2019 NHL Draft: Top 32 Prospects
Welp…2018 is done, onto 2019! That quickly, I’m onto the next chapter. And part of the reason I am is because of how great the 2019 draft is expected to be. You’ll hear people (who don’t know what they’re talking about) say “oh, every draft is supposed to be better than the last”. No. Some have been overrated, but for the most part you can see which drafts were expected to be good and which were expected to be weak. Not that it hasn’t happened that way before.
2012 was expected to be tremendous a year out, and was viewed as a disaster by the time draft day 2012 was here. We’re FAR from knowing how these latest drafts will pan out, but to this point 2015 was supposed to be amazing, it was. 2016 was supposed to be a bit below it but still great, it was. Last year was supposed to be well below those two and 2018, it looks to be the case. This year had a better high end than last, but I’ve never heard anyone credible suggest that the depth of this draft was overly good, and that looks to be the case, although time will tell on all of these recent ones.
The long winded point being here, 2019 is expected to be incredible. Somewhere between 2015 and 2016. You have a damn near generational talent at the top in Jack Hughes (brother of Quinn, shoutout to his mom who for some reason follows me on Twitter and I’m incredibly appreciative of it!), then to follow him you have a group of centres all with legitimate number one centre potential, some highly talented D, and some big power forward type wingers. This is a lot more of my kind of draft, where the kids who are already near the top of the rankings are the type of kids that will fill big needs for organizations.
I’m not going to spend much time doing write up’s on these kids. I only say anything about the top 15, though I still have the comparisons and hopefully that gives you all an idea of how the player plays. Another thing is even though I rank them all, we’re a year out and so many of them just wrapped up their first year of junior, SO MUCH of this is going to change over the next 12 months. So this is more of an introductory than a list which should be taken as the gospel. We’re all still getting to know these kids, even the scouts. Sure the scouts have been watching them for two or three years by now, but the real work begins this summer starting at the Hlinka/Gretzky Cup in August.
Tier One
1. Jack Hughes
Team: USNTDP League: USHL
Pos: C Ht: 5’10 Wt: 161 Shot: L
2018 Stats – GP: 27 G: 21 A: 33 P: 54
Birth: 5/14/01
Comparison: Patrick Kane
He’s a superstar. The only question I have is whether he’ll play the middle or be better suited for the wing in the pros, but for me he’s not McDavid, but probably better than Matthews on the number one pick scale.
Tier Two
2. Kirby Dach
Team: Saskatoon League: WHL
Pos: C Ht: 6’4 Wt: 185 Shot: R
2018 Stats – GP: 52 G: 7 A: 39 P: 46
Birth: 01/21/01
Comparison: Ryan Getzlaf
Damn near a PPG as a 16 year old, pure playmaker, on a weak Blades team. Higher on him than most at this point. I just think with the combination of speed, size and vision this kid will be unstoppable. And the cherry on the sundae is he’s a right handed shot.
3. Alex Turcotte
Team: USNTDP League: USHL
Pos: C Ht: 5’11 Wt: 194 Shot: L
2018 Stats – GP: 31 G: 8 A: 24 P: 32
Birth: 02/26/01
Comparison: Pat LaFontaine
An EXCELLENT playmaker and terrific skater. Those are by far the two best qualities he possess…in a league that has evolved to where the two most vital traits a player can have are skating and playmaking.
4. Alex Newhook
Team: Victoria League: BCHL
Pos: C Ht: 5’11 Wt: 183 Shot: L
2018 Stats – GP: 45 G: 22 A: 44 P: 66
Birth: 01/28/01
Comparison: Pavel Datsyuk
Newhook is going to obliterate the BCHL next season…even more so than he just did. Honestly, between Newhook and Turcotte at this point you can simply flip a coin.
Tier Three
5. Kaapo Kakko
Team: TPS U-20 League: SM-Liiga
Pos: RW Ht: 6’4 Wt: 207 Shot: L
2018 Stats – GP: 38 G: 25 A: 30 P: 55
Birth: 02/13/01
Comparison: Rick Nash
Kakko is 5th, and I can think of years where he’d probably be the top pick. That’s how great this draft is. Size, speed, power, he’s a total package type winger.
