2013 NHL Mock Draft: The Next Ones Winter Edition

This is the first edition of THW’s 2013 NHL Mock Draft – The Next Ones Winter Edition.

Every year it seems I contemplate whether or not to go through the intriguing yet dubious task of putting together a mock draft. We all know how fascinating it is to go through the process of formulating which team should select which prospect and at what point in the draft. We also know how quickly a mock draft can go off the rails when the actual NHL draft takes place.

Whether it be the Phoenix Coyotes going off the board to take a Blake Wheeler or theLos Angeles Kings selecting Thomas Hickey seemingly out of nowhere, one’s mock draft can be wrecked quicker than Nathan MacKinnon can do a lap around the rink.

There will also be plenty of movement in terms of where team’s picks as they continue to be jostling for positions in the standings with a little less than two-thirds of the season to go.

NHL Draft Lottery:

NHL Draft Drawing will take place on Monday, April 29, 2013. The entry draft will be held on June 30th at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.

According to TSN Hockey analyst Bob McKenzie, the NHL Draft Lottery will not be changing in a major way this year.

“…the league discussed making odds for the 14 non-playoff teams more balanced, but it won’t happen this year.

The only difference in this year’s draft lottery will remain that the team that wins the lottery will be awarded the first overall pick. In previous years, winning the lottery only allowed a team to move up a maximum of four places in the draft order.”

Notes:

• The order used in this mock draft is based on the teams’ Points Percentage from NHL.com before games completed on February 18^th, 2013.
• Only a portion of the table displays by default; you can scroll over to see the rest of the player demographics or select “View full-size workbook” option, which is the icon in the bottom right hand corner, to view the full table.
• This is not an attempt to rank prospects. This is mere a guesstimate at what teams might choose if they were to draft today based on weighing out best player available with team need and past experiences at the draft table, with an obvious dose of influence from my personal thoughts.
• THW column = The Next Ones Top 100 Midterm Rankings 
• CS column = NHL Central Scoutings’ rankings (segregated rankings for North American and Europeans and separate for skaters and goalies)
• For much more information on the NHL entry draft, be sure to check out our live updated draft home page: 2013 NHL Entry Draft Guide – The Next Ones

Comment on the article below with any questions you have with respect to any of the team’s selections.

First Round Notes

*Columbus obtained Los Angeles’ 2013 1st round pick (Blue Jackets declined option to use the pick in 2012) and Jack Johnson for Jeff Carter.

**Columbus obtained the NY Rangers’ 2013 1st round pick, Brandon Dubinsky, Tim Erixon and Artem Anisimov for Rick Nash, Steve Delisle and a conditional 3rd round pick – if the Rangers reach the Stanley Cup finals, the Blue Jackets keep the pick.

^New Jersey must forfeit their 1st round pick in either 2013 or 2014 as a repercussion from the NHL for salary cap circumvention when they signed Ilya Kovalchuk. (The Devils previously forfeited their 3rd round pick in 2011 and $3 million.) My feeling is that they keep the 2013 1^st round selection.

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