2017 NHL Draft – McKeen's Hockey

McKeen’s 2017 Top 30 NHL Draft Rankings (Dec-2016) – Makar breaks

McKeen's Hockey — Wed, 14 Dec 2016 19:43:50 +0000

Two forwards and two defencemen were the big risers in this month's draft rankings.

Brooks Bandits' defenceman Cale Makar not only made his debut in the top 30 rankings, he rocketed up the charts to crack McKeen's top 20 and be rated as the top Canadian defenceman in the draft. As the leading scorer among all AJHL defencemen this season we were seriously considering him for our top 30 going into the competition, but were waiting to see how he performed at the WJAC before anointing him first-round status.

Quite simply, he exceeded all expectations from the moment they dropped the puck for the tournament, notching two goals and three assists in his opening game versus the Swiss in the most dominating performance we have ever seen at the World Hockey Challenge.

Tri-City defenceman Juuso Valimaki is the other blueliner to rise significantly in the past month as he started to light up opposing WHL goaltenders at a rate rarely seen at the CHL level. The 6-2 Finn scored nine goals over a ten-game span in the past month, and racked up 16 points in his last 11 games before leaving to join Finland for the World Junior tournament. Add to that his improved play defensively, and it wasn't hard to move him up into the top ten in the rankings as others such as Klim Kostin slid down the rankings.

The big Russian winger was still being given the benefit of the doubt up until mid November after his sterling play at the U-18's last spring, but Kostin's spotty effort and lack of production at the recent Canada-Russia Super Series only helped confirm what was first suspected at the Ivan Hlinka in August - he's an inconsistent winger with concerns about his hockey sense, work ethic and puck support, beckoning some comparisons to Julien Gauthier in that he possesses lots of tools but perhaps not the tool box.

Kostin went into the WJAC tournament with a wonky shoulder so we won't be overly harsh on his lacklustre play to date...but the first period of his game against Canada West offered a glimpse of the yin and yang with this prospect. He scored a goal on the power play to stake Russia to a 1-0 lead, then was caught way up ice on two goals against when he failed to stay deep enough to support his defencemen, choosing instead to look for an impossible 100-foot pass through two opponents. He has lot of time to right the ship before the draft much like Valeri Nichushkin did in his draft year, and it will take a similar improvement in his work ethic and team game for that to happen.

Nikita Popugaev is another Russian whose bloom has wilted somewhat in the past few weeks after tearing up WHL opponents in the first couple of months of the season. When he's not moving his feet he's not nearly as effective, especially in his own zone, and the 6-5 winger has seen a drop in his energy level in the past month on some nights, which is now also affecting him on the scoresheet as he's gone without a goal in his last five games.

Questions are popping up about his skating, and some scouts have even suggested that he's a risky player to select in the first round because of it, but it's likely more a case of him hitting a wall in terms of his energy level than real skating concerns as he moves pretty well when he's motivated, and his technique seems fine. He has the skill level to move back up in the rankings if he rediscovers his work ethic, which in fairness his last game against Saskatoon didn't look all that bad. He's moved down some in the rankings also because some players have jumped ahead of him based on improved performances from the likes of Pettersson and Valimaki.

Elias Pettersson is the other skater that moved up into the top ten following his scintillating performance at a U-20 event in Sweden last month and continued strong play in the Allsvenskan. The 18-year-old center is one point back of the scoring leaders in Sweden's second-best league, uncharted territory for a draft-eligible player. Pettersson is a speedy pivot with excellent puck skills and hockey sense whose main need is to get stronger. Once he develops more lower-body strength, he'll will be a formidable force on the ice. He has the tools to be a top-two center in the NHL.

London center Robert Thomas was the other forward that climbed up the rankings as it became clearer that he was one of the most skilled all-around forwards in this draft class. Thomas never has a poor game thanks to his smarts, work ethic and elite skating skills. If he's not putting up points it doesn't mean he's not playing effectively, and when he does...such as that notable game in early December when he had five points against Flint that included a highlight-reel shorthanded goal where his team was down two skaters...he is a dominant junior player at the tender age of 17. It looks like the London prospect factory has manufactured another gem.

