Jacob de la Rose – McKeen's Hockey

Carey The Load – Montreal Canadiens 2018-19 Season Preview

Robert Howard — Sat, 15 Sep 2018 18:13:10 +0000

REVIEW/STATE OF PLAY - It is hard to overstate how devastating the 2017-18 season was after winning their division in 2016-17, the third time in five years. Out of the playoffs in 2015-16 after losing franchise netminder Carey Price for much of the season his return to form was a harbinger of a window to win it all. GM Marc Bergevin has not been shy about making a big off-season trade, but was relatively quiet apart from moving out contentious former third overall draft pick Alex Galchenyuk for Max Domi this season. At the heart of moving out Galchenyuk was the disappointment in his inability to anchor a top two center position, an Achilles’ heel that has haunted Bergevin in all his wheeling and dealing.

TOUGH OFF-SEASON NEWS - The Canadiens entered the offseason with a huge amount of cap space that was meant to be used to solidify the center position. John Tavares was a target and the feeling was a core including Weber, Price and a true number one center would give them a shot in the next few seasons. Tavares declined to consider offers from the team, nor could they use that cap space to land another center such as Ryan O’Reilly in trade or Paul Stastny in free agency.

A further blow was dealt when it was announced that Weber will miss much of the 2018-19 season after undergoing offseason knee surgery for a meniscal tear. He is expected to be out until December at the earliest. After a successful first year in Montreal he missed much of last season with multiple injuries including surgery on his foot to repair a tendon.

Further controversy included Captain Max Pacioretty, who endured a difficult season and enters camp with no offer from the Canadians and a free agent at seasons end. H likely to be traded presumably for the elusive help down the center. A big dip in in his shooting percentage did not help his goal scoring and a knee injury ended his season in March. As a rental his return will be mitigated but there will be interest in a goal scoring left wing at 29-years old.

GM Bergevin say he is ‘not ready to say we’re rebuilding’. Their futility landed them with the third overall pick and they went for a center in Jesper Kotkaniemi from Finland over highly touted wingers and defenseman. They expect Drouin (23), Domi (23), Brendan Gallagher (26), Andrew Shaw (27) Philip Danault (25) and newly acquired Joel Armia (25) to make up their current core heading into their prime, removing Pacioretty from the equation.

They are counting on a number of youngsters to make a leap this year in Jacob De La Rose (23), Nikita Scherbak (22), Artturi Lehkonen (23) and Charles Hudon (24). Scherbak and Hudon were both rookies last season with Scherbak appearing in only 26 games. He did score 30 points in 26 games in the AHL so will be given a chance to earn a full-time spot in training camp. Lehkonen was a disappointment last season after scoring 18 the prior season. It is possible he lines up on the second line with Kotkaniemi but thrusting an 18-year-old into the harshest spotlight in the NHL is a risky gamble. An unforgiving fan base, or management desperation, could force their hand after learning nothing from the Galchenyuk experience, or even pushing Drouin into that role last season.

A CHALLENGE IN THE MIDDLE - The Canadiens brought back Tomas Plekanec for one season to shore up the middle. It now looks like it will be Drouin, Danault, Plekanec in the top three spots. Hardly a dominant line-up and replacing Galchenyuk on the wing with Domi won’t necessarily increase scoring. Bergevin has been clear he prefers to play Drouin on the wing and he was not helped with shuffling back and forth, winning only 42.5% of his faceoffs. The return for Pacioretty, which may not happen until later this season will have an impact. As the forwards stand now, they will continue to be in the bottom third of the league in offense.

The defense suffers a huge loss with Weber out and Carey Price had the most challenging year of his career in 2017-18 and is so critical to any success he will have to rebound. Jeff Petry was one of the few bright spots in a dismal season stepping up in Weber’s absence hitting career highs in points (42) and ice time (23:30). He scored 23 power play points versus seven the prior season. His production is likely tied to his role with Weber out of the line-up. The next two defenders who had the most ice time were veterans Karl Alzner and Jordie Benn. They made a significant commitment to Alzner despite mediocre skating and puck movement, going against the NHL trend towards mobile puck moving blueliners. Victor Mete was another nice surprise in a bleak year, making the team out of training camp as a 19-year-old. Encouraging season for a productive career. Sophomore defence campaigns can be challenging should not be expected to carry the load.

OUTLOOK - The stats were pretty damning finishing 29^th in goals scored, 26^th in goals against, 30^th on the penalty kill, 29^th in faceoff percentage. They also finished 31^st in shooting percentage (7.7%) and 25^th in save percentage (0.980) and might suggest bad puck luck. They will need to see an improvement in both to have any chance at the playoffs this year. The window for a team to win with Price and Weber is in the next two or three seasons, perhaps four before they have $18.357 in annual cap space tied up in two 35-year-olds.

Canada set to debut final roster against Sweden

Scott Wheeler — Sat, 20 Dec 2014 22:45:22 +0000

The first look at Team Canada’s final roster comes today against Team Sweden in the second of three pre-competition games before the 2015 tournament kicks off on Boxing Day.

With the roster finalized, the game will serve as another step in the evaluation process as those who have made the team compete for roles.

With 12 regular spots available up front and six spots to compete for on the backend, the 20 remaining skaters will try to avoid falling into a role as the team’s twelfth forward or seventh defensemen. To start, Brayden Point and Dillon Heatherington will draw into those roles, respectively.

Team Canada's morning skate. Photo by Scott Wheeler.

Making their pre-competition debuts will be Ottawa Senators forward Curtis Lazar, top-ranked 2015 NHL Draft prospect Connor McDavid, undrafted Detroit Red Wings prospect Joe Hicketts and a pair of Winnipeg Jets second round prospects, forward Nic Petan and goaltender Eric Comrie.

