Jesper Wallstedt
, Images on Ice
By Craig Button, TSN Director of Scouting
The final TSN Hockey Mock Draft sees some movement throughout the Top 10, but Michigan’s duo of Owen Power and Matty Beniers aren’t going anywhere.
Power remains the clear choice at the top of the draft with the Buffalo Sabres selecting a defenceman first overall for the second time in four years after Rasmus Dahlin in 2018. The 18-year-old possesses a unique combination of skill, hockey sense and superior size that is comparable to Tampa Bay defenceman Victor Hedman.
At No. 2, Power’s Michigan teammate Matty Beniers becomes the first draft pick in Seattle Kraken history. They would also become the first collegiate players to go 1-2 since Boston University’s Rick DiPietro and Wisconsin’s Dany Heatley in 2000 and the first teammates since Montreal Jr. Canadiens Rejean Houle and Marc Tardif in 1969.
Mason McTavish vaults up from the Ottawa Senators at No. 10 to the New Jersey Devils at No. 4. An offensive player with an accurate shot who competes well in one-on-one battles, McTavish had 11 points in seven games for gold-medal-winner Canada at the U-18 World Championship in May.
At ninth, the Vancouver Canucks get Kent Johnson, a centre who played at left wing this past season and is adaptable up front. Comparable to Elias Pettersson, he’s got great creativity, imagination and confidence with a quick hockey mind and quick hands.
Instead of selecting McTavish at 10, the Sens make the first goaltending pick of the draft with Lulea’s Jesper Wallstedt. At 14 years old, he was the youngest-ever player in the Super Elite Jr. League; at 17 he was the youngest-ever goalie in the Swedish Hockey League and now he is set to become the first Swedish goalie selected in the first round. If he is chosen in the Top 10, he would be the first netminder since Carey Price in 2005 (No. 5) to go that high.
Assuming general manager Brad Treliving doesn’t trade his first-round pick – which he did twice in 2020 – the Calgary Flames go with Sioux Falls forward Cole Sillinger at 13. His father, Mike Sillinger, played with 12 teams in his 17-year NHL career but the Flames were not among them.
At 18, the Winnipeg Jets bolster their blueline with defenceman Corson Ceulemans. Reminiscent of Brent Seabrook, he has very good puck skills with the ability to get into the offensive zone, create scoring chances with his passing and to be a threat to score with his shot.
Sebastian Cossa is the next goaltender selected this year, landing with the Edmonton Oilers at No. 20. Montreal rounds out the Canadian team first-round selections with winger Sasha Pastujov, who had 65 points in 41 games this season playing for the USA Hockey National Team Development Program.
1. Owen Power
Defence | Michigan (NCAA) | 6'6 | 213 lbs. | Nov. 22, 2002
NHL Comparable: Victor Hedman
2. Matty Beniers
Centre | Michigan (NCAA) | 6'1 1/2 | 175 lbs. | Nov. 5, 2002
NHL Comparable: Bo Horvat
3. Dylan Guenther
Right Wing | Edmonton (WHL) | 6'1 1/2 | 175 lbs. | Apr. 10, 2003
NHL Comparable: T.J. Oshie
4. Mason McTavish
Centre | Peterborough (OHL) | 6'1 | 207 lbs. | Jan. 30, 2003
NHL Comparable: Ryan O'Reilly
5. Simon Edvinsson
Defence | Frolunda (SHL) | 6'4 1/2 | 198 lbs. | Feb. 5, 2003
NHL Comparable: Seth Jones
6. William Eklund
Left Wing | Djurgardens (SHL) | 5'9 3/4 | 176 lbs. | Oct. 12, 2002
NHL Comparable: Sebastian Aho
7. Luke Hughes
Defence | USA NTDP (USHL) | 6'2 | 184 lbs. | Sept. 9, 2003
NHL Comparable: Morgan Rielly
8. Brandt Clarke
Defence | Barrie (OHL) | 6'2 | 185 lbs. | Feb. 9, 2003
NHL Comparable: John Klingberg
9. Kent Johnson
Centre | Michigan (NCAA) | 6'1 | 165 lbs. | Oct. 18, 2002
NHL Comparable: Elias Pettersson
10. Jesper Wallstedt
Goaltender | Lulea (SHL) | 6'3 | 214 lbs. | Nov. 14, 2002
NHL Comparable: Ryan Miller
11. Forfiture
Arizona Coyotes
The NHL directed the forfeiture of this pick in sanctions against the Arizona Coyotes announced Aug. 26, 2020.
