There was little need for debate on the projected top two players for the 2015 NHL Draft when NHL Central Scouting met to rank the top North American prospects earlier this month.

What seemed like a foregone conclusion became official Wednesday when NHL Central Scouting revealed that center Connor McDavid of the Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League is No. 1, and center Jack Eichel of Boston University of Hockey East is No. 2 on its final list of the top 210 North American skaters eligible for the 2015 Draft, which will be held June 26-27 at BB&T Center in Sunrise, Fla.

"At the start of the year McDavid and Eichel were considered Nos. 1-2," NHL Director of Central Scouting Dan Marr said. "I don't know if it's a surprise that it ended up that way but I think a lot of credit has to go to Eichel in the way he was able to at least keep it interesting.

Boston University freshman Jack Eichel was determined from day one to not only be a success story, but one of the best college hockey players to ever play the game.

He's certainly on that path.

Eichel, the fourth-youngest player in college hockey and No. 2 on NHL Central Scouting's midterm ranking of the top North American skates eligible for the 2015 NHL Draft, is expected to hear his name announced in short order on the opening day of the draft at BB&T Center in Sunrise, Fla., on June 26.

Oliver Kylington didn't get a chance to impress scouts by playing for Sweden at the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship in January.

The defenseman sustained an injury during an exhibition game against Canada at Canadian Tire Centre prior to the start of the tournament and was unable to participate.

In a tournament typically dominated by 19-year-old players, Kylington (6-foot, 180 pounds), who turns 18 in May, might not have looked out of place. The event had many top prospects for the 2015 NHL Draft, including the projected top two picks, Canada center Connor McDavid and United States center Jack Eichel.

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.

When the 2014-15 season began, Connor McDavid of the Ontario Hockey League's Erie Otters was considered the best prospect for the 2015 NHL Draft.

Months later very little has changed.

In the latest mock drafts by NHL.com staff writers Adam Kimelman and Mike G. Morreale, McDavid remains the consensus No. 1 pick.

McDavid is viewed by many scouts as the best draft-age prospect since Sidney Crosby in 2005. Despite playing about 20 fewer games than most of the scoring leaders in the OHL, McDavid finished third in scoring with 120 points and tied for fourth with 44 goals.

Nicholas Merkley is months away from hearing his name called at the 2015 NHL Draft. But he's already seen what it will take to be a National Hockey League player.

Spending his summers training alongside Jordan Eberle of the Edmonton Oilers and Mike Green of the Washington Capitals, the 17-year-old has a good understanding about what it's going to take for him to get to the next level.

"It's pretty cool seeing them in the gym every day," Merkley said. "Obviously you're star-struck but you're trying to focus on your workout and things like that. It's good to see how hard they work on the gym and on the ice.

Timo Meier knew the importance of becoming a stronger and faster skater entering his second season with the Halifax Mooseheads in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

He's had no other alternative but to perform at higher level ever since making his way from Switzerland to North America after being selected in the first round (No. 12) by the Mooseheads in the 2013 Canadian Hockey League import draft.

As a rookie in Halifax, he sometimes found himself alongside current Tampa Bay Lightning rookie and former Mooseheads forward Jonathan Drouin. This season he's become a regular with Nikolaj Ehlers, a 2014 first-round pick (No. 9) of the Winnipeg Jets.

Almost every conversation about the 2015 NHL Draft involves Erie Otters center Connor McDavid and Boston University freshman center Jack Eichel.

It's almost a certainty McDavid and Eichel will be the first two players selected when the draft is held June 26-27 at BB&T Center in Sunrise, Fla.

Though NHL teams have to wait six more months to make their decisions, NHL.com has opted to make its picks today, based on League standings at the All-Star break.

The choice was unanimous for NHL.com writers Adam Kimelman and Mike Morreale, who predicted McDavid will be picked first, followed by Eichel.