FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- The next generation of NHL stars takes the stage at the 2015 NHL draft. Corey Pronman breaks down every first-round pick in real time, with analysis on every prospect and how they'll fit into each team's organization.
Final Mock Draft | Top 100 prospects | Needs for all 30 teams
1. Edmonton Oilers: Connor McDavid
McDavid is one of the best pure skaters I've ever seen. It's incredible how effortlessly he accelerates to an extremely dangerous full speed. He'll step into the NHL next season and be one of his team's fastest players.
His puck skills are also of that same extremely high grade. He makes some unique puck plays. McDavid also has elite hockey sense, so on top of knowing how to make defenders miss left and right and set up his teammates, this also lets him be an elite forechecker when combined with his skating. He follows the play off the puck so well that whenever he's on the ice -- even when the other team has the puck -- you're still expecting a McDavid scoring chance.
Team fit: He's a relentless worker, and that quality thrown in with some of his others makes him a very dangerous penalty killer, as well. McDavid slides into the Oilers' top six right away, giving them much needed center depth and the best pure talent the organization has had in a long time. This immediately changes their organizational direction and makes them as close to a playoff team as they've been in a long time.
2. Buffalo Sabres: Jack Eichel
Eichel is one of the very best college freshmen of the modern era. His skill level is elite, and it's off the charts for a 6-foot-2 forward in terms of the amount of high-level plays he makes regularly. He makes evasions seem effortless; I often hear from scouts that he looks "bored."
He's strong, works hard and thinks the game at such a high level that he creates chances in bunches. He's also a very good defensive forward who has often been one of his team's top penalty killers. He skates very well with an explosive first few steps and a smooth glide you don't see often with bigger players.
Team fit: Eichel will go right to the top of a poor Buffalo lineup and become the best pure talent in the organization, with more upside than Evander Kane, although obviously not as proven. He and Sam Reinhart become a dangerous one-two center punch in prospects, obviously depending on the future of a player such as Cody Hodgson with the team.
3. Arizona Coyotes: Dylan Strome
Strome was one of the very top scorers in the OHL this season, and while many point to the teammate effect with McDavid on the same team, he didn't play with him much at even strength yet still managed a roughly 1.5-points-per-game pace when McDavid was hurt.
Strome is a great stick handler, especially for a 6-3 player, but he's also smart with the puck. He slows the play down very well, passes at an elite level and operates well in tight spaces. He's not great defensively yet, although he's fine on the draw and could project to have decent defensive value down the line. Strome's main weakness is his skating, as he lacks an explosive top gear and is just roughly average in that area overall.
Team fit: Dylan Strome becomes the top prospect in the system, ahead of Max Domi and Anthony Duclair, providing size and elite skill up the middle. He could challenge for a spot next season on such a poor forward group, but it will be a "we'll see" thing at the Coyotes' camp.
4. Toronto Maple Leafs: Mitch Marner
Marner's speed, acceleration and edge control are all high-end, and because of that, you rarely saw an OHL defenseman land a clean check on Marner. His puck skills are elite, and he can make great in-tight plays to evade pressure, dekes in full stride to get around a defender or puck plays off the half-boards that create offense in bunches.
Marner is also an incredible passer, making quick reads with the ability to stretch the ice or move it across laterally through traffic with consistency. While small, his defensive game is solid and improved quite notably over the course of the OHL season to where he became one of London's better penalty killers.
Team fit: Marner joins a gifted group of forward prospects, providing the organization a huge boost of skill, speed and hockey intellect. The organization now has two foundational scorers in Marner and Nylander to start this rebuild to add to a young player like Morgan Rielly. They still need more, though, and this is the beginning of a lengthy building process. Marner likely needs another year in Junior but could make things interesting in camp next year.
5. Carolina Hurricanes: Noah Hanifin
Hanifin is an elite all-around defenseman. He's a high-end skater who moves incredibly well for a player of his size. His first few steps are explosive, with as much power out of his pivots and crossovers as you'll see in a defenseman.
His puck skills and offensive IQ don't blow you away, but he's very good in those areas. Hanifin can make the quick passes, lead a rush in a dynamic way and makes good decisions with the puck.
Defensively, he closes his gaps well, uses his stick effectively and projects as a player who can stop good forwards. Overall, his game is a high-tempo, high-energy style, though he's not the most bruising defender.
Team fit: Hanifin is arguably the third-best pure talent in the class, but I slotted him 5 due to position. Even with top picks such as Haydn Fleury and Ryan Murphy in the organization, Hanifin stands out clearly as the best young D in the system. Carolina in my opinion is close to coming out of these past few years of misery with a decent core of young players. With some rebound years, the Canes might be back sooner than later.
