2021 NHL Draft: Mock Draft 2.0

Owen Power still presumed No. 1; Goalies go in Top 15; Can McTavish shake up Top 5?

With the Stanley Cup champion crowned, the 2020-21 NHL season is over. What a wild ride it was. Congratulations to the Tampa Bay Lightning for going back-to-back in the span of nine months, a feat that probably never gets matched.

With the season wrapped up, the 2021 NHL Draft order is officially set, which means it’s time to reconfigure the mock draft and give it another shot based on the subtle changes to the order from last time. I’ve got a few more iterations of the mock draft coming including what I personally would do if in the shoes of the GM making the call and one more closer to the draft where I try to dig as much as I can into the reporting to see what I can glean as we get closer.

Related Links: Final Rankings 1-90 | 91-100 + Sleepers | Draft Class Superlatives

This is my best guess at this point, taking all of the information I have at the present as well as some educated stabs at how teams are thinking. As always, it’s a tough task to try and get inside the heads of 32 GMs and their scouting departments, but that hasn’t stopped me from trying before. Let’s get started, shall we?

1. Buffalo Sabres: Owen Power, D, Michigan

Though the Sabres aren’t tipping their hand and has continually added to its front office over the last few months, the scouting industry seems to agree that there’s no other choice for Buffalo than Power. A top defenseman that can help Buffalo establish a young, more promising blue line, Power is not a guy you need to bring in right away. Let him stay in college for a year, get extra experience and development and arrive more than ready to contribute.

2. Seattle Kraken: Matty Beniers, C, Michigan

If you have the chance to take a potential franchise center, you do it. Beniers is not a surefire No. 1 C long term, but he is the most versatile, mature and competitive center in this class. The Kraken don’t need him to step into the lineup on Day 1, though Beniers is the only other player I could say with any sort of comfort that at least has a chance to be an opening-night player. Like Power, his best option may be to go get another year in school and dominate at the NCAA level before signing next spring for the stretch run. If the Kraken are looking to set a team identity, I don’t see how they can do better than Beniers here as I could see him wearing a letter in the NHL one day.

Dylan Guenther (Andy Devlin/LA Media)

3. Anaheim Ducks: Dylan Guenther, RW, Edmonton Oil Kings

The Ducks are going to have a whole host of options available to them, all of them pretty exciting. Guenther is one of the more dynamic forwards in the group. Anaheim has dipped into the WHL many times in the past and might be able to get a key top-six forward in Guenther. While I have him lower on my personal board, opinions are all over the place for the talented winger but most agree he’s one of the most gifted offensive talents available. The Ducks are getting quicker and more skilled and Guenther helps continue on that track.

4. New Jersey Devils: Luke Hughes, D, U.S. National Under-18 Team

Two Hugheses are better than one? Of the defensemen left, few have as high a ceiling as the youngest Hughes brother. Luke Hughes doesn’t just make sense because of Jack, he’s one of the youngest players in this draft class with plenty of runway to improve – likely with a couple of years of college hockey before he’s ready to make an NHL impact. A foundation on the blue line of Ty Smith and Luke Hughes will make New Jersey more dynamic and more threatening from the back end for years to come. If the Devils go with a forward, William Eklund makes a ton of sense, too.

5. Columbus Blue Jackets: William Eklund, C/W, Djugårdens

The Blue Jackets have plenty of needs and there’s a decent number of people I’ve talked to that think the Jackets will go the defenseman route here as there’s that looming trade of Seth Jones and there’s not a lot in their prospect pool. Eklund is a natural center, though his size and offensive capabilities may be enhanced as a winger which is where he primarily played this season. Either way, the Blue Jackets need to keep compiling dynamic talent and if Eklund slips to No. 5, he’d be a pretty easy pick. The Blue Jackets have never been predictable at the draft, though.

6. Detroit Red Wings: Mason McTavish, C, Olten

I think the goalie tempts the Red Wings, but a center tempts them more. McTavish really popped at the World U18 Championship. Teams believe he can be a guy that helps you win in the playoffs with his hard-nosed style. Despite not being a great skater, he has a lot of other offensive tools including vision and a high-end shot that make him look like a true two-way center in this draft.

