If you have read round one found here: McKeen’s 2019 NHL Group Mock Draft – Round One of Three or McKeen’s 2019 NHL Group Mock Draft – Round Two of Three you can skip the intro and dive straight into the picks below.
Mock NHL Drafts are always fun for those immersed in analyzing eligible prospects all season long, but can also always provide some interesting insights ahead of draft day. The exercise of compiling our McKeen's NHL Draft Rankings are not an attempt to predict the order of the NHL draft but to the rank the prospects by their potential in the NHL. Every NHL team will have a different draft list in Vancouver, reflecting not only team need, but also players they are targeting and feel strongly about.
A group mock draft with a dozen participants representing two or three teams will reflect that dynamic better than an individual picking the players they feel a team will want. That list inevitably reflects that individual's list, hunches and preferences. McKeen's utilizes input from our team in rinks around the world in coming up with our season ending ranking and it will be more balanced as a result. In a mock, the scouts and analysts are free to target the players that impressed them this season, while trying to match the player to an organizational need. As in the NHL on draft day there will be surprises, risers and fallers from the rankings.
Have fun. Subscribers can link to the player page for more detail by clicking on the player's name. If you are not a subscriber you can learn more here.
We will be doing three rounds in total. The participants, in no particular order, in the draft were:
Brock Otten - Detroit Red Wings, Florida Panthers
Ryan Wagman - Carolina Hurricanes, Washington Capitals, Winnipeg Jets
Russ Cohen - New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders
Mike Sanderson - Montreal Canadiens, Buffalo Sabres
Jimmy Hamrin - Philadelphia Flyers, Tampa Bay Lightning,
Tom Dorsa - Colorado Avalanche, Dallas Stars, St. Louis Blues
Iain Morrell - Minnesota Wild, Chicago Blackhawks, Nashville Predators
Shaiyena Cote - Vegas Golden Knights, Anaheim Ducks
Vince Gibbons - Edmonton Oilers, Calgary Flames, San Jose Sharks
Kevin Olexson - Vancouver Canucks, Arizona Coyotes
Robert Howard - New York Rangers, Columbus Blue Jackets, Pittsburgh Penguins
Gus Katsaros - Ottawa Senators, Toronto Maple Leafs
Benoit Belanger - Los Angeles Kings, Boston Bruins
Thank you all for an amazing season.
Pick - Team - PLAYER (Rank) - POS - TEAM- HT/WT, DOB - Nation
63. Colorado Avalanche (from Ottawa) - Arseni Gritsyuk (48) - RW - Omskie Yastreby (Rus Jr) - 5-10/170, 15-Mar-01 - Russia - I feel like this is the perfect territory to draft a guy like Gritsyuk. He has potentially dynamic pure skill, but he is a long-term project and his lack of size could be concerning. Home run pick, for sure, but this is a good place to gamble for Colorado. - Tom Dorsa
64. Los Angeles Kings - Jordan Spence (106) - D - Moncton (QMJHL) - 5-10/165, 24-Feb-01 - Canada - I said “Solidify the future at the defense”, so…why not an other D? Spence is a riser in this draft. He is a really good distributor who plays with a lot of poise with the puck. He is a good puck mover and carrier. He possesses excellent mobility and skating abilities. - Benoit Belanger
65. Philadelphia Flyers (from New Jersey via Edmonton) - Kaedan Korczak (68) - D - Kelowna (WHL) - 6-3/190, 29-Jan-01 - Canada - After drafting two forwards, Philly goes for a defenseman. Korczak will need some time, but is an interesting defenseman for a future third pair. A low risk second round pick. - Jimmy Hamrin
66. Detroit Red Wings - Michael Vukojevic (71) - D - Kitchener (OHL) - 6-3/210, 8-Jun-01 -- Canada - Hard nosed, stay at home defender who played key minutes for the Kitchener Rangers of the OHL this year. His mobility has really improved and he has a great head on his shoulders. This is the type of player that Detroit should be targeting with some of these mid rounds picks. They need to be tougher to play against. - Brock Otten
