NHL Player Comparisons for the Projected Top 10 Prospects in the 2016 Draft

The NHL combine signifies that the draft will soon be upon us. For many teams, the draft offers fresh hope and a change in fortune—if everything works out.

This year's draft once looked like Auston Matthews and everyone else for a long time, but the race has tightened down the stretch thanks to Finnish winger Patrik Laine. The competition for No. 3 overall has had a similar development, as OHL winger Matthew Tkachuk is giving Finnish forward Jesse Puljujarvi a run for his money.

All of these names may be somewhat familiar, but which style of player is likely to join your favorite team? For the most part, think big, strong, fast and skilled.

Here are the top 10 players available—according to the author—in this year's draft, and the players they most closely resemble.

10. Logan Brown, C, Windsor Spitfires (OHL)

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Who Is His Comparable? Logan Brown of the Windsor Spitfires is a 6'6" two-way center, and he plays a lot like Jordan Staal of the Carolina Hurricanes. 

How Are They Similar? Both men were impressive offensive centers in their draft seasons and have a range of skills. They share size, speed and the ability to play a complementary role on a skill line.

Will He Be Better? Brown delivered more offense in his draft year and could in fact be a better offensive player. Staal hit 50 points in his best NHL season in 2011-12, and if Brown can match that production—while providing all of the other elements—his drafting team will have added a tremendous asset.

9. Jakob Chychrun, D, Sarnia Sting (OHL)

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Who Is His Comparable? Jakob Chychrun of the Sarnia Sting is a two-way defender with a range of skills. His NHL comparable is Zach Bogosian of the Buffalo Sabres. 

How Are They Similar? Chychrun arrives at the draft with an impressive resume. He is a two-way defender who plays a 200-foot game and impacts offense at the junior level. That was basically the scouting report on Bogosian when he was drafted, although the offense has faded over the years.

Will He Be Better? There is little doubt Chychrun projects as a significant defensive player. If he can deliver offense as Bogosian did as a younger player—and sustain it for a longer period—Chychrun will have a more productive career. The offense in the case of Chychrun is a major factor in evaluating his future.

8. Olli Juolevi, D, London Knights (OHL)

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Who Is His Comparable? Olli Juolevi of the London Knights is a smooth-skating two-way defender, and one of his comparables is Olli Maatta of the Pittsburgh Penguins. 

How Are They Similar? Both use intelligence and skill on offense and defense, preferring those tools over heavy hits and a grinding style. They are terrific passers who are exceptional at getting the puck going in a good direction by pass or carry. Both men also lack a dynamic shot from the point and have almost complete skill sets.

Will He Be Better? Juolevi appears to have more offensive potential, as Maatta delivers a lot of defensive value with his play. If Juolevi can use those passes and imagination on an NHL power play, there is a strong chance he will be a more substantial NHL player during his career.

7. Clayton Keller, C, U.S. National Development Team (USHL)

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Who Is His Comparable? Clayton Keller of the U.S. National Development Team is a brilliant offensive player who can impact the game offensively on every shift. His most interesting comparable is Johnny Gaudreau of the Calgary Flames. 

How Are They Similar? Gaudreau is an undersized forward (5'9", 157 lbs) with shocking skill and ability. Keller appears to be a similar player (5'10", 170 lbs), with outstanding passing ability, creativity with the puck on his stick and wizardry around the net.

Will He Be Better? Gaudreau (22) and Keller (17) are close in age; however, it is impossible to compare a long track record against a newcomer who is about to make his mark. Gaudreau turned pro at 21, scoring 60 points as an NHL rookie. Keller turns 18 in July, so much of their careers will take place in the same league in real time. Keller could be as good as Gaudreau, if not better, based on what we know.

6. Mikhail Sergachev, D, Windsor Spitfires (OHL)

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Who Is His Comparable? Mikhail Sergachev is a mobile and creative defenseman whose value stems from offense. He is somewhat comparable to former NHL player Sergei Gonchar. 

How Are They Similar? Gonchar had offensive value in the past and Sergachev boasts it in the future. They are mobile, creative passers and offer major help with power-play offense.

