[04-May-2026 15:31:54 UTC] PHP Fatal error: Uncaught Error: Class 'WP_Widget' not found in /home/mckeens/public_html/wp-content/themes/understrap-child/inc/widgets/mckeens_news_feed_widget.php:3 Stack trace: #0 {main} thrown in /home/mckeens/public_html/wp-content/themes/understrap-child/inc/widgets/mckeens_news_feed_widget.php on line 3 [04-May-2026 15:31:55 UTC] PHP Fatal error: Uncaught Error: Class 'WP_Widget' not found in /home/mckeens/public_html/wp-content/themes/understrap-child/inc/widgets/mckeens_sidebar_menu_widget.php:3 Stack trace: #0 {main} thrown in /home/mckeens/public_html/wp-content/themes/understrap-child/inc/widgets/mckeens_sidebar_menu_widget.php on line 3 [04-May-2026 15:31:45 UTC] PHP Fatal error: Uncaught Error: Call to undefined function add_action() in /home/mckeens/public_html/wp-content/themes/understrap-child/inc/shortcodes/mckeens_display_editorials.php:22 Stack trace: #0 {main} thrown in /home/mckeens/public_html/wp-content/themes/understrap-child/inc/shortcodes/mckeens_display_editorials.php on line 22 [04-May-2026 15:31:46 UTC] PHP Fatal error: Uncaught Error: Call to undefined function add_action() in /home/mckeens/public_html/wp-content/themes/understrap-child/inc/shortcodes/mckeens_display_tabs.php:50 Stack trace: #0 {main} thrown in /home/mckeens/public_html/wp-content/themes/understrap-child/inc/shortcodes/mckeens_display_tabs.php on line 50 [04-May-2026 15:31:47 UTC] PHP Fatal error: Uncaught Error: Call to undefined function add_action() in /home/mckeens/public_html/wp-content/themes/understrap-child/inc/shortcodes/mckeens_heading.php:15 Stack trace: #0 {main} thrown in /home/mckeens/public_html/wp-content/themes/understrap-child/inc/shortcodes/mckeens_heading.php on line 15 Jake Livanavage – McKeen's Hockey https://www.mckeenshockey.com The Essential Hockey Annual Sun, 28 May 2023 16:20:45 +0000 en-US hourly 1 MCKEEN’S 2023 NHL DRAFT – FINAL RANKINGS – TOP 224 Plus Honourable Mentions https://www.mckeenshockey.com/nhl-blog/mckeens-2023-nhl-draft-final-rankings-top-224-honourable-mentions/ https://www.mckeenshockey.com/nhl-blog/mckeens-2023-nhl-draft-final-rankings-top-224-honourable-mentions/#respond Sun, 28 May 2023 16:20:45 +0000 https://www.mckeenshockey.com/?p=181245 Read More... from MCKEEN’S 2023 NHL DRAFT – FINAL RANKINGS – TOP 224 Plus Honourable Mentions

]]> It’s that time! The McKeen’s scouting staff has finalized our final rankings for the 2023 NHL Draft ahead of the release of our draft guide in a few weeks. As per usual, our list runs 224 players deep to match the number of selections in the draft, but we have included over 300 players when you include our Honorable Mentions.

Much to the surprise of no one, Connor Bedard remains our top ranked player, as he has been all season long. In fact, our top three remains unchanged from our midseason rankings with Adam Fantilli and Leo Carlsson holding down the second and third spots, respectively. There has been one change in our top five with Will Smith leapfrogging Matvei Michkov into the fourth position following his dominant second half and U18’s.

Russian defender Dmitry Simashev remains our top ranked blueliner but has now moved into the top ten. His combination of size, mobility, physicality, and improving offensive skill set is going to be alluring to NHL teams and we feel that his upside is the highest in a weaker crop for defenders.

A trio of Swedish players are among our biggest risers from our midseason list, with Tom Willander, Anton Wahlberg, and David Edstrom all jumping up into the first round. All three were excellent in the second half of the season, which culminated with strong performances at the U18’s. Willander, in particular, has a huge fan in our Director of Scouting, Brock Otten. “If you were to ask me who my favourite defender in the draft class is, I’d probably say Willander. He rarely makes a poor play and I believe that we are underappreciating his potential as an NHL defender because of how efficient and safe his game can be. I would be shocked if he does not become a quality second pairing guy at the NHL level and I don’t think the other defenders ranked in the first have that same assurance,” said Otten.

Another massive jumper in our list is Hamilton Bulldogs winger Nick Lardis. 98th on our midseason list, Lardis now finds himself ranked just inside of our first round. His play with Hamilton, following a trade from Peterborough has vaulted him up draft boards, including ours. His combination of quickness and scoring ability gives him a solid projection at the NHL level.

Despite having two goaltenders inside of our first round at midseason (Carson Bjarnason and Michael Hrabal), we ended the year with none. Trey Augustine is now our top ranked netminder, ranked in the mid second round. However, Augustine, Bjarnason, Hrabal, and USHL Clark Cup MVP Jacob Fowler are all closely ranked in that range.

Look for the release of our 2023 Draft Guide in the next couple weeks. It will include all of our rankings and reports, a mock draft, a preview of the 2024 NHL Draft, and much more.

As a subscriber, link to our full ranking with links to the player pages here - McKeen's Draft Rankings - You can download the ranking as an excel file as well.

