DU has most top NHL prospects, Gophers tied for second with BC

The Hockey News' 2011-12 Yearbook recently ranked the top NHL prospects among former, current and future college players.

So which college team had the most top 10 players in the 32 NHL organizations?

Hint. It's a WCHA team.

Second hint. It's a team leaving the WCHA in two years.

It's Denver with 10 players among the 78 with college ties listed. The Gophers and Boston College are next with seven hignly rated players.

Here are the Gophers' seven;

No. 2 prospect of Vancouver Canucks, ex-Gopher forward Jordan Schroeder, Prior Lake

No 4 Florida Panthers, sophomore forward Nick Bjugstad, Blaine

No. 5 New Jersey Devils, ex-Gopher forward Mike Hoeffel, North Oaks

No. 6 New Jersey Devils, ex-Gopher goalie Jeff Frazee, Burnsville

No. 6 Nashville Predators, sophomore forward Zach Budish, Edina

No. 7 Carolina Hurricanes, sophomore defenseman Mark Alt, St. Paul

No. 10 Columbus Blue Jackets, freshman forward Seth Ambroz, New Prague

Here are Denver's 10:

No. 1 prospect of Pittsbugh Penguins, sophomore forward Beau Bennett of Gardena, Calif.

No. 2, Toronto Maple Leafs, ex-Pioneer forward Joe Colborne, Calgary, Alberta

No. 4 New York Islanders, freshman defenseman Scott Mayfield, St. Louis, Mo. ... 34th overall pick in 2011 NHL draft

No. 7 Wild, sophomore forward Jason Zucker, Las Vegas, WCHA Rookie of the Year in 2010-11

No. 7 New York Islanders, ex-Pioneer forward Rhett Rakhshani, Orange, Calif.

No. 7 Ottawa Senators, ex-Pioneer defenseman Patrick Wiercioch, Maple Ridge, British Columbia

No. 8 Florida Panthers, forward Drew Shore, Denver native

No. 9 Florida Panthers, ex-Pioneer goalie Marc Cheverie, Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia

No. 9 New York Islanders, ex-Pioneer defenseman Matt Donovan, Edmond, Okla.

No. 10 Los Angeles Kings, forward Nick Shore, Denver native