Our honorable mentions made the first post lengthy, so we're going back to post the HMs so we can give them some love and have the labels to get them listed so this post doesn't fall through the cracks.
In the meantime, enjoy.
We'll have 40-31 for you soon, along with some Memorial Cup analysis as soon as we can break down the Saint John-Mississauga film.
Honorable Mention
Lucas Lessio, C Oshawa (OHL)- This kid is big and skilled. There is no questioning his size, speed and offensive prowess when on his game. But B2011DW watched him in a game in January and absolutely despised his compete level and general attitude in that particular contest. On one play, he was tripped, fell to the ice and then chirped at the referee all the way up the ice while his team took off on a 2-on-1. Had he hustled, it would have been a 3-on-1 and might have resulted in a goal. We have no doubt that this kid will appeal to some team because of his myriad hockey tools, but Bruins fans would be wise to cross him off their wish list- we don't see it happening. Even so, he's near the top-50 because of his potential upside and will likely be a second-rounder, maybe even a late-first. But if this draft is pick your flavor, B2011DW chooses to pass on him.
Shane McColgan, LW Kelowna (WHL) 01/01/1993
Undersized winger (5-8, 168- don't believe his listed 5-11 height on Hockey DB) from SoCal was seen as a potential top-10 coming into the season, but got off to a terrible start and never recovered in the court of public opinion. Will NHL scouts view him differently. One such talent evaluator expressed concern at McColgan's small frame and the fact that the kid likely has little to no room to grow. Tremendous skating and hands; erupts into overdrive in just a few strides and carves the ice with his edges like a maestro. Plays bigger than his size and has an edge to him even if often physically overmatched. The bad news for McColgan is that his production didn't take off after posting 25 goals and 69 points last year as a rookie. Illness started him slowly and though he recovered and heated up down the stretch with fellow mighty mite Zach Franko, it may not be enough for him to recoup a top-60 selection.
Adam Lowry, LW Swift Current (WHL) 6-4, 185 03/29/1993
Upside and bloodlines- that's the name of the game with the Swifty winger and son of former NHLer Dave Lowry. Hit a seismic growth spurt recently, so the coordination isn't there for this rough, knock-kneed skater. However, if scouts think he's going to improve the stride and footwork when he grows into his giant frame better, look out. Has good hands and works hard in the corners, throwing his weight around. His dad was a respected energy guy for the Canucks, Blues, Panthers, Sharks, and Flames- he played 1,084 games, so that's a legitimate competitor given that he never scored more than 19 goals in a single season (and went to the Stanley Cup finals twice with Florida in '96 and Calgary '04). The younger Lowry has the potential to be a better scorer than his old man if he can get faster. Keep an eye on this kid- he could be a good one.
Michael Mersch, LW University of Wisconsin (WCHA) 6-2, 200 10/02/1992
Not a great skater, which is what is keeping this honest, industrious and smart winger from having more buzz around him. One scout described him as being a premier guy above the waist...it's the legs that are holding him back. Tenacious and opportunistic; he only scored eight goals and 19 points for the Badgers this season, but his playing style reminds of Mike Knuble. Ugly stride, but goes to the net, fights off defenders for position and can make things happen. He hasn't been as productive as Knuble was at the same stage, but Mersch is the kind of guy you win with.
Kale Kessy LW Medicine Hat (WHL) 6-3, 190 12/04/1992
We keep hearing the phrase "poor man's Milan Lucic" with Kessy and we don't disagree, but does he have the skill level to bring the offense that Lucic has developed with the Bruins? He's certainly tough, but has been buried on a deep offensive for the Tigers. Also like Boston's power forward and leading goal scorer, Kessy was not picked in the WHL Bantam Draft, but just kept plugging away to grab Medicine Hat's attention and get listed/earn a shot. NHL teams love the big guys with legitimate toughness and upside...Kessy has it. As such, his draft position will likely reflect that kind of projection. Average skater, above average hands but very tenacious and tough- where will it land him? Our guess is top-60.
Scott Harrington, D London (OHL) 6-1, 200 03/10/1993
It was a very disappointing season for this defender who came into the year with hopes for a first-round draft grade by this time. Hasn't happened for him, but he's a good defensive defenseman with size and mobility. Just because he may lack the offensive vision and sense does not mean there isn't a place in the NHL for Harrington, but his stock will drop. Some we talk to still believe he has some potential, so we've got him hovering around the top-50. Probably higher than most, but too early to dismiss him altogether.
Gregory Hofmann, C Ambri-Piotta (SUI) 6-0, 170 11/13/1992
On pure talent and potential alone, Hofmann is closer to 50 than many. However, his body type is an issue- rail thin, and even more concerning for NHL teams is the lack of a desire to show a commitment by playing junior hockey. Creative, skilled player is your high-end finesse pivot who plays with a lot of determination and poise. But teams want to know that if they're going to draft a player he brings that same kind of determination when it comes to committing to the organization and showing a willingness to ride the buses. The NHL is so much more physical than anything Hofmann is used to, so he's going to slide.
Marek Tvrdon, RW Vancouver (WHL) 6-2, 190 01/31/1993
Remember this guy? He was one of the better-looking Slovak players in the draft discussion and was one of the first prospects we featured in our ever popular "A Guy You Should Know" series way back in September. Unfortunately, he seriously injured his shoulder, which shelved him for the season just about 10 games in and threw Vancouver's plans into disarray. He looked like a guy who was on the verge of vaulting up draft lists, so it will come down to the teams who saw him enough last year (at the U18 and other tourneys) and in the early going. He's a skater who can score and bang if he could just up the intensity and consistency. We believe that had Tvrdon stayed healthy, he would be firmly in the top-50 discussion across the board. He's got potential for a Curtis Hamilton-like pick this time around.
*(Not affiliated with the Boston Bruins or the New England Hockey Journal)
Showing posts with label Lucas Lessio. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lucas Lessio. Show all posts
Friday, May 20, 2011
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
OHL 2010-11 regular season roundup
This post was very difficult to do because the OHL has so many good players, and even doing a 1-12, you're looking at players who are going to be solid second-round options as 13 and later.
The OHL's depth in this class is once again the story of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, right up there with Sweden, who, when we do the European roundup of players playing across the Atlantic, you'll see dominate that top-12 as well.
In breaking down the OHL class, it's truly remarkable how many legitimate draft options with upside the league has produced this year. And even if you may not agree with the exact order in which these players are ranked, we've done our best to assess them based on skill and potential, in talking to numerous sources with NHL teams who cover the OHL.
So, let's get this roundup going and break down what these players did in the regular season.
Here is the post we did on the OHL way back in August when we previewed the class. It's pretty stunning who went on to post the kind of year that has kept them in the elite prospects, while other guys on the preseason preview pretty much fell off the map. It just goes to show you how much things can change from the 16-17 season to the 17-18-YO campaign when you factor in pressures of being in the draft year, team dynamics, injuries and the numerous other factors that determine whether a kid steps it up or crashes and burns.
On that note, here's the ranking:
1. Gabriel Landeskog, RW Kitchener- Some have Ryan Strome ahead of this Swedish power forward and that's just fine. We are B2011DW are sticking with several scouts, who feel that while Landeskog's potential offensive ceiling may not be quite as high as Stome's, he's more of a complete package and as a power forward, is a safer bet to take first. Would we be surprised at NHL teams having Strome as the top OHL player on their board? Not at all. But Landeskog has a solid two-season track record, while Strome broke out this season, so the first-ever European captain of the Rangers gets the slight edge. Landeskog finished with 36 goals and 66 points in 53 games with 61 penalty minutes, demonstrating that he can finish and plays with an edge, but isn't an undisciplined player. You have to look long and hard for any flaws in Landeskog's game, and his character, intelligence and attitude are beyond his years as an 18-year-old who had his birthday in November. Landeskog is not huge- only about 6-0/6-1 but is a very stout 205 pounds and has a lot of upper- and lower-body strength. He's a good skater who isn't a blazer, but does have nice jump and can separate. He's very strong on his skates and uses that lower leg drive to go right to the net, fight off defenders and make things happen in close. He can fire the puck off the rush, but while his drive is heavy, it's not all that overpowering, so he does his best work between the hashmarks. Landeskog sees the ice well and distributes the puck as his pretty even split of goals and assists attests. Landeskog suffered a high ankle sprain just before the WJC, and then re-aggravated it in Sweden's first game against Norway, forcing him to miss about 6 weeks of the season. That hurt his production, but even if he had played the whole year, he would not have put up 100+ points. The strength of his game is in his completeness as a player: he can play the finesse game or grind it out, blocks shots, kills penalties, fights and does whatever his team needs him to do. He's compared a lot to Jarome Iginla, which is apropos, considering Landeskog looks up to the Calgary captain the most as his model player. He not only passed on going the traditional route via Swedish Elite League to come to North America, but plays a decidedly North American-style game. The only real criticism you'll find with Landeskog is in his ultimate upside, as his overall skill level is not as high as Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Strome or even Jonathan Huberdeau. But in the end, because he does so many things well and is a heart-and-soul player, he's going inside the top-four of the 2011 draft, end of story. He's also got hockey bloodlines, as his father, Tony was a rugged defenseman in the SEL. Looks like the younger Landeskog inherited some of the best attributes from his dad.
Stock watch: Believe it or not, Central Scouting's #1 North American skater at mid-season is a little down going into the playoffs not because he played poorly, but because Kitchener went on a late-season slide, and other players have really elevated their games to finish the year with a flourish (RNH, Huberdeau, Strome, etc.) We have to believe that there is an NHL club picking high who is totally unconcerned with Landeskog's lower production when compared to those guys and every year, the buzz and hype on the internet tends to get out of hand. People are riding the Strome bandwagon now and rightfully so, but that doesn't mean Landeskog will slide. A strong playoff performance and he's right back up near the top.
Here's a video by Open Ice Hockey that features three Kitchener teammates Landeskog, Murphy and Tobias Rieder. You can see that he's already got the hockey-isms like the prolific use of "obviously" down.
Here's an NHL profile on Landeskog. His composure and maturity really comes through in this video.
2. Ryan Strome, C Niagara- No player in the draft did more to come from the middle of the pack to grab elite draft status than Strome did this season. He had a magnificent year, finishing with 33 goals, 73 assists and 106 points, holding the OHL league scoring lead until the last day of the season, when Kings and Flyers prospects Tyler Toffoli (5 points) and Jason Akeson passed him up to both finish with 108. Missed a few games due to a Joey Hishon sucker punch, otherwise he probably would have led the OHL in scoring. Strome came into the season not on many radars in terms of being a first-round pick, but hit the ground running and never looked back. Average size, but grew a bit since last year, which helped him in terms of where he's regarded amongst scouts. Excellent skater who can beat defenders with his speed or elusiveness. Very soft hands and superb puckhandler who uses his feet and creativity to be a going concern offensively. Just a dynamic scorer who isn't quite in RNH's class, but isn't too far off, either. Will probably break into the top-5 in June because he is such a skilled player who can both score the goals and set them up. He's a hard worker who doesn't have any real flaws to his game- just needs to get stronger and continue to be diligent in the defensive aspects. He's a high character kid who has a good sense of humor and is one of the more adept young players on Twitter these days, which means little in the grand scheme of things, but will be welcome news for the media relations folks with the NHL team who drafts him. We don't want to say he came out of nowhere, because Strome did show flashes of his potential with Barrie and Niagara last season after coming over in a trade, but you'd have to be related to Nostradamus if you want to say that you saw this kind of a year coming.
Stock watch: Blue-chip; Strome is shooting through the roof right now because of what he did to tear it up after returning from the Hishon-induced concussion. He took it to the wire scoring-wise and impressed myriad scouts with his outstanding skills and hockey sense. He has all the makings of a solid top-six forward at the NHL level and has star potential as well.
Here's a TVCogeco interview with Strome done earlier in the season. He's going to be very popular with teams and media alike at the Combine.
Here's the goal he scored against Plymouth that really got folks buzzing about him- pure danglesauce.
3. Brandon Saad, LW Saginaw- It was a disappointing season for the power forward who came into the year as the top-ranked OHL player on many lists given his size and skill package. The 6-2, 210-pounder from Pennsylvania can really handle the puck and has a powerful shot that he can really rip- an NHL caliber release on it already. Saad also has a long, fluid stride. He's a powerful skater who can use his feet to get into scoring position and convert breakaways. He also anticipates well and seems to have a real good feel for the game's flow with good on-ice vision. After the season he had with the U.S. NTDP last year, big things were expected of him with the Spirit and he got off to a nice start only to tail off production-wise as he battled injuries and consistency woes. In terms of pure potential, there aren't many players better than Saad in the entire 2011 draft class, and if he falls closer to 10 or even out of the top-10, then the team who lands him could have big steal on their hands. His 27 goals and 55 points in 59 games isn't great, but is just scratching the surface of the kind of player he has the capability of becoming if he gets his development back on track. He's a horse along the walls and virtually impossible to slow down when he shields the puck and gets the cycle going. Scouts tell us he needs to play with more of a mean streak and raise the intensity levels, but all the tools are here for an accomplished NHL player in time.
Stock watch: Down, but like Landeskog, may have already sold enough teams on his value based purely on the physical package and upside he brings to the mix. When you look at the power and skill this kid possesses, you can see why he was so highly-touted coming into the season. Not everyone has the ideal draft year, but Saad is still worth a top-10 selection in our view.
You can see his breakaway capability in this video, as he beats P.K. Subban's little brother and then later exhibits some neat agility and footwork before ripping the puck past Malcolm Subban from the slot. Power forward goal right there- boom.
4. Dougie Hamilton, D Niagara- If you are a long-time reader of B2011DW, then you know that we've been big fans of Dougie for quite some time now. He just finished a record-setting season, establishing the club record for points by a d-man on the IceDogs with 58 on on 12 goals and 46 helpers (breaking Alex Pietrangelo's old mark). The offense from the 6-4, 195-pounder was pretty unexpected, as he only scored 3 goals and 16 points as a rookie and probably could have called a 34-point campaign a success. Hamilton is a very good skater for a defenseman of his size, exhibiting some real jump and smooth acceleration, top speed, and excellent lateral agility and footwork. His wheels allow him to jump into the play, and he's a self-described "sneaky offensive player" who scored several of his goals by shooting down into the slot and losing his man in time to rip the puck into the back of the net. With his size and mobility, he can play a shutdown role, but he has a big point shot, so he has power play duty in the NHL as a realistic option. He's a right-shooter, so on a team with a big lefty, Hamilton could be even more valuable. His coach, Marty Williamson, told us that Hamilton needs only minor tweaks to his game, and that he gets in trouble when he stops moving his feet (as most defenders do at any level- let's face it). Some scouts are concerned about his vision and ability to move the puck at the next level, but we don't see it. He's a solid kid with tremendous blood lines (both parents were Olympians in rowing and basketball) a high intellect (2010 OHL scholastic player of the year and could win it again this season) and outstanding work ethic. Teammates genuinely like him, and he will play the game with an edge, though he mostly keeps things simple and clean. We don't buy the concerns about this guy and feel that at the absolute lowest, he'll be a 4th/shutdown D at the NHL level. He has No. 1/solid No. 2 upside and should be a high pick.
Stock watch: Up; stud d-man needed to show scouts that he could take his impressive physical tools and put them together- he did that and more. There is a big disparity between his home ice production and that on the road, but the issues with Hamilton's game and season are pretty nitnoid. At the end of the day, this is the prototypical defenseman NHL teams are looking for: big, mobile, skilled and having upside. Hard to imagine he'll drop very far on draft day, but a strong playoff would certainly lock him up inside the top-10 we think.
Here's an NHL.com profile on Dougie. You can see how well-spoken and articulate he is. He's primed to make a real impression at the draft combine.
Here's the sneaky he was talking about with us, with assists going to older brother Freddie and Strome.
More sneaky, with another hookup with Strome.
