I think regardless of where he gets drafted you're still looking at the prospect of an 18 year old (this June, still 17) kid making a monumental jump after playing against U20 guys in Prince George. Lets see where he's at after a year in college hockey playing against some men from Duluth, Denver, Western, etc.
I'm not a legal expert in terms of the "grant in aid" that the kid signed with UND.
Back to the draft standpoint, I don't think he's going ahead of baby Jesus, Stenberg, Molhotra, or Chase Reid. Vancouver is likely to go whoever is left between Molhotra or Stenberg, but I think San Jose goes with Stenberg as an elite forward to play with baby Jesus of last year's draft, and Molhotra makes all the sense in the world for Vancouver with his time in the region previously with a couple of organizations. Reid ends up in Chicago, and then Carels to NY, and Verhoeff to Calgary. My two cents.