By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor 
In the past few days, we’ve been looking at the players beyond Nolan Patrick and Nico Hischier that are available in the NHL Draft.
With one day left before the draft, we round out our prospect profiles with a look at a few other prospects who are expected to go early in the first round.
Miro Heiskanen
Regarded as the top defenseman in the draft, Heiskanen brings smooth skating, mobility and offensive skill to the blue line.
In a league where mobile defensemen are becoming the norm, Heiskanen should fit right in. He started playing in the Finnish Elite League as a regular blueliner and performed well. The offense wasn’t completely there at that level — just five goals and five assists in 37 games — but he does everything well, can play in every situation and has a calming presence and tremendous hockey sense that make him a player to watch in the future.
“Smooth skating mobile defender with good vision and rarely panics or turns the puck over,” ISS Director of Scouting Dennis MacInnis said in the ISS Hockey Draft Guide. “He has all the tools to be an effective two-way defender in the NHL.”
Owen Tippett
Many of the forwards at the top are centers, but this is a winger with a tremendous shot. His quick release and accuracy make him a natural scorer and Tippett did a lot this past season with 44 goals in 60 games for Mississauga.
While the potential is high and the numbers are excellent, his consistency was a struggle and if he can’t put it together, he could prove to be a first-round bust because what he has in scoring, he lacks in defensive ability and compete level away from the puck.
“Just too much selective hustle,” Hockey Prospect Scout Mark Edwards said in the Hockey Prospect Black Book. “Everyone knows he can score, but it was the fact that he did so little else in the bulk of my viewings of him that frustrated me.”
Cale Makar
Makar is regarded as the best skater in the draft and his player comparison is Shayne Gostisbehere. Tells you everything you need to know, right?
Maybe not, but still, his skills are top notch when it comes to offensive presence. He’s got a good shot, good puck skills and the best mobility of any defenseman in the draft for sure, perhaps even of any player. Very much like Gostisbehere, who came in lauded for his offensive abilities, the defensive zone play is going to need some work, but as a power play specialist and offensive-minded, mobile defenseman, he’s got great potential.
“Makar creates offense at will and has shown a desire to dominate offensively,” Hockey Prospect scout Cass Bruni said in the Hockey Prospect Black Book. “I believe he could have been a top scorer in any junior league he played in.”
Michael Rasmussen
Size, strength and scoring. It’s the same package that Nolan Patrick has, just not at that high a level. But there is potential there for Michael Rasmussen, who had 32 goals in 50 games for Tri-City.
He doesn’t have a major weakness in his game, but doesn’t excel in one area over another. He’s a sizable player and uses it well in puck battles, can work well on the power play and is a fairly solid skater for his size. That said, he’s a bit of a raw prospect and will need development to take it to the next level, but the potential is there.
“Big time upside if he puts it all together,” ISS Director of Scouting Dennis MacInnis said. “Still growing into his body. A raw offensive product that will need more seasoning.”
Martin Necas
Necas is gifted offensively with slick hands and elusive skating ability that make him a constant threat to score. He’s a bit on the smaller end, at 6’0” 167 pounds, but brings a lot of energy and poise the ice.
His strength and physicality will obviously be in question and as a winger, he’ll need to get better defensively like most prospects do, but the playmaking ability and flash he brings certainly add to his upside.
“Underrated prospect,” ISS Scout Domenico Michetti said in the ISS Hockey Draft Guide. “Good separation speed. Competes in all three zones. High skills and vision. See the ice well. Needs to add weight and strength, very thin.”
Elias Pettersson
A dangerous player with offensive skill, Pettersson had a modest year with Timra at the Swedish Elite League with 19 goals and 41 points in 43 games, but it will be about putting it all together. He didn’t impress much at World Juniors, a place where a lot of the draft prospects who excel really boost their stock, so he’s sort of a mid-first-round prospect at this point.
There’s the usual to work on like physical play and defensive play, but his offensive skill set makes him dangerous and gives him great potential.
“I don’t see much of a two-way player here, but rather a promising offensive player with great hockey sense and skill,” a scout said for Future Considerations Draft Guide. “Still needs plenty of time to fill out. He has sky-high potential if he can add some muscle and work on his shot velocity.”
Callen Foote
For a defenseman with size, this may be the pick. Foote, the son of longtime defenseman Adam Foote, is tall and strong at 6’3”, 213 pounds. He’s not a flashy player, but effective. He’s a good passer, has a good shot, is fairly consistent in both zones and has the potential to be a top defenseman in the league.
He’s also very good on the power play and brings smarts to the game. His physical play is lacking and he needs to become a better skater, but he’s certainly a Top-4 blueline prospect with the potential to elevate his game to a higher role.
“Foote is a reliable big defenseman with pedigree,” a scout said for Recrutes Draft Guide. “He will be fine, he’s too smart. He’s a top 20 pick. Minute muncher. He’ll play in the four hole for 15-20 years."
