Nikolay Goldobin – McKeen's Hockey

Boeser Days Ahead – Vancouver Canucks 2018-19 Season Preview

Robert Howard — Fri, 14 Sep 2018 15:00:42 +0000

REVIEW/STATE OF PLAY - Another 7^th place finish in the Pacific Division and their third season in a row under 75 points. The season was noteworthy as the final for Henrik and Daniel Sedin, and the beginning of a new era built around a promising group of prospects. Their results delivered another high draft pick used to select defenseman Quinn Hughes. He joins a group that boasts forwards Bo Horvat, Brock Boeser, Elias Petterson, Jake Virtanen, and Hobey Baker award winner Adam Gaudette. They are joined by Hughes and Olli Juolevi on the blueline and Thatcher Demko in goal - all of whom could be in the lineup next season.

Another significant change in the off-season was the departure of President of Hockey Operations, Trevor Linden. The reasons for the change of heart after four seasons at the team that hung his number from the rafters are unclear, and all parties are being circumspect, but suggestions that the difference was one of philosophy on developing players.

VETERAN ADDITIONS BOLSTER DEPTH - Not sure the entire truth will emerge, but GM Jim Benning did acquire three veteran forwards (Jay Beagle, Antoine Roussel, and Tim Schaller) in the off-season to solidify their third and fourth line and shelter the young stars. Others would argue that they block spots in which a young player could be developing in the NHL. Both coach Travis Green entering his second season and Benning sing from the same song sheet that the youth movement is under way and if someone is ready to play, they will. The three free agents are strong defensively and can kill penalties. They will make the Vancouver line-up deeper, with the goal of making it harder to play against them up and down the line-up.

The loss of the Sedins may not be easily filled with youth. Daniel tied for the team lead in scoring, along with 23 goals, though eclipsed in points per game by Brock Boeser and Bo Horvat. Henrik was right behind him in scoring and together they contributed 105 points. The hope is Elias Petterson can step in right away and contribute on the second line, either as center or on the wing. There is no question 28-year-old Sam Gagner was a disappointment in his first season with the Canucks scoring only 31 points in 74 games. Whether he finds chemistry with Petterson or is replaced at center, remains a big question going into camp.

Bo Horvat

The first line is set around 23-year-old Bo Horvat and 21-year-old Brock Boeser, who finished second in voting for best rookie. Boeser fired 29 goals in 62 games and if had not been injured would have challenged for the Calder. Horvat is a two-way force at center and led all forwards with 19:21 minutes of ice time, more than two minutes greater than any other forward. He took the most number of face-offs on the team with a 53.8% win rate, and17^th in the league with total wins (712). The biggest challenge they will face will be increased scrutiny as the fulcrum of the attack and drawing tough matchups. A slight regression would not be a surprising result.

DARK DAYS ON D WITH A PROMISING FUTURE - Alex Edler leads the defence group and the team leader in ice time per game (24:17), quarterbacking the power play and killing penalties. He is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season at 32-years-old and will be relied upon heavily again this season. He has a no movement clause, but if he chose to waive it he could be a trade chip at the deadline.

The supporting cast leave something to be desired. Michael Del Zotto had a healthy season, but only delivered 22 points. He led the team in total ice time but saw little time on the power play. He is also an UFA at seasons end and will be looked to anchor a spot in the top four. Chris Tanev has been injury prone and in trade rumours. Erik Gudbranson is a towering presence on the blueline, he seems slow in today’s NHL. Former 8^th overall pick Derek Pouliot was picked up at the start of the season and contributed 22 points and showed signs of improvement as the season wore on.

They have two potentially future elite blueliners in Olli Juolevi and Quinn Hughes. Hughes is likely going back to the University of Michigan but did not look out of place as an 18-year-old at the World Championships or the World Junior Championships. It will be a test of philosophy going forward. Juolevi had offseason surgery and is likely to start in the AHL with left shot defenders Edler, Del Zotto, and Pouliot ahead of him on the depth chart.

Thatcher Demko is one of the brightest goaltending prospects in the league and shone in his second season in the AHL. The starter is Jacob Markstrom who started 60 games last season with a 0.912 save percentage. He is backed up by Anders Nilsson. Demko will threaten for the backup role and may be ready to challenge Markstrom as the starter. He is the heir apparent in goal.

OUTLOOK - The Canucks made moves to make them better defensively up front and as a result should win more close games. There is a core of a contender down the road, but the coming season will be another learning one.

Vancouver – System Overview

Ryan Wagman — Sat, 16 Sep 2017 12:01:40 +0000

An old team with little to be hopeful for in either the near or mid-term future, the Vancouver Canucks managed to brighten an otherwise dark system with two deadline day swaps. For a team that had been spinning its wheels since a somewhat surprising competitive 2014-15 season, a concrete step towards the future before the twin expirations of the twin Sedin contracts was thought unlikely, if not impossible.

With the Sedins on pace to cede the label of team leader to up-and-comer Bo Horvat, the need to placate the heroes of the 2010-11 Stanley Cup run has subsided. In the space of two days, GM Jim Benning dealt Alexandre Burrows and his expiring contract to Ottawa for scoring winger Jonathan Dahlen, less than 12 months removed from being a second round draft pick and completing a near point-per-game tour-de-force in the Allsvenskan, Sweden’s second men’s league.

The next day, they sent Jannik Hansen, in the midst of a down season, to San Jose in exchange for former first round pick Nikolay Goldobin, who was also at close to a point-per-game in his second full season in the AHL. As part of this trade, Vancouver also picked up a conditional 2017 fourth rounder, which they later swapped for picks in the fifth and sixth rounds.

While those that wanted to see the Canucks competitive right away may have chafed at the deals, the Canucks were not going to succeed with a few more weeks of games with Hansen and Burrows patrolling the wings. Already in last place with two aging and expensive veterans, Benning heeded the sage advice of baseball immortal Branch Rickey, on dealing with fellow future Hall of Famer Ralph Kiner, a star on an otherwise non-competitive club. “Son, we can finish last without you.”

The much derided Benning accepted the inevitability that the Canucks would continue to scuffle at or near the bottom of the standings with those two and made the best of it, accepting pretty compelling offers to move on. While Dahlen and Goldobin are both with their own flaws - questions about footspeed for the former and a reputation for one-way play for the latter – they are both young, talented and far more likely to be viable contributors on the next competitive Canucks team.

The Canucks are still rather far from the path back to contention, and seem likely to play out the final year of the Sedin deals this year, before they will feel free to fully complete the tear-down. Expectations may have been marginally more optimistic had the team not wiped out the top end of the 2014 draft. From two first round picks, one (Jake Virtanen) is perhaps 12 months from bust territory and they gave up on the other (Jared McCann) very early, shipping him to Florida for stay-at-home defenseman Erik Gudbranson. While there is still work to be done, at long last, with a fairly promising top five in the system, Canucks fans can begin to see a happier future for their club.

Olli Juolevi of the London Knights was selected by the Vancouver Canucks in the first round of the 2016 NHL Entry Draft in Buffalo, NY on Friday June 24, 2016. Photo by Aaron Bell/CHL Images

1 Olli Juolevi – His top tier point totals during his draft year were always going to be hard to top, especially as many of his elite teammates had since turned pro. So the fact that Juolevi equaled his regular season point total should be looked at favorably. A fantastic skater, he is among the calmest puck carrying blueliners you are likely to find. Puck skills and game reads are also top quartile, if not decile. He may be ready for the NHL, but one final year of junior hockey wouldn’t hurt in the meantime.

Sweden's Elias Pettersson #21 (Photo by Matt Zambonin/HHOF-IIHF Images)

2 Elias Pettersson – One of the best puck skill players available in the 2017 draft class, Pettersson was near a point-per-game player as a 17 year old playing among men in Sweden’s Allsvenskan. As good as his puck skills are, his hockey IQ may be its equal. He is versatile, able to play both center and on the wings. He seems to see the game a few steps ahead of everyone else, leading to generally correct decisions. Moving up to the SHL this year, his biggest area for improvement is accepting the simple play more often.

3 Brock Boeser – Although his sophomore season was injury riddled, affecting his production even when he was healthy, Boeser was still an elite goal scorer at the NCAA level. Despite his extremely high marks for his shooting ability, he is not selfish with the puck and utilizes his linemates very well. He also shows admirable commitment to the game away from puck, often used on the PK with North Dakota. With four goals in a nine game NHL cameo at year’s end, Vancouver has gotten a taste of what’s to come.

MONTREAL, CANADA - DECEMBER 26: Sweden's Jonathan Dahlen #27 - 2017 IIHF World Junior Championship. (Photo by Andre Ringuette/HHOF-IIHF Images)

4 Jonathan Dahlen – Vancouver’s prize for keeping Alexandre Burrows for as long as they did, Dahlen was both a teammate and a linemate of Elias Pettersson last year in Timra. While Pettersson is staying in Sweden for now, Dahlen, a 2016 second rounder, is coming over to North America. More agile than fast, Dahlen gets high grades for his shot, puck skills and hockey IQ. Son of long-time NHLer’ Ulf Dahlen, his time in the AHL may be short. Looks like a future top six forward.

5 Nikolay Goldobin – After coming over in trade from San Jose, Goldobin spent most of the rest of the season in the NHL with Vancouver, scoring three times in 12 games. The former San Jose first rounder, he is a plus puckhandler, with a number of tricks up his sleeve to get past pesky defenders. An offense first player with plus acceleration, he has spent much of the last two years in the Sharks’ system learning to be more active away from the puck. The work will come in handy for his new organization.

6 Kole Lind – The kind of player who does everything well, but nothing exceptionally, Lind is also notable for his plus hustle. He has great work ethic and with a bit more consistency, he projects as a power forward down the line. During prolonged offensive shifts, the second round pick can often be found parked in front of the opponent’s net, which is where he does most of his damage on the scoresheet. Will need to show this year that he can produce without some of the high producing veterans now aged out of the league.

7 Thatcher Demko – The last great hope from the doomed draft class of 2014, Demko had a solid, if occasionally shaky rookie pro season with Utica. He has a very large frame and moves very well for his size to boot, but his positioning is still in the development stages. So while he gets from post to post relatively quickly, his long, spidery legs leaves him with a sizable five-hole when in motion. Bumps aside, he has all of the attributes you look for when projecting workhorse starts.

8 Michael DiPietro – If not Demko, the Canucks used a third round pick this year on the undersized but ultra-competitive DiPietro, fresh off backstopping his Windsor Spitfires to an unexpected Memorial Cup Championship. A very athletic netminder, he reads plays well and is aggressive about securing his crease. Very calm between the pipes as well, rarely over-committing himself for a given shot. He will eventually give Demko a run for his money as netminder of the future in Vancouver.

9 Adam Gaudette – An unheralded prospect in the USHL in his draft year, Gaudette has taken multiple steps forward in his two years with Northeastern. Now one of college hockey’s premier offensive players, he combines above average puck handling and offensive vision. Questions remain about his pace as he can struggle to keep up against faster opponents, but he will have the chance to answer some of them this year, as at least one of his linemates (Zach Aston-Reese) has turned pro.

10 Jonah Gadjovich – A big bodied forward who makes most of his noise from in front of the net, Gadjovich more than tripled his previous goal scoring production, ending his draft year with 46, before struggling throughout Owen Sound’s long playoff run. On the downside, his skating comes and goes, which may be more effort related as he can get to impressive top speeds on occasion. In general, his effort has been known to waver in the late stages of the game.

11 Will Lockwood – Deployed as a two-way, energy forward with the USNTDP, the Canucks drafted Lockwood in the third round in 2016, betting on his tools playing up. Through his freshman year with Michigan, they may be rewarded. He is a high work rate player who always finds his way to the puck. A grinder, he has skill, but has yet to learn his limits, and will sometimes try to do too much, getting into trouble. Projects as a bottom six winger who can provide secondary offense and penalty kill utility.

