Josh Williams – McKeen's Hockey

2020 NHL DRAFT: Re-entry Candidates Part One – Canada (WHL, OHL, QMJHL, BCHL)

Fri, 31 Jan 2020 11:56:12 +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 their 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 were not good enough. That said, 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 (who are still developing 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 Cam Atkinson, Mike Hoffman, Ryan Dzingel, Brandon Montour, and Connor Hellebuyck, to name just a few. Secondly, teams are able to 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, eleven “re-entry” candidates went in the Top 100 alone (four more than 2018); Pyotr Kochetkov, Samuel Fagemo, Brett Leason, Mattias Norlinder, Erik Portillo, John Ludvig, Ronnie Attard, Ilya Konovalov, Viktor Lodin, Tyce Thompson, Matej Blumel. In our “second chances” article last year (LINK HERE Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 ) we wrote about six of these eleven. In total 42 were taken among the 217 total players drafted in Vancouver. While that is down from the 46 taken in 2018, it is still nearly 20% of all draft picks. Additionally, of those 42, we identified and wrote about 14 in our aforementioned second chances series. We hope to identify even more this year.

In 2020, we have some very interesting candidates. OHL goaltender Nico Daws has been one of the best goaltenders in the CHL and was a member of Team Canada at the WJC. Lethbridge defenseman Alex Cotton currently leads all WHL defenseman in scoring only a year after being passed over at the draft. Hulking Slovakian goaltender Samuel Hlavaj has been one of the best goaltenders in the QMJHL and played for team Slovakia (again) at the WJC’s. Parker Ford of Providence is among the top freshman scorers in the NCAA and played for team U.S.A. at the WJC. This series of articles intends to highlight them and many other candidates who could be part of that 20% this year. We start with the Canadian Junior Leagues - WHL, OHL, QMJHL and the BCHL. Tomorrow we will publish the prospects playing in the US in the USHL and the NCAA. We will wrap up the series with the European prospects on Sunday.

Western Hockey League

Josh Williams. Photo by Andy Devlin. Courtesy of the WHL

Alex Cotton - Defenseman - Lethbridge Hurricanes

Cotton, an 18 year old (2001 born), 6-2” defender, has been an absolute revelation in the WHL this year. After scoring only 11 points in his rookie year (and first draft year) last year, he has exploded in 2019-20. He leads all WHL defenseman in scoring with 51 points (as of this writing) and is one of only two U19 defenders to be averaging over a point per game in the CHL (along with Jamie Drysdale, with Thomas Harley and Isaac Belliveau just below). This is especially impressive considering that the Hurricanes find themselves as one of the top teams in the WHL thanks in part to Cotton’s contributions.

“Cotton is a big part of a lethal powerplay unit and that has inflated his numbers a bit (5 goals and 20 assists on the powerplay), but his overall game has improved dramatically from a year ago. He is solid in his own zone and uses his size to protect the net area. He has an active stick in traffic that enables him to poke pucks out of harm’s way. He is also capable along the wall where he can pin opponents and move the puck along the wall. He was always a capable first pass defender who started zone exits but this year he is more comfortable with the puck on his stick. His confidence with the puck is a huge part of his impressive start to the season. He is a volume shooter from the point and gets his shot through with a combination of one-timers and quick release wrist shots. With teams starting to attack his shot more he has been able to open some passing lanes and has started to pile up the assists. His skating motion isn’t the most fluid but he moves around the ice fine. His offensive production this year has more than tripled that of his draft year which is an impressive progression that certainly merits him being considered for the draft this time around.” (Vince Gibbons)

Oliver Okuliar - Left Wing - Lethbridge Hurricanes

A teammate of Cotton’s in Lethbridge, Okuliar is playing in his first season in the WHL after switching CHL leagues this offseason, transferring from the QMJHL. He has been sensational for the Hurricanes, second on the team in scoring behind Dylan Cozens, and top five in the WHL in goal scoring with 28. He also recently suited up for Team Slovakia at the WJC’s, where he was a solid contributor. A 6-1” winger, Okuliar has been passed over in two straight NHL drafts, despite producing offensively. However, his new pace and the improvements made to his game may have NHL teams taking a longer look at him now.

“Oliver Okuliar has taken his game to new heights since joining the Western League this year. The physical play and tight defensive style have really brought out the best in his two-way game. What he has shown this season makes you think he looks the part of an NHL prospect. He has a good frame that he uses well in puck protection, cycling the puck, being a net front presence, and getting in on the forecheck. His production has improved dramatically in part because of opportunity but also because of consistency. He has been held pointless only six times this season and has only been held pointless in back to back games once. His skating won’t wow you, but he moves around the ice fine and has a pretty good burst, especially going after loose pucks. He processes the game very well and picks up the right man on the back check. He is on the first unit for both the power play and the penalty kill where he is still a threat to score because of his good anticipation and work ethic. His shot in terms of quality of the shots he takes and his release/accuracy are strong parts to his game. His passing skills are good and he has found strong chemistry playing with Dylan Cozens (Buf) each having already scored 20 goals before the halfway mark of the season.” (Vince Gibbons)

Josh Williams - Right Wing - Edmonton Oil Kings

Last year was a very tough season for Williams. He entered the year as a potential first round selection after a very strong performance at the Ivan Hlinka, where he led Canada in goals en route to a gold medal. However, his WHL season was a major disappointment and it saw him dealt from Medicine Hat to Edmonton. He ended up going undrafted (which was still a surprise, despite his poor season). This year, he has really turned things around. He currently leads the Oil Kings in goals, is averaging just under a point per game, and has become a much more engaged player without the puck. One would have to think that he is back on the draft radar again.

“Josh Williams has at times over the past two seasons looked like a legitimate goal scoring threat. He has also looked completely disinterested and frustrated with his game. At the Hlinka-Gretzky tournament he looked a finisher, absolutely lethal, quick on forecheck and engaged ready to push for top half of the draft but returning to Medicine Hat he struggled to find his game. He was pushed down the line up then traded, then pushed down the line up again due to a lack of consistency and production. This year he has found his stride. He is engaged on the forecheck, playing physical and working hard. This has led to a huge increase in confidence and production on the Division leading Oil Kings. He has rediscovered his scoring touch leading the team in goals, and second in points. His shot rates per game have nearly doubled as has his shooting %. This increase is from driving the net more and getting to scoring areas rather than shooting from the perimeter. His feet aren’t great but his work rate is back up this year and you can see that in his game now.” (Vince Gibbons)

Ontario Hockey League

Nico Daws of the Guelph Storm. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

Nico Daws - Goaltender - Guelph Storm

An OHL champion in his draft year with the Guelph Storm, Daws did not get much opportunity to show scouts what he was capable of, playing behind veteran Anthony Popovich. This year, the Storm were supposed to be a bottom feeding rebuilding team, but Daws’ performance has carried them back into playoff position. He has been one of the best goaltenders in the OHL this year, leading the league in both GAA and save percentage. And while his WJC performance may not have been terrific, he has no doubt shown enough to scouts to suggest that he could be a top 100 draft selection in June. Although the fact that he had to miss the CHL Top Prospect’s Game with an oblique injury had to be disappointing for those same scouts.

“What a difference a year can make. Last year, Guelph rode veteran Anthony Popovich hard as they could not trust Daws in critical situations in a Championship year. But Daws dedicated himself to improving his conditioning this offseason, shedding 25lbs. The difference that this has made to his game has been astounding. He is a new goaltender. He is noticeably quicker post to post, exhibiting more explosiveness in his pushes. This is allowing him to use his 6-4” frame more aggressively to challenge and square up to shooters. His confidence level has been sky high, as he is seeing pucks well and controlling his rebounds quite well for a larger goaltender. He does a terrific job of fighting through traffic to locate pucks and rarely gives up second chances. People will point to his poor showing at the WJC and discredit his NHL potential, but Daws has everything you want from a pro goalie. Those who see him regularly in the OHL know how good he has been and can look past a couple bad games at the International level (a new experience for him). He is unquestionably the top goaltender available from the OHL for this year’s draft. Guelph has struggled to start the second half though, so it will be worth watching to see how he closes out his season.” (Brock Otten)

Pavel Gogolev - Left Wing - Guelph Storm

Speaking of the Guelph Storm, another of the players heavily responsible for their surprise season is Gogolev. Two years ago, Gogolev was perhaps the most surprising undrafted player at the 2018 NHL Draft, after posting 30 goals for the Peterborough Petes. We at McKeens Hockey had him ranked 74th and multiple other scouting agencies also had him inside their top 100. However, concerns over his engagement level away from the puck scared scouts away despite the great production. Last year, he was traded to the Storm (in exchange for Ryan Merkley), but lost a good chunk of his season to a fractured ankle. This year, in his final year of NHL Draft eligibility, he has returned with a vengeance, with over 1.5 points per game and a consistent spot inside the top 10 of OHL scoring.

“I was a fan in his original draft year and was pretty shocked when he went undrafted in 2018. However, he did have some warts, in particular his vision/poise with the puck and his engagement level without it. Fast forward two years and he is a completely different player. He still has that terrific shot and ability to drive the pace of play across the blueline, but he has really cut down on his turnovers and improved his decision making. He has also increased his intensity level ten-fold, hustling for loose pucks in all three zones, battling hard in the corners, and excelling in traffic with improved strength and conditioning. What he has done for Guelph this year, putting the team on his back offensively some nights, has been really impressive. Gogolev 100% deserves to be drafted finally this year.” (Brock Otten)

Billy Constantinou - Defense - Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds

Like Gogolev, Constantinou is another player to have been ranked inside McKeens’ Top 100, only to go undrafted, this time in 2019. A trade to the lowly Kingston Frontenacs really killed his draft stock as it magnified his weaknesses defensively and prevented him from showcasing his offensive abilities. After a slow start, Constantinou found himself dealt again, this time to Sault Ste. Marie, and it has allowed him to blossom into the player many thought that he could become. Up close to a point per game as a defender, he is in the midst of a breakout season and at only 18 (2001 born), Constantinou should receive very heavy consideration at the draft in 2020.

“Quite frankly, he was not good in Kingston, last year or to start this year. Turnovers and engagement level were major issues to start the year. But the trade to Sault Ste. Marie has really allowed his game to blossom. He is back to being a prominent puck mover and is seeing regular time on the powerplay, where his decision making is really improving. His decision making five on five, has also improved greatly as he is making better decisions on when to be aggressive with the puck and is trusting his skating ability to help him open up breakout lanes. Defensively, improvement is still needed, but he has been way more engaged and involved with the Soo, taking more pride in his play below the hash marks, competing for space and becoming more difficult to play against. By the end of the year, he could be top 5 in defenseman scoring and given his adequate size (6-0”) and mobility, he should be a lock to be selected this time in June.” (Brock Otten)

Evgeniy Oksentyuk - Left Wing - Flint Firebirds

After an electric performance at last year’s U18s that helped Belarus make the quarterfinals, many expected that the diminutive (5-7”) Oksentyuk would draw consideration for the NHL draft. After going undrafted, he was selected by Flint in the CHL Import Draft and has been an impact player in the OHL this season. He currently sits second behind Ty Dellandrea in scoring for the Firebirds and is the 6th highest scoring 2001 born player in the league as of this writing (ahead of top NHL prospects like Jamieson Rees, Yegor Afanasyev, and Ryan Suzuki). The NHL is changing for the better when it comes to embracing undersized forwards, but his 5-7” build may still scare some scouts away. However, his skill level is undeniable.

“A tireless player who possesses an inordinate amount of skill with the puck. His motor never seems to stop running and he plays a lot bigger than his 5-7” frame. Oksentyuk certainly does not back down from physical challenges and is willing to play through the middle of the ice. He has extremely quick feet and accelerates quickly, which allows him to be a quick strike kind of player who excels in transition to create odd man rushes. What is most noticeable about Oksentyuk is his ability to handle the puck and keep possession through the moves that he makes at top speed. His edgework is terrific, as he can stop and turn on a dime. But maintaining possession of the puck, while at full speed, and while making these cuts, makes him very difficult to defend. He has left many OHL defenders looking like pylons this season. Equal parts playmaker and goal scorer, Oksentyuk has the skill level to be a pro player. Yes, he is undersized. However, he plays with the ferocity needed to overcome that lack of size, and I believe deserves to be drafted this time around.” (Brock Otten)

Quebec Major Junior Hockey League

Egor Sokolov. Photo courtesy of the QMJHL.

Egor Sokolov - Right Wing - Cape Breton Eagles

Massive Russian winger who is currently in his third year in the QMJHL and his third year of draft eligibility. The 6-4”, 240lbs forward has consistently been in the top 5 of QMJHL scoring this year and recently suited up for Team Russia at the World Junior Championships. He has improved every year in the ‘Q’ and scouts are very likely to have taken notice.

