WJAC – McKeen's Hockey

Scouting Switzerland: Livio Stadler, Lee Roberts, Marco Miranda, Tobias Geisser

David Burstyn — Tue, 26 Jan 2016 15:36:38 +0000

The slide continued for Team Switzerland at the World Junior A Challenge.

The Swiss won bronze in 2012, their best-ever showing, but followed up with successive 4th and 5th-place finishes. They completed the run this year by dropping to the bottom of the pool, scoring just seven goals while giving up 22 in four games.

In their defense, they did sport the youngest team at the tournament with five 1999 born players on the roster.

The outcome might have been different had 16-year-old sensation Nico Hischier been available. Quite possibly the best Swiss-born prospect since Nino Niederreiter, Hischier was instead suiting up for the U20 World Junior Championship.

Livio Stadler (2016), D

Team captain finished the tournament as the leading scorer with two assists through four games .. also captained the Swiss at the Ivan Hlinka tournament where he produced a much better performance - averaging over a point per game (4-1-4-5) .. a steady defenseman with good skills as he can make plays .. stays calm and displays excellent efficiency when under pressure as he finds outlets and generally does not make many mistakes handling or moving with the puck .. always involved - spearheads rushes and pushes the pace from the back-end .. everything streamlines from him as he gets lots of touches and anchors the power play .. his speed is good enough, although his game lacks power - stride is decent and could get better with increased lower body strength .. his lack of speed at this point will hinder his draft stock, although he displays good poise and plays with structure .. would benefit from playing in the CHL following his draft year as it would help fine-tune his overall game.

Lee Roberts (2016), LW

Another player who participated both at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial and World Junior A Challenge .. assistant captain played top line minutes for this team and led Team Switzerland in goal scoring at the tournament with two .. an okay skater, albeit doesn't sport much in the way of speed .. will need to clean up his mechanics as he is not a very pretty skater .. tries to play a physical style - but is not a presence per se .. his defensive game also needs some refinement .. he wills his way into the zone - and tends to get by on hard work and determination .. conversely, he does not exhibit much skill or offensive dimension .. goes to the net and engages when he can .. a work in progress who has flaws, however consistently works on being a better player so therein lies his potential.

Marco Miranda (2016), LW

Miranda possesses all the tools and actually looks the part of a decent prospect, but his overall effectiveness fell short due to a lack of engine and work ethic .. made good plays with the puck, which were offset by his lack of intensity away from the puck .. rarely came back aggressively and would often curl off from making hits .. listed at a solid 6-foot-2 and 195 pounds, yet there doesn't seem to be that much to him physically - still appears rather slender in person .. utilizes a short stride which does not lend itself to much speed, though did generate adequate speed once he got going - showed some pop coming down the wing .. controlled the pace of the game at times with the puck .. not the type who is going to drive the net, win battles along the wall, or sacrifice himself for the betterment of the play .. comes with a 'buyer beware' tag attached due to his unwillingness to compete.

Tobias Geisser (2017), C

First line centre for Team Switzerland has a proven track record of being able to produce when playing against his own age group .. in 2013-14, playing at the U15 level, he averaged close to two points per game for Luzern U15 while last year he scored 20 goals in 35 games for Zug U17 before earning a full-time promotion to the U20 team this season .. displays good potential thanks to his excellent size at 6-foot-3 which he combines with some decent upper-body coordination .. possesses good hands and shows some offensive flair .. his footwork is still really choppy at this point .. mechanics are rigid and his first step is slushy .. still growing into his body however .. gets the puck into play, albeit was not able to dictate play at this event .. considering his youthful age - not eligible until the 2017 NHL Draft, he played strong matching up against the other team’s best players .. should only get stronger and faster as he would make for a good CHL Import selection before making the pro jump.

SCOUTING CANADA WEST: TYSON JOST, DANTE FABBRO, MATTHEW MURRAY

SCOUTING CANADA WEST: DENNIS CHOLOWSKI, BRINSON PASICHNUK, CALE MAKAR

SCOUTING RUSSIA: MIKHAIL BERDIN, VLADISLAV SUKHACHEV, ILYA KARPUKHIN, ALEXANDER YAKOVENKO, NIKITA MAKEYEV

SCOUTING RUSSIA: GERMAN RUBTSOV, ARTUR KAYUMOV, ARTEM IVANYUZHENKOV, VLACHESLAV SHEVCHENKO

SCOUTING RUSSIA: MIKHAIL MALTSEV, KIRILL SLEPETS, NIKOLAI KOVALENKO, MIKHAIL MESHCHERYAKOV, GEORGY IVANOV

SCOUTING USA: ANDREW PEEKE, MAX ZIMMER, WILLIAM KNIEREM, TANNER LACZYNSKI

SCOUTING CANADA EAST: BRETT MURRAY, OWEN GRANT, COLTON POINT, MATTHEW CAIRNS, ECOUARD MICHAUD, DEREK TOPATIGH

SCOUTING CZECH REPUBLIC: LUKAS DOUDERA, MILAN DAVIDEK, JAKUB SIROTA, KRISTIAN REICHEL, PAVEL KOUSAL

SCOUTING SWITZERLAND: LIVIO STADLER, LEE ROBERTS, MARCO MIRANDA, TOBIAS GEISSER

Scouting Czech Republic: Lukas Doudera, Milan Davidek, Jakub Sirota, Kristian Reichel, Pavel Kousal

David Burstyn — Tue, 19 Jan 2016 01:40:52 +0000

The Czech Republic needed a record-setting effort in their final match to earn a fifth-place finish at the World Junior A Challenge.

Lukas Doudera and Pavel Kousal scored just three seconds apart in the first period en route to a 5-3 win over Switzerland.

It was their only victory here as they looked outmanned and outgunned in preliminary round losses to Canada West and Team USA - before dropping a 3-2 decision to Canada East in the quarter-finals.

The Czechs were returning to the WJAC after missing last year's event, making their fourth appearance at the tournament, however have yet to finish higher than fifth place.

