Monday, January 13, 2014

100 Ranked by Central Scouting

More than half of all Division I schools have a player or recruit ranked for 2014 NHL Draft.

100 Ranked by Central Scouting
Dylan Larkin of the U.S. NTDP, a Michigan recruit, is ranked 17th by NHL Central Scouting.

One hundred current or future NCAA hockey players are included in NHL Central Scouting’s midterm rankings for the 2014 NHL Draft, including players or recruits from more than half of all Division I schools.

Sortable List of Rankings | NHL.com Release

Six college hockey recruits are among the top 29 players on Central Scouting’s rankings of North American skaters, while each of the top four North American goaltenders are either in college or on the college path.

The 100 NCAA or NCAA-bound players in the rankings are a 19% increase from last year’s midterm rankings, which featured 84 players with college ties.

Boston College leads the way with seven players or recruits ranked, including top-ranked goaltender Thatcher Demko and the top recruit on the skaters list, Sonny Milano of the U.S. National Team Development Program.

Boston University, with a commitment from Brandon Hickey (No. 63) on Wednesday, has six commits on the list. Three other schools – Michigan, North Dakota and Notre Dame – each have five representatives in the rankings. Michigan Tech, Minnesota and Ohio State have four each.

More than half of Division I

Perhaps most remarkable is the representation of 31 schools in the rankings. Among them is St. Lawrence, where freshman defenseman Gavin Beyreuther is the top-rated current NCAA skater at No. 115.

Twenty players – included in the total of 100 – are in college preparatory leagues but have yet to commit to a school.

More than 60 college or college-bound players have been selected in each of the last 12 NHL Drafts, a trend that certainly seems poised to continue given these latest rankings.