Braden Doyle – McKeen's Hockey

USHL: 2020-21 Playoff Preview – Expect Entertaining Hockey with Chicago a Clear Favourite

Ryan Wagman — Fri, 30 Apr 2021 15:27:15 +0000

If there is an exception to the across-the-board negative impact of COVID-19 on the world of hockey, it may rest in the USHL. As north of the border, the three leagues of the CHL were in disarray – at best – the USHL, played a fairly “normal” year.

Sure, the league proceeded without the participation of the Madison Capitals (regional COVID restrictions) or the Cedar Rapids Rough Riders (a Derecho huffed and puffed and blew the arena down), but the rest of the league played (an approximately) 54 game schedule with rather few disruptions.

Not only that, but in terms of quality, the league was better than ever, as a number of players who had expected to suit up for Canadian teams – both CHL and Jr. A – were given an opportunity to play for various USHL teams as their regular leagues were delayed indefinitely, or outright cancelled. Those bonus players included some that were drafted already, including Cross Hanas, Bear Hughes, and Danil Gushchin*. Other drafted players came in from the Ivy League schools, who did not play a hockey schedule this year. In addition to the likes of Henry Thrun, Jack Malone, and Austin Wong coming to the USHL after some time in college, others like Sean Farrell and Alex Laferriere, who had intended to start collegiate life this year, were forced to stay back for one more year in the Midwest.

*Gushchin, who had played the previous two seasons with Muskegon, was expected to play in Ontario with Niagara for the 2020-21 season, but with the OHL in permanent statis, he was loaned back to the Lumberjacks, where he put up his best season yet.

And then there were the draft-eligible ringers who unexpectedly joined the league and played so well that they have legitimate first round consideration at the end of it. I am thinking, of course, of Cole Sillinger, who joined Sioux Falls, before it was known when, or if, the WHL would get going, and Ayrton Martino and Jack Bar, who had played in Ontario last year and had been planning on playing in the BCHL this year before Canadian restrictions pushed them to the USHL, with Omaha and Chicago, respectively.

Of course, there were many other unexpected players in the league this year, with those mentioned only scratching the surface of the most famous names.

So, before we preview the postseason, which begins this Friday (Apr. 30), let’s pour one out for the six teams that didn’t make, and give a word to the top 1-3 draft eligible players from those squads.

Team USA

One point behind Dubuque for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference – although far further back via points percentage (.510-.481), the USNTDP team that would have played in the USHL playoffs had they made it would have been the U17 team. The best of that group – Rutger McGroarty, Isaac Howard, Ryan Chesley, Lane Hutson, Charlie Stramel and others – are playing with the U18 team in Texas at the WU18 tournament. No draft eligibles but remember those names for next season.

Youngstown Phantoms

By points percentage, easily the weakest team in the league. The aforementioned Jack Malone, a Vancouver draft pick, was far and away the top performer on the team, which is to be expected from a player with a year at Cornell under his belt. Among first year draft eligibles, Japanese import Yusako Ando was the most notable, although his second year in the league was worse than his first. He can create for others, but he doesn’t skate well enough to make up for his slight 5-7” frame. The only other draft eligible who ever made a positive impression on me from this roster was blueliner Austen May. The Providence commit is on the small side, but he is really fleet of foot and shows decent attention to detail off the puck.

Des Moines Buccaneers

Despite the presence of three drafted players – Alex Laferriere (LA), Noah Ellis (Vgk), and Lucas Mercuri (Car), the Buccaneers struggled this year, particularly in terms of putting the puck in the net. The drafted guys were all solid, but too few of the rest of the roster could match their output. Perhaps things would have been different if Paul Davey hadn’t of left mid-season for a stint back home in Connecticut. Davey and Scout Truman were the two most notable first time draft eligible on the roster, but neither really put their stamp on the season. If there are to be any Buccaneers drafted this year, they will be among the redraft candidates. To that end, file away the names of Matt Choupani and Remington Koepple. Choupani is a forward who lacks much in the way of physical tools but can play the puck well. Koepple is a goalie who had decent numbers in his first year in the league, although he has only average size and athleticism and he chocked in the BioSteel game, hurting his standing for some.

Lincoln Stars

The Stars went heavy on the ringers partway through the season. Cross Hanas was already mentioned, but he was just one of four players brought in from the WHL Portland Winterhawks, joining Clay Hanas (no relation), Jack O’Brien, and James Stefan, as well as Charles-Alexis Legault from West Kelowna in the BCHL and Michael Mastrodomenico from AAA hockey in Quebec. Simply put, the shuffled team never gelled, and the newcomers couldn’t get into the swing of the USHL.

O’Brien was the biggest disappointment. There was some expectation that he could be a high round pick this year, but one goal and six assists in 23 games ended that sentiment. Blueliner Legault didn’t hurt his stock too much, as he still has great size and skates well and shoots from his right side. Stefan, son of former first overall pick Patrik Stefan, had enough moments to maybe convince some team to call his name in the late rounds. A kind word also to big bruising winger Gleb Veremeyev. Veremeyev isn’t an offensive threat, but one of the top PIM players in the league is a threat, nonetheless. The USHL is not a very physical league, and when a player has that size and plays with that snarl, he sometimes gets drafted, such as we saw with Nick Capone last year and Martin Pospisil in 2018.

Waterloo Black Hawks

Generally contenders, the Black Hawks find themselves out of the playoffs for the first time since 2014-15, and only the second time in 14 seasons for which there were playoffs. Fielding one of the smaller and least experienced lineups in the league, this just wasn’t their year. Their one drafted player, Toronto’s Wyatt Schingoethe, regressed heavily from his strong draft year. The team cycled through goalies, with three seeing significant minutes. Remember the name of Emmett Croteau, the best performing of their netminders, as he won’t be draft eligible until 2022.

Among players eligible this year, the most impressive were second time eligible defenseman Cooper Wylie, a USHL rookie, who can play the puck and skate well enough to make his ornery game effective, if not spectacular. He could be drafted. On the other hand, David Gucciardi, acquired in an early season trade from Youngstown, will be drafted. His game is raw, and his mistakes are often critical, but he has tools, and his instincts are good enough to think he can be a good one if he relies on his instincts all the time.

Sioux Falls Stampede

The Western Conference bottom feeders are a mystery. In the last USHL playoffs, the Stampede took home the title. In addition to their usual solid team, this year they brought in the highest profile ringer in Cole Sillinger, who didn’t disappoint, with a team leading 46 points despite only playing in 31 games. He is a sniper with an NHL style game who will be back in the WHL next year. The USHL rarely sees a player of his caliber, whether talking about skill or about reading the game, yet he couldn’t drag the Stampede upwards on his own. I would be surprised if he isn’t the first player from this year’s USH: crop to play in the NHL.

Defender Brent Johnson was one of the better draft eligible defenders in the league as well. A power play specialist with good wheels and an ornery side, his season ended right before the BioSteel All American Game due to a shoulder injury, but could hear his name called in the 50-80 range of the draft if his medicals hold up.

Although not as high profile, I also have time for second time eligible, defenseman Nate Schweitzer, who can do a lot well, but nothing spectacularly, and winger Mike Citara, who can skate and shoot. I don’t expect either to be drafted, but I wouldn’t be surprised if either was.

The Playoffs

The format this year is simple. The top four teams from each conference made it in. All series are best-of-threes. Top seed plays the fourth seed, and second seed plays the third seed. All games are hosted by the higher seed. One series per weekend until one team lifts the Clark Cup. Let’s go!

Western Conference

Jack Peart. Photo Dan Hickling, Hickling Images

#1 Tri-City Storm vs #4 Fargo Force

The Western Conference was incredibly tight at the top with the playoff picture not being settled until the final weekend of the regular season. The points percentage difference between Tri-City and Fargo (32 percentage points) was less than between Fargo and fifth place Des Moines (34 percentage points).

Fargo was the third best defensive team in the league, although Tri-City was the best at keeping the puck out of its net. Neither team is known for filling their opponents’ nets either, but both had generally done enough to walk away with points more often than not. In fact, they are quite evenly matched. The difference in these three games (outside of home ice advantage) is likely to rest in special teams. Fargo was mediocre on both the power play and the penalty kill, while the Storm were strong with the man advantage and almost impregnable on the penalty kill, leading the league with a breathtaking 88.3% kill rate. To Fargo’s credit, they have played far more of their season at 5-on-5 than Tri-City. And they will have to do that again this weekend to keep their season alive.

Beyond the expected close games, another reason to watch this series is the head-to-head matchup between two very interesting and talented draft eligibles. On Fargo, that would be Tristan Broz, a two-way center with a good motor and the vision to be a power play weapon. The Minnesota commit ran away with the scoring lead on his team. His numbers would be even more impressive if he had more talented teammates to play with. On Tri-City, the man of the hour is Matthew Knies. Knies started his season painfully slow, but ended it on fire, with 20 points in his final 11 games. Knies has heavier feet, but a very mature build and at his best, can take over the game. He will join Broz with the Golden Gophers next year.

Knies and Broz are not the only intriguing draft eligible players in this series. In fact, Fargo blueliner Jack Peart has a very good chance to be the highest drafted player in this series. The St. Cloud State commit split his season between Fargo and Grand Rapids High School (Mn). He is a good skater with a very strong first few steps, who plays with preternatural poise. He controls the puck like a much older player and plays a strong 200-foot game. Had Peart spent the entire season in Fargo, the final standings may have looked very different. For Fargo, also keep an eye on Aaron Huglen, a Buffalo draft pick who returned from over a full year on the sidelines after around a third of this season was done and has played a skilled game ever since.

On Tri-City, Knies is joined by a pair of intriguing draft eligible players in Hunter Strand and Carter Mazur, the latter of whom is a second time eligible player. Strand is a USNTDP alum, whose late birthday prevented him from being drafted last year. The Alaska native is a great skater and plays a patient game with the puck. Mazur has more of an East-West style game, helped along by plus edges. He can play the pest role as well and retains utility off the puck. Strand and Mazur both outscored Knies this year, but Knies already had a big reputation through his big pre-draft year and his run to end the year keeps him top of mind.

Prediction: Fargo in three. A mild upset to be sure. The return of Peart helps Fargo just as much as the loss of top blueliner Guillaume Richard hurts Tri-City. Richard is currently representing Team Canada at the WU18s in Texas. Neither team has stellar goaltending, but Fargo’s Brennan Boynton should be able to roughly match Tri-City’s Todd Scott.

#2 Omaha Lancers vs #3 Sioux City Musketeers

Both Omaha and Sioux City put up 63 points in 53 games, but their paths to getting there could scarcely have been more different. Consider that Omaha’s goal differential was a mediocre +13, while Sioux City outscored their opponents on aggregate by 35 goals, with the league’s best – by far – defense.

The two teams are both led by high end goaltending, each starting one of the three drafted netminders in the league. For Sioux City, that man is the Swiss Akira Schmid, a New Jersey prospect, while Montreal draftee Jakob Dobes, from Czechia, mans the pipes for Omaha. Dobes was a true workhorse for the Lancers, playing in 47 of the team’s 53 games, while Schmid played roughly two-third of the time for Sioux City, as his back up was more reliable.

Schmid will need to be at his best in this series, however, as Omaha has one of the biggest offensive weapons in the league at their disposal in Ayrton Martino. Martino joined the club shortly after the calendar flipped into 2021 and took the league by storm, with the fifth best points-per-game ratio in the USHL (1.47). A great skater with a fantastic shot, Martino did not let his slight frame prevent him from dominating, and his playmaking game is just as strong as his finishing ability. If Sioux City can shut Martino down, the Lancers don’t have too many other weapons at their disposal as their secondary scoring is largely in the hands of USHL veterans like Ryan Lautenbach, Nolan Renwick and Zach Dubinsky. The Omaha roster is one of the oldest in the league.

Sioux City, on the other hand, has a few more weapons at its disposal. Detroit draft pick Chase Bradley and New Jersey pick Ethan Edwards were both in the team’s top four in scoring, while Buffalo pick Matteo Costantini showed well after joining the league mid-season. Although the Musketeers don’t have a draft eligible player the likes of Martino, don’t sleep on defenseman Shai Buium. A USHL rookie out of the Shattuck-St. Mary’s program, he combines quick hands with smooth, if not quick, feet. He plays a strong two-way game and if he were a better skater (he isn’t bad, but he isn’t great), we would be hearing more people call for him as a first round type of talent. As is, he has enough raw skill to dream on a big, late-blooming future. I am also keeping an eye on redraft candidates defenseman Daniel Laatsch and center Justin Hryckowian. Laatsch is a USNTDP alum who has great size and some burgeoning skill, but is still raw, while Hryckowian has a fun skill game, but an injury-filled history and a sub-optimal build.

