NHL Draft 2016: Start Time, Order, Prospects Guide and Mock Draft Predictions

Friday signals the start of the 2016 NHL draft from Buffalo, New York, as teams around the league are given the opportunity to acquire the game's next generation of stars. 

The NHL draft is different than the other big three drafts in that there is a mixture of players who will immediately play in the pros and others who won't be seen for a handful of years.

A majority of the prospects in the NBA and NFL drafts immediately join their big clubs, while MLB draft prospects immediately go to the minor leagues. 

Here's everything you need to know when it comes to watching the first day of the draft:

Date	Time (ET)	TV	Live Stream
Friday, June 24	7 p.m.	NBC Sports Network	NBC Sports Live Extra

This is what the current draft order looks like, and I included a first-round mock draft:

Pick	Team	Player	Position	From
1	Toronto Maple Leafs	Auston Matthews	C	Zurich (NLA)
2	Winnipeg Jets	Patrik Laine	RW	Tappara (SML)
3	Columbus Blue Jackets	Jesse Puljujarvi	RW	Karpat (SML)
4	Edmonton Oilers	Matthew Tkachuk	LW	London (OHL)
5	Vancouver Canucks	Mikhail Sergachev	D	Windsor (OHL)
6	Calgary Flames	Pierre-Luc Dubois	C	Cape Breton (QMJHL)
7	Arizona Coyotes	Olli Juolevi	D	London (OHL)
8	Buffalo Sabres	Jakob Chychrun	D	Sarnia (OHL)
9	Montreal Canadiens	Logan Brown	C	Windsor (OHL)
10	Colorado Avalanche	Alexander Nylander	RW	Mississauga (OHL)
11	New Jersey Devils	Clayton Keller	C	USA U18 Team (USHL)
12	Ottawa Senators	Michael McLeod	C	Mississauga (OHL)
13	Carolina Hurricanes	Tyson Jost	C	Penticton (BCHL)
14	Boston Bruins	Jake Bean	D	Calgary (WHL)
15	Minnesota Wild	Kieffer Bellows	LW	USA U18 Team (USHL)
16	Detroit Red Wings	Dante Fabbro	D	Penticton (BCHL)
17	Nashville Predators	Charlie McAvoy	D	Boston University (NCAA)
18	Philadelphia Flyers	Max Jones	LW	London (OHL)
19	New York Islanders	Julien Gauthier	RW	Val-d'OR (QMJHL)
20	Arizona Coyotes	Dennis Cholowski	D	Chilliwack (BCHL)
21	Carolina Hurricanes	Alex DeBrincat	C	Erie (OHL)
22	Winnipeg Jets	Riley Tufte	LW	Blaine (Minnesota H.S.)
23	Florida Panthers	Adam Brooks	C	Regina (WHL)
24	Anaheim Ducks	Luke Kunin	C	Wisconsin (NCAA)
25	Dallas Stars	German Rubtsov	C	Russia U18 (MHL)
26	Washington Capitals	Rasmus Asplund	C	Farjestad (SHL)
27	Tampa Bay Lightning	Lucas Johansen	D	Kelowna (WHL)
28	St. Louis Blues	Brett Howden	C	Moose Jaw (WHL)
29	Boston Bruins	Jordan Kyrou	RW	Sarnia (OHL)
30	Anaheim Ducks	Pascal Laberge	RW	Victoriaville (QMJHL)

Prospects Guides

Best All-Around Prospect: Auston Matthews, C

Auston Matthews has the makeup of a premier goal scorer in the NHL with a bevy of intangibles that makes professional scouts salivate.

He has good size at 6'2", above-average speed and a soft set of hands that creates a fearsome wrist shot with lightning-fast reflexes. 

There's a great chance he'll be headed to the Toronto Maple Leafs, where they will set the 18-year-old as a young cornerstone to build a contender around. 

Top Playmaker: Adam Brooks, C

Adam Brooks is my dark horse to be taken later in the first round and develop into a star in the NHL. 

With the Regina Pats of the Western Hockey League, Brooks has shown impeccable vision and an ability to know where the play is going before it even gets there. 

He recorded 82 assists to go with 38 goals last season with Regina, per Elite Prospects, which is tied for the most of any draft prospect across any league in the 2016 draft class. 

For a team that's looking for a supporting forward to create plays for established NHL goal scorers, the 20-year-old Brooks could be a huge steal. 

Top Defenseman: Mikhail Sergachev, D

Mikhail Sergachev has shown glimpses of developing into a brilliant two-way defenseman in the NHL during his time with the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League. 

At 17 years old, he still has some filling out to do, but he's already 6'2", 220 pounds, which will bring a solid, physical presence along any blue line. He's tough enough to push an opposing player off of the puck and skilled enough to complete poke checks on even the most talented forwards. 

When the puck is on his stick, he can create magic of his own with good speed and an above-average shot. He's also not afraid to pinch and head to the net, too. 

If he can live up to the hype, he will develop into a defenseman like Victor Hedman of the Tampa Bay Lightning.