Robert Hagg – McKeen's Hockey

2022 NHL PLAYOFFS: FLORIDA VS. WASHINGTON – Containing high powered Cats attack will be key for Caps

Scott Cullen — Sun, 01 May 2022 13:30:05 +0000

WASHINGTON, DC - NOVEMBER 27: Panthers center Aleksander Barkov (16) watches the puck as Capitals left wing Alexander Alex Ovechkin (8) closes in during the Florida Panthers vs. Washington Capitals on November 27, 2019 at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.. (Photo by Randy Litzinger/Icon Sportswire)

FLORIDA vs. WASHINGTON

The Florida Panthers recorded 120 points this season to win the Presidents’ Trophy and their reward for finishing with the league’s best record is to face a team that posted an even 100 points, the Washington Capitals.

Washington is going to have a hard time containing Florida’s attack, but if the Capitals want to make a series out of this, they will have to find a way. Easier said than done.

Forwards

As the league’s highest scoring team, averaging 4.11 goals per game, the Panthers have an abundance of riches up front. Nine Panthers forwards scored at least 18 goals this season, including Mason Marchment, who had 18 in just 54 games, and Claude Giroux, who finished with 21 goals even though he recorded just three goals in 18 games for the Panthers after he was acquired from Philadelphia.

Jonathan Huberdeau and Aleksander Barkov are top-tier talents, but mixing in Giroux, Marchment, Sam Reinhart, Sam Bennett, Anthony Duclair, and Anton Lundell there is so much skill that the Panthers can afford to send out shift disturbers like Ryan Lomberg, Eetu Luostarinen, and Patric Hornqvist on the fourth line. That exceptional depth makes it really difficult to ever shut down the Panthers and it is why the Capitals are going to have to turn this series into a slog because there is little reason to believe they can compete in a track meet with Florida.

The Capitals are not equipped to outgun the Panthers, especially if Alex Ovechkin is not healthy to start the series. While Ovechkin had another monster season, scoring 50 goals, he was the only Washington player with more than 25 goals. Evgeny Kuznetsov and Tom Wilson both scored 24 but the attack gets thin very quickly. Nicklas Backstrom, T.J. Oshie, and Anthony Mantha each missed significant portions of the season and have not been at peak production since returning to the lineup. That is hardly a roster that can readily trade chances with the highest scoring team in the league.

If Washington is going to neutralize the Panthers attack, it will not be merely up to the defense. It will be forwards like Garnet Hathaway, Johan Larsson, Nic Dowd, and Lars Eller playing at their shot suppressing best. It might not be pretty, but it is also the most likely path for the Capitals to make this a competitive series. That, and hoping that Wilson and Hathaway can leave a physical imprint and make the series messy.

Defense

Florida has built up a sturdy defensive unit, so strong that it has been able to withstand an injury to No. 1 defenseman Aaron Ekblad, who may not be ready for the start of the playoffs. Mackenzie Weegar has quietly been one of the top defensemen in the league over the past couple of seasons while Gustav Forsling, Ben Chiarot, Brandon Montour, and Radko Gudas form a capable core with Lucas Carlsson and Robert Hagg as depth options. Gudas and Chiarot bring a physical presence that will be needed against Washington but, as a group, they can move the puck effectively. Naturally, they would be even better with a healthy Ekblad, but they should be able to handle the Capitals.

The Capitals have a capable defense, led by John Carlson, but it is not a prime shutdown group. Dmitry Orlov has been a steady performer and may have had his best season. While Nick Jensen, Justin Schultz, Martin Fehervary, and Trevor van Riemsdyk do not necessarily strike fear into the hearts of opposing forwards, it is a solid enough group overall. However, solid enough overall is not quite what the doctor ordered when it comes to shutting down the highest scoring team in the league.

Goaltending

Sergei Bobrovsky is a tough goaltender to figure out. He has won the Vezina Trophy twice. He has had below league average goaltending numbers in the previous two seasons before bouncing back this season to at least finish above average. He also has no playoff success to speak of. His longest playoff run was in 2018-2019, with Columbus, when he had a .925 save percentage in 10 games. It was the only postseason of Bobrovsky’s career in which he finished with a save percentage higher than .910 and that rightfully causes some concern.

The good news for the Panthers is that they can turn to rookie Spencer Knight, if needed. He started slowly, culminating in a mid-December loss to Ottawa in which he allowed eight goals on 38 shots. Since then, Knight has a .919 save percentage in 19 games and is an easy option for the Panthers to consider if Bobrovsky falters.

Washington’s goaltending is not even as neat and tidy as Florida’s crease situation. Vitek Vanecek has been better than Ilya Samsonov overall this season but neither one has made a stirring case to be the No. 1 option in the playoffs. Vanecek may get the first start, but it would be a surprise if both Capitals goalies were not involved in this series.

Special Teams

For years, the Capitals power play, with No. 8 pulling the trigger in his familiar spot, has been one of the league’s best, but that is no longer the case. The Capitals ranked 20^th in 5v4 goal rate, with 6.85 GF/60, and that presents a relative problem when facing a Panthers side that has scored 9.29 goals per 60 minutes of 5v4 play, the third highest rate in the league.

Washington’s penalty killing has been better, ranked in the top 10 both in terms of rate of shot attempts and expected goals against during 4v5 play. Florida’s penalty killing this season has been average, ranking 16^th in both shot attempts allowed and expected goals against per 60 minutes of 4v5 play.

Conclusion

A matchup against the Panthers would be daunting at the best of times, but the Capitals without Ovechkin or with Ovechkin playing through an upper-body injury are not in the best position to pull off the upset. Panthers in 5.

Claude-Busting – Philadelphia Flyers 2018-19 Season Preview

Robert Howard — Sat, 15 Sep 2018 17:45:42 +0000

REVIEW/STATE OF PLAY - Things were looking bleak as December began. The Flyers were in 28^th place in the NHL with an 8-11-7 record. They had finished out of the playoffs three times in the last five years and bowed out in the first round twice. From that point everything fell into place and they posted an impressive 34-15-7 over the last 56 games to finish third in the Metropolitan and clinch a playoff berth.

GIROUX AND COUTURIER DOMINATE - The surge was fuelled by a brilliant season from a top line anchored by Claude Giroux and Sean Couturier, tethered together for 80 percent of their ice time at 5v5. The first third of the season was spent with Jakub Voracek and the last half spent with 21-year-old Travis Konecny. Giroux topped 100 points to finish second in league scoring, and fourth in Hart Trophy voting, while Couturier finished second in Selke voting and shattered career highs with 31 goals and 76 points.

Konecny flourished beside Grioux and Couturier scoring 20 goals in 43 games (43-20-14) from January 1^st. Konecny benefitted from a high shooting percentage of 13.6% but progress made heading into his third NHL season is cause for optimism, particularly if he remains on the top line.

Jakub Voracek scored a career high of 85 points. A force throughout the season, he was consistent regardless of center, seeing time with Couturier at first, Filppula briefly and rookie Nolan Patrick for the last 33 games. Voracek scored at almost a point a game while together (33-12-18-30) while 19-year-old Nolan Patrick a respectable 19 points (33-9-10-19) while displaying consistency. The played the last 22 games with 21-year-old rookie Oskar Lindbolm flanking them.

The veterans returning to their superstar status after two sub seasons was a big story line, the most exciting aspect of the 2017-18 season was the number of youthful players that are developing into the next generation of stars. Nolan Patrick and Travis Konecny represent potentially high-end additions to the offence.

Shayne Gostisbehere

BRIGHT YOUNG STARS ON DEFENSE - Two very bright young stars on the blueline helped power the surge in offense, contributing significantly from the back end. The Flyers received 50 goals from the blueline which is the most since 1992-93, 30 from 25-year-old Shayne Gostisbehere and 21-year-old Ivan Provorov combined. Gostisbehere received Norris trophy votes (10^th) while scoring 65 points - the most by a Flyers blueliner since 93-94. Provorov tied for the lead league in defense goal scoring with 17, and in even strength goals 15^th. He placed 10^th in the league in time on ice, killing penalties and playing the power play at a tender young age.

