The 2017 NHL draft class is without the fanfare of the prior two seasons, due to the lack of bona fide elite prospects at the very top of the class. That doesn't mean the class is devoid of talent, but everything gets shifted downward without a player such as Connor McDavid or Auston Matthews available for the taking.
Without a true top talent or two, players who would usually be selected Nos. 3-6 go at the top, players who would normally go in the teens are in the discussion in the top 10, and so on throughout the first round. The result is a draft class that is projected to be below average.
Although discussions with many sources in the industry take place to gather information, the rankings, profiles and analysis are completely my own and reflect my opinion of who I believe the top prospects in the draft class are. These might differ from the industry -- at times in a significant manner. This is not a projection of what will transpire on draft day in Chicago; for that, be sure to check out my forthcoming mock draft.
We wrap up my ranking of the top 100 prospects with a look at Nos. 1-20:
1. Nico Hischier, C, Halifax (QMJHL)
DOB: 1/04/99 | Ht: 6' 0.75" | Wt: 176
2016-17 stats: 57 GP | 38 G | 48 A
Everything has been pointing in the right direction for Hischier this season. He was fantastic from the word "go," between league and international play, and has put himself into the discussion to go first overall. He's the complete package offensively. He's a very good skater, with the ability to be dangerous due to his first step and top gear but particularly due to how elusive he is from a standstill. Hischier is a creative puck handler who can dictate possession with his skill and often stands out with how he can generate offense with his creativity. However, his best trait is his hockey sense. He anticipates pressure so well, moves the puck into the right places and outsmarts defenders. "[Hischier] can take over a game and does so consistently," one scout said. He's not a bulky guy, but he gets to the net with frequency and is a solid defensive center. He can potentially be a very good top-six player for his NHL team.
Ranking explanation: For detailed insight on why Hischier is ranked above Nolan Patrick (and everyone else), go here.
2. Nolan Patrick, C, Brandon (WHL)
DOB: 9/19/98 | Ht: 6' 2.0" | Wt: 198
2016-17 stats: 33 GP | 20 G | 26 A
Patrick didn't have the best draft season he could have envisioned, mostly because he missed a substantial part of the season due to injury. However, he remains a top prospect. Patrick's best trait is his hockey sense. He's a highly creative playmaker, with high-end vision and puck skills. He can dictate the tempo of a game, with pro-level pace in his decisions and the ability to slow the play and find his options. Patrick also shows an above-average shot and can generate it from tight spaces. His skating isn't as dynamic as his playmaking, as it's more about pro average than top level, but he'll be able to keep up in the NHL. He's a player without a glaring flaw, as he'll be what you want in a top-level center: a two-way forward with skill, size and intelligence who can contribute in all areas of the game.
Ranking explanation: Patrick is almost a full year older than Gabriel Vilardi, so you need to make that adjustment when looking at these two. Patrick is a better skater, while Vilardi is a better puck-handler and a slightly better playmaker. Patrick has him beat, though, in terms of their shots, defensive and physical play. I've seen more dynamic elements in Vilardi's game, but despite stagnating this season, Patrick has shown much more consistent high-level performance during the past two seasons. If you want to roll dice on a marginal skill difference I can see the Vilardi argument, but given the skating gap I don't see the need to take that gamble.
Given how close Hischier and Patrick are, it's worthwhile to discuss Vilardi vs. Hischier as well. If you age-adjust Vilardi's point production, he comes out ahead of Hischier, although Hischier's shot generation is still miles better. Ultimately, this comes down to the skating gap for me, given the similar level of skill between the two. Vilardi has a size advantage, but it doesn't close the skating gap or Nico's ability to play a better 200-foot game. Hischier has also impressed me more in terms of when I've watched the players. Vilardi has never had a dominant moment for me recently.
