Gabriel Carlsson – McKeen's Hockey

Columbus Blue Jackets 2019-20 Prospect Review: Top 20

Sat, 14 Sep 2019 11:04:14 +0000

On the one hand, the Blue Jackets have a respectable top eight to their prospect core. Those eight players represent the full spectrum of positions needed to ice a team, with a pair of goalies, a pair of blueliners, and four forwards. On the other hand, the rest of the system is incredibly shallow, with very little value-wise to differentiate the ninth ranked prospect with the 21^st ranked prospect.

As we all know by now, the Blue Jackets went all in last season. Not that were concerned (likely not internally either) as legit Stanley Cup contenders, but the top two players on the NHL roster were both pending unrestricted free agents and neither seemed likely to re-sign. So they doubled down, trading more prospects and picks to Ottawa to pick up another two pending UFAs in Matt Duchene and Ryan Dzingel.

All of those moves were just enough to get Columbus into the playoffs as the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference, setting up the infamous first round tilt against the best team in the regular season, the Tampa Bay Lightning. I’ll spare you the umpteenth recap of what happened there, but I will note that for GM Jarmo Kekalainen and every other executive in the organization, winning the franchise’s first ever playoff round far outweighs the large step back taken by the prospect pipeline.

The funny thing is that the system was not that deep to begin with. Matt Duchene cost Columbus Vitali Abramov, Jonathan Davidsson, and their 2019 first round pick. The two prospects has ranked second and tenth in the system respectively last year, while the first rounder would have ranked in the team top 10 this year. Dzingel came at the cost of two future second round picks and bottom six NHLer.

On draft day, the Blue Jackets could have skipped the even altogether for as much as they were active. They made only three picks throughout, one of which was acquired in trade at the draft, to give the team scouts something more to gloat about.

An additional problem connected to their lack of depth as well as the lack of new blood to the system, was the fact that very few of their holdover prospects made positive strides last year. Trey-Fix Wolansky and Veini Vehvilainen both had impressive seasons, and Emil Bemstrom broke out, but the rest of the core merely held serve. On the other hand, a lot of their more seasoned prospects, players who should be in line for NHL recalls, stagnated, or took steps backwards.

With the lack of players in the prospect pool, I had been expecting Columbus to be active among undrafted free agents, including CHL, European and NCAA talent. I had even earmarked Ohio State star forward Mason Jobst as a key target who would not have to even move to join his new team. Alas, Jobst signed with the New York Islanders, and as of the time I sat down to write these words, the Blue Jackets had not signed a single free agent prospect to an NHL contract.

First round playoff victories don’t come with pennants to raise to the rafters, but it might have to suffice for the next few years as the Blue Jackets look like the next team primed to tear it all down for a painful rebuild.

-Ryan Wagman

Columbus Blue Jackets Center Alexandre Texier (42) (Photo by Richard A. Whittaker/Icon Sportswire)

1 Liam Foudy, C (18^th overall, 2018. Last Year: 1) A former high school hurdles champion, Foudy is an electric athlete on the ice. He is electric when operating off of the rush because of how quick and explosive he is. He also possesses good hands and can make moves while at his top speed. Where his game is still growing is in his ability to attack and work the middle of the ice, in addition to improving his shot. At best, Foudy can develop into a second line playmaker who can push the pace with his speed and open up the ice for his linemates. At worst, his offensive skill set fails to develop and he settles into a 4th line and penalty killing role. Either way, it seems unlikely at this point that Foudy does not become an NHL player in some capacity. - BO

2 Alexandre Texier, C (45^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 3) Texier had a terrific season on an otherwise poor KalPa team in the Liiga and impressed during a late-season stint in the AHL and NHL. He had a slow start but really improved and produced at a high level towards the end of the Liiga season as well. Texier is a talented goal-scorer with a quick release on both his wrist snap shots. Thanks to the high velocity and accuracy on his shot, he can score from further out and beat goalies cleanly. He has very good puck skills and nifty hands which help him make plays in traffic and tight quarters. His skating and strength have been areas for improvement, however he has improved greatly in both aspects of the game lately. He has the potential to be an effective middle-six winger with scoring ability. - MB

3 Vladislav Gavrikov, D (159^th overall, 2015. Last Year: 4) It is hard to consider Gavrikov as a real prospect, considering that he already skated at three IIHF World Championships and won an Olympic Games gold medal in 2018. He has also already skated in two NHL playoffs games. Gavrikov has excellent skills at both ends of the ice, but he is more of a shutdown defenseman. His game is rock-solid, and he uses his excellent skating and strong legs to actively chase puck carriers, block passing lines, and make forwards feel his body along the boards. He can be very dangerous when he joins the rush as he reads the game very well and has good touch with the puck, but it happens rarely. In the NHL, he will need to shoot more and participate more to the offensive side of the game. He has all the tools to develop into a first-pair, shutdown defenseman who can be iced in key situations for his defensive awareness and responsibility. - ASR

4 Kirill Marchenko, LW (49^th overall, 2018. Last Year: 5) After moving to SKA St. Petersburg, Marchenko didn’t have the best season, having outgrown junior hockey but not getting enough icetime in a stacked system. In the end he lined up for four different teams, and if we exclude his trip to the WJC, the season wasn’t really great for him. That being said, the second-rounder will receive more chances this year as the system is less stacked and he now has some experience under his belt. Marchenko is a very good player around the net, who can finalize his chances and create opportunities for his partners with his ability to read the ice. Next year, he will need to play more, bulk up, and further hone his offensive skills, which are abundant. He is a very dangerous offensive player when the ice opens up or he can be a finisher for positional-based offensive plays. - ASR

5 Emil Bemstrom, C/RW (117^th overall, 2017. Last Year: Not ranked) A left circle right-handed goal scoring specialist. Bemstrom had a strong uptick in his development last season, and was the best junior playing in Sweden. In his first SHL season, he scored 23 goals in 45 games. To be fair, 10 of his goals came on the power play and his 25% shooting percentage is something he almost certainly won’t be able to duplicate. His shot is a strong weapon though and he will most likely be a high percentage shooter in his career. Bemstrom also plays a shifty offensive game and has good playmaking and deking skills as well. His puck control and offensive smarts have NHL written over them. He will try to take a spot on the Columbus roster this fall, and he will have a good chance of playing in the NHL this upcoming season, with middle six upside. - JH

