Watching the Gretzky-Hlinka u-18 tornament on TSN here in Canada....we get all the Team Canada games and another game played in the same rink that day ..so we have only seem highlights of USA and Russia in the other preliminary division..But Rusdkues have rolled through all opposition in their division and are scoring a pile of goals...Since they beat USA easily yesterday,the Russians hit the semi-finals to play Sedan who lost a close one last night to Canada and thus finish 2nd in their division ..And USA as 2nd place in their division now plays Canada who were top of that division in the mother semi-final on Friday ..
So looking forward to just g the Russian prospects and USA prospects since I have only seen highlights on them..
But I have watched Canada and Sweden games I their division..and the scouting buzz on the 2020 draft class (the 16 yr Olds in this tournament) are spot on. ..Amazing talents coming up for that draft ..Alexis Lafreniere for Canada is a superstar in the making ...Holloway is another forward who at 16 is showing he could be a great pick...And I really have been impressed by Barron on defense for a 16 yr old ..
For Sweden the 2 16 year old forwards are their 2 best players. ..Lukas Raymond is absolutely a tremendous hockey talent already ...sets up plays...scores goals...takes away pucks...kills penalties. ..and even though he plays LW he also is good on face offs. ..He also has hockey sense both ways and a great work ethic..I am so impressed with him ,he could be #1 in 2020 even ahead of Lafreniere ...I have not seem a player as complete and all round good as Raymond in a long time...Great speed too. Also saw him throw body checks ..He has it all.
The other 16 yr old is Alexander Holtz ...Very good speed and a rocket of a shot .Should be top 5 pick in 2020 too..
As to some of the 2019 eligible. .Canada has several good ones in Cozens ,Dach, Clarke and Krebs ...Dylan Cozens is the big C everyone covets...he is good on draws and skates very well,and has a good work ethic..but he ought to have produced more points I think in Canada's games so far ..He has made some really good Powe and pick Co trol attacks on net but somehow no goals came of it..so I wonder if his offensive upside is more limited than a lot have thought as many have him rated #2 after Jack Hughes for 2019...Still big 6'4 Centres are hard to ignore and as we saw with Kotjaniemi and Hayton this last draft there will be a premium to grab this type early ...Cozens also is captain..so a lot expected of him for leadership of team Canada..but the under performance on actual points by him got him benched for a few shifts last game.. I think they expected more than he has produced to date in 3 games from such a highly rated prospect.. So we may have to watch him over this season on his progression or not..
Kirby Dach is an interesting prospect . He is playing RW for team Canada ...Big player ...will go to corners and get pucks then make nice dishes to set up guys for shots von goal..Also goes well to net area..tips and deflection screens..all that to help contribute to those types of resulting goals. I like him a lot.
Krebs is the top line Centre on Canada nd rated very highly...makes nice plays at high sped on transitions ..but not sure if his shot is special enough to get exited on...Perhaps a good but not greatness potential level..
Clarke is an interesting player ..plays RW ...He looks like a shooter/sniper type but will go to the boards to get pucks and make plays ...He has a goal scorer shot .and quick relese..needs to play with a set up Centre type for one timers and snap shots..He does however have an annoying habit of tapping his stick on the ice to indicate to team-mate he is open and to get him the puck ...it looks a bit selfish..but to be a goal scorer you need to have the confidence and belief you can be the difference-maker . SO telling guys you are open and want to shoot the puck is a trait many such types will use ..He probably by will be taken in the top 10-15 of the 201 9 draft ...
