NHL 2020 Mock Draft

By: Adamo Marinelli

April 18th, 2020

     The remainder of the 2019-20 NHL season may be canceled, but the draft will still happen, whether it be live from Las Vegas or in an online format. Let’s examine this year’s best prospects hoping to take the NHL by storm. 

     The draft lottery has not happened yet, so the draft order is not set in stone. Therefore, I will assume when each team gets to pick using statistical odds and percentages.

According to Tankathon, the Detroit Red Wings have an 18.5% chance to get the first overall pick. The Ottawa Senators have a 13.5% chance to get the first overall pick; but they also own the San Jose Sharks' lottery pick. The Sharks have an 11.5% chance to get the first overall pick. Therefore, the Senators have a 25% chance to get the first overall pick, the Red Wings only have an 18.5% chance. The Senators get the first overall pick, the Redwings get the second overall pick. The Los Angeles Kings have a 9.7% chance to get the third overall pick, the Senators have a 12.3% chance. The Senators get the third overall pick, the Kings get the fourth overall pick, and then it is pretty straightforward from there. So without further ado, let's get started.

     With the first overall pick of the 2020 NHL draft, the Ottawa Senators will select Alexis Lafreniere, a left-winger from the Rimouski Oceanic. The Senators have been in a rebuild ever since they were one goal away from a Stanley Cup appearance in 2017. Lafreniere is the consensus #1 pick in this year’s draft and can produce at ease. He has recorded back-to-back 100 point seasons with the Oceanic and leads the QMJHL in scoring. 

     With the second overall pick, the Detroit Red Wings will select Tim Stützle, a left-winger from the Mannheim Eagles, who play in a German league. Stützle is arguably the best European player in this year’s draft. He is very fast, has good hands, can move the puck and make plays very easily. He is only 18 and putting up decent numbers against full-grown men. That is impressive! He had 0.83 points per game, a record in the DEL.

     With the third overall pick, the Ottawa Senators, after receiving this pick from the San Jose Sharks will select Quinton Byfield, a center from the Sudbury Wolves. Byfield did not have his best performance at the skills combine, but is still a talented athlete. He is a big and physical center and can match up with the best centers in the league with his speed, his innate playmaking ability, and his high hockey IQ. The Senators will be a playoff contender in the East with their current core if they can add these two all-stars.

     With the fourth overall pick, the Los Angeles Kings will select Jamie Drysdale, a defenseman for the Erie Otters. He is a physical defenseman, even though his frame is not the biggest, and he knows how to get the puck to his teammates and contribute offensively. He has a lot of speed, is explosive and his back-peddling and lateral crossovers are elite. He is arguably the best defenseman in the draft.

     With the fifth overall pick, the New Jersey Devils will select Marco Rossi, a center for the Ottawa 67s. The Devils were one of the worst teams in the league this year, mainly because of their inability to score. They do have offensive talent with guys like Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier, but with Rossi’s innate ability to shoot, score and create chances offensively with speed and creativity - he leads OHL with 120 points - the Devils will improve.

     With the sixth overall pick, the Anaheim Ducks will select Cole Perfetti, a left-winger for the Saginaw Spirit. He is a skilled, physical center-wing who always finds himself in the middle of the offensive and defensive zones, where the puck is the most. He is an incredible playmaker, has great hands and rarely loses control of the puck by carrying it close to his body. He can stop on a dime and consistently make a great pass to set up a teammate.

     With the seventh overall pick, the Buffalo Sabres will select Alexander Holtz, a right-winger in the SHL. Buffalo has a lot of talent down the middle with guys like Jack Eichel, Sam Reinhart, but they could bolster their depth on the wing with Holtz. He is a purebred scorer, has great stickhandling skills and excellent vision to find and expose weak spots in opposing defenses. He is 6’0’’ tall, 183 pounds, physical and helps out on defense.

     With the eighth overall pick, the Montreal Canadians will select Lucas Raymond, a left-winger for the Frolunda HC. Many compare him to Mitch Marner; he has the speed, footwork and stick handling to generate continuous scoring chances. He is efficient on both the powerplay and penalty kill. He could help to bolster Montreal’s mediocre offensive unit.

     With the ninth overall pick, the Chicago Blackhawks will select Jake Sanderson, a defenseman playing for the University of North Dakota. He is a big defender, almost 6’2” tall and 186 lbs. His well-built physique allows him to get to 200+lbs. He is an offensive-minded defenseman with a rocket of a shot, and a great ability to pass the puck. He is fast, agile and has a high hockey IQ. He has the tools to be an elite defenseman but lacks physicality for a near 200-pound defender.

