The 2020 NHL Draft is set to get underway on Tuesday night with the first round starting at 7 p.m. ET.
This year's annual entry-level draft is unlike any other with it taking place virtually due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. It is also taking place in October after the original or usual draft date in late June was moved as a result of the coronavirus.
In years past, the draft has featured at least one player that stands out from the crowd as the top prospect and sure-fire No. 1 overall pick. This year is no different as Alexis Lafrenière is expected to be the first pick on Tuesday to the New York Rangers, who won the luck of the draw twice to move up to the top slot.
Behind Lafrenière features a pair of talented forwards that stand out ahead of the rest of the pack behind them in centers Quinton Byfield and Tim Stützle.
The Los Angeles Kings got lucky by winning the second overall pick in the NHL Draft Lottery. They will have the first opportunity to select one of these two forwards, with the other player likely to be selected by the Ottawa Senators, who won the third overall selection in the draft with the pick originally owned by the San Jose Sharks.
Following the top-three players, the next seven-to-eight prospects available in the draft are all extremely close in comparison in terms of projection at the NHL level. All of these players are expected to be key contributors with their NHL teams, and are a year to two out from potentially making their NHL debuts.
How will the first round of the draft play out on Tuesday night?
Here is my first round mock for the 2020 NHL Draft:
1.) New York Rangers
SELECTION: Alexis Lafrenière - Left Wing - Rimouski Océanic (QMJHL)
Height: 6' 1"
Weight: 192 pounds
Shoots: Left
Nationality: Canada
Birthday: Oct. 11, 2001
There's no debate that Lafrenière is the best prospect in this draft class, and he should make an immediate impact in the NHL lineup with the Rangers.
While Lafrenière has not been labeled as a "generational" talent, he is a high-octane player on the wing that will likely become one of the better players in the NHL for years to come. His all-around game is dynamic with the ability to distribute the puck, score, play reliably in both ends of the ice, and use his leadership to step up his game on and off the ice.
2.) Los Angeles Kings
SELECTION: Quinton Byfield - Center - Sudbury Wolves (OHL)
Height: 6' 4"
Weight: 214 pounds
Shoots: Left
Nationality: Canada
Birthday: Aug. 19, 2002
It seems to be a toss up with the No. 2 pick between Byfield and Stützle, but the long-term projection for Byfield may be just a touch better than Stützle.
Byfield is a strong and powerful skater with the ability to quickly move around the ice to join a rush, break free for a scoring chance, or get back defensively and help cover. He's got the skillset to become a powerful two-way centerman at the NHL level, even drawing some comparisons to Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin. He's got the frame to be strong with the puck on his stick and be difficult to take out of the play, but he still has room for growth in that department.
The young 18-year-old may need another year in the OHL to refine his game just a bit, but when he arrives to the Kings, who better to learn from on how to be an effective player at the NHL level than Anze Kopitar?
3.) Ottawa Senators (from the San Jose Sharks)
SELECTION: Tim Stützle - Center - Adler Mannheim (DEL)
Height: 6' 0"
Weight: 187 pounds
Shoots: Left
Nationality: Germany
Birthday: Jan. 15, 2002
Whichever player between Byfield and Stützle that does not get picked by the Kings will certainly slip no further than the Senators at No. 3.
Stützle may be smaller in size at 6-foot and 187 pounds, but he is a very good skater and is always a threat on the ice with the puck. He has great vision in the offensive zone, and has the ability to carry the offense for his team while playing on the wing. He will likely become just the third-ever German-born and trained player to be picked in the top-10 of the NHL Draft.
It's pretty impressive too that Stützle ended up scoring seven goals and 27 assists for 34 points in 41 games as a 17-/18-year-old in Germany's top level of professional hockey. That impressive performance earned him the DEL Rookie of the Year award.
Ottawa could certainly bring him to the NHL right away if they wanted to, but one more season in Germany could do wonders for his development.
4.) Detroit Red Wings
SELECTION: Cole Perfetti - Center - Saginaw Spirit (OHL)
Height: 5' 10"
Weight: 185 pounds
Shoots: Left
Nationality: Canada
Birthday: Jan. 1, 2002
There has been plenty of chatter that the Red Wings really like Perfetti and will make him their pick at No. 4 overall. Is that just a smoke screen or is it legitimate?
While Perfetti may not be the cleanest of skaters, he may be one of the smartest players in the entire draft class with his vision and awareness all over the ice. He can control the pace of the game with the puck on his stick, and he can move the puck just as well as he can shoot it with his accurate wrist shot. In 61 games this past season in Saginaw, Perfetti scored 37 goals and put up 74 assists for 111 points.
