USHL – McKeen's Hockey

State of Hockey During the Global Pandemic

Mon, 18 Jan 2021 20:58:40 +0000

With the NHL finally underway, now is as good a time as any to run through the leagues the McKeen's Scouting team covers. We reached out to all members of our team to get quick run-downs of what is happening in rinks in their territories. In no particular order, here is what they sent.

Ontario – from Brock Otten

In Ontario, the concept and outlook of competitive hockey is looking quite bleak. Even with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Ottawa Senators given the green light by the provincial government to play, junior and minor hockey has taken a backseat due to the climbing positive COVID case rate and the current province-wide lockdown. Due to this, many Ontario players have gone overseas to play, such as Brandt Clarke in Slovakia, and Brennan Othmann in Switzerland. The latest trend out West had top WHL players heading to the USHL to play and one has to wonder how long before we see some OHL players follow that same path.

Tier 2 hockey did manage to start their season in some capacity. The CCHL, OJHL, and GOJHL managed to start training camps and play in some exhibition games (depending on region and level of lockdown). However, the OHL has not yet begun, with the league having already pushed back their start date twice; it is currently on permanent hiatus with no known start date. The WHL has recently stated an intent and commitment to playing a shortened season and one has to wonder if the OHL will be far behind. What that season would look like remains to be seen. My best guess suggests it would involve some type of regional bubble, or mini tournament format like the QMJHL plans to adapt. Finances are currently the biggest hurdle as ownership groups are certainly likely to feel the crunch without fans in the seats. One thing is certain though, the province's top players will find a way to play hockey elsewhere if no plan comes to fruition. Losing players to the USHL is a future recruiting nightmare for the league in a battle that they are losing more than ever before.

Russia – from Viktor Fomich

At this point I think it can be said that hockey in Russia has learned how to live in the World of Pandemics (even though it obviously isn't easy), as hockey is up and running in the Russian leagues and you can already feel it's not too long until the start of the playoffs in March. Most of the prospects have already established themselves in their respective roles for this season with the only question remaining for the U20 WJC team's players: will they be able to bounce back after a rather disappointing result there? They are certainly expected to, so it will be interesting to follow them in their KHL and VHL teams.

As for the first-year draft-eligible players, most of the action is ongoing in the MHL, where majority of the prospects of that age play. Things are heading to the playoffs there too, but it should be kept in mind that if the U18 WJC will eventually happen, a lot of the top prospects will be released to the U18 National Team camp at that time. Speaking of top prospects, don't forget to at least occasionally check on the 2023 draft prospect Matvei Michkov — it might be early, but he looks pretty special so far.

Sweden – from Jimmy Hamrin

It was a tough decision for Swedish draft prospects last week. The Swedish hockey federation acknowledged that there will be no more junior hockey this season. That means the 12 to 20 games the teams have played until mid-November in the J20 Nationell (formerly named SuperElit) is all we will get to see from a large portion of the draft eligible prospects this season. The top three men’s leagues and the top women’s league will all continue to play without spectators and with cancelling of games if teams have an outbreak, which has made the standings and the scheduling a mess but there is no serious talk of cancelling the season like they did last spring.

Top ranked draft eligibles like Jesper Wallstedt, Simon Edvinsson, William Eklund, Fabian Lysell, Isak Rosén, Simon Robertsson, Oskar Olausson and so on play in the SHL right now, but only Wallstedt and Eklund have earned big roles on their respective team. The other named players here will be tougher to fully evaluate as they are only playing in limited roles. The depth prospects for the draft will look to get loaned out to lower leagues, but I suspect many of them will not play at all this spring. As for Sweden’s neighbors in Norway and Denmark, it is also only their top leagues that are still playing. The top league in Norway is on a temporary pause as of January 9^th due to the pandemic but there are still plans to finish the season.

Finland – from Marco Bombino

The leagues that operate under the Finnish Ice Hockey Federation were on hiatus during December 2020. However, the play has since resumed in many leagues in January, including the U20 SM-sarja, U18 SM-sarja and U16 SM-sarja. However, the COVID-19 situation varies in different regions in the country. In Southern Finland, many junior teams are not allowed to play at the moment due to the restrictions. Liiga, the top professional league in Finland, is currently running, however many Liiga games have been postponed recently, so the situation seems quite uncertain and unstable.

US, East – from Jashvina Shah

Hockey in the eastern U.S. has been shaky, at best, this year. The ECAC is down to just four active teams — Colgate, Clarkson, St. Lawrence and Quinnipiac, after the Ivy League schools decided to cancel all winter sports. RPI and Union also opted not to play this season. In the Hockey East conference, no teams opted out of the season. But even for the teams playing, the season has been filled with schedule changes, postponements, cancellations and delays as schools are dealing with positive cases on their teams. Boston University, for example, didn’t play a hockey game until January. Ivy League players have either transferred, opted back for juniors or headed down to a bubble in Tampa Bay for a chance to practice against each other.

New England Prep Schools have also been silent thus far this season, although at least a few are expected to begin their hockey campaigns in the upcoming month.

Czech Republic – from Derek O’Brien

As has been the case in most places in the world, the 2020-21 hockey season in the Czech Republic has been quite different. While it started in September in a relatively normal fashion, rising COVID cases forced a nationwide shutdown of all organized sports in mid-October. Following the implementation of strict hygienic measures, the Extraliga and second-tier Chance Liga restarted a few weeks later, but everything else – youth, junior and senior – remains paused.

Of course, all pro games since the restart have been played with no fans in attendance, and that is a shame because several players who played in North America last season – including recent World Juniors Lukas Parik (LA), Nick Malik, Jaromir Pytlik (NJ), Jan Mysak (MTL), Michal Teply (CHI), Simon Kubicek and Pavel Novak (MIN) – returned home. Due to lockdowns and quarantines, Mysak and Teply only played a handful of games and are now at NHL camps. Some drafted prospects who played a good portion of the season but have now returned to their NHL organizations include defenseman Filip Hronek and winger Filip Zadina (both DET) and winger David Kase (PHI) – who all performed exceptionally for their respective Extraliga clubs – as well as Radim Zohorna (PIT) and Lukas Jasek (VAN). Others who are remaining to finish the season include Jakub Lauko (BOS) and Lukas Rousek (BUF), the latter of whom has 23 points in 31 games for Sparta Prague.

Underage defensemen Stanislav Svozil (2021) and David Jiricek (2022) continue to play beyond their years, showing the poise they displayed against older opponents at the World Junior Championship.

Despite a tough winter COVID-wise for the country, the top two Czech hockey leagues continue on and seem to have a routine down that will see them finish on schedule. As for other levels, current government measures last until January 22, but expensive testing protocols means it’s unlikely we’ll see a restart before spring.

Germany – from Chapin Landvogt

As we rapidly approach mid-January, all of Germany’s most important pro and junior circuits are up and running. This is a very good thing for prospect watchers in these parts. Nonetheless, we would like to focus some attention on several undrafted Germans who just presented their wares to the international community at the WJC. The most notable was very young overage center Florian Elias, who we here at McKeen’s had ranked 145th in last fall’s draft rankings. We might add that you’ll have found nary a publication out there with Elias among the top 200 prospects, much less the top 150.

At the WJC, the undersized terrier, who admittedly lacks an extra skating gear, proved to be the perfect complement to drafted wingers Tim Stutzle and JJ Peterka, assuming plenty of the defensive duties, creating space, and finding ways to get some pucks to his highly touted linemates. His toolkit included an underappreciated wrist shot, accurate passes, deceptive weaving abilities, and strong core strength allowing him to not only resist heavy checks, but impressively push back in the process.

Nonetheless, his intangibles seem to be what made him one of the tournament’s most effective overall players. Elias presented a highly effective presence in both the slot and the net front. He hounded the opposition on the forecheck, often forcing deadly turnovers. He stepped up to the plate to create timely offense when his team needed it most. Overall, he was highly effective on second and third efforts. His entire package seemed built around getting things done - and doing so at the highest possible level of junior hockey, of which he had no prior experience.

Questions will abound about his pro prospects due to his size and lack of speed, if nothing else, but he has since returned to the Mannheim Adler of the DEL with nine WJC points in tow (plus a team high -2 among players who suited up for all five games) and has already worked his way into action as the Adler’s second line center with former Coyote property Matthias Plachta and former Calgary Flame David Wolf. No points yet, but Elias has been in the middle of several outstanding offensive opportunities, continuing to build upon that “little engine that could” vibe he just keeps emitting.

WJC teammate Lucas Münzenberger also used the tournament to soundly make his way into the scouts’ notebooks. The 6-2”, 198-pound defenseman took part in his team’s opening face-off and basically never looked back. Having only just turned 18 in November, Lucas showed immense readiness to play a heady, physical game, and logged an enormous amount of ice time with just under 22 minutes per game. For those in the know, the package of size, skating, and reading the game, as well as some very capable first passes out of the zone, is exactly the type of thing any organization wants to see out of such a young and raw prospect with the potential to be a late round pick, especially one few have seen before this event.

Like Elias, Münzenberger has never come close to playing at this level of junior hockey, having missed out on a U18 opportunity last spring when the worlds were cancelled. In fact, due to his college commitment (University of Vermont, 22-23), he’s only seen action in Germany’s DNL junior league, meaning he hasn’t gotten a sniff of pro play there unlike fellow German blueline minute munchers (all overagers) Max Glötzl, Simon Gnyp, and Mario Zimmermann. More on each of them in upcoming reports (as well as the gobs of U19 players who have been showing up in line-ups across the DEL, DEL2, and Oberliga), but for now, you can rest assured that Münzenberger is going to be watched closely by NHL scouts from here on out in this, his initial draft year.

Switzerland – from Chapin Landvogt

While league hockey in Switzerland is roughly fully operational, this past WJC was not one to write home about for Team Switzerland. Had it not been for a furious final 10 minutes against Team Germany, the Swiss may have only scored one goal altogether. In total, it had five in four games and not a single point as a team, getting shut out on two occasions. This did not bode particularly well for a few Swiss prospects, many of whom came into the tournament needing to show just what the scouting community can expect of them. The only players on the team to register multiple points were the draft eligible forward Dario Allenspach and defenseman Noah Meier, both of whom will still be 18 by next summer’s draft and are playing pro hockey back home. The former also displayed some nice hockey sense and gumption throughout the four games and may garner further attention depending on what he continues to do for Zug Academy in the 2nd tier SL pro league, where he currently has six points in 17 games. He has also played several games for Zug in the top tier NL. His name bears watching.

