Luke Green – McKeen's Hockey

Winnipeg Jets 2019-20 Prospect Review: Top 20

Sat, 14 Sep 2019 13:36:35 +0000

Having sat at the helm of the Winnipeg Jets since a few weeks before the 2011 Entry Draft – in other words, since the team left Atlanta - Kevin Cheveldayoff is now one of the longest tenured GMs in the sport. The length and stability of his tenure, as the team rose from an absolute also-ran into one often considered among the second tier of Stanley Cup candidates is a testament to the patient team building espoused by the man known as “Chevy” and the True North Sports and Entertainment Limited ownership group.

Considering Winnipeg’s reputation as a frigid outpost with very limited entertainment options, the team had to grow organically, through the draft and player development. It was easy to build with key pieces when the team was struggling. They were not trading their picks and they tended to pick high. In Chevy’s first draft, the Jets nabbed Mark Schiefele seventh overall. In his second go round, Jacob Trouba was selected with the ninth overall pick.

It wasn’t until 2015 when they finally had to wait through the first half of the draft before making a selection, but that worked out well, too, as the Jets picked twice in round one, selecting Kyle Connor and Jack Roslovic. It was really only in 2018 that the plan began to change in Manitoba.

The team had made the postseason only once in its first six seasons as the Winnipeg Jets, and had turned things on, with young Patrik Laine sniping without end and 2012 draft pick Connor Hellebuyck emerging as a high-end workhorse in net. They were suddenly one of the best teams in the league. As top teams do – but as Cheveldayoff had never had to do before – they went about supplementing that largely home grown core through trade, sending their 2018 first round pick (and a few other pieces) to St. Louis for center Paul Stastny. The Jets made it to the Western Conference Finals before bowing out.

For a team that was used to picking twice in the first round, it must have felt like years before they got to call out a name at the end of the second round.

Last season was another strong one for the Jets, although not as consistently so. Regardless, they once again traded away their first-round pick, this time sending it to the New York Rangers (again, along with some stocking stuffers) for big center Kevin Hayes, a pending free agent. It should be noted here that Stastny was also a pending free agent at the time of the 2018 trade and he had signed with Vegas in the offseason, despite Winnipeg trying to retain him. Back to the present, the Jets were knocked out in the first round this time. Hayes did not perform well.

The Jets were now looking at two years outside of the first round and knowing Hayes would not be resigned, they had nothing to show for it. So, they sent the rights of RFA Trouba (my, how time has passed) to the Rangers to get their original pick back. They had a first-round pick, but that was one of only five picks they got to make in Vancouver.

While the Winnipeg Jets lack hardware to show from the last two seasons, they proved that they could reach close to the NHL pinnacle with a pure draft and development philosophy. There are still some nice pieces in the pipeline, but the system now lacks depth. Their drafted and developed players are moving on to second and third contracts and are getting very expensive. Can they turn the trick again?

-Ryan Wagman

Winnipeg Jets defenseman Sami Niku (83) (Photo by Terrence Lee/Icon Sportswire)

1 Kristian Vesalainen, LW/RW (24^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 1) Vesalainen is a strong skater with very good speed to achieve separation from defensemen. He has good quickness in his first few strides and shows quite nimble footwork for a player of his size. Much more of a shooter than a playmaker, he has a highly accurate wrist shot with a quick release. He can also score with a slap shot or one-timer. He has decent passing skills and offensive instincts. He likes to drive the net and can gain the inside position around the net. On the downside, he can be invisible for overly long periods, mainly at 5-on-5. He needs to be more involved in the game and also show some more intensity with greater consistency. Vesalainen has the potential to develop into a solid, versatile middle-six winger who can provide offensive punch. - MB

2 Dylan Samberg, D (43^rd overall, 2017. Last Year: 5) A raw high schooler when the Jets used a second-round pick on Samberg, he has done nothing except collect hardware in the two years since. Actually, that isn’t true. He has also ground down some of the rougher edges of his game to the point where he is one of the better two-way defenders in college hockey and perhaps the best of the traditional, big-man defensive prospects in the game. He reads the ice like a 10-year pro and anticipates opposing forays, allowing him to get his stick on seemingly everything. He has also developed his offensive game nicely. He moves the puck well on the power play, finding teammates down low with sharp diagonal passes against the run of play. He has a hard shot too, suggesting he can continue playing on the man advantage when he finally turns pro. I’m not saying he is the next Brent Burns/Shea Weber, but he is built in that mold and has top pairing upside. - RW

3 Ville Heinola, D (20^th overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) Heinola is a smooth skating, offensively gifted defenseman with terrific hockey sense. He has very good offensive vision and displays remarkable poise with the puck. He has already proven that he can run the power play in the Liiga like a seasoned veteran. He gets his shots through and moves the puck with crisp passes. He is effective at carrying the puck up ice, yet also has good playmaking skills from the back end. He is calm under pressure and has swift hands to control the puck well I tight spaces. He makes plays in all areas of the ice. He is not very physical but has good gap control and understands the principles of defending. Heinola has a high ceiling and projects as a firs or second pairing NHL defenseman. - MB

4 Logan Stanley, D (18^th overall, 2016. Last Year: 6) Standing at 6-7” tall, Stanley is a difficult guy to miss when he is out on the ice. The physical beast is one of the tallest prospects (or player of any level) in hockey, and his high-end defensive game leans heavily on his near-incomparable length. With his long and impassable gaps, active stick, and ability to take any opposing forward off the puck, his defensive game is one that seems NHL ready at just 20 years old. The former first rounder has a developing offensive game, using his booming slap shot, hockey sense, and passing skill to make something happen consistently at the other end. The main issue displayed during his first pro year with AHL Manitoba is his lack of technical skating skill, which hinders his acceleration and momentum and limits his NHL potential even if he moves well for his size. There is reason to believe he can grow on it and reach his top-four ceiling, but it will take some time. - TD

5 Sami Niku, D (198^th overall, 2015. Last Year: 4) His struggles at the NHL level last season made an elephant in the room of Sami Niku’s development, but his prospect ceiling -- and floor -- remain high as a surprisingly talented former seventh-round pick. With Winnipeg in 2018-19, he failed to have any of the success he had in the AHL the season prior, but still displayed flashes of absolute brilliance as a depth two-way defender. A splendid skater with fantastic puck-moving skills and smarts, he fits the Jets’ up-and-down style well and looked increasingly comfortable with a regular role alongside Ben Chiarot. His offensive game is well versed, but his defensive game -- most notably his initial blue line defense and discipline with moving the puck out -- will have to improve. At worst, he is a third-pair defenseman with some power-play time in the future. - TD

6 David Gustafsson, C (60^th overall, 2018. Last Year: 8) Gustafsson has looked good in the early stages of this pre-season. He looks a bit faster and stronger and looks to earn a bigger role in the SHL while aiming to be the first line center for Sweden’s WJC run later in a few months. He is an average skater and his puck skills are similar, but he relies heavily on his high end compete level. With his size and strength, he can be a force to face. His NHL potential is more of a middle six or bottom six center than someone for the top six, but he has a good chance to reach that and will probably be an NHLer within two or three years. He scored 12 points in each of his two SHL season as but should be able to at least double that this upcoming season, his last as a teenager. - JH

7 Simon Lundmark, D (51^st overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) A smooth skating, puck-moving defenseman. Lundmark has good size and reach but lacks elite skill and can be both sloppy and soft in his game. That said, he shows good vision and plays a calm game with poise. He played full time in the SHL over the second half of last season. He has top six NHL defenseman potential. He doesn’t really have any elite skills in his toolkit and looks more to be an effective in five-on-five play than a power play or penalty kill specialist. He needs to work on his shot to be a better point-producing defenseman and he also needs to get stronger and to compete more in the more physical aspect of the game. His skating, vision, and reach will help him be effective with his stick defensively. Next season, he is expected to play regularly in SHL from the start. - JH

8 Giovanni Vallati, D (153^rd overall, 2018. Last Year: 13) Vallati progressed very well this year following an offseason trade from Kitchener to Oshawa. His size and mobility combination make him very effective at both ends of the ice. He is very difficult to beat to the outside because of his feet and reach, and he closes in on dump ins very quickly to get play started the other way. Vallati also possesses a good low point shot, which he uses to create second chance opportunities when operating the point. As an NHL prospect, his upside is that of an all situations second or third pairing defender. Without elite puck skill, there may be some concerns as to how his offensive game translates, but his mobility and size should play in the defensive end. - BO

9 Harrison Blaisdell, C (134^thoverall, 2019. Last Year: IE) Blaisdell had a very good year for the Chilliwack Chiefs in the BCHL, with 33 goals and 58 points in 51 games, and added to that with an impressive showing in the World Junior A Challenge with four goals and five points in six games. The speedy center is a strong two-way player who plays an up-tempo style and a quick transition game. He has a solid frame, really quick hands, with a really good shot and rapid release. He has been successful at every level and will continue to do just that as he heads to the University of North Dakota next season. He has great leadership qualities, along with some versatility, and projects to be a bottom six forward at his peak. - KO

10 Michael Spacek, C (108^th overall, 2015. Last Year: 9) As one of the finest defensive players in the Winnipeg system, Spacek has a clear NHL future due solely to his hard work and intensity in all three zones, but he can be better than a defensive specialist. The Czech native’s high-end two-way game has translated well from the WHL to pro hockey, as his shot, passing skill, and of course, his maturity and responsibility as a defender has impressed in the Winnipeg system. He is a decent skater, has solid stick-quickness, and features a very quick wrist shot release with enough velocity to fool defenders. His issue right now comes down to consistency, as his shot is sorely underused, he does not do much offensively without the puck on his blade, and he can go missing for long stretches. He is a very reliable player and is sure to eventually get his shot in the big leagues, but he will first need a little more seasoning. - TD

11 Jansen Harkins, C (47^th overall, 2015. Last Year: Not ranked) After a slow start to his pro career, Harkins experienced his best season yet last year (70-15-16-31) and is starting to look like the second-rounder Winnipeg drafted in 2015. The gritty, intelligent center ended up in the ECHL for a brief moment last season, and looked like a certified bust, but his 2018-19 season was an impressive one that exhibited his three-zone excellence, his nifty puck-handling skills, and his smarts as a passer and cycle player. With good speed and discipline, he can and does play all three forward spots pretty frequently and is adaptable enough to move up and down the lineup. He is still a long-term project who needs to work on assertiveness and skating, but he has finally shown up as a prospect. - TD

12 Joona Luoto, LW/RW (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Jun. 15, 2019. Last Year: IE) Luoto is a strong, physical winger who plays with high energy and competes hard in each and every shift. He is a puck hound who wins most of his board and corner battles and is tough to play against in that sense. He does not quit on plays and is very dependable. He scored a fair bit in juniors, but he was not a point producer for Tappara in the Liiga as he was mostly deployed on the third or fourth line, without many opportunities on the power play. That said, there were occasions when he displayed fine technical skills and a goal-scoring touch. He is not a speedster, but he has good hockey sense and moves into good spots. He has a chance to be a checking line winger in the NHL. - MB

13 Santeri Virtanen, C (105^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 10) Virtanen is a competitive and reliable center who has shown really well at the international stage. He plays a tenacious game without the puck, battles hard for pucks, and consistently provides puck support. He reads plays well, making himself available for passes and getting into position defensively. He is not the most skilled prospect but plays a straightforward game with the puck and can chip in offensively from time to time. Virtanen's skating is quite ordinary, and he needs to add agility, quickness and endurance. He is versatile, can play up and down the lineup and is a good penalty killer. He may not have a very high ceiling, but he could eventually develop into a third- or fourth-line center at the NHL level. - MB

14 Clinston Suess, LW (129^th overall, 2014. Last Year: 14) After tearing it up with Minnesota State-Mankato for four full seasons, Suess was expected to jump right into the AHL and carry that offensive firepower into the Manitoba Moose lineup. However, his season came to an early end when he got into a scramble in a mid-December game and he missed the rest of the season with an upper-body injury, finishing with just the 12 points (8G, 4A) he accrued before his injury. Though his health did not cooperate last season, he still brings with him a solid ceiling of depth power forward scorer, due to his high-end upper-body strength, nose for the net, and ability to sense developing plays well. At 25 and having never played a full pro season, Suess is still a question mark, but a very intriguing one. - TD

15 Declan Chisholm, D (150^th overall, 2018. Last Year: Not ranked) A smooth skating offensive blueliner, Chisholm saw his production increase greatly in his first post-draft season in Peterborough. He starts the breakout very effectively by making a clean exit pass or by using his mobility to create rushing lanes that he can exploit. He has worked hard to cut down on his turnovers and improve his decision making. Defensively, he has improved his strength down low and is competing hard, but consistency is still an issue. There are still lapses of concentration. Additionally, he will need to improve his point shot if he wishes to be a powerplay QB at the NHL level. Chisholm projects as a third pairing puck mover who can line up alongside a more defensively oriented blueliner. - BO

16 Luke Green, D (79^th overall, 2016. Last Year: 17) The bad luck with injuries that Green has sustained in the last two seasons should not affect his best attribute – his skating. He is a very solid skater on his edges or in a straight line and it has been his best path to success in his career. However, a shoulder injury suffered in a prospect tournament in 2017 and a concussion last season restricted his availability to just 27 games over the last two seasons combined. Green has great hockey sense with and without the puck, a great puckhandler with an equally strong first pass; he just needs to see more of the ice to grow. He projects to be a jack-of-all-trades finesse two-way defender who can handle the middle-pair and powerplay minutes in the NHL, but he needs health and more time to marinade. - MS

17 Pavel Kraskovsky, C (164^th overall, 2014. Last Year: 19) After a promising youth career, Kraskovsky has struggled to reach the next level, and unfortunately injuries have played a significant role in this lack of development. He may have not missed the train yet although he may need to breath some new air after being part of the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl system for his whole life. He is gifted with good size and excellent two-way abilities and he may become a solid bottom-six player for the Jets, but he needs to restart his development path and play a full, injury-free season. At this point, however, Kraskovsky is just a long shot to make the NHL. His contract with Lokomotiv runs out next year and it is likely that he will try to get to Winnipeg at that time. - ASR

18 Mikhail Berdin, G (157^th overall, 2016. Last Year: 18) A star at the USHL level with Sioux Falls, Berdin wasted no time getting adjusted to the higher competition of the pro-affiliated levels, posting outstanding numbers with both ECHL Jacksonville (16-8-2, .912 Sv%, 2.66 GAA) and AHL Manitoba (12-11-0, .927, 2.34) as a 21-year-old. Extremely athletic and hard-nosed, Berdin plays a fundamentally refined game that minimizes high-danger chances. He also possesses the last-resort agility to shut down anything that he can’t immediately get to. His puck-handling is incredible as well, as he can single-handedly force an opposing team to abandon a dump-and-chase scheme midway through games. He will need to improve his tool selection and anticipation, but the tools for a mid-tier NHL starter exists within the Russian stopper. - TD

19 Leon Gawanke, D (136^th overall, 2017. Last Year: Not ranked) Gawanke is a great result of drafting a determined player from a lesser-known international program and letting him take advantage of the international experience he is sure to get. He is expected to be a mainstay on the Team Germany blueline throughout his professional career, and has played in three world junior championships, albeit in Division 1A with his native country. Either way, that plethora of experience has paid off for Gawanke, who is more than just a booming shot. He is a risk-taking offensive defender who loves to skate with the puck and make plays. His defensive play needs work, but his raw offensive game will propel him in the pro ranks. He will need time with the Moose but could be a power play quarterback at the NHL level with his shot and his smarts. - MS

20 Henri Nikkanen, C (113^th overall, 2019. Last Year: IE) Prior to last season, Nikkanen was considered a potential first or second round pick for the 2019 NHL Draft. Unfortunately for him – but fortunately for Winnipeg – after having a rough season and missing the WU18 championships, the skilled center fell all the way to the fourth round. He has shown flashes of high-end skill in the offensive zone, He can carry the puck into the zone displaying fast stickhandling and smooth hands. He is a decent skater with solid agility, though his top speed is average, and his balance could use some work. He plays a solid defensive game, takes away time and space from opponents and can cover his man in the defensive zone. Nikkanen has nice skill, but his game might be too bland for the NHL and there are also questions marks around his hockey sense for the time being. - MB

Winnipeg Jets Prospect System Overview

Ryan Wagman — Fri, 14 Sep 2018 14:21:29 +0000

For prospect hounds such as ourselves, and presumably you, the Winnipeg Jets of the last few years were a model organization. Not only were they building from within, but they were focusing on high upside talent at the draft. Whether they were drafting early (as they often did) or late, they drafted skill.

There were, of course, exceptions such as the somewhat perplexing decision to select the towering Logan Stanley with the 18^th overall pick in 2016, leaving players like Kieffer Bellows, Henrik Borgstrom, Sam Steel, and Alex DeBrincat on the board. But their other first round pick, Patrik Laine, was so good, it was easy to hand-wave away the Stanley selection.

Winnipeg’s 2017 draft followed that trend again, taking a super high upside forward in Kristian Vesalainen in the first round and following it up with a toolsy, yet very raw defender in Dylan Samberg with their second pick.

Coming into this past season, the Jets still seemed to have a loaded organization when it came to high end prospects. Of that crew, only one player, albeit their best one, Kyle Connor, graduated to the NHL. And he certainly lived up to expectations as well, with 57 points in 75 games. A few other rookies got some time in the NHL, but only Connor graduated from prospect status.

Between the loss (in a good way) of their top prospect, in addition to the trade top 10 challenger Erik Foley to St. Louis along with their first round pick in this year’s draft (again, in a good way for those two -Stastny was very good in his brief stay in Manitoba) and the generally late choices they got by virtue of a successful season at the NHL level, one would have expected a mild drop off in the overall strength of the system. Instead, the system seems to have cratered.

On the one hand, there are still some very talented players at the top. Vesalainen’s stock is as high as ever after a fantastic rookie season in Liiga and Jack Roslovic was only four NHL games away from graduating and should capture a regular NHL job out of training camp this year.

Other than those two though, and perhaps a few other more tangential depth pieces, Winnipeg saw way too many young players regress in 2017-18. The above-mentioned Stanley was healthy but ends his OHL career having never dominated the league over a lengthy stretch. Poolman dealt with injuries and struggled in his first, seemingly rushed, NHL looks.

And those were among the better performers in the Winnipeg system. Most of the other prospects of note were lucky to tread water. Some were not as lucky. Spare a thought to Jansen Harkins, a former second round pick who was ranked s their number seven prospect last summer. He was entering his rookie season as a pro but had had cameos in both last two seasons after his WHL was eliminated and looked good. Not this time. He struggled to assert himself with the Moose and ended up spending time in the ECHL.

Harkins, and all the others, are still young enough to be given every opportunity to recover, but the Jets have surrendered the model development organization mantle.

1 Kristian Vesalainen, LW/RW (24^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 3^rd) After inexplicably falling to the 24^th overall pick in the 2017 draft, Vesalainen had as good a year as he possibly could have, returning to his native Finland for the full season, scoring close to a point per game for HPK, and then helping Karpat to a Liiga championship after switching teams on loan. He was, by 10 points, the leading U20 player in Finland. As good as the numbers were, the skills are even better. All of his offensive tools grade out as high end, and the puck skills are near elite. He has a strong, 6-4”, NHL-ready frame, although it is possible that he spends another year in Europe before getting his NHL shot, as he has yet to sign an ELC. Either way, he is a future top six winger.

Jack Roslovic

2 Jack Roslovic, C/RW (25^th overall, 2015. Last Year: 2^nd) As mentioned above, Roslovic was only a few more NHL games away from losing his eligibility for this list (we don’t count playoff games for this purpose). He topped the point per game mark in his second go round in the AHL. He was a bit tentative in the NHL and his possession numbers underwhelmed, the skill set to play a regular middle six role, whether up the middle or in the wing, is still there. He is a strong skater with a very good shot and puck skills. Additional experience should allow him to play a more assertive style, much like he jumped into the AHL as a 19-year-old and dominated like few teenagers do. Considering the Jet’s depth at center, expect Roslovic to mostly play right wing for now.

3 Mason Appleton, C/RW (168^th overall, 2015. Last Year: 10^th) A prime example of how the Jets built one of the previously best and deepest systems in the NHL, Appleton was not a great skater in his draft year, but had always shown puck skills and vision, whether it was in his one year in the USHL, or prior to that as a Wisconsin prepster. He hit the ground running with Michigan State as a freshman and never looked back, turning pro after his sophomore campaign. His AHL rookie season was sensational, as he finished fourth in the league in scoring. His skating is much improved from his amateur days and he has also upped his finishing ability. Once an afterthought, now Appleton should be first in line when the Jets need to call up a forward.

4 Sami Niku, D (198^th overall, 2015. Last Year: 9^th) The number two scoring defenseman in his AHL rookie campaign Niku, drafted one round after Appleton, is another poster example of the benefits of drafting for skill in all rounds. He even scored a goal in his one game NHL cameo. A solid skater with fantastic puck moving and puck protection skills, he fits the modern game to a ‘T’. He is on the lean side and does not project to be a force in his own end or along the boards, but when his tea has the puck, he won’t need to be. If he can show more subtlety when shooting, he could be a near perfect power play weapon. Numbers might keep him in the AHL for another year, but his time should come soon enough.

5 Dylan Samberg, D (43^rd overall, 2017. Last Year: 8^th) Although Samberg has yet to demonstrate that he could be an offensive factor from the blueline, he has all of the tools you want to see in a defender whose priority is to drive the transition from defense to offense. He generally makes the simple play instead of trying for flash. He reads game situations at a surprisingly advanced level, considering how he only had 14 games above high school level before joining Minnesota-Duluth this year, where he helped spearhead a young blueline into a surprise national championship. Samberg is probably more of a #4/5 than a #2/3 going forward, but he looks like a future contributor, even if it will be a quiet contributor.

Logan Stanley

6 Logan Stanley, D (18^th overall, 2016. Last Year: 4^th) As mentioned above, Logan Stanley is big. At 6-7”, 227, he is easily among the biggest prospects – in fact, players of any stripe - in the sport. Stanley is more than just a Coke-Machine on ice, though. He moves very well for his size, and pretty well for any size, and can flash some offensive instinct. He knows how to use his size for good effect, and his reach in particular is elite. His 42-point season with the Kitchener Rangers was a fitting high on which to end his junior career, but his 16 points in 19 postseason games really hinted at the best case scenario. The Jets will be patient with Stanley as he explores his upside, but at worst, he will play in a bottom pairing role in the NHL.

7 Tucker Poolman, D (127^th overall, 2013. Last Year: 5^th) Although Poolman was given the opportunity to make the Jets out of camp last year, he was caught in a numbers game, dressing for only three of the team’s first 11 games before being sent back down to the Moose. He was up and down between the AHL and NHL throughout the year, but never really got settled in either league and only appeared in 43 games combined. Although given only limited and sheltered minutes with the Jets, to Poolman’s credit, he put up strong possession numbers. He still flashed some of the two-way abilities that made him such a coveted, if late-blooming NCAA prospect. He skates well for a bigger player and has some puck moving ability. Already 25 years old, this is Poolman’s last year on this list, one way or another.

8 David Gustafsson, C (60^th overall, 2018. Last Year: IE) The first name called out by the Winnipeg brass in the 2018 draft, Gustafsson is a broad-shouldered pivot who has already shown the ability to hold his own against men with a solid age 17 season in the SHL. More smart than anything else, his general lack of speed ensured that he was still available through most of two rounds. He projects as more of a shooter than a playmaker, which is more due to lack of creativity than inability to create plays for his teammates. Between his reads, size, strength, and temperament, he will be a handful no matter where he stands. He is signed for three more years with HV71 but expect the Jets to try to buy him out of that pact before it expires.

9 Michael Spacek, C (108^th overall, 2015. Last Year: 13^th) After a strong junior career both in the WHL and representing his native Czech Republic (he played in three WJCs and two WU18s) Spacek had a fine, if understated start to his pro career with the Moose. He demonstrated that his slightly undersized frame could withstand the rigors of playing against men and he provided secondary scoring to boot with 17 goals. Although not the toolsiest of players, he showed a nice shot, with the one-timer being a legitimate weapon from the slot. His skills play up somewhat thanks to good hockey sense, although the overall package speaks to a bottom six upside. One of many such prospects in this system, Spacek is closer than most of the others to being able to slot into the NHL lineup.

