DBTB –
We’re back everyone, and less than a month away from the Draft, it’s getting down to the wire. I’ll have one more Mock Draft with over-agers included, as well as a final Big Board for those of you who are interested to follow along with on Draft Day. Hope everyone is doing great and looking forward to a productive Draft weekend! Let’s get into it.
About a month ago, we had the last big tournament of the Draft year, the World U18 tourney. As has become customary, Russia remained disqualified due to non-hockey related circumstances. But even without the Russians, which have a fairly pedestrian Draft class, the shortage of talent was apparent. The Finns had a terrible tournament and have a very uninteresting group of high-level draft-eligibles. Likewise the USA, whose Development Program team has been pretty meh for a couple years running now. The Swedish line-up had a good mix of talent but completely collapsed in the Final. Canada was good, but really didn’t stand out that much on their way to claiming the Gold. But as always, there were a few players that qualified as standouts. Canadian center Brady Martin put up 11P in 7 games, playing a physical game mixed with skill. He was Canada’s best player from the beginning to the end of the tournament. But is he really a Top 10 pick? Hard to say. Another player whose future is cloud is Swede Filip Ekberg, named MVP of the entire tournament, with 18P in 7 games but none in the Gold Medal game. The Left Winger had a spectacular tournament, but having come over to the CHL, had only an OK season for the Ottawa 67s and is only 5’10. On the blueline, Swedish defender Sasha Boumedienne was a standout, setting a tournament record with 14P in 7 games. He was the youngest player in the NCAA this past year, and showed fairly well in limited minutes, but this suggests that he’s going to be a force to be reckoned with next season. Another standout was German blueliner Carlos Handel, whose team went down in defeat early on. But no blame could be directed at Handel, who played a tough brand of shut-down defense and puck movement, while chipping in with 4P in 4 games. Lastly, in net, Canadian Jack Ivankovic, standing a mere 6’0, stood out in the tournament. Flashing a 1.05 GAA and a .961 SV%, he allowed only 6 goals total. Up and down for much of the year, he cemented himself as a potential 1st overall goalie taken on Draft Day, and almost certainly in the Top 5. And he’s one of the trailblazers leaving the CHL to play in the NCAA, enrolling at the U of Michigan (Go Blue!).
Other standouts from the tournament that you’ll find in the Mock Draft were Jan Chovan (SVK), Cullen Potter (USA), Adam Benak (CZE), Blake Fiddler (USA), Lasse Boelius (FIN) and Cole Reschny (CAN).
While we close the book on another Canadian win at the U18s, the CHL’s Memorial Cup is ongoing. Hosted by the Rimouski Oceanic (one of my all-time favorite sweaters!), the Cup features the London Knights, Medicine Hat Tigers, Moncton Wildcats and the host team. Some Draft names to watch out for: Medicine Hat’s Jonas Woo and over-ager Bryce Pickford on the back-end; wing Noah Read, D-Man Henry Brzustewicz, and goalie Alex Medvedev for the Knights, and Moncton do-it-all center Caleb Desnoyers. As an aside, London currently leads the tournament.
We also saw some of our friends in Europe flash their draft qualifications during their playoffs. In Sweden, rising power forward Theo Stockselius erupted for 16P in 9 games for Djurgartens, while explosive if diminutive Viggo Nordlund cashed in with 12P in 6 games for Skelleftea. In Finland, centerman Atte Joki posted 5P in 11 games for the eventual champs, Lukko. At the same time, defenseman Jesper Kotajarvi notched 5P in 7 games for a disappointed Tappara.
In other news, we had some interesting injury updates. First off, the Achilles injury suffered by Carter Bear, that many thought was a severed tendon, was not. In fact, it was only a partial tear, and it’s believed he’ll be back and ready to go by training camp. In fact, he’s already skating! So that’s encouraging for one of my favorites in this Class. The extent of Roger McQueen’s back issue remains unknown, although I’m sure teams will do their requisite due diligence and if it is a lingering concern, he’ll move down the Board accordingly.
Speaking of moving up or down the Board, the talking heads are in the midst of reshuffling their Boards the closer we get to Draft Day. Some players are rising – Brady Martin, Jack Nesbitt, Cole Reschny, Theo Stockselius, Milton Gastrin, Blake Fiddler, and Kashawn Aitchison. Guys like James Hagens, Anton Frondell, and Lynden Lakovic are starting to slide for various reasons. And guys like Jake O’Brien, Porter Martone and Radim Mrtka are all over the place at this point in the season. It’s a crazy time, and things will shuffle again when we get measurements, athleticism and leaks about interviews at the Combine in a couple weeks. I mean, I think once you get past 3 or 4 overall, you could go in almost any order from 5 to 15, and then 15-32 or beyond. When you have a class that’s as thin on high-end talent as this one, teams’ preferences really become important and that can flip the Board on its head pretty easily and pretty frequently.
Now, sit back and relax and enjoy some good old fashioned Draft prognostication. For those wondering, I started after Round One of the playoffs. So this isn’t quite the latest order.
