clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

2014 NHL Draft Rankings: Consensus Top 30

Defense is missing from the first round and there are some excellent offensive talents available.

Charles LeClaire-US PRESSWIRE

The pre-season lists have been released but we wait on word for the Maharaja of draft prognostication, Bob McKenzie. There are a couple of interesting aspects to the Top 30, but change is the watchword for this list. The final June list won't look anything like this one.

The sources for the consensus list are Future Considerations, ISS, Red Line Report, Corey Pronman of Hockey Prospectus. Their rankings are weight by their accuracy in ranking previous drafts: Future Considerations' rankings carry the most weight as they were the most accurate prognosticator in the group.

#
Pos
Name
DOB
Ht - Wt L/R
Team
1 C Sam Reinhart 11/6/1995 6'1, 186 R Kootenay
2 F Willie Nylander 5/1/1996 5'10, 163 R Sodertalje
3 D Aaron Ekblad 2/7/1996 6'4, 213 R Barrie
4 C Leon Draisaitl 10/27/1995 6'0, 199 L Prince Albert
5 F Nicholas Ritchie 12/5/1995 6'3, 218 L Peterborough
6 F Blake Clarke 1/24/1996 6'1, 190 L Brampton
7 F Michael Dal Colle 6/20/1996 6'2, 172 L Oshawa
8 D Roland McKeown 1/20/1996 6'0, 186 R Kingston
9 F Jakub Vrana 2/28/1996 6'0, 183 L Linkoping
10 C Jared McCann 5/31/1996 6'0, 175 L S.S. Marie
11 F Sam Bennett 6/20/1996 6'0, 165 L Kingston
12 F Ivan Barbashev 12/14/1995 6'0, 181 L Moncton
13 F Jake Virtanen 8/17/1996 6'0, 199 R Calgary
14 F Anton Karlsson 9/3/1996 6'0, 170 L Frolunda
15 F Kaspar Kapanen 7/23/1996 5'11, 165 R Kuopio
16 F Joshua Ho-Sang 1/22/1996 5'11, 160 R Windsor
17 D Haydn Fleury 7/8/1996 6'3, 202 L Red Deer
18 F Nikolai Goldobin 10/7/1995 5'11, 165 L Sarnia
19 D Jack Glover 5/17/1996 6'3, 173 R USNT
20 C Conner Bleackley 7/2/1996 6'0, 197 R Red Deer
21 F Matthew Mistele 10/17/1995 6'2, 183 L Plymouth
22 F David Pastrnak 5/25/1996 5'11, 165 L Sodertalje
23 D Brycen Martin 5/9/1996 6'1, 178 L Swift Current
24 D Jacob Middleton 1/2/1996 6'3, 194 L Ottawa
25 F Oskar Lindblom 8/15/1996 6'2, 187 L Brynas
26 C Adrian Kempe 9/13/1996 6'2, 178 L Modo
27 F Spencer Watson 4/25/1996 5'10, 165 L Kingston
28 F Tyson Baillie 11/16/1995 5'10, 195 R Kelowna
29 F Brandon Robinson 10/13/1995 6'3, 200 L Brampton
30 D Adam Ollas Mattsson 7/30/1996 6'3, 194 L Djurgardens

The big trend that jumps off of the page is the lack of defensemen in the first round. Just 7 blueliners broke into the preseason rankings, and while defensemen will move into the first round, 7 is the lowest number in the first round since I began building this list.

Sam Reinhart is at the top of the list and according to one scout, fans will find his play very familiar because he's got a game reminiscent of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, plus some.

Aaron Ekblad has been a popular name in draft circles for what seems like a decade and though he's ranked 3rd here, I've talked to two people familiar with the OHL who think he may slip.

Leon Draisaitl may become the highest-drafted German-born player (Dany Heatley's extra-national birth notwithstanding) by 15 spots. He drew comparisons to Patrice Bergeron from one scout.

Jordan Eberle fans should keep an eye on Nikolay Goldobin. He's ranked 18th, but plays a very similar game and should have an enormous year in Sarnia.