RANK PLAYER POS HT/WT DOB NATION TEAM GP-G-A-PTS
1 Connor Bedard C 5-10/185 17-Jul-05 Canada Regina (WHL) 57-71-72-143
2 Adam Fantilli C 6-2/195 12-Oct-04 Canada Michigan (B1G) 36-30-35-65
3 Leo Carlsson C 6-3/200 26-Dec-04 Sweden Orebro (SHL) 44-10-15-25
4 Will Smith C 6-0/175 17-Mar-05 USA USN U18 (USDP) 59-51-75-126
5 Matvei Michkov RW 5-10/170 9-Dec-04 Russia SKA St. Petersburg-HK Sochi (KHL) 30-9-11-20
6 Zach Benson LW 5-9/160 12-May-05 Canada Winnipeg (WHL) 60-36-62-98
7 Dalibor Dvorsky C 6-1/200 15-Jun-05 Slovakia AIK (HockeyAllsvenskan) 38-6-8-14
8 Ryan Leonard RW 5-11/190 21-Jan-05 USA USN U18 (USDP) 56-50-43-93
9 Dmitri Simashev D 6-4/200 4-Feb-05 Russia Loko Yaroslavl-Loko-76 Yaroslavl (MHL) 33-1-11-12
10 Matthew Wood RW 6-3/195 6-Feb-05 Canada Connecticut (HE) 35-11-23-34
11 Oliver Moore C 5-11/185 22-Jan-05 USA USN U18 (USDP) 60-31-43-74
12 Colby Barlow LW 6-0/195 14-Feb-05 Canada Owen Sound (OHL) 59-46-33-79
13 Nate Danielson C 6-1/185 27-Sep-04 Canada Brandon (WHL) 68-33-45-78
14 Axel Sandin Pellikka D 5-11/180 11-Mar-05 Sweden Skelleftea (Swe J20) 31-16-20-36
15 Daniil But LW 6-5/200 15-Feb-05 Russia Loko Yaroslavl-Loko-76 Yaroslavl (MHL) 32-18-14-32
16 David Reinbacher D 6-2/185 25-Oct-04 Austria Kloten (Sui-NL) 46-3-19-22
17 Eduard Sale LW 6-1/170 10-Mar-05 Czech HC Kometa Brno (Czechia) 43-7-7-14
18 Samuel Honzek LW 6-3/185 12-Nov-04 Slovakia Vancouver (WHL) 43-23-33-56
19 Mikhail Gulyayev D 5-11/170 26-Apr-05 Russia Omskie Yastreby (MHL) 22-2-23-25
20 Lukas Dragicevic D 6-1/190 25-Apr-05 Canada Tri-City (WHL) 68-15-60-75
21 Gabe Perreault RW 5-11/165 7-May-05 USA USN U18 (USDP) 62-53-79-132
22 Otto Stenberg C 5-11/180 29-May-05 Sweden Frolunda (Swe J20) 29-11-15-26
23 Tom Willander D 6-1/180 9-Feb-05 Sweden Rogle (Swe J20) 39-4-21-25
24 Calum Ritchie C 6-2/185 21-Jan-05 Canada Oshawa (OHL) 59-24-35-59
25 Andrew Cristall LW 5-9/165 4-Feb-05 Canada Kelowna (WHL) 54-39-56-95
26 Gavin Brindley C 5-8/165 5-Oct-04 USA Michigan (B1G) 41-12-26-38
27 Bradly Nadeau LW 5-10/165 5-May-05 Canada Penticton (BCHL) 54-45-68-113
28 Anton Wahlberg C 6-3/195 4-Jul-05 Sweden Malmo (Swe J20) 32-14-13-27
29 Riley Heidt C 5-10/180 25-Mar-05 Canada Prince George (WHL) 68-25-72-97
30 Brayden Yager C 5-11/165 3-Jan-05 Canada Moose Jaw (WHL) 67-28-50-78
31 David Edstrom C 6-3/185 18-Feb-05 Sweden Frolunda (Swe J20) 28-15-13-28
32 Nick Lardis LW 5-10/165 8-Jul-05 Canada Pbo-Ham (OHL) 69-37-28-65
33 Kasper Halttunen RW 6-3/205 7-Jun-05 Finland HIFK (Fin-Liiga) 27-0-1-1
34 Jayden Perron RW 5-9/165 11-Jan-05 Canada Chicago (USHL) 61-24-48-72
35 Oliver Bonk D 6-2/175 9-Jan-05 Canada London (OHL) 67-10-30-40
36 Quentin Musty LW 6-2/200 6-Jul-05 USA Sudbury (OHL) 53-26-52-78
37 Trey Augustine G 6-1/185 23-Feb-05 USA USN U18 (USDP) 28-1, 2.14, 0.925
38 Tanner Molendyk D 5-11/185 3-Feb-05 Canada Saskatoon (WHL) 67-9-28-37
39 William Whitelaw RW 5-9/170 5-Feb-05 USA Youngstown (USHL) 62-36-25-61
40 Ethan Gauthier RW 5-11/175 26-Jan-05 Canada Sherbrooke (QMJHL) 66-30-39-69
41 Gracyn Sawchyn C 5-11/160 19-Jan-05 USA Seattle (WHL) 58-18-40-58
42 Carson Bjarnason G 6-3/185 30-Jun-05 Canada Brandon (WHL) 21-19, 3.08, 0.900
43 Aram Minnetian D 5-11/190 19-Mar-05 USA USN U18 (USDP) 61-7-24-31
44 Michael Hrabal G 6-6/210 20-Jan-05 Czech Omaha (USHL) 9-13, 2.86, 0.908
45 Jacob Fowler G 6-1/215 24-Nov-04 USA Youngstown (USHL) 27-9, 2.28, 0.921
46 Oscar Fisker Molgaard C 6-0/165 18-Feb-05 Denmark HV 71 (SHL) 41-4-3-7
47 Carson Rehkopf LW 6-1/195 7-Jan-05 Canada Kitchener (OHL) 68-30-29-59
48 Beau Akey D 5-11/170 11-Feb-05 Canada Barrie (OHL) 66-11-36-47
49 Danny Nelson C 6-3/200 3-Aug-05 USA USN U18 (USDP) 61-20-26-46
50 Etienne Morin D 6-0/180 9-Mar-05 Canada Moncton (QMJHL) 67-21-51-72
51 Felix Nilsson C 6-0/175 22-Jun-05 Sweden Rogle (Swe J20) 36-19-22-41
52 Maxim Strbak D 6-1/205 13-Apr-05 Slovakia Sioux Falls (USHL) 46-5-13-18
53 Jakub Dvorak D 6-5/205 25-May-05 Czech Bili Tygri Liberec (Czechia) 24-0-2-2
54 Carey Terrance C 6-0/175 10-May-05 USA Erie (OHL) 67-30-17-47
55 Jesse Kiiskinen RW 5-11/180 23-Aug-05 Finland Pelicans (Fin-U20) 31-20-23-43
56 Mathieu Cataford C 5-11/185 1-Mar-05 Canada Halifax (QMJHL) 68-31-44-75
57 Roman Kantserov RW 5-9/175 20-Sep-04 Russia Stalnye Lisy Magnitogorsk (MHL) 45-27-27-54
58 Tristan Bertucci D 6-1/170 12-Jul-05 Canada Flint (OHL) 63-11-39-50
59 Andrew Gibson D 6-3/195 13-Feb-05 Canada Soo Greyhounds (OHL) 45-7-14-21
60 Caden Price D 6-0/185 24-Aug-05 Canada Kelowna (WHL) 65-5-35-40
61 Charlie Stramel C 6-3/215 15-Oct-04 USA Wisconsin (B1G) 33-5-7-12
62 Coulson Pitre RW 6-0/170 13-Dec-04 Canada Flint (OHL) 59-25-35-60
63 Adam Gajan G 6-2/165 6-May-04 Slovakia Chippewa Steel (NAHL) 19-12, 2.57, 0.917
64 Hoyt Stanley D 6-2/185 4-Feb-05 Canada Victoria (BCHL) 53-4-34-38
65 Andrew Strathmann D 5-10/190 27-Feb-05 USA Youngstown (USHL) 56-3-35-38
66 Hunter Brzustewicz D 5-11/185 29-Nov-04 USA Kitchener (OHL) 68-6-51-57
67 Luca Pinelli C 5-8/165 5-Apr-05 Canada Ottawa (OHL) 67-29-34-63
68 Cam Allen D 6-0/195 7-Jan-05 Canada Guelph (OHL) 62-5-20-25
69 Tanner Ludtke C 6-0/185 27-Nov-04 USA Lincoln (USHL) 57-32-34-66
70 Theo Lindstein D 6-0/180 5-Jan-05 Sweden Brynas (SHL) 32-1-1-2
71 Koehn Ziemmer RW 6-0/205 8-Dec-04 Canada Prince George (WHL) 68-41-48-89
72 Carter Sotheran D 6-3/195 26-Jun-05 Canada Portland (WHL) 68-4-19-23
73 Arttu Karki D 6-1/175 8-Dec-04 Finland Tappara (Fin-U20) 36-13-26-39
74 Albert Wikman D 6-0/190 10-Mar-05 Sweden Farjestads (Swe J20) 43-2-10-12
75 Quinton Burns D 6-1/180 14-Apr-05 Canada Kingston (OHL) 54-2-27-29
76 Nico Myatovic LW 6-2/180 1-Dec-04 Canada Seattle (WHL) 68-30-30-60
77 Jeremy Hanzel D 6-0/190 27-Feb-03 Canada Seattle (WHL) 66-13-35-48
78 Easton Cowan RW 5-10/170 20-May-05 Canada London (OHL) 68-20-33-53
79 Juraj Pekarcik LW 6-2/185 12-Sep-05 Slovakia HK Nitra (Slovakia) 30-0-3-3
80 Denver Barkey C 5-8/160 27-Apr-05 Canada London (OHL) 61-22-37-59
81 Martin Misiak RW 6-2/195 30-Sep-04 Slovakia HC Nove Zamky (Slovakia) 29-1-9-10
82 Drew Fortescue D 6-1/175 28-Apr-05 USA USN U18 (USDP) 61-1-25-26
83 Felix Unger Sorum RW 5-11/170 14-Sep-05 Sweden Leksands (Swe J20) 42-10-36-46
84 Lenni Hameenaho RW 6-0/175 7-Nov-04 Finland Assat (Fin-Liiga) 51-9-12-21
85 Kalan Lind LW 6-0/160 25-Jan-05 Canada Red Deer (WHL) 43-16-28-44
86 Rasmus Kumpulainen C 6-2/190 8-Aug-05 Finland Pelicans (Fin-U20) 41-11-23-34
87 Alex Ciernik LW 5-11/175 8-Oct-04 Slovakia Sodertalje-Vasterviks (HockeyAllsvenskan) 25-3-9-12
88 Alexander Rykov RW 6-0/175 14-Jul-05 Russia Chelmet Chelyabinsk (VHL) 20-4-7-11
89 Scott Ratzlaff G 6-0/175 9-Mar-05 Canada Seattle (WHL) 25-8, 2.15, 0.918
90 Yegor Rimashevsky RW 6-3/200 1-Feb-05 Belarus MHK Dynamo Moskva (MHL) 29-13-13-26
91 Jesse Nurmi LW 5-10/165 7-Mar-05 Finland KooKoo (Fin-U20) 41-21-29-50
92 Kaden Hammell D 6-1/175 12-Mar-05 Canada Kam-Evt (WHL) 67-8-18-26
93 Jayson Shaugabay RW 5-9/155 4-May-05 USA Warroad (USHS-MN) 31-33-63-96
94 Noel Nordh RW 6-2/195 25-Jan-05 Sweden Brynas (Swe J20) 38-13-14-27
95 Gavin McCarthy D 6-1/180 2-Jun-05 USA Muskegon (USHL) 42-8-19-27
96 Tyler Peddle LW 6-0/195 28-Jan-05 Canada Drummondville (QMJHL) 64-24-17-41
97 Francesco Dell'Elce D 6-0/165 23-Jun-05 Canada St. Andrew's (CHS-O) 51-20-42-62
98 Timur Mukhanov LW 5-8/170 17-Jun-05 Russia Omskie Krylia (VHL) 31-4-4-8
99 Larry Keenan D 6-3/185 15-Mar-05 Russia Culver Academy (USHS-IN) 49-11-26-37
100 Emil Jarventie LW 5-9/165 4-Apr-05 Finland Ilves (Fin-U20) 21-8-11-19
101 Matthew Mania D 6-1/180 11-Jan-05 USA Sudbury (OHL) 67-10-28-38
102 Juha Jatkola G 6-1/175 12-Sep-02 Finland KalPa (Fin-Liiga) 20-11, 2.16, 0.903
103 Zach Nehring RW 6-3/180 7-Mar-05 USA Shattuck-SM (USHS-MN) 48-34-40-74
104 Austin Roest C 5-9/175 22-Jan-04 Canada Everett (WHL) 60-32-46-78
105 Hedqvist, Isac C 5-10/165 22-Mar-05 Sweden Lulea (Swe J20) 41-14-20-34
106 Stephen Peck G 6-2/170 18-Jan-05 USA Avon Old Farms (USHS-CT) 28GP, 1.26, 0.948
107 Yegor Klimovich RW 5-9/160 14-May-05 Russia Sibirskie Snaipery Novosibirsk (MHL) 36-19-30-49
108 Nikita Susuyev RW 6-0/170 6-Feb-05 Russia MHK Spartak Moskva (MHL) 38-11-17-28
109 Ethan Miedema LW 6-4/205 22-Mar-05 Canada Wsr-Kgn (OHL) 68-20-32-52
110 Luca Cagnoni D 5-9/180 21-Dec-04 Canada Portland (WHL) 67-17-47-64
111 Jakub Stancl LW 6-3/200 10-Apr-05 Czech Vaxjo Lakers (Swe J20) 35-11-6-17
112 Aydar Suniev LW 6-1/200 16-Nov-04 Russia Penticton (BCHL) 50-45-45-90
113 Ty Henricks LW 6-4/205 28-Jun-05 USA Fgo-Mus (USHL) 47-9-10-19
114 Yegor Vinogradov C 6-2/180 17-Apr-03 Russia Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (KHL) 53-7-10-17
115 Yegor Sidorov RW 5-11/180 18-Jun-04 Belarus Saskatoon (WHL) 53-40-36-76
116 Will Vote RW 5-8/155 22-Feb-05 USA USN U18 (USDP) 60-16-29-45
117 Brandon Svoboda C 6-3/210 4-Feb-05 USA Youngstown (USHL) 59-16-10-26
118 Axel Landen D 6-1/185 29-Mar-05 Sweden HV 71 (Swe J20) 44-10-6-16
119 Alexander Hellnemo G 6-2/180 5-Jan-04 Sweden Skelleftea (Swe J20) 15-8, 2.32, 0.916
120 Nikita Nedopyokin C 5-10/185 22-Mar-05 Russia SKA-1946 St. Petersburg (MHL) 37-14-18-32
121 Brady Cleveland D 6-5/210 1-Apr-05 USA USN U18 (USDP) 54-0-6-6
122 Ondrej Molnar LW 5-10/170 8-Feb-05 Slovakia Erie (OHL) 34-4-15-19
123 Noah Dower Nilsson LW 6-0/175 25-Apr-05 Sweden Frolunda (Swe J20) 37-26-28-54
124 Jordan Tourigny D 5-10/165 28-Feb-05 Canada Shawinigan (QMJHL) 67-6-35-41
125 Cole Knuble C 5-11/175 1-Jul-04 USA Fargo (USHL) 57-30-36-66
126 Erik Pahlsson C 6-0/170 9-Apr-04 Sweden HV 71 (Swe J20) 46-26-37-63
127 Eric Pohlkamp D 5-10/200 23-Mar-04 USA Cedar Rapids (USHL) 59-16-35-51
128 Dylan MacKinnon D 6-1/185 12-Jan-05 Canada Halifax (QMJHL) 61-6-17-23
129 German Tochilkin LW 6-2/180 24-Sep-03 Russia Kunlun Red Star (KHL) 21-4-2-6
130 Jake Fisher C 6-1/180 27-Mar-05 USA Cretin-Durham Hall (USHS-MN) 29-34-29-63
131 Damian Clara G 6-6/215 13-Jan-05 Italy Farjestads (Swe J20) 17-17, 2.79, 0.903
132 Aiden Fink RW 5-9/155 24-Nov-04 Canada Brooks (AJHL) 54-41-56-97
133 Bogdan Konyushkov D 5-11/175 20-Dec-02 Russia Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (KHL) 64-2-23-25
134 Yegor Zavragin G 6-2/185 23-Aug-05 Russia Mamonty Yugry (MHL) 11-6, 2.49, 0.920
135 Ty Halaburda C 5-11/175 22-Apr-05 Canada Vancouver (WHL) 66-21-16-37
136 Cole Burbidge LW 6-1/160 26-Aug-05 Canada Saint John (QMJHL) 68-19-31-50
137 Daniil Karpovich D 6-3/210 6-Dec-04 Belarus Avto Yekaterinburg (MHL) 47-10-25-35
138 Andrei Loshko C 6-1/175 7-Oct-04 Belarus Chicoutimi (QMJHL) 67-22-48-70
139 Beckett Hendrickson C 6-1/175 24-Jun-05 USA USN U18 (USDP) 51-13-21-34
140 Alex Pharand C 6-3/205 1-May-05 Canada Sudbury (OHL) 67-18-21-39
141 Zeb Forsfjall C 5-9/170 16-Jan-05 Sweden Skelleftea (Swe J20) 34-8-14-22
142 Joe Connor C 5-9/170 31-Mar-05 USA Avon Old Farms (USHS-CT) 28-21-23-44
143 Samuel Urban G 6-1/195 1-May-05 Slovakia Team Slovakia U18 (Svk2) 1-13, 4.51, 0.897
144 Mazden Leslie D 6-0/195 15-Apr-05 Canada Vancouver (WHL) 66-12-38-50
145 Maxim Fedotov D 5-10/170 22-Jan-02 Russia Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod (KHL) 64-9-17-26
146 Joey Willis C 5-10/170 14-Mar-05 USA Saginaw (OHL) 68-15-29-44
147 Artyom Kashtanov C 6-6/190 9-Dec-04 Russia Avto Yekaterinburg (MHL) 43-15-25-40
148 Angus MacDonell C 5-9/180 11-May-05 Canada Sar-Mis (OHL) 64-29-12-41
149 Konstantin Volochko D 6-0/170 19-Jun-05 Belarus Dinamo-Shinnik Bobruysk (MHL) 46-8-12-20
150 Hannes Hellberg LW 6-0/175 19-Jun-05 Sweden Leksands (Swe J20) 42-34-23-57
151 Carsen Musser G 6-4/215 19-May-05 USA USN U18 (USDP) 14-6, 3.07, 0.890
152 Yaroslav Tsulygin D 6-0/160 19-May-05 Russia Salavat Yulaev Ufa (KHL) 44-0-2-2
153 Thomas Milic G 6-0/180 14-Apr-03 Canada Seattle (WHL) 27-3, 2.08, 0.928
154 Arno Tiefensee G 6-4/190 1-May-02 Germany Adler Mannheim (DEL) 13-10, 2.43, 0.910
155 Quinn Mantei D 5-11/180 23-Apr-05 Canada Brandon (WHL) 67-2-23-25
156 Matthew Soto RW 5-10/180 31-Aug-05 Canada Kingston (OHL) 54-15-27-42
157 Matt Copponi C 5-10/165 3-Jun-03 USA Merrimack (HE) 37-14-15-29
158 Vojtech Port D 6-2/170 3-Aug-05 Czech RD-Edm (WHL) 48-4-13-17
159 Michael DeAngelo LW 5-11/180 19-Nov-04 USA Green Bay (USHL) 52-11-24-35
160 Matteo Mann D 6-5/225 31-Dec-04 Canada Chicoutimi (QMJHL) 45-0-5-5
161 Paul Fischer D 6-1/190 30-Jan-05 USA USN U18 (USDP) 55-4-17-21
162 Hudson Malinoski C 6-0/175 19-May-04 Canada Brooks (AJHL) 44-16-53-69
163 Brad Gardiner C 6-0/180 6-Mar-05 Canada Ottawa (OHL) 68-19-20-39
164 Zaccharya Wisdom RW 6-0/175 29-Apr-04 Canada Cedar Rapids (USHL) 59-28-20-48
165 Jonathan Castagna C 6-1/185 20-Apr-05 Canada St. Andrew's (CHS-O) 50-29-43-72
166 Tanner Adams RW 5-11/185 2-Sep-05 USA Tri-City (USHL) 49-12-21-33
167 Grayden Siepmann D 5-10/185 26-May-04 Canada Calgary (WHL) 61-9-34-43
168 Axel Hurtig D 6-3/200 10-Jun-05 Sweden Rogle (Swe J20) 34-2-6-8
169 Ian Scherzer C 6-0/180 3-Jul-05 Austria Rogle (Swe J20) 30-3-4-7
170 Ryan Conmy RW 5-9/190 23-Oct-04 USA Sioux City (USHL) 60-33-29-62
171 Ethan Hay C 6-1/190 15-Jan-05 Canada Flint (OHL) 64-17-11-28
172 Rodwin Dionicio D 6-2/205 30-Mar-04 Switzerland Nia-Wsr (OHL) 50-15-35-50
173 Josh Van Mulligen D 6-2/180 26-Jul-05 Canada Medicine Hat (WHL) 68-1-8-9
174 Nikita Ishimnikov D 6-3/195 21-Apr-05 Russia Avto Yekaterinburg (MHL) 41-11-7-18
175 Justin Kipkie D 6-4/190 28-Jul-05 Canada Victoria (WHL) 67-8-25-33
176 Sawyer Mynio D 6-1/175 30-Apr-05 Canada Seattle (WHL) 68-5-26-31
177 Brady Stonehouse RW 5-9/180 6-Aug-04 Canada Ottawa (OHL) 68-37-20-57
178 Hunter Anderson LW 5-9/175 28-Apr-05 USA Shattuck-SM (USHS-MN) 48-52-47-99
179 Spencer Sova D 6-0/185 10-Jan-04 Canada Erie (OHL) 68-16-23-39
180 Oliver Tulk C 5-7/170 19-Jan-05 Canada Calgary (WHL) 68-24-36-60
181 Isac Born C 5-11/165 7-Jul-04 Sweden Frolunda (SHL) 36-2-3-5
182 Beau Jelsma C 5-9/175 28-Apr-04 Canada Barrie (OHL) 67-31-30-61
183 Carmelo Crandell RW 5-11/170 2-Mar-05 Canada Sherwood Park (AJHL) 49-17-37-54
184 Stanislav Yarovoy LW 6-2/195 26-Aug-03 Russia Vityaz Moscow Region (KHL) 45-9-7-16
185 Elliot Stahlberg LW 6-0/185 29-Mar-05 Sweden Farjestads (Swe J20) 35-9-12-21
186 Ivan Anoshko C 5-11/170 7-Oct-04 Belarus Dinamo-Shinnik Bobruysk (MHL) 53-21-32-53
187 Jake Livanavage D 5-10/175 6-May-04 USA Chicago (USHL) 48-6-30-36
188 Adrian Carnebo D 6-2/185 1-May-04 Sweden Djurgardens (Swe J20) 43-7-28-35
189 Jaden Lipinski C 6-3/205 2-Dec-04 USA Vancouver (WHL) 66-19-32-51
190 Ian Blomquist G 6-2/185 29-Mar-03 Sweden Vasteras (HockeyAllsvenskan) 4-11, 2.97, 0.904
191 Emil Pieniniemi D 6-2/170 2-Mar-05 Finland Karpat (Fin-U20) 31-1-12-13
192 Oskar Asplund D 5-11/175 18-Nov-03 Sweden Almtuna (HockeyAllsvenskan) 49-6-24-30
193 Daniil Davydov C 5-11/165 6-Mar-04 Russia MHK Dynamo St. Petersburg (MHL) 47-11-35-46
194 Victor Sjoholm D 5-9/175 8-Jul-03 Sweden HV 71 (Swe J20) 37-2-8-10
195 Aron Jessli LW 5-11/185 29-Oct-04 Norway Pickering (OJHL) 52-25-43-68
196 Adam Dybal G 6-1/165 2-Sep-05 Czech Karlovy Vary (Czechia U20) 29-15, 1.85, 0.942
197 Jonathan Fauchon C 5-10/170 13-Jan-04 Canada Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL) 53-25-40-65
198 Luke Mittelstadt D 5-11/175 22-Jan-03 USA Minnesota (B1G) 38-5-16-21
199 Owen Beckner C 6-1/175 27-Feb-05 Canada Salmon Arm (BCHL) 53-17-33-50
200 Ilya Kanarsky G 6-2/165 6-Dec-04 Russia AKM-Junior Tula Region (MHL) 4-19, 3.59, 0.919
201 Braeden Bowman RW 6-1/205 26-Jun-03 Canada Guelph (OHL) 54-33-39-72
202 Luke Coughlin D 5-9/170 11-Apr-05 Canada Rimouski (QMJHL) 37-5-14-19
203 Norwin Panocha D 6-1/185 24-Feb-05 Germany Eisbaren Juniors Berlin (DNL U20) 34-6-16-22
204 Cole Brown LW 6-2/180 27-Apr-05 Canada Hamilton (OHL) 60-17-25-42
205 Tomas Suchanek G 6-0/180 30-Apr-03 Czech Tri-City (WHL) 27-14, 3.05, 0.912
206 Vadim Moroz RW 6-2/185 20-Nov-03 Belarus Dinamo Minsk (KHL) 39-5-9-14
207 Davis Burnside RW 5-11/175 22-Sep-03 USA Ohio State (B1G) 40-14-7-21
208 Maros Jedlicka C 6-1/185 23-Oct-02 Slovakia HKM Zvolen (Slovakia) 39-17-18-35
209 Gavyn Thoreson RW 5-8/180 30-Oct-04 USA Andover High (USHS-MN) 31-41-56-97
210 Austin Burnevik RW 6-3/200 3-Jan-05 USA USN U18 (USDP) 43-6-13-19
211 Elmeri Laakso D 6-1/185 19-Jul-04 Finland SaiPa (Fin-Liiga) 32-4-7-11
212 Frantisek Dej C 6-4/200 28-Feb-05 Slovakia HC Modre Kridla Slovan (Slovakia2) 24-8-13-21
213 Matvei Maximov C 6-0/175 18-Jan-05 Russia MHK Dynamo Moskva (MHL) 48-18-19-37
214 Connor Levis RW 6-1/190 5-Oct-04 Canada Kamloops (WHL) 68-27-40-67
215 Teddy Townsend C 5-10/160 2-Sep-05 USA Eden Prairie (USHS-MN) 27-14-25-39
216 Petter Vesterheim C 5-11/165 30-Sep-04 Norway Mora (Swe J20) 41-12-27-39
217 Justin Gill C 6-1/190 27-Jan-03 Canada Sherbrooke (QMJHL) 68-44-49-93
218 Alex Weiermair C 6-0/190 10-May-05 USA USN U18 (USDP) 55-11-15-26
219 Jan Sprynar RW 6-1/175 26-Feb-05 Czech Rimouski (QMJHL) 60-23-17-40
220 Ty Higgins D 6-0/185 26-Sep-04 Canada Acadie-Bathurst (QMJHL) 68-13-28-41
221 Tom Leppa C 6-0/175 31-Jul-05 Finland Jokerit (Fin-U20) 45-19-12-31
222 Aaron Pionk D 6-1/175 16-Jan-03 USA Waterloo (USHL) 60-12-24-36
223 Hampton Slukynsky G 6-1/180 2-Jul-05 USA Warroad (USHS-MN) 28-1, 1.47, 0.941
224 Noah Erliden G 5-10/170 9-Sep-05 Sweden HV71 (Swe J20) 10-8, 2.93, 0.912
HM Matthew Andonovski D 6-1/200 14-Mar-05 Canada Kitchener (OHL) 67-0-16-16
HM Gleb Artsatbanov G 6-2/170 2-Mar-04 Ukraine Sparta Praha (Czechia U20) 13-10, 1.95, 0.938
HM Cale Ashcroft D 5-10/200 5-Aug-04 Canada Tri-City (USHL) 62-8-29-37
HM Alex Assadourian LW 5-8/170 24-Jul-05 Canada Sby-Nia (OHL) 66-12-29-41
HM Arvid Bergstrom D 5-11/160 12-Jun-05 Sweden Djurgardens (Swe J20) 41-2-21-23
HM Kevin Bicker LW 6-0/175 29-Jan-05 Germany Jungadler Mannheim (DNL U20) 20-10-11-21
HM Philippe Blais-Savoie D 6-0/185 10-Jun-05 USA Tri-City (USHL) 61-2-9-11
HM Linus Brandl C 5-11/185 1-Apr-05 Germany Jungadler Mannheim (DNL U20) 32-25-22-47
HM Finn Brink LW 5-9/180 6-Apr-05 USA Maple Grove (USHS-MN) 31-31-38-69
HM Yaroslav Busygin D 6-3/185 14-Feb-03 Russia Vityaz Moscow Region (KHL) 42-1-2-3
HM Kalle Carlsson C 6-0/175 2-Mar-05 Sweden Orebro (Swe J20) 44-11-24-35
HM Adam Cedzo RW 5-10/165 23-Feb-05 Slovakia HC Ocelari Trinec (Czechia U20) 39-23-23-46
HM Aiden Celebrini D 6-1/185 26-Oct-04 Canada Brooks (AJHL) 47-5-16-21
HM Andon Cerbone C 5-8/150 13-Apr-04 USA Oma-Yng (USHL) 64-24-39-63
HM Chase Cheslock D 6-3/210 25-Oct-04 USA Rogers High (USHS-MN) 28-4-27-31
HM Sam Court D 5-10/180 7-Jan-04 Canada Brooks (AJHL) 52-13-59-72
HM Adam Csabi LW 5-10/160 17-Feb-05 Czech SaiPa (Fin-U18) 28-16-15-31
HM Nathaniel Davis D 6-1/185 15-Nov-04 Canada Burlington (OJHL) 45-10-26-36
HM Nathan Day G 6-2/180 4-Feb-05 Canada Flint (OHL) 17-10, 3.91, 0.874
HM Kocha Delic C 5-10/185 11-Mar-04 Canada Sudbury (OHL) 46-22-30-52
HM Tyler Duke D 5-8/180 19-Jul-04 USA Ohio State (B1G) 40-4-8-12
HM Filip Eriksson C 6-0/170 5-Nov-04 Sweden Vaxjo Lakers (Swe J20) 11-5-5-10
HM Jiri Felcman C 6-4/190 17-Apr-05 Czech Langnau U20 (Sui-U20-Elit) 40-10-21-31
HM Samuel Fiala C 6-1/170 9-Apr-05 Czech Bili Tygri Liberec (Czechia U20) 44-19-9-28
HM Mans Forsfjall D 6-0/180 30-Jul-02 Sweden Skelleftea (SHL) 52-2-12-14
HM Cooper Foster C 5-11/170 4-Jun-05 Canada Ottawa (OHL) 63-19-17-36
HM Salvatore Guzzo RW 6-0/185 17-Apr-05 USA USN U18 (USDP) 58-17-11-28
HM Michael Hagens D 5-11/170 18-Feb-05 USA Chicago (USHL) 60-9-17-26
HM Sam Harris LW 5-11/190 14-Oct-03 USA Sioux Falls (USHL) 56-30-26-56
HM Jack Harvey C 5-10/175 31-Mar-03 USA Chicago (USHL) 62-40-34-74
HM Bogdans Hodass D 6-2/200 13-Apr-03 Latvia Medicine Hat (WHL) 56-11-24-35
HM Ryan Hopkins D 6-1/180 15-Apr-04 Canada Penticton (BCHL) 48-10-39-49
HM Ewan Huet G 6-0/170 8-Feb-05 Switzerland Lausanne (Sui U20-Elit) 14-12, 2.73  
HM Gustaf Kangas C 6-0/175 27-Jul-05 Sweden Vasteras (Swe J20) 27-7-13-20
HM Sean Keohane D 6-3/180 4-Nov-04 USA Dexter Southfield(USHS-MA) 32-4-12-16
HM Oiva Keskinen C 6-0/175 28-Feb-04 Finland Tappara (Fin-U20) 38-20-21-41
HM Ruslan Khazheyev G 6-4/200 20-Nov-04 Russia Belye Medvedi Chelyabinsk (MHL) 8-8, 2.38, 0.923
HM Matteo Koci D 6-0/165 7-Jun-05 Czech HC Energie Karlovy Vary (Czechia U20) 36-7-13-20
HM Ryan Koering D 6-3/185 11-Feb-05 USA Eden Prairie (USHS-MN) 27-6-10-16
HM Cameron Korpi G 6-2/150 26-May-04 USA Tri-City (USHL) 13-4, 2.52, 0.911
HM Sergei Kosovets D 6-5/250 17-Jul-02 Russia HK Sochi (KHL) 26-2-2-4
HM Artyom Kudashov D 6-0/160 10-Jan-05 Russia MHK Dynamo Moskva (MHL) 42-2-7-9
HM Roman Kukumberg LW 6-0/185 21-Mar-05 Slovakia HC Modre Kridla Slovan (Slovakia2) 33-5-6-11
HM Emil Kuusla LW 5-9/165 11-Jan-05 Finland Jokerit (Fin-U20) 36-18-17-35
HM Jani Lampinen G 6-2/185 14-Feb-03 Finland Kiekko-Espoo (Fin-Mestis) 15-6, 2.35, 0.902
HM Charles-Alexis Legault D 6-3/205 5-Sep-03 Canada Quinnipiac (ECAC) 40-2-7-9
HM Aiden Long LW 6-3/190 13-Mar-05 Canada Whitecourt (AJHL) 50-19-27-46
HM Connor MacPherson RW 6-0/170 2-Mar-05 Canada Leamington (GOJHL) 43-28-35-63
HM Matthew Mayich D 6-2/185 21-Dec-04 Canada Ottawa (OHL) 64-5-17-22
HM Donovan McCoy D 6-0/200 11-Oct-04 Canada Peterborough (OHL) 65-2-11-13
HM Cole Miller C 6-4/175 4-Feb-05 Canada Edmonton (WHL) 61-10-9-19
HM Lucas Moore D 5-9/180 7-Jun-05 Canada Hamilton (OHL) 65-3-25-28
HM Josh Nadeau RW 5-7/145 22-Oct-03 Canada Penticton (BCHL) 54-44-66-110
HM Alexei Noskov G 6-2/205 13-Nov-04 Russia Taifun Primorsky Krai (MHL) 7-26, 3.86, 0.905
HM Owen Outwater LW 6-2/160 4-Jan-05 Canada Kingston (OHL) 62-16-25-41
HM Joe Palodichuk D 6-0/165 26-Feb-03 USA Fargo (USHL) 44-8-21-29
HM Petr Pavelec LW 6-0/200 10-Feb-05 Czech HC Vitkovice (Czechia U20) 46-8-5-13
HM Oliver Peer RW 6-0/165 9-Mar-03 Canada Windsor (OHL) 63-22-45-67
HM Chris Pelosi C 6-1/180 6-Mar-05 USA Sioux Falls (USHL) 43-13-6-19
HM Matthew Perkins LW 5-11/175 21-Jan-04 Canada Youngstown (USHL) 60-15-29-44
HM Nico Pertuch G 6-2/200 29-Jul-05 Germany EV Landshut (DNL U20) 15GP, 3.57  
HM Dominik Petr C 6-2/165 30-Apr-05 Czech Lukko (Fin-U20) 18-1-0-1
HM Chase Pietila D 6-1/180 3-Mar-04 USA Youngstown (USHL) 60-7-29-36
HM Chase Pirtle RW 6-2/185 8-Mar-05 USA Mount St. Charles 18U AAA (USHS-RI) 47-20-24-44
HM Benjamin Poitras C 5-10/175 18-Jul-05 Canada Sioux City (USHL) 61-14-24-38
HM Connor Punnett D 6-1/200 16-Jun-03 Canada Barrie (OHL) 66-14-34-48
HM Ivan Remezovsky D 6-1/165 8-Feb-05 Russia SKA-1946 St. Petersburg (MHL) 45-0-13-13
HM Charlie Robertson G 6-3/165 2-Apr-05 Canada North Bay (OHL) 12-6, 3.17, 0.892
HM Pier-Olivier Roy D 5-9/175 5-Mar-04 Canada Victoriaville (QMJHL) 68-6-62-68
HM Rainers Rullers C 6-4/195 11-Dec-04 Latvia Zemgale (Fin-Mestis) 46-4-6-10
HM Bennett Schimek RW 5-11/180 15-Apr-03 USA Providence (HE) 37-11-9-20
HM Zach Schulz D 6-1/195 14-Jun-05 USA USN U18 (USDP) 51-1-9-10
HM Magomed Sharakanov D 6-1/200 11-Oct-04 Russia MHK Dynamo Moskva (MHL) 44-7-25-32
HM Cam Squires RW 5-11/165 11-Apr-05 Canada Cape Breton (QMJHL) 67-30-34-64
HM Julius Sumpf C 6-1/175 11-Jan-05 Germany RB Hockey Juniors (AlpsHL) 23-9-9-18
HM Alexander Suvorov RW 5-9/160 30-Nov-02 Belarus Severstal Cherepovets (KHL) 47-13-11-24
HM Gabriel Szturc C 5-11/185 24-Sep-03 Czech Kelowna (WHL) 56-24-55-79
HM Nikita Telegin C 6-1/155 21-Jun-05 Russia Belye Medvedi Chelyabinsk (MHL) 22-6-4-10
HM Patrick Thomas C 5-11/160 21-Aug-04 Canada Hamilton (OHL) 66-17-39-56
HM Hudson Thornton D 5-11/180 4-Nov-03 Canada Prince George (WHL) 68-23-51-74
HM Jiri Tichacek D 5-9/170 30-Jan-03 Czech Rytiri Kladno (Czechia) 39-0-6-6
HM Djibril Toure D 6-6/200 5-Jun-03 Canada Sudbury (OHL) 57-5-11-16
HM Tuomas Uronen RW 5-11/180 19-Mar-05 Finland HIFK (Fin-U20) 39-20-23-43
HM Noa Vali G 6-0/160 19-Apr-05 Finland TPS (Fin-U20) 17-8, 2.38, 0.912
HM Nicholas Vantassell RW 6-4/195 18-Apr-04 USA Green Bay (USHL) 62-19-18-37
HM Visa Vedenpaa G 6-2/170 11-May-05 Finland Karpat (Fin-U20) 31GP, 0.886
HM Evgeny Volokhin G 6-3/170 6-Apr-05 Russia Mamonty Yugry (MHL) 20-6, 2.12, 0.927
HM Declan Waddick C 5-10/170 24-Jan-05 Canada Niagara (OHL) 64-28-21-49
HM Saige Weinstein D 6-0/180 30-May-05 Canada Spokane (WHL) 57-4-14-18
HM Ethan Whitcomb LW 6-4/190 13-May-04 Canada Muskegon (USHL) 53-24-24-48
HM Raul Yakupov RW 6-1/180 21-Jun-04 Russia Reaktor Nizhnekamsk (MHL) 49-32-29-61
]]> https://www.mckeenshockey.com/nhl-blog/mckeens-2023-nhl-draft-final-rankings-top-224-honourable-mentions/feed/ 0 2023 NHL DRAFT: SECOND CHANCES PART TWO – UNITED STATES – 2nd and 3rd year NHL draft re-entry candidates https://www.mckeenshockey.com/nhl-blog/2023-nhl-draft-chances-part-united-states-2nd-3rd-year-nhl-draft-re-entry-candidates/ https://www.mckeenshockey.com/nhl-blog/2023-nhl-draft-chances-part-united-states-2nd-3rd-year-nhl-draft-re-entry-candidates/#respond Sun, 12 Mar 2023 13:30:22 +0000 https://www.mckeenshockey.com/?p=180509 Read More... from 2023 NHL DRAFT: SECOND CHANCES PART TWO – UNITED STATES – 2nd and 3rd year NHL draft re-entry candidates