Thanks everyone for reading and look forward to getting down to the nitty-gritty. Woo…ha, Sabres on the warpath, Woo…ha…
ROUND ONE:
1#1 NY ISLANDERS: Mike Misa, 6’0 C, OHL
1#2 SAN JOSE: Matthew Schaefer, 6’1 LHD, OHL
1#3 CHICAGO: Porter Martone, 6’3 RW, OHL
1#4 UTAH: Caleb Desnoyers, 6’1 C, QMJHL
1#5 NASHVILLE: Radim Mrtek, 6’6 RHD, WHL
1#6 PHILADELPHIA: James Hagens, 5’10 C/W, NCAA
1#7 BOSTON: Jake O’Brien, 6’2 C, OHL
1#8 SEATTLE: Anton Frondell, 6’1 C, SWE
1#9 BUFFALO: Brady Martin, 6’0 C, OHL
1#10 ANAHEIM: Kashawn Aitchison, 6’2 LHD, OHL
1#11 PITTSBURGH: Viktor Eklund, 5’11 LW, SWE
1#12 NY RANGERS: Jack Nesbitt, 6’4 C, OHL
1#13 DETROIT: Cole Reschny, 5’10 C/W, WHL
1#14 COLUMBUS: Cullen Potter, 5’10 LW, NCAA
1#15 VANCOUVER: Lynden Lakovic, 6’4 W, WHL
1#16 MONTREAL (CALGARY): Carter Bear, 6’1 LW, WHL
1#17 MONTREAL: Jackson Smith, 6’3 LHD, WHL
1#18 CALGARY (NEW JERSEY): Roger McQueen, 6’5 C, WHL
1#19 ST LOUIS: Ben Kindel, 5’11 C/W, WHL
1#20 COLUMBUS (MINNESOTA): Logan Hensler, 6’2 RHD, NCAA
1#21 OTTAWA: Sasha Boumedienne, 6’2 LHD, NCAA
1#22 PHILADELPHIA (COLORADO): Blake Fiddler, 6’4 RHD, WHL
1#23 NASHVILLE (TAMPA BAY): Justin Carbonneau, 6’1 LW, QMJHL
1#24 LOS ANGELES: Bill Zonnon, 6’3 C/RW, QMJHL
1#25 CALGARY (FLORIDA): Josh Ravensbergen, 6’4 G, WHL
1#26 CAROLINA: Braeden Cootes, 6’0 C, WHL
1#27 PHILADELPHIA (EDMONTON): Malcolm Spence, 6’1 LW, OHL
1#28 DALLAS: Ryker Lee, 5’11 C, US HS
1#29 CHICAGO (TORONTO): Jack Murtaugh, 6’0 C, US NTDP
1#30 NASHVILLE (VEGAS): Jack Ivankovic, 6’0 G, OHL
1#31 WINNIPEG: Henry Bruzustewicz, 6’2 RHD, OHL
1#32 WASHINGTON: Alex Zharovsky, 6’1 RW, RUS
ROUND TWO:
2#1 SAN JOSE: Cole McKinney, 6’0 C, US NTDP
2#2 CHICAGO: Cam Reid, 6’0 LHD, OHL
2#3 NASHVILLE: Ilya Ryabkin, 6’0 C, RUS
2#4 PHILADELPHIA: Semyon Frolov, 6’3 G, RUS
2#5 WASHINGTON (BOSTON): Jakob Ihs-Wozniak, 6’3 RW, SWE
2#6 SEATTLE: Vaclav Nesterasil, 6’4 RW, USHL
2#7 BUFFALO: Michal Pradel, 6’4 G, SVK
2#8 PHILADELPHIA (ANAHEIM): Erik Nilson, 6’0 C, SWE
2#9 MONTREAL (PITTSBURGH): Carter Amico, 6’5 RHD, US NTDP
2#10 NY ISLANDERS: Adam Benak, 5’8 C, USHL
2#11 COLORADO (NY RANGERS): Shane Vanshagi, 6’3 C, NCAA
2#12 DETROIT: Simon Wang, 6’6 LHD, OJHL
2#13 PHILADELPHIA (COLUMBUS): Malte Vaas, 6’2 LHD, SWE
2#14 UTAH: Mason West, 6’6 RW, US HS
2#15 VANCOUVER: Will Moore, 6’2 C, US NTDP
2#16 CALGARY: Peyton Kettles, 6’5 RHD, WHL
2#17 MONTREAL: Ed Genbourg, 6’2 W, SWE
2#18 NEW JERSEY: Milton Gastrin, 6’2 C, SWE
2#19 EDMONTON (ST LOUIS): Vojtech Cinar, 6’1 LW, CZE
2#20 MINNESOTA: Kurban Limatov, 6’4 LHD, RUS
2#21 OTTAWA: Jacob Rombach, 6’6 LHD, USHL
2#22 CALGARY (COLORADO): Nathan Behm, 6’2 RW, WHL
2#23 NASHVILLE (TAMPA BAY): Ethan Czata, 6’1 C, OHL
2#24 TAMPA BAY (LOS ANGELES): Zach Morin, 6’2 LW, QMJHL
2#25 TORONTO (FLORIDA): Will Horcoff, 6’4 W, NCAA
2#26 CAROLINA: Will Sharpe, 6’1 LHD, WHL
2#27 NEW JERSEY (EDMONTON): Filip Ekberg, 5’10 LW, OHL
2#28 DALLAS: Max Westergard, 5’11 LW, SWE
2#29 TAMPA BAY (TORONTO): Pyotr Andreyanov, 6’0 G, RUS
2#30 VEGAS: Quinn Beauchesne, 6’0 RHD, OHL
2#31 NEW JERSEY (WINNIPEG): Lasse Boelius, 6’0 LHD, FIN
2#32 WASHINGTON: Theo Stockselius, 6’2 W, SWE
ROUND THREE:
3#1 VEGAS (SAN JOSE): Conrad Fondrik, 6’0 C, US NTDP
3#2 CHICAGO: Alexander Medvedev, 6’1 G, OHL
3#3 NASHVILLE: Charlie Trethawey, 6’1 RHD, US NTDP
3#4 PHILADELPHIA: Matthew Gard, 6’5 LW, WHL
3#5 BOSTON: Sean Barnhill, 6’5 RHD, USHL
3#6 SEATTLE: Edison Engle, 6’2 LHD, USHL
3#7 BUFFALO: Danill Skvortsov, 6’4 LHD, OHL
3#8 ANAHEIM: David Lewandowski, 6’1 C, WHL
3#9 PITTSBURGH: David Bedkowsky, 6’5 RHD, OHL
3#10 NY ISLANDERS: Ayrtom Vilchinsky, 6’6 LHD, RUS
3#11 UTAH (NY RANGERS): Lucas Beckman, 6’2 G, QMJHL
3#12 DETROIT: Carlos Handel, 6’1 RHD, QMJHL
