Prospect Info: 2014 Draft

[2016cupwinners]

Since we draft a lot of guys from the OHL, this blog is a good source of quality info.

http://ohlprospects.blogspot.com/2014/01/midseason-top-30-for-2014-nhl-entry.html
http://ohlprospects.blogspot.com/

 

[Mrpm]

Wouldn't Adrian Kempe be a solid pick if he's still avaible? Powerforward with speed and skill. Reminds me a bit of Zibanejad.

10 points in 39 SHL games. Ziba had 9 in 26 in his draft year.

 

[2016cupwinners]

Several interesting players could be available. Kempe would be a good pick, as would Honka, Larkin, Pastrnak, Vrana, Ho-Sang, Milano, Scherbak, Ehlers, and several others. It's going to be a difficult decision.

 

[HoseEmDown]

Wouldn't Adrian Kempe be a solid pick if he's still avaible? Powerforward with speed and skill. Reminds me a bit of Zibanejad.

10 points in 39 SHL games. Ziba had 9 in 26 in his draft year.

We don't draft Swedes, there's only been 6 taken in the entire history of the franchise. Freddy Modin ( who we didn't draft) was a great player for us and Hedman is just ststarting to blossom so I'm surprised with how few we've had on the team.

We've taken more Czech and Finnish players then Swedes which is surprising since Sweden produces the 3rd most NHL players. We've also taken more Russians then Americans in our history so our drafted is a bit weird as a whole.

 

[Rschmitz]

We don't draft Swedes, there's only been 6 taken in the entire history of the franchise. Freddy Modin ( who we didn't draft) was a great player for us and Hedman is just ststarting to blossom so I'm surprised with how few we've had on the team.

We've taken more Czech and Finnish players then Swedes which is surprising since Sweden produces the 3rd most NHL players. We've also taken more Russians then Americans in our history so our drafted is a bit weird as a whole.

I don't think using our draft history as a whole is reflective on how Yzerman will do things. Prior to the 2012 draft, I thought for sure, judging by Yzerman's wording, that he was going to "reach" and draft the Swedish Lindholm to pair with Hedman for the next decade. I thought that would have been a shocker since he was projected to go around 20, but then Anaheim drafted him 4 slots ahead of us

 

[HoseEmDown]

I don't think using our draft history as a whole is reflective on how Yzerman will do things. Prior to the 2012 draft, I thought for sure, judging by Yzerman's wording, that he was going to "reach" and draft the Swedish Lindholm to pair with Hedman for the next decade. I thought that would have been a shocker since he was projected to go around 20, but then Anaheim drafted him 4 slots ahead of us

Well Yzerman has yet to draft a Swede since he took over. He passed on Forsberg that same draft who was expected to go possibly top 5. He's drafted all the big countries in Europe but Sweden, not sure who the head European scout is but if he's scouting the Swiss league and not the SHL there's something wrong.

 

[Rschmitz]

Well Yzerman has yet to draft a Swede since he took over. He passed on Forsberg that same draft who was expected to go possibly top 5. He's drafted all the big countries in Europe but Sweden, not sure who the head European scout is but if he's scouting the Swiss league and not the SHL there's something wrong.

Well, everybody passed on Forberg and Grigorenko that draft, for one reason or another. Heck, Forsberg was dealt in less than a year for Martin freaking Erat! Correlation does not imply causation. In a similar vein, people thought the Bucs couldn't win under 40 degrees, but they were applying numbers from a Bucs team that couldn't win in any temperature!

Just because he hasn't drafted a Swede, doesn't mean he won't. The Lightning haven't drafted anybody from the WHL since 2010 either. BP wrote a nice article on one pro Lightning scouts take on why, and I think you can apply his reasoning to Sweden as well. Its an interesting read, and make sure to frequent that site if you aren't already, its the bees knees.

http://www.boltprospects.com/content/lightning-scout-talks-whl-draft-drought-more

Yzerman hasn't shied away from signing players from Sweden, so I think it is more along the lines of random chance and probability than any philosophical ideology. What possible reasoning could he have for not drafting some Swedish kid, he doesn't like their meatballs?

