Through the first two picks, the first-round of the 2015 NHL Draft played out exactly as expected.
Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel, the top two prospects, considered to be in a class entirely their own, went No. 1 and No. 2 to the Edmonton Oilers and Buffalo Sabres respectively.
McDavid is a once-in-a-generation player and Eichel would have been the consensus first-overall pick in nearly any draft that didn't include McDavid.
After those two, though, things took a bit of a turn.
Noah Hanifin, the top defensive prospect, was expected to go third-overall, but the Arizona Coyotes, rumored to be in the market to deal their first-round pick, stayed put and selected big center and former McDavid teammate, Dylan Strome.
The Toronto Maple Leafs then went with Mitch Marner, a gifted, versatile forward who possesses fantastic skill and vision. He can now perform under a coach who has overseen the development of players like Tomas Tatar and Gustav Nyquist.
That pushed Hanifin down to the Carolina Hurricanes, who were all-too-happy to snatch him up and add him to their stable of young blueliners.
Pavel Zacha went to the New Jersey Devils and new GM Ray Shero at seven and the Philadelphia Flyers were then free to select defenseman Ivan Provorov, a player they were rumored to be targeting.
The top ten was rounded out by the Columbus Blue Jackets selection of big blueliner Zach Werenski, the San Jose Sharks selection of rugged winger Timo Meier, the Colorado Avalanche's selection of talented forward Mikko Rantanen.
