Simon Lundmark – McKeen's Hockey

MCKEEN’S 2023-24 NHL YEARBOOK – WINNIPEG JETS – Top 20 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #13

Brock Otten, Derek Neumeier, Chapin Landvogt and Josh Bell — Tue, 10 Oct 2023 15:12:09 +0000

Top 20 Winnipeg Jets Prospects

1. Colby Barlow

There are a multitude of reasons why Barlow has already been so successful as a junior, scoring 46 goals for the Owen Sound Attack last season. He plays the North/South power game to a tee. A strong forechecker, he consistently applies pressure in pursuit, and has a clear understanding for using his size and strength to get to the middle of the ice and to the net. He also has a tremendous shot, one of the better ones from the 2023 draft class. Another thing that makes Barlow so valuable is his two-way effectiveness. An excellent penalty killer and a strong board player, he is not shy in using his strength to separate players from the puck. Very few top-end goal scorers are committed two-way players like he projects as at the NHL level. On the other hand, there were reasons why some scouts were sceptical. His lack of dynamic skating can negatively impact his ability to transport the puck. Additionally, there are some limitations to his puck skill and creativity, all also limiting his play creation in transition. He is at his best when keeping the game simple and playing a complementary North/South attacking style. Advanced physically, Barlow should only need one more year in the OHL before he could be ready to take on a full-time role with the Jets.

2. Brad Lambert

Lambert is difficult to get a confident read on, because his performances can swing wildly between highs and lows. When he reaches those highs, his performances can be thrilling. His skating is magnificent, and he can pull off some truly dazzling plays with the puck in motion at top speed. He can also be a lethal shooter when he wants to be. A midseason change of scenery to WHL Seattle last season was perfect for his development, as he turned in the longest stretch of high-level hockey in years, as he was consistently at the very top of the game, and he kept getting better as the playoffs rolled along. Opposing WHL teams simply have no answer for him when he plays like that. The challenge now for Winnipeg will be finding a way to get this version of Lambert to somehow show up on a regular basis.

3. Chaz Lucius

You have to feel for Lucius after all of the bad injury luck that he has already faced in his young career. After previously battling through hand, ankle, and knee issues, he had to undergo season-ending shoulder surgery after just six games with his new team, WHL Portland. The most recent loss was surely devastating for the Winterhawks as well, as he had fit in fantastically from the get-go, putting up 15 points during those six games. When healthy, the impact he makes is undeniable. Lucius is a natural goal scorer, with excellent shot mechanics and accuracy. He can also improve his shooting opportunities by fending off defenders with his reach and strength or by making smooth dekes to pull pucks into better shooting areas. The hope is that he can stay healthy from here on out and become the star he occasionally shows signs of.

4. Ville Heinola

On many other teams in the league Heinola would have been a regular, everyday NHLer by now. Unfortunately for him, he has been predominantly stuck in the minors for multiple seasons due to Winnipeg's defensive depth. His game has improved by leaps and bounds in the AHL though, and if the Jets don't give him a full-time chance at the sport's highest level this season, then he will have every right to be frustrated. He possesses and moves the puck at a high level and has largely ironed out defensive concerns that were previously apparent, though his lack of strength and reach will always be somewhat of a detriment. He's always been more of an even strength puck-mover than an offensive specialist, but his point production saw a notable uptick in 2022-23. Heinola might not reach his top four ceiling if the Jets don't commit now to taking the training wheels off.

5. Rutger McGroarty

There are few prospects in hockey who are better within 10 feet of the opponent's net than McGroarty. He's superb in 50-50 battles and with establishing body positioning through strength and sturdy balance, and he blends those abilities with top-tier anticipation and hand-eye coordination, which makes him an expert at scoring greasy goals. If that wasn't enough, he can beat goalies clean with his shot from in tight or just outside the crease if given even just a little time and space. His heavy boots are a problem, and probably always will be to some degree, but how he is able to work around that weakness and still find success in his own way is very impressive. There are a lot of natural leadership elements here to work with as well. McGroarty knows exactly what kind of player he is and is leaning into mastering the way he plays.

6. Nikita Chibrikov

There exists a fine line between possessing a lot of pure individual skill and knowing how to use that skill within the structure of a team game. That's the dilemma facing Chibrikov, and it has persisted for years. There is no denying his abundance of talent. A fast and fluid skater, he can make flashy, confident moves with the puck. He loves to challenge defenders one-on-one and has what it takes to beat them often. The problem is that his game hits the wall because he'll try to do too much by himself and not play off his teammates enough. The lack of diversification with his attack is holding him back at the KHL level, and it will be even worse in North America. Chibrikov could become an effective top six winger after learning how to make that necessary adjustment.

7. Declan Chisholm

The Jets organization is very deep with young defenders, so the competition to stand out is fierce. Chisholm recognizes the situation very well and has been continually elevating his game accordingly. He's a play driver from the back end, excelling when he has the puck on his stick and relishing the responsibility of making sure it successfully gets up the ice. His hands, feet, and vision all work very well in conjunction, and he has a very assertive and incisive mindset about beating opposing layers of defenders. Navigating through traffic is a breeze for him. He still needs to show progress off the puck, but he'll be fine if he can focus on tightening up his gap control. If the Jets don't make roster space for Chisholm this season, with his exemption from waivers running out, don't be surprised if another team jumps at the chance to add a good, young asset for no cost.

8. Dmitry Rashevsky

From a pure entertainment standpoint, Rashevsky is exceptional and nearly impossible to take your eyes off of. His bag of puck tricks is overflowing, and he rarely passes up an opportunity to try something dramatic and exciting. He also possesses a high-end motor, so if he tries something that doesn't pan out, he'll work hard to get the puck back on the same shift and try something else. He's such a natural at pulling pucks past sticks and skates and into shooting spaces, and then picking his spots to beat goalies clean. He's a late bloomer because it took him a while to master his style of play, but now he's a legitimate star in the KHL. His skating, strength, and conditioning all need further work, but if he can show some improvement in those areas, he has real upside as an NHL scoring threat.

9. Artemi Kniazev

Kniazev hasn't really changed a whole lot since his draft year, which can be both a good thing or a bad thing depending on how you look at it. He is a play-driving defenseman who operates at a high pace and wants to be a possession conduit for his team. He jumps at every opportunity to join the rush and is always ready to follow it all the way up into prime scoring territory. There is an aggressive confidence to him, which is a mentality that can be used to his advantage. Problems arise when he plays with that kind of fire a little frequently. It would also be nice to see him expand his game to additional dimensions. Even if Kniazev remains a fairly one-dimensional, pigeonholed kind of blueliner, he could be a specialist as a play driver as he continues to master his craft.

10. Elias Salomonsson

Salomonsson is a right-shot defenseman with slippery lateral mobility and smooth puck control, and those will always have value in the NHL. His primary job is to get pucks on retrievals, escape forecheck pressure, and help ensure the play heads successfully up the ice, whether that's by deferring with passes or through navigating the impending traffic himself. Overall, he succeeds in what he is supposed to do, and is increasingly being trusted to do it at Sweden's highest professional level. He's also relatively effective at the offensive blueline, keeping pucks in the zone and helping to find or create a multitude of scoring chances. At one point it looked like he could be a major point producer from the back end, however that hype has cooled off a lot. Concerns remain about how much bulk he can add to help withstand the rigors of a long NHL career without losing his mobility.

11. Domenic DiVincentiis

A seventh-round selection last year, DiVincentiis has rocketed up rankings thanks to his remarkable OHL season that saw him named as the league’s top netminder. He has learned to harness his athleticism to be more composed in the crease and consistency has followed.

12. Danny Zhilkin

The offensive production in the OHL never really reached the levels that Zhilkin was thought capable of, but he’s still a very intriguing prospect because of his speed and skill from the center position. How he adjusts to the pro level this year will be closely watched.

13. Dmitry Kuzmin

Terrific offensive defender who can be a difference maker in transition because of his skating ability and skill. Was a totally different player in the defensive end last year, becoming increasingly physically assertive despite his lack of size. Can that carry over to the pro level?

14. Fabian Wagner

While Wagner was fantastic offensively at the WJCs for Sweden last year, his production in Sweden probably gives a better indication of his NHL upside. He’s a pretty straight-forward player who can play a variety of different roles because of his IQ and skating ability. He could be a longtime fixture on an NHL third line in the future.

15. Daniel Torgersson

The Swedish missile, Torgersson struggled to be a consistent offensive contributor with Manitoba last year as an AHL rookie. As he gains confidence, he probably has more to give physically, too. Winnipeg will be looking for him to take a step forward as an AHL sophomore this season.

16. Oskari Salminen

There were ups and downs in Salminen’s first season in Manitoba after signing with Winnipeg last summer. He looked fantastic at times,but not so great at others. Finding that consistency will be key for him if he wishes to push for a backup spot in the NHL.

17. Zach Nehring

Drafted out of Shattuck St. Mary’s this year, Nehring is a power skating, North/South winger who can drive the net. He has great upside due to his physical tools, but he remains a long-term project. He’ll play with USHL Sioux Falls this year before going to Western Michigan in 2024-25.

18. Simon Lundmark

At this point, Lundmark may not have a ton of upside to offer for the NHL level, but he can still develop into a solid third pairing, PK type in the future. He moves well, thinks the game well, and has good reach. Just don’t expect much out of him offensively.

19. Kristian Vesalainen

The former highly touted first round pick was still qualified by the Jets as they retained his rights following a return to Finland. Is he still in their plans long term? That probably depends on how he plays in Liiga. He was good last year, but he’ll need to develop into one of the better players in Finland in order to earn another look from the Jets.

20. Thomas Milic

Milic was finally selected in the draft in his final year of eligibility despite strong play in the WHL over a few years. His gold medal performance for Canada at the WJCs last year have likely finally sealed the deal. Will the undersized netminder return to WHL Seattle for an OA year or will he turn pro? That will likely be determined at Winnipeg’s upcoming training camp.

2021-22 TOP 15 PROSPECTS: WINNIPEG JETS – RANK: #21 – TIER IV

McKeen's Hockey — Sat, 11 Sep 2021 12:22:57 +0000

Winnipeg Jets

#21 Winnipeg - The top of Winnipeg's system would cause envy in many of the systems ranked higher, but few teams are shallower. The Jets can't keep having 4-5 man draft classes.

Cole Perfetti

After a bit of a slow start in his first pro campaign (with Manitoba of the AHL), Perfetti finished exceptionally strong, and it has many in the Jets organization excited about his future. Perffeti had 18 points in his final 14 games of the AHL season and then went on to win a silver medal with Canada at the World Championships, scoring two goals at the event. The 10th overall selection in the 2020 Draft, of course, was not even supposed to play in the AHL this year, but due to the OHL hiatus, he was able to play in the league as a double underager.

Touted as one of the most intelligent forward prospects in the game, Perfetti has the ability to breakdown opposing defenses, dictating the pace with the puck on a string. He has already worked hard to improve his explosiveness as a skater, and his strength on the puck, and those improvements were noticeable in the AHL’s second half. Further improvement will be needed, but he is on his way to becoming a high-end top six forward at the NHL level. It is likely that Perfetti earns NHL time this year and is a candidate to break camp with the Jets to start the season. If he struggles, he is likely to be given an exemption to play in the AHL, yet again, rather than have to return to the OHL. - BO

Chaz Lucuis

One of, if not the, hardest North American players to scout this year, Lucius’ season began in late-February after missing the beginning of the season as he completed rehab from knee surgery, and ended approximately six weeks later with a stellar performance at the BioSteel All-America game, after which the USNTDP U18 ceased game activity to focus on the upcoming World U18 Championships, which Lucius was forced to miss due to a poorly timed COVID positive result.

Despite the late start and early ending, Lucius was still a first round selection by Winnipeg on the strength of a goal per game performance in the USHL (albeit in a small sample size). Lucius is a terrific goal scorer not because he is the most skilled player on the ice, but because he is a tireless worker who also happens to possess good instincts. He scans and reads the defense and finds their weaknesses with impressive quickness. While learning the defense, he also keeps aware of what his linemates are doing, so as to better make himself an outlet for them or find ways to make them outlets for him.

These instincts and that work rate help the University of Minnesota commit makeup for physical skills that are somewhat less impressive. As a Golden Gopher, he will firstly look to stay healthy, but secondly, look to get quicker and stronger so that he can reach his high-end potential as a first line forward. It is likely that Chaz plays at least two seasons in college, if only to be sure to be able to play with younger brother Cruz, who followed him one year later into the USNTDP program. His method of production should follow him up the ranks towards the NHL, but he must continue to improve physically. - McKeen’s Draft Guide 2021

Ville Heinola

Since the Jets selected Heinola 19^th overall in 2019 – which we admittedly thought was a bit of a reach at the time – they have given him chances to play in the NHL. Eight games immediately following his selection, and five more games last year. While the young blueliner was not able to secure full-time NHL employment in either season, he still performed admirably for a teenager in the greatest league in the world. Further giving a glimpse at his projectability, Heinola was fantastic during those same seasons in his stints in both the AHL and Liiga in his homeland of Finland, in both leagues playing far better than a U20 defender should.

If we had underrated him two years ago (and we did), it was largely due to his skating ability, which lacks the dynamism we see in many of the current crop of high-end defensive prospects. The lack of explosiveness can make Heinola look a bit static in comparison, but there are plenty of NHL defenders with similar skating ability, and like them, the prospect has developed a style of play that can function well without great speed, replying instead of positioning, patience with and without the puck, and lateral mobility, the latter a trait which is not always easy to spot. The signings of Brendan Dillon and Nate Schmidt means Heinola will have to work to make the Jets again, but even if he doesn’t this year, he is trending towards solid second pairing territory sooner than later. - RW

Dylan Samberg

While he did take a step forward last year, let’s call the season a stumble, as he was not able to maintain the trajectory he was riding as a collegian. Samberg was a rock on the blueline for Minnesota-Duluth for three years, playing an instrumental role in back-to-back Frozen Four Championships, while steadily improving his ability to provide offensive impact. That last element of his game was AWOL in Samberg’s professional debut last season, as he rarely moved up from the blueline in the offensive zone.

He has unteachable size, skates very well for his size (and in general) and has never hesitated to play a physical game, even if he has also not been the instigator as much as you might like. But even without producing offensively, Samberg’s rookie season was not a failure. He proved that he could be a workhorse at the pro level, playing in all situations, and comfortably playing close to 25 minutes per game. Winnipeg has many contenders for their bottom defensive pairing this year, and Samberg is still young enough that another year on the farm – or most of a year – would help him at least try to find an approach that allows him to contribute offensively. You can expect him to make his NHL debut this year and challenge for a permanent spot in the top six starting in 2022-23. - RW

Nikita Chibrikov

One of only two U18 players to receive extensive playing time in the KHL last year, Chibrikov demonstrated a broad array of exciting tools during his season-ending performance for Team Russia at the World U18 Championships where he was a standout.

Chibrikov excels in puck possession situations. Even though he doesn’t often break out highlight reel plays, the puck just sticks to him until he is ready to move it somewhere else. While puck skills are the highlight of Chibrikov’s package, there is much more to his game than that, as all of his tools project at above average, with the possible exception of his physical game, and that is only because he is still pretty slight. He is a fine skater, capable of dynamic burst of speed, and he is most effective playing a high-paced game, with sharp cuts and intermittent changes of pace to throw off the defense. However, with an average frame and average size overall, his lack of truly dynamic skating ability can partially explain why he fell to Winnipeg in the later second round. Chibrikov’s contract with SKA S. Petersburg has two years left to run, after which he will be ready to play in North America and begin to fulfill his top six – and maybe top line – projection. - McKeen’s Draft Guide 2021

Kristian Vesalainen

The big Finnish winger and former first round pick is coming off another indifferent season in North America, his third since crossing the pond. Splitting 2020/21 between Liiga (to start the year), Manitoba (AHL), and Winnipeg (NHL), Vesalainen continued to struggle to find the back of the net. In his three combined seasons in North America thus far, Vesalainen has scored only 17 goals combined. Granted, some of that time has been spent in the NHL, however it is impossible to argue that his development has not been disappointing thus far. Given his size, skating, and skill combination, Vesalainen has struggled to create or find scoring chances consistently, especially in the slot and near the crease, where he should be dominating.

