The Drafts Are Coming

It’s been fairly quiet in the junior hockey world over the past few weeks but things are about to get busy.

On Sunday, the 2013 NHL Draft will take place in New Jersey. Because of the lockout the entire draft will take place on a Sunday afternoon. TSN has coverage beginning at 3:30pm.

This is expected to be a huge draft for the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. It certainly looks like Patrick Roy and the Colorado Avalanche plan to take Nathan MacKinnon with the first overall pick. MacKinnon, along with Halifax teammates Jonathan Drouin and Zach Fucale, are other QMJHL players who should go in the first round.

QMJHLers Valentin Zykov, Frederik Gauthier, Anthony Mantha, William Carrier, Samuel Morin, Adam Erne, and Laurent Dauphin are all listed in the top 30 of the NHL Central Scouting’s North American player rankings.

Only two Saint John Sea Dogs – forward Stephen Anderson and defenseman Jurij Repe – made Central Scouting’s final rankings. Anderson came in at No. 127 while Repe was listed at No. 205, respectively.

Meanwhile, the 2013 CHL Import Draft will take place next Wednesday, July 3. The Sea Dogs have the ninth overall selection and they are expected to be using that pick.

The Vancouver Giants will select first overall. QMJHL teams picking ahead of Saint John are Cape Breton at No. 3 and Halifax at No. 6.