Seguin named CHL's top NHL prospect

Plymouth Whalers center Tyler Seguin was previously voted the top North American skater for the 2010 Entry Draft by NHL Central Scouting. On Saturday, that decision was seconded by the Canadian Hockey League, which named him junior hockey's top draft prospect.
 
Seguin, who tied for the Ontario Hockey League scoring title and was the winner of the Red Tilson Trophy as the OHL's most outstanding player, beat out Prince George Cougars right wing Brett Connolly and Moncton Wildcats defenseman Brandon Gormley for the honor.
 
Connolly is No. 3 on Central Scouting's list, while Gormley is No. 6.
 
"With the season ending, I was disappointed and depressed because the year was over," Seguin told NHL.com, "but being recognized as the OHL MVP and now this award, it's very cool. I'm just taking it all in."
 
It's been a whirlwind season for Seguin, who finished his second season of junior hockey with 106 points – tied with Windsor's Taylor Hall for the league lead and 43 more than anyone else on his team. His 48 goals were third in the OHL, and his 58 assists were seventh.  He had 5 goals and 10 points in 11 games before the Whalers were knocked out of the playoffs in the second round.
 
Seguin was a finalist for two other awards presented Saturday -- CHL Player of the Year, and Top Scorer of the Year -- but came up short in those competitions. Regina Pats forward Jordan Eberle, the Edmonton Oilers' top prospect, took home the player of the year award, while Calgary Hitmen forward Brandon Kozun, a Los Angeles Kings prospect, won the top scorer award. He led the WHL with 107 points, one more than Seguin.
 
Next for Seguin is the NHL Scouting Combine, which starts Monday in Toronto. Seguin told NHL.com he has interviews with 26 clubs set up over a four-day period, but realistically, it's likely only two really matter – Edmonton and Boston, which hold the top two picks for the June 25-26 selection extravaganza at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Seguin said he already has met with representatives from both teams, but said he doesn't have an inkling what each club's brain trust is thinking.
 
"I have met with both those teams, the top two," Seguin said. "They've not given me any scoop on what they want to do."
 
Seguin accepted the award at a ceremony in Brandon, Man., site of the Memorial Cup, with the championship game scheduled for Sunday (7 p.m. ET, NHLN-US, SPORTSNET) between the host Wheat Kings and the OHL champion Windsor Spitfires -- who are led by Hall, Seguin's draft-day foil and Central Scouting's No. 2-rated prospect.
 
It's almost a certainty the first two names called in Los Angeles will be Seguin and Hall, but in which order is the great unknown. Needless to say, Seguin hopes it's his name that's called first.
 
"It is important to me (to go No. 1)," said Seguin. " I'm a hockey player, I'm a competitive guy, I want to go No. 1."
 
Contact Adam Kimelman at [email protected]