NHL Mock Draft 2016: Updated First-Round Projections For Every Team

The 2016 Stanley Cup playoffs ended Sunday when the Pittsburgh Penguins won their fourth championship by defeating the San Jose Sharks in a six-game Stanley Cup Final.

Now, it’s time for each of the 30 teams to focus on next week’s NHL draft in Buffalo before the free-agent market opens July 1.

It should be a busy week leading up to the draft, particularly on the trade front. Salary cap space is a very valuable asset with the cap ceiling not expected to increase much entering the 2016-17 campaign. We’ve already seen a trade this week that was made for cap reasons, and it involved two draft picks.

Here’s our fourth 2016 NHL mock draft.

1. Toronto Maple Leafs: Auston Matthews, C, ZSC Lions (SWI)
2. Winnipeg Jets: Patrik Laine, RW, Tappara (FIN)
3. Columbus Blue Jackets: Jesse Puljujarvi, RW, Karpat (FIN)
4. Edmonton Oilers: Matthew Tkachuk, LW, London (OHL)
5. Vancouver Canucks: Pierre-Luc Dubois, C/LW, Cape Breton (QMJHL)
6. Calgary Flames: Alexander Nylander, RW/LW, Mississauga (OHL)
7. Arizona Coyotes: Jakob Chychrun, D, Sarnia (OHL)
8. Buffalo Sabres: Olli Juolevi, D, London (OHL)
9. Montreal Canadiens: Mikhail Sergachyov, D, Windsor (OHL)
10. Colorado Avalanche: Logan Stanley, D, Windsor (OHL)
11. New Jersey Devils: Tyson Jost, C/RW, Penticton (BCHL)
12. Ottawa Senators: Clayton Keller, LW, US-NTDP
13. Carolina Hurricanes: Michael McLeod, C, Mississauga (OHL)
14. Boston Bruins: Jake Bean, D, Calgary (WHL)
15. Minnesota Wild: Kieffer Bellows, C/LW, US-NTDP
16. Detroit Red Wings: Dante Fabbro, D, Penticton (BCHL)
17. Nashville Predators: Luke Kunin, C/RW, Wisconsin (NCAA)
18. Philadelphia Flyers: Logan Brown, C/LW, Windsor (OHL)
19. New York Islanders: German Rubtsov, C, Russia U-18
20. Arizona Coyotes (via NY Rangers): Charlie McAvoy, D, Boston University (NCAA)
21. Carolina Hurricanes (via L.A. Kings): Max Jones, LW, London (OHL)
22. Winnipeg Jets (via Chicago Blackhawks): Riley Tufte, LW, Fargo, (USHL)
23. Florida Panthers: Rasmus Asplund, C, Farjestad (SWE)
24. Anaheim Ducks: Samuel Girard, D, Shawinigan (QMJHL)
25. Dallas Stars: Kale Clague, D, Brandon (WHL)
26. Washington Capitals: Julien Gauthier, RW, Val-D’Or (QMJHL)
27. Tampa Bay Lightning: Carl Grundstrom, LW, Modo Hockey (Sweden)
28. St. Louis Blues: Sam Steel, C, Regina (WHL)
29. Boston Bruins (via San Jose Sharks): Markus Niemelainen, D, Saginaw (OHL)
30. Toronto Maple Leafs (via Pittsburgh Penguins): Cameron Morrison, LW, Youngstown (USHL)