Thursday, November 20, 2014

Players, Recruits Fill Draft Rankings

Seven first-round prospects highlight 88 current and future NCAA players in rankings.

Players, Recruits Fill Draft Rankings
Michigan commit Kyle Connor, a first-round prospect, recently became the career leader in goals for the USHL’s Youngstown Phantoms.

Seven current and future NCAA players are listed as first-round prospects, headlining a list of 88 players with college ties on NHL Central Scouting’s updated watch list for the 2015 NHL Draft, released today.

More than 60% of all Division I programs have a player or recruit highlighted on the list, with 36 schools represented. In addition, 36 uncommitted players currently in NCAA-eligible leagues are included in the list.

Boston University’s Jack Eichel, Boston College’s Noah Hanifin and Michigan’s Zach Werenski lead the group of 13 current NCAA players on the list. Those three are projected as first-round selections; most analysts have Eichel and Hanifin among the top three selections in June.

“The fact you have three freshmen, all candidates to go in the first round and quite high, is unusual because for the past few years most NCAA freshmen are drafted prior to entering college,” Director of NHL Central Scouting Dan Marr told NHL.com.

Boston College and Michigan lead all teams with each boasting seven players or recruits on Central Scouting’s list. Boston University has six players featured.