Speaking of pro play, mid-sized defenseman Janis Moser is up for an NHL draft for the final time, turning 21 shortly before next July. A bit like was the case with the New York Islanders’ Sebastian Aho several years back, there are some in the scouting community who have been surprised that Moser hasn’t at least been taken on a flyer. He is in his third full season of NL play and has appeared for Switzerland at several WJCs and a U18 Worlds. The mobile defender is looking to give NHL teams plenty to think about this season, currently sporting 5-14- 19 and +6 in 23 games.

In the junior circuit, one of the clearly most interesting players has been half-Thai, half-Swiss Liekit Reichle, a 6-1”, 183-pound forward who will be turning 18 in just a little over a week. Despite his youth, he has already dressed for five SL games this season (GC Küsnacht) and is second overall in scoring in Switzerland’s top U20 circuit. There, he has accumulated 10 goals and 41 points in just 26, good for second overall in a league that features plenty of players several years older. We would also like to point out that in addition to Swiss overager Simon Knak (captain of the U20 squad), each of Dman Brian Zanetti, forward Attilio Biasca, and forward Lorenzo Canonica are scheduled to play for CHL junior clubs at some point this season.

Slovakia – from Matej Deraj

Despite the country being in a lockdown, both Slovak professional leagues are still running. The youth competitions and amateur leagues are currently stopped and are not expected to return. On the other hand, Tipos Extraliga (top tier league) is currently in the middle of the regular season. Having been postponed at the beginning, the games are being played on newly set dates. The league has dealt with COVID outbreaks in all teams and quarantine quite well.

There have been very few, close to zero in fact, positive cases in recent months. The second-tier league (I. liga, also called SHL – Slovak Hockey League) is being played as well. Because of youth competitions in the other countries are being cancelled or postponed, I. liga has welcomed a solid number of new additions. An OHL trio consisting of Donovan Sebrango (Red Wings), Keean Washkurak (Blues) and Tag Bertuzzi (undrafted) has most recently joined HK Levice. Tag´s father, very well-known former NHLer Todd Bertuzzi, is in Slovakia as well.

One of the main candidates for the #1 overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, right-shot defenseman Brandt Clarke, also unexpectedly went to the Slovak Extraliga. Alongside his brother Graeme (a Devils prospect), they have both joined HC Nove Zamky. However, they are still getting used to the speed and size of the older players. Brandt is scoreless after six games, while Graeme has recorded one assist in five matches. Five Canadians are doing better in Liptovsky Mikulas: Tyler Tullio (Oilers), Allan McShane and William Portokalis are close to being point-per-game. Out of the local prospects, 2022 eligible defenseman Simon Nemec continues to impress the most. He played his best game a few days ago, scored a pretty one-timer goal and added two assists in a 5-2 win for HK Nitra against DVTK. Martin Chromiak (Kings), Filip Mesar (2022) and some other guys have returned from the World Juniors and they are back in the lineup as well.

WHL/AJHL – from Vince Gibbons

After months of negative news this past weekend was a ray of sunshine for Junior hockey in Western Canada. The WHL announced its intention to play a minimum 24 game season to start as appropriate with various local Health and Government guidelines and support. Since the cancelation of the Memorial Cup last year Junior hockey has fallen on hard times. Covid-19 has affected the WHL’s four provinces, and the US division dramatically, and at different times making it very difficult to maintain a positive outlook for a season and yet now there is some light. There is a still a long journey to get to a potential late February start date but having something positive on the hockey horizon feels good. Byron Hackett, a local reporter, recently talked with Red Deer Rebels Owner and GM Brent Sutter, which provided some fascinating insight into what is going on behind the scenes, especially the acknowledgement that they knew they were not going to be able to start up with fans from the beginning.

Alberta (Red Deer where I am based) has been one of the more impacted provinces in Canada when it comes to Covid-19. Initially, the Health and Government Authorities were on board for provincial games allowing the WHL (modified to in-province games only) and the AJHL to begin but in the weeks leading up into Christmas a severe spike in cases forced further Government restrictions and the AJHL season was put on pause after just getting started. That small start mattered, particularly for the players. A number of WHL players with higher level aspirations were released short term from their WHL clubs to join various AJHL, SJHL and MJHL teams. This enabled a number of prospects to find ice time, competitive practices, and even a chance to play some preseason game and regular season games. A quick look at the AJHL scoring lead shows a lot of familiar WHL names, with Matt Savoie, Spencer Moe, and Dylan Guenther all in the top ten of the frozen leader board right now. The increased competition for spots didn’t hurt two intriguing AJHL regulars either as both Breck McKinley and Corson Ceulemans torched the league in a very small sample size (four & two games respectively).

Despite the limited game action in Alberta so far this season there is plenty of video (Thanks to Instat Hockey) and lot of notes from previous seasons it would be misleading to send out a ranked list at this point. Instead, here is an alphabetical list of guys that I can’t wait to see again, hopefully by early March. Not everyone on this list is a first-round talent, but each of these guys does something that is intriguing and I am curious about how much improvement and development there has been in the near 10 months since they played a competitive game. I am also fascinated to see if someone comes out of left field who has taken full advantage of the extended break and committed to improving enough to give them a chance at being drafted.

Below stats from shortened 2019-2020 season

Carson Lambos, Winnipeg ICE (57GP-8G-24-32PTs-32PIMs)

Cole Sillinger, Medicine Hat Tigers (48GP-22G-31A-53Pts-22PIMs) – since moved to Sioux Falls, of the USHL

Colton Dach, Saskatoon Blades (62GP-11G-18A-29Pts-45PIMs)

Connor Roulette, Seattle Thunderbirds (54GP-19G-20A-39Pts-21PIMs) *played 3 MJHL games in 2020

Corson Ceulemans, AJHL Brooks Bandits (44GP-5G-30A-55Pts-80PIMs) *played 5 AJHL games in 2020

Dru Krebs, Medicine Hat Tigers (55GP-3G-10A-13Pts-30PIMs) *played 1 AJHL game in 2020

Dylan Guenther, Edmonton Oil Kings (58GP-26G-33A-59Pts-22PIMs) *played 4 AJHL games in 2020

Eric Alarie, Moose Jaw Warriors (61GP-7G-14A-21Pts-4PIMs) *played 1 MJHL game in 2020

Jayden Grubbe, Red Deer Rebels (57GP-6G-23A-29Pts-46PIMs)

Logan Stankoven, Kamloops Blazers (59GP-29G-19A-48Pts-10PIMs)

Nolan Allen, Prince Albert Raiders (58GP-2G-6A-8Pts-25PIMs) *played 5 games in SJHL in 2020

Ryder Korczak, Moose Jaw Warriors (62GP-18G-49A-67Pts-16PIMs)

Sebastian Cossa, Edmonton Oil Kings (33GP-21W-6L-3T-2.23GAA-.921Sv%)

Zack Stringer, Lethbridge Hurricanes (48GP-11G-23A-34Pts-22PIMs) *played 4 games in the AJHL in 2020

BCHL – from Arlo Schulz

It has been a frustrating state of events for the BCHL, with the league intending to play a full season without fans in the building. However, the health authorities in the province of British Columbia scotched that scenario when case levels rose sharply in the fall. The province had been one of the most relaxed in the country in terms of restrictions during the first wave of the pandemic but reacted to the rising numbers by putting a moratorium on contact sports in the province. As a result, the BCHL has been forced to continue pushing back the start of the campaign.

The latest target date for return to play is February 8th, should the current sports ban be lifted. The BCHL commissioner has insisted that the league is determined to play this season. Current restrictions do thankfully allow for individual on-ice skills and drills and teams have been busy preparing and keeping players in shape. Some teams played pre-season games before the restrictions hit; the Penticton Vees were supposed to host this year's Centennial Cup and won a mini-tournament against other Okanagan-based BCHL teams.

Several players (notably including Ayrton Martino and Jack Bar) left their BCHL team to go play in the USHL this season; the deadline for this transfer just passed so there shouldn't be any more defections. The expectation is for a very short regular season to still be completed in some fashion, followed by playoffs if possible, giving scouts some limited viewings of 2021-eligible players. Whether those viewings will be conducted via video (likely) or live attendance at the rink (hopefully) remains to be seen.

NCHC – from Tom Dorsa

In October, the National Collegiate Hockey Association unveiled its plans for the 2020-21 season, beginning the pursuit of the Penrose Cup with the implementation of “The Pod,” the secure zone in Omaha, Nebraska in which its eight member schools played from December 1-20 while schools were finishing fall semesters.

Playing 38 games in 21 days at Baxter Arena, the NCHC provided its programs, players, and fans with a leg to stand on, a start to a season with an end hopefully better than the last campaign. But with “The Pod” wrapped up and programs situating themselves back to their respective campuses around the American North and Northwest, the NCHC enters the unknown -- and they will have just as many fires to put out as the rest of the leagues around the game.

While the geographics of conference play has been made easier with the introduction of the West and East divisions, new to the 2020-21 season, the conference has already had to shift around scheduling of games, including a large slate of heavyweight matchups such as North Dakota vs Denver and Minnesota-Duluth vs St. Cloud State being delayed.

While COVID case numbers skyrocket in the United States, the NCHC has enacted a strict contract tracing and quarantine regimen for any type of situation. Hockey in early 2021 without the implications of the pandemic is impossible, but the conference has done well in terms of keeping players and team staff safe while ensuring competitive integrity.

And from a perspective of competition, the NCHC is red hot. Prior to the abrupt cancellations of conference tournaments and the NCAA Frozen Four, teams in the conference were preparing for potential lengthy runs through the postseason. North Dakota (3), Minnesota-Duluth (5), Denver (6), and Western Michigan (16) were all nationally recognized in the final USCHO rankings. The NCHC has taken home each of the last four NCAA national championships.

These schools are truly incredible and have a long history of running the table in college hockey. These young players deserve this. Safely and responsibly, let’s rejoice.