Will He Be Better? Gonchar delivered high-quality play over a long period but did have some defensive gaps along with periods of indifferent performance. If Sergachev can be consistent, he could have a stronger career than Gonchar—something we won't know until well into the next decade.

5. Matthew Tkachuk, LW, London Knights (OHL)

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Who Is His Comparable? Matt Tkachuk of the London Knights is a talented winger who brings hard work and intelligent play to every shift. His comparable is rugged winger Ryan Smyth, who retired at the end of the 2013-14 season. 

How Are They Similar? Tkachuk and Smyth conduct business from 20 feet in, winning battles, getting shots on net and delivering brilliant passes in close. An eagerness to drive to the net, get into battles and win them is the calling card of both players.

Will He Be Better? Tkachuk's skating and shooting are superior to Smyth's as an NHL player. If Tkachuk can match the tenacity, strength and skill inside the physical areas, he could be a better player when his career is over. There is a long way to go for Tkachuk.

4. Pierre-Luc Dubois, Cape Breton Screaming Eagles (QMJHL)

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Who Is His Comparable? Pierre-Luc Dubois of the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles is a power forward who plays with skill and an edge. His NHL comparable is James Neal of the Nashville Predators. 

How Are They Similar? Both men are a difficult to defend because they are effective in getting opponents off their game. Dubois can play center and wing and was effective at even strength during his junior career.

Will He Be Better? Dubois has a chance to be a more complete player than Neal, thanks to his even-strength prowess and ability to play center. The team selecting Dubois would be thrilled with similar output to Neal over his career.

3. Jesse Puljujarvi, RW, Karpat (Sm-Liiga)

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Who Is His Comparable? Jesse Puljujarvi is an emerging talent who plays for Karpat of the Sm-Liiga.  His closest comparable is Jamie Benn of the Dallas Stars.

How Are They Similar? He is big (6'3", 201 lbs), strong and skilled—and has those things in common with Benn (6'2", 209 lbs). It is open to speculation as to how much offense Puljujarvi will bring, although it is probably a stretch to suggest he will be Benn's equal. The Finn is a faster skater than Benn.

Will He Be Better? Benn came out of nowhere and emerged as one of the best players in the game. In terms of style and presence, he is similar to Puljujarvi. Offensively, the young Finn dominated the various international tournaments. It will be some time before we can project him as a top-flight NHL player, let alone an impact player like Benn.

2. Patrik Laine, W, Tappara (Sm-Liiga)

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Who Is His Comparable? Patrik Laine is a big (6'4", 209 lbs) scoring winger for Tappara of Finland's top pro league, the Sm-Liiga. There is no clear available comparable for Laine, but the power in his shot and one-timer is similar in style to Steven Stamkos.

How Are They Similar? Laine has a terrific shot, just like Stamkos. The two men are also terrific passers and have good vision.

Will He Be Better? The fact we are discussing Stamkos as a comparable player suggests Laine is a substantial talent. We should not get ahead of ourselves in terms of career comparison for several years. It is a long road to become a legend.

1. Auston Matthews, C, Zurich Lions (NLA)

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Who Is His Comparable? Auston Matthews of the Zurich Lions is a complete prospect, which makes him comparable to a complete center such as Anze Kopitar of the Los Angeles Kings. Matthews is that rare player who can be projected into all areas of the game, thanks to his size (6'2", 194 lbs), skill and speed. 

How Are They Similar? Young players normally need some time to develop the defensive side of their game, and that will likely be true, but Matthews has that ability. Kopitar's career took that route—he scored well as a young man and then developed his two-way game while maintaining his offense. That may well be Matthews' path as an impact player. 

Will He Be Better? Kopitar averages 73 points per 82 games. He is a big (6'3", 224 lbs) two-way center who plays heavy minutes and drives the offense no matter the opposition. It would be unfair to project Matthews as better than Kopitar, but the youngster's draft pedigree and first pro season before draft day suggest he may one day be his equal. Once he gets there, we can project Matthews to a higher level.