Former NHL general manager and current TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button sees prospects playing around the world, and has identified Boston University freshman Clayton Keller as the best player not currently in the NHL.
Keller, a first-round pick of the Arizona Coyotes, tops Button’s list of the top 50 NHL-affiliated prospects.
Three of Button’s top nine players are currently playing college hockey while a fourth, Kyle Connor, played at Michigan last season.
In total, 10 current college players and four first-year pros who played college last season found their way on to Button’s top 50.
Boston University (Keller and Charlie McAvoy) and North Dakota (Brock Boeser and Tyson Jost) each had two current teammates in the top 15. BU also had current sophomore Jordan Greenway and recent graduate Danny O’Regan on the list, giving the Terriers four representatives to lead all schools.
Current/Former NCAA Players on TSN’s Top 50
| Rank | Name | NHL Team | NCAA Team |
| 1 | Clayton Keller | ARI | Boston University |
| 7 | Kyle Connor | WPG | Michigan |
| 8 | Brock Boeser | VAN | North Dakota |
| 9 | Charlie McAvoy | BOS | Boston University |
| 15 | Tyson Jost | COL | North Dakota |
| 22 | Colin White | OTT | Boston College |
| 25 | Luke Kunin | MIN | Wisconsin |
| 28 | Danny O’Regan | SJ | Boston University |
| 33 | Thatcher Demko | VAN | Boston College |
| 40 | Adam Gaudette | VAN | Northeastern |
| 42 | Tage Thompson | STL | Connecticut |
| 44 | Jake Walman | STL | Providence |
| 46 | Jack Roslovic | WPG | Miami |
| 47 | Jordan Greenway | MIN | Boston University |