Top Ad
I DIG Radio
www.idigradio.com
Listen live to the best music from around the world!
I DIG Style
www.idigstyle.com
Learn about the latest fashion styles and more...

20 for 2020: Way-too-early NHL draft rankings

Written by 
Published in Hockey
Wednesday, 26 June 2019 09:26

It's now been a few days since Jack Hughes was called at No. 1, and the dust of the 2019 NHL draft has started to settle. So there's naturally only one thing left to do. It's time to turn the page to the 2020 draft season.

And it looks like we've got another strong draft class on our hands. While we might not have a Hughes or even a Kaapo Kakko quite yet, the top end of this group is solid, and we should see a first round packed with talent, especially up front. It all starts at the top with an exciting top four prospects.

Here's a way-too-early look at the 20 best prospects in the 2020 NHL draft class.

2019 draft grades | Every pick in 2019
Meet the next three No. 1 picks

1. Alexis Lafreniere, LW, Rimouski (QMJHL)

A dominant force in the QMJHL this year, Lafreniere has been on the 2020 draft radar for some time. He was the CHL Player of the Year in 2018-19 after putting up 105 points, tied for the most by a U18 player in the QMJHL since Sidney Crosby. Lafreniere isn't at the Hughes level yet, but he's trending up pretty aggressively. Having missed the draft cutoff by only a few weeks and coming off that incredible season, the expectations for Lafreniere are going to be through the roof next season. All the 17-year-old really has to do is meet them, but he still isn't a Hughes-esque lock on the No. 1 spot. That's not a knock on Lafreniere, who is every bit as good as you've heard. It's more about the guys who are next in line.

2. Lucas Raymond, RW, Frolunda (Sweden)

Raymond is probably the biggest threat to Lafreniere at this point. The exceptionally skilled and smart forward has played beyond his years for a while now. His 48 points were the most ever by a U17 player in Sweden's top U20 league. Only four players who appeared in 20 or more games in the SuperElit had more than Raymond's 1.30 points per game, and two of them are the Sedin twins. Raymond (now 17) also appeared in 10 SHL games at 16 years old last season before putting up eight points in seven games at U18 worlds. In the final game of that tournament, Raymond completed a hat trick in overtime to hand Sweden its historic first-ever World U18 gold. He's a special talent.

3. Quinton Byfield, C, Sudbury (OHL)

Read 582 times

Soccer

Pep: Man City face '9 finals' to qualify for UCL

Pep: Man City face '9 finals' to qualify for UCL

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsWhile Pep Guardiola and Manchester City are in the unlikeliest of p...

USMNT's Haji Wright nets 1st hat trick in England

USMNT's Haji Wright nets 1st hat trick in England

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsUnited States forward Haji Wright scored his first hat trick in Eng...

Pulisic equals career-best goal tally in Milan win

Pulisic equals career-best goal tally in Milan win

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsChristian Pulisic equaled his career-best goal tally for a season w...

2026 FIFA


2028 LOS ANGELES OLYMPIC

UEFA

2024 PARIS OLYMPIC


Basketball

Nets' Thomas (hamstring) likely out for season

Nets' Thomas (hamstring) likely out for season

EmailPrintCam Thomas, the Brooklyn Nets' leading scorer, is expected to miss the rest of the season...

Bulls' Ball out again, not shut down for season

Bulls' Ball out again, not shut down for season

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsHOUSTON -- Lonzo Ball missed his seventh game with a right wrist in...

Baseball

O's Henderson aiming for Opening Day return

O's Henderson aiming for Opening Day return

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsShortstop Gunnar Henderson said he believes he can return from inju...

Marlins lose OF Sanchez (oblique) for four weeks

Marlins lose OF Sanchez (oblique) for four weeks

EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsMiami Marlins outfielder Jesus Sanchez suffered a left oblique inju...

Sports Leagues

  • FIFA

    Fédération Internationale de Football Association
  • NBA

    National Basketball Association
  • ATP

    Association of Tennis Professionals
  • MLB

    Major League Baseball
  • ITTF

    International Table Tennis Federation
  • NFL

    Nactional Football Leagues
  • FISB

    Federation Internationale de Speedball

About Us

I Dig® is a leading global brand that makes it more enjoyable to surf the internet, conduct transactions and access, share, and create information.  Today I Dig® attracts millions of users every month.r

 

Phone: (800) 737. 6040
Fax: (800) 825 5558
Website: www.idig.com
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Affiliated