StevenToddIves
Registered User
2019 NHL Draft, Final Rankings
To be used as a draft-day reference or filed away to make fun of me on everything I'm wrong about during the course of the entire next decade.
NOTES: Goaltenders are not included in my list, it's skaters only.
I recommend reading several draft writers, and will be glad to answer any questions concerning the variance in draft rankings from one draft writer to another.
Round One
1 C Jack Hughes best combination of skating/vision/hockey IQ/zone-entry skill this decade aside from Connor McDavid
2 W Kappo Kakko superlatively talented in every aspect of the game; a can’t miss star
3 LD Bowen Byram explosive two-way D with speed for days and no weakness whatsoever
4 C Alex Turcotte best two-way F in the draft has insane compete level and ridiculous speed
5 C Trevor Zegras top vision/hockey IQ in draft aside from Hughes; incredibly creative playmaker
6 C/LW Peyton Krebs compete level is unsurpassed in class of 2019; also phenomenal skater and passer; future NHL captain
7 C/RW Dylan Cozens huge power F with sick shot; checks off every tool in the box
8 C Kirby Dach huge playmaking C is reminiscent of a young Ryan Getzlaf
9 W Matthew Boldy silky-smooth winger is versatile, smart and can score and pass at elite levels
10 RW Cole Caufield best pure scorer in the draft topped an eye-popping 70 goals in his draft-eligible year; snipes like a smaller Brett Hull
11 W Vasili Podkolzin terrific compete level on this two-way scoring winger, roller coaster draft-eligible season dropped him out of top 10 but he could make me regret this in a few years
12 RD Moritz Seider huge German export can skate, play tough, shut-down opposing Fs and ignite the offense; my belief that he has top-pairing upside has me ranking him higher than most
13 C Alex Newhook may be the best skater in the draft after Hughes and a dynamic offensive skill-set
14 W Arthur Kaliyev most polarizing F in the draft; biggest offensive upside of any winger in the class of 2019 but questions about his compete level and 200-foot game hound him
15 C Philip Tomasino explosive skater and scorer with penchant for highlight-reel goals is sorely under-ranked by most in my estimation
16 RW Rafael Lavoie big, skilled power F who can shoot the lights out? Yes, please
17 LD Matthew Robertson huge and physical shut-down D is also a near-elite skater with excellent passing skills; highest floor of any D in the 2019 draft
18 RW Bobby Brink dynamic offensive skill-set gives him top-line, high-scoring potential
19 C Jamieson Rees higher-ranked here than you will see anywhere but his combination of skating/vision/two-way play/compete level are only surpassed in this draft class by Turcotte
20 LD Cam York not the biggest or fastest defenseman in this draft, but arguably the calmest with the puck and the smartest
21 RD Victor Soderstrom also not the biggest or fastest defenseman in this draft, but arguably the calmest with the puck and the smartest
22 C John Beecher huge/incredibly strong power center is also blazingly fast and has sneaky skill; reminiscent of a young Ryan Kesler or David Backes only more dynamic; capable of scoring a highlight-reel goal on one shift and then crushing it with a bone-jarring hit on the next
23 LD Thomas Harley 6’3 D with high-end speed and skills; a bit of a riverboat gambler with the puck but has top-pairing upside with the right development
24 LW Samuel Poulin big, skilled power F who can shoot the lights out? Yes, please
25 C Ryan Suzuki one of the top playmakers in this draft can thread the needle and skate like the wind
26 LW Pavel Dorofeyev multi-tooled winger compares quite well to Filip Forsberg
