Below is the 2005 Hockey’s Future Staff Mock Draft, for the first round of the upcoming NHL Entry Draft. Included with each pick is the rationale for the choice from the staff member who made the selection. In almost all cases, the pick was made by the writer who normally covers the team making the pick. Trading of picks was not allowed for this draft.
| No. | Team | Player | Reasoning |
| 1 |
Sidney
Crosby, C |
The Penguins would be guilty of incompetence if they did not select the clear pick of the litter in Crosby. They may be overloaded at center, but they won’t be complaining. | |
| 2 | Anaheim | Jack Johnson, D Ht: 6’1 Wt: 201 Birthdate: 01/13/87 Team: USNDTP |
Johnson, who many think is the second best player in the draft, lines up well with Anaheim’s need for an offensive defenseman. |
| 3 | Carolina | Benoit
Pouliot, LW Ht: 6’3 Wt: 179 Birthdate: 09/29/86 Team: OHL Sudbury |
Pouliot would continue Carolina’s pattern of taking a good forward early in the first round. He’s the safe pick, and although there are some question marks surrounding Pouliot, so too with all of the other best available forwards. |
| 4 | Minnesota | Gilbert Brule,
C Ht: 5’10 Wt: 175 Birthdate: 01/01/87 Team: WHL Vancouver |
The Wild are loaded at center, but don’t expect them to shy away from taking another one. Although Bobby Ryan would fill a team need for a big winger with some finishing ability, look for Minnesota to take Gilbert Brule despite his lack of size. |
| 5 | Montreal | Bobby Ryan,
RW Ht: 6’1 Wt: 213 Birthdate: 03/17/87 Team: OHL Owen Sound |
The Canadiens have been looking for a power forward for a long time. With Perezhogin, Kostitsyn and Ryder already in the system, Ryan won’t be pressured to produce immediately; he will get time to develop his game. |
| 6 | Columbus | Anze Kopitar, C Ht: 6’3 Wt: 202 Birthdate: 08/24/87 Team: Swe Jr Sodertalje |
Rarely is it the case that the best player available also fills a team’s biggest needs. Kopitar’s potential upside and dazzling skill makes him an excellent bet to be Columbus’ future first line center. |
| 7 | Chicago | Jack Skille,
RW Ht: 6’1 Wt: 198 Birthdate: 05/19/87 Team: USNDTP |
With plenty of defense and goaltending in the pipeline, Chicago looks to offense from the nearby USNTDP. Skille will attend the Univ. of Wisconsin. |
| 8 | Atlanta | Ryan
O’Marra, C Ht: 6’1.5 Wt: 193 Birthdate: 06/09/87 Team: OHL Erie |
Another team already loaded on young defense and goaltending, the Thrashers will almost certainly take a forward at No. 8 to acquire some secondary scoring. Good character will be a selling point. |
| 9 | Ottawa | Marc Staal,
D Ht: 6’3.5 Wt: 196 Birthdate: 01/13/87 Team: OHL Sudbury |
The Senators can afford to go many ways with this pick. Last year they used their first two picks on blueliners, but another defenseman could never hurt, and Staal may be the best player available. A highly-intelligent player who has no major flaws and is a very safe bet to make the NHL, Staal brings the character and hard work GM John Muckler looks for in a young player. |
| 10 | Vancouver | Guillaume Latendresse,
RW Ht: 6’1.5 Wt: 216 Birthdate: 05/24/87 Team: QMJHL Drummondville |
Latendresse is a big-body player who has goal-scoring ability, the most pressing need the Canucks face. Skating is a concern with Latendresse, but his lack of footspeed may make him a good future linemate for the Sedins. |
| 11 | Los Angeles | Martin Hanzal,
C Ht: 6’4 Wt: 198 Birthdate: 02/20/87 Team: Czech Jr Budejovice |
Martin Hanzal fits the Los Angeles Kings draft tendency perfectly — a physical, large-bodied forward from Europe. Additionally, Hanzal plays a position of need for the Kings and his raw offensive skills with a keen attention to defense have first-line centerman written all over him. |
| 12 | San Jose | Niklas Bergfors,
F Ht: 6’0 Wt: 198 Birthdate: 03/07/87 Team: Swe Jr Sodertalje |
Loaded with good young defensemen, Bergfors gives San Jose a high-end goal-scoring forward that they need. With no real weaknesses, his superb skating, speed, acceleration, and two-way hockey sense are in step with San Jose’s established preference for speedy forwards who can contribute offensively and play responsible defensively. |
| 13 | Buffalo | Ryan Parent,
D Ht: 6’2 Wt: 183 Birthdate: 03/17/87 Team: OHL Guelph |
Buffalo goes with a safe pick in Parent, a reliable defenseman. With few defensemen in the pipeline, they can’t afford not to see a return. |
| 14 | Washington | Brian
Lee, D Ht: 6’2.5 Wt: 202 Birthdate: 03/26/87 Team: USHSW Moorhead |
With a strong pool of prospects already, Washington can afford to take a risk on Lee and address a need at defense at the same time. |
| 15 | New York Islanders | Alex Bourret,
RW Ht: 5’9.5 Wt: 209 Birthdate: 10/05/86 Team: QMJHL Lewiston |