I think the real explanation is this, if Yzerman is truly being neutral and looking at his draft board, he can't just say "We haven't drafted Swedes recently, lets reach here and pick that crappy Swedish kid"!

 

[2016cupwinners]

This site has decent reports on several prospects,

http://www.propuckprospects.com/search/label/2014 NHL Draft

 

[91Stammer*]

We need some defensive prospects in the pipeline. I hope we draft a good defenseman if any available at all.

 

[Jacko95]

Two guys to keep an eye on:

Ryan Collins: http://www.draftsite.com/nhl/player/ryan-collins/20894/
Ryan Mantha: http://www.draftsite.com/nhl/player/ryan-mantha/21017/

Both big body (6'5 ish) righty defenders, who have yet to put it all together, but have shown their talent. Their stats are nothing impressive so far, but thats really nothing that surprising for young big defenders (Sustr had 1 goal and 19p as a 20 year old in the USHL !!!).
Both will go to the college route so they will have plenty of time to grow into their body.

Oh and I have seen Mantha listed between 190 and 225 lbs, so I would expect he had a great summer in the gym and has gained a lot of weight resently.

 

[2016cupwinners]

Nikita Scherbak plays on a Saskatoon team that has 16W - 39L. He leads the team with a plus 6, he leads the team with 68 pts, the next highest scorer has 43. He is a WHL rookie. That is just damn impressive. Also, his name is Nikita, nuff said.

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues/seasons/teams/0010052014.html

http://flames.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=696364

 

[2016cupwinners]

Just for fun. My crystal ball is still a bit foggy, but this is what it showed me today as a February mock draft.

1. BUF - C Sam Reinhart
2. EDM - RD Aaron Ekblad
3. FLA - LW/C Michael Dal Colle
4. CGY - C Sam Bennett
5. NYI - C Leon Draisaitl
6. NSH - LW/C William Nylander
7. CAR - LD Haydn Fleury
8. WPG - LW Brendan Perlini
9. VAN - LW/C Adrian Kempe
10. WSH - RD Roland McKeown
11. AHM - LW Nikolaj Ehlers
12. CBJ - RW Jake Virtanen
13. DET - LW Nick Ritchie
14. PHX - C Sonny Milano
15. DAL - LW Nikita Scherbak
16. PHI - RD Julius Honka
17. NYR - RW/C Josh Ho-Sang
18. LA - C Jared McCann
19. MIN - RW Kasperi Kapanen
20. TOR - RW David Pastrnak
21. MTL - RW Alex Tuch
22. TBL - C/LW Ivan Barbashev - Hard worker with quickness, good anticipation, and smarts.
23. BOS - RW Anton Karlsson
24. COL - RD Jack Dougherty
25. SJ - RW Jakub Vrana
26. PIT - RW Nikolay Goldobin
27. STL - C Nick Schmaltz
28. CHI - C Dylan Larkin
29. AHM - RW/C Conner Bleackley

 

[Jacko95]

Just for fun. My crystal ball is still a bit foggy, but this is what it showed me today as a February mock draft.

1. BUF - C Sam Reinhart
2. EDM - RD Aaron Ekblad
3. FLA - LW/C Michael Dal Colle
4. CGY - C Sam Bennett
5. NYI - C Leon Draisaitl
6. NSH - LW/C William Nylander
7. CAR - LD Haydn Fleury
8. WPG - LW Brendan Perlini
9. VAN - LW/C Adrian Kempe
10. WSH - RD Roland McKeown
11. AHM - LW Nikolaj Ehlers
12. CBJ - RW Jake Virtanen
13. DET - LW Nick Ritchie
14. PHX - C Sonny Milano
15. DAL - LW Nikita Scherbak
16. PHI - RD Julius Honka
17. NYR - RW/C Josh Ho-Sang
18. LA - C Jared McCann
19. MIN - RW Kasperi Kapanen
20. TOR - RW David Pastrnak
21. MTL - RW Alex Tuch
22. TBL - C/LW Ivan Barbashev - Hard worker with quickness, good anticipation, and smarts.
23. BOS - RW Anton Karlsson
24. COL - RD Jack Dougherty
25. SJ - RW Jakub Vrana
26. PIT - RW Nikolay Goldobin
27. STL - C Nick Schmaltz
28. CHI - C Dylan Larkin
29. AHM - RW/C Conner Bleackley

If it would go down like this, we either trade up to get Tuch or Honka or big Dougherty.

