Central Scouting European final rankings: The rank and file

Continuing the look at Central Scouting rankings of European players, we'll go into the middle of the order, focusing on some names you might be well aware of, but others who might not yet be on your particular radar for the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.

You'll see some Russians in this post, but the best Russian talent in the 2011 class is mostly over in North America playing in the CHL this year.

31. Henri Auvinen, D JyP Jyvaskyla Jr. (FIN Jr.)- Featured in a previous B2011DW sleeper alert, this Finnish defender attracted much notice in February's Five Nations tourney in the Czech Republic. At 6-2, 176, he's skinny and lacking in strength, and his skating is OK, but needs improvement in his initial burst and footwork. He can advance the puck pretty well, and plays with a natural intelligence and vision that could see him develop into a promising two-way prospect. His second-half performance vaulted him up to the first spot in the second round from 55 where he was at mid-term, and while that may be a tad high for this raw but interesting project, he does look like a solid draft pick. Teammate Samu Perhonen is the most identifiable player on JyP, but given that Boston has a cooperative agreement with the Finnish club, you can bet that they've gotten a good, long look at both.

34. Maxim Shalunov, RW Chelyabinsk-2 (RUS Jr.)- Big and talented Russian is a bit of an enigma in that he has the speed and agility to go end-to-end and can handle the puck well. He has a heavy shot and is capable of putting it in the net from the outside. At 6-3, 185 pounds, he has a lot of filling out to do. He scored 22 goals and 36 points with Traktor Chelyabinsk's junior team, but he dropped from a 20 ranking at mid-season to 34. We figure much of that has to do with his penchant for taking undisciplined penalties and an inconsistent compete level that can be a killer with scouts because of the limited viewings involved. If he's a horse one night and invisible the next, that will skew the rankings and you'll see some variance on where different teams rank him. He also gets the detriment of other Russians who stayed home and come with concerns about signing them and adjusting to the North American game as opposed to those who jumped over the Atlantic. Shalunov could be one of the bigger tease prospects in this class- he has unquestioned talent, but is less than the sum of his impressive parts right now.

35. Peter Ceresnak, D Trencin Jr. (SVK- Jr.)- Big defender is a stay-at-home guy and more of a poor man's Milan Jurcina than anything else. He is fairly mobile in that he doesn't have great speed, but moves well laterally and can lay guys out with a pretty decent hip check. He staples opponents to the walls and has a long wingspan/active stick. He's got to work on his gap control and there isn't much offensive upside with this guy. Ceresnak got virtually no playing time at the WJC, which was disappointing, especially since Slovakia was one of the poorer teams there and he wasn't given much of a shot even after Martin Marincin got the boot for his elbow on U.S. forward Jason Zucker.

46. Daniel Pribyl, LW/C Sparta Praha Jr. (CZE- Jr.)- Red Line Report gets credit for being on Pribyl's bandwagon for some time, but Central is onto something with the big and skilled forward. At 6-3, 190 he's lean and needs to get stronger, but has some interesting potential and upside. The December '92 birthdate scored 25 goals and 54 points in just 39 games with his junior club and even got some time with his senior team in the Exraliga, so his development is on the right track. He's a long-strider but isn't a dynamic skater and could stand to pick up an extra step. However, his creativity is high-end, and he has nice hands to set up plays along with a quick, accurate shot to make him a dual threat as a finisher and set-up man. This is one player who wouldn't surprise us in the least to see go off the board early as a bit of a surprise pick because of his strong blend of tools and intangibles. He's a hard worker, and we'd love to see him come over and play in the CHL next season.

76. Sebastian Dyk, LW Malmo (SWE-2)- Blazing skater dropped down from mid-term because of his lack of goal scoring (no goals in 36 games playing against men in the second division or Allsvenskan), but despite the production issues, he's got the chops and talent to do a lot more. He might be worth a gamble in the mid-to-late rounds because he is speedy, shifty, handles the puck will and can take it to the net. He's only average-sized, so he'll need to get stronger and take the next step in production, but based on what we've heard, there is no reason he won't evolve into a decent prospect given his skill level and wheels.

77. Jakub Jerabek, D Plzen (CZE)- A late-bloomer and May, 1991-birthdate who has emerged as an interesting puck-moving option coming out of the Czech Extraliga this season. He's average-sized but moves well and can advance the puck with quick breakouts and tape-to-tape passes that stretch defenses. He's not a dynamic player who jumps out at you, but does make the right reads and sees the ice well. Like Dahlbeck, he brings added benefit of being more physically mature and experienced; ready to come over to North America and start playing right away for the team that drafts him (contract permitting). He's not much for physical play and his defense is pretty average, but PMDs are all the rage, and this guy has some potential.