6. New Jersey Devils: Pavel Zacha
Zacha's season was a little up and down this season and lost time due to injuries. All the tools point in the right direction for Zacha. He's a big, strong forward who uses his body well. He's a fantastic skater for a big man who can explode through the neutral zone.
He's also a pretty skilled playmaker who shows coordinated puck handling and the vision to make plays. Zacha's shot is notably above average with a ton of torque behind it. He'll need to improve his defensive positioning, but he does show effort to come back on D.
Team fit: Zacha is the much-needed, top-end forward prospect this system has craved for the last couple of years. A high-variance pick due to a bumpy season, but one with such a desirable talent base. He immediately becomes New Jersey's top prospect, and its best since Adam Larsson. I suspect he'll be sent back to Junior next season.
7. Philadelphia Flyers: Ivan Provorov
Provorov is a very skilled and advanced defenseman who has shown a strong commitment to North America, having played on this side of the Atlantic for the past four seasons. He's a very gifted skater with good agility and power out of his stride, although he has an awkward lean-over skating style. He's above average as an offensive player, with good puck skills and great ability to find lanes and move the puck.
He's slightly undersized for a defenseman, but he's decent to solid in his own end, with good angles, positioning and stick work. There are times when his defensive zone play shows a read error, but overall, he makes enough stops to be reliable at even strength.
Team fit: In a system stacked with defense prospects, Provorov is among if not the very best one in that pipeline. Unlike an offensive minded Travis Sanheim or a big, crushing Samuel Morin, Provorov, while offensively tilted, is a very solid all-around defenseman. He should need another one to two years in Junior.
8. Columbus Blue Jackets: Zach Werenski
Zach was one of the rare defensemen to play at the top of an NCAA lineup as a 17-year-old defenseman. Werenski is at the top of his game when he has the puck, whether it's on an outlet, bringing it up on the rush or controlling a power play. He makes a ton of plays offensively due to his skating and hockey IQ and never looks panicked when doing so.
He's pretty developed physically already, measuring in at 6-2 and 214 pounds, although he's not a very physical player. His defense isn't poor -- in fact, I'd say it's better than average -- but he can get caught making mistakes in his positional play. He's a potential top-four D-man who can also be a first-unit power-play option
Team fit: The Blue Jackets understandably have tried to add to their defense group recently, given their elite group of young forwards from their past few drafts. Werenski becomes their best D prospect by light years.
9. San Jose Sharks: Timo Meier
Meier had a pretty successful second season in North America, racking up a lot of points in Halifax. He's a versatile forward in that he can play center and the wing and can play on both special teams. Meier has a pro-sized frame, skates and handles the puck at above-average levels and can play with pace.
He shows a commitment to get back into the defensive zone. Meier can get tunnel vision with the puck at times, and overall he's not a true standout offensive talent, but the production this year was obviously very impressive.
Team fit: Meier differs from recent forward selections such as Tomas Hertl and Nikolai Goldobin. He's a two-way force with size, speed, skill and a great motor. His offensive production was impressive this season, but I'm not 100 percent sure his role is that of a true top scorer in the NHL. His physical game and advanced D play could help him get to the NHL in a fair amount of time though for San Jose.
10. Colorado Avalanche: Mikko Rantanen
Rantanen carried one of the worst teams in the Liiga this season despite being under 19. Rantanen is a big-bodied, 6-4 forward with tremendous skill and vision for a player his size.
He's not an overly physical player, but on occasion he'll drive the net and make the most of his size; unfortunately, that doesn't happen as much as you'd hope. His skating is roughly average, maybe a tick below out of the gate, although I've heard some Finnish scouts say they're not too concerned there.
Team fit: Rantanen is interesting just due to how incredible he played versus men for the last half of the season, essentially carrying his very poor team some nights. He becomes Colorado's top prospect, in a team currently still rebuilding, he provides a scorer with size the Avalanche don't have in their organization. Rantanen is AHL-ready should the Avs choose to bring him over right away.
11. Florida Panthers: Lawson Crouse
Crouse is a player with fantastic physical gifts, and despite a lack of amazing statistical production, he's consistently impressive. He's an outstanding skater for a 6-4 forward and will be an above-average skater at the NHL level.
Crouse plays a tough brand of hockey, supplemented by his filled-out frame, and he projects as an elite physical player in the NHL. Crouse is very advanced defensively for an under-18 prospect, showing very good defensive awareness and penalty-killing skills. He's not a standout offensively, but he's above average in terms of puck skills and offensive ability; he just doesn't show it consistently.
Team fit: Crouse has generated a lot of debate but versus his age group it's been no question he's a top prospect. He is the top prospect now in Florida's system and a player who could fast track within a year to the NHL. His defense is extremely good for a U-18, and he's built like a truck.
12. Dallas Stars: Denis Guryanov
Guryanov is an explosive skater and gets the highest of grades in terms of pure skating ability for a player his size. He pushes the pace very well and can be a lot to handle for defenders on the rush. He combines that with a good skill level, as he creates a lot of chances with his hands and vision.
His decisions with the puck aren't always great, but he does get involved a lot on offense. Guryanov is also a solid finisher, flashing an above-average shot. He's not a defensive stalwart, but he's solid in his own end -- closing on his checks effectively -- and has penalty-killing skills on top of being a short-handed scoring threat.
13. Boston Bruins: Jakub Zboril
Zboril has a pretty well-rounded style but doesn't have one particular elite skill. His footwork is very clean, with an easy stride and the power to get up in the rush. Zboril doesn't have standout puck skills, but he's a very calm and efficient passer who makes plays when under pressure.
He uses his frame well to win battles and box out forwards and still has room to fill out. Defensively, he shows solid value. His positioning and reads aren't perfectly tweaked yet, as I've seen him get beat a little too much, but he makes stops and can kill penalties at a fine level.
Team fit: Zboril joins a growing group of quality defensemen prospects in Boston since acquiring Colin Miller, as well today. Zboril will need time, but a player with his size and speed to combine with offensive skill makes him appealing for the long run.
14. Boston Bruins: Jake DeBrusk
DeBrusk had an excellent age-17 season, showing off his many tools. He's a good skater, generates a dangerous top gear and has solid power in his lower body. His work ethic is strong, and that helps him cover a lot of ice. DeBrusk is a very skilled playmaker who can make the soft-touch plays to his teammates, as well as create chances for himself.
He's a little undersized, but he fights through checks, gets back on defense and is a solid penalty killer. In the WHL this season, he showed he can be an all-situations player while also making an occasional appearance on highlight reels.
Team fit: DeBrusk is the second-best forward prospect in the system now behind Khokhlachev. His production was very impressive, and as a late birth date he should be in the pro ranks by 2016-17 and potentially pushing for a job not too long after that. Senyshyn is a little off the board pick, although his speed is among the best in the class. He works hard and has size, but I'm not sure I see a skill/hockey sense of that level.
15. Boston Bruins: Zachary Senyshyn
Senyshyn is one of the quickest players in this draft class, with an elite top gear and an ability to push defensemen off their gaps. He's solid defensively, including on the penalty kill. Some scouts believe he plays a little too much of a north-south game, but he still makes offensive plays.
16. New York Islanders: Mathew Barzal
Barzal has an explosive first step, high-end top speed and edge work that is among the most impressive of his age group. Barzal's skill level is also pretty good, with his vision and playmaking being standout attributes. He's patient, creative and shifty with the puck. He's not an incredibly physical player but shows great energy and effort on the ice at both ends. He is often one of his team's top scoring-chance creators and penalty killers.
Team fit: Barzal is worth the price of former Griffin Reinhart and a good argument he's a better prospect. He's so dynamic and becomes the Islanders top prospect immediately. Injuries put some questions on his season, but when healthy, he showed he was elite. The Islanders have a ton of great young forwards, but the value at 16 was too good to pass up for them.
17. Winnipeg Jets: Kyle Conor
Connor has had multiple All-Star-caliber seasons in the USHL. He plays the game with energy and pace, and is a fantastic skater with a little giddy-up in his step. His hockey IQ and his skating allow him to be an effective defensive forward, as well.
He's not especially great as a dangler, but he's definitely above average in the puck skills category, with very quick hands. He likes getting to the net and is the kind of player to get the puck on the sideboards, make a move to make a defender miss, and either drive the puck to the crease or get a shot on goal.
Team fit: Connor's USHL career has been unique and outstanding to date. He joins a great group of forward prospects in Winnipeg with Nikolaj Ehlers and Nic Petan and complements them well, as he's about pace and speed as opposed to east-west plays. Winnipeg can afford to take their time with him while their other prospects hit the NHL, as Connor heads to Michigan and they get four years to sign him.
18. Ottawa Senators: Thomas Chabot
Chabot is a very gifted skater who can outlet the puck well and is very dangerous off the rush. Chabot has impressive overall hockey IQ, especially offensively, as he sees the ice very well and is able to control the tempo.
