Jack Malone – McKeen's Hockey

USHL: 2020-21 Playoff Preview – Expect Entertaining Hockey with Chicago a Clear Favourite

Ryan Wagman — Fri, 30 Apr 2021 15:27:15 +0000

If there is an exception to the across-the-board negative impact of COVID-19 on the world of hockey, it may rest in the USHL. As north of the border, the three leagues of the CHL were in disarray – at best – the USHL, played a fairly “normal” year.

Sure, the league proceeded without the participation of the Madison Capitals (regional COVID restrictions) or the Cedar Rapids Rough Riders (a Derecho huffed and puffed and blew the arena down), but the rest of the league played (an approximately) 54 game schedule with rather few disruptions.

Not only that, but in terms of quality, the league was better than ever, as a number of players who had expected to suit up for Canadian teams – both CHL and Jr. A – were given an opportunity to play for various USHL teams as their regular leagues were delayed indefinitely, or outright cancelled. Those bonus players included some that were drafted already, including Cross Hanas, Bear Hughes, and Danil Gushchin*. Other drafted players came in from the Ivy League schools, who did not play a hockey schedule this year. In addition to the likes of Henry Thrun, Jack Malone, and Austin Wong coming to the USHL after some time in college, others like Sean Farrell and Alex Laferriere, who had intended to start collegiate life this year, were forced to stay back for one more year in the Midwest.

*Gushchin, who had played the previous two seasons with Muskegon, was expected to play in Ontario with Niagara for the 2020-21 season, but with the OHL in permanent statis, he was loaned back to the Lumberjacks, where he put up his best season yet.

And then there were the draft-eligible ringers who unexpectedly joined the league and played so well that they have legitimate first round consideration at the end of it. I am thinking, of course, of Cole Sillinger, who joined Sioux Falls, before it was known when, or if, the WHL would get going, and Ayrton Martino and Jack Bar, who had played in Ontario last year and had been planning on playing in the BCHL this year before Canadian restrictions pushed them to the USHL, with Omaha and Chicago, respectively.

Of course, there were many other unexpected players in the league this year, with those mentioned only scratching the surface of the most famous names.

So, before we preview the postseason, which begins this Friday (Apr. 30), let’s pour one out for the six teams that didn’t make, and give a word to the top 1-3 draft eligible players from those squads.

Team USA

One point behind Dubuque for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference – although far further back via points percentage (.510-.481), the USNTDP team that would have played in the USHL playoffs had they made it would have been the U17 team. The best of that group – Rutger McGroarty, Isaac Howard, Ryan Chesley, Lane Hutson, Charlie Stramel and others – are playing with the U18 team in Texas at the WU18 tournament. No draft eligibles but remember those names for next season.

Youngstown Phantoms

By points percentage, easily the weakest team in the league. The aforementioned Jack Malone, a Vancouver draft pick, was far and away the top performer on the team, which is to be expected from a player with a year at Cornell under his belt. Among first year draft eligibles, Japanese import Yusako Ando was the most notable, although his second year in the league was worse than his first. He can create for others, but he doesn’t skate well enough to make up for his slight 5-7” frame. The only other draft eligible who ever made a positive impression on me from this roster was blueliner Austen May. The Providence commit is on the small side, but he is really fleet of foot and shows decent attention to detail off the puck.

Des Moines Buccaneers

Despite the presence of three drafted players – Alex Laferriere (LA), Noah Ellis (Vgk), and Lucas Mercuri (Car), the Buccaneers struggled this year, particularly in terms of putting the puck in the net. The drafted guys were all solid, but too few of the rest of the roster could match their output. Perhaps things would have been different if Paul Davey hadn’t of left mid-season for a stint back home in Connecticut. Davey and Scout Truman were the two most notable first time draft eligible on the roster, but neither really put their stamp on the season. If there are to be any Buccaneers drafted this year, they will be among the redraft candidates. To that end, file away the names of Matt Choupani and Remington Koepple. Choupani is a forward who lacks much in the way of physical tools but can play the puck well. Koepple is a goalie who had decent numbers in his first year in the league, although he has only average size and athleticism and he chocked in the BioSteel game, hurting his standing for some.

Lincoln Stars

The Stars went heavy on the ringers partway through the season. Cross Hanas was already mentioned, but he was just one of four players brought in from the WHL Portland Winterhawks, joining Clay Hanas (no relation), Jack O’Brien, and James Stefan, as well as Charles-Alexis Legault from West Kelowna in the BCHL and Michael Mastrodomenico from AAA hockey in Quebec. Simply put, the shuffled team never gelled, and the newcomers couldn’t get into the swing of the USHL.

O’Brien was the biggest disappointment. There was some expectation that he could be a high round pick this year, but one goal and six assists in 23 games ended that sentiment. Blueliner Legault didn’t hurt his stock too much, as he still has great size and skates well and shoots from his right side. Stefan, son of former first overall pick Patrik Stefan, had enough moments to maybe convince some team to call his name in the late rounds. A kind word also to big bruising winger Gleb Veremeyev. Veremeyev isn’t an offensive threat, but one of the top PIM players in the league is a threat, nonetheless. The USHL is not a very physical league, and when a player has that size and plays with that snarl, he sometimes gets drafted, such as we saw with Nick Capone last year and Martin Pospisil in 2018.

Waterloo Black Hawks

Generally contenders, the Black Hawks find themselves out of the playoffs for the first time since 2014-15, and only the second time in 14 seasons for which there were playoffs. Fielding one of the smaller and least experienced lineups in the league, this just wasn’t their year. Their one drafted player, Toronto’s Wyatt Schingoethe, regressed heavily from his strong draft year. The team cycled through goalies, with three seeing significant minutes. Remember the name of Emmett Croteau, the best performing of their netminders, as he won’t be draft eligible until 2022.

Among players eligible this year, the most impressive were second time eligible defenseman Cooper Wylie, a USHL rookie, who can play the puck and skate well enough to make his ornery game effective, if not spectacular. He could be drafted. On the other hand, David Gucciardi, acquired in an early season trade from Youngstown, will be drafted. His game is raw, and his mistakes are often critical, but he has tools, and his instincts are good enough to think he can be a good one if he relies on his instincts all the time.

Sioux Falls Stampede

The Western Conference bottom feeders are a mystery. In the last USHL playoffs, the Stampede took home the title. In addition to their usual solid team, this year they brought in the highest profile ringer in Cole Sillinger, who didn’t disappoint, with a team leading 46 points despite only playing in 31 games. He is a sniper with an NHL style game who will be back in the WHL next year. The USHL rarely sees a player of his caliber, whether talking about skill or about reading the game, yet he couldn’t drag the Stampede upwards on his own. I would be surprised if he isn’t the first player from this year’s USH: crop to play in the NHL.

Defender Brent Johnson was one of the better draft eligible defenders in the league as well. A power play specialist with good wheels and an ornery side, his season ended right before the BioSteel All American Game due to a shoulder injury, but could hear his name called in the 50-80 range of the draft if his medicals hold up.

Although not as high profile, I also have time for second time eligible, defenseman Nate Schweitzer, who can do a lot well, but nothing spectacularly, and winger Mike Citara, who can skate and shoot. I don’t expect either to be drafted, but I wouldn’t be surprised if either was.

The Playoffs

The format this year is simple. The top four teams from each conference made it in. All series are best-of-threes. Top seed plays the fourth seed, and second seed plays the third seed. All games are hosted by the higher seed. One series per weekend until one team lifts the Clark Cup. Let’s go!

Western Conference

Jack Peart. Photo Dan Hickling, Hickling Images

#1 Tri-City Storm vs #4 Fargo Force

The Western Conference was incredibly tight at the top with the playoff picture not being settled until the final weekend of the regular season. The points percentage difference between Tri-City and Fargo (32 percentage points) was less than between Fargo and fifth place Des Moines (34 percentage points).

Fargo was the third best defensive team in the league, although Tri-City was the best at keeping the puck out of its net. Neither team is known for filling their opponents’ nets either, but both had generally done enough to walk away with points more often than not. In fact, they are quite evenly matched. The difference in these three games (outside of home ice advantage) is likely to rest in special teams. Fargo was mediocre on both the power play and the penalty kill, while the Storm were strong with the man advantage and almost impregnable on the penalty kill, leading the league with a breathtaking 88.3% kill rate. To Fargo’s credit, they have played far more of their season at 5-on-5 than Tri-City. And they will have to do that again this weekend to keep their season alive.

Beyond the expected close games, another reason to watch this series is the head-to-head matchup between two very interesting and talented draft eligibles. On Fargo, that would be Tristan Broz, a two-way center with a good motor and the vision to be a power play weapon. The Minnesota commit ran away with the scoring lead on his team. His numbers would be even more impressive if he had more talented teammates to play with. On Tri-City, the man of the hour is Matthew Knies. Knies started his season painfully slow, but ended it on fire, with 20 points in his final 11 games. Knies has heavier feet, but a very mature build and at his best, can take over the game. He will join Broz with the Golden Gophers next year.

Knies and Broz are not the only intriguing draft eligible players in this series. In fact, Fargo blueliner Jack Peart has a very good chance to be the highest drafted player in this series. The St. Cloud State commit split his season between Fargo and Grand Rapids High School (Mn). He is a good skater with a very strong first few steps, who plays with preternatural poise. He controls the puck like a much older player and plays a strong 200-foot game. Had Peart spent the entire season in Fargo, the final standings may have looked very different. For Fargo, also keep an eye on Aaron Huglen, a Buffalo draft pick who returned from over a full year on the sidelines after around a third of this season was done and has played a skilled game ever since.

On Tri-City, Knies is joined by a pair of intriguing draft eligible players in Hunter Strand and Carter Mazur, the latter of whom is a second time eligible player. Strand is a USNTDP alum, whose late birthday prevented him from being drafted last year. The Alaska native is a great skater and plays a patient game with the puck. Mazur has more of an East-West style game, helped along by plus edges. He can play the pest role as well and retains utility off the puck. Strand and Mazur both outscored Knies this year, but Knies already had a big reputation through his big pre-draft year and his run to end the year keeps him top of mind.

Prediction: Fargo in three. A mild upset to be sure. The return of Peart helps Fargo just as much as the loss of top blueliner Guillaume Richard hurts Tri-City. Richard is currently representing Team Canada at the WU18s in Texas. Neither team has stellar goaltending, but Fargo’s Brennan Boynton should be able to roughly match Tri-City’s Todd Scott.

#2 Omaha Lancers vs #3 Sioux City Musketeers

Both Omaha and Sioux City put up 63 points in 53 games, but their paths to getting there could scarcely have been more different. Consider that Omaha’s goal differential was a mediocre +13, while Sioux City outscored their opponents on aggregate by 35 goals, with the league’s best – by far – defense.

The two teams are both led by high end goaltending, each starting one of the three drafted netminders in the league. For Sioux City, that man is the Swiss Akira Schmid, a New Jersey prospect, while Montreal draftee Jakob Dobes, from Czechia, mans the pipes for Omaha. Dobes was a true workhorse for the Lancers, playing in 47 of the team’s 53 games, while Schmid played roughly two-third of the time for Sioux City, as his back up was more reliable.

Schmid will need to be at his best in this series, however, as Omaha has one of the biggest offensive weapons in the league at their disposal in Ayrton Martino. Martino joined the club shortly after the calendar flipped into 2021 and took the league by storm, with the fifth best points-per-game ratio in the USHL (1.47). A great skater with a fantastic shot, Martino did not let his slight frame prevent him from dominating, and his playmaking game is just as strong as his finishing ability. If Sioux City can shut Martino down, the Lancers don’t have too many other weapons at their disposal as their secondary scoring is largely in the hands of USHL veterans like Ryan Lautenbach, Nolan Renwick and Zach Dubinsky. The Omaha roster is one of the oldest in the league.

Sioux City, on the other hand, has a few more weapons at its disposal. Detroit draft pick Chase Bradley and New Jersey pick Ethan Edwards were both in the team’s top four in scoring, while Buffalo pick Matteo Costantini showed well after joining the league mid-season. Although the Musketeers don’t have a draft eligible player the likes of Martino, don’t sleep on defenseman Shai Buium. A USHL rookie out of the Shattuck-St. Mary’s program, he combines quick hands with smooth, if not quick, feet. He plays a strong two-way game and if he were a better skater (he isn’t bad, but he isn’t great), we would be hearing more people call for him as a first round type of talent. As is, he has enough raw skill to dream on a big, late-blooming future. I am also keeping an eye on redraft candidates defenseman Daniel Laatsch and center Justin Hryckowian. Laatsch is a USNTDP alum who has great size and some burgeoning skill, but is still raw, while Hryckowian has a fun skill game, but an injury-filled history and a sub-optimal build.

Prediction: Sioux City’s depth overcomes Martino’s solo skill in three games.

Western Conference Final Prediction: Sioux City over Fargo in three games. Sioux City is just too difficult to score against and has enough offensive weapons to get the job done.

Eastern Conference

Matthew Coronato. Photo by Dan Hickling, Hickling Images

#1 Chicago Steel vs #4 Dubuque Fighting Saints

By all accounts, this should be a washout. Chicago is, by great lengths, the top team in the USHL. They enter the postseason on an eight-game undefeated streak, and won 38 of 54 games this year, often by wide margins. Their goaltending has been shoddy at times, but far more often than not, they were able to outscore their troubles and their total of 265 goals scored was 24 more than the runners-up. Dubuque, on the other hand, won only 24 of 51 games, securing the final playoff spot in the east thanks to a win in their final game coupled with a loss from the U17 USNTDP squad.

If Dubuque is to have a hope in this series, look to their defensive players. Goalie Lukas Parik, a Los Angeles draft pick, struggled since joining the team, in late-January from the Czech second division, but shut out Green Bay in his final game, reminding us of what he is capable. On the blueline, fellow LA pick Braden Doyle teams up with Anaheim draft pick Henry Thrun to give the Fighting Saints a pair of weapons. Up front, Dubuque has a balanced attack, but the man to watch is Robert Cronin. While too old to be drafted this year Cronin is a late bloomer with speed and skill who will be a good follow next year once he joins the University of New Hampshire. The boy to watch, on the other hand, is Matthew Savoie. The 17-year-old is a 2022 draft eligible, who should have been playing in the WHL, but the uncertainty in that league led him to Dubuque, where he immediately played a central, and at time dominating, role. He’s going to be really fun to watch next year.

Looking at draft eligibles for this summer, keep your eyes on Connor Kurth and Andrei Buyalsky. Buylasky is actually the same age (born three days later) as Cronin, but as he is considered a foreign player (this is his first season in North America), the Kazakhstani forward is draft eligible while the American Cronin is not. Buyalsky is an impressive skater with impressive finishing ability. Kurth, on the other hand, has no particular big attributes to his game, but he finds a way to put up good numbers. He has a very stocky build but moves well enough regardless.

