Dennis Busby – McKeen's Hockey

2019-20 OHL Preview

Brock Otten — Wed, 25 Sep 2019 01:03:50 +0000

The 2019/20 OHL season is already underway, but it is not too late to preview some of the top teams and top players in the league this year. Who are the Championship contenders? Who are the top NHL prospects playing in the league this year? Who are the top NHL draft prospects for 2020? Keep reading to find out.

Graeme Clarke of the Ottawa 67''s. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

Eastern Conference

Championship Contenders

Ottawa 67’s

While there have been some losses up front for the 67’s (Sasha Chmelevski, Tye Felhaber, Kody Clark, Kyle Maksimovich, Lucas Chiodo all graduated), the defending Eastern Conference Champions do return their entire blueline and one of their starting goaltenders. Kevin Bahl (Arizona), Noel Hoefenmayer (UFA), Merrick Rippon (2020), Nikita Okhotyuk (New Jersey), Hudson Wilson (UFA), and Alec Belanger (2020) all return and should give the 67’s a chance to repeat as the top defensive team in the Ontario Hockey League (the 67’s led the league in goals against in 2018/19). Additionally, Cedrick Andree (2020) mans the crease again, a year after finishing fourth in the OHL in wins, despite splitting time late in the year with Michael Dipietro after the latter’s acquisition from Windsor. While the club’s secondary scoring remains a bit of a mystery, the top line of Austen Keating (UFA), Marco Rossi (2020), and Graeme Clarke (New Jersey) should score a ton. Management also has a boatload of draft picks (five 2nd rounders and five 3rd rounders over the next three seasons) to make moves should they require upgrades.

Sudbury Wolves

This is the Quinton Byfield (2020) show. Last year, the Wolves were led by one of the best goaltending performances that the league has ever seen from Buffalo prospect Ukka-Pekka Luukkonen. But this year, top 2020 NHL draft prospect Byfield is ready to be the catalyst and one of the best players in the OHL. Sudbury has surrounded him with enough veteran talent too, that includes Carolina draft pick Blake Murray (Carolina). But preventing goals may be the Achilles Heel of this team heading into the year. The defense is on the younger side, and neither Christian Purboo (2020) nor Mitchell Weeks (2020) have proven to be strong starting netminders. Keep an eye on two 2020 draft prospects in Jack Thompson (2020) and Isaak Phillips (2020) here, as they will be seeing a ton of minutes and could rocket up draft boards with strong performances. In a slightly weaker division, look for Sudbury to overcome some holes and earn home ice in the first round.

Peterborough Petes

Unfortunately for Peterborough, they play in the same division as the 67’s, which means one of these teams will finish third in the Conference. But Peterborough should be considered the second-best team in the East right now, even with the Ryan Merkley (San Jose) conundrum surrounding the team. The Sharks first rounder awaits a trade from the Petes after the club decided to go in a different direction. This could no doubt be a distraction, but Peterborough is a very talented team. Nick Robertson (Toronto) leads the way and is a serious candidate to lead the league in scoring and win the Red Tilson as the league’s most outstanding player. Hunter Jones (Minnesota) is a candidate to win the newly named Jim Rutherford award as the league’s top goaltender. Declan Chisholm (Winnipeg) is a top candidate to win the Max Kaminski as the league’s top defender. There is star power at every position, in addition to depth. This team is going to score a lot, and like Ottawa, they have a bevy of draft picks in the cupboard that they could use to improve further.

Oshawa Generals

While there are some serious questions surrounding the quality of goaltending Oshawa could receive this year, there are no questions about the talent level playing in front of said goaltender(s). The Generals return nearly their entire defense from a year ago, led by two NHL draft picks, Gio Vallati (Winnipeg), Nico Gross (NY Rangers), in addition to top 2020 draft prospect Lleyton Moore (2020). At forward, Serron Noel (Florida), and Allan McShane (Montreal) are the stars, but a strong supporting cast surrounds them. Look for Noel to have an absolutely monster year from an offensive perspective. His size and skill combination is so difficult for some of the league’s smaller defenders to handle. If the Generals do falter and find themselves in the middle of the pack, look for them to trade away some of their graduating players like Noel, McShane, and Vallati, in order retool for next year when the team’s goaltending could be addressed more definitively.

Barrie Colts

The Colts are a real wild card heading into the year. They underachieved last year, but a lot of that had to do with some injuries. Additionally, coach Dale Hawerchuk had to step away during training camp due to health concerns, so management brought in veteran Warren Rychel to steer the ship. Despite the turmoil, this is a very talented team. Ryan Suzuki (Carolina) should be better equipped to handle the pressure of being a top offensive option, and Matej Pekar (Buffalo) is healthy and off to a great start. On defense, Tyler Tucker (St. Louis) should be one of the better defenders in the league. Look out for rookie Brandt Clarke (2021), who is an immediate impact player and is the favorite to take home the league’s Emms Family Trophy as the top rookie after leading the OHL in preseason scoring...as a blueliner. Barrie may also have the best goaltending tandem in the OHL with Jet Greaves (2020) and Arturs Silovs (Vancouver) manning the crease. Don’t be surprised if Barrie pushes Sudbury for the Central Division.

Standings Prediction:

Ottawa
Sudbury
Peterborough
Oshawa
Barrie
Mississauga
Hamilton
North Bay
Niagara
Kingston

Western Conference

Championship Contenders

Saginaw Spirit

Cole Coskey of the Saginaw Spirit. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

Make no bones about it, this year’s Saginaw Spirit are one strong team. At the heart of the Spirit is Red Tilson contender and top 2020 draft prospect Cole Perfetti (2020). He could be a candidate to lead the league in scoring and is such an electric player in the offensive end. There is also a strong supporting cast of characters including NHL draft picks Damien Giroux (Minnesota), Blade Jenkins (NY Islanders), Nicholas Porco (Dallas), Cole Coskey (NY Islanders), and Mason Millman (Philadelphia). The real wild card here is whether the New York Islanders send star defender Bode Wilde back to the OHL for another year, even though he is eligible to play in the AHL. Another name to watch is goaltender Tristan Lennox (2021), who was a standout at the Hlinka/Gretzky Cup this summer, but is not eligible for the NHL draft until 2021 because of an October birth date. This year’s Spirit team has to be considered the favorite in the West because of their depth and star power.

Kitchener Rangers

It has become abundantly clear that the Kitchener Rangers intend to compete for an OHL Championship this year because of how aggressive they have been already in making key additions to the club. This summer they brought in Axel Bergkvist (Arizona) and Ville Ottavainen (2020) through the Import Draft, and goaltender Jacob Ingham (Los Angeles) through trade. All three figure to be key components. In particular, those imports will help the Rangers defense move the puck more efficiently, an area that they struggled with last year. Recently, Kitchener also traded for OA Liam Hawel (UFA), who is a big upgrade to their top six forward group. Up front, Riley Damiani (Dallas), Greg Meireles (Florida), and Jonathan Yantsis (UFA) will be star players and all three have a chance to be near the top of the OHL scoring race. This is a very well constructed group with no glaring weakness.

London Knights

There was a lot of discussion in OHL circles last week when the London Knights were named the top team in the CHL in the preseason rankings heading into the year. Many, myself included, felt that this was not warranted. This is a London team with a completely rebuilt defense that outside of Alec Regula (Detroit), has almost no OHL experience (save Gerard Keane (2020) and his limited playing time last year). Additionally, Regula is out with a concussion and star forward Liam Foudy (Columbus) is set to miss 4-6 weeks with an upper body injury. That is not a recipe for early season success. That said, this is a talented group. Connor McMichael (Washington) should be in for a big year and will look to carry the load and help this team through some opening season challenges.

Flint Firebirds

They could not be in the OHL basement forever, right? As Flint’s high end draft selections gain more experience, this could be a very dangerous team that should break out in a big way. The team brought in veteran Anthony Popovich (UFA) to man the crease, fresh off winning an OHL Championship with Guelph last year and his veteran presence should help. Ty Dellandrea (Dallas), assuming he is returned from the Stars, will be one of the OHL’s top players and a leader at both ends of the ice. Look for Vladislav Kolyachonok (Florida) and Dennis Busby (Arizona) to really break out on the back-end, too, and have terrific seasons. Another unheralded player is Jake Durham (UFA), who returns as an OA after a breakout season last year. He has already started strong and could be among the league leaders in goal scoring. This is another well rounded team.

Erie Otters

Much like Barrie in the Eastern Conference, the Otters are being underrated in many preseason polls up to this point. This is a team that is near the top in goals returning from the previous year, and while they may not have the star power up front of other teams in the Conference, they are a very efficient unit. On the back-end though, they most definitely have a star in Jamie Drysdale (2020), who is a potential top 10 selection for this year’s NHL draft. He is an electric skater and is my preseason selection for the Max Kaminski, given to the league’s top defender. At forward, look for Hayden Fowler (2020) and Maxim Golod (2020) to breakout in a big way, too. Do not sleep on this team.

Standings Prediction

Saginaw
Kitchener
London
Flint
Erie
Windsor
Sault Ste. Marie
Owen Sound
Sarnia
Guelph

Ty Dellandrea of the Flint Firebirds. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

Top NHL Prospects to Watch

Ty Dellandrea, Flint (Dallas)

Seems likely to stick around for a few games in Dallas, but has the captaincy in Flint waiting for him upon his return. Strong two-way center who will be able to better showcase his offensive abilities this year.

Arthur Kaliyev, Hamilton (Los Angeles)

Fell at the draft to the second round, but is one of the best goal scorers in the OHL. Will look to show scouts that he can play with more pace this year and improve his engagement level without the puck.

Philip Tomasino, Niagara (Nashville)

With a rebuild in Niagara likely, one has to wonder if he finishes the year with the IceDogs. Tomasino should see a nice increase in production this year with more powerplay time and another year of added strength.

Thomas Harley, Mississauga (Dallas)

Has had a very strong training camp with Dallas, but will return to Mississauga where he will look to improve his play in the defensive zone to match his dynamic offensive ability and skating stride.

Ryan Suzuki, Barrie (Carolina)

While his brother Nick starts his pro career, possibly even in the NHL, Ryan will look to lead the Barrie Colts to a division title. Ryan is an exceptional playmaker, but he will look to play more between the dots this year and increase his intensity level.

Serron Noel, Oshawa (Florida)

Noel is a physical specimen who can dominate because of his size and skill combination. The power winger drives play through the middle of the ice.

Liam Foudy, London (Columbus)

Speed is the name of Foudy’s game. He will miss the start of the year with an injury, but will look to become a more consistent offensive player upon his return.

Akil Thomas, Niagara (Los Angeles)

Like Tomasino, it seems unlikely that Thomas finishes the year in Niagara. He will be a highly coveted player because of his playmaking ability.

Nick Robertson, Peterborough (Toronto)

Because of his skill level with the puck and his tenacity without it, Robertson is one of the most exciting players to watch in the OHL. If he can stay healthy, he should have a monster season.

Connor McMichael, London (Washington)

McMichael is a versatile forward who profiles best as a goal scorer. The Washington Capitals first rounder will likely need to do a lot of heavy lifting early in the year for London.

Wild Card #1 - Barrett Hayton, Sault Ste. Marie (Arizona)

It seems very likely that Hayton spends the year in Arizona as a checking line player. Should he return to Sault Ste. Marie on the other hand, he will be one of the top players in the OHL and the top NHL prospect.

Wild Card #2 - Bode Wilde, Saginaw (NY Islanders)

With the option to keep Wilde in the AHL for the season because he was drafted out of the USDP, it seems likely that that occurs. However, should he return to the OHL, Wilde will be able to play with an incredibly talented offensive group in Saginaw and would be a favorite to lead the league in defensive scoring.

Wild Card #3 - Ryan Merkley, Peterborough (San Jose)

The Merkley trade watch is still on. Still in San Jose’s camp as he awaits a new OHL team, Merkley’s talent level is undeniable. But his attitude has him about to play for his third OHL team in as many years.

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

Top 2020 NHL Draft Prospects to Watch

Quinton Byfield, Sudbury

The name Eric Lindros has been thrown around recently because of how dominant Byfield can be below the hashmarks. His skating ability is tremendous for such a big player.

Jamie Drysdale, Erie

Drysdale is a beautiful skater himself and he uses this to impact the game both offensively and defensively. So hard to pin down in his own end, he is a breakout machine.

Cole Perfetti, Saginaw

“Goal” Perfetti, as TSN’s Craig Button calls him, is an offensive dynamo because of how well he processes the game with and without the puck.

Marco Rossi, Ottawa

Rossi is as slippery as an eel in the offensive end. He is undersized, but he plays with a lot of jam and has the skill set to match.

Jacob Perreault, Sarnia

A surprise cut from the Canadian Hlinka/Gretzky team, Perreault, the son of former NHL’er Yanic, is a terrific goal scorer who understands how to play without the puck in the offensive zone.

Antonio Stranges, London

Armed with an elusive 10 to 2 skating stride, dynamic puck skill, and a wicked backhand, Stranges is a human highlight reel. What kind of progress can other parts of his game make this year?

Jean Luc Foudy, Windsor

Brother to London’s Liam, Jean Luc is an equally gifted skater. As dangerous as he is as a playmaker in transition, Foudy will need to show that he can play through traffic more effectively.

Will Cuylle, Windsor

Power winger with a nice goal scorer’s touch. Cuylle has drawn comparisons to NHL’er James Van Riemsdyk for that reason. Needs to find a way to impact the game when he is not scoring.

Jaromir Pytlik, Sault Ste. Marie

With Hayton in Arizona, at least to start the year, the pressure will be on Pytlik to carry the offensive load in the Soo. After only playing half of last year, scouts will get a better look at him this year.

Ryan O’Rourke, Sault Ste. Marie

Hard-nosed defensive stalwart who will be looking to prove that he can be a two-way defender and possesses the offensive upside to be a high NHL draft pick.

OHL 2018-19 Season Preview

Brock Otten — Tue, 02 Oct 2018 18:24:24 +0000

The 2018/19 OHL season is underway but it is still early enough to preview the league and converse about some potential season highlights. Who are the contenders? Who are the pretenders? Who are some of the top NHL prospects to keep an eye on? And who are the top NHL draft prospects for 2019?

The Contenders

London Knights

Liam Foudy

Currently the top ranked team in the OHL in the weekly CHL rankings, the Knights also happen to be the top preseason favorite of most in the media. This team has it all; top end scoring talent; a strong defense; quality goaltending. After getting Adam Boqvist (Chicago) from Blackhawks camp, London is still waiting on a few other stars to be assigned; Evan Bouchard (Edmonton), Alex Formenton (Ottawa), and Brady Tkachuk (Ottawa). All three seem likely to start the year in the NHL and late October is probably a more likely arrival date, if it happens at all. A safe assumption would be that London gets at least one of the above. Until then, stars like Liam Foudy (Columbus), Alec Regula (Detroit), and Boqvist will need to pace the offense. In net, overager veteran Joseph Raaymakers and Jordan Kooy (Vegas) should combine to provide quality goaltending. As with any London team, depth is a serious strength. Once the situation surrounding their top players has been given closure, look for the Knights to use their depth to acquire a few big fish to put them over the top.

Oshawa Generals

This is a veteran squad that should be considered among the favorites in the Eastern Conference. Team defense and goaltending are major strengths. At 6-1”, Nico Gross (NY Rangers) is the smallest defender who sees regular playing time, and Kyle Keyser (Boston) is a top contender for goaltender of the year. Up front, Jack Studnicka (Boston) is a serious candidate for the Red Tilson and the scoring title now that he has returned from a long stay at Bruins camp. Swiss import Nando Eggenberger (2019) is another player everyone has their eye on. Overager Matt Brassard (Vancouver) returned this past weekend too, and he should be one of the top defenseman in the OHL this season. The Generals are just a well balanced squad.

Niagara IceDogs

Along with Oshawa, the IceDogs are a preseason favorite to take home the Eastern title. Niagara has a very strong nucleus at forward with Akil Thomas (Los Angeles), Kirill Maksimov (Edmonton), Ben Jones (Vegas), and Ivan Lodnia (Minnesota), which should help them score a ton of goals. They also have a very mobile blueline, which may lack size, but makes up for it with speed, puck skill, and heart. Billy Constantinou (2019) is a player to watch here as one of the most dynamic young defenders in the OHL.

Saginaw Spirit

The Spirit received a bevy of media attention this off-season due to their recruiting efforts. The team brought in Bode Wilde (NY Islanders), Ivan Prosvetov (Arizona), and Cole Perfetti (2020). This was after they were able to bring Blade Jenkins (NY Islanders) into the fold last year. This team has a lot of depth and fans should be excited about the fact that this team is the favorite to take home the West Division. Cole Coskey (2019) is a player to watch as one of the most underrated players in the OHL. Perfetti is an electrifying offensive player and one of the top players in his age group in Ontario, as well as a potential lottery pick in 2020.

Ottawa 67’s

Sasha Chmelevski of the Ottawa 67's. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images

Maybe a year early to talk about the 67’s as a potential Memorial Cup contender, but make no mistake, this team is insanely talented. Not only do they have five NHL draft picks already, but they have several top prospects for the 2019 and 2020 drafts as well. Sasha Chmelevski (San Jose) is a top contender for the Red Tilson this year after a breakout last season. The progression he has shown as a prospect has been extremely encouraging. Austrian Import Marco Rossi (2020) is another name to watch. The recent import selection is currently touted as a potential top 5 pick in 2020 and he could have a Nico Hischier type impact for the 67’s. The only thing that this team is missing is a top flight goaltender. Look for them to go out and find one at some point. Worth noting that the 67’s currently have 12 second round picks over the next four OHL priority selections. That is some serious trade ammunition.

The Pretenders

Kingston Frontenacs

The Frontenacs loaded up last year to make a run at an OHL title that ultimately fell short. The cyclical nature of the CHL means that this team could struggle this year due to numerous high end graduations. Star Jason Robertson (Dallas) is still around, but he will be a top trade target at some point. The future of injured playmaker Gabe Vilardi (Los Angeles) also hangs in the balance as Kingston waits to see if they will get him back once he is healthy. But depth is an issue, as is goaltending. Kingston has to capitalize on a few solid trade assets to recoup what was lost previously.

Erie Otters

After an impressive four year run that saw the Otters compete for and win an OHL Championship, the time has come for this team to rebuild. There are still some solid veteran pieces in place that could keep the team afloat, like star overager Kyle Maksimovich. But this team does not have a single NHL affiliated player and that hurts. Hayden Fowler (2020), and Petr Cajka (2019) do give this team hope for the future.

Mississauga Steelheads

Another team that now lacks serious depth after some serious runs the previous years. Graduations and failed draft picks (like Jack Hughes) have left this team pretty sparse in a lot of areas heading into the year. They do have Owen Tippett (Florida) and Ryan McLeod (Edmonton) back in the fold and they should both be among the best players in the league this year. However, just how long they remain Steelheads remains to be seen.

North Bay Battalion

Like Erie, North Bay does not have a single NHL affiliated player. There is some solid firepower up front with overager Justin Brazeau, Brandon Coe (2020), and Matthew Struthers (2019), but depth is an issue. This is especially true on the back-end. The lack of experience on the blueline could mean that this North Bay team gives up a ton of goals. No Stan Butler coached Battalion team has ever given up 280+ goals against, but this year’s edition may be the first. And speaking of Butler, he is currently taking a leave of absence from behind the bench and that may be bad news for Battalion fans.

Flint Firebirds

Disastrous start to the year for the Firebirds. As of the creation of this article, Flint has yet to win and has given up an ugly 24 goals in 4 games. This team has talent, like Ty Dellandrea (Dallas), Fedor Gordeev (Toronto), and Dennis Busby (Arizona). But missing on the 6th overall Import selection this year (Jan Jenik) is a big black mark and the team just cannot seem to separate itself from the drama of their ownership under Rolf Nilsen.

Five Candidates for the Red Tilson

Nick Suzuki

Fresh off being the centerpiece of the Max Pacioretty deal, the new Montreal Canadiens prospect returns to the OHL and will look to the hit the 100 point plateau for the second year in a row. He is bound to miss some time for the WJC, but Suzuki only needs 92 points to pass Bobby Ryan as the Attack franchise’s all-time leading scorer.

Morgan Frost

Highest returning scorer from last year, the Flyers’ prospect should be a shoe-in for a spot in the top 5 in scoring. There were some who felt that Frost should have been the Red Tilson winner last year so maybe this is the year he takes it home. The Hounds offense has lost some talent to graduation, but there is enough remaining to give Frost the supporting pieces he needs.

Michael DiPietro of the Windsor Spitfires. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

Michael DiPietro

Reigning OHL Goaltender of the year, the Canucks prospect returns to Windsor to help a young team improve. DiPietro will likely be Canada’s starter at this year’s WJC. He is also a likely trade candidate, unless Windsor is pushing for the division. The talented netminder is one of the few gamebreakers at the position in the league.

Jack Studnicka

Nearly earned the 3rd line center spot in Boston with a strong training camp performance, but the Generals captain returns for a final OHL season and should be one of the league’s elite offensive catalysts. If the Generals are as good as many think they will be, he will be a top candidate for player of the year. His strong two-way play allows him to impact the game on so many different levels.

Sasha Chmelevski

It seems like so long ago that Chmelevski fell at the draft after a very poor draft year showing. He bounced back in a big way last year, re-inventing his game under new head coach Andre Tourigny. Now a committed player away from the puck, Chmelevski will look to lead a young Ottawa team to a championship, perhaps a year ahead of schedule.

Five Draft Eligibles to Monitor

Ryan Suzuki of the Barrie Colts. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

Ryan Suzuki (Barrie Colts)

After a strong Hlinka performance, Suzuki is off to a blazing hot start as one of the early leaders in OHL scoring. Suzuki, brother of Nick, is an exceptionally talented playmaker whose vision and puck skill are game breaking qualities. As of right now, Ryan looks like the lone potential candidate for the top 10 from the OHL.

Arthur Kaliyev (Hamilton Bulldogs)

Another of the early scoring leaders is also a draft eligible forward. Kaliyev had one of the best 16 year old seasons in recent memory after scoring 30+ goals last year. He looks to round out the rest of his game in Hamilton, improving his playmaking ability and play away from the puck to match his strength on the puck and NHL quality shot.

Matvey Guskov (London Knights)

An import selection by the Knights this year, Guskov has matched the high expectations thus far, averaging over a point per game. Guskov was one of only three OHL players mentioned on Bob McKenzie’s preseason draft ranking and the playmaking Russian forward looks like a serious first round candidate come June.

Blake Murray (Sudbury Wolves)

A big, power center who is being overshadowed a bit due to the arrival of top 2020 prospect Quinton Byfield. Murray possesses all the qualities that NHL teams look for in centers these days, with size, skating, and finishing ability. Murray has the potential to be that complete package.

Michael Vukojevic (Kitchener Rangers)

Vukojevic may not be the sexiest of defenders at this point. He is not yet a truly dynamic player, but he is as steady as they come and plays the game with the composure of a five year OHL veteran. His defensive acumen projects him to be, at the very least, a terrific stay at home top four defender at the NHL level. The question is, just how much offensive ability does he possess?

2018 NHL Draft Review: Pacific Division

Ryan Wagman — Fri, 06 Jul 2018 12:13:32 +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 Pacific Division

Anaheim Ducks

Anaheim Ducks
1 (23) Isac Lundestrom, C, Lulea (SHL) - ranked 19
2 (54) Benoit-Olivier Groulx, C, Halifax (QMJHL) - ranked 38th
3 (79) Blake McLaughlin, LW, Chicago (USHL) - ranked 40th
3 (85) Lukas Dostal, G, Slavia Trebic (Czech 2) - ranked 63rd
4 (116) Jackson Perbix, RW, Elk River HS (USHS - MN) - ranked 150th
5 (147) Roman Durny, G, Des Moines (USHL) - ranked Honorable Mention
6 (178) Hunter Drew, D, Charlottetown (QMJHL) - unranked

Two Euros, two from the Q, and three who spent a significant portion of their draft year in the USHL. One thing that we can say without hesitation is that the Ducks did not go out of their way to draft blueliners, nor did they make a point of reaching on younger, more projectable players. In fact, the opposite is true on the latter point. Lundestrom, their first rounder, has a late ’99 birthdate, while their last two selections were both born in 1998.

With only three netminders under the age of 26 in the system prior to draft day, one of whom is seemingly stalling out in the NCAA ranks, it makes sense that the team would seek to fortify that area. Goaltenders are notoriously tough to forecast, but we certainly liked Dostal, ranking him tops among all netminders eligible for the 2018 draft. Durny was more of a wildcard, spending the first half of his year with the Slovakia U20 team and coming over to play for Des Moines in the USHL after a promising showing at the WJC. He remained strong with the Buccaneers after coming stateside.

With their first two picks, the Ducks went with 200 foot centers with mature games. While neither projects as a first liner in the future, both could grow up to fill the middle six pivot roles. Blake McLaughlin is a personal favorite. In his first full USHL season, he was fantastic with the Steel in the early going, before hitting a rut around the same time that his team underwent a coaching change near mid-season. His playmaking chops are very impressive. Jackson Perbix, whose older brother Nick is a Colorado pick, was one of the younger players eligible and excelled with his high school team before struggling to make an impact in the USHL with Green Bay. He is raw, but is a good skater and has promising puck skills. After ignoring defensemen with their first six picks, the Ducks selected Hunter Drew, a second year eligible blueliners from the Charlottetown Islanders in the sixth round. He has a decent shot and plays a physical brand of hockey, but his selection raised eyebrows. Overall, the Ducks got strong value with their first four picks, with three potential top nine forwards and getting one of the better goalies in the draft class. As we can endorse two of the last three picks as worthwhile gambles makes this a strong all-around influx to the Anaheim organization.

OFP – 53.25

Arizona Coyotes

Arizona Coyotes
1 (5) Barrett Hayton, C, Sault Ste Marie (OHL) - ranked 11th
2 (55) Kevin Bahl, D, Ottawa (OHL) - ranked 58th
3 (65) Jan Jenik, RW, Benatky and Jizerou (Czech 2) - ranked 72nd
3 (73) Ty Emberson, D, USNTDP (UDHL) - ranked 45th
4 (114) Ivan Prosvetov, G, Youngstown (USHL) - ranked 103rd
5 (142) Michael Callahan, D, Youngstown (USHL) - ranked 194th
5 (145) Dennis Busby, D, Flint (OHL) - ranked 188th
6 (158) David Tendeck, G, Vancouver (WHL) - unranked
7 (189) Liam Kirk, LW, Sheffield (EIHL) - ranked 177th

Like Anaheim, the Arizona Coyotes added two netminders to the team in the 2018 draft. Unlike the Ducks, the Coyotes came away with greater positional balance in their draft haul. On top of their two new netminders, Arizona drafted four defenders, one center, one left winger and one right winger. Perhaps coincidentally, Coyotes draft picks skewed towards the younger end of the class, at least among position players. Six of the seven skaters were born in 2000 (both goalies had ’99 birthdates) and Jan Jenik was born on the last day of eligibility for the 2018 draft class. It is feasible to assume that the more projectable players somewhat offsets the fact that the team did not draft anyone who was widely considered to have any elite characteristics among their essential scouting attributes. Even fifth overall pick Barrett Hayton was largely thought of as offering better value in the 10-15 range than as a top five player. He is certainly skilled and his upside may have been masked somewhat by playing a third line role for much of the season with the powerhouse Greyhounds. He does everything at an above average level, but did not consistently show anything truly high end. Those who really like him see a second line player, but clearly Arizona sees some first line potential.

Looking at the other forwards, Jenik was sometimes overmatched playing with adults in the second Czech league. He has good hands, and showed promising playmaking touch at the WU18s, but needs to show more ability to drive the offense to truly profile as having top six potential. Their last forward taken, Liam Kirk, is one of the big wild card of the draft, as one of the only players drafted out of the British league in NHL draft history. Both he and Jenik are posed to move to the OHL next year, to Peterborough and Flint, respectively. The four defensemen selected by Arizona are also lacking in ceiling, although second rounder Kevin Bahl is so tall, it is too ironic to consider a low ceiling player. To have taken him as high as they did, the Coyotes must believe his showings in the Top Prospect Game and the WU18s are more indicative of what he might become than his regular season production with the 67s was.

Ty Emberson lacks great offensive game, but is one of the bigger hitters in the draft class. Michael Callahan is pretty much a stay at home, first pass defender. Like Liam Kirk, the last blueliner taken by Arizona, Dennis Busby, is a wild card. As injuries limited him to a mere two games this season, they are banking on previous displays carrying through to his return to health. Of the two goalies selected, Ivan Prosvetov was a second year eligible netminder, who had some big games for Youngstown in the USHL as he carried the club to the Clark Cup finals. Davide Tendeck was one of the few first time eligible goalies to see regular action in the WHL and was consistently strong for Vancouver. On the whole, the Coyotes picked up a lot of solid prospects, but they mostly look like role players going forward. On the heels of last year’s defense-heavy class, including Pierre-Olivier Joseph, Michael Karow, Filip Westerlund, and others, I sense a trend. Hayton could clearly be much better than that, but taking him fifth overall, considerably higher than expectations, means that the Coyotes are staking their scouting reputation on his hidden upside and that all eyes will be on his development.

OFP – 52.75

Calgary Flames

Calgary Flames
4 (105) Martin Pospisil, RW, Sioux City (USHL) - unranked
4 (108) Demetrios Koumontzis, LW, Edina HS (MN HS) - ranked Honorable Mention
4 (122) Milos Roman, C, Vancouver (WHL) - ranked 70th
6 (167) Mathias Emilio Pettersen, C, Muskegon (USHL) - ranked 198th
7 (198) Dmitri Zavgorodny, C/LW, Rimouski (QMJHL) - ranked 94th

Five forwards. None that you would want to write about to your mother in a postcard from Dallas. Calgary surrendered its first two picks to the Islanders in the Travis Hamonic trade while the third rounder moved to Arizona as part of the Mike Smith package. They did not pick until the fourth round, the 30^th of 31 teams to get to test their microphones in anger. In fairness to the Calgary scouting staff, after 100 picks are off the board, you can only get what you can. The differences between players at that point is relatively minimal. That said, to use that first pick on a player like Martin Pospisil is head-scratching, to be polite. With a player like that, one would think Brian Burke’s truculent ideal was still the order of the day. Pospisil is nothing if not a dirty player. His 253 penalty minutes for Sioux City led the USHL by 77 over the runner up. Demetrious Koumontzis is an intriguing player, who flashed nice offensive tools in the Minnesota high ranks but has only appeared in one game at a higher level. He will be tested with Arizona State next season.

Milos Roman generated interest in the first half with Vancouver and had his moments with Slovakia at the WJC, but missed much of the second half with a high ankle sprain. A healthy season could make this pick look like a value find down the road. Mathias Emilio Pettersen was the only player of Norwegian origin selected this year. He was a good middle six player at the USHL level, so his ceiling is suitably limited, but he is not without his merits. Finally, the Flames saved their home run swing for the end, taking the prototypical enigmatic Russian in Dmitri Zavgorodny. He was stellar at the Ivan Hlinka (10 points in five games) but struggled for long stretches during the regular season in the ‘Q’. If there is an interesting note about the Flames’ picks this year is that they went hard on players taking the college route after largely ignoring that class in recent years. Also, and this last point must be a coincidence, even though all five forwards were selected from North American programs, four of them crossed the pond as import players, with only the high schooler Koumontzos being North American by birth. There is not much upside in this draft class, nor much variety.

OFP - 50.25

Edmonton Oilers

Los Angeles Kings
1 (20) Rasmus Kupari, C, Karpat (Liiga) - ranked 21st
2 (51) Akil Thomas, C, Niagara (OHL) - ranked 26th
3 (82) Bulat Shafigullin, LW/C, Reaktor Nizhnekamsk (MHL) - ranked Honorable Mention
4 (113) Aidan Dudas, C, Owen Sound (OHL) - ranked 52nd
5 (144) David Hrenak, G, St. Cloud State (NCHC) - ranked Honorable Mention
6 (165) Johan Sodergran, C/LW, Linkoping J20 (SuperElit) - ranked Honorable Mention
6 (175) Jacob Ingham, G, Mississauga (OHL) - ranked 126th

Like their provincial rivals in Calgary, the Oilers only made five selections on draft day. Unlike the Flames, the Oilers made them count. That is the difference between not picking until the fourth round and making three selections in the first two rounds. After being heavily rumored to be trying to trade up, when certain picks in the top ten played out as they did (I’m looking at you, Arizona), Edmonton stuck with their appointed tenth overall pick and snapped up Evan Bouchard, a natural puck moving defenseman who more than makes up in puck skills and IQ what he lacks in skating (he doesn’t really lack skating, although his wheels are not dynamic). He is perhaps one more season dominating the OHL away from claiming a spot on the Edmonton blueliner. The Oilers were opportunistic again in the second round, with Ryan McLeod falling into their laps even as many saw him as a probably first rounder going into the season and throughout his draft season. Like his older brother, New Jersey prospect Mikey, Ryan McLeod is a fantastic skater with a strong hockey mind, but may not be the most creative.

Later in the second, the Oilers added to their growing collection of talented young puck stoppers with Drummondville’s Olivier Rodrigue the second ranked goalie by our projections. He is mildly undersized by modern netminding standards, but has proven his ability to be a workhorse and succeed. After sitting out for three rounds and change, the Oilers took a flyer on New Hampshire prepster Michael Kesselring, a lanky blueliner who defends well and seems to be able to move the puck. He is expected to spend this coming season in the USHL with Des Moines, before attending Merrimack. They ended their draft class with a foray into Europe, taking winger Patrik Siikanen from the Junior ranks. Although he has limited international experience, Siikanen’s boosters appreciate his offensive tools, seeing an above average shot and strong puck skills. He needs to improve his skating to have a chance in North America. With only five picks, the Oilers seem to have done well to get three players with high end upside. Even their two flyers have reasons for optimism.

OFP – 53.75

Los Angeles Kings

Los Angeles Kings
1 (20) Rasmus Kupari, C, Karpat (Liiga) - ranked 21st
2 (51) Akil Thomas, C, Niagara (OHL) - ranked 26th
3 (82) Bulat Shafigullin, LW/C, Reaktor Nizhnekamsk (MHL) - ranked Honorable Mention
4 (113) Aidan Dudas, C, Owen Sound (OHL) - ranked 52nd
5 (144) David Hrenak, G, St. Cloud State (NCHC) - ranked Honorable Mention
6 (165) Johan Sodergran, C/LW, Linkoping J20 (SuperElit) - ranked Honorable Mention
6 (175) Jacob Ingham, G, Mississauga (OHL) - ranked 126th

Who needs wingers? Who needs defensemen? Apparently, the LA Kings did not, at least not on draft day. Of their seen selections, two are netminders (another odd trend so far in the Pacific Division) and the other five all are listed at least dually as centers. Unlike some teams, who we feel may have reached to draft centers where they did, the Kings got some pretty good value in getting both Rasmus Kupari and Akil Thomas where they did. We had both players ranked as first round talents, with Kupari bringing near-elite skating speed to the game along with tools that grade out as average to above elsewhere across the board. Thomas is a very good skater, too (although not as blinding as Kupari) and plays a more cerebral, playmaking, responsible game. His style, which has the optics of lacking in intensity, may have allowed him to drop as far as he did. We were not as high on Shafigullin as some, but his production in the Russian junior leagues was undeniably impressive and his tool collection can shine. His decision making may hold him back for a while, but there is home run potential, provided patience. That said, if we could quibble about that pick, we wholeheartedly support the taking of the undersized Aidan Dudas in the fourth round. A 5-7”, 165 offensive force, he may not be Alex DeBrincat redux, but he is as close as we are going to get in this draft class. He also serves as another point of evidence that the Kings under Rob Blake are different that the Kings under Dean Lombardi.

The final forward selected, Johan Sodergran, has the biggest frame of any of their skating picks and his physical game is his most advanced characteristic, but his production in the Swedish top junior league (SuperElit) was impressive enough and Linkoping played him for a good chunk of the season in the SHL as well. His upside is lowest among their forwards selected, but he has a reasonable floor to bank on. Moving to the goalies, the first one chosen, David Hrenak, has a fair bit of international experience under his belt with Slovakia and spent last year – his second of draft eligibility – playing with the Kings’ favorite NCAA program, at St. Cloud State. Other prospects, current and recent in the Kings’ organization who spent their college years playing for the Huskies include Jonny Brodzinski, Mikey Eyssimont, Kevin Gravel, and Nic Dowd. Hrenak is an even-keeled netminder who does a good job of limiting second chances. The final goalie selected, Jacob Ingham, saw his stock drop precipitously over his draft year, as his save percentage dropped from .907 in 2016-17 to a very disappointing .880 this year. On the other hand, he is very big and has all the tools, so while he is a gamble, in a major sense, all goalies are. We could knock the Kings a touch for eschewing defensemen altogether in their draft class, but would prefer to applaud their approach in drafting for upside. I am not completely on board with taking two netminders, but there was a clear organizational lack going into the draft, and as both were late round picks, the risk is at least mitigated.

OFP – 53.75

San Jose Sharks

San Jose Sharks
1 (21) Ryan Merkley, D, Guelph (OHL) - ranked 31st
3 (87) Linus Karlsson, C, Karlskrona J20 (SuperElit) - ranked 125th
4 (102) Jasper Weatherby, C, Wenatchee (BCHL) - unranked
6 (176) Zacharie Emond, G, Rouyn-Noranda (QMJHL) - unranked
6 (182) John Leonard, LW, U. Mass-Amherst (Hockey East) - unranked

To mix metaphors horribly here, the San Jose Sharks swung for the fences on day one of the 2018 draft, ultimately hitting a double, and then spent day two trying to bunt the baserunner over. As far as skilled are concerned, Ryan Merkley is much better than his slot in either our rankings (31) or even where he was selected by the Sharks (21). He is a fantastic skater and puck mover, the epitome of the modern defensive quarterback. His game away from the puck is raw enough that he might not project as a first pairing blueliner, but he could be a strong #3 if paired up with a more responsible type. He could also manage the power play. The reason he was ranked where he was and was drafted where he was, was due to persistent questions about his maturity and commitment to playing a team game. Late interviews with Merkley, including one with our own Scott Crawford (embed link here: https://www.mckeenshockey.com/nhl-blog/nhl-scouting-combine-2018-notes-results/), indicate that he understands the concern and is eager to put in the effort to put it in the past. The Sharks believe that he can.

After sitting out the second round, the Sharks took a bet on the two way game of Swedish teenager Linus Karlsson, who despite putting up fantastic numbers in the SuperElit, projects as a middle six, 200 foot center at maturity. Fourth rounder Jasper Weatherby is an intriguing late bloomer. In his first year of draft eligibility, the Oregon native was playing AAA 18U hockey in the Omaha area. In his second year of eligibility, the big forward moved to the BCHL and held his own with Wenatchee in a depth role. In his third year of eligibility, he committed to North Dakota, led the BCHL in scoring, helped the Wild to the BCHL and RBC Cup championships and heard his name called in the fourth round by San Jose. Zacharie Emond was the backup goalie for Rouyn-Noranda in the QMJHL and struggled throughout the season. He has good size and hints at technique, but we remain skeptical. Finally, the Sharks drafted another third year eligible forward in John Leonard of the Mass-Amherst Minutemen. Leonard was a solid (not standout) player in two years with Green Bay in the USHL, but seemed to blossom as a freshman, leading his team in scoring. He has a solid shot. If Merkley pans out, it will not matter at all how the other four do. If Merkley cannot find the maturity, on and off the ice, that he needs, the Sharks might find themselves shut out from this draft class.

OFP – 49.75

Vancouver Canucks

Vancouver Canucks
1 (7) Quinn Hughes, D, Michigan (Big 10) - ranked 6th
2 (37) Jett Woo, D, Moose Jaw (WHL) - ranked 41st
3 (68) Tyler Madden, C, Tri-City (USHL) - ranked 60th
5 (130) Toni Utunen, D, LeKi (Mestis) - ranked 145th
6 (186) Artyom Manukyan, RW, Avangard Omsk (KHL) - unranked
7 (192) Matthew Thiessen, G, Steinbach (MJHL) - ranked 119th

The Vancouver Canucks would be wise to allow Quinn Hughes one more ear to develop with the Michigan Wolverines, but they have just drafted a future first pairing defending with immense offensive upside and an overall dynamic game. He is a pleasure to watch skate and manage the puck. From the WJC to the end of the season, Hughes improved his game as much as any draft eligible prospect. He will never be a big, muscular defender, but he has enough strength and understanding of positioning to make do. With their second rounder, the Canucks took a player whose skillset is nearly an exact inverse to that of Hughes, at least style-wise. Where Hughes is the epitome of the modern day defender, Woo is a throw-back. While he can handle the puck well enough, he sticks out for his physical style away from the puck. A little Yin, a little Yang. He might have been a first rounder had he not dealt with some long term injuries this season. In third rounder Tyler Madden, the Canucks get another player who is as valuable off the puck as he is on. Unlike Woo, though, Madden is a forward, like his father, Selke Winner John Madden. He is small and slight, but skates well and has a very advanced hockey mind.

In the fifth and sixth rounds, the Canucks continued to eschew size. Utunen, from Finland, is listed at 5-11”, 170, and Russian forward Manukyan is listed at 5-7”, 139. Utunen lacks anything above average in the way of his skills, but reads the game very well and makes up for his shortcomings with high hockey IQ. Manukyan, as noted, is tiny, but he is shifty, and spent half of this season, his third of draft eligibility, playing in the KHL. Looking at the five skaters as a group, Woo, listed at 6-0”, 201 is the only skater from the Vancouver draft class whose height starts with a “6” or whose weight starts with a “2”. For an organization with a reputation for building for toughness at the NHL level, it is interesting to see them going with skill over size with their amateur scouts. Finally, the Canucks tabbed netminder Matthew Thiessen with their last pick, after a very impressive showing with Steinbach at the RBC Cup. He is a relatively athletic goaltender, he reads the play well and plays a composed game. He will move to Dubuque of the USHL next season before attending the University of Maine beginning in the 2019-20 season. All told, the Canucks added a lot of strong pieces to their organization. Their emphasis on skill bodes well for the future of the team.

OFP – 53.5

Vegas Golden Knights

Vegas Golden Knights
2 (61) Ivan D. Morozov, C, Mamonty Yugry (MHL) - ranked 76th
4 (99) Stanislav Demin, D, Wenatchee (BCHL) - ranked 86th
4 (115) Paul Cotter, C, Lincoln (USHL) - ranked 184th
5 (135) Brandon Kruse, LW, Bowling Green State (WCHA) - unranked
5 (154) Connor Corcoran, D, Windsor (OHL) - ranked 202nd
6 (180) Peter Diliberatore, D, Salisbury School (USHS - CT) - unranked
6 (185) Xavier Bouchard, D, Baie-Comeau (QMJHL) - ranked 129th
7 (208) Jordan Kooy, G, London (OHL) - ranked Honorable Mention

With both their first and third round draft picks sent to Detroit in the Tomas Tatar trade, the expansion Golden Knights (this should be the last time they are referred to as an “expansion” team) had only one pick in the first three rounds. As a direct consequence, they were severely limited in the upside of the players available to them in Dallas. Accordingly, they struck upon a tactic of drafting less from the CHL then they had in their first draft. After taking six players from the Canadian Junior ranks last year, only three of the Golden Knights’ eight picks this year were CHLers. That would usually mean a European heavy sled, but in Vegas’ case this year, they went heavy on the NCAA route, selecting one current collegian and three who should get there within a year or two. All told, the Golden Knights will have three or more years to decide on most of their 2018 draft class, and that is not a bad thing.

Their first pick, Ivan Morozov, had a strong season with the Mamonty Yugry junior team in the MHL, and is the type of player who lacks weaknesses, but also lacks any one standout area to his game. In May he was dealt to the powerhouse SKA St. Petersburg organization and we are a few years away from learning if he has upside potential beyond decent middle six forward. While their next pick, Slava Demin, also has a Russian name and heritage, Demin was actually born and raised in California, and spent the last two years developing with Wenatchee in the BCHL. He has a strong point shot and plays a relatively physical game. The level of competition he will see at the University of Denver will be a good test for him. Keeping it collegiate, both of their next two picks will also be in the NCAA next season. Paul Cotter is a high energy scoring type who will be moving from Lincoln in the USHL to Western Michigan where he might have to prove he can contribute to his team even if he is not playing a top six role, while Brandon Kruse is returning to Bowling Green State for his sophomore season. He did not garner much attention in his first year of eligibility playing in the NAHL, but he earned a selection as an all-rookie player in the WCHA thanks to his playmaking acumen and may be a late bloomer, even if he has yet to fill out his smallish frame.

The Golden Knights finally went to the CHL with their late fifth round pick, taking a low ceiling blueliner in Connor Corcoran, a player who watched the Windsor Spitfires win the Memorial Cup from the press box, but took on a regular role this year and is a plus skater, if none of his other attributes grade out more than average. With an August 2000 birth date, he may yet have untapped upside. Of their two sixth rounders, New England prep school blueliner Peter Diliberatore was not really on our radar, but the undersized Quinnipiac commit has great nickname potential with that last name. Their other sixth rounder was squarely on our radar and is the top value selection made by Vegas in this draft class. Xavier Bouchard will never play on the power play as a pro, but between his high hockey IQ, plus size, and his strong physical game, he has an NHL ceiling, which is pretty good in and of itself in this sixth round. To wrap up their second draft class, the Golden Knights added a netminder (after coming away with three in their inaugural draft). Jordan Kooy was the backup for the London Knights last year, but may have the inside track on the starting job for 2018-19. He has solid athleticism and his technical game is relatively mature. Although there are no high end players in this draft class along the lines of the Cody Glass, Nick Suzuki, Erik Brannstrom trio from last year, the Golden Knights should be satisfied that they left Dallas with a lot of player who have NHL upside.

OFP – 51.5