Justin Ertel – McKeen's Hockey

2025 NHL PROSPECTS REPORT: #23 DALLAS STARS – Top 15 NHL Affiliated Prospects

Thu, 22 May 2025 18:48:51 +0000

ST. PAUL, MN - APRIL 06: Dallas Stars defenseman Lian Bichsel (6) looks on during the second period of the NHL game between the Dallas Stars and Minnesota Wild on April 6th, 2025, at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, MN. (Photo by Bailey Hillesheim/Icon Sportswire)

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Dallas 25 Prospects

MCKEEN’S 2024-25 NHL YEARBOOK – DALLAS STARS – Top 15 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #17

Introduction - Dave Hall, Profiles - Derek Neumeier — Thu, 19 Sep 2024 18:00:42 +0000

_{DALLAS, TX - OCTOBER 05: Dallas Stars Center Mavrik Bourque (22) passes the puck during the game between the Dallas Stars and the St. Louis Blues on October 5, 2023 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, TX. (Photo by George Walker/Icon Sportswire)}

Prospect System Ranking – 17th (Previous Rank - 10th)
GM: Jim Nill Hired: April 2013
COACH: Peter DeBoer Hired: June 2022

The Dallas Stars have consistently been praised for their drafting ability, and for good reason. Not only has their track record of hitting on picks held up, but they also manage to keep the team competitive while retaining first-round picks. It appears that GM Jim Nill follows a fire safe strategy of sticking with the high probability draft picks, while leveraging the rest. Since his hiring in 2013, Nill has only missed the first round once (in 2023) and has now carved out quite the significant list of “hits”.

Those first and second-round picks have now formed the backbone of the Stars' high-end and relatively young core, highlighted by the incredible haul in 2017 of Miro Heiskanen, Jake Oettinger, and Jason Robertson. They are now being complemented by more recent finds, including Wyatt Johnston (2021 first round) and Logan Stankoven (2021 second round), as well as Thomas Harley (2019 first round), who enjoyed a breakthrough year in 2023-24. Don’t forget about 2015 second-rounder Roope Hintz, who has also blossomed into a well-versed heavy hitter on this team’s top six installment.

Logan Stankoven, currently ranked as McKeen’s seventh overall prospect, hasn’t technically graduated yet but is expected to make the jump out of training camp full-time. Fresh off of a Rookie of the Year-worthy campaign in the AHL, scoring 57 points in 47 games, Stankoven said goodbye to his minor league career with a strong showing during the final regular season stretch and Conference Final run.

Beyond Stankoven, the Stars' top prospect group includes Mavrik Bourque (34th), who has transitioned to the AHL seamlessly, firing at nearly a point-per-game pace with 129 points in 147 games for the Texas Stars. On defence, Lian Bichsel (ranked 76th) and Christian Kyrou (ranked 170th) are developing well and look set to follow in Thomas Harley’s footsteps as key pieces of the Stars’ backend over the next few seasons.

With a young core, and a few more midrange-pedigree names on the way, the window looks wide open for the Stars to remain competitive for the foreseeable future.

Dallas Stars Top-15 Prospects

1. Logan Stankoven

From the first few shifts of his very first NHL game, it was abundantly obvious that Stankoven was never going back to the AHL ever again. As exceedingly rare as it is to see someone of his size step into the sport’s best league and immediately start making an impact, those who have closely followed “Stank” over the past few seasons weren’t surprised one bit, because there haven’t been any challenges that he’s faced where he hasn’t been fit for the task. He’s a Tasmanian Devil who never quits on plays or takes a shift off, but he combines that energy with elite hockey sense and play tracking, making him a delightfully chaotic entity who is constantly disrupting enemy possessions and creating bang-bang scoring chances. He’s a truly special kind of player, and is already quite unique from everyone else in the entire NHL.

2. Mavrik Bourque

Bourque’s full-time arrival in the NHL was delayed, understandably, by his AHL teammate Stankoven grabbing a spot within the deep Dallas forward corps first. He won’t have to wait long, however, because he’s already proven himself more than worthy of receiving that opportunity. And spending more time down on the farm with the Texas Stars allowed him to keep racking up points, which eventually led to him finishing with the distinction of being the league’s top scorer and thereby winning the corresponding John B. Sollenberger Trophy, which is one heck of a consolation prize. His game is built around blending high-end smarts, vision, playmaking ability, and character, and the fact that he is a center who looks casually comfortable in all three zones is delicious icing on the cake. How high his ceiling will reach as an NHLer will depend on how much more speed he can add to his game.

3. Lian Bichsel

In a prospect pool largely consisting of players who are on the smaller side, Bichsel stands out in a big way — literally. In fact, there aren’t many top prospects across the entire hockey world who are as physically imposing as the substantial Swiss. Making matters even more enticing, he is fully aware of how he can use his enormous size to his advantage, and clearly gets a vexatious kick out of inflicting severe punishment on opponents in ways that help his teams win games. He’s also a powerful and technically proficient skater, and once he gets some wind under his sails it can be jaw-dropping to watch him fly down the ice. His puck control and the decisions he makes with it are spotty at times, but they’re both improving nicely. It’s only a matter of time before he’s a force of nature at the NHL level.

4. Emil Hemming

The Stars said that they had Hemming higher on their draft list than where they picked him, and it's easy to understand why. His game is readily projectable to the NHL level, and he also shows occasional flashes that he can eventually become a high-end performer and difference-maker. He was dominant early on last year at the Finnish junior level, and while he didn't shine quite as much in the Liiga after getting called up full time, he still held his own and already looked like he belonged playing against men. He's a dangerous shooter, especially with his one-timer, and he can drive play forward with his physicality and straight-line speed. If he can't reach his ceiling as a scoring-line winger, his game is well-rounded enough that he should be able to find a spot or role elsewhere in the lineup.

5. Christian Kyrou

There’s no denying that Kyrou is a prospect with an enviable amount of pure skill, as evidenced by his ability to create points and highlight-reel plays during his OHL days. The challenge for him since then, however, has been adjusting his style of play in a way that is more conducive to success at the AHL level. His riverboat gambler ways of old, where he hung onto pucks for extended periods of time as he looked for ways to dance around opponents or make other fancy plays, simply don’t work as well within the structured confines of the pro leagues. He also doesn’t have the size, reach, or athleticism needed to readily help him clean up his own mistakes when they happen. The foundation of an NHL powerplay quarterback is still buried deep somewhere inside of him, but it might take an archaeologist’s patience and precision to unearth it.

6. Matej Blumel

Blumel didn’t get to see any action with the big club last season after a six-game cup of tea the year before, and getting inarguably bumped down the organization’s forward depth chart certainly has to sting, but producing a 30-goal season in the AHL as a 23-year-old is nothing to sneeze at. There will always be interest in players who have a knack for filling the back of the net, and he’s proven over the course of his young career so far, across different leagues and levels, that he’s one of those guys. The elusive part for him has been showing exactly what else he can do really well. Nothing else in his game grades out all that highly, which raises concerns about how he’d handle the workload of a full NHL season. His goal-scoring prowess can only buy him so much time if he doesn’t add something else notable with it.

7. Tristan Bertucci

It was a trying season for Bertucci, who was one of the few competent defensemen on a terrible Firebirds squad, and on top of that, also played through injury down the stretch. He was asked to do a lot of heavy lifting for his club, probably more than he was ready for. However, the Stars must have been impressed by how well he handled his challenging circumstances, because they signed him to his entry-level contract this March, a full season sooner than they needed to. The impressive tools that give him NHL potential - and led to Dallas using a 2nd-round pick on him - are still there: the reach, the fluid four-direction mobility, the smooth puck control in motion, and the vision in the offensive zone. If his difficult situation has wizened up some of the immature tendencies in his game, then it will have been worth it in the long run.

8. Antonio Stranges

The question about Stranges has always been whether or not he can become more than a one-trick-pony, and as we near the four-year mark of his draft day that question is still very much unanswered. In all fairness, his trick — the 10 & 2 or “mohawk” skating style — is pretty darn impressive, and there are still times where he can use it to make magic happen. The problem is that having to rely on it makes him more predictable, and predictable forwards are easier to defend. So, what else does he have to work with? His pucks skills can be pretty slick at times, and his wrist shot is sneakily dangerous. He blended these tools to flash more offensive pop in the OHL than has been seen so far in the AHL, so maybe there’s still more potential in here somewhere that can still be unlocked.

9. Ayrton Martino

It seems like the NCAA keeps partitioning further and further into the haves and the have-nots due to its loose recruitment rules, and that has to make things harder for prospects like Martino, who are plenty talented but don’t receive a ton of support around them. The good news for the Stars is that while Clarkson University might not be the best place for a prospect’s development, talent doesn’t usually just disappear if it isn’t nurtured in the most ideal of environments, and Martino sure has a lot of talent at his disposal. He is blazingly quick with both his hands and his feet, which allows him to create separation space for himself and then make complicated plays at his top speed. He’ll be heading back to college for his senior year, and once that’s wrapped up Dallas will surely be waiting with a contract and a pen.

