NHL Draft: Projected top 5 selections
Panthers have 1st overall pick in Philadelphia
Here are the players who are likely to be the top five picks in the NHL draft on June 27 in Philadelphia:
Aaron Ekblad
Position: Defenceman
Hometown: Belle River, Ont.
Team: Barrie Colts (Ontario Hockey League)
Scouting report: NHL-ready at the age of 18, Ekblad is mature beyond his years on and off the ice. Trying to follow in the path of Canadian Olympians Shea Weber and Alex Pietrangelo, Ekblad has an all-around game and shouldn't have a steep learning curve ahead of him.
Sam Bennett
Position: Centre
Hometown: Holland Landing, Ont.
Team: Kingston Frontenacs of OHL
Scouting report: Considered a "complete package" by NHL Central Scouting's Dan Marr, Bennett is a consistent goal-scorer and playmaker. He couldn't do a pull-up at the scouting combine, but upper-body strength will come in time and match his 180-foot game.
Sam Reinhart
Position: Centre
Hometown: Vancouver
Team: Kootenay Ice (Western Hockey League)
Scouting report: Lauded for his hockey sense and vision, Reinhart is still growing as a player. The third son of former NHL defenceman Paul Reinhart can still get quicker with his skating, but he thinks his adjustment to pro hockey will be quicker after practising with Team Canada's world championship team this spring.
Leon Draisaitl
Position: Centre
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Team: Prince Albert Raiders of WHL
Scouting report: At six-foot-one and 208 pounds, Draisaitl is the most physically gifted of the top forwards available. The German who came to North America to develop has drawn comparisons to Jaromir Jagr for his ability to hold on to the puck under duress and get his shot off quickly.
Michael Dal Colle
Position: Left-winger
Hometown: Vaughan, Ont.
Team: Oshawa Generals of OHL
Scouting report: Dal Colle is at the bottom of this top crop perhaps only because he's a natural winger. His versatility is his biggest tool, though, considering he can kill penalties, play the point on the power play and score important but not flashy goals when called upon.
Comments
To encourage thoughtful and respectful conversations, first and last names will appear with each submission to CBC/Radio-Canada's online communities (except in children and youth-oriented communities). Pseudonyms will no longer be permitted.
By submitting a comment, you accept that CBC has the right to reproduce and publish that comment in whole or in part, in any manner CBC chooses. Please note that CBC does not endorse the opinions expressed in comments. Comments on this story are moderated according to our Submission Guidelines. Comments are welcome while open. We reserve the right to close comments at any time.
Become a CBC Member
Join the conversation Create account
Already have an account?