2017 NHL mock draft: Canucks pick Pettersson in full first-round mock
‘Nico or Nolan’ is one of the questions answered in this 2017 NHL mock draft. But it sure isn’t the only one.
Just when you thought you had everything figured out, a 2017 NHL mock draft comes along and pretends everything is different. The reality is that we have no idea at all how things will shake out at this year’s draft, but the least we can do is try to make predictions.
The biggest question is of course, Nico or Nolan?
And while fans and media have turned it into the most important decision, I personally find everything that follows much harder, and much more interesting.
Whether the New Jersey Devils pick Nolan Patrick or Nico Hischier, they will get a future top-six centre. They really can’t go wrong here.
But what happens after that?
Gabriel Vilardi or Casey Mittelstadt? Or Cody Glass? But what about Miro Heiskanen? Did I mention Cale Makar? Owen Tippett? Elias Pettersson?
Let’s dive right into the decisions.
1. New Jersey Devils
85. Patrick is still no lock for first overall, but what he’s done since jumping into the WHL full-time is nothing short of impressive. The Devils get a strong two-way centre with top-line potential, who can be a force in the NHL for many years to come. Full profile: <a href=. Centre. Brandon Wheat Kings, WHL. Nolan Patrick. 1. player
2. Philadelphia Flyers
Centre. Halifax Mooseheads, QMJHL. Nico Hischier. 2. player. 68. The Flyers are still pumped about winning a top-three selection in the draft lottery, so they don’t really care whether it’s Nolan or Nico. They get Nico, an extremely promising playmaker, and make him the highest-drafted Swiss player of all time. Full profile: <a href=
3. Dallas Stars
Miro Heiskanen. 3. player. 119. The Stars have plenty of intriguing options with their first of two first-round selections, and opt for the top defenceman on the board. Heiskanen is an excellent two-way defender with top-pairing potential. Having played his entire draft year in Finland’s top professional league, Heiskanen is one of the most pro-ready prospects available. Full profile: <a href=. Defence. HIFK, Liiga
4. Colorado Avalanche
4. player. 103. The Avs seemed set at centre with <a rel=. Centre. Windsor Spitfires, OHL. Gabriel Vilardi
5. Vancouver Canucks
With their favourite options all gone, the Canucks select a centre that some might consider a reach. Elias Pettersson is one of the most promising prospects to ever come out of the Swedish Allsvenskan, and promises to become an strong offensive player at the highest level. In Timra, Pettersson played centre for Canucks prospect Jonathan Dahlen. Full profile: <a href=. Centre. Timra IK, Allsvenskan. Elias Pettersson. 5. player. 104
6. Vegas Golden Knights
7. Arizona Coyotes
The Coyotes are loaded with high-end offensive talent, so they go for a dynamic blueliner who can lead the offence from the backend. Makar has some question marks, but the Coyotes see his upside and simply can’t pass up on him. Full profile: <a href=. Defence. Brooks Bandits, AJHL. Cale Makar. 7. player. 121
8. Buffalo Sabres
player. 12. The favourite of many Canucks fans for the fifth-overall selection, Cody Glass becomes a Buffalo Sabre. The Sabres are hoping to get into playoff contention soon, and a two-way centre like Glass might just be what it takes. Full profile: <a href=. Centre. Portland Winterhawks, WHL. Cody Glass. 8
9. Detroit Red Wings
10. Florida Panthers
87. The Panthers have many options, but decide to go with the best player available. Plain and simple. Suzuki is a promising playmaker with a strong two-way game who can help the Panthers get back on track in the near future. Full profile: <a href=. Centre. Owen Sound Attack, OHL. Nick Suzuki. 10. player
11. Los Angeles Kings
Mississauga Steelheads, OHL. Owen Tippett. 11. player. 67. The Kings pick up a talented winger with the 11th-overall selection. Tippett is an outstanding scorer who possesses all the tools to be successful at the next level. He has the speed, shot and drive to score many goals for Los Angeles in the NHL. Full profile: <a href=. Right Wing
12. Carolina Hurricanes
109. The Hurricanes have some promising talent on every position, but want to add another potential top-six centre to the fold. Rasmussen isn’t everyone’s favourite, but he could be a steal if he works out the way Carolina is hoping. Full profile: <a href=. Centre. Tri-City Americans, WHL. Michael Rasmussen. 12. player
13. Winnipeg Jets
Tri-City Americans, WHL. Juuso Valimaki. 13. player. 30. At 13, Winnipeg is happy to pick up one of Finland’s many up-and-coming prospects in two-way defenceman Juuso Valimaki. At this point, the Jets find Eeli Tolvanen almost too good to pass up on, but they decide a D-man is the higher priority with this pick.. Defence
14. Tampa Bay Lightning
23. In a draft that has little to no consensus, some players will inevitably drop down the board, despite having the potential to be picked much higher. This time, it hit Eeli Tolvanen. He doesn’t fill a great organisational need for Tampa Bay, but the Floridians can’t pass up on the best player available. Full profile: <a href=. Right Wing. Sioux City Musketeers, USHL. Eeli Tolvanen. 14. player
15. New York Islanders
Centre. HC Kometa Brno, Extraliga. Martin Necas. 15. player. 106. Necas will be an option as early as fifth overall, when the Canucks are on the clock. He falls into the Islanders’ lap 10 picks later, and they couldn’t be happier. A dynamic offensive player with sky-high upside. Full profile: <a href=
16. Calgary Flames
