Matt BRASSARD – McKeen's Hockey

OHL 2018-19 Season Preview

Brock Otten — Tue, 02 Oct 2018 18:24:24 +0000

The 2018/19 OHL season is underway but it is still early enough to preview the league and converse about some potential season highlights. Who are the contenders? Who are the pretenders? Who are some of the top NHL prospects to keep an eye on? And who are the top NHL draft prospects for 2019?

The Contenders

London Knights

Liam Foudy

Currently the top ranked team in the OHL in the weekly CHL rankings, the Knights also happen to be the top preseason favorite of most in the media. This team has it all; top end scoring talent; a strong defense; quality goaltending. After getting Adam Boqvist (Chicago) from Blackhawks camp, London is still waiting on a few other stars to be assigned; Evan Bouchard (Edmonton), Alex Formenton (Ottawa), and Brady Tkachuk (Ottawa). All three seem likely to start the year in the NHL and late October is probably a more likely arrival date, if it happens at all. A safe assumption would be that London gets at least one of the above. Until then, stars like Liam Foudy (Columbus), Alec Regula (Detroit), and Boqvist will need to pace the offense. In net, overager veteran Joseph Raaymakers and Jordan Kooy (Vegas) should combine to provide quality goaltending. As with any London team, depth is a serious strength. Once the situation surrounding their top players has been given closure, look for the Knights to use their depth to acquire a few big fish to put them over the top.

Oshawa Generals

This is a veteran squad that should be considered among the favorites in the Eastern Conference. Team defense and goaltending are major strengths. At 6-1”, Nico Gross (NY Rangers) is the smallest defender who sees regular playing time, and Kyle Keyser (Boston) is a top contender for goaltender of the year. Up front, Jack Studnicka (Boston) is a serious candidate for the Red Tilson and the scoring title now that he has returned from a long stay at Bruins camp. Swiss import Nando Eggenberger (2019) is another player everyone has their eye on. Overager Matt Brassard (Vancouver) returned this past weekend too, and he should be one of the top defenseman in the OHL this season. The Generals are just a well balanced squad.

Niagara IceDogs

Along with Oshawa, the IceDogs are a preseason favorite to take home the Eastern title. Niagara has a very strong nucleus at forward with Akil Thomas (Los Angeles), Kirill Maksimov (Edmonton), Ben Jones (Vegas), and Ivan Lodnia (Minnesota), which should help them score a ton of goals. They also have a very mobile blueline, which may lack size, but makes up for it with speed, puck skill, and heart. Billy Constantinou (2019) is a player to watch here as one of the most dynamic young defenders in the OHL.

Saginaw Spirit

The Spirit received a bevy of media attention this off-season due to their recruiting efforts. The team brought in Bode Wilde (NY Islanders), Ivan Prosvetov (Arizona), and Cole Perfetti (2020). This was after they were able to bring Blade Jenkins (NY Islanders) into the fold last year. This team has a lot of depth and fans should be excited about the fact that this team is the favorite to take home the West Division. Cole Coskey (2019) is a player to watch as one of the most underrated players in the OHL. Perfetti is an electrifying offensive player and one of the top players in his age group in Ontario, as well as a potential lottery pick in 2020.

Ottawa 67’s

Sasha Chmelevski of the Ottawa 67's. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images

Maybe a year early to talk about the 67’s as a potential Memorial Cup contender, but make no mistake, this team is insanely talented. Not only do they have five NHL draft picks already, but they have several top prospects for the 2019 and 2020 drafts as well. Sasha Chmelevski (San Jose) is a top contender for the Red Tilson this year after a breakout last season. The progression he has shown as a prospect has been extremely encouraging. Austrian Import Marco Rossi (2020) is another name to watch. The recent import selection is currently touted as a potential top 5 pick in 2020 and he could have a Nico Hischier type impact for the 67’s. The only thing that this team is missing is a top flight goaltender. Look for them to go out and find one at some point. Worth noting that the 67’s currently have 12 second round picks over the next four OHL priority selections. That is some serious trade ammunition.