3#13 COLUMBUS: Tomas Pobezal, 5’11 C, SVK
3#14 UTAH: Max Psenicka, 6’4 RHD, CZE
3#15 MONTREAL (VANCOUVER): Gus Hillstrom, 6’2 C, SWE
3#16 CALGARY: Cameron Schmidt, 5’8 W, WHL
3#17 MONTREAL: Cooper Simpson, 6’1 W, US HS
3#18 NEW JERSEY: Theo Hallsqvith, 6’2 RHD, SWE
3#19 EDMONTON (ST LOUIS): Maceo Phillips, 6’5 LHD, US NTDP
3#20 PITTSBURGH (MINNESOTA): Luka Radivojevic, 5’10 RHD, SWE
3#21 PITTSBURGH (OTTAWA): Hayden Paupanekis, 6’4 C/W, WHL
3#22 OTTAWA (FLORIDA): Melvin Novotny, 6’1 LW, SWE
3#23 SAN JOSE (COLORADO): Michel Svrcek, 5’10 C, SWE
3#24 CAROLINA (TAMPA BAY): Ben Kevan, 5’11 C, USHL
3#25 LOS ANGELES: Reese Hamilton, 6’0 LHD, WHL
3#26 WASHINGTON (CAROLINA): Zeb Lindgren, 6’2 LHD, SWE
3#27 SAN JOSE (EDMONTON): Max Agafonov, 6’2 RHD, RUS
3#28 DALLAS: Owen Conrad, 6’3 LHD, QMJHL
3#29 ANAHEIM (TORONTO): Mateo Nobert, 6’0 C, QMJHL
3#30 NEW JERSEY (VEGAS): Arvid Drott, 6’1 RW, SWE
3#31 WINNIPEG: Viktor Klingsell, 5’10 W, SWE
3#32 VEGAS (WASHINGTON): Jan Chovan, 6’2 C, FIN
ROUND FOUR:
4#1 SAN JOSE: Danill Prokhorov, 6’6 RW, RUS
4#2 CHICAGO: Alex Huang, 6’0 RHD, QMJHL
4#3 NASHVILLE: Dakoda Rheaume-Mullen, 6’0 LHD, NCAA
4#4 PHILADELPHIA: Artyom Gonchar, 6’0 LHD, RUS
4#5 DETROIT (BOSTON): Mikkel Eriksen, 6’0 C, NWY
4#6 SEATTLE: Karl Annborn, 6’1 RHD, SWE
4#7 BUFFALO: Will Belle, 6’4 W, US NTDP
4#8 ANAHEIM: Samuel Meloche, 6’3 G, QMJHL
4#9 PITTSBURGH: Elijah Neuenschwander, 6’4 G, SWISS
4#10 NY ISLANDERS: Jimmy Lombardi, 6’0 C, OHL
4#11 NY RANGERS: Roman Baushov, 6’6 RHD, RUS
4#12 DETROIT: Gabriel d’Aigle, 6’4 G, QMJHL
4#13 COLUMBUS: Matous Kucharcik, 6’4 C, CZE
4#14 UTAH: Owen Griffin, 5’10 C, OHL
4#15 COLORADO (VANCOUVER): LJ Mooney, 5’7 RW, US NTDP
4#16 CALGARY: Linus Funck, 6’3 RHD, SWE
4#17 MONTREAL: Tommy Lafreniere, 6’1 C, WHL
4#18 NEW JERSEY: Luca Romano, 5’11 C, OHL
4#19 COLUMBUS (ST LOUIS): Patrik Kerkola, 6’3 G, FIN
4#20 BUFFALO (MINNESOTA): Atte Joki, 6’2 C, FIN
4#21 VANCOUVER (OTTAWA): Evan Passmore, 6’4 RHD, OHL
4#22 COLORADO: Shamar Moses, 6’2 RW, OHL
4#23 TAMPA BAY: Phillipe Veilluex, 5’9 W, QMJHL
4#24 LOS ANGELES: Luke Vlooswyk, 6’4 RHD, WHL
4#25 FLORIDA: Teddy Mutryn, 6’1 C, USHL
4#26 CAROLINA: Roberto Henriquez, 6’2 G, NAHL
4#27 TAMPA BAY (EDMONTON): Anthony Allaine-Samake, 6’0 LHD, USHL
4#28 SEATTLE (DALLAS): Ryan Miller, 6’0 C, WHL
4#29 TORONTO: Aron Dahlqvist, 6’3 LHD, SWE
4#30 VEGAS: Louis Antoine-Denault, 6’8 G, QMJHL
4#31 DALLAS (WINNIPEG): Alvar Ervasti, 6’3 LHD, FIN
4#32 WASHINGTON: Jonas Woo, 6’1 RHD, WHL
ROUND FIVE:
5#1 FLORIDA (SAN JOSE): Brandon Gorzynski, 6’2 LW, WHL
5#2 PITTSBURGH (CHICAGO): Mason Moe, 6’1 C, USHL
5#3 NASHVILLE: Lev Katzin, 5’8 C, OHL
5#4 PHILADELPHIA: Jasper Inkinen, 6’0 W, FIN
5#5 BOSTON: Shawn Carrier, 5’10 C/LW, QMJHL
5#6 SEATTLE: Ondrej Stebatack, 6’2 G, WHL
5#7 BUFFALO: Eduard Bondar, 6’5 RHD, QMJHL
5#8 ANAHEIM: Tomas Mikel, 6’4 RHD, USHL
5#9 PITTSBURGH: Noah Laberge, 6’1 LHD, QMJHL
5#10 NY ISLANDERS: Kieren Dervin, 6’2 C, CCHL
5#11 NY RANGERS: Nathan Quinn, 5’10 C, QMJHL
5#12 DETROIT: Vit Zahesjsky, 5’10 C/W, WHL
5#13 MINNESOTA (COLUMBUS): Aiden Foster, 6’2 W, WHL
5#14 UTAH: Patryk Zubek, 6’3 LHD, SVK
5#15 VANCOUVER: Kale Dach, 5’10 C/W, BCHL
5#16 CALGARY: Will Reynolds, 6’3 LHD, QMJHL
5#17 MONTREAL: Oscar Westman, 6’4 G, SWE
5#18 DALLAS (NEW JERSEY): Carter Klippenstein, 6’3 C, WHL
5#19 ST LOUIS: Tomas Poletin, 6’0 LW, FIN
5#20 NY RANGERS (MINNESOTA): Brady Peddle, 6’3 LHD, USHL
5#21 OTTAWA: Emile Guite, 6’2 RW, QMJHL
5#22 SAN JOSE (COLORADO): Mads Klyvo, 6’2 LW, SWE
5#23 TAMPA BAY: Liam Pettersson, 6’2 LHD, SWE
5#24 LOS ANGELES: Oliver Sjostrom, 5’10 LHD, SWE
5#25 FLORIDA: Mans Goos, 6’5 G, SWE
5#26 PHILADELPHIA (CAROLINA): Jeremy Loranger, 5’10 C, BCHL
5#27 ANAHEIM (EDMONTON): Jordan Gavin, 5’11 C/LW, WHL