COBOURG, - Dec 13, 2015 - Game #1 - Czech Republic vs Canada West at the 2015 World Junior A Challenge at the Cobourg Community Centre, ON. Lukas Doudera #23 of Team Czech Republic follows the play during the second period.(Photo: Tim Bates / OJHL Images)

Lukas Doudera (2016), D

The top defenseman on this team, Doudera has already earned some seasoning in the Czech men’s league (Extraliga) having suited up for over 25 games for HC Trinec .. a smaller defender with a slight frame - looks small on the ice .. seems to lack a dimension to his game as his skating offers no pop or explosiveness - and he didn't show much in the way of separation speed either - which is imperative for a smaller player .. his puck rushes come from him as he leads the charge, however his plays are not blinding and he had limited impact on the games .. possesses slightly better-than-average poise with the puck .. all in all, plays a rather vanilla game .. his older brother played a single season for the Niagara IceDogs so playing in the CHL may be an option next season.

COBOURG, - Dec 13, 2015 - Game #1 - Czech Republic vs. Canada West at the 2015 World Junior A Challenge at the Cobourg Community Centre, ON. Milan Davidek #18 of Team Czech Republic follows the play during the first period.
(Photo: Shawn Muir / OJHL Images)

Milan Davidek (2016), LW

Plays in the Czech U20 league where he is averaging just shy of a point per game .. showed some flashes in his play against Team West .. stood out a few times, but is weak physically and also has sloppy skating mechanics that may be too difficult to ignore .. an upright skater who lacks balance and is easily knocked down; difficulty turning .. still raw with puck but did made a few decent plays .. tended to cheat defensively - and was constantly looking up ice to get a jump on the opposition .. despite his lazy habits away from the puck, he did show a good compete level in the offensive zone when his team was down .. if his strength levels can improve, he may worth taking a look at down the road, albeit draft aspirations for this season may be lofty.

Jakub Sirota (2017), D

Despite being a late Dec' 98 birth date and therefore not eligible until the 2017 NHL draft, Sirota showed promise and was the most intriguing pro prospect on the back end due to his mix of size and competitiveness .. possesses good size and reach which is accentuated as he plays with a long stick .. boasts better than average mobility and played a suffocating style of game without the puck .. tries to be physical, however doesn't have full impact yet as his body is vastly under developed .. stands out due to his presence on the ice .. his plays with the puck are limited offensively as he tends to make safe decisions moving the puck .. finding his way in the U20 Czech league with a regular shift and producing modest point totals which should make him a more attractive option for the CHL Import Draft.

Kristian Reichel (2016), C

The son of former NHLer Robert Reichel, Kristian showed some promise though was unable to deliver the goods against strong round robin teams such as Canada West and Team USA - held off the score sheet against both teams .. looks the part of a player, yet gets very little accomplished - partly due to having soft skills and partly to not always getting involved - a trait inherited from his father .. not a strong skater in terms of power or acceleration but is agile, fluid and shifty .. possesses good hands but didn't generate shots on goal or attack danger zones - not a dynamic offensive force .. slick and effective on the power play as he reads plays well .. one can see the talent under the surface, however he will need to work harder to get the job done .. an assistant captain and a fixture for Czech National teams in international competition .. playing well this year in Czech U20 league play, though it may not be enough as he ultimately may lack a true dimension for NHL teams to hand a draft pick on.

Pavel Kousal (2017), RW

Finished the tournament with two goals and showed flashes of being able to contribute more as he worked hard to create chances and was not always rewarded on the score sheet .. a strong junior player who is already playing in a top six capacity for his U20 team .. made a few dangerous rushes and got shots on goal - while displaying a solid work ethic in all areas of the ice .. found ways to stay involved in the play .. possesses underrated skills but is on the small side and consequently wasn't always able to penetrate traffic areas .. a healthy skater with good quickness though not explosive per se .. eligible for the 2017 NHL draft thanks to his late birth date which will allow him a chance to grow and mature physically until NHL draft microscope lowers in.

SCOUTING CANADA WEST: TYSON JOST, DANTE FABBRO, MATTHEW MURRAY

SCOUTING CANADA WEST: DENNIS CHOLOWSKI, BRINSON PASICHNUK, CALE MAKAR

SCOUTING RUSSIA: MIKHAIL BERDIN, VLADISLAV SUKHACHEV, ILYA KARPUKHIN, ALEXANDER YAKOVENKO, NIKITA MAKEYEV

SCOUTING RUSSIA: GERMAN RUBTSOV, ARTUR KAYUMOV, ARTEM IVANYUZHENKOV, VLACHESLAV SHEVCHENKO

SCOUTING RUSSIA: MIKHAIL MALTSEV, KIRILL SLEPETS, NIKOLAI KOVALENKO, MIKHAIL MESHCHERYAKOV, GEORGY IVANOV

SCOUTING USA: ANDREW PEEKE, MAX ZIMMER, WILLIAM KNIEREM, TANNER LACZYNSKI

SCOUTING CANADA EAST: BRETT MURRAY, OWEN GRANT, COLTON POINT, MATTHEW CAIRNS, ECOUARD MICHAUD, DEREK TOPATIGH

SCOUTING CZECH REPUBLIC: LUKAS DOUDERA, MILAN DAVIDEK, JAKUB SIROTA, KRISTIAN REICHEL, PAVEL KOUSAL

SCOUTING SWITZERLAND: LIVIO STADLER, LEE ROBERTS, MARCO MIRANDA, TOBIAS GEISSER

Scouting Canada East: Brett Murray, Owen Grant, Colton Point, Matthew Cairns, Edouard Michaud, Derek Topatigh

David Burstyn — Wed, 13 Jan 2016 17:58:02 +0000

Team Canada East failed to earn a medal at the World Junior A Challenge for a fourth straight year - after winning medals in five of the first six years of the tournament.

Despite playing in front of a home town crowd, Canada East showed no signs of being able to handle better teams as they were dispatched by Team USA 7-1 in the bronze medal game and Team West 8-5 in the semi finals.

Shaky goaltending and a lack of defense proved to be their undoing as the club had fairly balanced scoring across the top three lines.

