Our Top 250 Draft Prospects for 2016
22 December 2015 by Steve Kournianos
Tweet
The waters are still murky in terms of who’s going to go where in the 2016 NHL Draft, with only the top spot firmly gripped in center Auston Matthews’ clutches (and we don’t ever see him relinquishing it any time soon). The upcoming Under-20 World Junior Championship may make or break some prospects, to the point where a poor tournament in front of a global audience could very well keep one’s name from being called this June in Buffalo, which will host the Entry Draft at the First Niagara Center.
Developing this list has certainly been a process, one based on both live and digital viewings, as well as taking the opinions of coaches and league scouts into consideration. The fact remains, however, that every player ranked has a lot more hockey left — for some as much as six months worth — to confirm or deny what we think of them through late December.
Below is a sortable table of The Draft Analyst’s first-ever ranking of draft-eligible prospects. Players born between 01 January 1996 and 15 September 1997 are considered “overage” draft candidates who were once eligible for either the 1996 and/or the 1997 NHL Draft, and are identified in this list with an “OA” following their full name.
| RANK | PLAYER | POSITION | TEAM | LEAGUE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Auston Matthews | C | ZSC Lions | NLA |
| 2 | Jakob Chychrun | LHD | Sarnia Sting | OHL |
| 3 | Patrik Laine | LW | Tappara Tampere | Liiga |
| 4 | Matt Tkachuk | LW | London Knights | OHL |
| 5 | Jesse Puljujarvi | RW | Karpat Oulun | Liiga |
| 6 | Alex Nylander | RW | Mississauga Steelheads | OHL |
| 7 | Julien Gauthier | RW | Val-D’or Foreurs | QMJHL |
| 8 | German Rubtsov | C | Russia U18 | MHL |
| 9 | Olli Juolevi | LHD | London Knights | OHL |
| 10 | Pierre-Luc Dubois | C | Cape Breton Screaming Eagles | QMJHL |
| 11 | Mike McLeod | C | Mississauga Steelheads | OHL |
| 12 | Tyler Benson | C/LW | Vancouver Giants | WHL |
| 13 | Mikhail Sergachyov | LHD | Windsor Spitfires | OHL |
| 14 | Clayton Keller | C | US U18 | NTDP |
| 15 | Max Jones | LW | London Knights | OHL |
| 16 | Tyson Jost | C/LW | Penticton Vees | BCHL |
| 17 | Kieffer Bellows | LW | US U18 | NTDP |
| 18 | Alex DeBrincat | RW | Erie Otters | OHL |
| 19 | Logan Brown | C | Windsor Spitfires | OHL |
| 20 | Luke Kunin | LW | Wisconsin | Big-10 |
| 21 | Samuel Girard | LHD | Shawinigan Cataractes | QMJHL |
| 22 | Dante Fabbro | RHD | Penticton Vees | BCHL |
| 23 | Will Bitten | C | Flint Firebirds | WHL |
| 24 | Sam Steel | C | Regina Pats | WHL |
| 25 | Simon Stransky | LW | Prince Albert Raiders | WHL |
| 26 | Dillon Dube | C | Kelowna Rockets | WHL |
| 27 | Libor Hajek | LHD | Saskatoon Blades | WHL |
| 28 | Pascal Laberge | C | Victoriaville Tigres | QMJHL |
| 29 | Carl Grundstrom | RW | MoDo | SHL |
| 30 | Rasmus Asplund | C | Farjestad BK | SHL |
| 31 | Jake Bean | LHD | Calgary Hitmen | WHL |
