After a year traveling around to various rinks in towns across the United States and Canada, hours of video sessions and reading prospect-related news, and making calls around the scouting community, it's time to drop my final big board of the 2018 NHL draft season, ranking the top 80 draft-eligible players.
As you're going to hear a lot, there's not much consensus about who will end up where. Once we start getting to the third round, you might start seeing lesser-skilled picks who offer a good fit or play a style that fits into a team's philosophy.
Since I'm not drafting for a specific team, my focus is to slot the players more traditionally and identify the players with the best long-term potential of reaching the NHL. Once we get outside the top 60, including the following 20 names, my confidence level in the prospects drops a bit, but pro ceilings are there nonetheless. As always, if you'd like more insight into my process, you can always hit me up on Twitter.
Here's a look at the prospects I have ranked No. 61-80 on my draft board.
Top 80 | Nos. 1-20 | Nos. 21-40 | Nos. 41-60
Notable late-rounders | Top goalies
61. Jack Drury, C, Waterloo (USHL)
Age: 18 | Shoot: L | Ht: 5-11 | Wt: 175
56 GP | 24 G | 41 A
Not much about Drury's game will wow you, aside from the intensity he brings to the ice. He's a tough guy to outwork. What I wasn't sure about at the beginning of the season is if that workman-like effort would lead to anything else of substance. He had just 12 points in 44 games with Waterloo as a USHL rookie in 2016-17, but he ended up being the highest-scoring U18 player in the USHL this season with 65 points in 56 games while also setting a USHL record with a 22-game point-scoring streak. He's a highly intelligent player who knows where to be and how to get there. That helps because he's an average skater. Drury is a tough guy to get off the puck and is both aggressive and physical in puck pursuit. He can generate offense while also being a solid defensive forward, too.
Despite his excellent season in the USHL, I'm less certain he's going to be a producer at the pro level due to a lack of high-end skill. I do think he has a pro mentality, however, which he probably gets from the NHL alumni he's related to. Jack is the son of former NHLer Ted Drury and nephew of Chris Drury, who enjoyed a long career and is now the assistant general manager of the New York Rangers.
62. Cole Fonstad, C, Prince Albert (WHL)
Age: 18 | Shoot: L | Ht: 5-10 | Wt: 160
72 GP | 21 G | 52 A
Fonstad has been a steady riser this season. A smaller forward, he had a tremendous season in Prince Albert, where he showed off solid puck skills and an ability to beat teams with his speed. He underwhelmed at the U18 World Championship, however, when he was going head-to-head with top players in his age group. Some teams may be scared off by the size, but I think more will notice the energy he brings to the ice on a pretty consistent basis.
63. Jan Jenik, RW, Benatky N.J. (Czech-2)
Age: 17 | Shoot: L | Ht: 6-1 | Wt: 161
30 GP | 4 G | 7 A
A smart player with skills, Jenik shined brightest when he was playing among his peers. His production against pros was fair for the level he was at, but he was a standout performer for the Czech Republic and helped it stay especially competitive at the U18 level, which has been an encouraging trend in international hockey. Jenik has solid playmaking skills and a good shot. There's definitely a maturity to his game, which probably stems from the reps he's getting in the Czech Republic's second pro division. You have to be careful about weighing a player's work internationally too heavily, but I thought Jenik showed the best of his capabilities in those settings when he was given a prominent role and a chance to succeed.
64. Aidan Dudas, C, Owen Sound (OHL)
Age: 18 | Shoot: R | Ht: 5-8 | Wt: 162
68 GP | 31 G | 34 A
A dynamic skater with solid puck skills, Dudas is one of my favorite players in this draft. He has a tough road ahead because he probably needs to be a little bit better away from the puck, and his size is definitely going to scare a few teams off, but I think he's a pretty tenacious player. While he possesses good speed, his agility and edge work make him a mid-round prospect. He managed to put up big points for Owen Sound and seemed to get better as the season progressed. Is he a lock as a prospect? Not really, but he has enough attributes for me to keep him in a loftier position.
65. Ivan Morozov, C, Khanty-Mansiysk 2 (Russia-Jr.)
Age: 18 | Shoot: R | Ht: 6-1 | Wt: 178
30 GP | 11 G | 12 A
Morozov combines good hands, strength and a solid on-ice work ethic to make him a factor at both ends of the ice. He was a top performer for Russia at the World U18 Championship and was one of the team's standouts when I saw him live at the U18 Five Nations. Morozov produced 0.72 points per game in Russia's junior ranks, which tend to be dominated by older players. Morozov has versatility that teams should like on top of the higher-end skill set he possesses.
66. Oskar Back, C, Farjestad Jr. (Sweden-Jr.)
Age: 18 | Shoot: L | Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 192
38 GP | 10 G | 22 A
A smart two-way center, there is very little about Back's game that jumps out. That said, he is a reliable player who can be used in a variety of situations, as shown by Sweden at the U18 level. He's already got a pro frame, but he showed this season that he wasn't quite ready for the pro game in limited SHL action. He fared better in the U20 ranks, as expected, and was a solid performer for Sweden internationally this season. I think there is limited offensive upside for Back, but I have a lot of time for players who can do a lot of little things well and give his coach options. We'll see how much time he gets in the pro ranks next season -- it would help his development quite a bit, as he's obviously in good shape against his peers.
