Zachary Fucale – McKeen's Hockey

2014 IIHF World Juniors Fantasy Hockey Future Watch: Canada

Peter Harling — Tue, 31 Dec 2013 16:28:21 +0000

After failing to medal in 2013 Canada will look to reclaim hockey supremacy at the World Juniors. Canada had an impressive run of five straight Gold Medals from 2005 to 2009 and a 14 year streak of a medal that ended last year.

A perennial contender, Canada will be led by Tampa Bay Lightning 2012 first round (third overall) pick Jonathan Drouin and 2015 NHL draft eligible Connor McDavid of the Erie Otters in the OHL. Last year Drouin was part of a lethal combination with former teammate Nathan MacKinnon with the Halifax Mooseheads of the QMJHL. Together the duo won the Quebec League Championship and the Memorial Cup, but Drouin has some unfinished business at the World Juniors.

Connor McDavid has fantasy owners planning on tanking next year so they can draft the next Sidney Crosby. McDavid is being labeled by NHL scouts as a generational talent and TSN’s Bob McKenzie said that Scouts have said if McDavid were eligible for NHL entry draft as a 15 year old, he would have gone first overall ahead of Nathan MacKinnon. There is no question he will go first overall in 2015. McDavid was granted exceptional status as a 15 year old and early acceptance to the OHL where he was drafted first by the Erie Otters. After leading the league in rookie scoring, he is among league overall leaders in his sophomore season with 50 points in 31 games. Traditionally the World Juniors are dominated by 19 year olds, but look for McDavid to use this tournament as his breakout performance. Everyone has heard of McDavid, but now on the worlds stage everyone will be watching and he will be the topic of discussion at the water cooler over the next few weeks as everyone sees what all the hype is about. The last Canadian player to play for Canada as a 16 year old was Sidney Crosby.

Anthony Mantha will be counted on to score some big goals. Perhaps the most natural goal scorer for Canada since Jordan Eberle, Mantha scored 50 goals last season in the QMJHL and already has 35 goals in 32 games this season. Mantha was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in the 2013 draft in the first round with the 20^th pick. His future fantasy upside is tremendous, but the Red Wings have a tendency to be patient with prospects and take their time developing them in junior and the minors for several seasons. Nicolas Petan is another highly skilled offensive player who was drafted in the second round in 2013 by the Winnipeg Jets. Petan is a playmaker but his diminutive size is a concern for his NHL fantasy upside. If Petan can add some size and muscle to his slight 5’9” 165 pound frame he could have significant upside

Sam Reinhart is draft eligible for the upcoming 2014 NHL entry draft and is projected to picked first overall by McKeens. Reinhart is an experienced member of Canada’s National team as he captained the U18 team as an underage as well as the 2012 Ivan Hlinka where Canada won Gold.

Scott Laughton was the consensus choice as team Captain who is a solid two-way talent selected by the Philadelphia Flyers in the first round of the 2012 draft. He is a future NHL captain. Bo Horvat is another excellent two-way talent that Coach Sutter will love as he plays a Sutter style of hockey. Horvat was drafted in 2013 by the Vancouver Canucks with the first round pick acquired in the Corey Schneider trade. Curtis Lazar is a high energy, fore-checking two-way forward who challenged to make the NHL this season with an impressive training camp with the Ottawa Senators. Lazar has a bright NHL future as he plays a Shane Doan style of game.

Josh Morrissey will anchor the offense from the blue line for Canada. The offensive defenceman was a first round pick of the Winnipeg Jets in 2013. With Tobias Enstrom, Dustin Byfuglien, Zach Bogosian and Jacob Trouba ahead of Morrissey, his NHL debut may be a year or two away, but he will have a fantasy impact when he arrives.

Aaron Ekblad is another 2014 draft eligible player who is projected to be drafted second overall by McKeens. Ekblad was also granted exceptional status to join the OHL as a 15 year old. He is a 17 year old man in every sense as his size, skill and smarts are all mature beyond his years. He even sported the best playoff beard in Barrie’s playoff drive in last year’s OHL playoffs where the Colts fell short to London. His fantasy upside may be limited as his offense is not his forte. He is a smart, solid all-around defender who can log big minutes.

Griffin Reinhart is the only returning player for Canada on the blue line this year. He joins his brother Sam to form the first brother due for Canada since Freddie and Dougie Hamilton. Reinhart will miss the first three games due to a carryover suspension from the 2013 tournament. Reinhart is a New York Islanders first round pick from 2012 who is similar to Ekblad but perhaps with slightly better offensive upside and fantasy value. Adam Pelech is another 2012 Islanders draft pick who has had his stock rise this season on a vastly improved Erie Otters. Pelech anchors their blue line and logs big minutes in every situation. He is another all-around type who plays a strong physical game adding extra value in multi-category stat leagues.

