In most years, the No.1-ranked prospect for the NHL draft pulls away early if not before the season even begins.

Finding the No. 1 prospect in the 2021 NHL Draft is a far more fluid process. Normally, the No. 1 spot on a draft board receives far less scrutiny than those that follow. This year, No. 1 may very well be the defining ranking.

No fewer than eight prospects are placing themselves in the conversation as the top player in the class in the team and public sphere alike.

While it wasn't an easy process, the EliteProspects Scouting Staff settled on William Eklund in the No. 1 spot in last month's initial 2021 NHL Draft ranking. We're trying to pin down a moving target, and that requires some degree of malleability from the scouts. The player and the process are both dynamic.

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