“The absolutely best evaluation of a prospect is watching them in a live game.”
— Knighter

Introduction

Analytics, rankings, and reports all have their place, but nothing replaces the eye test. I have deep respect for hockey scouts and their ability to evaluate prospects night after night in cold rinks across Canada.

Last night, I watched the Peterborough Petes host the London Knights in OHL action. London rolled to a convincing 6–1 win, and it was a valuable opportunity to see 11 prospects—some I’ve tracked for over ten games—compete head-to-head.

I brought along my Central Scouting (CSR) rankings by category, using them as a reference point to compare my live observations against how players are currently rated. One live game doesn’t tell a full story—scouts know evaluations need multiple viewings—but certain patterns are becoming clear.

Game Context

• League: OHL

• Date: October 30, 2025

• Result: London Knights 6 – Peterborough Petes 1

• Venue: Peterborough Memorial Centre

• Prospects Evaluated: 11 (CSR A–C and unranked)

Prospect Evaluations

Colin Fitzgerald (F, Petes – CSR B)

I’ve now seen Fitzgerald more than ten times, and despite his size and solid skating, I continue to find him over-rated. His effort level fluctuates, and last night his defensive play was particularly substandard. When engaged, he looks the part; too often, he fades into the background.

Blake Gowan (D, Petes – Unranked)

Big, strong, and steady. Gowan played relatively well in a losing cause, registering four shots on goal and moving the puck effectively in transition. He’s not on the CSR list—but should be. I’d place him on the Watch (W) list at minimum.

Adam Levac (F, Petes – CSR C)

One of the few Petes who showed life. Scored the team’s only goal, added four shots, and brought grit to his game. His C ranking feels appropriate based on consistency and compete level.

Adam Novotny (F, Petes – CSR A)

Novotny played reasonably well in a difficult matchup. His A status remains justified, but like many top-end players on struggling teams, he needs stronger linemates to fully display his offensive upside.

Yanis Lutz (F, Petes – 2026 eligible)

Leon Kolarik (F, Petes – 2026 eligible)

Both were invisible last night. It’s worth noting Peterborough’s three import players—including Lutz and Kolarik—are all 2026 Draft eligibles, an interesting parallel to Victoriaville in the QMJHL, which also has three rated imports.

Jaxon Cover (F, Knights – CSR B)

Played to his B ranking—solid, responsible, great skater, and gets better every game he plays.

Braidy Wassilyn (F, Knights – CSR B)

Much like Cover, Wassilyn performed to expectations. Two assists and worked effectively off the puck and contributed to offensive zone pressure.

Logan Hawery (F, Knights – CSR Watch)

One of the night’s best. Hawery consistently plays above his Watch status—a three-zone player with excellent passing vision and an NHL-caliber shot. A fantastic primary assist on a Knight’s goal. Expect him to rise in future rankings.

Caleb Mitchell (D, Knights – Unranked)

Should absolutely be on the Watch list. Showed great mobility, strong defensive reads, and contributed offensively. Earned one of the three stars of the game. This was a breakout performance.

Maksim Sokolowskii (D, Petes – CSR C)

Was a healthy scratch, so no evaluation this game.

Knighter’s Take

One live viewing doesn’t define a player, but patterns emerge when you combine repetition and observation. The eye test captures something analytics never can—the subtleties of effort, confidence, and composure when the puck isn’t on a player’s stick.

Scouting is about balance: watching, noting, and cross-checking over time. Last night reaffirmed my belief that live games remain the cornerstone of proper evaluation. Every shift tells a story—if you’re paying attention.

🇺🇸 United States – Depth and Dominance

The Americans’ U18 Select Team — not even their full NTDP roster — captured gold, which says everything about the depth of the U.S. prospect pool right now.

Standouts

• Brady Knowling (G) — composed and clutch; a tournament-winning backbone.
  
  

• Jack Hextall (F) — consistent two-way effort and smart playmaking.
  
  

• Blake Zielinski (F) — explosive speed and finishing touch.
  
  

• J.P. Hurlbert (F) — creative hands, offensive spark, high-end instincts.
  
  

• (2027 watch-list) Levi Harper and Noah Davidson — already showing elite tools.
  
  

This U.S. squad played fast, structured, and confident hockey — proof of how deep and well-coached their development system has become.

🇫🇮 Finland – Strong Skaters, Shaky Goaltending

Finland iced a skilled, balanced roster but was let down by inconsistent goaltending. Even so, several players rose on my board:

• Oscar Hemming (F) — impressive blend of size (6′4″) and offensive feel; top-six upside.
  
  

• Oliver Suvanto (F) — quick hands, deceptive release, high compete level.
  
  

• Samu Alalauri (D) — mobile defender with great instincts; closes gaps well and moves pucks efficiently.
  
