Pro Hockey News has been working the mock draft for the Carolina Hurricanes and the greatest need last season was offense.
With their first pick in the 2016 MOCK NHL Entry Draft, we have the Hurricanes selecting Clayton Keller to help bolster the team’s near anemic offense; they scored 196 goals last season.
Since our 13th pick went live in the Mock Draft the Canes also pulled the trigger on a trade with the Chicago Blackhawks.
The trade brought Teuvo Teravainen and Bryan Bickell from the Hawks to the Canes for a second-round draft pick and a third-round pick in 2017.
“This deal allowed us to use some of our collected draft picks to improve our group of forwards for the coming season by added two Stanley Cup champions,” Hurricanes general manager Ron Francis said in a statement. “Teuvo is a young, highly-skilled player still on his entry-level contract who is coming off of a strong first full NHL season, and Bryan is a veteran who has experienced great success in his career. Both players give our organization more options and flexibility among the forward ranks.”
The addition of two forwards with playoff experience and Stanley Cup rings will help settle down what will soon be a very young and inexperienced, offensive corp.
With the trade completed and the retention of the 22nd pick, we are disabused of our thought that the Canes would trade away the 22nd pick for the another experienced player.
The front office certainly recognizes the need to get better to compete this coming season and the foreseeable future.
With that in mind, Pro Hockey News sees Carolina heading back to the podium to make a selection at 22.
At this draft position, Pro Hockey News and Carolina have Riley Tufte available on the board. The Minnesota-native is an 18-year old left wing who skated with the USHL’s Fargo Force for 27 games where he scored 10 goals and 14 points.
Tufte is committed to the University of Minnesota-Duluth for the coming hockey season and that year in collegiate hockey may help him bulk up his 6’5” frame. He weighs in at only 212 pounds.
But scouting services generally have him within the top 20 North American skaters for speed and acceleration. His height also gives him a significant wing-span. Scouts have noted his willingness to go to the net and stay there.
With Tufte available at 22, the Hurricanes buy themselves a player who needs some time in advanced ranks of amateur play with access to a weight room and a year on the ice.
The addition of Bickell and Teravainen to the roster for 2016-17 gives the Canes the time they need to bring along a talented winger and add him to the roster at the right time and not rush the process.
We expect to hear the following announcement from the Carolina Hurricanes at 22.
“With the 22nd pick in NHL Entry Draft, the Carolina Hurricanes are proud to select, from the USHL Fargo Force, Riley Tufte.”
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