Alexis Gravel – McKeen's Hockey

2019 CIBC Canada Russia Series – Prospect notes on QMJHL, OHL, WHL and Russian teams

Michael Sanderson, Michael Rand and Vince Gibbons — Mon, 18 Nov 2019 20:34:22 +0000

Between November 4-14, a travelling band of Russian U20 hockey talent, many of whom are vying for a spot on Russia’s final WJC roster, traversed Canada, from East to West, to play in the annual CIBC Canada Russia series. The visiting Russians were joined, as applicable, by Russian talent playing in the CHL, as they split the series, and in fact, each leg of the series.

McKeen's assigned some of its regional writers to track the games, in arena when possible, to give you our impressions of these priority contests.

QMJHL, by Mike Sanderson

The series started on the east coast, as Saint John and Moncton hosted the first two games. The two teams split the two games by identical 4-3 scores, but with Team QMJHL needing an extra frame to do so in their victory, and points were Russia - 4; QMJHL - 2 after two games in the series.

Team QMJHL featured much of the best Canadian hopefuls east of Ontario, with one notable exception. Alexis Lafrenière of the Rimouski Oceanic, the named captain of the squad, suffered an injury on the weekend before play began, and opted out of the series to recover.

For Team Russia, head coach Valery Bragin smartly used his CHL players to his advantage, to combat both inexperience and jet lag. Bragin used his QMJHL players to their maximum, using the two games out east to give plenty of ice time to his top line of Rimouski’s Dmitry Zavgorodniy, Cape Breton’s Egor Sokolov and Moncton’s Alexander Khovanov.

That proved fruitful immediately, as Zavgorodniy and Khovanov each had four points in the series opener, a 4-3 Russia victory at TD Station in Saint John. The chemistry that Sokolov, Zavgorodniy and Khovanov showed in the early going of this series was impressive.

Khovanov was the playmaker who can also fire the puck. Zavgorodniy used his speed effectively to go wide on defenders. Sokolov used his giant body to set up shop where he likes, and protect the puck and his ice strongly. The three made an effective line, and could be a scoring line for Russia next month.

Russia only brought two draft eligible players to the series in Canada – forwards Rodion Amirov and Maxim Groshev. Amirov’s creativity was on full display, as he used his low center-of-gravity and skating abilities to turn routine plays into the impressive, and keep defenders on their toes. He was also very strong along the boards in these two games for his size, using that strength from below to protect the puck. Groshev has a nose for the net and used it to his most potential, scoring a goal in Game 2 in Moncton by going to the net and burying a rebound.

Zavgorodniy wasn’t the only player whose speed caught defenders off guard. It was clearly in the gameplan for Russia to overwhelm the QMJHL defense with speed down the wing and cut to the net from the bottom of the circle. Team QMJHL didn’t adjust to that plan and consistently struggled to handle the speed wide from the Russian attackers.

Vasili Podkolzin, perhaps the most talented of the homegrown Russian players, showed his breakaway speed for a couple of dangerous chances, though he also showed his immaturity with a bad penalty in Game 2.

Because of the speed of the Russians, and the absence of Halifax’s Jared McIsaac due to injury, no QMJHL defenseman impressed in the series.

Also deserving mention is the contrast in styles from the two teams. Since this is a short series and featuring players who don’t play together on a regular basis, players were relying on their talent and not systems.

Russia brought a more East-West approach to the game, while the QMJHL squad played a simpler, North-South game with less creative movement. The Russians came to exploit it more than team QMJHL.

There were a lot of good takeaways from the Q forwards, with one draft-eligible forward leading the pack. Drummondville’s Dawson Mercer showed that he could hang with any player on the roster, demonstrating strong forechecking and puck retrieval skills, along with a nose for the net and a great one-timer in the two games.

Mercer showed as well as any QMJHL forward hoping to earn a berth with Team Canada’s training camp next month. The two-way forward produced at both ends of the ice and without the puck, attracting attention for all the right reasons as a winger who could play up and down the lineup. He also showed some great chemistry with Moncton’s Jakob Pelletier.

Raphael Lavoie showed his great offensive potential with a number of great chances, and scored the game-winner in the second contest in overtime, as Team QMJHL downed the Russians in Moncton 4-3. The upside Lavoie showed was that he can be deft and creative with the puck even in a North-South scheme. The downside of Lavoie is he showed that he is solely an offensive player in this context, and that could see him on the outside looking in come Christmas time. Team Canada will be looking for players who can play up and down the lineup, and Lavoie will need to show more jam to improve his chances.

Both goaltenders for team QMJHL impressed, and both had solid saves on their slates through the two games. It’s likely Olivier Rodrigue of Moncton holds the edge over Alexis Gravel of Halifax, based on experience.

Ty Dellandrea of Team OHL. Photo by Luke Durda/OHL Images

OHL, by Michael Rand

The annual CIBC Canada/Russia series made its way through Ontario this past week featuring some of the future stars you will be seeing on TV come World Juniors just after Christmas. This year could be an unusual situation where Canada could be dressing multiple draft eligible players.

Quinton Byfield of the Sudbury Wolves is one of those eligible players that could be selected by Team Canada come the end of December. He is one of the most talented players in this draft and has clearly separated himself as a top five talent. He managed to register two assists in the two games, and showed why he is a bona fide NHL prospect. Using his speed and sheer power, he was able to create many scoring chances. One of the things he does very well that stands out to me is his back pressure. When the puck is turned over, he will hound you until he gets it back for his team.

One of the other impressive draft eligible players was the Erie Otters’ Jamie Drysdale. The smooth skating and elusive defenseman really stood out. His ability to transition from defense to offense is some of the best I have seen at this age in a while. Watching him play, it is very evident that he exudes a ton of confidence and reads off his teammates very well. When there is an opportunity for him to join the rush, he does so.

Cole Perfetti, of the Saginaw Spirit, will be another one of those names that you will be hearing come June for sure, but potentially in December as well. He showed well over the two games adding a goal in the first game. What makes Perfetti such an exciting prospect to watch is his poise with the puck and his goal scoring ability. He reads very well off his teammates and can get into those “soft areas” on the ice to let his shot go. What also impressed me was his ability to show off his passing skills and demonstrate his high level of hockey IQ. Again, another very intriguing and promising prospect who could crack the World Junior team this season.

Amongst some of the already drafted players, several stood out. Ty Dellandrea, the Dallas Stars prospect playing for the Flint Firebirds made a positive impression. He was a physical and dominant force when he was on the ice. He managed to score one goal in the two games, but left a strong impression. His speed, tenaciousness, and smarts for the game were some of the takeaways I took from his games.

Niagara Ice Dogs player and Los Angeles Kings prospect, Akil Thomas, showed some strong play as well. A player I feel that Team Canada will lean heavily on come Christmas time showed why he almost made the NHL this season. His strong two-way play drives any line he is on and that was evident in these games. He popped in one goal in the two games, but was force on the ice when he was out there.

The London Knights’ Connor McMichael, a Washington Capitals prospect, showed why he is one to be considered for December as well. Putting the puck in the back of the net during both games and showing strong two-way play only caught the attention of many in attendance. He has a lethal shot and strong hockey IQ that was on display in both games.

Another strong outing came from Thomas Harley of the Mississauga Steelheads. His ability to create offense from the back end is very impressing. The Dallas Stars prospect showed his skating ability and high level IQ for generating his offensive chances. I suspect to hear his name right in contention come December.

For the Russians, I thought Vancouver Canucks prospect Vasili Podkolzin was their most consistent player. That said, I still wonder why does he not put up more points? This guy consistently drives play and is threat on the ice always. That was no more evident than the assist he had in the second game.

Ivan Morozov (VGK) was a little quiet in the first game, but picked it up in the second game and eventually went on to score in the shootout. Personally, I was expecting more from this player, but he fared fine. It will be interesting to see if he finds himself onto this Russian team come Christmas time.

Finally, one of the draft eligible Russian players, Maxim Groshev, had a strong showing. He is a very strong skater and fared well playing with Podkolzin. I thought he showed some offensive flashes, and showed his speed effectively. On numerous occasions, he would change speeds coming down the wing to create separation from himself and the D man.

Team Canada is going to have some difficult decisions ahead of them come late December. I think you are going to see a very competitive selection camp and could potentially see a couple of surprise faces donning the Maple Leaf come Boxing Day.

WHL, by Vince Gibbons

This week’s WHL vs Russia games only reinforced what we already knew about the WHL, that it consistently produces high caliber defenders. Head coach Mitch Love employed three dangerous defenseman on his first power play unit; something that is almost never seen at this level of hockey. In a somewhat methodical first game the WHL left it late, scoring in the last minute to force overtime and then scoring in overtime to secure a win in Saskatoon (2-1). In Prince Albert, special teams really moved to the forefront as the WHL went three for four on the power play in the second period and really started to take control of the game. They were unable to hold on and again went to overtime. OT solved nothing but the Russians were able to snatch victory in the game by going three for three to start the shootout. This set up a unique second shootout for the overall series win in which Nolan Foote scored two shootout goals to lead the CHL teams to a series victory over Russia. A few players stood out with their in game performances:

Team WHL

Bowen Byram was the most dangerous player on either team over the two games. He joins the rush as well as anyone and played a half wall position on the power play where he had space to drive the net. His puck handling and release make him hard to defend. In game one he scored the equalizer and set up the OT winner. In game two he had no points but was a big part of the buildup for two power goals with his dynamic skating and playmaking abilities.

Calen Addison was paired with Byram making for a lethal offensive combination on the blue line. His skating ability was on full display, as was his vision. He can move the puck around so effectively and has great feigns and dekes that open up the ice for him. Physically the Russians we able to hem him in a bit but his playmaking and ability to get pucks to the net stood out in the offensive zone. Scoring the OT winner in game one plus making a series of nice passes on the powerplay, which led to a special teams clinic by the WHL in the second period of game two really left an impression.

Ty Smith wore the “C” for the WHL and showed how dangerous his skating makes him. He is so adept at moving the puck from blue line to blue line either by carrying or moving the puck. On the power play Smith played the middle of the blue line where he made excellent passes on his forehand and backhand leading to two assists in the second game. He took a couple of holding penalties where he lost positioning on his man, a reminder that he still needs to clean up his play in his own zone, but overall he was very strong across the two games.

Nolan Foote’s presence around the net is very noticeable. On the powerplay he scored two goals all within three feet of the goalie. His game below the dots is impressive as he can protect the puck very well and has an excellent shot with a quick release. His six shots were second on the team. When on the cycle his skating is less of an issue and he can look very dominant. He also led team WHL in the shootout going 2 for 3 with a couple of really nice finishes.

In terms of draft eligible players both Connor Zary and Braden Schneider acquitted themselves quite well. Zary looked dangerous carrying the puck and was part of a second powerplay unit that netted a goal in Game 2 where he had the primary assist. Schneider was a very solid stay at home defender with a roster that always look to move forward. He was physical and controlled the board play in his own zone while making sound defensive decisions and outlet passes.

Russia

Egor Zamula was a solid but not necessarily spectacular player for Russia over both games. He logs a ton of minutes in all situations; defensively he controls his own zone well. He uses his size very effectively, his reach in particular where he can create turnovers quickly. He moves the puck well and can hit a homerun pass because he always has his head up. He moves the puck quickly on the powerplay which creates opportunities down low.

Ivan Morozov carries the puck well and is not scared to drive to the net with or without the puck. His shot is dangerous and he led the Russians in the WHL games with 5 shots. He made a couple of very nice plays including a nice little saucer pass into the slot for the game tying goal in game two. He is a very hard working player and was noticeable on the back check where his pressure prevented sustained offensive zone time for team WHL. He also managed to score two of three shootout attempts in the final game.

Amir Miftakhov was Russia’s best player on a night where they played with the lead for 54 minutes. He was very controlled and poised in the net. His reaction saves were impressive and he did a nice job of pushing rebounds away from the crease if he couldn’t cover the puck. He isn’t a big goalie and relies on his reads to get into position rather than filling up the entire net. He also came in cold for the second shootout and made two big saves to give Russia a chance to win the series. I could see him establishing himself in the KHL in the next few seasons and being a goalie that comes to North America in his mid-twenties like so many have tended to in the past few seasons.

The CHL managed to edge out the Russians in the series. Both teams managed to collect three wins. The Russians impressed with getting a final victory as it was their 6^th game in 10 days with an enormous amount of travel and time zone adjustment.

Chicago Blackhawks 2019-20 Prospect Review: Top 20

Sat, 14 Sep 2019 10:50:04 +0000

Around one month into last season, the Chicago Blackhawks, meandering through a slow start, fired their coach, future Hall of Famer Joel Quenneville. He was replaced by Jeremy Colliton, who had been the head coach of the Blackhawks’ AHL club in nearby Rockford. The new youngest coach in the NHL had only been behind the bench at any level for five years, the first four of which were in Sweden, with Mora, which he helped guide from the Allsvenskan to the SHL before taking the Rockford job.

The hiring was curious for more reasons than just Colliton’s general lack of experience. For another thing, hiring coaches from the AHL has recently fallen out of vogue, at least directly, with many GMs preferring coaching retreads, or, if they want a new face, looking to the college ranks, as was done in Dallas and Broadway, following Philadelphia a few years ago. (Note that exceptions are sometimes made when the incumbent coach is fired or leaves at an awkward time – see Colorado and the hiring of Jared Bednar) Promoting assistants to the top job has also been popular, as we see with the most recent Stanley Cup winner in Craig Berube, or with Ottawa plucking DJ Smith from the backbench of Provincial rival Toronto.

In any case, Colliton’s promotion from Rockford does give us a chance to study how he incorporated some of his old charges from the farm into the NHL lineup. There were a few 2017-18 IceHogs who received significant time in the Chicago lineup in 2018-19. Looking at our top 20 from last year, big blueliner Carl Dahlstrom lost his eligibility after playing in 38 games. Luke Johnson also got into 15 games, retaining his prospect eligibility (which he will try to lose this year as a member of the Minnesota Wild). Netminder Collin Delia got 16 games in net when Corey Crawford was hurt, and put up numbers that were better than ostensible backup Cam Ward’s (although still not that great). Other players having played under Colliton for both teams include Gustav Forsling, Andreas Martinsen, John Hayden, Dennis Gilbert, and Alexandre Fortin.

Notably, none of the players listed above had outsized roles with Collliton’s Blackhawks’ squad as he was able to tell the difference in quality between good AHL players and NHL talent. The Blackhawks nonetheless finished around the same under Colliton as they were with Quenneville. Based on the list below, we also don’t expect the Rockford connection to play a greater role next year, as of the five players listed who primarily played in the AHL last year, three came to the organization from other teams in the offseason, meaning they had never played under Colliton. The two that are holdovers include Dylan Sikura, who actually only played for Colliton in Chicago, and Lucas Carlsson, who was still in Sweden, playing for Brynas, when Colliton was in Rockford.

Even with the overall record not changing much between the two coaches, and the new coach not utilizing much in the way of familiar faces in his new job, the Blackhawks did at least feel more energized under the younger coach. And with one of the deepest systems in the game, there is the hope that Colliton will be better equipped to utilize the young talent entering the system than his predecessor had been.

-Ryan Wagman

Adam Boqvist (27) of the Chicago Blackhawks (Photo by Adam Lacy/Icon Sportswire)

1 Kirby Dach, C (3^rd overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) Dach is a true game-breaker down the middle of the ice. Few centers bring the combination of size, speed and skill that he provides. He has the ability to make plays in open ice, beat guys one on one or make a pass that cut open defenses. He carries the puck through the neutral zone well and always plays with his head up. He can protect the puck as well as anyone down low and can make passes from anywhere on the ice. He is a very good shooter, too, but his game revolves around his passing ability and ability to hold onto the puck. His defensive game is intriguing as well as he uses his long reach to strip pucks and on the back check can quickly turn the play around with his physical dominance. He needs to improve his consistency over a full season, but he projects as a number one center but could play the wing as early as this season in the NHL. - VG

2 Adam Boqvist, D (8^th overall, 2018. Last Year: 1) An elite offensive defender, Boqvist has the requisite tools to be a high scorer in the NHL. His skating stride is not only smooth, it is powerful, and it allows him to take risks by jumping up into the rush quite frequently. He also possesses fantastic scoring instincts for a defender, sliding down into the slot or using his agility to open up shooting lanes for himself at the blueline. While his offensive game could best be described as dynamic, his defensive game can be summarized as “developing.” Boqvist is a high risk, high reward player who may never be a defensive stalwart but his reads and physical assertiveness will need to improve for him to be a reliable even strength player. He will either play with Chicago, or in the AHL this season. A year of minor pro would likely greatly help his defensive game and make him more equipped to handle the rigors of the NHL. - BO

3 Alex Nylander, LW (8^th overall, 2016 [Buffalo]. Last Year: 3 [Buffalo]) Nylander is a rather controversial and inconsistent player to watch. At his best, he is a gifted playmaker and passer with a great way of seeing the play and anticipating where to be on the ice, however he is rarely at his best. Instead he lacks physicality or any sort of aggressiveness in his game which sees him often times back down from being first to the puck and battles as he is weak on the puck. For a forward with size and a good shot, Nylander has to make sure to keep his feet moving at all times and be stronger so that he can get the opportunities he deserves. He has the skill to be a middle six forward but he will need to make major adjustments to his attitude and consistency in order to make the next level work. He will need to be more aggressive and his work ethic will have to be much better than in previous seasons. - SC

4 Aleksi Saarela, C (89^th overall, 2015 [New York Rangers]. Last Year: 3 [Carolina]) Saarela is a hard-working, dynamic player who wins battles and moves so efficiently that his energy stays high throughout the entirety of each game. He is a great shooter and his accuracy is impressive which makes him a tough opponent to stop. He is an all-around fun and creative player to watch and with his hockey sense and skill, he has the potential to be a top six forward and lead a team despite his size. He flies under the radar but will still need a year in the AHL to gain enough momentum and confidence to be the same type of player once he moves up to the NHL. That being said, should Saarela have another great year and work on being more accurate with his breakout and regroup passes, his transition to the next level will be much easier. He will also need to better his coverage at both ends of the ice. - SC

