Welcome back to The Journey, where we follow hockey prospects and their paths to the NHL, providing fantasy predictions and analysis along the way.

The 2021 NHL Draft's first round is now complete, and a plethora of news broke the internet before the first pick was even announced; teams were quick to move picks for players prior to the start of the first round of selections, with Philadelphia and Vancouver ridding themselves of their top selection altogether.  Here are the four major trades that occurred hours before the start of the draft:

• The Buffalo Sabres traded defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen to the Philadelphia Flyers for the 14th overall pick in this year's selection, a second-round pick in 2023, and defenseman Robert Hagg.
  
  
• A short time later, the New York Rangers traded Pavel Buchnevich to the St. Louis Blues for Samuel Blais and a 2022 second-round pick.
  
  
• The Canucks then acquired Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Conor Garland from the Arizona Coyotes for Jay Beagle, Loui Eriksson and Antoine Roussel, along with the ninth-overall pick in this year's selection, a second in 2022 and a seventh in 2023.
  
  
• Probably the biggest trade of them all, the Columbus Blue Jackets moved Seth Jones, the 32nd overall pick and a 2022 sixth-rounder to the Chicago Blackhawks for Adam Boqvist, the Hawks' 12th overall pick, a first-round pick in 2022, and the 44th overall pick in 2021. The Blue Jackets added to the trade by swapping that 44th overall pick for Jake Bean from the Carolina Hurricanes. 

This changed the first round's outcome entirely, as the picking order changed by the hour. Teams like Vancouver and Philadelphia sacrificed their draft selections in favor of immediate help, and given the perceived lack of true high-end talent in the top half of the first round, this was to be expected.

After a mind-boggling draft day full of surprises, I saw fit to recap and grade each team's selection based on the player's upside, and how they fit within the organization's system and needs.

1. Buffalo Sabres – Owen Power, LD, U, of Michigan, NCAA (B+)

Likely the safest pick of this draft, the Tower of Power plays a skilled, poised defensive game predicated on smart stick usage in 1-on-1 situations. He also shows above-average skating and hockey sense, and his passing ability is quite strong as well.  His shortcomings are in specific areas of the game that are essential to NHL defending, such as his slow reactions along the boards and a lack of agility on his pivots, but the rest of his toolkit makes him one of the most surefire prospects in this draft in terms of reaching the big league. The Sabres get a B+ for helping to rebuild their poor defensive line with this selection, which fits their needs with Ristolainen leaving the team.

2. Seattle Kraken – Matthew Beniers, C, U. of Michigan, NCAA (B+)

A terrific energetic forward, Beniers' defensive responsibility and high-end skating, paired with above-average stickhandling, shooting and distribution ability, make for the most complete forward toolkit of the 2021 NHL Draft.  Another safe pick for a Seattle team that is likely betting on Beniers' high floor to one day materialize as a high ceiling, although his puck skills need a lot of refining to reach first-line potential. He will likely be a 1A/1B buzzsaw center with important responsibilities on both sides of the puck. Seattle gets a B+ as well, for a safe bet that will definitely add to their team sooner than most players available this year.

3. Anaheim Ducks – Mason McTavish, C, Peterborough Petes, OHL (A)

The fastest-rising prospect of the first round, McTavish finds himself in the top-three after an outstanding U-18 Worlds presence put a lot of confidence in his stock, as he earned 11 points in 7 games, won most of his faceoffs, and looked great on both sides of the puck. He brings a physical, scoring presence that the Ducks need, and can play the wing if needed. The team finds a perfect fit for either Zegras' wing or for their second-line center position, and gets an A for that.

4. New Jersey Devils – Luke Hughes, LD, USNTDP, USHL (A)

The third Hughes brother drafted in the top-10, and the second to be picked by the Devils, Luke joins his brother Jack in one of the most fitting selections in this year's draft.  Although Ty Smith is already in contest for the top defensive pair on the Devils' left side, the upside of the dynamic, offensively gifted Luke Hughes combined with the marketing opportunities involved in having two brothers on the same team make this pick a no-brainer for the Devils.  He's one of the youngest players in this class, and has so much room to improve upon an already-strong toolset of elite skating, stickhandling and passing.

5. Columbus Blue Jackets – Kent Johnson, C, U. of Michigan, NCAA (B+)

The dazzling, offensive dynamo becomes the third Michigan prospect in the top five, and his skillset is without doubt the most extensive of this year's selection: lacrosse goals, spin-around passes and saucers through multiple layers make him an absolute pleasure to watch on a nightly basis. The defensive side of his game leaves a lot to be desired, along with his sub-par skating mechanics, but the Blue Jackets are betting on Johnson's offensive package to translate to the next level. The Jackets fall short of an A due to their decision to leave William Eklund on the board, and instead drafting a center with more questions in his game than the Swede.

