Hi everybody. It’s been a while. I’m going to dust off the
blog and try and post some more here because I’ve realized that even with all
of the incredible opportunities I’ve gotten, I can never talk about hockey too
much. So considering that it’s been a long enough time after the World Juniors
Championship (and enough time to settle down after the WJC “bump” to certain
prospect rankings), now would be a good time to explore my top-62 list for the
upcoming 2019 NHL Draft – hosted in Vancouver in June.
Before beginning, I think the “tiers” for the top-31 are separated into a few
drop-offs. For me, the drop-offs would be after #2, #3, #8 and #15. After that,
it’s a bit of a crapshoot. I’ll try my best to explain what each player brings
and why I have them listed where they are. Also, just to make sure I cover
this, these are my own personal rankings I’ve accumulated through video views.
This list does not represent any organizations I am a part of.
Let’s get started!
1)
Jack Hughes – C, USNTDP U-18, 5’10”, 168 lbs
The crown jewel of the draft class as well as the crown jewel of one of the
strongest USNTDP U-18 squads I’ve ever seen. Hughes is a franchise center in
the making. Simply put, nobody in this class is better than Hughes at this
point or the foreseeable future. Looking to be the first player to make the
jump directly from the USNTDP U-18 team to the NHL, Jack Hughes boasts a
skillset with incredible skating speed, phenomenal vision and anticipation, and
elite stickhandling. The best way to describe Jack’s game is “electric” and the
cliché adage of a player being a threat “whenever he steps on the ice” is very
appropriate for Hughes. To me, Hughes’ playing style is the embodiment of the
“new NHL” (is it even possible to still use that term post-McDavid?). Hughes is
not only able to combine his vision and skating skills, but is able to make
high-end plays at top speed. What Hughes lacks in size, he makes up for in
speed and compete. Not to be outdone in his own end of the ice, Hughes plays a
solid all-around game, but is clearly more comfortable driving the pace of play
offensively. Hughes loves to skate the puck up the ice himself and will
occasionally try to do too much when taking on multiple defenders in zone
entries. Possessing a wire of a wrist shot, Hughes will try to get to the
high-danger scoring areas of the ice whenever he has the puck and from there is
a threat to roof the puck home or make a no-look pass to an open teammate. Jack
will be the first player taken in June and will serve as a pivot for whatever
franchise is lucky enough to take him for the next decade.
2)
Kappo Kakko – RW/C, TPS, 6’2”, 190 lbs
Kappo Kakko is such an interesting combination of intelligence, goal-scoring,
puck-protection, incredible stickhandling, agility and creativity. He’s
producing at an incredible rate in the Finnish Liiga, and plays the game with a
ton of power. Kakko has all the tools to succeed in the NHL and be a top
caliber offensive producer. Kakko is extremely versatile and can be a
“do-it-all” kind of player. Should be noted that while he does have some
experience playing C, especially at the lower junior levels, I believe he will
end up a RW long-term. Kakko will immediately be ready to step into the line-up
of whatever team is lucky to draft him. Kakko does not have any major flaws to
his game either. There are minor defensive zone positioning improvements that
need to be made. All in all, Kakko is a multi-faceted winger who plays a mature
and strong puck-possession game, who can beat you with an array of tools.
3)
Vasili Podkolzin – RW, SKA-1946 St. Petersburg,
6’1”, 190 lbs
If you’re a team picking in the top-5 and in need of a multi-faceted RW with an
array of tools, then are you in good luck this year. Podkolzin plays an airtight
three-zone game and hunts for the puck each shift like a hungry dog. His
ability to make plays at high-end speed might be his best asset. Podkolzin can
be used in any situation and has the foot speed to be a threat whenever he’s
out there. Podkolzin has had phenomenal international tournament performances,
which have only helped his draft status. Podkolzin is a sparkplug and there’s a
ton of things to like in his game.
4)
Alex Turcotte – C, USNTDP U-18, 5’11”, 194 lbs
Alex Turcotte remains the most underrated player in this draft class (at the
time of this posting). Turcotte is an incredibly fast and intelligent center
with the best two-way game out of his peers. Turcotte’s skating is strong and
smooth while having a low center of gravity. It’s difficult to get the
recognition you deserve when playing behind Jack Hughes, but make no
mistake…Alex Turcotte has top-6 if not top-line C potential at the NHL level.
The combination of intelligence – play anticipation, playmaking, and
decision-making – along with speed to burn, soft hands, high-end vision, and
the fact that the hands can keep up with the skates makes Alex Turcotte was of
the most lethal offensive players in this draft class. The concern with
Turcotte is his injury history.
5)
Dylan Cozens – C, Lethbridge Hurricanes, 6’3”,
177 lbs
Dylan Cozens is a big and powerful right-shot center who plays an up-tempo
game. His all around skating ability is stellar and he loves to play physical.
Cozens’s up-tempo game along with his speed and physicality allow him to drive
the plays on whichever line he’s on. Being hard-wired with an "in your face interface", Cozens is always involved in play, and constantly finishes his checks. Cozens has better hands that he gets credit for, and while he has room to improve in his playmaking game, there doesn't seem to be a particular area of his game that is below-average. Cozens relies on his speed more than anything for his game - be it creating offensive chances or being an absolute pest in the defensive zone. Occasionally, Cozens will follow up on a hit too much and get himself out of position or get back late into the defensive zone, but this really isn't a concern of decision-making. Bottom line, Cozens plays aggressive, and is a wonderful combination of speed, power and scoring ability.
6)
Bowen Byram – LD, Vancouver Giants, 6’1”, 176
lbs
Bowen Byram is the best defenseman in the draft class at this point. What
stands out about him is that I would argue that he doesn’t have any true
“elite” characteristics to his game. He’s more so a “jack of all trades” type
player on the blueline. Byram’s best asset is his agility, and he uses it as
the prominent driver of his game. Byram plays an excellent two-way game and
positions himself exceptionally well. Byram plays with a ton of emotion and
loves to play physically. In my mind, Byram has definite top-pairing potential
and can play in whatever situation you need him to. Considering the lack of
defensive prospects projected to go in the top-15 of the first round, it
wouldn’t surprise me if a team took Byram at #3, but that’s for a later mock
draft post. Byram plays with an excellent compete level and looks to be a
top-pairing two-way defenseman at the next level…just an all-around excellent
defenseman.
7)
Kirby Dach – C, Saskatoon Blades, 6’4”, 195 lbs
Kirby Dach is a lanky center who excels at playmaking. Dach plays an elusive
game despite limited top-end speed. While this is a bit tough to quantify, Dach
might just be the most confident passer in this draft class. Furthering on that
note, Dach plays the game with a lot of confidence. Adding more to the
elusiveness aspect, Dach doesn’t always gain the offensive zone via straight
line. He’ll shake and bake, do some stutter-steps, or any other variety of slick
moves that will get a defenseman out of position. So in this sense, while Dach
may be limited by his top-end skating speed, he, at this point, is able to
mitigate it well through his elusiveness. Despite having a very strong wrist
shot, Dach is much more of a pass-first player. Defensively, Dach is a strong
supportive player and knows where he needs to be in the zone. He uses his long
reach to his advantage in both breaking up plays/passes, but also in battles
along the boards.