The 2021/22 season is likely a make-or-break season for him. Anything less than making the Jets full time this season, even if it is in a checking line role, would be a disappointment. He needs to take that step forward and become a more consistent contributor. His potential remains as a middle six winger, however the odds of him reaching that potential have drastically decreased. This is Vesalainen’s final year of waiver exemption and, as such, could be his final kick at the can in the Winnipeg system before moving on to a new NHL team or returning to Finland. - BO

David Gustafsson

Even though his offensive capabilities were questioned previously, his last season proved that his upside may be higher than many gave him credit for. David Gustafsson was a PPG player in the Swedish HockeyAllsvenskan and he was really close to doing the same in the AHL (19 PTS in 22 games). Nevertheless, he didn´t get much NHL time (four matches with the Jets), but he should be more than ready to get a bottom-six spot in the upcoming season. Despite being only 21, Gustafsson has already played in the NHL two years in a row. Even though his total of 26 matches combined is not a lot, it's still a nice accomplishment for the young Swede. He should at least double it the next season.

Gustafsson has a good size (6-2”, 196 lbs) and is a strong and hard-working center. Although he has proven his offense is noteworthy, he´s most likely going to be used as a bottom-six forward. It´s a fitting role for the Swedish prospect – he´s a smart, two-way player. He has improved his skating over the years but should learn to play more physical for a player of his size. He probably won't be used at the scoring role at the NHL level, but a bottom-six to middle-six place should be a good fit in the next couple of years. Gustafsson´s mature game proves he is NHL ready right away. - MD

Declan Chisholm

A mobile, and talented offensive defender, Chisholm is coming off of a successful first pro season with the Manitoba Moose of the AHL. One of Winnipeg’s top defensive prospects, Chisholm’s development curve over the last two years shows great promise, as nearly every part of his game has improved considerably.

Originally a slick skating puck mover in the OHL, Chisholm worked hard to improve his play in his own end, even developing a bit of a mean streak by his graduation from the Peterborough Petes. His mobility will always be his meal ticket, as will his quick decision-making ability with the puck. In the AHL this past year, Chisholm showed versatility in being asked to play a variety of different roles for the Moose. While his upside may not be as high as a defender like Ville Heinola in Winnipeg’s system, Chisholm does have a chance to be a solid two-way, #4-5 defender for the Jets. Given Winnipeg’s now great system depth at the position, he will likely have to bide his time. However, do not sleep on this talented young defender. - BO

Mikhail Berdin

Berdin came to the KHL on loan at the start of the season and left a rather shaky impression: as he frequently looked nervous and allowed some bad goals. Returning to the AHL looked like a great solution, as he got a lot of starts there, but from a statistical perspective, it was by far his worst pro season. Last year was a year to forget for Berdin.

Almost immediately upon returning to North America, Berdin agreed on an extension with the Jets, showing their commitment to him and hope that he can develop into an NHL netminder. The issue is that his development may have stagnated. He needs to show that he has outgrown the AHL level (preferably already in the Jets preseason camp) to earn the newly vacated back-up spot (with Brossoit moving on). He needs to show that his game is more than his trademark puckhandling and occasional highlight-reel saves, but that he can be a consistent and confident presence in the net. Otherwise, there is a risk of getting labeled as 'good enough for the AHL, but not good enough for the NHL' and it is very hard to get rid of that kind of label. Additionally, he would need to pass through waivers if he does not win that back-up role behind Hellebuyck. - VF

Daniel Torgersson

The COVID pandemic disrupted the Swedish junior season, limiting the league to only a handful of games. This negatively impacted Torgersson, who was not ready for full time action in the SHL. The big, physical winger skates well for his size and his power forward approach was intriguing enough for the Jets to take him with an early second round selection in 2020. At the very least he projects as a high-end bottom six forward, even if his offensive skill set fails to develop to its potential due to his penchant for the big hit and ability to use his speed on the forecheck.

However, if his goal scoring ability can find some consistency, he could play higher up in the lineup. The development of his puck skill and confidence with the puck will be critical. He will look to be a full time SHL player with Frolunda this coming season. His offensive production will likely be low as he plays a bottom six role, however consistent ice time is the most important thing for him this year. Still a longer-term project, the true potential of Torgersson may not be revealed for another few seasons. - BO

Dmitri Kuzmin

Kuzmin, a recent third round selection by the Jets, is a high-end puck moving defender who dazzles with his four way mobility and quickness. A potential powerplay QB, Kuzmin was recently signed by the Jets and there is a possibility that he plays with Flint in the OHL, rather than return home to Belarus.

Anton Johannesson

Speaking of the J20 cancellation, this also negatively impacted offensive blueliner Anton Johannesson. Still recovering from an injury, he actually did not play at all last season, as once he was healthy, the J20 season was called off. Johannesson needs to stay healthy this coming season and should see action at a variety of different levels. His upside is still extremely intriguing.

Henri Nikkanen

2020/21 was a good season for the big, playmaking center. He not only established himself as an everyday player in Liiga, but his 13 assists were the third most by a U20 player in the league last year. Nikkanen has switched Liiga teams for this coming season, joining Pelicans. Hopefully he is able to continue to progress and could be a middle six candidate for the Jets in the future.

Simon Lundmark

A former second round pick by the Jets, Lundmark finally took that next step forward as an SHL defender this past season. The 6’2, right shot defender has plus mobility, but the question is, does he do other things well enough to be more than a depth option for Winnipeg in the future? Signed by Winnipeg, Lundmark will play in the AHL this season, a big year for his development.

Johnny Kovacevic

It has been a long journey for Kovacevic, a former third round pick by Winnipeg back in 2017. However, the former Merrimack College standout had a terrific sophomore season with Manitoba last season and has put himself in contention for a spot on Winnipeg’s blueline in the future. A massive right shot defender (6’5, 220 lbs), Kovacevic may not have a high ceiling, but he could be a reliable two-way presence on the third pairing.

McKeen’s 2020-21 Hockey Yearbook: Winnipeg Jets Top 20 Prospects

Rachel Howard — Wed, 30 Dec 2020 19:35:16 +0000

McKeen's Top 20 Winnipeg Jets prospects for the 2020-21 season. You can read an organizational assessment prior to the draft in Ryan Wagman's article found here. Following the draft we provided a review on each teams performance based on our rankings found here.

Cole Perfetti, C/LW (10^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Perfetti may not possess high end size or speed, but there are so many things to like about his game His best asset is his hockey sense. While he doesn’t possess game breaking speed, he can break down opposing defenses by being one step ahead of them. His preferred spot is the half wall, where he can survey the ice, quick hands and quick feet biding him time to make plays. He is a constant threat with the puck and turnovers are rare. He anticipates gaps, rebounds, and passes before they happen, and isn’t afraid to take a hit to make something happen. Perfetti possesses excellent edgework and lateral quickness. He is hard to contain due to his unpredictability. His wrist shot and release are terrific. He is creative in transition. There is doubt if he can stay down the middle at the next level. Perfetti also has steps to take as a two-way player, who can be relied upon in any situation. With his high-end hockey sense, he can likely improve some of his faults. He is a potential game breaking offensive forward who could one dayfind his way to the top of NHL scoring races. – BO

Dylan Samberg, D (43^rd overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 1)

The three years since Winnipeg used a second round pick on Samberg saw the big blueliner play a key role in two WJCs for Team USA, win two NCAA championships with Minnesota-Duluth and add 25 pounds to fill out his impressive frame, without any degradation in his quickness. He is a very good skater for his size, which is especially notable in his ability to recover after the puck goes the other way. While he can be physically imposing, playing the body against all manner of opponents, his off-the-puck game is much more than just a matter of brute force. He positions himself well and has a gigantic wingspan, allowing him to use that reach to break up rushes cleanly and legally. With the puck, he is functional enough to earn some second unit power play duties. He has a strong shot with a quick release. Moreover, he moves the puck well, without ever looking fancy. Samberg, more than anything else, makes the right play to put his team in an advantageous position. Finally signed to an ELC, Samberg could see NHL ice next season. - RW

Kristian Vesalainen, LW/RW (24^th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 2)

At 6-4” and 228, Vesalainen can be an intimidating physical force, using his size to bust his way to the goal with pure momentum and strength. He is also an elite skater. Nimble and with impressive footwork, he achieves top speed quickly and is able to get separation on defenders when motoring through open ice. More of a shooter than a passer, he is deadly with his wrist shot anywhere from the faceoff dots in and is aware enough to open up passing lanes for teammates while looking shot. Despite his impressive raw package of skills, Vesalainen is perplexingly inconsistent and lacks assertiveness. Slow to adjust to the size of North American ice, he is prone to disappearing for a string of shifts and does not put up enough shots for a player as lethal with the puck as he is. 2019-20 was his first full season in N.A. competition and if he can figure out how to put his skillset together, he can be a top-line scoring winger; at worst, he is a rugged middle-six depth contributor. - TD

Ville Heinola, D (20^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 3)

Heinola showed promise in his eight-game NHL stint, but was eventually sent to the AHL before being returned to Finland. He plays with plenty of poise and makes sound decisions with the puck. He sees the ice really well and snaps accurate, crisp passes in all zones from simple outlets to longer passes up the rink. He has swift hands and picks pucks quickly off the wall to make plays. He also works well on the power play as his vision and passing skills are assets. He has an accurate shot from the point, whether it be a slap shot or wrister. He reads the game well defensively, has a quick stick and keeps tight gaps. However, Heinola could use his size more effectively in battles. He moves pretty well, but his skating is not high end, especially considering his size. He lacks explosive initial burst and could be quicker from a standstill and smooth out his forward stride. He makes up for the lack of quickness with his situational awareness. He has top pairing NHL potential, but the middle-pair is a more realistic projection. - MB

Declan Chisholm, D (150^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 4)

One of the better skaters out of the OHL, Chisholm is aggressive in leading the attack out of the defensive zone, using first step quickness to create separation from forecheckers, and his speed and edgework to gain the opposing blueline. A competent powerplay QB, he creates lanes with agility and lateral quickness. Finally, his gap control defensively is solid as he stays ahead of incoming attackers and has learned to trust his mobility to play more aggressively to take away space. Increased strength and improved engagement elevated his effectiveness. This will be the area that Chisholm will need to continue to work on, as well as his decision making in transition. He will likely need some time to gain the confidence necessary to play aggressively as a pro. Previously, Chisholm had trouble with turnovers, but cleaned that up this past year, and gets a better feel for when to take a risk. He will likely need several years of seasoning at the pro level before he is ready for an NHL role, but he projects as a number 4-6 defender who can also quarterback the powerplay. The key will be just how much his defensive game progresses. – BO

Anton Johannesson, D (133^rd overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Johannesson has missed a good chunk of the last two years to injury, which, when combined with his smaller frame, allowed the Jets to draft him in the fifth round. When healthy, he has showcased why he his high-end skills. A confident and competent mover, Johannesson excels in transition, using an effortless stride, strong agility, and quick hands to lead the attack. On the power play he is a very dangerous weapon because of how well he gets his shot through to the net and his ability to walk around defenders to create gaps in coverage. With the puck on his stick, it is rare to see him commit a turnover as his vision and decision making is sound. Needless to say, his upside as an offensive defender is very high. His size has held him back from being a consistently effective player in the defensive end. He isn’t strong in front of the net or along the boards and his overall awareness is raw. There is hope that as he fills out, he can become an adequate defensive player as his offensive skill set is definitely dynamic enough to play in the NHL. – BO

Sami Niku, D (198^thoverall, 2015. Previous ranking: 5)

Three years removed from his dominant rookie AHL season, Niku has refined his craft and looks more like a future NHLer than a flash-in-the-pan. He impresses with splendid technical skating skill and inventiveness in moving the puck out and into the offensive zone. A superb puck-handler, he calls for the puck often and directs traffic through the neutral zone at even strength and the power play. His patience with the puck has improved significantly. Though he has improved defensively, he hasn’t looked entirely comfortable in his NHL stints, posting poor possession numbers and few points in transition while battling for ice time against veterans. Fighting through injuries -- including a preseason car accident with Vesalainen beside him -- Niku was not able to stamp himself into the NHL with regularity yet, with some hesitance and inconsistency in his play, but he very well could clinch a spot on their thinning blueline as soon as next season. As a seventh rounder, any NHL games played Niku registers is above market value for Winnipeg, but the 23-year-old’s story is only just beginning. - TD

Mikhail Berdin, G (157^th overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 6)

One of the most entertaining players at any position in the AHL, Berdin’s talent level is matched only by his swagger. A hard-nosed and fierce competitor in the crease, the Russian held up exceptionally through backstopping a Manitoba team that sat at the bottom of the Central Division all season, posting a .910 save percentage and a record near .500 in spite of a weak defense in front of him. Athletic and creative in the blue paint, his anticipation and play-reading improved mightily from his 2018-19 rookie pro season, but he mostly relies on his reflexes and impressive foot quickness. While puck-handling is not the most important skill a goaltender can have, Berdin’s talent and confidence with the puck is Brodeur-esque and capable of forcing a team to abandon any forechecking or dump-and-chase style. His selection of his tools and aggression can hurt him at times, but he can make difficult saves look easy consistently with his high-energy style. A sixth rounder in 2016, Berdin is a legit NHL prospect who could even push an NHL like Connor Hellebuyck for starts in the future. - TD

Logan Stanley, D (18^th overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 7)

Time on ice is not a publicly available statistic in the AHL, but I have a feeling Logan Stanley is near the top of the boards. A 6-7”, 242lb behemoth capable of logging heavy minutes with consistency and presenting opposing forwards with long, impassable gaps and borderline unfair stick length, the 22-year-old is exactly what the Jets thought they were taking in the middle of the 2016 first round. His defensive game is one of the most polished out of any pro in his age group, but his offensive game has been fairly impressive as well, showing out during power-play deployments with his booming slap shot and improved technical skating ability -- he already moved around pretty well for a big man. What is frustrating in his game, though, are his inconsistent and confusing reads; he can pass the puck into a dangerous situation or sell out for a hit and give up inside position at times, and that will have to be coached out of him. Otherwise, Stanley plays such a simple stay-at-home game that I can’t imagine he would have much trouble playing in the NHL for a decade plus, perhaps starting with next season. – TD

Daniel Torgersson, LW (40^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

A burgeoning power forward, Torgersson has shown an ability to complement skilled players extremely well in a top six role. He skates well enough to keep up with them in a straight line and has good explosiveness for his size. He can cover the puck and win battles with his reach and strength is hard to contain around the net and on the rush. A physical player, he shows well in all three zones, competing hard on the forecheck and along the wall in his own end. However, his skill set as an offensive player is only average, which suggests that his upside may be limited to the bottom six player at the NHL level, an assessment that his home club of Frolunda may agree with, as they have only sporadic time up with the senior side, regardless of his great production at the junior level. If he can improve his release and his ability to create with the puck at full speed, there may be more upside. – BO

David Gustafsson, C (60^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 8)

It should go without saying that the Jets rushed Gustafsson to the NHL last season. Playing 22 games for Winnipeg at age 19, he had a Shot Attempt % of 29.9%, per NHL.com, worse than any forward who played in more than four games. Were it not for a fortuitous PDO, he likely would have seen the back of the NHL much sooner. To his credit, Gustafsson was much better in his 13 game stint in the AHL and was far more impressive playing on the top line for Sweden at the WJC, helping his homeland to a Bronze Medal. It should also be said that playing up a level or two is nothing new for the center, as he played two full seasons in the SHL as a teenager before coming to North America. Gustafsson is a large-framed center with a great track record on the draw. He is quicker than he is fast, plays a very reliable two-way game and is strong on his stick. Due to always playing above his age class, his offensive upside is still a mystery, but Gustafsson has enough in his bag to make it in a bottom six role assuming he lacks the skill set to play top six. - RW

Santeri Virtanen, C (105^th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 9)

Virtanen plays a tenacious, purposeful two-way game. He manages well in the corners and along the boards – the physical attributes are there. He reads the game well and provides puck support. He is very strong at face-offs. More of a defensive forward, he can be utilized on the penalty kill due to his defensive reliability. He has pretty good puck handling skills and a fine shot as well. In order to be able to play in the NHL, his skating will have to improve. Not the most efficient skater, he often takes wide turns. His first few strides are clumsy. He could improve his endurance and be more agile as well. Virtanen had a very promising start to the 2019-20 season but couldn’t quite maintain that level of play for the remainder of the campaign. Next season will be very important as he will need to contribute more offensively. At this point in time, he projects as a depth forward at the NHL level. - MB

Nathan Smith, C (91^st overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 10)

Drafted as a 19-year-old, Smith has one of the more interesting, unique stories among all prospects in this book. In his first year of draft eligibility, Smith was playing high school hockey. That, in and of itself, is not that interesting. But he was not playing in Minnesota, or Massachusetts. No, Smith was playing high school hockey in Florida. The Tampa native was crushing all comers in the Sunshine State, but surprisingly more than held his own when he moved up a few notches to play with Cedar Rapids of the USHL. His skating was maybe a little unrefined, with more experience playing roller hockey than ice hockey growing up, but he was clever and showed a gift for playmaking. Smith is comfortable playing in the middle of the ice and has proven himself to be effectively creative with the puck after a successful freshman season at Minnesota State. His skating has also improved from what he showed in the USHL. We are still years away from knowing how Smith will turn out, but he has already come so far. - RW

