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, 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, college tournaments, and a heavy focus on a select few European players in SHL and Swe. Jr. games.
May’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/RW (#5)
- Travis Konecny, Ottawa, C (#12)
- Pavel Zacha, Sarnia, C (#13)
- Lawson Crouse, Kingston, LW (#15)
- Nikita Korostelev, Sarnia, RW (#34)
- Mitchell Vande Sompel, Oshawa, D (#45)
- Blake Speers, Sault Ste. Marie, C (#48)
- Dante Salituro, Ottawa, C (#50)
- Vince Dunn, Niagara, D (#53)
- Mitchell Stephens, Saginaw, C (#54)
- Matthew Spencer, Peterborough, D (#57)
QMJHL:
- Jeremy Roy, Sherbrooke, D (#11)
- Daniel Sprong, Charlottetown, RW (#16)
- Evgeni Svechnikov, Cape Breton, LW (#18)
- Timo Meier, Halifax, RW/C (#19)
- Jakub Zboril, Saint John, D (#20)
- Anthony Beauvillier, Shawinigan, C/LW (#25)
- Thomas Chabot, Saint John, D (#26)
- Dennis Yan, Shawinigan, LW (#28)
- Filip Chlapik, Charlottetown, C (#29)
- Nicholas Meloche, Baie-Comeau, D (#30)
- Nathan Noel, Saint John, C (#32)
- Yakov Trenin, Gatineau, LW (#33)
- Dmytro Timashov, Quebec, LW/RW (#44)
- Nicolas Roy, Chicoutimi, C (#55)
- Alexandre Carrier, Gatineau, D (#60)
WHL:
- Mathew Barzal, Seattle, C (#7)
- Ivan Provorov, Brandon, D (#8)
- Nick Merkley, Kelowna, C (#17)
- Jansen Harkins, Prince George, C (#24)
- Jake DeBrusk, Swift Current, LW (#27)
- Paul Bittner, Portland, LW (#31)
- Ryan Pilon, Brandon, D (#38)
- Brandon Carlo, Tri-City, D (#39)
- Ryan Gropp, Seattle, LW (#40)
- Noah Juulsen, Everett, D (#47)
- Parker Wotherspoon. Tri-City, D (#59)
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 (#10)
- Brock Boeser, Waterloo, RW (#21)
- Jeremy Bracco, NTDP, RW (#22)
- Colin White, NTDP, C (#23)
- Thomas Novak, Waterloo, C (#35)
- Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson, Omaha, C (#36)
- Jack Roslovic, NTDP, C/RW (#41)
- Christian Fischer, NTDP, C (#42)
- Jordan Greenway, NTDP, LW (#56)
Sweden (SHL, Swe. Jr.):
- Oliver Kylington, AIK/Farjestad, D (#14)
- Jens Looke, Brynas, RW (#37)
- Jacob Larsson, Frolunda, D (#43)
- Joel Eriksson Ek, Farjestad, C (#49)
- Sebastian Aho, Skelleftea, D (#51)
- Filip Ahl, HV71, RW (#52)
- Jesper Lindgren, Modo, D (#58)
Finland:
- Mikko Rantanen, TPS, RW (#9)
Slovakia:
- Erik Cernak, Kosice, D (#46)
Just missed: Erik Foley, Anthony Richard, Roope Hintz, Michael Spacek, Kay Schweri, Graham Knott, Gabriel Carlsson, Ethan Bear, Rasmus Andersson, Travis Dermott, Adam Musil, Tyler Soy, Glenn Gawdin, Alex Dergachyov, Denis Gurianov, Denis Kase, Jonas Siegenthaler, Julius Nattinen, Adam Marsh, Guillaume Brisebois, Zachary Senyshyn.