Hunter Drew – McKeen's Hockey

MCKEEN’S 2022-23 NHL YEARBOOK – ANAHEIM DUCKS – Top 20 Prospects

Contributors: Brock Otten, Dylan Krill, Arlo Schulz, Eloi Biondi, Ethan Hetu, — Thu, 15 Sep 2022 17:50:18 +0000

VANCOUVER, BC - NOVEMBER 09: Anaheim Ducks center Mason McTavish (37) is checked by Vancouver Canucks left wing Nils Hoglander (21) during their NHL game at Rogers Arena on November 9, 2021 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Derek Cain/Icon Sportswire)

1 - Mason McTavish C OHL

The 3^rd overall selection in the 2021 NHL Draft, Mason McTavish has proved himself worthy of the pick ever since the day he was drafted. Coming into the draft, McTavish’s draft stock had risen dramatically, and was a bit of a surprise to some when he was selected 3rd overall, but since then, he has shined and looks like a very promising prospect that will be a big part of a young Ducks future core. McTavish’s journey in the last two years has been anything but ordinary. During his draft year with the OHL shutdown, McTavish opted to go play pro in Europe in the Swiss League. During his 13 games he put up 11 points (9G,2A). After his time in Europe, McTavish was selected to play for Team Canada in the U18 WJC and had a very successful tournament with 11 points (5G,6A) in seven games. During the 21-22 season, McTavish seemed to be playing everywhere possible. Spending nine games in the NHL, three in the AHL, 29 in the OHL between two teams, 5 games in the Olympics and also played in the U20 WJC, winning gold as the captain. Two of McTavish’s best assets are undoubtedly his elite shot and puck control. McTavish’s shot has always been his best tool, finding ways to find the back of the net at every level he’s played. His blend of strength and creativity make him dominant with the puck on his stick. Being able to drive his way to the net and show little difficulty controlling in traffic. He has the hands to beat opponents one-on-one consistently. Moving into this year, McTavish will have the opportunity to take a leap into a full-time role in the NHL. - DK

2 - Pavel Mintyukov D OHL

The 10^th overall selection in the 2022 NHL Draft, Pavel Mintyukov is looking to have another big year in the OHL after having a very successful season with Saginaw, putting up 62 points (17G,45A) in 67 games. Mintyukov was one of the most diverse prospects in the NHL draft because of his unique style of play. His talent is unquestionably high-end, but the way he utilizes his tools makes some scouts think that he won’t be as effective in the NHL, and even a liability at times. His aggressive offensive game makes him dangerous with the puck on his stick, but there are times he’s over-aggressive which results in him out of position. Despite being highly talented offensively, he is still strong defensively and is able to shutdown plays with both his stick and physicality, both in the defensive zone and in transition. Mintyukov’s best assets are his offensive awareness and playmaking. He has the ability to create high danger chances consistently and he does so with great poise, never looking overwhelmed, making his ceiling very high. Going into next year, Mintyukov will play another year in the OHL and look to take a step forward to become more of a complete defenseman. He will likely be in a much better situation as well, with a much more competitive Saginaw Spirit team which will help boost his confidence. With more confidence and better players to play with, Mintyukov has the potential to become the best defenseman in the OHL this year. - DK

3 - Olen Zellweger D WHL

It was a meteoric rise to stardom for Zellweger in his draft+1 year. After being plucked in the 2^nd round by the Ducks in 2021, the undersized blueliner exploded for 78 points in just 55 games with the Silvertips and followed up with a strong performance at the IIHF under-20 tournament, earning a gold medal in the process. Perhaps we should have seen this breakout coming; Zellweger had a strong finish to his 2020-21 season and was one of the fastest risers in that year’s draft class. An effortless skater, Zellweger’s meal ticket is his escapability. His high panic threshold combined with decent vision and strong distribution skills makes him the ideal puck manager for zone exits. Zellweger can play either side of the ice with ease and took another step forward offensively last year, showing that he can be a powerplay weapon. Like many young players of his stature, Zellweger needs to improve his physical play and engage more often, not just along the boards but also in front of his net in tying up opposing forwards, for example. His positioning defensively is also still erratic from time to time, but Zellweger possesses a high hockey IQ that will allow him to learn and absorb the nuances of his position quickly. He is one of the youngest players from his draft class and oozes upside and potential. He is likely slated to return to junior for one more season in Everett. - AS