10. Aram Minnetian

Minnetian is a sneakily good young blueliner. He doesn’t always get the attention or credit that he deserves because he doesn’t put up gaudy point totals or get crowds roaring by landing big hits. What he does do, however, is keep tight gaps against opposing forwards, retrieve pucks deep in his own end, evade oncoming forecheck pressure, and exit the defensive zone cleanly with possession by skating it out or passing it out. And he does all of those things with advanced precision and dependability. It’s not a coincidence that both the NTDP in 2022-23 and Boston College in 2023-24 were highly successful teams while using him as one of their go-to defenders. Minnetian will still need to find another gear in his game and evolve from being a good defender into a great defender to stand out enough to win an NHL roster spot, but things are moving in the right direction.

11. Kyle McDonald

McDonald is an interesting prospect because the strengths and weaknesses of his game are both so pronounced. First, the good: he is an excellent net-front presence. He's so big and strong that he can bully his way to the enemy crease. The bad is, well, almost everything else. His skating is slow and clunky, and he doesn't drive play. The only achievable NHL pathway for him is as a depth winger and powerplay specialist, but it’s a realistic possibility.

12. Chase Wheatcroft

Wheatcroft had a fantastic season in 2022-23, earning the contract that Dallas offered him as an undrafted free agent. However, the transition to the professional level wasn't immediately smooth. That said, during his WHL days he was a late bloomer who went through a bumpy development, so these kinds of trials aren't new to him. The key for him now will be to forge a clear identity as a two-way forward who can chip in work wherever his team needs it.

13. Justin Ertel

Ertel needed a big 2023-24 season to turn things around and earn his entry-level contract, and he delivered emphatically. He really leaned into his role on North Bay as a penalty killer, pest, and physical presence and got great results from it, especially during the playoffs. That’s an encouraging sign, because that kind of specialization, although not glamorous, is his best ticket to playing in the NHL one day.

14. Gavin White

After winning back-to-back OHL championships White had some wind under his sails coming into his first professional season. He handled the difficulty level of the AHL just fine when he played but got caught in a bit of a numbers game on the crowded Texas blueline and didn't always get to dress for games, usually through no fault of his own. He drives puck possession effectively using his feet, though it doesn't often result in producing points.

15. Connor Punnett

From his hits to his shots, everything that Punnett does is strong and heavy. And that's a good thing for him, because it set him apart from other young, undrafted defensemen so much that Dallas wanted to sign him as a free agent prospect. He's a tough customer who’s not afraid to stick up for his teammates, and that leadership trait was part of why Barrie named him their captain this season.

2021 NHL DRAFT: CENTRAL DIVISION REVIEW

Ryan Wagman — Fri, 03 Sep 2021 21:33:40 +0000

2021 NHL Draft Review

Time to review the draft, in depth. As I have done in previous seasons, this review will cover the league one division at a time. For each team, we will offer a quick summary of their draft class, a deeper look at their first pick/first rounder(s), and then a look at what we think to be the best value pick of their draft class, and a final look at their worst value pick. Once the divisions have all been covered, a final article will go over some other miscellaneous trends of the draft that was (odds & ends), and the annual McKeens shadow draft class. Let’s dig in.

Central Division

Dylan Guenther. Photo by Andy Devlin

Arizona Coyotes

1 (9) Dylan Guenther, RW, Edmonton (WHL)

2 (37) Josh Doan, RW, Chicago (USHL)

2 (43) Ilya Fedotov, LW, Chaika Nizhny Novgorod (MHL)

2 (60) Janis Jerome Moser, D, EHC Biel-Bienne (NL)

4 (107) Emil Martinsen Lilleberg, D, Sparta Sarpsborg (Norway)

4 (122) Rasmus Korhonen, G, Assat U20 (U20 SM-sarja)

5 (139) Manix Landry, C, Gatineau (QMJHL)

6 (171) Cal Thomas, D, Maple Grove HS (USHS-MN)

7 (223) Sam Lipkin, LW, Chicago (USHL)

New General Manager Bill Armstrong’s first draft for the Coyotes (he was GM at the 2020 draft, but per the terms of his contract, was not allowed to participate in the draft) was a curious one. Looking at not being involved on Day One, he pulled off a morning of the draft blockbuster, sending Oliver Ekman-Larsson and Conor Garland to Vancouver for a package including three overpriced veterans each on their final year under contract, and three draft picks, including a top ten pick in this draft, a second rounder next year, and a seventh rounders in 2023. This trade followed a similar deal made a few days prior, where Arizona picked up the dying contract of Andrew Ladd from the Islanders for a second-round selection, and picks in future drafts. The last trade on the draft floor (so to speak) saw the Coyotes leverage their extra picks in later years by sending a 2022 seventh rounder to Montreal for a late seventh rounder this year.

What made the Arizona draft curious though, were not the trades, but many the players they selected. The first pick was a chalk selection, as Dylan Guenther was a top ten talent for anyone, in any draft class. After taking that WHL star, the Coyotes focused almost exclusively on Europeans and college-bound players, with one exception in the fifth round. Furthermore, almost without exception, the players they selected after Guenther were drafted higher than expected, often by a long distance. That one QMJHL player was also the only pick they made of a player standing under 6-0” tall. The final note here goes to their first of three second rounders, Josh Doan, son of Coyotes’ legend Shane Doan, who was invited to announce the pick. A second-year eligible player, the younger Doan may be seen as a nepotism pick by some, but those people will not be familiar with the player. One of the most improved players in the USHL this year, Doan at pick 37 is maybe a touch high, but that is within range of where he belonged, if on the high end of that range. He is advanced enough to be paying dividends to the Coyotes sooner than later.

First round pick – Dylan Guenther, RW, Edmonton Oil Kings (WHL), 9^th overall

One of the biggest, purely offensive weapons in the draft class, there was no guarantee that Guenther would be available at pick nine, as he grades out as plus almost across the board. He has a big shot, is a talented puck handler, skates very well, and reads the game very well without shirking duties in his own end. He has the size, and the strength should come, although he is not naturally physically aggressive. That said, he is not shy and will play in the greasy areas and take punishment to make something good happen for his team. After a few years of drafting players for their maturity and two-way sensibilities, Guenther is a nice change of pace as a projected top line scoring winger.

Best value pick(s) –Manix Landry, C, Gatineau Olympiques (QMJHL), 139^th overall

As mentioned above, Landry was the only player selected by Arizona this year who stands under 6-0” tall. Not by much, by 5-11” isn’t 6-0”. Already the Gatineau captain in his draft year, he doesn’t have top six projection, and none of his physical tools really sticks out, but he has always been able to maximize what he has with the hockey IQ expected of the son of an NHLer (Father Eric played briefly with Montreal and Calgary and for many years in Europe afterwards). The younger Landry also plays gritty enough and with enough energy and positive intangible qualities to be a bottom six option in a few years. Not an exciting pick, but very good value for the fifth round.

Worst value pick – Ilya Fedotov, LW, Chaika Nizhny Novgorod (MHL), 43^rd overall

There were other options for this slot, but they were later rounders. Seventh rounder Sam Lipkin didn’t look like an NHL draft pick in my many viewings of him with Chicago. Sixth rounder Cal Thomas was maybe the third best NHL prospect on his high school team and the second-best defender after the undrafted Henry Nelson. Fourth rounder Emil Martinsen Lilleberg was playing in Norway and was in his third year of eligibility, but in fairness, Swedish teams had already taken notice and he will be in the SHL next year. So Fedotov gets the nod here as the Russian winger was taken in the middle of the second round and we don’t know that he does anything at a level high enough to profile to a top six or middle six slot. His production also doesn’t suggest a player who produces above his tools. He is a lanky young man who skates well and has some decent playmaking ability but is overly mistake prone and reactive. Arizona scouts clearly disagree but we think they could have nabbed him far later if they would have waited.

Allan_Nolan (2) photo by Keith Hershmiller

Chicago Blackhawks

1 (32) Nolan Allan, D, Prince Albert (WHL)

2 (62) Colton Dach, C, Saskatoon (WHL)

3 (91) Taige Harding, D, Fort McMurray (AJHL)

4 (105) Ethan Del Mastro, D, Mississauga (OHL)

4 (108) Victor Stjernborg, C, Vaxjo HC (SHL)

6 (172) Ilya Safonov, C, Ak Bars Kazan (KHL)

7 (204) Connor Kelley, D, Minnesota-Duluth (NCAA/NCHC)

7 (216) Jalen Luypen, C, Edmonton (WHL)

Like a number of other teams this year, Chicago went big at the draft. By which, I mean that they went almost exclusively for big players. Their first four selections measure in at 6-2”, 6-4”, 6-7”, 6-4”. Among the back half are two more big guys, and two at 5-10”, but even one of that latter duo weights over 200 pounds. Considering the lack of scouting opportunities this year, size doesn’t need too many looks to assess. Other notable points about the Blackhawks’ draft class include the even split between centers and blueliners, as the team did not select any goalies or wingers, and that fact that fully half of their draft class came from Western Canada, none of whom appeared in more than 28 games last year. Finally, as you may have heard, the team used their second-round pick on Saskatoon center Colton Dach, younger brother on current Blackhawks’ rising center Kirby Dach, a pick made the day after they traded for Seth Jones, teaming him up with brother Caleb, the return from another offseason trade.