| 32 | Charlie McAvoy | RHD | Boston University | Hockey East |
| 33 | Vitalii Abramov | C/RW | Gatineau Olympiques | QMJHL |
| 34 | Kale Clague | LHD | Brandon Wheat Kings | WHL |
| 35 | Taylor Raddysh | RW | Erie Otters | OHL |
| 36 | Brett Howden | C/LW | Moose Jaw Warriors | WHL |
| 37 | Givani Smith | LW | Guelph Storm | OHL |
| 38 | Dmitri Sokolov | RW | Sudbury Wolves | OHL |
| 39 | Chad Krys | LHD | US U18 | NTDP |
| 40 | Otto Makinen | C/LW | Tappara U20 | Liiga Jrs |
| 41 | Carter Hart | G | Everett Silvertips | WHL |
| 42 | Luke Green | LHD | Saint John Sea Dogs | QMJHL |
| 43 | Nate Bastian | C | Mississauga Steelheads | OHL |
| 44 | Vladimir Kuznetsov | LW | Acadie-Bathurst Titan | QMJHL |
| 45 | Riley Tufte | RW | Blaine | HS-MN |
| 46 | Adam Mascherin | LW | Kitchener Rangers | OHL |
| 47 | Artur Kayumov | LW | Russia U18 | MHL |
| 48 | Vladislav Sukhachov | G | Russia U18 | MHL |
| 49 | Jordan Kyrou | RW | Sarnia Sting | OHL |
| 50 | Lucas Johansen | LHD | Kelowna Rockets | WHL |
| 51 | Janne Kuokkanen | RW | Karpat U20 | Liiga Jrs |
| 52 | Victor Mete | LHD | London Knights | OHL |
| 53 | Stephen Dhillon | G | Niagara Ice Dogs | OHL |
| 54 | Tage Thompson | RW | Connecticut Huskies | Hockey East |
| 55 | Aapeli Rasanen | C | Tappara U20 | Liiga Jrs |
| 56 | Kristian Reichel | C | Litvinov | Czech Extraliga |
| 57 | Kyle Maksimovich | RW | Erie Otters | OHL |
| 58 | Jacob Moverare | LHD | HV71 | SHL |
| 59 | Cam Morrison | C | Youngstown Phantoms | USHL |
| 60 | Travis Barron | C/LW | Ottawa 67’s | OHL |
| 61 | Mikhail Meshcheryakov | C | Russia U18 | MHL |
| 62 | Markus Niemelainen | LHD | Saginaw Spirit | OHL |
| 63 | Otto Somppi | C | Halifax Mooseheads | QMJHL |
| 64 | Jacob Cederholm | RHD | HV71 | SHL |
| 65 | Evan Fitzpatrick | G | Sherbrooke Phoenix | QMJHL |
| 66 | Vojtek Budik | LHD | Prince Albert Raiders | WHL |
| 67 | Frederic Allard | RHD | Chicoutimi Sagueneens | QMJHL |
| 68 | Logan Stanley | LHD | Windsor Spitfires | OHL |
| 69 | Noah Gregor | C | Moose Jaw Warriors | WHL |
| 70 | Filip Hronek | LHD | HR Kravlove | Extraliga |
| 71 | Joey Anderson | RW | US U18 | NTDP |
| 72 | Alan Lyszczarczyk | C/RW | Sudbury Wolves | OHL |
| 73 | Tim Gettinger | LW | Sault Ste Marie Greyhounds | OHL |
| 74 | Oskar Steen | C/RW | Farjestad BK | Superelit |
| 75 | J.D. Greenway | LHD | US U18 | NTDP |
| 76 | Matt Filipe | C/W | Cedar Rapids Roughriders | USHL |
| 77 | Adam Fox | RHD | US U18 | NTDP |
| 78 | Liam Murphy | LW | Moncton Wildcats | QMJHL |
| 79 | Sean Day | LHD | Mississauga Steelheads | OHL |
| 80 | Antoine Samuel | G | Shawinigan Cataractes | QMJHL |
| 81 | Lukas Doudera | LHD | Trinec Ocealari | Extraliga |
| 82 | Ryan Lindgren | LHD | US U18 | NTDP |
| 83 | Veini Vehvilainen (OA) | G | JYP | Liiga |
| 84 | Jesper Bratt | RW | AIK | Allsvenskan |
| 85 | Cameron Hebig (OA) | C | Saskatoon Blades | WHL |
| 86 | Matthew Boucher | C | Quebec Remparts | QMJHL |
| 87 | Brandon Gignac | C | Shawinigan Cataractes | QMJHL |
