10 names to know ahead of the NHL entry draft

The consensus top prospect in all of hockey has surpassed the massive expectations he was facing entering his draft year. McDavid racked up 44 goals and 120 points in just 47 games for the Otters this season and played a major role in helping Canada capture gold at the world junior hockey championship. Scouts like to call him a generational talent – the kind of player who will alter a franchise’s trajectory. He’s going first overall and he is going to be a star.

The Boston University Terriers freshman centre is the other can’t-miss prospect in this year’s draft. Eichel had 67 points in 38 games to lead the nation in scoring and became the first freshman since Paul Kariya in 1993 to win the Hobey Baker Award as college hockey's most valuable player. Scouts rave about the power Eichel plays with, from his explosive skating stride to his booming shot and relentlessness on the puck. He might be a slight notch behind McDavid, but he’s still a cornerstone centre a team can build around.

The 6-foot-2, 203-pound Boston College freshman is the heavy favourite to be the first defenceman taken in the draft. Every scouting report you read on Hanifin highlights his skating - he possesses a rare blend of elite speed and agility for a blueliner. A gifted offensive player, scouts say he has all the tools to quarterback a power play at the pro level. It is difficult to find a scouting report that doesn’t compliment his hockey IQ and ability to read the play in all three zones. Hanifin is rated as the top defenceman and third best player overall - behind McDavid and Eichel - on NHL Central Scouting's final draft rankings list.

McDavid’s Erie teammate won the OHL scoring title this season with 129 points in 68 games. At 6-foot-3 and 187 pounds, Strome will need time to add muscle and fill out his frame, but he has all the tools to become a first-line centre in the NHL. No slouch when it comes to finding the net, scouts love his vision, playmaking ability and the way he uses his size to protect the puck.

Offensive dynamo exploded for 126 points in 63 games for London this season, leading many to compare Marner to former Knights sniper and current Chicago Blackhawks star Patrick Kane. There will be concerns about his size – Marner is listed a 5-foot-11 and 155 pounds – but there is little doubt about the package of offensive skills he brings. His creativity and playmaking stack up against any other player available.

The Kingston Frontenacs winger is one of the most hotly debated prospects this year, making appearances all over the top 10 in the first round of mock drafts. At 6-foot-4 and 211 pounds, Crouse is built like a prototypical NHL power forward, but possesses soft hands around the net. Showed his all-around game and versatility at the world juniors, playing on an energy line and the penalty kill for Team Canada. A potential top-six NHL power forward if he can further refine his offensive game.

Russian blueliner is very mobile and enjoys jumping into the play to make things happen in the offensive zone. He managed to lead all WHL rookies in scoring this season with 15 goals and 61 points in 60 games. Not huge, but Provorov is not shy about the physical side of the game. Some scouts say he is one of the best passers in all of junior hockey. Interesting note: born in Yaroslavl, Provorov has been playing in North America for four years, suiting up for the Wilkes-Barre Knights of the Atlantic Youth Hockey League and the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders of the United States Hockey League before joining the Wheat Kings.

The youngest player in NCAA Division 1 hockey had a strong season for the Wolverines and looked comfortable patrolling the blueline for the U.S. at the world juniors. Scouts like his puck skills, saying he makes good outlet passes and reads the game well. Light on his skates, the only real knock on Werenski is his play in his own end where scouts would like to see a bit more of a mean streak. He is listed ninth in NHL Central Scouting’s final draft rankings of North American skaters.

Swiss winger has steadily improved during his second season in North America, putting up 44 goals and 90 points in 61 games for the Mooseheads while skating on a line with Winnipeg Jets’ top prospect Nikolaj Ehlers. Scouts say he’s not the most fluid skater in this draft class, but he’s got more than enough quickness to get to where he needs to be and you can’t question Meier’s ability to put the puck in the net. At 6-foot-1 and 209 pounds, Meier already has an NHL body. He’s a fit for any team looking for power and scoring from the wing.

Czech centre had an uneven first year in junior, suiting up for just 37 games for Sarnia due to a mix of injuries, suspensions and word junior participation. Despite limited time on North American ice, Zacha has shown he has all of the raw tools – speed, size, intensity, soft hands and a powerful shot – to be a top-six forward in the NHL. At 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds, he is physically ready for the grind of the NHL.