Nail Yakupov and the Top 50 Eligible Players for NHL Draft 2012

The biggest news in the recent 2012 CHL/NHL Top Prospects game was not that Branden Troock scored the game winner for Team Orr against Team Cherry in the final minute of the third period.

It was that top prospect Nail Yakupov did not participate and was suspended for two games.

This shows the type of showcasing already around the best potential prospects. Last season it was Ryan Nugent-Hopkins who earned his spot as the first overall selection.

This year it looks like Yakupov will go first, but there are plenty of other top prospects who have the potential to make an impact at the NHL level.

50. Damon Severson

Severson is a 6'2", 200-pound defenseman from Canada playing for the WHL's Kelowna Rockets.

He has 23 points in 37 games this season.

49. Phillip Di Giuseppe

Giuseppe is a 6'0", 176-pound left winger from Canada playing for the University of Michigan.

He has 16 points in 27 games for the nationally-ranked Wolverines.

48. Jordan Schmaltz

Schmaltz is a 6'2", 189-pound defenseman from the United States playing for the USHL's Green Bay Gamblers.

He has 19 points in 24 games this season.

47. Cristoval Nieves

Nieves is a 6'3", 184-pound center from the United States playing for Kent High School in Connecticut.

He is committed to playing for the University of Michigan.

46. Henrik Samuelsson

Samuelsson is a 6'2", 211-pound Swedish/American right winger playing for the WHL's Edmonton Oil Kings.

He has 10 points in nine games this season. He had two points in 15 games this season for Modo in the Elitserien before deciding to play in the Canadian junior league.

He is the son of Ulf Samuelsson.

45. Valeri Vasiliev

Vasiliev is a 6'1", 203-pound defenseman from Russia playing for Spartak of the Russian junior league.

He has two points in 18 games this season.

44. Tomas Hyka

Hyka is a 5'10", 158-pound forward from the Czech Republic playing for the QMJHL's Gatineau Olympiques.

He has 49 points in 42 games this season.

Hyka actually played for the Philadelphia Flyers in this past preseason.

The team was interested in signing him to a contract, but the CBA prohibits teams from signing undrafted European players under the age of 22.

43. Nikita Gusev

Gusev is a 5'9", 163-pound left winger from Russia playing for the KHL's CSKA Moscow.

He has three points in 14 games this season.

42. Matia Marcantuoni

Marcantuoni is a 6'0", 194-pound forward from Canada playing for the OHL's Kitchener Rangers.

He has 14 points in 24 games this season.

41. Nikolai Prokhorkin

Prokhorkin is a 6'2", 191-pound left winger from Russia playing for the MHL's CSKA-Krasnaja.

He has 19 points in 10 games. He also recorded one point in 14 games while playing for the KHL's CSKA Moscow.

40. Hampus Lindholm

Lindholm is a 6'2", 196-pound defenseman from Sweden playing for Rogle of the Allsvenskan.

He has one point in 14 games with them. He also has 15 points in 26 games with the Rogle junior team in the SuperElit.

39. Teuvo Teravainen

Teravainen is a 5'11", 165-pound left winger from Finland playing for Jokerit of the SM-liiga.

He has 11 points in 28 games.

38. Mike Winther

Winther is a 5'11", 175-pound center from Canada playing for the WHL's Prince Albert Raiders.

He has 48 points in 52 games.

37. Tim Bozon

Bozon is a 6'0", 183-pound left winger from the United States playing for the WHL's Kamloops Blazers.

He has 53 points in 52 games.

36. Dalton Thrower

Thrower is a 5'11", 189-pound defenseman from Canada playing for the WHL's Saskatoon Blades.

He has 43 points in 52 games.

In addition to being a productive offensive defenseman, Thrower is very physical. He's fought eight times this season including a toe-to-toe scrap with Graham Hood.

35. Scott Kosmachuk

Kosmachuk is a 6'0", 185-pound right winger from Canada playing for the OHL's Guelph Storm.

He has 41 points in 46 games.

34. Ville Pokka

Pokka is a 6'0", 196-pound defenseman from Finland playing for Karpat of the SM-liiga.

He has three points in 22 games.

33. Tanner Pearson

Pearson is a 6'0", 198-pound left winger from Canada playing for the OHL's Barrie Colts.

He has 74 points in 42 games this season, but is also two years older than most of the other top prospects; he went undrafted in 2010 and 2011.

32. Thomas Wilson

Wilson is a 6'4", 203-pound right winger from Canada playing for the OHL's Plymouth Whalers.

He has 22 points in 41 games this season.

31. Daniil Zharkov

Zharkov is a 6'3", 197-pound left winger from Russia playing for the OHL's Belleville Bulls.

He has 25 points in 31 games this season.

30. Martin Frk

Frk is a 6'0", 198-pound right winger from the Czech Republic playing for the QMJHL's Halifax Mooseheads.

He has 14 points in 18 games this season.

29. Anton Slepyshev

Slepyshev is a 6'2", 187-pound left winger from Russia playing for the KHL's Novukuznetsk Metallurg.

He has six points in 36 games this season.

28. Nicholas Kerdiles

Kerdiles is a 6'2", 201-pound left winger from the United States playing for the USHL's National Development Team.

He has seven points in 13 games this season.

27. Mike Matheson

Matheson is a 6'1", 178-pound defenseman from Canada playing for the Dubuque Fighting Saints of the USHL.

He has 13 points in 31 games this season.

26. Brady Skjei

Skjei is a 6'3", 200-pound defenseman from the United States playing for the USHL's National Development Team.

