Now that the 2011 NHL Draft is in the books, it's time to assess each team's draft class based on what we know now.
The analysis is subjective and limited at the same time. There will be some picks who look great right now who will go on to have a minimal or no impact, just as there are those who don't look like a whole lot of anything but will pick up their developmental curve and become NHL players, perhaps even stars.
However, given what we have to go on, there's always time to reflect and at least make an initial assessment. In three-to-five years, we can go back and see how close we were. Until then, the jury will be out.
This is the first of three posts that will look at each team and analyze their draft day efforts.
Anaheim Ducks
Grade: B+
The Ducks traded down from 22 with Toronto (Tyler Biggs) and picked up Swedish forward Rickard Rakell with the final pick in the first round. B2011DW has liked Rakell since seeing him in the WJC. He doesn't have ideal size or elite skill, but he's a slick forward who is underrated on the offensive side of things. He plays a gritty, agitating game. With Toronto's second-rounder, they got excellent value with American goalie John Gibson, who has cornerstone-type potential. Unlike Jack Campbell, he won't have a lot of pressure on him as the 39th overall pick compared to being 10th. We also like the pick of undersized but plucky William Karlsson. The draft went off the rails a bit with the selection of Joe Cramarossa early in the third round. "Cram-berry" is a solid player, but his upside is limited. They could have done better. Andy Welinski generated some buzz in the USHL this season and is fine value in the third. Don't see a lot of upside in smallish Swedish forward (that's two with Karlsson) Max Friberg, but as a fifth-round selection, probably worth the risk. Sixth rounder Josh Manson did not get high marks from scouts we talked to beyond his size.
Boston Bruins
Grade: A
Stanley Cup champs and they land two high-end talents in Dougie Hamilton and Alexander Khokhlachev. That's not supposed to be how it works. Anthony Camara was a surprise and reach pick, but the same things were said about Milan Lucic in 2006, so it will be interesting to see if there is something more to this player skill-wise. His toughness even despite being average-sized is unquestionable. Ferlin, O'Gara and Volden are all developmental depth picks, but we keep going back to the team's two first picks in the top-40. From the looks of it, they could not have done any better, especially given that Marc Savard looks to be at the end of the line, with what could very well be a retirement announcement coming this summer.
Buffalo Sabres
Grade: A-
First pick Joel Armia was solid value at 16 where the Sabres got him and he has some real potential as a big scoring forward. Buffalo also got nice value with third-rounder Daniel Catenacci, who reminds us a lot of a Brad Marchand-type player. Terrific wheels, good hands and a real buzzsaw/agitating presence. We're not bullish on Colin Jacobs, who attended the draft with his arm in a sling after recent shoulder surgery and scouts didn't have great things to say about his long-term potential. The Sabres landed a homegrown product in the 5th round with West Seneca, N.Y. native and Barrie defenseman Alex Lepkowski, a shutdown guy with size who doesn't have any offensive upside but could be an effective bottom pair player one day. Big goalie Nathan Lieuwen, who had a terrific WHL season and playoffs in leading the Kootenay Ice to the Chynoweth Cup as WHL champs is a solid value pick and good story after being passed over twice previously because of concussion issues. Wisconsin high schooler Brad Navin has size, skill and is very raw but is an interesting project pick in the seventh round.
Calgary Flames
Grade: C
We like the Sven Bartschi pick, but, and we regret that Flames fans may be unhappy with the rest of the analysis, but new GM Jay Feaster and his staff took too many unnecessary risks the rest of the way. Bartschi won us over after a perimeter WJC, but we think Markus Granlund went way too high at 45- he's nowhere near the player his brother is. Tyler Wotherspoon is a good defensive player, but at barely over 6-foot, he simply doesn't have the size to be a shutdown D in the NHL, and his offensive upside/sense is pretty poor. We like John Gaudreau a lot- but not as a fourth-rounder. He's the smallest player ever on record to be drafted, and he's going to be hard-pressed to overcome that size deficit. Laurent Brossoit salvaged things in the sixth round- he's a big goalie with skill and potential, but it was too little, too late. This draft could haunt the Flames more for who they left on the board than anything else in about five years.
Carolina Hurricanes
Grade: A
The Hurricanes aren't getting enough credit for their draft- Jim Rutherford and company quietly cleaned up. Ryan Murphy at 12 and Victor Rask at 42 are excellent value picks. Murphy was a popular choice to go to the Bruins, but the thought of him working the power play with Justin Faulk in about three years...yikes. Watch out NHL! Rask underachieved, but to get him 12 picks into the second is good news for Carolina. Keegan Lowe was a tad high, but he is as steady and dependable as they come. Getting Swiss forward Gregory Hofmann was a steal in the fourth round, but unfortunately, he elected to stay in Switzerland rather than come over to Shawinigan, who was prepared to take him in the CHL Import Draft this week. Goalie Matt Mahalak and Brody Sutter (Duane's kid) are nice developmental project picks late. No flaws in this group.
Chicago Blackhawks
Grade: A
This is another team who gets high marks for their draft. Mark McNeill was a solid, solid pick at 17 just like his build. He's a perfect player for the blue collar folks in Chi-town. Phillip Danault was a bit of a surprise, but understand this- the kid is going to play and his intangibles- leadership, work ethic, desire- all rate him near the top of this class. He'll probably be a third-liner, but when you want to win hockey games, this is a guy who will do it for you. Adam Clendening AND Brandon Saad in the second round. Seriously? We like Mike Paliotta more than others in the third- he's a mobile, shutdown guy and winner. Klas Dahlbeck (overager) and Maxim Shalunov are solid value and risk/reward picks in the 3rd and 4th. Andrew Shaw is an overager who had a great playoffs in leading Owen Sound to the OHL championship. Sam Jardine, Alex Broadhurst and Johan Matsson are nothing to write home about, but this was one hell of a draft from the initial look.
Colorado Avalanche
Grade: A-
It's hard to argue with a draft class that headlines with Gabriel Landeskog. B2011DW absolutely loved this stud, and Colorado fans will too. We weren't as big on Duncan Siemens, but knew he'd go a lot higher than where we had him. If he can be the next Adam Foote, the Avalanche will have done just fine. Joachim Nermark had a disappointing season, but he has skill and upside. If he can get his development back on track, he'll be a good one for a fourth-rounder. Garrett Meurs slid down to the fifth round, but again- is decent value given that he was seen as a potential first-rounder coming into it. The Gabriel Beaupre and Dillon Donnelly picks don't do much for us, but for an organization needing grit and toughness, they at least meet that requirement.
Columbus Blue Jackets
Grade: C+
Boone Jenner is a good pick in the early second round for the Blue Jackets, but he's more likely a third-line character guy than a top-six stud. T.J. Tynan is a gutsy pick, but he was passed over a year ago, so can he thrive in the NHL with his lack of size? If his life is anything to date, he'll keep proving doubters wrong. Mike Reilly is a long-term project because of his lack of physical maturity, but has the tools to be an interesting project. Now, people will say Seth Ambroz is a great value pick in the fifth round, and on paper he is, but we're just not sold that he'll ever be the player he could be. More power to him if he can prove everyone wrong, but let's just say that his prodigious fall was not an accident. And we'll leave it at that. Lukas Sedlak and Anton Forsberg aren't much to speak of as legitimate NHL prospects. On paper, this draft class looks OK, but it lacks any real true high-enders, save for Tynan. And with his size, he's a risk until he can fight his way into the NHL and stay there. Columbus gets bonus points for landing Jeff Carter, but Brian Campbell's rejection in not waiving his no-trade to go there stings.
Dallas Stars
Grade: B
Jamie Oleksiak is a solid selection where they got him with major upside if he keeps developing and becomes more Zdeno Chara than Hal Gill. Sarnia power forward Brett Ritchie was also a solid value pick with upside at 44th overall in the second round. The rest of the guys, Emil Molin (not well known in Sweden), Troy Vance (another huge D but very raw), Matej Stransky and Jyri Jokipakka are some risky picks who may not return big dividends.
Detroit Red Wings
Grade: A
They did it again. After trading their first-rounder (23) to Ottawa (Matt Puempel) they still landed a first-round talent in Tomas Jurco, who looks like an absolute natural with that winged wheel crest on his chest. GM Ken Holland then worked the board like the draft pro he is, grabbing value picks like they were going out of style: Ryan Sproul in the second, Alan Quine in the third. Marek Tvrdon in the fourth, Philippe Hudon in the fifth. Alexei Marchenko could be better than any of them, and they got him in the seventh round. Seventh! Xavier Ouellet was a bit high for us, but with his smarts and puck skills, if anyone can thrive in that system it is him. Once again, the Wings prove that you don't need to have high picks to build your organization.
We'll be back with part two, commencing with the Edmonton Oilers, who are at the head of the class.
*(Not affiliated with the Boston Bruins or the New England Hockey Journal)
Showing posts with label Ryan Murphy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ryan Murphy. Show all posts
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Monday, June 20, 2011
Bob McKenzie's 2011 final draft rankings are out
Death. Taxes. Bob McKenzie's annual NHL draft rankings on TSN.
It's an annual rite of summer when the ultimate NHL insider posts his annual top-60 prospects for the draft, plus honorable mentions. TSN has scout Grant McCagg weighing in on each profile, while McKenzie does the rankings based on a poll of 10 NHL scouts and a special mathematical formula he uses to triangulate the top-60 submissions he gets from each scout.
The link to his rankings are here.
He mentioned on the NHL Live Show that the aforementioned "elite 8" expanded to one more player (a "divine nine" perhaps?- w h/t to Dominic T. for that one). Swedish center Mika Zibanejad broke into the party, which means that the Bruins are looking at having their choice of at least one player from that select group assuming they don't go off the board for someone else.
Not surprisingly, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is on top of the list, and assuming that the Oilers keep the No. 1 pick, the Red Deer Rebels star will go to Edmonton, where that team is assembling an embarrassment of riches up front.
Not surprisingly, defenseman Adam Larsson is No. 2 on the list and he could be the second overall pick to Colorado. If not, we can't imagine he will fall too far.
Jonathan Huberdeau (whom we started calling "J-Money" after his playoff run) is the third player on the list, which isn't a surprise given his meteoric rise up the draft boards all season.
Gabriel Landeskog is a nice fit at 4th- the feeling here is that if he gets to New Jersey, they would snap him up. He's ready to come in and contribute right away, and the Devils have to love his character and potential as a leader and impact player on that roster.
Rounding out the top-five is Sean Couturier, who was at one time thought to be the consensus choice for No. 1 overall. We actually think Couturier will fall out of the top-five based on what we hear, but he's a natural fit for Ottawa if he were to drop a bit.
A pair of Niagara Ice Dogs, defenseman Dougie Hamilton and center Ryan Strome, are 6 and 7 respectively. Hamilton and Strome were both major impact players as 17-year-olds on a team that wasn't expected to contend, yet finished as one of the OHL's top seeds and made it to the eastern conference final series before getting hammered by Mississauga.
At eighth overall is Kitchener defenseman Ryan Murphy, who is a popular topic of conversation among B's fans. He may be however, perfectly slotted at eight if the rumored Columbus-Philadelphia deal does not go off and the Blue Jackets keep the pick. Murphy is the kind of player who would appeal to Columbus given his dynamic element and ability to run the power play.
Zibanejad is ninth on McKenzie's list, but we hear this is too low for the Swede who has come on like gangbusters. He's looking like a player who will come off the board much closer to five than at nine.
Rounding out the top-10 is another Swede- defenseman Jonas Brodin, who is extremely slight and doesn't have a big shot, but who may think and process the game better than any other defenseman in the entire draft class. Off the ice, he's quiet and shy, but when in action, he plays with the cool, confident poise of a veteran and always seems to make the right play with the puck and his positioning.
One player making real noise not only on McKenzie's rankings but in Red Line Report as well is Barrie center Mark Scheifele. Both have him at 12th, one spot behind Nathan Beaulieu. Scheifele played well on a bad team and was a top forward for Canada at the Under-18s this spring. He's bright and committed- someone will take a chance on him early. McKenzie likened him to Ryan Johansen as 2011's super riser who will take people by surprise in terms of where you hear his named called. Might he be a guy who sneaks into the top-10 to Boston? They do love their OHL guys...
Ohio winger Tyler Biggs cracked the top-15, which is good to see, because he's probably underrated now after being overrated by Central Scouting's mid-term rankings. After seeing the Vancouver Canucks get manhandled in the Stanley Cup Finals, is it any secret why teams covet those big-bodied power forwards? Even if Biggs' upside is a question mark, his size and nastiness is not- he should go somewhere in the first round. 15 might be a tad high, but top-20 would not surprise.
Another bit of a surprise at 30 is another Buckeye (headed to Miami University along with Biggs) in Connor Murphy, but then again, with his potential and mental makeup/maturity, if teams are confident that he's not going to be a huge injury risk going forward, he's definitely a first-round talent. It's a chancy move simply because Murphy hasn't seen as much action as most of his peers, but when he played, his performances were usually quite memorable. Just ask Team Sweden about him.
Just missing the first-round cut at 31 and 32 are a pair of OHL imports from Russia and Sweden- Vladislav Namestnikov and Rickard Rakell- both of whom are knocking on the first round's door and will be interesting to see if they make it in.
One interesting omission from the first round is John Gibson at 37, who we thought did enough to break into the top-30 based on his performance at the World Under-18s. Will he pay the price of the current down cycle on drafting goalies high, exacerbated by the Conn Smythe performance of one former ninth-round pick in Tim Thomas?
The rankings are worth checking out. Last year, McKenzie got 25 of 30 right, which was a down year by his standards most of the time. We shall see if he can get back closer to his high of 28.
It's an annual rite of summer when the ultimate NHL insider posts his annual top-60 prospects for the draft, plus honorable mentions. TSN has scout Grant McCagg weighing in on each profile, while McKenzie does the rankings based on a poll of 10 NHL scouts and a special mathematical formula he uses to triangulate the top-60 submissions he gets from each scout.
The link to his rankings are here.
He mentioned on the NHL Live Show that the aforementioned "elite 8" expanded to one more player (a "divine nine" perhaps?- w h/t to Dominic T. for that one). Swedish center Mika Zibanejad broke into the party, which means that the Bruins are looking at having their choice of at least one player from that select group assuming they don't go off the board for someone else.
Not surprisingly, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is on top of the list, and assuming that the Oilers keep the No. 1 pick, the Red Deer Rebels star will go to Edmonton, where that team is assembling an embarrassment of riches up front.
Not surprisingly, defenseman Adam Larsson is No. 2 on the list and he could be the second overall pick to Colorado. If not, we can't imagine he will fall too far.
Jonathan Huberdeau (whom we started calling "J-Money" after his playoff run) is the third player on the list, which isn't a surprise given his meteoric rise up the draft boards all season.
Gabriel Landeskog is a nice fit at 4th- the feeling here is that if he gets to New Jersey, they would snap him up. He's ready to come in and contribute right away, and the Devils have to love his character and potential as a leader and impact player on that roster.
Rounding out the top-five is Sean Couturier, who was at one time thought to be the consensus choice for No. 1 overall. We actually think Couturier will fall out of the top-five based on what we hear, but he's a natural fit for Ottawa if he were to drop a bit.
A pair of Niagara Ice Dogs, defenseman Dougie Hamilton and center Ryan Strome, are 6 and 7 respectively. Hamilton and Strome were both major impact players as 17-year-olds on a team that wasn't expected to contend, yet finished as one of the OHL's top seeds and made it to the eastern conference final series before getting hammered by Mississauga.
At eighth overall is Kitchener defenseman Ryan Murphy, who is a popular topic of conversation among B's fans. He may be however, perfectly slotted at eight if the rumored Columbus-Philadelphia deal does not go off and the Blue Jackets keep the pick. Murphy is the kind of player who would appeal to Columbus given his dynamic element and ability to run the power play.
Zibanejad is ninth on McKenzie's list, but we hear this is too low for the Swede who has come on like gangbusters. He's looking like a player who will come off the board much closer to five than at nine.
Rounding out the top-10 is another Swede- defenseman Jonas Brodin, who is extremely slight and doesn't have a big shot, but who may think and process the game better than any other defenseman in the entire draft class. Off the ice, he's quiet and shy, but when in action, he plays with the cool, confident poise of a veteran and always seems to make the right play with the puck and his positioning.
One player making real noise not only on McKenzie's rankings but in Red Line Report as well is Barrie center Mark Scheifele. Both have him at 12th, one spot behind Nathan Beaulieu. Scheifele played well on a bad team and was a top forward for Canada at the Under-18s this spring. He's bright and committed- someone will take a chance on him early. McKenzie likened him to Ryan Johansen as 2011's super riser who will take people by surprise in terms of where you hear his named called. Might he be a guy who sneaks into the top-10 to Boston? They do love their OHL guys...