It will take Perfetti at least another year in Saginaw to clean up his game a bit before he gets his shot in the NHL, but his long-term outlook seems pretty promising. That's especially if he ends up becoming a second line center to Dylan Larkin in Detroit.
5.) Ottawa Senators
SELECTION: Jake Sanderson - Defense - United States National Team Development Program
Height: 6' 1"
Weight: 185 pounds
Shoots: Left
Nationality: United States
Birthday: July 8, 2002
Sanderson became a fast riser in the draft rankings as the year went on while playing with the U.S. National Team Development Program.
The son for former NHLer Geoff Sanderson is a very solid defenseman on the left side with his good decision making, solid stick work, smooth skating and good speed. Jake is a very good transition defenseman that so many teams are looking for now-a-days, and he is a blue liner that can move the puck around and find ways to get shots on goal.
Sanderson is set to play for the University of North Dakota when the college hockey season resumes, but his long-term outlook is as a very solid top-four defenseman with top-pairing potential.
6.) Anaheim Ducks
SELECTION: Jamie Drysdale - Defense - Erie Otters (OHL)
Height: 5' 11"
Weight: 170 pounds
Shoots: Right
Nationality: Canada
Birthday: April 8, 2002
It's almost a flip of the coin as to who's the best defenseman of the 2020 NHL Draft between Sanderson and Drysdale, but the right-handed Drysdale certainly will not last long in the first round.
Drysdale is a smooth-skating offensive defenseman who is very calm with the puck from the blue line, and has the ability to be an impact player with his transition game. He can skate with the puck all by himself, or he can make some good passes to get the puck down the ice. He is also very smart at both ends of the ice, being able to move the puck and make the right decisions at the right time.
The 18-year-old was able to score nine goals and pick up 38 assists from the blue line for 47 points in 49 games in Erie this past season. He finished the 2019-20 season as the OHL's 13th leading scorer among defensemen, while ranking 10th among defensemen in average points per-game (0.96).
Just like Sanderson, Drysdale projects to be an extremely solid top-four defenseman in the NHL with the potential to be a top-pairing defender.
7.) New Jersey Devils
SELECTION: Lucas Raymond - Right Wing - Frölunda HC (SHL)
Height: 5' 10"
Weight: 183 pounds
Shoots: Right
Nationality: Sweden
Birthday: March 28, 2002
Raymond may be one of the best skilled play-makers in the 2020 draft class with his nice combination of puck moving and scoring abilities.
The 18-year-old has the ability to play on either wing as a right-handed shot due, in part, to his excellent vision on the ice. Raymond puts himself in position to make plays constantly, while also being a guy who wants the puck on his stick to make a play. He possesses good foot speed, soft hands, can protect the puck well, and is an outstanding passer.
Raymond played a total of 33 games last season in the Swedish Hockey League with Frölunda and managed to score four goals and pick up six assists for 10 points. While that may not seem like a big offensive total, his minutes played were often protected while playing as a 17-/18-year-old in the SHL.
Already though in the 2019-20 season, his minutes has increased and his role on the team has been elevated. Another year or two playing with a great program like Frölunda will certainly benefit his development.
8.) Buffalo Sabres
SELECTION: Marco Rossi - Center - Ottawa 67's (OHL)
Height: 5' 9"
Weight: 185 pounds
Shoots: Left
Nationality: Austria
Birthday: Sept. 23, 2001
Rossi is one of the oldest players in the 2020 draft class, and was playing at a higher level of hockey in Switzerland as a 15-/16-year-old before making the jump to North America.
The Austrian-born center is a very good playmaker with the puck on his stick, who can distribute the puck well and use some good patience and deception to make a play happen. He's a weapon on the power play, he has a quick release on his shot, and also has a good motor to be able to move around extremely well on the ice. Rossi is also quite reliable in his own end, and has been able to step up and play some key minutes at both ends of the ice.
Although Rossi does not stand tall at just 5-foot-9 and 185 pounds, he has shown the ability to stay strong on the puck and be able to take a physical beating on the ice.
Rossi really exploded in production last year with 39 goals and put up top-OHL numbers for assists (81) and points (120) in just 56 games. He ended up earning himself the Red Tilsson Trophy as the OHL's Most Outstanding Player for the 2019-20 season.
It is possible that Rossi could be ready to take the next step and contribute at the NHL as a 19-year-old rookie. That will be up to whoever drafts him and whether they prefer him at center or on the wing.
