Advertisement

2016 NHL Draft Tracker: First-round picks & scouting reports

2016 NHL Draft Tracker: First-round picks & scouting reports

Team-by-team picks in the first round of the 2016 NHL draft, with a scouting report on each player.

FIRST ROUND

The Leafs made Auston Matthews the first overall pick in the 2016 NHL draft. (Getty)
The Leafs made Auston Matthews the first overall pick in the 2016 NHL draft. (Getty)

1. TORONTO MAPLE LEAFS

The Pick: Auston Matthews, C, Zurich (Swi.)

Scouting report: “Matthews is an extraordinary prospect with NHL size, speed and smarts. He is the ultimate package when you combine all of that with his exceptional work ethic and relentless compete level.” -- Director of NHL Central Scouting Dan Marr

2. WINNIPEG JETS

The Pick: Patrik Laine, RW, Tappara (Fin.)

Scouting report: “Laine is an extremely skilled winger with size, speed, hockey sense and competitiveness. He is a natural scorer who possesses an NHL caliber shot. Laine is a tough competitor to play against and even harder to check, an offensive threat every time he is on the ice.” -- Director of NHL Central Scouting Dan Marr
.

3. COLUMBUS BLUE JACKETS

The Pick: Pierre-Luc Dubois, Cape Breton (QMJHL).

Scouting report: “Dubois is a highly-skilled power forward who is unique in that he can play all three forward positions. He excels at utilizing his size and strength to his advantage and can play with an edge. A strong skater with deceptive speed and quickness, Dubois is a gifted playmaker with elite hockey sense and puck skills.” -- Director of NHL Central Scouting Dan Marr

4. EDMONTON OILERS

The Pick: Jesse Puljujarvi, RW, Karpat (Fin.)

Scouting report: “Puljujarvi is the ultimate power forward package. He is a big, mobile, highly skilled, well-rounded winger who is both a scorer and a playmaker. He is a powerful skater with excellent offensive instincts, puck skills and determination.” -- Director of NHL Central Scouting Dan Marr

Defenseman Olli Juolevi went fifth overall to the Canucks. (Getty)
Defenseman Olli Juolevi went fifth overall to the Canucks. (Getty)

5. VANCOUVER CANUCKS

The Pick: Olli Juolevi, D, London (OHL)

Scouting report: “Juolevi is a smart, smooth skating, puck moving defenseman with excellent poise and composure. He displays elite hockey sense and instincts with and without the puck and plays in every situation.” -- Director of NHL Central Scouting Dan Marr

6. CALGARY FLAMES

The Pick: Matthew Tkachuk, LW, London (OHL).

Scouting report: “Tkachuk is unique in that he brings both skill and a physical package to game situations. He possesses elite hockey sense and vision, has a very good scoring touch and makes players around him better. One of the best puck protection players eligible for the 2016 NHL Draft, he is difficult to check and willing to go to the hard areas to score goals.” -- Director of NHL Central Scouting Dan Marr

7. ARIZONA COYOTES

The Pick: Clayton Keller, C, USA under-18 NTDP.

Via NHL.com: "Keller averaged 1.73 points per game with the U.S. Under-18 team in 2015-16, compiling 37-70—107 in 62 contests. Only one player has collected more points in a season for the USA National Team Development Program: Auston Matthews.

8. BUFFALO SABRES

The Pick: Alex Nylander LW, Mississauga (OHL)

Scouting report: “Nylander is a dynamic player who is an elite skater with a creative skill-set. He has very good offensive hockey sense allowing him to create scoring chances in a variety of ways while making plays at top speed. His offensive instincts make him extremely dangerous in one-on-one situations and a scoring threat every time he is on the ice.” -- Director of NHL Central Scouting Dan Marr

The Canadiens selected defenseman Mikhail Sergachev with the ninth pick. (Getty )
The Canadiens selected defenseman Mikhail Sergachev with the ninth pick. (Getty )

9. MONTREAL CANADIENS

The Pick: Mikhail Sergachev, D, Windsor (OHL).

