Analysis of NHL.com's fantasy hockey mock draft

Fantasy insider Pete Jensen breaks down 12-team, 16-round simulation

Thursday, 09.18.2014 / 9:00 AM
Pete Jensen  - NHL.com Fantasy Insider

Over the course of the offseason, we've broken down the fantasy hockey implications of the biggest moves and identified players worth keeping an eye on for a variety of reasons.

Now it's time to put it all together in dissecting NHL.com's annual fantasy mock draft.

Having a strategy entering your draft is important, but improvising is just as essential to strong decision-making. You should always consider the best player available, fill positional and category needs when possible and be mindful of which players will be attainable in later rounds. Hitting home runs on the waiver wire can bring home fantasy championships, but the bottom line is that how you execute each round of your draft will shape your fortunes this season -- for better or worse.

NHL.com's fantasy hockey staff of Matt Cubeta, Pete Jensen, Matt Sitkoff, Brian Metzer and Justin Goldman joined forces with NHL.com colleagues Dan Rosen, Corey Masisak, Mike Morreale, Adam Kimelman, Brian Compton, Tal Pinchevsky and Darryl Haberman to participate in this 12-team mock draft. This league has standard Yahoo scoring with 16 players on each roster (192 total draftees).

Below are the results of this simulation, complete with in-depth commentary pertaining to the first eight rounds and important observations for later rounds. Fantasy owners can't expect every trend of this mock draft to translate directly to your league format, so we highly recommend using NHL.com's top 275 rankings and the results of this exercise to shape your draft-day decisions.

MOCK DRAFT LEAGUE INFORMATION

Roster size: 16 players (2 C, 2 LW, 2 RW, 4 D, 2 G, 4 BN)

Skater categories: G, A, +/-, PIMs, PPP, SOG

Goalie categories: W, GAA, SV%, SO

ROUND 1

PICK PLAYER (POSITION)

1 Sidney Crosby, C

2 Steven Stamkos, C

3 Evgeni Malkin, C/RW

4 Ryan Getzlaf, C

5 Alex Ovechkin, RW

6 Corey Perry, RW

7 Claude Giroux, C/RW

8 John Tavares, C

9 Tuukka Rask, G

10 Patrick Kane, C/RW

11 Henrik Lundqvist, G

12 Jonathan Quick, G

Best pick: Tavares -- The New York Islanders' star was on pace for 90-plus points last season prior to injury and will have more secondary scoring around him than ever before in 2014-15. If he eclipses that plateau, expect one-third of his production to come on the power play. He established chemistry with Kyle Okposo last season and has a number of candidates (Brock Nelson, Ryan Strome, Anders Lee) to fill the void on his left side. He will drop to No. 8 in many leagues but could turn out to be a grand slam for fantasy owners.

Worst pick: Ovechkin -- If this was a hits league, you could justify Ovechkin in the three-to-five pick range. But his plus-minus woes and the feeling-out period between him and new Washington Capitals coach Barry Trotz make him risky to take so early in standard formats. Ovechkin is almost a given to be near the top of the League in goals, shots on goal and power-play points, but Perry, a durable, six-category specialist, would've been a safer bet at No. 5.

My pick: Quick -- With the final pick in the first round, I was faced with choosing between a tier-I goalie/defenseman or the next-best dual-eligible forward (Seguin). I opted for Quick, who should start 60-plus games for an elite possession team that didn't change much after winning the Stanley Cup for the second time in three seasons. He's a machine in terms of shutouts and goals-against average and has a strong backup in Martin Jones, whom every Quick owner should grab in the later rounds in case the starter misses time in his recovery from wrist surgery.

Observations: Six of the first eight picks were centers. … No left wings or defensemen were taken in the opening round. … Morreale drafted dual-eligible Malkin at No. 3 overall, who brings injury risk and will operate alongside new linemates but still carries MVP potential entering any given season.

ROUND 2

13 P.K. Subban, D

14 Tyler Seguin, C/RW

15 Carey Price, G

16 Phil Kessel, RW

17 Jamie Benn, LW

18 Taylor Hall, C/LW

19 Erik Karlsson, D

20 Anze Kopitar, C

21 Jonathan Toews, C

22 Zach Parise, LW

23 Logan Couture, C/LW

24 Matt Duchene, C/LW

Best pick: Kopitar -- Kopitar and Toews fell in this mock draft in favor of young guns Seguin and Hall, but that won't happen in every league. The middle of the second round is an opportune time to jump on Kopitar considering he was the only player to post 70-plus points, a plus-30 rating, 200-plus shots on goal and 20-plus power-play points last season. He could be even better this season with Marian Gaborik on his line full-time.