RANK	PLAYER	POS	TEAM	HT/WT	DOB	GP-G-A-PTS
1	Nolan Patrick	C	Brandon (WHL)	6-3/200	19-Sep-98	6-4-5-9
2	Casey Mittelstadt	C	Green Bay (USHL)	6-1/200	22-Nov-98	16-8-13-21
3	Nico Hischier	C	Halifax (QMJHL)	6-1/175	4-Jan-99	31-23-25-48
4	Michael Rasmussen	C	Tri-City (WHL)	6-6/215	17-Apr-99	34-22-16-38
5	Elias Pettersson	C	Timra (Swe 2)	6-1/160	12-Nov-98	26-11-15-26
6	Juuso Valimaki	D	Tri-City (WHL)	6-2/205	6-Oct-98	32-12-23-35
7	Timothy Liljegren	D	Rogle (Swe)	6-0/190	30-Apr-99	9-0-3-3
8	Owen Tippett	RW	Mississauga (OHL)	6-1/200	16-Feb-99	30-23-14-37
9	Eeli Tolvanen	RW	Sioux City (USHL)	5-10/175	22-Apr-99	23-16-11-27
10	Kristian Vesalainen	LW	HPK (Fin)	6-3/205	1-Jun-99	9-1-0-1
11	Miro Heiskanen	D	HIFK Helsinki (Fin)	6-0/170	18-Jul-99	25-3-4-7
12	Nikita Popugaev	LW	Moose Jaw (WHL)	6-5/205	20-Nov-98	31-20-22-42
13	Gabriel Vilardi	C	Windsor (OHL)	6-3/200	16-Aug-99	16-9-13-22
14	Martin Necas	C	Kometa Brno (Cze)	6-0/170	15-Jan-99	29-6-7-13
15	Ryan Poehling	C	St. Cloud State (NCHC)	6-2/185	3-Jan-99	15-4-2-6
16	Lias Andersson	C	HV 71 (Swe)	5-11/200	13-Oct-98	24-5-4-9
17	Cale Makar	D	Brooks (AJHL)	5-10/175	30-Oct-98	28-11-27-38
18	Robert Thomas	C	London (OHL)	5-11/185	2-Jul-99	30-11-20-31
19	Urho Vaakanainen	D	JyP Jyvaskyla (Fin)	6-2/185	1-Jan-99	23-2-1-3
20	Cody Glass	C	Portland (WHL)	6-2/180	1-Apr-99	33-16-29-45
21	Maxime Comtois	LW	Victoriaville (QMJHL)	6-2/200	8-Jan-99	33-8-14-22
22	Klim Kostin	LW	Dynamo Moscow (Rus)	6-3/195	5-May-99	8-0-0-0
23	Matthew Strome	LW	Hamilton (OHL)	6-3/205	6-Jan-99	30-16-14-30
24	Cal Foote	D	Kelowna (WHL)	6-3/215	13-Dec-98	33-3-26-29
25	Jesper Boqvist	LW	Brynas (Swe Jr)	5-11/175	30-Oct-98	14-10-5-15
26	Conor Timmins	D	Sault Ste Marie (OHL)	6-1/185	18-Sep-98	31-4-23-27
27	Shane Bowers	C	Waterloo (USHL)	6-1/180	30-Jul-99	23-9-9-18
28	Grant Mismash	LW	NTDP (USA)	6-0/185	19-Feb-99	29-8-11-19
29	Kole Lind	RW	Kelowna (WHL)	6-1/175	16-Oct-98	32-18-23-41
30	Erik Brannstrom	D	HV 71 (Swe Jr)	5-10/175	2-Sep-99	18-8-13-21

Grant’s Slant: Boqvist, Lind, Petterson trending forwards

Grant McCagg — Wed, 07 Dec 2016 19:20:43 +0000

It's shaping up to be a fairly strong draft for centers. There may be at least 11 pivots with top-two upside.