Prediction: Sioux City’s depth overcomes Martino’s solo skill in three games.

Western Conference Final Prediction: Sioux City over Fargo in three games. Sioux City is just too difficult to score against and has enough offensive weapons to get the job done.

Eastern Conference

Matthew Coronato. Photo by Dan Hickling, Hickling Images

#1 Chicago Steel vs #4 Dubuque Fighting Saints

By all accounts, this should be a washout. Chicago is, by great lengths, the top team in the USHL. They enter the postseason on an eight-game undefeated streak, and won 38 of 54 games this year, often by wide margins. Their goaltending has been shoddy at times, but far more often than not, they were able to outscore their troubles and their total of 265 goals scored was 24 more than the runners-up. Dubuque, on the other hand, won only 24 of 51 games, securing the final playoff spot in the east thanks to a win in their final game coupled with a loss from the U17 USNTDP squad.

If Dubuque is to have a hope in this series, look to their defensive players. Goalie Lukas Parik, a Los Angeles draft pick, struggled since joining the team, in late-January from the Czech second division, but shut out Green Bay in his final game, reminding us of what he is capable. On the blueline, fellow LA pick Braden Doyle teams up with Anaheim draft pick Henry Thrun to give the Fighting Saints a pair of weapons. Up front, Dubuque has a balanced attack, but the man to watch is Robert Cronin. While too old to be drafted this year Cronin is a late bloomer with speed and skill who will be a good follow next year once he joins the University of New Hampshire. The boy to watch, on the other hand, is Matthew Savoie. The 17-year-old is a 2022 draft eligible, who should have been playing in the WHL, but the uncertainty in that league led him to Dubuque, where he immediately played a central, and at time dominating, role. He’s going to be really fun to watch next year.

Looking at draft eligibles for this summer, keep your eyes on Connor Kurth and Andrei Buyalsky. Buylasky is actually the same age (born three days later) as Cronin, but as he is considered a foreign player (this is his first season in North America), the Kazakhstani forward is draft eligible while the American Cronin is not. Buyalsky is an impressive skater with impressive finishing ability. Kurth, on the other hand, has no particular big attributes to his game, but he finds a way to put up good numbers. He has a very stocky build but moves well enough regardless.

Moving on to Chicago, almost every skater on the roster is worthy of mention. Start with Montreal draft pick Sean Farrell, a USNTDP alum who would have been with Harvard this season had the Crimson actually played. Instead, he put up a breathtaking 101-point season for the Steel. His playmaking ability is simply unfair to most opponents on most nights. Then there is Matthew Coronato, a likely first round pick, who scored 48 goals in 51 games. Sure, it helps to have Farrell playing on your team, but the two actually rarely played together at even strength. Coronato is an offensive dynamo, who is content to cycle on his own for multiple full loops of the offensive end before he sees a seam to exploit.

Then there is Jack Bar, a late add to the roster from the BCHL. After a brief period acclimating to the league, he began to dominate. The defenseman likes to get deep into the offensive zone but is also a physical and committed defender. He has some first round upside. Of course, I also have to mention Mackie Samoskevich, who at one time was seen as a better draft prospect than Coronato. Samoskevich struggled somewhat after a midseason injury but is another gifted playmaker and a fantastic skater to boot.

I don’t want to get into the weeds too much, but I also expect Josh Doan (son of Shane), Ryan Ufko, and Jackson Blake to be drafted this summer, and Jack Harvey being drafted wouldn’t surprise me either. Anaheim draft pick Ian Moore has been impressive in his first season in the USHL, and 2023(!!) eligible forward Adam Fantilli is a burgeoning superstar. As good as everyone else already mentioned on this roster is, Fantilli’s upside is the highest. I am talking top three in the draft upside.

Prediction: Chicago in two, barring a complete breakdown in net. Chicago in three if the goalies stumble.

#2 Muskegon Lumberjacks vs #3 Green Bay Gamblers

A testament to how tight the West is, the Muskegon-Green Bay series is the second most lopsided duel after Chicago-Dubuque, with .040 percentage points separating the Lumberjacks and the Gamblers. Muskegon plays an up-tempo, high-event game with red lights going off at both ends. Green Bay is best when they keep goals to a minimum, and actually ended the season with the fewest goals allowed in the conference.

Green Bay’s chances are led by a pair of Boston Bruins’ draft picks in defender Mason Lohrei and center Jake Schmaltz. The latter is a two-way forward, who after three seasons in the USHL, has figured out how to be a factor offensively. He does a lot of little things well but lacks any dynamic elements. Lohrei was a surprise second rounder last season but has grown his game even more this year. He is big, skates very well, has a big point shot and plays a tough game at all ends. The Gamblers will go as far as he can take them. Vancouver draft pick Jackson Kunz and Vegas pick Jackson Hallum are also on the roster, and while both have shown the ability to provide secondary offense, neither can make things happen on their own. 2022 eligible Ryan Greene is an interesting player, but if there is a wild card in Green Bay, it is Camden Thiesing. The Tennessee native combines skill with grit, finishing third in the league in PIMs. He will work to make things happen on his own, and when he stays out of the penalty box, he is dangerous.

Led by San Jose draft pick Danil Gushchin, Muskegon is incredibly entertaining. Gushchin is a dynamo, who is not the most consistent player, but when he is involved and engaged, is one of the top handful of forwards in the league. He is joined by a deep roster of talented players, a few of whom should be drafted this summer, many of those in their second year of eligibility. The best of that secondary bunch is center Cameron Berg. Berg finished last year hot after a slow start and didn’t miss a beat coming into this year. He has a high-end wrist shot and knows how to create space for himself to rip one off. Winger Quinn Hutson is another second-year eligible forward who made waves this year. The type of player to get to the right spot at the right time, he knows how to finish what his linemates create. On the blueline, there are a trio to watch. The offensive blueline is Jacob Guevin, a power play specialist, whose production overshadows his average tools. Alex Gagne and Hank Kempf are bigger, more physical blueliners who make life difficult for attacking forwards. I could see all three drafted this summer.

Prediction: Muskegon in three games.

Eastern Conference Final prediction: Chicago in three games over Muskegon. This would be an immensely entertaining series.

Clark Cup Final Prediction: Chicago over Sioux City in three games. It’s really hard to bet against the Steel this year.

USHL 2019-20 Season Preview – Fall Classic 2019

Ryan Wagman — Wed, 09 Oct 2019 14:13:08 +0000

As is now customary in the USHL, the league season opened in the outskirts of Pittsburgh, at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex. Over a four day period, when one of the main ice sheets was not being used by the pre-season Pittsburgh Penguins, or one of many elite youth tournaments featuring teams from around the country, all 16 teams* in the league gathered in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania, around 50 miles away from the nearest USHL franchise (Youngstown, Ohio), to play their first two games of the regular season.

*The USNTDP U-17 and U-18 squads play different schedules, but their combined records are used in the league standings. Also, only the U-18 team featured here.

The USHL is a funny league. Like the OHL, WHL, or QMJHL, it is a great league for high end under 20 hockey players. The USHL has close to a 100% graduation rate for its players either going to play for Division I NCAA programs, or turning pro in Europe. There is, however, a critical difference between the USHL and the CHL leagues.

Whereas the CHL will only lose two or three players directly to the pros after their age 17 year, and maybe 6-10 more after their age 18 seasons, the vast majority of players stick around until their eligibility is exhausted. On the other hand, around 35-60% of the best 17 year old’s in the league move on to play college hockey as true freshman. Half or more of the rest go to school after their age 18 season. For the most part, the only players who use up their eligibility are the depth player of whom their commitment schools do not have as high hopes and push for a delay in enrollment so as to get a player who is at least physically mature, even if he will not be a top end collegiate player.

What that leaves us with is a league that sees a tremendous amount of year-over-year turnover, particularly among the high end of the league. It is very difficult to not only know the various rosters before the puck drops, but to know who to look out for in any given year as development is rapid.

While I was not able to get to the arenas in time to see the opening game, missing a chance to see the Dubuque Fighting Saints take out the Muskegon Lumberjacks by a 4-1 margin. I also had to leave before the games of the final day commenced, but over three days of attendance, I got to see each team play at least once, seeing all or parts of 12 games in under 72 hours. I say “parts of” games, as there was some overlap around midday each day, forcing me, and scouts from every NHL and seemingly every NCAA Division I school, to jump back and forth between arenas. As much as the event is great for NHL scouts to familiarize themselves with the new batch of talent from one of the better prospect leagues in the world, it is also a great chance for college recruiters and coaches to look for late blooming talent that have not yet committed themselves to one program or another.

With the caveat that the teams will change markedly as the season progresses, due to injuries, trades, and players leaving or leaving for high school programs, imperfect information is always better than no information and I’d rather share what I know about the early 2019-20 season in the USHL with you than not do it.

For those who just want to know which teams are best/worst, I was most impressed with Waterloo, Chicago, and Cedar Rapids. Des Moines, Sioux City, and Muskegon had it roughest. For everybody else, keep reading.

Cedar Rapids RoughRiders (Prediction – 1^st in the Eastern Conference)

I am going alphabetically, so it is just a coincidence that the team I had as the best on the weekend is going first. After getting past the first round for the first time in nine years last season, the RoughRiders are positioned to go further in 2019-20. Outscoring opponents 10-3 on the weekend, it was the defense that stood out to me most consistently. The name everyone knows is Will Francis, a sixth round pick of Anaheim’s last summer. He was always a good skater for his size, but he looks to be a bit more assertive with the puck this year. He is joined on the blueline by a number of other sizable, mobile blueliners, several of whom should be watched closely by NHL scouts this season. 17 year olds among them include Alex Gagne, a big player who can help to push the pace, and Bennet Zmolek, who is more of a first pass kind of player. Most impressive though was Ben Meehan, an 18 year old who spent his draft year playing New England prep school hockey. Although not as big as his teammates, he has dynamic elements to his puck game and isn’t exactly small. He could be a game breaker.

The forwards are solid, but there might not be a future NHLer among them, although I wouldn’t put it past Grant Silianoff to have a big second year of eligibility. He is a very good skater with solid hockey IQ. Instead, look in net. I’d also keep half an eye on Justin Hryckowian, an 18-year old who joins the team after a year at prep school, who brings pace and energy, blended with some puck skills. The RoughRiders will probably split the crease, at least in the early going, but at least on one out of every two games, giant Colorado draft pick Shamil Shmakov will fill up the space between the pipes. His limbs are so long, I have taken to calling him Shamil the Shpider. Unlike most big netminders, he is aggressive in the crease. According to Alessandro Seren Rosso, he had been inconsistent in Russia, but it’s easy to see what the Avalanche like about him.

Chicago Steel (Prediction – 2^nd in the Eastern Conference)

Once again, the fact that another of our expected front-runners comes near the top of our list is coincidental. Despite the loss of top scorers Nicholas Abruzzese and Robert Mastrosimone to the college ranks, the Steel should once again be one of the strongest teams in the league, and may in fact be a more well-rounded team this year than the squad that made it to the Clark Cup finals last year.

The biggest change is in net, as the graduation of inconsistent incumbent Justin Robbins has paved the way for a pair of newcomers to the league in Victor Ostman from Sweden and Ian Shane from California. Both were steady in their debut games, allowing a pair of goals apiece. The blueline should also be stronger than the youthful crew in place last year. While Luke Reid is the only defender likely to be observed closely for draft reasons this year, the North Dakota commit has some flaws to iron out in his own end. On the other hand, 2021 eligible Owen Power is ready to lead the charge from the back. He is large, mobile and his game grew by leaps and bounds as a 16 year old rookie in the league last year. He is trending to be a high pick when his time comes.

The offensive attack will be led by a trio of intriguing draft eligible forwards in late-‘01 birthdays Sean Farrell (late of the USNTDP) and Brendan Brisson (son of super-agent Pat Brisson), and Sam Colangelo. Farrell and Brisson both play skilled games with pace and hockey IQ. Neither have great size, but make things happen on the ice. Colangelo has similar attributes, but better size in his package. Also worth keeping an eye on are Gunnarwolfe Fontaine, whose overall game is almost as much fun as his name, and Matthew “Mackie” Samoskevich, a late-’02 birthday who looks like a probable draft pick in the 2021 draft. Famously under the tutelage of star skills coach Darryl Belfry, the Steel have talent up and down the lineup and will be a tough out all season, even though their roster is the youngest (excepting the USNTDP, which has age limits) in the league.

Des Moines Buccaneers (Prediction – 7^th in the Western Conference)

While the Buccaneers were pretty rough in their opening weekend, all hope is not lost for the Iowan squad. Their team is at an odd juncture of being among the oldest in the league, but only in the middle of the pack in terms of experience at this level. It is fair to expect more out of imports Yaroslav Alexeyev, who has already seen success at the QMJHL level, as well as from third year USHLer Jan Kern, who played for his native Czech Republic at last year’s WJC. I would also assume there is more offense to come from 2001 borns Mason Nevers and Michael Mancinelli, who have flashed their skills in the past.

A lot of their hopes to turn around the tough beginning will rest on the shoulders on former USNTDP backup netminder Cameron Rowe. He has the requisite athleticism you want in a top goaltender, but needs to take a few steps forward in terms of his consistency and focus. Rowe will need the blueline to step up and minimize Grade A scoring chances against and I will be keeping my eyes on a pair of 2001s to play key roles in that endeavor in Nicklas Andrews, an undersized puck mover, and John Driscoll, a much bigger, rangier player who is more of a stay-at-home type.

For those interested in first year draft eligible players, I will be focused on Iowa native Noah Ellis, a UMass (Amherst) commit who is entering his first year in the league and is being given a chance to prove himself on the power play, as well as center Matt Choupani, who has come to the USHL from the AAA ranks in Quebec. He has solid wheels, some puck protection ability, and brings energy to all three zones.

Dubuque Fighting Saints (Prediction – 3^rd in the Eastern Conference)

The Fighting Saints always build talented rosters, even if most of their players are on the older side (oldest roster in the league) and many are not necessarily on the forefront of NHL scouting radars. Exhibits 1A and 1B to that point are the Jackson twins, Ty (a center) and Dylan (RW). A pair of waterbugs on the top line, Dylan is the bigger of the two, at 5-9”, 155. They are both quick and talented, playing a creative, instinctive game. Had they been born 10 days later, they would have been first time eligibles next June, but were passed over last season. In a similar boat, but one year older, is Riese Gaber, tiny yet one of the most talented stick handlers in the league. Gaber could be a potential free agent signing out of college like recent signings Blake Lizotte and Mason Jobst, but he is going to turn 20 this week and 5-8” is still small, even in the modern NHL.

Dubuque also has a pair of already drafted players in the lineup in Swedish netminder Erik Portillo, who aced his debut, holding Muskegon to a single goal on 23 shots. Jimmy Hamrin was very high on this mountain man from his time in the Swedish junior ranks and the Buffalo Sabres were intrigued enough to use their third round pick on him. Blueliner Braden Doyle looked overwhelmed late last season after his prep schedule ended, but Los Angeles saw enough potential to use a late pick on him and he looks much better in the early going, with his stickhandling and puck rushing abilities more able to come to the fore. Both Portillo and Doyle will be critical to Dubuque’s chances this year.

In terms of first time draft eligible for this season, look back to the Jackson line where Stephen Halliday is being tasked with creating room for his talented linemates. Already standing 6-4” and over 210 pounds, he has the size to play a power game and the speed and puck skills to keep up in the modern game. The first overall pick in the USHL Futures draft in 2018, he was stuck on a now-defunct Central Illinois team last year and now has the chance to establish his draft stock in light of his natural gifts. First, he will need to play with some snarl to match his skill as he was getting pushed around too easily by smaller players for my liking.

Fargo Force (Prediction – 6^th in the Western Conference)

A team with age and size on its side, Cary Eades’ team is set to compete now. The most well-known names on the roster belong to netminder Cole Brady and forward Aaron Huglen, both entering their first full seasons in the USHL but with NHL affiliations already in place. Brady was a late round pick of New Jersey and Huglen of Buffalo in last June’s draft. Brady impressed in his debut games. He takes up a lot of room in the crease, has his movements under control, stays square to the shooter and flashes a quick glove. Huglen missed the USHL Classic due to injury but his high end skill set is expected to make him one of the Force’s offensive leaders.

Fargo’s chances will rest on their ability to limit the scoring chances provided to the opposition, which they looked more than capable of doing in the opening weekend. Their blueline crew is relatively anonymous, although big Cedric Fiedler played for Switzerland at last year’s WU18 tournament. Their first pairing for the moment consists of Noah Beck and Colton Huard, who are both reliable defenders with plus size but without any remarkable tools to their name. In the absence of Huglen, their top offensive threats look like a pair of 18 year olds who passed over at the draft last year in Lynden Breen and Kaden Bohlsen. The former brings the skill and play driving ability and the latter brings the size and trigger. 16-year old Tristan Broz is also worth noting, although his draft date won’t be until 2022.

While any of the names mentioned in the last paragraph can make enough noise in their respective second years of draft eligibility to hear their names called next June (I would say that Bohlsen is the odds-on favorite in that duck race), the only first year eligible player who played a regular shift at the USHL Classic was Kyle Smolen, who was essentially their extra skater.

Green Bay Gamblers (Prediction – 8^th in the Eastern Conference)

In the absence of much in the way of 2002 born talent, the primary point of interest in scouting the Gamblers this year is to see how a trio of drafted forwards continue their development. Big Texan Ryan O’Reilly is the rare player who is still gracing the rinks of the USHL in his draft + two season. He has always had talented mitts and good shot, but has struggled with his consistency throughout his time in the league and his first few steps have remained below average. The other two drafted players were more surprising that they were selected in the first place. In the seventh round last year, Boston drafted Jake Schmaltz and Tampa took McKade Webster. The Schmaltz selection was odd in that he was a bottom six player without any discernable high end tools in his draft year as a member of the Steel. For Webster, it was his second year of eligibility, but he missed most of the season to injury. Schmaltz should take on a bigger role this year and we will get the chance to see if there is any latent skill lying beneath the two-way responsibility. Webster is healthy and brings energy, but can his early point pace be sustained over time?

Green Bay’s ability to compete will rest on a group of undrafted, yet talented late 2000 and 2001 born players. Up front, I would look to Tyler Paquette, Nicholas Zabaneh, and Camden Thiesing. Paquette is big and skates well, although his hands haven’t yet caught up to his feet. Zabaneh and Theising are both undersized and have flashed the ability to execute skill plays, but without the necessary consistency to be of pro interest. On the blueline, the top two left side players, Dylan Moulton and Chris Giroday, are all situations players with solid all around games. Moulton, in particular, has the look of a promising late bloomer, after spending last season in the NAHL.

Thus far, the only first year eligible on the roster are wingers Luke Mylymok and Alex Servango. Servango has scored twice in his first three games at the level, but standing 5-8”, he will have to prove himself continuously all year. Mylymok had a decent rookie season in the USHL last year, but hasn’t shown much yet in 2019-20. I would posit that one of the players in the previous paragraph is more likely to earn the affections of NHL scouts, with Giroday and Paquette the most primed.

Lincoln Stars (Prediction – 4^th in the Western Conference)

After a terrible 2018-19 campaign, which saw the team sell off many of its better players at the trade deadline, the Stars seem to have regrouped with much better things expected for 2019-20. The lineup is stocked with players with USHL experience, with only Green Bay and Omaha have more on hand. This type of team-building is easiest to recognize with their goaltenders. Neither Ryan McInchak nor Jacob Mucitelli look like future NHLers, but neither are prone to coughing up games behind their squad.

The Stars feature four veteran forwards leading the charge, including three who all played with the Chicago Steel last season in Travis Treloar, Josh Groll, and Christian Sarlo. Groll may be recognized as a depth player for the Team USA outfit at the 2018 Hlinka, although he struggled to produce for the Steel. Treloar and Sarlo were productive, and Treloar looked, at times, like a potential NHL draft pick in the first half, before slowing down considerably in the second half. They played as a first line at the USHL Classic and could collectively be primed for a strong season now. Joining them as a critical forward is holdover Josh Lopina. He has gained in mass since last year and flashes a promising wrist shot. Through their first two games, the Stars blueline corps did not add a single point, although players like Jordan Power and Jake Boltmann should change that in short order.

Speaking of Boltmann, he is one of the few first year draft eligible players on the roster. He plays in all situations and has a solid point shot from the right side. He also plays a promising physical style. Two other draft eligibles of note are left winger Zach Urdahl and blueliner Jacob Bauer. Urdahl impressed for the Stars in a brief cameo last year. His first few steps are fine, but his top speed needs an extra gear. Bauer is a right handed shot with good size, but none of his tools flashed overly brightly on the weekend.

Madison Capitols (Prediction – 6^th in the Eastern Conference)

Ever since I began covering the USHL, the Capitols have been the dregs of the league. They would have the occasional high end prospect in their ranks, but more often than not, they were drastically outmanned by the other teams in the league. While I am not ready to state that Madison will play in the postseason for the first time in its six year history, they could be a .500 team for the first time. The roster is still too shallow for me to project for more, but progress is apparent.

My general optimism comes from the first line of forwards, with Hungarian center Kristof Papp flanked by two first year draft eligible wingers in Carson Bantle and Reid Pabich. I will start with a word on Pabich, a Madison native who helps to keep things moving along, but is the clear third wheel on this unit. If the Capitols wanted to maximize their top line, Pabich would be subbed out for another first year draft eligible in Ryan Kirwan, who had a good showing for Team USA at this summer’s Hlinka Gretzky Cup. Regardless of how they move the right wing forward, the player to watch here is left winger Bantle, also a Hlinka alum. In his second season in Madison, Bantle has started the season hot, with six points through his first three games. He has ideal size, good touch, a nice top gear and a strong stick. I would like to see more aggression, but so far he looks like one of the top draft eligible prospects in the league. The line is centered by Papp, the team’s second leading scorer last season. He has very soft hands and plays creatively and now with added confidence. His size is only average and he may not have the speed to be of great NHL interest, but if he continues to push the pace as he did in the USHL Classic, he will force teams to take notice.

Although most of the attention on Madison will be placed up front, there is one blueliner who should also be minded in right handed shooting Stephen Davis, a Boston College commit. Although offensively inclined for the most part, the puck mover puts in good effort in his own end and could do enough to keep himself on the radar. Starting netminder Simon Latkoczy is also a 2002-born player, but at 5-11”, he is too small to be a draft target. That said, if he can provide Madison with at least average performance in net, the team will be competitive.

Muskegon Lumberjacks (Prediction – 5^th in the Eastern Conference)

One of the most surprising facets of the USHL this year is that Daniil Gushchin is still a part of it. The Lumberjacks have a knack for developing Russian players, with high draft picks Andrei Svechnikov and Yegor Afanasyev both recently gracing the team roster. Gushchin played with Afanasyev last year and was very impressive as a 16-year old in the league, so when the Regina Pats used the seventh overall pick in the CHL Import Draft on the pint sized winger, it was widely expected that the player would be moving to Saskatchewan. Perhaps not. Although Gushchin has not recorded a point through three league games, he is widely expected to spearhead the Lumberjacks offense as the season progresses.

Coming up behind the talented Russian is another talented left winger who is small enough to make the 5-8”, 165 lbs Gushchin look big. I am referring to 5-7”, 158 lbs Alex Gaffney, who held his own as a rookie last year, but will need to do far more than that to garner NHL attention this year. Gaffney was strong at the Hlinka, but with his frame, the Harvard commit will need to prove that he can handle the grind. Another first year draft eligible winger of note for Muskegon is Jack Williams (one of two Jack Williamses on the roster). After crushing at the Selects Hockey Academy for two years, he was electrifying in a short stint with Muskegon at the tail end of last year. He has already shown that he can bring a lot of energy to his shifts this year, but the offense will need to follow.

There are enough interesting players on the Lumberjacks to expect them to overcome their rough start to the season (5 goals through 3 games), but the only one who seems likely to be followed for draft purposes is netminder Jonathan (Jack) Williams. Passed over last year after an uneven NAHL campaign, he has the size and athleticism that teams look for. He needs the minutes and the consistency. They are the smallest team in the league, and one of the least experienced to boot, so a slow start is not all that surprising, but better days should be ahead.

