With the 21^st selection in this year’s FanSided NHL Mock Draft, Editor In Leaf has selected Andre Burakovsky from Malmo in the Allsvenskan (Swedish second division).

Ultimately, the pick came down to offensive upside. Yesterday morning I had my heart set on selecting Edmonton Oil Kings centre Curtis Lazar with the pick, but I had doubts about his offensive game. Lazar scored 38 goals but only finished with 61 points in 72 games in the WHL last season. Lazar has a good chance of becoming a solid defensive forward in the NHL, but given the other options available, I felt it was necessary to go for a more offensively inclined player.

My attention then turned to big winger Anthony Mantha from Val d’Or of the QMJHL. His 50 goals in 67 games last season are impressive, as is his above average skating and size at 6-foot-4. Alas, those rascals over at Blades Of Teal poached Mantha with the pick right before ours yesterday afternoon, causing me to scramble to find another option. That’s when I took a second look at Burakovsky.

The Swedish left-winger first caught my eye when I read about him a few days ago on Corey Pronman’s rankings at Hockey Prospectus. Pronman has him ranked 13^th, much higher than most other outlets. Here’s what Pronman has to say about him:

“Burakowsky struggled to get ice time in the second-tier Swedish pro league at the beginning of the season, but his fine form in international play has been encouraging. One NHL executive said that Burakowsky’s skating is comparable to some of the top Swedes to come out of the draft recently. He gains efficient power from his stride, and he has a great top gear. His skill level allows him to regularly make above-average to high-end dekes and passes. He has the look of a skilled puck possessor with every shift. The extra element of his game is his grit, and one NHL source described his work ethic as equal to his skill level. He has the ability to impact the possession game with his skill and smarts, and he has a knack for pressuring the puck away from opponents. In order to fulfill his potential, Burakowsky will have to get stronger. There are also significant question marks around his decision-making, as some scouts indicate he can be a bit of a puck hog. There are some kinks to correct, but his game has great upside, and he can be a top-line player at his peak.”

Last September, TSN analyst Bob McKenzie had Burakovsky ranked seventh out of all 2013 Draft prospects. Burakovsky was coming off a solid, point-per-game (42 in 42) season with Malmo’s junior team, and had scouts drooling with his speed and possession skills. By January of this year, he had dropped to 14^th in McKenzie’s ranking. The reason for that is he only had seven points in 33 games for Malmo’s senior team, and players like Valeri Nichushkin, Alexander Wennberg and Frederik Gauthier had burst on to the scene with impressive starts to the year.

Burakovsky didn’t do much for the rest of the year, only playing ten more games for Malmo’s big club and modestly contributed with four points. Reports suggested he was only given limited ice time, which isn’t all that surprising for  a 17-year-old playing with grown men in Sweden’s second best professional league. Despite his Malmo struggles, Burakovsky thrived with Sweden’s national junior team, putting up six goals and six assists in 10 games. He scored four goals and five points in five games at the Under-18 World Championships, although his team couldn’t advance past the quarterfinals.

I doubt there’s any player who has fallen so far in so many rankings as Burakovsky, and I’m not sure it’s justified. Unlike most of his counterparts in North America, Burakovsky cut his teeth in professional hockey playing against players much older than him. Sure, he has some flaws in his game, but which 17-year-old prospect doesn’t? The one thing you can’t teach is skill, and Burakovsky has it in spades. He’ll probably need some time to refine his game in Sweden for at least one more year, but given the Leafs’ considerable depth on the wings, there’s no rush to get him here.

Here’s how Burakovsky ranked on various outlets around the web:

Corey Pronman: 13

The Scouting Report: 36

International Scouting Services: 16

Craig Button: 58

Bob McKenzie: 14

Future Considerations: 25

Ryan Kennedy: 27

Average: 27

The Calgary Flames are now on the clock.

June 22, 2012; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; General view of the stage and draft board order as commissioner Gary Bettman announces the third overall pick in the 2012 NHL Draft at CONSOL Energy Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

This mock draft business was a whole lot easier when the Leafs weren’t very good. Last year, Editor In Leaf chose centre Filip Forsberg fifth overall in the 2012 FanSided NHL Mock Draft. Brian Burke, the Maple Leafs’ general manager at the time, ended up going a little off the board by selecting defenseman Morgan Rielly with that pick. Nearly a year later, it’s hard to argue with Burkie on that one, as Rielly looks like the can’t-miss prospect many expected him to be. Nonetheless, there remains a giant hole in the Leafs’ centre prospect ranks.

