Brock
Registered User
I have recently released my final OHL rankings for the 2022 NHL Draft. As per the norm, I'm posting here and willing to answer any questions you might have!
ohlprospects.blogspot.com
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Here's the top 5 write ups and the Top 30 ranked:
1. Shane Wright - Center - Kingston Frontenacs
Whether you're someone who has Wright at first overall or not, there's absolutely no questioning that he's the top prospect from the OHL this year. It hasn't been the easiest year for Wright, but I still have faith that he will become a quality NHL player who has a long career. Did he truly take a step forward this year in his progression? I don't believe so. Stagnation is never a great thing to see from a prospect, but when you're already a terrific player, I don't think it's the end of the world. The criticisms of Wright this year are one hundred percent warranted. Yes, his pace of play needs to increase. He became too predictable to cover this year with his habit of altering pace to a crawl. This was not always an approach he used. He used to attack the offensive zone and his ability to quickly alter pace (either way) was a standout quality and allowed him to keep defenders off balance. But since altering his approach, team defensive approaches have been able to take away his space early inside the blueline and make him less effective. Yes, his physical intensity level needs to increase. His defensive instincts are fantastic. But he will never be a standout defensive player at the pro level without becoming more difficult to play against. He doesn't need to be Mike Peca. But even Patrice Bergeron can suffocate and is more than just a positional, stick oriented defender. Yes, he had a disappointing playoffs and under-performed from a statistical perspective all season. I think part of that had to do with the construction of the Frontenacs and how much he was asked to do (without a high end puck mover, Wright was responsible for starting the breakout himself on many occasions, which leaves him the trailer on a lot of occasions, or zapped his energy). All that said, Wright is still an incredibly intelligent playmaking center. His game is tailored to the pro level with how quick he makes decisions with the puck, operating a step ahead of the opposition (and unfortunately ahead of his own teammates). His shot is elite. His skating ability is great (even if he doesn't always use it to his advantage). How quickly we forget how he dominated the U18's in Texas one summer ago. Do I think Wright will be a generational level talent? No. Do I think that Wright will be a fixture as a first or second line center, consistent 60+ point guy, future team captain, and one of the better defensive forwards in the NHL? Yes, I believe that he has that potential.
2. Pavel Mintyukov - Defense - Saginaw Spirit
I've said this several times this year but I truly believe that Mintyukov has the highest upside of any defender available this year (including Nemec and Jiricek). Is he a safe pick? No, I don't believe so. But the upside is massive. You simply do not see many defenders who possess the hands and creativity that Mintyukov does. He consistently makes something out of nothing, blending strong four way mobility with a soft touch - you just can't box him in. I've seen some criticism of his vision and decision making with the puck, but I would not agree with that. His passing ability is a highlight. Yes, he can turn the puck over, but look at the situation he was in with Saginaw this year. He was given the green light and he took it and ran, playing about as aggressive as an offensive defender as you can get (it's not uncommon to see Mintyukov as the F1 on the forecheck). When you are constantly activating and asked to take chances, turnovers will happen. More often than not, he escapes pressure and is able to create scoring chances or keep plays alive. Defensively, that's where things get a little murkier. The profile is good. Size. Mobility. Reach. Physicality. He has that in spades. He looks great defending transitional attacks and he is at his best when he can play aggressive to shutdown attackers early, then flip the script and start the offensive attack. When asked to defend in zone coverage, that's when things get dicey. He can cheat to leave the zone early (a big no-no for a defender), he can miss assignments near the net, and he can chase the puck. He will require a lot of coaching. But let us not forget that Mintyukov did not play last year. Doesn't matter that he's a late 2003. He's behind the learning curve. The athletic tools are there, it's a matter of how they are developed. There's a very real chance that he becomes Ryan Sproul. There's a chance that he is asked to refine his game so much that he becomes Dmitri Kulikov. But IMO, the greatest odds are that he becomes a top flight top three defender who can impact the game in a lot of different ways. IMO, he's a top ten pick.