Zach Fucale and Jake Paterson will vie for the starting goalie position. Fucale was part of last years dominant Halifax team winning the QMJHL Championship as well as the memorial Cup, and a Gold for Canada at the Ivan Hlinka Tournament. Fucale was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2013 draft and has the potential to be a future NHL starting goalie. Paterson started the first two games for Canada and gave way to Fucale for game three. Look for Fucale to get the start for the remainder of the tournament.

Canada’s Gold Medal hopes will rely on the offensive contributions from Drouin, McDavid and Mantha as well as the hard hitting Canadian Sutter brand of hockey from Laughton, Horvat and Lazar. The new look Defense will need to be better than last years and Fucale will have to be clutch to win the only missing trophy from his cabinet so far in his career.

CHL 2014 IIHF WJHC Participants On-Ice Stats

Gus Katsaros — Fri, 27 Dec 2013 20:22:56 +0000

A short post with the focus on participating players dressing for their respective countries in the 2014 IIHF World Junior Championships and their member clubs in the CHL playing overseas in Sweden.

I broke away from the traditional goals-assists-points statistics and focused on the breakdown of ON-ICE even strength goals for/against as well as on the percentage basis for their respective teams. The legend is located just before the table.

Some additional details break down the draft year, team that drafted the player (none of these players have been traded to another NHL team). There are very few undrafted players as this tournament is drafted prospect heavy, but there are many European exceptions – along with some draft-eligible players for 2014 (and two notable 2015 draft eligible players in Connor McDavid and Jack Eichel – as a late birthday).

ESGF - Even Strength Goals For (On-Ice)

ESGA - Even Strength Goals Against (On-Ice)