7. San Jose Sharks: Jesper Wallstedt, G, Luleå

The Sharks have plenty of needs in their system, but have the chance to make the biggest splash by adding the draft’s top goaltending prospect. Without a clear-cut goalie of the future in their system and uncertainty in their net right now, the Sharks could stabilize their outlook at the position with Wallstedt, who has all the tools to grow into a No. 1 netminder in the NHL. San Jose could really boost its blue line, too, in this range so I could see a case for either Brandt Clarke or Simon Edvinsson, but the Sharks like to swing for home runs and I think Wallstedt could be a swing worth taking here.

Brandt Clarke (Photo: Dan Hickling)

8. Los Angeles Kings: Brandt Clarke, D, Nove Zamky

The Kings have a lot of balance in their prospect system with a forward group that stacks up against any in the NHL currently in terms of quality and depth. On the blue line, it’s a little less stacked. Adding an offensive-minded defenseman like Clarke, who has some runway to get better and mature, would be a nice boost to a prospect system that has a lot of lower-offensive upside blueliners. What we don’t know is how serious the Kings are about adding veteran talent, so if they wheel and deal before the draft, this is an asset that could be in play.

9. Vancouver Canucks: Simon Edvinsson, D, Frölunda

Jim Benning has made no bones about wanting to get bigger. You can get bigger and get some nice upside with Edvinsson, who is a 6-foot-5 defenseman with good mobility. He needs to get stronger and tougher to play against, but I think Edvinsson has a lot of tools that the Canucks would find attractive in this range.

10. Ottawa Senators: Kent Johnson, C/W, Vancouver Canucks

The Senators have a lot of pieces, but they can get even more dynamic up front by adding Johnson who would be a great complement to other skill players like Tim Stützle. Ottawa could use a little more depth down the middle and I’m not totally sold that Johnson will be a center long term. He is rounding out his game more, however, as Michigan coach Mel Pearson recently told me on the Talking Hockey Sense podcast and thinks he has some dramatic upside. The Senators could consider taking one of the top goalies here even though they have some intriguing prospects in the system. For now, I think they go with a forward and keep building on their skill.

11. Arizona Coyotes: ***VACATED***

Chaz Lucius (Photo: Dan Hickling)

12. Chicago Blackhawks: Chaz Lucius, C, U.S. National Under-18 Team

You can’t have enough skill and the Blackhawks can find it in a familiar spot as the NTDP has been well-traveled scouting grounds for Chicago. Lucius missed a large chunk of the season due to knee surgery, but when he played, he scored a ton. A highly-skilled center who does a good job of getting inside defensive structure and an owner of a goal-scorer’s shot, Lucius provides good value. I could see Chicago being tempted by the goalies if Wallstedt is still available. Lucius seems to fit the kind of system the Blackhawks are trying to build.

13. Calgary Flames: Sebastian Cossa, G, Edmonton Oil Kings

The Flames have been starved for a goalie of the future for a long, long time. Cossa might actually have a higher ceiling than Wallstedt due to his immense frame and unrivaled quickness. Cossa put up silly numbers in a truncated WHL season and has been trending upwards for some time now. Calgary is one of the teams that has their goaltending consultants scouting future netminders, too. It’s a position of need, but this is also a very fair range for Cossa based on what the industry feels about him.

14. Philadelphia Flyers: Matthew Coronato, RW, Chicago Steel

The Flyers can get a high-end scorer with great work ethic and some development time ahead of him by selecting Coronato. He’s a powerful skater who can get to the net well, shoots well from distance and isn’t afraid to get his nose dirty. Headed to Harvard, Coronato might be a bit of a wait for whoever drafts him, but I think he fits the profile of the type of players the Flyers are usually going after here.

15. Dallas Stars: Cole Sillinger, C, Sioux Falls Stampede

A highly-skilled player with a good work ethic, Sillinger is the kind of scorer the Stars can use down the line as some of their top players decline. He doesn’t have great quickness, but his hands are especially good and he is a true sniper with one of the best releases in this draft. Though he is a natural center, my bet is Sillinger moves to wing at the next level to maximize his offensive potential.