5 Ian Mitchell, D (57^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 4) Overshadowed in the AJHL in his draft year by Cale Makar, Mitchell is likewise a second fiddle defender in the Chicago pipeline behind Boqvist. That said, he has clearly been the top blueliner for Denver for two years running. He is a fine skater, with four directional ability, and his hands are just as quick. He can dangle and is a natural at walking the blueline and moving off of it to help his team create offense. As good as he is offensively, he is just as sharp in his own zone. He plays with a mature sense of calm and can be relied upon in the hairiest situations. Even with Boqvist in the picture, I would not put a first pairing future past Mitchell, although second pairing is more likely. - RW

Chicago Blackhawks center Dylan Sikura (95) (Photo by Daniel Bartel/Icon Sportswire)

6 Dylan Sikura, D (178^th overall, 2014. Last Year: 3) With great speed and incredible hockey vision, Sikura has turned into an absolute steal as a sixth round pick for the Blackhawks. A former OJHL star, he spent four years at Northeastern to ramp up his offensive game to the high level he sits at now. In his first full pro year, he posted a 45-17-18-35 stat line with AHL Rockford while adding eight assists in 33 NHL games. From the standpoint of raw skating, he was one of the best in the AHL and in this very deep farm system. His playmaking has long been his calling card, and he loves to make space for teammates with his speed only to pass it off. He is a smaller center, but does not shy away from doing the dirty work on both ends of the rink. His shot will never be a legitimate weapon, but he can hide his biggest flaw by playing a distributor role instead. He could be a top-six forward -- he routinely plays all three positions -- as soon as this season. - TD

7 Niklas Nordgren, RW (74^th overall, 2018. Last Year: 5) Nordgren was having a strong 2018-19 season until he was injured, which caused him to miss the World Juniors and limited his season to only 15 Liiga games. The 5-9" winger is not the fastest of skaters but has very good passing skills, offensive instincts and vision. He can execute an efficient and quick passing game both in the neutral and offensive zones. He is smart in possession and constantly plays with his head up while scanning his options. Nordgren has a quick and very accurate wrist shot, as well as a hard slap shot, both of which can beat goalies cleanly. He has a goal-scorer's touch around the net. A lack of explosiveness in his skating is concerning, but his top speed is quite good and still improving. He has middle-six upside as an offensive-minded winger. - MB

8 Michal Teply, LW (105^th overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) Teply has been a key player for the Czech youth national teams at the international level. The Blackhawks' third round pick is a very smart winger with no shortage of skill, either. Even when having limited time and space, he can deliver quality passes and stay poised under pressure. He makes quick decisions with the puck and reads the game at a high level. He has good shooting technique and mechanics, making for an accurate, high-velocity wrist shot. He is an agile and fluid skater with good coordination. He can carry the puck into the zone with relative ease, but he would be even more dangerous with improved acceleration, especially from a standstill. Teply projects as a middle-six winger at the NHL level. He will play for WHL's Winnipeg Ice this season. - MB

9 Alex Vlasic, D (43^rd overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) A Chicago-area native, Vlasic gains notice as soon as eyes are laid upon him, considering his towering 6-6” size. His skating needs to be cleaned up, but he gets to a decent top speed, especially considering his frame. Vlasic is still incredibly raw and learning what he can and cannot do against advanced competition, especially as it pertains to his ability to read the play. He has surprisingly good hands and is capable of executing highlight reel passes. His long reach helps him overcome some of his defensive zone foibles, but he flashes enough to suggest that he can grow into competence there. Coupling in the fear factor, as he is not afraid to run guys over, and we have here a blueliner with outsized potential once he decides on the type of player he should be. - RW

10 MacKenzie Entwistle, C/RW (69^th overall, 2017 [Arizona]. Last Year: Not ranked) Like a Swiss army knife, there are many facets to Entwistle’s game. He has size. He skates well. He is a very intelligent player away from the puck and is effective in all three zones. He asserts himself physically and is an excellent forechecker. He can play all three forward positions and slide up and down a lineup depending on need. He provides leadership and is coming off back to back Championships with two different OHL teams. While Entwistle does not possess elite offensive tools, he is the type of player that the coaching staff in Chicago will absolutely love. And, as already alluded to, he is the type of player you win Championships with. His projection is likely of a bottom six forward who can anchor a penalty kill and he should move quickly through Chicago’s system, even if the offensive production is only mediocre. - BO

11 Dominik Kubalik, LW (191^st overall, 2013 [Los Angeles]. Last Year: Not ranked [Los Angeles]) Kubalik put together a breakout season with Ambri-Potta on the Swiss NLA. He was one of the top players for the Czech national tea, throughout the season as well, earning a spot on the team for the World Championships, where he recorded 12 points in 10 games. A skilled a sizeable winger who can score goals, he has a strong shot selection which features a quick release wrist shot and an accurate one-timer. Scoring goals comes naturally to him, especially from the circles. He also has the vision and passing skills to create offensive opportunities for others in the final third. Kubalik is a decent skater. His quickness used to be somewhat of an issue, but he has shown improvements in agility and foot speed. He has versatility and physicality to boot, allowing him to be used up and down an NHL lineup. - MB

12 Nicolas Beaudin, D (27^th overall, 2018. Last Year: 6) While Beaudin’s offensive numbers were down a bit from the previous season, he still showed his amazing passing ability. He can hit any teammate anywhere on the ice, putting them in an optimal scoring position. He adds to his great passing with excellent hockey sense, and 56 points from the blueline is nothing to sneeze at. He can read plays as well as anyone in the QMJHL. What still holds him back is his size and his acceleration. He is an undersized blueliner who does not play physical. While his movement and agility is excellent, his speed is just okay. His acceleration is what hurts his skating the most, although his edgework is great. He can overcompensate on both ends of the puck for this, but he can also make great breakouts and succeed in the offensive zone. He is a very talented offensive defender who can quarterback a power play at the NHL level. - MS

13 Brandon Hagel, LW (159^th overall, 2016 [Buffalo]. Last Year: Not ranked [not affiliated]) Hagel is a previously drafted but unsigned player that had to recommit himself in his 20 year old season to get a shot at a pro career. He excels with the puck on his stick, has very good vision and was a top five scorer in the WHL last season. His shot isn’t blow you away quick but he picks corners incredibly well which makes him a dual threat as a shooter and a passer. He played both special teams units and he is an excellent agitator which enables him to draw a lot of penalties. He needs to improve on his discipline as he can run a little hot and take himself out of his game with foolish penalties. Hagel has a chance to be a very good third line player who can be matched up against anyone and can contribute offense from a depth role but will take a couple seasons in the AHL before he sees any NHL ice time. - VG

14 John Quenneville, C (30^th overall, 2014 [New Jersey]. Last Year: 4 [New Jersey]) It is no secret that Quenneville’s path to success has been somewhat delayed and a little rocky. Last season with Binghamton in the AHL was good but saw him also spend a fair bit of time in the penalty box. He has the hands and natural skill to no doubt be playing in the NHL but where he will end up exactly is up to him. He will need to push himself harder to stay focused and stay caught up with the pace of the NHL game if he wants to be anything higher than a third liner. At his best, Quenneville is a dynamic, aggressive power forward who is hard to stop but this next season is a make or break year and it will be up to him to see if he can secure a full time spot in the lineup with the Blackhawks, an organization that prides itself on its forward development. - SC

15 Evan Barratt, C (90^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 12) After struggling through an occasionally trying freshman campaign, Barratt hit a new level with Penn State last season. He is a strong skater with good playmaking instincts. He reads opposing defenses very well and has a knack for finding linemates in motion. While his offensive game is solid, he doesn’t seem to have enough skill to play in a top six, but thankfully he more than makes up for it with strong defensive zone work. He is a trusted penalty killer and generally has his stick in the right place to break up plays and regain possession. He is also a willing combatant, happy to get his nose dirty and generally not fun to play against. Heading back for his junior season, I expect Barratt to sign next spring and work his way to a third line role. - RW

16 Jakub Galvas, D (150^th overall, 2017. Last Year: Not ranked) The top scoring teenager in the Czech Extraliga last year, Galvas increased his offensive output by around 25% despite playing in two fewer games and once again having his season interrupted by the WJC. Despite lacking size, he is an all-situations defender, who uses his stick well in his own zone while also having a knack for filling in shooting and passing lanes with his body. He has very quick feet, which enable him to join or lead the rush and get back quickly if needed, which, on some occasions, is due to his own turnovers. The former fifth round pick is developing steadily and is readying himself for a big step up in competition as he will be playing in the Liiga for Jukurit this season. He still has much to iron out in his game, but between his skating and puck skills, he has a solid shot at a third pairing spot down the road. - RW

17 Alexis Gravel, G (162^nd overall, 2018. Last Year: 13) Gravel is a big goalie who plays an efficient game. He had a big year last year when he needed to; Halifax was reliant on his game to get them to the big stage, and he was needed at times for a deep Mooseheads playoff run into May. While he carries a lot of muscle at 218 pounds, he can move around the crease quickly and puts himself in good position to make the second and third save when needed. In fact, he makes some tough saves look routine with his great puck tracking and anticipation. Gravel might have gained too much weight too quickly and sapped some quickness a year ago but showed this year that the added weight was not an issue. He has starter potential as he gets quicker and continues to progress. - MS

18 Philipp Kurashev, LW/C (120^th overall, 2018. Last Year: 16) Kurashev is a well-rounded and refined offensive player. For the second year in a row, he scored over one point-per-game, and also for the second year in a row, he impressed at the WJC, with seven points in seven games for Team Switzerland last holiday season while being the centerpiece of his team. In Quebec, he also had to deal with the extra attention of being the top center on his team, and thrived with a defensively-responsible offensive game as a player who can play a ton of minutes. Kurashev wrapped up his season with three games in the AHL with Rockford and finally four points over eight games with Switzerland at the world championships playing against men. He needs to improve his skating speed a bit, but he has the makings of a top-nine contributor at the NHL level. - MS

19 Lucas Carlsson, D (110^th overall, 2016. Last Year: 8) A highly aggressive and entertaining defenseman, Carlsson had a very solid 2018-19 campaign, his first in the North American pro ranks. He paced all of Rockford’s defensemen in most offensive categories on their top defensive pair. His speed and shot are average at best, but his fierce and enthusiastic drive in all three zones is what makes him an intriguing prospect. His stretch passes are tight and quick, but he is capable of weaving through the neutral zone with the hands and edgework that make him a fine two-way blueliner. He loves to join the rush as a trailer and let off a wrister, although his shot is average at best. Defensively, he is never hesitant to pressure an opposing forward with a hit against the boards or a sweep check at the line. He is still a while away from being an NHLer, and his play-tracking on defense will have to improve until then, but I would not be surprised to see him on the Blackhawks’ third pair in the near future. - TD

20 Andrei Altybarmakyan, RW (70^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 20) A gifted player and a fast skater, Altybarmakyan has already accumulated significative pro experience in the last few seasons and is now a full-time KHL player after moving to HC Sochi from SKA. The move panned out well for him as he found more time on ice and a former NHL superstar on the bench in Sergei Zubov. A dangerous player when the ice opens up, Altybarmakyan needs to improve his defensive game, his consistency, and his intensity before trying to move overseas. In the NHL it is hard to rely on talent alone, and at this point, he is nothing more than a project player. However, he has intriguing offensive potential and next year will be key to understanding what his real ceiling is. - ASR

McKeen’s 2019 NHL Shadow Draft

Ryan Wagman — Tue, 25 Jun 2019 12:00:27 +0000

Before writing up our division by division draft reviews, I wanted to take some time to conduct the McKeen's Hockey Shadow draft and then share a few draft thoughts. As a reminder, for the shadow draft, we assume that we are picking 16^th in any given round and simply draft the top ranked player on our board at that point, with the only tweaks being that we cannot draft more than one netminder and that our shadow draft class needs at least two forwards and two defensemen.

For additional context, here are our shadow classes from the 2017 and 2018 drafts, including the slot, the player we would have chosen, where that player was actually selected (if he was selected at all), and the actual player selected at that slot.

Pick #	2017 Draft - Player	McKeens Rank	Actual Draft slot	Actual Pick
16	Kristian Vesalainen	9	24	Juuso Valimaki
47	Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen	32	54	Alex Formenton
78	Keith Petruzzelli	37	88	Stuart Skinner
109	Adam Ruzicka	40	109	Adam Ruzicka
140	Sasha Chmelevski	61	185	Zach Fischer
171	Kirill Slepets	74	Undrafted	D'Artagnan Joly
202	Emil Oksanen	76	Undrafted	Filip Sveningsson

The positional rules went into effect after the 2017 draft saw us pick two goalies and zero defensemen. How did we do? I think we come out ahead for 2017. Vesalainen has yet to fully breakthrough in the NHL while Valimaki split last season between the NHL and the AHL. I still believe that Vesalainen has greater upside. Formenton and Luukonen both had tremendous final seasons of junior eligibility last year, but “our” guy looks like a potential number one netminder and Formenton still seems more likely to top off as a third line forward with exceptional speed. Petruzzelli and Skinner might be a wash as it is too early to tell on either and neither has really demanded attention.

Ruzicka was nailed in the fourth round while we crushed the NHL in both the fifth and sixth rounds. The NHL picks at those slots – Zach Fischer and D’Artagnan Joly – were both left unsigned and their NHL rights were surrendered. We drafted Sasha Chmelevski, who has since blossomed into a top CHL player while Slepets went undrafted until now, but Carolina took him this year, showing that we were definitely on to something. I will give the seventh round to the NHL as Svenningson is moving up the ranks in Sweden, having a solid first senior season in the Allsvenskan. He isn’t yet signed to an ELC, but our pick Emil Oksanen was not been drafted or signed anyway and his career hasn’t really taken off.

Pick #	Player	McKeens Rank	Actual Draft slot	Actual Pick
16	Joe Veleno	10	30	Martin Kaut
47	Akil Thomas	26	51	Kody Clark
78	Blake McLaughlin	40	79	Sampo Ranta
109	Aidan Dudas	52	113	Tyler Weiss
140	Alexis Gravel	67	162	Brandon Saigeon
171	Merrick Rippon	85	Undrafted	Nikolai Kovalenko
202	Danila Galenyuk	96	Undrafted	Shamil Shmakov

It is harder to yet judge the 2018 results, but we’ll give it a shot. The real #16, Martin Kaut, went right to the AHL and more or less held his own as a teenager while also impressing at the WJC. Our pick, Joe Veleno, also made Canada’s WJC roster and finished fourth in QMJHL regular season scoring. Veleno may have had more of an eye-popping season this year, but I will not discount Kaut’s accomplishments in his D+1 season. Let’s call it a wash for now even if I may yet prefer Veleno as bias might be present.

In the second round, I prefer our pick of Akil Thomas to Colorado’s selection of Kody Clark. If we are comparing fathers, Clark wins hands down, but Thomas finished eighth in OHL scoring this year while Clark had less than half as much production. In a nice little coincidence, the third-round picks both went on to play for the University of Minnesota. McLaughlin had a slightly more effective freshman season especially looking better over the season half of the season, but the gap is not enough to overcome the confidence interval. We’ll call it even for now.

In the fourth round, neither our pick (Aidan Dudas) nor the real pick (Tyler Weiss) had especially good seasons. Dudas essentially repeated his production from his draft year while Weiss struggled to impact in his first NCAA campaign. No winner. I am prepared to give McKeens a slight edge in the fifth round, as Alexis Gravel took a big step forward last year, and was a rock in the QMJHL playoffs, taking Halifax to the Q finals and keeping up the good work in the Memorial Cup. To be honest, Saigeon had a nice season as well, but he was an onverager, so his step forward was less noteworthy. Neither of our last two picks, Merrick Rippon or Danila Galenyuk were drafted. Rippon was basically the same guy this year while Galenyuk took a modest step forward and I think we should continue to keep our eyes on him.

The NHL easily wins the sixth round, as Nikolai Kovalenko spent the year in the KHL and played in the WJC. He is still a far ways from the NHL but he is still on the radar. The NHL seventh rounder, netminder Shamil Shmakov, took a step back while failing to get out of the Russian junior ranks. I prefer Galenyuk at this stage, but will call it a tie, because Shmakov at least has his NHL rights under control for now.

Track record established (pretty solid) let’s look at how our shadow draft for 2019 played out.

Pick #	Player	McKeens Rank	Actual Draft slot	Actual Pick
16	Peyton Krebs	8	17	Alex Newhook
47	Albert Johansson	26	60	Drew Helleson
78	Pavel Dorofeyev	31	79	Alex Beaucage
109	Marshall Warren	35	166	Marc Del Gaizo
140	Yegor Chinakhov	49	Undrafted	Sasha Mutala
171	Nikola Pasic	53	189	Luka Burzan
202	Oleg Zaytsev	66	Undrafted	Trent Miner

Once again, we are going up against the Colorado Avalanche scouts this year, who had the 16^th pick, although the fourth-round pick of Del Gaizo was actually made by Nashville following a pick swap.

If you look at where we had ranked the players drafted, we are clearly excited by how our shadow draft played out. Krebs was a top ten talent and may have fallen a few slots due to an achilles injury that will delay his 2019-20 season a touch but should have zero impact on his long-term prognosis. We had our second and third rounders also slotted as first round talents. Both Johansson and Dorofeyev have dynamic offensive skills and I especially feel that Johansson will make his real draft slot look laughable (in a good way) within two years. He was a late riser and capped his season with an impressive WU18 tournament. Dorofeyev has his warts, namely lack of interest in his own zone, but I am happy to bet on the skills here.

As much as I like those picks, I love getting Marshall Warren in the fourth round. His real-life fall to the sixth was the biggest shock of the draft for me. He is a truly dynamic puck moving defender and while he can play a risky game, having seen him extensively, I always got the sense that his risks were calculated. I have inquired around with some sources about why he might have fallen and received some speculative theories, but nothing definitive. One source simply stated that he had no clue. Our bottom three round picks were long term plays with European flavor, although Zaytsev spent this past season in the WHL. They are all tools bets and I am happy to take those in any draft, but especially in the back half.

