PKSpecialist's Top 100 for the 2018 Draft

[PKSpecialist]

These are my top 100 rankings. They are my own. I watch a lot of hockey. I read a lot(and I have certain people's opinions that I take into account), but these rankings are from my own observations. This is the order I would draft these guys in(as of the end of February) I just finished putting this together, so I will update at the conclusion of the Memorial Cup. Please feel free to comment....especially if you see a glaring omission(I may not have seen every player - and I also don't get to watch every player multiple times, so if they have a poor game when I see them, it's unlikely they'll have a high ranking).

1. D – Rasmus Dahlin – Frolunda – SHL
Two-way defender does it all and has the physical attributes – great size and skating ability - to go with the creativity and puckhandling skill.
2. RW – Andrei Svechnikov – Barrie Colts – OHL
Has the shot, release and playmaking ability to become a dynamic offensive threat.
3. RW – Filip Zadina – Halifax Mooseheads – QMJHL
A sniper through and through. Has a great shot and knows his way to the net.
4. RW – Oliver Walhlstrom – US NTDP – USHL
Sniping winger with incredible puck skills and playmaking ability.
5. D – Noah Dobson – Acadie-Bathurst Titan – QMJHL
Rock solid defender has shown that he can play at both ends of the ice.
6. D – Ty Smith – Spokane Chiefs – WHL
Poised puck mover and elite skater is solid at both ends but lacks prototypical size.
7. D – Adam Boqvist – Brynas IF –SHL
Dynamic offensive defenseman knows with a strong wrist shot and great skating ability.
8. D – Evan Bouchard – London Knights – OHL
Keen offensive defenseman is a fantastic passer and minute muncher.
9. LW – Brady Tkachuk – Boston University – NCAA
Strong and physical winger gets to the dirty areas of the ice and shows true power forward potential.
10. LW – Joel Farabee – US NTDP – USHL
Hard working winger with skill and great speed.
11. C – Joseph Veleno – Drummondville Voltigeurs – QMJHL
Playmaking pivot does everything well and has a knack for always being around the puck.
12. C – Barrett Hayton – Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds – OHL
All situations forward is feisty, competitive and smart.
13. C – Jesperi Kotkaniemi – Assat – Liiga
Two-way centerman has some two-way abilities and great puck protection skills.
14. RW – Vitali Kravtsov – Traktor Chelyabinsk – KHL
Strong skating winger with good puck possession skill and a great shot.
15. D – Quinn Hughes – University of Michigan – NCAA
Undersized dynamic offensive defenseman has fantastic skating ability.
16. D – Bode Wilde – US NTDP – USHL
Solid two-way defender shows all the skill, but needs to limit mistakes.
17. C – Jacob Olofsson – Timra IK – Allsvenskan
Smart two-way pivot hasn’t shown the ability to put up big offensive numbers, but has potential.
18. C – Akil Thomas – Niagara Ice Dogs – OHL
Game breaking offensive forward with great acceleration and fantastic puck skills.
19. D – Ryan Merkley – Guelph Storm – OHL
Young defenseman has otherworldly offensive skill, but needs to show the attitude and work ethic to achieve great potential.
20. C – Isac Lundestrom – Lulea HF – SHL
Two-way forward with speed and smarts is good at protecting the puck.
21. C – Rasmus Kupari – Karpat - Liiga
Elite skating forward with strong puckhandling capabilities.
22. RW – Dominik Bokk – Vaxjo Lakers – SHL
Elusive and agile skater with a quick release.
23. C – Ryan McLeod – Mississauga Steelheads – OHL
Playmaking pivot with great speed and passing ability.
24. D – Mattias Samuelsson – US NTDP – USHL
Big, strong defensive defenseman with great reach and shutdown ability.
25. D – Rasmus Sandin – Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds – OHL
Puck rushing defender plays a smart, steady game at both ends of the rink.
26. D – Jared McIsaac – Halifax Mooseheads – QMJHL
Physical two-way defender didn’t progress quite as well as anticipated.
27. LW – Grigori Denisenko – Loko Yaroslavl – MHL
Creative offensive player with great edgework and a quick release.
28. RW – Martin Kaut – HC Dynamo Pardubice – Czech
Two-way winger plays a smart and mature game.
29. D – Jordan Harris – Kimball Union Academy –USHS
Puckrushing defenseman is a fantastic skater and seems to always have the puck on his stick.
30. RW – Jonatan Berggren – Skelleftea AIK – SHL
Waterbug type forward with a great motor and offensive creativity.
31. D – K’Andre Miller – US NTDP – USHL
Nasty and intimidating physical defender with a bomb from the point.
32. D – Alexander Alexeyev – Red Deer Rebels – WHL
Smooth-skating, offensive defenseman needs to get and stay healthy.
33. D – Jett Woo – Moose Jaw Warriors – WHL
Smart defender has a knack for timing stick and body checks perfectly to break up the rush.
34. C – Ty Dellandrea – Flint Firebirds – OHL
Two-way forward does all the little things and is proving to have offensive potential.
35. RW – Jesse Ylonen – Espoo United – Mestis
Smooth and dynamic winger is money in the offensive zone.
36. LW – Cole Fonstad – Prince Albert Raiders – WHL
Fantastic playmaking winger has incredible vision and fantastic passing ability.
37. C – Filip Hallander – Timra IK – Allsvenskan
Versatile forward is a hard worker with blossoming offensive ability.
38. C – Jake Wise – US NTDP – USHL
Stocky and skilled forward plays a smart offensive game, but needs to stay healthy.
39. C – Jack McBain – Toronto Jr. Canadians – OJHL
Big center was fantastic in international competition, but underwhelmed in junior league.
40. D – Jonathan Tychonick – Penticton Vees – BCHL
Offensive defenseman rushes the puck zealously.
41. D – Calen Addison – Lethbridge Hurricanes – WHL
Aggressive offensive defenseman is a smooth and mobile playmaker.
42. C – Jack Drury – Waterloo Blackhawks – USHL
Smart forward is a leader at both ends of the ice.
43. C – Ivan D. Morozov – Mamonty Yugry – MHL
Solid two-way center has catapulted his ranking with strong showing in international competition.
44. RW – Bulat Shafigullin – Reaktor Nizhnekamsk – MHL
Strong skater can push the pace, even while handling the puck.
45. RW – Ryan O’Reilly – Madison Capitols – USHL
A pure goal scorer with one of the heaviest shots and quickest releases in the draft.
46. C – Alexander Khovanov – Moncton Wildcats – QMJHL
Smart playmaker lost a step in a bout with Hepatitis A, but he’s finding his groove again.
