What will Happen at the NHL Draft?

The NHL draft is coming up this Sunday and the big question is who will go number one overall? This year it comes down to Seth Jones, a defenseman who played with Portland this past year, and Nathan MacKinnon, a center who played for Halifax. Throughout the entire year Jones looked as though he had that coveted number one spot, but since his Memorial Cup performance couldn’t back up the hype, where he ends up has been a question mark.

Jones and MacKinnon faced each other in the Memorial Cup, with Jones expected to nearly single-handedly take it for his team. Hailing from Denver even, it was a natural fit for him to become a part of the Avalanche club. Jones is the son of former NBA star Popeye Jones, but he’s undoubtedly earned his own spot as a great athlete. Not only did he have 15 points during the playoff run this year, but he’s also helped Team USA win gold during the world juniors.

But when he met Nathan MacKinnon during the Memorial Cup, he may have met his match. MacKinnon dominated during that tournament, and since all the talk has been surrounded around him. MacKinnon may have gotten two fewer points than Jones during that playoff run, but many of those were during the hat trick he scored in the championship game – the game he played against Jones. His speed has also been a topic of conversation for many, and the fact that he hails from Sidney Crosby’s hometown doesn’t hurt either.

Jones and MacKinnon are both so good and would be of such value to any team that they’ll both most likely be chosen as number one and two. Whoever doesn’t end up with Colorado after Sunday’s draft will probably be chosen by the Florida Panthers, who hold the number two spot.

Categorized in: NHL

Tags: NHL