I am happy to welcome these seven young men into the McKeen’s family. We will look back at these picks again next year to track everyone’s progress.

Now for some random thoughts about the draft

I had thought that all of the USNTDP U18 class, barring Danny Weight, would be drafted. As it turns out, Michael Gildon and Cam Rowe joined him in limbo. Gildon’s not being selected was especially surprising. He plays a heavy game, but with good wheels and good hands. He can play with talented players and keep the pace. He is going to a good program at Ohio State and will have a chance to play in a top six role right away as the Buckeyes have had a lot of turnover. Rowe is a very athletic netminder, but his technical game falters way too quickly. North Dakota has a good reputation for developing goalies and he could be a redraft with a bit of refinement to his game.
As I personally cover the USHL most fervently, the late seventh round pick of McKade Webster by Tampa was odd. In his first year of eligibility, I liked him enough with Green Bay, although not enough to consider him for our draft rankings. A decent future collegian basically. He went back to Green Bay for 2018-19 but has limited to six games due to injury. What did he do in six games that he didn’t show when healthy the year before? I have no clue.
There were 41 players drafted that we didn’t have on our expanded list, slightly better than the 44 we completely whiffed on last year. A good number of the 41 we didn’t rank were redrafts we didn’t feel had improved enough. Most of the rest were deep scouting cuts from Europe. Also, there was Cade Webber, who I think we meant to have in our top 217, but somehow omitted. I will take the blame on that one. He went higher than we would have ranked him, but I will not slam Carolina for taking him in the fourth round when completed by reviews in the coming days.
I mentioned Marshall Warren in the shadow draft above as being the biggest faller. The biggest risers were a quintet of second rounders who we had as much later picks. Shane Pinto was the first pick of day two and while his numbers were great and he is a late bloomer, I never saw him as a dynamic player and would have been more comfortable with him in the third round. Artemi Knyazev was similar. Dillon Hamaliuk was ranked in the fifth-round area, but with the caveat that he could have been graded considerably higher if not for a devastating knee injury which cut his season short. We are not privy to medicals, so I will presume that San Jose was fine with what they saw there. The final two who jumped were a pair of combine stars in Jayden Struble and Samuel Bolduc. We actually had Bolduc as an honorable mention player (218-325) and probably should have ranked him closer to the 150 range. Still would have been drafted too high for our tastes, but live and learn. The combine can boost some guys into the second tier.
I didn’t count how many, but teams are more and more willing to draft second- and third-year eligible players, even pretty high. If I’m not mistaken, three were taken in the second round (Kotchetkov, Fagemo, Leason), all roughly in line with where we had them ranked.
This means nothing but a few giggles from myself on the media riser on day two, but we ranked a few guys exactly where they were drafted after the top two. Going exactly in line with our rankings were Matthew Boldy (12), John Beecher (30), Vladislav Kolyachonok (52), Gianni Fairbrother (77), Sasha Mutala (140), Elmer Soderblom (159). 24 picks were made within two slots of where we had them ranked.
92 of our top 100 were drafted, one less than last year, but roughly on par with our expectations. I’ll be satisfied when we break 95, but our misses included players from Russia, the Czech Republic, OHL, WHL, and the USHL. No real patterns to glean lessons from but we will come back better and stronger next year. Ever onwards, ever upwards.

QMJHL Trade Deadline: Want to improve your QMJHL team this season? Pay up!

Michael Sanderson — Mon, 17 Dec 2018 17:43:55 +0000

The QMJHL’s silly season is upon us.

The league’s trading period opens up Sunday, and several trades are already in the books, some of which were consummated before the opening bell was officially opened. The period closes up on January 6. One thing to be expected this season: contenders will have to pay to make their teams better heading into the second half.

All eyes are on the Halifax Mooseheads this season as the Memorial Cup hosts in May. Because of this, the team has some extra pressure to build a contender. On paper, they are one of the strongest teams in the entirety of the Canadian Hockey League, but they have struggled a little bit with consistency. The team is noticing some potential issues that may need solving for the tourney, adding to their depth.

Now, if newspaper quotes are to be believed, Mooseheads general manager Cam Russell is not all that interested in blowing up the future for the present, as he observes that his team could be even better next season as presently constructed. However, this year is a guaranteed Memorial Cup berth, whereas future years are earned solely by hard work from August-to-May. The sure thing dictates that this declaration is just posturing, as a Memorial Cup host can expect a heightened market for any assets.

Further, this Mooseheads squad could use some tinkering. Edmonton Oiler forward Ostap Safin, acquired from Saint John at the start of the season, has been in and out of the lineup due to ongoing hip issues. Overager Jordan Maher has simply not been the best fit with the team with just four goals so far, despite his best efforts. Anaheim Ducks prospect Antoine Morand’s game has been as expected, but the numbers are not quite where they should be, with 28 points in 29 games. Potential first rounder Raphaël Lavoie has hit a bit of a snag this season, not looking like himself from last season; he is scoring less and seeing his focus wane at times this season. The offence, a strong suit in prior years, is sixth-best in the league right now, with a few blowouts augmenting the numbers.

New Jersey Devils defender Jocktan Chainey has seen his ice time drop and Chicago Blackhawks blueliner Jake Ryczek has seen his rise, but behind Jared McIsaac and Justin Barron, who have been solid, there is no big third defender option. Despite that, the team has solid defending numbers, tied for second-best in goals against.

To his credit, goaltender Alexis Gravel has been maybe the team’s most valuable player so far this season, but his backup option is Cole MacLaren, a decent choice but not a goalie you want starting against the OHL and WHL champions.

To that end, Halifax will be in on a defenceman this trading period, and potentially a second goaltender as well. If the price is right, they may also look to add to the forward group to try and jumpstart the offence.

Noah Dobson

Thankfully for the Mooseheads, the two biggest names available in the trading period are both defencemen. New York Islanders prospect Noah Dobson is the biggest fish in the pond, and right behind him is Arizona Coyotes draft pick Pierre-Olivier Joseph.

The price for Dobson will set the market, as he is the prize all teams are competing for. Dobson is a game-changer on defence, capable of controlling a game from the back-end, and has championship experience on the biggest stage. Joseph is a very solid consolation prize, as teams who find the price for Dobson too high may rather try to acquire one of the league’s hardest workers and smartest players. The Islanders also have very useful players to add into a Joseph trade to help a win-now team, such as Keith Getson or Anaheim Ducks prospect Hunter Drew, but it’s believed that Jim Hulton is not looking for far-off picks, preferring players that can help as early as next season in exchange for his assets. Having said that, the Islanders are in a contending position, and could choose either to stand pat or add to their team.

What is interesting in the Dobson speculation is that it is rumoured that any deal involving him will have to go through the Chicoutimi Saguenéens, as part of conditions of a prior deal for Bathurst last season. The Sags would rather the assets that Dobson would provide rather than use him this season, as Chicoutimi is a middling team with no real title aspirations this season. The suspense will run into the new year, as Dobson cannot officially be traded until his term with Team Canada at the World Junior Championships are over.

There are some top-level defender and forwards beyond those two, but in goal, most contenders seem to be set with one or two good goaltenders. There are many options for a team to buy for a playoff run – Minnesota Wild prospect Dereck Baribeau from Quebec, Pittsburgh Penguin signee Alex D’Orio in Saint John and fellow Penguin camp attendee Tristan Côté-Cazenave, to name three – but most of the top teams are set in net.

The changed playoff format this season could also have an effect on the trading period, due to the imbalance of talent between the Eastern and the Western Conferences. Starting this year, to prevent so many easy matchups in the first round and to cut down on potential travel, the league decided to drop the 1-vs-16 format and form two conferences of two divisions each. The Maritime teams and the Eastern-most Quebec teams form the 10-team East, and the rest create the eight-team West. There is the potential for wildcards to allow the top 16 teams to make the playoffs, but the weakness of this playoff format is best demonstrated by the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles. At the time of writing, the Eagles would hold home ice in the old playoff format, sitting in eighth spot in the league. Because of the new conference format, though, Cape Breton would be sixth in the East, drawing a tough, contending Baie-Comeau team, on the road no less, in the opening round, rather than 11th-place Quebec. That format change could influence some teams in terms of whether to buy, sell or stand pat this season.

Two definite contenders outside of Halifax that dominate the list of other potential buyers are the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies and the Drummondville Voltigeurs.

Rouyn-Noranda are a very strong team built from within and coached and managed by last year’s Memorial Cup winner, Mario Pouliot. They are hard-working, very deep in net and on defence, and just one player on the entire roster has played for another Q team. Their wildcard is the potential return of injured Pittsburgh Penguin prospect Zachary Lauzon. His return would put the Huskies in limbo with their overagers, and they would have to make a decision on their 20-year-olds.

Joe Veleno

The Voltigeurs are maybe the league’s deepest team, led by Anaheim Ducks prospect Maxime Comtois and Detroit Red Wings first rounder Joe Veleno up front, Chicago Blackhawks first rounder Nicolas Beaudin and New Jersey Devils prospect Xavier Bernard on defence, along with Edmonton Oilers prospect Olivier Rodrigue in goal. Comtois’s return to the Q is maybe the biggest acquisition any team could have made this season. They are a rumoured team for Dobson, and adding Dobson to Beaudin and Bernard defensively would make Drummondville a very tough team to face in the playoffs with that three-headed monster on the back end.

One team that is certainly making some changes is the Baie-Comeau Drakkar. General Manager Steve Ahern has promised that several trades will be announced Sunday. They are heavily linked to the above-mentioned D’Orio.

Further with the Drakkar, Calgary Flames pick D’Artignan Joly has left the team on his own accord, awaiting a trade. Joly and the team have had a bumpy 2018, with player wanting to be more creative and team wishing he was more engaged and aggressive. Joly can absolutely score at this level, but he is an artist more than he is a worker.

Editor’s note – prior to publication, it was announced that Joly had been dealt to Victoriaville

The Rimouski Oceanic were a contender for the league title on paper this season, but they look up at the Drakkar at this point in the year and are facing a decision – do they go for it or hold back and go for it next year. According to bench boss Serge Beausoleil, they will be tentative, but not sell off players who won’t return, including captain Charles-Edouard D’Astous, who drew some interest from the Ottawa Senators in the summer. The Oceanic are the proud team of phenom Alexis Lafrenière, who will return to the league next season, and Rimouski could set themselves up to be an even better team next season.

The Moncton Wildcats may opt to do the same, as they have a high-flying offence, but many players also set to return for next season, namely potential first rounder Jakob Pelletier and Minnesota Wild pick Alex Khovanov, despite some issues on the defensive end. Unlike the Oceanic, though, players not returning next season or otherwise not in the plans for next season could be available for trade.

Among the anticipated sellers, the Acadie-Bathurst Titan have also had a move announced ahead of Sunday’s opening day for the mid-season trading period. They will acquire forward Anderson MacDonald from the Wildcats for a pair of picks. MacDonald has not had the bounce-back season either he or the Wildcats were hoping after he was surprisingly undrafted in last June’s NHL Entry Draft. MacDonald has battled injuries all year, and has played in only four games, largely on the fourth line, before being shuffled out of Moncton to the north of New Brunswick.

The Titan have also all but moved Dobson, fellow blueliner Keenan MacIsaac and forward Ethan Crossman, and will continue to take calls on defender Michal Ivan. The foursome all played key roles for the Memorial Cup winning Titan squad last year, as they look to set themselves up for a rebuild.

Editor’s note – Prior to publication, both Crossman and MacIsaac were dealt to Baie-Comeau

One can add the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada to the list of potential sellers, as they may look into cashing in on the remaining assets from three straight strong playoff runs. Montreal Canadiens prospect Joël Teasdale is a name that would garner lots of interest, and they have many useful veterans they do not need this season – Rémy Anglehart, Alex Katerinakis, Luke Henman, Thomas Ethier and Charles-Antoine Giguère come to mind. The Armada could recoup a lot of assets for their collection of forwards.

Editor’s note – Giguère was traded to Moncton prior to publication

The Gatineau Olympiques could also cash in on a few of their players for the future, namely Minnesota Wild prospect Shawn Boudrias and overager Gabriel Bilodeau, who could put up points on a contender looking to upgrade their powerplay. So could Val-d’Or’s David Noel, a St. Louis Blues pick, who is 19, but is currently on the shelf with an eye injury.

The composition of the QMJHL’s top teams will look different between now and January, and despite the high prices, expect a lot of player movement this time around.

QMJHL 2018-19 Preview: Voltigeurs, Oceanic early favourites to join Mooseheads at Memorial Cup

Michael Sanderson — Thu, 04 Oct 2018 11:59:22 +0000

There is one certainty in the 2018-19 QMJHL season: the Halifax Mooseheads have already punched their ticket to the 2019 Memorial Cup.

They printed the tickets, in fact.

Halifax is the host for the CHL’s holy grail tournament in May, and the question is, what team joins them at the big dance?

Two teams have revealed themselves to be the cream of the crop, at least on paper at the onset of the season: the Drummondville Voltigeurs and the Rimouski Oceanic.

Benoit Olivier-Groulx

But Halifax may be the best of them all, with a deep lineup throughout, led by forwards Antoine Morand, Benoît-Olivier Groulx, Jordan Maher and draft-eligibles Raphaël Lavoie and Xavier Parent. They only lack a minute-eater on defence, depending on the progression of blueliners Jared McIsaac, a Detroit pick, and Justin Barron, and a consistent starting netminder, though Chicago pick Alexis Gravel has the potential to steal games. The acquisitions of Ostap Safin and Samuel Asselin only further bolster a strong offensive attack for head coach Eric Veilleux’s group.

Drummondville’s true potential will depend on the potential return of forward Maxime Comtois. The bruising two-way forward has turned a great showing at Anaheim’s camp, and some luck with an injury to Corey Perry, into a chance at some real live NHL games that count this season, and if he were to stick in the pros, it would be a big blow to the Volts’ title hopes. The team is deep beyond him, boasting Joe Veleno and Pavel Koltygin up front, NHL-draftees Xavier Bernard and first-rounder Nicolas Beaudin on the back end, and the league’s best goaltender in Olivier Rodrigue defending the cage. Top to bottom, Drummondville is Halifax’s biggest challenger on paper.

Rimouski has the league’s biggest name in Alexis Lafrenière, who still can’t be picked until the 2020 NHL Draft. Lafrenière has already made a name for himself on the international stage, and will be looking to improve on his 80 points from last season. The Oceanic finished third in the league last year, and holding onto that spot is the least of their expectations. Rimouski was upset in the first round last March, and will look to improve on that and go on a deep run. Adding Jimmy Huntington, Cédric Paré and Olivier Garneau to the fold up front provides strong depth to an already formidable group.

Beyond the big three, there are several clubs that could surprise, including offensive juggernauts in Baie-Comeau and Moncton, and wildcard teams like Charlottetown, Cape Breton and Quebec.

Ivan Chekhovich

The Drakkar started very hot out the gate with strong offensive play, including San Jose’s Ivan Chekhovich and Tampa Bay’s Gabriel Fortier among the top scorers. Undrafted forward Yaroslav Alexeyev, acquired from Sherbrooke in the summer, has already made an impact. Xavier Bouchard leads a middling defense corps, and Kyle Jessiman joins Justin Blanchette in a bit of a loaded crease.

The Wildcats have the horses up front to do damage as well. Last season’s shot leader Jeremy McKenna returns along with Mika Cyr, while undrafted forward Anderson MacDonald, tries to show teams he deserved to be picked last June. They shipped netminder Mark Grametbauer to Bathurst, opting instead to go forward with former Drakkar and Armada goalie Francis Leclerc. Their defence needs work, but stalwarts Jonathan Aspirot and Gabriel Sylvestre head the group.

Pierre-Olivier Joseph of the Charlottetown Islanders. Photo courtesy of the QMJHL.

Charlottetown was slept on a lot at the start of last season, but they surprised and made it to the third round, where they were finally knocked out in seven games by the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada. They hope to build momentum from final four finishes the last two seasons, but if they get off to a cold start, they have two of the best players available for trade at Christmas: Arizona first rounder Pierre-Olivier Joseph and netminder Matt Welsh.

Cape Breton is hungry for a winner, and they acquired 40-goal man Mitchell Balmas and defender Antoine Crête-Belzile to jump to contending status. Ottawa goalkeeper Kevin Mandolese looks to grow this season as the clear number one goalie as Jessiman was traded to Baie-Comeau.

Quebec returns with the biggest wild card in the whole league: new/old head coach and general manager Patrick Roy. Patrick is either loved or hated by every QMJHL hockey fan, but there is no denying he brings excitement and intensity to the product. He adds a few wins to any team he coaches, and will do so here. While Roy’s development record isn’t the strongest in the Quebec league, he is responsible for players like Jonathan Marchessault and Logan Shaw. Potential Minnesota signee Dereck Baribeau and Chicago pick Philipp Kurashev, too.

The league has adjusted their divisions and playoff format this season. Instead of three divisions, there are four. The Maritime Division has six teams, while the 12 remaining squads are split up into three four-team groupings.

Playoffs will be conference based with a 1-plays-8 format, but the 16 best teams will make the playoffs – the conferences will be shuffled so the top 16 will be in the post-season no matter what. This method avoids the top seeds breezing through the first round of the playoffs, and it prevents some of the more extreme travel in the early rounds. However, this format can prevent some monumental upsets, much like 14-seed Moncton defeating third-seed Rimouski last year.

Acadie-Bathurst’s storybook season last year resulted in a Memorial Cup championship, but it’s now time to pay the piper for the party. The Titan acquired netminder Mark Grametbauer to provide some stability in goal but have traded away much of the core from last season’s winning squad.

Noah Dobson on Acadie-Bathurst. Photo courtesy of the QMJHL.

One player to watch is still in a Titan uniform – Islanders first rounder Noah Dobson. The performance of the team in the first two months of the season will depend if the watch is on his talent or his future destination at Christmas time. Teams will be lining up for his services when the mid-season trading period opens up, and there aren’t many teams in the league that would refuse the best defenseman in the QMJHL on their roster for a playoff push.

