Dennis Yan – McKeen's Hockey

MCKEEN’S 2020 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING – ORGANIZATIONAL RANK: 17

Thu, 17 Sep 2020 16:16:35 +0000

Tampa Bay Lightning

When considering the analytics of scouting, the first thing that typically comes to mind is the projection of scoring from one level up the chain. In other words, draft point producers. Someone who cannot score in junior will surely not score as a professional. One need look no further than the Edmonton Oilers, who for many years used all of their picks after the first round to draft junior hockey pluggers, big ones at that, thinking that those same players could in turn be NHL pluggers. It should come as no surprise that the Oilers got very little NHL value out of players they drafted past the first round for years. 2012 second rounder Mitchell Moroz is the poster boy of that approach.

Tampa certainly has taken its share of young skilled scorers over the years, with some notable later round successes, including Brayden Point (3^rd round, 2014), Nikita Kucherov (2^nd round, 2011) and Ondrej Palat (7^th round, 2011). There were other, more moderate success stories from the past decade as well (Cedric Paquette, Anthony Cirelli, Mathieu Joseph), but those three have helped the Lightning establish themselves as a highly skilled team, with low budget goals coming from up and down the lineup.

Another, less frequently discussed method for analytically inclined drafting is in veering away from the well-mined CHL leagues. The three branches of the CHL (WHL, OHL, QMJHL) are pored over extensively by the other 30 NHL clubs and you often have to over-draft a good player to secure his rights. Some teams have realized that better draft value can be found in the cohort of players whose development path leads through the NCAA. For the most part, those players are found in the USHL, with some holdouts still learning in the Minnesota high school ranks or the New England prep school circuit.

Not only are the college bound players still moderately under-scouted, but they come with an extra, hidden advantage. Whereas an NHL team has only two years in which to decide to offer an NHL contract to a player drafted out of the CHL, they have four years (sometimes more) with college bound players. Basically, the NHL team controls the drafted player’s rights as long as he remains in college.

The Lightning have leaned on this path lately, particularly in the last three years. Looking at their 2017-2019 drafts, they used their first picks on CHL players. Of the 17 players they picked after speaking up for the first time, only three were from the CHL ranks. six others were European based. The other eight were taking traditional college-bound paths. Furthermore, one of the Europeans was also college-bound, as it turned out.

Part of the idea of letting players take their time in college may stem from the old Detroit Red Wings’ M.O. of letting prospects spend as much time in the AHL as possible. There is merit in having that development time be somewhere else, even if the organization doesn’t have complete control of the development process, as they will still be in frequent communication with the player/s.

It is still far too early to know if this strategy will work (if it is indeed a strategy), but the top two players in the system are both honing their respective games in college and neither was taken before the sixth round. Compare that to the sole first rounder in the organization below the NHL, and that CHL-trained defender sits sixth on our list after two seasons in the AHL.

BUFFALO, NY - APRIL 13: Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs Forward Cole Koepke (17) skates with the puck during the second period of the NCAA Hockey Frozen Four championship game between the Massachusetts Minutemen and the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs on April 13, 2019, at KeyBank Center in Buffalo, NY. (Photo by Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire)

Cole Koepke, LW (183^rd overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: UR)

Passed over in his first two runs through the NHL draft, Koepke’s story has the makings of a real rags-to-riches tale. His first year of draft eligibility was spent tearing up the Minnesota high school league with his hometown Hermantown High where he was one class ahead of Winnipeg prospect Dylan Samberg.

His second go-round was an injury-ravaged rookie season with Sioux City of the USHL. It’s very hard for a winger to attract scouting attention scoring three times in 22 games. Healthy again in 2017-18, Koepke finished fifth in USHL scoring, with 28 goals in 60 games. Couple that scoring touch with good wheels and a sixth-round pick was reasonable.

I will admit further that Koepke didn’t do much for me as a freshman at championship Minnesota-Duluth. He played a defensive-minded game with speed and showed a nice shot. After a near point-per-game sophomore campaign, I’m impressed. He still is defensively responsible. He still has multiple gears to his skating stride, with fantastic acceleration. The shot is still strong. But now Koepke is also demonstrating very nice puck skills of the type that allow him to run the offensive game.

He is expected to return to UMD for his junior campaign and I would expect Tampa Bay to make a big push to get him under contract next spring. The late bloomer might not be more than a good third liner, but he looks like a good one, and not too far off into the future either. He could be playing regularly in the NHL by the 2022-23 season. - RW

Samuel Walker, C (200^th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 5)

Even as fewer and fewer players are drafted directly out of high school, with the continued ascendance of the USHL as a pre-collegiate development league, even fewer are the players who play prep hockey after they have been drafted. Miles Wood of the New Jersey Devils is one such player. Spending an additional year at Noble & Greenough School, in Massachusetts after the Devils made him a 4^th round pick. Samuel Walker is another.

Drafted out of Minnesota powerhouse Edina in 2017, Walker went back to school in 2018, winning the state’s Mr. Hockey award and earning recognition as an All-USA Hockey First Teamer. He exploded onto the scene with the Minnesota Golden Gophers, winning the Big 10 Rookie of the Year for his efforts. I will admit to wanting to have seen more a jump forward from the undersized center as a sophomore, but I suppose that he shouldn’t be punished for improving a little bit, both in terms of his production (26 points to 30, in 37 games both seasons) as well as in the assessment of his still developing skill set.

Despite his size, Walker attacks the offensive zone through the middle, with speed that demands respect. He sees the ice tremendously well, is patient with the puck and has very skilled hands, capable of changing angles at the last instant and executing tricky passes. In addition to his speed, he has great edge work and knows how to create room for himself and time for his teammates to get open.

He projects as a playmaker center who can play in a bottom six role as well for a team not concerned with size – such as Tampa Bay. He has put on muscle since he was drafted, but still looks underdeveloped. He will never be even average size, but he could be big enough to succeed in his style of play. - RW

Hugo Alnefelt, G (71^st overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 8)

For a goalie, Alnefelt had a strong U19 season. He earned a spot in the SHL which is rare at that age and he had a strong performance as the starter at the WJC. He got to play 18 games – well - in SHL. If there are any negatives on his season it is that he also had 28 dressed games where he did not play in the SHL and only played four times in the junior league.

Alnefelt is a calm goalie with strong vision and positioning but he can combine that with spectacular improvised saves as well. He can quickly react to a surprising bounce or to come back from being out of position. His puck tracking is good, and he plays square to the puck. His edge plays can, at times, be impressive to see. At the WJC he had some memorable saves that way. His glove hand is good, but not spectacular. He works with the glove upwards and uses it the cover the hole between the leg and arm in his basic position.

He has many times shown mental stability and has stepped up in big situations. His athleticism is good but could be better. He plays deep in the crease which diminishes his need for movement. He will need to mature physically even more to get stronger and improve his endurance. His upper body strength has increased but he still falls down a bit when tired.

Alnefelt will play in the SHL and probably at the WJC again next season. Goalies are always long-term projects, but I can see a future NHL goalie in Alnefelt. I would not say that he has elite potential yet, but as a fringe or regular starter. What he did this season was impressive and it will be interesting to see if he can take another huge step next season. - JH

Alexander Volkov, RW (48^th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 3)

Despite a small dry spell for the talented and the generally slower development track in Tampa Bay’s ranks, three year AHL veteran Alexander Volkov has managed to prove himself with the Syracuse Crunch which allowed him a nine game stint as a call up this season to the Tampa Bay Lightning. Despite the Bolts having a strong forward group already, Volkov looks like the right choice to fill the next spot.

He has managed to adapt well by reaching a more mature focus with his game and working to create more time and space for himself when carrying the puck. He has learned to be more patient and has the confidence to play further up in the lineup with the improvement of his overall two-way play and his playmaking.

This past season Volkov was given time on the powerplay as his game showed development and he proved himself to be an asset with the puck as the plays he makes are strong enough to fit at the next level. His hands and ability to carry the puck with strong prowess remain the key driving factors for his individual play. While a bottom six role is most likely, it is still unsure as to where Volkov will fit in Tampa Bay long-term, however look to see him up in the lineup this coming season regardless. - SC

Dmitri Semykin, D (90^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 17)

Between the drafts of 2010 and 2018 – the Steve Yzerman era in Tampa – the Lightning drafted nine Russian players. While much of the sports was wringing its hands aver the so-called “Russian factor”, Yzerman and company saw the chance to leverage the fear of others to draft talented players lower than where their talent alone would have dictated. While not every Russian prospect drafted worked out, the haul includes one Hart/Art Ross/Ted Lindsay winner (Nikita Kucherov), and one Vezina Trophy winner (Andrei Vasilevskiy), and a few other, less decorated NHLers, besides. Semykin was the final Russian reward of the Yzerman era.

At the time his name was called out at the end of the third round, it was a bit of a surprise. He was a bulky defender who had only spent one season in the top junior league in Russia, did not add much offensively and spent a ton of time in the penalty box, finishing seventh in the MHL in PIMs. Also notable, Semykin had almost zero international experience. We may have been the only public outfit to list him at all as a draft possibility, but even we only saw him as a late seventh rounder.

Two years later, and Semykin is still very tough to play against, with a great physical game, but he has learned to do a much better job of staying disciplined. He likes to play the puck and will not limit himself to the blueline for doing so. His lack of international exposure may make his transition to North American hockey (which should begin next season, as he signed an ELC in May) a bit slower, but he can overcome his average skating and remain hard to play against, he could still develop into a solid #4. - RW

Cal Foote, D (14^th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 1)

Foote may have seen one of the largest drops out of the prospects on this list, going from number one last season to number six after completing his second season in the AHL with the Syracuse Crunch. This past season Foote looked a little too comfortable in the minors and seemed to lose focus at times where his play was inconsistent. Yes, Syracuse sat at the bottom of the standings and climbed a little bit towards the end of the season but Foote’s occasional sloppy play cannot be excused.

This coming season Tampa Bay will be looking to suit him up, but it is hard to tell if he is ready to play at that speed or if he will simply be dead weight. Despite being slow on the puck, Foote has many things to offer Tampa Bay with his first-round play making abilities and his high hockey IQ. He will simply need to come back after the break as though he has something to prove, the ice is thin for Foote to make it and he will have to keep mistakes to a minimum in order to crack Tampa’s lineup as a bottom four defender. - SC

Alex Barre-Boulet, C (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Mar. 1, 2018. 2019 Rank: 9)

Every organization has a dark horse prospect that comes as a pleasant surprise, which applies to Tampa Bay and Alex Barre-Boulet. Barre-Boulet has made more progress throughout his second season in the AHL finishing with nearly a point per game and leading Syracuse in scoring yet his small size may be his only limiting factor when it comes to earning a callup.

He is by far the quickest and most dynamic skater in Tampa Bay’s AHL system and he has proven himself to be an asset rather than a burden. The race will be tight to see if a small, quick, well positioned forward who is diverse enough to play in many different roles will be given the chance he deserves this season with the Lightning. Barre-Boulet’s redeeming factor is his work ethic and his ability to kill penalties. That combined with his skill and quick play will be what gets him a spot in Tampa’s bottom six. - SC

Taylor Raddysh, RW (58^th overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: 7)

For a team with many young forwards of moderate talent, the Syracuse Crunch have a tight race to reach the next level among their offensive prospects. Taylor Raddysh is known for his offensive play and his shot, however his tendency to relax and become lazy in his own end has made this past season rather poor in comparison to previous seasons.

Raddysh is typically a strong player on the puck and a strong skater but with his ice time cut from last season his play with the puck has become shaky and costly in certain situations. He still managed to score more than create showing that he is still a high-level shooter and often well positioned in the offensive end, however those plays do not come often enough.

With better lines and more ice time next season he can bounce back and reclaim his reputation from major junior. The future is not sealed yet for Raddysh who would make a good third line winger and there is still hope that this season he will earn his first call up with Tampa Bay. - SC

Gabriel Fortier, C/RW (59^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 10)

Fortier saw a move to the contending Moncton Wildcats from the reeling Baie-Comeau Drakkar where he had to take a support role instead of a leading one, and he thrived. Always a favorite of fans and coaches, he was a captain with the Drakkar and never takes a shift off. He is always revving at max cylinders no matter the score or circumstance.

At various times in his junior career, he has shown abilities to play as a sniper, a playmaker and an energy forward, and has succeeded at each. The best word to describe him is relentless; he has a dogged determination for the pursuit of the puck. Fortier’s feet are always moving, which keeps him in position, but it makes him look faster than he actually is. His skating is what ultimately could hold him back as an NHLer. Regardless, he has the skills and smarts to play useful NHL shifts up and down the lineup. - MS

Maxim Cajkovic, RW (89^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 11)

Cajkovic has had trouble with injuries and consistency throughout his North American career, but it is clear that he is a very good offensive player when he is on full tilt. Contrary to most European players, Cajkovic is a North-South winger who loves to get dirty and bang bodies in pursuit of the puck.

He possesses a very strong shot and loves to score goals, and he has the skating that will get him there. The coach that can unlock his defensive potential will be crucial in his development, as he has shown the effort defensively, but it has not led to positive results.

Traded to a contending Val-d’Or team should help Cajkovic further hone his skills in a more sheltered environment. Cajkovic will need to improve his play away from the puck but has a ceiling of a middle-six goal-scorer. - MS

Ross Colton, LW (118^th overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: UR)

After finishing second in points for the AHL Syracuse Crunch this past season, Colton has made a lot of progress since coming over from NCAA Vermont. With Syracuse, he fits in well as a top forward, earning both power play and penalty killing opportunities giving him the proper chances and experience to bring with him to the next level.

Colton will have to work hard and keep up his high intensity and strong effort. Despite Tampa Bay having just moved Mitchell Stephens up the ranks, Colton has a similar playing style so he will have to work harder to prove his worth and will have to stay better focused when emotions run high. Colton will need to maintain consistency throughout next season to earn a call up.

That being said he is known to play well under pressure and is adaptable. Colton fits in well as a third line grinder for Tampa Bay capable of killing penalties more so than being reliable on the powerplay. - SC

Alex Green, D (121^st overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: UR)

Alex Green is a defensive defenseman. The Chicago native was drafted in the fourth round and spent two seasons in the USHL before attending Cornell, where he was drafted after his freshman season, in his third year of eligibility. As a freshman he fared better than expected offensively, adding 10 points, which contributed to his draft stock. He finished his junior season netting a career high in points, while also being named the ECAC’s best defensive defenseman, a reminder of his strengths.

He doesn’t have the quickest release on his shot but he puts a lot of power behind it when he takes one. Green needs to pump his legs a bit but he skates well for his 6-2” size. There is power on his passes and he can dish it off quickly. Green won’t necessarily be able to catch up to the speediest players, but he can backcheck well. He projects as a lower-pairing defender if he continues to develop as a senior and later, as a professional. - JS

Dennis Yan, LW (64^th overall, 2015. 2019 Rank: UR)

For a player like Dennis Yan, time is running out to make the impression needed to make Tampa Bay’s roster, however there are always players in a system who develop at a slower pace and for Yan that may be the case. In his third season with the Syracuse Crunch, on paper it may look like he has slowed down but, on the ice, and in game situations his growth is evident.

Being a reliable playing both power play and penalty kill, he does well at moving the puck and killing penalties. As a forechecker, Yan is a great skater and heavy on the puck with a good work ethic however he needs to keep his feet moving in all situations and up his creativity levels going into next season. If he finds a way to better his creativity and find different lanes on the ice his point production should amass what it was in previous seasons, hopefully earning him a call up in the second half of next season. - SC

Dominik Masin, D (35^th overall, 2014. 2019 Rank: 13)

At 24 and ending prospect eligibility Masin has one more season to prove that he deserves a chance with Tampa Bay. With the continuing drafting of defensemen and the Lightning attempting to strengthen their blueline talent, Masin’s name has been moved quite far down the list.

This past season was better than previous ones for Masin, with an improved turnover rate and few mistakes or giveaways. His control has improved as has his maturity with the puck in order to be counted on to play the power play and quarterback the play at even strength. He will have to remain disciplined and not let his developmental frustration show on the ice or impede further development.

Masin still has the potential to be a bottom four defenseman in the NHL but at this late stage in the game the question has to be asked if Tampa Bay is still the right fit for him or whether a change of scenery will be more beneficial. - SC

Boris Katchouk, LW (44^th overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: 6)

For second rounder Katchouk finding much success in the AHL has been harder to come by compared to his major junior career. That being said, with fifteen fewer games played and ten more points than last season, this year was a success for Katchouk who is managing to adjust.

He does need to get stronger on the puck and win more of his puck battles. Although he works hard, at times he is just in the wrong position, whether it be body positioning or location on the ice, and in order to play at the next level he will have to win more battles and see the play better. Katchouk has the skill with his skating and stickhandling as well as the adaptability to manage at the next level; it is just his technical and positional game that needs work.

With more ice time this year the competition between friend and longtime teammate Taylor Raddysh to earn the first call up will have him working harder than ever. Katchouk is not a terribly flashy player but he gets the job done at a potential third line NHL level. - SC

Tampa Bay Lightning Prospect System Overview

Ryan Wagman — Fri, 14 Sep 2018 15:20:25 +0000

Even the worst teams generally hit on their first-round picks, especially if the first rounder was near the top of the board. The great scouting teams get their edge through success in the later rounds.

For many years, the Detroit Red Wings were one of those teams. They were successful. They set an incredible record of making the playoffs for 25 years in a row, from 1990-91 through 2015-16, a period which included four Stanley Cup Championships.

They drafted exceptionally well. Two drafts prior to the start of their mythical run, they selected an astonishing four players who would all go on to play over 1,000 games in the NHL before hanging up their skates. A fifth, Vladimir Konstantinov, could also have challenged for the milestone were he not tragically severely injured in a limousine accident after the first championship of that run in 1996-97.

Despite the pratfalls of low draft position due to their success, subsequent drafts included both first round hits such as Martin Lapointe, Jiri Fischer, and Niklas Kronwall as well as late round gems including Mike Knuble, Tomas Holmstrom, Pavel Datsyuk, and Henrik Zetterberg. Not every draft class worked out – witness the stretch from 1995-97 in which none of the 27 drafted played more than 136 games in the NHL, but they were able to supplement the acquired superstars with depth from within.

The Tampa Bay Lightning, who General Manager Steve Yzerman was part of Detroit’s success, first on the ice and then off, through the first 20 of the Red Wings’ 25-year run, have also shown some of Detroit’s past hallmarks of success and astute drafting.

While they have only made the postseason in five of the eight seasons in which Yzerman ran the show, they made it at least to the Conference finals in four of those five seasons. Further, in last three seasons, they were consistently thought of as one of the elite teams in the NHL, both for their on ice success, as well as for their success on draft day.

In addition to successful first rounders like Vladislav Namestnikov, Andrei Vasilevsky, and Jonathan Drouin, they also picked right later on, with players like Nikita Kucherov, Ondrej Palat, and Brayden Point all coming through day two picks. Other highly touted youngsters in the system were also later round picks, including most of the players discussed below.

Of course, 19 of the 20 players here were selected after the first round, as the Lightning have only made two round one picks in the last four years, and one of those was traded last season in the Ryan McDonagh/J.T. Miller trade.

So far only one player drafted in the past four years has received so much as a cup of coffee in the NHL. More are sure to follow, but our projections are bearish on most of them growing into highly impactful NHL players. Despite the pedigree of Yzerman, coming from a team that had focused on drafting skill for years and often reaping the benefits of that mantra, all too many of the picks made by Tampa in the last few drafts have been of players with limited skill game and the attendant low ceilings that came with that type of prospect. Even the more skilled players are noted for their two-way games at least as much as they are for their pure skills.

It is not too late for most of them to prove us wrong, but if we are correct, the Lightning will be hard-pressed to create a history like that of the Red Wings.

Cal Foote

1 Cal Foote, D (14^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 6^th) In a game where teams are exceedingly going for smaller, faster blueliners, Foote is almost an anachronism. More in the mold of his father, hard hitting Colorado defender Adam Foote, Cal is big, plays mean, and skates better for his size than he does in a vacuum. In addition to his inherent size, and the impact that has on his game, the young Foote has exceptionally high hockey IQ, and has great puck skills for a blueliner. His passes from the blueline are to the tape, no matter how tricky and he can unleash on a bomb of a point shot. Already too good for the CHL, he will have to return to Kelowna if – as expected – he does not make the Lightning roster out of camp.

2 Mathieu Joseph, RW (120^th overall, 2015. Last Year: 5^th) After a stellar rookie pro season, wherein he led the Syracuse Crunch in scoring with 53 points, a total good for third in scoring among all 21 and under players in the AHL, Joseph also demonstrated that his near elite speed is good enough for the pro game. As much as he has proven to be a bonafide offensive contributor, if you spend any time watching him play, it is easy to see how his two-way game makes him more valuable than his point totals. He is a frequent penalty killer, strong in the neutral zone, and finishes his checks. He could stand to put on more weight, but Joseph has gone from an unheralded fourth round pick, to a reasonable second line upside and might be ready for an NHL role.

3 Boris Katchouk, LW (44^th overall, 2016. Last Year: 19^th) After 85 points in the regular season and another 37 postseason points as Sault Ste. Marie made it to the OHL finals, Boris Katchouk has nothing left to prove in the OHL. It is good then, that he does not have to return to the junior ranks, his four years being up. The type of player who gets good grades everywhere, he should be able to fill whatever role is needed in Tampa when given the chance. Katchouk is a puck fiend, excelling in the possession game, whether carrying it through danger himself, or getting it to the right linemate to pass the next line of defense. As much a goalscorer as he is a playmaker, he is ready to follow in Joseph’s footsteps in Syracuse.

4 Taylor Raddysh, RW (58^th overall, 2016. Last Year: 2^nd) Between Joseph, Katchouk, and Raddysh, the future of Tampa’s offensive attack will be coming down the flanks. Whereas Joseph is the speedy rover, and Katchouk brings more to the puck battles and intensity, Raddysh is the quieter finisher among the trio. He has improved his skating ability since he was drafted, and has always had a knack for showing up in the right place at the right time. He offers a fantastic net front presence and his hands are soft and skilled, able to maneuver the puck around in tight. He has the tools to grow into a James van Riemsdyk type of winger, deadly on the power play and able to create havoc for goalies just by being there.

Alexander Volkov

5 Alexander Volkov, RW (48^th overall, 2017. Last Year: unranked) Another winger with middle six upside, Volkov went right from the draft to the AHL, as the 20-year-old was not beholden to any CHL club and was had no contractual obligations to stay in Russia either. He has quick hands and a powerful shot with a tricky release. His offensive gifts quickly came to the fore in the AHL, although he did struggle at times to give consistent shifts over the course of a full game. He has the tools to succeed at the highest levels, particularly in his puck skills, but in addition to the consistency, has yet to undeniably prove that his game can succeed in the smaller ice surfaces. That last point includes showing more commitment away from the puck and lessening his propensity to take needless penalties.

6 Anthony Cirelli, C (72^nd overall, 2015. Last Year: 4^th) The most likely player on this list to spend all of next year in the NHL, Cirelli is a big game player who makes up in hockey intelligence what he lacks (in a relative sense) in offensive tools. He is a good skater, but neither his shot nor his puck skills grade out as much above average. He plays a strong game, commendable in light of his somewhat slight frame, but his understanding of the game and advanced reads allow him to always be in the optimal place and to proceed to make the smart decision with where to go (or move the puck) next. As impressive as his rookie AHL season was, he was even more impactful in his 18 game NHL trial by fire. He is ready to play full-time on a bottom six energy line in the NHL.

7 Mitchell Stephens, C (33^rd overall, 2015. Last Year: 8^th) Imagine Anthony Cirelli, but with a 2% discount, and you basically get Stephens. Whereas Cirelli has earned a reputation as a clutch performer with a history of timely production, Stephens is a notorious leader, having worn the “C” for both the Canadian U18 squad at the 2015 WU18 and for Saginaw in the first half of the 2016-17 OHL campaign. A good skater with average or better grades across the board, his top offensive tool is a strong shot which works from distance enough to be used on the point for Syracuse power plays. He sees the game well, and makes positive decisions, but his overall tool set lacks the dynamism needed to reach a top six upside.

8 Gabriel Fortier, LW (59^th overall, 2018. Last Year: IE) An undersized winger who skates very well and has a knack for putting the puck in the net, Fortier meets a lot of the benchmarks of the forwards ranked higher up on this list. Tampa’s top pick in the most recent draft, he plays the game with a two-way mentality and brings more of a physical nature to his game than many of his size do. He is an energetic player who can lead by example. With those plaudits out of the way, Fortier, again like those above, lacks the dynamic tools expected for top six forwards. He seems likely to maximize his talents, such as they are, but Tampa is not going to be in a position to build around him.

9 Dennis Yan, LW (64^th overall. Last Year: 11^th) You guessed it. Dennis Yan is another strong skater winger with good puck skills. Although he could not bring his high offensive production from the QMJHL to the AHL in his rookie pro season, he showed flashes of the ability to create chances on his own when he was healthy enough to play. He can be trusted to give good effort and his work rate will often pay off in a couple of good chances per game. He needs a fully healthy follow-up campaign for Syracuse next year so we can see what he can truly bring as a professional.

Dominik Masin

10 Dominik Masin, D (35^th overall, 2014. Last Year: 12^th) Proof that past is not always prologue, Masin followed up an underwhelming rookie AHL campaign with a much stronger, more well-rounded second effort. Whereas he focused almost exclusively on acclimating in his own zone as a rookie, Masin last year showed more of the puck moving attributes that initially made him an intriguing prospect in the Czech Republic and then Peterborough of the OHL. He keeps good, tight gaps, handles himself well in one-on-one situations can play a heavy game as needed. Not the highest ceiling, but he is looking more and more like an NHLer. I suspect he will see his first callup to Tampa in the coming season.

11 Adam Erne, LW (33^rd overall, 2013. Last Year: 15^th) An ornery power forward, Erne will graduate from prospectdom with 11 more NHL games. A bruising, scoring force in junior, he has not brought all of his production to the pros, although he did contribute decent secondary numbers in Syracuse. He has a mature, muscular frame and is a very good skater for his size, but needs to begin showing more than just strength to earn more than fourth line minutes. On the positive side, those fourth line minutes are there for the taking. Considering that Tampa only gave him a one-year extension coming off his ELC, it is safe to say they want to see more from him before committing to him for the long haul.

12 Alex Barre-Boulet, C (UDFA: Mar. 1, 2018. Last Year: IE) After leading the QMJHL in postseason goals in 2016-17, he led the league in regular season scoring last year, earning both an MVP award as well as an ELC from the Lightning as an undrafted free agent. Barre-Boulet may be a dying breed in that he was overlooked on draft day three times, largely due to his small stature. Considering his top tier production, he should have been snatched up two years ago. He is an excellent playmaker, with vision and decent speed. Mike Sanderson, our QMJHL analyst, has noted that Barre-Boulet is more advanced than Yanni Gourde was at the same stage. He will have to prove he can keep up at the AHL level first, but the Lightning have made this profile work many times over in the past.

13 Alexei Lipanov, C (76^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 20^th) Immediately after being drafted by the Lightning last year, Lipanov pooh-poohed the Russian factor by moving to North America to play for Barrie of the OHL, often alongside countryman Andrei Svechnikov. He seemed to have a soft landing with the Colts, producing at a respectable rate, but when his scoring dropped by nearly half after a midseason trade to Sudbury, doubts were naturally raised about his ability to drive scoring. To his credit, he has good hands and a quick shot release and does not ignore the game in his own end. He needs to show more to remain a high priority for Tampa.

14 Ross Colton, LW (118^th overall, 2016. Last Year: 18^th) A late bloomer, Colton took off in his third year of draft eligibility, his second season in the USHL. Moving to a struggling University of Vermont, he kept up his scoring pace, finishing second and first, respectively in his freshman and sophomore seasons with the Catamounts. More of a one-way, offense-only player than the other forwards higher up this list, Colton will have the chance to round out his game in Syracuse, after the Lightning signed away from his remaining years of college eligibility in late June. The shot and the puck skills are good enough to cause some damage, but he still has a long way to go to prove himself.

Carter Verhaeghe

15 Carter Verhaeghe, C (Trade: Jul. 1, 2017. Last Year: unranked) A minor league journeyman before the age of 22, Verhaeghe’s third AHL season, with his third organization, was his best – by far – yet. A skilled player in junior, he finally showcased the ability to produce scoring chances as a pro as well. He has a good sense for the flow of the game in the offensive end, and seems to play with good vision. He has a good frame, although does not really play a very physical game. He still needs to show that he can impose on the game away from the puck as well, but the former third round pick has at least earned a chance to keep fighting to play in the NHL, something that was not apparent as recently as 12 months ago.

16 Otto Somppi, C (206^th overall, 2016. Last Year: unranked) Somppi went backwards in his first post draft season in Halifax but made up for it with two steps forward in his final year of junior eligibility, earning an ELC from Tampa towards the end of the season and then a short trial run for the Crunch in the AHL postseason. His skating will never be a strength of his game, but he is skilled with the puck, and shows above average hockey sense. If he can get his stride to at least average, he will have a reasonable chance at an NHL career. If he can’t, well, most seventh rounders don’t make it to the Show anyway. Somppi, in a sense, has already exceeded expectations.

17 Erik Cernak, D (Trade: Feb. 26, 2017. Last Year: 9^th) Acquired by Tampa as part of the return from LA in the Ben Bishop trade, Cernak had an underwhelming first pro season in the AHL. Unlike Masin, whose AHL rookie season was notable for its lack of offensive production, Cernak showed a deficit of tools. In a game growing smaller and faster (see: Barre-Boulet) Cernak is bigger and slower. He plays a heavy game and is trust-worthy in his own zone. Unfortunately, his bow-legged stride is very inefficient, and he is very vulnerable to the rush. He shows hockey intelligence and moves the puck well enough, but he needs to be able to move his feet better to take the next step in his career.

18 Dmitri Semykin, D (90^th overall, 2018. Last Year: IE) A two-way player in the Russian junior ranks, by which I mean he played both defense and on the wing. Semykin is not blessed with an extravagant set of hockey skills, but he is very big and heavy, skates well enough for his size and is exceptionally hard-nosed. He actually has some goal-scoring touch, although at this point, it looks like his future prospects are based on his ability to shut down opponents without being a liability at the other end. Semykin is certainly not a typical Lightning pick, but they do like to leaven their collection of smaller, quick wingers with outsized players on the backend (see Sosunov below)

19 Alex Green, D (121^st overall, 2018. Last Year: IE) Ignored at the draft twice as a low producing defenseman in the USHL, Green raised more eyebrows as a freshman with Cornell, earning himself a shout out in the fourth round. He is a strong skater, reads situations in his own zone well and knows how to clear the puck from his zone. He plays a bit light, although he has a decent-sized frame. Although Cornell has used him on the power play, that is not yet reflected in his production, as third assists are not tracked. In short, Green is not an exciting prospect, but his understated, quiet game can go a long way as long as he continues to minimize mistakes.

20 Oleg Sosunov, D (178^th overall, 2016. Last Year: unranked) Standing at 6-8”, and weighing a solid 225 pounds, Sosunov was drafted late as a physical specimen more than a talented hockey player. His D+1 year was brutal as well, without a single point in 40 games across two levels of Russian junior hockey. Undaunted, the Lightning signed him to an ELC and he moved to the WHL for his age 20 season, putting up the best offensive numbers of his life. His skating, like that of most players of his size, is a bit on the awkward side, but he is starting to show some ability to move the puck, and he naturally has a promising physical game, while encouraging with the reduction of time spent in the penalty box. Sosunov is still a long shot, but he is long, and he will get a shot.

Tampa Bay – System Overview

Ryan Wagman — Sat, 16 Sep 2017 11:51:37 +0000

I have long advocated for teams drafting the best talent available on draft day. With all but two to five prospects in any given year needing to go back to amateur hockey in the upcoming year, it does not make much sense to draft for current need. To that rule, I have appended an exception in the case of netminders. Namely, that there is a maximum number of goalies a team should have.

At any given time, there will be room for two young netminders to play in the AHL and usually another promising one can be assigned to the ECHL. If a team has more than that who are past the age junior/college hockey, there will be no place to play and develop them. This is why it is so rare for one team to draft two goalies in one year. And until Vegas left draft weekend with three netminders, more than two was unheard of.

The goalie problem is not one faced by Tampa. The opposite, in fact, as there are only two netminders with prospect eligibility in the organization. This topic is significant for Tampa, because they are stretching the boundaries of the best player available rule by drafting an abundance of players that fit within a fairly narrow profile.

During the draft, Tampa is generally a team that stockpiles draft picks. They rarely have less than their full allotment of picks, and often substantially more, including nine picks in 2015 and ten in 2016. When we look at the types of players they draft, we can see clear patterns.

For starters, they like their defensemen to be…well…defensive. Out of 15 blueliners in the system, nine are clearly defensive defensemen. Four more are two way defenders and only two could be counted as offensive defensemen. This topic came up when we were putting the system’s top 20 together. There are very good arguments to be made for a number of the defensemen in the system to make the top 20, but when so many of them have near-identical profiles, there are fewer paths for them to reach the NHL.

Most NHL teams, even possession-conscious teams like the Lightning, will have no more than three, and more likely two, defensive spots for blueliners who are limited in how much they can provide in the offensive end of the ice. So as talented as players like Erik Cernak, Libor Hajek, Slater Koekkoek, Matt Spencer, Dominik Masin and others are, it is hard to see a path where more than two of them establish themselves in Tampa. After two do, the others become trade bait. Only really Cal Foote and Mikhail Sergachev are versatile enough in their approaches to the game to fit in any type of role.

The Lightning have a similar, if not identical, story with their forwards. The majority, if not all, of their better forward prospects are secondary offensive contributors, providing as much if not more, energy than talent to their teams. With more forward spots on all teams than defensive ones, this is less of a problem, but it sure seems like Tampa scouts have a type that they prefer to hunt.

1 Mikhail Sergachev – One half of one of the most interesting trades of this offseason, Sergachev was traded straight up from Montreal to Tampa for Jonathan Drouin almost one year to the day of being selected ninth overall in the draft. A high end skater who excels at both ends, he can afford to pinch in deep as he is well able to recover. Plays with great maturity and patience on the puck, able to outlast an opponent and create a better lane for passing, or pushing the puck forward by himself. He should be ready for the NHL and has first pairing upside.