     With the 10th overall pick, the New Jersey Devils will select Yaroslav Askarov, a goalie in the MHL. Askarov is the best goalie prospect the NHL has seen in nearly a decade. He is a butterfly-style goalie, with extraordinary reflexes. He has an elite glove hand, but it is on his right hand, not very common for NHL goalies. He is very agile and his excellent mobility and anticipation help him track pucks with ease. His big frame takes away a lot of the net. 

     With the 11th overall pick, the Minnesota Wild will select Jack Quinn, a right-winger for the Ottawa 67s. The Minnesota Wild are in dire need of a right-winger who can shoot, score and set up plays. Zary is their guy. His recent performance has upped his value in the draft from a 3rd rounder to a mid 1st round pick. His aggressive offensive style and his speed allows him to get open and finish his offensive chances. He is a weapon on the powerplay with a huge one-timer. He finished 2nd in the OHL with 52 goals and 89 points in 62 games. He’s an incredible scorer.

     With the 12th overall pick, the Winnipeg Jets will select Dylan Holloway, a left-winger from the University of Wisconsin. He is a 6 foot, 200 pound center with excellent vision and a great stick-handling ability. He was the 2019 AJHL MVP and helped Team Canada win gold in the 2018 Ivan Hlinka Gretzky Cup. He has a high hockey IQ, good balance, a strong wrist shot and amazing lateral quickness. He uses his speed and physicality to win puck battles. 

     With the 13th overall pick, the New York Rangers will select Connor Zary, a centerman from Kamloops in the WHL. Zary is a talented center with a high hockey IQ, a great character and a willingness to compete. He has amazing stickhandling abilities, is excellent in the faceoff dot, and sees plays before they come into fruition. He is a smart playmaker and an accurate precision passer. He will be a threat on both the power play and penalty kill, as he was among the WHL leaders in special teams points. He is an excellent playmaker but is always willing to shoot. 

     With the 14th overall pick, the Florida Panthers will select Kaiden Guhle, a defenseman from Prince Albert. Guhle is a bigger defender, but is very coordinated and has excellent footwork, great puck-handling skills. He skates well, in all four directions, and it does not take more than a couple steps to reach full-speed. He is able to close gaps with his big body, is physical in puck battles and angles attackers to the outside or towards the boards. He is a great passer too.

     With the 15th overall pick, the Columbus Blue Jackets will select Anton Lundell, a center from HIFK Helsinki. Lundell is a well-rounded center with good vision, puck handling savvy and ability to make the soft pass. He isn’t the most flashy player but is effective, especially on the power play and penalty-kill. He has a strong stride, which helps his speed and is good with faceoffs. He has a good balance for his size, but leg strength is an area that needs improvement.

     With the 16th overall pick, the Calgary Flames will select Dawson Mercer, a right-winger for Drummondville in the QMJHL. The Flames need help on right-wing after not addressing it at the trade deadline. He is a natural sniper who always has his stick on the ice surface close to the net. He will catch goalies off guard by shooting from anywhere in the offensive zone. He isn’t shy in the corner or along the boards and will take the puck away. He creates offense by scoring frequently but does act as a playmaker with his accurate passes. His high-end anticipation allows him to always go to where the puck will be.

     With the 17th pick, the New Jersey Devils will select Ridly Greig, a left-winger for the Brandon Wheat Kings in the WHL. The Devils could add more depth on the left-wing and Greig is a center-wing who plays both on the left-wing and at center. He is a strong and fast skater, and is an amazing playmaker - he can thread the needle through seams in traffic with his accurate touch pass. He is not the biggest player but will use his body to separate the puck from opponents. He is a pest to opposing players, like Alex Galchenyuk. 

     With the 18th overall pick, the Nashville Predators will select Noel Gunler, a right-winger for the Lulea HF in the SHL. He is a pure shooter and an established scoring machine. He has a strong wrist and snapshot and sets up on the right wall on the powerplay because of his left-hand shot. He is an excellent finisher who can always get open for one-timers. He is a quick skater, but needs to add more muscle and can improve his speed a bit more. This is what the Predators need. 

     With the 19th overall pick, the Carolina Hurricanes will select Mavrik Bourque, a center for the Shawinigan Cataractes of the QMJHL. He is the type of center who controls the pace of games using his speed and hands. His hard but accurate passes make him an excellent playmaker. His fast hands and reflexes make him a weapon in the faceoff dot and he isn’t afraid to get physical. He is a speedy center and doesn’t need that much time to reach full stride. He has a hard slapshot and gets pucks to the net.

     With the 20th overall pick, the Edmonton Oilers will select Seth Jarvis, a center for the Portland Winterhawks in the WHL. At only 5’10”, 175 pounds, he is an undersized centerman who will be challenged by bigger opponents but his incredible speed and innate ability to find open zones on the ice will make him a threat in the open ice and a player who will be able to control the tempo in the offensive zone. He is a natural scorer and defenders respect his speed, which gives him time and space to shoot or make a precise pass in traffic.

