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2015 NHL Mock Draft: Final Mock 7 Rounds

1-15

16-30

Round 3

Posted By: Chris Ransom Last Updated: June, 26, 2015

Washington Capitals: Nathan Noel, C, Saint John Sea Dogs (QMJHL)

Washington takes the best player available. Nathan Noel provides outstanding value early in the third round.
Arizona Coyotes: Zach Senyshyn, RW, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL)

Arizona finally grabs a winger after passing on one in the first two rounds. Zach Senyshyn is too good to pass on in the rare event that he slipped to the third round.
Tampa Bay Lightning: Ryan Gropp, LW, Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL)

Tampa Bay owns this pick from Edmonton. The Lightning take the best player available. Ryan Gropp deserves to go in the first two rounds. Group is clearly a steal in the third round.
Toronto Maple Leafs: Keegan Kolesar, RW, Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL)

Keegan Kolesar is 6-2 220 lbs and has dominated against the Portland Winterhawks whenever teams took Matthew Barzal and Ryan Gropp out of the passing game. Playing on the same line with Barzal and Gropp has elevated his draft stock.
Carolina Hurricanes: Brad Morrison, C, Prince George Cougars (WHL)

Carolina will need a center for depth. Brad Morrison was a line 2 center behind Jansen Harkins. Morrison tallied 50 points in 2014-2015.
New Jersey Devils: Christian Fischer, RW, United States National Team Developmental Program (USHL)

New Jersey grabs a right winger to develop. After getting lucky with Mitch Marner and double dipping at left wing, it's time to add a right winger. Christian Fischer is a steal in the third round.
Columbus Blue Jackets: Jordan Greenway, LW, United States National Team Developmental Program (USHL)

Jordan Greenway is the best player available. Not only does he provide you a future winger prospect, he's also an incredible steal at 69. In fact, you might call getting Greenway in the third round, highway robbery.
Columbus Blue Jackets: Alexander Dergachev, C, SKA Saint Petersburg (KHL)

Alexander Dergachev is 6-4 201 lbs. Columbus loves to draft for size.
Philadelphia Flyers: Michael Spacek, C, HC CSOB Pojistovna Pardubice (Extraliga)

Philadelphia takes Michael Spacek. Spacek is the best forward left at this point.
Colorado Avalanche: A.J. Greer, LW, Boston University

Anthony John Greer nicknamed A.J. Greer is a bit of an unknown. I listed Anthony John Greer and A.J. Greer from Boston University as two separate picks in my last mock only to find out they are the same player which I'm correcting right now.

Greer is line mates at left wing with the highly touted Jack Eichel who will go second overall at center. Anthony John Greer has the versatility to play right wing as well. Some NHL teams think Anthony John Greer could crack the late second round after he did well at the 2015 NHL Combine.
New York Islanders: Graham Knott, LW, Niagara IceDogs (OHL)

New York has the luxury of taking the best player available. Graham Knott is a bargain in the third round.
Detroit Red Wings: Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson, C, Omaha Lancers (USHL)

Detroit will receive this pick from Dallas as a conditional pick if the Red Wings fail to make the Eastern Conference Finals. I like those odds at the moment because they are tied 1-1 with the Tampa Bay Lightning at the moment with Game 3 tomorrow plus if the Red Wings win, they get the Montreal Canadiens in the second round.

Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson led the Omaha Lancers with 53 points in 50 games. Detroit could use a guy like this to groom for the future when Pavel Datsyuk retires. Forsbacka-Karlsson is considered a late second round prospect, so he'd be a big steal at this spot in the third round.
Los Angeles Kings: Erik Foley, LW, Cedar Rapids RoughRiders (USHL)

Erik Foley is a second round talent. Adding Foley in the third is smart after getting Timo Meier at right wing in round 1 and Vince Dunn at defenseman in round 2.
Boston Bruins: Rasmus Andersson, D, Barrie Colts (OHL)

Boston could add one more defenseman. Rasmus Andersson of the Barrie Colts is an absolute bargain at this juncture. Most consider him to be a second round pick either in the mid to late second round so to get this guy in the middle of the third round would be an absolute steal.
Calgary Flames: Simon Bourque, D, Rimouski Oceanic (QMJHL)

Calgary finally adds a defenseman. Simon Bourque was ranked as high as #75 and is still available.

