2021 NHL class re-draft: Luke Hughes jumps to No. 1

Today begins a week of looking back at some of the most recent drafts. Starting with the 2021 NHL Draft, from that draft he will look at how my player placement has changed in a year. There are still many predictions left for these players, and we expect these rankings to change significantly over the next few years.

Ratings are primarily based on previous seasons, so they don’t incorporate new information from NHL training camps or the first few weeks of the season in other leagues, unless they’re overwhelming.

A player must be drafted and drafted during the 2021 NHL Draft to be eligible for this article.

Tier 1: NHL All-Star Predictions

1. Luke Hughes, LHD (Nominated 4th)

The players I think are the best in this draft won’t even make it into the league until spring, but most of the names below will. For his freshman season, he appreciated this. Few players have a 6-2 defense with his high-end skating ability and legitimate offensive skills. He has the potential to become a true star in the NHL.

TIER 2: Prediction Bubble NHL All-Stars and Top of the Lineup Players

2. Matty Beniers, C. (Nominated 2nd)
3. Owen Power, LHD (No.1 pick)

Beniers and Power are both good two-way players and should be important to NHL clubs this season. Benier is planned as a front-line center capable of playing against good players. Power is a mobile defense with a huge frame that also delivers offense, needing to eat for hours on end.

TIER 3: Predicted Top of the Lineup Players

Four. Mason McTavish, C (Nominated 3rd)
Five. Dylan Gunther, RW (Nominated 9th)
6. Simon Edvinson, LHD (Nominated 6th)
7. Kent Johnson, LW (Nominated 5th)

There is nothing surprising about this layer. I think some would argue that McTavish could be in Tier 2. Even if he were in a bubble, it would be a reasonable argument. All four of his players were top 10 picks and had a great season, making him one of the top tier players in his class.

TIER 4: Predicted bubble top and mid-lineup player or quality starting goalkeeper

8. Cole Schillinger, C (12th nomination)
9. Blunt Clark, RHD (Nominated 8th)
Ten. William Ekland, LW (No.7 pick)
11. Oren Zellweger, LHD (34th pick)
12. Jesper Wallstedt, G. (No.20 pick)
13. Wyatt Johnston, C (Nominated 23rd)
14. Logan Stancoven, RW (No.47 pick)
15. Matthew Nize, LW (No.57 pick)

This part of the list is where we’ll see some real action from draft day. His OHL and WHL MVPs of Wyatt Johnston and Logan Stankoven respectively have been promoted into this group this time from the bottom tier a year ago. Olen Zellweger is another player on the rise after a great season in the WHL. Also, Matthew Knies joins this discussion after spending his wonderful freshman year in Minnesota. Cole Schillinger is also in the bubble entering his group of top players after joining his NHL at the age of 18, exhibiting a genuinely difficult fighting style that makes opponents a pain to deal with for long. I’m here.

Brandt Clarke would probably be a fork here. There will be those in the league who look at him as a nine-year-old and think he’s either too high or too low. Round play has some warts and I would be cautious about putting him on the higher tiers. You will lie.

TIER 5: Predicted Midfielder or Starting Goalkeeper

16. Zachary Bolduc, LW (17th nomination)
17. Chaz Lucius, RW (18th nomination)
18. Brennan Osman, LW (No.16 pick)
19. Nikita Chibrikov, RW (No.50 pick)
20. Matthew Coronato, RW (13th nomination)
twenty one. Xavier Burgaux, RW (22nd nomination)
twenty two. Aatu Raty, C. (No.52 pick)
twenty three. Janice Moser, LHD (No.60 pick)
twenty four. Carson Rambos, LHD (26th nomination)
twenty five. Scott Morrow, RHD (No.40 pick)
26. Joshua Roy, LW (No.150 pick)
27. Zach Dean, C (No.30 pick)
28. Fabian Reissel, RW (Nominated 21st)
29. Sebastian Cossa, G (No.15 pick)
30. Kirill Kirsanov, LHD (No.84 pick)
31. Oscar Olausson, RW (28th nomination)

The biggest mover into this group is Janice Moser, who has advanced to an NHL spot, albeit a former draft pick. Scott Morrow’s terrific freshman season and Joshua Roy’s huge aggressive year at QMJHL drive prospects up. Zachary Bolduc is the most interesting player who can move to higher tiers. He has a lot of offensive talent and had a great year with QMJHL. If he repeated that and set the world juniors on fire, we could see a case to promote him.