3. Gabriel Vilardi, C, Windsor (OHL)
DOB: 8/16/99 | Ht: 6' 2.75" | Wt: 201
2016-17 stats: 49 GP | 29 G | 32 A
Big men who can make plays with the puck are hard to find, and Vilardi fits the bill. His skill is legitimately at the top level, as his ability to maintain possession, create offense off the rush and evade pressure is as good as that of some of the better 5-foot-11 forwards. He also possesses good vision and can make tough distributions seem easy. He's a player who makes his teammates better, with Windsor's coach noting how Vilardi's teammates have a giant Corsi differential with him, as opposed to without him on their line. He'll battle hard for pucks and use his size well on some shifts, and although he isn't perfectly consistent in that area, he has shown more edge in his game this season and has gotten better defensively because of it. Vilardi's skating is an issue, with a below-average top gear. Scouts I talk to are divided on him. Some NHL people see him as a clear top-five guy in this draft class, due to his size/skill combo and the upside, while others are more tentative, due to warts in the all-around game.
Ranking explanation: On a skills level, Vilardi and Cody Glass are about the same. I see a little more offensive IQ in Vilardi's game, but it's splitting hairs. Glass is a better skater, while Vilardi is taller and bulkier. Given how close it is, the track record comes into play, giving Vilardi the advantage, especially since I don't think Glass has shown a level of dominance at a point this season that is clearly above Vilardi to make me think he has more upside.
For similar reasons, I prefer Patrick to Glass. The skill sets of Patrick and Glass are more similar in style than Vilardi to Glass, and the differences in degree are mild. Glass is younger than Patrick and produced similar numbers this season, although Patrick is better defensively. The track record comes to mind here as well, in favor of Patrick.
4. Cody Glass, C, Portland (WHL)
DOB: 4/01/99 | Ht: 6' 1.75" | Wt: 178
2016-17 stats: 69 GP | 32 G | 62 A
Glass wasn't on my top 30 to start the season, nor was he on Canada's radar for the Ivan Hlinka tournament, but he erupted at the start of the season and maintained his play throughout the campaign. He's a dynamic playmaker, who has the skill, size and IQ to be a significant scorer in the NHL. Glass' puck skills are very good, with the IQ and skill combo to create scoring chances out of nothing. He's very coordinated with the puck for a player his size, and he makes tough dekes seem easy. He's a smart playmaker who can make plays at a quick tempo and control the center third of the ice. Some scouts I talk to praise his skating. I haven't seen a blow-you-away gear from him, but he's certainly above average in that area. Defensively, he is decent. His frame needs to bulk up a ton, as he can be pushed off pucks too easily, but he works hard for pucks and has the IQ to be useful in his own end.
Ranking explanation: On a skills level, Nick Suzuki is arguably the player with the highest hockey IQ in the draft, so he has an edge on Glass there. In terms of hands, it's about a push, with Glass having an edge in size and speed. While he was as good if not better defensively than Glass this season, I'm less convinced Suzuki sticks at center in the NHL than Glass does, due to his subpar speed and size, as well as the fact we've seen Suzuki recently get pushed off to the wing. However, I see reasonable arguments either way. In the grand scheme of things, the No. 3 to 5 order here could be rearranged in any way without much complaint from me. The edge for me was projecting Glass to be an NHL center as well as not having a major flaw to fix like Suzuki does with his skating.
5. Nick Suzuki, C, Owen Sound (OHL)
DOB: 8/10/99 | Ht: 5' 10.75" | Wt: 183
2016-17 stats: 65 GP | 45 G | 51 A
Suzuki was consistently impressive and one of the top overall players in the OHL this season. The first thing any scout will say about him is to praise his hockey sense. He sees the ice very well as a playmaker, but his ability to make quick, creative and correct decisions consistently helps him make a dangerous two-way force. Suzuki can make a difficult open-ice dangle or a quick chip to get the puck up and to the right spot. Defensively, he's solid on his positional play, winning battles without taking penalties, and he is a shorthanded scoring threat to boot. His skating technique isn't sublime, but I wouldn't categorize him as slow -- maybe just a little awkward in how his feet get him where he's going. However, his top speed is fine. At the end of the day, he's one of the smartest players in the draft, and that means a lot when projecting a player into the NHL. However, given his subpar size and skating, that means he'll be another data point in the experiment of how far elite smarts can take you.