     With the 21st overall pick, the Ottawa Senators will select Ryan O’Rourke, a defenceman for the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. He displays a nice set of stick handling skills, agility, and physicality. He is physical and never backs down from a puck battle in the corner or along the boards, despite his smaller size. His speed gets him to the area the puck is in quickly. He gets involved on offense and can apply pressure in the offensive zone by taking point shots.

     With the 22nd overall pick, the Dallas Stars will select Braden Schneider, a defenceman for the Brandon Wheat Kings. He is an offensive-minded defenseman and excels on both even strength and on the powerplay. He is fast for his size, is good at pivoting, can move the puck efficiently with his stickhandling and is a skilled passer in transition. He unloads a nasty body check and he moves his stick actively on the ice surface to disrupt passing lanes. 

     With the 23rd overall pick, the New York Rangers will select John-Jason Peterka, a right-winger for the Salzburg Red Bulls, from Austria. He is a right-winger that is viewed as a pure scorer. But he is improving his passing and becoming a decent playmaker. He is also working on improving his physicality which has helped build his defensive game. His agility is good but he needs to be quicker up ice. His accuracy is improving but could be even better.

     With the 24th overall pick, the Minnesota Wild will select Jacob Perrault, a center for the Sarnia Sting. Perrault is very creative offensively: he knows how to get open, by using his speed, and can capitalize on the majority of his offensive opportunities. He scored 39 goals in 57 games for the Sting last season. He is a hard worker and has a great character. He has a good shot and can set up his teammates with crisp passes in open ice or in traffic. He’ll go well with Jack Quinn.

     With the 25th overall pick, the Philadelphia Flyers will select Vasily Ponomaryov, a left-winger for the Shawinigan Cataractes of the QMJHL. He is a well-conditioned left-winger who is able to succeed on both ends of the ice with his excellent work ethic. He is an agile skater who can spin away from hip-checks and outmuscle defenders when carrying the pucks in the attacking zones. He is always looking for rebounds in the slot. He also helps out on defense with his big frame. 

     With the 26th overall pick, the San Jose Sharks will select Justin Barron, a defenceman for the Halifax Mooseheads of the QMJHL. With Brent Burns and Marc Edouard Vlasic aging and Eric Karlsson dealing with nagging injuries, the Sharks could use help defensively. He is a big, strong shut-down defender who plays many minutes with the Mooseheads. He is physical, takes away passing and shooting lanes with his 6’2”, 189lbs frame. He has a high hockey IQ, with good defensive fundamentals. He is not yet an active attacker, his point shot can improve. 

     With the 27th overall pick, the Colorado Avalanche will select Hendrix Lapierre, a center for the Chicoutimi SaguenEens of the QMJHL. He is an innate playmaker and you cannot argue with his superior ability to distribute the puck. He is very agile which helps his puck handling skills and he doesn’t take more than a few strides to reach full speed. He’s able to adjust his body to find the openings on the ice and angles himself away from opponents. His shot needs work. 

     With the 28th overall pick, the Vegas Golden Knights will select Rodion Amirov, a center for the Tolpar UFA in the MHL. The Knights could always use more depth at center and Amirov will prove to be that. The 6-foot, 167-pound Russian winger has exhibited speed, skill and offensive ability in his time rising through the ranks. He scored a couple of points in 21 games for Ufa in the KHL and had a dominant 10 goals and 22 points in 17 games with the Ufa junior team. After some development in the AHL, he’ll have the potential to succeed in the NHL.

     With the 29th overall pick, the Washington Capitals will select Shakir Mukhamadullin, a defenceman for the Tolpar UFA in the MHL. He is a defenceman that gets involved in all three zones, a strong skill set, a powerful one timer, and can deliver a big hit when needed. He is calm when possessing the puck in the defensive end and can make crisp, accurate passes through the neutral zone. He is fast and uses tight cuts to the inside to win races to the puck. A good pick. 

     With the 30th overall pick, the St. Louis Blues will select Tyler Kleven, a defenceman in the US under 17 National Development Program. He is a highly skilled and disciplined defender with terrific speed, can skate very well both forwards and backward, has excellent footwork and who is calm when carrying the puck. He is a very hard hitter and is not afraid to join an offensive attack. Committed to University of North Dakota. 

     With the 31st overall pick, the Anaheim Ducks will select Jake Neighbours, a left winger for the Edmonton Oil Kings in the WHL. The Ducks need serious help at left wing and another talented player in addition to Perfetti gives the Ducks potential to have one of the best left-wing cores in the league. He has a great shot, can make amazing passes look easy and has a strong presence around the net. When coming into the attacking zone, he reads what the defender will do before making the decision to pass or shoot. He has a high hockey IQ. 