I do have to wonder how, if at all, Chicago’s draft class would have differed were they not able to come to an agree with Columbus on the eve of the draft to acquire Seth Jones and the last pick of round one, in exchange for Adam Boqvist and pick 12 (a few other picks went in each direction in this trade). What direction would Chicago have headed with pick 12? Would they have taken the most powerful player available at that time, found another way to trade to do so, or even taken one of the two top goalies? We can’t know for sure, but we do know that the draft had started to overweight size and strength by the time Chicago selected Nolan Allan to end day one and can only assume that their strategy changed after the domino effect put into motion by Ottawa’s selection of Tyler Boucher at #10 overall.

First round pick – Nolan Allan, D, Prince Albert Raiders (WHL), 32^nd overall

Once upon a time a top three pick in the WHL Bantam Draft, Allan has since developed into a poised and reliable own zone defender. He makes the first pass to kickstart the transition. He can be relied upon to defend against the opposition’s best at the junior level. He played a similar role, including PK time, for Team Canada at the recent WU18s, helping his nation to a Gold. The offensive promise that he showed in AAA hockey in Saskatchewan has not yet shown up in the WHL. While not completely useless in the offensive zone, he is a fifth wheel of sorts. If Chicago is current about Allan, he is a number four in the mold of Nicklas Hjalmarsson. If not, he will be more of a number six along the lines of a different former Blackhawk, Slater Koekkoek.

Best value pick – Ethan Del Mastro, D, Mississauga Steelheads, OHL, 105^th overall

Think Nolan Allan, but two inches taller and 15 pounds heavier. Del Mastro is similarly a big, stay at home defender who was highly touted as a Bantam player, showed minimal offensive ability as a junior, although he has had far less time to prove himself at that level due to the OHL cancellation last year. He even played a similar role as Allan for Team Canada at the U18 championships, albeit Del Mastro was rustier with the puck. Del Mastro’s upside and downside are similar to those of Allan but getting the former in the fourth round makes it tremendous value.

Worst value pick – Taige Harding, D, Fort McMurray Oil Barons, AJHL, 91^st overall

A giant (6-7”, 236) in his second year of draft eligibility, Harding added a bit of offense from the blueline this year, going from six points in 46 games in his first draft year, to 13 in 16 games this year. The son of an old Hartford Whalers draft pick, the younger Harding learned to use his size to better establish positioning and succeeded as a 19-year-old in the AJHL. The problem with the pick, beyond the player not really having a clear NHL skillset, is that he likely could have been drafted far later than the third round, indicating that the Blackhawks overvalued him to a large degree.

Södertäljes Oskar Olausson under ishockeymatchen i Hockeyallsvenskan mellan Södertälje och AIK den 29 januari 2021 i Södertälje.
Foto: Kenta Jönsson / BILDBYRÅN

Colorado Avalanche

1 (20) Oskar Olausson, RW, HV 71 (SHL)

2 (47) Sean Behrens, D, USNTDP (USHL)

3 (92) Andrei Buyalsky, C, Dubuque (USHL)

7 (220) Taylor Makar, C/LW, Brooks (AJHL)

Not much to say here. Three forwards with good size and one blueliner deciding lacking in size. Of the four picks, the last three will be moving on to college hockey next season, while the first-round pick, the one drafted out of Europe, will be coming to North America to play in the OHL. It is fair to point out that the Avalanche have generally stayed clear of the CHL over the last few drafts, and Olausson is likely to be the only player in the system playing Canadian Major-Junior next season.

If a trend can be spotted out of four picks, it is a complete disregard for drafting young, first-time eligibles. Second rounder Behrens is the only 2003 born player among the quartet. Olausson is a late-birthday 2002 player, while the other two picks are not only re-drafts, but multiple re-drafts. Buyalsky was in his fourth year of eligibility and Makar was in his third year.

First round pick – Oskar Olausson, RW, HV 71 (SHL), 28^th overall

Like all junior aged players in Sweden, Olausson was forced to join the SHL once the junior leagues were cancelled around mid-season due to the pandemic. That said, Olausson was in the process of forcing his way up to the SHL anyway, with 27 points in 16 games before a stint with the Swedish WJC team and a brief period in the second tier HockeyAllsvenskan. He brings a big frame, plus skating and stickhandling and a lack of ego enabling to take on a bottom six role as needed, with the willingness to do the unheralded dirty work in his own zone. He could develop into a decent middle six player with special teams utililty.

Best value pick – Sean Behrens, D, USNTDP (USHL), 47^th overall

While lacking in the size that seemed to be all the rage at the draft this year, Behrens plays a fearless style of hockey, and you rarely notice his dimensional disadvantage on the ice. His skill set is moderate, but he always wrings every ounce of it from his body, pushing the pace and setting his team up for success in all zones. Headed to the University of Denver, the Avalanche will be keeping a close eye on Behrens, whose overall game is not too dissimilar to that of former Pioneer stalwart Ian Mitchell. I believe that he will be able to fit into an Avalanche blueline that already features the likes of Cale Makar, Devon Toews, and Samuel Girard, acting as the more stable presence while the others play more dynamically.

Worst value pick – Andrei Buyalsky, C, Dubuque Fighting Saints (USHL), 92^nd overall

To be clear, I don’t think that Buyalsky was a bad pick at all, but the other option was a late seventh rounder, and Taylor Makar’s selection was suspiciously close to the announcement that his older brother Cale had signed a long-term contract extension with the club. Was the drafting of Taylor a quiet stipulation of his agreement to terms? Maybe. Either way, Taylor is a big winger who has demonstrated good playmaking at the AJHL level, even if he is already 20 years old, and there is scarcely such thing as a risk in the seventh round. As for Buyalsky, he is even older than Makar, turning 21 a few weeks after the draft. A speedster from Kazakhstan, he came to North America last December to play in the USHL and immediately added an exciting element to Dubuque’s attack. He is painfully thin but has decent skill to go along with his wheels. The only real element of risk in his pick is his age, which indicates less room for growth. In a draft class with more than four players, Buyalsky would be very unlikely to be featured in this spot.

Wyatt Johnston of the Windsor Spitfires. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

Dallas Stars

1 (23) Wyatt Johnson, RW, Windsor (OHL)

2 (47) Logan Stankoven, C, Kamloops (WHL)

2 (48) Artyom Grushnikov, D, Hamilton (OHL)

3 (73) Ayrton Martino, LW, Omaha (USHL)

3 (79) Justin Ertel, LW, Western Capitals (MJAHL)

4 (111) Conner Roulette, LW, Seattle (WHL)

5 (138) Jack Bar, D, Chicago (USHL)

5 (143) Jacob Holmes, D, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)

6 (175) Francesco Arcuri, C, Steel Wings Linz (AplsHL)/Kingston (OHL)

7 (207) Albert Sjoberg, LW, Sodertalje SK J20 (J20 Nationell)

The previous few Dallas drafts prior to 2020 were marked by an abundance of lower upside, “safer” picks. They had physical gifts, but skill was lacking (Miro Heiskanen was an exception). Even 2019, with Thomas Harley, an offensive defender, as their first rounder, saw the team draft for safety with their other picks. While that approach sometimes leads to a late rounder blooming into a bottom of the lineup player, more often than not it leads to a player who doesn’t even garner an Entry-Level Contract. The 2020 draft saw Dallas go in another direction, selecting three forwards with skills to dream on. Sure, they might bust, but those low upside guys also have bust as their respective floors. Anyway, when Dallas named two-way center Wyatt Johnston as their 2021 first rounder, I immediately thought of Ty Dellandrea, a player with a similar profile at the time he was drafted. More smarts than skills, and by a mile. A solid pick for the second round, but not so much on Day One.

More on Johnston soon, but Dallas did a 180 on Day Two, stocking the system with high upside prospect after high upside prospect, giving them, all things considered, one of the draft classes I am most optimistic about in the league. Overwhelmingly North American, only one of their ten players selected don’t have some pre-existing ties to a North American league. They stayed away from goalies, a position of relative strength in the system. And even shied away from defensemen, with only three of the ten players known to patrol the blueline. Unlike many other teams, they were not too concerned with size, and Dallas was the landing spot for a few smaller players who fell further than their respective talent levels would have dictated. The 2021 draft class has the strength to be organization defining for a generation.

