Central Scouting European final rankings: The rank and file

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Mock draft results: More fantasy than reality, but fun

Participated in a seven-round mock NHL draft last month on Hockey's Future Boards, hosted by the member called "Cup" as the GM of the Boston Bruins. Cup does this every year and he tries to bring in as many informed folks as he can via invite to make the picks.

You can see the whole results here if you want to go through every pick and some of the conversations associated with some of them, but for the purpose of this post, we'll break down each pick made, talk about the decision that went into it, who we had targeted in each round who came off the board before Boston's turn came and in some cases, who we would take instead knowing what we do now.

Keeping in mind that Cup locked in the draft order in late January, the Toronto Maple Leafs were still in the tank then, and the Bruins had the fourth overall pick. Does not appear that will happen come June. Also- the draft was conducted before the Bruins traded their own 1st- and 2nd-round picks for Tomas Kaberle and Chris Kelly.

Here's the breakdown, and while this would be a nice draft for the Bruins, is not grounded in much reality given the way the picks are shaking out in the standings and the fact that Boston has lost a few from its stockpile. Still, it gives the opportunity to shed some light on some guys that you might not be overly familiar with.

So, read on and as always, welcome the comments.

Pick 1, Round 1, Choice #4: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, C Red Deer (WHL)

Who targeted: Gabriel Landeskog, RW Kitchener (OHL); Rolled the dice that the Islanders would pick RNH instead of Landeskog and lost. Had thought about proposing a trade to move up 1 spot to guarantee selection of Landeskog when Larsson and Couturier went 1-2, but decided against it and the Isles GM snagged the Swedish power forward.
Player synopsis: Nugent-Hopkins is one of the most skilled offensive players in the draft, and with Marc Savard's uncertain future in Boston, it doesn't hurt to draft a center with the high pick this year. Being strong up the middle allows much flexibility. Concerns abound about RNH's slight frame and the fact that he's gotten much of his points on the PP and is not a producer at even strength. We look at his tremendous wheels, hands and head and say, he's going to be a legit scorer at the NHL level.
Did you know?: We tried like hell to trade back a few spots and acquire some extra assets, but couldn't get any reasonable trade offers that would keep the Bruins in the top-10 and get some assets in the process. Some offers were downright insulting (they know who they are), while others were more intriguing, but ultimately were deal-breakers because they came from teams who didn't own top-10 picks.

Ultimately, the B's held onto the 4th pick and used it on arguably the draft's top offensive player. Had we traded back a few spots and remained in the top-10, we were looking at any one of Ryan Strome, Jonathan Huberdeau, Ryan Murphy, Brandon Saad and Dougie Hamilton.



Also, must-see viewing is the Future Considerations video Aaron Vickers and his guys put together on him.

Pick 2, Round 1, Choice #17: Scott Mayfield, D Youngstown (USHL) (From San Jose)
Who targeted: Dougie Hamilton, D Niagara. Tried to trade all the way up to #10 from #25 when Hamilton was available there and was prepared to offer up a package of Blake Wheeler, Joe Colborne, #25, #41 and a conditional 2012 to get it done. Unfortunately, the Carolina GM was dead-set on Hamilton and made the pick before weI could even make the offer. Not sure that would have been enough to move him off the pick. Nathan Beaulieu, D Saint John was the next D on our board and he went 15th to Saint John. We traded for the 17th selection- moving up eight spots and giving up #25 and #41 (Minnesota pick) to grab our highest-ranked d-man left. David Musil was also in the mix, but we just liked Mayfield's offensive upside better even if his development has stalled at bit in the USHL this season. As far as forwards go, had Swede Mika Zibanejad been available, he was our guy at 17.
Player synopsis: Big (6-4), mobile two-way defenseman has a lot of room to grow/fill-out and plays with an edge. Can move the puck effectively, and if he works on his shot mechanics, could be a feared option from the point. Vision/hockey sense are a little questionable, but he has raw upside. Headed to Denver University next year, one of the best pro-developmental programs in the NCAA.
Did you know?: Mayfield formed a feared d-pairing with Kent School's Mike McKee at last August's NHL R&D development camp, turning scouts' heads with their sheer size/mobility combo. Both are very raw players with their flaws, but if they make some progression, there is some potentially high payoff with both.

Here's a nice interview with Scott Mayfield on USHL radio that's worth listening to.