“The big Russian winger is actually a slightly trimmer Russian winger from last season – with his pounds down from 241 to 231 this season – and the 6-4” mountain of a man has used that slimmer build to improve his skating speed. His stride is much improved, and that has allowed the Yekaterinberg giant to more-than-double his points-per-game from last season for the Cape Breton Eagles. His strength is a huge calling card, and one that should continue in the pro ranks, as he has excellent balance and great puck protection. He’s not afraid to go to the net and sniff out rebounds, either. His skating is still a bit of an issue for his future prospects, but his improvements in this area show a lot of promise. He has attended one NHL camp, with Columbus in 2018, and he really wants to stay in North America to continue playing. A feature role on the silver-medal-achieving Russians only further demonstrates his uses. A team will take a flyer on the beast from the far east.” (Mike Sanderson)

Samuel Hlavaj - Goaltender - Sherbrooke Phoenix

The 6-4” Hlavaj has been one of the better goaltenders in the QMJHL this year, in his first year in the league after transferring from the USHL. The Slovakian netminder was highly ranked by NHL Central Scouting for last year’s draft but was not selected. Now, the 19-year-old has posted the highest save percentage in the Q and one of the highest in the CHL. While his numbers at the WJC were not terrific, he was better than they would indicate for a weaker Slovakian team.

“Most scouts will tell you – play anywhere and if you’re good enough, they’ll find you. While that might be true, it mustn’t have felt true for Hlavaj, the rookie sensation in the nets for the top team in the QMJHL, the Sherbrooke Phoenix. While a fixture on his native Slovakian international teams, he didn’t generate much interest stateside with his pedestrian numbers with a woeful Lincoln Stars team last season. Still, the Phoenix saw enough potential in the 6-4” netminder to make him their first import selection in June and he has blown away all expectations in the QMJHL, being a large factor in their best start in franchise history. Hlavaj is a big netminder and plays like it, covering lots of cage even in desperation, but he also moves very fast, especially post-to-post. He is a very confident goalie and doesn’t get fazed by much, paired with his impressive league leading GAA and save percentage numbers. A starting nod for a second year in a row at the World Juniors doesn’t hurt the profile, either.” (Mike Sanderson)

Shawn Element - Center - Cape Breton Eagles

Element is a two-way center who was recently dealt from Acadie-Bathurst to Cape Breton, after starting the season as the Titan captain. The 2000 born, 6-0” forward has already set new career highs in both goals and points and is poised to be part of a long playoff run with Cape Breton. Element also took part in the CHL Super Series against Russia as part of team QMJHL.

“Element’s talents were never strictly to pick up points; even as a QMJHL first rounder his projection was as a useful, energy, strong two-way forechecking forward who would pick up points, but not as his calling card. The boxcar numbers would belie his true value, and this was true even in midget, with just 21 points in 32 games in his 15-year-old season. Two factors have brought Element into the conversation as an NHL prospect – playing a very important role for a rebuilding Acadie-Bathurst squad, and putting up strong boxcar numbers for the first time. Element’s 34 points in 32 games with the Titan was the first time he was over a point-a-game in his career for a significant chunk of time, and his physical play and feistiness was only amplified as captain of the floundering Titan. He has continued that hot stick with the Cape Breton Eagles after a mid-season trade. Element does all the little things well, and can play up and down the lineup, making him a sure professional, even if most only noticed a year or two later.” (Mike Sanderson)

Brett Budgell - Left Wing - Charlottetown Islanders

A former highly touted prospect once thought to be a first round candidate at the NHL Draft, Budgell had a very disappointing draft year last season and went undrafted. The 6-0”, Newfoundland native has returned to Charlottetown and is playing inspired hockey, leading the low scoring, but effective Islanders, in scoring. Like Josh Williams, mentioned earlier in this article, Budgell may have put himself back on the scouting map.

“Like many on this list, Budgell benefitted from an increased role on an Islanders team that needed scoring. Budgell fits that category, while still providing his typical full-out effort every night. His other advantage is finding chemistry with the most talented member on his team – St. Louis prospect Nikita Alexandrov. The pair have been very solid when put together, as both have low centers of gravity and work magic along the boards in the offensive zone. Budgell is a touch undersized for the pro ranks to play the role he does – grinder, energy forward who generates off the forecheck and off the rush – but he continues to show promise to put it all together. He also shows great chemistry playing with talented linemates, as not only does Alexandrov feature in his best highlights, but his midget linemate was Carolina first rounder Ryan Suzuki.” (Mike Sanderson)

BCHL

Danny Weight - Center - Penticton Vees

Last year was a tough one for Danny Weight, son of former NHL Stanley Cup Champion Doug Weight. He became buried on the depth chart of a strong U.S. U18 squad and was eventually left off of the roster for the IIHF U18’s. This demotion essentially killed his chances of being drafted. However, he has bounced back strong this year in the BCHL with Penticton (along with Flyers first round pick Jay O’Brien), finding himself near the top of league scoring. The Boston College commit was also recently named to the CJHL Top Prospect’s Game, one of the few 2001’s at the event. It would appear that his resurgence has him back on the map as an NHL draft prospect.

“After spending the past few years with the US development program, the son of NHL veteran Doug Weight brought his talents to the Penticton Vees in the BCHL. Although it’s only for this season, as he is committed to Boston College next season, it's a very good move as he can step into a much larger role after playing on a very deep USNTDP. Playing in such a deep program wasn't giving him the opportunity to play in all roles and get a good portion of ice time. Weight was one of only a handful of players from the USNTDP that didn't get drafted and needed to make a change in response to the snub. He comes from NHL bloodlines, has decent size, can play physical, has some offensive skills as he is producing at a point per game ratio, and plays a well-rounded game. Although he needs to improve in a few areas, his goal is to get drafted, but he may be more likely to do a couple more camp invites as an undrafted player.” (Kevin Olexson)

Philippe Lapointe - Right Wing/Center - Trail Smoke Eaters

A university of Michigan recruit, Lapointe is the son of former NHL’er Martin. After playing the last few years in the USHL, Lapointe switched to the BCHL this year where he has been the captain of one of the league’s best teams and has also one of the league’s best point per game averages (just behind teammate and top 2021 draft prospect Kent Johnson).

“The son of ex NHLer Martin Lapointe has stepped into a big role in his first season with Trail in the BCHL. After overcoming an injury to start the season, he has settled in and looks really comfortable playing for the Smoke Eaters. Lapointe is hard working and very focused, has good leadership qualities and was rewarded for his efforts by being named the team’s Captain in his first season. He is a nice offensively gifted player, with 15 goals and 28 assists in only 24 games, he is producing at almost 2 points a game pace and is determined to become a top player. He keeps his head up, has a good shot, distributes the puck very well, and has been an impact player and difference maker. Lapointe is a smart 2-way player who competes hard, knows where to go on the ice, and leads by example. He has committed and set his sights on the University of Michigan program for next season and should continue to flourish.” (Kevin Olexson)

**Special thanks to the McKeen’s Hockey staff for contributing to this article (Ryan Wagman, Vince Gibbons, Mike Sanderson, Kevin Olexson, Marco Bombino, Jimmy Hamrin, Alessandro Seren Rosso, and Viktor Fomich). Additionally, thanks to Russ Cohen (@sportsology) and Will Scouch (@Scouching) for their contributions.

WHL: Revisiting the 2019 NHL Draft prospects from the west

Vince Gibbons — Tue, 07 Jan 2020 20:51:51 +0000

We are about halfway through the 2019-20 season for hockey across most leagues and most players have had time to settle into their team situation. Players have had a hot streak, a cold streak or established themselves as the consistent players that teams need them to be at this point. With that being said I took a look at production of last year’s NHL drafted players from the WHL and compared it to the early results of this season. The hope was to see a number of players who have taken a big step year over year in terms of production. A couple of players have moved on to men’s leagues which makes for a fairly drastic drop off in the year over year production but I left them in anyways.

I will supplement what the chart says below with some context for each player based what we have seen so far this season both team wise and individual player wise so don’t panic as of yet. The progression column shows the improvement in scoring rate for Goals, Assists, and Points with green being a very positive progression over last year’s totals, red being lower production, and white being closer to equal production year over year.

The likes of Kirby Dach (NHL), Lassi Thomson (SM-Liiga), and Brett Leason (AHL) have all started competing against men this season. While all three have started in three different leagues I have grouped them together as a drop in production is expected even by the most talented of prospects as they adjust to the pro game. Lassi Thomson’s goal production in Finland is more or less equivalent to his scoring rate in the WHL which is very impressive considering the talent and defensive mindedness of that league. He is another talented puck moving blueline that the Senators were ahead of the curve on last year and are seeing the rewards this season. Dach and Leason have both scored their first goals in the pros and have been reasonably productive as they transition to full time pro hockey even though neither has firmly established themselves as a top six player on their respective rosters. Dach is on pace for 13 goals in his rookie season in the NHL which is a very respectable total considering his limited minutes. He is a high end player and surely would have been a top forward at the World Juniors had Chicago released him for the tournament.

In terms of progression year over year two players really stand out, in John Ludvig for Portland, who is scoring goals at nearly 3 times the rate he did last year while nearly doubling his point production, and Aliaksei Protas, who has taken over the top line duties in Prince Albert and is scoring goals at over double the rate of last season. Protas’ skating has improved this year and while it is not ever going to be a strength it certainly has improved enough that he can keep up with the play. With his size, ability to protect the puck, and his deceptively good hands he could be a gem of a prospect taken only 91^st overall. Ludvig showed a strong defensive side to his game, and that he was a very intelligent player but never stood out with the puck on his stick during his draft year. This year he has been carrying the puck with more confidence and making plays that a season ago seemed to elude him. He has 13 power play points already including 5 goals compared to only 2 power play assists last season. He still has a long path to the NHL but has looked like good value for Florida at the 69^th pick.

Another defender that has really taken a step forward in production this year is Kaedan Korczak. He has a 71% improvement in his point rate from last season and is on pace to double his goal total from last season. His team isn’t massively improved although Lassi Thomson’s departure to Finland opened up some premium offensive minutes that he has been able to take advantage of. He is a very good skater that plays a tough physical brand of hockey that makes him a solid two way defender that can help a team in any situation.

There are a group of later round forward picks that have all had impressive spikes in production year over year. Adam Beckman, taken 75^th overall, is the top scorer in the WHL at the time of writing, first in goals and 5^th in assists. He has a very developed offensive game and is a high volume shooter (currently first in the league in shots). He finds soft spots in the defense and has a lightning quick release that enables him to be as productive as he has been over the past two seasons. Sasha Mutala had a disappointing season in some regards during his draft year. A key piece of the Hlinka-Gretzky winning Team Canada he was never able to put it together night in and night out. This year he has found his stride and been a much more consistent player. He is on pace to nearly double his point production over last season. Reese Newkirk was taken with the 147^th pick in the draft and has certainly outperformed his draft position this season. A 25% improvement in goal production coupled with a 55% increase in assists has made him a strong center on a top end Portland team. He has excellent pace and is relentless on the forecheck or when pursuing the puck. He is a player that derives his offense from playing the right way without the puck.

I have avoided discussing the top end guys until now because in terms of the stats they aren’t the most eye catching. Most of the top players had very strong seasons in 2019 which makes it more challenging to massively improve those numbers, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t stand out. The first round picks like Dylan Cozens (7), Peyton Krebs (17), Nolan Foote (27), and Brayden Tracey (29) have all shown upticks of at least 15% in overall production with Nolan Foote’s 38% the most impressive rise. That sort of predicable growth is what made all of them first round targets in the first place.

Cozens has done more this season with less as Lethbridge has aged out a good portion of its roster. Everything is driven from his play with the puck. His skating, passing and finishing ability are all high end skills that coupled with his size make him a highly coveted forward prospect.

Krebs has shown no ill effects from the unlucky Achilles injury he suffered in the offseason and continues to show that he is an elite play maker. He is the only player on the list averaging over one assist per game this season. His vision and responsible two way game continue to be stand out traits for a player that likely dropped a few picks after the injury.

Nolan Foote has always been a lethal shooter and that continues to be the case but he has really shown growth in his game as a playmaker. While he is never going to be an elite passer like Krebs or Cozens, Foote has shown he can move the puck when the defense tries to close down his shooting lane. A 76% increase in assist rate over last season is not just guys tapping in rebounds from his elite shot.

Finally we look at Brayden Tracey, a player about whom I was wrong last season. I often thought he was a passenger on a high end line with two 20-year-olds but his production this season has still grown by 15% despite losing his top two linemates. Tracey is still getting his goals at about the same rate as last season but his assist production this year is second among all the 2019 NHL Drafted players in the WHL - up 28% over last season. For a guy that almost made the Ducks out of camp to come back to Junior and perform at such a high level is impressive.

