NHL Draft Rankings

Peter Harling

2017-04-28

2017 NHL Draft Rankings

April 28, 2017

Peter Harling

1. Nolan Patrick, Centre, 6-3, 198 (Brandon, WHL)

Has all the tools, size, skill, skating, smarts; Jack of all trades – master of none.

2. Nico Hischier, Centre, 6-1, 176 (Halifax, QMJHL)

Dynamic offensive centre, but plays solid defensively as well.

3. Casey Mittelstadt, Centre, 6-1, 201 (Eden Prairie, USHS)

Committed to U. of Minnesota, has such high skill set could be a one-and-done.

4. Timothy Liljegren, Defence, 6-0, 191 (Rogle, SHL)

Don’t be fooled by poor season due to mono and playing pro at 17-years-old.

5. Martin Necas, Centre, 6-1, 167 (Brno, Extraliga)

Tall and slim, needs development time but has plenty of skill and can skate.

6. Miro Heiskanen, Defence, 6-0, 170 (HIFK, Liiga)

Elite hockey sense and smarts, excellent positioning and all-around skill

7. Gabriel Vilardi, Centre, 6-2, 193 (Windsor, OHL)

Playmaking versatile centre, strong on pucks and down low

8. Cale Makar, Defence, 5-11, 179 (Brooks, AJHL)

Explosive offensive skill, vision and skating. Commit to U-Mass Lowell

9. Cody Glass, Centre/RW, 6-2, 180 (Portland, WHL)

Breakout season highlighted with performances at Top Prospect game and U18 with Canada.

10. Elias Pettersson, Left Wing, 6-1, 160 (Timra, Allsvenskan)

Pettersson needs time to fill out but tremendous vision and skill.

11. Eeli Tolvanen, Right Wing, 5-10, 174 (Sioux City, USHL)

A shoot first mentality, perhaps the most natural goal scorer in the draft

12. Owen Tippett, Right Wing, 6-1, 202 (Mississauga, OHL)

Elite shot, great skating, good size, but questions about hockey sense

13. Kristian Vesalainen, Left Wing, 6-3, 207 (Frolunda, SHL)

Outstanding U18 performance reprised his stock after disappointing season.

14. Michael Rasmussen, Centre, 6-6, 215 (Tri-City, WHL)

Has an NHL frame to be sure, skates well and has some skill.

15. Klim Kostin, Centre, 6-3, 196 (Dynamo, KHL)

Season cut short due to injury, a polarizing player who lacks consistency.

16. Juuso Valimaki, Defence, 6-2, 204 (Tri-City, WHL)

One of the older prospects in the draft, has enticing package of size, skating skill and smarts.

17. Kailer Yamamoto, Right Wing, 5-8, 153 (Spokane, WHL

He’s quite tiny but his skill is arguably tops in the draft.

18. Isaac Ratcliffe, Left Wing, 6-6, 196 (Guelph, OHL)

Hulking winger developed a dangerous scoring touch.

19. Lias Andersson, Centre, 5-11, 198 (HV71, SHL)

A versatile two-way player who can impact a game offensively and defensively.

20. Ryan Poehling, Centre, 6-2, 183 (St. Cloud State, NCAA)

Impressive freshman year in NCAA and won Gold with USA at U18

21. Nick Suzuki, Centre, 5-11, 187 (Owen Sound, OHL)

A short but not undersized player, has hockey strength to go with skill and speed.

22. Callan Foote, Defence, 6-4, 213 (Kelowna, WHL)

A defense first player but has good skating, first pass and heavy shot.

23. Urho Vaakainainen, Defence, 6-0, 177 (JYP, Liiga)

Excels at both carrying puck up the ice and making crisp outlet passes.

24. Jason Robertson, Left Wing, 6-1, 180 (Kingston, OHL)

Goal scoring winger with size, has skating concerns.

25. Erik Brannstrom, Defence, 5-10, 173 (HV-71, SHL)

An offensive defenceman with a heavy shot that distributes the puck like a boss.

26. Nicolas Hague, Defence, 6-6, 208 (Mississauga, OHL)

Massive defenceman with a hard heavy shot and a willingness to jump in the play offensively.

27. Matthew Strome, Left Wing, 6-4, 206 (Hamilton, OHL)

A big strong winger with an accurate shot and good hockey sense, skating needs work.

28. Shane Bowers, Centre, 6-1, 183 (Waterloo, USHL)

Competes hard and is a smart two-way player.

29. Kole Lind, Right Wing, 6-1, 175 (Kelowna, WHL)

Makes plays and has good offensive vision, but has a quick release and can finish.

30. Maxime Comtois, Left Wing, 6-2, 199 (Victoriaville, QMJHL)

A physical and rambunctious forechecking winger who plays a two-way game.

31. Henri Jokiharju, Defence, 6-0, 176 (Portland, WHL)

Player of the game at the Top Prospects game distributes the puck and creates transition.

LATEST PROFILE UPDATES

Name Fantasy Upside NHL Certainty
Kaden Pitre 6.0 3.0
Zeb Forsfjäll 6.0 4.5
Julius Miettinen 7.0 7.0
Matthew Stienburg 3.5 7.0
Jean-Luc Foudy 5.0 7.0
Jack Ahcan 5.5 3.0
Carson Rehkopf 7.5 6.5
Brandon Biro 6.5 7.0
Jani Nyman 7.5 7.5
Oscar Fisker-Mølgaard 7.5 7.5

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