When the 2020-21 season began, many were projecting Aatu Raty as the first overall selection in the 2021 NHL Draft. However, Raty really struggled to start the year and questions were raised about his potential. He got better as the season went on though. Raty put up just three goals and three assists in 33 games for Karpat in the SM Liiga, playing against men in Finland’s top men’s league. However, the 17-year-old was much better when facing opponents his age. He scored three goals and seven points in eight games in the Finnish Under-20 league.
In 2019-20 Raty scored two goals and four points in 12 games in the SM Liiga. He also added two goals and 21 points in 30 games in the Finnish Under-20 league. He had nine points in nine games playing in exhibition tournaments with Finland’s Under-18 team and even made the World Junior Squad as the youngest player in the tournament. As a 17-year old, he scored two goals and three points in the seven-game tournament against the best under-20 players in the world. He also had four points in three games at the Hlinka-Gretzky Cup.
2021 NHL Draft #16: Aatu Raty Scouting Report - LWOS
It was certainly an interesting year in the QMJHL, with the season starting in the fall, having a long hiatus, and returning this spring. Add in a few injuries and this lead to Shawinigan Cataractes winger Xavier Bourgault playing just 29 games. He made the most of the games and he did play and was productive with 20 goals and 20 assists for 40 points. Bourgault has also added four assists in five playoff games so far.
A second-round pick, 33rd overall in the 2018 QMJHL Draft, Bourgault had just seven goals and 13 assists for 20 points in 69 games as a rookie. He was also held to just one assist in six playoff games. Bourgault played for Team Canada White at the Under-17 World Hockey Challenge. He put up two assists in five tournament games. However, in his sophomore season, 2019-20, Bourgault emerged as a top player for the Cataractes. He put up 33 goals and 38 assists for 71 points in 63 games before the league shut down due to the global pandemic. Bourgault led the team in goals. He was tied with Dallas Stars 2020 first-round pick
Mavrik Bourque for the Cataractes lead in points.
2021 NHL Draft #17: Xavier Bourgault Scouting Report
Russian forward Nikita Chibrikov bounced around the various Russian leagues this year, getting time playing against men in the KHL and VHL, while also having games in the MHL junior league. Play for Russian powerhouse SKA St. Petersburgh, Chibrikov played 16 KHL games scoring one goal and one assist. He added three goals and eight assists for 11 points in 20 VHL games. Playing against other teenagers, Chibrikov scored three goals and six assists for nine points in 11 games. He also added three assists in five playoff games.
Chibrikov really made his mark at the recent IIHF Under-18 World Championship. He put up four goals and nine assists for 13 points in seven tournament games, helping the Russian team to a silver medal. He led the tournament in assists and was named a top-three player on the Russian team. In 2019-20, Chibrikov also appeared at the Under-17 World Hockey Challenge. He scored three goals and five assists for eight points in six games, helping the Russian team to a gold medal. He played for the Russian men’s team at the recent European Hockey Tournament, putting up a goal and three points in three games.
2021 NHL Draft #18: Nikita Chibrikov Scouting Report
