Seth Jones, D | Portland (WHL) | The top defenseman and CSS’ top player overall, Jones will give the Panthers a star blue-liner for the next decade or more |
3 |  | Aleksander Barkov, C | Tappara (Finland) | The Lightning just cut ties with longtime center and captain Vinny LeCavalier, and need to find a replacement. Why not take the second best center in the draft to do just that. |
4 |  | Jonathan Drouin, LW | Halifax | Drouin is the best pure scorer. His addition to the Predators could make them a playoff team this year. |
5 |  | Valeri Nichushkin, LW | Chelyabinsk/Chelmet (Russia) | Nichushkin is a scary pick here at five. There is a risk that he may not come over from Russia, and his consistency is a major issue. If it pans out, however, the Canes get a stud here. |
6 |  | Elias Lindholm, C | Brynas (Sweden) | A very talented two-way center, Lindholm will come in this year and help the Flames with their rebuild. |
7 |  | Darnell Nurse, D | Sault Ste. Marie (OHL) | Nurse is a big, strong, and rugged defensemen. He will be a towering presence for a young Oilers team that needs defensive help. |
8 |  | Sean Monahan, C | Ottawa (OHL) | Buffalo is in a rebuild mode, and needs to add a top center. Monahan fits that bill, and could play this year. |
9 |  | Hunter Shinkaruk, C/LW | Medicine Hat (WHL) | A very gifted offensive forward, Shinkaruk will bring scoring to a team that desperately needs it. |
10 |  | Ryan Pulock, D | Brandon (WHL) | Pulock has the hardest shot of any defenseman in this class, and has mastered the breakout pass. He needs to work on his over-committing issue. |
11 |  | Zach Fucale, G | Halifax | The only goaltender worthy of a first round pick, and the Flyers, a team that needs one, gets him. |
12 |  | Max Domi, C/LW | London (OHL) | Smart with the puck in the offensive zone. Very strong on his skates for his size, Domi will provide the Yotes a solid puck-possessing forward. |
13 |  | Anthony Mantha, RW | Val D’Or Foreurs (QMJHL) | With Blake Wheeler possibly done in the Peg, they will need to find someone to produce goals. Mantha was one of just three junior players to hit 50 goals this past season. |
14 |  | Bo Horvat, C | London | The best faceoff man in the draft is also an underrated offensive talent. Columbus gets a kid who knows how to use strength to his advantage. |
15 |  | Rasmus Ristolainen, D | TPS (Finland) | Mark Streit’s gone, and the Islanders have young, unproven talent to compete for the job. Why not add another one to the mix. |
16 | from Minnesota Wild | Adam Erne, LW | Quebec (QMJHL) | He said that ’12 first round pick Mikhail Grigorenko was his “best friend”. Put them on a line together, the potential is great. |
17 |  | Nikita Zadorov, D | London | Good-bye Gonchar; hello, Zadorov. Big (6-5, 230) defenseman that will compliment Erik Karlsson nicely. |
18 |  | Robert Hagg, D | Modo (Sweden) | The old Red Wings have to get younger on the back end. Hagg has the potential to be a top pair defenseman. Has pro experience in the Swedish Elite League. |
19 | from New York Rangers | Micro Mueller, D | Everett (WHL) | Swiss-born player was mentored in North America by Blue Jackets prospect Ryan Murray. Having him in the same system could boost is growth as a player. |
20 |  | Alexander Wennberg, C | Djurgarden (Sweden) | Skilled and smart with the put, Wennberg is a few years away from being NHL ready. |
21 |  | Joshua Morrissey, D | Prince Albert (WHL) | Small in size, big in talent. Morrissey will give the Leafs an offensive presence on the back end. |
22 | from St. Louis Blues | Samuel Morin, D | Rimouski (QMJHL) | 6-7, 200 lbs. Morin is a big and lanky blue liner that skates effortlessly. He won’t produce points, but he will keep pucks away from the Calgary net. |
23 |  | Curtis Lazar, C | Edmonton (WHL) | Versatile forward who struggles with consistency. He’ll have time to grow in the Capitals’ system for a few seasons. |
24 |  | Kerby Rychel, LW | Windsor (OHL) | A smooth skater with a finesse game. He’ll fit right in with the Canucks…..right, Torts? |
25 |  | Frederick Gauthier, C | Rimouski | Impressive size (6-5) with the hands of someone under 6-0. Plus he’s from Quebec, and Montreal loves their French-speaking players. |
26 |  | Michael Mccarron, RW | USA U-18 | The run on big-bodied players continues. The 6-5 Mccarron should blossom into a solid 3rd line power forward for the Ducks. |
27 | from Los Angeles Kings | Valentin Zykov, RW | Baie-Comeau (QMJHL) | Zykov was the leading scorer among rookies in the QMJHL. His offensive upside warrants a first round pick. |
28 | from Pittsburgh Penguins | Jason Dickinson, LW | Guelph (OHL) | Dickinson had an up and down season with Guelph. At one point he was better than a point-per-game, then he struggled. Calgary will have to hope he becomes more consistent. |
29 | from Boston Bruins | Justin Bailey, C | Kitchener (OHL) | Bailey has the potential to be a stud power forward for the Dallas stars. He will take a few years of grooming though in order to get to that level. |
30 |  | Shea Theodore, D | Seattle (WHL) | The champs could target another offensive defenseman with this pick. If they do, Theodore is the best one left. |