BUFFALO, NY - Every year, there's a new complexion to the latest NHL Draft cohort.
The 2018 NHL Draft class was headlined by the first-overall pick Rasmus Dahlin, a defenceman, then featured a handful of elite forwards, followed by a bevy of top-tier defencemen. That paved the way for the Oilers to select former London Knights captain Evan Bouchard, who's certainly lived up to the hype.
The 2019 NHL Draft class has a theme of its own, however, with ample amount of game-changing forwards available in the top-10, sprinkled in with some quality rearguards.
Oilers Director of Player Personnel Bob Green believes there is high-end skill at each position at the upcoming NHL Draft, which will take place at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, B.C., and is getting a first-hand glimpse of that best talent available in Buffalo, N.Y. at the Scouting Combine.
"Looking at certain points of the draft, I think it's maybe a little bit stronger at the forward position than it is at D," Green said to EdmontonOilers.com. "But then you go a little bit later and it changes.
"I think there's good forwards, there are good D and there are some good goaltenders. It just depends on what everybody is looking at or where some of these kids fall."
United States National Team Development Program centre Jack Hughes is ahead of the curve in the NHL Central Scouting's North American rankings, then is followed by Western Hockey League prospects Bowen Byram and Kirby Dach.
COMBINE: Green details 2019 NHL Draft class
"Looking at certain points of the draft, I think it's maybe a little bit stronger at the forward position than it is at D. But then you go a little bit later and it changes," said Oilers Director of Player Personnel Bob Green