At this point I hope we don't just pick the best guy, but also look a bit on position and we really have no need for a LW/ C with so many we have.
Drouin, Palat, Killorn, Filppula, Namestnikov, Stamkos and Johnson are all left shooters so are good as LW and most of them are also able to play center... There will most likely nobody in the near future push into those top6 Spots. So drafting another LW/C is IMO bad asset Management considering our surfire RW future is Kucherov. Connolly/ Panik can push their but both could as well end up busts.
MSL is there for a few more seasons and a guy like Tuch could be ready right when MSL retires.

 

[2016cupwinners]

If it would go down like this, we either trade up to get Tuch or Honka or big Dougherty.

At this point I hope we don't just pick the best guy, but also look a bit on position and we really have no need for a LW/ C with so many we have.
Drouin, Palat, Killorn, Filppula, Namestnikov, Stamkos and Johnson are all left shooters so are good as LW and most of them are also able to play center... There will most likely nobody in the near future push into those top6 Spots. So drafting another LW/C is IMO bad asset Management considering our surfire RW future is Kucherov. Connolly/ Panik can push their but both could as well end up busts.
MSL is there for a few more seasons and a guy like Tuch could be ready right when MSL retires.

I'm usually a best player available kind of guy. I'm not big on moving up, it's usually too expensive, unless there is someone available who we really think is going to be a star.

Marty, Kucherov, and Panik play RW, but shoot left. It isn't necessary to shoot right handed to be a RW, but you make a good point, we are thin at RH forwards, with Purcell, Johnson, Brown, and Connolly as our only RH shooting forwards. It would be helpful if Connolly could get over his fear of the NHL.

 

[chasespace]

We can actually afford to move down in this draft.

 

[HoseEmDown]

We can actually afford to move down in this draft.

That's what I would do, collect a few picks we could use to acquire someone at the deadline.

 

[2016cupwinners]

OHL draft eligible statistical leaders, week 21.

http://ohlwriters.com/articles/ohl-s-draft-eligible-statistical-leaders-week-21

 

[Jacko95]

I'm usually a best player available kind of guy. I'm not big on moving up, it's usually too expensive, unless there is someone available who we really think is going to be a star.

Marty, Kucherov, and Panik play RW, but shoot left. It isn't necessary to shoot right handed to be a RW, but you make a good point, we are thin at RH forwards, with Purcell, Johnson, Brown, and Connolly as our only RH shooting forwards. It would be helpful if Connolly could get over his fear of the NHL.

Oh I mixed up Johnson with right and left.

Considering Connolly and Purcell are our biggest trade assets right now we definitly could use a RH forward in the future. It just adds a little more options to a roster having Rhs and Lhs, but it's not a Must have

 

[The Macho King]

We can actually afford to move down in this draft.

I would love to get some value out of our first... really don't love the talent in this draft.

 

[Steve Yzerman]

I would love to get some value out of our first... really don't love the talent in this draft.

Yzerman, Murray and Co. will find the talent.

 

[2016cupwinners]

Several good prospect articles to read here,

http://www.nhl.com/ice/newsindex.htm?location=/prospectorfiles&view=headline

 

[2016cupwinners]

Thehockeywriters has a March draft ranking up.

http://thehockeywriters.com/2014-nhl-draft-rankings-next-ones/

They have Nikolay Goldobin at #22. Great offensive RW, but little defense and no physical play. He doesn't sound like someone the Bolts would have high on their list.

On this ranking, several good RHD could be available at our current pick: Honka, McKeown, DeAngelo, Dougherty. Honka is a bit small, McKeown had a mid-season slump, DeAngelo is the most talented, but has a hot temper, Dougherty is a good, but not great skater. Very good potential overall for these guys though.

Also, several 2way F will likely be available: Schmaltz, Larkin, Tuch, Karlsson.

Larkin sounds like someone Tampa would want, he has offense, defense, speed, grit, and character. I'm hoping the Russians, Barbashev or Scherbak, will slide to us, otherwise Larkin and Kempe would look good in Bolt blue in my opinion. Several very good players will be available at our first pick.

