CHL Awards of the Decade: Past winners of the Top Draft Prospect of the Year presented by Kubota Canada
The Canadian Hockey League Top Draft Prospect Award, presented this season by Kubota Canada, is for the top eligible prospect for the NHL Draft from across the Western Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League, and Quebec Major Junior Hockey League, as determined by NHL Central Scouting.
The award has been presented since 1991, with the exception of years 2003-05, and this season will go to either Kaiden Guhle of the Prince Albert Raiders, Quinton Byfield of the Sudbury Wolves, or Alexis Lafreniere of the Rimouski Oceanic. But before we find out who the newest recipient is, let’s take a closer look at the last decade of winners.
2018-19: Bowen Byram (Vancouver Giants)
Byram finished the regular season with 71 points in 67 contests, including 26 goals for the Giants that ranked first among all WHL defencemen. The Cranbrook, British Columbia, native was the second ranked North American skater that season and would be the second CHL player off the board at fourth overall to the Colorado Avalanche.
2017-18: Andrei Svechnikov (Barrie Colts)
Svechnikov registered 40 goals and 32 assists for 72 points in an injury-shortened 44-game season where the Colts forward earned OHL Rookie of the Year honours. The Russian was the top ranked North American skater and the first CHL player chosen in the 2018 NHL Draft going second overall to the Carolina Hurricanes where he has produced 98 points in just 150 games to date.
2016-17: Nolan Patrick (Brandon Wheat Kings)
Patrick served as Wheat Kings captain during his third WHL season and scored 20 goals and 26 assists for 46 points despite being limited to just 33 games as a result of injury. The Winnipeg, Manitoba, native was the number one ranked North American prospect but was the second CHL player selected behind Halifax Moosehead Nico Hischier going second overall to the Philadelphia Flyers. Injuries have again plagued his career during 2019-20 after generating 61 points in 145 games his first two seasons.
2015-16: Pierre-Luc Dubois (Cape Breton Screaming Eagles)
Dubois was the first QMJHL player in more than a decade to be named number one on NHL Central Scouting’s final ranking of North American skaters. The St-Agathe-des-Monts, Quebec, native scored 42 goals and 57 assists for 99 points in 62 games during his second season in Cape Breton and became the first CHL player chosen in the 2016 NHL Draft going third overall to the Columbus Blue Jackets. He’s now played three full NHL seasons with the club scoring 158 points in 234 games.
2014-15: Connor McDavid (Erie Otters)
McDavid is the last CHL player to be ranked first by NHL Central Scouting, earn the CHL award, and be selected first overall in the NHL Draft. During his final season with the Otters, the Newmarket, Ontario, native scored 44 goals and 76 assists for 120 points in 47 games and also earned CHL Player of the Year honours. With the Edmonton Oilers he’s already reached superstar status as one of the NHL’s best recording 469 points through 351 games.
2013-14: Sam Bennett (Kingston Frontenacs)
Bennett scored 91 points including 36 goals and 55 assists in 57 games for the Frontenacs. The Holland Landing, Ontario, product was ranked first by NHL Central Scouting but would be the fourth CHL player chosen in 2014 going fourth overall to the Calgary Flames behind Aaron Ekblad, Sam Reinhart, and Leon Draisaitl. He remains with the organization and through five seasons has 300 points in 364 games.
2012-13: Seth Jones (Portland Winterhawks)
Jones played just one season in the CHL but made it count earning WHL Rookie of the Year honours and helping the Winterhawks win a championship posting 14 goals and 42 assists for 56 points in 61 games. The defenceman from Plano, Texas, was ranked first by NHL Central Scouting but was the fourth overall pick in 2013 to the Nashville Predators behind a pair of Moosehead Memorial Cup champions named Nathan MacKinnon and Jonathan Drouin. Jones now has eight NHL seasons under his belt including the last five in Columbus amassing 258 points in 524 games to date.
2011-12: Nail Yakupov (Sarnia Sting)
One year after earning CHL Rookie of the Year honours, Yakupov was back at the CHL Awards claiming Top Prospect distinction as NHL Central Scouting’s number one ranked talent. The Russian forward scored 31 goals and 38 assists for 69 points in 42 games for the Sting and would be selected first overall by the Oilers at the 2012 NHL Draft. His NHL career was played over 350 games with Edmonton, St. Louis, and Colorado, producing 136 points. He’s played the last two seasons in the KHL.
2010-11: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (Red Deer Rebels)
From Burnaby, British Columbia, to Red Deer, Alberta, Nugent-Hopkins made his mark in a short but successful WHL career finishing tied for third in league scoring with 106 points including 31 goals and 75 assists in 69 games during his second and final season. The top ranked skater was also the top pick of the 2011 NHL Draft to the Oilers where he remains in his ninth NHL season. He’s now played 604 games in Edmonton amassing 443 career points.
2009-10: Tyler Seguin (Plymouth Whalers)
Seguin tied for first overall in OHL scoring with 106 points including 48 goals and 58 assists in 63 games for the Whalers and earned OHL Player of the Year honours. While the Brampton, Ontario, native was ranked first, the man he tied in scoring, Taylor Hall of the Windsor Spitfires, would be selected ahead of him by Edmonton at the 2010 NHL Draft in what has been perhaps the most famously divided head-to-head draft rivalry in NHL history. Seguin won a Stanley Cup with the Boston Bruins as a rookie, and after three seasons joined the Dallas Stars where he remains one of the league’s elite. His career totals now stand at 635 points in 741 games over the last decade.