2012 NHL Draft Top 30 Rankings [December Edition]

The Hockey Guys are pleased to release the second edition of “THG’s NHL Draft Top 30 Rankings”, a guide aimed at providing all hockey fans with information on the upcoming 2012 draft class.  As in the first edition released in November, Prospect guru Brendan Ross and credentialed OHL writer Todd Cordell team up to provide you with their collaborative rankings for the 2012 NHL Entry Draft. 

Each and every month leading up to the June 2012 NHL Draft, Cordell and Ross will provide you with an updated Top 30 Ranking and track the progress of the NHL’s future stars. In this draft guide, hockey enthusiasts gain easy access to the rankings (plus honorable mentions), player attributes, updated statistics and player skill analysis (coming in future releases).  THG’s provides you with an easy to read PDF file that presents itself in an attractive layout to ensure easy navigation as you follow your favourite NHL draft eligible prospects.

Sarnia's Nail Yakupov remains #1 (Metcalfe Photography)

Hockey has been underway for over two months and it is becoming easier for scouts to break down each prospects’ game and determine their future NHL potential.  Sarnia Sting sniper Nail Yakupov remains atop the list at number one but there are several players pushing him with their recent stellar play.  Quebec Rempart center Mikhail Grigorenko has made a flawless transition to the North American junior league and continues his strong play challenging his Russian counterpart Yakupov on a nightly basis.  The Western Hockey League is missing a top 2012 defender Ryan Murray (Everett Silvertips) due to a high ankle sprain but Red Deer Rebel defenseman Matt Dumba has easily stepped up in his place surpassing Murray in our December ranking.  In fact, injuries among the top 2012 NHL draft prospects are becoming a common occurrence.  Sarnia’s Nail Yakupov (back) and Alex Galchenyuk (Knee – out for season), along with Everett’s Ryan Murray (ankle), Moose Jaw’s Morgan Rielly (Knee – out for season), Peterborough’s Slater Koekkoek (shoulder) and Halifax’s Martin Frk (concussion – indefinitely) are represent seven players ranked in our December Top 20 that are currently sidelined with injuries.  The injuries to these top players are concerning however since most of them are highly touted prospects, scouts will be patient with their injuries and not jump to conclusions.  Each player oozes skill that NHL teams covet but the real test for these players will be when they return to action and show their stuff at the NHL combine next Spring.  The remaining healthy 2012 NHL prospects have the opportunity to take advantage of these unfortunate injuries and improve their own draft stock with strong performances of their own.

As the holiday season nears, several prospects will be loaned to their national teams to participate in next month’s 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship giving a few players the opportunity to shine on the national stage in front of hundreds of scouts.  Last month, Team Russia landed in Canada to participate in the annual Subway Super Series against the Canadian Hockey League’s top teams from each league (QMJHL, WHL, OHL).  Scouts were on hand watching 2012 eligible players strut their stuff and while many of them met expectations there were a few disappointments throughout the 6-game series and that’s reflective in our December 2011 Top 30 Draft Rankings.

The December release features six new players and witnessed several key players fall out of the Top 30 including the underwhelming Matia Marcantuoni.

Please check out where your favourite prospect lands in our recent December release of THG’s NHL Draft Top 30 Rankings. 

Signed,  Brendan Ross

Cordell and Ross will be following the talents closely as each player ramps up their game throughout the season.  The Under-20 World Junior Championships, CHL Prospects game as well as the previously played CHL Subway Super Series provide these skilled players with an opportunity to display their talents as each of them attempts to impress NHL scouts in hopes of earning a future NHL home. Be sure to download the complimentary THG’s NHL Draft Top 30 Rankings for the month of December and check back on the first of every month for an updated release. Just so you all won’t have to go back to previous editions, we have decided to provide the previous ranks of each player so you can see how far each player dropped or rose in the rankings.

Download PDF: Top 30 2012 NHL Draft Rankings – December

Enjoy!