6. Detroit Red Wings – Simon Edvinsson, LD, Frölunda HC, SHL (B)

The Red Wings go with the Swedish giant at sixth overall, betting on their ability as a development team to round out the kinks in Edvinsson's game.  His skating is fluid, he shows good stickhandling when carrying the puck out of his zone, and can find players in open space with regularity when inside the offensive zone.  However, he really struggles with his decision-making when faced with quick, hard pressing from the opposition, often creating icings and turnovers in the neutral zone. Detroit gets a B for overlooking more surefire prospects, but going for someone they see as a great project to hopefully play next to Moritz Seider for years to come.

7. San Jose Sharks – William Eklund, C/LW, Djurgårdens IF, SHL (A+)

The highest-scoring draft-year player of the SHL, Eklund blends a high-end offensive skillset with strong instincts and a great small-area game, which seems custom-fit for the modern NHL.  His 23 points in 40 games against men put him in elite company offensively, and he shows the details that differentiate the good from the NHL-caliber. An outstanding selection for a San Jose team looking to rebuild a playoff-winning team, going for the best player available and worrying about needs later.

8. Los Angeles Kings – Brandt Clarke, RD, Barrie Colts, OHL (A+)

A great fit for a Kings team looking to replace Drew Doughty eventually, Clarke shows a lot of intelligence and escapability when carrying the puck, and his ability to close down on the slot in the offensive zone makes him a shooting threat as well.  His skating needs polishing, but his brain makes up for those issues with great stick and body positioning in every situation. He boasts an above-average release and can distribute the puck very intelligently. A great fit and a great prospect, with very few still on the board that would challenge him for best player available at this pick.

9. Arizona Coyotes (from Vancouver) – Dylan Guenther, LW, Edmonton Oil Kings, WHL (A)

Guenther's outstanding goal-scoring ability spearheads his offensive profile, and he consistently finds various ways to create offense and get to dangerous areas. He uses any ice given to him, and seems to add small tools to his game every week.  His rush offense and skating has come a good way since the start of the season, and he distributes the puck very efficiently, while lacking high-end creativity when passing. He likely has the highest goal-scoring potential of this draft, and the Coyotes get an A for turning Ekman-Larsson's massive contract and Garland's expiring rights into a potential top-line net-filler, and a couple more picks.

10. Ottawa Senators – Tyler Boucher, RW, USNTDP, USHL (C)

One of the biggest surprises of the first round, Boucher's selection at 10th overall blows Bob McKenzie's most-generous 29th overall prediction out of the water. No scouting website had him anywhere near the first round, and even the Central Scouting Bureau had him 25th among North American skaters.  His physical prowess and skating really stands out in the USHL, and he uses that to his advantage by creating and exploiting separation between himself and his opponents. A good prospect, but with so many USHL prospects available at this point that far outperformed Boucher, this pick is a head-scratcher. Ottawa had other picks, and he likely would've been available at those ranks – a C is generous.

11. Arizona Coyotes – **forfeited due to scouting combine violations**

12. Columbus Blue Jackets (from Chicago) – Cole Sillinger, C, Sioux Falls Stampede, USHL (B+)

A player the Ottawa Senators could definitely have used, Sillinger is the second center picked in this draft after the team selected Kent Johnson fifth overall.  His profile resembles Johnson's very closely, as an creative offensive catalyst with defensive woes, but Sillinger's profile is centered around his outstanding shot, whereas the Michigan center has a more distributive streak to his game.  Sillinger can occasionally show a lack of selflessness in his shot selections, but uses his teammates well in the first two tiers of the ice.  His puck-watching and his tendency to stop moving his legs when the opponent has the puck will need to be rectified to be a proper NHL player, but he has 30 goal potential. Columbus gets a B+ for the upside swing at 11th overall.

13. Calgary Flames – Matthew Coronato, C, Chicago Steel, USHL (B)

The highest-scoring USHL forward in his draft class, Coronato earned 48 goals and 37 assists in only 51 points, and was a constant thorn in the side of defensemen trying to clear the front of the net.  Nicknamed "The Bison" due to his tendency to charge the opposing net, Coronato makes up for his lack of high-end skating and size with a constantly-running engine. He keeps his feet in movement, and uses his teammates efficiently in close areas. He tends to struggle playing through seams, but fights hard enough to not require the finest offensive touch with the puck. A good prospect with a lower upside, but a level of intensity and defensive involvement that translate to a high floor. There are higher-upside prospects available at this point, so Calgary gets a B.