5. Ryan Murphy, D Kitchener- One might look at the fifth ranking and think that B2011DW is down on Murphy, but not so. We saw him live and could immediately understand what everyone was buzzing about. He's as dynamic a skater as they come, and he handles the puck so adroitly that he can create instant offense on his own. For a smaller guy (5-10 or 5-11, 180), he can really fire the puck and gets a ton of velocity and power on his shot, much like Windsor 100-point scorer and Nashville 1st-rounder in '09 Ryan Ellis, but we try to avoid Ellis comparisons, because they are different players who only really have the small size and production to link them. Murphy just missed hitting 80 points this season with a 26 goal, 53-assist campaign derailed by a late-season concussion that forced him to miss time. Still, he scored 20 more goals and 40 more points in just one more game in his second OHL season than he did a year ago. There is so much to love about this kid's game- we could go on and on. And positionally, he's done a nice job of improving his overall defense. The concerns come in when it comes to durability and whether NHL clubs feel he can take a regular shift on D. His coach, Steve Spott was emphatic with us that he will be a top-2 NHL defenseman when we spoke to him about it, but that is not a consensus opinion. If Murphy goes anywhere before pick 7 or 8, then the team that chooses him will be in Spott's camp. The injury concerns are real, as more and more smaller players who skate at such high speeds and are fearless in the offensive zone are getting blown up. Murphy took a big hit late in the year and wasn't the same. He also struggled through lower body injuries that reduced his effectiveness as the grind of the season wore on. On pure talent alone, Murphy is a no-brainer for any NHL team looking for offense from the blue line, but with more and more importance being placed on high picks and getting them right, he carries some risk as well. Murphy has excellent character and is a good teammate; the only thing working against him is the lack of size when you project him in the NHL going up against 6-3 and 6-4 power forwards and taking those big open ice hits when he's gunning through the neutral zone carrying the puck as he is wont to do. Maybe it amounts to nothing, but it is something teams are discussing.
Stock watch: Down, but it's all relative and nothing that a deep playoff run won't solve. Again, nobody doubts the skill or production- it's all there. Where Murphy goes in the 2011 draft will be more about things beyond his control, so all he can do is to remain healthy and put forth his best effort and the rest will take care of itself.
Here's an NHL.com profile on Murphy. He likes Mike Green, go figure.
Here's Don Cherry's Coach's Corner segment from HNIC on Murphy, posted to YouTube by our very own friend of blog, Dom T. Settle down on Murphy going No. 1 overall, Grapes- but Murphy is a heckuva player, no doubt.
6. Matt Puempel, LW Peterborough- The 2010 CHL Rookie of the Year followed up his 33-goal first OHL season with 34 goals and 69 points in 55 games (to finish with the team scoring lead even though he missed 13 games) before suffering a hip injury that ended his season. His production was laudable because he didn't get a lot of help on his Petes team, but still managed to remain a threat to score even with a lot of checking attention on him. He has just average size at 6-0, 190 pounds, but compensates for that with his skating, hands and heavy shot that has pinpoint accuracy. Smooth stride and can gain separation; will go into traffic and the places on the ice where he must in order to score. He reads and anticipates the play extremely well, and is one of those guys who just seems to find ways to get himself into scoring situations. When all is said and done, he's probably one of the more underrated players in the OHL class, because given what he's accomplished in two seasons offensively, he's not on the tips of many tongues when talking about the top-10 guys in the 2011 draft. Puempel has a slender frame and needs to get stronger, but there are no issues with his high-end skills. He's been dinged for going through streaky periods where he isn't involved as much as he should be, but the reality is- he played hurt in the Ivan Hlinka (back) and still managed to be productive. He's probably got more skill and talent than several of the players ranked ahead of him and could be another one of those steals who, people will look back on and wonder how he lasted where he did in the draft.
Stock watch: Steady- no playoffs for Puempel, which means NHL teams who draft him will have to be confident that he'll come back from his hip injury as good as he was before. Given the advances in medical science that allow full recoveries and other injured players who have still been taken high in the NHL draft with injury concerns, Puempel shouldn't drop very far because of that.
Here's the Kruz Cam with Pete Dalliday from last season when Puempel played in the Under-17s (with Strome and Hamilton, btw)
And an ANewsLondon feature on him from the CHL Top Prospects Game.
7. Vladislav Namestnikov, C London- Skilled Russian came over to the OHL this season and played very well, finishing second to Bruins prospect Jared Knight (25 goals 70 points) in scoring for London with 30 goals and 68 points in as many games. He's a late-92 birthdate who made an immediate impact with his team and adjusted well to the North American game. Namestnikov led all Knights players with 30 markers this season and has high-end skills and nice wheels. He's very average-sized at 6-0 and about 170, so will have a lot of off-ice work to do in order to get his body ready for the pro hockey grind, but he's highly adept at handling the puck, setting up the play and thinks the game at an advanced level. He speaks perfect English, as he spent much of his youth in the U.S. and Canada while his dad, Evgeny, was playing in the NHL and AHL. His uncle, Slava Kozlov is a Stanley Cup champion and 800+ point scorer in the NHL, so Namestnikov's sterling blood lines will help. He's a typical skilled European player who is very good offensively, but is still a work in progress in terms of his defense, but there is some upside here for sure.
Here's an ANewsLondon feature on him from before the season started.
Fluky shootout goal here from London Knights, but you can see how he can rip it...
8. Nicklas Jensen, LW Oshawa- Perhaps the best player ever to come out of Denmark, this power forward prospect has it all: size, skill and some real intriguing NHL potential if he could just figure out how to keep his on switch engaged throughout a game. We saw him in January, and he was dominant, scoring several goals, assisting on a couple of others, and playing a tenacious game in all zones. Unfortunately, NHL scouts tell us that he was pretty inconsistent at times. His physical play was also inconsistent, as he had the size to own the wall and establish position in front of the net, but didn't do it as often as scouts expected. He's a long strider who covers a lot of ground with a powerful push, but needs to keep the feet moving. He can really rip it, too- scores more than a few goals from the outside with laser release and ability to pick corners. So, while he brings some real impressive talents and abilities to the mix, Jensen has to keep his compete levels at a higher level. How far will he drop in the draft? Our guess is not too far past 20 if at all because he is such a talented player that a team is likely going to believe they can reach and keep motivated. The 6-3, 190-pounder has plenty of room to fill out, and with 29 goals and 58 points in 61 games, proved he can score with the best of them. If Boone Jenner's motor was installed inside this kid, he'd be a top-three pick- no kidding. Big upside with this one, but some bust potential as well.
Oh, this is pretty.
9. Alexander Khokhlachev, C Windsor- Small (5-10, 170), but dynamic pivot had a terrific first season in North America with the two-time reigning Memorial Cup champions. In 67 games, he scored 34 goals and 76 points for the Spitfires. He's got explosive burst and top-end speed with that slippery elusiveness that makes a player with his quick stick so dangerous in open ice. He's one of those guys who just seems to live around the net and for making opportunities happen from very little to work with. Highly creative- the classic Russian player who can out-skate you, dangle the puck through you or around you, and then effortlessly fire it into the net. On the downside, he's not very strong and pretty one-dimensional. But, he plays with a lot of energy and enthusiasm. He'll put forth the effort and belongs solidly in any first-round discussion.
Here are highlights of his four-goal game against Kitchener from pal Jerome B at NHLDraftVideo.
10. Boone Jenner, C, Oshawa- If he were a better skater, Jenner would be one of the most talked about players in this draft period. As it stands, he's probably going to be picked in the first round, even with the mobility concerns. "He just skates his bag off," said one NHL scout summing up Jenner's nonstop motor and work ethic in just a few words. Nothing fancy, just tough- he's got good size at 6-1, 195 and does whatever it takes to win. Plays with an edge and did improve his skating stride significantly from his first OHL season to this year. He's got quick mitts and the ability to finish in close even if he won't get many style points in the process. His 25 goals and 66 points in 63 games for the Generals this season are up from the 19 and 49 he posted last year. Not a flashy guy, but a pure leader who inspires with his example and will likely be more than the sum of his parts at the pro level because of his internal drive and character. If the feet were a little quicker, he'd be a no-brainer inside the top-10, but we think he's probably done enough to earn a top-30 selection for a team looking to steal a future captain and crunch time stud.
Here's a nice backhand goal posted on NHLDraftVideo.
11. Mark Schiefiele, C Barrie- Another player who didn't come into the season with high expectations, but outperformed other bigger names and may have done enough to get himself into the first round. If not, he's an early second-rounder at the absolute latest. Tall (6-3) lanky center has a long stride and will get more powerful as he adds mass to his frame. Was one of the few bright spots on a moribund Barrie Colts club this season- scoring 22 goals and 53 assists for 75 points in 66 games- that's saying something for a team that went 15-49-0-4 on the year. One NHL scout told us that he's a "safe" guy in that he has the requisite size and talent to be an NHL player and has a lacrosse background as well. Nice hands and shifty moves make him difficult to defend. Also displays good hockey sense. Could be one of those classic off-the-board picks because he brings so much to the table and could develop into a beast as he reaches his physical peak. Definitely one to watch on draft day.
12. Lucas Lessio, LW Oshawa- Former 7th overall pick in 2009 by Niagara refused to report and was headed to the University of Michigan until Oshawa acquired his rights and convinced him to go the OHL route. At 6-1, 195, has nice size and is a very good skater who can separate from defenders and also has good lateral agility for shifty moves as well. Hands and shot are all first-round caliber. Has good vision and will make high-end plays when he has time and space to work with. Maddeningly inconsistent- compete levels and effort wavers from shift to shift, even moreso than Jensen in our opinion. We watched him chirp at the referee in one game after being slashed while his team broke up ice on a 2-on-1. Would have been a 3-on-1 had he gotten up and jumped into the play- that kind of lack of discipline is what prevents a highly talented player like Lessio from ever being the full sum of his impressive parts. If the light ever goes on for him, he could be a star in the NHL, but we fear he will always be one of those guys who always leaves people wanting more. Posted 27-27-54 totals in 66 games for the Generals.
Nobody ever said he couldn't score. When he's involved, he's one of the more talented and dangerous players in this class.
Just missed: Rickard Rakell, Shane Prince, Daniel Catenacci, Stefan Noesen, Stuart Percy and Vince Trocheck. Perhaps we will do a follow-up post to include those players as well, as you could make a case for a couple in the 1st and everyone at the least in the 2nd round. That underscores the quality depth coming out of the OHL this season. We'll also feature late-risers like Ryan Sproul of Sault Ste, Marie and Justin Sefton of Sudbury and look at some overage options as well. If there is anyone else you'd like to see featured from the OHL, drop a comment and we'll see what we can do.
We'll move to that after we do the NCAA, Europe, U.S./Canada juniors and U.S. high school posts, however.
The OHL's depth in this class is once again the story of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft, right up there with Sweden, who, when we do the European roundup of players playing across the Atlantic, you'll see dominate that top-12 as well.
In breaking down the OHL class, it's truly remarkable how many legitimate draft options with upside the league has produced this year. And even if you may not agree with the exact order in which these players are ranked, we've done our best to assess them based on skill and potential, in talking to numerous sources with NHL teams who cover the OHL.
So, let's get this roundup going and break down what these players did in the regular season.
Here is the post we did on the OHL way back in August when we previewed the class. It's pretty stunning who went on to post the kind of year that has kept them in the elite prospects, while other guys on the preseason preview pretty much fell off the map. It just goes to show you how much things can change from the 16-17 season to the 17-18-YO campaign when you factor in pressures of being in the draft year, team dynamics, injuries and the numerous other factors that determine whether a kid steps it up or crashes and burns.
On that note, here's the ranking:
1. Gabriel Landeskog, RW Kitchener- Some have Ryan Strome ahead of this Swedish power forward and that's just fine. We are B2011DW are sticking with several scouts, who feel that while Landeskog's potential offensive ceiling may not be quite as high as Stome's, he's more of a complete package and as a power forward, is a safer bet to take first. Would we be surprised at NHL teams having Strome as the top OHL player on their board? Not at all. But Landeskog has a solid two-season track record, while Strome broke out this season, so the first-ever European captain of the Rangers gets the slight edge. Landeskog finished with 36 goals and 66 points in 53 games with 61 penalty minutes, demonstrating that he can finish and plays with an edge, but isn't an undisciplined player. You have to look long and hard for any flaws in Landeskog's game, and his character, intelligence and attitude are beyond his years as an 18-year-old who had his birthday in November. Landeskog is not huge- only about 6-0/6-1 but is a very stout 205 pounds and has a lot of upper- and lower-body strength. He's a good skater who isn't a blazer, but does have nice jump and can separate. He's very strong on his skates and uses that lower leg drive to go right to the net, fight off defenders and make things happen in close. He can fire the puck off the rush, but while his drive is heavy, it's not all that overpowering, so he does his best work between the hashmarks. Landeskog sees the ice well and distributes the puck as his pretty even split of goals and assists attests. Landeskog suffered a high ankle sprain just before the WJC, and then re-aggravated it in Sweden's first game against Norway, forcing him to miss about 6 weeks of the season. That hurt his production, but even if he had played the whole year, he would not have put up 100+ points. The strength of his game is in his completeness as a player: he can play the finesse game or grind it out, blocks shots, kills penalties, fights and does whatever his team needs him to do. He's compared a lot to Jarome Iginla, which is apropos, considering Landeskog looks up to the Calgary captain the most as his model player. He not only passed on going the traditional route via Swedish Elite League to come to North America, but plays a decidedly North American-style game. The only real criticism you'll find with Landeskog is in his ultimate upside, as his overall skill level is not as high as Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Strome or even Jonathan Huberdeau. But in the end, because he does so many things well and is a heart-and-soul player, he's going inside the top-four of the 2011 draft, end of story. He's also got hockey bloodlines, as his father, Tony was a rugged defenseman in the SEL. Looks like the younger Landeskog inherited some of the best attributes from his dad.
Stock watch: Believe it or not, Central Scouting's #1 North American skater at mid-season is a little down going into the playoffs not because he played poorly, but because Kitchener went on a late-season slide, and other players have really elevated their games to finish the year with a flourish (RNH, Huberdeau, Strome, etc.) We have to believe that there is an NHL club picking high who is totally unconcerned with Landeskog's lower production when compared to those guys and every year, the buzz and hype on the internet tends to get out of hand. People are riding the Strome bandwagon now and rightfully so, but that doesn't mean Landeskog will slide. A strong playoff performance and he's right back up near the top.
Here's a video by Open Ice Hockey that features three Kitchener teammates Landeskog, Murphy and Tobias Rieder. You can see that he's already got the hockey-isms like the prolific use of "obviously" down.
Here's an NHL profile on Landeskog. His composure and maturity really comes through in this video.
2. Ryan Strome, C Niagara- No player in the draft did more to come from the middle of the pack to grab elite draft status than Strome did this season. He had a magnificent year, finishing with 33 goals, 73 assists and 106 points, holding the OHL league scoring lead until the last day of the season, when Kings and Flyers prospects Tyler Toffoli (5 points) and Jason Akeson passed him up to both finish with 108. Missed a few games due to a Joey Hishon sucker punch, otherwise he probably would have led the OHL in scoring. Strome came into the season not on many radars in terms of being a first-round pick, but hit the ground running and never looked back. Average size, but grew a bit since last year, which helped him in terms of where he's regarded amongst scouts. Excellent skater who can beat defenders with his speed or elusiveness. Very soft hands and superb puckhandler who uses his feet and creativity to be a going concern offensively. Just a dynamic scorer who isn't quite in RNH's class, but isn't too far off, either. Will probably break into the top-5 in June because he is such a skilled player who can both score the goals and set them up. He's a hard worker who doesn't have any real flaws to his game- just needs to get stronger and continue to be diligent in the defensive aspects. He's a high character kid who has a good sense of humor and is one of the more adept young players on Twitter these days, which means little in the grand scheme of things, but will be welcome news for the media relations folks with the NHL team who drafts him. We don't want to say he came out of nowhere, because Strome did show flashes of his potential with Barrie and Niagara last season after coming over in a trade, but you'd have to be related to Nostradamus if you want to say that you saw this kind of a year coming.
Stock watch: Blue-chip; Strome is shooting through the roof right now because of what he did to tear it up after returning from the Hishon-induced concussion. He took it to the wire scoring-wise and impressed myriad scouts with his outstanding skills and hockey sense. He has all the makings of a solid top-six forward at the NHL level and has star potential as well.
Here's a TVCogeco interview with Strome done earlier in the season. He's going to be very popular with teams and media alike at the Combine.
Here's the goal he scored against Plymouth that really got folks buzzing about him- pure danglesauce.