WHITBY, - Dec 16, 2015 - Game #8 - Czech Republic vs. Canada East at the 2015 World Junior A Challenge at the Iroquois Park Recreation Complex, ON. Brett Murray #17 of Team Canada East during the second period.
(Photo: Shawn Muir / OJHL Images)

Brett Murray (2016), LW, Carleton Place

Averaging over a point a game with Carleton Place this season after a strong 2014-15 season with Hill Academy U16 (66-40-47-87) .. played in the top six for Canada East and provided the team some much needed size along the wings .. effective thrashing his way into the offensive zone - his game can be quite reckless once the play has been established down low as he uses his size to win board battles .. on the other hand, he will surprise with odd bursts of creativity and soft touches with the puck when play switches to the neutral zone and to open ice ..sports a good shot release and a shot which can handcuff goalies .. his skating is good and should improve with increased muscle mass .. already blessed with a pro-sized frame at 6-4 and 215 pounds, however will have to add another 25-30 pounds of muscle mass to be effective at the pro level .. could physically mature into quite an imposing presence .. plays to his size as he will finish hits and competes in front of the goal .. showed no signs of being intimidated in this tournament and had a solid showing .. the native of Bolton, Ontario is committed to play at Penn State University.

WHITBY, - Dec 16, 2015 - Game #8 - Czech Republic vs. Canada East at the 2015 World Junior A Challenge at the Iroquois Park Recreation Complex, ON. Owen Grant #2 of Team Canada East skates with the puck while being pursued by Tomas Havranek #20 of Team Czech Republic during the second period.
(Photo: Shawn Muir / OJHL Images)

Owen Grant (2016), D, Carleton Place

Led Canada East in defensive scoring (5-2-1-3) while demonstrating excellent poise and decision making with the puck .. he was exposed against Team Russia in the preliminary round, but rebounded nicely against both Team USA and Team West despite lopsided losses .. more of an 'angler' in defensive situations as his smaller frame does not enable him to cover much in terms of range .. listed at 5-foot-11 and 175 pounds - yet appears considerably smaller on the ice .. quite strong on his skates though and well balanced which allows him to absorb hits and battle down low .. makes productive use of the space in front of him with clever short passes that enable timely break outs .. displayed an ability to place his shots strategically - which should attract NHL scouts .. doesn't possess blistering velocity - yet his shots are timely and well-placed .. somehow manages to get his shots through a maze of skaters .. at times, he had to over-compensate in terms of producing offence and covering defensively for his partner, yet still managed his responsibilities effectively which earned a passing grade in this tournament .. worthy of taking a late draft flier on given he has plenty of time to develop his game at the University of Vermont.

WHITBY, - Dec 18, 2015 - Game #12 - Bronze Medal Game, Team Canada East vs. United States at the 2015 World Junior A Challenge at the Iroquois Park Recreation Complex, ON. Colton Point #1 of Team Canada East looks for the puck during the first period.
(Photo: Shawn Muir / OJHL Images)

Colton Point (2016), G, Carleton Place

Finished the tournament with abysmal numbers - an .814 save percentage and 5.40 GAA - allowing countless goals with most of the damage from starts in the semi final and bronze medal games where he surrendered a combined 15 goals .. a very large goalie at 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds who provides solid net coverage - yet tends to lose shots in his feet .. habitually surrendered goals down low as a result of not being able to react quickly enough .. his rebound control was another area of concern .. forced to face additional shots - many finding their way to the back of the net - because he struggled to direct rebounds to better spots .. appeared to mentally shut down after allowing a few (weak) goals and his game tends to snowball out of control .. displayed decent agility and overall fundamentals .. decently quick coming across laterally and shows sound athleticism and flexibility .. does not track pucks well when his crease gets crashed and was exposed in this manner during each of his games.. committed to Colgate University for next season.

WELLINGTON, - Dec 11, 2015 - Exhibition Game 2- Team USA vs Team Canada East at the 2015 World Junior A Challenge at the Wellington District Community Centre, ON. Matt Cairns #20 of Team Canada East skates with the puck during the third period.
(Photo: Andy Corneau / OJHL Images)

Matthew Cairns (2016), D, Georgetown

Gained valuable experience last year playing as a rookie for the Lakeshore Patriots helping them win the OJHL title and advance to the Dudley Hewitt Cup .. traded in the off-season to a rebuilding Georgetown Raiders club and has been the backbone to their offensive attack from the backend .. however he failed to deliver offensively in this tournament and wasn't used in power play situations .. actually saw his ice time decreased as the tournament carried on .. displayed limited puck skills - and also tried to do too much .. as a result, he was exposed against Russia and Team USA .. his hockey sense also came into question by virtue of his positional play away from the puck ..prone to chasing plays and not remaining stationary in his defending lanes .. did show a willingness to compete and lay out some checks .. a strong skater with good push off - yet struggled to make plays at top rates of speed .. will get a chance to develop at Cornell University and will require plenty of time to develop into a player that is worthy of NHL ice time.

WHITBY, - Dec 14, 2015 - Game #4 - Russia vs. Canada East at the 2015 World Junior A Challenge at the Iroquois Park Recreation Complex, ON. Édouard Michaud #9 of Team Canada East prepares to shoot the puck on goaltender Vladislav Sukhachev #77 of Team Russia during the second period.
(Photo: Shawn Muir / OJHL Images)

Edouard Michaud (2016), C, Granby

Centred the second line and flashed a decent skill set .. made plays despite a relatively poor tournament stat line (5-0-1-1) .. anchored the point on the power play and did an admirable job of executing plays .. provided energy with a sound mix of defensive awareness and support - combined with a modest offensive touch .. a buzz-saw of a player who competes intensely and is always around the play .. his skating showed decent short-term speed, however not much in terms of powerful .. tends to lose some momentum in longer races, however is still able to beat the initial forecheck .. out-waits the opposition and can thread the needle with a pass .. worked well in open ice and traffic situations - and was also effective in transition - able to push the pace at times .. listed at 6-0 and 175 pounds, however his lack of size and strength tends to limit his game .. did make a decent account of himself based on his opportunities in this tournament.

WHITBY, - Dec 13, 2015 - WJAC Game 2- Team Switzerland vs Team Canada East at the 2015 World Junior A Challenge at the Iroquois Park Recreation Complex, ON. Derek Topatigh #6 of Team Canada East follows the play during the first period.
(Photo: Andy Corneau / OJHL Images)

Derek Topatigh (2016), D, Orangeville

Top four defenseman played ample minutes against the opposition’s best - and played admirably .. smaller in stature at 5-11, 175 pounds -yet times his hits effectively and laid into several players with strong thunderous open-ice hits .. boasts a scrappy side to his game and can be quite surly - not afraid to take on all challengers regardless of size .. possesses a strong physical disposition and goes out looking for hits usually at the expense of his positioning .. will need to fine tune this aspect of his game .. sports a cannon of a slap shot that he eagerly unloads .. more of a 'riverboat gambler' who will launch himself up the ice at the first sign of being able to make an offensive play - and often neglecting his defensive duties .. a good skater with strong acceleration and speed due to a compact stride that is very polished .. made the 2014-15 OJHL First Team All Prospect roster and will head to Princeton University next season .. if he can grow, he may be a decent free agent option.

SCOUTING CANADA WEST: TYSON JOST, DANTE FABBRO, MATTHEW MURRAY

SCOUTING CANADA WEST: DENNIS CHOLOWSKI, BRINSON PASICHNUK, CALE MAKAR

SCOUTING RUSSIA: MIKHAIL BERDIN, VLADISLAV SUKHACHEV, ILYA KARPUKHIN, ALEXANDER YAKOVENKO, NIKITA MAKEYEV

SCOUTING RUSSIA: GERMAN RUBTSOV, ARTUR KAYUMOV, ARTEM IVANYUZHENKOV, VLACHESLAV SHEVCHENKO

SCOUTING RUSSIA: MIKHAIL MALTSEV, KIRILL SLEPETS, NIKOLAI KOVALENKO, MIKHAIL MESHCHERYAKOV, GEORGY IVANOV

SCOUTING USA: ANDREW PEEKE, MAX ZIMMER, WILLIAM KNIEREM, TANNER LACZYNSKI

SCOUTING CANADA EAST: BRETT MURRAY, OWEN GRANT, COLTON POINT, MATTHEW CAIRNS, ECOUARD MICHAUD, DEREK TOPATIGH

SCOUTING CZECH REPUBLIC: LUKAS DOUDERA, MILAN DAVIDEK, JAKUB SIROTA, KRISTIAN REICHEL, PAVEL KOUSAL

SCOUTING SWITZERLAND: LIVIO STADLER, LEE ROBERTS, MARCO MIRANDA, TOBIAS GEISSER

Scouting Russia: Mikhail Berdin, Vladislav Sukhachev, Ilya Karpukhin, Alexander Yakovenko, Nikita Makeyev

McKeen's Hockey — Thu, 07 Jan 2016 02:55:49 +0000

Team Russia have never won a gold medal at the World Junior A Challenge which began in 2006, but came close to ending that drought at this year's event.

With only a pair of bronze medals to show in the first seven tournaments, Russia have now medalled the past three years including a pair of silver medals.

The Russians posted the lowest goals-against average in the tournament, backstopped by the goaltending duo of Mikhail Berdin and Vladislav Sukhachev.

Berdin delivered a gem in the gold medal game - stopping 32 of 34 shots in a 2-1 loss - the only goals he allowed in the tournament.

Mikhail Berdin (2016), G

Posted the lowest goals-against-average (0.80) and top save percentage (.963) and was named to the Tournament All-Star Team .. spearheaded the semi-final comeback over Team USA, replacing Vladislav Sukhachev with Russia trailing 4-3 and stopping 11-of-11 shots en route to a 7-4 win .. sports healthy numbers back in the MHL (11-5, 1.97, .935) .. a poised, economical goalie with solid agility and quick reflexes .. plays a technical hybrid of styles - stand-up, butterfly, paddle-down .. does a sound job of tracking pucks and staying aware of his surroundings .. collapses to his knees comfortably - and is quick and efficient getting back to his feet .. moves side-to-side with a strong leg push - and maintains solid body form and control as he moves .. stays calm and shows excellent patience - notably 1-on-1 against shooters .. sustains composure under heavy pressure .. generally plays low to the ice and close to home on plays in and around his net - but will move out and challenge shooters on his feet .. manages rebounds well - quick to mop up loose pucks - using his stick and glove effectively .. will need to develop physically and thicken up a sizeable 6-2 frame .. listed at just 165 pounds.

Vladislav Sukhachev (2016), G

Collected a gold, silver and bronze medal in his last three international competitions .. won gold at the 2014 World U17 Challenge, bronze at the 2015 Ivan Hlinka, and silver at the World Junior A Challenge (WJAC) .. split duties with Berdin this year at the WJAC .. pulled in the semi-final game against Team USA - and did not get the start against Team West in the finals .. a highly acrobatic goalie with extraordinary athleticism and flexibility .. has cleaned up his game as he is not as much of a scrambler and tries to stay in the middle of his crease .. the strength of his game is that he is a very strong skater; able to move up and down and challenge shooters as a result .. recovers to the butterfly position quickly - has a hybrid style .. rebound control needs to be tightened up .. relishes an opportunity to play the puck as he made many outlet passes up ice and did not hesitate to leave his crease to play it .. lack of size cripples his NHL draft stock but he has performed well when called upon .. also a teammate of Berdin's in the MHL on U18 Team Russia after being sent there recently on loan from Belye Medvedi Chelyabinsk.

Ilya Karpukhin (2016), D

Failed to register a point in the tournament but did many little things well as he played on both special teams .. possesses good feet for a big player as well as decent puck skills .. still needs to make quicker decisions with the puck, however his passes were crisp .. able to settle down pucks as his hands are better than most of his peers on the back end .. not a puck rusher though - did not advance the puck past the redline, and stayed within his own zone to make plays .. primarily defensive minded ,, did an effective job of handling 1-1's and showed good skating agility to keep up with most forwards laterally .. a player who is the sum of his parts as he offers size, dependability and a decent skating and skill base.

Alexander Yakovenko (2016), D

Played a ton of minutes on the back end for Team Russia, however his play was rather ordinary on the whole .. his puck skills are slightly better than average - but he only showed occasional the flash of skills .. mostly played within his limits at the line as he locates the first option and utilizes it .. his game is not flashy; more efficient .. plays both speciality teams .. showed okay jump, however his skating is not blinding .. might be more of a long shot to get drafted based on his performance at this event.

Nikita Makeyev (2016), D

Team captain functioned as a 'jack-of-all-trades' blueliner for Russia - playing in all situations .. undersized at 5-foot-9 and175 pounds, yet is a dependable defender who can make the simple play .. does not over extend his passes and plays well within his limits .. at times, he shows a bit of surliness in him but only when provoked .. demonstrated good positioning in the defensive zone to make up for his lack of size and reach .. ate up all kinds of minutes as the coaching staff leaned on him .. very average in terms of offering a dimension that NHL teams would gravitate towards.

