Brandon Saigeon – McKeen's Hockey

Colorado Avalanche 2019-20 Prospect Review: Top 20

Sat, 14 Sep 2019 10:57:58 +0000

Prospects are never a sure thing, but we like to think that we know a thing or two about them here at McKeens, and I find it hard to think of a better pair of defensive prospects on any one roster than the Colorado duo of Bowen Byram and Cale Makar. I looked at last year’s rankings and Colorado actually had a good pairing then, too, between Makar and Conor Timmins.

Makar has seen his stock improve in the last 12 months, while Timmins’ has somewhat abated, through no fault of his own, as he missed the entirety of the 2018-19 season due to a serious concussion. We are optimistic about an eventual return to action for Timmins and didn’t really dock his grades very much, barring some for the lost development time.

While the Colorado duo was strong, they were really in a battle for the second best defensive pairing along with Toronto (Rasmus Sandin and Timothy Liljegren), the New York Islanders (Bode Wilde and Noah Dobson), and Chicago (Adam Boqvist and Henri Jokiharju). The best pairing, with no real doubt, belonged to Vancouver, with two recent top ten picks in Quinn Hughes and Olli Juolevi. The two individually ranked 12^th and 23^rd overall among all prospects, respectively.

We have not yet completed evaluating the entirety of the prospect class to determine where Byram and Makar ranks this year, but I have a good feeling that they will end up leaving the Hughes/Juolevi tandem in the dust.

That all said, there is good reason to believe that their status will be short lived, as Makar may be the most NHL-ready prospect among all 31 teams, while Byram also has a chance to make the NHL squad out of training camp.

Both defenders profile as future number one types, a ceiling height that is only approached by a few other prospects, including the aforementioned Hughes, Boqvist and Dobson, the Senators’ Erik Brannstrom, and possibly Rangers’ prospect K’Andre Miller.

Considering handedness, with Byram the lefty-handed shot to Makar’s right-handed stick, the Avalanche will have the option of putting them both together as perhaps the best skating pairing in the sport. Both players have elite or close to it speed with hands that are just as fast-paced as their feet. Both are possession drivers and love to push the play.

As enticing as such a combination would be, the Avalanche are unlikely to pair them for the near future. Even for a relatively progressive organization, such as Colorado is, there is a ton of risk inherent with rookie defenders and having two playing together would be piling on that risk. There is also the matter of the players’ respective game playing styles somewhat resembling one another, but there being only one puck on the ice at a time while they both like to play the puck. The team actually has a third such blueliner in the young Samuel Girard. I would have to think that the preference would be to split those three onto separate pairings (assuming Byram plays more than the nine game trial in Colorado), tethering one each to Erik Johnson, Ian Cole, and Nikita Zadorov, the latter three of whom are all better suited to protect a young partner who is trying to make something happen. We will all be smarter in two months or so, but until then, it is s fun proposition to think about.

-Ryan Wagman

Colorado Avalanche defenseman Cale Makar (8) (Photo by Russell Lansford/Icon Sportswire)

1 Bowen Byram, D (4^th overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) Byram stepped up his game for his draft year and elevated himself up to the 4th overall pick by Colorado. He is an elite skating defender with great offensive instincts, a solid two way game, and is a tremendous puck mover. He is the first defensemen to lead the WHL in playoff scoring, putting up 26 points in 22 games, after scoring 26 goals and 71 points in the regular season. He dominates on the ice and can do it all. He will be a top defender, a PP QB, and will certainly push for a spot on the Avalanche in training camp this season. Selecting Byram also allowed Colorado to move defensemen Tyson Barrie in the off-season, and GM Joe Sakic will look like a genius in picking him, as he will look like the steal of the draft, even after being selected 4^th between his upside and his level of readiness. - KO

2 Cale Makar, D (4^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 1) Cale Makar is one of the more promising defensemen to play NCAA hockey. Last season with UMass he almost willed them to a National Championship with 16 goals and 49 points in 41 games. Everything ran through him. He was the 2019 Hobey Baker Award winner, showing that his draft pedigree was earned. He will have a huge impact with his skating and scoring in Colorado this coming season after teasing with his play for the Avalanche in the postseason. He may be able to replace the departed Tyson Barrie as the top power-play quarterback and overall #1 defenseman. It is a tall order but there is no reason to believe he can’t do that right out of the gate, barring injury. He has to work on his physical play and puck security as the Avalanche won’t let him be as freewheeling as he was in college. Makar did a lot to advance UMass as a top program in Hockey East and he seems poised to do the same for Colorado. - RC

3 Alex Newhook, C (16^th overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) Newhook dominated tearing up the BCHL last season with 38 goals and 102 points in only 53 games. The Grizzlies captain followed that up with another dominating performance in the playoffs with 11 goals and 24 points in 15 games as they came up short losing to Prince George in the Fred Page Cup semifinal. Newhook was picked as league MVP, and put up another good showing for Canada at the Under18’s with 5 goals and 5 assists in 7 games. He will move on and take his skillset to play for Boston College next season as he continues to develop his game. He is a terrific skater who plays with speed and has high end offensive skills that any team would covet. He projects to be a top six forward and a special teams expert who will likely spend a year or two in college before turning pro. - KO