67. Buffalo Sabres - Nathan Legare (83) - RW - Baie-Comeau (QMJHL) - 6-0/205, 11-Jan-01 - Canada - The draft is lean on power forwards, but Légaré is one of them, and his 45 goals this season is nothing to sneeze at, either. Légaré brings a big, imposing physical presence and a strong, pro shot to the Sabres. He battles in front and is solid with tip-ins, and can bang bodies on the forecheck. His biggest weakness is his skating, as it does not allow him to react as he would like to on the rush or to adjust to the play. His forechecking is often effective, but late, and he is a non-factor on the rush in either sense. He impacts the play in the zone when the puck is already there, and will need to improve his skating to have success when all the bodies are his size. Having said that, he is a boom-or-bust who can produce as long as the speed does not overwhelm, or he improves his skating. He also needs someone to get him the puck to be at his most effective. - Mike Sanderson
68. New York Rangers - Pyotr Kochetkov (55) - G - HK Ryazan (Rus 2) - 6-1/175, 25-Jun-99 - Russia - In his third season of draft eligibility Kochetkov burst into the spotligh,t stealing the starting goaltending job for Russia at the WJC, then earning the title of best goaltender in the tournament while winning Bronze. Turning 20 the day after the draft mitigates some concerns of drafting goaltenders early as he is further along in his development and less of a risk. The upside is tantalizing however as the Rangers look to a new era in goal. - Robert Howard
69. Florida Panthers (from Edmonton) - Ilya Konovalov (123) - G - Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (KHL) - 6-0/195, 13-Jul-98 - Russia - Named KHL rookie of the year after an amazing season for Lokomotiv gives the Panthers a close to NHL-ready goalie who could eventually be an NHL starter. This is a guy who should not be flying under the radar as much as he has, even if he’s old for the draft class. - Brock Otten
70. New Jersey Devils (from Anaheim) - Hunter Jones (92) - G - Peterborough (OHL) - 6-4/195, 21-Sep-00 - Canada - Goaltender Hunter Jones is the kind of big goalie NHL teams want in their system. He's a good guy on and off the ice. He stood out at the combine and was picked to play in the CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game. - Russ Cohen
71. Vancouver Canucks - Anttoni Honka (80) - D - JyP Jyvaskyla (Fin) - 5-10/180, 5-Oct-00 - Finland - Canucks wanting defensemen select Honka, a right handed offensive minded Finnish defender. He may not have large size, but his abilities to move the puck and quarterback a power play help. The Canucks have had good luck with Finnish players, and like what they see from the younger brother of Dallas Stars defensemen, Julius Honka. - Kevin Olexson
72. Philadelphia Flyers - Semyon Chistyakov (98) - D - Tolpar Ufa (Rus Jr) - 5-10/170, 7-Aug-01 - Russia - Back to skills for Philly. A smallish mobile defenseman with good puck skills. high risk but also a possible high reward here. - Jimmy Hamrin
73. Minnesota Wild - Ryder Donovan (82) - C - Duluth East (USHS-MN) - 6-3/185, 4-Oct-00 - USA - Duluth, Minnesota native brings decent tool set with size, speed, athleticism. Longer-term project will need time to develop at Wisconsin. - Iain Morrell
74. Arizona Coyotes (from Chicago) - Alex Beaucage (138) - RW - Rouyn Noranda (QMJHL) - 6-1/195, 25-Jul-01 - Canada - The Coyotes select another winger who can finish plays and put the puck in the net. Beaucage netted himself 39 goals to go along with his 40 assists. He has decent size, and comes with an abundance of skill and potential. - Kevin Olexson
75. Nashville Predators (from Florida) - Jayden Struble (111) - D - St. Sebastian's (USHS-MA) - 6-0/195, 8-Sep-01 - USA - Athletic defender stood out at the NHL Scouting Combine with top marks in five of 18 tests. Cumberland, R.I., native will attend Northeastern University. - Iain Morrell
76. Arizona Coyotes - Dustin Wolf (143) - G - Everett (WHL) - 6-0/155, 16-Apr-01 - USA - The Coyotes jump in here to select arguably one of the best goalies in junior hockey. Wolf has put up incredible numbers for Everett this season, and after being groomed behind, and learning from Carter Hart, he is now ready to shine in the spotlight. He plays on a team with a dynamic defensive system, but even with that, he still has to make the saves and keep the pucks out of the net. Also notable, is how his stats are considerably better than Harts, and the stats don't lie - this kid is impressive. - Kevin Olexson