5#28 DALLAS: Travis Hayes, 5’11 RW, OHL
5#29 MINNESOTA (TORONTO): Viggo Nordlund, 5’10 W, SWE
5#30 VEGAS: Rio Kaiser, 6’7 LHD, OHL
5#31 WINNIPEG: Jesper Kotajarvi, 5’11 LHD, FIN
5#32 WASHINGTON: Bruno Osmanis, 5’11 RW, SVK
ROUND SIX:
6#1 NEW JERSEY (SAN JOSE): Alex Misiak, 6’1 RW, USHL
6#2 CHICAGO: Jake Crawford, 6’3 C, OHL
6#3 NASHVILLE: Liam Kilfoil, 5’11 C, QMJHL
6#4 PHILADELPHIA: David Roszival, 5’11 W, CZE
6#5 BOSTON: Burke Hood, 6’4 G, WHL
6#6 NY RANGERS (SEATTLE): Matej Pekar, 5’11 W, WHL
6#7 BUFFALO: Aiden Lane, 6’1 RW, CCHL
6#8 ANAHEIM: Madox Labre, 6’2 LHD, QMJHL
6#9 PITTSBURGH: Alex Donovan, 5’11 W, US HS
6#10 NY ISLANDERS: Love Haremstem, 6’1 G, SWE
6#11 NY RANGERS: Owen Martin, 6’0 RW, WHL
6#12 DETROIT: Tyler Hopkins, 6’1 C, OHL
6#13 COLUMBUS: Jon Brown, 6’2 RHD, US HS
6#14 UTAH: Stepan Hoch, 6’4 LW, CZE
6#15 VANCOUVER: Jon Parsons, 6’3 G, USHL
6#16 CALGARY: Oskar Davidsson, 6’1 LW, SWE
6#17 MONTREAL: Nikita Poltavchuk, 5’11 LHD, RUS
6#18 NEW JERSEY: Noah Tegelaar, 6’4 G, OJHL
6#19 ST LOUIS: Chase Jette, 5’10 RW, USHL
6#20 MINNESOTA: Julius Saari, 6’2 LHD, FIN
6#21 OTTAWA: Carl Axelsson, 6’4 G, NAHL
6#22 NASHVILLE (COLORADO): Harry Nansi, 6’3 C/W, OHL
6#23 TAMPA BAY: Ashton Schultz, 6’0 C, USHL
6#24 LOS ANGELES: Tinus Klobar, 6’4 C/W, SWE
6#25 FLORIDA: Richard Baran, 6’1 LHD, USHL
6#26 CAROLINA: Carson Cameron, 6’1 RHD, OHL
6#27 EDMONTON: Hugo Orrsten, 6’2 C/W, SWE
6#28 DALLAS: Jordan Charron, 6’2 LW, OHL
6#29 TORONTO: Niklas Nykyri, 6’2 LHD, FIN
6#30 VEGAS: Dmitri Iseyev, 5’10 W, RUS
6#31 WINNIPEG: Jere Somervuori, 6’0 LW, FIN
6#32 VEGAS (WASHINGTON): Felix Farhammar, 6’1 LHD, SWE
ROUND SEVEN:
7#1 SAN JOSE: Andreas Straka, 6’1 W, QMJHL
7#2 CHICAGO: Lirim Amidovski, 6’1 LW, OHL
7#3 BUFFALO (NASHVILLE): Matthew Koporowski, 6’3 G, OHL
7#4 PHILADELPHIA: Makar Fomin, 5’11 LHD, RUS
7#5 WASHINGTON (BOSTON): Jonathan Kapageridis, 6’0 LHD, OJHL
7#6 SEATTLE: Noah Jenken, 6’3 LHD, OHL
7#7 BUFFALO: Ethan Wyttenbach, 5’11 C, USHL
7#8 PHILADELPHIA (ANAHEIM): Noah Read, 6’0 W, OHL
7#9 MONTREAL (PITTSBURGH): Matt Lansing, 6’1 C, USHL
7#10 NY ISLANDERS: Dominik Pavlik, 6’1 C, FIN
7#11 COLORADO (NY RANGERS): Everett Baldwin, 6’0 RHD, US HS
7#12 DETROIT: Jasper Kuhta, 6’3 C, FIN
7#13 PHILADELPHIA (COLUMBUS): Shaan Kingwell, 5’11 W, CCHL
7#14 UTAH: Ryan Rucinski, 5’10 LW, USHL
7#15 VANCOUVER: Caden Taylor, 6’3 C, OHL
7#16 CALGARY: Drew Schock, 6’0 LHD, US NTDP
7#17 MONTREAL: Lukas Karmiris, 5’11 C, OHL
7#18 NEW JERSEY: Will Schneid, 6’0 RW, US HS
7#19 EDMONTON (ST LOUIS): Xander Velliaris, 6’3 LHD, OHL
7#20 MINNESOTA: Lukas Sawchyn, 5’10 RW, WHL
7#21 OTTAWA: Jacob Cloutier, 5’10 RW, OHL
7#22 CALGARY (COLORADO): Andrew O’Neill, 6’2 C, US NTDP
7#23 NASHVILLE (TAMPA BAY): Florian Schenk, 6’4 C, SWISS
7#24 TAMPA BAY (LOS ANGELES): Alex Pershakov, 6’0 RW, RUS
7#25 TORONTO (FLORIDA): Matias Vanhanen, 5’9 W, FIN
7#26 CAROLINA: Richard Gallant, 5’9 W, US NTDP
7#27 NEW JERSEY (EDMONTON): Yegor Murashev, 5’10 W, RUS
7#28 DALLAS: Aaron Obobaifo, 5’11 W, WHL
7#29 TAMPA BAY (TORONTO): Kirill Yemelyanov, 6’0 C, RUS
7#30 VEGAS: Jabez Seymour, 6’3 C, QMJHL
7#31 NEW JERSEY (WINNIPEG): Tanner Lam, 5’9 RW, OHL
7#32 BUFFALO (WASHINGTON): Matthew Grimes, 6’1 LHD, USHL
Sabres haul:
1#9: Brady Martin, 6’0 C, OHL:) As we get closer to the Draft, one thing you’ll be frequently hearing about Brady Martin is that he’s “captain material.” And that’s not wrong. What you might be wondering is why, even though his skill set is a bit unexciting, is he still considered a possible Top 10 selection in this Draft. So how does a player without elite traits and average size (6’0, 180#) climb so high? To borrow from Ted Nolan, one word: compete.
