Over the last week, rumours of a Jaylen Brown trade have been swirling. A possible send off to Milwaukee in a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade, but that never came to fruition due to Miami simply having an abundance of assets.

Portland was in the mix, with a package surrounding Jerami Grant, Scoot Henderson, Shaedon Sharpe, and picks; instead, the Blazers decided to use the Jerami Grant contract to acquire Ja Morant.

The Sacramento Kings were rumoured as a perfect destination for Jaylen Brown, who clearly wanted to be the #1 option on his own team, but no package formed.

The main team was the New Orleans Pelicans, with plenty of trade rumours surrounding Trey Murphy III and Herb Jones. It seemed like the Celtics and Pelicans were headed towards a sensible swap for both teams, in which Jaylen Brown got to be the #1 option full time, and play with a legitimate paint monster in Zion Williamson. However, this deal never crossed the finish line.

The Trade

This brings us to July 1st, at 6:13 PM EDT when Shams Charania tweeted that the Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers had come to an agreement on a trade that would send Jaylen Brown to Philadelphia in exchange for Paul George, two 1sts and two 2nds. Later confirming that the picks are a 2028 1st, a 2031 unprotected 1st, a 2028 2nd, and a 2030 2nd.

The Pros and Cons for Boston

This is a trade that you can take at face value and think, why? The Boston Celtics clearly did not have as many offers on the table as most people had thought. But let’s take a look at one major pro and con of this move for Boston.

The Pro, the money side of things.

Jaylen Brown is currently on a contract paying him 57 million dollars this season, 61 million dollars next season, and 65 million dollars in 28-29. Comparatively, Paul George is on a contract paying him 54 million dollars this season, with a 56.5 million dollar player option for next season; one would assume he takes that. This opens up 65 million dollars in the 28-29 season. The 28-29 offseason has three big free agents that teams are believed to be waiting for.

The least likely of the three is future Denver Nuggets Hall of Famer Nikola Jokić, who will become a UFA, it’s not expected that he leaves, however if Denver continues to fail to put a competitive team around him, we could see him leave to chase a second ring.

The next name is newly acquired Miami Heat star Giannis Antetokounmpo, who clearly does not yet have loyalty to Miami, and with the various question marks regarding this Miami roster. It’s hard to imagine the rumour mill on Giannis not swirling up again next summer.

Finally, and the most likely name of the three, we have Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Dončić, who has a 53 million dollar player option that season, one that is certainly going to be rejected barring a nearly unprecedented drop in production. Before Luka even set foot in Los Angeles, the reports were that he would not have nearly the same loyalty to LA as he did to Dallas, and in a stacked Western Conference, it is hard to imagine the Lakers making a Finals appearance, let alone a conference finals appearance, in this time frame.

If any three of these stars hit the market, the Celtics have just opened up 65 million dollars to play with.

The Con, a pure roster downgrade.

Coming off of a season in which Jaylen Brown put up a season stat line of 28.7 PPG, 6.9 RPG, 5.1 APG, and led the “Gap Year” Celtics to a 56-26 record and the 2 seed out east. On the other side, Paul George missed half the season due to a drug suspension and put up a season stat line of 17.3 PPG, 5.3 RPG, and 3.6 APG in the games he was able to play.

This is a clear roster downgrade; there’s no debating that, as of writing, the Boston Celtics are a worse team than they were yesterday, but let’s look deeper than that. Not only are the Celtics worse, but the 76ers team that defeated them in round 1 of the playoffs are a better team than they were yesterday.

The Pros and Cons for Philadelphia

You can look at a bare-bones trade of Jaylen Brown for Paul George, and your first thought is likely to be, what cons? However, there is a clear major flaw in the acquisition of Jaylen Brown and the trade that was made to acquire him.

The Pro, favourites out east?

The Eastern Conference has long been deemed the “Weaker Conference” by many, however the Knicks are the reigning NBA Champions, Toronto acquired Kawhi, Miami acquired Giannis, the Pistons are coming off a disappointing loss as the 1 seed and are hungry for more, the Cavaliers have the roster but just aren’t sure what they need to get over the hump, the Pacers will have Haliburton back at the helm bringing them right back to possible finals contention. However, beyond all of that. The Philadelphia 76ers have talent up and down the roster. Tyrese Maxey is coming off a season in which he broke out even more from his original breakout. Joel Embiid the player is still a generational scorer with few flaws to his game, can he stay healthy enough? VJ Edgecombe was a Rookie Of The Year finalist and is poised to only improve. Bringing in an elite perimeter defender in Dean Wade to likely run the 4 for them. Beyond that the depth of this roster needs work, which I’m sure we will see come to fruition over the coming days.