QMJHL – from Benoit Belanger

The QMJHL is fortunate to be the only one of the three Canadian junior leagues (CHL) to have played games this season. In principle, the QMJHL will be back next week from January 22. The league has decided to operate with mini bubbles which it calls "protected environments". During the first weekend (January 22 to 24), four cities (Drummondville, Rimouski, Chicoutimi and Shawinigan) were chosen and will host two other teams who will each play two games in three days. So, in total, we are talking about seven bubbles in four different cities, which will allow the 12 teams in Quebec territory to play games, eight games for each team.
For the Maritimes, we are still awaiting a decision to be made. The league hopes to resume a regular schedule from January 22 for those teams.

In addition, the league announced a new playoff format for this season, that will allow all 18 teams to take part. Regarding the playoff format, the QMJHL also indicated that the regular season standings will be determined by percentage of points collected, as it is already ensured that all teams will not play the same number of games. However, it is the format of the playoffs that will be particularly new, as the number of teams (18) is not a multiple of (nor divisible by) four (2, 4, 8 or 16).

Remember that the teams are divided into three divisions of six teams each (West, East, Maritimes).

In the first round, the teams that finished the season ranked three through six in each of the three divisions will compete for the right to then face in the second round the teams ranked first and second who have each benefited from a bye. For the next round, in the Province of Quebec, the weaker team remaining in the East Division will face the best in the West Division, and vice versa for the other series. In the Maritimes, it will be a traditional division final.

After that, an unusual procedure will be introduced, namely a round robin between the three remaining teams. They will compete twice, and a ranking will be established. The top two teams in this one will face off in a best of seven, or best of five final if needed.

The duration of the previous rounds will be established no later than April 1.

The trades period currently in progress in the QMJHL is extended in an exceptional allowance, until January 25. The most active for the moment have definitely been the Val-d'Or Foreurs. They added forward Nathan Légaré (2019 Pittsburg Penguins 3^rd round pick) and defender Jordan Spence (2019 Los Angeles King 4^th round pick), who will join Jacob Pelletier and Justin Ducharme, both acquired in the draft. Otherwise, among the other big names that have changed address, note Shawn Element who is now a Tigres de Victoriavilles, Isaac Belliveau acquired by the Gatineau Olympiques and Justin Bergeron who will wear the colors of the Shawinigan Cataractes.

AHL – from Shaiyena Cote

In a season unlike any other, where sports have had to take a back seat to the bigger issue of Covid-19, many sports leagues and seasons have already been put on hold. The American Hockey League is no exception and had been placed on hold with simply a hopeful start date. That hopeful start date has now turned into a very real and fast approaching February 5th start date that has been approved and ready to go by league commissioners. That being said, there are a few notable changes that will be made for the 2021 AHL season.

Firstly, the season will be shortened due to the late start date to only 26 games and a new division will be formed amongst the Canadian teams in agreement with border rules. Therefore, in the AHL Eastern Conference there will now be three divisions; the Atlantic, Canadian and the North division. More structural changes also include the relocation of certain AHL teams for the season, such as the Ontario Reign (LA), San Diego Gulls (Anaheim), Binghamton Devils (New Jersey) and the Providence Bruins (Boston) to their new homes in El Segundo, CA, Irvine, CA, Newark, NJ, and Marlborough, MA, respectively. There are also three teams that have pulled out of the season all together; the Charlotte Checkers (FLA), Milwaukee Admirals (NASH) and Springfield Thunderbirds (STL) have agreed to not play the season and so far, the Predators have elected to send their players to the AHL Chicago Wolves to join the Carolina Hurricanes’ prospects for the season, combining to form a mixed Chicago Wolves roster. The Panthers have chosen to affiliate the Springfield Thunderbirds with Tampa Bay and send their players to join the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch for the season. St. Louis will be sending its prospects to play with the Vancouver AHL affiliate in Utica, New York.

Along with league and structural changes at the AHL level, the NHL has also seen its fair share of what do we do moments. For health and safety and contingency reasons the NHL has adopted a Taxi Squad system for the 2021 season, essentially going from a 23-man roster to a 29-man roster with six extra players travelling and practicing with the team who are available to play in any situation. With potentially six more players moved up to their NHL squads, that leaves some very important and heavily weighted room for some of the AHL rosters that have CHL eligible prospects. So far, the QMJHL is set to get back to their bubble running format a week from now once the players have finished Christmas break quarantine but where do the NHL prospects that were set to return to their OHL and WHL teams go when there are no start dates for either league in place yet? The answer is that they will most likely be seeing some development time up with their NHL farm teams for now until further notice. Look for some young faces to potentially make their professional debuts this AHL season and for the benefitting major junior clubs to be able to up their competition level when the entire CHL gets rolling again.

Despite the fact that there are many new changes to come about, hockey fans and hockey people alike can rejoice at the fact that, yes indeed, hockey is back.

Big Ten – from Ryan Wagman

Aside from some changes to the usual non-conference slate of games, the seven schools of the Big Ten conference (Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Penn State, Notre Dame, Minnesota, and Wisconsin) are playing a relatively normal schedule for the 2020-21 season.

To replace the lost competition against various out-of-conference schools, the conference has welcomed Arizona State to play four games against each team – with all of those games occurring at the home rink of the regular Big Ten school. It is unknown if this arrangement might lead to a permanent spot in the Big Ten for ASU going forward, even if such an arrangement has been speculated before.

The teams are all now slightly past their respective halfway points, having played 13 or 14 games each. After a few dark years, the Minnesota Golden Gophers have been heads and shoulders better than all the other schools. At the other end, Michigan State has still not been able to escape the basement, while Ohio State and Penn State have similarly struggled to overcome some critical graduations. Arizona State has played respectably, but the still fresh NCAA Division I entrant has a ways to go to truly compete with Big Ten programs.

The regular season is scheduled to run through early March and the conference tournament is scheduled for March 18-20.

In other words, there is still plenty of time to catch the three huge 2021 draft prospects from Michigan – Owen Power, Matty Beniers, and Kent Johnson – before the strange season draws to a close.

USHL – from Ryan Wagman

It only took a pandemic, but in the 2020-21 season, the USHL has the top collection of draft eligible talent in North America. It wasn’t without bumps, of course. Before the season even started, both the Madison Capitols and the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders were forced to shut up shop for the season. The Capitols were not allowed to play due to local county restrictions against such gatherings. The RoughRiders had to skip this season due to a wholly unrelated event, that being the derecho which tore through Central Iowa last August, which practically destroyed their home arena, along with many other local buildings. Outside of those two AWOL franchises, the biggest changes to this year have been the lack of a season-opening tournament in Pittsburgh or a mid-season All Star game. No matter, the games go on.

The remaining 14 teams have been playing since early November, split into a six team Eastern Conference and an eight team Western Conference. As per usual in recent seasons, the Chicago Steel have been running away with the league, with only three regulation losses in their first 19 games.

Attendance rules vary per team, depending on local and/or state regulations. I am based in the Chicago area and the Steel are limited to scouts and media at their games. In the bulk of games I have attended so far, I have estimated between 15-40 people in the stands.

As alluded to in some of the other sections above, the USHL this year has been augmented by top talents from various CHL or Canadian Jr. A leagues, with a new influx of talent joining the league since the end of the WJC. The lack of hockey in the Ivy League schools, for instance, has allowed drafted players including John Farincci (Muskegon), Henry Thrun (Dubuque), and Jack Malone (Youngstown) to spend some time in the USHL, the first two of those three as a means of preparation for their time with the American WJC roster. Uncertainty in the WHL and BCHL has brought in more talent, including drafted players Bear Hughes (Fargo), Cross Hanas (Lincoln), and Keinan Draper (Omaha). Intriguing 2021 eligibles who have lately joined the league from the BCHL include Ayrton Marino (Omaha) and Jack Bar (Chicago), with WHL transplants including potential first rounder Cole Sillinger (Sioux Falls), Jack O’Brien (Lincoln) and James Stefan (Lincoln).

The USHL regular season is scheduled to run through April 24, barring any addition schedule re-arrangements, whether due to the pandemic, or other, more prosaic reasons.

USHL: Carson Bantle, Madison Capitals (2020)

Ryan Wagman — Sat, 16 Nov 2019 22:18:14 +0000

The Madison Capitols have long been a bottom feeder at the USHL level and only occasionally have legit NHL prospects on hand. This year they have several, none more intriguing than Carson Bantle, a very big power winger who has been lighting it up in the early going of his draft year, generally playing on a line with improved Hungarian pivot Kristof Papp. Through 16 games in the young season, he is only four points shy of his full offensive output from 2018-19.

He can disappear for stretches, which is likely a function of an outclassed team as much as anything else, but he tends to flash at least once or twice a game and when he does, the opponent will always have a hard time containing him. The Michigan Tech commit has quickly emerged as one of the better NHL products in a relatively down year in the USHL. With added consistency, he could develop into a top six winger at the highest level.

Carson Bantle	2020 NHL Draft Eligible
Position: LW, Shoots L	H/W: 6-4", 201 lbs
Stats to date (GP-G-A-PTS-PIMS)	Madison Capitols, USHL (14-7-9-16-12)

Carson Bantle. Photo by Hickling Images.