47. LW – Sampo Ranta – Sioux City Musketeers – USHL
Has good size and a great shot and uses his reach well in puck possession.
48. C – Jay O’Brien – Youngstown Phantoms – USHL
A competitor with a good shot and two-way abilities.
49. C – Cameron Hillis – Guelph Storm – OHL
Great motor and strong skating skills, just needs some strength.
50. C – Philipp Kurashev – Quebec Remparts – QMJHL
Explosive skater always seems to be involved in the play.
51. LW – Jan Jenik – HC Benatky nad Jizerou – Czech2
Smart forward playing against men, could really blossom as he fills out.
52. C – Liam Foudy – London Knights – OHL
Competitive speedster propelled his ranking with a great second half.
53. C – Jakub Lauko – Pirati Chomutov – Czech
Two way forward is strong in puck possession.
54. RW – Tyler Madden – Tri-City Storm – USHL
Plays with speed, smarts and a competitive spirit.
55. RW – Nando Eggenberger – HC Davos – NLA
Big and strong power forward type, but doesn’t create a lot on his own.
56. C – Nathan Dunkley – London Knights – OHL
Fast and competitive forward is really good in possession in the offensive zone.
57. D – Jacob Ragnarsson – Almtuna IS – Allsvenskan
Solid offensive defenseman shows great smarts in the offensive end.
58. D – Jacob Bernard-Docker – Okotoks Oilers – AJHL
Offensive defenseman will hone skills at the University of North Dakota.
59. LW – Kirill Marchenko – Mamonty Yugry – MHL
Big winger plays his off side and has a wicked one-timer.
60. C – Allan McShane – Oshawa Generals – OHL
Smart and skilled playmaker finds a way to get on the scoresheet.
61. C – Benoit-Olivier Groulx – Halifax Mooseheads – QMJHL
Two-way forward does all the little things well, but offense has been slow to come.
62. D – Ty Emberson – US NTDP – USHL
Solid all-around defenseman does everything well.
63. C – Blake McLaughlin – Chicago Steel – USHL
Consistent offensive producer is solid puck distributor..
64. G – Jakub Skarek – HC Dukla Jihlava – Czech
Big and athletic goaltender struggled at the WJC and that hurt his draft stock.
65. D – Adam Ginning – Linkoping – SHL
Big, physical, defensive defenseman with some untapped two-way ability.
66. D – Stanislav Demin – Wenatchee Wild – BCHL
Excels as a puck mover or in his own end as an aggressive defender.
67. RW – Serron Noel – Oshawa Generals – OHL
Massive power forward with untapped potential, but the hands are suspect.
68. LW – Albin Eriksson – Skelleftea AIK – SHL
A shooter with size and a nose for the net.
69. LW – Gabriel Fortier – Baie-Comeau Drakkar – QMJHL
Two-way skilled forward with speed and a great motor.
70. C – Aidan Dudas – Owen Sound Attack – OHL
Small skilled forward is competitive and engaged at both ends of the ice.
71. C – Milos Roman – Vancouver Giants – WHL
Playmaking pivot has good vision and always seems to defer to teammates.
72. G – Jacob Ingham – Mississauga Steelheads – OHL
Pro-sized goalie frame and great athleticism, but has underwhelmed statistically.
73. D – Nils Lundkvist – Lulea HF – SHL
Solid puck mover is good all around defender.
74. D – Filip Kral – Spokane Chiefs – WHL
Smart defender has the knack for jumping into the play at the right time.
75. RW – Samuel Fagemo – Frolunda HC J20– SuperElit
Speedy winger loves to get his shot off, and it’s a good one.
76. C – Curtis Hall – Youngstown Phantoms – USHL
Competitive forward has established himself as a powerful net front presence.
77. D – Filip Johansson – Leksands IF – Allsvenskan
Solid all-around defender has some untapped offensive potential.
78. LW –Marcus Westfalt – Brynas IF – SHL
Versatile forward has good size, but needs to work on his skating.
79. RW – Riley Sutter – Everett Silvertips – WHL
Big and strong power forward gets to the dirty areas and is hard to defend against.
80. RW – Niklas Nordgren – HIFK – Liiga
Small, skilled winger with a fantastic slap shot.
81. D – Axel Andersson – Djurgardens IF J20 – SuperElit
Solid two-way defender doesn’t excel in any one area, but is showing an offensive slant.
82. G – Jett Alexander – North York Rangers – OJHL
Active puck moving goaltender with good size and quick legs.
83. LW – Tyler Weiss – US NTDP – USHL
Playmaking forward is really good with the puck on his stick.
84. C – David Gustafsson – HV71 – SHL
Excellent defensive center is very good on the dot.
85. G – Alexis Gravel – Halifax Mooseheads – QMJHL
Big netminder is active in the crease to find the puck through traffic.
86. RW – Michal Kvasnica – HC Frydek-Mistrek – Czech2
Winger with a solid shot and average frame, but knows how to use his body to shield the puck.
87. D –Martin Fehervary – IK Oskarshamn – Allsvenskan
A solid defensive defenseman who works hard and has untapped offensive potential.
88. G – Olivier Rodrigue – Drummondville Voltigeurs
Aggressive and quick defender has a penchant for making highlight reel saves.
89. LW – Anderson MacDonald – Moncton Wildcats – QMJHL
Knows what to do in front of the net, but his skating is a work in progress at best.
90. RW – Kody Clark – Ottawa 67’s – OHL
A competitor who wins battles and gets to the scoring areas.
91. RW – Ruslan Iskhakov – Krasnaya Armiya Moskva – MHL
Fantastic stickhandler and excellent playmaker, but will those skills translate at his size.
92. LW – Ryan Chyzowski – Medicine Hat Tigers – WHL
Hard worker with a great shot is becoming a real leader.
93. D – Danila Galenyuk – SKA-1946 St.Petersburg – MHL
A solid, physical defender with good puckmoving ability.
94. D – Kevin Bahl – Ottawa 67’s – OHL
Massive defender is showing some solid puck skills, but will make his money as a shutdown defender.
95. C – Blade Jenkins – Saginaw Spirit – OHL
Two-way center has intriguing potential, but needs to improve his speed and agility.
96. G – Justus Annunen – Karpat – Liiga
Big netminder is technically sound and positions himself well to cut down the angles.
97. D – Alec Regula – London Knights – OHL
Solid defensively and starting to show his two-way ability.
98. D – Giovanni Vallati – Kitchener Rangers – OHL
Poised, puck-rushing defenseman is smooth and creative with the puck.
99. D – Xavier Bouchard – Baie-Comeau Drakkar – QMJHL
Rangy defenseman with good mobility and solid defensive skills.
100. LW – Jackson Leppard – Prince George Cougars – WHL
The ultimate competitor struggled statistically, but his rugged, gritty nature will translate well.

