1. (Vancouver) - Nico Hischier - Still the consensus #1. Hischier's rookie season did not disappoint. His 52 points was impressive and helped the Devils take a big leap this season.

2. (Edmonton) - Elias Petersson - It's no surprise to see Petersson move into the #2 spot. He had a record breaking season in the SHL. When you compare his numbers with other U20 players such as Forsberg, Zetterberg and the Sedin's, you can see why he moved up since his draft year. He could be in the NHL as soon as next season.

3. (Montreal) - Miro Heiskanen - When the lottery gods selected the Canadiens to move up as much as they did, they gave them the opportunity to draft the top defensemen in the class. There is a case to be made at #3, as there are easily 2 other players who can go here. While Nolan Patrick is intriguing, the opportunity to get the best defensemen out of the draft is more enticing.

4. (Anaheim) - Nolan Patrick - I believe there will be much debate on where Patrick goes in this draft. I think most people will have him anywhere from #2 to #6. His season started off slow but did pick up as the year went on. I had Patrick as low as #6 on my mid-term rankings, but have since moved him up. It wouldn't surprise me to see him go #3 either.

5. (Washington) - Casey Mittlestadt - I expect the expansion teams to go with the safer picks, as these picks may mean more to their franchise then others. While I could see a guy like Eeli Tolvanen going as high as #5, I believe the safer pick would be Casey Mittlestatdt. Often considered the most skilled player in the draft, if Mittlestatdt can get stronger on the puck, he is a sure-fire #1.

6. (Seattle) - Cale Makar - Cale Makar had a great showing in the World Juniors but it wasn't enough to keep him in the top 4. I wouldn't say his draft stock has went down since he was drafted, just others have surpassed him since. Makar will make for a great #1-2 defensemen in the NHL one day who will quarterback a PP.

7. (New York) - Eeli Tolvanen - As mentioned above, Tolvanen can easily go #5 and it would not surprise me. He has been the biggest draft riser in the 1st round. His outstanding performance in the KHL surprised many. He dropped in the NHL draft as a lot of scouts had him ranked higher then where he was drafted at #30. A mistake which many wish they could take back.

8. (Buffalo) - Gabriel Vilardi - Perhaps my first questionable pick of the draft. Vilardi is way too talented to not go in the top 10. Injury concerns dropped him to pick #11 in the NHL draft, but he rebounded nicely in Kingston this season. Had he been healthy all year, he would have been up there with the top scorers. There is some risk behind this pick, but if he remains healthy, he could be a top 5 talent in this draft.

9. (Columbus) - Filip Chytil - Chytil is coming off an under the radar great season. He had a great AHL campaign with 31 points in 46 games. He had 3 points in 9 NHL games and had a very solid World Juniors. Chytil remains one of the youngest players in this years draft but played like a leader this season. It would be a crime to see him fall out of the top 10. I believe he surpasses the Rangers first pick of the draft in Lias Andersson as Chytil has a higher ceiling.

10. (Arizona) - Robert Thomas - Another big draft climber. Thomas beats out some great talent in Glass, Anderson and Frost to squeak into the top 10. His World Juniors opened some eyes and seems to be a natural born leader. He showcased his skills in London and Hamilton this season which has propelled him up 10 spots from his NHL draft.

11. (Minnesota) - Cody Glass - Despite falling in my ranking, Glass still looks like a great pick. This draft might lack in high end talent in comparison to recent drafts (McDavid, Matthews, Laine), but it makes up for it with some depth in the top 12. Glass shows a lot of two-way skill and should make for a great #2 Centermen in the NHL one day.

12. (Toronto) - Timothy Liljegren - There are better defensemen available at this pick, I am playing to the homerism crowd here. I do believe Garrett will select Liljegren here even if I think it's the wrong pick. While Liljegren's first year in NA was a success, it wasn't as impressive as Leaf fans thought it would be. I do believe we will see Liljegren in the NHL one day as a regular player, but his upside to me caps off as a second/third pairing defensemen with PP time and no PK time. It'll be interesting to see how a player like this rates in the sim. There is potential here for the Leafs as Liljegren could be a regular for them very soon.