     This draft is filled with many skilled hockey players of all positions. Many teams are licking their chops for a chance to draft one or more of these future superstars to improve their roster and look to contend for a Stanley Cup.

Westbrook and PG to the 6ix?

By: Adamo Marinelli

     Before Kawhi Leonard and Paul George signed with the Los Angeles Clippers, the Oklahoma City Thunder proposed a trade to the Toronto Raptors that would have altered the rest of the 2019 free agency season and at the same time, would have drastically changed the landscape of the NBA, including altering the super teams. 

     According to ESPN’s basketball analyst Adrian Wojnarowski, Thunder GM Sam Presti offered to trade Paul George and Russell Westbrook to the Raptors in exchange for a package that included Pascal Siakam, Fred VanVleet, and four unprotected first-round picks as a starting point for the elite pair. The Raptors believed they were being used as leverage and declined the offer sending George and Leonard to the Clippers.

     What would have happened if the Raptors had accepted the trade? Let’s find out.

     Siakam is a power forward. VanVleet is a point guard. Westbrook is a point guard. George is a power forward and also plays small forward. The trade was an even exchange in terms of position depth. However, it can be argued that Toronto would have won the trade if it simply included those 4 players. Westbrook is arguably more talented than VanVleet and George is arguably more dynamic than Siakam. Keep in mind, however, that George and Westbrook have played ten and twelve seasons, respectively, which is more than Siakam and VanVleet combined, with 8 seasons of experience. 

    Westbrook is 31 years old. George is 29 years old. VanVleet and Siakam are both 26. In the short run, the Raptors would have been better off. They would have had Westbrook, an elite shooter, and playmaker, George, who is a talented two-way player. But as Woj reported, the winner of the George sweepstakes would have also been able to sign Leonard. The Raptors would arguably have three of the best players in the NBA, would be the top team in the East, arguably better than Milwaukee and would only have to compete with the Lakers in the West for titles. The Raptors would be true contenders for several years given their talent and excellent coaching staff. But what happens when Leonard, Westbrook and George leave their prime years behind them? It will happen before VanVleet and Siakam leave their prime. But how long before?

     In the long term, the Thunder would have been better off. They would have got two talented players: Siakam, who was the most improved player in the 2018-19 season and based on his excellent performance this season - averaging 23.6 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 3.6 assists - has only gotten even better, appearing in his first career all-star game. He excels on offense and defense and can drive to the rim for a layup or can shoot from distance. Also, they would have gotten VanVleet, a backup point guard who has developed under Kyle Lowry and has a lot of potential to run a team’s offense. He averages 17.6 points, 6.6 assists, and 3.8 rebounds and is a key piece of success on both sides of the floor. Both Siakam and VanVleet are younger than Leonard, Westbrook and George and will be in their prime for longer. This gives the Thunder time to develop Siakam and VanVleet into super stars while developing future draft picks into talented athletes and will than have a longer title window after the three Raptors' stars left their prime. Along with these two young and talented roster players, the Thunder would also receive 4 unprotected first-round picks. Along with their own picks, the Thunder will get 1 guaranteed pick every year for the next 4 years. This means the Thunder will have talented roster players and the potential to draft their next franchise superstar. 

    When the Thunder traded George to the Clippers, in return, the Thunder received forward Danilo Gallinari, guard Shai Gilgeous Alexander and 5 first-round draft picks. Of course, if the trade with the Raptors went through, they wouldn’t have acquired Alexander, who turned out to be a wonderful story and one of the few very bright lights in an otherwise mediocre Thunder team. It is hard to compare returns on trades but both trades offer a large number of guaranteed picks and two promising athletes, even though VanVleet and Siakam are slightly more talented than Gallinari and Alexander due to more consistent production on both sides of the ball and more experience in the league, respectively. 

     When George was traded to the Clippers, it was the ultimate factor that led Kawhi to join the Clippers. This created three super teams in the Western Conference, the Los Angeles Clippers, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Denver Nuggets in addition to teams like the Houston Rockets, Utah Jazz and Dallas Mavericks who are almost contenders. In addition, in the East, the Milwaukee Bucks were the only super team and the Toronto Raptors, Boston Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers being almost contenders. 

     If George and Westbrook were traded to the Raptors, the Clippers would no longer be a super team with Kawhi, George and Pat Beverly among others. The Raptors would take over and become the best team in the East with Leonard, George, and Westbrook; being even better than the Bucks, the other super team in the East. The Lakers would become the best team in the West by default, just barely ahead of the Thunder with Pascal Siakam, Fred Van Vleet, and several first-round picks - potential future all-stars - to help them contend for a championship. Finally, teams like Denver, Dallas, Utah, Boston, Philadelphia, and Miami would be being one rung below the Raptors, Lakers, Bucks, and Thunder on the championship contender ladder. 