Santeri Virtanen

10 Santeri Virtanen, C (105^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 6^th) A gamble on tools, the Jets selected Virtanen with a fourth-round pick in 2017 despite being limited to 25 games at all levels in his draft year after a very impressive showing at the WU18s. It is too early to curse a player with the “injury-prone” label, nut after playing only 37 games at all levels this year, he is trending that way. Virtanen is an excellent skater with impressive hockey IQ, and enough puck skills to project as a two-way forward, but he needs to stat on the ice much more. He will be returning to Finland this year after a year in the USHL. Until he plays more regularly, he is a wild card.

11 Eric Comrie, G (59^th overall, 2013. Last Year: 12^th) There was a time not all that long ago, that Eric Comrie was ahead of Connor Hellebuyck in the Winnipeg pipeline. He had higher draft pedigree and some international experience. That ship has long since sailed. It is hard to blame Comrie for that though. He is an adequate all-around goalie whose best attributes are his glove hand and his ability to read the play, but goalie development is rarely linear. At least, it wasn’t for Hellebuyck. Comrie, on the other hand, has been inching his way forward over the last three seasons in the AHL, with a career best .916 save percentage last year. As his reward, he will be slightly favored to win the NHL backup job this year.

12 Brendan Lemieux, LW (Trade: Feb. 11, 2015. Last Year: 19^th) Playing more like his father Claude every year, Brendan Lemieux is a beefy player with good speed and a mean streak that burns hot over the long Manitoba winters. It is not a boast to note his second in the AHL 170 penalty minutes, but they do give a good indication of the type of player that he is. To his credit, he also more than doubled his previous AHL point totals, in ten fewer games than the previous year. If he can contain his temper just a touch more, he could have an NHL future as a pest. So far, that proposition is not a sure thing.

13 Giovanni Vallati, D (153^rd overall, 2018. Last Year: IE) While we were less than impressed on the whole with the Jets’ 2018 draft class, we applauded their selection of Vallati in the fifth round. Once a first-round pick in the OHL entry draft, he has quietly put up two solid seasons for Kitchener since then. A smooth skating blueliner, he has flashed high end smarts and a burgeoning physical game, although none of those traits has been all that consistent, or all at the same time, thus far. He has upside as a defensive defenseman who is not a liability on the puck, but he is still young enough to hope for more in time.

14 Clinston (C.J.) Suess, LW (129^th overall, 2014. Last Year: unranked) Suess, formerly known as C.J. Franklin, ended his NCAA eligibility on a high note, with career highs in both goals and assists, and being named a Hobey Baker award finalist, after leading Minnesota Stake-Mankato to their first NCAA tournament in three seasons. Although Suess is not blessed with a full glowing tool set, he plays a gritty, team-first game and shows a good understanding of the game, enabling what tools he does have to play up. He is likely no more than a fourth line winger at the highest level, but he is a good example of why teams are wise to take late round chances on college bound players in the draft.

15 Laurent Brossoit, G (UFA: Jul. 1, 2018. Last Year: 6^th (Edmonton)) Brossoit had appeared in NHL games for four straight years for the Edmonton Oilers, with last year’s 14 games representing a career high. His .883 save percentage in that span was not, unfortunately for him, a career low. The Oilers had been hoping that he could be a reliable backup to Cam Talbot in the NHL, but the former Calgary sixth round pick was clearly not up to the task. Perhaps with the Jets, his third organization – all Central Canadian clubs – will be the place for him to shine. He will have a chance to compete against Eric Comrie for the backup job for the Jets, but for all of his technical competence and rebound control, his struggles reading the play make him the underdog in this race.

16 Skyler McKenzie, C (198^th overall, 2018. Last Year: unranked) Around 11 inches shorter and close to 60 pounds lighter than Logan Stanley, McKenzie finished his WHL career with two near identical seasons of 84 and 87 points, topping 40 goals both times. Although he lacks any one standout tool, all of them – barring physicality, of course – grade out as above average. He played in all situations for Portland but will most likely be sheltered as a pro until he proves that he can withstand the tighter game of the AHL. Even as the game is growing less averse to smaller, skilled players, when you are small as McKenzie, you have to keep proving yourself before the caveats are removed from your point totals.

Luke Green

17 Luke Green, D (79^th overall, 2016. Last Year: 14^th) The number one overall pick of the 2014 QMJHL entry draft, Green struggled to actuate his tools through most of his junior career. While his production was far stronger in his last year on a per-game basis, injuries limited him to only 14 regular season games with Sherbrooke. He is a solid skater with above average hockey sense, but his offensive tools have not yet convinced that they can play at a high level as a pro. As he enters his rookie season in the AHL, he will also have to prove that the whispers of attitude problems that followed him in junior will not be an impediment to his ability to actuate his skills.

18 Mikhail Berdin, G (157^th overall, 2016. Last Year: unranked) Originally drafted out of the Russian 18U program, Berdin came to North America and excelled in the USHL over two seasons, even earning the third string role for the Russian WJC squad last year. Although he has yet to be truly tested at an advanced level, Berdin displays a lot of attributes that suggest that good things are in his future. He is athletic and hard-nosed. He is also perhaps the most skilled and definitely the most daring puck handling goalie among all affiliated prospects. He will play pucks that other goalies don’t even think about. So it isn’t so surprising that he scored an empty net goal last season with Sioux Falls.

19 Pavel Kraskovsky, C (164^th overall, 2014. Last Year: 15^th) Now a three-year KHL veteran, Kraskovsky has settled in as a 200-foot player who makes up in own zone responsibility what he lacks in offensive skills. He actually has solid puck skills but has not yet figured out how to turn that into offensive production. For the most part, Kraskovsky is a high IQ player who understands the game and knows how to make the safe, coaching friendly plays. Big and rangy, he has yet to fully fill out his 6-4” frame. The Jets are in no rush to bring him to North America and considering that he just signed a two year contract extension with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, Kraskovsky isn’t in a rush either.

20 JC Lipon, RW (91^st overall, 2013. Last Year: 17^th) A bruising winger who has seemingly plateaued at around 30 points a year in the AHL, Lipon has the skating and hockey IQ to play a role in the NHL, but he will never play as more than a fourth liner. His offensive limitations may prevent him from getting back to the NHL, which he experienced in a nine-game trial in the 2015-16 season, but his impressive physical game, with big hits at open ice and along the boards, along with the wheels and responsibility to help out on the PK, could lead to a long career as an unheralded energy line player.

Winnipeg – System Overview

Ryan Wagman — Sat, 16 Sep 2017 12:14:37 +0000

The goaltender paradox is one of the last and most difficult-to-overcome issues remaining in hockey. On the one hand, some of the best goaltenders of all time were lightly regarded as amateurs – or not regarded at all – while many netminders that were highly touted as amateurs, never establish themselves in the NHL. On the other hand, an NHL team could be talented and deep from first line to fourth, first pairing to third, and be sunk by mediocre goaltending while some mediocre teams are lifted to great heights by a talented netminder playing at the top of his game at the right time.

The modern-era Winnipeg Jets understand that before they moved back to Winnipeg, in their time as the Atlanta Thrashers, the organization used the second-overall pick of the 2002 draft on a big, athletic netminder from Finland named Kari Lehtonen. Lehtonen was – and still is – not a horrible goalie by NHL standards, but hindsight tells us that they would have been better off selecting Jay Bouwmeester (who went third).

*In fairness to Lehtonen, 2002 was a poor draft year in retrospect. As at times frustrating is his career has been, the number of players selected in 2002 after him who were clearly more valuable over their careers can be counted on one hand – Bouwmeester, Duncan Keith, Alex Steen, Valtteri Filpulla, Frans Nielsen.

Since that time, the combined Thrashers/Jets franchise has been much more conservative with the goaltending position at the draft. In 15 subsequent drafts, they have twice used second round picks on goalies, and never higher. Of course, that does not mean that they have solved goaltending. Like the rest of us, they have long known the pain of inconsistency between the pipes. To understand that pain, it is sufficient to know that the only goaltender in franchise history with more starts than Lehtonen has been Ondrej Pavelec, who finally played his last eight games in a Jets uniform last season.

Moving back to the premise of the first paragraph above, the Jets have tended to draft very well. Two years ago, Hockey Prospectus ranked their system as the best in hockey and last year, they still ranked sixth. They rarely are in contention for high-end free agents and GM Kevin Cheveldayoff tends to be very shy when it comes to trades, so their roster is largely home grown.

Thankfully, the roster is good. Very good. Forwards like Mark Scheifele, Blake Wheeler, and Patrik Laine are legit superstars. The next wave, featuring Nikolaj Ehlers, Bryan Little, and Matheiu Perrault, is similarly inspiring. On the blueline, they feature diverse talents like Dustin Byfuglien, Jacob Trouba, and Josh Morrissey. And the Jets currently have an abundance of very talented young players ready to reinforce what is already on-hand. There are good arguments for four of the top five listed below to spend this coming season in the NHL.

Not the perfect roster, but they have been good. They took more shots at even strength than their opponents in two of the last three years. Yet only once in that span did they make the playoffs, a minimalist appearance in which they were swept in the first round by Anaheim. And for all of that, their success will be predicated on the work of the goalies. They have not been able to develop front end goalies, and unless Steve Mason proves the answer, that mystery will continue to haunt this franchise.

Jets Kyle Connor (81) (Photo by Terrence Lee/Icon Sportswire)

1 Kyle Connor – One of the best players in NCAA as a freshman, Connor was not physically ready for the NHL even if his skill set was (and remains) high end. He struggled over 20 games with the Jets, but after going back to the AHL, emerged as one of the best players in the circuit by year’s end. Owns an incredibly quick release which scarcely needs one touch before firing. Will never be a physically dominant player, but cannot fault his effort. Should form a great 1-2 scoring punch with Patrik Laine for years to come.

2 Jack Roslovic – The top under-20 scorer in the AHL last season, Roslovic justified the decision to leave Miami (Ohio) after only one season. The former first round pick (taken the same year as Connor) plays a very mature game with great vision and puck skills. A solid-average skater, his offensive output is more meat-and-potatoes than creative, but still very effective. Plays with a very high work rate and is strong for his size. Has second line upside.

Jack Roslovic

Kristian Vesalainen (Photo by Matt Zambonin/HHOF-IIHF Images)

3 Kristian Vesalainen – Shuffled between teams in SHL, Liiga and SuperElit, it should be little wonder that Vesalainen struggled to produce offense with any consistency during the regular season. Finally playing amongst his peers at the WU18 tournament, he took off, with 13 points in seven games for the Silver medal winners. He is a big power forward with an excellent shot and a mature all-around game. Should be able to use his size to his advantage against men next year.

4 Logan Stanley – Drafted as a gamble on elite height with good hockey intelligence, Stanley’s post draft season was blighted by injuries, but when he played, he was beginning to show some of the promise that the Jets saw in him when they used the 18th overall selection in 2016 on him. An incredible skater for his height, he is extremely difficult to skate around. He is very strong on the puck and has a cannon for a point shot. Given better health, his point totals should take off.

5 Tucker Poolman – Dynamic and intelligent, Poolman can do a little bit of everything on the ice. Strong in his own zone, he rarely made the wrong decision in his collegiate career. Likes to pinch in with the knowledge that his skating prowess will allow him to get to his own zone in plenty of time. Has a strong, lanky body and will occasionally lay out bigger bodies with thunderous checks. Has a decent point shot, but is more effective at moving the puck smartly to teammates.

6 Santeri Virtanen – After spending the vast majority of his draft season injured, Virtanen exploded in the last five games of the season for TPS U20 and was one of the top players on Finland’s U18 team. He is a high end skater who has a rare extra gear. A very dangerous penalty killer. Plays with bravery, getting into lanes late to block shots or using his aggressive stick to create turnovers. Very high hockey IQ. Excited to see what he can do when fully healthy.

7 Jansen Harkins – A highly intelligent two-way forward, his offense in the WHL had stalled at plus, but not dominant levels. More a playmaker than a shooter, he exhibits very good vision and passing chops. He has a good frame for the pro game, but is not an overly physical player, relying on positioning and anticipation more than intimidation in his own end. Projecting as a middle six center, he is the type of player for whom his AHL stay could be brief.

8 Dylan Samberg – Raw, but incredibly toolsy, Samberg was a smart, calculated gamble in the second round this year. He combines plus size with great mobility and a strong point shot. Likes to pinch in deep, he is able to get back in time if the offensive charge does not go as planned. Patient with the puck and capable of executing long passes, he will not likely dazzle with his carrying ability. His strength is functional, but projects for more. Off to Minnesota-Duluth this year.

