DFO NHL Mock Draft 2020

The 2020 NHL Draft will start on Tuesday, October 6th with the first round. Rounds 2-7 will be completed on Wednesday, October 7th. I have done my best to project who each team will take with my 2020 NHL Mock Draft.

Each pick is accompanied by the team’s current top prospect, as laid out by Scott Wheeler of The Athletic. He has a full list of each team’s top prospects if you want to read more. In addition to what I think of each player, I have a small blurb from the internet’s talented scouts on each player.

Over the last two years, I have mocked at 17.7 percent, so take this as a chance to learn about each player more than a concrete landing spot.

2020 NHL Mock Draft

1. New York Rangers — Alexis Lafreniere (LW)

Top Prospects:
– Nils Lundkvist (RHD)
– Vitali Kravtsov (RW)
– K’Andre Miller (LHD)
– Zac Jones (LHD)
– Joey Keane (RHD)

If you look on Twitter you’ll find hundreds of mock trades where the Rangers give up the No.1 pick to acquire someone like Jack Eichel. That’s probably not happening, the Rangers are holding onto this pick and there’s no chance they pass on Lafreniere. He averaged an absurd 2.15 points-per-game in the QMJHL this past season and was electric at the World Juniors, ranking fourth in points (10) despite missing two games with a lower-body injury.

Lafreniere has unbelievable hands and creativity to go along with a great shot. However, he’s not all offence. He also has good size (6-foot-1, 194 lbs.) and isn’t afraid to play physical or go to the dirty areas of the ice. He is an all-around, can’t miss prospect who will be a foundational player for the Rangers. Adding Lafreniere one year after drafting Kaapo Kakko is a luxury every team would want.

2. Los Angeles Kings — Tim Stutzle (LW)

Top Prospects:
– Alex Turcotte (C)
– Arthur Kaliyev (LW)
– Samuel Fagemo (LW/RW)
– Gabe Vilardi (C)
– Rasmus Kupari (C)

At this time last year, Byfield was the unquestioned No.2 overall selection but Stutzle quickly rose up the draft ranks throughout the season. Stutzle looked great for an undermanned Germany team at the World Juniors, picking up five assists in five games. He played well against men in Germany’s top league as well, with 34 points (7G / 27A) in 41 games.

With centres Turcotte, Vilardi, Kupari and Akil Thomas already in their system, I would not be surprised one bit if the Kings add the winger Stutzle instead of Byfield. Many believe Stutzle is the more NHL-ready prospect as well.

3. Ottawa Senators — Quinton Byfield (C)

Top Prospects:
– Drake Batherson (RW)
– Erik Brannstrom (LHD)
– Jacob Bernard-Docker (RHD)
– Lassi Thomson (RHD)
– Shane Pinto (C)

With a couple of chances at getting first overall, the Senators are undoubtedly upset about picking No.3 and No.5. However, with a clear top-3, at least Ottawa will walk away with either Byfield or Stutzle.

Byfield is exactly what the Senators prospect pool needs. They lack an elite centre prospect. Byfield is a big (6-foot-4, 215 lbs.) offensively gifted centre who can play in all situations. In his second OHL season, he had 32 goals and 50 assists (82 points) in just 45 games, falling just short of the 2.0 points-per-game mark. He struggled against better competition at the World Juniors but has all the tools to be a No.1 centre in the NHL given some time to develop. He’ll have an opportunity to make the team out of training camp but don’t be surprised if he’s back in juniors for another year.

4. Detroit Red Wings — Cole Perfetti (C)

Top Prospects:
– Moritz Seider (RHD)
– Joe Veleno (C)
– Michael Rasmussen (C/LW)
– Jonatan Berggren (LW/RW)
– Jared McIsaac (LHD)

If anyone is mad about the lottery results it’s Detroit. They were historically bad in 2020 and needed a foundational piece like Lafreniere. Not only did they miss out on the No.1 pick but they missed out on the clearly defined “Elite” level of this draft.

Steve Yzerman surprised everyone when he took Moritz Seider at No.6 last year but Seider has risen up the rankings since that day. Does he have another surprise in 2020? Cole Perfetti has been the player most often linked to the Red Wings and it seems like a good fit but Yaroslav Askarov is an elite goaltending prospect and will definitely be in consideration at No.4.

