The beauty -- and perhaps the curse -- of ranking NHL prospect systems is the massive amount of fluctuation even just one year can cause. It has a lot to do with players reaching the NHL very quickly more regularly, with the rising talent and the affordable cap hits making too easy a combination for NHL teams to pass up.
When ranking teams' systems, there are a number of things I look at. First is the number of potential A-level prospects they have -- players with the best chance to play a significant role, be it as a top-six forward, top-four defenseman or starting goaltender. Next I look at that second tier, thinking of players who have at least a good shot of becoming everyday NHLers but project less comfortably as a major-impact prospect. Lastly, on teams that I view as close in the first two categories, overall prospect depth plays a big role.
Along with the rankings below, be sure to check out of the division-by-division pipeline reports for further team breakdowns.
Atlantic
| Metropolitan | Central | Pacific
1. Buffalo Sabres
Top prospect: Rasmus Dahlin, D
Having the No. 1 prospect in hockey with Dahlin and another top-five talent in Casey Mittelstadt gives the Sabres a head start on most other franchises, but there is also decent depth with potential NHL talent at every position. When a team goes into rebuild mode, this is the kind of prospect pool it'd hope to have. Read more
2. Vancouver Canucks
Top prospect: Elias Pettersson, C/RW
The Canucks boast depth in their prospect pool, but it's also remarkable how many of those players are high-end talents. Pettersson and Quinn Hughes are potential cornerstone players for the post-Sedin Canucks, but then there's also some high-end upside in the second tier of their system. Read more
3. Carolina Hurricanes
Top prospect: Andrei Svechnikov, RW
The strength of this system rests in the top two prospects with both Svechnikov and Martin Necas possessing the ability to transform Carolina's forward group. Throw in another "A" prospect in the form of recently acquired Adam Fox and a cadre of players who took big steps in the AHL last season, and you have a nice foundation to start this new era for Carolina. Read more
4. St. Louis Blues
Top prospect: Robert Thomas, C
The Blues have been able to draft extremely well all while remaining competitive at the NHL level. The system is pulled up due to how well Thomas and Jordan Kyrou have developed over the past season, with higher-end prospects such as Dominik Bokk, Klim Kostin and goaltender Ville Husso also near the top of a pretty deep group. Read more
5. Detroit Red Wings
Top prospect: Filip Zadina, RW
A strong 2018 draft that saw Zadina, Joseph Veleno and Jonatan Berggren fall into Detroit's lap bolstered a prospect core that has taken dramatic steps forward in recent years. Michael Rasmussen is another forward the club can be excited about, while defenseman Filip Hronek may be ready to take the next step. This system is starting to look more like that of a team committed to rebuilding. Read more
6. Ottawa Senators
Top prospect: Brady Tkachuk, LW
Adding the hard-nosed Tkachuk to a system that has a lot of higher-upside talents bolstered a deep forward pool that also includes Alex Formenton, Drake Batherson, Colin White and Logan Brown. Adding Josh Norris and Rudolfs Balcers in the Erik Karlsson trade didn't move the needle a ton, but there's no question the Sens have one of the deeper groups of prospects in the league right now. Read more
7. Montreal Canadiens
Top prospect: Jesperi Kotkaniemi, C
The Canadiens have a lot riding on Kotkaniemi being their future No. 1 center. He's a quality prospect who could make a major impact if he reaches his full potential. The Habs made 11 picks in 2018 and recently landed former Vegas Golden Knights draft pick Nick Suzuki in a trade that made a significant impact on their system, which was previously led by quality prospects Ryan Poehling and Noah Juulsen. Read more
8. New York Islanders
Top prospect: Oliver Wahlstrom, RW
The 2018 draft landed the Islanders a potential top-line scoring winger in Wahlstrom and defenseman Noah Dobson, who could be a top-pairing blueliner if he reaches his ceiling. The entire 2018 draft was pretty strong for the Isles, adding to already-established prospects such as sniper Kieffer Bellows and top goalie prospect Ilya Sorokin. Read more
9. Philadelphia Flyers
Top prospect: Morgan Frost, C
With a deep group of prospects, the Flyers have quality at just about every position, including goaltender, where they boast No. 1 goalie prospect Carter Hart. Meanwhile, there are many quality forwards highlighted by Frost and Joel Farabee, who both could figure into the team's top six a little further down the line. Read more
10. Vegas Golden Knights
Top prospect: Cody Glass, C