8)
Trevor Zegras – C, USNTDP U18, 5’11”, 159 lbs
Perhaps one of the best one-on-one all-situational players in the draft, Trevor
Zegras plays a crafty playmaking game. Zegras can drive an offense and be that “go-to
guy” with his skating and high caliber playmaking skill. Zegras has very good
top-end skating speed and angles his body so he can gain the offensive zone
more easily. Additionally, Zegras has a fantastic on-ice work ethic. If you’re
on the ice with Zegras, keep your stick on the ice because he’ll find a way to
get the puck to you. And then there’s the one-on-one play…Zegras has remarkable
stickhandling skills and is able to use them while at top speed. He’s able to
use his agility and stickhandling to create space in the offensive zone to get
the puck to a high-scoring area. Defensively, Zegras plays a tight game with
good hustle on the back-check. He also plays excellent supportive hockey in the
neutral zone, especially with breaking up passes.
9)
Peyton Krebs – C, Kootenay Ice, 5’11”, 185 lbs
Perhaps one of the more mythologized players in the draft class because of his
responsibility of serving as the Sisyphus for the Kootenay Ice, Peyton Krebs is
one of the most intelligent players in the entire class. Krebs plays an excellent
all-around game and there is the ever-alluring question of what his point
totals would look like if he wasn’t playing on a bottom-dwelling team. Krebs
skates with stellar agility and speed. Krebs is more of a pass-first guy, but
isn’t afraid to shoot, especially while on the rush. His passes are crisp,
accurate, and (as previously mentioned) intelligently placed. Krebs’ skating
and intelligence should be enough to get him into the NHL one day. The question
is how high his offensive ceiling could be. And, for the biologists out there
who just happen to be reading this, yes, Krebs can cycle extremely well.
10) Ryan
Suzuki – C, Barrie Colts, 6’0”, 171 lbs
An electrifying playmaker, Ryan Suzuki combines incredible vision with elite
speed. Suzuki can feather or whip the puck to your stick wherever you are on
the ice and one thing that impresses me about his play is how little time the
puck actually spends on Suzuki’s stick. To me, this is more indicative of the
metaphor for Suzuki playing like a snake lurking in grass. He’s sneaky, fast,
and darn near uncontainable at top speeds. Like some of the other players
listed above, Suzuki is a pass-first guy despite having a great wrist shot. It
just means that once he figures out how to incorporate it into his play more,
he’ll be that much more dangerous of an offensive threat. Suzuki doesn’t like
to play in the heavy areas of the ice, nor does he engage physically much at
all, but Suzuki is an all-around excellent player who combines blistering
speed, incredible vision and good stickwork to consistently be a scoring threat.
11) Matthew
Boldy – LW, USNTDP U18, 6’2”, 187 lbs
Matthew Boldy is a coach’s dream. He plays with high IQ, is a threat to score
from nearly anywhere in the offensive zone, has the versatility to be charged
as a playmaker on his line, hardly ever makes mistakes, and has a powerful
skating stride. It’s no surprise why a few independent scouting organizations
(and most likely some NHL teams) hold him in very high regard. The best way to
really describe Boldy, in my opinion, would be “versatile”. He’s a
plug-and-play guy who will be able to not only hold his own, but excel in
whatever situation he is put in. It’s hard to separate yourself on such a
talented USNTDP U18 squad, but Boldy’s style of play isn’t dependent on a
particular “line driver”. At this point, I believe Boldy’s ceiling is a low-end
top-line winger.
12) Victor
Soderstrom – RD, Brynas, 5’11”, 176 lbs
The crux of Victor Soderstrom’s game is moving the puck up the ice, but there
is much more to Soderstrom than that alone. Soderstrom plays an incredibly
mature game and looks like he has ice in his veins whenever he’s out there.
Since the new year started, Soderstrom has been on an absolute tear for Brynas,
and has played in key spots for the men’s team (e.g. penalty kills, last minute
or so with a team lead, etc.). The cliché of a player who plays beyond his year
is very applicable with Soderstrom. Soderstrom shoots the puck very hard and
plays an overall game of supportive hockey. There is something intriguing about
Soderstrom that says, to me, that he has top-pairing potential at the NHL
level. Soderstrom ticks all the boxes you would look for in a defenseman: good skating,
high hockey IQ, strong shot, and a confidence in his game. Funny enough, even
as I’m writing this, I feel the need to re-evaluate Soderstrom’s placement on
this list. I still believe Byram is the best defenseman in the draft class
right now, but Soderstrom is making it incredibly difficult to keep claiming
that. That’s how good Soderstrom has been as of late.
13) Cam
York – LD, USNTDP U18, 5’11”, 171 lbs
Cam York is an interesting player simply because I don’t think we’ve given him
enough credit. Again, this logic rests on the idea of the notion that it’s
difficult to stand out on such a talented team, especially when the star talent
is in the forward corps. However, Cam York is a do-it-all defenseman with above-average
top skating speed. York’s skating isn’t exactly smooth or polished, but he uses
his speed and fluidity well. The way York surveys the ice and processes the
game is very impressive, especially his reaction speed. As mentioned earlier,
York excels as an all-around kind of guy, but he’s more of an offense-first
guy, and the crux of his offensive game is moving the puck and creating chances
through his passing (and overall playmaking ability). York has a solid wrist
shot with a fast release. There’s room for York to grow, especially with his
overall skating, but the foundations are there for a successful NHL player. It
wouldn’t be fair to pidgeon-hole York’s potential as simply a Powerplay QB at
the next level, because I do believe York can bring an all-around impact to the
game. His years at the University of Michigan will significantly help his
development.
14) Connor
McMichael – C, London Knights, 6’0”, 170 lbs
It may be a bit tough to notice, considering how stacked the London blueline
is, but Connor McMichael is the straw that stirs the drink for the forwards on
this team. In addition to London’s stellar track record of producing NHL
talent, McMichael should see a big rise in the standings as he continues to
produce. McMichael has phenomenal vision and IQ, and has an very hard and
accurate wrist shot. McMichael competes hard and plays physical in board
battles. McMichael is basically the standard caliber of high-end potential
forward from the London system. This is not to demean McMichael’s skills, but
rather point out that he is right in line with the high levels of expectation I
have on forward prospects from the London Knights. It really wouldn’t surprise
me if there was a team that made a Barret Hayton-like reach in the top-7 and
pick McMichael. There are a ton of talented and high-caliber Center prospects,
especially projected in the top-10, but there’s something safe about McMichael.
15) Cole
Caufield – RW, USNTDP U18, 5’7”, 157 lbs
Cole Caufield is one of my favorite players to watch in this draft. He’s an electric
goal-scoring winger who plays fearless and never gives up on the play. Caufield
has good stickhandling skills to be able to beat defenders one-on-one, but the
best aspect to Caufield’s game would be his goal scoring ability. I wouldn’t
exactly say he’s a carbon copy, but Caufield’s game compares extremely well to
Alex DeBrincat, even more than simply a smaller player who can score goals. Caufield
may be a bit overlooked because he plays on a line with Jack Hughes or perhaps,
for some reason, because of his size, but Cole Caufield is one of the purest
goal-scoring talents in this draft class.
