Kevin Musto's 2020 NHL Draft Ranking - Top 62

Kevin Musto

Hard for Bedard
Feb 16, 2018
20,748
26,935
PROSPECT
RANKING
WRITE-UP
1. LW Alexis Lafrenière
Rimouski Océanic, QMJHL
[6’1”. 192lbs. Born on October 11, 2001.]

Strong and fast playmaker. Always creating chances whenever he’s on the ice. Lafrenière is a playmaking power forward that plays with grit. He’s not a runaway McDavid level talent, but still worthy of going 1st overall. He’s ready for the NHL. What more needs to be said about him? Lafrenière has been the consensus top pick for quite some time, and I see no reason to dispute it.​
2. C Marco Rossi
Ottawa 67’s, OHL
[5’9”. 179lbs. Born on September 23, 2001.]

Dynamic shot creator with deadeye passing ability. This two-way playmaker operates similarly to Patrick Kane in the offensive zone with the way he skates and sets himself up. Unlike Kane, he’s willing to work hard at both ends of the ice. Rossi is more of a setup man than he is a goal scorer, but shooting isn’t a weakness. He has the Gretzky ability to read and anticipate where the puck is going to be. This leads to him forcing turnovers and being a key defensive cornerstone.​
3. C Quinton Byfield
Sudbury Wolves, OHL
[6’4”. 214lbs. Born on August 19, 2002.]

Young and huge are the words to describe Byfield. That gives him tons of upside since there’s a lot to work with. This also means he’s still a very raw player with uncertainty surrounding how he’ll mature. He moves well, but can lack drive especially in his own end where he’s often too passive. There are times where he does show a higher compete level, but the consistency isn’t there yet. Despite being big, he doesn’t play any different than someone who is 5’11” which is disappointing since this combination of size and skill can be uncommon. However he has plenty of time to grow accustomed to his frame and start taking advantage of it. With an even strength shooting percentage of 27%, Byfield was an extremely efficient goal scorer.​
4. RW Lucas Raymond
Fronlunda HC, SHL
[5’10”. 165lbs. Born on March 28, 2002.]

Perhaps the trickiest player in the draft to judge, Raymond wasn’t put in the best situation to shine this season. In fact he was horribly underutilized. So while that may have masked his talent, the talent is still very much present. Raymond’s upside is extremely high, but unfortunately I have to base this assessment almost entirely on his dominant D-1 year.​
5. C/LW Tim Stützle
Adler Mannheim, DEL
[6’0”. 187lbs. Born on January 15, 2002.]

Hard to ignore the impact he’s having at such a young age in a men’s league. Stützle is an agile player with good puck control. He’s a hard worker who plays with a high compete level, although he can rely too much on an east-west style of play. If he incorporates some more north-south play into his arsenal he’d be even more dangerous. Stützle is a top tier playmaker.​
6. C Marat Khusnutdinov
SKA-1946 St. Petersburg, MHL
[5’9”. 165lbs. Born on July 17, 2002.]
Possesses a stupid amount of skill. Could have the most innate talent in the draft. Khusnutdinov is capable of doing things no other 2020 prospect can. He’s not just a one dimensional offensive player either. He’s willing to compete at both ends of the ice. This is a true 2 way stallion, the kind that would make Marian Hossa proud. By playing mostly a 3rd line role for his team and having limited PP time, he has developed some strong defensive instincts while also contributing minutes to the PK. Very fluid skater who thinks the game at a high level. Positionally, he’s very sound at center and is a wizard at winning faceoffs. I look at Khusnutdinov, and I see a little bit of Pavel Datsyuk in him. He’s got A+ upside. The sky's the limit with Khusnutdinov. I pray he doesn’t get drafted by a team that has poor prospect development. Handle him wisely, and you’ve got the number one steal of the draft.
7. RD Jamie Drysdale
Erie Otters, OHL
[5’11”. 170lbs. Born on April 8, 2002.]

Pretty much the perfect PPQB. Drysdale is a silky smooth skater especially when going backwards. He’s a moonwalker. Overall, he probably moves better than anyone in the draft. He plays a very modern brand of defense. Top D-man in the draft by far. However there are times where Drysdale looks too relaxed. He should look to raise his intensity.​
8. RW Jack Quinn
Ottawa 67’s, OHL
[5’11”. 176lbs. Born on September 19, 2001.]

He can rifle the puck as good as anyone in the draft. Could actually be the best goal scorer available, and that’s just something you can’t teach. He’s got a very high shot IQ, and his stellar shooting percentage is indicative of that. Holtz is the other player in the draft that rivals Quinn’s goal scoring ability, but I think overall Quinn is more intelligent when it comes to placing shots.​
9. RW Dawson Mercer
Drummondville Voltigeurs/Chicoutimi Saguenéens, QMJHL
[6’0”. 179lbs. Born on October 27, 2001.]

Brilliant stickhandling and puck control. Mercer is a top tier two way player. Whether he’s firing laser tape to tape passes or blowing out the back of the net, Mercer can do no wrong whenever the puck leaves his stick. His IQ is among the best you’ll find in this year’s draft. I can’t say enough good things about Dawson Mercer. Underrated by most. He’s got some parallels to Mark Stone.​
10. RW Alexander Holtz
Djurgårdens IF, SHL
[6’0”. 183lbs. Born on January 23, 2002.]

If there’s any criticism for Holtz, it’s that he’s one dimensional. He’s a pure scorer, and can’t be relied on defensively...at all. This is an element of his game that can develop as he matures so it’s not imperative at this point in time, but he’s got a lot of work to do in that department. His offensive upside is that of a 1st liner, and that’s something you want to bet on when with a top pick. He’s a well rounded skater too. His IQ isn’t the best and I think as a result his approach to shooting is quantity over quality. For that reason he’s not as shrewd as someone like Jack Quinn. So between the poor defense and the low shot IQ, there is bust potential to worry about with Holtz, but the risk would be worth it if he booms.​
11. C Anton Lundell
HIFK, Liiga
[6’1”. 187lbs. Born on October 3, 2001.]

Excellent defensively, but average skating and average passing. I don’t think he has the upside to be a true 1C. The offensive upside isn’t there since his playmaking isn’t up to par. He’s a safe pick because of his floor, but if I’m picking high I want to see more of a ceiling so I don’t think I’d burn a top 10 pick on him.​
12. RW Noel Gunler
Luleå HF, SHL
[6’2”. 174lbs. Born on October 7, 2001.]

I hate that I’m saying this but the kid is damn good. There were attitude concerns with Gunler, and hopefully it’s not a problem moving forward because he has talent. This ain’t like Ryan Merkley who couldn’t play defense and was uncoachable. Gunler is a complete player. He forechecks hard and he makes you pay for your mistakes.​
13. C Cole Perfetti
Saginaw Spirit, OHL
[5’10”. 185lbs. Born on January 1, 2002.]

Smart forward whose playmaking and shooting ability are assets. He’s got a powerful release, and his playmaking vision is good, although his skating can be painful at times. His lack of explosivity holds him back. A big weakness is that he doesn’t engage physically, and his lack of speed means he can’t always escape danger which leaves him vulnerable. He gets knocked down a lot by opponents, seemingly more than the average player. During any given game there are numerous times where he can be seen floundering on the ice. It’s hard to imagine how he’d fare in the AHL or NHL without significant improvement to his strength. When he doesn’t have the puck he doesn’t try as hard in the neutral or defensive zone. This makes him look a bit lazy. When he does have the puck, Perfetti has soft hands and can be pretty nifty with his dekes. I’m not entirely convinced he can be a 1C at the NHL level. He could end up a 2C that needs sheltered minutes. He's basically Dylan Strome without size.​
14. G Yaroslav Askarov
SKA-Neva St. Petersburg, VHL
[6’3”. 176lbs. Born on June 16, 2002.]

