One of the more interesting aspects of following the NHL is where it all begins, the building block of most of the success a team will have in the entry draft.
The only problem is, well, the draft itself. NHL teams can choose players at age 17-18 years old, but the big issue is that it’s very difficult to determine where players so young will ultimately grow or develop into by age 24-25 at most of their peaks. Some players can grow out of nowhere and turn into very valuable pieces. Others might peak against easier competition and not develop as much as they move up the ranks.