NHL Mock Draft

Hey everyone, this is my 2011 NHL mock draft

1. Edmonton Oilers -- I still have no idea what direction the Oilers will go in. I decided to make the first overall pick. This time last year I thought they would have gone Seguin. I just do not see them passing on another center. Do they want to take a little center with all the other little forwards they have currently with Gagner, Cogliano, and Eberle? I'm gonna stick with RNH here though.
Pick: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, C

2. Colorado Avalanche -- with the Blues pick falling out of the top 10, Colorado gets a 2nd pick in the top 11. They should go best player available here which is Adam Larsson who is in comparison to Erik Johnson. Then again, with the addition of Johnson, they might decide they need a big forward and roll Landeskog to play in their top 6 to replace Stewart.
Pick: Adam Larsson, D

3. Florida Panthers -- Dale Tallon likes to build his teams from the back end out as evidenced by his selection of Erik Gudbranson in last years draft. He added a couple of forwards in Bjugstad and Howden and realistically he probably has to add a forward here. Landeskog doesn't seem like the best fit here to be honest. I think Tallon goes slightly down the board and takes this years Ryan Johansen-esque riser in Jonathan Huberdeau.
Pick: Jonathan Huberdeau, C

4. New Jersey Devils -- Devils are another weird one since they were able to move up. If they move down into the 6th spot where they can take Dougie Hamilton who is more of a guy they need. It fits for both teams, especially if the Devils can add a few more picks and stock the cupboard. If they can't, Landeskog works here so this is where I'll put him. They need to add a 2nd line center but they realistically could have Parise, Kovalchuk, Elias, and Tedenby or Landeskog as their top 6 wingers which will be nice for them.
Pick: Gabriel Landeskog, LW

5. New York Islanders -- The Islanders baffle me in every way shape and form. I'm going to flip a coin and guess between a few of these guys. Couturier fits better than Strome as a second line center. A need that needs to be added is defence, a prospect like Murphy or Hamilton will help there defencive core.  
Pick:Ryan Strome, C

6. Ottawa Senators -- The Senators and Gabriel Landeskog seem destined to be together still. , they likely go after a second line center and would be silly to not take Couturier if the draft falls this in this order.
Pick: Sean Couturier, C

7. Atlanta Thrashers -- Atlanta doesn't need another Dman with Buff, Enstrom, Bogo, Oduya, and Hainsey already there. Maybe they trade down or trade for a forward but I just can't see them picking a Dman if they keep the pick. They have to go off the board here a little.
Pick: Sven Bartschi, LW

8. Columbus Blue Jackets -- Similar to the Thrashers, they don't need a defenceman and another team that could move this pick. However, the Jackets still don't have a PP QB and Ryan Murphy fits the bill here.
Pick: Ryan Murphy, D

9. Boston Bruins (via Toronto Maple Leafs) -- Yet another one that could be dealt. Bruins can take a dman and with Hamilton on the board they don't hesitate, assuming they haven't already dealt it at this point in the draft.
Pick: Dougie Hamilton, D

10. Minnesota Wild -- Minnesota Wild have had good luck with European forwards in Koivu and Granlund last season they should go with one here considering they might be in need of more forward depth.
Pick: Mika Zibanejad, C

11. Colorado Avalanche (via St. Louis Blues) -- Avs took a Dman with the first pick so they probably take a forward with this pick. Two big fowardss in Saad or Biggs make some sense but with both continuing to fall considerably in the latest rankings, it might be a stretch. I am going to go with Saad who is likely a targeted winger.
Pick: Brandon Saad, LW

12. Carolina Hurricanes -- Canes are stocked at forward currently and have virtually no young defencemen depth after McBain. Easy pick here if hes still on the board.
Pick: Duncan Siemans, D

13. Calgary Flames -- Flames are still in need of a forward or center to play with Iginla but with this pick that might not matter. They'll need a center to lead the next group and while they might not get quite that this low at 13, they can find someone who can play. Probably gonna be one of Vladislav Namestnikov or Mark McNeil.
Pick: Mark McNeil, C

14. Dallas Stars -- I thought the Stars were going to be a bottom feeder this season and sweak into the playoffs so I don't really know what they will pick. Its a pretty young top 6 group with Benn but there is a gap with the loss of James Neal. Could be Biggs here as well, could be Beaulieu as he continues to slide, could be Oleksiak for the potential future.
Pick: Nathan Beaulieu, D

15. New York Rangers -- Rangers are a stocked farm system. Both up front and on the back end. They could go with the high potentialed Jamieson Oleksiak who is a giant.
Pick: Jamieson Oleksiak, D

