NHL Draft: Top 10 European Prospects

The 2017 NHL Draft takes place on Friday June 23 and Saturday June 24 at United Center in Chicago, IL. The Islanders hold the 15th overall pick in this year's draft and NewYorkIslanders.com is getting you set with a look at the top prospects entering the draft. Also check out our
Islanders Draft Central.
This week, we'll be previewing the top
North American skaters
, the top European skaters, goalies and the players ranked in the teens that could be in the Islanders range.
All rankings are based off NHL Central Scouting. All analysis provided by Islanders Head Amateur Scout Vellu Kautonen.
Note: The European prospects often play in multiple tiers in their leagues during the same season. The stats below are from the top-level European leagues (KHL, Swedish Hockey League, Liiga, Czech Extraliga) this season.

| | | --- | | Team | Pos | Shoots | Height | Weight | | Brynas | C | R | 5'11 | 165 | | GP | G | A | P | PIM | | 16 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 2 |

Jesper Boqvist

Center, Brynas, SHL
Born: Falun, Sweden
DOB: October 30, 1998
Ranked 10th (Euro Skaters) by NHL Central Scouting
A forward who can play both center and winger. Good skater and playmaker. He has good vision and is very creative when he has extra open ice on the power-play. Needs to get stronger but he doesn't shy away from traffic despite his modest size.
| | | --- | | Team | Pos | Shoots | Height | Weight | | HV71 | D | R | 5'9 | 187 | | GP | G | A | P | PIM | | 35 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 2 |

Erik Brannstrom

Defenseman, HV71, SHL
Born: Eksjö, Sweden
DOB: September 2, 1999
Ranked 9th (Euro Skaters) by NHL Central Scouting
Smaller defenseman, but he is very gifted. Great mobility, good hands and vision. Makes nice break out passes and is a very useful player on power-play. Won SHL Championship with HV71 and Isles prospect Linus Soderstrom.
| | | --- | | Team | Pos | Shoots | Height | Weight | | JYP | D | L | 6'1 | 188 | | GP | G | A | P | PIM | | 41 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 12 |

Urho Vaakanainen

Defenseman, JYP Jyväskylä, Finland
Born: Joensuu, Finland
DOB: January 1, 1999
Ranked 8th (Euro Skaters) by NHL Central Scouting
Solid two-way defenseman with good skating and mobility. He plays steady game and very rarely makes mistakes. He is good in both ends of the rink and can play with and without the puck.
| | | --- | | Team | Pos | Shoots | Height | Weight | | Frolunda | LW/RW | R | 6'4 | 209 | | GP | G | A | P | PIM | | 26 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 2 |

Kristian Vesalainen

Winger, Frolunda, SHL
Helsinki, Finland
DOB: June 1, 1999
Ranked 7th (Euro Skaters) by NHL Central Scouting
Big Finnish winger who had a difficult year, but finished it nicely by winning the scoring title at U-18 Worlds in Slovakia. Good skater and keeps himself in great shape. He drives to net with authority and has good finishing touch.
| | | --- | | Team | Pos | Shoots | Height | Weight | | Rogle | D | R | 6'0 | 188 | | GP | G | A | P | PIM | | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 |

Timothy Liljergen

Defenseman, Rogle, SHL
Born: Kristianstad, Sweden
DOB: April 30, 1999
Ranked 6th (Euro Skaters) by NHL Central Scouting
Timothy is one of the most skilled defensemen in this year's draft. He likes to rush the puck and does it well too. Good power-play player who is always trying to make the smart play when he has the puck.
| | | --- | | Team | Pos | Shoots | Height | Weight | | Brno | C | L | 6'1 | 178 | | GP | G | A | P | PIM | | 41 | 7 | 8 | 15 | 6 |

Martin Necas

Center, HC Kometa Brno, Czech Extraliga
Born: Nové Město na Moravě, Czech Republic
DOB: January 15, 1999
Ranked 5th (Euro Skaters) by NHL Central Scouting
A two-way forward who is a smart player with and without the puck. He is a good skater and always plays at a high tempo hockey. He competes hard and wants to be a leader. Won the Czech Extraliga Championship this season.
| | | --- | | Team | Pos | Shoots | Height | Weight | | HIFK | D | R | 6'1 | 172 | | GP | G | A | P | PIM | | 37 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 4 |

Miro Heiskanen

Defenseman, HIFK, Finland
Born: Espoo, Finland
DOB: July 18, 1999
Ranked 4th (Euro Skaters) by NHL Central Scouting
A Finnish d-man who had an excellent season in the Finnish Elite League this year. He is a very mobile skater and brings some offense to the table. At the U-18 Worlds, he rose up various rankings, scoring 12 points in seven games.
| | | --- | | Team | Pos | Shoots | Height | Weight | | HV71 | C | L | 5'11 | 201 | | GP | G | A | P | PIM | | 42 | 9 | 10 | 19 | 18 |

Lias Andersson

Center, HV71, SHL
Born: Smögen, Sweden
DOB: October 13, 1998
Ranked 3rd (Euro Skaters) by NHL Central Scouting
Lias had a good season in the SHL in Sweden and won the championship along with Isles goaltending prospect, Linus Soderstrom. He is a two-way forward who always competes hard. Good puck skills and hockey sense. Very reliable player.
| | | --- | | Team | Pos | Shoots | Height | Weight | | Timra | C | L | 6'2 | 165 | | GP | G | A | P | PIM | | 43 | 19 | 21 | 40 | 14 |

Elias Pettersson

Center, Timra, Sweden
Born: Sundsvall, Sweden
DOB: November 12, 1998
Ranked 2nd (Euro Skaters) by NHL Central Scouting
A skilled forward who has good hockey sense too. Needs to get stronger but he doesn't shy away from traffic despite his smaller frame. After an average World Juniors, he finished the season with his club team in Allsvenskan, which is the second highest pro league in Sweden.
| | | --- | | Team | Pos | Shoots | Height | Weight | | Dynamo Moscow | C/LW | R | 6'2 | 207 | | GP | G | A | P | PIM | | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 |

Klim Kostin

Center/Left Wing, Dynamo Moscow, KHL
Born: Penza, Russia
DOB: May 5, 1999
Ranked 1st (Euro Skaters) by NHL Central Scouting
Klim is one of the most gifted European players in this year's draft. He has great hands and a good frame. He had bad luck this season, hurting his shoulder before Christmas and it needed surgery, causing his to miss the rest of the season.