McDavid said he's just happy to be back after suffering an injury in a fight earlier this year.

For Lazar, the chance to play with McDavid is something he said he's looked forward to since he heard he was joining the team.

"I'm just going to try and get open," Lazar said following the morning skate, laughing.

Head coach Benoit Groulx expects the new line, which sees Nick Ritchie on the left wing, to be a difference maker. The game is a chance for them to gel.

"We look for chemistry, we want to give them a chance," Groulx said. "We have to be patient and see how it goes."

After a dominant performance against Team Russia only to suffer a 2-1 loss at the hands of 52-save effort by Russian goalie and New York Islanders prospect Ilya Sorokin, Canada faces another tough challenge.

Team Sweden's morning skate. Photo by Scott Wheeler.

Team Sweden, led by returnees Robert Hagg (PHI), Robin Norell (CHI), Jacob de a Rose (MTL), Anton Karlsson (ARI) and Lucas Wallmark (CAR), plays an up-tempo, controlled game.

Other core players include Adrian Kempe (LAK), William Nylander (TOR) and Oliver Kylington, a smooth-skating draft eligible defender.

The game will be the only time the two teams meet, barring an elimination round matchup. Team Sweden will play their preliminary round games in Group B, in Toronto, while Team Canada will start in Montreal’s Group A.

The game, an instalment in RBC’s Road to the World Juniors, will be live on TSN2 at 7:00 p.m. EST.

Team Canada's line combinations:

Domi - Reinhart - Duclair
Ritchie - McDavid - Lazar
Petan - Paul - Fabbri
Crouse - Gauthier - Virtanen
Point

Nurse - Theodore
Morrissey - Bowey
Morin - Hicketts
Heatherington

Note: Stay tuned for updates throughout the day (including full line combinations) from the teams’ morning skates and immediately following the game for post-game reactions. You can follow here and on Twitter @scottcwheeler.

Hamilton Bulldogs 2014-15 Season Preview

Dan Kramer — Wed, 08 Oct 2014 14:58:05 +0000

Hamilton Bulldogs Season Preview

The Hamilton Bulldogs could’ve easily been coming into the 2014-15 seasons with a roster very similar to that which finished the 2013-14 campaign. Despite two seasons spent toiling in the AHL’s Western Conference basement, coach Sylvain Lefebvre was confident he’d be returning, and with seemingly few roster spots available in Montreal, most of the organization’s prospects were likely to return as well.

Louis Leblanc couldn’t have yet another stagnant year, right? And Patrick Holland would return to the form with which he completed his rookie season, rather than the slump that prevailed throughout his sophomore year. Mike Blunden and Gabriel Dumont seemed natural fits to assume team leadership, while Dustin Tokarski was going to be returned from the Canadiens due to the term remaining on Peter Budaj’s contract. Patch the line-up with some free agents who were scorers at other levels and – if they’re lucky – would be able to reproduce even 50% of that success as professionals. Sprinkle in a few newly graduating junior standouts, rinse, and repeat, for another season of praying that your whole line-up consistently plays up to its full potential for even a shot at returning to the post-season. Why would we expect anything different when that’s been the situation for the past two years? Was it fair to begin asking whether Marc Bergevin and his staff cared about having a winning program for the purpose of prospect development?

But then, things did change. The ‘Dogs cut ties with their under-producing veteran core in Blunden and Martin St. Pierre, replacing them with fresh blood in T.J. Hensick and Jake Dowell. Whereas in past the club might supplement a pair of veterans with uncertain gambles, training camp brought a couple of presents to Bulldog fans in the NHL-experienced Drayson Bowman and Eric Tangradi to significantly upgrade the 2013-14 forward group. And perhaps most unexpected of all, Magnus Nygren seems to have matured over the past few months, claiming he was misquoted in alleged slanderous statements about the city of Hamilton, stating his willingness to stick it out with the Steeltown troop this time around until he can prove that he’s NHL-worthy.

All this to say there is plenty to be excited about for the coming year. The ‘Dogs will enter the season with more experience, skill, and depth than they’ve had at any time since their last Calder Cup championship.

To give you an idea of what to look out for, here’s how the revamped roster (projected lines / depth chart only) looks a few days before the season opens. Over the course of the season, I’ll be updating the performances and progress of each of these players.

Sven Andrighetto – T.J. Hensick – Eric Tangradi

The Bulldogs desperately needed some size in their top six, which meant the Holland-for-Tangradi swap was just what the doctor ordered. 25-year old Tangradi’s 6’4” frame will help to create space for the 5’9” Andrighetto and 5’10” Hensick, while the two skilled forwards should easily enable the former Penguin and Jet to set AHL career highs in goals and points. The challenge for Tangradi will be to go to the net with consistency , while Andrighetto should be the trio’s primary puck carrier. The line’s elder statesman at 28, Hensick’s speed should help him play a puck retrieval role and provide a nice compliment to Andrighetto’s shiftiness. While it should be expected that Andrighetto spend some time in Montreal this season as one of the primary call-up options for any top 6 forward vacancies, if this unit stays together, it has all the makings of a legitimate AHL first line, the kind Hamilton hasn’t seen since the days of Aaron Palushaj and Matt D’Agostini.

