Follow the entire 2019 NHL draft, pick-by-pick. Chris Peters, Greg Wyshynski and Emily Kaplan provide detailed breakdowns of each first-rounder's skill set, as well as how he will fit with his new NHL team. And be sure to check out all of our draft-prep content to learn more about this talented draft class.

Best of Round 1 | Draft order
Top 100 | Goalies | Day 2 value
Best by skill | Hughes vs. Kakko

1. New Jersey Devils: Jack Hughes, C

Team: USA U18 (NTDP)
Ranking: 1 | Nationality: USA
Age: 18 | Ht: 5-10 | Wt: 170 | Shot: L
Stats: 50 GP, 34 G, 78 A

Scouting report: Hughes has such great burst and an effortless glide in his skating, and he uses his edges to create separation. He sees the ice and processes play development at an elite level. Hughes is an expert at making plays in small areas, which is why his size is less of a bother. Although he definitely needs to continue adding muscle, Hughes is unafraid to go to the hard areas of the ice and protects himself well, thanks to his skating and anticipation skills. He takes care of his own end and uses those anticipation skills to cut down passing lanes, but his defense needs improvement. I have yet to watch a game in which he didn't drive play, shift in and shift out. -- Peters

Team fit: Hughes gives the Devils two young centers around whom to build. He joins 20-year-old Nico Hischier, taken first overall in 2017, to form a formidable one-two punch. His arrival gives the franchise some clear direction, which will be vital if the Devils are to re-sign 2018 Hart Trophy winner Taylor Hall before next summer's unrestricted free agency. -- Wyshynski

Where Hughes is most likely to play in 2019-20: NHL (Devils)

2. New York Rangers: Kaapo Kakko, RW

Team: TPS (Finland)
Ranking: 2 | Nationality: FIN
Age: 18 | Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 194 | Shot: L
Stats: 45 GP, 22 G, 16 A

Scouting report: Kakko has a great frame and uses it well, as he's hard to take off the puck and uses that ability to create extra time for himself. He has the vision to spot plays and make them quickly, and I think his hand skills have gotten to a fringe elite level. His shot is high-end and heavy; he can beat goalies from distance, but then he also has the skill to make plays in tight at the net front. Although not Hughes-like in his skating, he is powerful and has enough speed to break away from the opposition. His edgework is strong, and his balance makes him so difficult to play against. Kakko battles as well as any player, both in puck pursuit and with it on his stick. There's a definite fire in him to compete, and he will be a cornerstone NHL winger. -- Peters

Team fit: After his performances in Liiga, the pro league in Finland, and the IIHF world championships, anticipation is high that Kakko will make an immediate impact for the Rangers as a goal-scoring winger. The Rangers are in a multiyear rebuild and have amassed a good number of young offensive players. With prospects like Lias Andersson and Filip Chytil at center, Kakko should fit in nicely. -- Wyshynski

Where Kakko is most likely to play in 2019-20: NHL (Rangers)

3. Chicago Blackhawks: Kirby Dach, C

Team: Saskatoon (WHL)
Ranking: 4 | Nationality: CAN
Age: 18 | Ht: 6-4 | Wt: 198 | Shot: R
Stats: 62 GP, 25 G, 48 A

Scouting report: Dach has size, smarts and skill. It's not often that you get a play-driving center at 6-foot-4 who makes the game look as easy as Dach does. Although he lacks explosiveness, he skates smoothly and has a great sense of how to get to where he needs to be efficiently. When he does have the puck, Dach is a shot-pass threat who can score goals in a variety of ways. He's especially successful at driving the net. He can also pick teams apart from the outside, thanks to high-end vision and elite distribution skills. He has dealt with bouts of inconsistency, but when he is on, he is unstoppable. -- Peters

Team fit: The Blackhawks have a surplus of top defensive prospects (not a bad problem to have), so it wasn't necessarily a surprise they bypassed Bowen Byram. They get a center in Dach, which is a huge area of organizational need. Chicago needed any forward, really. Out of the non-Jack Hughes centers in this draft, Dach is the most likely to crack an NHL roster next season, though it would be a surprise to see him in Chicago in 2019-20. -- Kaplan

Where Dach is most likely to play in 2019-20: WHL

4. Colorado Avalanche: Bowen Byram, D

Team: Vancouver (WHL)
Ranking: 7 | Nationality: CAN
Age: 18 | Ht: 6-1 | Wt: 195 | Shot: L
Stats: 67 GP, 26 G, 45 A

Scouting report: There is no denying that he has some incredible offensive skill, but I would like to see Byram become a bit more consistent as a defender. I think the skating is excellent, and he has a good sense of how to play efficiently in a boatload of minutes. One scout I spoke to expressed concern that the way Byram scored goals -- popping deep into zones and aggressively jumping plays -- won't translate to the NHL. I think elements of it can, but he will have to become a bit more selective. He's the best defenseman in this draft by a fairly large margin. But the threshold of a future No. 1 defenseman is pretty high, and I'm not sure Byram is there yet for me. -- Peters

Team fit: There was a time, not too long ago, that the Avalanche's defense corps was one of the NHL's most underwhelming groups. That's going to feel like ancient history over the next several years. Byram joins potential 2019 Rookie of the Year Cale Makar, 20, smooth-skating Samuel Girard, 21, and Connor Timmins, 20, to form the backbone of that blue line for years to come. -- Wyshynski

Where Byram is most likely to play in 2019-20: WHL

5. Los Angeles Kings: Alex Turcotte, C

Team: USA U18 (NTDP)
Ranking: 3 | Nationality: USA
Age: 18 | Ht: 5-11 | Wt: 186 | Shot: L
Stats: 37 GP, 27 G, 35 A

Scouting report: He is a smart, two-way forward with an unrelenting motor and an ability to make plays in the offensive end of the ice. Turcotte is dogged in puck pursuit and remarkably strong, despite being average-sized. He is a fierce competitor but does not step over the line very often. He is not always flashy and doesn't always make the eye-popping play, but he makes the right plays. Turcotte goes hard to the net and into the corners, and he has the touch and plus-level vision to make plays under duress and find better options in tougher situations with the puck on his stick. He has deceptive feet, showcasing a good second gear that allows him to beat defenders wide or challenge them inside. -- Peters

