NHL Player Comparisons for the Projected Top 10 Prospects in the 2017 Draft

You hear it in every sport, before every draft.

"He compares favorably to..." Or "He reminds me of..." Or "He projects to be another..."

Sometimes it's an apples-to-apples, bang-on comparison when all is said and done. Sometimes, it turns out the comparisons were more like an apple to a banana. 

With all the data and accumulated history available, it's easier to make comparisons today. Before Wayne Gretzky came along, there was nobody to compare the actual prospect named Wayne Gretzky to when he was of draft age. Two years ago, though, Connor McDavid drew comparisons to the Great One, and so far they haven't looked too far off-base.

With the following slideshow, we will make our best educated guesses as to which already-established NHL player each of our top 10 draft prospects best resembles now and in the future. We hope it's apples-to-apples in the end.

This is our own top 10 list, though it obviously relied heavily on already-established lists, like those of the NHL's Central Scouting Bureau itself and those of TSN draft gurus Craig Button and Bob McKenzie. The list contains seven forwards, three defensemen and zero goalies.

10. Elias Pettersson, C-LW, Timra (Swedish League)

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Who is his comparable? Who comes to mind when thinking of Elias Pettersson? Many see an Ales Hemsky-type: a rangy forward with good vision and good speed.

How are they similar? Hemsky had some of the best hands in the game in his prime, mostly with the Edmonton Oilers. Pettersson can dangle the puck in similar fashion and, like Hemsky, he is a graceful skater.

Will he be better? Hemsky, whose season with Dallas last season was cut short by injuries, put up a couple of 70-plus-point seasons in Edmonton, and many others in the 40-60 range. It's tougher to score in today's NHL, so such point production from Pettersson might be wishful thinking. But it's not an outlandish expectation.

9. Timothy Liljegren, D, Rogle (Swedish League)

Who is his comparable? Some believe the 6-foot Swede can become another Drew Doughty, the 2016 Norris Trophy winner. 

How are they similar? Many scouts love Liljegren because of his smooth skating stride, especially when handling the puck out of the zone. Few in the NHL do that better than Doughty. Liljegren has as much or more offensive skill as any D-man in this draft.

Will he be better? Liljegren saw his stock fall some after a rocky season in Sweden that saw him miss two months with mononucleosis. Doughty went second overall in the 2008 draft, and it's doubtful Liljegren will go that high in Chicago Friday night. But make no mistake, he'll go in the first round to some team and should be in the top 10. 

Liljegren has a big slap shot and should be a good power-play quarterback in the NHL. As good as Doughty? Probably not, but there's a chance.

8. Casey Mittelstadt, C, Eden Prairie (USHS)

Who is his comparable? When Casey Mittelstadt's name is brought up, some see another Ryan O'Reilly of the Buffalo Sabres.

How are they similar? They are both lefty centers, so there's that. After that, Mittelstadt has drawn strong notices for his hockey smarts and 200-foot game, an O'Reilly hallmark. The incoming freshman for the Minnesota Golden Gophers might have better speed at his age than O'Reilly did.

Will he be better? There is still a long way to go in Mittelstadt's development. While he has a nice-sized frame at 6'1", 201 pounds, he needs to get stronger. O'Reilly developed into an All-Star and strong international player, so anything close to that would be a win for Mittelstadt. He seems to have the passion and desire at least.

7. Cale Makar, D, Brooks (Alberta Junior Hockey League)

Who is his comparable? The 5'11 puck-mover reminds scouts of Colorado's Tyson Barrie.

How are they similar? Makar makes plays. He isn't very big, but he's strong on his skates and can really move the puck up the ice. After a bit of a slow start to his NHL career, Barrie finally came into his own as a top-end offensive D-man with Colorado.

Makar really moved up in the rankings with a strong showing in the AJHL and will enroll this fall at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst.

Will he be better? While Barrie has had some sustained success as an offensive D-man, his defensive ability in his own end has been problematic. Makar has a good shot at being a more all-around player than Barrie. He has a chance to go in the top five Friday.

6. Cody Glass, C, Portland (WHL)

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Who is his comparable? Ryan Johansen of the Nashville Predators comes to mind when discussing the talents of Cody Glass.

How are they similar? Both are tall centers (Glass is 6'2", Johansen 6'3") and both will always be able to say they played for the Portland Winterhawks. The WHL remains a rugged league in which toughness in all areas is required, and once Glass fills out more (he's only 178 pounds now), he should be the kind of big forward who creates problems in front of the net.