Nico Hischier, Nolan Patrick, Michael Rasmussen, Casey Mittelstadt, Elias Petterson, Martin Necas, Maxime Comtois, Gabriel Vilardi, Ryan Poehling, Lias Andersson, Cody Glass.

Add in Shane Bowers, Mackenzie Entwistle, Stelio Matheos and Robert Thomas...it's not inconceivable that half of the top 20 and perhaps even half of the top 30 selections are pivots.

LIVING ON TIMRA TIME

GRAND FORKS, NORTH DAKOTA - APRIL 16: Sweden's Timothy Liljegren #19 lets go a shot at the 2016 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/HHOF-IIHF Images)

Scouts are going to be spending a lot of time watching Timra the rest of the season as there are two Swedish delights toiling for the Allsvenskan powerhouse. Elias Petterson is leading the league in scoring, and it's no fluke. He's also looking after his duties in his own end..it would not surprise me if by draft day he's the top Swede and a top-five pick. Jesper Boqvist may well be the biggest draft riser. Since joining Timra he has been superb...a slick skater and terrific creator. Don't be surprised if his name is called in the top 25. If I'm with the Swedish U-20 management team I'm inviting Petterson, Boqvist and Dahlen to the WJC and keeping them together on a line.

KOLE MINING

KELOWNA, CANADA - NOVEMBER 5: Kole Lind #16 of the Kelowna Rockets. (Photo by Marissa Baecker/Shoot the Breeze)

Kole Lind is making a strong case to be a first-round pick. Every time I watch him he's been a dangerous offensive threat. It's no shock that he's leading Kelowna in scoring. Smart, good puck protection skills, effective shot and consistent work ethic. I've talked to some scouts recently who look at him as a first-round possibility..as do I.

THE HAGUE CONTENTION

Perhaps there has been no sharper drop in the draft rankings than Hague's. The hulking Mississauga blueliner was once being touted as a top-five candidate, the only thing for me that kept him in the first round was his impressive production early on in the season, particularly the goal scoring. Unfortunately, the own-zone brain cramps and concerns with his skating were always present, and have only been exacerbated in the past seven games when he has gone pointless and been -7. The closer he's studied, the less he looks like a top 30 prospect.

QUICK ONE-TIMERS

- Curious to see if Kristian Vesalainen (HPK-Fin) shows some finish at U20s. Willing to give him a pass vs. men at this age but the U20 will be important for him IMO if he wants to be a top ten guy.

- Urho Vaakanainen is playing 16:03 per game with JyP.... & Miro Heiskanen (HIFK-Fin) is averaging 19:40 per game..2nd in D scoring on team with 3g 4a..... Awfully impressive for 17-year-olds.

- 2g 3a for Cale Makar on Monday with the Brook Bandits of the AJHL and seven points on the weekend...he is now 8th in AJHL scoring with 12g 25a in 28 games and tied for fifth overall in PPG. Only dman in the top 40 of league scoring. He was a large part of the Canada West team in last year's World Junior Challenge, but this year it's expected he will be dominant.

- Timothy Liljegren (Rogle-Swe) played 18 minutes in his first game back from bout of mono....11 minutes in his 5th game...5 minutes today - played on 4th pairing.

- Jakub Galvas has played 16 games with Olomouc in the senior Czech league... impressive enough for a dman who doesn't turn 18 until June

- Typical Owen Tippett (Mis-OHL). Just when he's starting to drive you crazy he scores a goal on a rocket and pings another off the post on the same shift.

- Can't help but notice Adam Fox with 15 assists in his first 11 collegiate games - leading all Division 1 blueliners with a 1.45 PPG.....as a rookie dman. Wow. One would almost think he should have been drafted higher.

