2020 NHL Mock Draft: New York Rangers add Alexis Lafreniere
. Forward. St. Louis Blues. Tyson Foerster. 26. player. 99
I’d be very surprised if the St. Louis Blues don’t draft a forward here. They desperately need some help there in their prospect pool. Tyson Foerster is a big, skilled forward who fits the St. Louis Blues profile. He could also be NHL-ready fairly soon, perhaps as early as the 2021-22 season. Foerster has shown to be equally effective at center and at wing.
. Forward. Anaheim Ducks. Lukas Reichel. 27. player. 105
The Anaheim Ducks already got a nice defenseman in Jamie Drysdale. Now it’s time for them to add to their forward group by drafting Lukas Reichel. Before this season, I had him as an interesting mid-round pick candidate. But he really impressed me this season. He’s finally learned how to utilize his unique skill set. Reichel has the potential to be a top-six wing in the NHL.
. Defenseman. Ottawa Senators. Justin Barron. 28. player. 91
With their third first-round pick and having already added two excellent forwards, I think the Ottawa Senators will add a defenseman here. Justin Barron has solid size and I like his mobility too. On a very bad team, he really stood out. His stats don’t jump out at you, but keep in mind he was on a bad team.
player. 942. . Forward. Vegas Golden Knights. Brendan Brisson. 29
The Vegas Golden Knights pipeline needs some more centers. I’m probably Peyton Krebs’ biggest fan, but after him, the Golden Knights don’t have much other than Cody Glass, who should get a full-time promotion to the NHL next season. Brendan Brisson is a playmaking center who has a lot of the tools that Vegas values in their centers.
Forward. Dallas Stars. Roni Hirvonen. 30. player. 119.
Roni Hirvonen would be a great pick for the Dallas Stars for several reasons. First of all, it’s clear they love players from Finland. Miro Heiskanen’s a future Norris Trophy winner and Esa Lindell is a solid second-pairing defenseman. Oh yeah, and Joel Kiviranta’s from Finland too. So is Roope Hintz. The Stars need to just go all-in here and draft another player from Finland.
Secondly, Hirvonen has a lot of upside on offense and could be a very effective scoring center or wing in the NHL. He has a knack for getting open and despite being a tad bit small, isn’t afraid to play around the crease. Hirvonen will need to add a little bulk to his frame, but I think the Stars would be wise to draft him. He could be a gem.
Next. Top 5 Trade Candidates This Offseason. dark
120. . Forward. San Jose Sharks. Thomas Bordeleau. 31. player
His stats aren’t going to wow you, but that’s more due to a relatively weak year for the USNTDP than Thomas Bordeleau. He’s a very creative center who sets up his teammates for scoring chances. I’d like to see him shoot more, though. He’ll be heading to the University of Michigan and I’m really excited to see how he develops.