If you follow the NHL draft, or hockey at all, you’ve probably heard of Connor McDavid, arguably the most hyped prospect to come out of Canada since Sidney Crosby. It’s also fairly common knowledge that Jack Eichel will compete with him for the first spot — this upcoming draft could be the best one since the now legendary 2003 draft. However, it’s not just the top two players who make this draft so exciting, it’s the depth behind them. Here are some players to watch out for in the upcoming draft:
Noah Hanifin (Boston College, NCAA): The 6’2, 205lb defenceman has all the tools necessary to become a dominant NHL defenceman. He’s overachieved at every level so far, with 20 points in 31 games on the same team as Eichel, and 32 in 45 on the US national U17 team. Hanfin will play in the NCAA for Boston College as a 17-year-old, which is a remarkable feat.
Draft Prediction: 3rd Overall
Oliver Kylington (Färjestad, SHL): The Swedish defenceman doesn’t have any points after his first eight games, but he’s playing as a 17-year-old against grown men in the SHL, a Swedish professional league. He’s an excellent skater, has a great shot, and has been compared to Victor Hedman. Much like Hedman, though, it may take him a while to get used to the NHL. Some scouts might be wary of taking him in light of how Adam Larrson, another Swedish defenceman, has stalled in his development after being selected fourth overall in 2011. He’s top four now, but a lot of it will depend on his performance in the world juniors.
Draft Prediction: 4th overall
Travis Konecny (Ottawa 67’s, OHL): As a 16-year-old last year in the OHL, he put up 70 points in 63 games. Quite impressive for a rookie, which is why he won top rookie of the year in the OHL. At 5’10, growing two or three inches would help his draft stock, but he’s got excellent hands, is very shifty, and is a powerful skater.
Draft Prediction: 5th – 8th overall
Mathew Barzal (Seattle Thunderbirds, WHL): This local kid from Coquitlam had a good rookie season, with 54 points in 59 games. He’s got great vision, as evidenced by 40 of those points last year coming as assists. He only had 19 goals, but that is not for a lack of ability when it comes to shooting the puck: he has a great release, but tends to pass instead of shooting. He is being compared to another highly touted pick from the Lower Mainland, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins.
Draft Prediction: 6th – 10th overall
Dylan Strome (Erie Otters, OHL): Dylan Strome is an interesting case. The brother of NHLer Ryan Strome, Dylan is having a excellent start to his OHL season, with 13 points in four games. Of course, it helps if you get a good amount of playing time with Connor McDavid. That fact alone might send Strome down the rankings, as scouts might worry if he can produce without McDavid; but he’s 6’2, and a big centre with his skillset will be hard to pass up. He could go as high as fourth, but could easily slip to 11th if scouts are worried he’s just riding McDavid’s coattails. There’s just too much uncertainty.
Draft Prediction: 7th -11th overall
Mitch Marner (London Knights, OHL): Last year, his first in the OHL, Marner had 59 points in 63 games. Like Barzal, his vision and playmaking ability are his bread and butter. He did very well for himself on a stacked London Knights team that featured the likes of Bo Horvat and Max Domi. He could be given a bigger role if the veterans stick with their NHL clubs, which would lead to more ice time and production. He will have to overachieve and hope some of the other prospects falter in order to shoot up the draft rankings.
Draft Prediction: 8th overall