TIER 6: Plans to play NHL games

32. Corson Ceulemans, RHD (No.25 pick)
33. Zach Ostapchuk, C (39th pick)
34. Ryan Winterton, C (No.67 pick)
35. Shai Boium, LHD (36th pick)
36. Vincent Iorio, RHD (No.55 pick)
37. Stanislav Svodil, LHD (No.69 pick)
38. Colton Duck, C (No.62 pick)
39. Justin Lovidas, RW (No.147 pick)
40. Dmitry Rashevsky, LW (No.146 pick)
41. Olivier Nadeau, RW (97th pick)
42. Zachary Lulu, LW (No.27 pick)
43. Daniil Chaika, LHD (38th pick)
44. Ilya Fedotov, LW (No.43 pick)
45. Sean Berens, LHD (No.61 pick)
46. Ethan Del Mastro, LHD (No.105 pick)
47. Isaac Rosen, LW (14th nomination)
48. Carter Mather, RW (No.70 pick)
49. Tyler Boucher, RW (No.10 pick)
50. Fedor Svechkov, C. (19th nomination)
51. Francesco Pinelli, C (No.42 pick)
52. Brett Harrison, C (No.85 pick)
53. Nolan Allan, LHD (32nd pick)
54. Riley Kidney, C (No.63 pick)
55. Jack Part, LHD (No.54 pick)
56. Alexi Heimosalmi, right-hand drive (No.44 pick)
57. Riker Evans, LHD (No.35 pick)
58. Mackey Samoskevic, RW (No. 24 pick)
59. Danila Klimovich, RW (No.41 pick)
60. Zakhar Baldakov, LW (No.203 pick)
61. Samuel Herenius, C (No.59 pick)
62. Ville Koivenen, RW (No. 51 nomination)
63. Sasha Pastusjov, LW (No.66 pick)
64. Chase Stillman, RW (29th nomination)
65. Ryan Ufko, RHD (No.115 pick)
66. Ilya Safonov, C (No.172 pick)
67. Ryder Kolchak, C (No.75 pick)
68. Dmitry Kuzmin, LHD (No.82 pick)
69. Nikita Novikov, LHD (No.188 pick)
70. Tristan Broz, LW (No.58 pick)
71. Daniil Pirenkov, LHD (No.196 pick)

Zach Ostapchuk and Ryan Winterton are gaining momentum and could be in the upper tier in the future. Ostapchuk were great in the Vancouver playoffs, showing a fast, competitive game with size and some offense. Winterton played a major role at his club at the top of his CHL and possessed legitimate skills to cope with higher levels. Both could be part of Canada’s U20 club this winter.

Tier 7: Chance to play NHL games

72. Josh Doan, RW (No.37 pick)
73. Roman Schmidt, RHD (No.96 pick)
74. Josh Bloom, LW (Pick 95)
75. Logan Mayu, RHD (31st pick)
76. Tyson Hines, LHD (No.76 pick)
77. Jakub Demek, C. (No.128 pick)
78. Evan Nause, LHD (No.56 pick)
79. Oliver Kapanen, C (No.64 pick)
80. Cole Hackins, C (No.64 pick)
81. Jakub Braveneck, LW (No.102 pick)
82. Prokhor Poltapov, LW (33rd pick)
83. Luka Manzenberger, LHD (90th pick)
84. Arseni Sergeev, G. (No.205 pick)
85. Alexander Kisakov, LW (No.53 pick)
86. Cameron Wynott, LHD (No.89 pick)
87. Guillaume Richard, LHD (No.101 pick)
88. Ty Voight, RW (No.153 pick)
89. Dylan Duke, LW (No.126 pick)
90. William Trudeau, LHD (No.113 pick)
91. Ayrton Martino, LW (No.73 pick)
92. Aidan Fleshk, LHD (No.94 pick)
93. Redmond Savage, C (No.114 pick)
94. William Stromgren, LW (No.45 pick)
95. Caedan Bankier, C. (No.86 pick)
96. Ethan Samson, RHD (No.174 pick)
97. Sam Salminen, C (No.68 pick)
98. Niko Hutanen, RW (No.224 pick)
99. Eetu Liukas, LW (No.157 pick)
100. Andrey Buyarski, LW (No.92 pick)
101. Ganon Laroque, RHD (No.103 pick)
102. Matvey Petrov, LW (No.180 pick)
103. Liam Dower Nilsson, C (No.134 pick)
104. Ty Martinson, LHD (No.158 pick)
105. Francesco Arcuri, LW (No.175 pick)
106. Simon Knack, LW (No.179 pick)
107. Simon Roberson, RW (No.71 pick)
108. Brent Johnson, RHD (Pick #80)
109. Jacques Matier, RHD (No.124 pick)
110. Jackson Blake, RW (No.109 pick)
111. Jacob Melanson, RW (No.131 pick)
112. Dmitri Kostenko, RHD (No.87 pick)
113. Owen McLaughlin, C (No.206 pick)
114. Jack Burr, RHD (No.138 pick)
115. Jack Beck, LW (No.168 pick)
116. Connor Roulette, LW (No.111 pick)
117. Ty Gallagher, RHD (No.217 pick)
118. Connor Kelly, RHD (No.204 pick)
119. Sam Tuoara, RW (No.46 pick)
120. Haakon Hanelt, LW (No.151 Pick)
121. Benjamin Gaudreau, G (81st nomination)
122. Artem Grushnikov, LHD (No.48 pick)
one two three. Kirill Tankov, C (No.218 pick)
124. Victor Sternborg, C (No.108 pick)
125. Karl Limbom, G (No.222 pick)
126. Alexei Kolosov, G (No.78 pick)
127. Ben Roger, RHD (No.49 pick)

(Illustration: Samuel Richardson/ athletic; Photo: Getty Images)