If it’s Perfetti, the Red Wings are getting one of the most skilled players in this draft class. He isn’t the biggest (5-foot-11, 177 lbs.) or the fastest but he’s put up elite numbers in his first two years in the OHL. He scored 37 goals as a 17-year-old, which is among the best in league history. He followed that up with another 37 goals in 2020 but doubled his assist total to 74, to rank second in the league with 111 points. Drafting Perfetti at No.4 could set the Red Wings up to have Larkin-Perfetti-Veleno down the middle in the coming years.

5. Ottawa Senators — Yaroslav Askarov (G)

Askarov is among the best goalie prospects we’ve seen in recent years and the biggest wild card in this year’s draft. Askarov could anywhere from No.4 to No.13 and if he goes this early, it will completely shake-up the draft. Ottawa doesn’t have any great goaltending prospects, so adding Askarov would make a lot of sense. Leaving the draft with the top centre and top goaltender is a great consolation for a team that already has great D-prospects.

This would be the first time the Senators have drafted a goalie in the first round since they took Mathieu Chouinard No.15 overall in 1998. He played one NHL game.

6. Anaheim Ducks — Jamie Drysdale (RHD)

Top Prospects:
– Trevor Zegras (C/LW)
– Maxime Comtois (LW)
– Henry Thrun (LHD)
– Brayden Tracey (LW)
– Josh Mahura (LHD)

The Ducks were once a defenseman factory and taking Drysdale at No.6 would help get them back on that trajectory. They don’t have a lot of high-end D-prospects in the pool right now but they will need to start because their D-core is getting closer to 30-years-old.

As a 17-year-old Drysdale was among the best defensemen in the OHL last year, ranking 13th at the position with 47 points (9G / 38A) in 49 games. He also made Team Canada’s World Junior team and earned more ice-time as the tournament progressed. Given their size, Ducks fans will want to compare him to Quinn Hughes but he’s probably most closely comparable to their own Cam Fowler.

7. New Jersey Devils — Lucas Raymond (LW)

Top Prospects:
– Ty Smith (LHD)
– Reilly Walsh (RHD)
– Joey Anderson (RW)
– Kevin Bahl (LHD)
– Tyce Thompson (C)

If the Senators pass on Askarov, this seems like another likely landing spot for him. With Askarov off of the board, Lucas Raymond makes a lot of sense. It will be difficult to pass on Jake Sanderson but defensemen is the strength of their farm system. With three picks in the first round, they’ll be able to address all of their needs and they need a winger more than they need a centre like Marco Rossi. New Jersey already has three centres on their roster under the age of 23, so they should be in good chances with Jack Hughes (19), Nico Hischer (21) and Pavel Zacha (23) for years to come.

Raymond’s numbers won’t jump off the page at you because he was playing limited minutes against men in the SHL. Against players closer to his age he impressed at the U20 World Juniors, with two goals and two assists in seven games. Raymond incredible hands and playmaking ability and showed that off in his brief time with Sweden’s U20 league, posting 11 assists and 14 points in just nine games.

8. Buffalo Sabres — Marco Rossi (C)

Top Prospects:
– Dylan Cozens (C)
– Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (G)
– Erik Portillo (G)
– Rasmus Asplund (C)
– Ryan Johnson (LHD)

What’s not to like about the player who led the OHL in points? The Austrian centre built on a great 17-year-old season with 39 goals and 81 assists (120 points) in 56 games with the Ottawa 67’s as an 18-year-old. Rossi has fantastic hands and a lot of offensive ability but what makes him an intriguing prospect is his work ethic and equally strong two-way game.

Given their propensity to draft Swedes, Raymond is probably also in play at this pick if New Jersey goes elsewhere.

9. Minnesota Wild — Jake Sanderson (LHD)

Top Prospects:
– Kirill Kaprizov (LW/RW)
– Matthew Boldy (C/LW)
– Alexander Khovanov (C)
– Vladislav Firstov (LW)
– Sam Hentges (C)

With a forward-heavy prospect pool and an ageing D-corps, Sanderson slots in nicely at No.9. Sanderson had a strong year with the USNTDP and projects to be a great two-way defenseman in the NHL. He doesn’t have the high-end offensive upside of a Drysdale but he has terrific size (6-foot-2, 185 lbs.) and moves well for a player of that stature. His game can be compared to current Wild defenseman Jonas Brodin except with more physicality. That sounds like the ideal defenseman.

