NHL Central Scouting
Demystifying NHL Central Scouting: How They Shape the Future of Hockey Talent
Hey readers,
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.