Moving on to Chicago, almost every skater on the roster is worthy of mention. Start with Montreal draft pick Sean Farrell, a USNTDP alum who would have been with Harvard this season had the Crimson actually played. Instead, he put up a breathtaking 101-point season for the Steel. His playmaking ability is simply unfair to most opponents on most nights. Then there is Matthew Coronato, a likely first round pick, who scored 48 goals in 51 games. Sure, it helps to have Farrell playing on your team, but the two actually rarely played together at even strength. Coronato is an offensive dynamo, who is content to cycle on his own for multiple full loops of the offensive end before he sees a seam to exploit.

Then there is Jack Bar, a late add to the roster from the BCHL. After a brief period acclimating to the league, he began to dominate. The defenseman likes to get deep into the offensive zone but is also a physical and committed defender. He has some first round upside. Of course, I also have to mention Mackie Samoskevich, who at one time was seen as a better draft prospect than Coronato. Samoskevich struggled somewhat after a midseason injury but is another gifted playmaker and a fantastic skater to boot.

I don’t want to get into the weeds too much, but I also expect Josh Doan (son of Shane), Ryan Ufko, and Jackson Blake to be drafted this summer, and Jack Harvey being drafted wouldn’t surprise me either. Anaheim draft pick Ian Moore has been impressive in his first season in the USHL, and 2023(!!) eligible forward Adam Fantilli is a burgeoning superstar. As good as everyone else already mentioned on this roster is, Fantilli’s upside is the highest. I am talking top three in the draft upside.

Prediction: Chicago in two, barring a complete breakdown in net. Chicago in three if the goalies stumble.

#2 Muskegon Lumberjacks vs #3 Green Bay Gamblers

A testament to how tight the West is, the Muskegon-Green Bay series is the second most lopsided duel after Chicago-Dubuque, with .040 percentage points separating the Lumberjacks and the Gamblers. Muskegon plays an up-tempo, high-event game with red lights going off at both ends. Green Bay is best when they keep goals to a minimum, and actually ended the season with the fewest goals allowed in the conference.

Green Bay’s chances are led by a pair of Boston Bruins’ draft picks in defender Mason Lohrei and center Jake Schmaltz. The latter is a two-way forward, who after three seasons in the USHL, has figured out how to be a factor offensively. He does a lot of little things well but lacks any dynamic elements. Lohrei was a surprise second rounder last season but has grown his game even more this year. He is big, skates very well, has a big point shot and plays a tough game at all ends. The Gamblers will go as far as he can take them. Vancouver draft pick Jackson Kunz and Vegas pick Jackson Hallum are also on the roster, and while both have shown the ability to provide secondary offense, neither can make things happen on their own. 2022 eligible Ryan Greene is an interesting player, but if there is a wild card in Green Bay, it is Camden Thiesing. The Tennessee native combines skill with grit, finishing third in the league in PIMs. He will work to make things happen on his own, and when he stays out of the penalty box, he is dangerous.

Led by San Jose draft pick Danil Gushchin, Muskegon is incredibly entertaining. Gushchin is a dynamo, who is not the most consistent player, but when he is involved and engaged, is one of the top handful of forwards in the league. He is joined by a deep roster of talented players, a few of whom should be drafted this summer, many of those in their second year of eligibility. The best of that secondary bunch is center Cameron Berg. Berg finished last year hot after a slow start and didn’t miss a beat coming into this year. He has a high-end wrist shot and knows how to create space for himself to rip one off. Winger Quinn Hutson is another second-year eligible forward who made waves this year. The type of player to get to the right spot at the right time, he knows how to finish what his linemates create. On the blueline, there are a trio to watch. The offensive blueline is Jacob Guevin, a power play specialist, whose production overshadows his average tools. Alex Gagne and Hank Kempf are bigger, more physical blueliners who make life difficult for attacking forwards. I could see all three drafted this summer.

Prediction: Muskegon in three games.

Eastern Conference Final prediction: Chicago in three games over Muskegon. This would be an immensely entertaining series.

Clark Cup Final Prediction: Chicago over Sioux City in three games. It’s really hard to bet against the Steel this year.

NCAA East Region 2019-20 Season Preview: Hockey East and ECAC

Jashvina Shah — Thu, 10 Oct 2019 13:58:42 +0000

NCAA East Region Preview

While Hockey East and the ECAC are different leagues with different tendencies, both conferences see a gap between the top-tier teams and the bottom ones. The factors that separates the elite from the not-so elite are either excellent coaching or top-end talent. Primarily, teams need excellent coaching. Because you need a lot of top-end talent if you’re going to win on talent. As Herb Brooks said, “you don’t have enough talent to win on talent alone!”

There shouldn’t be too many surprises in the east this year, and teams that succeeded last year will mostly repeat this year.

MANCHESTER, NH - MARCH 29: Clarkson University Golden Knights forward Haralds Egle (18) breaks in on Notre Dame Fighting Irish goaltender Cale Morris (32) during a Northeast Regional semi-final between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Clarkson Golden Knights on March 29, 2019, at SNHU Arena in Manchester, NH. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire)

ECAC

Brown: The Bears have hovered in the ECAC basement of a while now. They finished eighth in the regular season but got hot in the playoffs, beating Princeton and then knocking off top-seeded Quinnipiac in the quarterfinals. Brown fell to Cornell in the ECAC semifinals 6-0, but that was a case of them being bested by the better team. A trip to the ECAC tournament marked it a wildly successful season for Brown. The roster is more or less the same, ensuring a similar regular-season finish.

Clarkson: The Golden Knights were one of the strongest teams in the ECAC thanks to balanced offense and defense. It helped Clarkson take the short trip to Lake Placid, where it won the ECAC championship in overtime. The Golden Knights lost two key pieces in Nico Sturm, who potted 45 points, and Jake Kielly, who posted a .929 save percentage. Clarkson should be able to replace Sturm’s scoring output, especially with 40-point scorer Haralds Egle returning. While goaltending will be a question mark, the Golden Knights will still be one of the strongest teams in the league.

Drafted players: Nick Campoli (VGK), Dustyn McFaul (BOS), Kris Oldham (TBL), Anthony Romano (ARI)

Colgate: The Raiders slipped last season, their win total decreasing from 17 to 10. They finished 10th in the league and were swept by Union in the first round of the playoffs. The good news is, Colgate returns nearly the entire roster, and the experience should benefit them. The bad news is, the Raiders don’t have much to build on.

Cornell: The Big Red dropped the ECAC championship game in overtime after the referees failed to blow the whistle when the net dropped on goaltender Matthew Galajda. He was injured, so Austin McGrath took over for the rest of the game and throughout the postseason. McGrath helped Cornell to a regional win over Northeastern. Aside from losing a couple seniors, the Big Red will return their leading scorer, Morgan Barron, along with Galadja, making them one of the league favorites.

Drafted players: Matt Cairns (EDM), Matthew Stienburg (COL), Alex Green (TBL), Morgan Barron (NYR), Jack Malone (VAN), Misha Song (NYI)

Dartmouth: After finishing T-5th last year, the Big Green knocked off 12th-place St. Lawrence in the first round of the playoffs. With much of their roster returning, the Big Green should finish in roughly the same place, especially if Adrian Clark can build off his .910 save percentage from at last season.

Harvard: Adam Fox’s departure is unfortunate for the Crimson, since he not only led the team with 48 points but was also one of the best defensemen in the country. Harvard still has its offensive leaders, including Reilly Walsh and Casey Dornbach. Goaltender Michael Lackey also graduated, but he missed some of last season with an injury, opening up the net for Cameron Gornet. Gornet filled in well, and can put the Crimson in a prime spot for another top-four ECAC finish.

Drafted players: Jack Drury (CAR), Jack Badini (ANA), John Farinacci (ARI), Reilly Walsh (NJD), Nick Abruzzese (TOR), Mitchell Gibson (WSH), Jack Rathbone (VAN), Henry Thrun (ANA), Austin Wong (WPG)

Princeton: Just one season after winning the ECAC tournament, the Tigers struggled to repeat their success. Princeton’s top line of Ryan Kuffner, Max Veronneau and Alex Riche -- which combined for 107 points last season -- couldn’t bring the team past its lackluster goaltending hurdle. The trio, along with top defenseman Josh Teves, graduated, making the Tigers much weaker on both ends of the ice. Princeton’s success, or lack thereof, lies solely on goaltending. But most likely the Tigers will finish in the bottom half of the league.

Drafted players: Liam Gorman (PIT)

Quinnipiac: The Bobcats usually finish in the top half of the league and usually make the ECAC tournament. They finished first last year but were upset in the playoffs by Brown. Chase Priskie, another one of the top defensemen in the league, is gone. So is Andrew Shortridge and his .940 save percentage. The Bobcats are well-coached, though, and Odeen Tufto, who put up 42 points, will be back.

Drafted players: Keith Petruzzelli (DET), Karlis Cukste (SJS), Skylar Brind’Amour (EDM), Peter DiLiberatore (VGK)

RPI: The Engineers finished in 11th, just ahead of St. Lawrence and two points behind Princeton. RPI has struggled over the last few seasons, and most likely will this year as well. The team’s top five scorers are returning, although they didn’t score much to begin with. The goaltenders who played the most, Owen Savory and Linden Marshall, are also returning.

Drafted players: Todd Burgess (OTT), Simon Kjellberg (NYR), Will Reilly (PIT)

St. Lawrence: The Saints have struggled since Greg Carvel left for UMass. After earning just six overall wins and three conference wins, the school parted ways with Mark Morris and hired Brent Brekke. With a new coach, lack of elite talent and just a program-wide mess (the rink renovations are not finished, so the Saints are shifting their first few home games to a different rink.) Unless Brekke has magic powers, it seems likely the Saints will stay in the basement for the third-straight year.

Union: Union’s top two scorers graduated and the third, Liam Morgan, left after his sophomore season. Just one of the team’s top seven scorers is returning. On the other hand, Darion Hanson did have a .919 save percentage last season and, if he can replicate that, should keep Union in the middle third of the league.

Drafted players: Parker Foo (CHI), Jack Adams (DET)

Yale: Yale’s biggest loss was Joe Snively, who had 36 points last season, double that of the team’s second-place scorer. Corbin Kaczperski is the team’s sole returning goaltender. Like Quinnipiac, the Bulldogs are well coached and don’t often finish in the bottom third.

Drafted players: Curtis Hall (BOS), Jack St. Ivany (PHI), Luke Stevens (CAR), Phil Kemp (EDM)

Five Undrafted Free Agents to Watch from the ECAC

Haralds Egle, Clarkson
Odeen Tufto, Quinnipiac
Matthew Galajda, Cornell
Casey Dornbach, Harvard
Devin Brosseau, Clarkson

BOSTON, MA - MARCH 22: Massachusetts Minutemen forward Mitchell Chaffee (21) tries to put the puck past Boston College Eagles goaltender Joseph Woll (31). During the University of Massachusetts Minutemen game against the Boston College Eagles on March 22, 2019 at TD Garden in Boston, MA. (Photo by Michael Tureski/Icon Sportswire)

Hockey East:

Boston College: Despite winning just 10 conference games and finishing seventh in Hockey East, the Eagles surged late last season for a trip to the Hockey East tournament. Now the Eagles have that momentum plus an excellent incoming class that includes Spencer Knight, who’s expected to become a top goaltender. Alex Newhook and Matt Boldy will also be joining the team. It’s hard to predict how any freshman goaltender will fare, but Knight has the potential to boost BC back to the top.

Drafted players: Matt Boldy (MIN), Spencer Knight (FLA), Alex Newhook (COL), Drew Helleson (COL), Logan Hutsko (FLA), Jack McBain (MIN), Michael Karow (ARI), Graham McPhee (EDM), David Cotton (CAR), Aapeli Rasanen (EDM), Marshall Warren (MIN), Ben Finkelstein (FLA)

Boston University: Despite struggling last year the Terriers still managed to finish 5th in the league, but they will probably drop from that place. BU has struggled since David Quinn left for the NHL, and now they’ll be facing several additional critical departures including goaltender Jake Oettinger and the team’s leading scorers, Joel Farabee and Dante Fabbro. BU’s success, or lack thereof, will depend mostly on coaching, and then on contributions from the incoming freshman class and someone shining in net.

Drafted players: Trevor Zegras (ANA), Robert Mastrosimone (DET), Alex Vlasic (CHI), Cam Crotty (ARI), David Farrance (NSH), Domenick Fensore (CAR), Kasper Kotkansalo (DET), Jake Wise (CHI), Case McCarthy (NJD), Ethan Phillips (DET), Patrick Harper (NSH), Logan Cockerill (NYI)

Connecticut: Since joining Hockey East, the Huskies have fluctuated in the standings, taking advantage of years when the league has been weak. Though they finished ninth last year, they will benefit from having two of their top three scorers returning. Goaltender Tomas Vomacka, who took over the net with a .922 save percentage, will also be back.

Drafted players: Vladislav Firstov (MIN), Ruslan Iskhakov (NYI), Carter Berger (FLA), Jachym Kondelik (NSH), Kale Howarth (CLB), Tomas Vomacka (NSH)

Maine: Maine, far from its former glory, was able to finish sixth in the league. It is returning Mitchell Fossier, the leading scorer from last year with 36 points. But the Black Bears had a slew of early departures - including sophomore defensemen Alexis Binner and Brady Keeper. Goaltender Jeremy Swayman, who posted a respectable .919 save percentage, will be back, though.

Drafted players: JD Greenway (TOR), Jeremy Swayman (BOS), Patrick Shea (FLA), Matthew Thiessen (VAN)

UMass-Lowell: The River Hawks have been one of Hockey East’s most consistent teams in the last decade or so, and they finished fourth last year. UMass-Lowell’s offense lost its top two scorers, but the back end has usually been the team’s strength. Goaltender Tyler Wall, who is returning, carries a .921 save percentage into the season.

Drafted players: Seth Barton (DET), Logan Neaton (WPG), Tyler Wall (NYR), Andre Lee (LAK)

Massachusetts: After its most successful season in program history and a national championship appearance, the Minutemen were extremely lucky to only lose Cale Makar and Mario Ferraro early. Those are big names, but usually teams with surprising successful runs lose more players in the offseason. Yet UMass retained Mitchell Chaffee and John Leonard, who combined for 82 points. They also still have Marc Del Gaizo, who was the leading freshman defenseman in scoring with 29 points. That said, goaltender Filip Lindberg is the player to watch. His play was key in edging out Denver in the national semifinal and he limited Minnesota-Duluth to three goals, which is an accomplishment. If he repeats his .934 save percentage performance, the Minutemen should take a top spot in Hockey East.