As a team they saw a leap in goals scored from 212 (18^th) to 237 (12^th) and are transitioning with high end young talent in the line-up and resurgent veterans. They still boast a strong prospect system that should include more promotions in the future. None more anticipated than Carter Hart in goal. He will join the AHL this season after being named best goaltender in the Western Hockey League for the third straight season, and second in three years as the best goaltender in the CHL. He is the future, but unlikely it is this season.

The Flyers have been stockpiling the goaltending cupboard for some time and a source of concern over recent seasons. This season is no exception with veterans Brian Elliott and Michal Neuvirth holding down the cage. Elliott is the presumed number one, but Neuvirth can mount a challenge. Both are free agents at the end of the season and should be motivated but the problem is neither are particularly healthy, and both went through injuries last season. Should a call be made, 6’6” prospect Anthony Stolarz is likely most ready out of Lehigh in the AHL, or Alex Lyon who appeared in 11 games with the big club last year.

SPECIAL TEAMS CONCERNS - Special teams need further improvements. Given their firepower one would assume their power play would be better than 15^th (20.7%). Their penalty kill is dreadful finishing 29^th in the league (75.8%) and they lose Valteri Filppula - who was key penalty killer for them. Finishing 22^nd in save percentage underscores their challenge in net.

To help the power play they signed free agent James Van Reimsdyk bringing a 30-goal scorer with one of the best net front presences in the NHL. He joins fellow teammate Wayne Simmonds, in the last year of a contract, in providing elite skills in that unique specialty and making goaltender miserable. Former first round pick Simmonds may find himself a trade chip with apparent replacement Van Reimsdyk signed for five years at a $7 million AAV. If playoffs are in reach they may use him as their own rental. He endured an injury filled campaign, but has been a model of health, only missing 14 games in the previous ten seasons and it is too early to suggest his style of play is catching up to him.

In the off-season they added 27-year-old defenseman Christian Folin giving them a right shot option on defense. Andrew MacDonald and Radko Gudas will be the other regular. Serviceable if not spectactular. The youth movement was further by rookies 22-year-old Travis Sanheim and 23-year-old Robert Hagg. Sanheim saw 49 games worth of actions. Folin’s addition buys them some more development time.

OVERVIEW - The Flyers seem to have the best of both worlds, high end prospects already in the NHL, a pipeline brimming with more, and a veteran core that performed at their peak. Can all the elements come together in the next few seasons for a serious run while making a generational shift? Questions in goal and whether the veterans can repeat last season heroics will determine whether they are a playoff team but they looked unbeatable down the stretch and were tied for 5^th in the league from December on.

McKeen’s Prospects: Looking back at our rankings at the quarter mark

Ryan Wagman — Tue, 28 Nov 2017 17:26:31 +0000

PITTSBURGH, PA - NOVEMBER 27: Philadelphia Flyers Center Nolan Patrick (19) skates during the second period in the NHL game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Philadelphia Flyers on November 27, 2017, at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Jeanine Leech/Icon Sportswire)

When putting together a top prospect list, as we did for the recent McKeens yearbook, one of the ever-present challenges is balancing the immediate gratification of “ready-now” players, with what we perceive to be greater potential big-picture value. Even though we led off our top 250 with Nolan Patrick and Nico Hischier, respectively, two teenagers fresh off their selection at the top of the 2017 Entry Draft, we did not really believe them to offer the best short term value among prospects.

Both of those players have been performing well at the NHL level as first year pros, but they earned their stops at the top of the rankings for the length of their development that is still to come.

Conversely, our rankings for the Calder Trophy looks not at best prospect in general, but focused on players we saw as having more opportunity to shine right now. That is one reason why Hischier was slotted behind Patrick in the overall prospect ranking, but outmanned him by nine spots in the Calder rankings. Another way of looking at that disparity is through the lens of Spencer Foo, signed as an undrafted free agent by the Calgary Flames after a stellar run at Union College. We saw a good opportunity for his skill set and maturity to earn him a top nine role right away, giving us comfort in ranking him ninth (one ahead of Patrick) in the Calder rankings, while only giving him the highly coveted 112 spot in the overall prospect rankings.

With the 2017-18 season now almost two months, and slightly over one quarter of the way through, this is as good a time as any to look at players we missed on. The easiest place to start would be with the aforementioned Foo. Instead, Foo failed to impress the Flames’ brass in pre-season, and was sent back to Stockton, where he has found the professional game to be more difficult than he (and we) had expected. Through 17 games with the Heat, he has scored but a single goal, to go along with five assists.

Another player for whom I am starting to downgrade expectations is our fifth ranked prospect, the Oilers’ Jesse Puljujarvi. I had long thought of him as a very mature player, with a high-end two-way game. Someone as likely to play on the first PK unit as he was to pot 20-25 goals on the regular. After all, he was trending in that direction as a 17 year old playing with men in Liiga and Mestis, Finland’s top two levels. I still see him as a strong two-way player, who should have a long NHL career. But looking at what he has achieved since being drafted (and it is still very early) highlights the fact that although he was always pushed to play among older players, he never sustained great offense at any senior level. He may simply lack that creative, dynamic element that is necessary on a first line. He looks more middle six than top six.

While some players step up to new levels and destroy the competition as handily as they had against their former set of competition, others take a few months, or even a season and change, to find their feet. I am happy to shine a light on a player exceeding expectations early, but will try to reserve judgement on players who need some more time to acclimatize. Cale Makar is doing well enough as a freshman at UMass-Amherst, but not really outperforming less heralded fellow freshman blueliner Mario Ferraro. Even more disconcerting, Colin White has struggled mightily in his first full season in the AHL, with only five points in his first 12 games. So why would I be down on Foo and not on White? For the simply reason that Foo is three years older – he has less time available to him to make his mark.

Like Foo, although not to the same extent, Zach Aston-Reese brought high expectations with him when he signed a contract as a collegiate free agent with the Pittsburgh Penguins. As a high-scoring Hobey Baker Award finalist, he was expected to take the fast track to the NHL in Western Pennsylvania. As a 23 year old, his window was similarly limited. With two goals and nine point sin his first 15 games this year in the AHL with the Baby Pens, he is on his way to blowing his one big chance. He has shown enough that I am not bearish with him as I am with Foo, but I am concerned.

I have no worries about the slow hand Ottawa is taking with future superstar Thomas Chabot. The team clearly prefers that he learn the ropes away from the bright lights in Belleville. The B-Sens are not the best team in the AHL, but he is holding his own, and has performed well enough in his brief NHL cameos, with three assists through his first five NHL games, with decent possession metrics, albeit in sheltered usage. His future remains bright, even if it will not begin as soon as we had anticipated a few months ago, ranking him fifth in the Calder chase.

MINNEAPOLIS, MN - NOVEMBER 02: Montreal Canadiens Defenceman Victor Mete (53) skates with the puck during a NHL game between the Minnesota Wild and Montreal Canadians on November 2, 2017 at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, MN.The Wild defeated the Canadians 6-3.(Photo by Nick Wosika/Icon Sportswire)

For every player we missed on the high side, there is one we missed by underrating. We had rated Victor Mete ninth among all Montreal prospects, behind two other blueliners. He was outside of the top 250 altogether. We recognized his great mobility and a strong point shot, but were not convinced he could be more than a good number four, and we certainly did not think him ready for steady NHL action. Not only did he make the Habs out of training camp, but he played with Shea Weber in the early goings. He has not looked out of place, although I still suspect that he will be sent back to the London Knights before playing a 40^th game and burning a year service time. He has been burned in the back too often of late and has seen his minutes dwindling as a result. Further, his relative Corsi% is ahead of only Joe Morrow among current Montreal defenders. Even though he is still raw, he deserved to be ranked higher than ninth with Montreal, and should have made the top 250.