16) Matthew
Robertson – LD, Edmonton Oil Kings, 6’3”, 201 lbs
I’m a sucker for your conventional “old-timey” d-men from the Dub, and Matthew
Robertson plays physically and combines that physicality with his strength,
size, and reach, to be one of the most difficult d-men to beat one-on-one this
entire draft class. One thing that Robertson is especially good at in the
defensive zone is preventing zone entries. Robertson is a strong skater with
room to grow in his agility. His top-end speed needs improving as well, but at
this moment, Robertson’s game revolves mostly around his strength. Robertson
plays a rather simple game and makes good, crisp passes on the offensive side
of things. Occasionally Robertson will charge the net with the puck by swinging
down to the goal-line in a power-move but the majority of Robertson’s offensive
game comes from his hard shot at the point or from passing the puck to a
rushing forward while on the breakout. As mentioned earlier, Robertson has
shown that he has the physicality to play how he wants on the ice, but also has
the puck skills to be able to stick in today’s NHL.
17) Alex
Newhook – C, Victoria Grizzlies, 5’11”, 185 lbs
The BCHL is no longer some mystical, unknown league in Western Canada for those
of us on the Eastern coast of the US. While there have been some notable
players drafted from the BCHL like Beau Bennett, Travis Zajac and Kyle Turris
among others, the league has recently solidified itself in recent years as a
top-end development league for players from Western Canada who want to bypass
the WHL and go to NCAA programs. Names that fall into this category would
include Tyson Jost, Dennis Cholowski, Dante Fabbro, Jonny Tychonick in recent
years. Alex Newhook is another addition to that list. Newhook has incredible
speed and processes the game very quickly. Newhook is another one of those
players I should have much higher on this list. There’s a ton of talent in this
draft, don’t get me wrong. The biggest area for improvement in Newhook’s game
is that there are stretches where he disappears on the ice. These moments are
extremely rare in his BCHL play and only really pop up in international play
like the U17’s and the World Junior A Challenge. At those international
tournaments you could really tell the amount of skill Newhook had even though
he wasn’t driving play like he does in the BCHL. There are so many small things
that Newhook does extremely well like finding the space on the ice and skating
through the neutral zone, and not to mention his incredible shot, but the key asset
for Newhook in my opinion is his explosive acceleration. He can absolutely
motor up the ice at the drop of a hat. It should be noted that Newhook has been
playing the best hockey of his season after his relatively quiet WJAC Tournament.
Long story short, I have Newhook at 17 but should have him higher. There’s no
doubt in my mind he drops beyond #15 on draft day.
18) Philip
Broberg – LD, AIK, 6’3”, 203 lbs
Another perplexing prospect, some teams will likely be salivating at the
thought of a defenseman as big as Broberg with the high-end speed that he has.
They’ll love the sight of him skating the puck end-to-end with confidence and
poise. Others will fall into my school of thought. He has lots of promising
potential and with a few tweaks or minor improvements, he could be a very
effective NHL top-4 guy. Personally, why I have Broberg (likely) lower than
other outlets is because the one area where I believe Broberg needs to really
improve is his hockey-IQ – mainly his decision-making. This is not to say all
hope is lost; it could just mean that Broberg is still figuring out what he can
and can’t do in a men’s league. It’s not crazy to assume a 17-year-old kid can’t
have these kinds of road blocks. The thing about Broberg and why I have him this
high, despite being down on such a crucial component as hockey IQ is that his
physical skills alone bring a sense of NHL certainty. So Broberg isn’t a
traditional boom or bust pick. At this point, Broberg is a great mix of size,
skating and speed with a hard point shot. If he can fix the areas of
improvement above the shoulders and develop a strong mental game, the ceiling
is very high for Broberg.
19) Moritz
Seider – RD, Adler Mannheim, 6’4”, 198 lbs
Once again I sit down to write about a player and realize I should have him
higher. Moritz Seider might be my favorite player in the draft class because he’s
so interesting to watch play. I’m a sucker for prospects from non-conventional
hockey markets, so it’s nice to see Germany start to produce some high-end
potential talent like Leon Draisaitl and Dominik Bokk in recent years. Seider’s
game is all about strength. Seider might just be the strongest player in the
draft class. He’s built like a brick wall. Defensively, Seider is stellar. He’ll
shut down opponents with his positioning and physicality. He doesn’t get fooled
easily and he also maintains excellent gap control with opponents. On the
offensive side of things, Seider flashes top-pairing potential with poise,
instincts and crisp passes. Seider plays a very mature game and would
undoubtedly be higher on lists if he was playing in a more well-known league
(besides the German DEL). There is a ton of promise and Seider is one of those
guys who you pick high because of his potential, and can let sit for 2 or 3
years to really give him time to develop. Or you could sign him immediately
after drafting and have him play for your team’s AHL affiliate. Seider is
versatile and thinks the game very well. I think the reason why he’s my
favorite prospect in the draft class is because of the way he combines his
physicality with the cerebral element of his game. Seider has run into a little
bit of trouble with some shoulder injuries, so I’m sure that will be the
subject of many questions in Draft Combine interviews.
20) Jakob
Pelletier – LW, Moncton Wildcats, 5’9”, 161 lbs
Will NHL teams make the same mistake and overlook a dynamic offensive talent because
of size concerns? Pelletier possesses very high skill level along with excellent
vision and very good skating speed & edgework. Pelletier is another player
that plays like a snake lurking in the grass because of his ability to, in
essence, sneak into high-scoring chances. This doesn’t mean that Pelletier is
good at battling for positioning with raw strength. Instead, Pelletier uses his
skates well and serves as a “digging” guy rather than simply a “pushing” guy in
board battles. More of a playmaker than a scorer, Pelletier’s game revolves almost
entirely around his vision and play anticipation. There are some rumblings
around rankings having Pelletier in the top-10, and it really wouldn’t surprise
me to see that. Pelletier has a near non-stop motor and is contributing some incredible
numbers on the statsheet. What I’d like to see more from Pelletier is better
footspeed, agility and overall first-step acceleration. The NHL is no longer
mainly about big, physical players, and if Pelletier can make that minor
improvement, then the sky is the limit. As is a theme for this, the next time I
do a ranking, the look will be drastically different. Pelletier is a high
caliber speedy winger who never quits. He has definite top-6 potential at the
NHL and should be ranked accordingly.
