Anton Karlsson – McKeen's Hockey

Canada set to debut final roster against Sweden

Scott Wheeler — Sat, 20 Dec 2014 22:45:22 +0000

The first look at Team Canada’s final roster comes today against Team Sweden in the second of three pre-competition games before the 2015 tournament kicks off on Boxing Day.

With the roster finalized, the game will serve as another step in the evaluation process as those who have made the team compete for roles.

With 12 regular spots available up front and six spots to compete for on the backend, the 20 remaining skaters will try to avoid falling into a role as the team’s twelfth forward or seventh defensemen. To start, Brayden Point and Dillon Heatherington will draw into those roles, respectively.

Team Canada's morning skate. Photo by Scott Wheeler.

Making their pre-competition debuts will be Ottawa Senators forward Curtis Lazar, top-ranked 2015 NHL Draft prospect Connor McDavid, undrafted Detroit Red Wings prospect Joe Hicketts and a pair of Winnipeg Jets second round prospects, forward Nic Petan and goaltender Eric Comrie.

McDavid said he's just happy to be back after suffering an injury in a fight earlier this year.

For Lazar, the chance to play with McDavid is something he said he's looked forward to since he heard he was joining the team.

"I'm just going to try and get open," Lazar said following the morning skate, laughing.

Head coach Benoit Groulx expects the new line, which sees Nick Ritchie on the left wing, to be a difference maker. The game is a chance for them to gel.

"We look for chemistry, we want to give them a chance," Groulx said. "We have to be patient and see how it goes."

After a dominant performance against Team Russia only to suffer a 2-1 loss at the hands of 52-save effort by Russian goalie and New York Islanders prospect Ilya Sorokin, Canada faces another tough challenge.

Team Sweden's morning skate. Photo by Scott Wheeler.

Team Sweden, led by returnees Robert Hagg (PHI), Robin Norell (CHI), Jacob de a Rose (MTL), Anton Karlsson (ARI) and Lucas Wallmark (CAR), plays an up-tempo, controlled game.

Other core players include Adrian Kempe (LAK), William Nylander (TOR) and Oliver Kylington, a smooth-skating draft eligible defender.

The game will be the only time the two teams meet, barring an elimination round matchup. Team Sweden will play their preliminary round games in Group B, in Toronto, while Team Canada will start in Montreal’s Group A.

The game, an instalment in RBC’s Road to the World Juniors, will be live on TSN2 at 7:00 p.m. EST.

Team Canada's line combinations:

Domi - Reinhart - Duclair
Ritchie - McDavid - Lazar
Petan - Paul - Fabbri
Crouse - Gauthier - Virtanen
Point

Nurse - Theodore
Morrissey - Bowey
Morin - Hicketts
Heatherington

Note: Stay tuned for updates throughout the day (including full line combinations) from the teams’ morning skates and immediately following the game for post-game reactions. You can follow here and on Twitter @scottcwheeler.

2014 NHL Draft: Top 5 body checkers – Ritchie a runaway freight train

Grant McCagg — Sat, 07 Jun 2014 11:30:10 +0000

Best Bodychecker

Much like NHL teams dealing with Milan Lucic in Boston, OHL teams have learned that you are often best advised not to "awaken the giant" that is Nick Ritchie. The burly Peterborough winger may already be the hardest hitter in the CHL. "When he's on his game, he's like a runaway freight train out there," notes one NHL scout. "He hits to knock you down hard, and with his girth and strength, he doesn't lose many physical battles." Johnathan MacLeod never turns down an opportunity to step up with a big hit, as several unfortunate opponents discovered during the U-18's. Jake Virtanen combines mass with speed when he makes his hardest hits, and he packs plenty of wallop. Joe Wegwerth uses his size and strength to move bodies along the wall, and Anton Karlsson loves to punish his opponents with heavy hits.

1. Nick Ritchie

2. Johnathan MacLeod

3. Jake Virtanen

4. Joe Wegwerth

5. Anton Karlsson

McKeen’s 2014 Top 30 NHL Draft Rankings (March, 2014)

Iain Morrell — Wed, 12 Mar 2014 20:40:18 +0000

Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

Sam Bennett of the Kingston Frontenacs has vaulted to the top of the McKeen's March rankings for the 2014 NHL Entry Draft.

Bennett's game has grown steadily during a breakout sophomore season highlighted by a 25-game consecutive point streak from November to late January, the longest of the OHL season so far (17-29-46).

The Holland Landing, Ontario native sits sixth in league scoring and is now the one to catch in the race for the coveted first-overall pick.

There's nothing sewn up just yet, however, as Bennett's lead is certainly a modest one with no clear-cut consensus among the top group of three including Barrie Colts' blueliner Aaron Ekblad and Kootenay centre Sam Reinhart.

