2015 NHL Mock Draft

152. Although the Montreal Canadiens have a good defensive prospect in Nathan Beaulieau, after him there isn’t much else. If drafted by the Habs, Larsson will bring a safety net to put under Beaulieu in case he doesn’t work out. Future Considerations ranks Larsson 30th and has this profile on the Swedish D, <p>“A puck moving, two-way defender…makes a great first pass to his forwards…uses his strength to protect the puck…skates well with a smooth stride that generates solid speed…very agile and fluid…showed great vision by seeing smart passing lanes…shoots low and hard attempting to create rebound chances…use his physicality to play the body in separating opponents from the puck…very vocal on the ice…played strong positional defense and used an active stick to disrupt…shows some strong leadership qualities.”</p> <p>Larsson could turn out to be a very nice quaterback defenseman once he is fully mature.</p>. Defense. Frolunda (Swe-J20). Jacob Larsson. 26. player

Farjestad (SHL). Joel Eriksson Ek. 27. player. 105. The Anaheim Ducks have great examples of skilled power forwards already on the team and Joel Eriksson Ek is a great addition to the crop. He possesses power like a pro, but he also has a powerful shot and powerful strides in his skating. Shawn Reznik of The Hockey Writers provided this description of Eriksson Ek in early May: <p>“Ek Eriksson won’t be the most gifted or skilled player on your hockey team night in and night out. That’s not a knock on him. That’s just not his style of play. He will, however, be your hardest working player that manages to come out with the puck in a scrum and turn it into an offensive opportunity where there was none before. For as big as he is, Ek Eriksson displays a wide stance when skating and his powerful lower body gives him great balance.”</p> <p>Eriksson Ek adds to the Ducks’ depth at center as far as prospects go, but he will most likely become their best prospect down the middle.</p>. Center

Waterloo (USHL). Brock Boeser. 28. player. 23. Brock Boeser is a natural goal scorer who put up 30+ for the Waterloo Black Hawks of the USHL this past season. Boeser is committed to the University of North Dakota, but the Lightning have a promising, young NHL and can take the wait on Boeser if they draft him Curtis Joe at Elite Prospects classifies Boeser as a premium scorer as well: <p>“A dynamic offensive winger and natural goal scorer. Has great instincts and is able to quickly get into position for premium scoring chances; possesses an accurate release on his shot which he can get off in the blink of an eye. He always knows where his linemates are, and is a great passer; that being said, his individual puck possession play is incredible and sets him apart as an offensive player. He will need to work on defensive zone coverage and a slew of small details such as board battles, but Brock Boeser has a ton of elite-level scoring potential due to the way he can read, make, and finish plays.”</p>. Right Wing

Ilya Samsonov. 29. player. 68. Although I don’t personally agree with drafting a goalie in this particular draft, the Flyers have had pretty terrible luck in acquiring goalies and they have a chance to not mess things up when it comes to goalies. Samsonov is a big goalie at 6’3″ and 210 lbs, but he shows athleticism in his game. He isn’t afraid to make the desperation save when out of position. Goran Stubb at nhl.com profiles Samsonov: <p>“He has good size and covers the net well. He plays at the top of the crease and effectively squares to the shooter. He shows good instincts and is well balanced. He can make acrobatic saves and is considered to be the best Russian goalie prospect in many years.”</p>. Goalie. Magnitorgorsk (MHL)

Charlottetown (QMJHL). Daniel Sprong. 30. player. 121. After the Coyotes take Hanifin with their 1st, 1st round pick, I think they will go with the project in Daniel Sprong. Sprong has been defined by many as an X-Factor, for he has shown a lack in a 200 feet game. The Coyotes already have prospects like Anthony Duclair, Max Domi, and Christian Dvorak so they have the depth to take a chance on Sprong at the draft. Curtis Joe of Elite Prospects provides this profile on Sprong:”A prolific scoring winger who possesses an elite-level skillset: has dynamic skating ability, is a creative passer, and has incredible puckhandling ability. While he is offensively dominant, he is also defensively responsible. A very hard working player who strives to improve all aspects of his game. Absolutely electric.” <p>Sprong could become more developed defensively after a season in the QMJHL where that is his number 1 priority.</p>. Right Wing