Jeremy McKenna – McKeen's Hockey

QMJHL 2019-20 Season Preview: Early returns show parity, competition at top of standings

Mike Sanderson — Sat, 05 Oct 2019 13:01:36 +0000

Sorry, QMJHL friends, but the penthouse is overbooked.

Five teams have won four or more games to start this young 2019-20 season, and all five of those teams are within two points of each other.

The defending champion Rouyn-Noranda Huskies would not likely be anyone’s top pick as the best team for a second year, with all the movement of players this past summer. Missing stalwarts like Joël Teasdale, Félix Bibeau, Rafaël Harvey-Pinard, Peter Abbandonato and, for the moment, Noah Dobson has not slowed the Memorial Cup titleholders this season, as Vincent Marleau is tied for the league lead in points and Tyler Hinam has made huge strides in his game.

Netminder Zachary Emond has lost his first regulation game in over a season this year, but he has been solid with a 5-1 record to lead all goalies in wins.

While one would be remiss to expect that hot play to continue, the Huskies are at the top of the heap once more as the season rumbles into its third week. A repeat of their 59-win season of a year ago seems unlikely, as they will look to maximize return of their remaining current assets for future gains, but they can get the accolades while they are hot.

More expectedly in the Western Conference, the Sherbrooke Phoenix are in second place. The Phoenix boast an older lineup and the league’s top drafted player from last June’s NHL entry draft in Sam Poulin, who is looking to build on a strong first camp with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

His ability to take over a game at the left wing position and shut a team up or shut them down has been chronicled a lot with his strong playoff last season, and the Phoenix are looking to form their team around their captain’s strengths as they look poised to break team records for their best season in franchise history.

Alexis Lafreniere

Out east, the top three teams boast one potential surprise and two predicted top teams – the Rimouski Oceanic, the Cape Breton Eagles and the Charlottetown Islanders.

Rimouski enters the year with the most pressure to salvage results out of this season than any other team in the entirety of the Canadian junior league. They have potential top pick Alexis Lafrenière for this season and likely no more, and will attempt to build a contender around their wunderkind for a third season in a row. Last year, they were swept in the third round, and their regular season results will not matter this year. They have considerable pressure to be a contender this year, or the Lafrenière-led team will be considered a failure.

Lafrenière already has four multi-point games in his five games played so far this season. He has not skipped a beat. They also boast a strong starting goalie in Colten Ellis, and good offensive depth around the prodigal right winger, but their defence corps at this point is worse than last season’s edition, and Serge Beausoleil will feel the pressure to make moves at Christmas time to form a strong unit.

The Eagles are no longer Screaming, but they will provide plenty of emotions for their fans this year in Cape Breton. New ownership, a new coach in Jake Grimes, and a new outlook gives new life to one of the deepest teams in the QMJHL. While the team is lacking in top-end talent, they have plenty to be excited about throughout the lineup in forwards Mathias Laferrière, Shawn Boudrias and the impeccably named Ivan Ivan.

The team is lacking in a top star up front and a top defenceman on the back end, but the market is there for both of those holes, and they have a great goalie in Ottawa prospect Kevin Mandolese. A possible strong defender is still on the shelf, as overager Antoine Crête-Belzile is still recovering from post-concussion symptoms from a knock late last season.

Charlottetown is always in the mix as long as coach Jim Hulton is in the fold, and this season is no exception. The Islanders may not stay in this position all season long, but they have one of the best goalies in the league in Matt Welsh, who can steal games by himself, and a team that always stays committed to the game plan. Xavier Bernard on the back end is no slouch, and neither is the solid pivot Nikita Alexandrov.

The league’s best potential team is just behind the big five in Chicoutimi. The Saguenéens are in the best position to be contenders this season – a good mix of veterans, a very strong young core of Hendrix Lapierre, Théo Rochette and William Dufour, and three first round picks to make moves if they choose.

Of course, since many of their core players will not age out next season, they can choose which year in the next couple they want to load up their team.

If they choose this season, they have captain Harvey-Pinard and Ethan Crossman up front with Memorial Cup experience, an underrated goaltender in Alexis Shank and a solid-if-unspectacular defence group led by Artemi Knyazev. The Sags have a lot going for them this season, and the world is their oyster in terms of what they choose to do.

Another potential contending team is in Moncton, as the Wildcats made a move in the summer to set themselves up for a run this season. They acquired goaltender Olivier Rodrigue to start games for them this season, and the 19-year-old is likely AHL bound after the season. This turns this season into an important one for the Wildcats, who lost Jeremy McKenna and Jonathan Aspirot to pro contracts.

There is a chance they may receive both players back from their pro teams, but even with the veteran boosts, the Wildcats are still missing an impact defender to be a true contender. That blueliner could be Boston Bruins pick Axel Andersson, who is in limbo in Providence, but until he is physically in the uniform, no one knows for sure.

The draft this June will be interesting for another New Brunswick team: the Saint John Sea Dogs. The Dogs are the most polarizing team to predict this season, as they have many young potential stars in their lineup, but their core is still very young. Last season’s youngest team in the CHL is still wet-behind-the-ears, but the talent in undeniable, led by blueliner Jérémie Poirier.

Poirier will lead a defence corps with five 17-year-olds in the fold, including fellow draft prospects William Villeneuve, Joona Lehmus and Charlie Desroches. Up front, Josh Lawrence and Brady Burns return and along with Alex Drover and Dawson Stairs taking important roles, all at 17, they look to be setting themselves up for a bright run. Joshua Roy, the league’s top pick in the Q draft in June, is also on the team, taking a regular shift and having an impact in his first year in the league.

The Sea Dogs could catch lightning in a bottle or could crash and burn in their inexperience, but will provide must watch attention for draft watchers trying to catch the next NHL players from the QMJHL.

Last season’s Memorial Cup hosts in Halifax are not the team they were last season. This year, they are more of a one-line unit than a fleshed out juggernaut, led by forwards Benoît-Olivier Groulx, Raphaël Lavoie and Maxim Trepanier.

Jared McIsaac starts the year on the shelf for a considerable amount of time, leaving potential first rounder Justin Barron as the undisputed number one defender on the unit; a huge boon to his development. It is not the start new head coach Jean-Jacques Daigneault would have hoped for in taking the job, but he could really make a name for himself as a coach if Barron thrives in this environment.