3. David Goyette - Center/Wing - Sudbury Wolves
One of the most misunderstood players in this draft class IMO. Early on, it was all offense for Goyette and he struggled as a three zone player. But his defensive play and engagement away from the puck improved dramatically over the course of the year. So did his consistency, but perhaps too many people stopped watching Sudbury down the stretch with them out of the playoff picture. Don't get me wrong, his play off the puck still needs to improve. But, to call him a one dimensional player is wrong. The best part of Goyette's game is his skating ability. Wouldn't call him the fastest player in the class, but his skating habits and his understanding of how to alter pace are among the best in the class. His edgework is a masterclass and he is very explosive out of cuts, with or without the puck. This makes him very elusive and unpredictable. As he matures physically, I think he can get even quicker and be better at sustaining his speed. Jordan Kyrou level skating ability is attainable for Goyette. Goyette is also highly skilled and does not need to alter his speed to make plays. He can play at a feverish pace. Improving his strength on the puck is a must because his effectiveness at playing through traffic is inconsistent, but the hands are top notch. His vision with the puck and passing touch are also top notch and this should help him stay down the middle at the pro level. To a certain extent, Goyette falls through the cracks because of how many similar average sized, quick, and skilled forwards there are available this year, but he has as much offensive upside as any of them.
4. Owen Beck - Center - Mississauga Steelheads
I saw some folks mention how surprised they were to see Beck ranked just outside the first round (33rd) at McKeen's given they know how much I like Beck and how much influence I have over those rankings. The reality is, as much as I love Beck, I don't see him as a future first line player at the next level. I think he settles in as a reliable middle six center who can bring a lot of versatility to his future coaches. There are just so many home run swings available (especially on the back-end) in that late first round range, that I have no problem with Beck being ranked a little lower because I perceive his upside to be somewhat limited. However, I have a hard time finding things that I don't like about Beck's game. The skating ability is among the best in this class. His use of linear crossovers makes him so difficult to cover as he leads the attack because he is constantly deceiving his intentions while also gaining speed. Beck is also a complete player who competes hard in all three zones; his work on the penalty kill is extremely impressive. On the powerplay, Beck's vision and IQ are on full display as he shifts around the offensive zone, working down low and in the middle of the ice. If I am nitpicking (and it's what I think limits Beck's potential), his decision making with the puck in transition leaves some to be desired. He has these impressive rushes to gain the zone, but often they fail to produce high end scoring chances. Part of that is confidence and strength related, as he gains the zone and dumps it down low. But, turnovers can occur as he tries to force his way through defenders. There isn't a real ability for him to alter pace while maintaining possession at this current time. When he's working down low in the cycle, the vision shows well. But when the pace increases, there seems to be a lull. Again though, I have a ton of time for this player in the late first, early second range. He's a slam dunk NHL player for me.
5. Matyas Sapovaliv - Center - Saginaw Spirit
I don't think Sapovaliv had a terrific finish to the year, but how many Saginaw players did given the injuries the team was going through? More concerning for me was his play at the U18's, where he looked a little sluggish in transition. However, if you follow my work, I've been on the Sapovaliv hype train all year and that continues to this day. I think he has a solid upside as a second line center, and a nice floor as a bottom six checking line player. The athletic tools are just so intriguing. His reach and massive frame gives him such high upside as a defensive forward once he fills out and is better at engaging physically. He closes down passing lanes to the slot and defends coming off the wall about as well as any forward in this draft class. Offensively, the key for him will be continuing to improve his agility and edgework. He has already improved his quickness and balance from a year ago, but there is still work to be done in this area for him to be a truly consistent playmaker. Too often can he be angled to the perimeter. The offensive profile is really nice, though. He has good hands. He has good instincts. His shot can be a weapon when he learns to use it more and get himself in scoring position more consistently. He sees the ice well coming off the wall and from down low. I don't see how you can't see his profile as a rangy, two-way pivot and not rank him fairly high.
6. Luca DelBelBelluz
7. Paul Ludwinski
8. Ty Nelson
9. Gavin Hayes
10. Danny Zhilkin
11. Hunter Haight
12. Isaiah George
13. Matthew Poitras
14. Jake Karabela
15. Vinzenz Rohrer
16. Servac Petrovsky
17. Bryce McConnell-Barker
18. Brady Stonehouse
19. Owen Van Steensel
20. Michael Buchinger
21. Christian Kyrou
22. Beau Jelsma
23. Tnias Mathurin
24. Cedrick Guindon
25. Jorian Donovan
26. Ruslan Gazizov
27. Liam Arnsby
28. Spencer Sova
29. Kirill Kudravtsyev
30. Pano Fimis
OHL Prospects Blog - OHL Prospects
OHL Prospects on Twitter - @BrockOtten
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My Final Top 50 OHL Players for the 2022 NHL Entry Draft - Part 3: 30-11
This is the third part of my final top 50 OHL players eligible for the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. Here you will find players ranked 30 through 1...
