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Arctic Ice Hockey’s 2013 NHL Mock Draft: Pick #8

Hey all! Welcome to another instalment of Arctic Ice Hockey's annual NHL Mock Draft.

Over the next thirty days, we will attempt to telepathically channel the minds of NHL General Managers as they complete their final rankings in preparation for the 2013 NHL Draft being held June 30, 2012 in Newark, NJ.

Without further adieu, we present our loyal readers with the eighth overall pick of Arctic Ice Hockey's 2013 Mock Draft.

Darcy Reiger: With the eighth overall selection in this years draft, the Buffalo Sabres are pleased to select…


Darnell Nurse

Defenceman / Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL)

6-4

185

February 4, 1995

Hometown: Hamilton, ON

Shoots: Left


Rankings: CSS (4 NA), ISS (6), TSN (8), Hockey Prospectus (11)

The Skinny: Over the last decade, the Buffalo Sabres have gone from perennial playoff contenders to an absolute dumpster dive of overpaid free agents. A lot of Buffalo’s troubles have revolved around the depletion of their blue line which is now one of the NHL’s worst. Sabres’ fans will hope that Nurse — along with Tyler Myers — will become the new cornerstones of the franchise.

Hockey Prospectus:

"Nurse had a considerable amount of hype at the beginning of the season, and he has exceeded all expectations. He is a gifted physical player who has all the natural tools a scout could want from a defenseman. He has slowly begun to emerge as a two-way player, but his value comes from his high-end work in his own end. Nurse is a tall defender with an aggressive edge and the strength to consistently push his checks off pucks. He has above-average mobility, especially considering his larger size."

AIH Draft Board

Pick Team Player Pos Nationality Amateur Club
1 Colorado Avalanche Seth Jones D USA Portland Winterhawks (WHL)
2 Florida Panthers
Jonathan Drouin LW CAN Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)
3 Tampa Bay Lightning
Nathan MacKinnon C CAN Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)
4 Nashville Predators Aleksander Barkov C FIN Tappara (SM-liiga)
5 Carolina Hurricanes Sean Monahan C CAN Ottawa 67’s (OHL)
6 Calgary Flames Hunter Shinkaruk LW CAN Medicine Hat Tigers (WHL)
7 Edmonton Oilers Elias Lindholm C SWE Brynas (Elitserien)
8 Buffalo Sabres Darnell Nurse D CAN Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL)

Community Draft Board

Pick Team Player Pos Nationality Amateur Club
1 Colorado Avalanche Seth Jones D USA Portland Winterhawks (WHL)

2 Florida Panthers
Nathan MacKinnon C CAN Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)
3 Tampa Bay Lightning
Jonathan Drouin LW CAN Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)
4 Nashville Predators Aleksander Barkov C FIN Tappara (SM-liiga)
5 Carolina Hurricanes Valeri Nichushkin RW RUS Chelyabinsk 2 (MHL)
6 Calgary Flames Sean Monahan C CAN Ottawa 67’s (OHL)
7 Edmonton Oilers Darnell Nurse D CAN Sault Ste. Marie Grehyounds (OHL)

Option Votes
Frederik Gauthier 2
Elias Lindholm 47
Rasmus Ristolainen 21
Hunter Shinkaruk 16
Other (please specify in the comments section) 6
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