21) Samuel
Poulin – LW, Sherbroooke Phoenix, 6’1”, 207 lbs
I remember watching a game between Canada U18 and Switzerland U18 at the Hlinka
Gretzky Cup back in August. There was a particular player that really caught my
eye with how he played with such power and scoring potential. Clearly, since
this is his section, I’m talking about Samuel Poulin. Poulin plays a hard
overall game whether he has the puck or not. Poulin is able to blend using his
size and vision to create plays and scoring chances. Poulin, to me, is
extremely versatile in that he can play both a skilled and a physical game. He’s
your prototypical power-forward, and it wouldn’t surprise me if he even gets a
cup of coffee in the NHL for a few games or so before being sent back down to
the QJMHL. There’s not much more he can learn from juniors in all honesty. He
needs to gain more strength, but Poulin is another sleeper of a talent waiting
to break out. In simple terms, Poulin is a big guy who is hard to knock off the
puck and can score. There’s really nothing to dislike there.
22) Mikko
Kokkonen – LD, Jukurit, 5’11”, 190 lbs
Mikko Kokkonen is an interesting prospect, and I think he has potential to go
in the mid-to-later part of the 1st round in June. The aspects that
stand out the most about his play right now would be his hockey IQ and
defensive play. Predominantly playing third pairing on a team in the highest
professional league in Finland, Kokkonen has managed to put up some very
impressive numbers from the back end. Kokkonen had an excellent performance for
the Finns at the Hlinka Gretzky Tournament before the season and then kind of
faded off of the radar so to speak. He hasn’t really gone anywhere, nor has he
played poorly, but it’s difficult playing on a relatively new team in such a
tough league. Anyways, Kokkonen has very good puck skills as well. The only
area where I think Kokkonen needs to improve is his overall skating. He has
pretty solid top-end speed but his acceleration could be improved. For me,
Kokkonen’s projection relies entirely on his skating ability/improvements. Kokkonen
is in no way a flashy player but for some reason the points keep on coming. There
has been significant increase in Kokkonen’s time on ice and defensive
responsibility as the season has progressed. To me it really looks like Kokkonen
is settling in nicely to the pace and toughness of the Liiga. I hate using
same-country player comparables, but Kokkonen reminds me of a lesser-skating
Urho Vaakanainen. Kokkonen is a reliable two-way player and if he can improve
the fine details of his skating, he will make a team very happy to pick him.
23) Arthur
Kaliyev – RW, Hamilton Bulldogs, 6’1”, 190 lbs
I’ll start by saying this: I should have Kaliyev lower on this list. The raw
talent is undeniable. In fact, Kaliyev is one of the premier offensive threats
in this draft class. He has a world class shot. Take any supposed compete level
or defensive play concerns and put them aside for a moment. Kaliyev is a strong
player who is difficult to knock off the puck. His skating speed is
above-average, but he has excellent bursts of speed that create separation. For
me, the big question with Kaliyev is whether or not his scoring ability will
transfer to the NHL. It’s always the huge question when it comes to
offensively-minded prospects, but I’m a bit less optimistic about Kaliyev’s
ability to transfer. The main culprit of this is his skating. He doesn’t need
to be an elite skater, but I have to wonder what his ability to create space at
the NHL level will be, because that is a huge, and difficult, transition. This
will likely be the ranking that I eat the most crow on in the future, because
if Kaliyev hits, he can be a top-line scoring threat for a long time. If he
doesn’t, well….For a Devils reference, Kaliyev makes me think of the
goal-scoring promise of Reid Boucher. Boucher had a phenomenal shot and
tremendous goal-scoring (offensively minded) instinct. Boucher is actually
producing extremely well in the AHL, but he could never make the jump to be a productive
NHL player, and that was because of his skating. The one thing that Kaliyev has
on Boucher in the skating department is his propensity for strong bursts of
speed, but will that be enough? There’s plenty of time for him to work with
skating coaches, but I feel a bit pessimistic about his ability to do so. That
being said, I do have Kaliyev this high because if he is able to pan out, my
goodness will he be a home-run pick. Kaliyev is a very talented power forward
prospect…a true boom or bust pick.
24) Raphael
Lavoie – C/RW, Halifax Mooseheads, 6’4”, 198 lbs
Raphael Lavoie is a prospect that makes me scratch my head a bit. Lavoie puts
up fantastic scoring numbers, has an excellent shot, plays an excellent
puck-possession game and looks on some nights to be the complete package. Lavoie
demonstrates very good play anticipation and even flashes a bit of high-end
awareness occasionally. He doesn’t get that sort of tunnel vision trouble that
most goal-scorers his age get. It would be no surprise to me if a team moved up
or took Lavoie off the board in the top-15…especially if they view him as a Center
long-term. He looks more comfortable as a winger because he can just fire pucks
on net that way. At this point, if I were to compare Lavoie to previous power
forwards from the QMJHL, I would say his potential ceiling is higher than Anthony
Mantha’s but lower than Pierre-Luc Dubois’. The thing about Lavoie that makes
me scratch my head is that I don’t quite see the hype that others do on a
consistent level from Lavoie. Also, I think it’s because power forwards with
solid not stellar skating and relatively inconsistent hockey IQ scare me. In
some sense, I’m holding Lavoie guilty for the sins of prior power forward
prospects who were “all tools and no toolbox”, which isn’t quite fair on
Lavoie, but in trying to be the most fair in how I evaluate him there are two
minor elements that raise a potential red flag for his hockey IQ: overall
positioning (both offense and defensively) as well as his tendencies to
mishandle the puck – which isn’t indicative of a lack of puck skills –. These
are very minor issues but they raise red flags for me. Forgive the ramble.
25) Ryan
Johnson – LD, Sioux Falls Stempede, 6’0”, 161 lbs
I should start this off by saying that Ryan Johnson is another one of my
favorite prospects coming into this draft. It all starts with the skating.
Johnson is a high-end, near elite caliber skater. Johnson uses this skating to
excel in all aspects of the game. He’s difficult to beat because of the way he’ll
angle you away from the net along with his gap control. He’s stellar at the
breakout (and just taking the puck up the ice himself). He plays with such
poise and calmness that he looks beyond his years, despite being one of the
youngest defensemen in the USHL this season. He also has an excellent shot from
the point Johnson will need to add more muscle to his frame, but should make an
immediate impact at the University of Minnesota, where he’s committed to play
next season. Johnson is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to highly
mobile, highly intelligent defenders available for the picking this draft.
26) Bobby
Brink – RW, Sioux City Musketeers, 5’10”, 165 lbs
Bobby Brink has game breaking talent. He has stellar hands and plays a speedy,
fearless game. Brink is so intriguing because he’s an incredibly hard worker
with a high propensity for scoring goals. He has a very heavy shot and has a
stellar two-way game as well as a very high level of play anticipation. In
terms of overall talent, Brink would be much higher on this list. However,
Brink is just a bit too raw and inconsistent for me to put him in the top-20 or
so. His work ethic alone means he has NHL potential. His passing is precise and
he thinks the game at a high level. Brink really shone at the World Junior A
Challenge, where he showed scouts his high-end potential. Inconsistency is the
only question I have surrounding Brink’s game, which isn’t the worst thing in
the world. It seems that in American hockey circles, he’s held in high regard. He’s
committed to the University of Denver for next season, but his CHL rights were recently
acquired by Portland of the WHL, so we’ll have to see where Brink ends up next
season. If Brink can hammer out his inconsistencies, he has very high offensive
potential.
