2011 NHL Mock Draft: Picks 11-15

In preparation for the upcoming draft, I'll be predicting the entire first round.

The NHL Entry Draft will be held this Friday evening in Minnesota, as Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Jonathan Huberdeau, Adam Larsson and the other stars of tomorrow hope to hear their names called.

This segment features picks 11-15, which will see the Colorado Avalanche, Carolina Hurricanes, Calgary Flames, Dallas Stars and New York Rangers on the clock.

For picks 1-5, click here.

For picks 6-10, click here.

No. 11 Colorado Avalanche: Nathan Beaulieu, D

Now that the Avs have begun to assemble a group of talented forwards, it's time for them to shift their focus to defense. Adam Foote has retired, leaving a gap on the Colorado blueline.

Former first overall pick Erik Johnson was acquired in a blockbuster trade last season, and whether or not he proves to be a better fit than Kevin Shattenkirk, who was sent to St. Louis in exchange for Johnson's services, remains to be seen. 

Outside of Johnson, there isn't a whole lot to be impressed with, with the exception of John-Michael Liles, who, at just 5'10", is not an imposing presence. He's strictly an offensive-defenseman.

Nathan Beaulieu, who has spent the last handful of seasons with the uber-talented St. Johns Sea Dogs, is 6'3", has good offensive skills, but he also packs a mean streak. He's very responsible at both ends of the ice, and he's the kind of all-around defenseman that helps teams win championships.

Beaulieu would be an excellent choice for the Avalanche with the 11th pick. 

No. 12 Carolina Hurricanes: Duncan Siemens, D

The Hurricanes would have liked to select Nathan Beaulieu, but since he's just been snapped up by Colorado, the 'Canes make the logical decision to go with Siemens. He is a bruising defenseman who knows how to use his body effectively and win all the tight battles, in the corners and along the boards.

His ability to play shutdown defense reminds me of Luke Schenn. Both are lauded for their strong defensive play, and both are said to be underrated in terms of their offensive skills. 

Siemens's got a cannon from the point, and he makes a good first pass. He does need to work on that aspect if he is to be successful at the NHL level in all areas of his game. As we have seen with Schenn, the transition to the Pros is not an easy one, and even more so when you're a defenseman. 

Carolina doesn't exactly have a strong defense, though a young hockey player by the name of Jamie McBain appears to be developing into a strong rearguard. Duncan Siemens would certainly help out on the back end, and I think he'd be a great choice for the Hurricanes. 

No. 13 Calgary Flames: Zack Phillips, C

The Flames have almost always lacked depth at the center position, and several attempts to address this issue have been made, via free agency and through trades. Needless to say, things haven't been working. And that's something that's affected this team's playoff chances recently, as well as in past years. 

Zack Phillips is a guy who can come in and become a top pivot in Calgary. Perhaps his stats are slightly inflated, having been surrounded by some incredible talent with the St. Johns Sea Dogs, but his skills are unmistakeable.

He finished second on the team (to Jonathan Huberdeau) in points, racking up 95 of 'em, as well as 24 in the QMJHL playoffs. 

Phillips has excellent hands and sees the ice well. He's also not the fastest skater, but he makes up for his lack of explosiveness with hockey sense and puck-handling finesse. Zack knows where to be at all times, he knows to get to the scoring areas to make goals happen. 

He'll need to bulk up and work on his defensive game before he takes the next step. Phillips was used by Sea Dogs' head coach Gerard Gallant on the penalty kill though, so he does have some experience in that area of the game. I don't see that as something he'll be able to replicate in the NHL, but it's definitely been beneficial to his overall development as a player. 

No. 14 Dallas Stars: Mark Scheifele, C

Brad Richards is headed for the free agent market, which leaves a huge void on the Stars' offense. They are in need of a long-term replacement at center, and Mark Scheifele could be that player.

Scheifele isn't the next Steven Stamkos, but he definitely has the potential to become a strong NHL player. His offensive upside is high; Scheifele has solid vision, a strong release on his shot (especially through traffic) and playmaking ability. He lead Team Canada in scoring at the Under-18's this past season, a testament to his offensive skills.

He's also been working on his two-way game, and he's proven to be a tough competitor, even though he's not as strong as someone who's 6'3" should be. Scheifele will need to bulk up before he's ready to compete at the NHL level. 

He also needs to improve his skating, something he'll have to do if he's going to take the next step. Mark doesn't need to be the best skater out there, he just needs to be a little better than he is right now. Scheifele's not the fastest guy on the ice, but he finds ways to slip through high-traffic areas to create offensive chances that otherwise wouldn't exist.

At best, Scheifele can be a first or second line center in this league. Otherwise, he'll likely become a strong two-way pivot. Either way, it's hard to imagine Dallas going wrong by selecting Mark Scheifele. It's a bit of a gamble, but one worth taking.

No. 15 New York Rangers: Vladislav Namestnikov, C

The Rangers have yet to find a center for Marian Gaborik, and they really haven't been able to find a long-term top pivot since Mark Messier last circled the ice at Madison Square Garden. 

Petr Nedved was good for about five minutes, Michael Nylander enjoyed success on a line with Jaromir Jagr for one season, and Scott Gomez and Chris Drury did not play like Scott Gomez and Chris Drury, to say the least. 

 Brandon Dubinsky and Derek Stepan are going to be good NHL players, but I'm not sold that either will become a top center. 

Vladislav Namestnikov is a Russian center, playing in the OHL with the London Nights. He enjoyed an excellent rookie season in 2010-11, finishing with 68 points in 68 games, a point-per-game pace on a London team that was anything but high-scoring this year. It was also his first season in North America, so you have to believe that also affected his consistency and production.

In terms of skill, Namestnikov is up there with the best in this draft class. The guys has a ridiculous set of hands, can really shift into high-gear on his skates and has an excellent shot. 

There have been some scouts who think he's the next Pavel Datsyuk, as, in addition to his high-end offensive skills, Namestnikov has been able to play well in his own zone as well, at least at the OHL level.

He will have to add considerable muscle and body strength if he wants to be able to hold his own at both ends of the ice in the NHL. If he does that, then we will see if he can live up to those type of projections.

In all likelihood, Vladislav Namestnikov will be a top-two pivot in this league. Of course, there's always the risk that he bolts to the KHL at some point, as was the case with Alex Radulov, who was in the middle of his first contract with Nashville. That being said, there's a similar risk with virtually any player these days. Even Jaromir Jagr could not resist the contract offered to him by Avangsgard Omsk of the KHL. 

I think the Rangers should take Namestnikov. If he pans out, this team's offensive struggles won't last long. 

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Comments are welcome.