While we were clearly too low on Mete, at least in his case, we had him ranked in the top 20 of his organization. There are two players who have seen significant action in the NHL, and have performed even better than Mete, who fell short of organizational top 20. The first is Robert Hagg, defenseman of Philadelphia. We were, of course, well aware of Hagg. The former second round pick was a three time participant for Team Sweden at the WJC and had already spent three full seasons learning the North American game in the AHL, first coming over at age 19. He played a relatively quiet game, with a modicum of offense through in from the point. He has plus mobility and was very reliable when it came to getting the puck out of his own end. What kept Hagg from the book was a combination of a very deep Philadelphia system and a crippling propensity to commit an unforced error on an almost daily basis. He has been receiving a ton of ice time for the Flyers in the early going, but his good press show more luck than skill. He has not been sheltered by coach Dave Hakstol, starting more than his share of shifts in the defensive zone. It stands to reason that his shot share is in the red. On the other hand, for every goal that was scored against the Flyers with Hagg on the ice at even strength, three were scored by Philly. That good fortune will run out. In spite of his early, unexpected success, Hagg still lacks the upside of many of the other prospects in the Philadelphia system, but as a usable now player who has a relatively high floor, he should have been able to sneak onto the Philadelphia top 20.

The other player I want to point out in this exercise is New Jersey’s Jesper Bratt. Bratt is neither the leading nor the runner-up in scoring for a New Jersey rookie, but that is more indicative of the strength of the Devils’ rookie class than an indictment of Bratt’s play, as he is currently fifth in team scoring with 14 points through his first 23 games. Undersized, but quick and with exciting hands, the former sixth rounder has been a revelation in the early-goings. He has even taken on a crucial role in the team’s second PK unit, scoring once. While his possession numbers are middling, they stand up well enough in comparison to his teammates’. So why did he miss our NJ top 20? Had we hewed more closely to our objective 20/80 scores, he actually would have slotted in around 15^th. But we chose to deviate for the pure scouting scores. The reason behind that approach was that at a certain point, the difference between the scores is not as exact as the numbers suggest. While a 55 OFP is clearly better than a 52, a 53 and a 51 are really rather close. Further, when scores are close, we usually leaned towards the player deemed closer to his prime. We made the very false assumption that, at still only 19 years of age, we would have more chances to view Bratt among his peers, seemingly as an import player with the London Knights in the OHL. More than Hagg, Bratt looks like the real deal.

It is still too early to come to any broad conclusions about the art of prospecting. In any ranking, showing what can only be a snapshot in time, there will be players whose relative positioning are not truly indicative of what they are or will be. For both good and bad. We will miss on a few every year, but we will never be afraid of looking back at our misses to refine our process and produce rankings that are better and better with each passing season.

NHL Prospect Watch: Philadelphia Flyers

Ryan Wagman — Mon, 11 Jul 2016 20:40:37 +0000

Author’s note – through the remainder of this series the focus will remain on players acquired prior to the recent NHL Entry Draft. As the idea behind the series has been about the players and their development during the season, bringing in newly minted NHL prospects would be unfair to those who have already taken steps under the auspices of their respective rights-holding organizations.

For all that the Flyers system has lacked in forward prospects of significance (Travis Konecny notwithstanding), they have more than made up for it with depth and talent between the pipes and along the blueline. It is not outlandish to suggest that Russian first rounder Ivan Provorov is the best prospect in the system and fellow WHLer and former first rounder Travis Sanheim as the number two. As this series has tried to avoid too much dwelling on CHL prospects, we will instead jump to the third best blueliner in the system now that the extremely exciting Shayne Gostisbehere has graduated, in Samuel Morin – yet another former first rounder. Unlike Provorov and Sanheim, Morin has already graduated from the CHL ranks and now has a full year of AHL experience under his ample belt. Listed on the AHL team website at 6-7”, 227, Morin fits the prototype for big, stay-at-home defender. A bruiser in the Quebec league as an amateur, Morin kept up that style of play with Lehigh Valley as a rookie professional, racking up a team high 118 penalty minutes. Only a handful of true prospects in the AHL spent more time cooling their heels in the penalty box.

Beyond the toughness that is only partially attributable to his size, Morin is a plus skater who shows a good head for the game, as demonstrated by strong positioning and a pretty safe overall game. He can move the puck intelligently, but will never be a point producer. The 19 points he put up as an AHL rookie in 76 is around what the Flyers should be expecting from Morin at his peak. He owns a strong slap shot, but not the instincts for when to use it to his advantage. Guys his size will always get more chances than they deserve on skills and smarts alone, but thankfully, Morin has those. As a plus skater with good hockey IQ, he will earn penalty killing time in the NHL before too long as well as a bottom pairing role. While he could eventually elevate to the second pairing, his lack of puck skills (beyond that first pass) and offensive bent will prevent him from owning a top pairing job or much time on the power play. He could also use another season of professional growth in the AHL with Philadelphia likely to turn to Provorov and Sanheim for NHL time before making way for the big man. On the other hand, with the NHL contracts of Mark Striet, Michael Del Zotto and Nick Schultz all expiring after the 2016-17 season, Morin’s chance to earn an NHL gig will not be too far off into the future.

March 13, 2015: Phantoms Robert Hagg (4) unloads a slapshot in front of Bruins defense men Chris Casto (6)

Robert Hagg, D, Lehigh Valley (AHL) (41^st overall, 2013)

Another defenseman of some renown in the Philadelphia is Hagg, a Swedish second rounder who made three appearances in his country’s sweater for the WJC, twice walking away a Silver Medalist. Less physically imposing than Morin, Hagg nonetheless has a limited NHL upside owning primarily to an underwhelming offensive game. Also like Morin, Hagg puck skills extend to making a strong first pass but not much more than that. That said, his first pass is outstanding, one of the best in the AHL according to Hockey Prospectus writer Jason Lewis. While Hagg typically plays a smart, quiet game, he can be prone to the odd high profile gaffe, or other mental hiccup. Furthermore, although he does not lack for size at 6-2”, 201, he plays smaller and can be physically imposed upon by more physical opponents. Hagg should expect a third full AHL season in the offing and likely slots behind Morin in the organizational depth chart. If he can eliminate the inconsistencies that have plagued him, he could be a solid number five at his best.

Mark Alt, D, Lehigh Valley (AHL) (53^rd overall, 2010 – acquired in trade with Carolina)

Mark Alt, like Morin and Hagg profiled above, is a relatively safe blueline prospect without much in the way of upside. According to Jason Lewis, he is basically a solid all around defender who does everything well enough but nothing that will excite. He has great size at 6-4” and over 200 lbs and his father was a long-time offensive lineman in the NFL, but his physical game can underwhelm. More worrisome for Alt is his lack of traction over three AHL seasons. After putting up 26 points in 75 games in his first full AHL season, he has combined for only 29 points in 116 games over the past two seasons. There may yet be some untapped potential in Alt, and the Flyers did tender him a qualifying offer as a RFA a few weeks ago, giving him one more year under their care, but this may be his final chance to prove himself worthy of carrying for the Flyers. If he fails to recapture at least some of his rookie production, he may be looking for a new employer by this time next summer.

February 5, 2016: Cornell Big Red defenseman Reece Willcox (3) and Quinnipiac Bobcats forward Tanner MacMaster (19) skate towards the puck (Photo by John Crouch/Icon Sportswire.)