27) Nils
Hoglander – LW, Rogle BK, 5’9”, 185 lbs
It’s hard not to like Nils Hoglander. He’s a high-octane winger who plays an
aggressive game and pushes the pace of play. Hoglander is fearless in his game
and has an excellent all-around skating. He is definitely a waterbug out there
on the ice – just zipping around. Hoglander combines his stellar skating with
excellent vision and very good decision-making. Hoglander possesses very good
stickhandling skills and has a quick shot that he’s able to get through to the
net despite traffic on or around him. All in all, Hoglander is a feisty,
aggressive winger who pushes the pace of play and is able to contribute
offensively.
28) Thomas
Harley – LD, Mississauga Steelheads, 6’3”, 183 lbs
One player who saw an unbelievably large jump in his draft stock is Thomas
Harley. Harley is one of the youngest players in the draft class, and has excellent
skating ability, especially his edgework. Harley plays a steady two-way game
and there isn’t necessarily one particular trait about his game that stands
out. He’s more of a jack-of-all-trades kind of guy. He’s more of a lax defenseman
in the sense that he won’t be hounding you for the puck all the time (trying to
suffocate opponents and whatnot), but will rather use his positioning and gap
control to force turnovers. That non-aggressive aspect (if that’s the right
term to use) carries over to Harley’s offensive game too. This isn’t a bad
thing, but I know there are negative connotations with that word, so I’ll
clarify. Harley doesn’t necessarily drive to the net. Rather, his offensive
game mainly revolves around threading a pass through to an open teammate or
lightly floating the puck on net in hopes of a rebound or deflection. In that
element, Harley plays a very simple game. It would help him to improve his shot
in the future. There are some question marks regarding Harley’s
decision-making, but they aren’t too serious in my opinion. He’ll just have the
occasional gaffe where he’ll randomly just go for a walk with the puck.
However, the tool are all there for a top-4 defenseman.
29) Anttoni
Honka – RD, JYP, 5’10”, 176 lbs
I have no idea where to put Anttoni Honka on this list. Honka has the potential
to be the best offensive defenseman in the draft. He has incredibly smooth
skating. Honka excels at skating the puck out of danger (out of the defensive
zone) and up the ice. In fact, Honka was one of the best in the World Juniors
tournament at that role. On the base level alone, Honka’s fantastic skating is
a huge plus to his game. His high-end puck skills also help. On the other hand,
there are questions of his hockey IQ, specifically decision-making, as well as
questions of defensive play and questions regarding his ability to win puck
battles. I can’t tell if his head scratching decisions on the ice are a result
of over-confidence, a young kid trying to figure his way in a tough league, overall
bad risk assessment, or something else. Knowing full well that these rankings
are fluid, and I try to clarify what would increase or decrease each player’s
stock on this list, I’m pretty comfortable with having Honka as a late 1st
rounder. The potential is there, no doubt. He and Kaliyev are the ultimate boom
or bust picks of the draft.
30) Pavel
Dorofeyev – LW/RW, Stalne Lisy Magnitogorsk, 6’0”, 163 lbs
Another highly underrated winger coming into the draft, Pavel Dorofeyev has
undoubtable high-end skill with stellar hands and a strong wrist shot. It
wouldn’t surprise me to see a Kravtsov-ian jump in the rankings either for
Dorofeyev because of his tremendous offensive potential. Dorofeyev is an excellent
east-west skater with fantastic edgework and has very high hockey IQ. His
decision-making is fantastic and is surprisingly difficult to knock off the
puck, despite needing to add more muscle to his frame. Dorofeyev is a
longer-term project, but has a very high offensive potential. Another promising
aspect to his game is that most of his offense comes at even-strength.
31) Spencer
Knight – G,
It’s always tough trying to include a goaltender in the top-31 for me. This is mainly
due to the cop-out reason of the fact that goalies are very difficult to
project long-term. All that matters for this list is that Knight is, in my
opinion, the best goalie available in this draft class. Knight plays an
aggressive game with excellent positioning in the net. He doesn’t try to do too
much to make saves and combines his positioning well with his athleticism.
32) Ville
Heinola – LD, Lukko, 5’11”, 176 lbs
Ville Heinola has the makings of a modern puck-moving defenseman. He’s been very
good defensively for Lukko lately and has only been improving his offensive
game. I think he has the highest likelihood of making the NHL out of the Finnish
defensemen listed before (Kokkonen and Honka), but Heinola likely drops because
of an injury that will keep him out for roughly 6-8 weeks. This is another
example of how my next list will be significantly higher because Heinola likely
goes in the ~25 range on draft day. Heinola has good, not great, top skating
speed and uses his first steps very efficiently. His edgework is outstanding.
There is still room to build muscle because, as seen in the World Juniors, he tends
to get outmuscled off the puck. Heinola is able to mitigate this with stickwork
and positioning. Heinola plays with good tempo and reads the play exceptionally
well, with room to grow in his decision-making department. Definite top-4
potential.
33) Alex
Vlasic – LD, USNTDP U18, 6’6”, 192 lbs
So Alex Vlasic is a very interesting prospect in this draft class. With a
statsheet like that, it would be difficult not to pigeon-hole him as a “big
shutdown defenseman”. I try to avoid buzzwords as much as I can because what
does “dynamic” even mean? How would you define a “puck-moving defenseman”? Anyways,
these are off-topic. Vlasic is a very big guy on the USNTP U18 blueline. Overall,
I think the skill is there for a top-4 defenseman at the NHL level. His IQ
doesn’t quite stand out to me positively or negatively. He sometimes strikes me
as better on the offensive side of the ice than the defensive side. Vlasic isn’t
bad defensively. In fact I think his defensive game is very good. I’ll get to
my concern a little later, but with the way Vlasic plays on the defensive side
of things, it would be a significant step in the right direction if he played physically
in the defensive zone. His size alone is enough to result in a difficult corner
or net-front battle. Offensively, Vlasic has very good hands, and he plays very
while possessing the puck. Vlasic has a propensity for making complicated plays
look simple and can even lead a breakout. The thing that concerns me is his
skating. It’s not necessarily bad, especially for a bigger guy, but I do think
his skating is holding him back. It’s difficult to tell because there is a
tendency for him to get stuck up the ice, so is that a lack of explosive
skating step or poor decision-making? There will definitely be at least one
team with Vlasic in their top-31.
34) Nicholas
Robertson – C, Peterborough Petes, 5’9”, 168 lbs
I try not to bring in other players when discussing a prospect, especially
siblings. However I must say that it’s kind of funny how Nicholas Robertson
plays almost the exact opposite game of his brother, Jason (2017 Dallas pick).
Nicholas plays a very fast and creative game. He really stood out to me at the
Hlinka Gretzky Tournament. Robertson (Nicholas) reminds me a lot of Phil Kessel
actually. Robertson has very solid skating ability, including a high top-end speed
and good overall mobility. Robertson also has very impressive vision,
especially in the offensive zone and not to mention a fantastic shot. Robertson
is already playing on Peterborough’s top forward line, and is already scoring
at a PPG pace, but something about his skillset says that he’ll break out even
more so next year. Robertson is such an intriguing pick with plenty of upside.