Drafted players: Zac Jones (NYR), Marc Del Gaizo (NSH), John Leonard (SJS), Filip Lindberg (MIN)

Merrimack: With 16 freshman, Merrimack will have the largest rookie class in the country. The Warriors won just seven games last year, but it was Scott Borek’s first season in charge and it typically takes coaches around three-four years to settle in, start their own systems and recruit their own players.. The incoming class signals a roster changeover, so this will be one of those “rebuilding” years.

Drafted players: Patrick Holway (DET)

New Hampshire: It’s Mike Souza’s second year as head coach of the Wildcats, who are still transitioning to life without Dick Umile. They didn’t lose much and have two of their leading scorers as well as goaltender Mike Robinson, who posted a .913 save percentage, returning. While it isn’t fair to say the Wildcats are rebuilding, they’re stuck in stasis.

Drafted players: Max Gildon (FLA), Mike Robinson (SJS), Angus Crookshank (OTT), Benton Mass (WSH), Ty Tailor (TBL)

Northeastern: The Huskies have surged at times over the past five seasons. Last year they took advantage of BU and BC’s struggles, finishing second in the conference with 15 wins. But part of Northeastern’s success came from good defense and goaltending, which will suffer with the early departures by Jeremy Davies and goaltender Cayden Primeau. Since Primeau was a big part of Northeastern’s rise, it’s tough to see the Huskies repeating last year’s success.

Drafted players: Jayden Struble (MTL), Matt Filipe (CAR), Jordan Harris (MTL), Tyler Madden (VAN), Ryan Shea (CHI), Mike Kesselring (EDM), Riley Hughes (NYR), Aidan McDonough (VAN)

Providence: Following its second Frozen Four appearance in four years, the Friars also got hit with key offseason departures. Kasper Bjorkqvist, Jacob Bryson, Brandon Duhaime and Josh Wilkins all left early. Additionally, Hayden Hawkey, who posted a .920 save percentage, graduated. But Providence is always a well-coached, tough defensive team to play against, and the Friars will finish at the top of the league again.

Drafted players: Ben Mirageas (NYI), Max Crozier (TBL), Tyce Thompson (NJD), Michael Callahan (ARI), Jack Dugan (VGK), Patrick Moynihan (NJD), Jake Kucharski (CAR)

Vermont: The Catamounts finished 10th last year and probably won’t rise, unless goaltender Stefanos Lekkas can put up more than his .930 save percentage from last season, but that’s a lot to ask of a goaltender. Vermont saw a couple departures with Jake Massie and Liam Coughlin, but most of its players are returning.

Drafted players: Bryce Misley (MIN)

Five Undrafted Free Agents to Watch from Hockey East

Mitchell Chaffee, Massachusetts
Stephanos Lekkas, Vermont
Spenser Young, Providence
Mitchell Fossier, Maine
Patrick Curry, Boston University

Vancouver Canucks 2019-20 Prospect Review: Top 20

Sat, 14 Sep 2019 13:21:23 +0000

For as much as the last four postseason-less seasons (and five of the last six) have been dismaying to Vancouver fans, there is currently a great deal of hope in the future. The rebuild has not been seamless, but a number of the high picks made by the franchise in the last few years are panning out.

2013 top ten pick Bo Horvat was given a letter to ear on his chest last year and took a step forward into being a star, if not quite a superstar, with a career high 61 points. 2015 first rounder Brock Boeser was the first gem of the current rebuild to emerge, giving the Canucks a probable 30+ goal machine after he had scored over 25 goals in each of his first two season, despite being limited to under 70 games played in each. He was followed last season by the explosive Elias Pettersson, a true game breaker who took the league by storm as a rookie, with 66 points in his way to capturing the Calder Trophy.

Other young players have also stepped forward in smaller roles, including netminder Thatcher Demko, who is healthy and ready to earn the backup job in the NHL . Beefy Jake Virtanen is also rounding out his game to be a dependable bottom six power forward, a useful player even if he never meets the expectations heaped on him as a former top ten draft pick. Later round find Adam Gaudette’s rookie season was more challenging, but his upside is still tantalizing.

Some of the players mentioned above will form the core of the next competitive Vancouver team. Others will fill in valuable, low cost roles. But if you have been paying attention, you will have noticed that something is missing from the above names. Specifically, five of the six are forwards and the other is a goalie. There were no defensemen named.

That’s about to change. Read on and you will note that eight of the Vancouver top 20 prospects are blueliners. Not only that, but there are three in the top six, including the top prospect in the system. Quinn Hughes, the aforementioned top prospect has had fans drooling ever since the Canucks called his name at the draft in Dallas. More on him below, but he got his feet wet over five games with the Canucks at the end of last season and is set to star for the team from day one this year. The number four prospect, Olli Juolevi. Was actual drafted higher in his year than Hughes. He was enjoying a great start to his North American professional career before a knee injury put an early end to his season. It might not take long for him to join Hughes in the NHL as a top four defender. Number six prospect Jett Woo is unlikely to play in the NHL this year (possible cameo notwithstanding), but he took a huge step forward with his offensive game last year and now projects as another possible top four defenseman.

The jump from these players may not be soon enough for some Vancouver fans, or those in the front office, especially after the team traded a first round pick in either 2020 or 2021 to Tampa Bay in a package for grinding/scoring winger JT Miller. Clearly, they want to be good enough very soon to avoid that pick being a lottery pick. The core is in place, but we do not yet know how long it will all take to gel.

-Ryan Wagman

Vancouver Canucks Defenceman Quinn Hughes (43) (Photo by Derek Cain/Icon Sportswire)

1 Quinn Hughes, D (7^th overall, 2018. Last Year: 2) In a group with Cale Makar, Erik Brannstrom, and Bowen Byram as the best defensive prospects in hockey. Hughes is an electric skater and the ideal modern-day quarterback. His hands are as quick as his feet leading to dynamic play whenever he is on the ice. A great four-way skater, he also adds an element of unpredictability to the game, making him very tough to defend. Despite being undersized, he has learned to use his stick to come away with the puck from board battles. He will gamble occasionally when pressured at the point. Usually, thanks to his sublime skill level, he wins. When he loses, an odd-man rush will occur, although to his credit, he gets back very quickly. Hughes is ready for the NHL and can log heavy minutes and led the power play. He will have to prove that he can defend at the NHL level to avoid being protected, but he has star level talent. - RW

2 Vasili Podkolzin, RW (10^th overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) Podkolzin had a busy season last year, playing in three leagues, two world championships, and he lined up for team Russia on more than 30 occasions. He showed phenomenal talent in most of these games, imposing his game on the opposition with his technique and skating, and of course, scoring a lot. He is a potential franchise player for the Canucks. He plays hard and with fierce determination, but at the same time he is a disciplined player who can be incredibly dangerous when the game opens up and he can use his explosive first three or four steps. A fantastic goal scorer and overall complete player, Podkolzin is expected to move overseas once his entry-level KHL deal runs out in April 2021. - ASR

3 Thatcher Demko, G (36^th overall, 2014. Last Year: 4) The former Boston College goaltender is a beast in the net and a future starting goalie with the Canucks. Demko sees the play very well and his form is structured but fluid enough to prove his agility and energetic nature in the net. At times he can tend to over push and force himself out of position but with more NHL games under his belt he will settle into the pace better. He stays focused and his tracking abilities lead him to control rebounds very well. There is not much to be said about his puck abilities as he is not a goaltender that actively strives to play the puck a lot, however Demko is very smart when he deflects pucks and can read the play very well. His composure in net and the way he faces every puck is indicative of his readiness to move up to the top level and he is set on the NHL for this season. - SC

4 Olli Juolevi, D (5^th overall, 2016. Last Year: 3) Although Juolevi has been battling injury, he is still considered to be one of Vancouver’s top prospects. He is a smart defenseman capable of reading the play and being one step ahead. He is a spot on passer and he can shoot from anywhere on the ice with speed and precision. Being back to one hundred percent will be big for Juolevi when he starts back with Utica this season. He will need to readjust to the pace of the breakouts and turnovers at the AHL pace so as to not fall behind or be dummied on any potential odd man rushes. His goal should be to keep his feet moving equally in all zones of the ice and to get back to playing a physical game. Having taken a slight detour, he still has the potential to be a top pairing blueliner with the Canucks once he is back to feeling confident and comfortable in the minor leagues. - SC

5 Will Lockwood, RW (64^th overall, 2016. Last Year: 8) Outside of the All-World skill players, Lockwood has long been one of my favorite prospects to watch, both as a junior and in college. Recovered from the injury that curtailed his sophomore campaign, he was much more involved in the offensive attack as a junior, without losing that sandpaper edge that had previously defined his game. He will barge in on the forecheck and make life very difficult for the defensemen and goalies who try to play the puck out. He has quick feet that allow him to get and maintain ideal positioning. Even though he has only recently become a top six scoring option, he is a skilled forward and has a knack for turning blasé possessions into legit scoring chances. While the Canucks were rumored to be trying to get Lockwood under contract he has elected to return to Ann Arbor for his senior year. He projects to a middle six role in the NHL within one to two years. - RW

6 Jett Woo, D (37^th overall, 2018. Last Year: 10) Woo has put the injury woes of his draft year behind him and turned in a very impressive offensive season. Scoring 66 points in 62 game has helped to stave off worry that he was destined to be a bottom pairing defender. He looks much more likely to take a top four role in the NHL someday. His physical play and compete level stand out as he battles for every loose puck, and every inch of ice in his own zone. He uses a nice combination of strength and quickness to control his own zone. Offensively, he moves the puck well and has a good shot. He isn’t scared to carry the puck in deep and trusts that his forwards will cover his position. His movement along the blue line opens up lanes to receive or send a pass through making him a valued part of the offense. - VG

7 Nils Hoglander, LW (40^th overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) Hoglander’s puck skills, tenacity and strong balance are individual assets that had him ranked in the first round by some and a case can be made that the Canucks got a steal with him in the second round. We didn’t have him the first round and that’s more a case of his whole game. His hockey sense doesn’t suggest him to be a top six driver in the NHL. Individually, there is a lot to like with Hoglander but if we want someone to drive play for his teammates, make others better, controlling the pace, there are concerns. Even though he is small in size, he plays fearless physically and with some edge to his game. He is aggressive and intense and will always keep a defense occupied when on the ice. He will play another year in SHL, hopefully in a bigger role. - JH

8 Michael DiPietro, G (64^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 9) It was a season to forget for DiPietro, a talented netminder out of the OHL. He was ripped apart by the San Jose Sharks in an emergency recall start, (which never should have happened), and he suffered an ankle injury in the OHL playoffs just as he was regaining his confidence. He is mature and determined and should bounce back and eventually become an NHL netminder. It may take patience and time as there will be an adjustment period. He is highly athletic, but one who is undersized by today’s standards. He relies on his reads and his athleticism to make saves and he can be a real game changer because of it. At the pro level, there are often growing pains for these types of goaltenders because the game moves faster, the top part of the net becomes an easier target, and confidence can wane. But DiPietro remains a very solid pro prospect and should eventually develop into an asset. - BO

9 Tyler Madden, C (68^th overall, 2018. Last Year: 13) They are not common, but once in a while you cross a prospect who had skill but could not produce a great deal in his draft year and before, but then upon moving up a level, finds a new, more exciting level of offensive production. In most of these cases, the player in question had high hockey IQ, but was either playing with lesser talents, and/or being forced to play in a more defensive-oriented role. As McKeens is blessed with smart readers, I know you have figured out that Madden is one such player. The son of Selke winner John Madden, he is smart enough to read this site, too, but also to play in any situation for his team. He plays a skilled game, with good positioning in both zones and the ability to drive possession. He is on an upward trajectory and currently looks like a future middle six option. - RW

10 Lukas Jasek, RW (174^th overall, 2015. Last Year: 12) An underdog type of player, Jasek has the ability to sneak past opponents and get into open ice without notice, giving him a leg up on his counterparts. He is a lightweight and a rather small looking player but his deceptiveness is scary when it comes to how aggressive he is on the puck. He plays with energy and passion and never gives up on a play. Due to his energetic style of play however, he can sometimes seem scattered and out of position because his work ethic is so high and strives to do so much at once. He will need to spend another season adjusting to the ice size in North America as well as the pace of the game to better know how to use his energy and where to focus most on the ice. Jasek is a hard-working, developing player with the potential to join Vancouver in a bottom six role but he will have to get bigger and strive for a more focused game. - SC

11 Kole Lind, RW (33^rd overall, 2017. Last Year: 6) For a player who had a lot of success in the WHL, Lind has had a difficult adjustment to the AHL pace with Utica. He is not the quickest nor the smoothest of skaters but works hard to keep up with the play. His shot is a rocket and his release is impressive but he lacks the ability to consistently get to the net which is a problem. He has matured a lot over the course of his first professional year and his positional play has likewise gotten a lot better. Should he continue to develop his positional game at this pace, he will be mature enough to be called up to Vancouver but his skating will still need to improve a lot in order to earn a full time bottom six NHL spot. Lind brings the right attitude and skill to his game but he will need to keep up with the play and drive the net harder to get into better scoring positions next season. - SC

12 Guillaume Brisebois, D (66^th overall, 2015. Last Year: 14) Brisebois is a dynamic and energetic defender who can easily maneuver his way down the ice or weave his way from the blueline down to the slot. He has great hands and can shoot the puck from all angles. However, his adjustment to the AHL level with Utica has been a little rocky as he does not have the time that he used to have with the puck that he had in the QMJHL. Although he still likes to play the outside he will need to work to up his confidence to walk the line a little more and create more space for himself. It will not be as easy for him to walk in and get quality scoring chances as a pro and he will have to find other ways to create chances for himself. Brisebois has the skill to be a bottom four defenseman but he will have to start thinking outside the box to generate more chances. - SC

13 Ethan Keppen, LW (122^nd overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) Keppen is a power winger with good vision in the offensive end, a rarity for junior aged players. While he can drive the net using his strength on the puck, he is most effective working the cycle deep in the offensive zone, prolonging possession time and opening up passing lanes with his motor and determination. He finished second in the OHL last year among draft eligible players in even strength primary assists. He also possesses a heavy shot and the confidence to use it, something that should see him develop into a very well rounded offensive player. As he improves his skating to become a little more explosive, and as his ability to make plays at a quicker pace improves, Keppen could become a very good prospect for Vancouver. His projection is that of a middle six winger, but one who is several years away from helping the big club. - BO