Worst pick: Parise -- Parise is a balanced point producer who pounds out shots at a high rate, but there are more explosive options at this stage. He's always a candidate to finish among the top-five fantasy left wings if healthy, but is better-suited as a third- or fourth-round pick in standard drafts. Price was also taken too early, but owners are sometimes forced to act fast once they suspect a goalie binge because of that position's scarcity.

My pick: Subban - After scooping up Quick late in the first round, I drafted my top-ranked defenseman on the wraparound of this snake draft. Subban has more power-play points than any player at his position during the past two seasons. He has a chance to eventually put it all together for 60-plus points, 100-plus penalty minutes and 200-plus shots on goal, numbers that would be uncharted territory in this day and age at his position.

Observations: Rosen was the lone fantasy owner lucky enough to land dual-eligible assets in each of the first two rounds. … My rankings have Joe Pavelski and Nathan MacKinnon as the top-ranked players for the San Jose Sharks and Colorado Avalanche, respectively, but Pinchevsky and Cubeta thought otherwise with second-round picks Couture and Duchene.

ROUND 3

25 David Backes, C/RW

26 Chris Kunitz, LW

27 Patrice Bergeron, C

28 Shea Weber, D

29 Semyon Varlamov, G

30 Joe Pavelski, C/LW

31 Nathan MacKinnon, C/RW

32 James Neal, LW/RW

33 Kari Lehtonen, G

34 Ben Bishop, G

35 Sergei Bobrovsky, G

36 Patrick Sharp, C/LW

Best pick: MacKinnon -- Would anyone be surprised if the 19-year-old topped 80 points as an encore to his Calder Trophy-winning season? MacKinnon reportedly has built up muscle and strength this offseason and will have a chance to shift to his natural position (center) and coexist with either a healthy Alex Tanguay or one of the most acclaimed goal-scorers since the turn of the century, Jarome Iginla. With such a scary combination of size and speed, the dual-eligible MacKinnon warrants consideration among the top 20 overall players.

Worst pick: Neal -- Neal was a borderline point-per-game asset who touched on all six standard categories with the Penguins alongside Malkin, but those days are over. Now with the Predators, Neal is out to prove he can do it without one of the game's top playmakers by his side; it will be a difficult task to replicate those numbers. It's a stretch to expect Neal to be among the top 50 fantasy assets by season's end.

My pick: Sharp -- The Blackhawks had four forwards with 60-plus points last season, each of whom had strong ratings to go along with steady shots-on-goal totals and power-play production. Sharp finished 12th in scoring and was second in the League behind Ovechkin in shots on goal. Snagging a left wing of this caliber late in the third round was too good to pass up.

Observations: It was strange to see Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg still around after the first three rounds of a fantasy draft, but injuries do that to one's stock. … In addition to Neal, Lehtonen went unusually high at No. 33 -- especially considering Bishop and Bobrovsky were still on the board. … Pavelski, who shot 18.2 percent (T-5th in NHL) last season en route to the League's third-highest goal total (41), could be highway robbery at No. 30.

ROUND 4

37 Pavel Datsyuk, C/LW

38 Patrick Marleau, C/LW

39 Max Pacioretty, LW

40 Henrik Zetterberg, C/LW

41 Marc-Andre Fleury, G

42 Duncan Keith, D

43 Corey Crawford, G

44 James van Riemsdyk, LW

45 Drew Doughty, D

46 Cory Schneider, G

47 Wayne Simmonds, RW

48 Nicklas Backstrom, C

Best pick: Backstrom -- Backstrom's poor rating last season likely caused this slip, but it was a no-brainer for Cubeta to take him with the No. 48 pick. The Capitals center led the League with 44 power-play points last season and finished third in assists and tied for eighth in points in forming one of the League's top point pairs with Ovechkin. If you draft Ovechkin early, Backstrom is a more than adequate No. 1 center who will be around in the third or fourth round of standard drafts.

