While much has been made of the high-end offensive talent available at the top of the year’s draft class, there are a slew of North American defensemen that could dominate the first round on Friday, June 22. In fact, eight of the top 12 players ranked by NHL Central Scouting are blueliners.

Leading the way is Ryan Murray of the WHL’s Everett Silvertips, a steady two-way defender who is considered to be the “surest thing” of all the defensemen in this year’s draft. Projected to go fourth overall by both The Hockey News and McKeen’s Hockey, the six-foot-one, 201 pound Murray has also been ranked as high as second overall by Steven Hoffner of NHL.com, who considers him to be the “best all-round defenseman in the draft.”

In terms of offensive defensemen, they don’t get much better than Matt Dumba and Cody Ceci, who put up 57 and 60 points respectively this season. Dumba also has a physical element to his game, while Ceci is a talented playmaker with a big body who rocketed up draft boards as the year went on.

After Murray, the draft projections for the other defensemen are all over the map despite their Central Scouting Rankings. The Hockey News has Dumba going fifth overall, followed by Morgan Rielly (sixth), Griffin Reinhart (eighth), Jacob Trouba (ninth) and Ceci (10th). McKeen’s has Dumba-Reinhart-Rielly going sixth through eighth, with Trouba at 10th and Ceci sliding all the way down to 12th – where the Sabres are currently scheduled to make their first pick of the draft.

	Ryan Murray North American Skater - Everett, WHL Final Rank: 2 Midterm Rank: 3 Position: Defenseman Shoots: Left Height: 6' 0" Weight: 201 Born: September 27, 1993 Hometown: White City, SK Born in: Regina, SK, CAN
	Morgan Rielly North American Skater - Moose Jaw, WHL Final Rank: 5 Midterm Rank: 5 Position: Defenseman Shoots: Left Height: 6' 0" Weight: 190 Born: March 9, 1994 Born in: Vancouver, BC, CAN
	Cody Ceci North American Skater - Ottawa, OHL Final Rank: 6 Midterm Rank: 16 Position: Defenseman Shoots: Right Height: 6' 2" Weight: 207 Born: December 21, 1993 Hometown: Orleans, ON Born in: Ottawa, ON, CAN
	Olli Maatta North American Skater - London, OHL Final Rank: 8 Midterm Rank: 6 Position: Defenseman Shoots: Left Height: 6' 2" Weight: 202 Born: August 22, 1994 Born in: Jyväskylä, FIN
	Jacob Trouba North American Skater - USA U-18, USHL Final Rank: 9 Midterm Rank: 9 Position: Defenseman Shoots: Right Height: 6' 2" Weight: 193 Born: February 26, 1994 Born in: Rochester, MI, USA
	Griffin Reinhart North American Skater - Edmonton, WHL Final Rank: 10 Midterm Rank: 8 Position: Defenseman Shoots: Left Height: 6' 4" Weight: 207 Born: January 24, 1994 Born in: North Vancouver, BC, CAN
	Mathew Dumba North American Skater - Red Deer, WHL Final Rank: 11 Midterm Rank: 7 Position: Defenseman Shoots: Right Height: 6' 0" Weight: 183 Born: July 25, 1994 Hometown: Calgary, AB Born in: Regina, SK, CAN
	Derrick Pouliot North American Skater - Portland, WHL Final Rank: 12 Midterm Rank: 10 Position: Defenseman Shoots: Left Height: 5' 11" Weight: 186 Born: January 16, 1994 Hometown: Weyburn, SK Born in: Estevan, SK, CAN
	Matthew Finn North American Skater - Guelph, OHL Final Rank: 16 Midterm Rank: 15 Position: Defenseman Shoots: Left Height: 6' 0" Weight: 195 Born: February 24, 1994 Born in: Toronto, ON, CAN
	Brady Skjei North American Skater - USA U-18, USHL Final Rank: 19 Midterm Rank: 18 Position: Defenseman Shoots: Left Height: 6' 3" Weight: 200 Born: March 26, 1994 Born in: Lakeville, MN, USA