THW’s 2016 NHL Draft Guide

The 2016 edition of the NHL Entry Draft takes place June 24th–25th at the First Niagara Center in Buffalo, New York. This draft class possesses a plethora of talent with potentially franchise-altering players available led by American Auston “Powers” Matthews plus the fabulous Finns – Jesse Puljujarvi and Patrick Laine.

Consider this your live home page for information for the 2016 NHL entry draft. Bookmark and check back often as it will be constantly updated leading up to hockey’s version of Christmas. THW’s 2016 NHL Entry Draft Guide – The Next Ones is your quintessential draft resource featuring:

• Detailed unique prospect profiles in The Next Ones format
• Mock Drafts
• Exclusive rankings
• Fantasy-based rankings
• Team Previews
• Looking ahead to the 2017 draft and beyond

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Highlights

•  2016 NHL Draft Watch: April Risers and Fallers
•  Patrik Laine Named Finnish Playoff MVP
•  5 Biggest Movers On Central Scouting’s Final List

Other Articles you just have to read:

• NCAA Hockey Could Replace The “Russian Factor”
• The NHL Draft & The Birth Of Champions
• Classic Draft Day Quotes

Rankings

NHL Draft Rankings: The Next Ones February Edition

• a.k.a. Chris’s List
• The Top 60
• Spreadsheet and PDF versions
• Prospect Profiler Notes on all players

Other THW Rankings:

• THW’s NHL Draft War Room Midterm Rankings (E-Mac)

  • Lastest rankings coming soon
  • Downloadable spreadsheet
• NHL Central Scouting’s Midterm Rankings Combined

• 2016 NHL Draft April Alternate Rankings – Pike’s Picks
• 2016 NHL Draft Midterm Consensus Rankings
• Top 2016 NHL Draft Eligible Prospects for Fantasy Hockey

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Mock Drafts

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Prospect Profiles & Interviews

(Alphabetical order by surname: click on name/link for detailed prospect profiles)

Eligibility

1. Players born between January 1, 1996, and September 15, 1998, are eligible for selection in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft.
2. Additionally, un-drafted, non-North American players born in 1995 are eligible for the draft
3. As well, those players who were drafted in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, but not signed by an NHL team and who were born after June 30, 1996, are also eligible to re-enter the draft.

Auston Matthews (Dominik Hew/doem.ch)

•  Vitali Abramov
•  Travis Barron
•  Jake Bean
•  Tyler Benson
•  William Bitten
•  Brayden Burke
•  Cole Candella
•  Alex DeBrincat
•  Dante Fabbro
•  Max Gerlach
•  Noah Gregor
•  Carter Hart
•  Brett Howden
•  Tyson Jost
•  Boris Katchouk
•  Clayton Keller
•  Jack Kopacka
•  Jordan Kyrou
•  Kyle Maksimovich
•  Victor Mete
•  Jacob Moverare
•  Markus Niemelainen
•  Andrew Peeke
•  Clifford Pu
•  German Rubtsov
•  Dante Salituro
•  Dmitri Sokolov
•  Jordy Stallard
•  Sam Steel
•  Tage Thompson
•  Carsen Twarynski
•  Dylan Wells

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Historical Essential Reads

• 1990 NHL Re-draft: Possibly the Best Draft Class Ever (Part I of II)
• 1990 NHL Re-draft: Possibly the Best Draft Class Ever (Part II)
• Historical Analysis of the NHL Entry Draft- Part 1
• Could The Sabres’ Pick of Taro Tsujimoto Happen Today?
• Analyzing Detroit’s Draft History – Are the Red Wings Really the Best?
• 5 Years Later: Redoing the 2011 NHL Draft

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Team Specific Prospect Articles

• Anaheim Ducks:

•  2015 NHL Draft: Anaheim Ducks Select Jacob Larsson

• Arizona Coyotes

• Boston Bruins:

• Buffalo Sabres:

