With the NHL season around the corner, teams are evaluating what they have from a prospect standpoint. Here's a look at each Central Division team's prospect pool heading into the 2018-19 NHL season, including the top players in the system.
Some ground rules:
• Players listed as "A" prospects project more comfortably into impact roles -- that is, players who will fit into top scoring lines or top-four defenses and goalies with starter potential. "B" prospects are players who project comfortably as everyday NHL players but don't project as comfortably to make a big impact. That's not to say the B prospects can't develop into larger roles in the future; it's just what I see for them for right now.