The Pretenders

Kingston Frontenacs

The Frontenacs loaded up last year to make a run at an OHL title that ultimately fell short. The cyclical nature of the CHL means that this team could struggle this year due to numerous high end graduations. Star Jason Robertson (Dallas) is still around, but he will be a top trade target at some point. The future of injured playmaker Gabe Vilardi (Los Angeles) also hangs in the balance as Kingston waits to see if they will get him back once he is healthy. But depth is an issue, as is goaltending. Kingston has to capitalize on a few solid trade assets to recoup what was lost previously.

Erie Otters

After an impressive four year run that saw the Otters compete for and win an OHL Championship, the time has come for this team to rebuild. There are still some solid veteran pieces in place that could keep the team afloat, like star overager Kyle Maksimovich. But this team does not have a single NHL affiliated player and that hurts. Hayden Fowler (2020), and Petr Cajka (2019) do give this team hope for the future.

Mississauga Steelheads

Another team that now lacks serious depth after some serious runs the previous years. Graduations and failed draft picks (like Jack Hughes) have left this team pretty sparse in a lot of areas heading into the year. They do have Owen Tippett (Florida) and Ryan McLeod (Edmonton) back in the fold and they should both be among the best players in the league this year. However, just how long they remain Steelheads remains to be seen.

North Bay Battalion

Like Erie, North Bay does not have a single NHL affiliated player. There is some solid firepower up front with overager Justin Brazeau, Brandon Coe (2020), and Matthew Struthers (2019), but depth is an issue. This is especially true on the back-end. The lack of experience on the blueline could mean that this North Bay team gives up a ton of goals. No Stan Butler coached Battalion team has ever given up 280+ goals against, but this year’s edition may be the first. And speaking of Butler, he is currently taking a leave of absence from behind the bench and that may be bad news for Battalion fans.

Flint Firebirds

Disastrous start to the year for the Firebirds. As of the creation of this article, Flint has yet to win and has given up an ugly 24 goals in 4 games. This team has talent, like Ty Dellandrea (Dallas), Fedor Gordeev (Toronto), and Dennis Busby (Arizona). But missing on the 6th overall Import selection this year (Jan Jenik) is a big black mark and the team just cannot seem to separate itself from the drama of their ownership under Rolf Nilsen.

Five Candidates for the Red Tilson

Nick Suzuki

Fresh off being the centerpiece of the Max Pacioretty deal, the new Montreal Canadiens prospect returns to the OHL and will look to the hit the 100 point plateau for the second year in a row. He is bound to miss some time for the WJC, but Suzuki only needs 92 points to pass Bobby Ryan as the Attack franchise’s all-time leading scorer.

Morgan Frost

Highest returning scorer from last year, the Flyers’ prospect should be a shoe-in for a spot in the top 5 in scoring. There were some who felt that Frost should have been the Red Tilson winner last year so maybe this is the year he takes it home. The Hounds offense has lost some talent to graduation, but there is enough remaining to give Frost the supporting pieces he needs.

Michael DiPietro of the Windsor Spitfires. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

Michael DiPietro

Reigning OHL Goaltender of the year, the Canucks prospect returns to Windsor to help a young team improve. DiPietro will likely be Canada’s starter at this year’s WJC. He is also a likely trade candidate, unless Windsor is pushing for the division. The talented netminder is one of the few gamebreakers at the position in the league.

Jack Studnicka

Nearly earned the 3rd line center spot in Boston with a strong training camp performance, but the Generals captain returns for a final OHL season and should be one of the league’s elite offensive catalysts. If the Generals are as good as many think they will be, he will be a top candidate for player of the year. His strong two-way play allows him to impact the game on so many different levels.

