2020 PHN Mock NHL Entry Draft, 1-15

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PHILADELPHIA – Needless to say, 2020 has not been your typical year. Usually at the calendar year the NHL is in the middle of their preseason. This past Monday the NHL crowned a Stanley Cup champion. On Tuesday the league will start next season with the NHL Entry Draft.

PHN usually prides itself by doing our Mock Draft differently than every other mock draft by posting our picks daily. Our staff members are usually heavily involved in making this daily trip fun. Needles to say COVID-19 has taken the fun out of practically everything these days. Next year we hope to get back to normal. For now, you are stuck with me 😊

With that said, here is part one of PHN’s Mock draft for 2020.

  1. NY Rangers – Alexis Lafreniere, LW, Rimouski: This is a no brainer. Enough said.
  2. Los Angeles – Quinton Byfield, C, Sudbury: The Kings get a 6’ 4” 215-pound centerman with skill and skating ability. He should become the LA’s number one center for a long time.
  3. Ottawa (from SJS) – Tim Stuetzle, LW, Mannheim: Ottawa could draft the top defenseman in the draft but with two first round picks, but Stuetzle, is arguably the nest player in the draft besides Lafreniere.
  4. Detroit – Jamie Drysdale, D, Erie: The Red Wings could make everyone’s mock draft go bust on this pick. Besides Moritz Seider, Detroit needs more help on their blueline. I have them taking the best defenseman in the draft.
  5. Ottawa – Jack Quinn, RW, Ottawa: If Drysdale falls to Ottawa, Quinn should be the pick, but if he does not the Sens have choices. They need help on right wing but with no RW’s in their top 10 list of prospects, and Connor Brown is the only current Senator with double digit goals on the right wing, Quinn would be a great fit.
  6. Anaheim – Cole Perfetti, C, Saginaw: The Ducks need offense and lots of it. They have Trevor Zegras waiting in the wings and he should make the lineup next season. This is a tossup between taking Perfetti and Marco Rossi. My gut tells me Perfetti.
  7. New Jersey – Marco Rossi, C, Ottawa: The Devils have three first round picks, and they need help on the blueline. The Devils should take Jake Sanderson but with two more picks coming up they go for offense.
  8. Buffalo – Lucas Raymond, LW, Frolunda: The Sabres have 6 unrestricted free agents, just on offense. Jack Eichel is screaming for help. Despite having only four goals last year Raymond looks like a good fit. Buffalo has only one top 10 prospect on left wing.
  9. Minnesota – Alexander Holtz, RW, Djurgardens: The Wild have no RW’s in their list of top 10 prospects and only one RW on the current roster with over 10 goals (Mats Zuccarello, 15). This should be an easy pick for Minnesota. If not Holtz, look for them to go defense here.
  10. Winnipeg – Jake Sanderson, D, USA: The Jets could go offense, but Sanderson is not going to fall past Winnipeg who already has five UFA’S on the blueline. He could step in as early as next season but might need at least a year before being called up. Some scouts think he is already better than Drysdale. Only time will tell. If they don’t select a D-man, look for Winnipeg to take Anton Lundell.
  11. Nashville – Hendrix Lapierre, C, Chicoutimi: His skill is not the issue, injuries were. Lapierre could become the steal of the draft.
  12. Florida – Kaiden Guhle, D, Prince Albert: Offense is not the issue in South Florida, defense is. Guhle is Probably the next best defenseman on the board. William Wallinder would be the Panthers next best option.
  13. Carolina (from TOR) – Iaroslav Askarov, G, Neva St Petersburg: Last year the Canes selected the top European goaltending prospect in the draft in Russian Pyotr Kochetkov. This year Carolina selects the top goaltending prospect in the draft in fellow Russian Askarov. Carolina could have the top goaltending tandem for the next 10 years once they make the NHL.
  1. Edmonton – Seth Jarvis, C, Portland: The Oilers have only one center in their pipeline that is ranked in their top prospects, and he is ranked 9th (Ryan McLeod). Edmonton is already loaded down the middle but taking Jarvis could make Ryan Nugent-Hopkins expendable. After the first round the Oilers won’t pick again until round 5. Trading RNK could help adding picks for this year or next where Edmonton does not have a second-round pick. If it were my call id draft LW Rodian Amirov.
  2. Toronto (from PIT) – Braden Schneider, D, Brandon: The Maple Leafs need defenseman who can shoot right-handed. Schneider fits the bill and is capable of playing on the power play and penalty kill.

Brian Jennings covers the Philadelphia Flyers for prohockeynews.com and can be found on twitter at @Flyersfan22.