Matthew Strome – McKeen's Hockey

OHL Playoff Preview: Eastern Conference – Trade deadline talent arms race makes for a wide open battle

Brock Otten — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 16:22:01 +0000

This week the 2019 OHL playoffs will kick off with first round action getting under way on Thursday. More so than any year that I can remember, the field is wide open. There are favorites to take home the J.Ross Robertson Cup, sure, but the sheer number of candidates to make it to the end is greater than previous years because of how many teams loaded up with talent at this year’s trade deadline. As difficult as it is, I will make my predictions. Just do not place any large bets or wagers based upon it.

Eastern Conference First Round

Marco Rossi of the Ottawa 67s. Photo courtesy of the OHL.

#1. Ottawa 67’s vs. #8. Hamilton Bulldogs

Season Series: 5-0 for Ottawa

Analysis: A rematch of last year’s 1 versus 8 match-up in the Eastern Conference, only this time the roles are reversed. The rebuilding Bulldogs match up against the top team in the OHL in Ottawa. Hamilton has done exceptionally well as the only team from last year’s Memorial Cup to make the playoffs in their respective leagues (with nearly as many wins as Regina, Swift Current, and Acadie-Bathurst combined). Arthur Kaliyev has emerged as a star in his NHL draft year, hitting the 50 goal mark and the team did a great job of trading away valuable assets but also keeping some veteran leaders around like Matthew Strome to keep order. All that said, they do not stand much of a chance against Ottawa. The 67’s are three lines deep that can score at any time. They have a physically imposing defense that can also move the puck. And either Michael Dipietro or Cedrick Andree will likely provide top notch goaltending, even if Dipietro’s health is a question mark after being forced to leave a game recently after a high shot stung him. I do have some question marks as to how they hold up later in the playoffs, but this first round victory should be a relatively easy one, no offense meant to Hamilton.

Prediction: Ottawa in 4

NHL Prospects to Watch:

Sasha Chmelevski (SJ): While he may not lead the 67’s in scoring, I feel that he is the most integral part of Ottawa’s offensive attack. When he is on, the 67’s are firing on all cylinders. He may not have had the year that I expected of him prior to the start of the year, but he remains one of the OHL’s elite offensive players because of his individual puck skill and shot generation. If Ottawa wants to take home the Eastern Conference crown, he will need to be a consistent leader.

Marco Rossi (2020): A late 2001 birthday, Rossi missed being eligible for this year’s draft by just over a week. The slick Austrian forward has been an absolute revelation as a first year Import and has met or exceeded all the expectations placed on him. His skill level is very high, but most impressive to me is his tenaciousness away from the puck. This youngster is a real puck hound who makes his presence felt in many different ways on the ice. His game is built for success in the playoffs, even if he is young. A strong performance could help solidify him as a potential top 10 selection heading into 2020 Draft season.

Jan Jenik (ARI): I could have easily mentioned Kaliyev here for Hamilton. But Jenik has been extremely noticeable since arriving at midseason. He is another player whose game is built for success in the playoffs. He plays an ‘in your face’ kind of style and is way more aggressive physically than I would have imagined. Pair that with terrific hands and a natural ability to gain the blueline with his speed and puck control and you’ve got a fierce offensive competitor who is fun to watch.

Forward #17 Justin Brazeau of the North Bay Battalion. Photo courtesy of the OHL.

#2. Niagara IceDogs vs. #7. North Bay Battalion

Season Series: 4-2 for Niagara

Analysis: No offense meant to North Bay. I have a great respect for legendary head coach Stan Butler. But I see this as being one of the most one-sided first round matchups. North Bay relies heavily on their first line of Justin Brazeau, Matthew Struthers, and Brad Chenier, but just do not have the depth to keep up with Niagara’s firepower up front. And while North Bay can often surprise teams in the postseason with their team commitment to defense, Niagara’s forward group may be one of the better two-way groups in the league themselves with guys like Jack Studnicka and Ben Jones anchoring the middle. In net, overager Stephen Dhillon gives Niagara an advantage too, especially with how good he was in last year’s playoffs and the experience he can take from that. The IceDogs and Battalion played a pretty lopsided final game of the regular season this past weekend and unfortunately I could see most of the games looking like that one did.

Prediction: Niagara in 4

NHL Prospects to Watch:

Jason Robertson (DAL): The winner of the Eddie Powers Trophy this year as the OHL’s top scorer, Robertson has been an unstoppable force since arriving in Niagara. With the IceDogs he has averaged over two points per game. While Robertson will never be a speedster, he is so good at controlling the puck in the offensive zone and slowing down the pace to open up lanes for his linemates. This makes him such an efficient player on the powerplay because he often requires two defenders to separate him from the puck. After last year’s disappointingly abrupt run with Kingston in the playoffs, Robertson will look to take that next step with Niagara and help them reach the Eastern finals.

Jack Studnicka (BOS): Another player brought in by Niagara who has had a remarkable impact, up near the two point per game mark. Studnicka is so valuable because he excels in all situations. He is on the ice when you are a goal down or a goal up late in the third period. He is going to need to be a huge part of Niagara’s penalty killing unit, which struggled at times during the regular season. A potential OHL playoffs MVP candidate.

Justin Brazeau (UFA): Sure, he has some warts. His stride is not the prettiest. He needs work on his play away from the puck and in his own end. But you cannot ignore the fact that he is a 6-6”, 60 goal scorer in the OHL, a feat that does not occur very often. With a strong first round performance (likely to be his only chance as North Bay does not have a good chance of advancing) in a playoff atmosphere with tighter checking, perhaps he can prove to NHL scouts that he deserves an NHL contract (if he has not done enough already).

Brandon Saigeon of the Oshawa Generals. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

#3. Oshawa Generals vs. #6. Peterborough Petes

Season Series: 6-2 for Oshawa

Analysis: The Generals have owned the Petes in the season series, especially in the four games post trade deadline. In those four games, Oshawa has scored 30 goals. While Peterborough has played better of late, I just do not believe that they have the defensive chops to hang with the Generals. Oshawa rolls three very competitive scoring lines. They bring speed. They bring grit. They play in all three zones. There are some inexperienced players in their core group, but veterans like Brandon Saigeon and Nic Mattinen are battled tested after last year’s Championship victory. For as well as Hunter Jones has played this year (save for a dry spell post deadline), Kyle Keyser has been even better and should be able to turn aside the majority of Peterborough’s chances. I think Peterborough is still a year away from being a truly competitive playoff team.

Prediction: Oshawa in 5

NHL Prospects to Watch:

Brandon Saigeon (COL): 18 goals in 21 playoff games for the Hamilton Bulldogs last year in helping them win an OHL Championship. What does Saigeon have in store for us this year? One of the most lethal powerplay players in the OHL because of his shot and ability to get in scoring position. Saigeon will need to be a leader on and off the ice for a younger Oshawa team that, at its core, does not have a ton of playoff experience.

Serron Noel (FLA): Really struggled in the OHL playoffs last year during his draft year, but no question that Noel is a different player now. There are not many players in the league like him with his size, speed, and skill combination. He is just so strong on the puck, especially along the wall. In the playoffs, establishing the cycle game to tire out the opposition's best defenders is such a key component and Noel can do that in his sleep. This could be a real breakout opportunity for him to hit the mainstream spotlight.

Ryan Merkley (SJ): Without question, Merkley is one of the most individually skilled players in the OHL. His ability to create offensive scoring chances from the back-end because of his skating ability and vision are nearly unrivaled. The issue is nearly everything else. A midseason trade to Peterborough and a fresh start has not done much to squash concerns as he has found himself in the doghouse with his new club on a few occasions already. If Peterborough wants to progress past the first round, they will need a motivated Merkley at both ends of the ice.

Quinton Byfield on the Sudbury Wolves. Photo courtesy of the OHL.

#4. Sudbury Wolves vs. #5. Mississauga Steelheads

Season Series: 4-2 for Sudbury

Analysis: These division rivals have not met in the playoffs since 2011; the year that Mississauga captured the Eastern Conference and hosted the Memorial Cup. That was a second round sweep for the Majors (yes, it was before they were renamed the Steelheads). This time around, I expect Sudbury to come out on top, but it could be a close one. Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen has been sensational this year and should hypothetically give the Wolves an advantage in net, but you just never know when Jacob Ingham is going to turn in a remarkable performance. Defensively, I think these teams are fairly similar in ability. Mississauga generates more offense from their back-end. Sudbury’s defense is better in their own end. On the other hand, I do worry about Mississauga’s speed giving Sudbury’s defense some issues. That brings us to the offensive side of things. I ultimately think Sudbury has more game breakers in their line-up with the likes of Quinton Byfield and Adam Ruzicka. This could be closer than people are going to predict. Sudbury’s powerplay will need to be way better than it was in the regular season (a league worst), as teams do not go far in the playoffs without scoring on the man advantage.

Prediction: Sudbury in 6

NHL Prospects to Watch:

Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen (BUF): Hands down the Goaltender of the Year this year in the OHL. No offense meant to Kyle Keyser or Michael Dipietro, but this is an easy decision. Luukkonen might even be the most valuable player in the league, if such an award existed (the Red Tilson is for Most Outstanding Player, not Valuable). I have been so impressed with Luukkonen’s composure in the crease. His ability to read the play is outstanding and because of his size and athleticism, he always seems to get himself in the right position to make key saves. He is a prime time goaltending prospect.

Quinton Byfield (2020): I have been completely captivated by Byfield when I have seen him play this year. Such a fantastic and explosive skater for a big guy. I truly feel that if his game continues to progress, he could challenge for first overall in 2020. For now, it will be interesting to see how he performs in his first playoffs in the OHL. Regardless of the outcome, the experience it provides him will only make him better in the long run, which will make the Wolves better too (at least for next year anyway).

Thomas Harley (2019): All eyes will be on this potential first round pick in the first round to see how he handles the physicality of the playoffs. As skilled as he is as an offensive defenseman, a lack of defensive intensity has been one of the most discussed weak spots. Scouts will be looking to see how he defends in the corners and in front of his net, and his overall response to being up against a more powerful offensive squad and having to play more in his own end.

Continued Eastern Conference Predictions

Conference Semi Finals

#1. Ottawa vs. #4. Sudbury

#2. Niagara vs. #3. Oshawa

I am taking Ottawa and Niagara here. While I do have some concerns over Ottawa’s special teams play and their defense’s ability to handle the forecheck and move the puck, I think Sudbury is the best matchup for them. Niagara and Oshawa is a toss-up. Kyle Keyser could shut the door, especially with a big defense in front of him. But, like Guelph, I just really like the make-up of Niagara’s team. Their team speed. Their powerplay. Their core veteran group, especially up front. And Stephen Dhillon is not chopped liver.

Eastern Conference Final

#1. Ottawa vs. #2. Niagara

Like Guelph, I am all in on Niagara in the Eastern Conference. Jason Robertson, Jack Studnicka, and Akil Thomas are all nearly unstoppable right now. Plus their blueline does such a good job skating the puck out of trouble, it is difficult to pin them in their own zone, which means that you are always playing on the defensive against them.

SEE OHL PREVIEW: WESTERN CONFERENCE- LINK HERE

OHL Championship Series

Niagara IceDogs vs. Guelph Storm

Another toss up for me. Ask me tomorrow and I may just choose someone different. Both of their regular season matchups were decided by a single goal. Honestly, this comes down to goaltending. I give Niagara the advantage at forward. I give Guelph the advantage on defense. But in net, I think you have to tip your hat in Stephen Dhillon’s direction. Especially considering that there is no guarantee that Anthony Popovich finishes the postseason as Guelph’s starter. So...I am selecting the Niagara IceDogs as this year’s OHL Champions!

OHL Playoff Preview: Greyhounds pacing the pack

Brock Otten — Thu, 22 Mar 2018 20:51:07 +0000

The 2018 Ontario Hockey League playoffs kick off this week after the regular season wrapped up this past weekend. Heading into the playoffs, the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds are the clear favorites to come out of the OHL and represent the league at the Memorial Cup in Regina. They have spent the vast majority of the season as the top ranked team in the CHL, one of only two teams to chart the entire season (along with Blainville-Boisbriand of the QMJHL). But competition is always fierce and there are no sure bets in the OHL. Let us now take a look at each first round match-up.

Eastern Conference

#1 - Hamilton Bulldogs vs. #8 - Ottawa 67’s

Season Series: Hamilton leads 5-0

Will Bitten of the Hamilton Bulldogs. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images

Analysis: The Conference Champion Bulldogs face off against the 67’s after the Steelheads won on the final Sunday, securing the number 7 seed. Hamilton has been the cream of the crop of the Eastern Conference for the vast majority of the season. They have been extremely active in trades this year to give them the best chance of coming out of the East. The Bulldogs added Robert Thomas (St. Louis), Riley Stillman (Florida), Nic Caamano (Dallas), Ryan Moore, and Nic Mattinen (Toronto) to an already stacked lineup, giving Ottawa an extremely daunting challenge in round one. This team rolls three powerhouse offensive lines with Matthew Strome (Philadelphia), Will Bitten (Montreal), Mackenzie Entwistle (Arizona), Marian Studenic (New Jersey), and Brandon Saigeon being other top options. Forward Arthur Kaliyev (2019) is another name to watch. He is the first 16 year old to score 30 goals in the OHL since Alex Galchenyuk and he is a potential lottery pick next year as a power winger. In net, the Bulldogs boast one of the OHL’s most improved players this year in Kaden Fulcher (Detroit).

Kevin Bahl of the Ottawa 67's. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

Ottawa, on the other hand, is a very young team. In a few years’ time, they could be Memorial Cup contenders. They could have five players drafted in the first three rounds this year (Kody Clark, Mitchell Hoelscher, Merrick Rippon, Kevin Bahl, and Carter Robertson). Offensively, they are paced by Sasha Chmelevski (San Jose), Travis Barron (Colorado), Austen Keating (2018) and Tye Felhaber. Chmelevski was a much hyped prospect who fell hard at last year’s draft (all the way to the 6th), but he has returned much stronger this season. His play away from the puck has greatly improved and it has taken his game to another level. But for all their talent offensively, the 67’s have had a very difficult time keeping the puck out of their own net this year. Overager Olivier Tremblay has not provided the stability that the team had hoped for when they brought him in early this year.

This one has all the makings of a quick series. This Ottawa team, as talented as they are young, is not yet ready for this type of challenge. The Bulldogs are one of the deepest teams in the OHL and their offensive firepower is likely to overwhelm an inexperienced defense and inconsistent netminder. One particular thing worth watching is the 67’s struggling penalty kill going up against one of the league’s best powerplay units from Hamilton. This has to be troubling for Ottawa because they also happen to be one of the league’s most undisciplined teams. And while Ottawa does have some great young offensive talent, the Bulldogs have one of the oldest defensive units in the league and are likely to limit the offensive chances of the 67’s. I look for Robert Thomas to have a big series here (and a big playoff performance overall). His points per game has taken a big dip since joining the Bulldogs, but I think he explodes this postseason.

Prediction: This Hamilton team is just too experienced and too talented for the 67’s. They have the advantage in nearly every area and should dominate. If Ottawa was getting better goaltending, I would say that they might be able to steal a game or two, but I do not even see that happening. Hamilton in 4.