It’s hard to deny pure talent, and that’s what the 76ers have in their starting lineup.

The Con, Jaylen Brown: The Personality

Jaylen Brown was the Finals MVP in 2023 for the Boston Celtics, and has gone on to make sure you never forget how good he is. Reports have stated since that championship run that Jaylen Brown has wanted his own team, and when he was given the keys due to a Jayson Tatum torn Achilles he flourished, Brown now goes to a team with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, two of the leagues best scorers, you can pencil Embiid in to miss at least 20 games, but is that enough for Brown? You can hope that he will be able to put his pride aside and accept his role as a #2 option with two other ball-dominant players.

Jaylen Brown has another major flaw in his personality, his raging social media presence. When the season ended he hopped on Twitch to talk about what went wrong, during the trade rumours he posted about how analytics are ruining sports for saying his teammates are better than him. It’s not hard to imagine that the entire situation regarding Jaylen Brown the person was detrimental to his already lower than perceived trade value.

To Conclude

In the end, a trade of this magnitude will forever be questioned among fans. With draft picks extending into the 2030s, you never truly know who wins a trade.

If neither team wins a championship? A what if.

If the 76ers win a championship? A disaster from the Boston Celtics.

If the Celtics win a championship? A stain on the career of Jaylen Brown.

The New York Rangers stunned everyone on draft day by trading for and extending Pavel Dorofeyev.

The Vegas Golden Knights fetched the 26th overall pick (traded to MTL), the 92nd overall pick (used on Ben Wilmott) and the Rangers’ top ten protected 2028 first-round pick for winger Pavel Dorofeyev. Shortly after, a seven-year extension carrying an $11 million cap hit was announced for the 25-year-old RFA.

Dorofeyev as a Player

Dorofeyev became an elite goal scorer his last two seasons. Across his last 164 games he scored 72 goals and 116 points. He carries 40-goal and 70-point upside.

He’s a pure finishing wing that’s intelligent off puck. He’s neither fast nor puck dominant, rather he finds scoring position by reading the play around him. Once in open ice, his wrist shot is accurate from anywhere. On the power play, his one-timer is just as lethal. Out of the 72 goals, 33 were scored on the power play. Defensively, he’s just as intelligent and hard working.

He’s a team first player. After scoring the overtime goal in game 5 against Anaheim he said, “It’s what I gotta do. It’s just my job.” He has no ego, just a willingness to win. Former Vegas head coach John Tortorella said, “I just like the way he handles himself. He’s just a hockey player.”

Why the Rangers Made This Move

Following a disappointing first half, Rangers GM Chris Drury announced a retool last season. He wanted to focus on “young players, draft picks and cap space” without entirely rebuilding. Forty-eight percent of the Rangers’ cap hit is bound by no-move and no-trade clauses, it’s impossible to completely rebuild. His goal was to replace movable assets with younger players and become competitive as soon as possible.

His biggest deal was trading star winger Artemi Panarin for Liam Greentree and a third-round pick. This freed $11 million in cap space on top of the leaguewide $8.5 million increase. Panarin was the team’s main play driver since signing in 2019.

Dorofeyev was Drury’s best option for a quick top-line replacement. While not a play driver, the Rangers have a potential 40-goal scorer locked up for the rest of his prime. After the extension, Drury has another $15.7 million to work with. This number can increase over time, meaning more flexibility during Dorofeyev’s tenure.

The question, is he worth a top-25 NHL salary?

Dorofeyev’s Impact

As a power-play specialist, Dorofeyev will give the Rangers’ unit more flexibility.

The Rangers had the fifth-highest power-play percentage last season. They attacked around the net and left wall, firing little to no shots from the right wall.

Dorofeyev will allow the Rangers to attack from any side of the ice as a left-handed one-timer threat.

While he’ll be without Mitch Marner and Jack Eichel, there’s no reason he’ll decline.

Adam Fox led the Rangers to a 28.2 percent power play after the Panarin trade. Being an elite quarterback, Fox will have no issues assisting Dorofeyev. Zibanejad has also shown playmaking ability, feinting one-timers to pass back post.

At 5-on-5, Dorofeyev will be without Marner. The Rangers don’t have a pure playmaker like Marner, but Dorofeyev scored more at 5-on-5 with Tomas Hertl and Brandon Saad in 2024-25. Dorofeyev doesn’t need a pure playmaker to succeed.