Would Fyodor Svechkov be the perfect fit for the Rangers? (Photo: Dan Hickling)

16. New York Rangers: Fyodor Svechkov, C, Lada Togliatti

A smart, two-way center with size and good work ethic, Svechkov’s skating may be the hindrance to him being selected this high. However, he checks a lot of the boxes in terms of what the Rangers are said to be looking for. Svechkov has some good physical strength, passes well and has a tendency to make those around him better as he’s willing to do a lot of the dirty work to get pucks.

17. St. Louis Blues: Nikita Chibrikov, LW, SKA St. Petersberg

With news breaking that Vladimir Tarasenko could be on his way out, the Blues are going to need to get some more high-end skill and scoring potential into their prospect system. Chibrikov is a legit shot-pass threat who has offensive creativity and already has pro experience in the KHL. The Blues would have to be patient while they wait for him, but he’s got the goods to make an impact and could provide high value if he slips this far.

18. Winnipeg Jets: Carson Lambos, D, Winnipeg ICE

The Jets wouldn’t have to go far for this one, but Lambos played more in Finland this year than he did in Winnipeg while waiting for the WHL season to start. It’s still not terribly clear where exactly teams are on Lambos who missed the latter portion of his season with health issues, but many still believe he could be a top-tier defenseman in this class based on his full body of work. With a higher-end offensive toolkit, Lambos can make plays and the Jets need more of that on their back end.

19. Nashville Predators: Fabian Lysell, RW, Luleå

The Preds can always use more skill. Lysell would be a potential weapon for them down the line, though he has a bit of a longer NHL timeline potentially. Lysell plays the game at an extremely high pace. He can get behind defenders and makes plays on the rush as well as any player in this class. If the Preds want to play an up-tempo, attacking style, they can do a lot worse than Lysell here.

20. Edmonton Oilers: Isak Rosén, RW, Leksands

A winger that can score should always be on the want-list for the Oilers. When that winger can also play with pace, that’s an added bonus. Rosén impressed at the World U18 Championship where he showed he can get up and down the ice and show a scorer’s touch. He’s probably best fit in a team’s middle six, so you’re not likely to have found Connor McDavid’s future running mate here, but you’ve got another player who can scored down your lineup as time progresses.

21. Boston Bruins: Corson Ceulemans, D, Brooks Bandits

The Bruins prospect pool has needs just about everywhere. They can look to add some scoring depth here, but it would also be hard to pass up a talented right-shot defenseman who can skate and play at both ends of the ice. Ceulemans is headed to the University of Wisconsin, which should help him round out his game more. The Bruins are going to have a hard time making a big splash in this slot, but would be betting on notable upside should they take Ceulemans.

22. Minnesota Wild: Aatu Räty, C, Kärpät

The Wild have a lot of centers in their system, but they’ve also got some higher-end prospects coming into the fold, which means they might be able to be a little more patient with who they pick at 22. Räty’s stock has plummeted, but the guy who was at one time thought to be at the top of this class could still be a difference-maker down the line. No matter who selects Räty in this draft is going to have to help him get his confidence back and see if he can get back to being the player so many saw a season ago.

23. Detroit Red Wings (via WSH): Oskar Olausson, RW, HV-71

The Red Wings should have a number of options here. There’s already a growing segment of high-end Swedish prospects in their system, but the more the merrier. Olausson gives them a bigger forward with good two-way drive, solid skating and a record of producing at the U20 and Allsvenskan levels. With HV-71 relegated, Olausson could see his role increase on the team next season and get meaningful ice time to continue rounding out his game.

Brennan Othmann (Photo: Dan Hickling)

24. Florida Panthers: Brennan Othmann, LW, Olten

The Panthers have some solid young players in their system already and based on where they’re going to be picking, making a bet on a scorer is not the worst idea. Othmann has a great shot and looked solid in pro games in the Swiss league this year. His U18 World Championship was fair, not amazing, but he has a track record of scoring in a lot of different ways.

