The Kids' Table: Checkup For Top 2016 Draft Prospects

We're now in the month of November, a time when the weather starts to get colder (or not) and leaves pile up all around us. We all gather with family and loved ones to give thanks and stuff our faces. And if you didn't get a slew of flu shots a couple weeks ago, chances are you're going to get sick this month -- it's inevitable. Unless you're me, of course, because with age and decreased alcohol intake, my immune system stops illnesses like Martin Brodeur used to stop pucks.

Nobody enjoys going to the doctor's office and getting a checkup, most notably kids. But have no fear! This isn't your average checkup, it's a 2016 NHL prospects checkup! It's hard to follow up a draft that featured Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel at the top, but 2016's class could surprise a lot of folks. Most of these kids have already played a month in juniors or overseas, which provides us with a nice sample size as we try to size up the top picks in next year's draft.

According to ISS Hockey, these are the top 30 prospects for the 2016 NHL draft as of October. This week, we'll be checking in on the top five to see how they've fared in the first month of the season.

Auston Matthews, C/RW, Zurich ZSC (Swiss)
Stats: 10 goals, six assists and plus-2 in 14 games

Many of you have probably heard of Matthews, but if you haven't checked out many 2016 prospect lists, here's a little info. The Arizona native excelled at every level the United States National Team Development Program has to offer last season. He posted 48 points in 20 games in the USHL as well as 116 in 60 games for the Under-18 U.S. National Team. Matthews followed up those performances with 15 points in seven games at the U18 World Junior Championship and was named tournament MVP. Then, as a 17-year-old, he had three points in five games at the U20 WJC. Instead of playing out his draft year with the Everett Silvertips of the WHL, Matthews opted for a tougher challenge and signed a one-year contract to play for the ZSC Lions of the Swiss National League A.

So far, Matthews has shown that he can hang with professionals and is second on the team in scoring through the first month. He sustained a back injury on Oct. 23, but was able to remain in that game and suit up for the next two, and he'll have a few weeks to rest while the league is on break. Zurich coach Marc Crawford had this to say about Matthews:

"By the second or third game, he was the team's top guy, and by his seventh or eighth game, he was the class of the league."

Many were worried that Matthews' choice to play overseas would affect his draft stock, but that hasn't been the case at all. He's dominating the Swiss league and should waste no time making an impact next season in the NHL for whichever team is fortunate enough to land the first pick.

Jakob Chychrun, D, Sarnia Sting (OHL)
Stats: three goals, seven assists and plus-11 in 14 games

The top projected defenseman on the board for 2016, Chychrun has the potential to be one of those franchise-changing blueliners. Chychrun was born in Boca Raton, Florida, but has dual citizenship with the United States and Canada. His father, Jeff, is from Quebec and played a handful of seasons in the NHL, most notably for the Flyers as an enforcer in the late '80s. In his rookie season for Sarnia in 2014-15, Chychrun was named an alternate captain and finished with 16 goals and 33 points in 42 games. He was unable to help the Sting during the playoffs last year, sustaining an upper-body injury with 26 games remaining in the regular season, but Chychrun has them on the right track this season – Sarnia currently sits in second place in the West Division at 8-5-1-0.

Chychrun is a complete defenseman who will play in all situations and provides a blistering one-timer from the point. He'll be showcasing his abilities for Team OHL at the CHL-Russia Super Series this month, and Central Scouting's Al Jensen had this to say to Adam Kimelman of NHL.com a couple weeks ago:

"I saw Chychrun a lot last year before his injury and again after he returned, and he has an all-around game. I haven't seen a young defenseman with this type of skill set in his draft year since Scott Stevens. Jakob has that drive and determination, and when I look in his eyes, you can see it. He's almost NHL-ready right now. People will be very impressed with this kid; he's got a phenomenal shot, he's a leader and plays all situations, and his 1-on-1 coverage is great."

