Toronto Maple Leafs: 2019 NHL Mock Draft Part 1 – Picks 1-15
By Alex Hobson
![DALLAS, TX - JUNE 23: A general view of the Toronto Maple Leaf draft table is seen during the second day of the 2018 NHL Draft at American Airlines Center on June 23, 2018 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Brian Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images) DALLAS, TX - JUNE 23: A general view of the Toronto Maple Leaf draft table is seen during the second day of the 2018 NHL Draft at American Airlines Center on June 23, 2018 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Brian Babineau/NHLI via Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/79a63c435b5ec1cbdf7db4f562b6c14908a5bd58c3aefb60340014cc25d620e3.jpg)
13. Florida Panthers – Alex Newhook (C, Victoria Grizzlies, BCHL)
The Panthers are poised to have a busy off-season with speculation that they could sign a pair of Russian superstars in Sergei Bobrovsky and Artemi Panarin. They’ve done a great job at developing talent over the years, and they have another opportunity here in Alex Newhook.
Newhook spent this season with the BCHL’s Victoria Grizzlies and strikes me as a very similar player to Colorado Avalanche forward Tyson Jost, who’s similar in size and put up similar totals in the same league in his draft year.
Newhookis committed to play for Boston College next year and could see some extra development time there, but if the Panthers have the chance to take him at 13th, he could eventually turn into a high-reward type of player for them.