The problem is how much Dorofeyev can really improve the Rangers.

Their power play was already effective, it just rarely hit the ice.

Rangers head coach Mike Sullivan plays a slow and predictable offense. They don’t attack with speed in transition, they cycle along the boards and force the slot. Without Panarin, the offense is even slower and more predictable. It’s easily defendable and doesn’t draw penalties.

They finished bottom 10 in 5-on-5 goals scored last season. They were tied for the third-fewest minor penalties drawn at 5-on-5 last season.

Pavel Dorofeyev doesn’t solve this, he’s neither a fast player nor a creative play driver.

Defensively, the Rangers are awful in transition. Weak defense depth alongside a pinch-heavy system led to an onslaught of odd-man rushes. While a good defender, Dorofeyev is just a winger. He’s not a defensive anchor or a solution.

Barring trades, the Rangers’ only major change was replacing Panarin with Dorofeyev. The team has made no moves defensively.

His skills will support the team, but they solve no problems. He’s an elite complement, not a game-changer.

The Rangers are paying Dorofeyev $11 million to be bigger than their problems.

Every season has something interesting to offer, and it all starts in training camp. Players battle for playing time and starting positions, and those battles often occur at the most important position in all of sports - Quarterback. These are the 3 biggest quarterback battles heading into July’s training camp.

Deshaun Watson v. Shedeur Sanders (Cleveland Browns)

Though the Browns made it obvious that they didn’t even believe in themselves for the 2026 season, they still have a lot to evaluate at the QB position. The Deshaun Watson trade has been revisited many times and coined one of, if not the worst, trades in league history. With just 19 starts in 4 years for the Browns, there isn’t much to expect with Watson. Yet reports out of OTAs had him coined as the starter, receiving the most reps out of the 4 quarterbacks on the Browns roster and reportedly building a solid relationship with new head coach Todd Monken.

Shedeur Sanders played football in 2025, which is more than I can say for Watson. He even made a Pro Bowl! His 7 passing touchdowns to 10 interceptions weren’t a pretty statline, but he showed crucial development within the pocket from his time at Colorado. Sanders has never dealt with an offensive as reliable as the one the Browns will be trotting out in 2026, a huge flip from their 2025 roster.

Reports have been slipping through the cracks surrounding trade interest between teams in the league and the Browns regarding Shedeur Sanders. With Watson entering his age 31 season and final year of his fully guaranteed deal, I doubt the Browns make a drastic move at quarterback during the 2026 season. A starter will be announced between now and the end of the preseason.

Kyler Murray v. JJ McCarthy (Minnesota Vikings)

Who would’ve thought that Kyler Murray would be in a quarterback battle before he hits his 30s? What’s worse might be the fact he’s battling statistically a bottom 5 quarterback of all time. Murray is coming off a slew of average seasons on an expensive contract with the now rebuilding Arizona Cardinals. He has also struggled with injuries. His rookie of the year season feels closer than it actually is, but many around the league believe he can regain form and start at a high level once again. Reports have been heavily in favor of Murray, and the way Minnesota’s media had portrayed his signing also indicates his position within the quarterback battle.

JJ McCarthy is honestly in a tough spot. He suffered a torn meniscus as a rookie and missed crucial time within the organization and on the field. He then goes into the 2025 season and struggles early on. His injury list from last season includes 2 reported concussions, an ankle sprain and a wrist injury. It is not looking good for the former 1st round pick and National Championship winner.

In all honesty, there is a small chance that this battle is actually close. But JJ McCarthy is an easy contingency plan if Kyler Murray struggles. Murray’s leash may be shorter than expected.

Tua Tagovailoa v. Michael Penix (Atlanta Falcons)

After Tua’s electric 2023 campaign, it seemed like the sky was the limit. Unfortunately, his body failed him at the end of his career with Miami. His superpowers started becoming average talent and his flaws worsened. An abysmal 2025 season had Miami’s new regime cut their losses and eat a historic number of dead cap. He hasn’t been counted out by Falcons head coach Kevin Stefanski, and may even have the inside track on the starting job. With Michael Penix coming off a torn ACL, one of many he’s suffered in his football career, Tua has been taking the bulk of snaps through OTAs and will likely be able to do so again within the first week of training camp.

Penix is the more talented player, but hasn’t put much on film in 2 years for the Falcons. His flashes have been enough to keep his horse in the race, but the devastating knee injuries have held him back from reaching full potential. Reports have him and Tua as a 50/50 split for the starting job. This is the most even battle heading into July’s training camp.

