2019 NHL Draft: Forbes’ Top 93 Preseason Rankings

The 2018-19 season is just around the corner. With the NHL preseason starting soon, it won’t be long before it’s revealed which members of the 2018 NHL Draft class will be making their debuts this season.

Now, with major junior camps opening over the next couple weeks, the focus for some turns to the young players getting set for their chance to hear their names called at the 2019 NHL Draft in Vancouver next June. While their upcoming seasons will play a major role in defining their future, these young players are getting set to play in arguably the biggest games of their early careers.

With U.S. National Development Team star Jack Hughes more than likely a no-doubter at first overall, there’s a number of players jousting for the next few spots. That said, there’s a number of centers and defensemen up for grabs in the first few rounds – with the WHL providing a lot of talent for teams to choose from in June’s draft.

With THW’s Ryan Pike having already released his preliminary rankings with his top 50 and Larry Fisher releasing his top 124, here’s just one more early list to flood your head with this year’s draft-eligible players.

In it, I’ll provide you with my top 93 prospects. While I haven’t had the opportunity to watch each of these players play live – being from southwestern Ontario – I am relying on the few opportunities I have had as well as video and other input in making up my first preseason draft rankings for THW.

Preseason Rankings – Top 93

Now, remember these are preseason rankings. There’s a full season ahead giving these young players chances to move up and down the list. Some could fall outside the top 93, while others could make appearances as we head towards the 2019 NHL Draft.

Closing Out the Ranks

With that, there are a few things worth noting as we finish off these preseason rankings.

• Arseni Gritsyuk spent the 2017-18 season with Avangard Omsk U17 over in Russia and absolutely dominated the opposition. He fired home 28 goals in 36 regular season games and finished with a total of 75 points along with a plus-65 rating. He also tallied three points in five games at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, but the real test will come as he makes the jump to the MHL next season. That’s why he’s sitting just outside my top 100 – ranked 101st.
• Michal Mrazik is a big left-winger with a lot of growing to go. He’s already 6’4″ and weighs just under 200 pounds. While he only had 20 points in 40 regular season games, he went on to tally seven points in 12 relegation games and six points in four games in the Hlinka Gretzky Cup. He’ll have to take some steps in his game to climb higher than 104th.
• Brett Budgell may be my sleeper of the draft. After having an incredible season with the London Jr. Knights of the Alliance Hockey League, Budgell spent time in the USHL with the Chicago Steel – tallying just four points in 14 games. From there, he joined the QMJHL’s Charlottetown Islanders where he notched 10 goals and 22 points in 32 regular season games with another 12 points in 18 postseason games. That said, he plays a blue-collar type of game and could find himself climbing out of the 107th rank.

  

As always, I look forward to your thoughts on these preseason rankings. Are there players missing from this list – or some that maybe shouldn’t be on it in your opinion? Be sure to leave your thoughts by commenting below or via email at andrew@thehockeywriters.com.