DBTB –
Hey everyone. So a lot has happened since we last caught up on the Draft. We’ve had a couple showcase events: The World Junior A Challenge, and the World Juniors Championship. We’ve had some injuries, some guys who’ve stepped up in their respective leagues when the big names departed for a couple weeks (to participate in the aforementioned tournaments) and guys who have plateaued. Lots happening. From hereon until the Spring, not a lot should change. The one thing you’re looking for is consistency from some of the more surprising guys on your list. If they show that, they start climbing the ladder. If not…
First off, as it turns out, the Sabres are not as good as we all hoped. They are playing better in recent days, to be sure, but the hole they’ve dug is awfully deep. Which means another high draft choice and another prize prospect or three in a system that remains strong. So let’s see who’s popping in this Draft class.
First off, a little before the Christmas holidays, the World Junior A Challenge went down. This is a U-19 tournament that used to include the US, Canada (who got two teams) and Russia. But with the events in Ukraine and the subsequent ban on Russia in international competition, they have made due with Sweden as a very strong replacement. This year’s WJAC was won, unsurprisingly, by Team USA, with a 7-4 victory in the final over Sweden. To be fair, Canada – who has an East and West team – uses players from Tier II leagues like the BCHL and OJHL. The kids from the top CHL leagues do not play. But the US does not use their kids from the National Development team, which tends to even things out. And typically, you see a lot of unheralded kids play well in this tournament, players who use it to get on the Draft radar. But this year, you had some higher end Draft-eligible players show up: in particular, Swede centerman Anton Frondell, a potential Top 10 pick, and American sniper Ben Kevan, who was one of the tourney’s top scorers. Both of those guys should go in the 1st round. But some others who dazzled include Swedes Jacob Ihs-Wozniak and Eddie Genbourg, America center Teddy Mutryn and blueliner Jacob Rombach, and Canadian kids Shaan Kingwell and goalie Noah Tegelaar. All of these guys made a name for themselves, and either moved up in the overall rankings, or added their name to the list of ‘draftable’ players. Which is what showcase tournaments tend to do. Of note to DBTB, the top defenseman scorer in the tournament happened to be last year’s 4th rounder Luke Osburn, with an impressive 9P in 5 games. A future Sabre to look out for.
Following on the heels of the WJAC, the more prominent World Juniors got underway right after Christmas. As it always does, this tournament boasted a number of high-end draft eligibles. James Hagens, Porter Martone, and Matthew Schaefer all are expected to go Top 5 in this upcoming Draft. Hagens, for the USA, was the top scorer among the bunch. But some other youngsters made a splash: Sweden’s Viktor Eklund, Latvia’s Bruno Osmanis, Germany’s David Lewandowsky, and Slovak Jan Chovan. All forwards, all had their moments during the tournament, which the US won, again, over Sweden, again (I see a theme forming here!). Again, for those of you DBTBers following along, Sabre prospects Anton Wahlberg, Konsta Helenius (both Amerks, by the way) and Brodie Ziemer finished 4th, 5th and 6th in scoring for the tournament. So some bright lights to watch out for in the coming years.
While these big events got a lot of the television attention and scouts filling the seats, there were some guys left behind. In particular, in the WHL, a league that was supposed to be a little down this year after last season, a number of kids have climbed the ranks. Players like Ben Kindel, Cole Reschny, and defender Will Sharpe have really taken off in the past month or so. In the OHL, Ethan Czata, Jake O’Brien, and Noah Read have really stepped up…some others that should continue to climb include Adam Benak (USHL), Erik Nilsson (SWE), Bill Zonnon (QMJHL) and Mikhail Fyodorov (RUS). Keep an eye out for some of these names…they could wind up being mid-1st rounders, or high 2nds.
A factor in where people are winding up on the Draft Board that doesn’t get talked about a lot is health. For example, coming into the Draft season, the aforementioned Swedish centerman Anton Frondell was thought of as a Top 5 selection. He was banged up early, missed a considerable chunk of October and November, and so fell off a bit in terms of some of the more public rankings. Recently, at the World Juniors, Canadian defenseman Matthew Schaefer broke his collarbone and will miss January and February, if not more time. This becomes particularly interesting as Schaefer is almost certainly the top defenseman in the Draft, and some believe he’s the #1 overall player. Will he slide? And what about Roger McQueen, the 6’5, smooth operating centerman? He’s missed a long time with a back injury. More than two months. What will happen to him? All over the Draft Board there are instances of players who’ve missed a few weeks, a month, or more…will it impact where they’re chosen, or is scouting so good nowadays that these highly ranked kids are already known commodities when they hit their draft year? We shall see.