4^th overall pick Bowen Byram has had a real drop off in goals this season, down 71%. It is alarming but it doesn’t tell the entire story. Firstly, his overall game has grown as he is now relied on for all the hard matchup minutes. Byram shot rate is down slightly over last season from 2.88 per game to 2.62 and his shooting percentage is half of what it was last season but his 13% last season was not unsustainable so his goal scoring at this point looks like a bit unlucky rather than as some lost part of his game. I expect him to rebound in the second half of year. After being a late cut in Colorado he took a bit of time to get his legs under him at the junior level and I expect him to hit the ground running after a successful World Juniors.

Obviously this data doesn’t show the entire story about the progression of the 2019 draft class from the WHL but there were some interesting trends. The most noticeable was that all the forwards taken in the first round showed a solid steady growth rate of at least 15% in terms of production. While it isn’t as staggering as some of the others it is that steady growth over the next few seasons that make them all more probable NHL players. Players who underachieved last season that met expectations this year show the biggest growth, a guy like Sasha Mutala or the undrafted Josh Williams are prime examples of this.

Another interesting note is overage players like Kastelic, Focht, and Burzan have all seemingly plateaued despite having similar teams to the season before. Overager Matthew Wedman has had a big drop off in production as well. I am not against drafting overage players at all but it is an interesting outcome that I will follow over the next few seasons to see if that continues. Other players like Matthew Robertson, Cole Moberg and Gianni Fairbrother have fairly stable scoring year over year but are not expected to be big scorers at the next level so measuring them on statistical progression can be a bit misleading in terms of their value.

WHL 2019-2020 Season Preview – Eastern Conference

Vince Gibbons — Thu, 03 Oct 2019 22:00:28 +0000

One of the joys of junior hockey is that the age limitations force roster turnover of top teams in 3-4-year cycles creating a new league every couple of seasons. This ensures that no team stays at the top of the league for too long. The class of the league last season was the Prince Albert Raiders. Wire to wire the top team in the WHL with three lines of scoring, three defenders with over 40 points each, and an NHL-drafted goalie prospect in Ian Scott, they ticked all the boxes of a team that was able to dominate the league.

This year they will be without three graduated top overage forwards in Dante Hannoun, Noah Gregor, and Sean Montgomery, who combined for an impressive 101 goals. Top scorer from last year Brett Leason is still in pro camp and could play in the AHL this season if he continues to show well. If he does that is another 36 goals no longer with the roster. Does this leave the door open to another team in the WHL to dominate the 2019-2020 regular season? Does Prince Albert have the staying power to remain at the top? These articles will try to answer those questions months in advance. (Teams are listed in their projected divisional rankings). Today we look at the Eastern Conference. The Western Conference article will be published tomorrow.

Peyton Krebs. Photo by Robert Murray/WHL

East Division

Winnipeg ICE (1^st)

No team has had more season-over-season change than Winnipeg. Formerly based in Kootenay, the roster looks substantially different with a plethora of scoring options up front, something they have struggled mightily with the past few seasons. The import draft provided the ICE two gifted forwards in Michal Teply (Chicago, 4^th 2019) and Nino Kinder (undrafted). Both have been impact players in the early part of the season at well over one point per game. Peyton Krebs (Vegas, 1^st 2019) will be playing with some talent this year when he returns from his off season injury and will get a chance to showcase his playmaking skills on a team with finishers on both wings. Connor McClennon is their top prospect for this year’s draft; the smallish winger is like a waterbug out on the ice with some high end offensive skills. Perhaps the most interesting player on the roster though, is 2004 born Matthew Savoie who was not granted exceptional status for this season. Rumors of him sticking with the team all season anyway are out there so it will be fascinating to watch this all unfold, regardless. There is a ton of scoring talent in Winnipeg to potentially pace them to the top of the division.

Saskatoon Blades (2^nd)

The Blades roster lost Max Gerlach’s 42 goals but for the most part remains intact up front. Kirby Dach (Chicago, 1^st 2019) remains in camp and will likely get a few games in the NHL but should return to Saskatoon, where he will lead a very strong group. Eric Florchuk (Washington 7^th 2018) and Chase Wouters will have to provide more offense especially while Dach is still in the NHL. Kyle Crnkovic had a very solid draft minus one season and look for him to produce a lot of offense on the wing of one of the top two lines. Despite his size, he could force his way into a middle round pick in the upcoming draft. The final difference maker on this roster is between the pipes, where undrafted Nolan Maier has shown the pedigree to be a top goaltender in the WHL. Last season his .910 save percentage was in the top half of the league and with the relative stability of the defensive corps, he will look to build on that.

Prince Albert Raiders (3^rd)

Despite the loss of talent already mentioned this team still boasts a strong roster. Returning import player Aliaksei Protas (Washington, 3^th 2019) has hit the ground running with five points in his first three games this season. Playing with Cole Fonstad (Montreal, 5^th, 2019) expect for Protas to have productive minutes and improve on last season’s totals. Both players will be counted on to be primary producers this year rather than the secondary roles they had previously. Two draft eligible players of note on the roster are winger Ozzy Wiesblatt, who has good speed and vision, and Kaiden Guhle, a solid two way defender. This year they should be on both special teams units because of their high hockey IQ and solid passing skills. Recently acquired Boston Bilous was brought in to stabilize the net with Ian Scott having a shot at a pro hockey this year. These players make this roster dangerous and a tough out on any given night.

Brandon Wheat Kings (4^th)

Just missing the playoffs last season, Brandon has plenty of young talent looking to take a step forward. Led by Luka Burzan (Colorado, 6^th 2019) and his impressive 40 goals last season, this team is flush with ’02 born talented players. Ty Thorpe, Nolan Ritchie, Ridly Greig and Riley Ginnel plus late ’01 birthday Jonny Hooker have all shown flashes of being quality forwards. On the back end they have one of the WHL’s top draft eligible defenders in Braden Schneider who logs a lot of minutes. In goal, they have used an overage and an import spot for Jiri Patera (Vegas, 6^th 2017) to protect the blue paint which enables them to compete every night.

Moose Jaw Warriors (5^th)

The offseason trade of Jett Woo coupled with the graduations of Justin Almeida and Josh Brook has left Moose Jaw at the start of a rebuild. Brayden Tracey has looked the part in Ducks camp, exceeding expectations, but should be back in Moose Jaw soon enough. He is the last remaining part of a lethal power play unit from last season and will be expected to continue producing despite recent graduates. In terms of this year’s NHL draft, Daemon Hunt looks to be the top prospect on the Warriors. They also have an impact players for further down the road with Ryder Korczak a late ’02 and ’03 birth year Eric Alarie who have been torching the league in preseason and are both ready to contribute regularly.

Regina Pats (6^th)

The Regina Pats are going through what most host cities of the Memorial Cup go through. After trading away futures to ensure a strong showing, the cupboard looks a little barren with no Bantam first round picks on their roster, save overager Dawson Holt. Austin Pratt, who led the team in scoring last season, returns as a 20 year old and should be a point per game player this year. He is an intriguing player that never took off the way it was expected when he came up from Minnesota. He has a huge frame and good skating but has never been consistent enough to take over a game and garner much pro hype. With the roster in Regina he should get every opportunity to be successful.

Dylan Cozens. Photo by Erica Perreaux - Lethbridge Hurricanes

Central Division

Calgary Hitmen (1^st)

The Hitmen possess a roster with some serious depth at every position. The acquisition of Jett Woo in the offseason makes their defense corps one of the best in the WHL. Yegor Zamula (Philadelphia, UDFA 2018) Luke Prokop, Dakota Krebs, and Jackson van de Leest can all play a tough physical brand of hockey and play the game with a real edge. At forward they have a top list of options led by overage player Mark Kastelic (Ottawa 5^th, 2019). He has great size and plays a heavy game. Fellow overager James Malm has shown good offensive skills despite being a little undersized. With drafted centerman Riley Stotts (Toronto, 3^rd 2018) and Carson Focht (Vancouver, 5^th 2019) also capable of filling the net they have as well balanced a team as anyone. Riley Fiddler-Schultz and Adam Kydd have some offensive tools and both could hear their names called on draft day in 2020.

Edmonton Oil Kings (2^nd)

Despite being without the services of Trey Fix-Wolansky (Columbus, 7^th 2018), one of the more dynamic offensive weapons in the WHL the past few seasons, Edmonton looks the part of a playoff team. Matthew Robertson (NY Rangers, 2^nd 2019) leads a strong, experienced blue line. Up front they boast six bantam draft former first round picks in Dylan Guether, Liam Keeler, Quinn Benjafield, Jake Neighbours, Brendan Semchuk, and Josh Williams. With Neighbours being one of the top draft eligible players in the WHL this year, he will be a large part of the offense as Edmonton battles for tops in the division. Relying on experience in overage goalie Dylan Myskiw and 2000 born Todd Scott to hold down the crease, Edmonton looks capable of pushing for top spot in the East this season.

Medicine Hat Tigers (3^rd)

Medicine Hat will be led by a couple of Danish born players (checks notes again), yes two Danish players. Jonathan Brinkman and Mads Sogaard (Ottawa, 2^nd 2019) both hail from Aalborg, Denmark. Sogaard was a revelation last season starting in both the WJC and Top Prospects Game and having a huge role in Medicine Hat sticking with Edmonton in the first round of the playoffs. Brinkman is looking to make his mark in the WHL after going undrafted last season. The Tigers also possess a team with lots of experience with James Hamblin, Bryan Lockner, Brett Kemp, and Ryan Chyzowski all in as undrafted 19 and 20 year olds. Eric Van Impe leads the team defensively and plays a nice brand of physical hockey coupled with some pretty good offensive upside which should get plenty of looks from NHL scouts this year.

Lethbridge Hurricanes (4^th)

Any team with a player as dynamic as Dylan Cozens (Buffalo, 1^st 2019) has the ability to win on any given night. This year he will do it on his own back as there as Lethbridge’s depth took a serious hit in the offseason. Likely graduated players Jordan Bellerive (Pittsburgh, UDFA 2018), Jake Elmer (NY Rangers, UDFA 2019), Nick Henry (Colorado, 4^th 2017) and Jake Leschyshyn (Vegas, 2^nd 2017) will create opportunities for younger players like Logan Barlage and recently acquired Dino Kambeitz. Calen Addison (Pittsburgh, 2^nd 2018) is still there to quarterback the powerplay and has shown he can produce as well as any forward in the WHL. The crease is a platoon style early as both guys have started a couple of games and shown well. If the goaltending is good enough they will be a playoff team in the East, however they will be in tough competing with the depth of some other teams.

Red Deer Rebels (5^th)

Last season was disappointing in Red Deer despite the Rebels making the playoffs. This year with the youth the team is ‘blooding’ expectations are pretty low. There is no dynamic scorer in any of their overage players and Brett Davies (Dallas, 6^th 2017) has been underwhelming since coming over in trade last season. It will be scoring by committee if they have any success this year. The likes of Josh Tarzwell, Cameron Hausinger, and Chris Douglas will have to up their games as none have had a 20 goal season in a Rebels’ uniform. There is reason for optimism though, particularly along the blue line, as Red Deer sports a number of young up and coming defenders. Led by Dawson Barteaux (Dallas, 6^th 2018) and draft eligible Christoffer Sedoff on the top pairing, and youngsters Blake Gustafson, Mason Ward, and Joel Sexsmith will also garner scouts attention as the season goes on. With two solid WHL goalies on the roster, both Byron Fancy and Ethan Anders are capable of carrying a young team into the season with the stability they provide in the crease. The playoffs would be a stretch for them this year, especially with the strength of the Eastern Division likely competing for both Wild Card spots.

Swift Current Broncos (6^th)

Swift Current is just two seasons removed from a Memorial Cup and have a roster that lacks experience going into this season. The highlight of their roster is a pair of draft eligible Finnish players, winger Joona Kiviniemi who returned after leading the team in goals last season, and looks to improve on his 16 goals from a season ago, and Kasper Puutio who the was the first overall pick in the latest CHL Import Draft. Pro scouts will be following the progression of these two in the North American game and they should keep fans interested as the season moves along. Ben King has also shown flashes of potential as a power forward but has not been able to put it together night in and night out as of yet. Expect another long season out in Speedy Creek.

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

MCKEEN’S 2019 NHL DRAFT GUIDE: WHL – The way the ‘West’ was won

Vince Gibbons — Sat, 01 Jun 2019 13:02:06 +0000

This year perhaps more than any other year, draft eligible players have held substantial roles across the West and delivered when their teams needed it. Bowen Byram led the WHL playoffs in points, an incredible feat for a 17-year-old, let alone a 17-year-old defender. Brett Leason, an overage player who improved his skating and looks to be a gone by the 40^th pick, was second in playoff points behind Byram. CHL import player and a Leason linemate Aliaksei Protas was fifth in playoff scoring is also draft eligible. In the AJHL the Brook Bandits took the league title and then the National Junior A Championship with key minutes going to undersize defender Luke Bast. Victoria Grizzlies led the BCHL in goals and won their division on the back of the impressive Alex Newhook and his 102-point season.