I'm not going to pretend like I'm much of a goalie scout, but I have seen Askarov look like a brick wall on a consistent basis. I'm not willing to take him top 10 because I still don't like the risk of using high picks on goalies, but mid 1st round you could start to convince me if he truly is a franchise netminder.​
15. LW Dylan Holloway
University of Wisconsin, NCAA
[6’0”. 192lbs. Born on September 23, 2001.]

Power forward who can charge down the ice with control. If he’s lagging behind the play, he’s got the speed to catch up. Holloway is not a player that will back down from contact. He likes to assert his dominance and play a physical game.​
16. C Jacob Perreault
Sarnia Sting, OHL
[5’11”. 198lbs. Born on April 15, 2002.]

Solid IQ player who always puts himself in the right position to score. He’s got a killer shot. Likes to operate in high danger areas. Tough to knock him off the puck. Pearreault has the benefit of having NHL prowess in his blood.​
17. LD William Wallinder
MODO Hockey, Allsvenskan
[6’4”. 192lbs. Born on July 28, 2002.]

Big, mobile, offensively inclined defender that can be reminiscent of Victor Hedman. He lacks much of a slap shot, and his positioning isn’t the best since he can be trying to do too much in the offensive end. However he has a really great set of tools and natural size so you’ve got a lot to work with here. I think there’s boom or bust potential here, but the upside is worth betting on.​
18. C Thomas Bordeleau
U18's, USNTDP
[5’9”. 179lbs. Born on January 3, 2002.]

There is a lot of talent with Bordeleau. He’s an efficient skater, with a lot of moves that constantly keep defenders on their toes. A great shooter too. He’s a sneakily good 200 foot player that can force turnovers with his stick. He can play in any situation you put him in. Coaches will love the fact that he’s a swiss army knife.​
19. LW Rodion Amirov
Salavat Yulaev Ufa, KHL
[6’0”. 168lbs. Born on October 2, 2001.]

He needs to be more consistent with the pace of his play if he wants to succeed at the NHL level. There are times where he can coast around a bit, but when he increases his intensity he’s very good. There’s some great tools here, but he’s gonna need to put the effort in and become a tougher player to face. He’s a very effective puck carrier, but I just feel like there are times when he slows down too much and allows himself to get outworked.​
20. LW Lukas Reichel
Eisbären Berlin, DEL
[6’0”. 172lbs. Born on May 17, 2002.]

His hockey IQ is his best attribute. I don’t know if the rest of his tools match his brain power, but IQ is something you can’t teach. Physically he doesn’t get involved very much, and I personally think it wouldn’t hurt for him to add a bit more grit to his play. With more time to develop his kit, Reichel could be a solid and responsible complimentary piece to an NHL roster.​
21. LW Emil Heineman
Leksands IF, SHL
[6’1”. 185lbs. Born on November 16, 2001.]

I really dig the way he plays. His style is surprisingly similar to Matthew Tkachuk which is a rare blend of skills you don’t see too often. High motor, high intensity, high energy. Likes to be very aggressive and assertive, and this is playing against men in Sweden. Physically he’ll likely be ready for the NHL much sooner than his peers. His offensive tools like his shooting and playmaking aren’t elite level, but they are good. His defensive game is really polished for someone his age. Overall he just seems like a player who will effortlessly make the jump to the NHL.​
22. RW Seth Jarvis
Portland Winterhawks, WHL
[5’10”. 172lbs. Born on February 1, 2002.]

A little undersized, but has a nice set of wheels. Good stickhandler too. Though overall I think he’s been overhyped. He’s closer to a Michael Grabner level player than the Mitch Marner comps I’ve seen him given. So while I’m not as high on him as others, his speed can be tantalizing and not many players can keep control of the puck when they’re barreling down the ice that fast.​
23. LD Jake Sanderson
U18's, USNTDP
[6’1”. 185lbs. Born on July 8, 2002.]