9 Sami Niku – A slightly undersized offensive defenseman, Niku will be making his North American debut this year. He is a smooth skater who hits top speed quickly and has an accurate, if not very hard, point shot. His real strength is his high end puck play. He can deliver crisp, long passes, that are easy to handle by his teammates. Also strong carrying the puck with speed up the ice. He will not be a quick AHL study, but has eventual top four upside.

10 Mason Appleton – Another example of the Jets drafting talented, skilled players in the late rounds, Appleton was by far the best player on a moribund Michigan State squad last year, and arguably as a freshman as well. The Jets seemed to agree, coaxing him out of school with an ELC this offseason. Strong on the half-wall, he plays the puck with patience and great vision. Not the fastest, but very agile. Responsible in his own end. Hands are quicker than his feet.

11 Erik Foley – An athletic winger with plus wheels, Foley can both produce offense at a respectable clip, while looking like a passenger, led along by better players. He has finishing ability and good net drive, featuring plus acceleration, but his hands often look stiff. He can protect the puck, leveraging his core strength and positioning against the wall, but struggles more when trying to stickhandle in tight. Can succeed if he plays a physical, power game.

12 Eric Comrie – Currently the top goaltending prospect in the Jets’ system, through two seasons in the AHL, Comrie has proven that he can handle a pro workload but not that he can be better than average between the pipes. He is athletic and minimizes second chances, but is prone to the snowballing effect, where one bad goal quickly leads to another. Small by modern netminding standards, he relies on lateral agility and scrambling to cover the net.

13 Michael Spacek – A strong scorer at both the international and junior levels, Spacek has all of the offensive tools, including skating prowess, a hard arsenal of shots, and slick hands that allow him to project as a potential middle six contributor at the highest level. Although he is a hard worker, and puts forth a commendable effort at backchecking and taking care of things in his own end, his lack of size or strength will hamper his speed of ascent.

14 Luke Green – An above average skater, Green has struggled to keep his career on the path he seemed to be on when Saint John made him the number one choice in the 2014 QMJHL Entry draft. He has the talent, and the all-zones awareness to project onto a future second pairing, but has also shown a disappointing propensity to wilt as the pressure mounts. Forced his way out of Saint John last year as he was being asked to play more at forward in deference to Thomas Chabot and Jakub Zboril. Has a chance to end his junior career on a high note.

15 Pavel Kraskovsky – The tall and lanky Russian pivot took a big step forward this season, his second full season in the KHL. A two-way player, he has good hands and playmaking instincts in the offensive zone, and is positionally mature in his own zone. More of a support player than one who can lead a top six line, he is currently on a one year deal with his hometown Lokomotiv Yaroslavl. Another year of progress like last year and the Jets should be working to entice him to cross the pond.

16 Chase De Leo – Pesky, undersized De Leo took a step back offensively in his second go-round in the AHL. Partially, it was a function of regression in his percentages and partially from being less involved offensively. He has enough slippery skating ability and quickness in his hands to be able to provide offense from a bottom six role in the NHL in the near future. He could probably contribute this season without embarrassing himself if the opportunity arose.

17 JC Lipon – AHL vet Lipon plays a physical game that is much bigger than his average size. After scoring at a nice clip in 2015-16, his offensive game fell off last year, while he still continued to rack up loyalty rewards for frequent use of the penalty box. A strong two-way forward, he might be more highly considered by Jets’ brass if he could only reign in his aggression on the ice. Could produce more offense with his shot and surprisingly nimble hands if he could stay out of the box.

18 Johnathan Kovacevic – Drafted this year in his third year of eligibility, Kovacevic exploded onto the prospect map this year, his freshman season with Merrimack. He is a big, calm puckmoving defenseman. A good skater for his size, he generally opts for the safe, simple play instead of risking something more flashy. Has great reach and leverages his large frame well at both ends. Already 20 years old and as big as he will get, the question is how much more development is in there?

19 Brendan Lemieux – The son of super-agitating Claude Lemieux, as a junior, Brendan Lemieux was the spitting image of his old man. He could contribute second line offensive numbers and was hell to play against. As a first year pro, only the latter half of that equation remained in place. He is a good skater with nice puck playing ability, but he got so caught up in the agitation, that he rarely had time to contribute to the offense. Also, spending that much time in the penalty box is no longer fashionable.

20 Nelson Nogier – Literally as unexciting as a prospect can be while still being a prospect, Nogier had a quietly steady first full pro season, spent mostly in the AHL, but also including 10 games up with the Jets. A modern-day defensive defenseman, he specializes in retrieving the puck in his own end and getting it moving again towards the offensive. Once the puck is out, he has little involvement although he is a good skater, and his point shot, when he takes one, is hard enough.

With many young players already starring in the NHL, the Jets system is not as strong as it recently was, but through continuing their approach of drafting high end skill whenever possible – ensuring that a high proportion of their picks have at least one skill that grades out as well above average – they are in a position to continue filling out the NHL roster from within. They recognize the inherent limitations they face from a player procurement perspective and continue to maximize the routes open to them.

NHL Draft Review and Grades: Winnipeg Jets

Grant McCagg — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 13:42:51 +0000

June 24, 2016: Patrik Laine poses for a group picture with Jets coaches and staff after being chosen second by the Winnipeg Jets during the 2016 NHL Entry Draft at First Niagara Center in Buffalo, NY (Photo by John Crouch/Icon Sportswire.)

The Jets could have traded all of their picks after Patrik Laine for a bag of pucks and still came away with a B grade. Laine is one of the more offensively gifted big men to be available in the draft since Mario Lemieux was selected in 1984…and he will help make Winnipeg a playoff contender as soon as next season with his cannon shot, sense and puck skills. Winnipeg moved up to take Logan Stanley at 18th overall even though he has shown little offensive upside, a weak shot, and a propensity for mental errors in the second half of the season. Stanley is proof that NHL teams still place a heavy emphasis on height.

RND	PICK	RNK	PLAYER	POS	CTY	HT/WT	TEAM
1	2	1	Patrik Laine	LW	FIN	6-4/210	Tappara (Fin)
1	18	34	Logan Stanley	D	CAN	6-7/225	Windsor (OHL)
3	79	60	Luke Green	D	CAN	6-0/190	Saint John (QMJHL)
4	97	70	Jacob Cederholm	D	SWE	6-3/190	HV 71 (Swe)
5	127	80	Jordy Stallard	C	CAN	6-2/190	Calgary (WHL)
6	157	143	Mikhail Berdin	G	RUS	6-1/165	Team Russia U18 (Rus)

Logan Stanley of the Windsor Spitfires was selected by the Winnipeg Jets in the first round of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft in Buffalo, NY on Friday June 24, 2016. Photo by Aaron Bell/CHL Images

Luke Green was worth a gamble in the third round given his natural skating ability and offensive production…he will have to work diligently on his defensive game and add some muscle he has to get over his tendency to make improper reads and pinch at inopportune times. Jacob Cederholm has the physical skills scouts look for in a defenceman…unfortunately the head didn’t start catching up to the body until late in the season at the U-18’s. He’ll need to learn to simplify his game and not try to be a puck possession blueliner.

Luke Green at the 2016 NHL Draft in Buffalo, NY on Saturday June 25, 2016. Photo by Aaron Bell/CHL Images

Jordy Stallard brings good size and a decent stride…he had some offensive skills and some night showed impressive flashes….he’ll be asked to continue improving his quickness, competitiveness and consistency. Mikhail Berdin raised the interest of scouts with a sterling goaltending performance at the WJAC, where he was named to the All-Star Team. He was less impressive at the U18’s, but still worth a selection in the sixth round.

Grade- A: Winnipeg ended up with the best player in McKeen’s rankings and five prospects ranked in the top 80..one of the best drafts in both quality and quantity. It’s hard to argue that the club didn’t take an important step towards becoming a contender.

McKeen’s 2016 Top 30 NHL Draft Rankings (Mar-2016)

McKeen's Hockey — Thu, 03 Mar 2016 19:56:34 +0000

History is about to repeat itself at this summer's NHL Draft.

Every six years, as it goes, there has been a heated neck-and-neck race between the top two prospects to grab the coveted first-overall spot.

At the 2010 NHL Draft, it was the Taylor-Tyler derby (Hall-Seguin) which went right down to the wire.

Roll back six years prior to the Russian invasion of 2004 with Alex Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin - the '1A / 1B' year.

The race of 1998 pitted QMJHL star Vincent Lecavalier against young American hotshot David Legwand whom, as an aside, I recall delivering a scorching performance down at the old St. Mike's Arena in `97 en route to a 54-goal, 105-point rookie season for the Plymouth Whalers. Lecavalier was the consensus choice that year, however Legwand's performance at least made it a race.

The phenomenon continues this year with two teenage sensations in Auston Matthews and Patrik Laine waging a fierce battle to reach the finish line ahead. The contest has been nothing short of breathtaking to watch this season as the pair have jockeyed back and forth at the top of the McKeen's ranking board.

It could ultimately come down to a toss-up decision by the time June rolls around, with the best 'litmus test' being the World Senior Championships in May.

Auston Matthews has dazzled with Zurich of the Swiss NLA; his combination of elite hands and skating ability fully on display in what has turned out to be the 'ideal' platform for him. He can wheel and deal and pick apart a league which is light on physical play, full of open space, and all too accommodating.

It's not a knock against Matthews but instead a situation that may perhaps lead to developing some 'bad habits'. His defensive play and intensity away from the puck has been noticeable in between the sparkling moments. Like Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel this season, he will have to make certain adjustments upon arriving in the NHL next fall.

Matthews is a 'clear-cut' No. 1 pick is many circles, however the staff here at McKeen's feel that the rocket-like development of Patrik Laine this season has muddied the waters.

Laine made a number of new NHL believers playing recently in his international debut with the senior Finnish national team. "He was exceptional with the national team last week. Plays very well with good players," said one top NHL scout.

Upon watching Laine's masterful showing at the U20 World Juniors, another head scout suggested that Laine "reminded him of a young Mario."

Those fortunate enough to have experienced the NHL career of Magnificant Mario Lemieux will no doubt see certain similarities in the style of Laine. His ability to dangle the puck anywhere within his body range, front, back, and side - combined with an innate sense for where the puck can be protected - is a bit eerily reminiscent of Lemieux.

The following video - his first hat trick in the SM-liiga - is a small peek into Laine's incredible talents (#29/White):

Another video featuring Laine's stickhandling wizardry :

This year's race is much closer than it might seem - and we likely won't know the outcome until the Edmonton Oilers (cough!!) reach the podium in June and announce the No. 1 selection - again.

Let's hope not.

THE REST OF THE FIRST ROUND

Among the other participants in the field, Matthew Tkachuk (London), Pierre-Luc Dubois (Cape Breton) Clayton Keller (USA), and Luke Kunin (Wisconsin) were among the big movers on the list.

The composition of the top 26 players remained intact this month as there is a group of players clustered quite tightly in the 25-to-45 range, which projects for another intriguing second round this summer.

Three players debut in the top 30 this month, that being Everett goalie Carter Hart (No. 27), strong-skating Saint John blueliner Luke Green (29), and Kelowna rearguard Lucas Johansen holding down the final place - for now. Johansen, the younger brother of Nashville Predators' forward Ryan Johansen, is gradually winning over NHL scouts with his steady growth this season.

SO WHY ISN'T LOGAN STANLEY IN THE TOP 30?

From veteran OHL watchers to NHL scouts, not many are buying into the Logan Stanley hype that the towering Windsor defenceman is a sure-fire first-rounder. Undeniably, Stanley has made impressive strides this season, yet the scouts are wary of his skating and specifically his pivots, agility, and backwards mobility. (Check out OHL expert David Burstyn's scouting take on Stanley published earlier this week).

The evolution of NHL blueliners is not trending in his favour. As one NHL scout put it, "we need to be careful, there will never be a 'next Chara' - the game is changing."

McKeen's Chief of Draft Scouting Grant McCagg adds, "how are the mammoth first round d-men picked in the past few drafts doing? Oleksiak, Tinordi, McIlrath, Morin, Cowen... the evidence is piling."

Let's not forget there is still plenty of hockey to be played before the final lists are compiled in May. Plenty of opportunity for Stanley and other first-round hopefuls to entice NHL teams with a strong stretch run and playoff performance.

Final impressions count.