About five months ago, I took a look at some of the top centres in the 2013 Draft because I fully expected the Leafs to be selecting somewhere in the top ten (oops!). Now with the Leafs settled into that 21^st spot, it’s a little more difficult to get a read on whom the Leafs might take. I still firmly believe the Leafs should focus on taking a pivot, which is why the following list I compiled features only centremen. I hear a lot of people talking about how the Leafs should “take the best player available” regardless of position, but unless you’re a member of the Leafs’ front office, there’s really no way of knowing who they’re targeting, especially this year when most rankings are all over the place.

I ended up focusing on four players: Frederik Gauthier (NOTE: Octopus Thrower selected Gauthier with their pick in the mock yesterday), Curtis Lazar, JT Compher and Nicolas Petan. Other centres such as Bo Horvat, Max Domi and Alexander Wennberg are ranked higher, but there’s a good chance these guys will be taken before the Leafs step up to the podium on draft day. I compiled each player’s respective ranking from four different outlets: Corey Pronman of hockeyprospectus.com, NHL Central Scouting (which has separate lists for North American and European skaters), International Scouting Services and Craig Button of TSN.ca, and added them to come up with a final score.

As we can see from the total score, the scouts seem to like Gauthier, Lazar, Compher and Petan in that order. There are many other rankings out there and if you would like to see a much more comprehensive compilation of different rankings, check out NHL Numbers. Now let’s take a closer look at these four players and what skills they have to offer.

Frederik Gauthier, C, Rimouski Oceanic (QMJHL)

Gauthier fits the bill as a big pivot, listed anywhere from 6-foot-3 to 6-foot-5, and 193 to 215 pounds. Central Scouting has him listed at both wing positions, while the other outlets have him at centre, which suggests he has enough versatility to play all three forward spots. Although he’s a big guy, he still possesses above-average skating ability. He put up nearly a point-per-game (60 in 62) playing heavy minutes against tough competition for Rimouski, but was inconsistent at times. He needs to be more aggressive and throw his weight around better. Sounds like a very similar player to current Leaf/Marlie Joe Colborne.

Curtis Lazar, C, Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL)

Pronman writes that Lazar has “one of the smallest risk factors in the draft (in terms of probability of becoming an NHL player)” and is “one of the best defensive forwards in the draft”. Lazar scored 38 goals this season for the Oil Kings, but many scouts aren’t sure if his offensive ability will translate to the NHL. He remains a very solid, well-rounded player with no obvious holes in his game. He isn’t huge (listed at 6-foot, 190 pounds), but still loves to play a physical game, especially on the forecheck. He’s also an above-average skater.

JT Compher, C, United States National Team Development Program (USHL)

Interestingly, Pronman’s rankings were the only ones of the four I looked at that put Compher ahead of both Gauthier and Lazar. Compher is smaller than the others at 5-foot-11, but makes up for his small stature with a high-level skating ability and high-energy game. He has shown an ability to set up his teammates but also possesses a heavy shot. He plays a very physical style and doesn’t hesitate to bang bodies. It seems his lack of size is the only thing holding him back from being ranked higher across the board.

Nicolas Petan, C, Portland Winterhawks (WHL)

Petan came out of nowhere this year to tie teammate Brendan Leipsic for the WHL scoring crown with 120 points in 71 games. In fact, the top three scorers were all members of the same line in Portland, with Ty Rattie finishing third. There’s no doubt Petan has all the offensive tools in his arsenal, showing outstanding ability to find open teammates, keep possession of the puck in the offensive zone and put the puck in the net. The only thing holding him back is his 5-foot-9 frame. Will teams be willing to roll the dice on Petan’s offensive game translating to the next level despite his size?

Now it’s your turn. Which one of these young centremen would you like to see the Leafs pick on draft day? Or would you like to see them go in a different direction entirely? Let us know in the poll or comments below. All votes will be considered when we make our pick in the FanSided NHL Mock Draft on Monday.