My 2020 NHL Draft List from a Flyers Fan’s Perspective

[IronMarshal]

Note: The method for posting by the OP has been approved.

As a Flyers fan, I look at the draft through the perspective of how I might rank players if I were running the Flyers draft. The actual draft will be wildly different that my list. For example, Anton Lundell will in all likelihood go in the top 12, and I doubt no lower than 15. Rodion Amirov will also go quite higher than where I have him. I do admit to a slight aversion to Russian players, and if another player is close in evaluation, I would pick the non-Russian due to the unknown factors surrounding their coming over in a timely fashion and the Flyers struggles with anyone beyond Provorov who was very highly regarded and spent several years here getting acclimated.

I also think the Flyers need to take a shot at a player with superstar type talent if one is available. I think Jacob Perreault could be one such player and my ranking reflects that. Perreault’s shooting is top of the NHL caliber and has sublime playmaking ability too. Most of the players rated above him could be that player as well, and I would add Seth Jarvis to that list as he reminds me a little of Mathew Barzal, but his smaller size may limit his upside. My list is in tiers, and players within those tiers are pretty fluid in their positioning.

Finally, it is my opinion that this Flyers team, needs a high-end sniper, speed, and toughness. They could also use a right shot defenseman who can skate and play a physical game. The Flyers pick at 23, and players I think have a good shot at being there are Perreault, Reichel, Peterka, Gunlar, Zary, Grieg, Bourque and Mysak, and an outside chance of Mercer or Holloway. I would prefer to stay away from a defenseman but I would understand Schneider as he meets that RH shot, good skating, physical defenseman need. I just think these forwards are more valuable at this time.

Tiers: Players in the tiers could go in any order there and I would not argue with that. I have ranked them where I presently feel they should fall. Jarvis kind of straddles the tier 3 and 4 border.

I am sure I missed some good players, and there are players that are rated highly in some circles that I do not care for, or just are not a good fit for the Flyers (and again, I am making this list as if I were drafting for them). I only have one goalie on my list, but would consider a few others draft able such as Joel Blomqvist, Drew Commesso, Nico Daws, and Jan Bednar, all of whom should be drafted probably by the end of the fifth round. My aversion to Russian players has me leaving off the list several Russians that are worthy of being picked as well. Maxim Groshev and the diminutive Danil Gushchin are two very draftable players who I did not write up.

These are rather short takes, for more in depth writeups, @appleyard’s reports at the Smaht Scouting site are very good, as is the free stuff at the Draft Analyst (who also has a $5 guide that is well worth it) for some good deeper free draft info. Otherwise the Blackbook, Future Considerations, McKeen’s etc have purchasable guides that make for interesting reads.

I am just a guy who loves the NHL Draft, and the Flyers in particular. I am not a scout. My write ups are the result of watching videos, and reading a lot of other peoples’ opinions, looking for commonalities that seem right. Thanks to the shutdowns of the pandemic, I had some time to actually pull together my thoughts on the draft.

I am posting this as a separate post for each tier and want to thank Miami Screaming Eagles for helping me get this posted. I hope you enjoy the fruits of my COVID19 shutdown hobby.

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[IronMarshal]

Tier 1
1. Alexis Lafreniere – LW – Rimouski – QMJHL – 6’1 – 195 – Lafreniere has been the top player in this draft group for years and maintains that spot heading into the draft. He has outstanding hockey sense and skill coupled with a very high compete level. Those three factors alone make a player into a star. He is a decent skater. If his skating was great, he would be sailing to superstardom. As it is he is a can’t miss top line left wing, who scores goals, picks up assists and wins board battles. He is an excellent shooter and passer and is the top player in this draft on draft day.

 

[IronMarshal]

Tier 2
2. Quinton Byfield – C – Sudbury – OHL – 6’4 – 215, Byfield is a big dude, who is an excellent skater with excellent skills and a good IQ. He has a high compete level and projects as a number 1 center. NHL number one centers this size are superstars. Byfield has that potential. As he puts on muscle and matures, he is going to be a real handful to play against. A few years down the road and he could be the top player from this draft. Right now, that honor belongs to Lafreniere.

3. Tim Stutzle- LW/C – Manheim – DEL – 6’1 – 185, Elite skating and skill, excellent IQ and compete level. He even has good size. Stutzle has NHL star written all over him, and may very well be taken, and deservedly so over Byfield. An argument can be made for him going number 1, as he may well end up being the top player from this draft in 5 years. In the meantime, Lafreniere is NHL ready and will be a top line player, so he holds the number one ranking.

4. Marco Rossi – C – Ottawa- OHL – 5’9 – 180-185, solidly built short pivot with outstanding work ethic skills and hockey sense. Plays a complete game. He is can’t miss in my books. His skating is slightly above NHL average, but his IQ allows him to play faster like Perfetti. Crisp accurate passer at speed, and a good goal scorer. Very strong defensively. I think he can stay at center for awhile. If I was to compare him to an NHLer, it would be Claude Giroux. Similar profile of smallish, highly skilled high IQ, ultra competitive and decent skater, with really good edges, but not great speed.

5. Cole Perfetti – C – Saginaw – OHL – 5’10 – 175 -180 – Most likely, the highest IQ in the draft. Perfetti is ultra smart on the ice and no slouch in the classroom either. He is superbly skilled, can really handle the puck, is very accurate passing, has an excellent wrist shot and a great back hander. He can go top shelf in tight. Has great vision. Despite being an average NHL level skater, he is always several steps ahead of where the puck is going. If his skating was like Stutzle, he would challenge Lafreniere for number 1.

