NHL-Ready Players Available in the 2015 Draft

The NHL draft is unique in that very few players are taken each year who can impact the game immediately. Many prospects—even those taken in the first round—will take two years or more to make it and even longer to have an impact.

This season does offer teams more plug-and-play types, and they will go off the board quickly. It's been a dozen years since the draft offered such a range of quality players who might impact the game in 2015-16.

Here are the most NHL-ready players available in the 2015 draft.

Note: NHLE—NHL equivalency numbers—is now an industry standard for estimating amateur or minor league stats at the NHL level. Gabriel Desjardins introduced the equivalencies to the hockey world and explains the idea behind it here. For our purposes, we will use the updated formula published by Rob Vollman of ESPN.

The Numbers: Ivan Provorov scored 61 points in 60 games for the Brandon Wheat Kings of the WHL.

The Projected Numbers: The Vollman projection suggests Provorov could score 21 or 22 points in an NHL season. 

What Role Could He Play in the NHL This Fall? Provorov has a real chance to make the NHL in a specialized role. His power-play acumen is amazing, from gaining entry into the offensive zone to passing the puck to the open man. Defense is a difficult position, but Provorov's ability in this area could get him an NHL job right away.

The Numbers: Lawson Crouse of the Kingston Frontenacs scored 29 goals and 51 points in 56 games during the 2014-15 season. 

The Projected Numbers: His NHLE for 2015-16 is 22 points based on Vollman's projections.

What Role Could He Play in the NHL This Fall? Crouse's offense is not the reason he's NHL-ready. He projects as a support player offensively, but he is physically ready for the rigors of the game at the highest levels. At 6'3", 212 pounds, Crouse could play on a checking line and fill an energy role on opening night.

The Numbers: Nick Merkley of the Kelowna Rockets had an outstanding season, scoring 90 points in 72 games.

The Projected Numbers: The Vollman projection for Merkley implies an offensive player who would score 26 or 27 points even at this young age (18).

What Role Could He Play in the NHL This Fall? Merkley's exceptional skills are on display at the Memorial Cup, and it's easy to project him onto a skill line and power-play unit. He could catch on with a team next season and play well enough to stay in the NHL all year.

The Numbers: Mathew Barzal scored 57 points in 44 games for the Seattle Thunderbirds of the WHL. 

The Projected Numbers: Based on Rob Vollman's numbers, fans could expect Barzal to score 27 or 28 points in an NHL season.

What Role Could He Play in the NHL This Fall? He posted more than one assist per game in the WHL, so that passing ability could get Barzal some power-play time as a rookie. He's a slick player who should be dynamic at the NHL level.

The Numbers: Timo Meier scored 90 points in 61 games for the Halifax Mooseheads of the QMJHL.

The Projected Numbers: Vollman's projection for his season suggests Meier would post about 31 points in an NHL season. That would mean a 15-goal season would be in the range of possibility, making him a productive player as a rookie. 

What Role Could He Play in the NHL This Fall? Meier's size—he is 6'0", 209 pounds—suggests he'll be able to endure the physical rigors of the NHL game. His offensive ability may mean he can step right into a regular shift next season as a role player.

The Numbers: Dylan Strome of the Erie Otters led the OHL in scoring as a draft eligible player—a rare feat. He posted 129 points in 68 games in 2014-15. 

The Projected Numbers: His NHLE based on last season puts Strome in the range of 46-47 points for 2015-16.

What Role Could He Play in the NHL This Fall? Strome has NHL size—6'3", 187 pounds—and can handle himself in traffic. There's an excellent chance he makes an opening-night roster and establishes himself as an NHL regular next year.

The Numbers: Jack Eichel of the Boston University Terriers scored 71 points in 40 games this year.

The Projected Numbers: Chris Peters of CBS Sports reports that Eichel's equivalency based on his college season projects him to score around 48 points. 

What Role Could He Play in the NHL This Fall? Eichel appears to be ready for any role in the NHL. He's a big player—6'2", 194 pounds—and had no trouble negotiating the difficult competition at the recent World Hockey Championships. He's already a man and should flourish from the start of the season.

The Numbers: Mitch Marner of the London Knights had an incredible season, scoring 126 points in 63 games, exactly two points per game.

The Projected Numbers: Following the Vollman guide that suggests 30 per cent of OHL offense will find its way to the NHL, Marner's NHL equivalency number is 49 points. That's an outstanding and rare number for NHLE.

What Role Could He Play in the NHL This Fall? Marner's skills are elite, and he should be able to fill a skill role for an NHL team as a teenager. Plenty of power-play time is likely to be part of his job description and his success.

The Numbers: Connor McDavid scored 120 points in 47 regular-season games for the Erie Otters of the OHL.

The Projected Numbers: The Vollman equivalency informs us that McDavid's season with Erie projects him as a 63-point rookie in the NHL.

What Role Could He Play in the NHL This Fall? He should flourish in a soft-minutes role with plenty of offensive-zone starts and quality wingers. If he centers Taylor Hall and Jordan Eberle all season—and gets plenty of power-play time—McDavid might crash 70 points.