HW Staff 2015 NHL Mock Draft Pick 29: Noah Juulsen

They will likely graduate the top defensemen to the NHL soon and can wait for another young stud on defense develop into his body. Like the ol' saying goes: "You can't have too many good defensemen." For this reason, the Flyers select Noah Juulsen

About Noah Juulsen

What most scouts love about Juulsen is his skating ability. While not a a particularly fast skater, he just looks solid on his skates both forward and backward. He likes to direct traffic by making sure his teammates that are backchecking are picking up the correct guys so that he can concentrate on those that are closer to the net. He's a guy that thrives in a physical game and doesn't shy away from taking a hit to make the right play getting the puck to his defensive partner or up to his forwards. His poise with the puck is great and likes to let the play in front of him develop rather than rushing and forcing a pass. His hard shot from the point gets on net and creates chances for his teammates. This is identified by his 9 goals and 43 assist last season with the Everett Silvertips in the WHL. Our own Tiffany McAnnany is enamored with his ability to control the play and loves watching his skating.

Juulsen is going to need to refine his mental part of the game as well as some scouts have said that he can out-think himself when he doesn't have the puck. Ultimately this should correct itself with coaching and maturity as he develops int a potential Top-4 defenseman. He doesn't provide a lot of flash and dash, but the way this kid can compete in all situations, isn't afraid of contact, and his skating ability, he should be a solid NHL contributor.

Position: D
Current Team: Everett Silvertips (WHL)
Date of Birth: April 2, 1997
Place of Birth: Abbotsford, BC (Canada)
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 181 lbs.
Shoots: Right

However, Minnesota should be looking for a forward in this draft and should be taking up-front talent in the first round.