Speedy. Flashy. Dominating. Elusive. Creative. Words used to describe U.S. National Team Development star Jack Hughes leave a clear understanding about why he is projected to be the NHL’s No. 1 draft pick next summer.

“He understands how gifted he is, but he doesn’t overthink it,” said former Calgary Flames general manager Craig Button, now a draft expert for Canada’s TSN. “He’s one of those players who not only has an imagination and creativity … but he’s a great decision tree player. He processes everything quickly. He has algorithms going on in his head. If I can’t do that, I will do this.”

If Hughes, who won't turn 18 until May, goes first, and scouts say it is highly likely he will, Hughes would be the eighth American to be drafted No. 1 overall.

Because of Hughes’ dynamic style, NHL team fan bases are already talking about whether their team will be in the Hughes sweepstakes.

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Here is our projection for the teams with the best opportunity to land Hughes:

1. Colorado Avalanche: This is the best possible situation for the Avalanche because they can qualify for the playoffs and end up with the most attractive odds to secure Hughes. Their chance comes from owning the Ottawa Senators’ first-round pick, which was acquired in last season's three-team deal that sent Matt Duchene to Ottawa and Kyle Turris to the Nashville Predators. The Senators, who finished 30th last season, could have given the Avalanche their 2018 pick. But they drafted Brady Tkachuk at No. 4 and will take their chances this season. They will struggle after trading Erik Karlsson and Mike Hoffman.

2. Detroit Red Wings: Because the Red Wings are rebuilding, many Detroit fans are hoping they will be near the bottom of the standings to have a better chance to win the draft lottery. The idea of a Hughes-Dylan Larkin one-two center tandem is appealing. The Red Wings will give considerable playing time to their younger players, such as Larkin, Anthony Mantha, Michael Rasmussen, Tyler Bertuzzi, Andreas Athanasiou and perhaps Filip Zadina, who will start the year in the minors. The Red Wings are still a couple of seasons away from being competitive.

3. Montreal Canadiens: The Canadiens ranked 29th in goal scoring in 2017-18 and didn’t solve their offensive troubles this offseason. They gave up Max Pacioretty and Alex Galchenyuk and added Tomas Tatar and Max Domi. Defenseman Shea Weber is recovering from surgery and isn’t expected back until at least November. Nothing points to Montreal moving out of the bottom five this season.

4. Vancouver Canucks: There’s plenty to appreciate about the young Canucks, particularly their collection of younger players. There’s genuine excitement about Elias Pettersson being a leading Calder Trophy candidate. Brock Boeser, with his big shot and quick release, could score 35 to 40 goals this season. But it’s difficult to climb in the standings when you are relying heavily on young players. They could easily finish in the 73- to 77-point range and be in contention for Hughes.

5. New York Rangers: Their biggest obstacle to contending for Hughes is the presence of goalie Henrik Lundqvist in their lineup. By their own admission, the Rangers are retooling their roster. They were last in the Metropolitan Division last season, ranking 22nd in goals and 28th in goals against. David Quinn’s fresh coaching approach probably won’t be enough to immediately improve the team. The Rangers were 23rd in the NHL last season, and the Buffalo Sabres, Arizona Coyotes and Chicago Blackhawks should pass them this season in the overall standings.