#2 - Barrie Colts vs. #7 - Mississauga Steelheads

Season Series: Mississauga leads 4-2

Michael McLeod of the Mississauga Steelheads. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

Analysis: If I was a betting man, I would bet that this is the match-up that Barrie wanted to avoid in the opening round. In fact, it was probably the match-up every team wanted to avoid in the first round. Mississauga has underachieved all season long, but they have shown some signs of finally coming to life the last month or so. Offensive talent is not to be questioned. Their first two lines include names like Michael McLeod (New Jersey), Ryan McLeod (2018), Owen Tippett (Florida), Trent Fox, Albert Michnac (2018), and Mathieu Foget. This group of six matches up well against any top six in the Eastern Conference and it helps to explain why the Steelheads are the third highest scoring team in the Conference. And this excludes their leading scorer, defenseman Nic Hague (Vegas), who was the first OHL defender to score 30+ since Allan Rourke. But keeping the puck out has been a challenge at times. Swedish import and defensive stalwart Jacob Moverare (Los Angeles) has been injured and that has really challenged their younger defensive players to play more minutes than they are ready for. Furthermore, young netminder Jacob Ingham (2018) has had an awful sophomore season that has seen him essentially lose the starting job to Emanuel Vella.

Andrei Svechnikov of the Barrie Colts. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

This is potentially trouble because Barrie is the highest scoring team in the Conference and the 3rd highest scoring in the OHL. Their first line of Andrei Svechnikov (2018), Aaron Luchuk (Ottawa), and Dmitry Sokolov (Minnesota) has been absolutely shredding teams of late. The supporting offensive cast includes guys like Ryan Suzuki (2019), Jason Willms (2018), and Zach Magwood who work extremely hard in all three zones and bring energy that exhausts the opposition so that the first line can go to work. The Colts do not have any stars on the blueline, but they are a tight knit unit who work well with Barrie’s forwards to play a terrific team defense. In net, overager Leo Lazerev starts and while he does not necessarily win any games outright for the Colts, he is a mostly reliable presence. It should be noted that he has yet to win an OHL playoff series in his career and probably goes into this match-up with just as many question marks as Mississauga’s tenders.

There is no question that this is not your average #2 versus #7 seed match-up. This is especially true when you consider the fact that Mississauga largely dominated the season series, winning all three games in the new year by a combined score of 18-10. For whatever reason, the speed of Mississauga’s forwards gives the defense of Barrie a tough time and Lazerev has an .840 save percentage against the Fish this season. This is complicated even more by the fact that Andrei Svechnikov has been suspended for the first four games of the series for a head check. But I admit, I have a tough time picking Mississauga to win this series. I do not trust their defense to be able to handle Barrie’s depth up front. And if these games go to an offensive shootout like they did in the regular season, I think Barrie ends up coming out on top this time. Mississauga’s Mathieu Foget has also been suspended for the first four games of the series and his loss might actually be felt more because of Mississauga’s lack of depth. His acquisition really triggered the turnaround for the team. Barrie also needs to stay out of the box. In the regular season, they gave Mississauga almost double the amount of powerplays that they received and it cost them dearly with the Steelheads clicking at over 30% with the man advantage. If they can stay out of the box, and Lazerev can make a few saves, I still like Barrie to come out on top.

Prediction: The result of this series would not surprise me either way, even with the difference in seeding. But depth is critical in the playoffs and Barrie has the advantage there. I am excited to see how the Svechnikov/Luchuk/Sokolov unit handles the pressure of the playoffs. Svechnikov, in particular, can really cement himself as the #2 prospect available in the draft with a strong postseason performance once he returns from suspension (as long as Barrie does not get swept). Barrie in 7.

#3 - Kingston Frontenacs vs. #6 - North Bay Battalion

Season Series: Kingston leads 3-1

Gabriel Vilardi of the Kingston Frontenacs. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

Analysis: This is an intriguing match-up because of how differently these two teams approached the OHL season. Kingston brought in Gabe Vilardi (Los Angeles), Max Jones (Anaheim), Cliff Pu (Buffalo), Sean Day (New York Rangers), and Mitchell Byrne at the deadline to bolster an already solid line-up and make them contenders to come out of the East. While they failed to secure a division banner, the results post deadline have been mostly extremely positive. A healthy and re-invigorated Vilardi has provided the biggest boost, as his 1.87 points per game in Kingston is second to only Jordan Kyrou (St. Louis) in the OHL. His strength, on and off the puck, makes him a dominant force in all three zones and the type of player who works to tire and grind out opposing defenses.

Justin Brazeau of the North Bay Battalion. Photo by Terry Wilson /OHL Images,

The North Bay Battalion were sellers at the deadline this year, shipping out veterans Cam Dineen (Arizona), and Brett McKenzie (Vancouver). Those moves only worked to light a fire under the Battalion roster and the team actually improved their record in the New Year thanks to the play of new acquisitions Matthew Struthers (2018), and Jake Henderson, as well as veterans Justin Brazeau (2018), and Adam Thilander (2018). Brazeau, in particular, is a player to watch. The 6-5” winger finished just inside the Top 20 of league scoring and was named as the East’s most underrated player in the recent coaches poll that was released.

If we are measuring up these two teams, we need to give the edge to Kingston in nearly every area. The Fronts lead the season series 3-1, winning the three most recent games (February on). The biggest advantage Kingston has is in net with Jeremy Helvig (Carolina) manning the crease. The overager and veteran netminder has 19 OHL playoff games under his belt and is unquestionably one of the league’s top netminders. Meanwhile, the Battalion will rely on either Christian Propp (2018) or Julian Sime, who have a combined zero OHL playoff appearances. Kingston also has a heavy advantage on special teams, with their powerplay and penalty killing units operating at a higher level. With Robertson and Vilardi operating down low on the powerplay, North Bay is going to need to stay out of the box to have any chance in this series. One wild card to keep an eye on is the health of Max Jones. Jones has been out since the end of January after undergoing surgery on a broken finger. It is likely he returns at some point in these playoffs and he can be a major x-factor.

Prediction: Ultimately, Kingston’s experience and leadership should carry them to a relatively easy victory in this match-up. Gabe Vilardi and Sean Day won a Memorial Cup together last year. Mitchell Byrne won an OHL Championship last year. And Cliff Pu and Max Jones won an OHL Title and Memorial Cup in 2016. Kingston in 5.

#4 - Niagara IceDogs vs. #5 - Oshawa Generals

Season Series: Tied at 1 game apiece

Akil Thomas of the Niagara IceDogs. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

Analysis: Two teams that do not see a ton of each other match-up in round one. Niagara and Oshawa also happen to be two of the hotter teams in the OHL heading into the playoffs. The IceDogs are a team that rely on speed and energy to play an up tempo and offensively oriented style of game. They get after it on the forecheck and have a powerplay that has been much improved since the acquisition of overager Sam Miletic (Pittsburgh) from London. On top of Miletic, Niagara has a trio of offensive weapons that they rely on in Kirill Maksimov (Edmonton), Akil Thomas (2018), and Ben Jones (Vegas).

Jack Studnicka of the Oshawa Generals. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

Oshawa, on the other hand, prefers to slow things down and grind it out in the offensive end. Their fearless leader is Jack Studnicka (Boston), an excellent two-way center who makes an impact in so many different ways. A pair of first time draft eligible forwards support Studnicka; Serron Noel (2018), and Allan McShane (2018). Defenseman Matt Brassard (Vancouver) is also critical to their offensive success. He was one of the highest scoring defenders in the league in the second half and finished the year 7th in defensive scoring.

If we are truly comparing these two teams, it is difficult to determine who has a clear advantage. In goal, the nod should be given to Oshawa and their starter Kyle Keyser (Boston). Keyser has been a stable presence in net this year, definitely more so than Stephen Dhillon who has struggled for Niagara this year, or the inexperienced Colton Incze. Up front, I give the slight edge to Niagara because of their explosiveness and depth. On defense, the two teams boast slightly inexperienced units who are mobile, but can be mistake prone. Ultimately, I see two things possibly tipping the favor in Niagara’s direction. The first is special teams play. As mentioned, Niagara’s powerplay has been performing at a high level lately and Oshawa has one of the league’s worst penalty killing units. The second is home ice advantage, which Niagara owns after finishing the regular season on a 7 game winning streak.

Prediction: With home ice advantage, better special teams play, and a slightly more explosive offense, I like Niagara to win this series. Their goaltending concerns me slightly, but between Dhillon or Incze, they should be able to make enough big saves to at least get the IceDogs into the second round. But this one will be close. Niagara in 7.

Western Conference

#1 - Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds vs. #8 - Saginaw Spirit

Season Series: SSM leads 7-1

Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League. Photo by Terry Wilson

Analysis: The juggernaut Greyhounds kick off their Memorial Cup push against the Saginaw Spirit, whose five game losing streak to end the season forced them down the standings and into this first round match-up. Sault Ste. Marie has nine NHL draft picks on their roster and two more potential first rounders for 2018. Up front, Boris Katchouk (Tampa Bay), Taylor Raddysh (Tampa Bay), Jack Kopacka (Anaheim), Tim Gettinger (New York Rangers), Barrett Hayton (2018), and the underrated Hayden Verbeek pace the attack. But the real star is OHL 2nd leading scorer Morgan Frost (Philadelphia), one of the breakout stars of this season. On the backend, the Hounds are equally strong, led by Conor Timmins (Colorado), and Rasmus Sandin (2018). Neither seem to make a mistake with the puck and both are just as good in their own end as they are offensively. In net, Matthew Villalta (Los Angeles) has been a steady presence who makes the saves when he needs to.

Evan Cormier of the Saginaw Spirit. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

Saginaw’s strength actually starts in net where overager Evan Cormier (New Jersey) keeps the Spirit in a lot of games that they do not deserve to be in. This is important because the Spirit struggle to score goals. They were only one of three teams in the OHL to not score 200 goals on the season and the other two finished dead last in their conferences (Flint and Sudbury). Furthermore, their powerplay was a league worst 14.7%. There is definitely some offensive talent on this team, but the team’s best days are ahead of them as guys like Blade Jenkins (2018), Nicholas Porco (2019), Ryan Stepien (2020), Aidan Prueter (2020), and Damien Giroux (2018) gain experience. In fact, the team’s only NHL drafted forward, Brady Gilmour (Detroit) finished 9th in team scoring.

In all honesty, this series should not be close and is not likely to be close. The Spirit have a talented young roster, but they are not currently an equal to the Greyhounds. Sault Ste. Marie has the advantage in nearly every area except maybe goaltending. Even then, Evan Cormier can only do so much. Heck, we might see the Greyhounds score more shorthanded goals than the Spirit score powerplay goals in the series.

Prediction: I want to say that Evan Cormier can do enough to steal a game for the Spirit in this series, but I cannot even see the Spirit winning a game. The Greyhounds are just too strong. SSM in 4.

#2 - Kitchener Rangers vs. #7 - Guelph Storm

Season Series: Kitchener leads 5-3

Logan Brown of the Kitchener Rangers. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images

Analysis: This is an interesting first round match-up between two teams that did not end the regular season the way they wanted to. Kitchener, a strong team all season, struggled down the stretch, although managed to hang on to their Division crown. Meanwhile, the Guelph Storm were one of the league’s worst teams in the last few months that saw them lose their grip on the #6 spot in the West. Kitchener loaded up at the deadline by bringing in Logan Brown (Ottawa), Givani Smith (Detroit), Mario Culina, and Austin McEneny. I think it would be fair to say that Kitchener is still waiting to see the best out of three of those four, with Culina playing well so far as a starter. It has been the guys around all season like Adam Mascherin (Florida), Kole Sherwood (Columbus), Joseph Gareffa, Logan Stanley (Winnipeg), and Riley Damiani (2018) that have been driving the team’s success. Moving into the playoffs, it will be about whether the newer faces can finally find chemistry or not. The health of defensive stalwart Connor Hall (Pittsburgh) could also impact the series.

Ryan Merkley of the Guelph Storm. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images

Guelph, as mentioned, has also struggled down the stretch, especially when it comes to preventing goals. Goaltender Anthony Popovich (2018) appeared to tire of late after seeing a huge jump in workload this season. The defensive group, led by Ryan Merkley (2018), and Dmitri Samorukov (Edmonton) also struggled, to the point where Merkley was a healthy scratch at times down the stretch. The Storm do have a hard working forward group who is capable of icing multiple scoring lines. The offensive leaders are unquestionably Isaac Ratcliffe (Philadelphia) and Cam Hillis (2018), who along with Alexei Toropchenko (St. Louis) form a quality first line.

Looking at this series a little more under the microscope, it is probably closer than people are making it out to be. The special teams match-up pretty well. Neither team has a dominant goaltender that one would qualify as a game-changer (no offense meant to Culina or Popovich). Both teams struggled down the stretch with team chemistry issues. The tipping point for me is experience. The Rangers have the clear advantage there, especially on the defensive end. Guys like Logan Stanley and Austin McEneny, who won a Memorial Cup together with Windsor last year, should really help to stabilize things, even without Connor Hall. I also look for longtime Rangers like Mascherin or Connor Bunnaman (Philadelphia) to really step up offensively to get this team over the first round hump.

Prediction: As mentioned, I feel like Kitchener’s experience advantage will help them come out on top in this series. I also feel that they have a much better team defense approach that likely plays out better for success in the playoffs. Guelph has talent, but they play a very high risk game that, without a ton of playoff experience, could be their undoing. It will be close, but Kitchener in 6.

#3 - Sarnia Sting vs. #6 - Windsor Spitfires

Season Series: Sarnia leads 5-1

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

Analysis: No offense meant to the rest of the Windsor Spitfires, but this match-up is about two things. The Sarnia offense (2nd best in the OHL) versus the goaltending of Michael DiPietro (Vancouver). The dynamic DiPietro is one of the few goaltenders in the OHL who is capable of stealing a series victory for his team. The Spitfires rebuilt, dealing off the majority of their veterans held over from their Memorial Cup victory last year, but decided to hang on to their star netminder for this reason. They battle hard in the offensive end behind the likes of Curtis Douglas (2018), Cole Purboo (2018), Cody Morgan (2019), Luke Boka, and Matthew MacDougall (2018). And they play smart in their own end thanks to Connor Corcoran (2018), Nathan Staios (2019), Grayson Ladd (2019), and Zach Shankar. But this team has zero NHL drafted players outside of DiPietro and are incredibly inexperienced.

Jordan Kyrou of the Sarnia Sting. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images

The Sting, conversely, were one of the biggest buyers throughout this OHL season, bringing in talented veterans like Cam Dineen (Arizona), Jonathan Ang (Florida), and Michael Pezzetta (Montreal). The lifeblood of the team is Jordan Kyrou (St. Louis), the league’s leader in points per game this year and possibly the best offensive player in the OHL. He is currently zero for three in first round appearances and is likely to do everything in his power to finally reach the second round (and beyond). You could likely argue that overager Justin Fazio is the team’s second most important player in the series, especially considering that he has to match-up against DiPietro. The margin for error is slim.

One of Sarnia’s biggest strengths is on the powerplay where Kyrou, Adam Ruzicka (Calgary), and Drake Rymsha (Los Angeles) have a combined 34 powerplay goals this year. Problem is, Windsor takes among the least amount of penalties in the OHL so as long as Windsor can continue to stay out of the box, Sarnia is going to need to beat DiPietro 5 on 5. The question I have is, how will Windsor manage to score goals, at least enough goals to win this 7 game series? It will not be with the man advantage either (likely) as the Sting have the league’s top penalty killing unit. I am slightly worried about Sarnia’s inexperienced defense though, but that concern is more directed towards round two or three (if the Sting advance that far). Sarnia will need big guys like Ruzicka, Pezzetta, Jordan Ernst, and Hugo Leufvenius (2018) to crowd DiPietro’s space as much as possible and really make him uncomfortable. Shoot, shoot, and shoot some more. Windsor fans can tell you, sometimes the best way to beat Michael DiPietro is through sheer luck and bad bounces.