Taylor Raddysh of the Erie Otters. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images

2 Taylor Raddysh – Although he has scored at superstar levels for the last two seasons, next season will be a real test for Raddysh, who will finally be the featured player on the Otters after the graduations of Alex DeBrincat and Dylan Strome. Standing in his favor are his excellent combination of shot and puck skills. The former is sniper level, and he is extremely dangerous from the mid-slot and in. The latter rears its head when he does not have a clear shot on goal. Very skilled at finding an open man through his vision and creativity.

3 Brett Howden – A two-way center with plus playmaking skills, Howden had a great offensive year for Moose Jaw, even without accounting for the 15 or so games he missed due to injury. Aggressive in his own zone, he is not afraid to block shots and has a knack for retrieving the puck and getting it into a position to move back up the ice. More quick and nimble than fast, he has enough speed to hold his own and play his game. Plays a chippier game than many with his passing acumen.

4 Anthony Cirelli – A big game specialist, Cirelli burst onto the prospect radar in his last game before he was drafted. It was a Memorial Cup final and he scored both Oshawa goals, including the overtime winner, to claim the title. Traded to Erie this year, he hit another level in the playoffs and again in a second Memorial Cup. All this after starring for Team Canada at the WJC. Supremely intelligent player who has great patience on the puck and an easy to underrate snap shot.

Mathieu Joseph

5 Mathieu Joseph – Drafted as a quick two way forward two years ago, the former fourth round pick has since emerged as a clinical finisher in QMJHL play with underrated playmaking ability that shone at the last WJC. Has a very strong neutral zone game, forcing turnovers through relentless pressure on the puck carrier. A good, if not exceptionally fast skater, his first two steps give him a clear advantage. Plays with great energy and has an overall skillset that can fit on any line.

6 Cal Foote – Foot speed is currently the only real impediment standing between Foote, whose father Adam played over 1,100 games in the NHL, and a projected first pairing ceiling. A competitive shut-down defenseman, he has near elite size and strength and puts those attributes to good use nightly. He inherited more of his father’s hockey IQ than his snarl, although he is a tough customer to boot. Reads the play very well and, although he is a pass-first player, has a cannon from the point.

7 Slater Koekkoek – Although the career for the former tenth overall NHL draft pick has been a disappointment thus far, it is far too early to count Koekkoek out. A fine skater with above average puck skills, he quadrupled his previous career high in NHL games played. A big minute muncher for Syracuse, he is rarely caught out of position and makes smart decisions when moving the puck. Seems to be past the injury issues that plagued his junior career.

8 Mitchell Stephens – Tampa’s top pick in the 2015 draft, Stephens is a high-energy, heart-and-soul forward capable of filling any role, up and down the lineup. A hard working player, he understands his role on a line works as part of a unit, rarely trying to play for himself. Strong and aggressive, he projects best as a puck retriever playing with two higher skilled linemates. Very effective when he skates to the crease. Ready for pro hockey.

9 Erik Cernak – Originally a second round pick of the LA Kings, Cernak was traded to Tampa as part of the return for a few months of Ben Bishop. Big and rock steady on the back, the Slovakian native has limited offensive upside, although his shot is strong enough to be a threat if he used it more often. Does not use his body aggressively, but keeps opponents at bay with strong positioning. Plays a quiet game, but is integral in getting the puck moving in the right direction.

10 Libor Hajek – One of the few lights shining on an otherwise abysmal Saskatoon team over the last two years, which makes him difficult to scout, Hajek has the right mix of size, mobility and snarl to keep the Lightning confident in his future projection as another shutdown defender. They are also hoping that he can show more offensive upside, regardless of the lack of support. They also expect him to finally be named to the Czech squad for the WJC.

11 Dennis Yan – An American-born, Russian national, Yan was one of the best shooters in the QMJHL last season. Combined with his plus skating ability, he was consistently able to get to soft spots in coverage before his opponents and from there to threaten the goalie. Further, his anticipatory skills have allowed him to play an important role in the penalty kill. May be brought on slowly this year in the AHL, but has top six upside.

12 Dominik Masin – Although his rookie pro season went smoothly, Masin seems to have left his offensive game in Peterborough. After putting up 66 points in 105 games across two years in the OHL, he was limited to a mere six points for Syracuse last year. He has a big body and skates well. Can play a heavy game, if not a violently aggressive one. He seems comfortable carrying the puck up the ice, but is mostly a defensive minded player at this stage of his development.

13 Connor Ingram – With Vasilevski now the incumbent NHL starter and the Kristers Gudlevskis era over, Ingram is now the only netminder in the Tampa system who has NHL upside. Drafted in his second year of eligibility after taking massive steps forward with Kamloops, Ingram was even better last year in the WHL, although he was very shaky in WJC play. On the small side, but very athletic, he is also a strong puck player. The workhorse should receive the lion’s share of work in Syracuse this year.

14 Ben Thomas – One of the surprise performers with Syracuse last year, Thomas showed the ability to push play from the point in a way that was not expected based on his WHL output. He has a solid first few steps and is very comfortable moving the puck up ice. Quietly dependable in his own zone, he does not play a very physical game, but uses his stick more and solid positioning. His point shot is strong enough to earn him some power play time.

15 Adam Erne – A power winger with a good top gear in his feet, Erne has steadily improved his offensive output over his first two years of professional hockey. Although he struggled to produce offense in his lengthy NHL stint last year, he did at least tend to move the puck in the right direction, without being protected to any extreme, a good indication for his future. Needs to be more consistently involved in the play before moving to the NHL full time.

16 Yanni Gourde – Gourde’s long and winding road up the professional ladder may finally be leading him to the NHL. Undrafted out of Victoriaville, he spent two years in the San Jose system on AHL deals before Tampa offered him an ELC. He has been consistently one of their top offensive performers in the AHL since. Feisty and with a strong nose for the puck and a playmaker’s instincts, he could play on an energy line in the NHL right now.

17 Matthew Spencer – Once the third overall pick of the OHL entry draft, Spencer has had a solid, if unspectacular career with Peterborough. A very good passer with advanced hockey intelligence, he plays a quiet game, limiting mistakes. He is an average skater and is unlikely to ever develop into a significant offensive threat, but is reliable enough in all zones to play in a depth role. Has a solid pro frame and began to leverage that more often last year.

18 Ross Colton – After exploding for 35 goals in his third season of draft eligibility with Cedar Rapids of the USHL, Colton was a revelation in his freshman season with Vermont. He has quick wheels, and nearly as quick hands. Plays a responsible game and his speed can be leveraged well on the penalty kill. He can absolutely fly with the puck through the neutral zone. His snap shot is a weapon. Needs to show that he can succeed in the dirty areas of the ice.

19 Boris Katchouk – A big power forward who combines a quick skating stride with a very strong shot, Katchouk took a few steps forward last year in his finishing ability, becoming a go-to guy for Sault Ste. Marie. Still justly lauded for his refined hockey smarts, if his scoring rates hold up, we can up his projections from that of a potential bottom six forward to someone with middle six potential. Great compete rate.

20 Alexei Lipanov – A two-way center with strong puck skills who plays with great energy, Lipanov can be a force when lined up next to a top finisher. The type of forward who plays on the point on the man advantage to leverage his great vision and passing touch. Very lean and not yet filled out, he will get a taste of the North American brand of hockey as he comes over to play with Barrie of the OHL this year. Very agile skater.

Despite their proclivity for certain types of players, the sheer amount of talent in the Tampa Bay system gives the Lightning one of the deepest organizations in the league. At the very least the big trade of Drouin for Sergachev proves that GM Steve Yzerman recognizes that he needed another two-way dynamic presence on the blueline as well as showing the ability to go out and get it through trade. That suggests that some of the others on the list above may be viewed as assets for other, future trades.

2015 NHL Draft Guide – A draft to remember for QMJHL

Scott Wheeler — Thu, 04 Jun 2015 15:03:09 +0000

2015 NHL Draft one to remember for QMJHL

As the 2014 NHL Entry Draft came to a close at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia last summer, there was a notable lack of talent from the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL).

The draft was so thin in QMJHL-bred players that just one prospect, Halifax’s Nikolaj Ehlers, was selected in the first round when he was taken ninth overall by the Winnipeg Jets.

For the Canadian Hockey League’s (CHL) other two leagues, the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and Western Hockey League (WHL), the 2014 NHL Draft was a strong one.

A total of 10 OHL players were selected in the first round, as well as nine WHL products.

A year later though, the QMJHL is proving its lack of NHL draftees isn’t going to be a recurring theme.

Sometimes, everything just seems to fall neatly into place. This June, in Sunrise at the home of the Florida Panthers, it appears the stars have aligned for the QMJHL.

As many as a dozen QMJHL prospects could realistically be taken inside this draft’s first round, while only six OHL (Connor McDavid, Dylan Strome, Mitchell Marner, Travis Konecny, Lawson Crouse and Pavel Zacha) and six WHL players (Mathew Barzal, Ivan Provorov, Nick Merkley, Jansen Harkins, Jake DeBrusk and Paul Bittner) have played their way into surefire first round contention.

And while it’s unlikely we see a QMJHL player taken inside the top 10, the sheer breadth and depth of the talent in this year’s QMJHL-developed class is unmatched by the other junior hockey programs.

For the QMJHL, the group is not strictly Eastern Canadian-born players either, and the draft represents a strong recruiting process that brought in some of the CHL’s best imports.

It has been years since the QMJHL saw such strength in their graduates.

Beyond the singular Nikolaj Ehlers pick in 2014, the previous five drafts had also shown that while the QMJHL boasted strength, it wasn’t going to produce the most prospects in any draft.

The 2013 NHL Draft, the QMJHL’s strongest in recent memory, saw six players taken inside the first round, highlighted by the first and third overall selections. But once again, the OHL stood strong, with eight selections in the first round. In year’s prior, 2012 saw just Mikhail Grigorenko selected, while 2011 and 2010 saw five and two players taken in the first thirty picks respectively.

The following is a list of 14 QMJHL players who should feature prominently in the 2015 NHL Draft.

The First Round Locks

Jeremy Roy (Sherbrooke)

Roy is a stud defensemen who can do it all, and while he lacks the size of some of the class’ top defensemen, his versatility and strong year-end performance with Canada’s U18 team make him a surefire first rounder.

Timo Meier (Halifax)

Like Drouin with MacKinnon and Ehlers with Drouin, Meier has been forced to live in the shadow of his high-flight teammate, now Ehlers. In his own right though, Meier has the blend of size and skill that’s impossible pass up in the first round.

Jakub Zboril (Saint John)

Don’t take Zboril’s omission from the disappointing Czech Republic World Juniors squad as any indication that the NHL’s best and brightest scouts will make the same mistake. Zboril’s two-way presence and heavy shot make him an easy first round selection. He was taken fifth overall in the QMJHL import draft for a reason.

Evgeni Svechnikov (Cape Breton)

Svechnikov’s production matched his near-towering size and undoubted skill this season, and it makes him one of the class’ most dynamic, NHL-ready wingers. Every team wants big, top-six wingers with some snarl. Lots to work with and gifted enough that if he falls, it won’t be out of the first round. Named as the QMJHL Rookie All-Star Team’s right wing.

Thomas Chabot (Saint John)

Chabot is one of 2015’s most reliable prospects. He’s not as flashy as some of the other best defensemen in this year’s draft, but he makes smart, calculated decisions both with and without the puck. He plays in all situations and is capable of logging big minutes. The type of top-four defensemen every coach wants on his side.

The Wild Card

Daniel Sprong (Charlottetown)

There aren’t 30 more talented players in the 2015 NHL Draft. There might not even be 10. But despite oozing raw, gifted talent, Sprong has become a polarizing figure among scouts, a forward knocked for being streaky or weak defensively. Still, in the first round, when a team is looking for a star that might unwarrantedly fall, Sprong’s that guy. Sprong’s a risk worth taking.

The Strong Possibilities

Anthony Beauvillier (Shawinigan)

Some players are small and that size works against them. Others use their diminutive stature to their advantage. And while Beauvillier appears small, his low centre of gravity gives him deceptive strength to match his first round talent. His size doesn’t prohibit him in the faceoff circle either, where he excels. Named to the league’s Second All-Star Team for a reason.

Dennis Yan (Shawinigan)

Another import, Yan’s body of work is limited to just one season in the QMJHL. That inexperience shouldn’t prohibit him, as he’s thrived internationally with the United States and was Shawinigan’s deadliest scorer down the stretch. Yan’s an extremely talented winger who grew to provide the Cataractes with another scoring threat beyond Beauvillier.

Filip Chlapik (Charlottetown)

Like Zboril, Chlapik was mysteriously left off the Czech national team at the World Juniors. Not to worry though, his performance this season spoke for itself. Burdened by the same labels of inconsistency as his teammate Sprong, Chlapik earned his Rookie All-Star Team selection.

The Longshots

Nicholas Meloche (Baie-Comeau)

Size. Strength. Reliability. If that’s what a team with a first round pick is looking for on draft day, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Meloche as their guy. Unlikely to be a first round pick but Meloche’s standout playoff performance certainly helps.

Nathan Noel (Saint John)

Noel’s a two-way centre who projects more as a middle-six forward than a top-six one but his complete game may be of interest to a team with one of the first round’s final picks. More than likely a second round selection but Noel’s an interesting package who may have been held back by a low-scoring team.

Dmytro Timashov (Quebec)

Not only was Timashov named the QMJHL Rookie All-Star Team’s left wing, he was also awarded the league’s Rookie of the Year honour. While the draft’s depth will more than likely push the Quebec Remparts breakout star into the second round, it certainly wouldn’t be surprising to see a team take a chance on him.

Nicolas Roy (Chicoutimi)

Heralded as the QMJHL’s next big (in more than one way) star when he was taken first overall in 2013, Roy hasn’t lived up to the billing. Despite possessing the size most teams drool over, it’s probable Roy falls out of the first round. If he’s taken inside the first 30 picks, it will be out of an intriguing, developing, untapped potential.

Wheeler’s Final Top 60 Prospects for the 2015 NHL Draft by League

Scott Wheeler — Tue, 05 May 2015 13:00:19 +0000

Each season, I release three instalments of my rankings of the top 60 prospects for the NHL draft. This year, these rankings will be divided by league and produced in November, February, and May, and available online at McKeen’s for the first time.

Note on the rankings: The following rankings are compiled through extensive coverage and viewings of Ottawa 67s and Gatineau Olympiques home games, which provide the chance to watch and follow a hundred or-so draft eligible players in the OHL and QMJHL who make up the majority of the top end of the draft class (especially this year in a very QMJHL-populated class) from training camps through playoffs. For prospects from the NCAA, USHL, NTDP and abroad, I make sure I have several viewings before the first publication of these rankings in November. These viewings are cumulative from this year and last (while scouting the previous class). Events viewed beyond the CHL include the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament, World Junior Development Camps, the Subway Super Series, Under 17s, Under 18s, club play internationally, marquee U.S. events, college tournaments, and a heavy focus on a select few European players in SHL and Swe. Jr. games.

May’s Top 60 Prospects for the 2015 NHL Draft by League (overall ranking in brackets)

OHL:

Connor McDavid, Erie, C (#1)
Dylan Strome, Erie, C (#4)
Mitchell Marner, London, C/RW (#5)
Travis Konecny, Ottawa, C (#12)
Pavel Zacha, Sarnia, C (#13)
Lawson Crouse, Kingston, LW (#15)
Nikita Korostelev, Sarnia, RW (#34)
Mitchell Vande Sompel, Oshawa, D (#45)
Blake Speers, Sault Ste. Marie, C (#48)
Dante Salituro, Ottawa, C (#50)
Vince Dunn, Niagara, D (#53)
Mitchell Stephens, Saginaw, C (#54)
Matthew Spencer, Peterborough, D (#57)

QMJHL:

Jeremy Roy, Sherbrooke, D (#11)
Daniel Sprong, Charlottetown, RW (#16)
Evgeni Svechnikov, Cape Breton, LW (#18)
Timo Meier, Halifax, RW/C (#19)
Jakub Zboril, Saint John, D (#20)
Anthony Beauvillier, Shawinigan, C/LW (#25)
Thomas Chabot, Saint John, D (#26)
Dennis Yan, Shawinigan, LW (#28)
Filip Chlapik, Charlottetown, C (#29)
Nicholas Meloche, Baie-Comeau, D (#30)
Nathan Noel, Saint John, C (#32)
Yakov Trenin, Gatineau, LW (#33)
Dmytro Timashov, Quebec, LW/RW (#44)
Nicolas Roy, Chicoutimi, C (#55)
Alexandre Carrier, Gatineau, D (#60)

WHL:

Mathew Barzal, Seattle, C (#7)
Ivan Provorov, Brandon, D (#8)
Nick Merkley, Kelowna, C (#17)
Jansen Harkins, Prince George, C (#24)
Jake DeBrusk, Swift Current, LW (#27)
Paul Bittner, Portland, LW (#31)
Ryan Pilon, Brandon, D (#38)
Brandon Carlo, Tri-City, D (#39)
Ryan Gropp, Seattle, LW (#40)
Noah Juulsen, Everett, D (#47)
Parker Wotherspoon. Tri-City, D (#59)

United States (NCAA, USHL, NTDP):

Jack Eichel, Boston University, C (#2)
Noah Hanifin, Boston College, D (#3)
Zach Werenski, Michigan, D (#6)
Kyle Connor, Youngstown, C (#10)
Brock Boeser, Waterloo, RW (#21)
Jeremy Bracco, NTDP, RW (#22)
Colin White, NTDP, C (#23)
Thomas Novak, Waterloo, C (#35)
Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson, Omaha, C (#36)
Jack Roslovic, NTDP, C/RW (#41)
Christian Fischer, NTDP, C (#42)
Jordan Greenway, NTDP, LW (#56)

Sweden (SHL, Swe. Jr.):

Oliver Kylington, AIK/Farjestad, D (#14)
Jens Looke, Brynas, RW (#37)
Jacob Larsson, Frolunda, D (#43)
Joel Eriksson Ek, Farjestad, C (#49)
Sebastian Aho, Skelleftea, D (#51)
Filip Ahl, HV71, RW (#52)
Jesper Lindgren, Modo, D (#58)

Finland:

Mikko Rantanen, TPS, RW (#9)

Slovakia:

Erik Cernak, Kosice, D (#46)

Just missed: Erik Foley, Anthony Richard, Roope Hintz, Michael Spacek, Kay Schweri, Graham Knott, Gabriel Carlsson, Ethan Bear, Rasmus Andersson, Travis Dermott, Adam Musil, Tyler Soy, Glenn Gawdin, Alex Dergachyov, Denis Gurianov, Denis Kase, Jonas Siegenthaler, Julius Nattinen, Adam Marsh, Guillaume Brisebois, Zachary Senyshyn.

2015 NHL Draft – McKeen’s Top 120 Rankings

McKeen's Hockey — Wed, 18 Mar 2015 18:17:44 +0000

Ilya Samsonov made the most of his opportunity in front of NHL scouts last month in the Czech Republic.

The 6-foot-3, 200-pound native of Magnitogorsk helped lead Russia to victory at the Five Nations Tournament.

Samsonov showcased a full package of skill and smarts while upsetting Team USA in a 5-4 overtime win - being outshot 51-to-16 - and then shutting down Sweden 5-1 in the final game.

He played this season in the MHL with Stalnye Lisy, Magnitogorsk's junior team, and will get another chance to bolster his draft stock at the U18 World Championships next month in Switzerland.

A number of Samsonov's U18 teammates could draw some draft interest with strong showings in Zug and Lucerne, the two host cities for the U18 Worlds.

Big, strong-shooting winger Denis Gurianov of Lada Togliatti is rated in the second round - 40th overall - on the McKeen's Top 120 rankings for the 2015 NHL Draft.

Mikhail Vorobyev (Salavat Ufa) is rated 78th overall and is a smart, well-structured pivot in the classic old Russian style, while diminutive winger Kirill Kaprizov (Novokuznetsk) is listed as a late third-rounder - 89th overall. Just 5-foot-9 and 185 pounds, Kaprizov was a creative force throughout the Five Nations and demonstrated that he has the courage and work ethic to help overcome the size factor.

Samsonov is the top-rated goaltender in the McKeen's rankings for the 2015 NHL Draft - debuting in the first round in the 29th spot.

Drafting goalies in the opening round has becoming increasingly less common. In fact, only six goaltenders have been selected in the first round over the past eight drafts (2007 to 2014). That compares to the five-year period from 2002 to 2006 in which a total of 14 goalies were first-round picks.

Samsonov is one of 11 goaltenders to earn spots in the McKeen's Top 120 rankings.

Mackenzie Blackwood of the Barrie Colts is next on the goalie list - ranked as an early second-rounder at 33rd overall - while a pair of QMJHL goalies hold down the next two spots - Callum Booth of Halifax at 61st and Samuel Montembeault of Blainville-Boisbriand in the No. 68 spot.

RANK	PLAYER	POS	TEAM	HT/WT	DOB
1	Connor McDavid	C	Erie (OHL)	6-1/195	13-Jan-97
2	Jack Eichel	C	Boston University (HE)	6-2/195	28-Oct-96
3	Noah Hanifin	D	Boston College (HE)	6-3/205	25-Jan-97
4	Mitchell Marner	C	London (OHL)	5-11/160	5-May-97
5	Ivan Provorov	D	Brandon (WHL)	6-0/195	13-Jan-97
6	Lawson Crouse	LW	Kingston (OHL)	6-4/210	23-Jun-97
7	Zach Werenski	D	Michigan (B1G)	6-2/205	19-Jul-97
8	Dylan Strome	C	Erie (OHL)	6-3/190	7-May-97
9	Pavel Zacha	C	Sarnia (OHL)	6-3/210	6-Apr-97
10	Mathew Barzal	C	Seattle (WHL)	5-11/175	26-May-97
11	Travis Konecny	C	Ottawa (OHL)	5-10/175	11-Mar-97
12	Mikko Rantanen	RW	TPS Turku (Fin)	6-3/210	29-Oct-96
13	Timo Meier	RW	Halifax (QMJHL)	6-1/210	8-Oct-96
14	Kyle Connor	C	Youngstown (USHL)	6-1/185	9-Dec-96
15	Thomas Chabot	D	Saint John (QMJHL)	6-1/180	30-Jan-97
16	Jakub Zboril	D	Saint John (QMJHL)	6-1/185	21-Feb-97
17	Nick Merkley	RW	Kelowna (WHL)	5-11/190	23-May-97
18	Joel Ek Eriksson	C	Farjestads (Swe)	6-2/180	29-Jan-97
19	Colin White	C	NTDP (USA)	6-0/185	30-Jan-97
20	Paul Bittner	LW	Portland (WHL)	6-4/210	4-Nov-96
21	Brandon Carlo	D	Tri-City (WHL)	6-5/200	26-Nov-96
22	Jeremy Roy	D	Sherbrooke (QMJHL)	6-0/190	14-May-97
23	Evgeni Svechnikov	LW	Cape Breton (QMJHL)	6-2/200	31-Oct-96
24	Jake DeBrusk	LW	Swift Current (WHL)	5-11/170	17-Oct-96
25	Jacob Larsson	D	Frolunda (Swe)	6-2/190	29-Apr-97
26	Jonas Siegenthaler	D	ZSC Zurich (Sui)	6-2/220	6-May-97
27	Oliver Kylington	D	Farjestads (Swe)	6-0/185	19-May-97
28	Brock Boeser	RW	Waterloo (USHL)	6-0/195	25-Feb-97
29	Ilya Samsonov	G	Magnitogorsk (Rus)	6-3/200	22-Feb-97
30	Jack Roslovic	C	NTDP (USA)	6-0/185	29-Jan-97

