5 – Montreal Canadiens, Will Smith, C/USNTDP
Previous Selection: Will Smith
Will Smith is yet another center whose name you can expect to be called early. He’s also another forward whose offensive game is top-tier in this draft, though he will need time to work on his defensive play and transition.
6 – Arizona Coyotes, Gabe Perreault, LW/USNTDP
Previous Selection: Zach Benson
The Arizona Coyotes can go in several directions here, so I had them rolling with the best player left on the board not named Matvei Michkov. Like Smith, Gabe Perreault needs to focus on improving his defensive play and adding weight to his 165 lb frame. He will, however, put up a lot of points offensively when he eventually lands in the desert.
7 – Philadelphia Flyers, Dalibor Dvorsky, C/AIK
Previous Selection: Ryan Leonard
As in my previous mock, I kept flipping back and forth of whether the Philadelphia Flyers would go with a forward here or David Reinbacher. This time, I’m pegging them to roll with Dalibor Dvorsky, Unlike Perreault, Dvorsky has the size teams will crave at 6’1, 201 lb. Production-wise, he’s been remarkable against those his age, and you can expect it to improve this season at the pro level in Sweden.
8 – Washington Capitals, Matvei Michkov, RW/Sochi
Previous Selection: David Reinbacher
There is a lot of controversy surrounding Matvei Michkov, but I can’t see him sliding past the Washington Capitals at this point. Sure, Washington will need to wait for his KHL deal to end, but given his talent, plus his need to pack on size, it will be worth the wait.