Prediction: As much as I want to predict a Windsor victory, I do not see it in the cards. DiPietro will steal a few games and he will make Sarnia sweat. But the offensive firepower of Sarnia, combined with the inexperience of Windsor’s defense is likely to give the Sting too many scoring chances for the Spitfires’ star netminder to handle. Sarnia in 6.

#4 - Owen Sound Attack vs. #5 - London Knights

Season Series: London leads 4-2

Evan Bouchard of the London Knights. Photo by Terry Wilson/OHL Images.

Analysis: As is usually the case, the 4/5 matchup in the Western Conference looks to be the closest match-up of the first round, and subsequently the most difficult to prognosticate. London traded off the vast majority of their big guns to retool to fight another day. Instead, the team played inspired hockey down the stretch led by a host of younger players eager to make their mark. When talking about London, we have to start with defenseman Evan Bouchard (2018), the lifeblood of the Knights. His 87 points are the highest by a blueliner since Ryan Ellis hit the 100 point mark in 2011. The speedy Alex Formenton (Ottawa) is also playing the best hockey of his OHL career thus far with 12 goals in 14 games to close out the regular season. And you cannot talk about London without mentioning how good the “kid” line of Liam Foudy (2018), Billy Moskal (2018), and Nathan Dunkley (2018) has been since the trade deadline. This trio was challenged to step up their games with increased ice time and they all responded accordingly.

Owen Sound Attack of the Ontario Hockey League. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

Owen Sound, on the other hand, was expected to be one of the top teams in the OHL this year but struggled to keep their star players healthy all year and subsequently struggled to perform consistently. That is, until the last few months when they have been, arguably, the OHL’s best. This team is scary good when healthy and they are now finally healthy. They roll three outstanding scoring lines, including a top unit of Jonah Gadjovich (Vancouver), Kevin Hancock (2018), and Nick Suzuki (Vegas) that has been one of the OHL’s best over the last two seasons. They also have one of the OHL’s top offensive blueliners in Sean Durzi (2018), who if he did not get injured, likely could have challenged Bouchard for the defenceman scoring title. It is in net where Owen Sound has struggled this season as Olivier Lafreniere and Mack Guzda (2019) have battled to find consistency. No question, Owen Sound has to have their offense rolling to win because they are not going to win many 2-1 games.

So who has the advantage going into this match-up? Experience wise, the nod has to be given to Owen Sound...and by a wide margin. The Attack are returning the vast majority of a roster that lost in the Conference finals last season. The Knights are an extremely well coached team, but they are relying on a lot of rookies and sophomores in key roles and that can often prove to be a recipe for disaster in the postseason. The deciding factor in this series probably comes down to the goaltending. So long as Owen Sound can get at least adequate goaltending from one of Lafreniere or Guzda, they should win this series. But if their goaltending struggles and team is forced to constantly play catch-up, the series tips in London’s favor, a team with nothing to lose.

Prediction: I have to give the nod to Owen Sound here because now that they are fully healthy, they look like a tough team to stop. This is especially true for a team as inexperienced as London; even if they are extremely talented. The Attack can get the saves they need to win this one, even if London pushes them and makes them sweat. Owen Sound in 6

OHL Finals Prediction

When the field is finally narrowed down to two teams who battle it out for OHL supremacy, I expect those two teams to be the Kingston Frontenacs and the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.

From the East I like Kingston for a couple reasons. The first is experience. As I already alluded to, they have a lot of players on that roster who have already won a Memorial Cup or OHL Championship (or both). That type of leadership goes a long way in the playoffs. The second is special teams play. The great Scotty Bowman always said combined special teams play was a great indicator of postseason success. Well the Fronts have the best powerplay in the league and the second best penalty kill. The third is goaltending. Jeremy Helvig is a veteran netminder who is about as consistent as they come. I have a ton of confidence in his ability to make saves when he needs to.

From the West, I like the Soo Greyhounds as they have looked about as dominant as anyone in the OHL has over the last few years. Their 116 points is the most since Barrie put up 116 in 2010. This team has it all. Special teams success. Good goaltending. Speed. Physicality. But most of all...depth. Drew Bannister’s players rarely seem to take a shift off and they rarely make mistakes with the puck. That composure at both ends of the ice makes them the favorite.

For the OHL Title, I am taking the Soo Greyhounds to win their first J. Ross Robertson Cup since they won back to back championships in the early 90ś.

2017 NHL Draft Grades: Metropolitan Division – Philadelphia Flyers

Ryan Wagman — Sun, 02 Jul 2017 13:08:57 +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	2	1-N	1	Nolan PATRICK	C	18	6-2/200	Brandon (WHL)
1	27	31-N	41	Morgan FROST	C	18	5-11/170	Sault Ste Marie (OHL)
2	35	15-N	18	Isaac RATCLIFFE	LW	18	6-5/200	Guelph (OHL)
3	80	5-EG	hm	Kirill USTIMENKO	G	18	6-3/190	JHC Dynamo SPb (MHL)
4	106	33-N	56	Matthew STROME	LW	18	6-4/210	Hamilton (OHL)
4	107	72-N	111	Maksim SUSHKO	RW	18	6-0/185	Owen Sound (OHL)
5	137	121-N	hm	Noah CATES	LW	18	6-1/170	Stillwater (USHS-MN)
6	168	NR		Olle LYCKSELL	RW	18	5-10/165	Linkopings (Swe Jr)
7	196	NR		Wyatt KALYNUK	D	20	6-0/165	Bloomington (USHL)

RD	#	PLAYER	P	TEAM	GP (W)	G (L)	A (T)	PTS (GA)	PIM (Sv%)
1	2	Nolan PATRICK	C	Brandon (WHL)	33	20	26	46	36
1	27	Morgan FROST	C	Sault Ste Marie (OHL)	67	20	42	62	36
2	35	Isaac RATCLIFFE	LW	Guelph (OHL)	67	28	26	54	65
3	80	Kirill USTIMENKO	G	JHC Dynamo SPb (MHL)	17	5	3	1.74	0.938
4	106	Matthew STROME	LW	Hamilton (OHL)	66	34	28	62	62
4	107	Maksim SUSHKO	RW	Owen Sound (OHL)	54	18	14	32	24
5	137	Noah CATES	LW	Stillwater (USHS-MN)	25	20	45	65	10
5	137			Omaha (USHL)	11	2	5	7	6
6	168	Olle LYCKSELL	RW	Linkopings (Swe Jr)	29	4	5	9	2
6	168			Linkopings (Swe Jr 18)	10	10	11	21	27
7	196	Wyatt KALYNUK	D	Bloomington (USHL)	60	6	25	31	82

Philadelphia Flyers – Draft Grade: 55

Nolan Patrick of the Brandon Wheat Kings. Photo by Tim Smith/Brandon Sun

In a draft without talent the likes of Auston Matthews, Connor McDavid, Patrick Laine or Jack Eichel, but with two high end players at the top of the class with little to separate them in overall value, the team owning the second pick of the draft had the easiest job around. Take the guy who wasn’t picked first. And that is exactly what the Flyers did. After New Jersey selected Nico Hischier at the top, Philadelphia rejected all trade overtures and drafted Nolan Patrick second overall.

Morgan Frost of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

Assuming health – Patrick battled a few injuries last year and was reported to have undergone surgery in the recent past – Patrick should step right into a middle six forward role with Philadelphia, effectively replacing Brayden Schenn, dealt to St. Louis later on day one. When healthy, Patrick earns plus grades everywhere. As clear as that first pick was, the use the Flyers made of the pick received from St. Louis for Schenn was much more curious.

Morgan Frost is an excellent skater and talented playmaker, but he plays a very individualistic game with the puck and is very prone to high risk plays. He has enough hockey IQ to improve there, but his selection in the first round was a surprise. The Flyers’ Day Two was pretty strong, with a number of higher upside picks including Isaac Ratcliffe, who has everything you want to see in a power forward, Matthew Strome, who would have been a first rounder with even average skating abililty (he is currently a long ways from average), and Noah Cates, who was unstoppable offensively in high school and maintained impressive production in a late-season cameo with Omaha of the USHL.

Isaac Ratcliffe of the Guelph Storm. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

Best value: Isaac Ratcliffe, LW, Guelph (2/35): Ratcliffe was viewed by many as a possible first rounder. He has ideal size and shows some proclivity for a power forward game. His point totals were not impressive, but he played for one of, if not the worst, team in the OHL. Had the Flyers selected him instead of Frost in the first round, no one would have batted an eye.

Biggest head-scratcher: Morgan Frost, C, Sault Ste. Marie (1/27): With all due credit to his speed and all-situations utility, Frost in the first round was a shocker. While he does not look like a traditional third line forward, that may be his ultimate destination. I highly suspect he would have been available with the pick they ultimately used to select Ratcliffe.

McKeen’s 2017 NHL Draft Rankings (Subscribers) – Top 125 – May 31st, 2017

Iain Morrell — Wed, 31 May 2017 14:16:51 +0000

MCKEEN'S 2017 NHL DRAFT GUIDE - Learn more here!

Nico Hischier will make National Hockey League history as the first name called in Chicago at the 2017 NHL Entry Draft.

The New Jersey Devils hold the first overall selection having won the draft lottery, and will be looking at three prospects in particular who have risen to the top of the 2017 draft class.

Switzerland's Nico Hischier #18 leans in for the face-off during preliminary round action against the Czech Republic at the 2017 IIHF World Junior Championship. (Photo by Andre Ringuette/HHOF-IIHF Images)

Hischier is a very attractive choice having 'checked all the boxes' during an outstanding North American debut with the Halifax Mooseheads. The native of Naters, Switzerland led all rookie scorers in the QMJHL and finished 10th in league scoring, while delivering strong performances for his country at both the U20 and U18 World Junior Championships (WJC).

A fast and dynamic skater with high-end puck skills, Hischier distinguished himself for his two-way diligence and his ability to contribute in every area of the ice and - by extension - the game. He possesses a high hockey IQ and is a very creative player combining both structure and innovation.

It will be an agonizing decision if New Jersey opts to pass on Hischier in favour of the other prime attraction - Nolan Patrick of the Brandon Wheat Kings.

The Winnipeg native entered the 2016-17 season as the consensus top choice after a standout season in which he tied for the league playoff scoring lead with 30 points in 21 games (13-17-30) and earned WHL Playoff MVP honours.

Nolan Patrick of the Brandon Wheat Kings. Photo by Tim Smith/Brandon Sun

Patrick was injured during that playoff run however and underwent sports hernia surgery last July. His groin/abdominal problems would re-surface after playing in Brandon's opening five games, and sideline him for 34 games and force him to miss the U20 WJC.

Returning in January, Patrick still managed to finish fifth on the Wheat Kings in scoring with 20 goals and 46 points despite playing in just 33 games.

However he suffered another health setback late in the regular season - an unspecified upper-body injury - and missed the WHL playoffs.

Nolan Patrick would be the first Manitoban selected first overall in the NHL draft - with Nico Hischier set to become the first-ever Swiss-born player.

A third option emerged for New Jersey this spring at the U18 WJC where defenceman Miro Heiskanen turned in a commanding performance for Finland and effectively threw his hat into the ring.

Finland's Miro Heiskanen #2 lets a shot go during relegation round action against Latvia at the 2017 IIHF World Junior Championship. (Photo by Andre Ringuette/HHOF-IIHF Images)

It makes some sense for the Devils to consider adding a potential building block on the blueline given the loss of Adam Larsson in last summer's Taylor Hall deal.

Heiskanen would be the first Finnish-born player to go first overall.

CENTRE STAGE

Gabriel Vilardi of the Windsor Spitfires sits at No. 4 on the McKeen's Top 125 - ranking the best prospects available for the 2017 NHL Entry Draft.

Gabriel Vilardi of the Windsor Spitfires. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

The 6-foot-3, 200-pound forward led Windsor with 29 goals and 61 points - in just 49 games - and then played a central role in helping the Spitfires win the Memorial Cup, highlighted by a four-assist performance in a win over the top-ranked Erie Otters.

Big, highly-skilled, and ultra competitive, Vilardi brings plenty of meat to the plate - but the skating has raised concerns about how impactful an NHLer he can be. Described as a 'knock kneed' skater, he will have to continue upgrading his quickness and explosiveness.

The Kingston, Ontario native can play on the wing but showcased at the Top Prospects Game in January that he is very effective playing in the middle.

The fifth-ranked prospect is Casey Mittelstadt, the top American-born player.

Mittelstadt ripped apart the high school circuit averaging 2.56 points per game (64 points in 25 games) and earning Minnesota’s distinguished Mr. Hockey award as the state’s top senior skater. He fell short though of leading his hometown Eden Prairie to a state championship, falling in the semi-finals.

Mittelstadt was questioned about returning for his senior year amid concerns that his development could be stunted. However, he helped allay some of those concerns with impressive stints in the USHL, wrapped around his high school season, recording 30 points in 24 games - for a 1.25 points-per-game average which was tops in the league.

Sharp-shooting winger Owen Tippett of the Mississauga Steelheads is next at No. 6.

The Peterborough, Ontario native infuriated with his inconsistent (and incomplete) defensive work habits but, at the end of the day, may be the best goal-scoring prospect in this draft class.

He finished fifth in the OHL with 44 goals and added another 10 goals in 20 playoff games.

Slick-skating defenceman Cale Makar of the Brooks Bandits is ranked seventh.

The Calgary, Alberta native was among this season's biggest risers - shooting up the draft chart and dazzling with his skating and skills while leading Brooks to the RBC Cup final.

Makar still has plenty of growing to do in terms of learning how to harness and deploy his exceptional talents. His education will be in good hands for his upcoming freshman season at the University of Massachusetts. Makar may benefit most by staying on the NCAA collegiate route for at least two years, though the lure of the NHL is all powerful.

Sorting out the rest of the top 10 has been a convoluted journey since the initial rankings were published last fall. That's not unusual - but this season the rankings seemed to be in a larger state of flux. There's not much to separate the next dozen or so players - all of whom could conceivably land a top 10 spot.

Cody Glass of the Portland Winterhawks

Cody Glass of the Portland Winterhawks was another big riser, moving up from 24th - in the preliminary ranking - to grab the No. 8 position.

A cerebral two-way pivot with good size and skill, the Winnipeg native led Portland and tied for seventh in WHL scoring during a spectacular breakout season - in which he more than tripled his rookie numbers from 2015-16.

Glass begins a run of centremen with seven of the next ten players being pivots; Michael Rasmussen (10th), Elias Pettersson (11th), Martin Necas (12th), Robert Thomas (15th), Nick Suzuki (16th), and Lias Andersson (17th).

KLIM PICKINGS

The wildcards for this year's draft will begin with swift-skating Swedish defenceman Timothy Liljegren

The native of Kristianstad, Sweden has been a prime name for 2017 since he was 16 years old - and was ranked No. 4 on our preliminary list. However, he was sidelined early by a bout of mononucleosis and struggled to find his game after returning.

There's no denying the physical gifts as he is a strong, fast skater with a good skill set featuring a heavy wristshot.

