Metropolitan Division team draft needs

The 2020 NHL Draft will be held virtually Oct. 6-7. NHL.com is counting down to the draft with in-depth profiles on top prospects and other features. Today, a look at needs for teams in the Metropolitan Division. NHL.com's full draft coverage can be found here.

The 2020 NHL Draft provides an opportunity for teams to shore up positions of need with an injection of young talent.
The first round of the draft will be Oct. 6 (7 p.m. ET; NBCSN, SN, TVAS). Rounds 2-7 are Oct. 7 (11:30 a.m. ET; NHLN, SN1). The draft will be held virtually. It was scheduled for June 26-27 at Bell Centre in Montreal but postponed March 25 due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus.
RELATED: [Complete NHL Draft coverage]
Here are what Metropolitan Division teams could be looking to do at the draft (teams listed in alphabetical order):

CAROLINA HURRICANES

Top priority: Goalie
First pick: No. 13
The situation: The Hurricanes have several top-end skater prospects, including forwards
Ryan Suzuki
(2019 NHL Draft, No. 28),
Dominik Bokk
(trade, St. Louis Blues, Sept. 24, 2019), and
Jamieson Rees
(2019, No. 44), and defensemen Jake Bean (2016, No. 13) and
Joey Keane
(trade, New York Rangers, Feb. 18, 2020). But goaltending could be considered a weak spot.
Pyotr Kochetkov
(2019, No. 36) had a 2.85 goals-against average and .905 save percentage in 14 games in the Kontinental Hockey League in 2019-20 and the 21-year-old will play there for at least one more season. The Hurricanes could be in prime range to target the top goalie in the 2020 draft, Iaroslav Askarov, who had a 2.45 GAA and .920 save percentage in 18 games in Russia's second division in 2019-20. He's already off to a strong start to his 2020-21 season, which began in early September. He was called up to SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL and in his first three games went 2-1-0 with a 0.74 GAA and .974 save percentage and was named KHL player of the week Sept. 23.
Possible fits: Iaroslav Askarov, G, Neva St. Petersburg (RUS-2); Jack Quinn, RW, Ottawa (OHL); Kaiden Guhle, D, Prince Albert (WHL)

COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS

Top priority: Forward with finish
First pick: No. 21
The situation: The Blue Jackets were tied with the San Jose Sharks for 27th in the NHL this season with 2.57 goals per game and averaged 2.40 in 10 postseason games. They have some talented young forwards, including Pierre-Luc Dubois, 22, Liam Foudy, 20, and
Emil Bemstrom
, 21, but lack a pure goal-scorer who can scare opponents. In a draft heavy on offensively gifted wings, finding a player with that level of talent should be a focus.
Possible fits: Rodion Amirov, LW, Ufa (RUS); Connor Zary, C, Kamloops (WHL); Jacob Perreault, RW, Sarnia (OHL)

NEW JERSEY DEVILS

Top priority: Goal scoring
First-round picks: No. 7, No. 18, No. 20
The situation: With the Devils building around playmaking centers Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier, the next step is finding finishers. The Devils also have the No. 18 pick, acquired in the Taylor Hall trade with the Arizona Coyotes on Dec. 16, and the No. 20 pick, acquired in the Blake Coleman trade with the Tampa Bay Lightning on Feb. 16. Those selections could be used to add prospect depth on defense with
Ty Smith
(2018, No. 17) and
Kevin Bahl
(trade, Coyotes, Dec. 16) close to graduating to the NHL. Smith scored 59 points (19 goals, 40 assists) in 46 games as captain of Spokane of the Western Hockey League. Bahl (6-foot-6, 230 pounds) scored 31 points (six goals, 25 assists) in 54 games with Ottawa of the Ontario Hockey League and helped Canada win the 2020 IIHF World Junior Championship.
Possible fits: Alexander Holtz, RW, Djurgarden (SWE); Lucas Raymond, RW, Frolunda (SWE); Cole Perfetti, C, Saginaw (OHL)

