The full-time staff of the Central Scouting Service follows a checklist to assess the prospects' skillset and how it would apply to the pro game.
[1] The rankings are compiled by numerous reviews by the professional scouts' combined opinions of the players and released as a bimonthly list.
For example, the Czech forward, Jakub Voracek was ranked as a North American prospect, because he played with the Halifax Mooseheads in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.
Notably, the midterm rankings come out after the IIHF World Junior Championships and performance in the tournament greatly elevates draft status.
Starting in 1992, the league began publishing a complete Mid-Year (January) and Final (May) list, and the NHL now publicizes the releases.