%TmESGF - Percentage of On-Ice Even Strength Goals For

%TmESGA - Percentage of On-Ice Even Strength Goals Against

Draft Team - Team that drafted this player

Draft Yr - Draft Year

DOB - Date of Birth

Country	Team	Pos	ESGF	ESGA	%Tm ESGF	%Tm ESGA	Draft Team	Draft Yr	DOB
Canada
Josh Anderson	London Knights	C	29	13	20.28	25.00	CBJ	2012	1994/05/07
Chris Bigras	Owen Sound Attack	D	26	30	27.08	27.78	Col	2013	1995/02/22
Jonathan Drouin	Halifax Mooseheads	C	36	19	25.71	19.00	TBL	2013	1995/03/28
Aaron Ekblad	Barrie Colts	D	25	24	22.12	25.53	--	--	1996/02/07
Zachary Fucale	Halifax Mooseheads	G	0	0	0.00	0.00	MTL	2013	1995/05/28
Frederik Gauthier	Rimouski Oceanic	C	25	24	22.12	60.00	Tor	2013	1995/04/26
Bo Horvat	London Knights	LW	37	19	25.87	36.54	Van	2013	1995/04/05
Charles Hudon	Chicoutimi Sagueneens	LW	27	29	26.21	26.36	MTL	2012	1994/06/23
Scott Laughton	Oshawa Generals	C	36	27	30.00	33.75	Phi	2012	1994/05/30
Curtis Lazar	Edmonton Oil Kings	C	41	18	32.80	30.00	Ott	2013	1995/02/02
Taylor Leier	Portland Winterhawks	LW	39	20	23.93	18.02	Phi	2012	1994/02/15
Anthony Mantha	Val-d’Or Foreurs	LW	50	33	29.07	37.50	DET	2013	1994/09/16
Connor McDavid	Erie Otters	C	42	20	24.85	42.55	--	--	1997/01/13
Josh Morrissey	Prince Albert Raiders	C	40	29	34.48	42.65	Wpg	2013	1995/03/28
Jake Paterson	Saginaw Spirit	G	0	0	0.00	0.00	Det	2012	1994/05/03
Adam Pelech	Erie Otters	D	44	21	26.04	44.68	NYI	2012	1994/08/16
Nicolas Petan	Portland Winterhawks	C	52	27	31.90	24.32	WPG	2013	1995/03/22
Derrick Pouliot	Portland Winterhawks	D	51	37	31.29	33.33	Pit	2012	1994/01/16
Griffin Reinhart	Edmonton Oil Kings	D	15	11	12.00	18.33	NYI	2012	1994/01/24
Sam Reinhart	Kootenay Ice	C	32	28	31.37	31.82	--	--	1995/11/06
Kerby Rychel	Guelph Storm/Windsor Spitfires	LW	32	19	26.67	19.19	CBJ	2013	1994/10/07
Czech Republic
Radek Faksa	Kitchener Rangers	C	23	33	24.21	28.70	Dal	2012	1994/01/09
Jan Kostalek	Rimouski Oceanic	D	24	26	21.24	65.00	Wpg	2013	1995/02/17
Marek Langhamer	Medicine Hat Tigers	G	0	0	0.00	0.00	PHX	2012	1994/07/22
David Nemecek	Saskatoon Blades	D	23	28	21.30	20.00	--	--	1995/06/29
Michal Plutnar	Tri-City Americans	D	6	11	6.67	11.58	--	--	1994/02/21
Petr Sidlik	Victoriaville Tigres	D	24	32	24.24	25.20	--	--	1994/01/18
Dominik Volek	Red Deer Rebels	RW	23	20	23.47	26.32	--	--	1994/01/12
Patrik Zdrahal	Rimouski Oceanic	RW	12	16	15.00	30.19	--	--	1995/04/09
Finland
Julius Honka	Swift Current Broncos	D	42	33	35.59	32.04	--	--	1995/12/03
Henri Ikonen	Kingston Frontenacs	LW	40	25	32.00	21.93	TB	2013	1994/04/17
Mikko Vainonen	Kingston Frontenacs	D	36	22	28.80	19.30	Nsh	2012	1994/04/11
Germany
Tim Bender	London Knights	C	16	4	11.19	7.69	--	--	--
Marvin Cupper	Shawinigan Cataractes	G	0	0	0.00	0.00	--	--	--
Leon Draisaitl	Prince Albert Raiders	C	31	30	26.72	44.12	--	--	1995/10/27
Markus Eisenschmid	Medicine Hat Tigers	C	13	20	11.50	21.05	--	--	1995/01/22
Dominik Kahun	Sudbury Wolves	C	10	15	7.94	12.10	--	--	1995/07/02
Maximilian Kammerer	Regina Pats	C	1	5	0.91	6.41	--	--	--
Norway
Jorgen Karterud	SSM Greyhounds	RW	14	16	10.22	31.37	--	--	1994/05/06
Russia
Ivan Barbashev	Moncton Wildcats	C	31	33	30.39	34.74	--	--	1995/12/14
Nikita Zadorov	London Knights	C	12	4	8.39	7.69	Buf	2013	1995/04/16
Valentin Zykov	Baie-Comeau Drakkar	RW	22	9	16.30	10.11	LAK	2013	1995/05/15
Slovakia
Martin Reway	Gatineau Olympiques	LW	31	21	27.93	18.75	Mtl	2013	1995/01/24
Sweden
Andre Burakovsky	Erie Otters	LW	35	16	20.71	34.04	WSH	2013	1995/02/09
Oscar Dansk	Erie Otters	G	0	0	0.00	0.00	CBJ	2012	1994/02/28
Nick Sorensen	Quebec Remparts	RW	22	12	18.49	13.79	Ana	2013	1994/10/23
Switzerland
Phil Baltisberger	Guelph Storm	D	34	15	20.12	28.30	--	--	1995/11/13
Jason Fuchs	Rouyn-Noranda Huskies	LW	23	20	16.79	30.77	--	--	1995/09/14
Fabrice Herzog	Quebec Remparts	RW	30	28	25.21	32.18	TOR	2013	1994/12/09
Mirco Mueller	Everett Silvertips	D	21	20	19.09	27.03	SJ	2013	1995/03/21
Vincent Praplan	North Bay Battalion	LW	22	21	24.44	60.00	--	--	1994/06/10
Yannick Rathgeb	Plymouth Whalers	D	19	27	22.89	27.55	--	--	1995/10/24
United States
Adam Erne	Quebec Remparts	LW	30	27	25.21	31.03	TBL	2013	1995/04/20
Ryan Hartman	Plymouth Whalers	C	21	37	25.30	37.76	Chi	2013	1994/09/20
Anthony Stolarz	London Knights	G	--	--	--	--	Phi	2012	1994/01/20

**********

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McKeen’s 2013 NHL Draft Rankings – March

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

GAUTHIER SOMEBODY THAT I USED TO KNOW

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

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

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

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

THERE A NURSE IS IN THE HOUSE

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

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

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

McKeen’s 2013 NHL Draft midterm rankings

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2013 NHL Draft – Top 30 Comments

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2013 Top 30 NHL Draft Rankings – Dec, 2012

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

Nathan MacKinnon is safe - for the time being.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

* Goalies (W-L-T, GA)

McKeen’s Top 30 – November, 2012

McKeen's staff — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 20:51:41 +0000

Sweden stole the draft headlines in 2011, and this past summer it was defensemen taking the spotlight - with eight of the top 10 picks.

Next June, it could very well be the QMJHL grabbing all the attention.

The 'Q' is back - and in a big way.

Led by the Halifax trio of Nathan MacKinnon, Jonathan Drouin, and top-rated goalie Zach Fucale - seven players from the revitalized QMJHL earned spots in the McKeen's preliminary rankings for the 2013 NHL Draft.