4 - Lukas Dostal G AHL

After a second consecutive strong season in the AHL, Dostal has cemented his place among the best goaltending prospects outside of the NHL. The former winner of the Urpo Ylonen award (best netminder in the Finnish Liiga), Dostal appears to be an injury/trade (of Gibson/Stolarz) away from being an NHL starter. The 6’2 netminder combines athleticism and aggressiveness to dominate the crease. He moves extremely well laterally and has excellent agility, allowing him to be aggressive in challenging shooters outside of the blue paint. This helps him to cut down angles and battle for sight lines, given that he is only “average”-sized compared to today’s ideal goaltender. He also possesses a strong glove hand that helps him to take away the upper portion of the net. At this point, Dostal has proven himself at every level outside of the NHL. He dominated the Finnish men’s league. He’s put forward two strong seasons in the AHL. He even earned his first NHL victory this past season against the Detroit Red Wings, making 33 saves in a shootout win. At this point, the only thing keeping him out of the NHL is the fact that Anaheim already has two quality NHL netminders. Knocking on the door, it’s a matter of when, not if, Dostal becomes a permanent NHL’er. His ceiling is that of one of the best goaltenders in the NHL. - BO

5 - Jacob Perreault RW AHL

Perreault’s second AHL season went much better than his first, especially when you consider that under normal circumstances, he would not have been able to play in the AHL. Still age eligible for the OHL, Perreault was able to continue to play with San Diego (along with some other OHL-eligible players) because he played in the league last year through an exception. He looked significantly more confident with the puck this past year, showing a consistent ability to drive play (with pace) thanks to his speed and skill combination. Additionally, he still has that big shot that makes him such a strong finisher (even if the 14 goals in the AHL might not suggest that). Another big difference for Perreault this year was the increase in physical intensity. He was a much more willing combatant in the corners and trying to get to the net by playing through traffic. This added physicality will most definitely help him to become an NHL player. Moving forward, Perreault will just need to continue to improve his decision making with the puck and his effort across all three zones. He earned a one game look with Anaheim last year and certainly deserves to get more games this coming season. While penciling him in as a full time NHL player in 2022/23 may be slightly optimistic, there is no doubt that he is trending in the right direction and looks like a future top six winger for the Ducks. - BO

6 - Nathan Gaucher C QMJHL

Nathan Gaucher was considered by many as the top prospect coming out of the QMJHL for the most recent 2022 NHL Draft. Without many surprises, he was selected 22^nd overall by the Anaheim Ducks. What makes Gaucher so enticing to NHL teams is not his flashy skills or finesse, but much more the little details about his game that makes him extremely projectable to the next level. Gaucher is a relentless forechecker. He uses his body in very smart ways to separate the opponent from the puck or deliver heavy checks. Gaucher pairs this physical aspect of his game with very good north-south skating. His strides are long and powerful and permit him to win a lot of races to loose pucks and to power his way through in transitions. Gaucher also possesses a great sense of anticipation for the game. He can frequently prevent plays by doing well-timed interceptions as well as some crafty passes to teammates. He played a very important role in Patrick Roy’s Quebec Remparts this season by being utilized in all situations. Gaucher’s very effective two-way game awarded him the Guy Carbonneau Award as the best defensive forward at 18 years old. Gaucher's strong two-way play also helped him secure a spot on the 2022 Team Canada squad, where he helped them win gold. Gaucher will return next season once again with a strong Quebec Remparts team where they’re expecting to make a good run.

7 - Henry Thrun D US

Henry Thrun was a fourth-round pick at the 2019 NHL draft, getting selected by the Ducks just outside of the top-100 picks. Thrun was a member of an extremely talented US National Team Development Program and has since continued his development at Harvard University. With the Crimson, Thrun has grown to be the team’s most heavily used, reliable defenseman. Thrun played nearly 25 minutes per night at Harvard last season and was by far the team’s highest-scoring blueliner. Thrun’s on-ice profile is built on a strong foundation, which is Thrun’s ability to make quick reads and turn those quick reads into simple, effective plays. On each shift, in each situation, Thrun will quickly see what he wants to do, and execute his envisioned best play without much delay or hesitation. He’s decisive, and his reliance on quick decision-making has meant that the minutes he plays are, generally speaking, safe. He’s not the sort of player who will look to flip a game on its head and take over a shift, imposing his will on an opponent. Instead, Thrun quickly accepts the current state of the game and looks to make the best possible play within his given parameters of each shift. There’s value in that approach, namely in its consistency, reliability, and overall safety. But as a number-one defenseman, which is the role he plays at Harvard, he can sometimes leave you wanting more. His scoring numbers in college were great, but his numbers rarely came as a product of his own creation, rather he piled points as a safety valve for his teammates, helping them play at their best in the offensive zone. Overall, the positives in Thrun’s game are definitely notable, and if he can continue to play his style of game, he could see himself playing in the NHL sooner rather than later, likely with a career as someone who can anchor a third pairing and contribute as a safe special team’s option. - EH

8 - Jackson Lacombe D US

One of the byproducts of the Anaheim Ducks’ stellar drafting in recent years is some highly talented prospects aren’t getting the level of attention or respect they’d likely receive were they drafted into organizations with thinner prospect pools. Jackson Lacombe might be one of those prospects, as the Ducks have such a talented crop of young blueliners that it’s easy for some to forget that Lacombe has a place in their blueline’s future as well. Lacombe was drafted near the top of the second round at the 2019 draft and has spent the three seasons after his draft selection at the University of Minnesota. Lacombe’s first year as a Gopher was uneven, but he’s really come into his own as he’s gotten some more games under his belt. The six-foot-one left-shot blueliner led all Gopher defensemen in scoring last season and has blossomed into a high-end college defenseman. Lacombe’s development has been encouraging, and the reputation he once had as a dangerous offense-first blueliner has given way to a more balanced profile as he’s rounded out the other elements in his game. Before, Lacombe’s reputation as a “dangerous” offensive defenseman extended to both teams, as he was just as likely to create a scoring chance for his teammates as he was to give way to a scoring chance for his opponents. Now, Lacombe’s game has found more balance, and he’s gotten better at utilizing his size and positioning to give defensive value. The recklessness in his game still rears its head, and that raises questions about how well he’ll fare in his own end as a pro. But the offensive talent is there, and if he can weather the storm against professional opposition, he can have an NHL career. - EH

9 - Drew Helleson D US

Drew Helleson is the sort of prospect one might easily envision playing all four years in college before making a transition to the professional game. Helleson didn’t do that, signing with the Anaheim Ducks after just his third season as a Boston College Eagle. Helleson’s eagerness to jump to the professional game speaks to his style and who he is as a prospect. As a senior, Helleson set new career-high marks in offensive production and minutes played. His stock as a prospect steadily rose, and the improvement in his overall reputation is reflected in his selection to the United States’ squad for the Beijing Winter Olympics. Helleson is a defense-first prospect, but not one that’s too outdated to have upside in the modern NHL. Despite his crease-clearing shutdown style, Helleson has two-way chops to his game. He’s a good skater, gets around the ice well, and has the mobility you want from defensemen today. He can help a team in transition and demonstrates great poise when both leading and defending against rushes. In his own zone, Helleson uses his size to stymie opposing chances and can properly diagnose a developing play and move quickly to diffuse it. His offensive style might take some time to translate to the pro game, as the safety and simplicity he provides on the defensive side of the game bleeds into his offense, leading him to be more conservative than he needs to, a trait that will hurt his productivity against talented pro defenders. Helleson is a relatively safe prospect, with the floor of a capable bottom-pairing defensive specialist. If he can work out how to contribute on offense as a pro, he can potentially become a contending team’s fourth defenseman. - EH

10 - Noah Warren D QMJHL

The 6’5” defenseman is big-bodied and plays a very defense-oriented type of game. Playing this season alongside fellow Anaheim draft pick Tristan Luneau, they both formed one of the best defensive duos in the QMJHL last season. Warren is also an excellent skater for his size, as he had one of the best results in the straight-line skating tests at the CHL top prospects combine. This combination of size, skating, and a sound defensive game made Anaheim pick him even higher than teammate Tristan Luneau. Warren should look to improve his offensive game and his decision-making for years to come. How much of his offensive potential can be unlocked? He can dazzle occasionally as a puck rusher, showing an ability to use his strong stride to lead the attack. However, there are many moments where he does not look skilled enough or poised enough to be a point producer. With Quebec this season, hopefully he can take steps forward to proving that he can be more than just a stay-at-home type. At the very least, his combination of physicality, size, and mobility should make him a #4-6 defender for the Ducks in the future. - EB

11 - Tristan Luneau

An intelligent and mobile two-way defender, the focus for Luneau will be to stay healthy this season after injuries derailed his draft year.

12- Brayden Tracey

His development in the WHL appeared to have plateaued, but his first pro season was a success. His offensive awareness makes him a strong complementary player.

13 - Sam Colangelo

A big, power winger, Colangelo is coming off of a strong sophomore season. His ability to prolong possession down low is impressive and he will be looking to take yet another step forward as a junior at Northeastern this season.

14 - Sasha Pastujov

Once established inside the offensive zone, Pastujov can be a major offensive weapon. His shot is a major asset. However, his skating still needs to be upgraded in order for him to become a top six forward at the pro level.

15- Benoit-Olivier Groulx

A competitive two-way forward, Groulx split the year between Anaheim and San Diego last season. His versatility and tenacity make him a likely bottom six forward.

16 - Calle Clang

Acquired as part of the Rakell to Pittsburgh trade, Clang is starting to look the part of a potential NHL netminder. He will look to be a starter in the SHL this season before crossing the pond.

17 - Sean Tschigerl

A speedy forward with a big shot, Tschigerl is coming off a strong season on a young Calgary (WHL) team. The focus this season will be on him to reach another level as a team leader on the Hitmen.

