Prospect Info: 2020 Draft Rankings By Position -- LW

[StevenToddIves]

2020 Draft Rank By Position — LW

Though not as deep as right wing in an extremely impressive 2020 winger draft class, the left wing position is even more impressive at the top end with the prodigal Alex Lafreniere followed by surefire top-10 locks Cole Perfetti and Lucas Raymond.
For Devils fans, this is a position of need. Foote and Boqvist certainly offer top-6 upside at the position, but the Devils lack the depth they enjoy at RW and C. Cole Perfetti and Lucas Raymond will certainly be on the radar with the #7 overall pick, and if the Devils miss out on them, players like Rodion Amirov, Dylan Holloway and JJ Peterka will certainly be in strong consideration with the Devils later picks in the first round. New Jersey will also be certain to try to improve their depth here with some potential late round gems, which certainly exist on this list.

1. Alex Lafreniere, Rimouski QMJHL what else is there to say that has not been said a zillion times? Lafreniere is a franchise player, maybe the best winger available in the draft since another Alex whom Washington fans are quite familiar with. Every skill imaginable is something Lafreniere excels in, and he wraps them all together with one of the highest hockey IQs I’ve ever seen. A no-brainer for the #1 overall pick.
2. Cole Perfetti, Saginaw OHL “Mr. Ice-In-His-Veins” is probably the player you’d least like to see coming at you in a two-on-one or on a breakaway. He thinks the game like a supercomputer, slowing everything down and always making brilliant choices on the ice. His hockey IQ is ridiculous, his hands are lethal and his shot is disgustingly good. If his skating was great instead of just “very good”, he’d be in the conversation for the second overall pick.
3. Lucas Raymond, Frolunda SHL this kid’s upside is just immense; think Marner meets Gaudreau. The young Swede’s ability to make creative plays at ridiculous speeds is unteachable. His combination of hands/skates/vision is simply electrifying. Raymond is no slouch in goal-scoring or two-way play, and despite being undersized he is far from soft. He struggled a bit versus men in the very tough SHL for much of his draft-eligible season, but that does not change the fact that Raymond’s upside is absolutely immense.
4. Rodion Amirov, Salavat Ufa KHL a goal-scoring machine who also offers a complete, 200-foot game, Amirov reminds me a lot of a young Max Pacioretty. At six-feet, he needs to fill out his lanky frame to get the most out of his high compete level and excellent mix of skating/shooting/silky hands. Amirov is a strong passer without being a necessarily creative one. Certainly a talent with first-line, NHL upside.
5. JJ Peterka, Munich DEL there’s so much to like about this young German talent, but any conversation about him must begin with his elite-level hands. He handles the puck with grace and precision, almost effortlessly — it’s beautiful to watch. Add to that high-end skating, a true sniper’s shooting ability and an outstanding juxtaposition of hockey IQ and compete level, and you have a future top-6 stud who can excel at either wing.
6. Dylan Holloway, University of Wisconsin NCAA if it’s true that Holloway lacks the high-scoring, top-line upside of some other kids on this list, it’s also true that he’s the type of kid you win with at the NHL level. This 6’1-205 wrecking ball is the most effectively physical forward in the entire 2020 draft class and adds that to a smart, two-way game. Holloway skates very well and stickhandles wonderfully. Not a pure goal-scorer or particularly creative passer, he is a prototypical north/south power forward and is certainly capable of 60+ points professionally while playing a shut-down, physical role.
7. Jake Neighbours, Edmonton WHL anyone who has followed my prospect rankings over the years is familiar with how highly I value hockey IQ and compete level. Neighbours is just a beast in these respects, he overflows with energy and it’s tough to look away from him every time he hits the ice. But he’s also a superlative skater with high-end playmaking ability. Just a terrific hockey player with an extremely high floor.
8. Carter Savoie, Sherwood Park AJHL my favorite sleeper in the 2020 LW class, this potential top-line talent could fall as far as the 4th round and make a GM look like a genius a few years down the line. He reminds me of a left-shot Alex DeBrincat. Savoie is largely ignored because of the combination of being 5’9, an average skater, and playing in the scarcely-scouted AJHL. But let’s look at what he has to offer. His shot is ridiculous — comparable to not a 4th round pick, but a top 10 overall pick. His skills and smarts with the puck are also first-round-level attributes. Despite being small, Savoie is extremely feisty and very difficult to knock off the puck. He’s basically worn a target on his jersey for the entire AJHL season, but this kid fears absolutely nothing. Don’t sleep on this sleeper, he’s a keeper.