First round pick – Wyatt Johnston, C, Windsor Spitfires (OHL), 23^rd overall

A tremendous forechecker, Johnston, despite his pedigree as a sixth overall pick in the OHL Priority Selection two years ago, has not shown much offensive punch. Due to the cancellation of the OHL last year, his only game action in the last 12 months was a bottom six role for Team Canada at the WU18s. He was a valuable member of that Gold Medal winning team, but even there he didn’t show as a probable first round pick. He will do the little things right, paying attention to detail, and playing hard in all three zones. His stick work is good enough for a bottom six role, and he has a grinder’s mentality, but will need to improve his skating to reach that ceiling.

Best value pick – Logan Stankoven, C, Kamloops Blazers (WHL), 47^th overall

While Johnston was a role playing for Team Canada, Stankoven was the team’s third highest scoring draft eligible forward. He is a fantastic stick handler, playing courageous at both ends. He recognizes opportunities in an instant and has the skills to capitalize on them. His ability to put the puck in the net is up there with anyone drafted this summer. He is also a gifted skater, with great edges and four-way mobility. So why was he still available in the middle of the second round? Because he is 5-8”. The NHL, as a group, is still deciphering the lessons of Alex DeBrincat and Cole Caufield. Stankoven will join that duo and continue to change minds about the need for size in the NHL.

Without giving profiles of them here, Dallas had quite a few high value picks this year, and I should at least mention Ayrton Martino, Jack Bar, Francesco Arcuri, Conner Roulette, and Albert Sjoberg as steals where they were selected.

Worst value pick – Justin Ertel, LW, Summerside Western Capitals (MJAHL), 79^th overall

While I had some mild concerns about Artyom Grushnikov and Jacob Holmes, neither of whom played at all last season, they had decent pre-draft year pedigrees, and both were expected to be drafted and were drafted near those expectations. Ertel is a different case. He was planning to play for St. Andrew’s the prestigious Ontario prep school, as a stepping stone to NCAA hockey at Cornell, but hockey was cancelled all over Ontario, not just in the OHL, so Ertel went to the Maritimes to play in the relatively obscure MJAHL. He showed enough skill and hockey smarts to gain notice of draft-worthiness, but there is little reason to think that he wouldn’t have still been available two rounds later than the Stars made the move for him. With a draft class of this strength, it won’t hurt Dallas, but it was a bit of a head-scratcher.

210121 Luleås målvakt Jesper Wallstedt under ishockeymatchen i SHL mellan Luleå och Växjö den 21 januari 2021 i Luleå.
Foto: Simon Eliasson / BILDBYRÅN / COP 159 / SE0026

Minnesota Wild

1 (20) Jesper Wallstedt, G, Lulea HF (SHL)

1 (26) Carson Lambos, D, JYP U20 (U20 SM-sarja)/Winnipeg (WHL)

2 (54) Jack Peart, D, Fargo (USHL)

3 (86) Caedan Bankier, C, Kamloops (WHL)

4 (118) Kyle Masters, D, Red Deer (WHL)

4 (127) Josh Pillar, C, Kamloops (WHL)

6 (182) Nate Benoit, D, Mount St. Charles HS (USHS-RI)

At the cost of a late third round pick, Minnesota traded up two spots in the first round, and snagged the goalie most pundits and scouts – including ourselves – rated as the top goaltender in the draft. We have historically been shy about ranking goalies as first rounders in the past, Wallstedt was an obvious first rounder, who is technically refined, experienced at high levels, and checks all of the boxes for a future NHL starter. More on him soon. The Wild had a second first rounder, and snagged a top defensive prospect in Carson Lambos, a player who might have been off the board much earlier if not for a medical concern that cropped up late in the season.

If the Minnesota draft was just those two first rounders, it would be cause for great optimism for the Wild and their fans. But they continued to pick up good upside, focusing on the blueline, where they used three of their remaining five picks, including one – second rounder Peart – who we had rated as having first round value. The other notable element of the Minnesota draft class was their clear lean towards the WHL, from where four of their seven picks emerged. Even if only Wallstedt lives up to his advanced billing, this draft will be monumental for the Wild. In that case, all other NHL contributions from the remainder of the draft class will be bonuses. And we think there will be more.

First first round pick – Jesper Wallstedt, G, Lulea HF (SHL), 20^th overall

We were not alone in ranking Wallstedt as the best goalie in the 2021 draft. In fact, the Detroit Red Wings may have been the only team that preferred Sebastian Cossa (probably not, but they were in the minority). Furthermore, we believe that Wallstedt is more advanced at this stage than either Yaroslav Askarov or Spencer Knight were in the past two years. His ability to read the play is especially impressive, helping him stay prepared for whatever the opposition is cooking up. His other tools all also grade out as above average and better. He has a year remaining on his SHL contract and should be competing for time in the Minnesota crease by 2022-23.

Second first round pick – Carson Lambos, D, JYP U20 (U20 SM-sarja)/Winnipeg ICE (WHL)

A smooth, fast skater with a well-rounded tool kit through the rest of his game, Lambos already had a very impressive WHL rookie campaign under his belt before the pandemic threatened his follow-up. During the enforced layoff, he had the chance to keep playing in Finland, for the JYP organization, and he excelled in their junior ranks, making a seamless adjustment from the North American game. Lambos expected to return to the WHL at the end of his Finnish experience, but two games after he got back to Winnipeg, an undisclosed medical issue emerged that forced him off the ice again. His medicals are reportedly fine now, giving Minnesota a second first rounder drafted substantially later than was expected before the year began.

Best value pick – Jack Peart, D, Fargo Force (USHL), 54^th overall

To be honest, Minnesota’s best value picks were their two first rounders, but getting Jack Peart at #54 was a third coup for Bill Guerin and the Wild. After crushing in the Minnesota high school ranks at Grand Rapids HS, Peart went back to Fargo of the USHL where he showed zero issue adjusting to the vastly improved level of play. By the postseason, he was the Force’s number one defender, helping lead the team to the Clark Cup finals. Peart is not physically imposing, but his reads and decision making are both incredibly impressive, convincing us to give him a first round ranking in our draft guide. Peart is also the third Minnesota Mr. Hockey to have been drafted by the Wild

Worst value pick – Caiden Bankier, C, Kamloops Blazers (WHL), 86^th overall

As much as we loved Minnesota’s first three picks, the remainder of their selections left us unmoved. None of the four was especially egregious, but third rounder Bankier was their first reach, so he gets the dreaded ‘Worst Value Pick’ spot here. He has good size and decent creativity with the puck, but nothing about his game suggests top size potential, and his style hasn’t fit bottom six characteristics either. In other words, he looks like a tweener. That’s totally fine in the fifth round or later but is gearing for disappointment as a third rounder.

Fyodor Svechkov. Photo by Dan Hickling/Hickling Images

Nashville Predators

1 (19) Fyodor Svechkov, C, Lada Togliatti (VHL)

1 (27) Zachary L’Heureux, LW, Halifax (QMJHL)

3 (72) Anton Olsson, D, Malmo (SHL)

4 (115) Ryan Ufko, D, Chicago (USHL)

4 (124) Jack Matier, D, Ottawa (OHL)

6 (179) Simon Knak, RW, HC Davos (NL)

As the first round was proceeding, the Predators decided that they would rather have two first round picks than have one first and two seconds, and I can’t say that I disagree. The Carolina Hurricanes felt differently, and a trade was born, allowing Nashville to finish Day One with two new talented forwards to add to their prospect pool. To make up for the forward lean on Day One, they went heavily on defense on Day Two, using the first three of their remaining four picks on blueliners.

Curiously, the Predators returned to Carolina on Day Two for another trade up scenario, moving up 11 spots in Round Three by sacrificing their fifth-round pick. With two moves of this nature, it seems fairly clear that Nashville had specific prospects targeted and preferred to miss out on an extra lower probability player in order to secure the player they really wanted. In the end, they have added six new talents to their pool, all of whom have reasonable claims to a future in the NHL. A final, minor note, Nashville didn’t seem to get caught up in the size rush this year, with only one of their six picks measuring in with above-average size, in fourth round blueline Jack Matier.

First first round pick – Fyodor Svechkov, C, Lada Togliatti (VHL), 19^th overall

A well-rounded offensive force who plays with an exciting combination of pace and touch, Svechkov had a very strong regular season split between Russian juniors (MHL) and the nation’s second tier senior league (VHL). But he really shot into wider prominence with a thrilling performance at the WU18s, where his ability to move the puck in the offensive zone was mesmerizing. Nashville has never been shy about drafting Russian players at the top of their draft classes, and Svechkov is next in line. He could be ready for the NHL once his Russian league contract expires after the 2022-23 season.