Arvid Holm, G (167^th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 12)

Holm is starting to look like a sneaky good pick by the Jets from 2017. He never had the big numbers playing on a bottom team in the junior league but was since picked up by Farjestad in the SHL which is a big organization with a strong program for goalies. Holm has since been a big surprise to many. He has the size that you want in a modern goalie, and he reads the play well with good vision. He now plays better positionally as well. Holm showed strong consistency and his team won 20 of his 30 starts. He is not a goalie with any standout tools, but the athleticism and his hockey sense both seem to be above average. He has recently signed with Winnipeg but will play the next season in the SHL. With the latest season in mind I would not rule out him to be a fringe starter/backup-goalie in the NHL in the future. - JH

Leon Gawanke, D (136^th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 13)

From an emerging but still, to this point, under-scouted hockey culture in Germany, Gawanke was top-ten in points and assists among rookie defensemen in the AHL in 2019-20 with Manitoba, a team starved of offense. This is an encouraging sign of things to come from a highly entertaining, risk-taking 21-year-old with little pro experience under his belt. Demonstrating a veteran-like ability to cut passes through traffic and walk the blueline on the power play, he is a very dangerous offensive defenseman, especially with his powerful slap shot. Never afraid to activate himself in transition, his powerful strides and quick acceleration allows him to jump into things with ease. Of course, he can get into trouble this way and will need to polish his anticipation and aggression, but he is still only 21 and has less than 50 pro games under his belt. With time, he can be a middle-pair puck-rusher with power play deployment. - TD

Simon Lundmark, D (51^st overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 14)

Smooth skating defensive prospect. Picked in the second round in 2019, Lundmark now looks more to be a depth prospect, as he did not take any big steps developmentally last season. If Lundmark reaches the NHL, it is most likely a bottom pair/7th defenseman role. He lacks the tools to be an offensively productive defenseman and is not that strong in defending his own end either. He moves the puck and his feet well and can be a solid breakout passer. He has played a bottom pair in SHL for two seasons now and will need to take a step forward in his team hierarchy to come closer to the NHL. For him to do that he will need to be more than a solid breakout passer. He sometimes complicates things and can get into trouble if he is under pressure from forecheckers. He will also need to be a stronger player in his own end when his team does not have the puck. If he does that, I can see value in a puck-moving defenseman in a third pairing role. - JH

Kristian Reichel, C (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Jun. 15, 2020. Previous ranking: 15)

Undrafted out of the WHL, Reichel earned a two-year, two-way contract as one of the few bright spots on a dim Moose team in 2019-20. Signed as a fill-in depth player, the 22-year-old worked hard until earning a permanent top-six role alongside other Europeans such as Vesalainen and Gustafsson before the season was paused and eventually cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A sneaky and selective goal scorer, the Czech shoots hard and at a high percentage, thanks to an uncanny ability to locate dead spots in the ice, and he is ready for a shot before the defense can mark him. He is not much of a passer but can carry the puck low into the zone. Fast and intelligent, he can play a solid defensive game as well as flexibly play all three forward positions. Reichel proved he is a legitimate prospect after coming back from an injury early last season. Now he needs to show what his ultimate ceiling could be. – TD

Eric Comrie, G (Waivers: Dec. 19, 2019. Originally: 59^th overall, 2013 [Winnipeg]. Previous ranking: UR)

Always some team’s idea of a great third goaltender, someone you are comfortable subbing in for an injured regular for a month, but he now has 211 games of professional experience under his belt already and he still hasn’t definitively stamped out a claim for a regular NHL job. Comrie is a well-coached, technically competent netminder. His physical tools are only adequate though, which tells me that he is fairly likely to be maximizing his potential. If he can prove that wrong, he wouldn’t be the first goalie to bloom in his mid-20’s or later, but it doesn’t look likely. He can be a little stiff, with chunky movements, but the aforementioned technical ability along with a composed demeanor and never-quit approach, helps Comrie not get any less than his maximum. He doesn’t have any one obvious weakness, but likewise there is little to suggest he is ready for a bigger role. – RW

Pavel Kraskovsky, C (164^th overall, 2014. Previous ranking: 16)

Just as Kraskovsky seems to have lost a step from the peak of his prospectdom, he is taking a step forward as an offensive force in Russia. He was always correctly viewed as a defensive specialist, considering his career high through five full seasons in the KHL, where his career high was 18 points. Perhaps his first few months this year are portending of his turning a corner, but it isn’t likely. He has soft hands and plays the puck well, but his feel for finishing – not to mention his lengthy track record in that domain – is usually well below par. As he recently signed a two year extension with his lifelong club, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, this will be the last we report on Kraskovsky in this space, but even if he does one day come to North America, his ceiling would be as a low offense fourth liner who might be able to help out on the penalty kill. It’s not nothing, but it likely will be nothing for Winnipeg. – RW

Henri Nikkanen, C (113^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 18)

Another big, European center with a questionable offensive skill, there is a greater chance that Nikkanen has a greater ceiling than Kraskovsky, but also a greater chance that he never even reaches what Kraskovsky is capable of. Nikkanen put up impressive numbers in the Finnish junior ranks, but he doesn’t really have any big tools that provide confidence that he can continue to produce against men, when the game gets quicker. His skill with the puck, controlling in confined spaces, does give him a chance to get some action on a fourth line, with the caveat that despite his impressive size, he is not an aggressive player, which is to say that he is less likely to be supplement those bottom line minutes with time on the penalty kill. He also needs to show that he can keep up with the quicker pace physically, as his feet can seem heavy at times. What Nikkanen has working in his favor is his young age, giving him time to gain comfort in his physique. - RW

MCKEEN’S 2020 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – WINNIPEG JETS – ORGANIZATIONAL RANK: 28

Wed, 09 Sep 2020 11:08:44 +0000

Winnipeg Jets

How the mighty have fallen. A few short years ago, the Winnipeg Jets were crowned as having the best system in hockey. Not only that, in 2015, the Hockey news went so far as to predict the Jets winning the 2019 Stanley Cup on the strength of that incredible prospect pool. This was a team that, in the previous three draft classes, had used first round picks on the likes of Josh Morrissey, Nikolaj Ehlers, Kyle Connor, and Jack Roslovic. Jacob Trouba and Mark Scheifele were young NHLers looking like solid contributors and the team was well on the way to positioning themselves for another high pick (they took Patrik Laine second overall in the 2016 draft).

The Jets have made the playoffs three times in the last five years – reaching the Conference finals in 2018, but that Hockey News prediction did not come to fruition, indeed losing to Calgary in four games in the play-in portion of these very unique NHL playoffs. Netminder Connor Hellebuyck could not make a big enough difference, after a regular season with many considering him a Vezina favorite this summer.

Unfortunately, the probability of being competitive will only shrink from here on out. Those great draft picks from the mid 10’s are now deep into their second contracts, making it that much more difficult to supplement the roster with complementary talent to carry the Jets over the top. After this offseason, the young trio of Roslovic, Sami Niku, and Mason Appleton, will all be RFAs looking at second contracts. The aforementioned Trouba was already traded away, last offseason, to the Rangers for a package including a 2019 first round pick (Ville Heinola) and blueliner Neil Pionk.

If all of the previous paragraph were not enough, the Jets now find themselves with one of the shallowest prospect classes in the NHL and in the bottom five by any measure. How did we get here?

Trading away picks: The Jets did not have a first round pick in 2018, and had only 11 picks in total over the past two drafts
They missed on too many early and middle-round picks. 2016 first rounder Logan Stanley has been very slow to develop (although many might reasonably note that a slow ascension was always in the cards for the gigantic blueliner). 2017 third rounder Johnathan Kovacevic looked really rough in his AHL rookie season. Last year’s draft class, almost to a man, did not take the sought-after steps forward in their D+1 season.
The team has not supplemented its draft spoils with free agent talent. Their signing of Kristian Reichel – who had already been with the AHL Manitoba Moose for two full seasons – to an NHL Entry Level Contract in June gives the organization two prospects who joined as undrafted free agents.
The prospect pool is exceptionally heavy on the blueline, to the detriment of the players up front.

Let’s take a minute to discuss that last point. Of the 15 players we have seen fit to highlight here, seven are defenders, including four of the top five and five of the top seven (for what it’s worth, all of the defenders in the top seven are left-handed shots). Defensemen are generally tougher to scout than forwards, as their off-puck responsibilities usually take longer to learn thoroughly. That longer development time also tends to lead to more room for the player to fall short of a given developmental benchmark, and either fail to meet expectations, or flame out altogether.

This could all change again very quickly, but Winnipeg would do well to start re-stocking the shelves with skilled forwards very soon.

WINNIPEG, MB - SEPTEMBER 13: Dylan Samberg #88 of the Winnipeg Jets. (Photo by Jonathan Kozub/NHLI via Getty Images)

Dylan Samberg, D (43^rd overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 2)

When the Jets selected Samberg in the second round of the 2017 draft, it looked like an overdraft. He was clearly physically gifted but had spent the bulk of his draft year playing high school hockey for Hermantown. High schoolers are inherently riskier than players from pretty much every other development track, as they are usually playing opponents who are younger, smaller, and less talented. Three years later, Samberg as a second rounder looks like a steal. Those three seasons saw him play a key role in two WJCs for Team USA, win two NCAA championships with Minnesota-Duluth and add 25 pounds to fill out his impressive frame, without any degradation in his quickness.

Samberg is a very good skater for his size, which is especially notable in his ability to recover after the puck goes the other way. While he can be physically imposing, playing the body against all manner of opponents, no matter their size, his off-the-puck game is much more than just a matter of using brute force to succeed. He positions himself well and has a gigantic wingspan, allowing him to use that reach to break up rushes cleanly and legally.

With the puck, he is functional enough to earn some second unit power play duties. He has a strong shot, with a quick release, although he could not match the seven goals scored as a sophomore. Moreover, he moves the puck well, without ever looking fancy. Samberg, more than anything else, makes the right play to put his team in an advantageous position. Finally signed to an ELC, Samberg is not on the list of eligible players for Winnipeg’s 2020 playoff run, but with five UFA’s on the blueline, could see NHL ice next season. - RW

Kristian Vesalainen, LW/RW (24^th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 1)

Vesalainen tore up the Finnish Liiga as an 18-year-old against grown men in his draft-plus-one year, scoring 39 points in 44 games in one of the world’s top pro leagues. His transition to the North American style of hockey has been slow, but you can feel what Winnipeg sees in the Helsinki native. At 6-4” and 228, the big Finn can be an intimidating physical force, using his size to bust his way to the goal with pure momentum and strength. But for someone that large, Vesalainen is also an elite skater. Nimble and with impressive footwork, he achieves top speed quickly and is able to get separation on defenders when motoring through open ice.

More of a shooter than a passer, the 21-year-old is deadly with his wrist shot anywhere from the faceoff dots in and is aware enough to open up pass lanes for teammates while looking shot. While few prospects in the Western Conference have the raw package of skills that Vesalainen boasts, he is a perplexingly inconsistent and lacks assertiveness. Slow to adjust to the size of North American ice, which many in hockey believes hurts more skilled players, Vesalainen is prone to disappearing for a string of shifts and does not put up enough shots for a player as lethal with the puck as he is.

2019-20 was his first full season in N.A. competition and if he can figure out how to put his skillset together, he can be a top-line scoring winger; at worst, he is a rugged middle-six depth contributor. A monster year in the AHL would help him out mentally. - TD

WINNIPEG, MB - SEPTEMBER 12: Ville Heinola #36 of the Winnipeg Jets (Photo by Jonathan Kozub/NHLI via Getty Images)

Ville Heinola, D (20^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 3)

Heinola played in three different leagues in 2019-20. He surprised many people by making the Jets roster out of training camp. He showed promise in his eight-game stint but was sent to the AHL. Eventually, he spent most of the season with Lukko in Finland. He had a surprisingly slow start to the Liiga season, but he was able to elevate his game and played very well at times.

He plays with plenty of poise and makes sound decisions with the puck. He sees the ice really well and snaps accurate, crisp passes all over the ice – can make a simple outlet or longer passes up the ice. He has swift hands and picks pucks quickly off the wall to make a play. He also works well on the power play as his vision and passing skills are assets. He has an accurate shot from the point, whether it be a slap shot or wrister.

He reads the game well defensively, has a quick stick and keeps tight gaps. However, Heinola could use his size more effectively in battles. He moves pretty well, but his skating is not high end, especially considering his size. He lacks explosive initial burst and could be quicker from a standstill. He could also smooth out his forward stride. He makes up for the lack of quickness with his situational awareness.

Overall, Heinola is an excellent playmaker and puck mover whose poise stands out. He has top pairing NHL potential, but I think he will more realistically end up as a middle-pairing defenseman. He will return to North America to try to make the NHL roster again next season. - MB

Declan Chisholm, D (150^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 15)

The Jets left it to the last minute to sign Chisholm, a talented offensive defender out of the OHL. One of the better skating OHL defenders, he uses this mobility to influence the game in a lot of different ways.

He is aggressive in leading the attack out of the offensive zone, using his first step quickness to create separation from forecheckers, and using his speed and edgework to gain the opposing blueline. Chisholm also is a competent powerplay QB, who creates lanes with his agility and lateral quickness. Excluding Alec Regula (who plays the net front on the powerplay), only Ryan Merkley was more efficient with the man advantage this past season. Finally, his gap control defensively is solid as he stays ahead of incoming attackers and has learned to trust his mobility to play more aggressively to take away space.

Defensively, Chisholm really took some nice steps forward with the Petes in his final OHL season. He had previously struggled to win challenges consistently along the wall and in front of the net due to being too passive. However, increased strength and improved desire to engage elevated his effectiveness. Moving forward, this will be the area that Chisholm will need to continue to work on. He will likely need some time to gain the confidence necessary to play aggressively as a pro.

Another area that he will likely need to hone in on at the pro level will be his decision making in transition. Previously, Chisholm had trouble with turnovers, but cleaned that up this past year. With the speed increasing at the pro level, his effectiveness as a puck mover may be masked initially until he gains the confidence necessary to take chances. He will likely need several years of seasoning at the pro level before he is ready for an NHL role, but he projects as a number 4-6 defender who can also quarterback the powerplay. The key will be just how much his defensive game progresses. - BO

WINNIPEG, MB - SEPTEMBER 12: Sami Niku #8 of the Winnipeg Jets. (Photo by Jonathan Kozub/NHLI via Getty Images)

Sami Niku, D (198^thoverall, 2015. 2019 Rank: 5)

Now three years removed from one of the most dominant rookie seasons by a defenseman in the history of the AHL, Niku has refined his craft and looks more like a future NHLer than the flash-in-the-pan seventh-rounder he was once seen as. In 2017-18, he took home the Eddie Shore award as the AHL’s top defenseman as well as spots on the first All-Star team and all-rookie team with his offensive brilliance (74-16-38-54), dazzling onlookers with his splendid technical skating skill and his inventiveness in moving the puck out and into the offensive zone.

A superb puck-handler, the Finnish blueliner calls for the puck often and directs traffic through the center zone at even strength and on the power play. The most notable thing he has improved upon is his patience with the puck, rushing fewer passes and plays as the situation calls for it, and his periodic tastes of the NHL has likely helped him accomplish that. Though he has improved defensively, he hasn’t looked entirely comfortable in his aforementioned NHL stints, posting poor possession numbers and few points in transition while battling for ice time against some veterans.

Fighting through injuries -- including a preseason car accident with Vesalainen beside him -- Niku was not able to stamp himself onto this Jets season but could clinch a spot on their thinning blueline as soon as next season. As a seventh-rounder, any NHL games played Niku registers is above market value for Winnipeg, but the 23-year-old’s story is only just beginning. - TD

Mikhail Berdin, G (157^th overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: 18)

Athletic and creative in the blue paint, his anticipation and play-reading improved mightily from his 2018-19 rookie pro season, but he mostly relies on his reflexes and impressive foot quickness. While puck-handling is not the most important skill a goaltender can have, Berdin’s talent and confidence with the puck is Brodeur-esque and capable of forcing a team to abandon any forechecking or dump-and-chase style. His selection of his tools and aggression can hurt him at times, but he can make difficult saves look easy consistently with his high-energy style. A sixth-rounder in 2016, Berdin is a legit NHL prospect who could even push an NHL like Connor Hellebuyck for starts in the future. - TD

Logan Stanley, D (18^th overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: 4)

His defensive game is one of the most polished out of any pro in his age group, but his offensive game has been fairly impressive as well, showing out during power-play deployments with his booming slap shot and improved technical skating ability -- he already moved around pretty well for a big man.