Omaha Lancers (Prediction – 2^nd in the Western Conference)

Muskegon has the least experienced roster in the USHL. Omaha has, by far, the most experience, with nearly 200 more cumulative games to its players’ credit than the runner-up. Among those experienced players, none will play as critical a role in Omaha’s fortunes as that of starting goalie Akira Schmid. The 6-5” behemoth led the league in save percentage after coming over from the WHL, by way of the NAHL, and allowing for a mid-year break to represent his native Switzerland at the WJC. Considering the gap in ability between New Jersey draft pick Schmid and his backup, he should receive the lion’s share of playing time.

The Lancers’ offensive attack will reply on two 18 year olds who actually have very little USHL experience in Alexander Campbell a Nashville draft pick, and Rhett Pitlick, a Montreal selection. Campbell is coming over off a fantastic draft year in the BCHL, while Pitlick spent the bulk of his draft year playing Minnesota high school hockey. At the USHL Classic, they were generally playing opposite wings on the same line, with Pitlick playing as a trigger man on his off wing. Both players are above average skater and exciting puck players. When they are on the ice, especially playing together, the opposition should expect to be playing mostly in its own end.

Similar to the gap between Schmid and his backup, the level of talent on Omaha sees a big drop off after Campbell and Pitlick. With a plethora of 1999 and 2000 borns, there is little room o the roster for first year draft eligible, and only three played at all at the Classic. Neither Cameron Berg, Michael Cameron, or Matt Basgall did much to separate themselves. Omaha will go only as far as its three drafted players can take them.

Sioux City Musketeers (Prediction – 8^th in the Western Conference)

Eeli Tolvanen is long gone. Last year’s hero, Bobby Brink is gone now, too. Draft picks Martin Pospisil and Marcus Kallionkielli are also gone. In fact, all of the top eight on the scoring list from last year’s squad are now gone. So are the two main netminders. I have already mentioned how high the level of turnover is in this league and the Musketeers are the prime example of that trend. It isn’t all bad though. For one thing, Sioux City could have even better netminding this year as Ben Kraws and Jake Sibell have been replaced by Nashville draft pick Ethan Haider, coming off a fantastic campaign in the NAHL, where he was named the Goaltender of the Year for the Midwest region of that league.

Additionally, even though they didn’t factor into the scoring leaders last year, the team added a pair of defensemen from high end college programs around midseason and both Adam Samuelsson and Dominic Vidoli are back. The former provides a gigantic body on the blueline with enough snarl to make himself useful even without much in the way of offensive contributions. The latter is six inches shorter and 55 pounds lighter, but looks to be one of the more dynamic offensive defensemen in the league this year. As a 20 year old, he is not draft eligible, but could work his way into consideration as an undrafted free agent after more time in college at Ohio State.

The Musketeers may be a weaker squad this year, but with a plethora of 2002 borns in the lineup, the stands will always have a lot of NHL scouts in attendance. Among the first year eligible, Jackson Nieuwendyk, son of Hall of Famer Joe is currently more curiosity than legit draft prospect, but that may yet change. Offensively inclined blueliner Christian Jimenez is a decent puck mover, but his reads are still a little rough. Center Blake Biondi comes with glowing advance clippings, considering his past production for Minnesota high school powerhouse Hermantown, which last year culminated in his being named an All-USA Hockey First Teamer, along with four players who were drafted last June. There is some thought that he will yet return to play for Hermantown this year, and his early play this season in the USHL has been underwhelming, but leaving for high school will leave his prospect status with more questions than answers, even if he excels for Hermantown once again. At this point though, the top scouting draw is following in a hallowed Sioux City tradition as a high end Finnish scorer. Tolvanen begat Kallionkieli. Kallionkieli has begat Joel Maatta. Maatta has started his USHL career on fire, with the ability to control the offensive attack from the half-wall, getting right to the net on rushes and making sure his stick is ready to play the puck. Between his hands, size and solid stride, he has the makings of a top half of the draft candidate.

Sioux Falls Stampede (Prediction – 3^rd in the Western Conference)

Winning the Clark Cup last year was very nice. Starting again with only two players who contributed even 10 points to the championship team is not as nice, but flags fly forever. The goalies have turned over, too. So let’s give a quick shout-out to returning champions Jared Westcott and Ryan Sullivan, as they spend one more season in the USHL before going to school, but the simple matter is that any chance of repeating that the Stampede have will be reliant on new players. Starting in the crease, both netminders are new to the league, and neither Nathan Reid nor Grant Adams (both 2000-borns) has yet to claim a stranglehold on the starting job.

The biggest drop off from year to year for Sioux Falls is most likely on the blueline, though, as the championship team starred NHL draft picks Ryan Johnson and Max Crozier in the back in addition to other veterans of the league. The only defender on the current squad to have entered the new season with over 10 USHL games under their respective belts is the undersized Chase Foley, who held his own last year as a member of the defunct Central Illinois Flying Aces. For draft purposes, I will be keeping an eye on Evan Bushy, who joined the Stampede late last year after a strong showing for his hometown Thief River Falls High School team. Bushy didn’t record a single point in 10 regular season or four postseason games last year with Sioux Falls, but is being given a bigger role for the moment.

The forward group is also young and relatively inexperienced, but through three regular seasons, they have combined to score 12 goals, with eight different players lighting the lamp. Having a roster that can contribute from every line can only be a positive, even if it means that there isn’t a single offensive play driver, or focal point to lean on. That said, there are two first year eligible players that have earned a follow already. One is right winger Luke Weilandt, who the Stampede nabbed in the 13^th round of the most recent USHL entry Level Draft. The Chicago native leads the way with five points through three games, although he is undersized and hasn’t yet shown any high level tools. The other player of note is Poland import Jakub Lewandowski, a rangy winger who comes over after a strong season in the Czech U19 league. He has good balance on his skates, can control the puck nicely and shows a touch of creativity to boot.

Tri-City Storm (Prediction – 5^th in the Western Conference)

Although they have yet to come away with two standings points from any of their three first games, scoring only six times in the process, there are a lot of pieces on the Tri-City roster who should be interesting follows as the season plays on. Despite losing four NHL picks to the college game in netminder Isaiah Saville, defensemen Ronnie Attard and Zac Jones, and forward Shane Pinto, a fifth draft pick, Mike Koster, who only played with the Storm in the final quarter of the season, returns. His early absence due to injury has not helped the Tri-City offense find its legs.

Even without Allard, Jones, Koster (for now), or Ruben Rafkin, upon whom high hopes were placed, but who left for an opportunity with Windsor in the OHL, the Tri-City blueline once again should provide a lot of eye candy for scouts. Most prominent among that crew is Mitchell Miller, who came over in an off-season trade from Cedar Rapids. Miller is undersized, but is a composed puck mover, who plays with a pleasant physical side away from the puck. He has a full tool kit and may be one of the better first time eligible defenders in the league this year. He is joined on the blueline by a pair of rookies who join Tri-City together from the Chicago Mission program in Kyle Aucoin and Nicholas Donato. I am not sure if Donato is part of the famous Donato hockey clan, but Aucoin is the son of longtime NHLer Adrian. He showed a few flashes of high hockey IQ during the USHL Classic, and a few reminders that he was still very raw as well.

Despite not being able to score much yet, it seems the issue is not one of a lack of talent, but more likely a matter of some bad luck over a small sample. The forwards are very young, with four first year eligibles among the season opening lineup, in addition to two more who won’t be draft eligible until 2021. The four first year eligible include Colby Ambrosio, Mark Estapa, Carter Mazur, and Nick Capone. Estapa and Ambrosio are good shooters. The latter has a knack for hitting the twine and will likely be an offensive leader for Tri-City this year, while the former looks like more of a depth, energy player for now. Capone chose the USHL over strong overtures from the QMJHL and is ready for a full season in the league after two partial years previously. He has fantastic power forward size and plays a rough game to boot. He is a strong skater for his size and shows the hands to win puck battles in the corners. He has yet to find the scoresheet, but he is the type of player who can have a big impact on the game even without scoring.

Waterloo Black Hawks (Prediction – 1^st in the Western Conference)

Three games, three wins with only four goals allowed (although only eight scored), and Waterloo is easily the early favorite in the Western Conference. Rookie goalie Gabriel Carriere has played in all three games for the Black Hawks, ignoring the lure of the OHL for the lure of Hockey East. He has been steady, but not spectacular. That said, if he keeps his numbers even close to his current .947 save percentage, NHL teams will be forced to consider the third year eligible from Ottawa.

The blueline in front of Carriere that has been so far so good at keeping opponents to the outside, is mostly young and small. It includes two first year eligible and four players who are 6-0” or smaller. The Venn diagram of young and small is basically a circle within a circle, as all three first year eligible are on the small side. Ethan Szmagaj would have been draft eligible last year were he born three days earlier, and he held his own as a USHL rookie at the time. More of a first pass than an offensive driver, he shows some grit along the boards and the quiet effectiveness of a potential late round selection. The other first year eligible also has a year of USHL experience under his belt as Nic Belpedio (brother of Minnesota’s Louie) played a solid season with Muskegon.

Szmagaj and Belpedio aside, scouts will flock to Waterloo this year as the forward units have a number of intriguing draft eligible players. The biggest name among that group is Ryder Rolston (son of Brian) who played with the USNTDP U18s last year, but was not draft eligible as a late birthday, so gets another year in the league before getting the chance to hear his name called by an NHL team. Like his father, he is a brilliant skater and plays a responsible two way game. He is an opportunistic player with a big wrist shot. He has the tools and the big game background to be one of the first players from the league to be drafted next June. The other notable first year eligible include Patrick Guzzo, Dane Montgomery, and Wyatt Schingoethe. Guzzo is a big center who can skate and was a former USHL first round pick. Montgomery is undersized, but quick, and has a nice wrist shot. He currently straddles the line between being responsible, but barely in control. Schingoethe had a great season as a 16 year old last year, trailing only Daniil Gushchin and Stephen Halliday in points in his age group. He has exceptional hockey IQ and is the type of player who can lengthen offensive zone time and can punctuate the attack with a great wrist shot, but I would like to see a touch more burst to his first few steps.

Team USA (Prediction – 7^th in the Eastern Conference)

For the purposes of this introduction, I will be completely ignoring the U17s. Sorry, fellas, we’ll talk about you next year. The U18s are not nearly as deep as last year’s team, but there is still a ton of talent here. With the exceptions of forwards Hunter Strand and Matthew Beniers, both with November birthdates that push their draft eligibility off to 2021, the rest of the lineup will be draft eligible next June. Unlike last year, where all but two draft eligible players were selected, there will be a few more from this year’s class who will enter college without NHL affiliation. I was only able to see the first Team USA game at the USHL Classic, so I won’t be so bold as to predict which players will and will not be drafted, but I saw enough to highlight some elements from some players that stuck out. Also of note, forward Ty Smilanic, who some see as the top draft prospect from this class, missed the Classic due to injury. He played the following weekend, so this isn’t a long term issue, but I will not be commenting further on him at this time.

The goaltending situation for the Program is currently blurry, with Noah Grannan and Drew Commesso splitting the net at the Classic. I saw Grannan, and he was fine and reports on Commesso were also generally positive, but neither will be following in the footsteps of Spencer Knight or Jake Oettinger as first round picks. In fact, there were reports that the Program may consider bringing in a goalie from somewhere else to augment their group when it comes time for international play.

There are several interesting blueliners in this group and Eamon Powell was most impressive to there eyes, with his dynamic skating ability and propensity to lead the rush and activate in the offensive end. He is an impressive puck handler and has a good right-handed point shot to boot. On the other hand, he is smallish and can be a bit rough in his own end. Jake Sanderson (son of Geoff) has a more traditionally desirable tool kit from a scouting perspective. He is tall and rangy, is central at both ends, and has plus edge work. Brock Faber plays a quieter game, within the team structure, and not chasing a play at either end. He has good strength and is a goalie’s friend in his own zone, working to keep the crease clear. A shout out also to big Daniel Laatsch, who can fire one from the point.