Second first round pick – Zachary L’Heureux, LW, Halifax Mooseheads (QMJHL)

The former third overall pick in the QMJHL Entry Draft, L’Heureux solidified his status as one of the top draft talents out of the Q with a well-rounded game that emphasizes a wicked shot and a prominent aggressive nature. That latter aspect turned off a few teams and prognosticators, as it led to a pair of suspensions for the winger last year, forcing him to miss time as his team competed for postseason standings. Notably, neither suspension occurred due to a normal, run-of-play type incident, but due to behavior that was, or at least should have been avoidable. Assuming that maturity could stem those types of behaviors in the future, he profiles as a force in a middle six role.

Best value pick – Ryan Ufko, D, Chicago Steel (USHL), 115^th overall & Jack Matier, D, Ottawa 67s (OHL), 124^th overall

These two are of a pair, both defenders being selected in the fourth round by Nashville, when both could easily have been off the board a full round or more earlier than when the Predators finally announced their names around half an hour apart. Although both blueliners are right-handed shots, the rest of their respective profiles couldn’t be more different. Ufko is small, but vicious, with a pronounced aggressive streak and a huge point shot. His skating needs a little work, but he is headed to a defensive factory at UMass and big things should be in his immediate future. Matier is huge, but skates well. He missed the year due to the OHL cancellation, but looked sharp at the WU18s, showing enough puck movement skills that he can profile to at least be viable in a third pairing role if paired with a more dynamic player. Either or both of Ufko and Matier could play a role in the NHL, which is more than can be said for many fourth rounders.

Worst value pick – Anton Olsson, D, Malmo Redhawks (SHL), 72^nd overall

We were probably lower on Olsson as a draft prospect than most other venues, but on its face, a third-round pick for the Swedish defender is not bad value. The only reason he ends up here is that Nashville traded up to get him, so his cost is both the #72 pick, as well as pick #147. Olsson can look good at times, but his feel for the game offensively can also be sorely lacking, leading to questions about his upside. If Olson in the third round is a team’s worst value pick, that team had a pretty good draft.

Zachary Bolduc. Photo courtesy of the QMJHL.

St. Louis Blues

1 (17) Zachary Bolduc, C, Rimouski (QMJHL)

3 (71) Simon Robertsson, RW, Skelleftea AIK (SHL)

5 (145) Tyson Galloway, D, Calgary (WHL)

7 (198) Ivan Vorobyov, RW, Mamonty Yugry (MHL)

One of the smallest draft classes this year, the Blues will benefit from also snapping up perhaps the best value pick in the entire draft. Not much else to state about their draft, as there was no other clear trend in their selections. The four players are all from different geographical locations and range from undersized (Vorobyov) to supersized (Galloway). If their top two picks pan out, this draft class will be deemed a success. If not, it will be a failure. With smaller draft classes, there is no room for error.

First round pick – Zachary Bolduc, C, Rimouski Oceanic (QMJHL), 17^th overall

A playmaking, two-way center, Bolduc’s production in his draft year was a mild disappointment, with point-per-game rates very similar to what he put up in the previous season, albeit with a vastly different shape. Whereas he scored almost three goals for every assist in 2019-20, last year the ratio was practically flipped, with nearly two assists for every goal scored. At times, his play seemed passive, which could impact his effectiveness, but a touch of added confidence should help him grow in all three zones, into a solid middle six center projection.

Best value pick – Simon Robertsson, RW, Skelleftea AIK (SHL), 71^st overall

Granted, we had Robertsson ranked too high for the draft. We focused too much on his discrete tools – which are all individually very impressive – and less on his overall game and how those tools all work together. The son of former NHL defender Bert Robertsson, young Simon split his draft year between the Swedish junior ranks, which he dominated before the league was cancelled half-way through, and the SHL, where his ice time and impact were both severely limited. He wore a letter for Sweden at the U18s, and performed fine, if not exceptionally. Robertsson has easy top six upside if he can put it all together, and bottom six value if he doesn’t. Getting that in the middle of the third round is a heist, and the Blues knew it, trading up with San Jose to get this pick, at the cost of a later third rounder and a sixth-round pick.

Worst value pick – Ivan Vorobyov, RW, Mamonty Yugry (MHL), 198^th overall

A seventh-round pick would rarely be chosen for this dishonor, but the Blues didn’t give us much to choose from. Their first three picks ranged from solid to exceptional vis-à-vis draft value. Vorobyov is a second time eligible winger who still hasn’t filled out a severely underdeveloped frame. He put up good numbers in the MHL last year (6^th leading scorer among the U19 set, with more stress on playmaking than finishing. Four games over the last two years in the VHL, Russia’s second men’s league constitute his sole experiences above junior hockey, and he has never been selected to represent Russia internationally, even for exhibition games. He is no more a gamble than any player picked in the seventh round, but for St. Louis, he is the biggest gamble of their 2021 draft class.

Chaz Lucius. Photo courtesy of USA Hockey/Rena Laverty

Winnipeg Jets

1 (18) Chaz Lucius, C, USNTDP (USHL)

2 (50) Nikita Chibrikov, RW, SKA-Neva St. Petersburg (VHL)

3 (82) Dmitri Kuzmin, D, Dinamo Molodechno (Belarus)

5 (146) Dmitri Rashevsky, RW, Dynamo St. Petersburg (VHL)

I can simply repeat much of what was written in this section about the St. Louis draft class. Winnipeg drafted only four players, and at least three of them already look like great value selections. Also like the Blues, the Jets selected three forwards and one defender. If four is enough of a sample size to detect any trends (it usually isn’t), we can at least note that three of Winnipeg’s four picks were out of Russia/former Soviet Union states, although one of those players is expected to move to North America as soon as next season, with third rounder, defender Dmitri Kuzmin signing his Entry Level Contract. His most likely next destination is in the OHL, where Flint controls his CHL player rights.

The above paragraph notwithstanding, Winnipeg hasn’t drafted seven or more players in a single year since 2017, and they had not even drafted six players in a season since 2018. It is exceedingly difficult to maintain a competitive organization when your team has only four or five picks every year while other teams are selecting seven or more. It will be interesting to see if GM Kevin Cheveldayoff continues to trade picks for present help or finally starts to hold onto those assets.

First round pick – Chaz Lucius, C, USNTDP (USHL), 18^th overall

Although his draft year was impacted at both beginning and end by injury, Lucius showed more than enough when he was healthy enough to take the ice that the first half projections placed on him previously were accurate. He was expected to go even higher in fact, but his foot speed was seemingly impacted by his pre-season knee surgery and that may have caused him to slide a few spots to Winnipeg. Skating aside, Lucius is a special offensive talent. His sense of timing and positioning lead to the bulk of his goals – helped along by a quick shot, of course – but he can also contribute as a playmaker thanks to his great ability to read the defense and exploit the smallest of gaps. He could explode with a fully healthy freshman season at Minnesota.

Best value pick – Nikita Chibrikov, RW, SKA-Neva St. Petersburg (VHL), 50^th overall

Like St. Louis, Winnipeg managed to grab a player on Day Two who we had ranked as a first round talent. In this case, Chibrikov is small, but very feisty, and in possession of an exceptional offensive skill set. A creative player with high-energy, his development can go in a number of ways, and his ultimate projection will follow accordingly. Greater offensive consistency is all that stands in his way for a top six outcome, but the energy, reads, and overall mobility would also fit in a bottom six, disruptor role. A full year playing against men in Russia will go a ways towards unveiling his continued path.

Worst value pick – Dmitri Rashevsky, RW, Dynamo St. Petersburg (VHL), 146^th overall

This is once more not truly a low value pick. Rashevsky led the top Russian league, the MHL, in goals scored in 2019-20, his second year of draft eligibility, but went undrafted. Now 20 years old, and still exceptionally thin, he made his senior hockey debut last year and was pretty solid, especially in his time in the second tier VHL, where he put up 22 points in 30 games split between two teams. Rashevsky is not currently under contract in Russia, although there has yet to be any indication that Winnipeg wants to lock him in place just yet. If there is a low value element to this pick, it is the question of what is different about Rashevsky now than in the previous two years where he wasn’t selected? Even if there is no difference, perhaps the true answer is that he simply should have been drafted last year.