123. Pontus Netterberg, RW HV 71 Jr. (SWE- Jr.)- A February 1992 who was passed over, but who made a positive impression during the World Jr. A Challenge in the fall. He lacks first step jump and explosion but is a good straight-line skater who goes into traffic well and drives the net. He doesn't have terrific hands, but just seems to get in close and convert rebounds and other trash in front of the net. He shows some creativity and will play with some bite, though he has a long fuse and often needs to be set off rather than playing with the natural aggression of a power forward. Looks low on Central's list to us- he scored 19 goals on HV 71's junior team and has the size and offensive element to his game that should find some appeal among the NHL's 30 clubs.

132. Sami Salminen, RW HIFK Jr. (FIN- Jr.)- Huge (6-5) winger crashed on Central's mid-term rankings, dropping all the way down to 132 from 47 likely because of his very heavy feet and concerns about being able to improve his skating enough to be an NHL player. He scored 15 goals in 30 games and looked very strong in early season international competition, so there is some promise there, but he doesn't bring much of a physical element and would undoubtedly require a great deal of time and patience to develop. Still, the payoff might be nice for the team willing to invest a pick and the TLC. Character kid who works hard.

We will return with a post dedicated to the European goalies worth discussing and soome sleepers from the Euro ranks.

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Sleepers for 2011 draft

We'll give you a quick look at some potential sleepers for the 2011 NHL draft. This will wrap the individual player updates we've been bringing you for the past week or so, but hope the reports have been informative.

As always, thanks for reading and if you like the blog- please pass the link to your fellow draftnik friends.

Marek Tvrdon, LW Vancouver (WHL)- Not a sleeper in the sense that NHL scouts aren't tracking him, but the power forward from Slovakia got injured early in the season and missed the entire year after getting in just 12 games with the GIants (6-5-11). Physically mature at 6-2, 212 pounds, he's tough to contain when he works the puck along the walls and on the cycle. He lacks a quick initial burst, but is pretty agile for a guy his size and capable of making some elusive moves in the open ice. Quick stick and hard-shooter. Several NHL scouts really liked what they saw from him until he went down, so he could end up being a pick similar to Curtis Hamilton last season in terms of being one with a limited sample size, but who showed enough to go inside the top-60. If he drops, Tvrdon could end up being a very nice value pick for whichever team takes a chance.

Pontus Netterberg, RW HV 71 (SWE-Jr.)- February 1992 birthdate opened up some eyes at the World Jr. A Challenge in the fall; 6-2, 199-pound winger who likes to go to the net and has pretty good speed once he gets it cranked up. A hard shooter who picks his spots and hides his release point well. Can play a physical or a finesse game. Doesn't get much attention because he was passed up in 2010, but could be one of those mid-round steals that certain teams have made a living out of plucking from Europe, only to see them blossom and become big league players. Not a nasty, in-your-face kind of player, but will push back when riled up and exhibits excellent strength and a mean streak. Good, solid vision and hockey sense- more creative than he gets credit for. Scored 19 goals in 40 games for HV 71's Under-20 team and got in 3 games with the big club (1 assist) as well.

Daniel Pribyl, LW Sparta Prahia (CZE)- Beanpole (6-3, 190) winger is developing into a player worth keeping an eye on. With 25 goals and 54 points in 39 games with Sparta's top junior team this season, he saw a little bit of time with the Extraliga club. He's got a long stride even if he lacks explosive speed, has soft hands and the offensive instincts to cash in. He's got a lot to learn about the game and his defense is suspect at this point, but in time, after he gets stronger on his skates and gains more experience at a high level, Pribyl has some potential to compete for an NHL spot. Red Line Report has been all over Pribyl since December, and if he pans out, it will be another feather in the cap for their Eastern European scout.

Brady Brassart, C Spokane (WHL)- Slow to develop, the Chiefs' pivot has shown some flashes of what could be at times during the season. Scouts who have seen him acknowledge that he's got the skill set to be an NHL prospect and doubled his point production as a sophomore from 15 to 32 points. He isn't going to wow anyone with his production or upside, but he's made more of an effort to play at both ends and has demonstrated an edge to his game that wasn't there last season.

Dario Trutmann, D Plymouth (OHL)- Swiss defender missed being eligible for last year's NHL draft by just two days with a Sep. 17, 1992 birthdate. After scoring 8 goals and 23 points in 28 Swiss Jr. games for Zug, joined the Whalers and took a while to get his feet under him. Heady shutdown type who is capable of playing against bigger, more physical players despite being only 6-0 and about 185. Keeps defenders away from his net with good footwork and an active stick. Exhibits strong gap control. Confidence has grown by leaps and bounds and started moving the puck with more authority toward the end of the season, finishing with 6 goals and 19 points. We saw him at the WJC and he did very little to stand out, but did register four assists in six games. Swiss players are always tough to peg for the draft, but the ones who come over to North America are graded differently than the ones who stay home, so Trutmann just might get a call in June.

Zach Saar, LW Chicago (USHL)- As raw as they come, this 6-4, 193-pound native of Michigan and Little Caesar's minor midget grad toils for a last-place team and doesn't have much production to boot (3-4-7 in 28 games) but there is a lot to like about this kid's potential. He's a natural scorer who hasn't had a great deal of help with the Steel, but could be in for bigger things as he continues to mature and grow into his body. Hurt for much of the season, he's a hard worker who is willing to do anything for his team including dropping the gloves. His skating is average and could stand to improve- he's a bandy-legged skater. He's expected back in the USHL next season and while he would be a longshot to get picked in 2011 because of all the time he's missed, some team may have seen enough of him to take a late flyer on Saar. A June 1992 birthdate, he's already been passed over once, and if it happens again he'll be eligible again in 2012 before having to go the free agent route.

Sebastian Dyk, RW Malmö (SWE-2)- Failed to find the back of the net in 36 Allsvenskan games with the RedHawks (4 assists) but don't let those numbers fool you- this fast skater has some nice tools to develop into an interesting player over time. Another average-sized guy (6-0, 185) but plays with grit and determination; goes to the net hard and has some nice 1-on-1 moves in his arsenal. Most effective when he's banging bodies and grinding it out. Tends to disappear for long stretches, especially when he lowers his physical guard, but has some nice upside if he can improve the consistency.

John Gaudreau, LW Dubuque (USHL)- Tiny New Yorker is another longshot, but has put up amazing numbers for the Fighting Saints despite being about 5-6 and 145 pounds. He'll get much stronger and add another 30+ pounds, but when you consider that he's managed to score 35 goals and 69 points in 55 games as a flyweight in the rough-and-tumble USHL, it says a great deal about his speed, hands and creativity. This is a pure offensive presence and he showed off his potential at the Ivan Hlinka last August, as one of the most consistent forwards on Team USA, helping them to a silver medal. It's hard to imagine an NHL team drafting a guy with Gaudreau's vitals, but this kid has guts and flair- he's going to be a very good NCAA player and once he gets there and proves himself at that level, anything is possible.

Michael Houser, G London (OHL)- American passed over in 2010 has stood on his head for the Knights over much of the season, proving that the solid play he exhibited as Mike Hutchinson's backup last season was a good indication of what he can provide. He was eligible for the 2010 draft by just two days with a Sep. 13 birthdate, so it wouldn't be like he is too much of an overager for a team to grab him the second time around. Has nice size and athleticism and was a workhorse for the Knights, playing in 54 games and posting a .904 save percentage. In our view, this kid has shown enough to get a call on draft day- nice developmental potential as a long-term project.

Red Line Report scout Radim Jelinek interview: 2011 Eastern Europe draft prospects midseason report Pt. 1

As promised, here is part 1 of the interview I just conducted with Radim Jelinek, Czech/Slovak scout for Red Line Report in his 9th season with the independent draft review. In his own words:

I´m based on the east of Czech republic covering all action in Czech republic and Slovakia. I scout professional and junior (U-20, U-18) leagues in both countries and take all international actions held in both countries. Plus if there is any interesting event/prospect in neighboring countries(Germany, Austria, Poland) than I even go there to cover it.

As mentioned in the previous post, Radim has a very good reputation in the business and has a nice eye for talent. I'll let him do the rest of the talking.

Bruins 2011 Draft Watch: How would you characterize the 2011 NHL Draft class from Eastern Europe based on what you have seen so far? How does it compare to past classes in terms of depth?

Radim Jelinek: It´s poor year for Russia unless there are some hidden gems deep in Russia, prospects who haven´t appeared on international stage yet. It´s necessary to say that this year´s crop would be much better with all Russians already playing in CHL ((Vladislav) Namestnikov, (Andrey) Pedan, (Alexander) Khokhlachev, (Anton) Zlobin, Kuvaev, (Andrei) Makarov). Still even with all those mentioned names, Russia would lack depth. Russian hockey is still able to produce a few top NHL prospects every year but they don´t produce by far as many NHL prospects as in the past, (and they) especially stopped producing good defencemen.

As far as Czech and Slovaks, it is concerning; it´s slightly better than in previous two or three years in terms of depth, there are more prospects who are worth of scouting then in previous years but barring Dmitri Jaskin they are mostly sleepers and long-term projects who won´t be more than later round picks and I actually don´t expect many of them being picked up in June. Speaking about top prospects however, it´s as bad as in several previous seasons, Jaskin is alone this year as well as Martin Marincin a year before. And two years before there were only Panik and Tatar. I have to remark again that things would look differently with (David) Musil, (Tomas) Jurco, (Marek) Tvrdon, (David) Honzik (all having left Europe and playing in the CHL) and some other less heralded kids(Stransky, Galansky, Matej Machovsky, Hrbas, Uher).

B2011DW: In the January issue of Red Line Report, Dmitri Jaskin is 35th overall. Does that have more to do with the fact that he's been injured while other players on the list have been able to perform?

RJ: Absolutely. And actually, no way there is 34 better prospects than Jaskin. I believe he would be top 20 right now if he had not hurt his knee in November. I´m big fan of guys like (Tobias) Rieder or (Sven) Bärtschi but if I could judge them by last season(which could be misguided) and compare them with Jaskin, then I would definitely prefer Jaskin over the mentioned pair. Right now I rate Jaskin higher than Joel Armia, another big European winger.

B2011DW: For those not familiar with Jaskin, can you talk a little bit about what kind of player he is and how he projects in the NHL in your opinion?

RJ: Jaskin is a complete package; skating is a certain drawback, as he lacks smooth stride and looks awkward at times but has deceptive speed, is strong on his skates and is able to get where he needs to be. He is strong on the puck, tough to separate off the puck down low. Goes through checks and tough to handle physically, shields the puck well. Excellent puck puck control in tight space and very good hands in close to the net. Very creative with the puck, anticipates well, has vision and soft hands, passes are crisp. Drives the net, very instinctive player around the net with scoring touch, looks for tips and rebounds close to the net. Quick release of his wrist shot. Finishes all checks causing (defenders) to throw the puck away, creating turnovers plus absorbs checks well, tough to knock him down.Very solid defensively, responsible in own zone and make good decision with puck in own zone showing poise and hockey sense, smart and poised with puck around own blue line, does even the small things well. Has enthusiasm for the game, always plays hard, strong competitor, plays with heart and character.

B2011DW: After Jaskin, who are the players from the Czech Republic you're keeping an eye on for the 2011 draft? Where do you think they stand a chance of being picked in the draft?

RJ: After Jaskin, there is bunch of prospects who I regard as sleepers; guys with long-term potential/upside however alll having serious flaw. Here belongs: Jaroslav Pavelka, athletic, flexible goalie with quick gloves, strong reflexes and excellent legs. Needs to work on technique and improve reading and anticipation. Already 6-1 with potential to add another inch or two.

Then there is the revelation of this season, tall and lanky scoring winger Daniel Pribyl. Has quick and soft hands, beats D regularly 1 on 1 with nifty moves and dekes off the rush and creates separation in tight with strong puck control and finesse stick skills. Smart and quick release of wrist shot. Not developed physically yet and doesn´t use his size enough, okay in puck pursuit and not afraid to play in traffic but rarely finishes checks and doesn´t win many battles for puck. Next, undersized winger Tomas Hyka who is smart, skilled, instinctive but physically very weak, and doesn´t like to take hit/avoids contact at times. Soft touch on his passes, quick soft hands, slick with puck, anticipates very well. Very good wheels, quick burst of speed and first steps, agile. Smooth handling the puck in top speed, has vision finishing touch , makes creative sets-up through traffic.

My personal ultimate sleeper is for the second season in row 92´born playmaking center Tomas Nosek who has skills, size, smartness, vision, skating, creativity to be NHL player. The question is if he has enough determination and heart to make it. Long term project who will need time to develop but has all the tools to be player in about five years, plus has made nice improvement since injury-plagued last season.

And there are some other players who could hear their name pronounced in June in at the draft table like center Lukas Sedlak(biggest disappointment of the season), enigmatic winger Vaclav Tomek, hardworking, character defenceman Tomas Pavelka, soon (to be) 20-year-old puck moving D Jakub Jerabek or pair of older goalies Marek Mazanec(despite of subpar World juniors) – Roman Will. However unless they really dazzle at international stage in remainder of the season, no one will be more than later-round pick.

My personal opinion is that while 10 years ago Czech prospects were slightly overrated as Czech reigned the world of hockey, now they are on the contrary slightly underrated and underscouted as a result of a big crisis of Czech hockey. Undoubtedly some of the mentioned guys would have better chance to get drafted if they were Swedes and not Czechs.

We'll have Part 2-- a look at Slovakia and some options for 2012 and beyond on Monday.

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