27 LW Nicholas Robertson undersized winger with a huge heart possesses some of the best hands in the draft and a ridiculously accurate shot which he can get off in a blink
28 LW Nils Hoglander quick, skilled 5’9 winger is fun to watch; combines top-line talent with the courage to lay big hits on far bigger opponents
29 LD Vladislav Kolyachonok uncommon mix of skating/size/skill propels this Belarussian into the first round
30 RD Lassi Thomson terrific skater with a big shot from Finland also loves to lay big hits
31 RD Kaeden Korczak big, strong shut-down D also passes quite well and possesses an intriguing offensive skill-set; very physical
Round Two
32 RW Brett Leason 6’5 overager is physical and can score; improved skating by leaps and bounds over past two years to become borderline first-round prospect
33 RD Case McCarthy an absolute beast who is as strong and solid defensively as any D in the draft; also very smart with the puck; has very high floor as third-pairing crusher and an upside as a top-pairing shut-down guy to pair with your offensive #1 D
34 C Yegor Spiridonov big, rangy C with huge wing-span is the top face-off specialist in the draft class and plays with tremendous two-way acumen
35 LD Tobias Bjornfot defensive specialist is also an outstanding skater and super smart with the puck; so smooth and in my mind a can’t miss NHL blueliner
36 C Connor McMichael good at everything and great on his skates, projects to an ideal NHL 2C; my friend made the draft quote of the year: “I’ll take Connor McAnything”
37 LD Ville Heinola incredibly high hockey IQ and lack of any weakness whatsoever could lift him into the first round despite lack of dynamic upside
38 RD Drew Helleson future shut-down D is huge and plays with great calm and intelligence
39 LW Jakob Pelletier versatile coaches’ dream can play all three F positions in any situation, also has tremendous offensive skill
40 C Trevor Janicke ferocious hustle and willingness to battle anyone makes him a future fan favorite but he also skates at a high level and can wire the puck
41 W Simon Holmstrom were it not for an injury marred draft year he would likely be higher; possesses ideal size/skating/skill combo and top-6 NHL upside at either wing
42 W Yegor Afanaseyev huge offensive winger tore up the USHL for Muskegon
43 LW Robert Mastrosimone sniper has 30+ goal upside at the NHL level
44 W Albin Grewe if there’s a Claude Lemieux in this draft it’s Grewe; hits anything with almost absurd ferocity and can also skate the lights out and score
45 RW Nathan Legare heart-and-soul winger is built like a truck and can blister the puck; if he can improve his skating/puck-handling a notch can be a Jamie Benn-like beast
46 LD Philip Broberg most polarizing D in the draft combines absolutely elite mix of lightning-speed and size/strength, but his hands and penchant for turnovers must improve if he is to make the NHL
47 LD Ryan Johnson one of the best skaters in the draft, just jersey-flapping speed; raw prospect with big-time sleeper upside
48 LD Jake Lee sorely underrated physical, shut-down D is also very good with the puck and has sneaky offensive upside
49 C John Farinacci physical, competitive sniper is raw but possesses the shot and character to star at the NHL level
50 LW Brayden Tracey incredibly smart offensive weapon always seems to make the right play with the puck
51 LW Patrik Puistola deadly sniper is dangerous every time he touches the puck in the offensive zone
52 C Ilya Nikolayev another polarizing prospect among the scouting community; is he a high-end 1C or a checking line grinder?