Reinhart has kept pace with his 'Sam' counterpart by posting the WHL's longest consecutive point streak of the season - a 22-game run (18-30-48).

The Kootenay Ice captain and Vancouver native saw his streak come to an end at the start of this month - in a game against Prince Albert and Leon Draisaitl, who trails closely behind Reinhart in the draft rankings in the No. 4 slot.

The German-born Draisaitl has also been scorching hot since disappointing showings at the World Juniors and Top Prospects Game. After going nine straight games without a goal in January, Draisaitl has 17 goals in his past 18 games (17-22-39) and has nudged past Reinhart into fourth among WHL scorers with 99 points.

The top four haven't pulled away from the pack either. If anything, the gap has been closed by the likes of Danish roadrunner Nikolaj Ehlers of the Halifax Mooseheads.

Like Draisaitl, Ehlers never got the engines ignited at the Top Prospects Game, but has been sensational otherwise in an incredible rookie year.

The native of Aalborg, Denmark is in the midst of an 11-game points streak in which he has scored 17 times including six multi-goal games (17-12-29). Ehlers has climbed up to third overall in QMJHL scoring with 100 points including 47 goals, fifth-most in the league. In fact, after an initial transition period, he has hit the back of the net 39 times in his last 41 games.

Ehlers is shooting to become the highest-drafted Danish-born NHLer in history, the honour currently belonging to Mikkel Boedker of the Phoenix Coyotes who was selected eighth overall in 2008.

The balance of an impressive top 10 are highlighted by a quartet of OHL forwards with Michael Dal Colle of the Oshawa Generals holding down the sixth spot, and followed closely by Jared McCann (Sault Ste Marie), Nick Ritchie (Peterborough), and Brendan Perlini (Niagara).

Haydn Fleury of the Red Deer Rebels fills out the top 10 - sitting in the No. 9 spot - and remains the only other defenceman besides Ekblad to hold down a top-ten place.

Other significant risers in the March rankings include William Nylander, the son of former NHLer Michael Nylander, and Czech-born forward David Pastrnak, playing together for Sodertalje in Sweden's second division Allsvenskan.

NHL scouts have seen a pair of 17-year-old's often standing out as the best players on their team - with Nylander flashing dominant form at times - and rebounding from a dreadful start to the season.

Kasperi Kapanen (KalPa), Jakub Vrana (Linkopings), Robby Fabbri (Guelph), and Roland McKeown (Kingston) also made noteworthy gains in the March rankings.

Despite plenty of movement among the top 30 however, it remained a rather exclusive group with the only new entrant being Swiss-born forward Kevin Fiala, playing for HV 71 in the Swedish J20 League, who makes his debut at No. 28.

RANK	LAST	PLAYER	POS	TEAM	HT/WT	DOB
1	3	Sam Bennett	C	Kingston (OHL)	6-0/180	20-Jun-96
2	2	Aaron Ekblad	D	Barrie (OHL)	6-3/215	7-Feb-96
3	1	Sam Reinhart	C	Kootenay (WHL)	6-1/185	6-Nov-95
4	5	Leon Draisaitl	C	Prince Albert (WHL)	6-2/210	27-Oct-95
5	8	Nikolaj Ehlers	LW	Halifax (QMJHL)	5-11/165	13-Feb-96
6	4	Michael Dal Colle	LW	Oshawa (OHL)	6-2/180	20-Jun-96
7	7	Jared McCann	C	Sault Ste Marie (OHL)	6-0/180	31-May-96
8	6	Nick Ritchie	LW	Peterborough (OHL)	6-2/230	5-Dec-95
9	10	Haydn Fleury	D	Red Deer (WHL)	6-2/200	8-Jul-96
10	9	Brendan Perlini	LW	Niagara (OHL)	6-2/205	27-Apr-96
11	11	Jake Virtanen	RW	Calgary (WHL)	6-1/205	17-Aug-96
12	16	William Nylander	C	Sodertalje (Swe)	5-11/175	1-May-96
13	12	Julius Honka	D	Swift Current (WHL)	5-10/180	3-Dec-95
14	22	David Pastrnak	RW	Sodertalje (Swe)	6-0/170	25-May-96
15	25	Kasperi Kapanen	RW	KalPa (Fin)	6-0/180	23-Jul-96
16	13	Ivan Barbashev	C	Moncton (QMJHL)	6-1/185	14-Dec-95
17	23	Jakub Vrana	RW	Linkopings (Swe)	5-11/185	28-Feb-96
18	14	Adrian Kempe	LW	MoDo (Swe)	6-1/185	13-Sep-96
19	21	Alex Tuch	RW	NTDP (USA)	6-3/215	10-May-96
20	18	Joshua Ho-Sang	C	Windsor (OHL)	5-11/165	22-Jan-96
21	17	Dylan Larkin	C	NTDP (USA)	6-1/190	30-Jul-96
22	15	Nick Schmaltz	C	Green Bay (USHL)	5-11/175	23-Feb-96
23	28	Robert Fabbri	C	Guelph (OHL)	5-10/170	22-Jan-96
24	30	Roland McKeown	D	Kingston (OHL)	6-1/195	20-Jan-96
25	19	Sonny Milano	LW	NTDP (USA)	5-11/185	12-May-96
26	24	Nikolai Goldobin	RW	Sarnia (OHL)	5-11/180	7-Oct-95
27	27	Jack Glover	D	NTDP (USA)	6-3/195	17-May-96
28	NR	Kevin Fiala	LW	HV 71 (Swe)	5-10/185	22-Jul-96
29	29	Jack Dougherty	D	NTDP (USA)	6-1/185	25-May-96
30	20	Anton Karlsson	LW	Frolunda (Swe)	6-1/190	3-Aug-96

