While folks in the scouting community are excited about the elite top-end draft talent this year, there are plenty of good players just below the first round, too.
A team that can mine the midrounds for talent is going to help set itself up for a longer period of time. Some of it is luck, but this year I think teams have a better chance of landing a quality prospect in those middle rounds, particularly the second round, simply because of the depth of the class -- despite the disparity among teams' lists this year. This is a really good year to have picks in the first and second rounds.
Here's a look at players who I view as potential second-round picks, sitting in the Nos. 41-60 range on my big board.
Top 80 | Nos. 1-20 | Nos. 21-40 | Nos. 61-80
Notable late-rounders | Top goalies
41. Ryan Merkley, D, Guelph (OHL)
Age: 17 | Shoot: R | Ht: 5-11 | Wt: 170
63 GP | 13 G | 54 A
Merkley is an absolute lightning rod. The conversation about him throughout the year has been largely negative among scouts and others around junior hockey. Most agree he has elite offensive skills, but his lack of detail defensively and character concerns have dropped him on many boards, and off others entirely. Multiple teams will not draft him regardless of how far he falls, while others might be a little more willing in the late rounds. There also could be a team out there laying low that decides to jump in and take him in the first. The scouting world can be pretty gossipy, and it can be hard to cut through rumor to get to reality, but there's enough smoke here to give me pause.
All of that aside, Merkley is one of the best passers in this draft, possessing elite vision and some of the best hands of any defenseman available. Defensively, he's not much to write home about, though I did manage to see one of his better defensive performances live, which tells me he can do the job when he's engaged. And that's where scouts' concern about off-ice stuff is trumped by the on-ice. Not knowing what you're going to get from one game to the next is a very real concern. Additionally, he's only 17, and you can't necessarily project how a player is going to mature and evolve. There is no question that Merkley is a high-risk pick, but I still feel like there could be reward for a team that's willing to take the leap and to have the patience to work with the player. Merkley has to convince teams that he's willing to put the work in, too. My guess at this point is Merkley will not go in the first, but a team with a stockpile of picks that feels it can assume the risk will give him a shot.
42. Calen Addison, D, Lethbridge (WHL)
Age: 18 | Shoot: R | Ht: 5-10 | Wt: 180
68 GP | 11 G | 54 A
In a year where puck-moving defensemen are everywhere, Addison might be a nice consolation prize for teams that don't land one of the bigger fish. Averaging nearly a point per game with Lethbridge, Addison is an exceptional passer and puck-mover with great vision and a knack for good puck decisions. He's a below-average defender, which is a big reason he's not being mentioned in the same breath as some of his puck-moving peers. As Addison gets stronger and commits more to the defensive end, he's going to have a much better chance of reaching the next level. That said, I feel like his offensive tools are at a level where the defensive concerns bother me less. He's a prospect who will require patience and a lot of time in his development, but his offensive skill set is worth taking a chance on.
43. Scott Perunovich, D, Minnesota-Duluth (NCHC)
Age: 19 | Shoot: L | Ht: 5-9 | Wt: 172
42 GP | 11 G | 25 A
In his third year of draft eligibility, Perunovich has been one of the biggest surprises of the season. He led Minnesota Duluth in scoring from the blue line with 36 points in 42 games. He was not selected in his first year of eligibility because, despite being a dominant Minnesota high school player, he is undersized, and it's a lot harder to project a player like him out from the high school ranks. Then last season he was on one of the USHL's worst teams, putting up points but playing in a lot of games in which his club was completely outmatched. No one saw what he did this season coming.
Having seen Perunovich live nine times this season, he moved up my board basically every time. The same has been happening among NHL scouts, two of which said they would not be shocked to see a team pick him in the first round. I think it's more likely he falls into the second or possibly even third, but I do think whoever drafts him is getting a pro prospect. As one scout noted to me, he is an "elite facilitator," as he really can control his team's play from the back end. Good distribution skills and a willingness to jump into plays helped make him college hockey's Rookie of the Year and the Bulldogs national champions. The size remains a concern, and he can still stand to defend better, but Perunovich doesn't shy away from anything, engages in battles and makes a lot of high-end plays with the puck on his stick. Years ago, teams would let a player like this slip through the draft and hope to get him as a UFA after a few more years of development. That won't happen now. Too many teams are aware of what he brings to the table.