Ohio winger Tyler Biggs cracked the top-15, which is good to see, because he's probably underrated now after being overrated by Central Scouting's mid-term rankings. After seeing the Vancouver Canucks get manhandled in the Stanley Cup Finals, is it any secret why teams covet those big-bodied power forwards? Even if Biggs' upside is a question mark, his size and nastiness is not- he should go somewhere in the first round. 15 might be a tad high, but top-20 would not surprise.
Another bit of a surprise at 30 is another Buckeye (headed to Miami University along with Biggs) in Connor Murphy, but then again, with his potential and mental makeup/maturity, if teams are confident that he's not going to be a huge injury risk going forward, he's definitely a first-round talent. It's a chancy move simply because Murphy hasn't seen as much action as most of his peers, but when he played, his performances were usually quite memorable. Just ask Team Sweden about him.
Just missing the first-round cut at 31 and 32 are a pair of OHL imports from Russia and Sweden- Vladislav Namestnikov and Rickard Rakell- both of whom are knocking on the first round's door and will be interesting to see if they make it in.
One interesting omission from the first round is John Gibson at 37, who we thought did enough to break into the top-30 based on his performance at the World Under-18s. Will he pay the price of the current down cycle on drafting goalies high, exacerbated by the Conn Smythe performance of one former ninth-round pick in Tim Thomas?
The rankings are worth checking out. Last year, McKenzie got 25 of 30 right, which was a down year by his standards most of the time. We shall see if he can get back closer to his high of 28.
Monday rumor mill and draft strategies
It's hard to believe that the 2011 NHL Entry Draft is already upon us with the first round happening Friday night at 7:00 p.m. (EST) from the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota.
It's been a long season, and we're approaching 500 posts here on the B2011DW blog. It's been a pleasure to bring you the information and insights on the 2011 draft (and even a small look ahead to 2012 and 2013 as well) so we're going to put the head down, find the hidden energy reserves, and finish out strong.
Much of the draft rumor talk this week revolves around speculation that Steve Tambellini and the Edmonton Oilers are entertaining moving back a few spots to give up the No. 1 choice. Now, while this thought could be dismissed out of hand given the popularity of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, but Edmonton at least entertaining offers makes sense for them. This is the second consecutive year that the Oilers own the top pick, and while they will need a pretty sweet offer to move it, one team that could make sense for them to make a trade with is Florida. Dale Tallon has some pretty good currency to work with in terms of extra picks, prospects and even a roster player or two the Panthers could flip to Edmonton for the right to draft Nugent-Hopkins. The Oil would only be moving back two spots, giving them a shot at Adam Larsson or Jonathan Huberdeau, plus they would have extra assets to work with.
It all comes down to how much Tallon is willing to give up, but Florida could use the bounce they would get by selecting RNH a year after trading with the Bruins to send Nathan Horton to Boston as one of the key missing pieces to a Stanley Cup champion.
B2011DW talked to a source who said that Tambellini has quietly taken some calls about that No. 1 pick. A year ago, he was adamant about not moving it, and even tried to trade with Boston to get the first two selections. The philosophy has changed somewhat given Edmonton's need to be a better team now and not later. We can't confirm if the Oilers have talked specifically with Florida about that top selection, but if there is a deal to be made, it makes sense for them because moving back just a couple of spots keeps them in the running for a top forward in Huberdeau or even Gabriel Landeskog, or allows them to land their high-end defenseman in Larsson while adding other pieces to the cupboard.
We shall see whether the Oil stands pat at 1 or they flip the pick for more assets.
Another option for them is to try and package additional assets to try and move up from 19, where they currently own L.A.'s first pick, to the top-10 to try and land a second high-profile prospect.
As far as players go, Mika Zibanejad looks like a slam-dunk inside the top-8, which means that the Bruins will have a nice shot at any one of Ryan Murphy, Ryan Strome and maybe even Sean Couturier. Zibanejad exploded onto the scene after playing very well in Sweden's top pro league and impressing NHL teams with his winning attitude and personality. Where the B's once hoped to have a shot at him at ninth overall, that isn't happening. We don't think he'll get past Ottawa at six.
Also hearing from a good source and friend that the rumored Jeff Carter to Columbus from Philadelphia for eighth overall (and possibly a player) deal is done and that the Flyers will jump ahead of Boston in the draft order, with announcement pending sometime this week. If this is in fact true, then expect the Flyers to snap up Strome if he is on the board, which we would expect would mean that Murphy would probably be the guy to go to Boston at nine. Strome or Murphy- Ryan's Hope- either way, Boston wins. They get another Tyler Seguin-style high-end scorer to insure them against an early Marc Savard retirement, or they get a Phil Housley-type elite skills offensive-minded defender who becomes the best skater in the organization right from jump street.
With the Bruins having won the Stanley Cup, don't expect them to move up on Friday. They will likely hold onto the assets they have (9th, 40th, 81st picks in the first three rounds) and add to the organization rather than surrender ones at a premium to try and move up a few spots. The math does not lie: a nice player will drop to the B's at 9- there is no need to move forward unless the cost isn't going to hamstring them. The Bruins have a rare championship winner's opportunity to strengthen their organization with two non-playoff picks in the first two rounds.They'll take advantage of that.
It's all winding down now. Bruins fans aren't yet coming off their euphoria of a Stanley Cup victory, but the team is focused on having a good draft. They're having defenseman Nathan Beaulieu in town for a quick visit on his way to Minnesota. Their list is essentially done- it's decision time.
It's been a long season, and we're approaching 500 posts here on the B2011DW blog. It's been a pleasure to bring you the information and insights on the 2011 draft (and even a small look ahead to 2012 and 2013 as well) so we're going to put the head down, find the hidden energy reserves, and finish out strong.
Much of the draft rumor talk this week revolves around speculation that Steve Tambellini and the Edmonton Oilers are entertaining moving back a few spots to give up the No. 1 choice. Now, while this thought could be dismissed out of hand given the popularity of Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, but Edmonton at least entertaining offers makes sense for them. This is the second consecutive year that the Oilers own the top pick, and while they will need a pretty sweet offer to move it, one team that could make sense for them to make a trade with is Florida. Dale Tallon has some pretty good currency to work with in terms of extra picks, prospects and even a roster player or two the Panthers could flip to Edmonton for the right to draft Nugent-Hopkins. The Oil would only be moving back two spots, giving them a shot at Adam Larsson or Jonathan Huberdeau, plus they would have extra assets to work with.
It all comes down to how much Tallon is willing to give up, but Florida could use the bounce they would get by selecting RNH a year after trading with the Bruins to send Nathan Horton to Boston as one of the key missing pieces to a Stanley Cup champion.
B2011DW talked to a source who said that Tambellini has quietly taken some calls about that No. 1 pick. A year ago, he was adamant about not moving it, and even tried to trade with Boston to get the first two selections. The philosophy has changed somewhat given Edmonton's need to be a better team now and not later. We can't confirm if the Oilers have talked specifically with Florida about that top selection, but if there is a deal to be made, it makes sense for them because moving back just a couple of spots keeps them in the running for a top forward in Huberdeau or even Gabriel Landeskog, or allows them to land their high-end defenseman in Larsson while adding other pieces to the cupboard.
We shall see whether the Oil stands pat at 1 or they flip the pick for more assets.
Another option for them is to try and package additional assets to try and move up from 19, where they currently own L.A.'s first pick, to the top-10 to try and land a second high-profile prospect.
As far as players go, Mika Zibanejad looks like a slam-dunk inside the top-8, which means that the Bruins will have a nice shot at any one of Ryan Murphy, Ryan Strome and maybe even Sean Couturier. Zibanejad exploded onto the scene after playing very well in Sweden's top pro league and impressing NHL teams with his winning attitude and personality. Where the B's once hoped to have a shot at him at ninth overall, that isn't happening. We don't think he'll get past Ottawa at six.
Also hearing from a good source and friend that the rumored Jeff Carter to Columbus from Philadelphia for eighth overall (and possibly a player) deal is done and that the Flyers will jump ahead of Boston in the draft order, with announcement pending sometime this week. If this is in fact true, then expect the Flyers to snap up Strome if he is on the board, which we would expect would mean that Murphy would probably be the guy to go to Boston at nine. Strome or Murphy- Ryan's Hope- either way, Boston wins. They get another Tyler Seguin-style high-end scorer to insure them against an early Marc Savard retirement, or they get a Phil Housley-type elite skills offensive-minded defender who becomes the best skater in the organization right from jump street.
With the Bruins having won the Stanley Cup, don't expect them to move up on Friday. They will likely hold onto the assets they have (9th, 40th, 81st picks in the first three rounds) and add to the organization rather than surrender ones at a premium to try and move up a few spots. The math does not lie: a nice player will drop to the B's at 9- there is no need to move forward unless the cost isn't going to hamstring them. The Bruins have a rare championship winner's opportunity to strengthen their organization with two non-playoff picks in the first two rounds.They'll take advantage of that.
It's all winding down now. Bruins fans aren't yet coming off their euphoria of a Stanley Cup victory, but the team is focused on having a good draft. They're having defenseman Nathan Beaulieu in town for a quick visit on his way to Minnesota. Their list is essentially done- it's decision time.
Saturday, June 18, 2011
50 in 30: #2 Gabriel Landeskog
Gabriel Landeskog, LW Kitchener Rangers (OHL)
6-1, 207
Born: November 23, 1992 in Stockholm, Sweden
Shoots: Left
Scouting report:
Strengths: A good skater with a long, powerful stride and strong balance. 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. Good four-way change of direction. Hustles on every shift; plays with energy. Possesses an accurate shot. Underrated backhand-- can sky it up under the crossbar with limited time and space. Good passer and unselfish-- looks to find open teammates for scoring chances. Landeskog sees the ice well and distributes the puck as his pretty even split of goals and assists attests. Physical presence who relishes the hitting aspect of hockey and won't hesitate to fight if the situation warrants. Disciplined, plays in control despite his "angry" style. Tremendous leadership and intangibles: unparalleled work ethic, intelligence, sets the example with offensive and physical play, has mastered English and is "just one of the guys."
Weaknesses:Initial first-step quickness is fine, but could stand to improve to get a little faster out of the gate. Shot isn't overpowering-- even with its quick release and accuracy-- not all that heavy.
Multimedia:
Open Ice feature on Gabriel Landeskog, Ryan Murphy and Tobias Rieder at CHL Top Prospects Game (Open Ice Hockey)
NHL.com interview with Landeskog
Landeskog video/stills montage on You Tube (bestkeeper14)
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(Having trouble uploading combine video on Blogger lately- will try to fix the issue soon)
Style compares to: Brendan Shanahan, Jarome Iginla
Draft prediction: Should be a top-three pick in the NHL draft, but will not slip past New Jersey based on the math. 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.
Projection: He's got the size and ability to project solidly into the top-six both as a power winger and special teams ace. But, his immeasurables are off the charts, so even if he doesn't live up to the offensive billing, he's going to be a solid third-line NHL player simply because he can play the finesse, high-energy, or grinding, in-your-face game. We see 35-goal, 70-80 point upside.
Background: 11 days younger than fellow Swede and high draft candidate Adam Larsson. Father, Tony played defense in the Swedish Elitserien. Has a fraternal twin sister, Beatrice. Originally property of the Djurgardens IF Stockholm hockey system, even playing for them for a few games in '08-09, becoming the youngest player ever to suit up for that Elite League team (3 games -1 assist) at age 16. Landeskog opted to come to North America in 2009 when the Kitchener Rangers traded for his rights with the Plymouth Whalers after that club made him the 3rd overall selection in the 2009 CHL Import Draft. Named Kitchener Rookie of the Year after 24 goals and 46 points in 61 games last season. Named to OHL All-Rookie Team. Named team captain by Kitchener Rangers Head Coach/General Manager Steve Spott on October 24, 2010. First European captain in team history and youngest Rangers captain in 30 years. 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. Finished the season with 36 goals, 66 points in 53 games. His hockey idols growing up: Peter Forsberg, Mats Sundin. Now: Jarome Iginla, Mike Richards.
If Landeskog had his own soundtrack it would be: "Invincible"- Adelita's Way
"50,000 Unstoppable Watts"- Clutch
Quotable:
"Extremely fit and strong, wins nearly every corner battle and isn't afraid to dust it up when necessary. Great teammate who plays with a contagious enthusiasm for the game. Should put up much better numbers this year now that he'll be seeing first line and PP duty."- Red Line Report, September 2010
"As for Landeskog, he's precisely the kind of player the Colorado Avalanche want and need. I can envision him playing in the NHL next season with his refined power game, character and maturity. He doesn't have the elite skill level of other players in class, but as the total package, there are none better. At the beginning of the year, I saw him play and likened him to a Mats Sundin/Brendan Shanahan hybrid. He's not quite as big as both guys or as skilled, but is every bit as powerful and just a tough competitor and leader. You take a guy like Landeskog and put him with Matt Duchene and he's going to do some damage in the NHL. Maybe not right away, but I don't think you can miss with this player."- Kirk Luedeke/B2011DW on Landeskog to In Lou We Trust blog; May, 2011
"Gabriel does remind me of former Kitchener Ranger (and Philadelphia Flyers captain) Mike Richards. He sticks up for his teammates and is as strong at both ends of the rink as any player in the draft this year. He competes as hard if not harder than anybody. He's got all the assets that you need to be a team leader and, for a potential No. 1 overall, that's what you would want."- Central Scouting's Peter Sullivan to NHL.com (full profile here)
“He is a good-size guy who is solid on his skates, not afraid to take the puck to the net or battle for it along the boards. His skating is very good in all areas. He plays the game with so much passion, he plays the game hard, he's a great mentor for players that are younger and older, maturity beyond his years. (He) doesn't need one game in the American league next year -- he should step right into the NHL. I think the team that gets him next year is going to get a player that helps them win a Stanley Cup.”- Central Scouting's Chris Edwards to NHL.com
Gabriel Landeskog in his own words:
"He played hockey for a team named Hammarby, and he played two seasons in the Swedish Elite League. After that, he played all of his career in the second tier league. He's a big defenseman that liked to play physical and could also move the puck, from what I've heard. He's always been a really good mentor for me. He's always been there and given me advice on the way here. Just been a great mentor for me all my life not only on the ice but also off." Landeskog on his father, Tony, to NHL.com (full profile here)
"It was kind of where I stood. I had two ways to choose: I could play in the Swedish Elite League or come here. I felt that I wanted to try something new. Canadian junior hockey has always been one of my dreams. I felt that if I would come here to Kitchener and play for a team that really believed in me I would improve a lot more as a player and also as a person because moving from home and moving to another country would be really great experience."- Landeskog on leaving Sweden for the OHL to NHL.com
The Scoop:
There's nothing soft about Landeskog's game by Mike G. Morreale, NHL.com feature
Landeskog blog post on his combine performance at hockeynewsdigest
6-1, 207
Born: November 23, 1992 in Stockholm, Sweden
Shoots: Left
Scouting report:
Strengths: A good skater with a long, powerful stride and strong balance. 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. Good four-way change of direction. Hustles on every shift; plays with energy. Possesses an accurate shot. Underrated backhand-- can sky it up under the crossbar with limited time and space. Good passer and unselfish-- looks to find open teammates for scoring chances. Landeskog sees the ice well and distributes the puck as his pretty even split of goals and assists attests. Physical presence who relishes the hitting aspect of hockey and won't hesitate to fight if the situation warrants. Disciplined, plays in control despite his "angry" style. Tremendous leadership and intangibles: unparalleled work ethic, intelligence, sets the example with offensive and physical play, has mastered English and is "just one of the guys."
Weaknesses:Initial first-step quickness is fine, but could stand to improve to get a little faster out of the gate. Shot isn't overpowering-- even with its quick release and accuracy-- not all that heavy.
Multimedia:
Open Ice feature on Gabriel Landeskog, Ryan Murphy and Tobias Rieder at CHL Top Prospects Game (Open Ice Hockey)
NHL.com interview with Landeskog
Landeskog video/stills montage on You Tube (bestkeeper14)
)
(Having trouble uploading combine video on Blogger lately- will try to fix the issue soon)
Style compares to: Brendan Shanahan, Jarome Iginla
Draft prediction: Should be a top-three pick in the NHL draft, but will not slip past New Jersey based on the math. 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.