4 Martin Kaut, RW (16^th overall, 2018. Last Year: 4) A 2018 first-rounder who immediately made the jump to the North American pro game, Kaut showed maturity-beyond-his-years, as the intelligent winger scouts thought of him as before Colorado swiped him off the board. Although his offensive game was stagnant, his defensive game -- where his value is most apparent -- needed no adjustment from Europe to the North American style. His incredible rink sense make him a pest on the puck, and his willingness to play deep in the defensive zone is an unteachable, immeasurable talent. His top speed looked better than in his draft year, including his all-world technical skating skill, which allows him to cut and pivot beautifully. He would benefit from using his heavy, high-velocity wrist shot more, and taking more risks as an offensive player. He may not be the most dynamic player in the system, but he is arguably the safest and most reliable, and could be a future top-six two-way winger. - TD

5 Shane Bowers, RW (28^th overall, 2017 [Ottawa]. Last Year: 5) A first round pick of the Senators in 2017, Bowers was not everyone’s cup of tea, as he was more of a smarts and size over skill and production type of player as a junior star. Even though he began his collegiate career with aa bang at Boston University, he regressed sharply – along with many of his teammates – as a sophomore and turned pro shortly thereafter, getting a brief cameo with the Colorado Eagles before the season was done. Bowers is the type of player that specializes in performing the little things, doing the grunt work while his linemates hog the glory. He can accelerate the cycle game, bringing the puck in from the perimeter and putting a scoring chance in motion. He plays with energy and can be used in all situations. His upside may not be higher than a middle six role, but he is very close to that ceiling already, making him one of the safer players in this system. - RW

6 Conor Timmins, D (32^nd overall, 2017. Last Year: 2) 2018-19 was a year to forget for Timmins as he missed the entire season recovering from post-concussion syndrome. As of this writing, he is still not cleared for full contact, although Colorado hopes that he can be ready at some point this year. At his best, Timmins is a potential minute munching defender who can play in any situation. He is particularly effective at winning board battles in his own end and can swing play the other way for his team. Of course, it remains to be seen what repercussions this unfortunate injury has had on his development and whether he will be the same player he was prior to it. Until further notice, we will remain optimistic. - BO

7 Vladislav Kamenev, C (42^nd overall, 2014 [Nashville]. Last Year: 3) An upstart young center acquired by the Avalanche in the Matt Duchene trade of November 2017, Kamenev’s talent and drive has not been matched by his health, specifically his lack thereof. Since being shipped to the Colorado system, the Russian has only appeared in 35 pro games across parts of two full seasons, with a broken arm and shoulder surgery derailing an otherwise promising start to his career. He exhibits veteran vision and playmaking skills, with his shot evolving into a legitimate weapon from anywhere on the ice. He plays on both the penalty kill and power play, and at five-on-five has displayed the long-term potential to be a depth-scoring, physical centerman who can be trusted with a late-game faceoff. He has another chance at cracking the Avs’ bottom-six to start the 2019-20 season. - TD

8 Justus Annunen, G (64^th overall, 2018. Last Year: 8) Annunen has been the top Finnish goalie in his age-group dating a few years back. He had a decent season in Finland’s second highest league and his game improved towards the end of the season. He has strong overall skating ability, quick legs, and he moves effectively and quickly across the crease. He reads shooters well and is particularly difficult to beat down low. He flashes a quick glove from time to time and his rebound control. Whether it be on high or low shots, is solid. He is calm and quiet in the crease and has shown the ability t perform well in pressure situations I firmly think that Annunen has the potential to develop into a number one goalie for the Avalanche in time. - MB

9 Sampo Ranta, LW (78^th overall, 2018. Last Year: 6) A gifted shooter in his draft year with Sioux City, Rampo found it harder to score against the better goalies in the NCAA as a freshman. As the season progressed, he became more central to the Golden Gophers’ offensive attack, even if his full year numbers do not fully reflect his abilities. He is strong for his age, looks good driving the net and has the type of hand-eye coordination needed to play in front of the net. He needs to do a better job of recognizing scoring opportunities going forward to enable his production to be more in line with his ceiling. If his at times scintillating performance at the recent World Junior Summer Showcase is any indication, Ranta could find his way onto the Finnish WJC squad in the winter. His overall game is still raw, but he still has middle six upside. - RW

10 Drew Helleson, D (47^th overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) Of all of the talented defenders in the USNTDP class last year, Helleson played the purest form of defensive defense. He is big and strong, and a bear along the boards. He plays a menacing style and has a knack for forcing opponents to the outside, thereby preventing danger from escalating. He keeps tight gaps and uses his stick well to strip pucks when he isn’t simply shutting them down with his physical game. He would occasionally jump into the rush with the Program, contributing with a quick shot release and solid skating, but he is more natural as an outlet option from the point. I expect him to stick to a defensive role at BC starting in the Fall, as he is groomed for a future role on the third pairing. - RW