14. Buffalo Sabres (from Philadelphia) – Isak Rosén, LW/RW, Leksands IF, SHL (B-)

Another reach in the top-15, Rosén fits the Sabres' needs very well as a high-paced goal-scorer who can play a 200-foot game.  His puck skills are very strong, and he works very well off-the-puck to free himself up in high-danger areas.  His seven goals in eight games at the U-18 Worlds really put him in the spotlight and the Sabres clearly liked what they saw. A good prospect with good potential, but again, better players available at this pick, including a great fit in goaltender Jesper Wallstedt, make for a lower grade for Buffalo here.

15. Detroit Red Wings (from Dallas) – Sebastian Cossa, G, Edmonton Oil Kings, WHL (B)

This one surprised a lot of people – with Jesper Wallstedt on the board and Yzerman's love of Swedish prospects clearer than ever after Edvinsson's selection, trading with Dallas to climb up the board and then choosing Cossa above Wallstedt likely means that the Red Wings' scouting staff see something in the latter that they don't expect  to translate. Cossa is huge at 6-6, 210 pounds, and his numbers in the WHL (19 GP, 1.57 GAA, .941 SV%)  were outstanding and warranted a first-round pick for sure. Detroit gets a B for throwing everyone off the trail and picking a non-Swede while overlooking some very good prospects, and trading up from 23rd to do so.

16.  New York Rangers – Brennan Othmann – Flint Firebirds, OHL (B)

The second-overall pick of the 2019 OHL Draft, Othmann goes to a Rangers team looking to cash in on Othmann's high-end goal-scoring ability. The way he changes the shot lane mid-release and hides his shot's direction with a short release makes him a threat to goaltenders from almost anywhere, and his skating and strength came a long way while he was overseas in Switzerland after the OHL cancelled its 2020-21 season. A reach at this point in the draft given his lack of defensive involvement and need to improve his overall execution speed, but not the biggest reach at 16th overall.

17. St. Louis Blues – Zachary Bolduc, C, Rimouski, QMJHL (C+)

A dynamic playmaker with a decent shot from up-close, Bolduc's selection at 17th comes as a sizable reach for a Blues team looking for centers to build around for the next 10-15 years.  I'm not sure Bolduc is the type to reach a top-six and stick to it for long, namely due to a lack of high-end hockey sense, especially for a center.  Skill-wise, Bolduc has a lot to give, with refined skating, passing and shooting mechanics, but he seems to lack the ability to put it all together smoothly, and at high speeds. The Blues must trust in their ability to iron out Bolduc's decisional deficiencies, but this is a hard bet at 17 with Chaz Lucius still on the board.

18. Winnipeg Jets – Chaz Lucius, C/RW, USNTDP, USHL (A)

Speaking of Lucius, the Jets must be overjoyed to have him drop in their lap – his goal-scoring ability is near-unrivalled in this year's class, and his stickhandling makes USHL defensemen look foolish on a regular basis.  His tendency to pop up unmarked in dangerous areas as well as his ability to manipulate and open seams make him a lethal offensive contributor, especially on the power-play. He also shows above-average compete on the forecheck, as a constant thorn in the side of defensemen trying to exit their zone.  Injuries saw him miss a bunch of games this year, which massively affected his draft stock along with his average skating ability. A great pick-up for a Jets team looking to add scorers to their pipeline.

19. Nashville Predators – Fyodor Svechkov, C/W, Lada Togliatti, VHL (A)

An outstanding defensive forward, Svechkov's ability to read the play and make the right decisions with regularity make him a brilliant offense suppressor, and he manipulates opponents effortlessly at the VHL level, Russia's second division of men's hockey. He has above-average puck protection and distribution abilities, but his stickhandling and shooting do not stand out much. He still showed off his offensive touch with a 10-point performance at the U-18 Worlds, when he was finally put in a top-line role with offensive players, and is an excellent pickup for a Nashville team looking to eventually move on from Ryan Johansen and Matt Duchene at center.

20. Minnesota Wild (from Edmonton) – Jesper Wallstedt, G, Luleå HF, SHL (A+)

The Oilers' decision to trade two slots down from 20th overall and overlook Wallstedt will be a costly one. No 18-year-old goaltender has ever led his SHL team in games played, and Wallstedt was putting up similar numbers to Henrik Lundqvist's in his draft-year season, while Lundqvist was playing junior hockey – three levels below the SHL. One of the highest-upside goaltenders in recent drafts with a tendency so far in his career to improve with every season, there's still a chance Wallstedt has already reached his full potential, but that chance is slim given his history of improvement across all levels of Swedish hockey.  Athletic, poised and technically sound, he's a great fit for a Minnesota team looking for a potential career starter.

