This past weekend, the NHL held its 2014 Entry Level Draft. A total of 62 current and or committed college hockey players were selected in the 2014 NHL draft. Over half of the teams in college hockey were represented during the 2014 NHL Draft, 31-of-59 division I teams had players that were drafted (.525).
Four college bound players were selected in the first round of 2014 NHL Draft. That’s an increase over last year.
In the 2013 NHL Draft, there was one college bound player selected in the first round, Michael McCarron, the former Western Michigan recruit was selected 25th overall by the Montreal Canadians. After the 2013 NHL Draft, McCarron decommitted from Western Michigan, and signed a contract with the London Knights of the OHL.
College hockey players selected in the first three rounds
First round (4)
Pick NHL Team Name, Pos School (Conference)
15 Detroit Dylan Larkin, Forward Michigan (B10)
16 Columbus Sonny Milano, Forward Boston College (HEA)
18 Minnesota Alex Tuch, Forward Boston College (HEA)
20 Chicago Nick Schmaltz, Forward North Dakota (NCHC)
Second Round (8)
Pick NHL Team Name, Pos School (Conference)
36 Vancouver Thatcher Demko, Goalie Boston College (HEA)
41 New Jersey Joshua Jacobs, Defense Michigan State (B10)
47 Columbus Ryan Collins, Defense Minnesota (B10)
51 Nashville Jack Dougherty,Defense Wisconsin (B10)
52 St. Louis Maxim Letunov, Forward Boston University (HEA)
55 Anaheim Brandon Montour, Defense Massachusetts (HEA)
56 Boston Ryan Donato-I(’15), Forward Harvard (ECAC)
57 Tampa Bay Jonathan MacLeod, Defense Boston University (HEA)
Third Round (9)
Pick NHL Team Name, Pos School (Conference)
64 Calgary Brandon Hickey, Defense Boston University (HEA)
67 Carolina Warren Foegele, Forward New Hampshire (HEA)
69 Winnipeg Jack Glover, Defense Minnesota (B10)
70 Ottawa Miles Gendron, Defense Connecticut (HEA)
80 Minnesota Louis Belpedio, Defense Miami (NCHC)
82 St. Louis Jake Walman, Defense Providence (HEA)
83 Chicago Matheson Iacopell, Forward Western Michigan (NCHC)
86 Philadelphia Mark Friedman, Defense Bowling Green (WCHA)
88 Chicago Beau Starrett, Forward Cornell (ECAC)
Hockey East leads the way
Hockey East led the way with 21 players being taken in the 2014 NHL Draft. Hockey East schools, Boston University and Boston College, each had five players drafted. Boston College had two players drafted in the first round (Sonny Milano 16th, Alex Tuch 18th).
Down year for college hockey
According to Adam Wodon of College Hockey News, this year’s draft was a down year, based on the number of college hockey players that were picked during the 2014 NHL draft.
The total of 62 was on the low end for NCAA picks. Since the draft went to seven rounds in 2005, the lowest number was 61 in 2011, while the highest was 78 in 2007.
According to College Hockey Inc., 70% of NCAA first-round picks from 2000-06 made the NHL, outpacing all other development paths. It will be interesting to see how this year’s class comparers to other years.
You can also check out the Hockey Writers mock draft to see how they did.