For only having two entry drafts and trading away one of their top prospects in Suzuki, the Golden Knights still have a system that most teams would covet. Glass has top-six center potential, Erik Brannstrom is an exciting offensive defenseman, and 2017 second-rounder Nicolas Hague scored 35 goals in the OHL from the blue line. Meanwhile, early returns on their mid-round picks over the past few years suggest they've done very well in building a prospect system from scratch. Read more
11. Florida Panthers
Top prospect: Henrik Borgstrom, RW
The Panthers' system is not terribly deep at this point, but its top end is a major separating factor from other systems. Borgstrom is an exceptional talent, with Owen Tippett looking like a high-end goal scorer. Grigori Denisenko, Serron Noel and Aleksi Heponiemi each possess big potential to grow into key contributors down the line. Read more
12. New York Rangers
Top prospect: Filip Chytil, C
The Rangers have made it known they're in a transitional phase that looks more like a reset than a full-on rebuild, but they've been collecting draft picks and prospects over the past few years, and things are starting to really shape up for the team. Having Chytil, Lias Andersson and Vitali Kravtsov at the top of the pipeline is a huge plus, but there's also a lot lot of upside in K'Andre Miller, Nils Lundkvist, Brett Howden and Libor Hajek, plus a top goalie prospect in Igor Shestyorkin. Read more
13. Los Angeles Kings
Top prospect: Gabriel Vilardi, C
The Kings have managed to pad their system well with highly-skilled playmaking centers Vilardi and Rasmus Kupari over the past two years, making a big push. Meanwhile, Los Angeles also has added prospects by other means, like signing Daniel Brickley and goalie Cal Petersen to bolster a prospect system that was awfully shallow just two years ago. Read more
14. Dallas Stars
Top prospect: Miro Heiskanen, D
Having one of the very best young defense prospects goes a long way, as I think Heiskanen will be a long-term difference-maker for Dallas. Aside from him, the team has two quality goalie prospects in Colton Point and Jake Oettinger, along with some high-upside forwards in Ty Dellandrea and Jason Robertson. Read more
15. Anaheim Ducks
Top prospect: Sam Steel, C
The Ducks rarely trade away first-round picks and they've had particularly solid drafts over the past three years. There's a lot of depth, particularly at the forward position with the likes of Steel, Isac Lundestrom and Troy Terry leading the way. The only thing holding them back a bit is a lack of diversity in talent with a somewhat shallow prospect pool on the blue line. Read more
16. Chicago Blackhawks
Top prospect: Adam Boqvist, D
The Blackhawks have done a particularly nice job restocking their blue line depth in the past two drafts, netting Boqvist, Henri Jokiharju, Ian Mitchell and Nicolas Beaudin over the first two rounds. While their forward depth leaves a little more to be desired, there are some good long-term options they'll have to be patient with. For a system that turns around top prospects quickly, Chicago has done nicely to replenish. Read more
17. Colorado Avalanche
Top prospect: Cale Makar, D
The Avs' system has been improving these past few years, and they have two very strong defense prospects in Makar and Conor Timmins, who each have top-four potential. They also helped themselves last season by acquiring Vladislav Kamenev and Shane Bowers in the Matt Duchene trade, and added some intriguing wingers in the last draft with first-rounder Martin Kaut and speedy third-rounder Sampo Ranta. Read more
18. Arizona Coyotes
Top prospect: Dylan Strome, RW
The Coyotes have an interesting system with a lot of uncertainty. There is a lot riding on Strome taking the next step soon, and Barrett Hayton was a riskier pick at No. 5 but has enough talent to potentially live up to it. The Coyotes also have some other intriguing options who spent last season in the AHL as they look to support their core group in the NHL. Read more
19. Minnesota Wild
Top prospect: Kirill Kaprizov, RW
The uncertainty surrounding Kaprizov's future weighs heavily, but he's still a Wild prospect until further notice, and he's one of the best players outside of the NHL. Assuming he reports one day, the Wild could have a future star on their hands. Outside of Kaprizov, Jordan Greenway and Luke Kunin look like the prospects with the best chance to make an NHL impact in this team's system. Read more
20. Toronto Maple Leafs
Top prospect: Timothy Liljegren, D
The Leafs have a pair of Swedish defensemen with a lot of talent. Liljegren played for the defending Calder Cup champion Toronto Marlies last season, and the team just drafted Rasmus Sandin out of the OHL. Both anchor a prospect pool that has quite a few older players who could make their way to the NHL roster at various points this season, including Andreas Johnsson, Carl Grundstrom, Calle Rosen and goalie Garret Sparks. Read more
21. Boston Bruins
Top prospect: Ryan Donato, LW
