November 13, 2009
WU17.004

ISS RANKINGS HAVE DISTINCT U17 FEEL

The World Under-17 Hockey Challenge has always been a coming-out party for NHL draft prospects, and the 2010 tournament in Timmins should be no different as some of the top players eligible for the 2011 and 2012 NHL Entry Drafts hit the ice in northern Ontario.

On October 15, International Scouting Services released its latest Top 30, a listing of prospective first-rounders at the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, and the list was heavy with U17 alumni – 23 of the 30 listed played at either the U17 tournament in 2008 in London, Ont., or 2009 in Port Alberni, B.C., including the top eight prospects.

1. Taylor Hall – 2008, Ontario
2. Cam Fowler – 2008, United States
3. Tyler Seguin – 2009, Ontario
4. Kirill Kabanov – 2008, Russia
5. Brandon Gormley – 2008 & 2009 – Atlantic
6. John McFarland – 2009, Ontario
7. Brett Connolly – 2009, Pacific
8. Mikael Granlund – 2008, Finland
10. Erik Gudbranson – 2009, Ontario
12. Mark Pysyk – 2009, Pacific
13. Joey Hishon – 2008, Ontario
14. Quinton Howden – 2009, West
15. Derek Forbort – 2009, United States
17. Alexander Burmistrov – 2008, Russia
20. Jeffrey Skinner – 2009, Ontario
21. Evgeny Kuznetsov – 2009, Russia
22. Teemu Pulkkinen – 2008 & 2009, Finland
23. Jarred Tinordi – 2009, United States
25. Ryan Spooner – 2009, Ontario
26. Jason Zucker – 2009, United States
27. Maxim Kitsyn – 2008, Russia
29. Emerson Etem – 2009, United States
30. Tom Kuhnhackl – 2008 & 2009, Germany