This year the “West was won” with draft eligible players establishing themselves as key cogs in the wheel of their team’s success and showing legitimate NHL potential along the way. The above names don’t even include three of the top five centers in this year’s entry draft that have been honing their craft across the WHL this season. Watching draft hockey has been more intriguing in the West than any recent season I can recall. With so many events being hosted locally including the Junior “A” National Championship in Brooks, the Hlinka/Gretzky in Red Deer & Edmonton, and the top prospects game in Red Deer along with full seasons and playoffs for all leagues playing out in local barns across the West, it has been a great back drop to prepare for the upcoming 2019 NHL Draft being held on the West coast, in Vancouver.

Bowen Byram of the Vancouver Giants. Photo by Chris Relke.

NHL teams are built by drafting cornerstone players in two key positions - center and defense. The West has plenty of high-end potential at both of those positions. Bowen Byram has established himself as the top defenseman in this year’s draft. His movement with and away from the puck, his ability to jump into the rush, and his ability to move laterally along the blue line all stand out. Add to that his great hockey IQ and you have the makings of a modern day top pairing defenseman. He can pass the puck or skate it out of trouble, and has a nice tool kit of fakes and dekes and weight shifts that show high offensive potential at the next level. The only critique you could make about Byram is that he may not be dynamic at any one thing, despite that, he does everything very well and should be the first defender off the board.

After Byram the WHL has two very different defenders in Matthew Robertson and Lassi Thomson. Both look to go in the early part of the second round or sneak into the back few picks of the first, and provide real promise. Thomson is an offensive first defender that uses his skating and stick handling to drive play forward. He is an excellent transition passer and is more than a capable shooter. Robertson by contrast is a large 6’4” defender that moves around the ice well for his size. He can be punishing in his own zone and battles hard along the walls which can kick start zone exits for his team. He logs tough minutes and has shutdown potential at the next level.

Thomson’s teammate on the Kelowna blueline is Kaedan Korczak. Korczak projects to go in the mid rounds and has a nice two-way game complemented by a grittiness that NHL GM’s will gravitate towards. In the back half of the draft look for undersized Luke Bast to be called, his skating and play making ability make the North Dakota commit a legit prospect out of the AJHL. He is likely going to need all four years of college before stepping into the pro ranks.

The Saskatoon Blades Kirby Dach. Photo by Steve Hiscock.

At the center position the West has a clear advantage in terms of depth of high-end prospects. Starting with Kirby Dach who has been a little enigmatic during the regular season but elevated his game in the playoffs. He put his team on his back dragging them into a game seven with Prince Albert (the eventual champions) showing more character and intangibles than he had all year. Dach is a high-end play maker with incredible size and strength and when his game is on, he looks unstoppable. with the combination of skill and size that is a rare commodity and GM’s will likely overlook some of the season’s valley’s hoping he can maintain his playoff and early season form more consistently in the years ahead.

Dylan Cozens the pride of the Yukon Territory has been about as consistent as any player in their draft year could be. He came up big at the Hlinka/Gretzky for Canada, led a talented Lethbridge team in points all season, and had a solid performance at the IIHF U18 World Championship notching four goals and five assists in seven games for Canada. Another player with tremendous size down the middle of the ice, he has a great release and higher end playmaking skills. He moves well for a big man and loves when the game gets below the dots. He is very effective along the wall or driving to the net.

Peyton Krebs led Canada in scoring at the U18s, he stood out at the CHL Top Prospects game and looked good at the Hlinka/Gretzky. His scoring and production have been solid in every environment he has played. Couple that with his effort for a struggling Kootenay team and he looks like an all-situation, tireless worker that has elite vision and playmaking skills.

In a tier just behind those three is a fourth center in Alex Newhook. He blew the doors off the BCHL competition this season, third in goals (38), first in assists (64), and first in total points (102). Newhook averaged just under two points per game and won the scoring title by 18 points. The player in second was two and a half years older than him. Despite missing out on the Hlinka/Gretzky he represented Canada at the U-18’s and had an excellent tournament with 10 points in seven games. This group of four centers should all go in the first half of round one next month. Both Krebs and Newhook have shown great versatility this year and could be effective wingers on a team that has great depth down the middle already.

The top wingers this year are very interesting and some surprising names compared to the start of the draft season. Brett Leason projects to go early in the second round while line mate Allaksei Protas, Moose Jaw’s Brayden Tracey, and Kelowna’s Nolan Foote should follow shortly after. Leason is a large body that has some nice offensive tools and a much improved skating stride. Protas is a deft passer trapped in a 6’5 frame. His skating is a weakness but could be improved to average by the time he turns pro. Tracey and Foote led WHL 1^st time draft eligible players with 36 goals each with Foote providing a power forward type of game and Tracey being more of a skilled perimeter player with a good shot.

There is further forward depth with the likes of Oleg Zaytsev, Josh Williams, Adam Beckman, Luke Toporowski and Sasha Mutala likely to be selected at some point on day two of the draft. Consistency issues prevent these players from going in the top two rounds but there is some untapped offensive potential that could shine through as roles and opportunities start to expand for them next season. Oleg Zaytsev in particular played hard defensive minutes for most of the season under Coach Sutter which most other draft eligible players were insulated from. His 43 points seem to just be scratching the surface of what he will be able to do in an expanded role next season. All three of Mutala, Beckman and Toporowski scored over 20 goals this season despite having older and more established 19 and 20 year old players ahead of them on the roster. It’s possible a couple of these guys will look like steals a year from now.

Mads Sogaard. Photo by Robert Murray/WHL

While the crease does not have a first round pick worthy goaltender from the West they do have excellent depth at the position. Mats Sogaard had an excellent season after coming over from Europe and settled into a 0.921 save percentage with his huge frame keeping some of the best shooters at bay. His puck handling is a noticeable skill which is impressive for the 6’7 goalie. There is room for improvement as his footwork is still a little clumsy and his rebound control a work in progress, but with the NHL looking at larger netminders, being the largest ever must count for something.

Dustin Wolf, Trent Miner, Taylor Gauthier, Nolan Maier and Ethan Anders all have shown they are worthy of a late round flyer with Miner and Wolf as standouts within that group. Perhaps the most intriguing late round goalie prospect is Carter Gylander from the AJHL who used his 6’4 frame in a limited role in Sherwood Park to put up impressive numbers behind a very strong Crusader roster.

The WHL, BCHL and AJHL have continually shown to be among the best leagues for the growth and development of players in North America and this year highlights that depth even more than recent years. There should be a minimum of four first round picks and as many as six coming from these leagues on the first day of the draft. Each of the four centers has a legitimate shot at being a first line player on their respective teams. Defensively the WHL has continued to produce top level draft picks and Bowen Byram is another branch on this long developing tree. In net, import goalie Mads Sogaard leads a battery of netminders who could hear their names called in the draft on day two.

After the underwhelming 2018 NHL entry draft this 2019 group is a solid rebound for the “West” especially at the forward position where Cozens, Dach, Krebs and Newhook boast some real offensive upside. Couple that high-end group with a number of complementary forwards, goaltending prospects, and the top defender, this could be a banner year for the WHL.

WHL: Josh Williams, RW, Edmonton/Medicine Hat

Vince Gibbons — Tue, 28 May 2019 11:00:45 +0000

Josh Williams moving midseason seemed like a blessing for his draft stock as Edmonton was looking for a shooter to play on the first powerplay unit, but Williams did not appear to be a fit with the top unit. He had been a depth scorer on a good team but was not able to solidify himself as a top offensive option in either Medicine Hat or Edmonton.

His counting production has plateaued at about the same as last season right at around 0.50 points-per-game and his defensive game hasn’t grown by leaps and bounds this season either. From a “top prospect” at the start of the season to a “late round pick” Williams will have to replicate his tournament performances over the duration of a WHL regular season and show a more consistent game to regain some of his lost lustre.

Josh Williams	2018 Draft Eligible
Position: RW , Shoots R	H/W: 6-1", 185 lbs
Stats to date (GP-G-A-PTS-PIMS)	Edmonton Oil Kings/ Medicine Hat Tigers, WHL (66-14-19-33-8)

Josh Williams photo by Andy Devlin. Courtesy of the WHL.

Skating: Williams is not a burner, and he doesn’t have separation speed that intimidates defenders. That being said he moves around the ice fine and gets to his share of 50/50 pucks. His acceleration is ok, but he doesn’t generate much with his speed either in zone or off the rush. His pivots and edge work are good as he can maintain speed well through his cuts. Grade: 50

Shot: Has a good accuracy and velocity on his shot. It is dangerous and it is his primary weapon on the ice. He has a very effective one-timer from the high slot. He has the velocity on his shot to score from distance and his slap shot is dangerous. The concern is that he often holds the puck for just a second before he shoots. At the Hlinka/Gretzky it didn’t slow him down, potting 5 goals in 7 games for Canada, but during the regular season opponents were able to get into his shooting lane and really disrupt his offensive game. Grade: 55

Skills: As a complementary player he does not drive a lot of the play. In midget his center was Dylan Cozens who created and managed the game while he set up in a scoring position and thrived. At the Hlinka/Gretzky it was a dominant goal scoring performance playing alongside center Ryan Suzuki. In both Medicine Hat and in Edmonton however, he has been moved down the lineup and struggled to create his own offensive space and opportunities. Not a particularly crafty puck handler, he makes simple and smart plays, including a lot of chipping the puck out rather than carrying it. His passing is fine, but he isn’t a creative playmaker who splits open defenses. Grade: 45

Smarts: When playing with skill players he seems highly intelligent moving to space, finding the puck and getting off his shot. With lesser players he has yet to show he can elevate those around him. In his own zone he makes responsible decisions but doesn’t help the transition game much. (Too many chips). He can get caught not picking up his man on the rush but defensively he plays a simple game that is generally effective. Grade: 50

Physicality: His frame is such that he looks like he could be a power winger, and in some ways he plays a solid game in that regard. He can get on the body on the forecheck but can struggle breaking up the opponent’s cycle game. He has the physical tools and frame that appeal but he does need to make better use of them to create more opportunities for himself. Grade: 50

Overall Future Projection (OFP): 50

WHL Playoff Preview (Eastern Conference): Prince Albert dominates but Vancouver hot down the stretch

Kevin Olexson — Fri, 22 Mar 2019 18:12:54 +0000

After another exciting season in the Dub it took one final game to finalize this year’s playoffs. The Kelowna Rockets and Kamloops Blazers finish the season tied forcing a one-game playoff, the seventh in WHL history, to move on and play the Victoria Royals.

The Blazers made up a seven-point deficit in the last week and a half of the season, going 5-0-1 to tie Kelowna and earn a home tie-breaker game. They came in riding some momentum and sported a 6-3-1 record against the visiting Rockets this season. The Blazers were led by 16-year-old rookie goaltender Dylan Garand, who put aside 27 out of 28 shots, and forwards Connor Zary, Zane Franklin, Brody Stuart, and Captain Jermaine Loewen to earn their biggest win of the season. Next year’s Memorial Cup hosts have some work to do, as this is only the second time in the Rockets tenure that they have missed the playoffs.

The Prince Albert Raiders were far and away the top team in the Dub this year finishing with a 54-10-2-2 record for a league leading 112 points. The Vancouver Giants finished with the second-best record after going on a real tear in the last quarter of the season, as they surpassed the Everett Silvertips for the best record out of the BC and US divisions erasing a 16-point deficit. The Edmonton Oil Kings finished the season as the hottest team down the stretch winning their last 10 games to edge out the Lethbridge Hurricanes by two points for the division title.

As the quest to represent the WHL in this year’s MasterCard Memorial Cup begins, the Eastern Conference matchups look like this:

Eastern Conference

Brett Leason. Photo by Robert Murray/WHL.

The top seeded Prince Albert Raiders open their playoff series against the Red Deer Rebels boasting the best overall record, and head in to the postseason with a 7-2-1 record, where the Rebels stumbled in with a 4-5-1 record down the stretch finishing with 33 wins and 72 points. These teams played four times this season, with the Raiders taking three of the four games, losing only their first meeting of the season in Red Deer. All four games were decided by one goal, including a 2-1 shootout win by the Raiders in their most recent game played in Prince Albert.

The Raiders led the league in goals scored and finished the season with the second-best goals against. They are loaded up front with Brett Leason (36-53-89), San Jose prospect Noah Gregor (43-45-88), Montreal prospect Cole Fonstad (29-44-73), Ottawa prospect Kelly Parker (35-32-67), and Dante Hounen (29-38-67) who was acquired from the Victoria Royals and put up 31 points in 28 games with the Raiders.