     The league would have been drastically different if this trade between the Thunder and Raptors had happened. It would have been interesting to see how the effects of this trade would have actually played out in real life. It’s too bad we’ll never know for sure. 

How the Coronavirus will affect the Sporting World

By: Adamo Marinelli

March 12th, 2020

With each passing day, the spread of the coronavirus - medically referred to as Covid-19 - worsens as the disease infects more people in several countries all over the world. 

     In the sports world, Covid-19 continues to affect many leagues in fear of rapid transmission of the disease. 

     Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert showed symptoms of the Coronavirus yesterday evening, which caused the game between the Jazz and the Thunder to be postponed. Players on both teams were quarantined in the arena. 

     Shortly after, NBA commissioner Adam Silver decided to suspend the rest of the 2019-20 season indefinitely to avoid infecting more players. “The NBA will use the hiatus to determine the next steps moving forward,” a statement from the league read.

     In addition, the NCAA March Madness tournaments for both men and women will supposedly play with no fans in the stands. They will just have essential team staff and media personnel in attendance. However, due to multiple NCAA tournaments such as the SEC, Big Ten, ACC, Big 12, Pac-12, and WAC being canceled due to fear of Covid-19, it is speculated that the March Madness tournament for both men and women will be canceled due to the virus. Update: At 4:28 pm Eastern Time, ESPN announced that the 2020 March Madness tournament would be canceled for both men and women. All other tournaments leading up to March Madness will also be canceled.

     The MLS has also suspended its season for at least 30 days amidst fears of the Covid-19 outbreak, according to multiple reports by ESPN. 

     In international soccer, La Liga has also been suspended for at least two weeks due to fear of the disease and players and staff on Real Madrid are all in quarantine at their training complex due to the coronavirus. Multiple international friendlies have also been canceled, including between Italy and Spain. 

     The NHL’s board of directors and player safety organization will meet later today to discuss the future of its season. Many teams like the San Jose Sharks and the Columbus Blue Jackets among others are already planning on playing games with no fans in the stands due to state regulations, but after the NBA decided to suspend its season indefinitely, the NHL might follow suit. All morning skates and practices have been canceled this morning in advance of the decision. Update: At 1:31 pm Eastern Time, the league made the decision to suspend the remainder of the NHL season because of Covid-19.

     Furthermore, the MLB has canceled its Spring Training practices and games happening in the Grapefruit League, according to Jon Heyman of the MLB network. The Blue Jays are one of 15 teams to be affected by this move. Update: At 3:10 pm Eastern time, the MLB announced that Opening day and the regular season will be pushed back for at least 2 weeks as well.

Update: Finally, according to the Score, the UEFA Euro 2020 tournament could be pushed back to 2021. Delaying the tournament a year is the main option being explored by club executives. It would not be good to have so much traveling all over Europe amidst a crisis of this magnitude.

     As the virus continues to spread, the sporting world will need to continue to take the necessary precautions to keep all the players and staff safe. Donovan Mitchell, a teammate of Rudy Gobert has also tested positive for the virus. He is the only other teammate as of now on the Jazz that has shown symptoms. However, all teams that have played the Jazz in the last 10 days - the Raptors, Pistons, Knicks, Celtics, and Cavaliers - have all been told to self-quarantine while awaiting test results. Our prayers are with all the athletes and everyone affected by the disease.

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Updates to follow as the story continues to develop.

A Wild NHL Trade Deadline

By: Adamo Marinelli

March 2nd, 2020

     On February 24th, general managers across the NHL ended their frantic search to improve their rosters before embarking on a journey to contend for the Stanley Cup or to prepare and improve for the future. 

     There were 32 trades on deadline day this year, and 86 players, prospects, and picks were traded to different teams. 

     There were some huge deals that saw big players move and there were some clear winners and losers of the deadline. Let’s take a look at who won and lost. 

     I have selected three winners for the trade deadline. They are as follows.

     The Carolina Hurricanes went all in and improved drastically on both offense and defense. They solidified their forward depth by adding Vincent Trocheck, a 25-30 goal scorer who can move the puck through the neutral zone and set up plays. They also acquired two excellent defensemen to solidify their blue line. Sami Vatanen and Brady Skjei, are both physical defenders who create turnovers, move the puck well and contribute to the offensive attack. It cost them 6 players and two draft picks - one of those is a first-round pick - but they are sending a clear message to the rest of the league. After making it to the Eastern Conference Finals last season, they have their sights set on contending for a Stanley Cup this season. 