Click to read more...

 

[Scott Malkinson]

Ruslan Iskhakov is so sick.

He could drop to the 90s or later but that little guy is so talented.

 

[Zaddy]

Ah, it's alive!!!

Obviously I don't agree with everything (Kaut and Fagemo rankings stick out to me) but overall a great list that you've clearly put some work into. Good job man

 

[Canovin]

I like your list because it means the Oilers have a chance at Boqvist

 

[hallonskal]

Fagemo at 75 sticks out to me, I wouldn't have him anywhere close to my top100. Probably not in my top150 either. He is a poor mans Sebastian Collberg (a prospect that I was not a fan of) in my eyes.

 

[AmericanDream]

great job!!

not going to call out a certain player here or there...just an observation and this isn't just you.

I honestly think that a few of the centers available are being ranked higher than they should because of the lack of centers going in the top 10. Teams might be reaching a bit to grab one of the top centers for this draft but I do not have a single center in my top 13, and I would be shocked to see 2 of them there come draft day. The team that reaches for a center is going to regret it with all that defensive talent available at those spots.

 

[Kevin Musto]

Hughes at #15...I'm gonna have to strongly disagree. I've honestly moved him up to #3 on my rankings. At the very least he should be in your top 10. His skating is unlike anything I've ever seen. He's just so fluid and fast. On top of that, his hockey IQ is through the roof. He reads plays incredibly well. I think his shot is being pretty underrated too. It's not heavy like Bouchard, but he's got a quick release which I think will catch a lot of goalies off guard.

I have to say he might be my favourite prospect in the draft.

 

[Scott Malkinson]

Hughes at #15...I'm gonna have to strongly disagree. I've honestly moved him up to #3 on my rankings. At the very least he should be in your top 10. His skating is unlike anything I've ever seen. He's just so fluid and fast. On top of that, his hockey IQ is through the roof. He reads plays incredibly well. I think his shot is being pretty underrated too. It's not heavy like Bouchard, but he's got a quick release which I think will catch a lot of goalies off guard.

I have to say he might be my favourite prospect in the draft.

He really didn't look too good at the WJC.

I'm not sure I buy the hype. But I could be very wrong.

Wouldn't be the first time.

 

[Kevin Musto]

He really didn't look too good at the WJC.

I'm not sure I buy the hype. But I could be very wrong.

Wouldn't be the first time.