The Rebels are led by Buffalo pick Brandon Hagel (41-61-102), Reece Johnson (27-26-53), and a couple of acquisitions in Cameron Hausinger (21-33-54) who put 37 points in 40 games, and Dallas pick Brett Davis (20-30-50) who produced 31 points in 41 games. On the back end, the Raiders are more than solid with Brayden Pachal (15-36-51) with 51 sporting an amazing +76, his partner Zach Hayes (3-24-27) with an equally impressive +71, Sergei Sapego (10-33-43) with a +42, and Max Martin (6-35-41) showing a +45. They have Washington Capitals 2018 first round selection Alexei Alexeyev with 43 points in 49 games, who is dealing with something but should be available, and Dawson Barteaux (7-27-34) to work their blue line.

In goal, Ian Scott has had a stellar season for the Raiders, going 38-8-1-2 with a 1.83 GAA, and a save percentage of 0.932 posting eight shutouts. The Rebels are back stopped by Ethan Anders 28-22-4-1 with a 3.09 GAA and a save percentage of 0.907 and two shutouts.

The Raiders seem to have the edge in most of the categories, but every game has been extremely close, and Red Deer was a top team last year, and anything can happen in the playoffs.

Pick - Raiders in 5

Kirby Dach

The Saskatoon Blades and Moose Jaw Warriors are set to meet as the second and third seeds in the East. The Blades have dominated the Warriors this year going 5-1 against them, including a 5-3 win near the end of the season. These are two good teams meeting, with lots of talent and players to watch.

At forward the Blades are led by top prospect Kirby Dach (25-48-73) who is slated to be a top five pick in this year’s draft, Max Gerlach (42-32-74), Washington prospect Eric Florchuk (21-29-50), and acquisitions Ryan Hughes (30-39-69) who had 29 points in 25 games, and Gary Haden (31-35-66) who scored 62 points in 55 games. The Warriors are led by line mates Tristan Langan (53-60-113) who topped 50 goals and sports a +43, and Justin Almeida (33-78-111), finishing second and third respectively in league scoring. Rookie Brayden Tracey scored 36 goals and put up 81 points in his first season with the Warriors.

On defense, both clubs have some nice features, as the Blades boast Dawson Davidson (13-62-75) and Nolan Kneen (6-39-45) with 25 points in 33 games since being acquired. One of the Warriors strengths is in their D-line, with Montreal prospect Josh Brook who scored 75 points in only 59 games, and Vancouver Canucks draftee Jet Woo (12-54-66).

In goal, Nolan Maier (36-10-6) backstops the Blades with a 2.64 GAA, a 0.910 save percentage, and four shutouts. The Warriors have used more of a committee approach as goalies Adam Evanoff (19-10-2-1) with a 2.62 GAA and a 0.916 save percentage, and Brodan Salmond (21-10-4-1) with a 2.73 GAA and 0.906 save percentage have shared the crease duties all season.

This should be a very good series to watch, and these teams are similar and should put forth an entertaining series. The Blades have dominated the regular season series, and have been the better club, and are headed in to the playoffs on an 8-2 run, but the Warriors enter on a three-game winning streak and will give them trouble, and make them earn it.

Pick - Blades in 6

Matthew Roberston, Edmonton Oil Kings

The central division winning Edmonton Oil Kings will host the Medicine Hat Tigers in the next matchup, and really seem to have the edge after going 5-0-1 against the Tigers this year, although all the games were relatively close except for one game which was a 5-0 final.

The Oil Kings Trey Fix-Wolansky (37-65-102), a Columbus Blue Jackets pick has led the charge all season and is definitely a player to watch. He is supported by Vince Loschiavo (37-25-62), Quinn Benjafield (15-39-54), and then 2019 draft prospects in Josh Williams, Vladimir Alistrov, and Jake Neighbours who will carry the load. The Tigers will rely on James Hamblin (33-44-77), Ryan Jevne (32-36-68), former Edmonton player Brett Kemp (33-27-60) who scored 21 points in 24 games for MH, and Ryan Chyzowski (27-28-55) to provide the scoring.

The Oil Kings defence is led by Conner McDonald (19-31-50), and Matthew Robertson (7-26-33) who is eligible for this year’s draft. The Tigers defence is led by Florida Panthers pick Linus Nassen (7-39-46) who will log a lot of minutes in this one. In goal, the Oil Kings have Dylan Miskew (28-11-2-3) between the pipes, who finished the season strong with his 2.53 GAA and 0.914 save percentage. He will battle the Tigers rookie Mads Sogard (19-8-2-2) with a 2.64 GAA and a 0.921 save percentage.

Even with the Oil Kings dominance throughout the regular season against the Tigers, it has been a close series and pretty equally matched. The Oil Kings ride an 11-game winning streak into the playoffs and look they have gotten hot at the right time. I like the forward depth for the Tigers and the defensive edge for the Oil Kings, and with two strong goaltenders this should be a close series. I feel it has upset potential, and despite the regular season series results, I think that Sogard can make a big difference and possibly steal this one.

Pick - Tigers in 7

Dylan Cozens

The last of the Eastern series is a central division matchup, with the Lethbridge Hurricanes playing the Calgary Hitmen. Once again, the Hurricanes dominated the season series by a 5-1 mark and scored handily as they averaged six goals a game in the series. Lethbridge has an abundance of offence, with five players who scored over 80 points, and will be a handful for the Hitmen.

The Hurricanes acquired forward Nick Henry (29-65-94) from Regina earlier this season, and the Colorado Avalanche prospect rolled on to lead the club in scoring as he put up 54 points in 44 games. Alongside of Henry, the Hurricanes also acquired Jake Leschyshyn of the Golden Knights (40-41-81) from the Pats, and he stepped in nicely as he had 49 points in 44 games. Top prospect Dylan Cozens (34-50-84), who is expected to go very early in this year’s draft, and Hurricanes Captain and Pittsburgh Penguins property Jordy Bellerive (33-50-83) filled the net regularly against the Hitmen, as Cozens had nine points in six games, and Bellerive had 13 in six. Joining them is Jake Elmer (39-42-81), who also had a very nice season and was able to knock 10 points in 6 games against the Hitmen.

As for Calgary, they have some offence as well, with line mates Mark Kastelic (47-30-77) and James Malm (34-43-77) leading the way. Malm, acquired from the Vancouver Giants put up a point a game against Lethbridge, while Kastelic scored nine points. They will be joined by Carson Focht (26-38-64), Kaden Elder (27-33-60) who was picked up from last year’s WHL champion Swift Current Broncos, Riley Stotts (19-38-57) , and Jake Kryski (19-27-46) to try keep pace with the Hurricanes.

On defense, the Hurricanes are led by Cale Addison (11-54-65), the Pittsburgh Penguins prospect will play a major role in this series and should have a good showing. He will be joined by hulking Ukranian defender Igor Merezheko (4-31-35) who will be responsible to shut down the Hitmen forwards. For Calgary, Russian defenseman Yegor Zamula (10-46-56), who was signed by the Philadelphia Flyers, and Belarussian Vladislav Yereomenko (7-26-33) will work with Dakota Krebs (4-21-25), as they have their work cut out to try and keep the Hurricanes forwards at bay, and hopefully keep the scoring to a minimum.

This will be an even more interesting series in the net, as both teams have rookie goaltenders that will duel against one another. Both goalies have been rather impressive thus far. Carl Tetachuk of Lethbridge put up a record of 24-9-1-1, with a GAA of 2.88 and a save percentage of 0.909 and two shutouts. His counterpart in Calgary, Jack McNaughton, went 25-14-3, with a GAA of 3.25 and a save percentage of 0.888, while posting two shutouts.

The Hurricanes finished the season going 9-1 down the stretch, while Calgary comes in with a 6-4 record to finish. The strong offence and forward depth of the Hurricanes should propel them to win the series, but the real story will be which 17-year-old goaltender will outplay the other, and even though McNaughton has played well down the stretch, his numbers against Lethbridge have not been good, going 1-2 against them, with a GAA of 5.16 and a save percentage of 0.838.

If the Hitmen can keep it close, and their special teams play, which was much better than the Hurricanes this year, seem to click, then they could make a good series out of this. The Hurricanes do have the experience after losing the Eastern Conference Championship two years in a row and should be extra motivated to get going for another chance.

Pick - Hurricanes in 6

LINK TO WESTERN CONFERENCE PREVIEW HERE

McKeen’s Mid-Season 2019 NHL Draft Ranking – Top 62

Ryan Wagman — Mon, 28 Jan 2019 14:41:05 +0000

It has been a little over two months since we debuted the 2019 draft rankings on McKeen’s. Much hockey has been played since that time and our views on the 2019 draft class have naturally been refined as well.

Most notably, while we were only comfortable ranking a first round of talent last time, with the increased information, we have also doubled our ranking to now show two rounds worth of players, lined up in the order of their expected future value, roughly through age 26.

In addition to the 62 named we have ranked here, we have thrown in 38 more as unranked “Honorable Mention” players as others whose chances we like of hearing their names called in Vancouver in June.

So with a little over half of the hockey season behind us, what can we say about the Class of 2019?

CHELYABINSK, RUSSIA - APRIL 19: Finland's Kaapo Kakko #33 plays the puck while while Slovakia's Nicolas Ferenyi #11 looks on during preliminary round action at the 2018 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship. (Photo by Andrea Cardin/HHOF-IIHF Images)

We have a top tier of three forwards, all of whom shone to some extent at the recent WJC. It is hard at this stage to see any other players bumping any of Jack Hughes, Kaapo Kakko, or Vasili Podkolzin from the top three, even knowing that Podkolzin is reportedly unlikely to leave Russia in the next few years.

None of these three project to reach the heights of recent top-of-class talents such as McDavid, Matthews, Laine, or Eichel, but all stack up nicely with most recent class leaders.

After that very top, the draft class is heavy with WHL and USNTDP talent. We have four WHLers ranked in the top ten including the four through six slots (Dylan Cozens, Kirby Dach, Bowen Byram), with Peyton Krebs figuring in at #8. Three more WHLers are ranked in the first round while Alex Newhook (#15) from Victoria of the BCHL gives scouts yet another reason to spend ample time along the West Coast.

MAGNITOGORSK, RUSSIA - APRIL 19: USA's Jack Hughes #6 stickhandles the puck up the ice during preliminary round action against Canada at the 2018 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship. (Photo by Steve Kingsman/HHOF-IIHF Images)

Looking at the USNTDP, after top man Hughes, we have seven others ranked in the first round alone, including a run of four in a row between 10 – 13, of Trevor Zegras, Matthew Boldy, Cam York, and Alex Turcotte. The U18 team this year is likely better than any other in recent memory and Jack Hughes is merely one of many standouts. In fact, as this article is written, Hughes is on the sidelines on a day-to-day basis with a nebulous lower body injury. No matter, as his teammates took down Central Illinois by an 11-3 score and then defeated top USHL team Muskegon 4-1 the next day. Before we come to our final ranking, there will be other USNTDP players considered for the first round who we do not have ranked there now, but regardless of the names, it would not surprise in the least to see between 7-10 from the program go on the first day of the draft.

And just like the WHL also calls for an honorable mention with Newhook of the BCHL, as the USNTDP plays most of its games in the USHL, scouts have a few other high profile targets to view there in Chicago’s Robert Mastrosimone (#31) and Sioux City’s Bobby Brink (#34) once the latter returns from an injury sustained at the WJAC in December.

Beyond the inevitable shuffling that goes on in draft lists from month to month, we have added in six names who were not in the top 31 at the first look, all in the back third of the first round. From the OHL, we believe that the scouting reports back up the statistical profiles of London’s Connor McMichael (#22) and Niagara’s Philip Tomasino (#23). Overager Brett Leason (#24) from the WHL’s leading Prince Albert squad is making a great case to join the likes of Tanner Pearson and Henrik Borgstrom as recent second/third year eligibles to have made such leaps in their game as to be first rounders. Finnish blueliner Ville Heinola (#25) had a strong performance at the WJC on route to a Gold Medal for Finland, improving his stock considerably.

Another strong WJC performance helped German defender Moritz Seider sneak on near the back of our first round, although in his case, he played in Division 1A of the WJC tournament, captaining Germany to a championship and a return to the top tier of international U20 hockey.

Finally, our last newcomer to the first round, as we hinted could be the case last time, is a rare elite netminder, in Spencer Knight (#26), naturally from the USNTDP. While Knight was at the recent WJC, he was the third string netminder for the silver medalist Americans and did not suit up for a game. He is simply a prototype of the modern big, athletic netminder and he keeps the puck out of the net. We could attribute his placement towards the end of the first round on the failure of more skaters to assert themselves as first round talents, and there is some truth to that as there is a relatively sharp decline in talent after around the 21^st player on the list below. But that isn’t all. Knight has no red flags on his scouting report outside of his position.

The average first round is a hair over 6-0”, 180 pounds, with none taller than Brett Leason at 6-4”. The top of the class is also very heavy in forwards, with 22 ranked in the top 31 and another 17 in the second round.