With his speed and willingness to play hard and get involved in rough play, Bourret would be a great fit for the New York Islanders. Currently they lack a wing who can play the power forward role. At 5’10 209 pounds, Bourret could bring a presence to the Nassau Coliseum not seen since Clark Gillies. |
| 16 | New York Rangers | Luc Bourdon,
D Ht: 6’2.5 Wt: 199 Birthdate: 02/16/87 Team: QMJHL Val D’Or |
With no top NCAA players in the draft class, the Rangers will have to finally break their three-year streak of first rounders out of the college ranks. They might not have planned on Bourdon, but if he falls this far, they will scoop him up. |
| 17 | Phoenix | Ryan Stoa, C Ht: 6’3 Wt: 200 Birthdate: 04/13/87 Team: USNDTP |
Ryan Stoa is a great mid-round pick because he has a good blend of size and talent. A bit undervalued this year, Stoa hasn’t even begun to hit his stride. Both Stoa and 2004 first rounder Blake Wheeler are headed to the University of Minnesota this fall. |
| 18 | Nashville | Marek Zagrapan,
C Ht: 6’0.5 Wt: 195 Birthdate: 12/06/86 Team: QMJHL Chicoutimi |
Nashville continues its love affair with European forwards with Zagrapan. Though he is not seen as a player who plays well in traffic, he can definitely score and that is what Nashville needs. |
| 19 | Detroit | Carey
Price, G Ht: 6’2.5 Wt: 222 Birthdate: 08/16/87 Team: WHL Tri-City |
Detroit used its top pick in 2003 on goaltender James Howard, but Price would be too good to pass up at this spot. |
| 20 | Philadelphia | Matt Lashoff,
D Ht: 6’1.5 Wt: 201 Birthdate: 09/29/86 Team: OHL Kitchener |
Lashoff endured a trying second season in the OHL, missing large chunks of games due to illness and injury. Still, he remains an intriguing defensive package. Big, mobile and smart with the puck, he would be a great fit with the Flyers, an organization that will promote a number of defensemen to the NHL in the fall and, thus, are now in need of additional system-wide depth. |
| 21 | Toronto | Tuukka
Rask, G Ht: 6’2 Wt: 183 Birthdate: 03/10/87 Team: Fin Jr Ilves |
Toronto restocks the goaltending pipeline with top rated European goaltender Rask. Finns are finding great success in the net lately, and Toronto hopes it will continue. |
| 22 | Boston | Kenndal McArdle,
LW Ht: 5’11 Wt: 190 Birthdate: 01/047/87 Team: WHL Moose Jaw |
There’s little not to like about McArdle, and Boston may buy in. He scores goals and pays the price. |
| 23 | New Jersey | Sasha
Pukulok, D Ht: 6’5 Wt: 220 Birthdate: 05/25/87 Team: ECAC Cornell |
With David Hale and Paul Martin having been fast tracked to the NHL, the Devils have a lack of quality defense prospects in the organization. With an eye towards getting a prospect with more upside, the Devils select the big and strapping Pokulok from Cornell. He offers size and physical play, plus good mobility and a little bit of offensive upside. |
| 24 | St. Louis | Andrew Cogliano, C Ht: 5’9.5 Wt: 178 Birthdate: 06/14/87 Team: OPJRA St. Michael’s |
The Blues value speed, and could attract them to Cogliano, whose main knock is his lack of size. He’ll move to the Univ. of Michigan in the fall. |
| 25 | Edmonton | Devin Setoguchi,
RW Ht: 5’11.5 Wt: 186 Birthdate: 01/01/87 Team: WHL Saskatoon |
The Oilers have identified the need to add a scorer to their prospect ranks and the the winger from the Saskatoon Blades is the top scorer left on the board. There are question marks with him, but no more so than with others available. Setoguchi skates well, can play physical, is a leader but first and foremost he can find the back of the net. |
| 26 | Calgary | Dan Bertram,
RW Ht: 5’11 Wt: 175 Birthdate: 01/14/87 Team: H-East Boston College |
Sufficiently skilled with good character, Bertram is a safe pick. It might be a bit early for him, but if a team like Calgary takes a liking, that’s all he needs. |
| 27 | Colorado | Jakub Kindl,
D Ht: 6.2.5 Wt: 199 Birthdate: 02/10/87 Team: OHL Kitchener |
With a bare farm system, the Avalanche could go in any direction with their pick. The choice of Kindl will add that superstar caliber prospect on their blueline which is sorely lacking. One of the youngest players in the OHL, he is already a solid defenseman and is developing an offensive game to complement his tremendous potential. |
| 28 | Dallas | T.J. Hensick,
C Ht: 5’10 Wt: 179 Birthdate: 12/10/85 Team: CCHA Michigan |
Dallas needs help up the middle and Hensick fits the role. Already playing without the redline in college, he will continue to thrive in a wide open game. Hensick has blazing speed and a bona fide scoring touch, which will prove to be the key to his future. |
| 29 | Florida | Scott
Jackson, D Ht: 6’3.5 Wt: 200 Birthdate: 02/05/87 Team: WHL Seattle |
Florida goes with an all-around solid player in Jackson, who will complement the other young defenders they possess. |
| 30 | Tampa Bay | Alexandre
Vincent, G Ht: 6’4 Wt: 193 Birthdate: 12/11/86 Team: QMJHL Chicoutimi |
Tampa turns again to the QMJHL, this time for a goaltender, one of many needs in the system. |
Copyright 2005 Hockey’s Future.