Charles Hudon – Jacob De La Rose – Christian Thomas

The next group features two pro rookies, though De La Rose is only a rookie on North American ice. The 19-year old Swede has played against men in the Allsvenskan (tier 2) and the SHL (first tier) leagues the last three seasons, and seemed like he would’ve made his NHL debut in Montreal’s season opener had Lars Eller not recuperated from a minor injury in time. His maturity makes him the defensively responsible counterpart to his threatening wingers, while also bringing size and physicality to balance out his smaller teammates. Hudon, the other rookie, should be expected to produce less than his 76-point final junior season, but he has all the makings of a successful pro player, with a high compete level and on-ice awareness… provided he can stay healthy. Thomas, meanwhile, will be on a mission to rebound from an underwhelming second AHL season, and is coming off a great camp which turned heads in Montreal. He’ll be counted on as his unit’s sniper, with Hudon a possible set-up man. All three of these players are candidates to be early call-ups to the Habs if they get off to good starts.

Gabriel Dumont – Jake Dowell – Drayson Bowman

If this trio of veterans is united, I wouldn’t hesitate to call it the AHL’s best third line, though in reality based on this projected line-up, all of the top nine would likely get about even billing. All three should play key leadership roles on the team, with Dowell and Bowman each boasting over 100 NHL games on their resumes. Dumont, meanwhile, is the longest-serving Bulldog, entering his fifth full season with the club, while remaining a strong option for a call-up if Montreal needs to reinforce its fourth line. As a group, this reads as a pretty typical third line, likely to be matched up against the opposition’s most dangerous players. Dowell and Dumont excel at a typical checking forward game, while Bowman’s speed and tenacity make him a pest on the forecheck. This isn’t your typical shutdown group, however, as each of the three is also very capable of producing 30+ points, a feat accomplished by only 4 ‘Dog forwards last season.

Nick Sorkin – Maxime Macenauer – Daniel Carr

Another significant change in Hamilton’s roster for the coming year is the amount of depth to the team’s name. These three are perhaps the odds-on favourites to enable coach Lefebvre to roll four lines, but the team could also substitute in more toughness in a pinch by dressing Connor Crisp, Jack Nevins, and Stefan Fournier (though it’s possible all three start on the IR, as all missed significant chunks of training camp with injuries). Or, if an offensive player is slumping, Tim Bozon is sure to get a look at some point during the course of the year, even if it’s probably best for him to start out playing bigger minutes with the ECHL’s Wheeling Nailers. Macenauer returns as yet another face with NHL experience, but the revamped roster has him penciled into a 4C hole whereas he often received top minutes a year ago. His versatility to win face-offs and play on either the penalty kill or powerplay should keep him in the line-up more often than not. Sorkin and Carr are two AHL rookies who were darlings of Montreal and Hamilton training camps respectively, and are thus major wildcards that could easily climb the depth charts if their success continues on into the season. Carr is a college standout with impressive hands, while Sorkin is a fluid skater backed by a 6’3” body.

Mac Bennett – Greg Pateryn

The return of Pateryn was great news for the ‘Dogs, as while he may be considered too slow a decision-maker for the speed of the NHL, he has proven he can be a dominant blueline force in the American League. With Nathan Beaulieu in Montreal, he will uncontestably be the team’s #1 guy, and should receive top minutes on the penalty kill while also quarterbacking the powerplay. It wouldn’t be a surprise for the team to try him beside 23-year old pro rookie Bennett, his former defense partner at the University of Michigan, to see if the two can rekindle old chemistry. An average-sized, mobile, two-way blueliner, Bennett is far down Montreal’s depth chart, but his skating ability should balance out the principal weakness in Pateryn’s game well enough to form a formidable pairing.

Davis Drewiske – Darren Dietz

Many thought Drewiske had shown enough to hold on to the #7 spot in Montreal, but the team opted to retain Jarred Tinordi over the 29-year old with 135 games of NHL experience. The long-time L.A. King didn’t quite find his groove after returning from injury last year, but with the notable graduations of two top prospects, he’ll be counted on to start fresh and fill the big hold left on the ‘Dogs’ blueline. Dietz was another surprising stud in Canadiens’ camp for a second year running whose main challenge this season will be to stay healthy, something he struggled to do in his rookie season. If the 21-year old can do so, he would play the role of puck-mover to Drewiske’s defensive game, while both blueliners are capable of playing physically as well. Dietz will likely battle Pateryn to serve as first call-up in case of injuries in Montreal.

Joe Finley – Magnus Nygren

Despite his experience and success in Sweden’s top leagues, Nygren may be penciled in as third-best righty upon his return to the city he once fled. Most critically, his booming slapshot lets him replace Nathan Beaulieu as Pateryn’s triggerman on the powerplay, though if he envisions a call-up at some point, he’ll have to prove his all-around game is far more polished than where it was last year when he was a virtual turn-over machine. If Crisp and Nevins don’t make Hamilton’s everyday line-up, Finley will almost be assured a spot, as most clubs dress at least one enforcer on a nightly basis and he’ll be needed for protection. The 6’8” behemoth has suited up for 21 NHL games, though that’s entirely due to his pugilistic tendencies rather than his on-ice contributions. When not facing the Colton Orr and Frazer McLaren bolstered Toronto Marlies, he can easily be swapped out for a Morgan Ellis, Dalton Thrower (likely to start in the ECHL once healthy, as he’ll need to be playing), or Bobby Shea.

Joey MacDonald
Mike Condon
Franky Palazzese

The Canadiens were well prepared for the eventuality that Dustin Tokarski would remain in Montreal all summer long, as they added a high quality AHL starter in 34-year old MacDonald early on in free agency. MacDonald has played 32 games for the Calgary Flames over the past two seasons, and even posted a .912 save percentage and 2.16 GAA in 14 games for the Detroit Red Wings back in 2011-12. Challenging the veteran for playing time will be 24-year old Condon, coming off a pro rookie season in which he was one of the ECHL’s top netminders. He proved all he could at that level, and is ready to take on a new challenge, even if MacDonald should start roughly two out of every three games. If MacDonald isn’t an upgrade on Tokarski, Condon should provide greater consistency to what Robert Mayer delivered last year. Palazzese, meanwhile, is a recent Bulldog signee for depth at this position, expected to begin his pro career with the Wheeling Nailers after an OHL career split between the Kingston Frontenacs, Kitchener Rangers, and Sudbury Wolves.

