Dysin Mayo – McKeen's Hockey

CULLEN: 20 FANTASY POINTS – First line opportunities have popped up for Anthony Mantha, Phil Kessel, Rickard Rakell and more

Scott Cullen — Sat, 01 Oct 2022 13:09:41 +0000

20 FANTASY POINTS

Each week I dive into the numbers and offer some insights that should help when it comes time to make fantasy hockey decisions.

In the first 20 Fantasy Points of the season, first line opportunities have popped up for Anthony Mantha, Phil Kessel, Rickard Rakell and more. Here are players to keep an eye on as the new season approaches.

BOSTON, MA - MAY 21: Washington Capitals left wing Anthony Mantha (39) gains the blue line on the power play during Game 4 of the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs First Round between the Boston Bruins and the Washington Capitals on May 21, 2021, at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire)

#1 A rare combination of size and skill, Washington Capitals right winger Anthony Mantha is potentially looking at the opportunity to play on the first line with Alex Ovechkin and Evgeny Kuznetsov, at least while Tom Wilson remains out of action as he recovers from a torn ACL. Mantha had his own trouble last season, limited to 37 games by shoulder surgery, he produced 23 points in 37 games, playing 15:10 per game, which was his lowest average time on ice since a 10-game stint with Detroit in 2015-2016, his first action in the NHL. A healthy Mantha, with a prime opportunity could score 20-plus goals for the first time since the 2018-2019 season.

#2 He will be 35 by the time the puck drops on the new season, and he scored just eight goals last season, but Phil Kessel is looking at an excellent opportunity with the Vegas Golden Knights. Kessel could find himself skating with Jack Eichel on Vegas’ top line and that brings significantly higher upside than what he experienced in Arizona last season, when his most common linemates were Lawson Crouse Travis Boyd, Johan Larsson, and Alex Galchenyuk.

#3 Acquired by the Pittsburgh Penguins from the Anaheim Ducks last season, Rickard Rakell contributed 13 points and 48 shots on goal in 19 games for the Penguins. While Rakell moved around the Pittsburgh lineup, he had great success playing with Sidney Crosby, controlling 58.9% of the 5v5 shot attempts and 61.9% of the expected goals, outscoring the opposition 11-1 in the 98 minutes that they played together. If Rakell starts the season with Crosby and Jake Guentzel on the Penguins’ top line, it is a fantastic opportunity for the 29-year-old winger who has consistently been able to generate shots, with inconsistent finishing results.

#4 San Jose Sharks winger Kevin Labanc had just six points in 21 games last season before shoulder surgery ended his campaign. However, he is healthy now and not only is he looking at a return to a scoring role with the Sharks, but Labanc will have first crack on San Jose’s top power play unit. He has struggled since producing a career-high 56 points in 82 games during the 2018-2019 season, but Labanc has the talent to be a productive player and it appears that he will have the opportunity.

#5 After a one-year hiatus in Czechia, 36-year-old David Krejci returns to Boston and it’s important to note just how well Krejci fit alongside Taylor Hall. At the end of the 2020-2021 season, after Hall was acquired from Buffalo, the duo played 193 minutes together and controlled 65.7% of 5v5 shot attempts and 67.1% of expected goals, outscoring opponents 14-1. A full season together should bring positive results for Krejci and Hall.

#6 Yanni Gourde scored 48 points in 74 games in his first season with the Seattle Kraken, playing a career-high 18:29 per game, but he also returned early from shoulder surgery, missing a couple of weeks when it was expected that he would miss the first two months of the season. With Seattle improving its forward depth in the offseason, Gourde should have stronger linemates, giving him a shot at better production in his second season for the Kraken.

#7 When Kailer Yamamoto skated on Connor McDavid’s wing last season, they controlled 54.2% of the 5v5 score-and-venue-adjusted shot attempts and 57.9% of the expected goals. If Yamamoto can secure that right wing spot, beside McDavid and Evander Kane, there will be ample opportunity for Yamamoto to build on his career-high 41-point season. The next step for Yamamoto involves taking more shots, as he has averaged 1.41 shots on goal per game in his career, not enough to sustain higher offensive production over a long period.

#8 Even though he played just 11:32 per game as a rookie last season, Nashville Predators right winger Philip Tomasino contributed 32 points, including nine on the power play. There may be an opening in Nashville’s top six and if it goes to Tomasino, his ice time should get a significant boost. He is a skilled playmaker but struggled in the brief moments that he moved up the depth chart to play with centers Ryan Johansen or Mikael Granlund as a rookie. In his second season, Tomasino should be expected to elevate his game.

#9 The departure of Nazem Kadri from Colorado could open up the second line center spot for Alex Newhook, the second-year pivot who produced 33 points in 71 games as a rookie last season. The Avalanche also have J.T. Compher and Evan Rodrigues available for that spot, but Newhook should have the higher ceiling, which ought to make him the better fit. Like Yamamoto and Tomasino, Newhook could stand to shoot the puck more frequently. He averaged 1.59 shots on goal per game last season.