My Final Top 50 OHL Players for the 2022 NHL Entry Draft - Part 2: 50-31
In three straight drafts (2019, 2020, 2021), only three players ranked in this range have been selected. The reality is that NHL teams are u...
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Sunday Top 10 - 2022 NHL Draft Re-Entries
It's that time of the year for my annual ( 2020 , 2019 , 2018 , 2017 , 2016 , 2015 , 2014 , 2013 , 2012 , 2011 , 2010 , 2009 ) list...
Here's the top 5 write ups and the Top 30 ranked:
1. Shane Wright - Center - Kingston Frontenacs
Whether you're someone who has Wright at first overall or not, there's absolutely no questioning that he's the top prospect from the OHL this year. It hasn't been the easiest year for Wright, but I still have faith that he will become a quality NHL player who has a long career. Did he truly take a step forward this year in his progression? I don't believe so. Stagnation is never a great thing to see from a prospect, but when you're already a terrific player, I don't think it's the end of the world. The criticisms of Wright this year are one hundred percent warranted. Yes, his pace of play needs to increase. He became too predictable to cover this year with his habit of altering pace to a crawl. This was not always an approach he used. He used to attack the offensive zone and his ability to quickly alter pace (either way) was a standout quality and allowed him to keep defenders off balance. But since altering his approach, team defensive approaches have been able to take away his space early inside the blueline and make him less effective. Yes, his physical intensity level needs to increase. His defensive instincts are fantastic. But he will never be a standout defensive player at the pro level without becoming more difficult to play against. He doesn't need to be Mike Peca. But even Patrice Bergeron can suffocate and is more than just a positional, stick oriented defender. Yes, he had a disappointing playoffs and under-performed from a statistical perspective all season. I think part of that had to do with the construction of the Frontenacs and how much he was asked to do (without a high end puck mover, Wright was responsible for starting the breakout himself on many occasions, which leaves him the trailer on a lot of occasions, or zapped his energy). All that said, Wright is still an incredibly intelligent playmaking center. His game is tailored to the pro level with how quick he makes decisions with the puck, operating a step ahead of the opposition (and unfortunately ahead of his own teammates). His shot is elite. His skating ability is great (even if he doesn't always use it to his advantage). How quickly we forget how he dominated the U18's in Texas one summer ago. Do I think Wright will be a generational level talent? No. Do I think that Wright will be a fixture as a first or second line center, consistent 60+ point guy, future team captain, and one of the better defensive forwards in the NHL? Yes, I believe that he has that potential.
2. Pavel Mintyukov - Defense - Saginaw Spirit
I've said this several times this year but I truly believe that Mintyukov has the highest upside of any defender available this year (including Nemec and Jiricek). Is he a safe pick? No, I don't believe so. But the upside is massive. You simply do not see many defenders who possess the hands and creativity that Mintyukov does. He consistently makes something out of nothing, blending strong four way mobility with a soft touch - you just can't box him in. I've seen some criticism of his vision and decision making with the puck, but I would not agree with that. His passing ability is a highlight. Yes, he can turn the puck over, but look at the situation he was in with Saginaw this year. He was given the green light and he took it and ran, playing about as aggressive as an offensive defender as you can get (it's not uncommon to see Mintyukov as the F1 on the forecheck). When you are constantly activating and asked to take chances, turnovers will happen. More often than not, he escapes pressure and is able to create scoring chances or keep plays alive. Defensively, that's where things get a little murkier. The profile is good. Size. Mobility. Reach. Physicality. He has that in spades. He looks great defending transitional attacks and he is at his best when he can play aggressive to shutdown attackers early, then flip the script and start the offensive attack. When asked to defend in zone coverage, that's when things get dicey. He can cheat to leave the zone early (a big no-no for a defender), he can miss assignments near the net, and he can chase the puck. He will require a lot of coaching. But let us not forget that Mintyukov did not play last year. Doesn't matter that he's a late 2003. He's behind the learning curve. The athletic tools are there, it's a matter of how they are developed. There's a very real chance that he becomes Ryan Sproul. There's a chance that he is asked to refine his game so much that he becomes Dmitri Kulikov. But IMO, the greatest odds are that he becomes a top flight top three defender who can impact the game in a lot of different ways. IMO, he's a top ten pick.
