Reinhart, Ekblad set to go head-to-head at CHL Top Prospects Game

All eyes will be on Kootenay Ice centre Sam Reinhart and Barrie Colts blueliner Aaron Ekblad at the CHL Top Prospects Game as the 2014 NHL draft’s poster boys are poised to square off against each other.

Reinhart, who will suit up for Team Cherry, seems to be the draft’s frontrunner to go first overall. He, however, hasn’t solidified himself clearly ahead of Ekblad because there has been some concerns about the 6-foot-1, 185-pound centre’s consistency.

“I’m not sure if I’m ready to call Reinhart a franchise player at this point yet or not,” says Ross MacLean, head scout of International Scouting Services, on Reinhart who has potted 16 goals and 50 points in 33 contests this year. “There are times where it would be easy to proclaim this, but he still has a lot to prove. My opinion of him so far is that he projects as a very different type of offensive player at the next level than he does at junior and I think he is the type of player that is more an integral piece of a puzzle rather than the whole picture."

That said, the door is open for Ekblad, who will play for Team Orr, to jump ahead of Reinhart on scouts’ draft lists. He undoubtedly has the tools to do so as he stands 6-foot-4, 217-pounds, has offensive upside with 10 goals and 25 points in 29 games on the year, as well as possesses elite hockey sense and poise. But since precedents suggest it’s harder to read a 18-year-old defender’s future than a forward, his position might somewhat work against him on the draft floor.

Before Reinhart and Ekblad take part in the prospects game, they will get to know more about each other's tendencies as they are both expected to play for Team Canada at the world junior championship in Sweden.

Among the other 38 players named to the prospects game, here is half a dozen to keep an eye on in Calgary on Jan. 15.

Michael Dal Colle, centre, Team Cherry (Oshawa Generals, OHL) – The 6-foot-2, 172-pound forward’s draft stock is on the rise. Dal Colle, who has 23 goals and 56 points in 33 games, went from being in the mix to be a top-10 pick in the summer to sitting right behind Reinhart and Ekblad on some scouts’ draft lists, including ISS. He seems to have the potential to be a future first-line centre with the versatility to play on the wing. He is believed to be the Generals’ best NHL draft prospect since Nathan Horton, who was selected third overall by the Florida Panthers in 2003.

Leon Draisaitl, centre, Team Orr (Prince Albert Raiders, WHL) – Once called the ‘German Gretzky,’ Draisaitl has been hyped as a player to watch since he made the trek to Prince Albert. And the 6-foot-1, 209-pound forward has lived up to the high and possibly unfair expectations laid on his shoulders. Following netting 58 points in 64 games as a rookie last year, he has exploded into a superstar this season with 18 goals and 50 points in 32 games.

Haydn Fleury, defence, Team Cherry (Red Deer Rebels, WHL) – The Carlyle, Sask., native is touted as the draft’s second best defenceman behind Ekblad. Standing 6-foot-3, 198-pounds with top-notch mobility, offensive upside, and endurance, Fleury has the makings of a future top-pairing blueliner. All signs point to the 17-year-old, who has five goals and 21 points in 31 games, having his name called with a top-10 draft choice.

Ivan Barbashev, centre, Team Cherry (Moncton Wildcats, QMJHL) – The 6-foot-1, 175-pound Barbashev is regarded as the top Russian and QMJHL player in the draft. He put himself on the map last year with an impressive 65-point season in 68 games with the Wildcats. This year, he has picked up right where he left off last season as he has notched 13 goals and 37 points in 29 matches.

Alex Nedeljkovic, goalie, Team Cherry (Plymouth Whalers, OHL) – The Parma, OH., native has separated himself as the clear-cut top goalie prospect in the CHL. In his second season with the struggling Whalers, he has stood tall in the blue paint with a .912 save percentage throughout 29 games. He appears to be in a two-horse race with the Boston College’s Thatcher Demko to have his name called first among the draft’s netminders.

Nikita Scherbak, wing, Team Cherry (Saskatoon Blades, WHL) – The 6-foot-2, 174-pound Russian has ultimately went from being unknown at the CHL's 2013 import draft to one of the top snipers in the Dub just a couple of months into the season. He has taken the league by storm as a rookie with the Blades by scoring 18 goals and 43 points in 33 games. This superb play earned Scherbak an A-list ranking on NHL Central Scouting Service's preliminary November list.

Kelly Friesen is a Buzzing the Net columnist for Yahoo! Sports. Follow him on Twitter @KellyFriesen