It is expected that the Mooseheads will make some moves for the future during the mid-season trading period in which they kiss any or all of Lavoie, Trepanier, Groulx and McIsaac goodbye, which would dramatically alter the skills of this team in the second half.

Also looking ahead to the future is the Baie-Comeau Drakkar, who saw the fruits of their building labors tumble and sputter in a first-round upset to Moncton last spring. Nathan Légaré and Gabriel Fortier could be available to the highest bidder as the Drakkar hope to begin anew with a new coach in Jon Goyens, who has an excellent record of development at the midget level.

Goyens’s Lac-Saint-Louis teams have a reputation for producing many QMJHL players and pros, including Mike Matheson, Jonathan Drouin, Joe Veleno and Anthony Duclair. The Drakkar will have a chance to rebuild in his image, and he has earned it with his success at the midget level.

Drummondville will also be looking to cast off veterans in favour of younger players, as they hope to look to future years. The for-sale sign is on stars like Xavier Simoneau and Thomas Pelletier, while it has been rumoured that draft hopeful Dawson Mercer already has a new home lined up at Christmas when the trading period opens in late December.

In closing, here is a top-ten of QMJHL prospects to watch this season:

Alexis Lafreniere, Rimouski – his hype precedes him, but he’s absolutely worth it.

Hendrix Lapierre, Chicoutimi – missed some time last year with injury but hoping to make up for lost time.

Justin Barron, Halifax – Dobson-like skater and potential dominator on the back end.

Vasily Ponomarev, Shawinigan – a fitness freak in an optimal position to make things happen with lots of ice time.

Mavrik Bourque, Shawinigan – impressed on an offensive-weak Shawinigan last year with his skills and poise.

Theo Rochette, Chicoutimi – An early season injury sidelines him in a critical year, but will have plenty of opportunities.

Dawson Mercer, Drummondville – do-it-all two-way winger who skates well and can play all situations.

Jérémie Poirier, Saint John – great size and skating ability, is already a top-pairing defender in his draft year.

Lukas Cormier, Charlottetown – undersized, but excellent skater who can always make something happen offensively.

Noah Delémont, Acadie-Bathurst – great skater, great hockey sense and ability to handle minutes, especially internationally.

QMJHL Top Prospects: Three Wingers, Three Flavours – Lavoie, Poulin and Pelletier

Mike Sanderson — Sun, 16 Jun 2019 12:35:09 +0000

Pick your treat.

The QMJHL’s three best prospects are all intriguing options. They play the game differently, but they all bring strong skillsets to the table off the wing.

Every one of the three is capable of being a fan favourite at the next level, for different reasons; Halifax’s Raphaël Lavoie for his goal scoring and offensive abilities, Sherbrooke’s Samuel Poulin for his two-way play and Moncton’s Jakob Pelletier for his energy and 200km/h pace. Each winger has the tools to succeed, and we have already seen glimpses of their success in their junior careers.

The Halifax Mooseheads were the toast of junior hockey this season with the maximum amount of eyeballs directed their way all year long as the hosts of the Memorial Cup. While they got to the summit and lost, they still gained a lot of fans for their teamwork and resilience through the year, and that includes the Q’s best prospect in Lavoie.

Raphael Lavoie. Photo courtesy of the QMJHL.

Though the righty Lavoie struggled a bit through the first half of the season, he was part of a deadly trio in the second half of the year with veterans Antoine Morand and Samuel Asselin. That red-hot line produced a lot of offence in the months of January and February, helping propel the Mooseheads to the top of the Eastern Conference.

Once the playoffs began, the Raphaël Lavoie show opened its doors. The Chambly, QC, right winger stormed out of the gate and dominated the first three rounds. The Mooseheads struggled on occasion during that time, especially in the first round against the Quebec Remparts, but Lavoie was the one stabilizing offensive force, scoring 17 of his playoff leading 20 goals in the first three rounds, cooling off a bit in the final against the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies. He added three points in four Memorial Cup games.

While he did see his production slow down a bit in the final stages of the post-season, Lavoie solidified himself as the top QMJHL prospect with his strong offensive game centered around his great skating, shooting and stickhandling abilities. A second-round pick in his Q draft year, Lavoie exploded in his 17-year-old season, scoring 30 goals and 63 points while leading the league in game-winners.

Where Lavoie struggles is reading the play off the rush and his passing. He is capable of passing the puck well, but he needs to adjust to changing speeds and plays die off his blade when the speed shifts. There are plays offensively that see him pass off to a teammate hoping a Moosehead will get to the puck first, or a no-look pass into a defended area of the ice. Lavoie needs more awareness with the puck in the offensive zone, but he can read plays well in terms of shooting. Some refinement should settle this aspect of his game.

Defensively, Lavoie is adequate, and is helped by his long frame. His skating stride is longer and allows him to conserve more energy up and down the ice, using less strides than most to cover more ice. As a result, he can close gaps quicker at the QMJHL level, and it will be interesting to see where his game evolves in that area moving forward. Lavoie has shown the desire to improve without the puck, and has grown in that area in his Q career.

Despite his size, Lavoie does not seek out physical play, and takes punishment. He does not bang bodies in the corners, but his size allows him to protect the puck and explore all spots on the ice in pursuit of the puck with immunity. However, Lavoie is not a typical power forward at this point. He does have the size and the skating to be an effective power forward at some point in the future, but that time is not now.

Though Lavoie has played center in midget, he has not played at that position for an extended period of time at the QMJHL level, and his talents are better served off the wing. His skating would allow him to develop further into a center, if he puts the work in, but he is no center out-of-the-box. It would not be surprising to see him get more reps at center next season, however.

Samuel Poulin. Photo Courtesy of the QMJHL.

Samuel Poulin is a left-handed shot who plays the left side and has been Mr. Everything for the Sherbrooke Phoenix this past season. He’s been dominant at times offensively, strong defensively, physical, and an overall positive every time he steps on the ice. His play in the opening round against the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada nearly won the Phoenix the series single-handedly, and unlike Lavoie, Poulin is very much a willing physical participant. It is a major reason why Poulin has few doubts in terms of carving an NHL career.

His story starts with pedigree. Samuel’s father, Patrick, played parts of 11 seasons in the NHL from 1991 to 2002. Samuel was born in the tail end of Patrick’s career, while he was a member of the Montreal Canadiens. A lot of Patrick’s game is seen in Samuel’s; a strong, hard working, no-nonsense winger who can chip in on both ends of the ice. In junior hockey, in a higher-scoring era, Patrick had 138 points in the year after he was drafted, and he made the NHL full time at 19 years old. While those are lofty expectations, and Samuel likely won’t match Patrick’s ninth overall selection in 1991, Samuel had 76 points in his draft year, six more than his father, and produced 14 more in 10 playoff games.