Team fit: Turcotte follows the speed-based model the Kings have been going with lately. On top of being a skilled player with excellent vision and superior hockey sense, he's a competitive two-way guy. The Kings have been building a stable of fast centers with Rasmus Kupari and Akil Thomas, both selected last year. This prospect pool gets a nice boost with a player with a ton of versatility. -- Peters

Where Turcotte is most likely to play in 2019-20: NCAA (Wisconsin)

6. Detroit Red Wings: Moritz Seider, D

Team: Mannheim (Germany)
Ranking: 15 | Nationality: GER
Age: 18 | Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 208 | Shot: R
Stats: 29 GP, 2 G, 4 A

Scouting report: One of the most intriguing players in this entire draft, Seider is a strong skater for such a big guy and sees the ice particularly well. He can make plays at the offensive blue line and does a good job of absorbing and evading pressure in his own zone. There's some risk because Seider didn't have a ton of reps on special teams and in key situations this season, but he should be able to get those next season. -- Peters

Team fit: The Red Wings do not have a ton of depth among defensemen in their system, but this was a shocker of a pick in Steve Yzerman's first draft. The value among the forwards still on the board is significant. You'd have to think the Red Wings bring him to North America immediately and allow him to develop in their own system in the AHL. -- Peters

Where Seider is most likely to play in 2019-20: AHL

7. Buffalo Sabres: Dylan Cozens, C

Team: Lethbridge (WHL)
Ranking: 10 | Nationality: CAN
Age: 18 | Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 183 | Shot: R
Stats: 68 GP, 34 G, 50 A

Scouting report: A strong skater who has an explosive burst in space, Cozens has that combination of size and speed that tantalizes scouts. There have been some questions about his overall hockey sense and skill level, but it's hard to argue with how his physical tools translate. The lack of high-end puck skills suggests that he might not be a No. 1 pivot down the road. That said, he has some two-way capabilities, with the balance tilting more offensively. -- Peters

Team fit: Cozens brings a lot of speed, and he believes he can play in the NHL next season. I'm not sure I'm there yet for him, though. That said, I've liked his game from start to finish. He gives the Sabres a pretty versatile guy who could be a nice No. 2 center behind Jack Eichel in the long term. -- Peters

Where Cozens is most likely to play in 2019-20: WHL

8. Edmonton Oilers: Philip Broberg, D

Team: AIK (Sweden 2)
Ranking: 14 | Nationality: SWE
Age: 17 | Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 200 | Shot: L
Stats: 41 GP, 2 G, 7 A

Scouting report: One of the best pure skaters in this draft, Broberg has all of the tools to eventually become a top-four defenseman in the NHL. There have been some moderate concerns about his hockey sense and playmaking abilities, but I think those will catch up to his feet eventually. He makes pretty good reads in the offensive zone, distributes well from the defensive zone and can use his feet in transition as well as, or better than, any defenseman in this draft. Broberg has a very good, quick and accurate shot from the point, looking for open lanes and possessing the mobility to find the best option. -- Peters

Team fit: Broberg is an exceptional skater, and that had to be part of Edmonton's reasoning for grabbing him in the top 10. He can play the game at the Oilers' pace. I think he's going to need a little extra time before he's ready to jump into their lineup, but he has remarkable upside. Patience and good coaching will help him unlock it. -- Peters

Where Broberg is most likely to play in 2019-20: SHL

9. Anaheim Ducks: Trevor Zegras, C

Team: USA U18 (NTDP)
Ranking: 5 | Nationality: USA
Age: 18 | Ht: 6-0 | Wt: 173 | Shot: L
Stats: 60 GP, 26 G, 61 A

Scouting report: With elite vision and passing skills, Zegras is excellent in dictating play from the half wall or making plays on the rush. He can play at any speed and can back defenders down coming through the neutral zone. His ability to gain the zone is rivaled only by Hughes' in the draft class, as Zegras has creativity and a good sense of how to find the soft areas to give him the best chance to make plays. He has a quick release and can score goals but is viewed more as a pass-first player. The biggest area of improvement for Zegras is his physical strength. He also seems to force plays sometimes, but I think that became less of a problem as this past season progressed. -- Peters

Team fit: Zegras dropped further than I thought he would or should. He's an exceptional playmaker and will fit right into a prospect pool that already includes Isac Lundestrom, Max Comtois, Troy Terry, Sam Steel and Max Jones. For a rebuilding team, the Ducks have some nice building blocks up front. -- Peters

Where Zegras is most likely to play in 2019-20: NCAA (Boston University)

10. Vancouver Canucks: Vasily Podkolzin, RW

Team: Neva St. Petersburg (Russia 2)
Ranking: 9 | Nationality: RUS
Age: 17 | Ht: 6-1 | Wt: 196 | Shot: L
Stats: 14 GP, 2 G, 3 A

Scouting report: He remains under KHL contract for the next two years, but Podkolzin is an exceptional talent, with high-end skill and power in his game. He has a mean streak, gets on pucks quickly and can finish. Podkolzin wasn't dominating in the same way at the end of the season, and his club play was underwhelming, but I've maintained all year that he was never put in a great position to succeed this season because he played at three different levels in Russia. When Podkolzin is at his best, few in this class are better. He does a little bit of everything and does almost all of it very well. -- Peters

Team fit: Podkolzin is a bit of risk because of that KHL contract, but I've heard from teams that those worries were largely quieted at the combine. Podkolzin won't be around for a couple of years, but he needed a few years to get his pro legs anyway. The Canucks have another high-end forward in their growing crop of young players with boatloads of skill. -- Peters

Where Podkolzin is most likely to play in 2019-20: KHL

11. Arizona Coyotes: Victor Soderstrom, D

Team: Brynas (Sweden)
Ranking: 17 | Nationality: SWE
Age: 18 | Ht: 6-0 | Wt: 182 | Shot: R
Stats: 44 GP, 4 G, 3 A

Scouting report: A remarkably poised and mature defenseman, Soderstrom showcased his puck-moving talent and high-end hockey sense this season. However, I don't know that there's anything in particular that stands out about Soderstrom aside from the way he thinks the game. The skill is fine, the passing is good-to-great, his shot is OK and he gets pucks out of the zone well. He might be a jack of all trades but a master of none. -- Peters