13. (Calgary) - Lias Andersson - As the season went on, Andersson has bounced around my list quite a bit. I had him a lot lower at one point, but his play in the AHL and NHL after coming over from Sweden looked real good. Specifically his time in the AHL where he looked like one of the better Wolf Pack players. While I believe Andersson is a sure thing to be an NHL regular one day, I don't see him being much more then a solid #3 Centermen. It would not surprise me to see him drafted over Chytil as his floor is higher.

14. (San Jose) - Henri Jokiharju - Another homerism pick, but not a terrible one. I can't see Mika passing on Jokiharju at pick #14, unless it was for Aleksi Heponiemi. Jokiharju was also another draft riser this season. His numbers in the WHL were impressive this season with 71 points in 63 games. In my opinion, he's the third best defensemen in this draft after Heiskanen and Makar. So this pick is not really a reach by Mika. I'll probably get some hate for this pick with Branstromm, Timmins and Valimaki still available, but I believe Jokiharju atleast belongs in the conversation with them.

15. (Anaheim) - Morgan Frost - A lot of people scratched there heads when the Flyers called Morgan Frost's name. His play this season has put a lot of that to rest. He put up #'s that were more impressive then top 10 guys like Gabriel Vilardi and Robert Thomas. He led his team to the Memorial Cup and looks like he could be NHL ready as soon as next season. I'd like to see him dominate juniors one more year.

16. (Las Vegas) - Martin Necas - Necas had a very good World Juniors where he kept up with Casey Mittlestadt for the points lead. He showed a lot of skill and looked more polished then people thought when he was drafted. Necas could see NHL time as soon as next season. He already has 1 NHL game under his belt. If it wasn't for some homer picks above, Necas could easily be a top 15 selection.

17. Juuso Valimaki - We don't yet know who owns pick #17, but what I do know is there are a group of defensemen who can be expected to go in the next 5 or so picks. I believe another Finnish defensemen will be selected here. Valimaki captained his junior squad this year and put up a PPG. Team Finland had a disappointing World Juniors, but Valimaki is such a steady defensemen that even if his offense doesn't translate to the NHL, he will be a lock to be a minute crunching defensemen.

18. Conor Timmins - Timmins has seen his stock rise a lot this season. His World Juniors performance opened a lot of peoples eyes. He also got voted as the best defensemen in the OHL. His two way game is phenomenal. He should be able to get both PP and PK time at the NHL level. I am probably under-rating Timmins here. If he drops past pick 18 it will be a shock. It would not suprise me if he was the 3rd defensemen selected in this draft after Heiskanen and Makar.

19. Owen Tippett - Owen Tippett was another player to get some NHL time, AHL time and Junior time this season. He did not play for Team Canada in the World Juniors, which drops him down the list a bit. This kid loves to shoot the puck as evident by him leading the OHL in shots taken. 36 goals in 51 games is impressive. His shot is NHL ready right now. It will be interesting to see how his game translates to the NHL. He needs one more season of dominating Juniors before he is ready.

20. Kristian Vesalainen -  A big body who can display a lot of skill. Vesalainen fell in his draft year but it was universally agreed that he was probably the steal of the 1st round. While others such as Tolvanen and Frost have moved up more spots in my rankings, Vesalainen has improved his stock since the draft took place and warrants a look in the top 20.

21. Erik Branstromm - Branstromm has put in a good performance in Sweden the last two seasons. In order to get a more accurate projection of his skill, I'd like to see him come over to NA. Hopefully Vegas can get him playing in the AHL next season. He is definately in the second tier of defensemen in this draft (Timmins, Valimaki, Jokiharju). I think his stock drops a bit because his stats in Sweden are a little underwhelming despite being an offense-first defensemen.

22. Nick Suzuki - A very talented player whos stock dropped after not being named to the Canadian Junior team. It was a disappointment for Suzuki, but he answered back with a 42 goal, 100 point seaso for Owen Sound. There is lot to like about Suzuki. He's got a great build to be a quick, shifty player. He is not a passenger as he finished more then 30 points ahead of the second highest scorer on the team.