Poulin has an excellent shot – forehand, backhand and a ferocious one-timer – that he can unleash at any time and in any area of the offensive zone. Not many players in junior hockey can pick corners from 40 feet out like he can, and he has the passing and stickhandling to allow him the room to shoot. Opponents have to respect his shot and his creativity, which makes him a dual threat off the rush and in the zone. He can find the open man and hit them on the tape from anywhere in the zone, and he can stickhandle to anywhere on the ice.

Poulin’s greatest asset, on top of all the skills demonstrated, is his elite hockey sense and IQ. He is seemingly always in the right place at the right time, with the consistency and smarts only a player who grew up around the game at a high level could have.

The only thing holding back Poulin is his skating ability, but it has improved strongly since he entered the QMJHL two seasons ago. His skating now opens up lanes for him offensively, and allows him the gap control and solid defensive play off the rush to hit where he aims to go at the correct time. His skating is still a work-in-progress, but his already-noted improvements in this area do not go unnoticed.

Jakob Pelletier. Photo courtesy of the QMJHL.

Last but not least is the engine of the Moncton Wildcats since he entered the league: winger Jakob Pelletier. From his first shift in the QMJHL he has been a leader on the ice for the team for his tenacious work ethic and his all-around offensive abilities. His 89 points are the most of the three players on this list, as he found instant chemistry with linemates Jeremy McKenna and Mika Cyr, both candidates for later-round selections as overage prospects. He also had 39 goals on the season.

Unlike the other two players, Pelletier suffered a lower-body injury in game 1 of the Wildcats’ first round series against Baie-Comeau, and he was never healthy for the rest of the playoffs. He missed some time and returned wounded to the lineup, basically skating on one good leg. As a result, putting stock in his three points in seven playoff games would be off the mark.

To really get the sense of Pelletier, one has to see him live. The stats are one thing, but his impact on every game needs to be seen. He is effective every shift in all zones. He is a hound for the puck and applying pressure with every stride. He is a smaller player at 5’9” and 157 pounds, but he plays like he is 6’2” and 220. He hits on the forecheck, he fights for his ice in the corners and in front of the net, and uses a quick reaction to send pucks into dangerous areas.

His shot is very good, but he scores more off rebounds and scrambles than off the rush, and his passing, on either hand, is strong. He is effective at reading the play at high speed and it opens up the lanes for him to wire a puck where it needs to go. He finds creative solutions to problems, and knows how to use his lower center of gravity to his advantage. It would not be unexpected to see his skating speed increase and his physical play ramp up when he gains more muscle.

Pelletier is a left-shooting left winger but he is not locked to that position on the ice. He patrols all sides and all areas, as long as his linemates allow. His defensive play is solid for his effort level; he may not always be in the best position defensively, but he works hard enough to prevent that being an issue, and he never gives up on a play, stretching out in desperation to block a pass or a shot. A team looking for a good up-and-down winger who fits in anywhere in the lineup will like what Pelletier brings to the table.

The top three in the QMJHL all patrol the wing, and all three bring different skills to the forefront. Will all three go in the first round later this month in Vancouver? Depends what flavours win out.

McKeen’s Choice Awards: QMJHL

Michael Sanderson — Fri, 14 Jun 2019 12:04:53 +0000

Mike Sanderson’s QMJHL Choice Awards

The 2019 NHL Draft is upon us, and there are many QMJHL hopeful among those vying for spots to be picked in Vancouver later this month. Let’s take a look at some of the more intriguing prospects available from the Quebec league with a “best-of” article.

Best Hockey Sense – Samuel Poulin, Sherbrooke Phoenix

Poulin has the most NHL-ready game among QMJHL hopefuls, and it will translate to the pro game. Poulin, son of former NHLer Patrick, has no true weakness in his game, and much of that is amounted to his ability to be in the right place at the right time consistently to drive the offence or force turnovers.

Also considered: Jakob Pelletier, Nikita Alexandrov, Maxence Guénette, Alex Beaucage

Most Skilled – Raphael Lavoie, Halifax Mooseheads

Lavoie has the most tantalizing package of skill available from the eastern-most Canadian junior league. He can fire off a shot in traffic, is a great skater using his long frame, and towers above opponents. His playoff performance helped solidify his position as the top QMJHL prospect, and even though his Memorial Cup play tapered off a bit, he is still the best available from the Q.

Also considered: Samuel Poulin, Jakob Pelletier, Maxim Cajkovic

Jakob Pelletier. Photo courtesy of the QMJHL.

Hardest to Play Against – Jakob Pelletier, Moncton Wildcats

Pelletier has the heart of a lion, despite his smaller frame. He is constantly in the grill of the opposition, and spends his shifts in the dangerous areas on a constant basis. He drives the forecheck and drives to the net on offence, and has had success doing so against bigger opponents even through he stands at 5’9”.

Also considered: Raphael Lavoie, Samuel Poulin, Nathan Légaré, Nikita Alexandrov

Best Playmaker – Jakob Pelletier, Moncton Wildcats

Pelletier is not the most traditional playmaker out there; he creates often without the puck on his stick, using his body or his stick to poke pucks away to set up scoring chances, but he has the puck handling, passing and hockey sense to play the playmaker role superbly when asked. He is the driving force on any line he’s on, with or without the puck, and he sets up plays for his teammates, either with a quick or calculated pass, or a shot to a teammate.

Also considered: Samuel Poulin, Raphael Lavoie, Mikhail Abramov, Xavier Simoneau, Alexei Sergeev

Best Skater – Jordan Spence, Moncton Wildcats

Spence adds a different dimension to Moncton’s attack when he is carrying the puck because his skating ability with the puck is so strong. He is a fast-skating stickhandler, and, paired with his smart passing, keeps teams on their heels with the Wildcats on offence. His skating can get him into trouble sometimes, as he can skate his way in and out of danger, but as he matures, he’ll have a better idea of control of his skating speed. In terms of raw skating ability and potential? Spence is tops.

Also considered: Alex Beaucage, Nikita Alexandrov, Jakob Pelletier, Raphael Lavoie

Nathan Legare. Photo courtesy of the QMJHL.