RANK	PLAYER	POS	TEAM	HT/WT	DOB	GP-G-A-PTS
1	Auston Matthews	C	ZSC Zurich (Sui)	6-1/195	17-Sep-97	36-24-22-46
2	Patrik Laine	LW	Tappara (Fin)	6-4/210	19-Apr-98	43-17-16-33
3	Jesse Puljujarvi	RW	Karpat Oulu (Fin)	6-4/205	7-May-98	49-12-15-27
4	Michael McLeod	C	Mississauga (OHL)	6-2/190	3-Feb-98	50-19-37-56
5	Olli Juolevi	D	London (OHL)	6-2/185	5-May-98	48-7-27-34
6	Matthew Tkachuk	LW	London (OHL)	6-1/195	11-Dec-97	48-23-70-93
7	Jakob Chychrun	D	Sarnia (OHL)	6-2/215	31-Mar-98	57-10-35-45
8	Alexander Nylander	RW	Mississauga (OHL)	6-0/180	2-Mar-98	52-28-46-72
9	Pierre-Luc Dubois	LW	Cape Breton (QMJHL)	6-2/200	24-Jun-98	57-37-50-87
10	Jake Bean	D	Calgary (WHL)	6-0/175	6-Sep-98	61-22-37-59
11	Mikhail Sergachev	D	Windsor (OHL)	6-2/205	25-Jun-98	59-14-33-47
12	Charles McAvoy	D	Boston University (HE)	6-0/205	21-Dec-97	32-3-16-19
13	Julien Gauthier	RW	Val d'Or (QMJHL)	6-3/225	15-Oct-97	46-40-13-53
14	Clayton Keller	C	NTDP (USA)	5-9/170	29-Jul-98	46-28-54-82
15	Tyson Jost	C	Penticton (BCHL)	5-11/190	14-Mar-98	48-42-62-104
16	Max Jones	LW	London (OHL)	6-3/205	17-Feb-98	54-22-20-42
17	Logan Brown	C	Windsor (OHL)	6-6/225	5-Mar-98	51-16-46-62
18	Kieffer Bellows	LW	NTDP (USA)	6-0/195	10-Jun-98	47-39-25-64
19	Luke Kunin	C	Wisconsin (B1G)	6-0/195	4-Dec-97	29-15-11-26
20	Riley Tufte	LW	Blaine (USHS-MN)	6-5/205	10-Apr-98	25-47-31-78
21	Libor Hajek	D	Saskatoon (WHL)	6-2/185	4-Feb-98	60-3-22-25
22	Dante Fabbro	D	Penticton (BCHL)	6-0/190	20-Jun-98	45-14-53-67
23	German Rubtsov	C	Team Russia U18 (Rus)	6-2/180	27-Jun-98	28-12-14-26
24	Tage Thompson	C	Connecticut (HE)	6-5/185	30-Oct-97	34-13-18-31
25	Rasmus Asplund	C	Farjestads (Swe)	5-11/175	3-Dec-97	43-4-8-12
26	Sam Steel	C	Regina (WHL)	5-11/180	3-Feb-98	64-22-42-64
27	Carter Hart	G	Everett (WHL)	6-0/180	13-Aug-98	34W, 2.12, .919
28	Carl Grundstrom	RW	MoDo (Swe)	6-0/195	1-Dec-97	46-7-9-16
29	Luke Green	D	Saint John (QMJHL)	6-0/190	12-Jan-98	53-9-23-32
30	Lucas Johansen	D	Kelowna (WHL)	6-1/175	16-Nov-97	60-9-32-41

CHL Top Prospects Game report: Dubois, Laberge lead standouts

Andy Levangie — Wed, 10 Feb 2016 13:02:02 +0000

The best draft-eligible players from the Canadian Hockey League descended on Vancouver last month to take part in the annual CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game - as well as specialized on and off-ice testing.

Based out west, this was my first opportunity in some cases to view players from the OHL and QMJHL in a live setting.

Here are a few observations on some of my standouts in the game:

TEAM ORR

Jake Bean (Calgary-WHL) - Excellent skater - tested well in the on-ice aspect. Makes intelligent plays out of his own zone, uses shifty movements to start rushes and keep his lanes open for accurate outlet passes. Strong offensive instincts, he reads the defenders position and reacts accordingly to create breakouts. Carries the puck with confidence. Works the offensive point with quick edge work and a heads-up approach, gets his shot off quickly and consistently hits the net. Stock has been rising; steps up when in the spotlight.

William Bitten (Flint-OHL) - A very good skater who tested well in the on-ice workouts, compact with good multi-directional movements and explosion out of turns. Small but scrappy, drives to the difficult areas with the ability to create and score. Seems to have a nose for the net and enjoys attacking the crease to create havoc - has that 'buzz-saw' mentality.

Pierre-Luc Dubois (Cape Breton-QMJHL) - Showed speed and powerful skating in on-ice workouts but also had to re-do a drill multiple times because he kept losing the puck. Excellent work off the wall to create space and make impressive plays, creates from below the goal line. Shoots and bullies his way to scoring chances with power, but can make skilled plays with soft hands; a real power forward. My MVP from this game and one of few players to bring a real wow factor. Going top 5 in the draft may be a possibility.

Luke Green (Saint John-QMJHL) - A high-end skater with a tight compact stride, especially in reverse. Displays solid gap control and looked like a competent defender in a rather erratic game. Holds a good defensive position, doesn’t chase or play out of his position. Uses stops and starts effectively, reads an attacking offence with good instincts, constantly moves his feet and remains active both in offense and on defense. Effective puckcarrier in transition works it out of zone with his skating and on-ice awareness. The only right-shooting rearguard in this game, a position coveted by NHL teams.

Brett Howden (Moose Jaw-WHL) - The top pivot on Team Orr was the glue that kept a powerful line with Nylander and Tkachuk together. Lacks the same elite level skill of his linemates, but does many things well - showed some good intelligence and the ability to click with skilled players. Plays a powerful game and seems to thrive in traffic. Smooth-skating mechanics are there, but improvements in his footwork and explosiveness would go a long way to transitioning to the NHL. An underrated prospect.

Pascal Laberge (Victoriaville-QMJHL) - Snagged MVP honors and showed some great chemistry reuniting with Pierre-Luc Dubois, as they were linemates at the U17's. Produced arguably the finest individual move of the night that graced the highlight reels as he walked around Sean Day for a goal. Shows good puck control and the ability to make quick clean plays at high speed and feed off of other highly-skilled players.

Mikail Sergachev (Windsor-OHL) - Difficult to notice in this game unless you keyed in on him, which was a good thing in this case. Plays a cool and calm game, consistently unfazed by pressure in his own end. Intelligent breakouts are a strong suit and help push this play. Big body with a very useful stick and long reach. His hockey sense and pro body should aid translation to NHL. Paired with fellow Windsor teammate Logan Stanley and their chemistry was evident being one of the less-erratic pairings. Not exciting, but very useful play.

Matthew Tkachuk (London-OHL) - Big and powerful with an impressive physical stature, plays with a 'bull-in-a-china-shop' mentality. Controls the puck well in traffic and along the boards. Possesses some good moves to take pucks to the net and assert his physical dominance on smaller defenders. A big asset to the cycle game and to hold offensive zone-time.

TEAM CHERRY

Logan Brown (Windsor-OHL) - The massive pivot plays a big game and has a tendency to skate through opposing players as opposed to around them; showed a steady physical aspect in this game. Exhibits more skill in offense than expected. Nothing overly fancy when handling the puck, makes intelligent plays to use his open space and create with less dazzle and more smarts. Despite his long stick, looks comfortable in close quarters while stickhandling. Fends off checkers with good footwork and power moves to create scoring chances or set up teammates. An intriguing combination of size and skill.

Sean Day (Mississauga-OHL) - The tools are evident and were on display in both game and on-ice testing. His stride has a smooth flow that comes along very rarely, especially in a 6-2, 225-pound prospect. Overall had a solid game in spite of being by Laberge on that goal. Uses skating effectively to hold his position when forwards are bearing down, made a couple impressive stick plays to take pucks off attackers. Works the offensive line to create space, his skating and reach help him move around high forwards and get a shot off. A polarizing prospect - loaded with potential which could one day blossom.

Samuel Girard (Shawinigan-QMJHL) - Pint-size defenseman is an absolute blazer on his skates with very compact footwork, tested in the top group among defenders. Offense flows naturally - the top scorer in the CHL among draft-eligible defenders for a powerhouse Shawinigan team. Shows keen instincts for his on-ice positioning and awareness of surroundings, especially when moving in reverse. Avoids contact with a consistent heads-up skating stride. Rushes the puck in an elusive manner with quick lateral cuts and outlet passes. Size will deter some clubs, but there is too much to like to pass up entirely.

Jordan Kyrou (Sarnia-OHL) - One of the lesser-known prospects in this game as he was another late replacement add-on. Kyrou helped himself out by going tops overall in the on ice testing. His agility and quick reaction time were on display throughout the game. Carries the puck with the same quick authority as he darts around and can exploit holes in defenses. An asset in transit as he slips by checks along the wall and makes opponents miss. Plays smart and exhibits some flashes of skill in his top gear.

Ty Ronning (Vancouver-WHL) - The son of former NHLer Cliff Ronning was a late addition to the game when Tyler Benson withdrew due to injury. With nothing to lose, he looked relaxed on the ice. Showed off his hard, accurate shot when he opened the scoring by crashing the net and twisting the defenseman out of position. Another player who is small is stature but big on effort. Skates with a noticeably wide stride which doesn’t appear to slow him down, creates stability but could hinder edgework. Motor is always running and he’s always attacking the puck.

Youngblood: 2014 World U17 Hockey Challenge – Top 50 Performers

Brendan Ross — Tue, 11 Nov 2014 15:47:59 +0000

Photo by Kelsey Vermeersch/ CKSN.ca

For the past week, Sarnia and the surrounding community of Lambton Shores played host to the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, an international tournament featuring the world’s top hockey talents from the 1998 age group. With an eye on the 2016 NHL Draft, USA sent a roster full of potential first round talent looking to defend its gold medal from the year prior. Through round robin play, USA dominated the competition sweeping their way to the gold medal game scoring a tournament high 29 goals and allowing just 11 goals, also a tournament best.

Entering the gold medal game versus Russia, USA had won twelve consecutive games at the Under-17 tournament but on Saturday, November 8^th, Russia’s stingy defensive efforts and impressive shot-blocking game stifled the American attack lifting them to gold.

The following is a fluid ranking of the best performances from the 2014 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, many of whom are top prospects for the 2016 and 2017 NHL Entry Drafts.

Disclaimer – This is NOT a ranking for the upcoming NHL draft classes but rather a ranking of performances from the 2014 World U17 Hockey Challenge.

50. Mikhail Sergachev (Russia) – The Russian defense core was good by committee but if there was one standout it would have to be Mikhail Sergachykov. He is a big defender who played tough minutes en route to Russia’s gold medal. With advanced mobility and effective puck moving skills, Sergachev was instrumental to getting the puck into the hands of their talented forwards. 2016 NHL Draft Eligible

49. Michael McLeod (Canada Red/Mississauga Steelheads) – An elite level skater with blazing outside speed, McLeod uses his feet and lengthy wing span to operate well in the possession game. He can be a little hesitant in his decision making and passes up prime scoring opportunities for a pass but this kid has the total package to become a special talent – he just has to put it all together. He only posted one assist despite receiving prime offensive minutes but he was a big part of their quick offensive attack. 2016 NHL Draft Eligible

48. Urho Vaakanainen (Finland) – One of two standout underage 1999-born players on Finland, Vaakanainen’s number 28 was easy to spot because this smooth skating defender has the total package – size, strength, hockey IQ and an ability to make impact in all three zones. He’s been deemed a comparable prospect as Sabres pick Rasmus Ristolainen was at the same age and teams certainly have him circled as a potential top pick for the 2017 draft.

47. Maxim Bain (Russia) – Talk about a player elevating his play as the games became more important and Russia’s Maxim Bain should be the focus of that conversation. The small quick-footed forward was a thorn in opposing defensemen’s side as he tenaciously hounded pucks on the forecheck. With great hand-eye coordination and a will to win any loose-puck battle, Bain forced turnover after turnover. Fortunately, he also plays the game with some noteworthy skill, showing the poise and puck handling ability to create his own offensive chances. Four of Bain’s six points came in the final three games and included the opening goal in the gold medal game. 2016 NHL Draft Eligible

46. Brett Howden (Canada White/Moose Jaw Warriors) – Pro scouts have to be excited about Howden’s 6-foot-2 power game after showing a real knack for playing around the net. This big bodied winger flashed good physicality and strong skating skills, and despite battling some quiet moments, appears to own some serious pro upside. Howden potted two goals and three points while acting as an alternate captain for Canada White. 2016 NHL Draft Eligible

45. Adam Mascherin (Canada Red/Kitchener Rangers) – Packed with one of the best shots in the tournament, Mascherin impressed out of the gate but as the tournament unfolded, he couldn’t maintain his offensive presence as often. Mascherin should be applauded for his two-way commitment, especially in the first two games, as he pushed the offensive attack with linemate Michael McLeod and demonstrated good backpressure on the defensive end. This budding sniper snapped home two goals and three points. 2016 NHL Draft Eligible

44. Nicolas Hague (Canada White/Kitchener Dutchmen/Mississauga Steelheads prospect) – Hague was just one of four Canadians playing outside of the Canadian Hockey League (Dante Fabbro, Tyson Jost, Michael O’Leary). The 6-foot-5 defender has experienced one of the sharpest development curves over the past calendar year and he showed many people why he has a bright future in hockey with an overall strong showing. Earning more minutes after 1^st overall OHL pick Jakob Chychrun was ruled out of action, Hague stepped up and took advantage of his new opportunity. Not the fleetest of foot or prettiest of skater, Hague stifled opposing offenses and even showed a simple, yet effective, ability to kick start the breakout. 2016 NHL Draft Eligible

43. Janne Kuokkanen (Finland) – Kuokkanen was one of the engines that drove the Finns offensive attack and his two goals and five points speaks to his efficient motor. Playing at a quick pace, Kuokkanen is an intelligent forward who recognizes soft spots and exploits them. Under pressure or on the attack, Keokkanen excels in one-on-one situations often relying on his quick puck skills to evade trouble or create offense. 2016 NHL Draft Eligible

42. Sam Steel (Canada Black/Regina Pats) – There were certainly highs and lows to Sam Steel’s play throughout the week, the good outweighed the bad for me. Blessed with high-end skating ability, Steel pushed the pace for Canada Black, keeping defenders on their heels. Unfortunately, Steel, who played on a line with Tyler Benson, didn’t receive a lot of support and didn’t develop much chemistry and as a result, his threatening speed wasn’t utilized very well. 2016 NHL Draft Eligible

41. Mikhail Mesheryakov (Russia) – There wasn’t a more puck-hungry player on Team Russia than Mikhail Mesheryakov, as this buzzsaw forward was on a constant hunt for loose pucks. Mesheryakov impressed with his ability to slip into scoring areas uncontested and In possession, he was difficult to contain as he eluded with sharp cuts to change direction. Mesheryakov put up one goal and three points in U17 play and appears to be a good option for teams searching for possession players. 2016 NHL Draft Eligible

40. Jesper Bratt (Sweden) – Jesper Bratt was the sparkplug that ignited the Swedes’ offensive attack. Skating at an underwhelming 5-foot-8 , Bratt lacks ideal size but he makes up for it in his enthusiastic offensive attacks. Blessed with good foot speed and elusive agility, Bratt slashes in and out of traffic seeking out scoring opportunities. He displayed good one-on-one puck skills and times his entries into scoring areas extremely well. Bratt’s one goal and four points trailed only Nylander in team scoring. 2016 NHL Draft Eligible

39. Tyson Jost (Canada White/Penticton Vees, BCHL/Everett Silvertips prospect) – His game is based around speed and Tyson Jost wreaks havoc on opposing defenders when he’s trying (and usually succeeding) to bust out-wide on them. He is an all-around player who can be utilized in every situation and he was especially efficient in his own zone. 2016 NHL Draft Eligible

38. Otto Somppi (Finland) – Somppi was a consistent attacker from the start of the tournament to the end of it, earning quality offensive minutes along the way. Intuitive in his attacks, Somppi uses his teammates well in quick give-and-gos to open up space. He was a standout in cycles and the Finns possession game, using a long reach and nifty in-tight fakes to find open linemates. As effective as he was offensively, Somppi appeared to play a committed defensive game as well. With three goals and six points, Somppi was Finland’s scoring leader. 2016 NHL Draft Eligible

37. Luke Green (Canada White/Saint John SeaDogs) – He wasn’t the most consistent defender but it was clear that Luke Green possesses some intriguing upside. Green was among the most mobile defenseman and his willingness to jump into the play and act as a fourth forward was threatening. He also shakes the offensive defenseman stereotype since he showed that he can be a reliable defender inside his own blueline as well. Green joined Black’s Jake Bean and Red’s Sean Day as Canada’s highest scoring defensemen with four points. 2016 NHL Draft Eligible

36. Jake Kryski (Canada Red/Kamloops Blazers) – The near point-per-game WHL forward, Jake Kryski, was among Canada Red’s most active forwards scoring one goal and five points (in five games). A buzz-saw of a forward, Kryski always seemed to be in the heat of the action showing that he was very effective playing in traffic. With great hand-eye coordination, Kryski stripped opponents of possession on several instances and then quickly turned it into a prime scoring chance. With a good work ethic and some opportunistic positioning, Kryski was among Red’s most dangerous forwards. 2016 NHL Draft Eligible

35. Jacob Cederholm (Sweden) – Brother to Vancouver Canucks prospect Anton Cederholm, Jacob followed in his brothers footsteps by failing to record a point. However, offensive production aside, Jacob was an instrumental part of Sweden’s transition game and was used as a pillar of defense in their shutdown game. Cederholm owns admirable size and his strength, physicality and long reach are all advantageous skills in his defensive game. With a powerful long stride, Cederholm is an impressive skater and was exceptional at lugging the puck up the ice to gain the offensive zone. 2016 NHL Draft Eligible

34. Markus Niemeläinen (Finland) – Niemalainen boasts great size and strength but with his mobility and booming shot, the future looks bright for this budding 2016 NHL Draft prospect. He doesn’t make many errors and his ability to make opposing attackers work for ice is a testament to his defensive capacity. 2016 NHL Draft Eligible

33. Logan Brown (Canada Red/Windsor Spitfires) – Logan Brown had a strong showing playing to his strengths and abilities. He set up on the top powerplay unit as the primary shooter, adding one goal and two powerplay assists. Brown made good use of his size in board play and was impossible to stop as he drove the net for rebounds. The Spitfires forward recorded two goals and four points. 2016 NHL Draft Eligible

32. Jordan Kyrou (Canada White/Sarnia Sting) – After being the only player not to be invited or participate in the Summer Orientation camp, Jordan Kyrou was selected to play for Team White and made Hockey Canada look smart for his inclusion after being the team’s most dangerous offensive forward. Blessed with silky hands, creativity and the confidence to create scoring opportunities, Jordan Kyrou had his hometown Sarnia Sting supporters on the edge of their seats. Occasionally, Kyrou tried to do too much individually but with his self-assurance, he was truly an asset. Kyrou registered four assists in five games. 2016 NHL Draft Eligible

31. Linus Weissbach (Sweden) – Game after game, Linus Weissbach continued to ramp up his play with each passing shift. Weissbach is a good skater with nifty jukes and jives and his outside speed is troublesome for even the top defenders to contain. Bratt was one of four Swedish skaters who recorded four points in the tournament. 2016 NHL Draft Eligible

30. Vladislav Sukhachyov (Russia) – Sukhachyov received action in four of Russia’s six games including the 6-1 semifinal win over Finland to book their ticket to the gold medal but, for whatever reason, he didn’t receive the nod in the Gold Medal game versus USA. Sukhachyov isn’t a big but he was very good in every showing posting the tournament’s third best GAA (1.70) and save percentage (.931). Quick with his reflexes and natural athleticism allows Sukhachyov to cover the net from post-to-post, teasing opponents with shot openings before quickly closing them off. 2016 NHL Draft Eligible

29. Vitali Abramov (Russia) – Russia’s Mr. Steady-Eddy, Vitali Abramov came to play in all six games posting points in all but one game (vs. FIN) totalling three goals and nine points. Sharing the team scoring lead with Dmitri Sokolov, Abramov was among Russia’s most lethal offensive options. He showed good patience in possession, outwaiting checkers for open lanes, and used his agility and top-end speed to keep defenders guessing. 2016 NHL Draft Eligible

28. Kristian Vesalainen (Finland) – Born in ’99 makes the 6-foot-2 Kristian Vesalainen a 2017 draft prospect but this underager showed no lag in development finishing the tournament with a team-high three goals and five points (T-2^nd in team scoring). Vesalainen is a patient and quick puck handler who thrived in the dirty areas. His ability to stick handle in tight and execute difficult feeds was very impressive. He appears to be an opportunistic scorer with a knack for slipping away from coverage into scoring areas. 2017 NHL Draft Eligible

27. Sean Day (Canada Red/Mississauga Steelheads) – Day had a decent showing but failed to get his Red squad into the medal round despite being considered one of Canada’s top teams. Day’s exceptional mobility has been well documented over the past few years and it continued; however, it was surrounded by some poorly executed passing and several instances of bad decision making. There’s another level to Day’s game but we did not see it this past week. Despite his sporadic performance, Day logged a ton of minutes for Red and finished the week with a strong four points, including one powerplay goal. 2016 NHL Draft Eligible

26. William Bitten (Canada Red/Ottawa 67’s) – One area that William Bitten will never fall short on is his work ethic and tenacity. The hard working 67s forward steps on the ice each shift with a balls-to-the-walls approach and when his skill level is factored in, few can match his ability to impact the game. Not overly big or strong (yet), Bitten plays every shift as if it were the last shift of a championship game. He possesses good speed and isn’t afraid to attack one-on-one or slash right into traffic. He was a sparkplug for Canada Red and he was rewarded with two goals and five points to lead his team in scoring – and rightfully so. 2016 NHL Draft Eligible

25. Kailer Yamamoto (USA/Spokane Chiefs) – As one of the two late additions Kailer Yamamoto took some time to adjust to his new teammates (all of whom play together in the USNTDP). Once his feet were wet, Yamamoto formed great chemistry with sniper Max Jones and racked up three goals and seven points in as many games. A creative passer and quick in transition, Yamamoto pushed the pace for USA’s second line and showed why he’s excelling with his hometown Spokane Chiefs (12-2-6-8) as a rookie. 2017 NHL Draft prospect.

24. Jake Bean (Canada Black/Calgary Hitmen) – The only undrafted major junior player of the 66 Canadian players who competed in the U17s, Calgary Hitmen defenseman Jake Bean was among the feel-good stories of the tournament. Bean is an enthusiastic defender who has the raw potential to develop into a very good player. The Calgary Hitmen blueliner led the entire Canada Black team in scoring with one goal and four points (five games) and was named Player of the Game versus USA when he scored the lone goal (shorthanded) on a beautiful individual effort. 2016 NHL Draft Eligible

23. Samuel Girard (Canada Black/Shawinigan Cataractes) – Here’s a fun defender to watch – Samuel Girard possesses the elusiveness, skating skills and puck handling abilities to excel in an offensive role rolling off checks at the offensive blueline to keep plays alive. He plays a high-risk game at times and could certainly round out his defensive game but his rare skillset will be coveted. Girard finished with on goal and three points in tournament play. 2016 NHL Draft Eligible

22. Adam Fox (USA/Harvard University commit/Kitchener Rangers) – Coming off a year with the Long Island Gulls where he scored 51 points in only 22 games, Adam Fox adopted an offensive role on the USA blueline often earning top powerplay minutes alongside Luke Martin or Chad Krys. Surprisingly, Fox only earned a pair of assists in the tournament but his offensive abilities certainly created countless other prime scoring chances that went unfinished. Undersized at 5-foot-10, Fox uses elite edgework and sharp attacking skills to push the pace up ice. He operates as a crafty quarterback and flashes some high-end puck handling abilities. Fox was often the defenseman who kick-started the transition game and remains an intriguing offensive defenseman option for the 2016 draft. 2016 NHL Draft Eligible

21. Joey Anderson (USA/University of Minnesota-Duluth commit/Brandon Wheat Kings prospect) – The third member of the Pastujov-Keller-Anderson line, Joey Anderson was a player who continued to elevate his play with each passing game. He was a major factor in USA’s win over Canada Red with two assists to clinch top spot in Group B and then added three goals in the quarter and semi-final games. Anderson is a hard-working two-way forward with keen hockey sense, making him an asset in all three zones. He was the perfect complement to his highly skilled linemates. 2016 NHL Draft Eligible

20. William Fällström (Sweden) – A leader on and off the ice, Captain William Fällström led all Swedes in goal scoring with four tallies. Fällström combines his smart hockey sense with his all-around offensive skill set well and the outcome is a very dangerous attacker. He is a shifty pivot with a goal scorers’ touch but his two-way game is well developed also. Fällström is the type of player coaches can lean on in big-game situations. 2016 NHL Draft Eligible

19. Kale Clague (Canada Black/Brandon Wheat Kings) – Canada Black’s captain, Kale Clague, is among the top defensive prospects for the 2016 draft and his play at the U17s confirmed that this smart two-way threat is among Canada’s best 98-born defenseman. Smooth and effortless in stride, Clague makes calculated risks offensively but honours his defensive commitments first and foremost. He was a fixture on Black’s powerplay displaying good reads, passing ability and occasionally used his high-end one-timer. 2016 NHL Draft Eligible

18. Michael Campoli (USA/Blainville-Boisbriand Armada prospect) – Born in Quebec, Canada, defenseman Michael Campoli was one of two Americans with Canadian citizenship (Griffin Luce being the other). The American coaching staff used Campoli in a defensive shutdown role but this extremely mobile defender intrigued with his outstanding patience under pressure, bull-like defensive commitments and overall demeanour on the blueline. There’s some massive upside with Campoli as he owns the size, mobility and puck handling ability to develop on his offensive game. Consider him a top defensive prospect in my books for the 2016 draft. 2016 NHL Draft Eligible

17. Adam Thilander (Sweden) – Excellent in stride, Thilander thrives in possession and his ability to use his imagination in setting up teammates proved to be high-end in this tournament. Thilander uses clever feints and fakes to evade checkers and then showed a tendency to strike quickly with an absolutely booming point shot. Smart in transition and a pitbull in defensive battles, Thilander should be considered a top prospect for the 2017 NHL Draft (another late birthday). 2017 NHL Draft Eligible

16. Patrick Khodorenko (USA/Everett Silvertips prospect) – Khodorenko has always been one of the most skilled forwards in his peer group and while he may have took a back-seat to the Keller-Jones show at the U17s, he was definitely among the Americans’ best forwards. The Silvertips 2^nd round draftee hasn’t made a decision on his future (WHL or collegiate) but wherever he chooses to play, he will be fine. Khodorenko is a creative pivot with strong playmaking abilities and had he earned more top powerplay minutes, he could’ve pushed for the team scoring lead. The Californian finished with one goal and six points finishing tied for 8^thin U17 scoring. 2017 NHL Draft Eligible

15. Tarmo Reunanen (Finland) – From the past week of action, Tarmo Reumanen was Finland’s best defenseman. He’s not the most technical skater but he is elusive, surprisingly quick (specifically in acceleration) and can quarterback a powerplay with ease. Booming with confidence, Reunanen is capable of unleashing a howitzer or executing a difficult pass under pressure but it’s his vision that is his best asset and allows him to be the team's prime distributor. 2016 NHL Draft Eligible

14. Ryan Lindgren (USA/University of Minnesota commit/Brandon Wheat Kings prospect) – Coming out of the illustrious Shattuck St. Mary’s program where he racked up 24 goals and 88 points in 55 games during his Bantam year, Ryan Lindgren has always owned the offensive pedigree and he flashed it during competition at the U17s. Wearing the ‘C’ for the Americans, Lindgren showed to be an exceptional skater and puck possession defender. Under pressure, Lindgren would casually cut away from pressure then send a precise seam-pass to a streaking teammate. He didn't risk his defensive responsibilities for offensive rushes but occasionally, Lindgren displayed his upside as a puck-rushing defender when he made end-to-end rushes, virtually going untouched. 2016 NHL Draft Eligible

13. Nikita Popugaev (Russia) – Skating at over 6-foot-4 and 205-pounds, Nikita Popugaev could have been Russia’s best pro prospect. Despite his size and youthfulness, Popugaev’s fluid and powerful skater is all that more remarkable. The 15-year-old is a late birthday which makes him a 2017 draft prospect and he has to be considered a top prospect for his age group. With slick hands and slippery outside-inside cuts at top speed, Popugaev is a beast to contain. Unlike most physically mature big men, he knows how to utilize his size and power game to his advantage. This high potential forward had three goals in tournament play. 2017 NHL Draft Eligible

12. Nick Pastujov (USA/University of Michigan commit/Saginaw Spirit prospect) – A dynamic forward with make-you-miss puck skills, Pastujov clicked on a line with Keller and Joey Anderson eventually finishing with three goals and eight points (5^th). Pastujov is especially creative and dangerous around the scoring areas as he uses quick strikes or unexpected passes to hit teammates for easy tap-in goals. Patient under pressure and effective playing in high traffic areas, Pastujov’s puck handling and quick shot are on display as he releases from pressure along the boards and steps into the slot to strike. 2016 NHL Draft Eligible

11. Jake Oettinger (USA/Portland Winterhawks) – Based on this tournament alone, 2017 NHL Draft goaltender Jake Oettinger has to be among the top goaltenders ranked in his draft class. Playing with a pro-sized frame (6-3, 196), Oettinger is an exceptional blocking style goaltender to owns his crease with an intimidating presence. His opponents’ attacks were sporadic but he remained poised between the pipes flashing a high-level of concentration, rebound control and an fathomable demeanour. It’s been a while since I’ve seen a goaltender play such a fundamentally solid game from the tournament’s start to finish. Oettinger finished with a sparkling 1.34 GAA to lead all goaltenders and his .934 save percentage trailed only Sweden’s Filip Gustavsson. 2017 NHL Draft Eligible

10. David Quenneville (Canada White/Medicine Hat Tigers) – Joining Chad Krys, Victor Mete and Samuel Girard as one of the tournament’s most exciting offensive defensemen, David Quenneville was a treat to watch in possession. In a similar mold as former junior superstar Ryan Ellis, Quenneville possesses outstanding hockey instincts and a natural puck handling ability. Like Ellis, Quenneville can unleash a powerful point shot and is a regular on the powerplay, operating as the team’s powerplay. At 5-foot-8, Quenneville lacks ideal height but this enthusiastic defender can lay out bone-crushing body checks with the biggest of players. His statline for the U17s reads one goal and three points. 2016 NHL Draft Eligible

9. Victor Mete (Canada Red/London Knights) – London Knights defenseman Victor Mete turned in one of the best showings from any player. Well aware of Mete’s offensive abilities that are featured around elite skating, intelligent playmaking and a veteran-like ability to run the powerplay, Mete was most impressive in his defensive zone. The young defender was a shot-blocking machine and he was very good holding down his blueline, making sure he wasn’t conceding easy entries. Of course, he was a fixture on Canada Red’s powerplay and played a vital role to their transition game too. 2016 NHL Draft Eligible

8. Dante Fabbro (Canada Red/Penticton Vees, BCHL/Seattle Thunderbirds prospect) – After watching the undersized Dante Fabbro in action, I can only imagine the damage this intelligent defenseman does in the BCHL. He’s at the top of his peer group in the way that he sees and thinks the game, allowing him the extra time to plan his next decision. He’s a precise passer and is unfazed under pressure. Strong in every direction, in possession and without the puck, Fabbro moves about the ice at will and his advanced hockey mind allows him to change his plan of attack at the last second. In terms of offensive upside, few possess his potential. Fabbro had a pair of goals and three points at the U17s. 2016 NHL Draft Eligible

7. Nolan Patrick (Canada Red/Brandon Wheat Kings) – His late 1998 birthday means Nolan Patrick won’t be eligible for the NHL draft until 2017 and that’ll be a long wait for some scouts who are very excited about adding this responsible two-way forward. As Captain of Canada Red, Patrick was used in every situation including top penalty kill and powerplay units. There may not have been a smarter and more trust-worthy forward competing in the U17 as Nolan Patrick. He already owns a projectable frame, good mitts (although not overly flashy), two-way awareness and a long powerful skating stride. He is a beast in board battles and is suited as a future possession guy. Patrick plays a similar style as Winnipeg Jets Mark Scheifele and finished with five assists through five games. 2017 NHL Draft Eligible

6. Dmitri Sokolov (Russia) – Dmitri Sokolov had a coming out party at the U17s introducing himself to the North American hockey world. The big power forward has a wicked shot but also showed us some silky playmaking abilities as well, finding teammates with creative no-look passes. Not the greatest skater and he appeared a bit heavy but Sokolov uses high-end puck skills to escape pressure and his physical strength was dominant against his peers. Sokolov is a dynamic power winger who showed this past week that he owns first round pedigree. 2016 NHL Draft Eligible

5. Chad Krys (USA/Moncton Wildcats prospect) – The smooth skating elusive Chad Krys finished the tournament with a defense leading seven points (all assists) and showed why he’s considered a top prospect for 2016. Elite mobility and a knack for spinning off of pressure, Krys defines a puck-rushing defenseman. With an ability to turn up ice quickly in transition, Krys is able to weave through traffic using clever puck skills, shrewd on-ice vision and high-end skating techniques. To add, Krys’ intelligence makes him an astute defensive presence as well. 2016 NHL Draft Eligible

Sweden's Filip Gustavsson was the U17's top goaltender (Photo: Brendan Ross)

4. Filip Gustavsson (Sweden) – The U17’s top goaltender by a fair margin, 6-foot-2 Swede Filip Gustavsson was impenetrable from start to finish stopping 131 of the 139 shots thrown at him, more than 41 saves than the next best goaltender. With great size, Gustavsson provided few holes for the opposition to shoot at. He flashed quick reflexes and displayed fluid lateral coverage as a butterfly goaltender. He was the sole reason that Sweden advanced to the semi-finals after a 35-save shutout performance against Canada White. Filip Gustavsson held a shutout streak of over 179 minutes until he finally surrendered a goal in the USA game. Outstanding performance. 2016 NHL Draft Eligible

3. Alexander Nylander (Sweden) – Famous family name aside, it’s hard not to be impressed immediately by the skill set of Alexander Nylander, son of NHLer Michael Nylander and brother to Maple Leafs’ top prospect William Nylander. To some degree, I was more impressed with the younger Nylander son than the NHL draftee based on his overall compete level and attention to defense. Alexander was Sweden’s most dynamic offensive player showcasing all-world creativity and confident one-on-one dangles. Like his brother, Alexander is a slippery playmaker who masks his intentions extremely well and his knack for slipping a pass to an unchecked linemate at unexpected times is a rare and treasured skill set. He packs a great shot and can operate at top speed. Nylander paced all Swedes in scoring with two goals and seven points. 2016 NHL Draft Eligible

2. Clayton Keller (USA/Windsor Spitfires prospect) – The tournament’s leading scorer with six goals and 13 points in a half-dozen games is very big (5-9, 165) but Clayton Keller certainly showed that he plays a big-time game. The Boston University commit is an exciting player to watch with his elite puck skills, veteran-like patience and off-the-charts creativity. Each time he hit the ice, Keller was an offensive catalyst with his ability to make defenders miss. He was on his own level in this tournament with his ability to create something out of nothing. 2016 NHL Draft Eligible

1. Max Jones (USA/London Knights prospect) – The London Knights had many of their brass in attendance to check out the progress of their 2014 1^st round pick Max Jones. The Knights current offensive leader, Max Domi, will definitely be playing his last year of junior hockey this season but London is hoping to exchange one dangerous player named Max for another in 2015-16. Playing a throwback style of hockey in the mold of a power forward that is featured around impressive size, strength and aggressiveness, Max Jones is the whole package and he will have NHL scouts drooling when the 2016 draft comes due. His ability to play a high-paced north-south game and his elite shooting arsenal are unmatched among his competitors. Jones led the 2014 U17’s in goal scoring with seven tallies, including a tournament leading four powerplay markers, and placed second in overall points (11). Consider Max Jones one of the leading candidates to be selected first overall come 2016. 2016 NHL Draft Eligible

Honourable Mentions

The following players performed well in tournament action and should be considered prospects to watch for future NHL drafts…

Reagan O’Grady (Canada Black), Nolan Volcan (Canada Black), Beck Malenstyn (Canada Black), Zach Poirier (Canada Black), Mason Shaw (Canada Red), Evan Fitzpatrick (Canada Red), Tanner Kaspick (Canada White), Travis Barron (Canada White), Josh Anderson (Canada White), Samuel Harvey (Canada White), Markus Nurmi (Finland), Pete Niemi (Finland), Emil Oksanen (Finland), Leevi Laakso (Finland), German Rubtkov (Russia), Nikita O. Popugayev (Russia), Mikhail Shabanov (Russia), Jakub Lacka (Slovakia), Adam Ruzicka (Slovakia), Lias Andersson (Sweden), Linus Lindstrom (Sweden), Tim Wahlgren (Sweden), Luke Martin (USA), Joseph Woll (USA)

Feel free to comment below or spark up conversation on Twitter (@RossyYoungblood)

Youngblood: World Under-17 Hockey Challenge Preview

Brendan Ross — Thu, 30 Oct 2014 18:36:02 +0000

Currently known as the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge, the international tournament has underwent a name change from the Quebec Esso Cup (in 2011) and most recently, Hockey Canada has decided to change the format of its own team entries into the tournament. For the first time in 2014, rather than sending five provincial teams (Ontario, Quebec, Pacific, Atlantic and Western) to compete, Hockey Canada has opted to combine players from across the nation into three competitive teams - Red, White and Black. Canadian players will now have the opportunity to play alongside talented competitors from other provinces. For example, Ontarian Jakob Chychrun will be taping Nova Scotian Mitchell Balmas with passes rather than laying him out in the corner. The Under-17 Hockey Challenge is the first step in Hockey Canada’s Program of Excellence that is used to help identify talent for the Under-18 and National Junior Team and it has seen over 1400 National Hockey League draft picks come through the tournament.