I wasn't really impressed by any of the USA team. There was no chemistry there. Watch Hughes in his Michigan games. He's probably the best player in the NCAA and he's in his freshman year.

 

[AmericanDream]

He really didn't look too good at the WJC.

I'm not sure I buy the hype. But I could be very wrong.

Wouldn't be the first time.

Hughes played a great first game at the WJC which opened up a lot of eyes, then his role changed a bit, made a few mistakes and he was rarely seen again until the end which was crazy. H e was playing under 6 minutes or something insane for a stretch.. Hughes had an underwhelming WJC, but for him to have even been selected tells you the skill and talent.

I try not to put too much stock into a single tournament like the WJC which wasn't his best showing, but how he has performed this year all season long, his team being in the Final 4 when they really shouldn't be is more than enough evidence for many to see how legit he is.

Still has question marks, and I certainly do not have him in my top 5 like some others, but on pure skill alone, not sure anybody else can touch him this draft.

I kind of balked a bit when a comp was thrown out a while ago for Hughes and Brian Leetch...now after really focusing on him the past 3 months, I am not thinking that comp is far off outside of physical play. Hughes is that good or at least could be in the NHL....his skating and passing are absolutely game changing.

 

[Killerjas]

Lundkvist waaaaay too low. High 2nd round pick.

 

[PKSpecialist]

Ah, it's alive!!!

Ya, sorry Zaddy, haven't had a lot of time to post on here this year. I still am following the draft as a pasttime, but just don't really have a lot of time to discuss on here. Looking forward to the Oilers mock draft again this year.

Fagemo at 75 sticks out to me, I wouldn't have him anywhere close to my top100.

Fagemo was quite good at the Hlinka tournament, and I haven't seen him since....a glaring omission on my part, but I am just one guy, not a team of scouts. I just really like his shot and how he seems to get into a position to use it.

great job!!

I honestly think that a few of the centers available are being ranked higher than they should because of the lack of centers going in the top 10. Teams might be reaching a bit to grab one of the top centers for this draft but I do not have a single center in my top 13, and I would be shocked to see 2 of them there come draft day. The team that reaches for a center is going to regret it with all that defensive talent available at those spots.

I agree and disagree....I really like Veleno and Hayton. They aren't going to be #1 centers, but both have a legit shot as a high end second liner. I'm not 100% sure that Hayton ends up at center long term. What I do believe though is that some of the defenders are really risky this year, and that's where I like Veleno and Hayton. Although Hughes is a phenomenal skater and good offensive defenseman, he really, really scares me with a below average shot and his size. If he had a cannon, he'd be top 10, but with his shot, I just think he's a major risk. Great prospect, major risk. Scares me more than any other defender in the first round.

Lundkvist waaaaay too low. High 2nd round pick.

I don't care where prospects are going to be picked. I rank them based on my own long term projections....see Nicolas Hague who I had rated in the top 5 last year. I'm not scared of being criticized, but won't engage in prospect warfare either. I watched Hague a pile last year, especially in the playoffs, and I am pretty sure I had a good read on him....time will tell. As far as Lundkvist goes, I just don't see anything overly exciting here. He's a good prospect in many ways, just no over the top outstanding skills. I will say though that I haven't seen him as much as the North American prospects, so maybe he merits moving up...but not in my viewings. I would say he is way closer to Axel Andersson for instance, than Alexander Alexeyev.

 

[Wooren]

Michal Kvasnica is not a top 100 prospect. Late-round pick guy.
Lukas Dostal, Jachym Kondelik and IMO Matej Pekar on the other hand are top 100 worthy.

 

[Thebesthockey]

How do you even remotely justify a USHS N.E. player in first round / player say over

94. D – Kevin Bahl – Ottawa 67’s – OHL
Massive defender is showing some solid puck skills, but will make his money as a shutdown defender.

not to mention a ton of other players ranked higher..

have you even seen the level of play vs USHS N.E. vs /Q/WHL/OHL ? seriously you find this comparable Leagues /competition ?

 

[hawkeerox]

These are my top 100 rankings. They are my own. I watch a lot of hockey. I read a lot(and I have certain people's opinions that I take into account), but these rankings are from my own observations. This is the order I would draft these guys in(as of the end of February) I just finished putting this together, so I will update at the conclusion of the Memorial Cup. Please feel free to comment....especially if you see a glaring omission(I may not have seen every player - and I also don't get to watch every player multiple times, so if they have a poor game when I see them, it's unlikely they'll have a high ranking).

