Fedor GORDEEV – McKeen's Hockey

OHL 2018-19 Season Preview

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

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

The Contenders

London Knights

Liam Foudy

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

Oshawa Generals

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

Niagara IceDogs

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

Saginaw Spirit

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

Ottawa 67’s

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

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

The Pretenders

Kingston Frontenacs

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

Erie Otters

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

Mississauga Steelheads

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

North Bay Battalion

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

Flint Firebirds

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

Five Candidates for the Red Tilson

Nick Suzuki

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

Morgan Frost

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

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

Michael DiPietro

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

Jack Studnicka

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

Sasha Chmelevski

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

Five Draft Eligibles to Monitor

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

Ryan Suzuki (Barrie Colts)

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

Arthur Kaliyev (Hamilton Bulldogs)

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

Matvey Guskov (London Knights)

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

Blake Murray (Sudbury Wolves)

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

Michael Vukojevic (Kitchener Rangers)

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

Toronto Maple Leafs Prospect System Overview

Ryan Wagman — Fri, 14 Sep 2018 15:15:16 +0000

Thommie Bergman was a big defenseman whose career was centered in the 70s. An early Swedish transplant to the North American game, he had a few years in a depth role with the Red Wings before moving to the old WHA to play with the original Winnipeg Jets where he found an offensive component to his game. Bergman eventually moved back to the Wings for a few more seasons before heading back home to Sweden for a three-year run in his mid thirties before hanging up his skates.

As is the case with many old pros, Bergman moved into coaching, spending six seasons behind the bench in his native land, mostly in lower leagues, but also one season in the SHL with Skelleftea. He spent a few years out of the public eye before emerging in 1993 as a scout for the Anaheim Ducks with whom he worked for five seasons.

The Mighty Ducks drafted six players out of Sweden in those five years, two of whom (Johan Davidsson and Michael Holmqvist) played in the NHL for a combined 239 games. After that, Bergman disappeared again, emerging as a Swedish scout for Toronto in 2005 and he has been in the Maple Leafs’ employ ever since. From his inauspicious beginnings as a scout for Anaheim, Bergman is now widely recognized as a super scout.

In his first draft with Toronto, the Leafs used a sixth-round pick on a big winger named Viktor Stalberg. In his second draft, a seventh-round pick was used on Carl Gunnarsson. Toronto did not select a player out of Sweden over the next two years, and their three Swedish selections from 2010 did not have the success experienced by Stalberg or Gunnarsson, nor did their Swedish pick from 2011.

In fairness to Bergman, picks from the range of the draft where his recommendations were being selected were not often successful, and the success of those first two had earned him a long leash. The Maple Leafs have selected at least one prospect from the Sweden in each draft since 2010 and without fail, they have exceeded expectations, even the ones who did not go on to NHL fame.

Between the reins of John Ferguson Jr., Cliff Fletcher, Brian Burke, Dave Nonis, Lou Lamoriello and now Kyle Dubas, Bergman has been a constant. The Maple Leafs’ system is now chock full of Swedish prospects, and many, if not all of them, have Bergman’s fingerprints all over them.

Although we lack proof, it is hard to imagine that the two Swedish first rounders picked by Toronto in recent years who were already playing in the OHL in their draft year, were not selected without Bergman’s input and blessing. So, as we look at a Toronto system whose top four players were born, raised and schooled in Sweden, in addition to another two from the top ten and a seventh in the next group of ten, we know where the credit lies. We can also look at how pivotal those Swedish players were in the Calder Cup championship run by the Maple Leafs’ AHL affiliate, the Toronto Marlies.

Tommie Bergman will turn 71 years young shortly before the next WJC in Vancouver but is still going strong. As new GM Dubas, himself with a scouting background, grows accustomed to his present role, he can rest assured that he has an asset in Bergman that most other teams would kill for.

Timothy Liljegren

1 Timothy Liljegren, D (17^th overall, 2017 Last Year: 1^st) As the only 18-year-old defenseman to play regularly in the AHL last year, the bumps were expected and Liljegren experienced his share. But he also had his moments of magic. He regularly demonstrated high end puck carrying skills and the mobility that had him seen at one time as one of the top prospects eligible for the 2017 draft. He is a fantastic passer and has nice whip on his wrist shot from the point, all indicative of a strong top four blueliner, with top pairing potential. He could occasionally show his youth and inexperience when defending against first rate talent, although his instincts are in the right places. He will provide tight coverage but can sometimes fail to finish a check or close strongly enough. He has even shown the occasional willingness to use his still developing body. The things he lacks are coachable. The things he has are less so.

