The third mock Hockey Buzz mock draft driven by the readers and a few special guests kicked off last Monday. The first five were Alexis Lafreniere, Quinton Byfield, Tim Sturzle, Marco Rossi and Cole Perfetti. Kicking off the next five was Anton Lundell followed by Alexander Holtz, Lucas Raymond, Jaroslav Askarov and Jaime Drysdale. Jake Sanderson was the first pick in the next round of selections followed by Jack Quinn. The selection by Carolina, with Bingo picking, is below with Edmonton, represented by maximumbone on the clock and Toronto, represented by Michael Augello, on deck. Below is the voting poll, please weigh in with your view.
As a reminder, for each pick, included should be: a) Selection and reasoning/scouting report, and, b) Alternatives considered (both players and trades). Please provide me via email your pick with the aforementioned information following the posting of the prior pick on the site. If I become aware of a pick or a few picks in a row, I will email you to help facilitate moving the mock draft along. I will post the blog with the pick and the voting poll within each blog.
Overall Rules and Process
As mentioned previously, there is a little kicker. 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 seriously 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 will work: the team’s selector will email me at [email protected] their pick, rationale and any alternatives for that selection. I will post that pick and rationale on the site and create a voting poll. That poll will likely include alternatives that were considered with each voter allowed to select one option.
With the 13th Overall Pick in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, the Carolina Hurricanes represented by Bingo, select Dawson Mercer, C, Chicoutimi (QMJHL)
Rationale for the selection with scouting report along with alternatives considered (both players and trades):
I toyed with the idea of going a little off the board to grab a center, but ultimately Mercer's talent was just too good to pass up. Canes are going to need wingers who can contribute on entry level deals soon and he's the best bet among those available to be able to make an impact in the next couple years.
When you have no obvious holes other than the goalie, the best player available is the way to go, and Mercer is clearly that.
2020 NHL DRAFT FIRST-ROUND ORDER AND GMs
1. New York Rangers - Jan Levine - Alexis Lafreniere, LW, Rimouski, OMJHL
2. Los Angeles Kings - Kooleus, Quinton Byfield, C, Sudbury, OHL
3. Ottawa Senators (via San Jose Sharks) - spatso, Tim Stutzle, C, Mannheim, DEL
4. Detroit Red Wings - feds91stammer, Marco Rossi, C, Ottawa, OHL
5. Ottawa Senators - spatso, Cole Perfetti, LW, Saginaw, OHL
6. Anaheim Ducks - optimus-reim, Anton Lundell, C, HIFK, LIIGA
7. New Jersey Devils - redmonsters, Alexander Holtz, RW, Djurgarden, SHL
8. Buffalo Sabres - KilkennyDan, Lucas Raymond, RW, Frolunda, SHL
9. Minnesota Wild - dudestar, Jarsolav Askarov, G, SKA-NEVA, VHL
10. Winnipeg Jets - Ross77, Jamie Drysdale, D, Erie, OHL
11. Nashville Predators - slimtj, Jake Sanderson, D, NTDP-U18, USDP
12. Florida Panthers - jimbo, Jack Quinn, RW, Ottawa, OHL
13. Carolina Hurricanes (via Toronto Maple Leafs) - Bingo, Dawson Mercer, C, Chicoutimi, QMJHL
14. Edmonton Oilers - maximumbone, Silas Bengtsson, Tuesday, Sept. 22 pm
15. Toronto Maple Leafs (via Pittsburgh Penguins) - Michael Augello, Leafs blogger on site, Wednesday, Sept. 23 am
16. Montreal Canadiens - Vivian Lapeirre, bi-lingual, Wednesday, Sept. 23 pm
17. Chicago Blackhawks - Theo Fox, Chicago blogger on site, Thursday, Sept. 24 am
18. New Jersey Devils (from Arizona) - redmonsters, Kevin Barrett, Thursday, Sept. 24 pm
19. Calgary Flames - deddie, Dan Ethier, Friday, Sept. 25 am
20. New Jersey Devils (from Vancouver via Tampa Bay) - redmonsters, Kevin Barrett, Friday, Sept 25 pm
21. Columbus Blue Jackets, Thomas Townsend, Columbus blogger on site, Sunday, Sept. 27 am
22. New York Rangers (from Carolina) - Jan, Tuesday Sept. 29 am
23. Philadelphia Flyers - Flyersfan328, Phil Brunner, Tuesday Sept. 29 pm
24. Colorado Avalanche - climbdenali12, Ryan Armstrong, Wednesday, Sept. 30 am
25. Washington Capitals - winerydog, Wednesday, Sept. 30 pm
26. St. Louis Blues, jediman, Brendan Smith, Thursday, Oct. 1 in am
27. Anaheim Ducks (from Boston) - optimus-reim, Luke Herrington, Thursday, Oct. 1 in pm
28. Vegas Golden Knights - JRR1285, Josh Ruiz, Friday, Oct. 2 in am
29. Ottawa Senators (acquired from New York Islanders in JG Pageau deal) spatso, Friday, Oct 2 around 5 pm
30-31. Pick order TBD - picks will be Monday Oct 5 in am and Monday, Oct 5 in pm
Dallas (Russ Cohen, sportsology)
San Jose (acquired from Tampa Bay in Barclay Goodrow deal (Jeremy Barber, user id: barberjw, email: barbjw26@gmail)
Looking forward to running this again. We had a ton of fun last season. That should be the same again this year with New York having the first and 22nd picks in the first round.