My personal predictions don’t matter in any capacity, but I’d have to check off Deshaun Watson, Kyler Murray and Michael Penix as the starters for their teams week 1!

Share The Asterisk Sports

Every year, hockey fanatics gather around at their TV sets, on Discord calls, and at in-person watch parties for one of the NHL’s premier events: The NHL Draft.

For those with skin in the game, the intensity is the closest it gets outside of the NHL playoffs. Will your team draft their next shining star, a franchise staple for many years to come, or a flame-out whose name is only remembered in hockey databases and in obscure trivia?

With a projected weaker class this year, the 2026 NHL Draft has brought more surprises than usual through its first 32 picks.

Riser: Daxon Rudolph (BUF #4)

Facing tumultuous, impending RFA negotiations with defenseman Bo Byram, whose ask reportedly is around the $12 million range per season, the Buffalo Sabres were able to flip the 25-year-old left-shot defenseman and physical forward Jordan Greenway to the Chicago Blackhawks ahead of the draft for a tall right-shot stop-gap Louis Crevier, a second-round pick, and the fourth overall pick.

For Sabres fans, this deal, along with the following acquisition of Olen Zellweger for Anaheim, made it feel like Christmas came early. However, little did they know, the festive spirit would lend itself to who they took at fourth overall.

There were plenty of rumours circulating about the pick, with some suggesting it was part of trades to acquire Connor Hellebuyck of the Winnipeg Jets, Matthew Knies from the Toronto Maple Leafs, or even Vincent Trocheck of the New York Rangers. Should they have kept the pick, the growing sentiment was that they were set on Caleb Malhotra, or perhaps Viggo Bjorck.

With the pick kept and Malhotra going to play under his father in Vancouver at third overall, few expected the Sabres to take a defenseman, Daxon Rudolph, no less.

Despite the instant shock, the pick makes a lot of sense. Rudolph is an offense-leaning, two-way defenseman with tremendous upside. More importantly, he’s also a right-shot, an area in which Buffalo desperately needs help. Where this might prove to be an issue is that Rudolph remains quite raw physically, despite his 6-foot-2, 200-plus-pound frame, frequently getting bumped off pucks by diminutive players.

Was it the best pick at the spot at the time? Not necessarily with fellow righty Chase Reid still on the board. However, Rudolph may very well become comparable in terms of impact, if not greater, than what Bo Byram did for them—and that should make it enough of a win.

Faller: Chase Reid (SEA #7)

Chase Reid’s stock has spent the better parts of the past two years strapped to a jet pack. From a USHL cut and NTDP afterthought, he worked his way through the NAHL before joining the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, where he established himself as a dynamic, impactful player in his D-1 campaign. This season was no different, rising up from first-round consideration to the Top-10, before establishing himself as what seemed like a surefire Top-5 talent.

When Toronto was awarded the first overall pick in May, Reid’s name began to emerge as a challenger to Gavin McKenna and Ivar Stenberg. He seemed linked to the Sharks at two, a possibility for the Canucks at three, the Sabres have a hole on their right side, and by God, if he was available at five, the Rangers seemed stupid not to take him. But alas, Reid kept falling.

The Sharks ended up deciding that going for Ivar Stenberg at 2 while risking the availability of right-shot defenseman Keaton Verhoeff at 9 was the better move for their future. Vancouver went with their centerman. Buffalo went for a righty but preferred Rudolph. As for the Rangers and Flames, they felt confident enough in Adam Fox and Zayne Parekh as their cornerstones on the right, instead drafting their left-handed foils, Alberts Smits and Carson Carels, respectively.

Reid ended up a victim of circumstance, but also a fallen angel for the Kraken, who should look to re-ignite their defense corps as soon as the 2027-28 season. There’s a reasonable top pair upside with Reid, who projects as a high-flying, mobile two-way defenseman, and with Brandon Montour’s slide over the past couple of seasons, he should have the opportunity to get there, too.

Faller: Ethan Belchetz (UTAH #17)

Ethan Belchetz is the exact mould of a player that makes NHL general managers imitate a Great Dane on a hot summer’s day.

A cerebral, six-foot-five power forward with great contact skills and good tools to boot. Even when tending to take on more of a complementary role than an involved play-driving one, he invokes the likes of Porter Martone and Juraj Slafkovsky.

Sure, his production was a bit muted for a higher-end projected pick, averaging around the No. 10 mark, but the tools and archetype screamed, he’s gonna go high if a team really loves him.