WHO'S HOT/COLD AMONG DRAFT ELIGIBLE PROSPECTS (CHL EDITION)

Issac Ratcliffe (Guelph) - Has goals in 3 straight games

Dmitri Samorukov (Guelph) - no points in last nine games

Albert Michnac (Guelph) - After 5 goals in 6 games has none in last 7

Robert Thomas (London) - 2G, 3A, +5 on Sunday - 1.11 PPG on season

Alex Formenton (London) - His goal on Friday was first in 8 games

Nicolas Hague (Mississauga) - 1G, 1A Sunday - no points, -7 in previous 7 games

Jonah Gadjovich (Owen Sound) - 3g 4a in last 5 games

Nick Suzuki (Owen Sound) - 12 goals 23 pts in last 15 games

D'Artagnan Joly (Baie-Comeau) - 9 pts in last 7 games

Pierre-Olivier Joseph (Charlottetown) - 15 pts in last 12 games

Nico Hischier (Halifax) - 17g 34 pts in last 16 games

Ivan Kosorenkov (Victoriaville) - 10g in last 7 games

Maxime Comtois (Victoriaville) - 3g 7a in last 18 games

Kole Lind (Kelowna) - Goals in 6 straight games going into Brandon game

Cal Foote (Kelowna) - 10 points last 11 games

Josh Brook (Moose Jaw) - 7 points in last 8 games after 9 in first 18

Henri Jokiharju (Portland) - 3g 4a in last seven after 1g 9a in first 23 games

Jake Leschyshyn (Regina) - 2 assists in last 8 games

Juuso Valimaki (Tri-City) 8g 5a in last 9 games

2017 NHL Draft: Top 10 quality across Europe

Grant McCagg — Sat, 03 Dec 2016 21:18:56 +0000

NHL senior scouts will be making several trips over to Europe this season as it's shaping up to be a relatively strong draft crop overseas, particularly in Finland and Sweden. There are a handful of draft-eligible European prospects competing in men's leagues and none of them have looked out of place even when their ice time is limited.

GRAND FORKS, NORTH DAKOTA - APRIL 14: Czech Republic vs Finland preliminary round - 2016 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship. (Photo by Matt Zambonin/HHOF-IIHF Images)

Kristian Vesalainen recently transferred from Frolunda in the SHL to HPK in his home country, and while he has been held pointless through six games in the Finnish Hockey League he has certainly been creating chances and flashing some of the size/skill combination that has him slated as a strong candidate to be selected in the top ten of the draft. A north-south power forward, he has decent speed, soft hands, and a good shot while also working hard on the defensive end of his game. He's in the running for a top-ten selection if he starts showing a little more finish, having scored just one goal this season.

Miro Heiskanen is easily one of the best skaters in the draft, and his elite skill level has landed him a spot in the SM-liiga on HIFK's blueline right from the start of the season even if his ice time has been spotty, often relegated to the seventh-defenceman role. When he does play he's been effective, scoring three goals and four assists, and his play at the recent U-20 tournament impressed scouts enough that he's now in the conversation as a top ten draft candidate,

Urho Vaakanainen has spent the entire season with JYP in the FHL, and recently notched his second goal of the season while playing a fairly regular role as a 17-yer-old. A strong-skating 6-1 blueliner with no real flaws in his game, he's a solid prospect who is expected to make the Finnish U-20 squad despite there being a plethora of choices for the team. He's a solid prospect who is hard to play against, and indications are he could challenge for the top 15 in the 2017 draft.

Robin Salo is a fixture on the blueline of Vaasan Sport in the SHL, playing on the first defence pairing and in recent outings seeing in the neighbourhood of 20 minutes of ice time per game. Salo plays a steady, smart defensive game that endears him to his coach. His work ethic and character are above average, making him a good bet to be added to Finland's vaunted blueline for the WJC as a shutdown defender. It's not easy to predict where the 18-year-old will be drafted as there is a wide range of opinions on his value..some like him as a top 40 candidate and perhaps even a first-round guy...others question his offensive upside and skill level and don't see him as a top 60 prospect at this time.

THE NECAS ONE

Captain Martin Necas, Czech Repubic

Martin Necas is being eased into a prominent role with Brno right now in the Czech elite league and is having no problems keeping up with the pace. in fact, he already holds his own in terms of speed and skill against the men. Obviously his coaches are worried about his defensive play and strength at this level, yet in my few viewings he looks more than ready to play at this level at the tender age of 17. Without question he's one of the top prospects for the draft and will push for a top ten selection. In one recent game he only had a couple of shifts in the first period, but he got moved up in the lineup after his team fell behind 2-0 and he was solid. Worked hard on the backcheck, created several scoring chances with his superior quickness, edge work and puck skills.