 

[IronMarshal]

Tier 3
6. Alexander Holtz – LW – Djurgarden – SHL – 6’ - 190-195. Holtz is a sniper. A very high end sniper who can also make plays. He is an above average skater with a strong IQ and competitive drive and an excellent skill package. You need goal scorers to win games in the NHL, and Holtz does that as well as anyone. He can also make plays. I value goal scoring which is why I have Holtz, Perfetti and Quinn ahead of Raymond in this draft.

7. Jack Quinn- RW – Ottawa – OHL at 6’ 180, he has decent size and uses it along the boards and around the net. He is elusive in the offensive zone, good but not great skater, tremendous shooter, and all things considered, 52 goals in 62 games in his draft year says it all on his goal scoring. His shot is accurate, and hard. His release is good, not at the level of Holtz and Perreault, but very good. He also makes plays. He only played with Rossi on the PP and at the end of close games. Plays on the PK. Very high IQ, compete and skill level. He was the guy I hoped the Flyers would get, but performed his way into the top 15, and in my case top 8.

8. Lucas Raymond – RW – Frolunda – SHL – 5’ 11 – 170. Ultra skilled, very good skater, hockey sense and compete level. He is an electrifying player. Most have him ranked higher. He is a very shifty skater with quick starts. Top end is not elite, but decent. Raymond is highly skilled with great vision, an excellent playmaker.

9. Jamie Drysdale - RD – Erie – OHL – 5’11 – 175 – Elite four-way skater, breakout machine on D, PP1 point man, high skill and IQ to go with that super high end skating. Skating strength helps maintain good gap control, excellent vision and passing. Needs to get stronger (like most of these players, but especially so as a defenseman) to cover the net area and control along the boards. His quick stick will help, but as an undersized defenseman, he will need to add some strength to make up for the lack of size. Will not score like Quinn Hughes and Cole Makar, but will be more of a Mark Howe (ceiling) type on D.

10. Jake Sanderson- LD – USNTDP – USHL –6’ 1 ½ - 186 - Outstanding four-way skater with very good top end. Plays a strong physical game against college aged players (1-5 years older than him) which is very impressive. Skating allows for tight gaps. High IQ and compete level. Doesn’t have the high skill level of Drysdale, but size, physicality and aggression makes up for it on the defensive end. Gets compared to Ryan McDonough a lot. Could develop into a number 1, but can comfortably be thought of as a first pair defensive defenseman.

11. Jacob Perreault – RW/C – Sarnia – OHL- 5’11 – 200 – Perreault is probably the most talented goal scorer in the draft. He has arguably the best shot in the draft and is arguably the best shooter in the draft. He has the whole arsenal, all delivered with authority and accuracy. Owns a very hard, heavy slapper that explodes off his stick, quickly released deadly wrist and snap shots. He can change angles, changes releases and still maintain velocity and pinpoint accuracy. He has shown great playmaking ability this year. He is a very accurate passer, shifty stickhandler at all speeds. He is a strong, fast skater when the need arises. So why is he ranked so much lower on most lists and lower than Holtz, Perfetti and Quinn on this one? His pace hasn’t been great all year, some scouts have referred to him as lazy or not caring, while others say it may well be the awful system played in Sarnia. His father, Yannick, was a very hard-working player, and I expect that Jacob knows he is going to have to hustle more in the NHL. I find his combination of skill, skating, and the criticism of his effort to be eerily similar to Rick MacLeish, and I would like to have that kind of player on the Flyers. He is expected to go in the 18-28 range, so it is possible the Flyers can land him. I would even look at trading up to get him.

12. Seth Jarvis – RW – Portland – WHL – Very good skater, explosive straight-ahead speed, but shifty in tight places, excellent skill package combined with excellent hockey sense and ultra- competitive. At 5’9- 5’10, 175 to 180 pounds, size is a minor concern. He could go top 10, but I think 11-15 is just about right for him. Jarvis has a lot of potential

13. Yaroslav Askarov – G – Neva St. Petersburg – Russia – 6’3 – 176 – Easily the top goalie in the draft and is often called the best goalie prospect since Carey Price. Will get drafted anywhere from 8 -18. Quick with excellent reflexes, high IQ, competitiveness, excellent skills and skating and good size. A modern number 1 goaltender. Gifted athlete who can convert positions in net as well as anyone. Struggled some this year, but remains a high end prospect.

 

[IronMarshal]

Tier 4
14. Lucas Reichel – LW – Eisbaren Berlin – DEL – 6’ – 177 – Strong skater who plays with proper pace, with good skills and IQ. Playing against men has not been a problem. Uses his skating to get separation where needed. Skilled as both a playmaker and shooter. Good passer with good vision. Good release on shot. Like most youngster will need to improve strength. Adequate shot velocity will improve with added strength. Very shifty along the boards and in front of the net. Wins battles in those locations against bigger stronger players through his shiftiness and good stick and hands. I like him as a good target for the Flyers possibly available in the mid 20s.

15. Dawson Mercer – C – Chicoutimi – QMJHL – 6’ – 181 – Solid all around pivot. Strong on faceoffs, good playmaker with a very good shot. Defensively responsible. High floor high ceiling (but not superstar level) kind of player. Good, not great skater. He can get it done at the NHL level. Very competitive and smart on the ice. Solid skill set. A Flyers kind of player. 2nd or minimum 3rd line player in the NHL.

16. John Jason Peterka – LW – Munchen – DEL – 5’11 - 192 – High speed, goal scoring winger. Very competitive. Good edges to go with straight line speed. Solid frame with good lower body strength. Quick release with good velocity on his shot. Ok playmaker, but really a shooter first. Another guy who may be available and a good fit for the Flyers

17. Dylan Holloway -LW/C – U of Wisconsin – 6’1 - 203 – Solid top 9 prospect, High floor high ceiling aggressive kind of player. Strong skater and excellent puckhandler. Power forward type without the really large size. Can PK or PP. Good in along the boards and front of the net and very strong back checker. There is a chance he is there when the Flyers pick, but probably not. He is a player I think the Flyers would covet. There is a lot to like here with his tools and style of play. He is built for the playoffs.

18. Connor Zary – C – Kamloops – WHL – 6’ -177 – Competitive player with borderline elite hockey sense. Very highly skilled player as well. Average skating will knock him out of top 10 consideration. Should be gone by pick #20. His skating may make him a defensive liability, but when he has the puck, good things happen. His intelligence helps him overcome the skating deficiencies in the offensive zone. Very good power play player.

19. Mavrik Bourque – C – Shawinigan – QMJHL – 5’10 – 168 – a very talented right-handed center. He is a good skater but could use more speed. Weight training could help here as it could with a lot of players. Very strong hockey sense, one of the best in the Q. Very competitive, skilled, and unafraid of the dirty places on the ice. Has an excellent wrist shot very accurate, hard, and quickly released. Plays the Giroux role on the Shawinigan power play, and most of the teams offense goes right through him. He is a very good player who will play a top six role. Size and a strong draft class could help him slide to the late 20s. Probably goes in top 25 though.

20. Ridly Grieg – C – Brandon – WHL – 5’11 – 165 – Ultra-competitive stud player with excellent hockey sense, very good skill and skating. He has been climbing up the draft boards all year. Tenacious high grit player that coaches love. He is awful to play against. He is both a very good shooter and playmaker. He needs to improve his strength, but he is a player. The son of Flyers Scout Mark Grieg, he has to be high on the Flyers radar. For the Flyers, he brings a needed element, sandpaper, and projects out as a great third line center with upside of a good second line center. He would be good protection in case of the unlikely event that Morgan Frost and Nolan Patrick don’t work out.

21. Noel Gunlar – RW- Lulea – SHL – 6’2 – 185 – Highly skilled but divisive prospect. Excellent skills, both as a shooter, and playmaker. Excellent hands, very high hockey sense. Skating is above average but could be better. Decent compete level. There is something about him that seems to rub some people the wrong way. Despite being a supremely talented player he has been left off of several Swedish national teams in recent years. Most reports I have read have had nice things to say about his personality. Many people seem baffled by the snubs he has received. Could be an absolute steal at the back third of the first round.

22. Jan Mysak – C – Hamilton – OHL – 5’10.5 – 180 – Talented and dynamic offensive center/wing. Strong skater, highly skilled and very competitive. All traits that resonate well with scouts. His hockey sense is above average, but nowhere near elite. Accurate shooter with good velocity and release. While he is a really good shooter, he is a clear tier below Holtz, Perreault, Quinn, and Foerster. Can be solid defensively as well. Good prospect who may well be in reach of the Flyers.

23. Braden Schneider - RD – Brandon – WHL – 6’2 – 202 – Big strong, very good skating right-handed defenseman. Very competitive, physical defenseman. Intelligent player with a good point shot, poised and consistent defensively. Floor is as a second pair defenseman. As defensemen are a priority, he will likely be gone by pick 20. His right handedness, size, skating and intelligence makes him a highly desired player. If the Flyers were to pick a Defenseman in the first, Schneider is the guy who checks the need boxes, right handed, big, physical, good skater, good gaps, hitting machine, with minor offensive upside (shot). Schneider would pair well with any of Provorov, Sanheim, or York/Zamula and complete the D. Older player, Sept ’01 birth.

 

[IronMarshal]

Tier 5
24. Anton Lundell – C – HIFK – Finland Liiga – 6’1 – 185 – Polished center who is a pretty average skater. He can make plays and is very good defensively. He has solid second/third line NHL center written all over him. Kind of a poor man’s Sean Couturier. Probably will not reach that level as his production will not be as good, and although he has good size, he is not the monster Couts is. While I am not a big fan, he is well regarded and he should be gone by the Flyers pick, probably in the top 15.

25. Rodion Amirov – LW – UFA – Russia – 6’ – 167 – Very good all-around player with first round skating, skills, and hockey sense. I am just a little gun shy of drafting Russian players, especially non-elite ones. His biggest weakness is, well, weakness. He needs to get stronger and be able to survive the dirty areas of the ice. Good all-around player with second line upside. Good chance he goes in the first round, probably in the top 15 - 20, but I do not see the Flyers spending a first on him, with their recent disappointments in Vorobyev, and Rubtsov, as well as Fletcher’s issues with getting Kaprisov over here.

26. Kaiden Ghule LD – Prince Albert – WHL – 6’2 - 188 – Great skater, punishing hitter, good all- around defenseman. Solid point shot as well. Looks like a prototypical modern two-way defenseman. Average hockey sense means his offensive upside is not real high, thus he is not a sexy pick. Will be an excellent second pairing defenseman, possibly the number two guy on the first pair. Teams need defensemen like Ghule. If he were a right hand shot, I would project him above Schneider.

