2017 NHL Draft: Grant McCagg's Top 10 (Updated on-the-fly, not intermittently)

[JA]

As some of you know, Grant McCagg is no longer with McKeen's. Previously, he had a significant influence on McKeen's often divisive and controversial draft ranking lists. His emphasis on short-term performance has previously resulted in large fluctuations within his rankings, and some have criticized him for being too reactionary.

Over the past few days, McCagg has revealed that he will be offering his own personal draft ranking lists and updating them on the fly via through his new service, Recrutes Hockey. He has stated that he will be updating his list on a weekly, sometimes even daily, basis.

Due to the nature of his on-the-fly updating format, it would make no sense to create a monthly thread for each of his lists; instead, this thread can serve as a dedicated space to discuss his draft rankings.

As of April 18, 2017:

Vesalainen has moved up to number three in my rankings....Heiskanen is 2. Scroll to the bottom right...

https://recrutes.ca/

1 Nico Hischier
2 Miro Heiskanen
3 Kristian Vesalainen
4 Cale Makar
5 Nolan Patrick
6 Cody Glass
7 Michael Rasmussen
8 Casey Mittelstadt
9 Nick Suzuki
10 Robert Thomas

For a comparison to some of his previous lists:

*OLD*

As of February 22, 2017:

https://recrutes.ca/top-10-nhl-prospect-rankings/

Top 10 NHL Prospect Rankings

1 Nico Hischier
2 Nolan Patrick
3 Michael Rasmussen
4 Miro Heiskanen
5 Casey Mittelstadt
6 Owen Tippett
7 Elias Petterson
8 Cody Glass
9 Gabriel Vilardi
10 Cale Makar

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/prospects-blog/mckeens-2017-top-30-nhl-draft-rankings-dec-2016-makar-breaks/

McKeen’s 2017 Top 30 NHL Draft Rankings (Dec-2016) – Makar breaks
By McKeen's Hockey On December 14, 2016 ·

...

1 Nolan Patrick
2 Casey Mittelstadt
3 Nico Hischier
4 Michael Rasmussen
5 Elias Pettersson
6 Juuso Valimaki
7 Timothy Liljegren
8 Owen Tippett
9 Eeli Tolvanen
10 Kristian Vesalainen
11 Miro Heiskanen
12 Nikita Popugaev
13 Gabriel Vilardi
14 Martin Necas
15 Ryan Poehling
16 Lias Andersson
17 Cale Makar
18 Robert Thomas
19 Urho Vaakanainen
20 Cody Glass

...

If one wonders why Michael Rasmussen is ranked #3 on McCagg's list, it is because at one point he believed that Rasmussen would be a potential candidate for first overall. It is unclear whether he still believes this.

https://www.mckeenshockey.com/prospects-blog/2017-nhl-draft-nolan-patrick-michael-rasmussen-top-bumper-whl-crop/

2017 NHL Draft: Nolan Patrick, Michael Rasmussen top bumper WHL crop
By Grant McCagg On November 26, 2016 ·

...

Two centers have captured scouts' attention above all others - Brandon's Nolan Patrick and Tri City's Michael Rasmussen are both legitimate contenders to be selected first overall next June.

...

Rasmussen was another youngster that caught scouts' attention last season with his smarts and skills, but he has taken his game to a whole new level, leading all WHL players with 20 goals one-third of the way into the season. The 6-6 center possesses a strong skating stride, smooth hands and a pro release and shot that will allow him to score plenty of goals at the next level. There are now whispers that he may end up being the first player chosen in the draft. A 6-6 center with his goal-scoring abilities are a rare breed indeed. On top of that, he plays a solid two-way game and has superior vision and passing skills as well. Comparisons to Keith Primeau are far from overblown.

...

Click to read more...

 

[TeddyBare]

My Draft rankings change daily.

Ohhhhk.

Ohh and I see he is not backing down from his Rasmussen prediction. Wow wouldn't touch him in the top 15.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I think you made a mistake in your typing of #3. Did you mean Timothy Liljegren?

 

[WeThreeKings]

Looks like Rasmussen is his new Michael McLeod.

 

[Brewsky]

Wow no Liljegren in the top 10?

 

[Scuba-Steve]

Looks like Rasmussen is his new Michael McLeod.

Exactly what I thought when I saw his ranking...

 

[MonyontheMoney]

Rasmussen isn't good.

 

[JA]

April 18, 2017:

Vesalainen has moved up to number three in my rankings....Heiskanen is 2. Scroll to the bottom right...

https://recrutes.ca/

1 Nico Hischier
2 Miro Heiskanen
3 Kristian Vesalainen
4 Cale Makar
5 Nolan Patrick
6 Cody Glass
7 Michael Rasmussen
8 Casey Mittelstadt
9 Nick Suzuki
10 Robert Thomas

 

[King In The North]

Do other rankings have Robert Thomas that high?

 

[IComeInPeace]

Unless you're trying to get subscribers, I don't understand how your list could change daily at this point in time, unless you have a complete lack of faith in your own rankings.

 

[Frk It]

Patrick at #5 is ridiculous.

 

[King In The North]

Unless you're trying to get subscribers, I don't understand how your list could change daily at this point in time, unless you have a complete lack of faith in your own rankings.

Yeah I'm not sure how this works.

"Player got 5 points today, he moves up"?

 

[maaran]

Patrick is either #1 or #2 can't see him being anywhere else, especially #5.

 

[Hale The Villain]

Yeah I'm not sure how this works.

"Player got 5 points today, he moves up"?