31	Erik Cernak	D	Kosice (Svk)	6-3/200	28-May-97
32	Guillaume Brisebois	D	Acadie-Bathurst (QMJHL)	6-2/170	21-Jul-97
33	Mackenzie Blackwood	G	Barrie (OHL)	6-4/215	9-Dec-96
34	Tom Novak	C	Waterloo (USHL)	6-0/180	28-Apr-97
35	Jansen Harkins	C	Prince George (WHL)	6-1/180	23-May-97
36	Filip Chlapik	C	Charlottetown (QMJHL)	6-1/195	3-Jun-97
37	Blake Speers	C	Sault Ste Marie (OHL)	5-11/180	2-Jan-97
38	Daniel Sprong	RW	Charlottetown (QMJHL)	6-0/190	17-Mar-97
39	Matthew Spencer	D	Peterborough (OHL)	6-1/200	24-Mar-97
40	Denis Gurianov	RW	Lada Togliatti (Rus)	6-2/185	7-Jun-97
41	Noah Juulsen	D	Everett (WHL)	6-1/175	2-Apr-97
42	Jordan Greenway	LW	NTDP (USA)	6-5/225	16-Feb-97
43	Alexander Dergachyov	RW	SKA St. Petersburg (Rus)	6-4/200	27-Sep-96
44	Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson	C	Omaha (USHL)	6-1/195	31-Oct-96
45	Jeremy Bracco	RW	NTDP (USA)	5-9/175	17-Mar-97
46	Zachary Senyshyn	RW	Sault Ste Marie (OHL)	6-1/195	30-Mar-97
47	Anthony Beauvillier	LW	Shawinigan (QMJHL)	5-10/175	8-Jun-97
48	Ryan Gropp	LW	Seattle (WHL)	6-2/185	16-Sep-96
49	Dennis Yan	LW	Shawinigan (QMJHL)	6-1/180	14-Apr-97
50	Jens Looke	RW	Brynas (Swe)	6-0/180	11-Apr-97
51	Robin Kovacs	RW	AIK (Swe)	6-0/170	16-Nov-96
52	Glenn Gawdin	C	Swift Current (WHL)	6-1/190	25-Mar-97
53	Nikita Korostelev	RW	Sarnia (OHL)	6-1/195	8-Feb-97
54	Travis Dermott	D	Erie (OHL)	5-11/195	22-Dec-96
55	Gabriel Carlsson	D	Linkopings (Swe)	6-4/185	2-Jan-97
56	Adam Musil	RW	Red Deer (WHL)	6-2/200	26-Mar-97
57	Mitchell Vande Sompel	D	Oshawa (OHL)	5-10/180	11-Feb-97
58	Christian Fischer	RW	NTDP (USA)	6-1/215	15-Apr-97
59	Brendan Guhle	D	Prince Albert (WHL)	6-1/185	29-Jul-97
60	Dennis Gilbert	D	Chicago (USHL)	6-2/200	30-Oct-96

61	Callum Booth	G	Quebec (QMJHL)	6-3/200	21-May-97
62	Sebastian Aho	RW	Karpat Oulu (Fin)	5-11/175	26-Jul-97
63	Ryan Pilon	D	Brandon (WHL)	6-2/210	10-Oct-96
64	Nicolas Roy	C	Chicoutimi (QMJHL)	6-4/200	5-Feb-97
65	Austin Wagner	LW	Regina (WHL)	6-1/180	23-Jun-97
66	Graham Knott	LW	Niagara (OHL)	6-3/195	13-Jan-97
67	Michael Spacek	C	Pardubice (Cze)	5-11/190	9-Apr-97
68	Samuel Montembeault	G	Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL)	6-2/165	30-Oct-96
69	Yakov Trenin	LW	Gatineau (QMJHL)	6-2/195	13-Jan-97
70	Daniel Vladar	G	Kladno (Cze)	6-5/185	20-Aug-97
71	Kyle Capobianco	D	Sudbury (OHL)	6-1/180	13-Aug-97
72	David Kase	C	Chomutov (Cze)	5-11/170	28-Jan-97
73	Bailey Webster	D	Saint John (QMJHL)	6-3/210	8-Sep-97
74	Felix Sandstrom	G	Brynas (Swe)	6-2/190	12-Jan-97
75	Jesper Lindgren	D	MoDo (Swe)	6-0/160	19-May-97
76	Keegan Kolesar	RW	Seattle (WHL)	6-1/215	8-Apr-97
77	Kevin Davis	D	Everett (WHL)	6-0/185	14-Mar-97
78	Mikhail Vorobyev	C	Salavat Ufa (Rus)	6-2/195	5-Jan-97
79	Vince Dunn	D	Niagara (OHL)	6-0/185	29-Oct-96
80	Nathan Noel	C	Saint John (QMJHL)	5-11/175	21-Jun-97
81	Gustav Bouramman	D	Sault Ste Marie (OHL)	5-11/185	24-Jan-97
82	Matej Tomek	G	Topeka (NAHL)	6-2/180	24-May-97
83	Lukas Jasek	RW	Trinec (Cze)	5-11/165	28-Aug-97
84	Nicolas Meloche	D	Baie-Comeau (QMJHL)	6-2/200	18-Jul-97
85	Roope Hintz	LW	Ilves Tampere (Fin)	6-2/185	17-Nov-96
86	Mitchell Stephens	C	Saginaw (OHL)	5-11/185	5-Feb-97
87	Jean-Christophe Beaudin	RW	Rouyn Noranda (QMJHL)	6-1/185	27-Mar-97
88	Filip Ahl	LW	HV 71 (Swe)	6-3/210	12-Jun-97
89	Kirill Kaprizov	LW	Novokuznetsk (Rus)	5-9/185	26-Apr-97
90	John Marino	D	South Shore (USPHL)	6-0/175	21-May-97

91	Chaz Reddekopp	D	Victoria (WHL)	6-3/220	1-Jan-97
92	Adam Marsh	LW	Saint John (QMJHL)	6-0/165	22-Aug-97
93	Parker Wotherspoon	D	Tri-City (WHL)	6-0/170	24-Aug-97
94	Loik Leveille	D	Cape Breton (QMJHL)	5-11/220	25-Sep-96
95	Adam Gaudette	C	Cedar Rapids (USHL)	6-1/175	3-Oct-96
96	Justin Lemcke	D	Belleville (OHL)	6-2/200	13-Feb-97
97	Gabriel Gagne	RW	Victoriaville (QMJHL)	6-5/190	11-Nov-96
98	Thomas Schemitsch	D	Owen Sound (OHL)	6-3/205	26-Oct-96
99	Jesse Gabrielle	LW	Regina (WHL)	5-11/205	17-Jun-97
100	Jonne Tammela	LW	KalPa (Fin)	5-10/180	5-Aug-97
101	Christian Jaros	D	Lulea (Swe)	6-3/200	2-Apr-96
102	Ales Stezka	G	Liberec (Cze)	6-3/180	6-Jan-97
103	Ethan Bear	D	Seattle (WHL)	5-11/200	26-Jun-97
104	Mathieu Joseph	RW	Saint John (QMJHL)	6-0/165	9-Feb-97
105	Jeremiah Addison	LW	Ottawa (OHL)	6-0/185	21-Oct-96
106	Devante Stephens	D	Kelowna (WHL)	6-1/175	2-Jan-97
107	Michael McNiven	G	Owen Sound (OHL)	6-0/205	9-Jul-97
108	Jeremy Lauzon	D	Rouyn Noranda (QMJHL)	6-2/195	28-Apr-97
109	Luke Opilka	G	NTDP (USA)	6-1/195	27-Feb-97
110	Philippe Myers	D	Rouyn Noranda (QMJHL)	6-5/195	25-Jan-97
111	Adam Werner	G	Farjestads (Swe)	6-5/185	2-May-97
112	Brendan Warren	LW	NTDP (USA)	6-0/190	7-May-97
113	Julius Nattinen	C	JyP Jyvaskyla (Fin)	6-2/190	14-Jan-97
114	Colton White	D	Sault Ste Marie (OHL)	6-1/185	3-May-97
115	Samuel Dove-McFalls	LW	Saint John (QMJHL)	6-2/205	10-Apr-97
116	Veeti Vainio	D	Blues (Fin)	6-2/170	16-Jun-97
117	Matt Bradley	C	Medicine Hat (WHL)	5-11/185	22-Jan-97
118	Tyler Soy	C	Victoria (WHL)	5-11/170	10-Feb-97
119	Dmytro Timashov	LW	Quebec (QMJHL)	5-9/190	1-Oct-96
120	A.J. Greer	LW	Boston University (HE)	6-2/205	14-Dec-96

2015 NHL Draft – Top 20 QMJHL Prospects

McKeen's Hockey — Sun, 15 Mar 2015 03:13:10 +0000

Saint John defenceman Thomas Chabot and Halifax forward Timo Meier have followed similar paths this season.

Both were initially tabbed as early second-round projections - and have soared up the rankings throughout the campaign.

The pair are the top players from the QMJHL in the McKeen's rankings for the 2015 NHL Draft - Meier ranked 13th overall with Chabot at No. 15 - and Saint John teammate and blueline partner Jakub Zboril right behind in 16th place.

Chabot's progress has been particularly impressive considering a shaky start which included being a healthy scratch for an early game.

The native of Ste-Marie-de-Beauce, Quebec grew in confidence as a puckmover and offensive catalyst, taking advantage of his outstanding skating mobility.

He found a complementary partner in Zboril, whose steady all-around game brought a sense of stability to a Sea Dogs team that raced to a 20-9-5 record by Christmas.

Saint John came back to earth over the second half, however, due in part to a knee injury to Zboril that cost the Czech import 19 games.

Zboril's absence did present a silver lining though as unheralded blueliner Bailey Webster stepped into a bigger role and has thrived.

Saint John have five players ranked in the top 20 for the QMJHL - and a sixth just outside in fast-rising winger Mathieu Joseph - currently sitting 23rd on the Q list - 104th overall.