27. Hendrix Lapierre - C – Chicoutimi – QMJHL – 5’11.5 – 175 – Injury concerns drive Lapierre down the rankings. He is a very intelligent pass first player with borderline elite hockey sense, and above average in skills and skating. With possible concussion problems, he will probably play a more tentative game than he did prior to his injuries. This will drive his stock down. Consider him high risk with possible high reward. There is a pretty good chance he is available in the late first, maybe even early second round. With the issues surrounding Nolan Patrick, I think the Flyers steer clear of him, although he would be a solid pick at 23.

28. Tristan Robbins – C – Saskatoon – WHL – 5’10 – 174 – Late rising dynamo. Short but solid, ultra competitive with very good hockey sense and skills to go with plus skating. Elusive in tight areas and strong puck protector. Tenacious forechecker. Hangs and bangs with everyone. Good wrist shot and good on the half wall. Robbins is a complete player who really came on in the second half with 54 points in his final 33 games. He could go 10 picks higher than this rating and I’d have no problem with that.

29. Brendan Brisson – C – Chicago – USHL – 5’11 – 175 – Super highly intelligent and highly skilled son of super-agent Pat Brisson. Has a terrific quick, hard, accurate shot, and one of the best one-time slapshots in the draft. He combines all that with excellent playmaking. He sees the ice as well as anyone and has great anticipation. He is an average skater who will need to get stronger. The thing that separates him from Connor Zary, is that Zary is ultra-competitive and Brisson is not. The knock on him is consistency of effort. He is a late first early second round kind of pick.

30. Thomas Bordeleau – C - USNDTP – USHL – 5’9 - 180 – Smallish player who is a good skater with a dangerous shot. Has strong hockey sense and a very good skill package. Lots of fancy break away moves and a very good one-time slap shot. Like most players he will need to add strength. Will probably be a second round pick but could slip into the first.

31. William Wallinder – LD – Modo – SHL – 6’4 – 190 – Big, very young player with an enormous upside. Excellent skater with good skill, and drive. His hockey sense thus far is pretty average. He is prone to mental errors, but his skating and reach can help him some here. He is worth taking a chance on in the late first round. Toolsy defenseman, who if he puts it together could really be something. Young player too, July ’02 birth. He could be better than Ghule and Schneider.

32. Emil Heineman – LW – Leksands – Sweden – 6’1 – 185 – Terrific all-around winger. Solid size, plus skating, skill and IQ, and ultra-competitive. Very good shooter in juniors who struggled to score in the SHL, but minor adjustments should help in adapt as a pro. Three zone player who is excellent in small areas. Explosive skating. A real effort player with skill. Has a very bright future. Could go anywhere in the 20’s or 30’s

33. Daniel Torgersson – LW – Frolunda – Sweden - 6’3 – 199 – Big, fast, prototypical modern power winger. A pressure multiplier on the forecheck, He will be hard to handle for the defense in the future, especially the smaller guys. Extremely competitive. Torgersson is built for playoff hockey. He is the type of guy you win with. When he fills out he is going to be a real beast. He can score off the rush with soft hands and an excellent release coupled with above average accuracy, but a lot of his goalscoring will come from the slot and greasy net area. Like most young power forwards, he does need to fill his frame, get stronger and learn to use his body more. He can be an effective penalty killer as well. Should go late first or early second round. He would be a good fit for the Flyers, although it is possible that one of the higher end talents is there at 23, like Perreault, Reichel, Peterka, Bourque, Mercer, and Gunlar. Like Heineman, he could go in the 20’s or 30’s.

34. Joni Jurmo -LD - Jokerit – Finland – 6’3 – 190 – Excellent skater with good top speed. Rangy and can play a power game. Good skill package, good vision but average creativity. Good one on one defender. Decent passer, but needs to get better at the first pass outlet, preferring to rush the puck instead. Very good slap shot and one timer. Wrister will need some oomph and a quicker release. High upside player with some bust possibility in his game. There is a decent chance of him going in the first round.

35. Tyson Foerster – RW – Barrie – OHL – 6’1 – 194 – Highly intelligent, highly skilled goal scoring winger. He is at best a clunky skater. If he was an average skater he would be a no-brainer first round pick, possibly in the top 20. Great shot, accurate and hard with a good release, but he is not a one trick pony as he sees the ice very well, has strong anticipation and good playmaking skills. Possible first round pick.

36. Ozzy Weisblatt – RW – Prince Albert – WHL – 5’10 - 183 – Fast, good skater who can make plays at speed. Highly skilled and very competive with above average hockey sense. Character player. Great hands and can really dangle. While he is a good skater, his stride is shorter than ideal. If he can clean up his mechanics a little he will be considered a very strong skater. Should go by the top half of the second round, or very late in the first.

37. Jake Neighbors – LW – Edmonton – WHL – 5’11.5 – 197 – A real character player. He is ultra- competitive, has good skills and hockey sense. He plays a heavy game along the boards and in front of the net. His motor is always running. The only real blemish in his game is average skating and balance. Neighbors is the kind of player coaches and teammates love, and winning teams employ in their bottom six. He should be gone by about the half-way mark in the second round.

38. Sam Colangelo – RW – Chicago – USHL- 6’2 - 205 – A goal scoring power forward. Who doesn’t need one of those? He has a very good skill set and very good hockey sense to couple with average skating. He is a good passer and has an explosive wrist shot. Criticisms of his game are that he doesn’t always compete hard and his acceleration is slow If he can up those two areas, then he will be a very successful pro power winger.