12 Guillaume Brisebois – A lanky, puck-moving defender, Brisebois is mobile and loves to join the rush as a lead option. Very effective as a power play quarterback in the junior ranks, he is also proficient in his own zone, using his long reach to close gaps and snuff out opposition rushes. After improving his offensive output year-over-year throughout his QMJHL career, he should be ready to face the challenges of the AHL game.

13 Zack MacEwen – Not the toolsiest player in the system, MacEwen has worked his way into an offensive role in the Q, crashing and banging his way from being passed over in the draft three times, to signing a free agent contract with the Canucks late this season. He has a decent enough shot, but his hands may not be an asset at the next level. His physical play will determine his ultimate upside as a pro.

14 Dmitri Zhukenov – Drafted out of Russia in 2015, Zhukenov spent two years learning the North American game in the QMJHL, but will continue his career next year back in Russia with Avangard Omsk. A high motor skilled center, he has above average offensive instincts and is a hard worker in his own zone as well. Due to the undersized forward’s contract situation for the near future, this is a rare case where the “Russian Factor” affects his ranking.

15 Griffen Molino – Another late bloomer, Molino developed into a strong two-way forward as an undrafted player at Western Michigan. Although his offensive numbers appear middling, he can display good offensive vision and some playmaking ability. A solid skater, he is patient with the puck and has plus possession ability. He should be able to play in the NHL in some role, but his ceiling is admittedly limited.

16 Jordan Subban – Smaller and less heralded than his brothers Pernell Karl and Malcolm, Jordan Subban is an exciting player who has power play specialist potential, but is vulnerable in the back through lack of strength or reach, or for lack of effort. He has a very nice wrist shot and is strong with the puck, but his opportunity will be largely a function of whether his coach believes he can fulfill a specific role. As Vancouver’s new head coach was behind the bench in Utica over the past two years, that comfort level may now be in place.

17 Jack Rathbone – One of the top talents playing prep hockey in New England this year, the Harvard commit was able to overcome his small stature at that level through plus skating and always pushing the play forward. He likes to pinch in deep and float around, waiting for a chance to strike. There will be a big adjustment once he moves on to play against a better level of competition, but he has some of the tools needed to be an impact player down the road.

18 Evan McEneny – A decent skating blueliner, the Canucks stole him as a free agent after he went undrafted after being limited by injury to two games in his first draft year. After completing his OHL career, his rookie pro season was mostly spent in the ECHL, but he continued to produce decent offensive numbers in his first AHL season. He has good size, but has never been very physical.

19 Jalen Chatfield – Another undrafted free agent in the Vancouver system, Chatfield is more of a defensive-minded player than McEneny. Generally one of the go-to defensive defensemen on the Memorial Cup winning Windsor Spitfires. His skating is above average, but he lacks the stick handling skills to provide much more than concise first passes to help clear his own zone.

20 Brett McKenzie – Fitting to end this list with another late bloomer, the Canucks drafted McKenzie in the seventh round during his second year of eligibility. McKenzie plays a power forward game when he is on the puck and can be a solid threat barreling down the wing. He can finish himself or dish off to teammates due to advanced vision. May be returned to the OHL for an overage season.

The preponderance of undrafted players making up the back half of the above list is a reminder of the dark recent past that this organization is only now starting to climb out of. While there are certainly many players who have gone from undrafted to long-time NHLers, many more never make it, or have limited roles if they do.

NHL Prospect Watch: Trade Deadline Edition – Moving Prospects – Loov is in the air

Ryan Wagman — Sat, 04 Mar 2017 15:01:25 +0000

A few short days ago, the clock struck three and NHL General Managers across the continent put down their phones and dismissed their staffs to compiling lists for another day. Although NHL Trade Deadline Day was rightly excoriated for being slow and without excitement, 20 trades were finalized on this day to go along with the 11 other swaps consummated in the previous week.

As interesting as the ramifications of Kevin Shattenkirk moving to the American Capital are, you are not reading this space for that type of analysis. You are reading to find out about prospects. There were 19 prospects dealt in the run up to the deadline. For the purpose of this article, I will look at any player who was considered a prospect before the season began, that is, he is no older than 25 and has played no more than 25 games in the NHL. I will also ignore the waiver claim of former Anaheim Duck Joseph Cramarossa by Vancouver (meh) and the signing of former New York Ranger draft pick Ryan Mantha by Edmonton (nice). The profiles will be brief at first, and expand as we move from lower-likelihood NHLers to those with glowing profiles.

MONTREAL, CANADA - DECEMBER 26: Sweden's Jonathan Dahlen #27 skates during preliminary round action against Denmark at the 2017 IIHF World Junior Championship. (Photo by Andre Ringuette/HHOF-IIHF Images)

Let the rankings begin!

Daniel Catenacci (New York Rangers, 3/77, 2011 (drafted by Buffalo) – LW/C, Hartford (AHL))

Taken by Buffalo in the third round in 2011 as a scoring winger from Sault Ste. Marie, Catenacci never took another step forward over two more seasons in the OHL. Now in his fourth season in the AHL, he has taken another step back this year, with only 13 points in 50 games for the Rochester Americans. He is system depth.

Kenton Helgesen (Chicago Blackhawks, 7/187, 2012 (drafted by Anaheim) – LW/D, Utah (ECHL))

Helgesen is a big guy who can play both at forward and on the blueline. Now in his second year as a pro, he has yet to play above the ECHL. Putting him above Catenacci is not a statement that he is better any more than it is a reminder that he has yet to wash out, as Catenacci is in danger of doing.

Cody Corbett (Washington Capitals, UDFA, 2014 (signed by Colorado) – D, Hershey (AHL))

Corbett was a significant contributor to the Edmonton Oil Kings’ Memorial Cup win in 2014, a sweet finish to a strong junior career. Now in his third pro season, he has flitted back and forth between the AHL and ECHL for the past two seasons. He has an offensive element to his game, but it is just as likely to hurt his tea as to help it.

Stefan Fournier (Tampa Bay Lightning, UDFA, 2013 (signed by Montreal) – RW, Syracuse (AHL))

Traded last year from Montreal to Arizona, February saw Fournier on the move again, this time to Tampa Bay, in exchange for AHL veteran Jeremy Morin. A pugnacious player with some decent offensive touch during his junior days in the QMJHL, Fournier has retained the pugnacity as a pro. With 11 goals in 139 AHL games, the offensive touch has withered away. He has enough puck skill and shooting prowess that a cameo in the NHL might one day be a possibility if the stars align, but I wouldn’t put any money on it.

Brendan Ranford (Colorado Avalanche, 7/209, 2010 (drafted by Philadelphia, not signed, signed as UFA by Dallas) – LW/RW, San Antonio (AHL))

Ranford has had an odd career. Promising enough for Kamloops in 2010 for the Flyers to take a flyer on him, his increased offense over two more seasons with the Blazers were not enough to push them to offer him a contract. The Stars gave him an AHL contract and rewarded a promising rookie pro season with an ELC. His two subsequent years were stellar by AHL standards, with 110 points in 149 games combined. Earlier this year, the Stars dealt Ranford to Arizona and he went dry in the desert. The Coyotes flipped Ranford to Colorado for 5-6” journeyman Joe Whitney. If Ranford rediscovers his exploits from the last two years, he might earn himself some time up with the Avalanche.

Adam Wilcox (Florida Panthers, 6/178, 2011 (drafted by Tampa Bay) – G, Springfield (AHL))

The trade of Wilcox from Tampa Bay to Florida for journeyman AHLer Mike McKenna raised some eyebrows, as Wilcox is younger and has more upside. Theoretically. He is a fairly athletic netminder, who moves well between the pipes. Unfortunately, the former Minnesota Golden Gopher has some problems when it comes to stopping pucks. His current save percentage of .895 is a career best. There is some talent here, but it is a ways away from being realized.

Grayson Downing (Arizona Coyotes, UDFA (signed by Minnesota) – C, Tucson (AHL))

Part of Arizona’s return in the big Martin Hanzal trade, Downing was in the midst of a let-down follow-up to a promising AHL rookie season last year. The former University of New Hampshire Wildcat has nice hands and good hockey sense, but is held back by very poor skating. He could carve out a nice minor-pro career or take his game to Europe, but his feet will prevent him from sustained success – or even too many full-fledged opportunities – in the NHL.

Sam Carrick (Anaheim Ducks, 5/144, 2010 (drafted by Toronto) – C, San Diego (AHL))

Carrick signed this past offseason with Chicago after he was not offered a contract to re-sign with the Maple Leafs. Carrick, whose younger brother Trevor is in the Carolina system, has a nice blend of skills, but no one element that allows him to stand up above the crowd. He has already had some NHL experience, having played 19 games over two seasons with Toronto, but was never going to get a real chance with Chicago. He was traded along with older AHLer Spencer Abbott to Anaheim for the aforementioned Kenton Helgesen and a 2019 seventh rounder.

Keegan Lowe (Montreal Canadiens, 3/73, 2011 (Drafted by Carolina) – D, St. John’s (AHL))

Keegan Lowe, son of longtime Oiler Kevin Lowe, is not the player his father was. The younger Lowe has a good body for the back line, but plays a very physical game. He is not a pure defensive defenseman, although his work is much stronger in his own end. Lowe is a solid skater and he has cleaned up his game over the four seasons he has now spent in the AHL, lowering his penalty minutes substantially over that time. Unfortunately, his offensive production has stayed pretty stable throughout, as he has scored between 11-14 points in each season.

Reece Scarlett (Florida Panthers, 6/159, 2011 (Drafted by New Jersey) – D, Springfield (AHL)

Scarlett is essentially the inverse of Lowe. This blueliner, moved from New Jersey to Florida for another minor leaguer who is too old for this list (Shane Harper), Scarlett has always put up respectable offensive totals in the AHL, but can be taken advantage of in his own end. He is mobile and is smart with the puck on his stick, a capable minor league power play point man. He will join a crowded blueline in Springfield.

Dillon Heatherington (Dallas Stars, 2/50, 2013 (Drafted by Columbus) – D, Texas (AHL))

The highest drafted player (so far) on this list, Heatherington is a big, broad stay at home blueliner. The former WU-18, WJC, and AHL champion is a decent skater, but loses a step if he has to turn around. His offensive game is minimal. I am not one to buy into the notion of a player having a “winning gene”, but I am happy to state that Heatherington’s game is fairly safe. He will not lead a team to victory, but can pay a role in staving off defeat. If he makes it up to a full time roll in the NHL, expect him to play heavy minutes on the penalty kill.

Philip Samuelsson (Carolina Hurricanes, 2/61, 2009 (Drafted by Pittsburgh) – D, Charlotte (AHL))

Now in his fourth organization, Ulf Samuelsson’s son (and brother of Henrik Samuelsson) started his career in the Penguins’ system, and passed through Arizona and Montreal before moving to Charlotte where his father is currently serving as head coach. Philip is a solid two-way defender for the AHL level, strong at beginning the transition from defense to offense, and should be able to hold down a sixth defender role in the NHL for a mediocre to average team. In spite of very poor numbers this year with St. John’s before the trade, Samuelsson is as good as he is going to be. If he does not add to his total of 13 career NHL games soon, he may never do so. He was traded straight up for Keegan Low, profiled above.

Pheonix Copley (Washington Capitals, UDFA (signed by Washington) – G, Hershey (AHL))

Copley was actually signed to his first pro contract by the Washington Capitals, a free agent after his sophomore season with Michigan Tech. He was traded to St. Louis just over one year later, as part of the return to the Blues along with Troy Brouwer, for T.J. Oshie. Copley has been above average at the AHL level through his pro career, and his current .920 save percentage has him in the top 15 leaguewide. His two NHL cameos with the Blues were forgettable, surrendering a total of six goals in under one and a half games. He has good legs, is calm in the crease and does a nice job in cutting down shooting angles when possible. At 25, he is still young for a goaltender and has the makings of a solid backup at the NHL level down the road.

Zach Sanford (St. Louis Blues, 2/61, 2013 (Drafted by Washington) - LW/C, St. Louis (NHL)

Part of the return to St. Louis in the deadline period’s biggest deal (Kevin Shattenkirk joined the aforementioned Pheonix Copley in going the other way), Sanford has already played enough in the NHL in his first pro season that he will no longer qualify as a prospect in the offseason. Sanford was a strong collegiate player at Boston College, playing with good net drive and showing flashes of plus puck play. He is the type of player who has less to gain by a lengthy AHL apprenticeship. His game is well suited to a bottom six role in the NHL, playing with energy, decent puck handling and the ability play in all three zones. If he does not stick with the Blues from here on out, it will be more because they prefer other players to any feeling that Sanford needs to develop further with the Chicago Wolves in the AHL.

Viktor Loov (New Jersey Devils, 7/209, 2012 (Drafted by Toronto) – D, Albany (AHL))

Traded from Toronto to New Jersey almost two weeks before the deadline, Loov has had a rough season, hampered by injury. That said, I am still a big fan of one of the best open ice checkers in the AHL. His offensive game has promise as well, with a booming point shot. To paraphrase Bono,

Don’t believe in fighting

Can knock you down with hip

He could cut and crack you open

Did you hear what I said?

Don’t believe in when they tell me

His skating’s not pure

He needs to stay healthy

But his game’s unmoored

I, I believe in Loov

Erik Cernak of the Erie Otters. Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

4. Erik Cernak (Tampa Bay Lightning, 2/43, 2015 (Drafted by Los Angeles) D,Erie (OHL))

Cernak, a key part of the return to Tamp Bay from the trade of Ben Bishop to LA, is the only prospect traded this month to still be in junior hockey. Although he has spent the past two seasons with the highflying Erie Otters, Cernak is not an offensive player. As of this writing, he has played 41 games in both of his last two seasons (prior to that he played in Slovakia). His scoring has increased this year from 15 points….to 17 points. Likewise, in four WJC tournaments for his native country, he has a mere three points in 20 combined games. He does show flashes of offensive aptitude, but tends to mind his own end first and foremost. He is a good penalty killer and uses his long reach effectively. He will make his AHL debut next season, and knowing the Lightning, will be given the benefit of time to maximize his development.

Mark McNeill (Dallas Stars, 1/18, 2011 (Drafted by Chicago) – RW/C, Texas (AHL))

Finally, we have a former first rounder on the move. McNeill is a strange case. He has put up solid, if not spectacular, numbers in the AHL year over year, although he slumped somewhat this year. He plays a strong two-way game and demonstrates impressive hockey IQ in all three zones. He is a trusted penalty killer and has plus instincts in the offensive end. He can stickhandle, has a very hard shot from the slot area and will be physical on occasion as well. But he never received a chance with the Blackhawks, receiving only one game in the NHL across four professional seasons. I was surprised when he passed successfully through waivers before the season started, but the Blackhawks were able to use that to their advantage, packaging McNeill with a conditional 2018 fourth rounder to Dallas to re-acquire Johnny Oduya. The Stars would be wise to give him an NHL chance before this year is done.

Nikolay Goldobin (Vancouver Canucks, 1/27, 2014 (Drafted by San Jose) – LW/RW, Utica (AHL))

The main return to the Canucks for the services of Jannik Hansen, Goldobin would be one of the better prospects dealt at any deadline, much less a slowish one such as this. Goldobin is one of the more electrifying puck players outside of the NHL. When he is on his game, he can make good defenders look silly. The knock on him in his draft year and his rookie AHL season was his unwillingness to play hard in his own end. This year, he finally looks to have taken that criticism to heart, showing commitment even when his team did not have the puck. He will never be rugged, but he can be responsible. He has had cameos with the Sharks in each of his past two seasons and will likely receive the call up to Vancouver sooner than later. He is exactly the type of player that Vancouver needed in the fast approaching post-Sedin era.

Jonathan Dahlen (Vancouver Canucks, 2/42, 2016 (drafted by Ottawa) – C/LW, Timra (Allsvenskan))

Between Goldobin and Dahlen, stolen by the Canucks from Ottawa for the aging Alexandre Burrows, the Canucks have finally admitted that they are a rebuilding team. While bottom dwelling Colorado sat on their heels, limiting themselves to a few minor AHL swaps, the Canucks reeled in the two best prospects who were moved this month. Dahlen, scoring at a near point-per-game pace in the Swedish Allsvenskan, the number two league in the country is fourth in league scoring. IF we limit that to players under 20 (he is 19), no one is within six points of him. He also scored five goals in Sweden’s run to the semifinals at this year’s WJC. Ulf Dahlen’s son is a constant threat to defenders with his plus vision, agility, puck skills and strong shot. His contract with Timra is set to expire after this season, and the Canucks should be doing everything possible to ensure that the high scoring teenager crosses the pond this summer. He and Goldobin should be one third of the team’s future top six.

NHL Prospect Watch: Rising in the Pacific

Ryan Wagman — Sun, 12 Feb 2017 17:27:04 +0000

As a perennially high-achieving team, the San Jose Sharks rarely get to draft early. Often enough, by the time late June rolls around, the Sharks do not have a first round pick at all. Last year, they only selected once in the first three rounds of the draft. Coming on the heels of the franchise’s first ever Stanley Cup Finals appearance, no one minded, but this pattern does tend to leave limited chances for the organization to restock the cupboards. This has forced the organization to find much of their next generation in the middle and later rounds of the draft, or outside of the draft altogether.

Looking at the Hockey Prospectus top ten from last year, only two were first rounders and six were taken after the second round in their respective draft years. Three of those skaters, Timo Meier, Kevin Labanc and Marcus Sorensen, have already seen extensive time with the Sharks, and another, Nikolay Goldobin, is expected to receive his chance before the year is out. It is not a coincidence that all four of those players are forwards. The Sharks only placed one blueliner in the top ten and most of the defensemen in the system have disappointed. It would be easy to spend this space talking about Mirco Mueller, a former first rounder who was rushed into the NHL and is now floundering in the AHL, having experienced little to no growth in his game since he was drafted in 2013. Having played in 50 NHL games prior to this season, he did not make our cut-off for prospectdom, so I will instead regale you of tales of former second rounder Julius Bergman (San Jose, 2/46, 2014 – D, San Jose (AHL)).

Seen as an offensive defender with Frolunda in Sweden’s top junior league, he followed that up with a promising season with London in the OHL the next year. He is now in his second AHL season even though he turned 21 only a few months ago. In spite of his promising scoring numbers in the OHL and even this year with the Barracuda (18 points in 38 games), Bergman is not trending in the right direction. I have seen him play many times, and I have never been impressed. As a junior-aged player, he could be worse than ineffective in his own zone. Now, he is simply weak in the back, too often losing his man and one of the last options his team will look to when killing a penalty or holding on to a late lead.

He is not a hopeless cause with his age and smooth puck carrying skills still in his favor. He is a decent skater and his frame has filled out enough for him not to be a pushover. While he gets plenty of ice time on the power play, it is more due to his skills moving the puck along the point as his shot is unimpressive. In addition to the aforementioned Mueller, Tim Heed and Joakim Ryan both of whom entered this season largely unheralded as prospects, have passed Bergman on the depth chart for the Sharks.

September 21, 2015: Edmonton Oilers Defenceman Joey LaLeggia (84)

Joey LaLeggia (Edmonton, 5/123, 2012 – D, Bakersfield (AHL))

After struggling through a rookie professional season in which he was frequently shuttled back and forth from defense to the wing, former Hobey Baker Award finalist Joey LaLeggia seems to be finding his legs in his second season in the circuit. Standing only 5-9”, the former University of Denver standout was mostly a prospect afterthought before his explosive senior year with the Pioneers.

He failed to impress as a rookie pro as, despite his occasional offensive flashes and clearly plus skating ability, LeLaggia would take risk after risk in moving the puck, too many of which ended up back in his own zone, if not in his net, sooner than later. Combined with a few too many untimely minors, and it was easy for Oilers fans to lose sight of what he could do. Now playing a more consistent role on the back-end for the Condors, LaLeggia has been making better decisions about when and how to move the puck. He plays the game at a very fast pace and has a plus point shot. I am not suggesting that LaLeggia is the next Brian Rafalski, the archetype of the small puck mover. More realistic is another M-A Bergeron.

The Oilers blueline is deeper now than it has been in some time, with the additions of Adam Larsson and Kris Russell both being felt positively in the standings. LaLeggia is unlikely to garner a callup this year outside of an emergency situation, but he is putting himself in line to get another contract after his ELC expires this summer. That was no sure thing a few months ago. His experience on the wing may also help opportunity shine on his door.

Jonny Brodzinski (Los Angeles, 5/148, 2013 – C/RW, Ontario (AHL))

First a disclaimer: I wanted to write about Paul LaDue, but he was recently recalled to Los Angeles, and even though he has only played in one NHL game by the time of this writing, it felt like cheating. That’s OK, though. Brodzinski is a good one.

The oldest of three hockey player Brodzinski boys (Michael is a defenseman in the Sharks’ system, and Easton has been lighting it up in the USHL this year), Jonny is an unheralded high skill player waiting for his chance to play in the NHL. As a rookie pro last year, he showed flashes of offensive talent, most notably a shot that graded out as near elite by former Hockey Prospectus contributor Jason Lewis.

Now clearly more comfortable with the pace of play in the AHL, he is coming into his own. After contributing only 28 points in 65 games as a rookie, he now has 32 in 42. Not only is his shot a weapon to be respected, by the Big Brodzinski is a plus skater with a great pair of mitts. He is brawnier than he was last year or during his time with St. Cloud State but does not play a very physical game. As the Kings have good depth at right wing, his most likely path to regular NHL work is to prove that he can hack it as a center. He should be challenging Nick Shore for a job by training camp next fall.

Thatcher Demko (Vancouver, 2/36, 2014 – G, Utica (AHL))

Professional hockey is hard. Pretty much any player who gets to step on the ice for an AHL team (much less one in the NHL) was the best on their team at many points throughout their youth. Demko, one of the higher profile prospects in the Vancouver system, can also lay claim to having been the best netminder in the entire NCAA last year, closing the season by being named the winner of the Mike Richter Award for the top collegiate goaltender.

Demko still has many of the attributes that excited scouts and pundits before being the second goalie drafted in 2014. He is still 6-4” with the legs of a spider. He is still a very competitive netminder, pushing through crease scrums to get to loose pucks or to pounce on rebounds. His lateral movement is impressive, giving him strong post-to-post mobility. These are all great things to say about a young goalie and Demko remains among the top five-ten goaltending prospects in the game. However (you must have known this was coming) he is still rather raw. He is working on his positioning, which can be a glaring weakness at times, as it can lead to some unfortunate rebounds from which he cannot recover. Further, his long legs can leave him susceptible to “Big five hole syndrome”.

Demko has been splitting time between the pipes for Utica with journeyman Richard Bachman, although Bachman has put up slightly better numbers thus far. Either way, he is not stopping nearly as many pucks for the Comets as he did for BC. Vancouver starting netminder Ryan Miller will be a UFA after this season, but there is not yet any indication that Demko will be ready to take over next year. He still projects as an even money to grow into an NHL start down the road, but not before the 2018-19 season.