Sasha Chmelevski

It seems like so long ago that Chmelevski fell at the draft after a very poor draft year showing. He bounced back in a big way last year, re-inventing his game under new head coach Andre Tourigny. Now a committed player away from the puck, Chmelevski will look to lead a young Ottawa team to a championship, perhaps a year ahead of schedule.

Five Draft Eligibles to Monitor

Ryan Suzuki of the Barrie Colts. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

Ryan Suzuki (Barrie Colts)

After a strong Hlinka performance, Suzuki is off to a blazing hot start as one of the early leaders in OHL scoring. Suzuki, brother of Nick, is an exceptionally talented playmaker whose vision and puck skill are game breaking qualities. As of right now, Ryan looks like the lone potential candidate for the top 10 from the OHL.

Arthur Kaliyev (Hamilton Bulldogs)

Another of the early scoring leaders is also a draft eligible forward. Kaliyev had one of the best 16 year old seasons in recent memory after scoring 30+ goals last year. He looks to round out the rest of his game in Hamilton, improving his playmaking ability and play away from the puck to match his strength on the puck and NHL quality shot.

Matvey Guskov (London Knights)

An import selection by the Knights this year, Guskov has matched the high expectations thus far, averaging over a point per game. Guskov was one of only three OHL players mentioned on Bob McKenzie’s preseason draft ranking and the playmaking Russian forward looks like a serious first round candidate come June.

Blake Murray (Sudbury Wolves)

A big, power center who is being overshadowed a bit due to the arrival of top 2020 prospect Quinton Byfield. Murray possesses all the qualities that NHL teams look for in centers these days, with size, skating, and finishing ability. Murray has the potential to be that complete package.

Michael Vukojevic (Kitchener Rangers)

Vukojevic may not be the sexiest of defenders at this point. He is not yet a truly dynamic player, but he is as steady as they come and plays the game with the composure of a five year OHL veteran. His defensive acumen projects him to be, at the very least, a terrific stay at home top four defender at the NHL level. The question is, just how much offensive ability does he possess?

Vancouver Canucks Prospect System Overview

Ryan Wagman — Fri, 14 Sep 2018 14:58:51 +0000

There are teams that have depth throughout their organization. They draft from everywhere, and affiliated players of theirs dot rosters across the planet, from their own AHL and ECHL affiliates, and found here and there on various CHL teams, on college campuses in the US and on teams in the best European leagues. And if a player passes through the draft and catches their eyes, the team does not hesitate to sign that player as an undrafted free agent to round out the system.

Those teams have high end talent, young men who are destined to challenge for roles atop the NHL lineup, they have versatile players who can be plugged in and play wherever and however needed. And they have depth in numbers, understanding that not all shiny new prospects reach their projected ceilings. It is always good to have players in the system who can hold their own without too much embarrassment, ready to fill in at a moment’s notice, even if the filling is only for a moment.

The Canucks do not have all of that in their system. They have some, but not everything.

They have players from everywhere. Prospects from the Vancouver system spent last year in the AHL of course. There were a few collegians. They had eyes on players from the top leagues in both Sweden and Finland, as well as the top flights of both Russia and the Czech Republic. They did not have anybody who was playing in the QMJHL (which is not all that rare), but there were Canucks’ prospects playing in the OHL, WHL, USHL and even the MJHL and in a Massachusetts prep school.

As will be discussed in more detail below, this organization certainly has its share high end prospects, with 6-9 of these players projected as top half of lineup players and up to four of them who could for whom stardom could be in the offing.

The Canucks also have a second tier below those guys, a tier perhaps five or six deep with guys who could fit into that comfortable middle of the team. The Canucks don’t need to count on these guys, but they are glad to have them. But what the Canucks lack is that depth. When we talk about depth, we are usually looking at guys already in the AHL, who have some professional experience and are ready to contribute, even if those contributions are mild.

When the Canucks needed a decent player to come up as an injury replacement, their options were painfully limited. Instead of using that as an opportunity to give a potential future contributor a cup of NHL coffee, instead they had to bring up older journeymen, such as Ashton Sautner (five games), Jayson Megna (one game), Philip Holm (one game), and Michael Chaput (nine games). Those four players combined for a grand total of two points, both from Sautner.

This lack of viable depth is a direct result of questionable drafting in the later rounds. Those top players were selected early, but the Canucks have neglected to sign a number of recent late round picks, such as Carl Neill and Tate Olson from their 2015 draft class and fully two thirds of their 2016 draft class in Cole Candella, Jakob Stukel, Rodrigo Abols, and Brett McKenzie.

The Canucks seem to be acing the hardest part of the rebuild but are flunking the easiest portion.

Elias Pettersson

1 Elias Pettersson, C/LW (5^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 2^nd) Among the handful of most dynamic prospects in the game, Pettersson laid the SHL to waste in his age 18 season, winning both league rookie of the year and MVP awards. His season with Vaxjo was simply one of the best by a teenager in any European league ever. A ridiculously talented sniper, his shot is near elite on a few fronts. The release is incredibly quick, but his patience with the puck helps the release seem even quicker. A talented dangler, he can use his hips to great effect to sell a deke. Unlike many scoring sensations of his ilk, Pettersson is also responsible in his own end. One of the top candidates to win the Calder this season, he should pair with the Canucks’ other recent Calder finalist to give the team two high caliber goal scorers for years to come.

2 Quinn Hughes, D (7^th overall, 2018. Last Year: IE) The most dynamic draft eligible defenseman in North America last season, Hughes played a minor role as a double under-ager for Team USA at the WJC and then saw his game absolutely take off over the second half of the NCAA season. By the end, he was the engine for Michigan’s Frozen Four team. A brilliant skater and thrilling puck handler, his rushes up the ice are breathtaking, yet he still has the wherewithal to slow the game down in the offensive end. As he acclimatized to the collegiate game, Hughes also began to show more reliability in his defensive responsibilities. If he did not elect to return to the Wolverines for his sophomore season, he would have stood a chance of playing in the NHL right away. Hughes looks like Vancouver’s future number one defender.

3 Olli Juolevi, D (5^th overall, 2016. Last Year: 1^st) As much as Olli Juolevi has been somewhat disappointing since being drafted fifth overall in 2016, thanks to an underwhelming follow up campaign with the London Knights, make no mistake, but he is still trending towards a career with first pairing potential. Instead of going back to London for a third go-round, Juolevi returned home to Finland instead, spending the year with TPS, where he impressed playing for the first time against men, while dominating in his third WJC. He is an excellent passer and puck mover who has an advanced understanding of the game and rarely makes the wrong play. He is expected to come back to North America this year and challenge for an NHL job, although some time in the AHL would not hurt him, or the rebuilding Canucks.

4 Thatcher Demko, G (36^th overall, 2014. Last Year: 7^th) Drafted as a true freshman out of Boston College, Demko improved his save percentage year over year over year during his collegiate career, going from .919 to .925 to .935 before leaving campus for the professional world. In that final year, he was named Hockey East Player of the Year, was an NCAA East All American, and took home the Mike Richter Award as the best netminder in the country. While his first season in the AHL was occasionally rocky, he rebounded in his second season, finishing tied for sixth in save percentage in the league. Demko has ideal size for the net, and grades out very highly for his calm demeanor, ability to read the play, mature technical form, and ability to stifle second chances. Expect him to battle for an NHL job out of camp this year.

Jonathan Dahlen

5 Jonathan Dahlen, LW/C (Trade: Feb. 27, 2017 [Ottawa]) Last Year: 4^th) Coming off a season in which he was named best forward and MVP of Sweden’s second tier men’s league (Allsvenskan), Dahlen, who was on loan at Timra, is ready for the AHL game. He has never been a high-end skater, but the smallish winger has improved a fair bit in that area since he was drafted and there is no longer reason to believe that it will hold him back. Both his puck skills and his hockey smarts are at very high levels, and he has proven able to score at every single level he has played at thus far in his burgeoning career. He will need some time in the AHL to get used to the rougher physical game in North America but should be able to find himself playing in in the NHL by the end of the season.

6 Kole Lind, RW (33^rd overall, 2017. Last Year: 6^th) The Canucks would have been very pleased to track Lind’s development in his first post draft season. He showed the ability to play with greater pace and was more assertive all around. Already an accomplished offensive player, he contributed eight more points for Kelowna this year, even though he played in 12 fewer games. He is a gifted puck player who couples finishing skills with the instincts of a playmaker. He does not play a soft game, although he could stand to put on a few pounds as he prepares for a full season as a professional, likely in the AHL. He could be knocking on the NHL door before the season is out.

7 Adam Gaudette, C (149^th overall, 2015. Last Year: 9^th) It is easy to look at the gaudy point totals of the 2018 Hobey Baker Award winner and think that Gaudette is a sure-fire top prospect. He is not without skill. He skates well, has a nice shot and is a very talented playmaker and stick handler. He even played some on the PK with Northeastern and has a well-developed hockey IQ. The reason why we cannot rank him higher up this list is that a very hefty proportion of his offensive output cam on the man advantage (27 of 60 points). Yes, there were former first rounders in the NCAA that could not match his even strength output, but there are questions about whether he is dynamic enough to continue to earn time on the power play as a pro. Either way, he will have a chance to play in Vancouver this year.

8 Will Lockwood, RW (64^th overall, 2016. Last Year: 11^th) A skilled grinder, Lockwood plays with an immense amount of energy that brings to mind a slightly taller Brendan Gallagher. This is not to say that Lockwood is a future 30 goals scorer in the NHL, but he is a future fan favorite. A born hustler, he has the wheels to match his intensity, and despite underwhelming point totals over the years, a fair bit of individual skill lurking in his stick. As he prepares to return from major shoulder surgery to fix an injury sustained in the WJC, he will have to show that he can rein in his physical proclivities and play smart when playing tough might not be the answer. If he can remain healthy, he should rank higher on this list next year.

9 Michael DiPietro, G (64^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 8^th) If you don’t like DiPietro, “you must not like winning.” That quote, reportedly spoken by DiPietro to unnamed team officials during interviews at the NHL scouting combine last year will follow him throughout his career, wherever it takes him. He had reason to be cocky, having just come off leading his Windsor Spitfires to a Memorial Cup championship on home ice. Although his numbers slumped somewhat as Windsor iced a much younger, less talented roster this year, he is still the same athletic, hyper-competitive netminder who reads the ice well and controls rebounds. He will head back to the OHL for one more season and is expected to challenge for a spot with Team Canada at the next WJC – in Vancouver.

Jett Woo

10 Jett Woo, D (37^th overall, 2018. Last Year: IE) Like Lockwood above, Woo is a hard-hitting throwback type of player who missed a large chunk of last season with a shoulder injury. In Woo’s case, as it was hist draft year, not only did it take away crucial development time, but also likely hurt his draft stock, leaving him on the board for Vancouver’s second round pick. A defender whose game is predicated on a dollop of hockey IQ and a heaping of truculence, he has shown just enough offensive skill and mobility to suggest better health could allow him to profile as a top four blueliner at the highest level. Is work ethic and other intangibles should help him maximize his abilities.

11 Jonah Gadjovich, LW (55^th overall, 2017. Last Year: 10^th) Somewhat of a surprise selection to represent Team Canada at last year’s WJC, the former 46 goal scorer with Owen Sound took on more of a depth line role at the prestige tournament, killing penalties and scrumming for space in front of the opponent’s net on the power play. An instinctual goal scorer, he has an impressively long reach and a strong shot when he can lean on one from the slot. Gadjovich has a big, burly frame, and while that helps him at times, it works against him at others, as his first few steps can be sluggish. Further, while his strength was a clear asset in the OHL, he was so much more physically mature than most of the competition, that he often left observers wanting more. He is ready for AHL action.