2 Andreas Johnsson, LW (202^nd overall, 2013. Last Year: 11^th) Andreas Johnsson was impressive in his first full campaign in North America. He was fantastic in his second season. Not only did he produce at a point per game clip in the AHL, during the regular season, and at 1.5 points per in a AHL postseason run that ended in a title and the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy as playoffs MVP, but he also brought his highly skilled, and gritty game to the NHL scoring three times in 15 combined regular season and playoff games for the Leafs. Johnsson has all of the tools needed to be a high-end top nine winger with top six upside. His IQ shows on both sides of the puck and seems to have a magnetic attraction to getting the biscuit on his stick. His time is now.

3 Rasmus Sandin, D (29^th overall, 2018. Last Year: IE) In addition to his years under the watchful gaze of Thommie Bergman, Sandin spent much of his draft year in Sault Ste. Marie of the OHL, where Toronto GM Kyle Dubas took his first steps as a hockey executive and still has deep connections. So it is fair to say that the Maple Leafs knew what they were getting when Sandin was available to them in the first round. The most impressive facet of his game is his highly advanced hockey brain, but his skating ability and puck skills also both grade out as above average. Undersized, but not without a physical element to his game, he is a prototypical modern age defenseman, one who can gain control of the puck and make the right plays in getting it into a favorable position.

4 Carl Grundstrom, RW (57^th overall, 2016. Last Year: 4^th) For the second year in a row, Grundstrom finished his Swedish season and then came to Canada to get his feet wet in the AHL. This time, with their lengthy playoff run, he got enough ice time to prove that he belonged, scoring eight goals during the postseason campaign. A rugged power winger, Grundstrom has a very good motor, and excellent hands. His first few steps are above average, and he can gain separation. Once he gets the puck, he moves it along quickly but with purpose. His strength is also evident in his ability to maneuver with the puck under heavy coverage without coughing it up. He will likely spend the majority of 2018-19 in the AHL before taking the next step.

Yegor Korshkov

5 Yegor Korshkov, RW (31^st overall, 2016. Last Year: 15^th) Drafted by Toronto in his third year of eligibility, Korshkov has since improved his offensive output year over year in the KHL, finishing last year fifth among all skaters aged 22 and under. Although a physically imposing specimen, his game is centered more around a high-end hockey IQ and impressive offensive skills. He sees the game very well and is able to create chances for himself, or his linemates. He also moves very well for his size, suggesting an ability to hold up in the fast-paced style of play Toronto prefers. The main question with Korshkov is when he will come over. Toronto is interested, but he is expected to play at least one more season in Yaroslavl.

6 Garret Sparks, G (190^th overall, 2011. Last Year: unranked) After appearing in 17 NHL games in the Maple Leafs’ lost season of 2015-16, it was largely expected that Sparks would have graduated from this list long ago. Instead, the rebuilding Maple Leafs sent him back to the AHL and his 1.79 GAA and .936 save percentage both led the league last year, earning him a well deserved Baz Bastien Memorial Award as the top netminder in the circuit. A highly athletic goalie who skates very well for his position, he plays an aggressive game, and is calm under pressure, trusting in his quick legs to get him out of jams. He has also improved upon his propensity to let one bad goal snowball. He has a good chance of stealing the backup job in the NHL this season.

7 Calle Rosen, D (UDFA: May 16, 2017. Last Year: 10^th) One of two undrafted free agent defenders signed out of Sweden in the 2017-18 offseason, Rosen started slower than Andreas Borgman, but was more integral to the AHL Marlies in the second half, exhibiting a real dynamic element from the blueline. A high-end skater with very impressive puck skills, he excels when he dips into the offensive end as a trailer on the rush. He is very poised on the puck and has a strong enough shot that his goal scoring rate should with more North American experience. Ostensibly an offensive defenseman, he is competent off the puck, although his slight frame will necessitate that he be protected to an extent.

8 Eemeli Rasanen, D (59^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 16^th) A gigantic defender with intriguing natural gifts, Rasanen is a big presence from the point, although his production in his first post draft year was a mild disappointment. He skated very well for his size and has a killer point shot, although his wrist shot can also get through the crowd and on net. A bit of a gentle giant the 6-7” Finnish blueliner was fine in Kingston of the OHL, but often left you wanting to see more. Like many players of his stature, it looks like slow development is the best course and he has returned to Finland to spend 2018-19 with Jokerit, competing against KHL competition. The step up in competition might be the challenge he needs.