16. Buffalo Sabres -- Biggs has coninute to fall a few spots and the Sabres can potentially nab another power forward to go with Kassian.
Pick: Tyler Biggs, RW

17. Montreal Canadiens -- Finnish forwards have been successful in Montreal in the past. They go with Armia.
Pick: Joel Armia, RW

18. Chicago Blackhawks -- Could be anyone here but I think they take the real good dman who they can afford to leave in Sweden to develop.
Pick: Jonas Brodin, D

19. Edmonton Oilers (via Los Angeles Kings) -- Edmonton either goes Goalie or Defenceman with this pick, especially with who is left. Since the goalies are rare and many may be slipping, they probably go after a defenceman and look at a goalie with their next pick. Morrow has been rocketting up draft boards. Could also be David Musil.
Pick: Joseph Morrow, D

20. Phoenix Coyotes -- Coyotes moved up the boards and will not be missing the playoffs so they slide down the draft. They could probably deal this pick or they could take a guy who could be a player for them.
Pick: Ty Rattie, RW

21. Ottawa Senators (via Nashville Predators) -- Ottawa probably nabs another forward here since they have Cowen and Karlsson to build their D around. They took Couturier before and they need a legit offensive player. Namestnikov is a pretty good fit here. They could reach on Puempel or they could take a chance on getting him with their 2nd but he is another possibility.
Pick: Vladislav Namestnikov, F

22. Anaheim Ducks -- Ducks need defense and Musil is still on the board here.
Pick: David Musil, D

23. Tampa Bay Lightning -- Still don't know what Lightning do with their 1st. They are pretty set in their top 6 and pretty good in their top 4 its a question mark. They COULD take a forward to replace Marty St. Louis eventually and a little guy like Rocco Grimaldi could be that prospect.
Pick: Rocco Grimaldi, F

24. Toronto Maple Leafs (via Boston Bruins) -- I don't think the Leafs make either of their picks. But since I can't do that now, the Leafs need top line players and they probably don't get one here but Jensen, Puempel, and Jurco have a shot. They steer clear of Puempel's injury and go with Jensen over Jurco because he's bigger and has a bigger knack for getting infront of the net.
Pick: Nicklas Jensen, W

25. Detroit Red Wings -- The Red Wings always go a little off the board. Christopher Gibson could fit here since they still kind of need a tender. Tomas Jurco probably makes more sense with his high potential. Could also be Puempel since they can wait. Regardless of position Red Wings always find a gem.
Pick: Tomas Jurco, W

26. San Jose Sharks -- Sharks are fairly weak on D and Mayfield is probably still the guy here.
Pick: Scott Mayfield, D

27. Pittsburgh Penguins -- High potential winger to possibly slot on Crosby's other side. They take a chance here thinking his potential is worth drafting an injury prone player.
Pick: Matt Puempel, LW

28. Toronto Maple Leafs (via Philadelphia Flyers) -- Best player on the board. Leafs don't need a defenceman with their stock of defencemen. Zack Phillips probably should have gone much sooner than here. Seth Ambroz will probably be Toronto's second rounder. Or Tobias Rieder.
Pick: Zack Phillips, C

29. Washington Capitals -- Capitals need a defenceman and Connor Murphy has shot up the draft boards from not even being on the list to being 25th among North American skaters on the CSB list.
Pick: Connor Murphy, D

30. Vancouver Canucks -- I'm going to include Catenacci in my first round, another possiblity is Jenner. Vancouver has loads of potential and could possibly play hodgson on the 4th line, this player selected will have to work his way up through the minors if selected.
Pick: Daniel Catenacci, C

Raptors GM Future Uncertain?

A close sources close to the situation has told ESPN.com this week that the Toronto Raptors do indeed have a backup plan if the current management -- at the urging of staunch anti-Colangelo board member Glen Silvestri -- decides it's best to make an immediate change. Or a change after June 30.

One possibility management is considering, what one sources said, is naming the Raptors special advisor Wayne Embry as interim GM similar to the past. In that scenario, Embry and longtime Raptors senior director of player personnel Jim Kelly would then either be asked to oversee Toronto's draft in Colangelo's place, or Embry would simply become interim GM as of July 1.

Embry, 74, has already served as interim GM for the Raps once before, taking temporary charge of the team's basketball operations in January 2006 from Rob Babcock -- Embry has made two trades before the trade deadlineduring the 2006 season before Colangelo was hired on Feb. 28, 2006.

Toronto Blue Jays

The Toronto Blue Jays have demoted starting pitcher Jesse Litsch and have activated relief pitcher Frank Francisco from the 15-day disabled list.