Highly Touted NHL Prospects Whose Stock Will Soar in 2014-15

The 2015 NHL draft is going to feature highly touted prospects such as Connor McDavid, Jack Eichel and Noah Hanifin, but there are already some equally interesting prospects who have been drafted that fans should know about.

These prospects were highly touted for one reason or another, and 2014-15 should be a year when their stock rises. Soon enough, they will be bound for the NHL.

This slideshow will look at the prospects who are currently playing outside the NHL, because chances are you already know about budding stars like Aaron Ekblad, Jonathan Drouin and Evgeny Kuznetsov. In addition, a lot of the top prospects are proving their worth in the NHL.

This preview is meant to spotlight some of the prospects who are lesser known than others, and several have even gotten off to a hot start in 2014-15. Some of these prospects were premium picks, but they didn't garner as much attention as they deserve.

Without further delay, here are 10 of hockey's drafted prospects outside the NHL whose stock will soar this season.

If there's a prospect not listed here that you're excited about, drop me a note in the comments.

Ivan Barbashev, Moncton Wildcats (St. Louis Blues)

What You Need To Know: Ivan Barbashev is a highly touted offensive prospect who fell into the hands of the St. Louis Blues during the second round of the 2014 NHL draft. He is a 6'0", 181-pound left winger who is a great skater and thinker. He is so talented that the Moncton Wildcats of the QMJHL drafted him first overall during the CHL's import draft.

Recent Highlights: This season Barbashev is skating with the Wildcats, and he has scored seven goals in seven games. He's also added three helpers for a total of 10 points in seven games played.

NHL ETA: The Blues roster is jammed with talent right now, so expect Barbashev to remain in the "Q" for the next year or two. Expect him to make his NHL debut sometime during the 2017-18 season, and he should be a contender for the Calder Trophy as the NHL's top rookie.

Madison Bowey, Kelowna Rockets (Washington Capitals)

What You Need To Know: Madison Bowey is a talented defender who went in the second round of the 2014 NHL draft to the Washington Capitals.

Recent Highlights: Bowey is an offensive-minded blueliner who has been on fire for the Kelowna Rockets of the WHL, and he is currently serving as the team's captain. The Rockets have appeared in seven games so far this season, and Bowey has tallied three goals and 11 assists for 14 points.

NHL ETA: The 19-year-old defender is still a work in progress, but he has shown a lot of promise to date. He will most likely stick with the Rockets for the next year or two, because the Caps blue line is stocked right now and no defender ever regressed by spending extra time in the CHL.

Nikolaj Ehlers, Halifax Mooseheads (Winnipeg Jets)

What You Need To Know: Nikolaj Ehlers is a skilled winger who probably would have been good enough to make the Winnipeg Jets roster this season, but keeping him in the QMJHL will help his development.

Recent Highlights: The speedy and very shifty offensive winger is coming off a season in which he scored 49 goals and recorded 104 points in 63 games. In The Hockey News' print edition of the 2014 draft preview, Ehlers was given the following description. "You don't want to compare him to Drouin, but he plays with pace, his hockey IQ is off the charts, and he kills you with speed and great vision."

NHL ETA: Ehlers is going to be in the "Q" this season, and he could get some time with Winnipeg once his season is over. There is no reason why he shouldn't be a full-fledged NHLer next season, but don't be surprised if he goes back to the Mooseheads for another campaign.

Michael Dal Colle, Oshawa Generals (New York Islanders)

What You Need To Know: Michael Dal Colle is a 6'2", 179-pound winger with a tremendous amount of upside. He was selected fifth overall during the 2014 NHL draft, and he's a very skilled offensive player. The Islanders decided to send him back to the CHL. 

Recent Highlights: Since returning to the Oshawa Generals, Dal Colle has notched four goals and three assists for seven points in four games played. 

NHL ETA: This could be a huge year for one of the Islanders' top prospects, and he should have no problem lighting up juniors. Due to his offensive upside and skill, he could be in the NHL as soon as the start of the 2015-16 season.

William Nylander, MODO (Toronto Maple Leafs)

What You Need To Know: William Nylander is one of the top talents from the beginning of the 2014 NHL draft who won't be in the NHL this year. He is an elite skill player who is dynamic offensively, and he uses his speed, hands and creativity to make easy work of defenders. He can play both wing and center, and Nylander could become the best Swede to play for the Maple Leafs since Mats Sundin.

Recent Highlights: Nylander was just sent back to MODO, so he hasn't put up any points yet to date. 

NHL ETA: Nylander is a very talented forward who didn't make the Leafs this year, but he will be on the roster for the start of the 2015-16 season. He could become a great linemate for Phil Kessel in due time, and it will be interesting to see how he develops for the Leafs.