11 points by Vesalainen moved him from the 20s to 3rd overall.

No one should take his list seriously.

 

[pckstpr31]

Do other rankings have Robert Thomas that high?

I'm a huge fan of Thomas and would maybe take him around there, but I certainly haven't seen any professional lists with him top 10.

It's sort of fun to see rankings evolve so fluidly, but yeah I don't know how much stock I'd put into it. Vesalainen is killing it at the u18's but that shouldn't justify him suddenly appearing at 3rd.

 

[Grant McCagg]

Thanks for posting this...for those of you wondering about my scouting background..this gives you a good idea -

https://recrutes.ca/welcome-to-recrutes-a-scouts-story/

I hope folks enjoy the daily mock draft concept and draft pool..those are things I always wanted to see on a website as a long-time draft junkie...so started them myself. Helps fulfill that draft fix.

--------------------------------------------------------------

follow me @grantmccagg

 

[tony d]

Wow, I'm not sold on Patrick at #1 but him at #5 is very low. Guy should be no lower than #2.

 

[M2Beezy]

How do some scout EXPERTS say Glass could challenge for 1st overall even and some guys say around 20???? WTF

I have Glass at 4 but Im just Mogilny to Bure Im no expert

 

[Love]

Grant McCagg is the new Eklund

 

[Grant McCagg]

Patrick at #5 is ridiculous.

I must have read a thousand times when I had Yakupov at three instead of one that is was "ridiculous" as well....oh well....colour me ridiculous. Excuse me for not being a loyal sheep and actually scouting these players THIS season and not living on past laurels.

I talk to plenty of scouts who are less than enamoured with Patrick..coaches as well, and I saw lots of things that concerned me about his game as explained in this article - https://recrutes.ca/meet-your-makar-king-patrick/

When you are picking top three or four there are other great choices...I do my ranking based on who I would draft if I had that pick...give me Heiskanen and Vesalainen...but it's not like still being a top 5 pick is a tremendous insult..Jagr wasn't a top four pick..didn't mean scouts thought he was crap.

I sent my updated top ten to four senior NHL scouts..none commented that Patrick at 5 was ridiculous. In fact, the biggest beef I received was that Mittelstadt was too high. Two of them told me they have Hieskanen in their top three..one said he was top two. All of them said they liked the rankings.

 

[Juxtaposer]

How do some scout EXPERTS say Glass could challenge for 1st overall even and some guys say around 20???? WTF

I have Glass at 4 but Im just Mogilny to Bure Im no expert

To be fair, comparing Boeser to Bure is a bit grand.

 

[Grant McCagg]

How do some scout EXPERTS say Glass could challenge for 1st overall even and some guys say around 20???? WTF

I have Glass at 4 but Im just Mogilny to Bure Im no expert

I'm not sure any of us are experts..in fact I'm quite comfortable in saying I'm not...what I do know, however, is that the NHL scouts who I talk to daily like him as a top ten lock...for me there is no question that he'll be taken in the top 8.

I did have him top 5 but it was pretty obvious to me when he was head-to-head against Vesalainen that there is a discernible difference in their skill level...Vesalain bring the better overall package for sure....Glass is such a smart player though..and that will still get him picked high..maybe even top five.

None of these rankings I do are "willy Nilly" and without consultation...I am sending my rankings to scouts every time I change them... and if they disagree vehemently....I listen to their thoughts...I'd be foolish not to...

As for being the next Eklund....as the fellow who co-published McKeen's rankings for 8 of the previous 10 drafts...a little reminder that 25 of the top 26 players I ranked last season went in the top 27 of the draft..check it out if you don't believe me. I can't say I recall Eklund ever going 25 for 26 in his predictions. No...I'm not trying to provide rankings that duplicate how the draft goes ..but at the same time I don't think you'll get a list that is closer to how things transpire on draft day.

 

[WpgBuffan]

I'm not sure any of us are experts..in fact I'm quite comfortable in saying I'm not...what I do know, however, is that the NHL scouts who I talk to daily like him as a top ten lock...for me there is no question that he'll be taken in the top 8.

I did have him top 5 but it was pretty obvious to me when he was head-to-head against Vesalainen that there is a discernible difference in their skill level...Vesalain bring the better overall package for sure....Glass is such a smart player though..and that will still get him picked high..maybe even top five.

None of these rankings I do are "willy Nilly" and without consultation...I am sending my rankings to scouts every time I change them... and if they disagree vehemently....I listen to their thoughts...I'd be foolish not to...

As for being the next Eklund....as the fellow who co-published McKeen's rankings for 8 of the previous 10 drafts...a little reminder that 25 of the top 26 players I ranked last season went in the top 27 of the draft..check it out if you don't believe me. I can't say I recall Eklund ever going 25 for 26 in his predictions. No...I'm not trying to provide rankings that duplicate how the draft goes ..but at the same time I don't think you'll get a list that is closer to how things transpire on draft day.

You have been pretty spot on the past two drafts. If people find your rankings a little out there I would suggest they look up the past two McKeens draft rankings.

 

[Grant McCagg]

You have been pretty spot on the past two drafts. If people find your rankings a little out there I would suggest they look up the past two McKeens draft rankings.

Thanks..and even if Patrick ends up going #1 despite me ranking him fifth..it would still be sage to wait five years plus before declaring I was either right or wrong to do so.

I'm pretty sure Patrick won't get past Vegas seeing that Kelly McCrimmon is there...and he had Patrick in his "heyday".

 

[lakai17]

no Petterson or Vilardi in the top 10?