The 2015 NHL entry draft has been on the minds of fans of some fanbases for the entire season. The presence of Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel, two prospects with the ability to significantly alter a franchise's future path, is a rare opportunity for teams drafting early.
In turn, there were two separate races throughout the season. The usual race to the top in search of the Presidents' Trophy and an equally common but usually far less publicized race to the bottom to maximize a team's chances of landing one of those two rising stars.
The Buffalo Sabres won the "tanking" battle to guarantee they will select inside the top two following the draft lottery. It's a major coup. So let's take a closer look at the aforementioned coveted tandem along with some of the other players who will likely hear their names called early at the draft.
2015 NHL Draft Details
Where: BB&T Center in Sunrise, Florida
When: June 26-27
Top Prospects to Watch
The Dynamic Duo
1. Connor McDavid (C, Erie Otters, OHL)
McDavid is a truly special talent. The phrase "generational player" is probably tossed around a bit too much these days, but if anybody fits the bill, it's him. He's capable of stepping into a No. 1 center role on his first day at practice and filling it for the next decade and beyond.
Sidney Crosby is widely regarded as the best current NHL player. He scored 168 points in 62 games (2.71 PPG) in his final junior season. McDavid tallied 120 points in 47 games (2.55 PPG) this regular season with the Otters. Not equal, but the stats are in same ballpark.
Those numbers allowed him to solidify his place atop the NHL Central Scouting final rankings. Stephen Whyno of the Canadian Press (via The Globe and Mail) passed along comments from the future star about the honor and the upcoming draft.
"It's a pretty special thing," McDavid said. "You're honored to be the top-ranked guy, I guess. It's a good position to be in, but there's still a lot of work to be done and still a lot of time from now to the draft. Anything could happen."
He checks all the boxes when evaluating a prospect. His hockey sense is extraordinary. He can skate by defenders as if their skates were stuck in quicksand. He knows how to create golden scoring opportunities for his teammates. And yes, he can also finish chances at a high rate.
It's simply hard to imagine a scenario where he doesn't have a long, successful NHL career. Even if he never reaches a Crosby level, he should be a highly reliable top-line center. That's an extremely valuable asset in today's game.
That said, within a few years, he should develop into one of the league's best players.
2. Jack Eichel (C, Boston University, Hockey East)
Eichel would be the clear first pick in a high number of recent draft classes. Being in the same group as McDavid makes things more interesting. Whether he can make a serious push to become the No. 1 pick once the lottery winner is determined is something to watch.
Even if he goes second, the outlook is much the same as his fellow top prospect. He's a future top-line center with the ability to put a franchise on his shoulders for a long time. He illustrated that as the leading scorer in Division I hockey as a freshman.
Dave Davis of Kukla's Korner provided the view of scouts:
That's obviously high praise. He certainly has the talent to live up to that standard. Outplaying college competition, which is tougher than the OHL, on a nightly basis shows that he's ready to perform at the NHL level immediately.
Just like McDavid, he's got all the tools. He can play in any situation, including the penalty kill, and the coaching staff has shown no concern about putting a first-year player out in crunch time during BU's run to the NCAA national championship game. One particular thing that stands out is his acceleration—the ability to quickly turn defense into offense.
He's probably a shade behind McDavid right now due to long-term upside, but whichever team ends up with the second pick should still be happy.
Top Consolation Prizes
3. Noah Hanifin (D, Boston College, Hockey East)
Hanifin is the most talented defenseman in the class. His free-flowing skating ability stands out. It allows him to join the rush without any concern about getting back on defense. That's even more impressive when you consider the freshman's growing physical presence (6'3'', 205 pounds) on the ice.
He's still a bit raw defensively but has the skill set necessary to become a high-end, two-way defenseman in the NHL over time. John Buccigross of ESPN believes he may return to college, meaning whichever team drafts him would have to wait another year before he joins the roster:
Even if he makes that decision, it shouldn't have a major impact on his draft stock. Drafting is still about the future benefits a prospect can provide. Not everybody is a ready-made star like the first two players on this list. Hanifin has an extremely bright future on the blue line.
4. Dylan Strome (C, Erie Otters, OHL)
Playing on the same junior team as McDavid can make it difficult to garner the spotlight. Strome managed to do it. He led the OHL in scoring during the regular season, showing his more coveted teammate might not be the only future No. 1 NHL center on the roster.
The biggest debate surrounding him leading up to the draft was whether McDavid's presence helped bolster his numbers and therefore his draft stock. Mark Scheig of The Hockey Writers dispelled that notion by providing Strome's numbers when the projected top pick was out of the lineup:
Given the fact that Strome played 21 games without McDavid this season, this is a good place to start. He played as the number 1 center in all 21 of those games. He scored 35 points, 18 goals and 17 assists, in those games. This includes his 6-point effort in the final game of the regular season to clinch the scoring title. Strome was also a +7 in those 21 games.
His skating needs more polish and he'll need to bulk up to survive the wear and tear of an NHL season. That said, he's a gifted offensive playmaker that improved markedly this season. Should steadily develop into a reliable No. 2 pro center, at worst.
5. Mitch Marner (C, London Knights, OHL)
It was a close call between Marner and Lawson Crouse to round out the top five. While Crouse is probably the better all-around player at this stage, the Knights' center gets the nod thanks to his more promising potential in the offensive zone.
Marner finished second to Strome in OHL scoring. He doesn't have ideal size and will need to bulk up before becoming a regular NHL player. He has no problem creating scoring chances, though. Andrew Sykes of The Scout is bullish about the center's future:
He's another prospect who's going to need some time before he makes a major impact at the NHL level. His ability to read the play and finish makes him worth waiting for, though. His presence on the fringe of the top five showcases exactly how talented this draft class is.