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NHL Mock Draft: Beichler’s Full 2016 First Round Mock – May Edition

ByJanik Beichler|
Jun 26, 2015; Sunrise, FL, USA; Mitchell Marner puts on a team cap after being selected as the number four overall pick to the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round of the 2015 NHL Draft at BB&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 26, 2015; Sunrise, FL, USA; Mitchell Marner puts on a team cap after being selected as the number four overall pick to the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round of the 2015 NHL Draft at BB&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
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Jun 26, 2015; Sunrise, FL, USA; Mitchell Marner puts on a team cap after being selected as the number four overall pick to the Toronto Maple Leafs in the first round of the 2015 NHL Draft at BB&T Center. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

The NHL Draft Lottery determined who will pick first, second and third at the 2016 NHL Entry Draft — time for our first NHL Mock Draft.

If there was one thing that had the potential to cheer up the fans of the Vancouver Canucks and the other six Canadian NHL organizations after a terrible 2015-16 season, it was the draft lottery. Unfortunately, Vancouver is not one of the two happy Canadian cities that won the top-two selections. But, of course, that won’t hold us back from holding NHL Mock Drafts.

With the draft lottery in the books, the order of the first 14 teams stands. The rest will be determined by the playoff results. As of today, the order looks as follows:

  1. Toronto Maple Leafs
  2. Winnipeg Jets
  3. Columbus Blue Jackets
  4. Edmonton Oilers
  5. Vancouver Canucks
  6. Calgary Flames
  7. Arizona Coyotes
  8. Buffalo Sabres
  9. Montreal Canadiens
  10. Colorado Avalanche
  11. New Jersey Devils
  12. Ottawa Senators
  13. Carolina Hurricanes
  14. Boston Bruins
  15. Minnesota Wild
  16. Detroit Red Wings
  17. Philadelphia Flyers
  18. Arizona Coyotes (via NY Rangers)
  19. Carolina Hurricanes (via Los Angeles)
  20. Florida Panthers
  21. Anaheim Ducks
  22. Winnipeg Jets (via Chicago)
  23. Nashville Predators
  24. Tampa Bay Lightning
  25. Boston Bruins (via San Jose)
  26. New York Islanders
  27. Toronto Maple Leafs (via Pittsburgh)
  28. St. Louis Blues
  29. Dallas Stars
  30. Washington Capitals

Obviously, the order can’t possibly stay the way it is. For example, Dallas and St. Louis are currently facing each other in the playoffs and the loser of the series will get to pick higher while the 29th pick is reserved for the loser of the Stanley Cup final. But, we have to work with what we’ve got so far.

Vancouver Canucks GM Jim Benning revealed in an interview that he has one defenseman in the top five of his list. At the time of the interview, that was just random talk about a pick the Canucks hopefully wouldn’t own. However, it has become reality.

It is believed that Olli Juolevi is Benning’s favorite among the defensemen. So, will he be the one joining the club on June 24?

All we can do now is wait — and do our very own NHL Mock Drafts. Off we go!

Next: Picks 1-5

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