Comprehensive guide to the 2020 NHL Draft

When

• Tuesday, Oct. 6 at 7 p.m. ET (Round 1)
• Wednesday, Oct. 7 at 11:30 a.m. ET (Rounds 2-7)

Where

• Entire draft will be conducted virtually

How to watch

United States

Canada

Draft order (Round 1)

Player Profiles

• Like Kopitar and Malkin, Quinton Byfield is the full package

• Inside Marco Rossi's rise and singular drive to reach the NHL

• Polarizing Poirier gets by with a little help from his draft-eligible friend

• Why Yaroslav Askarov might be the best goalie prospect since Carey Price

Mock draft

• 2020 NHL Mock Draft: Big decision at 2nd overall, intrigue high at No. 5

Top prospects

Alexis Lafreniere - Left Wing, Rimouski (QMJHL)

Lafreniere has been the consensus top pick dating back to 2019, and for good reason.

The Rimouski Oceanic captain is the two-time defending CHL Player of the Year and the first player since Sidney Crosby to claim the honor in back-to-back seasons. As such, Lafreniere is widely projected to be the NHL's next generational talent.

Lafreniere is expected to play in the NHL immediately and appears more than ready, having excelled not just in the QMJHL but also under the increased pressure of international play.

Quinton Byfield - Center, Sudbury (OHL)

Byfield is a gifted player. He possesses tremendous size and reach, yet he moves around the ice with extreme ease. His incredibly soft hands and elite puck-protection skills allow him to generate scoring chances at will, and a heavy shot sees him finish at a high rate. He's also blessed with great playmaking ability.

Despite his size, Byfield's not overly physical defensively, but he makes up for it with a strong, active stick and impressive anticipation. He sometimes becomes disengaged on both sides of the ice, however, specifically on defense. He also tends to cheat for offensive chances instead of staying behind the puck.

Tim Stuetzle - Center, Mannheim (DEL)

A natural center, Stuetzle spent the majority of the season on the wing. But many pundits believe he'll be able to hold his own down the middle of the ice in the NHL - largely due to his elite skating and hockey sense.

Stuetzle has high-end skill and great hands, but what makes him truly special is his ability to seemingly have the puck on a string at top speed. Not many players can do that, and it allows him to embarrass defenders in one-on-one situations. He also has great vision and ran Mannheim's power play from the left half wall as a left-handed shooter. He can circle the neutral zone and enter the offensive zone with speed just as he receives a pass, making him very dangerous on the man advantage despite his current lack of a truly dangerous one-timer.

Cole Perfetti - Left Wing, Saginaw (OHL)

Perfetti burst onto the OHL scene as a 16-year-old in 2018, scoring the most goals by a player his age since John Tavares, Steven Stamkos, and Taylor Hall - pretty good company. He followed up his incredible rookie season with another fantastic year in 2019-20, finishing second in the league in both points and assists.

Now 18, Perfetti is one of the best playmakers in the draft. His body and physicality are nothing to write home about, but neither is an issue thanks to his immense skill and vision on and off the puck. Perfetti makes magic happen everywhere on the ice, and he's proven he can both score and pass at elite levels.

Jamie Drysdale - Defense, Erie (OHL)

Drysdale is the most highly touted blue-liner in this year's draft. He finished his season ranked third among North American skaters, trailing only Lafreniere and Byfield.

Drysdale doesn't have towering size, but he's a swift-skating, offensively gifted player who should have no issues fitting into the modern NHL. He played at nearly a point-per-game pace in the OHL this season and claimed a gold medal with Canada at the world juniors.

Marco Rossi - Center, Ottawa (OHL)

Rossi led the entire CHL in points and assists in 2019-20, becoming only the second European import to win the Red Tilson Trophy as the OHL's most outstanding player.

Rossi's breakout campaign wasn't entirely unforeseen, as he ranked second among OHL rookies with 29 goals and 65 points in 2018-19. NHL Central Scouting listed him as the No. 6 North American skater in its final pre-draft rankings.