3. Brandon Saad, LW Saginaw- It was a disappointing season for the power forward who came into the year as the top-ranked OHL player on many lists given his size and skill package. The 6-2, 210-pounder from Pennsylvania can really handle the puck and has a powerful shot that he can really rip- an NHL caliber release on it already. Saad also has a long, fluid stride. He's a powerful skater who can use his feet to get into scoring position and convert breakaways. He also anticipates well and seems to have a real good feel for the game's flow with good on-ice vision. After the season he had with the U.S. NTDP last year, big things were expected of him with the Spirit and he got off to a nice start only to tail off production-wise as he battled injuries and consistency woes. In terms of pure potential, there aren't many players better than Saad in the entire 2011 draft class, and if he falls closer to 10 or even out of the top-10, then the team who lands him could have big steal on their hands. His 27 goals and 55 points in 59 games isn't great, but is just scratching the surface of the kind of player he has the capability of becoming if he gets his development back on track. He's a horse along the walls and virtually impossible to slow down when he shields the puck and gets the cycle going. Scouts tell us he needs to play with more of a mean streak and raise the intensity levels, but all the tools are here for an accomplished NHL player in time.
Stock watch: Down, but like Landeskog, may have already sold enough teams on his value based purely on the physical package and upside he brings to the mix. When you look at the power and skill this kid possesses, you can see why he was so highly-touted coming into the season. Not everyone has the ideal draft year, but Saad is still worth a top-10 selection in our view.
You can see his breakaway capability in this video, as he beats P.K. Subban's little brother and then later exhibits some neat agility and footwork before ripping the puck past Malcolm Subban from the slot. Power forward goal right there- boom.
4. Dougie Hamilton, D Niagara- If you are a long-time reader of B2011DW, then you know that we've been big fans of Dougie for quite some time now. He just finished a record-setting season, establishing the club record for points by a d-man on the IceDogs with 58 on on 12 goals and 46 helpers (breaking Alex Pietrangelo's old mark). The offense from the 6-4, 195-pounder was pretty unexpected, as he only scored 3 goals and 16 points as a rookie and probably could have called a 34-point campaign a success. Hamilton is a very good skater for a defenseman of his size, exhibiting some real jump and smooth acceleration, top speed, and excellent lateral agility and footwork. His wheels allow him to jump into the play, and he's a self-described "sneaky offensive player" who scored several of his goals by shooting down into the slot and losing his man in time to rip the puck into the back of the net. With his size and mobility, he can play a shutdown role, but he has a big point shot, so he has power play duty in the NHL as a realistic option. He's a right-shooter, so on a team with a big lefty, Hamilton could be even more valuable. His coach, Marty Williamson, told us that Hamilton needs only minor tweaks to his game, and that he gets in trouble when he stops moving his feet (as most defenders do at any level- let's face it). Some scouts are concerned about his vision and ability to move the puck at the next level, but we don't see it. He's a solid kid with tremendous blood lines (both parents were Olympians in rowing and basketball) a high intellect (2010 OHL scholastic player of the year and could win it again this season) and outstanding work ethic. Teammates genuinely like him, and he will play the game with an edge, though he mostly keeps things simple and clean. We don't buy the concerns about this guy and feel that at the absolute lowest, he'll be a 4th/shutdown D at the NHL level. He has No. 1/solid No. 2 upside and should be a high pick.
Stock watch: Up; stud d-man needed to show scouts that he could take his impressive physical tools and put them together- he did that and more. There is a big disparity between his home ice production and that on the road, but the issues with Hamilton's game and season are pretty nitnoid. At the end of the day, this is the prototypical defenseman NHL teams are looking for: big, mobile, skilled and having upside. Hard to imagine he'll drop very far on draft day, but a strong playoff would certainly lock him up inside the top-10 we think.
Here's an NHL.com profile on Dougie. You can see how well-spoken and articulate he is. He's primed to make a real impression at the draft combine.
Here's the sneaky he was talking about with us, with assists going to older brother Freddie and Strome.
More sneaky, with another hookup with Strome.
5. Ryan Murphy, D Kitchener- One might look at the fifth ranking and think that B2011DW is down on Murphy, but not so. We saw him live and could immediately understand what everyone was buzzing about. He's as dynamic a skater as they come, and he handles the puck so adroitly that he can create instant offense on his own. For a smaller guy (5-10 or 5-11, 180), he can really fire the puck and gets a ton of velocity and power on his shot, much like Windsor 100-point scorer and Nashville 1st-rounder in '09 Ryan Ellis, but we try to avoid Ellis comparisons, because they are different players who only really have the small size and production to link them. Murphy just missed hitting 80 points this season with a 26 goal, 53-assist campaign derailed by a late-season concussion that forced him to miss time. Still, he scored 20 more goals and 40 more points in just one more game in his second OHL season than he did a year ago. There is so much to love about this kid's game- we could go on and on. And positionally, he's done a nice job of improving his overall defense. The concerns come in when it comes to durability and whether NHL clubs feel he can take a regular shift on D. His coach, Steve Spott was emphatic with us that he will be a top-2 NHL defenseman when we spoke to him about it, but that is not a consensus opinion. If Murphy goes anywhere before pick 7 or 8, then the team that chooses him will be in Spott's camp. The injury concerns are real, as more and more smaller players who skate at such high speeds and are fearless in the offensive zone are getting blown up. Murphy took a big hit late in the year and wasn't the same. He also struggled through lower body injuries that reduced his effectiveness as the grind of the season wore on. On pure talent alone, Murphy is a no-brainer for any NHL team looking for offense from the blue line, but with more and more importance being placed on high picks and getting them right, he carries some risk as well. Murphy has excellent character and is a good teammate; the only thing working against him is the lack of size when you project him in the NHL going up against 6-3 and 6-4 power forwards and taking those big open ice hits when he's gunning through the neutral zone carrying the puck as he is wont to do. Maybe it amounts to nothing, but it is something teams are discussing.
Stock watch: Down, but it's all relative and nothing that a deep playoff run won't solve. Again, nobody doubts the skill or production- it's all there. Where Murphy goes in the 2011 draft will be more about things beyond his control, so all he can do is to remain healthy and put forth his best effort and the rest will take care of itself.
Here's an NHL.com profile on Murphy. He likes Mike Green, go figure.
Here's Don Cherry's Coach's Corner segment from HNIC on Murphy, posted to YouTube by our very own friend of blog, Dom T. Settle down on Murphy going No. 1 overall, Grapes- but Murphy is a heckuva player, no doubt.
6. Matt Puempel, LW Peterborough- The 2010 CHL Rookie of the Year followed up his 33-goal first OHL season with 34 goals and 69 points in 55 games (to finish with the team scoring lead even though he missed 13 games) before suffering a hip injury that ended his season. His production was laudable because he didn't get a lot of help on his Petes team, but still managed to remain a threat to score even with a lot of checking attention on him. He has just average size at 6-0, 190 pounds, but compensates for that with his skating, hands and heavy shot that has pinpoint accuracy. Smooth stride and can gain separation; will go into traffic and the places on the ice where he must in order to score. He reads and anticipates the play extremely well, and is one of those guys who just seems to find ways to get himself into scoring situations. When all is said and done, he's probably one of the more underrated players in the OHL class, because given what he's accomplished in two seasons offensively, he's not on the tips of many tongues when talking about the top-10 guys in the 2011 draft. Puempel has a slender frame and needs to get stronger, but there are no issues with his high-end skills. He's been dinged for going through streaky periods where he isn't involved as much as he should be, but the reality is- he played hurt in the Ivan Hlinka (back) and still managed to be productive. He's probably got more skill and talent than several of the players ranked ahead of him and could be another one of those steals who, people will look back on and wonder how he lasted where he did in the draft.
Stock watch: Steady- no playoffs for Puempel, which means NHL teams who draft him will have to be confident that he'll come back from his hip injury as good as he was before. Given the advances in medical science that allow full recoveries and other injured players who have still been taken high in the NHL draft with injury concerns, Puempel shouldn't drop very far because of that.
Here's the Kruz Cam with Pete Dalliday from last season when Puempel played in the Under-17s (with Strome and Hamilton, btw)
And an ANewsLondon feature on him from the CHL Top Prospects Game.
7. Vladislav Namestnikov, C London- Skilled Russian came over to the OHL this season and played very well, finishing second to Bruins prospect Jared Knight (25 goals 70 points) in scoring for London with 30 goals and 68 points in as many games. He's a late-92 birthdate who made an immediate impact with his team and adjusted well to the North American game. Namestnikov led all Knights players with 30 markers this season and has high-end skills and nice wheels. He's very average-sized at 6-0 and about 170, so will have a lot of off-ice work to do in order to get his body ready for the pro hockey grind, but he's highly adept at handling the puck, setting up the play and thinks the game at an advanced level. He speaks perfect English, as he spent much of his youth in the U.S. and Canada while his dad, Evgeny, was playing in the NHL and AHL. His uncle, Slava Kozlov is a Stanley Cup champion and 800+ point scorer in the NHL, so Namestnikov's sterling blood lines will help. He's a typical skilled European player who is very good offensively, but is still a work in progress in terms of his defense, but there is some upside here for sure.
Here's an ANewsLondon feature on him from before the season started.
Fluky shootout goal here from London Knights, but you can see how he can rip it...
8. Nicklas Jensen, LW Oshawa- Perhaps the best player ever to come out of Denmark, this power forward prospect has it all: size, skill and some real intriguing NHL potential if he could just figure out how to keep his on switch engaged throughout a game. We saw him in January, and he was dominant, scoring several goals, assisting on a couple of others, and playing a tenacious game in all zones. Unfortunately, NHL scouts tell us that he was pretty inconsistent at times. His physical play was also inconsistent, as he had the size to own the wall and establish position in front of the net, but didn't do it as often as scouts expected. He's a long strider who covers a lot of ground with a powerful push, but needs to keep the feet moving. He can really rip it, too- scores more than a few goals from the outside with laser release and ability to pick corners. So, while he brings some real impressive talents and abilities to the mix, Jensen has to keep his compete levels at a higher level. How far will he drop in the draft? Our guess is not too far past 20 if at all because he is such a talented player that a team is likely going to believe they can reach and keep motivated. The 6-3, 190-pounder has plenty of room to fill out, and with 29 goals and 58 points in 61 games, proved he can score with the best of them. If Boone Jenner's motor was installed inside this kid, he'd be a top-three pick- no kidding. Big upside with this one, but some bust potential as well.
Oh, this is pretty.
9. Alexander Khokhlachev, C Windsor- Small (5-10, 170), but dynamic pivot had a terrific first season in North America with the two-time reigning Memorial Cup champions. In 67 games, he scored 34 goals and 76 points for the Spitfires. He's got explosive burst and top-end speed with that slippery elusiveness that makes a player with his quick stick so dangerous in open ice. He's one of those guys who just seems to live around the net and for making opportunities happen from very little to work with. Highly creative- the classic Russian player who can out-skate you, dangle the puck through you or around you, and then effortlessly fire it into the net. On the downside, he's not very strong and pretty one-dimensional. But, he plays with a lot of energy and enthusiasm. He'll put forth the effort and belongs solidly in any first-round discussion.
Here are highlights of his four-goal game against Kitchener from pal Jerome B at NHLDraftVideo.
10. Boone Jenner, C, Oshawa- If he were a better skater, Jenner would be one of the most talked about players in this draft period. As it stands, he's probably going to be picked in the first round, even with the mobility concerns. "He just skates his bag off," said one NHL scout summing up Jenner's nonstop motor and work ethic in just a few words. Nothing fancy, just tough- he's got good size at 6-1, 195 and does whatever it takes to win. Plays with an edge and did improve his skating stride significantly from his first OHL season to this year. He's got quick mitts and the ability to finish in close even if he won't get many style points in the process. His 25 goals and 66 points in 63 games for the Generals this season are up from the 19 and 49 he posted last year. Not a flashy guy, but a pure leader who inspires with his example and will likely be more than the sum of his parts at the pro level because of his internal drive and character. If the feet were a little quicker, he'd be a no-brainer inside the top-10, but we think he's probably done enough to earn a top-30 selection for a team looking to steal a future captain and crunch time stud.
Here's a nice backhand goal posted on NHLDraftVideo.
11. Mark Schiefiele, C Barrie- Another player who didn't come into the season with high expectations, but outperformed other bigger names and may have done enough to get himself into the first round. If not, he's an early second-rounder at the absolute latest. Tall (6-3) lanky center has a long stride and will get more powerful as he adds mass to his frame. Was one of the few bright spots on a moribund Barrie Colts club this season- scoring 22 goals and 53 assists for 75 points in 66 games- that's saying something for a team that went 15-49-0-4 on the year. One NHL scout told us that he's a "safe" guy in that he has the requisite size and talent to be an NHL player and has a lacrosse background as well. Nice hands and shifty moves make him difficult to defend. Also displays good hockey sense. Could be one of those classic off-the-board picks because he brings so much to the table and could develop into a beast as he reaches his physical peak. Definitely one to watch on draft day.
12. Lucas Lessio, LW Oshawa- Former 7th overall pick in 2009 by Niagara refused to report and was headed to the University of Michigan until Oshawa acquired his rights and convinced him to go the OHL route. At 6-1, 195, has nice size and is a very good skater who can separate from defenders and also has good lateral agility for shifty moves as well. Hands and shot are all first-round caliber. Has good vision and will make high-end plays when he has time and space to work with. Maddeningly inconsistent- compete levels and effort wavers from shift to shift, even moreso than Jensen in our opinion. We watched him chirp at the referee in one game after being slashed while his team broke up ice on a 2-on-1. Would have been a 3-on-1 had he gotten up and jumped into the play- that kind of lack of discipline is what prevents a highly talented player like Lessio from ever being the full sum of his impressive parts. If the light ever goes on for him, he could be a star in the NHL, but we fear he will always be one of those guys who always leaves people wanting more. Posted 27-27-54 totals in 66 games for the Generals.
Nobody ever said he couldn't score. When he's involved, he's one of the more talented and dangerous players in this class.
Just missed: Rickard Rakell, Shane Prince, Daniel Catenacci, Stefan Noesen, Stuart Percy and Vince Trocheck. Perhaps we will do a follow-up post to include those players as well, as you could make a case for a couple in the 1st and everyone at the least in the 2nd round. That underscores the quality depth coming out of the OHL this season. We'll also feature late-risers like Ryan Sproul of Sault Ste, Marie and Justin Sefton of Sudbury and look at some overage options as well. If there is anyone else you'd like to see featured from the OHL, drop a comment and we'll see what we can do.
We'll move to that after we do the NCAA, Europe, U.S./Canada juniors and U.S. high school posts, however.
Friday, January 21, 2011
CHL Top Prospects Game Analysis: Team Orr- the forwards
Here's the final analysis post series of the 2011 CHL Top Prospects Game, closing out with the victorious Team Orr forwards.
Jonathan Huberdeau, C Saint John (QMJHL)-- The Ryan Strome of the Quebec league in terms of a player who is blowing expectations out of the water; Huberdeau is rising fast (and his 4th overall Central ranking is much more in line with his potential than where they had Strome) --just having a sensational season for the Sea Dogs. Watching him a little last year, you knew he had the height, hands and creativity to be a skilled offensive pivot, but the revelation this season has been the way he's filling the net. Wednesday's top prospects game was no exception, as he pounced on David Musil's rebound, patiently waited for a sprawling Christopher Gibson to take himself out of the play and then slid the puck into the open cage. That kind of poise and patience is a hallmark of any legitimate goal scorer. Huberdeau has a long, fluid stride and is one of those players who the puck seems to follow around the ice. He got into some physical shoving matches and didn't back down. His meteoric rise reminds me a bit of another Quebecois center in 2006- Derick Brassard, who secured top-10 draft billing with Columbus after an outstanding second-half of the season and playoffs. The difference with Huberdeau is-- he's been doing it all year. This kid is a stud; he plays with some real swagger and I love his intelligence and fire.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, C Red Deer (WHL)-- B2011DW has been a fan of the 'Nuge since watching video of him from last season. Like Huberdeau, Team Orr's captain had a statement game in which he made a lot of things happen offensively for Orr. Granted, it was one game, and you can see why he's one of the top scorers amongst the draft-eligible forwards this year. He's an elite skater, with instant acceleration and outstanding top-end speed and the shifty elusiveness that you want to see from the small-to-average sized guys, which is what he is. RNH is a terrific puckhandler, and with his superior vision and offensive hockey sense, he's a going concern most nights. The top prospects game also revealed an aspect of a little of the frustration some scouts have expressed about him off-line: he made several brilliant plays to set up goals, but didn't show much finish and wasn't able to find the shooting lanes to provide evidence that his 13 goals this season are an aberration. There's some risk with the 'Nuge because as highly skilled as he is, his size deficit could work against him in the NHL. The curious lack of goal scoring (though he's coming through with more than an assist per game) is something that will be talked about in a lot of NHL war rooms this spring, but make no mistake-- he's a top-four pick come June.
