We prepped for the men's NCAA Tournament earlier this week, and with the 16-team field now narrowed down to those heading to St. Paul for the Frozen Four, we're looking forward to breaking some rankings. Of course.
No, I'm not going to rank teams. The team is handling it themselves. We'll be ranking the top players in college hockey who have been (or are about to be) drafted into the NHL. Sure, there's the Hobey Baker Award for the best male player in college hockey, but what could be more official than a ranking of our players instead?
These players have been among the top producers in the country all season long, and while you might think we're overwhelmingly biased against Boston, rest assured that's not the case. That was the situation this season.
There are 10 players here. Would you like to vent your frustration in the comments?
Draft: Eligible for the 2024 NHL Draft
It may be difficult for defensemen in college hockey to make a big splash. Players like Cale Makar and Owen Power were special players and deserved the hype. In the case of Zeev Bouium, as a freshman who just turned 18 in December, he has shown that he can not only get along with older players, but also develop.
Bouium has 48 points in 39 games and has at least one more point left before facing Cornell University in the Sioux Falls regional final. Bouium will be one of many quality defensemen available in the 2024 NHL Draft, but what he showed in his first season in Denver is that he can easily move the puck and He is a player who can make defenders uncomfortable with his movements and frequently leads his teammates into goals.
Draft: 2021 4th round (Total 109) Written by Carolina
Jackson Blake, the son of NHL veteran Jason Blake, built on his stellar freshman season at the University of North Dakota to become one of the nation's top scorers with his efforts this year.
Blake finished the season with 60 points, including 22 goals in 40 games. Blake helped give the Fighting Hawks a huge scoring lead, but his presence and ability to set up his teammates allowed him to spread the wealth in a way that made North Dakota a high-scoring team.
But it was Blake's efforts at the top of the roster that led the University of North Dakota to the NCHC regular season title and an NCAA Tournament appearance. Even if they get upset by Michigan, that doesn't take away from how great Blake has been this season. His all-around ability should definitely tickle the Carolina Hurricanes, who acquired him in the 2021 draft.
Draft: 2019 7th round (216th overall) Carolina (rights traded to Philadelphia in 2023)
What's surprising about Denver's advance to the NCAA Tournament and regional finals is that they got there without their most powerful scorer, Massimo Rizzo.
Rizzo has been sidelined with the Pioneers since February 3 with a lower-body injury, but he played in 28 games this season, scoring 44 points (1.57 points per game), including 10 goals. Rizzo's playmaking ability shined this season with 34 assists, and he was the spark plug in a dynamic offensive unit alongside Jack Devine and Zeev Bouium.
Denver was pushed to its limits in the opener against the University of Massachusetts without Rizzo. It would be a shame if the Pioneers banished their top point producer without returning him to the lineup.
Rizzo has improved season after season in Denver, but his junior season was shaping up to be his best yet. It will be very interesting to see if the Philadelphia Flyers are able to sign him once Denver's season is over. They acquired the draft rights last summer from Carolina, who selected him with the penultimate pick in the 2019 draft.
Draft: 2022 7th round (221 overall) Florida
What's been so impressive about Jack Devine this season is that he plays like he's possessed every time he's on the ice. This kind of performance made him one of the elite goal scorers in the country.
Devine has scored 27 goals so far and with at least one more game left he could add to that tally. However, after the Pioneers lost Massimo Rizzo in February, Devine took charge of the offense and stepped up his overall play. It was very impressive to see him control every shift in the multiple overtime game against UMass, especially since the game was so long.
However, Devine helped Denver win the NCHC Tournament and earn the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, which made him a Hobey Baker Top 10 finalist. The fact that he was 4th in the national scoring rankings probably helped support that.
Draft: 2022 1st round (14th overall), Winnipeg
Rutger McGroarty, a Lincoln, Nebraska native and one of the best names in hockey, was able to make a name for himself even more by racking up points with the Wolverines.
McGraw-Arty overcame an injury this year to represent the United States at the World Junior Championships and was Michigan's leading scorer. A year ago, he was the leading scorer in points per game with 39 points in 39 games, but this year he has exceeded 1.5 points per game with 52 points in 34 games, leading to Maryland Hills. A further tilt awaits against Michigan State in the regional final.
