Brock
Registered User
What a crazy year this has been so far. The covid-19 pandemic has caused chaos in the scouting world (and obviously the everyday world) because so many important late season events were canceled (U18's, OHL playoffs, Memorial Cup, Draft Combine, etc). The draft WILL occur at some point, and as such it is time to look at my year end rankings. It will be interesting to look back on this ranking in a few years, more so than usual, to see the effects of the shutdown on our ability to evaluate.
Just for clarification, for my top 50 ranking, I haven't included any players eligible for draft re-entry, such as Nico Daws, Yevgeni Oksentyuk, or Pavel Gogolev. This has been consistent all the way through my lists. Instead, I did a list of the top 10 draft re-entries, which can be found here.
Also for clarification, this list is MY list of the top 50 OHL prospects, as if I were drafting for my own team. In other words, this isn't a list of where I THINK or believe players will go, but a ranking of my own opinion on the top players eligible for this draft based on my viewings this season.
OHL Prospects: My Final Top 50 OHL Players for the 2020 NHL Entry Draft - Part 1: Honorable Mentions
OHL Prospects: My Final Top 50 OHL Players for the 2020 NHL Entry Draft - Part 2: 31-50
OHL Prospects: My Final Top 50 OHL Players for the 2020 NHL Entry Draft - Part 3: 30-11
OHL Prospects: My Final Top 50 OHL Players for the 2020 NHL Entry Draft - Part 4: 10-1
1. Quinton Byfield - Center - Sudbury Wolves
I admit, part of me wanted to put Drysdale at #1. I was close. However, at the end of the day, I still think that Byfield's high end potential keeps him on top. I'll be the first to admit that I wasn't impressed with Byfield's play in the second half. I'm not talking about the World Juniors either, I could care less about his performance there. I'm talking about some of the turnovers that he was more prone to post World Juniors in Sudbury. I found him less deliberate with the puck, and less aggressive in using his size to drive through traffic to draw in defenders. However, I do think that a lot of this had to do with decreased confidence coming back from the World Juniors. I also wonder if he may have been nursing an injury. Look, Byfield is far from a perfect prospect, not something you always utter about a kid who looks like a lock for the top 3. So I do actually understand why some have become skeptical of him. Some of the issues he had with turnovers and processing in transition were the same ones he had at times as a minor midget player. His shot and confidence in using his size to create shooting lanes will need to improve. He needs to do a better job of driving the net, with and without the puck, more consistently. I would love to see him dominate near the crease, getting himself more "easy" goals. All of that said, it's important to remember that if you're drafting Byfield, you're drafting him for the player that he's going to be in five years, not right now. I don't think he's NHL ready and being back in Sudbury would be great for him next year, so that he can learn to dominate consistently against his peers. And dominant he can. Few players come through the junior ranks who possess the combination of size, power, and skill that Byfield possesses. When playing down low, he can control possession for nearly entire shifts, by using his size to protect the puck, and his sharp edgework to keep defenders guessing. And while his decision making can sometimes frustrate (I find this more likely to occur in transition, or on odd man rushes), he actually does have good vision when the game slows down for him. His ability to work the give and go is particularly impressive and effective. Byfield is also a better defensive player than people give him credit for IMO. He shows understanding of his responsibilities down the middle by covering for pinching defenders and hustling back to provide back pressure. As he becomes more assertive physically, I think his effectiveness will improve as a defensive player. I think if we're asking Byfield to develop into a physical beast (like say, an Eric Lindros), we're asking too much of him. He's not that kind of player. However, he is an August birthday, so it's scary to think that he could still mature further physically. At the end of the day, Byfield's ceiling as a dominant first line center is too much to look past. Even at the low end of his ceiling is a power winger who can still play in your top 6, so the floor is quite high too.
2. Jamie Drysdale - Defense - Erie Otters
As mentioned, I really did think long and hard about putting Drysdale at number one. I have the highest opinion of him. He is my favourite defensive prospect to be draft eligible from the OHL since Drew Doughty (and that's saying a lot). He is the absolute perfect defender for today's NHL because of his elite mobility and high IQ. His skating ability is breathtaking. Just so effortless, yet so explosive. Teams have such a difficult time pinning down Drysdale in his own end when he's on the ice because of how well he handles dump ins. He's so efficient switching from backward to forward stride and he takes terrific routes to the puck, allowing him to keep forecheckers on his back as he skates away to start the breakout. Drysdale is also so difficult to get around because of his mobility. He has such an effective stick when defending one on one. However, attackers in transition can exploit his passiveness at times. His confidence in being a little more physically assertive will need to improve to defend at the NHL level. He'll never be a physical player. But another year in the OHL is needed so that he can become a little more effective in net front coverage. Offensively, Drysdale is just so efficient. His head is always up leaving his own zone and he makes great decisions on when to push deep and when not to. He is starting to realize how much of an advantage his skating ability gives him because he can be more aggressive jumping up in the play, but still have the speed to recover defensively. While he does not possess an elite shot, Drysdale is very good at opening up shooting lanes with his lateral mobility. He will step into the slot when he sees an opening, using a low hard wrist shot to beat goaltenders or generate rebounds. Bottom line is that Drysdale projects as the type of defender who can play in any situation at the NHL level, and eat up a ton of minutes. I could easily see him winning a Norris or two. And even if his offensive skill set (or defensive abilities) don't translate at an elite level, I think his floor is still that of a quality second pairing puck mover. Did I also mention that he's a coveted right shot defender?
