Muir's Top 20 NHL Draft Prospects

Author:
SI Staff
Publish date:
Jun 21, 2012

Muir's Top 20 NHL Draft Prospects

Nail Yakupov

"He's an entertainer," one scout said. "He plays at top speed and...executes plays that others couldn't imagine." Being the fastest, most creative player is one thing, but it's Yakupov's desire that makes him special. He's used to battling through the heaviest checking and he competes at both ends of the ice. He's not big, but he won't be intimidated. He takes the abuse, then finds a way to get to where he can make things happen. He'll be an All-Star caliber player. To read Allan Muir's complete first round Mock Draft CLICK HERE

Ryan Murray

The word every scout uses to describe him is "mature", as in "he plays a mature game." That's telling, because it suggests that what you see is what you get. That's not to say he won't get better as he gets more experience under his belt, but there's not a lot of projection involved, either. If you saw him play (albeit sparingly) for Canada at the World Championships, you could see that he plays a reliable, all-around game. To read Allan Muir's complete first round Mock Draft CLICK HERE

Alex Galchenyuk

He comes with question marks -- a torn ACL limited him to just two regular season games -- but there's less uncertainty given how well ACL recoveries go these days. And there is so much upside with this kid. He has tremendous hockey sense, plays a reliable defensive game and is equally adept at playmaking as he is at finishing. He'll need another year or two in juniors to compensate for lost development time, but he's a good bet to mature into a top-six role. To read Allan Muir's complete first round Mock Draft CLICK HERE

Filip Forsberg

No relation to Peter, what Forsberg lacks in electricity, he makes up for in determination. "He has a lot of battle in him," one scout said. "He works hard for the puck, protects it well, and gets it to the net." Paired with a playmaking center, he'll be a consistent finisher. Scouts rave about his leadership qualities -- he's the sort of player who can rally a room around him and carry it during tough times. To read Allan Muir's complete first round Mock Draft CLICK HERE

Mikhail Grigorenko

There's a lot to like about him, including his size, scoring ability, speed, creativity, and offensive upside. But when you find a scout who is willing to offer up a comparable player, he names guys like Alexei Yashin and Olli Jokinen: good players, the kind that put up some solid numbers but aren't thought of as guys you win with. To read Allan Muir's complete first round Mock Draft CLICK HERE

Mathew Dumba

It's easy to get caught up in his offensive numbers -- he scored 20 goals this season, then led the Under-18 tournament in scoring, so he knows how to get the puck to the net -- but he's also an aggressive defender in his own zone who's capable of delivering a game-changing, open-ice hit. Of course, that's a tougher game to play at the pro level, especially at his size. He has a couple years to fill out his frame, but the hope is that he'll learn to rely more on his skating, puck skills and smarts. To read Allan Muir's complete first round Mock Draft CLICK HERE

Teuvo Teravainen

A dynamic winger who just might be the most creative scorer in this year's class. "Great vision, agile skater, handles the puck well in traffic," said one scout. He also earned praise as a shooter, but there are cautions that he tends to play on the perimeter in Finland. If he wants to score in the NHL, he needs to drive the net, and if he's not doing that at this size, he'll need at least a couple of years to add some muscle to his frame. To read Allan Muir's complete first round Mock Draft CLICK HERE

Morgan Rielly

Scouts didn't get much time to see Rielly this year -- he tore his ACL in his 18th game and missed the rest of the season plus two rounds of the playoffs -- but that didn't limit their enthusiasm. He scored 24 points in the 23 games he played, confirming his reputation as someone who can generate offense from the blueline. A beautiful skater before the injury, he looked fluid in those five playoff contests, and tests at the draft combine showed that his knee is fine. "He looked good," said a scout in attendance who praised Rielly as the best passer in the draft, and one of the sharpest minds. To read Allan Muir's complete first round Mock Draft CLICK HERE

Radek Faksa

A burgeoning power forward with a great work ethic. "He has that blend of size and skill that every team wants down the middle," a scout said. He'll need to add some muscle to play the same way in the NHL, but with a velvety touch and a responsible approach to defense, it's easy to see him maturing into a nice second line center. To read Allan Muir's complete first round Mock Draft CLICK HERE

Cody Ceci

Ceci projects as something like a poor-man's Dan Boyle, a second-pairing defender at worst. He has good size, is solid on his feet and makes sound decisions with and without the puck. He eats a lot of important minutes for Ottawa in the OHL because he can be counted on to play a complete, 200-foot game. "He doesn't shy away from contact, but when you see a player that size, you want to see him use the body more often," a scout warned. To read Allan Muir's complete first round Mock Draft CLICK HERE