12 Lukas Jasek, RW (174^th overall, 2015. Last Year: not ranked) Jasek was puttering along anonymously in the lower reaches of the Czech hockey system, occasionally popping up (and not doing anything) at an international tournament for his age group. He finally spent most of last year in the top Czech division and did relatively well for a 20-year-old (second in league scoring among the 21U set) while he dazzled in the European Champions Hockey League for Bili Tygri. To top it off, he came to Utica at the tail end of the season and put up seven points in six games. An energetic, conscientious player, he plays hard and recognizes scoring chances well, making up for a moderate skill set.

13 Tyler Madden, C (68^th overall, 2018. Last Year: IE) A chip off the old block. Madden, whose father John was a Selke Award winner in the 1990s with New Jersey, is a defense first center with some skill. Short and slight, he is more than just a defensive specialist as he has flashed plus skills as a playmaker and puckhandler, while his shot makes up in timing what it lacks in force. As he moves to offensive powerhouse Northeastern for the next few years, he will have every opportunity to not only add bulk to his underdeveloped frame, but also to explore the extent of his offensive skills as he is very refined away from the puck.

Guillaume Brisebois

14 Guillaume Brisebois, D (66^th overall, 2015. Last Year: 12^th) Tall, yet slight, Brisebois is a strong skater who took his lumps last year as an AHL rookie but played well enough throughout to maintain his standing as a prospect. He is not a flashy player but moves the puck with efficiency. He plays well away from the puck and was trusted with heavy usage with a Utica team that much in the way of high end skill. Mostly playing a finesse game, he has the frame to handle burly opposition, although he still looks as if he could use 10-15 more pounds of bulk to give back as good as he gets. A second AHL season will go a long way to letting the Canucks know what they have in Brisebois.

15 Matthew Thiessen, G (192^nd overall, 2018. Last Year: IE) The top draft eligible netminder in any of the Tier I leagues across Canada, Thiessen gained some public notoriety as he backstopped the Steinbach Pistons to the MJHL championship and a spot in the RBC Cup. Athletic and competitive, he has decent size for the modern game and has demonstrated a strong ability to read the play in front of him. As with any netminder (or skater for that matter) coming out of a lower level of competition such as the MJHL, he will have to answer questions about his ability to perform at a high level against better opponents. He will get his first chance to step up next year, playing with Dubuque of the USHL, before moving on to Maine, in Hockey East.

16 Matt Brassard, D (188^th overall, 2017. Last Year: not ranked) Although he went undrafted in his first year of eligibility, the Canucks took a chance on the puck moving Brassard after a strong age 18 season split between Barrie and Oshawa of the OHL. He rewarded them with even better performance at age 19 last year, although it was not enough for Vancouver to extend an ELC his way (yet). A decent at best skater, Brassard has good offensive tools between his point shot and his puck handling skills. While he also has good size, he does not it to good effect. His defensive zone reads are also unrefined which will impact his potential to advance if it is not addressed.

17 Toni Utunen, D (130^th overall, 2018. Last Year: IE) Small, and not very toolsy, everything about Utunen plays up thanks to his highly advanced hockey IQ. While he rarely flashes high end skill, he is seemingly always in the right place to impact the game positively for his team. It could be by starting the transition out of his own zone, as he is equally comfortable carrying the puck out or passing it upstream to a waiting teammate. It could also be his fearlessness in getting into the shooting lane while killing a penalty. It could be the fact that he spent his draft year playing with men in Finland, splitting the year between the top two leagues in the land. Expect this sleeper to play a bigger role this year.

