2018 NHL Mock Draft: 1st-Round Predictions and Top Prospects on the Rise

The only certainty heading into the 2018 NHL draft is that nothing is certain.

As Chris Peters of ESPN noted on Tuesday, the mantra of the weekend will be to expect the unexpected, and that's because there are so many variables in play.

Here's a list of things that we're pretty sure we know...

1. Rasmus Dahlin will be selected first overall
2. Andrei Svechnikov will be selected second overall

...and that's it!

The rest of the draft itself is up in the air, and a growing number of high-end players could find themselves on new rosters within the next few days.

Mike Hoffman has already been traded (twice), Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet reported on Tuesday that Artemi Panarin isn't interested in re-signing with the Columbus Blue Jackets "at this time," and Phil Kessel is apparently open to being traded by the Pittsburgh Penguins, according to Josh Yohe of The Athletic.

And then there are potential moves for star players on teams likely looking to rebuild, such as Max Pacioretty, Erik Karlsson and Jeff Skinner.

Oh, and Barry Trotz has decided to resign from the head coaching position with the Washington Capitals after leading them to the Stanley Cup a few weeks ago. 

The next few days are sure to be manic, and fans of all 31 NHL teams should buckle in for what should be a wild ride.

Dave Reginek/Getty Images

Latest First-Round Mock Draft

1. Buffalo Sabres: D Rasmus Dahlin, Frolunda (SHL)

2. Carolina Hurricanes: RW Andrei Svechnikov, Barrie (OHL)

3. Montreal Canadiens: LW Filip Zadina, Halifax (QMJHL)

4. Ottawa Senators: D Quinton Hughes, US Under 18

5. Arizona Coyotes: LW Brady Tkachuk, Boston University

6. Detroit Red Wings: D Evan Bouchard, London (OHL)

7. Vancouver Canucks: D Adam Boqvist, Brynas (SHL)

8. Chicago Blackhawks: RW Oliver Wahlstrom, US Under 18

9. New York Rangers: RW Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Assat Pori (SM-liiga)

10. Edmonton Oilers: D Noah Dobson, A-Bathurst (QMJHL)

11. New York Islanders: D Ty Smith, Spokane (WHL) 

12. New York Islanders (via Calgary Flames): C Barrett Hayton, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)

13. Dallas Stars: LW Joel Farabee, USNTDP (USHL)

14. Philadelphia Flyers (via St. Louis Blues): C Rasmus Kupari, Karpat Oulu (SM-liiga)

15. Florida Panthers: RW Serron Noel, Oshawa, (OHL)

16. Colorado Avalanche: D Ryan Merkley, Guelph (OHL)

17. New Jersey Devils: D Bode Wilde, US Under 18

18. Columbus Blue Jackets: C Joe Veleno, Drummondville (QMJHL)

19. Philadelphia Flyers: RW Vitaly Kravtsov, Chelyabinsk (KHL)

20. Los Angeles Kings: C Ryan McLeod, Mississauga (OHL) 

21. San Jose Sharks: C Isac Lundestrom, Lulea HF (SHL)

22. Ottawa Senators (via Pittsburgh Penguins): LW/RW Dominik Bokk, Vaxjo Lakers (SHL/SuperElit)

23. Anaheim Ducks: D Rasmus Sandin, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)

24. Minnesota Wild: C Jacob Olofsson, Timra IK (Allsvenskan)

25. Toronto Maple Leafs: D K'Andre Miller, US U18 (NTDP)

26. New York Rangers (via Boston Bruins): C/W Akil Thomas, Niagara (OHL) 

27. Chicago Blackhawks (via Nashville Predators): D Mattias Samuelsson, US U18 (NTDP)

28. New York Rangers (via Tampa Bay Lightning): D Alexander Alexeyev, Red Deer (WHL)

29. St. Louis Blues (via Winnipeg Jets): D Jonathan Tychonick, Penticton (BCHL)

30. Detroit Red Wings (via Vegas Golden Knights): C Bo Groulx, Halifax (QMJHL)

31. Washington Capitals: LW Grigori Denisenko, Loko Yaroslavl (MHL)

Prospects On the Rise

Vitaly Kravtsov, Chelyabinsk (KHL)

If you're looking for the potential steal of the first round, then search no more. Vitaly Kravtsov quickly moved up the professional ranks in Russia and ended the season by becoming the youngest player (17) to score a goal in a KHL playoff game.

It's that knack for finding that back of the net that makes Kravtsov such an interesting prospect. That, and the fact he's already built like an NHL player.

Standing at 6'2" and weighing in at more than 180 pounds, the forward could jump into the league within the year or two. He plays with a bit of an edge, but if he learns to use his body more as he matures, then he could become an even more dangerous player.

Just how high is his ceiling? Tim McKinnon of The Hockey Writers thinks he has Evgeny Kuznetsov-like potential; landing a player like that in the middle of the first round can jump-start a rebuild or push a contender over the top as they pursue the Stanley Cup.

D Rasmus Sandin, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)

Well-rounded defensemen aren't particularly easy to find in the NHL draft. Usually, blueliners are either strong in their own end but don't seem to have much offensive upside, or they're almost all transition game without much ability to read plays in their own end.

Rasmus Sandin is a rare player in that he's strong in all three zones and doesn't have a lot of holes in his game. He's not going to be a game-breaking talent such as Dahlin, but he projects cleanly as a top-four defender with decent upside.

The 18-year-old skates quite well and already looks confident when he has the puck on his stick. He reads plays well while in transition and seems to know when to pinch and when to hang back.

Finding all these traits in one package is rare in teenage defenders, so it wouldn't be surprising to see Sandin get picked up a bit earlier than expected.

C/RW Jonatan Berggren, Skelleftea AIK J20 (SuperElit)

We don't have Jonatan Berggren going in the first round in our mock draft, but a team in the back third of the first round could end up picking the forward on Day 1.

The 17-year-old flew under the radar for much of the season, which is why he might not have the pedigree to go in the first round, but his fine performance at the U18 World Championship for Sweden in April generated a ton of buzz.

The 5'11", 183-pound forward is quick on his feet, isn't afraid to go to the dirty areas of the ice and is an absolute puck hound. While he could stand to add some muscle, there aren't many teenage prospects who are built like professional athletes.

An NHL team could help Berggren bulk up, but he appears to have the tools needed to eventually evolve into a top-six forward. He was one of the most dynamic players during the U18 tournament, which could entice a team to take him in Round 1.