2021 NHL DRAFT: DALLAS STARS REVIEW

Ryan Wagman — Fri, 03 Sep 2021 20:50:26 +0000

Wyatt Johnston of the Windsor Spitfires. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

Dallas Stars

1 (23) Wyatt Johnson, RW, Windsor (OHL)

2 (47) Logan Stankoven, C, Kamloops (WHL)

2 (48) Artyom Grushnikov, D, Hamilton (OHL)

3 (73) Ayrton Martino, LW, Omaha (USHL)

3 (79) Justin Ertel, LW, Western Capitals (MJAHL)

4 (111) Conner Roulette, LW, Seattle (WHL)

5 (138) Jack Bar, D, Chicago (USHL)

5 (143) Jacob Holmes, D, Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)

6 (175) Francesco Arcuri, C, Steel Wings Linz (AplsHL)/Kingston (OHL)

7 (207) Albert Sjoberg, LW, Sodertalje SK J20 (J20 Nationell)

First round pick – Wyatt Johnston, C, Windsor Spitfires (OHL), 23^rd overall

Best value pick – Logan Stankoven, C, Kamloops Blazers (WHL), 47^th overall

Worst value pick – Justin Ertel, LW, Summerside Western Capitals (MJAHL), 79^th overall

2021 NHL Draft: Scouting Reports for North American Tier-2 Leagues ( Jr. A, Highschool, AAA)

Josh Mallory — Thu, 08 Jul 2021 16:52:20 +0000

As the 2021 NHL Draft approaches, you have probably heard ad nauseum about the top-32 to top-64 rated prospects. Most have a solid idea as to the general crop of players destined for high selection slots this coming July, and, as usual, far less is made about players slotted in deeper rounds or playing at lower levels of competition. This article looks to shine a light on some of those very prospects. To be specific, in this article, I have highlighted twenty-two 2021 draft-eligible players – 18 skaters and 4 goalies – from across Jr. A, Highschool, AAA, and various other North American tier-2 leagues. Some will be drafted, others will not. Nonetheless, there are some players herein who could be of interest to teams with lots of late picks to play with. Let’s dive in.

Ellis Rickwood	2021 NHL Draft Eligible
Position: C Shoots: R	H/W: 6-1" / 201 lbs
Stats to Date (GP-G-A-PTS-PIM)	Victoria Grizzlies, BCHL (20-13-17-30-2)

Skating: 45, Shot: 50, Skills: 55, Smarts: 55, Physicality: 50, Overall Future Projection (OFP): 51.50

The 2^nd leading scorer in the BCHL this season, Ellis Rickwood played a big role for the Victoria Grizzlies. In my viewings, he showed some decent intelligence with the puck on his stick and was able to make some plays under pressure. His puck skill is strong, and he never turns down an opportunity to shoot the puck. However, to me, Rickwood’s pro potential is rather limited at the moment due to his skating. He possesses a very upright stance that lacks both depth and width; his mobility is only just okay at the BCHL level. In order to heighten his outlook at the professional level, some big-time development will need to happen skating-wise to catch up to the rest of his game.

Alexander Teleguine. Photo by Dan Hickling, Hickling Images

Alexander 'Sasha' Teleguine	2021 NHL Draft Eligible
Position: RW Shoots: L	H/W: 5-10" / 185 lbs
Stats to Date (GP-G-A-PTS-PIM)	Chilliwack Chiefs, BCHL (20-4-14-18-12)

Skating: 55, Shot: 55, Skills: 55, Smarts: 50, Physicality: 50, Overall Future Projection (OFP): 53.50

Alexander Teleguine, a.k.a. ‘Sasha’ may be one of my favourite prospects in the 2021 Draft. His currently modest consensus rankings can likely be chalked up to somewhat pedestrian goal production in the BCHL as well as some consistency issues. But make no mistake, when he’s on, he’s incredibly dynamic. He is an explosive skater with tight hands who loves to drive the net despite his 5-10” frame. He possesses strong vision too, able to feed teammates with crisp, accurate passing all over the offensive zone. Because of his deception and shiftiness as a player, he is also a threatening power play presence. I think there is a real player here, and if he is able to bring his goal scoring numbers up and display a tad more consistency effort-wise on the ice, it wouldn’t shock me in the slightest to see Teleguine emerge as a solid middle-six NHL forward down the line.

Noah Serdachny	2021 NHL Draft Eligible
Position: C Shoots: R	H/W: 6-1" / 174 lbs
Stats to Date (GP-G-A-PTS-PIM)	Salmon Arm Silverbacks, BCHL (20-6-18-24-10)

Skating: 50, Shot: 50, Skills: 55, Smarts: 55, Physicality: 45, Overall Future Projection (OFP): 51.75

Noah Serdachny was a fun player to scout. A key contributor to the Silverbacks’ offence, Serdachny possesses strong puck skill and intelligence on the ice. His skating – while not necessarily his strength as a player – isn’t a weakness either. He has short, choppy strides and sits back on his heels a tad, but he has reasonable mechanics to work with otherwise to become a competitive skater at the pro level. Serdachny is a sharp player mentally. He is consistently able to process the play effectively off-puck both defensively and offensively to ensure that he is in the right spots at the right time. He can also thread the occasionally beautiful pass to teammates through layers of coverage. He will need to improve his play along the walls and around contact, but I think there could be a serviceable depth player here down the line.

Ryan Gillespie	2021 NHL Draft Eligible
Position: C Shoots: R	H/W: 6-0" / 174 lbs
Stats to Date (GP-G-A-PTS-PIM)	Brockville Braves, CCHL (13-7-13-20-4)

Skating: 50, Shot: 55, Skills: 50, Smarts: 45, Physicality: 50, Overall Future Projection (OFP): 49.50

Gillespie was an interesting player to scout. He put up big numbers on a powerhouse Brockville team that won 11 of 13 games this season, but in my viewings, he didn’t particularly stand out. He is a reasonably powerful skater, but I didn’t see a ton of dynamism. He also has some strong puck skill and a hard, accurate shot, but to me, this seems like a player who overpowered lesser competition with raw tools on a loaded team. He isn’t overly engaged off-puck and struggles to find useful support routes in order to play between checks or be a useful outlet option for his teammates. His processing ability didn’t particularly stand out to me either, which, at a tier-2 level, doesn’t always bode well for progression to higher levels. This is a player with solid tools but lacking the toolkit to apply them in a transferrable manner.

Justin Ertel	2021 NHL Draft Eligible
Position: LW Shoots: L	H/W: 6-2" / 187 lbs
Stats to Date (GP-G-A-PTS-PIM)	Summerside Western Capitals, MJAHL (18-9-19-28-10)

Skating: 50, Shot: 50, Skills: 55, Smarts: 55, Physicality: 50, Overall Future Projection (OFP): 52.00

I really enjoyed watching Justin Ertel. He is splendidly skilled with the puck on his stick, and he is a very intelligent player too. Whether it’s small area touch plays, or cross-ice seam looks, Ertel is adept at manipulating and finding his teammates with consistency. His processing is strong thanks to constant shoulder checks and up-ice scans with and without the puck, and his skating actually has a decent level of dynamism to it. He implements strong linear crossovers in transition to add a deceptive element to his game. He is also capable of separating his upper and lower body functions to corral bad pucks and add a manipulative element to his puck touches.

However, there are a few things holding Ertel back. In order to compete at higher levels, he will need to add more explosiveness and top-end speed to his skating; his pace of play as a whole will need to come up to hold his own at more difficult levels. And of course, the main concern was his level of play this season. The MJAHL is suspect in quality and consistency on the best of days, so it will be interesting to see how Ertel progresses as a prospect should he reach higher levels of play. It wouldn’t surprise me to see him emerge as a late-blooming depth player at the pro level several years down the line with the right development.

Declan Ride	2021 NHL Draft Eligible
Position: D Shoots: R	H/W: 6-6" / 205 lbs
Stats to Date (GP-G-A-PTS-PIM)	Oakville Blades, OJHL (No Season)
	Team FloHockey, PBHH Invitational (5-0-5-5-4)

Skating: 45, Shot: 50, Skills: 50, Smarts: 50, Physicality: 50, Overall Future Projection (OFP): 48.75

Ride is a tough prospect to get a gauge on from this season because of the lack of OJHL season. He did, however, participate in the 2021 PBHH invitational in Erie alongside a myriad of OHL and tier-2 players looking to show off their skillsets to NHL scouts before draft day. The first thing that stands out about Ride is obviously his size. At 6-6” and 205 pounds, he is absolutely enormous. In my viewings, Ride played reasonably steady, but there are numerous areas of his game that need refinement in order to reach the pro level and compete effectively there. His skating in particular is limited at the moment. He lacks small area agility as well as lateral dexterity. His skill blending along the blue line also needs to be polished. For his size, he struggled to dominate opponents physically in puck battle situations on a consistent basis. He has a reasonably hard shot however, but the mechanics and fluidity will need some work there too. Overall, a prospect with the potential tools (and certainly the size) to be a pro calibre D-man, but he has a lot of developing toolkit-wise to get there.

Matt Fusco	2021 NHL Draft Eligible
Position: D Shoots: R	H/W: 6-0" / 185 lbs
Stats to Date (GP-G-A-PTS-PIM)	East Coast Wizards, EHL (9-2-3-5-8)

Skating: 55, Shot: 55, Skills: 50, Smarts: 50, Physicality: 50, Overall Future Projection (OFP): 51.75

I quite liked what I saw from Fusco in my viewings of him. He is a strong skater – both in pace and mechanics – and he skates the game very well. The Harvard commit handles the puck nicely, and although he doesn’t have overly flashy hands, he instead utilizes an underhandedled approach and displays great hip pocket habits while carrying or moving the puck to add a deceptive layer to his game. Fusco possesses a reasonably hard shot from the point, too, that keeps him as a shot threat team defences need to be aware of. He is very strong neutral zone defender; holding tight gaps and playing up to nullify plays early and often. I’m intrigued to see how he does at Harvard, but there is a potential player here.