McGroarty's play over two seasons helped the Winnipeg Jets make their trend of acquiring a big-time point producer from Michigan look smart. If he ends up teaming up with Kyle Connor in the near future, North fans should learn Michigan State's fight song as a token of appreciation.
Draft: 2023 1st round (8th overall) Washington.
The Boston College Eagles have been one of the best teams in the nation all year long, and that's because they have arguably the best talent in college hockey. Freshman Ryan Leonard landed there along with a number of other 2023 NHL first-round picks and quickly showed why the Capitals made him a top-10 pick.
Leonard's 29 points were third-most in the NCAA, and his 58 points were fifth-most. He uses his skill and physical play to piss off opponents, and even when he doesn't hit big, he scores with great flair.
As good as Leonard is, he can get lost in the mix with some of B.C.'s other top talents, but goal scorers make headlines on their own, and Leonard more than achieves that. Whenever the time comes for Leonard to turn pro, he will instantly become a favorite in Washington as one of the most difficult players to contain and play against.
Draft: Joined New York Rangers in 2023 1st round (23rd overall)
The plethora of goal scorers dotting Boston College's roster requires a good setup man to ensure the scoreboard is short-circuited. With Gabe Perreault, they have players who are good at creating offense.
Perreault ranks second in the nation in assists with 39, trailing only teammate Will Smith, but while Smith also racks up goals, Perreault uses his high-end skills to create plays and is the team's best passer, finding openings on the ice. It is. .
Even though assists accounted for the majority of his points, he was able to score efficiently every time he shot the puck. He has scored 18 goals on 82 shots so far this season, shooting 22 percent from the field.
Perreault was an elite scorer in the U.S. National Team Development Program and has proven that all of that transfers over to college. Just what the Rangers needed was a player who could help create offense out of nowhere.
Draft: 2022 1st round (5th overall) Philadelphia (rights traded to Anaheim)
It's a treat to watch Kutter Gauthier's highlights this season, and it shows that a loss to the Philadelphia Flyers is definitely a win for the Anaheim Ducks.
Gauthier's combination of size, speed, skill and power to find the back of the net and create goals makes him an all-around threat for opponents across college hockey. Gauthier led the NCAA in goals this season with 37 and was second in the nation with 62 points.
At 6'2″ 201 pounds, Gauthier is a handful for most people in the college hockey world, and at that size he would be a problem in the NHL as well. There's some growing to be done, but Gauthier is effectively already there and has the skills to match.
If Boston College ends up making it to the Frozen Four and winning a national championship, he'll be the one to lead the way in making that happen.
Draft: 2023 1st round (4th overall), San Jose
Will Smith is having an incredible season at Boston College this year. He leads the country in scoring and the Eagles have arguably the best team in the country. Smith is surrounded by a lot of talent and he has been the best of them all this season, and his fierce competitive nature has played a big part in that.
Smith had 23 goals and 45 assists, both NCAA records. Smith, who has 68 points this season and can play at least one more game, is a force to be reckoned with.
Looking ahead to his professional career, the best he can do for the San Jose Sharks is help pull the team out of the doldrums it's currently in during a rebuild. Smith's style of play and overall talent could be exactly what they've been waiting for in San Jose since the days of Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau.
Smith has an outstanding record and should be considered a favorite to win the Hobey Baker Award.
Draft: Eligible for the 2024 NHL Draft
Bold take: Maclin Celebrini will be the No. 1 pick in June's NHL Draft, and he'll make good money.
Celebrini has been incredible for Boston College this season. He ranks among the top three in the nation with 61 points and is second behind Boston University's Cutter Gauthier with 32 points. He has lived up to the hype this season and all the hype surrounding him is well deserved.
Although the Terriers did not have as much depth as a team as in the past, Celebrini's efforts helped revive the rivalry between BU and BC, giving BU the ultimate weapon in this battle. At just 17 years old (he turns 18 in mid-June), his all-around skill, speed and offensive smarts make what he does even more impressive.
It's really surreal to see a player with that much skill at that age doing what he's already doing, and whoever drafts him first, whether it's San Jose or Chicago. Whether it's that or someone higher up in the lottery, they're going to get an incredibly talented player.
