Honorable Mentions

Forwards: Alexis Lafreniere (2020 draft), Matthew Savoie (2022 draft), Shane Wright (2022 draft)

At 17 (Lafreniere) and 15 (Savoie and Wright), this trio is still a few years away from making their mark at the pro level. But a late start won’t dampen their impact on the decade. Lafreniere, the expected first pick in 2020, earns high praise from the Great One. “He reminds me of Gilbert Perreault,” Wayne Gretzky told Sportsnet. “He can skate, handle the puck. He’s just around the puck so much. When you have that much puck sense, that much speed, I can see him being a center at the next level.”

Savoie and Wright were the top picks in the WHL and OHL, respectively, this summer. Wright, a dynamic center with game-breaking ability, was granted exceptional status to enter juniors early, following in the footsteps of John Tavares and McDavid. Savoie is an elite skater with excellent vision who works diligently at both ends of the ice, similar to Sergei Fedorov. All three will be franchise players capable of becoming hobby legends.

Defense: Rasmus Dahlin, Buffalo Sabres; Seth Jones, Columbus Blue Jackets

Dahlin came into the 2018 draft as the most heralded defensive prospect in a generation. Although his rookie season offered more challenges than expected, he’s well situated to mature into a preeminent blueliner. At 25, Jones already is established as a top-five defenseman in the league. Though skating in Columbus has a dampening effect on hobby demand, the inevitable string of Norris nominations (and, likely, a few wins) should enhance his profile.

Goalie: Yaroslav Askarov (2020 draft)

Flyers starter Carter Hart is in the discussion here as is Florida draftee Spencer Knight, but this 17-year-old Russian is being called the best goalie prospect in a decade by more than a few scouts. He has size (6-foot-3), technique and high-end athleticism, and plays with a swagger to his game reminiscent of Patrick Roy. He could easily be a top-five pick next June.