Projection: He's got the size and ability to project solidly into the top-six both as a power winger and special teams ace. But, his immeasurables are off the charts, so even if he doesn't live up to the offensive billing, he's going to be a solid third-line NHL player simply because he can play the finesse, high-energy, or grinding, in-your-face game. We see 35-goal, 70-80 point upside.
Background: 11 days younger than fellow Swede and high draft candidate Adam Larsson. Father, Tony played defense in the Swedish Elitserien. Has a fraternal twin sister, Beatrice. Originally property of the Djurgardens IF Stockholm hockey system, even playing for them for a few games in '08-09, becoming the youngest player ever to suit up for that Elite League team (3 games -1 assist) at age 16. Landeskog opted to come to North America in 2009 when the Kitchener Rangers traded for his rights with the Plymouth Whalers after that club made him the 3rd overall selection in the 2009 CHL Import Draft. Named Kitchener Rookie of the Year after 24 goals and 46 points in 61 games last season. Named to OHL All-Rookie Team. Named team captain by Kitchener Rangers Head Coach/General Manager Steve Spott on October 24, 2010. First European captain in team history and youngest Rangers captain in 30 years. 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. Finished the season with 36 goals, 66 points in 53 games. His hockey idols growing up: Peter Forsberg, Mats Sundin. Now: Jarome Iginla, Mike Richards.
If Landeskog had his own soundtrack it would be: "Invincible"- Adelita's Way
"50,000 Unstoppable Watts"- Clutch
Quotable:
"Extremely fit and strong, wins nearly every corner battle and isn't afraid to dust it up when necessary. Great teammate who plays with a contagious enthusiasm for the game. Should put up much better numbers this year now that he'll be seeing first line and PP duty."- Red Line Report, September 2010
"As for Landeskog, he's precisely the kind of player the Colorado Avalanche want and need. I can envision him playing in the NHL next season with his refined power game, character and maturity. He doesn't have the elite skill level of other players in class, but as the total package, there are none better. At the beginning of the year, I saw him play and likened him to a Mats Sundin/Brendan Shanahan hybrid. He's not quite as big as both guys or as skilled, but is every bit as powerful and just a tough competitor and leader. You take a guy like Landeskog and put him with Matt Duchene and he's going to do some damage in the NHL. Maybe not right away, but I don't think you can miss with this player."- Kirk Luedeke/B2011DW on Landeskog to In Lou We Trust blog; May, 2011
"Gabriel does remind me of former Kitchener Ranger (and Philadelphia Flyers captain) Mike Richards. He sticks up for his teammates and is as strong at both ends of the rink as any player in the draft this year. He competes as hard if not harder than anybody. He's got all the assets that you need to be a team leader and, for a potential No. 1 overall, that's what you would want."- Central Scouting's Peter Sullivan to NHL.com (full profile here)
“He is a good-size guy who is solid on his skates, not afraid to take the puck to the net or battle for it along the boards. His skating is very good in all areas. He plays the game with so much passion, he plays the game hard, he's a great mentor for players that are younger and older, maturity beyond his years. (He) doesn't need one game in the American league next year -- he should step right into the NHL. I think the team that gets him next year is going to get a player that helps them win a Stanley Cup.”- Central Scouting's Chris Edwards to NHL.com
Gabriel Landeskog in his own words:
"He played hockey for a team named Hammarby, and he played two seasons in the Swedish Elite League. After that, he played all of his career in the second tier league. He's a big defenseman that liked to play physical and could also move the puck, from what I've heard. He's always been a really good mentor for me. He's always been there and given me advice on the way here. Just been a great mentor for me all my life not only on the ice but also off." Landeskog on his father, Tony, to NHL.com (full profile here)
"It was kind of where I stood. I had two ways to choose: I could play in the Swedish Elite League or come here. I felt that I wanted to try something new. Canadian junior hockey has always been one of my dreams. I felt that if I would come here to Kitchener and play for a team that really believed in me I would improve a lot more as a player and also as a person because moving from home and moving to another country would be really great experience."- Landeskog on leaving Sweden for the OHL to NHL.com
The Scoop:
There's nothing soft about Landeskog's game by Mike G. Morreale, NHL.com feature
Landeskog blog post on his combine performance at hockeynewsdigest
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
50 in 30: #6 Ryan Murphy
Ryan Murphy, D Kitchener Rangers (OHL)
5-11, 175
Born: March 31, 1993 in Aurora, Ontario
Shoots: Right
Scouting report:
Strengths: The most skilled prospect at the defense position in the entire 2011 draft. Amazing speed, elusiveness and balance- a 5+ skater on the 1-5 scale; explosive acceleration, dynamic top speed with extra separation gear. A master of his edges; can cut and turn on a dime and shake would-be forecheckers with ease. When he revs it up through the neutral zone, few can slow him down. Outstanding four-way directional movement with both blazing mobility and slippery agility with and without the puck. Excellent puckhandler who can make all his moves at full gallop. Keeps his head up and sees the ice beautifully. Super passer who can make every breakout with ease, either with the short-to-intermediate crisp tape-to-tape feed or the long, accurate stretch pass to spring the breakaway. High-end distributor on offense; able to exploit seams in defenses at will and unselfish with the puck. As pure gunslinger from the backline as you will find: possesses a true bomb from the point that is hard, heavy and accurate. Gets it off quickly and has the instinctive feel for when to shoot and when to move it to a better scoring position. Uses his excellent lateral agility to open up shooting lanes for himself, making him a dual shooting/passing threat every time the puck is in the offensive zone. Highly creative; thinks and reacts so much faster than 95% of his opponents at this level. Made one play that astounded scouts in attendance for Game 5 of opening series vs. Plymouth where he purposefully shot the puck off the backend to teammate Jerry D'Amigo, who buried it for a lead late in the game. Defensive improvement shows he has the work ethic and desire to be a player. Has mastered the art of the hip check; uses his superior smarts and mobility to lay out opponents much bigger and stronger than he. Quick, active stick to deny players who try to take the puck into traffic. Solid positionally; doesn't hurt his team with many mistakes or bad decisions. Hockey sense is simply off the charts in terms of his vision, judgment of when to activate, and the ability to read the play and make the right decisions both offensively and defensively. A leader and very high character player who came into the OHL with a lot of fanfare and has thus far has not only delivered, but raised the bar.
Weaknesses: With Murphy it's all about the size and strength issues. As skilled a player as he is, he'll have to account for bigger, faster, stronger forwards in the NHL and pros who will drive straight to the net and be difficult to contain on the cycle. Last season, his defense was a major question mark, more owing to the fact that he never really had to worry much about playing in his own end at the lower levels. However, he addressed his shortcoming to the satisfaction of most who watched him this season. No major flaws to his game- a major league talent who simply has to keep proving himself as he has already done.
Multimedia:
Ryan Murphy HNIC Don Cherry video (Thanks Dominic Tiano for posting on YT)
Interview with Ryan Murphy at the NHL Scouting Combine (B2011DW video)
Style compares to: Paul Coffey, Phil Housley
Draft prediction:Murphy came into the season with a bum rap about his lack of size and inability to play defense, but the 79-point scorer for Kitchener answered a lot of questions. He's better positionally, though he'll still face challenges when dealing with the pure strength and power of hockey's bigger, skilled forwards. Even with those concerns, however, Murphy established himself as a clear-cut top-10 pick this season. His talent level and commitment are so high and he'll not be long in waiting at the XCel Energy Center on the 24th. He's a perfect fit for Boston, but rumors abound that at least one team picking ahead of the Bruins at 9 are hot for Murphy. We'll see how it all plays out in about 10 days. He's probably several years from being ready for NHL action, but the idea of Murphy and Zdeno Chara together at some point has to bring a lot of appeal.
Projection: Top pairing potential and ace power play specialist. Murphy still has some scouts questioning whether he can be a regular rotation defender, but others are sold. At the very least, he'd be a third-pairing guy and special teamer. Guys with Murphy's skill level and character don't always come around, and given Boston's dearth of projectable high-end talent at the defense position, we wouldn't be at all surprised if the B's braintrust coveted him.
Background:A standout for the York-Simcoe Express as a minor midget, where he was coached by fellow 2011 draft prospect Daniel Catenacci's father, Maurice. Brampton winger Barclay Goodrow was also on that Express team with Murphy and Catenacci. Drafted third overall in the 2009 OHL Priority Selection by Kitchener. Had 6 goals, 39 points in 62 OHL games as a rookie; doubled his production in second OHL campaign: has a steep developmental curve (26-53-79). Finished second only to Windsor Spitfires veteran (and Nashville first-round pick in 2009) Ryan Ellis in scoring for defensemen in the OHL (Ellis had 24 goals, 100 points). Was not selected for the 2010 Team Canada Under-18 squad that captured gold at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament in August despite scoring a hat trick (4 total points) in the final scrimmage at evaluation camp in Calgary. Set Team Canada scoring record at World Under-18 tournament for points with 13 in seven games. Formed part of a legitimate leadership core- wearing the 'A' alongside team captain Gabriel Landeskog. Favorite NHL team: Chicago Blackhawks Favorite NHL player: Mike Green
If Murphy had his own soundtrack it would be: "Anthem of the Underdog"- 12 Stones
Quotable:
"There are two schools of thought on Murphy; he's not that strong in his own end. I mean, he's easily knocked off the puck and he'll take the puck and go with it all the time, so he needs to get better at refining his defensive techniques and paying a little more attention to what he needs to do in his own end. But, he's so dynamic. You look at a kid like Ryan Ellis; Murphy is so much of a better skater than Ellis will ever hope to be. And he's a lot more intelligent with the puck on his stick than Ellis and that's saying something, because Ellis is one of the most intelligent quarterbacks back there on the blue line that I have seen come along in the last 10 or 12 years. So, Murphy has all the things that Ellis does and much, much better skating ability with dynamic speed and acceleration. So, those are the things you accentuate. He's certainly going to be a power play quarterback who can quarterback a top power play in the NHL. The question is whether he-- he certainly has room to improve in his own end-- the question is will he take the coaching and will he get better at that? That's going to be the difference as to whether he's more of a specialist or a guy who puts up 20 minutes a night."- Kyle Woodlief, Chief Scout and Publisher, Red Line Report; December 2010
"I think he's a much more dynamic player than Ellis is. If you don't stop this kid at (his) own blue line, you're ****ed."- NHL scout to Bruins 2011 Draft Watch; August 2010
"He's such a smart player with the way he activates. He sees the ice so well and has that instinctive feel for finding the openings and moving the puck to his teammates for quality scoring chances. He's confident and aggressive with the way he handles the puck, and really, when he's on the ice, it's like having four forwards out there at all times."- Kitchener head coach Steve Spott to Bruins 2011 Draft Watch; January 2011
"He's improved significantly. What you have to understand about Ryan is that he's such a hard worker and is driven to be a better player in all aspects of the game. The first question I get from NHL scouts is, 'Can he defend?' and my answer is: 'Yes, he can!' His hockey IQ is so high, and while he's still working on his strength to win those 1-on-1 puck battles he's smart enough to win a lot of those and he's so competitive that he's able to be effective in his own zone."- Kitchener head coach Steve Spott to Bruins 2011 Draft Watch; January 2011
"What Ryan is going to have to overcome is risk. He'll have to deal with it his entire career, and NHL teams will have to decide how much risk they are willing to take with him. I think you saw that question answered a few years ago with a player that can do similar things in Ryan Ellis (Nashville Predators). After watching him in this league and in tournaments like the World Juniors, I don't know that there is any question that he'll wear the (Nashville) sweater. I could see how there would be questions surrounding Ryan Murphy, but when it comes to risk, he's well worth it in my opinion."- Kitchener head coach Steve Spott to Bruins 2011 Draft Watch; January 2011
"Murphy has looked great so far (in the 2011 playoffs). He looks like a top-10 pick...top-five, actually, with the way he's played."- NHL scout to Bruins 2011 Draft Watch; April 2011
"Ryan's work on the power play is outstanding, He sees the ice very well and is creative, [has] excellent passing ability and a great shot that he gets through to the net. (He's) also an excellent all-round skater. He's got real good mobility. He's a bit of a gambler. He does move the puck well, but he's going to have to concentrate on making good plays."- Central Scouting's Chris Edwards to NHL.com; May, 2011
Murphy in his own words:
"Obviously, I'm an offensive defenseman and I have the skating and skills to be a factor offensively. I like to join the rush and I can help on the power play. But beyond that, I'm an improved player defensively from where I was. I think I've learned how to play the position more effectively; how to use my feet and my head to make the right plays and be in position to prevent other team's from scoring goals. I'm still learning, but I know that I can be counted on to be an effective player at both ends of the ice, and that's what I would tell any NHL team."- Ryan Murphy to Bruins 2011 Draft Watch; January, 2011
"I don't think you can ever be satisfied with where you are as an individual player. Losing to Windsor in last season's playoffs taught me a lot about how far I have to go in my own development."- Ryan Murphy to Bruins 2011 Draft Watch; January, 2011
The Scoop
True Hockey feature on Ryan Murphy by Greg Thomson
Adam Kimmelman: Murphy wants to be known as all-around defenseman (NHL.com)
Murphy does some looking at the Reebok Store
5-11, 175
Born: March 31, 1993 in Aurora, Ontario
Shoots: Right
Scouting report:
Strengths: The most skilled prospect at the defense position in the entire 2011 draft. Amazing speed, elusiveness and balance- a 5+ skater on the 1-5 scale; explosive acceleration, dynamic top speed with extra separation gear. A master of his edges; can cut and turn on a dime and shake would-be forecheckers with ease. When he revs it up through the neutral zone, few can slow him down. Outstanding four-way directional movement with both blazing mobility and slippery agility with and without the puck. Excellent puckhandler who can make all his moves at full gallop. Keeps his head up and sees the ice beautifully. Super passer who can make every breakout with ease, either with the short-to-intermediate crisp tape-to-tape feed or the long, accurate stretch pass to spring the breakaway. High-end distributor on offense; able to exploit seams in defenses at will and unselfish with the puck. As pure gunslinger from the backline as you will find: possesses a true bomb from the point that is hard, heavy and accurate. Gets it off quickly and has the instinctive feel for when to shoot and when to move it to a better scoring position. Uses his excellent lateral agility to open up shooting lanes for himself, making him a dual shooting/passing threat every time the puck is in the offensive zone. Highly creative; thinks and reacts so much faster than 95% of his opponents at this level. Made one play that astounded scouts in attendance for Game 5 of opening series vs. Plymouth where he purposefully shot the puck off the backend to teammate Jerry D'Amigo, who buried it for a lead late in the game. Defensive improvement shows he has the work ethic and desire to be a player. Has mastered the art of the hip check; uses his superior smarts and mobility to lay out opponents much bigger and stronger than he. Quick, active stick to deny players who try to take the puck into traffic. Solid positionally; doesn't hurt his team with many mistakes or bad decisions. Hockey sense is simply off the charts in terms of his vision, judgment of when to activate, and the ability to read the play and make the right decisions both offensively and defensively. A leader and very high character player who came into the OHL with a lot of fanfare and has thus far has not only delivered, but raised the bar.
Weaknesses: With Murphy it's all about the size and strength issues. As skilled a player as he is, he'll have to account for bigger, faster, stronger forwards in the NHL and pros who will drive straight to the net and be difficult to contain on the cycle. Last season, his defense was a major question mark, more owing to the fact that he never really had to worry much about playing in his own end at the lower levels. However, he addressed his shortcoming to the satisfaction of most who watched him this season. No major flaws to his game- a major league talent who simply has to keep proving himself as he has already done.
Multimedia:
Ryan Murphy HNIC Don Cherry video (Thanks Dominic Tiano for posting on YT)
Interview with Ryan Murphy at the NHL Scouting Combine (B2011DW video)
Style compares to: Paul Coffey, Phil Housley
Draft prediction:Murphy came into the season with a bum rap about his lack of size and inability to play defense, but the 79-point scorer for Kitchener answered a lot of questions. He's better positionally, though he'll still face challenges when dealing with the pure strength and power of hockey's bigger, skilled forwards. Even with those concerns, however, Murphy established himself as a clear-cut top-10 pick this season. His talent level and commitment are so high and he'll not be long in waiting at the XCel Energy Center on the 24th. He's a perfect fit for Boston, but rumors abound that at least one team picking ahead of the Bruins at 9 are hot for Murphy. We'll see how it all plays out in about 10 days. He's probably several years from being ready for NHL action, but the idea of Murphy and Zdeno Chara together at some point has to bring a lot of appeal.
