Jack Hughes’s record-breaking season could end with him leading a historic draft class for American hockey talent.

Hughes, who recently broke Clayton Keller’s USA Hockey National Team Development Program scoring record by recording his 190th point in two seasons with the Under-17 and Under-18 squads, sits atop the March edition of Craig’s List ahead of the 2019 NHL Draft.

Five other American skaters have worked their way into the top 10. The record for most U.S. players drafted in the first 10 slots of an NHL draft is four (done in both 2005 and 2006). With 10 Americans currently ranked as first-round picks on our list and 18 in our top 50, the record of 12 U.S. players picked in the first round (done in 2016) could also be challenged.

Hughes remains the best player available this year, combining elite offensive skill and imagination with his will to compete every time he comes over the boards. He’s been slowed by a couple of minor injuries this season, but still has put up monster numbers (35 goals, 89 assists in 61 games).

That sustained excellence keeps him ahead of TPS Turku right wing Kaapo Kakko (No. 2) and Russian right wing Vasili Podkolzin (No. 3). Very little separates these two dynamic players who both have plenty of size and high-end skill to offer.

He sometimes gets lost in the hype surrounding Hughes, but USNTDP centre Trevor Zegras (No. 4) is having a great season of his own, with 110 points in 77 games. The Boston University commit’s playing style and body type remind me of Vancouver Canucks rookie phenom Elias Pettersson.

Vancouver Giants blueliner Bowen Byram (No. 5) has established himself as the clear top defenceman in this class. The Cranbrook, B.C., native has been an offensive force in the Western Hockey League this season, scoring 26 goals and adding 45 assists in 67 games. I think he’ll be able to run a power play at the NHL level.

Lethbridge Hurricanes centre Dylan Cozens sits sixth this month. A great skater with size (6-foot-3, 181 pounds), Cozens has 34 goals and 84 points in 68 games this season. Cozens has slipped out of the top five as the season has progressed, but he’s still an excellent prospect with a big engine who reminds me of Filip Forsberg.

The rest of the top 10 is dominated by Americans. USNTDP left wing Matthew Boldy (No. 7) blends size and great hands, while teammate Alex Turcotte (No. 8) has major upside as a two-way centre. Hamilton Bulldogs right wing Arthur Kaliyev (No. 9) was a top-10 scorer in the Ontario Hockey League this season, scoring 51 goals and adding 51 assists in 67 games.

USNTDP right wing Cole Caufield, an offensive dynamo who is just 5-foot-6 3/4 and 162 pounds, rounds out the top 10. Caufield, who recently broke Phil Kessel’s record for career markers with the USNTDP, is the best pure goal scorer available in the draft. 

For stats and more information go to TSN.ca:


1 Jack Hughes
2 Kaapo Kakko
3 Vasili Podkolzin
4 Trevor Zegras
5 Bowen Byram
6 Dylan Cozens
7 Matthew Boldy
8 Alex Turcotte
9 Arthur Kaliyev
10 Cole Caufield
11 Philip Broberg
12 Ilya Nikolaev
13 Spencer Knight
14 Jakob Pelletier
15 Kirby Dach
16 Thomas Harley
17 Peyton Krebs
18 Raphael Lavoie
19 Cam York
20 Victor Soderstrom
21 Bobby Brink
22 Ville Heinola
23 Tobias Bjornfot
24 Egor Afanasyev
25 Samuel Poulin
26 Nicholas Robertson
27 Alex Newhook
28 Ryan Suzuki
29 Matthew Robertson
30 Moritz Seider
31 Brett Leason
32 Connor McMichael
33 Vladislav Kolyachonok
34 Hunter Jones
35 Marshall Warren
36 Albin Grewe
37 Ryan Johnson
38 Phillip Tomasino
39 Alex Vlasic
40 Nolan Foote
41 Vladislav Firstov
42 Roman Bychkov
43 Jackson LaCombe
44 John Beecher
45 Nathan Legare
46 Simon Holmstrom
47 Kaedan Korczak
48 Brayden Tracey
49 Shane Pinto
50 Harrison Blaisdell
51 Alex Campbell
52 Lassi Thomson
53 Semyon Chistyakov
54 Daniil Misyul
55 Ryder Donovan
56 Jamieson Rees
57 Mikko Kokkonen
58 Marcus Kallionkieli
59 Michael Gildon
60 Colten Ellis
61 Kirill Slepets
62 Martin Hugo Has
63 Pyotr Kochetkov
64 Leevi Aaltonen
65 Jordan Spence
66 Nikita Alexandrov
67 Nils Hoglander
68 Henry Thrun
69 Henri Nikkanen
70 Patrick Moynihan
71 Mikhail Abramov
72 Daniil Gutik
73 Robert Mastrosimone
74 Ilya Mironov
75 Juuso Parssinen
76 Taylor Gauthier
77 Ronnie Attard
78 Reece Newkirk
79 Drew Helleson
80 Trent Miner
81 Antti Saarela
82 Samuel Hlavaj
83 John Farinacci
84 Trevor Janicke
85 Layton Ahac
86 Case McCarthy
87 Keean Washkurak
88 Patrik Puistola
89 Alex Beaucage
90 Luka Burzan
91 Judd Caulfield
92 Nikita Okhotyuk
93 Jake Lee