Ranking the top defensemen at the 2015 NHL Draft (15-11)
Goaltenders: 10-6 | 5-1 | Defensemen: 20-16 | 10-6 | 5-1 |
Forwards: 20-16 | 15-11 | 10-6 | 5-1 |
We're transitioning closer and closer to relative certainties in terms of defense prospects ahead of the NHL Draft, but these five rearguards pushing the top ten remain projects.
Here are five defensemen with valuable tools, and project to have strong professional careers, but need guidance to impact at the NHL level.
15. Noah Juulsen, Everett Silvertips (WHL)
The Yale Hockey Academy product, looking to follow in the footsteps of first-round talents Shea Theodore and Jake Virtanen, made considerable strides this season, finishing as one of the top-scoring defensemen in the CHL.
Juulsen's attacking upside could translate to the next level, but he'll need to shore up deficiencies in his own end to make the jump. He has an edge, and doesn't take shifts off, but scouts say his over-aggressiveness often pulls him out of position.
Should he gain a step and some polish, he could slide into a top-four role.
14. Erik Cernak, Kosice (Slovak Extraliga)
Already with a wealth of international and professional experience, Cernak has proven he can contribute in competition, but still has detractors.
Cernak has the size, strength, and build to potentially be a dominant physical player, but shows lapses in judgement, and is often caught flat-footed.
ESPN's Corey Pronman ranks Cernak as the 20th-best prospect in the draft, while TSN's Craig Button left him off his top 100 entirely.
13. Jonas Siegenthaler, Zurich (Swiss-A)
At 220 pounds, Siegenthaler will test the foundation of the NHL Draft stage perhaps more than any other prospect this weekend.
For his size, though, the two-year veteran of the Swiss top league is extremely mobile. He's a safe defender who doesn't venture far out of his comfort zone, and moves the puck off his stick quickly after retrieving it.
He doesn't have a great shot, but possesses some intriguing attributes.
12. Nicolas Meloche, Baie-Comeau Drakkar (QMJHL)
The hard-hitting Meloche is a potential all-situations NHL player.
He's a savage in the defensive end, making the opposition earn their opportunities on goal. He can dole out illegal punishment too, as evidenced by his 121 penalty minutes in 56 combined regular season and playoff games.
On the attack, Meloche isn't an elite puck-mover, but can finish, having scored 14 goals last season.
He needs to pick up a step, but can be a punishing, physical presence in a middle-to-bottom pairing role in the NHL.
11. Rasmus Andersson, Barrie Colts (OHL)
Andersson appears to have all the tools to succeed in the NHL, and has long been considered a top prospect in this class, but his stock has fallen after his first North American season.
Offensively, he was a force in his rookie season with Barrie. He recorded 52 assists - second among OHL defensemen - but wasn't dominant in his own end, often struggling with positioning.
That said, with a few tweaks, he could be a simple fix. Many of his issues were self-inflicted, whether it be inactivity, or just looking to push the offense too often.
He has the attacking skills and body of an exciting NHL prospect, but needs to continue learning how to play the North American brand.
theScore's composite draft rankings are compiled using information from ESPN's Corey Pronman, as well as TSN's Bob McKenzie and Craig Button.