2020 NHL Draft
Updated Draft Rankings: Top 125 (March)
Winter showcases and stretch runs sharpen draft picture
Steve Kournianos | 03/02/2020 | Nashville | [hupso]
NASHVILLE (The Draft Analyst) — A critical period of hockey for most of the world’s premier draft-eligible prospects is over, which means it’s time to update my rankings from early January. Compiling this specific list centered on reports and production from the following blocks of competition — league Top Prospects games, the under-18 and under-19 Five Nations tournaments, and the stretch run in league play for both North American and European circuits. For prospects playing in European men’s leagues, it was a good time to see how they were utilized once the standings tightened and contenders started separating themselves from pretenders (league playoff performance can have a profound impact on draft stock). In terms of Canadian major junior hockey, we’re witnessing the greatest offensive explosion the Ontario Hockey League has seen in over 20 years. Prospects playing in the OHL are putting up video-game numbers and doing so in a short period of time, thus making it difficult to gauge how they would perform in tougher leagues when games are tightly checked, defensemen are less risk averse, and the bulk of the goaltenders aren’t made out of Swiss cheese. Nonetheless, this 2020 draft class looks pretty good when it comes to scoring wingers and two-way centers but thin on franchise-caliber defenders and goalies with cornerstone potential.
Below is an updated list of notable first-year eligible draft prospects for the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. This ranking is a follow-up to my preseason draft rankings and watch list that was released in August. Players born between September 16, 2001 and September 15, 2002 are in the zone for consideration. The top-300 rankings and those for draft “overagers” (prospects passed over in previous drafts) will be published later this month.
| Rank | +/- | Name | POS | TM | LG | DOB | HT | WT | S | NAT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | E | Lafreniere, Alexis | LW | Rimouski | QMJHL | 11-Oct-01 | 6’1 | 196 | L | CAN |
| 2 | E | Byfield, Quinton | C | Sudbury | OHL | 19-Aug-02 | 6’4 | 215 | L | CAN |
| 3 | +2 | Stutzle, Tim | LW/C | Mannheim | DEL | 15-Jan-02 | 6’1 | 185 | L | GER |
| 4 | E | Perfetti, Cole | LW/C | Saginaw | OHL | 1-Jan-02 | 5’10 | 177 | L | CAN |
| 5 | +1 | Rossi, Marco | C | Ottawa | OHL | 23-Sep-01 | 5’9 | 183 | L | AUT |
| 6 | -3 | Holtz, Alexander | RW | Djurgarden | SHL | 23-Jan-02 | 6’0 | 192 | R | SWE |