]]> In a normal year, scouting hockey is marred by imperfection. Every year high end players get skipped over at the NHL draft for various reasons. Maybe they suffered through injuries. Maybe their team struggled, and it prevented scouts from getting a good read on them. Maybe their team was too good, forcing them down the depth chart with limited minutes and exposure opportunities. Or...maybe they just were not good enough. But thankfully human development is nonlinear and therefore unpredictable. Teenage hockey players are far from a finished product on the ice as their games mature just as the rest of their body and mind does. That is why it is critical to track players as they move through their second and third years of draft eligibility (or fourth years of eligibility for some European players).

The million-dollar question is…are we still playing catch-up as a scouting community following the resumption of play post pandemic? Last year, this was definitely the case as leagues returned to full seasons. But are certain players still growing exponentially as they try to recover lost development time? This is particularly true of players in the CHL and in Europe, where most junior leagues halted.

For those unfamiliar, North American players with birth dates from January 1st to September 15th, will be eligible for three NHL drafts. Players with birth dates from September 16th to December 31st, will be eligible for two NHL drafts. And for European players (in European leagues), extend that eligibility by one year in both cases. Recently, NHL scouts have increased the rate with which they are selecting “re-entry” candidates, or players previously passed over. Contract limits have made it critical for teams to spread out where they select players from, in addition to their age. This has made second- and third-year eligible U.S. and European based players especially attractive. However, these players have had a lot of success in recent years too. Look around the league and you see these players everywhere. For example, Calgary Flames standout defender Mackenzie Weegar was one. Ottawa Senators standout forward Drake Batherson was one. So too was Winnipeg Jets starter Connor Hellebuyck. Standout Tampa Bay Lightning rookie defender Nick Perbix was one.

Last year, four “re-entry” candidates went in the Top 100; Dmitri Buchelnikov, Lucas Edmonds, Mikey Milne, and Aidan Thompson. In our “second chances” article last year (Part 1): (Part 2): (Part 3): We wrote about three of those four. In total there were 42 taken, right around the trend of other recent drafts (roughly about 20% of all players selected). Additionally, of those 42, we identified and wrote about 25 (over half of them) in our aforementioned second chances series. Just like in previous editions of this annual report, we aim to identify more.

In 2023, we have some very interesting candidates. Adam Gajan stole the show at this year’s WJC’s for Slovakia and has been a standout in the NAHL and USHL this year. Eric Pohlkamp was one of the MVP’s of the WJAC and has been at the top of the USHL defenseman scoring race all year. Austin Roest has been top ten in WHL scoring all year long and has taken huge strides forward. This article intends to highlight them and many other candidates who could be part of that 20% this year.

Cole Knuble. Photo courtesy of the USHL.

USHL

Aaron Pionk - Defense - Waterloo Blackhawks

Passed over in the last two NHL drafts, Pionk’s performance so far in his first and only season in the USHL leaves him a solid candidate to finally be selected this summer. The six-foot-two left-shot blueliner comes from a true hockey family — his brother, Neal, is a top-four defenseman for the Winnipeg Jets and his father was a USHL head coach in the 1990s — and Aaron is headed to a top college program for next season at Minnesota State. It’s been a long development track for Pionk, who spent his first season of draft eligibility playing in the Minnesota high school circuit. He’s really starting to put things together, though, and while the points don’t jump off the page there’s a lot to like in his game. He’s more skilled than he might seem to be based on his production, and he plays with an edge and the type of snarl that Winnipeg Jets fans have come to appreciate in his older brother. He is also a great skater, which is becoming more and more of an important tool for modern blueliners to have.  It’s easy to see him heading to college, becoming a fan favorite, and then becoming a coveted signing for the teams that passed up on him at the NHL draft. There’s still work for him to do in refining his offensive game and improving the consistency in his defensive game, but the tools are all there for him to continue his development and become a solid professional. (Ethan Hetu)

Zaccharya Wisdom - Wing - Cedar Rapids Roughriders

The younger Wisdom brother took a different development route than Zayde, the Philadelphia Flyers prospect. While his older brother chose to take the OHL route for his development and take the chance to play with Shane Wright, Zaccharya instead took the USHL route and is now in his second season with the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders. Ranked 144th last year in our rankings, Wisdom’s improved play this season leaves him a solid candidate to be drafted after being passed over in 2022. He’s showing that his lackluster point production from last season was more about opportunity than Wisdom’s talent. Similar to his brother, Wisdom is a winger who plays a powerful game. Not only is Wisdom an engaged participant on defense in his own zone, he’s also an enthusiastic competitor along the boards and always willing to throw the body. His combination of power and speed is extremely intriguing, but his offensive approach lacks the sort of deceptive elements that make top scorers pop at more challenging levels of hockey. Even without further development in that area, Wisdom is still a solid bet to be a quality pro due to his value away from the puck and his strong work rate. (Ethan Hetu)

Nicholas Vantassell - Center - Green Bay Gamblers

A rangy six-foot-four center, Vantassell was passed over in his first season of draft eligibility in large part due to how raw he often looked in his first season of USHL action. While Ryan Greene and Cameron Lund, among others, soaked up most of the attention on the Green Bay Gamblers, Vantassell was left to improve his game in relative anonymity. Outside the shadow of those bigger-name prospects, Vantassell’s second season in Green Bay has been an improvement, although there is still a lot of work for him to do. While he shows a willingness to use the inside of the ice and attack the net, the aggression Vantassell sometimes plays with has not resulted in tangible, consistent production. Moreover, his skating needs work, although that’s admittedly what one might expect from someone of his size profile. Vantassell has a solid shot and has shown usefulness in a net-front/bumper role, but he doesn’t create enough chances for himself to actually show off that shot on a consistent game-to-game basis. At this point, Vantassell’s case to be drafted lies more in what a team might believe he can be than what he actually is at the moment. Still, he represents an intriguing, toolsy bet for a team hoping the longer development track afforded by the college route can eventually mold Vantassell into a quality pro. (Ethan Hetu)

Cole Knuble - Wing/Center - Fargo Force

After a relatively impressive rookie season in the USHL where he was instantly one of Fargo’s top performers, it was somewhat surprising that Knuble didn’t hear his name called at the 2022 NHL draft. On paper, it feels as though a player of Knuble’s production profile who also brings the NHL bloodlines that still seem to be valued. (his father, Mike, played over 1,000 NHL games for six prominent franchises) The main drawback with Knuble lies in his feet. He may not be a bad skater on his edges but he doesn’t have the speed you’d like to see from someone of his size profile whatsoever. His main calling card is a strong commitment to two-way hockey combined with some strong offensive tools. He has a quality set of hands that are a major help to his offensive toolset, and it will be interesting to see how he adjusts to playing in the NCAA at Notre Dame, where he’s less likely to be so heavily relied upon as an offensive generator. Knuble is likely to finish his season as one of the top scorers in the USHL and has a strong chance to hear his name called this go-around at the 2023 NHL draft, especially after a dominating performance at the World Junior A Challenge, but he needs to improve his skating for him to have similar success at more challenging levels of hockey. (Ethan Hetu)

Eric Pohlkamp - Defense - Cedar Rapids Roughriders

After scoring just 18 points in 61 games last season, it was no surprise that Pohlkamp ultimately went undrafted in his first year of eligibility. As a later birthdate, the USHL proved to be a decently steep challenge, but so far this season all he has done is rise to the occasion. Pohlkamp’s points production has exploded, and he’s now a contender to lead the USHL in scoring by a defenseman. There are nights when he looks like an entirely different player from the one that often struggled as a USHL rookie. He plays with quiet confidence from the back end, and he has all the tools to make an impact on both ends of the ice. He’s not the tallest, but he’s well filled out for the 5-10 frame he possesses. He’s a solid skater who does a good job at facilitating zone exits and moving his team up the ice, and when he’s in the offensive zone he’s smart about making his reads and choosing when to play aggressively. Pohlkamp is also armed with a massive point shot and has a desire to play aggressively defensively. A late addition to the U.S.’ World Junior A Challenge team, he ended up as one of the top defenders in the tournament. He's headed to Bemidji State next season and would be an intriguing player for a team to select and then track over the course of his collegiate career. (Ethan Hetu)

Sam Harris - Wing - Sioux Falls Stampede

A University of Denver commit, Harris was an older birthdate for last year’s draft and ended up ranked #136 by NHL Central Scouting. This year, he’s at 131 in their mid-season rankings, and his production, as one would expect, has leaped up despite Sioux Falls remaining near the bottom of the USHL standings. Everything the team does offensively flows through Harris, and there’s some bite to his game, with him showing an eagerness to finish checks and engage opponents in the physical side of the game. The defensive side of Harris’ game needs some work, although his willingness to play with physicality is a decent start. You’d like for him to get more engaged defensively at times and help his projection by adding some more balance to his game. He’s also not the best skater, and in lacking the type of skating talent that could help him separate at the next level his overall projection becomes cloudy.  Right now, he’s relied on chiefly as an offensive generator, but he may not have the skills or skating ability to remain in that role as a professional. For him to be a safer bet for an interested NHL team, he’ll need to round out his overall profile and develop the sort of professional habits that will carry him beyond college. (Ethan Hetu)

Jack Harvey - Center/Wing - Chicago Steel

Jack Harvey is hardly the main attraction for the Chicago Steel, who boast potential 2024 number-one pick Mack Celebrini and 2023 first-round candidate Jayden Perron, who is one of the USHL’s most electrifying players. But after he was passed over twice already, Harvey is still at work with the Chicago Steel. He’s now one of the top scorers in the USHL as he nears his 20th birthday, and is readying himself to head to Boston University on solid footing. He has a decent set of skills and has molded himself into a real offensive difference-maker in his final year at this level. Harvey’s skating isn’t bad, and if he has trouble translating his scoring to the college level there still could be a future for him if he changes up his style. There’s an intriguing package of tools here for Harvey to work on in Boston, but it may not be enough to justify a draft pick over other players at this stage in his development. Still unclear whether he’s skilled enough to have a pro future as an offensive player, and it remains to be seen if he’ll be able to morph himself into more of a pro-ready two-way player as he develops in college. (Ethan Hetu)

Michael Emerson - Wing - Chicago Steel

After scoring just seven points in 36 games in his first season of draft eligibility, it should not have come as any great surprise that Michael Emerson was not drafted at the 2022 NHL draft. This season, though, Emerson’s numbers have exploded as he’s played a larger role with some extremely talented teammates. The six-foot-two winger can be a lethal shooter at times, capable of finishing the many scoring chances he’s afforded. He’s got a nose for the net and has scored quite a few goals in tight, and the aggression with which he attacks the net serves him well playing with such good players. Could he stand to create more for himself and be more of a self-starter rather than an opportunist on offense? Absolutely, but opportunists who can often find themselves in the right place at the right time when placed next to quality teammates can go far, too. Emerson is headed to Notre Dame in the fall, and it’s definitely possible that a team wants to stake their claim on him before he gets there and potentially pops on an even bigger stage. (Ethan Hetu)

