By the end of this week, rookies will report and participate in pre-season tournaments, and by late next week NHL training camps will open around the league.

This sets in motion the official scouting calendar for both pro and amateur staffs from each NHL franchise. Pro scouts will be taking notes on rookies at the tournaments while amateur staffs are already busy collecting data on a new crop of prospects eligible for the draft next June.

After a brief hiatus, I’m back on the “tour,” preparing for in-depth analysis on prospects from a variety of backgrounds. I’m not comfortable rating draft-eligible players from top to bottom this early in the season, but it’s undeniable that some prospects have established more momentum than others. Most of that momentum is based upon the way they finis

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