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Hey all! Welcome to Arctic Ice Hockey's first annual NHL Mock Draft. Over the next thirty days, Ryan, Tim and myself will attempt to telepathically channel the minds of NHL General Managers as they complete their final rankings in preparation for the 2012 NHL Draft being held June 22, 2012 in Pittsburgh, PA.
In some instances, our analysis will require less insight than others *cough* *Edmonton* *cough*.
So without further adieu, we present our loyal readers with the thirtieth overall pick of Arctic Ice Hockey's 2012 Mock Draft.
Dean Lombardi: With the thirtieth overall selection in this years draft, the Los Angeles Kings are pleased to select...
Rankings: CSS (75 NA), ISS (27), TSN (29), Hockey Prospectus (39)
The Skinny: The Kings just won the 2012 Stanley Cup icing a big group of forwards. Samuelsson fits the bill. Along with size and grit, he also has a lot of raw skill that could actualize itself while playing with the likes of Mike Richards and Jeff Carter.
Hockey Prospectus:
The son of Ulf Samuelsson has had an interesting pre-draft career. He turned heads as a 16-year-old with the USNTDP, then went over to Sweden to play for his father but struggled and ended up transferring to the WHL mid-season. Samuelsson is a tremendously advanced physical player, whose body at the least could be NHL-ready in two years if not by next season. He projects as a high-end physical player at the top level due to his strength, grittiness, and the way he protects the puck in battles. That said, I didn't see that high-end physical game as much in the WHL as I have at other times. He has above-average puck skills, and although he isn't going to light the world on fire offensively, he can make creative plays and should be accounted for when his team has the puck in the offensive zone. He plants himself in front of the net well, and when watching him at younger age levels, it was somewhat amusing seeing some defensemen try to dislodge him. His solid hockey sense and vision, when combined with his puck skills and body, are the makings of an above-average offensive player. Skating has always been Henrik's main problem. While his movement is not as horrid as it was one or two years ago, it is still notably below average and he does have mechanical issues with his stride as opposed to the kind of problem a summer of power skating will fix. - Corey Pronman
AIH Draft Board
Pick | Team | Player | Pos | Nationality | Amateur Club |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Edmonton Oilers | Nail Yakupov | LW | RUS | Sarnia Sting (OHL) |
2 |
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3 | Montreal Canadiens |
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|
|
Sarnia Sting (OHL) |
4 | New York Islanders |
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|
|
Everett Silvertips (WHL) |
5 |
Toronto Maple Leafs |
Filip Forsberg | RW | SWE | Leksands IF (Allsvenskan) |
6 |
|
Matt Dumba | D |
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7 | Minnesota Wild | Teuvo Teravainen | LW | FIN | Jokerit Jr. (SM Liiga) |
8 | Carolina Hurricanes | Morgan Rielly | D | CAN | Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL) |
9 | Winnipeg Jets |
|
C |
|
Kitchener Rangers (OHL) |
10 | Tampa Bay Lightning | Cody Ceci | D | CAN | Ottawa 67's (OHL) |
11 |
Washington Capitals (via COL) |
Griffin Reinhart | D | CAN | Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL) |
