Nolan Patrick, Nico Hischier top 2017 NHL Draft prospect midterm rankings

As expected, the 2017 World Juniors resulted in some shakeups in the way scouts are assessing the 2017 NHL Entry Draft prospects.

The NHL’s Central Scouting released their midterm rankings on Tuesday, splitting up every eligible draft prospect into four pools: skaters and goalies playing in North America and skaters and goalies playing in Europe.

As before, the top prospect available, according to Central Scouting, is Nolan Patrick of the Western Hockey League’s Brandon Wheat Kings. Patrick has been the top target for the 2017 draft for years now, but the big center has appeared in just eight games due to injury. That apparently wasn’t enough to cost him a slip in the rankings.

The second-highest rated skater is Nico Hischier, the Swiss center playing for Halifax in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The playmaking forward has 31 goals and 63 points in 37 games for the Mooseheads, but he put on a show at the World Juniors, as well, with 15 points in 11 games.

Notably falling down the rankings is Timothy Liljegren. The Swedish defenseman missed the World Juniors entirely with an injury. And, apparently, his loan to a lowered-tier team in Sweden isn’t doing him much favors, either.

Here’s the full midterm rankings from NHL Central Scouting.