I currently have 303 potential draftees ranked for the upcoming draft, but it's a lot of work to post the whole list and it's really fluid at this time of the years so I'm not going to put that effort in. Here's a short list of some guys on my radar that I really like and their current position in my rankings (if you want my thoughts on other players, just ask):
2. Kaapo Kaako - I still have Hughes at #1 because I think there is no way you pass on a dynamic centre, and a lot of the recent "is Hughes still #1" is the typical media bias of wanting first OA to be a race. Kaako is a hell of a winger though, brings a lot to the table, and wouldn't surprise me if he outproduces Hughes at the NHL level.
3. Bowen Byram - he's a complete, steady defender. He's slipping on lists because he's quiet and steady, which leads to people undervaluing him. I think he'll be NHL ready for the 19-20 or 20-21 season, which is fast for a defenceman.
6. Dylan Cozens - he is the prototypical power forward. The game is shifting to skill and speed, which means power forwards like Cozens can be outdated. The kid can skate though, and shows no fear.
27. Lassi Thomson - Nolan Foote and Kaedan Korczak got all the early hype in Kelowna, but I think Thomson is the best of the three. He's dynamic, smooth, and has good hockey IQ. He should play for Finland at the WJC this year.
33. Albin Grewe - Grewe is my favourite player in this draft. He's mean, he's fast, he wants to do everything and be a game changer. He's a player that is easy to cheer for and I actually hope the Flames take him in the first round so I can watch him more frequently. The big downside and why he's currently in my second round is that he can overhandle the puck and make overcomplicated plays. But man is he a fun player to watch.
67. Martin Hugo Has - dude has an awesome name. I know nothing else about him, but I am always down for drafting awesome names.
81. Dustin Wolf - he saw limited playing time last year behind some guy named Carter Hart, but in 20 games as a 17 year old put up a 2.25 GAA and .928 SP. This year he's the number one and put up a 1.84/.928 so far. Spencer Knight is the assumed top goalie in this year's draft but keep an eye on Wolf.
87. Billy Constantinou - I haven't seen anything of him yet, but he's been rocketing up the rankings and I've read that he's a quick dynamic puck moving defenceman. Again, keep an eye on him.
109. Marcus Kallionkieli - Again, haven't seen anything but he's climbing. I'm always skeptical of guys playing in the USHL but he could be a later gem.
140. Taylor Gauthier - Prince George is terrible this year, and Gauthier is seeing a lot of rubber (averaging 31 shots against per game). His stats aren't stellar, with a 3.31/.895 but considering the team in front of him he's looked good. Anyone skeptical of the good goalie/bad team phenomenon in junior hockey should look at Ian Scott - he posted seasons of 3.69/.895 and 3.10/.897 on terrible Prince Albert teams leading into this year's 1.61/.943 on a dominant squad. Watch for Gauthier to do something similar.
163. Jackson van de Leest - gotta include a homer pick in any list. van de Leest isn't putting up great numbers (Zamula and Yeryomenko are doing most of the work in Calgary) but as the saying goes, you can't teach size. van de Leest has some terrific reach at 6'6" and is a solid skater. I think his development has been hampered by usage, and he should get an opportunity to step up with Yeryomenko off at the second tier WJC right now.