What is frustrating in his game, though, are his inconsistent and confusing reads; he can pass the puck into a dangerous situation or sell out for a hit and give up inside position at times, and that will have to be coached out of him. Otherwise, Stanley plays such a simple stay-at-home game that I can’t imagine he would have much trouble playing in the NHL for a decade plus, perhaps starting with next season. - TD

David Gustafsson, C (60^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 6)

It should also be said that playing up a level or two is nothing new for the center, as he played two full seasons in the SHL as a teenager before coming to North America. Gustafsson is a large-framed center with a great track record on the draw. He is quicker than he is fast, plays a very reliable two-way game and is strong on his stick. Due to always playing above his age class, his offensive upside is still a mystery, but Gustafsson has enough in his bag to make it in a bottom six role assuming he lacks the skill set to play top six. - RW

Santeri Virtanen, C (105^th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 13)

In order to be able to play in the NHL, his skating will have to improve. Not the most efficient skater, he often takes wide turns. His first few strides are clumsy. He could improve his endurance and be more agile as well. Virtanen had a very promising start to the 2019-20 season but couldn’t quite maintain that level of play for the remainder of the campaign. Next season will be very important as he will need to contribute more offensively. At this point in time, he projects as a depth forward at the NHL level. - MB

Nathan Smith, C (91^st overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: UR)

His skating was maybe a little unrefined, with more experience playing roller hockey than ice hockey growing up, but he was clever and showed a gift for playmaking. Smith is comfortable playing in the middle of the ice and has proven himself to be effectively creative with the puck after a successful freshman season at Minnesota State. His skating has also improved from what he showed in the USHL. We are still years away from knowing how Smith will turn out, but he has already come so far. - RW

Michael Spacek, C (108^th overall, 2015. 2019 Rank: 10)

2019-20 was supposed to be a season of positive transition and progress for Spacek, but it was everything else. After posting 41 points in 2018-19, good for third on the Moose in scoring, the 23-year-old Czech played himself into a role as the first-man-up for the Jets, even getting a quick promotion in November, but went downhill from that point on, including spending time as a healthy scratch and being reassigned to the Ontario Reign on loan.

Spacek is a playmaker on offense who excels at opening up space for his teammates and driving play with his surprising strength for a 5-11” centerman, and while he can do too much at times, he is a fairly responsible defensive player who played penalty kill for the Moose and held his own.

Spacek is now one of several players, amid the NHL/AHL seasons being delayed, who have signed overseas contracts that include out-clauses, allowing them to return to North America; a restricted free agent at the end of this season, the 2015 fourth-rounder might have already played his final game in the Jets system. - TD

Arvid Holm, G (167^th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: UR)

Holm showed strong consistency and his team won 20 of his 30 starts. He is not a goalie with any standout tools, but the athleticism and his hockey sense both seem to be above average. He has recently signed with Winnipeg but will play the next season in the SHL. With the latest season in mind I would not rule out him to be a fringe starter/backup-goalie in the NHL in the future. - JH

Leon Gawanke, D (136^th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 19)

Demonstrating a veteran-like ability to cut passes through traffic and walk the blueline on the power play, he is a very dangerous offensive defenseman, especially with his powerful slap shot. Never afraid to activate himself in transition, his powerful strides and quick acceleration allows him to jump into things with ease. Of course, he can get into trouble this way and will need to polish his anticipation and aggression, but he is still only 21 and has less than 50 pro games under his belt. With time, he can be a middle-pair puck-rusher with power play deployment. - TD

Simon Lundmark, D (51^st overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 7)

He moves the puck and his feet well and can be a solid breakout passer. He has played a bottom pair in SHL for two seasons now and will need to take a step forward in his team hierarchy to come closer to the NHL. For him to do that he will need to be more than a solid breakout passer. He sometimes complicates things and can get into trouble if he is under pressure from forecheckers. He will also need to be a stronger player in his own end when his team does not have the puck. If he does that, I can see value in a puck-moving defenseman in a third pairing role. - JH

Kristian Reichel, C (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Jun. 15, 2020. 2019 Rank: IE)

A sneaky and selective goal scorer, the Czech shoots hard and at a high percentage, thanks to an uncanny ability to locate dead spots in the ice, and he is ready for a shot before the defense can mark him. He is not much of a passer but can carry the puck low into the zone. Fast and intelligent, he can play a solid defensive game as well as flexibly play all three forward positions. Reichel proved he is a legitimate prospect after coming back from an injury early last season. Now he needs to show what his ultimate ceiling could be. - TD

Winnipeg Jets 2019-20 Prospect Review: Top 20

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

-Ryan Wagman

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

MCKEEN’S 2019 NHL DRAFT GUIDE: Final Rankings – Top 217 Plus 100 Honourable Mention

Iain Morrell — Sat, 01 Jun 2019 17:52:23 +0000

MCKEEN'S RELEASES FINAL 2019 NHL DRAFT RANKINGS

KOSICE, SLOVAKIA - MAY 13: USA's Jack Hughes #6 and Finland's Kaapo Kakko #24 shake hands following a 3-2 overtime win for team USA during preliminary round action of the 2019 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championship at Steel Arena on May 13, 2019 in Kosice, Slovakia. (Photo by Matt Zambonin/HHOF-IIHF Images)

American center Jack Hughes or Finnish Winger Kaapo Kakko?

That is the decision facing the New Jersey Devils who won the draft lottery for the second time in the past three seasons and hold the top pick in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft.

Hughes (5-foot-10, 170 pounds) led the USA Hockey National Team Development Program under-18 team in scoring while setting the NTDP career record for assists (154) and points (228) in two seasons (110 games) with the program.

He earned the highest Overall Future Projection (OFP) score of 64.50, as per the 20/80 grading system developed by McKeen's Director of Scouting Ryan Wagman.

Skating, shooting, puck skills, hockey IQ, physicality - these are the attributes measured for skaters using the 20/80 grading system to arrive at an Overall Future Projection (OFP) score.

Six areas are assessed for goalies: athleticism/quickness, compete/temperament, vision/play reading, technique/style, rebound control and puck handling.

BROADWAY KAAPO

Kakko (6-foot-2, 195 pounds) earned the next highest OFP score at 64.00.

The Turku, Finland native will go to the New York Rangers with the second pick, their highest draft position since taking Brad Park in 1966 before expansion (1967-68).

Kakko led Finland with six goals while winning gold at the 2019 World Championships at just 18 years, 102 days old to become the youngest player in IIHF history to win gold at the Under-18, Under-20, and WM (World Men) levels, supplanting Connor McDavid of Canada (19 years, 130 days) from the record books.

The Chicago Blackhawks have the number three pick with the top defenseman Bowen Byram of the Vancouver Giants next on the McKeen's OFP scale (63.40).

Seven players in total received OFP scores of at least 60.00 this season, up from five in 2018 - and just two in 2017 when the Devils selected Nino Hischier first overall.

The next five spots in the rankings are all centers - Kirby Dach of Saskatoon (63.20 OFP), Dylan Cozens of Lethbridge (61.40), the NTDP duo of Trevor Zegras (61.25) and Alex Turcotte (60.00), and Peyton Krebs of Kootenay (59.65).

ALL AMERICAN

Spencer Knight. Photo courtesy of the USNTDP.

Spencer Knight of the NTDP is the top-rated goaltender available (55.75 OFP) at No. 32 in the McKeen's rankings.

Knight will likely go in the opening round of what will be a record haul for the U.S. National Team Development Program as upwards of eight players could be taken in the top 31 selections.

As for past records, the Brandon Wheat Kings (WHL) had four players taken in the opening round of the 1979 NHL Draft - as did the Toronto Marlboros (OHA) in 1972 and the Montreal Junior Canadiens (OHA) in 1969.

Along with Hughes (1st), Zegras (6th), and Turcotte (7th), wingers Matthew Boldy and Cole Caufield are ranked at No. 12 and 13 on the McKeen's list, with defenseman Cam York at No. 17 and center John Beecher at 30th.

Caufield (5-foot-7, 165 pounds) scored 14 goals at the U18 World Junior Championship, tying Alex Ovechkin's single-tournament goals record. However, the United States lost in a shootout to Russia in the semi-finals.

There are also four others in the program ranked in the 32 to 62 range (second round) - all defensemen - Marshall Warren (35th), Alex Vlasic (54th), Henry Thrun (58th) and Drew Helleson (62nd).

In total, 16 players from the NTDP are ranked among the top 100.

SWEDE GOLD - SWEET SEIDER

ORNSKOLDSVIK, SWEDEN - APRIL 23: Swedens Philip Broberg #4 makes a pass during preliminary round action against Russia at the 2019 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship at Fjallraven Center on April 23, 2019 in Ornskoldsvik, Sweden. (Photo by Steve Kingsman/HHOF-IIHF Images)

Sweden won a first-ever gold medal at the U18 World Juniors.

Four blueliners on that Swedish team are first-round candidates led by Philip Broberg of AIK, named 'Top Defenceman' at the U18 tournament, and Victor Soderstrom of Brynas, ranked No. 9 and 10 respectively on McKeen's.

U18 captain Tobias Bjornfot of Djurgardens is ranked 19th and Albert Johansson of Farjestads is 26th.

Following Dominik Bokk's selection in 2018 (25th to St. Louis), Germany will produce another first-round pick this year in Adler Mannheim defenseman Moritz Seider.

The 6-foot-3, 185-pound, right-shot blueliner displayed impressive skills and maturity for his age while appearing at the 2019 World Championships (5-2-0-2).

Seider earned an OFP score of 57.50 and is ranked No. 15.

He will become the highest-selected German-born player at the NHL Draft since the Edmonton Oilers took Leon Draisaitl third overall in 2014.

Here are our final 2019 NHL Draft Rankings. They are a culmination of a season’s worth of prospect analysis and coverage on mckeenshockey.com and the tremendous work put in rinks and looking at screens and numbers from our committed team. Enjoy!