Kevin Roy (Anaheim, 4/97, 2012 – LW, San Diego (AHL))

Like Demko, Roy is another collegiate star who is having to learn how to make the necessary adjustments at the AHL level. Unlike Demko, who peaked in his final NCAA season, Roy actually had his worst experience as a senior at Northeastern, as he dealt with an injury that cost him close to a quarter of his last year, cutting into his raw offensive totals and hampering him when he was healthy enough to suit up.

With 27 points in his first 41 games in the AHL, Roy is at least showing that he can still produce fine offensive numbers against more seasoned and more talented competition. Those are certainly respectable totals for a rookie professional. Where he still has room for growth (outside of being generally small) is in his decision making. Roy is a skill player. He was one of the most electrifying puck players in NCAA hockey over the past few seasons. While he can still dazzle, the risks that he got away with frequently in college come at higher costs now. At 5-10” and a slight 170 pounds, he does not look like, nor does he play like, a typical bottom six forward. As a top six type (full disclaimer – I believe the league is trending towards a top nine + energy line instead of a traditional top six/bottom six split) he needs to hone his game and learn to better recognize the situations wherein risk taking will be rewarded and better avoid those lower upside plays.

The line between an AHL star who cannot play in the NHL and a superstar can be thin at times. For a league that is generally risk-averse, Roy’s biggest challenge is in proving that he will not make a coach look stupid. That may not be the best approach for building a winning hockey club, but it is the world in which we live. It is too early to write the book on Roy, as he can still go in either direction.

Adin Hill (Arizona, 3/76, 2015 – G, Tucson (AHL))

A workhorse in the WHL for the Portland Winterhawks, Adin Hill has been very quick to find his sea legs in the AHL. One good way to judge goalies in leagues of varying quality is to compare their save percentage to that of their counterparts. The Roadrunners have used three netminders thus far. Journeyman veteran Justin Peters has a 0.868 save percentage in 12 appearances. Marek Langhamer has stopped 91.8% of shots in 10 games in his second year in the AHL. Hill, in 22 games, has a 0.921 save percentage. Only three netminders with at least 20 games played in the AHL have stopped a higher percentage of shots.

At 6-3”, 185, Hill has the ideal goalie frame. He covers the net well and remains calm under pressure. More a shot blocker than a pure butterfly netminder, he is best covering the center and lower half of the net. He has notably impressive rebound control and is not without some puck playing skills.

If the Coyotes were a more competitive team, they would do well to consider sending down the struggling Louis Domingue and bringing up Hill to back-up the venerable Mike Smith. As Arizona is one of the few teams that is clearly out of contention this early (in truth, they have been out of it from day two of the season – they lost five in a row after winning their season opener), there is no need to rush Hill. The best course of action now is to allow him to continue stopping pucks for Tucson and then give him a chance to compete for an NHL job next season.

Brandon Hickey (Calgary, 3/64, 2014 – D, Boston University (Hockey East))

Drafted as an offensive blueliner out of the AJHL in 2014, Hickey entered college hockey with a bang, with a 17 point freshman season. Although he made Canada’s WJC entry as a sophomore, the season was viewed by many as a disappointment, with his scoring totals dropping to a mere eight points on the season. He still demonstrated a great set of skills on a regular basis, replete with plus mobility and high end shooting and puck skills. Thankfully, he also showed promising development in the defensive side of the game.

Now a junior, Hickey has combined the offensive output from his freshman season with the defensive utility from his follow-up campaign. Playing on the primary penalty killing unit for the BU Terriers, a squad with six NHL drafted defensemen is a testament to his trustworthiness in the back. He has an average sized frame and does not shy away from physical play although he will never be mistaken for a bruiser. It would be fair to state that he does not make life easy for opposing forwards. He has an active stick which helps him to break up plays and pick off loose pucks. He transitions very smoothly in either direction, turning back to his defensive duties as quickly as he gets up for an offensive foray.

If I have any concern at all for Hickey’s future projection it is his skating. His stride can be adequate in small areas, as he is agile and his first few steps are strong enough. When it comes to races, or long distance play, he leaves me with some questions. All told, I can give him an average skating grade, but feel that he can be exploited on long range break out passes. The Flames are deep on the blueline and so can afford to give him time in the AHL to hone his game. After the season he is having, I expect him to suit up in Stockton by next fall.

NHL Prospect Watch: San Jose Sharks

Ryan Wagman — Thu, 16 Jun 2016 20:38:17 +0000

Never known for having a great system in place, the San Jose Sharks have combined player development with astute free agent signings and smart trades of draft picks (future assets) for current roster players (present assets) to forge a Stanley Cup competitor. Being able to draft a superstar like Joe Pavelski in the seventh round, and sign European afterthoughts like Melker Karlsson and Joonas Donskoi (himself a fourth round pick of Florida who never came to terms) as free agents provide reminders that there are more ways to build winners than by the tear-down method recently espoused by the likes of the Edmonton Oilers, Buffalo Sabres and Toronto Maple Leafs. Sure, there are former San Jose first rounders on the roster, such as Mr. Shark, Patrick Marleau (2^nd overall, 1997), and Logan Couture (9^th overall, 2007), but that is it. Mirco Mueller (18^th overall, 2013) has exhausted his prospect eligibility, largely by virtue of the 39 games he played for the Sharks as a 19-year old last season, but that developmental error has set the Swiss blueliner back considerably on his path to a legitimate NHL role. Still a smooth skater who should fit the mold of the modern, mobile/puck moving blueliner, he instead all too often reverts to a “safe” style game, rushing his puck movements as soon as he can, as if he had made up his mind before the puck even reached his stick. The tools are still there for Mueller, and age is still definitely on his side, but he would have been far better off having spent another year with Everett last year and spending all of this season with the AHL Barracuda, instead of wasting last year collecting throw away minutes for the Sharks blueline when he was not consigned to the press box. The Sharks are still hoping for another Justin Braun type, but he is not there now, and I would not expect him to reach NHL-level proficiency until he spends at least one more full season in the AHL.

Thankfully, the Sharks exhibited more patience with their 2014 first rounder, Nikolay Goldobin (27^th overall, 2014), although it is possible that that decision was made easier by the young Russian import’s decision to play in Finland in his first post-draft year, leaving the Sarnia Sting of the OHL for HIFK Helsinki. Goldobin held his own as a 19-year old in Finland’s top men’s league, with 21 points in 38 games, and came back to North America to end the season, playing nine regular season and four postseason games for the Sharks AHL affiliate, which was then situated in Worcester. That set the stage for this season, spent almost entirely (outside of a few brief call-ups to the big club) in the AHL with the San Jose Barracuda. With 44 points in 60 AHL games, the season proved that Goldobin can play with the adults in North America. Among 21 and under players in the circuit, only two (Mikko Rantanen and Kevin Fiala) outscored Goldobin. While Goldobin still has a ways to go to be considered a two-way threat, considering his defensive zone game that is still in the early stages of his development, as he often simply watches the puck and waits for one of his teammates to create a turnover before activating his legs. Once in a while, he will make an attempt to pressure or rattle the puck carrier, but will peel off, if it does not pay off quickly. At 5' 11”, 185 lbs, he is still physically unprepossessing, and his physical game is altogether pretty ineffective. With a player like Goldobin, it is easy to get lost in the downside. Don Cherry would hate this guy. Doing so, however, would blind us to an immensely talented puck player. He is an exceptional skater with high end puck skills. When the puck is on his stick, Goldobin is a game breaker. His playmaking abilities are very exciting and when he elects to shoot, his hands are ready to fire instantaneously. His offensive game is ready to contribute at the NHL level. With 11 returning forwards (assuming that Hertl and Nieto sign as RFAs), the Sharks will have a spot available for Goldobin next year. With the amount of experience, talent and dependability on the roster should allow them to bring him along slowly, shielding him with favorable zone starts and opportunities to succeed instead of fail.

(Thanks to Hockey Prospectus author Jason Lewis for notes on Mueller and Goldobin, and other AHL Sharks prospects profiled in this article.

Sticking with the theme of first rounders, we will spend a few sentences on the team’s 2015 pick, Timo Meier (9^th overall, 2015) of the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies in the QMJHL. As much as this byline avoids CHL players, with a shallow system such as this, it would be a disservice to skip a dynamic two-way force like Meier – the third CHL-playing European first rounder taken by the Sharks in three years. That trend will end this summer, as the Sharks’ 2016 first rounder was traded last offseason to Boston as part of the package for starting netminder Martin Jones. The sharks reward for missing the playoffs in 2015, Meier began last season tearing up the Q with an otherwise moribund Halifax team, averaging just over 1.5 points per game before he was traded to the Huskies at the Q trade deadline. With the stacked Rouyn-Noranda squad, Meier had less responsibility on his shoulders and his scoring rate subsequently fell (51 points in 29 games), but he was a monster for his team as they won the Q championship and made it to the Memorial Cup final, with a combined 31 points in 23 postseason games.

At 6-1”, 209, Meier has the frame of an adult and plays like one. In other words, his game resembles the prototypical Saskatchewaner than Swiss. His top speed is short of elite, but he makes up for it with a plus first 2-3 steps. When e lowers his head, he can blow by coverage to the outside. He has great strength from hair to toe. When he has possession, he is very hard to strip off the puck, which is due to both to strong as well as quick hands. Very much a heads-up player, Meier tends to look to set up his teammates before deciding to fire on net himself. This is somewhat unfortunate, for although he is a good playmaker, his shot is high end, particularly his wrister, with which he can pick his spots. He also has a mature two-way component to his game, as he does well to identify lackadaisical work by opponents and will pounce on loose/errant pucks and create turnovers. While his size is plus for Junior Hockey, it is closer to average for the pro game and I expect his physical nature to dimish somewhat once he leaves the Quebec league behind. That said, he has a full enough frame that I expect him to at least hold his own physically in the NHL. Speaking of the NHL, he should get a chance to prove himself at the NHL level next season. He is more ready to make an early breakthrough than either of Mueller or Goldobin were.

Another CHL prospect of the Sharks who should not escape notice is former Barrie Colt Kevin Labanc (171^st overall, 2014) who signed an ELC in early March and aged out of the league once the Colts were eliminated in the OHL semifinals. The first thing people notice about Labanc is his eye-popping scoring totals over the past two seasons, as he put up 234 points over 133 regular season games. Last season, he topped the OHL in both assists and points. Now come the caveats. Barrie has been a very good offensive team in both seasons, and Labanc was on stacked lines. In 2014-15, he played mostly with Joseph Blandisi, who has already made waves in the NHL with the New Jersey Devils, and Andrew Mangiapane, a Flames draft pick. Last year, he played with Mangiapane again and Justin Scott, who recently signed as a free agent with Columbus. In other words, he was not putting up those numbers unassisted. His tool set is also not commensurate with someone with such high scoring totals. While his hands and offensive vision are high end, his skating is only slightly above average and while proficient at the two-way game in junior, Labanc will not be competing for Selke Trophies. His shot is actually below average. His goals generally come from being in the right place at the right time. He lacks the release or power to score much from his shot as a stand-alone tool. Labanc will not be given a free ride into the NHL and will need at least one full season at the AHL level to get used to the higher speeds and more limited space on the ice with which to maneuver. If he can hone his off-puck play (he does not have as far to go as Goldobin), he can emerge in 2017-18 or 2018-19 as a solid third line type with higher offensive upside.

