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NHL Draft 2019: TV, Live-Stream Schedule and 1st-Round Mock Draft Predictions
June 19, 2019
There's no time to look backwards in the NHL, especially for a team that loses the Stanley Cup Final.
The Boston Bruins lost that game June 12, and shortly after the post-series player interviews, general manager Don Sweeney has to make the No. 30 pick in the 2019 draft.
The draft will start Friday night at 8 p.m. ET, and the Bruins and the other 30 teams have to be prepared for two days worth of selections of the sport's top prospects, many of whom won't start contributing until 2020-21 and beyond.
Jack Hughes and Kaapo Kakko are the elite prospects in this year's draft, and they are all but certain to be selected with the top two picks by the New Jersey Devils and New York Rangers.
Here's how the first round of the draft could play out as well as a further look at a few of the talented players likely to get selected early. The first round will be broadcast on NBCSN and can be live-streamed by NBC Sports, and Rounds 2 through 7 will be televised by the NHL Network starting at 1 p.m. Saturday.
2019 NHL Mock Draft, 1st Round
1. New Jersey Devils: Jack Hughes, C, U.S. National U18 Team (NTDP)
2. New York Rangers: Kaapo Kakko, LW, TPS Turku (Liiga)
3. Chicago Blackhawks: Bowen Byram, D, Vancouver Giants (WHL)
4. Colorado Avalanche (via Ottawa Senators): Vasili Podkolzin, RW, SKA (MHL)
5. Los Angeles Kings: Alex Turcotte, C, U.S. National U18 Team (NTDP)
6. Detroit Red Wings: Kirby Dach, C, Saskatoon Blades (WHL)
7. Buffalo Sabres: Victor Soderstrom, D, Brynas (SHL)
8. Edmonton Oilers: Ryan Suzuki, C, Barrie Colts (OHL)
9. Anaheim Ducks: Dylan Cozens, C/W, Lethbridge Hurricanes (WHL)
10. Vancouver Canucks: Raphael Lavoie, C, Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)
11. Philadelphia Flyers: Arthur Kaliyev, LW, Hamilton Bulldogs (OHL)
12. Minnesota Wild: Cole Caufield, RW, U.S. National U18 Team (NTDP)
13. Florida Panthers: Trevor Zegras, C/W, U.S. National U18 Team (NTDP)
14. Arizona Coyotes: Peyton Krebs, C, Kootenay Ice (WHL)
15. Montreal Canadiens: Matthew Boldy, LW, U.S. National U18 Team (NTDP)
16. Colorado Avalanche: Moritz Seider, D, Mannheim (DEL)
17. Vegas Golden Knights: Thomas Harley, D, Mississauga Steelheads (OHL)
18. Dallas Stars: Spencer Knight, G, U.S. National U18 Team (NTDP)
19. Ottawa Senators (via Columbus Blue Jackets): Alex Newhook, C, Victoria Grizzlies (BCHL)
20. New York Rangers (via Winnipeg Jets): Samuel Poulin, RW, Sherbrooke Phoenix (QMJHL)
21. Pittsburgh Penguins: Philip Tomasino, C, Niagara IceDogs (OHL)
22. Los Angeles Kings (via Toronto Maple Leafs): Nils Hoglander, LW, Rogle (SHL)
23. New York Islanders: Brett Leason, C, Prince Albert Raiders (WHL)
24. Nashville Predators: Philip Broberg, D, AIK (Allsvenskan)
25. Washington Capitals: Nolan Foote, LW, Kelowna Rockets (WHL)
26. Calgary Flames: Connor McMichael, C, London Knights (OHL)
27. Tampa Bay Lightning: Alex Vlasic, D, U.S. National U18 Team (NTDP)
28. Carolina Hurricanes: Cam York, D, U.S. National U18 Team (NTDP)
29. Anaheim Ducks (via San Jose Sharks): Matthew Robertson, D, Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL)
30. Boston Bruins: Nicholas Robertson, LW, Peterborough Petes (OHL)
31. Buffalo Sabres (from St. Louis Blues): Anttoni Honka, D, JYP (Liiga)
Jack Hughes, C, U.S. National U18 Team (NTDP)
Hughes is almost certain to go with the No. 1 pick, holding off a late charge from Kakko, who impressed scouts with his play in the last few months.
Hughes is small at 5'10" and 171 pounds, but he is a brilliant skater with explosive speed, quickness and balance that allows him to get away from defenders, create space for himself and either deliver a blind pass or a wicked wrist shot.
He has been compared to Patrick Kane of the Chicago Blackhawks because of the similar size and playmaking traits, and that would make him a sensational NHL player. Kane has been viewed as one of the NHL's most dangerous players, and he has been a part of three Stanley Cup championship teams.
"Turbo-charged center with blinding speed and fantastic vision who has dominated his peers at every level," Steve Kournianos of The Draft Analyst said about the 18-year-old. "Hughes' skill is noticeable from the second he hits the ice, but his ability to make every single one of decisions seem calculated is what separates him from a very talented group of draft-eligible forwards. "
Alex Turcotte, C, U.S. National U18 Team (NTDP)
Turcotte is also on the smaller side at 5'11" and 186 pounds, but he does not play a small man's game. He is a three-zone center, and the Chicago area native has grown up watching Jonathan Toews play for the Blackhawks.
The 18-year-old has a similar style to Toews. He can hound opposing players when they have the puck in the offensive zone, take it away and start the attack moving in the opposite direction.
Turcotte is scheduled to attend and play at the University of Wisconsin in the fall, so he is most likely a couple of years away from playing in the NHL. However, once he gets there, he should have the offensive and defensive game to become a difference-maker early in his career.
"Across-the-board talent with a smart and efficient style," Cam Robinson of Dobber Prospects said of Turcotte (h/t mynhldraft.com). "Great offensive instincts, quick acceleration and already the most complete two-way player in the crop. A constant battler, with underrated puck skills."
Dylan Cozens, C/W, Lethbridge Hurricanes (WHL)
Cozens has the talent to get drafted inside the top-10, and he could move up even further on draft night. Like Turcotte, Cozens has shown the will and the ability to play effective hockey in the defensive zone in addition to his ability to put the puck in the net and create opportunities for his teammates.
The 6'3", 186-pound Cozens has the size and the reach to intercept passes and then create offensive opportunities for his own team.
Cozens scored 34 goals and 50 assists for Lethbridge last season, and his game-changing speed allows him to break free from defensemen who may think that they have Cozens in their defensive sights but end up watching him create scoring opportunities.