The first installment of the newly-rechristened Hlinka Gretzky Cup has been
completed, with Canada hosting the championship trophy. As such, the hockey
world has stopped swooning over the 2018 NHL Draft class and turned its gaze
upon the fresh-faced 16 and 17-year-olds that will be selected (eventually) in
the 2019 NHL Draft in Vancouver.

We hope everyone enjoyed their summer, because the end of the Hlinka tournament
 traditionally is followed by major junior camps opening a few weeks later. The
 2018-19 hockey calendar is almost upon us. The 2019 class is highlighted by
U.S. National Development Team standout Jack Hughes - a few lottery teams will
attempt to Play Whack for Jack - but there are several players that could
become very strong NHLers in their own rights.Jack Hughes is the presumptive
top prospect for the 2019 NHL Draft. (Photo by Dave Reginek/Getty Images)

This is the first edition of my annual NHL Draft rankings here at The Hockey
Writers. Starting with these preliminary rankings and updating them roughly
every other month, I will attempt to rank the top players in this year's draft
class as if I were drafting a team from scratch. My main proviso? I want the
players that will help my team win consistently - when in doubt, I err on the
side of players who have a larger sample size of excellence.

The usual disclaimers apply: I live in Western Canada so I see Western Hockey
League players the most often, followed by the remainder of Canada's prospects
- especially those affiliated with Hockey Canada. I have to rely on video for
players in the United States and Europe for the most part. I'm also hesitant to
 draft goalies early due to the sheer number of weird things that can go wrong
and derail their development.

As has become tradition, your mileage may vary.The Preliminary Top 50

No.PlayerPos.2017-18 Primary Team

1Jack HughesCU.S. National Development Team (USHL)

2Kakko KaapoRWTPS Turku U20 (Jr. A SM-Liiga)

3Alex TurcotteCU.S. National Development Team (USHL)

4Ryan SuzukiCBarrie Colts (OHL)

5Dylan CozensCLethbridge Hurricanes (WHL)

6Matthew RobertsonDEdmonton Oil Kings (WHL)

7Kirby DachCSaskatoon Blades (WHL)

8Bowen ByramDVancouver Giants (WHL)

9Peyton KrebsLWKootenay ICE (WHL)

10Nolan FooteLWKelowna Rockets (WHL)

11Arthur KaliyevLWHamilton Bulldogs (OHL)

12Victor SoderstromDBrynas U20 (SuperElit)

13Blake MurrayCSudbury Wolves (OHL)

14Raphael LavoieCHalifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)

15Jakob PelletierCMoncton Wildcats (QMJHL)

16Alex NewhookCVictoria Grizzlies (BCHL)

17Cole CaufieldDU.S. National Development Team (USHL)

18Tobias BjornfotDDjurgardens U20 (SuperElit)

19Anttoni HonkaDJYP U20 (Jr. A SM-Liiga)

20Albin GreweRWDjurgardens U20 (SuperElit)

21Trevor ZegrasCU.S. National Development Team (USHL)

22Artemi KnyazevDIrbis Kazan (MHL)

23Nils HoglanderLWAIK (Allsvenskan)

24Samuel PoulinLWSherbrooke Phoenix (QMJHL)

25Mikko KokkonenDKettera (Mestis)

26Sasha MutalaRWTri-City Americans (WHL)

27Matthew BoldyCU.S. National Development Team (USHL)

28Marshall WarrenDU.S. National Development Team (USHL)

29Tag BertuzziCGuelph Storm (OHL)

30Danil AntropovRWOshawa Generals (OHL)

31Case McCarthyDU.S. National Development Team (USHL)

32Cam YorkDU.S. National Development Team (USHL)

33Alex VlasicDU.S. National Development Team (USHL)

34Luke ToporowskiLWSpokane Chiefs (WHL)

35Valentin NussbaumerCEHC Biel-Bienne (NLA)

36Moritz SeiderDAdler Mannheim (DEL)

37Michael VukojevicDKitchener Rangers (OHL)

38Lev StarikovDWindsor Spitfires (OHL)

39Henri NikkanenRWJYP U20 (Jr. A SM-Liiga)

40Vasili PodkolzinFVityaz Podolsk U17 (Russia)

41Philip BrobergDAIK U20 (SuperElit)

42Matias MaccelliLWDubuque Fighting Saints (USHL)

43Xavier ParentRWHalifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)

44Graeme ClarkeRWOttawa 67';s (OHL)

45Maxim CajkovicRWMalmo Redhawks U20 (SuperElit)

46Grant SilianoffCShattuck St. Mary';s Prep (USHS)

47Simon HolmstromRWHV71 U20 (SuperElit)

48Josh WilliamsRWMedicine Hat Tigers (WHL)

49John BeecherCU.S. National Development Team (USHL)

50Ville HeinolaDAssat U20 (Jr. A SM-Liiga)

The top end of the 2018 NHL Draft class was filled with skilled defensemen, but
 the 2019 class is far more balanced. There';s a little of everything: skilled
forwards, dynamic defensemen, and even 200-foot stalwarts.

One NHL GM watching Hlinka Gretzky: "Nobody's trading their first-round draft
picks for 2019." So many fantastic kids. Hughes will go No. 1. After that, it's
 anybody's guess.

- Jim Matheson (@NHLbyMatty) August 12, 2018

After a disappointing year for the Western Hockey League in 2018, the projected
 top 31 right now includes seven WHLers (after just two last year). The U.S.
National Development Team also projects well, with seven potential first
rounders (after three last year). Last year';s crop had a strong European
flavour at the high end. There are still high end Europeans throughout the
first round (and much of the season), but the resurgence of the WHL and USNDP
crop pushes them down a little bit - it';s not a commentary on the quality of
the group.

Podkolzin and Broberg impressed in the latter stages of the Hlinka Gretzky Cup
after having promising 2017-18 seasons; both could jump up the rankings with a
strong start to this season.The Next Dozen: Honourable Mentions

These 12 players have had strong 2017-18 campaigns (and/or good performances at
 the Hlinka Gretzky Cup) and could find their way into the top 50, but as of
yet we haven';t seen enough from them at high levels to force their way in. For
 now, they are honourable mentions.

F Marcel Barinka - RB Hockey Acadamie U18 (Czech Republic)F Arseni Gritsyuk -
Avangard Omsk U17 (Russia)D Kaedan Korczak - Kelowna Rockets (WHL)F Yaroslav
Likhachyov - Lokomotiv Yaroslavl U17 (Russia)G Nolan Maier - Saskatoon Blades
(WHL)F Robert Mastrosimone - Chicago Steel (USHL)F Michal Mrazik - HK 32
Liptovsky Mikulas U20 (Slovakia)F Ilya Nikolayev - Lokomotiv Yaroslavl U17
(Russia)F Massimo Rizzo - Penticton Vees (BCHL)F Nicholas Robertson -
Peterborough Petes (OHL)G Dustin Wolf - Everett Silvertips (WHL)D Oleg Zaitsev
- MHK Dynamo Moskva (MHL)

The post Pike';s Picks: 2019 NHL Draft Rankings - Preliminary Edition appeared
first on The Hockey Writers.

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