The Sharks also had two 2015 draft picks plying their trades with the Chicago Steel of the USHL in defencemen Karlis Cukste (130^th overall, 2015) and Adam Parsells (160^th overall, 2015). Although the latter has the size that scouts dream on, the former is by far the more intriguing pro prospect at the moment. Cukste, a Latvian national who chose to play in the USHL instead of joining Rouyn-Noranda, who held his CHL rights, has committed to play college hockey at Quinnipiac next season. An all zones defender, he impresses with his hockey IQ, own zone play, physical nature and short-windup slapshot. His skating may hold him back, but Quinnipiac has done a good job recently developing blueliners (see Devon Toews and Connor Clifton) and I expect Cukste to find a niche there. Parsells, on the other hand, is a project. Standing 6-6”, he has fantastic height and reach, but he is also rail thin, weighing 192 pounds and has no other standout tools besides his verticality. Used extensively as a stay-at-home blueliner this past season with the Steel, he demonstrated capacity for decent positioning, but he would frustrate by literally never playing physically. The hope for the Sharks is that he develops more of an edge to his game (like his former teammate, Cukste) during his time with the Badgers. At this point, it is far more likely that they let Parsells play out his full four seasons of eligibility than Cukste.

The Sharks have never been averse to drafting college-bound prospects in the mid- to late-rounds of the draft and they sometimes grow up to become bonafide prospects. One, in particular, Gage Ausmus (151^st overall, 2013) wore the “C” for North Dakota this year as that team ended the year as NCAA champs. Ausmus is not an exciting player, and Sharks fans can look at current third pairing blueliner Roman Polak as a template he might be able to fill in the next few seasons. Ausmus has only OK mobility and puck skills, but makes a lot of little plays well and has a sufficient level of physicality to his game to suggest those two traits might carry him through a long professional career. The former USNTDP defender needs repeated viewings to notice, but the way he defends two-on-ones, or uses his stick to separate his opponent from the puck are easy to appreciate. He is too prone to chipping the puck out of his zone without exploring other options, but I think that can fixed through training.

Another intriguing collegiate blueliner is Michigan Tech’s Cliff Watson (168^th overall, 2012). Another team captain, Watson is similarly a high IQ defender with a physical edge but not much in the way of puck skills. Unlike Ausmus, Watson is more likely to look for a pass than a chip, but more often than not, he makes the safe play. Instead of using his stick to defend, Watson is also more likely to use his body to stop the opponent in his tracks. Both Watson and Ausmus are expected to return to their respective schools for their senior seasons.

Finally, harkening back to their successes with Donskoi and Karlsson, the Sharks signed a pair of European free agents this summer to improve their organizational depth. This year, both signees came from the Djurgardens club in SHL. According to Hockey Prospectus author Jimmy Hamrin, Lithuanian netminder Mantas Armalis is coming off a great season, having beat out former NHL goalie Mikael Tellqvist for the starting job. He is a big butterfly goalie who plays close to the goal line and exhibits great reflexes. He sees real NHL potential in the coming years. As for LW Marcus Sorensen, he is more of a flashy, creative forward, but who might have more of an adjustment period to the North American game, as most of his best work has been at least somewhat from the benefit of the extra room on the ice that comes with the European game. He is fast and has plenty of puck skills, but is undersized and lacks functional strength as well. Hamrin’s other main concern with Sorensen is that he did not take any real developmental steps forward in the past year, suggesting that he has already peaked. In a top six role, he might be able to thrive, but the Sharks may not be ready to carry him in that role.

Youngblood: The fab five – Ontario strong

Brendan Ross — Wed, 07 May 2014 12:15:02 +0000

Ontario hockey is as strong as ever with the long line of NHL stars emerging from the Ontario Hockey League. Each of the OHL’s 20 franchises contributed to the NHL landscape in some way or another. The London Knights have sent first round selections Rick Nash, Corey Perry, Patrick Kane, Sam Gagner and Nazem Kadri onto successful NHL careers. The Sault Ste Marie Greyhounds are best known for contributing Wayne Gretzky and Paul Coffey but have also added current stars Joe Thornton and Jeff Carter. Sarnia Sting gun slinger Steven Stamkos has relocated his ability of sniping goals to warm Tampa Bay. Windsor Spitfires’ alum Taylor Hall is electrifying fans in Edmonton with his blazing speed. On Long Island, former Oshawa Generals star John Tavares has emerged as one of the NHL’s newest superstars.

The OHL has routinely churned out all-star prospects and it’s a trend that won’t disappear anytime soon. The 2013 NHL Entry Draft featured a league high eight first round selections from the OHL, highlighted by the Calgary Flames’ 6^th overall selection of Ottawa 67’s pivot Sean Monahan. In total, 37 players were chosen in seven rounds at the 2013 draft, the most from any league. As players flock to the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, it’s expected that even more OHL players will hear their names called in the opening round. With 20 of the 40 invitees, the OHL dominated the 2014 BMO CHL/NHL Top Prospect Game in Calgary in January. NHL Central Scouting lists 14 skaters from the OHL among its top 30 North American ranked players. The OHL bloodlines are as strong as ever in the National Hockey League.

As all eyes set on the draft eligible prospects from the Ontario League, let’s break down its top treasures starting with the top five and ending with some honourable mentions.

Ekblad defining exceptional

Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

Capping off a strong freshman season by winning the Emms Family Award as the OHL Rookie of the Year, Ekblad displayed considerable improvements in his skating and began to silence criticisms of his oft-debated “offensive limitations”.

Fast forward two seasons.

As his draft season draws to a close, Ekblad filled his trophy case with Ivan Hlinka gold and the 2013-14 Max Kaminsky Trophy as the OHL’s Most Outstanding Defenseman. He’s the unanimous top defenseman in the 2014 draft in a class lacking top-end star defensemen and exemplifies leadership, poise and maturity. Offensively, Ekblad has launched his game to new levels showing improved confidence and puck skills that top-pairing defensemen require. He doesn’t possess the puck rushing ability of an Erik Karlsson or the intimidating physicality of Shea Weber but he’s proven to be above average in almost every facet of the game.

The gem of the OHL class is Barrie Colts’ defenseman Aaron Ekblad, who has exceeded expectations in each of his three seasons dating back to his rookie year as a 15-year-old underage player. The Belle River native was the second player, and first defenseman, to be granted “exceptional status” by Hockey Canada and he has been on an upward trajectory ever since. It was Ekblad’s efficient point shot that has served as his offensive launching pad displaying an ability to get pucks through traffic on net, resulting in a league-leading 23 goals from the blueline. Ekblad also topped the OHL in power play goals (16) showing that his offensive game has some serious upside. Besides growing an caveman-like beard that grown men are envious of, Ekblad possesses the exceptional hockey sense, size and two-way skill set to draw interest right out of the gates at the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. He’s a potential cornerstone defender and a player who should be ready to step right into an NHL lineup.

The accomplished Ekblad doesn’t stand alone at the top of the OHL class, as pivot Sam Bennett has assembled loads of praise from the scouting community and will serve as Ekblad’s biggest challenger from the OHL.

Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

Indicative by the sweater number 93 he wears, Sam Bennett grew up as a Maple Leafs’ fan idolizing Dougie Gilmour for the way he played the game with skill, grit and passion. Now as a young man, Sam Bennett is realizing a dream playing for Gilmour’s Kingston Frontenacs team as its star forward, in a similar mold as his idol. Although blessed with a dazzling offensive skillset featuring soft hands and an innate scoring ability, Sam Bennett receives the most praise for his intangibles that include an unmatched compete level, leadership services and in-game adaptability. He mixes it up in all four corners whether he’s attacking or defending and the big-game pivot will unquestionably be on the ice during the final minutes of close games after earning a reputation as a clutch player.

Bennett’s game starts with an exceptional skating stride that keeps opponents on their heels and uses his advanced hockey sense to gain ideal positioning in the attacking areas of the rink. He is a player who has become unpredictable, either unleashing a quick shot or utilizing creative vision and playmaking gifts as a setup man. In just his second season, Bennett was arguably the OHL’s most consistent player and his 25-game point streak that witnessed him tally 17 goals and 46 points was the second longest in the league. With a scrappy-in-your-face competitive style, the skilled Sam Bennett may be the most complete forward available, making him a worthy first overall selection.

Finding sophomore stardom

Common dialogue in hockey circles suggest the top pick from the OHL is a two horse race with Ekblad and Bennett as the heavy favourites but don’t overlook Oshawa Generals’ forward Michael Dal Colle. After an unexpected breakout rookie campaign that watched him collect an impressive 48 points, Dal Colle’s encore performance in his sophomore season was scoring a remarkable 39 goals and 95 points to lead all draft eligible skaters and finish top five in league scoring.

His game receives mixed reviews from analysts but he remains high on Youngblood’s list. Knocked for his effort at times in a similar way that Joe Thornton receives criticism, Dal Colle’s analytical and calculated approach often portrays his effort as lackadaisical but do not mistake that for him lacking a competitive drive because that would be drastically incorrect. Possessing creative vision and patience with the puck, Dal Colle’s playmaking skills are often understated. Particularly strong on the powerplay, Dal Colle dissects opposing defences quickly with creative back door blind passes for easy tap-ins. Equally impressive is the young man’s shooting arsenal as he possesses one of the best shots in the league. He has not perfected how to use his size and physicality efficiently but it’s an element that can easily be worked on. If he can add some snarl and pushback to his game, Dal Colle stands a good chance to tap into his star potential.

An old school prospect

Photo by Aaron Bell/OHL Images

Next on the rankings is Peterborough’s intimidating power forward Nick Ritchie, the one OHL skater with the size, strength, skill set and pedigree to develop into a true superstar. Ritchie is far from a sure bet to reach superstar status but he’s got a chance. He is a massive physical presence who moves with ease hunting down pucks using great stick skills and crushing body checks. Willing to drop the mitts to defend a teammate, Ritchie plays on the edge, as evident by his 136 penalty minutes (5^th in the OHL), and it’s this bull-in-a-china-shop approach that is so appealing to NHL scouts. Questioned for his wavering effort, Ritchie hasn’t exactly performed with ideal consistency but he has also been on a struggling franchise his entire OHL career so stagnant periods can be normal.

The tide is turning in Peterborough as the future looks bright and the same can be said for Nick Ritchie. His brother, Brett, was a second round selection of the Dallas Stars and hit his stride later in his junior career. The potential is high for Nick Ritchie and when he’s on his game, few can dominate a game like this Orangeville native. That domination alone may be worth the high investment. He is cut from the same cloth as Milan Lucic and what NHL team wouldn’t want that throwback style of power forward.

A 'dog that lacks bite

Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

Rounding out the top five wasn’t an easy process as several OHLers received considering including Sault Ste. Marie’s Jared McCann, Guelph’s Robby Fabbri and Sarnia’s Nikolay Goldobin. In the end, Niagara’s Brendan Perlini’s size, intelligence and skating abilities edged out his draft mates. Stamping his place inside the Top 10 early in the season after coming out of the gates hot, Brendan Perlini impressed with a well-balanced puck possession game. He made a living shielding opponents from pucks along the boards and walking off the wall to unleash a deadly shot. Perlini uses his combination of speed and puck skills to back up defenders, and his net drive and hunger for the loose puck speaks volumes of his love for scoring goals. And boy, can this kid score goals. Perlini scored 16 goals with the man advantage tying Aaron Ekblad for the lead among draft eligible skaters in the Ontario league.

Had Perlini showed scouts that he can play a more consistent physical game, he may have moved up the rankings into the top 5. For teams looking to add a sizeable winger with poise and natural scoring instincts, Brendan Perlini will be a hot target.

The abovementioned five OHL prospects are great players with appealing upsides but the pool of talent doesn’t end there. The 2014 NHL Draft class has been deemed average by most analysts and it’s an accurate assessment given the lack of a sure-fire stud prospect. However, some of the drafts most talented prospects are those that have grown accustomed to being critiqued, for varying reasons. Opting to go outside of the box to select these prospects may prove worthwhile gambles down the road given that their offensive ceilings are similar to those previously mentioned.

Building a captain

Jared McCann is one of the safest OHL skaters in terms of eventually playing in the NHL as this mature two-way forward packs both skill and intelligence into a competitive personality. McCann’s best weapon is his shot but he’s become a desired commodity because of his projectable intangibles. McCann slowed down as the season progressed finishing just shy of point-per-game numbers but scouts are more infatuated with his overall two-way presence and contributions behind the scenes.

Fabbri-ulous finish

Enjoying a long successful playoff run to cap off a fantastic season has been the perfect scenario for undersized skilled forward Robby Fabbri. A Youngblood favourite dating back to his OHL draft season, Robby Fabbri is a tremendously gifted offensive talent that uses his elite hockey intelligence, poise and competitive drive to get the job done. He’s a big game player rising to the occasion and despite critics trying to knock him down because of his size, he continues to push on…rising higher, and higher with each passing game. Sure, Fabbri plays on a star-studded Guelph Storm roster and his 45 goals (leading all draft eligible) may have been inflated slightly but this youngster knows how to exploit the goal scoring areas. Despite playing in a smaller frame, Fabbri thrives around the blue paint using his creative passing abilities to feed quick tricky passes to waiting teammates. Adding strength will be a priority but it’s the only attribute that is keeping Robby Fabbri from being a sure-fire top 10 selection. Fabbri’s doing his best Jeff Skinner impersonation heading down the playoff stretch and don’t count out this hungry forward in his quest to exceed everyone’s expectations.

Gold’n hands

Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

Carrying a Russian passport never helps your case but Nikolay Goldobin has done all he could to abolish the traditional fleeing Russian stereotype. Finishing one point shy with 94 points of leading all draft eligible skaters in the OHL, Nikolay Goldobin was a dynamic offensive threat on every night for the Sarnia Sting. He enjoyed a 22-point game streak posting 21 goals and 43 games.

He’s the most creative and gifted puck handler in the OHL and is capable of highlight reel action every time he hits the ice. Defensively, Goldobin will require more coaching and while his work ethic gets questioned because he’s not an in-your-face attacker, he does play hard in traffic by using a strategical approach. Goldobin thrived on the OHL’s last place team but it shouldn’t be forgotten that he was a true standout among his CHL draft peers at the Top Prospect game. Teams will weigh the risk-reward factors of selecting a fairly one-dimensional Russian in Nikolay Goldobin but his offensive talents are considered top 5 worthy and he is looking like he could be a steal if he slides outside of the top 20.

The fire of passion

Staying in Sarnia, Anthony DeAngelo led the OHL in points (71) and his 15 goals (3^rd), 56 assists (1^st among draft eligible skaters) and 30 powerplay assists (3^rd) were among the top. No one doubts DeAngelo’s offensive production as this undersized smooth-skating defenseman controls the game with ease from the back end. Tricky puck handling skills, creative vision and precise passing allows DeAngelo to push the pace with utmost confidence. He’s a passionate competitor who loves to win but his short temper and volatile attitude has been well documented, and resulted in several team and league induced suspensions. Based on talent alone, Anthony DeAngelo would be snatched up inside the top 15 but some teams have crossed him off their lists entirely. Look for the interview process at the NHL Combine to be an important element in determining DeAngelo’s ultimate draft fate as teams look for answers from this skilled defenseman.

Opening round curtain call

The dynamic skating Josh Ho-Sang, mobile two-way defender Roland McKeown, developing power forward Ryan MacInnis, raw skilled pivot Eric Cornel, athletic netminder Alex Nedeljkovic and skilled agitator Brendan Lemieux are just a few players to keep tabs on as potential first round selections.

Two months remain until the 2014 NHL Entry Draft commences on June 27^th at the Wells Fargo Center and it marks an event full of unpredictability but one thing is for certain, the Ontario Hockey League will be well represented on day one of the draft.

Be sure to follow the McKeen’s Hockey (@mckeenshockey) Youngblood series as Brendan Ross (@RossyYoungblood) continues to break down the happenings inside the hockey prospect world.

Anthony DeAngelo, Nikolay Goldobin provide Sarnia’s offensive Sting

David Burstyn — Mon, 14 Apr 2014 12:36:22 +0000

There’s a lot to like about Anthony DeAngelo and Nikolay Goldobin’s playmaking abilities.

Both the defender and the forward were the unheralded offensive leaders on the last-place Sting. DeAngelo produced at a clip unmatched by the league’s top defensemen, but unfortunately didn’t let his play do all the talking.

Goldobin displayed the same brilliant offensive flashes seen in his rookie season. The lack of a strong supporting cast didn’t diminish his attributes when scouts finally got to see how his skills could translate when playing with the elite at the CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in January.

Goldobin’s name is attached to history. Last season, the Russian forward scored four times, including the overtime winner, against the London Knights, which ended their 24-game winning streak – one shy of tying the Canadian Hockey League record.

His game, like his teammates DeAngelo’s, isn’t complete, but the offensive dimensions will be appealing for teams at the draft.

Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

Led the OHL in defenseman scoring despite only playing 51 games (51-15-56) .. a highly-skilled, offensive-minded player who has exceptional game-reading ability .. extremely quick and agile with the puck - he can slow down the pace of a game .. a masterful puck-carrier who can easily rush the puck up ice or make a stellar first pass .. an effective PP option due to his strong ability to walk the line – he’s always able to get the puck into a better shooting/scoring lane .. skating is crisp, fast and he possesses multiple gears of acceleration .. lacks authority in his defensive situations .. allows players behind him and makes it easy to gain position in front of his net .. undersized with a diminutive appearance on the ice .. suspended for eight games for inappropriate comments directed at a teammate .. inability to harness his emotions leads to DeAngelo becoming quickly frustrated and losing his cool which subtracts from his overall game .. although he’s one of the draft’s most skilled puck-rushing defensemen, DeAngelo comes with questions and a “buyer beware” tag.

Photo by Terry Wilson / OHL Images.

Finished seventh in league scoring following a 22 game point scoring streak (11-14-13 to 01-17-14) in which he recorded 44 points .. enjoyed a highly-productive CHL Top Prospects Game where he was able to better demonstrate his abilities to NHL scouts when presented the opportunity to play with better players .. uncanny offensive skills - he has a knack for distributing the puck and holding onto it till the last possible moment .. a puck-possession player who can spearhead a rush .. slick passer - he can fool defenders with the direction of his blade and make strong plays on both his strong and weak side .. terrific ability to settle down bouncing pucks while still in full skating motion .. skating has a subtle quality to it as he can explode on the puck when it is in his general vicinity, however too often he doesn’t accelerate through plays .. a very care-free approach to defence .. can get caught flat-footed in the neutral zone, yet he understands where he needs to be in connection to the play .. Goldobin is an offensive dynamo and considering his supporting cast this season, his numbers are all the more impressive .. he needs to engage more but his offensive ceiling is very high.

CHL Top Prospects Game notebook: Forwards

Grant McCagg — Sat, 15 Feb 2014 12:00:03 +0000

Here are some of the key plays and memorable highlights from the 2014 BMO CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game.

We first reviewed the game and concentrated on the play of just the 12 defencemen participating - and then went back over the contest a third time - with an eye on only the forwards.

Notes are listed below by period - and by the amount of time left in the period.

Here is a list of the defensemen and forwards by team - as they are noted below by only their last names:

DEFENCE

Team Cherry (Red): Anthony DeAngelo Haydn Fleury, Aaron Irving, Roland McKeown, Jacob Middleton, Alexis Vanier

Team Orr (White): Aaron Ekblad, Aaron Haydon, Julius Honka, Brycen Martin, Alex Peters, Ben Thomas,

FORWARDS

Team Cherry (Red): Daniel Audette, Ivan Barbashev, Conner Bleackley, Michael Dal Colle, Robby Fabbri, Nikolay Goldobin, Chase De Leo, Ryan MacInnis, Matt Mistele, Sam Reinhart, Nick Ritchie, Nikita Scherbak

Team Orr (White): Clark Bishop, Blake Clarke, Eric Cornel, Leon Draisaitl, Nikolaj Ehlers, Josh Ho-Sang, Brendan Lemieux, Jared McCann, Brendan Perlini, Brayden Point, Jake Virtanen, Spencer Watson

--------------

1ST PERIOD

16:20 - Lemieux out for a stroll in the park, picks up nobody.. Reinhart gets it alone in front and almost tucks it in. Lemieux carries puck out to neutral zone, gets caught by Barbashev on backcheck.

15:40 - Bad pass by Perlini back to no one at the point, could have been dangerous the other way. Not sure about his vision sometimes.

15:00 - Subtle little play by Fabbri - gets puck along the boards and encounters Virtanen.. as he turns to the boards to make it look like he's going to turn the other way with the puck, he shovels it back to the d-man as he's parallel with the boards...the puck goes right along the boards and Virtanen misses it.

9:17 - Audette tips shot off post, Honka gets it behind net with Audette following. Honka makes a great little fake with the puck that delays Audette just long enough while his teammate gets free and shovels it ahead to Cornel, who decides to try a move to the middle at his blueline instead of either chipping it or taking it along the boards...bad turnover.

9:00 - Ehlers with the rush, then the toe-drag move to the slot and backhand.. puck comes back the other way and Reinhart drives to the net past Haydon, a good example of how Reinhart's speed can be deceptive.

8:30 - Tremendous pressure by the Reinhart line, the puck squirts loose to Draisaitl, who decides to head to the boards with the puck and wipes out without being touched, Dal Colle comes along and outmuscles both Leon and Thomas to get the puck to Barbashev, who was all over on the shift. Had good chemistry with Reinhart in this game. Draisaitl was clearly outmatched when he went head-to-head versus Reinhart, but to be fair he didn't have linemates that were as good.

4:45 - Dal Colle with the first of his many ill-advised cross-ice errant passes on the night, intercepted by Ehlers who knocks it up and then bats it to himself and goes on his famous rush where he pretended to be going around the d-man when he was in fact passing it to Cornel. If he doesn't flub the return pass and puts it in that goal is on every highlight reel all week. Ehlers a little lax on the defensive side a couple of times in this game, but he's a penalty killer in Halifax. His speed is a factor in any circumstance if he uses it. He was guilty of doing a little too much 'thinking' instead of 'doing' at times in this game, but he should have been on the top line, not the fourth. Ehlers falls down a lot, which is surprising for such a great skater. Mind you on some occasions he falls down on purpose to get at a loose puck...he can get up quickly a la Crosby.

4:30 - The pass by Ehlers to Cornel was special, not sure I've seen one quite like it before.

1:35 - The Virtanen brain cramp to let Scherbak get a break, to his credit he skated back to check him. Nice play by Audette to get puck in corner and center it to De Leo in slot.

MacInnis made three decent plays in the first 14 minutes, winning a couple of board battles and checking the puck away. On another occasion an opponent just waltzed around him in the open ice. Agility and first steps are in need of some refinement. I run a little hot and cold on him, mostly cold. Sometimes he looks lost, other times he anticipates the play well. Looks like he needs plenty of teaching, something you don't always expect in an ex-pro's son.....De Leo has a hard shot - had a couple of good scoring opportunities during the game.

2ND PERIOD

19:20 - Dal Colle gets his pocket picked by Draisaitl, who showed some hustle for once in this game, but Draisaitl, loses it back to DC.

18:14 - Ho Sang finds McCann in the sweet spot in the slot.. threaded the needle on the pass between two defenders.. disguised the pass. Nice play by McCann to get to the best spot. Ho Sang and McCann had several nice plays together.. would have liked to see those two with Ehlers.

16:26 - Audette to Scherbak at own blueline. Scherbak decides to try and deflect it off skate to a linemate who misses it. Instead of stopping dead and checking Watson, does a huge lazy loop where he goes outside of his own zone and comes back in covering no one.

15:10 - Dal Colle coughs up puck when McCann comes back to hit him. Great play by Ho Sang to draw opponents to him in the middle of the slot, and then having the vision to spot Perlini for an open shot in a prime scoring spot.

15:00 - The Thomas rush....he had time to wind up so it wasn't as impressive as it first looked I don't think. Check out his right arm swinging up wildly coming up to the opponent's blueline.. he almost wiped out unimpeded.

14:50 - Superb defensive play by Bishop or McKeown springs Ritchie on a break...breaks up the pass with solid defensive awareness.

11:20 - Draisaitl gets the puck at Red blueline, does a complete circle against three checkers until Ekblad is open on the boards.

10:10 - McCann sees the d-man move up on the puck, he circles in behind to make sure the puck carrier has backup as there was danger lurking.

8:00 - Mistele passes when he should have shot.. then tried to skate back hard, which was amusing to watch - looked like he was running, kinda like Fred Flintstone when he's about to take off, feet moving a foot above the ground and Fred not going anywhere. Then when he got back, he turned around in a defensive stance. Honka came coasting in from the red line with the puck, met Mistele, shifted a little to the left and quaintly coasted past him along the boards...Honka never took one stride the whole time. Needless to say agility is not Mistele's forte.

7:15 - White power play. Ehlers in his office on the right half wall, little backhand saucer pass to Ekblad for a good chance. Does it with Drouin all of the time.

5:36 - Point does several sharp give and go's moving up the ice. the pass by Bishop back to Point inside red blueline was excellent. Scherbak is not hard to beat, do not like his defensive play. Point set up Virtanen in front, Bishop nice lateral move to pounce on rebound.

2:40 - Thomas gets pass in his skates, nice play to kick it to his stick and then waltz around Reinhart. Perlini good eye-hand coordination batting down pass 20 inches off ice.

2:25 - Ho-Sang goal. Dal Colle was the goat but Point made the play, nice move to the slot from the wall and good low shot on net that Ho-Sang batted in.

2:20 - Audette makes skilled backhand tip pass to De Leo for great chance, vision-playmaking are his strong points.

0:15 - Draisaitl showed his puck possession skills. Had a few moments in the game and could have had a goal or two with some luck, but skating and lack of intensity were issues.

3RD PERIOD

17:05 - Leon coasts on backcheck on penalty kill, not one stride from center ice to the slot - he takes one stride and he stops Fabbri feed to Scherbak for a good chance.

16:01 - Good pass by McKeown to spring Goldobin, who feeds Mistele who finally shoots. Rebound to Goldy who scores on wraparound. Ho-Sang coasting on the backcheck again.

14:30 - Audette gets walked around easily by Virtanen. Not much presence defensively.

14:08 - Nice pass from McCann to Ho-Sang.

12:15 - Point gets puck in corner, waits for Rhino to make his move, then a little deke to gain free space, gets it to the d-man for a shot.

Goldobin penalty shot - Clarke with a poor play along the boards trying to check Dal Colle, but very half heartedly - should have skated back instead as Ehlers was out of the play behind the net.

11:00 - Ritchie decides to get physical, causes havoc and turnovers because of it. He's like the forward version of Douglas Murray when he hits.

10:35 - Fabbri with smart tip pass to Barbashev who does an inside-out move on Thomas, and drives to the net only to hit the post. Barbashev hard hit on Thomas.

9:00 - Virtanen rush - he and Scherbak were on even footing, Scherbak didn't even come close to touching him, not sure about Scherbak's straight-ahead speed, quicker east to west than north south.

8:45 - Nice pass by De Leo to Bleackley in slot, Bleackley's hands looked poor on that play. Looks like his upside is third liner with average skating.

Sportsnet nominated Fabbri as the hardest working player - can't say I disagree - was very diligent on the forecheck on the penalty kill in particular, threw a few hits, competed. Tied for OHL lead in GWG with 8, and that's with missing ten games. During those ten games Guelph lost five of them....in their 36 games with Fabbri Guelph has lost three times. Has a better work ethic than Ho-Sang, and is much better defensively. I thought it was a good move to pair H-S with McCann. Ho-Sang is more effective with a smart two-way center backing him up.

4:08 - Point gets puck from Ritchie, makes a smart pass to Bishop when he goes to his backhand and shovels it laterally to make sure it's not intercepted. Bishop got it to Virtanen, and he smokes it off the post. Virtanen can really blast the puck.

McKeen's Hockey 2014 Draft Rankings

CHL Top Prospects Game notebook: Defence

Grant McCagg — Fri, 14 Feb 2014 15:08:01 +0000

Here are some of the key plays and memorable highlights from the 2014 BMO CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game.

We first reviewed the game and concentrated on the play of just the 12 defencemen participating - and then went back over the contest a third time - with an eye on only the forwards.

Notes are listed below by period - and by the amount of time left in the period.

Here is a list of the defensemen and forwards by team - as they are noted below by only their last names:

DEFENCE

Team Cherry (Red): Anthony DeAngelo Haydn Fleury, Aaron Irving, Roland McKeown, Jacob Middleton, Alexis Vanier

Team Orr (White): Aaron Ekblad, Aaron Haydon, Julius Honka, Brycen Martin, Alex Peters, Ben Thomas

FORWARDS

Team Orr (White): Clark Bishop, Blake Clarke, Eric Cornel, Leon Draisaitl, Nikolaj Ehlers, Josh Ho-Sang, Brendan Lemieux, Jared McCann, Brendan Perlini, Brayden Point, Jake Virtanen, Spencer Watson

--------------

1ST PERIOD

19:00 - Martin's fist shift, caught flat footed, Red gets good scoring chance, Bleackley robbed by Mason McDonald.

10:40 - DeAngelo and McKeown paired together. DeAngelo leaves player to the side of net, then puck ends up behind the net..both d-men go back there but have no chance of getting puck.

8:50 - Thomas caught pinching again. Hayden and Thomas overwhelmed by Reinhart line at 8:20...been out too long at that point. Hayden made poor decision on who to take at one point, but he had three choices as Thomas was running around taking no one.

Hayden a limited puck mover, got beat to the outside a few times, pivots need work, mind you he was paired with Thomas, who was caught up ice nearly every shift. Martin skated backwards about ten feet in this period, as he was always behind the play. Does not anticipate when to back up very well at times. Honka and McKeown turn over the puck in their own zone too often. Honka gets a lot of his passes intercepted at the blueline.

2ND PERIOD

18:00 - Two minutes in on the chance by McCann - check out the defensive play by DeAngelo and Vanier. Vanier's pivot is horrid... DeAngelo reads the play much too late and then doesn't pressure McCann at all.

17:20 - Check out the play by McKeown. Why does he just blindly dump the puck away the second he gets it..doesn't look anywhere, has lots of time, and just throws it away.

13:15 - Honka passes it to Perlini...what was Perlini doing there...was he not aware of the d-man being there..skated right into Irving, who made a good read to pinch in there and cause the turnover. Perlini looked scared to get hit there...was soft on that play...he makes a play like that in the NHL, he's riding the pine for awhile.

11:50. Strong penalty-killing shift by Fabbri. Excellent forechecking and strong battle on that play. Martin on the other hand was putrid. Not sure why they started a PP with Martin and Peters, but anyway..

11:00 First White goal - DeAngelo on the penalty-kill with Middleton - recipe for disaster. DeAngelo was lost - left Lemieux alone to sit on the goalie.

Red came back 8 seconds later. Not really anyone on White's fault other than Cornel by the look of things...doesn't help that we miss the first three seconds as the camera is still on Lemieux. Nice play by Barbashev along the boards, nice pass by Reinhart, great pass reception and fantastic shot by Dal Colle. That play right there tells you he's a top five guy..pro-style winger with a sniper's shot.

9:55 - Vanier's lead pass to Scherbak was bad...he should have been sprung on a breakaway..Thomas should have been back more covering Scherbak. Poor play by Scherbak not to at least touch it and negate an icing.

8:10 - Chance for Team Red - Honka does not see Mistele coming in on the wing...he had half the ice to himself when he got the pass from Goldobin. Mistele should have either shot or went to the net..small d-man, small goalie..instead he stays outside and passes it back through two opposing d-men to nobody. Goldobin with the old Ribiero deke, fake going outside and sidestep to the inside, it's Goldobin's bread and butter and he usually gets away with it - Martin bit and looked pretty bad on it, but most d-men do the first couple of times they play Goldobin.

6:50 - Clarke scores on the power play. Decent shot, but Nedeljkovic should have come out of his net to cut off the angle. Fleury let Clarke walk in a bit...both he and MacInnis skated to the same spot, leaving Clarke alone. MacInnis looked a little lost on the penalty kill, didn't really know what to do. Good puck movement by Ekblad on the power play.

6:30 - Thomas decides to skate from his side to mid boards in his own zone, and then stands there for a couple of seconds only to be then hopelessly out of the play. Barbashev goes to front of net, Hayden doesn't stand between net and Barb, he stands beside him to the side of the net while his defence partner stands on the same side along the boards. You know where this is going. Barbashev gets the puck, simply pivots towards the net where Hayden can't check him, and dishes the puck to a wide open Reinhart, who is stopped while Ho Sang admires the play.

5:18 - DeAngelo lost in his own end..doesn't take Virtanen, or Bishop afterwards. Good chance.

4:10 - Honka makes a nice play to evade Goldobin, but then passes the puck to Fabbri at the line. Nice intercept and play by Fabbri, but the right play by Honka was along the boards to Ehlers, who chips it out.

3:35 - Vanier gets puck at blueline. Mistele has 40 feet of wide open space to the net, he doesn't see him, wrists a soft shot on net.

3:00 - Thomas burned with moves by Dal Colle a few times in this period. I think perhaps Thomas tried too hard to do things as it was in Calgary, but he ran around more than blueliner in the second period. Dal Colle hits the post with a great chance, Cornel for the second time in period caught sleeping defensively, didn't get between the pass and Dal Colle. Barbashev with the good pass from down low again. Thomas too late to do anything about it as he was running around...Dal Colle's shot was a ten in this game, another rocket.

2:20 - Ho Sang tip goal .. and again DeAngelo doesn't take anyone, deflects it to Ho Sang, who was left alone to tip it. Not totally DeAngelo's fault, a flukey one. Point with a decent play to break into the middle and get a shot on net after intercepting a horrible pass by Dal Colle in the neutral zone. Middleton wasn't great on the play, but not really at fault. Middleton actually played okay in the first two periods. No huge gaffes, worked hard and had decent positioning. Even challenged Lemieux but Claude Jr. wanted no part of him.

3RD PERIOD

17:30 - Middleton made a nice play to kick the puck to his stick and then do a loop inside the white blueline to lose checker, then made decent move around Haydon to drive to net, but was in too close.

16:05 - Good hit by Peters on Fabbri, played the man, not the puck.

14:40 - Strong play by Fleury to steal puck in White zone and get it to front of the net.

12:55 - Haydon with puck behind the net. Loses it trying to go in front of the net as he forgets about it, and then coughs it up. Not exactly soft hands there. Turnover caused by Fabbri again on penalty kill.

11:35 - Martin lets Goldobin get in behind him, ends up causing a penalty shot. His defence partner Thomas backed up keeping an eye on the invisible man, should have sensed Martin was in trouble and tried to head off Goldobin as well. Once again Martin didn't skate backwards an inch. Can he skate backwards?

11:00 - Haydon gets rubbed out by Ritchie trying to carry the puck, turns it over, gets it back, passes it back to other d-man Peters, who is surrounded by Red guys, coughs it up... Ritchie gets a good chance.