Worst pick: van Riemsdyk -- JVR has clear value playing alongside Kessel, as evidenced by his career-best goal, assist and shots-on-goal totals last season. That said, Metzer could have waited at least another round or two to nab the Toronto Maple Leafs wing. If you want to fill a need at left wing in this round, multicategory beast Gabriel Landeskog or bounce-back candidate Daniel Sedin would be more appropriate.

My pick: Datsyuk -- Datsyuk can be a risky investment if taken among the top 30, but he's a glaring injury bounce-back hopeful who has produced 212 points in 218 games during the past four seasons. He may be 36, but you're kidding yourself if you don't think this dynamic forward is capable of 70-plus points if he plays 70-plus games.

Observations: Cubeta drafted center-eligible players in each of the first four rounds, with Duchene and Backes providing lineup flexibility. … Schneider will get a chance to be a No. 1 goalie and could be a steal for Morreale at No. 46. … After four rounds, 11 goalies were selected, so owners should make sure to draft at least one by this point. … All but five defensemen (Subban, Karlsson, Weber, Keith, Doughty) remain available with 12 rounds to go.

ROUND 5

49 Pekka Rinne, G

50 Antti Niemi, G

51 Alex Pietrangelo, D

52 Ryan Miller, G

53 Jason Spezza, C

54 Daniel Sedin, LW

55 Keith Yandle, D

56 Eric Staal, C

57 Gabriel Landeskog, LW

58 Bobby Ryan, LW/RW

59 Jeff Skinner, LW/RW

60 Ryan Johansen, C/RW

Best pick: Spezza -- Spezza and Ales Hemsky thrived as a point pair late in the season and are now with the Dallas Stars, where they have a chance to play together on the team's second line. Even if Hemsky plays top-line minutes, Spezza could find himself next to sleeper candidate Valeri Nichushkin. The veteran power-play specialist overcame a slow start to reach 60 points last season and has a chance to boost a unit that already features Seguin and Benn. It's not crazy to consider him in the third or fourth round of your draft, so kudos to Metzer for taking the best player available.

Worst pick: Miller -- You can blame the run on goalies for premature picks like Miller, an established goalie who likely will start 60-plus games for the Vancouver Canucks. However, it's tough to justify taking a 34-year-old whose best years are behind him over rising stars at the position (e.g. John Gibson) or more reliable veterans (e.g. Mike Smith, Roberto Luongo). Miller's new team traded Ryan Kesler and Jason Garrison this offseason, moves that won't help his cause in 2014-15.

My pick: Johansen - Contract talks between the restricted free agent and the Columbus Blue Jackets are at a standstill, but fantasy owners shouldn't lose sight that Johansen is a Grade-A talent who broke out for 63 points in 2013-14. Johansen could center one of the bigger lines in the game if he ends up with Scott Hartnell and Nathan Horton. As long as this contract impasse doesn't carry over to the regular season, Johansen can build off his success and compile 70-plus points, 250 shots on goal and 25-plus power-play points with added value in hits leagues.

Observations: Ryan, who enters a contract year, went 22 spots higher than his NHL.com aggregate rank, while Skinner went 38 spots higher than his standing. Skinner is young with goal-scoring potential and Ryan's value would spike with a trade, but these players went too early for my comfort level. … We've gotten used to seeing Staal taken among the top 30 or 40 players overall in recent seasons, but his decline in power-play production (one PPG in 79 games last season) and his team's struggles are reasons why his value has taken a hit.

ROUND 6

61 Marian Gaborik, RW

62 Kyle Okposo, RW

63 Oliver Ekman-Larsson, D

64 Marian Hossa, RW

65 Brian Elliott, G

66 Thomas Vanek, LW/RW

67 Zdeno Chara, D

68 Kris Letang, D

69 Ryan McDonagh, D

70 Jimmy Howard, G

71 Mike Smith, G

72 Rick Nash, LW/RW

Best pick: Letang -- Letang was the No. 3 fantasy defenseman entering last season and is still my No. 5 at the position despite injury concerns. There are only a handful of defensemen League-wide capable of 60-plus points, and Letang is one of them. He will work with either Pittsburgh newcomer Christian Ehrhoff, veteran Paul Martin or second-year player Olli Maatta -- a promising scenario no matter how you slice it. Letang had a career-high 11 goals in 37 games last season and I highly recommend taking him once the fifth or sixth round rolls around in your draft. Believe it or not, he's falling that far in many formats.

