The Draft Analyst 2015 Mock Draft: 2nd Round (Picks 31-61)

Photo courtesy of Getty Images

OVERALL TEAM TEAM NEEDS PLAYER
31 BUFFALO T6C/T6LW/PPQB LHD JAKUB ZBORIL: Mr. Cool, Calm and Collected who is positionally strong and very intelligent. Zboril can pitch in offensively, but his best attribute is the way he picks apart a forecheck.
32 ARIZONA T3C/T4D/G RW BROCK BOESER: A combination of skill and strength, this North Dakota-bound power winger possesses a tremendous knack for goal scoring against the toughest matchups.
33 EDMONTON G/T2D/T6C LW JAKE DeBRUSK: DeBrusk could easily go in the first round, but to the Jackets’ benefit, they grab one of the top skilled players available. He’s an offensive dynamo with NHL bloodlines.
34 COLUMBUS via TOR/LAK T3LW/T2D/G RW JACK ROSLOVIC: Jackets go local and gain one of the best passing/shooting combinations available. Played on Team USA’s top line with Auston Matthews and Matt Tkachuk at 2015 U18’s.
35 CAROLINA T6RW/T6LW/T2D RW ZACH SENYSHYN: Probably going to go higher but suits Canes’ need for a two-way physical presence in the mold of Adam Deadmarsh. He’s a fearless roadrunner who plays with his foot on the gas at all times.
36 NEW JERSEY T3C/G/T3RW LW FILIP AHL: New Jersey could use a size/skill combo on the flank, so a power forward with good hands and speed will help. Ahl is a very tough out in the offensive zone, something the Devils lack.
37 BOSTON via PHI/NYI T6LW/T6C/T2D LHD GABRIEL CARLSSON: One of the few eligible defensemen who held his own against both the best of the SEL and the powerhouse Americans at the U18’s. Could go higher but he’s BPA at 33.
38 COLUMBUS T3LW/T2D/G LW DENNIS YAN: Talented offensive machine who is no-nonsense when he’s in a position to shoot. Born in the States but raised in Russia, Yan has the size and shot to help him develop into an NHL contributor.
39 SAN JOSE T6C/T4D/T6LW RHD NOAH JUULSEN: Another Steady Eddie who controls the pace of the game and uses his smarts to win board battles and effortlessly advance the puck through all kinds of congestion.
40 COLORADO T6RW/T6 LW/T4D RHD JONAS SIEGENTHALER: Big, mean, tough and a leader. Avs could go for a more offensive-minded option like Vince Dunn but opt for the guy who is better at defending his position, intimidating and clearing the crease.
41 NEW JERSEY via FLORIDA T3C/G/T3RW LHD MITCHELL VANDE SOMPEL: Smooth-skating playmaker who has even been used up front. Devils never replaced puck moving abilities of Rafalski/Niedermayer. Here’s a start.
42 OTTAWA via DALLAS T4D/2WF/G LHD VINCE DUNN: Fits nicely into the “Most Underrated” category. Tremendous offensive top-pairing blueliner who scored four goals in a playoff game this year.
43 LOS ANGELES via BUF/LAK T4D/T6LW/T6C LHD PARKER WOTHERSPOON: Kings go off the board a tad but Tri-City rearguard held his own on a struggling team. Lots of offensive upside because of the way he can read plays.
44 TAMPA via BOSTON T4D/2WC/T6F C ALEXANDER DERGACHYOV: Tampa has assembled a collection of Russians, only none are as big or intimidating as Dergachyov. KHL not an issue since the Bolts can be patient with him.
45 CALGARY T4D/T6LW/T6RW LW ANTHONY BEAUVILLIER: Elite vision and playmaker who plays a big game and worked on his two-way play. Can be really feisty and emotional which in his case is a good thing.
46 PITTSBURGH T3LW/T3RW/G RW NIKITA KOROSTELEV: He’ll be another gamble much like Beau Bennett, but Zacha’s linemate has size and an elite shot the Pens have been begging for.
47 WINNIPEG G/T4D/2WC LHD TRAVIS DERMOTT: Quick skater who put up points playing with McDavid and Strome. Actually underrated and will likely produce regardless of who his teammates are.
48 OTTAWA T4D/2WF/G RW CHRISTIAN FISCHER: If the NTDP wasn’t so deep, he’d get top-line minutes and top-line stats. A very gifted and clever two-way player who had excellent U18 despite playing on 3rd line.
49 DALLAS via DETROIT T4D/G/2WF G ILYA SAMSONOV: The best available goalie at this point in the draft, Samsonov fits the bill of a prototypical upright goaltender. He stymied Team USA with a 49-save performance in the U18 opener.
50 MINNESOTA T3C/T6RW/T6LW C JAKOB FORSBACKA-KARLSSON: Excellent season for Omaha (USHL) with a team-best 38 assists and 53 points. He’s a skilled two-way center with size who’s headed to Boston University in the fall.
51 BUFFALO via NEW YORK ISLANDERS T6C/T6LW/PPQB RW CONOR GARLAND: Eichel’s former teammate with the Junior Bruins who led the QMJHL in scoring with 129 points and the CHL with 94 assists en route to an MVP award.
52 CALGARY via WASHINGTON T4D/T6LW/T6RW LW JORDAN GREENWAY: One of the draft’s biggest bodies (6’5/220) also possesses a soft set of hands and playmaking ability. The Boston University-bound winger is a tough matchup for anybody.
53 CALGARY via VANCOUVER T4D/T6LW/T6RW RW MICHAEL SPACEK: Unselfish Czech puck distributor who rarely makes mistakes when he’s creating in the offensive end. Had 12 points in 40 games as youngest player on Pardubice.
54 CHICAGO (COMP PICK) T6C/T6LW/T6RW C THOMAS NOVAK: The void created by Kevin Hayes’ departure to the NYR allows the Hawks to use the compensatory pick on another playmaking pivot, this time for the future Minnesota Gopher.
55 NASHVILLE T3C/T6LW/T6RW C BLAKE SPEERS: Speers is a sleeper who should be closer to the first round. He played on a very deep SSM team, so his contributions were at times overlooked. Should have a chip on his shoulder for being this low.
56 ST. LOUIS T6LW/T6RW/2WF RW DAVID KASE: You might not have seen it at the WJC, but Kase is an dynamic playmaker who is one of the best in the draft at threading the needle.
57 EDMONTON via MONTREAL G/T2D/T6C RHD JESPER LINDGREN: There’s nothing wrong with grabbing another defensemen because the Oilers need them. Could go for a goalie here but Lindgren’s the safer pick.
58 PHILADELPHIA via CHICAGO T6LW/G/T4D G CALLUM BOOTH: He’s got NHL size (6’3, 200) but has been stuck behind Zach Fucale at Quebec. Was sixth in the offense-friendly QMJHL in both GAA (3.00) and SVPCT (.900)
59 NEW YORK RANGERS via TAMPA T4D/T6LW/T6RW RW JENS LOOKE: Perfect addition to a team with a quick and hard-working identity. Loves to cause havoc on the forecheck but can make an accurate pass as a result of it.
60 COLUMBUS via ANAHEIM T3LW/T2D/G LW GRAHAM KNOTT: Slick winger with nifty moves and ability to play a power game at a fast pace. Knott is one of the better two-way players available but he has put up points in an offensive role.
61 ARIZONA via NEW YORK RANGERS T3C/T4D/G G DANIEL VLADNAR: Towering netminder is a bit of a gamble since he’s got some technical issues to work out but if there’a guy who can fix them, it’s Coyotes goaltending guru Sean Burke, who previously mentored Devan Dubnyk