6 Elvis Merzlikins, G (76^th overall, 2014. Last Year: 7) Merzlikins impressed while playing for HC Lugano in the Swiss NLA for several years. He has also been the cornerstone in net for the Latvian national team at the World Championship tournaments. His athleticism stands out, and he is capable of making acrobatic and athletic saves. His net coverage is good, he covers the upper corners of the net particularly well, and he consistently squares himself to the shooters. He is highly competitive, he always competes hard regardless of the score, and shows a lot of drive. Despite his young age, he has shown the ability to perform at a high level in big games. Merzlikins will move to North America for this season and has the makings of the future starter for the Blue Jackets. - MB

7 Veini Vehvilainen, G (173^rd overall, 2018. Last Year: 16) Vehviläinen had two excellent seasons for Kärpät in the Liiga, earning the Urpo Ylönen Award for the best goalie in both seasons and winning the championship in 2018. He now looks more than ready to play in the AHL this upcoming season. He is a very quick goalie. His lateral quickness and post-to-post movement are both high end and he can recover loose pucks quickly. He is also highly athletic and flexible. During the last two years, Vehviläinen has become much more mentally stronger. He rarely allows a soft goal and if he does, he is able to bounce back quickly. His consistency and play in pressure situations have also improved a lot. He has what it takes to be a number one NHL goalie one day. - MB

8 Andrew Peeke, D (34^th overall, 2016. Last Year: 8) A solid stay-at-home defensemen through his time in the USHL and as an underclassman at Notre Dame, Peeke looked like a nice, bottom-half of blueline piece. During his junior – and final – season with the Fighting Irish, he turned things on and raised his projected ceiling. Much of the change was added assertiveness in the offensive zone, as he would jump up from the point with regularity as he grew more comfortable reading defenses and reacting accordingly. His defensive work did not suffer one iota from his new habits, as he still kept tight gaps, excelled in his positioning and stick work and was mobile enough to keep up with most attackers. Peeke is moving on to the professional ranks with reasonable hopes for a future second pairing defender. - RW

9 Trey Fix-Wolansky, RW (204^th overall, 2018. Last Year: 19) Fix-Wolansky is a player that has really grown over the past couple of seasons. Despite being productive early he looked overmatched and lacking in intensity to keep in the play. That has improved substantially in this regard as has his foot speed. His playmaking and shooting skills have always been there but now he has the pace and the drive to impact every play. He has a real shot at being a success story as his offensive tools are very good. His path will be long as he will need to prove that his offensive game will translate at the AHL level before he ever gets a chance, but he has top six potential with power play minutes if he keeps on his current development path. - VG

10 Kevin Stenlund, C (58^th overall, 2015. Last Year: 6) Stenlund plays a gritty and hard on the puck type of game, he wins battles and uses his size to his advantage. Although Cleveland struggled this year, he stood out as a solid and hard-working forward. With experience in the Swedish Hockey League he came to North America with several years of pro already under his belt which made his adjustment to the North American professional game smoother. Stenlund may have used his size as an advantage but his size is also what made him stand out despite being one of the slower players on the ice. He is strong on the puck but it sometimes appears to be an effort for Stenlund to maneuver easily in tight spots. He will need to work on his stability and edgework much more to play at the next level. He has the potential to be a bottom six center as he is skilled enough but his skating will certainly need to improve before moving on. - SC

11 Paul Bittner, LW (38^th overall, 2015. Last Year: 13) If there is one thing to be said about Cleveland this past season is that they lived up to their “Monsters” name as many of their players had good size, Bittner being one of them. He is a good forechecker and uses his size to help him find space and gain position in front of the net with ease. He has a tremendous shot despite only finding the back of the net nine times in the past two seasons. The main problem is his lack of shot productivity and missed opportunities. Bittner finds good position but then has difficulty on the execution of quality shots, a shame for a player with a shot as powerful and accurate as he has. He has the means to make it as a bottom six winger at the next level but offensively he will need to push himself harder to get that far. - SC

12 Kole Sherwood, RW (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Jul. 7, 2015. Last Year: 9) Sherwood has had a tougher go at it than other prospects on this list with bouncing from the AHL and ECHL last season. After netting 16 goals last season it is safe to say that he is a natural goal scorer with a good shot and the ability to get to the net. The rest of his play however needs polishing and cleaning up especially in neutral zone and defensive end. Sherwood spends a lot of time chasing the puck when he should have outgrown the bad habit of drive-bys. He needs to better his awareness on the ice and work on having a better presence during breakouts and regroups. Despite his struggles, his work ethic and drive have improved and may be just enough to get him a bottom six spot especially if he works on his timing and reading the play better, which will make his potential much more visible. - SC

13 Tim Berni, D (159^th overall, 2018. Last Year: Not ranked) Still only 19 years old, Berni might have more potential upside than anyone else in the back half of Columbus’ top 20. He already has two full seasons playing against men in his native Switzerland and he was named one of the top three players on Switzerland’s WJC entry last year, his second go-round at the tournament. He is patient with the puck and is a commanding figure from the blueline. Berni also has a high panic threshold when it comes to guarding his own end. He gaps well, has a knack for forcing turnovers, and can use his body when necessary. If he can show more confidence playing the puck he could find himself a potential second pairing defender down the road. - RW

14 Eric Robinson, LW (Undrafted free agent, signed Mar. 26, 2018. Last Year: 12) Robinson’s performance last season could have been better. For a naturally skilled player with a good set of hands and good hockey IQ he seemed somewhat hesitant with the puck. He will need to work on gaining back his confidence in the coming season in order to be looked at as a bottom six contender for the Blue Jackets. Robinson is yet another forward with the luxury of size to easily protect the puck which he does a good job at, however he then struggles to make confident and more daring plays with the puck. His creativity has been masked by his lack of overall confidence and the best players have some form of unpredictability, therefore if Robinson wants to succeed he will need to play with more confidence to be able to open up the same bag of tricks he used during his college days with Princeton. - SC