53 RD Antti Tuomisto 6’4 and physical; possesses an intriguing offensive tool-box but still very raw
54 LW Nolan Foote son of the ex-Avalanche star Adam is a physical, two-way middle-6 stud
55 LW Vladislav Firstov sniping winger tore up the USHL with one of the better shots in this draft class
56 RW Michal Teply 6’3 winger with skill for days needs polish but has great upside
57 LW Adam Beckman sniping winger grew over half a foot in the last two seasons; 30+ goals in the WHL have some scouts thinking he has NHL top-6 scoring potential
58 RW Maxim Cajkovic shifty Slovak with magic hands had his stats hurt by playing on very poor Saint John squad in the QMJHL
59 LW Jonathan Brinkman want a super sleeper? This undersized Danish spark plug can fly and oozes skill; my best bet for this year’s Devils 6th-round stud
60 RW Judd Caulfield power F crushes opposing defenses and crashes creases
61 RW Shane Pinto Franklin Square, NY native plays a power game with speed/size and an NHL-caliber rocket shot
62 LW/C Xavier Simoneau shout out to @thethinglonger here; undersized F plays with tremendous courage, skill and at a very high pace
Round Three
63 C Blake Murray big, fast and physical C has legit 2C upside if he can play with greater consistency and desire
64 LW Rhett Pitlick separation speed and absolutely sick hands make this kid a sleeper with big-time upside
65 RW/C Ryder Donovan 6’4 beasts who can skate and blast the puck are never bad calls in the mid-rounds; very unpolished but possibly a diamond in the rough
66 W Leevi Aaltonen one of the best skaters in the draft; small but very skilled
67 LD Albert Johansson undersized D is one of the better skaters in the draft and fears nothing; excellent offensive instincts; another sleeper with a potentially high reward
68 W Tuukka Tieksola his skill-level is first-round caliber, but needs to overcome hid diminutive frame and improve his 200-foot game
69 RD Billy Constantinou riverboat gambler D has elite skating/puck-skills but a lot to learn; another risky pick with a tremendous potential payoff
70 RD Ronnie Attard big, overaged D exploded for 30 goals in just 48 games in the USHL
71 C Keean Washkurak no one will ever play with more desire than this kid; maybe just third-line upside but smart with the puck and forces turnovers with smarts and relentlessness
72 LD Marshall Warren very fast, smart and calm D is future mid-pairing fixture
73 RW Daniil Gutik big and skilled winger really impressed in international play
74 LD Alex Vlasic 6’5 D with covetable mobility and solid puck-skills will likely go higher due to rarity of such a combination
75 LD Jayden Struble fast, athletic D lives to rush the puck and has very high upside but raw
76 LD Samuel Bolduc big, physical D is also an elite skater; potentially a steal here but has a lot to work on before he can make the NHL
77 LW Arseni Gritsyuk elite skating/vision/scoring ability but soft; lacks “grit” anywhere except in his name
78 LD Layton Ahac big D is brilliant skater; combines top-notch defense with pinpoint passing
79 LD Gianni Fairbrother D combines ideal size with smart game lacking discernible flaws
80 LD Artemi Knyazev undersized D has off-the-charts hockey IQ and tremendous puck-moving ability
81 LW Ethan Keppen huge power F plays with grizzly-bear like physicality and has the skill to compliment a scoring line as a crease-crasher
82 C Matvey Guskov big C can downright fly and possesses solid skill, good bet as bottom 6 pivot but could have NHL 2C upside if developed well
83 LW Dylan Hamaliuk big, power F does everything well and can score; loves to bang bodies and crash creases
84 RD Cole Moberg big D plays with skill and arrogance; has intriguing offensive skill
85 LW Aaron Huglen incredible hands on this undersized offensive wizard
86 LD Mikko Kokkonen solid, all-around D was not out of place in Finnish Liiga but skating is a bit underwhelming
87 C Vojtech Strondala diminutive Czech pivot plays with blazing speed and eye-popping skill; not afraid of anything but his size may limit his NHL future to the wing
88 LD Henry Thrun smart, composed D with size and terrific outlet passing
89 LD Jackson LaCombe plus-skater with plus-offensive tools and ideal NHL size
90 LW Vladimir Alistrov extremely intriguing if raw Belarussian has top-6 NHL tools across the board but needs to put all of those tools together
91 RD Ryan Siedem Madison, NJ-product combines ideal size with great hockey sense and passing acumen; very solid in his own zone but several years of development away from NHL
92 RW Graeme Clarke one of the best shooters and scorers in the 2019 draft — no other plus skills but wow, that scoring ability
93 RW Patrick Moynihan only fitting that any 2019 draft list end with a member of the US-NTDP — Moynihan can skate, score and bang, a very Joey Anderson-like prospect with sneaky skill
To be used as a draft-day reference or filed away to make fun of me on everything I'm wrong about during the course of the entire next decade.
