My Final Top 50 OHL Players for the 2018 NHL Draft

[Brock]

We're about a month away from the 2018 NHL Entry Draft, so that means it's time for me to release my rankings.

The top 50 will be released in four parts: Part 1 - Honorable Mentions, Part 2 - Prospects 50-31, Part 3 - Prospects 30-11, and Part 4 - Prospects 10-1.

Just for clarification, for my top 50 ranking, I haven't included any players eligible for draft re-entry, such as Joey Keane or Sean Durzi. This has been consistent all the way through my lists. Instead, I did a list of the top 10 draft re-entries, which can be found here.

Here's the first part: the Honorable Mentions
OHL Prospects: My Final Top 50 OHL Players for the 2018 NHL Entry Draft - Part 1: Honorable Mentions

HM's (see the link above for detailed write ups):

Andrew Bruder - Niagara IceDogs
Nick Donofrio - Hamilton Bulldogs
Kai Edmonds - Barrie Colts
Alex Gritz - Erie Otters
Max Grondin - Saginaw Spirit
Daylon Groulx - Owen Sound Attack
Brady Hinz - Peterborough Petes
Hunter Holmes - Flint Firebirds
Nolan Hutcheson - Sudbury Wolves
Matthew MacDougall - Windsor Spitfires
Luke Moncada - North Bay Battalion
Chris Playfair - Windsor Spitfires
Sergei Popov - London Knights
Ryan Roth - Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
Peter Stratis - Sudbury Wolves
Olivier True - Ottawa 67's
Quinn Yule - Ottawa 67's

Happy to answer any questions you may have. Part 2: 50-31 will be posted tomorrow.

Click to read more...

 

[Kingpin794]

Release your rankings all at once or kick rocks.

I really hope that's sarcasm.

With the amount of work that he and his team put into this kind of analysis that all of us can enjoy for free, he can honestly release it in 50 parts I'd be just fine with it. Great as always Brock.

 

[Michael Farkas]

Easy there, Brock is a legend, bud...let him do his thing, he's one of the few people that posts here that actually knows what's what...

I was watching a bit of the first round series between Ottawa & Hamilton last night, and Yule actually caught my eye a little bit with his size and his ability to (eventually) pull away from some guys. He's a guy I'm going to add to my watchlist, he's probably a late recycle pick in 2019...I'm not at all sure about him because I wasn't watching for him, but that's a name that resonated with me from the HMs...

 

[MatthewFlames]

Great read, Brock. Excited for the next installments!

 

[AmericanDream]

great job as always my friend, I look forward to debating which US player I have over ranked versus where you more accurately will have him at lol!!!!

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

The suspense is killing me

 

[Brock]

Part 2: 50-31
OHL Prospects: My Final Top 50 OHL Players for the 2018 NHL Entry Draft - Part 2: 31-50

31. Dennis Busby
32. Jordan Kooy
33. Connor Roberts
34. Riley McCourt
35. Declan Chisholm
36. Matthew Struthers
37. Tyler Tucker
38. Connor Corcoran
39. Sam Bitten
40. Damien Giroux
41. Maxim Golod
42. Adam Liska
43. Kirill Nizhnikov
44. Jake Goldowski
45. David Levin
46. Justin MacPherson
47. Adam McMaster
48. William Ennis
49. Owen Lalonde
50. Zach Malik

See the link for full reports. As always, happy to answer any questions.

 

[Michael Farkas]

All right, Brock...I see this in other spots, I see it here with you too, so I gotta call it out and figure it out...and maybe we'll all learn something via the discussion...

Declan Chisholm from Peterborough...I'm sorry, I don't get it. He's not that good of a skater for me. I don't have it as grading out to average after two early season views and two late...I'm not watching him play a fifth time haha...

I'm going to take out just the excerpt I have about his skating from the notes I put together...