15 Marcus Karlberg, RW/LW (80^th overall, 2018. Last Year: Not ranked) Karlberg is a fast skater with good puck skills. He is a good playmaker and has a dangerous shot. He is small (5-8”) in size which prevents him from being the same productive player in senior hockey as he has been as a junior. Karlberg uses his speed as his biggest offensive weapon but plays a lot on the outside of his opponents and fails to be dangerous on the inside when his skating isn’t strong enough to give him room. He hasn’t found a way to use his skills at various pace either. Karlberg is still a teenager and has one season in Allsvenskan under his belt and will play in SHL this upcoming season. He works hard and plays with intensity and can contribute defensively as well. With his skating and tenacity, he is a good penalty killer. He is a long-term prospect. - JH

16 Tyler Angle, C (212^th overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) Angle is a hard-working playmaker who excels below the hash marks and along the wall, despite not being the largest player on the ice. He consistently keeps his feet moving and his non-stop motor really helps to open up the ice for his linemates. What Angle is not, is the most dynamic offensive player and that may make him a long shot to be more than a 4th line option at the NHL level. His skating and hands will need to improve, and as a late 2000-born, he will get two years in the OHL (including an overage season) to progress as a player before Columbus will need to decide on his future. - BO

17 Doyle Somerby, D (125^th overall, 2012 [New York Islanders]. Last Year: Not ranked) A massive defenseman with a strong shot and a good edge to his game, Somerby has definite NHL potential. He is an equally smart player, with a good sense of timing. He is a skilled passer and can make tape to tape stretch passes efficiently which makes him an asset. At times however, his patience can get him into trouble as he can tend to wait a little too long to move the puck which can lead to turnovers. He will have to stay aware and work on moving the puck faster if he wants to be a bottom four defenseman and in Somerby’s case, less thinking and more doing would be a motto he should be keen to play by. His natural skill speaks for itself but his hockey smarts will need to be refined and his straightforward game will need an additional dusting of creativity in the future. - SC

18 Daniil Tarasov, G (86^th overall, 2017. Last Year: Not ranked) Last year, goalie Tarasov was in a situation somewhat similar to what Marchenko found in St. Petersburg. He didn’t have much space in the system, and as a result, he didn’t play a significant number of games in the season. Perhaps the reason behind his below-average performance at the WJC was a lack of game practice. He absolutely needs to gather experience – also due to his past injuries that limited his chances of playing in previous seasons, thus his move to the Finnish league can be a positive one for his career, since in Russia he would hardly receive much game time due to the situation of his current team. He is a very athletic goalie, calm between the pipes, but he needs some good conditioning, practice and, as said, more game experience. Tarasov’s worth will be gauged with more precision after his stint in Finland. - ASR

19 Gabriel Carlsson, D (29^th overall, 2015. Last Year: 17) Carlsson is a very smooth skater and capable of skating with the puck and creating space for himself unlike any of the other defensemen on this list. He covers his ice well and is a smart passer who can quarterback a breakout with ease. He can make plays under pressure and does not get easily swayed as he always seems so composed. That said, Carlsson needs to up his physical game and avoid standing still too much. He will have to be more aggressive and handle the players in front of his net better if he wants a chance at grappling for a bottom four spot with the Blue Jackets. With his skating and passing ability at his size, he has what it takes to be a dependable defenseman in the NHL, but he needs to get out of the rut he found himself in last season. He will need to find another gear and become more aggressive to prove he wants a spot. - SC

20 Eric Hjorth, D (104^th overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) Columbus went off the board in picking Hjorth with their first pick in the draft this summer. Okay, they didn’t have their first pick until the fourth round, so it wasn’t completely off the board. Hjorth is a big (6-3”) right-handed defenseman with good vision and puck skills. He plays with his head up and has good puck control. He was injured almost the whole of last season and played in only four games. At the J18 level he put up an impressive six points in three games. There is still much uncertainty with Hjorth due to the limited viewings so far. For the upcoming season, he will play for the Sarnia Sting in the OHL and we will get more evidence of what he can become as a player. - JH

Columbus Blue Jackets Prospect System Overview

Ryan Wagman — Sat, 15 Sep 2018 19:06:01 +0000

With some teams, it is pretty easy to come up with a theme for the short essay that begins the journey through their prospect depth. It might be a fascination with players from a certain geographic region. A reliance on undrafted free agents to make up for picks traded away or failed. A love of size, or speed, or hockey IQ, or an overabundance of centers.

With the Blue Jackets, it was not so easy. There is no such easy to spot trend in their accumulation of prospects. It was widely thought after the team hired Jarmo Kekalainen as the first General Manager from Europe in NHL History would blanket his native Finland and give his organization a Suomi flavor.

That has not been the case. The Blue Jackets have drafted slightly more European than other teams, but nothing egregious and he has in fact largely avoided Finnish players, with only AHLer Markus Hannikainen, an undrafted free agent signed at 22 years of age, Veeti Vainio, a 2015 fifth round pick, and Veini Vehvilainen a netminder taken in the sixth round last year in his fourth season of draft eligibility, having Finnish roots. 2017 second rounder Alexandre Texier is currently playing in Finland, but he was drafted out of France, so that doesn’t really count.

Further, the Blue Jackets’ prospect pool is currently extremely uninspiring. To their credit, each of their top three prospects from last year’s list, Pierre-Luc Dubois, Oliver Bjorkstrand, and Sonny Milano, have graduated. But what is left lacks the impact potential that you want to see coming up.

Looking back at the team’s Finnish players, a trend hit me. While players are first eligible to be drafted or signed in their age 18 season (specifically, they need to turn 18 no later than September 15 of the year they are drafted), Columbus, more than most, acquires players who are later in their prospectdom.

