2021 HFNHL Draft Review – Arizona Coyotes

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May 30, 2010
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2021 HFNHL Draft Review – Arizona Coyotes

Simon Edvinsson – LD – Frolunda HC (SHL) 6’04”198
HFNHL: 1st Round – 8th Overall
NHL: 1st Round – 6th Overall by the Detroit Red Wings in 2021

Analysis: For the second year in a row the HFNHL Coyotes go to Frolunda to select their first player at #8 Overall and for the second year in a row the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings select that first rounder before the 8th pick. This time around it’s a big skilled left shot defenseman in Simon Edvinsson. Simon has good puck skills and skating ability at his size, but is extremely proficient in his own zone. He is one of the safer picks with some projections suggesting he is a Victor Hedman type player, but the low end of his game is considered to be in the Adam Larsson range, so either way the Coyotes are looking at a long term option in their top four on the blueline.

Xavier Bourgault – RW – Shawinigan Cataractes (QMJHL) 6’00” 172
HFNHL: 2nd Round – 35th Overall
NHL: 1st Round – 22nd Overall by the Edmonton Oilers in 2021

Analysis: The Coyotes traded up and gave up a steep price to select Bourgault at #35 in the HFNHL Entry Draft, but already getting rewarded as he goes #22 to the Edmonton Oilers on day one. Bourgault is a high skilled forward with excellent goal scoring ability and can create offense for himself and his teammates. Being a natural winger and going to a team lacking some skill on the wing but is loaded with skill up the middle is an absolutely perfect fit for a player who’s described to have some similarities to former high scoring Shawinigan forward Anthony Beauvillier. He doesn’t quite have the extra gear, or quite as high of a compete level as Beauvillier did, but he is already taller than Beauvillier and possesses the same type of game breaking skill he showed 5 years earlier on the same QMJHL franchise.

Benjamin Roger – RD – London Knights (OHL) 6’03” 194
HFNHL: 4th Round – 99th Overall
NHL: 2nd Round – 49th Overall by the Ottawa Senators in 2021

Analysis: Roger is a big bodied right shot defenseman with an excellent frame. Roger struggled to get much action for the Knights in the 2019-2020 season due to the depth, but showed very well when he played. Follow this with a great showing at the PBHH invitational and he really raised his draft stock. Ben has a reputation as a very solid and steady defender in his own end, but also possesses a big shot from the point. Despite having such a big frame he skates very well from the back end and projects to be a very solid, reliable HFNHL player in the future.

Bryce Montgomery – RD – London Knights (OHL) 6’04” 220
HFNHL: 5th Round – 136th Overall
NHL: 6th Round - 170th Overall by the Carolina Hurricanes in 2021

Analysis: Like Roger, Bryce Montgomery was limited in his opportunities with the London Knights due to the team’s depth, but like Roger will be expected to play a massive role in the 2021-2022 OHL Season. Montgomery is a huge hulking defeseman who plays a very physical game and is someone who was very uncomfortable to play against, even as a rookie. He had a respectable PBHH which raised the Coyotes confidence to be able to select him in the 5th round of the 2021 HFNHL Entry Draft.

Simon Motew – RD – Chicago Cougars (USPHL) 6’01” 176
HFNHL: 6th Round – 168th Overall
NHL: Undrafted

Analysis: Motew is the first player ever selected out of the USPHL by the HFNHL Coyotes but for good reaason. Motew posted over two points per game, playing close to home for the Chicago Cougars of the USPHL. When play resumes Motew will be returning to the OHL’s Kitchener Rangers and will play a prominent role for the Kitchener Rangers on the back end. Motew has grown from 5’08” to 6’01” over the past two seasons, so flying under the radar is nothing new for the 6th rounder. Motew is an excellent skater, great puck rusher and puck mover and has power play QB ability. We thought maybe playing in the USPHL rather than Kitchener would drop his stock a little, but we didn’t expect him to go undrafted. Watch for him to get himself up the rankings next year when he returns to the OHL.

Albin Sundsvik – LC – Skelleftea AIK (SHL) 6’02” 203
HFNHL: 6th Round – 173rd Overall
NHL: 6th Round – 160th Overall by the Anaheim Ducks in 2020

Analysis: Sundsvik is the lone re-entry selection by the HFNHL Coyotes in the 2021 HFNHL Entry Draft and was selected by the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks last season as a first year re-entry player into the NHL Draft. What drew the Coyotes to Albin is the pure level of improvement his game has seen over each of the last four seasons. Going from a player who struggled to score in J20, to a point per game player in J20 getting a dozen SHL games, to playing a full SHL season to more than tripling his offensive output this season. Sundsvik’s journey has caused him to become a solid 200 foot forward who has a great compete level, uses his frame well to win battles, but recently he has further improved his offensive game, and has been able to put the puck in the net finishing 8th on the team in goal scoring despite being the youngest forward to play a full season for Skelleftea. He was also invited to play for Team Sweden with fellow HFNHL Coyotes prospect Lucas Raymond posting a respectable 3 points in 5 games. Coyotes expect Sundsvik to become a solid two-way forward somewhere in the middle lines in the future.

Tyler Haskins – LC – Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL) 6’01” 168
HFNHL: 7th Round – 195th Overall
NHL: Undrafted

Analysis: HFNHL Coyotes usually don’t go to the USHL for their picks, but when they do there is good reason. Haskins floated around the middle lines for the Stampede with a few very good veterans and a top prospect in Cole Sillinger in the line up. Despite all of this, Haskins recorded over a point per game and was one of only four of the top 10 scorers on the team to be in the positive in plus/minus. Haskins will likely play a huge role for Sioux Falls next year before heading to the University of Michigan. Haskins has good size down the middle at 6’01” and excellent playmaking abilities. He skates well for a big forward and works hard in all three zones. He is one of those guys who is well under the radar (so far that he went undrafted in 2021) but will be one of those players you look back on and wonder how he was still on the board in the seventh round.

Landon McCallum – RC – Sudbury Wolves (OHL) 5’11” 175
HFNHL: 7th Round – 200th Overall
NHL: Undrafted

Analysis: McCallum is one of those players who was most hurt by the pandemic. Only playing in the PBHH and not quite playing to his level is going to cause him to be one of those sleeper prospects in this draft. Not the biggest player, but is nearly six feet tall, McCallum plays the game at high speed and competes hard. He is a very frustrating player to play against and has a bit of a Brandon Gallagher element to his game. Landon has good puck skills, a deceptive shot and good playmaking ability. He handles the puck well and brings good offensive tools. The mix of grit, skill and speed will help him take on a much bigger role in the OHL next season.

Andre Anania – LD – Stouffville Spirit (OJHL) 6’01” 175
HFNHL: 7th Round – 204th Overall
NHL: Undrafted

Analysis: Andre Anania is a name you likely would have heard a lot of this season had the OHL played. He was expected to take on a top four role on the Wolves blueline but has had his OHL debut postponed due to the pandemic. Anania will get a trial by fire in the OHL as he will be expected to play over 20 minutes per game right out of the gate. Andre brings decent size on the back end with great puck skills. He has an excellent shot and was able to score 14 goals as a 16 year old defenseman in Jr. A; something that is rarely achieved at that age. He has a very balanced two-way game that is supported by high end hockey sense and an IQ for the game that is going to help him translate to the next level. Anania is a defenseman who was definitely going to be under the radar, but likely would have heard his name called had the OHL played this season. This ends HFNHL Coyotes’ streak of every prospect on their prospects list being drafted, but is a situation where they can play the long game and let Anania rise through the depth chart.
 

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