10. Winnipeg Jets — Anton Lundell (C)

Top Prospects:
– Ville Heinola (LHD)
– Dylan Samberg (LHD)
– Mikhail Berdin (G)
– Kristian Vesalainen (LW/RW)
– Declan Chisholm (LHD)

The Jets need to add a centre to their prospect pool and Anton Lundell makes too much sense here. Winnipeg has drafted a Finnish born player with each of their last three first-round picks–Patrik Laine (2016), Kristian Vesalainen (2017) and Ville Heinola (2019). So why stop now?

Unlike most draft hopefuls, Lundell actually posted strong numbers and played significant minutes in a European pro league. In 44 Liiga games, Lundell compiled 28 points (10G / 18A), which was seventh-best on the team. Pretty impressive for a 17-year-old, who also had four points (1G / 3A) in seven games while representing Finland at the U20 World Juniors.

11. Nashville Predators — Alexander Holtz (RW)

Top Prospects:
– Philip Tomasino (C)
– David Farrance (LHD)
– Eeli Tolvanen (LW/RW)
– Egor Afanasyev (LW/RW)
– Rem Pitlick (C)

Like Lundell, Holtz played big minutes against men in the SHL last year and fared pretty well. He was 10th on Djurgardens IF in scoring, with 16 points (9G / 7A) in 35 games and had five points (3G / 2A) in seven WJC games with Sweden.

Holtz’s best asset is his shot. He’s got a hard, accurate shot and that makes him a goal-scoring threat on every shift. His game is pretty similar to current Sabre Victor Olofsson, although he’s miles ahead of where Olofsson was at this age.

12. Florida Panthers — Braden Schneider (RHD)

Top Prospects:
– Spencer Knight (G)
– Grigori Denisenko (LW/RW)
– Owen Tippett (LW/RW)
– Aleksi Heponiemi (C/RW)
– Max Gildon (LHD)

The Panthers have a pretty good system, highlighted by top-end goalie prospect Spencer Knight and wingers Grigori Denisenko and Owen Tippett. What they are missing is a top D-prospect and they could find that in Schneider. With very few defensemen near the top of this class, it might be a bit of a reach, but it fills a need for Florida. Schneider’s numbers were average, ranking 17th among WHL defenseman with 42 points (7G / 35A) in 60 games. But he’s a 6-foot-2, 202 lbs. defenseman that skates well, is an accomplished puck-mover and plays physically. He’s not going to quarterback your top power-play but he can chip in offensively and is the type of well-rounded defenseman that this farm system needs.

13. Carolina Hurricanes — Jack Quinn (RW)

Top Prospects:
– Ryan Suzuki (C)
– Jake Bean (LHD)
– Anttoni Honka (RHD)
– Patrik Puistola (LW/RW)
– Jamieson Rees (C)

Quinn was second in the OHL in goals (52), trailing only Nick Robertson, who graduated to the NHL upon the Return to Play. Quinn has the skills to beat defenders 1-on-1 but also isn’t afraid to go to the ugly areas of the ice to score goals. Many scouts agree that his skating got better as the season progressed, vaulting him into the top-half of the first round. The Hurricanes’ roster is loaded with skilled players and Quinn would only add more skill to a prospect pool that is among the best in hockey.

14. Edmonton Oilers — Seth Jarvis (C)

Top Prospects:
– Evan Bouchard (RHD)
– Philip Broberg (LHD)
– Raphael Lavoie (RW)
– Tyler Benson (LW)
– Ryan McLeod (C)

The Oilers are loaded with D-prospects at the top of their system and will likely be looking to add a centre at No.14. They will have plenty of options, starting with Jarvis but Dylan Holloway and Connor Zary will likely be in consideration as well.

Jarvis had a terrific season with the Portland Winterhawks, finishing second in WHL in points (98) and third in goals (42). Jarvis has a ton of speed, which will fit in well with the Oilers which is why I’ve pegged him here instead of Holloway or Zary.