Turns out, one team did love him and traded up to select him: the Utah Mammoth, who continue to live up to their name with the size of their draft picks. However, it was not until the Windsor Spitfire fell all the way to 16th.

There’s a wide variance with Belchetz’s potential. The best case is building off of flashes of a driving game into an impactful second liner. However, Belchetz seems fit to work in a down-the-lineup role as a net-front player, physical forward.

Not necessarily a steal per se, but a bit surprising that he went this late, given the historical fixation on players of his type. Perhaps teams are starting to grow more wary of bigs, having previously been burned by Flyers’ 12th overall pick Jack Nesbitt and then-Arizona Coyotes 11th overall pick Conor Geekie, now a system player within the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Faller: Ryan Lin (SJ #21)

Ryan Lin’s stock may have slipped from its early-season apex, which saw him enter Top-10 and even some Top-5 conversations, but it seemed like a long shot for the Vancouver Giants’ blueliner to fall into the twenties.

While Lin shored up his defensive play, coupling his strong offensive base with a cerebral shutdown game, it may have led scouts to question his projection. Do teams value an offensive-first undersized defenseman more than a defense-first one?

Furthermore, where does he fit in the grand scheme of things? Does he have the dynamism to command a top pair or power play? Will his stature pose problems for a penalty killing projection?

These questions ultimately led to Lin’s, likely unjust, downfall on draft day, but also to the Sharks’ easiest win of the night—who could benefit from his mobility-heavy, steady two-way play in the short-to-medium future after what could be a rather short cup of tea in Denver.

Faller: Adam Novotny (VAN #24)

It boggles the mind that Adam Novotny fell to 24th.

He’s an easy projection to the NHL with a high-effort, forechecking game with good stick and physicality, all the while acting as a dual-threat scorer, driving to the slot and ripping or winding up and finishing one-timers.

While Novotny has had his fair share of lovers this season, he’s also drawn the ire of some scouts, who were turned away by what was called a lack of physical runway, supposed skating concerns, and an early 2007-birthday.

However, a case of the yips in the playoffs seemed to have sealed the fate of the otherwise surefire Top-15 prospect, falling into the back-half of the first.

Vancouver will surely reap from the mistakes of many teams before them. Make no mistake, should he hit his potential, the Czech forward could very well replace the offense from Brock Boeser in just a few short years.

Riser: Jonas Lagerberg Hoen (OTT #25)

Every year, there’s usually at least one player who gets taken in the first round that leaves most fans asking: “Who?”

This year, the Senators even managed to fool some executives, selecting Jonas Lagerberg Hoen with the 25th overall pick, who suited up in just 11 games due to a season-ending knee injury. Since making his U20 Nationell debut in 2024-25, Lagerberg Hoen has netted 46 points in 47 regular games, of which an astounding 36 have been goals.

While the Swedish winger went under the radar, make no mistake, this is a high-upside bet.

His game is all about getting pucks to the middle, either crawling up the slot, plowing his way through, or skating around defenders, or finding seams to players crashing or around the net. The hope with this pick is that he will help recreate Brady Tkachuk’s finishing in the aggregate, alongside prospect Kasper Haltunnen, acquired earlier from San Jose in the William Eklund trade.

There are a few questions about his NHL projection. Has his knee injury impacted his mobility, and is he as one-dimensional as his stats might suggest?

On the bright side, Lagerberg Hoen was a full participant at the NHL combine and is set to attend the team’s development camp. As for the rest of his game, the playmaking has come in flashes, and there’s some semblance of a projectible forechecking game, but both are in dire need of growth to hit an NHL projection. A potential up-to-middle of the lineup scoring forward at his best, or one of those guys who can light up the juniors and Europe, but not quite stick in the NHL at his worst.

What’s left

Ultimately, while you’d want to hit a home run with every first-rounder as these are the players you build around, drafts are often won or lost on Day 2, and there are plenty of tantalizing players left on the board.

Undersized left-shot Xavier Villeneuve remains a possible top-pair bet, but has fallen due to a lack of size, stagnating production and a hip injury he battled throughout the season.

Mathis Preston was once seen as a shoo-in for the Top-10 early season, courtesy of his high-octane playstyle, but has slid out of the first round as he doesn’t let the play develop around him.

Yegor Shilov should have warranted an easy first-round selection, with crafty playmaking and strong two-way details, but his lack of stamina and inconsistent engagement have scared off teams.