| 7 | +2 | Amirov, Rodion | LW/RW | Tolpar | MHL | 2-Oct-01 | 6’0 | 167 | L | RUS |
| 8 | -1 | Drysdale, Jamie | RHD | Erie | OHL | 8-Apr-02 | 5’11 | 175 | R | CAN |
| 9 | -1 | Raymond, Lucas | LW | Frolunda | SHL | 28-Mar-02 | 5’11 | 170 | R | SWE |
| 10 | +4 | Lundell, Anton | C | HIFK | SM-Liiga | 3-Oct-01 | 6’1 | 185 | L | FIN |
| 11 | +7 | Jarvis, Seth | C/W | Portland | WHL | 1-Feb-02 | 5’10 | 179 | R | CAN |
| 12 | +5 | Khusnutdinov, Marat | C | SKA-1946 | MHL | 17-Jul-02 | 5’11 | 176 | L | RUS |
| 13 | -1 | Holloway, Dylan | LW/C | Wisconsin | Big-10 | 23-Sep-01 | 6’1 | 192 | L | CAN |
| 14 | +2 | Zary, Connor | C | Kamloops | WHL | 25-Sep-01 | 6’0 | 177 | L | CAN |
| 15 | +17 | Sanderson, Jake | LHD | U.S. U18 | NTDP | 8-Jul-02 | 6’1 | 186 | L | USA |
| 16 | -3 | Mysak, Jan | C | Hamilton | OHL | 24-Jun-02 | 5’11 | 180 | L | CZE |
| 17 | -6 | Bourque, Mavrik | C | Shawinigan | QMJHL | 8-Jan-02 | 5’10 | 168 | R | CAN |
| 18 | -8 | Askarov, Yaroslav | G | SKA-Neva | VHL | 16-Jun-02 | 6’3 | 176 | R | RUS |
| 19 | +1 | Perreault, Jacob | RW | Sarnia | OHL | 15-Apr-02 | 5’11 | 200 | R | CAN |
| 20 | +3 | Andrae, Emil | LHD | HV71 J20 | Superelit | 23-Feb-02 | 5’9 | 181 | L | SWE |
| 21 | +14 | Quinn, Jack | RW | Ottawa | OHL | 19-Sep-01 | 6’0 | 179 | R | CAN |
| 22 | -1 | Sourdif, Justin | RW | Vancouver | WHL | 24-Mar-02 | 5’11 | 173 | R | CAN |
| 23 | -4 | Ponomarev, Vasiliy | C | Shawinigan | QMJHL | 13-Mar-02 | 5’10 | 178 | L | RUS |
| 24 | +12 | Mercer, Dawson | C | Chicoutimi | QMJHL | 27-Oct-01 | 6’0 | 181 | R | CAN |
| 25 | +9 | Reichel, Lukas | LW | Eisbaren Berlin | DEL | 17-May-02 | 5’11 | 170 | L | GER |
| 26 | +2 | Guhle, Kaiden | LHD | Prince Albert | WHL | 18-Jan-02 | 6’2 | 188 | L | CAN |
| 27 | +6 | Bordeleau, Thomas | C | U.S. U18 | NTDP | 3-Jan-02 | 5’9 | 179 | L | USA |
| 28 | +3 | Brisson, Brendan | C | Chicago | USHL | 22-Oct-01 | 5’11 | 177 | L | USA |
| 29 | +2 | Colangelo, Sam | RW | Chicago | USHL | 26-Dec-01 | 6’2 | 205 | R | USA |
| 30 | -5 | Simontaival, Kasper | RW | Tappara U20 | Jr. SM-Liiga | 11-Jan-02 | 5’9 | 177 | R | FIN |
| 31 | -1 | Neighbours, Jake | LW | Edmonton | WHL | 29-Mar-02 | 6’0 | 197 | L | CAN |
| 32 | +6 | Nybeck, Zion | RW | HV71 J20 | Superelit | 12-May-02 | 5’7 | 182 | L | SWE |
| 33 | +26 | Hirvonen, Roni | C | Assat | SM-Liiga | 10-Jan-02 | 5’9 | 164 | L | FIN |
| 34 | +11 | Gunler, Noel | RW | Lulea | SHL | 7-Oct-01 | 6’1 | 176 | R | SWE |
| 35 | +19 | Jurmo, Joni | LHD | Jokerit U20 | Jr. SM-Liiga | 19-Apr-02 | 6’3 | 190 | L | FIN |
| 36 | +4 | Gushchin, Danil | LW | Muskegon | USHL | 6-Feb-02 | 5’8 | 165 | L | RUS |
| 37 | -15 | Mukhamadullin, Shakir | LHD | Tolpar | MHL | 10-Jan-02 | 6’4 | 178 | L | RUS |
