Alright, I kinda wanted to chime in on this one even though I don’t post much anymore. There are a few guys I really wanted to highlight that are not getting a lot of press, some don’t even have threads on here yet but I REALLY enjoy watching them play and I hope me talking about them here can create some discourse around them and further opinions presented.
Vasili Zelenov
This is a kid that is playing for the Red Bull Juniors in Austria, the team isn’t the most high flying offensive team and is one of the top scorers on his team in a mens league. For context, the two leading scorers on his team are a couple of Finns, a 2002 born and a 2003 born. Zelenov is third in scoring as a 2006 born. He has a really good offensive skillset, is really good at creating offence off the rush and is a pretty good skater to boot. Sometimes he can be a puck hog, but honestly for a player that most likely won’t be drafted until the later half of the draft, he has some pretty good upside.
Filip Sitar
A re-entry for this years draft, Stiar I think has really good potential as a two way guy. He is a very smart kid who is able to use his vision and IQ to find teammates and create space for himself on the ice. He is a good skater who is able to create separation and beat guys to the outside and I genuinely think that he has very good potential as a two-way player in the future. Not a lot of perople are talking about him but I think there is potential he goes on the top-3 rounds, and a team gets a steal.
Max Vilen
He fits the mould of defenders I really have a hard time looking over, he has size, skates well and has good defensive fundamentals. He is very good at defending in front of his net and I think he does a great job in board battles against his peers. IQ is suspect but I think he brings a lot to the table that you hope that this improves over time and he finds that next level. Really like this player.
Cole Davis
This one is a homer vote for sure, and he probably won’t be anything better than a very good OHL player but I really love his competitive nature. He is always moving his feet and trying to make a play, if he was a better skater he could be this years Easton Cowan. He may be too small to be an NHL draft selection but when I see players that play like Davis does, I can’t help but want to see a team take a chance on them with the hope they can develop like a Gallagher,
Marek Vanacker
Don’t know if this one counts, as I have seen some lists with him pretty high but this is a guy that is currently too-20 in OHL scoring yet I haven’t seen anyone but my peers talk about him. He is a great skater who is able to score consistently and has a very good motor to him. He is a guy that could be this years Rehkopf and I want to see more people talking about him.
Nathan Villeneuve
This is a player that plays on a VERY deep Sudbury team that is still scoring at a very respectable rate as a draft eligible. He is a great skater, is a responsible two way forward and has a nose for the net. He is a guy that I can see massive progression next season as a good portion of Sudbury’s offence graduates onto the next level. I think that if you look at this player though the lense of circumstance - he is playing very well. Maybe another Josh Roy situation?
Evan Van Gorp
This is a kid who signed with the Knights as a free agent and clawed his way though the lineup and is now a full time player. He is a small but a very skilled player with excellent skating ability’s. He can move really well laterally and is super dangerous if he gets the puck in the offensive zone. He has looked much better in the second time I saw him this season than the first, so confident - putting on a show on the 4th line, stick handling around veteran OHL players. The word to describe this kid with is progression because of how much I have seen of it this season,
Veit Oswald
A double reentry for the draft - I think this is the year in which we see Oswald get selected. He was fantastic at the world juniors for Germany, was one of a few that could create offence for themselves and others. And in the DEL this year, he is having one of the best U20 seasons in the history of the league. Skating and compete are the name of the game for Oswald, I can without a doubt see him carving out a bottom6 role in the NHL. He will get drafted this time,
Tarin Smith
A very good sized defender that has excellent 4 way mobility and is scoring at a very good rate as a 17 year old in the WHL. Don’t understand why he hasn’t seen more attention on public rankings. He is very formidable at both ends of the ice, has size and is a great skater. What’s not to like here?
Jan Golicic
Not enjoying the most dominant offensive season, but has gotten progressively better and more confident as the year has progressed. He is a 6’6 defender than moves well and is very punishing to play against. I think he is worth a selection at some point in the draft. He has a few good attributes, you draft him in hopes he develops the rest of his game.
HM to Sebastian Soini but i don’t think he matches your criteria OP
Player Discussion Marner Discussion - Off Season Edition - (with Poll)
GAME 7 - North Bay Battalion @ Oshawa Generals - Series tied 3-3Wagers: 4Staked: $875.00Event closes
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