Projection: Top pairing potential and ace power play specialist. Murphy still has some scouts questioning whether he can be a regular rotation defender, but others are sold. At the very least, he'd be a third-pairing guy and special teamer. Guys with Murphy's skill level and character don't always come around, and given Boston's dearth of projectable high-end talent at the defense position, we wouldn't be at all surprised if the B's braintrust coveted him.
Background:A standout for the York-Simcoe Express as a minor midget, where he was coached by fellow 2011 draft prospect Daniel Catenacci's father, Maurice. Brampton winger Barclay Goodrow was also on that Express team with Murphy and Catenacci. Drafted third overall in the 2009 OHL Priority Selection by Kitchener. Had 6 goals, 39 points in 62 OHL games as a rookie; doubled his production in second OHL campaign: has a steep developmental curve (26-53-79). Finished second only to Windsor Spitfires veteran (and Nashville first-round pick in 2009) Ryan Ellis in scoring for defensemen in the OHL (Ellis had 24 goals, 100 points). Was not selected for the 2010 Team Canada Under-18 squad that captured gold at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament in August despite scoring a hat trick (4 total points) in the final scrimmage at evaluation camp in Calgary. Set Team Canada scoring record at World Under-18 tournament for points with 13 in seven games. Formed part of a legitimate leadership core- wearing the 'A' alongside team captain Gabriel Landeskog. Favorite NHL team: Chicago Blackhawks Favorite NHL player: Mike Green
If Murphy had his own soundtrack it would be: "Anthem of the Underdog"- 12 Stones
Quotable:
"There are two schools of thought on Murphy; he's not that strong in his own end. I mean, he's easily knocked off the puck and he'll take the puck and go with it all the time, so he needs to get better at refining his defensive techniques and paying a little more attention to what he needs to do in his own end. But, he's so dynamic. You look at a kid like Ryan Ellis; Murphy is so much of a better skater than Ellis will ever hope to be. And he's a lot more intelligent with the puck on his stick than Ellis and that's saying something, because Ellis is one of the most intelligent quarterbacks back there on the blue line that I have seen come along in the last 10 or 12 years. So, Murphy has all the things that Ellis does and much, much better skating ability with dynamic speed and acceleration. So, those are the things you accentuate. He's certainly going to be a power play quarterback who can quarterback a top power play in the NHL. The question is whether he-- he certainly has room to improve in his own end-- the question is will he take the coaching and will he get better at that? That's going to be the difference as to whether he's more of a specialist or a guy who puts up 20 minutes a night."- Kyle Woodlief, Chief Scout and Publisher, Red Line Report; December 2010
"I think he's a much more dynamic player than Ellis is. If you don't stop this kid at (his) own blue line, you're ****ed."- NHL scout to Bruins 2011 Draft Watch; August 2010
"He's such a smart player with the way he activates. He sees the ice so well and has that instinctive feel for finding the openings and moving the puck to his teammates for quality scoring chances. He's confident and aggressive with the way he handles the puck, and really, when he's on the ice, it's like having four forwards out there at all times."- Kitchener head coach Steve Spott to Bruins 2011 Draft Watch; January 2011
"He's improved significantly. What you have to understand about Ryan is that he's such a hard worker and is driven to be a better player in all aspects of the game. The first question I get from NHL scouts is, 'Can he defend?' and my answer is: 'Yes, he can!' His hockey IQ is so high, and while he's still working on his strength to win those 1-on-1 puck battles he's smart enough to win a lot of those and he's so competitive that he's able to be effective in his own zone."- Kitchener head coach Steve Spott to Bruins 2011 Draft Watch; January 2011
"What Ryan is going to have to overcome is risk. He'll have to deal with it his entire career, and NHL teams will have to decide how much risk they are willing to take with him. I think you saw that question answered a few years ago with a player that can do similar things in Ryan Ellis (Nashville Predators). After watching him in this league and in tournaments like the World Juniors, I don't know that there is any question that he'll wear the (Nashville) sweater. I could see how there would be questions surrounding Ryan Murphy, but when it comes to risk, he's well worth it in my opinion."- Kitchener head coach Steve Spott to Bruins 2011 Draft Watch; January 2011
"Murphy has looked great so far (in the 2011 playoffs). He looks like a top-10 pick...top-five, actually, with the way he's played."- NHL scout to Bruins 2011 Draft Watch; April 2011
"Ryan's work on the power play is outstanding, He sees the ice very well and is creative, [has] excellent passing ability and a great shot that he gets through to the net. (He's) also an excellent all-round skater. He's got real good mobility. He's a bit of a gambler. He does move the puck well, but he's going to have to concentrate on making good plays."- Central Scouting's Chris Edwards to NHL.com; May, 2011
Murphy in his own words:
"Obviously, I'm an offensive defenseman and I have the skating and skills to be a factor offensively. I like to join the rush and I can help on the power play. But beyond that, I'm an improved player defensively from where I was. I think I've learned how to play the position more effectively; how to use my feet and my head to make the right plays and be in position to prevent other team's from scoring goals. I'm still learning, but I know that I can be counted on to be an effective player at both ends of the ice, and that's what I would tell any NHL team."- Ryan Murphy to Bruins 2011 Draft Watch; January, 2011
"I don't think you can ever be satisfied with where you are as an individual player. Losing to Windsor in last season's playoffs taught me a lot about how far I have to go in my own development."- Ryan Murphy to Bruins 2011 Draft Watch; January, 2011
The Scoop
True Hockey feature on Ryan Murphy by Greg Thomson
Adam Kimmelman: Murphy wants to be known as all-around defenseman (NHL.com)
Murphy does some looking at the Reebok Store
Saturday, May 28, 2011
The curious case of Barclay Goodrow
Scouting hockey prospects can be a fickle business. Especially when it comes to projecting players in their teens as adults in contention for a very limited amount of NHL jobs.
Brampton Battalion forward Barclay Goodrow is a case study in the kind of prospect who reaches a physical maturity faster than his peers in the early teens and tends to dominate competition early. However, if the line of progression does not continue and noticeable improvements made in known shortcomings, then the red flags come out.
Such is the situation with Goodrow.
The 18-year-old left winger stands at about 6-2 and 210 pounds, but he towered among his minor midget competition when he was skating with the York Simcoe Express on what was a veritable "Who's Who" among 2011 draft prospects- a team coached by Maurice Catenacci, father of 2009 OHL 1st overall pick by the Soo Greyhounds Daniel Catenacci. 4th overall pick Ryan Murphy of the Kitchener Rangers was also on that team. Goodrow's 67 goals helped to make him the 17th overall pick that year by Brampton despite major skating issues.
Two years later, Goodrow is still a labored skater, with a lack of initial burst, foot speed and agility. We asked one NHL scout about Goodrow at the halfway point this season and his response was swift: "The skating's going to hold him back," was all he said.
On the flip side, Goodrow scored 24 goals- he can fire the puck and when he bulls his way to the net, he's tough to contain because of his big frame and strength. One problem with him is that he doesn't do it often enough, and he also struggles to maintain his consistency from shift to shift.
Every year, draft classes have a Goodrow in them- a kid who was highly regarded going into major junior but who was unable to continue upward on the development curve, while the kids behind him in minor midget or lower levels caught up and then passed them. Given his excellent production on that Express juggernaut along with his excellent pro hockey size, this was a player NHL scouts had high hopes for. And given his quick hands and good hockey sense, there is some hope for Goodrow, even if the hopes and dreams of being a high NHL draft pick are essentially a pipe dream at this point.
"There's some unrefined potential with this kid," said a Western Conference scout who works Ontario for his club. "His dad played university football, so there are some bloodlines, and he's a pretty solid two-way guy. The skating's rough, but he's someone who you take later and that maybe with some good coaching he can become and effective grinder for you."
When it comes to those big-name Express alumni, Goodrow has been the forgotten man between Murphy and Catenacci, but his natural size means that he still has a shot to be an NHL player one day. He's going to have to do it the hard way and without fanfare, but where once his star was rising along with others in the region, the development has stagnated. To a degree, his case underscores how tough it is to pinpoint future NHL skaters at such a young age.
Brampton Battalion forward Barclay Goodrow is a case study in the kind of prospect who reaches a physical maturity faster than his peers in the early teens and tends to dominate competition early. However, if the line of progression does not continue and noticeable improvements made in known shortcomings, then the red flags come out.
Such is the situation with Goodrow.
The 18-year-old left winger stands at about 6-2 and 210 pounds, but he towered among his minor midget competition when he was skating with the York Simcoe Express on what was a veritable "Who's Who" among 2011 draft prospects- a team coached by Maurice Catenacci, father of 2009 OHL 1st overall pick by the Soo Greyhounds Daniel Catenacci. 4th overall pick Ryan Murphy of the Kitchener Rangers was also on that team. Goodrow's 67 goals helped to make him the 17th overall pick that year by Brampton despite major skating issues.
Two years later, Goodrow is still a labored skater, with a lack of initial burst, foot speed and agility. We asked one NHL scout about Goodrow at the halfway point this season and his response was swift: "The skating's going to hold him back," was all he said.
On the flip side, Goodrow scored 24 goals- he can fire the puck and when he bulls his way to the net, he's tough to contain because of his big frame and strength. One problem with him is that he doesn't do it often enough, and he also struggles to maintain his consistency from shift to shift.
Every year, draft classes have a Goodrow in them- a kid who was highly regarded going into major junior but who was unable to continue upward on the development curve, while the kids behind him in minor midget or lower levels caught up and then passed them. Given his excellent production on that Express juggernaut along with his excellent pro hockey size, this was a player NHL scouts had high hopes for. And given his quick hands and good hockey sense, there is some hope for Goodrow, even if the hopes and dreams of being a high NHL draft pick are essentially a pipe dream at this point.
"There's some unrefined potential with this kid," said a Western Conference scout who works Ontario for his club. "His dad played university football, so there are some bloodlines, and he's a pretty solid two-way guy. The skating's rough, but he's someone who you take later and that maybe with some good coaching he can become and effective grinder for you."
When it comes to those big-name Express alumni, Goodrow has been the forgotten man between Murphy and Catenacci, but his natural size means that he still has a shot to be an NHL player one day. He's going to have to do it the hard way and without fanfare, but where once his star was rising along with others in the region, the development has stagnated. To a degree, his case underscores how tough it is to pinpoint future NHL skaters at such a young age.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
2011 Draft Interview on Devils In Lou We Trust blog
Bruins 2011 Draft Watch had an exchange over several days with New Jersey Devils blogger Tom Stivali of the highly popular site In Lou We Trust about this year's crop and potential trends.
You can read the entire piece here, and it's only the first of two parts.
For those who wouldn't take the time to click on the link otherwise, here are some excerpts to make it worth your while:
B2011DW on Gabriel Landeskog:
As for Landeskog, he's precisely the kind of player the Colorado Avalanche want and need. I can envision him playing in the NHL next season with his refined power game, character and maturity. He doesn't have the elite skill level of other players in class, but as the total package, there are none better. At the beginning of the year, I saw him play and likened him to a Mats Sundin/Brendan Shanahan hybrid. He's not quite as big as both guys or as skilled, but is every bit as powerful and just a tough competitor and leader. You take a guy like Landeskog and put him with Matt Duchene and he's going to do some damage in the NHL. Maybe not right away, but I don't think you can miss with this player.
B2011DW on Sean Couturier's skating knocks:
Skating deficiencies come in different categories/varieties depending on the player, but in Couturier's case, he lacks a quick initial burst and the ability to accelerate rapidly in short areas. Quick stops/starts/changes of direction are a challenge for him. You will hear scouts use the phrase: "has heavy boots" which usually means that a player doesn't explode from a standstill and generate top speed in the first few strides, but rather labors to get that head of steam going.
This is a pretty common thing with a player of Couturier's size, however, and can be improved with power skating work/improvements to mechanics and also off-ice plyometrics and ladder work to increase footspeed/agility. Milan Lucic told me that his off-season grass drills and plyometrics work (along with the power skating he does) has been instrumental in his success in the NHL after being red-flagged during his draft season for skating/mobility. Because Couturier's speed is fine when he gets going, he doesn't have all that far to go.
When you watch Couturier on video, which is what I assume you are seeing, he's already moving and in stride with or without the puck (when he's about to receive the pass), so you aren't going to see much wrong with him without seeing how he looks coming out of the gate from a stop, or during sequences where he's having to make rapid changes in direction. That's where the criticisms of his mobility tend to originate.
In my view, he's not a terrible skater, but the lack of suddenness is evident and he'll never be considered a "plus-skater" no matter how much work he puts into it. When you're looking at drafting a player with the first or second overall pick, these are the kinds of things that teams/scouts will obsess about because his stride is a little funky, and he makes slower, wide turns at times. That said, if Couturier picks up a step or two, he'll be fine. I heard the same exact things about Patrice Bergeron when he was drafted, and the difference between Couturier and Bergeron (aside from the draft position) is about six inches and some considerable offensive upside. Because of where Couturier stands to be drafted, the stakes are higher for him.
B2011DW on Adam Larsson and Ryan Murphy:
Larsson is still my top guy because of the complete package he brings to the team who picks him. Not to mention the fact that my projection may be on the conservative side. If he develops into more than just a complementary player, then he could end up being very good. Right now, going off of what we know, it's hard to say for sure, but the tools are certainly there. He had a excellent offensive season a year ago, but really fell off with his numbers this time around. I think a lot of that had to do with nagging injuries and also perhaps the pressure that comes with performing in the draft season. Larsson set the bar really, really high as a 16-17-year-old, so unfortunately for him, there was no place for him to go but down.
I like Hamilton's upside. I believe that he and Ryan Murphy have the highest ceilings of any of the defensemen including Larsson, but both have their drawbacks. In Hamilton's case, it's his natural awareness and positional savvy. One thing to keep in mind with him was that he is a converted forward, so he's still learning the defense position. Some scouts have expressed concerns about his hockey sense and whether he can process quickly enough to be the sum of his impressive parts.
Murphy's drawbacks are his size and overall defensive acumen- more in terms of his physical limitations when you talk about defenders being responsible for handling wingers that are bigger, faster, stronger than ever. He's going to have his hands full, even if he ends up being 5-11, 190 pounds or so at his peak of maturity. I see a lot of Phil Housley in him when I watch Murphy play, though- and I think any team who could get a guy with that kind of potential in the top-10 would be pretty happy with that.
My thanks to Tom for giving me such an extensive platform with which to bloviate about the NHL draft, and I hope you'll check out the whole interview. Part two will be posted tomorrow.- Kirk Luedeke
You can read the entire piece here, and it's only the first of two parts.
For those who wouldn't take the time to click on the link otherwise, here are some excerpts to make it worth your while:
B2011DW on Gabriel Landeskog:
As for Landeskog, he's precisely the kind of player the Colorado Avalanche want and need. I can envision him playing in the NHL next season with his refined power game, character and maturity. He doesn't have the elite skill level of other players in class, but as the total package, there are none better. At the beginning of the year, I saw him play and likened him to a Mats Sundin/Brendan Shanahan hybrid. He's not quite as big as both guys or as skilled, but is every bit as powerful and just a tough competitor and leader. You take a guy like Landeskog and put him with Matt Duchene and he's going to do some damage in the NHL. Maybe not right away, but I don't think you can miss with this player.
B2011DW on Sean Couturier's skating knocks:
Skating deficiencies come in different categories/varieties depending on the player, but in Couturier's case, he lacks a quick initial burst and the ability to accelerate rapidly in short areas. Quick stops/starts/changes of direction are a challenge for him. You will hear scouts use the phrase: "has heavy boots" which usually means that a player doesn't explode from a standstill and generate top speed in the first few strides, but rather labors to get that head of steam going.
This is a pretty common thing with a player of Couturier's size, however, and can be improved with power skating work/improvements to mechanics and also off-ice plyometrics and ladder work to increase footspeed/agility. Milan Lucic told me that his off-season grass drills and plyometrics work (along with the power skating he does) has been instrumental in his success in the NHL after being red-flagged during his draft season for skating/mobility. Because Couturier's speed is fine when he gets going, he doesn't have all that far to go.
When you watch Couturier on video, which is what I assume you are seeing, he's already moving and in stride with or without the puck (when he's about to receive the pass), so you aren't going to see much wrong with him without seeing how he looks coming out of the gate from a stop, or during sequences where he's having to make rapid changes in direction. That's where the criticisms of his mobility tend to originate.
In my view, he's not a terrible skater, but the lack of suddenness is evident and he'll never be considered a "plus-skater" no matter how much work he puts into it. When you're looking at drafting a player with the first or second overall pick, these are the kinds of things that teams/scouts will obsess about because his stride is a little funky, and he makes slower, wide turns at times. That said, if Couturier picks up a step or two, he'll be fine. I heard the same exact things about Patrice Bergeron when he was drafted, and the difference between Couturier and Bergeron (aside from the draft position) is about six inches and some considerable offensive upside. Because of where Couturier stands to be drafted, the stakes are higher for him.
B2011DW on Adam Larsson and Ryan Murphy:
Larsson is still my top guy because of the complete package he brings to the team who picks him. Not to mention the fact that my projection may be on the conservative side. If he develops into more than just a complementary player, then he could end up being very good. Right now, going off of what we know, it's hard to say for sure, but the tools are certainly there. He had a excellent offensive season a year ago, but really fell off with his numbers this time around. I think a lot of that had to do with nagging injuries and also perhaps the pressure that comes with performing in the draft season. Larsson set the bar really, really high as a 16-17-year-old, so unfortunately for him, there was no place for him to go but down.
I like Hamilton's upside. I believe that he and Ryan Murphy have the highest ceilings of any of the defensemen including Larsson, but both have their drawbacks. In Hamilton's case, it's his natural awareness and positional savvy. One thing to keep in mind with him was that he is a converted forward, so he's still learning the defense position. Some scouts have expressed concerns about his hockey sense and whether he can process quickly enough to be the sum of his impressive parts.
Murphy's drawbacks are his size and overall defensive acumen- more in terms of his physical limitations when you talk about defenders being responsible for handling wingers that are bigger, faster, stronger than ever. He's going to have his hands full, even if he ends up being 5-11, 190 pounds or so at his peak of maturity. I see a lot of Phil Housley in him when I watch Murphy play, though- and I think any team who could get a guy with that kind of potential in the top-10 would be pretty happy with that.
My thanks to Tom for giving me such an extensive platform with which to bloviate about the NHL draft, and I hope you'll check out the whole interview. Part two will be posted tomorrow.- Kirk Luedeke
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Why Joe Morrow is going to surprise at NHL draft
Skilled puck moving defensemen are more in demand than ever, which is an interesting paradigm shift, because at one time, huge, nasty defenders were coveted during the clutch-and-grab era of the NHL given their ability to neutralize smaller offensive players.
These days, it's all about the mobile passers who can stretch defenses and start the quick attack from their own end. The best NHL teams have a fast and fluid transition game. Those who don't have that kind of dynamic in their blue line corps have to rely on their forwards to do more individual work to beat opposing defenses.
One such player who is not generally ranked as a solid first-round selection is Portland Winterhawk Joe Morrow.
The 34th-ranked player in the THN Draft Preview, Red Line had Morrow 36th in their April issue. The way we hear it, though, Morrow could very well be picked inside the top-20. Why? Well, at 6-1, 200 pounds, he's got size and natural strength. His skating improved considerably from where it was a year ago, as did his footwork, and Morrow has gotten much more involved in jumping up into the play than he did previously.
With good vision and the right touch on the puck, he's a pretty strong all-around package in that he's not a high-end puck-mover nor is he a dominant defenseman, but is a nice blend between both.
We talked to one NHL scout out west who lamented the fact that the cat is out of the bag on Morrow. "I saw him last year and was hoping he might be a guy we could steal later on, but I don't see it after the season he had," the scout said. "When you break it down, his skill level probably isn't quite what it should be if you're taking a guy in the first 15 to 20 picks, but in the bigger picture of what he brings to a team, I think he'll go there."
Morrow has a big booming shot, but the scout said that the Albertan sometimes falls a little too in love with his point drive and needs to get quicker at getting it off and work on switching things up. "He tends to get a little static or stationary at times," the scout said. "And with that big windup, the guys who are willing to get in front of it have the time to react and get into the shooting lane. It is a real cannon, though. When he gets it on net, it's heavy and hard to stop."
Central Scouting is on the right track; they ranked Morrow 12th in their final list, which was up four spots from his mid-term ranking of 16. That places him squarely in the middle of the first round.
But, if all of Adam Larsson, Dougie Hamilton, Ryan Murphy and Nathan Beaulieu are off the board in the first 10-11 picks, where does that leave Morrow?
"I like him better than Duncan Siemens to be honest," the scout said. "Siemens gets a lot of his points from secondary assists and skating with Stef Elliott. I don't see the same kind of vision or creativity from him that I do from Morrow. I know this will come as a surprise to a lot of people, but I think Siemens is overrated when people are talking top-10 for him. He's going to be a solid middle-pairing guy, but if you want real upside from the defense position, I have Morrow ranked a little higher. Yes, he plays on a good team in Portland as well, but Morrow starts the breakout and is pretty good with puck distribution."
It may entirely come down to a pick your flavor proposition between Siemens and Morrow on June 24, but at B2011DW, we wouldn't at all be surprised to see the two go within just a few picks within one another.
Another thing working in Morrow's favor is the deep run his Winterhawks team made this spring. Siemens on the other hand, got bounced in the second round and by several accounts, did not acquit himself very well.
"Siemens got exposed a bit both in the win over Prince Albert, but especially against Kootenay," said an NHL director of amateur scouting recently. "When his team needed him to step up his game, he made a lot of mistakes and didn't look settled the way he did in the regular season. That isn't going to crush him at the draft, but it is something teams are going to talk about."
Morrow's team is in the WHL championship and down 2 games to 1 to the Kootenay Ice. Morrow's production has been outstanding in the postseason, with six goals and 18 points in 19 games. That kind of impression will be fresh in teams' minds when they get together to hammer out their rankings.
"I think you'll see a run on defensemen who have that all-important puck moving skill," said another NHL scout from the Eastern Conference recently. "Teams who wait too long to grab one find themselves shut out on draft day. A kid like Morrow is probably going to hear his name called sooner than most people think because of that reason."
In any case, it makes for an interesting plot line to watch for in Minnesota.
These days, it's all about the mobile passers who can stretch defenses and start the quick attack from their own end. The best NHL teams have a fast and fluid transition game. Those who don't have that kind of dynamic in their blue line corps have to rely on their forwards to do more individual work to beat opposing defenses.
One such player who is not generally ranked as a solid first-round selection is Portland Winterhawk Joe Morrow.
The 34th-ranked player in the THN Draft Preview, Red Line had Morrow 36th in their April issue. The way we hear it, though, Morrow could very well be picked inside the top-20. Why? Well, at 6-1, 200 pounds, he's got size and natural strength. His skating improved considerably from where it was a year ago, as did his footwork, and Morrow has gotten much more involved in jumping up into the play than he did previously.
With good vision and the right touch on the puck, he's a pretty strong all-around package in that he's not a high-end puck-mover nor is he a dominant defenseman, but is a nice blend between both.
We talked to one NHL scout out west who lamented the fact that the cat is out of the bag on Morrow. "I saw him last year and was hoping he might be a guy we could steal later on, but I don't see it after the season he had," the scout said. "When you break it down, his skill level probably isn't quite what it should be if you're taking a guy in the first 15 to 20 picks, but in the bigger picture of what he brings to a team, I think he'll go there."
Morrow has a big booming shot, but the scout said that the Albertan sometimes falls a little too in love with his point drive and needs to get quicker at getting it off and work on switching things up. "He tends to get a little static or stationary at times," the scout said. "And with that big windup, the guys who are willing to get in front of it have the time to react and get into the shooting lane. It is a real cannon, though. When he gets it on net, it's heavy and hard to stop."
Central Scouting is on the right track; they ranked Morrow 12th in their final list, which was up four spots from his mid-term ranking of 16. That places him squarely in the middle of the first round.
But, if all of Adam Larsson, Dougie Hamilton, Ryan Murphy and Nathan Beaulieu are off the board in the first 10-11 picks, where does that leave Morrow?
"I like him better than Duncan Siemens to be honest," the scout said. "Siemens gets a lot of his points from secondary assists and skating with Stef Elliott. I don't see the same kind of vision or creativity from him that I do from Morrow. I know this will come as a surprise to a lot of people, but I think Siemens is overrated when people are talking top-10 for him. He's going to be a solid middle-pairing guy, but if you want real upside from the defense position, I have Morrow ranked a little higher. Yes, he plays on a good team in Portland as well, but Morrow starts the breakout and is pretty good with puck distribution."
It may entirely come down to a pick your flavor proposition between Siemens and Morrow on June 24, but at B2011DW, we wouldn't at all be surprised to see the two go within just a few picks within one another.
Another thing working in Morrow's favor is the deep run his Winterhawks team made this spring. Siemens on the other hand, got bounced in the second round and by several accounts, did not acquit himself very well.
"Siemens got exposed a bit both in the win over Prince Albert, but especially against Kootenay," said an NHL director of amateur scouting recently. "When his team needed him to step up his game, he made a lot of mistakes and didn't look settled the way he did in the regular season. That isn't going to crush him at the draft, but it is something teams are going to talk about."
Morrow's team is in the WHL championship and down 2 games to 1 to the Kootenay Ice. Morrow's production has been outstanding in the postseason, with six goals and 18 points in 19 games. That kind of impression will be fresh in teams' minds when they get together to hammer out their rankings.
"I think you'll see a run on defensemen who have that all-important puck moving skill," said another NHL scout from the Eastern Conference recently. "Teams who wait too long to grab one find themselves shut out on draft day. A kid like Morrow is probably going to hear his name called sooner than most people think because of that reason."
In any case, it makes for an interesting plot line to watch for in Minnesota.
Saturday, May 7, 2011
What a difference 9 months makes
We went back and looked at Red Line Report's 2011 NHL draft rankings from August, 2010 and compared them to April 2011 (we talked to Kyle Woodlief and the May issue will be out this week, btw).
For those of you not as familiar with RLR, August is the first month that the independent scouting service, now in its 18th year of publication, publishes its monthly rankings. They start with 110 players for that season, and by spring time they're up to about 300 (286 in April 2011).
For fun, we thought it would be nice to go and look at what has changed in the top-10 from August up until now.
Red Line Report: August, 2010:
1. Sean Couturier, C Drummondville (QMJHL)
2. Adam Larsson, D Skelleftea (SEL)
3. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, C Red Deer (WHL)
4. Brandon Saad, LW Saginaw (OHL)
5. Gabriel Landeskog, LW Kitchener (OHL)
6. David Musil, D Vancouver (WHL)
7. Seth Ambroz, RW Omaha (USHL)
8. Victor Rask, C Leksand (SWE-2)
9. J.T. Miller, C U.S. NTDP (USHL)
10. Shane McColgan, RW Kelowna (WHL)
Here is what RLR had for April (and we'll update this post when the new issue is out)
1. Gabriel Landeskog, LW Kitchener (OHL) +4
2. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, C Red Deer (WHL) +2
3. Adam Larsson, D Skelleftea (SEL) -1
4. Dougie Hamilton, D Niagara (OHL) +8 (12th in Aug)
5. Jonathan Huberdeau, C/W Saint John (QMJHL) +32 (37th in Aug)
6. Ryan Murphy, D Kitchener (OHL) +11 (17th in Aug)
7. Ryan Strome, C Niagara (OHL) +94 (101 in Aug)
8. Sean Couturier, C Drummondville (QMJHL) -7
9. Alex Khokhlachev, C Windsor (OHL) +20 (29th in Aug)
10. Rocco Grimaldi, LW U.S. NTDP (USHL) +56 (66th in Aug)
Strome was the biggest gainer- moving up almost 95 spots from where he was to start. He didn't even get a sniff at the Hlinka, so for him to have accomplished so much is remarkable. His 105 points was second to Tyler Toffoli and Jason Akeson in the OHL this season.
Mighty mite Grimaldi was the other big riser, moving 56 spots with his production, spirit and dynamic ability. Although he's only 5-6 and about 165 pounds, we wouldn't bet against this guy overcoming that serious size deficit to be an impact NHL player one day.
Huberdeau's rise was pretty significant, too- he was a skinny playmaker in the summertime, but this year, he really turned it on, scoring 40+ goals and breaking the 100-point mark for the juggernaut Saint John Sea Dogs. We don't see any way that he's not picked in the top-5 come June. There's simply too much skill and upside for this kid.
Murphy was pretty highly regarded, but his snub from the Hlinka team in August seemed to light a fire under him. He was as dynamic as they come all season long for Kitchener and he stepped up his game in the U18s as well, setting a Canada scoring record in that tournament with 13 points. Not bad for a defenseman.
Now for the fallers:
11. J.T. MIller, C U.S. NTDP (USHL) -2
18. David Musil, D Vancouver (WHL) -12
20. Brandon Saad, LW Saginaw (OHL) -16
45. Victor Rask, C Leksand (SWE-2) -37
55. Seth Ambroz, RW Omaha (USHL) -48
60. Shane McColgan, RW Kelowna (WHL) -50
Miller is not really a "faller" dropping down two spots from 9 to 11, but we've heard whispers that he was too highly ranked by RLR all season. After his superb U18 performance, we wouldn't be surprised to see him jump back into the top-10 for May, given how close he is.
Musil and Saad are two players who are clearly sliding, but could prove to be nice value picks later in the first round. We don't believe they'll drop out of the top-30 altogether, but given the expectations for them coming into the 2010-11 campaign, they've regressed. Thing is, they both have such impressive natural talent, that if they reverse the developmental trend, they could end up being very good NHL players. We like Saad's upside better, and we hear that the situation he's dealing with in Saginaw may have a lot more to do with it than his not being able to play at the highest level. He could use a change of scenery.
Rask may have slowed his descent a bit with a strong Under-18 performance for Team Sweden, but he's still a 1st-round wildcard. His season hasn't warranted being picked in the top-30, but if scouts believe that the 16-17-YO Rask they saw last season and was seen more in the 2011 U18 tourney is more of what to expect from him, you have to think someone will grab him between 20-30.
Ambroz has withered on the vine- he's the classic case of a physically dominant kid who emerged three years ago, but has not progressed much, while a good number of the kids in his peer group caught him and passed him. Last year, Ambroz would have been a slam-dunk top-10 pick had he been eligible. But, with another full year to dissect and nitpick his game, look at his ugly skating stride and lack of acceleration, plus hear stories about how he's passed on summertime opportunities to improve his game, this Minnesotan will be lucky to be a second-round pick. We believe someone will take him there simply because there is still a lot of raw potential with him, but it would have to be a club with extra picks to risk on a reclamation project with a questionable work ethic. Don't be surprised if he drops into the third round, though.
Finally, McColgan got off to a horrendous start after having surgery to remove his tonsils on the eve of the season and taking a good 1.5 months to settle in. Already small and not having much room to add mass to his frame, he's a risky pick to begin with, but when you get down to it, there isn't a whole lot of difference between McColgan and Grimaldi. In fact, it's almost astounding to see the two have juxtaposed their positioning, with McColgan being the top-10 guy before the season and now down where Grimaldi was. The difference? We have to believe it is Grimaldi's production and the fact that he hit the ground running from the start of the season. McColgan is not chopped liver- he's still a skilled, dynamic little winger with some serious offensive skills. His strong finish with the Rockets should keep him from falling off the map too much on draft day.
For more on Red Line Report, you can visit the website.
The draft guide will be coming out in early June and will feature in-depth scouting reports on the top-110 or so draft prospects, plus team draft analysis, mock drafts and the ever-popular awards section.
For those of you not as familiar with RLR, August is the first month that the independent scouting service, now in its 18th year of publication, publishes its monthly rankings. They start with 110 players for that season, and by spring time they're up to about 300 (286 in April 2011).
For fun, we thought it would be nice to go and look at what has changed in the top-10 from August up until now.
Red Line Report: August, 2010:
1. Sean Couturier, C Drummondville (QMJHL)
2. Adam Larsson, D Skelleftea (SEL)
3. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, C Red Deer (WHL)
4. Brandon Saad, LW Saginaw (OHL)
5. Gabriel Landeskog, LW Kitchener (OHL)
6. David Musil, D Vancouver (WHL)
7. Seth Ambroz, RW Omaha (USHL)
8. Victor Rask, C Leksand (SWE-2)
9. J.T. Miller, C U.S. NTDP (USHL)
10. Shane McColgan, RW Kelowna (WHL)
Here is what RLR had for April (and we'll update this post when the new issue is out)
1. Gabriel Landeskog, LW Kitchener (OHL) +4
2. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, C Red Deer (WHL) +2
3. Adam Larsson, D Skelleftea (SEL) -1
4. Dougie Hamilton, D Niagara (OHL) +8 (12th in Aug)
5. Jonathan Huberdeau, C/W Saint John (QMJHL) +32 (37th in Aug)
6. Ryan Murphy, D Kitchener (OHL) +11 (17th in Aug)
7. Ryan Strome, C Niagara (OHL) +94 (101 in Aug)
8. Sean Couturier, C Drummondville (QMJHL) -7
9. Alex Khokhlachev, C Windsor (OHL) +20 (29th in Aug)
10. Rocco Grimaldi, LW U.S. NTDP (USHL) +56 (66th in Aug)
Strome was the biggest gainer- moving up almost 95 spots from where he was to start. He didn't even get a sniff at the Hlinka, so for him to have accomplished so much is remarkable. His 105 points was second to Tyler Toffoli and Jason Akeson in the OHL this season.
