Buffalo Sabres: 2019 NHL Mock Draft

David: The second defender is off the board and it’s the man that many view as a project that could pay off big time.

Broberg has been passed by Victor Söderström in most rankings, but he has the raw tools that could have a team taking him ahead of his fellow countryman.

At 6-foot-3, Broberg has one of the best skating strides in the entire draft. However, he had consistency issues while playing domestically this year. He finished with a point per game in the SuperElit but had trouble producing consistently in the Allsvenskan.

With a few recent trades, Philly looks like they’ve got their defensive core set for next few seasons. That means they can let Broberg grow at his own pace.

Austin: Minnesota has taken NCAA-bound prospects in the past that have worked out for them – Jordan Greenway and Luke Kunin are the best examples.

Newhook just seems like a perfect fit with what the Wild are trying to do. He’s an incredibly talented centre that would’ve gotten more hype if not for him playing in Junior A.

He’ll be heading to Boston College to team up with Boldy next season. Newhook could very well spend up to three years in the NCAA before opting to sign his ELC. We’ll have to wait and see what he is at BC.

The Wild are preparing for the future with this pick, as Mikko Koivu and Eric Staal – their top two centres – are 36 and 34, respectively. Give Newhook the time and he could blossom into the team’s new top-line pivot.

Jake: A few months ago, seeing Podkolzin in this spot would be a massive surprise. However, the position is about right based on recent developments.

It’s become clear that Podkolzin has no interest in leaving Russia for the next two years. That will make some teams turn away from drafting him, as most are either on the cusp of the playoffs or are looking to get out of a rebuild as soon as possible.

Florida is drafting in a familiar spot this year, but they could be big spenders in the offseason. That could have them poised to be a playoff team, meaning they could be patient on a top talent like Podkolzin.

He doesn’t have the elite talent of others in the lottery, but his hard-working game will allow him to play up and down the lineup in a variety of roles. The Hockey News compared him to Evander Kane. If he can become that type of player, Florida will be very happy with its selection.

David: It’s no secret that Arizona needs help in the crease. They signed Antti Raanta to a three-year extension at the end of the 2017-18 campaign, but he only managed to appear in 12 contests due to injuries. Darcy Kuemper had a career year posting a .925 sv% and almost gotbthem into the playoffs, but the Coyotes need some more assurance in between the pipes down the road.

Knight offers them just that. He has a calm demeanour in net, never looking flustered by the stage or situation. He did play behind an uber-talented USNTDP squad this season, but he’ll be able to prove himself further when he heads to Boston College in the fall.

Teams have to play the long game when it comes to goaltenders, as they develop at a different pace. Knight will be worth the wait. The young netminder is already drawing comparisons to the likes of Andrei Vasilelvskiy and  Tuukka Rask.

Austin: Even with Ryan Suzuki – the younger brother of Habs prospect Nick – on the board, the need in this spot is a defender, and Montreal fans understand that, for the most part.

The Canadiens have some good depth in the system, but they don’t have a true top dog to look forward to on the back end. York gives them that with his exciting offensive prowess and growing defensive game. His skating is an asset, allowing him to jump up in the play and maintain a good gap against opposing forwards in his own end.

Montreal would do very well to snag York here. He’s a future power-play quarterback in the NHL – something that the Habs need alongside Shea Weber.

York will be headed to Michigan for his freshman season. We’ll see how long he stays in college. The Canadiens could attempt to persuade him out of school after a year.