2020 Sleepers

[Appleyard]

Oscar Tellström

 

[canucklax]

Cross Hanas was pretty good on my viewings this year. People will say Jarvis but this guy kept right with him and did well. Probably goes in the third or fourth and could be a steal

I have big concerns about his hockey IQ. He has some flashes of brilliance skill wise but turns the puck over a lot and not in the way a skilled playmaker may lose a gamble on a pass but just boneheaded plays that results in the other team getting the puck. After graduating Glass and Blichfeld, Portlands top 6 was wide open for guys to take over the team and while Jarvy saw that opening and thrived, Cross got lost in the shuffle a bit and didnt take the leading role you would expect an NHL caliber player would take in their draft year. I'm not closing the door on him and think the 4th round or later is probably about right for him but he reminds me a lot of Paul Bittner for the wrong reasons.

 

[canucklax]

Oscar Tellström

Can you elaborate on his game? Looks like he jumped around quite a bit this year, and I dont recall too many Swedes spending the majority of their draft year in the division 1 level so it's hard for me to compare him to other prospects.

 

[Appleyard]

Can you elaborate on his game? Looks like he jumped around quite a bit this year, and I dont recall too many Swedes spending the majority of their draft year in the division 1 level so it's hard for me to compare him to other prospects.

Skates well, shifty, confidence with the puck means Dmen often on back foot when he skates at them. Nice IQ that means creates a lot of seams in OZ and gets free near net as a result... and a really nice release.

Cant imagine him being a legit top 6 NHLer. But can see him being a good middle six winger with his skillset.

 

[mazmin]

This one will shock even the biggest draft geek as I tried to find the best 1st time draft eligible player that is NOT in any of the major draft guides (I bought three).

Name: Nasser Sobhy
League: Belarus (top men’s league)
H: 6’3”
W: 190lbs
Dob: Oct. 4, 2001
Pos: C (left shot)

Nasser tied fellow countryman Yevgeni Oksentyuk (now a star with Flint OHL) for most point ever by a draft eligible player in the league (18).

He won an award for his efforts:
Best Goalie: Maxim Malyutin (Shakhtar Soligorsk)
Best Defender: Andrei Antonov (Yunost Minsk)
Best Forward: Nikita Remezov (Neman Grodno)
Best Young Player: Nasser Subkhi (HK Gomel)
Playoffs MVP: Maxim Malyutin (Shakhtar Soligorsk)
Coach of the Year: Yuri Faikov (Shakhtar Soligorsk)


Scouts are kicking themselves for not drafting Oksentyuk last draft and I’m wondering if history repeats again at the 2020 draft table. I would never expect proper scouting in Belarus, so the league is ripe for potential sleepers.

In a draft full of centre men under 6 feet tall I think this kid could be The Steal. Highlight videos can only show you so much, but what I see is impressive.

Nasser Sobhy:



How about that last goal? Holy clutch much?

Please share your thoughts!

 

[Kevin Musto]

This one will shock even the biggest draft geek as I tried to find the best 1st time draft eligible player that is NOT in any of the major draft guides (I bought three).

Name: Nasser Sobhy
League: Belarus (top men’s league)
H: 6’3”
W: 190lbs
Dob: Oct. 4, 2001
Pos: C (left shot)

Nasser tied fellow countryman Yevgeni Oksentyuk (now a star with Flint OHL) for most point ever by a draft eligible player in the league (18).

He won an award for his efforts:
Best Goalie: Maxim Malyutin (Shakhtar Soligorsk)
Best Defender: Andrei Antonov (Yunost Minsk)
Best Forward: Nikita Remezov (Neman Grodno)
Best Young Player: Nasser Subkhi (HK Gomel)
Playoffs MVP: Maxim Malyutin (Shakhtar Soligorsk)
Coach of the Year: Yuri Faikov (Shakhtar Soligorsk)


Scouts are kicking themselves for not drafting Oksentyuk last draft and I’m wondering if history repeats again at the 2020 draft table. I would never expect proper scouting in Belarus, so the league is ripe for potential sleepers.

In a draft full of centre men under 6 feet tall I think this kid could be The Steal. Highlight videos can only show you so much, but what I see is impressive.

Nasser Sobhy:



How about that last goal? Holy clutch much?

Please share your thoughts!

You win this thread for most obscure player.

This could be a guy that would have really benefited from tournament play. That's how I knew about Oksentyuk last year.

He should definitely go to a league with more eyes on it next year should the opportunity arise.

 

[TopC0rner]

This one will shock even the biggest draft geek as I tried to find the best 1st time draft eligible player that is NOT in any of the major draft guides (I bought three).

Name: Nasser Sobhy
League: Belarus (top men’s league)
H: 6’3”
W: 190lbs
Dob: Oct. 4, 2001
Pos: C (left shot)

Please share your thoughts!

It's hard to get a real feel about a prospect just based on highlights clips. Is there a place where we can watch him play full games?

Otherwise, from the clips, his skating/mobility looks rough.

 

[TopC0rner]

Kňažko

What do you think makes him a sleeper? I'd like your input before I watch him some more.

 

[mazmin]

You win this thread for most obscure player.

This could be a guy that would have really benefited from tournament play. That's how I knew about Oksentyuk last year.

He should definitely go to a league with more eyes on it next year should the opportunity arise.

Thank you kindly. I took some time looking for this one.

I also wonder why he wasn’t in tournaments. Perhaps he came on later in the season? I think I would need to read Belarussian to figure out any more on him.

