#1 – Alexis Lafrieniere, LW, Rimouski (QMJHL)
The 2020 NHL Draft is the “Lafreniere Draft”, the Rimouski winger will likely be the wire-to-wire #1 overall prospect.
Lafreniere is a big-bodied, super-talented playmaking winger who can excel in any offensive situation.
Whoever drafts #1 will be getting as close to a can’t miss prospect as humanely possible.
2019-2020 stats: 11GP-9 Goals-20 Assists-29 Points
#2 – Quinton Byfield C, Sudbury (OHL)
Quinton Byfield has carried the Sudbury Wolves offensively since being drafted by them.
Whenever he’s on the ice there’s a chance he’s going do something special.
In Sudbury’s season opener against the IceDogs (I watched the game live), Byfield was head and shoulders above anyone on the ice.
He finished the game with two goals and an assist and has continued a 2 point/game pace in his 10 games.
2019-2020 stats: 10GP-8 Goals-12 Assists-20 Points
#3 – Alexander Holtz RW, Djurgardens (SHL)
Holtz is an extremely talented goal-scoring winger playing in the Swedish Elite League.
As a 17-year-old he has scored three times in nine games and with his shot and ability to release the puck with power and accuracy from any angle I would expect his goal scoring numbers to remain impressive all season long.
2019-2020 stats: 9GP-3 Goals-2 Assists-5 Points
#4 – Lucas Raymond RW/LW, Frolunda (SHL)
Frolunda’s Lucas Raymond is an highly skilled, speedy winger who can create offence by setting up his teammates or taking the puck himself.
He was phenomenal at the U18 last year, scoring four goals and recording eight points in seven games for Team Sweden.
Raymond has gotten off to a good start in his first full season in the SHL with Frolunda and will likely be a player for Sweden internationally as well.
2019-2020 stats: 11GP-1 Goal-2 Assists-3 Points
#5 – Anton Lundell C, HIFK (Liiga)
Lundell is known for his goal scoring ability, he gets to the scoring areas and can get his shot off in a hurry to beat goaltenders.
The 2001 born forward scored nine times in 38 Liiga games last season, and has continued his success into this season, scoring three times in his first 10 games.
2019-2020 stats: 10 GP-3 Goals-1 Assist-4 Points
#6 – Jamie Drysdale D, Erie (OHL)
Drysdale is the best defenceman in the draft, he’s a smooth skater who can move the puck quickly to transition from defence to offence, but he’s more than just offensively gifted.
He has great defensive awareness in his own end and has an active stick that makes it tough for anyone trying to enter the zone against him.
The Otters have relied on him early and often this season and he’s delivered as he’s tied for the team lead in assists and second on the team in points.
2019-2020 stats: 10GP-4 Goals-11 Assists-15 Points
#7 – Cole Perfetti C, Saginaw (OHL)
“Goal” Perfetti, as he has been dubbed, has gotten off to a slow start in terms of goal scoring this season, but he’s an amazingly gifted scorer who always gets himself into the prime scoring areas.
I think it’s just a matter of time until he’s back to his 37-goal scoring form that he was as an OHL rookie.
Perfetti is so fun to watch, and once the goals start going in, he will likely score in bunches as he did last season and at the Hlinka-Gretzky Tournament last year.
2019-2020 stats: 11 GP-2 Goals- 14 Assists- 16 Points
#8 Tim Stutzle C/W, Adler Manheim (DEL)
Stutzle has been climbing high up the draft rankings since the DEL season started, and for good reason. The 17-year-old forward is scoring at over a point/game pace in his first season in the DEL.
It won’t be shocking to see him taken in the top-10 if his amazing season continues, Stutzle has made Adler Manheim must watch hockey for scouts and for draft junkees alike.
Dreger raved about Stutzle on Insider Trading (1:25 mark):
https://www.tsn.ca/insider-trading-nhl-scouts-drooling-over-immense-potential-of-alexis-lafreniere-quinton-byfield-1.1379526
2019-2020 stats: 11 GP-3 Goals-10 Assists-13 Points
#9 Marco Rossi C, Ottawa (OHL)
Rossi came over from Austria and took the OHL by storm as a rookie last season.
He scored 29 goals and 65 points for the 67’s last season, and excelled in the transition game.
Rossi put up the numbers, but the best part of his game is something that you won’t see on a stat sheet. He has an uncanny ability to enter the offensive zone
with ease and help his team set up their offensive system.
The ability in transition coupled with the offensive talent makes Rossi a really interesting prospect for the 2020 draft.
2019-2020 stats: 9 GP- 4 Goals-5 Assists-9 Points
#10 – Hendrix Lapierre C, Chicoutimi (QMJHL)
Lapierre is one of the more gifted playmakers in the draft, he has a knack for finding open teammates in scoring positions and putting the puck right where it needs to be.
The 17-year-old put up eight assists in five games at the Hlinka-Gretzky and has continued to rack up assists this season.
2019-2020 stats: 10 GP-1 Goal-10 Assists-11 Points
#11 Justin Barron D, Halifax (QMJHL)
The 6-2 defenceman from Halifax is talented at both ends of the ice, after a 41 point rookie campaign the Nova Scotia native is trying to continue his success into his sophomore season.
2019-2020 stats: 11 GP-1 Goal-4 Assists-5 Points
#12 Yaroslav Askarov G, SKA St. Petersburg (VHL)
For the second straight year a goalie could very well find themselves taken in the top-15.
Spencer Knight was drafted by the Panthers last season and Askarov is widely considered to be just as/if not more impressive of a prospect.
The Russian played outstanding at both the U17 and U18 tournaments last season, and helped the Russians capture a U18 silver medal.
A big body, and high athleticism coupled with a calm demeanor and excellent reflexes make Askarov a future #1 NHL goalie for whoever drafts him.
2019-2020 stats: 7 GP-2.41 GAA-0.902 SV%
#13 – Dylan Holloway C/W, Wisconsin (B1G-NCAA)
Holloway finds himself on an extremely talented Wisconsin team, after lighting up the AJHL last season.
The forward has a knack for scoring goals, and has a chance to put up some big numbers playing on the same team as Alex Turcotte and Cole Caufieled.
2019-2020 stats: 2 GP-1 Goal-1 Point
#14 – Noel Gunler RW, Lulea (SHL)
Gunler is a natural goal scorer, when you watch him play you’ll see all the tools you want in a scoring winger.
He has an excellent release, a shot first mentality and has the ability to find himself in open space to get his shot off in a quick fashion.
After playing 1 game in the SuperElit (J20 League) and scoring twice, Gunler got the call to the SHL and has appeared in 11 games so far.
2019-2020 stats: 11 GP-1 Goal-2 Assits-3 Points
#15 – Antonio Stranges C, London (OHL)
Stranges has gotten off to a really good start this season for the Knights.
Before the season he was probably considered a late-first to early-second round pick but with five goals in his first seven games he has played his way into my top-15.
A speedy skater with his offensive capabilities playing for the London Knights will always get attention but Stranges has earned every bit of it so far this season.
2019-2020 stats: 7 GP-5 Goals-4 Assists-9 Points
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