2) Seattle Kraken: Owen Power – LD, University of Michigan (NCAA) He will do what Jonathan Toews did for the Chicago Blackhawks and settle down the franchise with his combination of leadership, poise, and elite two-way skillset. That’s why I am okay with them picking him over Power. With the Sabres in disarray after missing the playoffs for a record tenth-straight time and the rumoured departures of Eichel and Reinhart, they need a star like him to help right the ship. While many outlets have Power leading the pack, there are others that have the two-way dynamo Beniers there instead. In previous drafts, there were slam-dunk first-overall picks like Alexis Lafrenière, Auston Matthews, and Connor McDavid.
Matthew Beniers Michigan Wolverines (Photo Credit Michigan Photography) He was point-per-game in the NCAA with the University of Michigan this past season, and his skill set could translate into the NHL sooner than later. In addition to Casey Mittelstadt and Dylan Cozens, Beniers could add to the young center core, and his complete, two-way game could give the Sabres a player they haven’t had in a decade, while also adding a speedy offensive threat into the mix. While defenseman Owen Power is widely expected to go first, I think the Sabres could benefit more from bolstering their center depth with a player like Beniers, both now and for the future, especially if Jack Eichel and Sam Reinhart are headed elsewhere. Taking Matt Beniers with the first-overall pick was a no-brainer for me. 1) Buffalo Sabres: Matt Beniers – C, University of Michigan (NCAA) Note: My fellow ranker, Peter Baracchini will be stepping in to give his thoughts on my selection for the Vancouver Canucks. So without further ado, here are the results of the first round! Like him, I won’t be giving another selection just my thoughts on what if the team took that particular player in the actual draft. I will also be continuing the tradition set forth by my predecessor, Josh Bell, of giving my take on the writer’s picks. Then they provide some reasoning about why they think that team would take that player. Our staff members pick teams and then make their picks for that respective team. We have a tradition of getting our writers together for one of the most entertaining times of the year for us internally, the THW Writers’ Mock Draft. Related: THW 2021 Mock NHL Draft Round 2: Our Armchair GMs Make Their Picks
Instead, we at The Hockey Writers are getting you ready for the upcoming draft with our usual prospect profiles, features, rankings, and of course, our annual mock draft.
#NHL 21 MOCK DRAFT FREE#
This year it will happen at the end of July when we normally would be talking about free agency. Similar to the 2020 iteration, the 2021 NHL Draft did not happen at the end of June.