Team fit: The Coyotes needed more defensemen in their system, and Soderstrom has got a lot of upside. Having already played a year of pro hockey may adjust his timeline. I was surprised to see Arizona trade up, but the unexpected run on defensemen early in this draft really changed things and forced the Coyotes' hand to make sure they got their guy. -- Peters

Where Soderstrom is most likely to play in 2019-20: SHL

12. Minnesota Wild: Matthew Boldy, LW

Team: USA U18 (NTDP)
Ranking: 8 | Nationality: USA
Age: 18 | Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 196 | Shot: L
Stats: 64 GP, 33 G, 48 A

Scouting report: Boldy is a wing who plays more like a center, a true 200-foot player who is as valuable defensively as he is offensively. He could afford to improve his skating some -- he does not have breakaway speed -- but he still gets around the sheet effectively. In the offensive end, Boldy has higher-end puck skills and creativity. He can make the plays in small areas and has an excellent, heavy, accurate shot. Boldy also possesses excellent vision and an ability to make accurate passes off the backhand and forehand. -- Peters

Team fit: Boldy probably needs a few years in college, but he would have been so hard to pass on here. He brings size and versatility to the table and instantly becomes a top prospect in a shallow system. If the Wild ever convince Kirill Kaprizov to leave the KHL, they'd have some excellent pieces to keep building on. -- Peters

Where Boldy is most likely to play in 2019-20: NCAA (Boston College)

13. Florida Panthers: Spencer Knight, G

Team: USA U18 (NTDP)
Ranking: 31 | Nationality: USA
Age: 18 | Ht: 6-4 | Wt: 193 | Catch: L
Stats: 33 GP, 0.913 Sv%, 2.36 GAA

Scouting report: The things that makes Knight exceptional among his goaltending peers is elite hockey sense, tremendous athleticism balanced with controlled play, great footwork and size and elite puck-moving abilities. I don't put huge value on a goalie's puckhandling skills, but Knight's are so good it's hard not to mention. Knight has really grown a lot in his confidence and poise in the net. There's such little flash in Knight's game, and that's a good thing. He's just always in the right spot because he tracks and anticipates as well as any goalie prospect I've seen in the past few years. -- Peters

Team fit: Knight is the top-ranked goalie in the draft, and now the future of the Panthers' net. And he would have some time to develop if the Panthers end up landing Sergei Bobrovsky in free agency to man their crease for the next several seasons. Per ESPN Stats & Information, Knight is the highest draft pick at the goalie position since Jack Campbell in 2010, who was drafted 11th by the Stars. -- Wyshynski

Where Knight is most likely to play in 2019-20: NCAA (Boston College)

14. Philadelphia Flyers: Cam York, D

Team: USA U18 (NTDP)
Ranking: 13 | Nationality: USA
Age: 18 | Ht: 5-11 | Wt: 172 | Shot: L
Stats: 63 GP, 14 G, 51 A

Scouting report: York is often described as the modern-day defenseman. He jumps into plays with relative ease and has good instincts for when he has to get back. I thought his defensive game improved greatly over the past two seasons without sacrificing offense. His puck retrievals and sense for getting out of his own zone are among the best in this draft because he follows that first touch with decisive play. He still has to round out his game more and continue to build strength as an average-sized defenseman, but there's a lot to like in what he's done and how he progressed this season. -- Peters

Team fit: The Flyers did extremely well in trading down to get an extra asset (No. 45 overall) while still getting a defenseman who plays the game the way the NHL is going. The Flyers have been loading up on prospects in recent years and have some really good forwards, so why not nab a high-end offensive defensman to get the puck to them? -- Peters

Where York is most likely to play in 2019-20: NCAA (Michigan)

15. Montreal Canadiens: Cole Caufield, RW

Team: USA U18 (NTDP)
Ranking: 6 | Nationality: USA
Age: 18 | Ht: 5-7 | Wt: 163 | Shot: R
Stats: 64 GP, 72 G, 28 A

Scouting report: It isn't just that Caufield scored 72 goals this season, the most by any draft-eligible player in junior hockey by 21 goals. It's also how he scores them. Yes, Caufield is slight, but he has elite offensive sense. I haven't seen a prospect who has as keen a sense of time and space, and opponents have a hard time tracking Caufield on the ice. He's always moving, finding openings before anyone knows they're there. Combine that skill with an elite shot that isn't as heavy as it is ridiculously quick and accurate. -- Peters

Team fit: Caufield's draft slide ends here, and the Canadiens get the best pure goal scorer in the draft. Other teams were clearly deterred by Caufield's size, but he'll spend his career trying to prove them wrong. It will take some seasoning for Caufield to make Montreal's roster, though. -- Kaplan

Where Caufield is most likely to play in 2019-20: NCAA (Wisconsin)

16. Colorado Avalanche: Alex Newhook, C

Team: Victoria (BCHL)
Ranking: 12 | Nationality: CAN
Age: 18 | Ht: 5-11 | Wt: 192 | Shot: L
Stats: 53 GP, 38 G, 64 A

Scouting report: Newhook has high-end skills with skating that is probably just shy of elite. He can dance on the ice at times, using quick hand skills to beat defenders one-on-one while always knowing his next play. He gets shots off quickly and finds teammates well under pressure. Newhook requires patience because he needs to get stronger and needs to be harder to play against in more physical, tightly checked games, but that skill is tantalizing. -- Peters

Team fit: After snagging the draft's best defenseman with the No. 4 pick, Colorado gets a highly skilled center in Newhook. He will be an especially good fit with the team's speed. The Avs may have wanted to go with a goalie in Knight here, but he wasn't available. -- Kaplan

Where Newhook is most likely to play in 2019-20: NCAA (Boston College)

17. Vegas Golden Knights: Peyton Krebs, C

Team: Kootenay (WHL)
Ranking: 11 | Nationality: CAN
Age: 18 | Ht: 6-0 | Wt: 183 | Shot: L
Stats: 64 GP, 19 G, 49 A

Scouting report: Krebs played on a bad Kootenay team this season but still managed to produce. A play-driving center, Krebs does a lot of little detail things well and can adequately take care of his own zone. Krebs can really survey the ice with excellent vision and above-average distribution skills in finding his teammates. The hockey sense is a separating skill. Krebs unfortunately did just sustain a serious Achilles injury during training this summer, but he is expected to be available for the beginning of the season. -- Peters