Characteristics

Skating: Bantle skates retty well for a player of his size. Expect his agility, stamina and speed to tick upwards as he continues to develop, in the mold of many larger players, who need more time to grow accustomed to their frames, but he is already at a reasonable place. His usual pace of play is generally moderate, but he can and will kick it up a notch when he needs to win a race. Grade: 55

Shot: In the offensive zone, Bantle features a very impressive snapshot, with a very quick release. He can also pot goals from in tight as he is the type of player to follow his rebounds to the net and has plus hand-eye coordination. Might not be a top goal scorer at the highest level, but he should have a strong enough shot to be a top six player at the collegiate level, and more than passable as a pro. Grade: 55

Skills: While he can be prone to telegraphing passes, Bantle is not without puck skills. His hands are very quick, and he is capable of occasionally surprising touch on his passes. Generally speaking, he plays a simpler, power game that is not heavily reliant on puck skill. Grade: 50

Smarts: Madison generally prefers to spare its first line forwards from heavy rotation on the penalty kill, but Bantle has shown that he can be trusted in shorthanded situations. More often than not, he shows an ability to read the game at a solid level. He can be very patient with the puck, waiting out defenses instead of forcing plays that aren’t there. Would like to see more grit in his own zone, but Madison tends to be moving in the right direction with Bantle on the ice more than they do when he is not. Grade: 55

Physicality: Here is where Bantle can shine. Yes, he could stand to be a bit more consistent with his physical play, but more often than not, he plays with tremendous bull strength and can be flat out dominant at the USHL level. He has the frame of an NHL power forward as well. He uses his size effectively to power through defenses, aided by his big reach. He is hard to contain or overcome in board battles. Grade: 60

Overall Future Projection (OFP): 54.25

USHL: Ryder Rolston, Waterloo Black Hawks (2020)

Ryan Wagman — Fri, 15 Nov 2019 15:01:38 +0000

Ryder Rolston spent all of last year playing with the legendary USNTDP U18 class, but was one of three regulars who were too young to be eligible for the 2019 draft. Currently tied for the scoring lead on a strong Waterloo side, he is one of the better draft eligible players in the USHL this season, even including the current USNTDP U18 squad. He is a high end skater with a plus shot, but he plays a simple, North-South game for the most part. He has adjusted well to being a team’s focal point after spending two years as a useful cog in a much bigger machine. He has top six potential, but a more realistic outcome would be a middle six role on a good club. The comparisons to his father Brian are easy to make, and will be discussed at greater length below.

Ryder Rolston	2020 NHL Draft Eligible
Position: RW, Shoots R	H/W: 6-0", 165 lbs
Stats to date (GP-G-A-PTS-PIMS)	Waterloo Black Hawks, USHL (13-5-6-11-4)

Ryder Rolston, USHL. Photo by Hickling Images

Characteristics

Skating: In a case of the apple not falling far from the tree, Ryder Rolston is a very good skater, much like his father, long-time NHL’er Brian. The first few steps are solid, but his top speed is a standout trait. He is very quick off the mark, and is often in the position of leading the offensive attack. He bends very sharply at the waist while accelerating, making him quite aerodynamic. Would like to see more agility, but the speed will make him a weapon and can demonstrate great edgework. Grade: 60

Shot: Rolston ha a big, hard wrist shot, and he loves to fire the puck. His 51 shots on net in 13 games not only leads the Back Hawks, but are a full 20 more than the runner up. He is able to get a strong shot off even under tight coverage. He would do well to think more about shot selection on occasion, instead of just shot volume, as he can lapse into shooting the puck too early into a zone entry, making it more difficult for Waterloo to sustain the attack. Grade: 55

Skills: He has a quick stick, but Rolston is not a high end puck handler. He can maintain possession at a high level, allowing him to rag the puck in the offensive zone when he can’t find a passing option, but I have yet to see him fool defenders with his puck skills. Grade: 50

Smarts: As with his skating, so too with his hockey IQ. Like his father, Ryder plays a strong two-way game, and has already seen a lot of time n both special teams units. He keeps his head up and his stick down and is constantly looking to pick off passes when the opposition has the puck. His ability to think the game and process the game conditions rapidly ensure that his floor will be high enough to forge out an NHL career even if his skills don’t allow him to play in a top six role. Grade: 55

Physicality: Rolston can withstand being defended against physically, but is not himself a physically engaging player. He will also need to gain a fair bit of muscle mass before he moves on. He has the frame to carry more weight, but he will not be a heavyweight. Grade: 45

Overall Future Projection (OFP): 54

USHL 2019-20 Season Preview – Fall Classic 2019

Ryan Wagman — Wed, 09 Oct 2019 14:13:08 +0000

As is now customary in the USHL, the league season opened in the outskirts of Pittsburgh, at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex. Over a four day period, when one of the main ice sheets was not being used by the pre-season Pittsburgh Penguins, or one of many elite youth tournaments featuring teams from around the country, all 16 teams* in the league gathered in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania, around 50 miles away from the nearest USHL franchise (Youngstown, Ohio), to play their first two games of the regular season.

*The USNTDP U-17 and U-18 squads play different schedules, but their combined records are used in the league standings. Also, only the U-18 team featured here.

The USHL is a funny league. Like the OHL, WHL, or QMJHL, it is a great league for high end under 20 hockey players. The USHL has close to a 100% graduation rate for its players either going to play for Division I NCAA programs, or turning pro in Europe. There is, however, a critical difference between the USHL and the CHL leagues.

Whereas the CHL will only lose two or three players directly to the pros after their age 17 year, and maybe 6-10 more after their age 18 seasons, the vast majority of players stick around until their eligibility is exhausted. On the other hand, around 35-60% of the best 17 year old’s in the league move on to play college hockey as true freshman. Half or more of the rest go to school after their age 18 season. For the most part, the only players who use up their eligibility are the depth player of whom their commitment schools do not have as high hopes and push for a delay in enrollment so as to get a player who is at least physically mature, even if he will not be a top end collegiate player.

What that leaves us with is a league that sees a tremendous amount of year-over-year turnover, particularly among the high end of the league. It is very difficult to not only know the various rosters before the puck drops, but to know who to look out for in any given year as development is rapid.

While I was not able to get to the arenas in time to see the opening game, missing a chance to see the Dubuque Fighting Saints take out the Muskegon Lumberjacks by a 4-1 margin. I also had to leave before the games of the final day commenced, but over three days of attendance, I got to see each team play at least once, seeing all or parts of 12 games in under 72 hours. I say “parts of” games, as there was some overlap around midday each day, forcing me, and scouts from every NHL and seemingly every NCAA Division I school, to jump back and forth between arenas. As much as the event is great for NHL scouts to familiarize themselves with the new batch of talent from one of the better prospect leagues in the world, it is also a great chance for college recruiters and coaches to look for late blooming talent that have not yet committed themselves to one program or another.

With the caveat that the teams will change markedly as the season progresses, due to injuries, trades, and players leaving or leaving for high school programs, imperfect information is always better than no information and I’d rather share what I know about the early 2019-20 season in the USHL with you than not do it.

For those who just want to know which teams are best/worst, I was most impressed with Waterloo, Chicago, and Cedar Rapids. Des Moines, Sioux City, and Muskegon had it roughest. For everybody else, keep reading.

Cedar Rapids RoughRiders (Prediction – 1^st in the Eastern Conference)

I am going alphabetically, so it is just a coincidence that the team I had as the best on the weekend is going first. After getting past the first round for the first time in nine years last season, the RoughRiders are positioned to go further in 2019-20. Outscoring opponents 10-3 on the weekend, it was the defense that stood out to me most consistently. The name everyone knows is Will Francis, a sixth round pick of Anaheim’s last summer. He was always a good skater for his size, but he looks to be a bit more assertive with the puck this year. He is joined on the blueline by a number of other sizable, mobile blueliners, several of whom should be watched closely by NHL scouts this season. 17 year olds among them include Alex Gagne, a big player who can help to push the pace, and Bennet Zmolek, who is more of a first pass kind of player. Most impressive though was Ben Meehan, an 18 year old who spent his draft year playing New England prep school hockey. Although not as big as his teammates, he has dynamic elements to his puck game and isn’t exactly small. He could be a game breaker.

The forwards are solid, but there might not be a future NHLer among them, although I wouldn’t put it past Grant Silianoff to have a big second year of eligibility. He is a very good skater with solid hockey IQ. Instead, look in net. I’d also keep half an eye on Justin Hryckowian, an 18-year old who joins the team after a year at prep school, who brings pace and energy, blended with some puck skills. The RoughRiders will probably split the crease, at least in the early going, but at least on one out of every two games, giant Colorado draft pick Shamil Shmakov will fill up the space between the pipes. His limbs are so long, I have taken to calling him Shamil the Shpider. Unlike most big netminders, he is aggressive in the crease. According to Alessandro Seren Rosso, he had been inconsistent in Russia, but it’s easy to see what the Avalanche like about him.

Chicago Steel (Prediction – 2^nd in the Eastern Conference)

Once again, the fact that another of our expected front-runners comes near the top of our list is coincidental. Despite the loss of top scorers Nicholas Abruzzese and Robert Mastrosimone to the college ranks, the Steel should once again be one of the strongest teams in the league, and may in fact be a more well-rounded team this year than the squad that made it to the Clark Cup finals last year.

The biggest change is in net, as the graduation of inconsistent incumbent Justin Robbins has paved the way for a pair of newcomers to the league in Victor Ostman from Sweden and Ian Shane from California. Both were steady in their debut games, allowing a pair of goals apiece. The blueline should also be stronger than the youthful crew in place last year. While Luke Reid is the only defender likely to be observed closely for draft reasons this year, the North Dakota commit has some flaws to iron out in his own end. On the other hand, 2021 eligible Owen Power is ready to lead the charge from the back. He is large, mobile and his game grew by leaps and bounds as a 16 year old rookie in the league last year. He is trending to be a high pick when his time comes.

The offensive attack will be led by a trio of intriguing draft eligible forwards in late-‘01 birthdays Sean Farrell (late of the USNTDP) and Brendan Brisson (son of super-agent Pat Brisson), and Sam Colangelo. Farrell and Brisson both play skilled games with pace and hockey IQ. Neither have great size, but make things happen on the ice. Colangelo has similar attributes, but better size in his package. Also worth keeping an eye on are Gunnarwolfe Fontaine, whose overall game is almost as much fun as his name, and Matthew “Mackie” Samoskevich, a late-’02 birthday who looks like a probable draft pick in the 2021 draft. Famously under the tutelage of star skills coach Darryl Belfry, the Steel have talent up and down the lineup and will be a tough out all season, even though their roster is the youngest (excepting the USNTDP, which has age limits) in the league.

Des Moines Buccaneers (Prediction – 7^th in the Western Conference)

While the Buccaneers were pretty rough in their opening weekend, all hope is not lost for the Iowan squad. Their team is at an odd juncture of being among the oldest in the league, but only in the middle of the pack in terms of experience at this level. It is fair to expect more out of imports Yaroslav Alexeyev, who has already seen success at the QMJHL level, as well as from third year USHLer Jan Kern, who played for his native Czech Republic at last year’s WJC. I would also assume there is more offense to come from 2001 borns Mason Nevers and Michael Mancinelli, who have flashed their skills in the past.