14 Toni Utunen, D (130^th overall, 2018. Last Year: 17) Utunen is a reliable defenseman whose biggest asset is definitely his hockey sense. He reads the game well. Maintains good gap control and is positionally sound. He can keep opposing forward to the outside. He moves the puck with short passes and gets pucks up the ice quickly. He possesses strong leadership qualities and does not hesitate to sacrifice his body as a shot blocker. Utunen is neither flashy nor creative, but he makes very few mistakes with the puck. His skating won’t wow you, but he has the foot speed, nobility, and backwards skating ability to hold his own in the Liiga. That said, there are questions about whether he has sufficient upside to develop into more than a third pairing NHL defenseman. - MB

15 Zach MacEwen, C (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Mar. 3, 2017. Last Year: 20) MacEwen is a great player to watch, a strong, gritty power forward who stops at nothing to put the puck in the net. He plays a simple game all over the ice, always making sure to keep his feet moving. He is not the smoothest of skaters but he has a good jump to his stride and can go from one zone to another in just a few strides. He is an efficient player but at times over-skates his forechecks and gets caught too deep or behind the play. For a bigger forward who plays with as much intensity as MacEwen does, he will have to make sure to be more careful with how he plays and pay better attention to how deep he gets caught on plays. His speed is at par but he will need to clean up his game and work on discipline next season to secure a bottom six forward spot at the highest level. - SC

16 Jack Rathbone, D (95^th overall, 2017. Last Year: Not ranked) A wild stallion from the blueline in his draft year, Rathbone was difficult to adequately scout, playing for a Massachusetts area prep school, with four games with Youngstown as a change of pace. He took the rare step of returning to his school after being drafted, keeping him firmly under the radar. Now that he has finally spent a full season playing top level competition for Harvard, we can see what Rathbone really is. He is an undersized, offensive defenseman. He gets his feet moving quickly, although his top speed is less than I would like for a blueliner his size. He has good vision and likes to load up for a long bomb pass. Considering both size and play style, he cannot play effectively in the greasy areas. He still has a long way to go before the Canucks will know what they have, but last year was a step in the right direction. - RW

17 Jack Malone, RW (180^th overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) After a season in a depth role for Youngstown, Malone played with far greater assertiveness in his draft year finishing second on the Phantoms, and in the top 15 leaguewide in scoring. More a playmaker than a finisher, he does play enough around the crease area to get his share of goals from in tight, but he really shines when he executes cutting paces off the rush and with pace to a steaking linemate. His skating had also shown marked improvement as his draft year progressed, to the point where he can now blow past defenders with some regularity. Malone still has a lot to work on with his game, such as not forcing plays and tightening up his own zone work. He has talent, but not enough to play on a top six, making his ability to defend more important. - RW

18 Josh Teves, D (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Mar. 12, 2019. Last Year: IE) Teves has a gift of getting the puck up the ice. He is not the fastest skater, but he can find the seams for getting the puck onto the offensive zone. He makes a good first pass. He is also an excellent backwards skater. He can really freeze the puck in the corners in win puck battles with impressive strength, even at 6-0”, 170 lbs. With that size, he may be able to hang in the NHL for stretches, but not necessarily as a defenseman. He played some on the wing for Princeton as a test when they needed more offense, and it is possible that Vancouver might try using him like that if they are unsatisfied with his defensive coverage. In 2017-18, when the team was at its best, he put up 33 points in 31 games, with a hefty percentage of that on the man advantage. The next season will go a long way in seeing how the Canucks want to develop him. - RC

19 Jonah Gadjovich, LW (55^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 11) Gadjovich is a difficult player to watch because his skating is so weak, but his strength on the puck, paired with his shooting ability, make up for his lack of movement. His hockey sense is good and he sees the play well from all areas of the ice. With Utica last year, many of his best shifts were spent on the powerplay in front of the net where his strength and hockey sense were best demonstrated. He is a bottom six forward at best in the NHL but his work ethic may take him further if he can improve his start up speed and work on his fluidity and being lighter and more comfortable on his skates. Gadjovich has a good attitude and work ethic and his redeeming qualities, such as his physicality and good hands, paired with his high hockey IQ, feed hope for his continued development, starting with a better season in 2019-20. - SC

20 Mitch Eliot, D (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Dec. 14, 2018. Last Year: IE) Eliot, a free agent signing out of Sarnia last season, is a very similar player to Jalen Chatfield, who Vancouver also signed out of the OHL a few years ago. He skates well and is a well-rounded defender who can play in all situations. Defensively, he takes away space with his mobility and his strength. Offensively, he can move the puck and attack the offensive zone, confidently handling the puck when leading the rush. The question is, can he do any of these things at an elite level? The answer would be no at this current time, but a few seasons in the AHL could elevate his skill set to the point where he could be a reliable two-way third pairing defender. - BO

MCKEEN’S 2019 NHL DRAFT GUIDE: Final Rankings – Top 217 Plus 100 Honourable Mention

Iain Morrell — Sat, 01 Jun 2019 17:52:23 +0000

MCKEEN'S RELEASES FINAL 2019 NHL DRAFT RANKINGS

KOSICE, SLOVAKIA - MAY 13: USA's Jack Hughes #6 and Finland's Kaapo Kakko #24 shake hands following a 3-2 overtime win for team USA during preliminary round action of the 2019 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship at Steel Arena on May 13, 2019 in Kosice, Slovakia. (Photo by Matt Zambonin/HHOF-IIHF Images)

American center Jack Hughes or Finnish Winger Kaapo Kakko?

That is the decision facing the New Jersey Devils who won the draft lottery for the second time in the past three seasons and hold the top pick in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft.

Hughes (5-foot-10, 170 pounds) led the USA Hockey National Team Development Program under-18 team in scoring while setting the NTDP career record for assists (154) and points (228) in two seasons (110 games) with the program.

He earned the highest Overall Future Projection (OFP) score of 64.50, as per the 20/80 grading system developed by McKeen's Director of Scouting Ryan Wagman.

Skating, shooting, puck skills, hockey IQ, physicality - these are the attributes measured for skaters using the 20/80 grading system to arrive at an Overall Future Projection (OFP) score.

Six areas are assessed for goalies: athleticism/quickness, compete/temperament, vision/play reading, technique/style, rebound control and puck handling.

BROADWAY KAAPO

Kakko (6-foot-2, 195 pounds) earned the next highest OFP score at 64.00.

The Turku, Finland native will go to the New York Rangers with the second pick, their highest draft position since taking Brad Park in 1966 before expansion (1967-68).

Kakko led Finland with six goals while winning gold at the 2019 World Championships at just 18 years, 102 days old to become the youngest player in IIHF history to win gold at the Under-18, Under-20, and WM (World Men) levels, supplanting Connor McDavid of Canada (19 years, 130 days) from the record books.

The Chicago Blackhawks have the number three pick with the top defenseman Bowen Byram of the Vancouver Giants next on the McKeen's OFP scale (63.40).

Seven players in total received OFP scores of at least 60.00 this season, up from five in 2018 - and just two in 2017 when the Devils selected Nino Hischier first overall.

The next five spots in the rankings are all centers - Kirby Dach of Saskatoon (63.20 OFP), Dylan Cozens of Lethbridge (61.40), the NTDP duo of Trevor Zegras (61.25) and Alex Turcotte (60.00), and Peyton Krebs of Kootenay (59.65).

ALL AMERICAN

Spencer Knight. Photo courtesy of the USNTDP.

Spencer Knight of the NTDP is the top-rated goaltender available (55.75 OFP) at No. 32 in the McKeen's rankings.

Knight will likely go in the opening round of what will be a record haul for the U.S. National Team Development Program as upwards of eight players could be taken in the top 31 selections.

As for past records, the Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL) had four players taken in the opening round of the 1979 NHL Draft - as did the Toronto Marlboros (OHA) in 1972 and the Montreal Junior Canadiens (OHA) in 1969.

Along with Hughes (1st), Zegras (6th), and Turcotte (7th), wingers Matthew Boldy and Cole Caufield are ranked at No. 12 and 13 on the McKeen's list, with defenseman Cam York at No. 17 and center John Beecher at 30th.

Caufield (5-foot-7, 165 pounds) scored 14 goals at the U18 World Junior Championship, tying Alex Ovechkin's single-tournament goals record. However, the United States lost in a shootout to Russia in the semi-finals.

There are also four others in the program ranked in the 32 to 62 range (second round) - all defensemen - Marshall Warren (35th), Alex Vlasic (54th), Henry Thrun (58th) and Drew Helleson (62nd).

In total, 16 players from the NTDP are ranked among the top 100.

SWEDE GOLD - SWEET SEIDER

ORNSKOLDSVIK, SWEDEN - APRIL 23: Swedens Philip Broberg #4 makes a pass during preliminary round action against Russia at the 2019 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship at Fjallraven Center on April 23, 2019 in Ornskoldsvik, Sweden. (Photo by Steve Kingsman/HHOF-IIHF Images)

Sweden won a first-ever gold medal at the U18 World Juniors.

Four blueliners on that Swedish team are first-round candidates led by Philip Broberg of AIK, named 'Top Defenceman' at the U18 tournament, and Victor Soderstrom of Brynas, ranked No. 9 and 10 respectively on McKeen's.

U18 captain Tobias Bjornfot of Djurgardens is ranked 19th and Albert Johansson of Farjestads is 26th.

Following Dominik Bokk's selection in 2018 (25th to St. Louis), Germany will produce another first-round pick this year in Adler Mannheim defenseman Moritz Seider.

The 6-foot-3, 185-pound, right-shot blueliner displayed impressive skills and maturity for his age while appearing at the 2019 World Championships (5-2-0-2).

Seider earned an OFP score of 57.50 and is ranked No. 15.

He will become the highest-selected German-born player at the NHL Draft since the Edmonton Oilers took Leon Draisaitl third overall in 2014.

Here are our final 2019 NHL Draft Rankings. They are a culmination of a season’s worth of prospect analysis and coverage on mckeenshockey.com and the tremendous work put in rinks and looking at screens and numbers from our committed team. Enjoy!

RANK	PLAYER	POS	TEAM	HT/WT	DOB	Nation
1	Jack Hughes	C	NTDP (USA)	5-10/170	14-May-01	USA
2	Kaapo Kakko	RW	TPS Turku (Fin)	6-2/195	13-Feb-01	Finland
3	Bowen Byram	D	Vancouver (WHL)	6-0/195	13-Jun-01	Canada
4	Kirby Dach	C	Saskatoon (WHL)	6-3/200	21-Jan-01	Canada
5	Dylan Cozens	C	Lethbridge (WHL)	6-3/185	9-Feb-01	Canada
6	Trevor Zegras	C	NTDP (USA)	6-0/170	20-Mar-01	USA
7	Alex Turcotte	C	NTDP (USA)	5-11/185	26-Feb-01	USA
8	Peyton Krebs	C	Kootenay (WHL)	5-11/180	26-Jan-01	Canada
9	Philip Broberg	D	AIK (Swe 2)	6-3/200	25-Jun-01	Sweden
10	Victor Soderstrom	D	Brynas (Swe)	5-11/180	26-Feb-01	Sweden
11	Vasili Podkolzin	RW	SKA-1946 St. Pete. (Rus Jr)	6-1/190	24-Jun-01	Russia
12	Matthew Boldy	LW	NTDP (USA)	6-1/190	5-Apr-01	USA
13	Cole Caufield	RW	NTDP (USA)	5-7/165	2-Jan-01	USA
14	Raphael Lavoie	RW	Halifax (QMJHL)	6-4/195	25-Sep-00	Canada
15	Moritz Seider	D	Adler Mannheim (DEL)	6-3/185	6-Apr-01	Germany
16	Simon Holmstrom	RW	HV 71 (Swe Jr)	6-1/185	24-May-01	Sweden
17	Cam York	D	NTDP (USA)	5-11/175	5-Jan-01	USA
18	Alex Newhook	C	Victoria (BCHL)	5-10/195	28-Jan-01	Canada
19	Tobias Bjornfot	D	Djurgardens (Swe Jr)	6-0/200	6-Apr-01	Sweden
20	Philip Tomasino	C	Niagara (OHL)	5-11/180	28-Jul-01	Canada
21	Arthur Kaliyev	RW	Hamilton (OHL)	6-2/190	26-Jun-01	USA
22	Ryan Suzuki	C	Barrie (OHL)	6-0/180	28-May-01	Canada
23	Samuel Poulin	LW	Sherbrooke (QMJHL)	6-1/205	25-Feb-01	Canada
24	Thomas Harley	D	Mississauga (OHL)	6-3/190	19-Aug-01	Canada
25	Ryan Johnson	D	Sioux Falls (USHL)	6-0/175	24-Jul-01	USA
26	Albert Johansson	D	Farjestads (Swe Jr)	5-11/165	4-Jan-01	Sweden
27	Robert Mastrosimone	LW	Chicago (USHL)	5-10/160	24-Jan-01	USA
28	Connor McMichael	C	London (OHL)	5-11/175	15-Jan-01	Canada
29	Matthew Robertson	D	Edmonton (WHL)	6-3/200	9-Mar-01	Canada
30	John Beecher	C	NTDP (USA)	6-3/210	5-Apr-01	USA
31	Pavel Dorofeyev	LW	Magnitogorsk (KHL)	6-1/170	26-Oct-00	Russia
32	Spencer Knight	G	NTDP (USA)	6-3/195	19-Apr-01	USA
33	Bobby Brink	RW	Sioux City (USHL)	5-10/165	8-Jul-01	USA
34	Brett Leason	RW	Prince Albert (WHL)	6-4/200	30-Apr-99	Canada
35	Marshall Warren	D	NTDP (USA)	5-11/170	20-Apr-01	USA
36	Egor Afanasyev	RW	Muskegon (USHL)	6-3/205	23-Jan-01	Russia
37	Ville Heinola	D	Lukko Rauma (Fin)	5-11/180	3-Feb-01	Finland
38	Nolan Foote	LW	Kelowna (WHL)	6-3/190	29-Nov-00	Canada
39	Samuel Fagemo	RW	Frolunda (Swe)	6-0/195	14-Mar-00	Sweden
40	Nick Robertson	LW	Peterborough (OHL)	5-9/160	11-Sep-01	USA
41	Nils Hoglander	RW	Rogle (Swe)	5-9/185	20-Dec-00	Sweden
42	Jamieson Rees	C	Sarnia (OHL)	5-10/175	26-Feb-01	Canada
43	Jakob Pelletier	LW	Moncton (QMJHL)	5-9/165	7-Mar-01	Canada
44	Antti Tuomisto	D	Assat Pori (Fin Jr)	6-4/190	20-Jan-01	Finland
45	Lassi Thomson	D	Kelowna (WHL)	5-11/190	24-Sep-00	Finland
46	Michal Teply	LW	Bili Tygri Liberec (Cze)	6-3/185	27-May-01	Czech
47	Brayden Tracey	LW	Moose Jaw (WHL)	6-0/175	28-May-01	Canada
48	Arseni Gritsyuk	RW	Omskie Yastreby (Rus Jr)	5-10/170	15-Mar-01	Russia
49	Yegor Chinakhov	RW	Omskie Yastreby (Rus Jr)	6-0/175	1-Feb-01	Russia
50	Mattias Norlinder	D	MoDo (Swe Jr)	5-11/180	12-Apr-00	Sweden
51	Karl Henriksson	C	Frolunda (Swe Jr)	5-9/165	5-Feb-01	Sweden
52	Vladislav Kolyachonok	D	Flint (OHL)	6-1/185	26-May-01	Belarus
53	Nikola Pasic	RW	Linkopings (Swe Jr)	5-10/185	16-Oct-00	Sweden
54	Alex Vlasic	D	NTDP (USA)	6-6/200	5-Jun-01	USA
55	Pyotr Kochetkov	G	HK Ryazan (Rus 2)	6-1/175	25-Jun-99	Russia
56	Albin Grewe	RW	Djurgardens (Swe Jr)	5-11/190	22-Mar-01	Sweden
57	Trevor Janicke	C	Central Illinois (USHL)	5-10/195	25-Dec-00	USA
58	Henry Thrun	D	NTDP (USA)	6-2/190	12-Mar-01	USA
59	Yegor Spiridonov	C	Stalnye Lisy Mag. (Rus Jr)	6-2/195	22-Jan-01	Russia
60	Patrik Puistola	LW	Tappara (Fin Jr)	6-0/175	11-Jan-01	Finland
61	Ilya Nikolayev	C	Loko Yaroslavl (Rus Jr)	6-0/190	26-Jun-01	Russia
62	Drew Helleson	D	NTDP (USA)	6-3/195	26-Mar-01	USA
63	Graeme Clarke	RW	Ottawa (OHL)	5-11/175	24-Apr-01	Canada
64	Ronnie Attard	D	Tri-City (USHL)	6-3/210	20-Mar-99	USA
65	Mads Sogaard	G	Medicine Hat (WHL)	6-7/195	13-Dec-00	Denmark
66	Oleg Zaitsev	C	Red Deer (WHL)	6-1/185	7-Jan-01	Russia
67	Isaiah Saville	G	Tri-City (USHL)	6-1/190	21-Sep-00	USA
68	Kaedan Korczak	D	Kelowna (WHL)	6-3/190	29-Jan-01	Canada
69	Adam Najman	C	Benatky nad Jizerou (Cze 2)	5-11/175	23-Jan-01	Czech
70	Mikko Kokkonen	D	Jukurit (Fin)	5-11/200	18-Jan-01	Finland
71	Michael Vukojevic	D	Kitchener (OHL)	6-3/210	8-Jun-01	Canada
72	Patrick Moynihan	RW	NTDP (USA)	5-11/185	23-Jan-01	USA
73	Michael Gildon	LW	NTDP (USA)	6-1/195	21-Jun-01	USA
74	Judd Caulfield	RW	NTDP (USA)	6-3/205	19-Mar-01	USA
75	Vladislav Firstov	LW	Waterloo (USHL)	6-1/180	19-Jun-01	USA
76	Hugo Alnefelt	G	HV 71 (Swe Jr)	6-3/195	4-Jun-01	Sweden
77	Gianni Fairbrother	D	Everett (WHL)	6-0/195	30-Sep-00	Canada
78	Jackson Lacombe	D	Shattuck-St. Mary's (USHS-MN)	6-1/170	9-Jan-01	USA
79	Ethan Keppen	LW	Flint (OHL)	6-2/210	20-Mar-01	Canada
80	Anttoni Honka	D	JyP Jyvaskyla (Fin)	5-10/180	5-Oct-00	Finland
81	Roman Bychkov	D	Loko Yaroslavl (Rus Jr)	5-11/160	10-Feb-01	Russia
82	Ryder Donovan	C	Duluth East (USHS-MN)	6-3/185	4-Oct-00	USA
83	Nathan Legare	RW	Baie-Comeau (QMJHL)	6-0/205	11-Jan-01	Canada
84	Billy Constantinou	D	Kingston (OHL)	6-0/185	25-Mar-01	Canada
85	Vojtech Strondala	C	Slavia Trebic (Cze 2)	5-7/155	17-Dec-00	Czech
86	Case McCarthy	D	NTDP (USA)	6-1/195	9-Jan-01	USA
87	Simon Lundmark	D	Linkopings (Swe)	6-2/200	8-Oct-00	Sweden
88	Zac Jones	D	Tri-City (USHL)	5-10/175	18-Oct-00	USA
89	Erik Portillo	G	Frolunda (Swe Jr)	6-6/210	3-Sep-00	Sweden
90	Daniil Misyul	D	Loko Yaroslavl (Rus Jr)	6-3/180	20-Oct-00	Russia
91	Daniil Gutik	LW	Loko Yaroslavl (Rus Jr)	6-3/180	31-Aug-01	Russia
92	Hunter Jones	G	Peterborough (OHL)	6-4/195	21-Sep-00	Canada
93	Michael Koster	D	Chaska (USHS-MN)	5-9/175	13-Apr-01	USA
94	Aliaksei Protas	C	Prince Albert (WHL)	6-5/205	6-Jan-01	Belarus
95	Blake Murray	C	Sudbury (OHL)	6-2/190	5-Jul-01	Canada
96	Cole MacKay	RW	Sault Ste Marie (OHL)	5-10/190	13-Jun-01	Canada
97	Trent Miner	G	Vancouver (WHL)	6-0/185	5-Jan-01	Canada
98	Semyon Chistyakov	D	Tolpar Ufa (Rus Jr)	5-10/170	7-Aug-01	Russia
99	Leevi Aaltonen	RW	KalPa (Fin Jr)	5-9/175	24-Jan-01	Finland
100	Antti Saarela	C	Lukko Rauma (Fin)	5-11/185	27-Jun-01	Finland
101	John Farinacci	C	Dexter (USHS-MA)	5-11/185	14-Feb-01	USA
102	Marcus Kallionkieli	LW	Sioux City (USHL)	6-2/195	20-Mar-01	Finland
103	Andre Lee	LW	Sioux Falls (USHL)	6-4/200	26-Jul-00	Sweden
104	Kirill Slepets	RW	Loko Yaroslavl (Rus Jr)	5-10/165	6-Apr-99	Russia
105	Shane Pinto	C	Tri-City (USHL)	6-2/190	12-Nov-00	USA
106	Jordan Spence	D	Moncton (QMJHL)	5-10/165	24-Feb-01	Canada
107	Keean Washkurak	C	Mississauga (OHL)	5-10/185	16-Aug-01	Canada
108	Owen Lindmark	C	NTDP (USA)	6-0/195	17-May-01	USA
109	Matej Blumel	RW	Waterloo (USHL)	5-11/200	31-May-00	Czech
110	Jack Malone	RW	Youngstown (USHL)	6-1/190	13-Oct-00	USA
111	Jayden Struble	D	St. Sebastian's (USHS-MA)	6-0/195	8-Sep-01	USA
112	Artemi Knyazev	D	Chicoutimi (QMJHL)	5-11/180	4-Jan-01	Russia
113	Maxim Cajkovic	RW	Saint John (QMJHL)	5-11/185	3-Jan-01	Slovakia
114	Matvey Guskov	C	London (OHL)	6-1/180	30-Jan-01	Russia
115	Nikita Okhotyuk	D	Ottawa (OHL)	6-1/195	4-Dec-00	Russia
116	Valeri Orekhov	D	Barys Astana (KHL)	6-1/190	17-Jul-99	Kazakhstan
117	Zdenek Sedlak	RW	Karpat Oulu (Fin)	6-2/205	23-Mar-00	Czech
118	Alexander Yakovenko	D	Muskegon (USHL)	5-11/175	22-Feb-98	Russia
119	Yannick Bruschweiler	C	GC Kusnacht Lions (Sui 2)	5-10/175	29-Aug-99	Switzerland
120	Ilya Mironov	D	Loko Yaroslavl (Rus Jr)	6-3/200	15-Mar-01	Russia
121	Albert Lyckasen	D	Linkopings (Swe Jr)	5-10/180	29-Jul-01	Sweden
122	Keegan Stevenson	C	Guelph (OHL)	6-1/185	31-Dec-00	Canada
123	Ilya Konovalov	G	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (KHL)	6-0/195	13-Jul-98	Russia
124	Cole Schwindt	RW	Mississauga (OHL)	6-2/185	25-Apr-01	Canada
125	Domenick Fensore	D	NTDP (USA)	5-7/155	7-Sep-01	USA
126	William Francis	D	Cedar Rapids (USHL)	6-5/210	16-Nov-00	USA
127	Simon Gnyp	D	Kolner (Ger Jr)	5-11/180	10-Sep-01	Germany
128	Tuukka Tieksola	RW	Karpat Oulu (Fin Jr)	5-10/150	22-Jun-01	Finland
129	Ethan Phillips	C	Sioux Falls (USHL)	5-9/150	7-May-01	Canada
130	Linus Pettersson	RW	MoDo (Swe)	5-7/145	11-Apr-00	Sweden
131	Matias Maccelli	LW	Dubuque (USHL)	5-11/170	14-Oct-00	Finland
132	Anthony Romano	C	Sioux Falls (USHL)	5-11/185	7-Oct-00	Canada
133	Nikita Alexandrov	C	Charlottetown (QMJHL)	6-0/180	16-Sep-00	Germany
134	Arturs Silovs	G	HS Riga (Lat)	6-4/205	22-Mar-01	Latvia
135	August Hedlund	G	AIK (Swe Jr)	6-4/185	7-Jan-00	Sweden
136	Nicholas Porco	LW	Saginaw (OHL)	6-0/175	12-Mar-01	Canada
137	Joe Carroll	C	Sault Ste Marie (OHL)	6-2/200	1-Feb-01	Canada
138	Alex Beaucage	RW	Rouyn Noranda (QMJHL)	6-1/195	25-Jul-01	Canada
139	Luke Toporowski	C	Spokane (WHL)	5-11/180	12-Apr-01	USA
140	Sasha Mutala	RW	Tri-City (WHL)	6-0/200	6-May-01	Canada
141	Harrison Blaisdell	C	Chilliwack (BCHL)	5-11/180	18-Mar-01	Canada
142	Valentin Nussbaumer	C	Shawinigan (QMJHL)	5-11/165	25-Sep-00	Switzerland
143	Dustin Wolf	G	Everett (WHL)	6-0/155	16-Apr-01	USA
144	Ondrej Psenicka	RW	Sparta Praha (Cze Jr)	6-5/195	7-Jan-01	Czech
145	Juuso Parssinen	C	TPS Turku (Fin Jr)	6-2/205	1-Feb-01	Finland
146	Mitchell Brewer	D	Oshawa (OHL)	6-0/205	20-Mar-01	Canada
147	Lukas Parik	G	Liberec (Cze Jr)	6-4/185	15-Mar-01	Czech
148	Grant Silianoff	RW	Cedar Rapids (USHL)	5-11/170	4-Jan-01	USA
149	Josh Nodler	C	Fargo (USHL)	5-11/195	27-Apr-01	USA
150	Bryce Brodzinski	RW	Blaine (USHS-MN)	6-0/195	9-Aug-00	USA
151	Colten Ellis	G	Rimouski (QMJHL)	6-1/190	5-Oct-00	Canada
152	Rhett Pitlick	LW	Chaska (USHS-MN)	5-9/160	7-Feb-01	USA
153	Dillon Hamaliuk	LW	Seattle (WHL)	6-3/190	30-Oct-00	Canada
154	Aleksei Sergeev	C	Quebec (QMJHL)	5-9/185	22-May-00	Russia
155	Jack York	D	Barrie (OHL)	6-0/190	17-Sep-00	Canada
156	Jacob LeGuerrier	D	Sault Ste Marie (OHL)	6-1/200	22-Nov-00	Canada
157	Zach Uens	D	Wellington (OJHL)	6-1/180	13-May-01	Canada
158	Josh Williams	RW	Edmonton (WHL)	6-1/195	8-Mar-01	Canada
159	Elmer Soderblom	RW	Frolunda (Swe Jr)	6-6/220	5-Jul-01	Sweden
160	Kyle Topping	C	Kelowna (WHL)	5-11/185	18-Nov-99	Canada
161	Albin Sundsvik	C	Skelleftea (Swe Jr)	6-1/185	27-Apr-01	Sweden
162	Cameron Rowe	G	NTDP (USA)	6-2/200	1-Jun-01	USA
163	Filip Lindberg	G	Massachusetts (HE)	6-0/180	31-Jan-99	Finland
164	Liam Svensson	C	Frolunda (Swe Jr 18)	6-3/195	2-Feb-01	Sweden
165	Xavier Simoneau	C	Drummondville (QMJHL)	5-6/170	19-May-01	Canada
166	Pavel Gogolev	RW	Guelph (OHL)	6-0/175	19-Feb-00	Russia
167	Danil Antropov	LW	Oshawa (OHL)	6-1/185	20-Dec-00	Canada
168	Daniel D'Amico	LW	Windsor (OHL)	5-9/185	26-Jan-01	Canada
169	Vladimir Alistrov	LW	Edmonton (WHL)	6-2/175	12-Feb-01	Belarus
170	Reece Newkirk	C	Portland (WHL)	5-11/175	20-Feb-01	Canada
171	Sergei Alkhimov	LW	Regina (WHL)	6-0/210	3-Jul-01	Russia
172	Adam Beckman	LW	Spokane (WHL)	6-1/170	10-May-01	Canada
173	Alexander Campbell	LW	Victoria (BCHL)	5-10/150	27-Feb-01	Canada
174	Taylor Gauthier	G	Prince George (WHL)	6-1/195	15-Feb-01	Canada
175	Max Crozier	D	Sioux Falls (USHL)	6-1/195	19-Apr-00	Canada
176	Santeri Hatakka	D	Jokerit (Fin Jr)	6-0/175	15-Jan-01	Finland
177	Kalle Loponen	D	Hermes (Fin 2)	5-10/185	13-Mar-01	Finland
178	Eric Ciccolini	RW	Toronto Jr Canadiens (OJHL)	5-11/160	14-Jan-01	Canada
179	Aku Raty	RW	Karpat Oulu (Fin Jr)	5-11/170	5-Jul-01	Finland
180	Arvid Costmar	C	Linkopings (Swe Jr)	5-11/180	7-Jul-01	Sweden
181	Matt Brown	LW	Des Moines (USHL)	5-9/180	9-Aug-99	USA
182	Sven Leuenberger	C	Zug (Sui)	5-10/185	18-Feb-99	Switzerland
183	Jasper Patrikainen	G	Pelicans (Fin)	6-0/175	1-Jul-00	Finland
184	Jack Williams	G	Springfield (NAHL)	6-3/175	21-Jun-01	USA
185	Mikhail Abramov	C	Victoriaville (QMJHL)	5-10/160	26-Mar-01	Russia
186	Ben Brinkman	D	Minnesota (B1G)	6-0/215	4-Oct-00	USA
187	Chris Giroday	D	Green Bay (USHL)	6-1/175	13-Dec-00	Canada
188	Petr Cajka	C	Erie (OHL)	6-0/170	11-Dec-00	Czech
189	Mark Kastelic	C	Calgary (WHL)	6-3/215	11-Mar-99	USA
190	Kevin Wall	RW	Chilliwack (BCHL)	6-0/190	1-Feb-00	USA
191	Lucas Edmonds	RW	Karlskrona (Swe Jr)	5-11/175	27-Jan-01	Sweden
192	Carter Gylander	G	Sherwood Park (AJHL)	6-5/175	5-Jun-01	Canada
193	Ethan de Jong	RW	Quinnipiac (ECAC)	5-10/170	12-Jul-99	Canada
194	Wiljami Myllyla	RW	HIFK Helsinki (Fin Jr)	6-0/170	9-Apr-01	Finland
195	Yaroslav Likhachyov	RW	Gatineau (QMJHL)	5-10/170	2-Sep-01	Russia
196	Layton Ahac	D	Prince George (BCHL)	6-2/195	22-Feb-01	Canada
197	Alfred Barklund	D	Orebro (Swe Jr)	6-2/200	21-Oct-00	Sweden
198	Radek Muzik	LW	Lulea (Swe Jr)	6-3/180	25-Mar-01	Sweden
199	Marcus Pedersen	RW	Linkopings (Swe Jr)	6-2/165	25-May-01	Sweden
200	Filip Koffer	RW	Pardubice (Cze Jr)	5-11/175	4-Mar-01	Czech
201	Henri Nikkanen	C	Jukurit (Fin Jr)	6-3/200	28-Apr-01	Finland
202	Marc Del Gaizo	D	Massachusetts (HE)	5-9/190	11-Oct-99	USA
203	Tag Bertuzzi	LW	Hamilton (OHL)	6-0/200	18-Feb-01	Canada
204	Martin Hugo Has	D	Tappara (Fin Jr)	6-4/190	2-Feb-01	Czech
205	Jet Greaves	G	Barrie (OHL)	5-11/165	30-Mar-01	Canada
206	Mason Millman	D	Saginaw (OHL)	6-1/175	18-Jul-01	Canada
207	Janis Jerome Moser	D	Biel-Bienne (Sui)	6-0/160	6-Jun-00	Switzerland
208	Nick Abruzzese	C	Chicago (USHL)	5-9/160	4-Jun-99	USA
209	Logan Barlage	C	Lethbridge (WHL)	6-4/200	7-Jan-01	Canada
210	Carter Berger	D	Victoria (BCHL)	6-0/200	17-Sep-99	Canada
211	Nando Eggenberger	LW	Oshawa (OHL)	6-2/205	7-Oct-99	Switzerland
212	Tyce Thompson	RW	Providence (HE)	6-1/180	12-Jul-99	USA
213	Nolan Maier	G	Saskatoon (WHL)	6-0/175	10-Jan-01	Canada
214	Massimo Rizzo	C	Penticton (BCHL)	5-10/180	13-Jun-01	Canada
215	Matthew Steinburg	C	St. Andrew's (CHS-O)	6-1/185	7-Oct-00	Canada
216	Jake Lee	D	Seattle (WHL)	6-1/215	13-Jul-01	Canada
217	Luke Bast	D	Brooks (AJHL)	5-9/170	20-Nov-00	Canada