2014 NHL Draft: McKeen’s Top 30 Midterm Rankings (Jan-2014)

McKeen's Hockey — Thu, 23 Jan 2014 22:53:41 +0000

The 2014 NHL Draft remains a very close race for number one overall. None of the top contenders have separated themselves definitively and the picture is becoming increasingly competitive as Kingston’s Sam Bennett continues his rapid rise in the rankings unseating Leon Draisaitl from Prince Albert to enter the top three. Draisaitl was on a torrid eight game burst (8-8-12-20) before a difficult World Junior tournament that saw him ejected for two games.

Brendan Perlini progresses from #12 to enter the top ten at number eight while climbing to fifth in goal scoring in the OHL with 28 in 44 games (44-28-32-60), 12 of them scored since December 13^th.

Michael Dal Colle holds his fourth place ranking while slightly edging Sam Bennett in OHL scoring. He currently ranks 5^th (46-29-38-67) while Bennett is 6^th (40-26-40-66). An impressive Top Prospects game in which he scored, and could have had more, solidified his status.

Sam Reinhart holds tenaciously to the number one spot despite a growing crowd of contenders. Captaining his squad in the Top Prospects game with a commanding performance highlighted his potential versus his peers.

Here are our Mid Term Rankings:

RANK	LAST	PLAYER	POS	TEAM	HT/WT	DOB
1	1	Sam Reinhart	C	Kootenay (WHL)	6-1/185	06-Nov-95
2	2	Aaron Ekblad	D	Barrie (OHL)	6-3/215	07-Feb-96
3	5	Sam Bennett	C	Kingston (OHL)	6-0/180	20-Jun-96
4	4	Michael Dal Colle	LW	Oshawa (OHL)	6-2/180	20-Jun-96
5	3	Leon Draisaitl	C	Prince Albert (WHL)	6-2/210	27-Oct-95
6	6	Nick Ritchie	LW	Peterborough (OHL)	6-2/230	05-Dec-95
7	9	Jared McCann	C	Sault Ste Marie (OHL)	6-0/180	31-May-96
8	10	Nikolaj Ehlers	LW	Halifax (QMJHL)	5-11/165	13-Feb-96
9	12	Brendan Perlini	LW	Niagara (OHL)	6-2/205	27-Apr-96
10	8	Haydn Fleury	D	Red Deer (WHL)	6-2/200	08-Jul-96
11	7	Jake Virtanen	RW	Calgary (WHL)	6-1/205	17-Aug-96
12	13	Julius Honka	D	Swift Current (WHL)	5-10/180	03-Dec-95
13	19	Ivan Barbashev	C	Moncton (QMJHL)	6-1/185	14-Dec-95
14	16	Adrian Kempe	C	MoDo (Swe)	6-1/185	13-Sep-96
15	15	Nick Schmaltz	C	Green Bay (USHL)	5-11/175	23-Feb-96
16	11	William Nylander	C	Rogle (Swe)	5-11/175	01-May-96
17	20	Dylan Larkin	C	NTDP (USA)	6-1/195	30-Jul-96
18	21	Joshua Ho-Sang	C	Windsor (OHL)	5-11/165	22-Jan-96
19	25	Sonny Milano	LW	NTDP (USA)	5-11/185	12-May-96
20	24	Anton Karlsson	LW	Frolunda (Swe)	6-1/190	03-Aug-96
21	22	Alex Tuch	RW	NTDP (USA)	6-3/215	10-May-96
22	17	David Pastrnak	RW	Sodertalje (Swe)	6-0/170	25-May-96
23	26	Jakub Vrana	RW	Linkopings (Swe)	5-11/185	28-Feb-96
24	NR	Nikolai Goldobin	RW	Sarnia (OHL)	5-11/185	07-Oct-95
25	23	Kasperi Kapanen	RW	KalPa (Fin)	6-0/180	23-Jul-96
26	14	Brycen Martin	D	Swift Current (WHL)	6-2/185	09-May-96
27	NR	Jack Glover	D	NTDP (USA)	6-3/195	17-May-96
28	29	Robert Fabbri	C	Guelph (OHL)	5-10/170	22-Jan-96
29	NR	Jack Dougherty	D	NTDP (USA)	6-1/185	25-May-96
30	18	Roland McKeown	D	Kingston (OHL)	6-1/195	20-Jan-96

