September
14, 2005
Recruiting Trail: Top 20 Forwards
You
probably know all about Minnesota-bound Phil Kessel by now.
He tops our list of incoming freshmen forwards, but be sure
to check out 19 other names you should know.
Predictably,
Minnesota-bound forward Phil Kessel leads the list of incoming forwards
in Inside College Hockey's 2005 Recruiting Rankings. Kessel, widely
considered to be the top prospect in next year's National Hockey
League draft, is the first non-North Dakota recruit to top INCH's
ratings of incoming forwards. Brady Murray held the spot in 2003,
while Travis Zajac was there last year.
The rundown
of the top 20 forwards is dominated by WCHA rookies (a total of
13, including four from North Dakota) and USHL alums (nine in all).
Only three Hockey East recruits made the list; no ECACHL freshmen-to-be
cracked the top 20.
Inside College
Hockey compiled its 2005 Recruiting Rankings with extensive input
from college and junior coaches, as well as professional scouts.
Participants were asked to evaluate recruits based on their projected
impact at the college level, not on their professional hockey prospects.
Stay tuned in
the coming days for our exclusive ranking of the top goalies, defensemen
and incoming classes, players by junior league or geographical area,
and our annual all-name team.