100 HONOURABLE MENTION IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER:

	PLAYER	POS	TEAM	HT/WT	DOB	Nation
HM	Nathan Allensen	D	Barrie (OHL)	5-11/180	3-May-01	Canada
HM	Ethan Anders	G	Red Deer (WHL)	6-1/175	26-Sep-00	Canada
HM	Nicklas Andrews	D	Des Moines (USHL)	5-10/185	6-Jul-01	USA
HM	Tyler Angle	C	Windsor (OHL)	5-9/165	30-Sep-00	Canada
HM	Marcel Barinka	C	Halifax (QMJHL)	6-0/165	3-Jan-01	Czech
HM	Roman Basran	G	Kelowna (WHL)	6-1/195	26-Jul-01	Canada
HM	Luke Bignell	C	Barrie (OHL)	6-0/170	3-Nov-00	Canada
HM	Mathieu Bizier	C	Gatineau (QMJHL)	6-1/185	13-May-01	Canada
HM	Oscar Bjerselius	C	Djurgardens (Swe Jr)	5-11/185	18-Feb-01	Sweden
HM	Kaden Bohlsen	C	Fargo (USHL)	6-3/190	10-Jan-01	USA
HM	Samuel Bolduc	D	Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL)	6-3/210	9-Dec-00	Canada
HM	Jakob Bondesson	D	Rogle (Swe Jr)	6-1/185	22-May-00	Sweden
HM	Cole Brady	G	Janesville (NAHL)	6-5/165	12-Feb-01	Canada
HM	Alex Brannstam	D	Djurgardens (Swe Jr)	5-11/170	3-Jun-01	Sweden
HM	Lynden Breen	C	Central Illinois (USHL)	5-9/165	31-May-01	USA
HM	Jonas Brondberg	D	Vaxjo Lakers (Swe Jr)	6-4/190	26-Jan-01	Sweden
HM	Jeremie Bucheler	D	Victoria (BCHL)	6-4/200	31-Mar-00	Canada
HM	Brett Budgell	LW	Charlottetown (QMJHL)	5-11/190	1-Jun-01	Canada
HM	Luka Burzan	RW	Brandon (WHL)	6-0/190	7-Jan-00	Canada
HM	Felix Carenfelt	LW	Djurgardens (Swe Jr)	5-10/185	13-Feb-00	Sweden
HM	Luke Cavallin	G	Flint (OHL)	6-1/190	29-Apr-01	Canada
HM	Filip Cederqvist	LW	Vaxjo Lakers (Swe)	6-1/185	23-Aug-00	Sweden
HM	Cole Coskey	RW	Saginaw (OHL)	6-0/190	1-Jun-99	USA
HM	Braden Doyle	D	Lawrence Academy (USHS-MA)	5-11/170	24-Aug-01	USA
HM	Justin Ducharme	LW	Chicoutimi (QMJHL)	5-10/180	22-Feb-00	Canada
HM	Nathan Dunkley	C	London (OHL)	5-11/195	3-May-00	Canada
HM	Pontus Englund	D	Timra (Swe Jr)	6-3/205	15-Jul-00	Sweden
HM	Lucas Feuk	LW	Sodertalje (Swe Jr)	6-0/185	19-Feb-01	Sweden
HM	Parker Ford	C	Sioux City (USHL)	5-8/170	20-Jul-00	USA
HM	Ethan Frisch	D	Fargo (USHL)	5-11/190	29-Oct-00	USA
HM	Maxim Golod	LW	Erie (OHL)	5-11/175	18-Aug-00	Canada
HM	Jacob Gronhagen	C	HV 71 (Swe Jr)	6-6/215	18-Jan-01	Sweden
HM	Maxence Guenette	D	Val d'Or (QMJHL)	6-1/180	28-Apr-01	Canada
HM	Hugo Gustafsson	C	Sodertalje (Swe 2)	5-10/160	23-Feb-00	Sweden
HM	Mack Guzda	G	Owen Sound (OHL)	6-4/215	11-Jan-01	USA
HM	Aidan Harper	G	Skipjacks HC 18U (USPHL)	6-2/170	28-May-01	USA
HM	Ludvig Hedstrom	D	Djurgardens (Swe Jr)	5-11/175	14-Apr-01	Sweden
HM	Konsta Hirvonen	LW	HIFK Helsinki (Fin Jr)	5-11/165	1-Nov-00	Finland
HM	Eric Hjorth	D	Linkopings (Swe Jr 18)	6-3/190	8-Jan-01	Sweden
HM	Samuel Hlavaj	G	Lincoln (USHL)	6-4/185	29-May-01	Slovakia
HM	Krystof Hrabik	C	Tri-City (WHL)	6-4/220	24-Sep-99	Czech
HM	Rickard Hugg	C	Kitchener (OHL)	5-11/190	18-Jan-99	Sweden
HM	Aaron Huglen	RW	Roseau (USHS-MN)	5-11/165	6-Mar-01	USA
HM	Aarne Intonen	C	TPS Turku (Fin Jr)	5-11/180	17-Jul-01	Finland
HM	Michal Ivan	D	Drummondville (QMJHL)	6-1/185	18-Nov-99	Slovakia
HM	Dylan Jackson	RW	Dubuque (USHL)	5-9/175	6-Sep-01	Canada
HM	Ty Jackson	C	Dubuque (USHL)	5-7/150	6-Sep-01	Canada
HM	Taro Jentzsch	C	Sherbrooke (QMJHL)	6-1/155	11-Jun-00	Germany
HM	Samuel Johannesson	D	Rogle (Swe Jr)	5-11/175	27-Dec-00	Sweden
HM	Wilson Johansson	RW	Farjestads (Swe Jr)	5-11/175	11-Oct-00	Sweden
HM	Brooklyn Kalmikov	C	Cape Breton (QMJHL)	6-0/165	21-Apr-01	Canada
HM	David Karlstrom	C	AIK (Swe Jr)	6-1/185	12-Mar-01	Sweden
HM	Mans Kramer	D	Frolunda (Swe Jr)	6-2/180	6-Mar-01	Sweden
HM	Jami Krannila	C	Sioux Falls (USHL)	5-10/160	3-Oct-00	Finland
HM	Grayson Ladd	D	Windsor (OHL)	6-1/175	1-Mar-01	Canada
HM	Martin Lang	LW	Kamloops (WHL)	5-11/170	15-Sep-01	Czech
HM	Oscar Lawner	LW	Farjestads (Swe Jr)	5-11/185	13-Feb-01	Sweden
HM	Jonathan Lemieux	G	Val d'Or (QMJHL)	6-0/185	8-Jun-01	Canada
HM	Hugo Leufvenius	LW	Sarnia (OHL)	6-3/230	26-Mar-99	Sweden
HM	Ethan Leyh	LW	Langley (BCHL)	6-0/190	7-Sep-01	Canada
HM	Josh Lopina	C	Lincoln (USHL)	6-1/175	16-Feb-01	USA
HM	Emil Malysjev	D	Saskatoon (WHL)	6-3/190	1-May-01	Sweden
HM	Matias Mantykivi	C	SaiPa (Fin Jr)	5-11/160	21-Jun-01	Finland
HM	Jeremy McKenna	RW	Moncton (QMJHL)	5-10/175	20-Apr-99	Canada
HM	Billy Moskal	C	London (OHL)	6-0/185	22-Mar-00	Canada
HM	Derek Mullahy	G	Dexter (USHS-MA)	6-0/180	20-Mar-01	USA
HM	Kim Nousiainen	D	KalPa (Fin Jr)	5-9/170	14-Nov-00	Finland
HM	Zachary Okabe	RW	Grande Prairie (AJHL)	5-8/165	4-Jan-01	Canada
HM	Oliver Okuliar	LW	Sherbrooke (QMJHL)	6-1/190	24-May-00	Slovakia
HM	Quinn Olson	LW	Okotoks (AJHL)	5-10/170	9-May-01	Canada
HM	Xavier Parent	LW	Halifax (QMJHL)	5-8/170	23-Mar-01	Canada
HM	Tommy Pasanen	D	Sioux City (USHL)	6-3/220	30-Jul-01	Germany
HM	Thomas Pelletier	D	Drummondville (QMJHL)	6-2/195	23-Aug-01	Canada
HM	Andrew Perrott	D	Owen Sound (OHL)	5-11/205	24-Aug-01	USA
HM	Kari Piiroinen	G	Windsor (OHL)	6-0/175	1-Jul-01	Finland
HM	Lukas Pilo	D	Orebro (Swe Jr)	6-1/185	7-Sep-99	Sweden
HM	Garrett Pinoniemi	C	Holy Family Catholic (USHS-MN)	5-11/150	15-Jun-01	USA
HM	Mason Primeau	C	North Bay (OHL)	6-5/205	28-Jul-01	Canada
HM	Kirby Proctor	D	Des Moines (USHL)	6-3/190	19-Apr-01	Canada
HM	Liam Ross	D	Sudbury (OHL)	6-2/195	13-May-01	Canada
HM	Henrik Rybinski	RW	Seattle (WHL)	6-0/175	26-Jun-01	Canada
HM	Nikita Sedov	D	Regina (WHL)	6-1/185	5-May-01	Russia
HM	Egor Serdyuk	RW	Victoriaville (QMJHL)	5-10/160	3-Jun-01	Russia
HM	Nikita Shashkov	LW	Sibir Novosibirsk (KHL)	5-11/180	26-Mar-99	Russia
HM	Ryan Siedem	D	Central Illinois (USHL)	6-2/190	25-Feb-01	USA
HM	Samuel Sjolund	D	AIK (Swe Jr)	6-1/175	19-May-01	Sweden
HM	Hunter Skinner	D	Muskegon (USHL)	6-2/175	29-Apr-01	USA
HM	Dominik Sojka	C	Banska Bystrica (Svk Jr)	6-5/210	16-Feb-01	Slovakia
HM	Kyen Sopa	RW	Niagara (OHL)	5-9/185	30-Sep-00	Switzerland
HM	Tyler Spott	D	Green Bay (USHL)	5-10/170	17-Jun-00	Canada
HM	Matthew Struthers	C	North Bay (OHL)	6-2/210	26-Dec-99	Canada
HM	Roope Taponen	G	HIFK Helsinki (Fin Jr)	6-0/165	14-Mar-01	Finland
HM	Jacob Tortora	LW	Barrie (OHL)	5-6/165	25-Jul-99	USA
HM	Bobby Trivigno	LW	Massachusetts (HE)	5-8/155	19-Jan-99	USA
HM	Eric Uba	RW	Flint (OHL)	6-0/195	17-Dec-00	Canada
HM	Max Wahlgren	RW	MoDo (Swe)	6-1/185	9-May-01	Sweden
HM	Carl Wang	D	Sodertalje (Swe Jr)	6-2/195	28-Mar-01	Sweden
HM	Matteus Ward	G	Linkopings (Swe Jr)	6-0/170	7-Mar-01	Sweden
HM	Lukas Wernblom	C	MoDo (Swe 2)	5-9/170	22-Jul-00	Sweden
HM	Jonathan Yantsis	RW	Kitchener (OHL)	6-2/210	28-Apr-99	Canada

World Junior A Challenge (December 2018) review

Ryan Wagman — Wed, 13 Feb 2019 15:57:18 +0000

Now roughly six weeks in the rear-view mirror, it is time to discuss everyone’s favorite red-headed stepchild of a hockey tournament, the World Junior A Challenge.