SCOUTING CANADA WEST: TYSON JOST, DANTE FABBRO, MATTHEW MURRAY

SCOUTING CANADA WEST: DENNIS CHOLOWSKI, BRINSON PASICHNUK, CALE MAKAR

SCOUTING RUSSIA: MIKHAIL BERDIN, VLADISLAV SUKHACHEV, ILYA KARPUKHIN, ALEXANDER YAKOVENKO, NIKITA MAKEYEV

SCOUTING RUSSIA: GERMAN RUBTSOV, ARTUR KAYUMOV, ARTEM IVANYUZHENKOV, VLACHESLAV SHEVCHENKO

SCOUTING RUSSIA: MIKHAIL MALTSEV, KIRILL SLEPETS, NIKOLAI KOVALENKO, MIKHAIL MESHCHERYAKOV, GEORGY IVANOV

SCOUTING USA: ANDREW PEEKE, MAX ZIMMER, WILLIAM KNIEREM, TANNER LACZYNSKI

SCOUTING CANADA EAST: BRETT MURRAY, OWEN GRANT, COLTON POINT, MATTHEW CAIRNS, ECOUARD MICHAUD, DEREK TOPATIGH

SCOUTING CZECH REPUBLIC: LUKAS DOUDERA, MILAN DAVIDEK, JAKUB SIROTA, KRISTIAN REICHEL, PAVEL KOUSAL

SCOUTING SWITZERLAND: LIVIO STADLER, LEE ROBERTS, MARCO MIRANDA, TOBIAS GEISSER

Scouting Russia: German Rubtsov, Arthur Kayumov, Artem Ivanyuzhenkov, Vyacheslav Shevchenko

David Burstyn — Thu, 07 Jan 2016 00:51:15 +0000

TRENTON, - Dec 10, 2015 - Exhibition Game 3- Russia vs Team Canada West at the 2015 World Junior A Challenge at the Duncan Memorial Gardens, ON. German Rubtsov #17 of Team Russia during the first period (Photo: Amy Deroche / OJHL Images)

German Rubtsov (2016), C

Held off the scoresheet in Russia's two preliminary games before exploding in the semi finals against Team USA with two goals and two assists .. Team Russia’s most dangerous player all tournament as he combines speed, skill and grit .. offensively, he has good skills, with a quick snap shot .. however, at times he can be selfish and his game would benefit from dishing off the puck quicker and generally making quicker plays .. showed good vision as a playmaker but was guilty of holding onto the puck a little too long .. clearly has cleaned up his skating from last year at the World U17 Challenge as he has filled out physically .. quick off the mark as he was able to dance and pivot past all defenseman in this tournament .. swift, agile and balanced and shows a decent second gear .. able to cut the ice and force puck carriers where he wants them to go without the puck .. good in the neutral zone and in transition .. a gutsy competitor who goes after the puck .. also temperamental as he has a tendency to lose his cool and goes after guys - went after Matt Cairns on Team East even though his team was up by four goals at the time .. the best pro-ready prospect on his team and arguably of the whole tournament.

TRENTON, - Dec 10, 2015 - Exhibition Game 3- Russia vs Team Canada West at the 2015 World Junior A Challenge at the Duncan Memorial Gardens, ON. Artur Kayumov #24 of Team Russia during the second period (Photo: Amy Deroche / OJHL Images)

Artur Kayumov (2016), LW

Started the tournament slowly but found his game while being inter-changed with both the top centers in Georgy Ivanov and German Rubtsov in an effort to get him going .. stepped up and had a great game against Team USA in the semi finals en route to a gold medal berth .. plays hard in the offensive zone .. a better than average skater with good separation .. supports the play more so than he dictates it .. tends to hang more in the background to make a timely pass and then move into open areas .. works hard and is not afraid to grind it out down low .. not an aggressive physical force yet works to get the puck as he does possess some 'push back' .. not a dynamic offensive threat and only average in size likely makes Kayumov more a draft long shot, however he did help his odds by enjoying a solid WJAC tournament.

WHITBY, - Dec 15, 2015 - WJAC Game 6- Team Russia vs Team Switzerland at the 2015 World Junior A Challenge at the Iroquois Park Recreation Complex, ON. Artem Ivanyuzhenkov #12 of Team Russia pursues the play during the first period.
(Photo: Andy Corneau / OJHL Images)

Artem Ivanyuzhenkov (2016), LW

Among the top prospects scouts were eager to see, however Ivanyuzhenkov had a disappointing tournament especially considering the fanfare surrounding him after a successful World U18 Championship last season .. displays the disposition of a player due to his mammoth 6-foot-2, 210-poundframe, but sadly his game reveals many flaws most notably his lack of compete and limited hockey sense .. never found his groove as he always appeared lost and out of position .. scored his lone goal of the tournament on a perfect 2-1 pass and nearly bobbled the pass for the goal .. did not leave a favourable impression and appears to be a 'buyer beware' pick due to lazy on-ice habits and a lack of identity which makes him a difficult prospect to go to bat for.

Vyacheslav Shevchenko (2016), C

Also participated in the Ivan Hlinka tournament - this diminutive center showed flashes of being able to contribute offensively .. created chances as he excels in the transition game .. displays a capability to gain the zone off the rush as he is a puck-possession type player and shows steady confidence with the puck in tow .. good on edges and can slither off checks - not a burner but efficient and manages to elude coverage .. on the downside, he is smallish at 5-10 and 160 pounds which will hinder his chances at the pro level.