44. Jacob Bernard-Docker, D, Okotoks (AJHL)
Age: 17 | Shoot: R | Ht: 6-0 | Wt: 181
49 GP | 20 G | 21 A
There's been some debate about whether Jonny Tychonick or Bernard-Docker is the better player. Tychonick is a bit more sure-handed with the puck, but Bernard-Docker is an excellent trigger man with a heavy shot from the point. His 20-goal mark is the highest total by a U18 defenseman in the AJHL over the last 20 seasons. While he posted strong numbers offensively, he's not an exceptional puck mover, but he has enough skill to suggest a higher upside. Bernard-Docker was initially slated to attend the University of North Dakota in 2019-20, but he performed so well this season that he's going to be headed to campus this fall. I think he's going to be a stellar college defenseman on his way to becoming a very good pro prospect.
45. Jack McBain, C, Toronto JC (OJHL)
Age: 18 | Shoot: L | Ht: 6-3 | Wt: 197
48 GP | 21 G | 37 A
McBain has been one of the biggest draft fallers this year, especially when you consider how highly regarded he was coming into the season. He looked like a lock to go in the first round after a strong showing at the Ivan Hlinka tournament, but as the year progressed, it started looking more like his being bigger than most of his peers allowed him to physically dominate. He also had a strong season in the OJHL, but did not command the play in the way many expected him to. By the time he got to the U18 Worlds with Canada, it looked like he'd gotten passed by many of his draft-eligible peers over the course of the season.
Despite the need for caution, McBain still has his fans, and I think there are plenty of redeeming qualities. He's also headed to Boston College, which has a way of bringing the best out of higher-end players. McBain has the frame to play more of a power game, as well as the mean streak to do so rather uncomfortably for the opposition. It's just a matter of harnessing that combination of size and aggression and channeling it to become a more effective producer. He also needs to improve his skating to be more effective, but he has good offensive instincts and showed enough flashes to suggest an ability to reach another gear as he progresses.
46. Benoit-Olivier Groulx, C, Halifax (QMJHL)
Age: 18 | Shoot: L | Ht: 6-1 | Wt: 195
68 GP | 28 G | 27 A
A hard-working forward who has committed to playing a tough two-way game, Groulx has a lot of pro attributes. Most of them have to do with how he defends and the energy that he plays with. A lack of offensive upside is what has him slipping down draft boards, but he still put up 55 points, showed some improved goal-scoring skills and can be a bit of a disrupter in the offensive zone. I think maybe even only a few years ago a player like Groulx would have still been a no-doubt first-round pick because of his grit and toughness with passable offensive skills. That's not the way the trends are going today, though. If teams want something safe and comfortable, though, there's no doubt Groulx fits that bill.
47. Jacob Olofsson, C, Timra (Sweden-2)
Age: 18 | Shoot: L | Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 192
43 GP | 10 G | 11 A
Advanced hockey sense and solid playmaking skills make Olofsson an intriguing prospect. A relative lack of foot speed, however, is a reason he's probably not going to go as high as he could. In some cases, hockey sense can overcome deficiencies in other areas, but with a premium on speed, Olofsson becomes a tougher sell. He was a top performer for Timra in Sweden's second pro division, with Olofsson playing a substantial role and finishing fifth on the team in scoring. But in international tournaments within his own age group, Olofsson rarely stood out in my viewings. He's been sliding down my board as a result. I still think there's more for him to unlock in his game, and I'm intrigued enough to see where he can take things.
48. Jett Woo, D, Moose Jaw (WHL)
Age: 17 | Shoot: R | Ht: 6-0 | Wt: 205
44 GP | 9 G | 16 A
Woo is an interesting prospect in a lot of ways. Injuries hampered him over the course of the season, and Moose Jaw ended up loading up its team for a WHL championship bid that ultimately fell short. That bumped Woo down the lineup a bit. He is one of the most physical defenders in this draft, which is why I think there are a lot of teams that are going to take an especially long look at him. His offensive numbers are not great for a top-end WHL defenseman, but his athleticism may limit those concerns. He skates well, can make a decent pass and has a pretty good shot when he's able to get it off. The lack of offensive upside limits him as the potential top-four guy that he looked like he could be earlier in the year, though. It's more likely he ends up as a low-lineup defenseman with tough defensive matchups. Once thought to be a first-round caliber prospect, I expect him to drop deeper into the second round.
