2016 NHL Mock Draft - brought to you by KilkennyDan

BJs select D-man
Lucas Johansen

 

Taken already

 

Columbus officially OTC. I gave Carolina a pick for Columbus in case they don't return.

 

Will do you have a pick for the Ducks?

 

Columbus Selects
Dennis Cholowski

 

Yes.

 

Carolina Hurricanes picks Kale Clague , D Brandon Wheatkings

 

DUCKS select; Cliff Pu C, London (OHL)

 

That's a strong pick - I expect he'll rise to the late first at the First Niagara Center (soon to be KeyCorp Arena).

 

Sorry for the delay but I wasn't able to get on my comp the last half hour.

The Coyotes need defensive prospects and after getting Fabbro they need to grab another one. The run on D has been scary but luckily our man is still there.

The Arizona Coyotes Select
Markus Niemel?inen - Saginaw

 

He was pretty under the radar I'm glad he dropped a little low. I got a steal but rumours are Oilers go for him with the second pick of second round.

 

The Buffalo Sabres select Cam Dineen, D.

Boom, boom, boom, K. Clague, M. Niemelainen, gone! (Silly me, I dreamed he might slide to the 3rd, but was going to trade back up for Marcus if he slide to the second half of the second. He sure would look nice beside Rasmus Ristoleinen in a few years.) Still, I am very happy with Cam Dineen who I definitely expect will go in the first.

 

This is not a classically strong draft class, but if your team wants D then it's really deep. That's going to save the GM's ass for some teams - like the Oil & the Sabres - that really must pick D early and often. The depth is why I did not sweat going D in the first.

 

Nice pick.

As for Markus Niemel?inen he is one of those players projected anywhere from 1st to 3rd. I expect him to be in the top half of that projection. Coyotes needed a D and there was no way I was gonna risk waiting 12 more picks to get him. Good size and skill. Now to wait for him to develop. lol. I was also looking at Clague. He was my backup if Markus was gone. Dineen was also on my shortlist there.

 

Oh and Montreal is on the clock but their guy is gone. It was Markus Niemel?inen.

 

I'm going to be hard to reach since I am very, very far from civilization, (but not too far from the Baseball HoF). In any case, with Marcus Niemelainen off the board, I am less anxious for the Sabres to move back into the second, but I may if the offer is right. And, if the right player is still on the board.

If you're thinking of moving down, Buffalo has 4 thirds, a fourth, and 2 fifths, and can take on a bad contract with 1 or 2 years remaining.

 

Maybe the Jets at 20 but it would likely be a decision at the pick. It is the 2nd last pick of the day.

 

I agree with your take on Niemelainen. I think he's going to take a bit longer before he's ready for the NHL, but you cannot coach size, and he is massive. I would have taken Clague, then Dineen, and I'll probably have to reprise my view of where Marcus will go. But I'd be real pleased if the (real) Sabres ended up with any one of this trio.

 

O.K., PM with what you would want as we get closer. I'm only going to move up if there's a run on what I want and the board still has someone I rate highly.