Vladislav Namestnikov, C London (OHL)-- The Knights pivot got into the game ahead of another offensively gifted Russian in Windsor's Alexander Khokhlachev, but showed off some of his slick puck moves and offensive potential. He assisted on Dougie Hamilton's goal by gaining the zone along the right wall, putting on the brakes to shake the defender, and then hitting the Niagara defenseman with a perfect cross-ice feed that Hamilton was able to power through. You can see that he has magical hands and the ability to do some really cool things in the offensive zone because he's more of a slippery center who has that innate ability to elude the would-be checker and find his open teammate for a quality scoring chance. Namestnikov did not come off as well as RNH and Huberdeau, but he helped himself with an active, involved game.
Boone Jenner, C Oshawa (OHL)-- This game was very typical of what Jenner is as a player: solid, productive but unremarkable. Jenner isn't a great skater, but has gotten to the point at least where any deficiencies are not noticeable, according to one NHL scout who expressed some serious concerns before the season about Jenner's wheels. He does hustle, however, and his heart and willingness to work the proverbial bag off all the time go a long way toward erasing any concerns that may linger about the skating. He's a pretty straight-line player: A to B without a lot of flash and dash. And, you don't necessarily find yourself drawn to him during a game, but at the end of the night, you look at the boxscore and there he is, with a couple of points. That's how his top prospects performance looked on video-- you heard his name, but didn't really notice him all that much, until the puck ended up in the net and you realized that he was in on the play. He's got intangibles, and doesn't seem like much of a fit for the Bruins given how stacked they are at center, but you never know. One thing seems certain, though-- some NHL team will call Jenner's name early enough in the draft. The biggest question with him is upside, but given the work he's done to get his skating more where it needs to be, don't bet against this guy.
Lucas Lessio, C/W Oshawa (OHL)-- A fellow General with Jenner and Team Cherry forward Nicklas Jensen, Lessio is what I would call the "Anti-Jenner" in that he's about the same size as his fellow center (6-1, 190+) but certainly is blessed with an inordinate amount of natural skating ability and quick stick/offensive prowess. It's the work ethic, intensity and consistency which seem to be lacking. Lessio didn't do a whole lot in the game, to be honest. Yes, because he's got good wheels, you heard his name a few times and he was in and around the play in the Cherry end, but I thought his play was pretty similar to what I saw from him on New Year's Day. He's noticeable in stretches simply because he's too talented a player not to be, but he comes off lazy and uninvolved at times. I know this sounds bad, and in Lessio's defense, it's really hard to get a read on a player just by watching on television. This guy is a prototypical NHL forward in terms of the physical tools and skills, but he's got some maturing to do.
Colin Jacobs, C Seattle (WHL)-- A pretty nondescript performance overall, although the Texas native did show off some good skating ability playing on a line with Brandon Saad and Vince Trocheck. Watching him, I was reminded of what one NHL scout told me about Jacobs earlier this season: that he looks like a player with the size, skating and puck skills, but at the end of the day, he doesn't seem to accomplish a whole lot. Not a bad guy to take in the third-round maybe, but if you're talking top-60, there's some risk because of the inconsistent production.
Daniel Catenacci, LW Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)-- The top pick in the OHL Priority Selection two years ago looked precisely like the No. 1 guy in this game, dazzling with his speed and killer instinct on the shorthanded goal scored in the 1st period to take the wind out of Team Cherry's sails after they dominated territorially and in the first five to ten minutes. Although small, Catenacci is highly dynamic and has gotten a chance to spread his wings this season according to reports from scouts. He's susceptible to being out-muscled along the boards and in the dirty areas in front of the net, but he's active, involved and hustles. Catenacci made the most of his chance at the Ivan Hlinka in August and has carried over that gold medal pedigree with the Greyhounds this season to force his way into the draft picture after many NHL teams had him as barely a blip on the radars prior to August. His stock will continue to rise after this game.
Brandon Saad, RW Saginaw (OHL)-- The American power winger from Pennsylvania didn't have a flashy game, but he stood out with his size, strength, and ability to cycle the puck and control the play down low. When Cherry was running the table on Orr early, it was Saad who bought his team some time to regroup by maintaining puck possession in the Cherry zone and creating an early scoring chance that took some pressure off of Liam Liston and the Orr defense. You didn't see much of the offense that is so appealing and why he looks to be a top-10 pick in June, but Saad was solid. He's one guy I wish would have been in Buffalo for Team USA at the WJC not only for the chance to see him, but because there wasn't enough of a size/skill element on the wings. USA was big up the middle, but I think Jim Johannson and company blew it with their winger makeup-- too many small, slick guys, not enough beef. No offense intended to Chris Brown, but he didn't have the pure skill and scoring upside Saad would have brought in addition to his wide body and ability to aid int he puck possession game. He'll be in Calgary for sure in 2012, unless he happens to be skating for an NHL team somewhere, which doesn't seem probable, but you never know.
Vince Trocheck, LW Saginaw (OHL)-- Saad's teammate and fellow Keystone stater had a solid game and scored a goal that he probably should not have, but that's what happens when the defender (Myles Bell) is asleep at the switch and let's you get in behind him, while the goalie is playing so deep in his net, he has no chance to react to the perfect backhand shot coming his way. That's what Trocheck did to David Honzik, but that kind of opportunistic scoring is what Trocheck tends to do. He doesn't have much in the way of size, but is a live skater and plays bigger than his 5-10 frame should allow. This kid looks to be more than the sum of his parts, and it will be interesting to see where he's drafted. If a team loves him enough, look at the early 2nd, maybe even late 1st. But, if he slips past 50 like Jason Zucker did last season, Trocheck could be a steal.
Sven Bartschi, LW Portland (WHL)-- The Winterhawk scoring winger showed that he has a knack for closing out the play when high-end table setters give him an opportunity. Bartschi and RNH combined on Team Orr's second goal, a play Gibson had no chance on after the Red Deer center forced the Cherry goalie to play him all the way before dishing to his driving Swiss linemate who didn't miss. The speed, hands and offensive capability I saw from Bartschi in Buffalo was on display in the top prospects game. So was the tendency to play out on the perimeter. He did get into a dustup with Duncan Siemens behind the Cherry net, but was happy to see Musil jump in and take on the hard-nosed Saskatoon rearguard. Bartschi is a gifted scorer, but he doesn't have countryman and Portland teammate Nino Niederreiter's edge or grit. Sven doesn't have Niederreiter's size, and is a decent, polite chap, but if I were on an NHL scouting staff, I wouldn't be in favor of drafting him in the first round. It's an opinion I know for a fact NHL teams don't share-- he'll go in the top-30 come June, but at the end of the day, even with the goal, I saw nothing addressed about the concerns I had from watching the WJC late last month.
Shane McColgan, RW Kelowna (WHL)-- The smallest and lowest-ranked (102nd) by Central player in the game showed some energy and feistiness. There isn't a whole lot else to say-- the concerns about the size at the NHL level are founded. He doesn't appear to have any more growing to do, and he may not be skilled enough to be the kind of difference-maker at that level. Time will tell, but he didn't get a ton of ice time to show a great deal to those who watched.
Zack Phillips, LW Saint John (QMJHL)-- Like Jenner, Phillips had the kind of top prospects game that scouts have seen from him in Saint John. He's not the fastest guy out there or all that dynamic, but man-- when he's around the net and the puck is nearby, chances are, it will be behind the goalie soon. He finished off a nice play with RNH when the diminutive center took the puck hard to the net, backing Honzik deep into the cage along the goal line. Phillips pounced on the loose puck sitting in front of the Cherry netminder and calmly flipped it over the Czech goalie (and that guy does take up a good portion of the net even when down). It was as unspectacular a score that you'll see, but it gets to what Phillips is: a smart, opportunistic player who happens to make the most of his chances. I understand he's been playing more of the center role in Saint John, with Huberdeau on the wing, but Phillips will be a winger in the pros.
Well-- there you have it.
Will try to get some more viewings of the games and see what else I can come up with, but time to move on with the second half of the season. Will have many more posts to keep things rolling all through winter and into the spring when things heat up, so keep coming back for more- this blog space will deliver the kind of in-depth NHL draft coverage the hardest of the hardcore hockey fans crave and demand!
Jonathan Huberdeau, C Saint John (QMJHL)-- The Ryan Strome of the Quebec league in terms of a player who is blowing expectations out of the water; Huberdeau is rising fast (and his 4th overall Central ranking is much more in line with his potential than where they had Strome) --just having a sensational season for the Sea Dogs. Watching him a little last year, you knew he had the height, hands and creativity to be a skilled offensive pivot, but the revelation this season has been the way he's filling the net. Wednesday's top prospects game was no exception, as he pounced on David Musil's rebound, patiently waited for a sprawling Christopher Gibson to take himself out of the play and then slid the puck into the open cage. That kind of poise and patience is a hallmark of any legitimate goal scorer. Huberdeau has a long, fluid stride and is one of those players who the puck seems to follow around the ice. He got into some physical shoving matches and didn't back down. His meteoric rise reminds me a bit of another Quebecois center in 2006- Derick Brassard, who secured top-10 draft billing with Columbus after an outstanding second-half of the season and playoffs. The difference with Huberdeau is-- he's been doing it all year. This kid is a stud; he plays with some real swagger and I love his intelligence and fire.
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, C Red Deer (WHL)-- B2011DW has been a fan of the 'Nuge since watching video of him from last season. Like Huberdeau, Team Orr's captain had a statement game in which he made a lot of things happen offensively for Orr. Granted, it was one game, and you can see why he's one of the top scorers amongst the draft-eligible forwards this year. He's an elite skater, with instant acceleration and outstanding top-end speed and the shifty elusiveness that you want to see from the small-to-average sized guys, which is what he is. RNH is a terrific puckhandler, and with his superior vision and offensive hockey sense, he's a going concern most nights. The top prospects game also revealed an aspect of a little of the frustration some scouts have expressed about him off-line: he made several brilliant plays to set up goals, but didn't show much finish and wasn't able to find the shooting lanes to provide evidence that his 13 goals this season are an aberration. There's some risk with the 'Nuge because as highly skilled as he is, his size deficit could work against him in the NHL. The curious lack of goal scoring (though he's coming through with more than an assist per game) is something that will be talked about in a lot of NHL war rooms this spring, but make no mistake-- he's a top-four pick come June.
Vladislav Namestnikov, C London (OHL)-- The Knights pivot got into the game ahead of another offensively gifted Russian in Windsor's Alexander Khokhlachev, but showed off some of his slick puck moves and offensive potential. He assisted on Dougie Hamilton's goal by gaining the zone along the right wall, putting on the brakes to shake the defender, and then hitting the Niagara defenseman with a perfect cross-ice feed that Hamilton was able to power through. You can see that he has magical hands and the ability to do some really cool things in the offensive zone because he's more of a slippery center who has that innate ability to elude the would-be checker and find his open teammate for a quality scoring chance. Namestnikov did not come off as well as RNH and Huberdeau, but he helped himself with an active, involved game.
Boone Jenner, C Oshawa (OHL)-- This game was very typical of what Jenner is as a player: solid, productive but unremarkable. Jenner isn't a great skater, but has gotten to the point at least where any deficiencies are not noticeable, according to one NHL scout who expressed some serious concerns before the season about Jenner's wheels. He does hustle, however, and his heart and willingness to work the proverbial bag off all the time go a long way toward erasing any concerns that may linger about the skating. He's a pretty straight-line player: A to B without a lot of flash and dash. And, you don't necessarily find yourself drawn to him during a game, but at the end of the night, you look at the boxscore and there he is, with a couple of points. That's how his top prospects performance looked on video-- you heard his name, but didn't really notice him all that much, until the puck ended up in the net and you realized that he was in on the play. He's got intangibles, and doesn't seem like much of a fit for the Bruins given how stacked they are at center, but you never know. One thing seems certain, though-- some NHL team will call Jenner's name early enough in the draft. The biggest question with him is upside, but given the work he's done to get his skating more where it needs to be, don't bet against this guy.
Lucas Lessio, C/W Oshawa (OHL)-- A fellow General with Jenner and Team Cherry forward Nicklas Jensen, Lessio is what I would call the "Anti-Jenner" in that he's about the same size as his fellow center (6-1, 190+) but certainly is blessed with an inordinate amount of natural skating ability and quick stick/offensive prowess. It's the work ethic, intensity and consistency which seem to be lacking. Lessio didn't do a whole lot in the game, to be honest. Yes, because he's got good wheels, you heard his name a few times and he was in and around the play in the Cherry end, but I thought his play was pretty similar to what I saw from him on New Year's Day. He's noticeable in stretches simply because he's too talented a player not to be, but he comes off lazy and uninvolved at times. I know this sounds bad, and in Lessio's defense, it's really hard to get a read on a player just by watching on television. This guy is a prototypical NHL forward in terms of the physical tools and skills, but he's got some maturing to do.
Colin Jacobs, C Seattle (WHL)-- A pretty nondescript performance overall, although the Texas native did show off some good skating ability playing on a line with Brandon Saad and Vince Trocheck. Watching him, I was reminded of what one NHL scout told me about Jacobs earlier this season: that he looks like a player with the size, skating and puck skills, but at the end of the day, he doesn't seem to accomplish a whole lot. Not a bad guy to take in the third-round maybe, but if you're talking top-60, there's some risk because of the inconsistent production.
Daniel Catenacci, LW Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)-- The top pick in the OHL Priority Selection two years ago looked precisely like the No. 1 guy in this game, dazzling with his speed and killer instinct on the shorthanded goal scored in the 1st period to take the wind out of Team Cherry's sails after they dominated territorially and in the first five to ten minutes. Although small, Catenacci is highly dynamic and has gotten a chance to spread his wings this season according to reports from scouts. He's susceptible to being out-muscled along the boards and in the dirty areas in front of the net, but he's active, involved and hustles. Catenacci made the most of his chance at the Ivan Hlinka in August and has carried over that gold medal pedigree with the Greyhounds this season to force his way into the draft picture after many NHL teams had him as barely a blip on the radars prior to August. His stock will continue to rise after this game.
Brandon Saad, RW Saginaw (OHL)-- The American power winger from Pennsylvania didn't have a flashy game, but he stood out with his size, strength, and ability to cycle the puck and control the play down low. When Cherry was running the table on Orr early, it was Saad who bought his team some time to regroup by maintaining puck possession in the Cherry zone and creating an early scoring chance that took some pressure off of Liam Liston and the Orr defense. You didn't see much of the offense that is so appealing and why he looks to be a top-10 pick in June, but Saad was solid. He's one guy I wish would have been in Buffalo for Team USA at the WJC not only for the chance to see him, but because there wasn't enough of a size/skill element on the wings. USA was big up the middle, but I think Jim Johannson and company blew it with their winger makeup-- too many small, slick guys, not enough beef. No offense intended to Chris Brown, but he didn't have the pure skill and scoring upside Saad would have brought in addition to his wide body and ability to aid int he puck possession game. He'll be in Calgary for sure in 2012, unless he happens to be skating for an NHL team somewhere, which doesn't seem probable, but you never know.
Vince Trocheck, LW Saginaw (OHL)-- Saad's teammate and fellow Keystone stater had a solid game and scored a goal that he probably should not have, but that's what happens when the defender (Myles Bell) is asleep at the switch and let's you get in behind him, while the goalie is playing so deep in his net, he has no chance to react to the perfect backhand shot coming his way. That's what Trocheck did to David Honzik, but that kind of opportunistic scoring is what Trocheck tends to do. He doesn't have much in the way of size, but is a live skater and plays bigger than his 5-10 frame should allow. This kid looks to be more than the sum of his parts, and it will be interesting to see where he's drafted. If a team loves him enough, look at the early 2nd, maybe even late 1st. But, if he slips past 50 like Jason Zucker did last season, Trocheck could be a steal.