35) Lassi
Thomson – RD, Kelowna Rockets, 6’0”, 187 lbs
When in doubt, pick a Kelowna defenseman. In all seriousness though, Lassi
Thomson is an incredibly promising offensive defenseman playing in the WHL. Thomson
has good overall mobility and initiates defensive zone breakouts very
efficiently. He has a very powerful point and is capable of quarterbacking a
Powerplay very efficiently. Thomson plays very aggressively and likes to join
offensive rushes through the neutral zone – if he’s not carrying the puck
himself. There are elements to his game that make me question his defensive
zone awareness and positioning, and sometimes Thomson will make a poor decision
or be too aggressive with the puck. However, Thomson has, so far, acclimated very
well to the WHL this season. There are improvements to make in his own zone,
but Thomson has a very promising offensive game.
36) Simon
Holmstrom – RW, HV71, 5’11”, 172 lbs
Simon Holmstrom is a playmaking winger with strong overall skating. In fact,
Holmstrom’s skating is excellent. He has fantastic edgework and is seemingly
always involved in play. Demonstrates overall good stickhandling and is an
adept playmaking. Holmstrom will occasionally take too many risks with the puck
and has room to grow in the decision-making department. Holmstrom has stellar
vision and has missed time from an injury. Holmstrom has very good overall positioning
and strikes me as a high-end complimentary player on a line. He won’t exactly
drive the pace of offensive play, but he uses his skill well to compliment the line
drivers.
37) Brett
Leason – C/RW, Prince Albert Raiders, 6’5”, 198 lbs
It’s hard to deny the numbers that Leason is logging with Prince Albert. Leason
plays a very strong power game. Leason is very difficult to knock off the puck.
He uses his frame and strength very efficiently, and has made big strides in
his overall skating ability. There is still a lot of room to grow in Leason’s
skating, but he’s been able to create offense relatively consistently for
Prince Albert. What strikes me as most impressive about Leason’s game is how
efficient he is with his effort, skills, etc. He doesn’t necessarily score
high-skill goals, but rather from hard work, good vision, and making the
simple, smart decision. Moving forward long-term, I see him more as a RW.
38) Nolan
Foote – LW, Kelowna Rockets, 6’3”, 187 lbs
Nolan Foote is a rugged power winger who plays a strong north-south game with very
good puck protection, stickhandling, and physicality. Foote likes to get to the
dangerous areas of the ice and cause havoc to create space to get his shot off.
Foote has an excellent shot as well. In fact, his shot is remarkable. Foote has
very high hockey IQ and his best traits in my opinion would be his shoot-first
mentality as well as his overall physical play. All in all, Foote is a very
promising prospect who projects as a secondary scoring winger at the next level.
39) Yegor
Spiridonov – C/LW, Stalnye Lisy Magnitogorsk, 6’2”, 192 lbs
Yegor Spiridnov is a very promising two-way center with a long reach and very
good skating mobility. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of Spiridonov’s game
is his defensive responsibility and ability to create space to allow the
wingers on his line to “do their thing”. Spiridonov is consistent and reliable in
all three zones of the ice. The one aspect that I would like to see Spiridonov improve
upon is to not be so conservative in the offensive zone. Overall, Spiridonov
has so many things that you want from a prospective future C, minus that killer
offensive instinct. Next draft rankings I will put Spiridonov higher on my list
because despite that criticism, he is putting up stellar offensive numbers in
the Russian MHL (juniors) and I do think he is a late 1st round
sleeper pick. Until that point, I’d like to see him drive play a bit more.
Everything else about his game is safe though.
40) Vojtech
Strondala – C, HC Kometa Brno, 5’7”, 154 lbs
Vojtech Strondala is a highly skilled, but very undersized forward prospect. He’s
extremely elusive and plays an excellent finesse game. Strondala plays at a
very high-paced game. The league is gearing more towards speed rather than
size, so will a team take a risk on Strondala? The skill and production is
there. Nearly every aspect of Strondala’s game can be described as “quick”. I’d
like to see him improve his first-step acceleration. Strondala reads the ice
well and plays with an extremely high compete level. Size be darned, one team
will pick him and Strondala will become a fan favorite in no time.
41) Billy
Constantinou – RD, Kingston Frontenacs, 6’0”, 185 lbs
It’s hard to deny the raw talent that Billy Constantinou has. He’s incredibly
talented, skates extremely well and has stellar vision. Constantinou is fantastic
at producing offense. His shot isn’t the hardest, but he’s able to thread
passes and use his skating to create offensive chances. He’s excellent on the rush
and as a result, cheats a bit in his defensive zone coverage. It looks like he’s
lazy in the defensive zone but I think it’s more likely that his mind is not on
the defensive side of things. There is room to grow with his hockey IQ and
decision-making, especially when it comes to some careless plays. Constantinou’s
game is based in his skating and he loves to join the offensive attack. All in
all, Constantinou is an offensive defenseman who needs to improve his puck
skills and overall compete level, but has promising offensive potential.
42) Drew
Helleson – RD, USNTDP U18, 6’2”, 181 lbs
Drew Helleson plays a clean and crisp two-way game. Playing in all situations,
Helleson competes extremely hard on the puck. Relatively safe in his own end,
Helleson has good gap control and an active stick. Helleson plays aggressively in
terms of pushing the puck up the ice, but for the actual scoring component, he’ll
delegate to the forwards on the team. Helleson has an accurate shot, but he
much prefers to pass the puck around. He’s still working on “picking his spots”
so-to-speak, but is a smart overall player with decisions and reads. The mantra
of how a defenseman is more than his stat sheet is especially prevalent with
Helleson.
43) Robert
Mastrosimone – C/LW, Chicago Steel, 5’10”, 170 lbs
Robert Mastrosimone is another sleeper with excellent vision and speed. He really
impressed me at the USHL/NHL Top Prospects Game. Mastrosimone makes crisp and
accurate passes, gains the offensive zone with ease, uses his skating to go
wide of defenders, plays with a ton of grit, thinks the game very quickly, and has
a wire of a wrist shot. When he’s in top form, he can control the offensive
pace of the game. He’s definitely a candidate for a big jump in draft stock…just
does everything right.
44) Tobias
Bjornfot – LD, Djurgardens IF J20, 6’0”, 187 lbs
It’s difficult which is more noticeable in Bjornfot’s game at first: his
skating or his maturity. Bjornfot mostly plays a simple game and nothing too
creative. Bjornfot has a very hard point shot. Overall, Bjornfot has excellent agility
and high hockey IQ. In fact, Bjornfot’s overall skating is stellar and
absolutely an asset to his game. Bjornfot also has a calmness and composure to
his game. There is room for improvement in Bjornfot’s defensive zone
positioning and overall strength. I
think there is a ton of offensive potential for Bjornfot, and he has the foundational
tools to be a two-way defenseman at the next level, but he seems to be more of
a longer-term pick. As in, give him 3 years to develop after getting drafted
before he can really make an impact like I know he can.
