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Draft Order
2020 NHL Mock Draft: Final Mock 7 Rounds
Round 1 Picks 16-31
Chris Ransom follow @DraftUtopia Last Updated: October 6, 2020.
Montreal Canadiens: Jake Neighbours, LW, Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL) 
- Montreal has Nick Suzuki, Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Phillip Danault, and Max Domi at center. This team defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins in the qualifier round despite getting outshot in the first three games. Having defenders like Shea Weber, Ben Chiarot, Jeff Petry, Bret Kulak, Victor Mete, and Xavier Ouellet certaintly makes things easier for goalie Carey Price who will have all of these guys back next season.
- Dale Weise the fourth line left winger is the only notable Free Agent and perhaps getting a fourth lien right winger that can be an upgrade over Alex Belzile would also help. Montreal has Tomas Tatar, Jonathan Drouin, and Artturi Lehkonen on the their first three lines along with great stability at right wing with guys like Brendan Gallagher, Joel Armia, Paul Byron. Pittsburgh doesn't have a good third line center, and their third line left winger is a Free Agent so let's give Montreal some credit for defying the odds and pulling off a huge upset to earn the right to play the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs, but that's as far as the Canadiens would go.
- The 5-11 201 lb Jake Neighbours has a great work ethic. Jake Neighbours had 11 goals, 13 assists, 24 points, and a +5 +/- ratio before stepping up with 12 points for the Edmonton Oil Kings during a 16 game playoff run in 2018-2019 before losing to the eventual WHL champions, the Prince Albert Raiders in 6 games.
- Jake Neighbours had 23 goals, 47 assists, 70 points, and a +15 +/- ratio in 2019-2020. Neighbours also played line 1 right winger in the 2020 CHL Prospects game. The versatility to play both left wing or right wing on a top line is there which is why I am mocking Jake Neighbours to Montreal at 16.
Chicago Blackhawks: Kaiden Guhle, D, Prince Albert Raiders (WHL) 
- Chicago has Alex Nylander as their line 1 left winger, Jonathan Toews as their line 1 center, and Patrick Kane as their line 1 right winger. Alex Debrincat is their line 2 left winger, Dylan Strome is their line 2 center, and Brandon Saad is their line 2 right winger. Chicago would have Dominik Kubalik as their line 3 left winger, last years 2019 first round pick Kirby Dach as a line 3 center, and Andrew Shaw as a line 3 right winger. Getting some fourth line players on offense should not be a problem in the offseason.
- Defensively, Chicago has Brent Seabrook, Duncan Keith, Olli Maata, Slater Koekkoek, Calvin De Haan, Adam Boqvist, and Connor Murphy. Chicago has seven good defenders when healthy, but three are injured this season and that is why Chicago's blue line has been really suspect this season. Keith gave up numerous big plays that led to goals by McDavid in the qualifier round.
- Chicago could use a goalie, but Yaroslav Askarov is gone. They get Kaiden Guhle at 17. Kaiden Guhle and Braden Schneider were both line 1 defenders for Team White in the 2020 CHL Prospects Game. I believe Schneider has the better floor, but Guhle has the higher ceiling meaning Schenider probably ends up in the NHL quicker, but Guhle could have the better NHL career if he corrects his flaws on tape.
- The 6-3 187 lb Kaiden Guhle is a defensive defender who helped Prince Albert win the WHL last season in 2018-2019. Guhle had 11 goals, 29 assists, 40 points, and a +23 +/- ratio in 2019-2020. Guhle also scored a goal in the 2020 CHL Prospects game.
- He dominates defensively, but his biggest question heading into the season is would Guhle improve offensively. He checks all of the boxes defensively. Kaiden Guhle went from 17 points struggling offensively to having 40 so I feel a lot more confident in Guhle becoming a reliable two-way defender at the next level.
- Kaiden Guhle was on the Prince Albert Raiders third line in 2018-2019 when Prince Albert won the WHL. He got promoted to the first line in 2019-2020. Chicago can keep Guhle in Prince Albert until he's 20 and mold him into a stud with all the prospects that they currently have.
New Jersey Devils: Noel Gunler, RW, Lulea HF (Elitserien) 
- New Jersey grabs a right winger to develop for the future with this pick that they received from the Arizona Coyotes in exchange for Taylor Hall.