Jake Livanavage - Defense - Chicago Steel

Despite strong production and a growing reputation around the USHL as a quality power play specialist, the positive qualities in Livanavage’s game were not enough to get him selected at the 2022 draft. Livanavage has picked up this season right where he left off, and his production has held steady from where it was last year, albeit not the leap up some might have hoped for. There are positive qualities to Livanavage’s game, most often displayed on the power play. Livanavage has the skill to help the bevy of talented forwards he plays with, showing himself to be a quality passer and reader of the game on the man advantage. The issue with Livanavage largely centers on his lack of size, strength, and unimpressive defensive play. He’s simply too easy to play against in his own end, and this is an area he’ll need to improve in his game at higher levels. Something that could help him in his own end, though, is his strong skating, as his wheels can help him be an asset in creating the type of zone exits that are so crucial for defensive success. As long as the focus on evaluating defensive value remains squarely on physicality, puck battles, and the more traditional aspects of defense that are generally held in high regard, Livanavage will struggle with the perception of being a liability in his own end. And without a standout offensive profile to make up for it beyond his feet and abilities on the man advantage, the issues in his game could keep him from being drafted once again, although there’s definitely enough that he offers to make teams give him a second look. (Ethan Hetu)

Matthew Perkins - Center - Youngstown Phantoms

After spending his draft season as a point-per-game scorer with the Humboldt Broncos in Junior A hockey in Saskatchewan, Perkins made the choice to head to the USHL to prepare himself to eventually head to the University of Minnesota-Duluth. For the Youngstown Phantoms, Perkins has been a solid contributor, scoring at a steady rate. There are a few tools where one can notice the upside Perkins has for the next level, specifically his playmaking and two-way ability. He’s an all-situations forward for the Phantoms, contributing on both special teams’ units. That’s a testament to his intelligence on the ice, as he’s one of the smarter players in the USHL. While he doesn’t offer the size or skating profile that would make teams drool, Perkins is the type of pivot every coach hopes to have on their roster, a solid end-to-end contributor who elevates his linemates and brings a degree of reliability that many other young players can’t offer. It’s easy to see him occupying the same role in college, but one wonders if his lack of box score numbers that jump off the page will hurt his odds of getting selected at the draft. (Ethan Hetu)

Max Lundgren - Goaltender - Des Moines Buccaneers

The Merrimack commit has come to the USHL as a rookie and become one of the league’s best netminders this season. Although a 2002 born (and a USHL overager), Lundgren is still eligible for the draft similar to how Lucas Edmonds and Andrei Buyalsky were previously; NHL Central Scouting deemed them as “European players” despite playing in North America. The 6’5, 230lbs Lundgren is a mammoth in the net. He likes to play deep in the crease and maintains good posture to take away space from shooters and attackers. He competes for sightlines and battles hard to make second and third chance saves. The focus for him will be on getting quicker, but his size and performance are going to intrigue a lot of NHL scouts. (Brock Otten)

Cale Ashcroft - Defense - Tri-City Storm

Ashcroft has come to the USHL this year from the AJHL and immediately become a top four workhorse for one of the better teams in the USHL in Tri-City. When he was passed over last year, he was one of the youngest players eligible (with an August birthday) and has since added mass to his 5’10 frame to help him be a more effective and consistent player. Ashcroft, a University of Denver commit, is a terrific skater and his ability to keep pucks in at the line and create at the point is impressive. Once upon time, Ashcroft was a highly touted prospect coming out of St. Albert, but it appears he has turned things around and could be someone NHL teams look at late in the draft this year. (Brock Otten)

Joe Palodichuk - Defense - Fargo Force

It’s been quite the breakout year for Palodichuk, a strong skating, puck moving defender and University of Wisconsin commit. Now in his second season in the USHL, he has emerged as one of the league’s top defenders, even earning a spot on the U.S.’ World Junior A Challenge roster. At that event, his ability to start the breakout and control the point were standout qualities against top notch competition. While his defensive play has improved this year, his overall awareness and effectiveness will still need to improve further. That said, his mobility and offensive gifts are going to play really well at the NCAA level and an NHL team may try to secure his rights this year in his final year of draft eligibility. (Brock Otten)

Andon Cerbone - Wing/Center - Youngstown Phantoms

Cerbone was a great role player for the Steel last year in his first year of draft eligibility, but ultimately a lack of consistent production, combined with his lack of size, caused him to slide through the draft. This year, he started the year well as a leader on a weak Omaha team, but it was a move to Youngstown that really ignited him. Cerbone has been one of the best players in the USHL in the second half, operating at well over a point per game with the Phantoms. Cerbone is skilled, intelligent, and competitive. He makes up for his lack of size by consistently outworking opposing defenders to pucks and to space. The only issue is that he’s not a dynamic skater and that muddles his projection. Heading to Quinnipiac (after decommitting from Michigan) next year, Cerbone is the type of player who will need three or four years of college to prepare for the pro level, but the Bobcats program should be perfect for that.

Cameron Korpi - Goaltender - Tri-City Storm

Once upon a time, Korpi was considered to be one of the best ‘04 born goaltenders in the United States. He came into his draft year with really high expectations, but he really struggled in the USHL with Muskegon and found himself out of the league to start this season. Rather than sulk, he went to work in the NAHL, performing extremely well with Oklahoma. This has resulted in Korpi getting another crack at the USHL with Tri-City and thus far the results have been outstanding. After growing a lot over the last few years, it seems Korpi has finally found more control over his athleticism, refining his technical approach to create more consistent results. If he can close out the year well for Tri-City, the Western Michigan University commit may have a real shot of being selected this time through. (Brock Otten)

Ethan Whitcomb - Wing - Muskegon Lumberjacks

Whitcomb comes into the 2022-2023 season having not heard his name called at the 2022 NHL Draft last summer. In his first season with the Lumberjacks, he registered 16 points in 44 games as a rookie and has followed it up with 30 points in 35 games, good enough for second on the team in scoring. The 18-year-old Whitcomb is solid and listed at 6’4” and 195 pounds, and is a decent skater, with good hands. He participated at the World Junior A Challenge at the beginning of this season finishing with five points in six games to help Team USA bring home the gold medal. Whitcomb then joined team Blue at the 2023 Biosteel All-American prospect game, where he went pointless, but had a handful of opportunities that missed the mark. The St. Catharines, Ontario native is a May baby and because of his big frame, may take some time to develop, so there may be a possibility of an NHL team taking a chance on him in the later rounds of the draft. (Mark Dube)

Chase Pietila - Defense - Youngstown Phantoms

Pietila is a product of the Honeybaked program out of Michigan, where he skated alongside Frank Nazar (Chicago Blackhawks) and Cole Spicer (Boston Bruins) during his U15 AAA season. During that year, he was highly touted because he posted 64 points in 61 games from the back end. Pietila is a mobile and physical two-way defenseman with decent size, listed at 6’1” and 181 pounds. The Michigan Tech commit has spent the last two seasons with the Phantoms and is having a successful outing, putting up 26 points in 43 games thus far. Pietila will be hard pressed to get selected at the 2023 NHL Draft but may make a name for himself with a more offensive role playing for the Huskies (at Michigan Tech) next year, much like his brothers did before him. (Mark Dube)

NCAA

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - OCTOBER 01: Minnesota Gophers defenseman Luke Mittelstadt (20) shoots the puck during the college hockey game between the Lindenwood Lions and the Minnesota Gophers on October 1st, 2022, at 3M Arena at Mariucci in Minneapolis, MN. (Photo by Bailey Hillesheim/Icon Sportswire)
Tyler Duke - Defense - Ohio State

Ranked 132nd by McKeen’s hockey last cycle, Duke didn’t hear his name called at the 2022 NHL draft, and just taking one look at his profile it’s easy to see why. While size is becoming less and less of a relevant factor when projecting the NHL viability of defensemen, it remains an extremely important consideration for most NHL teams and evaluators. There simply is not a long enough track record of players who play like Duke making the NHL at his size. It’s unfortunate because there are a ton of elements to Duke’s game to enjoy. He’s a hard-working, engaged defender who doesn’t let his stature stop him from being an impactful defenseman in his own end. He’s more than willing to engage physically, and his willingness to play a hard game despite physical limitations at the college level is reminiscent of Columbus Blue Jackets blueliner Nick Blankenburg, who at five-foot-nine has turned himself into a viable NHL option despite a similar size profile to Duke. If Duke can follow the Blankenburg path to the NHL and retain his intelligence, value in transition, and defensive effort, he can find his way to higher levels of hockey. But where the NHL draft is concerned, there are few defensemen of his size with his scoring numbers to be selected, especially in their second year of eligibility. While Duke may have to go another year without hearing his name called, there are definitely far less worthy investments to make with a draft pick than investing it in Duke and Duke’s continued development. (Ethan Hetu)

Luke Mittelstadt - Defense - University of Minnesota

Another brother of an NHL talent, Luke Mittelstadt’s play has steadily improved since the draft season he spent with his high school. Mittelstadt spent his first year as an undrafted player in the USHL, leading the Madison Capitals in scoring. He then went to his brother Casey’s old stomping grounds for this season and has excelled as a Minnesota Gopher. Now, in his final season of draft eligibility, Mittelstadt stands his best chance of being drafted yet. At five-foot-eleven, 175 pounds Mittelstadt isn’t bringing rare size to a team’s blueline, but he’s a smart, quick defenseman who is of particular value in the areas of generating zone exits. While he may not fit the traditional view of a defensively valuable defenseman, Mittelstadt fits the more modern expectations of how blueliners can contribute in their own end. Offensively, Mittelstadt isn’t without some skill, but he’s not shown himself to be an overwhelming talent with the puck on his stick. He can make the right reads and fire off quality passes in order to support his teammates but expecting him to create for himself or deceive opponents on his own would be folly. Important to note is that Mittelstadt’s game has developed enough for him to be selected to represent his country at the 2022 World Junior Championships, and his overall profile suggests he could become a reliable if decidedly unflashy bottom-pairing defenseman if things break right. (Ethan Hetu)

Matt Copponi - Center - Merrimack College

Just as Merrimack has surprised many to become one of the better teams in Hockey East this season, Matt Copponi has been quite the surprise, surging in both productivity and role to become a viable draft prospect in his third year of eligibility to be selected. After COVID-19 cost Copponi his final season of high school hockey, which left him with virtually no chance at selection at the 2021 draft. Last season, Copponi’s missed season seemed to have cost him on the ice, as he wasn’t nearly the type of difference-maker he is as a sophomore as a freshman. This year, as 2020 New York Islanders pick Alex Jefferies has stolen the show, Copponi has more quietly placed himself among Merrimack’s better offensive players. Despite not being the biggest or strongest center, Copponi attacks the net and uses the inside of the ice more frequently than one might expect. He’s a diligent hunter of any opportunity he can find, and while he was relatively anonymous in his first year, his hard work is finally paying off. Will it result in being selected at the draft in the summer? Hard to say, as his size and strength profile combined with only so-so skating will conspire to hurt him in the eyes of many pro evaluators, but the offensive skill is definitely there, and he’s starting to pop. He’s having exactly the type of season he needed to have to enter the draft conversation, but it remains to be seen if there’s a team willing to take the leap on him. (Ethan Hetu)

Davis Burnside - Wing - Ohio State

As of writing this, Burnside is among the nation’s leaders in freshman goal scoring with the Buckeyes this year. His transition to the NCAA level has been seamless. His profile is an extremely complete one. He skates well. He competes hard. He is an intelligent two-way player who can kill penalties. There was some concern that his offensive abilities wouldn’t translate well to the NCAA level, but that obviously hasn’t been the case. There is definitely a chance that Burnside could develop into a capable bottom six player at the NHL level and there is no doubt that NHL scouts may circle back to him similar to how they did with Dominic James last year. (Brock Otten)

Bennett Schimek - Wing - Providence College

A skilled and elusive attacker, Schimek has become a go-to offensive player for the Friars in his freshman year. He has clearly worked hard to improve his quickness and has become a more focused and determined player off the puck. He has developed into an excellent forechecker and Schimek has found a way to attack inside the dots at the NCAA level too. Armed with an excellent release and the puck skill to beat defenders one on one, NHL scouts should be extremely impressed with how quickly he has become a top six forward on a strong program, outperforming several NHL draft picks. (Brock Otten)

Charles-Alexis Legault - Defense - Quinnipiac University

Legault is unquestionably an enigma. He has bounced around a whack of teams over the last few years and there is no question that the pandemic affected his development in a negative way. We’ve written about Legault before at McKeen’s Hockey because his combination of size, mobility, and physical aggressiveness from the right side makes him extremely intriguing. However, consistency has always been an issue for this former highly touted minor hockey prospect. This year feels a bit different. He’s playing well as a freshman for one of the top teams in the NCAA and he seems to finally understand how to refine his game to be a consistent asset in the defensive end. The athletic tools are so good. If he’s not drafted, you just know that teams will be lining up to sign him in three years when he has figured it out further. (Brock Otten)

Jacob Guevin - Defense - University of Nebraska-Omaha

The 20-year-old Guevin enters this 22-23 season playing at the collegiate level for the Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks after having been passed up in the last two NHL Drafts, although having made the NHL Central Scouting final rankings at 56 in 2021 and 173 in 2022. He is second among defensemen in scoring on his team with 15 points in 31 games. Guevin is a smooth skating and agile right-handed defender, with offensive upside to his game. In his draft year 20-21, he was named to the USHL All-Rookie team while playing for the Muskegon Lumberjacks and recorded an impressive 45 points in 53 games, good enough to lead his team among defensemen. The Drummondville, Quebec native followed up that rookie campaign notching 57 points in 59 games in his second season for the Lumberjacks, earning him a spot on the USHL 2nd All-Star Team. Time is running out for Guevin to be selected for the NHL Draft, but like his overager counterparts there’s a good chance he finds success in some professional hockey league at the lower levels. (Mark Dube)

NAHL

Adam Gajan - Goaltender - Chippewa Steel

Spending most of his year of first draft eligibility in Slovakia’s junior circuit, Gajan didn’t exactly have the brightest stage to show off what he could do. He finally got exactly that at the World Juniors, where he stole the show for Slovakia, posting a .936 save percentage in four games, winning the award for Best Goaltender. He had officially announced his commitment to Minnesota-Duluth earlier that month and has slowly raised his standing to the point where it seems highly unlikely that he won’t hear his name called at this next NHL draft. Gajan offers the size teams covet from their goalies and moves surprisingly well for someone that big. He’s confident in his net, able to square up to shooters and challenge them. While it was admittedly a small sample of games, the World Juniors showed that Gajan was able to take a significant moment and rise up to it, which is an important aspect of the mental side of goaltending. There’s still so much development that needs to happen here before his pro future is even a consideration, but he’ll thankfully have a long runway to work with in the NCAA. Teams are always in need of an infusion of talent to their goaltending pipeline, so at this point, it would be quite a surprise for Gajan to go undrafted once again, even though he’s spending most of this season in the NAHL rather than the USHL. (Ethan Hetu)

 

]]> https://www.mckeenshockey.com/nhl-blog/2023-nhl-draft-chances-part-united-states-2nd-3rd-year-nhl-draft-re-entry-candidates/feed/ 0 2022 NHL DRAFT MIDSEASON RANKING: TOP 100 PLAYER PROFILES WITH VIDEO – #71 thru #80 https://www.mckeenshockey.com/nhl-blog/2022-nhl-draft-midseason-ranking-top-100-player-profiles-video-71-80/ https://www.mckeenshockey.com/nhl-blog/2022-nhl-draft-midseason-ranking-top-100-player-profiles-video-71-80/#respond Wed, 23 Feb 2022 14:57:42 +0000 https://www.mckeenshockey.com/?p=175293 Read More... from 2022 NHL DRAFT MIDSEASON RANKING: TOP 100 PLAYER PROFILES WITH VIDEO – #71 thru #80

]]> In case you missed it, we updated our 2022 NHL Draft rankings recently. You can find that here. Shane Wright still headlines the list but the gap is unquestionably closing as other candidates elevate their play.