Max Domi, London Knights (Arizona Coyotes)

What You Need To Know: Max Domi has been one of the CHL's top players for the last few years. He has played in the Memorial Cup during the last three seasons, and last year he tallied an astounding 93 points in 61 games.

Recent Highlights: Domi was a top pick in 2013, and it was thought he would compete for a roster spot with the Arizona Coyotes. He failed to make the team out of training camp, and since returning to the London Knights, Domi has tallied six assists in six games. 

NHL ETA: This upcoming season will be Domi's fourth in the CHL, and he will be eligible for the AHL as soon as his time with the Knights is up. It would be ideal for him to make his debut with the Coyotes at the start of the 2015-16 season, but expect him to spend some time in the AHL before making his grand arrival.

Brandon Halverson, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (New York Rangers)

Rebecca Taylor/Getty Images

What You Need To Know: Brandon Halverson was the sixth-ranked North American goaltender before the 2014 NHL draft, and the New York Rangers selected him in the second round. He is a sizable goaltender at 6'4" and 180 pounds, yet he moves well for his size.

In November 2013, Future Considerations described him as "a tall but thin puck stopper who moves well in the crease, has good reflexes and tracks the puck well through traffic. Very communicative and able to play the puck like a third defenseman. The Butterfly keeper needs some technical work but has good upside." 

Recent Highlights: Halverson is currently the OHL's top netminder. He has a 7-0-0 record, with a .920 save percentage and a 2.57 GAA. The strong start is promising for Halverson, because this is his first year as a bona fide starter.

NHL ETA: Halverson is a solid goaltending prospect with upside, but he still has a ways to go. He projects to be a decent NHL starter who could be in the league as soon as 2017-18.

Andrey Vasilevskiy, Syracuse Crunch (Tampa Bay Lightning)

What You Need To Know: Andrey Vasilevskiy is a very talented goaltender who is the future in net for the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Russian dynamo spent some time overseas in the KHL, and this year he will spend time in the AHL with the Syracuse Crunch.

Recent Highlights: Raw Charge is a top blog that covers the Tampa Bay Lightning, and it had a solid summary on the Bolts' future netminder. The breakdown includes highlights like Vasilevskiy starting for Salavat Ufa and winning the KHL's rookie of the month four times. He also appeared in 18 playoff games and posted a .934 save percentage.

NHL ETA: This season Vasilevskiy is going to be in the AHL. Depending on how well his season goes, he could eventually replace Evgeni Nabokov as the team's backup. Ben Bishop appears to be the main option in net for now, so it may take until 2017-18 for Vasilevskiy to finally make his mark.

Kasperi Kapanen, KalPa (Pittsburgh Penguins)

What You Need To Know: Kasperi Kapanen, son of former NHLer Sami Kapanen, is a budding young forward with a bright future. The 18-year-old winger is a member of KalPa, an organization in the SM-Liiga in Finland.

Recent Highlights: One of Kapanen's biggest strength is his two-way skill set. He certainly picked that up from watching and learning from his father, but he also has an offensive side. He is a right-handed shot, and he can rifle the puck with some accuracy and speed. His season in Finland is only two games old, but last year he tallied 14 points in 47 games. This year he will likely have a bigger role, and his offensive output should increase twofold.

NHL ETA: Beau Bennett was injured before the start of the season, and that should have opened up space for Kapanen. It didn't, so he will be in Finland this season and have an opportunity to make his North American debut next year. I can see him getting some time in with the WB-Scranton Penguins at the start of the 2015-16 season and eventually becoming a regular Pittsburgh Penguin at some point during the year.

Haydn Fleury, Red Deer Rebels (Carolina Hurricanes)

What You Need To Know: Haydn Fleury is probably one of the more underrated picks from the 2014 draft. Talented 6'3", 207-pound defenders don't grow on trees, especially ones with solid offensive upside.

Recent Highlights: Fleury will remain with the Red Deer Rebels this season, but he signed an entry-level deal after a strong performance in the Traverse City prospect tournament. Ron Francis, the general manager of the Carolina Hurricanes, spoke about Fleury, and what he means to the franchise, via NHL.com: "We feel very strongly that Haydn is an important part of our team's future. He performed very well at our development camp, and we are looking forward to seeing him in Traverse City [at a rookie tournament] and during training camp in Raleigh."

NHL ETA: Defenders take longer to develop than their forward counterparts, so there is no harm in leaving Fleury in the CHL until he is ready. Fleury will most likely spend this year and next in the WHL, and then he will transition with the Checkers of the AHL before becoming a Carolina Hurricane.

Stats via Hockey-Reference, Elite Prospects and NHL.com unless noted.