Early Season Top 30 (Just OHL) For the 2014 NHL Draft

[Brock]

http://ohlprospects.blogspot.ca/2013/10/early-season-top-30-for-2014-nhl-draft.html

My first list of the season. Head to the link for specific comments on players. Also, feel free to ask any questions here.

1. Aaron Ekblad
2. Sam Bennett
3. Roland McKeown
4. Michael Dal Colle
5. Nick Ritchie
6. Jared McCann
7. Brendan Perlini
8. Blake Clarke
9. Anthony DeAngelo
10. Spencer Watson
11. Nikolai Goldobin
12. Josh Ho-Sang
13. Alex Nedeljkovic
14. Robby Fabbri
15. Ryan MacInnis
16. Matthew Mistele
17. Jacob Middleton
18. Eric Cornel
19. Brendan Lemieux
20. Aaron Haydon
21. Jaden Lindo
22. Blake Siebenaler
23. Brandon Robinson
24. Mike Amadio
25. Phil Baltisberger
26. Brandon Prophet
27. Damian Bourne
28. Stefan Leblanc
29. Nick Magyar
30. Kyle Jenkins

Click to read more...

 

[The Camera Eye]

Great list, much appreciated.

 

[Soli]

Always a good read. Thanks Brock.

I notice you mentioned that Dal Colle dabbles back at center at times. Are we talking full games, injury/match penalty fill in, a couple odd shifts, PK/PP faceoffs? Got a lot of time for him and think whoever drafts him will look at moving him back to the middle. I imagine when Laughton leaves next season he'll get a longer look at lining up down the middle. Maybe even while Laughton's at the WJC?

 

[Dr Quincy]

Glad to see DeAngelo so high on your list.

 

[stayinalive]

Hey Brock, what are your thoughts on Brett Hargrave and Nikita Serebyakov?

 

[Sticks and Pucks]

Hey Brock, what are your thoughts on Brett Hargrave and Nikita Serebyakov?

Hargrave leaving his junior team in his draft year can't be a good sign.

 

[Brock]

Always a good read. Thanks Brock.

I notice you mentioned that Dal Colle dabbles back at center at times. Are we talking full games, injury/match penalty fill in, a couple odd shifts, PK/PP faceoffs? Got a lot of time for him and think whoever drafts him will look at moving him back to the middle. I imagine when Laughton leaves next season he'll get a longer look at lining up down the middle. Maybe even while Laughton's at the WJC?

Since Laughton has been back, he hasn't really seen any time. Before then it was sparingly as a injury, penalty fill in on the odd shift.

The issue is that Cole Cassels, another natural center, has also been playing on the wing this year (with Laughton). When Laughton heads to the WJC's (in all likelihood), it's more likely that Cassels would go back down the middle on that top line because he has more experience at the position.

While Dal Colle played centre in midget and could be a natural fit there, it's looking more and more likely that he's become a full time winger.

 

[Brock]

Hey Brock, what are your thoughts on Brett Hargrave and Nikita Serebyakov?

Hargrave has been very underwhelming as an OHL player thus far. Has a decent skill set and size, but lacks intensity and drive. He's currently sitting out, waiting for Sarnia to trade him (as FirstOverallLine said). His draft stock is non existent right now. If, when, he finally gets his deal, he's going to have to really step up his game in order to get drafted.

Serebryakov just hasn't been good enough to warrant discussion for this list. He's very athletic but he's also erratic and can be prone to bad goals due to his "scrambly" style. As a late '95, he's going to have to need to be much better, and the reality is that with Jake Paterson ahead of him, he's not going to get a ton of opportunities to prove it.

 

[Circulartheory]

Whats your thoughts on Alex Peters?

 

[Brock]

Whats your thoughts on Alex Peters?

Just outside of my top 30 right now (probably number 31). Similar to a guy like Baltisberger in that he's a safe stay at home defender. He has great size and really knows how to use it. I don't see a ton of upside but because of his size and physicality he'll probably end up going higher in the NHL draft than amateur scouts have him.

 

[puckfan13]

I really love Jared McCann's game, I hope he can rise up the list. Very smart and speedy little player and plays a ton for Soo. He looks so light out there right now though, he can't be close to done growing yet. Pretty excited about him.

As always, great work!

 

[Brock]

I really love Jared McCann's game, I hope he can rise up the list. Very smart and speedy little player and plays a ton for Soo. He looks so light out there right now though, he can't be close to done growing yet. Pretty excited about him.

As always, great work!

That's something that I alluded to in the article. McCann is right up there with the other top forwards available from the OHL this year, except for the fact that he's not nearly as physically mature. For that reason he's not as consistent. But when he's at his best, he's a very complete player with a high ceiling.