2016 NHL Lottery Mock Draft: Finns dominate top 5
"They won a god-damn lottery."
A little more than four years after Brian Burke offered that boorish response to the suggestion that Toronto should tumble into position to nab a potential generational prospect, he sat scowling in a stool behind Brendan Shanahan's right shoulder, watching the new man in charge of the Maple Leafs earn the opportunity to select Auston Matthews at the 2016 NHL Draft.
Matthews is not just the first indisputable top-six center the Leafs will have deployed since Mats Sundin, but after a season receiving polish in the Swiss pro ranks, the Scottsdale, Ariz., native, who will turn 19 before making his NHL debut, could be the most NHL-ready prospect the league has seen since Alex Ovechkin.
1. Toronto Maple Leafs: Auston Matthews, C, Zurich (Swiss)
With Matthews idle, Patrik Laine was able to stir up a little momentum with his incredible postseason highlight tape over in Finland, but with the Maple Leafs' prospect nucleus primarily at wing, and their current No. 1 center potentially destined for a shift, Shanahan's group really has zero reason for pause here.
2. Winnipeg Jets: Patrik Laine, LW, Tappara (Finland)
Saturday's big winner in terms of jump, the Jets will do just that at the chance to aid the league's worst power play with a decorated marksman. Laine does not just score; he does it in ways only a handful can do with regularity.
3. Columbus Blue Jackets: Jesse Puljujarvi, RW, Karpat (Finland)
At 6-foot-3 and 200-plus pounds with blazing speed and offensive skills, Puljujarvi is a dream addition for the Jackets, who covet heavy top-six talent. There will be worse gigs than centering Puljujarvi and Brandon Saad on a first line down the road.
4. Edmonton Oilers: Olli Juolevi, D, London (OHL)
It behooves the Oilers to either trade out or down, but if Edmonton does select at No. 4, it will have a chance to pluck the top defender off the board. Scouts see Juolevi as a smooth-skating, efficient puck-mover who should be able to effortlessly send those talented forwards away in transition.
5. Vancouver Canucks: Pierre-Luc Dubois, LW, Cape Breton (QMJHL)
Vancouver fell haplessly from the top three, but may still have choice among North American skaters barring a deal involving Edmonton. Benning has already expressed a fondness for Dubois, who's more versatile and perhaps more complete than Matthew Tkachuk.
6. Calgary Flames: Matthew Tkachuk, LW, London (OHL)
The center-ice position is already adorn with lottery talent, so the Flames should spring for Tkachuk - a strong, sandpapered winger with a nose for the net and who could complement Sean Monahan and Johnny Gaudreau quite well.
7. Arizona Coyotes: Jakob Chychrun, D, Sarnia (OHL)
Patchwork defense doesn't work out west. The Coyotes need to insert a high-ceiling defensive prospect into the system - something they haven't done over the last four drafts. Chychrun has the toolbox to perhaps one day fill out a top pair with Oliver Ekman-Larsson.
8. Buffalo Sabres: Alexander Nylander, LW, Mississauga (OHL)
The Nylanders might remain connected by highway if Alex is around at No. 8. With Ryan O'Reilly and Jack Eichel locked into the center-ice slots for the foreseeable future, Alex satiates a need on the flank.
9. Montreal Canadiens: Logan Brown, C, Windsor (OHL)
Montreal can really go any direction here, but mustn't need to be coerced into taking the second center down off the draft board. Brown models his game around Joe Thornton, and in his draft season, distributed like him, too.
10. Colorado Avalanche: Mikhail Sergachev, D, Windsor (OHL)
The swiftly rising Sergachev, who was named the OHL's top defenseman in his rookie season in North America, seems like an obvious jump point for the Avalanche, who have a persisting need for back line help.
11. New Jersey Devils: Tyson Jost, C. Penticton (BCHL)
Jost finished with 104 points in 48 BCHL starts and broke Connor McDavid's scoring record at the U-18 Championship. Could be a fit there for a team that scored the fewest goals league-wide.
12. Ottawa Senators: Clayton Keller, C, USA U-18 (USHL)
After selecting Colin White in the first round last year, the Senators should tap into the U.S. development program again, taking the volume-scoring Keller. He was immensely productive in all levels of competition this season, and possesses the creative element the Senators require up front.
13. Carolina Hurricanes: Michael McLeod, C, Mississauga (OHL)
Scouts may not see superstar potential, but the quick, multi-use pivot should be a quality pro for a long time. And a safe bet for the Hurricanes.
14. Boston Bruins: Charles McAvoy, D, Boston University (NCAA)
The BU product was regarded as one of the best freshman defenders in Division I. With Jakub Zboril, Brandon Carlo, and perhaps another first-round talent like McAvoy, the Bruins may be able to transition from the Zdeno Chara era after all.