39. Jean Luc Foudy – C- Windsor – OHL – 5-11.5 – 175 – Elite skater with good skills. His production has been a major disappointment this year and probably cost him a first round slot. In fact there are some projections that run him into the third round. He is not a great shooter and his hockey sense is average due to an overall lack of creativity and understanding of when to change gears. His vision is very good though. His speed and hands should make him a good penalty killer and forechecker in the bottom six.

40. Marat Khusnutdinov – C – SKA- Russia – 5’11 – 176 – High skill, High IQ player who is a bit of an enigma. He played for a power house team that hammered opponents throughout the year. He did not score like his tool set says he should and a large portion of his scoring came against weak opposition (7 points of his 38 came in a 25-3 blowout of an MHL Chinese team that won 1 game). That is something for scouts to worry about a little like Jean Luc Foudy who should have had far better results than he did given his skill set and effort). Khusnutdinov has great hands, vision and IQ, and is a plus skater. He is competitive and responsible defensively. His shooting is inconsistent and is an area that he could improve. This kid could be a really terrific high end player, but it is far to early to tell. As with other Russian players, there are questions as to where he will settle in. He is worth a gamble, but I would wait until the second round at the earliest.

 

[IronMarshal]

Tier 6
41. Justin Barron –RD – Halifax – QMJHL - 6’1.5 – 195 – Excellent skater with good size and a right hand shot. What is not to like? Well his hockey sense and skill are pretty average and not as good as thought going into this draft year. With his size and skating you would think he would be a lot harder to play against. He also has some medical question marks that will make teams wonder. With a lack of offense and average competitive drive, he is probably a third pairing defenseman who could improve his stock if he played with more edge. Older player, Nov ’01 birth.

42. Ronan Seeley – LD – Everett – WHL – 5’11 – 180- Excellent 4 way skater, speed, edgework, Seeley has it all. He is also very skilled. A truly modern defenseman, adept at zone exits, entrances, transitions and gap control. A good passer and puckhandler with above average hockey sense and a strong competitive drive. He is a very good puck mover. He is one of the younger players in the draft and averaged over a half a point per game while being very strong defensively. He has been a riser all season. He could be a major steal in the second round with top 4 upside.

43. Ryan O’Rourke – LD – SSM – OHL – 6’ – 175 – A very smart and competitive defenseman. Physical, plays with grit and determination and above average skills. He has a good shot and should reliably be slotted into a second pairing role. As with many youngster, he will need to improve his strength which will help his skating some especially in the open ice against highly skilled players. He could go in the bottom of the first, but for sure in the top half of the second round.

44. Justin Sourdif – RW – Vancouver – WHL – 5’11 – 173 – Excellent, shifty skater with speed who is very competitive and plays a lot bigger than he is. Highly skilled hands and a good shot. Decision making can be questioned as he tries to force too much. Solid player in the second round. Should be an NHL middle six winger.

45. Luke Evangelista – RW – London – OHL – 5’11 -165 -A strong skater with excellent agility and very good speed. Very competitive with a high-level hockey IQ. He is a pass first playmaking winger. Defensively responsible 200 foot player coached by Dale Hunter. Can penalty kill or play on the power play. Does not possess the best shot, but is a very opportunistic scorer. Impressive hockey player who will play a good middle six role. If he is there in the second he would be a good pick for the Flyers.

46. Will Cuylle – LW Windsor – OHL – 6’3 – 204 – Power forward who has the potential to develop into a Tom Wilson type player, and who doesn’t need one of those? Very good shooter, dangerous in the bumper on the power play. Good skater, very good for a big power forward type. Good hands, can stick handle through players. There is a lot of skill here. Competitive tough kid who wont back down and will drop the mitts if needed. Very aggressive player. Hockey sense is only average and his production stagnated from his rookie year. Worth taking a chance on and should not last past the second round. Will need a few years to develop but could pay huge dividends. A player type that the Flyers could use.

47. Eamon Powell – D – USNDTP – USHL – 5’11 – 165 – Smart, well rounded two way defenseman, who has power play skills. Good passer, strong on outlets, and especially smart on positioning and pinching in. Makes good decisions. Very good skater who combined with strong hockey sense is good defensively and has good gap control. He projects to a middle pairing NHL defenseman. If he was 6’3 he’d be a first rounder. He’d be a very good second round pick.

48. Veeti Mietinen – RW – Espoo – Finland – 5’9 - 161 – Small highly skilled goal scoring forward. One of the best shooters in the draft. Strong compete level and very engaged in play on and off the puck. Excellent play maker, though he could do a better job of surveying all of the possibilities available to him. He looks smaller than 5’9, and if that is indeed the case, he will need more strength and explosion in his average-ish skating.

49. Ty Smilanic – C – USNDTP- USHL- 6’1 – 177 – Excellent skater with a high compete level and above average skills. Unfortunately, he is a head down player who zooms up ice and fires wrist shots from all over without a lot of regard for his linemates. He also tries to do too much alone under pressure. His size , aggression, and skating could make him into a decent up and down checking winger with a good shot.

50. Helge Grans -D- Malmo Jrs – SEL -6’3 – 205 – Great skating physical right-handed defenseman. Above average skills, but is very mistake prone. Seems to have a lower than average hockey IQ. All tools no tool box kind of guy. Worth a shot given the tools, if he figures it out, he could be a real good player, but not worth a first round pick, although some team will probably grab him in the first.