Best Shot – Nathan Légaré, Baie-Comeau Drakkar

Légaré is the true sniper of this draft class. He hunts goals and finds them, as his 45 goals shows. His nose for the net is his calling card, and he has a strong one-timer. He has strong hands in tight and his body is already NHL-sized at 6’0” and over 200 pounds , which should indicate his skills will translate moving forward. His skating is a concern.

Also considered: Raphael Lavoie, Alex Beaucage, Jeremy McKenna, Maxim Cajkovic, Brooklyn Kalmikov

Best Stickhandler – Valentin Nussbaumer, Shawinigan Cataractes

Nussbaumer has moves for days, and did not get the best chance to display them on an offensively-challenged Shawinigan squad this season. His hands are very quick and his legs keep up with his hands in tight, allowing him to turn on a dime with the puck and stay shifty in any position on the ice. His hands gave him more space to move around this season despite a slight frame.

Also considered: Mikhail Abramov, Yegor Serdyuk, Xavier Simoneau, Raphael Lavoie, Jakob Pelletier

Best Body Checker – Nathan Légaré, Baie-Comeau Drakkar

There are not many power forwards in this QMJHL class; as usual, the Q crop is loaded on offence and finesse, and light on physicality. Légaré grinds out for his goals in front of the net, and does smash when called upon, but his skating ability makes it tougher for him on the forecheck.

Also considered: Brent Budgell, Jakob Pelletier, Samuel Poulin

Best Defensive Forward – Samuel Poulin, Sherbrooke Phoenix

Poulin is very good in all the skills you want in a defensive forward – great skater, solid checker, great back-checker who can hound for loose pucks, strong positionally and active on every shift. His hockey sense pays off without the puck as well as with it.

Also considered: Jakob Pelletier, Raphael Lavoie, Maxim Cajkovic

Maxence Guénette

Best Defensive Defender – Maxence Guénette, Val-d’Or Foreurs

There are not many defensive-first defenders in the QMJHL draft this season, so the crown goes to one of the best two-way defenders instead. Guénette is very smart in his own end and eats a lot of minutes for Val-d’Or. He is responsible, a great skater with great gap control, and does not get overwhelmed with offensive pressure. He can skate his way out of trouble and rarely errs in his decision-making.

Also considered: Justin Bergeron, Thomas Pelletier

Best Offensive Defender – Jordan Spence, Moncton Wildcats

Spence’s skating separates him from the pack, but it’s his passing ability that takes the cake here. He was a powerplay quarterback from day one in the league at the start of the season. His offensive instincts are also strong. He can set up one-timers on a platter and allow his teammates to score in many ways. His shot is improving, but underwhelming at this point. Remember, This was Spence’s first season in the QMJHL, drafted as a plus-one in last June’s QMJHL draft.

Also considered: Artemi Knyazev, Justin Bergeron, Maxence Guénette

Fastest Skater – Raphael Lavoie, Halifax Mooseheads

This award is not so much for how fast Lavoie can be, but for how few strides it takes Lavoie to get to where he needs to go. At 6’4”, his skating stride is smooth enough that he only needs a couple of strides to get where he needs to go, and that makes him a faster skater than most in the class.

Also considered: Jordan Spence, Jakob Pelletier, Maxim Cajkovic

Best Goalie – Colten Ellis, Rimouski Oceanic

Ellis may have this spot by default; he is the only one of two draft-eligible goaltenders to be a playoff starter for his team, and his team went further than Jonathan Lemieux’s Val-d’Or squad. Ellis was the Telus Cup-winning goaltender for the Cape Breton West Islanders in 2017, and he has been a starter in the QMJHL for the past two seasons for the Oceanic.

He has grown into a 6’1” frame that had some worried he was too small, but he is quick and fast with the glove. He still has issues with shots up high, but he has improved in that area, and he shows pro speed and reads, especially post-to-post. He is a bit of a project, but he grabbed the Oceanic starter’s job a year ago without experience, and could make another leap forward as well.

Also considered: Jonathan Lemieux

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

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

MCKEEN'S RELEASES FINAL 2019 NHL DRAFT RANKINGS

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

American center Jack Hughes or Finnish Winger Kaapo Kakko?

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

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

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

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

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

BROADWAY KAAPO

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

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

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

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

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

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

ALL AMERICAN

Spencer Knight. Photo courtesy of the USNTDP.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SWEDE GOLD - SWEET SEIDER

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

100 HONOURABLE MENTION IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Noah Dobson, Rouyn-Noranda Huskies.

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

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

Joe Veleno, Drummondville Voltiguers

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Jared McIssaac

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

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

Ivan Chekhovich

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

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

Alexis Lafreniere

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Predictions

First Round

Rouyn-Noranda over Shawinigan in 4

Drummondville over Gatineau in 4

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

Victoriaville over Val d’Or in 6

Halifax over Quebec in 5

Baie-Comeau over Moncton in 5

Rimouski over Chicoutimi in 7

Charlottetown over Cape Breton in 6

Second Round

Rouyn-Noranda over Blainville-Boisbriand in 4

Drummondville over Victoriaville in 6

Halifax over Charlottetown in 7

Baie-Comeau over Rimouski in 6

Third Round

Rouyn-Noranda over Baie-Comeau in 6

Drummondville over Halifax in 7

League Championship

Rouyn-Noranda over Drummondville in 6

QMJHL: Jeremy McKenna, RW, Moncton

Michael Sanderson — Fri, 15 Feb 2019 04:21:52 +0000

Jeremy McKenna has garnered the attention of prospect watchers for the last two years, attracting the spotlight last year as a potential late-round draft pick, and now this season for his excellent draft-plus-two season. He is a proven scorer at the QMJHL level, and he has shown incredible growth from his first season to this one. He works extremely hard to improve all aspects of his game.

He was invited to the Arizona Coyotes’ development camp this past summer, along with linemate Mika Cyr. The Coyotes do have a history of taking Moncton Wildcat players, including current NHL roster players Jason Demers and rookie Conor Garland. McKenna has a ton of chemistry with his linemate Cyr and potential first rounder Jakob Pelletier, continuing from last season.

The three of them are one of the top scoring lines in the CHL and they forecheck and pressure offensively at an elite level as a unit, using McKenna as the dangerous trigger-man. His shot will give him another summer camp at the very least, and the rest of his game, paired with his work ethic, give enough of an indication that he could be a very good professional player, with NHL potential.

Jeremy McKenna	Eligible 2019 Draft
Position: RW, Shoots R	H/W: 5-10", 174 lbs
Stats to date (GP-G-A-PTS-PIMS)	Moncton Wildcats, QMJHL (53-35-42-77-33)

Skating: McKenna’s skating gets him where he needs to be, and he has breakaway speed. He can separate himself from defenders on the rush with his legs, and he has a short, powerful stride. He is more of a north-south skater than east-west, but he is also more of a sniper than a finesse player. His edgework is fine, but his positioning and ability to find open ice is more impressive than the way he gets there. Grade: 45

Shot: Shots and shots and shots and shots and shots and shots. This is McKenna’s bread and butter. You have to go back to March 2017 to find a game that McKenna did not find the target for a shot on net, and he has had nine separate games of more than 10 shots since that time. He leads the league by more than 60 shots and led the league by 18 last season. Grip-and-rip is his game, be it the wrist shot or the slap shot. They are both hard and accurate. He has improved his load time for his shot substantially since he joined the league. He used to have one of the slowest releases in the league in his rookie season, and it is now one of the fastest shots in the country. McKenna’s slap shot also creates havoc in the offensive zone, and he rarely misses, keeping the shot low when need-be. His shot is such a focal point in his game that he generates assists off his shot at times, playing for the rebound or off the boards to a teammate. Grade: 60

Skills: McKenna is an offensive player, and his other offensive skills keep the defence honest. He can fake the shot and pass the puck over if he reads the defence is leaning his way. He can make his breakout passes on the rush. He distributes the puck appropriately. His stickhandling work allows him to fire his shot at any point. He can shoot mid-stride and on the back foot because of his strength and puck skills. He can also cancel the shot into a deke if need be. He has more tools than just the shot in his arsenal. Grade: 50

Smarts: McKenna is a very smart sniper at maximizing the leverage of his shot. He knows it is a potent weapon and puts himself in the best spot on the ice to fire his cannon. He also reads the defence well to understand when the shot will go through and when a pass is a better option. He is adequate at covering the points defensively and performs the winger’s defensive responsibilities well. He is a strong penalty killing option because of his play reading and his anticipation. Grade: 50

Physicality: McKenna will take punishment to make the play, and stand up for himself, but a team that uses him as a grinder is mis-using him. He is strong along the boards because of his stick play, not his body, but he does have good, strong body position in most cases. Grade: 45

Overall Future Projection (OFP): 50.75

A note on the 20-80 scale used above. We look at five attributes (skating, shooting, puck skills, hockey IQ and physicality) for skaters and six for goalies (athleticism/quickness, compete/temperament, vision/play reading, technique/style, rebound control and puck handling). Each individual attribute is graded along the 20-80 scales, which includes half-grades. The idea is that a projection of 50 in a given attribute meant that our observer believed that the player could get to roughly NHL average at that attribute at maturity

Second Chances Part One: Promising CHL prospects re-entering the 2019 NHL draft

Brock Otten — Mon, 14 Jan 2019 22:51:26 +0000

The art of scouting is an imperfect science. For various reasons, players get missed. Maybe said player was on a bad team and was subsequently under scouted. Maybe said player worked through injuries in his draft year and as a result could never fully show what he was capable of. Or maybe said player did not get the ice time required to shine.

On the other hand, players can be skipped over because scouts felt that they just were not good enough. But teenagers are far from a finished product on the ice. Their games mature just as their minds and bodies do. That is why it is critical to track players as they move through their second and third years of draft eligibility. For North American players with birth dates from January 1st to September 15th, they will be eligible for three NHL drafts. For players with birth dates from September 16th to December 31st, they will be eligible for two NHL drafts. And for European players (in European leagues), extend that eligibility by one year in both cases.

In recent years, we have had a major shift in drafting philosophy, with more teams selecting players in their second and third years of eligibility. For one, these players are finding success at the NHL level, such as we have seen with Cam Atkinson, Mike Hoffman, Ryan Dzingel, Brandon Montour, and Connor Hellebuyck, to name just a few. Secondly, teams can draft more polished products who have shown a steep progression curve. And thirdly, in the case of draft and follow NCAA bound players, NHL teams will have a few years longer to decide whether they want to sign said players to one of their precious 50 contracts inside the limit.

Last year, seven “re-entry” candidates went in the first three rounds alone; Scott Perunovich, Sean Durzi, Seth Barton, Joey Keane, Logan Hutsko, Nathan Smith, Connor Dewar. And a total of 46 were taken in the draft overall. That is just a shade over 20% of all players drafted; one fifth were outside of their first year of eligibility.

In 2019, we have several high-profile re-entries who look poised to be NHL draft selections. This includes Brett Leason of the Prince Albert Raiders (and Team Canada at the WJC’s) who could even be a first round pick come June. This series of articles intends to highlight some of the candidates who could be part of that 20% this year broken into the CHL, US based and Europe based prospects. We start with the CHL.

Western Hockey League

Brett Leason. Photo by Robert Murray/WHL.

Brett Leason - Forward - Prince Albert Raiders

There is a reason why the 6’4, 200 pound forward is receiving consideration for the first round at this point in the year. He has been at or near the top of the WHL scoring race all season long. His Prince Albert Raiders are the best team in the CHL. And he just suited up for Canada at the WJC’s.

“There were a couple of things about Leason I thought were promising last year but there were two major draw backs, his skating and his consistency. First his skating stride is still choppy, but he generates enough power that it doesn’t hold him back with his North/South style of game. He handles the puck pretty well for a man of his size and he has a great shot. His release is so quick, and he can drive a slap shot hard, low and accurately towards the net. One on one he drives the net hard and can create his own space with his size and frame. He is shooting at triple the rate of his previous seasons well over five shots per game. This season he has been remarkably consistent offensively with only one pointless game and 21 multi-point games. He has pretty good vision from below the dots and quickly gets pucks out while working hard down low. He follows his shot to the net and often keeps rebounds alive with his active stick. Defensively he can be physically imposing and can end the other team’s cycle by effectively pinning guys along the wall. He rarely is on the ice for sustained defensive zone time because of this.” (Vince Gibbons)

Luke Burzan. Photo by Robert Murray/WHL

Luka Burzan - Forward - Brandon Wheat Kings

Many were surprised when Burzan went undrafted last year after being ranked inside the top four rounds by most publications (he was 127th at McKeens). The former gold medalist with Canada’s Hlinka team has bounced back incredibly well this year and is one of the highest scoring 2000 born players in the WHL. Many credit that to a strength increase this offseason as he put on ten pounds and is controlling the play more (stick tap to Vince Gibbons).

