2020 NHL Draft: Midseason Rankings

With the trade deadline approaching, we are now less than five months away from the start of the 2020 NHL Draft. This year's event will take place in Montreal and begin on Friday, June 26. It's never too early to get a look at the top names available. Below are RotoWire's 2020 midseason draft rankings. As always, our complete in-depth rankings will be published in June in the days and weeks leading up to the draft.

Without further ado...

1- Alexis Lafreniere (LW, Rimouski-QMJHL): Lafreniere has been locked into the top spot for multiple years and it's difficult to see things changing now. Blessed with elite offensive instincts, Lafreniere is the closest thing to a lock that this draft possesses. I have him in a tier by himself.

2- Quinton Byfield (C, Sudbury-OHL): Along with being massive (6-foot-4) for a 17-year-old, Byfield is an excellent skater. His unique mix of size and skill has him the odds-on favorite to go second overall.

3- Tim Stutzle (LW, Manheim-DEL): German hockey is on the rise and Stutzle is the country's best draft prospect since Leon Draisaitl. In addition to his offensive abilities, Stutzle can play both center and wing.

4- Marco Rossi (C, Ottawa-OHL): An Austrian import, Rossi has dominated the OHL this season. He's talented and goes to the hard areas of the ice to make plays despite standing at just 5-foot-9. 

5- Jamie Drysdale (D, Erie-OHL): Drysdale will be the first defenseman off the board barring something highly unforeseen. He's an elite skater with a high floor. 

6- Lucas Raymond (LW, Frolunda-SHL): A wizard with the puck who has represented his native Sweden in numerous international tournaments, Raymond's stock has held fairly steady despite seeing limited ice time for a good Frolunda club this year.

7- Alexander Holtz (RW, Djurgarden-SHL): Holtz is one of the best pure goal-scorers in the draft. He has a cannon of a shot and has also performed well on the international stage.

8- Yaroslav Askarov (G, SKA St. Petersburg-VHL): Askarov is one of the best goaltending prospects in recent memory. I'm a believer but he had a lousy World Junior tournament. Ultimately, I imagine his elite play over the past couple seasons will outweigh what he showed during those two weeks in the Czech Republic not long ago.

9- Anton Lundell (C, HIFK-Liiga): It's a testament to Lundell's all-around game that he's ranked this highly despite not having a single elite skill. He missed the World Juniors due to injury.

10- Dawson Mercer (C, Chicoutimi-QMJHL): Mercer has proven he can score but I'm also impressed by his two-way play. He's competitive and I think he's a lock to play a serviceable role in the NHL.

11- Cole Perfetti (LW, Saginaw-OHL): Perfetti possesses high-end offensive instincts but there are concerns about his foot speed. He would be an easy top-five selection if not for that issue.

12- Dylan Holloway (C, University of Wisconsin-NCAA): Scouts got a ton of looks at Holloway this season since he plays on a team with former first-round selections Cole Caufield, Alex Turcotte and K'Andre Miller. Holloway is a lock to stay in the middle in a draft that is short on elite centers. 

13- Connor Zary (C, Kamloops-WHL): Zary is excellent with the puck, but he's also one of the oldest players in the draft, and there are concerns about his foot speed. Offensively, he is equally adept at both finishing and setting up his teammates.

14- Hendrix Lapierre (C, Chicoutimi-QMJHL): Lapierre is a wild card. He has consistency issues and is also frequently injured. He's your classic high-risk/high-reward selection. 

15- Rodion Amirov (LW, Salavat Yulaev-KHL): Like many young Russians, Amirov is too good for the junior league but he's yet to earn a significant role with his KHL club. That makes him a tough read for scouts.

16- Noel Gunler (LW, Lulea-SHL): I'm all in on Gunler's offensive abilities but he needs to round out the rest of his game. I could see a scenario in which he is a lottery pick or one in which he falls out of the first round entirely. 

17- Seth Jarvis (RW, Portland-WHL): Jarvis is a high-floor prospect who can contribute in a number of areas. He's had a very good offensive season for Portland.

18- Jake Sanderson (D, US NTDP-USHL): The son of former long time NHL'er Geoff Sanderson, Jake is easily one of the best American prospects available. He's a brilliant skater and knows when to join the rush offensively.

19- Justin Barron (D, Halifax-QMJHL): Barron may have been a lottery pick had he not been sidelined for much of the season due to a blood clot. He hopes to be back before the QMJHL season is complete but his draft position figures to depend entirely on his medicals.

20- Jack Quinn (C, Ottawa-OHL): Quinn has a unique ability to put the puck in the back of the net. He's also been killing penalties for a loaded Ottawa team. His main criticism is that he's one of the oldest players in the draft.

21- Jan Mysak (RW, Hamilton-OHL): Mysak made the jump to Hamilton following the World Juniors. Playing half a season in the OHL figures to help his draft stock as scouts will get a look at him on the smaller ice surface. He's a solid all-around offensive player.

22- Braden Schneider (D, Brandon-WHL): Schneider is your typical plug-and-play WHL rearguard. He can help in all areas without excelling in any single one of them. He's a high-floor prospect.

23- William Wallinder (D, MoDo-Allsvenskan): 6-foot-4, 17-year-old defenders with some offensive ability rarely come around, so it's easy to see why Wallinder is a coveted asset. His stock is on the rise.

24- Jake Neighbours (LW, Edmonton-WHL): Neighbours has showed enough offensively this season to make scouts believe that he has top-nine NHL potential. That's really all you can ask for from a late first-rounder.

25- Jacob Perreault (C, Sarnia-OHL): Perreault is a pure goal scorer who is a better passer than he gets credit for. His game is a bit one-dimensional, but he works hard. 

26- Lukas Reichel (RW, Eisbaren Berlin-DEL): Reichel has had a strong season playing against men in his native Germany, and that has put him on the map as a potential late first-round pick.

27- Thomas Bordeleau (C, US NTDP-USHL): Bordeleau brings a nice combination of skill and work ethic to the table. He's a potential third-generation NHL'er. 

28- Jeremie Poirier (D, Saint John-QMJHL): Poirier is in the first round conversation because of his puck skills. He might be the most gifted offensive rearguard in the draft. 

29- Jean-Luc Foudy (C, Windsor-OHL): Like his older brother Liam, Foudy's calling card is his speed. I'm not overly impressed with the rest of his game, but a player who skates so well should be able to carve out an NHL career in some capacity. 

30- Mavrik Bourque (C, Shawinigan-QMJHL): I'd have Bourque as a mid first-rounder if he was two inches taller and 15 pounds heavier. As is, he's in the late-first/early-second conversation. I'm slightly concerned his offensive game will be largely negated at the pro level due to his lack of size.

31- Roni Hirvonen (C, Assat-Liiga): Hirvonen is another big-time offensive player who has questions surrounding his foot speed. He also isn't very big at just 5-foot-9.

Just Missed

• Kaiden Guhle (D, Prince Albert-WHL)
• Sean Farrell (RW, Chicago-USHL)
• Antonio Stranges (LW, London-OHL)
• Zion Nybeck (RW, HV71 Jr.-Sweden)