TSN Hockey Mock Draft: The intrigue starts with the Habs Rasmus Dahlin to Buffalo and Andrei Svechnikov to Carolina - no argument there. But as TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button explains, the third pick, property of the Montreal Canadiens, is where things get interesting.

By Craig Button

Trying to forecast the way the first round of an NHL Entry Draft will go is always a difficult task, but it’s made a little easier when you can start your mock with an absolute lock.

The Buffalo Sabres will get things started Friday night in Dallas by selecting Swedish defenceman Rasmus Dahlin first overall, adding an elite blueliner who has the ability to change the fortunes of the franchise.

It also seems certain that the Carolina Hurricanes have decided to take Barrie Colts winger Andrei Svechnikov with the second pick. The Canes currently lack difference makers, but they believe Svechnikov and last year’s first-round pick, Martin Necas, can bring a dynamic offensive element to the lineup for years to come.

The third pick, property of the Montreal Canadiens, is where things get interesting.

There’s little separating the next eight players in the draft in terms of potential. There’s everything from power forwards to two-way centres and offensive defenceman available.

It’s difficult to acquire top-line centres, so look for Canadiens GM Marc Bergevin to take Jesperi Kotkaniemi, the smart and talented Finn who has a game that is similar in style to Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar.

That leaves the Ottawa Senators with a lot of options in the fourth spot, but Halifax Mooseheads winger Filip Zadina makes the most sense. With Mike Hoffman’s 22 goals dealt to San Jose (and then Florida) on Tuesday, Pierre Dorion will be looking to add skill. Zadina is a huge offensive talent who could be ready to step into the lineup next season.

Brady Tkachuk heads to Arizona to round out our top five, edging his older brother, Matthew, for the distinction of being the highest drafted Tkachuk. Coyotes coach Rick Tocchet is going to like having the rugged and skilled Brady on his team. He becomes another St. Louis-area player drafted by Arizona after Clayton Keller, their first-round pick in 2016.

Elsewhere in the top 10, the Vancouver Canucks take a defenceman to complement their crop of good, young forwards. Adam Boqvist is a dynamic offensive blueliner with the potential to be an elite player.

The Oilers go a similar route with pick No. 10, taking London Knights defenceman Evan Bouchard. A top-pair, right-shot offensive defenceman who can run a power play, Bouchard might eventually help Connor McDavid be even more dangerous offensively.

Later in the first round, the Sens use their second first-round pick (No. 22) on Jared McIsaac, a solid two-way defenceman from the Halifax Mooseheads. The Toronto Maple Leafs use the No. 25 pick on Rasmus Sandin, a Swedish defenceman for the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds who adds the type of game that Josh Morrissey plays with the Winnipeg Jets.

Here’s a full look at our projected first round: