Prospect Info: Dallas Stars 2014 Draft Scouting Reports

[glovesave_35]

Are you doing a strict "depth chart" or are you creating a virtual hockey roster of prospects?

Both of you...how is Stransky lower than Glennie or Troock?

 

[Hull Fan]

Are you doing a strict "depth chart" or are you creating a virtual hockey roster of prospects?

Both of you...how is Stransky lower than Glennie or Troock?

I did mine where Troock is probably top six or out but Stransky could play a lower line role and be good at it. This isn't a true depth chart but more what would this lineup look like if they were a team at say the Traverse City tournament if we fielded the best we could. You could flip those two and I'd have no real issues. Just like Dickinson and Shore or Guptill, Ully, and McKenzie.

 

[BigG44]

Mike Vellucci, Plymouth GM/Head Coach:

"He plays really hard, he makes good first passes, he's playing a lot," Whaler coach-GM Mike Vellucci says of Peters, who scored his first OHL goal on Oct. 1. "It's great for him and Josh Wesley, two young guys who are going to learn quite a lot as the season goes on. Petey played a lot for us last season and he got a great experience. He was one of our top penalty killers last year, so he already knows that coming into this year."

 

[SolidusAKA]

I think I was combining "potential readiness to play in dallas" into my assessment. Id trade both Glennie and Troock before Stransky

 

[BigG44]

Brock Otten's OHL Rankings

16. Alex Peters - Defense - Plymouth Whalers
Peters has to be considered one of the top shutdown defensive prospects available for this draft. At 6'4, 200lbs, and with good mobility, he's very difficult to get around off the rush. He keeps attacking forwards in front of him and picks his spots well when using a stick or body check. Peters is also already very strong in the corners and comes away with the puck in the vast majority of his loose puck battles. As he matures, I look for him to become even more of a menacing presence in front of the net, utilizing his size just a bit more than he currently does. The best thing about Peters is that he's very capable at handling the puck and does a great job with getting the puck out of his zone by pass or rush. As he gains confidence, I look for him to try to jump up in the rush a bit more and to try pushing those rushes deeper into the offensive zone. While he does a great job of skating the puck out of trouble, he's quick to dish it off once outside of his blueline. The offensive numbers aren't necessarily there, but I can tell you that he has more offensive potential than those numbers would indicate. Bottom line is that Peters looks like a guy who could play 10+ years in the NHL in some capacity, but who also has the potential to impact the game on more than just a defensive level.

22. Aaron Haydon - Defense - Niagara IceDogs
Haydon's offensive game really didn't develop as I anticipated it would this year. That part of his game really improved as a 16/17 year old during the 2012/2013 season, so an expectation of continued growth wasn't far fetched. In reality, I think his offensive game actually regressed. Haydon is a terrific skater, especially for a bigger defender, and he needs to take advantage of that more in order to jump up or lead the rush. He can be prone to turnovers in his own end because of some poor decision making. His first pass will definitely need to improve. But there's definitely potential there and I think a lack of confidence in that area really hurt his game this year. Defensively, the -39 isn't indicative. Haydon is a solid defensive prospect. With his skating ability, size, and aggression, he has the potential to develop into a top quality shut down guy. He can get lost in coverage at times, but he's already terrific off the rush and is adept at winning battles in the corners and near the crease. Basically, Haydon's game is all about projection. He's a big kid with a lot of redeeming qualities. He's not polished, but as he matures, he could be a terrific two-way guy, or at the very least a solid stay at home. I do continue to have faith in his offensive capabilities moving forward though.