9. Sean Farrell, Chicago USHL another 5’9 talent with a wicked shot, Farrell’s tools fall just below Savoie’s and he lacks Savoie’s grittiness, but he is still a high-skill player with top-6 scorer NHL upside. Farrell is absurdly elusive both with and without the puck. He has a penchant for skating through traffic with complete control. His ability to get open in the offensive zone is almost uncanny — it’s like he vanishes into thin air and then pops into prime scoring areas at the perfect times.
10. Lukas Reichel, Eisbaren Berlin DEL it’s a tribute to the German hockey program that they are seemingly producing more NHL caliber talents every passing year. Though not quite as gifted as country-mate JJ Peterka, Reichel oozes with smarts, accountability and physical grit. He’s a garbage-goal scorer galore, always in the dirty areas digging for pucks. He’s a lock for an NHL third line, and with his high intelligence and competitive drive, has a shot to even become a very good 2nd-liner in the professional ranks.
11. Daniel Torgersson, Frolunda SWE JR. at 6’3-210 this kid is not just a good skater for his size, he’s a good skater… period. That, combined with an accomplished goal-scoring mentality and penchant for two-way, physical play could see Torgersson drafted as high as the second round. He’s not a top playmaker or the kind of kid to stickhandle around two defensemen, but he’s solid in all respects and, when combined with his physical gifts of size and skating, projects to a potential NHL mid-6 forward.
12. Will Cuylle, Windsor OHL “the throwback” as I like to call him, Cuylle is a 6’2-205 rhinoceros who strikes fear into the hearts of opposing defensemen. Again, he’s never going to challenge for the Rocket Richard Trophy, but he’s a complete two-way player with the requisite skill set to compliment your top offensive players, crashing creases and winning the puck along the boards. Cuylle is actually a very good passer and features a very hard and accurate shot, though sometimes he struggles to find the open areas of the ice in order to utilize this talent. If there’s a Zack Kassian in the 2020 draft, Will Cuylle is that guy.
13. Brett Berard, US-NTDP USHL a very dynamic offensive player, Berard’s size could knock him into the 6th/7th rounds where he would be a steal. He lacks not just height (5’8) but also weight, as he has a very slight build. But Berard features all the attributes you’d expect out of a smaller player — he’s exceptionally agile and dextrous on his skates, he can stickhandle a can of tuna through a shark tank, and his vision and passing abilities are simply brilliant to behold. There might not be a quicker set of hands in the draft, but he is not a feisty smaller player like a Savoie or Raymond. If he can stand the physical rigors of the NHL, however — this kid can be just a huge late-round steal.
14. Luke Tuch, US-NTDP USHL a teammate of Berard’s, and also his polar opposite. Not the most skilled player, Tuch projects to a third-line banger role — but boy, can he bang. He’s a nightmare on the forecheck, a beast in the crease and a crusher in the corners. His skills are by no means poor, he possesses very good hands which lead to several goals off deflections and rebounds. His two-way acumen is admirable and he’s a strong bet to make the NHL.
15. (tie) Pavel Gogolev, Guelph OHL/ Roby Jarventie, Koovee FIN JR./ Antonio Stranges, London OHL I wanted to include all three of these kids together, because they all feature high-end physical tools but several red flags. Any one of them can be considered sleepers in that they all have top-6 NHL upside and are likely to be available from the 4th round and beyond, but all three also come with several risks. Stranges is an absurdly good skater with an absurd, wide-skating stance. His skills are insane, but his inconsistency and compete level can be maddening. Jarventie also mixes a ridiculous size/skating combination with a penchant for turnovers and ignoring the defensive zone. Gogolev is an over-ager with a fully stocked tool kit in an oft-questioned tool box.

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[My3Sons]

2020 Draft Rank By Position — LW

Though not as deep as right wing in an extremely impressive 2020 winger draft class, the left wing position is even more impressive at the top end with the prodigal Alex Lafreniere followed by surefire top-10 locks Cole Perfetti and Lucas Raymond.
For Devils fans, this is a position of need. Foote and Boqvist certainly offer top-6 upside at the position, but the Devils lack the depth they enjoy at RW and C. Cole Perfetti and Lucas Raymond will certainly be on the radar with the #7 overall pick, and if the Devils miss out on them, players like Rodion Amirov, Dylan Holloway and JJ Peterka will certainly be in strong consideration with the Devils later picks in the first round. New Jersey will also be certain to try to improve their depth here with some potential late round gems, which certainly exist on this list.