10:40 - Martin caught up ice again..he's the first forechecker at center ice for some reason but once again misses the puck, leaving Thomas and Draisaitl the coaster to defend Barbashev..wasn't pretty. Barbashev made an inside-out move on Thomas, who bit, and he powered around him and hit the post while Leon coasted along a little too late as usual.

9:50 - Goldobin and Reinhart at it again. Reinhart beats Peters (who falls), then between Point's legs and back over to Goldobin..who does his move to the middle and barely gets around a sweepchecking Ekblad. Meanwhile Bishop is coming back and covering the lane from Goldy to Reinhart, and then checks Goldobin in front of the net. Solid play by Bishop...wish they were all as smart as him. Bishop's skating is what's going to hurt him more than anything, he's certainly got good defensive awareness though.

9:00 - Virtanen with a burst around Irving, who was at the end of a shift. Fleury, who was fresh, watched Virtanen come in 1-on-4, beat Irving and come in on the goalie while Fleury watched..at the end he put his stick in front of Virtanen's shot, but too late.

Vanier-McKeown pairing wasn't seeing a lot of ice time in the third. Can't say I blame the coaches - that's not a good pairing..Vanier not quick enough to cover for McKeown brain cramps.

7:00 - Ekblad decides to go for a foray alone red zone on the PP, DeAngelo was trying to check him.. looked like a mouse trying to check a moose, just bounced off of him when he got near.

6:43 - Even the good ones can screw up.. Reinhart with an awful turnover inside his blueline that left Watson alone to walk right in. Reinhart tried to slide a slow backhand pass over to DeAngelo...who should not have been trying to exit the zone at that time. His partner was down in the corner.. he should have remained deep in his own zone as the proper outlet for Reinhart.

6:35 - Speaking of good ones.. Ekblad's turn to screw up.. loses the puck to Goldobin trying to rush in neutral zone.. Goldobin beats Peters.. to the outside!! Peters takes a hooking penalty.

6:15 - Goldy and Sam go to work on the power play.. and the Thomas-Martin combo. Martin was lost after losing Honka, who missed the third after taking a stick to the chops. Lousy job by Martin tying up Reinhart, who scored easily. Not much pressure from Thomas on Goldy either.

5:26 - Martin takes time going into corner, then gets muscled off the puck easily by MacInnis.

5:15 - Vanier hits Lemieux in White zone...has to skate back to catch play.. not pretty. Lemieux gets great scoring chance as Virtanen goes around a covering Audette and gets it to him.. Vanier can't catch Lemieux, who is no speedster.

5:05 - Ekblad mishandles puck at blueline, Scherbak pounces on puck and gets a breakaway, hits post. Thomas didn't come close to catching him, not as fast and took wrong angle. He coughs up the puck 30 seconds later as well, and then fails to pressure De Leo who has loads of time to make pass in the slot. By this time, Thomas was lacking confidence.

4:00 - Haydon loses puck in own end trying to carry it again. Ritchie with a big shift, two big hits including Peters, but at the end of his shift....brutal speed...he's out of shape. Ho Sang whizzes by, draws the d-man over and then slides it to McCann going the other way...excellent shot by McCann. DeAngelo is the one who follows Ho Sang to nowhere.

2:15 - Point comes in on Irving and DeAngelo, tries an inside move on Irving, hits Irving's skate, bounces back to Point who gets around Irving. Where's DeAngelo? Irving kept Point to the inside, all DeAngelo had to do was cover an inside move, instead he goes in front of Irving and misses Point altogether, leaving Point with a breakaway. Stopped by Nedeljkovic, who pokechecked him.

- Fleury makes some rushes with and without the puck in the third with his team down. Like that he wanted to make a difference.

McKeen's Hockey 2014 Draft Rankings

Untapped Hayden McCool lands in Niagara, OHL draft picks 6-10

Sean Lafortune — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 17:42:26 +0000

In the second installment of the OHL’s first-round, scouting reports highlight the players drafted in picks six-through-10.

The Niagara IceDogs began their rebuild by taking the imposing Whitby forward with the catchy name, Hayden McCool. McCool is a team-player that can play at both ends of the rink. He’s got most of the tools, but just needs the toolbox now to reach his long-term potential.

Kyle Capobianco became the third defenceman to hear his name called when the Sudbury Wolves tapped him for the seventh pick. Capobianco will bring his dynamic skating and offensive creativity to the Nickel City.

Mitchell Stephens, a former teammate of Connor McDavid’s on the Toronto Marlboros, went eighth to Saginaw. The smooth-skating forward is a bit of a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde given the wide-ranging levels of inconsistencies from game-to-game. He can dazzle when he’s at his best.

The Sarnia Sting are hoping Nikita Korostelev can fill some pretty big skates next season. The Sting are banking on Korostelev and Nikolay Goldobin’s past playing experience to provide instant chemistry.

The Battalion franchise will move from Brampton to North Bay but the drafting of Brett McKenzie at No. 10 signals their philosophy won’t change. McKenzie is a responsible two-way player with a potent wrist-shot.

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Hayden McCool (C, 2015), Whitby Wildcats - 6'3"- 185 pounds - April 11, 1997

Drafted sixth-overall by the Niagara IceDogs

McCool played his first year in Whitby after spending his bantam year with the Clarington Toros .. a large-bodied forward, possesses a significant among of tools .. opportunistic and competitive, willing to battle for loose pucks .. digs his feet in when in front of the net, using his elite hand-eye coordination to tip in shots and bat in rebounds .. hands are soft and fast, possesses excellent stick-handling abilities and one-on-one elusiveness .. his upper-body skill separates him from his peers as a prospect .. boasts a multidimensional shot, highlighted by its multiple release points .. displays a sharp sense for protecting the puck in traffic, shielding it from pressure as he drives the net .. wins board battles, exploiting an expanded reach and good balance .. finishes checks, however, not overly-aggressive by nature .. high commitment level and focus in his defensive zone .. provides support for his defencemen by sacrificing offense to ensure defensive success .. does attain good mobility once he hits top speed .. not the most graceful start-ups and tends to struggle with explosiveness .. will benefit from adding both length and strength to a somewhat choppy stride .. prone to tunnel vision, gets fixated on things which can limit his selection process .. projects as a strong, two-way forward with untapped offensive abilities .. may be more effective as a winger at the next level given his size .. will initially slot into a depth role for the Niagara Ice Dogs, continuing to see more responsibilities as he matures .. has an intriguing long-term ceiling given his size and developing puck skills.

Kyle Capobianco (D, 2015), Oakville Rangers - 6'0" – 155 pounds - August 13, 1997

Drafted seventh-overall by the Sudbury Wolves

Capobianco played with the Oakville Rangers after spending last season with the bantam Toronto Marlboros of the GTHL .. he was one of 42 Canadians who were selected to participate in the 2012 All Canadians camp .. biggest gift is his high-end skating ability .. undersized defenceman is an exceptional skater who is powered by a strong, controlled stride .. he has the ability to change his pace at the drop of a hat .. a natural puck rusher who has the innate ability to shift through open ice and skate past opposing defenders with ease .. anticipates the game well and makes a strong first pass, which is aided by his strong poise and puck-handling ability .. needs to work to add power to his slap-shot .. must continue to add power and strength to his wiry frame .. gets beat down low by size and strength, and goes static at times, losing his focus and coverage .. a risk taker, he pinches aggressively and forsakes defensive responsibilities .. prone to over-handling the puck from time to time .. will be in the Wolves’ lineup initially, adding offence to a defensive core that will lose veteran Charlie Dodero .. expect him to be a strong power-play option right off the bat .. will need to continue to work on his strength and one-on-one effectiveness in the defensive zone.

Mitchell Stephens (C, 2015), Toronto Marlboros - 5'10" - 166 pounds – February 5, 1997

Drafted eighth-overall by the Saginaw Spirit

Stephens is playing his second year of minor midget after seeing a lot of ice with the ‘96 Toronto Marlboros, a team that featured current OHLers Connor McDavid, Joshua Ho-Sang and Sam Bennett .. biggest gift is his excellent footwork and extremely-strong skating stride .. he’s a remarkable skater with a great range of speed .. generates tremendous thrusts from his long and powerful skating stride .. his first few steps are powerful, quick and explosive, which allows him to get a quick step on opposing skaters and creates separation with the puck .. at his best when aggressively driving into lanes and striving to show off an elite shot .. has shown an ability to read the ice and improvise at a moment’s notice, without compromising his puck protection .. a shoot-first player, he looks to take the puck to the net instead of making higher-percentage outlet passes .. needs to continue to work on his core strength and improve his overall ability to win battles down low and along the boards .. struggles with consistency; looks like a star one game while struggling to make an impact the next .. should slot initially into Saginaw's top-nine forward core and be a factor in penalty killing situations .. his speed and shot could be an asset to the Spirit immediately .. has the potential to be a top-line forward at the OHL level, however, patience will be needed.

Nikita Korostelev (RW, 2015), Toronto Jr. Canadiens - 6'0" - 176 pounds - February 8, 1997

Drafted ninth-overall by the Sarnia Sting

This was Korostelev’s second season in minor midget after spending the second half of last year with the Vaughan Kings of the Greater Toronto Hockey League .. his biggest weapon is a powerful and accurate snap-shot that features an extremely-dangerous release .. has the ability to simply take the puck into his body and let off a hard, strong shot with little-to-no effort .. has high-end puck-skills, as he has displayed the ability to dangle in one-on-one situations or make a smart touch pass .. generates a surprising amount of speed and acceleration from his long and lunging skating stride .. plays with a chip on his shoulder at times and can have a bit of pushback when challenged physically, but that pushback isn’t always consistent .. has shown that he can struggle with puck battles .. has gained a significant amount of weight on his frame compared to where he was last year, but he still has room to be bigger and stronger, particularly in his upper-body .. despite his Russian descent, was deemed eligible for the 2013 OHL draft as opposed to the CHL import draft .. will need to make an immediate impact in Sarnia given the Sting's loss of Reid Boucher, Alex Galchenyuk, Charles Sarault and others .. should find instant chemistry with import Nikolay Goldobin, given that the two have played together in the past in Russia.

Brett McKenzie (C, 2015), Oakville Rangers - 6'1" - 175 pounds - March 21, 1997

Drafted 10^th overall by the North Bay Battalion

A high-potential forward playing his first year in Oakville after playing last year with Eastern Ontario of the OEMHL .. led the Rangers offensively all season and was a significant factor in the team winning the organization’s first OHL Cup championship .. industrious, strong-skating forward with good skills for a big man .. powered by quick, able footwork and lateral mobility .. smooth puck-handler, who rushes and distributes the puck well, displaying patience and awareness in possession, as well as an ability to use his size and mobility to create space and make plays in motion .. adept at shifting the puck out wide, exploiting his large wingspan .. a versatile, hardworking and positionally-responsible player .. packs a heavy wrist-shot that gets prime power from a compact, efficient release .. can play a rugged and scrappy physical game, however, can lack intensity and let up on the fore-check at times .. could be meaner and more belligerent in one-on-one puck battles and positional battles in front of the net .. must continue to elevate his intensity level, however, does bring an understated compete level .. a responsible defender who supports his teammates below his own red line .. possesses a good positional sense and awareness .. a player who can contribute on both the power-play and the penalty kill .. has the frame, but must continue to build muscle mass .. projects as a responsible top-six forward who can contribute at both ends of the ice at the OHL level .. a perfect fit for the Battalion .. McKenzie is going to an organization that has a history of allowing younger players to take on more responsibility .. will probably slot into the third line centre role initially while he learns his craft, but may quickly move up the team’s depth chart.