I say this not to further diminish this event, but to acknowledge that it plays so little a role in the collective hockey consciousness. The tournament is meant to showcase players who are playing away from the bright lights of the CHL (with some exceptions among the European clubs involved), or NCAA or the top pro leagues in Europe. The participating teams sometimes vary, with Switzerland not showing up this year, but four nations showed up making five teams in the event, with Canada, as per usual, fielding dual squads, one each for the Eastern and Western halves of the country.

The US squad, made up of USHL talent – without USNTDP representation – walked away with the title, beating a Russian team featuring top 2019 draft prospect Vasili Podkolzin.

Mike Sanderson was able to represent McKeens at the event last year, but we were not able to send a regular contributor into the field this year in Bonneyville, Alberta. So, we had the next best thing.

A friend of McKeens, who had a close personal connection to a player who competed at the tournament, offered up his personal takes of the players who stuck out. To avoid any bias, this contributor and his/her connection will remain anonymous. The player he/she is connected to has been seen a few times by other McKeens contributors and that player’s notes are reflective of the McKeens contributor. To establish the veracity of the opinions of the friend of McKeens, I will only note that he/she has played at a high level in the past, and coaches to this day.

The worst team at this year’s tournament came from Canada East, who failed to win a game, finishing with the following line:

4 GP, 0 W, 4 L, 9 GS, 22 GA

Perhaps uncoincidentally, our observer had little of note to report on this squad. The team had only one line of note, which featured Jamie Engelbert and Riley McCutcheon, both of whom play together with Coboug of the OJHL. The former provided the line with edge and the latter player with some skill. Despite a lack of size, the best pro prospect on the team was 5-9”, 175 blueliner Simon Mack (Brockville, CCHL), who played a mature game in all situations and generally looked better than the one drafted player on the team, Dustyn McFaul (Boston, 6^th round, 2018).

With one win in regulation and one in overtime, the Czech Republic team finished in fourth after losing in the bronze medal game. While Canada East was dubbed a one-line team, the Czechs were twice as good, with two lines that showed up to play. The most notable of the forwards was Matej Blumel, currently making a strong case to be drafted in his second year of eligibility on the back of a strong USHL campaign with Waterloo. He played with high work ethic, skill, and more bang for the buck than would be expected from his 5-11”, 190 lbs frame. Fellow USHLer Jan Kern, who went immediately from the WJAC to the WJC, and Jan Bambula, who plays for AZ Havirov in the Czech second division, completed the first line. As a unit, they were most noteworthy for their smart puck movement. Bambula, in particular, would hesitate to shoot, seemingly preferring to play the puck to one of his linemates.

The drafted eligible Michal Teply, currently playing in the top Czech men’s league for Bili Tygri Liberec, played an advanced game for a 17-year-old, although his sluggish pace may set him back. He has great size and needs to grow into his frame. Vojtech Strondala, another first time eligible, similarly playing in the top men’s league, for HC Kometa Brno, was the opposite in terms of his style of play. The tiny 5-7”, 154 lbs center played a big style game. The final player called out by our observer was Jaroslav Dvorak, spending most of his season in the second tier of Czech men’s hockey for HC Stadion Litomerice. Not a big time scorer, Dvorak perhaps lacks the hands for the highest levels of the game, but he plays with a bit of an edge and was generally the fastest player on the ice.

Back to Canada now for the so-called hosts in Canada West. During the round-robin phase, they had one each of a regulation win, regulation loss, overtime win and overtime loss. Not much different than the Czechs, except for the fact that when they squared off in the bronze medal game, the Canadians won.

The main attraction from the Canada West team was always going to be Alex Newhook (Victoria, BCHL), who we have ranked 15^th in the midterm draft class. With four assists in six games, Newhook had flashes of his potential, but was mostly notable for his inconsistency. He is a fantastic skater and slick passer with killer crossovers. While it was apparent that his inherent skill was on a different level than that of his teammates and much of the opposition, he had a tendency to float in games. He has the vision and the skill to excel, but it will not be enough for him to play to the level of his competition.

The team’s leading scorer was Harrison Blaisdell (Chilliwack, BCHL), who impressed with his powerful shot. Massimo Rizzo (Penticton, BCHL) had a strong tournament, as did Ethan Leyh (Langley, BCHL) who played with an edge throughout. The one drafted player on the squad, Austin Wong (Winnipeg, 7^th round, 2018 – playing with Okotoks of the AJHL) was always in the middle of the play, and despite his reputation for excessive penalty minutes – 18 of which he piled up in six games here – he did not strike the observer as being particularly undisciplined. Netminder Matthew Davis (Spruce Grove, AJHL) is small by modern goaltending standards, standing under 6-0” tall, but was fantastic under pressure and could be worth a late round gamble.

Even with likely first rounder Newhook on the team, though, the most impressive player for Canada West was likely 2020 draft candidate Dylan Holloway (Okotoks, AJHL), a 200-foot player who tied for the team lead with five points in six matches. He misses 2019 draft eligibility by just over one week and will play his draft season in the NCAA with Wisconsin. He has the total package to be a high pick next year.

The Russian contingent happened to go undefeated in the round-robin stage, but fell at the most important hurdle, losing in the gold medal game. That said, their unblemished round robin record owed a large debt of gratitude to team USA for pulling their netminder late in a tie game as the Americans attempted to win in regulation to help in tie-breaker scenarios. Our observer was rather impressed with the Russian team, which had a built-in advantage of rostering five CHL players, all of whom are somewhat prominent names for the upcoming draft (the Czechs had two OHLers and one collegian). Further, the top overall prospect at this tournament suited up for Russia in the form of team captain Vasili Podkolzin (SKA-1946 St. Petersburg), who we have ranked third for the midterm draft list.

In the words of our observer, Russia had “the most talented team at the tourney.” They played with a 2-3 trap, even when down a goal and were extremely hard to get through, allowing only eight goals in the four games of the round robin. All of this despite fielding a roster entirely made up of players who are first year draft eligible – or younger (younger than any other roster at the event by more than half a year of age, on average). The aforementioned Podkolzin played “the right way”, but with a very high skill set. He made plays in all three zones. While he plays with an edge, it is not without respect for his opponents. He has a very high hockey IQ. When the comparison to Jack Hughes, the presumptive number one pick in June, came up, the observer pointed out that while Podkolzin is stronger than Hughes, the latter is more skilled.

Ilya Nikolayev (Loko Yaroslavl) was another who impressed with a combination of skill and emotion. He trailed only Podkolzin in scoring for the Russians. Blueliner Artemi Knyazev (Chicoutimi), one of the team’s CHL ringers impressed with his smarts, structural positioning, and sharp first passes. Helping him in the back was Semyon Chistakov (Tolpar Ufa), who was much harder to play against than his diminutive size would suggest. He was aggressive, tough in the corners, and consistently made good decisions. He also was given the ‘C’ to wear when regular captain Podkolzin was suspended. A kind word is also due to big defender Ilya Mironov (Loko Yaroslavl). He made up for his relative lack of speed with a tough, physical game. Forward Rodion Amirov (Tolpar Ufa), who gained some attention at the Ivan Hlinka over the summer, impressed despite playing with two tangibly less talented linemates. His slick hands were especially notable. The last skater of note for Russia was forward Dmitri Sheshin (Stalnye Lisy Magnitogorsk). Although tiny (easily the smallest on his team), he was incredibly fast, and had a knack for forcing turnovers, many through his kamikaze hard forechecks.

The tournament was also a chance for 16-year-old netminder Yaroslav Askarov (SKA-Varyagi im. Morozova) to again show why he may be the top netminder for the 2020 draft. He was easily the best goaltender in the tournament. He was verbal in directing his blueliners. He played a calm, steady and quiet game positionally, not moving if he didn’t need to. His size is already adequate and promises to improve before his draft date. He was good at the Hlinka but was near unbeatable in Bonneyville.

The champion American side, as mentioned above, was chalk-full of players from the non-USNTDP version of the USHL. One team member (Ryan O’Reilly, 4^th round, 2018 – Detroit) was drafted last year, and a good number more will hear their names called this summer in Vancouver. Per our observer, their championship at the WJAC was a team effort, with all players playing in all situations. That was also reflected on the stats page, as 13 of the 20 skaters scored goals, and only four skaters – all blueliners – failed to register a point in the six games.

Both American netminders were great throughout, but Isaiah Saville (Tri-City) was particularly fantastic with a .944 save percentage. He is athletic, quick, and had a knack for seizing the moment when it mattered most.

On the blueline, 19-year-old Ronnie Attard (Tri-City) has taken big steps in his third draft eligible season. He was a team leader and skates beautifully, especially when considering his size. He has enough skill but showed a propensity for questionable puck decisions, such as numerous passed up shooting opportunities. On the other hand, he is advanced at exiting the defensive zone with a pass, a chip, or by skating it out. Ryan Johnson (Sioux Falls) began the tournament as the team’s seventh defenseman but kept proving his coaches wrong and was on the top pairing by the end of the event. While he needs to gain muscle before turning pro, he is a great skater, with a high hockey IQ. Despite being one of the few without a point, he moves the puck well. Another standout on the blueline was Zac Jones (Tri-City), whose skill set is somewhat deceptive. He prefers trying to make the dynamic play but will not totally eschew the safe play when called for.

Leading scorer Bobby Brink (Sioux City) actually gained some toughness credibility in Bonneyville, when he broke his ankle blocking a shot and kept playing, although he missed around six weeks of action – including the USHL Top Prospect Game - after the tournament. He is a great scorer, a good north-south skater, although he could use some brushing up with his agility. The fact that he blocked the shot while killing a penalty only enhances his reputation. He finally returned to game action last week. Trevor Janicke (Central Illinois), who finished second in team scoring, is a solid all-around player. The former USNTDP member, who moved from the program to the Flying Aces this year as he has a late birthdate, plays a low flash game. He works hard, forechecks hard, is good on the draw and has strong wheels. Matthew Brown (Des Moines), one of the few 19-year olds on the team, is a high-energy guy. He scored more than his fair share this year for the Buccaneers in league play, but he actually is more natural as a playmaker, as he would often pass up on a chance to shoot, preferring to distribute instead. He has a solid chance to be drafted in his third year of eligibility. Robert Mastrosimone (Chicago) is another 200 foot player, in some ways, though, the inverse of Brown. He is a skilled passer but is shot is actually his best weapon. He lacks somewhat in size but plays with an edge. He had a solid tournament but was actually more impactful at the Ivan Hlinka.

Jack Malone (Youngstown) and Shane Pinto (Tri-City now, Lincoln then) have both developed slowly but have come on strong in their draft years. Malone is a good skater with size, who could stand to improve his edges. Pinto was a non-entity on the prospect scene until fairly late in the process but has a lot to recommend him as a mid-round pick. Josh Nodler (Fargo) is another two-way forward. He is a very intelligent, cerebral player. He plays with strength and is a great, understated passer whose vision is his best trait. Grant Silianoff (Cedar Rapids) played a much different role than his normal net front slot with the RoughRiders. The former first overall pick in the 2017 USHL entry draft will need to up his production across the last third of the season to ensure that he is drafted, although he always shows hints of his potential. Griffin Ness (Waterloo) is more of a longshot to hear his name called on draft day, but also had a nice tournament, with a pair of goals, including one overtime winner. A hard-nosed, hard-working forward, with nice hands, but little flash to his game, he was tough to play against, like much of his team. Finally, a word on the aforementioned O’Reilly (Fargo). He is a big forward with gargantuan feet, which can get in his way. He has skill in his hands and a high end shot, but his footwork needs a lot of improvement before getting to the next level.

USHL: Jack Malone, RW, Youngstown

Ryan Wagman — Fri, 25 Jan 2019 22:03:06 +0000

Jack Malone has a late birthdate and is currently in his second full season in the USHL. Last year, his first go round, saw him put up only 14 points in 52 games for Youngstown, and play only a bit part in the team’s run to the Clark Cup finals. As such, it was not surprising that he was an afterthought in scouting circles as the current season got underway. But this year he has grabbed the game by the horns and is often the most impressive player on his team, even after we account for his inflated shooting percentage. Last year’s Youngstown team had Curtis Hall, another two-way prospect, who was drafted by Boston in the fourth round. Malone has far more to give offensively than Hall did and should come off the boards earlier in the upcoming draft than his former teammate did last year. The Cornell commit has just enough dynamic elements to his game that he should continue to be a scouting draw for the remainder of the season.

Overall Future Projection (OFP) = 53.25

Jack Malone	2019 Draft Eligible
Position: RW, Shoots R	H/W: 6-1", 192 lbs
Stats to date (GP-G-A-PTS-PIMS)	Youngstown Phantoms, USHL (29-15-18-33-10)

Skating: As the season has progressed, Malone has begun to show a few extra clicks in his top gear. Whereas earlier on he could look almost sluggish, he now can blow by defenders on the rush shift after shift. On a frame that is close to NHL ready, his feet are up to par. Grade: 55

Shot: As a number of his goals are scored from relatively close range, it is hard to be too enthusiastic about the quality of Malone’s shot. It also stands to reason that his goal scoring rate to this point has been overstated, seeing as how he has scored on 25.4% of his shots, taking barely over two shots on net per game. Both of his two most frequent linemates, Connor MacEachern, and Buffalo draft pick Brett Murray shoot the puck far more frequently than does Malone. There might be more to this tool, but he hasn’t yet demonstrated it. Grade: 50

Skills: Malone handles the puck well and can create chances for others at pace. Despite the previous comment about his lack of shots, he has shown the ability to drive possession for his line. In addition to his playmaking prowess, he has skilled hands as well. In a recent viewing, I saw him pull off a classic NHL ’94 style move, rushing in on the netminder and shifting from forehand to backhand on the lip of the crease before flipping the puck over a prone, sprawled out netminder. I get the sense that his numbers could be even higher playing with more skilled teammates. Grade: 55

Smarts: Although Malone can show some blind spots in his vision and force a play, or revert to a dump and chase game unnecessarily, he generally plays with solid understanding of the game. He also spends some time on the PK for Youngstown, in addition to his power play and top line at even strength duties. It seems the bottom six role he played last year for the Phantoms has made him more of a solid all-around player. Grade: 55

Physicality: Malone has good size and can play with a touch of physicality when the situation calls for it. That said, he is not a bruiser and his total of 10 minutes in the box past the halfway point of the USHL season is not an anomaly. He can hold his own. Grade: 50

USHL Fall Classic Review and Season Preview

Ryan Wagman — Fri, 05 Oct 2018 12:19:06 +0000

Last weekend, with my wife’s blessing, I packed a small suitcase and drove close to eight hours from our home outside of Chicago to Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania, to watch some hockey in the arena generally used by the Pittsburgh Penguins as a practice facility.

