C Justin Janicke - USNTDP, USHL (2021, 195th, SEA)

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I think this guy is going to be a high pick. Looked like the best prospect in this years 17's crop in the first game I saw of this team. Really good skill guy, but skates incredibly well and plays well in all zones. He looked like the big difference maker when on the ice. His brother was a pick of the Ducks this past draft, and is a good prospect, as well.

Justin Janicke at eliteprospects.com

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[William H Bonney]

He's had a pretty quiet U17 tournament thus far, but he was excellent when I saw him earlier this year. Plays with the same tenacity and skating as his brother, but with a lot more skill.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

He's had a pretty quiet U17 tournament thus far, but he was excellent when I saw him earlier this year. Plays with the same tenacity and skating as his brother, but with a lot more skill.

He was used as an extra forward in the game against the Czech Republic, which would usually seem insane for one of your best players, but thats how Wroblewski operates. Wroblewski was doing the same to guys like Boldy and Zegras last season. He got very few shifts, but I found that he still stood out, which is impressive.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Nice short-handed goal he scored today.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Promoted to the 18's.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

First of the four promoted 17's to score a goal for the 18's (Lucius and Behrens each have one assist through three games, Duke has no points through three games). I think he's looking like our best draft eligible forward in 2021. He gets a lot less discussion than Beniers and Lucius, even Duke, but I think he has the best skill-set among American draft eligible forwards in 2021.

He reminds me a lot of Peyton Krebs in style of play and ability. If you think back to Krebs draft season, he was pencilled in for that 7-12 range before suffering an injury right before the draft that dropped his stock. In a similar or worse 2021 draft, I think Janicke's range is probably going to be very similar.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

He's a very active and noticeable player in all zones, but the more I'm seeing, the less I like his puck skills. They are very inconsistent. He'll show some very creative stick-handling, but then mishandle easy passes or lose the puck too easily when trying to deke. There's offense in his game and skill, but I think the passing might be ahead of the pure skill. He's a brilliant forechecker. There might be no better forechecker in the 2021 draft class, and he makes a big impact with his great skating. He's a better version of his brother. How much better is the question, but I think he's looking like a mid first round pick at this point. Depending on how good of a season he has and how he can turn his raw skill into more consistent stick handling, I can see a range of top 10-top 30.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

He has 7G+5A in his last 10 games. And he’s doing this with a pretty tough role to score. He’s among the better offensive players on the team, and gets a purely shutdown role because he’s arguably the best defensive forward on the team. I think if you look at his stats they are a little deceiving. I think he’s a first rounder, but the lists I see list him as a second round pick. I think a wise team that analyzes his poor usage this season will get a steal in the second round.

 

[m0pe]

Agreed on how good Janicke is.

Whenever I watch that team Janicke is the forward that pops out most to me. Despite the number of other guys outscoring him he is consistently one of the best...even over guys like Pastujov and Duke who are scoring at a way higher rate.

Such a well-rounded player...would not hesitate at all to take him later in the 1st.

 

[MMC]

Welcome to Seattle

 

[Fistfullofbeer]

Is he one of the youngest kids this draft class? He has a June 30, 2003 birthday.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Just watch how he does under some real coaching. I think a lot of people will be wondering how he lasted until the 7th round.

 

[William H Bonney]

I think he was hampered by coaching like most of the U18 team, but I think NHL teams rightfully have questions about how he projects to the NHL after a downward trajectory, coaching influenced or not. He doesn't have high-end skills and he really struggled to show any value in a more traditional bottom six role this year.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I think he was hampered by coaching like most of the U18 team, but I think NHL teams rightfully have questions about how he projects to the NHL after a downward trajectory, coaching influenced or not. He doesn't have high-end skills and he really struggled to show any value a more traditional bottom six role this year.

I see some middle ground. He doesn’t have the offense of someone like Beniers, but he’s able to create scoring chances better than most grinders. He has better than average stick skills and passing ability, but I think he tries to rush chances way too often and is one of the few players who could benefit from slowing down. I also want to see how he does in the middle of the ice. Maybe he’ll get that role at Notre Dame.

 

[William H Bonney]

I see some middle ground. He doesn’t have the offense of someone like Beniers, but he’s able to create scoring chances better than most grinders. He has better than average stick skills and passing ability, but I think he tries to rush chances way too often and is one of the few players who could benefit from slowing down.

Yeah, I definitely would have drafted him and I wouldn't be surprised to see him bounce back / improve soon. I was really disappointed with his grinder effort this year. He struggled to win board battles, wasn't difficult to play against, and his overall defensive play was down. He's got more skill than the average grinder but I think the red flags on his bottom six abilities were a big source of his drop. I'm sure he's happy to get improved coaching here soon, though.

 

[thethinglonger]

Here's some footage from a game in February:

 

[Artorius Horus T]

I see some middle ground. He doesn’t have the offense of someone like Beniers, but he’s able to create scoring chances better than most grinders. He has better than average stick skills and passing ability, but I think he tries to rush chances way too often and is one of the few players who could benefit from slowing down. I also want to see how he does in the middle of the ice. Maybe he’ll get that role at Notre Dame.

I don't see much offense from Beniers as a pro TBH.