     The Ottawa Senators sold, sold and sold some more. Given their situation and their need for more picks in the rebuild, receiving picks by selling players that they wouldn’t get any return on when they moved on in free agency is the perfect situation. They traded Dylan Demelo to the Jets for a 2020 3rd round pick, Vladislav Namestnikov to the Avalanche for a 2021 4th round pick, Jean Gabriel Pageau to the Islanders for a 1st round pick in 2020 (as long as the Islanders are not picking in the top 3), a 2nd round pick in 2020 and a conditional 3rd round pick in 2022. As of right now, the Senators have 13 draft picks in 2020, 3 in the first round and 4 in the second round, which is important in a loaded draft and they have many young prospects in the AHL, playing in Bellville, and also many young talented pieces on both sides of the puck already on the Senators’ roster. 

     The Edmonton Oilers are sitting at 2nd in the Pacific Division with 76 points and are in a playoff spot, but not by much. They have a lot of talent on their roster, on both offense and defense. Leon Draisatl is already over 100 points through 65 games and Connor McDavid is sitting at 89 points through 59 games. They have been scoring at a consistent pace, they are in the top half of the league in scoring and their defense has been playing well, top half in the league in goals-against too. They gave up a 5th round conditional pick in 2021 for Tyler Ennis, a good top-9 depth forward and gave up a 2nd round pick in 2020 and 2021 and Sam Gagner for an elite offensive playmaker in Andreas Athanasiou and a depth forward in Ryan Kuffner. They also bolstered their already talented blueline with veteran defenseman Mike Green who contributes on both ends of the ice and received goalie prospect Angus Redmond and a 7th round pick for defensemen Joel Persson, set to be a UFA. They can contend for a Stanley Cup.

     I also selected three losers for the trade deadline. They are as follows. 

     The Colorado Avalanche are not considered losers at the trade deadline because of a terrible deal they made, it was because they didn’t make a deal before the trade deadline. The Colorado Avalanche were one of the best teams in the NHL before the deadline. They were 2nd in the Central Division, 13 points above the 2nd wild card team, pretty secured into a playoff spot. They have good depth on forward, on defense and their goalies have been playing well lately too. Their goal differential of +49 is a league-best. The Avalanche had a ton of cap space, almost all of their original draft picks, and a loaded farm team full of elite NHL ready players. They could have used this to bolster up the depth on their team to make them a legitimate Stanley Cup contender this year and in years to come. They didn’t do that. They added a backup goaltender in Michael Hutchinson and a depth forward in Vladislav Namestnikov. If they lose early in the playoffs, we’ll know why.

     The Calgary Flames are third place in the Pacific division, barely clinging to a playoff spot, just 3 points above the final wildcard team. They are under immense pressure to make the playoffs and are well known by many to be in the market for a right-winger. They would up with defensemen Eric Gustafsson and Derek Forbort. Both players add depth to the team and will help a struggling and banged up defensive corps until Marc Giordano and Travis Hamonic return from injury. Gustafsson has proven he can get involved in the offensive side of the game as well, which will help a mid-tier Flames’ offense improve even more. The Flames only trail the Las Vegas Golden Knights, the Pacific division leaders by 5 points. If they had gotten an acclaimed right-winger, maybe they would have the potential to win their division.

     The Buffalo Sabres have been playing pretty well as of late, winning 6 of their last 10 games. Yet they remain 12 points behind Columbus for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. It was surprising to see the Sabres general manager be so quiet at the trade deadline when they have a decent amount of cap space and draft picks to use in exchange for some talented players on offense and on defense to add to their current depth. Sure, they have talent like Jack Eichel and Rasmus Dahlin but they could always use more, especially when fighting for a playoff spot. They gave up a conditional 5th rounder in 2021 for Wayne Simmonds and they traded away Connor Sheary and Evan Rodrigues for Dominik Kahun, two minor deals, but those trades aren’t going to put you over the top, so why bother?

We will see if these winners and losers correlate to who wins the Stanley Cup this season. 

NFL 2020 Mock Draft

By: Adamo Marinelli

February 29th, 2020

     This year’s draft is loaded with talent at many positions, particularly wide receivers, quarterbacks, defensive backs, and offensive linemen. These players have the potential to turn a struggling team around. In this piece, I will look at the biggest weakness of every team that has a pick in the first round and draft for them based on that, unless of course, there is a player they can't pass on.

     With the first overall pick, the Cincinnati Bengals will select Joe Burrow, QB from LSU. Burrow is the Heisman Trophy winner, a national champion and has the potential to be the next franchise QB of the Bengals, especially with weapons like AJ Green and Joe Mixon helping him. 

     With the second overall pick, the Washington Redskins will select Chase Young, DE from Ohio State. He is the best pass rusher in the draft, the Redskins need help on defense and Ron Rivera’s defensive scheme will not allow them to pass up-on him. Next Khalil Mack. 

     With the third overall pick, the Detriot Lions will select Jeffrey Okudah, CB from Ohio State. The Lions had a rough year in the secondary in 2019 and Darius Slay might be leaving in free agency which starts soon. Okudah had a dominant season at Ohio and possesses speed, skill, length, and a competitive edge to develop into a lockdown cover corner.