| 88 | Kenny Johnson | LHD | Shattuck St. Mary’s | HS-MN |
| 89 | Alexander Iakovenko | LHD | Russia U18 | MHL |
| 90 | Sam Rossini | LHD | Waterloo Black Hawks | USHL |
| 91 | Connor Bunnaman | C/LW | Kitchener Rangers | OHL |
| 92 | Filip Gustavsson | G | Lulea | SHL |
| 93 | Eetu Tuulola | RW | HPK | Liiga |
| 94 | Kristians Rubins | LHD | Vasteras | Allsvenskan |
| 95 | Nolan Volcan | LW | Seattle Thunderbirds | WHL |
| 96 | Samuel Solensky | C/LW | Liberec Jrs | Czech U20 |
| 97 | Andrew Peeke | RHD | Green Bay Gamblers | USHL |
| 98 | David Bernhardt | LHD | Djugardens Jrs | Superelit |
| 99 | Max Gerlach | LW | Medicine Hat Tigers | WHL |
| 100 | Tarmo Reunanen | LHD | TPS Turku U20 | Liiga Jrs |
| 101 | Brandon Hagel | LW | Red Deer Rebels | WHL |
| 102 | Josh Anderson | LHD | Prince George Cougars | WHL |
| 103 | Josh Mahura | LHD | Red Deer Rebels | WHL |
| 104 | Will Lockwood | RW | US U18 | NTDP |
| 105 | Benjamin Gleason | LHD | London Knights | OHL |
| 106 | Jonathan Dahlen | C | Timra | Allsvenskan |
| 107 | Dmitri Alexeyev | LHD | Russia U18 | MHL |
| 108 | Jesper Mattila | LHD | Ilves U20 | Liiga Jrs |
| 109 | Jordy Stallard | C/LW | Calgary Hitmen | WHL |
| 110 | Tobias Eder | RW | Bad Tolz | Oberliga |
| 111 | Trent Frederic | C | US U18 | NTDP |
| 112 | Mikhail Maltsev | LW | Russia U18 | MHL |
| 113 | Willie Knierim | RW | Dubuque Fighting Saints | USHL |
| 114 | Kristaps Zile | LHD | Riga | MHL |
| 115 | Jack Kopacka | LW | Sault Ste Marie Greyhounds | OHL |
| 116 | Adam Brizgala | G | Sparta Praha U20 | Extraliga Jrs |
| 117 | Seamus Malone (OA) | C | Wisconsin | Big-10 |
| 118 | Dawson Davidson | LHD | Kamloops Blazers | WHL |
| 119 | Nick Pastujov | LW | US U18 | NTDP |
| 120 | Otto Koivula | LW | Ilves U20 | Liiga Jrs |
| 121 | Jack Lafontaine | G | Janesville Jets | NAHL |
| 122 | Boris Katchouk | LW/RW | Sault Ste Marie Greyhounds | OHL |
| 123 | Mikael Hakkarainen | C | Brookings Blizzard | NAHL |
| 124 | Maxime Fortier | RW | Halifax Mooseheads | QMJHL |
| 125 | Tyler Parsons | G | London Knights | OHL |
| 126 | Evgeni Mityakin | RW | Avtomobilist | KHL |
| 127 | Ty Ronning | RW | Vancouver Giants | WHL |
| 128 | Artem Ivanyuzhenkov | RW | Russia U18 | MHL |
| 129 | Griffin Luce | LHD | US U18 | NTDP |
| 130 | Max Zimmer | C/LW | Chicago Steel | USHL |
| 131 | Konstantin Dubin | LW | Sarmaty Orenburg | MHL |
| 132 | Oliver Felixson | LHD | Saint John Sea Dogs | QMJHL |
| 133 | Michael Boyle | RHD | Sioux City Musketeers | USHL |
| 134 | Patrik Bajkov | RW | Everett Silvertips | WHL |
| 135 | Jacob Neveu | RHD | Rouyn-Noranda Huskies | QMJHL |
| 136 | Ondrej Vala | LHD | Kamloops Blazers | WHL |
| 137 | Zach Sawchenko | G | Moose Jaw Warriors | WHL |
| 138 | Mitch Mattson | C/LW | Grand Rapids | HS-MN |
| 139 | Cameron Askew (OA) | C | Moncton Wildcats | QMJHL |
| 140 | Jake Kryski | C | Kamloops Blazers | WHL |
| 141 | Sebastian Ohlsson (OA) | C/LW | Skelleftea | SHL |
| 142 | David Quenneville | RHD | Medicine Hat Tigers | WHL |