A smart blueliner with good playmaking instincts. He’s got a muffin shot, so don’t expect him to score many goals at the NHL level. Lacks any sort of physical game. Has some similarities to Jonas Brodin.​
24. LW/RW Zion Nybeck
HV71, SHL
[5’8”. 176lbs. Born on May 12, 2002.]

Speedy winger that makes intelligent plays. Anticipates on-ice action well with his situational awareness. He has the ability to read goalies and pick them apart. He’s not a big player, but he does have that bulldog mentality and has a lot of energy.​
25. RW John-Jason Peterka
EHC München, DEL
[5’11”. 192lbs. Born on January 14, 2002.]

Really great top end speed. His shot is solid and he can definitely wire the puck. His playmaking is just as good too. He has the problem that most kids his age playing in a men’s league have, which is he needs to get stronger. His defensive play needs work.​
26. C Roni Hirvonen
Ässät, Liiga
[5’9”. 163lbs. Born on January 10, 2002.]

Operates in the dirty areas around the paint. That makes him more projectable than a floating perimeter type, but he needs to bulk up if he wants to hang around there at the NHL level. As it stands he is very undersized.​
27. C Connor Zary
Kamloops Blazers, WHL
[6’0”. 181lbs. Born on September 25, 2001.]

I was high on Zary coming into the season, but I ended the season underwhelmed. He was a passenger on his line and never felt like he was the one driving the play. However Zary is still a talented stickhandler. There’s a decent framework for a middle six player here. I prefer players with high upside, but I do like the safety of Zary’s floor.​
28. C Mavrik Bourque
Shawinigan Cataractes, QMJHL
[5’10”. 165lbs. Born on January 8, 2002.]

One of the better shooters in the draft. Bourque’s problem is his speed. He often looks very sluggish when he skates. However I still think he’s a smart player.​
29. LW Jan Mysak
Hamilton Bulldogs, OHL
[6’0”. 181lbs. Born on June 24, 2002.]

Good puck skills and above average IQ, but skating may hold him back a bit. He struggles with consistency but when you see those flashes of brilliance, it really makes you wonder what he could become with the right development.​
30. LD Lukas Cormier
Charlottetown Islanders, QMJHL
[5’10”. 179lbs. Born on March 27, 2002.]

He is THE powerplay guy. This is a good and bad thing. He’s an absolute weapon on the man advantage and he’ll make sure you score, but he leaves a bit to be desired at even strength. However Cormier can certainly develop his play at even strength. He’s a crisp passer and that’s certainly his best asset. He has a quick release with his shot, but it’s not very accurate. His speed is not up to par for a guy his size.​
31. RD Braden Schneider
Brandon Wheat Kings, WHL
[6’2”. 209lbs. Born on September 20, 2001.]

Your prototypical Canadian defender. Schneider is reliable and would be a safe pick for any team. He won’t have the ceiling that Drysdale or Wallinder have, but he still projects as an NHL defenseman even if his style has fallen out of fashion in recent years. He has some similarities to Brent Seabrook.​
[TBODY] [/TBODY]
32. RD Helge Grans
33. LD Kaiden Guhle
34. LD Ryan O’Rourke
35. RW Brandon Coe
36. C Tristen Robins
37. RW Ozzy Wiesblatt
38. LW Brett Berard
39. C Hendrix Lapierre
40. LW Roby Jarventie
41. RW Kasper Simontaival
42. LD Emil Andrae
43. LD Jeremie Poirier
44. C Brendan Brisson
45. RW Danill Gushchin
46. RD Topi Niemela
47. LW Alexander Pashin
48. C Dmitri Ovchinnikov
49. RW Veeti Miettinen
50. C Jaromir Pytlik
51. LW Carter Savoie
52. RW Yevgeni Oksentyuk (OA)
53. LW Jake Neighbours
54. LD Joni Jurmo
55. LD Yan Kuznetsov
56. LW Sean Farrell
57. C Tyson Foerster
58. LW Martin Chromiak
59. LW Dmitri Sheshin (OA)
60. C Justin Sourdiff
61. RD William Villeneuve
62. C Artyom Galimov (OA)