Brody Lamb	2021 NHL Draft Eligible
Position: LW/RW Shoots: R	H/W: 6-0" / 167 lbs
Stats to Date (GP-G-A-PTS-PIM)	Dodge County Wildcats, USHS-MN (24-52-35-87)

Skating: 50, Shot: 55, Skills: 50, Smarts: 45, Physicality: 50, Overall Future Projection (OFP): 50.25

Brody Lamb put up huge numbers this year with the Dodge County Wildcats of the Minnesota Highschool loop. His 2.16 goals per game clip comes as little surprise as soon as you watch the winger play. His release has some nice pop to it; he also has great mechanics and can deceive goalies with multiple different release points. Lamb also has quick hands in tight space to go along with some decent offensive instincts in the offensive zone. However, in my viewings, he didn’t stand out as a high-end problem solver. Physically, Lamb will need to significantly improve his ability to play inside of and around contact to bolster his development path long-term. I could see a depth piece emerge down the road if he is able to improve his processing ability and play under pressure and inside of contact while leveraging his best asset: his shot.

Luke Mittlestadt	2021 NHL Draft Eligible
Position: D Shoots: L	H/W: 5-11" / 174 lbs
Stats to Date (GP-G-A-PTS-PIM)	Eden Prairie High (24-9-26-35-14)

Skating: 50, Shot: 55, Skills: 50, Smarts: 50, Physicality: 50, Overall Future Projection (OFP): 50.50

Luke Mittlestadt was an interesting player to evaluate. He possesses a hard and accurate shot and shows a reasonably fluid level of skill blending whether receiving inside of a blended catch or on hinge plays with his partner. He can make a great first pass and has smooth hands. He also displays deception along the blue line in the offensive zone, but in nearly every other area of the ice, I don’t see the same deceptive habits. The play you see is typically the play you get. To me, his overall deception and upside is currently limited due to his skating. He skates on his heels and lacks depth through his stance which leads to a very upright skating posture. He also seemingly has a high centre of mass, which when combined with his penchant to sit back in his stance, leads to rigid pivots and at-times awkward transitional skating. Mittlestadt will need to become more comfortable skating on the balls of his feet and add more depth to his stance if he wants to be able to truly compete at the pro level as a defenceman in the modern game.

Carter Batchelder	2021 NHL Draft Eligible
Position: C Shoots: L	H/W: 5-10" / 161 lbs
Stats to Date (GP-G-A-PTS-PIM)	Eden Prairie High, USHS-MN (24-34-27-61-16)

Skating: 50, Shot: 50, Skills: 50, Smarts: 50, Physicality: 45, Overall Future Projection (OFP): 49.25

Carter Batchelder is another player who put up huge numbers in the Minnesota high school loop this season. His better than goal-per-game pace had a lot to do with his net-front play. He possesses strong instincts around the goal mouth when it comes to timing and ability to jump on loose pucks and clean up rebounds. He is a reasonably strong skater even if his stride is limited and choppy. He looks to be more of a winger at higher levels than a centre; in my viewings of him, he wasn’t a frequent transporter of the puck up-ice in transition, often distributing to his wingers and allowing them to do the heavy lifting through the neutral zone. Despite his lofty point totals, I didn’t see a game-breaking, dominant presence on a consistent basis. He needs to improve his ability to play inside of contact, and he will need to add a more deceptive layer to his game to dictate opponents at a higher level.

Cade Ahrenholz	2021 NHL Draft Eligible
Position: RW Shoots: R	H/W: 6-3" / 203 lbs
Stats to Date (GP-G-A-PTS-PIM)	Lakeville South High, USHS-MN (23-21-19-40-10)

Skating: 50, Shot: 55, Skills: 50, Smarts: 50, Physicality: 50, Overall Future Projection (OFP): 51.00

Ahrenholz produced reasonable numbers for Lakeville South High this year and there are some enticing qualities to his game as a prospect. He is a technically strong skater with a huge frame; granted, he needs to add more pace and explosiveness to his skating, but the mechanics are rather sound nonetheless. If he can add more explosive static acceleration to his game, I think he will become a real load to handle in the offensive zone with his reach and frame. He projects as more of a meat and potatoes-type player to me as he lacks a smooth first touch and doesn’t possess overly dynamic puck-handling abilities. His lack of deception and manipulation tools leaves you wanting more on a lot of plays he makes, especially at against lesser competition. However, he has a very hard shot and good net-front instincts, so if he can improve his offensive puck touches outside of the goal mouth, I can see him becoming a solid player at the pro level.

Kyle Kukkonen	2021 NHL Draft Eligible
Position: C Shoots: R	H/W: 5-10" / 165 lbs
Stats to Date (GP-G-A-PTS-PIM)	Maple Grove High, USHS-MN (23-31-43-74-16)

Skating: 55, Shot: 50, Skills: 50, Smarts: 50, Physicality: 45, Overall Future Projection (OFP): 50.25

Kukkonen posted ludicrous numbers with Maple Grove High this season with a 3.22 points-per-game clip. He is a relatively fast skater with good straight-line speed and quick 4-way skating, but he tends to skate on his heels, and needs some work on his crossovers, too. Kukkonen is a reasonably deceptive stick-handler; able to make shifty plays in tight space and control the puck nicely in transition. However, while Kukkonen’s point totals immediately jump off the page, he seems to me like more of a player who dominated inferior competition with his raw skills than a player with transferrable, game-breaking abilities at the next level. He doesn’t utilize shoulder checks and up-ice scanning as often as you would like to see, which leads to difficulties making plays under sudden pressure upon puck reception. I didn’t see him take a ton of overly supportive off-puck routes in the defensive zone – especially for a centre – which leads me to think he might project as more of a winger at higher levels. Kukkonen has decent tools but needs to add a lot of polish to his application methods to allow his game to transfer to higher-end levels of play.

Henry Nelson	2021 NHL Draft Eligible
Position: D Shoots: L	H/W: 6-1" / 174 lbs
Stats to Date (GP-G-A-PTS-PIM)	Maple Grove High, USHS-MN (23-11-34-46-10)

Skating: 55, Shot: 55, Skills: 50, Smarts: 50, Physicality: 50, Overall Future Projection (OFP): 51.75

Nelson was easily one of my favourite tier-2 players to scout when it comes to raw skills. He is a technically beautiful skater who possesses great dynamic footwork and posture. He has a strong base and rush habits that allow him to play up and hold tight gaps where he will seldom get crossed up. He has great awareness in the defensive zone without the puck; often shoulder checking and scanning up-ice to account for opponents. He is also quite dynamic along the blue line when he decides to get off the wall. However, Nelson’s individual tactics need some work. He tends to plant his feet a lot on puck recoveries rather than use his dynamic skating to become a consistently effective breakout initiator. This leads to a lot of blind rims and high or glass and out-type plays. He is also a bit too trigger happy from the point – especially on the power play – which is understandable. He has a heavy shot, and he wants to use it. However, if he is going to thrive at higher levels, he will need to see the offensive zone better and become a more proficient facilitator rather than firing every puck he gets a hold of into traffic.

Luke Levandowski	2021 NHL Draft Eligible
Position: LW Shoots: L	H/W: 6-0" / 161 lbs
Stats to Date (GP-G-A-PTS-PIM)	Rosemount High, USHS-MN (22-21-19-41-8)

Skating: 55, Shot: 50, Skills: 50, Smarts: 50, Physicality: 45, Overall Future Projection (OFP): 50.50

Levandowski is a pretty dynamic skater with good puck skills. He has technically sound skating that features deceptive weight shifts to go along with deft puck handling ability in open ice that can make him hard to contain if he builds up speed. He played centre with Rosemount but a lot of left wing with the USHL’s Chicago Steel, which indicates that he likely projects more as a winger long-term at higher levels. Levandowski can improve his transition game even more if he implements the habit of coming lower in reload and regroup situations; he often fades close to or behind coverage through the neutral zone which really mitigates his ability to build speed differentials and utilize his shifty and deceptive skating to his advantage as often as possible. Like a lot of the Minnesota Highschool players mentioned in this piece, he also needs to improve his play inside of and around contact. It’s a huge separating factor between players at each consecutive level.