 

[QuietContrarian]

Not that Ehlers and Drouin play a lot together, but when they do, boy oh boy does it spark.

Seldom do you see two players who understands and reads the game at the same high pace.
They have great chemistry when on ice together.

 

[2016cupwinners]

The ISS Hockey draft rankings for March of 2014 are presented below. We currently hold position #20, the NYR have #17.

Rank Player Position Birth Shot H W Team League Last Rank
1 Aaron Ekblad D 2/7/96 R 6.03.5 216 Barrie OHL 1
2 Sam Reinhart C 11/6/95 R 6.00.75 185 Kootenay WHL 2
3 Sam Bennett LW 6/20/96 L 6.00.25 178 Kingston OHL 3
4 Michael Dal Colle C 6/20/96 L 6.01.5 179 Oshawa OHL 4
5 Willie Nylander F 5/1/96 R 5.11 169 Rogle SweAl 5
6 Leon Draisaitl C 10/27/95 R 6.01.5 204 Prince Albert WHL 11
7 Brendan Perlini LW 4/27/96 L 6.02.75 205 Niagara OHL 6
8 Jake Virtanen LW 8/17/96 R 6.00.75 207 Calgary WHL 7
9 Alex Tuch RW 5/10/96 R 6.03.5 213 USA Under-18 NTDP 14
10 Haydn Fleury LD 7/8/96 L 6.02.5 207 Red Deer WHL 8
11 Josh Ho-Sang RW 11/22/96 R 5.11 175 Windsor OHL 9
12 Nick Ritchie LW 12/5/95 L 6.02.25 226 Peterborough OHL 10
13 Kasperi Kapanen RW 7/23/96 L 6.00 180 Kuopio FinE 12
14 Nikolaj Ehlers LW 2/13/96 L 5.11.5 162 Halifax QMJHL 20
15 Jared McCann C 5/31/96 L 6.00.25 179 S.S. Marie OHL 17
16 Dylan Larkin LW 7/30/96 L 6.00.75 190 USA Under-18 NTDP 23
17 Roland McKeown D 1/20/96 R 6.00.75 195 Kingston OHL 15
18 Sonny Milano LW 5/12/96 L 5.11.5 183 USA Under-18 NTDP 18
19 Nikolay Goldobin RW 10/7/95 L 5.11.75 178 Sarnia OHL 13
20 Ivan Barbashev C 12/14/95 L 6.00 180 Moncton QMJHL 19
21 Robby Fabbri C 1/22/96 L 5.10 166 Guelph OHL 27
22 Conner Bleackley C/RW 2/7/96 R 6.00.25 192 Red Deer WHL 16
23 Adrian Kempe C 9/13/96 L 6.01.5 187 MODO SweE 22
24 Nikita Scherbak LW 12/30/95 L 6.01 175 Saskatoon WHL 24
25 Anton Karlsson LW 8/3/96 L 6.01 187 Mora SweAl 21
26 Vladislav Kamenev C 8/12/96 L 6.02 198 Magnitogorsk RusJr 39
27 David Pastrnak LW 5/25/96 R 6.00 167 Sodertalje SweAl 29
28 Connor Chatham RW 10/30/95 R 6.02 222 Plymouth OHL 41
29 Ryan MacInnis LW 2/14/96 L 6.03.25 183 Kitchener OHL 33
30 Alex Peters D 7/2/96 L 6.03.25 207 Plymouth OHL 26

 

[DFC]

Not that Ehlers and Drouin play a lot together, but when they do, boy oh boy does it spark.

Seldom do you see two players who understands and reads the game at the same high pace.
They have great chemistry when on ice together.

I've been following Ehlers while keeping tabs on Drouin. I got to see Ehlers about a week or so ago (Drouin was out sick -- my luck), and it was eye-opening. He was clearly thinking the game a couple of levels above everyone else on the ice. I'm sure TB scouts and Stacy Roest have seen their share of him this year. I know he's another small skill player, but who knows what we'll need by the time he's NHL-ready. If he's available when it comes time for us to pick, I'd love to see us snap him up. Unlikely he'll slip that far though. He's been drawing attention lately.