1. D – Rasmus Dahlin – Frolunda – SHL
Two-way defender does it all and has the physical attributes – great size and skating ability - to go with the creativity and puckhandling skill.
2. RW – Andrei Svechnikov – Barrie Colts – OHL
Has the shot, release and playmaking ability to become a dynamic offensive threat.
3. RW – Filip Zadina – Halifax Mooseheads – QMJHL
A sniper through and through. Has a great shot and knows his way to the net.
4. RW – Oliver Walhlstrom – US NTDP – USHL
Sniping winger with incredible puck skills and playmaking ability.
5. D – Noah Dobson – Acadie-Bathurst Titan – QMJHL
Rock solid defender has shown that he can play at both ends of the ice.
6. D – Ty Smith – Spokane Chiefs – WHL
Poised puck mover and elite skater is solid at both ends but lacks prototypical size.
7. D – Adam Boqvist – Brynas IF –SHL
Dynamic offensive defenseman knows with a strong wrist shot and great skating ability.
8. D – Evan Bouchard – London Knights – OHL
Keen offensive defenseman is a fantastic passer and minute muncher.
9. LW – Brady Tkachuk – Boston University – NCAA
Strong and physical winger gets to the dirty areas of the ice and shows true power forward potential.
10. LW – Joel Farabee – US NTDP – USHL
Hard working winger with skill and great speed.
11. C – Joseph Veleno – Drummondville Voltigeurs – QMJHL
Playmaking pivot does everything well and has a knack for always being around the puck.
12. C – Barrett Hayton – Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds – OHL
All situations forward is feisty, competitive and smart.
13. C – Jesperi Kotkaniemi – Assat – Liiga
Two-way centerman has some two-way abilities and great puck protection skills.
14. RW – Vitali Kravtsov – Traktor Chelyabinsk – KHL
Strong skating winger with good puck possession skill and a great shot.
15. D – Quinn Hughes – University of Michigan – NCAA
Undersized dynamic offensive defenseman has fantastic skating ability.
16. D – Bode Wilde – US NTDP – USHL
Solid two-way defender shows all the skill, but needs to limit mistakes.
17. C – Jacob Olofsson – Timra IK – Allsvenskan
Smart two-way pivot hasn’t shown the ability to put up big offensive numbers, but has potential.
18. C – Akil Thomas – Niagara Ice Dogs – OHL
Game breaking offensive forward with great acceleration and fantastic puck skills.
19. D – Ryan Merkley – Guelph Storm – OHL
Young defenseman has otherworldly offensive skill, but needs to show the attitude and work ethic to achieve great potential.
20. C – Isac Lundestrom – Lulea HF – SHL
Two-way forward with speed and smarts is good at protecting the puck.
21. C – Rasmus Kupari – Karpat - Liiga
Elite skating forward with strong puckhandling capabilities.
22. RW – Dominik Bokk – Vaxjo Lakers – SHL
Elusive and agile skater with a quick release.
23. C – Ryan McLeod – Mississauga Steelheads – OHL
Playmaking pivot with great speed and passing ability.
24. D – Mattias Samuelsson – US NTDP – USHL
Big, strong defensive defenseman with great reach and shutdown ability.
25. D – Rasmus Sandin – Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds – OHL
Puck rushing defender plays a smart, steady game at both ends of the rink.
26. D – Jared McIsaac – Halifax Mooseheads – QMJHL
Physical two-way defender didn’t progress quite as well as anticipated.
27. LW – Grigori Denisenko – Loko Yaroslavl – MHL
Creative offensive player with great edgework and a quick release.
28. RW – Martin Kaut – HC Dynamo Pardubice – Czech
Two-way winger plays a smart and mature game.
29. D – Jordan Harris – Kimball Union Academy –USHS
Puckrushing defenseman is a fantastic skater and seems to always have the puck on his stick.
30. RW – Jonatan Berggren – Skelleftea AIK – SHL
Waterbug type forward with a great motor and offensive creativity.
31. D – K’Andre Miller – US NTDP – USHL
Nasty and intimidating physical defender with a bomb from the point.
32. D – Alexander Alexeyev – Red Deer Rebels – WHL
Smooth-skating, offensive defenseman needs to get and stay healthy.
33. D – Jett Woo – Moose Jaw Warriors – WHL
Smart defender has a knack for timing stick and body checks perfectly to break up the rush.
34. C – Ty Dellandrea – Flint Firebirds – OHL
Two-way forward does all the little things and is proving to have offensive potential.
35. RW – Jesse Ylonen – Espoo United – Mestis
Smooth and dynamic winger is money in the offensive zone.
36. LW – Cole Fonstad – Prince Albert Raiders – WHL
Fantastic playmaking winger has incredible vision and fantastic passing ability.
37. C – Filip Hallander – Timra IK – Allsvenskan
Versatile forward is a hard worker with blossoming offensive ability.
38. C – Jake Wise – US NTDP – USHL
Stocky and skilled forward plays a smart offensive game, but needs to stay healthy.
39. C – Jack McBain – Toronto Jr. Canadians – OJHL
Big center was fantastic in international competition, but underwhelmed in junior league.
40. D – Jonathan Tychonick – Penticton Vees – BCHL
Offensive defenseman rushes the puck zealously.
41. D – Calen Addison – Lethbridge Hurricanes – WHL
Aggressive offensive defenseman is a smooth and mobile playmaker.
42. C – Jack Drury – Waterloo Blackhawks – USHL
Smart forward is a leader at both ends of the ice.
43. C – Ivan D. Morozov – Mamonty Yugry – MHL
Solid two-way center has catapulted his ranking with strong showing in international competition.
44. RW – Bulat Shafigullin – Reaktor Nizhnekamsk – MHL
Strong skater can push the pace, even while handling the puck.
45. RW – Ryan O’Reilly – Madison Capitols – USHL
A pure goal scorer with one of the heaviest shots and quickest releases in the draft.
46. C – Alexander Khovanov – Moncton Wildcats – QMJHL
Smart playmaker lost a step in a bout with Hepatitis A, but he’s finding his groove again.
47. LW – Sampo Ranta – Sioux City Musketeers – USHL
Has good size and a great shot and uses his reach well in puck possession.
48. C – Jay O’Brien – Youngstown Phantoms – USHL
A competitor with a good shot and two-way abilities.
49. C – Cameron Hillis – Guelph Storm – OHL