Martin is the most visibly competitive player in this class. His motor is constantly redlining. On the ice there is nothing he skimps on, nothing he does halfway. Details on both ends are impeccable. First off, Martin is good at almost everything, but demonstrably great at nothing. He’s got a pretty good shot, he’s a solid skater, has moments of playmaking and creativity, defends pretty well, and can make some plays in transition with or without the puck. All the while not being particularly big or fast. But don’t be fooled. He CAN skate. He’s not blazing fast, nor is he explosive, but he gets around pretty well. Changes direction very suddenly, even though the subsequent strides are not nearly as explosive. But he skates with such reckless abandon that he will beat faster opponents to pucks or track them down on the backcheck as he has no regard for his safety or well-being.
Lateral movement could use some work, however, although he plays such a linear game he doesn’t always need to move side-to-side to be effective. Pivots are a little clunky, especially going from offense to defense. But he’s quick enough to play tight on-puck defense or get up ice in transition. The best weapon in his offensive arsenal is his deceptive shot. Martin has an array of release points, all of which come firing off the stick blade, and each release is quick and well-disguised. Hard enough to beat some goalies clean from the dot. A sneaky scorer. Martin loves to crash the crease, and scores a variety of goals from in tight, be they deflections and tips or winning a fight for a loose puck or a rebound and tucking it in. Has a very solid backhand. Attacking mindset. As soon as he crosses the blue line, he’s looking for lanes to get to the net or find a teammate, but he values the puck more than anything. This goes back to his mature details. Puck management is normally excellent. Making an ill-advised pass or making a bad decision with the puck is not something that Martin typically does. A good passer, he’s not especially creative, and typically won’t use stickhandling or subtle movement to manipulate defenders. He identifies where he wants to go with the puck quickly, and if that option isn’t available to him, he either carries the puck deeper into the zone or attacks the net. No waiting. This speaks to his high pace. Plays a fast, decisive game on both ends.
Defensively Martin is advanced for his age. No surprise he’s got a hard-nosed defensive game with good gaps and a penchant for using his remarkable strength and power to body opponents out of position or away from dangerous areas of the ice. Tough to appreciate how good his defense is, given his team isn’t very good, but he’s physical, and that strength at his size is impressive. When he locks down on a stick or someone’s arms, forget it. That opponent is no longer a threat. A fearsome forechecker, Martin regularly ignores the puck to take the body, counting on his teammates to recover a turned-over puck. And nothing dissuades him from backchecking. It doesn’t matter if his check is on the other end of the rink, Martin is going all-out to catch him if he has to skate through the boards to get him. Every time. You have to love his unfailing intensity.
Martin put up 72P in 57 games on a pretty uninspiring Soo Greyhounds team, then added 4P in 5 playoff games. On top of that, he was the MVP of the World U-18 tournament for the gold-medal winning Team Canada, with 11P in 7 games. I’ve seen him compared to everyone from JT Miller and Sam Bennett to Paul Kotter in terms of his game, but the player he reminds me most of is Shane Doan.
2#7: Michal Pradel, 6’5 G, SVK: The Sabres haven’t drafted a goalie this high since UPL. But this monstrous Slovak is certainly worth consideration in Round 2. Pradel is a kid who spent most of his young career in his home country of Slovakia but came over to North America halfway through the season to play for Tri-City in the USHL, where he excelled despite have to adjust to the new culture. Even at his size, Pradel is an athletic goaltender who explodes laterally. Understanding how to use his size, he tracks the puck well and when possible, remains square to the shooter to take advantage of that size. But he’s not purely a puck blocker. Has great balance that makes his movement more effective and keeps him between his pipes.
Pradel’s mobility might be his most useful ability. He can burst across the crease in either direction, move out to challenge but use that length to get back in time to challenge a shooter on a diagonal pass. When he drops into the butterfly, his wide stance, size, and ability to keep his upper body upright throughout takes away all but the smallest targets. Does not give opponents much to shoot at and his athleticism and reaction time can shut down many of those openings. Pradel tracks the play pretty well, and his feet and his eyes work together well, although he can get fooled on quick passing plays. Unfortunately, he can tend to get into the butterfly too early, and for too long, minimizing his size advantage by opening up the high corners. Could use his stick more often, and with more assertiveness. And his recovery time after a dynamic save needs to improve. But goalies take a while to develop, and this kid has a lot of talent to work with.
Pradel put up impressive numbers in the Slovakian U-20 league (1.99 GAA and .909 SV% for his club team) before coming over to the US, where he played 14 games for Tri-City with a 2.41 GAA and a .899 SV%. That doesn’t include his playoff debut, where he dominated, giving up only 2 goals and flashing a .944 SV%. But he saved his best for last, leading the unheralded Slovaks to the Bronze Medal game at the World U-18s, playing every game and putting up a 2.46 GAA and .914 SV% while being named the player of the tournament for his country. Pradel will likely move to the NCAA, although he has not committed anywhere just yet. With Buffalo building depth in their goalie pipeline – Levi, Ratliff, Leinonen, and Leenders – they can afford to take their time with Pradel…who might become the best of them.
3#7: Danill Skvortsov, 6’4 LHD, OHL: Raw talent with a lot of upside, a towering future shut-down defender and a leader to boot. A sturdy kid who came over from Russia this year to play in for Guelph in the OHL, Skvortsov is a big dude (6’4 215#) who is surprisingly nimble on the ice for his size. A defense-first blueliner, he has shown flashes of bringing more offense to the table, but that will come with time. A term I don’t really like, but it applies here, is ‘toolsy’. He’s got a ton of raw talent. Size, skating, strength, good awareness in his own end, and flashes of being a very good passer are all very attractive when you watch him play, and when you combine all of those things at once, you could have a real gem here if you can be patient with him. He’s a prospect that requires some coaching to bring everything out.
Skvortsov’s size informs much of his game. He’s a smart, strong defender who uses his length and bulk to make it hard on opponents entering his zone. Quickly identifies passing and shooting lanes, and uses a long, active stick and smart reads to shut down plays or chances before they become dangerous. And uses whatever means available to direct forwards out of the high-danger areas of the ice. Can shut off the middle with his size and stick, will put a body into a forward and guide them to the corner, or crunch someone with a shoulder or hip to disrupt their route to the net. Not afraid to challenge at the blueline or step up on a forward with or without the puck. Doesn’t need to play a really tight gap because of his length and physicality, but he can play that style in a pinch. Where he needs to be careful is his footwork. He often makes decisions with his head that his feet can’t match. Can get tangled up or turned around by faster, quicker puckhandling forwards and left in the dust.
Skating is pretty sound. He has a really strong burst retrieving pucks and closing out forwards, but his lateral movement and change of direction can be clunky and at times, ugly. Still, the mechanics are there to be refined and let him become a very good, if not great, skater on the back-end. Especially at his size. Once he collects the puck in his end, Skvortsov typically makes quick, accurate and on-time first passes to clear the zone and trigger transition. His instinct, and this separates him from some others of the same type in this class, is to set a teammate up to create an opportunity and then follow on that play. When he hits a streaking forward with an exit pass, he doesn’t lag behind admiring his work. If a lane is available, he jumps up into the play. That shows signs of becoming a more productive 2-way force on the back end. The big Russian only put up 18P in 53 games for the Storm, but he showed progressively more engagement on the offensive end as the year went on and he adjusted. I think you’re going to need to take your time with this kid, but if you can improve his feet and get him more confident offensively…you’ve got a Colton Parayko type of player. And that’s valuable.
4#7: Will Belle, 6’4 W, US NTDP: A bull in a china shop. A bear at 6’4 220#, Belle is a player that you’re betting a lot on upside and development. No one will mistake Belle for Mitch Marner. A tank on skates, Belle is built like a tight end and plays like every shift is his last. Supremely long and athletic but his game is very raw. You’re not watching Belle to see him dangle opponents, finesse a pass through traffic or rip a snapper bar down. You’re watching to see him overpower his check, blow guys up along the walls, and hustle all over the ice. For someone as big as this kid, he skates pretty well. Lacks burst but has good linear speed once he gets going and is capable of staying with his check when defending on the puck.
Average lateral movement but his hustle, competitiveness and drive help make up for some of his skating inefficiencies. Just doesn’t slow down. And he’s not making a lot of cuts or attempts to go around traffic. Simply bowls other players over on his way to wherever he’s going. Belle is a defense-first (some would say only) forward. The Program relies on him in their top PK’ing unit and pairing his physicality with his length and stick work make him very difficult to handle at the top of the box. This translates well to his defensive game at even strength, where he leans on his check, uses his reach and raw strength to simply control his opponent. Good gapping up in transition as well, he can defend the puck or get inside his check and block shots or disrupt plays on the backcheck.
Offensively is where Belle really needs some major work. Puck skills are sorely lacking. He does not skate as well with the puck on his stick, although he’s surprising good at entering the zone with control. Receiving passes isn’t his strong suit, and he is not able to control more than a few passes per game that hit him on the tape. Rarely do you see him even attempt to stickhandle into a better position. But he understands the importance of the middle of the ice. When recovering pucks, he’s always looking to get those pucks to the net front, either by carrying it himself or passing the puck there. Isn’t bad in transition, where if he can collect a puck he’ll lead a teammate with a breakaway pass or identify the open player and send a pass their way. Shot is very hard, but his arsenal is not diverse, and he can be wildly inaccurate. At his best crashing in as the F1 on the forecheck, recovering pucks, and then going to the crease.
A lot of work to do on the offensive side. Belle put up a mere 16P in 55 games playing largely 3rd and 4th line minutes for the US Program. Has a lot of runway to get better, and is committed to join Notre Dame in a couple years. Reminds me of a young Keegan Kolesar but has the potential to be a better all-around player with the right development.
4#20: Atte Joki, 6’2 C, FIN: Do-it-all, reliable centerman with some upside. Joki is a big boy (6’2 195#) and plays to his size. He’s a player you can count on to excel in the fundamentals of his position – on offense, he gets deep on the forecheck, works to control the slot, and lives on top of the crease and behind the net. Defensively, he occupies the middle of the NZ, is a furious back-checker, and keeps the middle of the ice clear as he drives his check to the perimeter. And he’s on the young side, with a late July birthday, so there’s a good possibility he’ll get stronger and more confident.
Joki’s skating is average. He works hard and knows where to go and the quickest route to get there. But he’s not especially quick or explosive, and his feet can get tangled up when he tries to make some sudden lateral moves. But a lot of this is balance and strength – his form is good, and he flashed improved skating throughout the year. If he can upgrade his core strength and get his legs more powerful, Joki could be a very solid skater. Highly competitive, his work rate is top of the line and values the puck. Uses his body to seal off opponents and loves to lay hits on defenders when forechecking. Recognizes leverage. Always seems to work his way inside his check and always trying to get to the net with or without the puck. And that’s where he does most of his damage.
