Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Top prospects Jones, MacKinnon, Drouin may miss NHL draft combine fitness testing

jones-mackinnon-2

The top three North American skaters heading into the 2013 NHL Entry Draft may not participate in fitness testing at the draft combine, according to NHL.com.

Defenseman Seth Jones and forwards Nathan MacKinnon and Jonathan Drouin all played in the Memorial Cup championship game over the weekend, and the physical toll could prevent them from taking part in that aspect of the combine.

“In my opinion, you need about a week or two to get ready for some of those tests, and we have to respect what they’ve gone through here lately,” Pat Brisson, the agent for Jones and MacKinnon, told NHL.com.

“They’re in game shape, but you have to treat them like Ferraris in a sense that now these athletes have to prepare for these things. Not that they can’t do it, but we’ll undergo the medical exam and take it from there.”

Jones and the Portland Winterhawks of the Western Hockey League finished runner-up to MacKinnon and Drouin of the Halifax Mooseheads in the Memorial Cup final.

MacKinnon’s stock, which was already high coming into the draft as the No. 2-ranked prospect, seems have increased after a standout performanceNHL in the championship.

Jones entered the tournament as the top-ranked prospect, although MacKinnon notched the hat trick.