| 143 | Zach Osburn (OA) | RHD | Michigan State Spartans | Big-10 |
| 144 | Colt Conrad (OA) | C/LW | Western Michigan Broncos | NCHC |
| 145 | Cam Dineen | LHD | North Bay Battalion | OHL |
| 146 | Graham McPhee | LW | US U18 | NTDP |
| 147 | Keaton Middleton | LHD | Saginaw Spirit | OHL |
| 148 | Dylan Wells | G | Peterborough Petes | OHL |
| 149 | Antii Kalapudas (OA) | C | Karpat Oulun | Liiga |
| 150 | Linus Lindstrom | C | Skelleftea Jrs | Superelit |
| 151 | Vladimir Bobylev (OA) | LW | Victoria Royals | WHL |
| 152 | Michal Roman | LHD | Trinec Ocealari U20 | Extraliga Jrs |
| 153 | Garrett Pilon | C | Kamloops Blazers | WHL |
| 154 | Matt Ladd | G | Avon Old Farms | HS-CT |
| 155 | Yegor Zaitsev | LHD | JHC Spartak | MHL |
| 156 | Max Lajoie | LHD | Swift Current Broncos | WHL |
| 157 | Cole Candella | LHD | Hamilton Bulldogs | OHL |
| 158 | Mitchell Balmas | C/LW | Charlottetown Islanders | QMJHL |
| 159 | Julius Mattila | C/LW | Ilves U20 | Liiga Jrs |
| 160 | C.J. Dodero | LW | Sioux City Musketeers | USHL |
| 161 | Callum Fryer (OA) | RHD | UMass-Amherst | Hockey East |
| 162 | Michael Graham | LW/C | Eden Prairie | HS-MN |
| 163 | Keenan Suthers | LW | US U18 | NTDP |
| 164 | Joe Masonius (OA) | LHD | Connecticut Huskies | Hockey East |
| 165 | Collin Adams | LW | Muskegon Lumberjacks | USHL |
| 166 | Andrey Svetlakov (OA) | C | CSKA | KHL |
| 167 | Tim Wahlgren | C | MoDo Jrs | Superelit |
| 168 | Dante Salituro (OA) | C/RW | Ottawa 67’s | OHL |
| 169 | Filip Lestan | RW | HV71 | SHL |
| 170 | Zach Poirier | C/RW | North Bay Battalion | OHL |
| 171 | Roman Krikunenko | LW | Loko | MHL |
| 172 | Marcus Ersson | LHD | Brynas Jrs | Superelit |
| 173 | Lee Roberts | RW | Lau | NLA |
| 174 | Daniel Gazda (OA) | LHD | Zlin U20 | Extraliga Jrs |
| 175 | Ilya Karpukhin | LHD | Russia U18 | MHL |
| 176 | Jiri Karafiat | C/RW | Zlin U20 | Extraliga Jrs |
| 177 | Carson Meyer (OA) | RW | Tri-City Storm | USHL |
| 178 | Sebastian Repo (OA) | C | Pelicans | Liiga |
| 179 | Grant Jozefek | RW | Lincoln Stars | USHL |
| 180 | Ilya Avramenko | LW | Russia U18 | MHL |
| 181 | Sebastian Aho (OA) | LHD | Skelleftea | SHL |
| 182 | Nikolai Chebykin (OA) | C/LW | HC MVD | MHL |
| 183 | James Sanchez | LW | US U18 | NTDP |
| 184 | Marco Miranda | C/LW | GCK Lions | NLB |
| 185 | Chase Priskie (OA) | RHD | Quinnipiac | ECAC |
| 186 | Casey Fitzgerald (OA) | RHD | Boston College | Hockey East |
| 187 | Cole Carter | RW | Windsor Spitfires | OHL |
| 188 | Blake Lizotte | C | Fargo Force | USHL |
| 189 | Brandon Fortunato (OA) | LHD | Boston University | Hockey East |
| 190 | Tanner Kaspick | C/W | Brandon Wheat Kings | WHL |
| 191 | Lucas Carlsson (OA) | LHD | Brynas | SHL |
| 192 | Mike Campoli | LHD | US U18 | NTDP |
| 193 | Ondrej Najman | LW | Dukhla U20 | Extraliga Jrs |
| 194 | Tye Felhaber | C | Saginaw Spirit | OHL |
| 195 | Zakery Galambos (OA) | RHD | Johnstown Tomahawks | NAHL |
| 196 | Garrett Wait | LW | Waterloo Black Hawks | USHL |