9 Sean Durzi, D (52^nd overall, 2018. Last Year: IE) Although he spent some time on the sidelines last year due to an ankle injury, Durzi’s production when he was healthy was top notch, with his 1.23 points per game rate placing him second among all OHL defensemen and earning him a call in the second round in his second year of draft eligibility. Like most of the defensemen above him on this list, Durzi has above average mobility and puck skills while lacking somewhat in the size department. The right-handed shot grades out as above average in most of his core attributes, outside of physicality. His vision is advanced although he needs to time his pinches better. His tracking ability suggests that he has value off the puck as well.

10 Dmytro Timashov, LW (125^th overall, 2015. Last Year: 18^th) After struggling at times in his first year as a pro, Timashov began to right the ship in his follow up campaign, flashing dynamic playmaking abilities in both the regular season and the postseason for the Marlies. Still inconsistent, the core elements of above average skating – with edgework that help that attribute play up – and very impressive puck skills suggesting that his sneaky skill set will allow him to continue to improve. Short but stocky, he has strength although he rarely initiates physical play. There is a boom or bust quality to Timashov’s overall game, but his ability to generate offense will ensure that he gets as many chances as he needs to end up on the right side of that coin flip.

11 Jeremy Bracco, C/RW (61^st overall, 2015. Last Year: 5^th) In a lot of ways, Jeremy Bracco has a lot in common with the player immediately above him on this list. Slightly better wheels perhaps, slightly less dynamic as a play maker. Where Bracco still has ground to make up is in his ability to not be an anchor away from the puck. For that reason, he often found himself on the press-box last season, especially in the postseason, appearing in only four games. As with Timashov last year, it is far too early to condemn Bracco as a bust after only one year in the AHL, especially when we see that his scoring numbers were actually pretty good. More will be expected of him is his follow-up, but he has the good to deliver.

12 Joseph Woll, G (62^nd overall, 2016. Last Year: 8th) A highly athletic netminder, Woll had some ups and downs in his sophomore season at Boston College, as well as his second stint with Team USA at the WJC, although for both teams, he consistently kept his squad in the game. A pure butterfly goalie, he enjoys handling the puck and can help kickstart the transition. He can struggle seeing the puck cleanly and is known to whiff with his glove, but he has some elements of a promising netminder and the Maple Leafs, who have enough at the pro level to staff their NHL, AHL, and ECHL squads, will let him take his time on campus.

13 Josh Leivo, RW (86^th overall, 2011. Last Year: 7^th) Josh Leivo shouldn’t be on this list. After putting up 10 point in 13 NHL games in 2016-17, he was expected to make the NHL roster out of camp. And he did. But then he spent nearly the entire season in the press box, dressing only 16 times, a victim of head coach Mike Babcock’s preference for veteran grinders on the fourth line. In fairness to Babcock, Leivo lacks in pace and does not have a reputation as a defensive stalwart, although he knows how to handle himself in his own zone. Leivo plays a strong game, knows how to push possession and has a fantastic shot. With three more games played, he will graduate from this list.

14 Pierre Engvall, LW (188^th overall, 2014. Last Year: unranked) A late round find from Sweden in the mold of Victor Stalberg (see above), Engvall performed very well in his first season in the SHL, earning an ELC after the season there ended, and he continued to impressed in a cameo with the Marlies. Engvall has a long, rangy frame, skates quite well and earns accolades for his offensive tool kit. He can get the puck nicely through the neutral zone and shows strength on the puck. He still has to develop his game away from the puck and can come across as a bit soft despite his length, but to his credit, he spent this year adjusting to two new levels of competition. A full, healthy AHL campaign will teach us a lot about what is in his future.

15 Igor Ozhiganov, D (UDFA: May 17, 2018. Last Year: IE) A 25-year-old with six full seasons in the KHL under his belt, Ozhiganov is a prospect in the technical sense of the word, if not in the pure sense. While his final season with CSKA Moscow was a bit of a disappointment, there was great speculation that his diminished role on the club as at least as much a reaction of his coaches to the rampant rumors that would be leaving after the season for North America, as it was about anything to do with his actual level of play. A beefy right-handed shooter, he offers a bit of everything, including fine wheels, solid offensive instincts and skills, and a mature overall game. Ozhiganov could make the Leafs out of camp in a #6/7 D role, or spend some time getting acclimated to the North American game in the AHL first.