Great motor and strong skating skills, just needs some strength.
50. C – Philipp Kurashev – Quebec Remparts – QMJHL
Explosive skater always seems to be involved in the play.
51. LW – Jan Jenik – HC Benatky nad Jizerou – Czech2
Smart forward playing against men, could really blossom as he fills out.
52. C – Liam Foudy – London Knights – OHL
Competitive speedster propelled his ranking with a great second half.
53. C – Jakub Lauko – Pirati Chomutov – Czech
Two way forward is strong in puck possession.
54. RW – Tyler Madden – Tri-City Storm – USHL
Plays with speed, smarts and a competitive spirit.
55. RW – Nando Eggenberger – HC Davos – NLA
Big and strong power forward type, but doesn’t create a lot on his own.
56. C – Nathan Dunkley – London Knights – OHL
Fast and competitive forward is really good in possession in the offensive zone.
57. D – Jacob Ragnarsson – Almtuna IS – Allsvenskan
Solid offensive defenseman shows great smarts in the offensive end.
58. D – Jacob Bernard-Docker – Okotoks Oilers – AJHL
Offensive defenseman will hone skills at the University of North Dakota.
59. LW – Kirill Marchenko – Mamonty Yugry – MHL
Big winger plays his off side and has a wicked one-timer.
60. C – Allan McShane – Oshawa Generals – OHL
Smart and skilled playmaker finds a way to get on the scoresheet.
61. C – Benoit-Olivier Groulx – Halifax Mooseheads – QMJHL
Two-way forward does all the little things well, but offense has been slow to come.
62. D – Ty Emberson – US NTDP – USHL
Solid all-around defenseman does everything well.
63. C – Blake McLaughlin – Chicago Steel – USHL
Consistent offensive producer is solid puck distributor..
64. G – Jakub Skarek – HC Dukla Jihlava – Czech
Big and athletic goaltender struggled at the WJC and that hurt his draft stock.
65. D – Adam Ginning – Linkoping – SHL
Big, physical, defensive defenseman with some untapped two-way ability.
66. D – Stanislav Demin – Wenatchee Wild – BCHL
Excels as a puck mover or in his own end as an aggressive defender.
67. RW – Serron Noel – Oshawa Generals – OHL
Massive power forward with untapped potential, but the hands are suspect.
68. LW – Albin Eriksson – Skelleftea AIK – SHL
A shooter with size and a nose for the net.
69. LW – Gabriel Fortier – Baie-Comeau Drakkar – QMJHL
Two-way skilled forward with speed and a great motor.
70. C – Aidan Dudas – Owen Sound Attack – OHL
Small skilled forward is competitive and engaged at both ends of the ice.
71. C – Milos Roman – Vancouver Giants – WHL
Playmaking pivot has good vision and always seems to defer to teammates.
72. G – Jacob Ingham – Mississauga Steelheads – OHL
Pro-sized goalie frame and great athleticism, but has underwhelmed statistically.
73. D – Nils Lundkvist – Lulea HF – SHL
Solid puck mover is good all around defender.
74. D – Filip Kral – Spokane Chiefs – WHL
Smart defender has the knack for jumping into the play at the right time.
75. RW – Samuel Fagemo – Frolunda HC J20– SuperElit
Speedy winger loves to get his shot off, and it’s a good one.
76. C – Curtis Hall – Youngstown Phantoms – USHL
Competitive forward has established himself as a powerful net front presence.
77. D – Filip Johansson – Leksands IF – Allsvenskan
Solid all-around defender has some untapped offensive potential.
78. LW –Marcus Westfalt – Brynas IF – SHL
Versatile forward has good size, but needs to work on his skating.
79. RW – Riley Sutter – Everett Silvertips – WHL
Big and strong power forward gets to the dirty areas and is hard to defend against.
80. RW – Niklas Nordgren – HIFK – Liiga
Small, skilled winger with a fantastic slap shot.
81. D – Axel Andersson – Djurgardens IF J20 – SuperElit
Solid two-way defender doesn’t excel in any one area, but is showing an offensive slant.
82. G – Jett Alexander – North York Rangers – OJHL
Active puck moving goaltender with good size and quick legs.
83. LW – Tyler Weiss – US NTDP – USHL
Playmaking forward is really good with the puck on his stick.
84. C – David Gustafsson – HV71 – SHL
Excellent defensive center is very good on the dot.
85. G – Alexis Gravel – Halifax Mooseheads – QMJHL
Big netminder is active in the crease to find the puck through traffic.
86. RW – Michal Kvasnica – HC Frydek-Mistrek – Czech2
Winger with a solid shot and average frame, but knows how to use his body to shield the puck.
87. D –Martin Fehervary – IK Oskarshamn – Allsvenskan
A solid defensive defenseman who works hard and has untapped offensive potential.
88. G – Olivier Rodrigue – Drummondville Voltigeurs
Aggressive and quick defender has a penchant for making highlight reel saves.
89. LW – Anderson MacDonald – Moncton Wildcats – QMJHL
Knows what to do in front of the net, but his skating is a work in progress at best.
90. RW – Kody Clark – Ottawa 67’s – OHL
A competitor who wins battles and gets to the scoring areas.
91. RW – Ruslan Iskhakov – Krasnaya Armiya Moskva – MHL
Fantastic stickhandler and excellent playmaker, but will those skills translate at his size.
92. LW – Ryan Chyzowski – Medicine Hat Tigers – WHL
Hard worker with a great shot is becoming a real leader.
93. D – Danila Galenyuk – SKA-1946 St.Petersburg – MHL
A solid, physical defender with good puckmoving ability.
94. D – Kevin Bahl – Ottawa 67’s – OHL
Massive defender is showing some solid puck skills, but will make his money as a shutdown defender.
95. C – Blade Jenkins – Saginaw Spirit – OHL
Two-way center has intriguing potential, but needs to improve his speed and agility.
96. G – Justus Annunen – Karpat – Liiga
Big netminder is technically sound and positions himself well to cut down the angles.
97. D – Alec Regula – London Knights – OHL
Solid defensively and starting to show his two-way ability.
98. D – Giovanni Vallati – Kitchener Rangers – OHL
Poised, puck-rushing defenseman is smooth and creative with the puck.
99. D – Xavier Bouchard – Baie-Comeau Drakkar – QMJHL
Rangy defenseman with good mobility and solid defensive skills.
100. LW – Jackson Leppard – Prince George Cougars – WHL
The ultimate competitor struggled statistically, but his rugged, gritty nature will translate well.

