C’mon on down and join us for tonight’s NHL festivities. There will be “A list” celebrities. There will be lives changed. There may even be a trade or two. There won’t be any Tampa Bay Lightning picks (probably). As long as our laptop battery holds up, we’ll cover each and every pick of the first round. No, we don’t have anything better to do on a Friday night.
7:00 – We’re live! The Lightning dropped a quick social media post while it sounds like Boston and Utah are working on a J.J. Peterka deal.
1. Toronto Maple Leafs – Gavin McKenna, Forward, Penn State University There was little doubt that the talented forward (who lists Nikita Kucherov as an influence) was going to go number one. The Maple Leafs get a dynamic playmaker that will likely jump right into their top six. The weight of a storied franchises moves to his shoulders. Hilarious that Gary Bettman brings Dion Dawkins and Josh Doan out on stage to “minimize the boos” to start the proceedings. He then acknowledges the boos before bringing Justin Bieber out to announce the pick.
2. San Jose Sharks – Ivar Stenberg, Forward, Frolunda (SHL)
We speculated that he might drop to four, but San Jose decides to keep stockpiling talent on the front lines. Probably a more well-rounded player than McKenna, but doesn’t have the ceiling that the number one pick has. The Stenberg-Celebrini combination is going be awesome.
The details of the J.J. Peterka trade are trickling in, and it looks like it’s the 23rd pick tonight and a conditional 2028 first-round pick (originally Florida’s). Just as those details come in, Emily Kaplan mentions that Pavel Dorogeyev is heading to the New York Rangers.
3. Vancouver Canucks – Caleb Malhotra, Forward, Brantford
Did not know he was Steve Nash’s nephew. Good for him. Some will say nepotism with his dad the newly crowned bench boss of the Canucks, but Malhotra is a really, really good center. Likes to play in front of the net and can defend in his own zone. As the Canucks rebuild their roster, he could be joining them fairly quickly (and he has bragging rights as he was drafted four spots higher than Manny).
Looks like the return for Dorofeyev is the 26th pick tonight, the 92nd pick, and a conditional first-round pick next year.
4. Buffalo Sabres (from CHI) – Daxon Rudolph, Defenseman, Prince Albert
The first somewhat surprising pick of the night as Chase Ried was on the top of most of the pre-draft lists. Rudolph is a big kid (6’2″ and 200 lbs.) that put up 78 points from the blueline. The defense is in good hands for Buffalo for the near future. It looks like he’ll go to the University of Denver next season. That team is going to be really, really good.
5. New York Rangers – Alberts Smits, Defenseman, Jukurit (Liiga)
He’s a big dude who has been playing in the Liiga for parts of the last two seasons. He had 13 points in 38 games for Jukurit. Can he make the Rangers this season? There are openings on the roster for him.
6. Calgary Flames – Carson Carels, Defenseman, Prince George
The run on defensemen continues as the Flames draft Carels. It’s quite a nice young defense that the Flames are building with Carels, Simon Nemac, and Zayne Parekh. Carels, a local product, averaged 27 minutes a night for the Cougers.
7. Seattle Kraken – Chase Reid, Defenseman, Sault Ste. Marie
Reid falls to the Kraken. Another big player who can skate, Reid is A GUY. He’ll be the defender that Seattle can build around. He can lug the puck up the ice and create his own rushes, he can set his teammates up, and if you have the puck and he wants it, he can knock you over. Another junior player heading to college, he is committed to Michigan State.
8. Winnipeg Jets – Viggo Bjork, Forward, Djurgarden (SEL)
If he was Canadian and four inches taller, he would have been in discussion for the top pick. Another playmaking forward, Bjork is an intelligent playmaker that knows how to set up his teammates. Not the fastest skater on the ice, he does have a high compete factor.
9. San Jose Sharks (from FLA) – Keaton Verhoeff, Defenseman, University of North Dakota
The Sharks turn to the blueline for their second selection in the top ten. There were analysts that had Verhoeff at the top of the list for defenders. He’s got a big shot and offensive instincts. He has the size and mentality needed to keep the front of his own net clear, but could use a little more seasoning when it comes to recognizing where the danger is coming from and adjusting. He likely won’t be in the NHL for a couple of seasons, but when he does show up, he’ll be a big part of the Sharks success.
10. Nashville Predators – Wyatt Cullen, Forward, USNTDP
The second son of a NHLer drafted tonight as Matt Cullen’s kid is drafted by the Predators. A high amount of skill who is still growing. There is a sense that there is a lot of untapped potential in the playmaker. His profile reads a little like Isaac Howard’s – talented player who likes the highlight-reel play. He’ll have to tamper that desire a little as the competition improves around him. He’s heading to the University of Minnesota this fall.
11. St. Louis Blues – Tynan Lawrence, Forward, Boston University
The Blues have four picks in the first round (as of right now). They use the first one on Lawrence, who struggled a bit offensively when he joined Boston University midway through last season. He has the skills to be a solid two-way player and should be a little more comfortable in the NCAA this season.
