Prospect Info: Ives 2022 Top 100 NHL Draft Rankings (Spring Edition, 2.0)

[StevenToddIves]

He would help Utica immediately too (they desperately need good centers), then likely compete in Jersey for 3rd center, (sorry Nico!)

In a losing effort last night, 5-2 to Windsor, Morrison scored both Hamilton goals and was brilliant yet again. Though the draft analysts haven't caught onto him, I'm concerned the NHL scouts have. To be honest, he's probably not a bad pick in the late 1st round.

 

[My3Sons]

In a losing effort last night, 5-2 to Windsor, Morrison scored both Hamilton goals and was brilliant yet again. Though the draft analysts haven't caught onto him, I'm concerned the NHL scouts have. To be honest, he's probably not a bad pick in the late 1st round.

Him or Beck in the second for NJ?

 

[StevenToddIves]

Him or Beck in the second for NJ?

I'm going to go with Beck, because he's also a high IQ two-way guy, and a near-elite skater while almost two years younger. But it's closer than most would think.

Both of these kids have pretty much every element of SLEEPER, big time. Beck played on the second line behind Luca Del Bel Belluz all year for Mississauga, and mostly on the 2PP. He did not play alongside the best Mississauga wingers and was deployed in many defensive situations because of his two-way acumen. I think if Beck wasn't an OHL rookie and had a feature 1C role all season long or if he were two inches taller (he's 6'0-190), his name would probably be regularly in top 25 lists. As it stands, he's been overlooked by many and could conceivably fall into the early 2nd round.

As for Morrison, he really should've been drafted -- at least in a late round -- after his 45 point season two years ago. Granted, he was just 5'10-165 then and less developed in his skating, but I think about it this way. He was still bigger, faster and better in literally every single tool across the board than Benjamin Baumgartner, who we drafted in the 6th round that year. Last year, after a lost OHL season he sort of dropped off the radar, so I forgive teams for not taking him in his draft+1 season.

But now? Morrison is coming off a 100+ point season where he was literally the second best forward in the OHL after only Wyatt Johnston. If Hamilton can beat Windsor tomorrow night, Morrison will be a shoo-in as the OHL playoff MVP. He's up to 6'0-180 and he's gained a gear or two in his skating. And his combination of IQ and playmaking is absolutely elite -- I'd rank it right there with 2022 draft Cs Cooley and Nazar and Savoie without batting an eye. The best part is, he's probably AHL ready right now, and could very conceivably beat out Boqvist for the NJ 3C role in just two years.

If the Devils get either one of these two, I feel they're going to go a very long way to solving the Devils prospect dearth of center depth. Either one is a projectable 3C behind Hughes/Hischier for the future, and I'd also use a later pick for a center projectable to a future 4C role, like Ali, Arnsby, Spicer or Berard.

 

[HughJazz3dg]

Hey Steven, how do you like Eliteprospects ranking of Perevalov? 118 seems a hair low, eh?

 

[StevenToddIves]

Hey Steven, how do you like Eliteprospects ranking of Perevalov? 118 seems a hair low, eh?

Yeah, I'm only going to have Perevalov ranked a scant 110 slots higher.