With good size and intensity (so it seems) he would do well following Oksentyuk to try out the North America game. I see he’s a late 2001 so that could potentially obscure a chance in the CHL. I wonder if he’d be eligible in the upcoming import draft...

 

[mazmin]

It's hard to get a real feel about a prospect just based on highlights clips. Is there a place where we can watch him play full games?

Otherwise, from the clips, his skating/mobility looks rough.

Very good question. I don’t know. I’d love to see more. He doesn’t look that pretty or agile in skating but seems to get around. Judging by the video it seems like his size/hands combo is going to pay his bills.

 

[rakish]

Please ignore my post on Greig since this isn't suppose to be for players in the first round. EliteProspects had him rated at 83, Bob has him at a much more reasonable 24.

 

[Flameshomer]

Please ignore my post on Greig since this isn't suppose to be for players in the first round. EliteProspects had him rated at 83, Bob has him at a much more reasonable 24.

IMO this is a laudatory comparison for you- no one else had grieg as a 1st but clearly the nhl team analytics folk agree with your take on the player, hence him showing up for bobby mac

 

[SeaOfBlue]

Kňažko

Really? I have seen him consistently ranked in the top 100 or 125, and I'd say he has the same kind of risk-reward profile you typically see in that range.

 

[SeaOfBlue]

You win this thread for most obscure player.

This could be a guy that would have really benefited from tournament play. That's how I knew about Oksentyuk last year.

He should definitely go to a league with more eyes on it next year should the opportunity arise.

I share the same sentiment... I question why he was not playing for Belarus in the U20's at least. They did happen this year and I would think any kind of NHL caliber prospect, especially a late 01', could make the team.

I also question whether teams are really going to regret passing on Oksentyuk. He's a top 100 prospect at best right now. Sure teams could have got him in the 7th round, but it's not like he has turned into some stellar prospect. If this was a draft with more higher end depth, he'd probably be in the 5th or 6th round.

 

[TopC0rner]

I also question whether teams are really going to regret passing on Oksentyuk. He's a top 100 prospect at best right now. Sure teams could have got him in the 7th round, but it's not like he has turned into some stellar prospect. If this was a draft with more higher end depth, he'd probably be in the 5th or 6th round.

There's a difference between rankings and how good a prospect is. Teams will regret passing on a prospect because that prospect gets to the NHL and produces. At that point, it shows their ranking was misevaluated.

Andrew Mangiapane was passed over, then selected in the 6th round. I'm sure plenty of NHL teams are regretting passing him over. Oksentyuk is probably better than Mangiapane (same age), so in that sense, many teams will regret passing on him if he develops to have an even larger impact (than Mangiapane).

 

[SaltyElkHunter]

Nico Dawes get him in with Ranford and the Kings will have another tender that can win big games!

 

[5cotland]

Jacob Dion

 

[SensFactor]

Tristen Robins

 

[Anthony5967]

Tristen Robins

Beat me to it. Robins is going to be a hell of a pickup for some team. Rangers have two firsts and no seconds, and I really hope they use their second first to select him. Not an explosive skater, but if he works on his leg strength, he will bring a bit more power to his stride and become a bit quicker. Brayden Point 2.0? Even if he's the store brand version and throws up 55-60 points a year, I'd take that.

 

[YEGJuniorFan]

I think Michael Benning fits the classic "sleeper" pick. Boom or bust type of prospect, but I have a feeling that his IQ, skating and creativity will suit him just fine for today's NHL, only knock is his size.

 

[InfinityIggy]

Zion Nybeck. I don’t think he is all that far behind the top Swedish guys like Raymond and Holtz.

 

[buch7717]

Alex Cotton. He put up real good numbers this year good offensive instincts moves puck well skating is solid defensive game could use work but most defensemen of his type could. The thing about Cotton I really like watching him a lot is his ability to come through in big moments. Was a bright spot in the Hurricanes loss in the Calgary series in 2019. Then this season had numerous times where he either tied or set up the game winning or game tying goal late in games and when Addison Cozens and Okuliar went off to the World Juniors Cotton took over The bulk of Addisons minutes and was a huge reason the team had a lot of success without its 3 best players.

 

[GettingYourMoms]

Pavel Novak, he should be drafted in early second round not 3rd to 4th round

 

[theslatcher]

Zion Nybeck. I don’t think he is all that far behind the top Swedish guys like Raymond and Holtz.

If only he was a tad taller, which could happen as his brothers are 6-8cm taller than him. But for now he's too small for NHL teams to draft him in the first round, and maybe even the second round.

 

[EXTRAS]

So, part 2. What do all these charts mean? I'll have a couple 19 year old defensemen at the end of my draft board, some 18 year old defensemen, but no 17 year old defensemen.
Who I got for 19's defensemen:
My model says the 10th and 47th (two teams) best 19 year old defenseman last year was the undrafted Adam Wilsby, He was 39th as an 18 year old the previous year.
22nd best 19 year old last year was Declan Carlile, 57th and 69th (two teams) the previous year as an 18 year old.
25th best 19 year old Ilya Solovyov, previously did World Juniors.
31st best Peetro Seppälä, has been in Liiga for along time, which I think is a good sign.
37th/77th , Axel Rindell

For 18's:
4th: Alex Cotton
5th: Zach Uens
11/42: Samuel Johannesson
17th: Mason Lohrei
21st: Billy Constantinou

So probably 6 or 7 of these guys will end up on my draft board because historically overage defensemen produce a lot of NHL games/pick. Next time I'll point out the overage forwards I like.

Surprised declan carlile hasn't been selected yet.