18 Petrus Palmu, LW/RW (181^st overall, 2017. Last Year: not ranked) Ten or fifteen years ago, a player of Palmu’s stature would likely have been passed over at the draft, as 5-7” just would not play in that era, no matter how fast or skilled the player was. Even today, a player as small as he is needs to prove himself over and over before getting the call. Vancouver selected Palmu in his third year of draft eligibility, after he doubled his offensive output from 49 too 98 points for Owen Sound. Having completed his CHL eligibility, he went back to Finland and had a very strong rookie season, earning an ELC. Prone to overhandling, he is stronger than he looks and can take a hit to make a play, although he will never be a force at any level. He should spend this upcoming season in the AHL.

19 Jalen Chatfield, D (UDFA: Mar. 13, 2017. Last Year: 19^th) A teammate of Michael DiPietro’s on the Memorial Cup winning Windsor Spitfires in 2016-17, Chatfield showed enough two-way potential, along with intangibles, to earn an ELC as an undrafted free agent towards the end of the OHL regular season. While his offensive game cratered in his professional debut, to his credit, he never really looked out of place with the Comets. Chatfield profiles as no more than a third pairing, or seventh defenseman in the NHL, but his hockey IQ is refined enough that he could carve out a long career despite a lack of any one high end tool.

20 Zack MacEwen, C (UDFA: Mar. 3, 2017. Last Year: 13^th) A big rugged forward signed as an undrafted free agent out of Gatineau in the QMJHL, MacEwen struggled with parts of the transition to the pros. On the one hand, he was able to contribute offensively at a reasonable clip, finishing fourth in team scoring with Utica – and tops among prospect eligible players. On the other hand, he struggled on the other side of the puck. As flawed as the plus-minus metric is, it can be telling, and MacEwen’s negative 22 (second worst on the team) is a black mark. Between his great size and willingness to crash and bang, he could carve out a role at the bottom of an NHL lineup, but needs to prove he can be reliable in his own end.

2017 NHL Draft Grades: Pacific Division – Vancouver Canucks

Ryan Wagman — Fri, 30 Jun 2017 16:04:59 +0000

Shortly after 1:00pm CST, on Saturday, June 24, 2017, the defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins selected William Reilly, a defenseman from RPI as the 217^th player selected, bringing the 2017 Entry Draft to an end. With a few days of hindsight between me and the bowels of the United Center, the urge to spew out hot takes flushed away, it is time to analyze the strategies and selections employed by the league’s 31 teams.

The analysis will focus on the first five rounds, as it is clear to most long-time observers that the final two rounds are often taken up with long-shots, favours to regional scouts, among other reasons. I will, of course, call out some astute late picks, but will not judge a team for the names called in the final hour. The apocryphal story of Pekka Rinne, drafted as an eighth round after-thought in 2004 based mostly on his play in game warm-ups. Few other scouts would have seen him at all, and he has had a very good career, which is not yet over. For the most part, though, those picks have little statistical likelihood of having NHL careers and teams should not be judged there.

Each draft class will be graded using the 20-80 scale that we use in our player specific scouting reports throughout the site. In this context, a 50 is essentially an average grade in light of the picks the team had on draft day. A 20 would mean the draft is an unmitigated disaster while an 80 would be the best draft class of all time. As those things can only be truly seen in retrospect, most classes will trend towards 50 at this point, so pay attention to those we see as outliers.

Finally, all grades are incomplete. Actual winners and losers in this draft class will not be known until 2023 at the earliest, after those who will have “made it” will have played out their entry-level contracts. What I am looking at here is whether, knowing what we know now, the drafting team got good value.