RANK	PLAYER	POS	TEAM	HT/WT	DOB	Nation
1	Jack Hughes	C	NTDP (USA)	5-10/170	14-May-01	USA
2	Kaapo Kakko	RW	TPS Turku (Fin)	6-2/195	13-Feb-01	Finland
3	Bowen Byram	D	Vancouver (WHL)	6-0/195	13-Jun-01	Canada
4	Kirby Dach	C	Saskatoon (WHL)	6-3/200	21-Jan-01	Canada
5	Dylan Cozens	C	Lethbridge (WHL)	6-3/185	9-Feb-01	Canada
6	Trevor Zegras	C	NTDP (USA)	6-0/170	20-Mar-01	USA
7	Alex Turcotte	C	NTDP (USA)	5-11/185	26-Feb-01	USA
8	Peyton Krebs	C	Kootenay (WHL)	5-11/180	26-Jan-01	Canada
9	Philip Broberg	D	AIK (Swe 2)	6-3/200	25-Jun-01	Sweden
10	Victor Soderstrom	D	Brynas (Swe)	5-11/180	26-Feb-01	Sweden
11	Vasili Podkolzin	RW	SKA-1946 St. Pete. (Rus Jr)	6-1/190	24-Jun-01	Russia
12	Matthew Boldy	LW	NTDP (USA)	6-1/190	5-Apr-01	USA
13	Cole Caufield	RW	NTDP (USA)	5-7/165	2-Jan-01	USA
14	Raphael Lavoie	RW	Halifax (QMJHL)	6-4/195	25-Sep-00	Canada
15	Moritz Seider	D	Adler Mannheim (DEL)	6-3/185	6-Apr-01	Germany
16	Simon Holmstrom	RW	HV 71 (Swe Jr)	6-1/185	24-May-01	Sweden
17	Cam York	D	NTDP (USA)	5-11/175	5-Jan-01	USA
18	Alex Newhook	C	Victoria (BCHL)	5-10/195	28-Jan-01	Canada
19	Tobias Bjornfot	D	Djurgardens (Swe Jr)	6-0/200	6-Apr-01	Sweden
20	Philip Tomasino	C	Niagara (OHL)	5-11/180	28-Jul-01	Canada
21	Arthur Kaliyev	RW	Hamilton (OHL)	6-2/190	26-Jun-01	USA
22	Ryan Suzuki	C	Barrie (OHL)	6-0/180	28-May-01	Canada
23	Samuel Poulin	LW	Sherbrooke (QMJHL)	6-1/205	25-Feb-01	Canada
24	Thomas Harley	D	Mississauga (OHL)	6-3/190	19-Aug-01	Canada
25	Ryan Johnson	D	Sioux Falls (USHL)	6-0/175	24-Jul-01	USA
26	Albert Johansson	D	Farjestads (Swe Jr)	5-11/165	4-Jan-01	Sweden
27	Robert Mastrosimone	LW	Chicago (USHL)	5-10/160	24-Jan-01	USA
28	Connor McMichael	C	London (OHL)	5-11/175	15-Jan-01	Canada
29	Matthew Robertson	D	Edmonton (WHL)	6-3/200	9-Mar-01	Canada
30	John Beecher	C	NTDP (USA)	6-3/210	5-Apr-01	USA
31	Pavel Dorofeyev	LW	Magnitogorsk (KHL)	6-1/170	26-Oct-00	Russia
32	Spencer Knight	G	NTDP (USA)	6-3/195	19-Apr-01	USA
33	Bobby Brink	RW	Sioux City (USHL)	5-10/165	8-Jul-01	USA
34	Brett Leason	RW	Prince Albert (WHL)	6-4/200	30-Apr-99	Canada
35	Marshall Warren	D	NTDP (USA)	5-11/170	20-Apr-01	USA
36	Egor Afanasyev	RW	Muskegon (USHL)	6-3/205	23-Jan-01	Russia
37	Ville Heinola	D	Lukko Rauma (Fin)	5-11/180	3-Feb-01	Finland
38	Nolan Foote	LW	Kelowna (WHL)	6-3/190	29-Nov-00	Canada
39	Samuel Fagemo	RW	Frolunda (Swe)	6-0/195	14-Mar-00	Sweden
40	Nick Robertson	LW	Peterborough (OHL)	5-9/160	11-Sep-01	USA
41	Nils Hoglander	RW	Rogle (Swe)	5-9/185	20-Dec-00	Sweden
42	Jamieson Rees	C	Sarnia (OHL)	5-10/175	26-Feb-01	Canada
43	Jakob Pelletier	LW	Moncton (QMJHL)	5-9/165	7-Mar-01	Canada
44	Antti Tuomisto	D	Assat Pori (Fin Jr)	6-4/190	20-Jan-01	Finland
45	Lassi Thomson	D	Kelowna (WHL)	5-11/190	24-Sep-00	Finland
46	Michal Teply	LW	Bili Tygri Liberec (Cze)	6-3/185	27-May-01	Czech
47	Brayden Tracey	LW	Moose Jaw (WHL)	6-0/175	28-May-01	Canada
48	Arseni Gritsyuk	RW	Omskie Yastreby (Rus Jr)	5-10/170	15-Mar-01	Russia
49	Yegor Chinakhov	RW	Omskie Yastreby (Rus Jr)	6-0/175	1-Feb-01	Russia
50	Mattias Norlinder	D	MoDo (Swe Jr)	5-11/180	12-Apr-00	Sweden
51	Karl Henriksson	C	Frolunda (Swe Jr)	5-9/165	5-Feb-01	Sweden
52	Vladislav Kolyachonok	D	Flint (OHL)	6-1/185	26-May-01	Belarus
53	Nikola Pasic	RW	Linkopings (Swe Jr)	5-10/185	16-Oct-00	Sweden
54	Alex Vlasic	D	NTDP (USA)	6-6/200	5-Jun-01	USA
55	Pyotr Kochetkov	G	HK Ryazan (Rus 2)	6-1/175	25-Jun-99	Russia
56	Albin Grewe	RW	Djurgardens (Swe Jr)	5-11/190	22-Mar-01	Sweden
57	Trevor Janicke	C	Central Illinois (USHL)	5-10/195	25-Dec-00	USA
58	Henry Thrun	D	NTDP (USA)	6-2/190	12-Mar-01	USA
59	Yegor Spiridonov	C	Stalnye Lisy Mag. (Rus Jr)	6-2/195	22-Jan-01	Russia
60	Patrik Puistola	LW	Tappara (Fin Jr)	6-0/175	11-Jan-01	Finland
61	Ilya Nikolayev	C	Loko Yaroslavl (Rus Jr)	6-0/190	26-Jun-01	Russia
62	Drew Helleson	D	NTDP (USA)	6-3/195	26-Mar-01	USA
63	Graeme Clarke	RW	Ottawa (OHL)	5-11/175	24-Apr-01	Canada
64	Ronnie Attard	D	Tri-City (USHL)	6-3/210	20-Mar-99	USA
65	Mads Sogaard	G	Medicine Hat (WHL)	6-7/195	13-Dec-00	Denmark
66	Oleg Zaitsev	C	Red Deer (WHL)	6-1/185	7-Jan-01	Russia
67	Isaiah Saville	G	Tri-City (USHL)	6-1/190	21-Sep-00	USA
68	Kaedan Korczak	D	Kelowna (WHL)	6-3/190	29-Jan-01	Canada
69	Adam Najman	C	Benatky nad Jizerou (Cze 2)	5-11/175	23-Jan-01	Czech
70	Mikko Kokkonen	D	Jukurit (Fin)	5-11/200	18-Jan-01	Finland
71	Michael Vukojevic	D	Kitchener (OHL)	6-3/210	8-Jun-01	Canada
72	Patrick Moynihan	RW	NTDP (USA)	5-11/185	23-Jan-01	USA
73	Michael Gildon	LW	NTDP (USA)	6-1/195	21-Jun-01	USA
74	Judd Caulfield	RW	NTDP (USA)	6-3/205	19-Mar-01	USA
75	Vladislav Firstov	LW	Waterloo (USHL)	6-1/180	19-Jun-01	USA
76	Hugo Alnefelt	G	HV 71 (Swe Jr)	6-3/195	4-Jun-01	Sweden
77	Gianni Fairbrother	D	Everett (WHL)	6-0/195	30-Sep-00	Canada
78	Jackson Lacombe	D	Shattuck-St. Mary's (USHS-MN)	6-1/170	9-Jan-01	USA
79	Ethan Keppen	LW	Flint (OHL)	6-2/210	20-Mar-01	Canada
80	Anttoni Honka	D	JyP Jyvaskyla (Fin)	5-10/180	5-Oct-00	Finland
81	Roman Bychkov	D	Loko Yaroslavl (Rus Jr)	5-11/160	10-Feb-01	Russia
82	Ryder Donovan	C	Duluth East (USHS-MN)	6-3/185	4-Oct-00	USA
83	Nathan Legare	RW	Baie-Comeau (QMJHL)	6-0/205	11-Jan-01	Canada
84	Billy Constantinou	D	Kingston (OHL)	6-0/185	25-Mar-01	Canada
85	Vojtech Strondala	C	Slavia Trebic (Cze 2)	5-7/155	17-Dec-00	Czech
86	Case McCarthy	D	NTDP (USA)	6-1/195	9-Jan-01	USA
87	Simon Lundmark	D	Linkopings (Swe)	6-2/200	8-Oct-00	Sweden
88	Zac Jones	D	Tri-City (USHL)	5-10/175	18-Oct-00	USA
89	Erik Portillo	G	Frolunda (Swe Jr)	6-6/210	3-Sep-00	Sweden
90	Daniil Misyul	D	Loko Yaroslavl (Rus Jr)	6-3/180	20-Oct-00	Russia
91	Daniil Gutik	LW	Loko Yaroslavl (Rus Jr)	6-3/180	31-Aug-01	Russia
92	Hunter Jones	G	Peterborough (OHL)	6-4/195	21-Sep-00	Canada
93	Michael Koster	D	Chaska (USHS-MN)	5-9/175	13-Apr-01	USA
94	Aliaksei Protas	C	Prince Albert (WHL)	6-5/205	6-Jan-01	Belarus
95	Blake Murray	C	Sudbury (OHL)	6-2/190	5-Jul-01	Canada
96	Cole MacKay	RW	Sault Ste Marie (OHL)	5-10/190	13-Jun-01	Canada
97	Trent Miner	G	Vancouver (WHL)	6-0/185	5-Jan-01	Canada
98	Semyon Chistyakov	D	Tolpar Ufa (Rus Jr)	5-10/170	7-Aug-01	Russia
99	Leevi Aaltonen	RW	KalPa (Fin Jr)	5-9/175	24-Jan-01	Finland
100	Antti Saarela	C	Lukko Rauma (Fin)	5-11/185	27-Jun-01	Finland
101	John Farinacci	C	Dexter (USHS-MA)	5-11/185	14-Feb-01	USA
102	Marcus Kallionkieli	LW	Sioux City (USHL)	6-2/195	20-Mar-01	Finland
103	Andre Lee	LW	Sioux Falls (USHL)	6-4/200	26-Jul-00	Sweden
104	Kirill Slepets	RW	Loko Yaroslavl (Rus Jr)	5-10/165	6-Apr-99	Russia
105	Shane Pinto	C	Tri-City (USHL)	6-2/190	12-Nov-00	USA
106	Jordan Spence	D	Moncton (QMJHL)	5-10/165	24-Feb-01	Canada
107	Keean Washkurak	C	Mississauga (OHL)	5-10/185	16-Aug-01	Canada
108	Owen Lindmark	C	NTDP (USA)	6-0/195	17-May-01	USA
109	Matej Blumel	RW	Waterloo (USHL)	5-11/200	31-May-00	Czech
110	Jack Malone	RW	Youngstown (USHL)	6-1/190	13-Oct-00	USA
111	Jayden Struble	D	St. Sebastian's (USHS-MA)	6-0/195	8-Sep-01	USA
112	Artemi Knyazev	D	Chicoutimi (QMJHL)	5-11/180	4-Jan-01	Russia
113	Maxim Cajkovic	RW	Saint John (QMJHL)	5-11/185	3-Jan-01	Slovakia
114	Matvey Guskov	C	London (OHL)	6-1/180	30-Jan-01	Russia
115	Nikita Okhotyuk	D	Ottawa (OHL)	6-1/195	4-Dec-00	Russia
116	Valeri Orekhov	D	Barys Astana (KHL)	6-1/190	17-Jul-99	Kazakhstan
117	Zdenek Sedlak	RW	Karpat Oulu (Fin)	6-2/205	23-Mar-00	Czech
118	Alexander Yakovenko	D	Muskegon (USHL)	5-11/175	22-Feb-98	Russia
119	Yannick Bruschweiler	C	GC Kusnacht Lions (Sui 2)	5-10/175	29-Aug-99	Switzerland
120	Ilya Mironov	D	Loko Yaroslavl (Rus Jr)	6-3/200	15-Mar-01	Russia
121	Albert Lyckasen	D	Linkopings (Swe Jr)	5-10/180	29-Jul-01	Sweden
122	Keegan Stevenson	C	Guelph (OHL)	6-1/185	31-Dec-00	Canada
123	Ilya Konovalov	G	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (KHL)	6-0/195	13-Jul-98	Russia
124	Cole Schwindt	RW	Mississauga (OHL)	6-2/185	25-Apr-01	Canada
125	Domenick Fensore	D	NTDP (USA)	5-7/155	7-Sep-01	USA
126	William Francis	D	Cedar Rapids (USHL)	6-5/210	16-Nov-00	USA
127	Simon Gnyp	D	Kolner (Ger Jr)	5-11/180	10-Sep-01	Germany
128	Tuukka Tieksola	RW	Karpat Oulu (Fin Jr)	5-10/150	22-Jun-01	Finland
129	Ethan Phillips	C	Sioux Falls (USHL)	5-9/150	7-May-01	Canada
130	Linus Pettersson	RW	MoDo (Swe)	5-7/145	11-Apr-00	Sweden
131	Matias Maccelli	LW	Dubuque (USHL)	5-11/170	14-Oct-00	Finland
132	Anthony Romano	C	Sioux Falls (USHL)	5-11/185	7-Oct-00	Canada
133	Nikita Alexandrov	C	Charlottetown (QMJHL)	6-0/180	16-Sep-00	Germany
134	Arturs Silovs	G	HS Riga (Lat)	6-4/205	22-Mar-01	Latvia
135	August Hedlund	G	AIK (Swe Jr)	6-4/185	7-Jan-00	Sweden
136	Nicholas Porco	LW	Saginaw (OHL)	6-0/175	12-Mar-01	Canada
137	Joe Carroll	C	Sault Ste Marie (OHL)	6-2/200	1-Feb-01	Canada
138	Alex Beaucage	RW	Rouyn Noranda (QMJHL)	6-1/195	25-Jul-01	Canada
139	Luke Toporowski	C	Spokane (WHL)	5-11/180	12-Apr-01	USA
140	Sasha Mutala	RW	Tri-City (WHL)	6-0/200	6-May-01	Canada
141	Harrison Blaisdell	C	Chilliwack (BCHL)	5-11/180	18-Mar-01	Canada
142	Valentin Nussbaumer	C	Shawinigan (QMJHL)	5-11/165	25-Sep-00	Switzerland
143	Dustin Wolf	G	Everett (WHL)	6-0/155	16-Apr-01	USA
144	Ondrej Psenicka	RW	Sparta Praha (Cze Jr)	6-5/195	7-Jan-01	Czech
145	Juuso Parssinen	C	TPS Turku (Fin Jr)	6-2/205	1-Feb-01	Finland
146	Mitchell Brewer	D	Oshawa (OHL)	6-0/205	20-Mar-01	Canada
147	Lukas Parik	G	Liberec (Cze Jr)	6-4/185	15-Mar-01	Czech
148	Grant Silianoff	RW	Cedar Rapids (USHL)	5-11/170	4-Jan-01	USA
149	Josh Nodler	C	Fargo (USHL)	5-11/195	27-Apr-01	USA
150	Bryce Brodzinski	RW	Blaine (USHS-MN)	6-0/195	9-Aug-00	USA
151	Colten Ellis	G	Rimouski (QMJHL)	6-1/190	5-Oct-00	Canada
152	Rhett Pitlick	LW	Chaska (USHS-MN)	5-9/160	7-Feb-01	USA
153	Dillon Hamaliuk	LW	Seattle (WHL)	6-3/190	30-Oct-00	Canada
154	Aleksei Sergeev	C	Quebec (QMJHL)	5-9/185	22-May-00	Russia
155	Jack York	D	Barrie (OHL)	6-0/190	17-Sep-00	Canada
156	Jacob LeGuerrier	D	Sault Ste Marie (OHL)	6-1/200	22-Nov-00	Canada
157	Zach Uens	D	Wellington (OJHL)	6-1/180	13-May-01	Canada
158	Josh Williams	RW	Edmonton (WHL)	6-1/195	8-Mar-01	Canada
159	Elmer Soderblom	RW	Frolunda (Swe Jr)	6-6/220	5-Jul-01	Sweden
160	Kyle Topping	C	Kelowna (WHL)	5-11/185	18-Nov-99	Canada
161	Albin Sundsvik	C	Skelleftea (Swe Jr)	6-1/185	27-Apr-01	Sweden
162	Cameron Rowe	G	NTDP (USA)	6-2/200	1-Jun-01	USA
163	Filip Lindberg	G	Massachusetts (HE)	6-0/180	31-Jan-99	Finland
164	Liam Svensson	C	Frolunda (Swe Jr 18)	6-3/195	2-Feb-01	Sweden
165	Xavier Simoneau	C	Drummondville (QMJHL)	5-6/170	19-May-01	Canada
166	Pavel Gogolev	RW	Guelph (OHL)	6-0/175	19-Feb-00	Russia
167	Danil Antropov	LW	Oshawa (OHL)	6-1/185	20-Dec-00	Canada
168	Daniel D'Amico	LW	Windsor (OHL)	5-9/185	26-Jan-01	Canada
169	Vladimir Alistrov	LW	Edmonton (WHL)	6-2/175	12-Feb-01	Belarus
170	Reece Newkirk	C	Portland (WHL)	5-11/175	20-Feb-01	Canada
171	Sergei Alkhimov	LW	Regina (WHL)	6-0/210	3-Jul-01	Russia
172	Adam Beckman	LW	Spokane (WHL)	6-1/170	10-May-01	Canada
173	Alexander Campbell	LW	Victoria (BCHL)	5-10/150	27-Feb-01	Canada
174	Taylor Gauthier	G	Prince George (WHL)	6-1/195	15-Feb-01	Canada
175	Max Crozier	D	Sioux Falls (USHL)	6-1/195	19-Apr-00	Canada
176	Santeri Hatakka	D	Jokerit (Fin Jr)	6-0/175	15-Jan-01	Finland
177	Kalle Loponen	D	Hermes (Fin 2)	5-10/185	13-Mar-01	Finland
178	Eric Ciccolini	RW	Toronto Jr Canadiens (OJHL)	5-11/160	14-Jan-01	Canada
179	Aku Raty	RW	Karpat Oulu (Fin Jr)	5-11/170	5-Jul-01	Finland
180	Arvid Costmar	C	Linkopings (Swe Jr)	5-11/180	7-Jul-01	Sweden
181	Matt Brown	LW	Des Moines (USHL)	5-9/180	9-Aug-99	USA
182	Sven Leuenberger	C	Zug (Sui)	5-10/185	18-Feb-99	Switzerland
183	Jasper Patrikainen	G	Pelicans (Fin)	6-0/175	1-Jul-00	Finland
184	Jack Williams	G	Springfield (NAHL)	6-3/175	21-Jun-01	USA
185	Mikhail Abramov	C	Victoriaville (QMJHL)	5-10/160	26-Mar-01	Russia
186	Ben Brinkman	D	Minnesota (B1G)	6-0/215	4-Oct-00	USA
187	Chris Giroday	D	Green Bay (USHL)	6-1/175	13-Dec-00	Canada
188	Petr Cajka	C	Erie (OHL)	6-0/170	11-Dec-00	Czech
189	Mark Kastelic	C	Calgary (WHL)	6-3/215	11-Mar-99	USA
190	Kevin Wall	RW	Chilliwack (BCHL)	6-0/190	1-Feb-00	USA
191	Lucas Edmonds	RW	Karlskrona (Swe Jr)	5-11/175	27-Jan-01	Sweden
192	Carter Gylander	G	Sherwood Park (AJHL)	6-5/175	5-Jun-01	Canada
193	Ethan de Jong	RW	Quinnipiac (ECAC)	5-10/170	12-Jul-99	Canada
194	Wiljami Myllyla	RW	HIFK Helsinki (Fin Jr)	6-0/170	9-Apr-01	Finland
195	Yaroslav Likhachyov	RW	Gatineau (QMJHL)	5-10/170	2-Sep-01	Russia
196	Layton Ahac	D	Prince George (BCHL)	6-2/195	22-Feb-01	Canada
197	Alfred Barklund	D	Orebro (Swe Jr)	6-2/200	21-Oct-00	Sweden
198	Radek Muzik	LW	Lulea (Swe Jr)	6-3/180	25-Mar-01	Sweden
199	Marcus Pedersen	RW	Linkopings (Swe Jr)	6-2/165	25-May-01	Sweden
200	Filip Koffer	RW	Pardubice (Cze Jr)	5-11/175	4-Mar-01	Czech
201	Henri Nikkanen	C	Jukurit (Fin Jr)	6-3/200	28-Apr-01	Finland
202	Marc Del Gaizo	D	Massachusetts (HE)	5-9/190	11-Oct-99	USA
203	Tag Bertuzzi	LW	Hamilton (OHL)	6-0/200	18-Feb-01	Canada
204	Martin Hugo Has	D	Tappara (Fin Jr)	6-4/190	2-Feb-01	Czech
205	Jet Greaves	G	Barrie (OHL)	5-11/165	30-Mar-01	Canada
206	Mason Millman	D	Saginaw (OHL)	6-1/175	18-Jul-01	Canada
207	Janis Jerome Moser	D	Biel-Bienne (Sui)	6-0/160	6-Jun-00	Switzerland
208	Nick Abruzzese	C	Chicago (USHL)	5-9/160	4-Jun-99	USA
209	Logan Barlage	C	Lethbridge (WHL)	6-4/200	7-Jan-01	Canada
210	Carter Berger	D	Victoria (BCHL)	6-0/200	17-Sep-99	Canada
211	Nando Eggenberger	LW	Oshawa (OHL)	6-2/205	7-Oct-99	Switzerland
212	Tyce Thompson	RW	Providence (HE)	6-1/180	12-Jul-99	USA
213	Nolan Maier	G	Saskatoon (WHL)	6-0/175	10-Jan-01	Canada
214	Massimo Rizzo	C	Penticton (BCHL)	5-10/180	13-Jun-01	Canada
215	Matthew Steinburg	C	St. Andrew's (CHS-O)	6-1/185	7-Oct-00	Canada
216	Jake Lee	D	Seattle (WHL)	6-1/215	13-Jul-01	Canada
217	Luke Bast	D	Brooks (AJHL)	5-9/170	20-Nov-00	Canada

