Let’s take two on Mock Draft Wednesday.
Last week we published the first of our NHL Draft simulations, making all 10 selections for the New York Rangers with the help of draftprospectshockey.com. Their draft tool allows you to pick for one team and mock all seven rounds for the other 30, with picks made based on prospect rankings and team needs.
PROSPECT REPORT: Vitali Kravtsov off to a hot start; others on loan
NHL DRAFT: 8 prospects NY Rangers could target with No. 22 pick
It comes out different — at least slightly — every time. And the more you do it, the better grasp you’ll get of how things might play out when the real draft occurs on Oct. 6 (first round) and 7 (rounds two through seven). That’s why we’ll publish a new one every Wednesday leading up to the draft.
Last time, I used the Draft Prospects Hockey rankings as the basis for the mock. To change things up, I went with Bob McKenzie’s TSN rankings this time around. That doesn’t necessarily change the players I’m targeting, but it could alter the selections for the other 30 teams, therefore changing who is available when the Rangers’ picks come up.
Let’s get to it.
First round
No. 1 overall: Alexis Lafrenière, LW — What? Were you expecting someone else?
MORE LAFRENIERE: 3 things to know about the potential No. 1 pick
No. 22 overall: Seth Jarvis, C/RW — The first round played out differently in Mock 2.0, including forward Tim Stutzle going No. 2 to the Los Angeles Kings. Last week, the Kings took center Quinton Byfield.
There was no chance of either making it remotely close to No. 22, but there was a long list of forwards I was monitoring. Dawson Mercer was snagged at No. 11 by the Nashville Predators, Hendrix Lapierre went No. 12 to the Florida Panthers, Anton Lundell was picked No. 14 by the Edmonton Oilers, Dylan Holloway at No. 16 to the Montreal Canadiens and Connor Zary was scooped up at No. 21 by the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Still, once again, the Rangers were left with a handful of good options. Mavrik Bourque could very easily have been the pick for the second week in a row. I also continue to hear good things about Brendan Brisson, while some experts believe the Rangers will target Ridly Greig for his gritty style. Others such as Tyson Foerster, Jan Mysak and Marat Khusnutdinov could be considered. But in this scenario, the choice felt rather obvious.
In Jarvis, the Rangers would getting a player who most believe won’t make it out of the top 20. If he falls, he would hard to pass up. The 18-year-old ranked second in the WHL last season with 98 points (42 goals and 56 assists) in 58 games, developing a reputation as a creative offensive force who can generate offense from all areas. Some see him as more of a right wing than a center, but regardless, the Rangers should take the best player available if this situation arises.
(NOTE: My first mock attempt this morning had Jarvis off the board, but both Holloway and Zary were available, along with Bourque and Brisson. Unfortunately, a glitch in the site forced me to restart the simulation.)
Third round
No. 71 overall: Jaromir Pytlik, C — Prior to the glitch, I found center Vasiliy Ponomarev available here, which would have been quite the heist in the third round. But the second simulation offered choices that were less obvious.
In the end, I opted for the 6-foot-3, 201-pounder who is known for battling and playing north-south. Pytlik doesn’t have high-end skill or speed, but his combo of size, defensive ability and power-forward skills will appeal to the Rangers. The soon-to-be 19-year-old averaged nearly a point per game with 50 points (22 goals and 28 assists) in 56 games with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds in the OHL.
No. 90 overall: Tyler Tullio, C — For the second straight week, Tullio ended up in New York. Last week, he fell to pick No. 102, but I was feeling a bit more risk averse this time around. He’s undersized at 5-foot-9, but after grabbing Pytlik with the previous pick, the Rangers could…
Read More: NY Rangers scoop up Seth Jarvis at No. 22