NHL Draft 2018: TV, Live-Stream Schedule and 1st-Round Mock Draft Predictions

The Buffalo Sabres are hoping defenseman Rasmus Dahlin is the player who can help them become playoff contenders once again.

He is certain to be the first player selected in the NHL Draft when the league convenes in Dallas Friday. The draft will be televised by NBCSN at 7:30 p.m. ET and can be live-streamed via the NBC Sports App.

This is the second time the Sabres have found themselves in the position to draft a player of that ilk in the last four years. Buffalo had the No. 2 pick in the draft in 2015, and they selected Jack Eichel right after the Edmonton Oilers picked Connor McDavid.

At the time, Eichel was the clear No. 2 to the Oilers' speedster, but he was also thought of as a generational player who would have been No. 1 in a number of the preceding drafts. Eichel has been a good player for the Sabres who has not reached his ceiling, but he is not yet a player of superstar stature.

Dahlin appears to be a brilliant two-way player who combines remarkable offensive and defensive skills with superior skating ability. He is an excellent passer with good but not great velocity on his shot from the point. Unlike many offensive stars, he is also a strong hitter who enjoys the physical part of the game.

Jonathan Sigalet, who has played in the Swedish Elite League and also has experience in the KHL and the American Hockey League, put no limits on Dahlin's game. 

"In a dozen pro seasons, I never played with or against a defenseman who has anything close to his ability to read the play out there and his sense of time and space," said Sigalet, per Gare Joyce of Sportsnet. "I'm not talking about young defensemen. I'm talking any defenseman. His skating is off the charts. So are his skills. But there's some stuff that you can't teach or work on and are can be hard to describe but you know it when you see it."

It will be a shock if the Sabres either trade the pick or draft another player. Here's our look at how the first round of the draft will play out.

NHL Mock Draft

Round 1

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

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

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

4. Ottawa Senators (optional to COL): D Noah Dobson, Acadie-Bathurst (QMJHL)

5. Arizona Coyotes: LW Brady Tkachuk, Boston University (NCAA)

6. Detroit Red Wings: D Quinn Hughes, Michigan (NCAA)

7. Vancouver Canucks: C Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Assat, Liiga (Finland)

8. Chicago Blackhawks: D Evan Bouchard, London (OHL)

9. NY Rangers: RW Oliver Wahlstrom, U.S. National Development Team

10. Edmonton Oilers: D Adam Boqvist, SuperElit (Sweden)

11. NY Islanders: RW Vitaly Kravtsov, Chelyabinsk (KHL)

12. NY Islanders (from CGY): C Barrett Hayton, Soo Greyhounds (OHL)

13. Dallas Stars: LW Joel Farabee, U.S. National Development Team

14. Philadelphia Flyers (from STL): LW Grigori Denisenko, Loko Yaroslavl (MHL)

15. Florida Panthers: RW Martin Kaut, HC Dynamo Pardubice (Czech)

16. Colorado Avalanche: D Ty Smith, Spokane (WHL)

17. New Jersey Devils: C Joseph Veleno, Drummondville (QMJHL)

18. Columbus Blue Jackets: LW K'Andre Miller, U.S. National Development Team

19. Philadelphia Flyers: C Rasmus Kupari, Karpat (Finland)

20. Los Angeles Kings: D Rasmus Sandin, Soo Greyhounds (OHL)

21. San Jose Sharks: C-LW Liam Foudy, London, (OHL)

22. Ottawa Senators (from PIT): RW Serron Noel, Oshawa (OHL)

23. Anaheim Ducks: C-RW Akil Thomas, Niagara (OHL)

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

25. Toronto Maple Leafs: D Mattias Samuelsson, U.S. National Development Team

26. NY Rangers (from BOS): C Ryan McLeod, Mississauga (OHL)

27. Chicago Blackhawks (from NSH): RW Dominik Bokk, Vaxjo (Sweden, Junior)

28. NY Rangers (from TBL): D Alexander Alexeyev, Red Deer (WHL)

29. St. Louis Blues (from WPG): C Isac Lundestrom, Drummondville (QMJHL)

30. Detroit Red Wings (from VGK): D Jared McIsaac, Halifax (QMJHL)

31. Washington Capitals: D Bode Wilde, U.S. National Team Development

RW Andrei Svechnikov, Barrie (OHL)

Andrei Svechnikov has the look a premier goal scorer after pounding home 40 goals in 44 games this season. He explodes into another gear when he gets the puck on his stick in the offensive zone and senses an opportunity to score. 

He has a big shot, but it is often his ability to beat the defender that allows him to get into the open and get off an unencumbered shot. He's also got the power to go to the high-danger area, establish position and get his shot off, collect a rebound or make an artful deflection. 

Think of Svechnikov as a power forward with speed, and that's a dangerous combination that should allow him to become an elite player quite early in his NHL career.

LW Filip Zadina, Halifax (QMJHL)

Filip Zadina is similar to Svechnikov in terms of overall skill, but he may not have the same kind of power in his game when he tries to establish his net-front presence.

Zadina is not going to get pushed around at 6'1" and 192 pounds, but he does not have the same kind of ability to anchor as Svechnikov.

Zadina is quite elusive, and because he can maintain possession for an extra half-second, he can create scoring opportunities with his vision and passing ability. He has the kind of range that allows him to score from just inside the blue line or take the puck to the net and make defenders and the goaltender miss.

The winger will also go into the corner, fight for the puck and come away with it. He has a desire to win every battle, and that should make him a future star.

C Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Assat, Liiga (Finland)

A smart player with excellent skills, Jesperi Kotkaniemi has the ability to hold on to the puck longer than most, and that allows him to create legitimate scoring opportunities.

The 6'2", 190-pounder can play center or wing, and he has a dangerous shot and excellent determination. Kotkaniemi has rare stickhandling ability that is the result of his confidence and creativity. Put him to the test and he will split defenses in an instant and get rid of his shot with surprising speed.

He's more of a playmaker than a goal scorer at this point, but he is talented enough to develop in that area.

LW Brady Tkachuk, Boston University (NCAA)

If you want a player with powerful puck-possession skills, Brady Tkachuk is one of the best players in the draft for that skill. He has an innate ability to carry the puck into the offensive zone and use his 6'3", 196-pound body to protect it.

His best technique is to challenge opponents with his physical strength and bulldoze them as he makes his way to the net.

He does not have other skills that are elite, but because he brings such a dominant physical game, he can hold on to the puck, shoot it or distribute it quite well.

He has a desire to be on the ice in any situation, and he plays with a hunger that seems to grow with each game.

All stats, heights and weights courtesy of Elite Prospects.