NHL teams continue to prove they are willing to stray from consensus if a player matches organizational fit, fits preconceived biases such as height, or is deemed a higher-upside bet.

Every team goes into the draft thinking they are going to pick the smartest, but each team has a different definition of what that means. For some, it’s sticking to the consensus and taking the guy who’s falling. For others, it’s deviating from the mean and banking on upside reaches.

Ultimately, the true winners and losers of the draft won’t be accurately identified until many years down the line, after confounding variables, including injuries, opportunities, and playstyle changes, will ultimately muddy those discussions.

But for now, let’s huff a little hopium and relish in the best off-ice spectacle hockey has to offer.

The 2026 NHL Mock Draft is today, and in all honesty, it’s a very underwhelming draft. The prospect talent isn’t up to snuff as some previous years, but there is some potential stars in the making.

Teams have been trading for picks like wildfire the last couple of days, and this raises the question: Who are they drafting? Or who do they not want to draft?

Before I begin, I just want to say that this Mock Draft is based on my own opinions and team needs. Sometimes I will value a player much higher than where I mock them, and I make that very evident. I want to make it clear that this is my own opinion based on watching 100+ players extensively over the last couple of weeks. Either way, on to the Mock Draft!

1. Toronto Maple Leafs: Gavin McKenna, LW

The Maple Leafs basically get their Mitch Marner replacement with Gavin. Gavin is the most skilled forward in this class, and it ultimately feels like a no-brainer here at the first overall pick. Chayka has been surprising all of us with his eagerness to make moves, so I believe he makes the right choice here.

2. San Jose Sharks: Ivar Stenberg, LW

This choice has changed basically 4 times since I wrote my original draft, but here we go. The Sharks go with the best player on the board here with Stenberg after trading away William Eklund for the 9th Overall Pick. He can stand neck and neck with McKenna and could become a cornerstone on that Sharks offence for years to come. To put his dominance into perspective, Stenberg had an incredible season in the SHL, putting up 33 points in 43 games and 4 points in 6 playoff games. He is the best possible pick here.

3. Vancouver Canucks: Chase Reid, RHD

After dropping down to third overall after a disappointing lottery result, the Canucks still end up with a complete stud for their defensive core in Chase Reid. He is the #1 in this class, and his blend of puck-moving skills, along with high-end vision and incredible mobility, will be a treat on that Vancouver blueline for years to come. Maholtra does seem like the obvious choice here, given their coach, but I feel like they will go a different route.

4. Buffalo Sabres (via Chicago Blackhawks): Caleb Maholtra, C

Alrighty. After a beyond crazy trade, Buffalo, if they keep this pick, would go with stud centre Caleb Maholtra. Buffalo doesn’t really need much after having an incredibly successful season, so there is a deep possibility this pick can get dealt even after I write this and publish this on draft day. Maholtra is an incredible centre in a very weak class, and Buffalo can afford to wait on his development until he becomes a true leader for the Sabres in the future. Maholtra possesses a great set of size, skill and defensive habits that will translate well into the NHL, and I adore him as a prospect.

5. New York Rangers: Alberts Smits, LHD

The Rangers' left side of defense is effectively weak, and they need a much-needed boost. Alberts Smits seemingly can be that boost. They have showed a deep interest in the prospect over the days and I can understand why. Smits is one of the most NHL-ready defenseman in this class and can be ready very quick. He is great defensively and has good size at 6’3, but his passing and decision-making are incredibly speculative. If he fixes that, however, I could see him carving out a good career as a top 2 defenseman.

6. Calgary Flames: Carson Carels, LHD

To keep this blunt, the Flames need everything. Originally I had them taking a centre but with their prospect pool lacking some high-end defensive prospects. Carels makes sense here. Carels can provide this boost with his high-end skill and elite flashes, making him look like a true #1 defenseman. He is elite defensively and physically, and is developing nicely offensively, which can make him a triple threat out there. If he can perfect his offensive skills and play driving, he will be a home run pick for the Flames here.

7. Seattle Kraken: Keaton Verhoeff, RHD

Seattle has way too many middle-six forwards, so a good defensive prospect seems like a great fit for them. Verhoeff should be good and has all the tools to succeed, but just hasn’t. He has been exposed at every level of play defensively, but has shown flashes that make me believe that he could be the #1 defenseman in this class. You could very well argue this is the biggest boom-or-bust pick, and honestly, I could agree to some degree. His combination of size and skill is immaculate, but the lights always seem way too bright for him in moments when he is needed.

