Brock
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OHL Prospects: Preliminary Media/Scout Poll for the 2021 NHL Draft
It's time for the first media/scout poll for the 2021 NHL Draft.
How do we even start this article? The vast majority of players in Ontario have not played this year due to the pandemic and state of lockdown in Ontario. Some have been fortunate enough to secure a loan overseas, while others wait with baited breath to see if an Ontario Hockey League season (in some capacity) can be squeezed in. Evaluating these players against each other in order to formulate a list like this is incredibly difficult. Some contributors even opted out of participating this time around because they felt like the exercise was too arduous or unjust. Others contributed a partial list, evaluating on only the players they felt confident about. Rachel Doerrie of EPRinkside put it bluntly, “I've really only settled on 6 guys I think deserve to be in the OHL top-10. I think it's really hard to evaluate where guys are after missing key time in a critical development year. 7-11 is a mix of Arcuri, Cardwell, Voit, Grushnikov, and Chayka in no particular order. I'm not sure where I'd put them in that order, and certainly don't feel comfortable ranking them given the situation we are in.”
That said, this is an article which is well received and appreciated by the scouting community and those searching for draft knowledge. I had debated not doing it (or delaying it further since the preliminary poll usually occurs in November), but decided on following through with it. Ultimately, it can serve as a baseline for the Ontario players eligible in 2021. And it will be interesting to look back on later in the year once more is known about the state of hockey in Ontario and the 2021 NHL Draft (in terms of timing and organization).
The other question people seem to always ask at this stage is, “what is the strength of this Ontario crop?” For obvious reasons, that is difficult to answer at this time. The jury is very much still out. However, the consensus is that the strength of the OHL group available this year looks to mimic that of the rest of the world, in that it may not be the strongest. Many contributors spoke apathetically about the talent level available for the 2021 NHL Draft, across all regions. Obviously the pandemic is playing a role in that as we evaluate a large chunk of North America based on their 16/17 year old seasons. That said, one consistent feature of a “weaker” draft class is the lack of a true #1. Poll 20 scouts and I would bet that you would get at least 5-6 different answers on who they believe is the frontrunner for first overall. Hopefully, the coming months can provide us greater clarity as players find ice time to showcase their abilities.
For those unfamiliar with how this works, I poll many of the OHL's brightest minds; those who cover the league incredibly well and know the OHL inside, and out. These contributors supply me with their top 10 available players from the OHL, in addition to some comments. I then put it all together and provide you with a cumulative list. Call it "the consensus."
As always, this list involves contributions from a rather colourful cast of characters. Contributing their rankings and thoughts to this preliminary list for 2021 were:
Corey Pronman - NHL Prospects Writer for TheAthletic (@coreypronman)
Dominic Tiano - Writer for The OHL Writers (@dominictiano)
Dylan Galloway – Head of Eastern Scouting for Future Considerations (@dylangalloway_)
Ryan Kennedy - Associate Senior Writer for The Hockey News (@THNRyanKennedy)
Scott Wheeler - NHL Prospects Writer for TheAthletic (@scottcwheeler)
Steve Clark - Play by play voice of the Niagara IceDogs (@ClarkPlaybyPlay)
Dan Stewart - Director of DraftsProspects Hockey (@DStewartDP)
Will Scouch – Founder of Scouching Draft Analytics & Contributor to McKeen's Hockey (@Scouching)
Tony Ferrari – Director of North American Scouting for Dobber Prospects (@theTonyFerrari)
Mark Seidel - Scouting Director for NACS Hockey (@MarkSeidel)
Matt Young - OHL broadcaster (@mattyoung71)
Josh Bell – Director of Content and Scout for Future Considerations (@JoshuaBell31)
Tate Harris – Host of 'The O Show' Podcast (@tateharris9)
Raine Hernandez - OHL Scout for Puck Preps & Socials/NHL Draft for McKeen’s Hockey (@BringerOfRaine)
Levi Hill – CCHL Scout & Former OHL Video Tracker (@HillHockeyScout)
Rachel Doerrie - Scout and Host of the Staff and Graph Podcast (@racheldoerrie)
Eddy Jones - OHL Scout for The Draft Analyst (@eddyvanjones)
Josh Tessler - Director of Scouting for Smaht Scouting (@JoshTessler_)
and of course...myself (@BrockOtten)
Here's the List:
1. Brandt Clarke - Defense - Barrie Colts
Total Votes: 19
Highest Ranking: 1st (19x)
Lowest Ranking: -
Comments:
“Extremely high hockey IQ...Makes the right play almost every time...Has the ability to get shots through...Very mobile...Got better defensively as the year went on…” - Mark Seidel
"Clarke is a very well-rounded defenseman. His gap control is air tight and he can shut down the rush no matter the size of the attacker. Clarke will also change his strategy per attacker. Sometimes he will put pressure on the attacker from the blue-line out and sometimes he will sit net-front to wait for the perfect moment to pounce on the attacker in the corner. In transition, he won't often skate in a straight line from blue-line to blue-line, he will adapt based on the situation in the neutral zone. His speed can be deceptive at times, given that he will zig-zag when controlling the puck, but he has quality acceleration and his stride extension isn't too long or too short. Offensively, Clarke has shown to be a lethal power play quarterback as he is quite quick with his passing. But, you can also expect Clarke to pinch up and set up his teammates in the slot." - Josh Tessler
“Clarke may not look like your typical challenger for No. 1 overall, but that’s because he’s something a little different, something a little unique, and those players are always tougher to evaluate. By all accounts he made real progress on and off the ice this summer, too, which bodes well for his return to more competitive action and the pressure that it will include while he tries to play catch-up. He’s a low-floor, high-ceiling gamble in a draft full of those types.” - Anonymous