15. Toronto Maple Leafs — Dawson Mercer (C/RW)

Top Prospects:
– Nick Robertson (LW)
– Timothy Liljegren (RHD)
– Jeremy Bracco (RW)
– Mikhail Abramov (C/RW)
– Semyon Der-Arguchintsev (C/RW)

Toronto has one of the shallower prospect pools after Robertson and Timothy Liljegren so they have a lot of needs. If the draft falls as I have projected, this will likely be Mercer or Holloway but Toronto is often a team that goes more in the way of skill than size. Mercer is a player that can play both centre or wing and can kill penalties while also racking up numbers. He had 24 goals with 36 assists (60 points) in 42 games between Drummondville and Chicoutimi (QMJHL) this season while also representing Team Canada in the WJC.

16. Montreal Canadiens — Hendrix Lapierre (C)

Top Prospects:
– Cole Caufield (RW)
– Jordan Harris (LHD)
– Alexander Romanov (LHD)
– Jayden Struble (LHD)
– Ryan Poehling (C)

Lapierre was the No.1 overall pick in the 2018 QMJHL draft and was viewed as a potential top-10 pick in the NHL draft at the start of last year but injuries have hurt his stock. Lapierre was diagnosed with three concussions in a 10-month span but still has all the tools that make him a future top-6 forward in the NHL. There’s only a 71-game (including playoffs) sample size to go off of in the QMJHL but he has scored 18 goals with 49 assists (67 points).

Montreal hasn’t drafted a player from Quebec in the first round since 2009 but Marc Bergevin seems like the type of GM who won’t be afraid to take a chance on Lapierre’s upside.

17. Chicago Blackhawks — Dylan Holloway (C)

Top Prospects:
– Ian Mitchell (RHD)
– Evan Barratt (C)
– Nicolas Beaudin (LHD)
– Philipp Kurashev (C)
– Alec Regula (RHD)

Kirby Dach looked outstanding in the NHL’s Return to Play and looks like a future top-line centre. After Dach, the Blackhawks don’t really have a centre in their system that looks like they’ll play in the top-6. Holloway will give them that. Dach stands at 6-foot-4, 197 lbs. and Holloways comes into the draft at 6-foot-1, 203 lbs. so they’ll have two big, dominant centres for the future.

In his freshman year at the University of Wisconsin, Holloway had eight goals and nine assists (17 points) in 35 games. He will play a larger role in year-2.

18. New Jersey Devils — Connor Zary (C)

As previously mentioned, the Devils have a ton of quality prospects on the blueline so I expect them to add a bunch of skill upfront with their three first-round picks. After taking Lucas Raymond at No.7, I can’t see Zary dropping too much lower than No.18.

Zary is a hard-working centre with plenty of skill that would give the Devils so much young talent down the middle. Zary was second on the Kamloops Blazers in both goals (38) and points (86) while playing just 57 of 63 games.

19. Calgary Flames — Kaiden Guhle (LHD)

Top Prospects:
– Jakob Pelletier (LW)
– Mathias Emilio Pettersen (C/LW)
– Dmitry Zavgorodny (LW/RW)
– Dustin Wolf (G)
– Matthew Phillips (RW)

The Flames have a solid group of young defensemen on the NHL roster with 23-year-olds Noah Hanifin and Rasmus Andersson and 21-year-old Juuso Valimaki will be back from a torn ACL in 2021. However, they have very little quality on the blueline in their system, which is why I have them potentially reaching a bit for a defenseman in this draft. Guhle is a former No.1 overall pick in the WHL draft and possesses good size (6-foot-2, 186 lbs.) and strong skating ability. He may not develop into a big point producer at the NHL-level but was 19th among WHL blueliners with 40 points (11G / 29A) in 64 games this season.

20. New Jersey Devils — Rodion Amirov (LW)

The addition of talent in New Jersey continues at No.20. After selecting winger Lucas Raymond at No.7 and centre Connor Zary at No.18, the Devils add another forward into the mix with Russian Rodion Amirov. The 6-foot, 162 lbs. winger bounced around Russia in 2020, playing in at three different levels. Against his own age group in the MHL, Amirov had 22 points (10G / 12A) in 17 games. In the higher-level VHL and KHL he scored just one goal with four assists (five points) in 26 combined games. He’s been a lot better so far this year though, with seven points (4G / 3A) in 12 games between the two leagues.

