NHL Central Scouting released its first look at players eligible for next June's NHL Draft. Five players with University of Minnesota ties made the cut.
All five are among 18 Minnesota natives to be named to the full list, which can be seen here.
Gopher freshman defenseman Nate Knoepke, in his second year of draft eligibility, was given a "C" grade by Central Scouting. Two Minnesota forward commits - Blake McLaughlin and Jaxon Nelson - were given "B" grades. Two others - Jack Jensen and Colin Schmidt - received "C" grades.
An "A" player is seen by NHL Central as a potential first round pick. "B" players would go in the second or third round while "C" players go later.
NHL Central Scouting exists as a hypothetical 32nd team and how that team would have its board if the 2018 NHL Draft was held today. Other teams likely have different players ranked higher or lower.
Additionally, things can and will change by the time June comes around, something Knoepke would know all too well. The Farmington, MN native went undrafted in his first year of eligibility despite being 79th among North American skaters in Central Scouting's final rankings this past April. Sammy Walker, meanwhile, fell off the rankings yet was drafted by an NHL team. Other players, such as Rem Pitlick (not named to the watch list and eventually drafted in the third round) end up working their way on to future lists.
No Minnesotans were named "A" players. Of the players with "A" rankings, five have college ties, including current Michigan freshman defenseman Quinn Hughes and Boston University freshman forward Brady Tkachuk.
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