With all of this said, I am reminded of what an old scout once told me about how draft classes are made off of what happens after Christmas. That time has only really just begun and there are still three months of regular season play for these young men to complete filling out their resumes for the draft. We fully anticipate that more players will make “The Leap” in the next while and for there to be pop-up players who we may be dismissive of now but for whom by April we will swear MUST be taken on day one. There will be others whose current upward trajectories will stall out and find themselves falling down draft boards. There is a lot of hockey still to be played. The list that follows is our snapshot of where things stand today. Enjoy.

Please hit us up on twitter @mckeenshockey, with any questions/comments about the list.

RANK	PLAYER	POS	TEAM	HT/WT	DOB	GP-G-A-PTS
1	Jack Hughes	C	NTDP (USHL)	5-10/170	14-May-01	28-13-43-56
2	Kaapo Kakko	RW	TPS Turku (Fin)	6-2/195	13-Feb-01	29-11-11-22
3	Vasili Podkolzin	RW	SKA-1946 St. Pete. (Rus Jr)	6-1/190	24-Jun-01	12-6-2-8
4	Dylan Cozens	C	Lethbridge (WHL)	6-3/185	9-Feb-01	47-27-33-60
5	Kirby Dach	C	Saskatoon (WHL)	6-3/200	21-Jan-01	45-18-34-52
6	Bowen Byram	D	Vancouver (WHL)	6-1/195	13-Jun-01	45-17-27-44
7	Philip Broberg	D	AIK (Swe 2)	6-3/200	25-Jun-01	32-1-7-8
8	Peyton Krebs	C	Kootenay (WHL)	5-11/180	26-Jan-01	45-16-38-54
9	Victor Soderstrom	D	Brynas (Swe)	5-11/180	26-Feb-01	27-2-2-4
10	Trevor Zegras	C	NTDP (USHL)	6-0/165	20-Mar-01	35-13-38-51
11	Matthew Boldy	LW	NTDP (USHL)	6-1/185	5-Apr-01	36-21-19-40
12	Cam York	D	NTDP (USHL)	5-11/170	5-Jan-01	35-6-23-29
13	Alex Turcotte	C	NTDP (USHL)	5-11/195	26-Feb-01	14-11-11-22
14	Raphael Lavoie	C	Halifax (QMJHL)	6-3/195	25-Sep-00	44-21-24-45
15	Alex Newhook	C	Victoria (BCHL)	5-10/195	28-Jan-01	42-25-49-74
16	Cole Caufield	RW	NTDP (USHL)	5-7/155	2-Jan-01	36-33-18-51
17	Arthur Kaliyev	RW	Hamilton (OHL)	6-1/190	26-Jun-01	47-33-36-69
18	Matthew Robertson	D	Edmonton (WHL)	6-3/200	9-Mar-01	35-6-16-22
19	Tobias Bjornfot	D	Djurgardens (Swe Jr)	6-0/200	6-Apr-01	27-9-7-16
20	Jakob Pelletier	LW	Moncton (QMJHL)	5-9/165	7-Mar-01	45-25-37-62
21	Ryan Suzuki	C	Barrie (OHL)	6-0/180	28-May-01	43-15-31-46
22	Connor McMichael	C	London (OHL)	5-11/175	15-Jan-01	44-28-26-54
23	Philip Tomasino	C	Niagara (OHL)	6-0/180	28-Jul-01	45-23-25-48
24	Brett Leason	RW	Prince Albert (WHL)	6-4/200	30-Apr-99	41-31-42-73
25	Ville Heinola	D	Lukko Rauma (Fin)	5-11/175	3-Feb-01	23-1-5-6
26	Spencer Knight	G	NTDP (USHL)	6-3/195	19-Apr-01	14-2, 2.42, .920
27	Marshall Warren	D	NTDP (USHL)	5-11/170	20-Apr-01	30-5-12-17
28	Nolan Foote	LW	Kelowna (WHL)	6-3/190	29-Nov-00	45-25-20-45
29	Moritz Seider	D	Adler Mannheim (Ger)	6-3/185	6-Apr-01	25-1-3-4
30	Pavel Dorofeyev	LW	Stalnye Lisy Magn. (Rus Jr)	6-1/170	26-Oct-00	16-13-12-25
31	Robert Mastrosimone	LW	Chicago (USHL)	5-10/170	24-Jan-01	28-16-12-28
32	Samuel Poulin	RW	Sherbrooke (QMJHL)	6-1/205	25-Feb-01	46-19-30-49
33	Mikko Kokkonen	D	Jukurit (Fin)	5-11/200	18-Jan-01	41-1-14-15
34	Bobby Brink	RW	Sioux City (USHL)	5-10/165	8-Jul-01	19-15-18-33
35	Lassi Thomson	D	Kelowna (WHL)	6-0/190	24-Sep-00	46-11-19-30
36	Thomas Harley	D	Mississauga (OHL)	6-3/190	19-Aug-01	47-10-33-43
37	John Farinacci	C	Dexter (USHS-MA)	5-11/185	14-Feb-01	NA
38	Egor Afanasyev	RW	Muskegon (USHL)	6-3/205	23-Jan-01	35-18-22-40
39	Patrik Puistola	LW	Tappara (Fin Jr)	6-0/175	11-Jan-01	18-9-8-17
40	Ilya Nikolayev	C	Loko Yaroslavl (Rus Jr)	6-0/190	26-Jun-01	35-8-11-19
41	Nils Hoglander	LW	Rogle (Swe)	5-9/185	20-Dec-00	33-6-4-10
42	Albin Grewe	RW	Djurgardens (Swe Jr)	5-11/190	22-Mar-01	19-11-17-28
43	Anttoni Honka	D	JyP Jyvaskyla (Fin)	5-10/170	5-Oct-00	16-1-3-4
44	Case McCarthy	D	NTDP (USHL)	6-1/195	9-Jan-01	35-4-12-16
45	Simon Lundmark	D	Linkopings (Swe Jr)	6-2/200	8-Oct-00	25-2-15-17
46	Nick Robertson	LW	Peterborough (OHL)	5-9/160	11-Sep-01	33-17-17-34
47	Jamieson Rees	C	Sarnia (OHL)	5-10/170	26-Feb-01	25-9-15-24
48	Simon Holmstrom	RW	HV 71 (Swe Jr)	6-0/185	24-May-01	13-6-3-9
49	Artemi Knyazev	D	Chicoutimi (QMJHL)	5-11/180	4-Jan-01	37-9-13-22
50	Nathan Legare	RW	Baie-Comeau (QMJHL)	6-0/205	11-Jan-01	47-34-31-65
51	Daniil Gutik	LW	Loko Yaroslavl (Rus Jr)	6-3/180	31-Aug-01	31-5-8-13
52	Oleg Zaitsev	C	Red Deer (WHL)	6-1/185	7-Jan-01	44-8-21-29
53	Valentin Nussbaumer	C	Shawinigan (QMJHL)	6-0/165	25-Sep-00	38-10-13-23
54	John Beecher	C	NTDP (USHL)	6-3/205	5-Apr-01	35-6-16-22
55	Jordan Spence	D	Moncton (QMJHL)	5-10/165	24-Feb-01	48-3-35-38
56	Billy Constantinou	D	Kingston (OHL)	6-0/185	25-Mar-01	45-6-19-25
57	Vladislav Kolyachonok	D	Flint (OHL)	6-2/180	26-May-01	35-3-21-24
58	Nikita Alexandrov	C	Charlottetown (QMJHL)	6-0/180	16-Sep-00	44-21-21-42
59	Kaedan Korczak	D	Kelowna (WHL)	6-3/190	29-Jan-01	47-3-16-19
60	Antti Tuomisto	D	Assat Pori (Fin Jr)	6-4/190	20-Jan-01	38-7-23-30
61	Henry Thrun	D	NTDP (USHL)	6-2/190	12-Mar-01	36-7-17-24
62	Hunter Jones	G	Peterborough (OHL)	6-4/195	21-Sep-00	21-18, 3.36, .905

HM (ALPHABETICAL)
Hugo Alnefelt	G	HV 71 (Swe Jr)	6-3/195	4-Jun-01	19GP, 2.89, .898
Alex Beaucage	RW	Rouyn Noranda (QMJHL)	6-1/195	25-Jul-01	49-28-30-58
Adam Beckman	LW	Spokane (WHL)	6-1/170	10-May-01	46-19-17-36
Mitchell Brewer	D	Oshawa (OHL)	6-0/205	20-Mar-01	47-3-9-12
Maxim Cajkovic	RW	Saint John (QMJHL)	5-11/185	3-Jan-01	41-15-19-34
Joe Carroll	LW	Sault Ste Marie (OHL)	6-2/195	1-Feb-01	43-8-16-24
Graeme Clarke	RW	Ottawa (OHL)	5-11/175	24-Apr-01	34-16-7-23
Nando Eggenberger	LW	Oshawa (OHL)	6-2/205	7-Oct-99	38-16-17-33
Samuel Fagemo	LW	Frolunda (Swe)	6-0/195	14-Mar-00	20-7-7-14
Vladislav Firstov	LW	Waterloo (USHL)	6-0/180	19-Jun-01	38-18-21-39
Taylor Gauthier	G	Prince George (WHL)	6-1/195	15-Feb-01	12-18, 3.04, .906
Michael Gildon	LW	NTDP (USHL)	6-1/195	21-Jun-01	33-11-11-22
Matvey Guskov	C	London (OHL)	6-1/175	30-Jan-01	36-8-14-22
Dillon Hamaliuk	LW	Seattle (WHL)	6-3/195	30-Oct-00	31-11-15-26
Drew Helleson	D	NTDP (USHL)	6-2/180	26-Mar-01	36-5-11-16
Karl Henriksson	C	Frolunda (Swe Jr)	5-9/165	5-Feb-01	34-11-28-39
Ryan Johnson	D	Sioux Falls (USHL)	6-0/165	24-Jul-01	28-4-10-14
Marcus Kallionkieli	LW	Sioux City (USHL)	6-1/175	20-Mar-01	32-17-10-27
Ethan Keppen	LW	Flint (OHL)	6-2/220	20-Mar-01	49-17-20-37
Pyotr Kochetkov	G	HK Ryazan (Rus 2)	6-1/175	25-Jun-99	13GP, 1.91, .937
Jake Lee	D	Seattle (WHL)	6-2/215	13-Jul-01	44-2-17-19
Ilya Mironov	D	Loko Yaroslavl (Rus Jr)	6-3/200	15-Mar-01	28-1-5-6
Blake Murray	C	Sudbury (OHL)	6-2/190	5-Jul-01	45-20-14-34
Sasha Mutala	RW	Tri-City (WHL)	6-1/195	6-May-01	43-12-14-26
Mattias Norlinder	D	MoDo (Swe Jr)	5-11/180	12-Apr-00	30-5-16-21
Nikola Pasic	RW	Linkopings (Swe Jr)	5-10/185	16-Oct-00	25-15-16-31
Shane Pinto	C	Lincoln (USHL)	6-1/190	12-Nov-00	30-17-15-32
Antti Saarela	C	Lukko Rauma (Fin)	5-11/185	27-Jun-01	15-1-5-6
Isaiah Saville	G	Tri-City (USHL)	6-1/190	21-Sep-00	16-3, 1.76, .934
Nikita Shashkov	LW	Sibir Novosibirsk (Rus)	5-11/180	26-Mar-99	18-3-0-3
Xavier Simoneau	LW	Drummondville (QMJHL)	5-7/175	19-May-01	34-15-22-37
Kirill Slepets	LW	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (Rus)	5-10/165	6-Apr-99	9-1-0-1
Mads Sogaard	G	Medicine Hat (WHL)	6-7/195	13-Dec-00	11-4, 2.43, .930
Yegor Spiridonov	C	Stalnye Lisy Magn. (Rus Jr)	6-3/195	22-Jan-01	36-14-22-36
Luke Toporowski	C	Spokane (WHL)	5-11/180	12-Apr-01	45-13-19-32
Alex Vlasic	D	NTDP (USHL)	6-6/195	5-Jun-01	34-3-12-15
Cade Webber	D	The Rivers School (USHS-MA)	6-6/195	5-Jan-01	NA
Josh Williams	RW	Edmonton (WHL)	6-1/195	8-Mar-01	47-11-15-26

November 2019 NHL Draft Ranking

Ryan Wagman — Thu, 15 Nov 2018 20:01:47 +0000

The 2019 draft may still be seven months into the future, but it is not too early to start narrowing our focus on those young players who are primed to be top selections in Vancouver.

Of course, some of these names were already in the spotlight as much as two or three years ago. When was the name of Jack Hughes not bandied about by the prospect cognoscenti?

KAMLOOPS, CANADA - NOVEMBER 5: Kirby Dach #77 of Team WHL skates against the Team Russia on November 5, 2018 at Sandman Centre in Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada. (Photo by Marissa Baecker/Shoot the Breeze)

Even a league like the WHL – which is the league to scout this year – with its Bantam Draft popping 14 and 15 year olds, which never fails to elicit a think piece or two about the folly of projecting players so young, is putting that to the test, as the top three players selected in the 2016 Bantam Draft are all listed among our first top 31. In addition to that big three of Peyton Krebs, Kirby Dach, and Bowen Byram, that 2016 first round also included projected first rounders Dylan Cozens (19^th overall), and Matthew Robertson (seventh overall). The other players selected in that first round needn’t feel too bad as seven others are in our “Honorable Mention” grouping, and others are sure to feature here as the season progresses and we expand our rankings.

In addition to the WHL, the USNTDP has another extremely strong class of players this year, led by the aforementioned Hughes, who is not surprisingly our top ranked player. He is joined by winger Matthew Boldy (9^th) in our top ten, Cole Caufield (11^th), Alex Turcotte (14^th), Cameron York (17^th), and Trevor Zegras (18^th) in the top 20. Teammates John Beecher (25^th) and Marshall Warren (30^th) are also in our early first round and there are others in the honorable mention chomping at the bit. Of note among that next tier, netminder Spencer Knight is making us consider our longstanding philosophy of avoiding goalies in the first round. He may be that good, and another month like the last one will both get him on to the American WJC squad and place him in our second look at the top 31. There are some other good netminders this year, most notably Dustin Wolf and Taylor Gauthier, both WHLers currently ranked in the Honorable Mentions, but Knight is the only one who has the chops to break into the rarified air of first round goalies.

Forward #34 Arthur Kaliyev of the Hamilton Bulldogs

In a reversal of the standard state of affairs, the QMJHL has more high end talent than the OHL this year. The latter only placed two players in our top 31 in Ryan Suzuki (10^th) and Arthur Kaliyev (20^th). The Q, on the other hand, has Raphael Lavoie (7^th), Jakob Pelletier (22^nd), and Samuel Poulin (26^th) at the moment. In fact, before we get to draft day, there may be as many non-USNTDP USHLers in the first round as there are OHLers, as Robert Mastrosimone (29^th) could be joined by Bobby Brink (HM), who has started his draft year on a blistering pace.

The European talent is split pretty evenly between Finland, Sweden and Russia, with all three countries likely to see 2-4 players selected in the first round and each one placing a player in the top ten.

It is too early to hone in on specific trends in the draft class, as much will change as the season progresses and many NHL scouts really only begin to bear down on the talent at hand after the holidays, but it is fair to note that the forwards have the upper hand this year, with only 10 blueliners ranked in our top 31. Even looking at the 37 players ranked in our Honorable Mention, only eight more defensemen are listed. Again, things will certainly change as the months fly by, but this may be something to keep in mind.

Finally, a note on the Honorable Section. The 37 players listed alphabetically there are not ranked in any order and are not even necessarily the next 37 best prospects. They are simply a grouping of players who have all created fairly positive impressions already but not positive enough to be in our top 31. As we refine our rankings more over the coming months, we will grow more certain in our scouting looks at the class of 2019 and expand our hard rankings accordingly.

RANK	PLAYER	POS	TEAM	HT/WT	DOB	GP-G-A-PTS
1	Jack Hughes	C	NTDP (USA)	5-10/170	14-May-01	18-9-27-36
2	Dylan Cozens	C	Lethbridge (WHL)	6-3/185	9-Feb-01	18-9-14-23
3	Kaapo Kakko	RW	TPS Turku (Fin)	6-2/195	13-Feb-01	16-3-7-10
4	Vasili Podkolzin	RW	SKA-1946 St. Pete. (Rus)	6-1/190	24-Jun-01	10-5-2-7
5	Kirby Dach	C	Saskatoon (WHL)	6-3/200	21-Jan-01	22-12-23-35
6	Philip Broberg	D	AIK (Swe 2)	6-3/200	25-Jun-01	15-0-4-4
7	Raphael Lavoie	C	Halifax (QMJHL)	6-4/200	25-Sep-00	20-12-10-22
8	Matthew Boldy	LW	NTDP (USA)	6-1/185	5-Apr-01	18-13-8-21
9	Bowen Byram	D	Vancouver (WHL)	6-1/195	13-Jun-01	19-5-9-14
10	Ryan Suzuki	C	Barrie (OHL)	6-0/175	28-May-01	17-7-20-27
11	Cole Caufield	RW	NTDP (USA)	5-7/155	2-Jan-01	18-16-6-22
12	Peyton Krebs	C	Kootenay (WHL)	5-11/180	26-Jan-01	22-6-21-27
13	Alex Newhook	C	Victoria (BCHL)	5-10/190	28-Jan-01	23-12-23-35
14	Alex Turcotte	C	NTDP (USA)	5-11/195	26-Feb-01	3-1-1-2
15	Victor Soderstrom	D	Brynas (Swe)	5-11/180	26-Feb-01	8-0-1-1
16	Matthew Robertson	D	Edmonton (WHL)	6-3/200	9-Mar-01	16-2-9-11
17	Cam York	D	NTDP (USA)	5-11/170	5-Jan-01	18-2-14-16
18	Trevor Zegras	C	NTDP (USA)	6-0/165	20-Mar-01	17-10-19-29
19	Nolan Foote	LW	Kelowna (WHL)	6-3/190	29-Nov-00	18-11-5-16
20	Arthur Kaliyev	RW	Hamilton (OHL)	6-1/190	26-Jun-01	19-17-13-30
21	Tobias Bjornfot	D	Djurgardens (Swe Jr)	6-0/200	6-Apr-01	17-3-4-7
22	Jakob Pelletier	LW	Moncton (QMJHL)	5-9/165	7-Mar-01	20-11-19-30
23	Anttoni Honka	D	JyP Jyvaskyla (Fin)	5-10/170	5-Oct-00	15-1-3-4
24	Pavel Dorofeyev	LW	S/L Magnitogorsk (Rus Jr)	6-1/170	26-Oct-00	10-8-5-13
25	John Beecher	C	NTDP (USA)	6-3/205	5-Apr-01	18-3-8-11
26	Samuel Poulin	RW	Sherbrooke (QMJHL)	6-1/205	25-Feb-01	21-9-7-16
27	Nils Hoglander	LW	Rogle (Swe)	5-9/185	20-Dec-00	16-1-2-3
28	Mikko Kokkonen	D	Jukurit (Fin)	5-11/200	18-Jan-01	18-1-7-8
29	Robert Mastrosimone	C	Chicago (USHL)	5-10/170	24-Jan-01	11-8-5-13
30	Marshall Warren	D	NTDP (USA)	5-11/170	20-Apr-01	12-1-5-6
31	Lassi Thomson	D	Kelowna (WHL)	6-0/190	24-Sep-00	20-7-9-16

RANK	PLAYER	POS	TEAM	HT/WT	DOB	GP-G-A-PTS
HM	Egor Afanasyev	C	Muskegon (USHL)	6-3/205	23-Jan-01	12-8-7-15
HM	Logan Barlage	C	Lethbridge (WHL)	6-4/200	7-Jan-01	18-7-9-16
HM	Bobby Brink	RW	Sioux City (USHL)	5-10/165	8-Jul-01	15-11-15-26
HM	Maxim Cajkovic	RW	Saint John (QMJHL)	5-11/185	3-Jan-01	22-5-9-14
HM	Billy Constantinou	D	Niagara (OHL)	6-0/185	25-Mar-01	19-4-9-13
HM	John Farinacci	C	Dexter (USHS-MA)	5-11/185	14-Feb-01	2-0-0-0
HM	Taylor Gauthier	G	Prince George (WHL)	6-1/195	15-Feb-01	5-6/ 2.84/ .910
HM	Albin Grewe	RW	Djurgardens (Swe Jr)	5-11/190	22-Mar-01	15-6-14-20
HM	Matvey Guskov	C	London (OHL)	6-1/175	30-Jan-01	18-3-9-12
HM	Daniil Gutik	LW	Loko Yaroslavl (Rus Jr)	6-3/180	31-Aug-01	18-3-6-9
HM	Dillon Hamaliuk	LW	Seattle (WHL)	6-3/195	30-Oct-00	16-8-11-19
HM	Thomas Harley	D	Mississauga (OHL)	6-3/190	19-Aug-01	19-3-13-16
HM	Simon Holmstrom	RW	HV 71 (Swe Jr)	6-0/185	24-May-01	7-4-2-6
HM	Marcus Kallionkieli	LW	Sioux City (USHL)	6-1/175	20-Mar-01	12-10-5-15
HM	Spencer Knight	G	NTDP (USA)	6-3/195	19-Apr-01	9-1/ 2.21/ .925
HM	Artemi Knyazev	D	Chicoutimi (QMJHL)	5-11/180	4-Jan-01	21-5-8-13
HM	Kaedan Korczak	D	Kelowna (WHL)	6-3/190	29-Jan-01	20-2-11-13
HM	Jake Lee	D	Seattle (WHL)	6-2/215	13-Jul-01	18-2-13-15
HM	Nathan Legare	RW	Baie-Comeau (QMJHL)	6-0/205	11-Jan-01	22-14-19-33
HM	Connor McMichael	C	London (OHL)	5-11/175	15-Jan-01	18-12-5-17
HM	Ilya Mironov	D	Loko Yaroslavl (Rus Jr)	6-3/200	15-Mar-01	18-0-4-4
HM	Patrick Moynihan	RW	NTDP (USA)	5-11/185	23-Jan-01	18-3-3-6
HM	Blake Murray	C	Sudbury (OHL)	6-2/190	5-Jul-01	18-5-5-10
HM	Sasha Mutala	RW	Tri-City (WHL)	6-1/195	6-May-01	15-4-9-13
HM	Valentin Nussbaumer	C	Shawinigan (QMJHL)	6-0/165	25-Sep-00	19-5-8-13
HM	Nicholas Porco	LW	Saginaw (OHL)	6-0/175	12-Mar-01	19-9-8-17
HM	Patrik Puistola	LW	Tappara (Fin Jr)	6-0/175	11-Jan-01	17-9-7-16
HM	Xavier Simoneau	LW	Drummondville (QMJHL)	5-7/175	19-May-01	17-7-11-18
HM	Elmer Soderblom	RW	Frolunda (Swe Jr)	6-6/220	5-Jul-01	18-3-3-6
HM	Yegor Spiridonov	C	S/L Magnitogorsk (Rus Jr)	6-3/195	22-Jan-01	16-5-10-15
HM	Philip Tomasino	C	Niagara (OHL)	6-0/180	28-Jul-01	19-4-7-11
HM	Luke Toporowski	C	Spokane (WHL)	5-11/180	12-Apr-01	19-7-12-19
HM	Alex Vlasic	D	NTDP (USA)	6-6/195	5-Jun-01	18-2-7-9
HM	Cade Webber	D	The Rivers School (USHS-MA)	6-6/195	5-Jan-01	7-0-0-0
HM	Josh Williams	RW	Medicine Hat (WHL)	6-1/195	8-Mar-01	21-3-9-12
HM	Dustin Wolf	G	Everett (WHL)	6-0/155	16-Apr-01	13-6/ 1.73/ .927
HM	Oleg Zaitsev	C	Red Deer (WHL)	6-1/185	7-Jan-01	17-5-12-17

WHL 2018-19 Season Preview

Kevin Olexson — Tue, 09 Oct 2018 13:22:04 +0000

Another exciting season is underway in the WHL, and 2018-19 should be a good one. The 2017-18 season ended with the WHL’s Regina Pats hosting the 2018 Memorial Cup, in which they were defeated 3-0 by the Acadie-Bathurst Titan in the final. This season, the Kelowna Rockets have been awarded the 2020 Memorial Cup, and as the host team, trying to retool and rebuild in transition, they have a bit of work to do before then.

The WHL had some great players move on, including prolific scorers, dynamic defenders, and some top goaltenders. Now the next draft class of players is developing into prominent roles with their respective clubs, and will see more of the spotlight and new opportunities as we head towards the 2019 draft in Vancouver.

Cody Glass of the Portland Winterhawks.

The WHL was dominated primarily by the US and Eastern Division, but there will be a change in the power and balance with all of the player turnover. The US division has established itself as the strongest division over the past few years and there is no reason to think that this season will be any different. It is likely that this division will boast five playoff teams as well. Along with the three seeded division teams, two other teams will battle for the conference wild card spots. The Portland Winterhawks and Spokane Chiefs should battle for the top spot in the division. The Hawks look poised to take the division, under the leadership of the Vegas Golden Knights first franchise pick Cody Glass, who will challenge for the WHL scoring title this season and be one of the best players to take the ice in the league. The Hawks lost two top defenders in Dennis Cholowski (Detroit) and Henri Jokiharju (Chicago), as well as forwards Skyler McKenzie (Winnipeg) and Kiefer Bellows (NYI). They have a solid supporting cast, and overage forward Joakim Blichfeld (SJ) and defender Brendan DeJong (Car) will flourish this season. They also boast two top draft prospects in defenders --Clay Hanus and John Ludvig who should produce on the back end.

Jaret Anderson-Dolan, photo by Larry Brunt/Spokane Chiefs

The Chiefs are set to push for the division title with plenty of offense even after losing Edmonton prospect and team leader Kailer Yamamoto, and graduate Hudson Elynuik (Toronto Marlies). They will be led by LA Kings prospect Jaret Anderson-Dolan (who will surely be one to watch after he returns from the NHL), Sharks prospect Jake McGrew, a nice complement of 19-year-old players, and New Jersey Devils first round selection Ty Smith who will step up his game. This season the Chiefs will also show off prospect Luke Toporowski, who will contribute with a larger role for the club.

The Seattle Thunderbirds, Tri-City Americans, and Everett Silvertips will follow up jockeying for position. The T-Birds are building and are looking to improve after a big changeover in players. The load will be shouldered by Nolan Volcan and Zach Andrusiak, who will play as 20-year- olds this season and lead the team offensively. Jared Tyszka (Montreal) will lead the blue line, and help draft eligible prospect Jake Lee. Secondary scoring will come from Noah Philp, Matthew Wedman and eligible prospect Dillon Hamaliuk. Tri-City will be anxious to get back prospects Michael Rasmussen (Detroit), and defensemen Juuso Valimaki (Calgary), but it may take some time, if they return at all. Aside from that they will have a solid set of forwards led by Kyle Olson (Anaheim), Nolan Yaremko, and top draft eligible prospect Sasha Mutala. The defence is young and could be shaky, meaning that the offence and goaltending will both have to be better. The Everett Silvertips have had the biggest turnover, losing scoring leaders Patrick Bajkov (Florida) and Matt Fonteyne, as well as elite goaltender Carter Hart (Philadelphia). They will get back forwards Riley Sutter (Washington) and Connor Dewar (Minnesota) to lead the attack. Goaltender Dustin Wolf is a top prospect and played admirably behind Hart last season. He will have his chance to be in the spotlight and shine this year. Wyatte Wylie (Philadelphia) will lead the blueliners the depth of which is a strength of this team.

Milos Roman. Photo by Chris Relke/Vancouver Giants

The B.C. division took a step back, as the powerhouse teams have slipped. Now the Vancouver Giants seemed poised to sit atop the division along with the Victoria Royals. The Giants lost forwards Tyler Benson (Edmonton) and Ty Ronning (NYR), but have a great follow up with James Malm, Brayden Watts, and prospect Milos Roman (Calgary) to lead their offence. The Giants also have a great stable of defensemen, including Alex Kannok-Leipert (Washington), Dylan Plouffe, and a definite 2019 first round selection in Bowen Byram. The goaltending is also sound with the tandem of Arizona Coyotes pick David Tendeck and highly touted prospect Trent Miner who has put up great numbers with his play between the pipes.

The Victoria Royals will also challenge for the division title, as they have a good nucleus of players, solid goaltending, and great coaching. They lost a lot of firepower in Tyler Soy (San Diego Gulls) and Matthew Phillips (Calgary), but will be led by Dante Hannoun, Dino Kambeitz, and Kaid Oliver. The back end is good with Scott Walford (Montreal), Lane Zablocki (Detroit), and Ralph Jarrett. The Royals will be backstopped by one of the top goaltenders in the league in Griffin Outhouse who will help them with their push for another division title.

Kyle Topping of the Kelowna Rockets. Photo by Marissa Baecker/Kelowna Rockets

The Kelowna Rockets, Kamloops Blazers, and Prince George Cougars round out the division, as they will jockey for the third spot and possibly a wild card. The Rockets, after winning the bid to host the 2020 Memorial Cup will have to step things up, as this season looks a bit rough for them. They lost a good portion of their team, and top players Cal Foote (TBL), Dillon Dube (Calgary), Kole Lind (Vancouver), Carsen Twarynski (Philadelphia), have graduated and the team is in transition. They do however show five top rated prospects this season including Kyle Topping, who surprisingly went unselected in last year’s draft and will lead the team offensively this season. Top prospect and projected first rounder Nolan Foote will bear a larger role and be relied on to provide some much needed offence along with Leif Mattson. The Rockets are known for turning out defensemen, and they have top rated prospects in Kaden Korczak and Lassi Thomson in the works. In goal they have Roman Basran, another top prospect who pitched a shutout in his first ever WHL game, and will share backstop duties with James Porter.

The Kamloops Blazers are looking to take a step up after going through many changes last season. The Blazers seem like they are in rebuild mode, but they will be led by Jermaine Loewen returning from the Dallas Stars. The Blazers have some young players on their roster, and the back end will be anchored by Nolan Kneen, who should be in store for a big year. The Blazers could very well surprise a lot of teams, especially if returning goaltender Dylan Ferguson (Vegas) can put up solid numbers as he should be busy. The Cougars are also in the midst of a rebuild, as they unloaded many of their assets to finish at the bottom of the division. They have a young team without any returning NHL draftees on it, but will be led by defenders Joel Lakusta, Ryan Schoettler, Rhett Rhinehart, and forwards Ethan Browne and import Vladislav Mikhalchuk. They have a top rated goalie prospect in Taylor Gauthier between the pipes, and he looks to face a lot of shots behind a weak defence.

The battle of the Central Division should come down to the Lethbridge Hurricanes and Medicine Hat Tigers, followed by the Red Deer Rebels and Edmonton Oil Kings, leaving the Kootenay Ice and Calgary Hitmen battling for the wildcard positions.

Calen Addison. Photo by Robert Murray.

The Hurricanes seemed primed and ready, as they welcome back their leaders from other camps and tryouts. The offence will certainly be dynamic with Jordy Bellerive (Pittsburgh) returning, and prospect Dylan Cozens - who will definitely be an early first round pick in next year’s draft - leading the charge as they both push for the WHL scoring title as well. The secondary scoring will be in the hands of eligible prospect Logan Barlage, Taylor Ross, and Kelti Jeri-Leon. On the back end, Calen Addison (Pittsburgh) returns to beef up this blue line and contribute from the point. The goaltending looks solid with Reece Klassen, who should have a good nucleus of defence in front of him to help him put up good numbers. Medicine Hat should also be able to keep up with Lethbridge on the offensive side of things, as they also have some firepower up front. Ryan Chyzowski and Josh Williams are one of the top tandems in the league, and Williams is a likely first round selection in the upcoming draft. Captain James Hamblin will also provide some scoring punch, as they also show a very balanced group of forwards.

The Tigers lost offensive defensemen David Queneville (NYI), meaning defenders Linus Nassen (Florida) and Dylan Macpherson will have to step into bigger roles to help fill that void. The goaltending will be fine with Jordan Hollett (Ottawa) stopping pucks on the back end, but the defence is young. The Rebels also have some nice players returning, and coach Brett Sutter will be happy with Brandon Hagel and Jeff DeWit coming back to lead the forward group. The Rebels also welcome back Alexander Alexeyev (Washington) and Dawson Barteaux (Dallas) to the group, as they should both have very productive seasons. The Rebels have two players of note for draft hounds with import center Oleg Zaytsev and goaltender Ethan Anders, who should both improve this season with expanded roles.

The Edmonton Oil Kings have also been in a rebuild mode, and are looking to take the next step of their transition. They have a young team who will be led by Trey Fix-Wolansky (Columbus), along with veterans Quinn Benjafield and Vince Loschiavo to play along side of draft eligible prospects David Kope, Vladimir Alistrov, and Brett Kemp. On defence, a top prospect and projected first round selection Matthew Robertson leads the blue line with fellow draft-eligibles Jacson Alexander and Conner McDonald. The Oil Kings also have some young goaltenders in their net, and could help this team move up the ranks with some solid play.

Riley Stotts. Photo by Candice Ward/Calgary Hitmen.

Calgary will have forwards Jake Kryski and Riley Stotts (Toronto) back, along with defenseman Vladislav Yeryomenko (Nashville) who will all take larger roles and provide leadership for their maturing team. The Hitmen have a hulking defender on the radar as Jackson Van De Leest is a top draft-eligible prospect. The Kootenay Ice have been developing and rebuilding for a few years now, and they are showing a lot of youth, and a top end talent in Peyton Krebs (yet another definite first round selection). He will be joined by Brett Davis (Dallas) to lead the charge for the young ICE team. They will rely on Jonathan Smart to anchor and lead their group of defensemen as this team looks to improve and make a surge for a playoff spot.

The Eastern Division standings will look different. This division has been hit the hardest as the top teams from last season have had major overhauls, and return depleted rosters. After being defeated in the Memorial Cup Final, the Pats have lost forwards Sam Steel (Anaheim), Cameron Hebig (Edmonton), and Matt Bradley from their impressive lineup of scorers. They will be led this year by Jake Leshyshyn (Vegas), Nick Henry (Colorado), Austin Pratt, and eligible prospect Koby Morrisseau to carry the load. On defence, losing Josh Mahura (Anaheim), Cale Fleury (Montreal), and Libor Hajek (TBL) opens the door for Aaron Hyman to take a leadership role, and allow eligible prospects Nikita Sedov and Jonas Harkins to play larger parts and flourish on an experienced team. In goal, they have Max Paddock, who should get some consideration, as he backstopped the Pats to the Memorial Cup final as a rookie netminder and looked good in the process.

Cole Fonstad

It looks like the Prince Albert Raiders are ready to take a major leap and push for the division crown. The Raiders are loaded up front with players to watch in Cole Fonstad (Montreal), Noah Gregor (SJ), undrafted Brett Leason, and returnee Kody McDonald leading the way. They have an experienced blue line with Sergei Sapego, Max Martin, and Brayden Pachal ready to deliver in larger roles. Goaltender Ian Scott (Toronto) is ready to be one of the top tenders in the DUB this season and lead this team. They will battle with the Brandon Wheat Kings and the Saskatoon Blades for the division crown in what should be an exciting division to follow. The Wheat Kings will also boast a stellar offence and solid goaltending. With last seasons leading scorer Ty Lewis (Colorado) eligible to return, which would add even more scoring punch to this already impressive lineup of forwards.

Ty Smith

Stelio Mattheos (Carolina), Connor Gutenberg, Cole Reinhart, and draft eligible Luka Burzan will lead the charge for the Wheat Kings. The defence will be led by Schael Higson and Chase Hartje, with youngsters Braden Schneider and Jonny Lambos getting increased minutes. Las Vegas prospect Jiri Patera will handle duties in net, and looks to be very solid for the Wheaties, which will also help push them to the top of the division. The Saskatoon Blades have also made enormous strides this year, and will take a step up as well. They have some great prospects on the roster that will make their way to the draft this spring. They also have a forward group that can fill the nets with Max Gerlach, Eric Florchuk, and Josh Paterson returning to support Kirby Dach. Dach will be a prolific scorer and early first round pick at the draft. He will be joined by import defensemen and fellow top prospect Emil Malysjev who will settle in to a prominent role by playing with the likes of Dawson Davidson and Jackson Caller. The Blades also feature a top goaltending tandem with top prospect Nolan Maier who will carry the load this season after a stellar rookie season, and Dorrin Luding, who has looked very impressive in his appearances.

Jett Woo

The Moose Jaw Warriors will find themselves in the mix as well with Justin Almeida (Pittsburgh) back in the fold, and leading the way as one of the top players in the Dub. Almeida will take the reigns of the offence after the loss of Jayden Halbgewachs (SJ), Brayden Burke (Arizona), and Brett Howden (NYR). He will be joined by Ryan Peckford, who looked promising last year despite being passed over in the draft. He will look to make amends for that with a good showing this year with an increased role on this club. He will be joined with fellow prospect Brayden Tracey and veteran forward Tristan Langan. The back end will miss top defender Kale Clague (LAK), but will be in good shape with a strong core as Josh Brook (Montreal) and Jett Woo (Vancouver) are back there. In net, the Warriors have Adam Evanoff who was great in a limited role in his rookie season, and will get to display his skills this year in a main role. He will share time with ex-Kelowna Rocket Broden Salmond who will add some experience.

Last but not least, last seasons WHL Champion Swift Current Broncos will be hit the hardest of all teams. They have lost most of their scoring, and are in a definite rebuilding mode. Gone are the likes of Glen Gawdin (Calgary), Aleksi Heponiemi (Florida), Giorgio Estephan (Buffalo), Matteo Gennaro, Beck Malenstyn (Washington), and their leader in Tyler Steenbergen (Arizona). The defence was also depleted by losing Colby Sissons (NJ), and surprisingly undrafted Artyom Minulin (who will miss lots of time with offseason surgery). This team will be led by Max Patterson, Alec Zawatsky, and defender Connor Horning. The Broncos are young, and will be in development mode for the next few seasons. Goaltender Joel Hofer (St. Louis) is the only player that has NHL labelling, and will be extremely busy throughout the year and will face a whole lot rubber. He will have to hone his skills and stop a lot of pucks, but is unlikely to steal many games for this team.