2015 NHL Draft Prospects

[scoutman1]

how accurately can you scout a player that is still 4 years away from his NHL draft?

you know you can do it pretty good...after years of scouting you can compare him with others who came up...look at his intagibels...of course there are going to be guys who fall because bad decisions on route or bad situation with team or they are just lazy or top out early...then you will have guys who develop better than expected or smaller players who grow more than what you think they might...but you can get a jist up to 4 years away, and go with that...each year you will be taking players out and adding new ones in then when draft time actually comes you can get a pretty good list.

For scouting wise well it would be my job with my team to speculate these players projectability so for me or anyone wanting to be a scout it is a must to not be scared to make these calls and to watch carefully because we have to project these guys years down the road, if you know what you are looking for you can get a really good read on these guys on how they probably will turn out.

 

[Eyelanders]

I saw today Finland - RUS Moscow at World Selects tournament. Finland won it 8-2. Here are the players that in particular played well in the match.

Aleksi Saarela
Saarela had a good game; he won many face-offs and was dangerous with the puck. He is offensively very gifted but doesn´t forget the defensive game.

Sebastian Aho
Great game indeed by him. He scored three goals and the first one was great individual play. Very skilled forward who can skate. He showed plenty of promise.

Jarkko Parikka
Fairly big defenseman who is very mobile, made smart decisions with the puck and seemed to have good vision. Must be one of the top Finnish defensemen among the 1997´s.

From the Russian team to me the best players were forwards Mikhail Byakin (#14), Mikhail Vikhrov (#24) and Pavel Podluboshnov (#55).

 

[Hfbid]

Why not? There have been NHL scouts out at McDavid's games this year. If they want to see him, it shouldn't be off limits to discuss them...

Im starting to rank Ontario and US 97 born prospects for the OHL Draft. It happens all the time.

They may not have been out to see him.
His stats may not have been the best on team for the year although press was in full force.
Others with less ice time may have done and looked better.
I know of at least one other kid considered better suited for NHL.
That's not from me but yes NHL folks.

It took him 2 years to function or meet the ice time expectations.
Let's hope his learning curve requirements don't take rest of team down as he learns with max ice time given.

Sorry tiger it is early.

 

[Granlund2Pulkkinen*]

I know of at least one other kid considered better suited for NHL.

And he is...?

 

[InnuJoker]

I browsed the Quebec and Newfoundland Midget AAA and found this:

1. Daniel Audette - F - Collège Esther-Blondin - 5'7/166lbs (He's expected to go first in the QMJHL draft this year)
39 GP - 25 Goals - 35 Assists - 50 Pts

2. Clark Bishop - F - Newfoundland - 5'10/145lbs

3. Alexis Pépin - F - Collège Charles-Lemoyne - 6'1/185lbs
38 GP - 22 Goals - 18 Assists - 40 Pts

4. Mason McDonald - G - Halifax Hawks - 6'3/157lbs

?. Keven Bouchard - G - Jonquière Élites - 6'1/215lbs

They are late 96's or 97's

 

[Eyelanders]

I browsed the Quebec and Newfoundland Midget AAA and found this:

1. Daniel Audette - F - Collège Esther-Blondin - 5'7/166lbs (He's expected to go first in the QMJHL draft this year)
39 GP - 25 Goals - 35 Assists - 50 Pts

2. Clark Bishop - F - Newfoundland - 5'10/145lbs

3. Alexis Pépin - F - Collège Charles-Lemoyne - 6'1/185lbs
38 GP - 22 Goals - 18 Assists - 40 Pts

4. Mason McDonald - G - Halifax Hawks - 6'3/157lbs

?. Keven Bouchard - G - Jonquière Élites - 6'1/215lbs

They are late 96's or 97's

All seem to be 1996 born and neither have a late birthday. Which would make them 2014 NHL Draft Prospects.