11 Nick Henry, RW (94^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 10) Henry has a solid build on a short stocky frame. He uses it to be hard on pucks and relentless on the forecheck. Playing on a skill team in Lethbridge this season he showed he could be a play maker rather than only the trigger man on a line. He drives play with his ability to carry the puck through the neutral zone. He is a shoot first player but he has shown enough that you have to be mindful of the pass option. He isn’t a pure speed player but he moves around the ice well enough that guys have to respect him. His offensive skills will take a few years in the pros before he would ever get a look at an NHL team, but he could carve out a role in a bottom six even if his full skill set doesn’t translate. - VG

12 Logan O’Connor, C (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Jul. 23, 2018. Last Year: Not ranked) O’Connor became one of the best stories among NHL prospects last season. The captain at the University of Denver, he was invited to Avs training camp, where he promptly earned a two-year ELC and reported to the AHL club. In 64 games, the right-shot winger scored 19 goals and added 23 assists, even being rewarded with a brief, five-game stint in the NHL. He is a wonderful skater with the acceleration of a top-line scorer, and possesses the smarts and discipline to consistently make a major impact in all three zones. His versatility is his strongest weapon, as he can play all three forward spots -- up and down the lineup -- with surprising effectiveness. O’Connor is a hard-working bottom-six guy in the future, and his maturity and experience might make him an NHLer as soon as this upcoming season. - TD

13 Danila Zhuravlyov, D (146^th overall, 2018. Last Year: 19) Zhuravlyov had a solid season at home in 2018-19, playing pro hockey the whole season in the VHL and representing Team Russia at the WJC as an underager. The blueliner is an interesting two-way defenseman with a good shot which he should try to unleash more often. He should also work on his release, but he is on his way to being a solid pro and is still only 19. In his own zone, Zhuravlyov is sometimes too passive, but has a decent sense of positioning and rarely spends time in the penalty box. The Russian defenseman needs to mature and keep on improving his game. He has very good skills in most areas but needs to keep on working hard to jump to the next level. The next couple of years will be of paramount importance for him to fully understand whether he can turn into a real NHL player. - ASR

14 Calle Rosen, D (Undrafted Free Agent, signed May 16, 2017 [Toronto]. Last Year: 7 [Toronto]) Rosen is a good skater and smart with the puck. He makes easy work of capitalizing on turnovers in the neutral zone. He can be a very bright and smart player but he can also be the player that turns the puck over in the worst situations. Until he lowers his number of turnovers and becomes more consistent, he will be relegated to a bottom four role at the highest level. Rosen has the potential to be a top two defenseman when on his game and present in plays but when he takes a step back or makes a sloppy play he damages his odds greatly. Despite being well known for his passing skills, he will need to be more confident in the passes he makes and win more physical battles in the corners next season when he starts with the Avalanche. Overall, the ceiling is still quite high and has a lot of potential. - SC

15 Trent Miner, G (202^nd overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) Miner had an excellent season for the Giants on their way to coming within game of winning the WHL. Expected to backup Arizona prospect David Tendeck, Miner put pushed his way into a split situation putting up 1.98 GAA, a .924 SV%, and a 24-5-1-1 record. He took more of a backseat in the playoffs, but got in six games in accruing valuable experience. With both goalies playing well, it looks like it could be another split this season as he returns to the Giants, but Miner’s play should further improve. He works and competes hard, has decent size and his positional play is solid. He likes to stay involved and one of his strengths is his ability to play the puck, which he is good at moving up ice. He still has a few years of WHL eligibility before he would move up to the AHL levels. - KO

16 Alex Beaucage, RW (78^th overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) Beaucage has an excellent shot and great hands. His father Marc played in the NHL and his hockey sense shows it. His five-on-five numbers are very encouraging, and his advanced statistics have some in the analytics community thinking he is a steal for the third round. He has great offensive potential, but his skating needs some work. The fact that he was overshadowed by other performers at the Memorial Cup, despite the small sample size, does not work in his favor. He is set to have much more ice time this coming season and to be a shining feature in the Huskies lineup, so he can improve his already-impressive 79 points in 68 games. The next season will be a telling one for Beaucage with an increased role, but his offensive talent could lead to a top-two line role sooner rather than later. - MS

17 Tyler Weiss, LW/C (109^th overall, 2018. Last Year: 7) A rare product of North Carolina, Weiss was a skilled but underutilized forward with the UNSTDP in his draft year and he – and the Avalanche – had hoped that he would grow into a bigger role on an average Nebraska-Omaha squad. That hope hasn’t yet diminished, but it didn’t happen as a freshman, as Weiss was limited to 11 points in 25 games between injuries and acclimation struggles. The raw tools are still there. Weiss is a fine skater and a gifted puck handler with some offensive flair. The underdeveloped frame and lack of physical strength are also still there and that is the first focal area needed for improvement before he can be compared against early expectations. He could play on a bottom six with his energy game, but needs more consistency and strength first. - RW

18 Brandon Saigeon, C (140^th overall, 2018. Last Year: Not ranked) Saigeon is a hard-nosed goal scorer who operates most effectively as a triggerman on the powerplay. His release, in combination with the power he generates on his wrist or snap shot, make him a threat to score on every shift. He is also a battler in the offensive zone who will grind away to find those soft spots in the defense. While his skating has already improved a lot, it will need to continue to improve for him to be an NHL player. As of right now, Saigeon will be playing next year on an AHL contract as Colorado decides whether or not to give him an ELC. He will likely need to show them that his game can translate rather quickly to the professional level. - BO

19 Nikolai Kovalenko, RW (171^st overall, 2018. Last Year: Not ranked) The American-born Russian forward is growing well at home within the Lokomotiv organization – one of the best of the country for young players. The son of a former NHL player, Kovalenko took significant steps forward last year helping Russia to get back home with a bronze medal at the WJC even if his contribution was limited due to an early injury. His game shows that he is the son of a coach, although he plays a different style when compared to his father, Andrei. He is less physical and plays more on the perimeter. Kovalenko is gifted with good skating and technique but needs to improve on his defensive game and gain some more meat. He is steadily progressing at home and when his contract runs out in 2022 he may be fully ready to the transition to the NHL, which will be easier in comparison to other Russian players due to his history. - ASR

20 Cameron Morrison, LW (40^th overall, 2016. Last Year: 9) Although mitigated by the fact that he missed around a quarter of the 2018-19 season, there is no denying the fact that Morrison’s offensive output has declined each season from his freshman high of 24 points. He has commendable alertness and demonstrates a knack for getting to loose pucks first despite lacking big wheels. His best tool is his big shot but he has struggled in getting into ideal shooting position and has thus not really fortified a spot as a genuine top line option at the NCAA level. The former second round pick is heading into his senior season and is not much closer to the NHL than he was on draft day, but the Avalanche would not have given up on him quite yet. - RW

McKeen’s 2019 NHL Shadow Draft

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Now for some random thoughts about the draft

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

OHL Playoff Preview: Eastern Conference – Trade deadline talent arms race makes for a wide open battle

Brock Otten — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 16:22:01 +0000

This week the 2019 OHL playoffs will kick off with first round action getting under way on Thursday. More so than any year that I can remember, the field is wide open. There are favorites to take home the J.Ross Robertson Cup, sure, but the sheer number of candidates to make it to the end is greater than previous years because of how many teams loaded up with talent at this year’s trade deadline. As difficult as it is, I will make my predictions. Just do not place any large bets or wagers based upon it.

Eastern Conference First Round

Marco Rossi of the Ottawa 67s. Photo courtesy of the OHL.

#1. Ottawa 67’s vs. #8. Hamilton Bulldogs

Season Series: 5-0 for Ottawa

Analysis: A rematch of last year’s 1 versus 8 match-up in the Eastern Conference, only this time the roles are reversed. The rebuilding Bulldogs match up against the top team in the OHL in Ottawa. Hamilton has done exceptionally well as the only team from last year’s Memorial Cup to make the playoffs in their respective leagues (with nearly as many wins as Regina, Swift Current, and Acadie-Bathurst combined). Arthur Kaliyev has emerged as a star in his NHL draft year, hitting the 50 goal mark and the team did a great job of trading away valuable assets but also keeping some veteran leaders around like Matthew Strome to keep order. All that said, they do not stand much of a chance against Ottawa. The 67’s are three lines deep that can score at any time. They have a physically imposing defense that can also move the puck. And either Michael Dipietro or Cedrick Andree will likely provide top notch goaltending, even if Dipietro’s health is a question mark after being forced to leave a game recently after a high shot stung him. I do have some question marks as to how they hold up later in the playoffs, but this first round victory should be a relatively easy one, no offense meant to Hamilton.

Prediction: Ottawa in 4

NHL Prospects to Watch:

Sasha Chmelevski (SJ): While he may not lead the 67’s in scoring, I feel that he is the most integral part of Ottawa’s offensive attack. When he is on, the 67’s are firing on all cylinders. He may not have had the year that I expected of him prior to the start of the year, but he remains one of the OHL’s elite offensive players because of his individual puck skill and shot generation. If Ottawa wants to take home the Eastern Conference crown, he will need to be a consistent leader.

Marco Rossi (2020): A late 2001 birthday, Rossi missed being eligible for this year’s draft by just over a week. The slick Austrian forward has been an absolute revelation as a first year Import and has met or exceeded all the expectations placed on him. His skill level is very high, but most impressive to me is his tenaciousness away from the puck. This youngster is a real puck hound who makes his presence felt in many different ways on the ice. His game is built for success in the playoffs, even if he is young. A strong performance could help solidify him as a potential top 10 selection heading into 2020 Draft season.

Jan Jenik (ARI): I could have easily mentioned Kaliyev here for Hamilton. But Jenik has been extremely noticeable since arriving at midseason. He is another player whose game is built for success in the playoffs. He plays an ‘in your face’ kind of style and is way more aggressive physically than I would have imagined. Pair that with terrific hands and a natural ability to gain the blueline with his speed and puck control and you’ve got a fierce offensive competitor who is fun to watch.

Forward #17 Justin Brazeau of the North Bay Battalion. Photo courtesy of the OHL.

#2. Niagara IceDogs vs. #7. North Bay Battalion

Season Series: 4-2 for Niagara

Analysis: No offense meant to North Bay. I have a great respect for legendary head coach Stan Butler. But I see this as being one of the most one-sided first round matchups. North Bay relies heavily on their first line of Justin Brazeau, Matthew Struthers, and Brad Chenier, but just do not have the depth to keep up with Niagara’s firepower up front. And while North Bay can often surprise teams in the postseason with their team commitment to defense, Niagara’s forward group may be one of the better two-way groups in the league themselves with guys like Jack Studnicka and Ben Jones anchoring the middle. In net, overager Stephen Dhillon gives Niagara an advantage too, especially with how good he was in last year’s playoffs and the experience he can take from that. The IceDogs and Battalion played a pretty lopsided final game of the regular season this past weekend and unfortunately I could see most of the games looking like that one did.

Prediction: Niagara in 4

NHL Prospects to Watch:

Jason Robertson (DAL): The winner of the Eddie Powers Trophy this year as the OHL’s top scorer, Robertson has been an unstoppable force since arriving in Niagara. With the IceDogs he has averaged over two points per game. While Robertson will never be a speedster, he is so good at controlling the puck in the offensive zone and slowing down the pace to open up lanes for his linemates. This makes him such an efficient player on the powerplay because he often requires two defenders to separate him from the puck. After last year’s disappointingly abrupt run with Kingston in the playoffs, Robertson will look to take that next step with Niagara and help them reach the Eastern finals.

Jack Studnicka (BOS): Another player brought in by Niagara who has had a remarkable impact, up near the two point per game mark. Studnicka is so valuable because he excels in all situations. He is on the ice when you are a goal down or a goal up late in the third period. He is going to need to be a huge part of Niagara’s penalty killing unit, which struggled at times during the regular season. A potential OHL playoffs MVP candidate.

Justin Brazeau (UFA): Sure, he has some warts. His stride is not the prettiest. He needs work on his play away from the puck and in his own end. But you cannot ignore the fact that he is a 6-6”, 60 goal scorer in the OHL, a feat that does not occur very often. With a strong first round performance (likely to be his only chance as North Bay does not have a good chance of advancing) in a playoff atmosphere with tighter checking, perhaps he can prove to NHL scouts that he deserves an NHL contract (if he has not done enough already).

Brandon Saigeon of the Oshawa Generals. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

#3. Oshawa Generals vs. #6. Peterborough Petes

Season Series: 6-2 for Oshawa

Analysis: The Generals have owned the Petes in the season series, especially in the four games post trade deadline. In those four games, Oshawa has scored 30 goals. While Peterborough has played better of late, I just do not believe that they have the defensive chops to hang with the Generals. Oshawa rolls three very competitive scoring lines. They bring speed. They bring grit. They play in all three zones. There are some inexperienced players in their core group, but veterans like Brandon Saigeon and Nic Mattinen are battled tested after last year’s Championship victory. For as well as Hunter Jones has played this year (save for a dry spell post deadline), Kyle Keyser has been even better and should be able to turn aside the majority of Peterborough’s chances. I think Peterborough is still a year away from being a truly competitive playoff team.

Prediction: Oshawa in 5

NHL Prospects to Watch:

Brandon Saigeon (COL): 18 goals in 21 playoff games for the Hamilton Bulldogs last year in helping them win an OHL Championship. What does Saigeon have in store for us this year? One of the most lethal powerplay players in the OHL because of his shot and ability to get in scoring position. Saigeon will need to be a leader on and off the ice for a younger Oshawa team that, at its core, does not have a ton of playoff experience.

Serron Noel (FLA): Really struggled in the OHL playoffs last year during his draft year, but no question that Noel is a different player now. There are not many players in the league like him with his size, speed, and skill combination. He is just so strong on the puck, especially along the wall. In the playoffs, establishing the cycle game to tire out the opposition's best defenders is such a key component and Noel can do that in his sleep. This could be a real breakout opportunity for him to hit the mainstream spotlight.

Ryan Merkley (SJ): Without question, Merkley is one of the most individually skilled players in the OHL. His ability to create offensive scoring chances from the back-end because of his skating ability and vision are nearly unrivaled. The issue is nearly everything else. A midseason trade to Peterborough and a fresh start has not done much to squash concerns as he has found himself in the doghouse with his new club on a few occasions already. If Peterborough wants to progress past the first round, they will need a motivated Merkley at both ends of the ice.

Quinton Byfield on the Sudbury Wolves. Photo courtesy of the OHL.

#4. Sudbury Wolves vs. #5. Mississauga Steelheads

Season Series: 4-2 for Sudbury

Analysis: These division rivals have not met in the playoffs since 2011; the year that Mississauga captured the Eastern Conference and hosted the Memorial Cup. That was a second round sweep for the Majors (yes, it was before they were renamed the Steelheads). This time around, I expect Sudbury to come out on top, but it could be a close one. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has been sensational this year and should hypothetically give the Wolves an advantage in net, but you just never know when Jacob Ingham is going to turn in a remarkable performance. Defensively, I think these teams are fairly similar in ability. Mississauga generates more offense from their back-end. Sudbury’s defense is better in their own end. On the other hand, I do worry about Mississauga’s speed giving Sudbury’s defense some issues. That brings us to the offensive side of things. I ultimately think Sudbury has more game breakers in their line-up with the likes of Quinton Byfield and Adam Ruzicka. This could be closer than people are going to predict. Sudbury’s powerplay will need to be way better than it was in the regular season (a league worst), as teams do not go far in the playoffs without scoring on the man advantage.

Prediction: Sudbury in 6

NHL Prospects to Watch:

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (BUF): Hands down the Goaltender of the Year this year in the OHL. No offense meant to Kyle Keyser or Michael Dipietro, but this is an easy decision. Luukkonen might even be the most valuable player in the league, if such an award existed (the Red Tilson is for Most Outstanding Player, not Valuable). I have been so impressed with Luukkonen’s composure in the crease. His ability to read the play is outstanding and because of his size and athleticism, he always seems to get himself in the right position to make key saves. He is a prime time goaltending prospect.

Quinton Byfield (2020): I have been completely captivated by Byfield when I have seen him play this year. Such a fantastic and explosive skater for a big guy. I truly feel that if his game continues to progress, he could challenge for first overall in 2020. For now, it will be interesting to see how he performs in his first playoffs in the OHL. Regardless of the outcome, the experience it provides him will only make him better in the long run, which will make the Wolves better too (at least for next year anyway).

Thomas Harley (2019): All eyes will be on this potential first round pick in the first round to see how he handles the physicality of the playoffs. As skilled as he is as an offensive defenseman, a lack of defensive intensity has been one of the most discussed weak spots. Scouts will be looking to see how he defends in the corners and in front of his net, and his overall response to being up against a more powerful offensive squad and having to play more in his own end.

Continued Eastern Conference Predictions

Conference Semi Finals

#1. Ottawa vs. #4. Sudbury

#2. Niagara vs. #3. Oshawa

I am taking Ottawa and Niagara here. While I do have some concerns over Ottawa’s special teams play and their defense’s ability to handle the forecheck and move the puck, I think Sudbury is the best matchup for them. Niagara and Oshawa is a toss-up. Kyle Keyser could shut the door, especially with a big defense in front of him. But, like Guelph, I just really like the make-up of Niagara’s team. Their team speed. Their powerplay. Their core veteran group, especially up front. And Stephen Dhillon is not chopped liver.

Eastern Conference Final

#1. Ottawa vs. #2. Niagara

Like Guelph, I am all in on Niagara in the Eastern Conference. Jason Robertson, Jack Studnicka, and Akil Thomas are all nearly unstoppable right now. Plus their blueline does such a good job skating the puck out of trouble, it is difficult to pin them in their own zone, which means that you are always playing on the defensive against them.

SEE OHL PREVIEW: WESTERN CONFERENCE- LINK HERE

OHL Championship Series

Niagara IceDogs vs. Guelph Storm

Another toss up for me. Ask me tomorrow and I may just choose someone different. Both of their regular season matchups were decided by a single goal. Honestly, this comes down to goaltending. I give Niagara the advantage at forward. I give Guelph the advantage on defense. But in net, I think you have to tip your hat in Stephen Dhillon’s direction. Especially considering that there is no guarantee that Anthony Popovich finishes the postseason as Guelph’s starter. So...I am selecting the Niagara IceDogs as this year’s OHL Champions!

2018 NHL Draft Review: Central Division

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

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

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

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

Here is the Central Division

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

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

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

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

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

OFP – 53.25

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

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

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

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

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

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

OFP – 53.75

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

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

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

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

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

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

OFP – 52.5

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

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

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

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

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

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

OFP – 51.25

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

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

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

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

OFP – 50.75

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

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

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

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

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

OFP - 51

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

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

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

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

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

OFP – 50.5

Youngblood: World Under-17 Hockey Challenge Preview

Brendan Ross — Thu, 30 Oct 2014 18:36:02 +0000

Currently known as the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, the international tournament has underwent a name change from the Quebec Esso Cup (in 2011) and most recently, Hockey Canada has decided to change the format of its own team entries into the tournament. For the first time in 2014, rather than sending five provincial teams (Ontario, Quebec, Pacific, Atlantic and Western) to compete, Hockey Canada has opted to combine players from across the nation into three competitive teams - Red, White and Black. Canadian players will now have the opportunity to play alongside talented competitors from other provinces. For example, Ontarian Jakob Chychrun will be taping Nova Scotian Mitchell Balmas with passes rather than laying him out in the corner. The Under-17 Hockey Challenge is the first step in Hockey Canada’s Program of Excellence that is used to help identify talent for the Under-18 and National Junior Team and it has seen over 1400 National Hockey League draft picks come through the tournament.

Tournament organizers have moved up the Challenge on the calendar to November to avoid conflict with the World Junior Championships that runs over the holiday season. For the first time since Windsor hosted in 2012, the tournament returns to Ontario and the world’s top hockey talents have arrived in Sarnia, Canada as the border-town city, in collaboration with nearby Lambton Shores, is ready to host the 2014 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.

Group A consists of two Canadian teams (Canada White and Canada Black), Finland and last year’s bronze medalists Russia while Group B will feature Canada Red, Slovakia, Sweden and the defending champions, Team USA. For more information on World Under-17 Hockey Challenge schedules and rosters, visit the tournament website.

The majority of participants are born in the 1998 age group and these players have spent months going through evaluations to reach their goal of donning their nation’s sweater. The following breakdown of teams will help to familiarize the general public with some of the names to watch. Here are just a few of the top talents skating in the #WU172014.

Team USA (Roster)

Knocking the four-time gold medalists off of the podium will prove to be a difficult feat as Team USA enters this tournament with a very talented roster, including 20 of 22 players who compete with the US National Under-17 Team. Non-National Under-17 skaters Spokane's Kailer Yamamoto and 6-foot-3 Riley Tufte (Blaine High School) will replace injured forwards Zach Walker and Graham McPhee. The Americans won’t have to fight through chemistry issues with such familiarity and with them icing five University of Michigan commits in Nick Pastujov, James Sanchez, William Lockwood, Griffin Luce and Luke Martin. In addition, Everett Silvertips draftee Patrick Khodorenko, London Knights first round selection Max Jones and Boston University commit and USNTDP leading scorer Clayton Keller are expected to help Pastujov and Sanchez with the offensive production. Towering netminders Joseph Woll and Minnesotan Jake Oettinger won’t surrender much net for the opposition and with Griffin Luce, Luke Martin, Plymouth Whalers’ hopeful James Greenway, Chad Krys (Moncton Wildcats prospect) and Harvard commit Adam Fox patrolling the blueline teams will be in tough against the champs.

Team SWEDEN (Roster)

Just like his older brother William Nylander (Maple Leafs draft pick), Alexander Nylander is an immensely skilled forward and has the ability to create space for him to showcase his elite puck skills, vision and shot. Playing alongside Nylander on the AIK U20 team, Jesper Bratt is a two-way forward with speed to burn and a blue-collar work ethic. Undersized and physically raw defenseman Alexander Andersson owns some slick hands, shrewd hockey sense and a poised approach that helps spark the offense and quarterback the powerplay. Committed to the University of Minnesota, William Fällström is a complete two-way competitor who offers a good level of physicality and the awareness to be trusted in critical game moments.

Sweden is a team that lacks a true individual standout but the squad is comprised of some solid depth full of smart and competitive players. Look for Oskar Steen, a shifty winger with a quick release and some untapped offensive upside, and Linus Weissbach to act as forwards who have an ability to create offense on their own. Jacob Cederholm, younger brother to Vancouver Canucks draftee Anton, has already suited up in the SHL and will help the Swedes defend their zone. Niklas Andersson, the son of current Los Angeles scout and former NHLer Niklas Andersson, is already off to a hot start with the HV71 U18 team picking up six goals and 14 points through 10 games. It could be a coming out party for 5-foot-6 defenseman Oliver Horrsell as this offensive blueliner certainly knows how to fill the score sheet. Lastly, pivot Tim Wahlgren should earn plenty of minutes as his great hockey intelligence and sense for the game is evident in all three zones. Both of Sweden’s goaltenders, Filip Gustavsson and Gusten Lundh have the size and big-game pedigree to provide Sweden with great stability between the pipes.

Team FINLAND (Roster)

Without forwards Jesse Puljujärvi, Patrik Laine, defensemen Olli Juolevi and Jusso Välimäki, the Finns will unfortunately be missing some of their top talents from the `98 age group. However, Finland is a nation that has been pumping out some great prospects and their entry isn’t without talent. Kristian Vesalainen and Urho Vaakanainen are two of Finland`s top underagers. Vesalainen is already skating at 6-foot-2 and offers up confident puck skills, suffocating physicality and an impact shooting arsenal. Emil Oksanen is a skilled right-shooting forward playing for Blues Espoo and his game features a deceptive shot that seems to find the net with regularity. The 6-foot-1 left shooting Tappara forward Otto Mäkinen is the former teammate of Patrik Laine and he`s got an advanced playmaking skill set, featuring soft hands and creative vision. Look for Finland to rely upon their depth and play some defensive hockey, much like they`re known for, to compete in Group A.

Team RUSSIA (Roster)

The Under-17 tournament provides an opportunity for the North American hockey world to be introduced to the up-and-coming talent from overseas. As a result, there isn’t much familiarity with these players coming into the World U17 Hockey Challenge. Headlining the Russian team are forwards Dmitri Sokolov and Vitali Abramov. Undersized but extremely skilled, Vitali Abramov is considered a potential first round talent for the 2016 NHL Draft and he`s off to a great start with Belye Medvedi Chelyabinsk (MHL) scoring six goals and eight points (12 games). As good as Abramov is, it`s Dmitri Sokolov who projects as a potential Top 10 selection for the 2016 draft. The 6-foot-2 forward has racked up nine goals and 10 points through 13 games with Omskiye Yastreby Omsk (MHL). Russia will lean heavily on Sokolov and Abramov to provide the bulk of scoring but 6-foot-4 forward Nikita Popugaev (not to be confused with 5-foot-8 teammate Nikita O. Popugaev), Vladimir Kuznetsov and Vyacheslav Shevchenko should offer good secondary support.

