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2020 NHL Entry Draft: First round recap

By Mike Zawisza

QUEBEC CITY, QC - OCTOBER 18: Alexis Lafreniere #11 of the Rimouski Oceanic skates prior to his QMJHL hockey game at the Videotron Center on October 18, 2019 in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Mathieu Belanger/Getty Images)
QUEBEC CITY, QC - OCTOBER 18: Alexis Lafreniere #11 of the Rimouski Oceanic skates prior to his QMJHL hockey game at the Videotron Center on October 18, 2019 in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. (Photo by Mathieu Belanger/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images)
(Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images) /

11. Nashville Predators – G Yaroslav Askarov, Ska-Varyagi (MHL)

Due to the fact that he’s a goalie, Askarov’s position in this draft was never really set. That being said, the Nashville Predators got a great pick here. Dubbed “the Right-Handed Andrei Vasilevskiy,” Askarov is the best goalie prospect since Carey Price and the highest-selected goalie since Jack Campbell was also drafted in 2010. With Rinne in decline and Saros not seizing the crease, the Preds found their goalie of the future.

12. Florida Panthers – C Anton Lundell, Hifk (LIIGA)

The Panthers struck gold with Finnish center Aleksander Barkov in the 2013 NHL Entry Draft, and seven years later they doubled back around and chose another. Anton Lundell is a big center with a knack for playing a two-way game. He’s likely already got an NHL frame and may be able to provide NHL minutes at a low cost for a Panthers team that has taken on a lot of cap in recent years.

13. Carolina Hurricanes (from Toronto) – C Seth Jarvis, Portland Winterhawks (WHL)

A high-riser in the tail end of 2020, Jarvis went from outside of the first round, all the way into the top 15. Jarvis can put the puck in the back of the net with ease and should one day become a force in the league. However, with Andrei Svechnikov, Sebastian Aho and Martin Necas already providing offense, the Carolina Hurricanes are in no rush and will allow Jarvis to develop in the WHL.

14. Edmonton Oilers – C/LW Dylan Holloway, Wisconsin (NCAA)

Defense be damned! The Oilers take the big, smooth-skating winger from Wisconsin. Holloway probably doesn’t have the high-end ceiling that a lot of the other guys ahead of him do, but he should turn into a strong middle-six forward who can impose his game on lower lines. For a team that needs depth, this is a nice pick for the Oilers.

15. Toronto Maple Leafs (from PIT) – LW Rodion Amirov, Toplar Ufa (MHL)

The Toronto Maple Leafs got this pick in at the buzzer (seriously, Gary Bettman had to warn them to make the pick or call a timeout) and added a nice auxiliary player in Rodion Amirov. The young Russian winger is off to a nice start in the KHL already this season and figures to add a solid middle-six scoring punch to a top-heavy Leafs team.

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