It’s that time of the year again - one that brings plenty of mock drafts. And today, I got a seven-round mock for you, courtesy of mynhldraft.com’s draft simulator. If I were in Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman’s shoes, what would I do should everything remain equal on draft day? That means should no picks change hands, which probably won’t happen.
If you’ve read some of my recent draft profiles, you may have a hunch about who I’m taking and when, assuming nobody else snagged them first in this simulation. Ready to see who I picked, and what made me take them? Keep reading.
13th overall: Justin Carbonneau, RW/Blainville-Boisbriand
He’s got the size, productivity, and hybrid blend of playmaking and goal-scoring for me to spend too much time second-guessing myself. The moment I saw Justin Carbonneau there for the taking, I made sure he’d be donning the winged wheel.
44th overall: Carter Amico, D/USDP
He’s a big, physical right-handed defenseman who will take a no-nonsense approach to his game. Injuries are a clear concern, but if Carter Amico stays healthy and develops, he’ll pay off for Steve Yzerman and Company. I specifically sought him out at No. 44.
75th overall: Nathan Behm, LW/Kamloops
Another one with NHL size and an innate sequence-finishing and playmaking ability, albeit at a lower level than Justin Carbonneau. Still, Nathan Behm’s size intrigued me enough to, as with Amico, seek him out here.
76th overall: Pyotr Andreyanov, G/CSKA Moskva
I’m a big believer in the term ‘goaltender factory,’ and the more you have, the more potential solutions you have in the crease. And if you have two capable netminders with the big club already, you got valuable trade bait. That’s why I took Pyotr Andreyanov here.
119th overall: Carson Cameron, D/Peterborough
At 6’2, 194 lbs, Carson Cameron was yet another player with NHL size, even if he’ll need time to develop. He’s got two-way potential, and that’s something to keep an eye on moving forward. I’m taking him here and seeing how he develops.
140th overall: Petteri Rimpinen, G/Kiekko-Espoo
As I said, ‘goaltender factory.’ Petteri Rimpinen, though, was a name that jumped out at me, and if he were a few inches taller, he’s a borderline first-round talent. In Liiga, he snagged a 2.35 GAA and 0.912 save percentage in 40 games. Sure, he’s ultra-small for a netminder at 6’0, 176 lbs, but he’s proven he can produce.
172nd overall: Jacob Kvasnicka, RW/Minnesota
This is a player I took exclusively for his potential. There’s nothing striking about Jacob Kvasnicka, who had just 39 points and 18 goals in 66 games. But, you draft him, let him play for four seasons in college, then re-evaluate where he’s at in his development.
204th overall: Jasu Mensonen, C/Lukko
Another one you pick based on potential, and while Mensonen didn’t have a great year in SM-sarja, he snagged 21 helpers in 40 games. He’s not much of a scorer, but Mensonen has playmaker potential.
211th overall: Tomas Galvas, D/BíLí TYGři Liberec
He’s a very, very small defenseman, clocking in at just 154 lbs. But wow, can he put up points like a forward, snagging 16 of them and 13 assists in 20 games of international play. As with Petteri Rimpinen, how much higher does he go if he’s got even remotely decent size? He may’ve been a mid-rounder.