67. Nicolas Beaudin, D, Drummondville (QMJHL)
Age: 18 | Shoot: L | Ht: 5-11 | Wt: 175
68 GP | 12 G | 57 A
Beaudin has been a major riser after leading Drummondville in scoring with 69 points this season. He continued his high production in the playoffs, showcasing excellent mobility and quickness. Beaudin's defensive game needs work, as he's at a bit of a disadvantage due to his size. That said, he does a lot of things well when he has the puck on his stick, making quick decisions and making himself a threat the other team has to be aware of. Anyone who moves the puck as well as Beaudin is going to give himself a good chance of reaching the next level.
68. Kevin Bahl, D, Ottawa (OHL)
Age: 17 | Shoot: L | Ht: 6-6 | Wt: 230
58 GP | 1 G | 17 A
At his size, Bahl is a near lock to go higher than I have him slotted, but the lack of offensive upside is a real concern of mine. He had 18 points in 57 OHL games last season and does not show encouraging signs of being able to break out of that. Despite the concern about his numbers, watching him play leaves me intrigued not just by his size but his athleticism. Bahl moves very well for a player that big. He can overmatch forwards physically, and that long reach makes him difficult to get around. His mobility is a big part of that, as well.
In today's game, it's harder for a defenseman with limited puck skills to make it to the next level. Even though teams are becoming less averse to small players, they still love the big guys. With some more development time and a special focus on his hands, you might see Bahl round out his game enough to carve out a bottom-pairing spot for himself, but I wouldn't want to take that risk too early when there are more impact-ready players in the top 60.
69. Ty Emberson, D, USA U18 (NTDP)
Age: 18 | Shoot: R | Ht: 6-1 | Wt: 195
53 GP | 4 G | 18 A
Emberson is a two-way defenseman who doesn't possess a lot of high-end offensive talent. He is a good decision-maker with the puck and has good distribution skills to help his team get up the ice, though. I'd certainly like to see him get more aggressive offensively, but that wasn't necessarily his role on a U.S. Under-18 team that had better offensive talents on its blue line. He's headed to the University of Wisconsin, which has been a solid factory for NHL-caliber defensemen, making me more eager to pick Emberson a little higher than I might otherwise. On top of being a fairly smart player, he engages physically and has good strength to keep opposing forwards honest.
70. Blake McLaughlin, LW, Chicago (USHL)
Age: 18 | Shoot: L | Ht: 6-0 | Wt: 162
54 GP | 23 G | 29 A
The USHL is a tough league to produce in, especially for U18 players, but McLaughlin averaged nearly a point per game with the Chicago Steel. He has above-average puck skills, which allowed him to create offense at a higher rate. McLaughlin is a good playmaker and has decent vision. The big thing I've grown concerned about is consistency of effort. My live viewings left me wanting more, as he could disappear into the background a bit while playing alongside Vegas Golden Knights draft pick Jack Dugan. That said, I had better luck in some of my video viewings of McLaughlin. When he's on, he can really take over a game and has the hand skills to finish plays more effectively. He also is getting stronger, which could increase his effectiveness in the long term.
71. Kristian Tanus, C, Tappara Jr. (Finland-Jr.)
Age: 17 | Shoot: L | Ht: 5-6 | Wt: 158
48 GP | 8 G | 28 A
If you're going to be as small as Tanus is, there has to be some dynamic elements in your game. And there absolutely is here, along with some tenacity. Despite his small frame, Tanus is aggressive on the ice and doesn't simply thrive on the perimeter. He was always a standout performer for Finland internationally and made things difficult for opposing defenders. He has excellent vision and shiftiness to give himself more opportunities to produce. Being as slippery as Tanus is, he doesn't hold on to the puck too long, either. He uses his skills to give him that extra space to make a better play, which makes him extremely effective as a distributor.
72. Axel Andersson, D, Djurgarden Jr. (Sweden-Jr.)
Age: 18 | Shoot: R | Ht: 6-0 | Wt: 178
42 GP | 6 G | 25 A
Andersson had a really strong season production-wise in the Swedish U20 ranks. He was one of the league's top scoring defensemen, but when he played for Sweden internationally, he was slotted further down the lineup and didn't get many opportunities to showcase his full skill set. He has good distribution skills and an average shot. Andersson's a player I'd have liked to have seen a bit more, but I think there's enough there in his overall game to give him a shot among a particularly deep class of Swedish defensemen.
73. Martin Fehervary, D, Oskarshamn (Sweden-2)
Age: 18 | Shoot: L | Ht: 6-1 | Wt: 190
42 GP | 1 G | 6 A
One of the older players in the draft class, Fehervary had a really interesting season. At just 18 years old, he was a top-pair defenseman in Sweden's second pro division, and he averaged over 21 minutes per game in 42 games this season. That's a hefty load for a player his age and he held his own. Fehervary was also a key defenseman for Slovakia at the World Juniors and ended up even making the men's senior team, appearing in all seven games at the Men's World Championship. He's an advanced defender who will get a bigger test next season when he joins HV71 in the SHL on a full-time basis. This was an eye-opening season for him. A little more offense in his game would have him higher on my board, but I'm interested to see where he goes from here.