Ranking explanation: I had Owen Tippett over Suzuki for a good portion of the season, but in the last quarter of the campaign Suzuki started to establish some separation for me. The skating gap is huge between the two; Tippett is one of the best skaters in the class, while Suzuki is one of the worst skaters to go in the first-round range. However, the hockey sense gap is huge in Suzuki's favor, and that's more important for me than speed in a player, even for a forward. Despite Tippett also being bigger, and having a large amount of skill, the IQ edge is enough for Suzuki to edge him. Furthermore, the sizeable statistical edge between the two players leads to me to see a tier drop around this spot.
6. Owen Tippett, RW, Mississauga (OHL)
DOB: 2/16/99 | Ht: 6' 0.5" | Wt: 200
2016-17 stats: 60 GP | 44 G | 31 A
The cousin of the No. 33 overall pick in 2015, Mitchell Stephens (Tampa Bay Lightning), Tippett is a very exciting winger to watch. He was a dominant goal scorer this season, due to both the quality and quantity of shots on goal. Tippett is one of the best speedsters in the draft class. His ability to go from 0 to 60 -- metaphorically speaking, though he's darn quick -- is very impressive, and he can gain the offensive blue line with ease. He has a high skill level and can make some open-ice plays, but he's much more comfortable going north-south than east-west. He can kill penalties due to his speed and IQ, and can be a shorthanded scoring threat while doing so. Tippett's game is more about playing in straight lines, but don't let his very tilted goal-to-assist ratio fool you, as he can make plays to his teammates too, a facet of his game that improved as the season went on.
Ranking explanation: In Tippett and Eeli Tolvanen, we have two of the best shot generators and goal scorers in the class. Despite similar types of output, they get it done in different ways. Tippett is an elite skater, and miles better than Tolvanen. However, Tolvanen is a much smarter player. While both are great goal scorers, I do like Tolvanen's shot a little more. Given how close they are, I am persuaded by Tippett getting his production done in the OHL as opposed to the slightly inferior USHL. Then again, it's not easy to forget that Tippett was riding the pine in the IIHF under-18 championship a year ago while Tolvanen was dominating, although Tippett was about as good at the under-17 championship a few months earlier. The skating gap is notable, and I'm not convinced Tolvanen's other advantages close it. Combined with the statistical argument, Tippett gets the edge.
7. Eeli Tolvanen, RW, Sioux City (USHL)
DOB: 4/22/99 | Ht: 5' 10.25" | Wt: 170
2016-17 stats: 52 GP | 30 G | 24 A
Simply put, Tolvanen has produced everywhere he has gone. In my opinion, he was the best player in the USHL this season, and he has looked very good in international play for Finland the past few seasons. Tolvanen is known mostly for his big-time shot, which makes him one of the more feared goal-scorers in this year's class. However, he is more than a shooter. Tolvanen has great hands, can make difficult feeds and can play at a quick pace, though he is most comfortable when winding up his cannon. He's small and not incredibly quick for a player his size (though I think his skating is adequate), but he's smart enough to put himself in position to score and has a little physical edge to his game too. He's committed to Boston College for 2017-18.
Ranking explanation: It's easy to get lost in recency bias here when considering Tolvanen vs. Miro Heiskanen, as the latter was fantastic in Liiga and at the IIHF under-18 championship. But whenever I've seen the two on the same team the past several years, including many times this season, Tolvanen has almost always been the better player -- and often it hasn't been close. When trying to distinguish players at different positions -- and more importantly a junior league vs. a pro league -- for their in-season play, that factor looms large for me. I could see a reasonable argument that Heiskanen has trended up in the second half and passed Tolvanen, but I've seen so much great play from Tolvanen in the past, and I don't buy that Heiskanen's play was so dominant -- even though his under-18 tournament point totals or his Liiga shot differential are nice to look at -- to get him over that hump.