NOTES: Goaltenders are not included in my list, it's skaters only.
I recommend reading several draft writers, and will be glad to answer any questions concerning the variance in draft rankings from one draft writer to another.
Round One
1 C Jack Hughes best combination of skating/vision/hockey IQ/zone-entry skill this decade aside from Connor McDavid
2 W Kappo Kakko superlatively talented in every aspect of the game; a can’t miss star
3 LD Bowen Byram explosive two-way D with speed for days and no weakness whatsoever
4 C Alex Turcotte best two-way F in the draft has insane compete level and ridiculous speed
5 C Trevor Zegras top vision/hockey IQ in draft aside from Hughes; incredibly creative playmaker
6 C/LW Peyton Krebs compete level is unsurpassed in class of 2019; also phenomenal skater and passer; future NHL captain
7 C/RW Dylan Cozens huge power F with sick shot; checks off every tool in the box
8 C Kirby Dach huge playmaking C is reminiscent of a young Ryan Getzlaf
9 W Matthew Boldy silky-smooth winger is versatile, smart and can score and pass at elite levels
10 RW Cole Caufield best pure scorer in the draft topped an eye-popping 70 goals in his draft-eligible year; snipes like a smaller Brett Hull
11 W Vasili Podkolzin terrific compete level on this two-way scoring winger, roller coaster draft-eligible season dropped him out of top 10 but he could make me regret this in a few years
12 RD Moritz Seider huge German export can skate, play tough, shut-down opposing Fs and ignite the offense; my belief that he has top-pairing upside has me ranking him higher than most
13 C Alex Newhook may be the best skater in the draft after Hughes and a dynamic offensive skill-set
14 W Arthur Kaliyev most polarizing F in the draft; biggest offensive upside of any winger in the class of 2019 but questions about his compete level and 200-foot game hound him
15 C Philip Tomasino explosive skater and scorer with penchant for highlight-reel goals is sorely under-ranked by most in my estimation
16 RW Rafael Lavoie big, skilled power F who can shoot the lights out? Yes, please
17 LD Matthew Robertson huge and physical shut-down D is also a near-elite skater with excellent passing skills; highest floor of any D in the 2019 draft
18 RW Bobby Brink dynamic offensive skill-set gives him top-line, high-scoring potential
19 C Jamieson Rees higher-ranked here than you will see anywhere but his combination of skating/vision/two-way play/compete level are only surpassed in this draft class by Turcotte
20 LD Cam York not the biggest or fastest defenseman in this draft, but arguably the calmest with the puck and the smartest
21 RD Victor Soderstrom also not the biggest or fastest defenseman in this draft, but arguably the calmest with the puck and the smartest
22 C John Beecher huge/incredibly strong power center is also blazingly fast and has sneaky skill; reminiscent of a young Ryan Kesler or David Backes only more dynamic; capable of scoring a highlight-reel goal on one shift and then crushing it with a bone-jarring hit on the next
23 LD Thomas Harley 6’3 D with high-end speed and skills; a bit of a riverboat gambler with the puck but has top-pairing upside with the right development
24 LW Samuel Poulin big, skilled power F who can shoot the lights out? Yes, please
25 C Ryan Suzuki one of the top playmakers in this draft can thread the needle and skate like the wind
26 LW Pavel Dorofeyev multi-tooled winger compares quite well to Filip Forsberg