45) Ryder
Donovan – C, Duluth East High, 6’4”, 190 lbs
Ryder Donovan is an incredibly versatile forward who can serve both as a
goal-scorer or a set-up man. Donovan demonstrates excellent top-end speed as
well as very impressive first-step acceleration. Donovan’s skating allows him
to flourish in the transition game, but watching him play, it seems that he
loves fighting it out in the “trenches” and creating offensive chances by
skating away from the boards and finding a forward in a shooting position. Still
having room to grow on the defensive side of things, Donovan plays a power-forward
puck-possession game but doesn’t quite play with a punishing physical aspect.
He doesn’t need to with his skating. He’ll need to work on engaging more in
puck battles because at the high school level, he’s basically able to shrug off
opponents. This is not a matter of gaining strength, but learning to better use
his body against bigger and stronger opponents. It doesn’t concern me though
because Donovan’s success at his level isn’t a result of being able to
physically push other players around.
46) Marcus
Kallionkieli – F, Sioux City Musketeers, 6’1”, 176 lbs
Marcus Kallionkieli is an interesting player. He has a good frame and a long
skating stride. Perhaps this is higher than other rankings may have him, but I
do like Kallionkieli’s projection as a scorer. Perhaps he’s a bit of a
one-dimensional player. He plays a simple game in mostly trying to find the
shooting lanes, and his vision, IQ, and defensive play are all slightly
above-average. It’s clear that the main element that Kallionkieli brings to the
table is his scoring ability. Kallionkieli’s skating is pretty smooth and helps
him create space for getting his shot on net. It helps significantly, and why I
have him higher than others, that he has such good acceleration. I’m not
talking about being a speedster or having a launch speed like a rocket. I’m simply
referring to a player’s ability to create space to shoot the puck. There are
aspects of strong playmaking ability it Kallionkieli’s game, but again, the lynchpin
to his future in the NHL is whether or not he will be able to score goals. I
have him at #46 because of that acceleration and space-creation ability, but we’ll
need to re-evaluate very soon to see.
47) Valentin
Nussbaumer – C/W, Shawinigan Cataractes, 6’0”, 168 lbs
Valentin Nussbaumer is a high-effort, elusive-skating center. While an area for
improvement for Nussbaumer would be increasing his top-end speed, he’s always
moving his feet and present in the play at hand, regardless of the zone. Nussbaumer
has excellent positioning and as a result, is able to excel in the counter-attack
game. Using stellar vision, Nussbaumer is able to play a solid game in tight
spaces and isn’t afraid to play against physical defensemen.
48) John
Farinacci – C, USNTDP U18, 6’0”, 181 lbs
John Farinacci is a fast and complete playmaking center who can beat you with
his puck skills, skating or physical play. Crafty with the puck, Farinacci uses
his stickhandling and always plays with a high level of intensity. An area of
improvement for Farinacci would be better reading of the developing play,
especially at the higher speeds, but Farinacci combines his multi-faceted
approach with soft hands and an impressive patience to consistently be an
offensive threat on the ice.
49) Judd
Caulfield – F, USNTDP U18, 6’3”, 203 lbs
Judd Caulfield is a mean and physical winger who does whatever he can for the
team to succeed. Caulfield has above-average hands and vision, plays very well
in transition, and likes to skate to the dirty areas of the ice including but
not limited to the corners and the goal-front. Caulfield has a few stickhandling
tricks up his sleeve but mostly relies on his physicality and difficulty to
knock off the puck. So far this season, Caulfield has demonstrated a very versatile
element to his game being able to contribute in nearly every situation from
top-6 even-strength minutes to time on the PK.
50) Yegor
Afanasyev – F, Muskegon Lumberjacks, 6’3”, 203 lbs
Yegor Afanasyev is an interesting prospect. He combines his large frame with
speed very well. His overall skating quickness is very good. It may be repetitive
based on prior players on this list, but Afanasyev doesn’t simply use his large
stature to push around smaller competition, but rather as just one tool in his
kit. Afanasyev sees the ice extremely well and shows very good decision-making
abilities. To me, Afanasyev has a bit of a higher floor but a lower ceiling
compared to the other forwards in the draft. That being said, I do like the
intriguing combination of skills that Afanasyev brings, but I don’t quite see a
high offensive potential. As long as he can continue his progression with good
vision, decision-making, and strong overall skating, he will have NHL potential.
51) Case
McCarthy – RD, USNTDP U18, 6’1”, 194 lbs
Case McCarthy is a strong, sturdy defenseman. To me, he seems like another “jack-of-all-trades”
type defenseman here. McCarthy strikes me as a solid pro prospect and player
who might be better in professional leagues than in junior/NCAA leagues.
Overall, his defensive game is very safe. McCarthy strikes me as a safe
prospect. There is nothing elite about his game, but there is nothing
below-average either. If anything, his upside isn’t all that high, but because
of his versatility, I can see some solid promise in his game. Overall, McCarthy
has good skating and has a hard shot. If anything he doesn’t quite push the
pace of play nor does he have high offensive instincts, but again, he’s a safe
player who can hold his own in his zone. The raw skills are there and he will
need some time at Boston University.
52) Kaedan
Korczak – RD, Kelowna Rockets, 6’3”, 192 lbs
There’s so much to like about Korczak’s play. He’s a right-handed shot who
munches minutes, skates well, and has very high hockey IQ. Korczak is definitely
a candidate for a team to trade into the later part of the first round to take.
Besides the obvious Kelowna remarks, Korczak has been tasked with a ton of
responsibility and has been used as the #1 guy. Perhaps he hasn’t gained as
much traction because the scoring pace hasn’t kept up with what it was at the
beginning of the season, but Korczak has top-4 potential at the NHL level. His
defensive game is very impressive, especially knowing that he plays against
most teams’ top lines. Korczak is another prospect to re-evaluate for the next
draft ranking list. Arguably the best element of his game is his play
anticipation and reaction. He has very good positioning to begin with but his
ability to react in “real time” is very impressive.
53) Albin
Grewe – C/RW, Djurgardens IF, 6’0”, 176 lbs
So Albin Grewe is a very difficult player to evaluate for me. He has incredible
raw skills with the puck and can dangle like nobody else. However, he turns
over the puck so very often and it seems like he lacks a high-end hockey IQ. He’s
an aggressively skilled player who doesn’t rely on his physicality. With Grewe
there’s a fascinating combination of skill, compete level/motor, and physical
strength that’s hard to not take into account. There is plenty of room to grow
for Grewe in his puckhandling skills and hist skating quickness/agility, but there
is a ton of promise here.
54) Dmitri
Sheshin – LW, Stalnye Lisy Magnitogorsk, 5’7”, 143 lbs
Dmitri Sheshin is a gritty hard-working winger who hates to give up the puck.