With this piece our intention is to briefly introduce you to each of the players that fill out the rest of the Top 100 (ranked 50-100), after previously looking at the Top 50. Below you will find a short summary of their games in addition to a top highlight. In the coming months you will see in-depth scouting reports published by our regional scouts on each of these players (like this one on Shane Wright).

  1. David Spacek - Defense - Sherbrooke Phoenix (QMJHL)

The top ranked “re-entry” player on our list, Spacek is eligible for the NHL draft for the second time this July. A large reason for his positive development this year was the move to the QMJHL to play for Sherbrooke. Spacek has been operating at nearly a point per game all year for the Phoenix, while also playing heavy minutes in all situations as a top pairing defender. The son of former NHL defender Jaroslav Spacek, David plays a bit of a similar game. He has a very well-rounded profile and the progression in his offensive skill set is a major reason why he was selected to play for the Czech team at this year’s halted World Juniors. He skates well. He distributes the puck well. He plays with an edge in the defensive zone. There is a lot to like here. Given the bloodlines and the sharp development curve, Spacek is a player deserving of a Top 100 ranking despite being passed over last year.

  1. Angus Booth - Defense - Shawinigan Cataractes (QMJHL)

Booth is another well rounded defender who has taken massive steps forward this year in his second QMJHL season. He is not the most dynamic of defenders; he won’t wow you with skill or creativity. However, his game management skills are tremendous because of excellent vision and poise under pressure. He rarely turns the puck over, even under duress, and always seems to hit the mark with his exits. Booth also is a smart defensive player who shows great awareness in coverage, can win one on one jousts, and has increased his physical intensity over the course of the season. He will need to improve his ability to get shots through to remain a powerplay quarterback at the next level, but his vision and ability to hold the line are transferable and projectable skills. Booth is definitely a favourite of our east coast scouting team.

  1. Jake Livanavage - Defense - Chicago Steel (USHL)

Yes, Livanavage is undersized. Yes, there may be some concern over his ability to defend consistently at the next level. However, his offensive skill set is extremely exciting. One of the draft's best movers on the back end, Livanavage loves to push the pace and lead the attack. Not only is he explosive moving forward, but his ability to use pivots, c-cuts, and linear crossovers allows him to alter pace and direction while maintaining possession as well as any defender in the USHL. The North Dakota commit has been tremendous for the top-notch Steel all season long. He was also excellent for the U.S. at last summer’s Hlinka/Gretzky. One thing scouts will be watching for down the stretch is how Livanavage is able to perform in this year’s Clark Cup playoffs. Can he elevate his game further, especially in the defensive end, to help Chicago repeat as champions?

  1. Markus Vidicek - Center - Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)

The pandemic related stoppage was so poorly timed for Vidicek, who was playing his best hockey right before the QMJHL went on hiatus. Coming into the year, expectations were sky high for the Halifax pivot after a very strong rookie season a year ago. However, he got off to a very slow start, struggling in a second line role for the Mooseheads, passed on the depth chart by the dynamic Jordan Dumais. If he can come back after the restart and pick up where he left off, Vidicek should be able to recoup some of the hype he had previously. Vidicek is definitely not the biggest (5’10 and 154lbs), but he finds a way to get to the middle and does most of his damage from high traffic and high danger areas. He is most definitely not a perimeter player. His strong maneuverability and agility, combined with his strong anticipation and awareness, makes him a tough cover and an elusive player in the o-zone. With a solid work rate and a determined approach, Vidicek projects as a middle six playmaker.

Matthew Seminoff - Photo by Allen Douglas

  1. Matthew Seminoff - Wing - Kamloops Blazers (WHL)

Seminoff is a player who absolutely makes the best of his average skill set by outworking and outhustling the opposition. A strong linear skater, Seminoff uses his quickness to be one of the WHL’s elite forecheckers. He is just flat out annoying to play against with how he consistently applies pressure and forces turnovers. Seminoff isn’t just a high energy player, he’s also a highly intelligent one who understands how to play without the puck and work between coverage. His strong anticipation makes him a true puck magnet. The combination of his speed, tenaciousness, and IQ, makes him the perfect complementary player. That said, there may be some limitations to his finishing and play creation abilities. And as a late born ‘03, he is already a little more advanced in his development. He has been in a slump the last month or so, which begs the question of whether his offensive production is falling back down to Earth. Regardless, Seminoff does look like he has a chance at becoming a Michael Bunting kind of player at the NHL level.

  1. Kasper Kulonummi - Defense - Jokerit (Fin U20)

Right now, the battle for the first Finnish defender off the board this year is between Salin and Kulonummi, with the former being a little quicker and athletic (and thus a higher grade from us). Kulonummi is a solid prospect in his own right, though. He rarely makes a mistake with the puck and shows great composure in the offensive end running the point. His lateral mobility is a strength, and he holds the line well, getting pucks on net while managing the powerplay. Kulonummi’s defensive game also shows promise because of his IQ and ability to disrupt the slot with an active stick. At this point, the question becomes, what kind of upside does Kulonummi have? A lack of physical tools may hold him back and he may not be innately skilled enough to overcome that. He looks like a solid mid round selection because right now the upside is probably not higher than a solid #4-5.

Vinzenz Rohrer of the Ottawa 67's. Photo by Robert Lefebvre /OHL Images.

  1. Vinzenz Rohrer - Wing - Ottawa 67’s (OHL)

Rohrer has become a favourite of our OHL scouting team this year because of his work rate and versatility. He seems to have an endless well of energy and never stops moving his feet. He brings physicality on the forecheck and backcheck. He kills penalties and blocks shots. He can play the wing or center. He problem solves well through traffic and has the quick hands to match his quick feet. Rohrer is a dangerous transitional attacker who moves well East/West and is unpredictable. He’s more shifty than explosive, so adding power to his first few strides would really help his game. His shot and finishing skills could also be improved upon. But Rohrer’s versatility will be enticing to NHL scouts as he looks like the perfect modern day third liner. He had a really great opportunity to shine at the WJC’s, playing on Austria’s first line with Marco Kasper, but the tournament was obviously cut short.

  1. Elias Salomonsson - Defense - Skelleftea J20 (Swe J20)

Talk about a fall from grace. At this time last year, Salomonsson was considered a candidate to be the top defenseman selected and a possible top ten candidate. A poor Hlinka/Gretzky cup performance and a lack of development in the defensive end this year has led to a free fall for the smooth skating, right shot defender. The physical tools are terrific. His grades as a skater and as a creative playmaker are near the top of this class, especially from the blueline. Once he builds a head of steam exiting the defensive zone, he is hard to stop and it makes him a very dangerous player on the counter attack. However, our scouts aren’t convinced he has the toolbox to truly take advantage of his elite tools. He struggles with turnovers. He struggles in the defensive end. Both of those can be attributed to a possible lack of IQ and awareness and that is concerning. Our ranking of him is undoubtedly lower than he will go in the NHL draft. Someone will bank on his game coming together. And there’s still a chance that happens later this year. But right now, this is where we feel comfortable ranking him as a boom or bust prospect.

  1. Liam Arnsby - Center - North Bay Battalion (OHL)

Not every draft prospect has to be a potential game breaker. NHL teams need to find quality role players too. Insert Liam Arnsby, who profiles as a Scott Laughton, Casey Cizikas type at the NHL level. After struggling as an OHL rookie two seasons ago (Arnsby is a late born ‘03 and former member of that dominant Don Mills Flyers OHL Cup winning team), Arnsby has made great strides in his skating and skill development this year. He is an extremely tenacious center who is one of the most physical forwards in the OHL. He consistently competes in the defensive end and takes on tough assignments for the Battalion, working to shut down the opposition’s best. With the adjustments made to his ability to handle the puck at full speed, Arnsby has the confidence to lead the attack and is always looking to drive the middle to create. There will be limitations as he moves up the ladder, but he has a real solid shot of becoming a long-time pro. Further development as a skater will be key.

  1. Daniil Orlov - Defense - Sakhalinskiye Akuly (MHL)

Orlov is a good-sized Russian defender who is flying under the radar a bit right now. He doesn’t play for a major MHL program, and he hasn’t played for the Russian national team, but there are some projectable tools that our Russian regional scout really likes. He skates well and has impressive top speed that allows him to lead the attack. He shows well as a powerplay quarterback with his big point shot and ability to get pucks through. He has an active stick in the defensive zone and is quick to counter by skating the puck out of trouble to complete the exit. He is a late born ‘03, so his solid production in the MHL does need to be measured cautiously. Additionally, he could stand to play with a little more physical intensity, especially covering the net front. However, Orlov does show potential as a puck mover with size and mobility.

]]> https://www.mckeenshockey.com/nhl-blog/2022-nhl-draft-midseason-ranking-top-100-player-profiles-video-71-80/feed/ 0 2022 NHLDRAFT: MCKEEN’S MID-SEASON RANKING – TOP 100 https://www.mckeenshockey.com/nhl-blog/2022-nhldraft-mckeens-mid-season-ranking-top-100/ https://www.mckeenshockey.com/nhl-blog/2022-nhldraft-mckeens-mid-season-ranking-top-100/#respond Fri, 21 Jan 2022 20:59:29 +0000 https://www.mckeenshockey.com/?p=175057 Read More... from 2022 NHLDRAFT: MCKEEN’S MID-SEASON RANKING – TOP 100

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RED DEER, ALBERTA - DECEMBER 26: USA vs Slovakia preliminary round action at the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship at WP Centrium on December 26, 2021 in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Matt Zambonin/HHOF-IIHF Images)

A new year means a new draft ranking at McKeen’s Hockey, as we expand our list at mid-season to a Top 100. Back in mid-November, we released our preliminary ranking, a top 32, so this serves not only as an update, but an expansion too.

Like many, we were disappointed with the abrupt ending of the World Junior Championships, not just because it robbed us of some terrific hockey, but because it prevented a high-quality look at some of the best talents in this draft year. While a poor showing at the World Juniors is often dismissed, a strong showing can really help elevate a player’s standing. Ultimately, the decision to stop the tournament was the correct one, given the circumstances, however, hopefully the World Under 18’s can occur in Germany as planned in April.

At this point Kingston Frontenacs center and former CHL exceptional status player Shane Wright remains at the top of our rankings, however the gap is admittedly closing between him and some of the other players inside of our top five. Defenseman Simon Nemec is having a historically good season in the Slovak men’s league and will play for Slovakia at the Olympics. Center Logan Cooley is proving to be a dynamic two-way threat and is fresh off a terrific performance at the Biosteel All American Game. Center Matthew Savoie of the Winnipeg Ice continues to lead the WHL in scoring on the top ranked team in the Canadian Hockey League. A year ago, it was unfathomable to imagine anyone else but Wright being selected first overall. That concept is not as far-fetched today. Without question, Wright will need to pick up his play in the second half to withstand his competitors.

Looking specifically at those ranked inside our first round (top 32), the positional breakdown is as follows: 10 defenders, 22 forwards, and zero goaltenders. In fact, we do not have a single goaltender ranked inside the first two rounds. Tyler Brennan and Topias Leinonen are our top goaltenders, ranked 84th and 87th, respectively. The quality and depth of goaltenders available this year may be the worst that we have ever seen as a scouting staff.

Regionally, the breakdown is as follows: ten players from the CHL, seven players from the USHL (more specifically the NTDP), four players in Sweden, four players in Russia, three players in Finland, two players in Slovakia, and two players in Czechia. The U.S. National Development program is extremely well represented with ten players inside of our first two rounds.

This top 100 was formed in consultation with our regional scouts and our video scouting team. Now that we have our midseason list formed, look for our annual, in-depth individual scouting reports to start being published in the very near future.