Tier Four
6. Bowen Byram
Team: Vancouver League: WHL
Pos: LD Ht: 6’0 Wt: 179 Shot: L
2018 Stats – GP: 60 G: 6 A: 21 P: 27
Birth: 06/13/01
Comparison: Duncan Keith
This kid is tailor made for the way the game is played today. I heard him described as “a bit undersized” the other day. He’s 6’0. Have we not been paying attention?? He’s got the ability to be a number one guy.
7. Dylan Cozens
Team: Lethbridge League: WHL
Pos: RW Ht: 6’3 Wt: 176 Shot: R
2018 Stats – GP: 57 G: 22 A: 31 P: 53
Birth: 02/09/01
Comparison: Max Pacioretty
The native of Whitehorse, Cozens was named the WHL rookie of the year. In addition to the great regular season, he also had an impressive 7 goals and 13 points in 16 games during the Hurricanes run to the Eastern Conference final. Cozens is a good skater for a big kid with a hell of a shot and also goes to all the dirty areas.
8. Peyton Krebs
Team: Kootenay League: WHL
Pos: LW Ht: 5’11 Wt: 172 Shot: L
2018 Stats – GP: 67 G: 17 A: 37 P: 54
Birth: 01/26/01
Comparison: Mikael Granlund
Incredible vision. That’s the calling card for Krebs. But he also has great wheels and can snipe, and at 172 lbs he’s really just scratching the surface.
9. Maxim Cajkovic
Team: Malmo League: SWE-J20
Pos: RW Ht: 5’11 Wt: 187 Shot: R
2018 Stats – GP: 28 G: 10 A: 11 P: 21
Birth: 01/03/01
Comparison: Marian Gaborik
Lightning fast with a bullet of a shot. He’s going to be one of the most exciting players to watch in the years to come.
10. Victor Söderström
Team: Brynas League: SWE-J20
Pos: RD Ht: 5’11 Wt: 176 Shot: R
2018 Stats – GP: 16 G: 3 A: 3 P: 6
Birth: 02/26/01
Comparison: Tyson Barrie
Extremely active and offensive minded, and has no issues with mixing it up physically.
11. Cam York
Team: USNTDP League: USHL
Pos: LD Ht: 5’11 Wt: 165 Shot: L
2018 Stats – GP: 33 G: 3 A: 11 P: 14
Birth: 01/05/01
Comparison: Cam Fowler
So I’m not going to bull shit anyone with this comparison, I really believe Fowler felt like the closest comparison, but I could have been influenced by his name being Cam, and hailing from Anaheim Hills California. I don’t think that’s really it though! I THINK its his game. Because he’s a terrific skater who is real good offensively, but not necessarily elite offensively, much like Fowler.
Tier Five
12. Valentin Nussbaumer
Team: EHC Biel-Bienne League: NLA
Pos: C Ht: 5’11 Wt: 159 Shot: L
2018 Stats – GP: 26 G: 5 A: 1 P: 6
Birth: 09/25/00
Comparison: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins
Cerebral and highly skilled, he needs to pack on the pounds as you can read, but when he does I believe his game is going to go to another level and justify or surpass this ranking.
13. Tag Bertuzzi
Team: Geulph League: OHL
Pos: LW Ht: 6’0 Wt: 192 Shot: L
2018 Stats – GP: 41 G: 3 A: 8 P: 11
Birth: 02/18/01
Comparison: Brad Marchand
Todd’s kid plays an in your face style. I maybe have him ranked higher than anyone else will, but these types of players are damn near impossible to find.
14. Cole Caufield
Team: USNTDP League: USHL
Pos: RW Ht: 5’6 Wt: 154 Shot: R
2018 Stats – GP: 32 G: 23 A: 10 P: 33
Birth: 01/02/01
Comparison: Zach Parise
Ridiculous skill…goes without saying for a kid who is only 5’6. I realize Parise wasn’t nearly this small, but the style is extremely similar.
15. Simon Holmström
Team: HV71 League: SWE-J20
Pos: RW Ht: 5’11 Wt: 172 Shot: L
2018 Stats – GP: 28 G: 11 A: 19 P: 30
Birth: 05/24/01
Comparison: Victor Arvidsson
Much like with Bertuzzi, I just love the way this kid plays! Speedy and completely fearless.