Klim Kostin

However, his hockey sense and overall decision making have continually come into question as the scrutiny on his game intensified. He doesn't seem to possess an innate feel for pressure and can be prone to stickchecks and turning pucks over on outlets. Can this part of his make-up develop and mature? Perhaps. It's a risk NHL teams must weigh before considering him as a top selection.

Another 'hot potato' pick will be Dynamo Moscow forward Klim Kostin who began the season at No. 5 in the rankings following a solid showing at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial. The Penza native captained Russia and led his team in scoring (5-4-3-7) while flashing an intriguing mix of size, skill and creativity.

He also put in a decent showing at the Canada-Russia series in November, albeit not enough for World Junior team coach Valeri Bragin to include him on the U20 roster. However, Kostin underwent season-ending shoulder surgery in January and missed an opportunity to further convince NHL scouts at the U18 WJC in April.

Strong and skilled with the puck, Kostin can create openings with his stickhandling and 1-on-1 abilities, but must work on his skating and consistency.

Eeli Tolvanen

Eeli Tolvanen also watched his stock soften as the season progressed after beginning as a top 10 pick (8th).

The native of Vihti, Finland tied for third in the USHL with 30 goals and then helped Sioux City reach the Clark Cup Finals. Tolvanen possesses sharp offensive instincts and a lethal shot, yet there are concerns about how his slight frame and dimensional game will translate to higher levels.

No player fell further in the rankings this season than towering Russian winger Nikita Popugaev.

The Moscow native fired 19 goals in his first 25 games with Moose Jaw, however his play tailed off in December and he was dealt a month later to Prince George where he continued to sputter.

Popugaev brings great size at 6-foot-6 and 220 pounds as well as a strong shooting arsenal. His skating needs to come along though, particularly his footwork and overall agility.

But the bigger concern is how badly he wants it - as his work ethic and defensive play regressed to alarming levels over the second half.

PLENTY OF FINNISH

Finland gave advance warning that they would be a big factor at the 2017 NHL Draft when they captured gold at the 2016 U18 WJC.

It was Finland's first gold medal at the event since winning the first two tournaments in 1999 and 2000 - and was accomplished with a predominantly underage blueline.

They followed up this year at the U18's with a silver medal, led by the splendid duo of Miro Heiskanen and Urho Vaakanainen.

Heiskanen's exploits were well chronicled, however Vaakanainen's play may have turned just as many NHL heads. His smooth skating, subtle skills, and innate feel for the game were on full display throughout.

Vaakanainen could turn out to be one of the best players from this draft.

Expect the Finns to be high profile at this draft - as they could place up to seven players in the opening round plus another half dozen in the second.

In all, there are 16 Finnish-born players in the McKeen's Top 125 including a number of potential sleepers such as Joni Ikonen (59th), Aleksi Heponiemi (65th), Emil Oksanen (76th) and U18 WJC captain Aarne Talvitie (77th).

Finland's Santeri Virtanen #22 carries the puck during semifinal round action at the 2017 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship. (Photo by Andrea Cardin/HHOF-IIHF Images)

Gritty two-way centre Santeri Virtanen threw his name into the ring with an impressive showing at the U18 WJC after missing most of the season to injury.

His late rise wasn't a total surprise as he had initially been slotted as a potential 50-70 pick after a good showing at the Ivan Hlinka last fall.

RANK	PLAYER	POS	TEAM	HT/WT	DOB	Nation
1	Nolan Patrick	C	Brandon (WHL)	6-2/200	19-Sep-98	Canada
2	Nico Hischier	C	Halifax (QMJHL)	6-1/175	4-Jan-99	Switzerland
3	Miro Heiskanen	D	HIFK Helsinki (Fin)	6-0/170	18-Jul-99	Finland
4	Gabriel Vilardi	C	Windsor (OHL)	6-3/200	16-Aug-99	Canada
5	Casey Mittelstadt	C	Eden Prairie (USHS-MN)	6-1/200	22-Nov-98	USA
6	Owen Tippett	RW	Mississauga (OHL)	6-1/200	16-Feb-99	Canada
7	Cale Makar	D	Brooks (AJHL)	5-11/180	30-Oct-98	Canada
8	Cody Glass	C	Portland (WHL)	6-2/180	1-Apr-99	Canada
9	Kristian Vesalainen	LW	Frolunda (Swe)	6-3/205	1-Jun-99	Finland
10	Michael Rasmussen	C	Tri-City (WHL)	6-6/215	17-Apr-99	Canada
11	Elias Pettersson	C	Timra (Swe 2)	6-2/165	12-Nov-98	Sweden
12	Martin Necas	C	Kometa Brno (Cze)	6-0/170	15-Jan-99	Czech
13	Urho Vaakanainen	D	JyP Jyvaskyla (Fin)	6-0/185	1-Jan-99	Finland
14	Juuso Valimaki	D	Tri-City (WHL)	6-2/205	6-Oct-98	Finland
15	Robert Thomas	C	London (OHL)	6-0/190	2-Jul-99	Canada
16	Nick Suzuki	C	Owen Sound (OHL)	5-11/185	10-Sep-99	Canada
17	Lias Andersson	C	HV 71 (Swe)	5-11/200	13-Oct-98	Sweden
18	Isaac Ratcliffe	LW	Guelph (OHL)	6-5/200	15-Feb-99	Canada
19	Erik Brannstrom	D	HV 71 (Swe)	5-10/175	2-Sep-99	Sweden
20	Timothy Liljegren	D	Rogle (Swe)	6-0/190	30-Apr-99	Sweden
21	Klim Kostin	C	Dynamo Moscow (Rus)	6-3/195	5-May-99	Russia
22	Eeli Tolvanen	RW	Sioux City (USHL)	5-10/175	22-Apr-99	Finland
23	Conor Timmins	D	Sault Ste Marie (OHL)	6-1/185	18-Sep-98	Canada
24	Kailer Yamamoto	RW	Spokane (WHL)	5-8/160	29-Sep-98	Canada
25	Jason Robertson	LW	Kingston (OHL)	6-2/195	22-Jul-99	USA
26	Ryan Poehling	C	St. Cloud State (NCHC)	6-2/195	3-Jan-99	USA
27	Nicolas Hague	D	Mississauga (OHL)	6-6/215	5-Dec-98	Canada
28	Josh Norris	C	NTDP (USA)	6-1/195	5-May-99	USA
29	Shane Bowers	C	Waterloo (USHL)	6-1/185	30-Jul-99	Canada
30	Cal Foote	D	Kelowna (WHL)	6-4/215	13-Dec-98	USA
31	Henri Jokiharju	D	Portland (WHL)	6-0/180	17-Jun-99	Finland
32	Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen	G	HPK (Fin)	6-4/195	9-Mar-99	Finland
33	Jaret Anderson-Dolan	C	Spokane (WHL)	5-11/190	12-Sep-99	Canada
34	Kole Lind	RW	Kelowna (WHL)	6-1/180	16-Oct-98	Canada
35	Jesper Boqvist	C	Brynas (Swe)	6-0/180	30-Oct-98	Sweden
36	Grant Mismash	LW	NTDP (USA)	6-0/185	19-Feb-99	USA
37	Keith Petruzzelli	G	Muskegon (USHL)	6-5/180	9-Feb-99	USA
38	Pierre-Olivier Joseph	D	Charlottetown (QMJHL)	6-2/165	1-Jul-99	Canada
39	Maxime Comtois	C	Victoriaville (QMJHL)	6-2/200	8-Jan-99	Canada
40	Adam Ruzicka	C	Sarnia (OHL)	6-4/205	11-May-99	Slovakia
41	Morgan Frost	C	Sault Ste Marie (OHL)	5-11/170	14-May-99	Canada
42	Filip Chytil	C	Zlin (Cze)	6-0/180	5-Sep-99	Czech
43	Nikita Popugaev	LW	Prince George (WHL)	6-6/220	20-Nov-98	Russia
44	Jake Oettinger	G	Boston University (HE)	6-4/210	18-Dec-98	USA
45	Josh Brook	D	Moose Jaw (WHL)	6-1/185	15-Jun-99	Canada
46	Santeri Virtanen	C	TPS Turku (Fin Jr)	6-2/195	11-May-99	Finland
47	Kyle Olson	C	Tri-City (WHL)	5-11/165	22-Mar-99	Canada
48	Evan Barratt	C	NTDP (USA)	6-0/190	18-Feb-99	USA
49	Max Gildon	D	NTDP (USA)	6-3/190	17-May-99	USA
50	MacKenzie Entwistle	RW	Hamilton (OHL)	6-3/180	14-Jul-99	Canada
51	Stelio Mattheos	RW	Brandon (WHL)	6-1/195	14-Jun-99	Canada
52	Marcus Davidsson	C	Djurgardens (Swe)	6-0/190	18-Nov-98	Sweden
53	Michael DiPietro	G	Windsor (OHL)	6-0/195	9-Jun-99	Canada
54	David Farrance	D	NTDP (USA)	5-11/190	23-Jun-99	USA
55	Stuart Skinner	G	Lethbridge (WHL)	6-3/210	1-Nov-98	Canada
56	Matthew Strome	LW	Hamilton (OHL)	6-4/210	6-Jan-99	Canada
57	Alex Formenton	LW	London (OHL)	6-2/165	13-Sep-99	Canada
58	Eemeli Rasanen	D	Kingston (OHL)	6-7/215	6-Mar-99	Finland
59	Joni Ikonen	C	Frolunda (Swe Jr)	5-10/170	14-Apr-99	Finland
60	Scott Reedy	C	NTDP (USA)	6-1/205	4-Apr-99	USA
61	Sasha Chmelevski	C	Ottawa (OHL)	5-11/190	9-Jun-99	USA
62	Filip Westerlund	D	Frolunda (Swe)	5-11/180	17-Apr-99	Sweden
63	Ian Mitchell	D	Spruce Grove (AJHL)	5-11/175	18-Jan-99	Canada
64	Maxim Zhukov	G	Green Bay (USHL)	6-3/190	22-Jul-99	Russia
65	Aleksi Heponiemi	C	Swift Current (WHL)	5-10/150	9-Jan-99	Finland
66	Ostap Safin	LW	Sparta Praha (Cze Jr)	6-4/200	11-Feb-99	Czech
67	Jack Studnicka	C	Oshawa (OHL)	6-1/170	18-Feb-99	Canada
68	Nick Henry	RW	Regina (WHL)	5-11/190	4-Jul-99	Canada
69	Markus Phillips	D	Owen Sound (OHL)	6-0/200	21-Mar-99	Canada
70	Jarret Tyszka	D	Seattle (WHL)	6-2/190	15-Mar-99	Canada
71	Kirill Maksimov	RW	Niagara (OHL)	6-2/195	1-Jun-99	Russia
72	Jake Leschyshyn	C	Regina (WHL)	5-11/185	10-Mar-99	Canada
73	Alexei Toropchenko	RW	MVD Balashikha (Rus Jr)	6-3/190	25-Jun-99	Russia
74	Kirill Slepets	LW	Loko Yaroslavl (Rus Jr)	5-10/165	6-Apr-99	Russia
75	Olle Eriksson Ek	G	Farjestads (Swe Jr)	6-2/185	22-Jun-99	Sweden
76	Emil Oksanen	LW	Espoo United (Fin 2)	6-1/190	25-Sep-98	Finland
77	Aarne Talvitie	C	Espoo Blues (Fin Jr)	5-10/200	11-Feb-99	Finland
78	Reilly Walsh	D	Proctor Academy (USHS-NH)	5-11/180	21-Apr-99	USA
79	Ivan Lodnia	RW	Erie (OHL)	5-10/180	31-Aug-99	USA
80	Jonah Gadjovich	LW	Owen Sound (OHL)	6-2/210	12-Oct-98	Canada
81	Ben Mirageas	D	Chicago (USHL)	6-1/180	8-May-99	USA
82	Dylan Samberg	D	Hermantown (USHS-MN)	6-3/190	24-Jan-99	USA
83	Antoine Morand	C	Acadie-Bathurst (QMJHL)	5-10/180	18-Feb-99	Canada
84	Morgan Geekie	C	Tri-City (WHL)	6-2/180	20-Jul-98	Canada
85	Alexei Lipanov	C	MVD Balashikha (Rus 2)	6-0/165	17-Aug-99	Russia
86	Jack Badini	C	Chicago (USHL)	6-0/200	19-Jan-98	USA
87	Brady Lyle	D	North Bay (OHL)	6-1/205	6-Jun-99	Canada
88	Lucas Elvenes	C	Rogle (Swe Jr)	6-0/175	18-Aug-99	Sweden
89	Zach Gallant	C	Peterborough (OHL)	6-2/190	6-Mar-99	Canada
90	Lane Zablocki	RW	Red Deer (WHL)	5-11/190	27-Dec-98	Canada
91	Kevin Hancock	C	Owen Sound (OHL)	5-11/185	2-Mar-98	Canada
92	Alexandre Texier	C	Grenoble (Fra)	6-0/190	13-Sep-99	France
93	Noel Hoefenmayer	D	Ottawa (OHL)	6-0/190	6-Jan-99	Canada
94	Nate Schnarr	C	Guelph (OHL)	6-3/180	15-Jun-99	Canada
95	Jonas Rondbjerg	RW	Vaxjo Lakers (Swe Jr)	6-0/175	31-Mar-99	Denmark
96	Ivan Chekhovich	LW	Baie-Comeau (QMJHL)	5-10/180	14-Jan-99	Russia
97	Robin Salo	D	Sport (Fin)	6-1/190	13-Oct-98	Finland
98	Luke Martin	D	Michigan (B1G)	6-4/215	20-Sep-98	USA
99	Cale Fleury	D	Kootenay (WHL)	6-1/205	19-Nov-98	Canada
100	Mikey Anderson	D	Waterloo (USHL)	6-0/195	25-May-99	USA
101	Mason Shaw	C	Medicine Hat (WHL)	5-9/180	3-Nov-98	Canada
102	Linus Nyman	RW	Kingston (OHL)	5-9/160	11-Jul-99	Finland
103	Gustav Lindstrom	D	Almtuna (Swe 2)	6-2/190	20-Oct-98	Sweden
104	Marian Studenic	RW	Hamilton (OHL)	6-0/165	28-Oct-98	Slovakia
105	Jack Rathbone	D	Dexter (USHS-MA)	5-10/175	20-May-99	USA
106	Artyom Minulin	D	Swift Current (WHL)	6-2/200	1-Oct-98	Russia
107	Kalle Miketinac	C	Frolunda (Swe Jr)	5-11/190	2-Apr-99	Sweden
108	Dmitri Samorukov	D	Guelph (OHL)	6-2/180	16-Jun-99	Russia
109	Ian Scott	G	Prince Albert (WHL)	6-3/175	11-Jan-99	Canada
110	Austen Keating	C	Ottawa (OHL)	6-0/170	7-May-99	Canada
111	Maksim Sushko	RW	Owen Sound (OHL)	6-0/185	10-Feb-99	Belarus
112	Tyler Inamoto	D	NTDP (USA)	6-2/195	6-May-99	USA
113	Ty Lewis	LW	Brandon (WHL)	5-11/180	5-Mar-98	Canada
114	Drake Batherson	C	Cape Breton (QMJHL)	6-1/190	27-Apr-98	Canada
115	Rickard Hugg	C	Leksands (Swe Jr)	5-10/185	18-Jan-99	Sweden
116	Scott Walford	D	Victoria (WHL)	6-1/195	12-Jan-99	Canada
117	Jordy Bellerive	C	Lethbridge (WHL)	5-10/195	2-May-99	Canada
118	Matthew Kellenberger	D	Oakville (OJHL)	6-0/175	11-Jan-99	Canada
119	Johnathan Kovacevic	D	Merrimack (HE)	6-4/215	2-Jul-97	Canada
120	Nick Campoli	C	North York (OJHL)	5-11/190	16-Feb-99	Canada
121	Mario Ferraro	D	Des Moines (USHL)	5-11/185	17-Sep-98	Canada
122	Michael Pastujov	LW	NTDP (USA)	6-0/195	23-Aug-99	USA
123	Tyler Steenbergen	C	Swift Current (WHL)	5-10/190	7-Jan-98	Canada
124	Mark Rubinchik	D	Saskatoon (WHL)	6-0/180	21-Mar-99	Russia
125	Kasper Kotkansalo	D	Sioux Falls (USHL)	6-2/200	16-Nov-98	Finland

Scouting Reports: OHL – Isaac Ratcliffe, Matthew Strome, Jason Robertson, Mackenzie Entwistle, Michael DiPietro

Scott Crawford — Mon, 10 Apr 2017 15:48:53 +0000

Scott Crawford profiles five draft eligible prospects from the OHl whom all have the potential to go in the top two rounds of the NHL Draft.

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

Isaac Ratcliffe	2017 Draft Eligible
Position: LW, Shoots L	H/W: 6-5", 200 lbs
Stats to date (GP-G-A-PTS-PIMS)	Guelph Storm, OHL (67-28-26-54-65)

Isaac Ratcliffe of the Guelph Storm. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

Skating: The biggest issue for Ratcliffe going into the draft will be his skating. One of the reasons for that statement is Ratcliffe has a lazy stride with no adjustments when he is moving the puck up ice. It is as if he is floating through the neutral zone with opposing players needing only to wait for him to come to them. Ratcliffe’s edge work is decent enough that he can create space and make a play. Grade: 50

Shot: Ratcliffe relies heavily on his presence in front of the net to be a difference maker on the score sheet. He also likes to aim for the loose rebounds in front of the net. With his height and frame he takes advantage of bad situations for his opponents. He does have a good wrist shot off the rush. When he is given the chance on a two on two or odd man rush, he will have good space and timing to let off a fast release to the net. Grade: 55

Skills: Surprisingly creative with the puck for a player his size. He moves fast with the puck as well that it makes it even more challenging for his opponents to take the puck away from him. He can move the puck anywhere on the ice and he is usually the F1 moving into the offensive zone. He possesses a good crossover move that helps him get a clear break on net once he can move around a player. Another trait I like is his ability to receive passes, even when a teammate may over shoot a pass Ratcliffe is there to make it work and carry the puck. Grade: 60

Smarts: A smart player with the ability to see where the play is going when he does not have the puck. His anticipation for how he reacts is good enough to halt a play by an opponent and leaves enough time for his teammates to come support him for the loose puck battle. He is a confident young player who plays for his teammates and competes every night. Grade: 55

Physicality: Extremely physical player that crushes any opponents that come his way or even try to challenge him with the puck. His physical play helps him play the dump and chase perfectly as opponents at the OHL level are intimidated to challenge him in their own end. Grade: 55

Summary: Isaac Ratcliffe is an intriguing tower of a player who is going to have an interesting development path. On one hand, his skating comes into question because of his size, but on the other hand he possesses great hands with a big body that one must wonder how good he can really be once he starts playing at a faster pace. Using his big body in front of the net to help him get the rebound goals Ratcliffe has proven to understand what his role will be on the team and he accepts it. He is a coach’s player and that will help in his development because he listens. If he can continue to improve his offensive production going into next year, there is a good chance he may make the NHL as a third or fourth line forward after only a couple of years of development in the AHL.

Matthew Strome	2017 Draft Eligible
Position: L, Shoots L	H/W: 6-3", 205 lbs
Stats to date (GP-G-A-PTS-PIMS)	Hamilton Bulldogs, OHL (66-34-28-62-62)

Matthew Strome of the Hamilton Bulldogs. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images

Skating: For a high draft pick, Strome is not the most eloquent skater during games. His stride is below average and he has no foot speed to compliment his game. When he is skating around corners or behind the net he usually has trouble chasing the puck carrier and he more than depends on his teammates to chase the puck carrier down. He can skate with offensive rushes, but he is usually the F2 or F3 forward entering the offensive zone. He receives a ton of drop passes while on the rush for good reason. Grade: 45

Shot: Strome has a heavy duty shot that puts goaltenders on alert. They know that if he has an open shot on net then they are in for a long night. Strome can shoot from just about anywhere on the ice with good accuracy. He likes to shoot wrist shots from the point and the high slot area, but can unleash a wicked slap shot from each hash mark. His favourite position to shoot from is right up in front of the net where he can set up for a one timer or a tip in and if a rebound is created he is the most likely candidate to grab the loose rebound. His shot attempts are incredibly fast giving defenders no time to square up and block if he is already in shooting position. Grade: 60

Skills: Being a top prospect in a draft should mean possessing strong puck handling skills with the puck. Strome does not benefit from that factor because his skill set, although not terrible, does not showcase any fast puck mobility. He is a strong puck possessor that can take control in corners and behind the net. Using his big frame, he moves the puck around well enough in the offensive zone that, using his high hockey IQ, can produce fast and accurate passes to the open teammates he sees. Grade: 55

Smarts: He is a highly intelligent player that can see all over the ice. He makes solid decisions with the puck that do not jeopardize plays too much and owns a keen eye for spotting open players. He understands the fundamentals for playing in front of the goalie’s crease and he does not make it easier for defenders. One area where he lacks in is committing to the play because there were instances throughout games when he chooses not to play. His compete level is inconsistent and it will drive any coach nuts, but he still logs good minutes. Grade: 55

Physicality: A strong player that will scare any player that decides to skate through the neutral zone. When he throws a hit, it is like getting hit by a bull. He likes to attempt to hit players everywhere on the ice. His body positioning in the hitting attempt is perfect that it creates loose puck opportunities for his teammates. However, he plays too aggressive sometimes where he will abandon a teammate on a switch play or worse he will injure players. Grade: 55

Summary: Matthew Strome is a combination of good and bad on the ice, but at the end of the day he still produces good offensive numbers. He may not skate like a top prospect, but he has the shot and IQ to be a decent player in the coming years. One area that impresses me is how he manages to get open for a one timer. Using his visual awareness to where his opponent is and guessing what his teammate will do he manages to get open shot opportunities at a high rate. His hitting makes him more of an asset and could potentially make him a possible third or fourth line winger with an offensive upside, if he can limit the fits of overly aggressive play and accept an NHL role player slot.

Jason Robertson	2017 Draft Eligible
Position: LW, Shoots L	H/W: 6-2", 195 lbs
Stats to date (GP-G-A-PTS-PIMS)	Kingston Frontenacs, OHL (68-42-39-81-29)

Jason Robertson of the Kingston Frontenacs. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images

Skating: A near elite skater that has mobility to move around quickly in all three zones. He curls fast and has a good crossover that allows him to move faster around corners. One thing that Robertson relies on to boost his game is his forward stride when he exits the defensive zone. When he uses it, he is hard to slow down and using that forward stride makes him hard to guard one on one. On a few occasions, he could turn one on ones into mini breakaways. His second stride his what helps his take off elevate into a faster speed. Grade: 60

Shot: Robertson can shoot on all cylinders and it makes him valuable to have on offense particularly on the power play. Robertson's best scoring opportunities come off the offensive rush such as an odd man rush, as he can then fire the puck on net. His fast release causes the goalie to move out further from the net and if the netminder's rebound control is lacking, the shot ends up on a teammate's stick. The other shot he likes to take is right off the side walls, once he picks up the puck in the corners he will skate up the walls, but then suddenly he will shoot the puck through traffic on net, surprising the goaltender. He’s smart that way and the shot is usually accurate on net. Grade: 60

Skills: A highly skillful player who can play the backhand while moving the puck up ice with no hesitation. He is the type of forward who will challenge an opposing player with the puck. He is impressive because it completely catches the defender off guard leaving Robertson room to move around him. His puck moving abilities allow him to draw two players to him and once they do he passes quickly to the open player, demonstrating spectacular vision. Grade: 55

Smarts: The work ethic is there for him to play a North-South game and he works hard to get his teammates involved in plays. What impresses me about his offensive game is he produced 81 points for a team that finished around the bottom of the league offensively and with no real decent linemates to play with. He has been Kingston’s go-to player and he has thrived with confidence in handling the responsibility. The weakest part of his game is his lack of defensive awareness as he essentially has none or chooses not to demonstrate any. He does not back check and is rarely involved in corner battles. Even along the side boards he does not participate in the 50/50 battles or he will let a teammate take the brunt of the work and scoop of the loose puck. Grade: 50

Physicality: Has no physical game whatsoever. Robertson has decent size to play physically, but does not have the aggressive style to use it. He did not throw any checks or not bother to engage in any physical play in any of my viewings. Grade: 45

Summary: Jason Robertson was a pleasant surprise this year in the OHL as he was not expected to put up the points that he did. He really used his creativity to help carry Kingston’s offense leading them into the playoffs. His skating, shot, and puck handling skills will help him carry over into the pros. In fact, he may end up being a steal for any team that drafts him, but there are certain things that may prevent that. His defense for one needs work for him to be even considered a draft steal. His lack of focus in his own zone and non-physical play will hurt his chances of moving into more physically demanding leagues with the result being a drop in his point production until he makes the necessary adjustments.

MacKenzie Entwistle	2017 Draft Eligible
Position: C/RW, Shoots R	H/W: 6-3", 180 lbs
Stats to date (GP-G-A-PTS-PIMS)	Hamilton Bulldogs, OHL (54-12-13-25-25)

MacKenzie Entwistle of the Hamilton Bulldogs. Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images

Skating: A phenomenal skater dating back to his days playing for the Toronto Marlboros of the GTHL, Entwistle was known as a fast offensive forward, but he has transferred that skill over to his defensive game. His edge work for when he transitions from offense to defense is incredible and it helps his backchecking game be effective when plays breakout. Another compliment to his fast pace style is he uses his fast skating to help build a forward check to the boards if there is an opponent. He will make a quick stride five feet out and position his body for a hit while moving at the quick speed. During a forechecking play he is a coach’s dream because his forechecking allows his teammates to take the puck in the offensive zone. Grade: 55

Shot: Entwistle does not possess a strong shot selection. He has an average wrister that he can shoot if he is in a stand still position. However, if he is rushing he more than likely will miss the shot. His shot accuracy is horrendous and leaves a lot to be desired if coaches are looking for offensive players. He has an OK slap shot, but he rarely uses it because of his poor shot accuracy. Skating on an odd man rush, Entwistle usually is the play maker because he tends to miss the net when he is skating fast. Grade: 45

Skills: While his puck handling skills are decent, Entwistle has shown that he can move the puck up ice and even throw a few moves around to fool opposing players, including goaltenders. His biggest weakness is that he cannot hold onto the puck. His puck possession skills lack due to a strength deficiency and when he is pushing the puck he is more reliant on his stick work. He then is moving his stick too much leaving it open for a clean stick check by a defender. He is easily pushed off the puck by stronger players which is surprising to watch due to his height advantage and general physical play. Grade: 50

Smarts: A very smart player that is dependable when needed. Coaches give him a play to run and he will do it even if it is simply killing a penalty. He is one of the best penalty killers in the OHL. He moves with tenacity by squaring up the player he covers and moves with them while poking his stick forward. He will sacrifice his body to keep the puck away and has the sense to intercept pucks in the passing lane and take it up ice. A drawback is his confidence, as he looks like he is thinking too much on the ice and kills whatever he has going for him. When he turns the puck over he will not do anything for the rest of the shift because he has his head down. Grade: 55

Physicality: An absolutely physical player that will throw the right hits without causing penalties. He had 25 penalty minutes this year so his body positioning and the timing he anticipates the hitting attempt is what makes such a reliable and consistent power forward. Grade: 60

Summary: MacKenzie Entwistle displays the right skills to have a good pro career. He is a capable skater and hitter with good hockey IQ who can see the ice well and is happy with whatever role his coach gives him. Offensively he is not as gifted as he is defensively, but he did show signs of his offensive talents earlier this season with seven goals in the first ten games. He proved to be inconsistent going down the stretch and his lack of confidence prevented him from scoring at a consistent rate. If Entwistle wants to prove he is a high draft pick he needs to protect the puck better against good defenseman and reduce his turnovers. He can be a decent third or fourth line winger with upside, but if he doesn’t score in the double digits he may be spending a long time in the AHL.

Michael DiPietro	2017 Draft Eligible
Position: G, Catches L	H/W: 6-0", 195 lbs
Stats to date (GP-GAA-Save %)	Windsor Spitfires, OHL (51-2.35-.917)

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

Quickness/Speed/Athleticism: DiPietro is a fast goaltender who relies on his athletic ability to move around his net. He makes it tough for his opponents to shoot anywhere because he square up perfectly with the net that shooting a puck top right or left is near impossible. He covers the five hole well with his stick that really his weak side would be his glove side. He is flexible as well, so playing a cross ice play with DiPietro in net is not going to work. Grade: 55

Compete/Temperament: DiPietro is mature goalie that responds to disappointment with ease. Whenever he lets in a goal he calmly takes a drink of water and is refocused. One of his biggest strengths is not succumbing to pressure when odd man rushes are coming his way. His hybrid style of goaltending allows him to stay calm and believe in his ability to stop the puck. Grade: 55

Vision/Play Reading: An interesting comparison of DiPietro’s puck visualization is that of Tyler Parsons of London. Both goalies play with a steady confidence and they also rely on their play reading to deny the play. When watching DiPietro, he can track down what the player was going to do based on where the opposing player was aiming and how fast he was coming down the ice if it was an offensive entry play. Along the corners or from the point DiPietro could see the puck anywhere and prepare for it in advance. Grade: 60

Technique/Style: There is nothing unique about DiPietro’s playing style. He plays a hybrid style where he relies on his shoulders to be squared up to the shooter, but also his legs to take away the lower part of the net. He keeps it simple when it comes to stopping the puck, relying on his leg pads to stop slap shots and his blocker to take away wrist shots so that his rebound control maintains consistency. Grade: 55

Rebound Control: Rebound control is the best part of DiPietro’s game because whether the shots come to him at sharp angles or from a set position he manages to push the puck to the corners for his teammates to battle instead of dropping them in front of the crease. Using his excellent vision and composed attitude he can push even the hardest OHL slap shots to the corner. Grade: 60

Puck Handling: DiPietro is not known for his puck handling skills. Usually when he is playing the puck from behind the net he is slow to get it moving. When his team is on the PP he is not overly fast with moving the puck up ice. For him to play at the NHL level he will need to harness his puck handling abilities to be able to maintain the flow of the game for his team. Grade: 50

Summary: It is only a matter of time before Michael DiPietro is playing in the NHL. He has the composed attitude to help him rebound from the bad situations that many goalies deal with in the roller coaster of a ride that is the NHL. With the right attitude comes with the good skill set he possesses of which rebound control and on ice visualization are the most notable. Every goalie needs to have good visualization to compete and keep his team in the game. Rebound control is a hit or miss with goalies in the NHL, but DiPietro can maintain control of where the puck lands after it hits him. He is very impressive with how he could deflect the puck to the corners towards his teammates. The question of whether he can be a faster stick handler is still to be determined. Many goalies now rarely have decent stick handling abilities with the puck that I would not expect DiPietro to put in a lot of time honing this skill. In spite of being somewhat undersized by modern goaltending standards, DiPietro is among the best ranked goaltender in the draft for a reason. It will only be a matter of time before he and Tyler Parson (also somewhat undersized) square off in the NHL. He has the potential to be a playoff caliber starting netminder at the highest level.