Semyon Der-Arguchintsev

16 Semyon Der-Arguchintsev, C (76^th overall, 2018. Last Year: IE) A smooth skater with slick skills with the puck, Der-Arguchintsev is so slight that it is a wonder his full last name can fit on the back of his uniform. Notably, if he was born one day later, he would not even have been eligible for the draft until next June. His lack of strength shows up in his shot as much as it does in the parts of the game that are normally attributed to physicality, but he is as projectible as anyone from the 2018 draft class. His hockey smarts currently are more geared towards the offensive side of the puck, but his ability to process the game bodes well to continued development in that area. He is one to watch.

17 Adam Brooks, C (92^nd overall, 2016. Last Year: 6^th) One the one hand, for a player who led the WHL in assists for two years running, with a combined 169 over 138 games, to put up only 19 points in a roughly full first season in the AHL was a letdown. He still shows a knack for setting up teammates with a clever pass, helping extend possessions and moving the puck in the right direction, but the finishing was lacking. On the other hand, Brooks was pleasantly surprising in both his willingness and his ability to play a two-way game. A slight 5-11”, he plays a cerebral game, and can be suitable for a variety of roles. I expect improved offensive output in his second season with the Marlies, but it is fair to question how much better he can be.

18 Dakota Joshua, C (128^th overall, 2014. Last Year: unranked) In a system teeming with speed and skill, it can be easy to overlook Joshua, a beefier power forward playing for a non-powerhouse NCAA program. Although he played a critical role as a junior for the Buckeyes, helping the team to the Frozen Four, he was more of a secondary offensive threat than a primary scorer. A solid two-way player who has decent hands although not a frequent puck player. His utility in his own zone and the penalty kill, as well as his sheer strength when moving the puck, should be enough to convince the Leafs to offer him a contract after completing his collegiate eligibility this season.

19 Mac Hollowell, D (118^th overall, 2018. Last Year: IE) A teammate of first rounder Rasmus Sandin’s with Sault Ste. Marie, Hollowell is tiny in a system already loaded with smaller defenders. After being overlooked in his first year of draft eligibility, he more than doubled his offensive output in his second go-round. Despite the gaudy point numbers (56 points in 63 games in the regular season), Hollowell’s tools are only around average. Where he stands out is in his feet as he is an excellent skater as well as his hockey smarts. He plays within his limitations and generally makes the right play. A critical part of one of the best possession team in the CHL, the hope as that he can carry some of that to the pros within two seasons.

20 Fedor Gordeev, D (141^st overall, 2017. Last Year: unranked) Still new to the blueline, the gigantic (6-6”, 212) Gordeev can struggle to take care of business in his own end. On the other hand, playing with a moribund Flint squad in the OHL, he nearly doubled his point production, showing more assertiveness with the puck from the blueline. He skates well for his size and has begun to play with the jam expected of a player with his imposing stature. Gordeev still has a way to grow, in his game if not in his frame, but it cannot hurt for an organization so saturated with smaller defenders to have a few bigger men as points of comparison and to offer a different look.

2017 NHL Draft Grades: Atlantic Division – Toronto Maple Leafs

Ryan Wagman — Fri, 30 Jun 2017 17:48:08 +0000

Shortly after 1:00pm CST, on Saturday, June 24, 2017, the defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins selected William Reilly, a defenseman from RPI as the 217^th player selected, bringing the 2017 Entry Draft to an end. With a few days of hindsight between me and the bowels of the United Center, the urge to spew out hot takes flushed away, it is time to analyze the strategies and selections employed by the league’s 31 teams.

The analysis will focus on the first five rounds, as it is clear to most long-time observers that the final two rounds are often taken up with long-shots, favours to regional scouts, and a myriad of other reasons. I will, of course, call out some astute late picks, but will not judge a team for the names called in the final hour. The apocryphal story of Pekka Rinne, drafted as an eighth round after-thought in 2004 based mostly on his play in game warm-ups. Few other scouts would have seen him at all, and he has had a very good career, which is not yet over. For the most part, though, those picks have little statistical likelihood of having NHL careers and teams should not be judged there.