51. Daemon Hunt – LD – Moose Jaw - WHL – 6’ 198 – strong skating two way defenseman with good gap control, solid positioning. Likes to rush the puck but is not highly skilled. Competes very well. Not a real threat from the blue line as his shot needs work. All in all a good defensive prospect who is competitive and a good skater.

52. Luke Tuch – LW – USNTDP – USHL – 6’2 – 203 – Physical power winger with a decent shot. Good on the cycle and uses his body well to shield the puck. His hockey sense is average, and his skating while pretty good for his size, lacks explosiveness in his first few steps. Once he gets going, he is fine with decent speed. Should be an effective forechecker and player along the boards and around the goal. A good choice for the Flyer in the second round considering there lacking physical players who can actually play some.

53. Roby Jarventie - LW – Koovoo – Metsis – 6’2 – 184 – Large, goal scoring winger with a great shot. On the surface, he looks similar to Torgersson, but in reality, he is way more boom or bust. His compete level is no where near that of Torgersson and that is the big separator. He prefers to play on the perimeter, use his good skating and outstanding shot. While his skating and skill level are very good, his hockey sense is average and his compete level is below average. He is a scary player in the draft who can make you look like a genius or a dunce. You should not take this type of high risk high reward player in the first round, maybe the second or even the third. Ideally, you take these shots in the fourth, but his talent and size wont let him last that long. He will probably be gone by the end of the third.

54. Theodor Niederbach – C _ Frolunda – Sweden – 5’11 – 172 – Very clever offensive minded forward with a good skill set. Injuries have slowed his development some. Strong defensively as well and is often matched against the opponents’ top forwards. Neither big nor physical, he doesn’t shy away from the tough places on the ice. Very good transitional player. Excellent set up man on the power play due to his high hockey sense.

55. Kasper Simontaival – RW – Tappara – Finland – 5’9 – 177- Small player with a great shot, high skill, but very average skating. Usually, smaller players need to be better skaters than this, but that shot is very enticing from a draft point of view.

56. Roni Hirvonen – C – Assat – Liiga Finland – 5’9 – 164 – Another small player with average skating. Excellent playmaker with great vision. Very competitive, skilled player. Makes good smart intelligence plays in all three zones. Is physically overmatched at times but has a high level of compete. Productive player.

57. Wyatt Kaiser – LD – Andover - USHS - 5’11.5 – 173 – I really like this kid. Good skater, smart, skilled and competitive. Good puck mover, and very good defensively. Maintains good gap control. Excellent in transition from defense to offense. Calming presence on the ice. Decent point shot as well. Probably goes in the third round, but could go in the second.

58. Eemil Viro – LD- TPS – Finland – 5’11.5 – 165 – Very good skater with above average hockey sense and a high compete level. While not especially creative, he makes good solid plays and decisions. Very good defensive player who uses his plus skating well. Tough to beat one on one. He will need to get stronger, but is very competitive and unafraid of physical play. Has the traits of a lot of good Finnish NHLers. His skill package is average. This does not hinder him in making good plays, but does hamper offensive creativity. Good safe pick in rounds 2-3.

59. Vasiliy Ponomarev – RW Shawinigan – QMJHL – 5’10 – 178 – Talented, but inconsistent player, with average skating for a player of his size. He has good vision and skills and can really make plays. He is strong on the puck. A concern is that with his skill package, more scoring was expected of him at Shawinigan. His scoring was a disappointment. Good player, but at his size, des he really bring enough to the table? Probable second rounder, but I think there are better fits for the Flyers in the second.

60. Tyler Kleven D – USNTDP – USHL – 6’4 – 200 – Very large strong skating defenseman with a high compete level and a howitzer shot. What is not to like? Well, for starters, his hockey sense may be average at best. Aside from skating and shot, his skills are average. He projects as a worthwhile project defenseman. Worth a pick in the mid to preferably, late second, early third.

61. Brock Faber –RD - USNTDP – USHL – 6 – 193 – Good skating moderately skilled RHD. He is a pretty solid penalty killer and solid in his own end. Young player with a late August birth date. He is not a real risk taker and projects to a solid bottom 4 defenseman.

62. Brett Berard – LW – USNTDP – USHL – 5’9 – 152 – Smallish player who plays a lot bigger than he is. Tough little guy. Gives no quarter and asks no quarter. Has good skill, and decent skating with good edges. Good on ice awareness and plays at a good pace. Calm under pressure, not easily rattled. Worth drafting in rounds 3-4. Having watched Brendan Gallagher over the years, Berard, a similar player, is worth taking a shot with.

63. Dylan Peterson – LW – USNTDP – USHL – 6’4 – 192 – Big winger who is a strong skater. Decent hands, very competitive, decent IQ, but average skills. Not very deceptive and has a weak shot. Developmental prospect. The size, skating and competitive nature says to draft him, but be prepared to wait. Probably a bottom six winger.

64. Tyler Tullio – RW – Oshawa _OHL – 5’10 – 165 – Competitive, smart, skilled player whose size and kating may hold him back. Should easily be a second round pick, middle six player, but the skating is a concern and could drop him into the third or fourth round.

65. Cross Hanas – LW – Portland – WHL – 6’ – 167 – Highly skilled play making winger from Texas by way of the Portland Winter Hawks. Very deceptive puck handler, and excellent stick handler and passer. Very good shooter, and has range on his shot. Inconsistent skating ability, can look quick and deceptive one moment, the next his mechanics break down. Will need to develop that. He is an excellent late round flyer (probably available in rounds 4-5).

