NHL Draft 2020: Team-by-Team Results, Grades and Analysis
October 8, 2020
The NHL draft is over after the league completed the second through seventh rounds Wednesday. A total of 217 players found homes with NHL teams over the event, which began Tuesday.
The New York Rangers kicked off the draft by choosing consensus No. 1 overall prospect Alexis Lafreniere. The Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning finished it by choosing right wing Declan McDonnell.
Here's a look at the NHL draft results, grades for all 31 teams and quick analysis for some of the teams that received A's for their work.
2020 1st-Round NHL Draft Results
1. New York Rangers: LW Alexis Lafreniere, Rimouski Oceanic (QMJHL)
2. Los Angeles Kings: C Quinton Byfield, Sudbury Wolves (OHL)
3. Ottawa Senators: LW Tim Stuetzle, Adler Mannheim (DEL)
4. Detroit Red Wings: LW Lucas Raymond, Frolunda HC (SHL)
5. Ottawa Senators: D Jake Sanderson, United States Under-18 National Team
6. Anaheim Ducks: D Jamie Drysdale, Erie Otters (OHL)
7. New Jersey Devils: RW Alexander Holtz, Djurgardens IF Hockey (SHL)
8. Buffalo Sabres: RW Jack Quinn, Ottawa 67's (OHL)
9. Minnesota Wild: C Marco Rossi, Ottawa 67's (OHL)
10. Winnipeg Jets: C Cole Perfetti, Saginaw Spirit (OHL)
11. Nashville Predators: G Yaroslav Askarov, SKA Saint Petersburg (KHL)
12. Florida Panthers: C Anton Lundell, HIFK (Liiga)
13. Carolina Hurricanes: C Seth Jarvis, Portland Winterhawks (WHL)
14. Edmonton Oilers: C Dylan Holloway, Wisconsin Badgers (NCAA)
15. Toronto Maple Leafs: LW Rodion Amirov, Salavat Yulaev Ufa (KHL)
16. Montreal Canadiens: D Kaiden Guhle, Prince Albert Raiders (WHL)
17. Chicago Blackhawks: LW Lukas Reichel, Eisbaren Berlin (DEL)
18. New Jersey Devils: C Dawson Mercer, Drummondville Voltigeurs (QMJHL)
19. New York Rangers: D Braden Schneider, Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)
20. New Jersey Devils: D Shakir Mukhamadullin, Salavat Yulaev Ufa (KHL)
21. Columbus Blue Jackets: RW Yegor Chinakhov, Avangard Omsk (KHL)
22. Washington Capitals: C Hendrix Lapierre, Chicoutimi Sagueneens (QMJHL)
23. Philadelphia Flyers: RW Tyson Foerster, Barrie Colts (OHL)
24. Calgary Flames: C Connor Zary, Kamloops Blazers (WHL)
25. Colorado Avalanche: D Justin Barron, Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)
26. St. Louis Blues: LW Jake Neighbours, Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL)
27. Anaheim Ducks: RW Jacob Perreault, Sarnia Sting (OHL)
28. Ottawa Senators: C Ridly Greig, Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)
29. Vegas Golden Knights: C Brendon Bisson, Chicago Steel (USHL)
30. Dallas Stars: C Mavrik Bourque, Shawinigan Cataractes (QMJHL)
31. San Jose Sharks: RW Ozzy Wiesblatt, Prince Albert Raiders (WHL)
Full results can be found on NHL.com.
NHL Draft Grades
Anaheim Ducks: A
Arizona Coyotes: C+
Boston Bruins: C+
Buffalo Sabres: A
Calgary Flames: A+
Carolina Hurricanes: A+
Chicago Blackhawks: B-
Columbus Blue Jackets: B
Colorado Avalanche: C+
Dallas Stars: B-
Detroit Red Wings: B-
Edmonton Oilers: B-
Florida Panthers: B
Los Angeles Kings: A
Minnesota Wild: A+
Montreal Canadiens: B
Nashville Predators: A
New Jersey Devils: B
New York Islanders: C+
New York Rangers: A+
Ottawa Senators: A+
Philadelphia Flyers: B-
Pittsburgh Penguins: C+
San Jose Sharks: B
St. Louis Blues: B-
Tampa Bay Lightning: B-
Toronto Maple Leafs: B
Vancouver Canucks: C+
Vegas Golden Knights: A-
Washington Capitals: B
Winnipeg Jets: A+
Analysis
Anaheim Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks took NHL Central Scouting's No. 3 North American skater prospect in defenseman Jamie Drysdale before stealing right wing Jacob Perreault, the No. 17-rated North American skater, with the 27th overall selection.
Anaheim needs help on offense and defense after finishing 26th in the NHL in goals per game and 25th in goals allowed, and the team worked toward improving on both ends of the ice with their first-round choices.
Drysdale is arguably the class' best defenseman, while Perrault dominated for the OHL's Sarnia Sting with 39 goals and 31 assists in 57 games.
Buffalo Sabres
Despite possessing a bona fide superstar in center Jack Eichel (36 goals in 68 games last season at the age of 23), the Buffalo Sabres finished just 21st in goals per game.
That shouldn't happen with one of the NHL's best scorers in tow, so Buffalo set out to fix that problem with the eighth overall pick by taking right wing Jack Quinn, who had 52 goals in 62 games for the OHL's Ottawa 67's last season.
Quinn notably dominated for the OHL's best team, with Ottawa pacing the league with a 50-11 record and looking poised to win the league title before the COVID-19 pandemic forced the campaign's cancellation.
Calgary Flames
The steal of the draft might have been courtesy of the Calgary Flames, who took defenseman Jeremie Poirier in the third round (72nd overall). NHL Central Scouting ranked Poirier 18th on its North American skater list, and TSN's Craig Button placed him 22nd overall regardless of position or location.
If Poirier exhibits the first-round potential some analysts felt he possessed, then Calgary will have earned a huge draft win.
The Flames' first pick, center Connor Zary, is an excellent choice as well. He finished with 38 goals, 48 assists and a plus-30 rating for the WHL's Kamloops Blazers last year.
Carolina Hurricanes
Seth Jarvis of the Portland Winterhawks is a Carolina Hurricane, one year after he was one of two Western Hockey League players to finish top five in his league in goals (42) and assists (56) in just 58 games. He finished No. 11 on the NHL Central Scouting North American skater list.
The Canes may have also got a steal in Swedish forward Noel Gunler with the 41st overall pick. Gunler was ranked as a top-25 prospect by multiple sites, including 19th by McKeen's Hockey and 22nd by Elite Prospects.
New York Rangers
Picking Lafreniere was obviously a layup for the Rangers, who found themselves on the right end of lottery luck to get the No. 1 pick. However, Lafreniere is a future All-Star, and the Rangers should at least get partial credit for not overthinking the selection and taking someone else or trading away the pick.
In addition, defenseman Braden Schneider is a potential star blueliner whom the Rangers moved up to take in draft-day trade with the Calgary Flames. Schneider is an exciting two-way talent, and he has the potential to remind Rangers fans of franchise great Brian Leetch.