Prospect Info: 2018 OHL Prospects Review

[Brock]

An annual practice, I take a look at the progress, rank, and provide prognostication on Arizona's OHL prospects.

Happy to answer any additional questions.

OHL Prospects: 31 Teams in 31 Days - Arizona Coyotes

Click to read more...

 

[rt]

An annual practice, I take a look at the progress, rank, and provide prognostication on Arizona's OHL prospects.

Happy to answer any additional questions.

OHL Prospects: 31 Teams in 31 Days - Arizona Coyotes

Haha. It’s practically every pick we made this draft! I didn’t realize so many were headed to the OHL. Great write-up!

In your opinion, how bad was the Hayton pick? How does he stack up against the other top OHL picks taken after him in Bouchard and Dellandrea? How about Owen Tippett, Gabe Vilardi and Nick Suzuki last year?

How would you rank Hayton, Bouchard, Dellandrea, Tippett, Vilardi and Suzuki?

 

[Name Nameless]

An annual practice, I take a look at the progress, rank, and provide prognostication on Arizona's OHL prospects.

Happy to answer any additional questions.

OHL Prospects: 31 Teams in 31 Days - Arizona Coyotes

Thank you for this.

My additional question might not come as an surprise: Does this look good, or does this look good?

I can see you only have done the Ducks before Arizona, so to compare it to the other teams should perhaps be a bit later?

 

[Brock]

Haha. It’s practically every pick we made this draft! I didn’t realize so many were headed to the OHL. Great write-up!

In your opinion, how bad was the Hayton pick? How does he stack up against the other top OHL picks taken after him in Bouchard and Dellandrea? How about Owen Tippett, Gabe Vilardi and Nick Suzuki last year?

How would you rank Hayton, Bouchard, Dellandrea, Tippett, Vilardi and Suzuki?

Don't think it was a bad pick. I think Hayton and Dellandrea are pretty close, but both are solid prospects with the chance of developing into quality 2nd line centermen. Hayton is the type of kid teams win with. He was one of the Greyhounds top performers in the playoffs this year as a draft eligible player. Does so many little things well. He should make an excellent pro. His offensive potential is underrated too. Has great hands and a wicked shot release. Based on the type of young forwards the Coyotes have brought in over the last few years, I think Hayton fits into that group really well. Now, will he likely be a franchise centermen, like you might expect to get inside the top 5? Not likely. But could he be what the Canucks have found in Bo Horvat? Absolutely. Every successful team needs that Ryan Kesler type in their top 6.

As for how I'd rank them? Man, that would be giving away my top 25 prospect release later in the summer!

I have them Vilardi, Bouchard, Suzuki, Hayton, Tippett, Dellandrea.

 

[Brock]

Thank you for this.

My additional question might not come as an surprise: Does this look good, or does this look good?

I can see you only have done the Ducks before Arizona, so to compare it to the other teams should perhaps be a bit later?

I release one per day. So every NHL team will be covered.

 

[hbk]

Curious on where Entwistle would have landed on this list.

 

[rt]

Curious on where Entwistle would have landed on this list.

Me too. Let’s @Brock

 

[Lilhoody]

Is it possible he wasn't going to sign and that's why he was a trade piece? Was there any public talk about whether he intended to sign or walk?

 

[hbk]

Is it possible he wasn't going to sign and that's why he was a trade piece? Was there any public talk about whether he intended to sign or walk?

Doubtful. We are out of roster slots though which pushes things to year 2 and a lack of downside if he follows up a very good postseason / Memorial Cup with a dominant OHL season. AZ likely sold fairly high on him. He's a aguy who I really liked but even then the upside is a 3rd liner. He's a big body presence though.

 

[Brock]

Me too. Let’s @Brock

Entwistle would have been number 4 behind Bahl, but ahead of Schnarr.

Even though I'm not posting Chicago's article for a week or so, because I like you guys, I'll paste my Entwistle write up for you.

"Recent acquisition by the Hawks in the Hossa deal. I Really like Entwistle, if you recall from his draft year. His size, skating ability, and tenacity through all three zones makes him an ideal 3rd liner at the NHL level today. Reminds me a ton of Austin Watson from his OHL days. Injuries were a bit of an issue this year, as Entwistle missed time with rib and hand injuries. But he saved his best for last with 10 goals in the OHL playoffs, helping the Bulldogs reach the Memorial Cup. In the playoffs, I think we really saw him gain confidence in his ability to carry the puck and be a go to offensive player at this level, and hopefully that carries into next season. One thing that really needs to improve is his faceoff ability. The Bulldogs are going to need Entwistle to be a center next year in their top 6, but his faceoff percentages have been quite poor through his OHL career thus far. If he wants to be that guy out there in the last minute of a game protecting a lead, he needs to be more reliable on the dot. Overall, I'm very excited to see what he can do next season, especially with powerplay time. I think he hits the point per game mark for the first time in his career. "