2020 NHL Draft Big Board: Ranking the top 10 prospects

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Marco Rossi (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) /

Tier 2: The Not Quite Elite, But Still Excellent

2. Quinton Byfield

The race for the second-best prospect was a fascinating one. Several players made an excellent case for the coveted spot. However, I think Quinton Byfield emerged as the winner. In 45 games this season, he put up 82 points, including 32 goals. With 1.82 points per game, he actually tied Lafrenière in points per game among under-18 players.

Byfield had a pedestrian World Juniors, posting just one point in seven games, but to be fair, he wasn’t in an ideal role. Next year, assuming there is a World Juniors tournament and he plays in it, expect to see him do much better.

Unlike Lafrenière, I don’t think Byfield’s going to be an immediate impact player. I think he could stand one more season in juniors, though it wouldn’t shock me if he’s an NHL player at the age of 18.

3. Tim Stützle

It’s incredible how quickly Germany has emerged as a country as far as hockey. Leon Draisaitl became the first German player selected in the top three in 2014 and Tim Stützle could join him. He played in Germany’s highest league (DEL) during his draft season. Despite playing against professionals, Stützle was one of the best players in the league, posting 34 points in 41 games.

He also impressed at the 2020 World Juniors, posting five assists in five games. Stützle is one of the best pure playmakers in the draft and he’s also one of the draft’s fastest risers. He was seen as an intriguing mid-first round option at the start of the year, but with his impressive draft season, he’s easily in the top five.

4. Marco Rossi

I’ll come out and say it – if Marco Rossi was four inches taller, he’d be an unquestionable top-five pick. In most drafts, he’d probably be a top-three pick. Rossi’s this low because of the players above him.

Guess who led the OHL in points? It was Rossi, as he posted an eye-popping 120 in 56 games. That’s right, he averaged over two points per game. Rossi’s the best pure playmaker in the draft in my book. His vision is incredible and he’s a very creative player who knows how to create passing and shooting lanes. More importantly, he knows what to do with them.

Rossi will need to improve a little bit defensively. I’m also not sold he’s sticking at center because of his lack of size (he’s only 5’9″). That said, Rossi knows how to use his skills to his advantage and he sees his lack of size as a tool. He might well be the best player to come out of this draft, and yes, that includes Lafrenière.

Related Story. Marco Rossi Scouting Report. light

5. Cole Perfetti

Cole Perfetti is one of the most skilled players in the 2020 NHL Draft. His hockey IQ is off the charts and his vision is top-notch. Perfetti is also one of the best pure playmakers in the draft, as he picked up 74 assists in his draft year. He’s an effective shooter, though I think he needs to be more aggressive because his shot is great.

My lone concern about Perfetti is his skating. His edgework is nice, but his top speed and acceleration are both a bit lacking. This is mostly because his stride is a bit choppy. If Perfetti can fix this, he could wind up being the second-best player from this draft.

6. Jamie Drysdale

Jamie Drysdale is one of the more polarizing prospects in this 2020 NHL Draft. Some think he’s the best defenseman, others think it’s Jake Sanderson. While I must admit the latter has done a heck of a job closing the gap, Drysdale is still the best defenseman in this draft.

With the Erie Otters, Drysdale put up 47 points in 49 games. Nine of those 47 points were goals. In a limited role with Team Canada at the World Juniors, he had three points in seven games. Drysdale’s calling card is his skating, as he’s one of the best skaters in the draft. He’s great when pursuing the puck and he can handle his own on 2-on-1s.

That said, Drysdale needs to improve a bit defensively. But I think with another year in juniors, he’ll get there.

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