- The 6-1 176 lb Noel Gunler is versatile enough to play right wing or left wing. He has one of the better shots in this draft class. If Gunler falls in this draft it will be due to character concerns since some teams are questioning his attitude in interviews. New Jersey is one of the teams that spoke with Gunler, so they may look past his flaws and take him here at 18.
- Noel Gunler has the has the playmaking, passing, wrist shot power, wrist shot accuracy, offensive awareness, defensive awareness, hockey IQ, speed, skating, agility, and stick handling. He's a playmaker that can do everything you want a line 1 game changer to do on tape. He can do well on the power play or dominate as a penalty killer. He's a line 1 winger on Lulea HF.
Previous Pick: Dylan Holloway, LW, Wisconsin
Calgary Flames: Dawson Mercer, RW, Chicoutimi Sagueneens (QMJHL) 
- Calgary wil either go with a right winger or a defender here. Calgary has an abundance of left wingers and centers to the point where they moved two centers to right wing and one left winger to right winger. Everyone on Calgary is expecting Dawson Mercer to go in the top 15. One of their reporters heard a scout compare Dawson Mercer to Patrice Bergeron. I see a bigger version of Tyler Johnson with potentially more upside.
- The 6-0 179 lb Dawson Mercer began his career with the Drummmondville Voltigeurs. Mercer has been more consistent in terms of playing on the first line than Jack Quinn which is why Dawson Mercer is such a huge steal for Calgary at 19.
- Dawson Mercer had 30 goals, 34 assists, and 64 points in 2018-2019. Mercer got promoted to alternate captain on Drummondville before being traded to the Chicoutimi Sagueneens. Dawson Mercer had 24 goals, 36 assists, and 60 points in 2019-2020.
- Dawson Mercer has the has the playmaking, passing, wrist shot power, wrist shot accuracy, offensive awareness, defensive awareness, hockey IQ, speed, skating, agility, and stick handling. He's a playmaker that can do everything you want a line 1 game changer to do on tape. He can do well on the power play or dominate as a penalty killer.
Previous Pick: Jan Mysak, RW, Hamilton Bulldogs (OHL)
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New Jersey Devils: Helge Grans, D, Malmo Redhawks (Elitserien)
- New Jersey got this pick from the Vancouver Canucks. One player that they spoke with that's still on the board at 20 is Helge Grans. They could probably get him later in the draft if they traded this pick, and there are rumors that the Devils are trying to move 20. If they stay put, I'm going to go out on a limb and say Grans is the pick.
- The 6-3 192 lb Helge Grans is the top prospect on the Malmo Redhawks. He's a two-way defender known for his passing and ability to defend the neutral zone while dominating on the power play as a quarterback who creates scoring chances. Displays great vision, elite passing, and offensive awareness to be a top 3 offensive defenseman in this draft.
- His shooting and decision making when he does not have the puck need to improve in order for Grans to make the transition to the NHL even though the ceiling to be a first line defender down the road is there. He's a second line defender who anchors the second line on the Malmo Redhawks, but he anchors Malmo's top line on the power play. Grans is a great power play specialist, and if he improves defensively, he could be a dynamo on the New Jersey Devils.
Previous Pick: Dawson Mercer, RW, Chicoutimi Sagueneens (QMJHL)
Columbus Blue Jackets: Jan Mysak, RW, Hamilton Bulldogs (OHL) 
- Columbus has every player on their NHL roster coming back for the 2020-2021 NHL Season. The Blue Jackets can take the best player on their board here.
- The Calgary Flames draft the top prospect from the Czech Republic in the 2020 NHL Draft. The 6-0 176 lb Jan Mysack had 3 goals, 4 assists, and 7 points in the Extraliga league in the regular season along with 5 goals, 4 assists, and 9 points during the Extraliga Playoffs showing immense promise for a sixteen year old in 2018-2019. Mysack got promoted form the HC Verva Litvinov's U16 Team, to U18 Team, to U20 team at the age of fifteen before making the official Extraliga team roster late in the season last season in his rookie season. He did so well that the Hamilton Bulldogs selected him in the CHL Import Draft where he had 15 goals, 10 assists, and 25 points in 2019-2020.