100 HONOURABLE MENTION IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER:

	PLAYER	POS	TEAM	HT/WT	DOB	Nation
HM	Nathan Allensen	D	Barrie (OHL)	5-11/180	3-May-01	Canada
HM	Ethan Anders	G	Red Deer (WHL)	6-1/175	26-Sep-00	Canada
HM	Nicklas Andrews	D	Des Moines (USHL)	5-10/185	6-Jul-01	USA
HM	Tyler Angle	C	Windsor (OHL)	5-9/165	30-Sep-00	Canada
HM	Marcel Barinka	C	Halifax (QMJHL)	6-0/165	3-Jan-01	Czech
HM	Roman Basran	G	Kelowna (WHL)	6-1/195	26-Jul-01	Canada
HM	Luke Bignell	C	Barrie (OHL)	6-0/170	3-Nov-00	Canada
HM	Mathieu Bizier	C	Gatineau (QMJHL)	6-1/185	13-May-01	Canada
HM	Oscar Bjerselius	C	Djurgardens (Swe Jr)	5-11/185	18-Feb-01	Sweden
HM	Kaden Bohlsen	C	Fargo (USHL)	6-3/190	10-Jan-01	USA
HM	Samuel Bolduc	D	Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL)	6-3/210	9-Dec-00	Canada
HM	Jakob Bondesson	D	Rogle (Swe Jr)	6-1/185	22-May-00	Sweden
HM	Cole Brady	G	Janesville (NAHL)	6-5/165	12-Feb-01	Canada
HM	Alex Brannstam	D	Djurgardens (Swe Jr)	5-11/170	3-Jun-01	Sweden
HM	Lynden Breen	C	Central Illinois (USHL)	5-9/165	31-May-01	USA
HM	Jonas Brondberg	D	Vaxjo Lakers (Swe Jr)	6-4/190	26-Jan-01	Sweden
HM	Jeremie Bucheler	D	Victoria (BCHL)	6-4/200	31-Mar-00	Canada
HM	Brett Budgell	LW	Charlottetown (QMJHL)	5-11/190	1-Jun-01	Canada
HM	Luka Burzan	RW	Brandon (WHL)	6-0/190	7-Jan-00	Canada
HM	Felix Carenfelt	LW	Djurgardens (Swe Jr)	5-10/185	13-Feb-00	Sweden
HM	Luke Cavallin	G	Flint (OHL)	6-1/190	29-Apr-01	Canada
HM	Filip Cederqvist	LW	Vaxjo Lakers (Swe)	6-1/185	23-Aug-00	Sweden
HM	Cole Coskey	RW	Saginaw (OHL)	6-0/190	1-Jun-99	USA
HM	Braden Doyle	D	Lawrence Academy (USHS-MA)	5-11/170	24-Aug-01	USA
HM	Justin Ducharme	LW	Chicoutimi (QMJHL)	5-10/180	22-Feb-00	Canada
HM	Nathan Dunkley	C	London (OHL)	5-11/195	3-May-00	Canada
HM	Pontus Englund	D	Timra (Swe Jr)	6-3/205	15-Jul-00	Sweden
HM	Lucas Feuk	LW	Sodertalje (Swe Jr)	6-0/185	19-Feb-01	Sweden
HM	Parker Ford	C	Sioux City (USHL)	5-8/170	20-Jul-00	USA
HM	Ethan Frisch	D	Fargo (USHL)	5-11/190	29-Oct-00	USA
HM	Maxim Golod	LW	Erie (OHL)	5-11/175	18-Aug-00	Canada
HM	Jacob Gronhagen	C	HV 71 (Swe Jr)	6-6/215	18-Jan-01	Sweden
HM	Maxence Guenette	D	Val d'Or (QMJHL)	6-1/180	28-Apr-01	Canada
HM	Hugo Gustafsson	C	Sodertalje (Swe 2)	5-10/160	23-Feb-00	Sweden
HM	Mack Guzda	G	Owen Sound (OHL)	6-4/215	11-Jan-01	USA
HM	Aidan Harper	G	Skipjacks HC 18U (USPHL)	6-2/170	28-May-01	USA
HM	Ludvig Hedstrom	D	Djurgardens (Swe Jr)	5-11/175	14-Apr-01	Sweden
HM	Konsta Hirvonen	LW	HIFK Helsinki (Fin Jr)	5-11/165	1-Nov-00	Finland
HM	Eric Hjorth	D	Linkopings (Swe Jr 18)	6-3/190	8-Jan-01	Sweden
HM	Samuel Hlavaj	G	Lincoln (USHL)	6-4/185	29-May-01	Slovakia
HM	Krystof Hrabik	C	Tri-City (WHL)	6-4/220	24-Sep-99	Czech
HM	Rickard Hugg	C	Kitchener (OHL)	5-11/190	18-Jan-99	Sweden
HM	Aaron Huglen	RW	Roseau (USHS-MN)	5-11/165	6-Mar-01	USA
HM	Aarne Intonen	C	TPS Turku (Fin Jr)	5-11/180	17-Jul-01	Finland
HM	Michal Ivan	D	Drummondville (QMJHL)	6-1/185	18-Nov-99	Slovakia
HM	Dylan Jackson	RW	Dubuque (USHL)	5-9/175	6-Sep-01	Canada
HM	Ty Jackson	C	Dubuque (USHL)	5-7/150	6-Sep-01	Canada
HM	Taro Jentzsch	C	Sherbrooke (QMJHL)	6-1/155	11-Jun-00	Germany
HM	Samuel Johannesson	D	Rogle (Swe Jr)	5-11/175	27-Dec-00	Sweden
HM	Wilson Johansson	RW	Farjestads (Swe Jr)	5-11/175	11-Oct-00	Sweden
HM	Brooklyn Kalmikov	C	Cape Breton (QMJHL)	6-0/165	21-Apr-01	Canada
HM	David Karlstrom	C	AIK (Swe Jr)	6-1/185	12-Mar-01	Sweden
HM	Mans Kramer	D	Frolunda (Swe Jr)	6-2/180	6-Mar-01	Sweden
HM	Jami Krannila	C	Sioux Falls (USHL)	5-10/160	3-Oct-00	Finland
HM	Grayson Ladd	D	Windsor (OHL)	6-1/175	1-Mar-01	Canada
HM	Martin Lang	LW	Kamloops (WHL)	5-11/170	15-Sep-01	Czech
HM	Oscar Lawner	LW	Farjestads (Swe Jr)	5-11/185	13-Feb-01	Sweden
HM	Jonathan Lemieux	G	Val d'Or (QMJHL)	6-0/185	8-Jun-01	Canada
HM	Hugo Leufvenius	LW	Sarnia (OHL)	6-3/230	26-Mar-99	Sweden
HM	Ethan Leyh	LW	Langley (BCHL)	6-0/190	7-Sep-01	Canada
HM	Josh Lopina	C	Lincoln (USHL)	6-1/175	16-Feb-01	USA
HM	Emil Malysjev	D	Saskatoon (WHL)	6-3/190	1-May-01	Sweden
HM	Matias Mantykivi	C	SaiPa (Fin Jr)	5-11/160	21-Jun-01	Finland
HM	Jeremy McKenna	RW	Moncton (QMJHL)	5-10/175	20-Apr-99	Canada
HM	Billy Moskal	C	London (OHL)	6-0/185	22-Mar-00	Canada
HM	Derek Mullahy	G	Dexter (USHS-MA)	6-0/180	20-Mar-01	USA
HM	Kim Nousiainen	D	KalPa (Fin Jr)	5-9/170	14-Nov-00	Finland
HM	Zachary Okabe	RW	Grande Prairie (AJHL)	5-8/165	4-Jan-01	Canada
HM	Oliver Okuliar	LW	Sherbrooke (QMJHL)	6-1/190	24-May-00	Slovakia
HM	Quinn Olson	LW	Okotoks (AJHL)	5-10/170	9-May-01	Canada
HM	Xavier Parent	LW	Halifax (QMJHL)	5-8/170	23-Mar-01	Canada
HM	Tommy Pasanen	D	Sioux City (USHL)	6-3/220	30-Jul-01	Germany
HM	Thomas Pelletier	D	Drummondville (QMJHL)	6-2/195	23-Aug-01	Canada
HM	Andrew Perrott	D	Owen Sound (OHL)	5-11/205	24-Aug-01	USA
HM	Kari Piiroinen	G	Windsor (OHL)	6-0/175	1-Jul-01	Finland
HM	Lukas Pilo	D	Orebro (Swe Jr)	6-1/185	7-Sep-99	Sweden
HM	Garrett Pinoniemi	C	Holy Family Catholic (USHS-MN)	5-11/150	15-Jun-01	USA
HM	Mason Primeau	C	North Bay (OHL)	6-5/205	28-Jul-01	Canada
HM	Kirby Proctor	D	Des Moines (USHL)	6-3/190	19-Apr-01	Canada
HM	Liam Ross	D	Sudbury (OHL)	6-2/195	13-May-01	Canada
HM	Henrik Rybinski	RW	Seattle (WHL)	6-0/175	26-Jun-01	Canada
HM	Nikita Sedov	D	Regina (WHL)	6-1/185	5-May-01	Russia
HM	Egor Serdyuk	RW	Victoriaville (QMJHL)	5-10/160	3-Jun-01	Russia
HM	Nikita Shashkov	LW	Sibir Novosibirsk (KHL)	5-11/180	26-Mar-99	Russia
HM	Ryan Siedem	D	Central Illinois (USHL)	6-2/190	25-Feb-01	USA
HM	Samuel Sjolund	D	AIK (Swe Jr)	6-1/175	19-May-01	Sweden
HM	Hunter Skinner	D	Muskegon (USHL)	6-2/175	29-Apr-01	USA
HM	Dominik Sojka	C	Banska Bystrica (Svk Jr)	6-5/210	16-Feb-01	Slovakia
HM	Kyen Sopa	RW	Niagara (OHL)	5-9/185	30-Sep-00	Switzerland
HM	Tyler Spott	D	Green Bay (USHL)	5-10/170	17-Jun-00	Canada
HM	Matthew Struthers	C	North Bay (OHL)	6-2/210	26-Dec-99	Canada
HM	Roope Taponen	G	HIFK Helsinki (Fin Jr)	6-0/165	14-Mar-01	Finland
HM	Jacob Tortora	LW	Barrie (OHL)	5-6/165	25-Jul-99	USA
HM	Bobby Trivigno	LW	Massachusetts (HE)	5-8/155	19-Jan-99	USA
HM	Eric Uba	RW	Flint (OHL)	6-0/195	17-Dec-00	Canada
HM	Max Wahlgren	RW	MoDo (Swe)	6-1/185	9-May-01	Sweden
HM	Carl Wang	D	Sodertalje (Swe Jr)	6-2/195	28-Mar-01	Sweden
HM	Matteus Ward	G	Linkopings (Swe Jr)	6-0/170	7-Mar-01	Sweden
HM	Lukas Wernblom	C	MoDo (Swe 2)	5-9/170	22-Jul-00	Sweden
HM	Jonathan Yantsis	RW	Kitchener (OHL)	6-2/210	28-Apr-99	Canada

McKeen’s April 2019 NHL Draft Rankings – Top 93 – For Subscribers

McKeen's Hockey — Thu, 04 Apr 2019 12:50:17 +0000

A powerhouse 2018-19 USNTDP dominates the 2019 draft rankings.

Here we are with the penultimate draft rankings for the 2019 class. Many players considered for the list below have finished their seasons. Others in in their respective leagues’ playoff pushes.

The Harlem Globetrotters USNTDP U18 team is still dominating everyone in their path, including the rankings below. We currently feature seven national program members in our projected top 31 and a few more who have just missed.

In one sense, this ranking has a feel of “plus ca change, plus ca meme-chose”. On the other, there are some noteworthy changes to the previous ranking.

Near the top, Jack Hughes still holds on to the highest ranking, but Finnish wunderkind Kaapo Kakko is inching closer to the pole position. Both talented forwards should have a final chance to prove themselves at the upcoming U18 tournament in Sweden. An indication of how close the two player are is that if Kakko was a center like Hughes, or Hughes a winger like Kakko, the spots might be reversed.

We see that Russian forward Vasili Podkolzin has been bumped down from the third spot to fifth. That change is more connected to lackluster production in domestic action more than talent, but a touch of the fear that he may not come over to North America for two or three years will likely impact his actual draft stock more at the end of the day – if those rumors are proven to have merit. We don’t move him down much, but when you are listed that high, every slot counts.

Bowen Byram, Vancouver Giants.

Filling that vacuum are WHL talents Kirby Dach and Bowen Byram, two very different player who both have high end potential. Dylan Cozens is right behind those two, and for now, slotted on the far side of Podkolzin. All three are so close that they could end up in practically any order once we end the rankings after the season runs to a finish.

A handful of prospects have dropped out of our first round between our mid-year ranking and this one. WHL wingers Nolan Foote and Brett Leason only fell a few slots in what is essentially a numbers game and a lot of time in the spotlight allowing some flaws (lack of a dynamic skill set for Foote and footspeed concerns for Leason) to drag them down.

We have also moved Spencer Knight out of the first round, returning to a core principal that goalies should not go in the first round. In Knight’s case, while his skill set is first round worthy, the risk is too high. He has little experience being a workhorse and we simply don’t know how his play will be impacted by a great increase in playing time. Secondly, the team in front of him is so dominant, he has scarcely been tested yet. He is still the top netminder in the draft class, but a much safer bet for the early second than the late first.

Finnish blueliner Ville Heinola was one of our bigger droppers this time out, dropping from 25 to 41. We still appreciate his overall game, but he simply lacks one big selling point for a first-round appraisal at this time. Our biggest drop from the first round goes to Quebec league winger Jakob Pelletier. We knew he was small when we had ranked him originally, but we have (we reserve the right to change our minds in the next few weeks and months) concluded that his foot speed and skill game are not enough to make up the difference. He is a good player, and well worthy of a pick, but our former 20^th overall ranked player is now down at 53.

So, who has jumped up into the top 31 to replace the fallen? The highest ranked newcomer is Swedish winger Simon Holmstrom, who has torn up the Swedish U20 league and his late May 2001 birthdate suggests at a higher untapped upside still in store. He jumps in at 14.

Some late looks suggest that our previous assessment of Mississauga defender Thomas Harley were too harsh. He is big, is a beautiful skater and has a strong transition game. He now is ranked 21^st.

Towards the end of the first round, we now include Albert Johansson, a Swedish blueliner, at 27, while QMJHL winger Samuel Poulin is 30^th and WHL import defender Lassi Thomson closes out the first round. Between these final three skaters and the players they have replaced, there is not much of a gap, but we simply feel that they all have higher floors, and are thus somewhat safer on day one.

You may have other questions about our rankings, and we invite you to ask them either via email or on twitter. We take great pride in the 20-80 grading system that we use to sort through the world of prospects, allowing us to compare players from one league to another and we go to great lengths to ensure that our approach is systemic and repeatable.