66. Zion Nybeck – RW – HV71 – Sweden – 5’7 – 182 – Diminutive high skill forward. Very good hockey sense, excellent offensive player. Strong playmaker but with a shooter’s mentality. While he is always looking for his shot, he doesn’t possess a good one. Quick skater, but not as good as I would like to see for a player of his size. Offensively creative player. The pace and physicality of the NHL may be problematic for him. Could go as high as second round, but I would not take him there for the Flyers. Size and skating relative to size worry me.

67. Samuel Johannesson –RD – Sweden – 5’11 – 176 – D+1 – Passed over in last year’s draft, had a very productive season showing excellent improvement. Very high IQ, strong skating, and good skill set. Very good puck mover, shifty puck handler and strong zone exit player. Given his smaller size, needs to improve strength to help clean up around his own goal. Risk taker in his own end relying on his skating and stick handling a little too much, but is really talented and creative. Solid wrist and slap shots that have good accuracy. May go as high as the second round, and may be worth it there. His size and age could push him into the 3-4 round range.

 

[IronMarshal]

Tier 7: Later round possibilities:
68. Emil Andrae – LD – HV 71 - SHL – 5’8.5 – 181 – Small but solid build. Very talented skill player whose skating with regard to his size is an issue. Highly competitive and very good hockey sense. His size and sub-special skating hurt him defensively. It is hard to picture him dealing with large bodied NHLers around the goal and along the boards. Could go in the late first, but I am betting on him falling in the 2nd – 4th range. If I were the Flyers, mostly because of organizational needs, I’d pass on him before the 5th.

69. Landon Slaggert – LW – USNTDP – USHL5’11.5 182 – Above average skater with a high compete level. Solid along the boards and in the cycle. Because he skates well and is defensively aware he can play the PK. Offense is limited due to a weakfish shot. He will need to work on that. There is always room for guys like this on the third or fourth line.

70. Alex Cotton – RD –Lethbridge – WHL - 6’1.5- 175 – Has offensive upside with a plus shot and good size. Nice overall skill set. Very good passer, hands, and thinks the game offensively well. Can create some and looks for good lanes to shoot through. Skating is average to slightly above average but has nice lateral mobility. He is competitive, and aggressive. Defensively, he needs work, but his offensive game is pretty nice and he is a right hand shot, which is always a plus on D.

71. Evan Vierling – C – Barrie – OHL – 6’ – 176 – very good skater with a high degree of skill. Can make plays and has good vision and hockey sense. He has a decent shot as well. The only area of concern is his compete level. He likes to play on the perimeter and plays soft despite having the size that should allow him to play an average physical game. His compete level will probably keep him off the Flyers list, but he has a nice tool kit.

72. Martin Chromiak -RW – Kingston – OHL – 5’11 - 175 – A bit of a divisive player, very good skater with high skill level and is gifted shooter with a decent IQ. Those traits could make him a good second rounder. However, he is a perimeter player who shies away from the dirty, greasy areas and doesn’t seem to have much of a desire to do what it takes to play at the highest level.

73. Victor Persson –RD – Brynas – Sweden – 6’2 199 – D+1 right shot defenseman. Good size, solid skating, vision and skills. Late round sleeper pick at a scarce position (RD). may play for Kamloops this year.

74. Ian Moore –– RD - St. Marks – USHS - 6’2 – 171- Excellent skater with really good skills. Big boy who will need to grow into his body and get stronger, which he should do. Good shooter with some deception in his shot release. His hockey sense is in question. Doesn’t seem to think or process the game well, yet. But that size, skating and skill set really jumps out at you.

75. Donovan Sebrango – LD – Kitchener – OHL – 6’1 – 184 – two way defenseman who is an average skaters but has a strong level of compete. He doesn’t back down from challenges. Maintains solid gap control. Moves the puck ok. Could make it through hard work as a bottom pairing guy.

76. Jack Finlay – C –Spokane – WHL - 6’6 – 213 – Kevin Hayes type body and skill without Hayes’ skating, competitiveness and average hockey sense. His competitiveness is up and down. Nice hands and length helps with puck control and zone entries and exits. Physical player who is inconsistent with his physicality. Worth a shot from fifth round on.

77. Ryan Francis – RW – Cape Breton – QMJHL – 5’9 – 174 – small playmaking RW with average skating but real good quality skills and smarts. Competitive kid, which is important in smaller guys. If he wants to be an NHLer he will need to get stronger and faster.

78. Ben Meehan – LD – Cedar Rapids – USHL - 6’ – 178 – Solid defensive prospect, with good skills, hockey sense and skating, as well as a solid compete level. Solid but not exceptional shot. Not real creative, but good across the board. Will need to clean up some of his board work, but after a few seasons in the AHL, you could have a competent defenseman here.

79. Samuel Knazko – TPS JR – Finland – 6’0.5 – 191 – Good skater with decent skills who works hard and competes at a good level. Despite a solid weight, he is a little weak and loses strength battles too often. Pretty average hockey IQ as well.

80. Colby Ambrosio – C- Tri City – USHL – 5’8.5 – 170 – High skilled small player with good wheels. Possesses a good shot, and is competitive. His decision making may be a weak area for someone of his skill level. He seems to over complicate plays. His size and average sense makes him a late round guy to me

 

[FLYguy3911]

I'm currently at 38 writeups. So thanks for showing me up.

