Taking a little hiatus on Reasonable Artspectations before I dive into the blueline. Not an inspiring bunch, I daresay.
Anyway, I found myself filling out a top 20 for The Org's $10k contest with ATB. Worth checking out even if you just plug ISS rankings into it. This draft should be enough of a crapshoot that just about any schmuck has a reasonable chance of winning that cash.
Here's my Mock 20 with (little to no) rationale:
1 - The Nuge - Having #19 means we're taking a forward first. Pegged as The Org's guy & I buy it.
2 - Huberdeau - Kurt Russell (dead ringer, no?) is going to the Avs thanks to his Memorial Cup run. Otherwise, they'd be taking Landeskog. And they might anyway.
3 - Zibanejad - Heard the Persian Prince is now in the top 3 conversation. People will lambaste Tallon, but I think he gets the last laugh.
4 - Larsson - Loophole Lou can't believe his luck. First, he wins the lottery & now he sees his #1 fall into his lap.
5 - Couturier - Will flourish as 2C behind Tavares.
6 - Landeskog - It would be insane if he drops this far, but I'm banking on this draft to be crazy. Sens get the Skinner of this year's draft.
7 - Khokhlachev/Strome - I see the UnJets taking the Spitfire riser or the IceDog. Either way, his counterpart will drop out of the top 10. Just my take.
8 - Siemens - The Org trades for this pick, or the Jackets hang onto it. Either way, the kid's going at 8.
9 - McNeil - Chiarelli rounds out his 1C/2C for the next decade (thank you, Brian Burke). This will make Boston's recent cup win even more ridiculous ;).
10 - Baertschi
11 - Hamilton - Avs atone for passing on Larsson & are sitting pretty in the prospect department.
12 - Armia - Jussi Jokinen's spiritual successor & Jeff Skinner's future best friend.
13 - Murphy - Flamers grab a falling waterbug in Don Cherry's #1 Overall. I will hate him regardless, but I see him being a long-term thorn in The Org's side.
14 - Phillips - Stars double their chances at C by taking another Scott Glennie.
15 - Miller - Not on my radar at all, but tried to think like Slats (read: crazily). Close to picking Oleksiak, but I see the American pivot with size as Sather's darkhorse.
16 - Strome/Scheifele - If Manitoba takes Khokhlachev, Strome's going to Buffalo. If not, the Sabres stick to Canada & the Russian drops out of the top 20.
17 - Beaulieu
18 - Saad
19 - Oleksiak - I think (pray?) that he'll slide & that The Org makes the right decision. Personally love this kid's arrows & raw physicality.
20 - Biggs - Kyle Turris: meet your future linemate & bodyguard.
There you go. Nothing groundbreaking, but a fun diversion & hey, I might win 10g's. If I do... DRINKS ON ME!