NHL draft expert Tony Ferrari lists prospects who are the best at scoring goals, setting up plays, leading a line or supporting their teammates.
NHL draft expert Tony Ferrari lists prospects who are the best at scoring goals, setting up plays, leading a line or supporting their teammates.
We are less than two weeks out from the NHL draft, and we’re starting to reach crunch time as fans of every team wonder who might be the newest prospect in their pipeline.
It’s an exciting time because every draft pick brings new hope. You can check out my final top 100 NHL draft rankings here.
Fans often know – or think they know – what their favorite team needs. Maybe they are desperate for a high-end goal-scorer or a silky-smooth playmaker. Some fans think their team needs a defensive stalwart or a puck-moving blueliner.
Let’s go over the best of the best for a few archetypes that any fan can refer to as the NHL draft goes down on June 28 and 29. And stay tuned for a Part 2 as well.
Top Shooters
1. Macklin Celebrini
2. Cole Eiserman
3. Cayden Lindstrom
4. Justin Poirier
5. Zayne Parekh
Cole Eiserman deservedly gets plenty of love for his shot, but Macklin Celebrini showed he was a goal-scoring machine in the NCAA with Boston University as a 17-year-old for the whole season. With 32 goals in 38 games, he deserves the top spot here, and it won’t be the last category where you see his name pop up.
Cayden Lindstrom is a powerful player in all regards, and his heavy shot is no different.
Justin Poirier absolutely torched the QMJHL, with 51 goals in 68 games. There are some other areas in his game that may be an issue, but his shooting talent is legitimate.
Zayne Parekh and Carter Yakemchuk deserve to be listed here as well because they were legitimate threats to score a goal every time they were on the ice despite their position.
Also in consideration: Carter Yakemchuk, Michael Brandsegg-Nygard, Liam Greentree
Top Playmakers
1. Ivan Demidov
2. Berkly Catton
3. Zayne Parekh
4. Zeev Buium
5. Teddy Stiga
Ivan Demidov is one of the slickest and most creative players in recent memory. His ability to identify a developing passing lane and perfectly time his passes is unmatched.
Berkly Catton is a wicked creator for his teammates, finding ways to get the puck to them in prime scoring positions.
Parekh is a manipulative blueliner who can create at a moment's notice. He has some impressive passing all over the ice.
Zeev Buium is a more refined and less flashy passer, but his efficiency is impressive, and he may be the most translatable playmaker on the back end.
Teddy Stiga may not always be mentioned with the NHL draft’s best playmakers, but his ability to advance, create and simply get the puck to teammates in prime position is nearly unmatched.
Tij Iginla is a far better playmaker than he is given credit for as well, often setting up a primo chance that ends up being wasted by teammates.
Also in consideration: Tij Iginla, Beckett Sennecke, Alfons Freij, Michael Hage
Top Play Drivers
1. Macklin Celebrini
2. Ivan Demidov
3. Berkly Catton
4. Cayden Lindstrom
5. Linus Eriksson
On every line, there is the driver and the passengers. The player that makes things happen and the guys that complement that lead dog.
Celebrini and Demidov are the clear-cut best line drivers in the NHL draft class, but Catton isn’t far behind. He is the engine of his line wherever he is playing, and he is the catalyst for most of the offense that the line creates.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHuRZptuiGs[/embed]
Lindstrom may not be as consistent a driver, but when he decides to be the guy, there aren’t many better at it than him. If he can get a bit more consistent, then he could easily be included in the top three.
Linus Eriksson is an underrated player by many, but his intelligence and understanding of how to pick apart his opponents make him a legitimate driver.
Also in consideration: Liam Greentree, Konsta Helenius, Beckett Sennecke, Trevor Connelly
Top Sidekicks
1. Teddy Stiga
2. Tij Iginla
3. Cole Eiserman
4. Michael Brandsegg-Nygard
5. Nikita Artamonov
Every Batman needs a Robin. Teddy Stiga showed all season he is the ultimate sidekick to whoever he is playing with. He elevated goal-scorers, made playmakers look even better and made bottom-six guys look like functional top-six players.
Iginla does all of the dirty work to make his teammates' lives easier.
Eiserman was often asked to be a play driver, but when he was able to just go along for the ride, he was a fantastic sidekick.
Brandsegg-Nygard is very good at everything, which allows him to adapt to his teammates' skill sets.
Artamonov is a relentless player in all aspects, which allows teammates to play to their strengths while he goes hog wild all over the ice.
Also in consideration: Andrew Basha, Emil Hemming, Lucas Pettersson, Cole Beaudoin, Ryder Ritchie