49. Sampo Ranta, LW, Sioux City (USHL)
Age: 18 | Shoot: L | Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 190
53 GP | 23 G | 14 A
One of the more explosive skaters in this draft, Ranta can get up and down the ice as well as anyone. He can create chances for himself with his speed, but I don't think he finishes plays that well. His physical tools are all there, as he has a good shot and moves the puck decently well, but his decision-making isn't always sharp and his production swings quite a bit. The lack of consistency is a bit of a tell -- I think he gets by too much on his physical attributes. Despite concerns about the hockey sense, he has enough tools, especially with his skating ability, to round out into a better pro prospect down the line.
50. Stanislav Demin, D, Wenatchee (BCHL)
Age: 18 | Shoot: L | Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 190
57 GP | 9 G | 36 A
A key player for BCHL champion Wenatchee, Demin is a prospect who has intrigued me a lot. I got my first live look at him at the CJHL top prospects game and thought he really stood out. He's not huge, but uses his body well, can make calm plays with the puck and passes very well. There's also a bit of a rawness to him that leads me to believe that more development time against older, stronger competition is going to be really good for him. Whoever drafts him is probably going to have to be patient and let him marinate at the University of Denver for a while, but I think he's got some legit pro upside because of how well he moves the puck and the room he has to get better.
51. David Gustafsson, C, HV71 (Sweden)
Age: 18 | Shoot: L | Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 196
45 GP | 6 G | 6 A
Gustafsson spent almost the entire season playing with HV71 in the SHL. He averaged over 11 minutes per game and was the second-leading scorer among the 23 U18 players who appeared in at least one SHL game this season. All of those pro reps appeared to pay off, as he was fantastic at the U18 World Championship when playing against his peer group. Gustafsson is a natural playmaking center who is developing more of a two-way game. He has a good, solid frame and should have a more prominent role next season, which will be great for his development.
52. Adam Mascherin, LW, Kitchener (OHL)
Age: 20 | Shoot: L | Ht: 5-10 | Wt: 205
67 GP | 40 G | 46 A
Mascherin is re-entering the draft after deciding not to sign with the Florida Panthers, who selected him in 2016. Re-entries are tricky to gauge and sometimes even harder to rank. Mascherin is a real wild card, though. He needs to be better away from the puck, and he's not a great skater, but he has an elite-level shot and a very strong offensive skill set. After putting up 100 points last year, he had 86 this season. In my viewings of Kitchener, Mascherin stood out every time. His offensive instincts are strong, as they should be as a four-year junior player. I think he's worth nabbing in the second round and getting him to the AHL as soon as possible for a few more years of seasoning.
53. Sean Durzi, D, Owen Sound (OHL)
Age: 19 | Shoot: R | Ht: 6-0 | Wt: 195
40 GP | 15 G | 34 A
A second-year eligible player who dealt with injuries, Durzi is an extremely intriguing prospect based on what he did this season when healthy. An aggressive offensive-defenseman, Durzi actually finished behind Evan Bouchard and ahead of OHL Defenseman of the Year Nic Hague with 1.23 points per game in the regular season. Defensively he's fine, and he definitely made the most of his second draft season and belongs in the discussion with this great crop of puck-moving defensemen. I'm ranking him a little more conservatively because I would have liked to see what he was able to accomplish over the course of the full season, but there's no denying Durzi is a higher-end offensive defenseman in the junior ranks. If he can round out his game a little more, he's got a good chance to make some waves within a team's prospect system.
54. Jakub Lauko, C, Chomutov (Czech)
Age: 18 | Shoot: L | Ht: 6-0 | Wt: 169
42 GP | 3 G | 6 A
Lauko often stands out in the games he plays within his peer group due to his high energy level and quality speed up and down the ice. He's not exactly a dynamic player, but he is effective due to his ability to play the game at a high rate of speed. He was a big player on the Czech Republic's World Junior team and starred for their U18 squad at both the Ivan Hlinka and World U18 championship. I wasn't able to see much of him in his Czech league games this year outside of clips, but in live viewings with the Czech teams he showed some versatility on top of his quality offensive play. As he gets stronger, he'll become more effective because he's an absolute worker on the ice. You don't really have to worry about his effort level. I'm wary of his overall upside due to the lack of a dynamic element on top of his speed, but there's definitely room for him to grow both his game and physically.