Without a doubt, the Bulldogs will benefit from a greatly improved roster in 2014-15, and will be well-equipped to supply the Canadiens with suitable call-ups in the case of injuries or transactions. The season gets underway for Hamilton this Saturday, October 11^th, in Rochester, before returning to First Ontario Centre for their home opener against the Toronto Marlies on October 17^th.

2014 IIHF World Juniors Fantasy Hockey Future Watch: Sweden

Peter Harling — Thu, 19 Dec 2013 03:11:13 +0000

Last year’s runner up and Silver Medal winner is this year’s host Nation. Sweden will be a serious contender to win Gold at home as they boast a formidable lineup consisting of 18 NHL drafted players and three 2014 draft eligible players.

Sweden’s chances for Gold grew significantly when the Carolina Hurricanes agreed to loan their 2013 fifth overall future star, Elias Lindholm for the tournament. Lindholm has played in 21 NHL games as a rookie, and while his seven points are not particularly impressive, his three point night against the San Jose Sharks on December sixth gives you a glimpse of his offensive potential. Lindholm is an offensive forward who brings a good NHL pedigree to the table with his father Mikael, a former Los Angeles King and his cousin Calle Jarnkrok a highly ranked prospect in the Red Wings organization. He always plays hard and is surprisingly gritty considering his average size, but that’s all part of his game that makes him such a great prospect. He is responsible in his own end, but still has a ton of skill.

Montreal Canadiens fans will want to pay close attention to Sweden’s games as two Hab’s prospects will play a prominent role for the Tre Kronor in Sebastian Collberg and Jacob De La Rose. Collberg is only 5’11” and 181 pounds but the 2012 draft pick has a terrific skill set and is very fast. Despite being slight in stature, he does not shy away from traffic or bigger competition. Watch for his elite level and deadly accurate wrist shot. De La Rose is a very contrasting player to Collberg. He is a tall lanky player who has been playing against men and initiates physical play. De La Rose is an aggressive player with good skill and decent skating ability; he brings what Sweden will need to compete with the more physical teams such as Canada and USA.

The OHL leading Erie Otters are going to miss two of their top players as well as Andre Burakovsky and Oscar Dansk will be part of the core for Sweden as well. Burakovsky is one of several Erie players tearing up the OHL this season. His impressive 47 points in 31 games is only good for fourth on his team in scoring.

Burakovsky also has some NHL pedigree as he is the son of former Ottawa Senator Robert Burakovsky and is a 2013 first round pick of the Washington Capitals. Oscar Dansk had some brutal stats in his draft season playing on a poor Erie team with a GAA of 4.11 and a save % of 0.888. He may be the best goalie drafted in 2012 and now that his team in front of him has improved, his stats have turned around to a very impressive 2.17 GAA and a 0.919 save % and a 16-3-1 record. Dansk may dominate this tournament and his fantasy stock may go through the roof. He is the player to watch for Sweden

Another prospect from the Columbus Blue Jackets system playing for Sweden is one of their three 2013 first round draft picks, Alex Wennberg. Wennberg is a highly skilled playmaking centre with great skill, decent size who is developing in the mould of Patrick Berglund.

A sleeper player to keep an eye out for is Toronto Maple Leafs seventh round pick from the 2013 draft, Andreas Johnson. Johanson is a high energy, fast skating player with very good hands in terms of stickhandling and passing. He is playing on a Frolunda team in the Swedish League and will likely play on the top line with his Frolunda teammates Wennberg and Collberg. Johnson has 14 goals and eight assists in 31 games and his stock is rising fast. He needs to be on your radar.

Anton Karlsson is a 2014 draft eligible forward who is projected to be a first round pick. He is a skilled and very smart player who excels on both sides of the puck. There is a lot to like about his game and his NHL and fantasy future.

The Swedish defense may be their weakness but will be led by Gustav Olofsson, A Minnesota Wild 2013 second round pick. Olofsson is a big 6’2” defensive player who will play big minutes for Sweden. He has limited offensive skill. The offense will have to come from the Dallas Stars 2012 second round pick Ludwig Bystrom. Bystrom has good fantasy upside as he has the ability to carry the puck up the ice in transition, and quarterback the powerplay. He also has a physical element to his game so if your league scores greasy stats like PIMs and hits he has extra value.

Ultimately the success of team Sweden should come down to the performance of Oscar Dansk. This needs to be his coming out party.

Mirco Mueller steady, Switzerland, Sweden, Germany and Slovakia U18 reports

David Burstyn — Thu, 09 May 2013 16:18:08 +0000

Mirco Mueller's skates barely left the ice in Sochi.

The Swiss defender still had plenty left to give after playing 69 games through the regular season and playoffs with the Western Hockey League’s Everett Silvertips. Mueller was almost always on the ice for Team Switzerland and made his presence felt with his quality play.

The Swedes were unable to score a goal against the Americans in a 4-0 quarter-final loss. However, some of their players left good impressions while others left something to be desired. William Nylander looked every bit the player projected as a top-three pick in the 2014 draft while Robert Hagg did little to quash some of the concerns in his game.