A lot of their hopes to turn around the tough beginning will rest on the shoulders on former USNTDP backup netminder Cameron Rowe. He has the requisite athleticism you want in a top goaltender, but needs to take a few steps forward in terms of his consistency and focus. Rowe will need the blueline to step up and minimize Grade A scoring chances against and I will be keeping my eyes on a pair of 2001s to play key roles in that endeavor in Nicklas Andrews, an undersized puck mover, and John Driscoll, a much bigger, rangier player who is more of a stay-at-home type.

For those interested in first year draft eligible players, I will be focused on Iowa native Noah Ellis, a UMass (Amherst) commit who is entering his first year in the league and is being given a chance to prove himself on the power play, as well as center Matt Choupani, who has come to the USHL from the AAA ranks in Quebec. He has solid wheels, some puck protection ability, and brings energy to all three zones.

Dubuque Fighting Saints (Prediction – 3^rd in the Eastern Conference)

The Fighting Saints always build talented rosters, even if most of their players are on the older side (oldest roster in the league) and many are not necessarily on the forefront of NHL scouting radars. Exhibits 1A and 1B to that point are the Jackson twins, Ty (a center) and Dylan (RW). A pair of waterbugs on the top line, Dylan is the bigger of the two, at 5-9”, 155. They are both quick and talented, playing a creative, instinctive game. Had they been born 10 days later, they would have been first time eligibles next June, but were passed over last season. In a similar boat, but one year older, is Riese Gaber, tiny yet one of the most talented stick handlers in the league. Gaber could be a potential free agent signing out of college like recent signings Blake Lizotte and Mason Jobst, but he is going to turn 20 this week and 5-8” is still small, even in the modern NHL.

Dubuque also has a pair of already drafted players in the lineup in Swedish netminder Erik Portillo, who aced his debut, holding Muskegon to a single goal on 23 shots. Jimmy Hamrin was very high on this mountain man from his time in the Swedish junior ranks and the Buffalo Sabres were intrigued enough to use their third round pick on him. Blueliner Braden Doyle looked overwhelmed late last season after his prep schedule ended, but Los Angeles saw enough potential to use a late pick on him and he looks much better in the early going, with his stickhandling and puck rushing abilities more able to come to the fore. Both Portillo and Doyle will be critical to Dubuque’s chances this year.

In terms of first time draft eligible for this season, look back to the Jackson line where Stephen Halliday is being tasked with creating room for his talented linemates. Already standing 6-4” and over 210 pounds, he has the size to play a power game and the speed and puck skills to keep up in the modern game. The first overall pick in the USHL Futures draft in 2018, he was stuck on a now-defunct Central Illinois team last year and now has the chance to establish his draft stock in light of his natural gifts. First, he will need to play with some snarl to match his skill as he was getting pushed around too easily by smaller players for my liking.

Fargo Force (Prediction – 6^th in the Western Conference)

A team with age and size on its side, Cary Eades’ team is set to compete now. The most well-known names on the roster belong to netminder Cole Brady and forward Aaron Huglen, both entering their first full seasons in the USHL but with NHL affiliations already in place. Brady was a late round pick of New Jersey and Huglen of Buffalo in last June’s draft. Brady impressed in his debut games. He takes up a lot of room in the crease, has his movements under control, stays square to the shooter and flashes a quick glove. Huglen missed the USHL Classic due to injury but his high end skill set is expected to make him one of the Force’s offensive leaders.

Fargo’s chances will rest on their ability to limit the scoring chances provided to the opposition, which they looked more than capable of doing in the opening weekend. Their blueline crew is relatively anonymous, although big Cedric Fiedler played for Switzerland at last year’s WU18 tournament. Their first pairing for the moment consists of Noah Beck and Colton Huard, who are both reliable defenders with plus size but without any remarkable tools to their name. In the absence of Huglen, their top offensive threats look like a pair of 18 year olds who passed over at the draft last year in Lynden Breen and Kaden Bohlsen. The former brings the skill and play driving ability and the latter brings the size and trigger. 16-year old Tristan Broz is also worth noting, although his draft date won’t be until 2022.

While any of the names mentioned in the last paragraph can make enough noise in their respective second years of draft eligibility to hear their names called next June (I would say that Bohlsen is the odds-on favorite in that duck race), the only first year eligible player who played a regular shift at the USHL Classic was Kyle Smolen, who was essentially their extra skater.

Green Bay Gamblers (Prediction – 8^th in the Eastern Conference)

In the absence of much in the way of 2002 born talent, the primary point of interest in scouting the Gamblers this year is to see how a trio of drafted forwards continue their development. Big Texan Ryan O’Reilly is the rare player who is still gracing the rinks of the USHL in his draft + two season. He has always had talented mitts and good shot, but has struggled with his consistency throughout his time in the league and his first few steps have remained below average. The other two drafted players were more surprising that they were selected in the first place. In the seventh round last year, Boston drafted Jake Schmaltz and Tampa took McKade Webster. The Schmaltz selection was odd in that he was a bottom six player without any discernable high end tools in his draft year as a member of the Steel. For Webster, it was his second year of eligibility, but he missed most of the season to injury. Schmaltz should take on a bigger role this year and we will get the chance to see if there is any latent skill lying beneath the two-way responsibility. Webster is healthy and brings energy, but can his early point pace be sustained over time?

Green Bay’s ability to compete will rest on a group of undrafted, yet talented late 2000 and 2001 born players. Up front, I would look to Tyler Paquette, Nicholas Zabaneh, and Camden Thiesing. Paquette is big and skates well, although his hands haven’t yet caught up to his feet. Zabaneh and Theising are both undersized and have flashed the ability to execute skill plays, but without the necessary consistency to be of pro interest. On the blueline, the top two left side players, Dylan Moulton and Chris Giroday, are all situations players with solid all around games. Moulton, in particular, has the look of a promising late bloomer, after spending last season in the NAHL.

Thus far, the only first year eligible on the roster are wingers Luke Mylymok and Alex Servango. Servango has scored twice in his first three games at the level, but standing 5-8”, he will have to prove himself continuously all year. Mylymok had a decent rookie season in the USHL last year, but hasn’t shown much yet in 2019-20. I would posit that one of the players in the previous paragraph is more likely to earn the affections of NHL scouts, with Giroday and Paquette the most primed.

Lincoln Stars (Prediction – 4^th in the Western Conference)

After a terrible 2018-19 campaign, which saw the team sell off many of its better players at the trade deadline, the Stars seem to have regrouped with much better things expected for 2019-20. The lineup is stocked with players with USHL experience, with only Green Bay and Omaha have more on hand. This type of team-building is easiest to recognize with their goaltenders. Neither Ryan McInchak nor Jacob Mucitelli look like future NHLers, but neither are prone to coughing up games behind their squad.

The Stars feature four veteran forwards leading the charge, including three who all played with the Chicago Steel last season in Travis Treloar, Josh Groll, and Christian Sarlo. Groll may be recognized as a depth player for the Team USA outfit at the 2018 Hlinka, although he struggled to produce for the Steel. Treloar and Sarlo were productive, and Treloar looked, at times, like a potential NHL draft pick in the first half, before slowing down considerably in the second half. They played as a first line at the USHL Classic and could collectively be primed for a strong season now. Joining them as a critical forward is holdover Josh Lopina. He has gained in mass since last year and flashes a promising wrist shot. Through their first two games, the Stars blueline corps did not add a single point, although players like Jordan Power and Jake Boltmann should change that in short order.

Speaking of Boltmann, he is one of the few first year draft eligible players on the roster. He plays in all situations and has a solid point shot from the right side. He also plays a promising physical style. Two other draft eligibles of note are left winger Zach Urdahl and blueliner Jacob Bauer. Urdahl impressed for the Stars in a brief cameo last year. His first few steps are fine, but his top speed needs an extra gear. Bauer is a right handed shot with good size, but none of his tools flashed overly brightly on the weekend.

Madison Capitols (Prediction – 6^th in the Eastern Conference)

Ever since I began covering the USHL, the Capitols have been the dregs of the league. They would have the occasional high end prospect in their ranks, but more often than not, they were drastically outmanned by the other teams in the league. While I am not ready to state that Madison will play in the postseason for the first time in its six year history, they could be a .500 team for the first time. The roster is still too shallow for me to project for more, but progress is apparent.

My general optimism comes from the first line of forwards, with Hungarian center Kristof Papp flanked by two first year draft eligible wingers in Carson Bantle and Reid Pabich. I will start with a word on Pabich, a Madison native who helps to keep things moving along, but is the clear third wheel on this unit. If the Capitols wanted to maximize their top line, Pabich would be subbed out for another first year draft eligible in Ryan Kirwan, who had a good showing for Team USA at this summer’s Hlinka Gretzky Cup. Regardless of how they move the right wing forward, the player to watch here is left winger Bantle, also a Hlinka alum. In his second season in Madison, Bantle has started the season hot, with six points through his first three games. He has ideal size, good touch, a nice top gear and a strong stick. I would like to see more aggression, but so far he looks like one of the top draft eligible prospects in the league. The line is centered by Papp, the team’s second leading scorer last season. He has very soft hands and plays creatively and now with added confidence. His size is only average and he may not have the speed to be of great NHL interest, but if he continues to push the pace as he did in the USHL Classic, he will force teams to take notice.

Although most of the attention on Madison will be placed up front, there is one blueliner who should also be minded in right handed shooting Stephen Davis, a Boston College commit. Although offensively inclined for the most part, the puck mover puts in good effort in his own end and could do enough to keep himself on the radar. Starting netminder Simon Latkoczy is also a 2002-born player, but at 5-11”, he is too small to be a draft target. That said, if he can provide Madison with at least average performance in net, the team will be competitive.

Muskegon Lumberjacks (Prediction – 5^th in the Eastern Conference)

One of the most surprising facets of the USHL this year is that Daniil Gushchin is still a part of it. The Lumberjacks have a knack for developing Russian players, with high draft picks Andrei Svechnikov and Yegor Afanasyev both recently gracing the team roster. Gushchin played with Afanasyev last year and was very impressive as a 16-year old in the league, so when the Regina Pats used the seventh overall pick in the CHL Import Draft on the pint sized winger, it was widely expected that the player would be moving to Saskatchewan. Perhaps not. Although Gushchin has not recorded a point through three league games, he is widely expected to spearhead the Lumberjacks offense as the season progresses.

