The average age of most players drafted in the other major North American sports leagues (NFL, NBA, MLB, MLS) is around 21 years old; compared to the NHL which is around 18 years old. Drafting players at an older age means teams have more insight into their development curve and more time and track record to scout their picks.

It's interesting to think about how things would shake out if the players that were eligible for the 2017 NHL Draft were actually being considered this summer instead.

Tier 1: Pettersson & Makar
Tier 2: Heiskanen & Hischier
Tier 3: Patrick