“Burzan is a strong skater who plays with speed and energy. He hustles all over the ice, is very aggressive in the offensive zone, likes to forecheck and dictate the play.He has grown in to a much more prominent role offensively and is playing with a whole lot more confidence and determination this year. he has developed his two-way game, and with an increased role and ice time seems to have figured things out. he has good scoring instincts as he has shown throughout his career and is second on his team in offensive stats behind only Stelio Mattheos. He has good puck skills as he carries and distributes the puck well, and he isn't afraid to drive and go to the net. He has a good wrist shot with a quick release and is shooting a lot more this season.” (Kevin Olexson)

Brett Kemp - Forward - Medicine Hat Tigers

Kemp is another 2000 born player who has taken a huge step forward in the WHL this year, as he finds himself near the top of the goal scoring race, playing alongside undersized star Trey Fix-Wolansky. In fact, Kemp has more goals in this half a season than he did the prior two seasons combined. However, a recent deal has him in Medicine Hat now (part of a trade for Josh Williams), where he has continued to put the puck in the net.

“His best asset is his shot. He has a quick release and can elevate from in close. His one-timer is particularly lethal which coupled with playing (previously) with a high-end passer in TFW (Trey Fix-Wolansky) has generated some buzz around him. He can read the play pretty well and had great chemistry with TFW as he is always ready to shoot. I am not sure that his skating or physical tools help him become anything more than a bit of farm team depth in the years ahead, but that remains to be seen.” (Vince Gibbons)

Mark Kastelic. Photo by Candice Ward/Calgary Hitmen

Mark Kastelic - Forward - Calgary Hitmen

Speaking of players near the top of the goal scoring race, Kastelic, a hulking 6’3, 220 pound center, has already matched last year’s goal total in less than half the games. He also serves as the captain of the Hitmen. With his size and overall game, he will be alluring to NHL scouts.

“Mark Kastelic is a big man who, this year, has been more physical and is imposing his will. He is consistently in the fabric of the game. His production is not bloated by secondary assists as 86% of his point are either goals or primary assists (Prospect-stats.com). He controls the wall in both zones and generates offense from cycling the puck. There isn’t a ton of puck handling skill, but he knows how to get the most out of his physical tools and when they are most effective. He is good around the net creating screens and chaos around the crease. He has a knack for getting his stick on the puck, particularly loose pucks around the crease. His defensive game has come around and he is consistently goal side of his man. He doesn’t cheat in his own zone and makes sure pucks get out over the blue line. Faceoff skills are some of the best in the WHL this season.” (Vince Gibbons)

Ontario Hockey League

Forward #25 Nando Eggenberger of the Oshawa Generals

Nando Eggenberger - Forward - Oshawa Generals

Once touted as a potential first round pick, Eggenberger had a pretty large fall from grace in 2018. He struggled to improve his numbers in the NLA and, coupled with a lackluster showing at the 2018 WJC, was subsequently not drafted. Even with his struggles, it was still a surprise as most publications had him inside their top 100 (McKeens had him at 100 exactly). So, the 6’2 power winger moved to the CHL this year to try and impress scouts by taking on a new challenge. He has tackled that challenge head on, emerging as one of Oshawa’s top offensive players and putting himself back on the map for the draft this year. A much stronger World Juniors performance also helps his cause.

“The first thing that I noticed this year about Eggenberger was that his skating was much better than I had remembered, having seen him internationally previously. He is very much a North/South type of player who uses his size well to drive the net and play below the hash marks. He possesses impressive hands in tight and has developed terrific chemistry with Jack Studnicka and Serron Noel on Oshawa’s top line. I have also been impressed with his physical engagement and commitment in all three zones. This was something that I thought had been lacking on the international stage. The progression that he has shown leads me to believe that he could end up hearing his name called this time around in June.” (Brock Otten)

Matthew Struthers of the North Bay Battalion. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

Matthew Struthers - Forward - North Bay Battalion

A mid-season trade last year brought Struthers to North Bay, where he averaged nearly a point per game. But it was not enough to get the late ‘99 born center drafted. Now in his second year of eligibility, Struthers has exploded alongside Justin Brazeau (one of the OHL’s top performers this year). At 6’2, 200 pounds, he possesses the size/playmaking package that NHL scouts find alluring.

“I have always appreciated Struthers’ game, going back to his rookie season in Owen Sound; a year in which he won gold at the U17’s. The lack of power in his stride has probably kept him from back drafted, but I do think that there have been improvements made to that area this year. He has been more powerful in driving the net and has developed great chemistry with Justin Brazeau. His vision is perhaps the most impressive part of his game, as he rarely turns the puck over in the offensive zone, showing impressive patience while working the cycle. If he can maintain one of the higher point-per-game averages in the league this year, he should be a guy that NHL teams look at for a later round selection this June.” (Brock Otten)

Cole Coskey of the Saginaw Spirit. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

Cole Coskey - Forward - Saginaw Spirit

Coskey is a hard-nosed forward who just continues to improve his game, year after year. That type of progression is what impresses NHL scouts. He plays in all situations for Saginaw, one of the OHL’s top teams and was a late cut of the U.S. World Junior team this year. Currently leading the Spirit in scoring, Coskey will be integral to their playoff success this year, even after they loaded up at the trade deadline by bringing in Owen Tippett and Ryan McLeod.

“The straw that stirs the drink in Saginaw. This kid plays the game hard, always engaged in all three zones. One of the better players in the league working the wall, as he is so good at getting inside position on defenders and extending possession time in the offensive zone. Skates well. Plays physical. Coskey is a prototypical checking line player for today’s NHL game. He can be a bit turnover prone with the puck on his stick, especially when operating off the rush. Coskey is at his best when he keeps things simple. But I feel that he is a very safe pro prospect who has a high chance of finally hearing his name called this year in his final year of draft eligibility.” (Brock Otten)

Quebec Major Junior Hockey League

Jeremy McKenna. Photo courtesy of the QMJHL.

Jeremy McKenna - Forward - Moncton Wildcats

McKenna certainly has not taken the typical path to the QMJHL. The PEI Native played in the prestigious Notre Dame program before going to Austria to play in EC Salzburg program. Upon coming to Moncton, McKenna originally struggled. But he continues to get better every year. Last year, he led the league in shots and currently leads the entire CHL in shots by a significant margin this year. He has also been among the league leaders in goals and points in the QMJHL, helping Moncton to be one of the best teams in the league.