Scores the bulk of his points on loose pucks, pucks in tight, or off rebounds and tips. Not afraid to screen the goalie despite the pounding. More of a shooter than a passer, will fire the puck from anywhere. Owns a solid shot, which he gets off quickly from different release points. Does not use it nearly enough, as he spends most of his time without the puck. Defensively, he works his tail off. Much like his heavy, relentless forecheck, he never quits on the backcheck and is constantly pursuing the puck. Surprisingly strong defensive instincts for his age. Tons of effort when defending on the puck, but reliable and aware defending off the puck and in space. Detects breakdowns and fills in gaps to maintain the structure and replaces players when they chase the puck or get out of position.
Joki put up 32P in 40 games in the Finnish U20 league then chipped in 5P in 11 games in the playoffs. Also scored 5P in 4 games at the Hlinka, although he went scoreless in the World U18s, he did wear a letter for the Finns. If he can get stronger as he plays against older players and improves his skating, Joki can surprise and be an Anton Lundell-light kind of player.
5#7: Eduard Bondar, 6’5 RHD, QMJHL: This kid probably goes higher, as he’s been rising for about the last 2 months, but if he’s still in the Board this is a great player to take a flyer on. Bondar is a Russian kid who came over earlier this season to play for Val d’Or in the Quebec league. So his adjustment curve was steep, not only culturally, but on the ice. Val d’Or wasn’t a particularly good team, but Bondar was almost instantly inserted on the top pair. Talk about a crash course! He’s raw, but there are a lot of things to like. First off, his size: he’s 6’5 200#. Uses a long stick, doesn’t shy away from contact, and when he gets underneath you, there’s no chance you get to the net.
Skating is quite good. Excellent 4-way mobility, has some impressive burst for a kid his size, and his feet are light. Transitions from forward to back are sharp and smooth, lateral movement is fairly nimble for a 6’5 defender. Can match footwork with smaller opponents. Gaps are tight, with that reach, stickwork and good feet, he’s very difficult to shake. Really good at defending the rush and then counter-attacking when he turns over a puck carrier. That skating comes in handy against the forecheck. Can outrace some forecheckers up ice and outmaneuver many others. Likes to lay the body on the walls, can deliver some teeth-rattling checks when opponents let their guard down. Is typically trotted out to match-up against the other team’s best.
Offensively, there’s flashes of high skill but plenty of work still to be done. Bondar has excellent instincts when transitioning from defense to offense, knows where teammates are and when to get them the puck. His passing can be off-target, however, and at times he’ll send pucks to open teammates exiting the zone behind them or too far ahead and the opposition will counter with an odd-man rush. Developing that sense of timing will be important to making him more than just a shut-down defender. More of a trigger-man than a weapon on offense. He rarely gets too deep in the O-zone, and while he’s excellent at keeping the puck in the zone, knowing what to do with it is another matter. That said, despite his size, has superb hands that handle difficult passes easily and intercept opponent’s passes, turning them into transition opportunities. There could be some significant upside there. Bondar put up a mere 12P in 54 games for the Foreurs, but his evolution as a player should lead to a much more productive season next year. A good gamble, potentially a Will Borgen sort of player, but possibly more.
6#7: Aidan Lane, 6’1 RW, CCHL: A player flying under the radar due to playing in a Tier II/Prep league. Lane is a high-octane offensive force with good instincts on both ends. For much of the year, he played prep hockey but then was promoted to Brampton in the OHL for the last dozen games. Is committed to Harvard. Lane plays a fundamentally sound game. He drives the net, gets to the middle of the ice, and makes quick, smart decisions with the puck. Possesses that knack for keeping his hands and stick clean in traffic. Plays more around or in front of the net than the perimeter. Likes to slow down the game when the puck is on his stick, very deliberate, will shield the puck as he looks over the defense probing for openings.
Has a nice toolbox of offensive skill. Hands are strong and quick. Can be a tricky, slick stickhandler. Multitude of ways to score. Fires off a laser of a one-timer, and has a lightning-fast release on his wrister, especially after a curl-and-drag which makes it very tough to read. Hangs around the net and has enough power and strength to get to the net front for tips, deflections and rebounds. Dangerous in transition and off the cycle. A very good passer if he gets the time and space. Needs to improve his pace of play, as he can get very methodical and hang on to the puck too long, or skate himself into a corner, leading to turnovers. But that will come with time and experience. Skating is not a big asset, as he has decent explosion from starts/stops, but is not especially fast and his turns can be needlessly wide. Capable of very sharp, precise changes of direction, yet doesn’t always do that.
Defensively, Lane shows good recognition away from the puck. Doesn’t often get caught staring at the puck, giving up leverage or chasing his check. Works hard on the backcheck. Has no problem with physicality, will drop a forearm or shoulder into an opponent to separate them from the puck, or power right through a check to the low slot to get inside position. Mixes it up in puck battles without hesitation. Lane put up 86P in 55 games for St. Andrews, an impressive performance, but really turned heads with 13P in 13 games when he joined a legit OHL team in Brampton. Getting his feet wet in the OHL should really help him once he gets to Harvard and the NCAA. I think with some time in college, he could become a Mason Appleton-type of player when he hits the big leagues.
7#3: Matthew Koprowski, 6’3 G, OHL: Now that we’re late in the Draft, it’s time to take a few fliers on players that might become a Devon Levi or a Victor Olofsson (both, if you didn’t know, were 7th rounders). With that in mind, I realize I drafted a goalie earlier, but if this is the best guy on your Board…why not take him? Koprowski has great size at 6’3 200# and put up really solid numbers despite coming into the OHL as a 3rd goalie for Owen Sound. Eventually, he would take over as back-up to Carter George, an LA Kings draft pick.