21. Boston Bruins – Fabian Lysell, RW, Luleå HF, SHL (A+)

Likely the most dynamic skater of the 2021 NHL Draft, Lysell's mix of high-end pace, acceleration and quick execution speed makes him a threat on the rush. He can get pushed off the puck a bit easily, but he shows good understanding of body leverage to win a good portion of his puck battles.  His small-area play needs a bit of work, as he sticks to the perimeter often, but the upside is very strong with Lysell, with above-average shooting and passing to boot. Boston picking up the quick, skilled Swede at 21st overall is a steal, but one that is to be expected with Lysell's 5-10, 175-pound frame.  Smaller players are often overlooked in the top-20, which leads to some pretty interesting pick-ups at this point in the draft. Boston chose the best player available – A+ for that.

22. Edmonton Oilers (from Minnesota) – Xavier Bourgault, C/LW, Shawinigan, QMJHL (B+)

A very crafty offensive creator, Bourgault's ability to manipulate teammates and work the rush with creativity makes him a threat when closing down on the net – his shot and pass is very well hidden on his blade, adding unpredictability to his game using misinformation. He pops up unmarked in dangerous areas, and uses his teammates very well.  His defensive involvement lacks consistency, but when he gets involved, he usually makes the right choices. His skating improved a lot throughout the season, which shows promise for his future. The Oilers might've lost out on Wallstedt, but they made up for it with a pretty decent pick at 22nd overall.

23. Dallas Stars (from Detroit via Washington) – Wyatt Johnston, C, Windsor Spitfires, OHL (B)

Johnston was very difficult to evaluate this year, as the OHL did not get a season underway and Johnston did not find a replacement league to get some games in. He was very impressive, however, at the U-18 Worlds for Team Canada in a limited role, using his teammates very well and retrieving pucks in-deep with regularity.  His ability to play any type of game, from the gritty forechecking role to the offensive pivot responsibility, makes him a smart pick-up for the Stars, albeit a bit of a reach given how little he was viewed this year, and how likely he was to drop massively in this draft.  Hopefully the young center will build off his performance for Team Canada and head into the OHL next year ready to tear it up.

24. Florida Panthers – Mackie Samoskevich, C, Chicago Steel, USHL (B+)

An outstanding skater with a great offensive touch, Samoskevich's selection at 24th overall makes a ton of sense for the Panthers, as his high offensive ceiling is tough to argue against. He blends everything together at high speeds, reacting quickly to openings in defensive coverage and exploiting them brilliantly.  He's quick on the puck, he sees the ice extremely well, and can work the puck around in the offensive zone with little effort. He gets pushed around a bit too much, and doesn't have the highest work rate off-the-puck, but his offense more than compensates for this. A great pick-up for the Panthers, but they likely could have traded back a few picks and still gotten the forward.

25.  Columbus Blue Jackets (from Toronto) – Corson Ceulemans, RD, Brooks Bandits, AJHL (B+)

A great skater with decent size at 6-2, 198 pounds, Ceulemans' offensive game gives a lot of hope to the Blue Jackets as they build the blocks of their future defense core, as he works the puck really well and dictates the pace of play efficiently when he carries the puck.  His defensive game needs work, especially when he rushes up the ice for a failed offensive play, but the upside is promising with Ceulemans. A swing for the fences from a Blue Jackets team desperate for high-end talent, and one that could pay off massively with the right developmental support.

26. Minnesota Wild (from Pittsburgh) – Carson Lambos, LD, Winnipeg Ice, WHL (B)

One of the fastest-dropping prospects from the 2021 NHL Draft class, Lambos started off the year as an almost-certain top-5 prospect, and has now dropped all the way to 26th overall. A great skater who uses his foot speed to close gaps on forwards regularly, Lambos struggled to keep up the same game on larger ice surfaces against Finnish U-20 prospects while playing overseas during the pandemic, and this hurt his draft stock massively. He did show some worrying stretches of decision-making as well, and looked lost at times with all the space around him for opponents to exploit. A prospect that needs work on the details of his game, but with a strong foundation of offensive and defensive tools that could be built upon successfully by the right program.