8. Winnipeg Jets: Viggo Björck, C

To put this out here right now, after watching over 100 prospects, the Hockey IQ I have witnessed from Viggo is potentially the best in the class. He is just an incredibly intelligent player with an elite work rate and the experience of leading and playing against some of the hardest competition for his age. Winnipeg in this situation gets a player that I believe should’ve went Top 5, but that’s the luck of the draft sometimes.

9. San Jose Sharks (via Ottawa Senators): Daxon Rudolph, RHD

At this point, the defensive prospects hit a very clear dropoff, but the Sharks are almost 100% going defence here if they take Stenberg. Daxon is a great defender with the potential to be a stable presence on the right side of the Sharks' defence, but his overall defensive consistency raises some issues. Still, he is incredible offensively with some immaculate offensive instincts, which can be captivating for a team like the San Jose Sharks, who have been hunting a power-play defenseman for years.

10. Nashville Predators: Ethan Belchetz, LW

Power Forward translation into the NHL is always incredibly different than most. Belchetz looks to be on the path to the better half with his elite size and hockey sense. He is a very capable net-front presence and can play physically while still providing some offence. My biggest concern is consistency; if he can find it, he will become one of the most complete power forwards in the NHL.

11. St Louis Blues: Malte Gustafsson, LHD

One of the biggest risers in this year’s draft, Malte Gustafsson, is a very complete defensiveman, and I adore his defensive game. His high level of play will translate well, and I can see real success for him. I could see him very well going top-8, but as a late riser, he currently ranks this way.

12. New Jersey Devils: Wyatt Cullen, LW

One of the best players in transition, Wyatt Cullen is an immaculate play driver with elite playmaking skills. He has risen up boards immaculately, and with his overall skating and burst speed also being eye-catching, I can see a team like the Devils taking a chance to bolster their offence.

13. New York Islanders: Ryan Lin, RHD

The New York Islanders have one of the best young defenseman ever, but how about getting someone for the other side? Ryan Lin is an incredible puck-moving defenseman who gets overshadowed by the absolute density of elite defensive prospects in this class. Building a 1-2 punch with him and Schaefer could be ideal.

14. Columbus Blue Jackets: Oscar Hemming, LW

The youngest player in college could be a great developmental piece for the Blue Jackets, who aren’t shy about drafting players with size and skill, similar to Hemming. He is very raw, needing to develop his skating and offensive tools, but he has plenty of time to do so in college.

15. St. Louis Blues (via Detroit Red Wings): Adam Novotny, LW

Novotny is a great two-way winger who has the motor and drive to excel in the NHL. I am incredibly high on him and believe that he can succeed on a team like the Blues, which needs high-motor power forwards to assist them. He could show more offence, which will be the determining factor in whether he will excel.

16. St Louis Blues (via Washington Capitals): Alexander Command, C

The Blues, being increasingly greedy, also now have the chance to draft one of the best centres in this class, which is Command. Command is a decent two-way centre with a strong net-front presence. He is incredibly good at the faceoff circle, too, which is a massive plus to have this early on in your career.

17. LA Kings - Nikita Klepov, LW

The leading scorer in the OHL is at 17th, which is kind of weird, but he is still an immaculate player. His issues stem from his defensive play and physical skills, which can draw some coaches away from him, even though his offensive skills are elite. He will need to work on this to gain trust, but the potential is right there.

18. Washington Capitals (via Anaheim Ducks): Maddox Dagenais, C

Maddox is an interesting prospect who I believe could be moulded into an elite power forward capable of being a driving force down the middle. The issue is the could part, as he hasn’t shown incredible offensive instinct and issues processing the game. I feel like he can reach this, but only time will tell.

19. Utah Mammoth: Tynan Lawrence, C

Before this year, Tynan Lawrence was seen as a top-5 prospect, but he looked awful at basically every level of hockey. This would automatically make you a middle-round draft pick, but your defensive toolkit is immaculate. The offensive skills have just been incredibly lackluster. If a team can unlock the offensive toolkit, you have an elite forward, but if you can’t, you might not even have a third liner.

20. Buffalo Sabres (via San Jose Sharks): Elton Hermansson

Hermansson is an offensive threat with great passing and shooting skills that can translate well into the NHL. The raw talent is something you bet on, and I feel like the Sabres could definitely take the chance here that the skills continue to develop.