Leon Draisaitl and Dominik Kahun provided the Germans with a dynamic one-two punch while Slovakian captain Peter Cehlarik can no longer hide his vast talents from the hockey world.

-------------------------------

Team Sweden

William Nylander (C/RW, 2014)

Arguably one of the most offensively-gifted and dangerous players in the tournament .. followed up stellar U17 World Challenge gold medal performance .. skated on the top unit with Burakovsky and de la Rose .. able to make plays, generate offence out of nothing and constantly stay involved due to a darting skating style that allows him to poke in and out of traffic .. won gold at the U17 World Challenge four months prior to U18 World Championships and is poised to be a top-three selection next year.

Robert Hagg (D, 2013)

Had an up and down tournament as he could make plays but also played with aloofness; a tag that he has been unable to shake all season .. often appears moody and disinterested on the ice despite possessing a highly-tuned skill set .. skating needs to be ramped up but he processes the game so well that he could QB a PP at the pro level.

Lucas Wallmark (C, 2013)

Ended the season just as he started by leading Team Sweden in points for the U18 World Championships (5-2-3-5) just as he had done for the Ivan Hlinka Memorial .. smart and creative centre struggled at times with Olympic-sized ice as his skating is simply not there .. can make plays and is a creative passer, however his speed limitations are difficult to ignore.

Andre Burakovsky (RW, 2013)

Had a good tournament as he led Team Sweden with four goals, however was unable to pick up his game when it mattered most against Team Canada in relegation and in the quarter-finals against Team USA .. was not dominant by any stretch, but made good all-around decisions backed by his impressive speed .. helped to erase some question marks and improve his draft stock despite a very ordinary year with Malmo in the Allsvenskan.

Jacob de la Rose (W, 2013)

Versatile forward played both wings and was a spark plug for Team Sweden, injecting some brash physical play while also showing a penchant for being able to create .. prototypical power forward can play in any situation and with any set of line-mates as his skill set translates well to adapt to any game situation .. played consistent if not overwhelming.

Team Switzerland

Mirco Muller (D, 2013)

Assistant captain appeared at times to be playing the entire game as he would rarely leave the ice .. played in all situations and was often lined up against opposition’s best players .. diligent defensive game only managed to finish a -1 throughout the tournament despite Switzerland being out-scored by a two-to-one margin of 24-12 .. showed ability to log minutes and still play a focused game .. improved his draft stock with his consistent play.

Team Germany

Dominik Kahun (C, 2013)

Once again rode shotgun with Draisaitl as the two had done previously at the U17 World Challenge and played a gutsy, intelligent two-way game co-leading the scoring for Team Germany with 5-3-4-7 totals .. undersized but smart in terms of his approach and did not put himself into problematic situations .. year of playing in the OHL has developed his all around game .. Kahun and Draisaitl looked leaps and bounds better than their countrymen.

Leon Draisaitl (LW, 2014)

Once again shined on the international stage as he scored at a point-per-game clip .. most experienced player on team as he also played for Germany at the WJC .. highly-skilled .. the game-plan was to get him the puck at all times .. had an insane amount of touches per game and was always on the puck .. flourished with the pressure of being the go-to-guy .. speed looks like it has improved and his game-reading skills are in the upper-echelon of his age group.

Team Slovakia

Peter Cehlarik (LW, 2013)

Team captain was the driving force for Team Slovakia, who avoided being relegated after posting a 3-2 win over Latvia .. had a great tournament (6-2-5-7) as his skill set was evident with each shift, however he had no one to play with as he had to do it all by himself .. skating is plausible but offensive skills and puck-handling ability is incredibly developed .. played in Lulea J20, the Northern-most team in the Sweden J20 so NHL teams may not have seen him, however he’s no longer a secret after his U18 World Championship coming out party.

2013 NHL Draft – Top 30 Comments

McKeen's Staff — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 09:08:42 +0000

1) Nathan MacKinnon, C, Halifax (QMJHL) - Multi-faceted gamebreaker equipped with speed, power, a cunning shot - and the ability to process and execute at sonic tempo. His nine-game goal streak in October is the longest in the league so far (14-5-19).

2) Seth Jones, D, Portland (WHL) - Powerful and skilled with tremendous skating speed and range. Few blueline prospects have ever possessed this kind of athleticism and raw natural physical ability - and he's still just scratching the surface.

3) Jonathan Drouin, LW, Halifax (QMJHL) - Rarely takes a back seat to top-rated linemate Nate MacKinnon and often drives the bus with his mesmerizing speed and skill set. Cracking Canada's U20 World Junior team as an underager is yet another feather in the cap.

4) Aleksander Barkov, C, Tappara (Fin) - An instinctive, methodical forward with remarkable poise and polish. The ceiling here may be limitless given his rare accomplishments at such a tender age - as an impact scorer in the Finnish SM-liiga as a 17-year-old.

5) Elias Lindholm, C, Brynas (Swe) - Top junior-aged scorer in the Swedish Elitserien and key catalyst on the point of the Brynas power play. A diverse all-around forward with skill, imagination, a fiery competitive streak - and the goods to go first overall.

6) Sean Monahan, C, Ottawa (OHL) - A clutch performer who shows up when the games matter most. Continues to produce offense without last season's strong support cast, though was set back by a 10-game suspension for an errant elbow.

7) Hunter Shinkaruk, LW, Medicine Hat (WHL) - A dynamic top-end talent who can turn defenders with a blinding change of pace and lightning-fast stick skills. Emerging as prime attraction for the Tigers and helping fill the void of departed super-scorer Emerson Etem.

8) Rasmus Ristolainen, D, TPS Turku (Fin) - Impressively averages 20-plus minutes per game as an 18-year-old in the Finnish SM-liiga. Looks to be among the safer picks as he's a big, strong, aggressive blueline leader who can be relied on in any situation.