He has 12 points in 15 games this season.

25. Colton Sissons

Sissons is a 6'1", 189-pound center from Canada playing for the WHL's Kelowna Rockets.

He has 39 points in 53 games this season.

Sissons is captain of his team, regarded as a gritty two-way player.

24. Jarrod Maidens

Maidens is a 6'0", 178-pound forward from Canada playing for the OHL's Owen Sound Attack.

Maidens has 23 points in 28 games this season.

23. Andreas Athanasiou

Athanasiou is a 6'0", 179-pound forward from Canada playing for the OHL's London Knights.

He has 29 points in 46 games this season.

22. Ludvik Bystrom

Bystrom is a 6'1", 208-pound defenseman from Sweden playing for the SEL's Modo Hockey.

He has one assist in 19 games after totaling 20 in 26 games with the under-20 junior team.

21, Stefan Matteau

Matteau is a 6'2", 210-pound center from the United States playing for the USHL's National Development Team.

He has four points in 10 games this season.

He is the son of New York Rangers hero Stephane Matteau.

20. Tomas Hertl

Hertl is a 6'2", 198-pound center from the Czech Republic playing for the Czech league's Slavia Praha HC.

He has 19 points in 33 games this season.

19. Zemgus Girgensons

Girgensons is a 6'2", 198-pound center from Latvia playing for the USHL's Dubuque Fighting Saints.

He has 32 points in 31 games this season.

18. Derrick Pouliot

Pouliot is a 5'11", 186-pound defenseman from Canada playing for the WHL's Portland Winterhawks.

He has 38 points in 52 games this season.

17. Slater Koekkoek

Koekkoek is a 6'2", 184-pound defenseman from Canada playing for the OHL's Peterborough Petes.

He has 18 points in 26 games this season. He is physical and talented both offensively and defensively.

16. Matt Finn

Finn is a 6'0", 195-pound defenseman from Canada playing for the OHL's Guelph Storm.

He has 34 points in 43 games this season.

Finn has quality awareness for his age in terms of making smart plays.

15. Radek Faksa

Faksa is a 6'3", 202-pound center from the Czech Republic playing for the OHL's Kitchener Rangers.

He has 48 points in 43 games this season.

14. Pontus Aberg

Aberg is a 5'11", 194-pound left winger from Sweden playing for the SEL's Djurgardens IF Stockholm.

He has 14 points in 37 games this season.

13. Sebastian Collberg

Collberg is a 5'11", 176-pound right winger from Sweden playing for the Elisterien's Forlunda team.

He totaled nine points in 14 games with the junior-20 Frolunda team this season.

Collberg is regarded as a fast skater with good deking abilities and a quality wrist shot.

12. Codi Ceci

Ceci is a 6'2", 207-pound defenseman from Canada playing for the OHL's Ottawa 67's.

He has 47 points in 47 games this season.

Ceci's hard shot and good size make him a valuable prospect.

11. Olli Maatta

Maatta is a 6'2", 202-pound defenseman from Finland playing for the OHL's London Knights.

He has 21 points in 40 games this season. He is a good skater who plays well offensively and defensively.

10. Alex Galchenyuk

Galchenyuk is a 6'0", 198-pound center who plays for the OHL's Sarnia Sting. Galchenyuk is of Russian ancestry and was born in the United States.

He was initially ranked as a top prospect, but a season-ending knee injury may cause teams to be more cautious.

9. Brendan Gaunce

Gaunce is a 6'2", 215-pound center from Canada playing for the OHL's Belleville Bulls.

He has 47 points in 49 games this season.

Gaunce is a two-way forward with useful size.

8. Griffin Reinhart

Reinhart is a 6'4", 207-pound defenseman from Canada playing for the WHL's Edmonton Oil Kings.

He has 25 points in 38 games this season, but is a great shut-down defender.

7. Morgan Rielly

Rielly is a 6'0", 190-pound defenseman from Canada playing for the WHL's Moose Jaw Warriors.

He has 18 points in 18 games this season. He is currently injured but has a high skill level.

6. Matthew Dumba

Dumba is a 6'0", 183-pound defenseman from Canada playing for the WHL's Red Deer Rebels.

He has 38 points in 48 games this season.

Dumba hits hard in addition to being a quality offensive defenseman.

5. Jacob Trouba

Trouba is a 6'2", 193-pound defenseman from the United States playing for the USHL's National Development team.

He has 11 points in 13 games this season.

Trouba is a physical player and quality puck-mover who "likes putting in the work."

4. Filip Forsberg

Forsberg is a 6'2", 181-pound center from Sweden playing for Leksand of the Allsvenskan.

He has 14 points in 34 games this season.

He has no relation to Peter Forsberg.

3. Ryan Murray

Murray is a 6'0", 201-pound defenseman from Canada playing for the WHL's Everett Silvertips.

He has 20 points in 26 games this season.

Murray says the ability to move the puck well is one of his strengths. He is an excellent all-around defenseman.

2. Mikhail Gregorenko

Gregorenko is a 6'3", 200-pound center from Russia playing for the QMJHL's Quebec Remparts.

He has 64 points in 42 games this season.

Gregorenko may be the most complete two-way forward in this year's draft.

1. Nail Yakupov

Yakupov is a 5'11", 189-pound right winger from Russia playing for the OHL's Sarnia Sting.

He has 55 points in 29 games this season; the best points-per-game in the league.

Yakupov is a dynamic scorer with good skating acceleration. Some consider him to be hockey's top prospect since Sidney Crosby.

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