SCOUTING CANADA WEST: TYSON JOST, DANTE FABBRO, MATTHEW MURRAY

SCOUTING CANADA WEST: DENNIS CHOLOWSKI, BRINSON PASICHNUK, CALE MAKAR

SCOUTING RUSSIA: MIKHAIL BERDIN, VLADISLAV SUKHACHEV, ILYA KARPUKHIN, ALEXANDER YAKOVENKO, NIKITA MAKEYEV

SCOUTING RUSSIA: GERMAN RUBTSOV, ARTUR KAYUMOV, ARTEM IVANYUZHENKOV, VLACHESLAV SHEVCHENKO

SCOUTING RUSSIA: MIKHAIL MALTSEV, KIRILL SLEPETS, NIKOLAI KOVALENKO, MIKHAIL MESHCHERYAKOV, GEORGY IVANOV

SCOUTING USA: ANDREW PEEKE, MAX ZIMMER, WILLIAM KNIEREM, TANNER LACZYNSKI

SCOUTING CANADA EAST: BRETT MURRAY, OWEN GRANT, COLTON POINT, MATTHEW CAIRNS, ECOUARD MICHAUD, DEREK TOPATIGH

SCOUTING CZECH REPUBLIC: LUKAS DOUDERA, MILAN DAVIDEK, JAKUB SIROTA, KRISTIAN REICHEL, PAVEL KOUSAL

SCOUTING SWITZERLAND: LIVIO STADLER, LEE ROBERTS, MARCO MIRANDA, TOBIAS GEISSER

Scouting Russia: Mikhail Maltsev, Kirill Slepets, Nikolai Kovalenko, Mikhail Meshcheryakov, Georgy Ivanov

David Burstyn — Thu, 07 Jan 2016 00:34:41 +0000

TRENTON, - Dec 10, 2015 - Exhibition Game 3- Russia vs Team Canada West at the 2015 World Junior A Challenge at the Duncan Memorial Gardens, ON. Mikhail Maltsev #11 of Team Russia during the third period (Photo: Amy Deroche / OJHL Images)

Mikhail Maltsev (2016), LW

Finished third in team scoring (4-3-1-4) and was shuffled between the top two lines all tournament long .. found better chemistry with Georgy Ivanov and was able to propel Artur Kayumov as the tournament wore on to play better .. a meat-and-potatoes type of player whose game doesn't offer much in terms of both hand and foot speed .. showed flashes of being able to execute but relied heavily on his size and work ethic to create his chances .. not very creative as he does not always see or make a play .. at his best when he simply shoots the puck .. acceleration is an issue with his skating as it takes him awhile to get his motor running .. more of a north-south guy .. limited but does play more of a North American style of game.

COBOURG, - Dec 19, 2015 - Gold Metal Game - Russia vs Canada West at the 2015 World Junior A Challenge at the Cobourg Community Centre, ON. Kirill Slepets #19 of Team Russia skates with the puck during the first period.(Photo: Tim Bates / OJHL Images)

Kirill Slepets (2017), RW

A tad on the small side but considering he was several years younger than the majority of the players in this tournament, he fared exceptionally well .. a hard worker who hustles and also possesses good speed in order to win loose puck battles .. tries to get involved and is able to make plays, however he tends to come out on the short end in 1-1's due to his slight 150-pound frame .. brings a persistent F1 engine as he is constantly trying to badger opponents off the puck .. always moving and inching his way to the net to get off his shot as it is a weapon .. scored the lone goal for Team Russia in the gold medal game .. elusive coming off the boards and shows quick hands to make a play .. if he were bigger we would have more of an impact .. fortunately, being not eligible until the 2017 NHL draft, he has time on his side to develop and physically mature.

WHITBY, - Dec 14, 2015 - Game #4 - Russia vs. Canada East at the 2015 World Junior A Challenge at the Iroquois Park Recreation Complex, ON. Nikolay Kovalenko #51 of Team Russia and Adam Smith #5 of Team Canada East follow the play during the first period.
(Photo: Shawn Muir / OJHL Images)

Nikolai Kovalenko (2018), RW

Son of former NHLer Andrei Kovalenko .. Nikolai is a super late birth date and not eligible unto the 2018 NHL draft .. despite his youth, has already been playing ahead of his age group in international competition .. rode shotgun on the first line with German Rubtsov for the first few games before being replaced with Ivan Kosorenkov and re-situated in the bottom portion of the depth chart .. small in stature at 5-foot-9 and 150 pounds, but it surprisingly resilient and takes hits in stride and rolls off of them .. smart in terms of knowing where to be - demonstrated that he reads the game exceptionally well .. plays both the power play and penalty-killing units - constantly on the right side of the puck .. made plays showing off his good shot and solid vision to see the developing play .. everything he can't do at this point is related to his lack of strength.. despite being strong on his skates for his size - he is still weak in the upper body and tends to lose positioning by being out-muscled .. definitely a player to monitor as he played very well considering his youthful age.

TRENTON, - Dec 10, 2015 - Exhibition Game 3- Russia vs Team Canada West at the 2015 World Junior A Challenge at the Duncan Memorial Gardens, ON. Mikhail Meshcheryakov #25 of Team Russia during the third period (Photo: Amy Deroche / OJHL Images)

Mikhail Meshcheryakov (2016), C

Played surprisingly well on the third line as he constantly pushed the pace and was noticeable in his decision making with the puck .. an assistant captain possesses only average size and speed but exceptional hockey sense .. excelled transitioning the play off the rush .. a diligent centerman who could stand to push the pace a little more .. he finds ways to get to loose pucks and is always looking to make plays .. undervalued on this team as he has abilities .. ultimately, unless he can bulk up and add mass to a skinny frame, his lack of size may only make him a good junior.

WHITBY, - Dec 14, 2015 - Game #4 - Russia vs. Canada East at the 2015 World Junior A Challenge at the Iroquois Park Recreation Complex, ON. Georgii Ivanov #15 of Team Russia during the first period.
(Photo: Shawn Muir / OJHL Images)

Georgy Ivanov (2017), C

Scored a beautiful goal and recorded an assist against Team East in the opening game but went pointless in the next three games .. built like a bowling ball - thick and stout but has surprising quickness .. possesses multiple levels of speed which he showed off to blow by the opposition .. takes the puck to the net and will battle down low .. strong on his stick and balanced as he takes a hit to make a play .. flashed in and out all tournament - but was noticeable with the puck in his vicinity.