- The 6-0 176 lb winger is mainly a right winger. He's versatile enough to play left wing, center, or right wing. He was a line 1 forward on the same line with Arthur Kaliyev in his first year with the Hamilton Bulldogs. You have to admire how Jan Mysak plays aggressively winning face offs on offense regardless of where he lines up and how he checks like a defender.
- He's also great with shooting power as he has the wrist shot power and slap shot power. His passing and skating is phenomenal as this playmaker can make things happen. Jan Mysak did well on special teams when it was a power play or penalty killing.
- His shooting accuracy and decision making needs to improve as far as offensive and defensive awareness goes. This goes for both wrist shot accuracy and slap shot accuracy. He deserves to be a first round pick for working his way up to the top line on the Hamilton Bulldogs so quickly.
- Jan Mysak was a guy I had a top 25 grade on. After watching his tape I liked him enough to move him into my top 20. He fell to 21 in my final NHL Mock Draft so Columbus gets Mysak here.
- NHL Prospect Center posted a film cut of Jan Mysak on their Youtube channel. You can watch it below.
Previous Pick: Noel Gunler, RW, Lulea HF (Elitserien)
New York Rangers: Mavrik Bourque, C, Shawinigan Cataractes (QMJHL) 
- New York needs a line 1 center in the worst way possible. The 5-10 165 lb Mavrik Bourque had 25 goals, 29 assists, and 54 points in 2018-2019. Mavrik Bourque had 29 goals, 42 assists, and 71 points in 2019-2020. Mavrik Bourque could come into New York and be a first line center since that's his current role with the Shawinigan Cataractes.
- Mavrik Bourque has the has the playmaking, passing, wrist shot power, wrist shot accuracy, offensive awareness, hockey IQ, speed, skating, agility, and stick handling. He's a playmaker that can do everything you want a line 1 game changer to do on tape. He can do well on the power play. He's a line 1 center on Kamloops and the New York Rangers can put him on the first line with Alexis Lafreniere and Kappo Kakko to form a deadly trio on that top line for the next decade maybe two decades if Bourque continues to play at a high level.
Philadelphia Flyers: Connor Zary, C, Kamloops Blazers (WHL) 
- Philadelphia gets the best player on the board at 23. The 6-0 174 lb Connor Zary had 11 goals, 18 assists, and 29 points in his rookie season in 2017-2018. Connor Zary had 24 goals, 43 assists, 67 points, and a +18 +/- ratio during the 2018-2019 regular season before struggling in the playoffs. Connor Zary had 38 goals, 48 assists, 86 points, and +30 +/- ratio in 2019-2020. Connor Zary nearly scored in the 2020 CHL Prospects Game before his goal got called off.
- Connor Zary has the has the playmaking, passing, wrist shot power, wrist shot accuracy, offensive awareness, defensive awareness, hockey IQ, speed, skating, agility, and stick handling. He's a playmaker that can do everything you want a line 1 game changer to do on tape. He can do well on the power play or dominate as a penalty killer. He's a line 1 center on Kamloops and Philadelphia can have Connor Zary push Nolan Patrick for that third line center spot on the Philadelphia Flyers if Patrick cannot recover from his injuries and stay healthy.
Colorado Avalanche: Rodion Amirov, LW, Salavat Yulaev Ufa (KHL) 
- Colorado gets the best player on the board at 24. One winger, that I can see Colorado taking here to develop for the future is Rodion Amirov. I heard Amirov is the best winger on Colorado's board at this point, but Colorado has been relatively quieter than usual this year with their draft process so who knows what they will do. I trust Joe Sakic and Alan Hepple though, as long as those two brainiacs are managing this operation, Colorado can only continue to improve.
- Rodion Amirov has 2 assists in the KHL. I'm lower on Amirov, then most. I've seen other mocks put this guy in their top 15 and top 20, and I'm trying to figure out why. Colorado's prospect pool is loaded, and they will findd a way to make Amirov a good future prospect.
Previous Pick: Tyson Foerster, RW, Barrie Colts (OHL)
Washington Capitals: Dylan Holloway, LW, Wisconsin 
- Dylan Holloway was the line 1 left winger next to Alex Turcotte the Los Angeles Kings fifth overall pick in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft who committed to Wisconsin. Holloway only had 8 goals, 9 assists, and 17 points in 2019-2020 in 35 games. Holloway can stay in the NCAA and continue to develop as long as he doens't sign with the Capitals. Holloway has three more years at Wisconsin and three years on the Hershey Bears as years to develop so he will have ample time to develop before being called up to the NHL.
