Prospect Info: STI 2021 Preliminary Draft Rankings (4/21)

[Captain3rdLine]

I am gonna say it. Pretty sure baring some crazy injuries in the future there were 3 HoFers in tonight's game lol.

Atleast 3(Wright, Bedard, Mickov) maybe more if Clarke or others turn out well.

 

[TheDuke93]

Atleast 3(Wright, Bedard, Mickov) maybe more if Clarke or others turn out well.

Yeah those 3 are why I said it lol.

 

[TheDuke93]

Look at @StevenToddIves congratulating Canada on twitter aye!

 

[StevenToddIves]

Too add to all of this I have 0 f***ING CLUE how anyone can watch Clarke and be worried about his skating lol. It ain't pretty but it gets the job done better then a lot of NHLers who as prospects were "better skaters."

McTavish and Svechkov both should be challenging for top 10 picks and anyone in need of a center. McTavish seems like Bo Horvat but better, as a prospect ofc, in every imaginable way.

Othmann has displayed hands I wouldn't have guessed he had.

Clarke was the best defenseman -- and the best defense prospect -- in this tournament. There is not a close second. Granted, Hughes and Power were not in this tournament, but it's still significant.

 

[StevenToddIves]

Final notes on the U-18 Tournament:

Congratulations to Team Canada on a brilliant win in a brilliant tournament. Also, congratulations for a great game played by Team Russia vs. a Canadian powerhouse which did not trail for a single moment until the gold medal game.

The story of the 2021 U-18 Tournament was the under-agers -- as the best three players were 2022-eligible Shane Wright, and 2023 eligible Conor Bedard and Matvei Michkov. But many of the players fighting for first round selections in the upcoming draft were also brilliant. The games were exciting and hard-fought, and the best team won.

Because the media always drops the ball with their all-tournament team and players of the game, here's your true all-tournament team for the 2021 U-18:

G Benjamin Gaudreau, Canada
D Brandt Clarke, Canada
D Olen Zellweger, Canda
W Matvei Michkov, Russia
W Conor Bedard, Canada
C Shane Wright, Canada

Several players from other teams had stellar tournaments but let's face it, Canada dominated every step of the way.

 

[Guttersniped]

Final notes on the U-18 Tournament:

Congratulations to Team Canada on a brilliant win in a brilliant tournament. Also, congratulations for a great game played by Team Russia vs. a Canadian powerhouse which did not trail for a single moment until the gold medal game.

The story of the 2021 U-18 Tournament was the under-agers -- as the best three players were 2022-eligible Shane Wright, and 2023 eligible Conor Bedard and Matvei Michkov. But many of the players fighting for first round selections in the upcoming draft were also brilliant. The games were exciting and hard-fought, and the best team won.

Because the media always drops the ball with their all-tournament team and players of the game, here's your true all-tournament team for the 2021 U-18:

G Benjamin Gaudreau, Canada
D Brandt Clarke, Canada
D Olen Zellweger, Canda
W Matvei Michkov, Russia
W Conor Bedard, Canada
C Shane Wright, Canada

Several players from other teams had stellar tournaments but let's face it, Canada dominated every step of the way.

Do you think Guenther failed to wow a bit at the tournament? Do you think it kills his chances as a dark horse candidate for 1OA, if that was a thing to begin with?

 

[TheDuke93]

Do you think Guenther failed to wow a bit at the tournament? Do you think it kills his chances as a dark horse candidate for 1OA, if that was a thing to begin with?

I do but you know me just a hater .

 

[OmNomNom]

@StevenToddIves hey! not sure if you already wrote about him, but any thoughts on martin st. louis' son, ryan?

 

[TheDuke93]

Final notes on the U-18 Tournament:

Congratulations to Team Canada on a brilliant win in a brilliant tournament. Also, congratulations for a great game played by Team Russia vs. a Canadian powerhouse which did not trail for a single moment until the gold medal game.

The story of the 2021 U-18 Tournament was the under-agers -- as the best three players were 2022-eligible Shane Wright, and 2023 eligible Conor Bedard and Matvei Michkov. But many of the players fighting for first round selections in the upcoming draft were also brilliant. The games were exciting and hard-fought, and the best team won.

Because the media always drops the ball with their all-tournament team and players of the game, here's your true all-tournament team for the 2021 U-18:

G Benjamin Gaudreau, Canada
D Brandt Clarke, Canada
D Olen Zellweger, Canda
W Matvei Michkov, Russia
W Conor Bedard, Canada
C Shane Wright, Canada

Several players from other teams had stellar tournaments but let's face it, Canada dominated every step of the way.

I honestly thought Russia's goalie was unbelievable. I have no clue how good Russia is outside their top two lines but Canada's 3rd and 4th line were dangerous enough for me personally think the Russian tender could have easily been the best goalie.

 

[StevenToddIves]

Do you think Guenther failed to wow a bit at the tournament? Do you think it kills his chances as a dark horse candidate for 1OA, if that was a thing to begin with?

Guenther "produced" and played well all tournament long. The U-18 will not change his draft standing in any direction. I agree, he had the lowest "wow factor" on a line with Wright and Othmann, but I think what scouts like about Guenther is that every indication points to a 200-foot, versatile/all-situations 70-80 point forward who can play either wing, and this tournament did nothing to change that.

Would I draft him at #1 overall? No, I would not. But this is far from a knock on Guenther -- he's terrific. The only factor which even has him #1 overall conversations is that Corey Pronman ranked him there.

If the Devils are drafting at #6 or #7 -- which is a very real possibility -- and they take Guenther, this is cause to be very, very happy. The kid is a fantastic hockey player. I'd say his downside is as a 60-65 point two-way winger with high intelligence and compete level.

 

[StevenToddIves]

@StevenToddIves hey! not sure if you already wrote about him, but any thoughts on martin st. louis' son, ryan?

I'll write him up if you want, but I think he's a player who goes in the 6th round at the very earliest so he was not a priority. This is a very likable player -- despite his physical limitations he is smart, crafty and features a high motor. He's pretty good at creating turnovers and he plays with a nice level of perpetual desperation. But I'm just not sure the talent is there for the NHL. I was a fan of his father, and as such I'm hoping he makes a big jump in the next four years at Northeastern to give him a shot at the pros.

 

[StevenToddIves]

I'm putting the finishing touches on my post U-18, May rankings so we're going to have to retire this thread soon. If anyone wants to compile my prospect profiles and the great shift-by-shift videos put together by @thethinglonger it might be a good idea.

 

[Monsieur Verdoux]

2021 Draft Profile:

LW Alexander Kisakov, Dynamo Moskva MHL
Kisakov is the almost anachronistic player who I like right now, but I have concerns about how his abilities will play up at higher levels. There is no doubt this kid can score -- he tore up the MHL this season for 36 goals and 73 points in 61 games, and was one of the truly dominant forces in the entire MHL. This has contributed to some extraordinarily high rankings -- the Bob McKenzie TSN rankings see him just outside the first round at #34, while The Puck Authority have him as high as #23 overall.

Kisakov possesses some offensive talents which are undeniable. With the puck on his stick in the offensive zone, he's consistently dangerous. He's a slick passer with some creativity and very good vision. On the whole, his offensive awareness is outstanding -- this is certainly a player who knows how to create high-danger scoring opportunities out of thin air. He's also got a very hard and accurate shot with a quick release, making him a true dual threat. I can also call his puck-handling high-end, he's extremely elusive. He finds seams both with and without the puck -- he's all aces at finding the open man with a cross-ice sauce, and equally adept at finding the soft often spots when his teammates possess the puck.

This is all very exciting, but as stated there are some concerns. Kisakov is small, I'd say 5'9, and he might weigh just under 150 pounds. He's also not a particularly good skater. He has a hitch which negatively impacts his acceleration, and his top speeds are just okay. Though his shot is very good, he has a certain way he needs to shoot off his back leg to get the velocity, and often must turn his body in order to do so. This really hurts his release -- and although it is still quick enough to beat MHL defenders and goaltenders, he will not have this sort of time in the NHL. Kisakov does not like the physical stuff and can be forced to the perimeter by stronger defensemen, and he's pretty much a non-entity along the boards.

Ultimately, I feel Kisakov is an intriguing offensive prospect who is worth drafting, but if other teams are considering him in the 20s and 30s, he's just too much of an uncertainty to take so high. If he fell to the 4th round or later, I do feel Kisakov has upside and is a talent worth monitoring.

I'd like to ask your thoughts on Kisakov's compete level. You wrote that "Kisakov does not like the physical stuff and can be forced to the perimeter by stronger defensemen, and he's pretty much a non-entity along the boards".

On the other hand, according to Pronman his compete level is high-end. And: "He’s not that big or quick, but he projects to play at higher levels because of how hard he works. Kisakov attacks the net frequently, getting a lot of goals around the crease area. He pressures puck carriers well and kills penalties. He will endear himself to coaches with his effort to go with his skill."

Is it possible that Kisakov plays more physically when he gains more weight? Or how do you see his game along the boards in the future?

