Kimelman and Morreale believe it will be Brandon center Nolan Patrick, NHL Central Scouting's top-rated North American skater, and Lepage believes it will be Halifax center Nico Hischier, who is No. 2 on Central Scouting's list.
Those are the same opinions they held after the NHL Draft Lottery on April 29, which saw the New Jersey Devils win the No. 1 pick.
RELATED: [Kimelman's Mock Draft | Morreale's Mock Draft | Lepage's Mock Draft]
"They are both great players," Devils general manager Ray Shero said. "Patrick went through injury this year, but everybody knows he's a heck of a player and he's going to be very good. Hischier is a Swiss center with good size and talent. For us, these are two centers, two real good players. We're going to get one heck of a player and, at this point, that's what this franchise needs."
Each of the draft experts see the rest of the top five differently as well. Lepage and Morreale believe the Dallas Stars will select Windsor center Gabriel Vilardi at No. 3, and Kimelman sees them selecting Eden Prairie (Minnesota) center Casey Mittelstadt. Kimelman has Vilardi going No. 5 to the Vancouver Canucks, and Lepage and Morreale see Mittelstadt going fifth.
They do agree the Colorado Avalanche will take a defenseman at No. 4; Kimelman and Lepage believe it will be Miro Heiskanen from HIFK in Finland, and Morreale thinks they'll take Cale Makar from Brooks of the Alberta Junior Hockey League.