8. Miro Heiskanen, D, HIFK (Liiga)
DOB: 7/18/99 | Ht: 6' 0.0" | Wt: 170
2016-17 stats: 37 GP | 5 G | 5 A
Heiskanen established himself as a regular in the middle of a top Finnish league team's lineup as one of the younger players in this draft class. I would characterize him as more of an offensive defenseman, but he shows great ability at both ends of the rink. His hockey sense is advanced to the point that he dictates the play due to how effectively he moves the puck. He makes great decisions, understands how to create chances while keeping his plays simple and overall shows no issues playing at a pro pace. His mobility is very good as well, as he can get up into the rush and close his gaps efficiently. He's a little shorter than average for an NHL defender and needs bulk, but I see his IQ translating well down the line.
Ranking explanation: I went between Heiskanen and Kostin quite a bit in recent weeks. It's a tale of two very different seasons. Heiskanen is a smooth yet unspectacular two-way defenseman who was great all season and kept getting better. Kostin has shown the ability to be a dominant scoring power winger, whose upside is as good as anyone in the class. However, he also struggled for stretches that may have coincided with injury issues that sidelined him eventually for a big chunk of the season. At the end of the day, there's too much certainty with Heiskanen, and too much uncertainty with Kostin, that despite Kostin's best game having been far better than Heiskanen's best game in my viewings, there isn't enough upside given the massive risk factors in projecting Kostin forward.
9. Klim Kostin, C/LW, Dynamo Moscow (KHL)
DOB: 5/05/99 | Ht: 6' 3.0" | Wt: 196
2016-17 stats: 8 GP | 0 G | 0 A
Kostin's ice time was very limited playing versus men in Russia, but he has impressed in international play the past few years; however, a shoulder injury sidelined him for a big chunk of the season, and may have hampered him in season. His skill level at his size is incredible, as he makes tough offensive plays seem easy. Kostin can stick handle in open space, but he also excels as a playmaker and can make the smart play when an option is available. There's the odd time he can get caught trying to do too much, but often he reads the ice well and can make the right decision. Kostin's skating isn't high-end, but he skates well for a player his size, showed significant improvements during the course of the past year and could be average as a pro. His off-the-puck game is fine too.
Ranking explanation: Putting the MVP of the under-18 tournament (Kristian Vesalainen) behind a player without a game played in months -- and not a great season overall -- wasn't easy, but from watching both these players for a while the skill set edge clearly goes to Kostin. Not to mention, Vesalainen's season wasn't all that great up until April anyways. Kostin is not as good a skater as Veslainen, but he's more skilled with the puck, much smarter, and much more effective off the puck. I've studied both enough that despite Kostin's flags, I feel confident to put him at this slot and over Vesalainen.
10. Kristian Vesalainen, LW/RW, Frolunda (SHL)
DOB: 6/01/99 | Ht: 6' 3.25" | Wt: 207
2016-17 stats: 26 GP | 1 G | 5 A
Vesalainen split time between the SHL and Liiga as he struggled to establish himself at either level as a 17-year-old, but he ended his season on a strong note, as he was named the MVP of the IIHF under-18 championship. His poor regular season aside, he has a lot of promise as an NHL prospect. Players his size who can jet as well as Kristian does are hard to find. He's a player whose speed makes him incredibly dangerous, given his long wingspan, and he has great puck skills. He won't be a premier playmaker but is able to generate quite a bit of offense from his creativity, speed and ability to drive the high-percentage areas. His game needs to round out a lot, though. He isn't that great defensively, and though he can play a power game, he needs to work on being more consistent in loose puck battles.