Team fit: Another center for the Golden Knights to let percolate in their system. Vegas has Cody Glass and Jake Leschyshyn, both 20, down in the AHL. In theory, they'll have some time to develop, with Paul Stastny signed through 2021 and William Karlsson expected to sign an extension as a restricted free agent -- provided neither of them is moved this offseason. -- Wyshynski

Where Krebs is most likely to play in 2019-20: WHL

18. Dallas Stars: Thomas Harley, D

Team: Mississauga (OHL)
Ranking: 22 | Nationality: CAN
Age: 17 | Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 193 | Shot: L
Stats: 68 GP, 11 G, 47 A

Scouting report: A higher-end offensive defenseman with size and mobility, Harley has plenty of upside in his game. He uses his skating to let things open up offensively and has the poise to be patient enough to find the right play. Sometimes he can get caught a little deep, but usually picks his spots pretty well. He comes with just average defensive-zone play, but he has a decent stick and can close on forwards decently well. Some scouts have wondered about his defensive sense. I think he has the know-how, but just hasn't figured out the balance between offense and defense yet. -- Peters

Team fit: The Stars have only four picks in the draft (including none in the second or third round), so they can't really afford a miss here -- especially considering it's a system with a lot of needs. The Stars went heavy on forwards last year, so Harley's selection was no shock. He has good size and is exceptional offensively. -- Kaplan

Where Harley is most likely to play in 2019-20: OHL

19. Ottawa Senators: Lassi Thomson, D

Team: Kelowna (WHL)
Ranking: 38 | Nationality: FIN
Age: 18 | Ht: 6-0 | Wt: 186 | Shot: R
Stats: 63 GP, 17 G, 24 A

Scouting report: Thomson is a good two-way defenseman who uses smarts over skill. His skating is good enough to get him up the ice and he's sturdy in his own zone, but there's not a lot in terms of overall puck skills or dynamicism. He is very decisive, making confident plays with the puck and allowing himself to get into space. There's not a lot of forcing it with him, and his offensive reads are pretty strong. -- Peters

Team fit: Thomson was a bit of a reach here, but just because I'm not sold on his offensive game yet. The Senators have just about the deepest prospect pool in the league right now. I'd put Thomson behind Erik Brannstrom and Jacob Bernard-Docker on the D prospect depth chart. -- Peters

Where Thomson is most likely to play in 2019-20: Liiga or WHL

20. Winnipeg Jets: Ville Heinola, D

Team: Lukko (Finland)
Ranking: 30 | Nationality: FIN
Age: 18 | Ht: 6-0 | Wt: 178 | Shot: L
Stats: 34 GP, 2 G, 12 A

Scouting report: Having spent the entire season playing quality minutes in Finland's top pro league, Heinola is especially intriguing. I think his skating is only average for a player his size, which keeps him from ranking a bit higher. There are more sub-6-foot defensemen in the NHL, but you still need to be able to skate at a high level. However, he makes up for it in his hockey sense. Coaches won't have to worry about him too much because he's so poised and moves the puck with incredible efficiency, even though his offensive skills are not necessarily dynamic. He defends decently well, closing on opposing forwards quickly. -- Peters

Team fit: For the third time in the last four drafts, the Jets selected a Finnish player in the first round. Another Finn, Sami Niku, is a defenseman who has been shuttling back and forth from the main roster. The Jets don't have a lot of blue-chippers on the blue line in their system. Heinola is a smart defenseman who can develop. -- Wyshynski

Where Heinola is most likely to play in 2019-20: Liiga

21. Pittsburgh Penguins: Samuel Poulin, RW

Team: Sherbrooke (QMJHL)
Ranking: 40 | Nationality: CAN
Age: 18 | Ht: 6-1 | Wt: 212 | Shot: L
Stats: 67 GP, 29 G, 47 A

Scouting report: There are times when you see a player showing what he can do with his size and skill. There are other times when he disappears. The effort needs to be better. Aside from that, the skill he has in that sturdy frame of his is tantalizing. -- Peters

Team fit: I listed Poulin as my player most likely to be overdrafted. The Penguins have a fairly shallow pool and don't get to pick in the first round very often. I view this as a high-risk, high-reward pick in this range just because I question Poulin's overall hockey sense and consistency of effort. An intriguing prospect nonetheless. -- Peters

Where Poulin is most likely to play in 2019-20: QMJHL

22. Los Angeles Kings: Tobias Bjornfot, D

Team: Djurgarden Jr. (Sweden Jr.)
Ranking: 29 | Nationality: SWE
Age: 18 | Ht: 6-1 | Wt: 193 | Shot: L
Stats: 39 GP, 11 G, 11 A

Scouting report: Bjornfot is one of the smarter players in this draft. His ability to read plays in all zones is exceptional, and he always puts himself in a good spot. Despite a relative lack of high-end skill, he's a good passer and has shown flashes of more offensive capabilities. Bjornfot keeps it simple when he has to, allowing his vision and mobility to do the work for him. With elite defensive sense, he is so hard to play against in his own zone and limits mistakes when he has the puck. He can get it up ice quickly, too. -- Peters

Team fit: This was the pick Los Angeles acquired in the Jake Muzzin trade, so one defenseman in, one defenseman out I guess. The Swede is the first defenseman they've drafted in their past 10 picks, and the first defenseman the Kings have taken in the first round since Derek Forbort at No. 15 in 2010. Side note: The arena is playing "regionally appropriate" music when each pick walks to the stage, including Abba for Bjornfot. Hopefully the Kings don't look back and exclaim "Mamma Mia" at this pick in the next few years. -- Wyshynski

Where Bjornfot is most likely to play in 2019-20: SHL

23. New York Islanders: Simon Holmstrom, RW

Team: HV71 Jr. (Sweden Jr.)
Ranking: 37 | Nationality: SWE
Age: 18 | Ht: 6-1 | Wt: 193 | Shot: L
Stats: 21 GP, 7 G, 13 A

