When scouts talk about this year’s NHL Draft being deep, they primarily are talking about forwards. It’s a talented crop headlined by a handful of stars from the U.S. National Team Development Program. That depth could cause an extremely talented player to drop to the Penguins at pick No. 21.
Here’s a look at five names to remember at forward:
1. Jack Hughes, 5-foot-10, 168 pounds, USNTDP: Fast and fearless, Hughes could end up being the greatest American-born player yet. Put up Lemieux-style numbers for the USNTDP last season (112 points in 50 games).
2. Kaapo Kakko, 6-2, 194, TPS (Finland): Dynamic, clutch scorer was so good for Finland at the World Championships he entered the top pick discussion for a while.
3. Cole Caufield, 5-7, 163, USNTDP: Scored 72 goals in 65 games, breaking team records for goals in a season (Auston Matthews) and a career (Phil Kessel). Picking him is a leap of faith, though, because he’s small and not particularly fast.
4. Vasili Podkolzin, 6-1, 190, SKA St. Petersburg (Russia): Shatters the Russian forward stereotype into bits with a high-motor, in-your-face aggressive style and a shooter’s mentality.
5. Peyton Krebs, 5-11, 180, Kootenay (WHL): Perhaps the top Canadian forward in the draft, Krebs is a great skater and two-way force. Problem is he tore his Achilles while training in June. Could his stock fall as a result?
