June 9, 2006
2006 NHL Draft: Pre-Draft Rankings

The NHL's Central Scouting Service released its final rankings of top prospects eligible for the league's 2006 entry draft in April, but the CSS is by no means the only outfit with an opinion on best players available for the June 24 selection meeting in Vancouver.

Listed below are three similar rankings: one from The Hockey News, one from International Scouting Services that can be found on the web site of Canadian cable outlet The Sports Network, and a mock draft from Red Line Report that appeared on the USA Today web site.

Rank
Hockey News
International Scouting Service
1
Erik Johnson, D
U.S. NTDP
Minnesota recruit
Erik Johnson, D
U.S. NTDP
Minnesota recruit
2
Phil Kessel, F
Minnesota
Jonathan Toews, F
North Dakota
3
Jonathan Toews, F
North Dakota
Jordan Staal, C
Peterborough (OHL)
4
Jordan Staal, C
Peterborough (OHL)

Nicklas Backstrom, F
Byrnas (SWE)

5
Nicklas Backstrom, F
Byrnas (SWE)
Phil Kessel, F
Minnesota
6

Peter Mueller, F
Everett (WHL)

Peter Mueller, F
Everett (WHL)

7
Derick Brassard, F
Drummondville (QMJHL)
James Sheppard, F
Cape Breton (QMJHL)
8
Jiri Tlusty, F
Kladno (CZE)
Michael Frolik, F
Kladno (CZE)
9
Bryan Little, F
Barrie (OHL)
Derick Brassard, F
Drummondville (QMJHL)
10
Kyle Okposo, F
Des Moines (USHL)
Minnesota recruit
Jiri Tlusty, F
Kladno (CZE)
11
Nigel Williams, D
U.S. NTDP
Wisconsin recruit
Kyle Okposo, F
Des Moines (USHL)
Minnesota recruit
12
Michael Frolik, F
Kladno (CZE)
Bob Sanguinetti, D
Owen Sound (OHL)
13
James Sheppard, F
Cape Breton (QMJHL)
Bryan Little, F
Barrie (OHL)
14
Chris Stewart, F
Kingston (OHL)
Chris Stewart, F
Kingston (OHL)
15
Bob Sanguinetti, D
Owen Sound (OHL)
Ondrej Fiala, C
Everett (WHL)
16
Ty Wishart, D
Prince George (WHL)
Jan-Mikael Juutilainen, F
Jokerit (FIN)
Nebraska-Omaha recruit
17
Jonathan Bernier, G
Lewiston (QMJHL)
Tomas Marcinko, F
Kosice (SLO)
18
Ryan White, F
Calgary (WHL)
Patrik Berglund, F
Vasteras Junior (SWE)
19
Patrik Berglund, F
Vasteras Junior (SWE)
John Armstrong, F
Plymouth (OHL)
20
Mark Mitera, D
Michigan
Mike Weber, D
Windsor (OHL)
21
Ben Maxwell, F
Kootenay (WHL)
Michael Grabner, F
Spokane (WHL)
22
Cory Emmerton, F
Kingston (OHL)
Artem Anisimov, F
Yaroslavl (RUS)
23
Chris Summers, D
U.S. NTDP
Michigan recruit
Tomas Kana, F
Vitkovice (CZE)
24
Mike Forney, F
Thief River Falls (Minn.) H.S.
North Dakota recruit
Nigel Williams, D
U.S. NTDP
Wisconsin recruit
25
David Fischer, D
Apple Valley (Minn.) H.S.
Minnesota recruit
Cory Emmerton, F
Kingston (OHL)
26
Ivan Vishnevsky, D
Rouyn-Noranda (QMJHL)
Brian Strait, D
U.S. NTDP
Boston University recruit
27
Joe Ryan, D
Quebec (QMJHL)
Claude Giroux, F
Gatineau (QMJHL)
28
Alexander Vasyunov, F
Yaroslavl (RUS)
Ty Wishart, D
Prince George (WHL)
29
Michael Grabner, F
Spokane (WHL)
Shawn Matthias, C
Belleville (OHL)
30
Ondrej Fiala, C
Everett (WHL)
Mike Forney, F
Thief River Falls (Minn.) H.S.
North Dakota recruit
Note: The Hockey News rated its top 100 prospects. Others with college ties were:
45. Kevin Montgomery, D
U.S. NTDP, Ohio State recruit
53. Simon Danis-Pepin, D, Maine
54. Ryan Flynn, F, U.S. NTDP, Minnesota recruit
55. Blake Geoffrion, F, U.S. NTDP, Wisconsin recruit
59. Jan-Mikael Juutilainen, F, Jokerit, Nebraska-Omaha recruit
61. Brian Strait, D, U.S. NTDP, Boston University recruit
64. Mike Ratchuk, D, U.S. NTDP, Michigan State recruit
72. Billy Sauer, G, Michigan
77. Trevor Lewis, F, Des Moines (USHL), Michigan recruit
79. Joe Palmer, G, U.S. NTDP, Ohio State recruit
87. Carl Sneep, D, Brainerd (Minn.) H.S., Boston College recruit
89. Eric Gryba, D, Green Bay (USHL), Boston University recruit
98. Andreas Nodl, F, Sioux Falls (USHL), St. Cloud State recruit
100. Ryan Turek, F, Omaha (USHL), Michigan State recruit
Note: ISS rates goaltenders separately. Among its list of top 10 goalies were:
8. Jeff Zatkoff, Miami
9. Joe Palmer, U.S. NTDP, Ohio State recruit
Red Line Report
Pick
Team
Selection
1
St. Louis
Erik Johnson, D, U.S. NTDP
Minnesota recruit
2
Pittsburgh
Phil Kessel, F, Minnesota
3
Chicago
Jonathan Toews, F, North Dakota
4