Here is a list where is also their birthdays: http://theqmjhl.ca/uploads/assets/QMJHL_FR_SITE/Nouvelles/LHJMQ/CSR_Liste_final_1er_mai_2012_CSR_Final_list_May_2012.pdf

 

[PanthersFan1980]

I have seen scoutman post that he thinks noel is now above deschenes and that mcdavid is above noel

That seems about right

 

[PanthersFan1980]

Luke Kirwan: I heard about this kid from some inside sources that were in the Syracuse, NY region for tournaments this year. He is a highly touted 97 born playing up with kids 2 years older then him. Does anyone have more information on him and where he would rank in this draft group?

He's a great player, and now he's playing kids at least three years older than him. He is a late 97 do he's eligible for the 2016 draft. Where would you see him there?

 

[Garyboy]

Kir-Dawg is second only to Detroit Honeybaked phenom Sean Day. This guy will be first pick in the 2014 OHL Draft.

 

[brutalhockey]

Source: western elite hockey prospects
1 Matt Barzal F BWC B1 – T1 5’5 130 1997
2 Aaron Kellogg D Fort Sask. AMBHL 6’1 175 1997 33 8-13-21 50
3 Giorgio Estephan F SSAC AMBHL 5’9 145 1997 33 27-37-64 30
4 Tanner Browne D JDF B1 – T1 6’1 180 1997
5 Ryan Gardiner D Winnipeg Sharks Man Bant 5’9 130 1997 27 9-10-19 36
6 Nick Merkley F Calgary Bisons AMBHL 5’8 150 1997 31 16-18-34 30
7 Dallas Miller F Winnipeg Sharks Man Bant. 5’11 194 1997 28 32-22-54 40
8 Adam Musil F South Delta/BWC B1 – T1 5’9 150 1997
9 Rylee Zimmer F Notre Dame SSBHL 6’0 150 1997
10 Ethan Bear D Melville SSBHL 5’10 170 1997 21 16-19-35 34

Estphan is overrated. Merkley is too small. Bear is underrated.

 

[PanthersFan1980]

Kir-Dawg is second only to Detroit Honeybaked phenom Sean Day. This guy will be first pick in the 2014 OHL Draft.

Kirwan is far ahead of day, kirwan is aging junior a while day is playing bantam

 

[Rekus]

Day is a 98. 2016 eligible.

 

[capswon]

Rumor is that Troy Henley from Comcast is going to Oakville to play Midget Minor/Major. Is this a precursor toward an OHL route instead of the NTDP or NCAA?

 

[PanthersFan1980]

Day is a 98. 2016 eligible.

So is kirwan.

 

[UvBnDatsyuked]

So is kirwan.

Kirwan is a 97 (not sure on draft eligibility)

 

[PorkChopSandwiches]

Kirwan is a 97 (not sure on draft eligibility)

After Sept 15th makes him a 97L ... so is 2016 eligible

 

[wings5]

Rumor is that Troy Henley from Comcast is going to Oakville to play Midget Minor/Major. Is this a precursor toward an OHL route instead of the NTDP or NCAA?

Who knows. Oakville's new coach Ken Strong is the former longtime coach of the powerhouse club Toronto Marlboros and he has been very actively recruiting top players from everywhere so early before training camps.

 

[Granlund2Pulkkinen*]

Anybody know anything about Blake Speers? He's a forward for the Soo Thunder in the Northern Ontario Bantam Hockey League.

Kid put up some disgusting numbers this season. In just 37 games he had 86 goals and 81 assists for 167 points... 4.51 a game.

Wut.

 

[Bravid Nonahan]

My bro had 85 points in 30 games this year, he's a 1997
























in bantam B

 

[Granlund2Pulkkinen*]

Jeremiah Addison signed with the Spirit today. Very excited to see him. He'll have a great growth curve spending 3 years in the OHL.

 

[Bravid Nonahan]

Jeremiah Addison signed with the Spirit today. Very excited to see him. He'll have a great growth curve spending 3 years in the OHL.

I looked into that Speers kid.

He had 92 points in 10 games against Timmins this year.

In all other games (27) he had 75 points...nothing earth shattering.

Still obviously a good player, but man, Timmins must be terrible.

 

[flyer]

All seem to be 1996 born and neither have a late birthday. Which would make them 2014 NHL Draft Prospects.