Coming up behind the talented Russian is another talented left winger who is small enough to make the 5-8”, 165 lbs Gushchin look big. I am referring to 5-7”, 158 lbs Alex Gaffney, who held his own as a rookie last year, but will need to do far more than that to garner NHL attention this year. Gaffney was strong at the Hlinka, but with his frame, the Harvard commit will need to prove that he can handle the grind. Another first year draft eligible winger of note for Muskegon is Jack Williams (one of two Jack Williamses on the roster). After crushing at the Selects Hockey Academy for two years, he was electrifying in a short stint with Muskegon at the tail end of last year. He has already shown that he can bring a lot of energy to his shifts this year, but the offense will need to follow.

There are enough interesting players on the Lumberjacks to expect them to overcome their rough start to the season (5 goals through 3 games), but the only one who seems likely to be followed for draft purposes is netminder Jonathan (Jack) Williams. Passed over last year after an uneven NAHL campaign, he has the size and athleticism that teams look for. He needs the minutes and the consistency. They are the smallest team in the league, and one of the least experienced to boot, so a slow start is not all that surprising, but better days should be ahead.

Omaha Lancers (Prediction – 2^nd in the Western Conference)

Muskegon has the least experienced roster in the USHL. Omaha has, by far, the most experience, with nearly 200 more cumulative games to its players’ credit than the runner-up. Among those experienced players, none will play as critical a role in Omaha’s fortunes as that of starting goalie Akira Schmid. The 6-5” behemoth led the league in save percentage after coming over from the WHL, by way of the NAHL, and allowing for a mid-year break to represent his native Switzerland at the WJC. Considering the gap in ability between New Jersey draft pick Schmid and his backup, he should receive the lion’s share of playing time.

The Lancers’ offensive attack will reply on two 18 year olds who actually have very little USHL experience in Alexander Campbell a Nashville draft pick, and Rhett Pitlick, a Montreal selection. Campbell is coming over off a fantastic draft year in the BCHL, while Pitlick spent the bulk of his draft year playing Minnesota high school hockey. At the USHL Classic, they were generally playing opposite wings on the same line, with Pitlick playing as a trigger man on his off wing. Both players are above average skater and exciting puck players. When they are on the ice, especially playing together, the opposition should expect to be playing mostly in its own end.

Similar to the gap between Schmid and his backup, the level of talent on Omaha sees a big drop off after Campbell and Pitlick. With a plethora of 1999 and 2000 borns, there is little room o the roster for first year draft eligible, and only three played at all at the Classic. Neither Cameron Berg, Michael Cameron, or Matt Basgall did much to separate themselves. Omaha will go only as far as its three drafted players can take them.

Sioux City Musketeers (Prediction – 8^th in the Western Conference)

Eeli Tolvanen is long gone. Last year’s hero, Bobby Brink is gone now, too. Draft picks Martin Pospisil and Marcus Kallionkielli are also gone. In fact, all of the top eight on the scoring list from last year’s squad are now gone. So are the two main netminders. I have already mentioned how high the level of turnover is in this league and the Musketeers are the prime example of that trend. It isn’t all bad though. For one thing, Sioux City could have even better netminding this year as Ben Kraws and Jake Sibell have been replaced by Nashville draft pick Ethan Haider, coming off a fantastic campaign in the NAHL, where he was named the Goaltender of the Year for the Midwest region of that league.

Additionally, even though they didn’t factor into the scoring leaders last year, the team added a pair of defensemen from high end college programs around midseason and both Adam Samuelsson and Dominic Vidoli are back. The former provides a gigantic body on the blueline with enough snarl to make himself useful even without much in the way of offensive contributions. The latter is six inches shorter and 55 pounds lighter, but looks to be one of the more dynamic offensive defensemen in the league this year. As a 20 year old, he is not draft eligible, but could work his way into consideration as an undrafted free agent after more time in college at Ohio State.

The Musketeers may be a weaker squad this year, but with a plethora of 2002 borns in the lineup, the stands will always have a lot of NHL scouts in attendance. Among the first year eligible, Jackson Nieuwendyk, son of Hall of Famer Joe is currently more curiosity than legit draft prospect, but that may yet change. Offensively inclined blueliner Christian Jimenez is a decent puck mover, but his reads are still a little rough. Center Blake Biondi comes with glowing advance clippings, considering his past production for Minnesota high school powerhouse Hermantown, which last year culminated in his being named an All-USA Hockey First Teamer, along with four players who were drafted last June. There is some thought that he will yet return to play for Hermantown this year, and his early play this season in the USHL has been underwhelming, but leaving for high school will leave his prospect status with more questions than answers, even if he excels for Hermantown once again. At this point though, the top scouting draw is following in a hallowed Sioux City tradition as a high end Finnish scorer. Tolvanen begat Kallionkieli. Kallionkieli has begat Joel Maatta. Maatta has started his USHL career on fire, with the ability to control the offensive attack from the half-wall, getting right to the net on rushes and making sure his stick is ready to play the puck. Between his hands, size and solid stride, he has the makings of a top half of the draft candidate.

Sioux Falls Stampede (Prediction – 3^rd in the Western Conference)

Winning the Clark Cup last year was very nice. Starting again with only two players who contributed even 10 points to the championship team is not as nice, but flags fly forever. The goalies have turned over, too. So let’s give a quick shout-out to returning champions Jared Westcott and Ryan Sullivan, as they spend one more season in the USHL before going to school, but the simple matter is that any chance of repeating that the Stampede have will be reliant on new players. Starting in the crease, both netminders are new to the league, and neither Nathan Reid nor Grant Adams (both 2000-borns) has yet to claim a stranglehold on the starting job.

The biggest drop off from year to year for Sioux Falls is most likely on the blueline, though, as the championship team starred NHL draft picks Ryan Johnson and Max Crozier in the back in addition to other veterans of the league. The only defender on the current squad to have entered the new season with over 10 USHL games under their respective belts is the undersized Chase Foley, who held his own last year as a member of the defunct Central Illinois Flying Aces. For draft purposes, I will be keeping an eye on Evan Bushy, who joined the Stampede late last year after a strong showing for his hometown Thief River Falls High School team. Bushy didn’t record a single point in 10 regular season or four postseason games last year with Sioux Falls, but is being given a bigger role for the moment.

The forward group is also young and relatively inexperienced, but through three regular seasons, they have combined to score 12 goals, with eight different players lighting the lamp. Having a roster that can contribute from every line can only be a positive, even if it means that there isn’t a single offensive play driver, or focal point to lean on. That said, there are two first year eligible players that have earned a follow already. One is right winger Luke Weilandt, who the Stampede nabbed in the 13^th round of the most recent USHL entry Level Draft. The Chicago native leads the way with five points through three games, although he is undersized and hasn’t yet shown any high level tools. The other player of note is Poland import Jakub Lewandowski, a rangy winger who comes over after a strong season in the Czech U19 league. He has good balance on his skates, can control the puck nicely and shows a touch of creativity to boot.

Tri-City Storm (Prediction – 5^th in the Western Conference)

Although they have yet to come away with two standings points from any of their three first games, scoring only six times in the process, there are a lot of pieces on the Tri-City roster who should be interesting follows as the season plays on. Despite losing four NHL picks to the college game in netminder Isaiah Saville, defensemen Ronnie Attard and Zac Jones, and forward Shane Pinto, a fifth draft pick, Mike Koster, who only played with the Storm in the final quarter of the season, returns. His early absence due to injury has not helped the Tri-City offense find its legs.

Even without Allard, Jones, Koster (for now), or Ruben Rafkin, upon whom high hopes were placed, but who left for an opportunity with Windsor in the OHL, the Tri-City blueline once again should provide a lot of eye candy for scouts. Most prominent among that crew is Mitchell Miller, who came over in an off-season trade from Cedar Rapids. Miller is undersized, but is a composed puck mover, who plays with a pleasant physical side away from the puck. He has a full tool kit and may be one of the better first time eligible defenders in the league this year. He is joined on the blueline by a pair of rookies who join Tri-City together from the Chicago Mission program in Kyle Aucoin and Nicholas Donato. I am not sure if Donato is part of the famous Donato hockey clan, but Aucoin is the son of longtime NHLer Adrian. He showed a few flashes of high hockey IQ during the USHL Classic, and a few reminders that he was still very raw as well.

Despite not being able to score much yet, it seems the issue is not one of a lack of talent, but more likely a matter of some bad luck over a small sample. The forwards are very young, with four first year eligibles among the season opening lineup, in addition to two more who won’t be draft eligible until 2021. The four first year eligible include Colby Ambrosio, Mark Estapa, Carter Mazur, and Nick Capone. Estapa and Ambrosio are good shooters. The latter has a knack for hitting the twine and will likely be an offensive leader for Tri-City this year, while the former looks like more of a depth, energy player for now. Capone chose the USHL over strong overtures from the QMJHL and is ready for a full season in the league after two partial years previously. He has fantastic power forward size and plays a rough game to boot. He is a strong skater for his size and shows the hands to win puck battles in the corners. He has yet to find the scoresheet, but he is the type of player who can have a big impact on the game even without scoring.

Waterloo Black Hawks (Prediction – 1^st in the Western Conference)

Three games, three wins with only four goals allowed (although only eight scored), and Waterloo is easily the early favorite in the Western Conference. Rookie goalie Gabriel Carriere has played in all three games for the Black Hawks, ignoring the lure of the OHL for the lure of Hockey East. He has been steady, but not spectacular. That said, if he keeps his numbers even close to his current .947 save percentage, NHL teams will be forced to consider the third year eligible from Ottawa.

The blueline in front of Carriere that has been so far so good at keeping opponents to the outside, is mostly young and small. It includes two first year eligible and four players who are 6-0” or smaller. The Venn diagram of young and small is basically a circle within a circle, as all three first year eligible are on the small side. Ethan Szmagaj would have been draft eligible last year were he born three days earlier, and he held his own as a USHL rookie at the time. More of a first pass than an offensive driver, he shows some grit along the boards and the quiet effectiveness of a potential late round selection. The other first year eligible also has a year of USHL experience under his belt as Nic Belpedio (brother of Minnesota’s Louie) played a solid season with Muskegon.