21. Philadelphia Flyers: Oliver Suvanto, C

Suvanto has one of the highest floors among the draft prospects in this class. I think a team like Philadelphia, which lacks some centre depth, would be a nice, safe option. He plays an incredibly gritty game and is very physical around the boards and the net front, which could translate well into the Flyers’ culture.

22. Pittsburgh Penguins: Xavier Villeneuve, LHD

Not to overreact here, but man, I love Xavier Villenueve. He has the highest ceiling in this draft class, completely, but is under 6 feet. NHL GMs need to realize that this kinda of talented defenseman almost always translates well if the skills are there to match up. For the people who actually read this far, I would draft him in the top 8, but I am not a GM. Still, his offensive ability and ability to create space should make him a high-level prospect.

23. Boston Bruins: Ilia Morozov, C

Morozov is a big-body centre with some of the best defensive instincts in this entire class. His offensive upside is very low, but his very low floor can make him plug-and-play on an NHL third line almost immediately. He feels and seems like a player the Boston Bruins would enjoy picking.

24. Vancouver Canucks (via Minnesota Wild): Liam Ruck, RW

The first Ruck brother goes, and I think it’s pretty poetic that the Canucks draft him. He is an incredibly skilled forward after putting up 104 points in the WHL, and I feel like the Canucks will be targeting both of them. Liam is an incredibly versatile shooter that can be an interesting pick for the Canucks, and I honestly hope they take him and his brother, too.

25. Ottawa Senators (via Florida Panthers): Gleb Pugachyov, RW

The Senators pick up this pick from the Brady Tkachuk trade, and I feel like the perfect Tkachuk replacement is another Brady Tkachuk. I’m joking. Gleb is not Brady at all, but I felt like it was a funny sentence to say. He is incredibly physical and has above-average skating skills, which can translate well into a power-forward role. He just needs to work on his offensive skills, and he will become a great top-6 player.

26. New York Rangers(via Carolina Hurricanes): Mathis Preston, LW

Preston is a great skater and shooter, and in situations, he can use these skills to set himself up for scoring chances. His issues stem from transition play and building up the offence himself. This makes him somewhat one-dimensional offensively, but his elite skills above should not be overlooked, and I believe he should become a great power-play threat in the future.

27. San Jose Sharks (via Buffalo Sabres): Maksim Sokolovskii, LHD

The Sharks could double up on defence and get a towering force in Maksim. He is by no means an offensive threat, but he is incredible defensively. He is also just 6’8”, which would make any coach’s eyes pop out of their head. He is also a good skater, which helps his case of being a good defenseman at this height. I like his size, and I think he can be a great shutdown defenseman.

28. Montreal Canadiens: J.P. Hurlbert, LW

The Montreal Canadiens prospect pool doesn’t need much at this moment, but adding Michigan’s J.P. Hurlbert can provide a boost to their offensive pool. He is an incredibly good player who can compete at a high level, with strong Hockey IQ and offensive skills. He lacks a physical and defensive game, which limits his potential, but he can become a truly offensive dynamo for a team.

29. St Louis Blues (via New York Islanders): Marcus Nordmark, LW

The Blues have 4 picks and can take a player with all the skills in the world, but just lacks the intensity and drive needed to translate to the NHL. He plays a slow-paced game, which can affect his speed and skating skills. The offensive tools in total, however, are ELITE. I love this swing for the Blues if they do.

30. Calgary Flames (via Vegas Golden Knights): Jaxon Cover, LW

The Cayman Islands’ own is a very raw prospect. He has a great motor and a good goal-scoring touch that allows him to generate offence and play proper defence at a high level. He has questionable decision-making, but if he can fix these issues, he can be an elite forward.

31. Carolina Hurricanes: Tommy Bleyl, RHD

Like Villeneuve, he is a great offensive generator who can command the blue line and play an aggressive game. He can generate space and has elite edgework. His big issue is his overall defensive limitations. This, along with his size, obviously raises issues, but the offensive skills cannot be overlooked. He will be just fine.

32. Ottawa Senators: Yegor Shilov, C

To end off the first round, Yegor Shilov is here. He has some of the best skills in the draft and is an incredibly complete offensive player. He just lacks the pace to keep up with the skill that is needed for the NHL. Still, if he can fix his skating, he will be a great offensive contributor.

In The End*

The NHL Draft will almost never go this way since I am not in an NHL front office, but this is what I think. Teams will get their future cornerstones or draft the next big bust. This day will mostly be dominated by trades if the last couple of days are any reflection of what is going on. Either way, we won’t know anything until tonight and hopefully teams will make the best decisions.

Thank you so much for reading!