Tournament organizers have moved up the Challenge on the calendar to November to avoid conflict with the World Junior Championships that runs over the holiday season. For the first time since Windsor hosted in 2012, the tournament returns to Ontario and the world’s top hockey talents have arrived in Sarnia, Canada as the border-town city, in collaboration with nearby Lambton Shores, is ready to host the 2014 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.

Group A consists of two Canadian teams (Canada White and Canada Black), Finland and last year’s bronze medalists Russia while Group B will feature Canada Red, Slovakia, Sweden and the defending champions, Team USA. For more information on World Under-17 Hockey Challenge schedules and rosters, visit the tournament website.

The majority of participants are born in the 1998 age group and these players have spent months going through evaluations to reach their goal of donning their nation’s sweater. The following breakdown of teams will help to familiarize the general public with some of the names to watch. Here are just a few of the top talents skating in the #WU172014.

Team USA (Roster)

Knocking the four-time gold medalists off of the podium will prove to be a difficult feat as Team USA enters this tournament with a very talented roster, including 20 of 22 players who compete with the US National Under-17 Team. Non-National Under-17 skaters Spokane's Kailer Yamamoto and 6-foot-3 Riley Tufte (Blaine High School) will replace injured forwards Zach Walker and Graham McPhee. The Americans won’t have to fight through chemistry issues with such familiarity and with them icing five University of Michigan commits in Nick Pastujov, James Sanchez, William Lockwood, Griffin Luce and Luke Martin. In addition, Everett Silvertips draftee Patrick Khodorenko, London Knights first round selection Max Jones and Boston University commit and USNTDP leading scorer Clayton Keller are expected to help Pastujov and Sanchez with the offensive production. Towering netminders Joseph Woll and Minnesotan Jake Oettinger won’t surrender much net for the opposition and with Griffin Luce, Luke Martin, Plymouth Whalers’ hopeful James Greenway, Chad Krys (Moncton Wildcats prospect) and Harvard commit Adam Fox patrolling the blueline teams will be in tough against the champs.

Team SWEDEN (Roster)

Just like his older brother William Nylander (Maple Leafs draft pick), Alexander Nylander is an immensely skilled forward and has the ability to create space for him to showcase his elite puck skills, vision and shot. Playing alongside Nylander on the AIK U20 team, Jesper Bratt is a two-way forward with speed to burn and a blue-collar work ethic. Undersized and physically raw defenseman Alexander Andersson owns some slick hands, shrewd hockey sense and a poised approach that helps spark the offense and quarterback the powerplay. Committed to the University of Minnesota, William Fällström is a complete two-way competitor who offers a good level of physicality and the awareness to be trusted in critical game moments.

Sweden is a team that lacks a true individual standout but the squad is comprised of some solid depth full of smart and competitive players. Look for Oskar Steen, a shifty winger with a quick release and some untapped offensive upside, and Linus Weissbach to act as forwards who have an ability to create offense on their own. Jacob Cederholm, younger brother to Vancouver Canucks draftee Anton, has already suited up in the SHL and will help the Swedes defend their zone. Niklas Andersson, the son of current Los Angeles scout and former NHLer Niklas Andersson, is already off to a hot start with the HV71 U18 team picking up six goals and 14 points through 10 games. It could be a coming out party for 5-foot-6 defenseman Oliver Horrsell as this offensive blueliner certainly knows how to fill the score sheet. Lastly, pivot Tim Wahlgren should earn plenty of minutes as his great hockey intelligence and sense for the game is evident in all three zones. Both of Sweden’s goaltenders, Filip Gustavsson and Gusten Lundh have the size and big-game pedigree to provide Sweden with great stability between the pipes.

Team FINLAND (Roster)

Without forwards Jesse Puljujärvi, Patrik Laine, defensemen Olli Juolevi and Jusso Välimäki, the Finns will unfortunately be missing some of their top talents from the `98 age group. However, Finland is a nation that has been pumping out some great prospects and their entry isn’t without talent. Kristian Vesalainen and Urho Vaakanainen are two of Finland`s top underagers. Vesalainen is already skating at 6-foot-2 and offers up confident puck skills, suffocating physicality and an impact shooting arsenal. Emil Oksanen is a skilled right-shooting forward playing for Blues Espoo and his game features a deceptive shot that seems to find the net with regularity. The 6-foot-1 left shooting Tappara forward Otto Mäkinen is the former teammate of Patrik Laine and he`s got an advanced playmaking skill set, featuring soft hands and creative vision. Look for Finland to rely upon their depth and play some defensive hockey, much like they`re known for, to compete in Group A.

Team RUSSIA (Roster)

The Under-17 tournament provides an opportunity for the North American hockey world to be introduced to the up-and-coming talent from overseas. As a result, there isn’t much familiarity with these players coming into the World U17 Hockey Challenge. Headlining the Russian team are forwards Dmitri Sokolov and Vitali Abramov. Undersized but extremely skilled, Vitali Abramov is considered a potential first round talent for the 2016 NHL Draft and he`s off to a great start with Belye Medvedi Chelyabinsk (MHL) scoring six goals and eight points (12 games). As good as Abramov is, it`s Dmitri Sokolov who projects as a potential Top 10 selection for the 2016 draft. The 6-foot-2 forward has racked up nine goals and 10 points through 13 games with Omskiye Yastreby Omsk (MHL). Russia will lean heavily on Sokolov and Abramov to provide the bulk of scoring but 6-foot-4 forward Nikita Popugaev (not to be confused with 5-foot-8 teammate Nikita O. Popugaev), Vladimir Kuznetsov and Vyacheslav Shevchenko should offer good secondary support.

Team SLOVAKIA (Roster)

Much like the Russian squad, Slovakia`s entry is a bit of a mystery. Forward Samuel Solensky is a pint-sized offensive making noise with HC Liberec`s U20 team with six goals and 16 points through the club's first 20 games. Viliam Cacho is a 5-foot-9 forward who has noteworthy playmaking skills and the offensive prowess to be considered a prospect for the 2017 NHL Entry Draft. Cacho racked up eight goals and 44 points in 37 games playing up with Dukla Trencin's U20 club. Keep an eye on underagers Milos Roman, Patrik Hrehorcak and Adam Ruzicka to see how they handle the competition against older opponents.

Team CANADA WHITE (Roster)

The first of Canada’s three tournament entries may just be the most popular, at least among local fans. With Sarnia hosting the event, local fans can come out to cheer on their 2014 1st-overall selection in Jakob Chychrun and 2nd-round forward Jordan Kyrou as key members of Canada White. Chychrun and Kyrou have already stepped up in their rookie seasons and are playing top minutes. In addition to the familiar Sting faces, fans can expect to get excited about Ottawa 67`s two-way threat Travis Barron, Erie`s Taylor Raddysh, Moose Jaw's Brett Howden and high scoring BCHLer Tyson Jost.

Charlottetown winger Mitchell Balmas (who replaces the injured Hunter Moreau), Saginaw Spirit defender Keaton Middleton (who replaces Josh Mahura) and Soo Greyhounds top 2014 pick Anthony Salinitri (who replaces Dillon Dube) are excited about their renewed opportunity.

The strength of Canada White comes from their outstanding defensive core which starts with Jakob Chychrun, Medicine Hat's David Quenneville (brother of New Jersey Devils 2014 1st rounder John), Luke Green of Saint John, Gabriel Bilodeau of Val d'Or and ends with the outstanding Samuel Harvey in net.

Team CANADA BLACK (Roster)

Donning the black threads for Canada is potential Top 10 2016 NHL Draft prospect and 2013 1st-overall WHL pick Tyler Benson (Vancouver Giants), 2013 2nd-overall WHL selection Sam Steel (Regina Pats) and a slew of OHL 1st-rounders in Brandon Saigeon (Belleville Bulls), Matthew Hotchkiss (Guelph Storm), Chris Paquette (Niagara IceDogs), Zach Poirier (North Bay Battalion), Cliff Pu (Oshawa Generals) and Reagan O'Grady (Kingston Frontenacs). Canada Black features some underrated scoring depth with the likes of Nolan Volcan (Seattle Thunderbirds), Pascal Laberge (Gatineau Olympiques) and Pierre-Luc Dubois (Cape Breton Screaming Eagles) who are all off to strong starts in their respective junior leagues.

On the blueline, look for Brandon Wheat Kings Kale Clague, Shawinigan's Samuel Girard, London Knights' Tyler Nother to help solidify the defensive zone in front of 6-foot-4 goaltender Stuart Skinner (Lethbridge Hurricanes) and Reilly Pickard (Baie-Comeau Drakker) who will share crease duties.

Team CANADA RED (Roster)

A quick glance down the roster for Canada Red will certainly appear as if Hockey Canada formed an All-Ontarian team as 11 players are from the Ontario Hockey League including exceptional defender Sean Day (Mississauga Steelheads), a potential 2016 Top 3 draft prospect. Joining Day on the blueline from the OHL is the intelligent Matthew Timms (Peterborough Petes), big tough Windsor Spitfire Logan Stanley and slick skating Knight Victor Mete. On the front lines, dazzling puck rusher Michael McLeod (Mississauga Steelheads), dangler Tye Felhaber (Saginaw Spirit), sniper Adam Mascherin (Kitchener Rangers), clutch forward William Bitten (Plymouth Whalers), power forward Givani Smith (Barrie Colts) and top 2016 prospect Logan Brown (Windsor Spitfires) will all represent the OHL. In total, eight of the OHL's Top 20 selections from the 2014 draft are competing for Canada Red.

Beyond the tremendous "potential" firepower from the Ontario top picks (McLeod, Mascherin, Felhaber and Brown), Canada Red may have three of the most productive 98s in the nation in Wheat Kings forward Nolan Patrick (15-4-8-12), William Bitten (13-3-6-9) and Kamloops Blazer Jake Kryski (16-5-6-11).

Blueline soldiers outside of Ontario will consist of BCHL stud Dante Fabbro, Sherbrooke's Thomas Gregoire and Victoriaville's Guillaume Beck - all fantastic defensive prospects. With goaltenders Dylan Wells (Peterborough Petes) and 6-foot-4 Phoenix puckstopper Evan Fitzpatrick in net, goals against should be held to a minimum.

On paper, Canada Red may have the best opportunity to end the red and white's three year drought of a World Under-17 Hockey Challenge gold medal. If I were a betting man (and I am), I would look towards Canada Red as the best chance to unseat the Americans.

With exhibition play slated to kick off Halloween night and the tournament commencing on Sunday, the shores of Lake Huron will be home to some outstanding world-class talent looking to make their country proud in hopes of taking home the 2014 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge gold medal.

Follow @RossyYoungblood on Twitter as he covers the entirety of the 2014 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge.