As soon as the 2017 NHL Draft is over this weekend, NHL teams will begin preparation for the next one. The first ranking, in summer, often has little in common with the final one before each season's draft, but it's a starting point.
For fans there are clues about impact prospects for next season and in the case of the 2018 draft, there's a lot to discuss. Early indications have next year's draft as another impressive crop, led by Russian winger Andrei Svechnikov. He played for the Muskegon Lumberjacks in 2016-17 and is the top scoring prospect among 2018 eligible players according to Elite Prospects.