Thursday, July 9, 2015

2016 NHL Central Scouting Futures List

The list only includes 100 top players, so it's not surprising that only a small few are uncommitted and NCAA eligible. There are some European players listed that are eligible (and one that is actually committed), but as per usual, we'll continue to leave them out of the conversation due to their low likelihood of playing NCAA hockey. Below are the five eligible players uncommitted as of this posting.

Dante Fabbro - D - Penticton-BCHL
Tyson Jost - F - Penticton-BCHL
Matthew Cairns - D - Toronto-OJHL
Chad Krys - D - USNTDP-USHL
Auston Matthews - F - USNTDP-USHL

The last name on the list is the most intriguing. Matthews is widely regarded as the most likely player to be drafted #1 overall. He has accelerated his studies and has graduated from high school, making him eligible for NCAA this coming season. He's likely going to pass on the opportunity. There is also a strong likelihood that he'll pass on the opportunity to play in the WHL, instead opting for a professional contract in some European league. That decision and subsequent announcement is expected in the very near future.

No comments: