Mid Season Mock Draft

1- Columbus Blue Jackets: Nail Yakupov

 RW Sarnia Sting (OHL) 
5'11-170 Pounds

Yakupov has the complete package in terms of skill and creativity. He has amazing foot speed and uses his small frame to protect the puck. Yakupov will be the new face of the franchise in Ohio.

2- Edmonton Oilers: Mikhail Grigorenko 

RW/C Remparts de Quebec (QMJHL) 
6'2 - 191 Pounds 

Grigorenko is a future NHL stud. He poses a great skating ability, great vision, crisp passing and he has a good frame. The only knock on him is his defensive play.

3- Carolina Hurricanes: Filip Forsberg

RW/LW Leksands (SEL)

6'1-176 Pounds

Forsberg is a solid all around player. He has good vision with the puck and is a good defensive forward when he does not have the puck. He is on the skinnier side for his 6'1 frame but he will have time to fill out. 

4- Anaheim Ducks: Ryan Murray

D Everett Silvertips (WHL)

6'0- 190 Pounds 

Murray is the most complete deffensman in the draft. He is poised and calm when possessing the puck. He is a pillar on the Silvertips blueline and will become a force in the NHL with the Ducks. The Ducks will have superstars up front in (Getzlaf,Perry,Ryan) and on the back end as well with Fowler and Murray. 

5- New York Islanders: Jacob Trouba 

D United States National Development Team (USHL) 

6'1- 183 Pounds

Trouba is a dominant player in the USHL and will continue that domination in the NHL with the Islanders. The islanders are solid up front with John Tavares and will have a superstar on the backend as well. Trouba poses a hard shot and plays with a physical edge to his game.  

6- Montreal Canadiens: Alex Galchenyuk 

C/LW Sarnia Sting (OHL)

6'1- 181 Pounds 

This dynamic russian/american center is exactly what Montreal has been looking for for over a decade. Galchenyuk is that coveted big and skilled center that every team looks for. Galchenyuk as fallen a little bit in the standings because of his injury. The young center is already being compared to Marian Hossa in the way he plays the game. He will fit right in Montreal on the 1rst line as soon as next season, if he recovers from his injury like planned. 

7- Buffalo Sabres: Matthew Dumba 

D Red Dear Rebels (WHL) 

5'11- 165 Pounds 

Dumba is an offensively gifted D-Man. Dumba has a booming shot and swift skating, he runs the defense with his offense. He is a leader on the power play with his shot and is also very sound defensively. Dumba will fit in on Buffalo's blueline with Tyler Myers on his side to make up for his lack of size. 

8 -  Tampa Bay Lightning: Griffin Reinhart 

D- Edmonton Oil King (WHL)

6'4- 198 Pounds 

Reinhart is a big bodied player who will be a fixture on the Tampa blue line forming a duo with Victor Hedman. 

9- Calgary Flames: Morgan Rielly 

D-Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL)

6'0- 170 Pounds 

Rielly was injured this season but with a full recovery the Calgary Flames will benefit having Rielly on their backend.

10- Phoenix Coyotes: Brendan Gaunce 

C- Belleville Bulls (OHL)

6'2- 201 Pounds 

Gaunce is a big skilled centerman that is solid in his all around game. Gaunce is not at the offensive level that galchenyuk is at yet, because of that Gaunce will go later than his OHL counterpart. Gaunce will provide the coyotes with offensive leadership and skill that they are desperately lacking.  

11- Winnipeg Jets: Sebastian Collberg

RW/LW Frölunda HC (SEL) 

5'11- 174 Pounds 

Collberg is a speedy winger that works very well in traffic, he is being compared to Loui Eriksson

of the Dallas Stars for his speed, defensive work ethic and vision. He will fill out the wings  

of the Jets so that the Winnipeg franchise can finally takeoff. 

12- Washington Capitals: Cody Ceci 

D-Ottawa 67's (OHL)

6'1- 209 Pounds 

Ceci is a NHL ready defenseman in terms on size and weight and the skill he poses could be NHL

ready very soon. Although he is not overly physical he uses his size in other ways. He skates

very well for a guy his age and has poise and calm on the backend. The capitals will greatly 

benefit from his skill and he will complete a young core in Washington. 

13- Dallas Stars: Zemgus Girgensons 

C- Dubuque (USHL)

6'2- 171 Pounds 

Girgensons, is one of many complete players in the draft. He has a big frame and plays a flawless

defensive game. Girgensons does not have that high offensive potential that Gaunce and Galchenyuk

have. He will be a good 2 way center and will benefit greatly playing with Jamie Benn. Zigmus plays

a game that is similar to Los Angeles Kings Mike Richards, 

14- Minnesota Wild: Pontus Åberg

RW- Djurgardens (SEL) 

5'11- 187 Pounds 

Åberg is playing in a Mens league in the Swedish elite league. He will eventually take the place 

of Heatley or Setoguchi in the top 6 of the wild.

