Photo courtesy of the Canadian Press

Our Top 250 Draft Prospects for 2016

22 December 2015 by Steve Kournianos

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