NEW YORK ISLANDERS

Top priority: Young defensemen
First pick: No. 90
The situation: Noah Dobson (No. 12, 2018) played 34 NHL games this season and one game in the Eastern Conference Final, continuing his slow, steady development into a player the Islanders believe can become a top-four defenseman.
Bode Wilde
(No. 41, 2018) is a high-end offensive talent who needs to improve his defensive game as he moves into pro hockey full-time next season. But more is needed at the position. The Islanders won't make their first pick until the third round after trading their first- and second-round picks to the Ottawa Senators for forward Jean-Gabriel Pageau on Feb. 24.
Possible fits: Thimo Nickl, D, Drummondville (QMJHL); Kasper Puutio, D, Everett (WHL); Alex Cotton, D, Lethbridge (WHL)

NEW YORK RANGERS

Top priority: Center depth
First-round picks: No. 1, No. 22
The situation: Ryan Strome set a personal NHL best with 59 points (18 goals, 41 assists) this season but can be a restricted free agent Oct. 9. Filip Chytil (No. 21, 2017) scored 14 goals in 60 games and is 21 years old but could be best suited playing on the third line. Finding a center to play behind Mika Zibanejad is a big need, but with the No. 1 pick the Rangers should select the most talented player in the draft. There should be a chance to find that center with the No. 22 selection, which they acquired from the Hurricanes in the trade for defenseman Brady Skjei on Feb. 24.
Possible fits: Alexis Lafreniere, LW, Rimouski (QMJHL); Quinton Byfield, C, Sudbury (OHL); Tim Stuetzle, LW, Mannheim (GER)

PHILADELPHIA FLYERS

Top priority: Defenseman depth
First pick: No. 23
The situation: The Flyers have a deep roster of young talent emerging as their core, among them goalie Carter Hart, 22; defensemen Ivan Provorov, 23, and Philippe Myers, 23; and forwards Travis Konecny, 23, Oskar Lindblom, 24, and Joel Farabee, 20. And they have more prospects ready to push for roster spots next season, among them forwards
Wade Allison
(No. 52, 2016), Morgan Frost (No. 27, 2017) and
Isaac Ratcliffe
(No. 35, 2017), and defenseman Egor Zamula (free agent, Sept. 20, 2018). Finding a defenseman to add depth to the development system could be the direction in the first round, but with a well-stocked prospect pipeline, Philadelphia won't hesitate to select the best player available.
Possible fits: William Wallinder, D, Modo-Jr. (SWE-JR); Brendan Brisson, C, Chicago (USHL); Jacob Perreault, RW, Sarnia (OHL)

PITTSBURGH PENGUINS

Top priority: Prospect depth
First pick: No. 77
The situation: The Penguins have drafted nine players the past two years, tied with the Blue Jackets for the fewest in the NHL, and in 2020 they don't have a first-round pick (traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs for forward Kasperi Kapanen on Aug. 25) or second-round pick (traded to the Vegas Golden Knights during the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft). Pittsburgh will be looking to take the best player available whenever it has the chance.
Possible fits:Alex Cotton, D, Lethbridge (WHL); Gage Goncalves, C, Everett (WHL); Sean Farrell, C, Chicago (USHL)

WASHINGTON CAPITALS

Top priority:Skilled forwards
First pick: No. 24
The situation: Alex Ovechkin at age 34 tied David Pastrnak of the Boston Bruins for the NHL lead with 48 goals and remains an elite player. And at 32, Nicklas Backstrom is still an outstanding playmaker. But the Capitals need to develop young forwards to share some of that workload. Connor McMichael (2019, No. 25) was third in the Ontario Hockey League with 102 points (47 goals, 55 assists) with London and earned a spot on the roster for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. But Washington needs more and hopes for the same luck with the No. 24 pick this year.
Possible fits: Jacob Perreault, RW, Sarnia (OHL); Jake Neighbours, LW, Edmonton (WHL); Mavrik Bourque, C, Shawinigan (QMJHL)
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