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Buffalo Sabres: 2019 NHL Mock Draft

By Austin Owens

DALLAS, TX - JUNE 23: Draft runners pose for a group photo following the 2018 NHL Draft at American Airlines Center on June 23, 2018 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
DALLAS, TX - JUNE 23: Draft runners pose for a group photo following the 2018 NHL Draft at American Airlines Center on June 23, 2018 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
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Jack Hughes
Jack Hughes #6 of United States against Slovakia during the IIHF World Junior Championships at the Save-on-Foods Memorial Centre. (Photo by Kevin Light/Getty Images) /

Scouting Report. Centre. USNTDP. Jack Hughes. 85. Stats. 1. player

Jake: No shock pick to start off our mock draft. The Devils stick with the top player on the board and select Hughes first overall.

The dynamic pivot has torched competition for years and did the exact same with The Program this season. Unlike his USNTDP teammates, Hughes didn’t commit to a university, knowing full well that he would be headed straight to the NHL after being drafted.

Hughes will slide nicely into a role in New Jersey’s top six right away. He’ll form a one-two punch with 2017 first overall pick Nico Hischier. He could also have Taylor Hall flanking him on the wing in his rookie campaign.

Buffalo Sabes
Kaapo Kakko #24 of Finland celebrates after scoring what proved to be the game winning goal against the United States in Gold Medal hockey action of the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship on January, 5, 2019 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia. (Photo by Rich Lam/Getty Images) /

Right Wing. Kaapo Kakko. TPS (Liiga). 2. player. 95. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis

David: The easiest pick of the draft falls to the Rangers this year, and as a surprise to no one, they get Kakko with the second selection.

Kakko made a big push for the No. 1 spot in this class, but he just came up short. He still finished with the most single-season goals (22) by a 17-year-old in Liiga history as well as the third-best point total (38).

He also nearly posted a point per game against men at the World Championships. He took home gold with Finland at both the World Juniors and World Championships and was also named Liiga’s Rookie of the Year.

Kakko is still under contract with TPS, but he’s almost assuredly coming over to play in the NHL next year after tearing up the Finnish top tier in 2018-19.

National Hockey League prospect Alex Turcotte speaks with the media at Enterprise Center on June 03, 2019 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
National Hockey League prospect Alex Turcotte speaks with the media at Enterprise Center on June 03, 2019 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

Alex Turcotte. 3. player. Stats. Centre. USNTDP. Scouting Report. 94

Austin: There are two ways Chicago could go with this pick. They could either nab the top defender in the draft or get an elite centre of the future. I’m going to go with the latter on this one.

The Blackhawks were able to get a future top-four blue-liner last year in Adam Boqvist. Turcotte is the best two-way centre in the draft and has been drawing comparisons to Jonathan Toews, who Chicago took in this same spot back in 2006.

Turcotte won’t immediately make the jump to the NHL. Instead, he’ll spend at least a year at the University of Wisconsin. When he does make the Hawks, he could form one of the most dynamic duos in the league with Patrick Kane.

CALGARY, AB – OCTOBER 28:Kirby Dach #77 of the Saskatoon Blades celebrates with the bench after scoring against the Calgary Hitmen during a WHL game at the Scotiabank Saddledome on October 28, 2018 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Derek Leung/Getty Images)
CALGARY, AB – OCTOBER 28:Kirby Dach #77 of the Saskatoon Blades celebrates with the bench after scoring against the Calgary Hitmen during a WHL game at the Scotiabank Saddledome on October 28, 2018 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Derek Leung/Getty Images) /

Centre. Saskatoon Blades (WHL). Kirby Dach. Pick Analysis. 4. player. 103. Scouting Report

Jake: While they didn’t get the chance to take Hughes with a pick obtained from the Ottawa Senators, the Avalanche won’t be complaining about being able to nab a top-five player.

Skill, size, and hockey sense have Dach this high on the board. His skating isn’t elite, but it isn’t a hindrance either. He could use some more intensity, but that’s something that could chance in the pros. With his reach, he could be a problem for the opposition in every zone.

Colorado gets its top six centre prospect to play behind Nathan MacKinnon. Dach could crack the lineup out of camp, but another year of junior would only stand to help him.

After surprising in the playoffs this year, Colorado gets to add two top 20 prospects in the draft. That sets them up to be a real threat when those two individuals fully develop.

Buffalo Sabres
National Hockey League prospect Bowen Byram speaks with the media at Enterprise Center. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /

Defence. Vancouver Giants (WHL). 5. player. 67. Scouting Report. Stats. Bowen Byram

David: The most important thing for Los Angeles at this point is to please Drew Doughty, who just finished the first of an eight-year deal he signed with the team last year.

In Byram, the Kings have themselves a stud defender for the future. His defensive game was always solid, but it was his offence that took the biggest step this past season, as he finished with over a point per game in both the regular season and playoffs.

He plays a style that fans will fall in love with in a hurry. He’s by far the best defensive prospect in the entire class and he should be ready for consistent top-four duty in the next few years.

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