Jack Hughes ranked No. 1 North American skater at midseason

Center Jack Hughes of the U.S. National Team Development Program Under-18 team in Plymouth is the No. 1 North American skater on the NHL Central Scouting Bureau’s midseason draft rankings.

Hughes, 17, has 56 points in 28 games for the U.S. NTDP team this season.  

Hughes, from Orlando, Fla., could become the eighth U.S.-born player drafted No. 1 overall, in 2019, and the first since Auston Matthews in 2016.

Hughes’ brother, Quinn Hughes, is a defenseman for the University of Michigan and was drafted seventh overall by the Vancouver Canucks in 2018.

More: 'Brilliance' on ice: Local player Jack Hughes is consensus No. 1 pick in NHL draft

“Hughes is in a special class all his own for the 2019 NHL Draft and the best is yet to come,” director of NHL Central Scouting Dan Marr says. “He is an exceptional skater who plays the game with speed and quickness, both with and without the puck.”

The 2019 NHL Draft will be June 21-22 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver.

The No. 1-ranked players at midseason in the other categories:

North American goalies: Spencer Knight, U.S. NTDP Under-18

International skaters: Kaapo Kakko, F, Finland

International goalies: Pyotr Kochetkov, Russia