9) Ryan Pulock, D, Brandon (WHL) - A 'jack-of-all-trades' defenseman equipped with a cannon of a slapshot. Thrives offensively driven by sharp anticipation but needs to continue tightening up in down-low defensive situations. (Pictured above)

10) Anthony Mantha, RW, Val d'Or (QMJHL) - Lethal sniper boasting a rare mix of size, mobility and shooting abilities. Gives goalies nightmares thanks to a dynamic release, however he needs to play with more intensity away from the puck.

11) Andre Burakovsky, LW, Malmo (Swe 2) - Sent NHL tongues wagging with standout international performances at the Ivan Hlinka and 4 Nations tournies. Pure offensive talents are impressive featuring terrific skating speed and a big-game wristshot.

12) Nikita Zadorov, D, London (OHL) - Enormous rearguard is slowly learning 'on the job' and continues to improve his defensive reads and involvement. A growing contributing factor in the Knights' current unbeaten streak before reporting to Russia's WJC camp.

13) Adam Erne, LW, Quebec (QMJHL) - Vaulting up the charts and proving our preliminary ranking was on the low side. Creative playmaker with power, skill, and a ferocious appetite for the puck - can go around or through opponents.

14) Curtis Lazar, C, Edmonton (WHL) - Tough full-menu forward who augments his game by playing staunch defense and doing all the little things away from the puck. Finding the net again with seven goals in eight December games after a dry November (12-0-6-6).

15) Josh Morrissey, D, Prince Albert (WHL) - Instrumental in anchoring this season's turnaround in the standings for the Raiders, from last place to first. Dynamic skater and puck rusher, but lack of size and defensive holes can appear cavernous at times.

16) Robert Hagg, D, MODO (Swe J20) - Struggled at the 4 Nations Tournament in November, yet has the ingredients to be a solid two-way defenseman as he hits, can log the puck up ice, and packs a rocket point shot. Effort level can be higher in key defensive times.

17) Frederik Gauthier, C, Rimouski (QMJHL) - Dominated Midget last season taking his team to within a win of the Telus Cup, then bypassed a Harvard University commitment. Large, energetic two-way pivot - but hasn't been as intense since returning from broken jaw.

18) Max Domi, C, London (OHL) - An offensive tyrant playing on the top line of the OHL's best team - the recently-unbeatable London Knights - currently on a 21-game streak. Easily climbs higher with improved emphasis placed on his play without the puck.

19) Valeri Nichushkin, RW, Traktor (Rus) - Boasts arguably the best package of size, speed and, skill, but his stock is tempered by the 'Russian' factor plus doubts about how much vision there is. Showed lots of flash but not much substance in Canada-Russia Challenge.

20) Darnell Nurse, D, Sault Ste Marie (OHL) - Excellent athleticism and character - has the tools to be a quality shutdown defender at the next level if he can add weight to a slender frame. Gradually learning to simplify his game - and that 'less is best' in his case.

21) J.T. Compher, C, NTDP (USA) - Plays a hard, 'take-no-prisoners' style of game and can also punish opponents on the score sheet. Beginning to come around after being derailed early this season by concussions.

22) Valentin Zykov, LW, Baie-Comeau (QMJHL) - Russian import acclimatized instantly to the QMJHL and has been turning heads since the opening whistle with enticing mix of skill, power, and moxy. An absolute tank of a player impossible to knock off the puck.

23) Jason Dickinson, C, Guelph (OHL) - Curiously fell off the grid through November and December, raising concerns about his intensity and work ethic. Expect the freefall to continue unless he starts to play with more jam and gets involved.

24) Zachary Fucale, G, Halifax (QMJHL) - Likely the first goalie off the board given attractive raw natural technical abilities. Record is stellar - leads Q with 21 wins - for the country's top team - although his personal stats are a bit underwhelming.

25) Jacob de la Rose, LW, Leksands (Swe 2) - Starting to find his way as a 17-year-old Swedish rookie in the second-tier Allsvenskan. Projects as valuable complementary player who plays a spirited game and does all the little things. Offensive ceiling is the unknown.

26) Kerby Rychel, LW, Windsor (OHL) - Slightly off his goal production from last season and not playing with the same type of determination or intensity either. Needs to ramp up his defensive efforts - and pick up the footspeed and skating.

27) Hudson Fasching, C, NTDP (USA) - There's appealing size and raw natural ability here yet he is still plagued by inconsistency leaving viewers uncertain as to which player will show up. His skating also needs to show improvement.

28) William Carrier, LW, Cape Breton (QMJHL) - Solid two-way winger ran up impressive 11-game point streak through mid-Nov (8-11-19) for lowly Screaming Eagles. Struggled along with team since then though - minus-15 in past 11 games

29) Eric Comrie, G, Tri-City (WHL) - All-competitive workhorse has appeared in 31 of 34 games so far this season for Americans. Great technician with excellent game-reading abilities and lateral quickness - among best-skating goalies available in draft.

30) Steven Santini, D, NTDP (USA) - An effective defender with a healthy mean streak - and heavy hits that destroy opponents - ideal complement for a puckmoving partner. Safer pick is showing steady improvement this season and continues to get better each game.

LEGEND: DEC., 2012 RANK) PLAYER, POS, TM (LG)

2013 Top 30 NHL Draft Rankings – Dec, 2012

MCKEEN'S STAFF — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 08:18:24 +0000

Nathan MacKinnon is safe - for the time being.

The Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia native stayed atop the McKeen's December rankings for the 2013 NHL Draft, but with less margin for error now after exceptional performances from his main challengers for the first-overall spot.

