The second annual Hockey Buzz Mock Draft continues. Jack Hughes went first to New Jersey, Kappo Kakko was selected by the Rangers and Bowen Byram landed with Chicago. Following a trade with Colorado, Buffalo selected Alex Turcotte while Los Angeles tabbed Cole Caufield and Detroit’s went with Vasili Podkolzin. Colorado traded the 7th pick to New York, who picked Trevor Zegras while Edmonton's selected Dylan Cozens. Anaheim traded their pick to Florida, who took Kirby Dach, and Vancouver is on the clock.
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.
Vancouver deals the 10th pick to Colorado in the trade below and the Avalanche select Matthew Boldy, Position/Team: LW U.S National U18 Team, USDP, 2018-19 Statistics: 33G, 48A in 64GP and Size: 6’2 192 Lbs
Trade:
To Canucks
16OA, 47OA and Martin Kaut
To Colorado
10OA, Loui Eriksson, Brandon Sutter and *2022 3rd (*conditional on if Eriksson is bought out at any point in his current contract)
Rationale for the trade from the Colorado side:
I'm trading up to insure I get a specific player (not disclosing who) with the 10OA. Kaut became expendable with the addition of a more ripe Alex Nylander, of which Colorado is taking a flier on in the earlier Buffalo trade.
The trade could be beneficial with Eriksson even if Colorado buys him out in year 2 of his 3 year contract.
Colorado would receive receive a 3rd round pick in the 2022 Draft, 2M additional cap space with a 4M buyout penalty in 2021/2022 and a 1M penalty, or 5M in cap space, for the 2022/2023 season.
Sutter provides a serviceable Brassard replacement at an economic cap hit. The depth additionally saves dipping into Free Agency for an equal styled player. Colorado is overpaying in this deal, clearly, but you have to give to get.
Rationale for the trade from the Vancouver side:
Here's Carol's rationale from the Canucks' point of view on the trade completed with Colorado:
I'm willing to trade down because there's so little consensus about the ranking of players after the very top. I think there's room for the Canucks to still get a very good player at 16, and the trade allows the team to address other needs.
When the trade was first proposed, I was thrilled for the chance to divest Loui Eriksson's contract. We talked about the Canucks possibly retaining salary, but I didn't want to do that if I could avoid it since the Canucks still have three years left to go with Roberto Luongo, at $800,000 per year. I didn't want them to have two slots filled for the next three seasons, so I agreed to the conditional third as an extra sweetener for the Avs.
Eriksson has a no-trade clause but has talked publicly about not getting along with Travis Green. I think he'd waive to go to an up-and-coming team like Colorado, captained by a fellow Swede in Gabriel Landeskog.
The Canucks also need to make room at centre, which is why I included Brandon Sutter. He played just 26 games last season due to injury and was effectively replaced by Adam Gaudette, so he's expendable for Vancouver but would be useful for an Avs team that's short on experienced forwards.
Sutter has a modified no-trade with a 15-team 'no' list for next season. I don't think he'd block a deal to Colorado.
In exchange, the Canucks get Martin Kaut - a skilled winger who was a first-round draft pick and is the right age to fit with Vancouver's young core. At 19, he already has a year of North American experience under his belt in the AHL, so he should be ready to step up a level - ideally, on Bo Horvat's wing.
The Canucks also get an additional pick at No. 47, which carries a little extra value because they're hosting the draft. That would bring their total to 10 picks altogether.
Rationale for the Matthew Boldy pick:
Per Bill Placzek
WInger with a solid two-way game, who finds the soft spots in coverage, and has plenty of skill and good feet. He is well-balance flyer who can circumnavigate through tight spaces at high speeds and his high level puck skills including super soft hands that let him keep opposing defenders guessing on how they should react.
Has nice size, displays a strong wrister, and plays a style that fits so well with the new attacking schemes.
Really high end hockey sense, and full throttle involved player whose on-ice presence seems to tip the scales in his team's favor when he is out on the sheet, no matter if it is in open ice, or in tight stick cluttered scenery.
Reads, reacts and anticipates and answers with precision through traffic passes and receptions while playing with a cool demeanor.
What becomes clear with views of him is that he is continually in scoring position and able to provide a threat whenever his line gets a foothold in the attack zone.
Defensively responsible and fills the uncovered attackers when breakdowns occur. Committed to Boston College.
Per Corey Pronman
Projection
Boldy was one of the most fascinating prospects to watch all season. There were significant highs in his season, through the month of October I thought he outplayed Hughes in nearly every game. There were times, like at the 5 Nations Tournament, where he didn’t play so well, but he ended the season on a high note at the IIHF U18s.
Ultimately, through his ups and downs, the growth spurt and his time at the NTDP, you have a 6-foot-2 forward with incredible hands and vision, who can score goals and whose skating has improved to an average pro level. In terms of pure talent, he’s top five in the class. I’ve talked to scouts who think Turcotte, Caufield or Zegras is the second best prospect on the NTDP, and I’ve also heard from scouts who think Boldy fits that title.
Boldy does have warts in his profile, but I still feel confident projecting him as a potential top-line forward in the NHL.
Summary:
Colorado drops from 4 to 10 and still is able to pick up a less nastier version of Tkatchuk or Landeskog in Matthew Boldy. Colorado walks away with Boldy, Andersson, Pionk, Sutter, Nylander, Vesey, Eriksson (could still a good fit) and a 2022 3rd (if Eriksson is bought out) while sending away the 4th overall, 47th pick, 63rd pick, Compher, Kaut and rights to Brassard (conditional 2020 2nd if Brassard does not resign with Vancouver)
Lots of NHL ready talent for depth, Boldy (2019 10OA) and Andersson (2017 7OA) provide quality prospects.
My mission was to provide NHL depth for a contending team whilst also acquiring a couple new shiny prospects; asset management.
Mock Draft Spreadsheet: (thanks Mahim)
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/18VKygxGZmosdGxNApfEcidyD4P745-AUbz2HeDtCaC0/edit#gid=0
Phiadelphia, represented by Flyerfan328, Philip Brunner and Streit2ThePoint, Ryan Snyder, is on the clock.
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, traded pick to Buffalo, who selected Alex Turcotte
5. Los Angeles Kings - slimtj, TJ Reilly, Cole Caufield
6. Detroit Red Wings - Feds91Stammer, Vasili Podkolzin
7. Buffalo Sabres - lonsabres, Paul Schott, traded to Colorado, optimus-reim to pick, traded to New York, who selects Trevor Zegras
8. Edmonton Oilers - Reveen, Curtis Lavoie select Dylan Cozens
9. Anaheim Ducks - climbdenali12, Ryan Armstrong, pick traded to Florida and the Panthers select Kirby Dach
10. Vancouver Canucks - Carol Schram, Canucks blogger on the site, trades the pick to Colorado, who selects Matthew Boldy
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, traded pick to Anaheim.
14. Arizona Coyotes - jediman, Brendan Smith
15. Montreal Canadiens - Karine Hains, Canadiens blogger on the website
16. Colorado Avalanche - optimus-reim, Luke Herrington, traded to Vancouver
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
30. Boston, covered by Anthony Travalgia, HB Bruins blogger
31. St. Louis, the pick is owned by Buffalo, pick to be made by lonsabres, Paul Schott
New York Rangers Blogger • 
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