#10 A 26-year-old winger who put up 53 points in 45 KHL games for SKA St. Petersburg last season, Andrei Kuzmenko is an NHL-ready winger who is looking at a good chance to produce right away for the Vancouver Canucks. Even though the Canucks have improved their forward depth, Kuzmenko should still have a spot in the top six and with the talent supporting him in Vancouver’s lineup, Kuzmenko could be a sleeper candidate for the Calder Trophy.

#11 This season looks like it will be difficult for the Philadelphia Flyers, and Sean Couturier’s continuing health problems only make it more difficult, but while Couturier is out to start the season, there is yet another chance for 23-year-old Morgan Frost to establish his place in the Flyers lineup. He has 23 points in 77 games over the past three seasons, but if Frost could take advantage of an early opening, he might be able to stick in the lineup full time.

#12 Boston will be starting the season with some major absences due to injury, including defensemen Charlie McAvoy and Matt Grzelcyk, which could leave Hampus Lindholm a role on the Bruins power play. The Bruins also might run five forwards on their top power play unit, but if Lindholm gets a shot on the power play, that would upgrade his offensive contribution. Earlier in his career, he had 15 power play points in 2015-2016, but has been in single digits with the man advantage ever since.

#13 For leagues that do not count plus-minus but value hits and blocked shots, Arizona Coyotes defenseman Dysin Mayo might be worth a late-round look. Mayo played almost 21 minutes per game as a rookie last season and while he produced a modest 12 points in 67 games, he recorded 133 blocked shots and 129 hits. On a Coyotes team that will not have the puck very often, Mayo should be served up many opportunities to record more hits and blocked shots.

#14 A 27-year-old who has started a total of 24 NHL games, Eric Comrie is looking at a much bigger workload with the Buffalo Sabres this season. While the Sabres have some goaltending prospects on the way, it looks like Comrie will be sharing the net with 41-year-old Craig Anderson, and that should mean plenty of reps for Comrie. Although the Sabres are probably not going to be a playoff team this season, they should continue to improve and, after posting a .920 save percentage in 19 games for Winnipeg last season, Comrie has a chance to be fantasy relevant (at least in deeper leagues) with more games coming this season.

#15 The Edmonton Oilers paid a lot of money to lure Jack Campbell to be their starting goaltender, so this is not some suggestion that will not be the case, but when looking at backup goaltenders, keep Stuart Skinner in your sights. The 23-year-old had a .913 save percentage in 13 games for the Oilers last season and Campbell does not have a track record of handling a heavy NHL workload, playing a career-high 49 games last season. If Campbell gets injured or slumps, Skinner could step in and provide immediate value playing behind a strong Oilers squad.

#16 The St. Louis Blues have a lot of veteran forwards, and yet 20-year-old Jake Neighbours still could find his way into a top six role. He had two points in nine games for the Blues last season before getting sent back to the Western Hockey League, where he scored 45 points in 30 games for the Edmonton Oil Kings. Neighbours is further down the list of potential Calder Trophy candidates, but if he sticks in a top-six role with the Blues, that is the kind of situation that would allow him to produce enough to contend for the award.

#17 Returning to the NHL after scoring 94 points in 93 games in Switzerland over the past two seasons, Denis Malgin has a chance to not only secure a spot with the Toronto Maple Leafs, but potentially even in a scoring role. He has managed 60 points in 192 career NHL games, playing mostly in a depth role, so there is no rush to grab Malgin off the waiver wire, but it is worth monitoring what his role could be on a high-scoring team.

#18 There will be precious little to get excited about in Chicago this season, but there may be some deep league value for players that will get overlooked. The Blackhawks acquired Taylor Raddysh from the Tampa Bay Lightning as part of the Brandon Hagel trade last season and Raddysh produced 10 points and 43 shots on goal in 21 games for Chicago. With such a lacklustre lineup, Raddysh has the opportunity to play in a scoring role and on the first unit power play, which might be enough to give him some fringe fantasy value.

#19 26-year-old New York Rangers winger Sammy Blais missed most of last season after tearing his ACL. That limited him to just four points in 14 games and while scoring is never top of mind when it comes to Blais’ contributions, he had 28 points in 76 games while playing a limited role for St. Louis in the previous two seasons. There might be an opportunity on Broadway for Blais, that if the Rangers are looking for someone to fill the right-wing spot on the top line with Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad, Blais might get a shot in that role. If he sticks, that should elevate his offensive production to go with hit totals (403 in 133 career games) that make him a worthy contender for a spot in banger leagues.

#20 When the Seattle Kraken upgraded their forward group in the offseason, it looked like it might squeeze Ryan Donato out of a spot. The 26-year-old winger ultimately re-signed later in the summer. Coming off a season in which he tallied a career-high 16 goals and 31 points, Donato is worth tracking because he has been able to generate shots at a good rate while playing in a depth role, and if he manages to find a spot with better talent in Seattle, he probably has some untapped offensive potential.

