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16. Columbus Blue Jackets—D Simon Despres, Saint John (QMJHL)—6′3″/205 lbs.
A very big defenseman who has a good shot from the point, and most importantly, he can run the power play. There are probably better options at this spot, but the BJs desperately need to improve their power play, which was their Achilles' heel last season.
17. St. Louis Blues—C Jacob Josefson, Djurgarden (Swe)—6′0″/187 lbs.
Good size and good knowledge of the game. Good playmaker and holds his own defensively.
18. Montreal Canadiens—C Louis LeBlanc, Omaha (USHL)—5′11″/170 lbs.
LeBlanc is a Quebecer who played in the U.S. He's a French Canadian who can go back home and play for the Habs. Slowly rising on draft boards; ranked No. 12 by the ISS.
19. New York Rangers—D Tim Erixon, Skelleftea (Sweden)—6′3″/190 lbs.
He's a fundamental player whose father also played for the Rangers. Rangers could keep it in the family with this pick and would get a great defenseman with good hockey sense.
20. Calgary Flames—C Drew Shore, US18 (NTDP)—6′2″/198 lbs.
Big, strong centerman. Lots of room to grow and should evolve nicely with some help.
21. Philadelphia Flyers—D John Moore, Chicago (USHL)—6′2″/190 lbs.
Rumors say that the Flyers are after J-Bo, who is a big and mobile blue liner, much like Moore is. Whether they get J-Bo or not, Moore is the best available player at this point and should be taken before the 20th pick.
22. Vancouver Canucks—D David Rundblad, Skelleftea (Sweden)—6′3″/190 lbs.
Did not produce much overseas, but he has the talent and the body to be a very productive NHL player. He is a risky player that will have to change, especially in the Canuck system. But he is a type of player that the Canucks may be able to use, especially in power play situations.
23. New Jersey Devils—RW Landon Ferraro, Red Deer (WHL)—6′0″/170 lbs.
Energy guy who fits well with the hard-nosed mentality of the Devils. Scrappy player.
24. Washington Capitals—D Calvin de Haan, Oshawa (OHL)—6′0/170 lbs.
An offensive defenseman who I got to see a lot of playing in Oshawa. He is very smart and shows a lot of potential.
Took on more of an offensive role once Tavares left Oshawa and should continue to show improvement as his OHL career goes forward. Lots of potential but may need to bulk up.
25. Boston Bruins—D Dylan Olsen, Camrose (AJHL)—6′3″/207 lbs.
A big boy who is a nice fit in Boston’s defensive system. He is still a little raw, but with his size and untapped potential, he can be a nice shutdown defenseman who can help put up goals.
26. New York Islanders—LW Chris Kreider, Andover (HS-MA)—6′2″/200 lbs.
It is believed that the Isles will try to package this pick along with their second round pick to move up. If not, they get a high risk-high reward player in Kreider.
Since he is coming out of high school, he will need some time to develop. However, his size and skill are too much to pass up.
27. Carolina Hurricanes—D Stefan Elliot, Saskatoon (WHL)—6′1″/185 lbs.
He's a very smart player who is working on his shot to become even more of a complete player. Like all young defensemen, he will need time to learn to play physically, but the potential is there.
28. Chicago Blackhawks—RW Jeremy Morin, US NDTP—6′1″/193 lbs.
He's a goal scorer who is willing to use his big frame to help his team score. He can also wire shots from anywhere and try to find seams to get the puck in the net.
29. Detroit Red Wings—C Jordan Caron, Rimouski (QMJHL)—6′3″/200 lbs.
Another big body that drops into Detroit's lap. Like Johan Franzen and Tomas Holmstrom before him, Caron is a big body with enough sense to get in front of the net and use his body to score. Willing to sacrifice his body to score.
30. Pittsburgh Penguins—RW Carter Ashton, Lethbridge (WHL)—6′4″/212 lbs.
Holy smokes, what a big body. He has skilled hands and obviously size to play a productive physical game in front of the net. He is a player that any team could use.
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