The week of the draft is upon us. Last week, we projected picks 11 through 20. With the Pittsburgh Penguins off the board, Hockey Primetime's mock draft will wrap up in a much more timely fashion than its real-life counterpart on Friday.

So with baited breath, we await the last 10 picks of the round:

21. Detroit Red Wings – Quinton Howden, C, Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL) – The Red Wings forwards excel at a two-way, fast-paced game, which is what Howden has become known for. He has offensive skills, but also has the defensive skills that assure him a spot on any NHL roster for a long time as a role player. He has a great deal of potential to be more than a role player in the NHL if handled correctly. The Red Wings have a history of handling players with potential correctly, making him a perfect fit for the organization.

Scouting Report: "His skating is so good for his size. His threat is his speed, not only to score goals but to cause turnovers. He's excellent on the penalty kill, always a threat out there. If he gets a step on anybody he's gone."

– Peter Sullivan, NHL Central Scouting

22. Phoenix Coyotes – Nick Bjugstad, C, Blaine H.S. (MN-HS) – If there's one thing that the ‘Yotes are missing, it is that impact player in their system. To be honest, this pick and their earlier pick could easily be swapped, as Phoenix may be worried that Bjugstad may not be available this late in the draft, but the youngster from Minnesota is a perfect fit in this organization. Bjugstad has already drawn comparisons to former Minnesota High School standouts Blake Wheeler and David Backes, and works hard to excel in every aspect of the game.

Scouting Report: "Nick is a top-level player who will become an outstanding professional some day. His greatest strengths are his shot, his vision and his unbelievable humbleness. He is an even better person than he is a hockey player. He will be a popular player to fans and a great pro."

– Dave Aus, Blaine High School Head Coach

23. Buffalo Sabres – Tyler Toffoli, C, Ottawa 67's (OHL) – Over the last handful of seasons, the Sabres have taken the "best player available" approach in their drafting and come out very well with their selections. There's no reason for them to take any different approach this draft. Their system's largest need is a player to develop and play behind Tyler Ennis in a second-line center role, something Toffoli could do with ease. The youngster has the ability to both create and finish plays and has a tremendous hockey sense that allows him to think ahead of the play.

Scouting Report: "Is not very big in stature for his Ottawa team, but he makes up for that in skill and effort. He's got 79 points in his 65 games played. He's got an NHL release and incredible accuracy with his shot. An equal threat whether he's dishing the puck or shooting the puck himself."

– E.J. McGuire, Director of NHL Central Scouting

24. Atlanta Thrashers (from New Jersey) – Beau Bennett, RW, Penticton Vees (BCHL) – Since trading Ilya Kovalchuk in February, the Thrashers have been in desperate need of a goal scorer. That's an apt description of Bennett, who had 120 points in 56 games for Penticton. He has tremendous instincts on the ice and a fantastic shot, as well as good size and speed that will do nothing but benefit him in the NHL.

Scouting Report: "Beau has put together one of the best rookie seasons in BCHL history. His offensive instincts are in a class of their own."

– Fred Harbinson, Penticton Vees General Manager and Head Coach

25. Vancouver Canucks – Stephen Johns, D, USA U-18 (NTDP) – One knock on the Canucks, especially with injuries to their blue line last season, is a lack of toughness from their defensemen. Johns more than takes care of that with NHL-ready size and strength, and a defensive game that many consider the best on the USA U-18 team. On top of that, he shows the work ethic and determination to continue to improve his game to be able to play at the top level.

Scouting Report: "Stephen is probably the best athlete in the group. He has size, good skills and is making better decisions on the ice."

– Kurt Kleinendorst, U.S. U-18 Head Coach

26. Washington Capitals – Kevin Hayes, RW, Nobles H.S. (HS-MA) – One thing the Caps have been lacking in their system is toughness and size up front, and Hayes addresses that. He is an incredibly smart hockey player and has great hands around the net. He can control the puck and see the ice very well and isn't afraid to get his nose dirty.

Scouting Report: "He has an unbelievable skill set that's apparent when you watch him play. But he also has great hockey IQ. He understands the pace of a hockey game as well as anyone I've seen. He does things I've never seen before, all those subtle things. He knows where everybody around him is at all times. When he chases down a puck he looks to see where everybody is. He'll also take a pass differently than other players. Ninety-nine percent will take a pass from a teammate tape-to-tape. Kevin will sometimes just let it go and take it off the board, to get more separation."

– Brian Day, Nobles H.S. Head Coach

27. Montreal Canadiens – Calvin Pickard, G, Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL) – Despite the anointing of Carey Price as the team's number one, Pickard is the smart play here for the Habs, who really have no other goalie of note since trading Jaroslav Halak. While Pickard will not be ready to play right away, he will be ready in a couple years if Price falters. His play is steady and he has the positioning and reflexes to be an elite goalie in the NHL.

Scouting Report: "Calvin is the complete package both mentally and physically and will be a top-flight goalie. He has proven during his 16- and 17-year-old seasons that is he is capable of a huge workload and still be the best player on the ice."

– Rob Sumner, Seattle Thunderbirds Head Coach

28. San Jose Sharks – Jonathon Merrill, D, USA U-18 (NTDP) – The retirement of Rob Blake leaves a gaping hole in the Sharks organization. While Merrill won't be able to step up immediately to fill the gap, he provides an offensive threat from the blue line, as well as very talented in his own zone. He might not have the heavy hitting that Blake provided, but the leadership tools and skill set are all there to make him an extremely effective defender in the NHL.

Scouting Report: "He's very intelligent on both sides of the puck, makes good decisions, and defensively is good about keeping himself in good position. There are a lot of things to appreciate about his game, including his size and his dedication in the weight room."

– Kurt Kleinendorst, U.S. U-18 Head Coach

29. Anaheim Ducks (from Philadelphia) – Alexander Petrovic, D, Red Deer Rebels (WHL) – A big, bruising defender, Petrovic is a prototypical Duck through and through. He plays the game with an edge and, despite not being the most offensively gifted player on the blue line, has the leadership ability and the defensive positioning to make him an extremely reliable asset on defense.

Scouting Report: "He's certainly a key guy for our team. He's still a young guy at 17 years old, but he plays against the top guys in our league. He's very solid defensively, he's a good puck mover, he makes a good first pass, and he's got a real good head for the game. He's intelligent, he keeps things simple, and he's starting to show some bite as he gets stronger and get more confident. We're starting to see that more in the second half of the season. That edge is going to come out more in his game. I think there is some offensive upside. I don't think he's ever going to be a real top-end offensive guy at the next level, but he's got a good shot. He sees the ice well enough that he's going to contribute that way for us for the next few years."

– Jesse Wallin, Red Deer Rebels Head Coach

30. Chicago Blackhawks – Jaden Schwartz, C, Tri-City (USHL) – What do you get the team that has everything? You get them a player who will fit in with their organization perfectly; a highly-skilled, aggressive player. Schwartz is a tremendous skater and a tremendous competitor. He has excellent vision on the ice and has everything the Hawks could want with the last pick of the round.

Scouting Report: "I don't think Jaden has changed his style of play since he was 14 or 15 years old. He's very deceptive and shifty through the neutral zone and strong on the puck. It's very hard to get the puck off his stick."

– Jack Barzee, NHL Central Scouting

Set as favorite

Bookmark

Email this

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed

Show/hide comments

Write comment

Name

Email

Title

Comment

smaller | bigger

Subscribe via email (registered users only)

I have read and agree to the Terms of Usage.

Write the displayed characters

Add Comment