His value is certainly offensively tilted, as he loves to join the attack and stretch the ice with his passes. But he's not entirely one-dimensional, as he can make some defensive stops, is physical and can be effective on the penalty kill. He'll need to continue to develop his defensive play, but he could be a two-way defenseman as a pro.
Team fit: Chabot is a much-needed boost on defense for the Senators organization providing a high upside, even if he has some kinks to iron out in his overall game. He becomes one of their top prospects right away and their top D prospect.
19. Detroit Red Wings: Evgeni Svechnikov
Svechnikov is a 6-2 forward with a ton of talent who effectively switched to center in the latter months of the season. He's very shifty in tight, and can make lightning-quick moves to evade pressure. Svechnikov also uses his big frame well to protect the puck and doesn't shy away from putting physical pressure on his opponents. He sees the ice well, and has good touch on all his passes.
His skating isn't a standout attribute, but he skates fine as a bigger player. His defense is a notable "work in progress," and he doesn't at all seem like a player you're projecting into tough defensive roles as an NHLer. His upside is top-end, as you don't often see his combination of size, puck skills and offensive IQ.
Team fit: The Red Wings system is officially stocked with the pick of Svechnikov, as he adds on to prospects such as Anthony Mantha, Dylan Larkin and Axel Holmstrom as legitimate top-end forward prospects. These are not your typical small, high-end skill guys Detroit is known for; they all have size and top-end scoring tools.
20. Minnesota Wild: Joel Eriksson Ek
Eriksson Ek is a very versatile player and is a low-risk type of prospect. Eriksson Ek's hockey IQ is his best trait.
I wouldn't classify him as a dominant player, but whether he's playing in front of the net on the power play, creating from the side boards, killing off penalties, checking good players, taking a key draw or being the extra man when the team needs a goal, coaches always can rely on Eriksson Ek. His puck skills are solid, and his skating is about average, with his straight-line speed being stronger than his edges and bursts.
Team fit: I discussed the fit of Eriksson Ek in Minny in my mock draft (at least I got one right this late in the game). He's a very good two-way player who fits into the design of the highly skilled young players Minnesota has acquired over the years. He can be the guy who can potentially take the tough minutes.
21. Ottawa Senators: Colin White
White's standout attribute is his hockey sense. "He has so many little details to his game," said one scout. "He makes smart plays all over the ice." White is a smooth, quiet player who gets a lot done. He sees the ice at a high level, he's creative but isn't overly flashy with the puck and rarely makes mistakes.
White is very good defensively, often being the kind of player who is leaned on to kill penalties and take critical defensive zone draws. His skating is what one scout describes as "deceptively quick" in that he won't jet down the wing, but he can get to a good top gear and doesn't labor around the ice.
Team fit: White is a great two-way center who came into the season as a player who was projected to go higher. The organization doesn't have a ton of talent down the middle, and White immediately changes that.
22. Washington Capitals: Ilya Samsonov
Samsonov screams "upside" as a bigger netminder who moves like he's 5-10. Samsonov can make some very acrobatic saves, exhibits quick feet out of his butterfly and has a solid glove hand. He challenges shooters high in his crease, though he can get caught scrambling a little due to that aggressiveness. Samsonov's reads are fine, but they need some tweaking. Overall, he squares up a lot of pucks and exhibits good effort. He also didn't play a ton this year, so sample size is a bit of an issue in his evaluation.
Team fit: After going high with a goalie last year in Vitek Vanecek, the Caps go higher to get a goaltender this season. Samsonov is dynamic, but I would not have bet on a goalie in Russia going this high without blow-you-away, incredible talent.
23. Vancouver Canucks: Brock Boeser
Boeser is a good, physical player with a bulky 6-1 frame and a great work ethic. Boeser is strong on the puck in battles to help maintain possession, and he goes to the net with consistency. He has one of the better shots in this draft class and gets it off quickly with zip.
While he's skilled, he's not an overly flashy player; he's more of a read-and-react player who also has solid hand-eye coordination. His skating is about average and leans to being a little below that mark; it's not a huge liability, but he could gain an extra step.
Team fit: Boeser will join a group of strong forward prospects in Vancouver, providing a different dimension off the wing in terms of his shot and puck protection style.
24. Philadelphia Flyers: Travis Konecny
Konecny is an explosive skater who jets through the neutral zone with the best in the CHL. Konecny is small and doesn't win a ton of battles, but he is tough, and he plays a fearless style of hockey in which he drives the net and gets involved physically. He's a very skilled puck handler, who can make defenders miss. He's also a very smart offensive player who is more than just a pure dangler. He also has fine defensive value and could project onto a pro-level penalty kill if he handles the physical grind.