Szmagaj and Belpedio aside, scouts will flock to Waterloo this year as the forward units have a number of intriguing draft eligible players. The biggest name among that group is Ryder Rolston (son of Brian) who played with the USNTDP U18s last year, but was not draft eligible as a late birthday, so gets another year in the league before getting the chance to hear his name called by an NHL team. Like his father, he is a brilliant skater and plays a responsible two way game. He is an opportunistic player with a big wrist shot. He has the tools and the big game background to be one of the first players from the league to be drafted next June. The other notable first year eligible include Patrick Guzzo, Dane Montgomery, and Wyatt Schingoethe. Guzzo is a big center who can skate and was a former USHL first round pick. Montgomery is undersized, but quick, and has a nice wrist shot. He currently straddles the line between being responsible, but barely in control. Schingoethe had a great season as a 16 year old last year, trailing only Daniil Gushchin and Stephen Halliday in points in his age group. He has exceptional hockey IQ and is the type of player who can lengthen offensive zone time and can punctuate the attack with a great wrist shot, but I would like to see a touch more burst to his first few steps.

Team USA (Prediction – 7^th in the Eastern Conference)

For the purposes of this introduction, I will be completely ignoring the U17s. Sorry, fellas, we’ll talk about you next year. The U18s are not nearly as deep as last year’s team, but there is still a ton of talent here. With the exceptions of forwards Hunter Strand and Matthew Beniers, both with November birthdates that push their draft eligibility off to 2021, the rest of the lineup will be draft eligible next June. Unlike last year, where all but two draft eligible players were selected, there will be a few more from this year’s class who will enter college without NHL affiliation. I was only able to see the first Team USA game at the USHL Classic, so I won’t be so bold as to predict which players will and will not be drafted, but I saw enough to highlight some elements from some players that stuck out. Also of note, forward Ty Smilanic, who some see as the top draft prospect from this class, missed the Classic due to injury. He played the following weekend, so this isn’t a long term issue, but I will not be commenting further on him at this time.

The goaltending situation for the Program is currently blurry, with Noah Grannan and Drew Commesso splitting the net at the Classic. I saw Grannan, and he was fine and reports on Commesso were also generally positive, but neither will be following in the footsteps of Spencer Knight or Jake Oettinger as first round picks. In fact, there were reports that the Program may consider bringing in a goalie from somewhere else to augment their group when it comes time for international play.

There are several interesting blueliners in this group and Eamon Powell was most impressive to there eyes, with his dynamic skating ability and propensity to lead the rush and activate in the offensive end. He is an impressive puck handler and has a good right-handed point shot to boot. On the other hand, he is smallish and can be a bit rough in his own end. Jake Sanderson (son of Geoff) has a more traditionally desirable tool kit from a scouting perspective. He is tall and rangy, is central at both ends, and has plus edge work. Brock Faber plays a quieter game, within the team structure, and not chasing a play at either end. He has good strength and is a goalie’s friend in his own zone, working to keep the crease clear. A shout out also to big Daniel Laatsch, who can fire one from the point.

Once we get past the late birthdays up front, the most interesting draft candidate among the forwards looks like Luke Tuch, who looks a fair bit like older brother Alex, now with the Vegas Golden Knights. He is big and beefy and has good hands and decent quickness. Hunter McKown also impressed from the fourth line, thanks to his plus speed, and great hands. He has ankle breaking puck skills. Center Chase Yoder is an exceptional skater, although there are open questions about his offensive ability. Landon Slaggert is a muscular winger following in the footsteps of his older brother Graham. Landon is more likely than his brother to be drafted, as he has plus hands, and plays a much chippier game. Dylan Peterson is very big and skates well for his size with a discernable second gear. Thomas Bordeleau led the team in scoring last ear and has the early lead in goals this season. He is smallish, but plays with jam and skill. Many more views are needed.

Youngstown Phantoms (Prediction – 4^th in the Eastern Conference)

I really like the new orange uniforms, although I would appreciate them more if they put the player numbers on the shoulders. Whose idea was it to only have player numbers on the back? The first place I looked to on this team was in net, as they were debuting Chicago draft pick Dominic Basse, a gigantic puck stopper who spent his draft year playing midget hockey at the Selects Hockey Academy. His first game stepping up two levels to the USHL was brutal, though. He gave up way too many goals, including a few bouncers. To his credit, his first game after the USHL Classic was much better, stopping 22 of 24 in a victory against Muskegon. Even with that rebound, he may end up playing second fiddle to crease mate Colin Purcell. Purcell spent some time last year with the NTDP program, but spent most of his year playing Tier 1 hockey in the Cleveland area. Just as big as Besse, Purcell plays a much calmer game, is sharp from post to post, and keeps a stiff back, allowing him to cover more of the top of the net. Purcell is the early favorite to be the first goalie drafted out of the USHL, including the USNTDP stoppers.

The Phantoms’ postseason chances will be aided by a veteran blueline, with only one regular under the age of 19, unless 16-year old Austin May works his way into the regular rotation. While there are unlikely to be any future NHLers in this blueline crew, there is a ton of size, with three regulars standing at least 6-3”, while UMass (Amherst) commit Jayson Dobay brings offensive wherewithal.

While scouts will not be looking for miracles from the defensemen, the forwards have a lot to recommend them. Looking to the future, there is Japanese wunderkind Yusaku Ando, who comes to Youngstown from an elite hockey school in Western Canada. He turned 16 around one month ago and scored three goals in his first five USHL games. For the current draft, remember the name of Ben Schoen. He is small, but a gifted playmaker. He is the go-to player for his team and controls the game like a veteran from the half-wall. He has great offensive instincts and vision and could be a sleeper if he adds some muscle to help him withstand physical play.

Also fighting for scouting attention on the Phantoms are a pair of second time eligible forwards in Trevor Kuntar and Reilly Funk. This is Kuntar’s third year in the USHL, and the Harvard commit is starting this season hot. He is a solid skater with a plus top speed and a good shot. He can also flash high end puck skills, such as the play leading up to a goal scored late against Tri-City. Funk is new to the USHL, having played in the MJHL for the past two seasons. He has a great frame (6-3”, 190), which he uses to good effect along the boards. He skates well for his size and attacks the net on offense. He is coordinated and athletic and has a knack for creating room for himself with the puck with a shoulder check. With eight points in his first five games at the new level, he has put the league – as well as NCAA recruiters (he is without a college commitment) - on notice.

Top ten draft eligible players in the USHL

Ty Smilanic, USNTDP
Sean Farrell, Chicago
Jake Sanderson, USNTDP
Carson Bantle, Madison
Luke Tuch, USNTDP
Ryder Rolston, Waterloo
Colin Purcell, Youngstown
Joel Maatta, Sioux City
Thomas Bordeleau, USNTDP
Ben Shoen, Youngstown

Bonus, second time eligible draft prospects

Reilly Funk, Youngstown
Justin Hryckowian, Cedar Rapids
Ben Meehan, Cedar Rapids
Kristof Papp, Madison
Trevor Kuntar, Youngstown

Wheeler’s Top 60 Prospects for the 2016 NHL Draft by League (November)

Scott Wheeler — Mon, 02 Nov 2015 13:00:18 +0000

Each season, I release three instalments of my rankings of the top 60 prospects for the NHL draft.

This year, these rankings will be divided by league and produced in November, February, and May, and available online at McKeen’s for the second time.

My top 60 is not to be confused with the official McKeen's Hockey top 30, which is published throughout the draft season.

Note on the rankings: The following rankings are compiled through extensive coverage and viewings of Ottawa 67's and Gatineau Olympiques home games, which provide the chance to watch and follow a hundred or-so draft eligible players in the OHL and QMJHL who make up the majority of the top end of the draft class. For prospects from the NCAA, USHL, NTDP and abroad, I make sure I have several viewings before the first publication of these rankings in November. These viewings are cumulative from this year and last (while scouting the previous class). Events viewed beyond the CHL include the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament, World Junior Development Camps, the Subway Super Series, U17s, U18s, club play internationally, marquee U.S. events, college tournaments, and a heavy focus on a select few European players in SHL and Swe. Jr. games.

November’s Top 60 Prospects for the 2015 NHL Draft by League (overall ranking in brackets)

Ontario Hockey League (OHL)

Jakob Chychrun, Sarnia, D (#2)
Matthew Tkachuk, London, LW (#4)
Alex Nylander, Mississauga, LW (#6)
Olli Juolevi, London, D, (#10)
Alex DeBrincat, Erie, RW (#18)
Dmitri Sokolov, Sudbury, C (#20)
Michael McLeod, Mississauga, C (#23)
Logan Brown, Windsor, C (#24)
Mikhail Sergachev, Windsor, D (#26)
Max Jones, London, LW (#27)
William Bitten, Flint, C, (#28)
Sean Day, Mississauga, D (#31)
Adam Mascherin, Kitchener, C/LW (#35)
Victor Mete, London, D (#39)
Dante Salituro, Ottawa, C (#49)
Taylor Raddysh, Erie, RW (#50)
Kyle Maksimovich, Erie, LW (#51)
Travis Barron, Ottawa, LW (#58)
Nathan Bastian, Mississauga, C (#59)
Markus Niemelainen, Saginaw, D (#60)

Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL)

Pierre-Luc Dubois, Cape Breton, LW/C (#9)
Vitali Abramov, Gatineau, RW (#15)
Julien Gauthier, Val-d’Or, RW (#16)
Samuel Girard, Shawinigan, D (#21)
Luke Green, Saint John, D (#32)
Maxime Fortier, Halifax, RW/C (#36)
Frederic Allard, Chicoutimi, D (#37)
Pascal Laberge, Victoriaville, C (#42)
Matthew Boucher, Quebec, LW (#43)
Otto Somppi, Halifax, C (#45)
Brandon Gignac, Shawinigan, C (#48)

Western Hockey League (WHL)

Tyler Benson, Vancouver, LW (#12)
Sam Steel, Regina, C (#14)
Jake Bean, Calgary, D (#19)
Kale Clague, Brandon, D (#22)
Dillon Dube, Kelowna, C (#29)
Simon Stransky, Prince Albert, LW (#33)
Brett Howden, Moose Jaw, C (#38)
Max Lajoie, Swift Current, D (#41)
Libor Hajek, Saskatoon, D (#44)
Vojtech Budik, Prince Albert, D (#52)
Zach Sawchenko, Moose Jaw, G (#56)
Lucas Johansen, Kelowna, D (#57)

United States (NCAA, USHL, NTDP)

Kieffer Bellows, NTDP, C, (#8)
Clayton Keller, NTDP, C (#13)
Charlie McAvoy, Boston University, D (#17)
Chad Krys, NTDP, D (#25)
Luke Kunin, Wisconsin, C (#46)
Adam Fox, NTDP, D (#53)

Sweden (SHL, Swe. Jr.)

