Photo: Portland Winterhawks defenseman Seth Jones has turned a solid performance at the 2013 WJC into a #1 ranking in the latest ISS Hockey list for the 2013 NHL Draft (courtesy of Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
Although a NHL Draft prospect's standing isn't ultimately decided by performances in one game or at one event, certain games and events can provide a sudden jolt to a player's rating in either a positive or negative manner.
Such is the case for draft prospects playing at the 2013 U-20 World Junior Championship, a tournament won by the USA in an impressive fashion. And not surprisingly, a pair of 2013 prospects from that team received a boost in their draft rankings following this tournament.
The most high-profile of the two movers is Portland Winterhawks defenseman Seth Jones, a player that had been regarded as the second-best prospect for this year's draft since the ratings were first released in the fall. After his strong performance at the WJC, however, Jones has now laid claim to the first overall position, with both ISS and CSS moving Jones ahead of Halifax Mooseheads' forward Nathan MacKinnon in the rankings.
The other member of the USA's gold medal squad to receive a boost is forward Ryan Hartman of the OHL's Plymouth Whalers. Hartman had been ranked 42nd by ISS in the December rankings, but he now sits in the 25th position in the January rankings.
Other players making a move up the ISS ranks include right wing Valentin Zykov of the QMJHL's Baie-Comeau Drakkar, who moved from 37th to 16th overall; Swedish forward Alexander Wennberg, who moved from the 70th position to 21st overall; and London Knights' scorer Max Domi, who moved from 36th overall to 28th in this month's report.
Below is the top 30 skaters for the 2013 NHL Draft as ranked by ISS Hockey for the month of January, 2013.
| Rank | Name | Position | Birthdate | Shot | H | W | Team | League |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seth Jones | D | 10/03/94 | R | 6.03.5 | 208 | Portland | WHL |
| 2 | Nathan MacKinnon | C | 09/01/95 | R | 6.00 | 182 | Hailifax | QMJHL |
| 3 | Jonathan Drouin | LW | 03/27/95 | L | 5.10.75 | 185 | Halifax | QMJHL |
| 4 | Aleksander Barkov | F | 09/02/95 | L | 6.02 | 205 | Tappara | FinE |
| 5 | Sean Monahan | C | 10/12/94 | L | 6.02 | 186 | Ottawa | OHL |
| 6 | Elias Lindholm | C | 12/02/94 | R | 5.11.75 | 181 | Brynas | SweE |
| 7 | Valery Nichushkin | C | 03/04/95 | L | 6.04 | 196 | Chelyabinsk | RusS |
| 8 | Rasmus Ristolainen | D | 10/27/94 | R | 6.04 | 207 | TPS Turku | FinE |
| 9 | Nikita Zadorov | D | 04/15/95 | L | 6.05.25 | 230 | London | OHL |
| 10 | Darnell Nurse | D | 02/04/95 | L | 6.03.5 | 189 | S.S. Marie | OHL |
| 11 | Curtis Lazar | C | 02/02/95 | R | 5.11.75 | 193 | Edmonton | WHL |
| 12 | Robert Hagg | D | 02/08/95 | L | 6.02.25 | 204 | MoDo | SweJE |
| 13 | Jason Dickinson | LW | 07/04/95 | L | 6.01.25 | 179 | Guelph | OHL |
| 14 | Hunter Shinkaruk | C | 10/13/94 | L | 5.11 | 175 | Medicine Hat | WHL |
| 15 | Adam Erne | F | 04/20/95 | L | 6.01 | 195 | Quebec | QMJHL |
| 16 | Valentin Zykov | RW | 05/15/95 | R | 6.00 | 210 | Baie-Comeau | QMJHL |
| 17 | Ryan Pulock | D | 10/06/94 | R | 6.00.5 | 211 | Brandon | WHL |
| 18 | Andre Burakowsky | LW | 02/09/95 | L | 6.01.5 | 176 | Malmo | SweAl |
| 19 | Frederik Gauthier | C | 04/26/95 | L | 6.05 | 210 | Rimouski | QMJHL |
| 20 | Josh Morrissey | D | 03/29/95 | L | 5.11.75 | 182 | Prince Albert | WHL |
| 21 | Alexander Wennberg | C | 09/22/94 | L | 6.01.5 | 174 | Djurgarden | SweJE |
| 22 | Bo Horvat | C | 04/05/95 | L | 6.00.25 | 200 | London | OHL |
| 23 | Steve Santini | D | 03/07/95 | R | 6.01.5 | 207 | USA Under-18 | NTDP |
| 24 | Artturi Lehkonen | LW | 07/04/95 | L | 5.11 | 159 | Kuopio | FinE |
| 25 | Ryan Hartman | RW | 09/24/94 | R | 5.11 | 187 | Plymouth | OHL |
| 26 | JT Compher | C | 04/08/95 | R | 5.10.5 | 184 | USA Under-18 | NTDP |
| 27 | Kerby Rychel | LW | 10/07/94 | L | 6.01 | 200 | Windsor | OHL |
| 28 | Max Domi | C | 03/02/95 | L | 5.09.25 | 193 | London | OHL |
| 29 | Keaton Thompson | D | 09/14/95 | L | 6.00.25 | 187 | USA Under-18 | NTDP |
| 30 | Anthony Duclair | LW | 08/26/95 | L | 5.11.25 | 180 | Quebec | QMJHL |
ISS also ranks the top 5 goaltenders for the month of January, which can be seen below:
| Rank | Name | Rnd. | Birthdate | S/C | H | W | Team | League |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zachary Fucale | 1st | 05/28/95 | L | 6.01.25 | 181 | Halifax | QMJHL |
| 2 | Spencer Martin | 2nd | 06/08/95 | L | 6.02.25 | 192 | Mississauga | OHL |
| 3 | Phillipe Desrosiers | 2nd | 08/16/95 | R | 6.01.5 | 184 | Rimouski | QMJHL |
| 4 | Eric Comrie | 2nd | 07/06/95 | L | 6.00.75 | 167 | Tri-City | WHL |
| 5 | Tristan Jarry | 3rd | 04/29/95 | L | 6.01.5 | 178 | Edmonton | WHL |