55. Philipp Kurashev, C, Quebec (QMJHL)
Age: 18 | Shoot: L | Ht: 6-0 | Wt: 190
59 GP | 19 G | 41 A
You always notice when Kurashev is on the ice. He hunts pucks with the best of them, getting in hard on the forecheck and making things difficult for opposing players with an active stick. He can play in all situations, and his versatility is part of what stands out about him. In his second QMJHL season, I probably would have liked to see him take another step offensively, but he has some skill in that regard. I think he has another gear to get to as a player based on what I saw from him in multiple live viewings this season. As he gets stronger, he'll provide more options for teams on where to slot him into their organization.
56. Alexander Khovanov, C, Moncton (QMJHL)
Age: 18 | Shoot: L | Ht: 5-11 | Wt: 196
29 GP | 9 G | 19 A
This was a frustrating season for Khovanov. He missed the first half after being diagnosed with Hepatitis A. He couldn't play or train, and it showed when he came back. Khovanov clearly has exceptional offensive tools, but he was a step slower and looked like he struggled to keep pace at times. He still averaged nearly a point per game with Moncton and had a decent showing in the playoffs. He probably could have helped his stock a bit more by playing for Russia at the World U18 Championship, but he reportedly declined a spot citing health issues. Teams that had their eyes on him in his U17 season may have interest in taking a midround stab. If he is able to commit himself to building back up his strength and fitness level, he has a chance to be an impact prospect. There is upside, but he is far riskier at this point than he looked coming into his draft season.
57. Jesse Ylonen, RW, Espoo (Finland-2)
Age: 18 | Shoot: R | Ht: 6-0 | Wt: 167
48 GP | 14 G | 13 A
One of the most intriguing prospects in the draft, Ylonen played most of this season in Finland's second pro division. He was the top scorer among players 18 or younger in the league by a wide margin and was top four among U20 players. Last season, Ylonen lit it up internationally for Finland, but didn't end up making their World Juniors team this turn around. He's a good skater, but needed to get stronger this year, and it seems that he is improving in that regard. Ylonen definitely has high-end skills, but I think there was a reasonable expectation that he'd perform better than he did in Mestis, which isn't a league you often see top Finns playing in during their draft seasons. Ylonen recently signed a deal with the Lahti Pelicans in Liiga, where he'll get to test himself against the country's top professionals.
58. Jonathan Gruden, C, USA U18 (NTDP)
Age: 18 | Shoot: L | Ht: 6-0 | Wt: 172
53 GP | 25 G | 26 A
A committed two-way forward who brings a maximum effort level to every shift, Gruden is also a smart player who started to show more offensive capabilities this season. While Gruden projects more likely as a bottom-six forward who can kill penalties and draw tough assignments, he showed some ways that his work ethic can translate to offense. He has a good battle level along the boards and in the hard areas of the ice and has an ability to open things up for his linemates as a disrupter. He became a standout top-six player this season at the National Team Development Program, averaging nearly a point per game. His father, John, played 92 games in the NHL and is currently the head coach of the OHL champion Hamilton Bulldogs.
59. Logan Hutsko, RW, Boston College (Hockey East)
Age: 19 | Shoot: R | Ht: 5-10 | Wt: 172
37 GP | 12 G | 19 A
Not selected last year after missing all but nine games at the National Team Development Program in his U18 season, Hutsko bounced back in a big way. Named one of Hockey East's Rookies of the Year with 31 points in 37 games for Boston College, Hutsko reestablished himself as a pro prospect. Having played only 41 games over the previous two seasons combined, it was hard for anyone to get a book on Hutsko. Now they can see a player who skates well and possesses solid pucks skills and vision. Most impressive is that Hutsko lost so much development time but showed a great off-ice work ethic in getting himself back to game shape to have a season in which he was one of the country's top-scoring freshmen.
60. Ruslan Iskhakov, C, CSKA 2 (Russia-Jr.)
Age: 17 | Shoot: L | Ht: 5-8 | Wt: 152
33 GP | 6 G | 24 A
For whatever reason, I've developed a bit of a soft spot for undersized Russian forwards. Iskhakov is the latest to fall into that category thanks to his dynamic offensive talents and speediness around the zone. He has quick hands to beat defenders and goalies, but he is also particularly adept at getting "lost" in the offensive zone. By that, I mean he uses higher-end hockey sense to sneak around the offensive zone when he doesn't have the puck to get himself in position to score. I saw it on multiple occasions this season. He had a very strong season in the Russian junior league and was one of the top performers for a weaker Russian U18 squad. His two strikes are the fact that he's small and he's Russian. It's hard for these guys to get drafted, but Iskhakov has the kind of skill I would bet on in the middle of the draft without reservation.