Carl Grundstrom, MODO, LW (#30)
Rasmus Asplund, Farjestad, C/LW (#40)
Sebastian Aho, Skelleftea, D (#47)
David Bernhardt, Djurgardens, D (#54)
Jonathan Dahlen, Timra, C/LW (#55)

Finland (Liiga)

Jesse Puljujarvi, Karpat, RW (#3)
Patrik Laine, Tappara, RW (#5)

British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL)

Dante Fabbro, Penticton, D (#7)
Tyson Jost, Penticton, RW (#11)

Switzerland (NLA)

Auston Matthews, Zurich, C (#1)

Russia (MHL, U18)

German Rubtsov, Russia U18, C (#34)

Just missed: Evan Fitzpatrick, Givani Smith, Otto Makinen, Beck Malenstyn.

Scouting Brock Boeser, Waterloo-USHL – 2015 NHL Draft

David Burstyn — Fri, 31 Oct 2014 18:30:31 +0000

Brock Boeser finds himself in select company early in his rookie USHL season with the Waterloo Black Hawks.

The Burnsville, Minnesota native ranks fourth in the league with six goals after just eight games - trailing only NHL-drafted players in Shane Gersich (Wsh), Fredrik Olofsson (Chi), and Matt Iacopelli (Chi).

Boeser (pronounced 'Besser') preceded his hot start with a standout performance at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial, helping Team USA to a bronze medal while tying for the tournament lead with six goals.

Having entered his draft year as a likely top 50 candidate for the 2015 NHL Draft, Boeser can move into first-round territory depending on how his season and development progress.

----------

Brock Boeser (2015), RW/C, Waterloo Black Hawks (USHL)

Played with Tom Novak at the Ivan Hlinka on a line which was arguably the most dynamic at the tournament .. co-led the tournament in goal scoring with six while tying for second in overall scoring (5-6-2-8) .. a skilled and highly cerebral player .. possesses decent size at 6-foot-0 and 190 pounds as well as good athleticism .. brings a well-rounded offensive arsenal as he is just as capable making quality passing plays or shooting the puck .. does not need more than one opportunity to bury as he packs an outstanding shot that is both powerful and accurate - and features a very quick release .. anticipates and reacts better than his peers .. demonstrates a sharp sense of timing in the offensive zone .. arrives in scoring areas at the right times - routinely walks into the slot and gets a shot away .. very calm and comfortable with the puck, constantly looking to move it into better scoring positions and rarely settling on his first option .. a competent skater with somewhat of a chunky skating stride .. not overly explosive or quick .. will have to upgrade his quickness in stops and starts - which can only augment his game - as would further refinement to his edge work .. tends to skate with feet wide apart so he can survey the ice better .. can show a better commitment on the backcheck - and will have to develop the defensive side of his play .. versatile asset capable of playing all three forward positions .. joins Novak this season to play in Waterloo - the duo being the most-heralded prospects to come out of the USHL short of prospects playing at the Program (NTDP) .. appears to have all the tools for a breakout USHL rookie season and will be given ample ice time to hone his skills .. will attend the University of Wisconsin next fall.

German draft hopes start with David Trinkberger

Rafik Soliman — Fri, 17 Oct 2014 11:02:38 +0000

ZURICH, SWITZERLAND -- The German under-18 and under-20 national teams begin each season with a summer camp in Switzerland, with the Swiss being sparing partners in a couple of exhibition games. While the marquee name of Leon Draisaitl was missing, there were still some players to keep an eye on. Big 6-foot-4 blueliner David Trinkberger has made a bright start to his North American debut with Muskegon of the USHL - and drew an initial 'C' rating from Central Scouting as a potential late-round pick as did Jakob Mayenschein and Julian Napravnik.

David Trinkberger (2015), D, Muskegon (USHL)

Drafted by the Muskegon Lumberjacks of the USHL and is making his debut in North America following his junior years in Landshut .. a steady two-way defenseman who tries to keep his game simple .. moves his 6-foot-4 body well for his size .. shows solid mobility - propelled by powerful strides that produce a respectable top-end speed .. looks calm and poised while moving the puck to support the offense, although he will need to continue improving his puckhandling .. won't hesitate to join the rush if he sees the chance - and will exert pressure on the net by looking for rebounds and tip-in's .. received ice-time with the man-advantage, though was playing more of a passive game and just passing the puck to the next teammate .. will have to work to upgrade a weak shot which he hesitates to utilize as a result .. despite boasting ideal size, he also needs to develop a hitting game and learn how to use his body to his advantage.

Jakob Mayenschein (2015), C, Landshut (Ger)

Mayenschein centered the top line for Germany and played a compact and reliable two-way game .. listed at 5-foot-11 and 170 pounds, but looks bigger and stronger on the ice .. signed a junior contract last Christmas with EV Landshut of the second division and got his first taste of men’s hockey which should help with the transition in his first full season in the pros .. possesses a good combination of size and mobility, yet attains only average top-end speed .. also will need to work on improving his first few steps .. Mayenschein was already part of the national team as he represented Germany at the 2014 Under-18 World Juniors (6-1-1-2).

Julian Napravnik (2015), LW, Mannheimer Adler (Ger)

A good skater with decent acceleration and shifty movement .. able to move the puck into the offensive zone at full speed - and makes abrupt stops to create time and space in order to look for an open teammate .. possesses only average size at 5-foot-10 and looks rather skinny as he weighs just 155 pounds and has a lot of room to grow into his frame still .. lacked full support in these contests while playing on the second line on the German squad, however was still able to create plays basically out of nothing .. his wrist shot is accurate but still rather weak, although this should change once he improves his strength .. Napravnik just completed his first season with Mannheim in the DNL and will continue to develop in the German junior league.

Dominik Kahun (2015), C, Munchen (Ger)

A tremendous skater, shifty with quick legs and decent acceleration .. plays a smart and reliable two-way game with hard backchecking and solid defensive-zone coverage .. Kahun is the type of player who would rather use his stick to check as opposed to his body .. tends to shy away from physical contact and will turn away along the boards instead of facing an opponent’s hit .. owns a nice set of hands with strong puckhandling abilities which allows him to stickhandle and move quickly through traffic .. lacks strength and can easily be pushed of the puck if he can’t get away with his speed and agility .. possesses excellent vision and on-ice awareness of his fellow players, as he seems to always find the teammate in the best scoring position .. after spending two years in the OHL with the Sudbury Wolves and being passed over in the last two NHL Drafts, Kahun decided to continue his career with the EHC Munchen in the DEL.

Tobias Eder (2016), LW, Bad Tolz (Ger)

The only 1998-born player on a relatively weak German under-18 team .. a decent skater who reaches excellent top-end speed .. possesses strong vision and on-ice awareness of his teammates as he finds open space with a quick look and can feed them with crisp passes right into their wheel-house .. a right-shooting winger and an ideal addition to a power play where he is constantly in motion to create space and put himself in a scoring position .. possesses a quick release and fine puck control .. skilled at receiving a pass with his back to the goal and then spinning rapidly and unleashing a hard and accurate shot .. the brother of former WHL Vancouver Giants player Alexander Eder .. played last season as an under-ager with the under-18 team of Bad Tolz in the German junior league.

Prospect Pipeline Tracker – Final Edition Mar 17, 2013

Gus Katsaros — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 15:27:03 +0000

Here are the updated prospect stats as of Mar 17, 2013. This will end the Prospect Pipeline Tracker as my original intention was to follow the CHL seasons.

Thanks for following along.

The compilation consists of drafted prospects playing North American leagues in the AHL, ECHL, member leagues of CHL (OHL, QMJHL, WHL).

For an explanation on coverage, see this post here

The first drafted prospects by NHL team spreadsheet had grown a little too large and I was having trouble adding new sheets. To avoid any more issues, I just created a new document with a continuation from Feb 2013 onward.

First the Drafted Prospects By NHL Team:
Drafted Prospects By Team

First the Drafted Prospects By NHL Team2:
Drafted Prospects By Team

Draft eligible '95-born update:
'95 Draft Eligible players

Some players are highlighted to indicate they were born late in the year before January 1, 1995 and to point out players scoring above a point-per-game clip.

Follow the McKeen's team on Twitter:
@KatsHockey
@mckeenshockey

Prospect Pipeline Tracker Mar 10, 2013

Gus Katsaros — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 13:28:45 +0000

Here are the updated prospect stats as of Mar 10, 2013.

The compilation consists of drafted prospects playing North American leagues in the AHL, ECHL, member leagues of CHL (OHL, QMJHL, WHL).

For an explanation on coverage, see this post here

First the Drafted Prospects By NHL Team:
Drafted Prospects By Team

First the Drafted Prospects By NHL Team2:
Drafted Prospects By Team

Draft eligible '95-born update:
'95 Draft Eligible players

Some players are highlighted to indicate they were born late in the year before January 1, 1995 and to point out players scoring above a point-per-game clip.

Follow the McKeen's team on Twitter:
@KatsHockey
@mckeenshockey

Prospect Pipeline Tracker Mar 3, 2013

Gus Katsaros — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 05:36:05 +0000

Here are the updated prospect stats as of Mar 3, 2013.

The compilation consists of drafted prospects playing North American leagues in the AHL, ECHL, member leagues of CHL (OHL, QMJHL, WHL).

For an explanation on coverage, see this post here

First the Drafted Prospects By NHL Team:
Drafted Prospects By Team

First the Drafted Prospects By NHL Team2:
Drafted Prospects By Team

Draft eligible '95-born update:
'95 Draft Eligible players

Some players are highlighted to indicate they were born late in the year before January 1, 1995 and to point out players scoring above a point-per-game clip.

Follow the McKeen's team on Twitter:
@KatsHockey
@mckeenshockey