Also, Pavel Dorofeyev signs a seven-year, $11 million AAV deal with the Rangers. Good for him.
12. New Jersey Devils – Alexander Command, Forward, Orebro HK (Sweden)
He got into six games with Orebro in the SHL last season (the same team Noah Steen played for) and will probably spend another season overseas. Solid two-way player who plays with a lot of energy. Maybe a little of a stretch, but he’s the type of player who will play really good hockey for a long time in the NHL. The ceiling might not be as high as some other players drafted tonight, but he has a really good skill set.
13. New York Islanders – Malte Gustafsson, Defenseman, HV71 (SHL)
The year of the defender continues as the 6’4″, 203 lb. Swede joins Matthew Schaefer and Kashawn Aitcheson as the foundation for the blueline. He’ll be in Sweden for at least another year or so, but once he comes over to North America he should jump into the NHL fairly quickly. He likes to drive attacking forwards wide and then use his size to close them off along the boards.
14. Columbus Blue Jackets – Oscar Hemming, Forward, Boston College
With Columbus possibly heading into another rebuild, the big Finnish forward could be a nice piece for them in the future. He’ll play at BC next season and has some Kirill Marchenko in him. He plays with a little edge and can put the puck in the net.
TRADE: Mason McTavish is heading to St. Louis for the 15th and 29th picks. Not a bad move for either team. McTavish can help fill the hole left by the Jordan Kyrou deal and Anaheim can add to their stockpile of young players. It sounds like the Ducks didn’t approve the deal until they knew a certain player would be available with the 15th pick.
15. Anaheim Ducks (from DET) – Nikita Klepov, Forward, Saginaw
A silky playmaker who was born in Deerfield Beach. He scored 37 goals for Saginaw last year and will be going to Michigan State next year. He’s the first rookie to lead the OHL in points since Patrick Kane. He can run a power play, but there are some questions about his ability to transition his game to the pro level. He’s not a can’t-miss prospect, but if he reaches his ceiling, he could be a really, really good player.
16. St. Louis Blues (from WSH) – Maddox Dagenais, Forward, Quebec (QMJHL)
Another NHL son, Maddox is a shoot-first forward that can play along the boards. He had 30 goals for Quebec last season, and should be able to build on that this season. He is a power forward that plays with speed and can be a one-man forechecking unit.
17. Utah Mammoth (from LAK) – Ethan Belchetz, Forward, Windsor
Utah moves up two spots to draft to draft Ethan Belchetz, a big forward (6’5″) that likes to shoot from in front of the net. He plays a physical game and can put the puck in the net. It’s not a bad combination to have with the way the NHL is trending. An injury limited him to 57 games last year, but he had 59 points (34 games, 25 assists). Another player heading to the NCAA, Belchetz will have to leave the fighting behind him as he joins Michigan State.
18. Washington Capitals (from ANA) – Oliver Suvanto, Forward, Tappara
Benjamin Rautiainen’s teammate is heading to D.C. He had 11 points with Tappara during the regular season. He’s a big guy that is in constant motion on the ice. Very high attention to detail, the fact that he played solid minutes for the Liiga champions at the age of 17 shows that he knows what he is doing on the ice. The offense might not be there at the NHL level, but it wouldn’t be surprising if he turns into a Selke-esque forward.
19. Los Angeles Kings (from UTA) – Elton Hermansson, Forward, Modo (HockeyAllsvenskan)
A really good skater with the puck, Hermansson had 11 goals for Modo last season. A skilled forward, he projects to be a top-six forward who can skate by a defender and then snap a wrister past a goaltender. He’s not the most physical player, and if he doesn’t make it as a shooter, it could be hard for him to find a role in the NHL. A little bit of a boom-or-bust pick, but there more signs pointing to “boom” than “bust”.
20. Buffalo Sabres (from EDM) – Ilia Morozov, Forward, Miami (Ohio)
The youngest player in NCAA hockey last season, Morozov is a defense-first forward. He shuts off attacking forwards, breaks up the cycle, and can wheel out of the zone after causing a turnover. While he’s not a dominating offensive threat, he’s the type of player that can keep the puck alive in the attacking zone by winning board battles and cycling the puck around.
The Sharks swap picks with Philadelphia to move up to the 21st spot.
21. San Jose Sharks (from PHI) – Ryan Lin – Defenseman – Vancouver (WHL)
The Sharks add another defenseman that was expected to go in the top-half of the first round. He’s under 6’0″, but that isn’t as big of a deal as it used to be for defenseman thanks to the play of Lane Hutson and Quinn Hughes. He’s a puck-mover that uses his footwork to get into position and shut off passing lanes. he might be shorter than the ideal blueliner, but he is stout on his skates and doesn’t shy away from contact. He’ll head to the University of Denver, but probably won’t be in college for too long.
22. Pittsburgh Penguins – Liam Ruck – Forward – Medicine Hat
The first of the Ruck Brothers to be drafted, Liam is by far the more talented of the two. There is rumblings that they want to play together, so it will be interesting to see if Pittsburgh can work a deal for Markus. Liam had 45 goals last season for Medicine Hat. Not an overwhelming skater, Ruck as the ability to find the open space, and has a good enough shot that it creates space for his playmaking skills.