Also, please remember that this list is a still a snapshot ranking, based on what we know and see now. As the season continues to wind down, with every week seeing more and more players finish their respective schedules, we will continue to refine the lists to get you the final product – our much anticipated 2019 McKeen’s NHL Draft Guide. Stay tuned! To learn more about our Draft Guide link here

RANK	RPT	PLAYER	POS	TEAM	HT/WT	DOB
1	X	Jack Hughes	C	NTDP (USHL)	5-10/170	14-May-01
2	X	Kaapo Kakko	RW	TPS Turku (Fin)	6-2/195	13-Feb-01
3	X	Kirby Dach	C	Saskatoon (WHL)	6-3/200	21-Jan-01
4	X	Bowen Byram	D	Vancouver (WHL)	6-1/195	13-Jun-01
5	X	Vasili Podkolzin	RW	SKA-1946 St. Petersburg (Rus)	6-1/190	24-Jun-01
6	X	Dylan Cozens	C	Lethbridge (WHL)	6-3/185	9-Feb-01
7	X	Trevor Zegras	C	NTDP (USHL)	6-0/165	20-Mar-01
8	X	Peyton Krebs	C	Kootenay (WHL)	5-11/180	26-Jan-01
9	X	Alex Turcotte	C	NTDP (USHL)	5-11/195	26-Feb-01
10	X	Victor Soderstrom	D	Brynas (Swe)	5-11/180	26-Feb-01
11	X	Matthew Boldy	LW	NTDP (USHL)	6-1/185	5-Apr-01
12	X	Philip Broberg	D	AIK (Swe)	6-3/200	25-Jun-01
13	X	Cole Caufield	RW	NTDP (USHL)	5-7/155	2-Jan-01
14	X	Simon Holmstrom	RW	HV 71 (Swe)	6-0/185	24-May-01
15	X	Cam York	D	NTDP (USHL)	5-11/170	5-Jan-01
16	X	Alex Newhook	C	Victoria (BCHL)	5-10/195	28-Jan-01
17	X	Tobias Bjornfot	D	Djurgardens (Swe)	6-0/200	6-Apr-01
18	X	Ryan Suzuki	C	Barrie (OHL)	6-0/180	28-May-01
19	X	Arthur Kaliyev	RW	Hamilton (OHL)	6-1/190	26-Jun-01
20		Marshall Warren	D	NTDP (USHL)	5-11/170	20-Apr-01
21	X	Thomas Harley	D	Mississauga (OHL)	6-3/190	19-Aug-01
22	X	Raphael Lavoie	C	Halifax (QMJHL)	6-3/195	25-Sep-00
23	X	Connor McMichael	C	London (OHL)	5-11/175	15-Jan-01
24	X	Philip Tomasino	C	Niagara (OHL)	6-0/180	28-Jul-01
25	X	Matthew Robertson	D	Edmonton (WHL)	6-3/200	9-Mar-01
26	X	Moritz Seider	D	Adler Mannheim (Ger)	6-3/185	6-Apr-01
27		Albert Johansson	D	Farjestads (Swe)	5-11/165	4-Jan-01
28	X	Robert Mastrosimone	LW	Chicago (USHL)	5-10/170	24-Jan-01
29		Pavel Dorofeyev	LW	Stalnye Lisy Magnitogorsk (Rus)	6-1/170	26-Oct-00
30	X	Samuel Poulin	LW	Sherbrooke (QMJHL)	6-1/205	25-Feb-01
31	X	Lassi Thomson	D	Kelowna (WHL)	6-0/190	24-Sep-00
32	X	Bobby Brink	RW	Sioux City (USHL)	5-10/165	8-Jul-01
33	X	Case McCarthy	D	NTDP (USHL)	6-1/195	9-Jan-01
34	X	Nolan Foote	LW	Kelowna (WHL)	6-3/190	29-Nov-00
35	X	Spencer Knight	G	NTDP (USHL)	6-3/195	19-Apr-01
36	X	Albin Grewe	RW	Djurgardens (Swe)	5-11/190	22-Mar-01
37	X	Brett Leason	RW	Prince Albert (WHL)	6-4/200	30-Apr-99
38	X	Egor Afanasyev	RW	Muskegon (USHL)	6-3/205	23-Jan-01
39		John Beecher	C	NTDP (USHL)	6-3/205	5-Apr-01
40	X	Samuel Fagemo	RW	Frolunda (Swe)	6-0/195	14-Mar-00
41	X	Ville Heinola	D	Lukko Rauma (Fin)	5-11/175	3-Feb-01
42	X	Nils Hoglander	RW	Rogle (Swe)	5-9/185	20-Dec-00
43		Pyotr Kochetkov	G	HK Ryazan (Rus)	6-1/175	25-Jun-99
44	X	Patrik Puistola	LW	Tappara (Fin)	6-0/175	11-Jan-01
45	X	Nick Robertson	LW	Peterborough (OHL)	5-9/160	11-Sep-01
46		Isaiah Saville	G	Tri-City (USHL)	6-1/190	21-Sep-00
47	X	Ryder Donovan	C	NTDP (USHL)	6-3/185	4-Oct-00
48	X	Bryce Brodzinski	RW	Blaine (USHS-MN)	6-0/195	9-Aug-00
49	X	Ryan Johnson	D	Sioux Falls (USHL)	6-0/165	24-Jul-01
50	X	Antti Tuomisto	D	Assat Pori (Fin)	6-4/190	20-Jan-01
51	X	Vladislav Kolyachonok	D	Flint (OHL)	6-2/180	26-May-01
52		Michal Teply	LW	Bili Tygri Liberec (Cze)	6-3/185	27-May-01
53	X	Jakob Pelletier	LW	Moncton (QMJHL)	5-9/165	7-Mar-01
54	X	Nikola Pasic	RW	Linkopings (Swe)	5-10/185	16-Oct-00
55		Ilya Nikolayev	C	Loko Yaroslavl (Rus)	6-0/190	26-Jun-01
56	X	Mattias Norlinder	D	MoDo (Swe)	5-11/180	12-Apr-00
57	X	Alex Vlasic	D	NTDP (USHL)	6-6/195	5-Jun-01
58	X	Graeme Clarke	RW	Ottawa (OHL)	5-11/175	24-Apr-01
59	X	Drew Helleson	D	NTDP (USHL)	6-2/180	26-Mar-01
60	X	Mads Sogaard	G	Medicine Hat (WHL)	6-7/195	13-Dec-00
61		Judd Caulfield	RW	NTDP (USHL)	6-3/205	19-Mar-01
62		Roman Bychkov	D	Loko Yaroslavl (Rus)	5-11/160	10-Feb-01
63		Vojtech Strondala	C	Slavia Trebic (Cze)	5-7/155	17-Dec-00
64	X	Oleg Zaitsev	C	Red Deer (WHL)	6-1/185	7-Jan-01
65	X	Jayden Struble	D	St. Sebastian's (USHS-MA)	6-0/195	8-Sep-01
66		Henry Thrun	D	NTDP (USHL)	6-2/190	12-Mar-01
67		Daniil Gutik	LW	Loko Yaroslavl (Rus)	6-3/180	31-Aug-01
68	X	Michael Koster	D	Chaska (USHS-MN)	5-10/170	13-Apr-01
69		Trevor Janicke	RW	Central Illinois (USHL)	5-10/190	25-Dec-00
70	X	Ronnie Attard	D	Tri-City (USHL)	6-3/210	20-Mar-99
71	X	John Farinacci	C	Dexter (USHS-MA)	5-11/185	14-Feb-01
72		Adam Najman	C	Benatky nad Jizerou (Cze)	5-11/175	23-Jan-01
73		Mikko Kokkonen	D	Jukurit (Fin)	5-11/200	18-Jan-01
74	X	Anttoni Honka	D	JyP Jyvaskyla (Fin)	5-10/170	5-Oct-00
75		Michael Gildon	LW	NTDP (USHL)	6-1/195	21-Jun-01
76		Patrick Moynihan	RW	NTDP (USHL)	5-11/185	23-Jan-01
77	X	Vladislav Firstov	LW	Waterloo (USHL)	6-0/180	19-Jun-01
78	X	Blake Murray	C	Sudbury (OHL)	6-2/190	5-Jul-01
79	X	Rhett Pitlick	LW	Chaska (USHS-MN)	5-9/160	7-Feb-01
80	X	Zac Jones	D	Tri-City (USHL)	5-9/175	18-Oct-00
81	X	Hugo Alnefelt	G	HV 71 (Swe)	6-3/195	4-Jun-01
82	X	Simon Lundmark	D	Linkopings (Swe)	6-2/200	8-Oct-00
83	X	Brayden Tracey	LW	Moose Jaw (WHL)	6-0/175	28-May-01
84	X	Valeri Orekhov	D	Barys Astana (Rus)	6-1/190	17-Jul-99
85	X	Aliaksei Protas	C	Prince Albert (WHL)	6-5/205	6-Jan-01
86		Trent Miner	G	Vancouver (WHL)	6-0/185	5-Jan-01
87	X	Kirill Slepets	RW	Loko Yaroslavl (Rus Jr)	5-10/165	6-Apr-99
88		Leevi Aaltonen	RW	KalPa (Fin)	5-9/175	24-Jan-01
89	X	Billy Constantinou	D	Kingston (OHL)	6-0/185	25-Mar-01
90	X	Antti Saarela	C	Lukko Rauma (Fin)	5-11/185	27-Jun-01
91		Yegor Spiridonov	C	Stalnye Lisy Magnitogorsk (Rus)	6-3/195	22-Jan-01
92	X	Hunter Jones	G	Peterborough (OHL)	6-4/195	21-Sep-00
93		Marcus Kallionkieli	LW	Sioux City (USHL)	6-1/175	20-Mar-01

Sweden: Simon Lundmark, D, Linkoping

Jimmy Hamrin — Thu, 14 Mar 2019 11:15:42 +0000

Simon Lundmark is a smooth skating, puck-moving defenseman. He has good size and reach but lacks elite skill and can be both sloppy and soft in his game. With that said, he shows good vision and plays with calm and poise. He has been able to translate his game at every level he has faced and is at this moment playing full time in the SHL as an 18-year-old defenseman.

I can see top six defenseman potential in him, but he will need time to develop and needs to polish his game more. He doesn’t really have any elite skills in his toolkit and looks more to be an effective five-on-five player than a power play or penalty kill specialist.

He needs to work on his shot to be a better point defenseman and he needs to get stronger and to compete more in the more physical aspect of the game. His skating, vision and reach will help to effective with his stick defensively.

I expect him to get drafted this summer and he is a safe enough pick to be picked in the first half of the draft but lacks the elite skills for him to go in the first round.

Simon Lundmark	2019 NHL Draft Eligible
Position: D, Shoots R	H/W: 6-2", 201 lbs
Stats to date (GP-G-A-PTS-PIMS)	Linkoping, SHL (26-0-3-3-6)
	Linkoping, SuperElit (25-2-15-17-10)

Simon Lundmark
Photo: Jonas Ljungdahl / BILDBYRÅN / Kod JO / Cop 144

Skating: Smooth skater. Lundmark skates with a calm, economical stride. He has good control and can get up to a good speed. He can keep up well without using too much of his energy on skating. He isn’t superfast though and rarely drives an attack or a rush. If he makes a mistake with the puck he isn’t always fast enough to get back in the play. His balance and agility are good as well. All around a calm and smooth skater. Grade: 55

Shot: Lundmark isn’t a dangerous shooter from the point. In junior, he takes two or three shots per game and in the SHL (with no power play time) he takes just under one shot per game. His best shot is the wrist shot but he needs to develop his shot to be both harder and faster. He has a good touch with the puck and should be able to improve his shot. Grade: 50

Skills: Lundmark has good control of the puck and is a good breakout passer. He is at his best when he plays simple and effective with the puck. He can sometimes play himself into trouble being overly creative or too fancy with the puck. That is more a case of poor decision making than lack of skill though. He lacks elite skills or flash but has good control and can move the puck well. Grade: 55

Smarts: He has great vision and plays with his head up and reads the game. With the puck, he can get a bit sloppy at times and his decision making isn’t elite in all situations. In the most common situations, he makes good decisions but in tight situations he occasionally doesn’t have an answer.

Without the puck, he positions himself well and sees the game well. He has a long reach and an active stick. He could get stronger in his own end and is a bit soft in front of his own goal. He has translated well to every level and the big jump from junior to SHL has gone fine for him. In his first 25 games in the SHL he is one of the few players on his team with a plus in on-ice shot attempts (51.22% CF). Grade: 55

Physicality: Although he has a big body, he plays a bit soft and isn’t a physical player. He likes to use his stick and reach to win battles more than his body. In tight situations when his team is under pressure that usually isn’t good enough. He needs to get stronger and to compete harder defensively. Grade: 50

Overall Future Projection (OFP): 53.5

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

McKeen’s Mid-Season 2019 NHL Draft Ranking – Top 62

Ryan Wagman — Mon, 28 Jan 2019 14:41:05 +0000

It has been a little over two months since we debuted the 2019 draft rankings on McKeen’s. Much hockey has been played since that time and our views on the 2019 draft class have naturally been refined as well.

Most notably, while we were only comfortable ranking a first round of talent last time, with the increased information, we have also doubled our ranking to now show two rounds worth of players, lined up in the order of their expected future value, roughly through age 26.

In addition to the 62 named we have ranked here, we have thrown in 38 more as unranked “Honorable Mention” players as others whose chances we like of hearing their names called in Vancouver in June.

So with a little over half of the hockey season behind us, what can we say about the Class of 2019?

CHELYABINSK, RUSSIA - APRIL 19: Finland's Kaapo Kakko #33 plays the puck while while Slovakia's Nicolas Ferenyi #11 looks on during preliminary round action at the 2018 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship. (Photo by Andrea Cardin/HHOF-IIHF Images)

We have a top tier of three forwards, all of whom shone to some extent at the recent WJC. It is hard at this stage to see any other players bumping any of Jack Hughes, Kaapo Kakko, or Vasili Podkolzin from the top three, even knowing that Podkolzin is reportedly unlikely to leave Russia in the next few years.

None of these three project to reach the heights of recent top-of-class talents such as McDavid, Matthews, Laine, or Eichel, but all stack up nicely with most recent class leaders.

After that very top, the draft class is heavy with WHL and USNTDP talent. We have four WHLers ranked in the top ten including the four through six slots (Dylan Cozens, Kirby Dach, Bowen Byram), with Peyton Krebs figuring in at #8. Three more WHLers are ranked in the first round while Alex Newhook (#15) from Victoria of the BCHL gives scouts yet another reason to spend ample time along the West Coast.

MAGNITOGORSK, RUSSIA - APRIL 19: USA's Jack Hughes #6 stickhandles the puck up the ice during preliminary round action against Canada at the 2018 IIHF Ice Hockey U18 World Championship. (Photo by Steve Kingsman/HHOF-IIHF Images)

Looking at the USNTDP, after top man Hughes, we have seven others ranked in the first round alone, including a run of four in a row between 10 – 13, of Trevor Zegras, Matthew Boldy, Cam York, and Alex Turcotte. The U18 team this year is likely better than any other in recent memory and Jack Hughes is merely one of many standouts. In fact, as this article is written, Hughes is on the sidelines on a day-to-day basis with a nebulous lower body injury. No matter, as his teammates took down Central Illinois by an 11-3 score and then defeated top USHL team Muskegon 4-1 the next day. Before we come to our final ranking, there will be other USNTDP players considered for the first round who we do not have ranked there now, but regardless of the names, it would not surprise in the least to see between 7-10 from the program go on the first day of the draft.

And just like the WHL also calls for an honorable mention with Newhook of the BCHL, as the USNTDP plays most of its games in the USHL, scouts have a few other high profile targets to view there in Chicago’s Robert Mastrosimone (#31) and Sioux City’s Bobby Brink (#34) once the latter returns from an injury sustained at the WJAC in December.

Beyond the inevitable shuffling that goes on in draft lists from month to month, we have added in six names who were not in the top 31 at the first look, all in the back third of the first round. From the OHL, we believe that the scouting reports back up the statistical profiles of London’s Connor McMichael (#22) and Niagara’s Philip Tomasino (#23). Overager Brett Leason (#24) from the WHL’s leading Prince Albert squad is making a great case to join the likes of Tanner Pearson and Henrik Borgstrom as recent second/third year eligibles to have made such leaps in their game as to be first rounders. Finnish blueliner Ville Heinola (#25) had a strong performance at the WJC on route to a Gold Medal for Finland, improving his stock considerably.

Another strong WJC performance helped German defender Moritz Seider sneak on near the back of our first round, although in his case, he played in Division 1A of the WJC tournament, captaining Germany to a championship and a return to the top tier of international U20 hockey.

Finally, our last newcomer to the first round, as we hinted could be the case last time, is a rare elite netminder, in Spencer Knight (#26), naturally from the USNTDP. While Knight was at the recent WJC, he was the third string netminder for the silver medalist Americans and did not suit up for a game. He is simply a prototype of the modern big, athletic netminder and he keeps the puck out of the net. We could attribute his placement towards the end of the first round on the failure of more skaters to assert themselves as first round talents, and there is some truth to that as there is a relatively sharp decline in talent after around the 21^st player on the list below. But that isn’t all. Knight has no red flags on his scouting report outside of his position.

The average first round is a hair over 6-0”, 180 pounds, with none taller than Brett Leason at 6-4”. The top of the class is also very heavy in forwards, with 22 ranked in the top 31 and another 17 in the second round.

With all of this said, I am reminded of what an old scout once told me about how draft classes are made off of what happens after Christmas. That time has only really just begun and there are still three months of regular season play for these young men to complete filling out their resumes for the draft. We fully anticipate that more players will make “The Leap” in the next while and for there to be pop-up players who we may be dismissive of now but for whom by April we will swear MUST be taken on day one. There will be others whose current upward trajectories will stall out and find themselves falling down draft boards. There is a lot of hockey still to be played. The list that follows is our snapshot of where things stand today. Enjoy.

Please hit us up on twitter @mckeenshockey, with any questions/comments about the list.