25. Brent Moran - Goaltender - Niagara IceDogs
Moran started the year in a platoon with veteran Chris Festarini, but eventually took over the starter's job when Festarini left the team. It wasn't until then that Moran's play really improved noticeably. With more consistent playing time, his confidence grew and he began stringing consistently strong appearances together. By the time the playoffs rolled around, Moran was playing some terrific hockey, and continued that into the first round against North Bay, where he was excellent. He's got great size and that's going to lure in the scouts. His ability to track the play and cut down angles really improved as the year went on. As did his ability to control his rebounds. He can still give up some bad goals low when teams get him moving. And he still has a tendency to be beat high from overplaying angles. BUT, he has terrific potential and is a real moldable kid. He probably ends up going off the boards earlier than where I have him in my rankings.

Brock Otten's Honorable Mention List (Outside of Top 50):

Patrick Sanvido - Defense - Windsor Spitfires
Started the year off pretty poorly and had a tough time keeping up with the pace of the OHL game. But he got better as the season went on and seems to have regained the trust of Windsor's brain trust as a core piece of this team's future. Still needs to work on his skating and decision making in his own end, but you can't teach the size he has (6'5). Big stay at home guys who actually play up to their size aren't as common as you think.

 

[BigG44]

Michael Prapavessis may not play for RPI next season. He could end up in the USHL with Lincoln.

 

[BigG44]

Found this:

Sean Lafortune ‏@SeanLafortune

Michael Prapavessis - Significant growth over the past 24 months. Good feet, smart, controlled and cerebral. Tools are impressive.

 

[Captain Awesome]

Michael Prapavessis may not play for RPI next season. He could end up in the USHL with Lincoln.

USHL seems like a lateral move from the OJHL. Is this to get into the NCAA eventually? I can't think of another reason why he would go to the USHL over the OHL unless he prefers the NCAA route.

 

[wings5]

USHL seems like a lateral move from the OJHL. Is this to get into the NCAA eventually? I can't think of another reason why he would go to the USHL over the OHL unless he prefers the NCAA route.

USHL is undoutebly better than OJHL. It's the best junior league he can go while keeping his NCAA eligibility.

 

[Primetimey*]

But why doesn't he go NCAA now instead of one year in the USHL?

 

[BigG44]

USHL seems like a lateral move from the OJHL. Is this to get into the NCAA eventually? I can't think of another reason why he would go to the USHL over the OHL unless he prefers the NCAA route.

It's not a lateral move. Alex Guptill actually went from the OJHL to the USHL and struggled after dominating the OJHL. The issue is you're actually dealing with quite a few older players. Many of these guys are closer to 20.

But why doesn't he go NCAA now instead of one year in the USHL?

He probably would if it was his choice. NCAA programs have to evaluate their commitments and in some cases they delay a players entry into their system. Michigan is a great program with high end players. Guptill wanted to go bad enough that they didn't have room for him immediately. So he went to the USHL for one season to wait until a spot opened up.

.......

But disregard all of this anyway. I just stumbled on to a RPI press release, and even though some places still show him as a 2014 or 2015 commit, they've already announced him as a member of their 2018 class ... joining the program this Fall in 2014.

Link for the Release + Seth Appert, Head Coach:

"Michael joins us after leading his team to the Royal Bank Cup in Canada. He is an elite offensive defenseman who will add intelligence, mobility and offensive production from our back end. He also earned valuable experience representing Canada East at the World Junior Challenge."

 

[Primetimey*]

 

[Dr GLU]

He could possibly be concerned about playing time since it looks like RPI has 6 returning D.

Remember what happened to Sinitsyn.

 

[BigG44]

He could possibly be concerned about playing time since it looks like RPI has 6 returning D.

Remember what happened to Sinitsyn.

Seriously 6 returning? I haven't looked at their roster yet. In a different article, I can tell you the coach was not happy with last year's D for sure. They scored 11 total goals as a group IIRC. Three of the 2018 draft class are offensive defenders. They're going to be pushing out some older players to the bench I guess ... should say hope so.

I'd rather not see Prapavessis sit like Sinitsyn. 4 good years of college sound perfect for this guy .... at least three for sure.

