NHL Draft 2016: TV Schedule, Live Stream and Latest Mock Draft Predictions

The 2016 NHL draft class is among the most talented and loaded in recent memory, and it boasts a number of prospects who have a legitimate chance to make an instant impact in 2016-17 and beyond.

Auston Matthews, Patrik Laine and Jesse Puljujarvi have long been considered the top three selections, and while that doesn't seem likely to change, the quality of the class goes well beyond that terrific triumvirate. If predraft evaluation is any indication, the 2016 draft's top 10 could go down as one of the best ever.

Prior to Friday's first round, here is everything you need to know about when and where to watch, along with a first-round mock draft and predictions for how the top 30 selections will play out.

Where: First Niagara Center in Buffalo, New York

When: Friday, June 24 at 7 p.m. ET and Saturday, June 25 at 10 a.m. ET

Watch: NBC Sports Network (Friday) and NHL Network (Saturday)

Live Stream: NBC Sports Live Extra (Friday, no Saturday live stream)

NHL Mock Draft

Pick	Team	Selection
1	Toronto Maple Leafs	Auston Matthews, C, Zurich (NLA)
2	Winnipeg Jets	Patrik Laine, RW, Tappara Tampere (SML)
3	Columbus Blue Jackets	Jesse Puljujarvi, RW, Karpat (SML)
4	Edmonton Oilers	Matthew Tkachuk, LW, London (OHL)
5	Vancouver Canucks	Olli Juolevi, D, London (OHL)
6	Calgary Flames	Pierre-Luc Dubois, C, Cape Breton (QMJHL)
7	Arizona Coyotes	Alexander Nylander, RW, Mississauga (OHL)
8	Buffalo Sabres	Jakob Chychrun, D, Sarnia (OHL)
9	Montreal Canadiens	Logan Brown, C, Windsor (OHL)
10	Colorado Avalanche	Mikhail Sergachev, D, Windsor (OHL)
11	New Jersey Devils	Tyson Jost, C, Penticton (BCHL)
12	Ottawa Senators	Clayton Keller, C, USA NTDP (USHL)
13	Carolina Hurricanes	Charlie McAvoy, D, Boston Univ. (NCAA)
14	Boston Bruins	Jake Bean, D, Calgary (WHL)
15	Minnesota Wild	Kieffer Bellows, LW, USA NTDP (USHL)
16	Detroit Red Wings	Dante Fabbro, D, Penticton (BCHL)
17	Nashville Predators	Julien Gauthier, RW, Val d'Or (QMJHL)
18	Philadelphia Flyers	Michael McLeod, C, Mississauga (OHL)
19	New York Islanders	Luke Kunin, C, Wisconsin (NCAA)
20	Arizona Coyotes (from NYR)	Logan Stanley, D, Windsor (OHL)
21	Carolina Hurricanes (from LA)	Max Jones, LW, London (OHL)
22	Winnipeg Jets (from CHI)	Brett Howden, C, Moose Jaw (WHL)
23	Florida Panthers	Rasmus Asplund, C, Farjestad (SHL)
24	Anaheim Ducks	Libor Hajek, D, Saskatoon (WHL)
25	Dallas Stars	Lucas Johansen, D, Kelowna (WHL)
26	Washington Capitals	German Rubstov, C, Russia U-18 (MHL)
27	Tampa Bay Lightning	Alex DeBrincat, RW, Erie (OHL)
28	St. Louis Blues	Tyler Benson, LW, Vancouver (WHL)
29	Boston Bruins (from SJ)	Riley Tufte, LW, Blaine (USHSW)
30	Anaheim Ducks (from PIT via TOR)	Henrik Borgstrom, C, HIFK (SML Jr.)

Most Intriguing 1st-Round Selections

Matthew Tkachuk

Following a dominant season for the OHL's London Knights, forward Matthew Tkachuk is very much in the conversation to be a top-five selection.

He registered 30 goals and a whopping 77 assists for 107 points in 57 regular-season games before posting a ridiculous 40 points in 18 playoff contests.

Tkachuk already has good size at 6'1" and 200 pounds, and the fact he posted 80 penalty minutes this past season suggests that he plays with the same type of physicality and mean streak that his father, Keith Tkachuk, did for so many years in the NHL.