Max Jones, LW, London Knights (OHL)
Stats: Nine goals, four assists and plus-11 in 13 games

Jones is just one of the many elite prospects on the Knights' roster. As a 17-year-old playing in his first OHL season, Jones has been very impressive, providing a lot of energy. Jones' resume isn't as sparkling as those of the aforementioned duo, as he's not known for his elite point production. For the U.S. U17 National Team last season, he had 28 points and a whopping 189 penalty minutes in 38 games. But Jones is playing at a point-per-game pace in the OHL and managed to score a hat trick on Oct. 24 against the North Bay Battalion.

Jones will probably never jump off the scoresheet at the NHL level, but it's still way too early to predict what he'll do a few years down the road. What he lacks in scoring, he makes up for in tenacity. Jones is an absolutely nightmare on the ice, causing problems for opponents on the forecheck and wreaking havoc in front of the net. He's got blistering speed and size to go with it, plus enough skill to contribute when playing with competent linemates. Jones is one of the more intriguing prospects to track this season, as he sort of falls under the radar with all the big-name guys coming out in 2016.

Matthew Tkachuk, LW, London Knights (OHL)
Stats: Five goals, 19 assists and plus-15 in 15 games

Many will argue that Tkachuk should be ahead of his London teammate in most rankings of 2016 prospects. The Michigan native is one of four U.S.-born players who comprise this top five, which seems crazy in a time where Canadians dominate the hockey world. The son of former NHLer Keith Tkachuk, Matthew's game actually does resemble his father's, unlike Chychrun and Max Domi.

"His leadership and competitiveness for sure," the younger Tkachuk told NHL.com when asked what stood out most about Keith's game. "He would have no problem whacking a guy, sticking up for a teammate or just being vocal. Throughout his career, it seemed there was never a time he didn't have a letter on his jersey.

"I know [having a letter] doesn't mean everything, but he's just a great leader."

He certainly left an impression on U.S. national junior coach Ron Wilson, who affirmed the father-son comparison.

"He looked like his old man out there," Wilson said. "He has a nose for the net and fights and claws to get there; he's tenacious, just like his dad."

For the U.S. National U18 Team last season, Tkachuk scored 38 goals and 96 points in 65 games. He also contributed 12 points in seven games for the United States at the U18 WJC. Through 15 games, Tkachuk ranks third in the OHL in scoring and leads London in points – ahead of big names like Mitch Marner and Christian Dvorak. In just a month's worth of games, Tkachuk is already making a case to go in the top three in June's draft.

Jesse Puljujarvi, RW, Karpat (Finland)
Stats: Five goals, four assists and plus-8 in 19 games

If you watched any of last year's World Junior Championship, you've probably heard of Puljujarvi. As a 16-year-old, he played all five games for a Finland team that didn't exactly get the result they were looking for in the tourney. In those five games, Puljujarvi was held scoreless, but registered a tournament-leading 26 shots on goal. That performance led to a slew of comparisons to Finnish legend Teemu Selanne. When asked about the comparisons, Puljujarvi had this to say:

"Teemu always wanted to score, wanted to go to the net and always tried to create scoring chances. I like to do all of that and be dangerous all the time. So I guess in that way we're the same. … I want to continue to play a versatile game, stay on the puck and go hard to the net."

NHL Director of European Scouting Goran Stubb shed some light on Puljujarvi's development with Karpat, a team he's been affiliated with since he was 13 years old.

"He's playing a much bigger role on Karpat this year," Stubb said. "He has been on the first line in some games and has proven to be very solid and consistent from game to game. He's definitely matured and improved over last season."

It's always tricky with European prospects playing overseas, as it's difficult to predict how their game will translate on North American ice. Puljujarvi obviously helped his cause in the WJC, but will need to build on that performance in this year's tournament, when he'll be tasked with leading Finland along with fellow top prospect Patrik Laine. He's got the size and tools to become the next Finnish sensation, but only time will tell.