The NTDP center was the big name coming into the season and he has not disappointed. Find out who else is looking like a first-rounder in our initial rankings

Time for my first edition of draft rankings for what is shaping up to be a pretty fantastic 2019 draft class. As you may know, Jack Hughes is the main prize this season, though a slew of other talented players will follow him up the podium when the event touches down in Vancouver this summer. And one note for subscribers to The Hockey News: I did a mock draft in the most recent issue and forgot Peyton Krebs. I was moving him around and just didn’t put him back. So I messed that one up.

The following is my first effort for 2019 and is largely based on player pedigree and early results. As the season goes on, I will include more input from NHL scouts in my assessments, but with most players only seeing a dozen games of action or less right now, I feel it’s too early for such judgments. With that in mind, here’s my top 31 for the 2019 draft.

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