One other interesting item of note: the migration of Europeans over to the US mid-season. Some players who were very highly regarded coming into the season may have struggled to get minutes or exposure at home. Packing their bags, they came over to North America and it should be interesting how this will affect their draft stock. Ivan Ryabkin, a pre-season Top 10 centerman, made the move from Russia to the USHL. Radim Mrtka, a huge 6’6 blueliner, jumped from Czechia to the WHL, and the aforementioned David Lewandowski also joined the WHL from Germany. So something to watch out for going forward.
I used Tankathon for the Lotto and then filled in as the rankings looked like when I started working on this.
Thanks everyone and look forward to another season of Prospect watching with you all. Woo…ha, Sabres on the warpath, Woo…ha…
ROUND ONE:
1#1 SEATTLE: James Hagens, 5’10 W, NCAA
1#2 SAN JOSE: Matthew Schaefer, 6’1 LHD, OHL
1#3 CHICAGO: Roger McQueen, 6’5 C, WHL
1#4 NASHVILLE: Mike Misa, 6’0 C, OHL
1#5 DETROIT: Porter Martone, 6’3 RW, OHL
1#6 BUFFALO: Carter Bear, 6’1 LW, WHL
1#7 ANAHEIM: Caleb Desnoyers, 6’1 C, QMJHL
1#8 MONTREAL: Lynden Lakovic, 6’4 W, WHL
1#9 NY ISLANDERS: Anton Frondell, 6’1 C, SWE
1#10 NY RANGERS: Kashawn Aitchison, 6’2 LHD, OHL
1#11 PHILADELPHIA: Radim Mrtek, 6’6 RHD, CZE
1#12 COLUMBUS: Viktor Eklund, 5’11 LW, SWE
1#13 ST LOUIS: Logan Hensler, 6’2 RHD, NCAA
1#14 PITTSBURGH: Malcolm Spence, 6’1 LW, OHL
1#15 UTAH: Jake O’Brien, 6’2 C, OHL
1#16 MONTREAL (CALGARY): Jackson Smith, 6’3 LHD, WHL
1#17 OTTAWA: Blake Fiddler, 6’4 RHD, WHL
1#18 BOSTON: Justin Carbonneau, 6’1 LW, QMJHL
1#19 PHILADELPHIA (COLORADO): Ben Kindel, 6’0 C, WHL
1#20 VANCOUVER: Josh Ravensbergen, 6’4 G, WHL
1#21 DALLAS: Shane Vanshagi, 6’3 C, NCAA
1#22 NASHVILLE (TAMPA BAY): Bill Zonnon, 6’3 RW, QMJHL
1#23 CHICAGO (TORONTO): Jacob Rombach, 6’5 RHD, USHL
1#24 LOS ANGELES: Jakob Ihs-Wozniak, 6’3 RW, SWE
1#25 CAROLINA: Ilya Ryabkin, 6’0 C, RUS
1#26 PHILADELPHIA (EDMONTON): Brady Martin, 6’0 C, OHL
1#27 COLUMBUS (MINNESOTA): Sasha Boumedienne, 6’2 LHD, NCAA
1#28 CALGARY (NEW JERSEY): Jack Nesbitt, 6’4 C, OHL
1#29 CALGARY (FLORIDA): Cole Reschny, 5’10 C/W, WHL
1#30 WINNIPEG: Ed Genbourg, 6’2 W, SWE
1#31 WASHINGTON: Ben Kevan, 5’11 C, USHL
1#32 NASHVILLE (VEGAS): Carter Amico, 6’5 RHD, US NTDP
ROUND TWO:
2#1 CHICAGO: Kurban Limatov, 6’4 LHD, RUS
2#2 SAN JOSE: Jack Murtaugh, 6’0 C, US NTDP
2#3 NASHVILLE: Simon Wang, 6’6 LHD, OJHL
2#4 DETROIT: Henry Bruzustewicz, 6’2 RHD, OHL
2#5 SEATTLE: Erik Nilson, 6’0 C, SWE
2#6 BUFFALO: Cullen Potter, 5’10 LW, NCAA
2#7 PHILADELPHIA (ANAHEIM): Cameron Schmidt, 5’8 W, WHL
2#8 MONTREAL: Tomas Pobezal, 5’11 C, SVK
2#9 NY ISLANDERS: Cole McKinney, 6’0 C, US NTDP
2#10 COLORADO (NY RANGERS): Will Moore, 6’2 C, US NTDP
2#11 PHILADELPHIA: Semyon Frolov, 6’3 G, RUS
2#12 PHILADELPHIA (COLUMBUS): Charlie Trethawey, 6’1 RHD, US NTDP
2#13 EDMONTON (ST LOUIS): Oliver Sjostrom, 5’10 LHD, SWE
2#14 MONTREAL (PITTSBURGH): Jack Ivankovic, 6’0 G, OHL
2#15 UTAH: Braeden Cootes, 6’0 C, WHL
2#16 CALGARY: Karl Annborn, 6’1 RHD, SWE
2#17 OTTAWA: Love Haremstem, 6’1 G, SWE
2#18 WASHINGTON (BOSTON): Milton Gastrin, 6’2 C, SWE
2#19 CALGARY (COLORADO): Peyton Kettles, 6’5 RHD, WHL
2#20 VANCOUVER: Adam Benak, 5’8 C, CZE
2#21 DALLAS: Luka Radivojevic, 5’10 RHD, SWE
2#22 NASHVILLE (TAMPA BAY): Filip Ekberg, 5’10 LW, OHL
2#23 TAMPA BAY (TORONTO): Ayrtom Vilchinsky, 6’6 LHD, RUS
2#24 TAMPA BAY (LOS ANGELES): Nathan Behm, 6’2 RW, WHL
2#25 CAROLINA: Max Westergard, 5’11 LW, SWE
2#26 NEW JERSEY (EDMONTON): Patryk Zubek, 6’3 LHD, SVK
2#27 MINNESOTA: Mikkel Eriksen, 6’0 C, NWY
2#28 NEW JERSEY: Vojtech Cinar, 6’1 W, CZE
2#29 TORONTO (FLORIDA): Gus Hillstrom, 6’2 C, SWE
2#30 NEW JERSEY (WINNIPEG): Melvin Novotny, 6’1 LW, SWE
2#31 WASHINGTON: Jan Chovan, 6’2 C, FIN
2#32 VEGAS: Shamar Moses, 6’2 RW, OHL
ROUND THREE:
3#1 CHICAGO: Luca Romano, 5’11 C, OHL
3#2 VEGAS (SAN JOSE): Cam Reid, 6’0 LHD, OHL
3#3 NASHVILLE: Ondrej Stebatack, 6’2 G, CZE
3#4 DETROIT: David Lewandowski, 6’1 C, GER
3#5 SEATTLE: Reese Hamilton, 6’0 LHD, WHL
3#6 BUFFALO: Pyotr Andreyanov, 6’0 G, RUS
3#7 ANAHEIM: Dakoda Rheaume-Mullen, 6’0 LHD, NCAA
3#8 MONTREAL: Arvid Drott, 6’1 RW, SWE
3#9 NY ISLANDERS: Vit Zahesjsky, 5’10 C, WHL
3#10 UTAH (NY RANGERS): Theo Stockselius, 6’2 W, SWE
3#11 PHILADELPHIA: Will Sharpe, 6’1 LHD, WHL
3#12 COLUMBUS: Jordan Gavin, 5’11 C/LW, WHL
3#13 EDMONTON (ST LOUIS): Alex Huang, 6’0 RHD, QMJHL
3#14 PITTSBURGH: Zeb Lindgren, 6’2 LHD, SWE
3#15 UTAH: Artyom Gonchar, 6’0 LHD, RUS
3#16 CALGARY: Max Agafonov, 6’2 RHD, RUS
3#17 PITTSBURGH (OTTAWA): Tyler Hopkins, 6’1 C, OHL
3#18 BOSTON: Vaclav Nesterasil, 6’4 RW, USHL
3#19 SAN JOSE (COLORADO): Carlos Handel, 6’1 RHD, QMJHL
3#20 MONTREAL (VANCOUVER): Ethan Czata, 6’1 C, OHL
3#21 DALLAS: Ryker Lee, 5’10 C, US HS
3#22 CAROLINA (TAMPA BAY): Conrad Fondrik, 6’0 C, US NTDP
3#23 ANAHEIM (TORONTO): Matthew Gard, 6’5 LW, WHL
3#24 LOS ANGELES: Alvar Ervasti, 6’3 LHD, FIN
3#25 WASHINGTON (CAROLINA): Viktor Klingsell, 5’10 W, SWE
3#26 SAN JOSE (EDMONTON): Aiden Lane, 6’1 RW, CCHL
3#27 PITTSBURGH (MINNESOTA): Maceo Phillips, 6’5 LHD, US NTDP
3#28 NEW JERSEY: Andreas Straka, 6’1 W, SVK
3#29 OTTAWA (FLORIDA): Owen Conrad, 6’2 LHD, QMJHL
3#30 WINNIPEG: Michel Svrcek, 5’10 C, SWE
3#31 VEGAS (WASHINGTON): Tomas Mikel, 6’4 RHD, USHL
3#32 NEW JERSEY (VEGAS): Jere Somervuori, 6’0 LW, FIN
ROUND FOUR:
4#1 CHICAGO: Mans Goos, 6’5 G, SWE
4#2 SAN JOSE: Eetu Orpana, 6’0 C/W, FIN
4#3 NASHVILLE: Carson Cameron, 6’1 RHD, OHL
4#4 DETROIT: Caden Taylor, 6’3 C, OHL
4#5 SEATTLE: Tomas Poletin, 6’0 LW, FIN
4#6 BUFFALO: Malte Vaas, 6’2 LHD, SWE
4#7 ANAHEIM: Gabriel d’Aigle, 6’4 G, QMJHL
4#8 MONTREAL: Nathan Quinn, 5’10 C, QMJHL
4#9 NY ISLANDERS: Cooper Simpson, 6’1 W, US HS
4#10 NY RANGERS: Dmitri Iseyev, 5’10 W, RUS
4#11 PHILADELPHIA: Teddy Mutryn, 6’1 C, USHL
4#12 COLUMBUS: Emile Guite, 6’2 RW, QMJHL
4#13 COLUMBUS (ST LOUIS): Roberto Henriquez, 6’2 G, NAHL
4#14 PITTSBURGH: Owen Martin, 5’11 F, OHL
4#15 UTAH: Kale Dach, 5’10 C/W, BCHL
4#16 CALGARY: Oskar Davidsson, 6’1 LW, SWE
4#17 VANCOUVER (OTTAWA): Jasper Inkinen, 6’0 W, FIN
4#18 DETROIT (BOSTON): Oscar Westman, 6’4 G, SWE
4#19 COLORADO: Kieren Dervin, 6’2 C, CCHL
4#20 COLORADO (VANCOUVER): Rihards Griva, 5’11 W, GER
4#21 SEATTLE (DALLAS): Jesper Kotajarvi, 5’11 LHD, FIN
4#22 TAMPA BAY: Mikhail Melikov, 6’1 LW, RUS
4#23 TORONTO: Liam Kilfoil, 5’11 C, QMJHL
4#24 LOS ANGELES: Bruno Osmanis, 5’11 RW, SWE
4#25 CAROLINA: Noah Tegelaar, 6’4 G, OJHL
4#26 TAMPA BAY (EDMONTON): Samuel Meloche, 6’3 G, QMJHL
4#27 BUFFALO (MINNESOTA): Max Psenicka, 6’4 RHD, CZE
4#28 NEW JERSEY: Shaan Kingwell, 5’11 W, CCHL
4#29 FLORIDA: Stepan Cerny, 5’9 LHD, CZE
4#30 DALLAS (WINNIPEG): Brent Solomon, 5’11 RW, US HS
4#31 WASHINGTON: Travis Hayes, 5’11 RW, OHL
4#32 VEGAS: Jeremy Loranger, 5’10 C, BCHL
SABRES HAUL:
1#6: Carter Bear, 6’1 LW, WHL: I’ve seen some of my fellow DBTBers wish for more Zach Bensons from time to time. And I understand why. Well, although this pick is probably a reach by at least a couple of spots, Bear is exactly the kind of player that the Sabres need. He is incredibly smart, with an unstoppable motor, and enough willpower to fuel an entire line. That’s not to say he doesn’t have high-level skill – he does, plenty of it – but his game is so versatile, so precise, and so smart, he would bring something to the current batch of forwards of which they have very little. The first thing you notice about Bear’s game is his intensity level. A tireless forechecker, he is a true pain to play against. His desire for the puck can’t be undersold. Throws himself into board battles, takes (and gives) hits to make plays, and subscribes to the school of ‘fastest way to a spot is a straight line’. Even if there are multiple players in the way. Lives in the dirty areas of the ice. Not huge (6’1 185#) but plays so much bigger. A dog on the bone in puck pursuit. Wins a lot of puck battles, and just about anything 50/50 is going to be his. No one outworks him. But don’t mistake him for a one-trick pony. He’s got an NHL-level shot already. A heavy, hard shot that he can lift in tight, Bear is a lethal shooter, as his near GPG numbers thus far indicate. And with surprisingly good hands given his play style, he’s exceptionally creative around the net, finding teammates in tight spaces for easy tap-ins and keeping both goalies and defenders guessing as he comes out from behind the net with the puck on his stick. Bear’s hands and vision would be more noticeable if he were a player who spent a lot of time on the perimeter, but that’s just not his game. While he can be a killer in transition with his ability to negotiate space at high speed, he normally buries his head and drives to the net, challenging defenders to dare get in his way. Once there, he plants himself at the top of the crease or on either post, setting up for tips, deflections, rebounds and loose pucks which he has a remarkable nose for locating. Equally dangerous on his fore- or backhand, passing or shooting, he’s a multi-faceted threat inside fifteen feet. Skates very well, has strong linear speed but is not a burner. Laterally, and in short areas, he’s extremely quick and feet are light. Hands and feet move in unison. Tough to knock off the puck, tougher even to knock down. Defensively, he’s not always positionally excellent, but his hustle and work rate ensure that he recovers when he is caught out of position. Quickness out of starts and stops makes him an exhausting penalty killer at the top of the diamond that never quits on a play and will put his face in front of a point shot if that’s what is required. Can play center at the junior level, but probably more effective as a wing once he becomes a professional. The kind of player whose compete brings up the level of his linemates, putting Bear and Benson on different lines will make the Sabres a more competitive, harder team to play against in the future. Has put up 46 points in 26 games, including 22G, and is 3rd in PPG in the entire WHL, including a number of high NHL draft picks. If he keeps up his play – and I don’t see any reason he wouldn’t other than injuries – you’ll start to see him in this range more frequently. Dude is a stud. And not only because he reminds me of one of my all-time favorite players, the legendary John Tonelli.
2#6: Cullen Potter, 5’10 LW, NCAA: This is a player that likely rises throughout the year, a smaller kid who’s got blazing speed and incredible creativity. Unlike most young players who marinate in their respective age-appropriate leagues, Potter actually went to the NCAA a year early to play at Arizona State. And he’s acquitted himself quite well thus far, with 8P in 16 games as the team’s best player (and, as the Head Coach said, ‘the best player we’ve ever had at ASU’). For Potter, it starts and ends with his skating. He may be the best pure skater in the entire class. He explodes into his first stride, and only gets faster from there. Pivots, changes of direction, and burst from stops are all elite level. Navigates traffic well, making him a deadly transition threat who forces defenders to back off and creates space to operate within. Can absolutely blow past opponents by going wide. And his skating is an asset in both directions. Defensively, he’s the backchecker you never see coming, he can make up so much ice so quickly. On the forecheck, and defending on-puck, Potter keeps his gaps tight and the pressure on high. Forces more than his share of bad decisions and turnovers. But what makes him a high-end player, and a potential first rounder, is his head. Even moving at speed, Potter’s ability to process the play and understand who is where on the ice impresses. This makes him a dangerous shoot-pass option that leaves opponents in knots trying to defend him. Thinks the game at a high level. Will use a speed rush to the outside to set up a D-Man, then the next opportunity, will show outside speed, then crossover inside and leave the opponent in the dust. Has to be accounted for, which sometimes causes coverages to break down and he has the skill and the wheels to exploit that. Potter also possesses a goal-scorer’s wrister. Snaps it off quickly and accurately. It isn’t heavy, and his clapper is not NHL-ready in terms of velocity and power, but he’s still got some strength to gain. And that’s where he’ll need to improve, is getting stronger and a better base. He can get knocked off the puck by bigger defenders. Not that he backs down or avoids contact – he doesn’t – but right now without the body mass to compete in the corners against those kind of players, he’s not getting far. Also can have some puck management issues. With his speed and hands, that will happen, especially playing with guys who are not in the same league with him talent-wise. But it should help him pick his spots better and become more prudent with the puck. Has put up, as mentioned, 8P in 16 games as what amounts to an under-age freshman in the NCAA. To compare, a player like James Hagens (a likely Top 3 selection) on a line with 2 1st round picks for a stacked Boston College team, has 20P in 16 games as a first time NCAA player. This kid’s just scratching the surface.
3#6: Pyotr Andreyanov, 6’1 G, RUS: The Sabres have had some success drafting Russian kids (Poltapov, Novikov, Komarov, and Neuchev) since Kevyn Adams took over. But to this point, they haven’t dabbled in the Muscovite goaltender market. Until now. The Sabres have leaned toward smaller goaltenders since Adams really took the reins (Levi, Ratzlaff, and now Leenders) so going for a kid 6’1 205# is not at all unusual. And can this tendy stop the puck! Andreyanov has extraordinary reflexes and plays bigger in the pipes that his size would indicate. Last year, he bounced around a bit between the Russian U17 and U18 teams, before getting called up to the MHL where he got 20 games and looked great in the process (3.04 GAA, .916 SV%). But this year, in the same league, he’s been even better, with a 1.75 GAA and a .942 SV%. So good, in fact, he’s been called up to the KHL, although he hasn’t played a game at that level…yet. At his smaller size (for a modern goalie, at least), he’s stocky and tough to move. With a bit of a hybrid style mixing the butterfly and standing up, he’s a little tougher to predict for shooters coming down in transition and forces them to pick their spots a little later than they’d like. He can play very aggressively, coming outside of the crease and challenging shooters, especially when they have limited options, but has very good recognition and situational awareness, and doesn’t chase the shooter or lose his net very often, if at all. Understands when to play deep and when to play a bit more of a risky style. Reaction time is top notch. He’s never out of a play because of that lightning quick reaction time (much like Levi). Glove hand is lightning quick. Snaps off that glove to make highlight-reel snares of the puck. Legs are quick, and he gets from post-to-post upright and constantly tracking the puck. Seems to be cognizant of his height limitations and remains tall in net to take away shots over the shoulder. Andreyanov recently signed a two-year extension with Krasnaya Armiya (Red Army), so he’s there for a bit, but Buffalo has drafted out of that club before (Poltapov, Sardaryan) so there’s a track record there.
4#6: Malte Vaas, 6’2 LHD, SWE: When in doubt, always go with the great name. And this is a great one. Vaas is a wrecking crew out there, plays an angry game with a heavy dose of physicality and responsibility. Vaas is an in-your-face sort of player, one who defends every inch of ice with determination. When you first see Vaas in action, the thing that jumps out is his aggression. He holds the blue line, gaps up against his opponents, and always makes sure to get a stick and/or a body on his check. Plays the man before the puck. Protects the middle of the ice, directing opposing forwards into the corners before plastering them against the boards. But he’s not just a hitter. Has good awareness of his end of the ice, with routine shoulder checks to find danger areas or dangerous players, and adapts his play as needed. Plays very physical on-puck, but is not a liability off-puck, as he seems to play well in space and takes note of breakdowns and moves into gaps where needed to maintain the defensive structure. Like a bull, Vaas exhibits a lot of power around the net, where once he clamps down on your stick or forearms, you aren’t getting free. Prefers to clear the net front with a couple of cross-checks or pushes. Has the mentality that anyone who dares enter the scoring areas when he’s defending will pay a price to do so. And Vaas also happens to be pretty solid with the puck in his own end. Has good enough hands to collect or retrieve pucks, turn up ice with his head up, and is very accurate on his initial pass to trigger a zone exit. But Vaas is more traditional D-man than most. He doesn’t really get involved offensively other than to make simple dump ins or throw pucks at the net. His footwork on the blue line isn’t smooth, so retaining possession while walking the line isn’t something I would call a strength. Doesn’t show much creativity with the puck, and rarely makes a move to beat a defender straight up. A classic defensive D-Man, but with the modern twist of being a solid skater with a crisp first pass. Vaas has 5P in 27 games at the U-20 level, and he wears a letter for Farjestad. He also played for Team Sweden at the Hlinka this past Spring and the World Junior A Challenge in December, where he chipped in with a point in each tournament (but racked up 35 PIM in the latter). Vass can also play both left and right side. He’s the kind of guy they don’t have much of in the system, a physical guy whose objective is to make the other team pay the price every shift. I think he’d be a good addition.
4#27: Max Psenicka, 6’4 RHD, CZE: Unlike Vaas, this big Czech is more in the mold of Owen Power. He’s a big-bodied offensively minded blueliner. Something that we’re seeing more and more of in the junior ranks around the world. Psenicka is a very loose skater and can jump up into the rush in the blink of an eye. For his size, he’s a great skater. Linear speed is very good, and agility and lateral movement are exceptional in terms of avoiding opponents and moving unobstructed through the Neutral Zone. He’s explosive in changes of direction. Gets up to top speed quickly. Is a dangerous trailer in transition, and can come as part of the second layer, or get up and skate with forwards in the first. His skating is a weapon but it is really initiated by his mindset. Psenicka wants to engage offensively. He likes to attack, wants to jump up into the play and drive transition. Offensive instincts are strong – he reads when and how deep to pinch, when to drop down as a back-door option, and when to play safe and back off the blue line. Has a hard shot, mostly a one-timer option but can take a puck off the wall and rip it from distance. Needs to vary his shot selection more, and get more pucks through, but with some added strength it could become a real weapon for him. A savvy PP QB, he can move defenders with his eyes and his occasional fakes, and his lateral skating helps him walk the line when controlling possession. Not wildly creative in his passing, most of his puck movement comes at the expense of looking for his own shot. Defensively, Psenicka is still a work in progress. He’s not bad defending on-puck, using his reach inconsistently but when he does, effectively. Does not play with a lot of physical edge and can be careless with his stick. Off the puck, he defends well around the crease, but in space he struggles with getting caught puck watching or losing leverage inside to quicker, more focused players. So the kid is project, but given his size and mobility, a worthy one. He’s managed 11P in 20 games at the U-20 level but has recently been promoted up to the top senior men’s league in Czechia, where he’s managed 2G in 15 games in limited minutes for Plzen. Could be a real gem with some development and coaching, an offensive-minded player from the back-end like a Thomas Harley with Dallas.
5#6: Jake Crawford, 6’3 C, OHL: A big, raw center with a lot of physical attributes, Crawford seems like a good player to take a flyer on late in the Draft with hopes that he can put all the pieces together with some coaching and maturity. Crawford is a rangy centerman who can play on the wing in a pinch. Has a ton of athleticism and is a tremendous skater…when you could that with his size, you could have yourself a really solid NHL prospect. That said, there remains work to do. First off, Crawford has been inconsistent. This has kept him from being elevated to a regular Top 6 role on his Owen Sound team. But his effort, his intensity, and physical attributes are all positives. Crawford plays a high pace, attacking sort of game. His skating and length make him difficult to escape on the forecheck, and he does not hesitate to backcheck every shift, all shift, if needed. The size/skating combination is really the first thing you notice with this kid. Has excellent change-of-direction, and plays a very simple, linear game. Flips from forward to backward, turns are tight, and his feet are always moving. He’s still slight (6’3 180#), and is a later birthday, so he could easily get bigger. But he plays with a controlled intensity. Attacks the net front, gets inside leverage, battles for every puck on the walls. Covers a lot of ice. If he can put together the finer points of the game, he could be a real find. To hesitant to make plays. His hands are OK, but he struggles controlling the puck at speed and seems like he would rather let someone else on his line handle it. Shot is inconsistent. At times, he gets it off super-quick, unleashes a hard laser. But other times, it seems he can send a pillow to the net or second-guesses himself and waits too long to release it, leading to blocked or deflected shots. Has the same problem passing the puck. Needs more comfort and confidence with the puck. To be fair, Owen Sound is a bad team, and he doesn’t get to play with a lot of high-skill linemates. If he can gain confidence with the puck on his stick, especially in transition, Crawford could be a really steady, 2-way #3C type of player. And there’s some value to that. Has 15P in 38 games, but started the season much better, with 9P in 15 games. Wears a letter for the Attack. Someone worth taking a flier on.