Welcome back to Top Shelf Prospects, the daily column that brings you the next crop of professional hockey players. Each day I will bring you a new player profile or topical article in the lead-up to the 2015 NHL Draft. Be sure to bookmark the site, follow me on Twitter, and spread the word for the site that will bring you analytical and critical profiles and scouting reports! Last Word On Sports is your new headquarters for everything “NHL Draft”! For a Complete Listing of all our 2015 Draft Articles Click here.
Now that the order of 28 of the first 30 picks have been determined, I will be releasing my 2015 NHL mock draft.
For those who haven’t read the LWOS mock before here are the rules.
1) No trades except for those that have already been made by NHL teams.
2) A two-round Mock draft will be done in four parts. The first two parts (ie the first round) will be done today. The next two parts (ie the second round) will be done tomorrow.
3) Clicking the Player’s name will bring you to a full scouting report.
In Case you Missed it. Here is part one (Picks 1-15)
Here is part two (Picks 16-30)
2015 NHL Mock Draft Second Round Part 1
31. Buffalo Sabres: Ilya Samsonov, Goaltender, Metallurg Magnitigorsk, KHL
Previous Picks: Jack Eichel, Nick Merkley
The Sabres have done an excellent job of adding prospects at all positions. However, if there is one area that could be bulked up, its in goal. Buffalo has some goalies in the system, but they lack a blue chip prospect at the position. Well there isn’t a true blue chip goaltender in this draft, Samsonov is the closest thing to that status. The Sabres take him and hope to develop him into a top notch goalie prospect.
32. Arizona Coyotes: Jonas Siegenthaler, Defence, Zurich Lions, NLA
Previous Picks: Dylan Strome, Jake Debrusk
After going for forwards with each of their first two picks the Coyotes decide to go a different direction in the second round, taking a stay at home defender with good mobility out of Switzerland in Siegenthaler.
33. Edmonton Oilers: Mitchell Vande Sompel, Defence, Oshawa Generals, OHL
Previous Picks: Connor McDavid, Brandon Carlo
The Oilers are also looking for help on defence. Their previous pick was a big, stay at home type of defender in Brandon Carlo. They now look for some offense from the back end and grab Mitchell Vande Sompel of the Memorial Cup Champion Oshawa Generals. He’s a versatile player who has even shown the offensive skills to play forward at times.
34. Columbus Blue Jackets (from Toronto via Los Angeles): Jack Roslovic, Right Wing, US NTDP, USHL
Previous Pick: Zach Werenski
After taking the Michigan Wolverine in the first round, The Blue Jackets please their fans when they take a hometown kid in the second round. Roslovic brings the Jackets more than just the ability to market a home grown talent though, he has high end offensive skills and put them on display for Team USA’s Under 18 team this season.
35. Carolina Hurricanes: Filip Chlapik, Centre, Charlottetown Islanders, QMJHL
Previous Pick: Noah Hanifin
With a two-way centre on the board, Ron Francis jumps at the chance to add Czech star Filip Chlapik. He shows the ability to put the puck in the net, leading all QMJHL rookies in goals this season, and being named to the league’s all-rookie team.
36. New Jersey Devils: Jeremy Bracco, Right Wing, United Stated NTDP, USHL
Previous Pick: Matthew Barzal
The Devils need a serious injection of skill, and got that in the first round with Barzal. They continue down the same road in the second round, looking past Jeremy Bracco’s dimunitive size, and seeing the immense offensive talent he possesses. The Blackhawks and the Lightning have shown in this year’s playoffs, that small, skilled players can thrive even when the checking gets tight.
37. Boston Bruins (from Philadelphia via NY Islanders): Gabriel Carlsson, Defence, Linkopings HC, SHL
Previous Pick: Paul Bittner
The Bruins look at Gabriel Carlsson, the big, physical stay-at-home defenseman out of Sweden and see a player who they can mould into their team. He plays the type of tough along the boards, and clear the front of the net style that has defined the Boston blueline for years.
38. Columbus Blue Jackets: Matt Spencer, Defence, Peterborough Petes, OHL
Previous Pick: Zach Werenski, Jack Roslovic
Its only been a few picks, but the Jackets are back on the clock. They also look to add to their defense, picking another defender who has shown to be solid in his own end. Spencer added some offensive flair in his second season at Peterborough, and he could turn into a top four, two-way player at the next level.
39. San Jose Sharks: Jordan Greenway, Left Wing, US NTDP, USHL
Previous Pick: Ivan Provorov
The Sharks went best player available with Provorov in the first round, but now they need to add some forward talent. They take a project winger with outstanding size in Jordan Greenway. The goal scoring numbers may not have been there with the US NTDP this season, but at 6’5” the hope is that he can develop those. He has shown good playmaking ability as well as solid defensive skills. There is intriguing upside here.
40. Colorado Avalanche: Noah Juulsen, Defence, Everett Silvertips, WHL
Previous Pick: Mikko Rantanen
The Avalanche wanted to add to their defense in the first round, but couldn’t find value at tenth overall based on the way our first nine picks broke down. There is value in the second round though, with Noah Juulsen being a player who took on big minutes for Everett in the WHL this season.
41. New Jersey Devils (from Florida): Denis Guryanov, Right Wing, Lada Togliatti, KHL
Previous Picks: Matthew Barzal, Jeremy Bracco
With their third pick in a deep draft, the Devils continue to go with the philosophy of drafting skill at forward. Here they get a winger with size, speed, skill, and a strong two-way game who likely would be a first round pick if not for the question marks surrounding his status in the KHL.
42. Ottawa Senators (from Dallas): Nicolas Meloche, Defence, Baie-Comeau Drakkar, QMJHL
Previous Pick: Joel Eriksson-Ek
After taking a two-way centre in the first round, the Senators take a two-way defender capable of playing in all situations in the second round. Meloche has high potential, but his game is a little raw. The Sens have the time to be patient with him, with a young defence in the NHL and some solid blue line prospects.
43. Los Angeles Kings (from Los Angeles via Buffalo): Erik Cernak, Defence, HC Kosice, Slovakia
Previous Pick: Kyle Connor
Once again, the Kings make a pick of a European player. Since taking over in Los Angeles Dean Lombardi hasn’t been afraid of overseas prospects, and he certainly has loaded up on defencemen at the draft table. After going forward in the first round, he goes back to the well and keeps building the blue line in the second round.
44. Tampa Bay Lightning (from Boston): Thomas Novak, Centre, Waterloo Blackhawks, USHL
Previous Pick: Brock Boeser
After taking Brock Boeser in the first round, the Lightning are thrilled to see his linemate on the board in the second round. Not only that, but Thomas Novak is also the best player available at this spot. With a solid young team, and a good mix of AHL and junior aged prospects, Steve Yzerman and company are all about the best player available here.
45. Calgary Flames: Parker Wotherspoon, Defence, Tri-City Americans, WHL
Previous Pick: Jakub Zboril
With the first of three second round picks, the Flames have a lot of options. They feel comfortable with Parker Wotherspoon though as he is the brother of current Flames prospect Tyler Wotherspoon. If he can add some muscle to his frame and continue his development, Wotherspoon would add a lot to the Flames depth on defence.