QMJHL	ALL	PLAYER	POS	TEAM	HT/WT	DOB
1	13	Timo Meier	RW	Halifax (QMJHL)	6-1/210	8-Oct-96
2	15	Thomas Chabot	D	Saint John (QMJHL)	6-1/180	30-Jan-97
3	16	Jakub Zboril	D	Saint John (QMJHL)	6-1/185	21-Feb-97
4	22	Jeremy Roy	D	Sherbrooke (QMJHL)	6-0/190	14-May-97
5	23	Evgeni Svechnikov	LW	Cape Breton (QMJHL)	6-2/200	31-Oct-96
6	32	Guillaume Brisebois	D	Acadie-Bathurst (QMJHL)	6-2/170	21-Jul-97
7	36	Filip Chlapik	C	Charlottetown (QMJHL)	6-1/195	3-Jun-97
8	38	Daniel Sprong	RW	Charlottetown (QMJHL)	6-0/190	17-Mar-97
9	47	Anthony Beauvillier	LW	Shawinigan (QMJHL)	5-10/175	8-Jun-97
10	49	Dennis Yan	LW	Shawinigan (QMJHL)	6-1/180	14-Apr-97
11	61	Callum Booth	G	Quebec (QMJHL)	6-3/200	21-May-97
12	64	Nicolas Roy	C	Chicoutimi (QMJHL)	6-4/200	5-Feb-97
13	68	Samuel Montembeault	G	Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL)	6-2/165	30-Oct-96
14	69	Yakov Trenin	LW	Gatineau (QMJHL)	6-2/195	13-Jan-97
15	73	Bailey Webster	D	Saint John (QMJHL)	6-3/210	8-Sep-97
16	80	Nathan Noel	C	Saint John (QMJHL)	5-11/175	21-Jun-97
17	84	Nicolas Meloche	D	Baie-Comeau (QMJHL)	6-2/200	18-Jul-97
18	87	Jean-Christophe Beaudin	RW	Rouyn Noranda (QMJHL)	6-1/185	27-Mar-97
19	92	Adam Marsh	LW	Saint John (QMJHL)	6-0/165	22-Aug-97
20	94	Loik Leveille	D	Cape Breton (QMJHL)	5-11/220	25-Sep-96

Wheeler’s Top 60 Prospects for the 2015 NHL Draft by League (February)

Scott Wheeler — Wed, 04 Feb 2015 19:01:56 +0000

Each season, I release three instalments of my rankings of the top 60 prospects for the NHL draft. This year, these rankings will be divided by league and produced in November, February and May (prior to the draft itself) and available online at McKeen’s for the first time.

Note on the rankings: The following rankings are compiled through extensive coverage and viewings of Ottawa 67s and Gatineau Olympiques home games, which provide the chance to watch and follow a hundred or-so draft eligible players in the OHL and QMJHL who make up the majority of the top end of the draft class (especially this year in a very QMJHL-populated class) from training camps through playoffs. For prospects from the NCAA, USHL, NTDP and abroad, I make sure I have several viewings before the first publication of these rankings in November. These viewings are cumulative from this year and last (while scouting the previous class). Events viewed beyond the CHL include the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament, World Junior Development Camps, the Subway Super Series, Under 17s, Under 18s, club play internationally, marquee U.S. events and a heavy focus on a select few European players in SHL and Swe. Jr. games.

February’s Top 60 Prospects for the 2015 NHL Draft by League (overall ranking in brackets)

OHL:

Connor McDavid, Erie, C (#1)
Dylan Strome, Erie, C (#4)
Mitchell Marner, London, C (#5)
Pavel Zacha, Sarnia, C (#12)
Travis Konecny, Ottawa, C (#14)
Lawson Crouse, Kingston, LW (#15)
Nikita Korostelev, Sarnia, RW (#29)
Matthew Spencer, Peterborough, D (#46)
Mitchell Vande Sompel, Oshawa, D (#51)
Blake Speers, Sault Ste. Marie, C (#52)
Dante Salituro, Ottawa, C (#54)
Vince Dunn, Niagara, D (#57)

QMJHL:

Jeremy Roy, Sherbrooke, D (#13)
Daniel Sprong, Charlottetown, RW (#16)
Evgeni Svechnikov, Cape Breton, LW (#18)
Jakub Zboril, Saint John, D (#19)
Anthony Beauvillier, Shawinigan, C/LW (#24)
Filip Chlapik, Charlottetown, C (#25)
Timo Meier, Halifax, RW/C (#26)
Thomas Chabot, Saint John, D (#28)
Dennis Yan, Shawinigan, LW (#30)
Nathan Noel, Saint John, C (#34)
Nicolas Meloche, Baie-Comeau, D (#35)
Yakov Trenin, Gatineau, LW (#38)
Guillaume Brisebois, Acadie-Bathurst, D (#47)
Dmytro Timashov, Quebec, LW/RW (#48)
Nicolas Roy, Chicoutimi, C (#49)
Alexandre Carrier, Gatineau, D (59)

WHL:

Ivan Provorov, Brandon, D (#7)
Mathew Barzal, Seattle, C (#8)
Nick Merkley, Kelowna, C (#11)
Jansen Harkins, Prince George, C (#23)
Jake DeBrusk, Swift Current, LW (#27)
Ryan Pilon, Brandon, D (#32)
Brandon Carlo, Tri-City, D (#33)
Paul Bittner, Portland, LW (#39)
Ryan Gropp, Seattle, LW (#40)
Noah Juulsen, Everett, D (#45)
Adam Musil, Red Deer, C (#50)

United States (NCAA, USHL, NTDP):

Jack Eichel, Boston University, C (#2)
Noah Hanifin, Boston College, D (#3)
Zach Werenski, Michigan, D (#6)
Kyle Connor, Youngstown, C (#17)
Jeremy Bracco, NTDP, RW (#20)
Brock Boeser, Waterloo, RW (#21)
Colin White, NTDP, C (#22)
Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson, Omaha, C (#36)
Thomas Novak, Waterloo, C (#37)
Jordan Greenway, NTDP, LW (#41)
Christian Fischer, NTDP, C (#43)

Sweden (SHL, Swe. Jr.):

Oliver Kylington, AIK/Farjestad, D (#9)
Jens Looke, Brynas, RW (#31)
Jacob Larsson, Frolunda, D (#44)
Filip Ahl, HV71, RW (#53)
Sebastian Aho, Skelleftea, D (#56)
Jesper Lindgren, Modo, D (#58)

Finland:

Mikko Rantanen, TPS, RW (#10)
Roope Hintz, Ilves, RW (#60)

Slovakia:

Erik Cernak, Kosice, D (#42)

Czech Republic:

Michael Spacek, HC Pardubice, RW (#55)

Just missed: Mitchell Stephens, Anthony Richard, Kay Schweri, Graham Knott, Gabriel Carlsson, Ethan Bear, Rasmus Andersson, Travis Dermott, Tyler Soy, Glenn Gawdin, Alex Dergachyov, Denis Gurianov, Denis Kase, Jonas Siegenthaler, Julius Nattinen, Adam Marsh, Parker Wotherspoon.

If you have any questions regarding a player, or his ranking, don’t hesitate to contact me @scottcwheeler. Be sure to check out the latest edition of the McKeen’s 2015 Top 30 NHL Draft Rankings as well.

McKeen’s 2015 NHL Top 75 Draft Rankings (Jan-2015)

McKeen's Hockey — Fri, 16 Jan 2015 20:24:53 +0000

A quick demographic breakdown of the McKeen's Top 75 rankings suggests the 2015 NHL Draft is shaping up to have not only good depth but also balance.

The five primary regions are represented fairly equally with the QMJHL leading the way with 17 prospects ranked - followed closely by the OHL (16), Europe/International (16), the WHL (15), and the U.S. (11).

RANK	PREV	PLAYER	POS	TEAM	HT/WT	DOB
1	1	Connor McDavid	C	Erie (OHL)	6-1/195	13-Jan-97
2	2	Jack Eichel	C	Boston University (HE)	6-2/195	28-Oct-96
3	3	Noah Hanifin	D	Boston College (HE)	6-3/205	25-Jan-97
4	6	Mitchell Marner	C	London (OHL)	5-11/160	5-May-97
5	5	Lawson Crouse	LW	Kingston (OHL)	6-4/210	23-Jun-97
6	7	Dylan Strome	C	Erie (OHL)	6-3/190	7-May-97
7	11	Zach Werenski	D	Michigan (B1G)	6-2/205	19-Jul-97
8	22	Ivan Provorov	D	Brandon (WHL)	6-0/195	13-Jan-97
9	4	Pavel Zacha	C	Sarnia (OHL)	6-3/210	6-Apr-97
10	9	Nick Merkley	RW	Kelowna (WHL)	5-11/190	23-May-97
11	18	Mikko Rantanen	RW	TPS Turku (Fin)	6-3/210	29-Oct-96
12	10	Mathew Barzal	C	Seattle (WHL)	5-11/175	26-May-97
13	17	Jeremy Roy	D	Sherbrooke (QMJHL)	6-0/190	14-May-97
14	8	Kyle Connor	C	Youngstown (USHL)	6-1/185	9-Dec-96
15	26	Evgeni Svechnikov	LW	Cape Breton (QMJHL)	6-2/200	31-Oct-96
16	13	Travis Konecny	C	Ottawa (OHL)	5-10/175	11-Mar-97
17	14	Oliver Kylington	D	Farjestads (Swe)	6-0/185	19-May-97
18	12	Colin White	C	NTDP (USA)	6-0/185	30-Jan-97
19	16	Paul Bittner	LW	Portland (WHL)	6-4/210	4-Nov-96
20	NR	Thomas Chabot	D	Saint John (QMJHL)	6-1/180	30-Jan-97
21	15	Jakub Zboril	D	Saint John (QMJHL)	6-1/185	21-Feb-97
22	20	Matthew Spencer	D	Peterborough (OHL)	6-1/200	24-Mar-97
23	30	Jake DeBrusk	LW	Swift Current (WHL)	5-11/170	17-Oct-96
24	NR	Timo Meier	RW	Halifax (QMJHL)	6-1/210	8-Oct-96
25	19	Brandon Carlo	D	Tri-City (WHL)	6-5/200	26-Nov-96
26	28	Daniel Sprong	RW	Charlottetown (QMJHL)	6-0/190	17-Mar-97
27	24	Jansen Harkins	C	Prince George (WHL)	6-1/180	23-May-97
28	NR	Guillaume Brisebois	D	Acadie-Bathurst (QMJHL)	6-2/170	21-Jul-97
29	NR	Brock Boeser	RW	Waterloo (USHL)	6-0/195	25-Feb-97
30	NR	Jens Looke	RW	Brynas (Swe)	6-0/180	11-Apr-97
31	NR	Mackenzie Blackwood	G	Barrie (OHL)	6-4/215	9-Dec-96
32	21	Jacob Larsson	D	Frolunda (Swe)	6-2/190	29-Apr-97
33	25	Dennis Yan	LW	Shawinigan (QMJHL)	6-1/180	14-Apr-97
34	NR	Jakob Forsbacka-Karlsson	C	Omaha (USHL)	6-1/195	31-Oct-96
35	NR	Callum Booth	G	Quebec (QMJHL)	6-3/200	21-May-97
36	NR	Jonas Siegenthaler	D	ZSC Zurich (Sui)	6-2/220	6-May-97
37	29	Tom Novak	C	Waterloo (USHL)	6-0/180	28-Apr-97
38	NR	Blake Speers	C	Sault Ste Marie (OHL)	5-11/180	2-Jan-97
39	NR	Alexander Dergachyov	RW	SKA St. Petersburg (Rus)	6-4/200	27-Sep-96
40	NR	Nikita Korostelev	RW	Sarnia (OHL)	6-1/195	8-Feb-97
41	NR	Sebastian Aho	RW	Karpat Oulu (Fin)	5-11/175	26-Jul-97
42	23	Nicolas Roy	C	Chicoutimi (QMJHL)	6-4/200	5-Feb-97
43	NR	David Kase	C	Chomutov (Cze)	5-11/170	28-Jan-97
44	NR	Yakov Trenin	LW	Gatineau (QMJHL)	6-2/195	13-Jan-97
45	NR	Gabriel Carlsson	D	Linkopings (Swe)	6-4/185	2-Jan-97
46	NR	Filip Ahl	LW	HV 71 (Swe)	6-3/210	12-Jun-97
47	NR	Glenn Gawdin	C	Swift Current (WHL)	6-1/190	25-Mar-97
48	NR	Adam Musil	RW	Red Deer (WHL)	6-2/200	26-Mar-97
49	NR	Jeremy Bracco	RW	NTDP (USA)	5-9/175	17-Mar-97
50	NR	Ryan Pilon	D	Brandon (WHL)	6-2/210	10-Oct-96
51	NR	Filip Chlapik	C	Charlottetown (QMJHL)	6-1/195	3-Jun-97
52	NR	Nathan Noel	C	Saint John (QMJHL)	5-11/175	21-Jun-97
53	NR	Graham Knott	LW	Niagara (OHL)	6-3/195	13-Jan-97
54	NR	Daniel Vladar	G	Kladno (Cze)	6-5/185	20-Aug-97
55	27	Jordan Greenway	LW	NTDP (USA)	6-5/225	16-Feb-97
56	NR	Michael Spacek	C	Pardubice (Cze)	5-11/190	9-Apr-97
57	NR	Anthony Beauvillier	LW	Shawinigan (QMJHL)	5-10/175	8-Jun-97
58	NR	Ryan Gropp	LW	Seattle (WHL)	6-2/185	16-Sep-96
59	NR	Felix Sandstrom	G	Brynas (Swe)	6-2/190	12-Jan-97
60	NR	Parker Wotherspoon	D	Tri-City (WHL)	6-0/170	24-Aug-97
61	NR	Nicolas Meloche	D	Baie-Comeau (QMJHL)	6-2/200	18-Jul-97
62	NR	Roope Hintz	LW	Ilves Tampere (Fin)	6-2/185	17-Nov-96
63	NR	Noah Juulsen	D	Everett (WHL)	6-1/175	2-Apr-97
64	NR	Zachary Senyshyn	RW	Sault Ste Marie (OHL)	6-1/195	30-Mar-97
65	NR	Erik Cernak	D	Kosice (Svk)	6-3/200	28-May-97
66	NR	Brendan Guhle	D	Prince Albert (WHL)	6-2/180	29-Jul-97
67	NR	Mitchell Stephens	C	Saginaw (OHL)	5-11/185	5-Feb-97
68	NR	Mitchell Vande Sompel	D	Oshawa (OHL)	5-10/180	11-Feb-97
69	NR	Adam Marsh	LW	Saint John (QMJHL)	6-0/165	22-Aug-97
70	NR	Jesse Gabrielle	LW	Regina (WHL)	5-11/205	17-Jun-97
71	NR	Denis Gurianov	RW	Lada Togliatti (Rus)	6-2/185	7-Jun-97
72	NR	Rasmus Andersson	D	Barrie (OHL)	6-0/215	27-Oct-96
73	NR	Dmytro Timashov	LW	Quebec (QMJHL)	5-9/190	1-Oct-96
74	NR	Justin Lemcke	D	Belleville (OHL)	6-2/200	13-Feb-97
75	NR	Matej Tomek	G	Topeka (NAHL)	6-2/180	24-May-97