 

[Captain Dave Poulin]

Thanks for doing these, @IronMarshal

 

[MiamiScreamingEagles]

@IronMarshal

In your opinion, based on the summaries provided, put together a list of up to five players who could become captains at the NHL level.

 

[IronMarshal]

@IronMarshal

In your opinion, based on the summaries provided, put together a list of up to five players who could become captains at the NHL level.

Let me chew on that. Stars often are made captains whether they deserve it or not, so Lafreniere is an obvious one. I think Rossi has good leadership possibilities. Ridley Grieg would be one if he was a first line player, which he won’t likely be. Sanderson maybe? Byfield’s star factor and his physical nature probably puts him there. Mercer may be that kind of player.
Cole Perfetti could be and Jake Neighbors has really good leadership potential. Probably the top 5 are Lafreniere, Rossi, Byfield’s, Neighbors, and Perfetti, though I think Sanderson could be there too.

 

[WolfOfBroadStreet14]

Great Write-ups! Really hoping the Flyers can land Schneider, Zary, Grieg, or Bourque with their first this year if they keep it.

 

[Strawberry Fields]

I took five of these players in the mock draft so I feel accomplished now

In seriousness, thanks for taking the time to do all this. As always, love hearing from people who actually watch these kids and don't just scouting report-watch (like myself).

 

[VladDrag]

@IronMarshal nice work! this is awesome.

 

[deadhead]

This is a guy who interests me off your write-up:

28. Tristan Robbins – C – Saskatoon – WHL – 5’10 – 174 – Late rising dynamo. Short but solid, ultra competitive with very good hockey sense and skills to go with plus skating. Elusive in tight areas and strong puck protector. Tenacious forechecker. Hangs and bangs with everyone. Good wrist shot and good on the half wall. Robbins is a complete player who really came on in the second half with 54 points in his final 33 games. He could go 10 picks higher than this rating and I’d have no problem with that.

If he has the body to fill out to 190-195 he's more than big enough at that height (can use leverage to compensate). Flyers could use quality bottom six depth down the road and players with IQ and skating skills often develop past expectations.

 

[IronMarshal]

This is a guy who interests me off your write-up:

28. Tristan Robbins – C – Saskatoon – WHL – 5’10 – 174 – Late rising dynamo. Short but solid, ultra competitive with very good hockey sense and skills to go with plus skating. Elusive in tight areas and strong puck protector. Tenacious forechecker. Hangs and bangs with everyone. Good wrist shot and good on the half wall. Robbins is a complete player who really came on in the second half with 54 points in his final 33 games. He could go 10 picks higher than this rating and I’d have no problem with that.

If he has the body to fill out to 190-195 he's more than big enough at that height (can use leverage to compensate). Flyers could use quality bottom six depth down the road and players with IQ and skating skills often develop past expectations.

Yes, he is a really interesting case. Some of the draft followers are starting to move him. Mark Edwards at HP Blackbook really likes him. He has him rated at #13 OA which I think is too high, but the kid is really coming on, and definitely fills the role you mention.

 

[IronMarshal]

This is a guy who interests me off your write-up:

28. Tristan Robbins – C – Saskatoon – WHL – 5’10 – 174 – Late rising dynamo. Short but solid, ultra competitive with very good hockey sense and skills to go with plus skating. Elusive in tight areas and strong puck protector. Tenacious forechecker. Hangs and bangs with everyone. Good wrist shot and good on the half wall. Robbins is a complete player who really came on in the second half with 54 points in his final 33 games. He could go 10 picks higher than this rating and I’d have no problem with that.

If he has the body to fill out to 190-195 he's more than big enough at that height (can use leverage to compensate). Flyers could use quality bottom six depth down the road and players with IQ and skating skills often develop past expectations.

Just a little more on Robbins: While he averaged over a point per game all season, he averaged 1.64 ppg over his final 33 games, and for context, he did this playing in the WHL, against some of the best defensive teams in the CHL, and also played a lot of games against some really large sized good defensive teams in his own division. He is a really impressive young man and I could see the Flyers taking him at 23. He and Ridly Grieg are both good skaters with skill and of similar pit bull mentalities.

 

[Maurice of Orange]

This is a really good thread to read, great material.
Thanks to Ironmarshal and MSE.

If Gunler is available at #23 I could see philly taking him.
Flyers need a top 6 sniper and Gunler kinda fits the bill.

I also like Perreault and Holloway they seem like they would be big time clutch playoffs type of players.

The Flyers should wait until the 4th or 5th round for a defenseman. This draft seems deeper in offensive players.

 

[Everlong]

Its a very interesting year for defensemen. I wonder if more are surprisingly drafted higher, and in greater numbers in the 1st round than expected.

 

[TB87]

Good stuff @IronMarshal !!

I too am a very big Perreault fan. One of the most offensively skilled forwards in this draft without question. Loved him in my viewings

 

[Maurice of Orange]

Might be handy...

 

[Here4ThaLids]

I think I must have lightly skimmed this when you put it out, but now, diving deeper in this late hour, it's blatantly obvious that you did a great job here. Thank you!

 

[Jtown]

glad this got bumped good writeup @IronMarshal talk Hendrix lapierre to me. He is one of the few guys that has caught my attention

 

[landsbergfan]

@IronMarshal if I am reading this correctly, Lapierre's ranking or tier is more a result of his injury history and not his overall skill. I understand it can't be ignored, but if you were to pretend, where would you actually have him?

I am very biased towards him, but tier 5 seems low