Last year, it was headlined by Auston Matthews, Jesse Puljujarvi, Patrik Laine, and Matthew Tkachuk.
This year, the list of Central Scouting’s “players to watch” includes 29 prospects with an “A” rating (i.e. first-round draft candidates), led by likely first overall pick Nolan Patrick.
Patrick, 18, is a center for the Brandon Wheat Kings. He is the son of former NHL forward Steve Patrick and the nephew of former NHL defenseman James Patrick.
“Patrick is as complete an NHL package as you are going to find,” said Dan Marr, the director of Central Scouting, per NHL.com. “From his pedigree, his skills and assets, to his performance impact to date, he has everything any NHL team is looking for in a top prospect.”
Click here for the complete list of players. Among the 29 “A” prospects are two U.S. college players, defenseman Luke Martin of the Michigan Wolverines and forward Ryan Poehling of the St. Cloud State Huskies. Three more are in the USHL and one, Casey Mittelstadt, goes to Eden Prairie High School in Minnesota.