| 38 | -9 | Farrell, Sean | LW | Chicago | USHL | 2-Nov-01 | 5’9 | 175 | L | USA |
| 39 | +24 | Foerster, Tyson | RW | Barrie | OHL | 18-Jan-02 | 6’1 | 194 | R | CAN |
| 40 | +7 | Wallinder, William | LHD | MODO J20 | Superelit | 28-Jul-02 | 6’4 | 191 | L | SWE |
| 41 | -4 | Schneider, Braden | RHD | Brandon | WHL | 20-Sep-01 | 6’2 | 202 | R | CAN |
| 42 | -16 | Cormier, Lukas | LHD | Charlottetown | QMJHL | 27-Mar-02 | 5’9 | 167 | L | CAN |
| 43 | -19 | Poirier, Jeremie | LHD | Saint John | QMJHL | 2-Jun-02 | 6’0 | 199 | L | CAN |
| 44 | E | Smilanic, Ty | C/W | U.S. U18 | NTDP | 20-Jan-02 | 6’1 | 177 | L | USA |
| 45 | -30 | Foudy, Jean-Luc | C | Windsor | OHL | 13-May-02 | 6’0 | 174 | R | CAN |
| 46 | -4 | McClennon, Connor | RW | Winnipeg | WHL | 25-Jun-02 | 5’8 | 163 | R | CAN |
| 47 | -8 | Miettinen, Veeti | RW | Espoo U20 | Jr. SM-Liiga | 20-Sep-01 | 5’9 | 161 | L | FIN |
| 48 | +12 | Tuch, Luke | LW | U.S. U18 | NTDP | 7-Mar-02 | 6’2 | 203 | L | USA |
| 49 | +4 | Faber, Brock | RHD | U.S. U18 | NTDP | 22-Aug-02 | 6’0 | 193 | R | USA |
| 50 | -2 | Blomqvist, Joel | G | Karpat U20 | Jr. SM-Liiga | 10-Jan-02 | 6’1 | 182 | L | FIN |
| 51 | -5 | Niemela, Topi | RHD | Karpat | SM-Liiga | 25-Mar-02 | 5’11 | 156 | R | FIN |
| 52 | -9 | Kleven, Tyler | LHD | U.S. U18 | NTDP | 10-Jan-02 | 6’4 | 200 | L | USA |
| 53 | +46 | Niederbach, Theodor | C | Frolunda J20 | Superelit | 25-Feb-02 | 5’11 | 172 | R | SWE |
| 54 | +7 | Greig, Ridly | C | Brandon | WHL | 8-Aug-02 | 5’11 | 164 | L | CAN |
| 55 | -6 | Peterka, J.J. | RW | Munchen | DEL | 14-Jan-02 | 5’10 | 192 | L | GER |
| 56 | +60 | Jarventie, Roby | LW | KooVee | Mestis | 8-Aug-02 | 6’2 | 184 | L | FIN |
| 57 | +8 | Viro, Eemil | LHD | TPS | SM-Liiga | 3-Apr-02 | 6’0 | 165 | L | FIN |
| 58 | -7 | Barron, Justin | RHD | Halifax | QMJHL | 15-Nov-01 | 6’2 | 195 | R | CAN |
| 59 | -1 | Wiesblatt, Ozzy | RW | Prince Albert | WHL | 9-Mar-02 | 5’10 | 183 | R | CAN |
| 60 | +9 | Tyutnev, Pavel | LW | Loko Yaroslavl | MHL | 25-Jul-02 | 5’10 | 185 | L | RUS |
| 61 | +56 | Torgersson, Daniel | LW | Frolunda J20 | Superelit | 26-Jan-02 | 6’3 | 199 | L | SWE |
| 62 | +41 | Berard, Brett | LW | U.S. U18 | NTDP | 9-Sep-02 | 5’9 | 152 | L | USA |
| 63 | +13 | Cuylle, William | LW | Windsor | OHL | 5-Feb-02 | 6’3 | 204 | L | CAN |
| 64 | -9 | Francis, Ryan | RW | Cape Breton | QMJHL | 2-Dec-01 | 5’9 | 174 | R | CAN |
| 65 | +26 | Zlodeyev, Dmitri | C | MHK Dynamo | MHL | 15-Feb-02 | 5’11 | 185 | L | RUS |
| 66 | -10 | Suni, Oliver | RW | Oshawa | OHL | 13-Feb-02 | 6’1 | 188 | R | FIN |