Once we get past the late birthdays up front, the most interesting draft candidate among the forwards looks like Luke Tuch, who looks a fair bit like older brother Alex, now with the Vegas Golden Knights. He is big and beefy and has good hands and decent quickness. Hunter McKown also impressed from the fourth line, thanks to his plus speed, and great hands. He has ankle breaking puck skills. Center Chase Yoder is an exceptional skater, although there are open questions about his offensive ability. Landon Slaggert is a muscular winger following in the footsteps of his older brother Graham. Landon is more likely than his brother to be drafted, as he has plus hands, and plays a much chippier game. Dylan Peterson is very big and skates well for his size with a discernable second gear. Thomas Bordeleau led the team in scoring last ear and has the early lead in goals this season. He is smallish, but plays with jam and skill. Many more views are needed.

Youngstown Phantoms (Prediction – 4^th in the Eastern Conference)

I really like the new orange uniforms, although I would appreciate them more if they put the player numbers on the shoulders. Whose idea was it to only have player numbers on the back? The first place I looked to on this team was in net, as they were debuting Chicago draft pick Dominic Basse, a gigantic puck stopper who spent his draft year playing midget hockey at the Selects Hockey Academy. His first game stepping up two levels to the USHL was brutal, though. He gave up way too many goals, including a few bouncers. To his credit, his first game after the USHL Classic was much better, stopping 22 of 24 in a victory against Muskegon. Even with that rebound, he may end up playing second fiddle to crease mate Colin Purcell. Purcell spent some time last year with the NTDP program, but spent most of his year playing Tier 1 hockey in the Cleveland area. Just as big as Besse, Purcell plays a much calmer game, is sharp from post to post, and keeps a stiff back, allowing him to cover more of the top of the net. Purcell is the early favorite to be the first goalie drafted out of the USHL, including the USNTDP stoppers.

The Phantoms’ postseason chances will be aided by a veteran blueline, with only one regular under the age of 19, unless 16-year old Austin May works his way into the regular rotation. While there are unlikely to be any future NHLers in this blueline crew, there is a ton of size, with three regulars standing at least 6-3”, while UMass (Amherst) commit Jayson Dobay brings offensive wherewithal.

While scouts will not be looking for miracles from the defensemen, the forwards have a lot to recommend them. Looking to the future, there is Japanese wunderkind Yusaku Ando, who comes to Youngstown from an elite hockey school in Western Canada. He turned 16 around one month ago and scored three goals in his first five USHL games. For the current draft, remember the name of Ben Schoen. He is small, but a gifted playmaker. He is the go-to player for his team and controls the game like a veteran from the half-wall. He has great offensive instincts and vision and could be a sleeper if he adds some muscle to help him withstand physical play.

Also fighting for scouting attention on the Phantoms are a pair of second time eligible forwards in Trevor Kuntar and Reilly Funk. This is Kuntar’s third year in the USHL, and the Harvard commit is starting this season hot. He is a solid skater with a plus top speed and a good shot. He can also flash high end puck skills, such as the play leading up to a goal scored late against Tri-City. Funk is new to the USHL, having played in the MJHL for the past two seasons. He has a great frame (6-3”, 190), which he uses to good effect along the boards. He skates well for his size and attacks the net on offense. He is coordinated and athletic and has a knack for creating room for himself with the puck with a shoulder check. With eight points in his first five games at the new level, he has put the league – as well as NCAA recruiters (he is without a college commitment) - on notice.

Top ten draft eligible players in the USHL

Ty Smilanic, USNTDP
Sean Farrell, Chicago
Jake Sanderson, USNTDP
Carson Bantle, Madison
Luke Tuch, USNTDP
Ryder Rolston, Waterloo
Colin Purcell, Youngstown
Joel Maatta, Sioux City
Thomas Bordeleau, USNTDP
Ben Shoen, Youngstown

Bonus, second time eligible draft prospects

Reilly Funk, Youngstown
Justin Hryckowian, Cedar Rapids
Ben Meehan, Cedar Rapids
Kristof Papp, Madison
Trevor Kuntar, Youngstown

MCKEEN’S 2019 NHL DRAFT GUIDE: Final Rankings – Top 217 Plus 100 Honourable Mention

Iain Morrell — Sat, 01 Jun 2019 17:52:23 +0000

MCKEEN'S RELEASES FINAL 2019 NHL DRAFT RANKINGS

KOSICE, SLOVAKIA - MAY 13: USA's Jack Hughes #6 and Finland's Kaapo Kakko #24 shake hands following a 3-2 overtime win for team USA during preliminary round action of the 2019 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship at Steel Arena on May 13, 2019 in Kosice, Slovakia. (Photo by Matt Zambonin/HHOF-IIHF Images)

American center Jack Hughes or Finnish Winger Kaapo Kakko?

That is the decision facing the New Jersey Devils who won the draft lottery for the second time in the past three seasons and hold the top pick in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft.

Hughes (5-foot-10, 170 pounds) led the USA Hockey National Team Development Program under-18 team in scoring while setting the NTDP career record for assists (154) and points (228) in two seasons (110 games) with the program.

He earned the highest Overall Future Projection (OFP) score of 64.50, as per the 20/80 grading system developed by McKeen's Director of Scouting Ryan Wagman.

Skating, shooting, puck skills, hockey IQ, physicality - these are the attributes measured for skaters using the 20/80 grading system to arrive at an Overall Future Projection (OFP) score.

Six areas are assessed for goalies: athleticism/quickness, compete/temperament, vision/play reading, technique/style, rebound control and puck handling.

BROADWAY KAAPO

Kakko (6-foot-2, 195 pounds) earned the next highest OFP score at 64.00.

The Turku, Finland native will go to the New York Rangers with the second pick, their highest draft position since taking Brad Park in 1966 before expansion (1967-68).

Kakko led Finland with six goals while winning gold at the 2019 World Championships at just 18 years, 102 days old to become the youngest player in IIHF history to win gold at the Under-18, Under-20, and WM (World Men) levels, supplanting Connor McDavid of Canada (19 years, 130 days) from the record books.

The Chicago Blackhawks have the number three pick with the top defenseman Bowen Byram of the Vancouver Giants next on the McKeen's OFP scale (63.40).

Seven players in total received OFP scores of at least 60.00 this season, up from five in 2018 - and just two in 2017 when the Devils selected Nino Hischier first overall.

The next five spots in the rankings are all centers - Kirby Dach of Saskatoon (63.20 OFP), Dylan Cozens of Lethbridge (61.40), the NTDP duo of Trevor Zegras (61.25) and Alex Turcotte (60.00), and Peyton Krebs of Kootenay (59.65).

ALL AMERICAN

Spencer Knight. Photo courtesy of the USNTDP.

Spencer Knight of the NTDP is the top-rated goaltender available (55.75 OFP) at No. 32 in the McKeen's rankings.

Knight will likely go in the opening round of what will be a record haul for the U.S. National Team Development Program as upwards of eight players could be taken in the top 31 selections.

As for past records, the Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL) had four players taken in the opening round of the 1979 NHL Draft - as did the Toronto Marlboros (OHA) in 1972 and the Montreal Junior Canadiens (OHA) in 1969.

Along with Hughes (1st), Zegras (6th), and Turcotte (7th), wingers Matthew Boldy and Cole Caufield are ranked at No. 12 and 13 on the McKeen's list, with defenseman Cam York at No. 17 and center John Beecher at 30th.

Caufield (5-foot-7, 165 pounds) scored 14 goals at the U18 World Junior Championship, tying Alex Ovechkin's single-tournament goals record. However, the United States lost in a shootout to Russia in the semi-finals.

There are also four others in the program ranked in the 32 to 62 range (second round) - all defensemen - Marshall Warren (35th), Alex Vlasic (54th), Henry Thrun (58th) and Drew Helleson (62nd).

In total, 16 players from the NTDP are ranked among the top 100.

SWEDE GOLD - SWEET SEIDER

ORNSKOLDSVIK, SWEDEN - APRIL 23: Swedens Philip Broberg #4 makes a pass during preliminary round action against Russia at the 2019 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship at Fjallraven Center on April 23, 2019 in Ornskoldsvik, Sweden. (Photo by Steve Kingsman/HHOF-IIHF Images)

Sweden won a first-ever gold medal at the U18 World Juniors.

Four blueliners on that Swedish team are first-round candidates led by Philip Broberg of AIK, named 'Top Defenceman' at the U18 tournament, and Victor Soderstrom of Brynas, ranked No. 9 and 10 respectively on McKeen's.

U18 captain Tobias Bjornfot of Djurgardens is ranked 19th and Albert Johansson of Farjestads is 26th.

Following Dominik Bokk's selection in 2018 (25th to St. Louis), Germany will produce another first-round pick this year in Adler Mannheim defenseman Moritz Seider.

The 6-foot-3, 185-pound, right-shot blueliner displayed impressive skills and maturity for his age while appearing at the 2019 World Championships (5-2-0-2).

Seider earned an OFP score of 57.50 and is ranked No. 15.

He will become the highest-selected German-born player at the NHL Draft since the Edmonton Oilers took Leon Draisaitl third overall in 2014.

Here are our final 2019 NHL Draft Rankings. They are a culmination of a season’s worth of prospect analysis and coverage on mckeenshockey.com and the tremendous work put in rinks and looking at screens and numbers from our committed team. Enjoy!