Here is a list where is also their birthdays: http://theqmjhl.ca/uploads/assets/QMJHL_FR_SITE/Nouvelles/LHJMQ/CSR_Liste_final_1er_mai_2012_CSR_Final_list_May_2012.pdf

Long time lurker.... 1st time poster.....

Was in Leduc, AB for the Telus Cup (Midget AAA) with my son's team. It was a tough week but the boys played well.

I watched Audette and I have to say that he is overhyped, IMHO. Lots of skill when there is no pressure. Not much production 5 on 5. I did see 2 young 1996 lates on the Quebec team. Vincent Desloriers and AJ Greer are both going to be players. Neither got a lot of ice in the games I saw, however, they are both competitors. I watched the final of the Telus Cup and they were the most dominant players on the ice.

I have a feeling that we will hear lots about these 2 in the Q draft and the 2015 NHL Entry Draft.

 

[sigx15]

Here's an article on USHR from October about Hanifin when he committed to BC.

http://ushr.com/news/20111001

Readers of this publication are certainly familiar with Hanifin. A 1/25/97 birthdate, he played varsity at St. Sebastian’s last season as a 13-year-old, and, in 27 games, posted a 2-9-11 line. But that doesn’t tell half the story. What Hanifin showed was a rare combination of poise and skill that we haven’t seen in the Massachusetts prep ranks since Ryan Whitney was playing as an 8th grader at Thayer.

Hanifin reports that his doctor has told him that he’ll probably top out at 6’4†– 6’5.†With a filled-out frame -- and he's already pretty solidly built for his age and height -- Hanifin has the earmarks of a high first round NHL draft pick.

Thought this next paragraph was really telling on how high USHR is on him.

No doubt the fact that BC has stepped up and gotten a commitment from a ’97 will raise some eyebrows. But Hanifin deserves the honor, mainly because he is playing right now at the level of a lot of the top ‘94s and ‘95s. For example, we like him more – right now -- than any of the ’96 defensemen we saw in Rochester at the Select 15 Festival. He’s one of those rare players who we could see coming in and playing as an underager at the NTDP. They haven't taken an underager for years, and, in terms of social development, that's a good thing. However, Hanifin is a mature kid and could pull it off.

The bottom line on committing young kids is that it can be a real projection guess, with unforeseen consequences -- and that's why we have grave reservations about it. In Hanifin’s case, we don’t see this as an issue. He will be an impact Div. I defenseman, and there’s virtually zero chance that he will wash out. We don't think we're going out on a limb when we say that. He's a special one.

I really only get to see east coast games, Im interested to see where you guys see him in comparison to many of the other kids out there. I see some of you guys don't even have him listed on initial lists. Just looking for some points of comparison.

 

[dudeoverhere]

here is my 2015 so far...just my top 30

This draft is very strong from the QMJHL and USA standpoint, as of NOW

1. Connor McDavid—F—Toronto Marlies 5’10/155 00 00 00 00
2. Nathan Noel—F—Shattuck 5’07/150 42 39 48 87
3. Matthew Barzal—F—Burnaby 5’09/152 33 38 63 101
4. Aleksi Saarela—F—Lukko U16 5’10/165 28 33 39 72
5. Jeremy Roy—D—Antoine Girouard 5’10/170 34 06 19 25
6. Zachary Werenski—D—Belle Tire 96 0’00/000 35 08 20 28
7. Rasmus Andersson—D—Malmo J18 6’00/201 13 05 04 09
8. Zachary Osburn—D—Honey Baked 97 0’00/000 35 15 31 46
9. Cam Askew—F—Valley Jr Warriors 0’00/000 12 08 13 21
10. Robert Jackson—F—LA Selects 0’00/000 10 12 13 25
11. Keoni Texeria—D—LA Selects 5’11/152 10 03 09 12
12. Ryan Pilon—D—Beardy Blackhawks 6’01/176 32 08 16 24
13. Nikita Korostelev—F—CSKA 97 5’07/132 00 00 00 00
14. Jordan Greenway—F—Shattuck 6’04/189 46 40 57 97
15. Giorgio Estephan—F—SSAC Southgate 6’00/170 32 43 57 100
16. Alexander Zhebelev—F—Dynamo 97 5’05/130 00 00 00 00
17. Jack Eichel—F—Boston Junior 6’01/175 36 39 47 86
18. Mitchell Stephens—F—Toronto Marlboros 0’00/000 00 00 00 00
19. Luc Deschesne—D—Fredricton MM 5’10/180 29 07 13 20
20. Daniel Sprong—F—Wilks Barrie 5’10/155 00 00 00 00
21. Robin Christoffersson—G—Leksand J18 5’10/159 00 00 1.00 .947
22. Ryan Moore—F—Belle Tire 0’00/000 23 15 22 37
23. Petter Mäkitalo—Skelleftea J18 5’11/165 03 01 02 03
24. Oliver Kylington—D—Djurgarden J18 6’01/165 07 00 03 03
25. Nicholas Dawe—G—Bedford 6’01/155 07 03 2.21 .000
26. Blake Speers—F—Soo Thunder 5’06/135 37 86 81 167
27. Nick Merkley—F—Calgary Bisons 5’09/160 32 41 32 73
28. Anthony Beauvillier—F—Antoine G Espoir 5’08/135 21 20 08 28
29. Joshua Defarias—D—Toronto Marlboros 0’00/000 00 00 00 00
30. Ethan Bear—D—Milville Millonaires 0’00/000 00 00 00 00

