2017 NHL Entry Draft Predictions

2017 NHL Entry Draft LogoThe 2017 NHL Entry Draft will be the 55th NHL Entry Draft. The draft is to be held on June 23–24, 2017 at the United Center in Chicago.  The New Jersey Devils have the first overall pick, followed by the Philadelphia Flyers and the Dallas Stars who round out the top three. Experts believe that either Nolan Patrick from the Western Hockey League’s Brandon Wheat Kings or Nico Hischier of the Quebec League’s Halifax Mooseheads with be selected with the top pick.

It takes a lot of work to make it to the podium of the NHL draft.  Every hockey player in North America and around the world dreams of hearing their name called.  Congratulations to all those young kids who have dedicated years of their lives to try to make it to the NHL.  Further congratulations to all of the parents of the potential draftees in this year’s Entry draft.

Here is a look at who we think will be selected in the first round of this year’s entry draft.

2017 NHL Entry Draft Round One Predictions

Rank Team Player Position Current Team
1 New Jersey Nolan Patrick Centre Brandon (WHL)
2 Philadelphia Nico Hischier C/RW Halifax (QMJHL)
3 Dallas Cody Glass Centre Portland (WHL)
4 Colorado Miro Heiskanen Defense HIFK U20 (Fin Jr.)
5 Vancouver Gabriel Vilardi Centre Windsor (OHL)
6 Vegas Casey Mittelstadt Centre Eden Prairie HS (MN)
7 Arizona Owen Tippett Right-Wing Mississauga (OHL)
8 Buffalo Cale Makar Defense Brooks (AJHL)
9 Detroit Lias Andersson C/LW HV71 (SWE)
10 Florida Eeli Tolvanen RW-LW Sioux City (USHL)
11 Los Angeles Martin Necas C/RW Brno (CZE)
12 Carolina Elias Pettersson Centre Timra IK (SWE)
13 Winnipeg Michael Rasmussen Centre Tri City
14 Tampa Bay Juuso Valimaki Defense Tri City (WHL)
15 NY Islanders Cal Foote Defense Kelowna (WHL)
16 Calgary Nicolas Hague Defense Mississauga (OHL)
17 Toronto Timothy Liljegren Defense Rogle Jr20 (SWE)
18 Boston Nicholas Suzuki Centre Owen Sound (OHL)
19 San Jose Erik Brannstrom Defense HV71 (SWE)
20 St. Louis Urho Vaakanainen Defense Blues (FIN)
21 NY Rangers Ryan Poehling Centre St. Cloud St. (NCHC)
22 Edmonton Kristian Vesalainen Left-Wing Frolunda (SWE)
23 Arizona (from MIN) Josh Norris Centre NTDP U18 (USHL)
24 Columbus Matthew Strome Left-Wing Hamilton (OHL)
25 Montreal Klim Kostin C/RW Dynamo (VHL)
26 Chicago Jason Robertson Left-Wing Kingston (OHL)
27 St. Louis (from WSH) Robert Thomas Centre London (OHL)
28 Ottawa Maxime Comtois Left-Wing Victoriaville (QMJHL
29 Dallas (from ANA) Kailer Yamamoto RW-LW Spokane (WHL)
30 Nashville Isaac Ratcliffe Left-Wing Guelph (OHL)
31 Pittsburgh Pierr-Olivier Joseph Defense Charlottetown (QMJHL)