2015 NHL Draft Prospects Whose Stock Is Soaring

The final major tournament for 2015 draft-eligible players took place in Switzerland in April. Several players improved their draft stock in a big way at the U18 World Hockey Championships, and a few emerged as legitimate first-round prospects.

Other players are capitalizing deep runs in junior leagues that are still in the playoffs. Those players have a distinct advantage over prospects who have gone home after their club was eliminated. Sometimes, a strong playoff run can make a significant difference in a prospect's final draft number.

Here the top risers among 2015 draft-eligible prospects.

9. Mitchell Stephens, RW, Saginaw Spirit (OHL)

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Where Is He Playing? Mitchell Stephens of the Saginaw Spirit has just completed an outstanding performance at the U18 World Hockey Championships. He enjoyed a strong season with the Spirit and should be getting more attention from NHL scouts.

What Kind of Impact Is He Having? Stephens was one of the offensive stars for Canada at the U18 tournament, scoring five goals to lead his team.

Where Will He Go in the Draft? He is No. 112 on the final Central Scouting ranking for North American skaters. Adding all four lists together, that would place Stephens around Round 5 of the draft. Based on his performance at the World Championships, though, he may end up going in the second round, perhaps in the No. 45 to No. 60 range.

8. Jack Roslovic, C, U.S. National Development Team (USDP)

Where Is He Playing? Jack Roslovic had a fine season for the U.S. National Development Team and then blossomed on the big stage at the U18 World Hockey Championships.

What Kind of Impact Is He Having? He was part of an outstanding group of forwards who led the U.S. to the gold medal at the tournament and put his offensive ability on full display. 

Where Will He Go in the Draft? Roslovic was ranked No. 39 on the North American list by Central Scouting. A player in that range on the North American list can expect to go anywhere from No. 50 to the middle of the third round. Roslovic's recent performance may find him moving into the middle of the second round, perhaps as high as No. 40 overall.

7. Denis Guryanov, RW, Togliatti (MHL)

Where Is He Playing? Denis Guryanov of Togliatti had a strong season in the Russian second league and then poured it on during the U18 World Hockey Championships. 

What Kind of Impact Is He Having? Guryanov was on fire for the Russians, scoring six goals in five games during the tournament.

Where Will He Go in the Draft? He is No. 7 on the list of European skaters on the final Central Scouting list. That ranking suggests he will go somewhere late in the second round or early third round. His performance during this tournament was so impressive that he could move into the top 35 overall. 

6. Colin White, C, U.S. National Development Team

Where Is He Playing? Colin White had a strong season with the U.S. National Development team and then followed it up with a terrific performance at the U18 World Hockey Championships. His six goals in seven games were key to the U.S. winning the gold medal. 

What Kind of Impact Is He Having? White plays a strong game in all areas, as shown by Todd Cordell in his close-up look at zone starts and entries during the game against Finland. White gets a lot of credit for the goals, but he was doing good things at the other end of the ice as well.

Where Will He Go in the Draft? Central Scouting has White at No. 29 overall, which implies a second-round selection that could be around No. 40. White's impressive showing in the regular season, in addition to the quality performance at the Championships, should see him go late in the first round. 

5. Jeremy Bracco, RW, U.S. National Development Team (USHL)

Where Is He Playing? Jeremy Bracco and his Team USA teammates just completed a golden appearance at the U18 World Hockey Championships.

What Kind of Impact Is He Having? Bracco was an impact scorer during the regular season with the U.S. National Development Team and followed it up with a fantastic showing at the U18's. Bracco finished No. 2 in tournament scoring and showed outstanding offensive ability.

Where Will He Go in the Draft? Bob McKenzie's midseason rankings for TSN had Bracco at No. 29 overall. Craig Button of TSN has Bracco at No. 47 overall in his latest rankings, and this latest performance at the U18's should see a surge in the final listings. There's a good chance Bracco ends up inside the top 25 overall in the 2015 draft.

4. Nick Merkley, RW, Kelowna Rockets (WHL)

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Where Is He Playing? Nick Merkley of the Kelowna Rockets enjoyed an outstanding regular season with 70 assists and 90 points. He's also in the top 10 in playoff scoring, standing out as an important option for the Rockets.

What Kind of Impact Is He Having? Merkley is creating offense in every discipline. His 13 assists rank him No. 2 in the WHL during the playoffs. Three of those assists have come on the power play and two on the penalty kill, giving him eight at even strength. He is among the best and most creative passers in the WHL, and those skills are on full display this spring.

Where Will He Go in the Draft? Central Scouting has Merkley No. 23, but his impact in the playoffs and a strong regular season should land him inside the top 15 overall.

3. Timo Meier, RW, Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)

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Where Is He Playing? Timo Meier of the Halifax Mooseheads is a dynamic offensive winger. He scored 44 goals in the regular season and scored 10 goals and had 96 shots on goal during 14 playoff games.

What Kind of Impact Is He Having? He was in the conversation as a quality scoring prospect before the playoffs, but his impressive run will have a big impact during scouting meetings of all 30 NHL teams.

Where Will He Go in the Draft? Meier is ranked No. 10 overall among North American skaters on the final Central Scouting list. In considering all four lists—goalies and skaters for both North America and Europe—we can estimate that Meier should be expected to go in the top 20 overall. His performance down the stretch and in the playoffs may mean he goes top 10 overall at the draft.

2. Mathew Barzal, C, Seattle Thunderbirds (WHL)

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Where Is He Playing? Mathew Barzal just completed a tremendous showing at the U18 World Hockey Championships. It was important for him, as he had injury issues during his regular season with the Seattle Thunderbirds of the WHL.

What Kind of Impact Is He Having? He had an enormous U18's for Canada and needed it more than anyone in the draft.

Where Will He Go in the Draft? Barzal ranked No. 10 on the midseason rankings by Bob McKenzie and should cover that bet at the draft. His showing at the U18 World Hockey Championships will go a long way to convincing NHL managers and scouts that he is a bona fide star.

1. Connor McDavid, C, Erie Otters (OHL)

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Where Is He Playing? Connor McDavid and his Erie Otters are involved in a classic semifinal battle in the OHL. Their opponent is the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds, and Erie holds a 3-1 lead in the series.

What Kind of Impact Is He Having? McDavid leads the OHL in most offensive categories, including points. He has an 11-point lead on his closest competitor in the scoring race. 

Where Will He Go in the Draft? McDavid is a lock for No. 1 overall, but his most recent performances put more clearance between him and the other players in this class. He appears to be a generational talent.