SCOUTING CANADA WEST: TYSON JOST, DANTE FABBRO, MATTHEW MURRAY

SCOUTING CANADA WEST: DENNIS CHOLOWSKI, BRINSON PASICHNUK, CALE MAKAR

SCOUTING RUSSIA: MIKHAIL BERDIN, VLADISLAV SUKHACHEV, ILYA KARPUKHIN, ALEXANDER YAKOVENKO, NIKITA MAKEYEV

SCOUTING RUSSIA: GERMAN RUBTSOV, ARTUR KAYUMOV, ARTEM IVANYUZHENKOV, VLACHESLAV SHEVCHENKO

SCOUTING RUSSIA: MIKHAIL MALTSEV, KIRILL SLEPETS, NIKOLAI KOVALENKO, MIKHAIL MESHCHERYAKOV, GEORGY IVANOV

SCOUTING USA: ANDREW PEEKE, MAX ZIMMER, WILLIAM KNIEREM, TANNER LACZYNSKI

SCOUTING CANADA EAST: BRETT MURRAY, OWEN GRANT, COLTON POINT, MATTHEW CAIRNS, ECOUARD MICHAUD, DEREK TOPATIGH

SCOUTING CZECH REPUBLIC: LUKAS DOUDERA, MILAN DAVIDEK, JAKUB SIROTA, KRISTIAN REICHEL, PAVEL KOUSAL

SCOUTING SWITZERLAND: LIVIO STADLER, LEE ROBERTS, MARCO MIRANDA, TOBIAS GEISSER

2015 World Junior A Challenge Scouting Reports

McKeen's Hockey — Fri, 01 Jan 2016 16:59:54 +0000

The American reign is over at the World Junior A Challenge.

Winners the three previous years, Team USA finished with a bronze medal at this year's event held in Cobourg and Whitby, Ontario.

Since the tournament's inception in 2006, only two teams have won a gold medal, that being Team USA and Team Canada West, with the Americans now holding a 6-to-4 edge in titles. The U.S. have medaled every year except at the inaugural event in `06.

Silver-medal winners in 2013 and 2014, Canada West reclaimed the crown led by Spruce Grove (AJHL) goaltender Matthew Murray and a pair of probable first-round NHL draft picks in Tyson Jost and Dante Fabbro.

Jost fired the winning goal and was named Tournament MVP, while Murray turned in a goaltending gem in the final to guide Canada West to a 2-1 victory.

Team Russia took home silver backstopped by the goaltending tandem of Mikhail Berdin and Vladislav Sukhachev.

Berdin earned a spot on the Tournament All-Star Team, as did forward German Rubtsov, another likely first-round pick in the 2016 NHL draft.

There were some other intriguing draft-eligible players on display at the tournie as well including Max Zimmer of Team USA, who boosted his stock with a strong showing.

U.S. Teammate William Knierem also impressed the scouts - making surprising contributions given his rather limited role on the team, starting the tournie as the 13th forward.

Follow the links below as we will be publishing over 35 in-depth player scouting reports from the 2015 World Junior A Challenge - exclusive to subscribers of McKeen's Hockey.

SCOUTING CANADA WEST: TYSON JOST, DANTE FABBRO, MATTHEW MURRAY

SCOUTING CANADA WEST: DENNIS CHOLOWSKI, BRINSON PASICHNUK, CALE MAKAR

NEXT: TEAM RUSSIA

Scouting Canada West: Dennis Cholowski, Cale Makar, Brinson Pasichnuk

David Burstyn — Fri, 01 Jan 2016 16:57:14 +0000

Dennis Cholowski (2016), D, Chilliwack BCHL

Surprisingly went pointless all tournament but played in all key situations and was relied upon heavily with partner Dante Fabbro as the top defence pairing .. boasts excellent athleticism as well as a great disposition for his game .. a smooth defender with good all-around skills with and without the puck - always noticeable when he is on the ice .. tends to move more side to side than up and down as he likes to shift and then dish off .. played both special teams .. effective on the power play due to his patience with the puck .. he has quick hands and is more of a distributor than a shooter at the line .. even though his skating offers no real dimension or pop , he was rarely caught scrambling or out of position .. at times, his lack or urgency was unsettling as he rarely if ever pushed the pace .. worked hard but is not very tough down low .. has soft skills and needs to beef up his intensity and physical game .. will have plenty of time to develop at St.Cloud State University - and appears to be worthy of being an NHL pick.

Cale Makar (2017), D, Brooks AJHL

A high-risk, high-reward type of player whose confidence with the puck exceeded that of any other blueliner on the team and arguably the entire tournament .. named to the Tournament All-Star Team .. slightly undersized at 5-foot-10, 175 pounds - yet makes plays and isn't afraid to push the pace and explode into the offensive zone .. demonstrated strong game-reading skills and, even though he sacrifices defence for offence, he was not caught up ice too often where the coaching staff had to reel him in .. exceptional poise with the puck - takes an extra half second before making a pass using a variety of tricks to throw off the opposition - whether it be a slight stick flick, a shoulder twist or simply moving an inch laterally .. he is very clever in gaining additional ice .. plays with bite as well - will go after guys and is a hard competitive player .. needs to fine tune his defensive game, but brings enough offence to help augment that .. not eligible until the 2017 NHL draft due to an Oct '98 birth date - so does have time to round out his game .. averaging just under a point-per-game for the Brooks Bandits of the Alberta Junior Hockey League - fifth-most among league blueliners .. committed to attend the University of Massachusetts.

Brinson Pasichnuk (2016), D, Bonnyville AJHL

Committed to the University of Vermont for the 2017-18 season, Pasichnuk had a decent tournament despite not registering a point .. was exposed against Team USA defensively as he had a difficult time containing their bigger forwards .. only average in size at 6-0, 185 pounds - he has limited reach and is not a threat defensively as a result .. with the puck he displays good poise and can deliver timely first passes .. puck plays are hard as he snaps it .. showed off a hard point shot .. calculated with his offensive rushes as he never left his partner high and dry .. displayed good chemistry with Shane Bear as the two played all tournament with one another .. his size and lack of jam will hold him back at this point making him likely a more viable NHL free agent camp invite down the road .. may draw some draft interest given his outstanding numbers in his second year with the Bonnyville Pontiacs .. leads all AJHL blueliners in scoring (34-11-26-37).