Tough seasons will be ahead for Chicoutimi and Saint John, but those teams have names to look out for in future drafts – namely Josh Lawrence, William Villeneuve and Jeremie Poirier of the Sea Dogs and Hendrix Lapierre and Théo Rochette of the Saguenéens. They are all up for grabs in 2020 or later.

While there is much time between now and June on the Rogers Arena stage in Vancouver, the first name called from the QMJHL is expected to be Halifax’s Raphaël Lavoie. The Chambly, QC, right winger has great size, speed and hands to succeed at a top-line level in the professional game. He potted 30 goals last season, including a remarkable 10 game winners, and added 33 assists in the full slate of 68 games, and added five points in nine playoff contests.

He does an excellent job of using his 6-4” frame to his advantage as leverage in puck protection, and the long reach to keep the puck away from defenders. With added bulk and physical maturity, he already has the fundamentals to be a strong power forward, puck protector and possession player. He also is adept at firing a strong wrist shot off the rush on the left wing, where he can fire on his off-hand side. At his size, it’s no surprise he is a force in front of the net, either.

While he does have some center potential at the next level, he is an early favourite to receive passes on the right, or left, flank from Antoine Morand, who can most definitely dish with the best in the league. Expect those goal numbers to rise, and the attention with it, by the time the weather heats up in 2019.

Other early favourites to be first rounders include forwards Maxim Cajkovic of the Saint John Sea Dogs, Samuel Poulin of the Sherbrooke Phoenix, Jakob Pelletier of the Moncton Wildcats, Valentin Nussbaumer of the Shawinigan Cataractes, and defender Artemi Knyazev of the Chicoutimi Saguenéens.

All but Nussbaumer featured for their respective national teams at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup in Edmonton in August, though Pelletier fractured his wrist at the tourney and missed the first week of the QMJHL season.

Cajkovic is a power forward waiting to blossom. He has tremendous confidence in the offensive zone to let go his big shot, one of the best available in the draft, and the speed and soft hands to give him the space needed to get it off. His speed separates him from the pack, as well. He is a leader on the ice for a young Sea Dogs team and can inspire his team with a big hit or a big goal.

Poulin is the son of former NHLer Patrick Poulin. He has had a hot start to the season with the trigger finger, and he is just as strong making plays as scoring. He already has a pro size at 6-1” and 204 pounds, and is strong along the boards. He plays much like his father; strong along the boards, in the offensive zone, and defensively where his speed and anticipation make him deadly on the backcheck or on the penalty kill.

Pelletier has a motor that doesn’t quit and a nose for the net, even with his currently small frame. He has been an emotional leader for the Moncton Wildcats since his first shift in the league, and he always works hard to the final whistle. His hockey sense is off-the-charts, as well. He is a strong playmaker and a great passer, and finds his way into traffic to shoot his shot.

Nussbaumer holds two advantages over his league-mates in his quest to get drafted – he can play all three forward positions, and he has already played against men in his native Switzerland. He had a 26-game cup of coffee with his hometown team, Biel-Bienne, last season, with five goals and six points. He is a late September birthday, which also gives him an edge in performance, though he would have been a very good 2018 pick if he was eleven days older.

Knyazev is an offensively talented defenseman who can move the puck crisply. He is also strong in his own end. He isn’t the biggest defender but can handle the speed of oncoming forwards very well and steer them where they need to go. His transition game is an instant offensive tool, and he doesn’t give up on plays.

The Halifax Mooseheads also owns the rights to Victoria Grizzlies forward and potential first rounder Alex Newhook, but even the enticement of the Memorial Cup was not enough to convince the St. John’s, Newfoundland, native to make the jump to the QMJHL. He is committed to Boston College for next season.

Chicago Blackhawks Prospect System Overview

Ryan Wagman — Sat, 15 Sep 2018 20:20:04 +0000

After years of Stanley Cup contention, including what NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman termed a “dynasty” for the capturing of three Stanley Cups across a six-year period, the Blackhawks’ system had been somewhat fallow. As we all know, part of winning is picking low in the early rounds of the draft, and often it means that high picks are traded away for more immediate help.

That said, the Hawks did not follow the route of most winners of sitting out large chunks of the draft. After their first cup win in 2010, the organization made 10 selections in the draft. They made eight picks after winning in 2013, and then selected seven new players after their third Cup win in 2015. In fact, of those three drafts, 2015 was the only one in which Chicago had traded away their first-round pick.

In essence then, the Hawks systematic weaknesses were due to picking late, and some flubs, more than they were due to an absence of draft picks. Looking at the system today, the team has done an admirable job of replenishing itself with the approach of quantity. Over the last three drafts, the Hawks have made 26 picks, five more than the regularly allotted 21. Half of those players are listed in the system’s top 20 prospects. They will not all pan out, but their approach is putting the team in a position to return to contention, if not quite another championship run.

Another negative consequence of winning is often the abundance of veteran players on heavy contracts, making the team’s cap situation perilous. How many teams combat that problem is by loading the roster with as many players on minimal salary contracts as possible. Last year, top prospect Alex DeBrincat made the roster as a rookie, and scored a team-high 28 goals, without missing a game.

While the system may currently have a player or two in place who could have a similar impact down the road, the ones most likely to help right away have somewhat lower ceilings, and do not project to be as close to them now as DeBrincat was 12 months ago. Furthermore, the system has enough depth in it now that we could feasibly have talked about the top 30 prospects, as the differences between the players ranked from 15-20 and those in the next five to ten are minimal.

Before diving into the top 20, one more item of note has been the team’s strategy of drafting college bound players. There were 14 players scattered throughout the NCAA last year who had been drafted by Chicago. Between those and three others drafted this year who are planning to follow that path, seven in the top 20 have collegiate roots. One advantage of pursuing collegians heavily is that late bloomers will arrive in the NHL readier to take on big roles than late round CHL-ers often are. The Blackhawks’ current number three prospect will attempt to prove that point in the coming months.

Adam Boqvist

1 Adam Boqvist, D (8^th overall, 2018. Last Year: IE) With their highest draft pick since selecting Patrick Kane first overall in 2007, the Blackhawks added Boqvist, an electrifying skater and puck mover, to their future blue line. While the young Swedish rearguard still needs to grow physically and increase his involvement in the play off the puck, his offensive attributes add a dimension rarely seen. His skating, shot, and puck skills, all grade out as near elite, and his hockey IQ, particularly in terms of creating offense, is also high end. After spending the majority of last season in the Swedish junior ranks, Boqvist is coming to North America, likely to play with the London Knights of the OHL.

2 Henri Jokiharju, D (29^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 2^nd) With a big step forward in production in his second year in North America with the Portland Winterhawks of the WHL, Chicago’s 2017 first rounder is beginning to justify his selection. Not only did his production increase, but he raised his ceiling with improved skating, a stronger shot, and improved understanding of the game. Although still filling out his body, Jokiharju has an untapped physical element to his game and will likely have the chance to play for the Blackhawks this season. The right shooting point man has clear top four upside but could be eased into NHL life with a bottom pairing role for now.

3 Dylan Sikura, C (178^th overall, 2014. Last Year: 11^th) Sikura is the reason why more and more teams are turning to players on the collegiate path after the first few rounds of the draft. One of the better playmakers in the OJHL when the Blackhawks used a late sixth round pick on him in 2014, Sikura went to Northeastern and took his time ramping up his game. By his sophomore year, he grew into an offensive role mostly thanks to his skating ability and decent hands. But over the last two seasons, his 111 points in 73 games for the Huskies were the most in the nation. He will never be big, but his talent is undeniable, and he has never shirked his duties in the defensive end. Sikura will compete for a top six role in the NHL this year.

4 Ian Mitchell, D (57^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 8^th) Another modern, undersized blueliner, Ian Mitchell transitioned seamlessly last year from the AJHL to high level NCAA hockey with Denver. A tremendous skater with an advanced understanding of the game and his role in it, he plays with poise, skill, and confidence. Although his shot is somewhat lacking to project for a role on the power play, Mitchell moves the puck very well. Away from the puck, he makes up for his lack of size with doggedness and great stick placement. He needs another two years with the Pioneers before the Blackhawks should start thinking about a contract, but he still projects as a probable second pairing blueliner at the highest level.

Niklas Nordgren

5 Niklas Nordgren, RW (74^th overall, 2018. Last Year: IE) He is small, and his skating stride is choppy and inefficient, but Niklas Nordgren knows how to put the puck in the net at a very high level. And when he is not able to find a shooting lane for himself, Nordgren knows very well how to pick out a teammate to do it instead. He is unflappable and has preternatural vision on the ice. He plays with 360-degree awareness and understands the flow of the game both on and off the puck. The Blackhawks will not be worried about his size (or lack thereof), but they will look to see him improve his footspeed before coming to North America. A generous evaluator can project average skating in his future, while Chicago will want to see that caveat removed.

6 Nicolas Beaudin, D (27^th overall, 2018. Last Year: IE) Even though he was selected 47 spots higher than the player ranked directly ahead here, we rank Beaudin below Nordgren as he has some of the same shortcomings as Nordgren (weak startup speed), while also lacking the size to be effective in the physical components of the game. Furthermore, while Nordgren was on the younger half of draft eligible, Beaudin had a late birthday (Oct. 99) giving him seven months fewer room for growth. All of that said, he is a very advanced puck mover, capable of pinpoint passes, and owning high end vision. He loves to move around and get in deep in the offensive end and the Blackhawks will again be betting that his skating improves to the point where it will not be a liability in coverage.

7 Victor Ejdsell, LW (Trade: Feb. 26, 2018 – Nashville. Last Year: 15^th – Nashville) Acquired along with a late 2018 first round pick (see the player above) at the 2018 trade deadline in exchange for former first rounder Ryan Hartman, Ejdsell has come a long way fast. Signed as an undrafted free agent just over one year ago shortly before his 22^nd birthday, he went one to score 20 goals in 50 games in his first taste of the SHL and then came to North America t finish the season with an extended and successful run in the AHL playoffs with Rockford. While not the best skater, he is solid for his size and has very good hands. He knows how to get himself into position to score and can capitalize once there. His upside may be no more than third line, but he is ready for it now.

8 Lucas Carlsson, D (110^th overall, 2016. Last Year: 4^th) Although overlooked in is first year of draft eligibility, Carlsson caught the eyes of NHL scouts with a strong partial-season in the SHL at age 19, prompting the Blackhawks to use a fourth rounder on him. The undersized blueliner (sense a trend yet?) has continued to trend upward with his play in the two ensuing years, including a stint with Sweden’s WJC squad in 2017. Carlsson receives plus grades more or less across the board and projects as a solid two-way defender who can play in the modern style. The Hawks signed him to an ELC in May and he is expected to spend next season in Rockford.

9 Jake Wise, C (69^th overall, 2018. Last Year: IE) Although he missed the early portion of his draft year to injury, once Wise was back to full health, he was one of the strongest offensive threats in the latest rendition of the USNTDP. A strong skater with plus puck skills and a high IQ, the Florida native is an undersized (there’s that word again) playmaker, who plays an effective two-way game. He can be – and has been – used on both special teams, and is active, if not physically aggressive, away from the puck. Headed to Boston University next season, where he will suit up with a player a little further down this list, where he will have several skilled players available to receive his passes.

10 Dennis Gilbert, D (91^st overall, 2015. Last Year: 5^th) A strong skater with a big, wide body, Gilbert is unlike the other defensemen higher up this list. While he has shown some puck moving flair in the past, that part of his game is somewhat inconsistent, and his point totals over the last three seasons at Notre Dame were 10-22-10. That said, even when he is not putting points on the board, he has a way of helping his team. He is strong in both zones, playing a heavy style and is hard to strip of the puck. His stick work is heavy, and he gets it, and his body, in the way of opponents. Gilbert signed his ELC in the offseason and is expected to make his professional debut with Rockford this year.

Chad Krys

11 Chad Krys, D (45^th overall, 2016. Last Year: 12^th) After struggling through a lackluster freshman season at BU, Chad Krys turned things around in a big way as a sophomore, finishing third in points among all blueliners in Hockey East. A fantastic skater, the former second rounder is also skilled with the puck. Some struggles off the puck may be to blame for his somewhat surprising exclusion from the American WJC squad in each of the last two years, after suiting up at the high-profile event as an 18-year-old. Expected to wear an A on his chest at BU this year, Krys will need to demonstrate more leadership qualities and the Hawks will also want to see an improvement in his two-way game.

12 Evan Barratt, C (90^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 7^th) The third of three USNTDP grads in the Chicago top 20, Barratt had an up and down freshman year for Penn State. He showed enough hockey IQ – a common trait among USNTDP grads – to earn significant time on the PSU PK and his shot was strong enough to earn the respect of Big10 netminders. This will be a big season for Barratt, as Penn State lost several higher profile upper classmen, opening up a spot for the former third rounder in a top six role. He will need to work on his puck skills, though, as he seemed more tentative with the disc last year than he did in the USHL.

13 Alexis Gravel, G (162^nd overall, 2018. Last Year: IE) Although only a sixth rounder in this year’s draft, we feel that Gravel has nearly as much upside as player taken two or three rounds higher. Like many young QMJHL goalies, Gravel’s numbers do not stand out, but many of his attributes as a player portend to bigger things in his future. As the son of a long-time pro netminder, Gravel has a number of technical components to his game that are very mature for his age and experience. He particularly excels at limiting second chances. He went through down stretches in the regular season for Halifax and had a dreadful showing at the CHL Top Prospects Game but finished strong in the QMJHL postseason and has the best upside among all netminders in the Chicago system.

14 Matthew Highmore, C (UFA: Mar. 2, 2017. Last Year: unranked) Although never drafted, Matthew Highmore parlayed a strong two-way game with a powerhouse Saint John squad in the QMJHL into an NHL entry level deal with Chicago. He kicked his game up another level after putting pen to paper, playing a lead role in the Sea Dogs’ QMJHL championship and kept it going with a strong first pro season in Rockford. Highmore is an energetic player, who doesn’t mind getting dirty to make a play. He lacks the pure skills to play a top six role in the NHL but has the smarts and style to fit nicely in a bottom six capacity.

Carl Dahlstrom

15 Carl Dahlstrom, D (51^st overall, 2013. Last Year: 20^th) A big rangy defender, Dahlstrom took a huge step forward this year, his second in the AHL, earning an 11-game stint in the NHL in the process. He is not the most fleet of foot but moves well enough for his size. He sees the ice very well and is at his best when he is free to be assertive instead of deferring to his defensive partner. Dahlstrom’s puck skills are strong for the AHL, but perfunctory by NHL standards. He reads the ice very well and brings a strong physical component to his shifts. With the Blackhawks retooling, Dahlstrom is worth a long look for the third pairing this year.

16 Philipp Kurashev, LW/C (120^th overall, 2018. Last Year: IE) An effortless skater with soft hands and promising ability to read the ice, the Swiss-Russian Kurashev already had two seasons of successful hockey in the QMJHL with Quebec under his belt before the Blackhawks used a fourth rounder on him this June. Although lacking in size and stature, he plays with a measure of fearlessness and willingness to go to the net and get dirty. A center at the junior level, he has shown the most improvement in his faceoff ability in his draft year going from weak to playable. A third strong season with the Remparts and a more central role with Team Switzerland at the upcoming WJC would allow Kurashev to raise his prospect stock.

17 Maxim Shalunov, RW (109^th overall, 2011. Last Year: unranked) Consider this placement a final reminder about what Shalunov is and that the Blackhawks have not forgotten the one time fourth round pick. Shalunov followed up seasons of 30 and 37 points with Sibir Novosibirsk by tying for the team lead with CSKA Moscow with 40 points. Shalunov is a skilled puck handler with high hockey IQ and a tremendous shot. Although he had a miserable time in his first (and thus far only) season in North America, spending most of 2013-14 with Toledo in the ECHL, the big winger has taken enough steps to be worth another look once his contract expires.

18 Tim Soderlund, C/LW (112^th overall, 2017. Last Year: unranked) A small sparkplug of a winger, Soderlund flashes all of the skills that could give him a long career in the NHL. Only 20 years old he has already logged two mostly full seasons in the SHL with Skelleftea, showing significantly more impact potential in his second season, which was bisected by a star turn with team Sweden in the WJC. The Hawks do not seem to be in a rush to bring him Stateside, but his intense game should translate well to the smaller ice surface when he does come over. In the meantime, he will move on to Frolunda next season.

19 Luke Johnson, C (134^th overall, 2013. Last Year: unranked) At this point in the rankings, upside is in short supply. Where Johnson stands out from the rest with his pace, high hockey intelligence, two-way play and more than a touch of physicality. The fact that he improved his offensive output with Rockford from 17 points to 30 in his second season as a pro is mostly a bonus. The upside is a fourth line center who hustles and can kill penalties. Those are pretty important. His offensive contributions will mostly come from going hard to the crease and his ability to find open space in the offensive zone.

20 Andrei Altybarmakyan, RW (70^th overall, 2017. Last Year: unranked) And under the radar Russian junior level player when drafted n his second year of eligibility, Altybarmakyan gained more notoriety last season, playing mostly in the Russian second men’s league, and playing a key role for the Russian WJC squad. Although a bit undersized, he plays an aggressive game, and showed enough in both the WJC and the preceding Junior Super Series against the three CHL leagues that he might be able to translate his game from Russia to North America. He is still a ways away from crossing the pond for good, but has shown enough to remain a prospect of note in this organization.

2018 NHL Draft Review: Central Division

Ryan Wagman — Thu, 12 Jul 2018 14:37:30 +0000

The draft is over and 217 young players are newly affiliated with 31 different NHL organizations. Outside of three to six of those players, who could jump right into NHL lineups in the fall, we will not know whether the vast majority of those players are draft successes for two, three, four, or five years.

The lack of clear foresight aside, we should still be able to judge draft classes at least in terms of expected value. In some cases, we can look at strategy as well, although the way the board shakes out based on the picks that came before, we can rarely truly discern what a club was trying to do, but only what they were able to do.