| 197 | Nicolas Werbik | C | Rimouski Oceanic | QMJHL |
| 198 | Jeff de Wit | C | Red Deer Rebels | WHL |
| 199 | Jonathan Ang | C | Peterborough Petes | OHL |
| 200 | Jacob Bryson | LHD | Omaha Lancers | USHL |
| 201 | Zach Walker | RW | US U18 | NTDP |
| 202 | Mikhail Berdin | G | Russia U18 | MHL |
| 203 | Nikita Bashkirov | LW | Stalnye Lisy | MHL |
| 204 | Ryan Cranford | RW | Kingston Frontenacs | OHL |
| 205 | Kaj Suter | C | GCK Lions | NLB |
| 206 | Livio Stadler | LHD | Zug | NLA |
| 207 | Luke Coleman | LW | Prince Albert Raiders | WHL |
| 208 | Anton Brandhammar (OA) | LHD | Farjestad BK | Superelit |
| 209 | Carsen Twarynski | LW | Calgary Hitmen | WHL |
| 210 | Konstantin Chernyuk | LHD | Kingston Frontenacs | OHL |
| 211 | Derek Topatigh (OA) | RHD | Orangeville Flyers | OJHL |
| 212 | Michal Gago | LHD | Zlin U20 | Extraliga Jrs |
| 213 | Cliff Pu | RW | London Knights | OHL |
| 214 | Ty Amonte | RW | US U18 | NTDP |
| 215 | Adam Werner (OA) | G | Farjestad BK U20 | Superelit |
| 216 | Evan Sarthou | G | Tri-City Americans | WHL |
| 217 | Yegor Babenko (OA) | LW | Lethbridge Hurricanes | WHL |
| 218 | William Bower | C | Moncton Wildcats | QMJHL |
| 219 | Jordan Maher | C | Acadie-Bathurst Titan | QMJHL |
| 220 | Beck Malenstyn | C | Calgary Hitmen | WHL |
| 221 | Luke McInnis | LHD | Youngstown Phantoms | USHL |
| 222 | Koby Bender (OA) | RW | Minnesota Wilderness | NAHL |
| 223 | Dylan Coghlan | RHD | Tri-City Americans | WHL |
| 224 | Dylan Malmquist (OA) | C/LW | Notre Dame | Hockey East |
| 225 | Vyacheslav Gretski (OA) | C | Neman Grodno | Belarus Jrs |
| 226 | Maxim Rasseikin | LW | Avto Yekaterinburg | MHL |
| 227 | Dylan Gambrell (OA) | RW | Denver | NCHC |
| 228 | Ludvig Hoff (OA) | LW | Lincoln Stars | USHL |
| 229 | Matthew Phillips | LW | Victoria Royals | WHL |
| 230 | Noah Carroll | LHD | Guelph Storm | OHL |
| 231 | Taden Rattie | RW | Calgary Mustangs | AJHL |
| 232 | Robby Jackson (OA) | LW | St. Cloud State | NCHC |
| 233 | Matt Dillon | LHD | Cushing Academy | HS-MA |
| 234 | Severi Isokangas | G | Karpat U20 | Liiga Jrs |
| 235 | Dominic Commisso | C | Oshawa Generals | OHL |
| 236 | Luke Kirwan | LW | Windsor Spitfires | OHL |
| 237 | Jordan Sambrook | RHD | Erie Otters | OHL |
| 238 | Manuel Wiederer (OA) | RW | Moncton Wildcats | QMJHL |
| 239 | Kirill Pilipenko (OA) | RW | Dynamo Moscow | KHL |
| 240 | Nikita Makeyev | RHD | Russia U18 | MHL |
| 241 | Trent Fox (OA) | LW | Hamilton Bulldogs | OHL |
| 242 | Dante Hannoun | C/RW | Victoria Royals | WHL |
| 243 | Hank Crone | LW | Fargo Force | USHL |
| 244 | Brandon Crawley (OA) | LHD | London Knights | OHL |
| 245 | Pat Harper | RW/C | Avon Old Farms | HS-CT |
| 246 | Ben Lown | C | Omaha Lancers | USHL |
| 247 | Rafael Bikmullin (OA) | LW | Reaktor Nizhnekamsk | MHL |
| 248 | Radek Koblizek | RW | Karpat U20 | Liiga Jrs |
| 249 | Matt Steeves | C/RW | Sioux City Musketeers | USHL |
| 250 | Henrik Knold (OA) | C | Sparta Sarpsborg | Norway |