"Below average skater. Stiff and upright at the knees and hips. His feet come to a stop so often during play and without a good first step, the forecheck has a much easier time containing him. Lateral skating and edgework is fine, but even the small-area footwork to make minor lane adjustments against rush offenses is not where you'd like to see it. Even when coming back hard to his own net, he has trouble stopping in front and boxing out or getting underneath and inside attackers. Strides are a bit labored, especially starts and stops. Balance is poor and the skating base cannot withstand most forms of
contact without a fall. Really struggles against gear-change or all-out, wide speed rushes once he's set in his backskating stance and is gapped up. The stride is just not very natural and it takes a few strides before he can even think about hoisting the sails."

I like this player. I like the skill set and where it has gone. Puck rushing defensemen are kinda my thing to be honest...but I really don't think he can skate well enough...Bouchard can skate, Merkley can skate, the kid from Barrie 4...Keane? He can skate. Busby the kid that we talked about before from where ever, Flint or whatever...he can skate. Just talking feet, Chisholm isn't on the map with those guys for me and I don't think that's close...

I had the chance to talk with Mike Oke a few months ago and mentioned some footwork issues with Chisholm and he said that was "pretty fair" to say...but it seems like everyone out there has him as this skating dynamo except me...now, I am going to make an eye doctor appointment while you get back to me...

 

[sharks9]

Part 2: 50-31
OHL Prospects: My Final Top 50 OHL Players for the 2018 NHL Entry Draft - Part 2: 31-50

31. Dennis Busby
32. Jordan Kooy
33. Connor Roberts
34. Riley McCourt
35. Declan Chisholm
36. Matthew Struthers
37. Tyler Tucker
38. Connor Corcoran
39. Sam Bitten
40. Damien Giroux
41. Maxim Golod
42. Adam Liska
43. Kirill Nizhnikov
44. Jake Goldowski
45. David Levin
46. Justin MacPherson
47. Adam McMaster
48. William Ennis
49. Owen Lalonde
50. Zach Malik

See the link for full reports. As always, happy to answer any questions.

How many OHL players usually get drafted? How many of the guys in this 31-50 range do you reasonably think will get drafted this year?

 

[Brock]

Part 3: Players ranked 30-11
OHL Prospects: My Final Top 50 OHL Players for the 2018 NHL Entry Draft - Part 3: 30-11

See the link for full write ups, but here's the ranking:

11. Kevin Bahl
12. Aidan Dudas
13. Allan McShane
14. Cam Hillis
15. Alec Regula
16. Pavel Gogolev
17. Mitchell Hoelscher
18. Blade Jenkins
19. Kody Clark
20. Riley Damiani
21. Giovanni Vallati
22. Merrick Rippon
23. Semyon Der-Arguchintsev
24. Curtis Douglas
25. Nico Gross
26. Caleb Everett
27. Carter Robertson
28. Billy Moskal
29. Nathan Dunkley
30. Jacob Ingham

As always, questions/comments are welcome.

 

[Brock]

All right, Brock...I see this in other spots, I see it here with you too, so I gotta call it out and figure it out...and maybe we'll all learn something via the discussion...

Declan Chisholm from Peterborough...I'm sorry, I don't get it. He's not that good of a skater for me. I don't have it as grading out to average after two early season views and two late...I'm not watching him play a fifth time haha...

I'm going to take out just the excerpt I have about his skating from the notes I put together...

"Below average skater. Stiff and upright at the knees and hips. His feet come to a stop so often during play and without a good first step, the forecheck has a much easier time containing him. Lateral skating and edgework is fine, but even the small-area footwork to make minor lane adjustments against rush offenses is not where you'd like to see it. Even when coming back hard to his own net, he has trouble stopping in front and boxing out or getting underneath and inside attackers. Strides are a bit labored, especially starts and stops. Balance is poor and the skating base cannot withstand most forms of
contact without a fall. Really struggles against gear-change or all-out, wide speed rushes once he's set in his backskating stance and is gapped up. The stride is just not very natural and it takes a few strides before he can even think about hoisting the sails."

