From an upcoming article on the 2017-18 UNH incoming freshman class:
"
Neutral Zone, a top amateur hockey scouting service, ranked the 2017-18 UNH recruiting class as the 8th highest in all of Division I hockey utilizing their measurement of overall quality of recruits. Neutral Zone rated the UNH frosh (3 defensemen, 1 goalie, 3 forwards) an average score of 3.93 Stars on a 5-Star scale - a higher overall quality score than all Hockey East programs except Boston University (4.22) and Boston College (4.05). Two UNH freshmen were awarded ratings of 4 stars or above - Max Gildon (4.75 Stars) and Charlie Kelleher (4.25 Stars). On their weighted, algorithm point system, Neutral Zone rated UNH as the 14th best recruiting class in Division I."
Here's some of the data on the 2017-18 incoming classes from
Neutral Zone as of September 8, 2017:
"Highest Overall Quality" as measured by average star rating
#1 Michigan (6 commits) - 4.33 star average (on 5-point scale)
#2 Minnesota (7) - 4.29
#3 North Dakota (8) - 4.25
#4 BU (9) - 4.22
#5 Wisconsin (7) - 4.11
#6 BC (5) - 4.05
#7 Denver (9) - 4.03
#8 UNH (7) - 3.93
#9 Penn State (8) - 3.91
#10 Providence (8) - 3.91
#11 Minnesota State (9) - 3.89
#12 UConn (5) - 3.85
#13 Quinnipiac (8) - 3.84
#14 Miami (7) - 3.82
#15 UMass Amherst (13) - 3.81
#16 Notre Dame (6) - 3.79
#17 Union (9) - 3.78
#18 Clarkson (8) - 3.78
#19 Vermont (12) - 3.77
#20 Cornell (10) - 3.75
Other Hockey East Schools:
#29 Northeastern (9) - 3.69
#33 Merrimack (8) - 3.62
#36 Maine (10) - 3.60
#50 UMass Lowell (6) - 3.50
"Total Points" (based on weighted algorithm)
#1 North Dakota (8 commits) - 1120
#2 BU (9) - 1105
#3 UMass Amherst (13) - 1081
#4 Minnesota (7) - 1000
#5 Denver (9) - 884
#6 Michigan (6) - 861
#7 Vermont (12) - 813
#8 Minnesota State (9) - 789
#9 Penn State (8) - 689
#10 Wisconsin (7) - 675
#11 Providence (8) - 657
#12 Colorado College (13) - 653
#13 St Lawrence (10) - 647
#14 UNH (7) - 643
#15 Cornell (10) - 641
#16 Michigan State (9) - 631
#17 Union (9) - 617
#18 Northeastern (9) - 605
#19 Quinnipiac (8) - 603
#20 Clarkson (8) - 598
Other Hockey East Schools:
#30 Maine (10) - 494
#31 BC (10) - 482
#36 Merrimack (8) - 466
#43 UConn (5) - 423
#52 UMass Lowell (6) - 305
Here's a link to the list of
Neutral Zone Scouts
The large majority of them are former college and/or pro players, coaches, and/or team scouts.
Incidently, former UNH All-American Sean Collins is an NZ Head Scout in the USA. There are many NZ scouts who cover Canada.
