11. Los Angeles Kings= Elias Pettersson (Center) Timra IK (Liija)

Pettersson may be NHL ready even at his young age. He played 43 games this year in Sweden in which he scored 19 goals and registered 21 assists for a total of 40 points. He was +15 and served 14 penalty minutes this season. His pro comparison is Mikael Granlund. Granlund in his draft year, played 43 games in which he scored 13 goals registered 27 assists for a total of 40 points. He was +11 and served 2 penalty minutes that season. Granlund’s AB score closest to his rookie year was a +4.49.  A player like this might mean the difference between LA making and missing the playoffs.

12. Carolina Hurricanes: Martin Necas (Center) Brno (Czech Republic)

The Hurricanes need at center has them picking a good player at 12 in a center deep draft.  Necas played 41 games this season in which he scored 7 goals and registered 8 assists for 15 points. He was -2 and served 6 penalty minutes all season. His pro comparison was New Jersey’s Jacob Josefson. Josefson in his draft year played 50 games in which he scored 5 goals and registered 11 assists for 16 points. He was a -3 and served 14 penalty minutes the whole season. Josefson’s AB closest to his rookie year was a -1.21.

13. Las Vegas Golden Knights= Juuso Välimäki (Defenseman) Tri City Americans (WHL)

Vegas has made it clear that they want to stockpile young defenseman. Välimäki played 60 games this season in which he scored 19 goals and registered 42 assists for 61 points. He was +2 and served 34 penalty minutes all season. His pro comparison is Flyers’ rookie Ivan Provorov. In his draft year Provorov played 60 games in which he scored 15 goals and registered 46 assists for 61 points. He was a +36 and served 42 penalty minutes. Provorov’s AB score was a -4.21.  Young defensemen often require time to mature, and this pick may be no different.

14. Tampa Bay Lightning= Timothy Liljegren (Defense) Rogle (Sweden)

Having just lost Jason Garrison to Vegas in the expansion draft, Tampa Bay is in need of a defenseman. Liljegren played 24 games this season in which he scored 1 goal and registered 5 assists for 6 points. He was -2 and served 4 penalty minutes the whole season. His pro comparison was Ducks defenseman Hampus Lindholm. In his draft year Lindholm played 20 games in which he scored 1 goal and registered 3 assists for 4 points. He was -1 and served 12 penalty minutes all season. Lindholm’s AB score closest to his rookie year was a +2.66.

15. Las Vegas Golden Knights= Lias Andersson (Forward) HV71 (Sweden).

Vegas can add another young forward who can compete for a roster spot. Andersson played 42 games this season in which he scored 9 goals and registered 10 assists for 19 points. He was +21 and served 18 penalty minutes. His pro comparison is Detroit’s Riley Sheahan. Sheahan in his draft year played 37 games in which he scored 6 goals and registered 11 assists for 17 points. He was an even 0 and served 22 penalty minutes. Sheahan’s AB closest to his rookie year was a -1.63.

16. Calgary Flames= Kristian Vesalainen, (Forward) Frolunda (Sweden)

Vesalainen is believed by scouts to have NHL caliber talent even though this year he may not have played to his full potential.  He played in 35 games in which he scored 1 goal and registered 5 assists for a total of 6 points. He was -1 and served 2 penalty minutes. This hard stat line to match but his closest comparison was Ex-NHL player Carl Klingberg. In his draft year, Klingberg played 18 games in which he scored 6 goals and registered 3 assists for 9 points. He was +2 and served 2 penalty minutes. His AB score is unknown.  We are not sure what to think of this pick other than Calgary will be drafting what they think is a prototype in the middle of the first round.

17. Toronto Maple Leafs= Callan Foote (Defenseman) Kelowna Rockets (WHL)

Foote is a right handed defenseman who played 71 games this year in which he scored 6 goals and registered 51 assists for 57 points. He was +39 and served 41 penalty minutes this season. His closest NHL comparison is Columbus’s Seth Jones. In his draft year Jones played 61 games in which he scored 14 goals and registered 42 assists for 56 points. He was +46 and served 33 penalty minutes this season. Jones’ AB score is 0.89. Toronto could use players of this skill level at defense (so could most everyone in the NHL, but we think the Leafs will land a solid defensemen even at pick 17).

18. Boston Bruins= Eli Tolvanen (LW/RW) Sioux City Musketeers (USHL)

Tolvanen is said to be one of the best pure shooters in this draft. He also is (another) Boston College product so the Bruins can maybe secure a hometown product. Tolvanen played 52 games this season in which he scored 30 goals 24 assists for 54 points. He was +18 and served 26 penalty minutes. His NHL comparison is New Jersey’s Pavel Zacha. If you half double Zacha’s stat line, he played 55 games in which he scored 24 goals and registered 27 assists for a total of 51 points. He was +7 and served 84 penalty minutes all season. With the exception of penalty minutes they are somewhat similar. Zacha’s AB score closest to his rookie year was a +3.91.

19. San Jose Sharks= Ryan Poehling (Center) St. Cloud State (NCAA)

Poehling played in 35 games this season in which he scored 7 goals and registered 6 assists for 13 points (freshman year). He was -8 and served 12 penalty minutes this season. His pro comparison was Minnesota’s Joel Erikson-Ek. In his draft year he played 34 games in which he scored 4 goals and registered 2 assists for 6 points. He was an even 0 and served 18 penalty minutes all season. Erikson-Ek’s AB score closest to his rookie year was a +3.50.

20. St Louis Blues= Klim Kostin (Forward) Dynamo Moscow (KHL)

Kostin only played 8 games this year in which he didn’t score or get an assist for 0 points. He did have 27 penalty minutes and was +1. There was only one player that was even close to this stat line and that was Montreal’s Alex Galchenyuk. In his draft year, Galchenyuk only played 2 games in which he did not score or register an assist. He was -4 and didn’t serve any penalty minutes. Galchenyuk’s AB score closest to his rookie year was a +3.99. St. Louis is taking a gamble here, but believes (correctly) that a Russian talent has staying power in the NHL.