Four other forwards have also stepped up to claim top-round berths - Val d'Or sniper Anthony Mantha, big Rimouski pivot Frederik Gauthier, gritty shooter Adam Erne, and strong-skating William Carrier.

It would mark quite a turnaround for a league that produced just one lone first-rounder last time - Russian import Mikhail Grigorenko.

The 'Q' factor is one of the storylines emerging so far in a draft year that is showing signs of being above-average in quality - and possibly special.

Certainly this draft class are shooting the lights out across junior - and beyond - with three of our top 10 flourishing in European pro leagues in Elias Lindholm, Aleksander Barkov, and Rasmus Ristolainen.

Maintaining or climbing the rankings won't be an easy task however since the depth of talent for 2013 exceeds what we've witnessed over the past few drafts.

Normally, in an average crop year, there are about 15-20 players that initially stand out as distinct first-round candidates.

There won't be any passengers this time around - with at least 40 'A' grade prospects waging battle for a coveted top-30 placing.

We can expect movement among the top tier as well heading into a busy month of November - a key time for NHL scouts to assess how players respond as the level of play elevates.

It's shaping up to be quite a race - in spite of the dampening effect of this tortuous NHL labour dispute.

Really, all we can do is drown ourselves in the World Juniors - and the draft - and hope the powers that be come to their senses - soon.

MCKEEN'S 2013 NHL DRAFT RANKINGS (NOV, 2012)

RANK	PLAYER	POS	HT/WT	BORN	TM (LG)	GP-G-A-PTS
1	Nathan MacKinnon	C	6-0/180	9/1/95	Halifax (QMJHL)	16-18-11-29
2	Seth Jones	D	6-3/205	10/3/94	Portland (WHL)	13-4-6-10
3	Elias Lindholm	C	6-0/185	12/2/94	Brynas (Swe)	19-5-8-13
4	Aleksander Barkov	C	6-2/205	9/2/95	Tappara (Fin)	19-10-9-19
5	Sean Monahan	C	6-2/195	10/12/94	Ottawa (OHL)	14-6-16-22
6	Rasmus Ristolainen	D	6-3/205	10/27/94	TPS Turku (Fin)	17-0-5-5
7	Hunter Shinkaruk	LW	5-10/165	10/13/94	Medicine Hat (WHL)	18-11-14-25
8	Ryan Pulock	D	6-0/210	10/6/94	Brandon (WHL)	16-7-11-18
9	Jonathan Drouin	LW	5-11/185	3/28/95	Halifax (QMJHL)	10-10-13-23
10	Valeri Nichushkin	RW	6-4/195	3/4/95	Chelmet (Rus 2)	15-8-2-10
11	Curtis Lazar	C	6-0/195	2/2/95	Edmonton (WHL)	15-8-3-11
12	Josh Morrissey	D	6-0/185	3/28/95	Prince Albert (WHL)	16-3-11-14
13	Nikita Zadorov	D	6-5/230	4/15/95	London (OHL)	14-0-4-4
14	Robert Hagg	D	6-2/195	2/8/95	MODO (Swe J20)	17-5-9-14
15	Anthony Mantha	RW	6-3/200	9/16/94	Val d'Or (QMJHL)	15-15-13-28
16	Jason Dickinson	C	6-1/180	7/4/95	Guelph (OHL)	15-8-9-17
17	Frederik Gauthier	C	6-4/215	4/26/95	Rimouski (QMJHL)	17-10-10-20
18	Andre Burakovsky	LW	6-1/180	2/9/95	Malmo (Swe 2)	16-0-2-2
19	Zachary Fucale	G	6-1/180	5/28/95	Halifax (QMJHL)	12-1-0, 2.53
20	Max Domi	C	5-9/195	3/2/95	London (OHL)	15-7-13-20
21	Adam Erne	LW	6-1/195	4/20/95	Quebec (QMJHL)	15-11-13-24
22	J.T. Compher	C	5-11/180	4/8/95	NTDP (USA)	6-2-1-3
23	Darnell Nurse	D	6-3/190	2/4/95	Sault Ste Marie (OHL)	16-4-9-13
24	Kerby Rychel	LW	6-1/200	10/7/94	Windsor (OHL)	17-10-5-15
25	Hudson Fasching	C	6-3/195	7/28/95	NTDP (USA)	13-3-5-8
26	Jacob de la Rose	LW	6-2/190	5/20/95	Leksands (Swe 2)	16-1-0-1
27	William Carrier	LW	6-1/200	12/20/94	Cape Breton (QMJHL)	17-10-16-26
28	Shea Theodore	D	6-2/185	8/3/95	Seattle (WHL)	14-4-7-11
29	Bo Horvat	C	6-0/200	4/5/95	London (OHL)	15-6-5-11
30	Eric Comrie	G	6-0/175	7/6/95	Tri-City (WHL)	9-6-2, 2.46
	* Goalies (W-L-T, GA)