Wheeler’s Top 60 Prospects for the 2015 NHL Draft by League (November)

Scott Wheeler — Thu, 27 Nov 2014 16:22:15 +0000

Each season, I release three installments of my rankings of the top 60 prospects for the NHL draft. This year, these rankings will be divided by league and produced in November, February and May (prior to the draft itself) and available online at McKeen’s for the first time.

Note on the rankings: The following rankings are compiled through extensive coverage and viewings of Ottawa 67s and Gatineau Olympiques home games, which provide the chance to watch and follow a hundred or-so draft eligible players in the OHL and QMJHL who make up the majority of the top end of the draft class (especially this year in a very QMJHL-populated class) from training camps through playoffs. For prospects from the NCAA, USHL, NTDP and abroad, I make sure I have several viewings before the first publication of these rankings in November. These viewings are cumulative from this year and last (while scouting the previous class). Events viewed beyond the CHL include the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament, World Junior Development Camps, the Subway Super Series, Under 17s, Under 18s, club play internationally, marquee U.S. events and a heavy focus on a select few European players in SHL and Swe. Jr. games.

November’s Top 60 Prospects for the 2015 NHL Draft by League (overall ranking in brackets)

OHL:

Connor McDavid, Erie, C (#1)
Dylan Strome, Erie, C (#4)
Mitchell Marner, London, C (#5)
Pavel Zacha, Sarnia, C (#7)
Travis Konecny, Ottawa, C (#12)
Lawson Crouse, Kingston, LW (#15)
Nikita Korostelev, Sarnia, RW (#26)
Matthew Spencer, Peterborough, D (#41)
Blake Speers, Sault Ste. Marie, C (#45)
Graham Knott, Niagara, LW (#46)
Mitchell Stephens, Saginaw, C/RW (#48)
Dante Salituro, Ottawa, C (#53)
Vince Dunn, Niagara, D (#54)
Mitchell Vande Sompel, Oshawa, D (#57)

QMJHL:

Daniel Sprong, Charlottetown, RW (#11)
Evgeni Svechnikov, Cape Breton, LW (#16)
Jeremy Roy, Sherbrooke Phoenix, D (#17)
Jakub Zboril, Saint John, D (#19)
Filip Chlapik, Charlottetown, C (#24)
Dennis Yan, Shawinigan, LW (#27)
Anthony Beauvillier, Shawinigan, C (#28)
Nicolas Roy, Chicoutimi, C (#29)
Nicolas Meloche, Baie-Comeau, D(#31)
Nathan Noel, Saint John (#32), C
Thomas Chabot, Saint John, D (#42)
Yakov Trenin, Gatineau, LW (#43)
Guillaume Brisebois, Acadie-Bathurst, D (#44)
Alexandre Carrier, Gatineau, D (#60)

WHL:

Matthew Barzal, Seattle, C (#6)
Nick Merkley, Kelowna, RW (#10)
Ivan Provorov, Brandon, D (#22)
Jansen Harkins, Prince George, C (#23)
Ryan Pilon, Brandon, D (#30)
Paul Bittner, Portland, LW (#33)
Adam Musil, Red Deer, C (#35)
Ryan Gropp, Seattle, LW (#36)
Jake DeBrusk, Swift Current, LW (#37)
Brandon Carlo, Tri-City, D (#39)
Noah Juulsen, Everett, D (#52)
Ethan Bear, Seattle, D (#58)

United States (NCAA, USHL, NTDP):

Jack Eichel, Boston University, C (#2)
Noah Hanifin, Boston College, D (#3)
Kyle Connor, Youngstown, C (#9)
Zach Werenski, Michigan, D (#13)
Colin White, NTDP, C (#14)
Brock Boeser, Waterloo, C (#20)
Jeremy Bracco, NTDP, RW (#21)
Jordan Greenway, NTDP, LW (#25)
Tom Novak, Waterloo, C (#34)
Christian Fischer, NTDP, C (#38)
Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson, Omaha, C (#51)

Sweden (SHL, Swe. Jr.):

Oliver Kylington, Farjestad, D (#8)
Jacob Larsson, Frolunda Jr., D (#40)
Filip Ahl, HV71 Jr., RW (#47)
Gabriel Carlsson, Linkoping Jr., D (#50)
Jesper Lindgren, Modo Jr., D (#59)

Finland:

Mikko Rantanen, TPS Turku, RW (#18)
Julius Nattinen, JYP, C (#49)

Czech Republic:

Michael Spacek, HC Pardubice, RW(#55)

Slovakia:

Erik Cernak, Kosice, D (#56)

Dennis Yan – McKeen's Hockey

MCKEEN’S 2020 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING – ORGANIZATIONAL RANK: 17

Tampa Bay Lightning

Cole Koepke, LW (183^rd overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: UR)

Samuel Walker, C (200^th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 5)

Hugo Alnefelt, G (71^st overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 8)

Alexander Volkov, RW (48^th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 3)

Dmitri Semykin, D (90^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 17)

Cal Foote, D (14^th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 1)

Alex Barre-Boulet, C (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Mar. 1, 2018. 2019 Rank: 9)

Taylor Raddysh, RW (58^th overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: 7)

Gabriel Fortier, C/RW (59^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 10)

Maxim Cajkovic, RW (89^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 11)

Ross Colton, LW (118^th overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: UR)

Alex Green, D (121^st overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: UR)

Dennis Yan, LW (64^th overall, 2015. 2019 Rank: UR)

Dominik Masin, D (35^th overall, 2014. 2019 Rank: 13)

Boris Katchouk, LW (44^th overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: 6)

Tampa Bay Lightning Prospect System Overview

Tampa Bay – System Overview

2015 NHL Draft Guide – A draft to remember for QMJHL

Wheeler’s Final Top 60 Prospects for the 2015 NHL Draft by League

2015 NHL Draft – McKeen’s Top 120 Rankings

2015 NHL Draft – Top 20 QMJHL Prospects

Wheeler’s Top 60 Prospects for the 2015 NHL Draft by League (February)

McKeen’s 2015 NHL Top 75 Draft Rankings (Jan-2015)

Wheeler’s Top 60 Prospects for the 2015 NHL Draft by League (November)

Dennis Yan – McKeen's Hockey

MCKEEN’S 2020 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING – ORGANIZATIONAL RANK: 17

Tampa Bay Lightning

Cole Koepke, LW (183rd overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: UR)

Samuel Walker, C (200th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 5)

Hugo Alnefelt, G (71st overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 8)

Alexander Volkov, RW (48th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 3)

Dmitri Semykin, D (90th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 17)

Cal Foote, D (14th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 1)

Alex Barre-Boulet, C (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Mar. 1, 2018. 2019 Rank: 9)

Taylor Raddysh, RW (58th overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: 7)

Gabriel Fortier, C/RW (59th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 10)

Maxim Cajkovic, RW (89th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 11)

Ross Colton, LW (118th overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: UR)

Alex Green, D (121st overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: UR)

Dennis Yan, LW (64th overall, 2015. 2019 Rank: UR)

Dominik Masin, D (35th overall, 2014. 2019 Rank: 13)

Boris Katchouk, LW (44th overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: 6)

Tampa Bay Lightning Prospect System Overview

Tampa Bay – System Overview

2015 NHL Draft Guide – A draft to remember for QMJHL

Wheeler’s Final Top 60 Prospects for the 2015 NHL Draft by League

2015 NHL Draft – McKeen’s Top 120 Rankings

2015 NHL Draft – Top 20 QMJHL Prospects

Wheeler’s Top 60 Prospects for the 2015 NHL Draft by League (February)

McKeen’s 2015 NHL Top 75 Draft Rankings (Jan-2015)

Wheeler’s Top 60 Prospects for the 2015 NHL Draft by League (November)

Cole Koepke, LW (183^rd overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: UR)

Samuel Walker, C (200^th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 5)

Hugo Alnefelt, G (71^st overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 8)

Alexander Volkov, RW (48^th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 3)

Dmitri Semykin, D (90^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 17)

Cal Foote, D (14^th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 1)

Taylor Raddysh, RW (58^th overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: 7)

Gabriel Fortier, C/RW (59^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 10)

Maxim Cajkovic, RW (89^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 11)

Ross Colton, LW (118^th overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: UR)

Alex Green, D (121^st overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: UR)

Dennis Yan, LW (64^th overall, 2015. 2019 Rank: UR)

Dominik Masin, D (35^th overall, 2014. 2019 Rank: 13)

Boris Katchouk, LW (44^th overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: 6)