For the first time in more than ten years, the Nashville Predators will have a top-five selection at the NHL Entry Draft. It comes at a time when the franchise is desperate for a future first-line center but also when this prospect class lacks a runaway generational talent. Regardless, there are a handful of forwards at the top of the draft board, including the three below.
Michael Misa | F | Saginaw Spirit (OHL)
Granted exceptional status by the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) three years ago, Misa may have suffered a bit because of the recent track record of that pathway into junior hockey. After being awarded to future stars like John Tavares, Aaron Ekblad, and Connor McDavid, recent exceptional status players have developed with mixed results like Sean Day, Joe Veleno, and Shane Wright. But make no mistake, Michael Misa has every tool to be a star in the making.
Now in his third OHL season, Misa led the league in scoring with 62 goals and 134 points in 65 games. In nearly every appearance this season, he showcased the profile of a number-one center as a puck possessor, playmaker, and scorer.
Misa drives possession through the neutral zone with his head up, maintaining the ability to make plays at top speed. He’s a good skater (and his technique continues to improve) with solid NHL-level speed and a complete leg extension; at times he hunches over his toes too far, and he won’t win every foot race, but his pace is more than reliable.
In the offensive zone, Misa is elastic and patient with his puck support; he uses creative thinking to find soft spots of ice and pulls defenders with him before exploiting them for a scoring chance. With the puck, he forces plays here and there, but overall, Misa is a good distributor who anticipates plays a step or two ahead. He can connect with teammates across the zone with ease and doesn’t shy away from attacking the middle of the ice. On top of that, his scoring touch is unmatched in this draft class.
Misa could work on his physicality and how he explodes out of turns, stops-and-starts, and changes of directions, but he’s done more than enough to create separation at the junior level. His defensive tracking is fine; he can play a bit passively at times or get too eager at chasing the puck but overall understands defensive systems well.
Between these three prospects, Misa tops the list easily. He’s the surest bet to be a top-line producer in the NHL and has demonstrated little that should cause Nashville to hesitate if he’s available.
James Hagens | C | Boston College Eagles (NCAA)
If Misa has increased his draft stock throughout the year, James Hagens’ has been called more into question. Part of the reason why is Hagens’ name has circulated as a potential first-overall pick well before this season; more spotlight has just meant more time for evaluators to nitpick details of his game.
But Hagens didn’t blow past expectations either. After a 100-point season with the U.S. National Team Development Program last year, Hagens posted 11 goals and 37 points in 37 games for Boston College season. It was a great season no doubt, but there were unfortunately just too many nights where Hagens looked more like a middle-first-round prospect.
First and foremost, Hagens is a very effective puck handler. He navigates tight spaces in all three zones with slick hands and has little issue working his way out of double-team situations. Like Misa, he scans the ice well, tracking opponents’ movements patiently before executing a pass or diving into a scoring position. At his best, he buys time for his teammates with his puck skills; at his worst, he forces plays and is too sloppy with possession. The problem-solving skills are there, but he’ll need to demonstrate more consistency at the NHL level. The same goes for his shooting skills; he’s an adept scorer but uses a curl-and-drag release too often that defenders can get in the way of.
Hagens’ and Misa’s skating skills are similar. Hagens might win a goal-line-to-blue-line sprint, but Misa would probably win the full-ice race. Like the latter, he could add a touch more explosiveness, but I have little concern that will come with time.
Defensively, Hagens is mature in his forechecking. He understands the role a center plays and finds the right lanes to pressure and disrupt through the neutral zone. In his end, he can float beyond the play here and there, but for the most part, he’s engaged and enjoys playing the body (more so than Misa).
Hagens is a dynamite prospect. It’s hard for me to project him as more of a second-line center because his talent is so immense. But right now, the shift-to-shift inconsistency and 5’11” frame put him below Misa on my board.
Roger McQueen | F | Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL)
Roger McQueen is a true enigma in this draft class. On paper, the Saskatoon-born prospect is a general manager’s dream: a 6’5″ power forward with a scoring touch. But McQueen’s draft year was limited by injury, keeping him out of all but 17 regular-season games. In those 17 games, McQueen posted ten goals and 20 points and chipped in one goal in three playoff contests.
No one can deny McQueen’s scoring ability; whether he’s on a breakaway, occupying the circle on the power play, or drifting off the wall at a tight angle, McQueen knows how to pick the slightest of corners. Despite his size, he’s got nifty hands that help him beat defenders off the rush and dazzle goalies around the net. His lengthy wingspan allows him to evade opponents and distribute creative passes.
Like Misa, McQueen is smart with his puck support in the offensive zone; he finds open ice well, gives his teammates good passing options, and anticipates rebounds. He’s not just a skilled shooter but an accurate and forceful one too and will be a welcome addition to any team’s power play unit. In transition, McQueen attacks the defense, forcing them to close their gaps; from there, he can cut into the slot, pull up, or power around his opponent.
Unfortunately, his skating holds him back. He keeps his feet moving pretty well (something you don’t always see from below-average skaters), but he lacks explosiveness on many shifts. His top speed and the power he derives are alright, but his technique needs work; on top of that, too many much-smaller defenders were able to slow him down or stop him this season just with good positioning.
McQueen is physical but aimless at times. During his poorer shifts, he lazily throws around quasi-hits and doesn’t disrupt the play enough. His defensive zone presence is good, but his pressure needs more consistency. He should be dominating puck battles along the wall at both ends of the ice, but we just didn’t get that every night.
I’m a bit suspicious of McQueen, but if he can combine his dynamic puck skills with improved skating and more direct play off the puck, he could be a legitimate top-six threat in the NHL.
