NHL prospects on their way to Yale, Quinnipiac

The NHL Central Scouting Bureau released its final rankings for the June draft. A couple of players with New Haven ties could be in line for the first round, with some Quinnipiac recruits not too far behind.

Adam Erne of North Branford has played the past two seasons in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. A left wing, he's rated as the 26th-best North American skater, though most mock drafts have him being taken in the top 15 picks.

John Hayden was born in the Midwest, but his family now lives in Greenwich. A forward with great size (6-3, 210), he played for the U.S. National Developmental program this season. He turned 18 on Feb. 14, and will take another year of seasoning before enrolling at Yale in the fall of 2014. He's ranked 29th on the CSB list.

Connor Clifton, a Quinnipiac recruit for this fall, is ranked 88th overall. He's a defenseman who skated with Hayden on the USNDP team. His size may not jump off the page (5-11, 175) put he's been lauded for his punishing physical play. The Matawan, N.J. resident committed along with his brother, Tim, three years older.

Peter Quenneville, a right winger for Dubuque of the USHL, is also headed to Quinnipiac in the fall. He was one of the league's top scorers, and ranked 130th by the CSB. Frank DiChiara, a teammate of Quenneville's in Dubuque, is a 6-2, 210-pound forward on his way to Yale this fall. He's rated 210th by the CSB.