 

[BigG44]

Overlooked this earlier. He's on THN January Hot List with Honka:

The Hockey News:

Michael Prapavessis, D –Toronto Lakeshore Patriots (OJHL)
A two-way blueliner with decent size, Prapavessis is a deft playmaker, particularly on the power play. The RPI commit leads the Ontario Jr. A League in scoring by a defenseman with three goals and 41 points in 38 games and has six points in his past five appearances. Draft eligible in 2014.

 

[Hull Fan]

London is surely going to make a push since they own his rights.

 

[BigG44]

London is surely going to make a push since they own his rights.

Hunters said they don't think they have any chance of bringing him on. London actually never even officially announced the trade per Dale they thought it was a longshot.

As Starry mentioned they apparently moved his friend that might potentially be a draw for him, but I think even Dallas would push him to RPI.

 

[Captain Awesome]

RPI's only recent alum of note is Brandon Pirri, that doesn't exactly inspire confidence as far as development goes. They also brought us Brian Pothier, Adam Oates, and Joe Juneau. Those are probably the only players of note I saw in their NHL alumni list. You have to wonder if Nill doesn't step in and ask him to go somewhere else.

My bad about the USHL, I'm pretty unfamiliar with it since there isn't much talk about it. Generally it seems like most of the guys drafted that played there are already in the NCAA in their draft year.

 

[BigG44]

RPI's only recent alum of note is Brandon Pirri, that doesn't exactly inspire confidence as far as development goes. They also brought us Brian Pothier, Adam Oates, and Joe Juneau. Those are probably the only players of note I saw in their NHL alumni list. You have to wonder if Nill doesn't step in and ask him to go somewhere else.

My bad about the USHL, I'm pretty unfamiliar with it since there isn't much talk about it. Generally it seems like most of the guys drafted that played there are already in the NCAA in their draft year.

Players of note really don't matter. There's only about 4 or 5 true powerhouse teams.

ECAC where RPI actually plays should be a good place to hone defensive skills. The new regime does have some major attraction to the OHL so I'm not saying it's impossible, but Prapavessis seems like a classic NCAA type player. Detroit's never had a problem letting guys develop in the NCAA.

 

[Starry Knight]

I will put this out there; in this years OHL draft the Knights selected a guy with a 0% chance of reporting. The guys twitter banner was of Miami university and his twitter description was "proud member of Miami university". Guess what? He recently signed with the knights and will play for us next year.

Never count the Knights out since they are very good at turning college commits.

 

[BigG44]

The scouts take is ready from Dallas ... may favorite stuff:

Nill on Pollack:

His game really improved the last half of the season,” said Nill. “Anytime you’re on a winning team, it’s a great experience. I had an opportunity to go watch him play in the Memorial Cup and he played very well. He plays center ice. He plays wing. He puts up good points, so we’re excited about his potential.”

Stars director of amateur scouting Joe McDonnell:

“Brett Pollock has a high offensive upside. He has real good hands, makes real smart plays in tight down below the circles. I’ll say this about all these kids at this age, but they are all lacking strength at this stage. If he needs to add one thing, he needs to bulk up and that’s just part of the process with him.”

Stars director of amateur scouting Joe McDonnell - Alex Peters:

“He’s one of the guys I could say doesn’t need to bulk up too much. He’s a fitness fanatic. He’s a big kid already. He moves really well. He can make the simple play, and what he has to do now is start working on his overall puck skill game. He has no problem with that other than maybe a little bit fancier type thing. He’s very capable of making that first outlet pass.”

Stars director of amateur scouting Joe McDonnell - Michael Prapavessis:

“He ran the power play on his Tier 2 team and the thing we really liked about him is not only his offensive upside, but we’ve got four years of college with him. He’s going to go and develop, get bigger and stronger and get a lot of practice time. We see a real good upside with him.”