Each draft class will be graded using the 20-80 scale that we use in our player specific scouting reports throughout the site. In this context, a 50 is essentially an average grade in light of the picks the team had on draft day. A 20 would mean the draft is an unmitigated disaster while an 80 would be the best draft class of all time. As those things can only be truly seen in retrospect, most classes will trend towards 50 at this point, so pay attention to those we see as outliers.

Finally, all grades are incomplete. Actual winners and losers in this draft class will not be known until 2023 at the earliest, after those who will have “made it” will have played out their entry-level contracts. What I am looking at here is whether, knowing what we know now, the drafting team got good value.

RD	#	CS	MCK	PLAYER	P	AGE	HT/WT	TEAM
1	17	6-E	20	Timothy LILJEGREN	D	18	6-0/190	Rogle (Swe)
2	59	32-N	58	Eemeli RASANEN	D	18	6-7/215	Kingston (OHL)
4	110	3-NG	109	Ian SCOTT	G	18	6-3/175	Prince Albert (WHL)
4	124	NR		Vladislav KARA	LW	19	6-2/190	Bars Kazan (Rus 2)
5	141	104-N	hm	Fedor GORDEEV	D	18	6-6/215	Ham-Fnt (OHL)
6	172	107-N	hm	Ryan MCGREGOR	C	18	6-0/160	Sarnia (OHL)
7	203	208-N	hm	Ryan O'CONNELL	D	18	6-1/170	St. Andrew's (CHS-O)

RD	#	PLAYER	P	TEAM	GP (W)	G (L)	A (T)	PTS (GA)	PIM (Sv%)
1	17	Timothy LILJEGREN	D	Rogle (Swe)	19	1	4	5	4
1	17			Rogle (Swe Jr)	12	5	2	7	8
1	17			Timra (Swe 2)	5	0	1	1	4
2	59	Eemeli RASANEN	D	Kingston (OHL)	66	6	33	39	41
4	110	Ian SCOTT	G	Prince Albert (WHL)	12	31	3	3.69	0.895
4	124	Vladislav KARA	LW	Bars Kazan (Rus 2)	34	3	5	8	4
4	124			Irbis (MHL)	31	11	9	20	10
5	141	Fedor GORDEEV	D	Ham-Fnt (OHL)	64	4	10	14	45
6	172	Ryan MCGREGOR	C	Sarnia (OHL)	65	14	13	27	16
7	203	Ryan O'CONNELL	D	St. Andrew's (CHS-O)	47	6	27	33	18

Toronto Maple Leafs – Draft Grade: 45

After years of focusing on high end skills, compiling draft picks by the bushelful to beef up the system, the Maple Leafs have taken a more traditional approach this year, focusing their draft on the blueline, which remained underserved by the draft hauls of the past few years.

Timothy Liljegren

Their first two picks represent that yin and yang of defense types, with first rounder Timothy Liljegren a prototype of the modern, fast-faster-fastest style defender. He is a fantastic skater who plays hard in all three zones, but fell on draft boards after starting the year in the small group of players considered as top shelf picks, due to being shuffled between multiple levels of competition and a bout with mono.

Eemeli Rasanen of the Kingston Frontenacs. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images

Their second rounder, Eemeli Rasanen, a Finnish import playing with Kingston in the OHL, is gigantic and his skating can be called good for his size, if I am being generous. He is a physical force and has a canon from the point. He needs to be more aggressive with closing gaps if his foot speed is not to hamper his development.

After those two, the Leafs went with projects with their other five picks. Goaltender Ian Scott has fans due to his athleticism and experience seeing a lot of shots per game, but loses some of them due to being unable to stop enough of them. Fifth rounder Fedor Gordeev is a Russia-born, Toronto-area raised defencemen of Rasanen-like proportions, although without the history of offensive production.

Best value: Timothy Liljegren, D, Rogle (1/17): The one player in this draft class with the potential to make the 17^th overall slot look like a steal. If he returns to Rogle next season healthy and confident, he has elite two-way potential. Decision making also needs to improve, but that should come with added experience and consistent ice time.

Biggest head-scratcher: Vladislav Kara, C, Bars Kazan (4/124): I considered Scott for this slot, as I prefer goaltenders who stop pucks, but with Scott, at least the greater scouting community was known to be on his tail. Kara, an overager, is more of a black box. He never played in the KHL or in any official international tournament for Russia. He has produced moderately at the Russian junior level, but there was more tested players with upside still available here and no indication that Kara would not have been available with one of the Leafs’ later picks.