Worst pick: Vanek -- Vanek has been a top-50 asset for much of the past decade and is among an underrated top-six forward group in Minnesota, but I'd be hesitant to reach for him after an underwhelming postseason that included low shots-on-goal outputs and a demotion to the Montreal Canadiens' fourth line. He carries the allure that comes with LW/RW eligibility and certainly has a chance to redeem himself, but productive wings with equal position flexibility will be available later on (i.e. Loui Eriksson, Brandon Saad, David Perron). Nash, whom Cubeta drafted later in the round, would've been a better pick at this spot.

My pick: Gaborik - Gaborik's upside is clear. He settled into a complementary role alongside Kopitar during the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs, and his results were off the charts. As I said in my injury bounce-back piece, fantasy owners can expect 35-plus goals, 275-plus shots and a stellar rating from Gaborik if he plays 75 to 80 games next to Kopitar.

Observations: After five defensemen went off the board in the first four rounds combined, the next six players at the position (Pietrangelo, Yandle, Ekman-Larsson, Chara, Letang and McDonagh) were taken in the next two rounds. … Chara, 37, was a questionable pick with upstart defensemen Letang, Hedman, McDonagh and Giordano still available, but you can justify that selection because of how well the veteran covers categories, year after year.

ROUND 7

73 Jeff Carter, C/RW

74 Victor Hedman, D

75 Milan Lucic, LW

76 Jakub Voracek, RW

77 Ryan Suter, D

78 Joe Thornton, C

79 Jaroslav Halak, G

80 Blake Wheeler, RW

81 Ryan Kesler, C/RW

82 Patric Hornqvist, RW

83 Mark Giordano, D

84 Jonathan Drouin, LW

Best pick: Thornton - With so many dual-eligible centers out there, Thornton fell to Haberman at No. 78. Things working against Thornton: he's 35, fresh off an offseason of trade rumors following a monumental collapse by the San Jose Sharks, and had low outputs in goals and shots on goal last season. Things working in his favor: he finished second in assists (65) last season behind only Crosby, had 19 power-play points and a plus-20 rating, and could put up mammoth numbers again if centers a line with Tomas Hertl and Pavelski.

Worst pick: Suter -- Last season, Suter logged the most ice time in a single season since Brian Leetch in 1998-99. The only issue: The value of workhorse defensemen doesn't always translate to the same level of fantasy prowess. The 29-year-old put forth a plus-15 rating and strong totals in assists and power-play points and remains a top-15 fantasy defenseman, but Giordano has better point potential and category coverage while Shattenkirk is a more potent power-play threat. Each was available at this pick. A more opportune time to draft Suter is in the eighth or ninth round.

My pick: Drouin -- He has yet to play an NHL game, but NHL.com's top-rated prospect could land on Stamkos' line as a rookie. If that doesn't get you excited as a fantasy owner, I'm not sure what will. Depending on how quickly the QMJHL phenom gets acclimated to the NHL level, he could produce anywhere from 50 to 65 points in year one for the Tampa Bay Lightning alongside a player who could very well lead the NHL in goals this season.

Observations: Kesler, who is dual eligible and a borderline top-50 fantasy asset after joining an elite Western Conference team, slipped to Goldman at No. 81. … Considering Tampa Bay's young core and offseason improvements, Hedman is an excellent value pick for Pinchevsky early in the seventh round. … Two of NHL.com's top sleeper picks, Hornqvist and Drouin, went off the board in this round.

ROUND 8

85 Christian Ehrhoff, D

86 Kevin Shattenkirk, D

87 T.J. Oshie, C/RW

88 Alexander Steen, C/LW

89 Jordan Eberle, RW

90 Martin St. Louis, RW

91 Dustin Byfuglien, RW/D

92 Braden Holtby, G

93 Brent Burns, RW/D

94 Niklas Kronwall, D

95 Jarome Iginla, RW

96 Roberto Luongo, G

Best pick: Iginla -- Fantasy owners are aware of the deep right wing landscape, so it's only natural that Iginla, 37, tends to slip in drafts (Yahoo average draft position: 89.5). But while his rating won't be the same after leaving the Boston Bruins, he has a chance to score 30-plus goals again and rack up 15-plus power-play points and 200-plus shots on goal if he plays alongside Duchene or MacKinnon. Pinchevsky wasted no time in filling his roster need with a reliable producer for a contending team.

