The Swedish defenseman hasn't been dethroned, but there is movement elsewhere. Check out our top 40 NHL draft prospects as the 2018 class moves into the second half.

'Tis the season for draft rankings, as Central Scouting released its mid-term list, while other sources are expected to follow suit. I am no different, so I've put together my top-40 for your perusal. Why 40 names for a draft that typically features 31 picks per round? Simple: when talking to scouts, I often find players classified as being in the 25-40 range. Those players might be first-rounders, but they may also slip into the second. Since fans will often ask me about kids who appear to have been snubbed as first-rounders on my list, this is a way to show the overflow.

The following rankings are based off of conversations I've had with scouts so far this season - a process that will ramp up as we get closer to June and the actual draft in Dallas. I try to form my rankings based on what I think will happen, You will also notice that there are no goalies in my top-40. So far, it's been a bad year for netminders and right now I don't see any going that high. With that all established, let's get to the list.

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