Four Domers appear in NHL draft rankings
Special to The Observer
Four current and future Notre Dame hockey players are listed among the top 160 players on the recently released National Hockey League's Central Scouting Service midseason skater rankings. The Irish total represents the most players listed from any of the 12 teams in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association.
The rankings list the top prospects for the 2000 NHL Draft, which is open to players born between Sept. 16, 1980 and Sept. 15, 1982. Players born after Sept. 15, 1981 must "opt-in" and forfeit their college eligibility, regardless of whether they already have completed a year of college hockey.
Notre Dame's top-rated player is fall of '99 signee Neil Komadoski, who is considered one of the nation's top prospects among defensemen in his age group. Komadoski checked in at 51st on the Central Scouting list, ranking as the fourth-highest rated player/signee from teams in the CCHA.
Current Notre Dame players on the Central Scouting list include three draft-eligible freshmen: defenseman Evan Nielsen center Connor Dunlop and right wing Michael Chin.
Nielsen checks in at 70th on the list, sixth-highest among all current CCHA players/signees and first among active CCHA defensemen.
Dunlop is listed 118th, eighth-highest among all players with CCHA ties and second among active CCHA forwards (Michigan center Andy Hilbert is listed 26th). Chin is the ninth-highest CCHA player/signee on the list, at No. 158.
All Sports Stories for Wednesday, January 19, 19100