In addition to the aforementioned Hannikainen and Vehvilainen, of the 35 prospects in the organization for whom Columbus was their first team, fully 16 of them were drafted or signed by the team in their age 19 season or later. If we throw in Kole Sherwood, who was signed as a free agent out of training camp as an 18 year old, essentially half of the system is players who were not deemed worthy of being drafted in their first year of eligibility.

The draft is when teams find (or try to) upside for future front lines. The Blue Jackets are no exception. Six of their top eight prospects were drafted by the team in this first year of eligibility. But instead of taking risks with similarly young, unpolished talent in the latter stages of the draft, the Blue Jackets have targeted (the trend is so heavy, they must be targeting) older players, who trade in potential upside and its inherent risk, with the safety that comes from knowing what the player will be as he is closer to his peak.

This approach can be helpful if the top half of your roster is established and settled and you are mostly concerned with filling out the bottom end. In the Blue Jackets’ case, with star Artemi Panarin already having expressed a desire to explore free agency after the 2018-19 season, they are more in need of upside to replenish the roster. This approach isn’t helping.

Liam Foudy

1 Liam Foudy, C (18^th overall, 2018. Last Year: IE) Until the second half of his draft season, Foudy was more athlete than hockey player. A depth player on usually strong London Knights, he took on a more prominent role after a series of veteran players were shipped out mid-season and to say he flourished would be an understatement. Foudy is a brilliant skater, one of the best in the 2018 draft class, and he may just be scratching the surface of what he can do with and to a puck. He will develop more as he spends more time playing in a top six role, and he is strong, if not heavy, but he has the ability to make a Morgan Frost type step up in his first post draft year. He already came on more than almost any 2018 draft prospect in the past six months.

2 Vitali Abramov, RW (65^th overall, 2016. Last Year: 4^th) The preeminent offensive threat in the QMJHL over the last three years, there will be no “Russian Factor” with Abramov. If there were, he would have returned to Russia last year after not making the Blue Jackets out of camp, instead returning to the Q to try to defend his scoring title. While he finished second, considering his time missed to participation in the WJC, he did alright. More agile than fast, he can carry the puck around defenders largely thanks to magical puck skills. Those hands also make him particularly deadly on breakaways. While he is on the small side, he plays with the swagger of a bigger person. He is probably best off spending some time in the AHL first, but his puck skills and offensive IQ give him star potential.

3 Alexandre Texier, C (45^th overall, 2017, Last Year: 10^th) The ultimate risk-reward pick when the Blue Jackets used a second rounder on him in 2017, Texier left his native France for Finland, passing on an opportunity to play in the QMJHL with Baie-Comeau. While the step up in competition from France to Liiga is large, Texier acquitted himself rather well, especially after taking into account that he did what he did as an 18 year old, finishing fourth in the league in points by an U19 player, behind only a trio of NHL first rounders. More important than the production, the year was an opportunity to gauge his skills against better players, and Texier again did well. His hands and vision especially stood out as potentially dynamic traits, while his skating, shooting ability and ability to process the game all still project as above average traits.

4 Vladislav Gavrikov, D (159^th overall, 2015. Last Year: 6^th) Vladislav Gavrikov is not strictly an offensive defenseman in the mold of a Werenski, or a Seth Jones, but that’s OK, as the Blue Jackets already have a couple of those guys. Instead, he is a big all-around defender who can do a bit of everything. He has a big, strong frame that he uses for impact, skates very well, and processes the game like a ten year pro. His offensive impact will be better than minimal, but not quite the feature of his game. He can skate with the puck, makes crisp, accurate passes and helps keep the puck moving in the right direction, without doing too much that leads directly to points. The Olympic Gold Medalist has one more year on his contract with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl of the KHL, but the Blue Jackets should already be preparing a locker for him.

Kirill Marchenko

5 Kirill Marchenko, LW (49^th overall, 2018. Last Year: IE) As we continue to step through the Columbus system, we will see that this organization has long had a fascination with big forwards (and defensemen) who combine size with athleticism. Marchenko is the latest f that type to find his way to the Blue Jackets. While he has not always displayed all of his tools so consistently in MHL play, he has been an international standout for Russia, showing above average projections almost across the board, especially if you expect him to play a more physically forceful game as he matures. His stick handling is particularly impressive and he can create highlight reel plays on his own. He is a long way from the NHL, but his offseason move to Russian powerhouse SKA-St. Petersburg (or their junior affiliate) is a sign of how he is thought of back home.

6 Kevin Stenlund, C (58^th overall, 2015. Last Year: 8^th) After the Blue Jackets signed Stenlund to and entry level deal on the heels of his playing a key role in HV71’s capturing of an SHL championship, he was returned on loan to the Swedish side to continue his development near the comforts of home. Although the numbers are not eye catching, trading some goals for assists, there is a lot to like in his game. He is a big, power center with a strong skating stride, advanced hockey IQ, a big shot and the ability to use his body for the good. His challenge upon coming over to play in the AHL is to bring all of the parts of his game to the ice more consistently as he tries to work his way into a potential middle six role.

7 Elvis Merzlikins, G (76^th overall, 2014. Last Year: 11^th) Sometimes, the waiting is the hardest part. Four years removed from being selected in the third round, Merzlikins keep racking up hardware thanks to his work stopping pucks. Unfortunately for Columbus, the hardware is the NLA Jacques Plante Trophy, and it is the second time in the past three years that the Latvian netminder was honored as the top goalie in Switzerland. He is excellent in his lateral movements, and has a tireless work-ethic, but needs to be more mindful of how far he pushes off, so he is able to recover his position. The World Championships regular has one more year on his contract with Lugano and he might be able to come to central Ohio in time for incumbent start Sergei Bobrovsky to leave.

8 Andrew Peeke, D (34^th overall, 2016. Last Year: 7^th) It is not easy to tell from his statistical record, but Peeke took some key steps in his development as a sophomore with Notre Dame last season. While he will never be an offensive powerhouse, he was more willing to get engaged in the offensive zone, as his quick feet and large frame allowed him to create some disruption without fear of getting back to his position in time. He is still very strong in his own end. He uses his strength well to keep opposing forwards away from his goalie and was a staple on the Penalty Kill for the Irish. He also played a notable role with Team USA at the WJC, showing that he could hang with the best in his age group. Expect Columbus to try to get him under contract after his junior season.