Reece Willcox, D, Cornell (ECAC) (141^st overall, 2012)

If there is a deeper sleeper who could overtake Hagg and Alt on the Flyers blueline depth chart it is recent signee Reece Willcox, a Cornell graduate. Physically resembling Alt at 6-4” and a smidgen over 200 lbs, Willcox was not a big point producer with the Big Red, although some of that is due to Cornell not having much in the way of offensive talent on their roster. Willcox will engage in the offensive end and is a smart, surehanded puck carrier who demonstrates good presence of mind and a high panic threshold. He is not much of a shooter and his puck skills are more appropriate for own zone and neutral zone work, but his plus mobility and hockey smarts give him a legitimate chance. He is a strong skater who can keep a solid gap against very speedy rushers and knows how to use a sweeping stick to break up rushes that would otherwise pose danger to his team. He is not a punishing physical player, but is capable of using his plus size to establish his own position at the expense of his opponent’s. Although Willcox put up three points in a late season six game cameo with Lehigh Valley, I would not expect that level of point production going forward. Between his polish and his skills, I expect Willcox to sneak up on a few observers this year.

Mark Friedman, D, Bowling Green State (WCHA) (86^th overall, 2014)

Much further away from the NHL than any of the others profiled above, Friedman is rightfully an afterthought among Flyers’ prospect watchers, although he deserves some mention as his game is much different from those already mentioned here. Simply put, the 20 year old Friedman is a point producer. He first attracted attention as an offensive defenseman with Waterloo of the USHL and has kept up his production in northwestern Ohio. Friedman is confident with the puck and has a strong first few steps that allow him to lead his team on quick breaks. Undersized, Friedman tends to avoid board battles, but has a physical edge to his game, one that emerges most often with the player in motion, using his speed to add force to his motion. He does need significant work in his own zone and with his decision making, however, and the former third rounder should be afforded two more full seasons at Bowling Green to work on those aspects of his game. His panic threshold can be too short, leading him to defer to less skilled teammates even though he has ample room to skate the puck out of potential harm. I would also like to see less caution when trying to create offensively. The puck skills are present, but he needs to commit to action when taking it. His game is not yet ready for the professional ranks, both in terms of the mental game and the physical game, but there are enough flashes of talent that he should be watched closely.

Anthony Stolarz, G, Lehigh Valley (AHL) (45^th overall, 2012)

Before analyzing Stolarz, a few thoughts on the recent goalie fetish overtaking the Flyers’ scouting department. Most teams have three or four interesting netminders under team control, including one or two in the AHL and a few others scattered about the planet. Since drafting Stolarz in the middle of the second round in 2012, the Flyers have drafted and/or signed six goalies who still qualify as prospects, including taking the first netminder to be selected this season and three drafted last year. Although I cannot state that this predilection is unprecedented, it is extremely odd and at least two of those six will find themselves unsigned before all is said and done, as the team only has so much ice time it can provide to netminders. While teams roll four forward lines (12 players) and three defensive pairings (six players), they only carry two netminders and only one plays at a time.

Stolarz got the lion’s share of netminding work for Lehigh Valley last year, his second full season as a pro. He showed tremendous improvement in his return engagement with the Phantoms, chopping more than half a goal per game off his GAA and increasing his save percentage from a feeble .906 to a respectable .915, a figure topped only by Juuse Saros (Milwaukee), Matt Murray (Scranton/Wilkes-Barre) and Anton Forsberg (Lake Erie) among prospects who with regular roles in the circuit last year. Stolarz is also a massive young man, standing a fleshed out 6-6”. He fills up the net rather well and shows plus anticipation, allowing him to get positioned to make the save before it becomes one of desperation. His lateral movement is strong enough for his size, although he can get caught on occasion as he seems to be assuming that his size is filling every hole, but a slight slump of his shoulder, or another body twist can leave open a gap that will be exploited by good shooters. He makes up for it with plus rebound control, as pucks that he cannot catch cleanly are more often than not either kept close by so as to be corralled quickly, or pushed to the corners and out of danger. The New Jersey native also adds value to his game through strong puck handling, as he is very comfortable pushing the puck up to his teammates to begin the transition.

The Flyers current goaltending pair of Steve Mason and Michal Neuvirth both have one more year under contract and there is a good chance that a spot will open up for one of the Flyers goalie prospects in 2016-17. Stolarz, by virtue of his greater experience and improving game, should be aiming to make himself favored to fill one of those roles after another season honing his game in Allentown.

Felix Sandstrom, G, Brynas IF (SHL) (70^th overall, 2015)

Sandstrom, the first of three netminders drafted by the Flyers in 2015 had a shoddy showing at the WJC for Sweden and put up numbers that may seem underwhelming for Brynas in the SHL, but is more than worthy of a spotlight for actually seeing regular crease time in one of the top leagues in Europe. IN fact, he appeared in 25 of the 32 games played by under-20 goalies in the SHL and his numbers were more or less on par with Brynas’ other goalie, veteran Austrian Bernard Starkbaum. According to Hockey Prospectus Swedish correspondent Jimmy Hamrin, Sandstrom is still inconsistent, but has looked very good thus far in his top flight career, exhibiting intermittent NHL potential. He will have one more chance to shine for the Tre Kronor at the next WJC and is favored to be the uncontested starter this time around as Linus Soderstrom will have aged out. He may have more competition in the Brynas net though, as Starkbaum has been replaced on the roster by David Rautio, whose SHL save percentages since the 2011-12 season have gone .929, .931, .922, .921, .916. Trending down to be sure, but after having started from fantastic heights.

Merrick Madsen, G, Harvard (ECAC) (162^nd overall, 2013)

After being limited to a single appearance as a freshman at Harvard in 2014-15, Madsen claimed the starter’s job for himself last year as a sophomore, putting up stellar numbers for the Crimson. His .931 save percentage ranked eighth in the nation (although the number two man, Alex Lyon, has since signed as an undrafted free agent with Philadelphia). Madsen has a number of strong aspects to his game, including great size (close, but not quite to Stolarz’ level), the composure to withstand periods of heavy pressure, instincts and anticipation, and rebound control. He could use additional improvement in his lateral movement and puck handling, although his play last season suggests that he was a late round steal who will push for a good spot on the organizational depth chart within a few seasons.

Canada set to debut final roster against Sweden

Scott Wheeler — Sat, 20 Dec 2014 22:45:22 +0000

The first look at Team Canada’s final roster comes today against Team Sweden in the second of three pre-competition games before the 2015 tournament kicks off on Boxing Day.

With the roster finalized, the game will serve as another step in the evaluation process as those who have made the team compete for roles.

With 12 regular spots available up front and six spots to compete for on the backend, the 20 remaining skaters will try to avoid falling into a role as the team’s twelfth forward or seventh defensemen. To start, Brayden Point and Dillon Heatherington will draw into those roles, respectively.

Team Canada's morning skate. Photo by Scott Wheeler.

Making their pre-competition debuts will be Ottawa Senators forward Curtis Lazar, top-ranked 2015 NHL Draft prospect Connor McDavid, undrafted Detroit Red Wings prospect Joe Hicketts and a pair of Winnipeg Jets second round prospects, forward Nic Petan and goaltender Eric Comrie.

McDavid said he's just happy to be back after suffering an injury in a fight earlier this year.

For Lazar, the chance to play with McDavid is something he said he's looked forward to since he heard he was joining the team.

"I'm just going to try and get open," Lazar said following the morning skate, laughing.

Head coach Benoit Groulx expects the new line, which sees Nick Ritchie on the left wing, to be a difference maker. The game is a chance for them to gel.

"We look for chemistry, we want to give them a chance," Groulx said. "We have to be patient and see how it goes."

After a dominant performance against Team Russia only to suffer a 2-1 loss at the hands of 52-save effort by Russian goalie and New York Islanders prospect Ilya Sorokin, Canada faces another tough challenge.

Team Sweden's morning skate. Photo by Scott Wheeler.

Team Sweden, led by returnees Robert Hagg (PHI), Robin Norell (CHI), Jacob de a Rose (MTL), Anton Karlsson (ARI) and Lucas Wallmark (CAR), plays an up-tempo, controlled game.

Other core players include Adrian Kempe (LAK), William Nylander (TOR) and Oliver Kylington, a smooth-skating draft eligible defender.