TRADE: Utah moves the 23rd pick to Detroit for Sebastian Cossa. It’s been a nice night for Utah, and Detroit moves back into the first round.
23. Detroit Red Wings (from BOS) – J.P. Hurlbert, Forward, Kamloops
A Texas-born forward who is committed to Michigan next season. He took an interesting path as he left the USNTDP to join Kamloops. He can shoot the puck. That’s what he does the best, and he has multiple ways to beat a goaltender. Some of the reports indicate that he can be a bit of a cherry-picker, so that’s something he’ll have to work on at the next level. Anyone who scores 42 goals in the WHL has an innate talent, but there are areas of his game that need work.
24. Vancouver Canucks (from MIN) – Adam Novotny – Forward – Peterborough
He can bring the puck into the zone and set up his teammates for scoring chances. He’s a steady forechecker who has thrived in a structured system with Peterborough. He can use his body to clear out space and has the playmaking skills to get the puck to his linemates in dangerous places. Novotny might have more offensive ability than he shows with the Petes, and it will be interesting to see how his game develops once he turns pro.
25. Ottawa Senators (from TB) – Jonas Lagerber Hoen – Leksands IF (SHL)
WILD CARD! The Senators use the Lightning’s draft on a forward with an incredible shot. He is also a player coming off of a knee injury that limited him to just 11 games last season. He had nine goals in nine games for the U20 team before his season was cut short. It’s not a booming one-timer, but a hard wrist shot that just eludes goaltenders and is projected to do well at the NHL level. How he comes back from the injury will go a long way to determining exactly what type of career he will have.
TRADE: Vegas flips picks with Montreal.
26. Montreal Canadiens (from DAL) – Gleb Pugachyov – Forward – Nizny Novgorod
A player we mentioned earlier today as someone the Lightning might have drafted had they held onto the pick, Pugachyov is a physical force on skates. He’s built solidly, please with technical skill, and likes hitting people. So much so that he might pass up offensive opportunities to make the hit. He’ll probably be a bottom-six forward at the NHL level, but he will force players to cough up the puck when they see him coming.
27. Philadelphia Flyers (from BUF) – Maksim Sokolovskii – Defenseman – London
A hulking, 6’7″, 240 lb. defenseman, Sokolovskii was born to be a Broad Street Bully. His floor is a solid depth defender, while his ceiling is top-four, shut-down blueliner. Despite his size, he is a good skater, and with his reach, he can absolutely envelop attacking forwards before slamming them into the boards. There probably isn’t going to be a lot of goals coming off of his stick, but that won’t be an issue.
TRADE: Vegas flips another pick as Anaheim leap-frogs them for the next pick.
28. Anaheim Ducks (from MON) – Marcus Nordmark – Forward – Djurgarden
The seventh Swede of the night to be drafted, Nordmark has the skills to be a top forward at the professional level. However, it seems there are some questions about his ability to generate offense on his own. He doesn’t play with the highest work rate, and he isn’t overly physical despite his size (6’2″, 190 lbs). If he can find that next gear, he could be an absolute steal at this spot.
29. Vegas Golden Knights (from COL) – Juho Piiparinen – Defenseman – Tappara
Another one of Rantianen’s teammates is set to start his NHL journey. He doesn’t stand out in any one aspect of the game, but is good at just about everything. He is a puck-mover with a good shot. The intense player can throw the body around, but is also solid in his positioning. Not the highest upside, but projects to be a solid middle-of-the-pack defender.
30. Calgary Flames (from VGK) – Jack Hextall – Forward – Youngstown (USHL)
He’s heading to Michigan State, and is probably a bit of a longer-term project. Hextall does a lot of things well, but doesn’t have any particular high-end skills. There is some physicality in his game, and he will battle in front of the net for pucks.
TRADE: Nashville jumps into the first round as they take Carolina’s pick off of them in exchange for a couple of second-round picks.
31. Nashville Predators (from CAR) – Tommy Bleyl – Defenseman – Moncton
Another defenseman who can fly up and down the ice, Bleyl can start with the puck deep in his own zone and lead the rush into the opposing zone. He’s shifty as well, able to freeze opposing defenders with his moves to set up opportunities. There is some concern that he relies too much on his skating and could struggle as the players he goes up against are better at shutting off angles and keeping up with pace. There is a lot of risk in the pick, but if it pays off, Nashville has a true gem on the blueline.
32. Ottawa Senators – Jaxon Cover – Forward – London
From the Cayman Islands to the first round in just five years. Perhaps the best story of the draft, Cover didn’t skate on ice until a few years ago, having grown up playing roller hockey. The story is great, but he also has first-round puck-handling skills. He can dangle the puck, has a quick release, and isn’t afraid to cut to the middle of the ice. There is some work to be done in the technical aspects of his game, and he can be a little streaky at times.
Congratulations, folks. We made it. And it’s not even midnight!