74. Jay O'Brien, C, Thayer Academy (HS)
Age: 18 | Shoot: R | Ht: 5-11 | Wt: 185
30 GP | 43 G | 37 A
One of the more highly regarded players to come out of the U.S. prep or high school ranks this year, O'Brien elicits a wide range of opinions regarding his true upside. The prep players can be tougher to judge, especially one like O'Brien, who has a late-1999 birth date. He dominated while at Thayer, as expected, and also got some limited action with the U.S. National U18 team in some games against college teams and played in one USHL game with Youngstown. He has enough offensive talent to warrant a pick, but it's harder to just throw the stamp of approval on him given the many differing opinions. O'Brien's athleticism is a big part of what intrigues me about him, along with the fact that he's going to Providence College, where he's going to get some of the best coaching college hockey has to offer with Nate Leaman at the helm of the Friars.
75. Cam Hillis, C, Guelph (OHL)
Age: 17 | Shoot: R | Ht: 5-10 | Wt: 168
60 GP | 20 G | 39 A
A quick, average-sized forward, Hillis plays the game with a lot of energy and confidence. While he lacks strength, he still gets involved in the harder areas and seems to handle himself well under pressure. He needs to work on his game away from the puck, but I definitely liked what I saw out of him this season offensively. He didn't put up great numbers at the World U18 Championship, but I thought that was a pretty good point of reference for his progression this season. There's absolutely some upside there, and his skill level is going to give him a chance to provide really good mid-round value for a team.
76. Matej Pekar, C, Muskegon (USHL)
Age: 18 | Shoot: L | Ht: 6-0 | Wt: 170
56 GP | 14 G | 40 A
A player who has grown on me over the course of the season, Pekar averaged nearly a point per game for Muskegon, playing a substantial role for one of the better teams in the USHL this season. He is a solid playmaker and a pass-first center. He makes himself tough to defend with good puck protection and high-end puck skills, using strength to keep defenders at bay. His vision is above average and his ability to find teammates under pressure is a notable trait that I saw many times from him in both live and video viewings. Pekar could probably be a little better away from the puck, but I think he's got a good chance to provide mid-round value to a team looking to shore up center depth in its organization.
77. Kody Clark, RW, Ottawa (OHL)
Age: 18 | Shoot: R | Ht: 6-1 | Wt: 180
56 GP | 18 G | 21 A
The son of former No. 1 overall pick Wendel Clark definitely has some pro upside, and I think he'll be even better as he gets stronger. Clark has decent skills highlighted by some poise with the puck on his stick. He showed some progression this year, but I probably would have liked to have seen better numbers from him in the OHL. I think he's got plenty of time to grow his game and would expect to see him in a larger role in the OHL next season.
78. Lukas Dostal, G, Trebic (Czech-2)
Age: 18 | Catch: L | Ht: 6-1 | Wt: 158
20 GP | 2.43 GAA | 0.921 SV % | 2 SO
This is not a great year for goalies, as has been noted across the board. That said, I think Dostal has the most upside of any goalie in this draft. Dostal is 6-foot-1, so he's not exactly small, and he is extremely athletic with quick movements in the net and an ability to be aggressive without taking himself out of position. I don't think there's any reason for teams to invest a top-two-round pick in a goalie this year, but Dostal would be the first one off the board for me.
79. Blade Jenkins, LW, Saginaw (OHL)
Age: 17 | Shoot: L | Ht: 6-1 | Wt: 195
68 GP | 20 G | 24 A
Jenkins was highly regarded in his birth year as recently as two years ago, when he starred for the highly regarded Compuware AAA club in Michigan. A relatively unsuccessful year at the National Team Development Program prompted a move to Saginaw, where Jenkins was more prominently utilized. He has some solid physical tools with good size, and he's a solid skater. I think the puck skills and hockey sense are below average for a player who had been as highly regarded as Jenkins was over the past two years. He has a long way to go, but he carries enough upside to be considered in the middle rounds.
80. David Zavgorodniy, LW, Rimouski (QMJHL)
Age: 17 | Shoot: R | Ht: 5-9 | Wt: 173
62 GP | 26 G | 21 A
Coming into the season with remarkably high expectations thanks in large part to his star turn at the Ivan Hlinka tournament, Zavgorodniy didn't exactly live up to them. That said, this was his first year in North America, which can be a difficult transition. He didn't help himself much in the U18 World Championship. Still, Zavgorodniy has some dynamism to him and that is crucial at his size. His puck skills are high end, no question. It's just a matter of him being able to make plays under pressure, creating more time and space. When he gets more consistent in that area, I think he's going to be a more effective offensive player. There's a higher ceiling there than some of the other players listed ahead of him, but the swings in his performance this season give me cause to rank him more conservatively.