He was named best defenseman at the 2018 IIHF World Junior Championship, when he had six assists for Sweden, and was the youngest player by seven years on his country's roster for the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics.The left-handed shot may be the only other NHL-ready player in the draft after Dahlin. Smith was the Chiefs rookie of the year in 2016-17 and was third among all WHL 16-year-olds in points.Make no mistake, Akil Thomas is a sniper to be reckoned with. NHL Auctions Merkley, who turns 18 on Aug. 14, has 122 points (25 goals, 97 assists) in 125 OHL games.Miller (6-3, 198) started playing defenseman three seasons ago when his coach at Minnetonka High School (Minnesota) suggested he try it to strengthen their defense. Son of former NHLer Juha Ylonen (Phoenix Coyotes, Tampa Bay Lightning, Ottawa Senators), Jesse is a quick skater with good puck handling skills that he put on display at the IIHF U-18 world championships earlier this year. frame. Draft Home-> Picks 1-20. At the U-17 World Hockey Challenge in 2015, he had six points in six games for Canada White.His might be the best name in hockey right now. The team traded away its first-round pick at the 2018 … 14 in Central Scouting's final list of International skaters, is a right-shot defenseman who had 14 points (three goals, 11 assists) in 26 games in Sweden's junior league and earned his first chance to play against men in the SHL as a 17-year-old. These Cookies are necessary for the performance of the Services and may not be removed. Kotkaniemi, who turns 18 on July 6, was third in scoring for gold medal-winning Finland with nine points (three goals, six assists) in seven games at the 2018 IIHF World Under-18 Championship.Tkachuk (6-3, 191) finished fourth in scoring for Boston University with 31 points, was second with a plus-15 rating, and was first with 23 assists and 131 shots on goal as a freshman in 2017-18. He's a playmaker with good hockey sense, good compete, a quick release and a nose for the net. He is a solid playmaker, having put up five goals and 18 assists in 72 total WHL games, along with four assists in 12 playoff tilts. Previous Entry Draft Next Entry Draft.

The 17-year-old phenom, son of former NCAA player Jim (Providence College), is the USNTDP’s highest rated player and projected to go top-5 in the NHL draft. Any other third party trademarks or copyrights are the property of their respective owners. This season, I’ve identified a player that is getting very little press. Keep reading on The Athletic app He has good speed, quickness, hockey sense and a consistent work ethic to play an effective two-way game.The right-handed O'Brien (5-10, 185), No. Most of the world’s best under-18 hockey players converged on the Czech Republic last week to take part in the prestigious Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup tournament.By all accounts, those who have identified as top prospects for the 2018 Canada beat the hosts 4-1 on Saturday with four different players sharing in the scoring. He is elusive, mobile and capable of effectively working the point on the power play. And with his skill on the ice, Ryan Merkley may one day be just as good as Doughty has been at the NHL level. Now Oliver’s Dad, Joakim, didn’t play in the NHL, but he did skate with the University of Maine Black Bears in 1988-89, a team that featured future NHLers Dave Capuano, Scott Pellerin, Bob Corkum, Bob Beers, and Keith Carney.