*Advanced stats via Natural Stat Trick.

MCKEEN’S 2022-23 NHL YEARBOOK – ARIZONA COYOTES – NHL Player Profiles

Scott Cullen - Forwards and Defense, Catherine Silverman - Goaltending — Thu, 15 Sep 2022 20:48:55 +0000

FORWARDS

SAN JOSE, CA - May 8: Arizona Coyotes right wing Clayton Keller (9) carries the puck during the San Jose Sharks game versus the Arizona Coyotes on May 8, 2021, at SAP Center at San Jose in San Jose, CA. (Photo by Matt Cohen/Icon Sportswire)

Clayton Keller

Although the 24-year-old winger suffered a broken leg that ended his season prematurely, Keller recorded 63 points, including a career high 28 goals, in 67 games. Keller is a slick and confident playmaker who operates with a lot of confidence when he has the puck. After scoring 65 points as a rookie in 2017-2018, Keller’s production was uneven for the next three seasons before rounding into form last season. From January 15 through March 19, Keller tallied 31 points in 22 games, remarkable production for a team that was consistently getting outshot and outscored last season. That situation figures to repeat itself, and maybe to an even greater degree, so Keller faces the challenge of trying to produce offensively even though it is unlikely to have a material effect on the team’s results. A lack of supporting cast talent could make for a challenging season, but Keller ought to find a way to generate 60 points to lead the Coyotes’ attack.

Nick Schmaltz

The 26-year-old playmaking forward has shown flashes of high-end setup skill and that includes a stretch from the beginning of March through nearly mid-April when he scored 27 points in 20 games, on his way to a career high 59 points in 63 games last season. The Coyotes have consistently had better results with Schmaltz on the ice in the past three seasons but that is as much a reflection of the team’s lack of quality depth as it is an accomplishment of Schmaltz’s. Even so, for a Coyotes team that sorely lacks dynamic offensive players, Schmaltz and Keller are a couple that offer some small reason for optimism. If Schmaltz could put up 55-60 points that would have to be considered a success under the circumstances.

Lawson Crouse

While he might not live up to some of the hype leading up to the 2015 Draft, Crouse has turned into a solid pro winger. He scored a career-high 20 goals and 34 points in 65 games last season, and he has recorded more than 2.5 hits per game in each of the past four seasons. A 6-foot-4 winger who has the size to play a physical game, Crouse moves well and plays a sound defensive game, which makes him a valuable contributor, though one that can get overlooked when he is on a team that is getting buried in the standings. If Crouse puts up 30 points and 200 hits, that will still offer deeper league value in leagues that reward physical play.

Travis Boyd

After bouncing around as an over-qualified fourth liner for several teams, the 28-year-old pivot secured a regular role for the Coyotes and produced a career-high 17 goals and 35 points. While Boyd was always more skilled than a typical fourth liner, he is also not necessarily equipped to play a prime scoring role in the NHL either. Given the Coyotes’ lack of established talent down the middle of the ice, though, Boyd is likely to play a significant role for the team in 2022-2023. If that means that he could duplicate last season’s production, 35 points, that’s a fair baseline for expectations. Boyd might be able to score more if he is a first-or-second line center but it’s hard to bank on that considering that last season was the first time he ever had that kind of role for a full season in the NHL. The path to more points for Boyd is on the power play. Of his 35 points last season, 31 came at even strength, the same number of even-strength points as Teuvo Teravainen, David Perron, and Tim Stutzle, believe it or not.

Nick Ritchie

After washing out with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Ritchie responded well to his move to the desert, scoring 10 goals in 24 games for the Coyotes. When he is on his game, Ritchie is a 6-foot-2, 230-pound winger who can have a physical impact, especially as a forechecker, but also as a complementary scorer. He does not create the chances on his own but is capable of finishing if linemates can transport the puck into the offensive zone. In the past two seasons, Ritchie has scored 27 goals in 113 games and last season was the third time in his career that Ritchie was credited with more than 150 hits. He might be looking at a bigger role with the Coyotes, mostly due to Arizona’s lack of legitimate NHL talent, but he has also had trouble playing a full schedule of games, missing at least 20 games in three of his past four seasons. That puts a limit on his upside, so Ritchie could contribute 25-30 points with big hit totals, which makes him not quite as valuable as Crouse.

Barrett Hayton

The fifth pick in the 2018 Draft, Hayton has struggled to get a foothold in the National Hockey League, but the 22-year-old did produce a career high 24 points in 60 games last season and, maybe more importantly, provided sound defensive play, which is not to be taken for granted from such a young player. The rebuilding Coyotes should have plans to play Hayton in a big role this season, in the hopes that his defensive play remains strong and, ideally, he could add more to his offensive repertoire. In addition to having difficulty producing in the NHL, Hayton has 16 points in 36 AHL games, so it’s fair to wonder if he is going to score like he did in his last season of junior, when he tallied 66 points in 39 games and looked like he would reward the Coyotes for taking a chance on him with such an early pick. On this team, opportunity should be screaming out for Hayton to step into a scoring role. Contributing 30 points for the first time would be a good starting point but there is more upside for Hayton depending on his role.

Nick Bjugstad

A towering 6-foot-6 forward who plays more on the wing at this stage of his career, Bjugstad contributed a modest 13 points in 57 games for the Minnesota Wild last season, but his overall contributions were solid enough in a fourth-line role. There was a time that it looked like Bjugstad could turn into something more – he scored 49 points in 2017-2018 – but it didn’t stick and was traded after a slow start the following season. He creates just enough offensively and is serviceable enough defensively to fill a role in the NHL but there is little upside to be found in a 30-year-old who has missed at least a dozen games in six of his past seven seasons. Taking his health into consideration, it would be asking a lot for Bjugstad to produce more than 20 points.

Zack Kassian

A 31-year-old winger who was acquired in a salary dump from the Edmonton Oilers, Kassian does have a pair of 15-goal seasons to his credit and can be a useful depth forward who bangs bodies and causes havoc on the forecheck. Trouble is, Kassian’s performance tends to come and go and when he is not asserting himself physically, he does not bring enough to the table otherwise. He should get an opportunity to play a decent role for the Coyotes, but without the potential superstar boost that he would get at times in Edmonton when he would land on Connor McDavid’s wing. Kassian has missed more than 60 games over the past three seasons, so he is probably going to miss games this season, too. If he ends up with 20 points and 150 hits, that will meet expectations.

Christian Fischer

Since scoring 33 points as a rookie in 2017-2018, the 25-year-old winger has just seen his production fade away, and he managed just 10 points in 53 games for the Coyotes last season. He will play the body, especially when forechecking, but the lack of production really has him hanging on the edge of the NHL at this point in his career. This season could be a last gasp for him as he tries to hold onto his NHL career. As such, it is hard to project him into any kind of scoring role. He has 30 points in 161 games across the past three seasons so double-digit points is a modest, but deserved, expectation.

DEFENSE

Jakob Chychrun

A 24-year-old defenseman who has played more than 23 minutes per game for the past two seasons, Chychrun had a career season in 2020-2021, scoring 18 goals and 41 points in 56 games, on his way to finishing 10^th in Norris Trophy voting. The percentages flipped on him last season however, and instead of scoring on 10.2% of his shots, he scored on 5.0% of his shots, finishing with seven goals and 21 points in 47 games. Chychrun has generated more than three shots per game in the past two seasons, one of three defensemen to hit that threshold – Roman Josie and Dougie Hamilton are the others – and Chychrun is more active as a shooter rather than a playmaker, which might not be an ideal path to generating offense from the blueline. He has landed in trade rumors recently and would presumably bring a significant haul of assets as a top-pair defenseman in his prime on a team-friendly contract. Depending on his health, Chychrun could score 15 goals and 40 points. If he gets traded to a better team, which is virtually guaranteed, there would potentially be an opportunity for more assists and therefore a higher ceiling on his point totals.

Shayne Gostisbehere

After falling out of favor in Philadelphia, to the point that he was a healthy scratch, Gostisbehere showed that he is still a very capable NHL defenseman. The 29-year-old scored 14 goals and 51 points for the Coyotes last season, resurrecting his NHL career with the second highest goal and point totals of his career. While Gostisbehere is not the most rugged player and does come with some defensive deficiencies, his ability to skate, jump into the attack, and distribute the puck surely outweighs the negative impacts related to the things that he does not do well. Gostisbehere is likely to play a major role for the Coyotes this season, at least until he gets traded before the deadline. It would be impressive if he could match his production from last season, but even 40-45 points would still be a strong season for the veteran blueliner.

Troy Stecher

An undersized right-shot defenseman, Stecher brings tenacity to the game and has more puck skills than might be expected from a player who had just three points in 29 games for the Red Wings and Kings last season. Stecher has good mobility, battles hard for loose pucks, and should be an asset to the Coyotes defense corps, though an asset that is not likely to score a ton of points, something in the mid-teens is reasonable. From Stecher’s perspective, this should be an opportunity to re-establish his credentials as an NHL defenseman.

Dysin Mayo

A 25-year-old who was a rookie last season, Mayo burst onto the scene and played nearly 21 minutes per game for the Coyotes. However, his results were mostly miserable, with Arizona getting outshot and outscored by large margins with Mayo on the ice. There were 213 defensemen that played at least 500 5-on-5 minutes last season and Mayo ranked dead last from that group when it came to his on-ice expected goals percentage of 38.6% and his on-ice Corsi of 39.6%. Say this for him, Mayo is active as he was one of 20 defensemen to record at least 125 hits and 125 blocked shots last season. If he scores 15-20 points but provides value in those peripheral categories, he might have some appeal in the deepest of fantasy leagues. Whether that translates to value for the Coyotes is still to be determined.

