2020 NHL draft: Second and third year eligible prospects

Judd Brackett and the Canucks selected Aidan McDonough in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

Over the past few seasons, the NHL draft has trended older. More and more prospects are being selected in their second and third year of eligibility than ever before.

One such example locally is Aidan McDonough, a late ’99 who was selected by the Vancouver Canucks in the seventh round of the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. The Milton, Mass., native was drafted after putting up 25 goals and 24 assists in 56 games in the USHL with the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders.

McDonough’s performance as a freshman this past season at Northeastern vindicated his selection. The former Thayer star scored 11 goals and added 16 helpers as a newcomer for the Huskies.