FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CALGARY, AB – Auston Matthews of the US National Team Development Program tops Future Considerations’ preliminary ranking for the 2016 NHL Draft.
Matthews, a native of Scottsdale, AZ, recorded 116 points for the NTDP U18 club in 2014-15, breaking a record set by current Chicago Blackhawks standout and former first overall pick Patrick Kane in 2005-06. He also had eight goals and 15 points in seven games at the World Under-18 Championship and two assists and three points in the 2015 World Junior Championship.
Matthews missed the 2015 NHL Draft cutoff by two days and is rumored to join either the Everett Silvertips of the Western Hockey League or the ZSC Lions in Switerzland for the 2015-16 season.
Jakob Chychrun of the Sarnia Sting is ranked 2nd. The 17-year-old recorded 16 goals and 33 points in 42 games with the Sting in 2014-15, his first season in the Ontario Hockey League. Chychrun is the son of Jeff Chychrun, who played parts of eight seasons in the National Hockey League, playing 262 career games with the Philadelphia Flyers, Los Angeles Kings, Pittsburgh Penguins and Edmonton Oilers.
Jesse Puljujarvi of Karpat, Matthew Tkachuk of the NTDP U18 team and Max Jones of the NTDP U17 team round out the top five.
“With every current draft crop comes the excitement of what talent the next year will offer,” Future Considerations scouting director Dan Stewart said. “Our scouts have been busy keeping an eye on the 2016 draft eligible kids for the past couple of season and are excited about this group on the horizon. Teams looking to add a well-rounded top-pairing defenseman, a super-skilled offensive-minded point producer or a high-scoring power forward look to be in luck if they are selecting somewhere near the top come next June.”
In all, the preliminary ranking for 2016 features nine players who spent the 2014-15 season in the United States Hockey League, including five with the USNTDP U17 team and an additional three from the U18 entry. Three skaters from each of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and Ontario Hockey League are featured, as well as six from the Western Hockey League. Two, both members of Penticton, skated in the BCHL last year while seven skaters are from Europe.
The list features eight centers, 11 defensemen, six left wingers and five right wingers. No goaltenders made the preliminary ranking for 2016.
For full profiles on prospects in Future Considerations’ preliminary ranking for the 2016 NHL Draft, as well as 211 prospect profiles from the 2015 NHL Draft class and a glimpse at 2017, order FC’s 2015 NHL Draft Guide.
Rank | Name | Team | League | Pos | Ht | Wt | Nation |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Auston Matthews | NTDP U18 | USHL | C | 6-2 | 200 | USA |
2 | Jakob Chychrun | Sarnia | OHL | D | 6-2 | 200 | CAN |
3 | Jesse Puljujarvi | Karpat | Liiga | RW | 6-3 | 220 | FIN |
4 | Matthew Tkachuk | NTDP U18 | USHL | LW | 6-1 | 190 | USA |
5 | Max Jones | NTDP U17 | USHL | LW | 6-2 | 200 | USA |
6 | Chad Krys | NTDP U17 | USHL | D | 5-11 | 185 | USA |
7 | Tyler Benson | Vancouver | WHL | LW | 6-0 | 200 | CAN |
8 | Dmitri Sokolov | Omskie Yastreby | MHL | C | 6-0 | 215 | RUS |
9 | Sam Steel | Regina | WHL | C | 5-11 | 170 | CAN |
10 | Sean Day | Mississauga | OHL | D | 6-2 | 225 | CAN |
11 | Logan Brown | Windsor | OHL | C | 6-5 | 215 | USA |
12 | Tyson Jost | Penticton | BCHL | RW | 6-0 | 185 | CAN |
13 | Kale Clague | Brandon | WHL | D | 6-0 | 190 | CAN |
14 | Alexander Nylander | AIK J20 | SuperElit | RW | 5-11 | 165 | SWE |
15 | Patrik Laine | Tappara | Liiga | RW | 6-3 | 210 | FIN |
16 | Olli Juolevi | Jokerit U20 | JR A Liiga | D | 6-2 | 185 | FIN |
17 | Kieffer Bellows | Sioux Falls | USHL | C | 6-0 | 185 | USA |
18 | Rasmus Asplund | Farjestad | SHL | C | 6-0 | 180 | SWE |
19 | Julien Gauthier | Val-d'Or | QMJHL | RW | 6-4 | 220 | CAN |
20 | Dante Fabbro | Penticton | BCHL | D | 6-1 | 180 | CAN |
21 | Jake Bean | Calgary | WHL | D | 6-0 | 175 | CAN |
22 | Brett Howden | Moose Jaw | WHL | C | 6-2 | 185 | CAN |
23 | Clayton Keller | NTDP U17 | USHL | C | 5-10 | 165 | USA |
24 | Charlie McAvoy | NTDP U18 | USHL | D | 6-0 | 200 | USA |
25 | Ryan Lindgren | NTDP U17 | USHL | D | 5-11 | 195 | USA |
26 | Luke Green | Saint John | QMJHL | D | 6-0 | 180 | CAN |
27 | Carl Grundstrom | MODO | SHL | LW | 6-0 | 185 | SWE |
28 | Pierre-Luc Dubois | Cape Breton | QMJHL | LW | 6-1 | 180 | CAN |
29 | Max Lajoie | Swift Current | WHL | D | 6-1 | 170 | CAN |
30 | Nick Pastujov | NTDP U17 | USHL | LW | 6-0 | 195 | USA |