GOALTENDING

Karel Vejmelka

Few goaltenders surprised viewers more last season than Czech prospect Karel Vejmelka, who arrived with the Arizona Coyotes as a first year North American goaltender and took on a surprise role as the team’s starter with zero complaint. He struggled to perform up to league-average standards, but he did better than most goaltenders likely would have behind a stripped-down rebuilding club in a year where they likely would have been better suited to a season of adjustment in the AHL; he picked up on shot timing and communication with his teammates well enough to hold his own in a surprising number of games, and strung together some truly surprising stretches by failing to fall into slumps when the team deployed him in clear no-win situations.

The biggest learning curve that Vejmelka seemed to face came down to his depth management and decision-making on when to challenge shots outside the blue paint and when to remain more patient and wait out his opponents; he went through a fairly extensive amount of trial and error trying to suss out the best balance of his natural high-speed game based on rhythms and reactions and a more controlled game based on positioning and tracking. His performance for the Czech Republic at the World Championships in May, though, offered Coyotes fans some promising data to parse through; while he then struggled with opening his game play back up and utilizing the more open-ice format the the World Championships offered, he showcased some real improvements behind the higher-end defensive structure of his country’s best players. And to Arizona’s credit, they seemed willing to let Vejmelka make his mistakes and learn as he went along; if they’re able to keep that mentality into the new season, he should remain a reliable and fun option, if not one that fans can bank on statistically outclassing his opponents every night.

Projected starts: 40-45

Jon Gillies

It’s honestly a little hard to figure out just what Arizona is trying to do here by adding Jon Gillies as their number two; while they’re far from the only team that made a seemingly inexplicable choice with the tandem they’re heading into the season boasting (looking directly at Chicago as their direct competitor in the Disastrous Goaltending Tandem Sweepstakes), they seem to be the team that can least afford to lose fan interest in the process.

Gillies comes to Arizona as a goaltender who seems unlikely to offer services as anything more than a stopgap to someone else; he has just 32 career NHL games to his name, and he has a whopping three-year gap between appearances in the league. At nearly 29-years old, he’s no longer considered a prospect that may just have bloomed late; at this point, he’s an AHL tweener who likely serves less to give Arizona a goaltender for their future and more to help them keep their rebuild on track. What he has going for him, though – and what should help Arizona regardless of the performance he puts up – is that he’s more likely to stay healthy through the year than a number of the other journeymen that were available on the market this summer. The team was burned last year by the long-term injury sustained by free agent signee Carter Hutton early on in the season, which left them forced to rush some of their younger goaltenders to the NHL during a year that was designed to help them draft well and rebuild their core. The addition of a younger stopgap who hasn’t started to show the signs of wear and tear that could leave them forced to throw their prospects to the wolves means that they’ll be better equipped to truly allow their young players to grow and develop at the minor league level, which gives them a better chance of success a few years down the line.

Projected starts: 30-35

Youngblood: 2014 Memorial Cup – Prospects to Watch

Brendan Ross — Wed, 14 May 2014 14:58:07 +0000

We are mere hours away from the puck dropping on the 2014 Mastercard Memorial Cup and the City of London is gearing up to welcome one of the most competitive fields in recent years.

Returning for their third straight Memorial Cup appearance are the tournament hosts, London Knights, after the injury-riddled squad was bounced in the second round of the OHL playoffs by the eventual OHL Champions, Guelph Storm. Joining the Guelph Storm and London Knights are the Champs of the WHL in the Edmonton Oil Kings, and QMJHL victors, Val d’Or Foreurs, both freshly off game seven wins that punched their ticket to the illustrious major junior competition.

The past three Memorial Cups have been hoisted by the QMJHL representatives after Saint John Sea Dogs (2011), Shawinigan Cataractes (2012) and Halifax Mooseheads (2013) each tasted victory.

The Edmonton Oil Kings are looking for their first Memorial Cup Championship since 1966 when they captured it as members of the Central Alberta Hockey League.

Quebec’s Val d’Or Foreurs have participated in the Memorial Cup twice (1998 and 2001) but have yet to walk away victors, coming close in 2001 when the Foreurs lost to the Red Deer Rebels in the finals.

The Knights will be participating in their fourth Memorial Cup event and the team is hoping for similar results as when they last hosted in 2005, the year the Knights skated away as Memorial Cup Champions.

With four previous attempts at winning the Memorial Cup, the Guelph Storm are rolling into their fifth tournament red hot looking to take home the 95-year-old hardware.

Regardless of which team skates off Budweiser Gardens’ ice as Champions, the 2014 Mastercard Memorial Cup is loaded with talented major junior players looking to take the next step in their development. As the electric atmosphere takes over London, Ontario, here are several players to watch throughout the tournament.

Edmonton Oil Kings

Curtis Lazar (Senators – 2013, 17^th overall) Arguably the best leader in major junior, Lazar will eat up a ton of minutes, taking important faceoffs and seeing top line offensive minutes along the way.