23. Michael Rasmussen - The big dropper of the draft. Truthfully, Rasmussen's season started slow but it did pick up as the year went on. There is no doubt he can score, but he needs to work on his skating. He is a fantastic player down low in the zone and can really dominate in front of the net due to his size. He does have a lot of upside despite me dropping his ranking. Would not surprise me to see him still sneak into the top 20. Can become a two-way 2nd line center if he keeps progressing.

24. Klim Kostin -  Most would agree that Kostin's season in the AHL didn't help raise his draft stock, but I fully disagree. For an 18 year old, he put up solid numbers. 28 points in the AHL is nothing to brag about, but Kostin has great size and uses it. He's mature above his age. The Blues did a great job this draft and I like Kostin more then I did on draft day. We'll get to see him one more time in the AHL before he lands a job with the Blues.

25. Kailer Yamamoto - Yamamoto is intriguing because he could have the opportunity to play with McDavid. That alone could push him into the top 20. When sent back to juniors, he struggled at first but picked it up as the season went on. Looked really good in NHL pre-season, and wasn't terrible during the Regular Season. Already 3 NHL points to his name. Wouldn't surprise me to see him drafted higher.

26. Cal Foote - Foote is a big body defensemen who should be an NHL regular on the PK. While he did put up 70 points for Kelowna this year, Foote has the type of offense that won't translate in the NHL. He also had 6 games in the AHL and scored his first professional goal. Foote is a solid defensemen and safe pick, but don't expect much offense from him.

27. Nic Hague - Another huge body and another Vegas Golden Knights pick. They did a great job at drafting this season. Hague is the second player drafted in the 2nd round to make my 1st round draft after Timmins. He put up a good amount of points in a tighter offensive league in the OHL, he also got 5 games in with the Chicago Wolves and put up an assist. I don't necessarily see Hague as an offensive threat once he hits the NHL, but his offense should translate better then Cal Foote, just not as strong defensively.

28. Aleksi Heponiemi - Another 2nd rounder to make my 1st round. There is a run of 2nd round picks coming up and they are all deserving of being drafted higher then they were taken. Heponiemi was on an unreal run this season in Swift Current. He slowed down after the World Juniors but still put up 90 assists and 118 points in only 57 games. He showed a lot of chemsitry with Tyler Steenburgen. While I am still not convinced he's a sure fire NHL'er, he does have a very high ceiling.

29. Maxime Comtois - Lots of hype around Comtois a couple of seasons ago. He fell in the draft after having an average draft season. He rebounded this year and looked good in the World Juniors. Comtois show's that he has a two way game and can play physical. If his offense comes around then Comtois can be a real special player. I see a little Corey Perry in Comtois so it's not surprising to have seen the Ducks draft him. He answered the call this season with 44 goals and 85 points in the Q. He was also a +43.

30. Ryan Poehling - You'll have to dig deep to find information on Ryan Poehling. The St.Cloud State player was not a popular pick of Montreal Canadiens fans when they selected him 25th overall. Ryan has proven naysayers wrong as he developed his offense in a big way this season. In a year where Henrik Borgstrom dominated the NCHC, Ryan Poehling had a huge jump in points and finished 16th overall with 31 points in 36 games. He was also the youngest player in the top 25 of scoring in the league. A solid two-way player with 2nd line C upside.

31. Kole Lind - Another 2nd round pick jumping up to the 1st round. Lind had a great season in Kelowna with 95 points in 58 games. He jumps into the 1st round despite being left off the World Junior team. His true test will come next season when he most likely jumps up to play for the Utica Comets in the AHL. He currently has 6 professional games played with Utica and has 1 point to show for it. Lind's shot is improving and could be a goal scorer at the next level.

32. Pierre-Oliver Joseph - With good size and nice wheels, P.O. Joseph could be quarterbacking a PP when he makes his NHL team. The former 23rd overall pick hasn't exceeded expectations and drops in the rankings due to a lot of players below him having more impressive seasons. He is still a far way from the NHL, but P.O. Joseph is one of the better offensive threats on D in this draft class. If he can develop his defense he could be a nice future piece on someones blueline. The hockey IQ is there.