I had hoped that we would be able to provide an average Overall Future Projection of the various draft classes, but there are a few picks from the high school ranks, the NAHL and a few European junior leagues for whom we lack enough information to give a full grade, so we will focus on where we had players ranked as we assess the draft haul of each team, as we run division-by-division through the NHL.

Here is the Central Division

Chicago Blackhawks
1 (8) Adam Boqvist, D, Brynas J20 (SuperElit) - ranked 9th
1 (27) Nicolas Beaudin, D, Drummondville (QMJHL) - ranked 55th
3 (69) Jake Wise, C, USNTDP (USHL) - ranked 62nd
3 (74) Niklas Nordgren, RW, HIFK U20 (Jr. A SM-liiga) - ranked 49th
4 (120) Philipp Kurashev, LW/C, Quebec (QMJHL) - ranked 80th
5 (139) Mikael Hakkarainen, C, Muskegon (USHL) - unranked
6 (162) Alexis Gravel, G, Halifax (QMJHL) - ranked 67th
7 (193) Josiah Slavin, LW, Lincoln (USHL) - unranked

With one difference of opinion, I have a lot of time for the Chicago Blackhawks draft class this year. That they selected six players in our top 100 (top 80, actually), reflects a lot of convergence in our respective scouting opinions. Doing it without a second rounder to play makes the feat even more impressive. With a rare top ten pick, the Hawks selected young Swedish dynamo Adam Boqvist eighth overall. While the pick raised the eyebrows a smidge, considering the availability of Evan Bouchard and Noah Dobson, two better-rounded, potential top pairing blueliners, the gap between the three of them was minute and more down to preference than actual expected value. Boqvist is a little rawer than the other two, but his upside is truly immense.

Where the eyebrows truly shot up was when the Blackhawks selected Drummondville blueliner Nicolas Beaudin with the second first rounder. First, because between Boqvist and their first two picks in the 2017 draft (Henri Jokiharju and Ian Mitchell), they seemed to now have a pretty good core of young blueliners to plan around. Secondly, and more important, how could Beaudin be the first Voltigeur off the board with Joe Veleno still available? Beaudin has high end vision, and moves the puck fairly well, but his skating is a sore point, particularly his first few steps and his reverse. He can get up to a decent top speed, but as he so often falls behind, it is an absolute necessity. Third, as Beaudin is a marauding sort, who likes to engage deep in the offensive end, there must be the worry that his game is too similar in style to Boqvist’s.

As much as I did not like the second first rounder, I loved the Hawks’ two third rounders. Jake Wise is a very good skater who can perform some nice tricks with the puck yet can be trusted in all situations. Were it not for an early season injury that had him miss a good long stretch, he would have gone at least 30 picks higher. Five picks later, Chicago took another offensively gifted forward in Finnish winger Niklas Nordgren, who scored eight times in seven games at the WU18, but has historically been a stronger playmaker than finisher. He needs to add muscle mass and improve his explosiveness, but he can produce. Chicago took another offensively talented forward in the fifth, reminding us all that successful teams do not just grab bottom six types in the later rounds, but continue to draft for talent. Swiss import Philipp Kurashev has shown improvement year over year in his two seasons with Quebec in the Q. He reads the play well in both zones and has very soft hands. Although he lacks bulk, he is not a peripheral player.

They continued to hunt for point producers as the draft petered out, as seen with sixth rounder Mikael Hakkarainen who had 46 points in 36 games with Muskegon this year. Even after accounting for the fact that the Finnish USHL import was in his third year of draft eligibility, he has scored at every level in which he has played. He missed a chunk of the year to injury, but when he played, he was creating chances left and right. A few solid seasons with Providence, and he could be a real late round gem. Chicago was wise to snatch up a promising, if very raw, netminder in the sixth round in Alexis Gravel, both as his tools rate very highly, even if his results were sub-par in his draft year with Halifax, but also as the net is a weak spot organizationally for the Hawks and will have a chance to make an impact in time. If he can play more like he has in the postseason for the Mooseheads than he did in the regular season, more than a few teams will be kicking themselves for passing up on him for five full rounds. As for the seventh rounder, Josiah Slavin, the younger brother of Hurricanes’ blueliner Jaccob Slavin, the Blackhawks did finally take a low ceiling player who maxes out as a fourth liner, if he even gets there. He has good size and is a decent skater, but has never been a scorer all the way bac to Bantam hockey. Even though I don’t agree with every pick, the Blackhawks’ strategy of largely selecting players with aa history of offensive production and continuing to draft talent even in the middle and (most of the) later rounds, is a winning strategy.

OFP – 53.25

Colorado Avalanche
1 (16) Martin Kaut, RW, Dynamo Pardubice (Czech) - ranked 20th
3 (64) Justus Annunen, G, Karpat U20 (Jr. A SM-liiga) - ranked 98th
3 (78) Sampo Ranta, LW, Sioux City (USHL) - ranked 54th
4 (109) Tyler Weiss, LW/C, USNTDP (USHL) - ranked 59th
5 (140) Brandon Saigeon, C, Hamilton (OHL) - ranked Honorable Mention
5 (146) Danila Zhuravlyov, D, Irbis Kazan (MHL) - ranked 131st
6 (171) Nikolai Kovalenko, RW, Loko Yaroslavl (MHL) - ranked 159th
7 (202) Shamil Shamakov, G, Sibirskie Snaipery Novosibirsk (MHL) - unranked

The Colorado Avalanche have never been the type of team to heavily scout the CHL, but to have only one pick from their seven come from the hotbed of Canadian junior hockey is a surprise even for them. Even when accounting for the fact that two additional picks were playing in the USHL, one of those was actually a Finnish import. In short, the Avalanche went the full anti-Don Cherry in their 2018 draft class, with five of seven picks coming from Europe. There was some speculation of whether their first round pick, Martin Kaut, would drop down draft boards after a disputed heart issue was discovered during medical testing at the draft combine. Thankfully, he rushed back to the Czech Republic and had the matter taken care of immediately, and received a clean bill of health before draft day. Kaut does everything at an above average level, and if the early successes of Martin Necas and Filip Chytil last year are any indication, the Czech Republic is back to being a hockey hotbed. Kaut is expected to move to the AHL next season.

In the three of the previous four drafts, the Avalanche selected a netminder from Europe, and they continued that trend with the second pick of the third round, taking Finnish WU18 hero Justus Annunen. Far from a flash in the pan, he was named the top goalie in the Finnish junior league and has the size every team covets in net, as well as above average athleticism. Half a round later, the Avs selected an early season sensation in the USHL, in Finnish import winger Sampo Ranta, who naturally elicited comparisons to former Sioux City sniper Eeli Tolvanen. Ranta is no Tolvanen, and is prone to a few bone-head reads, but he has a fine collection of offensive tools, projecting to top six potential across the board, and is going to a good program at Wisconsin starting next season.

Staying in the USHL, the first North American product Colorado drafted was North Carolina native Tyler Weiss from the USNTDP. The program often relegates talented players to a bottom six role because they are both not as good as the first line players, and they play high energy games. Both are true of Weiss. He plays with great energy and he is not as good as the top line trio of Jack Hughes, Oliver Wahlstrom, or Joel Farabee. Of course, that latter point is a very high bar for comparison. Weiss is very talented, and like a few previous USNTDP grads, I expect his offensive game to flourish in a more fluid role at Nebraska-Omaha. He is a great skater with shifty hands and great puck control. With his inherent grit, I think he is looked upon as a steal in short order.

Fifth rounder Brandon Saigeon was long written off as a disappointment in the OHL, as the former fourth overall OHL Draft pick took four seasons to really break out. Finally, in his third and final year of NHL draft eligibility, he took off with a strong Bulldogs team, at least reaching the point per game mark in the regular season, OHL playoffs, and Memorial Cup. He is eligible to go back to Hamilton for one more year, or join Kaut next year in the AHL. His future success hinges on his shot continuing to sneak past netminders.

After drafting their one and only CHL player, the Avalanche finished their draft with three picks from the Russian junior league. Defender Danila Zhuravlyov is a promising two way player with a good set of tools who needs to refine his game away from the puck. Winger Nikolai Kovalenko, is actually an Avalanche legacy pick, as his father Andrei played with the Nordiques and the Avalanche between 1992-96. Ironically enough, like Tyler Weiss, Kovalenko was born in Raleigh, North Carolina, although Kovalenko moved back to Russia as a youth. He has very high hockey intelligence and grades out very well for both skating and puck skills. If he gets more attention on the international stage, he will be looked at as a late round steal in short order. Finally, for their last selection, Colorado drafted the player with the best name in the draft, in Shamil Shmakov. In his second year of draft eligibility, the towering (6-6”) Russian netminder was a workhorse for his MHL team. He is athletic for his size and reads the play well. Between the Russians and the college bound players, the Avalanche’s 2018 draft class may take four or more years before it can be adequately judged. That said, with the talent selected, they should be optimistic.

OFP – 53.75

Dallas Stars
1 (13) Ty Dellandrea, C, Flint (OHL) - ranked 32nd
2 (44) Albin Eriksson, RW/LW, Skelleftea J20 (SuperElit) - ranked 121st
3 (75) Oskar Back, C/RW, Frolunda J20 (SuperElit) - ranked 75th
4 (100) Adam Mascherin, LW, Kitchener (OHL) - ranked 64th
4 (106) Curtis Douglas, C, Windsor (OHL) - ranked 95th
5 (137) Riley Damiani, C, Kitchener (OHL) - ranked 107th
6 (168) Dawson Barteaux, D, Red Deer (WHL) - ranked 206th
7 (199) Jermaine Loewen, RW/LW, Kamloops (WHL) - unranked

Like some teams, the Stars have geographical hot spots that they tend to return to again and again when to comes to drafting. They love the OHL, the WHL, Sweden and Finland. They have sometimes strayed from those areas, most notably for some first rounders from Russia (Valeri Nichushkin, and Denis Guryanov) and Minnesota prep (Riley Tufte) and the NCAA (Jake Oettinger), but the majority of their picks over the years come from the four areas listed above. And low and behold, they stayed true to form this year, drafting entirely from the OHL, WHL and Sweden. Hosting the draft, no matter who they selected would be bound to receive hearty applause and the fans did not disappoint in that regard.

Even though they went off the board with their first rounder, Ty Dellandrea, the Flint center has a few factors that suggest an upside just as high as those who had been ranked in that range of the draft class. He is very young for this draft class, he put up decent numbers despite playing for a tire fire of an OHL organization. He stepped up his game in the high profile events of the CHL Top Prospects Game and the WU18 tournament. He is a great skater with a very high hockey IQ, gets top marks for intangibles and has nice hands. I cannot truly fault Dallas for making this pick. I am less bullish on their second rounder, large Swedish winger Albin Eriksson. He has soft hands for his size and has certainly scored plenty in the SuperElit, but there are questions about his skating and his overall ability to process the game. He was held off the Swedish WU18 team as the national braintrust did not see a fit for him as a top six player, and did not think his game would translate to a bottom six role. I see a lot of risk-reward in this pick.

The Stars went right back to the SuperElit with their third rounder, for versatile forward Oskar Back. Back is not as big as Eriksson, but has more than enough size-wise. He is also a better skater, plays a more effective physical brand of hockey and showed the ability to play a variety of roles at the WU18. Dallas returned to the OHL for their two fourth round picks and their fifth rounder, bookending two picks from the Kitchener Rangers program (Adam Mascherin and Riley Damiani) with the gigantic Windsor center Curtis Douglas. Mascherin was this year’s only redraft player, as the former Florida second rounder never came to terms with the Panthers and took his chances with the league this year. He is a shorter, stockier player, lacking much explosion in his legs, but has been a prime sniper in the OHL for years (at least 35 goals in each of the last three seasons) and is ready for the AHL. His OHL teammate Damiani was selected by Dallas 37 picks later. Rather small, and not overly toolsy, he makes his hay thanks to high end hockey IQ. He has enough in the wheels department to be useful on the penalty kill as well, although he is not likely to ever be a big scorer.

In between those two picks, the Stars drafted the most physical specimen of the entire draft class in 6-8”, 247 pound behemoth center Curtis Douglas. Douglas is very strong, with unbeatable reach, but is not aggressive so much as he is imposing. He is a decent skater for his size and has reasonably fluid hands. Sixth rounder Dawson Barteaux was once a first round pick in the WHL Bantam Draft, but could not eke out a regular role in the WHL until this year, where he emerged as a reliable puck mover for Red Deer. His upside is not tremendous, but he can skate and get the puck out of his own end and could provide reasonable future value for this stage of the draft.

The Stars ended their draft with the first Jamaican born player ever selected in Kamloops’ hulking power winger Jermaine Loewen. In his third year of eligibility, Loewen went from being a bottom line bruiser to someone who could contribute in a top six role at the WHL level. His NHL prospects’ depend on being able to combine the attribute of both areas. Like Mascherin, he could jump right into the AHL next year. Generally speaking, I do not applaud drafting for size, which the Stars were clearly targeting, taking four players who are at least 6-3”, 205, but with one exception, I have no fault in where those big guys were drafted. They took enough in terms of skill and IQ that the organization should see good results from their 2018 haul, even if they are bunched among forwards.

OFP – 52.5

Minnesota Wild
1 (24) Filip Johansson, D, Leksand J20 (SuperElit) - ranked 46th
3 (63) Jack McBain, C, Toronto Jr. Canadiens (OJHL) - ranked 51st
3 (86) Alexander Khovanov, C, Moncton (QMJHL) - ranked 61st
3 (92) Connor Dewar, LW, Everett (WHL) - ranked 153rd
5 (148) Simon Johansson, D, Djurgardens J20 (SuperElit) - unranked
5 (155) Damien Giroux, C, Saginaw (OHL) - ranked Honorable Mention
6 (179) Shawn Boudrias, RW, Gatineau (QMJHL) - unranked
7 (210) Sam Hentges, C, Tri-City (USHL) - unranked

For many years, new Minnesota GM Paul Fenton was lauded as a key driving force behind Nashville’s consistent success at the draft table, where he served as assistant GM since 2006-07 and was involved in other roles with the club since 1998-99 (i.e. Day One). In his first crack at being the final voice on all personnel decisions, the eight players added to the Minnesota organization are very underwhelming. And with four of the eight picks being in their second year of draft eligibility, potential untapped upside is also lacking. In fairness to Fenton, he only took over the franchise with about one month before draft day. With a lack of clarity over how much he could have brought to the scouting meetings, I will reserve judgement on Fenton until the 2019 draft.

They had one pick on day one and used it on a low upside, high IQ defender in Swede Filip Johansson. The right shooting blueliner plays a poised game, keeping his crease clear and featuring heavily in PK rotations. While right handed defenders are always a desired commodity, without the ability to score from the point, that value is diminished. I have a hard time seeing Johansson ever playing much of a role on the power play in the NHL. He projects more as a #4/5 defender at his peak.

The best value picks made by Minnesota this year both came in the third round. With the first pick of the round, they nabbed Jack McBain, a big center who moves well for his size and has been crushing the OJHL since he arrived there two years ago. He was a first round OHL pick too, but preferred the college route. He has very good hands and a hard shot and will be tested by a big step up in competition when he joins Boston College next season. Another high upside pick was made later in the round when the Wild selected Moncton center Alexander Khovanov, who many thought could be a top half of the first round player when the Wildcats selected him very early in last year’s CHL Import Draft. Unfortunately, much of his draft year was wiped out due to a bout with Hepatitis A. When he returned after mid-season, he still showed flashes of puck magic, but his strength and stamina had yet to fully recover by year’s end. A full offseason to return to his previous form could see him take off in a big way and there is a good chance that he ends up as the Wild’s top return from this draft class.

Their third third rounder, Connor Dewar, is more of a late bloomer than the other two, as he really took a few steps forward this year, in his second year of draft eligibility. He has a big motor and can finish. Dewar lacks the upside of McBain, or Khovanov, but it is easy to see a bottom six winger at the highest level in his future. Minnesota went right back to low upside after that point, such as with the pick of Simon Johansson (no relation to Filip, although he is a cousin of Columbus center Alexander Wennberg). Simon Johnasson put up very good numbers from the blueline in his second year of eligibility in the SuperElit, mostly thanks to a strong point shot and good distribution skills. Unfortunately, his skating is rather rough, and he is not nearly as strong away from the puck.

The second fifth rounder taken by Minnesota may have some “diamond in the rough” qualities, as Damien Giroux was one of the top players on a moribund Saginaw team in the OHL. He is very undersized, but he has a good set of offensive tools and could be a solid player in the coming years. There is decent upside in Minnesota’s sixth rounder as well. Although Shawn Boudrias was in his second year of eligibility, had he been born two days later, he would have been in his first year of eligibility. He led Gatineau in scoring by 20 points, and has great size, although he lacks any true standout tools. Minnesota ended their draft with another second year eligible player in Sam Hentges, of Tri-City in the USHL. Hentges put up decent numbers when he was healthy enough to play, although injuries kept him off the ice for much of the second half. The native Minnesotan is going to St. Cloud State next season. With a very low ceiling, medium floor draft haul. Minnesota did very little to move the needle for the organization.

OFP – 51.25

Nashville Predators
4 (111) Jachym Kondelik, C, Muskegon (USHL) - ranked 110th
5 (131) Spencer Stastney, D, USNTDP (USHL) - ranked 151st
5 (151) Vladislav Yeryomenko, D, Calgary (WHL) - ranked 196th
7 (213) Milan Kloucek, G, Dynamo Pardubicec (Czech) - unranked

With only four picks to be made, there is not much point in searching for trends in Nashville’s2018 draft class. With their first pick, they went with a tree in USHL center Jachym Kondelik. The 6-6” Czech pivot battled injuries this year with Muskegon, but has decent hands, enough mobility for his size, and shows the ability to play in a defensive role. If he could add more intensity to his game, he could be a real force down the line. He will take his next steps at the University of Connecticut.