Washington

Jordan Staal, C, Peterborough (OHL)

5
Boston
Nicklas Backstrom, F, Byrnas (SWE)
6

Columbus

Peter Mueller, F, Everett (WHL)

7
New York Islanders
Derrick Brassard, F, Drummondville (QMJHL)
8
Phoenix
Jiri Tlusty, F, Kladno (CZE)
9
Minnesota
Kyle Okposo, F, Des Moines (USHL)
Minnesota recruit
10
Florida
Chris Summers, D, U.S. NTDP
Michigan recruit
11
Los Angeles
Michael Frolik, F, Kladno (CZE)
12
Atlanta
Bryan Little, F, Barrie (OHL)
13
Toronto
Ty Wishart, D, Prince George (WHL)
14
Vancouver
James Sheppard , F, Cape Breton (QMJHL)
15
Tampa Bay
Jonathan Bernier, G, Lewiston (QMJHL)
16
Montreal
Eric Gryba, D, Green Bay (USHL)
Boston University recruit
17
Minnesota (from EDM)
Patrik Berglund, F, Vasteras Junior (SWE)
18
Colorado
Mike Forney, F, Thief River Falls (Minn.) H.S.
North Dakota recruit
19
Anaheim
Bob Sanguinetti, D, Owen Sound (OHL)
20
San Jose
Nigel Williams, D, U.S. NTDP
Wisconsin recruit
21
New York Rangers
Chris Stewart, F, Kingston (OHL)
22
Philadelphia
Mark Mitera, D, Michigan
23
Washington (from NSH)
Artem Anisimov, F, Yaroslavl (RUS)
24
Buffalo
Ivan Vishnevsky, D, Rouyn-Noranda (QMJHL)
25
New Jersey
Ben Maxwell, F, Kootenay (WHL)
26
Calgary
Ryan White, F, Calgary (WHL)
27
Dallas
Joe Palmer, G, U.S. NTDP
Ohio State recruit
28
Ottawa
Dennis Persson, D, Vasteras Junior (SWE)
29
Detroit
Leland Irving, G, Everett (WHL)
30
St. Louis (from CAR)
Michael Grabner, F, Spokane (WHL)
 
Wild card I
Jan-Mikael Juutilainen, F, Jokerit (FIN)
Nebraska-Omaha recruit
 
Wild card II
David Fischer, D, Apple Valley (Minn.) H.S.
Minnesota recruit