Will he be better? Johansen's goal-scoring rate has declined in recent years (he averaged 28.5 goals from 2013-15 for Columbus, but scored only 14 in 82 games for Nashville in 2016-17), but he did still post 61 points for the Western Conference champs. He's only 24 and still developing. 

If Glass can duplicate Johansen's career pace to the same age, whichever team gets him would no doubt be very happy. Glass is considered a real battler, perhaps more so than Johansen was at the same stage. The talent level seems comparable too, but there's a lot to prove. 

5. Michael Rasmussen, C, Tri-City (WHL)

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Who is his comparable? He's huge, he's a center, he's a finisher. Sounds a lot like Jeff Carter of the Los Angeles Kings.

How are they similar? Most mock drafts don't have Rasmussen as high as we do, but this kid has the kind of attributes that will translate very well to the next level. The same could be said of Carter, who went No. 11 overall in the 2003 draft but emerged as one of the best players from that highly esteemed group. 

Rasmussen's speed is questioned, but his 6'6" frame makes for a long stride that gets up and down the ice well enough. Once in front of the net, he's tough to move and has a goal scorer's mentality. Carter probably is the better freelancer off the rush, but there's plenty of time for Rasmussen to work on that part of his game.

Will he be better? At 32, Carter is coming off a 32-goal season with Los Angeles and has won two Stanley Cups, plus some gold medals with Canada. Rasmussen probably won't be that good. But it's not out of the question. Put him on a line with a top playmaker, and this kid should score at least 20 goals a year for a good while in the NHL.

4. Gabe Vilardi, C, Windsor (OHL)

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Who is his comparable? With his marksmanship, some see another Phil Kessel in Windsor's Gabe Vilardi.

How are they similar? Vilardi seems to have that extra second of patience with the puck that makes the difference between a guy with skill and a guy with skill who can finish. He'll probably never have the wheels of Kessel, but his hands are arguably in the same ballpark. He can make plays in small spaces around the net.

Will he be better? There are questions about Vilardi's skating, which has never been questioned with Kessel. So, it's a stretch already to think he can surpass Kessel's already-noteworthy accomplishments. But being a good NHL player for a long time to come? It would be a major surprise if Villardi isn't.

3. Miro Heiskanen, D, HIFK (Finland)

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Who is his comparable? Some have gone as far as to compare Miro Heiskanen to Hall of Famer Nicklas Lidstrom, but that's probably a bit too audacious a comparison. We'll settle more on Kris Letang of the Penguins.

How are they similar? Letang is 6 feet, and so is Heiskanen. Letang is a premier puck-mover, and the Finn carries the same reputation. Heiskanen might be even more highly regarded as a player in his own end than Letang was at the same age. 

Will he be better? Projecting out just how good a defenseman will be is always a tough chore. Arguably, it's easier for a D-man at a young age with any kind of talent to stand out more than a forward. That tends to get scouts a bit more excited than for your typically talented forward. So, as good as Letang? A tough question. But there seems broad consensus Heiskanen will be a top player on some team's blue line.

2. Nolan Patrick, C, Brandon (WHL)

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Who is his comparable? Many see a chance for Nolan Patrick to become another Ryan Getzlaf of the Anaheim Ducks.

How are they similar? Like Getzlaf, Patrick is a big center, at 6'2", 198, with room to fill out more. Patrick's leadership qualities compare favorably to those of the Ducks captain. Patrick's hockey sense is highly prized by scouts, and he has honed his craft in the rugged WHL, as did Getzlaf.

Will he be better? Getzlaf went 19th overall in the 2003 draft, a fine acknowledgement of the esteem that people had for his talents at the time. But he's gone on to what will likely finish as a Hall of Fame career, with a Stanley Cup and multiple gold medals with Team Canada to his credit. 

Patrick seems to have a good chance to achieve as much or more. It's a lot to ask, but there seems little in the game at which Patrick won't excel.

1. Nico Hischier, C, Halifax (QMJHL)

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Who is his comparable? Nico Hischier has drawn comparisons to longtime Detroit Red Wings star Henrik Zetterberg.

How are they similar? Both are left-handed forwards with high-end skill. What made Zetterberg so tough to handle in his prime was his ability to score off the rush but also the ability to make plays in tight spaces in front of the net. Hischier seems to possess the same type of ability. As TSN draft guru Craig Button pointed out too, Hischier has the ability to play at a high end at different speed levels. 

Will he be better? Zetterberg is a certain Hall of Famer, so there's a lot to live up to here. But Hischier is already being hailed as the best player ever to come out of Switzerland, and scouts are in full-froth mode over what he might become.

This draft class was said to not contain any "generational" talent, but by what the scouts are saying right now about him, Hischier seems to have a chance at being a great one.