With their next pick, the Predators took USNTDP blueliner Spencer Stastney, another player who had some injury trouble early in the year. Stastney is a smart, undersized puck mover, who has shown that he can play in a variety of roles and situations. He has a lot of tools and a generally high hockey IQ, but is overly prone to bonehead plays. If Notre Dame’s coaching staff can iron those out, he has pretty good upside. Later in the fifth round, the Predators drafted Belorussian blueliner Vladislav Yeryomenko, a second year eligible who has been playing in the WHL with Calgary for two seasons, putting up good numbers from the blueline all the while. He turned more heads with a strong WJC for Belarus, showing the ability to withstand a massive workload on a generally overmatched team. He has good hands and in another high IQ player for Nashville’s system.

The Predators completed their draft class with Czech netminder Milan Kloucek, drafted in his third year of eligibility. He performed well in a 10 game run in the men’s league with Dynamo Pardubice, but between never having played in a major international tournament, and moving around a lot between the top two Czech leagues and the junior ranks, he was not really on our radar. Despite not having a big presence in the draft this year, the Predators came away with three skaters who have enough upside to project as potential middle of the roster NHL contributors.

OFP – 50.75

St. Louis Blues
1 (25) Dominik Bokk, RW, Vaxjo J20 (SuperElit)
2 (45) Scott Perunovich, D, Minnesota-Duluth (NCHC)
4 (107) Joel Hofer, G, Swift Current (WHL)
5 (138) Hugh McGing, C, Western Michigan (NCHC)
6 (169) Mathias Laferriere, C, Cape Breton (QMJHL)
7 (200) Tyler Tucker, D, Barrie (OHL)

Four guys with youth and physical upside, and two guys who are older and smaller, but with more proof of success at higher levels. Positional balancing. The Blues’ own first round pick was traded to Philadelphia in the Brayden Schenn trade, but they got a first rounder back from Winnipeg in the Paul Stastny trade. The Blues, sensing an opportunity to get their guy, traded away a third rounder to move up a few spots and select German talent Dominik Bokk at 25^th overall. After tearing up the German U19 league as a 16 year old, Bokk moved to Sweden last year and laid the SuperElit to waste as well. He was less successful in limited time in the SHL, but he did enough last year to prove that he is far more than just a big fish in a small pond. He is a fine skater with high end offensive tools. He should get a much longer leash in the SHL next year in order to be ready to move to North America in 2019-20.

With their second rounder, the Blues went for American WJC hero, the third time eligible blueliner Scott Perunovich. He was too small and wild to be drafted in his first year of eligibility out of Hibbing/Chisholm high school in Minnesota. In his second year of eligibility, he performed alright with Cedar Rapids of the USHL, but still struggled in his own end. This year, he went to Minnesota-Duluth and was the leading scorer on the eventual NCAA champions. In the middle, he took time off to play for his country at the WJC and was electrifying with his puck rushes. He will never be a force in his own zone, but he is a very good skater and capable of brilliance with the puck.

The Blues did not get any big upside plays after that, but each of their final four picks had something to recommend themselves to scouts. Fourth rounder Joel Hofer was a backup netminder with WHL champs Swift Current. He put up the best numbers of any draft eligible netminder in the WHL and has the ideal frame for modern netminders. With Stuart Skinner graduating, he is the likely starter for the Broncos next year. In the fifth round, the Blues selected Hugh McGing, another third time eligible player, who had come off a strong sophomore campaign at Western Michigan and almost joined Perunovich on Team USA at the WJC. The undersized McGing is a playmaker and skates just well enough to evade being a target.

Of all of St. Louis picks, sixth rounder Mathias Laferriere has the least upside. He is young and has decent size, but has not lived up to his advance billing as the seventh overall pic in the QMJHL Entry draft in 2016. None of his attributes project to above average. The Blues’ final 2018 selection came in the form of Barrie blueliner Tyler Tucker. Like Laferriere, Tucker was a high pick going into junior who has been little more than OK in his time in the CHL thus far. He has an adequate game with the puck and plays with a mean streak, but needs to improve his skating in order to make it. While I would have liked to see St. Louis go for more upside in the back half of their draft class, the dynamism of their first two picks could be very impactful to the NHL roster in the near future.

OFP - 51

Winnipeg Jets
2 (60) David Gustafsson, C, HV71 (SHL) - ranked 50th
3 (91) Nathan Smith, C, Cedar Rapids (USHL) - unranked
5 (150) Declan Chisholm, D, Peterborough (OHL) - ranked 141st
5 (153) Giovanni Vallati, D, Kitchener (OHL) - ranked 79th
6 (184) Jared Moe, G, Waterloo (USHL) - ranked 192nd
7 (215) Austin Wong, C, Okotoks (AJHL) - unranked

I often consider the Winnipeg Jets among the more astute drafting teams in the league. That is why it is now hard for me to express how much I dislike their 2018 draft class. I believe that when a team trades away their first round pick, it is all the more of an imperative that they aim for upside with their next few picks, as with expectations already lowered, they can only gain. There is very little upside in this class, and relatively little value in the picks they made. This does not mean that I hate the picks or cannot see a path to the NHL for any of the players whose names they called out, but as a group, I don’t see it. If anything, they targeted physicality over skill, a tactic I have a hard time getting behind.

Second rounder David Gustafsson is a decent pick at that spot. He is not the best skater, but he is strong on the puck, demonstrates a high hockey IQ and is big and effectively powerful. He spent the bulk of his draft year in the SHL and plays a mature game. He projects to third line upside. Their next pick, Nathan Smith of Cedar Rapids, was a real head scratcher, though. A second year eligible with a late birthday, Smith is a decent playmaker who plays a somewhat gritty game, but is a mediocre skater whose reads need a lot of work. To be fair, it was only the first year the Tampa native spent outside of Florida, so he may have more upside than his performance suggests, but I have never seen it.

After sitting out the fourth round, the Jets picked up two decent blueline prospects in the fifth round in Declan Chisholm and Giovanni Vallati, both OHL products. Chisholm, from Peterborough, is a good skater and has some puck moving acumen, but was held back by injury and a poor Petes team this year. Kitchener’s Vallati is an even better skater, who flashes high end IQ and a more physical game. For my money, the Vallati pick was the best value the Jets got in Dallas. I might have been more forgiving of their draft class had they selected Vallati with their third rounder and Nathan Smith with the late fifth rounder. Both Chisholm and Vallati have decent third pairing projections. In the sixth round, Winnipeg selected second time eligible Jared Moe, a big netminder who split the crease in Waterloo with Philadelphia prospect Matej Tomek, who he outperformed. Like Nathan Smith, this was Moe’s first season out of the high school ranks. Moe should have the crease in Waterloo to himself next year before going to Minnesota.

The Jets saved their toughest pick for the end, drafting Okotoks pugilist Austin Wong. Wong had decent, but not eye-catching offensive numbers for the AJHL, but one look at the PIM column lets you know wat kind of player the Jets are adding. He is one of, if not the most, physical player in the entire draft class. Of course, there are drawbacks to that style, often leaving his team shorthanded. If he can tone it down just a bit and work on his skating, he could be OK, but he seems more like a 1980s throwback as is. After drafting high end skill for a number of years, the Jets might have taken a step in the wrong direction with these picks, even if some of them hit their best-case projections.

OFP – 50.5

2018 Draft in Review – Shadow Draft and Odd Thoughts

Ryan Wagman — Thu, 28 Jun 2018 11:53:38 +0000

DALLAS, TX - JUNE 22: The Montreal Canadians draft Jesperi Kotkaniemi in the first round of the 2018 NHL draft on June 22, 2018 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Matthew Pearce/Icon Sportswire)

Over the next few days, we will be releasing assessments of the draft classes. As with last year, they will be rolled out division by division. Before then, I wanted to take a few minutes, of my time and yours, to run through the McKeens Hockey Shadow Draft as well as a few other odds and ends and stray thoughts about the 2018 NHL draft.

The concept of a shadow draft is not an original one by any means. Quickly, we assume that we hold the middle pick of each round and we then simply draft the top player on our board each time that pick comes up. In the era of 31 teams, the middle pick is #16.

Here is our 2017 shadow draft, showing who we picked, where we ranked him, where/if he was drafted and who was actually chosen in that slot.

Pick #	Player	MCKNS RANK	Actual Draft	Actual Pick
16	Kristian Vesalainen	9	24	Juuso Valimaki
47	Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen	32	54	Alex Formenton
78	Keith Petruzzelli	37	88	Stuart Skinner
109	Adam Ruzicka	40	109	Adam Ruzicka
140	Sasha Chmelevski	61	185	Zach Fischer
171	Kirill Slepets	74	Undrafted	D'Artagnan Joly
202	Emil Oksanen	76	Undrafted	Filip Sveningsson

Joe Veleno (#90), player of Drummondville Voltigeurs, season 2017-18 of the QMJHL. Drummondville, Que., Dec. 30, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS IMAGES/Ghyslain Bergeron

Looking back, I can sense the palpable irony in that we often advise against overdrafting goaltenders and yet here we are drafting two of them, and in the second and third rounds no less. Our final two picks were not selected at all, but that is normal as draft boards are over the place towards the end. Slepets had a decent season in the Russian junior ranks this year and was under consideration for the Russian WJC squad. Oksanen came to North America anyway and had a decent season with Regina in the WHL, gaining draft consideration once more and one more going undrafted. Vesalainen would likely go higher than 24 in a redraft, the two goalies had solid draft +1 years, in the Finnish Mestis (AHL-equivalent) and NCAA respectively. Calgary and ourselves were in perfect agreement with Ruzicka and Chmelevski proved that he was a great pick late, performing admirably with Ottawa this year and earning an ELC after a promising late season stint with the San Jose AHL affiliate.

In addition to having two netminders among our seven picks, our shadow draft was also notable for its lack of blueliners. To address that concern, for 2018, I added two rules. First, no more than one goaltender. Second, at least two forwards and two defenders must be drafted. How did we do?

Pick #	Player	MCKNS RANK	Actual Pick #	Actual Pick
16	Joe Veleno	10	30	Martin Kaut
47	Akil Thomas	26	51	Kody Clark
78	Blake McLaughlin	40	79	Sampo Ranta
109	Aidan Dudas	52	113	Tyler Weiss
140	Alexis Gravel	67	162	Brandon Saigeon
171	Merrick Rippon	85	Undrafted	Nikolai Kovalenko
202	Danila Galenyuk	96	Undrafted	Shamil Shmakov

Akil Thomas of the Niagara IceDogs. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

Upon the conclusion of the 2018 draft, I noted that 93 of our top 100 ranked players were drafted. 44 players were drafted who were not in our top 300, including one second rounder and three third rounders. In some respects, I was pleased by that outcome, but by other measures, I was dismayed.I am just as pleased to get Veleno this year as I was to get Vesalainen last year. I am even more delighted to come away with playmakers Akil Thomas, Blake McLaughlin, and Aidan in the second, third and fourth rounds. The NHL largely agreed with not letting those guys slide much further than they did in our shadow draft as, in real life, Thomas was drafted four slots after we took him, McLaughlin only lasted one more pick, and Dudas lasted but four picks. The rule mentioned about making sure we get at least some positional balance was used as we would have drafted six forwards and one goalie without it. We had the undrafted Pavel Gogolev and Patrick Giles both ranked in the 70s. The drop in perceived talent to Rippon and Galenyuk is superficial, though, and I believe in both of their futures.

These results got me to thinking about the value of our lists and the seeming lack of anything approaching “consensus” among NHL clubs, in addition to the scouting services of which McKeens is a peer.

While we ranked 217 players this year (one for every slot) and threw in an additional 83 names in our honorable mention grouping (17 of whom were drafted), many NHL teams don’t rank much more than 100. And to be honest, they don’t need to. In both of the last years, we were able to stay within our top 100 in our shadow drafts.

After the top few players, consensus falls apart rapidly. We saw it this year at pick three. In addition to our own ranking, many other services, in addition to a number of NHL scouts of my acquaintance, did not have Kotkaniemi as the third best prospect. Many had Filip Zadina, others had Brady Tkachuk. Others may have gone in a different direction entirely. In fact, if John Chayka is to be believed, I suspect the Coyotes would have taken Hayton at pick three, but knew he would be there at five, making it easy for them to decline Montreal’s rumored overtures to trade down.

Shortly after the top ten, the talent bunches up considerably, and teams do not choose so much who they think is better, as no one can really project with accuracy to that many decimal places, but rather they begin to draft players who they believe would make for better fits within their organization. It might be Philadelphia liking the almost brash confidence of Jay O’Brien, who shocked most pundits when his name was called at pick 19. Or it might be San Jose, believing in the ability of Ryan Merkley to mature on and off the ice so that his sublime skills are all anyone talks about within a few short years, while other teams clearly did not have that comfort level.

So in short, teams are not just drafting the best player on their board whenever they pick. They are drafting the best player they are comfortable with from their board. Later on, they might also be trying to give candy to various regional scouts, allowing them to feel that their efforts, and the miles driven in white out conditions, bore fruit.

As I continued to ponder the results, I came to the conclusion that this outcome does not speak poorly to our efforts and the efforts of our public domain peers. We do not have to join hands with the players and do not need to worry about organizational fit, locker room culture, or any other intangible factor. We should, can, and do focus on skills.

Further, and perhaps more important, we must always remember that every team has scouts in every geographic region, as we do. But no one sees every single game. Our scouts pick and choose which games to focus on every week, and their scouts will have picked and chosen their games, for their own reasons. Even allowing for video scouting, no one sees every single game. So we get players that we saw at their best, or we only saw at their worst. And your favorite hockey team will also have possibly seen a given player only at his best or his worst.

To bring an example to that concept, I will touch upon my geographic home base in the USHL. I had many chances to watch the USNTDP this year and consequently became very familiar with what was a very strong draft class for the program (and it’ll be even stronger next year). I can recall a conversation I had with an NHL scout about Patrick Giles. I was scoffing at how CSS had him ranked in the top 30 in their midterm rankings.* He is a very good skater for a very big player, and he seems to have decent hands and a good sense of positioning. On the other hands, he lacks in creativity to any degree and had the worst numbers, bar none, of any forward in the development program. The scout I was talking to, on the other hand, raved about his style of play, saying that Giles could “play on my third line any time.”

*To clarify, I do not look at other rankings as rankings, per se, but I admire the breadth of coverage provided by CSS, and their lists are presented in a way that allows me to cross check my own lists to see if anything egregious was missed.

I had and have no reason not to take this scout at his word on that point. I was not completely there, but in the games I saw of the USNTDP, Giles did enough to make me see a potential NHLer inside. Bottom six maybe (bottom three, most likely), but clear NHL upside. I had no problem putting him in the 70 range. I still do not regret it, despite the fact that he was not drafted last weekend. I am positive that the organization of the scout I was talking to had him on their list, but they were never forced into a position where he was the top guy on their list.

Then we can look at Giles’ teammate Gavin Hain. I saw Hain exactly as often as I saw Giles, yet I never saw a clear NHL role for Hain. I saw a smaller player who moved around alright and had a decent knack for positioning, but nothing that screamed out at me that I would advise drafting him. We ultimately ranked him in our nebulous 218-300 range, the Honorable Mention blob. The Philadelphia Flyers scouts had seen other USNTDP games and saw Hain do things I did not see him do. They saw things that made them believe in Hain more than I could.

And we saw things in Joe Veleno that allowed us to believe in him more than close to 20 teams, which is why we ranked him 10^th. We also don’t know if most of the other teams ranked Veleno 14^th, but everyone disagreed on the players ranked in the first 13. There is the famous case of Mike Trout, the player many regard as the best currently active baseball player. He lasted until the 25^th pick of the 2009 MLB draft. Afterwards, as he quickly ran roughshod through the minor leagues and became an immediate MLB star, other GMs came out stating that Trout was actually third or fourth or fifth on their lists, but when it was their turn to draft, the player ranked second, or third or fourth, was still out there. How many teams can say that? How many teams was that true for in the case of Veleno?

It will take years before we know how much of what we saw will come to the fore at the NHL level, and that is both the beauty and the beast of scouting.

McKeen’s 2018 NHL Draft Ranking – April 2018 – Top 125

Ryan Wagman — Mon, 09 Apr 2018 14:25:48 +0000

With the CHL leagues now into the second round of their respective playoffs, the NCAA season completed (congrats to new champions Minnesota-Duluth!), European leagues beginning to wrap up and the USHL with only one more weekend remaining in their regular season, it is time for the penultimate McKeens Hockey Draft List. This list once again runs 125 players deep, with a few more names tacked on at the end to keep in mind.

Our final list will run deeper – and be more definitive – but know that the names you see below are the fruit of the combined labor of the full McKeens scouting team. Covering all of the leagues touched on in the first paragraph above, we have watched them all and players in most cases were also cross-checked by multiple team members.

While the size of our list has not changed from the previous iteration, much else is different. Yes, Rasmus Dahlin still heads the ranking (hint: barring a career-threatening tragedy in the next 10 weeks, he will lead our final list as well), but the next player who maintains the same position as last time is Joel Farabee, still sitting in 12^th. Alexander Alexeyev, at 29^th, is the only other player in the top 31 who is ranked the same today as he was in February.

Andrei Svechnikovof the Barrie Colts. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

Looking at the top ten, the changes begin in the two/three slots, as we saw fit to bump Russian import Andrei Svechnikov past Czech import Filip Zadina. The latter has been strong all season long, but the two keys for us were a) he plateaued to an extent in the dying days of the regular season while Svechnikov has taken his production to a new level down the stretch. On a point per game measure, Svechnikov’s 1.64 points per game outshine Zadina’s 1.44, and the latter’s extra ten games played cannot explain away the discrepancy. The first round of the playoffs have seen this trend continue. Zadina has been very good. Svechnikov has been stellar. b) Svechnikov is four months younger than Zadina. In the grand scheme of things, that is not much. In a draft class, that is a full third of the way from one year of eligibility to the next. There is just that much greater likelihood that Svechnikov has more development potential. This factor is not destiny, but cannot be overlooked.