Honourable mentions:
Eemil Viro, Artem Shlaine, Jack Thompson, Luke Evangelista, Maxim Groshev, Samuel Knazko, Brady Burns, Sam Colangelo, Alexander Nikishin, Christoffer Sedoff, Rory Kerins, Ian Moore, Michael Benning, Ethan Cardwell, Colby Ambrosio, Theodore Niederbach, Zayde Wisdom, James Hardie, Vasili Ponomaryov, Justin Barron, Pavel Novak, William Dufour, Jack Finley, Antonio Stranges, Victor Mancini, Eamon Powell, Ty Smilanic, Tyler Tullio, Anton Johannesson, Daniel Torgersson, Maxim Beryozkin, Ridly Greig, Jean-Luc Foudy, Cross Hanas, Ronan Seeley, Benjamin Baumgartner (OA)
 
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majormajor

Registered User
Jun 23, 2018
24,196
28,667
The rational thing to do is to say that no one else has Marat top 10 and figure you must have missed something, and then put him at 12. But I'm glad you didn't do that. I like the original lists.

I like your take on Marat, but don't know if I'd have the balls to take him top 10. And I like Mercer at 9 too, I also see Mark Stone parallels and have him just ahead of Holtz. I have Reichel in a similar position, he has a lot of room for growth. Great list, enough for me to forgive that you whiffed on J.L. Foudy. ;)
 

ConnorMcMullet

#12 Colby Cave
Jun 10, 2017
10,290
18,008
Yikes. To each his own.
Just because a list strays from the consensus doesn't mean it is "yikes" worthy.

I like the list and the effort he put into it. Obviously there's a lot I don't agree with, notably his low rankings of Perfetti, Zary, and Foerster, but we're high on a lot of the same players, especially Russian forwards like Khusnutdinov, Pashin, and Ovchinnikov.

No reason to make a comment like that especially when you didn't give a single piece of actual feedback.
 

echlfreak

Registered User
Aug 1, 2003
1,955
456
Did you just pull bingo balls with player's names on them? Between Red Line Report, ISS, CSS, Hockey Writers, Dobber, Draft Site, McKeens, and Draft Analyst this is the worst set of rankings that I have yet to read. Sorry Musto, but Rossi at 2, Mercer at 9 and Marat at 6...glad you are not in Mark Kelley's seat!

I appreciate the effort and write-ups though...those are thoughtful and highly accurate.

Now the teacher hands the student back their assignment and says please try again!!!
 

Gopher13

Registered User
Apr 28, 2020
235
126
Just because a list strays from the consensus doesn't mean it is "yikes" worthy.

I like the list and the effort he put into it. Obviously there's a lot I don't agree with, notably his low rankings of Perfetti, Zary, and Foerster, but we're high on a lot of the same players, especially Russian forwards like Khusnutdinov, Pashin, and Ovchinnikov.

No reason to make a comment like that especially when you didn't give a single piece of actual feedback.

I wouldn't know where to begin...Rossi over Byfield...Stutlze at 5...Sanderson at 23...Borderleau at 18...Perfetti....I could go on. Yikes is because its a lot different than I would rank them which is fine. Its just someone else's opinion.
 
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Agent Zub

Registered User
Jan 2, 2015
14,425
11,713
Did you just pull bingo balls with player's names on them? Between Red Line Report, ISS, CSS, Hockey Writers, Dobber, Draft Site, McKeens, and Draft Analyst this is the worst set of rankings that I have yet to read. Sorry Musto, but Rossi at 2, Mercer at 9 and Marat at 6...glad you are not in Mark Kelley's seat!