Team SLOVAKIA (Roster)

Much like the Russian squad, Slovakia`s entry is a bit of a mystery. Forward Samuel Solensky is a pint-sized offensive making noise with HC Liberec`s U20 team with six goals and 16 points through the club's first 20 games. Viliam Cacho is a 5-foot-9 forward who has noteworthy playmaking skills and the offensive prowess to be considered a prospect for the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. Cacho racked up eight goals and 44 points in 37 games playing up with Dukla Trencin's U20 club. Keep an eye on underagers Milos Roman, Patrik Hrehorcak and Adam Ruzicka to see how they handle the competition against older opponents.

Team CANADA WHITE (Roster)

The first of Canada’s three tournament entries may just be the most popular, at least among local fans. With Sarnia hosting the event, local fans can come out to cheer on their 2014 1st-overall selection in Jakob Chychrun and 2nd-round forward Jordan Kyrou as key members of Canada White. Chychrun and Kyrou have already stepped up in their rookie seasons and are playing top minutes. In addition to the familiar Sting faces, fans can expect to get excited about Ottawa 67`s two-way threat Travis Barron, Erie`s Taylor Raddysh, Moose Jaw's Brett Howden and high scoring BCHLer Tyson Jost.

Charlottetown winger Mitchell Balmas (who replaces the injured Hunter Moreau), Saginaw Spirit defender Keaton Middleton (who replaces Josh Mahura) and Soo Greyhounds top 2014 pick Anthony Salinitri (who replaces Dillon Dube) are excited about their renewed opportunity.

The strength of Canada White comes from their outstanding defensive core which starts with Jakob Chychrun, Medicine Hat's David Quenneville (brother of New Jersey Devils 2014 1st rounder John), Luke Green of Saint John, Gabriel Bilodeau of Val d'Or and ends with the outstanding Samuel Harvey in net.

Team CANADA BLACK (Roster)

Donning the black threads for Canada is potential Top 10 2016 NHL Draft prospect and 2013 1st-overall WHL pick Tyler Benson (Vancouver Giants), 2013 2nd-overall WHL selection Sam Steel (Regina Pats) and a slew of OHL 1st-rounders in Brandon Saigeon (Belleville Bulls), Matthew Hotchkiss (Guelph Storm), Chris Paquette (Niagara IceDogs), Zach Poirier (North Bay Battalion), Cliff Pu (Oshawa Generals) and Reagan O'Grady (Kingston Frontenacs). Canada Black features some underrated scoring depth with the likes of Nolan Volcan (Seattle Thunderbirds), Pascal Laberge (Gatineau Olympiques) and Pierre-Luc Dubois (Cape Breton Screaming Eagles) who are all off to strong starts in their respective junior leagues.

On the blueline, look for Brandon Wheat Kings Kale Clague, Shawinigan's Samuel Girard, London Knights' Tyler Nother to help solidify the defensive zone in front of 6-foot-4 goaltender Stuart Skinner (Lethbridge Hurricanes) and Reilly Pickard (Baie-Comeau Drakker) who will share crease duties.

Team CANADA RED (Roster)

A quick glance down the roster for Canada Red will certainly appear as if Hockey Canada formed an All-Ontarian team as 11 players are from the Ontario Hockey League including exceptional defender Sean Day (Mississauga Steelheads), a potential 2016 Top 3 draft prospect. Joining Day on the blueline from the OHL is the intelligent Matthew Timms (Peterborough Petes), big tough Windsor Spitfire Logan Stanley and slick skating Knight Victor Mete. On the front lines, dazzling puck rusher Michael McLeod (Mississauga Steelheads), dangler Tye Felhaber (Saginaw Spirit), sniper Adam Mascherin (Kitchener Rangers), clutch forward William Bitten (Plymouth Whalers), power forward Givani Smith (Barrie Colts) and top 2016 prospect Logan Brown (Windsor Spitfires) will all represent the OHL. In total, eight of the OHL's Top 20 selections from the 2014 draft are competing for Canada Red.

Beyond the tremendous "potential" firepower from the Ontario top picks (McLeod, Mascherin, Felhaber and Brown), Canada Red may have three of the most productive 98s in the nation in Wheat Kings forward Nolan Patrick (15-4-8-12), William Bitten (13-3-6-9) and Kamloops Blazer Jake Kryski (16-5-6-11).

Blueline soldiers outside of Ontario will consist of BCHL stud Dante Fabbro, Sherbrooke's Thomas Gregoire and Victoriaville's Guillaume Beck - all fantastic defensive prospects. With goaltenders Dylan Wells (Peterborough Petes) and 6-foot-4 Phoenix puckstopper Evan Fitzpatrick in net, goals against should be held to a minimum.

On paper, Canada Red may have the best opportunity to end the red and white's three year drought of a World Under-17 Hockey Challenge gold medal. If I were a betting man (and I am), I would look towards Canada Red as the best chance to unseat the Americans.

With exhibition play slated to kick off Halloween night and the tournament commencing on Sunday, the shores of Lake Huron will be home to some outstanding world-class talent looking to make their country proud in hopes of taking home the 2014 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge gold medal.

Follow @RossyYoungblood on Twitter as he covers the entirety of the 2014 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.