The NHL Central Scouting Final Rankings were released Wednesday afternoon ahead of the 2020 NHL Draft.
Players born between Jan. 1, 2000, and Sept. 15, 2002, are eligible for the 2020 NHL Draft. The exact date of the 2020 NHL Draft remains up in the air because of the coronavirus. It was originally scheduled for June 26-27 in Montreal.
NHL Central Scouting breaks down their rankings into four categories: North American skaters, North American goaltenders, European skaters and European goaltenders. While all NHL organizations have their own rankings and might feel differently than Central Scouting, this list gives fans a good idea of where players might be selected in the draft.
Not surprisingly, Rimouski Oceanic left wing Alexis Lafreniere was the top ranked North American skater. The late ’01 led the QMJHL in scoring with 35 goals and 77 assists for 112 points in just 52 games. A native of Saint-Eustache, Quebec, he put up four goals and six assists in five games at the World Junior Championship this December and January.
Following him were a pair of players from the OHL: Sudbury Wolves center Quinton Byfield and Erie Otters defenseman Jamie Drysdale. The first American, U.S. NTDP U-18 defenseman and North Dakota commit Jake Sanderson, came in as the fourth-best North American skater.
Fourteen players from New England made the NHL Central Scouting Final Rankings. In addition, several players on the rosters of or committed to a team in New England made the cut.
Stoneham, Mass., native Sam Colangelo, a Northeastern commit and Chicago Steel right wing, was the top-ranked player from New England. The former Lawrence Academy star came in at No. 31 after finishing third in goals and points in the USHL. In 44 games, Colangelo lit the lamp 28 times and added 30 assists for 58 points.
Merrimack and UConn each had two players from their rosters make the final rankings. The only prep school to get more than one player listed was Lawrence Academy. Forwards Riley Duran (Woburn, Mass.) and David Sacco (Middleton, Mass.) represented the Spartans, as did alums Gunnarwolfe Fontaine (East Greenwich, R.I.) and the aforementioned Colangelo.
Harvard paced New England colleges with seven recruits in the final rankings. Boston College, Boston University, and Northeastern each have four recruits on the list.
Below are all the players with New England ties on the 2020 NHL Central Scouting Final Rankings:
North American Skaters
24. Ty Smilanic, C, U.S. NTDP U-18 (Quinnipiac)
31. Sam Colangelo, RW, Stoneham, Mass./Chicago Steel (Northeastern)
36. Yan Kuznetsov, D, UConn
40. Luke Tuch, LW, U.S. NTDP U-18 (Boston University)
43. Dylan Peterson, C, U.S. NTDP U-18 (Boston University)
45. Brett Berard, LW, East Greenwich, R.I./U.S. NTDP U-18 (Providence)
47. Ian Moore, D, Concord, Mass./St. Mark’s (Harvard)
51. Eamon Powell, D, U.S. NTDP U-18 (Boston College)
61. Alex Laferriere, RW, Des Moines Buccaneers (Harvard)
62. Sean Farrell, C, Hopkinton, Mass./Chicago Steel (Harvard)
71. Colby Ambrosio, C, Tri-City Storm (Boston College)
82. Zach Uens, D, Merrimack
92. Chase Yoder, C, U.S. NTDP U-18 (Providence)
93. Artem Shlaine, C, Shattuck-St. Mary’s (Boston University)
95. Riley Duran, C/RW, Woburn, Mass./Lawrence Academy (Providence)
97. Alex Jefferies, LW, Luneburg, Mass./Gunnery (Merrimack)
105. Ryan McGuire, C, New Canaan, Conn./Belmont Hill (Colgate)
111. Carsen Richels, LW, Blaine (New Hampshire)
122. Jake Flynn, D, Milton, Mass./UConn
124. Aidan Thompson, C, Berkshire School (Denver)
126. Nick Capone, RW, East Haven, Conn./Tri-City Storm (UConn)
127. Lucas Mercuri, C, Salisbury School (Vermont)
131. Mason Langenbrunner, D, Eden Prairie (Harvard)
141. David Sacco, C, Middleton, Mass./Lawrence Academy (New Hampshire)
142. Danny Weight, C, Penticton Vees (Boston College)
143. Trevor Kuntar, C, Youngstown Phantoms (Harvard)
158. Kyle Aucoin, D, Tri-City Storm (Harvard)
160. Timofey Spitserov, RW, Culver Military Academy (UMass)
162. Declan Carlile, D, Merrimack
182. Timothy Lovell, D, Hingham, Mass./Des Moines Buccaneers (Boston College)
184. Christian Jimenez, D, Sioux City Musketeers (Harvard)
187. Paul Dore, LW, Kimball Union
195. Seamus Campbell, RW, St. Louis Jr. Blues (Quinnipiac)
211. Gunnarwolfe Fontaine, LW, East Greenwich, R.I./Chicago Steel (Northeastern)
212. Carl Berglund, C, UMass Lowell
214. Chase Bradley, LW, Omaha Lancers (Northeastern)
215. Noah Ellis, D, Des Moines Buccaneers (UMass)
*LV. Ben Meehan, D, Walpole, Mass./Cedar Rapids RoughRiders (UMass Lowell)
*-limited viewing
North American Goaltenders
2. Drew Commesso, G, Norwell, Mass./U.S. NTDP U-18 (Boston University)
8. Devon Levi, G, Carleton Place Canadians (Northeastern)
17. Colin Purcell, G, Youngstown Phantoms (UMass)
18. Gustave Bylin, G, South Kent Selects Academy 18-U
21. Grant Riley, G, Janesville Jets (Boston College)
23. Gabriel Carriere, G, Waterloo Black Hawks (Vermont)
27. Victor Ostman, G, Chicago Steel (Maine)