Previous Pick: Adam Musil, C, Red Deer Rebels
Florida Panthers: Jason Bell, D, Saint John Sea Dogs (QMJHL)

Florida will draft a defenseman that they can add to their AHL team. Bell can keep playing the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League only to go to the AHL once his time in the QMJHL is over.
Winnipeg Jets: Loik Leveille, D, Cape Breton Screaming Eagles (QMJHL)

Winnipeg gets one more defenseman that can be the face of the new Manitoba Moose team in the AHL. Winnipeg needs all the defensemen in their system after getting picked apart by the Anaheim Ducks. Josh Morrisey's arrival where he pairs up with Jacob Trouba on the top line cannot come soon enough in Winnipeg.
Edmonton Oilers: Robin Kovacs, RW, AIK IF (Elitserien)

Edmonton drafted a center and a defenseman in the first round only to address goalie and left wing with their two second round picks. The Oilers take a right winger to put in their system before going best player available with their remaining picks in Rounds 4-7.
Anaheim Ducks: Dante Salituro, C, Ottawa 67's (OHL)

Anaheim can take the best player available. Dante Salituro is an absolute steal at this juncture.
Arizona Coyotes: Brent Gates, C, Green Bay Gamblers (USHL)

The Arizona Coyotes have yet to draft a center. Brent Gates who had a measly 27 points with the Green Bay Gamblers is the Coyotes best option here unfortunately.
New York Islanders: Samuel Montembeault, G, Blainville-Boisbriand Armada (QMJHL)

Halak can start for the time being because he did well with the Islanders in 2014-2015. This defense is good enough to get Halak to the Eastern Conference Finals in a few years, but I'm not sure if Halak can perform well enough to take a team to the Stanley Cup. I'd be more comfortable knowing I had a backup plan in place if Halak failed to deliver. That's why you draft a developmental goalie hoping he will be ready in the event that Halak cannot get you a Stanley Cup.

Previous Pick: Matej Tomek, G, Topeka RoadRunners
Calgary Flames: Pavel Karnaukhov, C, Calgary Hitmen (WHL)

Calgary gets a local player here. Pavel Karnaukhov makes a lot of sense for a Flames team that can never have too many centers after losing a two way forward like Curtis Glencross.
Anaheim Ducks: Guillaume Brisebois, D, Acadie Bathurst Titan (QMJHL)

Anaheim will draft a defenseman that they can add to their AHL team. Guillaume Brisebois was the team captain of the worst team in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. Despite that, being named team captain before you are eligible for the NHL Draft deserves props and is reason why Brisebois gets drafted here.
Nashville Predators: Matej Tomek, G, Topeka RoadRunners (NAHL)

Nashville doesn't need a goalie. They have one of the best in the league in Pekka Renne. At the same time, this is a perfect spot to develop Matej Tomek hoping he can become an excellent backup similar to Scott Darling who also played in the North American Hockey League.

Tomek went 24-7-2 for the Topeka RoadRunners in 2014-2015. His 1.83 GAA and .928 save percentage are why he stands out. He also does a good job using the five hole to make saves.

The butterfly goalie will commit to North Dakota this fall. After he gets his education from North Dakota, he can start at goalie in the AHL and eventually be Pekka Rinne's backup in five years.

Previous Pick: Caleb Jones, D, United States National Team Developmental Program
Edmonton Oilers: Austin Strand, D, Red Deer Rebels (WHL)

Austin Strand is 6-3 193 lbs. He has the ideal size that you look for in a defenseman and is graded out as a late third round pick. The Oilers take Strand here simply because he's the best player available.

Previous Pick: Simon Bourque, D, Rimouski Oceanic
Montreal Canadiens: Blake Speers, C, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL)

Montreal gets Blake Speers. Speers can remain in the OHL until he gets to the AHL. Over time I see a back 6 player on Montreal in the NHL.

Previous Pick: Hayden McCool, C, Windsor Spitfires
Florida Panthers: Aleksi Saarela, C, Assat (SM Liiga)

Florida could use a center for depth. Alexis Saarela is a bargain in the third round.
New York Rangers: Ethan Bear, D, Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL)

The New York Rangers could add one more defenseman. Ethan Bear is such a badass name.

Previous Pick: Austin Strand, D, Red Deer Rebels
Philadelphia Flyers: Hayden McCool, C, Niagara IceDogs (OHL)

Philadelphia goes with another center that will have line 1 ability on the Lehigh Valley Phantoms and who could possibly make the fourth line. At this point I think that player is Windsor Spitfires line 1 center Hayden McCool who mentored 2016 first round pick Logan Brown after the Niagara IceDogs sent him to Windsor.

Previous Pick: Ethan Bear, D, Seattle Thunderbirds
Chicago Blackhawks: Adin Hill, G, Portland Winterhawks (WHL)

Corey Crawford needs to go. Scott Darling can be the full time starter in 2015-2016. If Darling fails to emerge into a consistent goaltender, then the guy you draft here will eventually replace him.

Adin Hill is a good goalie to take a flyer on at this point. In the Winter he was ranked ninth among goalies in North America's Central Scouting Rankings for goalies. He jumped up to #4 on that list and unlike the #3 goalie, Hill has a save percentage of over .900.

Adin Hill had a 1.65 GAA in 4 starts for the Winterhawks in 2013-2014. This season Hill became the full time starter and posted a 2.81 GAA along with a .921 save percentage after posting a .936 save percentage in 2013-2014. Hill's .895 save percentage in the postseason could improve, but is solid when you take into account that Hill is in his first season as the Winterhawks full time starter.