Tristan Jarry (Penguins – 2013, 44^th overall) Jarry’s 2.19 GAA and .925 save percentage are impressive stat lines but his ability to make the clutch save behind a strong defense core allows the Oil Kings the opportunity to play a stifling defensive game.

Griffin Reinhart (NY Islanders – 2012, 4^th overall) He’s got great draft pedigree and has slowly progressed with each passing game to become a suffocating shutdown defenseman, utilizing his large wingspan and strength against top WHLers.

Henrik Samuelsson(Coyotes – 2012, 27^th overall) Playing a gritty-in-your-face style of puck that would make his father Ulf proud, Henrik has balanced his aggressive attack and skilled offensive bursts well. Led the Oil Kings in playoff scoring with 23 points over 21 games.

Mitch Moroz (Oilers – 2012, 32^nd overall) Not the prettiest skater or the most refined skilled player, Mitch Moroz’ offers a nice blend of size and soft touch around the net to create room and offensive chances. His size could prove to be an asset against some larger Guelph Storm players when the two teams face off Saturday afternoon.

Brett Pollock(2014 NHL Draft) Industrious and versatile, Brett Pollock forced his way up a veteran laden Oil Kings’ depth chart to find a home in the top six, posting near point-per-game numbers during Edmonton’s WHL Championship run.

Dysin Mayo (2014 NHL Draft) An emerging offensive defenseman, Dysin Mayo has earned the trust of Head Coach Derek Laxdal and his game-changing rushes are only improving his draft stock.

Aaron Irving (2014 NHL Draft) Edmonton’s 9^th overall 2011 selection, Aaron Irving is one of the defensive pillars on the Oil Kings’ blue line who has made life hell for intruding forwards with his physicality and nastiness.

Cody Corbett (Signed by Avalanche, 2014) The third year defenseman played his way to a contract with Colorado after posting 61 points in 65 games from the blueline.

Mads Eller and Ashton Sautner (Re-entries for 2014 NHL Draft) – Two mobile skaters, forward Mads Eller (younger brother of Canadiens’ Lars Eller) and defenseman Ashton Sautner use their speed and edge work to force opponents into uncomfortable positions.

Val d’Or Foreurs

Anthony Mantha (Red Wings – 2013, 20^th overall) Big time sniper brings his 81 combined regular season and playoff goals, the most by any CHLer, to Bud Gardens for all to witness. He will be the focus of defences as the tournament’s most natural goal scorer. It is hard to believe that Detroit traded down to acquire this stud prospect.

Ryan Graves (NY Rangers – 2013, 110^thoverall) Brought over from Charlottetown in trade to boost their blue line, Graves has provided a stabilizing presence using his size and strength to contain opposing team’s top forwards.

Antoine Bibeau (Maple Leafs – 2013, 172^nd overall) Selected in his second attempt at the NHL Draft, it appears the selection of Antoine Bibeau has been a shrewd move after the big goaltender earned QMJHL Playoff MVP honours.

Nicolas Aubé-Kubel (2014 NHL Draft) Taken 7^th overall by Val d’Or in 2012, Aubé-Kubel’s offensive emergence has provided the team with secondary scoring and this skilled responsible forward looks to use the Memorial Cup as one final showing before heading to Philadelphia for the draft.

Louick Marcotte(Re-entry for 2014 NHL Draft) Fourth year forward, Marcotte, nearly doubled his production playing on the Foreurs’ top line and his 42 goals and 100 points may be enough to draw interest at the draft.

Guillaume Gélinas (Undrafted) Undersized overager who dominated every offensive category by a defenseman in both regular season (67GP-23G-92P) and playoffs (24GP-11G-34P) is also playing for a professional contract.

Anthony Richard (2015 NHL Draft) Diminutive speedy centerman with a case of danglitis experienced a breakout sophomore campaign after being selected 16^th overall at the 2012 QMJHL Draft.

Julien Gauthier (2016 NHL Draft) Selected 6^th overall, rookie Julien Gauthier is a budding power forward to watch heading towards the 2016 NHL Draft as he learns how to use his size and strong shot to take over the offensive zone.

Guelph Storm

Kerby Rychel (Blue Jackets – 2013, 19^th overall) Windsor GM Warren Rychel traded his own son, along with LA Kings’ prospect Nick Ebert, at the deadline to Guelph. The Storm may be forever in debt with Windsor after Kerby buried the tying goal and game winner to clinch the OHL Championship.

Zack Mitchell (Signed by Wild, 2014) The Guelph Storm journeyman has bled maroon and grey in his five years of service and after being rewarded with an NHL contract back in March, Mitchell is keen on capping off his OHL career with a Memorial Cup Championship.

Scott Kosmachuk(Jets – 2012, 70^th overall) Among the OHL playoff scoring leaders, Kosmachuk was one of only three players to clear the century mark in points during the regular season and is called upon when the team needs a goal or a big hit.