18 - Ian Moore

Moore is a dependable two-way defender at Harvard who shows strong defensive potential, especially because of his combination of length and mobility.

19 - Hunter Drew

Drew has emerged as a potential NHL player after improving every year of his first three pro seasons. He is very versatile with the ability to play defense and forward and brings consistent physicality.

20 - Urho Vaakanainen

Acquired in the Hampus Lindholm deal with Boston, Vaakanainen is a former first rounder by Boston who has a chance to be a solid third pairing defensive defender for the Ducks.

QMJHL Playoff Preview: Huskies leaders of the pack in the President’s Cup playoff

Michael Sanderson — Wed, 20 Mar 2019 13:23:49 +0000

The Rouyn-Noranda Huskies are looking to complete what they could not in 2016: win a Memorial Cup.

They may just have the team to do it, but first they need to lay waste to the rest of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

That’s what they did in the regular season. Boasting three players from that 2016 Memorial Cup squad in league-leading scorer Peter Abbandonato, minute-eating defender Jacob Neveu and record-setting netminder Samuel Harvey, the Huskies set the record for most wins in a single season with 59 wins in 2018-19. Raphael Harvey-Pinard played five games for that 2016 Huskie crew in the regular season and was the team’s second leading scorer this year.

The Huskies are a very strong defensive unit that moves the puck fast and plays with intensity. They lost just one game in the 2019 portion of the schedule.

Noah Dobson, Rouyn-Noranda Huskies.

Rouyn-Noranda made it count in the mid-season trading period as well, trading all of their picks in the first-through-fourth rounds in the next three seasons to acquire three players – Joel Teasdale from the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada, Louis-Filip Côté from the Québec Remparts, and Noah Dobson from the defending Memorial Cup champion Acadie-Bathurst Titan. Teasdale boasts 42 points in 29 games, and Dobson added 36 in 28.

The Titan will not be defending their crown, as they missed the playoffs this season, allowing for a new champion that could be wearing red and black. The Huskies have another piece from last year’s champs: head coach Mario Pouliot joined the team, taking over as head coach and GM.

Joe Veleno, Drummondville Voltiguers

Another team in red and black, the Drummondville Voltigeurs, are the yin to the Huskies yang in terms of contending combatants. While the Huskies dominate with defensive play and timely scoring, the Voltigeurs try to outscore the opposition, and were very successful at it, especially in the second half. The Volts led the league in goals with 338 on the strength of Detroit pick Joe Veleno’s 104 points and Maxime Comtois’s 48 points in just 25 games.

They have the forward depth to put most teams to shame. Nicolas Guay has been an excellent winger with 40 goals. Gregor MacLeod was picked up at the beginning of the season from Québec and put up 84 points. Félix Lauzon’s two-way play was magnified by his 80 points, and Dawson Mercer, not draft-eligible until 2020, had 64 points with his blazing speed and great defensive instincts. This playoff season could be Mercer’s breakout party with the responsibility Steve Hartley and the Volts coaching staff put on his shoulders.

The Huskies, not to be outdone, outscored every team but Drummondville in the regular campaign.

Drummondville and Rouyn-Noranda both benefit from a different playoff format this year, as well. Due to travel issues, the league decided to toss out the previous 1-vs-16, 2-vs-15 format for a conference set-up, putting the league’s 12 Quebec-based teams in three divisions of four, and the Maritimes all in a single division of six. The two western-most divisions were shuffled into the Western Conference, while the East Division and the Maritime teams were linked into the Eastern Conference.

This plan creates an imbalance in the conferences, so the possibility of a crossover exists; if the ninth-best Eastern Conference team has more points than the eighth-best Western Conference team, the Eastern team joins the west for the playoffs, and the eighth-best Western team misses the playoffs. The tenth-based team in the east, if they too have more points than the remaining team in the west, could also cross over.

This possibility nearly happened, with the Saint John Sea Dogs tied in points and holding the tiebreaker over the Shawinigan Cataractes on the league’s final day of the regular season. The Sea Dogs lost in regulation, while the Cataractes lost in overtime, putting them one point ahead of the Dogs and into the final playoff spot. Shawinigan, who made the playoffs despite a 0-14-1-0 record in their final 15 games, will take on the Huskies, a team that has only lost eight times all season.

The first round will be 1-vs-8, 2-vs-7 and the second round will pit the four winners, highest remaining seed playing lowest remaining seed. The third round will be a free-for-all, with the team’s left over ranked by record and seeded one-through-four regardless of conference, and lastly the winners of the third round will meet in the league final.

The possibility of the best two teams meeting in the final is still there, and the two best teams in terms of points, Rouyn-Noranda and Drummondville, will have an easier ride than most one- and two-seeds.