Aleksander Barkov leads Tappara with 14 goals and sits among the top ten scorers in the Finnish SM-liiga - and padded a whirlwind month by taking home MVP honours at the U-20 4-Nations Tournament last month in Sundsvall, Sweden (3-0-3-3).

However, it was the play of the gold medal-winning host Swedes which left an even bigger impression with the NHL scouting fraternity. Specifically Elias Lindholm (3-1-1-2) and Andre Burakovsky (3-0-1-1), as the duo were dominant whenever they were on the ice - in spite of unassuming stat lines.

MacKinnon's lead was compromised the most though by Halifax linemate Jonathan Drouin.

Peel your eyes away from the Ste-Agathe, Quebec native if you can. His overall game has shown remarkable growth since the beginning of the season, his tempo and decision-making speed seemingly increasing with each passing game. The knock on Drouin coming in was his ordinary size along with associated concerns on whether he survives an 'inside' game at the NHL level.

Well, you can't hit what you can't catch - or so it goes - and Drouin has been a blur in the offensive zone. Teammates such as MacKinnon have been the benefactors of Drouin's inspired work on both sides of the puck. He makes those around him better by creating space using his intellect and skating superiority.

Rounding out the Fab Five - and not to be outdone - is stud Portland blueliner Seth Jones, the son of former NBA star Popeye Jones, who is starting to figure it out after a tentative start in his WHL debut.

Jones posted an impressive nine-game assist streak (9-2-12-14) and is looking ever more comfortable on the ice and resembling the player that took over games last season with the U.S. National Team Development Program.

After MacKinnon, pick one of the next four names out of a hat - and NHL clubs are sure to get an outstanding prospect.

Whichever player winds up fifth overall on draft day, they join an impressive list of current and potential future NHL stars to go in the No. 5 slot over the past decade; Morgan Rielly, Ryan Strome, Nino Niederreiter, Brayden Schenn, Luke Schenn, Karl Alzner, Phil Kessel, Carey Price, Blake Wheeler and Thomas Vanek.

RANK	LAST	PLAYER	POS	HT/WT	BORN	TM (LG)	GP-G-A-PTS
1	1	Nathan MacKinnon	C	6-0/180	9/1/1995	Halifax (QMJHL)	30-22-30-52
2	2	Seth Jones	D	6-3/205	10/3/1994	Portland (WHL)	31-8-20-28
3	9	Jonathan Drouin	LW	5-11/185	3/28/1995	Halifax (QMJHL)	24-19-29-48
4	4	Aleksander Barkov	C	6-2/210	9/2/1995	Tappara (Fin)	31-14-14-28
5	3	Elias Lindholm	C	6-0/190	12/2/1994	Brynas (Swe)	32-6-15-21
6	5	Sean Monahan	C	6-2/190	10/12/1994	Ottawa (OHL)	26-13-24-37
7	7	Hunter Shinkaruk	LW	5-10/180	10/13/1994	Medicine Hat (WHL)	31-19-25-44
8	6	Rasmus Ristolainen	D	6-3/205	10/27/1994	TPS Turku (Fin)	28-2-5-7
9	8	Ryan Pulock	D	6-0/210	10/6/1994	Brandon (WHL)	30-10-19-29
10	15	Anthony Mantha	RW	6-4/200	9/16/1994	Val d'Or (QMJHL)	34-28-22-50
11	18	Andre Burakovsky	LW	6-1/180	2/9/1995	Malmo (Swe 2)	22-1-3-4
12	13	Nikita Zadorov	D	6-5/230	4/15/1995	London (OHL)	31-2-10-12
13	21	Adam Erne	LW	6-1/195	4/20/1995	Quebec (QMJHL)	34-19-25-44
14	11	Curtis Lazar	C	6-0/195	2/2/1995	Edmonton (WHL)	34-14-10-24
15	12	Josh Morrissey	D	6-0/185	3/28/1995	Prince Albert (WHL)	35-8-17-25
16	14	Robert Hagg	D	6-2/200	2/8/1995	MODO (Swe J20)	23-9-11-20
17	17	Frederik Gauthier	C	6-5/210	4/26/1995	Rimouski (QMJHL)	30-13-21-34
18	20	Max Domi	C	5-9/195	3/2/1995	London (OHL)	34-18-27-45
19	10	Valeri Nichushkin	RW	6-4/195	3/4/1995	Traktor (Rus)	8-0-2-2
20	23	Darnell Nurse	D	6-3/190	2/4/1995	Sault Ste Marie (OHL)	35-6-17-23
21	22	J.T. Compher	C	5-11/185	4/8/1995	NTDP (USA)	22-3-5-8
22	NR	Valentin Zykov	LW	6-0/210	5/15/1995	Baie-Comeau (QMJHL)	35-22-14-36
23	16	Jason Dickinson	C	6-1/180	7/4/1995	Guelph (OHL)	34-12-17-29
24	19	Zachary Fucale	G	6-1/180	5/28/1995	Halifax (QMJHL)	21-3-1, 2.58
25	26	Jacob de la Rose	LW	6-2/190	5/20/1995	Leksands (Swe 2)	27-4-2-6
26	24	Kerby Rychel	LW	6-1/200	10/7/1994	Windsor (OHL)	35-19-13-32
27	25	Hudson Fasching	C	6-2/215	7/28/1995	NTDP (USA)	24-6-7-13
28	27	William Carrier	LW	6-1/200	12/20/1994	Cape Breton (QMJHL)	34-16-26-42
29	30	Eric Comrie	G	6-1/170	7/6/1995	Tri-City (WHL)	16-12-3, 2.64
30	NR	Steve Santini	D	6-1/210	3/7/1995	NTDP (USA)	24-0-8-8

* Goalies (W-L-T, GA)

McKeen’s Top 30 – November, 2012

McKeen's staff — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 20:51:41 +0000

Sweden stole the draft headlines in 2011, and this past summer it was defensemen taking the spotlight - with eight of the top 10 picks.

