NHL Mock Draft: Picks 1-5

The NHL Draft is now a month away, and with the draft order coming into form and the cheat sheets (read: the THN Draft Preview issue) now out, it's time to start thinking of what teams will be doing come next month.  As before, I will be making predictions based on what each team needs and after the draft, will see how I stacked up against the actual draft.  Without delay, here we go with picks 1-5.

1. Edmonton Oilers-Connor McDavid, C, Erie Otters

It's pretty much a foregone conclusion how the top three picks will look, and certainly, the top pick is what every team wanted.  Unlike their previous first overall picks, there is almost no way the Oilers can screw this one up.  When a player like McDavid gets compared to the likes of Wayne Gretzky and Sidney Crosby, you know there's something special, and McDavid's play in both junior and international only validates that, and that's despite missing six weeks due to injury.

2. Buffalo Sabres-Jack Eichel, C, Boston University

Sabres fans were disappointed that they won't get McDavid, but Eichel is almost just as good.  Just the second freshman in history to take home the Hobey Baker Award, Eichel was a driving force in getting the Terriers back to the brink of an NCAA title.  He's not the future captain material McDavid is, but very few are at Eichel's age.  I've maintained all along that the Sabres would be wise to take Eichel due to a slight size advantage over McDavid, and this is as good of an opportunity to do so for a team lacking there.

3. Arizona Coyotes-Noah Hanifin, D, Boston College

While the Coyotes need goal scorers, they also need a puck mover on the back end thanks to the Keith Yandle trade.  Because that trade also netted a goal scorer in Anthony Duclair, they can take the best available player here, which also happens to fill a need for a puck moving defenseman.  Hanifin didn't have great numbers this past season, but Boston College wasn't great as a team offensively, either.

4. Toronto Maple Leafs-Dylan Strome, C, Erie Otters

The Maple Leafs need help down the middle, a refrain that's been uttered since Mats Sundin left town in 2008.  They also need a dynamic point producer.  Strome can fill that first part out easily.  As for the second, although not dynamic, he did lead the OHL in scoring this season, and he proved that he is capable of carrying a team, as his 35 points in the 21 games without Erie teammate McDavid can attest.

5. Carolina Hurricanes-Lawson Crouse, LW, Kingston Frontenacs

The Hurricanes didn't score very often this season, and they continue to get pushed around by other teams (Brad Malone was the only player north of 50 PIM).  Crouse is considered the safe pick here, and though his potential isn't quite as high as Mitchell Marner's, Crouse does offer a big body that can get physical and who, at worst, is a third liner who can score.  I wouldn't be shocked if Pavel Zacha gets picked here, as he offers a similar skill set.