Mighty mite Grimaldi was the other big riser, moving 56 spots with his production, spirit and dynamic ability. Although he's only 5-6 and about 165 pounds, we wouldn't bet against this guy overcoming that serious size deficit to be an impact NHL player one day.
Huberdeau's rise was pretty significant, too- he was a skinny playmaker in the summertime, but this year, he really turned it on, scoring 40+ goals and breaking the 100-point mark for the juggernaut Saint John Sea Dogs. We don't see any way that he's not picked in the top-5 come June. There's simply too much skill and upside for this kid.
Murphy was pretty highly regarded, but his snub from the Hlinka team in August seemed to light a fire under him. He was as dynamic as they come all season long for Kitchener and he stepped up his game in the U18s as well, setting a Canada scoring record in that tournament with 13 points. Not bad for a defenseman.
Now for the fallers:
11. J.T. MIller, C U.S. NTDP (USHL) -2
18. David Musil, D Vancouver (WHL) -12
20. Brandon Saad, LW Saginaw (OHL) -16
45. Victor Rask, C Leksand (SWE-2) -37
55. Seth Ambroz, RW Omaha (USHL) -48
60. Shane McColgan, RW Kelowna (WHL) -50
Miller is not really a "faller" dropping down two spots from 9 to 11, but we've heard whispers that he was too highly ranked by RLR all season. After his superb U18 performance, we wouldn't be surprised to see him jump back into the top-10 for May, given how close he is.
Musil and Saad are two players who are clearly sliding, but could prove to be nice value picks later in the first round. We don't believe they'll drop out of the top-30 altogether, but given the expectations for them coming into the 2010-11 campaign, they've regressed. Thing is, they both have such impressive natural talent, that if they reverse the developmental trend, they could end up being very good NHL players. We like Saad's upside better, and we hear that the situation he's dealing with in Saginaw may have a lot more to do with it than his not being able to play at the highest level. He could use a change of scenery.
Rask may have slowed his descent a bit with a strong Under-18 performance for Team Sweden, but he's still a 1st-round wildcard. His season hasn't warranted being picked in the top-30, but if scouts believe that the 16-17-YO Rask they saw last season and was seen more in the 2011 U18 tourney is more of what to expect from him, you have to think someone will grab him between 20-30.
Ambroz has withered on the vine- he's the classic case of a physically dominant kid who emerged three years ago, but has not progressed much, while a good number of the kids in his peer group caught him and passed him. Last year, Ambroz would have been a slam-dunk top-10 pick had he been eligible. But, with another full year to dissect and nitpick his game, look at his ugly skating stride and lack of acceleration, plus hear stories about how he's passed on summertime opportunities to improve his game, this Minnesotan will be lucky to be a second-round pick. We believe someone will take him there simply because there is still a lot of raw potential with him, but it would have to be a club with extra picks to risk on a reclamation project with a questionable work ethic. Don't be surprised if he drops into the third round, though.
Finally, McColgan got off to a horrendous start after having surgery to remove his tonsils on the eve of the season and taking a good 1.5 months to settle in. Already small and not having much room to add mass to his frame, he's a risky pick to begin with, but when you get down to it, there isn't a whole lot of difference between McColgan and Grimaldi. In fact, it's almost astounding to see the two have juxtaposed their positioning, with McColgan being the top-10 guy before the season and now down where Grimaldi was. The difference? We have to believe it is Grimaldi's production and the fact that he hit the ground running from the start of the season. McColgan is not chopped liver- he's still a skilled, dynamic little winger with some serious offensive skills. His strong finish with the Rockets should keep him from falling off the map too much on draft day.
For more on Red Line Report, you can visit the website.
The draft guide will be coming out in early June and will feature in-depth scouting reports on the top-110 or so draft prospects, plus team draft analysis, mock drafts and the ever-popular awards section.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
NHL Draft Video link: The Ecstasy of Gold
Our friend Jerome B. over at NHL Draft Video blog has a sweet highlight film of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft's top players posted on You Tube.
You can watch the video here.
He does a nice job using Metallica's version of the Ennio Morricone classic track from "The Good, The Bad & The Ugly" soundtrack. It's the perfect music to set to some of these majestic hockey plays.
Nice job, Jerome and merci for all the great videos you've posted on your blog all season.
You can watch the video here.
He does a nice job using Metallica's version of the Ennio Morricone classic track from "The Good, The Bad & The Ugly" soundtrack. It's the perfect music to set to some of these majestic hockey plays.
Nice job, Jerome and merci for all the great videos you've posted on your blog all season.
2011 NHL Draft Combine list released
Adam Kimmelman of NHL.com has the goods here.
The list features the top-100 hockey prospects from North America and Europe (combined), and there are always some deserving guys who get omitted. Case in point last year: Jared Knight, whose agent got smart and did a combine-like video and sent it to NHL teams/put it on You Tube. The result? 32nd overall to Boston. Granted, Knight did it mostly on the strength of his hockey skills and 36-goal season, but the innovative approach certainly impressed teams like the Bruins, who were able to get a look at his physical prowess off-ice.
Among the invites we're pleased to see is Swiss forward Gregory Hofmann, a B2011DW favorite since the WJC. Hofmann is a skilled, intelligent forward who was one of Switzerland's top performers in Buffalo and stands out for his energy and opportunistic scoring chops.
We talked to Milton Academy defenseman Robby O'Gara recently, and while he did not make the Combine cut, did say that he's begun the interview process with at least five teams who have talked to him already with many more to come.
The players like O'Gara who don't get to travel to Toronto as official combine invitees will still get a chance to interact and interview with teams, and the Ontario kids will be brought in at various times by teams and their agents, so these things will happen behind the scenes from now up until the big event on June 24-25.
Given the recent accident defenseman Myles Bell was involved in, don't know that he will participate given his injuries or situation. Nor is it known whether someone will replace him at the event in Toronto.
The New England Hockey Journal and Bruins 2011 Draft Watch will be there next month to cover the physical testing and interview the players, so stay tuned for more in-depth coverage on the draft prospects in June.
Here's the Scouting Combine invite list its entirety, alphabetical by position:
Name Club League Ht. Wt.
Forwards
Seth Ambroz Omaha USHL 6-2 211
Olivier Archambault Val-D'Or QMJHL 5-11 170
Joel Armia Assat Finland 6-3 191
Sven Bartschi Portland WHL 5-10 181
Tyler Biggs USA U-18 USHL 6-2 210
Jeremy Boyce Rotevall Timra Sweden 6-0 169
Austen Brassard Belleville OHL 6-2 191
Daniel Catenacci Sault Ste. Marie OHL 5-10 183
Nick Cousins Sault Ste. Marie OHL 5-11 166
Sean Couturier Drummondville QMJHL 6-4 197
Joseph Cramarossa Miss. St. Michael's OHL 6-0 188
Phillip Danault Victoriaville QMJHL 6-0 170
Travis Ewanyk Edmonton WHL 6-1 178
Max Friberg Skovde Sweden-3 5-11 185
Markus Granlund HIFK Jr. Finland-Jr. 5-10 169
Rocco Grimaldi USA U-18 USHL 5-6 163
Gregory Hofmann Ambri Swiss 6-0 170
Jonathan Huberdeau Saint John QMJHL 6-1 170
Phillipe Hudon Choate-Rosmry Hgh. Ct. 6-0 190
Colin Jacobs Seattle WHL 6-1 197
Dmitri Jaskin Slavia Czrep 6-1 196
Boone Jenner Oshawa OHL 6-1 204
Nicklas Jensen Oshawa OHL 6-2 187
Tomas Jurco Saint John QMJHL 6-2 187
Alexander Khokhlachev Windsor OHL 5-10 188
Nikita Kucherov CSKA2 Russia-Jr. 5-10 163
Sean Kuraly Indiana USHL 6-2 192
Joseph Labate Holy Angels High Minnesota 6-4 180
Gabriel Landeskog Kitchener OHL 6-1 207
Zac Larraza USA U-18 USHL 6-2 192
Maximilien Le Sieur Shawinigan QMJHL 6-2 203
Lucas Lessio Oshawa OHL 6-1 197
Luke Lockhart Seattle WHL 5-10 180
Adam Lowry Swift Current WHL 6-4 186
Mario Lucia Wayzata High Minnesota 6-2 183
Mark McNeill Prince Albert WHL 6-2 201
Jonathan "J.T." Miller USA U-18 USHL 6-1 198
Vladislav Namestnikov London OHL 6-0 166
Joachim Nermark Linkoping Jr. Swe-Jr. 6-1 187
Matthew Nieto Boston University H-East 5-11 175
Marcel Noebels Seattle WHL 6-3 195
Stefan Noesen Plymouth OHL 6-0 195
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins Red Deer WHL 6-1 164
Scott Oke Saint John QMJHL 6-3 185
Zack Phillips Saint John QMJHL 6-1 178
Shane Prince Ottawa OHL 5-10 174
Matt Puempel Peterborough OHL 6-0 196
Alan Quine Peterborough OHL 5-11 178
Rickard Rakell Plymouth OHL 6-0 191
Victor Rask Leksand Sweden-2 6-2 194
Ty Rattie Portland WHL 5-11 163
Tobias Rieder Kitchener OHL 5-11 173
Brett Ritchie Sarnia OHL 6-3 210
Alexander Ruutuu Jokerit Jr. Finland-Jr. 6-1 183
Brandon Saad Saginaw OHL 6-1 208
Miikka Salomaki Karpat Finland 5-11 198
Mark Scheifele Barrie OHL 6-2 182
Logan Shaw Cape Breton QMJHL 6-3 197
Nicholas Shore U. of Denver WCHA 6-0 195
Michael St. Croix Edmonton WHL 5-11 176
Ryan Strome Niagara OHL 6-0 175
Ryan Tesink Saint John QMJHL 5-11 157
Vincent Trocheck Saginaw OHL 5-10 184
Mika Zibanejad Djurgarden Sweden 6-2 191
Defensemen
Nathan Beaulieu Saint John QMJHL 6-2 174
Myles Bell Regina WHL 6-0 214
Rasmus Bengtsson Rogle Sweden-2 6-3 189
Jonas Brodin Farjestad Sweden 6-1 169
Adam Clendening Boston University H-East 5-11 190
Joel Edmundson Moose Jaw WHL 6-5 191
Dougie Hamilton Niagara OHL 6-4 187
Karl Johansson Brynas Jr. Swe-Jr. 5-9 167
Oscar Klefbom Farjestad Sweden 6-4 200
Patrick Koudys Rensselaer ECAC 6-2 190
Adam Larsson Skelleftea Sweden 6-3 200
Scott Mayfield Youngstown USHL 6-4 197
Joseph Morrow Portland WHL 6-0 197
Connor Murphy USA U-18 USHL 6-3 185
Ryan Murphy Kitchener OHL 5-11 166
David Musil Vancouver WHL 6-3 198
Jamieson Oleksiak Northeastern H-East 6-7 244
Xavier Ouellet Montreal QMJHL 6-0 174
Stuart Percy Miss. St. Michael's OHL 6-1 186
Jonathan Racine Shawinigan QMJHL 6-1 182
Mike Reilly Shat. St. Mary's High Minnesota 5-11 163
Robbie Russo USA U-18 USHL 6-0 189
Reece Scarlett Swift Current WHL 6-1 164
Duncan Siemens Saskatoon WHL 6-3 192
Ryan Sproul Sault Ste. Marie OHL 6-3 175
Colin Sullivan Avon Old Farms High Ct. 6-1 190
Andy Welinski Green Bay USHL 6-0 188
Tyler Wotherspoon Portland WHL 6-1 203
Zachary Yuen Tri-City WHL 6-0 205
Goaltenders
Jordan Binnington Owen Sound OHL 6-1 156
Laurent Brossoit Edmonton WHL 6-3 193
Christopher Gibson Chicoutimi QMJHL 6-1 193
John Gibson USA U-18 USHL 6-3 205
Matt Mahalak Plymouth OHL 6-2 183
Matt McNeely USA U-18 USHL 6-2 205
Stephen Michalek Loomis-Chaffee High Ct. 6-2 183
Michael Morrison Kitchener OHL 6-0 177
Samu Perhonen Jyp Jr. Finland-Jr. 6-4 172
The list features the top-100 hockey prospects from North America and Europe (combined), and there are always some deserving guys who get omitted. Case in point last year: Jared Knight, whose agent got smart and did a combine-like video and sent it to NHL teams/put it on You Tube. The result? 32nd overall to Boston. Granted, Knight did it mostly on the strength of his hockey skills and 36-goal season, but the innovative approach certainly impressed teams like the Bruins, who were able to get a look at his physical prowess off-ice.
Among the invites we're pleased to see is Swiss forward Gregory Hofmann, a B2011DW favorite since the WJC. Hofmann is a skilled, intelligent forward who was one of Switzerland's top performers in Buffalo and stands out for his energy and opportunistic scoring chops.
We talked to Milton Academy defenseman Robby O'Gara recently, and while he did not make the Combine cut, did say that he's begun the interview process with at least five teams who have talked to him already with many more to come.
The players like O'Gara who don't get to travel to Toronto as official combine invitees will still get a chance to interact and interview with teams, and the Ontario kids will be brought in at various times by teams and their agents, so these things will happen behind the scenes from now up until the big event on June 24-25.
Given the recent accident defenseman Myles Bell was involved in, don't know that he will participate given his injuries or situation. Nor is it known whether someone will replace him at the event in Toronto.
The New England Hockey Journal and Bruins 2011 Draft Watch will be there next month to cover the physical testing and interview the players, so stay tuned for more in-depth coverage on the draft prospects in June.
Here's the Scouting Combine invite list its entirety, alphabetical by position:
Name Club League Ht. Wt.
Forwards
Seth Ambroz Omaha USHL 6-2 211
Olivier Archambault Val-D'Or QMJHL 5-11 170
Joel Armia Assat Finland 6-3 191
Sven Bartschi Portland WHL 5-10 181
Tyler Biggs USA U-18 USHL 6-2 210
Jeremy Boyce Rotevall Timra Sweden 6-0 169
Austen Brassard Belleville OHL 6-2 191
Daniel Catenacci Sault Ste. Marie OHL 5-10 183
Nick Cousins Sault Ste. Marie OHL 5-11 166
Sean Couturier Drummondville QMJHL 6-4 197
Joseph Cramarossa Miss. St. Michael's OHL 6-0 188
Phillip Danault Victoriaville QMJHL 6-0 170
Travis Ewanyk Edmonton WHL 6-1 178
Max Friberg Skovde Sweden-3 5-11 185
Markus Granlund HIFK Jr. Finland-Jr. 5-10 169
Rocco Grimaldi USA U-18 USHL 5-6 163
Gregory Hofmann Ambri Swiss 6-0 170
Jonathan Huberdeau Saint John QMJHL 6-1 170
Phillipe Hudon Choate-Rosmry Hgh. Ct. 6-0 190
Colin Jacobs Seattle WHL 6-1 197
Dmitri Jaskin Slavia Czrep 6-1 196
Boone Jenner Oshawa OHL 6-1 204
Nicklas Jensen Oshawa OHL 6-2 187
Tomas Jurco Saint John QMJHL 6-2 187
Alexander Khokhlachev Windsor OHL 5-10 188
Nikita Kucherov CSKA2 Russia-Jr. 5-10 163
Sean Kuraly Indiana USHL 6-2 192
Joseph Labate Holy Angels High Minnesota 6-4 180
Gabriel Landeskog Kitchener OHL 6-1 207
Zac Larraza USA U-18 USHL 6-2 192
Maximilien Le Sieur Shawinigan QMJHL 6-2 203
Lucas Lessio Oshawa OHL 6-1 197
Luke Lockhart Seattle WHL 5-10 180
Adam Lowry Swift Current WHL 6-4 186
Mario Lucia Wayzata High Minnesota 6-2 183
Mark McNeill Prince Albert WHL 6-2 201
Jonathan "J.T." Miller USA U-18 USHL 6-1 198
Vladislav Namestnikov London OHL 6-0 166
Joachim Nermark Linkoping Jr. Swe-Jr. 6-1 187
Matthew Nieto Boston University H-East 5-11 175
Marcel Noebels Seattle WHL 6-3 195
Stefan Noesen Plymouth OHL 6-0 195
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins Red Deer WHL 6-1 164
Scott Oke Saint John QMJHL 6-3 185
Zack Phillips Saint John QMJHL 6-1 178
Shane Prince Ottawa OHL 5-10 174
Matt Puempel Peterborough OHL 6-0 196
Alan Quine Peterborough OHL 5-11 178
Rickard Rakell Plymouth OHL 6-0 191
Victor Rask Leksand Sweden-2 6-2 194
Ty Rattie Portland WHL 5-11 163
Tobias Rieder Kitchener OHL 5-11 173
Brett Ritchie Sarnia OHL 6-3 210
Alexander Ruutuu Jokerit Jr. Finland-Jr. 6-1 183
Brandon Saad Saginaw OHL 6-1 208
Miikka Salomaki Karpat Finland 5-11 198
Mark Scheifele Barrie OHL 6-2 182
Logan Shaw Cape Breton QMJHL 6-3 197
Nicholas Shore U. of Denver WCHA 6-0 195
Michael St. Croix Edmonton WHL 5-11 176
Ryan Strome Niagara OHL 6-0 175
Ryan Tesink Saint John QMJHL 5-11 157
Vincent Trocheck Saginaw OHL 5-10 184
Mika Zibanejad Djurgarden Sweden 6-2 191
Defensemen
Nathan Beaulieu Saint John QMJHL 6-2 174
Myles Bell Regina WHL 6-0 214
Rasmus Bengtsson Rogle Sweden-2 6-3 189
Jonas Brodin Farjestad Sweden 6-1 169
Adam Clendening Boston University H-East 5-11 190
Joel Edmundson Moose Jaw WHL 6-5 191
Dougie Hamilton Niagara OHL 6-4 187
Karl Johansson Brynas Jr. Swe-Jr. 5-9 167
Oscar Klefbom Farjestad Sweden 6-4 200
Patrick Koudys Rensselaer ECAC 6-2 190
Adam Larsson Skelleftea Sweden 6-3 200
Scott Mayfield Youngstown USHL 6-4 197
Joseph Morrow Portland WHL 6-0 197
Connor Murphy USA U-18 USHL 6-3 185
Ryan Murphy Kitchener OHL 5-11 166
David Musil Vancouver WHL 6-3 198
Jamieson Oleksiak Northeastern H-East 6-7 244
Xavier Ouellet Montreal QMJHL 6-0 174
Stuart Percy Miss. St. Michael's OHL 6-1 186
Jonathan Racine Shawinigan QMJHL 6-1 182
Mike Reilly Shat. St. Mary's High Minnesota 5-11 163
Robbie Russo USA U-18 USHL 6-0 189
Reece Scarlett Swift Current WHL 6-1 164
Duncan Siemens Saskatoon WHL 6-3 192
Ryan Sproul Sault Ste. Marie OHL 6-3 175
Colin Sullivan Avon Old Farms High Ct. 6-1 190
Andy Welinski Green Bay USHL 6-0 188
Tyler Wotherspoon Portland WHL 6-1 203
Zachary Yuen Tri-City WHL 6-0 205
Goaltenders
Jordan Binnington Owen Sound OHL 6-1 156
Laurent Brossoit Edmonton WHL 6-3 193
Christopher Gibson Chicoutimi QMJHL 6-1 193
John Gibson USA U-18 USHL 6-3 205
Matt Mahalak Plymouth OHL 6-2 183
Matt McNeely USA U-18 USHL 6-2 205
Stephen Michalek Loomis-Chaffee High Ct. 6-2 183
Michael Morrison Kitchener OHL 6-0 177
Samu Perhonen Jyp Jr. Finland-Jr. 6-4 172
Sunday, April 24, 2011
2011 World Under-18: Risers and Fallers
The 2011 World Under-18 Championship is in the books, and Team USA achieved a first- winning three consecutive gold medals for the first time in USA Hockey history.
The 2009 squad did it on home soil in North Dakota, winning gold mainly thanks to 17-year-old Jack Campbell's arrival on the international stage as a force to be reckoned with, the precursor to the following season when he would capture championships at the 2010 Under-20 and again the Under-18 tourney in Belarus.
This time, the USA team, not considered by most as exceptional as the force of nature that blew through the field a year ago, got the goaltending from new star John Gibson, and then a host of balanced, opportunistic two-way play by the rest of the team led by forwards J.T. Miller (leading scorer with 13 points in six games), Reid Boucher (top goal-getter with eight), Robbie Russo (captain and strong two-way performance- eight points, +5 rating) and of course, the heroics of Rocco Grimaldi, who may not have shot out the lights on the scoreboard, but made myriad contributions to the championship in other areas.
Still, Team Sweden came to within just 1:29 of capturing that country's first gold medal in Under-18 tournament history (remarkable that the Tre Kronor have never accomplished this feat given Sweden's status as a two-time Olympic champion and global hockey power).
The defense corps, led by Jonas Brodin and captain Oscar Klefbom, performed in outstanding fashion throughout the tourney. Along with Rasmus Bengtsson and Albin Blomkvist, they formed one of the most effective top-four back line units you will see in hockey. The Swedish D didn't make many mistakes, but unfortunately when they did, it resulted in a spectacularly devastating loss at the hands of the Americans in overtime.
Russia captured bronze, and got a ridiculous offensive explosion from forward Nikita Kucherov, scoring 11 goals and 21 points in just 8 games. It was Alexander Ovechkin-like production, and the enigmatic winger certainly succeeded in raising his stock for the 2011 draft. Just how much, remains to be seen, however. More on Kucherov later.
Other big stories for the Russians were the performances of 2012 eligibles Nail Yakupov (6 goals, 13 points) and Mikhail Grigorenko (4 goals, 18 points) in seven games. Yakupov started slowly, but came on strong in the final couple of games of the the preliminary round and in the last two against Sweden and Canada. Grigorenko was consistently excellent throughout, and we could be looking at a possible 1-2 Russian class of Yakupov and Grigorenko or vice versa just as we saw in 2004 with Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin.
Of course, if Canadian stud defender Ryan Murray has anything to say about it, he'll crash the top-two party in 2012. He was tremendous as the captain and as a stalwart dual-threat on the back end. Although Ryan Murphy won top defenseman honors with a brilliant 13-point performance to set a Team Canada scoring record (that's right- forwards too- Murphy scored more points than any Canadian player in U18 tourney history- wow!), it took Murphy's four-point day in a losing cause for the bronze medal to secure the honors, otherwise, it just might have been Murray.
Once again, the history of the U18 tourney having positive and negative effects on the upcoming draft class proved true, and scouts are no doubt eagerly anticipating the race to 2012, with so many intriguing story lines emerging in Germany.
Now, let's look at some players who helped and hurt themselves in this tournament in our view. We can't dedicate this space to each and every one, so consider this the cliff's notes version.
Risers
Nikita Kucherov, F Russia- We're going to start calling him "Midas" because everything he touched turned to gold. Unbelievable offensive performance by one of the more skilled prospects in the entire class, but who hurt his standing this season by looking disinterested and acting at times petulant in earlier tournaments. Kucherov saved his best for last, putting on a tour-de-force that no doubt will have some NHL teams who do not fear drafting out of Europe readjusting their previous thinking on him. Before the tourney we would have thought there was no way Kucherov would be a first-round pick, but if you're a club picking in the final few spots of this draft, why wouldn't try to swing for the fences? If he does drop into the second, the wait won't be a long one. Showed enough game-breaking speed, quick hands and an absolutely serial killer instinct when it came to finishing off chances.
Ryan Murphy, D Canada- When you've been one of the most talked-about prospects for the top-10 of the NHL draft all season, is it actually possible to raise your stock? Well, the Aurora, Ontario native and Kitchener Rangers star did it in Germany. The production was record-setting in itself, but it was how Murphy scored the points that had tongues a-wagging. Whether firing up the ice like he had rockets on his skates, or slithering through defenses while showing off several gears and superlative edge control/balance or making 360-degree spin moves and blind passes on the stick tape of teammates, Murphy was as dynamic as they come. Bruins fans who were hoping he would fall to the ninth spot now can only hope that if he is Boston's target, that the team can move up to secure him, because we just don't see him dropping very far out of the top-five (if at all even) after the kind of season, OHL playoffs and now Under-18 performance he just had. In fact, B2011DW wouldn't be at all surprised if the New Jersey Devils grabbed him as high as fourth overall. Sure, it will depend on who drops to them, but for a team who knew exactly what it had with Scott Niedermayer for over a decade, this kid's high-end offensive chops aren't far off.
J.T. Miller, C USA- One of the bigger disappointments this season for the U.S. NTDP because his production never seemed to be commensurate with his excellent physical tools, Miller finally broke through with the kind of dominant, consistent scoring performance scouts have been waiting for. The 6-1 center from Ohio scored four goals (and some big ones at that) and was a consistent passer and playmaker. The top line of Miller, Boucher and Grimaldi gave other teams fits throughout the tourney and Miller was often the one who found himself with the time and space to make things happen with. To his credit, he did. It helped to have a linemate in Boucher who was shooting the lights out in critical situations, but Miller looked and played like a solid first-round pick. Someone who liked his tools but was concerned with the lack of production just might have seen enough to grab him top-20. Even if he slips out of that bracket, we can't imagine he'd miss on the opening 30 picks. Too much talent and upside there.
Jonas Brodin, D Sweden- The controller; we were pretty impressed at how smoothly and effectively Brodin took charge of the Swedish defense corps, turning them into the prettiest transition unit in the entire field. The way Sweden broke out of their end was poetry in motion, and it all started with Brodin who isn't a flashy player (just one assist in four games), but seems to see the ice and think many steps ahead of everyone else like a chess grandmaster. He's got the head and feet to orchestrate the attack, even if he lacks the strength and overpowering shot to be a big point getter. If intelligent puck movers are at a premium, then don't expect Brodin to last very long on June 24th- he's slick and when it comes down to it, a pretty commanding presence. He doesn't get enough credit for what he brings to the table in our view.
Mark Scheifele, C Canada- Young colt lived up to his Barrie namesake with a very good offensive performance. Scored one of the more memorable goals of anyone in the tourney against Finland when he read a bungled pass, split the defense, fought off a hook from behind and still managed to put the puck in the net with a nice backhand deke. 6-3 guys don't typically move the way he does with that ability to separate, so there is a lot of raw material to work with. At about 175, he's nowhere near as strong as he needs to be. However, he more than solidified a first-round draft grade in our view. He's a poor man's Ryan Johansen at this stage we feel- won't go as high, but his progress and potentially high ceiling will see him picked ahead of other higher-profile players who are bigger names and have been in draft discussions longer. Classic guy who came into the U18s with some questions to answer and passed with flying colors. Happens every year.
Joel Armia, F Finland- Took charge up front for Finland and proved himself a solid first-round selection with his offensive performance. His big frame needs work to add mass and strength, but he's got a long stride and the ability to generate speed and separation. He's still a little gangly and not overly strong on his skates, but getting there. A vicious killer between the hashmarks- wants the puck and knows what to do with it when he gets it. One of the best pure goal scorers in the draft and impressed us with his vision and playmaking skills in this tourney as well. Creative and a better puck distributor than we gave him credit for. Not very physical, but not a soft player, either. Uses his trunk and long limbs to create space and bull his way to the net. Doesn't speak English very well yet, but uses two very important words often: "puck" and "score". His effort without the puck is what is holding him back from a top-10 selection in our view. He can be lackadaisical and is inconsistent in his backchecking efforts. If its a maturity thing, he could be a homerun pick, but if he's only motivated offensively, then he's a one-dimensional guy and may never be as good a player as he should be.
Victor Rask, C Sweden- Got his sliding value going in the other direction with a very good preliminary round performance, especially against Canada to earn the top seed in group. Big, offensively-savy centerman who isn't a great skater but gets from point A to B well enough. He'll get more balanced and stronger on his skates, and while he'll never be a speed demon, he goes to the net with some power. Soft hands for passing and can unleash a good, heavy shot. Not much of a showing against the USA in the gold medal game, but we're grading the overall tournament performance and he did some nice things reminiscent of what scouts were expecting from him after his performance in this same tournament a year ago. Will some team take him in the 1st round? Possibly- don't bet against it. However, his season overall is still a disappointment given the expectations he had coming in. Good rebound, but he won't get anywhere near the bounce of a Kucherov, for example.
Reid Boucher, F USA- Gutsy little scorer found the back of the net eight times in the tournament, which wasn't at the top of the charts, but his timing was tremendous. Michigan State recruit is undersized and not all that fast a skater, but he more than makes up with it for his natural anticipation and knack for finding open ice and a wicked shot that he can unleash from anywhere. He did this at the Five Nations in February and raised a few eyebrows, but the encore performance on an even bigger stage should have done enough to see him secure second-round status. Scorers like Boucher don't grow on trees, and while he's not the showman Grimaldi is in terms of being noticeable on every shift, he's highly dangerous and just knows how to be clutch. Also led his team in plus/minus with +9, so he's responsible defensively and kills penalties, too. One of Ron Rolston's go-to guys who delivered.
John Gibson, G USA- What more can we say about this guy that we haven't already? Super size, quickness and technique. Makes things look easy when they aren't. But the best thing about him is his calm and poise. He weathered the storm of a Canada comeback yesterday to secure an overtime win, then hung in with his team down a couple of goals to make every stop the rest of the way in yet another overtime victory to clinch gold. We were looking for him to step out from behind Campbell's international shadow, and the Pittsburgh native did precisely that. Awesome performance from the tournament's top netminder, and he's all but sewn up status as the first goaltender off the board in June.
Robbie Russo, D USA- It's no secret that B2011DW was pretty critical of Russo's performance during earlier viewings of him this season, and we weren't hearing great things about him from sources either. But, he pulled it together in time to have an excellent tournament befitting of some of the hype. He's headed to Notre Dame next season and should make a pretty immediate impact if he plays in the NCAA like he did in Germany. Smart, crisp puck mover all tournament long and worked with Connor Murphy to set up the winning goal against Sweden. Wasn't as strong as the tourney went on as he was in the beginning, but what can we say? He at least looked like the PMD some circles were hyping him as.
Connor Murphy, D USA- This was a make-or-break tourney for Murphy to land in the top-60 and he looks to have made it. Big, talented two-way defender who won't put up a ton of points, but is an effective point man with a big shot. Miami University recruit is staying in his home state to play for the Redhawks, and the only real questions he needs to answer are ones about his durability. Kid can play and looks to have more offensive potential than his dad, Gord, who was a solid NHL stay-at-homer in his day.
Dmitrij Jaskin, F CZE- Power winger helped himself with four goals in five games, showing off his wicked release and powerful shot. Heavy feet, yes, but competes hard and is a physical player with a North American flavor to his game already. Below average skaters always have it in tough to make it in the NHL, which is a skating man's league, but when they are big, strong, intelligent and passionate about the game the way Jaskin is, they usually find a way to make it. If he could get a little faster he has top-six potential for sure.
Fallers
Tyler Biggs, F USA- Tough tournament for a kid who is unfairly becoming a whipping boy, but we also have to call it the way we see it. He hurt his team with way too many penalties. Now in fairness, some of the calls that went against him were the classic- he's bigger (no pun intended) than the other guy and the hits looked worse than they were- type infractions that tend to get whistled more during international play. However, he also took his share of lazy, undisciplined calls and that's what drives us crazy. The roughing call he took against Canada just after Boucher made it 4-1 was particularly galling because it was completely unnecessary and also sparked that team's comeback. Biggs is a powerful skater with a heavy shot, but we didn't see him creating much on his own offensively other than scoring the winning goal against Canada in OT that several onlookers felt goaltender Malcolm Subban should have stopped. Biggs was unfairly rated too high by Central scouting at mid-term and he's the easy target right now because he didn't produce consistently while others on his squad did. Right or wrong, fair or unfair- it is what it is.
Joachim Nermark, F SWE- Ugh. Just a disappointing showing for a guy who was tremendous at the Ivan Hlinka but has been all downhill since. One goal in five games...invisible against the USA. One scout we talked to said, 'We have no use for him." Ouch. He may yet be a top-60 pick because of what he did in Slovakia, but we wouldn't touch him in that range based on what we saw here. Risky pick and we're not even sure of the payoff. Did not help himself at all.
Samu Perhonen, G FIN- Brutal is a polite way to put this promising netminder's performance. He was shaky from jump street against Canada and never recovered, stopping a putrid 87.5% of his shots and going 2-2 in the process. We thought this cat would challenge Gibson for top netminder honors at the 2011 draft, and now we don't even think Perhonen will be the first European picked (Magnus Hellberg). He's still a top-two or three-round pick, but after seeing him and Gibson in the same competition, they seem light years apart. Perhonen's lack of poise was what was particularly troublesome- just couldn't seem to make the big save when his team needed it. However, Perhonen still has the size and athletic ability/upside to be a high-end stopper in the NHL one day. If he slides, that could be great news for the team that grabs him.
Reece Scarlett, D CAN- Has showed some impressive traits and potential in flashes, but this was a tough tourney for the WHL defender. He's not where he needs to be in terms of his physical development and strength. He also made some bad pinches and decisions that proved costly. Seemed hesitant at times and was caught in no man's land. Real smooth stride and mobility, but in this game, that split second delayed reaction will burn you even if you skate well. He wasn't quite ready for primetime and opponents exploited him.
Daniel Catenacci, F CAN- Just two assists for this speedy, skilled and even dynamic forward were a major disappointment. Capable of so much more, yet went invisible for long stretches. On top of that, took a lot of bad penalties and never could seem to get out of his own way. All of this from a guy some on the internet are talking about as a potential first-rounder in June? We don't think so. Soo Greyhounds teammate Nick Cousins skated circles around him (4-4-8) and was one of the guys who emerged as a big-time clutch performer.
Miikka Salomaki, F FIN- We weren't very impressed with this guy's NHL upside, but kept hearing that teams were keeping an eye out for him. Well, after watching him at the WJC over the winter and on video at the U18s, we can't see him being a top-three round pick. He might get there, but that could be a mistake. Doesn't do anything particularly well, and just seems like a solid Euro leaguer and nothing more.
B2011DW will be back with a look at some sleepers who may have emerged from the shadows a bit, and even if some were more known, appear to have the inside track on hearing their names called in Minnesota.
The 2009 squad did it on home soil in North Dakota, winning gold mainly thanks to 17-year-old Jack Campbell's arrival on the international stage as a force to be reckoned with, the precursor to the following season when he would capture championships at the 2010 Under-20 and again the Under-18 tourney in Belarus.
This time, the USA team, not considered by most as exceptional as the force of nature that blew through the field a year ago, got the goaltending from new star John Gibson, and then a host of balanced, opportunistic two-way play by the rest of the team led by forwards J.T. Miller (leading scorer with 13 points in six games), Reid Boucher (top goal-getter with eight), Robbie Russo (captain and strong two-way performance- eight points, +5 rating) and of course, the heroics of Rocco Grimaldi, who may not have shot out the lights on the scoreboard, but made myriad contributions to the championship in other areas.
Still, Team Sweden came to within just 1:29 of capturing that country's first gold medal in Under-18 tournament history (remarkable that the Tre Kronor have never accomplished this feat given Sweden's status as a two-time Olympic champion and global hockey power).
The defense corps, led by Jonas Brodin and captain Oscar Klefbom, performed in outstanding fashion throughout the tourney. Along with Rasmus Bengtsson and Albin Blomkvist, they formed one of the most effective top-four back line units you will see in hockey. The Swedish D didn't make many mistakes, but unfortunately when they did, it resulted in a spectacularly devastating loss at the hands of the Americans in overtime.
Russia captured bronze, and got a ridiculous offensive explosion from forward Nikita Kucherov, scoring 11 goals and 21 points in just 8 games. It was Alexander Ovechkin-like production, and the enigmatic winger certainly succeeded in raising his stock for the 2011 draft. Just how much, remains to be seen, however. More on Kucherov later.
Other big stories for the Russians were the performances of 2012 eligibles Nail Yakupov (6 goals, 13 points) and Mikhail Grigorenko (4 goals, 18 points) in seven games. Yakupov started slowly, but came on strong in the final couple of games of the the preliminary round and in the last two against Sweden and Canada. Grigorenko was consistently excellent throughout, and we could be looking at a possible 1-2 Russian class of Yakupov and Grigorenko or vice versa just as we saw in 2004 with Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin.
Of course, if Canadian stud defender Ryan Murray has anything to say about it, he'll crash the top-two party in 2012. He was tremendous as the captain and as a stalwart dual-threat on the back end. Although Ryan Murphy won top defenseman honors with a brilliant 13-point performance to set a Team Canada scoring record (that's right- forwards too- Murphy scored more points than any Canadian player in U18 tourney history- wow!), it took Murphy's four-point day in a losing cause for the bronze medal to secure the honors, otherwise, it just might have been Murray.
Once again, the history of the U18 tourney having positive and negative effects on the upcoming draft class proved true, and scouts are no doubt eagerly anticipating the race to 2012, with so many intriguing story lines emerging in Germany.
Now, let's look at some players who helped and hurt themselves in this tournament in our view. We can't dedicate this space to each and every one, so consider this the cliff's notes version.
Risers
Nikita Kucherov, F Russia- We're going to start calling him "Midas" because everything he touched turned to gold. Unbelievable offensive performance by one of the more skilled prospects in the entire class, but who hurt his standing this season by looking disinterested and acting at times petulant in earlier tournaments. Kucherov saved his best for last, putting on a tour-de-force that no doubt will have some NHL teams who do not fear drafting out of Europe readjusting their previous thinking on him. Before the tourney we would have thought there was no way Kucherov would be a first-round pick, but if you're a club picking in the final few spots of this draft, why wouldn't try to swing for the fences? If he does drop into the second, the wait won't be a long one. Showed enough game-breaking speed, quick hands and an absolutely serial killer instinct when it came to finishing off chances.
Ryan Murphy, D Canada- When you've been one of the most talked-about prospects for the top-10 of the NHL draft all season, is it actually possible to raise your stock? Well, the Aurora, Ontario native and Kitchener Rangers star did it in Germany. The production was record-setting in itself, but it was how Murphy scored the points that had tongues a-wagging. Whether firing up the ice like he had rockets on his skates, or slithering through defenses while showing off several gears and superlative edge control/balance or making 360-degree spin moves and blind passes on the stick tape of teammates, Murphy was as dynamic as they come. Bruins fans who were hoping he would fall to the ninth spot now can only hope that if he is Boston's target, that the team can move up to secure him, because we just don't see him dropping very far out of the top-five (if at all even) after the kind of season, OHL playoffs and now Under-18 performance he just had. In fact, B2011DW wouldn't be at all surprised if the New Jersey Devils grabbed him as high as fourth overall. Sure, it will depend on who drops to them, but for a team who knew exactly what it had with Scott Niedermayer for over a decade, this kid's high-end offensive chops aren't far off.
J.T. Miller, C USA- One of the bigger disappointments this season for the U.S. NTDP because his production never seemed to be commensurate with his excellent physical tools, Miller finally broke through with the kind of dominant, consistent scoring performance scouts have been waiting for. The 6-1 center from Ohio scored four goals (and some big ones at that) and was a consistent passer and playmaker. The top line of Miller, Boucher and Grimaldi gave other teams fits throughout the tourney and Miller was often the one who found himself with the time and space to make things happen with. To his credit, he did. It helped to have a linemate in Boucher who was shooting the lights out in critical situations, but Miller looked and played like a solid first-round pick. Someone who liked his tools but was concerned with the lack of production just might have seen enough to grab him top-20. Even if he slips out of that bracket, we can't imagine he'd miss on the opening 30 picks. Too much talent and upside there.
Jonas Brodin, D Sweden- The controller; we were pretty impressed at how smoothly and effectively Brodin took charge of the Swedish defense corps, turning them into the prettiest transition unit in the entire field. The way Sweden broke out of their end was poetry in motion, and it all started with Brodin who isn't a flashy player (just one assist in four games), but seems to see the ice and think many steps ahead of everyone else like a chess grandmaster. He's got the head and feet to orchestrate the attack, even if he lacks the strength and overpowering shot to be a big point getter. If intelligent puck movers are at a premium, then don't expect Brodin to last very long on June 24th- he's slick and when it comes down to it, a pretty commanding presence. He doesn't get enough credit for what he brings to the table in our view.
Mark Scheifele, C Canada- Young colt lived up to his Barrie namesake with a very good offensive performance. Scored one of the more memorable goals of anyone in the tourney against Finland when he read a bungled pass, split the defense, fought off a hook from behind and still managed to put the puck in the net with a nice backhand deke. 6-3 guys don't typically move the way he does with that ability to separate, so there is a lot of raw material to work with. At about 175, he's nowhere near as strong as he needs to be. However, he more than solidified a first-round draft grade in our view. He's a poor man's Ryan Johansen at this stage we feel- won't go as high, but his progress and potentially high ceiling will see him picked ahead of other higher-profile players who are bigger names and have been in draft discussions longer. Classic guy who came into the U18s with some questions to answer and passed with flying colors. Happens every year.
Joel Armia, F Finland- Took charge up front for Finland and proved himself a solid first-round selection with his offensive performance. His big frame needs work to add mass and strength, but he's got a long stride and the ability to generate speed and separation. He's still a little gangly and not overly strong on his skates, but getting there. A vicious killer between the hashmarks- wants the puck and knows what to do with it when he gets it. One of the best pure goal scorers in the draft and impressed us with his vision and playmaking skills in this tourney as well. Creative and a better puck distributor than we gave him credit for. Not very physical, but not a soft player, either. Uses his trunk and long limbs to create space and bull his way to the net. Doesn't speak English very well yet, but uses two very important words often: "puck" and "score". His effort without the puck is what is holding him back from a top-10 selection in our view. He can be lackadaisical and is inconsistent in his backchecking efforts. If its a maturity thing, he could be a homerun pick, but if he's only motivated offensively, then he's a one-dimensional guy and may never be as good a player as he should be.
Victor Rask, C Sweden- Got his sliding value going in the other direction with a very good preliminary round performance, especially against Canada to earn the top seed in group. Big, offensively-savy centerman who isn't a great skater but gets from point A to B well enough. He'll get more balanced and stronger on his skates, and while he'll never be a speed demon, he goes to the net with some power. Soft hands for passing and can unleash a good, heavy shot. Not much of a showing against the USA in the gold medal game, but we're grading the overall tournament performance and he did some nice things reminiscent of what scouts were expecting from him after his performance in this same tournament a year ago. Will some team take him in the 1st round? Possibly- don't bet against it. However, his season overall is still a disappointment given the expectations he had coming in. Good rebound, but he won't get anywhere near the bounce of a Kucherov, for example.
Reid Boucher, F USA- Gutsy little scorer found the back of the net eight times in the tournament, which wasn't at the top of the charts, but his timing was tremendous. Michigan State recruit is undersized and not all that fast a skater, but he more than makes up with it for his natural anticipation and knack for finding open ice and a wicked shot that he can unleash from anywhere. He did this at the Five Nations in February and raised a few eyebrows, but the encore performance on an even bigger stage should have done enough to see him secure second-round status. Scorers like Boucher don't grow on trees, and while he's not the showman Grimaldi is in terms of being noticeable on every shift, he's highly dangerous and just knows how to be clutch. Also led his team in plus/minus with +9, so he's responsible defensively and kills penalties, too. One of Ron Rolston's go-to guys who delivered.
John Gibson, G USA- What more can we say about this guy that we haven't already? Super size, quickness and technique. Makes things look easy when they aren't. But the best thing about him is his calm and poise. He weathered the storm of a Canada comeback yesterday to secure an overtime win, then hung in with his team down a couple of goals to make every stop the rest of the way in yet another overtime victory to clinch gold. We were looking for him to step out from behind Campbell's international shadow, and the Pittsburgh native did precisely that. Awesome performance from the tournament's top netminder, and he's all but sewn up status as the first goaltender off the board in June.
Robbie Russo, D USA- It's no secret that B2011DW was pretty critical of Russo's performance during earlier viewings of him this season, and we weren't hearing great things about him from sources either. But, he pulled it together in time to have an excellent tournament befitting of some of the hype. He's headed to Notre Dame next season and should make a pretty immediate impact if he plays in the NCAA like he did in Germany. Smart, crisp puck mover all tournament long and worked with Connor Murphy to set up the winning goal against Sweden. Wasn't as strong as the tourney went on as he was in the beginning, but what can we say? He at least looked like the PMD some circles were hyping him as.
Connor Murphy, D USA- This was a make-or-break tourney for Murphy to land in the top-60 and he looks to have made it. Big, talented two-way defender who won't put up a ton of points, but is an effective point man with a big shot. Miami University recruit is staying in his home state to play for the Redhawks, and the only real questions he needs to answer are ones about his durability. Kid can play and looks to have more offensive potential than his dad, Gord, who was a solid NHL stay-at-homer in his day.
Dmitrij Jaskin, F CZE- Power winger helped himself with four goals in five games, showing off his wicked release and powerful shot. Heavy feet, yes, but competes hard and is a physical player with a North American flavor to his game already. Below average skaters always have it in tough to make it in the NHL, which is a skating man's league, but when they are big, strong, intelligent and passionate about the game the way Jaskin is, they usually find a way to make it. If he could get a little faster he has top-six potential for sure.
Fallers
Tyler Biggs, F USA- Tough tournament for a kid who is unfairly becoming a whipping boy, but we also have to call it the way we see it. He hurt his team with way too many penalties. Now in fairness, some of the calls that went against him were the classic- he's bigger (no pun intended) than the other guy and the hits looked worse than they were- type infractions that tend to get whistled more during international play. However, he also took his share of lazy, undisciplined calls and that's what drives us crazy. The roughing call he took against Canada just after Boucher made it 4-1 was particularly galling because it was completely unnecessary and also sparked that team's comeback. Biggs is a powerful skater with a heavy shot, but we didn't see him creating much on his own offensively other than scoring the winning goal against Canada in OT that several onlookers felt goaltender Malcolm Subban should have stopped. Biggs was unfairly rated too high by Central scouting at mid-term and he's the easy target right now because he didn't produce consistently while others on his squad did. Right or wrong, fair or unfair- it is what it is.
Joachim Nermark, F SWE- Ugh. Just a disappointing showing for a guy who was tremendous at the Ivan Hlinka but has been all downhill since. One goal in five games...invisible against the USA. One scout we talked to said, 'We have no use for him." Ouch. He may yet be a top-60 pick because of what he did in Slovakia, but we wouldn't touch him in that range based on what we saw here. Risky pick and we're not even sure of the payoff. Did not help himself at all.
Samu Perhonen, G FIN- Brutal is a polite way to put this promising netminder's performance. He was shaky from jump street against Canada and never recovered, stopping a putrid 87.5% of his shots and going 2-2 in the process. We thought this cat would challenge Gibson for top netminder honors at the 2011 draft, and now we don't even think Perhonen will be the first European picked (Magnus Hellberg). He's still a top-two or three-round pick, but after seeing him and Gibson in the same competition, they seem light years apart. Perhonen's lack of poise was what was particularly troublesome- just couldn't seem to make the big save when his team needed it. However, Perhonen still has the size and athletic ability/upside to be a high-end stopper in the NHL one day. If he slides, that could be great news for the team that grabs him.
Reece Scarlett, D CAN- Has showed some impressive traits and potential in flashes, but this was a tough tourney for the WHL defender. He's not where he needs to be in terms of his physical development and strength. He also made some bad pinches and decisions that proved costly. Seemed hesitant at times and was caught in no man's land. Real smooth stride and mobility, but in this game, that split second delayed reaction will burn you even if you skate well. He wasn't quite ready for primetime and opponents exploited him.
Daniel Catenacci, F CAN- Just two assists for this speedy, skilled and even dynamic forward were a major disappointment. Capable of so much more, yet went invisible for long stretches. On top of that, took a lot of bad penalties and never could seem to get out of his own way. All of this from a guy some on the internet are talking about as a potential first-rounder in June? We don't think so. Soo Greyhounds teammate Nick Cousins skated circles around him (4-4-8) and was one of the guys who emerged as a big-time clutch performer.
Miikka Salomaki, F FIN- We weren't very impressed with this guy's NHL upside, but kept hearing that teams were keeping an eye out for him. Well, after watching him at the WJC over the winter and on video at the U18s, we can't see him being a top-three round pick. He might get there, but that could be a mistake. Doesn't do anything particularly well, and just seems like a solid Euro leaguer and nothing more.
B2011DW will be back with a look at some sleepers who may have emerged from the shadows a bit, and even if some were more known, appear to have the inside track on hearing their names called in Minnesota.
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