Scouting report: Good size and hockey sense have helped Holmstrom lift his draft stock throughout the season. He has a very good shot that he can get off from anywhere. The puck really zips off his stick. His puck skills are OK, and pretty average in terms of one-on-one stick skills, but he gets himself into good positions and helps create space for his linemates. Holmstrom has good physical strength which helps him protect the puck well, and he has a little power element to his game. But does he have enough skill to create on his own? -- Peters

Team fit: Holmstrom has been projected all over the place during the draft process. The Isles have really bolstered their defensive pipeline, so Lou Lamoriello & Co. taking a forward here was not much of a surprise. Holmstrom has been a hard guy on whom to get a read, but he finished the season strong and the Isles won't need him for a few more years anyway. -- Peters

Where Holmstrom is most likely to play in 2019-20: SHL

24. Nashville Predators: Philip Tomasino, C

Team: Niagara (OHL)
Ranking: 21 | Nationality: CAN
Age: 17 | Ht: 6-0 | Wt: 183 | Shot: R
Stats: 67 GP, 34 G, 38 A

Scouting report: Tomasino is an exciting player because of his elite-level skating ability. He looks like a gazelle on ice with his fluidity and quickness. With a quick release and solid vision, he's a true shot-pass threat in the offensive zone, too. Tomasino can play in a variety of situations and handles the flow of games very well. The important element, however, is the speed at which he plays the game. He's fast both up and down the ice, and quick in small areas. He has a good work ethic, a willingness to go to the hard areas of the ice and a competitiveness on the puck when he gets there. -- Peters

Team fit: I think this is one of the more perfect player-to-team fits. Tomasino plays the game at a high pace and is one of the better skaters in the draft. The Preds want to push the pace and that's exactly what he does as a pass-shot threat down the middle or on the wing. -- Peters

Where Tomasino is most likely to play in 2019-20: OHL

25. Washington Capitals: Connor McMichael, C

Team: London (OHL)
Ranking: 26 | Nationality: CAN
Age: 18 | Ht: 6-0 | Wt: 182 | Shot: L
Stats: 67 GP, 36 G, 36 A

Scouting report: McMichael is one of the fastest players in the draft. His shot really improved this season with a good, quick release. He competes, too, playing with tenacity, and his ability to create on the rush is among his more important attributes. As he gets stronger, he's going to be difficult to handle down low. -- Peters

Team fit: The good news for McMichael is that the past six forwards the Capitals have selected in the first round all made a considerable impact in the NHL: Jakub Vrana, Andre Burakovsky, Tom Wilson, Filip Forsberg, Evgeny Kuznetsov and Marcus Johansson. The good news for the Capitals is that they got a center from the London Knights who made a huge leap forward in production this season. -- Wyshynski

Where McMichael is most likely to play in 2019-20: OHL

26. Calgary Flames: Jakob Pelletier, LW

Team: Moncton (QMJHL)
Ranking: 36 | Nationality: CAN
Age: 18 | Ht: 5-9 | Wt: 165 | Shot: L
Stats: 65 GP, 39 G, 50 A

Scouting report: Pelletier has quick, shifty skills that have served him well in one-on-one situations and getting pucks into the zone. His skating is fine, but perhaps not overly dynamic for a player of his size. But he makes up for that with his energetic, fearless style of play. His game needs work away from the puck, as there are some concerns he's a tad too one-dimensional. -- Peters

Team fit: It was a bit of a surprise the Flames didn't take one of the two big defensemen available, considering that they used all five of their picks in last year's draft on forwards. However, the productive winger adds much-needed skill into Calgary's prospect pool. -- Kaplan

Where Pelletier is most likely to play in 2019-20: QMJHL

27. Tampa Bay Lightning: Nolan Foote, LW

Team: Kelowna (WHL)
Ranking: 34 | Nationality: CAN
Age: 18 | Ht: 6-4 | Wt: 195 | Shot: L
Stats: 66 GP, 36 G, 27 A

Scouting report: Foote had a pretty strong season, scoring 36 goals, even though he played much of it with a fractured wrist. He is a good, not great, skater who uses his body well and can win along the boards. His puck skills are average, but he has exceptional hockey sense and can make good passes in all zones, and whether or not there's pressure. Foote also has enough edge in his game to win a lot of battles down low. -- Peters

Team fit: The Lightning put their second Foote forward in the NHL draft. They selected Cal Foote, a defenseman from the Kelowna Rockets (WHL) in 2017 at No. 14 overall. Now they have his younger brother Nolan Foote, a wing, at No. 27 this season. A bit of a reach? Very much, as he was projected by most as a second-round pick. But what were they going to do with just one Foote? Hop around? -- Wyshynski

Where Foote is most likely to play in 2019-20: WHL

28. Carolina Hurricanes: Ryan Suzuki, C

Team: Barrie (OHL)
Ranking: 20 | Nationality: CAN
Age: 18 | Ht: 6-1 | Wt: 180 | Shot: L
Stats: 65 GP, 25 G, 50 A

Scouting report: Suzuki is one of the better playmakers in the draft. He has elite vision and anticipates exceptionally well. One of the primary complaints among scouts is a relative lack of intensity and compete level, and there are some issues with consistency that arose when he wasn't getting to the middle of the ice enough. He's a cerebral player who could afford to make quicker decisions, but there's very little questioning his puck skills and his ability to find teammates. -- Peters

Team fit: The Hurricanes picked center Ryan Suzuki, the brother of Nick Suzuki, a Canadiens prospect (and first-round pick of Vegas in 2017). The knock on Ryan is that he's too much of a perimeter player, which clashes a bit with what we've seen from the Hurricanes lately, as they try to become a heavier team. -- Kaplan

Where Suzuki is most likely to play in 2019-20: OHL

29. Anaheim Ducks: Brayden Tracey, LW

Team: Moose Jaw (WHL)
Ranking: 44 | Nationality: CAN
Age: 18 | Ht: 6-1 | Wt: 170 | Shot: L
Stats: 66 GP, 36 G, 45 A

Scouting report: The WHL's Rookie of the Year and one of the fastest risers in this draft class, Tracey has really good puck skills and vision, with an ability to make plays under pressure. His skating is probably closer to average, but I don't view it as a hindrance. He gets to the hard areas well enough and can make some decent plays on the rush. -- Peters