Joe Palodichuk	2021 NHL Draft Eligible
Position: D Shoots: L	H/W: 6-0" / 174 lbs
Stats to Date (GP-G-A-PTS-PIM)	Bismarck Bobcats, NAHL (21-0-5-5-4)

Skating: 55, Shot: 45, Skills: 50, Smarts: 50, Physicality: 50, Overall Future Projection (OFP): 50.75

Palodichuk’s skating is by-far his strongest asset. He is a fluid and quick 4-way skater who is able to make plays in transition and sprint to join the rush with consistency. His straight-line speed isn’t the greatest as of right now, but his small area quickness and agility allows him to stand out as a skater on the ice shift-to-shift. He is also reasonably adept at blending skill through the neutral zone in transition with the puck on his stick. His physicality is just okay however, and in my viewings of him, his shot really stood out as an area for improvement in his game. It lacked pop and heaviness from the point and will certainly need to be improved upon for him to see consistent ice time and success at higher levels.

Charlie Lurie	2021 NHL Draft Eligible
Position: C Shoots: L	H/W: 6-0" / 181 lbs
Stats to Date (GP-G-A-PTS-PIM)	Shattuck St. Mary's 18U Prep, USHS-Prep (36-29-17-46-16)

Skating: 50, Shot: 60, Skills: 50, Smarts: 50, Physicality: 50, Overall Future Projection (OFP): 51.50

I quite liked Lurie in my viewings of him. He has a solid base, a low centre of mass and couples it with powerful linear skating and tight hands. While he will need to add pace and dynamism to his skating, his play style is more methodical in nature than overpowering. His best asset is easily his shot. His 29 goals in 36 games with Shattuck St. Mary’s were a result of his booming, deceptive and accurate shot. The puck really explodes off his stick and he is able to utilize deceptive weight shifts and hip pocket implementation to disguise his intentions prior to release. He is also effective at playing between checks and finding quiet ice to get his shot off. Lurie was lethal on the power play, too. He would routinely play his off-wing (right flank) with the man advantage, no dusting bombs from cross-ice seam passes into the back of the net before the opposing goaltender could react. He makes some questionable reads at times with the puck on his stick, like passing into pressure when he has ice to work with himself, but overall, I think he is a strong prospect with a signature skill to leverage: shooting.

Nate Benoit

Nate Benoit	2021 NHL Draft Eligible
Position: D Shoots: L	H/W: 6-1" / 181 lbs
Stats to Date (GP-G-A-PTS-PIM)	Mount St. Charles, 18U AAA (***Per Instat-14-5-8-13-7)

Skating: 50, Shot: 50, Skills: 50, Smarts: 55, Physicality: 45, Overall Future Projection (OFP): 50.50

Nate Benoit immediately stands out as a mechanically-sound player. His skating, puck-handling, and shooting are all driven by wonderful technique. He is a strong and fluid skater even if he lacks some pace, a good puck handler and passer who possesses decent vision through the neutral zone, and a relatively strong power play quarterback with some nice deceptive qualities in his arsenal. However, Benoit needs to improve his first touch on puck receptions as well as making and receiving plays inside of movement. He also plays a very tame, safe game despite his strong tools. Whether it is a system or a player thing, he seldom sprints to join the rush and doesn’t really activate a ton overall. He will need to improve his physical play as well. He got outmuscled often in my viewings of him which is a cause for concern for a draft-year player at the AAA level; he will need to learn how to utilize more leverage and escape tactics to improve in that respect as a defenceman.

Owen McLaughlin	2021 NHL Draft Eligible
Position: C Shoots: L	H/W: 5-11" / 150 lbs
Stats to Date (GP-G-A-PTS-PIM)	Mount St. Charles Academy, U18 AAA (33-16-38-54)

Skating: 50, Shot: 50, Skills: 50, Smarts: 55, Physicality: 45, Overall Future Projection (OFP): 50.50

Owen McLaughlin is a smart, heady centre who posted over an assist per game with Mount St. Charles Academy this season. He possesses fluid puck-handling abilities to accompany his intelligence and can make plays consistently. His smarts and processing are his calling card as a player, but there are a few areas of his game that need to come up if he wants to progress more effectively to higher levels. His skating is fine, but it didn’t stand out at the AAA level; as with any young aspiring player, he will need to add pace and explosiveness as he climbs the ranks. His below-average physicality comes as little surprise as his listed frame comes in at 5-11” and just 150 pounds. He will need to learn how to play around contact more effectively (as is a theme with many players in this article), and he will need to add more pop and power to his shot to be a scoring threat at higher levels. If he fills out his frame and learns to play inside of contact, I think he will be able to better leverage his smarts to become a more competitive player against better competition.

Arseni Sergeyev	2021 NHL Draft Eligible
Position: G Catches: L	H/W: 6-3" / 192 lbs
Stats to Date (GP-W-L-T-SV.%-GAA)	Shreveport Mudbugs, NAHL (20-14-4-2-.936-2.17)

Athleticism/Quickness/Speed: 55, Compete/Temperament: 55, Vision/Play Reading: 55, Technique/Style: 50, Rebound Control: 50, Puck Handling: 45, Overall Future Projection (OFP): 52.50

I quite liked Sergeyev in my viewings of him. He immediately stands out with his quickness both vertically and laterally, and he will make his fair share of stunning saves game-to-game. He had a more aggressive play style when I watched him; he challenges shooters nicely and swallows the net behind him to mitigate targets available to shooters. He works hard to track through traffic and identify pucks when there are bodies in front, although he can tend to kick some juicy rebounds into the slot and high danger areas of the ice which can lead to things getting messy on second opportunities. He reads the play quite well and squares to his shooter early, and he possesses a poised and controlled glove hand. He didn’t leave his net too often to play the puck in my viewings, but when he did, you could tell he needs to polish his handling a tad still (like most young goalies). I wouldn’t at all be surprised to see him become a very good pro one day due to his combination of size, quickness, and ability to read the play. How he performs as he makes the jump to higher levels of play will go a long way in determining his outlook as a prospect.

Owen Bartoszkiewicz	2021 NHL Draft Eligible
Position: G Catches: L	H/W: 6-2" / 194 lbs
Stats to Date (GP-W-L-T-SV.%-GAA)	Wichita Falls, NAHL (41-23-14-2-.917-2.44)

Athleticism/Quickness/Speed: 60, Compete/Temperament: 55, Vision/Play Reading: 50, Technique/Style: 50, Rebound Control: 50, Puck Handling: 45, Overall Future Projection (OFP): 52.25

Bartoszkiewicz immediately stood out to me for his flexibility and athleticism. It is certainly his calling card as a goalie. He was able to make the occasional jaw-dropping cross-ice save and recover from it immediately; it was impressive to watch. He works hard to find pucks through bodies, and he is a quiet goalie (not a lot of extra body movement) when it comes to routine shots and saves. However, because of his athleticism, he can occasionally get caught over-sliding and subsequently over-compensating to recover in a similar fashion to most highly athletic goalies; he will need to clean this up if he hopes to progress and succeed at higher levels against better shooters. He can get caught dropping early too, and his puck handling needs some work, but overall, he is a very athletic and flexible goalie, and those qualities can certainly carry him if he can clean up the surrounding portions of his game.

Luke Pavicich	2021 NHL Draft Eligible
Position: G Catches: L	H/W: 6-3" / 174 lbs
Stats to Date (GP-W-L-T-SV.%-GAA)	Kenai River Brown Bears, NAHL (36-19-14-1-.919-2.86)

Athleticism/Quickness/Speed: 50, Compete/Temperament: 55, Vision/Play Reading: 50, Technique/Style: 55, Rebound Control: 55, Puck Handling: 45, Overall Future Projection (OFP): 51.75

I liked Pavicich for reasons opposite to Sergeyev and Bartoszkiewicz: he is a very positionally sound, cerebral goaltender who relies less on athleticism and more on positioning and mechanics. He has solid rebound control and seemingly vacuums pucks into his chest protector with secondary chances being few and far between. He squares to his shots early and often to find himself in good position to make saves. His play reading was just okay in my viewings of him, but he puts solid effort into identifying shooters and pucks through bodies. He will need to add a bit of quickness to his movement as well as polish to his puck handling, but I think there is a solid goaltender here.

Chase Clark	2021 NHL Draft Eligible
Position: G Catches: R	H/W: 6-6" / 218 lbs
Stats to Date (GP-W-L-T-SV.%-GAA)	Jersey Hitmen, NCDA (22-18-2-1-.935-1.92)

Athleticism/Quickness/Speed: 50, Compete/Temperament: 50, Vision/Play Reading: 50, Technique/Style: 50, Rebound Control: 55, Puck Handling: 50, Overall Future Projection (OFP): 50.75

Two things immediately stand out about Chase Clark: he is enormous, and he is a southpaw. His individual numbers were stellar this season – albeit at an iffy level of competition – but he nonetheless stopped pucks at a high clip. He is quicker vertically than laterally, but he has crisp lower body mechanics when it comes to his overall movement through the crease. Though he is a highly technical goaltender, he tends to have poor rebound control at times, which when combined with his limited lateral quickness, can cause some issues. His frame gives him a natural competitive advantage; if he can add some quickness and explosiveness to his game, he could turn into a decent goaltending prospect.