Brock McGinn (Hurricanes – 2012, 47^th overall) After returning from an eight game suspension, Brock McGinn scored points in all but two playoff games while playing his usual irritating brand of hockey.

Jason Dickinson (Stars – 2013, 29^th overall) Drafted in the opening round in 2013 as a unfinished lanky prospect, the third year Dickinson has really came into his own learning how to use his size as a skilled power forward. Dickinson is one of five Storm players who recorded over a point-per-game in the post-season.

Matt Finn (Maple Leafs – 2012, 35^th overall) Awarded the Mickey Renaud Trophy as the league’s most dedicated and passionate captain on and off the ice, Matt Finn is a true leader and a stabilizing presence on the blue line.

Tyler Bertuzzi (Red Wings – 2013, 58^th overall) Ironically, the Red Wings traded down at the 2013 draft to select Anthony Mantha and received the 58^th pick as a result. That pick was used to select agitating forward Tyler Bertuzzi. Now, Foreurs’ Mantha and Storm’s Bertuzzi will be competing, at all costs, to take home the Memorial Cup. Mark it, Bertuzzi will be a thorn in the side of opposing defenses.

Nick Ebert (Kings – 2012, 211^th overall) Nick Ebert wasn’t the centrepiece of the trade that brought Kerby Rychel to Guelph but he’s been, arguably, the most crucial piece. Leading the team in playoff scoring from the backend, Ebert elevated his game as a member of the Storm.

Zac Leslie (Kings – 2013, 178^th overall) Drafted into the Ontario league in the middle rounds from the Ottawa Jr. 67’s, Leslie has improved on his production with each passing season giving the Storm depth on the blueline and a dangerous powerplay option.

Ben Harpur (Senators – 2013, 108^th overall) The towering 6-foot-6 blue liner will wreak havoc on attacking forwards as he wields his active stick and staples trespassers to the boards.

Robby Fabbri (2014 NHL Draft) No player has experienced a larger potential draft rise than Robby Fabbri, who is coming off OHL Playoff MVP Honours. The undersized yet competitive and skilled forward refuses to lose and his draft rise is reminiscent of former Kitchener Rangers’ forward Jeff Skinner after his 2010 standout playoff performance.

Phil Baltisberger (2014 NHL Draft) Another player exceeding expectations in his draft year, Swiss import Phil Baltisberger displays a strong two-way game with an ability to push the pace with his smooth skating stride. Eats up big minutes on the blue line.

Justin Nichols (Undrafted)and Matt Mancini (2014 NHL Draft) Acquired from Sault Ste Marie prior to the season, Justin Nichols’ game hasn’t been perfect every night but this undersized goaltender has had some of the most electrifying performances in the league. He’s getting noticed just as his understudy, Matt Mancini, is. Mancini is a highly touted young goaltender who continues to learn the intricacies of the game

London Knights

Max Domi (Coyotes – 2013, 12^th overall) Coming off a disappointing post-draft season, albeit by Domi’s standards, the Knights’ leading scorer was medically cleared to play after injuring his shoulder in the post-season. Look for the refreshed Domi to put on an offensive clinic as London attempts to prove their team is deserving of the Memorial Cup host spot.

Bo Horvat (Canucks – 2013, 9^th overall) The astute two-way forward with underrated offensive skills may be playing in his final OHL season and would love to add the elusive Memorial Cup title to his resume. With a history of scoring big goals, Horvat will be leaned upon in every possible situation.

Chris Tierney(Sharks – 2012, 55^th overall) Living up to his 2^nd round NHL Draft status after many questioned San Jose’s thought process, Chris Tierney went on an absolute tear during the playoffs ringing off 17 points in just nine games attempting to single-handedly advance the Knights.

Josh Anderson (Blue Jackets – 2012, 95^th overall) Anderson is a big bodied winger who won’t always fill up the game sheet but his heavy, physical approach and strong cycle game could tire out opposing defenses in a long intense tournament.

Ryan Rupert (Maple Leafs – 2012, 157^th overall) A skilled agitator in every sense of the word, Ryan Rupert, along with twin brother Matt (Undrafted), provide the Knights with outstanding depth as they make an impact by crawling under opponents’ skin or by crashing the net for a goal. The home fans will enjoy them but the road teams certainly will not.

Gemel Smith (Stars – 2012, 104^th overall) A true sniper who relies on his shot and blazing speed, Gemel Smith has had an okay transition to the Knights after coming aboard mid-season but he’s eager to pick up where he left off after a better OHL playoffs (12 points in nine games).

Michael McCarron (Canadiens – 2013, 25^th overall) The big power forward experienced a rather slow transition to OHL life but Michael McCarron has stepped up his game over the final few months showing the skill set that gave Montreal reason to draft him in the first round.