Team fit: Tracey has been one of the real rising prospects in this draft class. I came around late on him and still couldn't put him over some of the other guys I had on my board. I also thought the Ducks might focus on defense, but clearly they didn't like what was left enough to pass on a guy who had 81 points in the WHL this season. More depth for their forward group. -- Peters

Where Tracey is most likely to play in 2019-20: WHL

30. Boston Bruins: John Beecher, C

Team: USA U18 (NTDP)
Ranking: 41 | Nationality: USA
Age: 18 | Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 212 | Shot: L
Stats: 63 GP, 15 G, 28 A

Scouting report: An exceptional athlete, Beecher has high-end speed. He's one of the best-graded skaters in this draft, even at his size. He could use a little bit more in the puck-skills department, and his offensive sense is average at best. He gets behind, around and through defenses very well with his wheels. -- Peters

Team fit: The Bruins didn't have a first-round pick last year, and they've had mixed results drafting in the first round over the past few years. Boston went with a bit of a surprise in Beecher, a big forward with incredible speed but average skill. -- Kaplan

Where Beecher is most likely to play in 2019-20: NCAA (Michigan)

31. Buffalo Sabres: Ryan Johnson, D

Team: Sioux Falls (USHL)
Ranking: 42 | Nationality: USA
Age: 17 | Ht: 6-0 | Wt: 170 | Shot: L
Stats: 54 GP, 6 G, 19 A

Scouting report: Johnson is one of the best skating defensemen in this entire class. He's an exceptional defender who performed at his best in big games this season. But he is a pretty raw talent when it comes to ability to make plays in the offensive zone. In faster-paced games, he focuses a lot more on defending, and I don't know that he has the offensive sense to make effective plays up ice. -- Peters

Team fit: Johnson is an elite skating defenseman who defends at an especially high level. He's also a winner, having won titles at the World Junior A Challenge and the Clark Cup with Sioux Falls. That's got to speak to an organization that's trying to turn the tide. The offensive upside is limited, but I think there could be a bit more to give there. After all, this was only his first season in junior hockey after playing Triple-A youth hockey in California. He's just scratching the surface. -- Peters

Where Johnson is most likely to play in 2019-20: NCAA (Minnesota)

We saw it all in Round 1 of the 2019 NHL draft. Two generational talents were drafted atop the board. Seven Americans went in the opening 15 picks. The Coyotes traded up. A goaltender was the 13th prospect to be selected. And a 51-goal scorer fell to Day 2.

So which teams had especially strong first rounds? Which picks leave more to be desired? Let's look at the biggest winners and losers of Round 1, and answer some of the biggest questions coming out of the first 31 picks. Then we will peek at Round 2 and beyond, with the best remaining talent still on the board.

Jump to:
Winners | Losers | Biggest questions
Best remaining | Pick-by-pick analysis

WINNERS

Philadelphia Flyers

Pick: Cam York (No. 14)

Trading back from No. 11 to No. 14 and picking up a second-rounder along the way, while still acquiring a potential game-breaking defenseman, was a particularly smart move from general manager Chuck Fletcher. He gambled that York would still be there, and sure enough, he was. Meanwhile, Philly gets an especially valuable pick at No. 45 in a draft that's pretty deep through two rounds.

Alexis Sanchez shrugged off an ankle injury and continued his resurgent form at the Copa America as the Chile striker fired his side to a 2-1 victory over Ecuador on Friday which took the holders into the quarter-finals of the competition.

Chile took the lead in the eighth minute when Jose Fuenzalida volleyed into the net but Ecuador were awarded a penalty when goalkeeper Gabriel Arias clattered Jhegson Mendez, allowing Enner Valencia to level from the spot in the 26th.

Sanchez, who had ended a barren five-month spell by scoring in Monday's 4-0 win against Japan, put Chile ahead early in the second half, expertly guiding a bouncing cross into the net with one touch.

Ecuador, who were hammered 4-0 by Uruguay in their opening game, rarely threatened again and saw defender Gabriel Achilier receive a straight red card in stoppage time for a rash tackle on Arturo Vidal, who had to be taken off.

Sanchez later revealed he had been playing with an ankle injury sustained in the first half.

"After a cross I rolled my ankle but I put a bandage on it, I took a pill for the pain and I came out again," he told reporters.

"I think I have a sprain, I was playing with pain but I hope it's not too serious."

Chile coach Reinaldo Rueda praised Sanchez for playing on, adding that the ankle was not the same one he injured in May.

"He was evaluated by the doctors at halftime who said he could continue, although he put lots of ice on it at halftime. He made a huge effort in the second half," he said.

"We'll evaluate it again but we hope it isn't serious."

Chile, Copa champions in 2015 and 2016, lead Group C on six points. Uruguay are second on four with Japan third on one and Ecuador bottom with no points.

Ecuador still have an outside chance of sneaking into the quarter-finals as one of the two best ranked third-place finishers but they must win their game against Japan on Monday and hope other results go their way.

Their coach, Hernan Dario Gomez, gave the briefest of post-match news conferences, saying he was not in the mood to take questions and gave a short assessment of the game before leaving.

Barcelona have confirmed the signing of Dutch defender Mike van Beijnen, the son of Frenkie de Jong's agent Ali Dursun.

Van Beijnen, 20, has signed a two-year deal and will link up with Barca B for preseason. He has a release clause that has been fixed at €100 million.

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He has previously represented NAC Breda, PSV Eindhoven and Willem II, where he played alongside De Jong at youth level.

Barca beat Paris Saint-Germain to the signing of Ajax's De Jong in January following negotiations with Van Beijnen's father.

Netherlands midfielder De Jong will be officially presented at the start of July after Barca and Ajax agreed an initial fee of €75m.

Meanwhile, Barca have announced that they will play a preseason friendly against Europa League runners-up Arsenal at the Camp Nou on Aug. 4.

The match for the annual Joan Gamper trophy is traditionally Barca's final game before the new season, but this year's fixture takes place between tours to Japan and the United States.

Barca play Europa League winners Chelsea in Tokyo on July 23 before meeting former captain Andres Iniesta's Vissel Kobe on July 27.

After returning to Barcelona to face Arsenal, they then have two games against Napoli in the inaugural La Liga-Serie A Cup in Miami on Aug. 7 and Michigan on Aug. 10.

Information from Reuters was used in this report.

CLEVELAND -- U.S. men's national team manager Gregg Berhalter stressed that his team needs to be patient in order to defeat Trinidad & Tobago in its Gold Cup group stage match on Saturday.

T&T has historically been a team that sat back and used their speed to hit teams on the break, but manager Dennis Lawrence and midfielder Kevan George both spoke during their press conference about possessing the ball better than they did against Panama, with George even going so far as to say T&T was a "possession-based team."

But Berhalter is anticipating that the Soca Warriors will play to their traditional strengths.

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"What we see is a team that likes to play on the counterattack," he said about T&T. "They are very good in low-block defending. They're very good at defensive set pieces. They are a big, physical team when they're defending in the penalty box, and they stay organized in mostly a 4-5-1 low block defending, and are difficult to breakdown.

"I haven't seen the possession so much, I think there are stretches in games when they can possess the ball, but I don't think that's their hallmark. They have good players, they're experienced players in the squad, a lot of the same guys that have been playing, but they know each other pretty well. Again, it's going to be a good challenge for our group [Saturday]."

Given that Berhalter is anticipating an approach from the Soca Warriors that emphasizes sitting back in defense, he is stressing speed of play in breaking the opposition down.

"I think it's speed of ball movement, getting behind the back line, trying to put balls between the backline and the goalkeeper, really putting pressure on the defense," he said. "It's a combination of things, but you definitely need speed in what you're doing. When you let them get set and you're not moving them around, it's very easy to defend. We need to move them around and try to create some chances. For us, and it's something I've stressed to the group is being patient, just being patient in the game. It's a 90-minute soccer game, and I think that's a key message to our group."

One question heading into the match is the status of midfielder Weston McKennie and forward Jozy Altidore. Berhalter sounded a bit cautious about McKennie's availability in light of a hamstring injury he sustained in the 4-0 win against Guyana.

"Weston has been receiving treatment, and he was able to train today in some capacity, so I think the outlook looks pretty good," he said. "We'll have to see and keep monitoring him."

As for Altidore, who has also been dealing with a hamstring injury, Berhalter said he is keen to get the striker back on the field.

"Jozy has been doing a good job," said Berhalter. "He's been training hard, and hope to be able to use him soon. What happened in the last game, it became difficult to use him because of the substitution pattern, and then the injury to Weston. We couldn't use him that game. Jozy is a guy we believe in, Jozy is a guy we think can help this team, and we want him to get him involved as soon as possible."

The match marks the first time that the two sides met in a World Cup qualifier back in 2017, a 2-1 win for the Soca Warriors that knocked the U.S. out of the World Cup. T&T manager Lawrence isn't putting any focus on the match.

"The US didn't go to the World Cup and neither did Trinidad & Tobago," he said. "So at the end of it, it was a football game that we managed to win. We know we're in a different tournament. It's a totally different ball game for us, so we've got absolutely no interest in that aspect of it. For us it's about trying to progress and stay alive in the tournament that is important for our country."

Berhalter was also full of praise for the U.S. women's national team, who will take on Spain in a round-of-16 match on Monday.

"I am watching the women's games, and I think they've been doing a great job," he said. "It's a very dynamic attack. I like how intent they are on getting forward, playing forward, a lot of forward momentum in their game. It's been fun to watch. I'm really excited to see the game against Spain, and I'm wishing them really good luck and we're following them closely."

In 2007, Martin Tomszak went to a soccer game, and it changed his life.

He joined the Chicago Fire traveling supporters' group for a match in Toronto. "I think there's a sense of having your back against the wall when you're at another opponent's venue and the camaraderie that comes along with that," he says. "Having 200 or 300 away fans in a Toronto venue was something special. I fell in love immediately." On the bus back home, he bought Fire season tickets and is now the vice-chairperson of Section 8, the team's independent supporters' group.

Last week, Tomszak went on another trip, driving five hours and 300 miles south to St. Louis, where the Fire were starting their 2019 U.S. Open Cup campaign against USL side Saint Louis FC. The MLS club has won the domestic cup four times, and places a high priority on competing for it each season. First-teamers including Dax McCarty, Djordje Mihailovic, Nemanja Nikolic and Nicolas Gaitan played against a team whose entire value on transfermarkt.com is less than the salary of World Cup winner and Chicago Fire center-back Bastian Schweinsteiger -- who missed the Open Cup match.

On paper, the match was a walkover. In reality, a listless Fire squad fell 2-1, bounced out of the Open Cup in their first game. Tensions boiled over after the match, with Mihailovic getting into it with a supporter, then apologizing later.

"They lost in a way that it wasn't even close," Tomszak says. "You would have thought that the roles were reversed with the way that they played. You see a lack of playing style. You see a lack of tactical identity. It's super frustrating to me to be a supporter right now."

It's been a long fall for one of MLS' most successful early franchises. The Fire, with alumni including DaMarcus Beasley, Cuauhtemoc Blanco, Carlos Bocanegra, Brian McBride, Piotr Nowak and Eric Wynalda, reached the playoffs 11 times in their first 12 seasons. The team won the MLS Cup under Bob Bradley in their debut season of 1998 and the Supporters' Shield in 2003, in addition to the four aforementioned Open Cup titles.

But they've made the postseason just twice since 2009 -- losing two knockout-round games by a total score of 6-1 -- and today are tied for eighth in the Eastern Conference standings. The most recent Open Cup failure served as another low point. "There haven't been any signs of change in the team or the club to move up from this state of decline for like the past 10 years," Nicole Hack, Section 8 chair, says. "It's extremely frustrating. It's disheartening."

Chicago is a great sports city, and the Fire are increasingly irrelevant. It's an issue that management understands and is trying to solve. "We have a talented team. We have a team that I think is pleasing to the eye, a team that I think is an exciting team, a dangerous team," Nelson Rodriguez, the team's president and general manager, says. "But for our fans and for ourselves, we are summarily frustrated because we just haven't been able to get the results that we expect, that we demand, yet."

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The results aren't there. The investment, however, is. The Fire are third in total compensation, having splashed cash to get Schweinsteiger. "That was a good moment in the last few years," Hack says. "But having a player like him on our team and having a Golden Boot winner, and still not being able to make the playoffs is not encouraging for people who want to attend matches."

The depth is there, too. Tomszak believes it's a top-four or -five team in the Eastern Conference on paper, while former Fire general manager Peter Wilt says "this is the deepest Fire team I can remember since I was there myself." Rodriguez likes the roster as well. "If we had two more wins, would we even be having this conversation?" he says. "If we have two more wins, we have 24 points. We're tied with Red Bull[s]. We're three points out of second place with games in hand."

But, of course, they are not. Head coach Veljko Paunovic rotates players frequently and has struggled to instill any sense of continuity from game to game.

There's also the issue of the stadium situation. In 2006, the Fire moved to what's now SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview, a suburb of Chicago. The soccer-specific stadium made sense at the time, but it's a relic of an older version of MLS. The team is trying to get out of the lease so it can move back to downtown Chicago. Rodriguez is "optimistic" that they'll be able to finalize a deal.

The plan to inject life by returning to downtown Chicago might work. It also might not.

"I think that moving back to the city could be good," Hack says. "That said, if the team doesn't improve on the pitch or make some big signings that come back to the city's culture, [it could be a problem]. Soldier Field is an NFL stadium. It's huge. We're getting 8,000 people at games right now (official average per-game attendance 10,635 in 2019). I can't imagine that would be the atmosphere that the club is hoping to get by moving."

But in MLS, fortunes can turn quickly. Last summer, billionaire entrepreneur Joe Mansueto purchased a 49% stake in the team. Supporters hope that the injection of capital will help spur change, encouraging majority owner Andrew Hauptman to spend more -- or sell his remaining share to Mansueto.

"Without a doubt, this mediocrity and this rot and the hiring of this wrong personnel for over a decade comes from one place: Andrew Hauptman still being the majority owner of this franchise," Tomszak says. "Andrew Hauptman runs a holding company. At the end of the day, a holding company comes in and buys low and sells high."

Rodriguez understands that something needs to change as well. The Fire have three Designated Players on the books this season, but none next year. This was intentional, a way to provide maximum flexibility in a year when a new collective bargaining agreement starts. The team has a solid core, still-dedicated fans and management that knows what they need to do. Squint, and the Fire are close to something.

Because ultimately, the solution is simple: Win. "The fact is that we need to win more games to justify our work," Rodriguez says.

For the diehards, however, goodwill is growing thin. After the Open Cup loss, Nate Thompson, Section 8's director of fundraising, tweeted what many who love the team were thinking: "Three capped USMNT players, a golden boot winner, a La Liga #10 and we're losing to a USL side. You don't need a rebrand, you don't need a crest change. You need a heart. Don't expect your city to care if you don't. @ChicagoFire #cf97"

After a one-week break, MLS is back in action with Zlatan Ibrahimovic and the LA Galaxy traveling to Cincinnati, FC Dallas hosting Toronto FC and Portland looking to begin a climb up the table at home against Houston.

Zlatan looking to take Cincy by storm

MLS matches during international tournaments always make for an interesting challenge for teams, and the LA Galaxy are no different. The likes of midfielder Jonathan dos Santos and forward Uriel Antuna are busy with Mexico in the Gold Cup but have no fear: Zlatan is here.

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The short rest will have done the Swedish striker some good, but with so many key pieces missing because of international duty or injury, one has to wonder exactly who will be helping Ibrahimovic up top.

To boot, there was the 4-0 U.S. Open Cup loss in Portland on Wednesday, meaning there are sure to be some heavy legs after playing in the pacific northwest and then having to travel across the country to play FC Cincinnati on Saturday (7:30 ET, ESPN+).

It may well be time for Efrain Alvarez to see the field for longer stretches. The 16-year-old took the league by storm at the start of the season but has mostly been either stuck on the bench or away on international duty with Mexico. He showed zero rust in notching a pair of goals last week in the cup win over Orange County but was not as effective on Wednesday, going 90 minutes in the loss. Still, it would be great fun to see how well the 37-year-old Ibrahimovic and young pup Alvarez work together.

As for Cincinnati, their defense had been dreadful ahead of the break, and without top defender Kendall Waston, Saturday could be a long day.

FC Dallas's U-20 trio back for Toronto clash

FC Dallas find themselves in a very curious position. While many of the teams in MLS are hurriedly filling the gaps during the Gold Cup, FC Dallas will be able to put out a starting XI that's nearly full strength when they host Toronto FC on Saturday (8:00 ET, ESPN+).

The Texan side took their big international hit during the recent Under-20 World Cup when Paxton Pomykal, Edwin Cerrillo and Brandon Servania were all away with the U.S. U-20 team. That trio is back from Poland where the U.S. reached the quarterfinals and will surely be eager to get back to MLS action.

Of the three, it was no surprise that Pomykal was the standout, and now with a World Cup under his belt, he'll be looking to back that up in the second half of the season.

On the flip side is Toronto FC. Jozy Altidore and Michael Bradley are of course with the U.S. national team, as is new center-back Omar Gonzalez, while the likes of Jonathan Osorio and Ashtone Morgan are with Canada.

The depth of TFC is going to be tested over the next few weeks, especially with Canada advancing to the knockout stage, so the scoring/creative burden will rest heavier than ever on the shoulders of Alejandro Pozuelo.

Portland begins the long climb back against Houston

It's odd to see the Portland Timbers sitting in last place in the Western Conference. They played their first 12 games away from home while Providence Park was being revamped, and after narrowly falling 3-2 in a thrilling encounter to LAFC in the season's home opener, Portland can now focus on making the long climb up the table.

To their benefit, Argentines who play in MLS don't get called up to the national team much of the time, if ever, so the Timbers will be ready with their Albiceleste trio of Brian Fernandez, Sebastian Blanco and Diego Valeri. Each time he takes the field in a Timbers jersey, Fernandez impresses and there will be ample opportunity to add to his four-goal total on Saturday against Houston (11:00 pm ET, ESPN+).

The Dynamo will be missing some key pieces both in the back and front, with attacking duo Alberth Elis and Romell Quioto and defender Maynor Figueroa away with Honduras. But Portland would be foolish to pencil in an easy three points, especially with the underrated Mauro Manotas on the field.

This is just the type of game that no one expects the Dynamo to win, which in the crazy world of MLS means that Houston will probably win.

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