Much like his dad, Tkachuk uses his size and strength to his advantage, as pointed out by London teammate and fellow draft prospect Olli Juolevi, according to Aaron Vickers of the Calgary Flames' official website: "He's so strong, especially if he gets the puck near the boards or behind the net. He's good at keeping the puck and using his big body. He's a really smart guy. He can make good plays and passes. He's a smart kid, and a very strong guy."

The Edmonton Oilers have been criticized in recent years for failing to build up their defense corps and fixed their goaltending situation, but if Tkachuk is on the board at No. 4 as expected, it will be difficult to pass on him.

Edmonton boasts plenty of skill and finesse up front, but it doesn't have a true power forward, which is what Tkachuk projects to become at the next level.

He would add another dimension to the Oilers' offensive attack in time and could be a Rookie of the Year contender right out of the draft.

Tkachuk may not quite be in the same conversation as Matthews, Laine and Puljujarvi; however, he has the talent to reach their level over time.

Jakob Chychrun

Much of the focus entering the draft is on the strong group of forwards that figures to dominate the early selections, but three defensemen have also emerged as strong bets to come off the board within the first 10 picks.

Jakob Chychrun is among them, and although he is no longer a candidate to go No. 1 overall like he was entering the season, the team that lands him could be getting a stud blueliner for many years to come at the NHL level.

The Florida-born rearguard had an impressive season for the OHL's Sarnia Sting in 2015-16, posting 11 goals and 49 points in 63 games to go along with a plus-23 rating. He also chipped in eight points in seven playoff games as Sarnia's top stalwart on the back end.

Despite his productive campaign, Chychrun's stock has seemingly dropped off compared to what it was several months ago. 

NHL Central Scouting Services director Dan Marr suggested the change in outlook is somewhat of an overreaction, per Postmedia Network's John Matisz (via the Toronto Sun): "It's not like he had a bad year. There's a tendency to put [a top prospect] on a pedestal, on a platform, and if he can't meet those expectations, there seems to be some sense of disappointment. We have to take a step back and not overemphasize a game or a part of a year."

While it will take several years before it is known which defenseman is best between Chychrun, Juolevi and Mikhail Sergachev, TSN's Bob McKenzie believes Chychrun is equipped to make an instant impact:

That makes him an ideal target for the Buffalo Sabres if he is still available at No. 8. Buffalo made some significant strides last season, and it is ready to contend for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference in 2016-17.

The Sabres are stacked with talent up front in the form of Jack Eichel, Sam Reinhart, Ryan O'Reilly and Evander Kane, among others, but their blue line could use some work.

Rasmus Ristolainen, Mark Pysyk and Jake McCabe are all young defensemen with the potential to be great, and adding Chychrun to that group will bolster Buffalo's status as one of the NHL's top up-and-coming teams.

Alex DeBrincat

Erie's Alex DeBrincat is easily among the most skilled players in the 2016 draft class, but at just 5'7" and 165 pounds, his first-round status is in question.

From a production standpoint, there is no denying what DeBrincat brings to the table. He has consecutive 50-goal and 100-point seasons to his credit, and according to McKenzie, he is nearly in a class by himself in terms of his goal-scoring prowess:

As pointed out by Harvey Fialkov of the Sun Sentinel, though, DeBrincat has had the benefit of some elite linemates over the past couple seasons:

Playing on a great line doesn't automatically lead to 50 goals, however. DeBrincat needed to be able to find the right spots in the offensive zone and finish when he had the puck on his stick, and he did those things better than perhaps anyone else in junior hockey the last two years.

Diminutive players are often a crapshoot in the NHL since it is difficult to predict which ones will project well at the next level.

The Tampa Bay Lightning had luck with one of the best smallish players in NHL history in the form of Martin St. Louis, and that could compel them to take a chance on DeBrincat late in the first round.

Tampa is stocked with great forwards regardless of whether Steven Stamkos re-signs, and DeBrincat would be landing in a favorable spot with the likes of Tyler Johnson, Nikita Kucherov, Ondrej Palat, Jonathan Drouin and others.

DeBrincat is undoubtedly worth a gamble due to everything he has accomplished thus far, and if he can't make it in Tampa, then it is unlikely he'll make it anywhere in the NHL.

Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter.