NHL Mock Draft Picks 1-10

With the Stanley Cup awarded last night, and with the NHL Draft around the corner, it's time to start thinking about the future of your team. It also means I get to take another crack at figuring out who will go where. For this time around, I will divide it into three sections as opposed to five, so there will be much more to cover in each section. Today, it's picks 1-10.

1. Toronto Maple Leafs-Auston Matthews, C, Zurich (Switzerland)

Much was made of what Auston Matthews was going to do prior to last season, as he had three teams in three leagues vying for his services. While Everett of the WHL is going to forever play the "What if?" game like they did with Seth Jones a few years, back, Zurich was the beneficiary of Matthews' decision, and it worked out well for both the team and for Matthews. The Maple Leafs need a number one center badly, and they will have it with Matthews, who comes NHL-ready after playing with men in Switzerland. Offensive dynamo, he is not, but neither is Jonathan Toews, who would be a better comparison for Matthews, and that's not a bad thing.

2. Winnipeg Jets-Patrik Laine, RW, Tappara (Finland)

In a race to see who would be taken second, Laine and fellow Finn Jesse Puljujarvi are as close as it gets. If you're wanting an offensive dynamo, Laine is it, and the Jets would welcome his scoring touch wherever they decide to put him, whether it is on a line with Mark Scheifele, Bryan Little, or someone else.

3. Columbus Blue Jackets-Jesse Puljujarvi, RW, Karpat (Finland)

The more well-rounded player of the two Finns, Puljujarvi would provide an immediate player that can step in wherever the Blue Jackets need him. Though not as dynamic offensively, he does everything well despite just being draft-eligible.

4. Edmonton Oilers-Olli-Juolevi, D, London (OHL)

I bounced back and forth between Juolevi and Jakob Chychrun as the options defensively for the Oilers. In the end, Juolevi won out, as I see him as the more ready player to step in should the Oilers decide to rush the pick to the NHL next season. The Oilers still need defenders, and of the ones available in the draft, Juolevi is viewed as one that can step in right away regardless of where he goes.

5. Vancouver Canucks-Pierre-Luc Dubois, LW, Cape Breton (QMJHL)

The Canucks filled a need for an NHL-ready defender when they traded for Erik Gudbranson a few weeks back. However, it came at the cost of Jared McCann, a forward capable of offense. Dubois not only would fill the need for offense, but also a power forward that can put people in their place (not to mention, a cheaper alternative to Milan Lucic). Should Dubois be taken by Edmonton (they could always use more physicality up front), look for Matthew Tkachuk to be taken here.

6. Calgary Flames-Matthew Tkachuk, LW, London (OHL)

The Flames need goaltending badly, but it would be a folly to draft one this high, as there isn't a Carey Price-type of player available. So, their next big need would be scoring on the wing, and Tkachuk provides that and more. A slightly less edgy version of his dad on the ice, it would be a mistake to think the younger Tkachuk is soft, as the 107 penalty minutes this season does speak for itself. And yes, he can score, too.

7. Arizona Coyotes-Mikhail Sergachev, D, Windsor (OHL)

Of the defenders available, Sergachev rates as the best offensive defender in the draft. He does have to refine his play in his own end a little, but it's easy to see why scouts are loving this guy, as he has everything you could want, from size to skill, to a high ceiling. The Coyotes need a top defender in the pipeline, and getting a possible clone of Oliver Ekman-Larsson would be a good idea here.

8. Buffalo Sabres-Tyson Jost-C, Penticton (BCHL)

With all of the young talent already on the roster, Jost represents a chance for the Sabres to take it a little slower, allowing him to further develop in North Dakota. Despite playing against lesser competition in the BCHL, the Sabres can take a flier on a player that could pay off handsomely, as he's the highest potential of all the forwards not in the top three.

9. Montreal Canadiens-Alexander Nylander, RW, Mississauga (OHL)

Losing Carey Price for much of the season exposed a long-standing problem for the Canadiens, as in they couldn't score to save their own lives. Though Nylander is marked as more of a playmaker, it is possible that he could unlock the full offensive potential of the likes of Max Pacioretty and Alex Galchenyuk. Anything will help in Montreal, and Nylander could see time in the AHL next season, at least, thanks to the same loophole that saw Dallas rush Julius Honka to the AHL after drafting him.

10. Colorado Avalanche-Jakob Chychrun, D, Sarnia (OHL)

The Avs would have loved to have seen Mikhail Sergachev drop to them, but they will happily settle for Chychrun, who figures to be a solid NHLer, at worst, and a franchise defender, at best. The Avs need it badly, as they were one of the worst blue lines in the NHL, forcing their goaltending to face far too many shots. Chychrun would be one step towards fixing that problem.