11. Erik Brannstrom, D, HV 71 (SHL)
DOB: 9/02/99 | Ht: 5' 10.0" | Wt: 173
2016-17 stats: 35 GP | 1 G | 5 A
Brannstrom is a favorite of mine relative to the opinions of many scouts. I've been very impressed the past two to three seasons, and I think he has a good pro ceiling. He's a small defenseman at 5-foot-10, but he does a lot well. Brannstrom is a great skater, is gifted on his edges and has a good top gear. He can make plays in open ice because though his puck skills aren't fantastic, they are solid, and his feet and great vision allow him to make a lot happen. His defense could use a little tweaking, as I've seen him make errors he shouldn't, but he has still displayed the ability to play tough minutes. Despite the occasional gaffe, his hockey IQ shines most shifts. Although he is small, Brannstrom has an edge to his game as well.
12. Casey Mittelstadt, C, Eden Praire (HS MN)
DOB: 11/22/98 | Ht: 6' 0.75" | Wt: 201
2016-17 stats: 25 GP | 21 G | 43 A
Mittelstadt has been a highly touted player for a few years, and he was a top player in the USHL this past season for Green Bay and also had a successful stint back with his high school team. Mittelstadt is a dynamic playmaker who can generate scoring chances in bunches. He can dangle in open ice with the best of them, playing with pace, and can make a highlight happen at any given moment. Mittelstadt sees the ice very well, often executing on high-difficulty feeds and being a primary starting point of offense. His skating isn't as dynamic as his hands, but he skates well and has a separation gear in his feet. Off the puck, he isn't as great. Despite a strong frame, he loses more battles than he should. His defense has a ways to go, but it could be worse, as he can make the odd defensive play. He is committed to the University of Minnesota for next season.
Ranking explanation: In January, I was starting to have concerns about Mittelstadt, as the industry seemed to be circling in on him being a top-5 to top-7 lock. I texted an NHL scout my issues, and he responded, "Don't overthink it." So naturally, I've been thinking a lot about him.
The issues are plain. He's one of the older first-year eligible players who hasn't shown a consistently dominant level at a significant quality of competition. Even his high school showing, while very good, did not look at the level one would imagine of a top-10 pick. At the IIHF under-18 championship last spring, for example, he was the third-best player on a line with Logan Brown and Kailer Yamamoto. He led the USHL in points per game this season, but that was accentuated by an unsustainable 21 percent shooting percentage. If we assumed a more reasonable 15 percent shooting rate, suddenly his point production is equivalent to fellow top draft prospect Eeli Tolvanen in the USHL; the latter was better at even strength, and generated a much better shot ratio. At the World Junior Championship camps this past summer, he looked way behind the pace, ending up being one of the early cuts, while fellow first-year draft eligible Kailer Yamamoto stuck around. He was dominant at the Ivan Hlinka tournament two years ago, but given how far back that is, it causes some hesitation on my part.
I've watched him. I get it. As discussed in his profile, the tools are legit. He has NHL skill. There's a reason why despite all the caveats he's still ranked 12th. But I think there's too much risk in his profile to justify his being a top-5 pick when there are players with near or equivalent skill without the performance red flags.
13. Timothy Liljegren, D, Rogle (SHL)
DOB: 4/30/99 | Ht: 6' 0.0" | Wt: 191
2016-17 stats: 19 GP | 1 G | 4 A
Liljegren missed a sizeable chunk of the season due to mono. When healthy, he's one of the most dynamic offensive defensemen of the past few draft classes. You can tell when Liljegren has the puck. "He was able to quarterback a SHL power play when he was 16. You just don't see that," noted one scout. He's quite creative and quite skilled. He can make the in-tight plays and control the puck in ways that distinguish him as a puck mover. LIljegren skates very well and can get up in a rush, but it's his skill and offensive mind that elevate him to the highest levels. Although he's a very imaginative and effective puck mover, he can get himself into trouble. He gives the puck away a lot going for the one extra play. His defense isn't elite, but it's decent, as he can make a check and not get completely killed in his own end without the puck; however, there are times when he is a clear negative on that side on the puck.