“He has an elite shot for this level, and has really improved his release from a slow load time to one of the quickest in the Q. His shot will get him in the door. His skating has improved well in his Q career, but he won't be a speedster as a pro. He has some potential as a distributor, but his future is as a sniper. His hockey sense, especially with getting open and shooting the puck, is top-notch.” (Mike Sanderson)

Justin Bergeron - Defense - Rouyn-Noranda Huskies

One of the youngest players available last year (September 14th birth date), Bergeron was passed over at the NHL draft despite putting up some nice stats for Rouyn-Noranda. This year, he has exploded offensively for the best team in the QMJHL, and one of the best in the country. He happens to be one of the highest scoring defenders in the entire CHL for the 2000 birth year, in addition to having one of the highest +/-’s. At 6’1, he also has the size NHL scouts look for in offensive defenders. As such, he seems like a slam dunk to have his name called this time around.

“Bergeron is a very well-rounded defender with excellent skating ability. He is very agile and has the ability to make quick lateral movements. He is also really hard-to-beat on a 1-on-1 rush situation because of his excellent backward skating. Bergeron is able to pass the puck really well, in breakout situations or in offensive zone possession. But I also really like the control of his wrist shot. His wrister is accurate, hard and deceptive, as he releases it quickly and effortlessly. Bergeron’s hockey IQ is terrific. He plays well defensively, his stick is highly active and poke checks are timed without putting him at risk of getting caught flat footed and exhibits good gap control on 1-on1 situations. He makes the proper reads with or without the puck and always looks to either join the rush or create a breakout by himself. The improvement in his game over the last three years has been extremely encouraging.” (Benoit Belanger)

Taro Jentsch. Photo courtesy of the QMJHL.

Taro Jentzsch - Forward - Sherbrooke Phoenix

Ironically, Jentzsch is a fellow graduate of the EC Salzburg, like the aforementioned McKenna. The first-year German import has been excellent for Sherbrooke this year and is fresh off helping Germany advance to the main draw at the World Junior Championships next year. At the Division 1 Championships, he led a German team in goals that included 2018 first rounder Dominik Bokk.

“Taro Jentzsch is drawing the attention of numerous NHL scouts in the midst of a superb rookie season with the Sherbrooke Phoenix in the the QMJHL. The versatile two-way forward’s exceptional skating ability matched with his brilliant hockey sense allows his coach to use him in all situations. He has a knack for the net offensively, while remaining responsible in the defensive zone, earning him a spot on the power play as well as time on the penalty kill. His scoring ability is equally as dangerous as his strength in distributing the puck, leaving the German winger as an unpredictable threat in offensive zone. Jentzsch’s near point per game average and +9 rating has him ranked in the top 5 among rookie forwards in the Q, in those respective domains. The European prospect looks to carry his momentum into the second half of the season when he returns to the Phoenix lineup after a stint with the German U20 national team.” (Evan Milner, writer with the Sherbrooke Phoenix)

*Special thanks to Evan Milner, Jiri Vitek, Thomas Roost, Tom Kowal, Steve Kournianos, and the entire McKeen’s scouting team for their contributions to this series of articles.

QMJHL 2018-19 Preview: Voltigeurs, Oceanic early favourites to join Mooseheads at Memorial Cup

Michael Sanderson — Thu, 04 Oct 2018 11:59:22 +0000

There is one certainty in the 2018-19 QMJHL season: the Halifax Mooseheads have already punched their ticket to the 2019 Memorial Cup.

They printed the tickets, in fact.

Halifax is the host for the CHL’s holy grail tournament in May, and the question is, what team joins them at the big dance?

Two teams have revealed themselves to be the cream of the crop, at least on paper at the onset of the season: the Drummondville Voltigeurs and the Rimouski Oceanic.

Benoit Olivier-Groulx

But Halifax may be the best of them all, with a deep lineup throughout, led by forwards Antoine Morand, Benoît-Olivier Groulx, Jordan Maher and draft-eligibles Raphaël Lavoie and Xavier Parent. They only lack a minute-eater on defence, depending on the progression of blueliners Jared McIsaac, a Detroit pick, and Justin Barron, and a consistent starting netminder, though Chicago pick Alexis Gravel has the potential to steal games. The acquisitions of Ostap Safin and Samuel Asselin only further bolster a strong offensive attack for head coach Eric Veilleux’s group.

Drummondville’s true potential will depend on the potential return of forward Maxime Comtois. The bruising two-way forward has turned a great showing at Anaheim’s camp, and some luck with an injury to Corey Perry, into a chance at some real live NHL games that count this season, and if he were to stick in the pros, it would be a big blow to the Volts’ title hopes. The team is deep beyond him, boasting Joe Veleno and Pavel Koltygin up front, NHL-draftees Xavier Bernard and first-rounder Nicolas Beaudin on the back end, and the league’s best goaltender in Olivier Rodrigue defending the cage. Top to bottom, Drummondville is Halifax’s biggest challenger on paper.

Rimouski has the league’s biggest name in Alexis Lafrenière, who still can’t be picked until the 2020 NHL Draft. Lafrenière has already made a name for himself on the international stage, and will be looking to improve on his 80 points from last season. The Oceanic finished third in the league last year, and holding onto that spot is the least of their expectations. Rimouski was upset in the first round last March, and will look to improve on that and go on a deep run. Adding Jimmy Huntington, Cédric Paré and Olivier Garneau to the fold up front provides strong depth to an already formidable group.

Beyond the big three, there are several clubs that could surprise, including offensive juggernauts in Baie-Comeau and Moncton, and wildcard teams like Charlottetown, Cape Breton and Quebec.

Ivan Chekhovich

The Drakkar started very hot out the gate with strong offensive play, including San Jose’s Ivan Chekhovich and Tampa Bay’s Gabriel Fortier among the top scorers. Undrafted forward Yaroslav Alexeyev, acquired from Sherbrooke in the summer, has already made an impact. Xavier Bouchard leads a middling defense corps, and Kyle Jessiman joins Justin Blanchette in a bit of a loaded crease.

