Neutral Zone’s scouting staff has tracked most of the 2026 NHL Draft class since their early U15 and U16 seasons, long before Central Scouting released its Preliminary Players to Watch List. With the “A”-graded prospects now formally recognized as projected first-rounders, Neutral Zone revisited its earliest evaluations, star ratings, and timeline of discovery to compare how these players have developed relative to their initial scouting profiles. The table below aligns Central Scouting’s current A-rated group with Neutral Zone’s earliest star ratings, the dates those assessments were published, and each player’s current NZ draft ranking. This table offers a data driven look at how early identification, growth, and projection have intersected across multiple leagues and levels.
| Grade | NZ Rank | Earliest Star | Position | League | Team | |
| A | 5 | 4.75 (1/15/24) | Ethan Belchetz | LW | OHL | Windsor |
| A | 16 | 3.75 (2/2/23) | Carson Carels | D | WHL | Prince George |
| A | 55 | 4.50 (1/15/24) | Alessandro Di Iorio | C | OHL | Sarnia |
| A | 41 | 3.75 (5/9/25) | Oscar Hemming | LW | OHL | Kitchener |
| A | 30 | 4 (6/30/2025) | Elton Hermansson | LW | U20 Nationell | Orebro HK J20 |
| A | 20 | 4.25 (5/10/23) | JP Hurlbert | C | WHL | Kamloops |
| A | 19 | 3.75 (1/31/24) | Nikita Klepov | LW | OHL | Saginaw |
| A | 6 | 4.25 (8/29/23) | Tynan Lawrence | C | USHL | Muskegon |
| A | 13 | 4.25 (2/2/23) | Ryan Lin | D | WHL | Vancouver |
| A | 18 | 4.25 (1/15/23) | Caleb Malhotra | C | OHL | Brantford |
| A | 1 | 4.75 (5/14/22) | Gavin McKenna | LW | NCAA | Penn State |
| A | 11 | 4.25 (1/7/25) | Marcus Nordmark | RW | U20 Nationell | Djurgardens J20 |
| A | 27 | 4.50 (2/14/24) | Adam Novotny | LW | OHL | Peterborough |
| A | 3 | 3.75 (2/7/25) | Juho Piiparinen | D | Liiga | Tappara |
| A | 7 | 4.75 (2/2/23) | Mathis Preston | C | WHL | Spokane |
| A | 14 | 3.5 (2/20/23) | Chase Reid | D | OHL | Soo |
| A | 83 | 3.75 (3/5/24) | Brooks Rogowski | C | OHL | Oshawa |
| A | 8 | 4.5 (1/30/23) | Ryan Roobroeck | C | OHL | NIagara |
| A | 37 | 4.25 (1/30/24) | Luke Schairer | D | NTDP | USNTDP U18 |
| A | 57 | 4.25 (5/6/24) | Egor Shilov | C | QMJHL | Victoriaville |
| A | 33 | 4 (2/7/25) | Alberts Smits | D | Liiga | Jukurit |
| A | 2 | 4.25 (8/14/24) | Ivar Stenberg | RW | SHL | Frolunda |
| A | 12 | 3.75 (6/9/25) | Oliver Suvanto | C | Liiga | Tappara |
| A | 4 | 4.5 (2/2/23) | Keaton Verhoeff | D | NCAA | North Dakota |
| A | 25 | 4 (2/3/223) | Xavier Villeneuve | D | QMJHL | Blainville-Boisbriand |
This comparison highlights how early scouting evaluations can provide meaningful insight into long-term projection. Many of Central Scouting’s “A” rated players earned high Neutral Zone ratings more than a year before NHL recognition, which reflects consistent progression among high-character, high-compete prospects. While rankings will continue to evolve through the season, the overlap reinforces Neutral Zone’s ability to identify elite talent early in the development curve and track their growth with precision.
Photo credit: Dan Hickling/Hickling Images