I appreciate the effort and write-ups though...those are thoughtful and highly accurate.

Now the teacher hands the student back their assignment and says please try again!!!

drafts almost never work out how the lists project them. not when teams make their picks and certainly not when people reevaluate the players in 5 years.
 
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ConnorMcMullet

#12 Colby Cave
Jun 10, 2017
10,290
18,008
this is the worst set of rankings that I have yet to read. Sorry Musto, but Rossi at 2, Mercer at 9 and Marat at 6...glad you are not in Mark Kelley's seat!
When it comes to 17/18 year-old prospects absolutely nothing is certain. You can disagree with someone's opinion but it is naive to talk in absolutes the way you are, as if you know for certain a prospect's trajectory. If prospect rankings were an exact science, teams wouldn't be picking busts in the top-10 every year.
 
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theVladiator

Registered User
May 26, 2018
1,090
1,183

Appreciate the work that went into this, especially the players notes.

If I had to pick one particular ranking that sticks out to me - it's Barron outside the top 2 rounds. Do you know something about his blood clots that I do not, or is it a hockey-based ranking?
 
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Kevin Musto

Hard for Bedard
Feb 16, 2018
20,748
26,935
The rational thing to do is to say that no one else has Marat top 10 and figure you must have missed something, and then put him at 12. But I'm glad you didn't do that. I like the original lists.

I like your take on Marat, but don't know if I'd have the balls to take him top 10. And I like Mercer at 9 too, I also see Mark Stone parallels and have him just ahead of Holtz. I have Reichel in a similar position, he has a lot of room for growth. Great list, enough for me to forgive that you whiffed on J.L. Foudy. ;)
I can see why you'd be high on Foudy. His speed is eye-catching and I've seen him make some really great passes. On the flipside, I do question his IQ. Sometimes it feels like he just skates really fast but doesn't actually know where he's going or what he's going to do next. If he can start to think the game at a higher level I can absolutely see the appeal.
Pytlik higher than Chromiak :huh:
There's balance when it comes to weighing ceiling and floor. I'll agree with you that Chromiak has a higher ceiling than Pytlik, but I really do like Pytlik's floor. At some point you have to say, do I want more risk or just take a guy that can probably hack it in a bottom 6 role? I think Pytlik has fallen out of favour to the point where he's being underrated. He reminds me of Artem Anisimov. But you could certainly convince me to take Chromiak instead. Once you go down the list, there's a lot less separation between the rankings.
 
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pckstpr31

Registered User
Jul 13, 2010
1,241
327
CGY
Good stuff, thanks for posting. It's so baffling to me that there are still so many people who frequent these boards that are of the mindset that if you don't post something following consensus you're out to lunch. There are years of evidence that show that most consensus lists don't turn out to be accurate. What's the use in people posting rankings that are identical to what's out there? That hardly creates any discussion. You can tell that you've watched these players and formed your own opinion on them, and your list invites discussion which to me seems like the point.

I like Rossi at two; I think realistically any of Byfield, Raymond, Rossi or Stutzle could turn out to be the second best player from this draft. I'd personally go Byfield, Stutzle, Rossi, Raymond, but they're all plus guys who are going to be fun to watch in the NHL. I admittedly don't know much about Marat so it'll be interesting to see who drafts him and to keep an eye on his development.
 

Kevin Musto

Hard for Bedard
Feb 16, 2018
20,748
26,935
Love the love for Raymond.

Any particular reasons you have Bourque/Zary so low?
With Bourque it's definitely his speed that is questionable. He does have the IQ and is probably a top 10 goal scorer in the draft, but he might need to be sheltered at the next level if he can't improve his skating speed. It's easy to imagine attackers blowing by him and Bourque not being able to catch up. Conversely, he's definitely a guy you want out taking offensive zone starts and playing on the power play.