If I could further emphasize “hard-working” for Sheshin, I would. Sheshin
demonstrates excellent edgework on his skates and is able to create havoc in one-on-one
battles with defensemen behind the net. He can turn and pivot very easily
making him difficult to contain despite his small frame. Despite such a small
frame, Sheshin is really strong. Don’t take him lightly (yes, intended) when
trying to skate around him because he isn’t afraid to show his strength. Sheshin
has pretty slick hands and solid overall vision, but again the most prominent
asset to his game is his work ethic.
55) Artemi
Kniazev – LD, Chicoutimi Sagueneens, 5’11”, 176 lbs
Artemi Kniazev is a very promising and intriguing puck-moving defenseman. He
skates like the wind out on the ice and plays with a calm smoothness to his
game that makes him look calm, poised and mature beyond his years. Kniazev has
as booming slapshot and is almost always involved in play in the offensive
zone. There is a lot of room to improve Kniazev’s defensive game. There’s an
element of inconsistency to his defensive game as well. Some nights the defense
will look passable while others he’ll look very lost or not knowing where to
put his effort. One area where Kniazev is proficient in defensive play is
standing up at the blue line and preventin zone entries. Kniazev likes to play
fast and likes to be involved in all aspects of offensive play. I would almost
say he was a wizard with the puck.
56) Michal
Teply – LW, Bili Tygri Liberec, 6’3”, 187 lbs
I like Michal Teply’s game. He plays a very simple game of getting to the
high-danger areas of the ice and wiring a shot on net. His shot is arguably his
best asset. Right up there with his shot would be his puck possession game – it’s
very difficult to knock Teply off the puck once he has it. Should be stated
again that Teply doesn’t play a flashy game. He’s had relatively quiet
international tournaments, most notably the World Junior A Challenge (which is
a U19 tournament). Teply is also playing in the top 2 Czech professional
leagues, so what I’m saying is that among his peers, Teply is able to control
the pace of the game, drive offense and be very effective. It should be noted
that Teply does play a solid overall defensive game, especially while in the
neutral zone. Teply could stand to improve his top-end speed. A team picking
Teply will need to understand that his game will take a little while to develop
and that he’s much more than his stat sheet suggests. Teams who run systems predominantly
around creating high-danger scoring chances should be keeping a close eye on
Teply.
57) Shane
Pinto – F, Lincoln Stars, 6’2”, 185 lbs
Shane Pinto is a big and strong forward who excels in puck possession. He uses
his strength well and is incredibly difficult to knock off the puck. This makes
him a nightmare to try and defend blow the goal-line. Pinto sort of plays a “new-age
heavy” style of hockey where the focus is still on puck possession and strength,
but he doesn’t lumber around the ice like a gargoyle. Rather, Pinto has very
good overall skating and uses his edged very well in positioning himself to
protect the puck. Watch out when he’s charging towards the net with the puck on
his stick because that’s when Pinto is the most effective. Pinto strikes me as
more of a supportive player who will battle it out in the trenches to create
space for, and make crisp passes to, the goal-scorers on the line.
58) Hunter
Jones – G, Peterborough Petes, 6’4”, 194 lbs
As mentioned in the blurb for Spencer Knight above, it’s very difficult to evaluate
and project goalies so I feel a bit strange having Hunter Jones on my list
because of that. Hunter Jones uses his height and overall size very well in not
only taking up the net – while standing or in the butterfly – but also to see
around traffic in front of him. Jones’ lateral post-to-post movement is good, but
it will need to improve to make the jump to the pros. The thing that stands out
the most about Jones’ game is how controlled and collected his movements in net
are. Jones doesn’t flop around in order to make a save. Also, Jones isn’t too
quick to drop down into the butterfly which, again, demonstrates a strong
conservation of movement. One last note is how many games he’s played for
Peterborough this season. At the time of this post, Jones has started 42 games,
the most out of any goaltender in the OHL. There’s no denying his versatility
as a starting goaltender in the OHL.
59) Daniil
Gutik – LW, Loko-Yunior Yaroslavl, 6’3”, 179 lbs
Daniil Gutik is a big forward who combines excellent hockey sense with strong
overall puck skills. Gutik is just a difficult player to defend against,
whether it be because of his size and reach or his stellar stickhandling skills
or his strength on the puck. One element that will make Gutik even more
dangerous would be increasing his top-end speed. Demonstrating a high compete
level on the ice, Gutik reads the ice very well and makes smart decisions on
the ice. Gutik shows playmaking promise and could have top-6 potential. There
is a lot to work on but the foundation is there.
60) Patrik
Puistola – LW, Tappara U20, 6’0”, 170 lbs
Patrik Puistola is a smooth and strong two-way winger with a knack for scoring
goals. He’s in a bit of a tough situation because Tappara is notoriously
difficult for young players to get consistent playing time with (because they’re
a strong roster), so Puistola has been playing in the lower leagues like Mestis
(2nd professional league) or the U20 league. Puistola has very soft
hands and likes to dangle around opponents. This can make him look like a
selfish player but I think it’s more so that he’s figuring out what he can and
can’t do at the level he’s at. It’s hard to not mention how Puistola is
breaking scoring records for U18 players in Mestis as well. Puistola needs to
add another gear to his top-end skating speed, but has incredible baseline
skill. The reason why I have him this low on the list is because (relatively)
smaller players who have some skating and speed concerns do scare me, but as mentioned
earlier, the skill is there.
61) Vladislav
Kolyachonok – LD, Flint Firebirds, 6”2”, 181 lbs
Truth be told, it’s always a bit difficult to evaluate and get a read on players
playing for rough teams, but there’s a lot to like about Vladislav Kolyachonok.
First off, don’t read into the fact that the London Knights waived him because
there’s more to his situation and skills than that. Long story short, London wanted
to make sure they were going to have a smart and dynamic-skating defenseman on
their team even if Adam Boqvist made the Chicago Blackhawks roster. Boqvist was
sent back down to the OHL and when you consider both the limitation on import
draft players (Kolyachonok is from Belarus) and the fact that OHL teams can’t
trade first-year import players, waiving Kolyachonok was the only option. That’s
how he got onto Flint’s roster. Wow that was a tangent. Anyways, Kolyachonok has
a non-stop motor which is especially helpful when combined with his incredibly
smooth skating. Kolyachonok thinks the game at a high speed, sees the ice well
and makes very good decisions. Although he’s a big guy, Kolyachonok is surprisingly
deceptive with his puck movement.
62) Henry
Thrun – LD, USNTDP U18, 6’2”, 190 lbs
Henry Thrun is another underrated defenseman from this draft class. Thrun is
incredibly smart and has very good skating skills. I say this because while his
multi-directional acceleration is excellent, he could stand to improve his top-end
speed. Thrun plays a simple, no-nonsense offensive game and is able to produce
results. All in all, Thrun is a rock solid reliable defenseman with very high
hockey IQ who can chip in offensively. Thrun moves the puck very well and doesn't run around all over the ice. He's mature and uses his frame and strength well to fight for position as well as knock players off the puck.
There are a ton of other players that are right at the cusp of making this list. Guys like Maxim Cajkjovic, Isaiah Saville, Xavier Parent, and many other talented players. If you've made it this far, thank you so much for reading this! I would love to hear your thoughts on this list.
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