SCOUTING CANADA WEST: TYSON JOST, DANTE FABBRO, MATTHEW MURRAY

SCOUTING CANADA WEST: DENNIS CHOLOWSKI, BRINSON PASICHNUK, CALE MAKAR

SCOUTING RUSSIA: MIKHAIL BERDIN, VLADISLAV SUKHACHEV, ILYA KARPUKHIN, ALEXANDER YAKOVENKO, NIKITA MAKEYEV

SCOUTING RUSSIA: GERMAN RUBTSOV, ARTUR KAYUMOV, ARTEM IVANYUZHENKOV, VLACHESLAV SHEVCHENKO

SCOUTING RUSSIA: MIKHAIL MALTSEV, KIRILL SLEPETS, NIKOLAI KOVALENKO, MIKHAIL MESHCHERYAKOV, GEORGY IVANOV

SCOUTING USA: ANDREW PEEKE, MAX ZIMMER, WILLIAM KNIEREM, TANNER LACZYNSKI

SCOUTING CANADA EAST: BRETT MURRAY, OWEN GRANT, COLTON POINT, MATTHEW CAIRNS, ECOUARD MICHAUD, DEREK TOPATIGH

SCOUTING CZECH REPUBLIC: LUKAS DOUDERA, MILAN DAVIDEK, JAKUB SIROTA, KRISTIAN REICHEL, PAVEL KOUSAL

SCOUTING SWITZERLAND: LIVIO STADLER, LEE ROBERTS, MARCO MIRANDA, TOBIAS GEISSER

Scouting Canada West: Tyson Jost, Dante Fabbro, Matthew Murray

David Burstyn — Fri, 01 Jan 2016 16:51:53 +0000

Tyson Jost (2016), C, Penticton BCHL

Penticton star Tyson Jost was as good as advertised as he won tournament MVP honours, led the tournament in points (4-3-6-9), and tied a tournament record by recording four points in a period against Team East in the semi-finals .. instinctive and clever in the offensive zone and has a penchant for not complicating his game .. slick player with better than average puck skills - elusive and keeps the puck close to his body while constantly driving it into scoring lanes .. possesses good puck control and can make creative no-look passes making him even more difficult to defend .. a better passer than shooter .. uses defenders as a screen as his shot is sneaky - yet lacks the top-end velocity needed to be a true goal scorer at this point .. was always dangerous when he entered the offensive zone as he could easily break coverage and draw others out of position with his stickhandling ability .. his skating has a deceptive quality to it - fast but not quick per se, he has good mechanics but short legs .. handled the captaincy duties admirably with a committed game on the back check .. very aware not to get caught chasing plays as he was habitually the first man back .. while his defensive game scored top marks for enthusiasm, he nevertheless lacks structure at this point and got caught playing the puck a handful of times and getting burned in the process .. winning this tournament is yet another feather in his cap to an already successful season to date as he is enjoying personal and team success this season in the BCHL .. captains the best team in the league as the Penticton Vee’s have only lost 4 games this season and he is currently third in league scoring at the Christmas break averaging over two points per game (30-24-37-61) .. what he lacks in size, he makes up for in offence which will be his calling card into the NHL .. committed to a North Dakota program renowned for churning out NHL players.

Dante Fabbro (2016), D, Penticton BCHL

Entered the tournament with considerable hype as the top NHL draft-eligible defenseman and had a decent tournament as he was able to capture a gold medal .. assistant captain logged ample ice time and was entrusted with many responsibilities and handled them well .. his play was not overwhelming in terms of standing out and dominating play - but rather steady and effective .. learned to make adjustments as he had a tendency to try and do too much early in the tournament - yet was smart enough to regroup and make game-to-game adjustments .. played his best game against Team USA recording two assists - however it had more to do with his play away from the puck .. applied a level of staunch defence by suffocating the opposition .. demonstrated strong gap control and exploited a thick body to excel in defensive zone situations - gets a lot accomplished because of his size and strength at this point .. highly successful all tournament in penalty-killing situations .. a bow-legged skater who is powerful but not quick .. lateral quickness and agility are just okay, while his first-step quickness needs refining .. did not really impress with his puck skills however, as he threw the puck away at times while his decision making upon gaining the zone came into question .. not an offensive threat at this event - even though his lofty numbers in the BCHL this season (24-7-21-28) might have suggested otherwise .. most effective when he keeps his game simple with the puck and does not over-think his options .. has a sturdy, well-built frame and a solid pro-like disposition about him - earns top marks for his leadership qualities as he wears a letter for his BCHL team .. a burly defender who can do most things well and has plenty of time to hone his skills at Boston University.

Matthew Murray (2016), G, Spruce Grove AJHL

History of winning following as he backstopped Spruce Grove in 2014-15 to a league championship while posting the best GAA in the regular season (1.72) .. posted a sparkling 15-3 record this season so far for the first-place Saints, sharing duties with Garrett Mason .. played in all four games and grew in stature as the tournament progressed .. turned in a rather ordinary performance against Team Czech Republic, however excelled against Team USA in round-robin play to help secure a bye to the semi-finals .. rose to the occasion in the finals, delivering a spectacular effort to capture the gold medal .. boasts decent size at 6-foot-1 and 180 pounds - and is a highly technical goalie .. very economical in his approach as he doesn't have exceptional speed or mobility - however remains square to the shooter and battles hard in his crease .. can be guilty of playing too deep in his goal at times - particularly when the game gets away from him .. needs to make saves early to find his confidence .. very good at tracking pucks in traffic .. handles and plays the puck well .. his mobility and net coverage will impact his draft status but he played well and answered the bell when needed most.

SCOUTING CANADA WEST: TYSON JOST, DANTE FABBRO, MATTHEW MURRAY

SCOUTING CANADA WEST: DENNIS CHOLOWSKI, BRINSON PASICHNUK, CALE MAKAR

SCOUTING RUSSIA: MIKHAIL BERDIN, VLADISLAV SUKHACHEV, ILYA KARPUKHIN, ALEXANDER YAKOVENKO, NIKITA MAKEYEV

SCOUTING RUSSIA: GERMAN RUBTSOV, ARTUR KAYUMOV, ARTEM IVANYUZHENKOV, VLACHESLAV SHEVCHENKO

SCOUTING RUSSIA: MIKHAIL MALTSEV, KIRILL SLEPETS, NIKOLAI KOVALENKO, MIKHAIL MESHCHERYAKOV, GEORGY IVANOV

SCOUTING USA: ANDREW PEEKE, MAX ZIMMER, WILLIAM KNIEREM, TANNER LACZYNSKI

SCOUTING CANADA EAST: BRETT MURRAY, OWEN GRANT, COLTON POINT, MATTHEW CAIRNS, ECOUARD MICHAUD, DEREK TOPATIGH

SCOUTING CZECH REPUBLIC: LUKAS DOUDERA, MILAN DAVIDEK, JAKUB SIROTA, KRISTIAN REICHEL, PAVEL KOUSAL

SCOUTING SWITZERLAND: LIVIO STADLER, LEE ROBERTS, MARCO MIRANDA, TOBIAS GEISSER