Worst pick: Burns -- Despite their coveted eligibility, Burns and Byfuglien are risky picks this early. Burns posted 22 goals, a plus-26 rating and 245 shots on goal as a D-eligible wing, but will no longer be lining up next to Thornton. The team hopes Burns' big body can address its need on the back end, but the only area of production that could spike as a result of his move back to defense is his power-play production. Byfuglien, meanwhile, will play forward but is not a lock to crack the top six for the Winnipeg Jets with Blake Wheeler and Michael Frolik in the mix. Byfuglien is a slightly better pick than Burns because he'll actually be playing forward and racking up shots and hits (for such league formats). Similar to Burns last year, Byfuglien can accumulate bloated stats on the front line, helping owners who can start him as a defenseman.

My pick: Ehrhoff - The injury concerns that surround Letang are why Ehrhoff's fantasy ceiling is so high after signing a one-year deal with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Even if Letang is healthy, Ehrhoff will have an opportunity to produce plenty of points on the power play and hit 10-plus goals and 200-plus shots on goal for the first time since 2010-11. If injuries mount for the Penguins and Ehrhoff is manning the team's top power-play unit alongside Crosby, Malkin and Kunitz, fantasy owners can really cash in on drafting Ehrhoff anywhere from the eighth to 10th round of fantasy drafts.

Observations: There was a run on St. Louis Blues players, with Shattenkirk, Oshie and Steen being drafted on consecutive picks. … Six of the 12 players taken this round were RW-eligible, including the two RW/D eligible fantasy players on the market. … Masisak picked the perfect time (No. 89) to select Eberle, a player who should continue to pay dividends on a line with Hall.

ROUND 9

97 James Wisniewski, D

98 David Krejci, C

99 Brent Seabrook, D

100 John Gibson, G

101 Gustav Nyquist, C/RW

102 Steve Mason, G

103 Jonathan Bernier, G

104 Mike Green, D

105 Tyson Barrie, D

106 Evgeny Kuznetsov, C/LW

107 Torey Krug, D

108 Loui Eriksson, LW/RW

Observations: Gibson and Mason each warrant earlier consideration if there's a run on goalies in your draft. ... Kuznetsov, a popular sleeper pick, could have been obtained a round or two later. Anyone who remembers Nyquist's run during the second half of last season knows what potential he brings if he falls outside of the top 100. ... Eriksson's dual eligibility is key; he has a chance to play top-line minutes for the Bruins.

ROUND 10

109 Anton Khudobin, G

110 Ryan O'Reilly, C/LW

111 Cam Fowler, D

112 Alex Goligoski, D

113 Dion Phaneuf, D

114 Matt Niskanen, D

115 Evander Kane, LW

116 Andrew Ladd, LW

117 Matt Moulson, LW

118 Valeri Nichushkin, RW

119 Scott Hartnell, LW

120 Dan Boyle, D

Observations: O'Reilly, Goligoski and Kane have a chance to be potential steals for Compton, Goldman and Haberman. ... Nice move by Masisak recognizing Phaneuf's PIMs prowess just in time. ... Nichushkin has a chance to thrive on either of Dallas' top two lines and warrants consideration anywhere from the 10th to 13th round depending on the players available.

ROUND 11

121 Jacob Trouba, D

122 Brian Campbell, D

123 Jaromir Jagr, RW

124 Tomas Hertl, LW

125 Mark Streit, D

126 Brandon Dubinsky, C/LW

127 Kyle Turris, C

128 Andrei Markov, D

129 John Carlson, D

130 Radim Vrbata, RW

131 Jason Pominville, RW

132 Henrik Sedin, C

Observations: Apparently, the fantasy world didn't learn how dangerous Jagr can be at this stage of his career. Maybe we'll finally get the drift if the 42-year-old reels off 67 points again for the Devils. ... Markov is by no means a category hog, but few defensemen bring it in the power-play points department like he does. ... How Henrik Sedin could ever fall this far in a fantasy draft is beyond me. ... Trouba, Hertl and Vrbata were under-the-radar selections.