25. Columbus Blue Jackets (via TOR): Daniil Chayka, D, Spartak Moskva

After passing on the defenseman earlier in the mock draft, the Blue Jackets could pull a bit of a surprise by taking Chayka here. His statistical profile from this past season was not great, but he did produce at a higher clip in the OHL a season before. Bouncing around in Russia and not having a great World Junior has pumped the brakes a little on his ascent in this class, but Chayka has good size, mobility and range with the chance to get better with strength and experience. I don’t think this season should define his entire body of work. If they let Chayka go by them here, they probably won’t get a chance with their third first-round pick at No. 32.

26. Minnesota Wild (via PIT): Logan Stankoven, C/W, Kamloops Blazers

A quick and shifty forward who likely projects on the wing at the next level, Stankoven has no fear when it comes to getting to the hard areas of the ice. He might not be an elite skill player, but he is skilled and has a great shot and nose for the net. The Wild are getting more skilled as they progress as a franchise and it never hurts to add another player who can deepen that talent pool.

27. Carolina Hurricanes: Samu Tuomaala, RW, Kärpät

The Hurricanes have taken forwards with each of their last four first-round picks. This is an organization that likes to bet on skill early and it’s hard to get more skilled than Tuomaala who is one of the draft’s best natural goal scorers. If nothing else, Carolina would be building a surplus of highly-valuable, highly-skilled players that could be packaged in deals later on if they can’t find spots for them as they trend towards contention. This pick might also be somewhat useful as a trade chip if they’re trying to get Seattle to stay away from a particular player on their roster.

28. Colorado Avalanche: Zachary L’Heureux, C/W, Halifax Mooseheads

Three of Colorado’s last four first-round picks have been defensemen and it’s hard to see them going that direction again. They could go to a familiar well, however, by selecting another Halifax Moosehead. In addition to Nathan MacKinnon, last year’s first-round pick Justin Barron is also a Moosehead. L’Heureux is a polarizing prospect because he has such tremendous skill level, but has had some on-ice disciplinary issues that clouds his projection a bit more. The Avs aren’t going to need this prospect for a while yet, so I wonder if they dip back into the college ranks to get a player that won’t need a contract terribly soon. A lot of options should be available to them.

29. New Jersey Devils (via NYI): Francesco Pinelli, C, Jesenice

Though the Devils at least appear to have the middle of the ice set for years to come, Pinelli is a player who can fit in and see how he develops. I’m not sure Pinelli will have the pace to play center at the NHL level, but he could get there eventually. He’s got a lot of quality offensive skills and hockey sense that should allow him to adapt to any situation.

30. Vegas Golden Knights: Zachary Bolduc, C, Rimouski Oceanic

The Golden Knights are thin down the middle now and though they hope Cody Glass and Peyton Krebs round out (and they still have plenty of runway to), it wouldn’t hurt to look at the position again. Last year’s first-round pick Brendan Brisson likely stays at wing, but Bolduc could be a play-driving center if he hits his ceiling. Even though his QMJHL season wasn’t awe-inspiring this year, Bolduc has a good base of skills, decent size and a pretty sharp hockey IQ.

Sasha Pastujov (Photo: Dan Hickling)

31. Montreal Canadiens: Sasha Pastujov, RW, U.S. National Under-18 Team

The Habs have never shied away from players on the college track and could be intrigued by one of the better overall playmakers in the draft in Pastujov, who is a legitimate shot-pass threat and a really crafty offensive mind. His skating is definitely a concern going forward, but he is headed to Notre Dame where he should be able to round out into a more complete player who can impact the game in more ways than just scoring. I think his offensive profile keeps him in the first round.

32. Columbus Blue Jackets (via TBL): Xavier Bourgault, C, Shawinigan Cataractes

The Blue Jackets need help everywhere. Why not get a highly-skilled center who has been tearing up the QMJHL the last two seasons. He has 111 points over 92 games in his last two seasons. Bourgault can make great feeds, shoots well and would help round out a pretty exciting 2021 first-round class for Columbus.