BRHL 2019 Mock Draft 1.0

As always I like to run a post WJC mock draft so please have a read and let me know where you see issues or flaws!

1.    Rasmus Dahlin – consensus first overall pick playing very well the last two months after rough first six weeks in the NHL. If Elias Petterson is injured long term in the NHL, he will be back into the Calder vote.

2.    Andrei Svechnikov – pure sniper that Devon is going to do everything to acquire. Will be interesting if he gets the first pick what he does…..can he pass up the best defensive prospect since Doughty and Hedman? With 11 g and 8 a he just trails fellow 2018 NHL draftees by 1 pt.

3.    Brady Tkachuk – with 10 g and 10 a and sandpaper on every shift in his 32 games, he is everything the NHL Sens hoped…and given they may have sacrificed the first overall pick in 2019 for him, he better.

4.    Quinn Hughes – with 20 pts in 17 NCAA games, he has been an elite defender in the college game. He carries the play, much like a number dman will be looked to do. The NHL Canucks have debated signing him post WJC, and assuredly will be adding him at the end of the NCAA season if not earlier. 

5.    Jesper Kotkaniemi – with 4g and 16 a in 42 games he has not disappointed NHL Habs fans. He looks like a solid top line center. Star, I am not sure, but certainly can see developing into a solid center.

6.    Filip Zadina – been playing in the AHL with 8g and 9a in 27 games but did not impress overly at the WJC when more was expected. While he does not fall in this mock, I could see him moving up or down a pick or two come draft day.

7.    Barrett Hayton – a surprise top 5 pick in the NHL draft, he has not done anything to drop. With 20 games played in the OHL, he has 15g and 18 and 4 pts in 5gp at the WJC he should remain in the top 10 in the BRHL.

8.    Adam Boqvist – Chicago jumped to draft this puck moving dman given their clear needs with their back end aging. He moved to the OHL under the guidance of the Hunter’s in London. With 9 g and 16 a in 23 gp and 4 pts in 5gp, he is likely to be in the NHL by the end of the year.

9.    Evan Bouchard – with as many Oiler fans as there are in this league, Bouchard may climb and likely will. He is more than a ppg in the OHL with good size and skating. With NHL time and the clear path to the NHL, he is not far from being BRHL ready. 

10.Vitali Kravtsov – at nearly 0.5 ppg in the KHL, Kravtsov is not far from the NHL. His WJC performance solidified him as a top 10 talent for the BRHL as clearly he was intimate to their offence.

11.Isaac Lundestrom – the remaining BRHL ready (and BRHL minors) for Lundestrom was a surprise to make the NHL. While not demonstrating elite offensive skill so far as an 18 yr old in a pro league, he has not looked out of place.

12.Gregori Denisenko – draft riser based on exceptional WJC. He has been all over Russia playing in three divisions. But 9 pts in 7 WJC games, he has looked like an elite forward. I cannot see him getting out of the top 15.

13.Martin Kaut – another riser who has been playing in the AHL and playing well. With 5 g and 8 a in 28 gp he has not been out of place. It will not be long until he makes his NHL debut.

14.Joel Farabee – with 11 pts in 16 NCAA games as a freshman and 5 pts at the WJC, Farabee will not fall out of the top 15 picks. 

15.Rasmus Kupari – Near point per game in Liiga and at the WJC, Kupari was in discussion for top 10 last year then fell to 20^thand the Kings. I cannot see him outside the top 15 in the BRHL.

16.Noah Dobson – would be higher rated as done nothing to fall, but outstanding performances by others sees stock drop marginally. Big two way dman. 16 pts including 9 goals in Q this year. 1 goal and a shattered stick at the WJC. At 16, he would be a steal.

17.Oliver Wahlstrom – elite finisher playing NCAA. Lackluster WJC and not a strong start in NCAA sees his stock drop. 14 GP in NCAA with 4 goals and 1 a not outstanding and only 2g 2a at the WJC. More was expected and as such drops.

18.Ty Smith – outstanding puck moving dman.  44 pts in 30 games could see him move up the draft board.

19.Alexander Alexeyev – Big man played well at the WJC and has been greater than a point a game in the WHL. Solid two way game. With 7 g and 24 a in  30 games.

20.K’Andre Miller – A big man, many feel might be the value in the back half of the first round. Done nothing to dissuade some from this opinion. 4 goals and 13 assists in 18 gp in NCAA is nothing to sneeze at. Solid player contributed at WJC in a more stay at home roll. 

21.Jesse Ylonen – strong WJC sees enter the first round. With 13 points in the Liiga play and playing a starring role for the champion Finns he will move way up our draft.

22.Rasmus Sandin – AHL defenseman and TML prospect making solid strides. His value has gone up for these two reasons. But his play cannot be overlooked with 10 pts in 18 AHL games and 4 pts in 5 WJC games, many feel he and Liljegren are neck and neck for top prospect in NHL Leafs depth chart.

23.Ryan Merkley – the enigma. Some had in top 10, others not even on draft board given perceived behaviour and character flaws. Continues to pile on points. Skill is there, maturity though..unknown so far. SJ had good reports about him during camps this year, so perhaps he has grown up. 35 gp with 44 pts. In a sim league, this might be enough to have someone take a chance on his character.

24.Ty Dellandrea – Bit of draft surprise going as high as did in the NHL draft. Can’t see going in top 15 given the depth there in our draft. With only 13 goals and about a point per game, not blowing me out of water with his value. 

25.Joe Veleno – solid over all game in his post draft year saw him make Team Canada. With 58 pts in 30 games in Q and 2 pts at the WJC he did not look out of place. Should move up some in our draft.

26.Serron Noel – draft riser as skates solidly for a huge man with good hands. Someone will get a hard on for him. With 23 goals and 56 pts in OHL this year, I suspect will go in our first round.

27.Jack Drury – Son of Ted playing very well at Harvard at 12 pts in 11 games. Elite hands and finishing will see him move up in our sim league.

28.Alexander Romanov – WJC standout has been playing very well in the KHL. Skates well with good offensive instincts from what have seen should move him into the first round.

29.Jay Obrien – Quiet NCAA and WJC sees draft stock drop in BRHL. 2 pts in 10 games at Providence and zeros at the WJC his stock will drop.

30.Jared McIsaac – Like his two way game and as such have moving into the first round. 24 games in 25 games in Q. 1 pt in WJC and played a physical game resulting in suspension for one game. I like this kid and moving up!

31.Bode Wilde – prior to the NHL draft last year Wilde was exactly that, a wild card. Big man with all the tools, people questioned his mental game to work with those tools. Moved to the OHL from the US Dev Program and been highly successful with 10g and 31a in 33 gp

32.Albin Erikson – big man playing in SHL. I can see a team going for a home run with this pick and this might be it. 

So few guys moving into the first round means some are out. These include:

Foudy, Johansson, Bokk, Bernard-Docker, Beaudin and Lundkvist. Flame aways fellas!