     With the fourth overall pick, the New York Giants will select Isaiah Simmons, LB from Clemson. The New York Giants found their franchise QB Daniel Jones, but desperately need to improve a pass-rushing unit that was 23rd in the league. Isaiah Simmons provides speed, a burst off the line, athleticism and talent to improve a linebacker core. 

     With the fifth overall pick, the Miami Dolphins will select Tua Tagovailoa, QB from Alabama. The Dolphins are continuing a long rebuild and the next step would be getting a franchise QB, even if he sits behind Fitzpatrick for a season. Tua’s injury report came back as positive as possible, if the Dolphins believe this, they will take him. He was the first pick before his injury.

     With the 6th overall pick, the Los Angeles Chargers will select Justin Herbert, QB from Oregon. With Philip Rivers set to go into free agency, they need a franchise QB on their roster, even if he sits behind Tyrod Taylor for a year. 

     With the 7th overall pick, the Jacksonville Jaguars will trade up to select Derrick Brown, DL from Auburn. Marcel Darius is set to depart in free agency and Calais Campbell set to make $17.5 million in 2020, they will need a talented option on the interior defensive line on a rookie contract. 

     With the 8th overall pick, the Arizona Cardinals will select Henry Ruggs III, WR from Alabama. They were able to sign offensive tackle D.J Humphries, so they don’t have to address their o-line, which is pretty well built. If they add a speedy receiver alongside Larry Fitzgerald, they will have a dynamic duo for Kyler Murray at least for a few years. 

     With the 9th overall pick, the Carolina Panthers trade down to select Kristian Fulton, CB from LSU. Fulton might be sub 6 feet, but he is speedy, physical, and can be one of many sub 6 foot cornerbacks to be taken in the first round. His two years at LSU proved to be excellent. 

     With the 10th overall pick, the Cleveland Browns select Tristan Wirfs, OL from Iowa. The Browns are in dire need of an offensive tackle, and Wirfs is so athletic and versatile. His combine results were spectacular, especially in the 40-yard dash, vertical and broad jump. Dream come true pick for Cleveland. 

     With the 11th overall pick, the Philadelphia Eagles trade up from to select Ceedee Lamb, WR from Oaklahoma. In a deep receiver and offensive linemen class, the Jets general manager will decide to acquire more picks in the 2nd round this year and 3rd round next year for lineman to protect Darnold and receivers to help him out. 

     With the 12th overall pick, the Las Vegas Raiders will select Jordan Love, QB, Utah State. It feels like it is the end of the road for Derek Carr in Vegas. They will draft a mobile quarterback who can make throws on the run, out of the pocket to compete with Patrick Mahomes, who they play twice a year. He may get to sit behind Tom Brady, who is favored to go to Vegas.

     With the 13th overall pick, the Indianapolis Colts will select Javon Kinlaw, DL from South Carolina. They would have to trade up to get a top tier QB, which is an option, but the Colts do need help on the defensive line. Kinlaw is a beast that can play anywhere on the defensive line, with his speed, agility, burst off the line and nose for the QB. 

     With the 14th overall pick, the Tampa Bay Buccanneers will select Mekhi Bocton, OL from Louisville. It is uncertain who will be behind center next year for the Bucs, but whether it will be Jameis Winston or a QB from a deep draft class, the Bucs will need to be able to protect him. Bocton is athletic and versatile, amazed at the combine and had an amazing career in college.

      With the 15th overall pick, the Denver Broncos will select Jerry Jeudy, WR from Alabama. Courtland Sutton and Noah Fant have proved to be stellar weapons for a young Drew Lock, who appears to be the next franchise QB. Adding another speedy, agile receiver who can run routes efficiently, he is the best route runner in the class, will help improve this offense a lot. 

     With the 16th overall pick, the Atlanta Falcons will select A.J Epenesa, EDGE from Iowa. He is a very athletic edge rusher who always gets a huge burst off the line, he is fast, agile, strong and athletic, and can almost always beat his block. He is very Von Miller-esque. He is versatile and can beat blocks with power on the inside. He has a nose for the QB and Dan Quinn’s defense - who was very injured and not effective last season - could use Epenesa’s talent. 

     With the 17th overall pick, the Dallas Cowboys will select Trevon Diggs, CB from Alabama. Byron Jones is a talented cornerback and will demand a salary of $15 or $16 million a year or more. The likelihood of Dallas signing him is low, especially when considering they have to sign Prescott and Cooper. Getting a man-to-man lockdown cover corner will help the Cowboys who use man coverage the majority of the time. 

     With the 18th overall pick, the Miami Dolphins, after acquiring this pick from the Steelers, will select K’Lavon Chaisson, EDGE from LSU. After acquiring their franchise QB, another weakness they need to address is a pass rusher. Chaisson lines up on the outside but can play inside linebacker too. He had a career year in college with 60 tackles, 6.5 sacks, and 1 fumble. 