Donato looks like the only true star prospect in this system right now, but it's loaded with a lot of players who should figure into the NHL plans in the not-so-distant future. Urho Vaakanainen, Jack Studnicka, Trent Frederic and Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson are among those in the team's second tier who have shown quite a bit of promise over the past year-plus. Read more
22. Winnipeg Jets
Top prospect: Kristian Vesalainen, LW
The Jets have been one of the best-drafting teams in the NHL since the move to Winnipeg. They have lost a lot of their top-end talent to immediate NHL graduation, but there is still a lot of intrigue in the prospect pool starting with 2017 first-rounder Vesalainen. The team has been solid in developing talent in the AHL with Mason Appleton and Sami Niku among the biggest standouts who could make the NHL jump sooner than later. Read more
23. Edmonton Oilers
Top prospect: Evan Bouchard, D
For a team that's still finding its way, the Oilers don't have a particularly deep prospect system. They do, however, have a pair of top-end talents in potential future power-play quarterback Bouchard and the tenacious Kailer Yamamoto. The system also got a nice boost with the team's second-round choice in 2018, the explosive-skating Ryan McLeod. Read more
24. Columbus Blue Jackets
Top prospect: Liam Foudy, LW
The Jackets are a legit playoff contender at the NHL level, and while their prospect system lacks a bona fide A-level prospect, they have a lot of B-level guys trending in the right direction, including 2018 picks Foudy and Kirill Marchenko, along with especially skilled forwards Vitaly Abramov and Alexandre Texier. Read more
25. Nashville Predators
Top prospect: Eeli Tolvanen, LW
The Predators didn't have any picks until the fourth round in last year's draft, making it hard to replenish a system being thinned out by NHL graduations, trades and a focus on winning now. That said, they still have two very strong prospects to anchor their system for now. Super sniper Tolvanen could be a major producer at the next level. Dante Fabbro has been slowed a bit by injuries, but he still has impressive upside as a potential top-four defender one day. Read more
26. New Jersey Devils
Top prospect: Ty Smith, D
Landing skilled defenseman Smith in the 2019 draft helps bolster a prospect pool that was diminished by early graduations of Nico Hischier and Jesper Bratt. Otherwise, the Devils' system is a bit on the shallower side with former first-rounder Michael McLeod still needing to take a bigger step forward to reach the higher expectations placed on him. Read more
27. Calgary Flames
Top prospect: Juuso Valimaki, D
The Flames' system has been in a bit of a holding pattern, especially with so few draft picks in 2018. That said, Valimaki remains a potential top-four blueliner, and defenseman Rasmus Andersson and goalie Jon Gillies could graduate to the next level soon. There remains some high-upside players still grabbing at their ultimate potential in Dillon Dube and Oliver Kylington. Read more
28. Tampa Bay Lightning
Top prospect: Boris Katchouk, C
The lack of a true A-level prospect hurts the Lightning's ranking, but they have a series of players who could develop into role players. Anthony Cirelli and Mathieu Joseph have been developing well in the AHL, and both Katchouk and Taylor Raddysh still showcase some offensive upside. Cal Foote continues to trend in the right direction to play a more substantial role on the team's blue line in the future. Read more
29. Washington Capitals
Top prospect: Ilya Samsonov, G
The Caps just won a Stanley Cup with a core of players who were drafted by the team, showing that they've had tremendous success over the years. The fact that they're this low is largely due to their top talent making it to the NHL quickly. They have one of the two best goalie prospects in hockey in Samsonov but carry an otherwise shallow pool of options. Read more
30. Pittsburgh Penguins
Top prospect: Daniel Sprong, RW
Another season without a first-round draft pick keeps the Penguins running in place near the bottom a bit. I really liked their second round, landing Calen Addison and Filip Hallander, two players who could provide great value down the line. Meanwhile, the system is still led by Sprong, who is still waiting on a chance to fully prove himself at the NHL level. He seems about as close as he's ever been to being ready. Read more
31. San Jose Sharks
Top prospect: Ryan Merkley, D
The Sharks' took a big bet in the first round on exceptionally skilled defenseman Merkley. The team typically drafts late in the first round, and they want to take more shots. If Merkley pans out, they'll look really smart. Having just traded away Norris and Balcers in the trade to get Erik Karlsson, there isn't much depth to speak of. In fact, that bumped them down a couple of spots. But hey, they have Karlsson now and everyone else doesn't. Read more