NHL Draft 2017: Start Time, Order, Prospects Guide and Mock Draft Predictions

The offseason moves quickly in the NHL. Less than two weeks after the Pittsburgh Penguins secured their second consecutive Stanley Cup, the NHL will hold its annual player draft.

The event will take place at the United Center in Chicago, and it will be conducted Friday and Saturday. The first round gets underway at 7 p.m. ET and will be televised by NBCSN, and while this draft does not have a Connor McDavid or an Auston Matthews to headline the event, there are a number of excellent players who are likely to become impact players.

Will they burst on to the scene and dominate in 2017-18? Probably not. But they will make things happen in the foreseeable future.

Here's our look at how the first round will play out. Our draft order contains the trades made by the expansion Vegas Golden Knights, which were announced Wednesday night, per NHL.com.

2017 NHL Mock Draft, 1st Round

1. New Jersey Devils: Nico Hischier, C, Halifax 

2. Philadelphia Flyers: Nolan Patrick, C, Brandon

3. Dallas Stars: Miro Heiskanen, D, HIFK

4. Colorado Avalanche: Cody Glass, C, Portland

5. Vancouver Canucks: Martin Necas, C, Brno

6. Vegas Golden Knights: Gabriel Vilardi, C, Windsor

7. Arizona Coyotes: Casey Mittelstadt, C, Eden Prairie

8. Buffalo Sabres: Cale Makar, D, Brooks

9. Detroit Red Wings: Klim Kostin, LW/C, Dynamo Moscow

10. Florida Panthers: Owen Tippett, RW, Mississauga 

11. Los Angeles Kings: Eeli Tolvanen, RW, Sioux City

12. Carolina Hurricanes: Timothy Liljegren, D, Rogle (Sweden)

13. Vegas Golden Knights (from Winnipeg Jets): Lias Andersson, C, HV 71d 

14. Tampa Bay Lightning: Nicolas Hague, D, Mississauga

15. Vegas Golden Knights  (from New York Islanders): Elias Pettersson, C, Timra

16. Calgary Flames: Callan Foote, D, Kelowna

17. Toronto Maple Leafs: Nick Suzuki, C, Owen Soun

18. Boston Bruins: Juuso Valimaki, D, Tri-City

19. San Jose Sharks: Kristian Vesalainen, LW/RW, Frolunda

20. St. Louis Blues: Ryan Poehling, C, St. Cloud State

21. New York Rangers: Kailer Yamamoto, RW, Spokane

22. Edmonton Oilers: Shane Bowers, C, Waterloo

23. Arizona Coyotes (from Minnesota): Maxime Comtois, LW, Victoriaville

24. Winnipeg Jets (from Columbus via Vegas): Conor Timmins, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds

25. Montreal Canadiens: Michael Rasmussen, C, Tri-City 

26. Chicago Blackhawks: Josh Norris, C, USNTDP

27. St. Louis Blues (from Washington): Urho Vaakanainen, D, JYP

28. Ottawa Senators:  Nikita Popugayev, LW, Prince George

29. Dallas Stars (from Anaheim): Jake Oettinger, G, Boston University 

30. Nashville Predators: Jason Robertson, LW, Kingston

31. Pittsburgh Penguins: Jesper Boqvist, LW, Brynas

C Nolan Patrick, Brandon

Nolan Patrick is a big man, at 6'3" and 200 pounds, who also has the strength needed to hold on to the puck in the offensive zone, even when he absorbs contact. Patrick scored 20 goals and 26 assists for Brandon last season, and he has the hands and skating ability to be a major factor in the foreseeable future.

Canadian scouting website Future Considerations gave Patrick high grades. He is clearly a player who plays well in all three zones and will do the work to get better every day. 

"A lethal combo of size, speed and skill; plays a power game and possesses one of the most well-rounded skill sets in the CHL," Future Considerations said. "Has great wheels and is able to surprise with his speed. Hands and ability to protect the puck is high end. Plays very responsibly with the puck but also makes something happen each time he possesses it."

C Nico Hischier, Halifax

The 6'0", 172-pound Nico Hischier has the skill to become a big-time scorer at the next level. Hischier scored 38 goals and 48 assists in 57 games for the Halifax Mooseheads of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League last season.

Hischier has tremendous offensive skill, and he excels at making plays for himself and his teammates in the offensive zone. He also scored seven points in five games for Team Switzerland in the World Juniors, and that demonstrates he can play his best hockey against top competition.

Scouting website the Draft Analyst described him in glowing terms:

"Hischier is an elite center with off-the-charts puck artistry and swift skating that combine into a lethal package. Sly and dangerous, he can strike at a moment’s notice. His agility and escapability are unmatched among draft peers, and at 18 years old his hockey sense is on par with the world's best young players of any level."

C Michael Rasmussen, Tri-City

While Michael Rasmussen might not go at the top of the first round like Hischier and Patrick, he is a powerful prospect, at 6'6" and 221 pounds, who will be able to use his size to overpower defensive players.

Even though he is a huge man, Rasmussen does not lack athleticism or talent. He is a powerful skater and an excellent stick-handler.

While Rasmussen has had knee and wrist injuries in the past, he scored 55 points in 50 games last season. He had 32 goals, and 15 of those markers came on the power play.

Rasmussen told Guillaume LePage of NHL.com that he does his best work around the net: "I don't think you can describe my game with one label. It is one of my strengths because I go to the net, but I can make plays too, and I can play in my own end."