#s:nhl draft19

[fromthe-point]

Kakko won't attend NHL Scouting Combine

Kaapo Kakko, expected to be the No. 2 pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, will not attend the NHL Scouting Combine this week.

BUFFALO -- Kaapo Kakko, expected to be the No. 2 pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, will not attend the NHL Scouting Combine this week.

No reason was given for his absence.

The 18-year-old forward (6-foot-2, 194 pounds), who is No. 1 on NHL Central Scouting's final ranking of International skaters, led Finland with six goals at the 2019 IIHF World Championship to help them win the gold medal with a 3-1 win against Canada on Sunday. He had one shot on goal in 11:58 of ice time in the final.

The team was honored in a celebration in Helsinki on Monday.

The combine will feature 103 players taking part in interviews and medical and fitness testing, which started at KeyBank Center and HarborCenter on Monday and runs through Saturday.

Also not attending the combine are Semyon Chystyakov, Vladislav Firstov, Daniil Gutik, Danil Misyul and Kirill Slepets.

[fromthe-point]

Round 1, Pick 5

The Los Angeles Kings have selected forward Alex Turcotte of the USNTDP (USHL).

[fromthe-point]

2019 NHL Draft Lottery Allocation Odds

Colorado Avalanche (via Ottawa) - 18.5%

Los Angeles Kings - 13.5%

New Jersey Devils - 11.5%

Detroit Red Wings - 9.5%

Buffalo Sabres - 8.5%

New York Rangers - 7.5%

Edmonton Oilers - 6.5%

Anaheim Ducks - 6.0%

Vancouver Canucks - 5.0%

Philadelphia Flyers - 3.5%

Minnesota Wild - 3.0%

Chicago Blackhawks - 2.5%

Florida Panthers - 2.0%

Arizona Coyotes - 1.5%

Montréal Canadiens - 1.0%

The Draft Lottery will be broadcast on NBCSN tomorrow, Tuesday April 09, starting at 8 p.m. ET

[fromthe-point]

Hughes passes on Combine fitness testing, 'needed a bit of a break'

Projected No. 1 pick in NHL Draft less than 100 percent after two postseason tournaments

BUFFALO -- Jack Hughes, the projected No. 1 pick in the 2019 NHL Draft, did not participate in the fitness testing at the 2019 NHL Scouting Combine on Saturday after his mandatory medical exam three days earlier showed he was less than 100 percent.

The center played seven games for the United States at the 2019 IIHF World Under-18 Championship in April and seven games at the 2019 IIHF World Championship in May. The United States was eliminated in the quarterfinals of the World Championship on May 23 and Hughes arrived in Buffalo four days later.

"I think I knew coming into the combine I wasn't going to do the testing because I really haven't trained for it, playing hockey the past two months," Hughes said. "I really haven't had a break. It just didn't make sense to do the testing. My body needed a bit of a break.

"That said, I'm a competitive kid and I felt like I could have done well in some of this stuff."

[fromthe-point]

Round 1, Pick 6

The Detroit Red Wings have selected defenseman Moritz Seider of Adler Mannheim (DEL).

[fromthe-point]

Goalie prospect Knight impresses at Combine fitness testing

Finishes among top 15 in eight categories

BUFFALO -- Spencer Knight from USA Hockey's National Team Development Program Under-18 team showed why he's viewed as one of the best athletes available in the 2019 NHL Draft, as well as one of the best goalies.

Knight, No. 1 on NHL Central Scouting's final ranking of North American goalies for the 2019 Draft at Rogers Arena in Vancouver on June 21-22, finished in the top 15 in eight of the testing categories conducted the past two days during the NHL Scouting Combine at HarborCenter.

The goalie displayed his explosive lower-body strength by finishing second in the standing long jump at 117 inches, 0.8 inches behind defenseman Jayden Struble from St. Sebastians School.

[fromthe-point]

NHL Draft order set through first 27 selections

Final four spots to be determined in Stanley Cup Playoffs

The order of the first 27 selections in the first round of the 2019 NHL Draft at Rogers Arena in Vancouver on June 21-22 have been set with the conclusion of the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The NHL Draft Lottery on April 9 set the order of the first 15 spots, held by teams that missed the playoffs or the playoff teams that own those picks. The New Jersey Devils won the lottery and have the No. 1 pick.

2019 NHL DRAFT FIRST-ROUND ORDER 1. New Jersey Devils 2. New York Rangers 3. Chicago Blackhawks 4. Colorado Avalanche (from Ottawa Senators) 5. Los Angeles Kings 6. Detroit Red Wings 7. Buffalo Sabres 8. Edmonton Oilers 9. Anaheim Ducks 10. Vancouver Canucks 11. Philadelphia Flyers 12. Minnesota Wild 13. Florida Panthers 14. Arizona Coyotes 15. Montreal Canadiens 16. Colorado Avalanche 17. Vegas Golden Knights 18. Dallas Stars 19. Ottawa Senators (from Columbus Blue Jackets) 20. New York Rangers (from Winnipeg Jets) 21. Pittsburgh Penguins 22. Los Angeles Kings (from Toronto Maple Leafs) 23. New York Islanders 24. Nashville Predators 25. Washington Capitals 26. Calgary Flames 27. Tampa Bay Lightning 28. Conference final losing team with fewest points 29. Conference final losing team with most points 30. Stanley Cup Final losing team 31. Stanley Cup winner

[fromthe-point]

Round 1, Pick 15

The Montréal Canadiens have selected forward Cole Caufield of the USNTDP (USHL).