21. Columbus Blue Jackets — Justin Barron (D)

Top Prospects:
– Kirill Marchenko (LW)
– Liam Foudy (C/LW)
– Veini Vehvilainen (G)
– Andrew Peeke (RHD)
– Dmitri Voronkov (C/LW)

The Blue Jackets have arguably one of the worst farm systems in the entire league and there is a clear need for a defenseman. Some have Barron going outside of the first round but I think there is enough of a need and enough talent that makes this pick make sense. Barron’s best asset is his skating and he’s an average point producer, having collected jut four goals and 15 assists (19 points) in 34 QMJHL games in 2020. Still his ability to skate at 6-foot-2, 198 lbs. makes him an intriguing prospect.

22. New York Rangers — Mavrik Bourque (C)

The Rangers go into the draft with a top-5 prospect pool in the NHL and will add Lafreniere at No.1 and have another first-round pick at No.21. With Lafreniere being a winger, it wouldn’t shock me if they go with one of the many talented centres at the bottom of this round.

If it’s Bourque, he tied for the team-lead in points with 71 (29G / 42A) in just 49 games with Shawinigan (QMJHL) in 2020 and is one of the best playmakers in this class. With very little centre depth after Mika Zibanejad and a clear void at the position in their system, Bourque is just the kind of future No.2 centre the Rangers should be looking for.

23. Philadelphia Flyers — Ridly Greig (C)

Top Prospects:
– Cam York (LHD)
– Morgan Frost (C)
– Bobby Brink (RW)
– Egor Zamula (LHD)
– Isaac Ratcliffe (LW)

Greig is the son of Flyers scout Mark Greig, so it’s hard to project them passing on him right in the area many have him ranked. It’s not like they would be reaching to take a scouts son, Greig is a legitimate first-round talent, in fact he may not even make it to 23.

The 5-foot-11, 162 lbs. forward is an all-situations, competitive centre. He had 26 goals and 34 assists to rank third on the Brandon Wheat Kings with 60 points in 2020 and would even more skill to an already deep prospect pool in Philadelphia.

24. Washington Capitals — Lukas Reichel (LW)

Top Prospects:
– Connor McMichael (C)
– Alexander Alexeyev (RHD)
– Alexei Protas (C)
– Brett Leason (RW)
– Martin Fehervary (LHD)

Reichel is a fast, talented winger who played well all throughout 2020. Against men in the DEL, he had 24 points (12G / 12A) in 42 games and tied Stuetzle with five points (3G / 2A) in seven games at the 2020 World Juniors. The Capitals have never shied away from drafting players from overseas and they need a talented, goal-scoring winger in their system.

25. Colorado Avalanche — Brendan Brisson (C)

Top Prospects:
– Bowen Byram (LHD)
– Alex Newhook (C/LW)
– Conor Timmins (RHD)
– Justus Annunen (G)
– Martin Kaut (RW)

If the name Brisson sounds familiar it’s because Brendan is the son of agent Pat Brisson, who represents Nathan MacKinnon, Sidney Crosby, John Tavares and Patrick Kane, among others (per PuckPedia).

Brisson is on the smaller side (5-foot-11, 177 lbs.) but he’s coming off of a dominant season in the USHL. He had 24 goals and 35 assists (59 points) in 45 games with the Chicago Steel and would bring a ton of skill to a prospect pool that is D-heavy at the top. Brisson is a slick puck handler that can make deft passes but this kid is a goal-scorer. He’s a player that could go much earlier, so I’d expect the Avalanche to pounce if he makes it this deep.

26. St. Louis Blues — Jacob Perreault (RW)

Top Prospects:
– Scott Perunovich (LHD)
– Nikita Alexandrov (C)
– Klim Kostin (LW/RW)
– Joel Hofer (G)
– Tyler Tucker (LHD)

Perreault is a top-end goal-scorer. He scored 30 goals with the Sarnia Sting as a 16-year-old and followed that up with a 39-goal, 31-assist (70 points) season in 2020. Perreault has a lethal shot and is the type of goal-scoring winger the Blues need right now. Vladimir Tarasenko’s career has been pushed off the rails by shoulder issues and the rest of their top wingers are either already 30 or almost 30-years-old.

27. Anaheim Ducks — Noel Gunler (RW)

Gunler is a difficult player to project and that is obvious based on where scouts have him ranked. You can find him as high as No.18 and as low as No.45, so I’d expect him to land somewhere in the middle.

Against players his own age in 2019, he scored 27 goals with 19 assists (46 points) in 31 games, graduating to the SHL mid-year. He spent almost all of 2020 in the SHL, where he scored four goals with nine assists (13 points) in 45 games. Gunler has good size (6-foot-2, 170 lbs.) and is a mediocre skater but makes up for it with his great shot and passing.

28. Ottawa Senators — William Wallinder (D)

Like the Devils, Ottawa also has three first-round picks coming into this draft. So far I have them adding the top centre and top goalie in the draft, so why not add a defenseman at the tail-end of the first?

Like many players at the end of the first, scouts don’t exactly agree on where he’ll go but there’s one thing they all agree on: he’s huge. Wallinder stands at 6-foot-4, 192 lbs. but skates very well for someone of that stature. Wallinder is a little raw, with work to do at both ends of the rink but he has all the athletic tools to develop into a quality NHL defenseman.

Ottawa has consistently drafted players from Sweden, so Wallinder will fit right in and could be a future D-partner of fellow countryman Erik Brannstrom.

29. Vegas Golden Knights — Jeremie Poirier (D)

Top Prospects:
– Peyton Krebs (C/LW)
– Lucas Elvenes (LW/RW)
– Jack Dugan (RW)
– Pavel Dorofeyev (LW/RW)
– Ivan Morozov (C)

It’s not good to desperately need a quality D-prospect in a draft that is extremely thin at the position but that’s where the Golden Knights are. They’ve got a pretty talented system but it’s loaded with wingers. Brannstrom is the only defenseman this team has ever drafted in the first round and he’s no longer there.

Poirier is ranked as a borderline first-round talent but it’s easy to see why teams would like him at the end of the first. Poirier was third on the St. John Sea Dogs (QMJHL) in scoring with 53 points (20G / 33A) in 64 games in 2020 and has already posted four points (1G / 3A) in the first two games of the new campaign. He’s extremely skilled offensively but draws a lot of criticism for how he defends. However, NHL teams will see the skill and try to coach up the defensive side of his game.

30. Dallas Stars — John-Jason Peterka (RW)

Top Prospects:
– Thomas Harley (LHD)
– Jason Robertson (LW)
– Ty Dellandrea (C)
– Jake Oettinger (G)
– Riley Damiani (C/RW)

As of now, the Stars have nine forwards from their playoff run under contract moving forward. Two of them are 25 or younger–Jason Dickinson (25) and Joel Kiviranta (24). They’ll sign Roope Hintz and Denis Gurianov to add to that number but you get the point. This core is aging and they need to add some forwards in the draft.

Peterka played limited minutes for Munich EHC in Germany’s top league, scoring seven goals with four assists (11 points) in 42 games. However, he showed to be a first-round talent in the World Juniors, where he was tied for second on the team with six points (4G / 2A) in their seven games.

Peterka has an NHL skillset but didn’t do enough in the DEL to make himself a surefire first-round pick. This year he moved to Austria, where he’s already scored two goals with one assist in three games.

31. San Jose Sharks — Marat Khusnutdinov (C)

Top Prospects:
– Ryan Merkley (RHD)
– Joachim Blichfeld (LW/RW)
– Jonathan Dahlen (LW)
– Sasha Chmelevski (C/LW)
– Artemi Knyazev (LHD)

San Jose’s prospect pool ranks near the bottom but they have Tampa Bay’s first-round pick and two second-round picks in this year’s draft to try and upgrade it. They have plenty of forwards in the system but none that really stands out, so this will likely be a “best player available” pick.

Khusnutdinov is a hard-working 200-foot player that also has enough skill to make him one of the top Russian prospects in this class. He spent all of 2020 in the MHL (Russia’s Junior League), where he was sixth on the team with 38 points (13G / 25A) in 44 games.