RANK	PLAYER	POS	TEAM	HT/WT	DOB	GP-G-A-PTS
1	Jack Hughes	C	NTDP (USHL)	5-10/170	14-May-01	28-13-43-56
2	Kaapo Kakko	RW	TPS Turku (Fin)	6-2/195	13-Feb-01	29-11-11-22
3	Vasili Podkolzin	RW	SKA-1946 St. Pete. (Rus Jr)	6-1/190	24-Jun-01	12-6-2-8
4	Dylan Cozens	C	Lethbridge (WHL)	6-3/185	9-Feb-01	47-27-33-60
5	Kirby Dach	C	Saskatoon (WHL)	6-3/200	21-Jan-01	45-18-34-52
6	Bowen Byram	D	Vancouver (WHL)	6-1/195	13-Jun-01	45-17-27-44
7	Philip Broberg	D	AIK (Swe 2)	6-3/200	25-Jun-01	32-1-7-8
8	Peyton Krebs	C	Kootenay (WHL)	5-11/180	26-Jan-01	45-16-38-54
9	Victor Soderstrom	D	Brynas (Swe)	5-11/180	26-Feb-01	27-2-2-4
10	Trevor Zegras	C	NTDP (USHL)	6-0/165	20-Mar-01	35-13-38-51
11	Matthew Boldy	LW	NTDP (USHL)	6-1/185	5-Apr-01	36-21-19-40
12	Cam York	D	NTDP (USHL)	5-11/170	5-Jan-01	35-6-23-29
13	Alex Turcotte	C	NTDP (USHL)	5-11/195	26-Feb-01	14-11-11-22
14	Raphael Lavoie	C	Halifax (QMJHL)	6-3/195	25-Sep-00	44-21-24-45
15	Alex Newhook	C	Victoria (BCHL)	5-10/195	28-Jan-01	42-25-49-74
16	Cole Caufield	RW	NTDP (USHL)	5-7/155	2-Jan-01	36-33-18-51
17	Arthur Kaliyev	RW	Hamilton (OHL)	6-1/190	26-Jun-01	47-33-36-69
18	Matthew Robertson	D	Edmonton (WHL)	6-3/200	9-Mar-01	35-6-16-22
19	Tobias Bjornfot	D	Djurgardens (Swe Jr)	6-0/200	6-Apr-01	27-9-7-16
20	Jakob Pelletier	LW	Moncton (QMJHL)	5-9/165	7-Mar-01	45-25-37-62
21	Ryan Suzuki	C	Barrie (OHL)	6-0/180	28-May-01	43-15-31-46
22	Connor McMichael	C	London (OHL)	5-11/175	15-Jan-01	44-28-26-54
23	Philip Tomasino	C	Niagara (OHL)	6-0/180	28-Jul-01	45-23-25-48
24	Brett Leason	RW	Prince Albert (WHL)	6-4/200	30-Apr-99	41-31-42-73
25	Ville Heinola	D	Lukko Rauma (Fin)	5-11/175	3-Feb-01	23-1-5-6
26	Spencer Knight	G	NTDP (USHL)	6-3/195	19-Apr-01	14-2, 2.42, .920
27	Marshall Warren	D	NTDP (USHL)	5-11/170	20-Apr-01	30-5-12-17
28	Nolan Foote	LW	Kelowna (WHL)	6-3/190	29-Nov-00	45-25-20-45
29	Moritz Seider	D	Adler Mannheim (Ger)	6-3/185	6-Apr-01	25-1-3-4
30	Pavel Dorofeyev	LW	Stalnye Lisy Magn. (Rus Jr)	6-1/170	26-Oct-00	16-13-12-25
31	Robert Mastrosimone	LW	Chicago (USHL)	5-10/170	24-Jan-01	28-16-12-28
32	Samuel Poulin	RW	Sherbrooke (QMJHL)	6-1/205	25-Feb-01	46-19-30-49
33	Mikko Kokkonen	D	Jukurit (Fin)	5-11/200	18-Jan-01	41-1-14-15
34	Bobby Brink	RW	Sioux City (USHL)	5-10/165	8-Jul-01	19-15-18-33
35	Lassi Thomson	D	Kelowna (WHL)	6-0/190	24-Sep-00	46-11-19-30
36	Thomas Harley	D	Mississauga (OHL)	6-3/190	19-Aug-01	47-10-33-43
37	John Farinacci	C	Dexter (USHS-MA)	5-11/185	14-Feb-01	NA
38	Egor Afanasyev	RW	Muskegon (USHL)	6-3/205	23-Jan-01	35-18-22-40
39	Patrik Puistola	LW	Tappara (Fin Jr)	6-0/175	11-Jan-01	18-9-8-17
40	Ilya Nikolayev	C	Loko Yaroslavl (Rus Jr)	6-0/190	26-Jun-01	35-8-11-19
41	Nils Hoglander	LW	Rogle (Swe)	5-9/185	20-Dec-00	33-6-4-10
42	Albin Grewe	RW	Djurgardens (Swe Jr)	5-11/190	22-Mar-01	19-11-17-28
43	Anttoni Honka	D	JyP Jyvaskyla (Fin)	5-10/170	5-Oct-00	16-1-3-4
44	Case McCarthy	D	NTDP (USHL)	6-1/195	9-Jan-01	35-4-12-16
45	Simon Lundmark	D	Linkopings (Swe Jr)	6-2/200	8-Oct-00	25-2-15-17
46	Nick Robertson	LW	Peterborough (OHL)	5-9/160	11-Sep-01	33-17-17-34
47	Jamieson Rees	C	Sarnia (OHL)	5-10/170	26-Feb-01	25-9-15-24
48	Simon Holmstrom	RW	HV 71 (Swe Jr)	6-0/185	24-May-01	13-6-3-9
49	Artemi Knyazev	D	Chicoutimi (QMJHL)	5-11/180	4-Jan-01	37-9-13-22
50	Nathan Legare	RW	Baie-Comeau (QMJHL)	6-0/205	11-Jan-01	47-34-31-65
51	Daniil Gutik	LW	Loko Yaroslavl (Rus Jr)	6-3/180	31-Aug-01	31-5-8-13
52	Oleg Zaitsev	C	Red Deer (WHL)	6-1/185	7-Jan-01	44-8-21-29
53	Valentin Nussbaumer	C	Shawinigan (QMJHL)	6-0/165	25-Sep-00	38-10-13-23
54	John Beecher	C	NTDP (USHL)	6-3/205	5-Apr-01	35-6-16-22
55	Jordan Spence	D	Moncton (QMJHL)	5-10/165	24-Feb-01	48-3-35-38
56	Billy Constantinou	D	Kingston (OHL)	6-0/185	25-Mar-01	45-6-19-25
57	Vladislav Kolyachonok	D	Flint (OHL)	6-2/180	26-May-01	35-3-21-24
58	Nikita Alexandrov	C	Charlottetown (QMJHL)	6-0/180	16-Sep-00	44-21-21-42
59	Kaedan Korczak	D	Kelowna (WHL)	6-3/190	29-Jan-01	47-3-16-19
60	Antti Tuomisto	D	Assat Pori (Fin Jr)	6-4/190	20-Jan-01	38-7-23-30
61	Henry Thrun	D	NTDP (USHL)	6-2/190	12-Mar-01	36-7-17-24
62	Hunter Jones	G	Peterborough (OHL)	6-4/195	21-Sep-00	21-18, 3.36, .905

HM (ALPHABETICAL)
Hugo Alnefelt	G	HV 71 (Swe Jr)	6-3/195	4-Jun-01	19GP, 2.89, .898
Alex Beaucage	RW	Rouyn Noranda (QMJHL)	6-1/195	25-Jul-01	49-28-30-58
Adam Beckman	LW	Spokane (WHL)	6-1/170	10-May-01	46-19-17-36
Mitchell Brewer	D	Oshawa (OHL)	6-0/205	20-Mar-01	47-3-9-12
Maxim Cajkovic	RW	Saint John (QMJHL)	5-11/185	3-Jan-01	41-15-19-34
Joe Carroll	LW	Sault Ste Marie (OHL)	6-2/195	1-Feb-01	43-8-16-24
Graeme Clarke	RW	Ottawa (OHL)	5-11/175	24-Apr-01	34-16-7-23
Nando Eggenberger	LW	Oshawa (OHL)	6-2/205	7-Oct-99	38-16-17-33
Samuel Fagemo	LW	Frolunda (Swe)	6-0/195	14-Mar-00	20-7-7-14
Vladislav Firstov	LW	Waterloo (USHL)	6-0/180	19-Jun-01	38-18-21-39
Taylor Gauthier	G	Prince George (WHL)	6-1/195	15-Feb-01	12-18, 3.04, .906
Michael Gildon	LW	NTDP (USHL)	6-1/195	21-Jun-01	33-11-11-22
Matvey Guskov	C	London (OHL)	6-1/175	30-Jan-01	36-8-14-22
Dillon Hamaliuk	LW	Seattle (WHL)	6-3/195	30-Oct-00	31-11-15-26
Drew Helleson	D	NTDP (USHL)	6-2/180	26-Mar-01	36-5-11-16
Karl Henriksson	C	Frolunda (Swe Jr)	5-9/165	5-Feb-01	34-11-28-39
Ryan Johnson	D	Sioux Falls (USHL)	6-0/165	24-Jul-01	28-4-10-14
Marcus Kallionkieli	LW	Sioux City (USHL)	6-1/175	20-Mar-01	32-17-10-27
Ethan Keppen	LW	Flint (OHL)	6-2/220	20-Mar-01	49-17-20-37
Pyotr Kochetkov	G	HK Ryazan (Rus 2)	6-1/175	25-Jun-99	13GP, 1.91, .937
Jake Lee	D	Seattle (WHL)	6-2/215	13-Jul-01	44-2-17-19
Ilya Mironov	D	Loko Yaroslavl (Rus Jr)	6-3/200	15-Mar-01	28-1-5-6
Blake Murray	C	Sudbury (OHL)	6-2/190	5-Jul-01	45-20-14-34
Sasha Mutala	RW	Tri-City (WHL)	6-1/195	6-May-01	43-12-14-26
Mattias Norlinder	D	MoDo (Swe Jr)	5-11/180	12-Apr-00	30-5-16-21
Nikola Pasic	RW	Linkopings (Swe Jr)	5-10/185	16-Oct-00	25-15-16-31
Shane Pinto	C	Lincoln (USHL)	6-1/190	12-Nov-00	30-17-15-32
Antti Saarela	C	Lukko Rauma (Fin)	5-11/185	27-Jun-01	15-1-5-6
Isaiah Saville	G	Tri-City (USHL)	6-1/190	21-Sep-00	16-3, 1.76, .934
Nikita Shashkov	LW	Sibir Novosibirsk (Rus)	5-11/180	26-Mar-99	18-3-0-3
Xavier Simoneau	LW	Drummondville (QMJHL)	5-7/175	19-May-01	34-15-22-37
Kirill Slepets	LW	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl (Rus)	5-10/165	6-Apr-99	9-1-0-1
Mads Sogaard	G	Medicine Hat (WHL)	6-7/195	13-Dec-00	11-4, 2.43, .930
Yegor Spiridonov	C	Stalnye Lisy Magn. (Rus Jr)	6-3/195	22-Jan-01	36-14-22-36
Luke Toporowski	C	Spokane (WHL)	5-11/180	12-Apr-01	45-13-19-32
Alex Vlasic	D	NTDP (USHL)	6-6/195	5-Jun-01	34-3-12-15
Cade Webber	D	The Rivers School (USHS-MA)	6-6/195	5-Jan-01	NA
Josh Williams	RW	Edmonton (WHL)	6-1/195	8-Mar-01	47-11-15-26

Simon Lundmark – McKeen's Hockey

MCKEEN’S 2023-24 NHL YEARBOOK – WINNIPEG JETS – Top 20 Prospect Profiles – Organizational Rank #13

1. Colby Barlow

2. Brad Lambert

3. Chaz Lucius

4. Ville Heinola

5. Rutger McGroarty

6. Nikita Chibrikov

7. Declan Chisholm

8. Dmitry Rashevsky

9. Artemi Kniazev

10. Elias Salomonsson

11. Domenic DiVincentiis

12. Danny Zhilkin

13. Dmitry Kuzmin

14. Fabian Wagner

15. Daniel Torgersson

16. Oskari Salminen

17. Zach Nehring

18. Simon Lundmark

19. Kristian Vesalainen

20. Thomas Milic

2021-22 TOP 15 PROSPECTS: WINNIPEG JETS – RANK: #21 – TIER IV

McKeen’s 2020-21 Hockey Yearbook: Winnipeg Jets Top 20 Prospects

Cole Perfetti, C/LW (10th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Dylan Samberg, D (43rd overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 1)

Kristian Vesalainen, LW/RW (24th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 2)

Ville Heinola, D (20th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 3)

Declan Chisholm, D (150th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 4)

Anton Johannesson, D (133rd overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Sami Niku, D (198th overall, 2015. Previous ranking: 5)

Mikhail Berdin, G (157th overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 6)

Logan Stanley, D (18th overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 7)

Daniel Torgersson, LW (40th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

David Gustafsson, C (60th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 8)

Santeri Virtanen, C (105th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 9)

Nathan Smith, C (91st overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 10)

Arvid Holm, G (167th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 12)

Leon Gawanke, D (136th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 13)

Simon Lundmark, D (51st overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 14)

Kristian Reichel, C (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Jun. 15, 2020. Previous ranking: 15)

Eric Comrie, G (Waivers: Dec. 19, 2019. Originally: 59th overall, 2013 [Winnipeg]. Previous ranking: UR)

Pavel Kraskovsky, C (164th overall, 2014. Previous ranking: 16)

Henri Nikkanen, C (113th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 18)

MCKEEN’S 2020 NHL PROSPECT REPORT – WINNIPEG JETS – ORGANIZATIONAL RANK: 28

Winnipeg Jets

Dylan Samberg, D (43rd overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 2)

Kristian Vesalainen, LW/RW (24th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 1)

Ville Heinola, D (20th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 3)

Declan Chisholm, D (150th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 15)

Sami Niku, D (198th overall, 2015. 2019 Rank: 5)

Mikhail Berdin, G (157th overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: 18)

Logan Stanley, D (18th overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: 4)

David Gustafsson, C (60th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 6)

Santeri Virtanen, C (105th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 13)

Nathan Smith, C (91st overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: UR)

Michael Spacek, C (108th overall, 2015. 2019 Rank: 10)

Arvid Holm, G (167th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: UR)

Leon Gawanke, D (136th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 19)

Simon Lundmark, D (51st overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 7)

Kristian Reichel, C (Undrafted Free Agent, signed Jun. 15, 2020. 2019 Rank: IE)

Winnipeg Jets 2019-20 Prospect Review: Top 20

MCKEEN’S 2019 NHL DRAFT GUIDE: Final Rankings – Top 217 Plus 100 Honourable Mention

MCKEEN'S RELEASES FINAL 2019 NHL DRAFT RANKINGS

McKeen’s April 2019 NHL Draft Rankings – Top 93 – For Subscribers

Sweden: Simon Lundmark, D, Linkoping

McKeen’s Mid-Season 2019 NHL Draft Ranking – Top 62

Cole Perfetti, C/LW (10^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Dylan Samberg, D (43^rd overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 1)

Kristian Vesalainen, LW/RW (24^th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 2)

Ville Heinola, D (20^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 3)

Declan Chisholm, D (150^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 4)

Anton Johannesson, D (133^rd overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

Sami Niku, D (198^thoverall, 2015. Previous ranking: 5)

Mikhail Berdin, G (157^th overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 6)

Logan Stanley, D (18^th overall, 2016. Previous ranking: 7)

Daniel Torgersson, LW (40^th overall, 2020. Previous ranking: NA)

David Gustafsson, C (60^th overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 8)

Santeri Virtanen, C (105^th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 9)

Nathan Smith, C (91^st overall, 2018. Previous ranking: 10)

Arvid Holm, G (167^th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 12)

Leon Gawanke, D (136^th overall, 2017. Previous ranking: 13)

Simon Lundmark, D (51^st overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 14)

Eric Comrie, G (Waivers: Dec. 19, 2019. Originally: 59^th overall, 2013 [Winnipeg]. Previous ranking: UR)

Pavel Kraskovsky, C (164^th overall, 2014. Previous ranking: 16)

Henri Nikkanen, C (113^th overall, 2019. Previous ranking: 18)

Dylan Samberg, D (43^rd overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 2)

Kristian Vesalainen, LW/RW (24^th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 1)

Ville Heinola, D (20^th overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 3)

Declan Chisholm, D (150^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 15)

Sami Niku, D (198^thoverall, 2015. 2019 Rank: 5)

Mikhail Berdin, G (157^th overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: 18)

Logan Stanley, D (18^th overall, 2016. 2019 Rank: 4)

David Gustafsson, C (60^th overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: 6)

Santeri Virtanen, C (105^th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 13)

Nathan Smith, C (91^st overall, 2018. 2019 Rank: UR)

Michael Spacek, C (108^th overall, 2015. 2019 Rank: 10)

Arvid Holm, G (167^th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: UR)

Leon Gawanke, D (136^th overall, 2017. 2019 Rank: 19)

Simon Lundmark, D (51^st overall, 2019. 2019 Rank: 7)