Sven Bartschi, LW Portland (WHL)-- The Winterhawk scoring winger showed that he has a knack for closing out the play when high-end table setters give him an opportunity. Bartschi and RNH combined on Team Orr's second goal, a play Gibson had no chance on after the Red Deer center forced the Cherry goalie to play him all the way before dishing to his driving Swiss linemate who didn't miss. The speed, hands and offensive capability I saw from Bartschi in Buffalo was on display in the top prospects game. So was the tendency to play out on the perimeter. He did get into a dustup with Duncan Siemens behind the Cherry net, but was happy to see Musil jump in and take on the hard-nosed Saskatoon rearguard. Bartschi is a gifted scorer, but he doesn't have countryman and Portland teammate Nino Niederreiter's edge or grit. Sven doesn't have Niederreiter's size, and is a decent, polite chap, but if I were on an NHL scouting staff, I wouldn't be in favor of drafting him in the first round. It's an opinion I know for a fact NHL teams don't share-- he'll go in the top-30 come June, but at the end of the day, even with the goal, I saw nothing addressed about the concerns I had from watching the WJC late last month.
Shane McColgan, RW Kelowna (WHL)-- The smallest and lowest-ranked (102nd) by Central player in the game showed some energy and feistiness. There isn't a whole lot else to say-- the concerns about the size at the NHL level are founded. He doesn't appear to have any more growing to do, and he may not be skilled enough to be the kind of difference-maker at that level. Time will tell, but he didn't get a ton of ice time to show a great deal to those who watched.
Zack Phillips, LW Saint John (QMJHL)-- Like Jenner, Phillips had the kind of top prospects game that scouts have seen from him in Saint John. He's not the fastest guy out there or all that dynamic, but man-- when he's around the net and the puck is nearby, chances are, it will be behind the goalie soon. He finished off a nice play with RNH when the diminutive center took the puck hard to the net, backing Honzik deep into the cage along the goal line. Phillips pounced on the loose puck sitting in front of the Cherry netminder and calmly flipped it over the Czech goalie (and that guy does take up a good portion of the net even when down). It was as unspectacular a score that you'll see, but it gets to what Phillips is: a smart, opportunistic player who happens to make the most of his chances. I understand he's been playing more of the center role in Saint John, with Huberdeau on the wing, but Phillips will be a winger in the pros.
Well-- there you have it.
Will try to get some more viewings of the games and see what else I can come up with, but time to move on with the second half of the season. Will have many more posts to keep things rolling all through winter and into the spring when things heat up, so keep coming back for more- this blog space will deliver the kind of in-depth NHL draft coverage the hardest of the hardcore hockey fans crave and demand!
Monday, January 10, 2011
Central Scouting's mid-season rankings: North American skaters pt. 3; risers, fallers and sleepers + goalies
Back with the final installment of the Central Scouting mid-season rankings initial analysis. Will try to track down a couple of Central Scouting contacts in the coming days and try to drill down on some of the players.
Looking at the risers, fallers and sleepers here for North Americans. Will also take a quick look at the NA goalies, too.
Risers
32nd Rickard Rakell, RW Plymouth (OHL)-- This guy was kind of like Gabriel Landeskog-lite at the WJC once Landeskog went out with the high ankle sprain. He skates well, has an active stick and is an abrasive cuss who agitates a bit and is effective at drawing penalty calls. He's another Swede who left his home country for the smaller ice and more rough-and-tumble game of the OHL and has adapted well. Don't be surprised if he ends up going somewhere between 20-30 on draft day.
43rd Daniel Catenacci, C Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)-- This small, but ultra-skilled player was the top OHL pick a few years back, but coming into this season, hadn't done a great deal to establish himself as a top-round NHL draft prospect. He's having a very good year and making NHL scouts re-think their positions on him coming into it.
58th Scott Oke, LW Saint John (QMJHL)-- Oke has had a strong first half given the expectations, but 58th? Really? Big, lanky guy, but does he project as a top-three round pick? More data required.
63rd Mike Mersch, LW University of Wisconsin (WCHA)-- This NTDP grad didn't have a lot of buzz coming into the 10-11 season, though scouts liked him. But, Redline Report's Max Giese has weighed in on why he likes Mersch so much on this blog earlier this season. You can read it here. But Mersch looks to be rewarded by Central for his work in Madison. And, while he doesn't project as a high-end guy in the NHL, he's one of those guys you win with.
Fallers
44th Lucas Lessio, LW Oshawa Generals (OHL)-- This player has first-round size and skills with the ability to be a difference maker every shift, but has been knocked for his wavering compete levels. Saw that firsthand last week against Kitchener, so there's something to that. He'll fall lower than he should if he doesn't figure out how to dial it up better.
61st Adam Clendening, D Boston University (HE)-- Have to admit that this ranking threw me. I've seen Clendening a few times and thought he's been pretty good for a freshman player competing in the Hockey East. I certainly feel he's handled the transition better than Matt Nieto, who is five six slots higher at 55th. But, Central obviously disagrees and I've had some Twitter traffic from at least one BU fan who has not been impressed with Clendening. Will have to give him a closer look in future viewings.
74th Tobias Rieder, C Kitchener Rangers (OHL)-- If this ranking is based on the WJC, I can understand it. Rieder just wasn't very good in Buffalo. But in fairness, neither was his team. From what I understand, Rieder has been a better player in the OHL than he was in the IIHF competition, so is this another too-low CS ranking like Jeff Skinner last year? Could be.
75th Andrei Pedan, D Guelph Storm (OHL)-- A lot expected of this big, mobile and promising Russian, but he has yet to really show much in the OHL this year based on information from my contacts. He was a final cut on Team Russia, who went exclusively with a 1991-born team with the exception of Evgeni Kuznetsov at the WJC. He has the ability to control the play from the back end as he reportedly showed at last spring's Under-18s, but has been pretty mediocre in Guelph.
102nd Shane McColgan, RW Kelowna Rockets (WHL)-- Youch! What happened? Size matters and McColgan doesn't have it. But sluggish play after tonsils removed seems to have dropped him like a rock. Going to be tough sledding for the Californian who doesn't appear to have any growth spurt left to prove he has the skill to play in the NHL.
Sleepers
35th Shane Prince, C Ottawa 67's (OHL)-- OK- the Rochester-area native is not really a classic sleeper in that everyone knows him now after what he's been doing in the OHL scoring race. But having him at 35 doesn't make him a riser, and I don't want to call him a faller either. So, the speedy little scorer is a sleeper until further notice.
120th Charles Orzetti, LW NJ Hitmen (EJHL)-- This power forward was a 2010 prospect, but missed all of last season with an injury, so he's back in the pool. Skates pretty well for a big man (6-4, 210) and has good hands. Very raw and not all that instinctive, but could have an NHL future as a third liner.
128th Joakim Ryan, D Dubuque Fighting Saints (USHL)-- New Jersey-born and raised, but plays for Sweden because of mother's (and tennis pro) heritage. This kid is small, but fast and skilled. He's got excellent athletic bloodlines and will be a project but is someone with some upside so long as patience taken with him.
LV Connor Murphy, D USA U-18 (USHL)-- Gord Murphy's son can't seem to stay healthy. He's on the shelf again this season after missing most of last year with a wonky back. But, out of sight, out mind applies and he could be a later-round steal. He's got dad's size and brings more of an offensive upside than old No. 28 for the Bruins did.
Goalies
John Gibson deserves his spot atop the NA goalie rankings. At 6-2 and 205, he has the big frame and athleticism NHL teams demand of their netminders. He's also very calm, cool and collected. Unfortunately, he's just a year behind IIHF legend Jack Campbell, which means Gibson won't get his shot to shine on the world stage as much. So, it will be critical for the NTDP star from Pennsylvania to get it done in tournaments like the Four Nations in Feb. and of course, the Under-18 Championship in Apr.
Christopher Gibson sounds North American, but he's all European from Finland. The son of a British ex-pat father and Finnish mother, Gibson came over to play in the Notre Dame Hounds program in Wilcox, Sask. before ending up in QMJHL frontier outpost Chicoutimi. Gibson has been very good on a not so great team- the typical butterfly goalie with a 6-1 frame. Very nice prospect.
Matt McNeely is Gibson's Team USA backup in Ann Arbor, a similar goalie in terms of style and substance from Minnesota, but playing time for him will be tougher to come by and he's more raw than Gibson.
I'm also liking Steve Michalek of Loomis-Chaffee who had a great Ivan Hlinka for Team USA and has been beseiged at the prep level but has posted very respectable numbers. He's more of a sleeper than most goalies on the list, but at 6, it's nice to see Central has noticed.
I'll get some better insights on some of the other goalies on the list and be back at some point to shed some better light on them.
Tomorrow, we'll get a closer look at some of the key Europeans.
Looking at the risers, fallers and sleepers here for North Americans. Will also take a quick look at the NA goalies, too.
Risers
32nd Rickard Rakell, RW Plymouth (OHL)-- This guy was kind of like Gabriel Landeskog-lite at the WJC once Landeskog went out with the high ankle sprain. He skates well, has an active stick and is an abrasive cuss who agitates a bit and is effective at drawing penalty calls. He's another Swede who left his home country for the smaller ice and more rough-and-tumble game of the OHL and has adapted well. Don't be surprised if he ends up going somewhere between 20-30 on draft day.
43rd Daniel Catenacci, C Sault Ste. Marie (OHL)-- This small, but ultra-skilled player was the top OHL pick a few years back, but coming into this season, hadn't done a great deal to establish himself as a top-round NHL draft prospect. He's having a very good year and making NHL scouts re-think their positions on him coming into it.
58th Scott Oke, LW Saint John (QMJHL)-- Oke has had a strong first half given the expectations, but 58th? Really? Big, lanky guy, but does he project as a top-three round pick? More data required.
63rd Mike Mersch, LW University of Wisconsin (WCHA)-- This NTDP grad didn't have a lot of buzz coming into the 10-11 season, though scouts liked him. But, Redline Report's Max Giese has weighed in on why he likes Mersch so much on this blog earlier this season. You can read it here. But Mersch looks to be rewarded by Central for his work in Madison. And, while he doesn't project as a high-end guy in the NHL, he's one of those guys you win with.
Fallers
44th Lucas Lessio, LW Oshawa Generals (OHL)-- This player has first-round size and skills with the ability to be a difference maker every shift, but has been knocked for his wavering compete levels. Saw that firsthand last week against Kitchener, so there's something to that. He'll fall lower than he should if he doesn't figure out how to dial it up better.
61st Adam Clendening, D Boston University (HE)-- Have to admit that this ranking threw me. I've seen Clendening a few times and thought he's been pretty good for a freshman player competing in the Hockey East. I certainly feel he's handled the transition better than Matt Nieto, who is five six slots higher at 55th. But, Central obviously disagrees and I've had some Twitter traffic from at least one BU fan who has not been impressed with Clendening. Will have to give him a closer look in future viewings.
74th Tobias Rieder, C Kitchener Rangers (OHL)-- If this ranking is based on the WJC, I can understand it. Rieder just wasn't very good in Buffalo. But in fairness, neither was his team. From what I understand, Rieder has been a better player in the OHL than he was in the IIHF competition, so is this another too-low CS ranking like Jeff Skinner last year? Could be.
75th Andrei Pedan, D Guelph Storm (OHL)-- A lot expected of this big, mobile and promising Russian, but he has yet to really show much in the OHL this year based on information from my contacts. He was a final cut on Team Russia, who went exclusively with a 1991-born team with the exception of Evgeni Kuznetsov at the WJC. He has the ability to control the play from the back end as he reportedly showed at last spring's Under-18s, but has been pretty mediocre in Guelph.
102nd Shane McColgan, RW Kelowna Rockets (WHL)-- Youch! What happened? Size matters and McColgan doesn't have it. But sluggish play after tonsils removed seems to have dropped him like a rock. Going to be tough sledding for the Californian who doesn't appear to have any growth spurt left to prove he has the skill to play in the NHL.
Sleepers
35th Shane Prince, C Ottawa 67's (OHL)-- OK- the Rochester-area native is not really a classic sleeper in that everyone knows him now after what he's been doing in the OHL scoring race. But having him at 35 doesn't make him a riser, and I don't want to call him a faller either. So, the speedy little scorer is a sleeper until further notice.
120th Charles Orzetti, LW NJ Hitmen (EJHL)-- This power forward was a 2010 prospect, but missed all of last season with an injury, so he's back in the pool. Skates pretty well for a big man (6-4, 210) and has good hands. Very raw and not all that instinctive, but could have an NHL future as a third liner.
128th Joakim Ryan, D Dubuque Fighting Saints (USHL)-- New Jersey-born and raised, but plays for Sweden because of mother's (and tennis pro) heritage. This kid is small, but fast and skilled. He's got excellent athletic bloodlines and will be a project but is someone with some upside so long as patience taken with him.
LV Connor Murphy, D USA U-18 (USHL)-- Gord Murphy's son can't seem to stay healthy. He's on the shelf again this season after missing most of last year with a wonky back. But, out of sight, out mind applies and he could be a later-round steal. He's got dad's size and brings more of an offensive upside than old No. 28 for the Bruins did.
Goalies
John Gibson deserves his spot atop the NA goalie rankings. At 6-2 and 205, he has the big frame and athleticism NHL teams demand of their netminders. He's also very calm, cool and collected. Unfortunately, he's just a year behind IIHF legend Jack Campbell, which means Gibson won't get his shot to shine on the world stage as much. So, it will be critical for the NTDP star from Pennsylvania to get it done in tournaments like the Four Nations in Feb. and of course, the Under-18 Championship in Apr.
Christopher Gibson sounds North American, but he's all European from Finland. The son of a British ex-pat father and Finnish mother, Gibson came over to play in the Notre Dame Hounds program in Wilcox, Sask. before ending up in QMJHL frontier outpost Chicoutimi. Gibson has been very good on a not so great team- the typical butterfly goalie with a 6-1 frame. Very nice prospect.
Matt McNeely is Gibson's Team USA backup in Ann Arbor, a similar goalie in terms of style and substance from Minnesota, but playing time for him will be tougher to come by and he's more raw than Gibson.
I'm also liking Steve Michalek of Loomis-Chaffee who had a great Ivan Hlinka for Team USA and has been beseiged at the prep level but has posted very respectable numbers. He's more of a sleeper than most goalies on the list, but at 6, it's nice to see Central has noticed.
I'll get some better insights on some of the other goalies on the list and be back at some point to shed some better light on them.
Tomorrow, we'll get a closer look at some of the key Europeans.
Saturday, January 1, 2011
New Year's Day in Oshawa
Had a terrific New Year's Eve with close and very special friends in Toronto's Greektown-- had a delicious Greek cuisine dinner at Christina's (the saganaki and dolmades were fab-u-lous!) and then went to Dora-Keogh's Irish Pub on Danforth.
We rang in the new year with beer, shots of Jag and vintage cider plus a great live band/trio called the Mash-Men. They had the place rocking with an unbelievable rendition of Neil Young's "Cinnamon Girl" and the Tragically Hip's "Ahead By A Century." When the clock struck twelve, they brought 2011 in with U2's "New Year's Day" and the house down with it.
Today was a late-monring breakfast followed by the trip to Oshawa to see the Generals take on the Kitchener Rangers. The General Motors Center is a sparkling newer building with a terrific Hall of Fame exhibit that contains some unbelievable game-used equipment and memorabilia from great players in Oshawa Generals/area history including a game-used Bobby Orr Generals sweater. The building was nearly full (dwarfing some of the AHL crowds I've seen) and there was a festive atmosphere. Any true hockey fan should get to an OHL or CHL (any league) game at some point in their lives just for the experience.
The home team won 4-2, thanks to a very good game from Danish forward Nicklas Jensen, whose stock had taken a bit of a hit over the last month or so. But, he had a dominant day with 1G, 4 PTS and impressed me with his skill and effort levels. Boone Jenner had a good game as well, working hard and making things happen. Lucas Lessio was less impressive, with an uneven effort even with his very visible talent level on display.
On the Kitchener side, defenseman Ryan Murphy certainly showed his outstanding wheels, hands and offensive game even without much to show for it on the scoring ledger. But, I also saw the things NHL scouts have told me about in terms of his positioning and defensive awareness. He didn't do poorly per se, but that's what's keeping him from being a slam-dunk for the top-three picks in this draft.
One regret: that Gabriel Landeskog and Tobias Rieder weren't in the lineup today for the Rangers. Would have been great to see them with the Rangers, even though I saw WJC action from Rieder and had limited viewing of Landeskog before the injury vs. Norway.
I'll have more details on these guys tomorrow or Monday when I can break out the detailed game notes.
But I couldn't not post on New Year's right?
I hope everyone had a terrific year and that the next 365 is even better.
Oh, and how good does it feel to finally arrive in 2011? Draft day will be here before we know it.