14. Kailer Yamamoto, RW, Spokane (WHL)
DOB: 9/29/98 | Ht: 5' 7.5" | Wt: 153
2016-17 stats: 65 GP | 42 G | 57 A
It takes a lot of talent for teams to be convinced that a player under 5-foot-8 should go in the top 15, but Yamamoto clears that bar, partly on talent alone, and partly on a relatively weak draft class. He's a plus skater, puck handler and passer. Yamamoto has great agility on his edges, combined with a good top gear. He can create when he is carrying the puck due to his skill, creativity and ability to see the ice. He can come down the wing with speed one shift and quarterback a power play the next. At the WHL level as an 18-year-old, he showed he could be decent defensively, but the main concern going forward is how will he do away from the puck at his size. I have reasonable concerns about that, and it's why I don't think he's at the level of say, Mitch Marner, at the same age. However, there is still a lot of promise in his game.
15. Cale Makar, D, Brooks (AJHL)
DOB: 10/30/98 | Ht: 5' 11.25" | Wt: 180
2016-17 stats: 54 GP | 24 G | 51 A
Makar was lights-out this season in the AJHL, including a dominant performance at the World Junior A challenge. Small, old (he's a late 1998 birth date) defensemen from Junior A don't get me excited that often, but Makar deserves a ton of recognition, thanks to his talent level. Makar skates very well, with a good burst out of each stride. He's aggressive jumping into the play, and he can pressure opponents with his speed. He's also a highly skilled puck handler, with high-end offensive instincts. He can make tough offensive plays with consistency and quarterback a power play with the best of them. His defense was passable at the Junior A level, but scouts are concerned about him checking pros. His size is the main issue, as he has a short wingspan and can struggle to win battles or close gaps. He wasn't even on his Junior A team's penalty kill for a good chunk of the season. He has as much upside as any defenseman in the class, and though he might seem like a guy I usually tend to like, there's a bunch of alarm bells going off in my brain at the same time. He is committed to UMass-Amherst for next season.
Ranking explanation: There has been no prospect from this draft class I've thought about more than Cale Makar. As discussed in his profile, an old, small defenseman from the AJHL raises serious flags. But at the same time, it's hard not to acknowledge his elite skill/skating combo, and the dominance he displayed at various Jr. A competition levels all season. The issue becomes how do I balance these factors. How do I balance the fact that his point production in the AJHL was equivalent to Robert Thomas (ranked directly below him) when they were the same age, but the latter was in the OHL?
When these questions arise, I look back on research I did about balancing scouting and statistical analysis. In that column, I discussed how simply considering an average of scouting and stats opinions produces better results, and there is no better time for that then in Makar's case. The scouting analysis based on what he showed at various lower levels this season looks like a clear top-5 pick. The statistical analysis, adjusting for his late birth date and league quality, suggests a middle-round pick, as his production in the AJHL at age 17 was along the lines of Kyle Radke and Kevin Connauton and at age 18 this season, it was along the lines of Brinson Pasichnuk.
However, while those worrisome statistical comparables stand out -- and give me reason to think simply being dominant the AJHL is not enough to be a first-rounder -- I caution against it, due to sample-size issues. There are only so many good, young defensemen to come out of that league, so there isn't much against which to measure Makar.
This is why the scouting side of this equation is important, because the skills can be evaluated at a more frequent sample than the amount of statistical comparables you can acquire. And those skills look very promising. Nevertheless, the inherent risks I've pointed out cannot be ignored, and the chances of a significant pace and defensive adjustment to higher levels are real. With all that in mind, slotting him in at No. 15 is more than fair.