Well, I'll just comment on a few:

Bouchard is, imho, the second-best Dman. Dobson, Smith, Boquist should not be ranked higher than him.
I'm fine with Zadina that high - he's got skills!
Joe Veleno is a tad high compared to where a lot of people feel he should be , but to me as long as he's not in top ten it sounds fine.
Ty Dellandrea should be higher.
McBain is better than #39 - though I think he may indeed fall to mid-second round, he simply has too much material to work with to warrant that placing.

I am very keen on seeing how the U18 tournament works out...

 

[ShouldveDraftedFiala]

Dobson getting his proper dues, seems like a sleeper top 5 pick this year

 

[PKSpecialist]

Well, I'll just comment on a few:

Bouchard is, imho, the second-best Dman. Dobson, Smith, Boquist should not be ranked higher than him.
I'm fine with Zadina that high - he's got skills!
Joe Veleno is a tad high compared to where a lot of people feel he should be , but to me as long as he's not in top ten it sounds fine.
Ty Dellandrea should be higher.
McBain is better than #39 - though I think he may indeed fall to mid-second round, he simply has too much material to work with to warrant that placing.

I am very keen on seeing how the U18 tournament works out...

I like Bouchard....he reminds me a lot of Ryan Suter. Really strong passer, good offensive IQ. His skating is a bit of a red flag. Why I rank Dobson the best is because of how good he is defensively. He is head and shoulders the best defensive defenseman in this draft. On top of that, he is showing to be a solid contributor at the other end too. When I first watched him, I thought he looked like Adam Larsson, but his skating is better(by quite a bit) and with the offense he is showing he is probably closer to a right handed version of Mark Giordano.

McBain's ranking is going to depend a lot on his playoffs. He needs to produce and lead his team at a high-level. Step his game up. I agree that he probably has a bigger upside than many of the other players, but so tough to project him as he doesn't play against the same competition, and he has underwhelmed other than at the Hlinka tournament. I'm with you on the 'sU18. It will help with guys like McBain and a lot of the European players that I haven't had a good opportunity to watch.

Michal Kvasnica is not a top 100 prospect. Late-round pick guy.
Lukas Dostal, Jachym Kondelik and IMO Matej Pekar on the other hand are top 100 worthy.

As you can expect, watching the Czech leagues is not easy, so very limited viewings of all of these prospects(and another omission on my part is that I haven't seen the Lumberjacks this season - so I haven't ranked Kondelik, Pekar or Karki - but have some games saved to watch and will make sure I do before my final rankings). Kondelik was on my radar last season, but he didn't impress me at the Hlinka and kind of fell off my radar. He was ok at the Jr A challenge though, but it's one of those tough things to do weighing a big prospect and projecting them... ie. is he just tipping the ice berg, or is he only producing because he is a man amongst boys. Very tough to project...only time will tell.
As far as the goalies go, I really don't like this crop. Skarek will likely be higher on my final list. He's certainly looking more like the guy we saw last year. I have Dostal in a group with Schmid, Prosvetov and my wildcard Matthew Galajda....and they are just out of my top 100, but truth be told, I don't have a real good handle on the goalies of this draft right now. Almost to a man the goalies have underwhelmed with their performance this year, so it's going to be more about projecting who is the Dylan Wells type who has all the tools and can figure out how to right the ship in the future.

How do you even remotely justify a USHS N.E. player in first round / player say over

94. D – Kevin Bahl – Ottawa 67’s – OHL
Massive defender is showing some solid puck skills, but will make his money as a shutdown defender.

not to mention a ton of other players ranked higher..

have you even seen the level of play vs USHS N.E. vs /Q/WHL/OHL ? seriously you find this comparable Leagues /competition ?

