2019 NHL Mock Draft Compilation: Who Could the Panthers Pick at 13?

It's almost impossible to predict what will happen at the NHL Draft.
Yet, every year, numerous outlets from around the hockey world give it their best shot, spending hours upon hours watching video, reading scouting reports and chipping in their own two cents in order to create their best forecast of how they believe the chips will fall once the clock starts.

These annual mock drafts don't necessarily reflect where these writers believe players should be ranked, but rather where they think they will be taken based on the needs of each team and where they expect other players to be selected leading up to that pick. So, the later a team picks in the draft, the more difficult it becomes to predict which player will land with what organization.
If you want to know just how wide-open the draft can be, look no further than the mock draft compilation that I put together at this time last summer. Of the 10 mocks that were used, not one of them had the Florida Panthers selecting Grigori Denisenko with the 15th overall selection.
Still, there's nothing quite like a good mock draft to get the blood pumping at this time of year.
With the first round of the 2019 NHL Draft coming up at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, B.C. on Friday, the Panthers have a chance to add another elite player to their prospect pool with the 13th overall pick - the first time in the history of the franchise that they've owned that selection.
Where could they potentially go with that pick? Here's what some of the top outlets are saying.

ESPN

The Pick:Cam York, D, USA U18 (NTDP)
Their Take: "The Panthers have some real talent in the pipeline on offense. It might be really difficult for them to pass on Caufield if he indeed slips this far, but York would appear to be a better fit organizationally at this point. I could also see Thomas Harley or Victor Soderstrom, if he dips, being options, too."

USA TODAY

The Pick: Thomas Harley, D, Mississauga (OHL)
Their Take: "Skates impressively and moves the puck with flair. Had 11 goals and 58 points in the OHL."

SB Nation

The Pick:Philip Broberg, D, AIK (Allsvenskan)
Their Take: "Scouting reports label Broberg as an intelligent two-way defender with high-end skill. He is a very fluid skater with elite-level mobility and hockey sense. His positional play and reading ability makes him an effective player in the defensive zone and he is very adept at starting plays and joining the rush offensively. Broberg could be the most complete defenseman in the 2019 draft class and his blend of size (6'3" - 203 lbs) and skill gives him the edge over other blue liners that would be available for the Cats at 13."

Adam Kimelman's Pick:Spencer Knight, G, USA U18 (NTDP)
Kimelman's Take:"The best goaltender in the draft matches well with a team in desperate need of adding a young goaltender. Knight (6-3, 193) is solid fundamentally and a tremendous athlete, which he displayed by finishing in the top 15 in eight categories during the fitness testing at the NHL Scouting Combine."
Mike G. Morreale's Pick: Spencer Knight, G, USA U18 (NTDP)
Morreale's Take: "The Panthers need to upgrade the goalie prospects in their system and Knight is considered one the best at the position in years."
Guillaume Lepage's Pick:Spencer Knight, G, USA U18 (NTDP)
Lepage's Take:"The Panthers have immediate and long-term needs in goal, and Knight might fill the latter role, if not the first, as well."

Bleacher Report

The Pick: Thomas Harley, D, Mississauga (OHL)
Their Take: N/A

The Athletic

The Pick:Moritz Seider, D, Mannheim (DEL)
Their Take:"Seider, Soderstrom and Thomas Harley are the names I've heard Florida is in on. Seider seems to be the name trending up the most among teams I'm talking to; he may even go higher than this but I haven't heard of a specific team attached to him higher than No. 13."

Sporting News

The Pick: Spencer Knight, G, USA U18 (NTDP)
Their Take: The top goalie prospect since Carey Price will be the final piece that makes Florida a perennial playoff team.

TSN

Watch: Youtube Video
The Pick: Spencer Knight, G, USA U18 (NTDP)
Their Take: "Has the potential to be a franchise goaltender… Knight would be the first goalie taken in the top-20 since Vasilevskiy went 19 to Tampa in 2012."
The Panthers are currently in possession of nine picks at this year's draft. Stay tuned to FloridaPanthers.com/DraftCentral and @FlaPanthers on Twitter for updates throughout the weekend.