The second annual Hockey Buzz Mock Draft is underway, Jack Hughes went first to New Jersey and you will see below who I selected (no, I didn't go off the board) as well as Chicago's pick. Colorado is next up. I am off the grid until Tuesday AM, at that time, I will post who Luke picked for the Avalanche or if there is a trade to be reviewed.
Overall Rules and Process:
After the pick or trade is made, a poll will be posted to rate the selection or deal. If the majority of people like the pick or trade, that selection stands and it moves on to the next team’s picks. If not, the majority rules and that’s what happens with that team and pick. I have the last right of refusal to keep everything on the up and up and avoid ballot box stuffing. My request to you is that you take this serious and not make a mockery of the mock draft, because that would be an insult to the others who are participating and makes the whole process a sham. But by playing this out, we get to have healthy debate and conversation to remain engaged up and possibly beyond the draft. If teams make deals and they occur before a team’s selection is due, that deal will play a part as to when each person’s selection occurs.
Here how this is working: each evening (for now, one pick per day, but we will go to two when we get to second half of the mock draft and possibly even before that, so that we complete on time) the team’s selector emails me their pick and rationale for that selection to [email protected]. If making a trade, the same applies, and all the selectors have been listed below along with their screen name if from this site or their twitter handle if external to help facilitate making trades. I am posting that pick and rationale on the site and create a voting poll. For now, we are using just a yes or no vote for the poll, but if people want me to list other options for the selection at that pick number in cases of a no vote, I am happy to do so, to help make it more robust.
With the 2nd Overall Pick in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, the New York Rangers, represented by me, select Kappo Kakko
Rationale for the selection:
Is one really needed? Hughes and Kakko have been 1a and 1b for months. Kakko gives the Rangers potentially an elite sniper who also has size and the ability and willingness to use his physical attributes to create space. This pick is pretty much a no-brainer for Jeff Gorton and the Blueshirts. I could go on and on, but there really isn't a point to doing so and as such, not even putting a poll for voting on the pick (yes, utilizing commissioner privilege here:) )
With the 3rd Overall Pick in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft, the Chicago Blackhawks, represented by Kevin Braeunle, select Bowen Byram
Rationale for the selection:
Position: D Shoots: Left Height: 6’ 1” Weight:193 Born: June 13, 2001, Cranbrook, BC, CAN
With the third overall pick in the 2019 NHL Draft I have the Chicago Blackhawks taking Bowen Byram from the Vancouver Giants WHL. Yes, I am aware of the stockpile of defenseman in the Hawks pipeline (Boqvist, Jokiharju, Beaudin, Mitchell, etc.); however, since when was having a plethora of defensive prospects a bad thing? While the Hawks have prioritized drafting a defenseman over the past few drafts, they have never been in a position to draft the best defenseman available in that draft…until now. The defensive prospects the Hawks have now all have tremedous upside, yet none of them are projected to be a number 1 overall defenseman like Byram. Although Byram was not as high on most scouting reports when the year began, he has solidified himself as an easy top 5 pick as well as a number one defenseman. His popularity skyrocketed throughout the season and especially throughout the WHL playoffs where he led ALL WHL players in points with 26 in 22 games as a defenseman. No other player has led the WHL in scoring as a defenseman since 1986. As a 16-year-old Byram put up just under 30 points in 60 games, while being over a point per-game player as a 17-year-old. Yes Turcotte, Cozens, or Dach would add nice depth up the center for the Hawks, but Byram is a no.1 defenseman and they do not come around every year. He possesses great hands, vision, and play making ability and is not hesitant to join the rush and create offense. His smooth skating will be an upside for his transition to the NHL. As of now the Hawks have one of the worst defensive corps in the NHL as seen this year. Aside from Kakko and Hughes, Byram is the next best NHL ready player and whether the Hawks choose to send him back to juniors or not will be their decision to make leading up to the start of the season. At the end of the day passing up on a number one defenseman is an extremely difficult thing to do. The Hawks have expressed their interest in taking the best available player at no.3 regardless of position. That player is Byram.
Colorado is on the clock and selecting for the Avalanche will be Luke Herrington.
2019 NHL DRAFT FIRST-ROUND ORDER and GMs to Date
1. New Jersey Devils - redmonsters, Kevin Barrett - Jack Hughes
2. New York Rangers - Jan Levine, Kappo Kakko
3. Chicago Blackhawks - kevin6, Kevin Braeunle, Bowen Byram
4. Colorado Avalanche (from Ottawa Senators) - optimus-reim, Luke Herrington
5. Los Angeles Kings - slimtj, TJ Reilly
6. Detroit Red Wings - Feds91Stammer
7. Buffalo Sabres - lonsabres, Paul Schott
8. Edmonton Oilers - Reveen, Curtis Lavoie
9. Anaheim Ducks - climbdenali12, Ryan Armstrong
10. Vancouver Canucks - Carol Schram, Canucks blogger on the site
11. Philadelphia Flyers - Flyerfan328, Philip Brunner and Streit2ThePoint, Ryan Snyder
12. Minnesota Wild - MaximumBone, Silas Bengtsson (or Colorado or Edmonton)
13. Florida Panthers - jimbo, Jimmy Reilly
14. Arizona Coyotes - jediman, Brendan Smith, and if he is unsable to draft, then phantom19, Norm Braeunle
15. Montreal Canadiens - Karine Hains, Canadiens blogger on the website
16. Colorado Avalanche - optimus-reim, Luke Herrington
17. Vegas Golden Knights - Jeff Paul, Vegas blogger for Hockey Buzz
18. Dallas Stars - Panarin27, Mark Choate
19. Ottawa Senators (from Columbus Blue Jackets) - Trevor Shackles, Ottawa blogger on the site
20. New York Rangers (from Winnipeg Jets) - Jan Levine
21. Pittsburgh Penguins - Datools55, Julien Michel
22. Los Angeles Kings (from Toronto Maple Leafs) - slimtj, TJ Reilly
23. New York Islanders - eichiefs9
24. Nashville Predators - Russ Cohen, sportsology
25. Washington Capitals - nyrangers9479
26. Calgary Flames - beandip, Andrew Horenbein
27. Tampa Bay Lightning - Panarin27, Mark Choate
28. Carolina Hurricanes - Bingo, Chris Cote
29. Buffalo Sabres [or Anaheim Ducks] (from San Jose Sharks) - lonsabres, Paul Schott
St. Louis’ pick is owner by Buffalo, pick to be made by lonsabres, Paul Schott
Boston to be covered by Anthony Travalgia, HB Bruins blogger
30. Stanley Cup Final losing team
31. Stanley Cup winner
New York Rangers Blogger • 
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