Pick 3, Round 2, Choice #56: Kale Kessy, LW Medicine Hat (WHL)
Who targeted: Forward Lucas Lessio of Oshawa would have been the pick had he lasted- no way he slips to 47 in June, simply too talented. We also thought about taking Denver freshman Nick Shore with the pick. Finnish goalie Samu Perhonen was also a thought, and in retrospect, may have been a stronger organizational move with longer-term payoff.
Player synopsis: Another Milan Lucic-type success story of a local kid from Medicine Hat who was not drafted in the WHL, but didn't give up his dream and hung around the local rinks, skating hard and fighting- eventually attracting the attention of the Tigers and getting his shot by being listed. Although the numbers don't bear it out, Kessy has some good hands and scoring chops, and like Lucic, needs to improve his skating to make it at the next level. That said, he's legitimately tough- the classic "hockey player who fights" as opposed to the "fighter who plays hockey" and those guys are always valued higher by NHL teams than the traditional lists bear out. Would Kessy be considered a reach at 56? Probably. But then again, that's exactly what was said when the B's grabbed Lucic 50th five years ago. Who wouldn't want bookend wingers with real toughness and goalscoring ability on their team?
Did you know? Kessy led the Tigers in penalty minutes as a rookie with 123 PIMs in 2009-10. At 6-3, 185, he's lanky but naturally strong. When he gets to his playing weight of about 210-215, he'll be a real beast when the play gets physical.

Here are some vids from HockeyFights plus, but don't forget- Kessy can play and score, so he isn't just a fighter.





Pick 4, Round 3, Choice #78: Alan Quine, C Peterborough (OHL) (From Minnesota)
Who targeted: We were hoping goaltender Samu Perhonen would slip, but he did not, taken with the second pick of the round. We also liked Swiss C Gregory Hofmann, even though the Bruins have never in their history taken a Swiss player. We would have broken that trend after watching him at the WJC, but Montreal snagged him just three picks earlier. Wisconsin forward Michael Mersch was another thought at 78.
Player synopsis: When looking at a player like Quine, you have to suspend disbelief in that the season he's had in his draft year is what he's going to do moving forward. At one time viewed as a first-round candidate for 2011, Quine's poor start with Kingston dropped him quickly, and being with Peterborough isn't the greatest thing for the offense, especially with Matt Puempel out. Quine has been a better player since the calendar moved to 2011, but as a smaller, skill guy (more of a playmaker than finisher) he's not managed to gain much headway in draft discussions. We feel that Quine's high-end skills and potential if he gets back on track after a tough year made him a solid value in the mid-third round. With speed, vision and a passing touch, Quine is someone who could rebound in a big way over the next couple years in the OHL. He's one-dimensional, but several NHL scouts we've talked to really like that dimension.
Did you know? Quine was traded to Peterborough in November as part of the deal that made Ryan Spooner a Frontenac.

Here's his first OHL goal, scored when still with Kingston last season.


Here's an interview courtesy of TV Cogeco on YouTube


Pick 5, Round 4, Choice #115: Andrey Pedan, D Guelph (OHL)
Who targeted: We saw two players we had pretty highly-rated go off the board just in front of us in Swedish goaltender Magnus Hellberg (109th to Colorado) and defenseman Mike McKee (106 to Montreal).
Player synopsis: The big, mobile Russian has been a disappointment this season given that he's shown no offensive upside after a strong performance at last year's Under-18s. That said, this pick was about getting value in a player who was thought of highly in some circles coming into the season. At 6-4, 200 pounds, he's got that nice size scouts look for and is pretty mobile. Unfortunately, he's managed just 10 assists on the season, so he projects more to be a shutdown guy at the NHL level if he gets there. Still, this was a player who had solid 2nd-round potential coming in, so 4th round isn't bad value.
Did you know?: Pedan was taken 18th overall in the 2010 KHL draft by Moscow Dynamo, so he had a pretty decent projection. He's been a disappointment as far as the offense goes, but the defensive play for the Storm has been strong. He could develop into more than the sum of his parts in time.

Her's a fight vid posted by JimKorn20 on YouTube: Pedan started slowly, but came on strong at the end as Josh Leivo found out the hard way.


Pick 6, Round 5, Choice #145: Rasmus Bengtsson, D Rogle (SWE-2)
Who targeted: We would have though about taking London C Seth Griffith, but he went off the board right before Boston's choice. There was nobody else, aside for Plymouth C Garrett Meurs, who would be a steal for the Islanders in the 6th round, to consider here.
Player synopsis: Possibly the steal of Boston's mock draft. Bengtsson had no business being on the board this late based on what we're hearing from various scouts. We actually thought about taking him in the 4th before opting for Pedan, so were tickled when he was still sitting there 30 picks later. This all-around defender has been playing against men in the Swedish Allsvenskan (second division) all season long. He's not a big name or high-end guy but does a lot of things well and has a big shot, meaning he could be a PP triggerman someday. He's intelligent and can play a physical game, though he's not consistent in throwing his weight around. He's just one of those players who could be a solid No. 3 but should be a sure No. 4 you win with because of his smarts and versatility.
Did you know?: Bengtsson attended an elite developmental camp in L.A. this past summer with fellow Swede Victor Rask, and has indicated that he very much wants to be an NHL player- no Carl Soderberg disease from this kid!

Here's a vid from the Ivan Hlinka in August- Bengtsson is #3 and has the primary assist on Oscar Klefbom's goal


Pick 7, Round 6 Choice #175: Sami Salminen, RW HIFK Helsinki (Finland- Jr.)
Who targeted: We would have thought hard about taking a developmental long-term goalie project here in Loomis-Chaffee star Steve Michalek, but the Flyers snagged him just one spot in front of Boston. Also considered: Edina HS (MIN) center Steven Fogarty, who is going to the Chicago Steel of the USHL next year.
Player synopsis: More intriguing late-round potential from Europe. This big (6-5) winger has soft hands and a scorer's touch. He has very heavy feet, which is why you haven't heard much about him, but the offensive hockey sense, shot and overall ability to put the puck in the net makes him the kind of player you take a flier on late. The skating may never improve enough to make him a legit NHL option, but if it does, look out.

Pick 8, Round 7, Choice #186: Andy Andreoff, LW Oshawa (OHL)
Who targeted: We thought about several other overagers here: Chase Balisy (who went to TOR at 196), Tomas Filippi of Quebec (who went one spot later at 187), and even Anton Burdasov (who wasn't picked). But in the end, we saw Andreoff in Oshawa on New Year's Day so defaulted simply to the one player we had seen live.
Player synopsis: What would be a Boston draft of late without at least one previously passed-over prospect, right? Andreoff has had a good season for the Generals offensively with more than 30 goals, so we figured he was as good a candidate as any other.

Well, that's a wrap on the mock draft. More fiction than fact, but it was a fun exercise and it would be cool to reprise this activity in early June when the Memorial Cup and draft combine are in the books and the latest player rankings are hot off the presses.

Sami Salminen: A Guy You Should Know

For obvious reasons of access or lack thereof, European players don't get as much attention on this blog as they should.

We have access to SEL and SM-Liiga games on DVD, but there are so many prospects across the Atlantic we don't get any visuals on. Those who play in the high profile tournaments tend to get more exposure than those who do not.

For every Adam Larsson who is on everyone's radar well before his actual draft day, there is a Sami Salminen, who is a lesser known, but intriguing player who could carry some mid-round value in this class and doesn't get the attention that his peer and countryman Joel Armia does (and rightfully so because the skill level is not quite there even if he is similar kind of player).

Salminen is a horse at 6-5, 205 pounds, with lots of poundage to add on his gigantic frame. He's also having a pretty productive season for HIFK Helsinki's Under-20 team, having scored 15 goals and 36 points in 30 games. Salminen has also seen time in some international competition, having played in the Under 18 Five Nations tourney in Switzerland in December (2-1-3 in four games).

This kid is a goal scorer; he's got very quick hands, a heavy shot and the killer instinct around the net that separates the the legit finishers from everyone else. On the downside, he skates like a 6-5 kid; he's got a very slow initial first step and doesn't have great top speed, either.

"Salminen is a scoring forward," said one European-based NHL scout with an Eastern Conference team. "He has very big size that makes him difficult to move from (the)net and he's strong on his stick. He's not great skater- he needs to get quicker because he gets behind the plays."

Salminen was only the 47th-ranked European skater on Central Scouting's midterm list, but the NHL scout thinks Salminen could be higher on a few lists.

"He's so big and has very soft hands," the scout said. "If he can pick up a little speed and quickness, he could be NHL player. He needs to work a little bit harder but he's good kid."

6-5 forwards who can put the puck in the net are always going to garner some attention. He doesn't have Armia's advanced skills or mobility yet, and he's playing at a lower level. But, this is a guy worth knowing as the draft moves into the third round and beyond.