My Pre-season 2019 NHL Draft Top 62

[Andy Lehoux]

Here is my pre-season 2019 NHL Draft top 62. Remember, this is just MY opinion from the viewings I got and it's totally normal if we don't agree on some prospects especially this early. I would love to hear your opinion though.

Rank, name, position, league
1st round
1. Jack Hughes, C, USHL
2. Kaapo Kakko, RW, SHL
3. Alex Turcotte, C, USHL
4. Alex Newhook, C, BCHL
5. Kirby Dach, C, WHL
6. Bowen Byram, D, WHL
7. Peyton Krebs, C, WHL
8. Dylan Cozens, C, WHL
9. Vasili Podkolzin, RW, MHL
10. Anttoni Honka, D, SHL
11. Raphael Lavoie, C, QMJHL
12. Trevor Zegras, C, USHL
13. Ryan Suzuki, C, OHL
14. Simon Holmström, RW, SuperElit
15. Philip Broberg, D, SuperElit
16. Cole Caufield, RW, USHL
17. Mattew Robertson, D, WHL
18. Cam York, D, USHL
19. Maxim Cajkovic, RW, QMJHL
20. Tobias Björnfot, D, SuperElit
21. Victor Soderstrom, D, SuperElit
22. Nicholas Robertson, LW, OHL
23. Jakob Pelletier, RW, QMJHL
24. Blake Murray, C, OHL
25. Arthur kaliyev, LW, OHL
26. Nolan Foote, C, WHL
27. Samuel Poulin, LW, QMJHL
28. Matthew Boldy, RW, USHL
29. Marshall Warren, D, USHL
30. Danill Gutik, LW, MHL
31. Albin Grewe, RW, SuperElit

2nd round
32. Pavel Dorofeyev, F, MHL
33. Dustin Wolf, G, WHL
34. Valentin Nussbaumer, F, QMJHL
35. Mikko Kokkonen, D, Liiga
36. Michael Vukojevic, D, OHL
37. Nils Höglander, F, Allsvenskan
38. Dmitri Sheshin, F, MHL
39. Alex Vlasic, D, USHL
40. Yaroslav Likhachyov, F, MHL
41. Sasha Mutala, F, WHL
42. Brett Budgell, F, QMJHL
43. Mike Koster, D, USHL
44. Artemi Knyazev, D, QMJHL
45. Brady Meyer, F, USHL
46. Drew Helleson, D, USHL
47. Nikita Alexandrov, F, QMJHL
48. Josh Williams, F, WHL
49. Henry Thrun, D, USHL
50. Yegor Spiridonov, F, MHL
51. Henri Nikkanen, F, SM-liiga
52. Xavier Parent, F, QMJHL
53. Colten Ellis, G, QMJHL
54. Spencer Knight, G, USHL
55. Case McCarthy, D, USHL
56. Jamieson Rees, F, OHL
57. John Beecher, F, USHL
58. John Farinacci, F, USHL
59. Ilya Nikolayev, F, MHL
60. Luke Toporowski, F, WHL
61. Vladimir Alistrov, WHL
62. Graeme Clarke, F, OHL

HM : Robert Mastrosimone, Patrik Puistola, Nikola Pasic, Deniil Antropov

Here is my rankings in video form :

Click to read more...

 

[Lays]

Good list. I like how you just didn’t throw Broberg into the top 5 or so after 1 Hlinka tourney, 15 is reasonable for him until he proves more. Probably the closest list to mine I’ve seen. I just don’t get that Josh Williams ranking though

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Spencer Knight is way too low. Like a full round too low.

Edit: I do like most of your work though. Zegras is a good spot. A lot of people have completely whiffed on that one.

 

[Deam78]

I'm not sure I agree with Krebs before Cozens. And to some extent even Dach

 

[Andy Lehoux]

Good list. I like how you just didn’t throw Broberg into the top 5 or so after 1 Hlinka tourney, 15 is reasonable for him until he proves more. Probably the closest list to mine I’ve seen. I just don’t get that Josh Williams ranking though

Thanks ! Yeah, I want to stay a bit cautious with Broberg. I really liked Josh Williams wrist shot, but the I preferred the overall game of other prospect I ranked ahead of him. The difference between Höglander (#37) and Williams (#48) is very thin imo and he could jump a lot in my next rankings. He has a better chance of rising in my rankings then other prospect rank around him because Williams didn't get a lot of ice time in my viewing (Hlinka-Gretzky and WHL) and I might not have got the chance to see his complete game other than his exceptional shot.

 

[Snippit]

Guskov?

 

[Andy Lehoux]

Spencer Knight is way too low. Like a full round too low.

Edit: I do like most of your work though. Zegras is a good spot. A lot of people have completely whiffed on that one.

Thanks ! I didn't paid enough attention on Knight and goalies in general, so I didn't wanted to placed them to high. I will try to really focus on Knight, Wolf, Ellis and others this month.

 

[Andy Lehoux]

I'm not sure I agree with Krebs before Cozens. And to some extent even Dach

They are really close to each other, but I preferred Dach because of his incredible playmaking ability and stick-handling/skating and Krebs because of his Hockey IQ, playmaking abilities and 2-way game. Cozens is the best skater and shooter, but I slightly prefer the two other forwards.

 

[Andy Lehoux]

Guskov?

Only saw him in the MHL twice and he didn't really impressed me, so I'm really looking forward to see him more with London.

 

[VictorLustig]

Wouldn't touch Grewe in the first 3 rounds. Very low IQ player and the rest of his game is nothing special.

 

[Andy Lehoux]

Wouldn't touch Grewe in the first 3 rounds. Very low IQ player and the rest of his game is nothing special.

He takes a bit too much risk right now, but his skills, skating, puck protection and shot are incredible. He has an amazing potential. Low hockey IQ, average defensive game, but everything else is awesome.

 

[VictorLustig]

He takes a bit too much risk right now, but his skills, skating, puck protection and shot are incredible. He has an amazing potential. Low hockey IQ, average defensive game, but everything else is awesome.

I don't agree. He's an early developed player with limited skill. Has no clue how to use his teammates.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Thanks ! I didn't paid enough attention on Knight and goalies in general, so I didn't wanted to placed them to high. I will try to really focus on Knight, Wolf, Ellis and others this month.

Fair enough. I think Knight is the best goalie in the draft since Samsonov. Some people don't like to rank them that high and its understandable, but as far as goalies go, I don't know that there have been more than a couple in the last 10 or so years that are better prospects than Knight. The kid does just about everything well. Big, reasonably good athlete, technically polished and he has the results in big games to show for it.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Nice list @Andy Lehoux

What can you tell me/us about Henri Nikkanen? He 's a C with good size and put up decent numbers as a 16 y/o in a U20 Finnish league. Anyone that has seen him feel free to comment.

 

[Andy Lehoux]

Nice list @Andy Lehoux

What can you tell me/us about Henri Nikkanen? He 's a C with good size and put up decent numbers as a 16 y/o in a U20 Finnish league. Anyone that has seen him feel free to comment.

Thanks ! His best asset is his speed. He is excellent on the PK and he's great on the forecheck. He has also a good finishing around the net. He was quiet for the 4 games I watched him play at the Hlinka-Gretzky, but got 7 points against Switzerland when I couldn't watch... I would see him as a good 3rd liner.

 

[kroypuck]

Spencer Knight should be above Dustin Wolf. Other than that nice list