By: 
Seth Jarvis, RW
Current team: Portland Winterhawks, WHL
Hometown: Winnipeg
NHL Central Scouting rank: 11th among North American skaters
Prospect watch: will be the highest Manitoban drafted since Nolan Patrick went No. 2 overall to the Philadelphia Flyers and Cody Glass went No. 6 to the Vegas Golden Knights in 2017.
Draft talk: “He’s No. 7 on our list and it’s for good reason,” says Mark Edwards, founder and director of scouting for HockeyProspect.com. “He might even end up being on the wing in the NHL, I’m not predicting it one way or the other. We were prepared for maybe how that works out and we’re fine with it because he’s going to be a line driver from the wing, if that happens. He’s a guy who affects play a lot, just incredible tenacity. He’s the energizer. We watched games where he really took over and made a huge impact. He’s a smart player. He’s impressive the way he went to the net. He could play-make and make guys better but he also took the puck to the net and scored from the inside, and the way goaltenders are today you’ve gotta be able to get to the inside and score... I think he’s going to go higher than some people think.”
Tristen Robins, C-RW
Current team: Saskatoon Blades, WHL
Hometown: Clear Lake
NHL Central Scouting rank: 86th among NA skaters
Prospect watch: almost tripled his point production from his rookie season in the WHL after a late birthday pushed him into 2020 draft class.
Draft talk: “(Brayden) Point comparisons as potential third-round steal but could be big riser based on those similarities,” says Larry Fisher, WHL scout for FC Hockey and head scout/senior writer for The Hockey Writers. “Surprising first-rounder? Unlikely, but never say never. Second round/top 50 starting to sound more likely (he is gaining momentum) but should be taken in top 100 regardless.”
Braden Schneider, RD
Current team: Brandon Wheat Kings, WHL
Hometown: Prince Albert, Sask.
NHL Central Scouting rank: ninth among NA skaters
Prospect watch: showed a growing confidence in his offensive game in 2019-20 but he is a feared defender with a nasty edge. Makes life miserable for opposing forwards. As a pro, would be a ideal partner for a high-end, point-producing first-pairing blue-liner.
Draft talk: “He’s got a high floor,” says Fisher. “You know he’s going to be Travis Hamonic at worst and at best, he might be Colton Parayko. Some people have even said Shea Weber potential. I see him more (as) Parayko.”
Ridly Greig, LW/C
Current team: Brandon Wheat Kings, WHL
Hometown: Lethbridge, Alta.
NHL Central Scouting rank: 14th among NA skaters
Prospect watch: another steady riser in the draft rankings (up nine slots from mid-season), Greig has superb bloodlines (dad Mark and uncle Bruce were both NHLers) and an abrasive side to his game scouts love.
Draft talk: “A lot of people are giving him the poor man’s Jonathan Toews comparison,” says Fisher. “He’s a two-way force.”
Daemon Hunt, LD
Current team: Moose Jaw Warriors, WHL
Hometown: Brandon
NHL Central Scouting rank: 25th among NA skaters
Prospect watch: suffered an awful injury when a skate blade badly damaged his right arm and probably torpedoed his hopes of being chosen in the first round. Returned to the Moose Jaw lineup late in the season
Draft talk: “Wild card due to freak injury absence and bad team,” says Fisher. “Could go 30-100 basically. I assume some team reaches for him with his upside in the 50-75 range.”
Connor McClennon, RW
Current team: Winnipeg Ice, WHL
Hometown: Wainwright, Alta.
NHL Central Scouting rank: 65th among NA skaters
Prospect watch: high-energy scorer but at 5-8, 157 pounds, it may be difficult to project his pro potential. Was one of the hottest shooters in the WHL when an injury ended his season.
Draft talk: “Had hot hand until broken collarbone, out of sight out of mind for a long time, hard to say where he goes,” says Fisher. “Size hurts him, too. McClennon should go in the top 100 (top three rounds) but could be anywhere from 50th to 125th realistically. Big range of possibilities. Some team could see (Jordan) Eberle upside and reach for him but many could pass him over repeatedly.”
Owen Pederson, C/LW
Hometown: Stony Plain, Alta.
Current team: Winnipeg Ice, WHL
NHL Central Scouting rank: 103rd among NA skaters
Prospect watch: working hard to improve his skating but the big man displays uncanny knack for being in the right place at the right time. Promoted to the top line after McClennon’s injury and showed he belonged.
Draft talk: “Big forward who got the Peyton Krebs bump when McClennon went down, plays to his strengths but no real standout skills,” says Fisher. “Another 50-50 guy as a fourth- to seventh-round option outside the top 100, but there are always surprises in the draft (Carsen Twarynski was a third-rounder/82nd overall in 2016 as somewhat similar player but better shooter IMO). Some teams will like Pederson, others not so much.”
Ben Zloty, LD
Current team: Winnipeg Ice, WHL
Hometown: Calgary
NHL Central Scouting rank: 139th among NA skaters
Prospect watch: made a nice transition to the major-junior ranks with 27 points in 54 games and became an integral member of the Ice.
Draft talk: “Undersized modern-day D. Don’t want to call him dime a dozen but lots of these players available every year (Dawson Davidson a good WHL comparable who went undrafted),” says Fisher. “I like Zloty and think he’ll continue to trend up in WHL but not sure on his NHL upside. Again, some teams will like him as an option in those later rounds outside the top 100 but probably less likely to get drafted (30 to 70 range perhaps).”
Ben McCartney, LW
Current team: Brandon Wheat Kings, WHL
Hometown: Macdonald
NHL Central Scouting rank: 153rd among NA skaters
Prospect watch: strong competitive streak, a high-energy player and a little underrated for his skill. Undrafted in first year of eligibility but became a point-a-game WHLer in 2019-20. Projects as a bottom-six forward as a pro.
Draft talk: “Overager but projectable pro and lots to like in his game,” says Fisher. “Overagers go later, so rounds four to seven, outside the top 100, if at all. Overagers and goaltenders are the hardest to predict. I’d say 50-50 he gets drafted, maybe even 40-60 that he doesn’t.”
Carter Loney, C
Current team: Salmon Arm, BCHL
Hometown: Winnipeg
NHL Central Scouting rank: 167th among NA skaters
Prospect watch: University of Minnesota Duluth commit moved to a higher level of competition in the BCHL during the off-season. Coming off an outstanding campaign with the Steinbach Pistons where he registered 50 points in 52 games and earned MJHL rookie of the year honours. Only 5-9, 161 pounds, Loney is an explosive skater who rose 31 places from 198th in the Central Scouting rankings.
Draft talk: “His desire to improve, to be a hockey player is at another level,” says Pistons head coach/GM Paul Dyck. “It’s not necessarily an attribute every player has... He’s not going to be a one-dimensional player (as a pro). He can have a backup game if he’s not producing. He’s extremely strong. He’s got tremendous edges. His balance is excellent. He goes in against players 30, 40 pounds heavier willingly and comes out with the puck.”
— Mike Sawatzky, with files from Jason Bell