The game will be the only time the two teams meet, barring an elimination round matchup. Team Sweden will play their preliminary round games in Group B, in Toronto, while Team Canada will start in Montreal’s Group A.

The game, an instalment in RBC’s Road to the World Juniors, will be live on TSN2 at 7:00 p.m. EST.

Team Canada's line combinations:

Domi - Reinhart - Duclair
Ritchie - McDavid - Lazar
Petan - Paul - Fabbri
Crouse - Gauthier - Virtanen
Point

Nurse - Theodore
Morrissey - Bowey
Morin - Hicketts
Heatherington

Note: Stay tuned for updates throughout the day (including full line combinations) from the teams’ morning skates and immediately following the game for post-game reactions. You can follow here and on Twitter @scottcwheeler.

Mirco Mueller steady, Switzerland, Sweden, Germany and Slovakia U18 reports

David Burstyn — Thu, 09 May 2013 16:18:08 +0000

Mirco Mueller's skates barely left the ice in Sochi.

The Swiss defender still had plenty left to give after playing 69 games through the regular season and playoffs with the Western Hockey League’s Everett Silvertips. Mueller was almost always on the ice for Team Switzerland and made his presence felt with his quality play.

The Swedes were unable to score a goal against the Americans in a 4-0 quarter-final loss. However, some of their players left good impressions while others left something to be desired. William Nylander looked every bit the player projected as a top-three pick in the 2014 draft while Robert Hagg did little to quash some of the concerns in his game.

Leon Draisaitl and Dominik Kahun provided the Germans with a dynamic one-two punch while Slovakian captain Peter Cehlarik can no longer hide his vast talents from the hockey world.

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

Team Sweden

William Nylander (C/RW, 2014)

Arguably one of the most offensively-gifted and dangerous players in the tournament .. followed up stellar U17 World Challenge gold medal performance .. skated on the top unit with Burakovsky and de la Rose .. able to make plays, generate offence out of nothing and constantly stay involved due to a darting skating style that allows him to poke in and out of traffic .. won gold at the U17 World Challenge four months prior to U18 World Championships and is poised to be a top-three selection next year.

Robert Hagg (D, 2013)

Had an up and down tournament as he could make plays but also played with aloofness; a tag that he has been unable to shake all season .. often appears moody and disinterested on the ice despite possessing a highly-tuned skill set .. skating needs to be ramped up but he processes the game so well that he could QB a PP at the pro level.

Lucas Wallmark (C, 2013)

Ended the season just as he started by leading Team Sweden in points for the U18 World Championships (5-2-3-5) just as he had done for the Ivan Hlinka Memorial .. smart and creative centre struggled at times with Olympic-sized ice as his skating is simply not there .. can make plays and is a creative passer, however his speed limitations are difficult to ignore.

Andre Burakovsky (RW, 2013)

Had a good tournament as he led Team Sweden with four goals, however was unable to pick up his game when it mattered most against Team Canada in relegation and in the quarter-finals against Team USA .. was not dominant by any stretch, but made good all-around decisions backed by his impressive speed .. helped to erase some question marks and improve his draft stock despite a very ordinary year with Malmo in the Allsvenskan.

Jacob de la Rose (W, 2013)

Versatile forward played both wings and was a spark plug for Team Sweden, injecting some brash physical play while also showing a penchant for being able to create .. prototypical power forward can play in any situation and with any set of line-mates as his skill set translates well to adapt to any game situation .. played consistent if not overwhelming.

Team Switzerland

Mirco Muller (D, 2013)

Assistant captain appeared at times to be playing the entire game as he would rarely leave the ice .. played in all situations and was often lined up against opposition’s best players .. diligent defensive game only managed to finish a -1 throughout the tournament despite Switzerland being out-scored by a two-to-one margin of 24-12 .. showed ability to log minutes and still play a focused game .. improved his draft stock with his consistent play.

Team Germany

Dominik Kahun (C, 2013)

Once again rode shotgun with Draisaitl as the two had done previously at the U17 World Challenge and played a gutsy, intelligent two-way game co-leading the scoring for Team Germany with 5-3-4-7 totals .. undersized but smart in terms of his approach and did not put himself into problematic situations .. year of playing in the OHL has developed his all around game .. Kahun and Draisaitl looked leaps and bounds better than their countrymen.

Leon Draisaitl (LW, 2014)

Once again shined on the international stage as he scored at a point-per-game clip .. most experienced player on team as he also played for Germany at the WJC .. highly-skilled .. the game-plan was to get him the puck at all times .. had an insane amount of touches per game and was always on the puck .. flourished with the pressure of being the go-to-guy .. speed looks like it has improved and his game-reading skills are in the upper-echelon of his age group.

Team Slovakia

Peter Cehlarik (LW, 2013)

Team captain was the driving force for Team Slovakia, who avoided being relegated after posting a 3-2 win over Latvia .. had a great tournament (6-2-5-7) as his skill set was evident with each shift, however he had no one to play with as he had to do it all by himself .. skating is plausible but offensive skills and puck-handling ability is incredibly developed .. played in Lulea J20, the Northern-most team in the Sweden J20 so NHL teams may not have seen him, however he’s no longer a secret after his U18 World Championship coming out party.

McKeen’s 2013 NHL Draft Rankings – March

McKeen's Staff — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 23:25:38 +0000

Perception is everything when it comes to scouting 17 and 18-year-old hockey players - and the only real certainty is that you just don't know how a player will turn out.

The microscope intensifies at this time of the season - with six months in the books - as every facet of a player's game being dissected and chewed up and whatever is left - in the words of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - must be the truth.

However, along with clarity also comes skepticism and doubts about whether they will ultimately fall short of fulfilling potential.

As is the case with every draft class, the shine has rubbed off for some of this year's first-round candidates, having had holes and shortcomings exposed.

Initially presumed a sure-fire NHL prospect, but now veering towards 'boom-or-bust' territory.

Certainly Russian thoroughbred Valeri Nichushkin headed down that path before restoring his stock with a 'man-against-boys' performance at the U-18 Five Nations earlier this month in Sweden. Nichushkin entered this season as a probable top ten pick, so his major rise is more a re-adjustment than a sudden epiphany.

GAUTHIER SOMEBODY THAT I USED TO KNOW

Rimouski center Frederik Gauthier is one of the developing wildcards for this draft. There was talk over the opening months that Gauthier might challenge the top 10 as he appeared to be shaping into a big two-way force. However, since suffering a broken jaw, his play has regressed alarmingly with the edgy physical side he displayed earlier giving way to a more tentative version. He's also let his defensive play slide, an area once considered a given area of strength.

There are also growing concerns about Prince Albert blueliner Josh Morrissey and specifically whether he will develop the strength and jam to defend at the next level. There's not much push-back to his game and his lean body is getting knocked around pretty good as the playoff race thickens.

Medicine Hat winger Hunter Shinkaruk can expect a similar rough ride against NHL bodies, however his stock has softened over questions about his vision and game sense - even despite the impressive stat totals. A strong playoff push from Shinkaruk would help put him back in the top-ten discussions.

It hasn't been a great campaign for Andre Burakovsky of Malmo, a significant faller in this month's McKeen's top 30 rankings. A detailed report on Burakovsky and his progress to date will be published shortly on the site.

THERE A NURSE IS IN THE HOUSE

Along with Nichushkin, another heavy mover this month was Sault Ste Marie defenseman Darnell Nurse whose game has blossomed recently under the tutelage of Greyhounds coach and former NHLer Sheldon Keefe. Nurse has advanced his game further than many of his peers - and ditto for Halifax wizard Jonathan Drouin whose progress appears to have no bounds. Drouin is currently riding a phenomenal 24-game scoring streak (22-32-54) - and has left no choice but to bump him ahead of injured teammate Nathan MacKinnon.

The only newcomer to the top 30 this month is Owen Sound defenseman Chris Bigras, a steady riser all season, bumping Guelph's Jason Dickinson.

