Each year, in the aftermath of the release of my NHL Draft package at The Athletic, readers are increasingly curious not only about the rankings of the current draft’s top 100 prospects, but also the inner-workings of how that list comes together.



The latter impulse is completely understandable. If you’re going to trust my evaluations — and ultimately my ranking — then you’re right to question how my prior work has stood the test of time.



In the interest of respecting that transparency, my annual draft packages include my guide to scouting, which details everything from my viewing process and the skills I value most to the context I consider and my limitations.



Last year, for the first time, I also began an annual tradition of re-drafting the draft class of three years earlier. The goal was twofold:



Provide you with my updated evaluation of the 2015 draft class’ top prospects (while sometimes simultaneously...