Since the season has come to an abrupt halt, we have had to wait for the NHL draft an extra 4 months. With new data coming out each day about prospects and well as further in depth analysis of video review of their games, this might become one of the most unpredictable drafts in recent memory. With only 75% of the season complete when COVID struck, many of the playoffs and U-18 international tournaments were canceled. This high volatility will be seen as "off the board" picks will be early and often. Based off the games I have watched, replays I've seen, interviews I've listened to, and others articles on said players, I believe this year's draft can be easily broken up into four tiers.
The first tier is just Alexis Lafreniere, in a class all of his own. There is no question in my mind he is the best player in this draft and will be a productive player in the NHL next year. The next tier consists of Quinton Byfield and Tim Stutzle. Both are considered to be the next best forwards in the group and could easily become the next Malkin or Kane, respectively, in this draft class. They might not become a difference-maker in the NHL next season or might need a year of seasoning before becoming impactful in the NHL yet they have all the tools to do so eventually. Both these players are only a step away from Lafreniere. The third tier is where it gets tricky. This is because organizational needs become a greater focus while the difference in talent between these players diminishes drastically. This tier includes the group of Jamie Drysdale, Marco Rossi, Alexander Holtz, Yaroslav Askarov, Cole Perfetti, Jake Sanderson, and Lucas Raymond. Drysdale, the best defenseman in the draft, might sneak his way into the Top-3 if Ottawa decides to take a forward and a defenseman. Rossi, Holtz, Raymond, and Perfetti are all exceptional forwards that have one or two areas to improve their game in order to make the jump.
Outside of this tier of the first 10, Seth Jarvis, Jack Quinn, and Anton Lundell become the next available. All of these players could sneak into the top 10 because teams being keen on drafting based on their needs rather than best available. After them, the rest of the draft almost muddles together, with each team having their own individual draft boards. One player to keep an eye on would be Hendrix Lapierre. Before the season started, he was viewed as a guaranteed top-10 pick, yet his season got derailed due to a major concussion issue. It's worth keeping an eye on how far he slides out of the Top-10 or who is willing to pick up the enormous risk involved with him. Below is what I believe to be the top players in this draft, based on Best Player Available format.
Best Player Available:
Alexis Lafreniere
Tim Stutzle
Quinton Byfield
Lucas Raymond
Cole Perfetti
Jamie Drysdale
Alexander Holtz
Yaroslav Askarov
Jake Sanderson
Marco Rossi
Jack Quinn
Anton Lundell
Seth Jarvis
Dawson Mercer
Rodion Amirov
Hendrix Lapierre
Mavrik Bourque
Connor Zary
Jacob Perreault
Kaden Guhle
Brandon Schinder
Lukas Reichel
John-Jason Peterka
Brendan Brisson
Jan Mysak
Ridly Greig
Dylan Holloway
Justin Barron
Noel Gunler
Shakir Mukhamanulin
William Wallinder
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