Next June, it could very well be the QMJHL grabbing all the attention.

The 'Q' is back - and in a big way.

Led by the Halifax trio of Nathan MacKinnon, Jonathan Drouin, and top-rated goalie Zach Fucale - seven players from the revitalized QMJHL earned spots in the McKeen's preliminary rankings for the 2013 NHL Draft.

Four other forwards have also stepped up to claim top-round berths - Val d'Or sniper Anthony Mantha, big Rimouski pivot Frederik Gauthier, gritty shooter Adam Erne, and strong-skating William Carrier.

It would mark quite a turnaround for a league that produced just one lone first-rounder last time - Russian import Mikhail Grigorenko.

The 'Q' factor is one of the storylines emerging so far in a draft year that is showing signs of being above-average in quality - and possibly special.

Certainly this draft class are shooting the lights out across junior - and beyond - with three of our top 10 flourishing in European pro leagues in Elias Lindholm, Aleksander Barkov, and Rasmus Ristolainen.

Maintaining or climbing the rankings won't be an easy task however since the depth of talent for 2013 exceeds what we've witnessed over the past few drafts.

Normally, in an average crop year, there are about 15-20 players that initially stand out as distinct first-round candidates.

There won't be any passengers this time around - with at least 40 'A' grade prospects waging battle for a coveted top-30 placing.

We can expect movement among the top tier as well heading into a busy month of November - a key time for NHL scouts to assess how players respond as the level of play elevates.

It's shaping up to be quite a race - in spite of the dampening effect of this tortuous NHL labour dispute.

Really, all we can do is drown ourselves in the World Juniors - and the draft - and hope the powers that be come to their senses - soon.

MCKEEN'S 2013 NHL DRAFT RANKINGS (NOV, 2012)

RANK	PLAYER	POS	HT/WT	BORN	TM (LG)	GP-G-A-PTS
1	Nathan MacKinnon	C	6-0/180	9/1/95	Halifax (QMJHL)	16-18-11-29
2	Seth Jones	D	6-3/205	10/3/94	Portland (WHL)	13-4-6-10
3	Elias Lindholm	C	6-0/185	12/2/94	Brynas (Swe)	19-5-8-13
4	Aleksander Barkov	C	6-2/205	9/2/95	Tappara (Fin)	19-10-9-19
5	Sean Monahan	C	6-2/195	10/12/94	Ottawa (OHL)	14-6-16-22
6	Rasmus Ristolainen	D	6-3/205	10/27/94	TPS Turku (Fin)	17-0-5-5
7	Hunter Shinkaruk	LW	5-10/165	10/13/94	Medicine Hat (WHL)	18-11-14-25
8	Ryan Pulock	D	6-0/210	10/6/94	Brandon (WHL)	16-7-11-18
9	Jonathan Drouin	LW	5-11/185	3/28/95	Halifax (QMJHL)	10-10-13-23
10	Valeri Nichushkin	RW	6-4/195	3/4/95	Chelmet (Rus 2)	15-8-2-10
11	Curtis Lazar	C	6-0/195	2/2/95	Edmonton (WHL)	15-8-3-11
12	Josh Morrissey	D	6-0/185	3/28/95	Prince Albert (WHL)	16-3-11-14
13	Nikita Zadorov	D	6-5/230	4/15/95	London (OHL)	14-0-4-4
14	Robert Hagg	D	6-2/195	2/8/95	MODO (Swe J20)	17-5-9-14
15	Anthony Mantha	RW	6-3/200	9/16/94	Val d'Or (QMJHL)	15-15-13-28
16	Jason Dickinson	C	6-1/180	7/4/95	Guelph (OHL)	15-8-9-17
17	Frederik Gauthier	C	6-4/215	4/26/95	Rimouski (QMJHL)	17-10-10-20
18	Andre Burakovsky	LW	6-1/180	2/9/95	Malmo (Swe 2)	16-0-2-2
19	Zachary Fucale	G	6-1/180	5/28/95	Halifax (QMJHL)	12-1-0, 2.53
20	Max Domi	C	5-9/195	3/2/95	London (OHL)	15-7-13-20
21	Adam Erne	LW	6-1/195	4/20/95	Quebec (QMJHL)	15-11-13-24
22	J.T. Compher	C	5-11/180	4/8/95	NTDP (USA)	6-2-1-3
23	Darnell Nurse	D	6-3/190	2/4/95	Sault Ste Marie (OHL)	16-4-9-13
24	Kerby Rychel	LW	6-1/200	10/7/94	Windsor (OHL)	17-10-5-15
25	Hudson Fasching	C	6-3/195	7/28/95	NTDP (USA)	13-3-5-8
26	Jacob de la Rose	LW	6-2/190	5/20/95	Leksands (Swe 2)	16-1-0-1
27	William Carrier	LW	6-1/200	12/20/94	Cape Breton (QMJHL)	17-10-16-26
28	Shea Theodore	D	6-2/185	8/3/95	Seattle (WHL)	14-4-7-11
29	Bo Horvat	C	6-0/200	4/5/95	London (OHL)	15-6-5-11
30	Eric Comrie	G	6-0/175	7/6/95	Tri-City (WHL)	9-6-2, 2.46
	* Goalies (W-L-T, GA)