NHL draft 2019: three centres to follow not named Jack Hughes

It’s too early for the 2019 draft, but I don’t care. With Jack Hughes being the crown jewel of next year’s class, I wanted to give Canucks fans a few names to keep tabs on just in case the lottery doesn’t work out (again).

Everyone is quickly learning how amazing Jack Hughes is. For Vancouver Canucks fans, selecting first overall would be a miracle. With the draft at home and another poor season on the way, the franchise will take another chance with the Lottery. It hasn’t worked out yet, but maybe we can finally get a break.

However, if the Canucks don’t pick first, it won’t be bad to look at alternatives in the top 10. Now, a lot changes in a single season. We’ve seen players ranked in the top five drop up to 60 spots when the draft rolls around. So when I say top 10, it’s tentative for now.

At the moment, the first round will likely have more forwards than this year’s draft. Of course, we can keep an eye on Vancouver Giants defenceman, Bowen Byram. However, the Cranbrook native will get his own article later on. Today’s focus will be on centres because you can never have too many of them.

Alex Newhook – Victoria Grizzlies (BCHL)

We first take a look at Alex Newhook, hailing from St. John’s, Newfoundland. Last season, he tore apart the BCHL with 66 points in 45 games. He finished eighth in league scoring and took the top spot among all players under the age of 18. Newhook did that as a 16-year-old. It’s no wonder he was the rookie of the year last season.

He’s a left-handed centre and built similarly to Tyson Jost of the Colorado Avalanche. Jost may be a good benchmark for Newhook as things progress along. Despite being 17 years old now, the Grizzlies named Newhook their captain. NHL teams will like that. For the 2019-20 season, Newhook is committed to Boston College for his post-draft development.

Newhook was cut from Team Canada’s U18 team for the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup (formerly the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament). He was disappointed and will use that chip on his shoulder to prove Hockey Canada wrong. It’s going to be fun to watch him next season.

Alex Turcotte – U.S. National U18 Team (USDP/USHL)

Hughes may have had all the attention last year, but his linemate Alex Turcotte was very good last season. The question will come up if he can produce on his own, but with Hughes returning to the program, we likely won’t get an answer.

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But that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Turcotte had 47 points in 39 games with the U17 team. But he did play 19 games with the U18 team, picking up 16 points. Turcotte is committed to the University of Wisconsin next year. From a Canucks lens, it’s in the Big Ten Conference, the same as Michigan. Judd Brackett places an importance on programs for development, so I wouldn’t worry.

Turcotte also played for Team USA at the U18 World Juniors, picking up five points in seven games. The Canucks do have a bias for this development program and the NCAA track, so if they are out of the top five, I could see them keeping a close eye on Turcotte.

Raphael Lavoie – Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)

Our last player today is rather different from the rest. Raphaël Lavoie is a lot bigger at 6’4″ and 196 lbs. He is a right-handed centre who can also play on the wing. Lavoie is one of the older players in next year’s draft. He missed the cutoff for the 2018 draft by 10 days.

Last season, Lavoie scored 30 goals in 68 games, finishing with 63 points. He was a member of Canada’s U18 World Junior team, scoring five goals in as many games. Size is a premium that is often overpaid for, but Lavoie brings skill to the table.

Canada had a couple of injuries on their World Junior Summer Showcase roster. Lavoie benefited, getting the chance to leave another impression on Hockey Canada. The sample is small, but he’s looked good so far.

Well, there you have it. There’s something about this new draft class that seems special. Maybe it’s just the location of the draft. Or maybe since it’s so early, the potential looks incredible at the moment. Whatever it is, I’m getting all excited for the draft all over again.