3. David Goyette - Center/Wing - Sudbury Wolves
One of the most misunderstood players in this draft class IMO. Early on, it was all offense for Goyette and he struggled as a three zone player. But his defensive play and engagement away from the puck improved dramatically over the course of the year. So did his consistency, but perhaps too many people stopped watching Sudbury down the stretch with them out of the playoff picture. Don't get me wrong, his play off the puck still needs to improve. But, to call him a one dimensional player is wrong. The best part of Goyette's game is his skating ability. Wouldn't call him the fastest player in the class, but his skating habits and his understanding of how to alter pace are among the best in the class. His edgework is a masterclass and he is very explosive out of cuts, with or without the puck. This makes him very elusive and unpredictable. As he matures physically, I think he can get even quicker and be better at sustaining his speed. Jordan Kyrou level skating ability is attainable for Goyette. Goyette is also highly skilled and does not need to alter his speed to make plays. He can play at a feverish pace. Improving his strength on the puck is a must because his effectiveness at playing through traffic is inconsistent, but the hands are top notch. His vision with the puck and passing touch are also top notch and this should help him stay down the middle at the pro level. To a certain extent, Goyette falls through the cracks because of how many similar average sized, quick, and skilled forwards there are available this year, but he has as much offensive upside as any of them.
4. Owen Beck - Center - Mississauga Steelheads
I saw some folks mention how surprised they were to see Beck ranked just outside the first round (33rd) at McKeen's given they know how much I like Beck and how much influence I have over those rankings. The reality is, as much as I love Beck, I don't see him as a future first line player at the next level. I think he settles in as a reliable middle six center who can bring a lot of versatility to his future coaches. There are just so many home run swings available (especially on the back-end) in that late first round range, that I have no problem with Beck being ranked a little lower because I perceive his upside to be somewhat limited. However, I have a hard time finding things that I don't like about Beck's game. The skating ability is among the best in this class. His use of linear crossovers makes him so difficult to cover as he leads the attack because he is constantly deceiving his intentions while also gaining speed. Beck is also a complete player who competes hard in all three zones; his work on the penalty kill is extremely impressive. On the powerplay, Beck's vision and IQ are on full display as he shifts around the offensive zone, working down low and in the middle of the ice. If I am nitpicking (and it's what I think limits Beck's potential), his decision making with the puck in transition leaves some to be desired. He has these impressive rushes to gain the zone, but often they fail to produce high end scoring chances. Part of that is confidence and strength related, as he gains the zone and dumps it down low. But, turnovers can occur as he tries to force his way through defenders. There isn't a real ability for him to alter pace while maintaining possession at this current time. When he's working down low in the cycle, the vision shows well. But when the pace increases, there seems to be a lull. Again though, I have a ton of time for this player in the late first, early second range. He's a slam dunk NHL player for me.
5. Matyas Sapovaliv - Center - Saginaw Spirit
I don't think Sapovaliv had a terrific finish to the year, but how many Saginaw players did given the injuries the team was going through? More concerning for me was his play at the U18's, where he looked a little sluggish in transition. However, if you follow my work, I've been on the Sapovaliv hype train all year and that continues to this day. I think he has a solid upside as a second line center, and a nice floor as a bottom six checking line player. The athletic tools are just so intriguing. His reach and massive frame gives him such high upside as a defensive forward once he fills out and is better at engaging physically. He closes down passing lanes to the slot and defends coming off the wall about as well as any forward in this draft class. Offensively, the key for him will be continuing to improve his agility and edgework. He has already improved his quickness and balance from a year ago, but there is still work to be done in this area for him to be a truly consistent playmaker. Too often can he be angled to the perimeter. The offensive profile is really nice, though. He has good hands. He has good instincts. His shot can be a weapon when he learns to use it more and get himself in scoring position more consistently. He sees the ice well coming off the wall and from down low. I don't see how you can't see his profile as a rangy, two-way pivot and not rank him fairly high.
6. Luca DelBelBelluz
7. Paul Ludwinski
8. Ty Nelson
9. Gavin Hayes
10. Danny Zhilkin
11. Hunter Haight
12. Isaiah George
13. Matthew Poitras
14. Jake Karabela
15. Vinzenz Rohrer
16. Servac Petrovsky
17. Bryce McConnell-Barker
18. Brady Stonehouse
19. Owen Van Steensel
20. Michael Buchinger
21. Christian Kyrou
22. Beau Jelsma
23. Tnias Mathurin
24. Cedrick Guindon
25. Jorian Donovan
26. Ruslan Gazizov
27. Liam Arnsby
28. Spencer Sova
29. Kirill Kudravtsyev
30. Pano Fimis
OHL Prospects Blog - OHL Prospects
OHL Prospects on Twitter - @BrockOtten