Stars director of amateur scouting Joe McDonnell - Brent Moran:

“He sort of took the ball and ran with it in Niagara. He’s a big kid, he’s just kind of got to grow into his body. He carried the Niagara team into the playoffs and was the single reason why they were competitive.”

Stars director of European scouting Kari Takko - Miro Karjalainen:

“You can see that the size is there. This guy is mean, he is big and there is something special there. If he turns out to be a player, he is going to be a good shutdown defenseman. He has a good shot. The coordination is still a little off because of the size and he is just learning to train. What we liked most about him is the heart and the willingness to play for the team.”

Stars director of amateur scouting Joe McDonnell - Aaron Haydon:

“He’s a big, strong, physical guy that skates pretty well. He is a simple player. He’s not an offensive threat by any means, but he is going to make you pay in your own end. He’s got to fill out and get stronger, but he’s just got that attitude that he doesn’t like people standing alone in his own end. He’s going to make sure they know that he is there.”

Stars amateur scout Rickard Oquist - John Nyberg:

“He’s a two-way defenseman. He has some offensive tools, can move the puck, good first pass and has a bomb for a shot. He’s pretty good on the power play and has put up decent points in the Under-18 league this year. Really excited about him.”

Stars director of amateur scouting Joe McDonnell:

Stars director of amateur scouting Joe McDonnell: “For his size he moves really well. He’s not an offensive threat at all, but he is going to be hard to play against. He has the wing span of, you know, big. He’s just going to be a guy that is tough to play against. We really loved his size and skating. He’s a real character kid.”

 

[Zrhutch]

You're doing the Lord's work G

 

[BigG44]

Same link as above, McDonnell and Nill are adamant that they BPA just happened to be a defender over and over again. They say they wanted D and right shots for sure, but ... well just see:

“It’s just the way it worked out,” said Stars director of amateur scouting Joe McDonnell. “We didn’t lean that way. Throughout the whole draft we wanted to take the best player available and every time it came to our pick it ended up being a defenseman.”

“It’s just kind of the way the draft unfolded,” said Stars GM Jim Nill. “Every time we came to our pick, there was a defenseman there we liked. We wanted to add some defense. A couple are right-handed-shot defensemen, which we needed to add to our organization. They either had high-end skill, the guys we drafted, or they had some great size to go with their skill. So we’re excited. In today’s NHL, you can never have enough defensemen.”

 

[BigG44]

Nill on Pollack:

His game really improved the last half of the season,” said Nill. “Anytime you’re on a winning team, it’s a great experience. I had an opportunity to go watch him play in the Memorial Cup and he played very well. He plays center ice. He plays wing. He puts up good points, so we’re excited about his potential.”

 

[BigG44]

Dallas on Honka ...

Jim Nill:

“That’s what we were looking for,” Nill said. “We don’t have a lot of that in our organization other than [John] Klingberg. Somewhere along the lines you’ve got to start addressing those needs, and he is a power play type of player.”

“He’s possibly going to play next year in the men’s league over in Finland. We are going to discuss that with him over the next couple days,” Nill said. “That would be great for his development. He is going to play against men. He is going to realize how important it is to get stronger. It’s a great league. It is really going to help his development. It will make him closer to making the American League in a couple of years and we’ll see how he develops.”

Joe McDonnell:

“He’s just a very heady hockey player,” said McDonnell. “He sees the ice very well. He’s a good skater. Down the road I believe he is someone who is going to be able to run the power play for you.”

“I think any defenseman at that age needs work in their own end, especially at the pro level. But he plays it fine. He competes,” McDonnell said. “Obviously he is not a 6-3 defenseman, but he plays bigger than he is. He goes into the corners to make plays to get the puck out of his zone. He makes a great first pass out. But all defenseman at that age need to learn how to play defense at the pro level.”

“He’s going to end up playing at 6-0, he’s around 5-11,” McDonnell said. “Our biggest concern was his height, but when he came to the door and we shook his hand, he’s not that small.”