RD	#	CS	MCK	PLAYER	P	AGE	HT/WT	TEAM
1	5	2-E	11	Elias PETTERSSON	C	18	6-2/165	Timra (Swe 2)
2	33	23-N	34	Kole LIND	RW	18	6-1/180	Kelowna (WHL)
2	55	39-N	80	Jonah GADJOVICH	LW	18	6-2/210	Owen Sound (OHL)
3	64	4-NG	53	Michael DIPIETRO	G	18	6-0/195	Windsor (OHL)
4	95	57-N	105	Jack RATHBONE	D	18	5-10/175	Dexter (USHS-MA)
5	135	NR		Kristoffer GUNNARSSON	D	20	6-1/205	Oskarshamn (Swe 2)
6	181	NR		Petrus PALMU	LW	20	5-6/170	Owen Sound (OHL)
7	188	137-N		Matt BRASSARD	D	19	6-2/200	Bar-Osh (OHL)

RD	#	PLAYER	P	TEAM	GP (W)	G (L)	A (T)	PTS (GA)	PIM (Sv%)
1	5	Elias PETTERSSON	C	Timra (Swe 2)	43	19	22	41	14
2	33	Kole LIND	RW	Kelowna (WHL)	70	30	57	87	79
2	55	Jonah GADJOVICH	LW	Owen Sound (OHL)	60	46	28	74	32
3	64	Michael DIPIETRO	G	Windsor (OHL)	30	12	6	2.35	0.917
4	95	Jack RATHBONE	D	Dexter (USHS-MA)	22	16	19	35	0
4	95			Youngstown (USHL)	4	0	1	1	0
5	135	Kristoffer GUNNARSSON	D	Oskarshamn (Swe 2)	29	1	1	2	8
5	135			Frolunda (Swe)	10	0	0	0	29
5	135	Kristoffer GUNNARSSON	D	Frolunda (Swe Jr)	4	0	0	0	0
6	181	Petrus PALMU	LW	Owen Sound (OHL)	62	40	58	98	34
7	188	Matt BRASSARD	D	Bar-Osh (OHL)	62	12	20	32	81

Vancouver Canucks – Draft Grade: 55

Five CHLers, two Swedes and a New England prep schooler. The Canucks drafted a nice blend of safety and upside with their eight picks. After drafting two defensemen in their first three picks last year, each of their first three selections this year were forwards. With the fifth overall selection, they drafted Elias Pettersson, one of the best teenaged scorers - best scorers of any age - in Sweden’s Allsvenskan, the second highest men’s league. Interestingly enough, the only U20 player to outscore Pettersson in the league was Jonathan Dahlen, who the Canucks acquired from Ottawa in a deadline day trade. Pettersson desperately needs to fill out a very lean frame, but his shot, puck skills and hockey IQ all grade out as easy pluses. When the Sedins are finally starting to slow down, Pettersson will ensure that Vancouver has Swedish presence in their scoring lines.

They added more scoring talent to the organization with their two second rounders, used on Kelowna’s Kole Lind and Owen Sound’s Jonah Gadjovich, two wingers who look better on paper than with the eye test, but they both look great on paper, scoring a combined 85 regular season goals last year. Lind is average or better across the board, although lacking in any one standout area, while Gadjovich uses great positioning to make up for merely OK feet. Their other notable pick was third rounder Michael DiPietro. Although somewhat undersized for a modern netminder (6-0”), he was brilliant in leading the Windsor Spitfires to the Memorial Cup title and has already shown that he is a workhorse goalie with high end athleticism.

Michael DiPietro of the Windsor Spitfires. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images

Best value: Michael DiPietro, G, Windsor (3/64): I will rarely applaud the selection of a goalie in any round, but DiPietro is one of the few exceptions this season. He makes up for his size deficit with great battle, agility, and play reading. The Canucks are grooming Thatcher Demko as the goalie of the future, but DiPietro is a great backup plan.

Biggest head-scratcher: Kristoffer Gunnarsson, D, IK Oskarshamn (5/135): At this stage of the draft, almost anything can be excusable, but Gunnarsson has two clear marks against him. First, he is a double overager. Second, he has no discernable offensive game, compiling two measly points across 43 league games split between the SHL, Allsvenskan and SuperElit.