We rang in the new year with beer, shots of Jag and vintage cider plus a great live band/trio called the Mash-Men. They had the place rocking with an unbelievable rendition of Neil Young's "Cinnamon Girl" and the Tragically Hip's "Ahead By A Century." When the clock struck twelve, they brought 2011 in with U2's "New Year's Day" and the house down with it.
Today was a late-monring breakfast followed by the trip to Oshawa to see the Generals take on the Kitchener Rangers. The General Motors Center is a sparkling newer building with a terrific Hall of Fame exhibit that contains some unbelievable game-used equipment and memorabilia from great players in Oshawa Generals/area history including a game-used Bobby Orr Generals sweater. The building was nearly full (dwarfing some of the AHL crowds I've seen) and there was a festive atmosphere. Any true hockey fan should get to an OHL or CHL (any league) game at some point in their lives just for the experience.
The home team won 4-2, thanks to a very good game from Danish forward Nicklas Jensen, whose stock had taken a bit of a hit over the last month or so. But, he had a dominant day with 1G, 4 PTS and impressed me with his skill and effort levels. Boone Jenner had a good game as well, working hard and making things happen. Lucas Lessio was less impressive, with an uneven effort even with his very visible talent level on display.
On the Kitchener side, defenseman Ryan Murphy certainly showed his outstanding wheels, hands and offensive game even without much to show for it on the scoring ledger. But, I also saw the things NHL scouts have told me about in terms of his positioning and defensive awareness. He didn't do poorly per se, but that's what's keeping him from being a slam-dunk for the top-three picks in this draft.
One regret: that Gabriel Landeskog and Tobias Rieder weren't in the lineup today for the Rangers. Would have been great to see them with the Rangers, even though I saw WJC action from Rieder and had limited viewing of Landeskog before the injury vs. Norway.
I'll have more details on these guys tomorrow or Monday when I can break out the detailed game notes.
But I couldn't not post on New Year's right?
I hope everyone had a terrific year and that the next 365 is even better.
Oh, and how good does it feel to finally arrive in 2011? Draft day will be here before we know it.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Central Scouting Preliminary Rankings: the OHL Pt. 2
This is part 2 of the Central Scouting's OHL preliminary list, covering 11-25 and the goaltenders.
Russians Vladislav Namestnikov (London) and Alexander Khokhlachev (Windsor) are 11 and 12 on the list respectively and are two very skilled and impressive prospects. Namestnikov had a slow start in his adjustment to the OHL, but has come on of late for the Knights. One scout saw him this week and described him as "very slick", vowing to move him up in his rankings. Khokhlachev got off to a great start and has continued his torrid scoring pace with nine goals and 28 points in 19 games with the Spits. He doesn't have a lot of size, but is explosive, creative and deadly with the puck.
Stefan Noesen and Swede Rickard Rakell are both with the Plymouth Whalers and are having solid, if unspectacular seasons. Noesen is a Texas native who has come on in impressive fashion in his second OHL season leading the team in scoring with 23 points, while Rakell is in his first North American campaign after taking a page from Landeskog's book. He's got nice speed and hands, but must get stronger before he'll be ready to compete for NHL employment.
London defenseman Scott Harrington rounds out the top-15, and has had an up-and-down season thus far. Although big, mobile and skilled enough to be a stalwart two-way defenseman, reports are that he's just not put it together enough this season. And, the hockey sense is a bit questionable, too. Will he have the vision and split-second decision-making skills to be a factor at the next level?
Oshawa's Lucas Lessio at 17 was a surprise as a player a bit low for what has been said of him on the street. Another Oshawa forward, he's not quite at a point-per-game clip with 15 in 20 games, but when on his game is a horse. If he can find better consistency the rest of the way, he should rise.
Shane Prince at 18 is an interesting option; although small, he's very fast and has been an opportunistic scorer and fan favorite in Ottawa this season. One scout still felt Prince was too high, even at 18 though.
Barrie center Mark Scheifele is 19th on the Central list and is attracting attention from some of the independent scouting sources as an intriguing draft prospect. That said, our source is not sold.
"I know a lot of guys out there like (Scheifele), but he doesn't do much for me," the NHL scout said. "I see him as a mid-rounder and just don't think much of his overall game and potential."
Garrett Meurs (21), David Broll (24) and Austen Brassard (25) are all preseason contenders who finished in the top-25.
Meurs hasn't been able to get it going after being seen as the player most likely to lead the Whalers in scoring after Tyler Seguin's departure. He has fine skill and is a nice playmaker, but simply hasn't gotten untracked.
Broll is a big, aggressive power forward for the Erie Otters, but his skating is poor with very little initial burst and a lumbering stride/heavy feet. Unless he can pick up a step, he'll be graded down significantly as a legitimate top-two round player.
Brassard is cut from the same cloth as Broll and it's really a six one way, half-dozen the other with these two, because it all comes down to personal preference as both bring a similar kind of style and upside to the mix.
Notable omissions were center Alan Quine, who was dealt to Peterborough for Spooner, and Mississauga defenseman Stuart Percy.
"Quine could end up being this year's Joey Hishon," the scout said, pointing out that Hishon, a first-round pick of Colorado last season was not in Central's OHL preliminary rankings a year ago. "Percy plays on a very defensive club and hasn't put up much in the way of numbers. I'm a little surprised he's not on the list, but you can make a case as to why he's not."
As far as goalies go, Owen Sound's Jordan Binnington was No. 1, followed by Matt Mahalak of Plymouth, who has been a major disappointment after coming into the season with a lot of hype. In only six games, Mahalak has a horrific .828 save percentage for the Whalers and has sat while No. 1 Scott Wedgewood (New Jersey prospect) has taken the ball and run with it. Mahalak could be one of those goalies you see every year: they come into their draft season with a ton of promise, don't live up to it and fall in the draft, only to resurrect their stock and status the following year and play their way into top prospect discussions later when the pressure of the draft season is behind them. The Islanders' Kevin Poulin comes to mind. Belleville's Tyson Teichmann, who captured gold for Team Canada at the Ivan Hlinka in August, is another disappointment this season and was seventh out of eight on the list.
That's a wrap on the OHL list-- I hope you were able to get through this and found the insights informative.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
QMJHL, OHL Super Series rosters announced
I was going to wait until the WHL roster was put out, but with the QMJHL and OHL being on the streets, don't want to get too far behind the power curve for the 2010 CHL vs. Russia Super Series.
These have pretty much been walkovers in recent years, with the CHL clubs manhandling Russian squads who haven't the best the country has to offer. I don't expect this year to be any different, especially with so many of Russia's top 2011 draft eligibles skating in (gulp) the CHL-- Alexander Khoklachev, Andrey Pedan, Vladislav Namestnikov, Andrei Makarov and so on.
Here's the QMJHL entry with the 2011 draft-eligibles in bold:
Goalies
Jean-Francois Berube, Montreal Juniors
Maxime Clermont, Gatineau Olympiques
Olivier Roy, Acadie-Bathurst Titan
Defensemen
Nathan Beaulieu, Saint John Sea Dogs
Nicolas Deslauriers, Gatineau Olympiques
Simon Despres, Saint John Sea Dogs
Jerome Gauthier-Leduc, Rimouski Oceanic
Brandon Gormley, Moncton Wildcats
Ryan Kavanagh, Rimouski Oceanic
Jean-Philippe Mathieu, Drummondville Voltigeurs
Xavier Ouellet, Montreal Juniors
Charles-Olivier Roussel, Montreal Juniors
Forwards
Guillaume Asselin, Chicoutimi Sagueneens
Louis-Marc Aubry, Montreal Juniors
Michael Bournival, Shawinigan Cataractes
Jonathan Brunelle, Drummondville Voltigeurs
Sean Couturier, Drummondville Voltigeurs
Jonathan Huberdeau, Saint John Sea Dogs
Brandon Hynes, Victoriaville Tigres
Louis Leblanc, Montreal Juniors
Philippe Lefebvre, Montreal Juniors
Jonathan Lessard, Acadie-Bathurst Titan
Philippe Paradis, PEI Rocket
Trevor Parkes, Montreal Juniors
Zack Phillips, Saint John Sea Dogs
Jean-Francois Berube, Montreal Juniors
Maxime Clermont, Gatineau Olympiques
Olivier Roy, Acadie-Bathurst Titan
Defensemen
Nathan Beaulieu, Saint John Sea Dogs
Nicolas Deslauriers, Gatineau Olympiques
Simon Despres, Saint John Sea Dogs
Jerome Gauthier-Leduc, Rimouski Oceanic
Brandon Gormley, Moncton Wildcats
Ryan Kavanagh, Rimouski Oceanic
Jean-Philippe Mathieu, Drummondville Voltigeurs
Xavier Ouellet, Montreal Juniors
Charles-Olivier Roussel, Montreal Juniors
Forwards
Guillaume Asselin, Chicoutimi Sagueneens
Louis-Marc Aubry, Montreal Juniors
Michael Bournival, Shawinigan Cataractes
Jonathan Brunelle, Drummondville Voltigeurs
Sean Couturier, Drummondville Voltigeurs
Jonathan Huberdeau, Saint John Sea Dogs
Brandon Hynes, Victoriaville Tigres
Louis Leblanc, Montreal Juniors
Philippe Lefebvre, Montreal Juniors
Jonathan Lessard, Acadie-Bathurst Titan
Philippe Paradis, PEI Rocket
Trevor Parkes, Montreal Juniors
Zack Phillips, Saint John Sea Dogs
There will be two games-- one in Saint John (Nov. 8) and one in Drummondville (Nov. 10). Berube, Kavanagh and Lefebvre are scheduled to play only in Saint John, while Clermont, Mathieu and Brunelle are on the docket for Drummondville.
OHL-- One game in London (Nov. 11), one in Sudbury (Nov. 15)
London roster
Goalies
Scott Stajcer, Owen Sound Attack
Scott Wedgewood, Plymouth Whalers
Defensemen:
Jesse Blacker, Owen Sound Attack
Calvin de Haan, Oshawa Generals
Taylor Doherty, Kingston Frontenacs
Erik Gudbranson, Kingston Frontenacs
Scott Harrington, London Knights
Ryan Murphy, Kitchener Rangers
Forwards:
Taylor Beck, Guelph Storm
Sam Carrick, Brampton Battalion
Joey Hishon, Owen Sound Attack
Peter Holland, Guelph Storm
Boone Jenner, Oshawa Generals
Michael Latta, Guelph Storm
Lucas Lessio, Oshawa Generals
Michael MacDonald, London Knights
Ryan Martindale, Ottawa 67’s
Christian Thomas, Oshawa Generals
Tyler Toffoli, Ottawa 67’s
Ethan Werek, Kingston Frontenacs
Garrett Wilson, Owen Sound Attack
Scott Stajcer, Owen Sound Attack
Scott Wedgewood, Plymouth Whalers
Defensemen:
Jesse Blacker, Owen Sound Attack
Calvin de Haan, Oshawa Generals
Taylor Doherty, Kingston Frontenacs
Erik Gudbranson, Kingston Frontenacs
Scott Harrington, London Knights
Ryan Murphy, Kitchener Rangers
Forwards:
Taylor Beck, Guelph Storm
Sam Carrick, Brampton Battalion
Joey Hishon, Owen Sound Attack
Peter Holland, Guelph Storm
Boone Jenner, Oshawa Generals
Michael Latta, Guelph Storm
Lucas Lessio, Oshawa Generals
Michael MacDonald, London Knights
Ryan Martindale, Ottawa 67’s
Christian Thomas, Oshawa Generals
Tyler Toffoli, Ottawa 67’s
Ethan Werek, Kingston Frontenacs
Garrett Wilson, Owen Sound Attack
Sudbury roster
Goalies
JP Anderson, Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors
Mark Visentin, Niagara IceDogs
Defense men
Brock Beukeboom, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
Jesse Blacker, Owen Sound Attack
Taylor Doherty, Kingston Frontenacs
Ryan Ellis, Windsor Spitfires
Erik Gudbranson, Kingston Frontenacs
Dougie Hamilton, Niagara IceDogs
Forwards
Casey Cizikas, Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors
Marcus Foligno, Sudbury Wolves
Joey Hishon, Owen Sound Attack
Zack Kassian, Windsor Spitfires
John McFarland, Sudbury Wolves
Greg McKegg, Erie Otters
Matt Puempel, Peterborough Petes
Justin Shugg, Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors
Devante Smith-Pelly, Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors
Ryan Spooner, Peterborough Petes
Ryan Strome, Niagara IceDogs
Ethan Werek, Kingston Frontenacs
JP Anderson, Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors
Mark Visentin, Niagara IceDogs
Defense men
Brock Beukeboom, Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
Jesse Blacker, Owen Sound Attack
Taylor Doherty, Kingston Frontenacs
Ryan Ellis, Windsor Spitfires
Erik Gudbranson, Kingston Frontenacs
Dougie Hamilton, Niagara IceDogs
Forwards
Casey Cizikas, Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors
Marcus Foligno, Sudbury Wolves
Joey Hishon, Owen Sound Attack
Zack Kassian, Windsor Spitfires
John McFarland, Sudbury Wolves
Greg McKegg, Erie Otters
Matt Puempel, Peterborough Petes
Justin Shugg, Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors
Devante Smith-Pelly, Mississauga St. Michael’s Majors
Ryan Spooner, Peterborough Petes
Ryan Strome, Niagara IceDogs
Ethan Werek, Kingston Frontenacs
Now, we're waiting on the WHL (Nov. 17- Kamloops, BC; Nov. 18- Prince George, BC) and Russian rosters to be released.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
B2011DW's Official 2010-11 OHL Watch List
Here is a list of some players who, going into the 2010-11 season, some NHL and independent scouts think are worthy of first- or second-round consideration. Once again, Ontario is providing a good percentage of the potential NHL talent coming down the pipeline in the next 2-5 years.
1. Brandon Saad, LW Saginaw Spirit: At 6-2, 200 this big-bodied American has a lot of skill and is arguably the best prospect the OHL has to offer this season and could be NHL-ready in 2011-12, he's that good and physically developed. Along with Seth Ambroz, Saad has been a force up front for about three years now and continues to develop on an upward curve at a time when big, skilled power forwards are more in demand than ever. "He's a great skater, playmaker, has good hockey sense and has that goal scoring ability you look for," said an NHL scout familiar with his game.
2. Gabriel Landeskog, RW Kitchener Rangers: This Swedish power forward prospect has come on like gangbusters since coming over to the OHL last season and big things are expected of him this year. He loves to take the body, goes hard to the net and has the size (6-1, 200) to go with excellent skating chops to be the kind of complete package every NHL team covets. "He's an angry, angry player some nights. He bangs, he scores and even plays some defense, too," another NHL scout said.
3. Matt Puempel, LW Peterborough Petes: The word on the street right now is: don't be fooled by the points production Puempel put up at the Ivan Hlinka-- he wasn't that good. The reigning CHL rookie of the year is coming off a 33-goal season with the Petes at age 16 who can skate and score, but who also reportedly had a pretty poor Team Canada evaluation camp. Add Red Line Report to the list of people unimpressed with Puempel this summer: they called him the "most disappointing" player on Team Canada, and while acknowledging his outstanding physical and skill package, said that he had a lot of trouble finding his comfort zone and consistency up front. For a kid thought to be a consensus top-five pick next June, this is an interesting development and bears watching.
4. Ryan Murphy, D Kitchener Rangers: Ah, if he only had another three or four inches on his frame. This offensive defenseman has been described to me alternately as "unreal" and "fabulous" offensively, and a "disaster" and "complete gongshow" defensively. But even with the critiques of his defense, those folks say he's just so good at skating and generating offense that you can overlook the defensive problems with this kid. He's a premier puck mover and blazing skater with high-end speed and agility and the creativity to do whatever he wants with the puck. But at 5-10, 160 pounds, has a lot of growing to do and is not ever going to have the size that makes Drew Doughty a future Norris Trophy winner and a player everyone salivates over.
When compared to Ryan Ellis, Nashville's top pick in 2009, an NHL scout had this interesting bit to say about Murphy: "I think he's a much more dynamic player than Ellis is." And honestly, that's a mouthful right there. Another scout said this: "If you don't stop this kid at your own blue line, you're ****ed. He's right by you and is creating a scoring chance, because he's pretty unstoppable if he cranks it up through the neutral zone." The bad news for Bruins fans: He's another small defenseman, and the team already has a surplus of those, albeit none with Murphy's pure talent. Curiously enough, Murphy was left off Team Canada's gold medal-winning Ivan Hlinka squad, a decision that most every scout I've talked to has derided at ludicrous.