Marcus Davidsson is playing on Djurgarden's third line with his undrafted brother Jonathan and Habs' prospect Lukas Vejdemo, and the trio has been showing good chemistry lately. The Davidsson brothers' speed is evident already even at the men's level, and those skating skills will help Marcus get a long look in the top 40 of the draft. Expect both Davidsson's to play for Sweden in the WJC, and for Jonathan to get selected this time around in the draft as a 19-year-old. Marcus has notched five goals and more often than not it's his brother setting him up. Expect their roles and play to only improve as the season goes on.

Lias Andersson has solidified his status as a solid first-round pick with his strong showing at the recent U-20 4 Nations tournament in Gothenberg, Sweden, and followed it up with a continued regular role with HV71. A solid two-way forward who can play left wing or center, he's quite competitive and possesses good hockey sense. He lacks a top-end gear, but has good balance and edges. Just one two goal-game in his last 11 SHL games, but he's getting regular ice time and contributing in other ways.

A KYLINGTON SHIVER

Timothy Liljegren recently returned from mononucleosis and stepped right into a top-four role on Rogle's defence, offering a taste of his offensive skills with a helper in his first SHL game of the season. Quite possibly the best skater in this draft, Liljegren uses his mobility and effective wrist shot to create plenty of offensive chances. There are some questions beginning to arise however about his hockey sense and defensive play, and one can't help but harken back to Oliver Kylington who. like Liljegren, was heralded by many in the summer and autumn of his draft year to be a top-five prospect for the 2015 draft. Liljegren made some poor reads and decisions at the Ivan Hlinka tournament, and is continuing that practice thus far since returning from his illness. In his defence, he is playing against men, and scouts should get a much better read at where he's at during the World Juniors.

Elias Pettersson and Jesper Boqvist are playing on a line with Jonathan Dahlen for Timra in the Allsvenskan, and a key reason why the club sits in first place. Pettersson is tied for the league scoring lead, a rare feat for a draft-eligible prospect. He's a highly intelligent two-way center with excellent playmaking skills. He has good quickness, and his skating should only improve as he adds strength and bulk to his willowy frame. He also has soft hands, as witnessed by his terrific shootout goal on Nov. 30 to give Timra a 2-1 victory over Vita Hasten.

Petterson joined Lias Andersson and Carl Grundstrom on a line that lit up the competition at the last U-20 tournament, capturing substantial interest from scouts who were less enthusiastic about him in the summer where he went pointless at the Ivan Hlinka. Linemate Boqvist only joined him on Timra eight games ago, but has already picked up five points and impressed scouts with his skills, smarts and skating. Boqvist has flown under the radar a bit despite leading his league in scoring at the U-16, U-18 and U-20 levels each of the past three seasons, but given his skill level it wouldn't be a surprise if his name was called in the top 40.

Erik Brannstrom only turned 17 in September yet has already played 11 games in the SHL for HV71, and isn't just sitting on the bench learning the ropes; he's getting a fair amount of ice time and already flashing his elite skating and puck skills. Given his young age, scouts will be hoping he hasn't stopped growing as he's only 5-10, but even if he shows up at the NHL draft at the same height he will receive first-round consideration due to his skill set. Brannstrom was a force at the recent U-20 4 Nations tournament, and in a year where there looks to be a drop off in talent after the top 20 or so, he will be in the mix with teams looking to add a puck mover/carrier.

McKeen’s 2017 Top 30 NHL Draft Rankings (Nov-2016) – The Swiss Can’t Miss

McKeen's Hockey — Fri, 18 Nov 2016 06:49:50 +0000

Photo: David Chan Photography

Nico Hischier's first-overall ranking may come as a surprise to many, but you would be hard pressed convincing his QMJHL coach that he's not worthy of such high standing.