Scouting report: "His read-and-react game is fast. He's able to transition quickly. He's got that focus on the ice, and he's a guy you don't catch out of position. It is a lot tougher to beat him 1-on-1 now than it was earlier in the year." -- Director of NHL Central Scouting Dan Marr

10. COLORADO AVALANCHE

The Pick: Tyson Jost, C, Penticton (BCHL Jr. A)

Via NHL.com: "Jost was named Canadian Junior Hockey League National Player of the Year in 2015-16 after leading the British Columbia Hockey League in assists (62) and points per game (2.17). The first-year Vees captain placed third in BCHL scoring with 42-62—104, helping Penticton finish with the top regular-season record while earning First Team All-Star and League MVP honors."

11. OTTAWA SENATORS (from the New Jersey Devils)

The Pick: Logan Brown, C, Windsor (OHL).

Scouting report: "He's still growing, which is amazing because he's already big as it is. His skating has developed and I just think it will take a little more time for the rest of it to catch up to his body. When he has the confidence and assertiveness to play to his size and play a little more selfishly, then his numbers will rise and good things will begin to happen." -- Director of NHL Central Scouting Dan Marr

12. NEW JERSEY DEVILS (from the Ottawa Senators)

The Pick: Michael McLeod, C, Mississauga (OHL)

Scouting report: "He has great quickness and speed, is smart and skilled but also very reliable. A coach can put him out in any situation and feel comfortable. His speed allows him to create offense off the rush, making him very difficult to defend." -- Director of NHL Central Scouting Dan Marr

13. CAROLINA HURRICANES

The Pick: Jake Bean, D, Calgary (WHL)

Scouting report: "He is poised in all aspects of the game, has an excellent shot and can score from the point or off the rush. He has good playmaking ability and a strong game at the offensive blue line. He's capable of becoming a game-breaker." -- Director of NHL Central Scouting Dan Marr

The Bruins took defenseman Charles McAvoy 14th overall. (Getty)
The Bruins took defenseman Charles McAvoy 14th overall. (Getty)

14. BOSTON BRUINS

The Pick: Charles McAvoy, D, Boston University (NCAA)

Scouting report: "He has a real pro game to him. He's a player who, because of his late birthdate, has played with players already drafted at a very high level for a long time, but has shown the kind of game that really translates well to the pro game." -- Director of NHL Central Scouting Dan Marr

15. MINNESOTA WILD

The Pick: Luke Kunin, C, University of Wisconsin (NCAA)

Via NHL.com "As the second-youngest player in the NCAA in 2015-16, Kunin tied for third in goals (19) among all freshman skaters to become the first-ever Wisconsin player on the Big Ten All-Freshman Team. His 32 points were one shy of tying linemate Grant Besse (selected 147th overall by ANA in 2013) for the team lead."

16. ARIZONA COYOTES (from the Detroit Red Wings)

The Pick: Jakob Chychrun, D, Sarnia (OHL)

Scouting report: “A complete defenseman with the size, strength, speed and puck skills for today’s NHL. Chychrun is an excellent transitional skater who possesses high-end hockey sense, passing ability, a powerful shot and the poise to make plays under pressure. He plays a solid two-way game displaying quick offensive instincts, is responsible defensively and rarely out of position.” -- Director of NHL Central Scouting Dan Marr

17. NASHVILLE PREDATORS

The Pick: Dante Fabbro, D, Penticton (BCHL Jr. A)

Scouting report:  "Fabbro is a smooth-skating, smart, offensive defenseman.” -- NHL Central Scouting's John Williams

18. WINNIPEG JETS (from the Philadelphia Flyers)

The Pick: Logan Stanley, D, Windsor (OHL).

Scouting report: "He's mobile and very tough to beat one-on-one. He has a good understanding of his position, has a good stick-to-puck technique utilizing his size and long reach, and plays with authority. He's very composed under forecheck pressure and is able to make that good first pass out of the zone." -- Director of NHL Central Scouting Dan Marr

19. NEW YORK ISLANDERS

The Pick: Kiefer Bellows, LW, USA under-18 NTDP.

Scouting report: "I think he's going to be the finisher and the sniper. He can play on the wing and he's very adept at getting open for shooting lanes. He can distribute, but there are not many people that can shoot it like him and finish like him." -- NHL Central Scouting's David Gregory

20. DETROIT RED WINGS (from the Arizona Coyotes via the New York Rangers)

The Pick: Dennis Cholowski, D, Chilliwack (BCHL Jr. A)

Via NHL.com: "Cholowski collected 12-28—40 in 50 regular-season contests for the British Columbia Hockey League’s Chilliwack Chiefs in 2015-16, pacing team defensemen in goals, assists and points while earning BCHL Second Team All-Star honors."