McKeen’s 2017 NHL Draft Rankings (Subscribers) – Top 62 – Feb 26th, 2017

McKeen's Hockey — Sun, 26 Feb 2017 13:00:20 +0000

A return to health ensure a pair of top forwards of maintaining a top five ranking.

After missing much of the early portion of the season, Nolan Patrick with an abdominal injury and Gabriel Vilardi with a knee injury, both have returned to good health and to producing on the ice for the respective teams. Nolan's well-rounded game is well suited for a quick transition to the NHL and his overall skillset is allowing him to live up to the pre-season hype. With four points in his first game back from a three month layoff, he has been catching up on his teammates. Since then, he has filed to score in only three games, while producing at least two points eight times.

Vilardi’s situation was not quite as extreme. He missed just over one month, leading up to Christmas, but also returned to action with a four point game. Although he falls slightly short of Patrick in his overall giftedness, he plays a smart, pro-style game and is one of the most NHL-ready players in this draft class. The Spitfires star is thus the most significant early riser since our last ranking, jumping up from 13^th overall to a spot in the top five.

Another player making a leap of note into the top ten is Martin Necas, the highest profile player to come out of Czechia since Tomas Hertl five years ago. We project Necas to go higher than Hertl was in 2012, although this is perhaps less a reflection of their relative standings as prospects than a comment on the strength of this year’s class. The 2012 draft class was a notoriously weak one (Nail Yakupov says “Hi!”) but Hertl would have gone substantially higher had the draft been re-run today. Ranked 14^th last time, Necas now comes in at #10.

The biggest drop has been seen by Tri-City’s Finnish defenseman Juuso Valimaki, slotted in at #6 last time, and now down at #16. Then again, we had mentioned that his previous ranking was a big rise for him, so perhaps this is just a case of a young man returning, like water, to his level.

The strength of the 2017 draft seems to be in European players. In addition to the North American-based quartet of Europeans in the top 17 (Hischier - #2, Tolvanen - #9, Valimaki - #16, Popygaev - #17), we have listed another nine European players still developing across the ocean, including three in the top ten.

Players moving up into the first round (we only included 30 in our last release - corrected here) include USNTDP forward Josh Norris (#31), Owen Sound dynamo Nick Suzuki (#28), Spokane mighty mite Kailer Yamamoto (#29) who is two inches and 20 pounds away from going 20 spots higher, and Guelph power forward Isaac Ratcliffe (#30).

As junior leagues around the world are entering their stretch drives, we have taken the rankings now through two full rounds, 62 players in total - the full list is available to subscribers only found here . In our second round, we see an influx of promising netminders, some of whom would have been likely first rounders as recently as three years ago, before the industry as a whole began to eschew the idea of the first round goalie. We begin with Finnish talent Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen at #32, and included five more by the end of the top 62.

With a draft this close, there is still plenty of room for changes in rankings over the next three months, but here is where the future is slotted today.

RANK	PLAYER	POS	TEAM	HT/WT	DOB	GP-G-A-PTS
1	Nolan Patrick	C	Brandon (WHL)	6-3/200	19-Sep-98	24-16-21-37
2	Nico Hischier	C	Halifax (QMJHL)	6-1/175	4-Jan-99	48-37-42-79
3	Michael Rasmussen	C	Tri-City (WHL)	6-6/215	17-Apr-99	50-32-23-55
4	Casey Mittelstadt	C	Eden Prairie (USHS-MN)	6-1/200	22-Nov-98	25-21-43-64
5	Gabriel Vilardi	C	Windsor (OHL)	6-3/200	16-Aug-99	39-24-26-50
6	Owen Tippett	RW	Mississauga (OHL)	6-1/200	16-Feb-99	52-39-29-68
7	Elias Pettersson	C	Timra (Swe 2)	6-1/160	12-Nov-98	40-16-21-37
8	Timothy Liljegren	D	Rogle (Swe)	6-0/190	30-Apr-99	19-1-4-5
9	Eeli Tolvanen	RW	Sioux City (USHL)	5-10/175	22-Apr-99	39-23-17-40
10	Martin Necas	C	Kometa Brno (Cze)	6-0/170	15-Jan-99	38-7-7-14
11	Miro Heiskanen	D	HIFK Helsinki (Fin)	6-0/170	18-Jul-99	37-5-5-10
12	Cale Makar	D	Brooks (AJHL)	5-11/180	30-Oct-98	50-19-44-63
13	Cody Glass	C	Portland (WHL)	6-2/180	1-Apr-99	60-26-56-82
14	Ryan Poehling	C	St. Cloud State (NCHC)	6-2/185	3-Jan-99	31-7-6-13
15	Lias Andersson	C	HV 71 (Swe)	5-11/200	13-Oct-98	37-7-10-17
16	Juuso Valimaki	D	Tri-City (WHL)	6-2/205	6-Oct-98	52-18-37-55
17	Nikita Popugaev	LW	Prince George (WHL)	6-5/205	20-Nov-98	63-26-36-62
18	Robert Thomas	C	London (OHL)	5-11/185	2-Jul-99	56-15-38-53
19	Conor Timmins	D	Sault Ste Marie (OHL)	6-1/185	18-Sep-98	57-6-46-52
20	Kole Lind	RW	Kelowna (WHL)	6-1/175	16-Oct-98	60-28-49-77
21	Erik Brannstrom	D	HV 71 (Swe)	5-10/175	2-Sep-99	32-1-5-6
22	Klim Kostin	C	Dynamo Moscow (Rus)	6-3/195	5-May-99	8-0-0-0
23	Cal Foote	D	Kelowna (WHL)	6-4/215	13-Dec-98	61-5-41-46
24	Maxime Comtois	LW	Victoriaville (QMJHL)	6-2/200	8-Jan-99	55-19-23-42
25	Kristian Vesalainen	LW	Frolunda (Swe)	6-3/205	1-Jun-99	24-1-5-6
26	Urho Vaakanainen	D	JyP Jyvaskyla (Fin)	6-0/185	1-Jan-99	37-2-1-3
27	Shane Bowers	C	Waterloo (USHL)	6-1/185	30-Jul-99	47-18-21-39
28	Nick Suzuki	C	Owen Sound (OHL)	5-11/185	10-Sep-99	55-34-44-78
29	Kailer Yamamoto	RW	Spokane (WHL)	5-8/160	29-Sep-98	53-35-41-76
30	Isaac Ratcliffe	LW	Guelph (OHL)	6-5/200	15-Feb-99	56-23-21-44
31	Josh Norris	C	NTDP (USA)	6-1/195	5-May-99	44-18-23-41
32	Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen	G	HPK (Fin Jr)	6-4/195	9-Mar-99	31 GP, .919
33	Jesper Boqvist	C	Brynas (Swe)	6-0/180	30-Oct-98	13-0-6-6
34	Grant Mismash	LW	NTDP (USA)	6-0/185	19-Feb-99	47-21-17-38
35	Keith Petruzzelli	G	Muskegon (USHL)	6-5/180	9-Feb-99	16-9, 2.61, .908
36	Nicolas Hague	D	Mississauga (OHL)	6-5/205	5-Dec-98	56-16-24-40
37	Matthew Strome	LW	Hamilton (OHL)	6-3/205	6-Jan-99	56-32-23-55
38	Henri Jokiharju	D	Portland (WHL)	6-0/175	17-Jun-99	61-8-33-41
39	Jason Robertson	LW	Kingston (OHL)	6-2/195	22-Jul-99	58-33-27-60
40	Stelio Mattheos	RW	Brandon (WHL)	6-1/195	14-Jun-99	58-23-27-50
41	Ostap Safin	LW	Sparta Praha (Cze Jr)	6-4/200	11-Feb-99	23-6-12-18
42	Olle Eriksson Ek	G	Farjestads (Swe Jr)	6-2/185	22-Jun-99	26G, 2.24, .923
43	Alex Formenton	LW	London (OHL)	6-1/165	13-Sep-99	55-15-17-32
44	Marcus Davidsson	C	Djurgardens (Swe)	6-0/190	18-Nov-98	40-5-4-9
45	Maxim Zhukov	G	Green Bay (USHL)	6-3/190	22-Jul-99	13-8, 2.54, .902
46	Morgan Frost	C	Sault Ste Marie (OHL)	5-11/170	14-May-99	57-16-35-51
47	Pierre-Olivier Joseph	D	Charlottetown (QMJHL)	6-2/160	1-Jul-99	52-6-29-35
48	Jake Leschyshyn	C	Regina (WHL)	5-11/185	10-Mar-99	47-17-23-40
49	Jake Oettinger	G	Boston University (HE)	6-4/210	18-Dec-98	18-9, 2.07, .927
50	Adam Ruzicka	C	Sarnia (OHL)	6-3/205	11-May-99	53-23-17-40
51	Stuart Skinner	G	Lethbridge (WHL)	6-3/210	1-Nov-98	30-15, 3.24, .905
52	MacKenzie Entwistle	RW	Hamilton (OHL)	6-3/180	14-Jul-99	45-11-13-24
53	Filip Westerlund	D	Frolunda (Swe)	5-11/180	17-Apr-99	29-0-4-4
54	Michael DiPietro	G	Windsor (OHL)	6-0/195	9-Jun-99	28-9, 2.17, .924
55	Ian Mitchell	D	Spruce Grove (AJHL)	5-11/175	18-Jan-99	51-7-25-32
56	Scott Reedy	C	NTDP (USA)	6-1/205	4-Apr-99	45-17-19-36
57	Joni Ikonen	C	Frolunda (Swe Jr)	5-10/170	14-Apr-99	36-20-16-36
58	Ben Mirageas	D	Bloomington (USHL)	6-1/180	8-May-99	44-1-9-10
59	Sasha Chmelevski	C	Ottawa (OHL)	5-11/190	9-Jun-99	48-18-19-37
60	Jonas Rondbjerg	RW	Vaxjo (Swe Jr)	6-0/175	31-Mar-99	38-9-21-30
61	Evan Barratt	C	NTDP (USA)	5-11/190	18-Feb-99	45-13-25-38
62	Jarret Tyszka	D	Seattle (WHL)	6-2/190	15-Mar-99	52-6-18-24

McKeen’s 2017 Top 30 NHL Draft Rankings (Dec-2016) – Makar breaks

McKeen's Hockey — Wed, 14 Dec 2016 19:43:50 +0000

Two forwards and two defencemen were the big risers in this month's draft rankings.

Brooks Bandits' defenceman Cale Makar not only made his debut in the top 30 rankings, he rocketed up the charts to crack McKeen's top 20 and be rated as the top Canadian defenceman in the draft. As the leading scorer among all AJHL defencemen this season we were seriously considering him for our top 30 going into the competition, but were waiting to see how he performed at the WJAC before anointing him first-round status.

Quite simply, he exceeded all expectations from the moment they dropped the puck for the tournament, notching two goals and three assists in his opening game versus the Swiss in the most dominating performance we have ever seen at the World Hockey Challenge.

Tri-City defenceman Juuso Valimaki is the other blueliner to rise significantly in the past month as he started to light up opposing WHL goaltenders at a rate rarely seen at the CHL level. The 6-2 Finn scored nine goals over a ten-game span in the past month, and racked up 16 points in his last 11 games before leaving to join Finland for the World Junior tournament. Add to that his improved play defensively, and it wasn't hard to move him up into the top ten in the rankings as others such as Klim Kostin slid down the rankings.

The big Russian winger was still being given the benefit of the doubt up until mid November after his sterling play at the U-18's last spring, but Kostin's spotty effort and lack of production at the recent Canada-Russia Super Series only helped confirm what was first suspected at the Ivan Hlinka in August - he's an inconsistent winger with concerns about his hockey sense, work ethic and puck support, beckoning some comparisons to Julien Gauthier in that he possesses lots of tools but perhaps not the tool box.

Kostin went into the WJAC tournament with a wonky shoulder so we won't be overly harsh on his lacklustre play to date...but the first period of his game against Canada West offered a glimpse of the yin and yang with this prospect. He scored a goal on the power play to stake Russia to a 1-0 lead, then was caught way up ice on two goals against when he failed to stay deep enough to support his defencemen, choosing instead to look for an impossible 100-foot pass through two opponents. He has lot of time to right the ship before the draft much like Valeri Nichushkin did in his draft year, and it will take a similar improvement in his work ethic and team game for that to happen.

Nikita Popugaev is another Russian whose bloom has wilted somewhat in the past few weeks after tearing up WHL opponents in the first couple of months of the season. When he's not moving his feet he's not nearly as effective, especially in his own zone, and the 6-5 winger has seen a drop in his energy level in the past month on some nights, which is now also affecting him on the scoresheet as he's gone without a goal in his last five games.

Questions are popping up about his skating, and some scouts have even suggested that he's a risky player to select in the first round because of it, but it's likely more a case of him hitting a wall in terms of his energy level than real skating concerns as he moves pretty well when he's motivated, and his technique seems fine. He has the skill level to move back up in the rankings if he rediscovers his work ethic, which in fairness his last game against Saskatoon didn't look all that bad. He's moved down some in the rankings also because some players have jumped ahead of him based on improved performances from the likes of Pettersson and Valimaki.

Elias Pettersson is the other skater that moved up into the top ten following his scintillating performance at a U-20 event in Sweden last month and continued strong play in the Allsvenskan. The 18-year-old center is one point back of the scoring leaders in Sweden's second-best league, uncharted territory for a draft-eligible player. Pettersson is a speedy pivot with excellent puck skills and hockey sense whose main need is to get stronger. Once he develops more lower-body strength, he'll will be a formidable force on the ice. He has the tools to be a top-two center in the NHL.

London center Robert Thomas was the other forward that climbed up the rankings as it became clearer that he was one of the most skilled all-around forwards in this draft class. Thomas never has a poor game thanks to his smarts, work ethic and elite skating skills. If he's not putting up points it doesn't mean he's not playing effectively, and when he does...such as that notable game in early December when he had five points against Flint that included a highlight-reel shorthanded goal where his team was down two skaters...he is a dominant junior player at the tender age of 17. It looks like the London prospect factory has manufactured another gem.