Previous Pick: Rodion Amirov, LW, Salavat Yulaev Ufa (KHL)
St. Louis Blues: Ryan O'Rourke, D, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL) 
- The St. Louis Blues are letting their team captain Alexander Pieterangelo test Free Agency one year after leading the Blues to the 2019 Stanley Cup Finals. I'm looking at Ryan O'Rourke as the only viable replacement to Pieterangelo since he's the only other team captain in this draft outside of Alexis Lafreniere.
- The 6-2 181 Ryan O'Rourke was the first round pick for the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds in the 2018 OHL Priority Selection. Ryan O'Rourke had 8 goals, 14 assists, 22 points, and a +8 +/- ratio during his rookie season in 2018-2019 when he anchored the second line as a rookie. Ryan O'Rourke had 7 goals, 30 assists, 37 points, and a +16 +/- ratio in 54 games on the first line. He is someone that St. Louis can develop for the future as a two-way defenseman. Having experience on both the left and right side of the defense will make it easy for the Blues to plug this leader in as Pieterangelo's replacement.
Anaheim Ducks: Roni Hirvonen, C, Assat (SM Liiga) 
- Boston had the best regular season record. I think one team in the Eastern Conference is deeper than the Bruins and that's the Tampa Bay Lightning. Anaheim also gets this pick from the Boston Bruins.
- Anaheim goes with the second best European center in this years 2020 NHL Draft at 27 as a prospect for the future despite having Adam Henrique, Ryan Getzlaf, Ryan Kessler, and David Backes. The Ducks also have guys like Sam Steel and Isac Lundstrom who they drafted as first round picks in recent years.
- Getzlaf enters a contract year, Kessler and Backes both dealt with injuries, and your recent first round picks were talented heading into their draft years, but have underperformed at the NHL level so far. Maybe drafting another center to push those guys changes that.
- Roni Hirvonen was born on January 10th same day as me and the first draft prospect since Landon Collins to share a birthday with me. Frank Sinatra Jr., George Foreman, and my mother are all born on January 10th as well. He's not the only prospect in this draft born on January 10th.
- The point is Roni Hirovonen is the ideal fit for the Anaheim Ducks, and he may be an ideal successor to Ryan Getzlaf. Also Hirvonen had a career high 3 goals, 2 assists, and 5 points in a contest back in 2018. The 5-9 163 lb Roni Hirvonen had 5 goals, 11 assists, and 16 points in 2019-2020.
- He's a very fast flashy skater with great speed, explosiveness, and athleticism despite being undersized. He has the passing, wrist shot power, wrist shot accuracy, slap shot power, slap shot accuracy, offensive awareness, vision, and hockey IQ that you want a player to have.
- That's probably why some teams have a first round grade on him. He's just as versatile as Jesperi Kotkaniemi since he can play left wing, center, or right wing on Assat's first line just like the former third overall pick in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. Anaheim is stacked at center, but goes with the best player on the board in Hirvonen to groom for the future. If Hirvonen can add some muscle and show teams that most of his goals aren't from short-range he could be a special player in 2-3 years.
- NHL Prospect Center posted a film cut of Roni Hirvonen on their Youtube channel. You can watch it below.
Previous Pick: John-Jason Peterka, LW, EHC Munchen (DEL)
Ottawa Senators: Emil Andrae, D, HV71 (Elitserien) 
- The 5-9 183 lb Emil Andrae was team captain of Smaland before working his way up to HV71. Andrae is now the first line defender that anchors HV71's blue line which helps his draft stock considering his height. He also played on the second line ahead of William Wallinder on Sweden's Under 20 Team at the World Junior Championships. Ottawa takes Emil Andrae here hoping they strike lightning in a bottle by getting another Erik Karlsson defenseman from Sweden.