9.) Minnesota Wild
SELECTION: Anton Lundell - C - HIFK (Liiga)
Height: 6' 1"
Weight: 187 pounds
Shoots: Left
Nationality: Finland
Birthday: Oct. 3, 2001
Lundell was first seen as a potential top pick in the 2020 NHL Draft a couple years back before his stock dropped just a bit as he adjusted to playing professional hockey in Finland. However, his stock is rising again and has really shown the potential to be one of the best two-way centers in the entire class.
The Finnish youngster has grown well into his body at 6-foot-1 and 187 pounds, but there is still plenty of room for improvement with adding more muscle and strength. As for his game, he has decent speed with a knack for getting to the net. However, he does possess a lethal wrist shot and is an exceptional passer.
Lundell is incredibly smart at both ends of the ice, being very calculated with his positioning and anticipation of the play. He always seems to be in the right place at the right time when it matters most.
He likely will spend another year overseas in his home country before possibly making the jump to North America, but Lundell certainly has potential to be a very solid second or third line center in the NHL.
10.) Winnipeg Jets
SELECTION: Alexander Holtz - Right Wing - Djurgårdens IF (SHL)
Height: 6' 0"
Weight: 183 pounds
Shoots: Right
Nationality: Sweden
Birthday: Jan. 23, 2002
Holtz and Raymond are very similar players in this year's draft. But where Raymond is the better overall play-maker, Holtz may just have the best shot in the entire 2020 draft class.
The 18-year-old was able to net nine goals and 16 points in 35 games with Djurgårdens in the SHL last season, but, like Raymond, played more of a sheltered role in Sweden's top professional league. He's got a quick, accurate release with his shot, his speed and skating has improved over the course of the season, and he is a pretty darn good passer as well.
Where Holtz may also have a bit of an advantage over Raymond is his size, standing at 6-foot and 183 pounds. However, a bit more time in the SHL next year in a larger role on Djurgårdens will help him become a better player and help build some strength for the next level of hockey.
This pick may be a nice one for the Jets in a couple of years, especially if they move on from former second overall pick Patrik Laine.
11.) Nashville Predators
SELECTION: Seth Jarvis - Right Wing - Portland Winterhawks (WHL)
12.) Florida Panthers
SELECTION: Jack Quinn - Right Wing - Ottawa 67's (OHL)
13.) Carolina Hurricanes (from the Toronto Maple Leafs)
SELECTION: Yaroslav Askarov - Goalie - SKA St. Petersburg (KHL)
14.) Edmonton Oilers
SELECTION: Connor Zary - Center - Kamloops Blazers (WHL)
15.) Toronto Maple Leafs (from the Pittsburgh Penguins)
SELECTION: Rodion Amirov - Left Wing - Salavat Yulaev (KHL)
16.) Montreal Canadiens
SELECTION: Dylan Holloway - Center - University of Wisconsin (NCAA)
17.) Chicago Blackhawks
SELECTION: Braden Schneider - Defense - Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)
18.) New Jersey Devils (from the Arizona Coyotes)
SELECTION: Kaiden Guhle - Defense - Prince Albert Raiders (WHL)
19.) Calgary Flames
SELECTION: Dawson Mercer - Center - Chicoutimi Saguenéens (QMJHL)
20.) New Jersey Devils (from the Tampa Bay Lightning via Vancouver Canucks)
SELECTION: John-Jason Peterka - Left Wing - EHC München (DEL)
21.) Columbus Blue Jackets
SELECTION: Noel Gunler - Right Wing - Luleå HF (SHL)
22.) New York Rangers (from the Carolina Hurricanes)
SELECTION: Mavrik Bourque - Center - Shawinigan Cataractes (QMJHL)
23.) Philadelphia Flyers
SELECTION: Jacob Perreault - Right Wing - Sarnia Sting (OHL)
24.) Colorado Avalanche
SELECTION: Lukas Reichel - Left Wing - Eisbären Berlin (DEL)
25.) Washington Capitals
SELECTION: Marat Khusnutdinov - Center - SKA-1946 St. Petersburg (VHL)
26.) St. Louis Blues
SELECTION: Hendrix Lapierre - Center - Chicoutimi Saguenéens (QMJHL)
27.) Anaheim Ducks (from the Boston Bruins)
SELECTION: Sam Colangelo - Right Wing - Chicago Steel (USHL)
28.) Ottawa Senators (from the New York Islanders)
SELECTION: Helge Grans - Defense - Malmö Redhawks (SHL)
29.) Vegas Golden Knights
SELECTION: William Wallinder - Defense - MODO Hockey (Allsvenskan)
30.) Dallas Stars
SELECTION: Brendan Brisson - Center - Chicago Steel (USHL)
31.) San Jose Sharks (from the Tampa Bay Lightning)
SELECTION: Ridley Greig - Center - Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)