Shane Wright of the KIngston Frontenacs. Photo by Robert Lefebvre/OHL Images.
RANK PLAYER POS TEAM HT/WT DOB GP-G-A-PTS
1 Shane Wright C Kingston (OHL) 6-1/190 5-Jan-04 25-12-19-31
2 Simon Nemec D HK Nitra (Svk) 6-1/190 15-Feb-04 28-0-19-19
3 Matthew Savoie C Winnipeg (WHL) 5-9/180 1-Jan-04 35-19-34-53
4 Logan Cooley C USN U18 (USDP) 5-10/180 4-May-04 25-15-20-35
5 Danila Yurov RW Metallurg Magnitogorsk (KHL) 6-1/175 22-Dec-03 21-0-0-0
6 Joakim Kemell RW JyP (Fin-Liiga) 5-11/175 27-Apr-04 21-12-6-18
7 Juraj Slafkovsky LW TPS (Fin-Liiga) 6-4/225 30-Mar-04 20-1-3-4
8 Conor Geekie C Winnipeg (WHL) 6-4/205 5-May-04 35-11-27-38
9 Brad Lambert C JyP (Fin-Liiga) 6-0/180 19-Dec-03 24-2-4-6
10 Ivan Miroshnichenko LW Omskie Krylia (VHL) 6-1/185 4-Feb-04 30-9-6-15
11 David Jiricek D HC Plzen (Cze) 6-3/190 28-Nov-03 29-5-6-11
12 Filip Mesar C HK Poprad (Svk) 5-10/165 3-Jan-04 22-6-5-11
13 Pavel Mintyukov D Saginaw (OHL) 6-1/190 25-Nov-03 31-6-17-23
14 Denton Mateychuk D Moose Jaw (WHL) 5-11/190 12-Jul-04 35-7-24-31
15 Marco Kasper C Rogle BK (SHL) 6-1/185 8-Apr-04 27-4-2-6
16 Alexander Perevalov LW Loko Yaroslavl (MHL) 6-0/190 16-Apr-04 29-19-20-39
17 Seamus Casey D USN U18 (USDP) 5-10/160 8-Jan-04 31-5-13-18
18 Frank Nazar C USN U18 (USDP) 5-10/175 14-Jan-04 33-15-23-38
19 Noah Ostlund C Djurgardens J20 (Swe J20) 5-10/160 11-Mar-04 19-6-18-24
20 Cutter Gauthier C USN U18 (USDP) 6-2/190 19-Jan-04 33-20-12-32
21 Jonathan Lekkerimaki C Djurgardens J20 (Swe J20) 5-11/170 24-Jul-04 25-19-15-34
22 Tristan Luneau D Gatineau (QMJHL) 6-2/175 12-Jan-04 26-5-10-15
23 Nathan Gaucher C Quebec (QMJHL) 6-3/205 6-Nov-03 30-15-11-26
24 Ty Nelson D North Bay (OHL) 5-9/195 30-Mar-04 33-5-21-26
25 Vladimir Grudinin D Krasnaya Armiya Moskva (MHL) 5-10/160 9-Dec-03 15-2-7-9
26 Owen Beck C Mississauga (OHL) 5-11/190 3-Feb-04 33-13-16-29
27 Simon Forsmark D Orebro (SHL) 6-2/195 17-Oct-03 22-0-1-1
28 Mats Lindgren D Kamloops (WHL) 5-11/175 26-Aug-04 34-2-19-21
29 Rutger McGroarty LW USN U18 (USDP) 6-1/205 30-Mar-04 27-15-17-32
30 Jiri Kulich C Karlovy Vary (Cze) 6-0/175 14-Apr-04 31-7-4-11
31 Isaac Howard LW USN U18 (USDP) 5-10/180 30-Mar-04 33-15-24-39
32 Jimmy Snuggerud RW USN U18 (USDP) 6-1/185 1-Jun-04 33-16-22-38
33 Filip Bystedt C Linkopings (SHL) 6-4/185 4-Feb-04 14-1-1-2
34 Brandon Lisowsky LW Saskatoon (WHL) 5-8/175 13-Apr-04 35-19-10-29
35 Jagger Firkus RW Moose Jaw (WHL) 5-10/155 29-Apr-04 38-23-21-44
36 Maveric Lamoureux D Drummondville (QMJHL) 6-7/195 13-Jan-04 30-3-8-11
37 Matthew Poitras C Guelph (OHL) 5-11/175 10-Mar-04 29-10-13-23
38 Adam Ingram C Youngstown (USHL) 6-2/165 14-Oct-03 27-16-20-36
39 Liam Ohgren LW Djurgardens (SHL) 6-0/185 28-Jan-04 21-1-1-2
40 Calle Odelius D Djurgardens J20 (Swe J20) 6-0/185 30-May-04 28-4-17-21
41 Sam Rinzel D Chaska (USHS-MN) 6-4/180 25-Jun-04 13-3-13-16
42 Ludwig Persson LW Frolunda J20 (Swe J20) 6-0/180 8-Oct-03 24-16-19-35
43 Artyom Duda D Krasnaya Armiya Moskva (Rus) 6-1/180 8-Apr-04 36-11-20-31
44 Jani Nyman RW KOOVEE (Fin-Mestis) 6-3/210 30-Jul-04 23-14-9-23
45 Matyas Sapovaliv C Saginaw (OHL) 6-3/180 12-Feb-04 31-10-16-26
46 Kevin Korchinski D Seattle (WHL) 6-1/185 21-Jun-04 32-4-24-28
47 Gleb Trikozov RW Omskie Yastreby (MHL) 6-1/185 12-Aug-04 17-9-8-17
48 David Goyette C Sudbury (OHL) 5-11/170 27-Mar-04 32-12-18-30
49 Owen Pickering D Swift Current (WHL) 6-3/180 27-Jan-04 34-6-15-21
50 Lian Bichsel D Leksands (SHL) 6-5/215 18-May-04 13-0-1-1
51 Paul Ludwinski LW Kingston (OHL) 5-11/175 23-Apr-04 28-6-13-19
52 Jordan Dumais RW Halifax (QMJHL) 5-8/165 15-Apr-04 30-16-31-47
53 Aleksanteri Kaskimaki LW HIFK (Fin U20) 6-0/185 6-Feb-04 22-15-14-29
54 Luca Del Bel Belluz C Mississauga (OHL) 6-1/180 10-Nov-03 33-18-27-45
55 Ryan Chesley D USN U18 (USDP) 6-0/195 27-Feb-04 32-2-5-7
56 Danny Zhilkin C Guelph (OHL) 6-2/185 19-Dec-03 27-10-14-24
57 Isaiah George D London (OHL) 6-0/195 15-Feb-04 29-1-9-10
58 Rieger Lorenz LW Okotoks (AJHL) 6-1/185 30-Mar-04 43-28-39-67
59 Tyler Duke D USN U18 (USDP) 5-8/180 19-Jul-04 27-1-7-8
60 Mattias Havelid D Linkopings (SHL) 5-9/170 1-Jan-04 12-0-0-0
61 Arseni Koromyslov D SKA-1946 St. Petersburg (MHL) 6-3/180 3-Nov-03 22-0-8-8
62 Jack Hughes 2 C Northeastern (NCAA-HE) 6-0/165 2-Nov-03 22-5-4-9
63 Lane Hutson D USN U18 (USDP) 5-8/150 14-Feb-04 33-4-25-29
64 Gavin Hayes RW Flint (OHL) 6-1/175 14-May-04 30-8-9-17
65 Otto Salin D HIFK (Fin-Liiga) 5-11/185 7-Mar-04 5-0-1-1
66 Hunter Haight C Barrie (OHL) 5-10/175 4-Apr-04 24-8-6-14
67 Antonin Verreault LW Gatineau (QMJHL) 5-8/165 28-Jul-04 29-8-18-26
68 Cameron Lund RW Green Bay (USHL) 6-2/185 7-Jun-04 30-11-9-20
69 Bryce McConnell-Barker C Soo Greyhounds (OHL) 6-1/185 4-Jun-04 34-11-12-23
70 Brennan Ali C Lincoln (USHL) 6-1/195 9-Feb-04 2-0-0-0
71 David Spacek D Sherbrooke (QMJHL) 6-0/170 18-Feb-03 27-5-20-25
72 Angus Booth D Shawinigan (QMJHL) 6-0/175 27-Apr-04 30-1-20-21
73 Jake Livanavage D Chicago (USHL) 5-9/160 6-May-04 32-2-25-27
74 Markus Vidicek C Halifax (QMJHL) 5-10/160 21-Mar-04 30-9-18-27
75 Matthew Seminoff RW Kamloops (WHL) 5-10/160 27-Dec-03 30-15-18-33
76 Kasper Kulonummi D Jokerit (Fin U20) 6-0/175 1-Mar-04 25-2-16-18
77 Vinzenz Rohrer RW Ottawa (OHL) 5-10/160 9-Sep-04 30-9-14-23
78 Elias Salomonsson D Skelleftea J20 (Swe J20) 6-1/170 31-Aug-04 24-8-9-17
79 Liam Arnsby C North Bay (OHL) 5-10/180 20-Nov-03 32-8-10-18
80 Daniil Orlov D Sakhalinskiye Akuly (MHL) 6-2/180 21-Dec-03 44-8-18-26
81 Quinn Finley LW Madison (USHL) 6-0/170 8-Aug-04 14-5-5-10
82 Topi Ronni C Tappara (Fin U20) 6-1/180 5-May-04 21-7-11-18
83 Jordan Gustafson C Seattle (WHL) 5-11/180 20-Jan-04 29-13-18-31
84 Tyler Brennan G Prince George (WHL) 6-4/190 27-Sep-03 8-11-2, 3.34, .902
85 Cole Spicer C USN U18 (USDP) 5-10/175 13-Jun-04 31-10-12-22
86 Ryan Greene C Green Bay (USHL) 6-1/175 21-Oct-03 28-10-16-26
87 Topias Leinonen G JyP (Fin U20) 6-4/215 19-Jul-04 17GP, 2.17, .919
88 Alexander Suzdalev LW HV 71 J20 (Swe J20) 6-2/175 5-Mar-04 31-11-22-33
89 Pano Fimis C Niagara (OHL) 5-10/175 17-Jun-04 27-5-14-19
90 Spencer Sova D Erie (OHL) 6-1/185 10-Jan-04 30-2-12-14
91 Yoan Loshing C Moncton (QMJHL) 5-9/160 29-Feb-04 19-8-5-13
92 Jack Devine RW Denver (NCHC) 5-11/175 1-Oct-03 19-2-12-14
93 Ruslan Gazizov RW London (OHL) 5-11/185 21-Jan-04 20-5-11-16
94 Jackson Dorrington D Des Moines (USHL) 6-2/190 13-Apr-04 27-3-7-10
95 Jorian Donovan D Hamilton (OHL) 6-1/180 5-Apr-04 31-3-9-12
96 Jere Lassila C JyP (Fin U20) 5-9/170 8-Mar-04 13-7-4-11
97 Tucker Robertson C Peterborough (OHL) 5-11/190 22-Jun-03 31-19-23-42
98 Noah Warren D Gatineau (QMJHL) 6-5/215 15-Jul-04 29-3-9-12
99 Zakary Lavoie RW Mississauga (OHL) 5-11/170 15-Mar-04 31-10-15-25
100 Boston Buckberger D Brooks (AJHL) 5-10/175 1-Jun-03 42-11-9-20
]]> https://www.mckeenshockey.com/nhl-blog/2022-nhldraft-mckeens-mid-season-ranking-top-100/feed/ 0 2022 NHLDRAFT: MCKEEN’S MID-SEASON RANKING – TOP 32 https://www.mckeenshockey.com/nhl-blog/2022-nhldraft-mckeens-mid-season-ranking-top-32/ https://www.mckeenshockey.com/nhl-blog/2022-nhldraft-mckeens-mid-season-ranking-top-32/#respond Fri, 21 Jan 2022 20:58:52 +0000 https://www.mckeenshockey.com/?p=175064 Read More... from 2022 NHLDRAFT: MCKEEN’S MID-SEASON RANKING – TOP 32

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RED DEER, ALBERTA - DECEMBER 26: USA vs Slovakia preliminary round action at the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship at WP Centrium on December 26, 2021 in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada. (Photo by Matt Zambonin/HHOF-IIHF Images)

A new year means a new draft ranking at McKeen’s Hockey, as we expand our list at mid-season to a Top 100. Back in mid-November, we released our preliminary ranking, a top 32, so this serves not only as an update, but an expansion too.

Like many, we were disappointed with the abrupt ending of the World Junior Championships, not just because it robbed us of some terrific hockey, but because it prevented a high-quality look at some of the best talents in this draft year. While a poor showing at the World Juniors is often dismissed, a strong showing can really help elevate a player’s standing. Ultimately, the decision to stop the tournament was the correct one, given the circumstances, however, hopefully the World Under 18’s can occur in Germany as planned in April.

At this point Kingston Frontenacs center and former CHL exceptional status player Shane Wright remains at the top of our rankings, however the gap is admittedly closing between him and some of the other players inside of our top five. Defenseman Simon Nemec is having a historically good season in the Slovak men’s league and will play for Slovakia at the Olympics. Center Logan Cooley is proving to be a dynamic two-way threat and is fresh off a terrific performance at the Biosteel All American Game. Center Matthew Savoie of the Winnipeg Ice continues to lead the WHL in scoring on the top ranked team in the Canadian Hockey League. A year ago, it was unfathomable to imagine anyone else but Wright being selected first overall. That concept is not as far-fetched today. Without question, Wright will need to pick up his play in the second half to withstand his competitors.

Looking specifically at those ranked inside our first round (top 32), the positional breakdown is as follows: 10 defenders, 22 forwards, and zero goaltenders. In fact, we do not have a single goaltender ranked inside the first two rounds. Tyler Brennan and Topias Leinonen are our top goaltenders, ranked 84th and 87th, respectively. The quality and depth of goaltenders available this year may be the worst that we have ever seen as a scouting staff.

Regionally, the breakdown is as follows: ten players from the CHL, seven players from the USHL (more specifically the NTDP), four players in Sweden, four players in Russia, three players in Finland, two players in Slovakia, and two players in Czechia. The U.S. National Development program is extremely well represented with ten players inside of our first two rounds.

This top 100 was formed in consultation with our regional scouts and our video scouting team. Now that we have our midseason list formed, look for our annual, in-depth individual scouting reports to start being published in the very near future.