1. Alex Lafreniere, Rimouski QMJHL what else is there to say that has not been said a zillion times? Lafreniere is a franchise player, maybe the best winger available in the draft since another Alex whom Washington fans are quite familiar with. Every skill imaginable is something Lafreniere excels in, and he wraps them all together with one of the highest hockey IQs I’ve ever seen. A no-brainer for the #1 overall pick.
2. Cole Perfetti, Saginaw OHL “Mr. Ice-In-His-Veins” is probably the player you’d least like to see coming at you in a two-on-one or on a breakaway. He thinks the game like a supercomputer, slowing everything down and always making brilliant choices on the ice. His hockey IQ is ridiculous, his hands are lethal and his shot is disgustingly good. If his skating was great instead of just “very good”, he’d be in the conversation for the second overall pick.
3. Lucas Raymond, Frolunda SHL this kid’s upside is just immense; think Marner meets Gaudreau. The young Swede’s ability to make creative plays at ridiculous speeds is unteachable. His combination of hands/skates/vision is simply electrifying. Raymond is no slouch in goal-scoring or two-way play, and despite being undersized he is far from soft. He struggled a bit versus men in the very tough SHL for much of his draft-eligible season, but that does not change the fact that Raymond’s upside is absolutely immense.
4. Rodion Amirov, Salavat Ufa KHL a goal-scoring machine who also offers a complete, 200-foot game, Amirov reminds me a lot of a young Max Pacioretty. At six-feet, he needs to fill out his lanky frame to get the most out of his high compete level and excellent mix of skating/shooting/silky hands. Amirov is a strong passer without being a necessarily creative one. Certainly a talent with first-line, NHL upside.
5. JJ Peterka, Munich DEL there’s so much to like about this young German talent, but any conversation about him must begin with his elite-level hands. He handles the puck with grace and precision, almost effortlessly — it’s beautiful to watch. Add to that high-end skating, a true sniper’s shooting ability and an outstanding juxtaposition of hockey IQ and compete level, and you have a future top-6 stud who can excel at either wing.
6. Dylan Holloway, University of Wisconsin NCAA if it’s true that Holloway lacks the high-scoring, top-line upside of some other kids on this list, it’s also true that he’s the type of kid you win with at the NHL level. This 6’1-205 wrecking ball is the most effectively physical forward in the entire 2020 draft class and adds that to a smart, two-way game. Holloway skates very well and stickhandles wonderfully. Not a pure goal-scorer or particularly creative passer, he is a prototypical north/south power forward and is certainly capable of 60+ points professionally while playing a shut-down, physical role.
7. Jake Neighbours, Edmonton WHL anyone who has followed my prospect rankings over the years is familiar with how highly I value hockey IQ and compete level. Neighbours is just a beast in these respects, he overflows with energy and it’s tough to look away from him every time he hits the ice. But he’s also a superlative skater with high-end playmaking ability. Just a terrific hockey player with an extremely high floor.
8. Carter Savoie, Sherwood Park AJHL my favorite sleeper in the 2020 LW class, this potential top-line talent could fall as far as the 4th round and make a GM look like a genius a few years down the line. He reminds me of a left-shot Alex DeBrincat. Savoie is largely ignored because of the combination of being 5’9, an average skater, and playing in the scarcely-scouted AJHL. But let’s look at what he has to offer. His shot is ridiculous — comparable to not a 4th round pick, but a top 10 overall pick. His skills and smarts with the puck are also first-round-level attributes. Despite being small, Savoie is extremely feisty and very difficult to knock off the puck. He’s basically worn a target on his jersey for the entire AJHL season, but this kid fears absolutely nothing. Don’t sleep on this sleeper, he’s a keeper.
9. Sean Farrell, Chicago USHL another 5’9 talent with a wicked shot, Farrell’s tools fall just below Savoie’s and he lacks Savoie’s grittiness, but he is still a high-skill player with top-6 scorer NHL upside. Farrell is absurdly elusive both with and without the puck. He has a penchant for skating through traffic with complete control. His ability to get open in the offensive zone is almost uncanny — it’s like he vanishes into thin air and then pops into prime scoring areas at the perfect times.
10. Lukas Reichel, Eisbaren Berlin DEL it’s a tribute to the German hockey program that they are seemingly producing more NHL caliber talents every passing year. Though not quite as gifted as country-mate JJ Peterka, Reichel oozes with smarts, accountability and physical grit. He’s a garbage-goal scorer galore, always in the dirty areas digging for pucks. He’s a lock for an NHL third line, and with his high intelligence and competitive drive, has a shot to even become a very good 2nd-liner in the professional ranks.
11. Daniel Torgersson, Frolunda SWE JR. at 6’3-210 this kid is not just a good skater for his size, he’s a good skater… period. That, combined with an accomplished goal-scoring mentality and penchant for two-way, physical play could see Torgersson drafted as high as the second round. He’s not a top playmaker or the kind of kid to stickhandle around two defensemen, but he’s solid in all respects and, when combined with his physical gifts of size and skating, projects to a potential NHL mid-6 forward.
12. Will Cuylle, Windsor OHL “the throwback” as I like to call him, Cuylle is a 6’2-205 rhinoceros who strikes fear into the hearts of opposing defensemen. Again, he’s never going to challenge for the Rocket Richard Trophy, but he’s a complete two-way player with the requisite skill set to compliment your top offensive players, crashing creases and winning the puck along the boards. Cuylle is actually a very good passer and features a very hard and accurate shot, though sometimes he struggles to find the open areas of the ice in order to utilize this talent. If there’s a Zack Kassian in the 2020 draft, Will Cuylle is that guy.
13. Brett Berard, US-NTDP USHL a very dynamic offensive player, Berard’s size could knock him into the 6th/7th rounds where he would be a steal. He lacks not just height (5’8) but also weight, as he has a very slight build. But Berard features all the attributes you’d expect out of a smaller player — he’s exceptionally agile and dextrous on his skates, he can stickhandle a can of tuna through a shark tank, and his vision and passing abilities are simply brilliant to behold. There might not be a quicker set of hands in the draft, but he is not a feisty smaller player like a Savoie or Raymond. If he can stand the physical rigors of the NHL, however — this kid can be just a huge late-round steal.
14. Luke Tuch, US-NTDP USHL a teammate of Berard’s, and also his polar opposite. Not the most skilled player, Tuch projects to a third-line banger role — but boy, can he bang. He’s a nightmare on the forecheck, a beast in the crease and a crusher in the corners. His skills are by no means poor, he possesses very good hands which lead to several goals off deflections and rebounds. His two-way acumen is admirable and he’s a strong bet to make the NHL.
15. (tie) Pavel Gogolev, Guelph OHL/ Roby Jarventie, Koovee FIN JR./ Antonio Stranges, London OHL I wanted to include all three of these kids together, because they all feature high-end physical tools but several red flags. Any one of them can be considered sleepers in that they all have top-6 NHL upside and are likely to be available from the 4th round and beyond, but all three also come with several risks. Stranges is an absurdly good skater with an absurd, wide-skating stance. His skills are insane, but his inconsistency and compete level can be maddening. Jarventie also mixes a ridiculous size/skating combination with a penchant for turnovers and ignoring the defensive zone. Gogolev is an over-ager with a fully stocked tool kit in an oft-questioned tool box.

