In the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, eight of the first ten picks were defensemen. The Boston Bruins and Chicago Blackhawks showed us that defense does in fact win championships, but there appears to be more parity among the top prospects in the 2013 draft.

It may or may not be a coincidence, but the only two players out of the first ten picks in 2012 draft to make significant contributions were the two forwards selected (Nail Yakupov and Alex Galchenyuk). It certainly speaks to the difference between major junior hockey and the NHL, but also is a testament to the disparity of the size and speed required to be an NHL caliber defenseman.

This year, there are definitely a few players that look capable of making the jump straight to the NHL. One of them is the top-rated defensive prospect Seth Jones. He is big and fast with an advanced skill set and vision well beyond his 18 years. That is no guarantee that he can make the effective transition, but I certainly like his chances.

There is also a deep crop of talented forwards who look tailor-made for NHL success. There may not be a Sidney Crosby 2.0 in the mix, but talent like Crosby’s is generational. Here are the top five forwards in the 2013 NHL Draft.

1. Nathan MacKinnon, C, Halifax (QMJHL)

MacKinnon is projected by many to be the top overall pick because of the complete game he brings to the table. A gifted scorer, MacKinnon’s strengths are his great speed and puck control. He has the vision and anticipation that are rarities in young players and possesses a great composure on the ice. He’s not the biggest and strongest player on the ice (6’0-185), but is effective at both ends of the ice due to his elite skating.

2. Jonathan Drouin, LW, Halifax (QMJHL)

MacKinnon’s winger, Drouin, is the most talented “pure” scorer in the draft this year. He was the leading scorer in the QMJHL this year and there is every reason to believe he can light up the NHL nets too.  He has the best hands in the draft and can dangle in a phone booth. Drouin is not a physical player, but is not one-dimensional either. He isn’t the best skater out there, but he is fluid enough to get out of danger and can single-handedly create his own scoring chances.

3. Aleksander Barkov, C, Tappara (FIN)

Barkov is the most polished player to come out of Europe in this year’s draft. He has a late birthday (September) and will just be hitting age 18 when training camps open. He benefits from playing in the Finnish Elite League and held his own against much bigger, stronger and experienced players. He has displayed top-level talent at both ends of the ice and though he won’t “wow!” anyone with his skating, he is difficult to knock off of the puck because of his size and hands

4. Sean Monahan, C, Ottawa (OHL)

One of the key phrases used to describe prospects and young players is “hockey sense” or “hockey IQ”. It is hardly the sexiest compliment, but it is an intangible that every NHL GM is looking for. Sean Monahan epitomizes what hockey sense is all about. Without being the strongest skater, Monahan compensates with great vision and a total understanding of where to be on the ice at all times. He has a great scoring touch and good leadership skills. As the best player on a bad Ottawa team, Monahan was still able to shine and project as a top five prospect.

5. Valeri Nichushkin, LW/RW, Chelyabinsk (RUS)

Not that it would be shocking to label a top Russian prospect as enigmatic, but Nichuskin is exactly that. He has the skating, size and skill to blow through an entire team for the highlights, but often times will miss the wide open pass in front of the net. His skating and stickhandling are world class, but it will be interesting to see how that translates once he plays against opponents that are consistently his size with similar speed.