9 Kole Sherwood, RW (UDFA: Jul. 7, 2015. Last Year: 16^th) The first local player to play in the Columbus organization, Sherwood was a virtual unknown playing local Tier I hockey when he received an invite to a rookie camp in 2015. He had not been on the draft radar, but by the end of camp, he was clearly on the Blue Jackets’ radar by the end, earning himself and ELC and the new found prominence that provided. Three seasons later, he has seen his game steadily grow between stints with London and Kitchener of the OHL. Sherwood still has a long way to go before earning an NHL look, but he plays with solid pace, works to disrupt the opponents with an aggressive physical game, and has a very deadly shot from the middle on in.

10 Jonathan Davidsson, RW (170^th overall, 2017. Last Year: not ranked) In the introduction to this team’s system, we discussed the downsides of drafting overagers. Jonathan Davidsson is the upside. Drafted in his third year of eligibility, as he finally graduated from Swedish junior hockey to the men’s leagues, he had a very strong first full season in the SHL with Djurgardens. A strong skater with good puck skills and above average hockey intelligence, his acclimatization to the step up in competition was revelatory. His size will remain a stumbling block in his journey, and he can be a little contact-shy, but Columbus has already inked him to an ELC and will expect him to work on his physical game next year, which will be spent back with Djurgardens, on loan.

Markus Hannikainen

11 Markus Hannikainen, LW (UDFA: Apr. 20, 2015. Last Year: 17^th) After receiving small cups of coffee with the Blue Jackets in his first two seasons in North America, he seemingly made it last year, playing 33 of his 41 games in the NHL. Not enough to officially graduate from our lists, but that will come in the first month or so of the upcoming season. He is not a dynamic, or particularly skilled player, but he can protect the puck very well with his strong and large frame, moves it well enough, and is trustworthy in defensively dangerous situations. He may only be a fourth line winger with a short shelf life, but he is ready for that role now and that has some value.

12 Eric Robinson, LW (UDFA: Mar. 26, 2018. Last Year: IE) Buddy Robinson’s younger and littler brother, Eric Robinson captained a surprisingly competitive Princeton squad as a senior. He plays a hard, energetic two-way game, to which he supplements a strong shot. The New Jersey looks like a late bloomer, as he had not shown much offensive upside in his original draft eligible year in Tier 1, or after that in the USHL. His first three years with Princeton were also underwhelming, but he did steadily grow more imposing in the offensive end. Despite the improvements in his numbers, he lacks ay truly dynamic elements to his game, and his best chance at success will come from a power/IQ game, throwing his weight around and earning the trust of coaches to play defensive shifts.

13 Paul Bittner, LW (38^th overall, 2015. Last Year: not ranked) It has been a challenging few years for Paul Bittner since the Blue Jackets selected him in the second round of the 2015 draft. He has been bombarded by injuries, most notably a hip injury requiring surgery, limiting him to a combined 58 games in his first two post draft seasons. Further, his performance showed signs of degradation when he was able to suit up. With improved health, Bittner appeared in 52 games last year for Cleveland, and showed flashes of the power forward that Columbus drafted. He skates well for his size and flashes soft hands when he gets into an offensive situation. Still only 21, he has time to fully regain his teenaged luster, but he needs to built on what he hinted at last year.

14 Alex Broadhurst, C (Trade: Jun. 30, 2015 [Chicago]. Last Year: not ranked]) Once upon a time a seventh round pick of the Chicago Blackhawks, the former Green Bay Gambler and London Knight has now spent most of five seasons in the AHL and finally made his NHL debut last year, getting in a pair of late season games for Columbus, playing a touch over 20 minutes combined. Broadhurst is slight, but moves well, has a moderate amount of playmaking ability and has proven the ability to play on both special teams units in the AHL. He should be in line for additional NHL opportunities this year, potentially as the team’s 13^th forward.

Maxime Fortier

15 Maxime Fortier, RW (UDFA: Nov. 4, 2017. Last Year: IE) Despite two years of high end scoring for Halifax in the QMJHL, Fortier was consistently overlooked on draft day, largely due to his small frame and general lack of strength. Although not strong, he plays a fearless game. Although not big, so what? The game is changing. Clearly, the Blue Jackets realized that his ability to process the game gives him a chance to succeed, and offered him an ELC last November, after which he put up a third consecutive strong season, putting him third among all Quebec leaguers in points over the last three years. He has strong balance and is a fine skater. Most of his offensive prowess comes from good hands in tight and his aggressive offensive style. He will have to continue to prove himself, but time is on his side.

16 Veini Vehvilainen, G (173^rd overall, 2018. Last Year: IE) In today’s NHL, there is more acceptance for smaller skaters, but dwindling openness to netminders under 6-2” or so. Listed variously at 6-0”, or 6-1”, Vehvilainen felt that diminished attention span for around four years until he put together a run of play so dominating that a team finally said “OK”. In his third year in Liiga, all of which were good, he lost his father this year and then caught fire, leading Karpat to a title with a .933 save percentage throughout the postseason. His athleticism is above average for a goalie and he reads the game, but it is advanced technical skills which make him so hard to beat in Liiga. He will have to continue proving himself, but he is a worthwhile addition to this system.

17 Gabriel Carlsson, D (29^th overall, 2015. Last Year: 9^th) A few months after selecting stay-at-home blueliner Gabriel Carlsson in the late first round, the Blue Jackets hired a head coach who has adopted the motto that “safe is death.” Carlsson is the embodiment of that expression. His puck skills are, at best, basic. He can make a decent first pass. He is very large, although still lean, and gets to a decent top speed, although his reactions look sluggish, which may be more related to his ability to read and react than his feet. He does have an impressive physical game, using his body to lean on opponents and box them out, but his game is, on the whole, limited. He is safe in that he can fill a hole in the case of injury replacement, but more than that is throwing away good money after bad.