RANK	LAST	PLAYER	POS	HT/WT	BORN	TM (LG)	GP-G-A-PTS
1	1	Seth Jones	D	6-3/205	10-3-1994	Portland (WHL)	55-10-38-48
2	3	Jonathan Drouin	LW	5-11/185	3-28-1995	Halifax (QMJHL)	43-37-57-94
3	2	Nathan MacKinnon	C	6-0/180	9-1-1995	Halifax (QMJHL)	41-28-41-69
4	4	Elias Lindholm	C	6-0/190	12-2-1994	Brynas (Swe)	48-11-19-30
5	5	Aleksander Barkov	C	6-2/210	9-2-1995	Tappara (Fin)	49-21-25-46
6	6	Ryan Pulock	D	6-0/210	10-6-1994	Brandon (WHL)	53-14-29-43
7	7	Sean Monahan	C	6-2/190	10-12-1994	Ottawa (OHL)	50-26-43-69
8	19	Valeri Nichushkin	RW	6-4/195	3-4-1995	Traktor (KHL)	18-4-2-6
9	15	Darnell Nurse	D	6-3/190	2-4-1995	Sault Ste Marie (OHL)	60-11-25-36
10	8	Adam Erne	LW	6-1/195	4-20-1995	Quebec (QMJHL)	60-25-41-66
11	10	Rasmus Ristolainen	D	6-3/205	10-27-1994	TPS Turku (Fin)	47-2-11-13
12	11	Valentin Zykov	LW	6-0/210	5-15-1995	Baie-Comeau (QMJHL)	59-35-34-69
13	13	Anthony Mantha	RW	6-4/200	9-16-1994	Val d'Or (QMJHL)	60-45-37-82
14	9	Hunter Shinkaruk	LW	5-10/180	10-13-1994	Medicine Hat (WHL)	57-32-41-73
15	17	Mirco Mueller	D	6-3/185	3-21-1995	Everett (WHL)	54-6-19-25
16	22	Robert Hagg	D	6-2/200	2-8-1995	MoDo (Swe)	25-0-1-1
17	14	Nikita Zadorov	D	6-5/230	4-15-1995	London (OHL)	54-5-17-22
18	20	Alexander Wennberg	C	6-1/190	9-22-1994	Djurgardens (Swe 2)	45-14-17-31
19	12	Frederik Gauthier	C	6-5/210	4-26-1995	Rimouski (QMJHL)	55-19-37-56
20	23	Bo Horvat	C	6-0/200	4-5-1995	London (OHL)	59-28-27-55
21	21	Max Domi	C	5-9/195	3-2-1995	London (OHL)	56-35-40-75
22	16	Andre Burakovsky	LW	6-1/180	2-9-1995	Malmo (Swe 2)	42-4-7-11
23	18	Josh Morrissey	D	6-0/185	3-28-1995	Prince Albert (WHL)	62-15-28-43
24	27	Kerby Rychel	LW	6-1/200	10-7-1994	Windsor (OHL)	60-35-42-77
25	24	Curtis Lazar	C	6-0/195	2-2-1995	Edmonton (WHL)	65-34-18-52
26	25	Zachary Fucale	G	6-1/180	5-28-1995	Halifax (QMJHL)	39-5-2, 2.39
27	26	Linus Arnesson	D	6-1/190	9-21-1994	Djurgardens (Swe 2)	30-0-1-1
28	28	Eric Comrie	G	6-1/170	7-6-1995	Tri-City (WHL)	20-14-3, 2.62
29	29	Ryan Hartman	C	5-11/185	9-20-1994	Plymouth (OHL)	51-23-34-57
30	NR	Chris Bigras	D	6-0/190	2-22-1995	Owen Sound (OHL)	59-6-25-31
		* Goalies (W-L-T, GA)

McKeen’s 2013 NHL Draft midterm rankings

MCKEEN'S STAFF — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 20:49:53 +0000

The lockout ended, the NHL returned, and draft watchers were treated to a World Junior feast.

January was indeed a special month - and especially for Portland Winterhawks' blueliner Seth Jones, who emphatically claimed top spot in the McKeen's midterm rankings for the 2013 NHL Draft.

No. 1 had been up for grabs heading into the Christmas break, as the likes of Jones and Jonathan Drouin had effectively closed the gap on frontrunner Nathan MacKinnon.

The race was expected to remain a close one - and perhaps even come down to the final wire.

However, Jones broke from the pack with captivating performances at both the WJC and Top Prospects Game.

Historically, underagers are usually 'seen but not heard' at the under-20 world juniors, but not this year as the top five ranked prospects were all on display - and featured prominently.

Jones sparkled throughout, taking control of games with his prodigious talents and helping guide Team USA to a gold medal - playing in a top pairing with Buffalo draft pick Jake McCabe.

It wasn't the only eye-catching performance as a number of draft-eligible players made definitive statements on the world stage.

Mirco Mueller of the Everett Silvertips displayed remarkable poise for a 17-year-old while handling a heavy load for Switzerland, impressive sixth-place finishers. The biggest riser on our midterms, Mueller led the Swiss with a plus-7 rating to rank fifth overall at the tournament - and then followed up with another striking effort at the Top Prospects Game.

A pair of Swedes - Alexander Wennberg and Linus Arnesson - also seized the moment in Ufa, Russia, and have consequently cracked the first round.

The Djurgarden teammates grew in stature as the tournament progressed, and particularly Arnesson who thrived after being thrust into a main role with key blueline injuries to Jonas Brodin, Hampus Lindholm, and Oscar Klefbom.

Yet another youngster making waves at the WJC's was big Russian winger Valeri Nichushkin, the hero of the bronze-medal game. Nichushkin certainly flashed high-end individual skills that will likely bump him up on some lists, however he did not do enough in our opinion to dispel questions about his consistency, team play, and overall vision.

In fact, he slips to third among the Russians, surpassed by bullish winger Valentin Zykov who continued to rampage up the charts and now is pushing the top ten. The Baie-Comeau star has points in every game this month (12-10-16-28) - aside from the Top Prospects Game - including a six-point effort against Rouyn-Noranda.

Another mover this past month was Rimouski pivot Frederik Gauthier, currently second in QMJHL rookie scoring behind Zykov. The 6-foot-5 pivot vaults up the No. 12 spot having made significant gains in his overall game.

Quebec Remparts winger Adam Erne is the lone newcomer to the top 10 - sliding into the No. 8 slot.

Three OHLers also climbed the rankings having drawn plenty of praise for their steady development - those being Darnell Nurse (Sault), Bo Horvat (London), and Ryan Hartman (Plymouth).