| 67 | -1 | Kuznetsov, Yan | LHD | U.Conn | HE | 21-Mar-02 | 6’3 | 207 | L | RUS |
| 68 | -6 | Tullio, Tyler | RW | Oshawa | OHL | 5-Apr-02 | 5’10 | 165 | R | CAN |
| 69 | -28 | Lapierre, Hendrix | C | Chicoutimi | QMJHL | 9-Feb-02 | 6’0 | 179 | L | CAN |
| 70 | -20 | Pytlik, Jaromir | C | Sault Ste. Marie | OHL | 25-Sep-01 | 6’2 | 201 | R | CZE |
| 71 | E | Didkovsky, Ivan | LW | MHK Dynamo | MHL | 20-Jan-02 | 5’11 | 187 | L | RUS |
| 72 | -4 | Groshev, Maxim | RW | Nizhnekamsk | KHL | 14-Dec-01 | 6’2 | 194 | L | RUS |
| 73 | +11 | O’Rourke, Ryan | LHD | Sault Ste. Marie | OHL | 16-May-02 | 6’0 | 173 | L | CAN |
| 74 | -2 | Slaggert, Landon | C/W | U.S. U18 | NTDP | 25-Jun-02 | 6’0 | 182 | L | USA |
| 75 | -23 | Desroches, Charlie | RHD | Saint John | QMJHL | 24-Apr-02 | 5’10 | 170 | R | CAN |
| 76 | +22 | Chromiak, Martin | RW | Kingston | OHL | 20-Aug-02 | 5’11 | 179 | R | SVK |
| 77 | +12 | Evangelista, Luke | RW | London | OHL | 21-Feb-02 | 5’11 | 172 | R | CAN |
| 78 | +16 | Trineyev, Bogdan | RW | JHC Dynamo | MHL | 4-Mar-02 | 6’3 | 198 | R | RUS |
| 79 | -1 | Shlaine, Artem | C | Muskegon | USHL | 7-Mar-02 | 6’1 | 165 | L | USA |
| 80 | -7 | Novak, Pavel | RW | Kelowna | WHL | 16-Apr-02 | 5’9 | 170 | R | CZE |
| 81 | +6 | Laferriere, Alex | RW | Des Moines | USHL | 28-Oct-01 | 5’11 | 172 | R | USA |
| 82 | -8 | Kubicek, Simon | RHD | Seattle | WHL | 19-Dec-01 | 6’2 | 205 | R | CZE |
| 83 | -3 | Finley, Jack | C | Spokane | WHL | 2-Sep-02 | 6’6 | 213 | R | CAN |
| 84 | -2 | Benning, Michael | RHD | Sherwood Park | AJHL | 5-Jan-02 | 5’9 | 177 | R | CAN |
| 85 | -21 | Rochette, Theo | C | Quebec | QMJHL | 20-Feb-02 | 5’10 | 161 | L | CAN |
| 86 | -7 | Maenpaa, Juuso | C | Jokerit U20 | Jr. SM-Liiga | 29-Apr-02 | 5’5 | 141 | L | FIN |
| 87 | +55 | Peterson, Dylan | C/W | U.S. U18 | NTDP | 8-Jan-02 | 6’4 | 192 | R | USA |
| 88 | -18 | Biondi, Blake | C | Hermantown | HS-MN | 24-Apr-02 | 6’0 | 191 | R | USA |
| 89 | +17 | Magnusson, Oskar | C | Malmo J20 | Superelit | 31-Jan-02 | 5’10 | 166 | L | SWE |
| 90 | +66 | Commesso, Drew | G | U.S. U18 | NTDP | 19-Jul-02 | 6’2 | 180 | L | USA |
| 91 | -24 | Pashin, Alexander | RW | Tolpar | MHL | 28-Jul-02 | 5’8 | 154 | L | RUS |
| 92 | +22 | Savoie, Carter | LW | Sherwood Park | AJHL | 23-Jan-02 | 5’9 | 192 | L | CAN |
| 93 | +35 | Powell, Eamon | RHD | U.S. U18 | NTDP | 10-May-02 | 5’11 | 165 | R | USA |
| 94 | -19 | Knazko, Samuel | LHD | TPS U20 | Jr. SM-Liiga | 7-Aug-02 | 6’1 | 191 | L | SVK |
| 95 | +15 | Ekmark, Elliot | C | Linkoping J20 | Superelit | 29-Jan-02 | 5’9 | 162 | L | SWE |
| 96 | +181 | Beryozkin, Maxim | RW | Loko Yaroslavl | MHL | 12-Oct-01 | 6’2 | 201 | R | RUS |
