In recent years the NHL draft has started to resemble the NFL draft rather than the MLB draft. For about a half dozen reasons, the youngsters coming up through the junior leagues and college are better prepared to enter the NHL.
The physical preparation that is required to compete at the elite amateur levels combined with the mental preparation has led to an influx of young players that are difference makers immediately. Not every player is going to end up like Nathan MacKinnon or Tyler Johnson, but the number of draft picks that have made the transition to the NHL is increasing.
The over inflation of draft picks by the media hype machine has not yet come in to full swing which could be a testament to the quality of players available. An amazing Stanley Cup playoffs has just come to a close so the buildup to the draft will start hyping the top picks.
EDraft will give you a snapshot of the top players available over the next two weeks leading up to the June 28th draft. We’ll give the top players at every position and give you a full first round mock. Today we’ll look at the top five centers available.
Samuel Bennett, Kingston (OHL)
The word consistently used to describe Bennett is “energetic” which is a skill that cannot be taught. Blessed with a boatload of skill and underrated speed, Bennett has top shelf talent with a work rate of a grinder. This combination will ensure that he is taken in the top five picks.
Sam Reinhart, Kootenay (WHL)
Reinhart is at the top of many mock boards for his cerebral approach to the game. He plays a strong two-way style and has shown strong leadership and poise that have many scouts drooling at his potential. NHL pedigree with father Paul, a former NHL player and brothers Griffin (drafted number four overall in 2012) and Max (drafted 3rd round 2010)
Leon Draisaitl, Prince Albert (WHL)
The nickname “German Gretzky” might be a tad unfair, but the Bavarian import has shown that he possesses a similar vision and playmaking style. His favorite player is Pavel Datsyuk because of his ability to make things happen at both ends of the ice. Blessed with an NHL-ready physique, Draisitl has the physical tools to match his strong hockey sense.
Jared McCann, Sault St. Marie (OHL)
McCann is a player that is regarded as good at everything but great at only a few things. Though he possesses decent size at 6’1, he needs to add weight to continue his style of play at the NHL level. McCann has all the tools to be a great player but may require another year at the junior level before he can really be a difference maker.
Dylan Larkin, USA (USHL)
I’ll spare the generic NFL draft-speak of “high motor” to describe Larkin, but his work ethic is something that almost every scout agrees upon. Larking is an excellent skater that is gifted at both ends of the ice. The left-handed sniper has shown enormous offensive upside but is more likely to be filling the net at the University of Michigan than NHL arenas this fall.