Team fit: I love Konecny and this is a fantastic addition this late in the draft (I have him rated top-10, and hilarious over their seventh overall pick Provorov). His production wasn't ideal this season for a top pick, but scouting him, you see different things. His tools are so dynamic and he makes so much happen due to his abilities. Provorov and Konecny are a great haul and put the Flyers system in the best shape it has been in years.
25. Winnipeg Jets: John Roslovic
Roslovic is a very good skater, and though he isn't as high-end with his puck skills, that area is still pretty good. He's also a smart, two-way player. Roslovic sees the ice well, with the ability to make the difficult distributions. He also has some dazzle to his game and will on occasion execute a rush that draws the attention of the crowd. He could stand to bulk up, as he's not all that intimidating in the physical game. Consistency of effort is also a flaw in the view of some scouts.
In terms of his ranking, I think I was slightly too harsh on Roslovic when I released my May rankings. He should have been more of a top-40 to -45 prospect.
Team fit: Roslovic was a big riser in the second half. He was over shadowed at times playing alongside Auston Matthews, but his speed always stood out. Connor and Roslovic are two highly skilled wingers to plug into the Winnipeg system, and, like with Connor, the Jets can afford to be patient with Roslovic.
26. Montreal Canadiens: Noah Juulsen
Juulsen has above-average mobility and puck-moving skills, which is why he was a mainstay for Everett all season on the power play. Juulsen plays a good physical game, which should get better as he puts on more bulk. However, he can be overly aggressive at times, and leave his ideal defensive position. Overall, his defensive-zone play is about average. Every year there are one or two prospects whom I would substantially re-rank weeks after my top 100 posts in May after talking to hockey people. Juulsen is that guy this year; he's a top-50 prospect currently for me but outside my top 30.
27. Anaheim Ducks: Jacob Larsson
Larsson has a lot of physical tools, moves effortlessly in all directions and evades pressure pretty well for a big guy. He's not an overly gifted puck mover but has solid to above-average skill. Defensively, Larsson can make some stops. He uses his body well to win battles and shows good effort in battles. He's not great in his own end, as he could clean up his reads, reactions and overall positioning. His skating allows him to make up for some errors.
Team fit: In selecting Larsson, the Ducks get a toolsy, two-way defenseman who they can afford to wait a while on, given the changes to the CBA with European players. That will be a positive thing given all the good Anaheim prospects coming through the pipeline.
28. New York Islanders: Anthony Beauvillier
Beauvillier's main weakness is his size, as he measured in at 5-10, but other than that, he's a pretty well-rounded prospect. He's a decent defensive center who is good on draws and displays a high-end work ethic at both ends of the rink. Beauvillier plays with energy, drives the net and engages physically.
He's an above-average skater, who can gain the zone effectively by pushing the defenders back on their gaps. He's not an overly flashy player, but he's always making plays. His best trait is his hockey IQ. He sees the play unfolding very well and sets up chances with his patience and vision. He also has a pretty good shot.
Team fit: Beauvillier along with Barzal gives the Islanders system yet another big boost, which New York has done at several of the past few NHL Entry Drafts. A former top QMJHL pick, Beauvillier is loaded with talent, and his shot generation was eye-popping this season.
29. Columbus Blue Jackets: Gabriel Carlsson
With Carlsson, it's more about the scouting projection as opposed to the statistical production, because there wasn't much of the latter. To put it simply: He's great defensively. He is always coming over the boards for any tough defensive zone draw and to start most penalty kills. He's very smart in his own end, closing on his checks well, getting in lanes and disrupting offensive setups. His puck skills are not the greatest, but he can jump up into the play here and there.
Team fit: Carlsson is a guy I knew could be in the first round, as he has size, mobility and is great defensively, but his lack of offense scares me taking him this high. He's for the most part a one-dimensional player, but that one dimension is great. Like Werenski, he adds to a lack of defensive depth in the Columbus system.
30. Arizona Coyotes: Nick Merkley
Merkley had a very impressive season as one of the WHL's top scorers. He's a high-end offensive weapon who can make a wide variety of plays to generate scoring chances and is a dynamic puck handler with very soft hands and a high level of creativity.
In games I've seen, he's looked like just an above-average skater, but several scouts I talk to describe him as great in that area. His 5-11 frame isn't ideal, but he works hard in puck battles, has a fine strength level and seems to have the character components to overcome his size. His defensive play has also shown immense improvements from 12 months ago.
Team fit: Merkley and Strome give a much, much-needed offensive boost to their organization. I mean, look at the forwards they were rolling out there last season. That won't change much right away, but it's a much-needed addition.