| 97 | -40 | Stranges, Antonio | LW | London | OHL | 5-Feb-02 | 5’11 | 172 | L | USA |
| 98 | -10 | Grans, Helge | RHD | Malmo J20 | Superelit | 10-May-02 | 6’3 | 206 | R | SWE |
| 99 | -2 | Malik, Nick | G | Sault Ste. Marie | OHL | 26-Apr-02 | 6’2 | 181 | L | CZE |
| 100 | +124 | Johannesson, Anton | LHD | HV71 J20 | Superelit | 26-Mar-02 | 5’9 | 144 | L | SWE |
| 101 | -30 | Rolston, Ryder | RW | Waterloo | USHL | 31-Oct-01 | 6’1 | 175 | R | USA |
| 102 | +17 | Hanas, Cross | LW | Portland | WHL | 5-Jan-02 | 6’1 | 167 | L | USA |
| 103 | -13 | Gut, Michal | C | Everett | WHL | 16-Aug-02 | 6’0 | 187 | L | CZE |
| 104 | -2 | Ambrosio, Colby | C | Tri-City | USHL | 7-Aug-02 | 5’9 | 170 | R | CAN |
| 105 | -20 | Krutil, Michael | RHD | Sparta U20 | DHL Cup | 3-Jun-02 | 6’2 | 196 | R | CZE |
| 106 | -29 | Nikishin, Alexander | LHD | Spartak | KHL | 2-Oct-01 | 6’3 | 196 | L | RUS |
| 107 | +41 | Nickl, Thimo | RHD | Drummondville | QMJHL | 4-Dec-01 | 6’2 | 176 | R | AUT |
| 108 | +3 | Yoder, Chase | C | U.S. U18 | NTDP | 28-May-02 | 5’10 | 174 | L | USA |
| 109 | +191 | Johansson, Pontus | LHD | Djurgarden J20 | Superelit | 23-Oct-01 | 5’11 | 170 | L | SWE |
| 110 | -1 | Villeneuve, William | RHD | Saint John | QMJHL | 20-Mar-02 | 6’1 | 175 | R | CAN |
| 111 | -16 | Smith, Jack | C | Cathedral | HS-MN | 6-Jul-02 | 5’11 | 182 | L | USA |
| 112 | +9 | Puutio, Kasper | RHD | Everett | WHL | 3-Jun-02 | 5’11 | 184 | R | FIN |
| 113 | +90 | Ljungman, Daniel | C | Linkoping J20 | Superelit | 3-Apr-02 | 6’1 | 166 | L | SWE |
| 114 | +71 | Kaiser, Wyatt | LHD | Andover | HS-MN | 31-Jul-02 | 6’0 | 173 | L | USA |
| 115 | -23 | Styf, Hugo | LHD | MODO J20 | Superelit | 25-Aug-02 | 6’1 | 188 | L | SWE |
| 116 | -9 | Thompson, Jack | RHD | Sudbury | OHL | 19-Mar-02 | 6’0 | 180 | R | CAN |
| 117 | +23 | Ramberg, Lucas | LHD | Lulea J20 | Superelit | 30-Jun-02 | 6’1 | 183 | L | SWE |
| 118 | -14 | Raska, Adam | RW | Rimouski | QMJHL | 25-Sep-01 | 5’10 | 178 | R | CZE |
| 119 | +14 | Kondyrev, Kirill | RW | Russkie Vityaz | MHL | 29-Jun-02 | 6’1 | 194 | L | RUS |
| 120 | +180 | Heineman, Emil | LW | Leksand J20 | Superelit | 16-Nov-01 | 6’0 | 178 | L | SWE |
| 121 | +11 | Truscott, Jacob | LHD | U.S. U18 | NTDP | 12-Apr-02 | 6’1 | 172 | L | USA |
| 122 | +2 | Bednar, Jan | G | Karlovy Vary | Extraliga | 26-Aug-02 | 6’4 | 196 | L | CZE |
| 123 | +177 | Nordlund, Theo | LHD | Frolunda J20 | Superelit | 20-Jul-02 | 6’0 | 183 | L | SWE |
| 124 | +35 | Rychkov, Ilya | RW | SKA-1946 | MHL | 30-Mar-02 | 5’9 | 176 | L | RUS |
| 125 | +175 | Aho, Karri | LHD | Ilves U20 | Jr. SM-Liiga | 6-Sep-02 | 6’0 | 172 | L | FIN |