I like this player. I like the skill set and where it has gone. Puck rushing defensemen are kinda my thing to be honest...but I really don't think he can skate well enough...Bouchard can skate, Merkley can skate, the kid from Barrie 4...Keane? He can skate. Busby the kid that we talked about before from where ever, Flint or whatever...he can skate. Just talking feet, Chisholm isn't on the map with those guys for me and I don't think that's close...

I had the chance to talk with Mike Oke a few months ago and mentioned some footwork issues with Chisholm and he said that was "pretty fair" to say...but it seems like everyone out there has him as this skating dynamo except me...now, I am going to make an eye doctor appointment while you get back to me...

Definitely interesting to see your take on Chisholm. It's a first for me, as well as anyone I've talked to believe his mobility to be his one true asset. Too bad the season is over now, otherwise I could go back and try to look at what you're saying.

For me, there are times where he has trouble exiting his own zone and there appears to be a lack of breakaway speed/mobility. But I have always chalked it up to an indecisiveness with the puck. It looks like he doesn't know what he wants to do with his exits at times and can give off a perception of poor skating ability. Gets caught in between wanting to skate it out at full speed and looking to make a stretch pass, so he goes at a slower pace.

Watching him without the puck, I've always noticed how good his lateral and backwards mobility is and really is his only saving grace in his own end.

I went back to some of the notes that I have prior to his OHL draft year too (from scouting agencies like TheScout) and all point to his mobility being a major plus.

But maybe you're on to something, especially if Mike Oke went along with it. Only other thing I can think of is if you saw him primarily in the second half after his ankle injury. Perhaps that was the cause of some mechanical issues?

 

[Brock]

How many OHL players usually get drafted? How many of the guys in this 31-50 range do you reasonably think will get drafted this year?

The number for the OHL has been in the 40's most years of late. Would put the number of guys to get drafted in that 31-50 range at about 5-7, with some 2nd and 3rd year players going as well.

I'll take a guess and put the number at 6 this year.

 

[AmericanDream]

Part 3: Players ranked 30-11
OHL Prospects: My Final Top 50 OHL Players for the 2018 NHL Entry Draft - Part 3: 30-11

See the link for full write ups, but here's the ranking:

11. Kevin Bahl
12. Aidan Dudas
13. Allan McShane
14. Cam Hillis
15. Alec Regula
16. Pavel Gogolev
17. Mitchell Hoelscher
18. Blade Jenkins
19. Kody Clark
20. Riley Damiani
21. Giovanni Vallati
22. Merrick Rippon
23. Semyon Der-Arguchintsev
24. Curtis Douglas
25. Nico Gross
26. Caleb Everett
27. Carter Robertson
28. Billy Moskal
29. Nathan Dunkley
30. Jacob Ingham

As always, questions/comments are welcome.

I see your rankings, but I have to believe someone is going to take this kid earlier than where you have him...I don't know how a team in the 3rd round doesn't take a flier on this massive giant. And like you said he isn't bad either on his feet which floored me...I would love to see the Hawks use a 3rd on him as a hey we aimed for the stars type pick...do you think a team just seems the whole package and hopes he can turn into Gold for them higher than expected??

 

[Brock]

OHL Prospects: My Final Top 50 OHL Players for the 2018 NHL Entry Draft - Part 4: 10-1

The Top 10!

1. Andrei Svechnikov
2. Evan Bouchard
3. Barrett Hayton
4. Ty Dellandrea
5. Serron Noel
6. Akil Thomas
7. Rasmus Sandin
8. Ryan Merkley
9. Ryan McLeod
10. Liam Foudy

Again, check the link for full write ups and I'm happy to answer any questions. Thanks for reading.

 

[Michael Farkas]

Absolutely right on the money with Sandin and Merkley. Couldn't be more right I don't think.

Re: Bahl. I like that ranking too. He can skate and he shows this upside of puck skills, even though it doesn't become anything, he's really not chopping the puck into pieces out there. I always wonder (and try to find out as best I can) how long these giant oxmen have been 6'15" or whatever he is...has he grown into his body yet? Is this new to him?