 

[StevenToddIves]

I'd like to ask your thoughts on Kisakov's compete level. You wrote that "Kisakov does not like the physical stuff and can be forced to the perimeter by stronger defensemen, and he's pretty much a non-entity along the boards".

On the other hand, according to Pronman his compete level is high-end. And: "He’s not that big or quick, but he projects to play at higher levels because of how hard he works. Kisakov attacks the net frequently, getting a lot of goals around the crease area. He pressures puck carriers well and kills penalties. He will endear himself to coaches with his effort to go with his skill."

Is it possible that Kisakov plays more physically when he gains more weight? Or how do you see his game along the boards in the future?

Physicality is, to me, often an element of compete level -- but it is possible for a player who does not like the rough stuff to have a very high compete. I would say this is the case with Kisakov. His courage is fine, but a physical defense style can push him a bit more to the perimeter than I feel Pronman insinuates. However, he certainly hustles in all three zones, though his IQ is much stronger in the offensive zone than the defensive one.

It is certainly possible that Kisakov plays more physical when he builds up core strength in the future. A common problem with young skill players lacking size who play at lower levels is quite simply -- why bother worrying about the muscling aspect of the game when your skill runs circles around the competition? Kisakov might adapt well, he might not. This is where projection enters the equation, and I don't know too much about his personality since he's playing in a Russian league and, unlike NHL teams, I do not have the benefit of interviewing him.

I feel Kisakov is certainly an intriguing prospect worth drafting in the early to middle rounds. The skill is undeniable, and he possesses top 6 scoring upside. There are just some elements which would give me caution to using a top 40 pick.

 

[Monsieur Verdoux]

Physicality is, to me, often an element of compete level -- but it is possible for a player who does not like the rough stuff to have a very high compete. I would say this is the case with Kisakov. His courage is fine, but a physical defense style can push him a bit more to the perimeter than I feel Pronman insinuates. However, he certainly hustles in all three zones, though his IQ is much stronger in the offensive zone than the defensive one.

It is certainly possible that Kisakov plays more physical when he builds up core strength in the future. A common problem with young skill players lacking size who play at lower levels is quite simply -- why bother worrying about the muscling aspect of the game when your skill runs circles around the competition? Kisakov might adapt well, he might not. This is where projection enters the equation, and I don't know too much about his personality since he's playing in a Russian league and, unlike NHL teams, I do not have the benefit of interviewing him.

I feel Kisakov is certainly an intriguing prospect worth drafting in the early to middle rounds. The skill is undeniable, and he possesses top 6 scoring upside. There are just some elements which would give me caution to using a top 40 pick.

Thanks for the reply. Pronman's description of Kisakov's compete level aroused my interest.

In this year's draft, who are the prospects with high-end compete level? Are there any prospects like Mercer, who have puck skills but also high-end compete level?

 

[StevenToddIves]

Thanks for the reply. Pronman's description of Kisakov's compete level aroused my interest.

In this year's draft, who are the prospects with high-end compete level? Are there any prospects like Mercer, who have puck skills but also high-end compete level?

Well, Kisakov has a "good" compete level. Mercer has an "elite" compete level. Players with elite compete levels always attract me, because they are the most likely candidates to reach their talent ceiling. There are examples of this both on the top lines and bottom lines of NHL teams. Two players I can easily cite are Sidney Crosby and Blake Coleman -- both guys with just incredible compete levels. With all of Crosby's Hall-of-Fame-caliber skills, his combination of compete and IQ are, to me, his finest traits. When he was the best player in the world for almost a decade, he always seemed to be outworking and outthinking the opposition. Coleman is similar -- though his only true high-end physical tool is his speed, his elite compete level and high IQ have made him one of the best bottom 6 forwards on the planet.

Mercer is that kind of player, and I'd put his talent level in the middle of Crosby and Coleman. He has elite hands and very good skills across the board, though his skating is average to above-average. This would normally make him about a 2nd line talent, but I believe a high IQ combined with his elite competitive drive will make him a top line player at the NHL level.

In the 2021 draft, the compete level which stands out the most to me is Matthew Beniers. He's just ferocious out there, all over every puck and every opponent. He's the kid who dives face-first to block a shot with a four-goal lead in the third period -- he's simply inspiring to watch. But there are several players in the draft with high-end compete levels -- Eklund, Guenther, Stankoven, Svechkov, Chibrikov, McTavish. Lucius, Pinelli, Rosen, Othmann -- these forwards all stand out in terms of compete, and this is just a list off the top of my head. On defense, Brandt Clarke and Sean Behrens really stand out to me in this respect, though Power, Hughes, Edvinsson, Svozil, Kirsanov and Heimosalmi all come to mind immediately on the blueline.