Wednesday, April 8, 2015

NCAA Highlighted in Draft Rankings

Three of top nine North American skaters in Central Scouting’s final rankings are current college players.

NCAA Highlighted in Draft Rankings
Michigan’s Zach Werenski ranks ninth among North American skaters in Central Scouting’s final rankings.

The 2015 NHL Draft figures to be an historic one for NCAA hockey, a belief reinforced by NHL Central Scouting’s final rankings, released Wednesday. College players make up two of the top three North American skaters and three of the top nine in the rankings, with a total of 82 current and future players featured.

Boston University’s Jack Eichel (#2), Boston College’s Noah Hanifin (#3) and Michigan’s Zach Werenski (#9) could become the first three current college players to be taken in the top 10 of one NHL Draft in the draft’s history.

College Players in the NHL Central Scouting Final Rankings

More than half of all NCAA programs (31 of 60) have a player or recruit featured in the final rankings, including the newest program, Arizona State. Led by Eichel, Hanifin and Werenski, Boston University, Boston College and Michigan each have six players/recruits included, leading all schools.

At least 60 NCAA players have been selected in every year of the NHL Draft since the current seven-round format was adopted in 2005.