Olli Maatta

It's conceivable that he could go top-10 after making an impression during London's run to the Memorial Cup Final. Still, he plays such an unglamorous game that he's likely to slide. "He plays a meat-and-potatoes [style]," a scout said. "He's physical, he battles, he's got a lot of compete in him." Another suggested that Maatta may develop enough of an offensive game one day to be trusted with first-pairing minutes: "He makes a good first pass and he can get the puck to the net, but I don't expect him to be a point producer. He could be a reliable top-four defender, though." To read Allan Muir's complete first round Mock Draft CLICK HERE

Zemgus Girgensons

"I could see him going [top 10]," a scout said. It's easy to see why after a season in which Girgensons was the most effective draft-eligible player in the USHL. There are questions about his offensive upside -- scouts I spoke with pegged his at 15-25 goals and 45-60 points -- but what Girgensons lacks in finishing polish, he makes up for with grit. He always wants the puck and he'll run you over if that's what it takes to get it. "He's a miserable S.O.B. to play against," the same scout offered. To read Allan Muir's complete first round Mock Draft CLICK HERE

Griffin Reinhart

The son of former All-Star Paul Reinhart is blessed with an uncannily high hockey IQ and the patience of Job -- if Job had been a skilled puck-handler who showed incredible poise under pressure from hulking forecheckers. What really motivates scouts is the sense that he's just scratched the surface of what he'll become. To read Allan Muir's complete first round Mock Draft CLICK HERE

Hampus Lindholm

Ask any scout about him and his description invariably starts with his skating. "He's quick off the mark, great balance, agile, can turn on a dime," one said. The top-rated European defender, Lindholm also earns praise for his passing and his poise under pressure. He's equally adept in his own end, where he uses his size effectively, if not aggressively. To read Allan Muir's complete first round Mock Draft CLICK HERE

Slater Koekkoek

Another asterisk player who missed all but 26 games with a torn labrum. If not for the injury, the buzz would have been about the workhorse duty he pulled. It wasn't unusual for Koekkoek (pronounced koo-koo) to log 25-30 minutes a night for the Petes, in all situations. One scout compared him to former NHLer Daryl Sydor. "He won't be an elite defender, but he has all the tools to be a really, really good one," the scout said. "Great size, strong skater, good hockey sense, fierce competitor. Plays an all-around game," said another. To read Allan Muir's complete first round Mock Draft CLICK HERE

Matthew Finn

There's not a lot of flash, but he always seems to make the right play. "He's a smart hockey player, so he knows where to be and what to do when he gets there," one scout said. "He's always in position and you can't outwork him." He's also a huge minute muncher, soaking up time on the penalty kill and the power play. He's not a bomber from the point, but he gets the puck to the net and he's excellent in transition. "He'll never be an All-Star, but he's the type of player you can win with," the same scout said. To read Allan Muir's complete first round Mock Draft CLICK HERE

Jacob Trouba

Regarded as one of the best athletes in the draft, he's a defenseman in the mold of Dion Phaneuf -- nasty in his own end with the ability to make things happen in the offensive zone as well. He's quick on his feet and makes the most of his size to intimidate opposing forwards. If there's a chance to make the big hit, he's happy to oblige. He's aggressive with the puck and has a big bomb from the point. There are some questions about his ability to read the game defensively. To read Allan Muir's complete first round Mock Draft CLICK HERE

Tomas Hertl

Scouts love his big body and believe he still has some filling out to do, which bodes well for a physical and defensive style that has earned comparisons to Martin Hanzal. Beyond that, he's a bit limited. Hertl's not the most agile skater or finisher, and he has a tendency to try to do too much. If he simplifies his game and learns to use his wingers more effectively, he could mature into a solid checking center. To read Allan Muir's complete first round Mock Draft CLICK HERE

Ludvig Bystrom

One scout suggested that Bystrom's play is very reminiscent of Erik Karlsson in his early days. A great skater and strong disher, he's built to key the transition game. And like Karlsson, he can get a little caught up in playmaking, putting his team at a disadvantage in the defensive zone. "I wonder if he's easily distracted, because sometimes he plays that way," one scout said. He's also more physical than Karlsson (101 minutes in 34 junior league games). To read Allan Muir's complete first round Mock Draft CLICK HERE

Brady Skjei

Not everyone likes Skjei -- who is slated to play for the Minnesota Gophers next season -- to go in the first round, but some have fallen in love with his effortless skating and his big frame. The rest of his skill set might drop him into the second round. He's not particularly physical, and his transition skills are average. If he can be taught to address these flaws, he might mature into a second-pairing defender. To read Allan Muir's complete first round Mock Draft CLICK HERE