Central Scouting meeting to set final rankings

It certainly isn't a stretch at this point to assume center Connor McDavid of the Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League and Boston University freshman center Jack Eichel will be the top two players picked at the 2015 NHL Draft at BB&T Center in Sunrise, Fla., on June 26.

While those two players have moved to the head of the draft class, NHL Central Scouting will meet Friday to start to determine the final rankings of the top 210 North American skaters and top 30 North American goaltenders.

McDavid played 47 games this season but finished third with 120 points and tied for fourth with 44 goals. He started the season with points in 10 straight games, then had a 27-game point streak, during which he had 26 goals and 67 points. It was the longest streak in the OHL since John Tavares of the Oshawa Generals had points in 27 straight games during the 2007-08 season.

Eichel has 24 goals and 66 points in 36 games for the Terriers. He's on a 12-game point streak, during which he has nine goals and 26 points. He was named the Hockey East Player of the Year, Hockey East Rookie of the Year and Hockey East Tournament MVP. He's also a top-10 finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, given to the best NCAA hockey player.

NHL Central Scouting will spend six days debating the final ranking order for North American skaters and goaltenders. NHL Director of European Scouting Goran Stubb and his staff will rank the top 140 international skaters and top 15 goalies.

McDavid was the No. 1-rated North American skater on Central Scouting's midterm rankings, released in January, with Eichel No. 2. Rounding out the top five were defenseman Noah Hanifin of Boston College, left wing Lawson Crouse of the Kingston Frontenacs of the Ontario Hockey League, and Erie center Dylan Strome.

Defenseman Oliver Kylington of Farjestad in Sweden was No. 1 on Central Scouting's list of the top international skaters, followed by right wing Mikko Rantanen of TPS in Finland, right wing Jens Looke of Brynas in Sweden, right wing Michael Spacek of Pardubice in the Czech Republic, and defenseman Jacob Larsson of Frolunda's team in the Swedish junior league.

The scouts will debate, scrutinize and review the future of all prospects from the OHL, Western Hockey League, Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, USA-West and USA-East regions, which include all U.S. colleges and high schools, and the Canadian junior and midget leagues. Prospects from the United States Hockey League, which includes the United States National Junior Team Development Program, are part of the USA-West region.

"The top 10 are solid impact draft prospects," NHL Director of Central Scouting Dan Marr said. "And while the top three are considered firm, there is varying opinion on the order for the rest of the top 10. Filling out the rest of the first round may also see a swing in the order from midseason, which is not uncommon. For NHL clubs, the draft will provide some good NHL prospects through the first three rounds. And for the later rounds I could see an increase in the number of European and 19-year-old prospects being selected."

Here are five questions to consider entering NHL Central Scouting's final meetings:

Q: Is there a chance Eichel supplants McDavid as the No. 1 prospect in North America?

McDavid and Eichel have maintained high levels of production since the midterm ranking. The odds of Eichel passing McDavid are unlikely.

"There's more data and crossover viewings to consider by the time we get to the final meetings and that's what we like," Central Scouting's David Gregory said. "McDavid and Eichel have maintained the course since the midterm but that's what good players do. They adapt to the environment they are in and know how to be better."

Q: How close is the race for best defenseman available at the draft?

Earlier this season, Boston College freshman Noah Hanifin appeared to be the odds-on favorite to be the first defender selected. University of Michigan freshman Zachary Werenski and Ivan Provorov of the Brandon Wheat Kings of the WHL have narrowed the gap.

Provorov was fourth among WHL defensemen with 61 points in 60 games. He opened some eyes with a solid all-around performance at the CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game on Jan. 22. Werenski, who teamed with Hanifin for the United States at the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship, leads all Michigan defenders with 25 points, and has nine goals, 12 power-play points, a plus-9 rating and 59 blocked shots.

"It's unique in that all three play a different style of game," Gregory said. "I think this is where the real debate will take place at our meeting. I know my order with those three defensemen and I'll have my reasons why. I'm looking forward to hearing what the other guys say and why they might be different."

Q: Who is the third-best forward on the draft board after McDavid and Eichel?

Three players that would seem to be in the running for that spot are Crouse, Strome and Mitchell Marner of the London Knights of the OHL. Among the international contingent, Rantanen has elevated his game since a solid showing for Finland at the WJC.

Crouse led Kingston with 29 goals and 51 points in 56 games. He also had seven power-play goals, two shorthanded goals and a plus-10 rating.

Strome remained a force for Erie when McDavid missed eight weeks because of a hand injury while away at the WJC. He led the OHL with 129 points (45 goals, 84 assists) in 68 games.

"I'm sure Erie didn't like the fact McDavid was out, but it certainly didn't hurt understanding the kind of player Strome is, so it had some benefits for him," Gregory said.

Marner finished second in the OHL with 126 points (44 goals, 82 assists). Rantanen (6-foot-3, 211 pounds), an extremely agile power forward, has nine goals and 28 points in 56 games playing for TPS in Liiga, Finland's top professional league.

Q: Is there a dark horse to keep an eye on down the stretch?

Ottawa 67's center Travis Konecny was No. 26 on Central Scouting's midterm ranking. The 5-foot-10, 174-pound right-shot forward began a second half surge with a solid showing at the Top Prospects Game in January alongside linemates Timo Meier (Halifax Mooseheads, QMJHL) and McDavid.

Konecny had two goals and one assist and was named player of the game in a victory for Team Orr. He had 29 goals and 68 points in 60 games this season. The 67's will open an OHL best-of-7 playoff series at home against the Niagara IceDogs on Thursday.

"Travis was teamed up with some pretty good players at the prospects game but he was making that line happen as well," Gregory said. "Every time I've watched him on the ice since that game he's clearly been the best player [for the 67's]. He's removing some of the concerns people had of him in the first half."

Q: Who among the top prospects, including the international players, played at the World Juniors?

McDavid and Crouse won gold medals with Canada. McDavid had 11 points to tie for the tournament scoring lead and was named to the tournament all-star team. He also had a plus-8 rating and won 61 percent of his faceoffs. Crouse played a fourth-line energy role.

Provorov won a silver with Russia; Looke played represented fourth-place Sweden; Eichel, Hanifin, Werenski and defenseman Brandon Carlo of Tri-City of the WHL played for fifth-place United States; Zacha and Spacek played for sixth-place Czech Republic; Rantanen had a team-best four goals for seventh-place Finland.

Kylington would have played for Sweden if not for an injury he sustained in a pre-tournament exhibition game in late December.

Eichel, who was the U.S. captain, had one goal and four points in five games.

Follow Mike Morreale on Twitter at: @mikemorrealeNHL

CSS sidebar -- NHL.com on location at final meetings

Mike Morreale of NHL.com will be on site for NHL Central Scouting's final meetings in Toronto starting Friday to provide daily blog posts and features as the top North American prospects for the 2015 NHL Draft are discussed and ranked.

A final list of the top 210 North American skaters, 120 European skaters, 30 North American goaltenders and 15 European goaltenders is scheduled for release in April.

Follow the 2015 NHL Draft Blog all weekend long for exclusive posts and updates from within the meeting room. Additionally, follow Morreale on Twitter (@mikemorrealeNHL) for real-time updates.