Buffalo Sabres: 2019 NHL Mock Draft
By Austin Owens
16. 103. Scouting Report. Defence. Mississauga Steelheads (OHL). Thomas Harley. player. Pick Analysis
Jake: With their second pick in the draft, the Avs can add to their exciting core of young defenders with Harley, who only gained draft stock as the season progressed.
His family is embedded in hockey. His brother and sister both play NCAA hockey and he’s set to be one of the first defenders off the board on Friday.
Harley doesn’t possess the flash and dash of other blue-liners set to go in the first round, but he’s just a steady presence on the back end. He’s a very good two-way defender who’s just scratching the surface on the offensive end.
With Cale Makar, Samuel Girard, Conor Timmins, and Harley patrolling the blue line for the foreseeable future, the Avs are going to be set on defence.
Hamilton Bulldogs (OHL). 17. player. Pick Analysis. Left Wing. Arthur Kaliyev. 942. Scouting Report
David: The Golden Knights do like their Russians, and while Kaliyev plays internationally for the United States, the forward was born in Uzbekistan – a former Soviet nation.
He came to the States when he was two and his journey took him to the OHL, where he’s become a top prospect with the Bulldogs.
Kaliyev didn’t have the same Memorial Cup team around him that he did last year, but he still managed to put up over 100 points.
Vegas has been a strong team in the West for their first two seasons. Kaliyev will spend another year in the OHL before likely making the jump to the AHL and the Chicago Wolves.
Centre. Peyton Krebs. player. Pick Analysis. Kootenay ICE (WHL). 18. 119. Scouting Report
Austin: We all managed to forget about Krebs once we got outside the top 10 picks. I know I did when I was selecting for Minnesota at No. 12. But if he falls outside the lottery, any team would jump at the chance to take him.
Krebs may fall out of the top 10 after Achilles surgery last week. However, all indications are that he’ll be ready fairly early in the 2019-20 season.
He played for an underwhelming Kootenay squad that finished well under .500 last season. Krebs was the captain at just 17 years old and was also the team’s top scorer.
He’ll wear a letter at some point in the show and give the Stars a great offensive weapon behind Tyler Seguin in the future. Expect him to go much higher than this on Friday.
Scouting Report. Barrie Colts (OHL). 19. player. 91. Pick Analysis. Centre. Ryan Suzuki
(Via Columbus)
Jake: The main thing Ottawa needs out of this draft is forward talent. They have two of the best young defenders in the game in Thomas Chabot and Erik Brannstrom. With the latter set for full-time NHL duty, the Sens need to get a top centre prospect.
Suzuki fell down boards a bit after an underwhelming campaign with a Barrie team that failed to make the OHL playoffs.
He plays a skilled, playmaking style akin to his brother, Montreal prospect Nick, and has a high ceiling.
He would almost immediately become Ottawa’s top forward prospect. If they give him the time to grow his game, the former first overall pick in the OHL could be a weapon in the top six.
Scouting Report. Defence. Brynäs IF (SHL). Victor Söderström. 20. player. Pick Analysis. 107
David: This pick belonged to New York just days ago, but it was originally the Jets pick. Winnipeg initially traded their first-rounder to get Kevin Hayes for a playoff run. However, they shipped Jacob Trouba back to the Rangers on Monday to reacquire this pick along with Neil Pionk.
Söderström would make the deal a little easier on the Jets, as he projects to be a solid right-handed shot defenceman in the NHL. He excels at breaking the puck out and has great vision in the offensive end.
He’ll only get more time on the blue line in the SHL this coming season, which will help him progress a lot quicker.