10. Kole Lind (Kelowna Rockets) – has made a steady progression in his second year in the WHL. Lind is steady and responsible. There are many subtleties in his game. Scouting staffs that lean towards analytics would be happy to know that 17 of his 20 goals have come at even strength.
9. Maxime Comtois (Victoriaville Tigres) – we previously addressed Comtois’ identity as, “is he a power forward with skills or is he a skilled power forward?” A near month-long drought that started in third week of November didn’t help his cause. Of all the players projected to go in Round 1, Comtois has likely been most affected by the draft-year blues.
8. Morgan Frost (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds) – given ample opportunity as a rookie in 2015-16, Frost performs with high hockey IQ. He’s smart and patient with the puck, and really effective on the PP. His point totals have cooled down, especially in January but part of that has to do with the return of Blake Speers to the lineup.
7. Isaac Ratcliffe (Guelph Storm) – growing into his big body this season, Ratcliffe improved his skating over the summer. Already part of Guelph’s leadership group, Ratcliffe is future captain material. He shoots it well and will continue to adjust and adapt to his big frame and increased strength.
6. Conor Timmins (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds) – missed being eligible for the 2016 NHL Draft by just three days. Timmins has been Sault Ste. Marie’s most consistent defenceman, playing well at both ends of the ice. He’s got a heavy dose of compete in his game to compliment the two-way defenceman projection.
5. Nico Hischier (Halifax Mooseheads) – there’s wasn’t much room to move up from where Hischier was projected to go early in the season. Having said that, he took his QMJHL game and applied it at the world juniors. He’ll dart from Nolan Patrick’s rear view mirror to the blind spot and may even pass him at the wire.
4. Klim Kostin (Dynamo Moscow) – in the Year of Injuries, why not add another to the list; Kostin recently underwent shoulder surgery. Ironically enough, the injury if not pre-existing, was definitely heightened during the CIBC Canada-Russia series in November. His rating hasn’t really moved, but if he isn’t ready to return for least two months, how much hockey will be left to scout him?
3. Nick Suzuki (Owen Sound Attack) – the Attack are in the midst of a franchise-best run and Suzuki has been a big part of it. He’s shooting the puck more and with more authority, he’s better in the faceoff circle and brilliant on the PK. Suzuki has skyrocketed the most of any forward on the North American skaters list.
2. Timothy Liljegren (Rogle) – it’s been a difficult and tumultuous campaign as Liljegren has missed significant time fighting mono. He returned to find out that he was not going to be a part of Sweden’s world junior team. He’s struggled to regain his form with Rogle in the SHL, has since been demoted and loaned to Timra in the lower-ranked HockeyAllsvenskan.
1. Cale Makar (Brooks Bandits) – without a doubt the fastest rising defenceman in the draft. Makar is an undersized, smooth skating, puck-moving defenceman. He’s followed up a CJHL Rookie of the Year campaign by averaging over a point per game. Makar made his mark at the World Junior A Challenge where he wore a C for Team West while piling up 8 points in just 4 games. Makar is a right shot with a late birthday.
