2nd Pick – New Jersey Devils
Juraj Slafkovsky (LW)
6’4″, 218 lbs
One of the most shocking things to come out leading up to the draft is Bob McKenzie’s Draft Rankings. What sets it apart from all the others is that Wright isn’t the listed as the first-overall selection. Instead, that distinction belongs to Juraj Slafkovsky.
At the midterm, Slafvosky was ranked as the second-best prospect of all European skaters by NHL Central Scouting. The second half of his season was undeniable, pushing him up nearly every scout’s board. McKenzie justified Slafvosky being drafted first-overall by quoting NHL scouts he had spoken with.
3rd Pick – Arizona Coyotes
Logan Cooley (C)
5’10”, 174 lbs
Cooley appears to be a can’t miss prospect, who will crack an NHL roster. The worry before the start of the season was whether Cooley would continue to struggle without the puck. He put those concerns to rest while playing with USA Hockey National Team Development Program (USNTDP) in the USHL under Coach Adam Nightingale. I believe Nightingale, who was an assistant coach with the Detroit Red Wings for three years, has had a significant impact on Cooley’s development, pushing him to use his athleticism to deliver on the offensive end.
4th Pick – Seattle Kraken
Simon Nemec (D)
6’1″, 192 lbs
Having traded away Mark Giordano, the organization’s first and only ever captain, at the trade deadline to the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Seattle Kraken have been left without a star on the blueline. That’s why the team will look to pull the first rear guard of the draft off the board.
Simon Nemec should be that player. The high skilled defender has been playing with HK Nitra in the Slovakian Extraliga. That experience has allowed Nemec to play with far more experienced players. He is an above average puck mover who has put together a campaign full of setting up his his teammates. In fact, in the 39 regular season games he played for Nitra, the Slovakian racked up 25 assists to go along with his single goal. He also had 12 helpers in the playoffs. In those 19 games, Nemec also scored five goals.
5th Pick – Philadelphia Flyers
David Jiricek (D)
6’3″, 190 lbs
The Philadelphia Flyers have an opportunity to bolster their defense core by adding David Jiricek from Plzen HC who has been playing in the Czech Republic. This agile blueliner has gained the trust of his coach to defend his own end, allowing him to hop the boards in any situation. Additionally, he can be a difference maker on the offensive end. This season, a knee injury limited him to just 29 games where he contributed 11 points on five goals and six assists.