Matthews, Laine headline intriguing group of top NHL prospects

With six of the first 10 picks, Canadian teams will be front and centre at this weekend's NHL draft in Buffalo.

But it won't be Canadian players heading the group of top prospects in Friday's first round. Instead, those from the United States and Finland are likely to dominate the top of the first round with American centre Auston Matthews and Finnish winger Patrik Laine expected to headline the proceedings.

Here is a look at 10 top prospects:

Auston Matthews

Position: Centre

Country: United States

Matthews is the consensus choice for the No.1 pick and an unlikely talent to emerge from Scottsdale, Ariz. Attending Phoenix Coyotes games as a kid, he learned the game in Arizona's minor hockey system before emerging with USA Hockey's national development team. Matthews opted to play in the Swiss Hockey League during his draft year, producing more than a point per game for Zurich, coached by former NHL head coach Marc Crawford. Matthews is viewed as the full package at centre — size, speed, skill and smarts —a talent in the mould of Kings captain Anze Kopitar or Blackhawks captain Jonathan Toews.

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Patrik Laine

Position: Right Wing

Country: Finland

Laine is an exciting, high-scoring winger who thinks he should be the first player chosen by the Toronto Maple Leafs. He had a ridiculously effective draft year. Laine not only thrived as a 17-year-old in Finland's top pro league, winning the playoff MVP for a championship-winning squad, but was a dominant presence in helping Finland to gold at the world junior championships and silver at the worlds. Confident and outspoken with a wicked shot and great size, the six-foot-four Laine models his game after Washington Capitals superstar Alex Ovechkin.

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Jesse Puljujarvi

Position: Right Wing

Country: Finland

Like Laine, he's a teenage winger who somehow thrived against older, more experienced competition in the Finnish Elite League. The six-foot-three Puljujarvi is an imposing, highly skilled winger who led all players in scoring at the world juniors while playing alongside Laine, winning MVP and best forward honours. NHL Central Scouting director Dan Marr describes him as the "ultimate power forward package", a "well-rounded winger" who can score and create opportunities for his teammates.

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Pierre-Luc Dubois

Position: Left Wing

Country: Canada

Dubois compares his game to Dallas Stars winger Jamie Benn, that of a big, strong, power forward who can put points on the boards, play with an edge and line up at all three forward spots. Hailing from Rimouski, Que., Dubois finished third in QMJHL scoring this season, posting 99 points in 62 games for the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles. His dad, Eric, was picked 76th overall by the Quebec Nordiques in the 1989 NHL draft.

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Matthew Tkachuk

Position: Left Wing

Country: United States

One key member of the London Knights dominant Memorial Cup winner, he's also the son of long-time NHL power winger Keith Tkachuk. This Tkachuk finished fifth in OHL scoring (107 points in 57 games), lining up mostly alongside Christian Dvorak, a Coyotes prospect, and Mitch Marner, a Maple Leafs prospect, on an always threatening Knights top line. He's described by Marr as a high-end scorer, someone "willing to go to the hard areas to score goals". Tkachuk likens his style on the ice to James van Riemsdyk, another imposing American winger.

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Alexander Nylander

Position: Left Wing

Country: Sweden

Nylander is the brother of Maple Leafs prospect William Nylander and son of former NHL centre Michael Nylander. He led all rookies in OHL scoring for the Mississauga Steelheads, producing 75 points in 57 games, before surging with 12 more points in only six post-season games. Nylander is viewed as an electric offensive talent capable of making plays with the puck at high speeds, "extremely dangerous in one-on-one situations", according to Marr. He was born in Calgary in 1998 while his father was playing for the Flames.

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Jakob Chychrun

Position: Defence

Country: United States

Perhaps the first defenceman to be picked at Friday's draft, Chychrun is another prospect with ties to the NHL. Thought to be a terrific skater, well-rounded defender with a big shot, the Sarnia Sting blue-liner seemingly has all the elements one would desire in an impact defender. Like Matthews, he hails from an unlikely hockey outpost — Boca Raton, Fla., in his case — and is the son of Jeff Chychrun, who played 262 games for four NHL teams, including the Oilers.

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Olli Juolevi

Position: Defence

Country: Finland

Juolevi could be the third Finn to be picked in the top-10 in what would be a historic, first-time feat for the country. A member of the Knights OHL juggernaut, Juolevi also helped Finland to gold at the world juniors, leading all defenders with nine assists. He likens his style to Coyotes defenceman Oliver Ekman-Larsson and is described by Marr as a graceful skater and puck-mover "with excellent poise and composure".

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Clayton Keller

Position: Centre

Country: United States

Keller is an incredibly productive American centre who has committed to play for Boston University in the fall. He piled up 107 points in 62 games for the U.S. development team this season, a mark beaten by only one other player: Matthews. His 70 assists also established a new high-water mark for the program. Keller, who played his minor hockey in St. Louis, is on the smaller side at five foot 10 and 168 pounds, but is seen as having the skills, smarts and confidence to thrive in today's NHL, where size is becoming less of a factor.

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Mikhail Sergachev

Position: Defence

Country: Russia

The Windsor Spitfire led all OHL defenders with 17 goals in his rookie season. He also had 40 assists and 57 points, good for third at his position. He became only the second rookie ever to win the Max Kaminsky Trophy as the OHL's outstanding defenceman and at age 17, and was also the second youngest ever to do so. Sergachev skates well for his size (six foot two) and position and can be a dangerous offensive element on the back end.