-Columbus owns Toronto’s 2nd round pick (34th overall) from Los Angeles in the Marian Gaborik trade. The pick was previously acquired by Los Angeles from Toronto in the Jonathan Bernier trade.

-Boston owns Philadelphia’s 2nd round pick (37th overall) from the New York Islanders in the Johnny Boychuk trade. The pick was previously acquired by the Islanders from the Flyers in the Andrew MacDonald trade.

-New Jersey owns Florida’s 2nd round pick (41st overall) from the Jaromir Jagr trade.

-Ottawa owns Dallas’ 2nd round pick (42nd overall) from the Jason Spezza trade.

-Los Angeles reacquired their 2nd round pick (43rd overall) from Buffalo in the Hudson Fasching/Brayden McNabb trade. The Sabres previously acquired the pick in the Robyn Regehr trade.

-Tampa owns Boston’s 2nd round pick (44th overall) from the Brett Connolly trade.

-Dallas owns Detroits 2nd round pick (49th overall) from the Erik Cole trade.

-Buffalo owns New York Islanders’ 2015 2nd round pick (51st overall) from the Thomas Vanek trade

-Calgary owns Washington’s 2nd round pick (51st overall) from the Curtis Glencross trade.

-Calgary owns Vancouver’s 2nd round pick (53rd overall) from the Sven Baertschi trade.

-Chicago received a 2nd round pick (54th overall) for not coming to terms with UFA C Kevin Hayes, who was their 1st round pick in 2010 (24th overall). The pick is in the 54th position because it is the 24th pick of the 2nd round. The pick is locked, meaning it will not move up or down as a result of playoff advancement/elimination.

-Edmonton owns Montreal’s 2nd round pick (57th overall) as a result of the Jeff Petry trade.

-Philadelphia owns Chicago’s original 2nd round pick (between 58-61) from the Kimmo Timonen trade.

-New York owns Tampa’s 2nd round pick (between 59-61) from the Martin St. Louis trade.

-Columbus owns Anaheim’s 2nd round pick (between 59-61) from the James Wisniewski trade.

-Arizona will receive the 2nd round pick belonging to the winner of the 2015 Conference Finals between Tampa and the Rangers. The condition (the lower of the Rangers’ two 2nd round picks) was a condition of the Keith Yandle trade.