Wednesday, November 16, 2016

Players, Recruits Fill Draft Rankings

Two-thirds of all NCAA teams have a player or recruit rated on Central Scouring’s latest watch list.

Players, Recruits Fill Draft Rankings
Jake Oettinger is one of seven current or future Boston University players in the rankings.

More than 100 current and future NCAA players have been highlighted by NHL Central Scouting in its November “Players to Watch” list for the 2017 NHL Draft, with players representing two-thirds of all Division I programs.

Sortable: NCAA Players in Central Scouting Rankings

Eleven players in the rankings currently play college hockey, led by first-round prospect Ryan Poehling (Lakeville, Minn./Lincoln-USHL) of St. Cloud State. Ninety-six have committed to NCAA teams, while 30 more on the list are playing in NCAA-eligible junior leagues but have not committed to a program.

The 137 NCAA-eligible players listed represent a spike from the 124 featured on Central Scouting’s preseason watch list and is up 12% from the number included last November.

Poehling is one of five NCAA players or recruits deemed “A” prospects, or first-round candidates. Twenty-three others earned “B” ratings as second- or third-round prospects.

Rivals Boston College and Boston University lead the 40 schools with players or commits in the rankings with seven each. Denver, Massachusetts, Minnesota and Minnesota Duluth have six players or recruits listed.

The 2017 NHL Draft will be held June 23-24 in Chicago. The 2016 NHL Draft featured a record-tying 11 NCAA players taken in the first round, with 28 schools boasting a player or recruit among the draft picks.