2020 NHL Mock Draft: 1st-Round Predictions and Top Prospects on the Rise

Months after it was originally scheduled, the 2020 NHL draft is finally ready to kick off Tuesday.

Heading into the event, there was more suspense over when it would take place than who would be selected with the top three picks.

Alexis Lafreniere has long been the consensus top pick and is all but guaranteed to join the New York Rangers with the No. 1 selection. Behind him, the duo of Tim Stutzle and Quinton Byfield are both worthy of the No. 2 spot. Their draft order will come down to whether the Los Angeles Kings feel more inclined to take a winger or center with the No. 2 pick. The Ottawa Senators will gladly take whomever is left at No. 3.

After that is where things get interesting.

The top of the draft pool is teeming with players who could rise quickly through the minor league system, if not break camp with the teams that draft them.

Here's a look at how it could all play out once the draft gets underway.

NHL Draft 1st-Round Mock Draft

1. New York Rangers: Alexis LaFreniere, LW, Rimouski (QMJHL)
2. Los Angeles Kings: Tim Stutzle, LW, Mannheim (DEL)
3. Ottawa Senators (from San Jose): Quinton Byfield, C, Sudbury (OHL)
4. Detroit Red Wings: Cole Perfetti, C, Saginaw (OHL)
5. Ottawa Senators: Lucas Raymond, LW, Frolunda (SHL)
6. Anaheim Ducks: Jake Sanderson, D, USNTDP (USHL) 
7. New Jersey Devils: Jamie Drysdale, D, Erie (OHL)
8. Buffalo Sabres: Jack Quinn, RW, Ottawa (OHL)
9. Minnesota Wild: Yaroslav Askarov, G, SKA St. Petersburg (KHL) 
10. Winnipeg Jets: Anton Lundell, C, HIFL (Liiga)
11. Nashville Predators: Marco Rossi, C, Ottawa (OHL) 
12. Florida Panthers: Alexander Holtz, RW, Djurgarden (SHL) 
13. Carolina Hurricanes (from Toronto): Dylan Holloway, C, Wisconsin (NCAA)
14. Edmonton Oilers: Seth Jarvis, RW, Portland (WHL)
15. Toronto Maple Leafs (from Pittsburgh): Rodin Amirov, LW, Salavat Yulaev (KHL)
16. Montreal Canadiens: Dawson Mercer, RW, Drummondville (QMJHL)
17. Chicago Blackhawks: Hendrix LaPierre, C, Chicoutimi (QMJHL)
18. New Jersey Devils (from Arizona): Kaiden Guhle, D, Price Albert (WHL)
19. Calgary Flames: Braden Schneider, D, Brandon (WHL)
20. New Jersey Devils (from Vancouver, via Tampa Bay): Jeremie Poirier, D, Saint John Sea Dogs (QMJHL)
21. Columbus Blue Jackets: Connor Zary, C, Kamloops Blazers (WHL)
22. New York Rangers (from Carolina): Mavrik Bourque, C, Shawinigan (QMJHL)
23. Philadelphia Flyers: Jan Mysak, C, Hamilton (OHL)
24. Colorado Avalanche: J.J. Peterka, LW, EHC Munchen (DEL)
25. Washington Capitals: Jacob Perreault, RW, Sarnia (OHL)
26. St. Louis Blues: Justin Barron, D, Halifax (QMJHL)
27. Anaheim Ducks (from Boston): Lukas Reichel, LW, Eisbaren Berlin (DEL)
28. Ottawa Senators (from New York Islanders): William Wallinder, D, MODO (Allsvenskan)
29. Vegas Golden Knights: Tyson Foerster, C, Barrie (OHL)
30. Dallas Stars: Noel Gunler, RW, Lulea (SHL) 
31. San Jose Sharks (from Tampa Bay): Thomas Bordeleau, C, USNTDP (USHL)

NHL Draft 1st-Round Predictions

Top-10 Goalie Pick

No goaltender has been selected within the first 10 picks of the NHL draft since the Montreal Canadiens took Carey Price No. 5 overall in 2005.

That streak ends this year.

Russian netminder Yaroslav Askarov has already established himself as one of the premier prospects in the sport, to say nothing of his position group, making him an easy target for teams with a lottery pick.

The Athletic's Corey Pronman has the 18-year-old going No. 8 overall in his final draft board and makes a convincing case for the 6'3", 176-pound goalie:

"He has elite attributes in terms of his athleticism, in how he reads the game and how aggressive he is. His quickness allows him to make the tough saves, although I don’t find him scrambling and diving around the net a lot given how well he anticipates the play. He’s a little jumpy in the net just due to how quick he is, but he’s in control most of the time, staying with the play even when the puck is moving quickly. Askarov is often challenging shooters even in unorthodox situations, but he isn’t often beat when he is aggressive, which speaks to his hockey IQ."

Look for clubs like the Minnesota Wild and Buffalo Sabres to make a run for Askarov if he is still available.

Sanderson to be 1st American Selected

When the 2020 draft is analyzed in the future, the debate over Jamie Drysdale and Jake Sanderson is sure to become one of the biggest topics.

They enter the talent grab as the top available defensemen, almost ensuring that Sanderson becomes the first American-born player selected.

Deciding which one to take first could come down to a matter of preference, but there's little question the Whitefish, Montana, native is ready for a quick rise through the ranks no matter which farm system he joins.

Pronman wrote:

"He's a great skating defenseman in all directions with size that allows him to make a ton of stops. His gap control is excellent, and he killed so many rushes with how well he closed on opponents. He's also a physical player who shows no hesitancy to close on checks with his body. Sanderson's top speed is very good, not elite, but he can lead rushes well and isn’t afraid to jump into the play. His edges are excellent, allowing him to spin off pressure, to pivot and walk the offensive blue line very well."

Sanderson, 18, also has some experience quarterbacking the top power-play unit with Team USA, but that's not likely to factor into how pro teams would like to use him.

Instead, the 6'2", 185-pound University of North Dakota commit will work best as a shutdown defenseman who thrives in transition.

New Jersey Devils Complete Draft-Day Trade

There's good reason to think this may be the case for a rebuilding New Jersey Devils team.

New Jersey holds three first-round picks (Nos. 7, 18 and 20), and as Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman noted, those may be better served as trade bait for a club looking to add young NHL-caliber talent.

It seems unlikely the No. 7 pick would make its way into trade talks given the depth at the top of the board, yet that doesn't mean New Jersey doesn't have other options.

With plenty of picks—and aging players such as P.K. Subban, Travis Zajac and Kyle Palmieri on the roster—there may be an opportunity for the Devils to undergo a major overhaul on draft day.