i have a question about Berard. His skills are intriguing but is the tuna dolphin safe?

 

[StevenToddIves]

i have a question about Berard. His skills are intriguing but is the tuna dolphin safe?

As a huge proponent of all marine mammals, I would have to emphatically say YES. Also, narwhal safe.

But Berard's skills are no joke. He's not a kid I would risk jumping for in the second or third rounds, but the Devils don't have a pick there, so it's not a problem.

Berard is the kind of kid the Devils have made a routine of taking in the 6th round. In the open ice he's disgustingly good, and even if his size restrictions see him a bit restricted in 5-on-5 play, he'll be an absolute weapon on the power play. If you pair him with a big center on your second line, he can really flourish.

 

[TBF1972]

Lucas Raymond, Frolunda SHL this kid’s upside is just immense; think Marner meets Gaudreau. The young Swede’s ability to make creative plays at ridiculous speeds is unteachable. His combination of hands/skates/vision is simply electrifying. Raymond is no slouch in goal-scoring or two-way play, and despite being undersized he is far from soft. He struggled a bit versus men in the very tough SHL for much of his draft-eligible season, but that does not change the fact that Raymond’s upside is absolutely immense.

In his player profile he is right hand shot. You consider him a LW. Is he primary a LW or can he play both sides?

 

[StevenToddIves]

In his player profile he is right hand shot. You consider him a LW. Is he primary a LW or can he play both sides?

Yes, Raymond is a right-shot. And he plays both wings.

It's sometimes tough for me in my positional rankings to decide which wing to put players on, so I apologize if sometimes I get that wrong. I just went with the LW because it's where Raymond spent most of his time in the WJC and half of his time in the SHL.

