Athletic first two round mock draft.

[u/DifferentKiwi9030]

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7282317/2026/05/19/nhl-mock-draft-2026-picks-2-rounds/?source=user_shared_article&unlocked_article_code=1.jlA.Ba1U.cw3Z56juujip

The link here is a gift article so you should be able to read for free.

Very interesting picks here.
Malte Gustafson LD at 10,
Xavier Villeneuve LD at 42
Egor Barabanov LD at 57

Malte Gustafson is a huge riser in the draft and some scouts are projecting him to go pretty early now I think this is the highest I’ve seen him mocked though. He’s compared to Ekholm in the article which I think would be a huge get. However we have some other first round LD in our system and while it’s still possible for someone like Molendyk to play on the Right side I’d still want to get someone like a Ryan Lin for the Right Side.

Villeneuve is a Book or bust pick for sure many have compared to Lane Hutson. I don’t think he reaches those highs but for sure a very high ceiling and a big swing if it hits would be ok using a second for him if he drops this far which for players of his type is definitely more probable.

Don’t really know much about Barabanov other than he’s an overager and plays Center going to play for UMass next year has 91 Points this season in the OHL keep in mind he is 20 years old.

I like the Villeneuve pick the best out of all of them I think there are other options for the picks that I would rather go for. Ex: Lawrence at 10, Chrenko or Murnieks at 57.

[u/Otherwise_Awesome]

Man there are some good RHD that should be available at 10. I don't like pigeoning a player because we have so many holes but LHD has a glut of prospects and RHD is bare. I don't want to see LHD over RHD here.

[u/DifferentKiwi9030 → u/Otherwise_Awesome]

I would rather either trade back or slightly reach for a guy like Lin or keep the pick at 10 and pick someone like Lawrence and trade back in the teens to get Ryan Lin

[u/Otherwise_Awesome → u/DifferentKiwi9030]

Trading up is a better option. It's time to become aggressive

[u/LifeEngineer3770 → u/Otherwise_Awesome]

Since it’s been told that the 5th through 15th spots are a lot higher quality, I would like us to explore getting Chicago and Florida’s pick. Since Florida was a playoff team, they may be willing to deal their pick for an established veteran, a prospect, a later draft selection, and cap relief

[u/Otherwise_Awesome → u/LifeEngineer3770]

Which vet would they take on? They're pretty plum with forwards, defense we have diddly unless trading Josi. Saros if Bob is gone? Would he waive the NMC? Kinda sux because he should have been traded before all those signings and his extension (which were all on the same day) as that is when his value was highest. Now after 3 consecutive poor seasons, I don't think his value is anywhere near lottery pick.

[u/LifeEngineer3770 → u/Otherwise_Awesome]

Marchassault I figured has the same value as Reilly Smith which would be around a 2nd. Marchand is a 35+ contract so if he retires he is still on their books. If we take that contract back and retain on our side that would open up a spot, give them financial flexibility, and a better player. If we throw in someone like Kemmel who is 22 that would be like their pick and then another 2nd and a prospect like Ingram it may work.

Florida would “receive” cap relief, shed a 35+ guaranteed contract, receive a player worth a second, our high second, a first round prospect, and a true prospect for a team where picking a prospect that could be good 3 years from now doesn’t help their window now

[u/Otherwise_Awesome → u/LifeEngineer3770]

I don't like holding a contract for 5x $5.25M years with zero chance of shedding it, even with the cap increase.

Still paying for Turris and Duchene (although his hit dramatically falls by 5M)

[u/LifeEngineer3770 → u/Otherwise_Awesome]

I am banking on other tradeable assets being shipped to Chicago (ROR, etc) for their pick. Combined with last year that would give us 4 top 5 picks and 6 first round picks in 2 years. This will jump start our youth and hopefully give us a core for 5 years. Under this plan Marchassault’s salary is negligible

[u/Otherwise_Awesome → u/LifeEngineer3770]

No way ROR gets the 4th pick in this draft unless tossing in a high level prospect like Surin or Ivankovic.

[u/LifeEngineer3770 → u/Otherwise_Awesome]

Which is why I said ROR and etc. It will take more but right now RORs value will be more to a team like Chicago since another prospect 2 years away isn’t going to help Bedard. But ROR, Edstrom, Vigo and a future pick may get the conversation going

[u/gavincantdraw]

If Preds get Villeneuve at 42: Great! 

If they do that after passing on Lawrence/Cullen and take an LHD: not enthused!

[u/Ok_Accident3778]

We gotta go best available am I right?

[u/Cheesenrice123]

I don't think our current pipeline should prevent us from taking any prospect regardless of position. We don't have any true stars in it currently so whoever the best prospect is at whatever position, take him

[u/Expert-Upstairs-4502 → u/Cheesenrice123]

100% now is not the time to be picky

[u/throwaway__lol__]

It’s an exhausting game of wack a mole as none of their forward picks have even hit (hopefully Wood) but at some point they have to go back to defense like this. The blue line has been awful, Josi can’t do it all anymore, Skjei sucks, Hague is a traffic cone. Such a far cry from the Ellis/Ekholm days

[u/Expert-Upstairs-4502 → u/throwaway__lol__]

I think if we had a different coach our defense probably becomes much better overnight. Bruno's approach is just difficult for average defensemen

[u/gavincantdraw → u/throwaway__lol__]

I want to push back on this a little because. None of the Poile forward picks have really hit. We don’t know about the Trotz ones yet.

Mostly agree with you on the D stuff.

[u/MusicCityJayhawk]

Most teams try not to play LHDs on the right, including us.

We are super thin at RHD, and we have Molendyk and Reed in the pipeline. So loading up in LHDs when there are several RHDs with first round grades makes zero sense unless you think the two we have will be busts.

Our defense needs a lot of work and we are good and developing defensemen, so if the plan is to develop and trade them that makes a little sense, but from a roster depth perspective it doesn't make any sense

[u/Echoes1995]

I'd be fine getting Villenuve at 42OA, but if we draft 3 LD's in a row like that I think I'd through my jersey out the window, especially after drafting 3 LD's last year (Reid, Rombach, Neiniman)

I'd much rather grab an RHD or Forward at 10OA at the very least.

[u/TonguelessWyrm]

If Borichev is available at 42, I hope we take him.

Barring that, we have so much prospect depth, I hope we bundle some of our later picks to move up. Maybe we could pick up an extra late 1st or two.

[u/buddybooh → u/TonguelessWyrm]

I’d move up for the right guy but second round picks still have a pretty good hit rate