Koprowski’s best attribute is likely his athleticism and skating. Has explosive movement from post-to-post, a high level of agility in someone his size, and doesn’t hesitate. Those bursts do not look difficult, or taxing, he makes them appear very natural and easy as he covers his net. Quick feet, doesn’t get turned around or tangled up as he makes second and third saves. Remains square to the action. But is certainly capable of that highlight-reel save with his explosion and skating. Sticky, he gobbles up rebounds or directs away from high-danger areas. He controls difficult shots and shows the ability to kill plays by smothering pucks. Has that calmness that teammates desire in a goalie – the moment never seems too big for him, the pressure never seems to get him off his game. Even in overtime or late in tie-games.
Everything appears to be just another practice, the way he moves unbothered around his crease. Where this kid needs some work is his reads, particularly tracking the puck through traffic. Crowds in the low slot or hanging around his crease distract Koprowski, leading to loss of focus and allowing some goals that he should have stopped. Can get more concerned about seeing around the crowds than locating the puck. His puck handling is also a concern. Often better to have him remain in his net than leave to play the puck, he can fumble pucks around his crease or make ill-advised passes that will wind up in the back of his net as he moves up in competition. So he’s hardly a perfect prospect, but the raw material is there to become a professional goaltender. In 20 games, Koprowski put up an uninspiring 4.29 GAA and .866 SV% for the Attack. Of course, the starter put up a 3.35 GAA, so Owen Sound’s defense wasn’t exactly the Dead Puck New Jersey Devils. If everything went right, I could see a Darcy Kuemper-type career for this kid.
7#7: Ethan Wyttenbach, 5’10 C, USHL: A small, high-skill offensive whiz, Wyttenbach will need some time to percolate but could be a find late in the Draft. Missed almost two months in the middle of the season with what appeared to be an ankle, so his overall production won’t be as impressive. But he’s sneaky good. A slick, slippery forward who can play any forward spot, he’s got a pretty impressive tool box. Not an explosive skater, he has exceptional lateral movement, edgework, and a sixth sense that lets him evade big hits in tight spots. Some of his issues on speed and burst may be related to just not having a strong lower body.
As he gets older, that should improve, although he’s got a bit of a weird, short stride. Small area skating is top-notch, however, and is so quick with hands and feet that he makes plays before defenders can take away his hands or separate him from the puck. A dynamic creator. Sees plays before they develop, has a great sense of anticipation, and works his way to the middle of the ice where he can really optimize his passing and vision. Hands are buttery soft. Handles the puck in traffic, puts sauce through sticks and legs on the tape, and receives hard passes easily.
Processes the game at high speed, and is even more dangerous when the game slows down, i.e. on the Power Play. He’s a lethal puck distributor on the PP. Back door passes, no-look to the bumper, cross-crease, and diagonal passes to set up a one-timer are all in his bag. Has a decent shot but doesn’t have a lot of variety. After a goalie sees him for a little while, Wyttenbach is an easy read.
Doesn’t place a high value on possession. Will try unnecessarily difficult plays, skate into trouble, or risk a high-danger turnover when attempting to create offense. When things aren’t going his way, he can be a turnover machine. Competitive. Works hard in all 3 zones, never backs down, and puts in a ton of effort on the defensive end. Sticks his nose into puck battles and not afraid to go down into the corner. Willing, but not always strong enough, as he can get pushed off the puck fairly easily by bigger players. Dogged defender, hounds the puck and supports the play all over the ice. Good defensive instincts, knows where to be and when. Put up an impressive 51P in 44 games, which placed him 4th in Points Per Game among draft eligibles in the USHL. Also contributed 4P in 4 playoff games. Committed to Quinnipiac, he’ll have time to develop physically and maybe become a true diamond in the rough for the Sabres.
7#32: Matthew Grimes, 6’1 LHD, USHL: For their final choice, the Sabres elect to pick a young, puck-moving D-Man who can really skate. Grimes has a late birthday for the class but has already played two seasons for Sioux Falls (which so happens to also be Ethan Wyttenbach’s team) on the second D-pair. Grimes is not flashy, and did not get much in the way of PP time, but he ‘s not dissimilar to Ryan Johnson. A superb skating puck transporter who makes the smart, effective play in the NZ on the regular. The biggest difference for me is Grimes’ willingness to try creative, high-danger plays including trying to go end-to-end with the puck.
Can those flashes of dynamism become something more? That is why you’re drafting him. Skating jumps out at you the first time you watch him. He’s tremendously explosive and agile, and he knows it. That skating informs a lot of his game. Puck retrievals are done efficiently, and Grimes will carry it out, or lug the puck into space to draw defenders before executing a quick pass to trigger the breakout. Can also lead the rush or follow his exit pass to become the trailer for an odd-man rush. Has enough linear speed to threaten the opposition, and can drive defenders off their blueline as he comes through the NZ in full flight.
Is almost overconfident moving the puck up ice. Has a whole arsenal of fakes as he leaves his end or uses them to beat the forecheck with a quick change of direction and burst up ice. Loves to come over the red line with the puck, cut inside and push the middle of the ice, creating room to drop a pass to a trailing forward. Oddly, once he gets into the O-zone, he seems to lose a lot of that panache. Mostly makes safe plays, simple dumps into the corners or hitting guys along the walls. Shot isn’t a threat from distance, which can make him one-dimensional once his team gets set-up. Defensively, we’ve already discussed his efficiency and explosiveness when it comes to breaking the puck out. Physically, he doesn’t hesitate to engage…but that isn’t always the best idea, as he can be easily handled by stronger forwards. Needs to add strength to his lanky frame. That confidence can also hurt him in his own end – he’s been known to try a dangerous play and turn the puck over in a bad spot.
Has the wheels to gap up when defending transition, which makes him very effective in those situations. Managed only 14P in 58 games as the Stampede’s #4 D-Man, but looked excellent in the Hlinka last Fall, where he added 3P in 5 games paired with 1st round prospect Blake Fiddler. Due to attend Minnesota in the fall. With his high-end skating, you hope he can become something after a few years to get stronger and more confident. Definitely worth taking a chance on.