McKeens Hockey releases its preliminary 2014 NHL Draft list

McKeen's Staff — Tue, 06 Aug 2013 14:09:03 +0000

Fresh off the heels of an exciting 2013 NHL Draft, McKeens Hockey releases its first look at the top names for the 2014 NHL Draft in our preliminary list. This will change and come into focus as the season gets underway in September and our first official ranking will follow once we have had a chance to do more scouting.

Unlike the 2013 draft, where the focus was on Seth Jones and Nathan MacKinnon, there are a 5 or 6 names to consider for the 1st overall ranking. Players like William Nylander and Jakub Vrana will make the push from overseas, while the CHL will have a significant impact as well, with players like Sam Reinhart, Aaron Ekbald and Leon Draisaitl also in the mix for the first overall slot. The OHL has the potential to be one of the heaviest scouted areas in 2014, with 10 players in McKeens players in the initial rankings, which puts them tops among all development leagues.

The 2014 NHL Draft scouting season starts early for scouts, with the 2013 Ivan Hlinka Tournament and U20 camps starting up in Lake Placid next week, scouts are already preparing to get early looks at the top names available.

RANK	PLAYER	POS	TEAM	HT/WT	DOB
1	William Nylander Altelius	C	Sodertalje (Swe)	5-10/170	01-May-96
2	Sam Reinhart	C	Kootenay (WHL)	6-0/185	06-Nov-95
3	Nick Ritchie	LW	Peterborough (OHL)	6-1/210	05-Dec-95
4	Leon Draisaitl	C	Prince Albert (WHL)	6-1/195	27-Oct-95
5	Roland McKeown	D	Kingston (OHL)	6-1/185	20-Jan-96
6	Ryan MacInnis	C	NTDP (USA)	6-3/170	14-Feb-96
7	Aaron Ekblad	D	Barrie (OHL)	6-3/210	07-Feb-96
8	Jakub Vrana	RW	Linkopings (Swe)	6-0/180	28-Feb-96
9	Haydn Fleury	D	Red Deer (WHL)	6-3/205	08-Jul-96
10	Anton Karlsson	LW	Frolunda (Swe)	6-1/190	03-Aug-96
11	Jared McCann	C	Sault Ste Marie (OHL)	6-0/175	31-May-96
12	Michael Dal Colle	LW	Oshawa (OHL)	6-2/175	20-Jun-96
13	Brycen Martin	D	Swift Current (WHL)	6-1/180	09-May-96
14	Nick Schmaltz	C	Green Bay (USHL)	5-11/170	23-Feb-96
15	Jake Virtanen	LW	Calgary (WHL)	6-0/190	17-Aug-96
16	Alexis Pepin	C	PEI (QMJHL)	6-2/195	24-Apr-96
17	Sam Bennett	C	Kingston (OHL)	6-0/170	20-Jun-96
18	Jack Glover	D	NTDP (USA)	6-3/185	17-May-96
19	Joshua Jacobs	D	Indiana (USHL)	6-2/195	15-Feb-96
20	Blake Clarke	LW	Brampton (OHL)	6-1/190	24-Jan-96
21	Kaapo Kahkonen	G	Blues (Fin)	6-1/195	16-Aug-96
22	Sonny Milano	C	NTDP (USA)	5-10/170	12-May-96
23	Adrian Kempe	C	MoDo (Swe)	6-1/170	13-Sep-96
24	Alex Tuch	C	NTDP (USA)	6-3/225	10-May-96
25	Mason McDonald	G	Acadie-Bathurst (QMJHL)	6-3/175	23-Apr-96
26	Jacob Middleton	D	Ottawa (OHL)	6-3/195	02-Jan-96
27	Oskar Lindblom	RW	Brynas (Swe)	6-0/185	15-Aug-96
28	Kasperi Kapanen	LW	KalPa (Fin)	5-10/165	23-Jul-96
29	Joshua Ho-Sang	C	Windsor (OHL)	5-11/160	22-Jan-96
30	Matt Schmalz	LW	Sudbury (OHL)	6-5/190	21-Mar-96