 

[beekay414]

I'm wondering what your thoughts on Zion Nybeck are. It's kind of shocking to me that you don't even have him as a top 17 LW. I know he's tiny but the kid is electric.

 

[thethinglonger]

Thanks for all the effort you put into these lists Steve. Dylan Holloway has been so intriguing to watch this year. Every time I watch him play, I feel the need to adjust my rankings. There's so much to like about him with his skating and power game. The numbers weren't great this year, and there's certainly questions as to how well that offensive will transfer, but I see some positives as he got more used to the NCAA game. (It's quite a jump from the AJHL to the NCAA.) In his last 10 games before season's end, Holloway scored 9 points (5G, 4A)...and these were against some strong teams like Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, and AZ State.

On top of that, the NCAA is quite the difficult league for first-year draft eligibles, even if Holloway has a late birthday for this draft-class...It also doesn't help that Wisconsin had a disappointing season. On top of that, while they're a bit different players, Tkachuk, who's similar in being an older player in the draft class, only scored 8 goals in his draft-eligible season as a freshman. The big question for me with Holloway's development will be how much and how consistantly he's able to use his skating and body/physicality to get to the high-danger scoring areas of the ice. He certainly has the makings of a power sniper (to steal the phrase from another draft writer) and would be perfect on Hughes' wing to not only keep up skating-wise, but to also create space and bury some chances.

Either way he'll be a fun prospect to keep track of.

 

[StevenToddIves]

I'm wondering what your thoughts on Zion Nybeck are. It's kind of shocking to me that you don't even have him as a top 17 LW. I know he's tiny but the kid is electric.

Nybeck just missed the cut for me. If you were to compare him a player of a similar size and skill combination in Sean Farrell (who I have ranked #9 here) -- Farrell is also a far superior skater with a better shot. Though I wouldn't call him "gritty" by any means, Farrell is still more willing to go to the dirty areas of the ice than Nybeck.

Then you have a kid like Brett Berard, whom I've ranked #13 on this list. Berard is even smaller than Nybeck -- maybe 20 pounds lighter -- but is still more willing to pay a price offensively. Also, he is a markedly superior skater than Nybeck.

I don't mind small, skill players -- I often rank them quite highly. I don't even mind when these players are not stereotypically super-fast skaters. Carter Savoie is #8 on this list and one of my big sleepers of the 2020 draft at 5'9 with average skating.

But Nybeck has a trifecta of not big, not fast, and not consistently willing to play a price. This makes me worry about his NHL potential.

Nybeck absolutely has star-caliber hands and vision, plus an excellent shot. He is not by any means a defensive liability. He certainly has the ability to prove me wrong and succeed in the NHL. But I just have not seen enough compete out of him to justify ranking him as one of the top 13 or 14 on this list. He was certainly in consideration along with Gogolev/Jarventie/Stranges for #15.

 

[StevenToddIves]

Thanks for all the effort you put into these lists Steve. Dylan Holloway has been so intriguing to watch this year. Every time I watch him play, I feel the need to adjust my rankings. There's so much to like about him with his skating and power game. The numbers weren't great this year, and there's certainly questions as to how well that offensive will transfer, but I see some positives as he got more used to the NCAA game. (It's quite a jump from the AJHL to the NCAA.) In his last 10 games before season's end, Holloway scored 9 points (5G, 4A)...and these were against some strong teams like Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, and AZ State.

On top of that, the NCAA is quite the difficult league for first-year draft eligibles, even if Holloway has a late birthday for this draft-class...It also doesn't help that Wisconsin had a disappointing season. On top of that, while they're a bit different players, Tkachuk, who's similar in being an older player in the draft class, only scored 8 goals in his draft-eligible season as a freshman. The big question for me with Holloway's development will be how much and how consistantly he's able to use his skating and body/physicality to get to the high-danger scoring areas of the ice. He certainly has the makings of a power sniper (to steal the phrase from another draft writer) and would be perfect on Hughes' wing to not only keep up skating-wise, but to also create space and bury some chances.

Either way he'll be a fun prospect to keep track of.

Hey -- glad to finally hear from you!

Thanks for chiming in on Holloway. I'm a big fan of his, as well. I agree with you that the numbers don't really bother me when a 17 year old is playing as an NCAA freshman. They can't all be Jack Eichel. Holloway will be a terrific "power sniper" and a demon in opposing creases. I also agree that he would be a perfect compliment for Jack Hughes. Maybe the Devils can get both Mercer and Holloway and surround Jack Hughes with skilled, power guys.