No. | Team | Player | Position | Reasoning |
1 | Edmonton Oilers | Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Red Deer Rebels, WHL | C | The Oilers are looking for elite skill, and there is no one at the top of the draft who possesses the same kind of upside as Nugent-Hopkins. |
2 | Colorado Avalanche | Adam Larsson, Skelleftea HC, SEL | D | Larsson brings a combination of size, skill, and pedigree to a rebuilding Avalanche squad. |
3 | Florida Panthers | Gabriel Landeskog, Kitchener Rangers, OHL | W | Landeskog gives the Panthers good size at 6’1, 205 pounds, solid two-way play, great leadership, and hockey sense all in a package that can hit the ice in the fall. |
4 | New Jersey Devils | Sean Couturier, Drummondville Voltigeurs, QMJHL | C/W | Couturier slots in perfectly with the Devils, providing size, strong two-way play, and once he fills out, an effective power game. |
5 | New York Islanders | Jonathan Huberdeau, Saint John Sea Dogs, QMJHL | C | Huberdeau creates a dynamic one-two scoring punch at center for the Islanders. |
6 | Ottawa Senators | Mika Zibanejad, Djurgardens IF Stockholms, SEL | C | Zibanejad is physically ready for the NHL and has the skills and work ethic to allow him to control play at both ends of the rink. |
7 | Atlanta Thrashers | Ryan Strome, Niagara IceDogs, OHL | C/W | The Thrashers organization has no depth down the middle and Strome supplies them with a strong two-way game and some skill. |
8 | Columbus Blue Jackets | Doug Hamilton, Niagara IceDogs, OHL | D | At 6’4, Hamilton brings a much needed blend of size, mobility and offensive ability to the Blue Jackets defensive pool. |
9 | Boston Bruins (from TOR) | Ryan Murphy, Kitchener Rangers, OHL | D | A future powerplay quarterback, Murphy will bring much desired offense and mobility to the Boston blue line. |
10 | Minnesota Wild | Joel Armia, Assat Pori, SM-Liiga | C | The Finnish Armia brings size and skill at center, a combination the Wild do not have an excess of. |
11 | Colorado Avalanche (from STL) | Sven Baertschi, Portland Winterhawks, WHL | LW | Bartschi is a slick goal-scorer who can one day compliment one of the many talented young centers in Colorado. |
12 | Carolina Hurricanes | Mark McNeill, Prince Albert Raiders, WHL | C | The team loves the hard-working forwards, and his commitment to conditioning, smarts, and size are exactly what the Canes look for in a player. |
13 | Calgary Flames | Nathan Beaulieu, Saint John Sea Dogs, QMJHL | D | Beaulieu can bring a mobile, puck-moving presence to a defensive prospect pool that is lacking in both. |
14 | Dallas Stars | Mark Scheifele, Barrie Colts, OHL | C | Scheifele brings a blend of size and skill to a group of center prospects that currently needs both. |
15 | New York Rangers | Tyler Biggs, Team USA, USHL | RW | Coming off a strong combine performance, Biggs is a strong, talented winger who also brings toughness and character. |
16 | Buffalo Sabres | Jamie Oleksiak, Northeastern University, Hockey East | D | At 6’7 Oleksiak is the tallest player eligible for the draft this year and along with current Sabres Tyler Myers, could create one of the most intimidating group of defensemen in the league. |
17 | Montreal Canadiens | Zack Phillips, Saint John Sea Dogs, QMJHL | C | A dynamic center from the QMJHL, Phillips goal-scoring ability will be a welcome addition to a diverse group of forward prospects. |
18 | Chicago Blackhawks | Boone Jenner, Oshawa Generals, OHL | C | Jenner is a complementary character forward who will could augment the BlackHawks young core in a few years time. |
19 | Edmonton Oilers (From LAK) | Duncan Siemens, Saskatoon Blades, WHL | D | Siemens brings a combination of size, toughness, and puck-moving ability to the Oilers organization. |
20 | Phoenix Coyotes | Jonathan Miller, Team USA, USHL | C/W | Miller possesses the size, skill and speed that the Coyotes have been lacking and is also an extremely hard working player at both ends of the rink. |
21 | Ottawa Senators | Nicklas Jensen, Oshawa Generals, OHL | RW | Jensen brings size, strong skating, and goal-scoring ability to a Senators squad short on blue-chip forward talent. |
22 | Anaheim Ducks | Joe Morrow, Portland Winterhawks, WHL | D | The puck-moving Morrow brings additional back-end depth to a team currently transitioning to a younger roster. |
23 | Pittsburgh Penguins | Brandon Saad, Saginaw Spirit, OHL | LW | The Pittsburgh native would bring a large scoring presence to the wing as well as a strong net-front presence. |
24 | Detroit Red Wings | Oscar Klefbom, Farjestads BK Karlstad, SEL | D | Klefbom has impressive measurables and would be a great addition to an aging Detroit defense. |
25 | Toronto Maple Leafs (From PHI) | Matt Puempel, Peterborough Petes, OHL | LW | The sniper for the Peterborough Petes will bring a goal-scoring presence to the first or second line for the Leafs. |
26 | Washington Capitals | Alexander Khokhlachev, Windsor Spitfires, OHL | C | Barely eligible for the 2011 draft, the 17-year-old Khokhlachev brings a great combination of skill and grit to the center position. |
27 | Tampa Bay Lightning | Jonas Brodin, Farjestads BK Karlstad, SEL | D | One of the top defensive prospects left on the board, the strong-skating Brodin brings a two-way puck-moving presence to the Lightning. |
28 | San Jose Sharks | RW | Rattie is a great offensive prospect and could down the road be a nice complement to a lot of the tougher big-bodied forwards in the Sharks lineup. | |
29 | Toronto Maple Leafs (From BOS) | Stuart Percy, Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors, OHL | D | The mobile puck-moving blueliner will address the organization need for offensively inclined defensemen. |
30 | Vancouver Canucks | Tomas Jurco, Saint John Sea Dogs, QMJHL | RW | Jurco brings a much needed goal-scoring presence to a team lacking a true sniper in their prospect pool. |
