Welcome back to The Journey. 

If you missed last week's installment, I kickstarted my top-15 mock draft. As you have been reminded often, this is an interesting draft to make bold predictions towards. The variations are plentiful, which should make for a very intriguing couple of days when the time comes. 

Before we get going with picks 6-10, let us recap who has been selected thus far:

#1 – The Buffalo Sabres selected Owen Power – A towering, left-shot defenceman with tremendous reach and strong skating ability. There’s tons of potential for him to translate into a very solid top-four defender behind Rasmus Dahlin.

#2 – The Seattle Kraken select Matty Beniers – With the organization’s inaugural pick, they select a dynamic pivot from the University of Michigan. He brings a pinch of everything and has all of the makings to become an extremely sound second-line center.

#3 – The Anaheim Ducks select Simon Edvinsson – A risk-taking defender, who carries a big frame. His game is raw but shows a ton of upside. 

#4 – The New Jersey Devils select Brandt Clarke – A right-handed shot, who thinks the game better than most. He has the potential to be the top pick among this year’s crop of defenders. 

#5 – The Columbus Blue Jackets select William Eklund – Considered a magician with the puck. He’s got a non-stop motor and a great ability to create offense. Pure excitement.

Pick #6: Detroit Red Wings

Draft Pick: Jesper Wallstedt, G

There is no way to sugarcoat the fact it has been a rough go for the Red Wings and their fanbase. Of course, on the "glass half full" side of things, it's encouraging to look through their list of young budding players getting set to officially make a name in the league. 

Dylan Larkin has established himself as the team's heart and soul, while players such as Filip Zadina, Joe Veleno, and Michael Rasmussen seem to be on the verge of finding their footings. Furthermore, let's not forget about their exciting newcomers Lucas Raymond and the two-way sensation Moritz Seider. There is much promise as they head into the next few seasons. 

Yet, even with this list of potential, there is still an obvious and ultimately crucial piece of the pie missing – goaltending. Even with a list of good skaters still remaining, if there was ever a draft to feel good about taking a goaltender in the top-10, this is it. The Red Wings lack a future star between the pipes and Jesper Wallstedt fits the bill with the potential to be just that. 

For the record, I am not a goalie expert, nor will I ever claim to be. However, this kid is as sound as they come. His positional play is quite seamless, and as a result, rarely finds himself out of position. He may not be an overly athletic goalie, much like you see in most netminders today, but as a result of his superior technical skills, he does not need to be. 

With regards to the eye test, his statistical resume is quite impressive. What makes him even more intriguing is the age at which he has accomplished his accolades. He made his first start in the U18 circuit at the age of 13, while at the age of 18 (this season), completed his first season in the SHL, competing amongst the country’s top men. His record? 12-10-0 with a 2.23 GAA and .908 SV%. Not too shabby.

Again, there are a few directions you could go here, but I feel that it is important not to overthink this pick. You have a clear future starter, if not star, in your sights and the moment to pounce is now. If he is available, make the pick and feel good about doing so.

Here are some highlights courtesy of Recrutes Hockey:

Pick #7: San Jose Sharks

Draft Pick: Dylan Guenther, LW/RW

The Sharks could probably use a little dash of everything, in which case, it's fair play to target the draft's best available player. There are a couple of solid options here, Kent Johnson (C) being one of them, but Guenther is someone who has the makings of being a strong force down the line. 

Much like most of the skaters in the CHL circuit, the 6-foot-1 winger was unable to deliver a huge sample size in his draft year (due to the obvious Covid setbacks). However, during his 12-game stint, he compiled 24 points, which were split down the middle with 12 goals and 12 assists. He is pegged as a high-end offensive player, with one of the best shots in this class and terrific vision to boot. He is a tremendous threat off of the rush and tends to be in "attack mode" at all times. As an added bonus, he has the ability to play on either wing.  

There are no “incorrect” picks for the Sharks here, but I think they get a safe top-six, duel threat option in Guenther. He’s posed to dominate their future alongside last year’s home-run draft pick, Thomas Bordeleau, for years to come. 

Here are some highlights courtesy of Wolf Hockey:

Pick #8: Los Angeles Kings

Draft Pick: Luke Hughes, LHD

It's almost as if the LA Kings are playing their own version of an NHL 2021 Franchise Mode, stockpiling prospects and creating a super team for the future. In reality, there are no doubts that they could ice a truly competitive "win now" roster, just by dealing away their long list of above-average youngsters. It's becoming quite logjammed.