3. Marco Rossi - Center - Ottawa 67's
For me, the players ranked 3 through 5 here (Rossi, Perfetti, and Quinn) are all pretty interchangeable. I wouldn't be shocked at all to see them drafted in any combination of order, be it even Quinn first (he's got a way higher standing with NHL scouts than some internet scouts want to believe). This is a Marco Rossi write up though, so let's talk about him. IMO, Rossi is the best two-way forward in the entire OHL. When the puck isn't on his stick, he is just so hungry to get it back and he plays with such a high intensity level. He pushes hard to apply back pressure and uses a strong lower body and a quick stick to force turnovers. As an offensive player, Rossi is just so well rounded. His skating improved a lot this year, especially his top gear, and this made him a way more effective player in transition. He can push the pace, but has the puck skill, creativity, and poise to make calculated decisions even when pressured. His identification of passing lanes is at an elite level. Rossi can also beat you from below the goal line. He often requires two defenders to separate him from the puck in the cycle, despite being only 5'9, and that's because he has such a strong base and always keeps his feet moving. But Rossi also has eyes in the back of his head, showing such great awareness of when to spin off a check to find that streaking linemate. Rossi also has a great release and navigates the slot extremely well with the timing of a high end goal scorer. I will admit, last year I just wasn't as high on Rossi because I didn't feel like he had the creativity or skating ability to be a top 6 center. But man, did he prove me wrong this year by improving so much. The one concern that I do see is his size and whether he'll remain effective down the middle at the next level. He's as strong as an ox, but it's certainly not impossible that he will need to move to the wing to be a more successful and durable two-way presence. I think he can stick down the middle, but I have heard and understand the concerns.
4. Cole Perfetti - Left Wing/Center - Saginaw Spirit
Sometimes I feel like Perfetti is the forgotten man in this draft class. To a certain degree, a lot of that had to do with a perceived slow start (even though if you had watched him in the opening month, you would know that he was just snake bitten). However, Perfetti had a hell of a year and is a hell of an offensive player. One thing that Perfetti really improved this year was his ability to facilitate. In his rookie season, he was more of a goal scorer and at times I found him to be a little too complacent; waiting for the game to come to him. This year, he had way more of a take the bull by the horns approach by driving the play and allowing Saginaw's offense to flow through him and his ability to create. His 33 even strength primary assists led the entire CHL this year (ahead of Alexis Lafreniere) and are a testament to that. His hands are elite. His IQ is elite. He's not big (5'10), but he is elusive. His four way mobility and agility are quite good and when you combine this with his vision and creativity, you get a player who is difficult to separate from the puck when he works the half wall area. Much has been made about his lack of explosiveness and top speed. These are legitimate concerns. Skating can certainly be improved, but Perfetti is not likely to ever be a high end forward mover. However, he thinks the game so well and I think that truly does make up for it. Once inside the offensive zone, lateral quickness and agility are more important than pure speed and Perfetti has that. These skating concerns remind me of the way people picked apart Mitch Marner's stride in his draft year. Like Marco Rossi, Perfetti is just such a well rounded offensive player. He really can do it all in the offensive end. Where Rossi is ahead, is in the defensive end. Perfetti is not a poor defensive player. He does have a good stick which is a by product of his IQ. But he's not likely to ever be a high end defensive player, so his value will come in the offensive end. Additionally, Perfetti is a winger at the NHL level for me. This is why I've got Rossi slightly ahead, but I'd be lying if I didn't flip flop them a couple times. The two of them are slam dunk top 10 prospects for me.
Check the links for full write ups on the entire top 50 in addition to 22 HM's.
As always, happy to answer any questions you may have.
Just for clarification, for my top 50 ranking, I haven't included any players eligible for draft re-entry, such as Nico Daws, Yevgeni Oksentyuk, or Pavel Gogolev. This has been consistent all the way through my lists. Instead, I did a list of the top 10 draft re-entries, which can be found here.
Also for clarification, this list is MY list of the top 50 OHL prospects, as if I were drafting for my own team. In other words, this isn't a list of where I THINK or believe players will go, but a ranking of my own opinion on the top players eligible for this draft based on my viewings this season.