77. Montreal Canadiens - Graeme Clarke (63) - RW - Ottawa (OHL) - 5-11/175, 24-Apr-01 - Canada - Opinions on Clarke depend on how you view his shoulder injury in November; either you see it as a blip on the radar and his inconsistency is an issue, or you see him having fought through it all winter to bring together a strong playoff for a great 67’s team. Clarke had 10 of his 23 goals by the time of his shoulder injury, 22 games in, and developed into a bit of a sharpshooter, with his 23 goals complemented by just 11 assists. His stickhandling is very strong, but could be stronger with a little more speed. Despite that, he is finding the right areas to be as a goal scorer and exploiting them. His defensive game needs work, but if his offensive game continues to progress, he will still be a net positive player in the pros. - Mike Sanderson
78. Colorado Avalanche - Henry Thrun (58) - D - NTDP (USA) - 6-2/190, 12-Mar-01 - USA - Insanely smart and disciplined, Thrun projects to be a bottom-four defensive defenseman, but is a surprisingly stellar skater for someone of his size and deployment. To me, the Harvard commit is one of this Draft’s safest picks, as his low-side is still depth shutdown d-man and penalty killer. - Tom Dorsa
79. Vegas Golden Knights - Yegor Chinakhov (49) - RW - Omskie Yastreby (Rus Jr - 6-0/175, 1-Feb-01 - Russia - Although an undersized forward, Chinakhov brings experience playing in the MHL as well as a good shot and good composure on the ice. The Golden Knights are no strangers to strong undersized forwards and with the addition of fellow Russian Nikita Gusev, Chinakhov would be no exception to the offensive roster talent. - Shaiyena Cote
80. New Jersey Devils (from Dallas) - Marcus Kallionkieli (102) - LW - Sioux City (USHL) - 6-2/195, 20-Mar-01 - Finland - Marcus has a blend of goal scoring and toughness. He has a good wrist shot. He’s able to play on the rush and deliver the goods and he’ll play with aggression. - Russ Cohen
81. Columbus Blue Jackets - Jackson Lacombe (78) - D - Shattuck-St. Mary's (USHS-MN) - 6-1/170 9-Jan-01 - USA - Columbus picks for the first time in the latter half of the third round after going all in for the playoffs. They pick what they hope is a home run pick out of the powerhouse Shattuck-St. Mary's program in Jackson Lacombe who has flashed some exciting potential in his game. - Robert Howard
82. Vegas Golden Knights (from Winnipeg) - Ilya Nikolayev (61)- C - Loko Yaroslavl (Rus Jr) - 6-0/190, 26-Jun-01 - Russia - Nikolayev is a nifty centreman whose puck carrying ability and passing make him a good team player. He brings a gritty side to the game and plays with a fearlessness that may see him make the jump over to North America sooner than his fellow third round draft classmates. - Shaiyena Cote
83. Ottawa Senators (from Pittsburgh via Vegas) - Billy Constantinou (84) - D - Kingston (OHL) - 6-0/185, 25-Mar-01 - Canada - A right-handed shot, Constantinou is a gifted skater and talented puck handler. He owns some raw tools that offer some more upside than other picks in this area. He was traded mid-season as the main offensive threat for the mighty IceDogs to bottom dwelling Kingston for the final two-thirds of the season and the Sens hope that kept him under the radar as a result - Gus Katsaros
84. Toronto Maple Leafs - Cole MacKay (96) - RW - Sault Ste Marie (OHL) - 5-10/190, 13-Jun-01 - Canada - The Maple Leafs again bolster the wing with a pick from GM Kyle Dubas's alma mater Sault Ste. Marie. He is a high IQ right wing that can score goals and stickhandle. - Gus Katsaros
85. Edmonton Oilers (from NY Islanders) - Maxim Cajkovic (113) - RW - Saint John (QMJHL) - 5-11/185, 3-Jan-01 - Slovakia - Maxim Cajkovic season was somewhat underwhelming but being here at 85 is a windfall for the Oiler’s. He was the best player on a bad team where he led them in goals, assists and points. He was used in all situations and got plenty of ice time on the PK and the PP. His -33 looks bad but only two players on his team, who played at least 50 games, had a better plus minus than him. His skating is his biggest asset as he can play with pace. At the international level he has shown he can produce against top level competition as well. Much like Krebs there is untapped offensive potential due to the lack of line mates and overall team talent. - Vince Gibbons