  

• Juho Piiparinen (D) — steady, smart, and poised under pressure.
  
  

Amazing output of skilled hockey players in Finland bringing the size of the country into consideration.

🇸🇪 Sweden – Skill and Structure

Sweden once again looked polished and confident.

• Marcus Nordmark (F) continues his impressive progression from the U17 tournament — dynamic, puck-driving forward firmly in first-round territory.
  
  

• Elton Hermansson (F) was equally strong — pace, vision, and finish.
  
  

A balanced roster that plays mature hockey. Sweden’s consistency at the U18 level remains unmatched.

🇨🇦 Canada – Talent There, Execution Not Quite

Canada earned bronze but never found its full rhythm.

Defence

• Keaton Verhoeff (D) was solid but not dominant. I’ve moved him out of “potential challenger” status for the No. 1 spot held firmly by Gavin McKenna.
  
  

• Ryan Lin (D) showed flashes of high-end mobility and puck sense — still a top prospect in my view. He is two inches taller than Lane Hutson. The NHL has spots available for small, skilled d-men.
  
  

Forwards

• Ethan Belchetz and Mathis Preston remain high-end first-round talents.
  
  

• Adam Valentini was steady and continues to project as a late first-rounder.
  
  

• Tynan Lawrence didn’t have his best tournament, but his strong USHL playoff showing last spring keeps him in my top-five.
  
  

• Alessandro Di Iorio, Beckham Edwards, and Carter Fitzgerald slipped after quieter showings.
  
  

Canada’s class is deep and skilled, but to keep pace with the U.S. and Sweden, they’ll need a sharper collective finish next time out.

🌍 Others to Watch

• Yanis Lutz (Switzerland) — an intelligent, two-way forward who reads the game beautifully and plays with pro-level discipline. A sleeper with real upside.
  
  

📈 Takeaways

The Hlinka-Gretzky Cup once again proved why it’s a cornerstone of early draft evaluation. It reshaped several sections of my Top-64 and highlighted how deep and geographically diverse the 2026 NHL Draft class could be.

• 🇺🇸 USA – Loaded and disciplined
  
  

• 🇫🇮 Finland – Skilled and rising
  
  

• 🇸🇪 Sweden – Structured and efficient
  
  

• 🇨🇦 Canada – Talented but seeking cohesion
  
  

The 2026 Draft class already looks impressive — with emerging stars, reliable two-way players, and serious depth across all positions.

If you’re like me, the NHL Entry Draft is one of the most exciting events on the calendar—it’s where dreams turn into contracts, and raw talent gets its shot at the big leagues. But before the picks are announced in June, there’s a massive behind-the-scenes operation that helps teams make informed decisions: NHL Central Scouting. Today, I’m breaking down what this group does, focusing on how they develop those all-important preliminary ratings for draft-eligible prospects. I’ll also touch on the key birthdate range for eligibility starting from September 16, 2007.

Whether you’re a die-hard draft watcher or just curious about how the next Connor McDavid gets spotted, let’s dive in.

What Is NHL Central Scouting?

NHL Central Scouting (often abbreviated as CSS or just Central Scouting) is essentially the league’s in-house talent evaluation service. Established in 1975 and headquartered in Toronto, it’s a neutral body that provides standardized scouting reports and rankings to all 32 NHL teams. This levels the playing field—smaller-market teams don’t have to build massive scouting departments from scratch, while everyone benefits from a shared pool of data.

The team is made up of about 24-30 scouts (a mix of full-time and part-time), divided roughly between North America (around 8 full-time and 15 part-time) and Europe/International (5-6 via the European Scouting Services in Finland). These folks log thousands of miles, attending roughly 3,000 games per season across junior leagues like the CHL (OHL, WHL, QMJHL), USHL, NCAA, European pro leagues, and international tournaments.

Key leaders include:

Dan Marr (Director): Oversees the whole operation.

David Gregory (Associate Director): Handles much of the North American side.

Jukka-Pekka Vuorinen (Director of European Scouting): Leads the international efforts.

Their goal? To identify, evaluate, and rank hundreds of prospects each year, culminating in lists that influence draft boards league-wide.

How Do They Develop Preliminary Ratings?

The scouting season kicks off in the summer with events like the Hlinka Gretzky Cup, but the real work ramps up in September as leagues start. Preliminary ratings—released in late October (like the one that just dropped on October 20, 2025, for the 2026 Draft)—are the first major milestone. Here’s how it all comes together, step by step:

Initial Identification and Watch Lists: Scouts start by compiling a broad “players to watch” pool based on prior years’ observations, recommendations from coaches/agent networks, and data from lower-level leagues. For the 2026 class, this includes standouts like Gavin McKenna (Medicine Hat Tigers, WHL and now NCAA at Penn State), who’s already pouring concrete to solidify his position as the No. 1 pick.