The Wildcats have the horses up front to do damage as well. Last season’s shot leader Jeremy McKenna returns along with Mika Cyr, while undrafted forward Anderson MacDonald, tries to show teams he deserved to be picked last June. They shipped netminder Mark Grametbauer to Bathurst, opting instead to go forward with former Drakkar and Armada goalie Francis Leclerc. Their defence needs work, but stalwarts Jonathan Aspirot and Gabriel Sylvestre head the group.

Pierre-Olivier Joseph of the Charlottetown Islanders. Photo courtesy of the QMJHL.

Charlottetown was slept on a lot at the start of last season, but they surprised and made it to the third round, where they were finally knocked out in seven games by the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada. They hope to build momentum from final four finishes the last two seasons, but if they get off to a cold start, they have two of the best players available for trade at Christmas: Arizona first rounder Pierre-Olivier Joseph and netminder Matt Welsh.

Cape Breton is hungry for a winner, and they acquired 40-goal man Mitchell Balmas and defender Antoine Crête-Belzile to jump to contending status. Ottawa goalkeeper Kevin Mandolese looks to grow this season as the clear number one goalie as Jessiman was traded to Baie-Comeau.

Quebec returns with the biggest wild card in the whole league: new/old head coach and general manager Patrick Roy. Patrick is either loved or hated by every QMJHL hockey fan, but there is no denying he brings excitement and intensity to the product. He adds a few wins to any team he coaches, and will do so here. While Roy’s development record isn’t the strongest in the Quebec league, he is responsible for players like Jonathan Marchessault and Logan Shaw. Potential Minnesota signee Dereck Baribeau and Chicago pick Philipp Kurashev, too.

The league has adjusted their divisions and playoff format this season. Instead of three divisions, there are four. The Maritime Division has six teams, while the 12 remaining squads are split up into three four-team groupings.

Playoffs will be conference based with a 1-plays-8 format, but the 16 best teams will make the playoffs – the conferences will be shuffled so the top 16 will be in the post-season no matter what. This method avoids the top seeds breezing through the first round of the playoffs, and it prevents some of the more extreme travel in the early rounds. However, this format can prevent some monumental upsets, much like 14-seed Moncton defeating third-seed Rimouski last year.

Acadie-Bathurst’s storybook season last year resulted in a Memorial Cup championship, but it’s now time to pay the piper for the party. The Titan acquired netminder Mark Grametbauer to provide some stability in goal but have traded away much of the core from last season’s winning squad.

Noah Dobson on Acadie-Bathurst. Photo courtesy of the QMJHL.

One player to watch is still in a Titan uniform – Islanders first rounder Noah Dobson. The performance of the team in the first two months of the season will depend if the watch is on his talent or his future destination at Christmas time. Teams will be lining up for his services when the mid-season trading period opens up, and there aren’t many teams in the league that would refuse the best defenseman in the QMJHL on their roster for a playoff push.

Tough seasons will be ahead for Chicoutimi and Saint John, but those teams have names to look out for in future drafts – namely Josh Lawrence, William Villeneuve and Jeremie Poirier of the Sea Dogs and Hendrix Lapierre and Théo Rochette of the Saguenéens. They are all up for grabs in 2020 or later.

While there is much time between now and June on the Rogers Arena stage in Vancouver, the first name called from the QMJHL is expected to be Halifax’s Raphaël Lavoie. The Chambly, QC, right winger has great size, speed and hands to succeed at a top-line level in the professional game. He potted 30 goals last season, including a remarkable 10 game winners, and added 33 assists in the full slate of 68 games, and added five points in nine playoff contests.

He does an excellent job of using his 6-4” frame to his advantage as leverage in puck protection, and the long reach to keep the puck away from defenders. With added bulk and physical maturity, he already has the fundamentals to be a strong power forward, puck protector and possession player. He also is adept at firing a strong wrist shot off the rush on the left wing, where he can fire on his off-hand side. At his size, it’s no surprise he is a force in front of the net, either.

While he does have some center potential at the next level, he is an early favourite to receive passes on the right, or left, flank from Antoine Morand, who can most definitely dish with the best in the league. Expect those goal numbers to rise, and the attention with it, by the time the weather heats up in 2019.

Other early favourites to be first rounders include forwards Maxim Cajkovic of the Saint John Sea Dogs, Samuel Poulin of the Sherbrooke Phoenix, Jakob Pelletier of the Moncton Wildcats, Valentin Nussbaumer of the Shawinigan Cataractes, and defender Artemi Knyazev of the Chicoutimi Saguenéens.

All but Nussbaumer featured for their respective national teams at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup in Edmonton in August, though Pelletier fractured his wrist at the tourney and missed the first week of the QMJHL season.

Cajkovic is a power forward waiting to blossom. He has tremendous confidence in the offensive zone to let go his big shot, one of the best available in the draft, and the speed and soft hands to give him the space needed to get it off. His speed separates him from the pack, as well. He is a leader on the ice for a young Sea Dogs team and can inspire his team with a big hit or a big goal.

Poulin is the son of former NHLer Patrick Poulin. He has had a hot start to the season with the trigger finger, and he is just as strong making plays as scoring. He already has a pro size at 6-1” and 204 pounds, and is strong along the boards. He plays much like his father; strong along the boards, in the offensive zone, and defensively where his speed and anticipation make him deadly on the backcheck or on the penalty kill.

Pelletier has a motor that doesn’t quit and a nose for the net, even with his currently small frame. He has been an emotional leader for the Moncton Wildcats since his first shift in the league, and he always works hard to the final whistle. His hockey sense is off-the-charts, as well. He is a strong playmaker and a great passer, and finds his way into traffic to shoot his shot.

Nussbaumer holds two advantages over his league-mates in his quest to get drafted – he can play all three forward positions, and he has already played against men in his native Switzerland. He had a 26-game cup of coffee with his hometown team, Biel-Bienne, last season, with five goals and six points. He is a late September birthday, which also gives him an edge in performance, though he would have been a very good 2018 pick if he was eleven days older.

Knyazev is an offensively talented defenseman who can move the puck crisply. He is also strong in his own end. He isn’t the biggest defender but can handle the speed of oncoming forwards very well and steer them where they need to go. His transition game is an instant offensive tool, and he doesn’t give up on plays.

The Halifax Mooseheads also owns the rights to Victoria Grizzlies forward and potential first rounder Alex Newhook, but even the enticement of the Memorial Cup was not enough to convince the St. John’s, Newfoundland, native to make the jump to the QMJHL. He is committed to Boston College for next season.