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

RANK	LAST	PLAYER	POS	HT/WT	BORN	TM (LG)	GP-G-A-PTS
1	2	Seth Jones	D	6-3/205	10-3-1994	Portland (WHL)	40-9-27-36
2	1	Nathan MacKinnon	C	6-0/180	9-1-1995	Halifax (QMJHL)	37-26-36-62
3	3	Jonathan Drouin	LW	5-11/185	3-28-1995	Halifax (QMJHL)	31-24-38-62
4	5	Elias Lindholm	C	6-0/190	12-2-1994	Brynas (Swe)	40-7-17-24
5	4	Aleksander Barkov	C	6-2/210	9-2-1995	Tappara (Fin)	41-18-21-39
6	9	Ryan Pulock	D	6-0/210	10-6-1994	Brandon (WHL)	40-10-21-31
7	6	Sean Monahan	C	6-2/190	10-12-1994	Ottawa (OHL)	40-18-36-54
8	13	Adam Erne	LW	6-1/195	4-20-1995	Quebec (QMJHL)	48-21-38-59
9	7	Hunter Shinkaruk	LW	5-10/180	10-13-1994	Medicine Hat (WHL)	47-30-32-62
10	8	Rasmus Ristolainen	D	6-3/205	10-27-1994	TPS Turku (Fin)	39-2-10-12
11	22	Valentin Zykov	LW	6-0/210	5-15-1995	Baie-Comeau (QMJHL)	49-32-30-62
12	17	Frederik Gauthier	C	6-5/210	4-26-1995	Rimouski (QMJHL)	43-16-35-51
13	10	Anthony Mantha	RW	6-4/200	9-16-1994	Val d'Or (QMJHL)	47-38-31-69
14	12	Nikita Zadorov	D	6-5/230	4-15-1995	London (OHL)	44-3-14-17
15	20	Darnell Nurse	D	6-3/190	2-4-1995	Sault Ste Marie (OHL)	49-10-20-30
16	11	Andre Burakovsky	LW	6-1/180	2-9-1995	Malmo (Swe 2)	33-3-4-7
17	NR	Mirco Mueller	D	6-3/185	3-21-1995	Everett (WHL)	43-5-18-23
18	15	Josh Morrissey	D	6-0/185	3-28-1995	Prince Albert (WHL)	48-13-22-35
19	19	Valeri Nichushkin	RW	6-4/195	3-4-1995	Traktor (KHL)	17-3-2-5
20	NR	Alexander Wennberg	C	6-1/190	9-22-1994	Djurgardens (Swe 2)	36-12-13-25
21	18	Max Domi	C	5-9/195	3-2-1995	London (OHL)	47-28-36-64
22	16	Robert Hagg	D	6-2/200	2-8-1995	MoDo (Swe Jr)	23-9-11-20
23	NR	Bo Horvat	C	6-0/200	4-5-1995	London (OHL)	49-23-23-46
24	14	Curtis Lazar	C	6-0/195	2-2-1995	Edmonton (WHL)	51-23-14-37
25	24	Zachary Fucale	G	6-1/180	5-28-1995	Halifax (QMJHL)	31-5-2, 2.49
26	NR	Linus Arnesson	D	6-1/190	9-21-1994	Djurgardens (Swe 2)	22-0-1-1
27	26	Kerby Rychel	LW	6-1/200	10-7-1994	Windsor (OHL)	48-26-25-51
28	29	Eric Comrie	G	6-1/170	7-6-1995	Tri-City (WHL)	20-14-3, 2.62
29	NR	Ryan Hartman	C	5-11/185	9-20-1994	Plymouth (OHL)	39-19-22-41
30	23	Jason Dickinson	C	6-1/180	7-4-1995	Guelph (OHL)	47-15-22-37
		* Goalies (W-L-T, GA)

2013 NHL Draft – Top 30 Comments

McKeen's Staff — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 09:08:42 +0000

1) Nathan MacKinnon, C, Halifax (QMJHL) - Multi-faceted gamebreaker equipped with speed, power, a cunning shot - and the ability to process and execute at sonic tempo. His nine-game goal streak in October is the longest in the league so far (14-5-19).

2) Seth Jones, D, Portland (WHL) - Powerful and skilled with tremendous skating speed and range. Few blueline prospects have ever possessed this kind of athleticism and raw natural physical ability - and he's still just scratching the surface.

3) Jonathan Drouin, LW, Halifax (QMJHL) - Rarely takes a back seat to top-rated linemate Nate MacKinnon and often drives the bus with his mesmerizing speed and skill set. Cracking Canada's U20 World Junior team as an underager is yet another feather in the cap.

4) Aleksander Barkov, C, Tappara (Fin) - An instinctive, methodical forward with remarkable poise and polish. The ceiling here may be limitless given his rare accomplishments at such a tender age - as an impact scorer in the Finnish SM-liiga as a 17-year-old.

5) Elias Lindholm, C, Brynas (Swe) - Top junior-aged scorer in the Swedish Elitserien and key catalyst on the point of the Brynas power play. A diverse all-around forward with skill, imagination, a fiery competitive streak - and the goods to go first overall.

6) Sean Monahan, C, Ottawa (OHL) - A clutch performer who shows up when the games matter most. Continues to produce offense without last season's strong support cast, though was set back by a 10-game suspension for an errant elbow.

7) Hunter Shinkaruk, LW, Medicine Hat (WHL) - A dynamic top-end talent who can turn defenders with a blinding change of pace and lightning-fast stick skills. Emerging as prime attraction for the Tigers and helping fill the void of departed super-scorer Emerson Etem.

8) Rasmus Ristolainen, D, TPS Turku (Fin) - Impressively averages 20-plus minutes per game as an 18-year-old in the Finnish SM-liiga. Looks to be among the safer picks as he's a big, strong, aggressive blueline leader who can be relied on in any situation.

9) Ryan Pulock, D, Brandon (WHL) - A 'jack-of-all-trades' defenseman equipped with a cannon of a slapshot. Thrives offensively driven by sharp anticipation but needs to continue tightening up in down-low defensive situations. (Pictured above)

10) Anthony Mantha, RW, Val d'Or (QMJHL) - Lethal sniper boasting a rare mix of size, mobility and shooting abilities. Gives goalies nightmares thanks to a dynamic release, however he needs to play with more intensity away from the puck.

11) Andre Burakovsky, LW, Malmo (Swe 2) - Sent NHL tongues wagging with standout international performances at the Ivan Hlinka and 4 Nations tournies. Pure offensive talents are impressive featuring terrific skating speed and a big-game wristshot.

12) Nikita Zadorov, D, London (OHL) - Enormous rearguard is slowly learning 'on the job' and continues to improve his defensive reads and involvement. A growing contributing factor in the Knights' current unbeaten streak before reporting to Russia's WJC camp.

13) Adam Erne, LW, Quebec (QMJHL) - Vaulting up the charts and proving our preliminary ranking was on the low side. Creative playmaker with power, skill, and a ferocious appetite for the puck - can go around or through opponents.

14) Curtis Lazar, C, Edmonton (WHL) - Tough full-menu forward who augments his game by playing staunch defense and doing all the little things away from the puck. Finding the net again with seven goals in eight December games after a dry November (12-0-6-6).

15) Josh Morrissey, D, Prince Albert (WHL) - Instrumental in anchoring this season's turnaround in the standings for the Raiders, from last place to first. Dynamic skater and puck rusher, but lack of size and defensive holes can appear cavernous at times.

16) Robert Hagg, D, MODO (Swe J20) - Struggled at the 4 Nations Tournament in November, yet has the ingredients to be a solid two-way defenseman as he hits, can log the puck up ice, and packs a rocket point shot. Effort level can be higher in key defensive times.

17) Frederik Gauthier, C, Rimouski (QMJHL) - Dominated Midget last season taking his team to within a win of the Telus Cup, then bypassed a Harvard University commitment. Large, energetic two-way pivot - but hasn't been as intense since returning from broken jaw.

18) Max Domi, C, London (OHL) - An offensive tyrant playing on the top line of the OHL's best team - the recently-unbeatable London Knights - currently on a 21-game streak. Easily climbs higher with improved emphasis placed on his play without the puck.

19) Valeri Nichushkin, RW, Traktor (Rus) - Boasts arguably the best package of size, speed and, skill, but his stock is tempered by the 'Russian' factor plus doubts about how much vision there is. Showed lots of flash but not much substance in Canada-Russia Challenge.

20) Darnell Nurse, D, Sault Ste Marie (OHL) - Excellent athleticism and character - has the tools to be a quality shutdown defender at the next level if he can add weight to a slender frame. Gradually learning to simplify his game - and that 'less is best' in his case.

21) J.T. Compher, C, NTDP (USA) - Plays a hard, 'take-no-prisoners' style of game and can also punish opponents on the score sheet. Beginning to come around after being derailed early this season by concussions.

22) Valentin Zykov, LW, Baie-Comeau (QMJHL) - Russian import acclimatized instantly to the QMJHL and has been turning heads since the opening whistle with enticing mix of skill, power, and moxy. An absolute tank of a player impossible to knock off the puck.