27 LW Nicholas Robertson undersized winger with a huge heart possesses some of the best hands in the draft and a ridiculously accurate shot which he can get off in a blink
28 LW Nils Hoglander quick, skilled 5’9 winger is fun to watch; combines top-line talent with the courage to lay big hits on far bigger opponents
29 LD Vladislav Kolyachonok uncommon mix of skating/size/skill propels this Belarussian into the first round
30 RD Lassi Thomson terrific skater with a big shot from Finland also loves to lay big hits
31 RD Kaeden Korczak big, strong shut-down D also passes quite well and possesses an intriguing offensive skill-set; very physical
Round Two
32 RW Brett Leason 6’5 overager is physical and can score; improved skating by leaps and bounds over past two years to become borderline first-round prospect
33 RD Case McCarthy an absolute beast who is as strong and solid defensively as any D in the draft; also very smart with the puck; has very high floor as third-pairing crusher and an upside as a top-pairing shut-down guy to pair with your offensive #1 D
34 C Yegor Spiridonov big, rangy C with huge wing-span is the top face-off specialist in the draft class and plays with tremendous two-way acumen
35 LD Tobias Bjornfot defensive specialist is also an outstanding skater and super smart with the puck; so smooth and in my mind a can’t miss NHL blueliner
36 C Connor McMichael good at everything and great on his skates, projects to an ideal NHL 2C; my friend made the draft quote of the year: “I’ll take Connor McAnything”
37 LD Ville Heinola incredibly high hockey IQ and lack of any weakness whatsoever could lift him into the first round despite lack of dynamic upside
38 RD Drew Helleson future shut-down D is huge and plays with great calm and intelligence
39 LW Jakob Pelletier versatile coaches’ dream can play all three F positions in any situation, also has tremendous offensive skill
40 C Trevor Janicke ferocious hustle and willingness to battle anyone makes him a future fan favorite but he also skates at a high level and can wire the puck
41 W Simon Holmstrom were it not for an injury marred draft year he would likely be higher; possesses ideal size/skating/skill combo and top-6 NHL upside at either wing
42 W Yegor Afanaseyev huge offensive winger tore up the USHL for Muskegon
43 LW Robert Mastrosimone sniper has 30+ goal upside at the NHL level
44 W Albin Grewe if there’s a Claude Lemieux in this draft it’s Grewe; hits anything with almost absurd ferocity and can also skate the lights out and score
45 RW Nathan Legare heart-and-soul winger is built like a truck and can blister the puck; if he can improve his skating/puck-handling a notch can be a Jamie Benn-like beast
46 LD Philip Broberg most polarizing D in the draft combines absolutely elite mix of lightning-speed and size/strength, but his hands and penchant for turnovers must improve if he is to make the NHL
47 LD Ryan Johnson one of the best skaters in the draft, just jersey-flapping speed; raw prospect with big-time sleeper upside
48 LD Jake Lee sorely underrated physical, shut-down D is also very good with the puck and has sneaky offensive upside
49 C John Farinacci physical, competitive sniper is raw but possesses the shot and character to star at the NHL level
50 LW Brayden Tracey incredibly smart offensive weapon always seems to make the right play with the puck
51 LW Patrik Puistola deadly sniper is dangerous every time he touches the puck in the offensive zone
52 C Ilya Nikolayev another polarizing prospect among the scouting community; is he a high-end 1C or a checking line grinder?