12. Chaz Lucius
Centre | USA NTDP (USHL) | 6'1 | 185 lbs. | May 2, 2003
NHL Comparable: Brock Nelson
13. Cole Sillinger
Centre/Left Wing | Sioux Falls (USHL) | 6'0 | 197 lbs. | May 16, 2003
NHL Comparable: Logan Couture
14. Brennan Othmann
Left Wing | Flint (OHL) | 6'0 | 175 lbs. | Jan. 5, 2003
NHL Comparable: Gabriel Landeskog
15. Matthew Coronato
Right Wing | Chicago (USHL) | 5'10 1/4 | 183 lbs. | Nov. 14, 2004
NHL Comparable: Alex DeBrincat
16. Fedor Svechkov
Centre | Togliatti (VHL) | 6'0 | 187 lbs. | Apr. 5, 2003
NHL Comparable: Pavel Datsyuk
17. Carson Lambos
Defence | JYP (SM Liiga Jr.) | 6'1 | 197 lbs. | Jan. 14, 2003
NHL Comparable: Ryan McDonagh
18. Corson Ceulemans
Defence | Brooks (AJHL) | 6'2 | 198 lbs. | May 5, 2003
NHL Comparable: Brent Seabrook
19. Zachary Bolduc
Centre | Rimouski (QMJHL) | 6'1 | 175 lbs. | Feb. 24, 2003
NHL Comparable: Elias Lindholm
20. Sebastian Cossa
Goaltender | Edmonton (WHL) | 6'6 | 210 lbs. | Nov. 21, 2002
NHL Comparable: Jakob Markstrom
21. Xavier Bourgault
Centre | Shawinigan (QMJHL) | 6'0 | 172 lbs. | Oct. 22, 2002
NHL Comparable: J-G Pageau
22. Fabian Lysell
Centre | Lulea (SHL) | 5'10 1/2 | 172 lbs. | Jan. 19, 2003
NHL Comparable: Kyle Palmieri
23. Samu Tuomaala
Right Wing | Karpat (SM Liiga Jr) | 5'10 | 174 lbs. | Jan. 8, 2003
NHL Comparable: Anthony Beauvillier
- Detroit acquired Washington's first-round pick in a deal that sent forward Anthony Mantha to the Capitals
24. Aatu Raty
Centre | Karpat (Liiga) | 6'1 | 185 lbs. | Nov. 14, 2002
NHL Comparable: William Karlsson
25. Shai Buium
Defence | Sioux City (USHL) | 6'3 | 214 lbs. | Mar. 26, 2003
NHL Comparable: Roman Josi
- Columbus acquired Toronto's first-round pick in a trade that sent forward Nick Foligno to the Maple Leafs
26. Francesco Pinelli
Centre | Jesenice (SLO) | 6'0 | 185 lbs. | Apr. 11, 2003
NHL Comparable: JT Miller
- Pittsburgh's first-round pick was acquired by Minnesota from a 2020 trade that sent forward Jason Zucker to the Penguins
27. Daniil Chayka
Defence | Moskva (KHL) | 6'2 3/4 | 187 lbs. | Oct. 22, 2002
NHL Comparable: Jonas Brodin
28. Zachary L'Heureux
Left Wing | Halifax (QMJHL) | 5'11 | 196 lbs. | May 15, 2003
NHL Comparable: Brad Marchand
29. Mackie Samoskevich
Centre | Chicago (USHL) | 5'11 | 190 lbs. | Nov. 15, 2002
NHL Comparable: William Nylander
- New Jersey acquired the NY Islanders' first-round pick in the deal that sent forwards Kyle Palmieri and Travis Zajac to the Devils
30. Isak Rosen
Right Wing | Leksands (SHL) | 5'11 | 156 lbs. | Mar. 15, 2003
NHL Comparable: Reilly Smith
31. Sasha Pastujov
Left Wing | USA U-18 (USDP) | 6'0 | 183 lbs. | Jul. 15, 2003
NHL Comparable: Jordan Eberle
32. Zach Dean
Centre | Gatineau (QMJHL) | 6'0 | 176 lbs. | Jan. 4, 2003
NHL Comparable: Joel Eriksson Ek
- Columbus acquired Tampa Bay's first-round pick from the trade that sent defenceman David Savard to the Lightning
The Arizona Coyotes, who had the 11th-best odds in the lottery, were stripped of their first-round pick after the team was found to have violated the league's Combine Testing Policy and is not included.