ANN ARBOR, MI - MARCH 03: Michigan Wolverines defenseman Quinn Hughes (43) passes the puck during the Michigan Wolverines game versus the Wisconsin Badgers in the BIG10 Hockey Tournament on March 3, 2018. (Photo by Steven King/Icon Sportswire)

Quinn Hughes and Adam Boqvist, both undersized (by traditional standards, if not by modern ones) and very mobile defenders have almost switched places. Hughes, whose game grew by leaps and bounds since playing a supporting role for the US Bronze winning WJC entry ended his season in the Frozen Four. He was the youngest player in the NCAA this year and tied for 16^th among all defensemen in scoring. Only one of the blueliners with more points is within even one year of his age. Through the second half of the year, he was consistently the best player on the ice whenever he stepped over the boards. He leaps from 9^th last time, to 4^th now. Boqvist, who dropped from 5^th to 8^th, is still an electrifying skater whose speed brings an extra dimension to his game. He is still highly coveted, but there is at least a hint of a red flag due to his dearth of production at the senior level in Sweden. He scored nearly one point per game in the SuperElit league, but has only one assist in 18 regular and post-season SHL games. The skill set is obvious, but his struggles against men highlight the greater gap between what he is and what he should become.

The one change to the previous top ten sees Spokane defender Ty Smith fall from 10 to 16. His offensive production in the WHL has been fantastic all the way through the Chiefs’ first round playoff exit. There have been some questions about his play off the puck, which were highlighted by a rough showing earlier in the year at the CHL Top Prospects Game. He should have another chance to boost his stock in the coming weeks as part of Canada’s entry to the World Under 18 Championships.

Joe Veleno (#90), player of Drummondville Voltigeurs, season 2017-18 of the QMJHL. Drummondville, Que., Dec. 30, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS IMAGES/Ghyslain Bergeron

Taking Smith’s place in the top ten is former Exceptional Status player Joe Veleno. Huge things were expected of Veleno this year, not only due to his unique entry point into the QMJHL, but a three goal showing for Saint John at last year’s Memorial Cup certainly whetted the appetite for a huge draft season. Unfortunately, his previous team, the Saint John Sea Dogs were gutted by graduation and trades, and Veleno started off slowly, amid reports that he was taking the team’s struggles too much on his own shoulders. He scored only six goals in his 31 games in the Maritimes. A mid-season trade to Drummondville has allowed him to take off in a more competitive atmosphere, finishing the year with 48 points in 33 games for the Voltigeurs. He is also having another strong post-season, helping his team into the second round. In short, Smith has seen questions added about his projection, while Veleno has answered more of his, helping him jump up from 11^th to 9^th.

Without laboring over each change in the list, let us meditate briefly on the four subtractions (and four additions) to the top 31. Dropping into our second round are Jett Woo, B-O Groulx, Jack McBain, and Martin Kaut. Like Ty Smith above, none of these players necessarily did anything to harm their own standing, but were simply surpassed by some players who managed to end on a strong note. For each of the four, it can legitimately be said that there are open questions about their offensive upsides. Woo, Groulx, and Kaut may lack top half of the roster upside, while McBain did not score as much as his talent would suggest he should have in the OJHL. Like Smith, he is expected to play for Canada at the WU18 and his performance with CHLers should speak volumes about his draft standing.

Rasmus Sandin of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

Replacing those four are a trio of small defensemen who have finished strong in Rasmus Sandin, Nils Lundkvist, and Calen Addison, and one ultra-talented German forward developing in Sweden in Dominik Bokk. These four players all carry a dynamic element to their games that the four players falling to the second round do not look to have.

The next six weeks, including the completion of the North American junior playoffs as well as the WU18 competition will see several more reputations made and others tarnished, as happens every year. We try to see the whole picture, and promise not to inordinately elevate the ranking of any player simply for getting hot at the right time. Our final list will reflect not just good or bad production at the right time, but the skill sets of the best draft-eligible talent in the hockey world, leavened by their ability and success rates of those skills in actualizing as performance.

We welcome your feedback on this list and look forward to seeing our draft list through to its completion in Dallas in late June.

To link to a player page, use the tags at the bottom of the page, or from our McKeen's Draft Ranking found here It is also downloadable to an excel file.

RANK	PLAYER	POS	TEAM	HT/WT	DOB	GP-G-A-PTS
1	Rasmus Dahlin	D	Frolunda (Swe)	6-2/185	13-Apr-00	41-7-13-20
2	Andrei Svechnikov	RW	Barrie (OHL)	6-2/185	26-Mar-00	44-40-32-72
3	Filip Zadina	RW	Halifax (QMJHL)	6-0/195	27-Nov-99	57-44-38-82
4	Quinn Hughes	D	Michigan (B1G)	5-10/175	14-Oct-99	37-5-24-29
5	Brady Tkachuk	LW	Boston University (HE)	6-3/195	16-Sep-99	40-8-23-31
6	Evan Bouchard	D	London (OHL)	6-2/195	20-Oct-99	67-25-62-87
7	Oliver Wahlstrom	RW	NTDP (USHL)	6-1/205	13-Jun-00	54-40-43-83
8	Adam Boqvist	D	Brynas (Swe Jr)	5-11/170	15-Aug-00	25-14-10-24
9	Joe Veleno	C	SNB-Dru (QMJHL)	6-1/195	13-Jan-00	64-22-57-79
10	Noah Dobson	D	Acadie-Bathurst (QMJHL)	6-3/180	7-Jan-00	67-17-52-69
11	Isac Lundestrom	C	Lulea (Swe)	6-0/185	6-Nov-99	42-6-9-15
12	Joel Farabee	LW	NTDP (USHL)	5-11/165	25-Feb-00	54-27-37-64
13	Barrett Hayton	C	Sault Ste Marie (OHL)	6-1/190	9-Jun-00	63-21-39-60
14	Jesperi Kotkaniemi	C	Assat Pori (Fin)	6-1/190	6-Jul-00	57-10-19-29
15	Bode Wilde	D	NTDP (USHL)	6-2/195	24-Jan-00	53-11-25-36
16	Ty Smith	D	Spokane (WHL)	5-10/180	24-Mar-00	69-14-59-73
17	K'Andre Miller	D	NTDP (USHL)	6-3/205	21-Jan-00	50-7-17-24
18	Akil Thomas	C	Niagara (OHL)	5-11/170	2-Jan-00	68-22-59-81
19	Jared McIsaac	D	Halifax (QMJHL)	6-1/195	27-Mar-00	65-9-38-47
20	Grigori Denisenko	LW	Loko Yaroslavl (MHL)	5-11/175	24-Jun-00	31-9-13-22
21	Serron Noel	RW	Oshawa (OHL)	6-5/200	8-Aug-00	62-28-25-53
22	Rasmus Kupari	C	Karpat Oulu (Fin)	6-1/185	15-Mar-00	39-6-8-14
23	Ryan McLeod	C	Mississauga (OHL)	6-2/200	21-Sep-99	68-26-44-70
24	Ryan Merkley	D	Guelph (OHL)	5-11/170	14-Aug-00	63-13-54-67
25	Mattias Samuelsson	D	NTDP (USHL)	6-3/215	14-Mar-00	50-9-19-28
26	Rasmus Sandin	D	Sault Ste Marie (OHL)	5-11/185	7-Mar-00	51-12-33-45
27	Nils Lundkvist	D	Lulea (Swe)	5-11/180	27-Jul-00	28-2-3-5
28	Alexander Alexeyev	D	Red Deer (WHL)	6-3/200	15-Nov-99	45-7-30-37
29	Calen Addison	D	Lethbridge (WHL)	5-10/180	11-Apr-00	68-11-54-65
30	Jacob Olofsson	C	Timra (Swe 2)	6-2/190	8-Feb-00	43-10-11-21
31	Dominik Bokk	LW	Vaxjo Lakers (Swe Jr)	6-1/180	3-Feb-00	35-14-27-41
32	Vitali Kravtsov	RW	Traktor Chelyabinsk (KHL)	6-2/170	23-Dec-99	35-4-3-7
33	Martin Kaut	RW	Dynamo Pardubice (Cze)	6-1/175	2-Oct-99	38-9-7-16
34	Jett Woo	D	Moose Jaw (WHL)	6-0/205	27-Jul-00	44-9-16-25
35	Benoit-Olivier Groulx	C	Halifax (QMJHL)	6-1/195	6-Feb-00	68-28-27-55
36	Jesse Ylonen	RW	Espoo United (Fin 2)	6-0/165	3-Oct-99	48-14-13-27
37	Nicolas Beaudin	D	Drummondville (QMJHL)	5-11/175	7-Oct-99	68-12-57-69
38	Adam Ginning	D	Linkopings (Swe)	6-3/195	13-Jan-00	28-1-1-2
39	Jack McBain	C	Tor. Jr Canadiens (OJHL)	6-3/195	6-Jan-00	48-21-37-58
40	Jonny Tychonick	D	Penticton (BCHL)	6-0/175	3-Mar-00	48-9-38-47
41	Ty Emberson	D	NTDP (USHL)	6-0/195	24-May-00	53-4-18-22
42	Ty Dellandrea	C	Flint (OHL)	6-0/190	21-Jul-00	67-27-32-59
43	Allan McShane	C	Oshawa (OHL)	5-11/190	14-Feb-00	67-20-45-65
44	Blake McLaughlin	LW	Chicago (USHL)	6-0/165	14-Feb-00	52-23-28-51
45	Gabriel Fortier	C	Baie-Comeau (QMJHL)	5-10/170	6-Feb-00	66-26-33-59
46	Kevin Bahl	D	Ottawa (OHL)	6-6/230	27-Jun-00	58-1-17-18
47	Sampo Ranta	LW	Sioux City (USHL)	6-1/195	31-May-00	53-23-14-37
48	Filip Hallander	C	Timra (Swe 2)	6-1/185	29-Jun-00	40-9-11-20
49	Jay O'Brien	C	Thayer Acad. (USHS-MA)	5-10/185	4-Nov-99	30-43-37-80
50	David Gustafsson	C	HV 71 (Swe)	6-2/195	11-Apr-00	45-6-6-12
51	Liam Foudy	C	London (OHL)	6-0/185	4-Feb-00	65-24-16-40
52	Filip Johansson	D	Leksands (Swe Jr)	6-1/175	23-Mar-00	29-4-5-9
53	Niklas Nordgren	RW	HIFK (Fin Jr)	5-9/170	4-May-00	18-8-18-26
54	Aidan Dudas	C	Owen Sound (OHL)	5-8/170	15-Jun-00	68-31-34-65
55	Jacob Bernard-Docker	D	Okotoks (AJHL)	6-0/180	30-Jun-00	49-20-21-41
56	Xavier Bernard	D	Drummondville (QMJHL)	6-2/210	6-Jan-00	66-11-24-35
57	Martin Fehervary	D	Oskarshamn (Swe 2)	6-1/190	6-Oct-99	42-1-6-7
58	Jonatan Berggren	RW	Skelleftea (Swe Jr)	5-10/185	6-Jul-00	38-18-39-57
59	Alexis Gravel	G	Halifax (QMJHL)	6-2/225	21-Mar-00	20-11(3.38).890
60	Cole Fonstad	C	Prince Albert (WHL)	5-10/160	24-Apr-00	72-21-52-73
61	Xavier Bouchard	D	Baie-Comeau (QMJHL)	6-3/190	28-Feb-00	65-3-18-21
62	Cam Hillis	C	Guelph (OHL)	5-10/170	24-Jun-00	60-20-39-59
63	Marcus Westfalt	C	Brynas (Swe)	6-3/205	12-Mar-00	31-1-3-4
64	Pavel Gogolev	RW	Peterborough (OHL)	6-0/175	19-Feb-00	66-30-17-47
65	Alexander Khovanov	C	Moncton (QMJHL)	5-11/195	12-Apr-00	29-9-19-28
66	Scott Perunovich	D	Minn-Duluth (NCHC)	5-10/170	18-Aug-98	42-11-25-36
67	Giovanni Vallati	D	Kitchener (OHL)	6-1/180	21-Feb-00	65-3-23-26
68	Olivier Rodrigue	G	Drummondville (QMJHL)	6-0/160	6-Jul-00	31-16(2.54).903
69	Oskar Back	C	Farjestads (Swe Jr)	6-2/195	12-Mar-00	38-10-22-32
70	Riley Sutter	RW	Everett (WHL)	6-3/205	25-Oct-99	68-25-28-53
71	Stanislav Demin	D	Wenatchee (BCHL)	6-1/190	4-Apr-00	57-9-36-45
72	Lenni Killinen	RW	Blues (Fin Jr)	6-2/180	15-Jun-00	38-13-28-41
73	Tyler Weiss	LW	NTDP (USHL)	5-10/160	3-Jan-00	50-10-17-27
74	Ruslan Iskhakov	C	Krasnaya Armiya (MHL)	5-8/155	22-Jul-00	33-6-24-30
75	Kody Clark	RW	Ottawa (OHL)	6-1/180	13-Oct-99	56-18-21-39
76	Patrick Giles	RW	NTDP (USHL)	6-4/205	3-Jan-00	54-10-9-19
77	Anderson MacDonald	LW	Moncton (QMJHL)	6-2/205	16-May-00	58-27-18-45
78	Jake Wise	C	NTDP (USHL)	5-10/190	28-Feb-00	30-9-27-36
79	Jakub Lauko	C	Pirati Chomutov (Cze)	6-0/175	28-Mar-00	42-3-6-9
80	Adam Samuelsson	D	NTDP (USHL)	6-6/240	21-Jun-00	54-4-20-24
81	Philipp Kurashev	C	Quebec (QMJHL)	6-0/190	12-Oct-99	59-19-41-60
82	Sean Durzi	D	Owen Sound (OHL)	6-0/195	21-Oct-98	40-15-34-49
83	Kirill Marchenko	RW	Mamonty Yugry (MHL)	6-3/190	21-Jul-00	31-8-8-16
84	Jakub Skarek	G	Dukla Jihlava (Cze)	6-3/200	10-Nov-99	21GP(2.41).913
85	Milos Roman	C	Vancouver (WHL)	6-0/190	6-Nov-99	39-10-22-32
86	Blade Jenkins	LW	Saginaw (OHL)	6-1/195	11-Aug-00	68-20-24-44
87	Danila Galenyuk	D	St. Petersburg (MHL)	6-1/200	10-Feb-00	20-1-5-6
88	Kyle Topping	C	Kelowna (WHL)	5-11/185	18-Nov-99	66-22-43-65
89	Tyler Madden	C	CIL-TC (USHL)	5-10/155	9-Nov-99	50-15-19-34
90	Jack Drury	C	Waterloo (USHL)	5-11/180	3-Feb-00	54-23-40-63
91	Alec Regula	D	London (OHL)	6-3/200	6-Aug-00	67-7-18-25
92	Ivan Morozov	C	Mamonty Yugry (MHL)	6-1/180	5-May-00	30-11-12-23
93	Jachym Kondelik	C	Muskegon (USHL)	6-6/225	21-Dec-99	43-16-16-32
94	Riley Damiani	C	Kitchener (OHL)	5-9/165	20-Mar-00	64-19-18-37
95	Samuel Fagemo	RW	Frolunda (Swe Jr)	5-11/195	14-Mar-00	37-19-11-30
96	Jack St. Ivany	D	Sioux Falls (USHL)	6-2/200	22-Jul-99	51-6-30-36
97	David Lilja	C	Karlskoga (Swe 2)	5-11/175	23-Jan-00	37-3-5-8
98	Curtis Douglas	C	Bar-Wsr (OHL)	6-8/235	6-Mar-00	66-22-24-46
99	Luka Burzan	C	MJ-Bdn (WHL)	6-0/185	7-Jan-00	72-15-25-40
100	Linus Karlsson	C	Karlskrona (Swe Jr)	6-1/180	16-Nov-99	42-27-25-52
101	Kristian Reichel	C	Red Deer (WHL)	6-1/170	11-Jun-98	63-34-23-57
102	Toni Utunen	D	LeKi (Fin 2)	5-11/175	27-Apr-00	28-2-10-12
103	Dmitri Zavgorodny	LW	Rimouski (QMJHL)	5-9/175	11-Aug-00	62-26-21-47
104	Samuel Bucek	LW	Chicago (USHL)	6-1/215	19-Dec-98	47-19-23-42
105	Nathan Dunkley	C	Kgn-Ldn (OHL)	5-11/195	3-May-00	60-21-36-57
106	Carter Robertson	D	Ottawa (OHL)	6-2/180	15-Jan-00	57-5-13-18
107	Albin Eriksson	RW	Skelleftea (Swe Jr)	6-4/205	20-Jul-00	38-22-18-40
108	Ryan O'Reilly	RW	Madison (USHL)	6-2/200	21-Mar-00	42-20-12-32
109	Nando Eggenberger	LW	Davos (Sui)	6-2/185	7-Oct-99	36-3-2-5
110	Tyler Tucker	D	Barrie (OHL)	6-1/205	1-Mar-00	59-3-20-23
111	Axel Andersson	D	Djurgardens (Swe Jr)	6-0/180	10-Feb-00	42-6-25-31
112	Alexey Polodyan	LW	St. Petersburg (MHL)	5-11/165	30-Jul-98	21-5-6-11
113	Jack Perbix	RW	Elk River (USHS-MN)	6-1/175	13-Sep-00	25-19-42-61
114	Nico Gross	D	Oshawa (OHL)	6-1/185	26-Jan-00	58-4-10-14
115	Declan Chisholm	D	Peterborough (OHL)	6-1/185	12-Jan-00	47-3-17-20
116	Ivan Prosvetov	G	Youngstown (USHL)	6-4/175	5-Mar-99	18-9(2.87).913
117	Kevin Mandolese	G	Cape Breton (QMJHL)	6-3/180	22-Aug-00	15-13(3.46).884
118	Vladislav Kotkov	RW	Chicoutimi (QMJHL)	6-4/205	8-Jan-00	61-21-28-49
119	Jonathan Gruden	C	NTDP (USHL)	5-11/175	4-May-00	53-25-26-51
120	Anthony Del Gaizo	C	Muskegon (USHL)	5-11/195	31-Jan-98	58-39-32-71
121	Justus Annunen	G	Karpat Oulu (Fin Jr)	6-4/215	11-Mar-00	26GP(2.31).907
122	Olof Lindbom	G	Djurgardens (Swe Jr)	6-2/185	23-Jul-00	20GP(3.10).897
123	Matthew Struthers	C	OS-NB (OHL)	6-2/210	26-Dec-99	62-23-22-45
124	Alex Steeves	C	Dubuque (USHL)	5-11/185	10-Dec-99	53-18-36-54
125	Ben Copeland	C	Waterloo (USHL)	5-10/180	27-Apr-99	58-17-42-59

