With Round 1 of the 2015 NHL draft officially in the books, we're going to look ahead to Saturday. Here are the 10 players remaining that I believe are the best available prospects in Day 2 of the draft. The first five I view as top-tier prospects -- after that it starts to get less clear.
• Complete Round 1 pick-by-pick analysis
• Top 100 prospects
1. Oliver Kylington, D, Farjestad-SHL
Kylington's season was a little bumpy due to reassignments and injury, but overall, it was very impressive considering the high level at which he played in tough, pro leagues. He's a brilliant skater who gains speed easily, and has the four-way movements to stay with quick forwards. Kylington is a very skilled puck-handler, who makes a lot of creative plays and controls the puck in tight spaces as well as the best forwards in this class. He stretches the ice well, and can control a power play very effectively.
He has his flaws, however, which may have led to his slide. Physically, he isn't the best in terms of effort or his frame, and his shot could be better. His defense isn't great either, but it isn't bad. If anything I'd project him to be about average defensively, while being a top-end offensive defenseman.
2. Jeremy Bracco, RW, USA Under-18-USHL
Bracco is an exciting -- albeit very small -- winger who can take over a game. He's a high-end skater with great agility, acceleration and ability to push the pace on exits and entries. When you combine his skating with his very high skill level, he's a nightmare for defenders to check. He's very coordinated, and draws your attention with the way he creates offense out of nothing. Scouts refer to him as an "assist machine" due to his talent level and his very creative playmaking style.
Bracco is quite solid defensively, and in my viewings has been effective killing penalties and as a short-handed scoring threat. His 5-foot-9 frame is an obvious drawback, especially since he's not an overly abrasive type of player.
3. Daniel Sprong, RW, Charlottetown-QMJHL
Sprong put up a lot of points this season, and while he wasn't among the very top scorers in the QMJHL, he is one of the most dynamic players in the league. Sprong is so fun to watch. He's an explosive skater who can push the tempo very well and has smooth mechanics to generate a lot of power from each stride.
He has a high skill level with the puck, making a lot of difficult plays and displaying good coordination. He sees the ice well and regularly sets up chances for his teammates. He also has a very good shot, generating a lot of torque through his windups. Sprong needs to bulk up, work on his defense a bit, and gain more consistency in his play. His upside is fantastic, though, and if he ends up as one of the best players from this class, I would not at all be surprised.
4. Jeremy Roy, D, Sherbrooke-QMJHL
Roy has been a top prospect for years, and has consistently displayed his very impressive offensive upside. He's also the rare right-handed defenseman who plays the left side with higher frequency. He's a very good skater in all directions, with nice edge work and a quality top gear. His puck skills are clearly above average, and he's a coordinated puck handler who can lead a rush with ease.
His puck movement is high-end, as he thinks quickly, is creative and doesn't force plays. Roy is slightly undersized and could tighten his gaps defensively at times, but he makes some defensive stops and battles well.
5. Erik Cernak, D, HC Kosice-Slovakia
Cernak has also been a very impressive prospect for some time, being one of Slovakia's top under-18 products of the past 10-15 years. He has a ton of high-level experience, including a great season in Slovakia's top league and playing for the national squad. His tool kit is extremely appealing, and he has a raw upside that's sky-high: He projects to skate and handle the puck at above-average NHL levels.
Cernak is also a physical defender who can make defensive stops as well as play a part on a team's power play. His main issue is his hockey IQ, as he shows a moderate frequency to make bad decisions on hits, pinches and puck decisions. At the top of his game, he can look like a dominant two-way defenseman, but that is not always the guy who shows up.
6. Mitchell Stephens, C, Saginaw-OHL
Stephens isn't the tallest guy, but he was a top player for Saginaw this season and played well at the Ivan Hlinka tournament and under-18 world championships. He really turned his season around in the past few months of the season. Speed and pace define Stephens' game, as he's a fantastic skater whose speed is high-end. Stephens' stride generates so much power that he looks like he's gliding over the ice at times.
He has great work ethic on the ice, battling through checks well, getting to the net, and coming back on defense with tenacity. Stephens kills off penalties pretty well and exhibits a lot of energy on the ice. He plays a fast yet smart game, as he makes fine decisions with the puck and can set up plays. He's not overly skilled, but he can certainly create some offense by himself.
7. Jansen Harkins, C, Prince George-WHL
I don't think I've ever seen a single game from Harkins in which he completely dominated, but the former No. 2 overall pick in the WHL bantam draft consistently performed at both ends of the rink on a team from which he didn't get much support. His hockey sense is his best trait, as he is patient, anticipates the play well, has good vision and is creative with the puck. He has the pure skill level to score, as well as the grit and frame to kill penalties effectively.
His skating isn't a giant hole in his game, but his stride is a little awkward, with less than ideal extensions through his push-offs as he bends over in an odd way, although his straightaway speed isn't an issue.
8. Mitchell Vande Sompel, D, Oshawa-OHL
Vande Sompel had a very interesting season. For the most part, he was Oshawa's top defenseman, but when needed, he actually shifted to forward. He's a great skater, with quick, active feet and the speed to gain the zone with ease. He shows the comfort leading the play and attacking, as one would imagine for a player who grew up a forward. He's skilled (though not amazingly so) with the puck. However, Vande Sompel is at a very high level in terms of his hockey IQ. He's quite advanced defensively given his development track and quite effective positionally for a smaller player. His upside is tantalizing.
9. Rasmus Andersson, D, Barrie-OHL
Andersson has been one of the hardest prospects to pin down this season. He's a dynamic offensive talent with great puck skills, especially for a player with a pro-sized frame. He has an aggressive, attacking style of play and loves to have the puck on his stick. In terms of power-play skills, his combination of IQ, skill and a big shot makes him one of the top offensive defensemen in the class. The red flags are his lackluster defensive play in terms of his off-puck reads, up-and-down effort levels, being too aggressive offensively and his habit of getting beat with speed at times. He also could get a better handle on his weight.
10. Sebastian Aho, LW, Karpat-Liiga
Aho had a fine season, including lengthy stints in Finland's top league and the championship winning goal in the Liiga. He skates pretty well, and while he doesn't have blazing speed, it's certainly above average and enough to pressure defensemen off the rush. He's a very skilled and smart offensive player who won't make overly flashy plays but makes quick, creative decisions. Aho's hockey IQ translates well to defense, where he's shown during international play he can be quite effective, even when playing ahead of his age group. The main issue with Aho is his physical game. He's 5-11, 170 pounds and doesn't engage as much or as well as you'd hope someone would with his frame.