Of course, I didn’t make the 15 hour-plus round-trip to watch Sidney Crosby do a bag skate. Instead, I made the journey to watch the opening of the 2018-19 USHL season. The league, which stretches from Youngstown, Ohio in the East to Kearney, Nebraska in the west, had all gathered in the Pittsburgh suburb to play a series of games, such that each club in the circuit would play two regular season contests between Thursday and Sunday.

I only arrived on Friday evening, but was able to watch seven and a half games, seeing at least one full game from 12 of the 17 teams in the league. 12 of 18 if you consider the USNTDP U17 and USNTDP U18 squads as different teams, which the league standings do not. Besides, the U17s weren’t there.

When I do the math and note that I drove around two hours per game, the investment was pretty good. Factor in the ability to purchase two hard drinks after the games for a grand total of $8 (US), and let’s just say I’d do it again.

The only downsides to the weekend were an arena announcer who struggled, mightily in some cases, to pronounce player names, and sightlines that were not ideal, with netting that extends to the ceiling throughout the side of the ice on which there were stands.

While these were regular season games, as is the case with any league, a team’s first few games of any campaign are bound to be on the sloppy side. Players are still getting accustomed to their line mates. Not everyone can ramp out their focus and intensity level at the same pace. Also, while the Youngstown Phantoms were pretty close to home, around 50 minutes’ drive west of Cranberry Township up the I-76, none of the teams were playing home games.

In an event like this, where all games are regular season games, and there is no tournament feel, there are no winners and losers, although Team USA, Muskegon, Des Moines and Tri-City each won both of their games, while Youngstown, Madison, and Omaha returned home without any points in the standings.

Instead, in a scout-heavy affair, a large number of undrafted players, mostly those entering their first year of eligibility but also a few second and third timers, put out notice that they all deserve to be watched very closely by NHL scouts and people like me over the next six months or so. For a few lesser prospects, the event helped more than a few receive offers for NCAA scholarships.

For the sake of transparency, I will start the season preview portion of this article with a few words about the teams that I have not yet watched more than half a game of hockey.

The defending champion Fargo Force split the weekend, with a win and a loss. Four of their top five scorers from last season have moved on to college, but there are some players of note who have begun to audition for the 2019 draft. Michael Mancinelli, was a smaller, skilled forward who impressed me in viewings last year. A few others who have gained some notice include Swiss-American defender Cedric Fiedler, and forwards Kyle Bettens, Aaron Huglen, and Josh Nodler. The latter spent some time last year with the U17 team, but will spend this year with the Force. He also drew the most positive feedback when I discussed the team with others who were able to see them.

The Des Moines Buccaneers scored 15 goals in their 2 games, including 10 in a game that I saw a portion of against Chicago. Both of the team’s goalies have been drafted by NHL clubs and Roman Durny (Anaheim) was impressive, although Jake Kucharski (Carolina) was not. There are also a pair of affiliated players on the blueline with Michael Kesselring (Edmonton) and Arvid Henrikson (Montreal) both getting their first tastes of the league. Both are physically imposing players who move well for their size. Their most impressive player was probably 18 year old TJ Walsh, who will always be small, but is moving better than he did in previous viewings. Draft eligible to watch include blueliner Kirby Proctor, who showed good vision, and forwards Brady Meyer and Kaden Bohlsen. All three have plus size.

The Madison Capitals lack drafted players, first time draft eligible of note, and points in the standings. When I asked around, the only player who was even mentioned was defender Christian Berger, whose three older bothers all play, or have played, at the NCAA level.

The Central Illinois Flying Aces have a drafted goaltender in Mitchell Gibson (Washington) who had a rough first game at this level. After a few years as an also-ran, they look like a team worth watching this year. Winger Trevor Janicke played with the USNTDP last year, but as a late 2000 birthdate, he has aged out of the program without yet being eligible for the draft. Lynden Breen is another forward of note with the Aces. Brehdan Engum (how is this guy not playing in the WHL?) is in his second year of draft eligibility, but turned some heads after spending most of his draft season playing Minnesota high school hockey.

The Chicago Steel always draft well and while defender Casey Staum was once drafted by Montreal, the fact that he has yet to start a collegiate career means that his draft rights have expired. The team has a few sons-of and brothers-of on the roster, including draft-eligible forward Jake Schmaltz, brother of Nick and Jordan, and Matthew Barnaby, son of…also Matthew Barnaby. They also have a really interesting 2021 draft eligible in Owen Power, a preternaturally large defenseman who has game. But when scouts go to see the Steel this year, they will be going to watch Robert Mastrosimone, who is small, but plays with some snarl and thinks the game a step or two ahead of most of his peers. He may be the top prospect in the league who is not in the USNTDP.

The Cedar Rapids RoughRiders seem to have emerged from a few rough years in the wilderness, and their current roster is led by Winnipeg draft pick Nathan Smith. You may have noted that we were not very high on Smith in our draft previews and reviews last year. He has promising puck skills, but I am still not convinced that his feet work well enough, which may not be surprising considering he is still somewhat new to ice hockey, having grown up as a roller hockey player. He is also penalty prone. Of note for the 2019 draft, defender William Francis needs to work on his pivots, but has a big point shot. I am more interested in winger Grant Silianoff, who has patience with the puck and is very comfortable playing in the dirty areas despite his small frame. He could be a big point producer for the Rough Riders.

Moving on to the Lincoln Stars, we have a team with more than a little bit of NHL representation with Chicago picks Josiah Slavin and Wouter Peeters, as well as Carolina pick Ville Rasanen patrolling the blueline. Slavin is a hard working winger who has quick hands but still has to answer questions about his skill level. Peeters has a big frame in the crease, covers his posts well, but made a few questionable decisions. More regular time in net will surely help define his future prospects. Rasanen is tall and thin and never produced much in the Finnish junior ranks. He is still a bit of a wild card. The team also has some draft eligible players of note in defenders Declan Carlile and Jordan Power and forwards Josh Lopina and Shane Pinto. Lopina showed me a promising energy game, replete with strength and size and a shot with potential. Power impressed me most from this roster. He is a very good skater, enabling him to prowl with confidence. He also has a decent defensive game, standing up opponents who try to enter his zone on his side of the ice. This is a plyer I want to see more of.

Anaheim pick Jackson Perbix is the most skilled player on the Green Bay Gamblers roster. A very good skater who shows 200-foot commitment and has some skill, he is worth a follow. Looking to the future, there are a pair of late 2000s on the blueline in Christopher Giroday and Ethan Frisch. Both played with an offensive bent before joining the USHL, while the latter showed a gritty side that will serve him well as he attempts to move up the ranks. There is another smaller, skilled forward to note in Nicholas Zabaneh, himself a USHL rookie. He is the type of player who adds enough away from the puck, that he is still worth rostering even on his off days. For a sleeper, I will keep an eye on netminder Evan Fear, a 1999 to be sure, but he was among the top netminders in the NAHL last year and looked very sharp in the game I saw of him.

The Dubuque Fighting Saints have an older, more experienced roster. There are a few players who have a couple of years of NCAA experience under their respective belts already but are taking a year to refresh, including Toronto draft pick JD Greenway. Jordan’s younger brother has great size and strength, can skate and has really good puck skills for a blueliner. His decision making is questionable. Also patrolling the Dubuque blueline is Rangers pick Simon Kjellberg. For as raw as Greenway is, Kjellberg makes him look refined. The American-born Swede is big and skates reasonable well, but lacks puck skills and can be ineffective in his own zone. As his North American career has only just begun, I am willing to withhold judgement for the moment. Netminder Matthew Thiessen (Vancouver) is also moving his development forward after being drafted last year out of the MJHL. He looked much better in his second game than in his first. He keeps his glove up, has decent athleticism and absolutely loves playing the puck up the ice. There is one first year eligible of note in winger Matias Maccelli. Although very small, he has nice hands, can create plays for his teammates, and has good edges. In short, a fun player to watch. One last player to follow this year on the Fighting Saints is second year eligible blueliner Jacob Semik. A smooth skater and puck mover, he plays a fearless yet quiet game, is a trusted penalty killer and can play in all situations. What he lacks in flash, he makes up for in smarts. I suspect that over the length of the season, this here is the team to beat.

The Sioux Falls Stampede have a few interesting draft eligible players to pay attention to this year. Defenseman Ryan Johnson is trying to follow in the footsteps of fellow Southern California product Jack St. Ivany, who went from the USHL to the NHL draft. Big, versatile forward Andre Lee started hot after being overlooked in his first draft eligible season as a Swedish junior. Rangy blueliner Anthony Follmer is a St. Louis area product who impressed with his reads and decision making. Winger Anthony Romano is one to watch closely as he has a great deal of skill, offensive instincts and skating as well as a decent amount of physicality. That said, the most impressive player on the Stampede for my money was Finnish import Jami Krannila. The Sioux Falls offense runs through him as his puck skills are high end. He lacks size and needs to get stronger but his game will take him places.

The Waterloo Black Hawks are always a contending team in the USHL. Netminder Jared Moe was drafted by Winnipeg last year and had an up and down weekend, showing good movements at his best, and a lack of focus at his worst. Czech winger Matej Blumel was better in international play than league play last year, and was thus passed over in the draft. If he brings more of the offense to the USHL, he could get back on the radar this time. Among first time eligibles, big Texan winger Ryan Drkulec is an effective 200-ft player. Center Austen Swankler has enough speed to be dangerous if the rest of his game catches up. Their most intriguing prospect looks like Russian forward Vladislav Firstov, who has a nice blend of offensive tools and needs only to gain strength to be a real impact player.

The Omaha Lancers had a rough weekend and they similarly lack any drafted prospects or high end 2001 borns. A few second or third year eligible will have to suffice. Winger Tyler Carpenter may be ready to take a step forward. He plays a two-way game, with patience and poise on the puck. Defender Travis Mitchell is big and mean and uses his stick well to break up opposing rushes. Finally, netminder Vinnie Purpura plays a composed goal. He skates well for a goalie and is not afraid to come way out to play a puck. He single-handedly kept his team in one of their games and is expected to play the bulk of the games this year for the Lancers before going to Boston University.

The Sioux City Musketeers have a pipeline for talented Finnish forwards. Two years ago, it was Eeli Tolvanen drawing the scouts. Last season, the man was Sampo Ranto. This year, his name is Marcus Kallionkieli. An opportunistic winger with size and strength, he has a good first few steps and pair of plus shots to his name. His name is a mouthful, but at some point soon we will need to learn to pronounce it. Undersized winger Bobby Brink received some attention last year from the national program thanks to his plus skating and work rate, but needs to show better puck control skills. Tommy Pasanen is a gigantic defender from Germany. He plays with a huge stick and is a beast in the corners but his play with the puck can be rough. His mobility is very impressive for his size and he can pass well enough despite hard hands. Finally, Flames pick Martin Pospisil has a very good shot if he can stay on the right side of the rulebook. It is a fine line between being heavy on the forecheck and heavy in the penalty box.

The Muskegon Lunberjacks, recently the proving grounds for one Andrei Svechnikov, have another 16 year Russian wunderkind to enjoy this year in Daniil Gushchin. He is incredibly talented, but who knows where he will be playing in his draft year. Although he did not play on the weekend, netminder Keegan Karki is one more year removed from the troubles that saw him leave the USNTDP and seemingly prevented him from being drafted last year. If he keeps his nose clean, he has a number of fans among USHL scouts. Hunter Skinner is a big-bodied stay-at-home blueliner who has never scored at any level. If he can show a modicum of ability to contribute to the offensive game, he might have a chance. As far as the 2019 draft goes, Gushchin’s countrymate Egor Afanasyev is the player to watch. He played a smaller role last year, but showcased some very impressive puck skills on the weekend, scoring four times, including one beauty off a spinorama.

After close to two seasons at Penn State, Buffalo draft pick Brett Murray needed a reset and returned to the USHL with the Youngtown Phantoms. He is a very big boy, with a decent first few steps, but subpar top speed. He should be an impact player at this level and once he returns to the collegiate game, but needs better wheels to have professional impact. Winger Jack Malone plays a solid two-way game, but has yet to show the dynamic skills that would cause an NHL team to sit up and take notice. The player I expect to see take a step forward is right winger Trevor Kuntar. He is skilled with the puck, able to create room for himself to shoot and has a quick release on a hard snap shot.

USNTDP Fall Classic, photo by Hickling Images.

Finally, we come to the USNTDP. I will not mention every 2019 eligible player on the roster, but suffice it to say that the majority of them will be in scouting crosshairs all season. Everyone knows of Jack Hughes. He has eyes in the back of his head and sticking out from his ears as well. He is a supremely talented playmaker and can dominate shifts on his own. He doesn’t shy away from the physical stuff either. He is the odds-on favorite to be selected first overall next June. I will leave the comparisons with other recent top picks for later in the season. Another first round talent on this squad is Matthew Boldy. A big winger with a big, big shot, he is in the mold of recent USNTDP graduates Kieffer Bellows and Oliver Wahlstrom. He can be more of factor in getting the puck back, but he is deadly in the offensive zone. Competing with Hughes in the fun quotient is tiny winger Cole Caufield. Think Alex DeBrincat with this one. He has amazing offensive instincts, speed and acceleration. Someone will overlook his size deficiencies and take him in the first round. Blueliner Cam York played with the U18s last year and the maturity in his puck moving game is apparent. His puck skills are also high end for a blueliner. Alex Vlasic has ideal size at 6-6”, and a good boomer from the point to boot. His skating is fine at his size as well. He needs to improve his overall decision making, but the tools are there. Spencer Knight is the early favorite to be the first netminder selected next summer. He is composed, does not overcommit and responds impressively to broken plays. He is comfortable playing the puck and keeps second chances to a minimum. Marshall Warren really opened my eyes before being removed from competition with a suspected concussion. He has excellent puck control, plays with great poise, and is superb at defending his line from entry attempts. The last player from this veritable All Star squad I want to call out is tiny blueliner Domenick Fensore. Despite looking up to Cole Caufield, he is exceptionally dynamic from the back end. He is exciting with the puck, waiting out the Omaha defense in the second game to score the winner with 10 seconds remaining. He can even play a physical game, raising his arms into a hit to blow the opponent up. Players his size – especially defenders – are few and far between. Scouts will be asking themselves all year if the size of his skillset is big enough to overlook the size of his skates.