5. Alan Quine, C Kingston Frontenacs: Heady centerman has the speed and intelligence to produce offensively, but plays on a bad team. He only has average size at 5-11, 175 pounds, but shows a willingness to go into traffic. He performed well at Team Canada evaluation camp and was in the Hlinka team that captured gold. He was solid if unspectacular in that tournament, and he'll need to improve on the 11 goals he scored last year to make a legitimate run at a top-20 selection.
6. Garett Meurs, C Plymouth Whalers: Often overshadowed on the Whalers because of the presence of Tyler Seguin, Meurs has managed to capture the attention of scouts nonetheless because of his excellent hockey skills. "Meurs always seems to be the 'other guy' on whatever line he plays on, but he produces," one NHL scout recently. He's probably not going to be a star NHLer, but Meurs is the kind of complementary player with the ability to score 30-35 goals and be a valuable contributor for years.
7. Dougie Hamilton, D Niagara Ice Dogs: At 6-4, 190 pounds, and some speed and solid footwork, this player is a raw, but intriguing talent. What Derek Forbort was last season to people who desired a defender with legitimate size and some offensive chops, Hamilton is to this draft. He's well behind Adam Larsson and David Musil in terms of pure talent and upside at the defense position, but could develop into one of the better players in this class over time. Moves well in all directions and will jump up into the rush. Right now seen as more of a physical defense-first player who is gangly and still rounding into his athletic form. But, he has tremendous athletic bloodlines, his parents Doug (rowing) and Lynn (basketball) having both been Canadian Olympians. Depending on what kind of season he has, he's either going to shoot up the board or fall precipitously, because there will probably be little middle ground for a project like him.
8. Scott Harrington, D London Knights: On paper, this 6-1, 190-pound rearguard may be another guy for Bruins fans who believe the team desperately needs size and talent on defense to put some time and energy into following. He's big, strong, skilled, skates well and plays a very good shutdown game. Even his supporters acknowledge that he may not be much of an offensive presence at the next level, but he's one of those players you can put the term "upside" on. That said, others aren't so sure. "I think he's overhyped and needs to show more," said one NHL scout. "He's got good size, is a good skater and is good defensively, but he doesn't do a lot for me. At least, he's not someone I'm looking at in the first round right now unless he picks it up and shows me some more."
9. Boone Jenner, C Oshawa Generals: Beyond the great name, this is a pretty good-sized (6-1 195) centerman with some real skill and upside. Bad news up front: His skating is not NHL-caliber, and he's definitely going to have to improve on his first few steps and overall agility if he's going to have a chance at being a top-two liner in the show one day. However, he's so good on the puck and oozes hockey sense, plus has a tremendous work ethic (two scouts have used the ubiquitous "He skates his bag off!" line with me) to boot. If he can improve the skating/speed, he's got a shot to be a player. But, where you take a guy like this is the big question right now. Red Line has him 14th overall, but others I have talked to see him more as a late-first/early second, while yet another said the skating could drop him a lot lower if he hasn't addressed it this season.
10. Lucas Lessio, LW Oshawa Generals: Jenner's new teammate comes over from the St. Mike's Buzzers of Jr. A after deciding not to follow a path to the University of Michigan. The two had a chance to skate together at the Ivan Hlinka and get some chemistry down for the upcoming OHL season. A pure talent with speed and goal scoring instincts, but doesn't always give it his all on the defensive side of things and can be a one-man show at times. He's definitely a player to watch this season to see how he handles the challenge of the OHL after tearing it up last season for the Buzzers and having a good showing at the Ivan Hlinka.
More OHL players to keep tabs on:
Austen Brassard, RW Belleville Bulls: Traded from Windsor in the Philipp Grubauer deal, this power forward lives up to his team's name. He's a powerful, physical player who will go through people on his way to the net. Can skate OK, but has a nice modicum of skill to his package, so if he can pick up a step or three, could be a real monster when he fills out (6-2, 192).
Brett Ritchie, RW Sarnia Sting: If he were a better skater, a lot of people would be pretty excited about this kid. At 6-3, 204, he's already a horse and real tough to contain when he gets it going and grabs possession of the puck in the offensive zone. Protects the puck well and showed some scoring panache in Slovakia at the Ivan Hlinka, but has a lot of improving to do before he can be considered a legitimate top-six forward prospect.
David Broll, LW Erie Otters: The third of three big power forward prospects, Broll is a mean, nasty hitter who is the most intimidating of the three, but also possesses the lowest ceiling at present. He's got a really poor first few steps and lacks agility/turning ability, but is one of those straight-ahead skaters who's fine once he gets going. Another Hlinka alum, Broll's got some skill, too, but his real effectiveness is when he's bowling guys over and opening up space for his linemates. Because of the size (6-2, 220) and nastiness, he'll be a top-two round pick in June, but like Ritchie and Brassard is a work in progress and probably comes with more risk than the other two. Because Mississauga is hosting the 2011 Memorial Cup, scouts will get a chance to see how he progresses this season from start to finish-- should be very interesting to see.
Daniel Catenacci, LW Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds: The top selection in the OHL draft two years ago is a flashy, explosive player who doesn't have a lot of size (5-10, 180), but has the jets, hands and dash to attract notice. He's very skilled, good on the puck and can finish in a variety of ways, but some wonder how his game is going to translate at the next level. He's the classic player who will fool the novice or uninitiated fan who will be easily dazzled by his pure speed and slick moves, so when watching this player, you have to focus on the little things like his awareness, presence and willingness to work as hard in all zones as he does when the puck is on his stick. Because of his pure talent and draft pedigree, Catenacci will be closely scrutinized this year, but will need to do more than just score to earn a high grade and early selection in June.
Carter Sandlak, LW Guelph Storm: At 6-2, 199 this is just a big, no-frills up-and-down winger who grinds and brings the physicality, but not much else. Not a very good skater, but he hustles the best he can and is at his best when taking the body and laying into people. Doesn't have the skill or creativity to be much more than a fourth-line NHL player, but has the kind of desire and other intangibles to watch and see where he gets himself.
Stuart Percy, D Mississauga St. Mike's Majors: A B2011DW favorite-- but is on the outside looking in to start the season. Has a nice 6-1 frame, but skating is just ehhh. If he can pick up a step, he could work himself solidly into the 1st round. "He's got some good hands and hockey sense," said one NHL scout familiar with him. "His skating needs some work; if he's not moving his feet or if he gets caught flat-footed, he can have issues out there, but he's got the potential to be a solid puck-mover and first-round pick if he can improve his overall mobility." Percy is the kind of player the Bruins normally target under the radar because he does have the nice size and skill package. Red Line said he was "unnoticeable" at the Ivan Hlinka, but that can be a pretty good thing when you play defense. Watch this guy.
Vince Trocheck, C Saginaw Spirit: Smallish Michigander has some real speed, skill and moves. He was on the USA team that won silver at the Hlinka and has a real shot to be one of those second-round picks who ends up impressing a lot of people over the course of the season. "He's dynamic and has an edge for a smallish guy. He plays hard in traffic," one scout said.
Craig Duininck, D Windsor Spitfires: Another American who opted for the OHL and who won a Memorial Cup last spring with Taylor Hall. He's got good size, feet and the ability to move the puck although is nothing flashy. He's also got some guts; dropped the gloves against a much bigger, more accomplished opponent and got tuned, but stood in there and took one for the team. "He's a nifty little player; he would have gotten more hyped if he had played on any other team last year," said an NHL scout.
Matt Mahalak, G Plymouth Whalers: A big frame and some real athleticism are only the beginning of Michigan native's promise. He also plays a fundamentally sound game and shows the kind of calm and poise you want to see in a netminder. This will be an interesting year for him, with Seguin expected to be on the Bruins.
Tyson Teichmann, G Belleville Bulls: Very slight (145 pounds dripping wet) goalie shutout Team USA to capture gold in Slovakia, but wasn't sensational (and with that team in front of him, didn't have to be) in the Under-18 tourney this month. Makes a good first save, but could stand work on rebound control. Good glove and stick and overall has some strong attributes, but is not considered to be anything all that special in what is shaping up to be a weak goalie class.
Other OHLers to watch (mostly Europeans that I don't have a baseline for yet)
Nicklas Jensen, LW Oshawa
Vladislav Namestnikov, C London
Andrei Pedan, D Guelph
Tobias Rieder, LW Kitchener
Rickard Rakell, RW Plymouth
Danny Elser, C London
Colin Suellentrop, D Oshawa
Steve Broek, LW Kingston
Cody McNaughton, RW Guelph
Seth Griffith, C London
Friday, August 13, 2010
Ivan Hlinka Day 5: USA downs Sweden in OT, Canada crushes Czechs
Well, folks-- it's USA- Canada in the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament championship game to be played Saturday. It's a competition the Canadians have owned since it began in 1991, with 14 gold medals, and barring a major upset by the Americans, they'll make it 15.
USA overcame 2-0 and 3-1 deficits to lose a 4-3 lead late in the third period to Sweden, but got a goal from defenseman Connor Murphy 41 seconds into sudden death to advance to the championship game and clinch at least a silver medal. I mentioned Murphy in the previous post about Team USA, but he's having an excellent tourney and should see his draft stock get a boost here to start the season. He's the lone member of the U.S. NTDP program, having played for the Under-17 team last year after coming up through the Columbus Jr. Blue Jackets program.
Seth Ambroz (1g, 1a) continued his offensive dominance to give the Americans a 4-3 lead, while Alaska native and Shattuck St. Mary's standout Tanner Sorensen tallied his second goal of the tournament in the game. Lukas Sutter had another strong game for the Americans, scoring twice, and looks like he could use this tourney as a springboard to a successful and productive season at Saskatoon this season.
The shots were 17-14, but Steve Michalek was in net for the USA to go 2-0 since getting the start in place of Jay Williams against Finland on Wednesday.
Canada rolled once again in their game against the Czechs, winning 6-2 to go 4-0 for the tourney. They were never threatened, taking a 3-0 lead and staying in control. Lucas Lessio scored a pair of goals after not having done much on the scoresheet over the past several contests when he got off to a hot start. Lessio has all you look for in an NHL prospect: size, skating, shot and sense. If he can bring the intensity to match with the Oshawa Generals this season, he'll be a highly-rated draft prospect in June.
Matt Puempel, who's a preseason top-five candidate after winning CHL Rookie of the Year with the OHL's Peterborough Petes last season, also scored and has, along with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (the WHL's ROY finalist) had a very strong, consistent tourney to pace Canada in scoring. Alan Quine, Brett Ritchie and Garrett Meurs also scored for Canada, while Václav Tomek and Petr Šidlík tallied for the Czechs.
Well, nobody's surprised that Canada is in the final, but the Americans? Give them and coach Tim Army and staff credit-- they've gotten a tremendous performance thus far from their horse, Ambroz, while little dudes John Gaudreau, Tanner Sorensen and Cason Hohmann have gotten it done offensively for them.
Let's face it, though-- Canada is HEAVILY favored on Sunday. And, I can't emphasize that enough. The Canadians have a top-notch club at all positions, and if the past is any inclination, a huge percentage of these guys will be first-round picks in Minnesota next June. And, they even left the small but uber-skilled Ryan Murphy of the Kitchener Rangers at home! On the USA roster, only Ambroz is a first-round lock at present. On paper, it looks like Canada will cruise to another gold medal.
But, the games aren't played on paper, are they?
USA is in a good position: they aren't expected to win, and if they can keep it loose and close, they'll have a shot. But, Canada has been a juggernaut, and I see no reason that they won't continue their prolific scoring ways and smothering D. I've had one Canadian reader of this blog tell me privately that he's worried about a USA upset, but I would say that I'm counting on a Canadian win.
They're just too skilled, too deep, too good all the way around, but I'm certainly proud of what the young Americans have done and they deserve all the praise and credit they can get. This team has outperformed the one last year that boasted four first-round picks in Austin Watson, Nick Bjugstad, Kevin Hayes and Charlie Coyle.
USA overcame 2-0 and 3-1 deficits to lose a 4-3 lead late in the third period to Sweden, but got a goal from defenseman Connor Murphy 41 seconds into sudden death to advance to the championship game and clinch at least a silver medal. I mentioned Murphy in the previous post about Team USA, but he's having an excellent tourney and should see his draft stock get a boost here to start the season. He's the lone member of the U.S. NTDP program, having played for the Under-17 team last year after coming up through the Columbus Jr. Blue Jackets program.
Seth Ambroz (1g, 1a) continued his offensive dominance to give the Americans a 4-3 lead, while Alaska native and Shattuck St. Mary's standout Tanner Sorensen tallied his second goal of the tournament in the game. Lukas Sutter had another strong game for the Americans, scoring twice, and looks like he could use this tourney as a springboard to a successful and productive season at Saskatoon this season.
The shots were 17-14, but Steve Michalek was in net for the USA to go 2-0 since getting the start in place of Jay Williams against Finland on Wednesday.
Canada rolled once again in their game against the Czechs, winning 6-2 to go 4-0 for the tourney. They were never threatened, taking a 3-0 lead and staying in control. Lucas Lessio scored a pair of goals after not having done much on the scoresheet over the past several contests when he got off to a hot start. Lessio has all you look for in an NHL prospect: size, skating, shot and sense. If he can bring the intensity to match with the Oshawa Generals this season, he'll be a highly-rated draft prospect in June.
Matt Puempel, who's a preseason top-five candidate after winning CHL Rookie of the Year with the OHL's Peterborough Petes last season, also scored and has, along with Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (the WHL's ROY finalist) had a very strong, consistent tourney to pace Canada in scoring. Alan Quine, Brett Ritchie and Garrett Meurs also scored for Canada, while Václav Tomek and Petr Šidlík tallied for the Czechs.
Well, nobody's surprised that Canada is in the final, but the Americans? Give them and coach Tim Army and staff credit-- they've gotten a tremendous performance thus far from their horse, Ambroz, while little dudes John Gaudreau, Tanner Sorensen and Cason Hohmann have gotten it done offensively for them.
Let's face it, though-- Canada is HEAVILY favored on Sunday. And, I can't emphasize that enough. The Canadians have a top-notch club at all positions, and if the past is any inclination, a huge percentage of these guys will be first-round picks in Minnesota next June. And, they even left the small but uber-skilled Ryan Murphy of the Kitchener Rangers at home! On the USA roster, only Ambroz is a first-round lock at present. On paper, it looks like Canada will cruise to another gold medal.
But, the games aren't played on paper, are they?
USA is in a good position: they aren't expected to win, and if they can keep it loose and close, they'll have a shot. But, Canada has been a juggernaut, and I see no reason that they won't continue their prolific scoring ways and smothering D. I've had one Canadian reader of this blog tell me privately that he's worried about a USA upset, but I would say that I'm counting on a Canadian win.
They're just too skilled, too deep, too good all the way around, but I'm certainly proud of what the young Americans have done and they deserve all the praise and credit they can get. This team has outperformed the one last year that boasted four first-round picks in Austin Watson, Nick Bjugstad, Kevin Hayes and Charlie Coyle.
Monday, August 9, 2010
Ivan Hlinka: The 2010-11 hockey season begins today
The annual under-18 extravaganza in Piestany, Slovakia, the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament (named for the star Czech forward, IIHF Hall of Famer and former Pittsburgh Penguins coach who was killed in a car accident in 2004) gets underway today and the annual competition has become a who's who of the upcoming draft class.
The tournament, originally known as the Pacific Cup and Nations Cup , it differs from the April IIHF Under-18 World Championship tournament in that the Ivan Hlinka is not an official IIHF-sanctioned event. That said, it's usually a tournament that brings much more higher-end talent to the mix especially on Team Canada, because the CHL season is not yet underway and therefore the playoffs in the three major junior leagues do not conflict. As an example, Tyler Seguin led Team Canada's Ivan Hlinka squad (who won gold) in scoring last August, but did not play for the Under-18 championship team because Plymouth was in the process of getting swept by Taylor Hall and the Windsor Spitfires. Ryan Spooner was also on the Canada squad that took gold in '09.
Last year, Jeff Skinner used the Hlinka tourney as a springboard for his impressive run from being considered a non-1st-round pick in the preseason by many public scouting sources, to top-10 selection with what was a tremendous performance offensively.
Just to underscore Canada's dominance in the tourney since its inception in 1991, they've come away with the gold 14 times and have 17 total medals (failing to earn a medal just twice-- in 2003 and 2007). Russia/USSR (3), the United States (1) and Sweden (1) are the only other countries to capture gold.
This year, Canada looks stronger than ever, with a formidable roster lacking only in potential top pick Sean Couturier, who as a late '92 birthdate, is not eligible (Hall did not play for Canada last year for the same reason-- his late '91 status). Couturier did play in the '09 Hlinka, so he's at least gotten a taste of the storied competition.
Guys to watch up front for Canada as top-10 candidates in 2011 include: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (Red Deer Rebels, WHL) not all that big (6-0, 166) but is tremendous with the puck and can create offense on the fly with his superior hockey sense and vision. He lost out on CHL Rookie of the Year honors to Matt Puempel of the Peterborough Petes, who followed Spooner as only the second 16-year-old in Petes history to score 30 goals in a season. Boone Jenner has a great name, and at almost 6-2, 197 pounds is a big man in the middle for the Oshawa Generals with skill and a knack for offense, not to mention the character and leadership that wins you hockey games. Phillip Danault of the Victoriaville Tigres is another player to watch in this tourney-- he could pull a Skinner and elevate his stock if he can keep putting the puck in the net, as he had quite a productive evaluation camp. Don't forget about tall, lanky center Jonathan Huberdeau, who had an excellent QMJHL playoffs for Saint John last spring. He's a stringbean at 6-2, 166 pounds, but has the skill level to make a run at a top-30 selection in June. I also like the look of Sarnia Sting power winger Brett Ritchie, who is already about 6-3 and tipping the scales at over 200 pounds. He's a decent skater who works hard and be a handful at this tourney with his big frame and willingness to do the dirty work along the walls and in front of the net. One forward who could generate some buzz this year is former St. Michael's (CCHL) winger Lucas Lessio. Originally committed to the University of Michigan, Lessio opted instead for the OHL and the Oshawa Generals (who acquired his draft rights from the Niagara Ice Dogs) and folks will get to see what kind of chemistry he can put together with Jenner in Slovakia. At 6-1, 195 he has good size, wheels and scored 30 goals and 72 points in 41 games last season for the Buzzers, so he's got some offensive pop, bringing Canada a real embarrassment of riches up front (so what else is new, eh?).
On defense, Canada left the small but ultra-skilled Kitchener Rangers star Ryan Murphy at home, which is a curious decision, as he has evoked a lot of comparisons to another player with the same first name and similar game in '09 top-rounder Ryan Ellis. It seems that Murphy is the kind of player tailor-made for this competition, so for him to be left off the Canada roster is an ongoing source of debate. If Canada wins it all as expected, there won't be an issue, but if they don't, then expect a lot of second-guessing to occur.
I like Mississauga defender Stuart Percy and am intrigued with him and how his season will unfold. He was the 15th overall pick by the St. Mike's in the '09 OHL priority selection and has nice size and skills, to go along with some toughness. Check out video of his two fights last season if you can find it on the web-- he can throw 'em. I got a tip from one of my Ontario sources that he could be a guy who shoots up the various draft boards between now and June because he has all the tools to do it. And, he'll be appealing to Boston because he's got some size (although he's not a monster at about 6-1) which would put him in a different category from the midget brigade the B's have assembled in their prospect stable thus far at the position. London Knights defenseman Scott Harrington is another two-way defenseman with some real skill and given Boston's time spent scouting Jared Knight and keeping tabs on Mike Hutchinson, expect that he's already on their radar in the first round.
Team USA will have their hands full in this tourney. The U.S. NTDP doesn't send the cream of their crop, giving players who come from other developmental programs a chance to compete. There aren't a lot of big-name players on this roster outside of Minnesota power forward Seth Ambroz, but there are several sons of former NHLers who could make names for themselves: Connor Murphy (son of former Bruin Gord Murphy), Lukas Sutter (Rich Sutter's boy, born in St. Louis when his dad played for the Blues) and Keegan Lowe (Edmonton Oilers president and 6-time Stanley Cup champion Kevin Lowe's son) are all on the squad. Ambroz is the top draft candidate on the USA roster at present, a big body who has the size, shot and edge to be a true power forward in the NHL someday.
For the Americans to have a chance, they're going to need great goaltending, and they don't ge the luxury of going to the well to use Jack Campbell this year. Connecticut native Steven Michalek and Jay Williams (from the hockey hotbed of Virginia) will have to shoulder the load. The team's medal hopes took a big body blow when skilled forwards Shane McColgan and Alex Gacek had to bow out because of injuries.
Team Sweden has a few interesting players on the roster, namely Mika Zibanejad and Victor Rask, who is big, skates very well and brings a high energy level with him. Rask was impressive in international play last season and could see some playing time with Leksands this year given his nice size (6-1, 195), skill level and maturity. He's definitely one to watch. Unfortunately for Sweden, Adam Larsson and Kitchener forward Gabriel Landeskog aren't playing by virtue of their late '92 birthdates. But fear not, you'll get to see Larsson and probably Landeskog as well in Buffalo this winter, skating for Team Sweden's WJC (Under-20) squad. Zibanejad has a high-end skill level to go with good size (6-1) and the kind of natural hockey sense and offensive creativity that could see him earn a first-round grade in the 2011 NHL draft. Zibanejad, who is a member of the Djurgården hockey club, opened a lot of eyes at the World Under-17 Challenge last year in Timmins, Ont. and he brings the kind of swagger to go with a very high upside that you normally don't see from the Scandinavian ranks.
On defense, the New Jersey-born Joakim Ryan is an interesting draft story for 2011. The son of Swedish tennis pro Catarina Lindqvist and agent Bill Ryan was cut by the U.S. NTDP, so Sweden grabbed the lanky, but skilled rearguard and added him to their national team. He's got nice wheels and good puck-moving ability; he can lead the rush or play a sound positional defense. He'll play this season in the USHL for the expansion Dubuque Fighting Saints and is headed to Cornell University next fall. He aappears to be one who got away for the Americans. Ryan's been a prolific scorer from the blue line over the past two seasons skating with the New Jersey Jr. Devils (midget AAA) and Christian Brothers Academy in his native Garden State.
The Czechs are more known for who isn't playing for them than who is. Lukáš Králík is a big, right-shooting forward who plays for HC Olomouc has shown some nice offensive potential, and is expected to carry much of the team's scoring duties. Also, keep an eye on Matěj Beran of HC Karlovy Vary, who has the tools and upside to break out in this, his draft season.
Czech skill forward Martin Frk is not playing (due to commitment to the Halifax Mooseheads), nor is huge defenseman David Musil (due to injury). Musil is already considered a top-five selection this season because of his size (6-5) and athleticism/upside. He is the son of former NHL rearguard (and current Edmonton scout) Frantisek Musil and Bobby Holik's sister, Andrea Holikova, who was a world-class tennis player. Holikova, you may not recall, actually attended the 1989 NHL Draft in her younger brother's stead to receive Holik's Hartford Whalers jersey when the team took him with the 10th overall pick (he was unable to travel to the U.S. back then because Czechoslovakia was still behind the Iron Curtain). With those bloodlines, the younger Musil is a raw, but very intriguing prospect with a very high ceiling.
I don't have a lot of detailed insight on Team Russia, Slovakia or Finland, but Markus Granlund, Mikael's younger brother, is skating in this tournament for Team Suomi. He doesn't have his older brother's sublime hockey sense and playmaking ability, but is still considered a player to watch this season.
Canada kicks off the play today with a match against Sweden, while USA takes on the Czech Republic, Slovakia versus Switzerland and Russia against Finland in four games split in two venues of Piestany and Breclav.
UPDATE: Canada defeated Sweden by a 6-3 score in the opening contest today-- no surprise. Also not surprisng was the fact that Nugent-Hopkins, Puempel and Lessio scored. Sault Ste. Marie forward Daniel Catenacci scored twice. Joachim Nemark had a goal and a helper in the loss.
The tournament, originally known as the Pacific Cup and Nations Cup , it differs from the April IIHF Under-18 World Championship tournament in that the Ivan Hlinka is not an official IIHF-sanctioned event. That said, it's usually a tournament that brings much more higher-end talent to the mix especially on Team Canada, because the CHL season is not yet underway and therefore the playoffs in the three major junior leagues do not conflict. As an example, Tyler Seguin led Team Canada's Ivan Hlinka squad (who won gold) in scoring last August, but did not play for the Under-18 championship team because Plymouth was in the process of getting swept by Taylor Hall and the Windsor Spitfires. Ryan Spooner was also on the Canada squad that took gold in '09.
Last year, Jeff Skinner used the Hlinka tourney as a springboard for his impressive run from being considered a non-1st-round pick in the preseason by many public scouting sources, to top-10 selection with what was a tremendous performance offensively.
Just to underscore Canada's dominance in the tourney since its inception in 1991, they've come away with the gold 14 times and have 17 total medals (failing to earn a medal just twice-- in 2003 and 2007). Russia/USSR (3), the United States (1) and Sweden (1) are the only other countries to capture gold.
This year, Canada looks stronger than ever, with a formidable roster lacking only in potential top pick Sean Couturier, who as a late '92 birthdate, is not eligible (Hall did not play for Canada last year for the same reason-- his late '91 status). Couturier did play in the '09 Hlinka, so he's at least gotten a taste of the storied competition.
Guys to watch up front for Canada as top-10 candidates in 2011 include: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (Red Deer Rebels, WHL) not all that big (6-0, 166) but is tremendous with the puck and can create offense on the fly with his superior hockey sense and vision. He lost out on CHL Rookie of the Year honors to Matt Puempel of the Peterborough Petes, who followed Spooner as only the second 16-year-old in Petes history to score 30 goals in a season. Boone Jenner has a great name, and at almost 6-2, 197 pounds is a big man in the middle for the Oshawa Generals with skill and a knack for offense, not to mention the character and leadership that wins you hockey games. Phillip Danault of the Victoriaville Tigres is another player to watch in this tourney-- he could pull a Skinner and elevate his stock if he can keep putting the puck in the net, as he had quite a productive evaluation camp. Don't forget about tall, lanky center Jonathan Huberdeau, who had an excellent QMJHL playoffs for Saint John last spring. He's a stringbean at 6-2, 166 pounds, but has the skill level to make a run at a top-30 selection in June. I also like the look of Sarnia Sting power winger Brett Ritchie, who is already about 6-3 and tipping the scales at over 200 pounds. He's a decent skater who works hard and be a handful at this tourney with his big frame and willingness to do the dirty work along the walls and in front of the net. One forward who could generate some buzz this year is former St. Michael's (CCHL) winger Lucas Lessio. Originally committed to the University of Michigan, Lessio opted instead for the OHL and the Oshawa Generals (who acquired his draft rights from the Niagara Ice Dogs) and folks will get to see what kind of chemistry he can put together with Jenner in Slovakia. At 6-1, 195 he has good size, wheels and scored 30 goals and 72 points in 41 games last season for the Buzzers, so he's got some offensive pop, bringing Canada a real embarrassment of riches up front (so what else is new, eh?).
On defense, Canada left the small but ultra-skilled Kitchener Rangers star Ryan Murphy at home, which is a curious decision, as he has evoked a lot of comparisons to another player with the same first name and similar game in '09 top-rounder Ryan Ellis. It seems that Murphy is the kind of player tailor-made for this competition, so for him to be left off the Canada roster is an ongoing source of debate. If Canada wins it all as expected, there won't be an issue, but if they don't, then expect a lot of second-guessing to occur.
I like Mississauga defender Stuart Percy and am intrigued with him and how his season will unfold. He was the 15th overall pick by the St. Mike's in the '09 OHL priority selection and has nice size and skills, to go along with some toughness. Check out video of his two fights last season if you can find it on the web-- he can throw 'em. I got a tip from one of my Ontario sources that he could be a guy who shoots up the various draft boards between now and June because he has all the tools to do it. And, he'll be appealing to Boston because he's got some size (although he's not a monster at about 6-1) which would put him in a different category from the midget brigade the B's have assembled in their prospect stable thus far at the position. London Knights defenseman Scott Harrington is another two-way defenseman with some real skill and given Boston's time spent scouting Jared Knight and keeping tabs on Mike Hutchinson, expect that he's already on their radar in the first round.
Team USA will have their hands full in this tourney. The U.S. NTDP doesn't send the cream of their crop, giving players who come from other developmental programs a chance to compete. There aren't a lot of big-name players on this roster outside of Minnesota power forward Seth Ambroz, but there are several sons of former NHLers who could make names for themselves: Connor Murphy (son of former Bruin Gord Murphy), Lukas Sutter (Rich Sutter's boy, born in St. Louis when his dad played for the Blues) and Keegan Lowe (Edmonton Oilers president and 6-time Stanley Cup champion Kevin Lowe's son) are all on the squad. Ambroz is the top draft candidate on the USA roster at present, a big body who has the size, shot and edge to be a true power forward in the NHL someday.
For the Americans to have a chance, they're going to need great goaltending, and they don't ge the luxury of going to the well to use Jack Campbell this year. Connecticut native Steven Michalek and Jay Williams (from the hockey hotbed of Virginia) will have to shoulder the load. The team's medal hopes took a big body blow when skilled forwards Shane McColgan and Alex Gacek had to bow out because of injuries.
Team Sweden has a few interesting players on the roster, namely Mika Zibanejad and Victor Rask, who is big, skates very well and brings a high energy level with him. Rask was impressive in international play last season and could see some playing time with Leksands this year given his nice size (6-1, 195), skill level and maturity. He's definitely one to watch. Unfortunately for Sweden, Adam Larsson and Kitchener forward Gabriel Landeskog aren't playing by virtue of their late '92 birthdates. But fear not, you'll get to see Larsson and probably Landeskog as well in Buffalo this winter, skating for Team Sweden's WJC (Under-20) squad. Zibanejad has a high-end skill level to go with good size (6-1) and the kind of natural hockey sense and offensive creativity that could see him earn a first-round grade in the 2011 NHL draft. Zibanejad, who is a member of the Djurgården hockey club, opened a lot of eyes at the World Under-17 Challenge last year in Timmins, Ont. and he brings the kind of swagger to go with a very high upside that you normally don't see from the Scandinavian ranks.
On defense, the New Jersey-born Joakim Ryan is an interesting draft story for 2011. The son of Swedish tennis pro Catarina Lindqvist and agent Bill Ryan was cut by the U.S. NTDP, so Sweden grabbed the lanky, but skilled rearguard and added him to their national team. He's got nice wheels and good puck-moving ability; he can lead the rush or play a sound positional defense. He'll play this season in the USHL for the expansion Dubuque Fighting Saints and is headed to Cornell University next fall. He aappears to be one who got away for the Americans. Ryan's been a prolific scorer from the blue line over the past two seasons skating with the New Jersey Jr. Devils (midget AAA) and Christian Brothers Academy in his native Garden State.
The Czechs are more known for who isn't playing for them than who is. Lukáš Králík is a big, right-shooting forward who plays for HC Olomouc has shown some nice offensive potential, and is expected to carry much of the team's scoring duties. Also, keep an eye on Matěj Beran of HC Karlovy Vary, who has the tools and upside to break out in this, his draft season.
Czech skill forward Martin Frk is not playing (due to commitment to the Halifax Mooseheads), nor is huge defenseman David Musil (due to injury). Musil is already considered a top-five selection this season because of his size (6-5) and athleticism/upside. He is the son of former NHL rearguard (and current Edmonton scout) Frantisek Musil and Bobby Holik's sister, Andrea Holikova, who was a world-class tennis player. Holikova, you may not recall, actually attended the 1989 NHL Draft in her younger brother's stead to receive Holik's Hartford Whalers jersey when the team took him with the 10th overall pick (he was unable to travel to the U.S. back then because Czechoslovakia was still behind the Iron Curtain). With those bloodlines, the younger Musil is a raw, but very intriguing prospect with a very high ceiling.
I don't have a lot of detailed insight on Team Russia, Slovakia or Finland, but Markus Granlund, Mikael's younger brother, is skating in this tournament for Team Suomi. He doesn't have his older brother's sublime hockey sense and playmaking ability, but is still considered a player to watch this season.
Canada kicks off the play today with a match against Sweden, while USA takes on the Czech Republic, Slovakia versus Switzerland and Russia against Finland in four games split in two venues of Piestany and Breclav.
UPDATE: Canada defeated Sweden by a 6-3 score in the opening contest today-- no surprise. Also not surprisng was the fact that Nugent-Hopkins, Puempel and Lessio scored. Sault Ste. Marie forward Daniel Catenacci scored twice. Joachim Nemark had a goal and a helper in the loss.
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