     With the 19th overall pick, the Vegas Raiders, after acquiring this pick from the Bears who traded down for more picks in the 2nd round and next year, will select Laviska Shenault Jr., WR from Colorado. Shenault is built tough like Saquon Barkley and excels at getting yards after the catch, something Jon Gruden likes and something that will help out their new young QB. 

     With the 20th overall pick, the Jacksonville Jaguars, after acquiring this pick from the Los Angeles Rams, will select Andrew Thomas, OL from Georgia. Thomas is a left tackle and exerts power in the run game and is a skilled pass protector. He could eventually replace Cam Robinson at LT, who has struggled a lot on the outside. Robinson will move to guard in an attempt to improve the Jags’ 26th rated o-line. 

     With the 21st overall pick, the New York Jets traded down to select Jedrick Wills Jr. OL from Alabama. Wills is the best offensive lineman in the draft and can play anywhere on the line. He is strong and agile and excels at both run and pass blocking. Nice value pick to protect Darnold. As well as receiving Wills, they receive future picks from the Eagles for this year and next year's draft.

     With the 22nd overall pick, the Buffalo Bills select Brandon Aiyuk, WR from Arizona State. The Bills need to address their receiving core badly and need depth behind Cole Beasly. Aiyuk has a big burst off the line of scrimmage, and long arms which makes for a gigantic catch radius. He will be able to lineup out wide and in the slot. 

     With the 23rd overall pick, the New England Patriots will select Grant Delpit, S from LSU. Stephon Gilmore and Jason McCourty had great statistical years at CB but the safety play from Devin McCourty and Patrick Chung has been inconsistent. Delpit’s field vision and physicality would stabilize the middle of the field defensively. 

     With the 24th overall pick, the Pittsburgh Steelers trade into the draft to select Josh Jones, OL from Houston. He is a natural left tackle but is agile enough to play guard as the Steelers need help on their interior offensive line. Or Villanueva can shift to guard, as he did start his career as a defensive end. Either way, the Steelers get good value by picking Josh Jones. The Saints will probably receive the Steelers’ 2nd round pick in 2020 and a later pick in 2021 in return for the 24th overall pick. 

     With the 25th overall pick, the Minnesota Vikings select CJ Henderson, CB from Florida. He is a speedy, athletic cornerback that can play in the slot or on the outside because of his ability to track down the ball and break up passes. His 6’1’’ frame helps him defend against taller receivers. He is the playmaker the Vikings need on their defense with an aging Xavier Rhodes.

     With the 26th overall pick, the Miami Dolphins will select Isaiah Wilson, OL from Georgia. They addressed their biggest needs by drafting a QB and an edge rusher but need another big body to protect their young QB. Wilson is a strong, physical man with an enormous 6’7”, 350 lbs figure that can prevent blitzes from anywhere on the line.

     With the 27th overall pick, the Seattle Seahawks will select Austin Jackson, OL from USC. The Seahawks are a team with an o-line that is much better at run blocking than pass blocking. No QB has been under pressure more than Wilson and according to Pro Football Focus, he has faced pressure on over 40% of hid dropbacks since 2012. That is atrocious. In 2019, Seattle remained one of the worst pass-blocking teams, causing Wilson to improvise more than necessary. Jackson should help to solidify this.

     With the 28th overall pick, the Baltimore Ravens will select Yetur Gross-Matos, an EDGE from Penn State. Other than Matthew Judon, the Ravens aren’t generating a lot of outside pressure. Gross-Matos is speedy off the edge even with his large figure and has a lot of interesting counter moves. Reminds me of a young Von Miller. 

     With the 29th overall pick, the Tennesee Titans will select Zach Baun, LB from Wisconsin. He will help the Titans defense drastically with his athletic ability to cover the pass as a linebacker or to rush QBs from the edge of the defensive line.

     With the 30th overall pick, the Green Bay Packers will select Ross Blacklock, DL from TCU. Blacklock is a freaky athlete: agile, speedy and strength. On the inside of the defensive line, he and Kenny Clark would be a dangerous duo. 

      With the 31st overall pick, the San Fransisco 49ers will select Xavier McKinney, S from Alabama. He is the best safety in the draft and is a playmaker in the backfield. After playing in Nick Saban’s scheme, he will be able to do anything Robert Saleh asks him to do.

     With the 32nd overall pick, the Kansas City Chiefs will select Jordan Elliott, DL from Missouri. Chris Jones may not resign with the Chiefs in free agency, and if he doesn’t they will have a big need for a defensive tackle that can block passes, stop the run and rush the QB from the interior spot on the defensive line. Elliott will help the Chiefs in that regard.