Huck's Top 31: 2021 NHL Entry Draft

[kelsier]

It sure looks weaker than 20 or 22 but I think the draft will start to look better as we get closer to it.

This is just how things work at HF Boards.

Aatu Räty sure looks like the frontrunner right now but alot can happen in 2 years.

It would be a whole another story if he was from NA. Any prospect coming out of Europe has to be borderline generational in order to let the pre-hype secure their position as the first overall. Dahlin for instance makes a great example (although the competition was kind of slim that year). It's a lot easier for any North American to "close the gap" with such a huge advantage in exposure.

So yeah, nothing's set in the stone. It's probably too soon to even assume with reasonable certainty that Räty ends up as a franchise type of a center. Although I would say right now he's in that trajectory the very least. Didn't follow up on him enough last season to know better but he was simply brilliant @ Hlinka.

 

[Number 57]

James Malatesta has signed with the Quebec Remparts. Was supposed to play on Kimball Union this season

 

[QuietContrarian]

Where do you guys even watch these kids? Not like TSN is showing a ton of junior games.

I am a Canadian married to a Danish woman, and we live in Denmark - I live 30 minutes from where Almquist used to play, and I used to coach the 7-8 year olds, so id just stay and watch him play.

 

[Ola]

From my POV Fabian Lysell should be up there in the top 3. Not saying that he will be almost 2 years from now, but right now I think that he possibly is the best of them all.

 

[Number 57]

Sure looks like Huck wasn't wrong about L'Heureux so far. Already playing on Moncton's 1st line. 6 pts in 4 games

 

[Jersey Fan 12]

My “what about these guys?” list...

Olivier Boutin, LHD, CAN, Gatineau (QMJHL)

Any word on the progress he's made to date?

 

[Scintillating10]

Geez, you guys get an early start on the draft. I generally don't start scouting til Hlinka/ Gretzky.

 

[Scintillating10]

I am a Canadian married to a Danish woman, and we live in Denmark - I live 30 minutes from where Almquist used to play, and I used to coach the 7-8 year olds, so id just stay and watch him play.

Any sleepers over there for '21?

 

[FormentonTheFuture]

Most of these players haven't even played meaningful levels of hockey yet, but if Beniers is the top American and a Top 3 draft pick when the 2021 draft rolls around, it's either a really bad draft or Beniers has improved leaps and bounds by that point.

I guess it's a bit of both!

 

[EXTRAS]

I have followed Almquist quite a bit, as I live in Denmark.

This kid could rival Ehlers, already dominates kids a few years older than him, and adults in some cases.

and have seen him play with adults with no problem at all. Had 21 pts in 21games in a league with adults as 14-15 year old, which made him the leading scorer on the team.

Rødovre SIK at eliteprospects.com

kid is also quite stocky already.

If he continues his trajectory (will be with HV71 in U18 super elit this season) he is easily a top 10 pick imo.

I said the same with Ehlers before he came over to the Q, and people did not believe it.

Unfortunately for him, he didn't grow since he was 14-15, so he ended up undrafted lol

 

[William H Bonney]

I guess it's a bit of both!

He definitely improved a lot!

 

[QuietContrarian]

Unfortunately for him, he didn't grow since he was 14-15, so he ended up undrafted lol

Not his size tho, kid fell off a cliff.

Hasn't progressed as we all thought, and looks to have lost a bit of his drive.