On-the-Ground Scouting: Full-time scouts hit the road early in the season, focusing on key matchups. They evaluate players across six core categories: skating, puck skills, hockey sense, compete level, physicality, and character/off-ice factors. Goalies get specialized assessments on positioning, rebound control, and athleticism. Scouts file detailed reports after each viewing, noting strengths, weaknesses, and projections (e.g., “NHL comparable: Auston Matthews”).

North American scouts cover the CHL, USHL, high school/prep, and college circuits.

European scouts handle leagues in Sweden, Finland, Russia, and beyond.

They aim for multiple viewings per prospect to account for consistency—bad games happen, after all.

Data Compilation and Meetings: By mid-October, the team holds internal meetings (virtual and in-person) to debate findings. Director Dan Marr and his associates review reports, cross-reference stats (goals, assists, plus/minus, advanced metrics like expected goals), and watch video highlights. This is where biases get checked—scouts challenge each other’s views to ensure objectivity.

Assigning Ratings: Prospects are slotted into categories on separate lists for North American skaters, North American goalies, International skaters, and International goalies. The ratings aren’t numerical ranks yet; they’re letter grades indicating draft round potential:

A Rating: First-round caliber (e.g., elite skill, high upside).

B Rating: Second- or third-round potential.

C Rating: Fourth- to sixth-round.

W Rating (Watch): Limited viewings but intriguing; could rise to sixth- or seventh-round.

LV Rating (Limited Viewing): Not enough data yet, but on the radar.

For the 2026 preliminary list, about 469 players made the cut, with standouts like McKenna earning an A. These ratings are preliminary, so they’re fluid—prospects can climb (or drop) based on performance at events like the World Juniors or CHL Top Prospects Game.

Release and Iteration: The list drops publicly on NHL.com, giving fans and teams an early snapshot. From there, scouts continue monitoring, leading to midterm rankings (January) with actual 1-200+ numerical orders, and final rankings (April/May) after playoffs and the NHL Scouting Combine (where prospects undergo physical tests and interviews).

This process isn’t perfect—scouts miss on gems like late bloomers—but it’s data-driven and collaborative, helping teams avoid over-relying on their own scouts. Fun fact: Central Scouting’s rankings correlate strongly with actual draft positions, especially in the top rounds.

Draft Eligibility: Birthdates from September 16, 2007, Onward

Now, onto eligibility for the 2026 NHL Entry Draft. The NHL has specific age rules to ensure players are mature enough but not too old. Here’s the breakdown:

First-Year Eligibles (18-Year-Olds): These are the core of each draft class. Players must turn 18 by September 15, 2026 (the cutoff date post-draft). For the 2026 Draft, this means birthdates from September 16, 2007, to September 15, 2008.

Example: A player born on September 16, 2007, turns 18 on September 16, 2025 (eligible).

A player born on September 15, 2008, turns 18 exactly on the cutoff (eligible).

Born September 16, 2008? They’d turn 18 too late, so they’re pushed to the 2027 Draft.

Older Players (19-20 Year Olds): Undrafted players born from January 1, 2006, to September 15, 2007, can also be selected, provided they haven’t turned 21 by December 31, 2026. North American players in this group often need to file for eligibility if they’re not automatically listed (e.g., college or junior players).

Key Notes: Europeans and collegians have slight variations—e.g., unsigned Europeans can be drafted up to age 21—but the birthdate range above covers the vast majority. All prospects must register or be scouted to appear on lists like Central Scouting’s.

If you’re scouting your own kid or just geeking out on prospects, tools like EliteProspects.com are a goldmine.

This site is where I’ll share:

• Independent rankings of top draft prospects, updated throughout the season
  
  

• Scouting notes and insights drawn from rinks, media, and analytics
  
  

• AI-assisted evaluations covering more than 500 players
  
  

• Occasional stories and trends that make the road to the draft so fascinating
  
  

I rely heavily on Elite Prospects, whose outstanding database and app make it possible to track players across every league, from CHL, USA leagues to Europe. It’s an invaluable tool for anyone serious about following the game.

The 2026 draft class is extremely deep — the kind where we’ll see players taken in the sixth and seventh rounds eventually skating in the NHL. In the many hours I’ve spent building my personal database, my respect for hundreds of 17-year-old players and their relentless commitment has only grown — as has my admiration for the dozens of NHL scouts who must evaluate these young men and project their potential three to five years into the future.

The 2026 draft promises to be one of the most intriguing in years, and I’ll be tracking it all here.

Subscribe to follow along as the list evolves, new players emerge, and the countdown to draft day continues.

The 2026 NHL draft does not as of yet have a confirmed location, and date in June 2026 as of yet, but when that date occurs you can expect this site to have predictions for all seven rounds.

My active database has information on 537 draft prospects.

#NHLDraft2026 #Scouting

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