53 RD Antti Tuomisto 6’4 and physical; possesses an intriguing offensive tool-box but still very raw
54 LW Nolan Foote son of the ex-Avalanche star Adam is a physical, two-way middle-6 stud
55 LW Vladislav Firstov sniping winger tore up the USHL with one of the better shots in this draft class
56 RW Michal Teply 6’3 winger with skill for days needs polish but has great upside
57 LW Adam Beckman sniping winger grew over half a foot in the last two seasons; 30+ goals in the WHL have some scouts thinking he has NHL top-6 scoring potential
58 RW Maxim Cajkovic shifty Slovak with magic hands had his stats hurt by playing on very poor Saint John squad in the QMJHL
59 LW Jonathan Brinkman want a super sleeper? This undersized Danish spark plug can fly and oozes skill; my best bet for this year’s Devils 6th-round stud
60 RW Judd Caulfield power F crushes opposing defenses and crashes creases
61 RW Shane Pinto Franklin Square, NY native plays a power game with speed/size and an NHL-caliber rocket shot
62 LW/C Xavier Simoneau shout out to @thethinglonger here; undersized F plays with tremendous courage, skill and at a very high pace
Round Three
63 C Blake Murray big, fast and physical C has legit 2C upside if he can play with greater consistency and desire
64 LW Rhett Pitlick separation speed and absolutely sick hands make this kid a sleeper with big-time upside
65 RW/C Ryder Donovan 6’4 beasts who can skate and blast the puck are never bad calls in the mid-rounds; very unpolished but possibly a diamond in the rough
66 W Leevi Aaltonen one of the best skaters in the draft; small but very skilled
67 LD Albert Johansson undersized D is one of the better skaters in the draft and fears nothing; excellent offensive instincts; another sleeper with a potentially high reward
68 W Tuukka Tieksola his skill-level is first-round caliber, but needs to overcome hid diminutive frame and improve his 200-foot game
69 RD Billy Constantinou riverboat gambler D has elite skating/puck-skills but a lot to learn; another risky pick with a tremendous potential payoff
70 RD Ronnie Attard big, overaged D exploded for 30 goals in just 48 games in the USHL
71 C Keean Washkurak no one will ever play with more desire than this kid; maybe just third-line upside but smart with the puck and forces turnovers with smarts and relentlessness
72 LD Marshall Warren very fast, smart and calm D is future mid-pairing fixture
73 RW Daniil Gutik big and skilled winger really impressed in international play
74 LD Alex Vlasic 6’5 D with covetable mobility and solid puck-skills will likely go higher due to rarity of such a combination
75 LD Jayden Struble fast, athletic D lives to rush the puck and has very high upside but raw
76 LD Samuel Bolduc big, physical D is also an elite skater; potentially a steal here but has a lot to work on before he can make the NHL
77 LW Arseni Gritsyuk elite skating/vision/scoring ability but soft; lacks “grit” anywhere except in his name
78 LD Layton Ahac big D is brilliant skater; combines top-notch defense with pinpoint passing
79 LD Gianni Fairbrother D combines ideal size with smart game lacking discernible flaws
80 LD Artemi Knyazev undersized D has off-the-charts hockey IQ and tremendous puck-moving ability
81 LW Ethan Keppen huge power F plays with grizzly-bear like physicality and has the skill to compliment a scoring line as a crease-crasher
82 C Matvey Guskov big C can downright fly and possesses solid skill, good bet as bottom 6 pivot but could have NHL 2C upside if developed well
83 LW Dylan Hamaliuk big, power F does everything well and can score; loves to bang bodies and crash creases
84 RD Cole Moberg big D plays with skill and arrogance; has intriguing offensive skill
85 LW Aaron Huglen incredible hands on this undersized offensive wizard
86 LD Mikko Kokkonen solid, all-around D was not out of place in Finnish Liiga but skating is a bit underwhelming
87 C Vojtech Strondala diminutive Czech pivot plays with blazing speed and eye-popping skill; not afraid of anything but his size may limit his NHL future to the wing
88 LD Henry Thrun smart, composed D with size and terrific outlet passing
89 LD Jackson LaCombe plus-skater with plus-offensive tools and ideal NHL size
90 LW Vladimir Alistrov extremely intriguing if raw Belarussian has top-6 NHL tools across the board but needs to put all of those tools together
91 RD Ryan Siedem Madison, NJ-product combines ideal size with great hockey sense and passing acumen; very solid in his own zone but several years of development away from NHL
92 RW Graeme Clarke one of the best shooters and scorers in the 2019 draft — no other plus skills but wow, that scoring ability
93 RW Patrick Moynihan only fitting that any 2019 draft list end with a member of the US-NTDP — Moynihan can skate, score and bang, a very Joey Anderson-like prospect with sneaky skill
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