The day after last summer's NHL Draft, I posted my initial watch list for next summer's 2013 NHL Draft. The goal is to keep the list updated throughout the year, until I have a final draft list ready for next June's draft. NHL Central Scouting released their first full list of the year earlier this morning, and now that most every player seems to have settled into the team they'll be playing for this year, it seems like a good time to post my updated list once again.
A couple quick notes before I do. On my first list, I used Central Scouting's old format of 'A' prospects being potential top three round draft picks. This time, I'll switch to their new format of 'A' prospects being potential first round draft picks, so a couple players will slide down to the 'B' level on this list. Also, this list is a bit bigger and more unwieldy to start the year. There's a lot of players that could play themselves into draft contention with a very good year, but the list will likely dwindle as the year progresses. And as a reminder, I limit this list to players I've seen play in person, and felt comfortable enough to rank.
All of the names(all of the names), after the jump.
A prospects
Nathan MacKinnon-F- Halifax(QMJHL)
Seth Jones-D- Portland(WHL)
Ian McCoshen-D - Waterloo(USHL)
Taylor Cammarata-F-Waterloo(USHL)
Hudson Fasching- F-NTDP U18
JT Compher- F-NTDP U18
Adam Erne- F-Quebec(QMJHL)
Connor Hurley-F- Edina(MN HS)
Darnell Nurse-D- Sault Ste. Marie(OHL)
Curtis Lazar-D- Edmonton(WHL)
Sergiy Tolchinsky-F- Sault Ste Marie(OHL)
Robert Hagg-D- MODO(Sweden)
B prospects
Steve Santini-D- NTDP U18
Ryan Hartman-F- Plymouth(OHL)
Luke Johnson-F- Lincoln(USHL)
Brett Pesce-D- University of New Hampshire(Hockey East)
Gage Ausmus-D- NTDP U18
Michael Downing-D- Dubuque(USHL)
Ross Olsson-F- Lincoln(USHL)
Gabe Guertler-F- Fargo (USHL)
Will Butcher-D- NTDP U18
Zack Pittman-D- Lincoln(USHL)
Jordan Gross-D- Green Bay(USHL)
Michael Brodzinski-D- Muskegon(USHL)
Vinni Lettieri-F- Lincoln(USHL)
Ryan Siroky-F-Green Bay(USHL)
Evan Allen-F- NTDP U18
Frederik Tiffels-F- Muskegon(USHL)
Keaton Thompson-D- NTDP U18
Tommy Vannelli-D- Minnetonka (MN HS)
Zach Glienke-F- Eagan (MN HS)
Tyler Kelleher-F- NTDP U18
Derek Olmschenk-D- Cretin-Derham Hall (MN HS)
C prospects
Anthony Louis-F- NTDP U18
Blake Heinrich-D-Sioux City(USHL)
Adam Johnson-F- Hibbing (MN HS)
Corey Schueneman-D- Michigan(NAHL)
Parker Reno-D- Edina(MN HS)
Tony Calderone-F- Sioux Falls(USHL)
Willie Raskob-D- Shattuck-St Mary's(MN HS)
Andrew Oglevie-F- Cedar Rapids(USHL)
Jake Zeleznikar-D- Hermantown(MN HS)
Brett Beauvais-D- Kalamazoo(NAHL)
Alec McCrea-D- Waterloo(USHL)
Avery Peterson-F- Grand Rapids(MN HS)
Neal Pionk-D- Hermantown(MN HS)
Matthew Weis-F- Green Bay(USHL)
Brandon Smith-F-Corpus Christi(NAHL)
Jimmy Schuldt-D-Minnetonka(MN HS)
Alec Rauhauser-D-Bismarck(ND HS)
Tyler Moy-F- Omaha(USHL)
Zach Lavalle-F- Hill-Murray(MN HS)
Trevor Boyd-F- Kalamazoo(NAHL)
Stuart Pomeroy-D- Culver Academy
Austin Swingle-F- St. Cloud Cathedral(MN HS)
Thomas Ebbing-F- Chicago(USHL)
Michael Kapla- Sioux City(USHL)
JB Baker-F-Johnstown(NAHL)
Jalen Schulz-D-Corpus Christi(NAHL)
Jake Guentzel-F--Sioux City(USHL)
Nicholas Stuart-G-Kalamazoo(NAHL)