RANK	PLAYER	POS	TEAM	HT/WT	DOB	GP-G-A-PTS
1	Nolan Patrick	C	Brandon (WHL)	6-3/200	19-Sep-98	6-4-5-9
2	Casey Mittelstadt	C	Green Bay (USHL)	6-1/200	22-Nov-98	16-8-13-21
3	Nico Hischier	C	Halifax (QMJHL)	6-1/175	4-Jan-99	31-23-25-48
4	Michael Rasmussen	C	Tri-City (WHL)	6-6/215	17-Apr-99	34-22-16-38
5	Elias Pettersson	C	Timra (Swe 2)	6-1/160	12-Nov-98	26-11-15-26
6	Juuso Valimaki	D	Tri-City (WHL)	6-2/205	6-Oct-98	32-12-23-35
7	Timothy Liljegren	D	Rogle (Swe)	6-0/190	30-Apr-99	9-0-3-3
8	Owen Tippett	RW	Mississauga (OHL)	6-1/200	16-Feb-99	30-23-14-37
9	Eeli Tolvanen	RW	Sioux City (USHL)	5-10/175	22-Apr-99	23-16-11-27
10	Kristian Vesalainen	LW	HPK (Fin)	6-3/205	1-Jun-99	9-1-0-1
11	Miro Heiskanen	D	HIFK Helsinki (Fin)	6-0/170	18-Jul-99	25-3-4-7
12	Nikita Popugaev	LW	Moose Jaw (WHL)	6-5/205	20-Nov-98	31-20-22-42
13	Gabriel Vilardi	C	Windsor (OHL)	6-3/200	16-Aug-99	16-9-13-22
14	Martin Necas	C	Kometa Brno (Cze)	6-0/170	15-Jan-99	29-6-7-13
15	Ryan Poehling	C	St. Cloud State (NCHC)	6-2/185	3-Jan-99	15-4-2-6
16	Lias Andersson	C	HV 71 (Swe)	5-11/200	13-Oct-98	24-5-4-9
17	Cale Makar	D	Brooks (AJHL)	5-10/175	30-Oct-98	28-11-27-38
18	Robert Thomas	C	London (OHL)	5-11/185	2-Jul-99	30-11-20-31
19	Urho Vaakanainen	D	JyP Jyvaskyla (Fin)	6-2/185	1-Jan-99	23-2-1-3
20	Cody Glass	C	Portland (WHL)	6-2/180	1-Apr-99	33-16-29-45
21	Maxime Comtois	LW	Victoriaville (QMJHL)	6-2/200	8-Jan-99	33-8-14-22
22	Klim Kostin	LW	Dynamo Moscow (Rus)	6-3/195	5-May-99	8-0-0-0
23	Matthew Strome	LW	Hamilton (OHL)	6-3/205	6-Jan-99	30-16-14-30
24	Cal Foote	D	Kelowna (WHL)	6-3/215	13-Dec-98	33-3-26-29
25	Jesper Boqvist	LW	Brynas (Swe Jr)	5-11/175	30-Oct-98	14-10-5-15
26	Conor Timmins	D	Sault Ste Marie (OHL)	6-1/185	18-Sep-98	31-4-23-27
27	Shane Bowers	C	Waterloo (USHL)	6-1/180	30-Jul-99	23-9-9-18
28	Grant Mismash	LW	NTDP (USA)	6-0/185	19-Feb-99	29-8-11-19
29	Kole Lind	RW	Kelowna (WHL)	6-1/175	16-Oct-98	32-18-23-41
30	Erik Brannstrom	D	HV 71 (Swe Jr)	5-10/175	2-Sep-99	18-8-13-21

McKeen’s 2017 Top 30 NHL Draft Rankings (Nov-2016) – The Swiss Can’t Miss

McKeen's Hockey — Fri, 18 Nov 2016 06:49:50 +0000

Photo: David Chan Photography

Nico Hischier's first-overall ranking may come as a surprise to many, but you would be hard pressed convincing his QMJHL coach that he's not worthy of such high standing.

"He can beat you in so many ways," says Halifax Mooseheads head coach Andre Tourigny. "He can beat you with faceoffs. he can beat you with defensive play. He's really, really proud of his defence, he can beat you with his work ethic, his intensity, his skill, he can beat you on the rush. He can beat you on the power play, he can beat you on the PK. He's a really complete player. I compare him a lot to Henrik Zetterberg when he was in his prime. When you were playing against him he was always efficient in every area of the game."

There are no visible weaknesses in Hischier's game, and unless there is a major fall-off in his play over the next few months there is an excellent chance the 6-1 center will be the first Swiss player selected in the top four of the NHL draft.

"Nico is really competitive, and he had a great skillset," adds Tourigny. "He can skate, he's really shifty, he can pass, he has quick hands, good shot. He works so hard defensively. I've never seen a player his age so proud of his defence. He's the whole package."

As is often the case with young European players it took Hischier a few games to adapt to the North American game. After starting the season goalless in his first five games, Hischier has been lethal. In his last 11 games, Hischier has scored 14 goals and 12 assists, vaulting him to third overall in QMJHL scoring.

Plenty of scouts made the trip east last weekend to see Hischier in person and he did not disappoint - compiling five goals and four assists in two thoroughly dominating performances against PEI and Sherbrooke. Needless to say, any scouts who witness his dominance were no longer unsure of his worthiness to be considered a top-five prospect for the draft.

"If you pick top five that means you have to build your team around that player, I would be so happy to build my team around him for the next 20 years...a person like Hischier...a player like Hischier," says Tourigny. "Nico is such a good man, good heart. He's very polite, respectful, I've spoken to his parents and I can't say enough about the values. A lot of reasons why he'd be a really, really good pick."

Brandon center Nolan Patrick has battled injury this season, so through no fault of his own, he has dropped to number two in the rankings thanks to Hischier's scintillating play. Patrick will still have plenty of opportunities to reclaim his number one status once he gets back into the swing of things in the WHL .

Patrick has long been heralded as a prime candidate to be picked first overall in the 2017 draft, and he did little to hurt his status last season after compiling 102 points to finish fifth in WHL scoring as a 16-17-year-old. He's expected to return from issues with a sports hernia injury he had repaired in the summer some time over the next three weeks, and hopefully he can be healthy enough to compete head-to-head against Hischier and other top draft-eligible prospect slated to compete in the World junior tournament.

Tri Cities' Michael Rasmussen is another talented center who has been on a tear this season, leading all WHL players with 18 goals in 22 WHL games, cementing his position as one of the draft's most coveted prospects.

Timothy Liljegren has been battling mononucleosis and has yet to play this season, but remains the most highly-touted defence prospect thanks predominantly to his tremendous skating skills.

Russian winger Klim Kostin rounds out the top five in McKeen's preliminary rankings with his impressive combination of size, strength and skill.

RANK	PLAYER	POS	TEAM	HT/WT	DOB	GP-G-A-PTS
1	Nico Hischier	C	Halifax (QMJHL)	6-1/175	4-Jan-99	21-17-17-34
2	Nolan Patrick	C	Brandon (WHL)	6-3/200	19-Sep-98	6-4-5-9
3	Michael Rasmussen	C	Tri-City (WHL)	6-6/215	17-Apr-99	22-18-10-28
4	Timothy Liljegren	D	Rogle (Swe Jr)	6-0/190	30-Apr-99	6-4-0-4
5	Klim Kostin	LW	Dynamo Moscow (KHL)	6-3/195	5-May-99	8-0-0-0
6	Casey Mittelstadt	C	Green Bay (USHL)	6-1/200	22-Nov-98	16-8-13-21
7	Nikita Popugaev	LW	Moose Jaw (WHL)	6-5/205	20-Nov-98	21-14-16-30
8	Eeli Tolvanen	RW	Sioux City (USHL)	5-10/175	22-Apr-99	15-9-8-17
9	Owen Tippett	RW	Mississauga (OHL)	6-1/200	16-Feb-99	20-16-8-24
10	Kristian Vesalainen	LW	Frolunda (Swe)	6-3/205	1-Jun-99	16-1-4-5
11	Miro Heiskanen	D	HIFK Helsinki (Fin)	6-0/170	18-Jul-99	17-2-3-5
12	Martin Necas	C	Kometa Brno (Cze)	6-0/170	15-Jan-99	20-5-6-11
13	Maxime Comtois	LW	Victoriaville (QMJHL)	6-2/200	8-Jan-99	22-6-7-13
14	Cal Foote	D	Kelowna (WHL)	6-3/215	13-Dec-98	21-1-14-15
15	Elias Pettersson	C	Timra (Swe 2)	6-1/160	12-Nov-98	19-8-12-20
16	Gabriel Vilardi	C	Windsor (OHL)	6-3/200	16-Aug-99	14-8-13-21
17	Urho Vaakanainen	D	JyP Jyvaskyla (Fin)	6-2/185	1-Jan-99	13-1-0-1
18	Ryan Poehling	C	St. Cloud State (NCHC)	6-2/185	3-Jan-99	9-3-2-5
19	Matthew Strome	LW	Hamilton (OHL)	6-3/205	6-Jan-99	20-14-12-26
20	Juuso Valimaki	D	Tri-City (WHL)	6-2/205	6-Oct-98	22-4-18-22
21	Lias Andersson	C	HV 71 (Swe)	5-11/200	13-Oct-98	15-4-4-8
22	MacKenzie Entwistle	C	Hamilton (OHL)	6-3/180	14-Jul-99	20-9-7-16
23	Nicolas Hague	D	Mississauga (OHL)	6-6/215	5-Dec-98	19-8-9-17
24	Cody Glass	C	Portland (WHL)	6-2/180	1-Apr-99	21-10-20-30
25	Ostap Safin	LW	Sparta Praha (Cze)	6-4/200	11-Feb-99	5-0-1-1
26	Shane Bowers	C	Waterloo (USHL)	6-1/180	30-Jul-99	15-8-7-15
27	Grant Mismash	LW	NTDP (USA)	6-0/185	19-Feb-99	20-5-7-12
28	Robert Thomas	C	London (OHL)	5-11/185	2-Jul-99	19-6-13-19
29	Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen	G	HPK (Fin Jr)	6-4/195	9-Mar-99	14 GP, .925
30	Conor Timmins	D	Sault Ste Marie (OHL)	6-1/185	18-Sep-98	21-2-16-18

Ivan Hlinka Report: Team Canada

Grant McCagg — Wed, 21 Sep 2016 16:29:18 +0000

Expectations are always high for Team Canada especially having won eight consecutive gold medals at the Ivan Hlinka - and looking for a 20th overall title in the event's 25-year history.

At the start of the tournament I felt there may be six or seven solid first-round forwards, but as the tournament went on Canada looked more and more underwhelming... most didn't produce or stand out.

As for the blueline, this was perhaps the least impressive group of defencemen Canada has ever sent to the IH. Is there a top 60 prospect among them? Maybe not. Not sure any one player stood out above any of the others - all being pretty close in vanilla-ness... with average size and skills at best.

FORWARDS

Jordy Bellerive (2017), C, Lethbridge (WHL) - Least impressive forward... didnt play much, wasn't very noticeable. (4-0-0-0, GP-G-A-PTS)

Shane Bowers (2017), C, Waterloo (USHL) - Responsible..worked okay..more of a puck manager than an offensive guy...decent puck protection and okay on the cycle..not sure about his creativity. He produces in the USHL, then could go late first or 2nd. (4-1-0-1)

Maxime Comtois

Maxime Comtois (2017), LW, Victoriaville (QMJHL) - Needs a half step - but very smart, competitive. Looked real good. He played hard...he looked tired at the end, but make plays and can finish.. good puck skill Has a shot at the top ten. (4-4-1-5)

Mackenzie Entwhistle

MacKenzie Entwistle (2017), RW, Hamilton (OHL) - Skating is good north south, plenty of speed for his size, need work on his agility... Not much offensive potential shown. Physical dimensions are there, work ethic was fine. 25-40 potential if he can show some offence. (4-0-1-1)

Stelio Mattheos (2017), C, Brandon (WHL) - Played his role...scouts like that he stuck to it. Work ethic is there..finishes checks. Would like to have seen him in a more offensive role, but did what was asked of him. Let's see if he scores. (4-1-0-1)

Ryan McLeod (2018), C, Mississauga (OHL) - He didn't have a noteworthy performance at the Hlinka... but he'll have another 18 months to reach his enormous potential. (4-0-0-0)

Greg Meireles (2017), RW, Kitchener (OHL) - Limited skill..bottom line role. Competed okay. (4-0-0-0)

Michael Rasmussen

Michael Rasmussen (2017), C, Tri-City (WHL) - He went to the net...a bit more jam than Entwistle when comparing two similar sized-guys. Decent two-way center, has some playmaking abilities and puck skills..still needs to work on his quickness. 10-20 range most likely. (4-1-3-4)

Matthew Strome

Matthew Strome (2017), LW, Hamilton (OHL) - Needs work on his skating, inconsistent...like to see him compete harder, good skill and shot for his size. 1st round talent...likely top 15. (4-1-0-1)

Jack Studnicka (2017), C, Oshawa (OHL) - Didn't get a whole lot from him. Big kid, keep an eye on him. (4-0-0-0)

Nick Suzuki (2017), C, Owen Sound (OHL) - A responsible player, made some plays later in the tournament, smart, competes pretty well, size is the main drawback. Came in to center Comtois as the tournament went on and performed well. (4-1-2-3).

Owen Tippett (2017), RW, Mississauga (OHL) - He's got it all except perhaps vision...does not look for teammates as often as one would like. A good cycler, strong, can skate, good shot..needs to pass more. May be a top ten but looked 10-20. Will need to step up his team play. (4-1-1-2)

Joe Veleno (2018), C, Saint John (QMJHL) - Started to see some of the talent that made him an exceptional status player a couple of years ago...he'll be a dangerous offensive player by the end of next season. (4-0-4-4)

DEFENCE

Evan Bouchard (2018), D, London (OHL) - Lots of refining needed still on his defensive game..showed some indications that he may be capable puck rusher with decent size and skills. (4-0-0-0)

Josh Brook (2017), D, Moose Jaw (WHL) - Didnt play very much...one of those guys where suddenly he does something and you look down at the roster to see who he is as most of the tournament he was invisible. (4-0-0-0)

Antoine Crete-Belzile (2017), D, Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL) - Not very big, not great offensively or defensively. He'll get lots of opportunity in BLB, but doesn't bring a lot of dimensions...best attribute is his mobility..but not very big or physical, didn't see any offence. 50-70 perhaps because he can skate and has some poise. (4-0-1-1)

Ian Mitchell (2017), D, Spruce Grove (AJHL) - He had one good game where he scored a couple of goals, defensively he was in and out. Worth keeping an eye on...has some off. skills. Maybe a 3rd rounder? Worth viewing. (4-2-1-3)

Markus Phillips (2017), D, Owen Sound (OHL) - Very average skater, average mobility. Smart, competes okay. Got beat one-on-one too often. Overrated by Hockey Canada, IMO. (4-0-1-1)

Elijah Roberts (2017), D, Kitchener (OHL) - Small...thinks he's a rover. Can carry the puck, tries...that's about it. Not a draft. (4-0-1-1)

Jonathan Smart (2017), D, Kelowna (WHL) - Not very smart. At times he looked okay..other times he had some struggles...some poor puck decisions at times. (4-0-1-1)

Michael DiPietro (2017), G, Windsor (OHL) - Okay junior goalie..inconsistent..small. (3GP, 2.01, .923)

Ian Scott (2017), G, Prince Albert (WHL) - Don't know about him yet, didn't play enough. Fulfills the size requisite. (1GP, 1.88, .920)

Youngblood: OHL Cup Hits Primetime

Brendan Ross — Wed, 25 Mar 2015 18:16:08 +0000

The 2015 OHL Cup Championship game was held at Mattamy Arena, formerly Maple Leafs Gardens, between the Don Mills Flyers (left) and Toronto Marlboros (right)
(Aaron Bell/OHL Images)

One of the best parts about sports, and specifically hockey, is that it always delivers on the entertainment factor – regardless of the league. Six-year-old newcomers to hockey can be equally entertaining as 20-year veterans of the game. No scripts are needed. A sheet of ice and two teams driven to prove their worth are the only necessary ingredients.