"He can beat you in so many ways," says Halifax Mooseheads head coach Andre Tourigny. "He can beat you with faceoffs. he can beat you with defensive play. He's really, really proud of his defence, he can beat you with his work ethic, his intensity, his skill, he can beat you on the rush. He can beat you on the power play, he can beat you on the PK. He's a really complete player. I compare him a lot to Henrik Zetterberg when he was in his prime. When you were playing against him he was always efficient in every area of the game."

There are no visible weaknesses in Hischier's game, and unless there is a major fall-off in his play over the next few months there is an excellent chance the 6-1 center will be the first Swiss player selected in the top four of the NHL draft.

"Nico is really competitive, and he had a great skillset," adds Tourigny. "He can skate, he's really shifty, he can pass, he has quick hands, good shot. He works so hard defensively. I've never seen a player his age so proud of his defence. He's the whole package."

As is often the case with young European players it took Hischier a few games to adapt to the North American game. After starting the season goalless in his first five games, Hischier has been lethal. In his last 11 games, Hischier has scored 14 goals and 12 assists, vaulting him to third overall in QMJHL scoring.

Plenty of scouts made the trip east last weekend to see Hischier in person and he did not disappoint - compiling five goals and four assists in two thoroughly dominating performances against PEI and Sherbrooke. Needless to say, any scouts who witness his dominance were no longer unsure of his worthiness to be considered a top-five prospect for the draft.

"If you pick top five that means you have to build your team around that player, I would be so happy to build my team around him for the next 20 years...a person like Hischier...a player like Hischier," says Tourigny. "Nico is such a good man, good heart. He's very polite, respectful, I've spoken to his parents and I can't say enough about the values. A lot of reasons why he'd be a really, really good pick."

Brandon center Nolan Patrick has battled injury this season, so through no fault of his own, he has dropped to number two in the rankings thanks to Hischier's scintillating play. Patrick will still have plenty of opportunities to reclaim his number one status once he gets back into the swing of things in the WHL .

Patrick has long been heralded as a prime candidate to be picked first overall in the 2017 draft, and he did little to hurt his status last season after compiling 102 points to finish fifth in WHL scoring as a 16-17-year-old. He's expected to return from issues with a sports hernia injury he had repaired in the summer some time over the next three weeks, and hopefully he can be healthy enough to compete head-to-head against Hischier and other top draft-eligible prospect slated to compete in the World junior tournament.

Tri Cities' Michael Rasmussen is another talented center who has been on a tear this season, leading all WHL players with 18 goals in 22 WHL games, cementing his position as one of the draft's most coveted prospects.

Timothy Liljegren has been battling mononucleosis and has yet to play this season, but remains the most highly-touted defence prospect thanks predominantly to his tremendous skating skills.

Russian winger Klim Kostin rounds out the top five in McKeen's preliminary rankings with his impressive combination of size, strength and skill.