Previous Pick: Helge Grans, D, Malmo Redhawks (Elitserien)
Vegas Golden Knights: Justin Barron, D, Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL) 
- The Vegas Golden Knights get a defender here. Outside of Nate Schmidt and Shea Theodore, this team has nobody that's a long-term asset on their blue line. They may get Alex Pieterangelo, the Blues captain, which would help. More pieces would be needed and getting someone here could solidify a second line of defense for Vegas if they manage to sign the Blues captain, but with only $5-million in cap space, they would have to free up some space by moving Marc Andre-Fleury or they can keep their core of players and build through the draft.
- The 6-2 187 lb Halifax Mooseheads defenseman had 2 goals, 19 assists, 21 points, and a +18 +/- in 51 games in 2017-2018. Barron had 9 goals, 32 assists, 41 points, and a +42 +/- in 68 games in 2018-2019 when he was on the top line with Jared McIsaac. Barron had 2 goals, 11 assists, and 13 points during the 2019 QMJHL Playoffs.
- Justin Barron only had 4 goals, 15 assists, 19 points, and a -19 +/- ratio after Jared McIssac got traded to another QMJHL team in 2019-2020 despite taking over as the top defenseman on Halifax. He came back from a blood clot injury that kept him out for four months before Covid-19 cancelled his season.
- Justin Barron has the the playmaking, passing, wrist shot power, wrist shot accuracy, offensive awareness, defensive awareness, hockey IQ, speed, skating, agility, and stick handling. He's a playmaker that can do everything you want a line 1 game changer to do on tape just based on what I saw from Barron in his first two years with Halfiax. He can do well on the power play or dominate as a penalty killer. To be fair, I felt very strongly about Barron heading into 2019-2020 after he had a strong 2018-2019 season prior to a bad draft year and having a bad draft year is the only reason Barron slipped to the late part of the first round.
- Justin Barron still has some areas of his game that he needs to work on. The Vegas Golden Knights are one team that can groom him into their future top defender if they remain patient with him.
Previous Pick: Emil Andrae, D, HV71 (Elitserien)
Dallas Stars: Tyson Foerster, RW, Barrie Colts (OHL) 
- Dallas can ignore need and take the best player on the board. Dallas has just over $15-million in cap space. Their only unrestricted Free Agents are Corey Perry and Anton Khudobin. They will probably prioritize using an RFA on Denis Gurianov who ended up proving me wrong and doing well with this team.
- Dallas gets a right wing prospect here if one falls to them, otherwise they go with the best player on the board. A right winger fell to Dallas at 30 here, and that player was the only player to score 2 goals in the 2020 CHL Prospects Game.
- The 6-1 196 lb Tyson Foerster had 10 goals, 13 assists, 23 points, and a +1 +/- ratio as a line 2 center behind Ryan Suzuki in 2018-2019. Suzuki had 25 goals, 50 assists, and 75 points as an alternate captain that season before being drafted by the Carolina Hurricanes in the first round of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft.
- Tyson Foerster took the line 1 job from Ryan Suzuki before Suzuki got traded to the Sagniaw Spirit after Suzuki had a down year in 2019-2020. The Barrie Colts even moved him over to left wing and right wing on the first line where he had success as well and I see Foerster being a right winger in Dallas. Tyson Foerster had 36 goals, 44 assists, and 80 points in 2019-2020 in a shortened season thanks to the Corona Virus while showcasing his skill set as a two-way forward. Tyson Foerster was also the only player to score 2 goals in the 2020 CHL Prospects Game.
Previous Pick: Brendan Brisson, C, Chicago Steel (USHL)
San Jose Sharks: John-Jason Peterka, LW, EHC Munchen (DEL) 
- Tampa Bay has eight good defenders as well as four quality lines of forwards as well as a goalie that can beat the St. Louis Blues. Tampa Bay wins the 2020 Stanley Cup, but since they traded this pick to the San Jose Sharks, San Jose will pick here.
- San Jose usually fields a good team. They got off to a rocky start which led them to firing Peter DeBoer after making last years 2019 Western Conference Finals. The San Jose Sharks also lost a lot of players to injuries including Erik Karlsson and Logan Couture. It also kind of stings that Ottawa gets their top 3 selection, but San Jose can grab a player here to wrap up the first round thanks to the Lightning getting Barclay Goodrow.
- The 5-11 192 lb John-Jason Peterka can play left wing, center, or right wing with his versatility. He is raw, but has A grade potential on both offense and defense.
Previous Pick: Justin Barron, D, Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)