86. Vegas Golden Knights (from Nashville) - Valentin Nussbaumer (142) - C - Shawinigan (QMJHL) - 5-11/165, 25-Sep-00 - Switzerland - With a successful year in the QMJHL with Shawinigan, Nussbaumer let his presence be known on the scoresheet and in front of the net. He is a dynamic and hard worker, he would be a good pick for Vegas as an eventual addition to the Chicago Wolves roster with hopes of then moving up to round out Vegas' third line. - Shaiyena Cote
87. Los Angeles Kings (from Washington) - Artemi Knyazev (112)- D - Chicoutimi (QMJHL) - 5-11/180 - 4-Jan-01 - Russia - The more D the Kings choose, the more chance they have to hit a home run. He is a dynamic offensive defenseman who play with a lot of confidence. He likes to join the rush. He can hold up his end in a physical game. Could turn out as a good two-way defenseman and he has loads of upside to his game. - Benoit Belanger
88. Calgary Flames - Jake Lee (216) - D - Seattle (WHL) - 6-1/215, 13-Jul-01 - Canada - Jake Lee is not going to wow you with his offensive game but there is subtle parts to his game that show he can be a solid puck mover. He is a defense first defender with great size and a pretty good skating stride. His offensive production was good in the early part of the season but 20 year old returnees limited his PP time in the second half of the season. He may never be a top powerplay defender but he will certainly be on the other side of special teams. He is physical and uses his size well either to stick check or engage in physically. He competes hard along the wall and in front of his net where he plays with a real edge. Lee isn’t just a slab of meat though, he gets around the ice pretty well for a big man. His gap control and overall defense in his own zone is noticeable on every shift. - Vince Gibbons
89. Tampa Bay Lightning - Antti Saarela (100) - C - Lukko Rauma (Fin) - 5-11/185 - 27-Jun-01 - Finland - Another smart skilled player that Tampa can give time to develop. Unusual for them to pick two nordic players, but sometime they need to break that barrier. - Jimmy Hamrin
90. Carolina Hurricanes - Vojtech Strondala (85) - C - Slavia Trebic (Cze 2) - 5-7/155, 17-Dec-00 - Czech -Martin Necas may have been the only Czech player drafted by the Hurricanes since 2008, but I wouldn’t expect them to wait the better part of a decade to return to the Central European nation. Strondala is tiny, but feisty, and is a creative passer and stick-handler who has already had some success playing against men in the Czech second division. Having selected a few “safer” prospects for Carolina already, and with three second rounders to their credit, the Hurricanes can afford to gamble on a high upside (relatively) high bust potential player in Strondala. - Ryan Wagman
91. San Jose Sharks - Oleg Zaitsev (66) - C - Red Deer (WHL) - 6-1/185, 7-Jan-01 - Russia - If your two picks are 41st and 91st you aren’t in great shape to start rebuilding. Luckily for the Sharks they have a few very good young players in Hertl and Meier who can bridge them to a time when they have first round picks again. Long term, a guy like Oleg Zaitsev, a responsible two-way center that has some pretty solid hands and speed, is a solid pick. He has good size and is very strong on the puck. He may not have the dekes and fakes of some higher skilled players in the draft but he has strength to carry the puck to the net. His vision is good and he is very responsible defensively which make him a solid bet as a bottom six center that kills penalties and can play up in the line up a bit as - Vince Gibbons
92. Boston Bruins - Daniil Gutik (91) - LW - Loko Yaroslavl (Rus Jr) - 6-3/180 31-Aug-01 - Russia - The historic of the Bruins with the Russians is not pretty good but Daniil Gutik would be my pick. He plays a solid power winger game, he is a good puckhandler with good offensive instinct. He possesses good hockey sense - Benoit Belanger
93. St. Louis Blues - John Farinacci (101) - C- Dexter (USHS-MA) - 5-11/185, 14-Feb-01 - USA - A long term project with Harvard on the radar, Farinacci could be a mid-round steal as his skating and shot both grade out as above average tools. A high school product, there are concerns that his immature mental game and lack of physicality will hurt him in higher levels of competition, but he should be a four-year NCAA player and work out his flaws. Perhaps an NHL depth scoring role is his future. - Tom Dorsa