I remember someone like Jamie Oleksiak...he was born 6'5" so when you see him as a 19 year old, you know you're that much further up the development arc already and there is less room for growth in terms of technical skills and what not...he's already used to his body and this is what we got...

Whereas in the Dub, a kid like Tyler Myers was like Bambi on ice when he first came into the league, but you see the underlying skillset and think "ok, well, when he gets used to being six inches taller than he was last month, you might have a player here" and sure enough...

Bahl just might be a 2nd round pick, especially if you have an extra two or an extra three, you can swing for a homerun...

The fatal flaws of Bouchard and Merkley are maddening to me...ultimately, I'd end up passing on both of them...but here's a scenario for you: you have this Ryan Merkley but he has the compete level of, say, Ryan Ellis. He's the top pick from the OHL now? Second to Svechnikov? Further down? He might well be 1 or 2 for me if he cared even a little bit...

 

[Habs76]

Great read, appreciate it!

 

[Madic]

Always a fun read, Brock, cheers.

 

[Brock]

I see your rankings, but I have to believe someone is going to take this kid earlier than where you have him...I don't know how a team in the 3rd round doesn't take a flier on this massive giant. And like you said he isn't bad either on his feet which floored me...I would love to see the Hawks use a 3rd on him as a hey we aimed for the stars type pick...do you think a team just seems the whole package and hopes he can turn into Gold for them higher than expected??

You most definitely could be right. But this is also a different era where 5'8 forwards go in the first round and 6'7 defenders go in the 7th. 10 years ago, Douglas would have definitely been a top 60 pick? No, I'm not as convinced with the game being built on speed and puck movement. That's not to say that there isn't a place for a guy like Douglas. It's just that I think teams are less fascinated with players of his ilk. They're more likely to take a chance on a smaller skilled player, rather than a big guy who could grow into his skill set. Know what I mean?

 

[Brock]

The fatal flaws of Bouchard and Merkley are maddening to me...ultimately, I'd end up passing on both of them...but here's a scenario for you: you have this Ryan Merkley but he has the compete level of, say, Ryan Ellis. He's the top pick from the OHL now? Second to Svechnikov? Further down? He might well be 1 or 2 for me if he cared even a little bit...

Good question. I think compete level isn't Merkley's only problem though. Even if he had the compete level of Ryan Ellis on a consistent basis, he'd still have the same holes as a defensive player. Sure, the hustle would be there, but positioning and understanding of coverage would still be sore spots in the defensive end. From memory, I don't think anyone dogged Marc Andre Bergeron's intensity level. It was just that he was never a very good defender. I think Merkley's powerplay quarterbacking ability needs to improve too. So if he doesn't ever get better defensively, can we even say he can be a pure powerplay QB and 3rd pairing defender 5 on 5? There are a lot of ifs and buts for me outside the compete level.

Of course, if you correct all of that. You combine Merkley with Ryan Ellis' ability to do all the other things he does well, then sure you've got a potential top 10 pick who could even be the 2nd defender off the board.

 

[BKarchitect]

Great read - love the Dellandrea ranking especially after his showing at the U18s. I think the top 3 is set, in that order - then there appears to be a few guys in the mix for #4 off the board. Noel has a crazy physical package and upside if he puts it all together and Thomas definitely has an advantage in creativity in the offensive zone but Delly plays just such an infectious game in the highlights I've seen - that even if his skills project more as a versatile middle-6 guy - that's he's going to be GREAT at it. And at the end of the day, that is often as or more valuable than a complimentary skilled guy who plays on a traditional "top 6 scoring line".

 

[Marc the Habs Fan]

One of my favorite reads every year. Great job Brock!

 

[Frk It]

You do a really great job with these. I shared them over on the Wings board, I think getting 50 write-ups for the OHL is an awesome resource. I wish there was someone like you for the W and Q as well .

 

[Chainshot]

Always appreciate your work. Thanks again!

 

[Hale The Villain]

Amazing work as always Brock. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Love]

Good work thank you