Over the past week, twenty teams from across Ontario and northern USA converged on Toronto’s Scotiabank Pond (Buckingham Arena) looking to capture the OHL Cup, a showcase tournament for the provinces’ top teams and regional winners. Mixed in among the hundreds of scouts and agents were eager hockey fans looking to get a glimpse at the next superstars of hockey - Steven Stamkos, Drew Doughty and soon to be NHL-star Connor McDavid are just a few of the OHL Cup alumni group.

The OHL Cup peaked on Monday night as the Don Mills Flyers and Toronto Marlboros took the ice at Mattamy Athletic Centre as the last two standing teams in front of Sportnets’ national cameras. Leading up to the Championship event was a week of emotional highs and lows including a nervous few hours for the defending champs (Toronto Marlboros) as they waited to hear whether they’d advance into the quarterfinal games after a three-way deadlock in the Nash Division. Fortunately for the Marlboros, they held the tiebreaker over the Mississauga Reps and would move onto playoff rounds where they eventually picked up steam.

Fast forward to Monday’s thrilling OHL Cup Championship game and it was a rematch of the GTHL Championship series between Don Mills and the Marlboros. That previous series went the distance needing all eight games plus two overtime periods before Toronto’s Elijah Roberts played hero sending the blue and white into celebration. On Monday, March 23^rd, the Flyers scored a late goal to send the OHL Cup into extra time but again, it was the Marlboros who’d eventually win as Matthew Strome, younger brother to Islanders forward Ryan and 2014-15 OHL scoring champion Dylan, found the back of the net to cap off an outstanding week of hockey and thrilling year of minor midget hockey.

Aaron Bell/OHL Images

That was the Toronto Marlboros second consecutive OHL Cup championship.

Now that the tournament is behind us and all eyes have turned to the OHL Priority Selection draft on April 11^th, it’s a perfect time to take a look at the players who impressed over the course of the week.

Notes: The following is not a draft ranking but rather a list of players who performed particularly well at the 2015 OHL Cup. The 2000-born prospects were not included in the ranking.

There is a Top 10 for the 2000-born OHL Cup performances at the end of the article.

OHL Cup Top 50

Toronto Marlboros' Ryan McLeod was named GTHL Player of the Year and OHL Cup MVP (Aaron Bell/OHL Images)

1. Ryan McLeod, C, Toronto Marlboros

For a player who’s struggled with consistency in his production over the course of their draft season, McLeod certainly found a great time to peak. After an outstanding Canada Winter Games showing and a dominant GTHL playoff run, McLeod has vaulted himself into discussion as a potential top overall selection. He rightfully won MVP honours at the OHL Cup which he can add to his GTHL Player of the Year honours that he captured last Thursday. McLeod is a two-way pivot who excels at playing at a high pace, showing crafty hands and a pro-level shot.

2. Jacob Paquette, D, Ottawa Jr. 67’s

In my opinion, Jacob Paquette had one of the most eye-opening OHL Cup performances from start to finish. An extremely poised defender with no panic threshold, Paquette exudes a calming influence throughout the Jr 67’s lineup. Uses a long powerful smooth stride to propel himself up ice and he isn’t afraid to jump into the rush. His skating stride looks very similar to Sean Day’s in the way that it’s effortless. Showed outstanding gap control and never allowed attacking forwards to gain the zone, closing the gap at the blueline. Paquette found open seams under pressure and senses pressure well, using reversals or spinning off and regrouping. Simply put, this low-maintenance, big-minute defenseman had an outstanding tournament.

Jacob Paquette (Dan Hickling/Hickling Images)

3. Jake Tortora, LW, Don Mills Flyers

Easily my favourite player in the draft despite owning a 5-foot-6 slender frame, Tortora is a game-breaker who plays the game at an unrelenting pace. His jack rabbit-like acceleration is driven by quick sharp edges that reach top speed instantaneously. His ability to gain the offensive zone is impressive and he’s shown to be one of the most creative passers in the draft. It’s astonishing to see this small (yet very feisty) forward knock around players 8-10 inches taller than him. He has a knack for drawing defenders in and then blasting by them. Tortora masks his intentions well and certainly prefers to operate as a playmaker. Tortora is committed to Boston College but remains VERY high on my personal rankings.

4. Nick Suzuki, C, London Jr. Knights

After watching Suzuki all season, it was nice to see this highly intelligent center have an outstanding final tournament showing off the potential we’ve all believed him to have. There were times during the OHL Cup when Suzuki single-handedly took his team on his back and lifted them to victory showing elite defensive skills to force a turnover and elite offensive skills to capitalize the other way. It was exactly the type of showing that Suzuki needed to show scouts that he’s a top round player.

5. Quinton Hughes, D, Toronto Marlboros

Hughes missed Saturday’s playoff action because of he was in Ann Arbor at the US Under-17 NTDP camp but when he was in the lineup, he proved to be an absolute game-changer. Arguably the most intuitive puck-moving defenseman in the draft, Hughes’ ability to dissect the opposition and attack the middle of ice with speed is unmatched. In many ways, this University of Michigan commit reminds me of a younger Anthony DeAngelo (OHL’s leading defensive scorer).

6. Kyle Auger, D, Thunder Bay Kings

Right-handed shooting defenseman, Kyle Auger, was a shoe-in as a Top 10 OHL Cup performer after impressing with his smart puck rushing ability. Quick and deceptively agile on his skates, Auger navigated about the ice with ease showing an outstanding aptitude for gaining the zone. He utilizes subtle misdirection and fakes as he attacks through the neutral zone and certainly improved his draft stock.

7. Greg Meireles, RW, Ottawa Jr. 67’s

Meireles sat atop the OHL Cup scoring ranks for the majority of the tournament and finished there in a tie with five others (nine points). The projected Top 10 pick did nothing to hurt his draft stock and continued to play a hard-to-contain high-paced game. Continually impressed with his effort on both sides of the puck and it’s quite clear that his competitiveness may be unmatched in this draft. With Meireles, an OHL team is going to get an offensive player with high-end upside who just happens to be a determined defensive player as well.

Anthony DeMeo of Elite Hockey Group (Dan Hickling Photography)

8. Anthony DeMeo, D, Elite Hockey Group

The top skater on the Elite Hockey Group team, Anthony DeMeo is a gifted puck rushing defenseman whose ability to gain speed in possession and enter the offensive zone virtually untouched is elite. Elusive in four-ways and blazing top speed make him almost impossible to contain in flight. He appeared to struggle in identifying options once he gained the zone but that could also be a result from the lack of chemistry on this “all-star” team. DeMeo owns first round talent and has not committed to a college.

9. Matthew Woroniuk, G, Don Mills Flyers

There’s value in goaltenders who step up and shine in big games and Woroniuk did exactly that down the stretch in the GTHL playoffs and then again in a long OHL Cup run. When Woroniuk is on his game, he’s extremely focused tracking pucks with ease. He’s a big goaltender who takes up a lot of the net and his lower lateral coverage stems from quick pad reflexes that resemble pinball flippers. He does wander out of position occasionally but has the athleticism to make that much needed game-saving stop in recovery.

10. Jaden Peca, LW, Toronto Marlboros

The Marlies’ do-it-all winger had one of the more impressive OHL Cup performances. Peca battles for pucks and gets his nose dirty, forcing turnovers with his hounding competitive drive. His quick stick and strong routes collapse quickly on defenders and it opens up a lot of space for his linemates to operate. Peca led the Marlboros in scoring with eight points in the OHL Cup.

11. Nick Celotti, C/RW, Toronto Jr. Canadiens

Celotti is another personal favourite prospect for the 2015 OHL Draft and it stems from his ability to dictate the offensive pace. His first step quickness is excellent and at top speed, he is difficult to contain. He has the ability to drive wide on defenders and cut hard to the net or pull up and hit a trailing teammate. He tends to operate more as a distributor than a shooter but with his skill he will flank a top-six line.

12. Aidan Hughes, G, London Jr. Knights

One of the biggest goaltenders available in the draft finished off a great second half with one of the best OHL Cup crease performances. He looked dialed in all tournament long and led this team to a semi-final showing. Few goaltenders can combine the size and mental focus as well as Aiden Hughes.

13. CJ Clarke, RW, Toronto Marlboros

When the Marlboros were desperate and needed goals, CJ Clarke answered the bell. Without Clarke’s two big goals against the Ottawa Jr. 67’s, Toronto may have never found the momentum they needed to get their offense on track and earn a quarterfinal berth. Clarke is a competitive and aggressive winger who uses sheer determination in puck pursuits. He engages, operates well on the cycle and can strike quickly walking off the half-wall. He uses his length well to protect the puck and knows how to use defenders as screens during attacks.

Jack Studnicka of TPH Thunder (Dan Hickling/Hickling Images)

14. Jack Studnicka, C, TPH Thunder

Studnicka entered the OHL Cup as one of my favourite first round sleepers, mainly because he’s such a talented player who owns some raw attributes that can easily be developed. The Belle Tire leading scorer oozes hockey sense and relies on his vision and anticipation skills to exploit time and space accordingly. He’s a big body with great length to his game, using his wide wingspan and long stride to shield off checkers. Because of his reach, Studnicka has the ability to hold the puck out wide and then quickly pull it in for a swooping toe-drag or fluid windup for his wicked shot. He prefers to be creative inside the top of the circles and is prone to passing when he should be utilizing his shot in that scoring area. His frame can carry a lot more muscle and when he physically matures, he should be a force to contain. Stylistic wise, Studnicka reminds me of Mark Scheifele.

15. Matthew Strome, LW, Toronto Marlboros

The OHL Cup hero after scoring the championship winning goal (adding an earlier goal too), Matt Strome is known best as the younger brother of Ryan Strome (Islanders budding star) and Dylan Strome (projected Top 5 NHL Draft pick) but he’s got skills of his own. A clever passer who reads the ice very well, Strome owns the offensive instincts to develop into an impact player. He continues to work on his skating, which is definitely a work in progress, but beyond that concern, there’s a lot to like with his game. At the OHL Cup, Strome strung together some great games when it mattered most and was very good at utilizing his size advantage to work the possession game and drive to the net.

16. Colin VanDenHurk, D, Quinte Red Devils

The Red Devils lean on VanDenHurk in all situations which is a testament to his overall hockey intelligence. He walks the blueline with his head up, always surveying his options, and promptly identifies his options. He is a flawless passer who supports the puck extremely well. With improved pace, VanDenHurk has the potential to become an extremely valuable top-four defenseman. His one-timer was especially effective at the OHL Cup and his overall playing style compares to a younger Chris Bigras (Owen Sound/Colorado Avalanche).

17. Skyler Brind’Amour, C, TPH Thunder

The son of former NHL star Rod Brind’Amour, Skyler was one player who immediately caught my eye at the OHL Cup. He’s a big kid with a great frame to build on and he owns some solid fundamental skills. At 6-foot-1, Brind’Amour has good length and he uses it as an advantage in his attacks. His puck skills, especially in traffic, are very impressive showing very little panic. His on-ice reads were excellent identifying soft areas and playing to them. Brind’Amour plays an OHL-style of game using quick touches and can extend possession time with his confident puck handling abilities. He came into the tournament as an unknown for me but quickly climbed my draft rankings.

18. Nick Isaacson, LW, Mississauga Reps

Tall and rangy winger with tantalizing long-term potential, Nick Isaacson flashes creative puck touches, a strong powerful stride and the hunger to score. Isaacson enters the zone at top speed and drives wide on defenders before cutting hard to the net, shielding off defenders using his reach and long stretched-out legs. He is one of the drafts most appealing projects on forward because technically he has the raw physical tools but also combines that with smart instincts and elements of creativeness.

19. Robert Thomas, C, York Simcoe Express

Thomas is the spark-plug that drives the YSE offense and he’s the type of player that can make an offensive impact every time he touches the ice. His start-up gear instantly gets him to top speed and the agility he displays in flight is a bonus for a smaller player. Thomas utilizes quick cuts and tight curl-offs as he enters the offensive zone and then identifies his options, setting up as the quarterback. He owns a separation gear and one-on-one creativity to beat defenders as well.

20. Devlin Shanahan, LW, Mississauga Reps

From a pure upside perspective, Devlin Shanahan won’t immediately jump out at you but he’s the straw that stirs the drink on the Reps. He’s the type of forward that makes things happen all the time and he’s always around the puck. Shanahan isn’t blessed with paralyzing quickness but his sheer determination and puck pursuit suffocates the opposition and forces turnovers. In possession, Shanahan makes smart passes moving the puck crisply and most importantly, never concedes possession. He’s more likely to throw the puck into his feet if out of options and battle or send it to an open area to be retrieved by a teammate. Shanahan likely won’t be selected in the top rounds but I wouldn’t be surprised to see him be that late round pick that has a solid OHL career.

21. Noah Benjamin, LW, Waterloo Wolves

22. Carter Pearen, G, Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs

23. Michael Leach, G, Ottawa Valley Titans

24. Nicholas Grima, D, Toronto Titans

25. Liam Hawel, C, Ottawa Valley Titans

26.Jason Robertson, RW, Don Mills Flyers

27. Simon Boyko, RW, Toronto Jr. Canadiens

28. David Levin, LW, Don Mills Flyers

29. William Sirman, C, York Simcoe Express

30. Max Wright, G, Waterloo Wolves

31. Matthew Rehding, LW, Toronto Jr. Canadiens

32. Brenden Stanko, LW, TPH Thunder

33. Ryan Wells, D, Mississauga Reps

34. Nathan Schnarr, C, Waterloo Wolves

35. Owen Lane, LW, Kitchener Jr. Rangers

36. Kole Scott, LW, North Central Predators

37. Donovan Cowan, D, Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs

38. Jason Willms, C, Kitchener Jr. Rangers

39. Sullivan Sparkes, LW, Waterloo Wolves

40. Max Vinagradov, RW, London Jr. Knights

41.Eric Sutherland, D, Ottawa Valley Titans

42. Matthew Philip, C, Elgin Middlesex Chiefs

43. Matthew Stoia, D, TPH Thunder

44. Keegan Ferguson, D, Quinte Red Devils

45. Steven Agriogianis, C, Elite Hockey Group

46. Matthew Titus, RW, Ottawa Valley Titans

47. Cole Tymkin, RW, Thunder Bay Kings

48. Thomas Stevenson, D, Ottawa Jr. 67’s

49. Noel Hoefenmayer, D, Don Mills Flyers

50. Matthew Struthers, C, Halton Hurricanes

51. Alex Peterson, D, Thunder Bay Kings

EDIT: The original list was edited after it failed to paste one player in correctly, explaining the 51 players instead of 50.

Top 10 OHL Cup Performances from Underage Players (2000-born)

Ryan Merkley, D, Toronto Jr. Canadiens
Eric Guest, C, Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs
Allan McShane, C, Toronto Jr. Canadiens
Blade Jenkins, C, TPH Thunder
Ryan Bangs, D, Ottawa Valley Titans
Aidan Dudas, C, North Central Predators
Jacob Goldowski, G, Elite Hockey Group
Brady MacDonald, D, Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs
Nathan Dunkley, RW, Quinte Red Devils
Dennis Busby, D, Don Mills Flyers

Honourable Mentions:

Jake DeBoer, F, Elite Hockey Group *son of Peter DeBoer*

Ian Vucko, RW, York Simcoe Express

The Youngblood series will return prior to the April 11th OHL Priority Selection Draft to post Brendan Ross' final draft rankings.

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