some other names I really really like are:

Andrew Picco—D—Shattuck St Mary’s 6’02/195 41 08 24 32
Pontus Thoren—F—Bohuslan 5’07/157 08 06 06 12
Alexandre Drapeau—D—TGV Espoir 5’11/200 25 11 17 28
Colin White—F—Nobles (QMJHL ranked) 0’00/000 00 00 00 00
Adam Musil—F—South Delta BC 0’00/000 00 00 00 00
Ethan Price—F—Omaha Lancers U16 5’10/180 18 06 08 14
Mathieu Nadeau—F—Elites Beauce Espoir 5’10/155 24 15 17 32
Cameron Reagan—D—Sherwood Park 5’11/170 21 08 13 21
Nicolas Roy—F—Amos 6’01/147 33 06 11 17
Jesse Saban—F—Toronto Red Wings 0’00/000 00 00 00 00

Pretty good list, now that the Ohl draft and Whl draft is over, we can update and compare players to previous lists who have been drafted, unfortunately both OHL and QMJHL draft 96 year players this year, exception Connor McDavid, so i`ll post the top ten whl players and then players that were included in the top list...

1.Connor McDavid, 1st overall OHL, Erie Otters (ranked 1st on Mock)
2.Matt Barzal, 1st overall WHL, Seattle Thunderbirds (ranked 3rd on Mock)
3.Jansen Harkins, 2nd overall WHL, Prince George Cougars
4.Brendan Guhle, 3rd overall WHL, Prince Albert Raiders
5.Giorgio Estephan, 4th overall WHL, Lethbridge Hurricanes (ranked 15th on Mock)
6.Glenn Gawdin, 5th overall WHL, Swift Current Broncos
7.Adam Musil, 6th overall WHL, Red Deer Rebels (Honourable Mention on Mock)
8.Brad Morrison, 7th overall WHL, Prince George Cougars
9.Tyler Soy, 8th overall WHL, Victoria Royals
10.Nick Merkley, 9th overall WHL, Kelowna Rockets (ranked 27th on Mock)
11.Troy Murray, 10th overall WHL, Kootenay Ice
12.Ethan Bear, 25th overall WHL, Seattle Thunderbirds (ranked 30th on Mock)
13.Keoni Texeira, 26th overall WHL, Portland Winterhawks (ranked 11th on Mock)
14.Cameron Reagan, 77th overall WHL, Kamloops Blazers (Honourable Mention on M)
15.Ethan Price, 130th overall WHL, Portland Winterhawks (Honourable Mention on M)
16.Robert Jackson 153rd overall WHL, Tri-City Americans (ranked 10th on Mock)

also Ryan Pilon was drafted previous year 2011 WHL Draft, 3rd overall, Lethbridge Hurricanes

 

[Granlund2Pulkkinen*]

Collin White is an American player that you should definitely look out for. He's committed to BC.