ROUND 12

133 Dougie Hamilton, D

134 Jason Garrison, D

135 Justin Schultz, D

136 Jay Bouwmeester, D

137 Seth Jones, D

138 Jake Muzzin, D

139 Mikko Koivu, C

140 Brandon Saad, LW/RW

141 Hampus Lindholm, D

142 Slava Voynov, D

143 Chris Kreider, LW

144 Roman Josi, D

Observations: Hamilton, Saad and Kreider are clear breakout candidates. ... Things really started to heat up on the blue line in this round, where nine of the 12 picks were defensemen. ... Sprinkled in among this talented group is old reliable Koivu, whose value should never be underestimated.

ROUND 13

145 David Perron, LW/RW

146 Frederik Andersen, G

147 Craig Anderson, G

148 Jake Allen, G

149 Alec Martinez, D

150 Jonathan Huberdeau, C/LW

151 Bryan Little, C/RW

152 Alexander Semin, LW/RW

153 Jakob Silfverberg, LW/RW

154 Josh Harding, G

155 Ben Scrivens, G

156 Jonas Hiller, G

Observations: Gibson has so much potential, but there's no question Andersen is a threat for playing time in both the short term and long term. ... Martinez is the first player not ranked among NHL.com's top 275 to be taken in this mock draft. ... Harding (injury) is a major question mark entering the season, so Darcy Kuemper should be the first Wild goalie off the board in drafts after agreeing to terms on a two-year contract. ... Little continues to be vastly underrated on the fantasy landscape despite topping 60 points last season. ... Fantasy owners are down on Semin, but he's still a top-line player who could bounce back if his standout center regains form in Carolina.

ROUND 14

157 Vladimir Tarasenko, RW

158 Brock Nelson, C

159 Justin Faulk, D

160 Martin Jones, G

161 Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, C

162 Jake Gardiner, D

163 Andrej Sekera, D

164 Paul Stastny, C

165 Valtteri Filppula, C/LW

166 Johan Franzen, LW/RW

167 Erik Johnson, D

168 Jaden Schwartz, LW

Observations: Schwartz (RFA) can be an absolute steal by Cubeta at No. 168. ... After backup goalies Andersen and Allen went in the 13th round, Goldman took a flyer on Jones, who filled in admirably when Quick was injured last season. ... In similar fashion to how Thornton and Henrik Sedin plummeted, less-proven options Nugent-Hopkins and Stastny fell even deeper in this mock draft.

ROUND 15

169 Nathan Horton, RW

170 Radko Gudas, D

171 Alex Galchenyuk, C/LW

172 Nick Leddy, D

173 Brad Marchand, LW

174 Lubomir Visnovsky, D

175 Ondrej Palat, LW

176 Tyler Toffoli, RW

177 Cam Talbot, G

178 Craig Smith, C/RW

179 Joffrey Lupul, LW/RW

180 Alexander Edler, D

Observations: Horton's injury history is a concern, but that risk comes with high reward. ... Gudas is a PIMs specialist who needs to be taken in standard drafts as a fourth defenseman. ... Marchand and Palat are plus-minus specialists. ... Toffoli and Smith are sleepers, while Lupul, Visnovsky and Edler are injury bounce-back hopefuls.

ROUND 16

181 Brayden Schenn, C/LW

182 Olli Maatta, D

183 Jori Lehtera, C

184 Michal Neuvirth, G

185 Johnny Gaudreau, LW

186 Mike Cammalleri, C/LW

187 Nazem Kadri, C

188 Dany Heatley, LW/RW

189 Derek Stepan, C

190 Marc-Edouard Vlasic, D

191 Nail Yakupov, RW

192 Aleksander Barkov, C

Observations: In the final round of your draft, you need to look at potential, and these NHL.com staffers made their picks count with Schenn, Cammalleri, Kadri, Stepan and Barkov coming off the board. ... Lehtera, a Finnish prospect, brings that "unknown factor" into play and can really amount to something if he's the second-line center for the Blues. ... Neuvirth is Goldman's fifth goalie, which is way too many for a standard league. ... Heatley and Yakupov are shots in the dark, but that's what fantasy hockey is all about.

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Highest-ranked players to go undrafted: Mats Zuccarello (LW, NYR), Pascal Dupuis (LW/RW, PIT), Mikael Granlund (C, MIN), Ales Hemsky (RW, DAL), Mark Scheifele (C, WPG), Clarke MacArthur (LW, OTT), Cody Hodgson (C/RW, BUF), Shane Doan (LW/RW, ARI), Reilly Smith (RW, BOS), Patrik Elias (C/LW, NJD)

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Follow Pete Jensen on Twitter: @NHLJensen

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