While it’s not a 100 percent lock, I expect Prince George goaltender Joshua Ravensbergen to be a first-round pick, probably somewhere in the second half of the first round. Ravensbergen is a 6-foot-5 goalie who moves very well and has been a top goalie in the WHL the past two seasons.

In my experience, when an NHL team picks a goalie in the first round, it is a talent-based exercise. But the organization also needs to identify a need on their depth chart, a path for the player to make it to their team and be philosophically OK with the risks entailed by using a major draft pick on a netminder.

Today, I try to explore which organizations I think would take that shot on Ravensbergen. Some of them may not have the required pick slot currently, but that, of course, could change by draft day.

Calgary: The Flames may have their goalie of the future in Dustin Wolf, but I wouldn’t call him a sure thing yet. Their system has several other needs as well, especially at the premium skater positions. Unless they just love Ravensbergen, I would be a little surprised if they went down that path.

Carolina: I would be surprised to see the Hurricanes use a first-round pick on a goalie. That doesn’t seem to line up with their philosophy on how they’ve drafted with a priority on skill. They did take Pyotr Kochetkov high in the second round, though.

Columbus: The Blue Jackets have a deep group of young skaters, with a lot of high picks in recent years. They would be perfectly positioned to take a gamble on a young goalie. They selected Evan Gardner in the late second round last year, but I wouldn’t call him a top prospect that would change the calculus on a player like Ravensbergen. They would make a lot of sense as a potential landing spot.

Los Angeles: The Kings have had a pressing need to improve their goaltending depth at the top and amateur levels in recent years. They’ve done so in part by acquiring Darcy Kuemper, trading for Erik Portillo and drafting Carter George last year in the second round. I would argue Ravensbergen is a clear level above George as a pro prospect, but it would be quite a pill to swallow to use a high pick two years in a row on a goalie.

Nashville: The Predators just went down this road when they drafted Yaroslav Askarov in the top 15. They had to decide between him and Juuse Saros, and extended Saros for eight years. Saros is 30, and while he would probably be in his mid-30s when Ravensbergen would be ready to break in, it would be difficult to take yet another goalie in the first round. I could buy the argument Nashville is resetting the clock back a few years, though, and the timing could make more sense than it did when they took Askarov.

Ottawa: The Senators have recently invested a lot in Linus Ullmark, but he’s already 31. There was a point in time when I thought Mads Sogaard could be Ottawa’s goalie of the future, but between injuries and inconsistent performance, that’s becoming increasingly unlikely. They could be a strong candidate to select Ravensbergen to help solidify the net long-term.

Philadelphia: The Flyers are in an interesting position when it comes to goalies. They will have multiple first-round picks, which lends teams to taking more risks, such as taking a goaltender. They have also invested top-three round picks in recent drafts on Yegor Zavragin and Carson Bjarnason. Zavragin came out of the gates flying this season in the KHL as a 19-year-old, but has slowed down in recent months. The Flyers’ assessment of Zavragin will likely determine if they feel the need to add a top prospect at the position or to address their other needs.

Pittsburgh: Joel Blomqvist is a solid goalie prospect, but he’s probably a backup or tandem-type goalie if he hits. The Penguins have a need for a true goalie of the future, but their system has so many clear skater needs that I would be surprised to see them prioritize the net this draft.

Vancouver: The Canucks likely thought Thatcher Demko was their no-doubt goalie of the present and future a few years ago. The situation has changed due to injury and inconsistent performance. Their farm system is light, and I’m sure they wouldn’t prefer to take a goalie given their other needs, but if he’s the clear best player on their list, they may need to seriously consider it.

Washington: The Capitals are very happy with Logan Thompson and just recently signed him to a long-term extension. That six-year contract would likely expire when Ravensbergen is ready to help the team, although Thompson is only 28. Washington has shown the willingness to invest a first-round pick in a goalie, too, when it selected Ilya Samsonov in 2015.

Winnipeg: The Jets have the best goalie in the NHL in Connor Hellebuyck, but he’s 32 and investing in young goalies is typically a four-to-six-year projection. I can’t say Hellebuyck or Jets fans will be thrilled to hear a goalie’s name called in Round 1, but from a long-term team-building perspective, it would make a lot of sense to add his potential successor to the depth chart.

(Photo: Dennis Pajot / Getty Images)