• Calgary Flames

• Carolina Hurricanes

• Chicago Blackhawks

• Colorado Avalanche

• The Colorado Avalanche’s Best Late Round Draft Picks
• The Avalanche’s Disappointing Draft Picks

• Columbus Blue Jackets

• Dallas Stars

• Detroit Red Wings:

• Edmonton Oilers:

• Florida Panthers

• Los Angeles Kings:

• Minnesota Wild:

• Montreal Canadiens

• Nashville Predators:

• New Jersey Devils:

• New York Islanders:

• Islanders Remain in Great Shape After Reinhart Trade (2015)
• Analyzing Isles GM Garth Snow’s Past Drafts
• Next Wave Coming Soon to the NY Islanders

• New York Rangers:

• Ottawa Senators:

• Philadelphia Flyers:

The Philadelphia Flyers have used just one primary logo – THIS logo, in fact – in franchise history.

• Philadelphia Flyers Draft Class Of 2013: Where Are They Now?
• A Closer Look into Ron Hextall’s Draft Weekend Magic (2015)

• Pittsburgh Penguins

• San Jose Sharks:

• St. Louis Blues:

• Tampa Bay Lightning:

• Tampa Bay Lightning Draft Review (2015)
• The 2015 Draft for the Tampa Bay Lightning
• Jonathan Drouin, Seth Jones and the 2013 NHL Entry Draft
• Tampa Bay’s Transformation: The Yzerman Effect

• Toronto Maple Leafs: 

• Vancouver Canucks:

• Should Canucks Trade for Higher First Round Pick?
• Canucks 33rd Overall Pick is Best Chance to Draft a D-Man
• Breaking Down Canucks’ Trade Failures at NHL Draft
• Round Up Of Canucks’ 2000-09 1st Round Picks

• Washington Capitals:

 

• Washington Capitals Restock Defense Pipeline at Draft (2015)
• Ranking the Russians: Capitals First-Round Picks

• Winnipeg Jets:

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The Next, Next Ones – Beyond the 2016 Draft:

•  Remember the Name: Stuart Skinner

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Extra Reading:

• Book Review: The Art of Scouting by Shane Malloy
• Essential Hockey Read: Behind The Moves
• Late Round Larceny: THW’s Shawn Reznik looks at the dubious task of drafting goalies.
• Draft Day: The Curse of the Sixth Pick
• The Age Old Question: CHL vs. NCAA?
• The Russian Non-Factor – NHL Theory May Become Obsolete
• What’s the best round to draft a goalie? by Ryan Pike
• The Best Late Round Gems Of The NHL Entry Draft Since 2000 (Part I – ’00-’02 Drafts)
• Translating AHL Success To The NHL

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THW The Next Ones Draft Guide Archives:

For prior year’s detailed draft previews/guides:

• 2015 NHL Draft Guide: The Next Ones
• 2014 NHL Draft Guide: The Next Ones
  • City of Brotherly Love Edition
• 2013 NHL Entry Draft Preview
• 2012 NHL Entry Draft Preview
• 2011 NHL Entry Draft Preview
• 2010 NHL Entry Draft Preview
• 2009 NHL Entry Draft Preview

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Special thanks to fellow THW  writers, prospect profilers, integral contributors:

• Eldon MacDonald
• RYAN PIKE
• DENNIS SCHELLENBERG
• MARK SCHEIG
• ANDREW FORBES
• JOSEPH ALEONG
• Ross Bonander

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THW’s The Next Ones prospect profile template design architect: Chris Ralph

Christopher Ralph is THW’s senior prospect & draft analyst & a Managing Editor at THW.

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Follow ChrisRalphTHW on Twitter as he infiltrates, dissects and analyzes all happenings of hockey prospects & the NHL entry draft.

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This document is the intellectual property of Christopher Ralph and cannot be used or duplicated in any way without expressed written consent. Any use of this document without the expressed written consent of Christopher Ralph will result in public exposure and legal prosecution.