27. Nashville Predators (from Carolina) – Zachary L'Heureux, C, Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL) (B)

A stocky, physical player with a great offensive touch, L'Heureux was often involved in puck battles and was a pest throughout the Mooseheads' season, to an extent of accumulating four suspensions in a shortened QMJHL season.  His hot-headedness is both a flaw and a quality, as he'll often throw the opposition off with his regular physical presence and his tendency to push some buttons on every shift. He boasts a rapid and accurate release, and can distribute the puck quite well. A great prospect, but one that comes with a massive risk of costing his team more than he brings to it, if he doesn't learn to be hot-headed at the right moments and reel in his intensity a bit.

28. Colorado Avalanche – Oskar Olausson, C/RW, HV71, SHL (A)

A versatile, mature forward with dynamic speed and high-end pace of execution, Olausson's SHL season saw him finish second in draft-year players for points per game, with four points in 16 games at the men's level.  His skating is both well on its own, and even better in his utilization of it; he doesn't fly around at full-speed aimlessly, preferring instead to slow down and speed up at opportune moments to create separation at timely moments with his opponents. An outstanding selection at 28th overall for the Avalanche, and a decent support piece for Colorado's high-skilled offense.

29. New Jersey Devils (from NY Islanders) – Chase Stillman, C (B)

Another OHL forward who only saw a glimpse of hockey at the U-18 Worlds, Stillman's intelligence on and off the puck makes his game tick, as he finds the best way to exploit space on the ice and works to get into exploitable ice in all three zones.  His offensive touch is inconsistent, apart from an above-average playmaking ability, and his hands and feet will need to be more in sync at the next level, but his tenacity and smarts should carry him into a bottom-six NHL role. Better players were available here, so New Jersey gets a modest B.

30. Vegas Golden Knights – Zach Dean, C, Gatineau (QMJHL) (B+)

One of the best two-way, North-South forwards in the 2021 NHL Draft, Dean's speed and defensive responsibility makes him a strong suppressor of offensive chances, while maintaining a quick level of processing under pressure. He moves the puck to teammates in ways that maximize his chances of prolonging offensive sequences, and works very hard off-the-puck to get into dangerous areas and knock pucks off defensemen.  His offensive touch needs to come quite a way to become a top-six NHL forward, but Dean's floor is very high. A solid bottom-six penalty-killing specialist at worst. Great late-round pick-up for the Knights.

31. Montreal Canadiens – Logan Mailloux, RD, London Knights, OHL (F)

Wow. This pick is, at best, a massive reach, as Mailloux asked NHL teams not to consider him at all for the 2021 NHL Draft and was taken off most scouting teams' lists entirely, due to his illegal sharing of private pictures and personal information taken without the consent of a woman he met in Sweden, when Mailloux went to play overseas during the pandemic. At worst, this points to a glaring problem within the culture of the organization, and is a clear message to the victim, her family and women in hockey as a whole, that their struggles are quick to be ignored if the perpetrator is deemed good enough of an athlete.

Even without considering the optics of the Canadiens picking a convicted offender of a severe crime who publicly expressed his wish to overlook this year's draft and work on his issues as a person, Mailloux is just not worth a first-round pick on talent alone. His 15 points in 18 games in Sweden's third division of men's hockey point to a slightly above-average offensive skillset, but with right-handed offensive-leaning defense prospects Scott Morrow, Brent Johnson, Aleksi Heimosalmi and Shai Buium available at this pick, as well as high-end forward talent still on the board in Francesco  Pinelli, Sasha Pastujov and Logan Stankoven, preferring Mailloux to these players seems almost intentional, rather than a product of filling a need or going BPA. An F is only appropriate.

32. Chicago Blackhawks (from Columbus via Tampa Bay) – Nolan Allan, LD, Prince Albert Raiders, WHL (C+)

An interesting pick to end the first round of the 2021 NHL Draft, Allan's very sound skating stride and his high-end defensive habits make him one of the most stable defensemen in this year's draft.  His ability to stifle rushes and get in the way of speedy forwards to force them off their routes makes him an above-average defender, and he uses his four-way mobility quite well inside his own zone to stick to forwards and make them double back and reset.  His puck skills lack finesse and creativity, and he can put his team in trouble when getting involved in offensive rushes, but his play without the puck makes up for any offensive short-comings. A safe bet for bottom-pair NHL action, but there were many better prospects available at this pick, hence a C+ for Chicago.

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Join us next week for a recap of rounds 2 through 7, as we go looking for the 2021 NHL Draft's mid- to late-round gems!

Hadi K.

Follow me on Twitter @HadiK_Scouting for all of your fantasy prospect needs!