by Adam Wodon/Managing Editor (@CHN_AdamWodon)
LAS VEGAS No one is expecting college hockey to match the insanity of the 2021 NHL Draft, but this year could come pretty close.
While it’s been assumed that Boston University’s Macklin Celebrini would be the No. 1 overall pick for a while now, a pair of other recent freshmen are projected to in the top six, according to many mock drafts. Michigan State’s Artyom Levshunov is firmly ensconced as No. 2 in almost everyone’s mock at this point. And Denver’s Zeev Buium fresh off a gold medal at the World Juniors and national championship, has skyrocketed up the boards over the last year. He started out in the low 20s around a year ago at this time, and has moved as high as six in many mock drafts.
In 2021, of course, Michigan garnered four of the top five picks in the draft, with Owen Power going No. 1 overall followed by Matty Beniers, Luke Hughes and Kent Johnson.
No one expects something like that, but college hockey has seen a steady rise in prominence in this event over the last 20 years or so, to the point now where it’s not at all unusual to see top-end NCAA talent being selected this highly.
Two years ago, Logan Cooley went No. 3 overall before going to Minnesota. Last year, Adam Fantilli won the Hobey then also went No. 3 overall, and of course Boston College’s “big three” were also all first rounders.
Eleven remains the peak amount of NCAA first rounders — either current or incoming players — a figure that was equaled in 2007 and 2016.
Last season’s nine first rounders matched 2021’s and is the most since 2016.
Current projections have seven first rounders from the NCAA — the three aforementioned players who have already been in college hockey, and four incoming freshmen.
Those four are …
— Cole Eiserman, a forward who is headed to Boston University. He was once projected to go higher, but is now looking at somewhere around 10-14. Eiserman played with Celebrini at Shattuck-St. Mary’s, though there’s no chance to reunite there, since the odds of Celebrini coming back for another season are pretty slim. San Jose, which owns the No. 1 pick, also owns the No. 11 pick, so could reunite the duo that way.
— Michael Hage, a center who was fourth in the USHL in scoring…
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