With an overpoured glass of centremen in their pipeline – some of whom could easily be moved to the wing – the Kings slide in and select Luke Hughes, the last of the trio of brothers. The 6-2 rearguard has the ability to make GMs look foolish for not jumping on him sooner. For me, I have slight reservations regarding his decision-making, more specifically in the defensive zone. There are times in which he does get caught out of position and looks somewhat scrambled. Of course, as with most young players, that happens. Nonetheless, he slips down the draft for me, but the margins are very slim. 

Much like his older brother, Quinn, his skating is a strong suit of his. Not so much in his strides, but in his edgework, both of which happen to be elite. He is very mobile in his lateral movements, has tremendous hands, and a great first pass. Again, think Quinn, but in a larger frame and with less of a booming offensive presence. 

What seems to be the case for the majority of prospects right now, he is set to debut with the University of Michigan in the fall. This jump should be a positive move for his overall development and tighten up some of his slight inconsistencies, such as the one mentioned above. Hughes could very well end up being an extremely lucrative pick at number 8.

Here are some highlights courtesy of Wolf Hockey:

Pick #9: Vancouver Canucks

Draft Pick: Mason McTavish, C

Full disclosure, as a Canucks fan, this is a pick that I personally want, not necessarily the one that they will come draft day. Although, I stand firm on this being the smart choice and one that helps their current build in a big way.

My reasons are vast and they begin with the core set up in Vancouver. With an already strong, and relatively young top-six core – which you can now add Vasily Podkolzin to this mix – the Canucks do not technically need to bolster their offensive roster with a boom/bust top-line player. This pick is all about filling their middle-six with strong compliments. 

McTavish, a 6-foot-2 power forward, plays the game with a lengthy degree of versatility. Given his frame, he has a strong NHL presence about him. He is hard on the puck at all times and is not shy when it comes to grinding to win battles. Furthermore, on the opposite end, he goes full force in order to do the same. He can play virtually anywhere you want him to in the offensive zone, whether it be in the slot bumping for garbage or on the wing playing the cycling game. Make no mistake about it, he has a strong two-way presence and is certainly one of the top shooters in the class. Whatever you need, he can provide and do so quite confidently. 

Fresh off of a 42-points-in-57-games rookie season with the Peterborough Petes (OHL) in 2019-20, he spent his draft year in the Swiss league (on loan). During his 13-game stint – among men, I might add –  he posted nine goals and 11 points. He capped the year off with a tremendous U18 tournament, posting 11 points over seven matches to take home a gold medal, serving as team captain. 

The 18-year-old is not quite NHL ready, which has some scouts doubting his position among the top-10. Yet, at this stage of the draft, that's fine. He adds a strong element to the club's top-nine down the line and is a strong selection at pick number 9.

Here are some highlights courtesy of Wolf Hockey:

Pick #10: Ottawa Senators

Draft Pick: Kent Johnson, C/LW

Much like the LA Kings, the Senators house a strong pipeline and can comfortably take a stab at virtually anyone with the 10th pick. Luckily, there just happens to be a very skilled forward available for the taking. 

Looking at consensus among scouts rankings, many may be screaming at the possibility of Johnson slipping to 10. In fact, I have seen quite a few rankings which have him very much secured in their top-5. Yet, I stand firm. 

The North Vancouver native is a very dangerous offensive threat. He is incredibly fluid with the puck and could likely stickhandle himself out of a phone booth. He is a tremendous one-on-one player but can work his magic off the rush as well. He has a pinpoint shot and can find his teammates with the same level of accuracy.  He also carries strong skating ability, which allows him to maneuver up and down the ice well. He plays a good two-way game and is very responsible in all three zones. Skating among the exciting group in Michigan, he posted 27 points in 26 games as a freshman.

Listed at 165 pounds despite standing 6-1, there is an obvious need for some added meat. Although, given his style of play, he may be able to pass by unscathed. Overall, he can be a solid two-way complement to a growing Senators club in two-three year's time and offers tremendous value at pick number 10. 

Here are some highlights courtesy of Wolf Hockey:

Thanks for joining me for another week. Catch me next week as I wrap up my draft with picks 11-15. 

Twitter: @hall1289