Extremely Early Look at the 2015 Draft

This is a very early look at the top 5 of what looks like a very strong draft class. I have included one MIND BLOWING fact about each player.

     

1.Conner McDavid

Everything about the Conner Mcdavid as a hockey player is mind blowing. His age 15 season of 66 points in 63 games (1.04ppg) was better than all but one 16 year old this year. His age 16 season of 99 points 56 games (1.77 ppg) was better than all 17 year old players this season. Those are impressive to say the least but the mind blowing fact about Mcdavid is this: among all CHL players Mcdavid had the highest points per 60 minutes at even strength. Ill repeat that; he was the best goal scorer at even strength this season in the ENTIRE CHL. Yes better than Jonathan Drouin, Anthony Mantha, Nic Petan, Sam Reinhart, Conner Brown, Dane Fox and you get the point.

2.Jack Eichel

Eichel slots in at #2 and is going to challenge Mcdavid for that #1 spot all season. Expect them to go back and forth in the rankings all year. Eichel had a phenomenal season with the US National Development program. He put up 87 points in 53 games good for a 1.64 ppg. What’s mind blowing about those numbers are they rank SECOND all-time among all USDP players, behind some guy named Phil Kessel and better than Patrick Kane, James Van Riemsdyk, Zach Parise, and Ryan Kesler.

3.Oliver Kylington

Kylington burst onto the scene for me when his SHL team Farjestad came and played against the AHL all-stars and the Toronto Marlies. Kylington had an assist in the all-star game and I remember seeing some tweets mentioning how great he was at getting zone entries vs the Marlies. Notably this one from Corey Pronman.Kylington played the majority of the season with Farjestad in the SHL putting up 6 points in 32 games. While those number may seem rather uninspiring consider this; his 6 points rank him SECOND all-time for a U17 player in the SHL. Not only that his 32 games played in the SHL are the most for a U17 since Magnus Paajarvi played in 35 in 2007-2008, as well as just the THIRD time in SHL history a U17 player has played in 30+ games.

4. Noah Hanifin

The second defencemen on this list Hanifin played the majority of the season with the US National development under 17 team. It would have been nice to have seen him play up a level with the U-18 team like Eichel. It’s clear however Hanifin could have played up a level as he put up 32 points in 45 games with the U17 team. Those 32 points are the MOST EVER for a U17 defencemen; Higher than Jack Johnson, Seth Jones, Jacob Trouba, Erik Johnson and Ryan Suter.

5.Travis Konecny

Konecny was the first overall selection in the 2013 OHL priority selection by the Ottawa 67’s. While that’s impressive in itself what makes it even more impressive is the fact that he was picked ahead of exceptional status player Sean Day. Konecny put any doubter to rest as he went out and put up 70 points in 63 games (1.11ppg) winning OHL rookie of the year.  The fact that he’s a point per game player as a 16 year old would be mind blowing enough, in a non-Mcdavid season. What is mind blowing is the fact that his 70 points are the most by an OHL rookie player since Nail Yakopov in the 2010-2011 season, and rank ahead of Tyler Seguin, Nathan Horton, Rick Nash and Steve Yzerman.

Also in consideration to go in the top 5

Kyle Conner

Conner had a great season in the USHL playing for the Youngstown Phantoms. Had 74 points in 56 games which is the 11^th most all time for a U18 in the USHL.

Daniel Sprong

The other 16 year old to put up a point per game in the CHL this season. Did that on a poor Charlottetown Islanders team.

Dylan Strome

Had a better rookie season that his brother Ryan who went fifth overall in 2011 (39p in 60g to 27p in 61g). Likely gets some playing time with Mcdavid this season in Erie, which will boost his point totals further.

All stats from eliteprospects.com and exrtraskater.com