2020 NHL Draft: Top New England Prospects

Northeastern commit Sam Colangelo is the top-rated player from New England for the 2020 NHL Draft. (Paul Rutherford/Lawrence Academy)

It’s never too early to look ahead. Despite the 2019 NHL Draft still being just over seven months away, some organizations have begun planning for the 2020 NHL Draft.

Several NHL organizations employ an amateur scout whose primary role is to keep tabs on underage prospects. While most of the attention for this year’s draft is on players born between September 16, 2000 and September 15, 2001, these scouts would be honing in on the players born between September 16, 2001 and September 15, 2002.

One thought to having a scout focus on the following year’s draft is to have a better idea on how players are trending. For example, it’s easier to know if a player’s development track is trending upward or downward. It also gives cross-over scouts a head start the following season.

While New England is primed for a big 2019 NHL Draft, the 2020 class could be a down year comparatively. The best ’02 in New England is Matt Beniers, a late ’02 who isn’t eligible until 2021.