RANK	PLAYER	POS	TEAM	HT/WT	DOB	GP-G-A-PTS
1	Nico Hischier	C	Halifax (QMJHL)	6-1/175	4-Jan-99	21-17-17-34
2	Nolan Patrick	C	Brandon (WHL)	6-3/200	19-Sep-98	6-4-5-9
3	Michael Rasmussen	C	Tri-City (WHL)	6-6/215	17-Apr-99	22-18-10-28
4	Timothy Liljegren	D	Rogle (Swe Jr)	6-0/190	30-Apr-99	6-4-0-4
5	Klim Kostin	LW	Dynamo Moscow (KHL)	6-3/195	5-May-99	8-0-0-0
6	Casey Mittelstadt	C	Green Bay (USHL)	6-1/200	22-Nov-98	16-8-13-21
7	Nikita Popugaev	LW	Moose Jaw (WHL)	6-5/205	20-Nov-98	21-14-16-30
8	Eeli Tolvanen	RW	Sioux City (USHL)	5-10/175	22-Apr-99	15-9-8-17
9	Owen Tippett	RW	Mississauga (OHL)	6-1/200	16-Feb-99	20-16-8-24
10	Kristian Vesalainen	LW	Frolunda (Swe)	6-3/205	1-Jun-99	16-1-4-5
11	Miro Heiskanen	D	HIFK Helsinki (Fin)	6-0/170	18-Jul-99	17-2-3-5
12	Martin Necas	C	Kometa Brno (Cze)	6-0/170	15-Jan-99	20-5-6-11
13	Maxime Comtois	LW	Victoriaville (QMJHL)	6-2/200	8-Jan-99	22-6-7-13
14	Cal Foote	D	Kelowna (WHL)	6-3/215	13-Dec-98	21-1-14-15
15	Elias Pettersson	C	Timra (Swe 2)	6-1/160	12-Nov-98	19-8-12-20
16	Gabriel Vilardi	C	Windsor (OHL)	6-3/200	16-Aug-99	14-8-13-21
17	Urho Vaakanainen	D	JyP Jyvaskyla (Fin)	6-2/185	1-Jan-99	13-1-0-1
18	Ryan Poehling	C	St. Cloud State (NCHC)	6-2/185	3-Jan-99	9-3-2-5
19	Matthew Strome	LW	Hamilton (OHL)	6-3/205	6-Jan-99	20-14-12-26
20	Juuso Valimaki	D	Tri-City (WHL)	6-2/205	6-Oct-98	22-4-18-22
21	Lias Andersson	C	HV 71 (Swe)	5-11/200	13-Oct-98	15-4-4-8
22	MacKenzie Entwistle	C	Hamilton (OHL)	6-3/180	14-Jul-99	20-9-7-16
23	Nicolas Hague	D	Mississauga (OHL)	6-6/215	5-Dec-98	19-8-9-17
24	Cody Glass	C	Portland (WHL)	6-2/180	1-Apr-99	21-10-20-30
25	Ostap Safin	LW	Sparta Praha (Cze)	6-4/200	11-Feb-99	5-0-1-1
26	Shane Bowers	C	Waterloo (USHL)	6-1/180	30-Jul-99	15-8-7-15
27	Grant Mismash	LW	NTDP (USA)	6-0/185	19-Feb-99	20-5-7-12
28	Robert Thomas	C	London (OHL)	5-11/185	2-Jul-99	19-6-13-19
29	Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen	G	HPK (Fin Jr)	6-4/195	9-Mar-99	14 GP, .925
30	Conor Timmins	D	Sault Ste Marie (OHL)	6-1/185	18-Sep-98	21-2-16-18

2017 NHL Draft – Owen Tippett premium pick in thin crop

Grant McCagg — Fri, 28 Oct 2016 04:57:54 +0000

My reports on some of the better prospects available for the 2017 NHL Draft, headlined by Mississauga winger Owen Tippett - a probable top 10 pick in what is being perceived as a thin draft crop.

Maxime Comtois (2017), LW, Victoriaville (QMJHL) - After a terrific showing at the Ivan Hlinka tournament there was talk of Comtois challenging for a top-five selection in the draft but he will certainly have to pick up his game if he hopes to even be considered in the top ten at this point, starting the season with just eight points in his first 14 games after averaging close to a point-per-game as a 16-year-old.

"I guess he's been pretty brutal - I hear bad things," said one NHL scout based in Quebec ho has seen him once. "He's been bad. In the summer he looked good, he was kind of a horse. But right now...he doesn't want it right now. I know he's got no centerman there...he's not getting the puck, but he'll need to pick it up."

Once considered the clear frontrunner to be the first QMJHL player chosen in the 2017 draft going into the season, Comtois looks like he'll have some competition in Halifax with Swiss winger Nico Hischier.

Nicolas Hague (2017), D, Mississauga (OHL) - Mississauga's other high-end draft prospect is matching Tippett's goal-scoring production on the back end, leading all OHL defencemen with seven goals after just 11 games. Much like Tippett, Hague possesses a hard, accurate shot that makes him particularly dangerous on the power play, and his puck skills are well above average for a 6-6 blueliner, which makes him surprisingly effective in three-on-three OT situations despite his lack of quickness and issue with being knock-kneed.