RANK	PLAYER	POS	TEAM	HT/WT	DOB	Nation
1	Jack Hughes	C	NTDP (USA)	5-10/170	14-May-01	USA
2	Kaapo Kakko	RW	TPS Turku (Fin)	6-2/195	13-Feb-01	Finland
3	Bowen Byram	D	Vancouver (WHL)	6-0/195	13-Jun-01	Canada
4	Kirby Dach	C	Saskatoon (WHL)	6-3/200	21-Jan-01	Canada
5	Dylan Cozens	C	Lethbridge (WHL)	6-3/185	9-Feb-01	Canada
6	Trevor Zegras	C	NTDP (USA)	6-0/170	20-Mar-01	USA
7	Alex Turcotte	C	NTDP (USA)	5-11/185	26-Feb-01	USA
8	Peyton Krebs	C	Kootenay (WHL)	5-11/180	26-Jan-01	Canada
9	Philip Broberg	D	AIK (Swe 2)	6-3/200	25-Jun-01	Sweden
10	Victor Soderstrom	D	Brynas (Swe)	5-11/180	26-Feb-01	Sweden
11	Vasili Podkolzin	RW	SKA-1946 St. Pete. (Rus Jr)	6-1/190	24-Jun-01	Russia
12	Matthew Boldy	LW	NTDP (USA)	6-1/190	5-Apr-01	USA
13	Cole Caufield	RW	NTDP (USA)	5-7/165	2-Jan-01	USA
14	Raphael Lavoie	RW	Halifax (QMJHL)	6-4/195	25-Sep-00	Canada
15	Moritz Seider	D	Adler Mannheim (DEL)	6-3/185	6-Apr-01	Germany
16	Simon Holmstrom	RW	HV 71 (Swe Jr)	6-1/185	24-May-01	Sweden
17	Cam York	D	NTDP (USA)	5-11/175	5-Jan-01	USA
18	Alex Newhook	C	Victoria (BCHL)	5-10/195	28-Jan-01	Canada
19	Tobias Bjornfot	D	Djurgardens (Swe Jr)	6-0/200	6-Apr-01	Sweden
20	Philip Tomasino	C	Niagara (OHL)	5-11/180	28-Jul-01	Canada
21	Arthur Kaliyev	RW	Hamilton (OHL)	6-2/190	26-Jun-01	USA
22	Ryan Suzuki	C	Barrie (OHL)	6-0/180	28-May-01	Canada
23	Samuel Poulin	LW	Sherbrooke (QMJHL)	6-1/205	25-Feb-01	Canada
24	Thomas Harley	D	Mississauga (OHL)	6-3/190	19-Aug-01	Canada
25	Ryan Johnson	D	Sioux Falls (USHL)	6-0/175	24-Jul-01	USA
26	Albert Johansson	D	Farjestads (Swe Jr)	5-11/165	4-Jan-01	Sweden
27	Robert Mastrosimone	LW	Chicago (USHL)	5-10/160	24-Jan-01	USA
28	Connor McMichael	C	London (OHL)	5-11/175	15-Jan-01	Canada
29	Matthew Robertson	D	Edmonton (WHL)	6-3/200	9-Mar-01	Canada
30	John Beecher	C	NTDP (USA)	6-3/210	5-Apr-01	USA
31	Pavel Dorofeyev	LW	Magnitogorsk (KHL)	6-1/170	26-Oct-00	Russia
32	Spencer Knight	G	NTDP (USA)	6-3/195	19-Apr-01	USA
33	Bobby Brink	RW	Sioux City (USHL)	5-10/165	8-Jul-01	USA
34	Brett Leason	RW	Prince Albert (WHL)	6-4/200	30-Apr-99	Canada
35	Marshall Warren	D	NTDP (USA)	5-11/170	20-Apr-01	USA
36	Egor Afanasyev	RW	Muskegon (USHL)	6-3/205	23-Jan-01	Russia
37	Ville Heinola	D	Lukko Rauma (Fin)	5-11/180	3-Feb-01	Finland
38	Nolan Foote	LW	Kelowna (WHL)	6-3/190	29-Nov-00	Canada
39	Samuel Fagemo	RW	Frolunda (Swe)	6-0/195	14-Mar-00	Sweden
40	Nick Robertson	LW	Peterborough (OHL)	5-9/160	11-Sep-01	USA
41	Nils Hoglander	RW	Rogle (Swe)	5-9/185	20-Dec-00	Sweden
42	Jamieson Rees	C	Sarnia (OHL)	5-10/175	26-Feb-01	Canada
43	Jakob Pelletier	LW	Moncton (QMJHL)	5-9/165	7-Mar-01	Canada
44	Antti Tuomisto	D	Assat Pori (Fin Jr)	6-4/190	20-Jan-01	Finland
45	Lassi Thomson	D	Kelowna (WHL)	5-11/190	24-Sep-00	Finland
46	Michal Teply	LW	Bili Tygri Liberec (Cze)	6-3/185	27-May-01	Czech
47	Brayden Tracey	LW	Moose Jaw (WHL)	6-0/175	28-May-01	Canada
48	Arseni Gritsyuk	RW	Omskie Yastreby (Rus Jr)	5-10/170	15-Mar-01	Russia
49	Yegor Chinakhov	RW	Omskie Yastreby (Rus Jr)	6-0/175	1-Feb-01	Russia
50	Mattias Norlinder	D	MoDo (Swe Jr)	5-11/180	12-Apr-00	Sweden
51	Karl Henriksson	C	Frolunda (Swe Jr)	5-9/165	5-Feb-01	Sweden
52	Vladislav Kolyachonok	D	Flint (OHL)	6-1/185	26-May-01	Belarus
53	Nikola Pasic	RW	Linkopings (Swe Jr)	5-10/185	16-Oct-00	Sweden
54	Alex Vlasic	D	NTDP (USA)	6-6/200	5-Jun-01	USA
55	Pyotr Kochetkov	G	HK Ryazan (Rus 2)	6-1/175	25-Jun-99	Russia
56	Albin Grewe	RW	Djurgardens (Swe Jr)	5-11/190	22-Mar-01	Sweden
57	Trevor Janicke	C	Central Illinois (USHL)	5-10/195	25-Dec-00	USA
58	Henry Thrun	D	NTDP (USA)	6-2/190	12-Mar-01	USA
59	Yegor Spiridonov	C	Stalnye Lisy Mag. (Rus Jr)	6-2/195	22-Jan-01	Russia
60	Patrik Puistola	LW	Tappara (Fin Jr)	6-0/175	11-Jan-01	Finland
61	Ilya Nikolayev	C	Loko Yaroslavl (Rus Jr)	6-0/190	26-Jun-01	Russia
62	Drew Helleson	D	NTDP (USA)	6-3/195	26-Mar-01	USA
63	Graeme Clarke	RW	Ottawa (OHL)	5-11/175	24-Apr-01	Canada
64	Ronnie Attard	D	Tri-City (USHL)	6-3/210	20-Mar-99	USA
65	Mads Sogaard	G	Medicine Hat (WHL)	6-7/195	13-Dec-00	Denmark
66	Oleg Zaitsev	C	Red Deer (WHL)	6-1/185	7-Jan-01	Russia
67	Isaiah Saville	G	Tri-City (USHL)	6-1/190	21-Sep-00	USA
68	Kaedan Korczak	D	Kelowna (WHL)	6-3/190	29-Jan-01	Canada
69	Adam Najman	C	Benatky nad Jizerou (Cze 2)	5-11/175	23-Jan-01	Czech
70	Mikko Kokkonen	D	Jukurit (Fin)	5-11/200	18-Jan-01	Finland
71	Michael Vukojevic	D	Kitchener (OHL)	6-3/210	8-Jun-01	Canada
72	Patrick Moynihan	RW	NTDP (USA)	5-11/185	23-Jan-01	USA
73	Michael Gildon	LW	NTDP (USA)	6-1/195	21-Jun-01	USA
74	Judd Caulfield	RW	NTDP (USA)	6-3/205	19-Mar-01	USA
75	Vladislav Firstov	LW	Waterloo (USHL)	6-1/180	19-Jun-01	USA
76	Hugo Alnefelt	G	HV 71 (Swe Jr)	6-3/195	4-Jun-01	Sweden
77	Gianni Fairbrother	D	Everett (WHL)	6-0/195	30-Sep-00	Canada
78	Jackson Lacombe	D	Shattuck-St. Mary's (USHS-MN)	6-1/170	9-Jan-01	USA
79	Ethan Keppen	LW	Flint (OHL)	6-2/210	20-Mar-01	Canada
80	Anttoni Honka	D	JyP Jyvaskyla (Fin)	5-10/180	5-Oct-00	Finland
81	Roman Bychkov	D	Loko Yaroslavl (Rus Jr)	5-11/160	10-Feb-01	Russia
82	Ryder Donovan	C	Duluth East (USHS-MN)	6-3/185	4-Oct-00	USA
83	Nathan Legare	RW	Baie-Comeau (QMJHL)	6-0/205	11-Jan-01	Canada
84	Billy Constantinou	D	Kingston (OHL)	6-0/185	25-Mar-01	Canada
85	Vojtech Strondala	C	Slavia Trebic (Cze 2)	5-7/155	17-Dec-00	Czech
86	Case McCarthy	D	NTDP (USA)	6-1/195	9-Jan-01	USA
87	Simon Lundmark	D	Linkopings (Swe)	6-2/200	8-Oct-00	Sweden
88	Zac Jones	D	Tri-City (USHL)	5-10/175	18-Oct-00	USA
89	Erik Portillo	G	Frolunda (Swe Jr)	6-6/210	3-Sep-00	Sweden
90	Daniil Misyul	D	Loko Yaroslavl (Rus Jr)	6-3/180	20-Oct-00	Russia
91	Daniil Gutik	LW	Loko Yaroslavl (Rus Jr)	6-3/180	31-Aug-01	Russia
92	Hunter Jones	G	Peterborough (OHL)	6-4/195	21-Sep-00	Canada
93	Michael Koster	D	Chaska (USHS-MN)	5-9/175	13-Apr-01	USA
94	Aliaksei Protas	C	Prince Albert (WHL)	6-5/205	6-Jan-01	Belarus
95	Blake Murray	C	Sudbury (OHL)	6-2/190	5-Jul-01	Canada
96	Cole MacKay	RW	Sault Ste Marie (OHL)	5-10/190	13-Jun-01	Canada
97	Trent Miner	G	Vancouver (WHL)	6-0/185	5-Jan-01	Canada
98	Semyon Chistyakov	D	Tolpar Ufa (Rus Jr)	5-10/170	7-Aug-01	Russia
99	Leevi Aaltonen	RW	KalPa (Fin Jr)	5-9/175	24-Jan-01	Finland
100	Antti Saarela	C	Lukko Rauma (Fin)	5-11/185	27-Jun-01	Finland
101	John Farinacci	C	Dexter (USHS-MA)	5-11/185	14-Feb-01	USA
102	Marcus Kallionkieli	LW	Sioux City (USHL)	6-2/195	20-Mar-01	Finland
103	Andre Lee	LW	Sioux Falls (USHL)	6-4/200	26-Jul-00	Sweden
104	Kirill Slepets	RW	Loko Yaroslavl (Rus Jr)	5-10/165	6-Apr-99	Russia
105	Shane Pinto	C	Tri-City (USHL)	6-2/190	12-Nov-00	USA
106	Jordan Spence	D	Moncton (QMJHL)	5-10/165	24-Feb-01	Canada
107	Keean Washkurak	C	Mississauga (OHL)	5-10/185	16-Aug-01	Canada
108	Owen Lindmark	C	NTDP (USA)	6-0/195	17-May-01	USA
109	Matej Blumel	RW	Waterloo (USHL)	5-11/200	31-May-00	Czech
110	Jack Malone	RW	Youngstown (USHL)	6-1/190	13-Oct-00	USA
