2011 NHL Draft - Round 1

1. Edmonton Oilers

Player: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
Position: C
Notes: He's an outstanding skater and really good with the puck and has great vision. And he should have been on last year's world junior team! - Pierre McGuire

2. Colorado Avalanche

Player: Gabriel Landeskog
Position: LW
Notes: He's the most physically-ready player to step into the NHL. He was a man against boys with the Kitchener Rangers last season. - Bob McKenzie

3. Florida Panthers

Player: Jonathan Huberdeau
Position: C
Notes: A year ago, he scored 11 goals in 21 games in the QMJHL playoffs. He has that ability to score goals, but he needs to get bigger and stronger. - Bob McKenzie

4. New Jersey Devils

Player: Adam Larsson
Position: D
Notes: At No. 4, this guy is the steal of the draft. He has awesome vision, composure with the puck and great on 1-on-1 battles. The Devils need defence and it's a great pick. - Pierre McGuire.

5. New York Islanders

Player: Ryan Strome
Position: C
Notes: He's so crafty with the puck and makes players around him better. This guy and John Tavares will be making sweet music for a very long time. - Pierre McGuire

6. Ottawa Senators

Player: Mika Zibanejad
Position: C
Notes: He looks like a nice guy, but if you get in a 1-on-1 battle with him, he's not nice. The Senators have second line insulation for Jason Spezza down the middle. - Pierre McGuire

7. Winnipeg Jets

Player: Mark Scheifele
Position: C
Notes: He's got to fill out and work on his skating, but he has the ability to be a great player in the National Hockey League. - Bob McKenzie

8. Philadelphia Flyers (via Columbus)

Player: Sean Couturier
Position: C
Notes: He's the best point producer among all the prospects in the draft. And he's got shutdown capabilities like Jordan Staal. - Bob McKenzie

9. Boston Bruins (via Toronto)

Player: Dougie Hamilton
Position: D
Notes: Boston's tough blueline just got a whole lot more nasty! That trade with Toronto is paying serious benefits. - Pierre McGuire

10. Minnesota Wild

Player: Jonas Brodin
Position: D
Notes: He was a teenager playing for the best team in Sweden (Farjestad) and the second-best league in the world. He's a smart pick because it's a reliable player who will play in the league. - Pierre McGuire

11. Colorado Avalanche (via St. Louis)

Player: Duncan Siemens
Position: D
Notes: They went with muscle and he's a throwback, Scott Stevens type of defenceman - he's tough and sticks up for teammates. - Bob McKenzie

12. Carolina Hurricanes

Player: Ryan Murphy
Position:
Notes: The best offensive defenceman in this draft - bar none. But will he be able to play 5-on-5 against other NHL players? - Bob McKenzie

13. Calgary Flames

Player: Sven Bartschi
Position: LW
Notes: He plays extremely well in heavy traffic and his junior coach says he can play past the fact that he's not a six-foot player. - Bob McKenzie

14. Dallas Stars

Player: Jamie Oleksiak
Position: D
Notes: He's a Tyler Myers-type player, a big kid with a lot of athleticism. - Pierre McGuire

15. New York Rangers

Player: J.T. Miller
Position: LW
Notes: He's got some good size and plays a hard, physical game. He's one of three Pittsburgh area players who were slated to go in Round 1. - Bob McKenzie

16. Buffalo Sabres

Player: Joel Armia
Position: RW
Notes: He played very well in the Finnish Elite League, arguably better than he did in some international tournaments. - Bob McKenzie

17. Montreal Canadiens

Player: Nathan Beaulieu
Position: D
Notes: This is a good pick. This guy can skate similar to P.K. Subban - a smooth and powerful skater. - Pierre McGuire

18. Chicago Blackhawks

Player: Mark McNeill
Position: C
Notes: He's physically ready in many respects to play in the NHL. He believes he has a chance to play in the NHL next season. - Bob McKenzie

19. Edmonton Oilers (via Los Angeles)

Player: Oscar Klefbom
Position: D
Notes: There's a dynamic quality to him - he plays a physical game and likes to join the attack. He can be punishing and can also help put the puck in the net. - Bob McKenzie

20. Phoenix Coyotes

Player: Connor Murphy
Position: D
Notes: The son of Gord Murphy is a project player who is three or four years away. - Pierre McGuire

21. Ottawa Senators (via Nashville)

Player: Stefan Noeson
Position: RW
Notes: A player from Texas who plays like Corey Perry, scoring goals from the front of the net via deflections. - Bob McKenzie

22. Toronto Maple Leafs (via Anaheim)

Player: Tyler Biggs
Position: RW
Notes: He's big and nasty and will go to Miami of Ohio. He's truculent and will be a great fit with the Leafs. - Pierre McGuire

23. Pittsburgh Penguins

Player: Joe Morrow
Position: D
Notes: They like good skaters and good skating defencemen in Pittsburgh and this guy fits the bill with the Penguins. - Pierre McGuire

24. Ottawa Senators (via Detroit)

Player: Matt Puempel
Position: LW
Notes: He's a big goal and point scorer, but the question is whether he's quick enough to make a difference in a flow game. - Pierre McGuire

25. Toronto Maple Leafs (via Philadelphia)

Player: Stuart Percy
Position: D
Notes: He doesn't have a good shot on the blue line but plays an error free, maintenance free game and isn't easy to beat on 1-on-1 or 2-on-1 situations. - Bob McKenzie

26. Chicago Blackhawks (via Washington)

Player: Phillip Danault
Position: LW
Notes: One of the real character players at the draft who plays a two-way game. - Bob McKenzie

27. Tampa Bay Lightning

Player: Vladislav Namestnikov
Position: C
Notes: He's the son of former NHLer John Namestnikov, who played in Michigan - a Russian kid in grew up in North America and played for Dale Hunter in London. - Bob McKenzie

28. Minnesota Wild (via San Jose)

Player: Zack Phillips
Position: C
Notes: He was the centre for Huberdeau this season and was terrific on the give and go, reminding people of Adam Oates. - Bob McKenzie

29. Vancouver Canucks

Player: Nicklas Jensen
Position: LW
Notes: He's a Danish player with very Canadian roots as his dad is from Richmond Hill, Ontario. The Oshawa Generals say he has a quiet intensity in him to step up and play in big situations. - Bob McKenzie

30. Anaheim Ducks (via Toronto, Boston)

Player: Rickard Rakell
Position: RW
Notes: Rakell played for Sweden at thw World Juniors and is a two-way player who can add a bit of offence. - Bob McKenzie