OHL Prospects: My Final Top 50 OHL Players for the 2020 NHL Entry Draft - Part 1: Honorable Mentions
OHL Prospects: My Final Top 50 OHL Players for the 2020 NHL Entry Draft - Part 2: 31-50
OHL Prospects: My Final Top 50 OHL Players for the 2020 NHL Entry Draft - Part 3: 30-11
OHL Prospects: My Final Top 50 OHL Players for the 2020 NHL Entry Draft - Part 4: 10-1
- Quinton Byfield
- Jamie Drysdale
- Marco Rossi
- Cole Perfetti
- Jack Quinn
- Jan Mysak
- Ryan O’Rourke
- Martin Chromiak
- Jacob Perreault
- Tyson Foerster
- Will Cuylle
- Jean Luc Foudy
- Luke Evangelista
- Evan Vierling
- Brandon Coe
- Ty Tullio
- Donovan Sebrango
- Zayde Wisdom
- Jack Thompson
- Oliver Suni
- Jaromir Pytlik
- Antonio Stranges
- James Hardie
- Nick Malik
- Ruben Rafkin
- Ethan Cardwell
- Will Cranley
- Declan McDonnell
- Isaak Phillips
- Andrei Bakanov
- Mitchell Smith
- Cameron Tolnai
- Reid Valade
- Tanner Dickinson
- Rory Kerins
- Hayden Fowler
- Logan Morrison
- Cameron Butler
- Riley Piercey
- Jake Uberti
- Vitali Pinchuk
- Olle Bjorgvik Holm
- Lleyton Moore
- Jacob Murray
- Ville Ottavainen
- Tucker Tynan
- Kirill Steklov
- Brett Brochu
- Alec Belanger
- Mark Woolley
1. Quinton Byfield - Center - Sudbury Wolves
I admit, part of me wanted to put Drysdale at #1. I was close. However, at the end of the day, I still think that Byfield's high end potential keeps him on top. I'll be the first to admit that I wasn't impressed with Byfield's play in the second half. I'm not talking about the World Juniors either, I could care less about his performance there. I'm talking about some of the turnovers that he was more prone to post World Juniors in Sudbury. I found him less deliberate with the puck, and less aggressive in using his size to drive through traffic to draw in defenders. However, I do think that a lot of this had to do with decreased confidence coming back from the World Juniors. I also wonder if he may have been nursing an injury. Look, Byfield is far from a perfect prospect, not something you always utter about a kid who looks like a lock for the top 3. So I do actually understand why some have become skeptical of him. Some of the issues he had with turnovers and processing in transition were the same ones he had at times as a minor midget player. His shot and confidence in using his size to create shooting lanes will need to improve. He needs to do a better job of driving the net, with and without the puck, more consistently. I would love to see him dominate near the crease, getting himself more "easy" goals. All of that said, it's important to remember that if you're drafting Byfield, you're drafting him for the player that he's going to be in five years, not right now. I don't think he's NHL ready and being back in Sudbury would be great for him next year, so that he can learn to dominate consistently against his peers. And dominant he can. Few players come through the junior ranks who possess the combination of size, power, and skill that Byfield possesses. When playing down low, he can control possession for nearly entire shifts, by using his size to protect the puck, and his sharp edgework to keep defenders guessing. And while his decision making can sometimes frustrate (I find this more likely to occur in transition, or on odd man rushes), he actually does have good vision when the game slows down for him. His ability to work the give and go is particularly impressive and effective. Byfield is also a better defensive player than people give him credit for IMO. He shows understanding of his responsibilities down the middle by covering for pinching defenders and hustling back to provide back pressure. As he becomes more assertive physically, I think his effectiveness will improve as a defensive player. I think if we're asking Byfield to develop into a physical beast (like say, an Eric Lindros), we're asking too much of him. He's not that kind of player. However, he is an August birthday, so it's scary to think that he could still mature further physically. At the end of the day, Byfield's ceiling as a dominant first line center is too much to look past. Even at the low end of his ceiling is a power winger who can still play in your top 6, so the floor is quite high too.