111	Jayden Struble	D	St. Sebastian's (USHS-MA)	6-0/195	8-Sep-01	USA
112	Artemi Knyazev	D	Chicoutimi (QMJHL)	5-11/180	4-Jan-01	Russia
113	Maxim Cajkovic	RW	Saint John (QMJHL)	5-11/185	3-Jan-01	Slovakia
114	Matvey Guskov	C	London (OHL)	6-1/180	30-Jan-01	Russia
115	Nikita Okhotyuk	D	Ottawa (OHL)	6-1/195	4-Dec-00	Russia
116	Valeri Orekhov	D	Barys Astana (KHL)	6-1/190	17-Jul-99	Kazakhstan
117	Zdenek Sedlak	RW	Karpat Oulu (Fin)	6-2/205	23-Mar-00	Czech
118	Alexander Yakovenko	D	Muskegon (USHL)	5-11/175	22-Feb-98	Russia
119	Yannick Bruschweiler	C	GC Kusnacht Lions (Sui 2)	5-10/175	29-Aug-99	Switzerland
120	Ilya Mironov	D	Loko Yaroslavl (Rus Jr)	6-3/200	15-Mar-01	Russia
121	Albert Lyckasen	D	Linkopings (Swe Jr)	5-10/180	29-Jul-01	Sweden
122	Keegan Stevenson	C	Guelph (OHL)	6-1/185	31-Dec-00	Canada
123	Ilya Konovalov	G	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (KHL)	6-0/195	13-Jul-98	Russia
124	Cole Schwindt	RW	Mississauga (OHL)	6-2/185	25-Apr-01	Canada
125	Domenick Fensore	D	NTDP (USA)	5-7/155	7-Sep-01	USA
126	William Francis	D	Cedar Rapids (USHL)	6-5/210	16-Nov-00	USA
127	Simon Gnyp	D	Kolner (Ger Jr)	5-11/180	10-Sep-01	Germany
128	Tuukka Tieksola	RW	Karpat Oulu (Fin Jr)	5-10/150	22-Jun-01	Finland
129	Ethan Phillips	C	Sioux Falls (USHL)	5-9/150	7-May-01	Canada
130	Linus Pettersson	RW	MoDo (Swe)	5-7/145	11-Apr-00	Sweden
131	Matias Maccelli	LW	Dubuque (USHL)	5-11/170	14-Oct-00	Finland
132	Anthony Romano	C	Sioux Falls (USHL)	5-11/185	7-Oct-00	Canada
133	Nikita Alexandrov	C	Charlottetown (QMJHL)	6-0/180	16-Sep-00	Germany
134	Arturs Silovs	G	HS Riga (Lat)	6-4/205	22-Mar-01	Latvia
135	August Hedlund	G	AIK (Swe Jr)	6-4/185	7-Jan-00	Sweden
136	Nicholas Porco	LW	Saginaw (OHL)	6-0/175	12-Mar-01	Canada
137	Joe Carroll	C	Sault Ste Marie (OHL)	6-2/200	1-Feb-01	Canada
138	Alex Beaucage	RW	Rouyn Noranda (QMJHL)	6-1/195	25-Jul-01	Canada
139	Luke Toporowski	C	Spokane (WHL)	5-11/180	12-Apr-01	USA
140	Sasha Mutala	RW	Tri-City (WHL)	6-0/200	6-May-01	Canada
141	Harrison Blaisdell	C	Chilliwack (BCHL)	5-11/180	18-Mar-01	Canada
142	Valentin Nussbaumer	C	Shawinigan (QMJHL)	5-11/165	25-Sep-00	Switzerland
143	Dustin Wolf	G	Everett (WHL)	6-0/155	16-Apr-01	USA
144	Ondrej Psenicka	RW	Sparta Praha (Cze Jr)	6-5/195	7-Jan-01	Czech
145	Juuso Parssinen	C	TPS Turku (Fin Jr)	6-2/205	1-Feb-01	Finland
146	Mitchell Brewer	D	Oshawa (OHL)	6-0/205	20-Mar-01	Canada
147	Lukas Parik	G	Liberec (Cze Jr)	6-4/185	15-Mar-01	Czech
148	Grant Silianoff	RW	Cedar Rapids (USHL)	5-11/170	4-Jan-01	USA
149	Josh Nodler	C	Fargo (USHL)	5-11/195	27-Apr-01	USA
150	Bryce Brodzinski	RW	Blaine (USHS-MN)	6-0/195	9-Aug-00	USA
151	Colten Ellis	G	Rimouski (QMJHL)	6-1/190	5-Oct-00	Canada
152	Rhett Pitlick	LW	Chaska (USHS-MN)	5-9/160	7-Feb-01	USA
153	Dillon Hamaliuk	LW	Seattle (WHL)	6-3/190	30-Oct-00	Canada
154	Aleksei Sergeev	C	Quebec (QMJHL)	5-9/185	22-May-00	Russia
155	Jack York	D	Barrie (OHL)	6-0/190	17-Sep-00	Canada
156	Jacob LeGuerrier	D	Sault Ste Marie (OHL)	6-1/200	22-Nov-00	Canada
157	Zach Uens	D	Wellington (OJHL)	6-1/180	13-May-01	Canada
158	Josh Williams	RW	Edmonton (WHL)	6-1/195	8-Mar-01	Canada
159	Elmer Soderblom	RW	Frolunda (Swe Jr)	6-6/220	5-Jul-01	Sweden
160	Kyle Topping	C	Kelowna (WHL)	5-11/185	18-Nov-99	Canada
161	Albin Sundsvik	C	Skelleftea (Swe Jr)	6-1/185	27-Apr-01	Sweden
162	Cameron Rowe	G	NTDP (USA)	6-2/200	1-Jun-01	USA
163	Filip Lindberg	G	Massachusetts (HE)	6-0/180	31-Jan-99	Finland
164	Liam Svensson	C	Frolunda (Swe Jr 18)	6-3/195	2-Feb-01	Sweden
165	Xavier Simoneau	C	Drummondville (QMJHL)	5-6/170	19-May-01	Canada
166	Pavel Gogolev	RW	Guelph (OHL)	6-0/175	19-Feb-00	Russia
167	Danil Antropov	LW	Oshawa (OHL)	6-1/185	20-Dec-00	Canada
168	Daniel D'Amico	LW	Windsor (OHL)	5-9/185	26-Jan-01	Canada
169	Vladimir Alistrov	LW	Edmonton (WHL)	6-2/175	12-Feb-01	Belarus
170	Reece Newkirk	C	Portland (WHL)	5-11/175	20-Feb-01	Canada
171	Sergei Alkhimov	LW	Regina (WHL)	6-0/210	3-Jul-01	Russia
172	Adam Beckman	LW	Spokane (WHL)	6-1/170	10-May-01	Canada
173	Alexander Campbell	LW	Victoria (BCHL)	5-10/150	27-Feb-01	Canada
174	Taylor Gauthier	G	Prince George (WHL)	6-1/195	15-Feb-01	Canada
175	Max Crozier	D	Sioux Falls (USHL)	6-1/195	19-Apr-00	Canada
176	Santeri Hatakka	D	Jokerit (Fin Jr)	6-0/175	15-Jan-01	Finland
177	Kalle Loponen	D	Hermes (Fin 2)	5-10/185	13-Mar-01	Finland
178	Eric Ciccolini	RW	Toronto Jr Canadiens (OJHL)	5-11/160	14-Jan-01	Canada
179	Aku Raty	RW	Karpat Oulu (Fin Jr)	5-11/170	5-Jul-01	Finland
180	Arvid Costmar	C	Linkopings (Swe Jr)	5-11/180	7-Jul-01	Sweden
181	Matt Brown	LW	Des Moines (USHL)	5-9/180	9-Aug-99	USA
182	Sven Leuenberger	C	Zug (Sui)	5-10/185	18-Feb-99	Switzerland
183	Jasper Patrikainen	G	Pelicans (Fin)	6-0/175	1-Jul-00	Finland
184	Jack Williams	G	Springfield (NAHL)	6-3/175	21-Jun-01	USA
185	Mikhail Abramov	C	Victoriaville (QMJHL)	5-10/160	26-Mar-01	Russia
186	Ben Brinkman	D	Minnesota (B1G)	6-0/215	4-Oct-00	USA
187	Chris Giroday	D	Green Bay (USHL)	6-1/175	13-Dec-00	Canada
188	Petr Cajka	C	Erie (OHL)	6-0/170	11-Dec-00	Czech
189	Mark Kastelic	C	Calgary (WHL)	6-3/215	11-Mar-99	USA
190	Kevin Wall	RW	Chilliwack (BCHL)	6-0/190	1-Feb-00	USA
191	Lucas Edmonds	RW	Karlskrona (Swe Jr)	5-11/175	27-Jan-01	Sweden
192	Carter Gylander	G	Sherwood Park (AJHL)	6-5/175	5-Jun-01	Canada
193	Ethan de Jong	RW	Quinnipiac (ECAC)	5-10/170	12-Jul-99	Canada
194	Wiljami Myllyla	RW	HIFK Helsinki (Fin Jr)	6-0/170	9-Apr-01	Finland
195	Yaroslav Likhachyov	RW	Gatineau (QMJHL)	5-10/170	2-Sep-01	Russia
196	Layton Ahac	D	Prince George (BCHL)	6-2/195	22-Feb-01	Canada
197	Alfred Barklund	D	Orebro (Swe Jr)	6-2/200	21-Oct-00	Sweden
198	Radek Muzik	LW	Lulea (Swe Jr)	6-3/180	25-Mar-01	Sweden
199	Marcus Pedersen	RW	Linkopings (Swe Jr)	6-2/165	25-May-01	Sweden
200	Filip Koffer	RW	Pardubice (Cze Jr)	5-11/175	4-Mar-01	Czech
201	Henri Nikkanen	C	Jukurit (Fin Jr)	6-3/200	28-Apr-01	Finland
202	Marc Del Gaizo	D	Massachusetts (HE)	5-9/190	11-Oct-99	USA
203	Tag Bertuzzi	LW	Hamilton (OHL)	6-0/200	18-Feb-01	Canada
204	Martin Hugo Has	D	Tappara (Fin Jr)	6-4/190	2-Feb-01	Czech
205	Jet Greaves	G	Barrie (OHL)	5-11/165	30-Mar-01	Canada
206	Mason Millman	D	Saginaw (OHL)	6-1/175	18-Jul-01	Canada
207	Janis Jerome Moser	D	Biel-Bienne (Sui)	6-0/160	6-Jun-00	Switzerland
208	Nick Abruzzese	C	Chicago (USHL)	5-9/160	4-Jun-99	USA
209	Logan Barlage	C	Lethbridge (WHL)	6-4/200	7-Jan-01	Canada
210	Carter Berger	D	Victoria (BCHL)	6-0/200	17-Sep-99	Canada
211	Nando Eggenberger	LW	Oshawa (OHL)	6-2/205	7-Oct-99	Switzerland
212	Tyce Thompson	RW	Providence (HE)	6-1/180	12-Jul-99	USA
213	Nolan Maier	G	Saskatoon (WHL)	6-0/175	10-Jan-01	Canada
214	Massimo Rizzo	C	Penticton (BCHL)	5-10/180	13-Jun-01	Canada
215	Matthew Steinburg	C	St. Andrew's (CHS-O)	6-1/185	7-Oct-00	Canada
216	Jake Lee	D	Seattle (WHL)	6-1/215	13-Jul-01	Canada
217	Luke Bast	D	Brooks (AJHL)	5-9/170	20-Nov-00	Canada