I'm not really following your comment....are you saying if you are playing USHS you should never be drafted because the leagues aren't comparable? Weird.... I understand the leagues are not comparable. That's why we have to use the tools we have to project these players. First, the Top Prospects Game where Harris was able to play against his draft peers...and showed off his strong puck rushing ability. Second, he dominated a lot of his high school games in possession. It's like the puck never leaves his stick. I think he has some developing to do to become more offensive and better defensively, but with his puckrushing ability, I think he is going to carve out a great pro career. I expect him to have a four year college career, but at that time, if he develops like I suspect he will, he will take the NHL by storm, and leave a lot of teams questioning why they passed on him. As far as Bahl is concerned, there are concerns....he's 6'6 and not dominant defensively or offensively. I have Harris easily ahead of him at his point. Bahl certainly has some qualities that are enticing, but he is far from putting them all together.

 

[Thebesthockey]

Dont get me wrong i am not challenging anyones talent, where i have an issue is first round position in a very deep " D"draft year where you not only have bahl but say woo etc drafted after , these guys play and face higher end faster bigger opposition and is night and day vs high school hockey

how do you justify that ?

on top of that you mention 4 yr college ...imo most nhl teams are not waiting for 4 yrs especially a 1st round choice

anyways just my thoughts

 

[AveryStar4Eva]

Good list man props for giving a run down of all 100. Got a few more prospects to watch now.

 

[Patrik Barkov]

Dont get me wrong i am not challenging anyones talent, where i have an issue is first round position in a very deep " D"draft year where you not only have bahl but say woo etc drafted after , these guys play and face higher end faster bigger opposition and is night and day vs high school hockey

how do you justify that ?

on top of that you mention 4 yr college ...imo most nhl teams are not waiting for 4 yrs especially a 1st round choice

anyways just my thoughts

As OP said it's his projection of how the players will do not how the draft would go. Also teams picking late first round don't always expect to get impact players in the next few years out of them. There are players who are projects.

 

[hawkeerox]

[QUOTE="

McBain's ranking is going to depend a lot on his playoffs. He needs to produce and lead his team at a high-level. Step his game up. I agree that he probably has a bigger upside than many of the other players, but so tough to project him as he doesn't play against the same competition, and he has underwhelmed other than at the Hlinka tournament. I'm with you on the 'sU18. It will help with guys like McBain and a lot of the European players that I haven't had a good opportunity to watch.
.[/QUOTE]

Well, McBain's playoffs are over - his team got knocked out in six in the first round. That said it appears he did quite well in the games he played - nine points in four games... got suspended for rest of playoffs for illegal hit. Looks like U18s will have to do it.

 

[PKSpecialist]

Dont get me wrong i am not challenging anyones talent, where i have an issue is first round position in a very deep " D"draft year where you not only have bahl but say woo etc drafted after , these guys play and face higher end faster bigger opposition and is night and day vs high school hockey

how do you justify that ?

on top of that you mention 4 yr college ...imo most nhl teams are not waiting for 4 yrs especially a 1st round choice

anyways just my thoughts

The fact that most NHL teams are not willing to wait for their prospects is their problem, not mine. The goal of scouting is to uncover talent. Because you gave three examples of players here, I will do a breakdown of the three and why I rank them the way I do so you have an understanding of my thought process. I am not saying that I am right, but again, these are my rankings, not everyone will agree with them, and only time will tell.

I believe Jordan Harris is a better skater today than Jett Woo(although he has a bit of an awkward stride), and he is night and day better than Kevin Bahl at skating. Harris has better puckhandling skills than both of these players at this time in my opinion. Jett Woo is the most advanced defensively of the three(by far), and he has great decision making in the neutral zone and defensive zone against the rush. Bahl has some intriguing qualities, but he doesn't dominate junior hockey, despite being half a foot and 40 lbs bigger than most of his competition. He needs to learn how to use his size. He is gaining confidence in his puck skills, and his performance is getting better. However, he doesn't belong anywhere near the first round in my opinion. The thing with Jordan Harris is that like you said, he hasn't played the tough competition yet, but he also hasn't received the top coaching(no disrespect to Tim Whitehead), and he hasn't received the top training. I think his upside is through the roof, but it isn't going to happen tomorrow. Because he didn't have the coaching and training and play against the top competition, he has an long, uphill climb to the NHL. Hence, four years in college.

 

[Guy Gadowsky]

You have to go back and watch Hughes' playoff tape

hot damn

 

[flyersdad]

great list. Noel in the 60s seems low but I agree I do not have him in Rd 1. The most surprising omission is Nicolas Beaudin. Smooth skating dman with a ppg in the Q. Why did you leave him out of your top 100?

 

[PKSpecialist]

great list. Noel in the 60s seems low but I agree I do not have him in Rd 1. The most surprising omission is Nicolas Beaudin. Smooth skating dman with a ppg in the Q. Why did you leave him out of your top 100?

Being I am only one person, watching all of these guys play is really tough. The only reason I put out this preliminary list is so that I can get feedback on guys I may have missed. I watched several Drummondville playoff games because I wanted to slot Veleno in properly, but Beaudin was an absolute miss on my early season viewings. Easily a second round talent. I really didn’t like what I saw from Noel the few times I saw him in January so I dropped him down my list quite a bit. His performance at the U-18’s will improve his ranking quite a bit. I am really power watching a pile of games right now to finalize my ranking. Probably post my final list the week leading up to the draft.