Mitch Marner (2015 NHL Draft) In a similar mold as Guelph’s Robby Fabbri, Marner is a sneaky player who makes an impact on every shift. No player does more with limited playing minutes as Marner and his ability to dance around defenders and find open teammates is only one reason he’s considered a top 2015 NHL Draft prospect. He’s been London’s best player, as a rookie, on most nights.

Christian Dvorak(2014 NHL Draft) One of several Knights returning from the infirmary, Dvorak is hoping to suit up for the first time since December 14^th when he injured his knee. His draft season viewings were limited but positive before being sidelined.

Nikita Zadorov (Sabres – 2013, 16^th overall) The only NHL drafted player on the Knights with NHL experience (seven games), Nikita Zadorov is undoubtedly the most crucial defender on their blueline. His offensive game has progressed to new heights and he’s still capable of intimidating with his bone-crushing open-ice hits.

Brady Austin (Sabres – 2012, 193^rd overall) Cleared to play after battling mononucleosis, overage defenseman Brady Austin is a huge returnee to what was a spotty blue line. After dealing with his illness and the passing of his father, Austin and his teammates will be playing inspired hockey.

Zach Bell (Undrafted) Bell is a bruising defenseman that has his own feel-good story after quickly recovering from a broken leg and his presence will be felt defensively.

Brett Welychka (Undrafted) It wouldn’t be a stretch to consider Welychka one of the most versatile players in the league, after the forward logged big minutes on the blue line when injury struck the Knights’ backend. Look for Welychka to return to the front lines adding to London’s incredible offensive depth.

Anthony Stolarz (Flyers – 2012, 45^th overall) Flying under the radar somewhat is the fact that Anthony Stolarz’ eight-game suspension for his slashing incident was reduced to six, after the Knights were knocked out of the playoffs early. Whether right or wrong, London’s biggest returnee for the Memorial Cup is between the pipes in Stolarz because he is capable of stealing games.

The 2014 Mastercard Memorial Cup action begins Friday evening with the London Knights taking on Val d’Or Foreurs.

Follow @RossyYoungblood for all the #MemorialCup action.

Nelson Nogier, Dysin Mayo growing concerns

Iain Morrell — Thu, 14 Nov 2013 14:20:16 +0000

Besides being second-year WHL defensemen eligible for the 2014 NHL Draft - Dysin Mayo and Nelson Nogier have something else in common.

Both players also underwent massive growth spurts over the past two years - since being selected in the 2011 WHL Bantam Draft.

Picked 57th overall and weighing a slight 130 pounds, Mayo has since filled in his compact six-foot frame substantially - adding over 50 pounds.

Nogier's growth has been even more extreme. Listed at five-foot-eleven and 135 pounds when drafted 71st overall as a bantam, the Saskatoon native has grown four inches and added 60 pounds.

Playing for his hometown Saskatoon Blades, Nogier begin the season rated a potential NHL third-rounder, while Mayo was initially ranked as a mid to late-round candidate.
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photo by Saskatoonblades.com

Nelson Nogier (2014), D, Saskatoon
A jack-of-all-trades type defenseman who provides stability on the back-end by playing a consistent two-way game .. reads and reacts well to his blueline partner - and always provides a viable outlet option .. demonstrates staunch positioning in all three zones .. could be described as somewhat of a 'quiet' player in terms of not possessing a blinding skill set, yet usually appears to be at the right place at the right time .. a strong, steady skater with quick pivoting ability and outstanding balance - which allows him to drop down and block passing lanes with his stick and body .. moves well backwards and laterally - and utilizes his mobility to keep plays to the outside .. can be difficult to beat in 1-on-1 situations .. will aggressively chase players outside of his box - and generally employs a high-tempo pace in terms of his defending .. also possesses a deceptive shooting release and gets puck quickly to the net - and with regularity .. not a natural point shooter or a pure puckrusher however .. does decent composure at the line and sees the ice well .. able to carry the puck for more than a few strides and deliver a solid first pass .. plays a strong competitive game and has decent skills to complement the package.

Dysin Mayo (2014), D, Edmonton
Still somewhat undersized at six-foot and 180 pounds, despite having bulked up over 50 pounds since his bantam draft year .. a steady all-around defender who plays a conservative style and can contribute in a variety of little ways .. offers little in terms of a specific 'lethal' dimension however .. rarely gets caught out of position and generally makes steady plays with the puck .. stays within his limits and is quick to administer a pass up ice .. prefers to move the puck rather than carry it himself .. skating and mobility are his prime assets .. possesses a silky-smooth stride and good acceleration .. doesn’t loose his speed or momentum when crossing over and can maintain a strong glide .. can labour in his own zone as he is small in stature and brings very little in terms of physical assertiveness .. will chase opponents down defensively and try to eliminate their time and space by forcing them to make a play .. struggles under pressure with the puck below the dots at times .. operates effectively on the power play and exploits the additional time and space, albeit is not a natural offensive threat .. does possess some good qualities, however the lack of an identity, coupled with his size, will make it an uphill battle for him this season.