2. Jamie Drysdale - Defense - Erie Otters
As mentioned, I really did think long and hard about putting Drysdale at number one. I have the highest opinion of him. He is my favourite defensive prospect to be draft eligible from the OHL since Drew Doughty (and that's saying a lot). He is the absolute perfect defender for today's NHL because of his elite mobility and high IQ. His skating ability is breathtaking. Just so effortless, yet so explosive. Teams have such a difficult time pinning down Drysdale in his own end when he's on the ice because of how well he handles dump ins. He's so efficient switching from backward to forward stride and he takes terrific routes to the puck, allowing him to keep forecheckers on his back as he skates away to start the breakout. Drysdale is also so difficult to get around because of his mobility. He has such an effective stick when defending one on one. However, attackers in transition can exploit his passiveness at times. His confidence in being a little more physically assertive will need to improve to defend at the NHL level. He'll never be a physical player. But another year in the OHL is needed so that he can become a little more effective in net front coverage. Offensively, Drysdale is just so efficient. His head is always up leaving his own zone and he makes great decisions on when to push deep and when not to. He is starting to realize how much of an advantage his skating ability gives him because he can be more aggressive jumping up in the play, but still have the speed to recover defensively. While he does not possess an elite shot, Drysdale is very good at opening up shooting lanes with his lateral mobility. He will step into the slot when he sees an opening, using a low hard wrist shot to beat goaltenders or generate rebounds. Bottom line is that Drysdale projects as the type of defender who can play in any situation at the NHL level, and eat up a ton of minutes. I could easily see him winning a Norris or two. And even if his offensive skill set (or defensive abilities) don't translate at an elite level, I think his floor is still that of a quality second pairing puck mover. Did I also mention that he's a coveted right shot defender?
3. Marco Rossi - Center - Ottawa 67's
For me, the players ranked 3 through 5 here (Rossi, Perfetti, and Quinn) are all pretty interchangeable. I wouldn't be shocked at all to see them drafted in any combination of order, be it even Quinn first (he's got a way higher standing with NHL scouts than some internet scouts want to believe). This is a Marco Rossi write up though, so let's talk about him. IMO, Rossi is the best two-way forward in the entire OHL. When the puck isn't on his stick, he is just so hungry to get it back and he plays with such a high intensity level. He pushes hard to apply back pressure and uses a strong lower body and a quick stick to force turnovers. As an offensive player, Rossi is just so well rounded. His skating improved a lot this year, especially his top gear, and this made him a way more effective player in transition. He can push the pace, but has the puck skill, creativity, and poise to make calculated decisions even when pressured. His identification of passing lanes is at an elite level. Rossi can also beat you from below the goal line. He often requires two defenders to separate him from the puck in the cycle, despite being only 5'9, and that's because he has such a strong base and always keeps his feet moving. But Rossi also has eyes in the back of his head, showing such great awareness of when to spin off a check to find that streaking linemate. Rossi also has a great release and navigates the slot extremely well with the timing of a high end goal scorer. I will admit, last year I just wasn't as high on Rossi because I didn't feel like he had the creativity or skating ability to be a top 6 center. But man, did he prove me wrong this year by improving so much. The one concern that I do see is his size and whether he'll remain effective down the middle at the next level. He's as strong as an ox, but it's certainly not impossible that he will need to move to the wing to be a more successful and durable two-way presence. I think he can stick down the middle, but I have heard and understand the concerns.
4. Cole Perfetti - Left Wing/Center - Saginaw Spirit
Sometimes I feel like Perfetti is the forgotten man in this draft class. To a certain degree, a lot of that had to do with a perceived slow start (even though if you had watched him in the opening month, you would know that he was just snake bitten). However, Perfetti had a hell of a year and is a hell of an offensive player. One thing that Perfetti really improved this year was his ability to facilitate. In his rookie season, he was more of a goal scorer and at times I found him to be a little too complacent; waiting for the game to come to him. This year, he had way more of a take the bull by the horns approach by driving the play and allowing Saginaw's offense to flow through him and his ability to create. His 33 even strength primary assists led the entire CHL this year (ahead of Alexis Lafreniere) and are a testament to that. His hands are elite. His IQ is elite. He's not big (5'10), but he is elusive. His four way mobility and agility are quite good and when you combine this with his vision and creativity, you get a player who is difficult to separate from the puck when he works the half wall area. Much has been made about his lack of explosiveness and top speed. These are legitimate concerns. Skating can certainly be improved, but Perfetti is not likely to ever be a high end forward mover. However, he thinks the game so well and I think that truly does make up for it. Once inside the offensive zone, lateral quickness and agility are more important than pure speed and Perfetti has that. These skating concerns remind me of the way people picked apart Mitch Marner's stride in his draft year. Like Marco Rossi, Perfetti is just such a well rounded offensive player. He really can do it all in the offensive end. Where Rossi is ahead, is in the defensive end. Perfetti is not a poor defensive player. He does have a good stick which is a by product of his IQ. But he's not likely to ever be a high end defensive player, so his value will come in the offensive end. Additionally, Perfetti is a winger at the NHL level for me. This is why I've got Rossi slightly ahead, but I'd be lying if I didn't flip flop them a couple times. The two of them are slam dunk top 10 prospects for me.
Check the links for full write ups on the entire top 50 in addition to 22 HM's.
As always, happy to answer any questions you may have.