Zary is low because I think he lacks upside. As I said, I see the framework for a middle sixer. He's got a very good shot at reaching that potential, but I don't see him elevating his game to become anything more than that. That can be very useful, but I think you draft Zary for depth and not with the hopes of him becoming a 1st liner. You could certainly convince me to take him over guys like Hirvonen or Peterka.
Appreciate the work that went into this, especially the players notes.

If I had to pick one particular ranking that sticks out to me - it's Barron outside the top 2 rounds. Do you know something about his blood clots that I do not, or is it a hockey-based ranking?
The blood clots are a concern for sure. I don't know anything that the public doesn't know, but it's worth taking into consideration as sometimes a history of medical problems can really derail a guy's career. Prior to him going down for the year, I was never crazy about Barron. Probably would have been a 2nd rounder if he played the whole year. I definitely still like him as a 3rd round pick just to see if he can stay healthy and reach his potential.
 

Kevin Musto

Hard for Bedard
Feb 16, 2018
20,748
26,935
I have respect for having Bordeleau as the top NTDP guy. He’s been the best player on that team for two years.
Definitely doesn't quite get the credit he deserves. I think he's been overlooked by many.
I like Rossi at two; I think realistically any of Byfield, Raymond, Rossi or Stutzle could turn out to be the second best player from this draft. I'd personally go Byfield, Stutzle, Rossi, Raymond, but they're all plus guys who are going to be fun to watch in the NHL.
It is interesting to see the development of the top 5. It seemed muddy for a while, but now it really feels like Lafreniere, Rossi, Byfield, Raymond, and Stutzle (no matter how you order them) have really solidified their spots in the top 5.
 

pckstpr31

Registered User
Jul 13, 2010
1,241
327
CGY
Definitely doesn't quite get the credit he deserves. I think he's been overlooked by many.

It is interesting to see the development of the top 5. It seemed muddy for a while, but now it really feels like Lafreniere, Rossi, Byfield, Raymond, and Stutzle (no matter how you order them) have really solidified their spots in the top 5.

Yeah I could definitely see Drysdale fitting in there as well come draft day, even though like you he’s just outside for me.
 

themelkman

Always Delivers
Apr 26, 2015
11,392
8,377
Calgary, Alberta
I was going to say biased when I saw Rossi second and then I saw Marat lol. Personally hoping no one takes him before the sharks, but the fan hype is ramping up.
 

echlfreak

Registered User
Aug 1, 2003
1,955
456
drafts almost never work out how the lists project them. not when teams make their and certainly not when people reevaluate the players in 5 years.

I get what you are saying Montreal took Kotkeniemi because they needed a C and ARZ took Hayton because they are into analytics.
 

koyvoo

Registered User
Nov 8, 2014
17,244
16,982
When it comes to 17/18 year-old prospects absolutely nothing is certain. You can disagree with someone's opinion but it is naive to talk in absolutes the way you are, as if you know for certain a prospect's trajectory. If prospect rankings were an exact science, teams wouldn't be picking busts in the top-10 every year.
Until our team drafts them. Then we wouldn’t even trade them for bonafide stars over the age of 25.
 
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echlfreak

Registered User
Aug 1, 2003
1,955
456
At the current draft order, I can see it going:

Det-Lafreniere...clear cut
Ott-Byfield
Ott-Stutzle...add those two with Thachuk
LA-Holtz...good winger for Turcotte in the near future
Ana-Rossi...Small but skilled center, 1-2 punch with Zegras
NJ-Drysdale...They pick the top D in the draft and can draft two skill forwards with their other two firsts
Buf-Raymond...skilled winger who can play top 6
Mtl-Perfetti...Mtl will go with high skill for their first of 5 picks in the top 3 rounds
Chi-Askarov...Tough pass on a franchise goalie, if they don't take him here...trade down and add another pick or two
NJ-Sanderson...steady D that can play a Suter/Brodin style of play
 

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