Hague needs to cut down on his own-zone miscues as he has a tendency to try to do too much at times, but it is a testament to his confidence level as well. As evidenced by Logan Stanley's selection in the top 20 last June, NHL team still covet rangy defencemen, so it's not out of the question that Hague is looked at in the top 20 despite his skating issues, as he certainly brings much more offensive potential than Stanley.

Nico Hischier (2017), C, Halifax (QMJHL) - Following a six-point game on Oct. 26, Hischier now sits fifth overall in scoring with 19 points in 14 games, and just like at the Ivan Hlinka tournament is turning heads with his high skill level and determination.

"He's a little skinny but he's not afraid to get in there and make plays," noted one NHL scout. "He doesn't have a lot to play with there either. Trying to decide who is better between him and Comtois. He's quick he's agile, he's on the puck a little more."

Greg Meireles (2017), C, Kitchener (OHL) - After playing a supporting role at the Ivan Hlinka, it's safe to say scouts weren't expecting Meireles to burst out of the gate with 16 points in his first 12 games to lead all OHL rookies, centering Kitchener's high-flying top line with Jeremy Bracco and Adam Mascherin. Meireles has been racking up the assists while utilizing his speed and high revving motor...he has really impressed the scouting community with his skating skills, which weren't as evident in the summer given his lack of playing time.

He is consistently one of the hardest working players on the ice, and it results in scoring chances thanks to his speed. He has worked himself into the conversation as a top 60 prospect.

Casey Mittelstadt (2017), C, Eden Prairie (USHS-MN) - Mittelstadt is heading back to play high school hockey in Prairie Eden, and will return to Green Bay at the end of the USHL season. Given that he's a late birthday, he won't be playing at the U-18's next spring so lots of scouts went out to see him competing in the USHL before it was too late. Evidently, he did not disappoint and remains highly-touted prospect who may be a top-five selection next June.

The top-ranked American skater for the 2017 draft has not disappointed scouts in the early part of the season, collecting 10 points in his first nine USHL games with Green Bay and reinforcing his standing as a legitimate top ten prospect.

"You see it all." mentioned one NHL scout who saw Mittelstadt play last week. "He's got a great motor, can skate, good gears, good hands. He's a top 6 guy."

Owen Tippett (2017), RW, Mississauga (OHL) - The fourth overall selection in the 2015 OHL draft has been living up to the hype with a scintillating start to the season, notching a goal per game through 12 OHL contests to lead all OHL players in goals. Tippett has cashed in on the opportunity to replace Alex Nylander on Mississauga's top line alongside New Jersey Devils draft picks Michael McLeod and Nathan Bastien. the scary thing is that the line hasn't truly found chemistry as of yet, with Bastian and McLeod having just five goals between them. The main knock on Tippett at the Ivan Hlinka tournament was his reluctance to properly utilize his linemates, and while he has met all expectations in the goal-scoring department, it remains the predominant issue with his game, although in recent comments he has been starting to look to dish off the puck more often, particularly for McLeod who can drive any line with his terrific speed and puck carrying skills.

Tippett has above-average speed, size, strength and an elite shot...if he stays on the first line - and given his productive start one would assume he will - he has a solid opportunity to score 50-plus goals, which will put him very much in the mix for a top-five selection next June.

"Goal scorers are at a premium in the draft," noted one scout who has not liked his play away from the puck, but would nevertheless pick him in the top ten of what is perceived as a thin draft crop.

Eeli Tolvanen (2017), RW, Sioux City (USHL) - The 5-11 Finnish winger just keeps scoring at every level, already netting five goals through nine USHL games. He stood out at the U-20 showcase in the summer as one of the best junior snipers on the planet, especially impressive for a draft-eligible prospect.

"He's very skilled, has hands, can skate, shoot, can play on the power play, and can create," said one scout who saw him playing for Sioux City last week. "The defensive part of the game wasn't really a priority for him that game. He can really shoot it, he's a good player. I think he knows defence...when I've watched him get back he's aware, but he wasn't really into it. He needs to get stronger but he's talented. A bit like Willy Nylander. He's probably not quite as nifty, but he's good...William didn't really play that hard defensively either."