16. Lias Andersson, C, HV 71 (SHL)
DOB: 10/13/98 | Ht: 5' 11.25" | Wt: 198
2016-17 stats: 42 GP | 9 G | 10 A
Andersson was a solid piece for HV71 and Sweden's World Junior team this season. All he has done is produce wherever he's gone the past few seasons. He won't dazzle with high-end dekes, but there is a lot of skill to Andersson's game. He makes quick decisions, has a quick shot, sees his options well and has good puck skills. He can be a standout offensive player, though that isn't always the case. Andersson might be below average in size, but he's tough and strong for a player his age, and he can kill penalties adequately. I don't love his skating, but he isn't dragging anvils all over the ice, and considering all the other positive attributes in his offensive game, you can live without game-breaking speed.
17. Martin Necas, C, Brno (Czech)
DOB: 1/15/99 | Ht: 6' 0.5" | Wt: 167
2016-17 stats: 41 GP | 7 G | 8 A
Necas was an effective player this season for a team in the top Czech league at age 17, though he played on a team that was deep in scoring talent. He's a dynamic talent, and his skating ability is very good, as he is one of the quicker skaters available this year. Although he excels when playing a fast-paced game, Necas is also a very good playmaker who can slow the game down and make plays from the boards. He controls the puck well and can make above-average plays with his hands. His off-the-puck will need work going forward. You see the odd good defensive play that exemplifies his IQ, but he's clearly more polished with the puck than without and has a lot to learn to get bigger minutes as a pro. As a smaller player, winning more battles will go a long way.
18. Elias Pettersson, C, Timra (Allsvenskan)
DOB: 11/12/98 | Ht: 6' 2.0" | Wt: 161
2016-17 stats: 43 GP | 19 G | 22 A
Pettersson was a significant riser this season, after producing at a point-per-game pace versus men in Sweden and often appearing on highlight reels for positive reasons. Pettersson has very quick hands and a ton of creativity in his game, and even when he's being tightly checked, he's able to generate space for himself. He sees the ice very well and can make difficult feeds. "He has the talent to be a star," one scout said. That doesn't mean Pettersson's game is perfect. He has heavy feet and struggles to win battles as he has a wiry frame and isn't a very intense battler. On the other hand, it's hard to ignore his significant point-producing potential as a pro and his ability to be a game-breaker on the ice. In my viewings, I didn't see him ever have a great game. However, every Swedish scout I've talked to was willing to go to bat for him as a top-end prospect.
19. Michael Rasmussen, C, Tri-City (WHL)
DOB: 4/17/99 | Ht: 6' 5.75" | Wt: 215
2016-17 stats: 50 GP | 32 G | 23 A
It's easy to imagine why some scouts would be optimistic about a 6-foot-6 center with significant scoring numbers. Although Rasmussen has put up a ton of goals this season, I've been more impressed by his passing skills. He's a smart playmaker who plays at a pro-level pace. He has vision and a good shot, and I've seen Tri-City lean on his size as a net-front player on the power play. Rasmussen is also solid defensively and wins puck battles using his size. His main drawback is his skating. He's below-average in terms of speed, and though that isn't a huge issue in the grand scheme of his skill set, it keeps him from being truly dynamic.
20. Robert Thomas, C, London (OHL)
DOB: 7/02/99 | Ht: 5' 11.5" | Wt: 188
2016-17 stats: 66 GP | 16 G | 50 A
Thomas consistently impressed me all season and was an important part of yet another dominant London team in the OHL. He's a very smart and very skilled center. His coordination and creativity with the puck are top-notch, and he consistently moves the puck into good spaces to generate chances. Thomas can also be quite effective on the defensive side of the puck, despite his smaller frame, and he was one of London's better penalty-killers this season. He could be marginally faster for a player his size, but I think he skates fine and will be competent in that area as a pro. Don't let his somewhat underwhelming counting stats fool you; buried behind top Sabres prospect Cliff Pu as the Knights' No. 2 center this season, Thomas can be an impactful player.