12 | Buffalo Sabres | Zemgus Girgensons | C | LVA | Dubuque Fighting Saints (USHL) |
13 | Dallas Stars | Sebastian Collberg | RW | SWE | Frolunda Jr. (SuperElit) |
14 | Calgary Flames | Jacob Trouba | D | USA | USA U-18 (USNTDP) |
15 | Ottawa Senators | Pontus Aberg | LW | SWE | Djurgardens IF (Allsvenskan) |
16 | Washington Capitals | Tomas Hertl | C | CZE | HC Slavia Praha (Czech Extraliga) |
17 | San Jose Sharks | Brendan Gaunce | C | CAN | Belleville Bulls (OHL) |
18 | Chicago Blackhawks | Hampus Lindholm | D | SWE | Rogue Jr. (U18 Elit) |
19 | Tampa Bay Lightning (via DET) |
Thomas Wilson | RW | CAN | Plymouth Whalers (OHL) |
20 | Philadelphia Flyers | Olli Maatta | D | FIN | London Knights (OHL) |
21 | Buffalo Sabres (via NSH) | Matt Finn | D | CAN | Guelph Storm (OHL) |
22 | Pittsburgh Penguins | Philip Di Giuseppe | LW | CAN | University of Michigan (CCHA) |
23 | Florida Panthers | Slater Koekkoek | D | CAN | Peterborough Petes (OHL) |
24 | Boston Bruins | Scott Laughton | C | CAN | Oshawa Generals (OHL) |
25 | St. Louis Blues | Derrick Pouliot | D | CAN | Portland Winterhawks (WHL) |
26 | Vancouver Canucks | Colton Sissons | C | CAN | Kelowna Rockets (WHL) |
27 | Phoenix Coyotes | Tim Bozon | LW | USA | Kamloops Blazers (WHL) |
28 | New York Rangers | Nicolas Kerdiles | C | USA | USA U-18 (USNTDP) |
29 | New Jersey Devils | Brady Skjei | D | USA | USA U-18 (USNTDP) |
30 | Los Angeles Kings | Henrik Samuelsson | RW | USA | Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL) |
Community Draft Board
Pick Team Player Pos Nationality Amateur Club
1
Edmonton Oilers
Nail Yakupov
LW
RUS
Sarnia Sting (OHL)
2
Columbus Blue Jackets
Mikhail Grigorenko
C
RUS
Quebec Remparts (QMJHL)
3
Montreal Canadiens
Alex Galchenyuk
C
USASarnia Sting (OHL)
4
New York Islanders
Ryan Murray
D
CANEverett Silvertips (WHL)
5
Toronto Maple Leafs
Filip Forsberg
RW
SWE
Leksands IF (Allsvenskan)
6
Anaheim Ducks
Teuvo Teravainen
LW
FIN
Jokerit Jr. (SM Liiga)
7
Minnesota Wild
Matt Dumba
D
CAN
Red Deer Rebels (WHL)
8
Carolina Hurricanes
Morgan Rielly
D
CAN
Moose Jaw Warriors (WHL)
9
Winnipeg Jets
Radek FaksaC
CZEKitchener Rangers (OHL)
10
Tampa Bay Lightning
Cody Ceci
D
CAN
Ottawa 67's (OHL)
11
Washington Capitals (via COL)
Jacob Trouba
D
USA
USA U-18 (USNTDP)
12
Buffalo Sabres
Griffin Reinhart
D
CAN
Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL)
13
Dallas Stars
Pontus Aberg
LW
SWE
Djurgardens IF (Allsvenskan)
14
Calgary Flames
Olli Maatta
D
FIN
London Knights (OHL)
15
Ottawa Senators
Sebastian Collberg
RW
SWE
Frolunda Jr. (SuperElit)
16
Washington Capitals
Zemgus Girgensons
C
LVA
Dubuque Fighting Saints (USHL)
17
San Jose Sharks
Brendan Gaunce
C
CAN
Belleville Bulls (OHL)
18
Chicago Blackhawks
Hampus Lindholm
D
SWE
Rogue Jr. (U18 Elit)
19
Tampa Bay Lightning (via DET)
Matt Finn
D
CAN
Guelph Storm (OHL)
20
Philadelphia Flyers
Slater Koekkoek
D
CAN
Peterborough Petes (OHL)
21
Buffalo Sabres (via NSH)
Tomas Hertl
C
CZE
HC Slavia Praha (Czech Extraliga)
22
Pittsburgh Penguins
Thomas Wilson
RW
CAN
Plymouth Whalers (OHL)
23
Florida Panthers
Derrick Pouliot
D
CAN
Portland Winterhawks (WHL)
24
Boston Bruins
Scott Laughton
C
CAN
Oshawa Generals (OHL)
25
St. Louis Blues
Colton Sissons
C
CAN
Kelowna Rockets (OHL)
26
Vancouver Canucks
Henrik Samuelsson
RW
USA
Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL)
27
Phoenix Coyotes
Philip Di Giuseppe
LW
USA
University of Michigan (CCHA)
28
New York Rangers
Nicolas Kerdiles
LW
USA
USA U-18 (USNTDP)
29
New Jersey Devils
Malcolm Subban
G
CAN
Belleville Bulls (OHL)