HV 71, SHL. Lias Andersson. 16. player. 112. The Flames are happy with <a rel=. Centre
17. Toronto Maple Leafs
18. Boston Bruins
player. 70. The Bruins grab a centre they had much higher on their list than 18th. Thomas is a coach’s dream who does everything he’s asked to do and more. An excellent two-way player that can be relied on in all situations. Full profile: <a href=. Centre. London Knights, OHL. Robert Thomas. 18
19. San Jose Sharks
Dynamo Moskva, KHL. Klim Kostin. 19. player. 120. No risk, no fun. The Sharks need a young infusion of talent soon, as their star forwards are ageing quickly. Klim Kostin brings some risk as a Russian prospect who missed almost the entire year with an injury, but the Sharks like his immensely high talent level. Full profile: <a href=. Right Wing
20. St. Louis Blues
99. Blues GM Doug Armstrong can’t help but crack a smile as he announces St. Louis’s pick, still somewhat afraid he might’ve missed that Vesalainen is already off the board. A highly talented winger who can play a punishing power-forward game, Vesalainen is a perfect fit with the Blues, and might be looked at as a major steal just a couple of years from now. Full profile: <a href=. Right Wing. Frolunda HC, SHL. Kristian Vesalainen. 20. player
21. New York Rangers
21. player. 95. The Rangers are currently still hoping to compete for the Stanley Cup, and there are no prospects available that are likely to be big-time contributors on a contender anytime soon. So, they just go with Nic Hague, the best player available. A highly intelligent two-way D-man that can have a heavy impact on the outcome of games.. Defence. Mississauga Steelheads, OHL. Nic Hague
22. Edmonton Oilers
148. The Oilers have a long history of failing to develop defence, up to the point where they felt the need to trade star winger <a rel=. Defence. JYP, Liiga. Urho Vaakanainen. 22. player
23. Arizona Coyotes (from MIN)
Being the organisation that had the guts to make a 26-year-old ‘numbers guy’ their GM, drafting Cale Makar and Kailer Yamamoto in the first round of the draft would definitely be a Coyote thing to do. Arizona gets another incredibly talented but undersized prospect that could develop into a <a rel=. Right Wing. Spokane Chiefs, WHL. Kailer Yamamoto. 23. player. 121
24. Columbus Blue Jackets
25. Montreal Canadiens
152. Cal Foote’s offensive numbers might have gotten a bit inflated thanks to the offensive group he got to play with. Yet, he’s a promising two-way player and the Canadiens are getting what looks like a surefire NHL defenceman. The only question is what kind of role he can fill at the highest level.. Defence. Kelowna Rockets, WHL. Cal Foote. 25. player
26. Chicago Blackhawks
Maxime Comtois. 26. player. 94. Comtois is the typical low-floor, low-ceiling type of player. He seems like a lock to make the NHL in one role or another, but the Blackhawks might have to be fine with getting a bottom-six grinder with a strong two-way game here, rather than an exciting offensive contributor. Then again, Comtois has nice offensive potential as well.. Left Wing. Victoriaville Tigres, QMJHL
27. St. Louis Blues (from WSH)
After landing a potential steal in Vesalainen earlier in the first round, the Blues select a D-man with limited upside but good NHL potential. Joseph is a hard worker who can defend and move the puck, which is enough to move into the first round as a strong two-way player.. Defence. Charlottetown Islanders, QMJHL. Pierre-Olivier Joseph. 27. player. 99
28. Ottawa Senators
player. 91. Did anyone expect the Senators to be the Canadian team that makes it to the Conference Finals? If you said yes, you’re probably lying. Ottawa just goes with who they think is the best player available — Isaac Ratcliffe. A lanky winger with a laser for a shot.. Left Wing. Guelph Storm, OHL. Isaac Ratcliffe. 28
29. Dallas Stars (from ANA)
Joni Ikonen. 29. player. 119. The Stars go double-Finnish in the first round, as they make Joni Ikonen their second selection of the draft. Ikonen has incredible offensive potential thanks to excellent hockey IQ and outstanding puck skills. With their two picks, Dallas could be one of the big winners of this round. Full profile: <a href=. Centre. Frolunda HC U20, SuperElit
30. Nashville Predators
Jason Robertson. 30. player. 151. Playing in the Stanley Cup finals comes with a price tag one we head into the draft. But the Predators probably don’t give a damn. They cap off a fantastic season with a solid first-round draft pick in Jason Robertson. The goal-scoring winger has some work to do, but it could well pay off for the Preds in the future. Full profile: <a href=. Left Wing. Hamilton Bulldogs, OHL
31. Pittsburgh Penguins
Max Gildon. 31. player. 92. Don’t ask me why, but I like Max Gildon a lot for Pittsburgh with the final pick of the first round. The American two-way defender had a slow start into the year but really turned it around and now looks like a prospect with second-pairing upside again. The Gildon are in no rush to bring their 2017 draft picks in, so they don’t mind taking Gildon with their only pick in the top two rounds of the draft. Full profile: <a href=. Defence. US U-18, NTDP
Next: Canucks Could Get a Franchise Player at 5th Overall
Scouts, media and fans have started to establish at least something close to a consensus about this draft. But this mock proved once again how wide-open it still is.
In every range, teams will have to pick one of at least 10 players that could justifiably be selected when they are on the clock. So, be excited!
Make sure to leave your thoughts in the comment section or via Twitter @janikbeichler and @FSTheCanuckWay!