Shane Wright of the KIngston Frontenacs. Photo by Robert Lefebvre/OHL Images.
RANK PLAYER POS TEAM HT/WT DOB GP-G-A-PTS
1 Shane Wright C Kingston (OHL) 6-1/190 5-Jan-04 25-12-19-31
2 Simon Nemec D HK Nitra (Svk) 6-1/190 15-Feb-04 28-0-19-19
3 Matthew Savoie C Winnipeg (WHL) 5-9/180 1-Jan-04 35-19-34-53
4 Logan Cooley C USN U18 (USDP) 5-10/180 4-May-04 25-15-20-35
5 Danila Yurov RW Metallurg Magnitogorsk (KHL) 6-1/175 22-Dec-03 21-0-0-0
6 Joakim Kemell RW JyP (Fin-Liiga) 5-11/175 27-Apr-04 21-12-6-18
7 Juraj Slafkovsky LW TPS (Fin-Liiga) 6-4/225 30-Mar-04 20-1-3-4
8 Conor Geekie C Winnipeg (WHL) 6-4/205 5-May-04 35-11-27-38
9 Brad Lambert C JyP (Fin-Liiga) 6-0/180 19-Dec-03 24-2-4-6
10 Ivan Miroshnichenko LW Omskie Krylia (VHL) 6-1/185 4-Feb-04 30-9-6-15
11 David Jiricek D HC Plzen (Cze) 6-3/190 28-Nov-03 29-5-6-11
12 Filip Mesar C HK Poprad (Svk) 5-10/165 3-Jan-04 22-6-5-11
13 Pavel Mintyukov D Saginaw (OHL) 6-1/190 25-Nov-03 31-6-17-23
14 Denton Mateychuk D Moose Jaw (WHL) 5-11/190 12-Jul-04 35-7-24-31
15 Marco Kasper C Rogle BK (SHL) 6-1/185 8-Apr-04 27-4-2-6
16 Alexander Perevalov LW Loko Yaroslavl (MHL) 6-0/190 16-Apr-04 29-19-20-39
17 Seamus Casey D USN U18 (USDP) 5-10/160 8-Jan-04 31-5-13-18
18 Frank Nazar C USN U18 (USDP) 5-10/175 14-Jan-04 33-15-23-38
19 Noah Ostlund C Djurgardens J20 (Swe J20) 5-10/160 11-Mar-04 19-6-18-24
20 Cutter Gauthier C USN U18 (USDP) 6-2/190 19-Jan-04 33-20-12-32
21 Jonathan Lekkerimaki C Djurgardens J20 (Swe J20) 5-11/170 24-Jul-04 25-19-15-34
22 Tristan Luneau D Gatineau (QMJHL) 6-2/175 12-Jan-04 26-5-10-15
23 Nathan Gaucher C Quebec (QMJHL) 6-3/205 6-Nov-03 30-15-11-26
24 Ty Nelson D North Bay (OHL) 5-9/195 30-Mar-04 33-5-21-26
25 Vladimir Grudinin D Krasnaya Armiya Moskva (MHL) 5-10/160 9-Dec-03 15-2-7-9
26 Owen Beck C Mississauga (OHL) 5-11/190 3-Feb-04 33-13-16-29
27 Simon Forsmark D Orebro (SHL) 6-2/195 17-Oct-03 22-0-1-1
28 Mats Lindgren D Kamloops (WHL) 5-11/175 26-Aug-04 34-2-19-21
29 Rutger McGroarty LW USN U18 (USDP) 6-1/205 30-Mar-04 27-15-17-32
30 Jiri Kulich C Karlovy Vary (Cze) 6-0/175 14-Apr-04 31-7-4-11
31 Isaac Howard LW USN U18 (USDP) 5-10/180 30-Mar-04 33-15-24-39
32 Jimmy Snuggerud RW USN U18 (USDP) 6-1/185 1-Jun-04 33-16-22-38
]]> https://www.mckeenshockey.com/nhl-blog/2022-nhldraft-mckeens-mid-season-ranking-top-32/feed/ 0 The Late Bloomer: Inside Josh Doan’s dominant season with the Chicago Steel and development into becoming one of the top re-entry players in the 2021 NHL Draft https://www.mckeenshockey.com/nhl-blog/late-bloomer-josh-doans-dominant-season-chicago-steel-development-top-re-entry-players-2021-nhl-draft/ https://www.mckeenshockey.com/nhl-blog/late-bloomer-josh-doans-dominant-season-chicago-steel-development-top-re-entry-players-2021-nhl-draft/#respond Wed, 07 Jul 2021 18:39:21 +0000 https://www.mckeenshockey.com/?p=171794 Read More... from The Late Bloomer: Inside Josh Doan’s dominant season with the Chicago Steel and development into becoming one of the top re-entry players in the 2021 NHL Draft

]]> When Ryan Hardy first took the job to become the General Manager of the Chicago Steel, he found himself thrown into the fire right from the get-go, tasked with preparing for the USHL Futures Draft on short notice.

Scrolling through hours of video searching for the next generation of players that would shape the future culture of the program, he came across a very familiar last name. As the Coyotes maroon jersey did its job of popping off the screen, it was the #19 on the Arizona Jr. Coyotes that had the “Doan” last name on the back of it.

Josh Doan. Photo courtesy of the Chicago Steel.

“He was a pretty small guy, but he worked hard, and he was smart, and he made plays.” said Hardy, who first noticed Josh Doan during sifting through the film of the 150 USA Hockey National Championships. “He kind of reminded me of Brady Tkachuk looked in Bantam, five feet five inches tall, really smart and really competitive.”

Despite Doan’s small frame, Hardy saw the potential and decided to take a chance and select him with the 95th overall pick in the 6th round of the 2018 draft. At the time, Doan was prepping on taking a different route, following in his father’s footsteps to play Major Junior in the Western Hockey League.

“I didn’t know much about the [USHL] because we had been focused on the Western Hockey League.” Doan explained, who was caught by surprise when the Steel had selected him.

Nevertheless, after another productive season with the Jr. Coyotes where he tallied 36 points in 30 games, Doan earned a spot with the Steel, with a development plan put in place that would focus on continuing to develop his body.

“The original plan was to play half the games, and then work out the other half, so that I could continue to get stronger and work on my body,” he said, as they discussed the plan for his rookie season. “Once I got there, luckily I think they put a little more trust in me and I got to play more.”

Fast forward two seasons into their ‘master plan’, Doan now stands at six feet and two inches, weighing in around 180 lbs, following a dominant season in which he helped lead the Steel to a Clark Cup championship notching 70 points in 53 games, and was named to the All-USHL Second Team.

Although Doan’s journey to becoming one of the most dominant players in the USHL was a long and grueling process that required patience and hard work, the people around Doan on a regular basis all shared the same thought:

It was only a matter of time until he finally put it altogether.

_________________________

If you have watched a Chicago Steel game on HockeyTV, you’ve heard Mark Citron, the play-by-play broadcaster call Josh Doan by his nickname, a nickname that is hands down one of the most creative in all of junior hockey.

The Diesel.

Josh Doan. Photo courtesy of the Chicago Steel

“It started in Sioux City during a morning skate, Parker Hoffman, our equipment guy was messing around with Mark Citron our commentator and they came up with Diesel.” Doan said explaining the origins of his nickname from his rookie season. “I ended up scoring my first goal that night, so it stuck.”

On a team that featured a forward corps of the top three scorers in the league followed by the Defensemen of the Year on the back end in Owen Power, not much was asked of Doan in his rookie season. His main priority was getting his body and mindset acclimated to junior hockey.

“It was frustrating early on, being a guy that wants to produce at a high level for this team,” Doan admitted, dealing with the struggles of being a rookie in junior hockey. “I learned a lot.”

Despite finding himself in and out of the lineup throughout his rookie season, Doan remained patient heading into the off-season, and then when the season ended abruptly due to the pandemic, Hardy and Josh and his family re-assessed the plan and more specifically, setting up an off-season routine that would continue the work that he had started developing during his rookie season.

“Adding the strength and the seating, were probably the two biggest areas of focus for it,” Hardy said was the main point of emphasis for Doan’s off-season plan.

During the early stages of the pandemic when the lockdown was in effect, Doan developed a daily routine of using the squat rack he had to continue that explosive work, but also the little things; like, shooting pucks for hours and hours under the Arizona sun.

Luckily once things opened up a little bit in Arizona, he had the perfect group of guys around him to help keep his goals in check.

This group included the likes of all the top junior players in the Arizona area, players that he grew up with throughout his minor hockey career, such as fellow Steel teammates Erik Middendorf and Jake Livanavage, Riley Stuart of the Dubuque Fighting Saints (who will also be joining Doan at Arizona State), and Tri-City Storm forward Matthew Knies.

“Having him to compete with in the weight room allowed me to get more out myself and the same for him,” said Knies, who has been best friends with Doan for a number of years, dating back to their days playing together with the Jr. Coyotes.

“I’m very grateful I got to compete with and against him, obviously he’s a tremendous hockey player and it’s not surprising for how hardworking and dedicated he is.”

Although the main goal for the group during the summer was to prepare for the upcoming season, and at times when there would be an odd number of guys at the rink, Josh’s father would turn back the clock in his referee shin guards and tracksuit and hop in and train with them.

“I absolutely loved getting to skate once in a while with the guys this summer,” said the long-time NHLer, who would only jump in when there would be an odd number of guys on the ice.

“Everyone laughs because the way he’s built, he’s just bigger than everyone without gear, it just doesn’t make sense,” said Josh on what it was like scrimmaging against his dad. “He’s definitely not as fast as he once was, but his brain definitely still thinks at a high enough level to get him by and still dominate.”

With a significant roster turnover of players graduating to the next level, this meant that there would be plenty of opportunity to take that next step and earn a bigger role.

This meant that the returning players, the likes of Doan, Mackie Samoskevich and Matthew Coronato, would be thrusted into leadership roles, continuing to transfer the culture of the Steel organization to the new batch of teammates joining the club.

“Once I got to camp, it was, I felt good, I was confident myself right from the beginning,” Doan said, crediting it to the constant skating with his group in Arizona for the boost.

After getting the chance to sit back and learn from the veterans of the year before, Doan embraced his new role, both on the ice playing in increased minutes, but as well as off the ice as a leader inside the locker room.

“He was a really big mentor for me this year,” said Adam Fantilli, a teammate of Doan who entered the USHL as a 16-year-old this season. “He really helped me adjust to the team culture and playing style of the league.”

In combination with his new leadership role, Doan started out the season playing much more than he did the year before. As Doan continued to get acclimated into his new role with the team, this also meant having to deal with some growing pains along the way.

“I think I hold myself to a pretty high standard,” Doan said about his expectations for himself heading into the season. “I think early on in the year I came out the gate slow, and then I started worrying about points, and I think that kind of hurt me a little bit.”

With that being said, Doan looked to his father’s guidance, looking back at their previous conversation for their goal for the season, a goal that when you boil down to it, was quite simple: “Our thought process was just trying to be the best player on the ice every night, and then the points will come along,” he said. “Just play my game and be the best I can be, and it'll come.”

With 10 points in his first 15 games to start the season, despite the increase in ice and production nearing a point-per-game, the Arizona State commit still felt that there was still another gear that he could take his game to.

After finishing off 2020 on a three-game drought without points, Doan went into the new year seeking to finally follow through with the goals set by him and his father; Try to be the best player on the ice every single night.

Unlike many junior players, Doan was not superstitious by any means about it. Whether it would be choosing to joke with some of his teammates to loosen the mood within the locker room, if not, he would find himself listening to his favourite country music singers, Doan kept his routine simple heading into games.

Using the new year as a way to reset his mindset, Doan wasted no time to achieve his goal in the first week of the new year, and for Matthew Coronato, he got a front row seat to Josh’s season-defining weekend.

“That weekend he had was huge,” said Coronato, who was also in the middle of a hot streak of his own at the time. “Josh was dominant and contributed in big ways.”

In his first game of a back-to-back series against the NTDP U17s, Doan filled up the scoresheet with a goal and three assists. Despite the 7-5 loss in that game, Doan’s breakout performance gave him a reality check that this was possible.

“I think just getting one big night, followed by another kind of put me back in that thought process that I can compete at this level and not only compete but kind of dominate,” he said. “I was happy but there was still a lot of work to still do,”

And then the very next night, the Scottsdale native followed up on his belief, delivering yet another dominating performance, this time around, tallying a hat-trick and an assist in an 11-2 victory.

It was the spark that he needed, and from that point on, everything finally started to come together for Doan, who used this weekend to propel himself up to a level that he always knew he was capable of.

Doan would go on to have a dominant rest of the season with 53 points in his following 36 games, as the Steel would go on to steamroll their way through the USHL competition, ultimately capping it all off with a Clark Cup victory, a championship that felt was long overdue considering the untimely ending to last season.

As the days continue to go by, the draft continues to get closer and closer, and thanks in large part to Doan’s mid-season surge has catapulted himself as one of the premiere re-entry players in this entire draft class.

Ryan Wagman, the head of the McKeen’s scouting staff, has been able to catch a close viewing at Doan’s progression over the past year, and truly believes that he can have an impact at the next level.

“He is a bit faster now, but the biggest difference is his ability to process the game and drive events, instead of being reactive to them,” said Wagman about the improvements that the 79th rated player in the McKeen’s Top 217 rankings. “He plays an impact game… Many players improve a lot from age 17 to age 18, but few to this extent.”

Doan, who will be alongside his peers that will also be waiting to hear his name called, Coronato and Knies continue to preach the type of person and player that NHL teams will be getting from their friend.

“I loved playing with Josh,” Coronato replied, while Knies shared similar thoughts about his childhood best friend. “He’s a tremendous hockey player and it’s not surprising for how hardworking and dedicated he is.”

While the goal is to one day follow in his father’s footsteps and become an NHL player, Josh currently has his sights set for Tempe Arizona, as he prepares for his freshmen season with Greg Powers’ team at Arizona State, studying in their sports business program.

Shane’s advice for the upcoming steps in Josh’s hockey journey?

“I think the biggest thing is to enjoy it,” he says. “The game is meant to be fun and when you’re having fun, you’re creative.”

“Whether you’re drafted or not didn’t change your results for this year, and it won’t change your results for next year.”

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