The talent disparity between the Eastern and Western Conferences this year was a sight to behold, perfectly demonstrated by the Sherbrooke Phoenix. The Phoenix, with 77 points, finished third in the west and will have home ice against the Armada. Given the same results, if Sherbrooke was in the east, they would have finished in eighth place, and would be playing the Conference-leading and Memorial Cup hosting Halifax Mooseheads. Quite a jump in competition, and on the road, no less.

The Mooseheads overtook the Baie-Comeau Drakkar to win the East crown on the final day, and they will have home-ice assured for the first two rounds. While they received some criticism for potentially not doing enough during the mid-season trading period, making the fewest trades of any team, the Mooseheads are coming in with a very strong outfit that had a better 2019 than 2018. Head coach Eric Veilleux and the personnel struggled at times in terms of game-plan; Veilleux is a more defensive coach and the players he is directing are more offensive-minded, but he does his best coaching in the playoffs, and has a league final in 2013 and a Memorial Cup championship in 2012 to his credit.

Jared McIssaac

Samuel Asselin, acquired from the Titan in the season’s first week, had an excellent campaign and was the most consistent Moosehead over the 68 games, firing a league-topping 48 goals and 86 points for Halifax. Anaheim prospects Benoît-Olivier Groulx and Antoine Morand both shone in the regular season as well, with 80 and 70 points, respectively. Arnaud Durandeau kept pace as well, as the Islanders hopeful had 73 points of his own. Detroit prospect Jared McIsaac was second in defenceman points with 62 in 53 games. Having Edmonton prospect Ostap Safin back in the lineup in March after missing several months with recurring hip issues is a major boost to the scoring touch of the team.

Fans will keep a close eye on Raphael Lavoie, projected as potentially the league’s biggest draft prospect for this June’s NHL draft. Lavoie had a very hot February with 24 points in the month, and while he was kept off the scoresheet in his last three games, needs a big playoff and Memorial Cup to keep himself above the competition, namely Moncton’s Jakob Pelletier and Sherbrooke’s Samuel Poulin.

Ivan Chekhovich

The Drakkar are the Mooseheads’ biggest challengers in the east, and they held the title until the league’s final games. Much like the Huskies, the Volts and the Mooseheads, the Drakkar boast major scoring in their lineup. San Jose prospect Ivan Chekhovich was six points off the league leader in Abbandonato with 105 points, and Nathan Légaré, a 2019 draft hopeful, was tied for eighth in league scoring with 87 points and tied for second in the league with 45 goals. Their top four scorers all scored at least 35 goals, and they beefed up the back end with additions of Keenan MacIsaac from the Titan and Pascal Corbeil of the Armada.

The team did not sit pat with their goaltending either, as GM Steve Ahern acquired three capable goaltenders in Alex D’Orio from Saint John, Dereck Baribeau from Québec and Lucas Fitzpatrick from Shawinigan. Due to Baribeau’s injury in early January sidelining him for the rest of the regular season, D’Orio has been the team’s starting goaltender, and the Penguins’ signee has shown that with a contending team, he is a very good starting goaltender who can handle a lot of shots. The Drakkar do not give up a lot of shots, though, being fourth in the league in shots against at just 26-and-a-half.

Alexis Lafreniere

The Eastern Conference is the side to watch in the first two rounds, as they had seven teams breach the 85-point barrier to the west’s two. The Rimouski Oceanic, upset in last year’s first round by the Moncton Wildcats, bring in Alexis Lafrenière for his second playoff run, and they added big muscle in Calgary prospect D’Artignan Joly to a lineup that already boasted high-flying Tampa signee Jimmy Huntington and defensive leading scorer and Charles-Edouard D’Astous. Lafrenière’s 105 points already secures him as a top prospect for 2020, but he will want to get further than the opening round this time around. The Oceanic will go as far as 2019 prospect Colten Ellis can take them from the red line.

While Charlottetown traded away Arizona first rounder Pierre-Olivier Joseph to Drummondville, they were able to get New Jersey prospect Xavier Bernard in the deal. Matt Welsh is capable of stealing a series in net and would be talked about more in NHL circles if he was taller than 5-11”. A team could still take a flyer on him and be well-off; he never quits on a play and excels in making saves however necessary. Anaheim prospect Hunter Drew has made more great strides in his game, and 2019 potential picks Nikita Alexandrov and Brett Budgell are joined by sharpshooter Daniel Hardie and former Titan forward Jordan Maher for experience. Jim Hulton is a very good coach and an excellent motivator, and he has a group he can mold for a playoff run, despite selling off his best asset.

The Islanders’ first round opponents will be the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles, who acquired Derek Gentille and Minnesota prospect Shawn Boudrias at the deadline. Ottawa pick Kevin Mandolese will have to earn his keep in the net against the Isles, and former Titan forward Mitch Balmas, two-time 40-goal scorer, will hope to improve upon his five goals in last year’s playoff run. The Eagles may be a year away, but this would be a very pivotal moment in the growth of this year’s core going forward, and they are more than capable of pulling off an upset.

Chicoutimi was a player in the Noah Dobson sweepstakes; as part of a handshake agreement, Dobson was sent to Rouyn-Noranda, but with mostly Chicoutimi draft picks. Those picks were sent to the Huskies by Chicoutimi for facilitation and the ability to acquire William Dufour. The trade was a part of the Titan’s deal for Olivier Galipeau last season; the Sags wanted the ability to re-acquire Dobson next year if faced with the possibility, but also take in Dufour as a potential core piece for the future. If Dobson went through Chicoutimi directly, the Saguenéens would not be able to re-acquire him for three years.

Chicoutimi under Yanick Jean have been rebuilding for a couple of years, but they have three of the first seven picks from last year’s first round on the team in Dufour, Hendrix Lapierre and Théo Rochette. All three have received international attention and will be important building blocks for the team in future years, and this team will gain valuable experience in the post-season, with the potential of netminder Alexis Shank stealing a game or two against Rimouski.

Jakob Pelletier is a player whose game gets better as the chips are down, and he is potentially the Wildcats’ most important player in their playoff push. Jeremy McKenna’s 97 points does not hurt either, but the Wildcats changed coaches in January and struggled to find their game at times this season. They made moves to get better at Christmas but saw a team that sold off players in Charlottetown and a team that more or less stood pat in Chicoutimi, adding just William Dufour and shuffling in Liam Murphy for Jesse Sutton, surpass them in the standings. The team is playing better under the watchful eye of John Torchetti, but the playoffs are a different animal.

Samuel Poulin is also a player who benefits when the checking gets close. He is big, fast and smart, and he can play physical as well as contribute offensively. The Phoenix scored more goals this year than any other year in their history, but do not have a scorer who jumps off the page; Poulin’s 29 goals tied for the team lead, matched by Alex-Olivier Voyer. Poulin will be relied upon heavily in the post-season, but the Phoenix have eight players with 42 points or more in the regular campaign.

The Eastern Conference is a wide-open group with good teams set to pack after the first round, while the West feature the two top teams in the league in the Huskies and the Voltigeurs. One would expect those latter two teams to make it to the final four, but any of the top seven teams in the east could make a run for the President’s Cup.

Who will meet the Mooseheads in Halifax at the 2019 Memorial Cup in May? The Huskies have recent history on their side, and the league’s wins record to boot. 16 more wins to their 59 they have already amassed seems most likely.

Predictions

First Round

Rouyn-Noranda over Shawinigan in 4

Drummondville over Gatineau in 4

Blainville-Boisbriand over Sherbrooke in 7 (with goaltending leading to the mild upset)

Victoriaville over Val d’Or in 6

Halifax over Quebec in 5

Baie-Comeau over Moncton in 5

Rimouski over Chicoutimi in 7

Charlottetown over Cape Breton in 6

Second Round

Rouyn-Noranda over Blainville-Boisbriand in 4

Drummondville over Victoriaville in 6

Halifax over Charlottetown in 7

Baie-Comeau over Rimouski in 6

Third Round

Rouyn-Noranda over Baie-Comeau in 6

Drummondville over Halifax in 7

League Championship

Rouyn-Noranda over Drummondville in 6

QMJHL Trade Deadline: Want to improve your QMJHL team this season? Pay up!

Michael Sanderson — Mon, 17 Dec 2018 17:43:55 +0000

The QMJHL’s silly season is upon us.

The league’s trading period opens up Sunday, and several trades are already in the books, some of which were consummated before the opening bell was officially opened. The period closes up on January 6. One thing to be expected this season: contenders will have to pay to make their teams better heading into the second half.

All eyes are on the Halifax Mooseheads this season as the Memorial Cup hosts in May. Because of this, the team has some extra pressure to build a contender. On paper, they are one of the strongest teams in the entirety of the Canadian Hockey League, but they have struggled a little bit with consistency. The team is noticing some potential issues that may need solving for the tourney, adding to their depth.

Now, if newspaper quotes are to be believed, Mooseheads general manager Cam Russell is not all that interested in blowing up the future for the present, as he observes that his team could be even better next season as presently constructed. However, this year is a guaranteed Memorial Cup berth, whereas future years are earned solely by hard work from August-to-May. The sure thing dictates that this declaration is just posturing, as a Memorial Cup host can expect a heightened market for any assets.

Further, this Mooseheads squad could use some tinkering. Edmonton Oiler forward Ostap Safin, acquired from Saint John at the start of the season, has been in and out of the lineup due to ongoing hip issues. Overager Jordan Maher has simply not been the best fit with the team with just four goals so far, despite his best efforts. Anaheim Ducks prospect Antoine Morand’s game has been as expected, but the numbers are not quite where they should be, with 28 points in 29 games. Potential first rounder Raphaël Lavoie has hit a bit of a snag this season, not looking like himself from last season; he is scoring less and seeing his focus wane at times this season. The offence, a strong suit in prior years, is sixth-best in the league right now, with a few blowouts augmenting the numbers.

New Jersey Devils defender Jocktan Chainey has seen his ice time drop and Chicago Blackhawks blueliner Jake Ryczek has seen his rise, but behind Jared McIsaac and Justin Barron, who have been solid, there is no big third defender option. Despite that, the team has solid defending numbers, tied for second-best in goals against.

To his credit, goaltender Alexis Gravel has been maybe the team’s most valuable player so far this season, but his backup option is Cole MacLaren, a decent choice but not a goalie you want starting against the OHL and WHL champions.

To that end, Halifax will be in on a defenceman this trading period, and potentially a second goaltender as well. If the price is right, they may also look to add to the forward group to try and jumpstart the offence.

Noah Dobson

Thankfully for the Mooseheads, the two biggest names available in the trading period are both defencemen. New York Islanders prospect Noah Dobson is the biggest fish in the pond, and right behind him is Arizona Coyotes draft pick Pierre-Olivier Joseph.

The price for Dobson will set the market, as he is the prize all teams are competing for. Dobson is a game-changer on defence, capable of controlling a game from the back-end, and has championship experience on the biggest stage. Joseph is a very solid consolation prize, as teams who find the price for Dobson too high may rather try to acquire one of the league’s hardest workers and smartest players. The Islanders also have very useful players to add into a Joseph trade to help a win-now team, such as Keith Getson or Anaheim Ducks prospect Hunter Drew, but it’s believed that Jim Hulton is not looking for far-off picks, preferring players that can help as early as next season in exchange for his assets. Having said that, the Islanders are in a contending position, and could choose either to stand pat or add to their team.

What is interesting in the Dobson speculation is that it is rumoured that any deal involving him will have to go through the Chicoutimi Saguenéens, as part of conditions of a prior deal for Bathurst last season. The Sags would rather the assets that Dobson would provide rather than use him this season, as Chicoutimi is a middling team with no real title aspirations this season. The suspense will run into the new year, as Dobson cannot officially be traded until his term with Team Canada at the World Junior Championships are over.

There are some top-level defender and forwards beyond those two, but in goal, most contenders seem to be set with one or two good goaltenders. There are many options for a team to buy for a playoff run – Minnesota Wild prospect Dereck Baribeau from Quebec, Pittsburgh Penguin signee Alex D’Orio in Saint John and fellow Penguin camp attendee Tristan Côté-Cazenave, to name three – but most of the top teams are set in net.

The changed playoff format this season could also have an effect on the trading period, due to the imbalance of talent between the Eastern and the Western Conferences. Starting this year, to prevent so many easy matchups in the first round and to cut down on potential travel, the league decided to drop the 1-vs-16 format and form two conferences of two divisions each. The Maritime teams and the Eastern-most Quebec teams form the 10-team East, and the rest create the eight-team West. There is the potential for wildcards to allow the top 16 teams to make the playoffs, but the weakness of this playoff format is best demonstrated by the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles. At the time of writing, the Eagles would hold home ice in the old playoff format, sitting in eighth spot in the league. Because of the new conference format, though, Cape Breton would be sixth in the East, drawing a tough, contending Baie-Comeau team, on the road no less, in the opening round, rather than 11th-place Quebec. That format change could influence some teams in terms of whether to buy, sell or stand pat this season.

Two definite contenders outside of Halifax that dominate the list of other potential buyers are the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies and the Drummondville Voltigeurs.

Rouyn-Noranda are a very strong team built from within and coached and managed by last year’s Memorial Cup winner, Mario Pouliot. They are hard-working, very deep in net and on defence, and just one player on the entire roster has played for another Q team. Their wildcard is the potential return of injured Pittsburgh Penguin prospect Zachary Lauzon. His return would put the Huskies in limbo with their overagers, and they would have to make a decision on their 20-year-olds.

Joe Veleno

The Voltigeurs are maybe the league’s deepest team, led by Anaheim Ducks prospect Maxime Comtois and Detroit Red Wings first rounder Joe Veleno up front, Chicago Blackhawks first rounder Nicolas Beaudin and New Jersey Devils prospect Xavier Bernard on defence, along with Edmonton Oilers prospect Olivier Rodrigue in goal. Comtois’s return to the Q is maybe the biggest acquisition any team could have made this season. They are a rumoured team for Dobson, and adding Dobson to Beaudin and Bernard defensively would make Drummondville a very tough team to face in the playoffs with that three-headed monster on the back end.

One team that is certainly making some changes is the Baie-Comeau Drakkar. General Manager Steve Ahern has promised that several trades will be announced Sunday. They are heavily linked to the above-mentioned D’Orio.

Further with the Drakkar, Calgary Flames pick D’Artignan Joly has left the team on his own accord, awaiting a trade. Joly and the team have had a bumpy 2018, with player wanting to be more creative and team wishing he was more engaged and aggressive. Joly can absolutely score at this level, but he is an artist more than he is a worker.

Editor’s note – prior to publication, it was announced that Joly had been dealt to Victoriaville

The Rimouski Oceanic were a contender for the league title on paper this season, but they look up at the Drakkar at this point in the year and are facing a decision – do they go for it or hold back and go for it next year. According to bench boss Serge Beausoleil, they will be tentative, but not sell off players who won’t return, including captain Charles-Edouard D’Astous, who drew some interest from the Ottawa Senators in the summer. The Oceanic are the proud team of phenom Alexis Lafrenière, who will return to the league next season, and Rimouski could set themselves up to be an even better team next season.

The Moncton Wildcats may opt to do the same, as they have a high-flying offence, but many players also set to return for next season, namely potential first rounder Jakob Pelletier and Minnesota Wild pick Alex Khovanov, despite some issues on the defensive end. Unlike the Oceanic, though, players not returning next season or otherwise not in the plans for next season could be available for trade.

Among the anticipated sellers, the Acadie-Bathurst Titan have also had a move announced ahead of Sunday’s opening day for the mid-season trading period. They will acquire forward Anderson MacDonald from the Wildcats for a pair of picks. MacDonald has not had the bounce-back season either he or the Wildcats were hoping after he was surprisingly undrafted in last June’s NHL Entry Draft. MacDonald has battled injuries all year, and has played in only four games, largely on the fourth line, before being shuffled out of Moncton to the north of New Brunswick.

The Titan have also all but moved Dobson, fellow blueliner Keenan MacIsaac and forward Ethan Crossman, and will continue to take calls on defender Michal Ivan. The foursome all played key roles for the Memorial Cup winning Titan squad last year, as they look to set themselves up for a rebuild.

Editor’s note – Prior to publication, both Crossman and MacIsaac were dealt to Baie-Comeau

One can add the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada to the list of potential sellers, as they may look into cashing in on the remaining assets from three straight strong playoff runs. Montreal Canadiens prospect Joël Teasdale is a name that would garner lots of interest, and they have many useful veterans they do not need this season – Rémy Anglehart, Alex Katerinakis, Luke Henman, Thomas Ethier and Charles-Antoine Giguère come to mind. The Armada could recoup a lot of assets for their collection of forwards.

Editor’s note – Giguère was traded to Moncton prior to publication

The Gatineau Olympiques could also cash in on a few of their players for the future, namely Minnesota Wild prospect Shawn Boudrias and overager Gabriel Bilodeau, who could put up points on a contender looking to upgrade their powerplay. So could Val-d’Or’s David Noel, a St. Louis Blues pick, who is 19, but is currently on the shelf with an eye injury.

The composition of the QMJHL’s top teams will look different between now and January, and despite the high prices, expect a lot of player movement this time around.

2018 NHL Draft Review: Pacific Division

Ryan Wagman — Fri, 06 Jul 2018 12:13:32 +0000

The draft is over and 217 young players are newly affiliated with 31 different NHL organizations. Outside of three to six of those players, who could jump right into NHL lineups in the fall, we will not know whether the vast majority of those players are draft successes for two, three, four, or five years.

The lack of clear foresight aside, we should still be able to judge draft classes at least in terms of expected value. In some cases, we can look at strategy as well, although the way the board shakes out based on the picks that came before, we can rarely truly discern what a club was trying to do, but only what they were able to do.

I had hoped that we would be able to provide an average Overall Future Projection of the various draft classes, but there are a few picks from the high school ranks, the NAHL and a few European junior leagues for whom we lack enough information to give a full grade, so we will focus on where we had players ranked as we assess the draft haul of each team, as we run division-by-division through the NHL.

Here is the Pacific Division

Anaheim Ducks

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

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

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

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

OFP – 53.25

Arizona Coyotes

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

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

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

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

OFP – 52.75

Calgary Flames

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

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

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

OFP - 50.25

Edmonton Oilers

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

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

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

OFP – 53.75

Los Angeles Kings

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

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

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

OFP – 53.75

San Jose Sharks

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

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

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

OFP – 49.75

Vancouver Canucks

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

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

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

OFP – 53.5

Vegas Golden Knights

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

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

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

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

OFP – 51.5