OTHER DRAFT CANDIDATES
Jett Alexander	G	North York (OJHL)	6-4/190	8-Nov-99
Yaroslav Alexeyev	LW	Sherbrooke (QMJHL)	5-9/160	17-Jan-99
Justin Almeida	C	Moose Jaw (WHL)	5-9/160	6-Feb-99
Seth Barton	D	Trail (BCHL)	6-2/175	18-Aug-99
Justin Bergeron	D	Rouyn Noranda (QMJHL)	6-0/180	14-Sep-00
Erik Betzold	RW	Koln (Ger)	5-11/165	18-Jan-00
Brandon Biro	RW	Penn State (B1G)	5-11/165	11-Mar-98
Mikhail Bitsadze	C	Dynamo Moscow (Rus)	5-11/170	18-Nov-99
Shawn Boudrias	RW	Gatineau (QMJHL)	6-4/195	14-Sep-99
Jakob Brahaney	D	Kingston (OHL)	6-1/185	26-Mar-99
Justin Brazeau	RW	North Bay (OHL)	6-5/220	2-Feb-98
Dennis Busby	D	Flint (OHL)	5-10/190	6-Jan-00
Michael Callahan	D	Central Illinois (USHL)	6-2/195	23-Sep-99
Ryan Chyzowski	LW	Medicine Hat (WHL)	6-0/190	14-May-00
Powell Connor	D	Chilliwack (BCHL)	6-1/175	4-May-00
Connor Corcoran	D	Windsor (OHL)	6-1/185	7-Aug-00
Paul Cotter	C	Lincoln (USHL)	6-0/190	16-Nov-99
Angus Crookshank	LW	Langley (BCHL)	5-11/185	2-Oct-99
Max Crozier	D	Nanaimo (BCHL)	6-1/185	19-Apr-00
Ethan de Jong	RW	Prince George (BCHL)	5-10/170	12-Jul-99
Jack DeBoer	C	NTDP (USA)	6-2/190	17-Aug-00
Semyon Der-Arguchintsev	C	Peterborough (OHL)	5-10/160	15-Sep-00
Lukas Dostal	G	Kometa Brno (Cze)	6-1/165	22-Jun-00
Grigori Dronov	D	Magnitogorsk (Rus)	6-2/205	10-Jan-98
Justin Ducharme	LW	Acadie-Bathurst (QMJHL)	5-11/180	22-Feb-00
Daniel Dvorak	G	Hradec Kralove (Cze)	6-3/160	9-Jan-00
Jesper Eliasson	G	Troja/Ljungby (Swe)	6-3/200	21-Mar-00
Caleb Everett	D	Saginaw (OHL)	6-1/185	20-Jan-00
Christian Felton	D	Kimball Union (USHS-NH)	6-0/190	4-Feb-00
Trey Fix-Wolansky	RW	Edmonton (WHL)	5-8/185	26-May-99
Eric Florchuk	C	Saskatoon (WHL)	6-1/175	10-Jan-00
Carson Focht	C	Calgary (WHL)	6-0/180	4-Feb-00
Adam Gajarsky	RW	Kometa Brno (Cze)	5-10/175	4-Mar-00
Jeremi Gerber	RW	Bern (Sui)	6-1/185	1-Mar-00
Damien Giroux	C	Saginaw (OHL)	5-10/175	3-Mar-00
Jack Gorniak	LW	West Salem High (USHS-WI)	5-11/180	15-Sep-99
Matthew Grouchy	RW	Quebec (QMJHL)	6-1/190	19-Nov-99
Glenn Gustafsson	C	Orebro (Swe)	5-10/200	4-Sep-98
Curtis Hall	C	Youngstown (USHL)	6-2/195	26-Apr-00
Kevin Hancock	LW	Owen Sound (OHL)	5-11/185	2-Mar-98
Jordan Harris	D	Kimball Union (USHS-NH)	5-11/180	7-Jul-00
Reece Harsch	D	Seattle (WHL)	6-3/195	7-Jan-99
Brady Hinz	C	Peterborough (OHL)	5-9/150	3-May-00
Mitchell Hoelscher	C	Ottawa (OHL)	5-11/160	27-Jan-00
Mac Hollowell	D	Sault Ste Marie (OHL)	5-9/170	26-Sep-98
Krystof Hrabik	C	Bili Tygri Liberec (Cze)	6-4/210	24-Sep-99
David Hrenak	G	St. Cloud State (NCHC)	6-2/190	5-May-98
Riley Hughes	RW	St. Sebastian's (USHS-MA)	6-1/175	27-Jun-00
Jere Huhtamaa	G	Blues (Fin)	6-2/190	10-Apr-00
Logan Hutsko	RW	Boston College (HE)	5-10/175	11-Feb-99
Jacob Ingham	G	Mississauga (OHL)	6-3/185	10-Jun-00
Jere Innala	LW	HPK (Fin)	5-9/175	17-Mar-98
Michal Ivan	D	Acadie-Bathurst (QMJHL)	6-1/185	18-Nov-99
Georgi Ivanov	C	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (Rus)	6-0/190	25-Sep-98
Jan Jenik	RW	Benatky nad Jizerou (Cze)	6-1/165	15-Sep-00
Jack Jensen	C	Eden Prairie (USHS-MN)	6-0/195	31-Aug-00
Joey Keane	D	Barrie (OHL)	6-0/185	2-Jul-99
Brett Kemp	C	Edmonton (WHL)	6-0/165	23-Mar-00
Michael Kesselring	D	New Hampton School (USHS-NH)	6-4/185	13-Jan-00
Juuso Ketola	D	Assat Pori (Fin)	5-11/210	18-Mar-00
Patrick Khodorenko	C	Michigan State (B1G)	6-0/205	13-Oct-98
Liam Kirk	C	Sheffield (EIHL)	6-2/160	3-Jan-00
Semyon Kizimov	RW	Lada Togliatti (Rus)	6-0/175	19-Jan-00
Jordan Kooy	G	London (OHL)	6-2/185	30-Apr-00
Ivan Kosorenkov	RW	Victoriaville (QMJHL)	5-10/185	22-Jan-98
Demetrios Koumontzis	LW	Edina (USHS-MN)	5-10/185	24-Mar-00
Nikolai Kovalenko	RW	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (Rus)	5-10/175	17-Oct-99
Filip Kral	D	Spokane (WHL)	6-1/170	20-Oct-99
Renars Krastenbergs	LW	Oshawa (OHL)	5-11/185	16-Dec-98
Cole Krygier	D	Lincoln (USHL)	6-3/195	5-May-00
Daniel Kurovsky	LW	Vitkovice (Cze)	6-4/215	4-Mar-98
Michal Kvasnica	RW	Frydek-Mistek (Cze)	6-1/190	7-Apr-00
Owen Lalonde	D	Guelph (OHL)	6-0/180	1-Feb-00
Jackson Leppard	LW	Prince George (WHL)	6-1/200	18-Jan-00
David Levin	C	Sudbury (OHL)	5-10/180	16-Sep-99
Mitchell Lewandowski	RW	Michigan State (B1G)	5-9/175	17-Apr-98
Adam Liska	C	Kitchener (OHL)	5-11/185	14-Oct-99
John Ludvig	D	Portland (WHL)	6-0/185	2-Aug-00
Brady Lyle	D	Owen Sound (OHL)	6-1/205	6-Jun-99
Guillaume Maillard	C	Geneve-Servette (Sui)	6-0/200	11-Oct-98
James Malm	C	Vancouver (WHL)	5-9/180	25-Jun-99
Anton Malyshev	D	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (Rus)	6-0/180	27-Feb-00
Riley McCourt	D	Flint (OHL)	5-11/170	26-Jun-00
Aidan McDonough	LW	Thayer Academy (USHS-MA)	6-1/175	6-Nov-99
Nolan McElhaney	D	Cushing Academy (USHS-MA)	6-3/175	22-Apr-99
Jeremy McKenna	RW	Moncton (QMJHL)	5-10/175	20-Apr-99
Albert Michnac	LW	Mississauga (OHL)	6-0/180	18-Oct-98
Amir Miftakhov	G	Irbis Kazan (Rus)	6-0/160	26-Apr-00
Artyom Minulin	D	Swift Current (WHL)	6-2/200	1-Oct-98
Travis Mitchell	D	Muskegon (USHL)	6-2/195	25-Nov-99
Billy Moskal	C	London (OHL)	6-0/185	22-Mar-00
Nolan Moyle	RW	Green Bay (USHL)	6-1/185	13-Apr-99
Arttu Nevasaari	RW	Karpat Oulu (Fin)	5-11/180	23-Jan-00
Tristen Nielsen	C	Calgary (WHL)	5-9/180	23-Feb-00
Kirill Nizhnikov	RW	Sudbury (OHL)	6-2/190	29-Mar-00
Linus Nyman	RW	Kingston (OHL)	5-9/160	11-Jul-99
Andrei Pavlenko	RW	Edmonton (WHL)	6-1/175	4-Apr-00
Radovan Pavlik	RW	Hradec Kralove (Cze)	5-9/175	18-Feb-98
Ryan Peckford	LW	Moose Jaw (WHL)	6-0/190	4-Mar-99
Matej Pekar	C	Muskegon (USHL)	6-0/170	10-Feb-00
Ville Petman	C	Lukko Rauma (Fin)	5-10/180	18-Jan-00
Mathias Emilio Pettersen	C	Muskegon (USHL)	5-10/170	3-Apr-00
Jacob Pivonka	C	NTDP (USA)	5-11/200	28-Feb-00
Karel Plasek	RW	Kometa Brno (Cze)	5-10/155	28-Jul-00
Dylan Plouffe	D	Vancouver (WHL)	6-0/195	27-Apr-99
Martin Pospisil	C	Sioux City (USHL)	6-2/180	19-Nov-99
Josh Prokop	C	Vernon (BCHL)	5-10/175	30-Jan-00
Cole Purboo	RW	Windsor (OHL)	6-3/205	18-Jun-99
Vincent Purpura	G	Omaha (USHL)	6-3/195	29-Oct-98
Jacob Ragnarsson	D	Almtuna (Swe)	5-11/170	23-Sep-99
Jack Randl	LW	Omaha (USHL)	5-11/180	7-May-00
Connor Roberts	C	Flint (OHL)	6-4/210	22-Feb-00
Alexander Romanov	D	Krasnaya Armiya Moskva (Rus)	5-11/185	6-Jan-00
Nikita Rtishchev	RW	CSKA Moscow (Rus)	6-1/195	23-May-00
Merrick Rippon	D	Ottawa (OHL)	6-0/190	27-Apr-00
Radim Salda	D	Saint John (QMJHL)	6-0/185	18-Feb-99
Santeri Salmela	D	KOOKOO (Fin)	6-1/195	10-Jun-00
Akira Schmid	G	Langnau (Sui)	6-4/165	12-May-00
Phillip Schultz	C	Rodovre (Den)	6-0/195	24-Jul-00
Zdenek Sedlak	RW	Karpat Oulu (Fin)	6-2/205	23-Mar-00
Peetro Seppala	D	KOOKOO (Fin)	6-1/175	17-Aug-00
Bulat Shafigullin	LW	Reaktor Nizhnekamsk (Rus)	6-1/165	29-Dec-99
Yegor Sharangovich	C	Dinamo Minsk (Rus)	6-2/195	6-Jun-98
Alexander Shepelev	D	Chelyabinsk (Rus)	6-2/185	17-Mar-98
Marsel Sholokhov	RW	Chelyabinsk (Rus)	5-10/170	12-Jan-98
Graham Slaggert	C	NTDP (USA)	5-11/185	6-Apr-99
Egor Sokolov	LW	Cape Breton (QMJHL)	6-3/225	7-Jun-00
Zach Solow	RW	Northeastern (HE)	5-9/185	6-Nov-98
Riley Stotts	C	Calgary (WHL)	6-0/175	5-Jan-00
Vladislav Syomin	D	SKA-Neva St. Petersburg (Rus)	6-3/215	17-Feb-98
Matt Thiessen	G	Steinbach (MJHL)	6-2/190	9-Jun-00
Michael Vorlicky	D	Edina (USHS-MN)	6-1/165	17-Jul-00
Pavel Vorobey	D	Kunlun Red Star (Rus)	6-3/195	10-Sep-97
Lukas Wernblom	C	MoDo (Swe)	5-9/170	22-Jul-00
Chase Wouters	C	Saskatoon (WHL)	5-11/180	8-Feb-00
Wyatte Wylie	D	Everett (WHL)	6-0/190	2-Nov-99
Vladislav Yeryomenko	D	Calgary (WHL)	6-0/185	23-Apr-99
Libor Zabransky	D	Kelowna (WHL)	6-1/190	26-May-00
Egor Zamula	D	Calgary (WHL)	6-3/170	30-Mar-00
Danila Zhuravlyov	D	Irbis Kazan (Rus)	6-0/165	8-Apr-00

QMJHL: Alexis Gravel (2018 Draft Eligible)

Michael Sanderson — Fri, 06 Apr 2018 13:30:02 +0000

The second goalie projected to go in our mid-season rankings is Alexis Gravel. After an outstanding 2016 season, he has struggled this season, with solid play to end the season. Mike Sanderson breaks down an intriguing goaltending prospect with a detailed scouting report.

A note on the 20-80 scale used below. We look at five attributes (skating, shooting, puck skills, hockey IQ and physicality) for skaters and six for goalies (athleticism/quickness, compete/temperament, vision/play reading, technique/style, rebound control and puck handling). Each individual attribute is graded along the 20-80 scales, which includes half-grades. The idea is that a projection of 50 in a given attribute meant that our observer believed that the player could get to roughly NHL average at that attribute at maturity.

Alexis Gravel	2018 NHL Draft Eligible
Position: G, Catches: R	H/W: 6-2", 225 lbs
Stats to date (GP-GAA-SAV%)	Halifax Mooseheads, QMJHL (39-3.38-.890)

Athleticism/Quickness/Speed: Gravel is a big body blocker and he plays like one. His movement is efficient and he is in the right position most of the time, even for quick rebound chances. He has a very wide stance with legs open more than most, which helps him get down in the butterfly quick. His quickness and lower body strength are assets he uses to his advantage. This season, he has put on some weight and it has made him have to rely on the angles and positioning more than his athleticism, and has seemingly slowed him down just a bit. He has a mature body already and that can work in his favour in terms of improving his skills; he already has an adult frame. He has a great, tall stance to stay big in his crouch, but can also get low if need-be, and his pads are generally excellent. His post-to-post movements are some of the quickest in the Q. Grade: 55

Compete/Temperament: Gravel is a very calm and patient goaltender and he has a confident aura. When he is on, his team can feel it and they play stronger in front of him as a result. His quickness allows him to get into position for rebound opportunities and he is always into the game, using his stick around the net to snuff out wrap-around opportunities. He is aware of his imposing size and he uses it well, not only for technique or fundamentals, but also for intimidation. He does not go looking for the save; he lets the save come to him. Grade: 55

Vision/Reading Play: Gravel follows the puck very well, including in traffic and with players in front of the net. He is always tracking the puck and actively fighting to see it at all times. His height and his ability to get low when the traffic comes to the front is an asset for him. His quickness post-to-post and anticipation to read where the puck is going make him a tough goalie to beat. Grade: 55

Technique/Style: Gravel is a blocking goaltender who uses his size very well. He is at his best when he is back in his net and staying big. That is a bit of a change from his style coming out of the GTHL, where he was much lower and wider. He has the ability to play in either style, but he is still working out the kinks of playing a taller, bigger style for now. His quickness combined with his height should make the bigger stance the better option going forward, as the lower stance left his corners more exposed. His legs are very quick. Grade: 55

Rebound Control: Gravel’s rebound control is very good for his age. He is able to smother rebounds or kick them away with his quick pads. He has excellent pad and stick control in terms of deflecting pucks into corners or out of play. He has more of a tendency to fall on the puck when it is near rather than scramble and reach for the puck, maximizing efficiency and quickness. Grade: 60

Puck Handling: Gravel does not stay in his net, but he also does not wander. He has a solid pass to teammates and can hit them for an odd-man rush the other way on the tape. He knows how to pick his spots with the passing, and his active paddle-down technique around the net makes for an effective poke check. Grade: 55

Summary: There is no way to sugarcoat it; Alexis Gravel has struggled at times this year. He was ranked as the top netminder in his draft class in 2016 in the QMJHL and had, by all accounts, a great rookie year with an excellent playoff series against the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies to whom the Mooseheads ultimately fell in six games. Kevin Resop disappointed as the starter last season, and Gravel stepped into the void and looked like a bonafide starting goaltender in the Q at 16. This season has been a different story. Gravel has had tough times, in particular at the start of the season, and overage goaltender Blade Mann-Dixon has picked up the slack, for the most part. Gravel has the talent, the size and the ability to be a solid goaltending prospect, and has turned it around to finish the season steady. The QMJHL has three goaltending prospects among the top netminders to be drafted in June: Gravel, Drummondville’s Olivier Rodrigue and Cape Breton’s Kevin Mandolese, and while Rodrigue has the best statistics this season, Gravel could have the highest potential. With Nico Hischier on his team last season and Filip Zadina on his team this year, Gravel has arguably been the most watched netminder among scouts in the QMJHL, and that could work in his favour.

Overall Future Projection (OFP): 55.75