16. Ryan Suzuki
Team: Barrie League: OHL
Pos: C Ht: 6’0 Wt: 172 Shot: L
2018 Stats – GP: 64 G: 14 A: 30 P: 44
Birth: 05/28/01
Comparison: Brayden Point
17. Vasili Podkolzin
Team: Vityaz Podolsk U-17 League: RUS-U17
Pos: RW Ht: 5’11 Wt: 165 Shot: L
2018 Stats – GP: 21 G: 13 A: 17 P: 30
Birth: 06/24/01
Comparison: Artemi Panarin
18. Raphaël Lavoie
Team: Halifax League: QMJHL
Pos: RW Ht: 6’4 Wt: 192 Shot: R
2018 Stats – GP: 68 G: 30 A: 33 P: 63
Birth: 09/25/00
Comparison: Dave Andreychuk
19. Arthur Kaliyev
Team: Hamilton League: OHL
Pos: LW Ht: 6’1 Wt: 165 Shot: L
2018 Stats – GP: 68 G: 31 A: 17 P: 48
Birth: 06/26/01
Comparison: Geoff Courtnall
Tier Six
20. Matthew Robertson
Team: Edmonton League: WHL
Pos: LD Ht: 6’3 Wt: 196 Shot: L
2018 Stats – GP: 67 G: 7 A: 17 P: 24
Birth: 03/09/01
Comparison: Ryan McDonagh
21. Anttoni Honka
Team: JYP U-20 League: SM-Liiga
Pos: RD Ht: 5’10 Wt: 170 Shot: R
2018 Stats – GP: 28 G: 4 A: 13 P:17
Birth: 10/05/00
Comparison: Lubomir Visnovsky
22. Alex Vlasic
Team: USNTDP League: USHL
Pos: LD Ht: 6’5 Wt: 190 Shot: L
2018 Stats – GP: 34 G: 4 A: 9 P: 13
Birth: 06/05/01
Comparison: Colton Parayko
23. Blake Murray
Team: Sudbury League: OHL
Pos: LW Ht: 6’1 Wt: 179 Shot: L
2018 Stats – GP: 57 G: 21 A: 23 P: 44
Birth: 07/05/01
Comparison: Tanner Pearson
24. Jakob Pelletier
Team: Moncton League: QMJHL
Pos: LW Ht: 5’9 Wt: 159 Shot: LW
2018 Stats – GP: 60 G: 23 A: 38 P: 61
Birth: 03/07/01
Comparison: Nikolaj Ehlers
25. Matthew Boldy
Team: USNTDP League: USHL
Pos: LW Ht: 6’0 Wt: 174 Shot: L
2018 Stats – GP: 34 G: 12 A: 23 P: 35
Birth: 04/06/01
Comparison: Jason Pomminville
26. Ilya Mironov
Team: Loko-Yunior Yaroslavl League: NMHL
Pos: LD Ht: 6’3 Wt: 198 Shot: L
2018 Stats – GP: 15 G: 2 A: 6 P: 8
Birth: 03/15/01
Comparison: Janne Niinimaa
27. Case McCarthy
Team: USNTDP League: USHL
Pos: RD Ht: 6’1 Wt: 194 Shot: R
2018 Stats – GP: 22 G: 2 A: 7 P: 9
Birth: 01/09/01
Comparison: Justin Faulk
28. Daniil Gutik
Team: Loko-Yunior Yaroslavl League: NMHL
Pos: RW Ht: 6’3 Wt: 179 Shot: R
2018 Stats – GP: 12 G: 2 A: 8 P: 10
Birth: 08/31/01
Comparison: Jakub Voracek
29. Robert Mastrosimone
Team: Chicago League: USHL
Pos: LW Ht: 5’9 Wt: 159 Shot: L
2018 Stats – GP: 60 G: 16 A: 29 P: 45
Birth: 01/24/01
Comparison: Jonathan Marchessault
30. Nolan Foote
Team: Kelowna League: WHL
Pos: LW Ht: 6’3 Wt: 187 Shot: L
2018 Stats – GP: 50 G: 13 A: 27 P: 40
Birth: 11/29/00
Comparison: Kevin Hayes
31. Josh Williams
Team: Medicine Hat League: WHL
Pos: RW Ht: 6’1 Wt: 185 Shot: R
2018 Stats – GP: 47 G: 11 A: 9 P: 20
Birth: 03/08/01
Comparison: Chris Kreider
32. Ethan Keppen
Team: Flint League: OHL
Pos: LW Ht: 6’2 Wt: 205 Shot: L
2018 Stats – GP: 63 G: 10 A: 8 P: 18
Birth: 03/20/01
Comparison: Andrew Ladd
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