100 HONOURABLE MENTION IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER:

	PLAYER	POS	TEAM	HT/WT	DOB	Nation
HM	Nathan Allensen	D	Barrie (OHL)	5-11/180	3-May-01	Canada
HM	Ethan Anders	G	Red Deer (WHL)	6-1/175	26-Sep-00	Canada
HM	Nicklas Andrews	D	Des Moines (USHL)	5-10/185	6-Jul-01	USA
HM	Tyler Angle	C	Windsor (OHL)	5-9/165	30-Sep-00	Canada
HM	Marcel Barinka	C	Halifax (QMJHL)	6-0/165	3-Jan-01	Czech
HM	Roman Basran	G	Kelowna (WHL)	6-1/195	26-Jul-01	Canada
HM	Luke Bignell	C	Barrie (OHL)	6-0/170	3-Nov-00	Canada
HM	Mathieu Bizier	C	Gatineau (QMJHL)	6-1/185	13-May-01	Canada
HM	Oscar Bjerselius	C	Djurgardens (Swe Jr)	5-11/185	18-Feb-01	Sweden
HM	Kaden Bohlsen	C	Fargo (USHL)	6-3/190	10-Jan-01	USA
HM	Samuel Bolduc	D	Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL)	6-3/210	9-Dec-00	Canada
HM	Jakob Bondesson	D	Rogle (Swe Jr)	6-1/185	22-May-00	Sweden
HM	Cole Brady	G	Janesville (NAHL)	6-5/165	12-Feb-01	Canada
HM	Alex Brannstam	D	Djurgardens (Swe Jr)	5-11/170	3-Jun-01	Sweden
HM	Lynden Breen	C	Central Illinois (USHL)	5-9/165	31-May-01	USA
HM	Jonas Brondberg	D	Vaxjo Lakers (Swe Jr)	6-4/190	26-Jan-01	Sweden
HM	Jeremie Bucheler	D	Victoria (BCHL)	6-4/200	31-Mar-00	Canada
HM	Brett Budgell	LW	Charlottetown (QMJHL)	5-11/190	1-Jun-01	Canada
HM	Luka Burzan	RW	Brandon (WHL)	6-0/190	7-Jan-00	Canada
HM	Felix Carenfelt	LW	Djurgardens (Swe Jr)	5-10/185	13-Feb-00	Sweden
HM	Luke Cavallin	G	Flint (OHL)	6-1/190	29-Apr-01	Canada
HM	Filip Cederqvist	LW	Vaxjo Lakers (Swe)	6-1/185	23-Aug-00	Sweden
HM	Cole Coskey	RW	Saginaw (OHL)	6-0/190	1-Jun-99	USA
HM	Braden Doyle	D	Lawrence Academy (USHS-MA)	5-11/170	24-Aug-01	USA
HM	Justin Ducharme	LW	Chicoutimi (QMJHL)	5-10/180	22-Feb-00	Canada
HM	Nathan Dunkley	C	London (OHL)	5-11/195	3-May-00	Canada
HM	Pontus Englund	D	Timra (Swe Jr)	6-3/205	15-Jul-00	Sweden
HM	Lucas Feuk	LW	Sodertalje (Swe Jr)	6-0/185	19-Feb-01	Sweden
HM	Parker Ford	C	Sioux City (USHL)	5-8/170	20-Jul-00	USA
HM	Ethan Frisch	D	Fargo (USHL)	5-11/190	29-Oct-00	USA
HM	Maxim Golod	LW	Erie (OHL)	5-11/175	18-Aug-00	Canada
HM	Jacob Gronhagen	C	HV 71 (Swe Jr)	6-6/215	18-Jan-01	Sweden
HM	Maxence Guenette	D	Val d'Or (QMJHL)	6-1/180	28-Apr-01	Canada
HM	Hugo Gustafsson	C	Sodertalje (Swe 2)	5-10/160	23-Feb-00	Sweden
HM	Mack Guzda	G	Owen Sound (OHL)	6-4/215	11-Jan-01	USA
HM	Aidan Harper	G	Skipjacks HC 18U (USPHL)	6-2/170	28-May-01	USA
HM	Ludvig Hedstrom	D	Djurgardens (Swe Jr)	5-11/175	14-Apr-01	Sweden
HM	Konsta Hirvonen	LW	HIFK Helsinki (Fin Jr)	5-11/165	1-Nov-00	Finland
HM	Eric Hjorth	D	Linkopings (Swe Jr 18)	6-3/190	8-Jan-01	Sweden
HM	Samuel Hlavaj	G	Lincoln (USHL)	6-4/185	29-May-01	Slovakia
HM	Krystof Hrabik	C	Tri-City (WHL)	6-4/220	24-Sep-99	Czech
HM	Rickard Hugg	C	Kitchener (OHL)	5-11/190	18-Jan-99	Sweden
HM	Aaron Huglen	RW	Roseau (USHS-MN)	5-11/165	6-Mar-01	USA
HM	Aarne Intonen	C	TPS Turku (Fin Jr)	5-11/180	17-Jul-01	Finland
HM	Michal Ivan	D	Drummondville (QMJHL)	6-1/185	18-Nov-99	Slovakia
HM	Dylan Jackson	RW	Dubuque (USHL)	5-9/175	6-Sep-01	Canada
HM	Ty Jackson	C	Dubuque (USHL)	5-7/150	6-Sep-01	Canada
HM	Taro Jentzsch	C	Sherbrooke (QMJHL)	6-1/155	11-Jun-00	Germany
HM	Samuel Johannesson	D	Rogle (Swe Jr)	5-11/175	27-Dec-00	Sweden
HM	Wilson Johansson	RW	Farjestads (Swe Jr)	5-11/175	11-Oct-00	Sweden
HM	Brooklyn Kalmikov	C	Cape Breton (QMJHL)	6-0/165	21-Apr-01	Canada
HM	David Karlstrom	C	AIK (Swe Jr)	6-1/185	12-Mar-01	Sweden
HM	Mans Kramer	D	Frolunda (Swe Jr)	6-2/180	6-Mar-01	Sweden
HM	Jami Krannila	C	Sioux Falls (USHL)	5-10/160	3-Oct-00	Finland
HM	Grayson Ladd	D	Windsor (OHL)	6-1/175	1-Mar-01	Canada
HM	Martin Lang	LW	Kamloops (WHL)	5-11/170	15-Sep-01	Czech
HM	Oscar Lawner	LW	Farjestads (Swe Jr)	5-11/185	13-Feb-01	Sweden
HM	Jonathan Lemieux	G	Val d'Or (QMJHL)	6-0/185	8-Jun-01	Canada
HM	Hugo Leufvenius	LW	Sarnia (OHL)	6-3/230	26-Mar-99	Sweden
HM	Ethan Leyh	LW	Langley (BCHL)	6-0/190	7-Sep-01	Canada
HM	Josh Lopina	C	Lincoln (USHL)	6-1/175	16-Feb-01	USA
HM	Emil Malysjev	D	Saskatoon (WHL)	6-3/190	1-May-01	Sweden
HM	Matias Mantykivi	C	SaiPa (Fin Jr)	5-11/160	21-Jun-01	Finland
HM	Jeremy McKenna	RW	Moncton (QMJHL)	5-10/175	20-Apr-99	Canada
HM	Billy Moskal	C	London (OHL)	6-0/185	22-Mar-00	Canada
HM	Derek Mullahy	G	Dexter (USHS-MA)	6-0/180	20-Mar-01	USA
HM	Kim Nousiainen	D	KalPa (Fin Jr)	5-9/170	14-Nov-00	Finland
HM	Zachary Okabe	RW	Grande Prairie (AJHL)	5-8/165	4-Jan-01	Canada
HM	Oliver Okuliar	LW	Sherbrooke (QMJHL)	6-1/190	24-May-00	Slovakia
HM	Quinn Olson	LW	Okotoks (AJHL)	5-10/170	9-May-01	Canada
HM	Xavier Parent	LW	Halifax (QMJHL)	5-8/170	23-Mar-01	Canada
HM	Tommy Pasanen	D	Sioux City (USHL)	6-3/220	30-Jul-01	Germany
HM	Thomas Pelletier	D	Drummondville (QMJHL)	6-2/195	23-Aug-01	Canada
HM	Andrew Perrott	D	Owen Sound (OHL)	5-11/205	24-Aug-01	USA
HM	Kari Piiroinen	G	Windsor (OHL)	6-0/175	1-Jul-01	Finland
HM	Lukas Pilo	D	Orebro (Swe Jr)	6-1/185	7-Sep-99	Sweden
HM	Garrett Pinoniemi	C	Holy Family Catholic (USHS-MN)	5-11/150	15-Jun-01	USA
HM	Mason Primeau	C	North Bay (OHL)	6-5/205	28-Jul-01	Canada
HM	Kirby Proctor	D	Des Moines (USHL)	6-3/190	19-Apr-01	Canada
HM	Liam Ross	D	Sudbury (OHL)	6-2/195	13-May-01	Canada
HM	Henrik Rybinski	RW	Seattle (WHL)	6-0/175	26-Jun-01	Canada
HM	Nikita Sedov	D	Regina (WHL)	6-1/185	5-May-01	Russia
HM	Egor Serdyuk	RW	Victoriaville (QMJHL)	5-10/160	3-Jun-01	Russia
HM	Nikita Shashkov	LW	Sibir Novosibirsk (KHL)	5-11/180	26-Mar-99	Russia
HM	Ryan Siedem	D	Central Illinois (USHL)	6-2/190	25-Feb-01	USA
HM	Samuel Sjolund	D	AIK (Swe Jr)	6-1/175	19-May-01	Sweden
HM	Hunter Skinner	D	Muskegon (USHL)	6-2/175	29-Apr-01	USA
HM	Dominik Sojka	C	Banska Bystrica (Svk Jr)	6-5/210	16-Feb-01	Slovakia
HM	Kyen Sopa	RW	Niagara (OHL)	5-9/185	30-Sep-00	Switzerland
HM	Tyler Spott	D	Green Bay (USHL)	5-10/170	17-Jun-00	Canada
HM	Matthew Struthers	C	North Bay (OHL)	6-2/210	26-Dec-99	Canada
HM	Roope Taponen	G	HIFK Helsinki (Fin Jr)	6-0/165	14-Mar-01	Finland
HM	Jacob Tortora	LW	Barrie (OHL)	5-6/165	25-Jul-99	USA
HM	Bobby Trivigno	LW	Massachusetts (HE)	5-8/155	19-Jan-99	USA
HM	Eric Uba	RW	Flint (OHL)	6-0/195	17-Dec-00	Canada
HM	Max Wahlgren	RW	MoDo (Swe)	6-1/185	9-May-01	Sweden
HM	Carl Wang	D	Sodertalje (Swe Jr)	6-2/195	28-Mar-01	Sweden
HM	Matteus Ward	G	Linkopings (Swe Jr)	6-0/170	7-Mar-01	Sweden
HM	Lukas Wernblom	C	MoDo (Swe 2)	5-9/170	22-Jul-00	Sweden
HM	Jonathan Yantsis	RW	Kitchener (OHL)	6-2/210	28-Apr-99	Canada

US High School: Braden Doyle (Lawrence Academy (MA) Prep School), Derek Mullahy (Dexter USHS-MA), Jackson LaCombe (Shattuck St. Mary’s USHS-MN), and Aidan Harper ( Skipjacks Hockey Club 18U, USPHL U18)

Tom Dorsa — Sat, 23 Mar 2019 11:44:51 +0000

A series of scouting reports on 2019 NHL Draft eligible US High School prospects offering a close look at their strengths and weaknesses and whether they might hear their name called in Vancouver in June.

ST. PAUL, MN - SEPTEMBER 19: Braden Doyle (7) follows the play during the USA Hockey All-American Prospects Game between Team Leopold and Team Langenbrunner on September 19, 2018 (Photo by Nick Wosika/Icon Sportswire)

Braden Doyle	2019 NHL Draft Eligible
Position D, Shoots L	H/W: 6-0", 168 lbs
Stats to date (GP-G-A-P-PIM):	Lawrence Academy (MA) Prep School, USHS: Stats unavailable
	Boston Jr. Bruins, NCDC: 4-0-0-0-0
	Boston Little Bruins, MHSL U18: 9-0-3-3-0
	Dubuque Fighting Saints, USHL: 3-0-1-1-0

Committed to Boston University (NCAA).

Grades: Skating: 50, Shot: 55, Skills: 50, Smarts: 55, Physicality: 50

Notes: Extremely poised and calm in all situations, frequently playing his off side and holding his own ... physically refined and mature despite a relatively lanky frame ... vision and puck-moving are at a plus level, very intelligent in his passing and anticipation ... never rushes anything and rarely makes a poor read when pushing the puck up or passing behind his own blue line ... laser of a wrist shot, very accurate with a quick release and compressed shooting pocket ... not an overly fast skater, but very smooth when cutting thanks to high-grade balance and agility ... could be as high as a third-rounder just on account of his well-roundedness and hockey sense.

Overall Future Projection (OFP): 52.25

Derek Mullahy	2019 NHL Draft Eligible
Position G, Catches L	H/W: 6-1", 176 lbs
Stats to date (GP-W-L-GAA-SV%):	Dexter High School, USHS - MA: Stats unavailable

Committed to Harvard University (NCAA).

Grades: Athleticism/Quickness/Speed: 55, Compete/Temperament: 60, Vision/Play-reading: 45, Technique/Style: 50, Rebound Control: 50, Puck-handling: 40.

Notes: Splendid positioning skills make him appear bigger than his 6-1" size would seem, and that trait is part of his solid package of fundamental skills of a modern athletic goaltender ... high-end athlete with good foot quickness and flexibility ... insanely poised, albeit quiet, in the crease, maintaining a laser focus through chaos in front of him ... hugs the posts and protects from outside shots well ... reads plays and tracks cross-ice passes effectively, but has problems with seeing and controlling shots through traffic, due in part to his lack of size and his habit of falling down to the ice too soon ... uses his blocker well, but has a leaky glove hand and can have trouble sealing high shots with his mitt, otherwise has solid rebound control due to his willingness to step up in the crease and freeze shots in his chest ... not a good puck-handler, but decent at slipping behind his net and stopping dumped pucks ... will be thrown into the fire at Harvard and will hopefully improve upon his flaws (glove hand effectiveness and self-induced mobility issues).

Overall Future Projection (OFP): 50.5

Jackson LaCombe	2019 NHL Draft Eligible
Position D, Shoots L	H/W: 6-1", 174 lbs
Stats to date (GP-G-A-P-PIM)	Shattuck St. Mary's High School, USHS-MN: 46-19-48-67-54
	Chicago Steel, USHL: 3-0-0-0-0

Committed to the University of Minnesota (NCAA).

Grades: Skating: 55, Shot: 50, Skills: 55, Smarts: 50, Physicality: 45

Notes: Very fluid movement on his skates, deceiving speed, quick acceleration, and beautiful pivots highlight a package of lethal foot quickness ... very quick shot wind-up/release with decent accuracy and the ability to get it through traffic and on goal ... smart and creative puck-mover with fast decision-making and swift hands ... likes to weave through neutral zone traffic and enter the offensive zone with the puck to generate shots off the rush ... tight defensive gaps with a very active stick, which is good for keeping opposing forwards to the outside and limiting both cross-ice passes and high-danger shots from the inside ... pretty stocky and physical build, good at taking hits and staying poised ... no noticeable, major flaws in his game, but could improve his one-timer and passing accuracy.

Overall Future Projection (OFP): 51.25

Aidan Harper	2019 NHL Draft Eligible
Position G, Catches L	H/W: 6-2", 170 lbs
Stats to date (GP-GAA-SV%):	Skipjacks Hockey Club 18U, USPHL U18 (16-1.56-.942)
	Sioux City Musketeers, USHL (1-0.00-1.000%)

Committed to University of Massachusetts-Lowell (NCAA).

Grades: Athleticism/Quickness/Speed: 55, Compete/Temperament: 60, Vision/Play-reading: 50, Technique/Style: 55, Rebound Control: 45, Puck-handling: 45.

Notes: A very calm and focused goaltender who plays his own game out there, seems in tune with himself mentally ... moves laterally well and his very quick feet and hip movements, jumps up and down from the ice quickly ... tracks plays effectively, knows when to jump into certain spots around his crease based on a proactive sense of the unfolding plays, but needs to workshop his play-reading in terms of coming out to the lip of the crease and challenging the shooter on chances from the slot ... rebound control is kind of sloppy, but more because of his in-tight playing technique than anything else, which can allow the shooters to just funnel pucks at his pads instead of up high ... otherwise has a sound playing style, although somewhat immature ... at 6-2" and still growing, he could get a mid-round chance in the draft.

Overall Future Projection (OFP): 52

A note on the 20-80 scale used above. 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.