18 Calvin Thurkauf, C/LW (185^th overall, 2016. Last Year: 14^th) Another bigger than average power forward in the Columbus system, Thurkauf did not have a smooth landing in his first season as a pro, but had enough moments of success that all hope is not lost either. Not incredible fast, he skates well enough for his size, but it is not a real strength of his game. His future NHL hopes rest largely on his powerful wrist shot which can be deadly from middle distance and his ability to play a power game at the highest levels. The Swiss native will return to Cleveland for a sophomore campaign in the AHL where the objective will be to see him be more of an imposing presence in the offensive end.

19 Trey Fix-Wolansky, RW (204^th overall, 2018. Last Year: IE) Short and stout, I would like to suggest his nickname be “The Teapot”. Ignored after a solid first year of eligibility, his production last year with a horrid Edmonton team in the WHL made him impossible to overlook, no matter how rough his skating can seem. Fix-Wolansky is an offensive minded player, but responsible and hard working enough to play on the PK for his junior team. He is also more than willing to crash and bang in the pursuit of pucks. His propensity to shoot can make him a little predictable, but he has shown the ability to diversify his offensive game if he chooses. He is a sleeper to watch.

20 Veeti Vainio, D (141^st overall, 2015. Last Year: 15^th) Last year, in this space, we called Vainio an “injury prone speedster.” This year, all Vainio did was prove us right. Loaned from Liiga side KooKoo to second tier Kiekko-Vantaa, in his age 20 season, he was limited to 11 games all year for the Mestis squad, after appearing in only 12 years at multiple levels the year before and a relatively robust 43 games the year prior. He is a breathtaking skater when he is healthy enough to play and has a knack for creating with his puck movement, but has so, so much to figure out in the rest of his game. Listed at 6-2”, 181, he looks frailer than that. There are some things here to get excited about, but if he can’t play hockey, he certainly can’t play in the NHL.

Columbus – System Overview

Ryan Wagman — Fri, 15 Sep 2017 15:56:39 +0000

How important is it to have a strong, competitive AHL farm club? The Columbus Blue Jackets may be a great case study in answering that question. In 2015-16, in their ninth year of existence, the Lake Erie Monsters (since renamed as the Cleveland Monsters) finished second in the Central Division in the regular season and got hot in the playoffs, finishing the AHL season by raising the Calder Cup.

The Monsters lineup was a mix of AHL veterans like Michael Chaput, Trent Vogelhuber and Ryan Craig, with legitimate prospects including Sonny Milano, Oliver Bjorkstrand, Josh Anderson, Kerby Rychel, Zach Werenski, and Lukas Sedlak.

It may not be a fluke that four of the latter group of players all played prominent roles with Columbus this year, helping lead the Blue Jackets into the postseason for only the second time in their brief history. In addition to Anderson, Bjorkstrand, Werenski and Sedlak, part time netminder Joonas Korpisalo also spent much of the season in the NHL. Meanwhile Rychel and Dillon Heatherington were used in trades to bring in other players who played NHL roles.

An interesting comparison would be with the Milwaukee Admirals, Nashville’s farm club, who took the regular season division title over Lake Erie, but were swept in the first round by Grand Rapids (Detroit). The leading scorer of that team was Kevin Fiala, a former first rounder who seemed to cement himself as an NHLer last year. Part time goalie Juuse Saros also spent most of this past season in the NHL. Frederick Gaudreau and Pontus Aberg were a few more who made an NHL dent this year. A few others who spent the early part of 2015-16 in Milwaukee but had already moved on to the NHL well before the AHL playoffs had begun include Colton Sissons and Viktor Arvidsson. Other legit prospect who were part of the excellent regular season team but have still yet to get much NHL ice time include Vladislav Kamenev and Trevor Murphy.

Looking back to 2014-15, the Calder Cup was won by the Manchester Monarchs (LA), a franchise that immediately relocated to Ontario, California. The only key contributors from that club who became regular NHLers the next year were Colin Miller and Nick Shore.

Although the sample size looked at was very small, it is certainly not clear that AHL postseason success breeds immediate success in the NHL level. Werenski was a part of that Monsters squad out of convenience. He decided to leave Michigan after their season (his sophomore year) ended. Instead of moving up to Columbus, the Jackets convinced him to remain on the farm for the remainder of the schedule, as much to delay the start of his ELC as anything. He only appeared in seven regular season AHL games before exploding in the playoffs.

Sedlak can likely thank his burgeoning NHL career on that sparkling playoff run. A depth player for Lake Erie in the regular season, he become a go-to offensive demon in the playoffs. His regular season NHL production looks more like his AHL work did. Not that there is anything wrong with seeing your AHL club succeed, but having strong young talent at the AHL level is a good thing in and of itself. The team-wide AHL success is a nice bonus.

Pierre-Luc Dubois of the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles was selected by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the first round of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft in Buffalo, NY on Friday June 24, 2016. Photo by Aaron Bell/CHL Images

1 Pierre-Luc Dubois – Notably when he was first returned to the QMJHL as a roster cut, Dubois did not really pick up his pace until the WJC where he was a plus playmaker using his size and strength to positive impact in all zones. He was much more effective in the second half and the QMJHL playoffs. Very intelligent and versatile forward can play in a middle six role now, with potential for more down the road. Will get a much longer look at NHL camp this year.

2 Oliver Bjorkstrand – A high volume shooter, Bjorkstrand found it much easier to hit the back of the next in his second go round in the AHL, scoring nearly as much in 37 games as he did in 51 the year prior. He also showed the ability to provide offense at the NHL level, becoming a lineup regular by the end of the season. Owns great hands, and puts in the work to get to pucks and make something happen with them. Although he prefers sh

Oliver Bjorkstrand Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire)

ooting, he knows how to share. Very slight, will need to play with some heavier players to help create space.

3 Sonny Milano – A former first round pick, Milano began to produce offense at a top six rate in his second full AHL campaign. A masterful puck handler, he shows flashes of absolute brilliance, and at other times, is limited to simply having great composure and patience. Has very good vision and can be very creative in his puck maneuverings, whether his own handling or in passes to teammates. Also showed a lot of growth in his two-way game. Not far from the NHL.

4 Vitali Abramov – An offensive dynamo stolen in the third round in 2016, Abramov followed up his draft year by leading the QMJHL in scoring. A slippery finesse player, he has elite edge work and great top speed. His puck handling is delightful and he knows how to finish his own chances. Despite his size deficiency, he is reliable in his own end, and was regularly used to kill penalties with Gatineau. Too good for the Q, but not ready for the NHL.

5 Tyler Motte – The former Hobey Baker finalist was not ready for the NHL when the Chicago Blackhawks had him begin the season in the Show. Two games short of losing his prospect eligibility, they sent Motte back to the AHL. By years’ end, he was the best player for their Rockford affiliate. Acquired by Columbus in the Saad/Panarin trade, he plays a feisty, talented game not too dissimilar to that of Brendan Gallagher. That is the upside. Should be NHL ready this year.

6 Vladislav Gavrikov – A big, mobile, defensive zone specialist, Gavrikov is the best defensive prospect currently in the Blue Jackets’ system. Began to contribute more offensively as last season wore on, finishing with breakout performances in the KHL postseason and then the World Championships. Even if his offensive gains do not carry over, his hockey smarts and physicality both grade out as high end. Still an open question when he comes to North America.

7 Andrew Peeke – Big bodied defenseman had a strong freshman season with Notre Dame. Peeke has quick hands and a decent point shot. While he could be more aggressive with his stick, closing gaps and pressuring puck carriers before they can create danger, he is steady once the puck is in his zone, clogging lanes, clearing his crease and putting opponents on the ice with heavy hits. More a passer than a puck carrier, he has shutdown potential.

8 Kevin Stenlund – Seen as a bit of a surprise when he was taken in the second round in 2015, Stenlund was never highly considered by the Swedish powers that be, never being selected to represent the Tre Kronor in any internationally sanctioned tournament. While he scored well in junior hockey, he could not match that in the SHL until this year when he played a critical role for SHL champs HV71. A strong skater with a good shot, he profiles as a middle six forward.

9 Gabriel Carlsson – A plodding skater with a weak point shot, Carlsson literally does everything else very well to make up for those two deficiencies and still be a viable prospect. His decisions with the puck are generally right. He reads defensive zone coverage well, allowing him to support the offensive attack through solid puck movement. In his own zone, he does well at closing passing and shooting lanes. Will never be a scorer, but can contribute as a bottom pairing blueliner.

10 Alexandre Texier – An incredibly fast skater with intriguing puck skills, Texier made waves as a legitimate draft prospect not only from France, but playing in France. He has done well at every level he has ever played at, although the competition at those levels (French league, WJC Division 1A) pales in comparison to everyone else on all of the team lists. Off to play in Liiga next year, he will be tested. Will be most interesting to see how he acclimates to the pace of play.

11 Elvis Merzlikins – Now four years running as one of the top netminders in Switzerland’s top league, the Latvian Merzlikins is a very athletic goalie who loves to come out of the crease aggressively to challenge the shooter. Very quick from post to post, he does not let occasional lapses or bad goals get to him. In case, he reads the play quite well and bad goals are rare. He should be ready for the challenge of AHL play, but will be in Switzerland again this year.

12 Scott Harrington – Columbus’ seventh defenseman last season, Harrington spent the majority of his season in the press box. Originally drafted by Pittsburgh and traded to Toronto in the Phil Kessel deal, he became Columbus property in a trade for former first rounder Kerby Rychel. His puck play is on the iffy side, but he is a very good skater and takes care of things in his own end. A ready-now NHLer, but with a ceiling no higher than the third pairing.

13 Ryan Collins – Through his freshman and sophomore seasons with the Golden Gophers, Collins struggled mightily to live up to his billing as a second round draft pick. As a junior, his overall game started to come together. Always a solid skater for his plus size, he grew more comfortable playing the puck, while improving his decision making at both ends of the ice. He enters the pro game with the ability to be relied upon for tough situations and with reason to believe there is more offense in the tank.

14 Calvin Thurkauf – Big and physical, Thurkauf is also a strong skater for his size. Drafted in his second year of eligibility as a big forward with a good energy game, he took an increased offensive role with Kelowna last season, getting the room to work on his shot and puck handling skills. He prefers playing near the opposing crease and has the hands to score from in tight. Good performances in the WHL postseason as well as the WJC portend well for his AHL future.

15 Veeti Vainio – An injury prone speedster, Vainio is an excellent skater with great poise and confidence when he plays. He certainly has his red flags. In addition to his growing injury history, he can play soft and show a clear lack of intensity at times. The injuries – he was limited to nine regular season games last year and is out indefinitely now – have prevented him from working on those issues, but his speed cannot be taught.

16 Kole Sherwood – The first of five consecutive prospects brought to the organization as an undrafted free agent, Sherwood also has the distinction of being the first player from the Columbus area signed by the Blue Jackets. A good skater with a hard shot, he is an all-out workhorse whose offensive game has taken several steps forward since signing and moving to the OHL to develop, especially once he was given an offensive role with Flint. Ready for the AHL.

17 Markus Hannikainen – Signed as a 22 year old coming off a solid offensive showing in Liiga with JYP, Hannikainen is a good skater with hockey smarts and jam, although his offensive upside is ultimately limited. Physical without being a hard hitter, he also uses his body well to protect the puck. Plays a dogged style. His first few NHL cameos did not lead to much, but the Blue Jackets like him and gave him another two years to shoot for a full time NHL job.

18 Justin Scott – An average-sized forward with a big man’s game, Scott has surprisingly soft hands and touch. A reliable player in all three zones, he made a fairly smooth transition from an OHL career with Barrie to the AHL grind. A very heads-up player, he can bring energy and awareness to the game in all three zones. He profiles as an energy line winger, although his skating needs improvement, especially in his first few steps, to get there.

19 Sam Vigneault – A big center who gave up the final year of his collegiate eligibility at Clarkson, Vigneault plays a power forward game. Likes to take up space in front of the net and was immediately showcasing his strength against more experienced defenders in the AHL at the tail end of last season. Possesses high hockey IQ and good hands. Has bottom six upside with special teams possibilities as well. Not the most aggressive.

20 Matiss Kivlenieks – He is not the biggest, not the most athletic, nor the most technically proficient goaltender in the world. Not even in the organization. But Kivlenieks stops pucks. Always has. He had been committed to play for Minnesota State Mankato, but when Columbus offered him an ELC after leading Sioux City to the Clark Cup finals, the Latvian netminder turned pro. Demonstrated exquisite poise throughout his USHL run.

While the Blue Jackets system lacks an abundance of high end talent, it is chock full of players who are close to ready to contributing. Some like Bjorkstrand, Dubois and maybe Motte and/or Milano should play significant roles with the team this year. Others like Gavrikov and Merzlikins might be ready skills-wise, but are still paying in Europe. A few others like Collins and Carlsson are around one year of AHL development away from being ready. Added up, and it looks like the Blue Jackets surprising success last season was only the first in what should be the organization’s best yet run of contention.

2015 NHL Draft Guide: Top 5 Defensive Defenceman

Grant McCagg — Fri, 19 Jun 2015 13:25:28 +0000

Best defensive defenceman

Ivan Provorov is the consummate all-around defenceman. "He can do it all," noted one scout, "and that includes defensively. He's so smart and poised." Provorov turns the puck over on occasion, but no blueliner in recent drafts is any better at recovering from those mistakes with his guile, skill and determination.

Hanifin's reach, sense and high-end mobility make him a tough defender to beat one-on-one anywhere on the ice, Siegenthaler proved at the U-20's that he can shut down skilled, older prospects with his bulk, strength and smarts. Brisebois is an intelligent 6-2 defender with good reach and mobility playing on a poor junior team. Carlsson has the size, reach and foot speed to develop into a shutdown defender.

1. Ivan Provorov

2. Noah Hanifin

3. Jonas Siegenthaler

4. Guillaume Brisebois

5. Gabriel Carlsson

Follow Grant on Twitter: @grantmccagg

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

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

2015 NHL Draft: Sweden Top 10

Marcus Fingal — Wed, 26 Nov 2014 11:37:20 +0000

Among the draft-eligible prospects playing in Sweden this season, Farjestad blueliner Oliver Kylington heads the rankings. The Stockholm native is one of four defencemen in the top six - with forwards filling the last four spots in the top ten. Kylington is ranked No. 14 on the McKeen's preliminary Top 30 list while Frolunda's Jacob Larsson sits 21st - with a pair of Brynas prospects - savvy forward Jens Looke and goaltender Felix Sandstrom - expected to make strong bids to join them in the first round next June. Here is a brief overview of each player.

1. Oliver Kylington (2015), D, Farjestad/AIK... A terrific puckmoving defenceman with elite skating ability - which gives him that extra time and he always tries to find that open space of the ice. His sense for the game is average - and he is not overly physical or aggressive in spite of having decent size and strength. His puck control is good although he sometimes struggles to keep it up in traffic.

2. Jacob Larsson (2015), D, Frolunda... At 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds, Larsson has the size NHL teams desire in a rearguard. He is a smart player who impresses with his timing and ability to read and react to the play. More of an all-around type - gritty and competitive - in spite of not being a physical defender. Handles the puck well in traffic and has good mobility thanks to a smooth stride and excellent balance.

3. Jens Looke (2015), RW/L, Brynas... An intelligent and versatile forward who possesses a high hockey IQ. Looke plays a simple game backed by an excellent work ethic. A competent puckhandler with good tempo and control in traffic. Must keep working on his skating however, notably to improve both his power and acceleration.

4. Felix Sandstrom (2015), G, Brynas... An intriguing goaltender blessed with a good-sized 6-foot-2, 190-pound frame. Also quite mobile given his size. Offers up different looks to shooters and varying dimensions in terms of being able to play both a 'blocking' style as well as more impulsive approaches.

5. Gabriel Carlsson (2015), D, Linkopings... Carlsson's huge 6-foot-4 frame is only 185 pounds with loads of space to bulk up and fill in. Prefers to play a simple game that features few mistakes. A competent all-around defender who impresses with his solid body positioning. Not overly skilled with the puck, but has the potential to become a beast if he continuing to develop his strength and finesse play.

6. Jesper Lindgren (2015), D, MoDo... Lindgren is a smart and skilled puckmoving defenseman who understands the game very well. Solid passer with good balance in his skating, excels on the power play. However he is undersized by NHL standards at 6-foot-0 and just 160 pounds. It will be mandatory to add more strength to his game as he still is very weak relatively speaking.

7. Filip Ahl (2015), LW, HV71... A large-bodied forward with a lot of potential. Combines physicality and powerful skating. Propelled by a long smooth stride, and is very hard to take down when he comes with speed. Ahl handles the puck well, however he can still add more tools to his stickhandling. His hockey sense is average - and he sometimes finds it hard to play within a team concept.

8. Joel Eriksson Ek (2015), C, Farjestad... A solid two-way centre with a high hockey IQ and good size at 6-foot-2 and 180 pounds. Plays a well-structured and technical game. Always operates within the team concept which makes him very useful in game plans. Sound positional player and box-out defender. Only an average stickhandler -and must also continue to improve his skating.

9. Robin Kovacs (2015), RW, AIK... A talented forward and very good skater. Possesses a quick release on his shots and is also a smooth puckhandler. However, he is not particularly large at just under 6-feet-0 in height and 170 pounds. Will need to become stronger overall. Kovacs is an interesting prospect if he can add the requite muscles.

10. John Dahlstrom (2015), C/LW, Frolunda... A character player powered by an excellent work ethic and solid decision making. Plays a gritty game and utilizes his very good physical strength. Excels working the front of the goal and has a knack for picking up loose pucks.. Also boasts a good, very quick release on his shot, which he needs to use more often. Only an average skater, although he has shown improvements lately.