HockeyProspect.com has released our latest Top 30 rankings for the 2013 NHL Draft. Leading the list once again in a very close race is Nathan Mackinnon of the Halifax Mooseheads. Seth Jones of the Portland Winterhawks is next at the second overall position. Sean Monahan of the Ottawa 67’s holds his spot at number three, while Jonathan Drouin of the Halifax Mooseheads rises from number ten overall to number four overall. The top 5 is rounded out by Finland’s Alexander Barkov.

There are several new additions on our list this time around. One of those players is Frederik Gauthier of the Rimouski Oceanic, who makes a big move from outside our top 30 all the way to number 12 overall.

Spencer Martin of the Mississauga Steelheads takes over as our top rated goaltender. We really like four goaltenders at this point of the season for the 2013 NHL Draft. Martin of the Steelheads, Eric Comrie in Tri-City, Zach Fucale from the Mooseheads and Austin Lotz, who is a member of the Everett Silvertips.

Another player making his debut in our top 30 is Connor Hurley. Hurley is a part timer for the USNTDP and a full time player for Edina High School in Minnesota. While the young Hurley has some physical maturing to do, he has impressed us in every single viewing of him. We recently saw Connor in Ann Arbor during the U18 Four Nations tourney. We spoke to Hurley after a game in Ann Arbor and the young prospect impressed us during the conversation. Hurley was well spoken and in our opinion, he had a very good grasp of himself as player.

Unlike the 2012 Draft, this season we are finding it difficult to leave out several players from our top 30 draft list. It’s a very good crop of prospects this season and players will need to remain on top of their games to keep themselves in the rankings.

Here are some honourable mentions for this month:

Remi Elie, London , Nikta Zadorov, London, Ryan Hartman, Plymouth, Gustov Possler, Modo, JT Compher, USNTDP, Bogdan Yakimov, Reaktor, Shea Theodore, Seattle, Hudson Fasching, USNTDP, Ian McCoshan, Waterloo, Zach Fucale, Halifax, Eric Comrie, Tri-City, Austin Lotz, Everett, Ryan Kujawinski, Kingston, Eric Roy, Brandon.

HockeyProspect.com’s November 14th, 2012 Top 30 NHL Draft Rankings

RANK PLAYER TEAM LEAGUE 1 MACKINNON, NATHAN HALIFAX QMJHL 2 JONES, SETH PORTLAND WHL 3 MONAHAN, SEAN OTTAWA OHL 4 DROUIN, JONATHAN HALIFAX QMJHL 5 BARKOV, ALEKSANDER TAPPERA FINLAND 6 LINDHOLM, ELIAS BRYNAS SEL 7 RISTOLAINEN, RASMUS TPS FINLAND 8 BURAKOWSKY, ANDRE MALMO SWEDEN 9 NICHUSHKIN, VALERI CHELYABINSK MHL 10 MORRISSEY, JOSH PRINCE ALBERT WHL 11 ERNE, ADAM QUEBEC QMJHL 12 GAUTHIER, FREDERIK RIMOUSKI QMJHL 13 SHINKARUK, HUNTER MEDICINE HAT WHL 14 PULOCK, RYAN BRANDON WHL 15 DOMI, MAX LONDON OHL 16 DICKINSON, JASON GUELPH OHL 17 LAZAR, CURTIS EDMONTON WHL 18 SANTINI, STEVE USNTDP USHL 19 NURSE, DARNELL SOO OHL 20 LEHKONEN ARTTURI KALPA FINLAND 21 HORVAT, BO LONDON OHL 22 BOWEY, MADISON KELOWNA WHL 23 HAGG, ROBERT MODO JR SWEDEN 24 RYCHEL, KERBY WINDSOR OHL 25 MARTIN, SPENCER MISSISSAUGA OHL 26 DE LA ROSE, JACOB LEKSAND SWEDEN 27 BIGRAS, CHRIS OWEN SOUND OHL 28 HURLEY, CONNOR EDINA HS HS MINN 29 DUCLAIR, ANTHONY QUEBEC QMJHL 30 MANTHA , ANTHONY Val d’OR QMJHL

*Remember that it’s still early in the season and the range on the number of viewings on one player versus another can still vary for us until the gaps close later on in the season.