23) Jason Dickinson, C, Guelph (OHL) - Curiously fell off the grid through November and December, raising concerns about his intensity and work ethic. Expect the freefall to continue unless he starts to play with more jam and gets involved.

24) Zachary Fucale, G, Halifax (QMJHL) - Likely the first goalie off the board given attractive raw natural technical abilities. Record is stellar - leads Q with 21 wins - for the country's top team - although his personal stats are a bit underwhelming.

25) Jacob de la Rose, LW, Leksands (Swe 2) - Starting to find his way as a 17-year-old Swedish rookie in the second-tier Allsvenskan. Projects as valuable complementary player who plays a spirited game and does all the little things. Offensive ceiling is the unknown.

26) Kerby Rychel, LW, Windsor (OHL) - Slightly off his goal production from last season and not playing with the same type of determination or intensity either. Needs to ramp up his defensive efforts - and pick up the footspeed and skating.

27) Hudson Fasching, C, NTDP (USA) - There's appealing size and raw natural ability here yet he is still plagued by inconsistency leaving viewers uncertain as to which player will show up. His skating also needs to show improvement.

28) William Carrier, LW, Cape Breton (QMJHL) - Solid two-way winger ran up impressive 11-game point streak through mid-Nov (8-11-19) for lowly Screaming Eagles. Struggled along with team since then though - minus-15 in past 11 games

29) Eric Comrie, G, Tri-City (WHL) - All-competitive workhorse has appeared in 31 of 34 games so far this season for Americans. Great technician with excellent game-reading abilities and lateral quickness - among best-skating goalies available in draft.

30) Steven Santini, D, NTDP (USA) - An effective defender with a healthy mean streak - and heavy hits that destroy opponents - ideal complement for a puckmoving partner. Safer pick is showing steady improvement this season and continues to get better each game.

LEGEND: DEC., 2012 RANK) PLAYER, POS, TM (LG)

2013 Top 30 NHL Draft Rankings – Dec, 2012

MCKEEN'S STAFF — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 08:18:24 +0000

Nathan MacKinnon is safe - for the time being.

The Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia native stayed atop the McKeen's December rankings for the 2013 NHL Draft, but with less margin for error now after exceptional performances from his main challengers for the first-overall spot.

Aleksander Barkov leads Tappara with 14 goals and sits among the top ten scorers in the Finnish SM-liiga - and padded a whirlwind month by taking home MVP honours at the U-20 4-Nations Tournament last month in Sundsvall, Sweden (3-0-3-3).

However, it was the play of the gold medal-winning host Swedes which left an even bigger impression with the NHL scouting fraternity. Specifically Elias Lindholm (3-1-1-2) and Andre Burakovsky (3-0-1-1), as the duo were dominant whenever they were on the ice - in spite of unassuming stat lines.

MacKinnon's lead was compromised the most though by Halifax linemate Jonathan Drouin.

Peel your eyes away from the Ste-Agathe, Quebec native if you can. His overall game has shown remarkable growth since the beginning of the season, his tempo and decision-making speed seemingly increasing with each passing game. The knock on Drouin coming in was his ordinary size along with associated concerns on whether he survives an 'inside' game at the NHL level.

Well, you can't hit what you can't catch - or so it goes - and Drouin has been a blur in the offensive zone. Teammates such as MacKinnon have been the benefactors of Drouin's inspired work on both sides of the puck. He makes those around him better by creating space using his intellect and skating superiority.

Rounding out the Fab Five - and not to be outdone - is stud Portland blueliner Seth Jones, the son of former NBA star Popeye Jones, who is starting to figure it out after a tentative start in his WHL debut.

Jones posted an impressive nine-game assist streak (9-2-12-14) and is looking ever more comfortable on the ice and resembling the player that took over games last season with the U.S. National Team Development Program.

After MacKinnon, pick one of the next four names out of a hat - and NHL clubs are sure to get an outstanding prospect.

Whichever player winds up fifth overall on draft day, they join an impressive list of current and potential future NHL stars to go in the No. 5 slot over the past decade; Morgan Rielly, Ryan Strome, Nino Niederreiter, Brayden Schenn, Luke Schenn, Karl Alzner, Phil Kessel, Carey Price, Blake Wheeler and Thomas Vanek.

RANK	LAST	PLAYER	POS	HT/WT	BORN	TM (LG)	GP-G-A-PTS
1	1	Nathan MacKinnon	C	6-0/180	9/1/1995	Halifax (QMJHL)	30-22-30-52
2	2	Seth Jones	D	6-3/205	10/3/1994	Portland (WHL)	31-8-20-28
3	9	Jonathan Drouin	LW	5-11/185	3/28/1995	Halifax (QMJHL)	24-19-29-48
4	4	Aleksander Barkov	C	6-2/210	9/2/1995	Tappara (Fin)	31-14-14-28
5	3	Elias Lindholm	C	6-0/190	12/2/1994	Brynas (Swe)	32-6-15-21
6	5	Sean Monahan	C	6-2/190	10/12/1994	Ottawa (OHL)	26-13-24-37
7	7	Hunter Shinkaruk	LW	5-10/180	10/13/1994	Medicine Hat (WHL)	31-19-25-44
8	6	Rasmus Ristolainen	D	6-3/205	10/27/1994	TPS Turku (Fin)	28-2-5-7
9	8	Ryan Pulock	D	6-0/210	10/6/1994	Brandon (WHL)	30-10-19-29
10	15	Anthony Mantha	RW	6-4/200	9/16/1994	Val d'Or (QMJHL)	34-28-22-50
11	18	Andre Burakovsky	LW	6-1/180	2/9/1995	Malmo (Swe 2)	22-1-3-4
12	13	Nikita Zadorov	D	6-5/230	4/15/1995	London (OHL)	31-2-10-12
13	21	Adam Erne	LW	6-1/195	4/20/1995	Quebec (QMJHL)	34-19-25-44
14	11	Curtis Lazar	C	6-0/195	2/2/1995	Edmonton (WHL)	34-14-10-24
15	12	Josh Morrissey	D	6-0/185	3/28/1995	Prince Albert (WHL)	35-8-17-25
16	14	Robert Hagg	D	6-2/200	2/8/1995	MODO (Swe J20)	23-9-11-20
17	17	Frederik Gauthier	C	6-5/210	4/26/1995	Rimouski (QMJHL)	30-13-21-34
18	20	Max Domi	C	5-9/195	3/2/1995	London (OHL)	34-18-27-45
19	10	Valeri Nichushkin	RW	6-4/195	3/4/1995	Traktor (Rus)	8-0-2-2
20	23	Darnell Nurse	D	6-3/190	2/4/1995	Sault Ste Marie (OHL)	35-6-17-23
21	22	J.T. Compher	C	5-11/185	4/8/1995	NTDP (USA)	22-3-5-8
22	NR	Valentin Zykov	LW	6-0/210	5/15/1995	Baie-Comeau (QMJHL)	35-22-14-36
23	16	Jason Dickinson	C	6-1/180	7/4/1995	Guelph (OHL)	34-12-17-29
24	19	Zachary Fucale	G	6-1/180	5/28/1995	Halifax (QMJHL)	21-3-1, 2.58
25	26	Jacob de la Rose	LW	6-2/190	5/20/1995	Leksands (Swe 2)	27-4-2-6
26	24	Kerby Rychel	LW	6-1/200	10/7/1994	Windsor (OHL)	35-19-13-32
27	25	Hudson Fasching	C	6-2/215	7/28/1995	NTDP (USA)	24-6-7-13
28	27	William Carrier	LW	6-1/200	12/20/1994	Cape Breton (QMJHL)	34-16-26-42
29	30	Eric Comrie	G	6-1/170	7/6/1995	Tri-City (WHL)	16-12-3, 2.64
30	NR	Steve Santini	D	6-1/210	3/7/1995	NTDP (USA)	24-0-8-8

* Goalies (W-L-T, GA)