The Hurricanes snagged right winger Julien Gauthier with the 21st overall pick. (Getty)
The Hurricanes snagged right winger Julien Gauthier with the 21st overall pick. (Getty)

21. CAROLINA HURRICANES (from the Los Angeles Kings)

The Pick: Julien Gauthier, RW, Val D'or (QMJHL)

Scouting report: "He's a big guy that doesn't have any holes in his game. His hockey sense is good. You know he can shoot and score.” -- Director of NHL Central Scouting Dan Marr

22. PHILADELPHIA FLYERS (from the Winnipeg Jets via the Chicago Blackhawks)

The Pick: German Rubstov, C, Russia national under-18 team

Via NHL.com: "Rubtsov collected 12-14—26 during the 2015-16 regular-season to finish second in scoring on Russia’s Under-18 team – despite playing in 11 fewer games than the club’s leading point-getter – to help the team post the third-best record in Russia’s top junior league."

23. FLORIDA PANTHERS

The Pick: Henrik Borgstrom C, HIFK Jr. (Fin.)

Notable: Borgstrom was the ninth-ranked prospect among European skaters, but was the fifth one taken behind Auston Matthews, Patrik Laine, Jesse Puljujarvi and German Rubstov.

24. ANAHEIM DUCKS

The Pick: Max Jones, LW, London (OHL)

Scouting report: “Jones is a power forward who is an excellent skater and displays separation speed. He is a hard-hitting player who plays the game with an edge. He possesses a very good shot with a quick release and loves to take the puck to the net with good hands in tight.” -- Director of NHL Central Scouting Dan Marr

25. DALLAS STARS

The Pick: Riley Lufte, LW, Blaine H.S. (Minn. high school)

Scouting report: "I think when you have a player that big that has the mobility and the stick skills that Riley has, it makes him a tough combination to hold back. He gets his shot off quickly, he can move in traffic and get clear to make a pass or shoot the puck." -- NHL Central Scouting's David Gregory

26. ST. LOUIS BLUES (from the Washington Capitals)

The Pick: Tage Thompson, C, University of Connecticut (NCAA)

Scouting report: "He's a pro player. He upgraded his skating and is able to get in, protect the puck and get it to the net. He's hard to check.” -- Director of NHL Central Scouting Dan Marr

The Lightning selected WHL star Brett Howden at 27th overall. (Getty)
The Lightning selected WHL star Brett Howden at 27th overall. (Getty)

27. TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING

The Pick: Brett Howden, C, Moose Jaw (WHL)

Via NHL.com: "Howden finished fourth on the Moose Jaw Warriors of the Western Hockey League with 24-40—64 in 68 regular-season games in 2015-16. He added 4-11—15 in 10 postseason contests, including four consecutive multi-point performances in their first round series win over Prince Albert."

28. WASHINGTON CAPITALS (from the St. Louis Blues)

The Pick: Lucas Johansen, D, Kelowna (WHL)

Scouting report: "He was very good defensively and he has the offensive ability. He can make the little dish pass and has good hands. He won't be as big as his brother, but he's still young and growing." -- NHL Central Scouting's John Williams

29. BOSTON BRUINS (from the San Jose Sharks)

The Pick: Trent Frederic, C, U.S. under-18 NTDP

Via NHL.com: "In 2015-16, Frederic collected 20-20—40 in 61 games for the United States National Team Development Program’s Under-18 Team, doubling his scoring output from his 2014-15 season with the Under-17 Team (5-9—14 in 55 GP)."

30. ANAHEIM DUCKS (from the Pittsburgh Penguins via the Toronto Maple Leafs)

The Pick: Sam Steel, C, Regina (WHL)

Via NHL.com: "Steel collected 23-47—70 in 72 regular-season contests with the Regina Pats in 2015-16 and added 6-10—16 in 12 postseason games."

MORE NHL COVERAGE FROM YAHOO SPORTS: