Each season, I release three instalments of my rankings of the top 60 prospects for the NHL draft. This year, these rankings will be divided by league and produced in November, February and May (prior to the draft itself) and available online at McKeen’s for the first time.
Note on the rankings: The following rankings are compiled through extensive coverage and viewings of Ottawa 67s and Gatineau Olympiques home games, which provide the chance to watch and follow a hundred or-so draft eligible players in the OHL and QMJHL who make up the majority of the top end of the draft class (especially this year in a very QMJHL-populated class) from training camps through playoffs. For prospects from the NCAA, USHL, NTDP and abroad, I make sure I have several viewings before the first publication of these rankings in November. These viewings are cumulative from this year and last (while scouting the previous class). Events viewed beyond the CHL include the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament, World Junior Development Camps, the Subway Super Series, Under 17s, Under 18s, club play internationally, marquee U.S. events and a heavy focus on a select few European players in SHL and Swe. Jr. games.
February’s Top 60 Prospects for the 2015 NHL Draft by League (overall ranking in brackets)
OHL:
- Connor McDavid, Erie, C (#1)
- Dylan Strome, Erie, C (#4)
- Mitchell Marner, London, C (#5)
- Pavel Zacha, Sarnia, C (#12)
- Travis Konecny, Ottawa, C (#14)
- Lawson Crouse, Kingston, LW (#15)
- Nikita Korostelev, Sarnia, RW (#29)
- Matthew Spencer, Peterborough, D (#46)
- Mitchell Vande Sompel, Oshawa, D (#51)
- Blake Speers, Sault Ste. Marie, C (#52)
- Dante Salituro, Ottawa, C (#54)
- Vince Dunn, Niagara, D (#57)
QMJHL:
- Jeremy Roy, Sherbrooke, D (#13)
- Daniel Sprong, Charlottetown, RW (#16)
- Evgeni Svechnikov, Cape Breton, LW (#18)
- Jakub Zboril, Saint John, D (#19)
- Anthony Beauvillier, Shawinigan, C/LW (#24)
- Filip Chlapik, Charlottetown, C (#25)
- Timo Meier, Halifax, RW/C (#26)
- Thomas Chabot, Saint John, D (#28)
- Dennis Yan, Shawinigan, LW (#30)
- Nathan Noel, Saint John, C (#34)
- Nicolas Meloche, Baie-Comeau, D (#35)
- Yakov Trenin, Gatineau, LW (#38)
- Guillaume Brisebois, Acadie-Bathurst, D (#47)
- Dmytro Timashov, Quebec, LW/RW (#48)
- Nicolas Roy, Chicoutimi, C (#49)
- Alexandre Carrier, Gatineau, D (59)
WHL:
- Ivan Provorov, Brandon, D (#7)
- Mathew Barzal, Seattle, C (#8)
- Nick Merkley, Kelowna, C (#11)
- Jansen Harkins, Prince George, C (#23)
- Jake DeBrusk, Swift Current, LW (#27)
- Ryan Pilon, Brandon, D (#32)
- Brandon Carlo, Tri-City, D (#33)
- Paul Bittner, Portland, LW (#39)
- Ryan Gropp, Seattle, LW (#40)
- Noah Juulsen, Everett, D (#45)
- Adam Musil, Red Deer, C (#50)
United States (NCAA, USHL, NTDP):
- Jack Eichel, Boston University, C (#2)
- Noah Hanifin, Boston College, D (#3)
- Zach Werenski, Michigan, D (#6)
- Kyle Connor, Youngstown, C (#17)
- Jeremy Bracco, NTDP, RW (#20)
- Brock Boeser, Waterloo, RW (#21)
- Colin White, NTDP, C (#22)
- Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson, Omaha, C (#36)
- Thomas Novak, Waterloo, C (#37)
- Jordan Greenway, NTDP, LW (#41)
- Christian Fischer, NTDP, C (#43)
Sweden (SHL, Swe. Jr.):
- Oliver Kylington, AIK/Farjestad, D (#9)
- Jens Looke, Brynas, RW (#31)
- Jacob Larsson, Frolunda, D (#44)
- Filip Ahl, HV71, RW (#53)
- Sebastian Aho, Skelleftea, D (#56)
- Jesper Lindgren, Modo, D (#58)
Finland:
- Mikko Rantanen, TPS, RW (#10)
- Roope Hintz, Ilves, RW (#60)
Slovakia:
- Erik Cernak, Kosice, D (#42)
Czech Republic:
- Michael Spacek, HC Pardubice, RW (#55)
Just missed: Mitchell Stephens, Anthony Richard, Kay Schweri, Graham Knott, Gabriel Carlsson, Ethan Bear, Rasmus Andersson, Travis Dermott, Tyler Soy, Glenn Gawdin, Alex Dergachyov, Denis Gurianov, Denis Kase, Jonas Siegenthaler, Julius Nattinen, Adam Marsh, Parker Wotherspoon.
If you have any questions regarding a player, or his ranking, don’t hesitate to contact me @scottcwheeler. Be sure to check out the latest edition of the McKeen’s 2015 Top 30 NHL Draft Rankings as well.