 15- Washington Capitals: Jarrod Maidens

C- Owen Sound Attack (OHL)

6'2- 170 Pounds

Maidens is one of few forward prospects of the 1rst round this year. He will be a nice addition to

the already solid core of young players in Washington.He has been averaging a point per game

pace in the OHL for 2012. 

16- New Jersey Devils :  Radek Faksa 

C- Kitchener Rangers (OHL) 

6'2- 183 Pounds 

The biggest need for the New Jersey Devils is a young center. They have depth on the wing but 

the lacking depth up the middle. Faksa will provide the Devils with good 2 way play and most likely

become an excellent 2nd line center. 

17- Florida Panthers: Ollie Maatta

D- London Knights (OHL)

6'2- 198 Pounds 

Maatta is a defensman that is a puck moving d-man. He has a great first pass and has a powerful

shot from the blueline. When combining his hockey IQ with his speed he uses both elements to play

a shutdown role. 

18- Toronto Maple Leafs: Stefan Matteau 

LW- United States National Development Team (USHL)

6'1- 207 Pounds 

Matteau has Brian Burke type player written all over him. He is a typical power forward, with the 

recent drafting of Tyler Biggs, the leafs will yet again dip their hands into the USHL prospect pool 

and draft this gritty forward, 

19- Ottawa Senators: Slater Koekkoek 

D- Peterborough Petes (OHL) 

6'2- 183 Pounds 

Koekkoek has all around skill in every facet of the game. His passes are crisp, he has very fluid skating and is reliable on defense. What is intriguing about Koekkoek is his leadership abilities. With the loss of Rundblad, Ottawa will need to fill the void that Rundblad was expected to fill.

20-  Los Angeles Kings: Martin Frk 

RW- Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)

6'0- 201 Pounds

Going with the best player available, the Los Angeles Kings will pick this dynamic forward. 

Frk will fit in nicely into the Kings lineup and he can afford to spend time in his junior team

and in the minors because of the depth of Los Angeles prospect pool. 

21- Pittsburgh Penguins: Tomas Hertl

C- HC Slavia Praha (CZECH)

6'0- 187 Pounds

 Pittsburgh already has the best center depth in the NHL. However, they will greatly benefit from Hertl's presence. He showed his skill set in the WJC and will be valuable addition to the 

forward core in Pittsburgh.  

   

  22- San Jose Sharks: Derrick Pouliot 

D- Portland Winterhawks (WHL)

5'11- 192 Pounds

Pouliot is not the biggest guy but he makes up for his small size in his poise and patience on 

the blueline. Pouliot showcased his skill in the top prospects game and will be a good replacement

for Dan Boyle in years to come for the Sharks. 

23- Philadelphia Flyers: Michael Matheson 

D- Dubuque (USHL)

6'1- 180 Pounds

With the uncertain future of Chris Pronger and the lack of defensive prospects in Philly, Matheson 

will be the future of the franchise on defense.       

24- Chicago Blackhawks: Malcom Subban

 G- Belleville Bulls (OHL)

6'0- 165 Pounds

Brother of PK Subban of the Montreal Canadiens, Malcom will be taken by a force in the NHL.

The blackhawks have had a revolving door of goaltenders in the past and the addition of Subban

will add security in net for years to come.  

25- Saint Louis Blue: Matt Finn 

D- Guelph Storm (OHL) 

6'0- 200 Pounds

The Saint Louis Blue have an enormous forward prospect pool. With the addition of Finn they

will have a young group on offense and on deffense. The blues will be a consistent playoff contender 

with their young core of players. 

26- Nashville Predators: Nicolas Kerdiles 

D- United States National Development Team (USHL)

6'1- 183 Pounds 

Kerdiles is a nashville type of player, he will take some time to develop but it will add an

offensive spark to a defensive team. Nashville will be a well rounded team when Kerdiles is

ready for NHL action. 

27- Vancouver Canucks: Colton Sissons

 RW- Kelowna Rockets (WHL)

6'0- 193 Pounds 

Sisson has been rising on draft lists and could be a surprise come draft day. He has performed

well in the WHL and will add offensive depth to the Canucks. 

28- Boston Bruins: Tom Wilson

RW- Plymouth Whalers (OHL) 

6'4- 195 Pounds

Wilson's is another prospect on the rise. He has good numbers in the OHL, he is physically dominant

and uses that physical skill to his advantage. When he is NHL ready, all other teams will fear a line

that features Lucic and Wilson. 

29- Detroit Red Wings: Charles Hudon

LW- Chicoutimi Sagueneens (QMJHL)

5'8- 165 Pounds

Hudon does not have a big frame but his skill is undeniable. His brother Philippe was drafted last

year by the red wings, the duo of Hudon brothers could be successful together for years to come.

Hudon is similar to Giroux (In his draft year). The only thing holding him back is his size. 

30- New York Rangers: Henrik Samuelsson 

RW- Edmonton Oil King (WHL)

6'2- 195 Pounds 

Samuelsson was recently released by his team in the SEL. Hopefully the transition into the OHL

will help him gather more points up until draft day.