“A great skater with clever offensive instincts, he's precisely the type of blueliner that NHL teams are looking for. It's good to see him getting reps over in Slovakia, especially since he is a part of an elite class of D-men in this draft.” - Ryan Kennedy
“A truly exceptional offensive defenseman, Clarke has all the makings to be a premier point producer at the NHL level. He fits the mold of the modern-day NHL defenseman with effortless skating and exceptional mobility and speed. He does all this, however, with an ideal 6-foot-1, 185-pound frame, which is notably bigger than comparable high-profile defense prospects from previous years like Cale Makar, Quinn Hughes, and Jamie Drysdale. Clarke’s ability to dictate play from the back end is advanced among all OHL draft-eligible defenders. He’s a poised and patient puck carrier, and Clarke’s superb offensive instincts are highlighted with keen vision and tape-to-tape passing ability. Confident and decisive, Clarke is consistent with jumping into the play to create a numbers advantage. His offensive game seemed to take off after Barrie’s mid-season coaching change, so expect him to produce a wire-to-wire season of dominance. He thinks the game at such a high level that any over-aggressiveness inside the opposing end is quickly addressed with his speed headed the other. Clarke’s skating allows him to track back easily and a quick stick effectively break up plays. Much like Drysdale, Clarke should not be considered a stopper on defense, and although his reliability in his own end is generally solid, there remains room for improvement with his consistency in coverage.” - Eddy Jones
“Even though the point production hasn’t been there in Slovakia thus far, Clarke has been playing well. Playing against men, he has shown no fear in terms of being an aggressive offensive catalyst and that shows the high level of confidence that he is playing with. After Todd Miller took over in Barrie last year, we started to really see glimpses of that aggressiveness and if the OHL is able to start up, I think he returns to the OHL and immediately becomes one of the best defenseman in the league. While somewhat difficult to ascertain from video views, it would appear that Clarke has really improved his first step explosiveness and overall top speed and it is making him a more dynamic player overall. I actually feel that Clarke’s defensive game is vastly underrated. Playing with Don Mills in MM, that team was such a defensive force because of their systems (and talent level). Sure, Clarke is a bit of a riverboat gambler because he is trying to create scoring opportunities, but his defensive IQ and transitional defensive ability are quite advanced IMO. This is a potential top pairing defender in the NHL and they don’t grow on trees. I think he’s definitely in the group at the top of this draft class.” - Brock Otten
“This one (in regards to him being #1 on this list) is pretty clear. Clarke is an aggressive defender who pinches hard and pinches often. A straight-line defender rarely penalized doing so, Clarke shows the potential to be a high end offensive producer. I have questions about his mobility enabling that potential long term, but his instincts, passing skill and anticipation skills are high-end. While I may not draft him in the first five picks of this year’s draft, he’s not far back from there.” - Will Scouch
2. Mason McTavish
3. Brennan Othmann
4. Francesco Pinelli
5. Daniil Chayka
6. Brett Harrison
7. Chase Stillman
8. Ben Gaudreau
9. Artyom Grushnikov
10. Tristan Lennox
Over 15 Honorable Mentions as well.
Check the link for all the commentary as well.
Happy to answer any questions you may have.
It's time for the first media/scout poll for the 2021 NHL Draft.
How do we even start this article? The vast majority of players in Ontario have not played this year due to the pandemic and state of lockdown in Ontario. Some have been fortunate enough to secure a loan overseas, while others wait with baited breath to see if an Ontario Hockey League season (in some capacity) can be squeezed in. Evaluating these players against each other in order to formulate a list like this is incredibly difficult. Some contributors even opted out of participating this time around because they felt like the exercise was too arduous or unjust. Others contributed a partial list, evaluating on only the players they felt confident about. Rachel Doerrie of EPRinkside put it bluntly, “I've really only settled on 6 guys I think deserve to be in the OHL top-10. I think it's really hard to evaluate where guys are after missing key time in a critical development year. 7-11 is a mix of Arcuri, Cardwell, Voit, Grushnikov, and Chayka in no particular order. I'm not sure where I'd put them in that order, and certainly don't feel comfortable ranking them given the situation we are in.”
That said, this is an article which is well received and appreciated by the scouting community and those searching for draft knowledge. I had debated not doing it (or delaying it further since the preliminary poll usually occurs in November), but decided on following through with it. Ultimately, it can serve as a baseline for the Ontario players eligible in 2021. And it will be interesting to look back on later in the year once more is known about the state of hockey in Ontario and the 2021 NHL Draft (in terms of timing and organization).
The other question people seem to always ask at this stage is, “what is the strength of this Ontario crop?” For obvious reasons, that is difficult to answer at this time. The jury is very much still out. However, the consensus is that the strength of the OHL group available this year looks to mimic that of the rest of the world, in that it may not be the strongest. Many contributors spoke apathetically about the talent level available for the 2021 NHL Draft, across all regions. Obviously the pandemic is playing a role in that as we evaluate a large chunk of North America based on their 16/17 year old seasons. That said, one consistent feature of a “weaker” draft class is the lack of a true #1. Poll 20 scouts and I would bet that you would get at least 5-6 different answers on who they believe is the frontrunner for first overall. Hopefully, the coming months can provide us greater clarity as players find ice time to showcase their abilities.
For those unfamiliar with how this works, I poll many of the OHL's brightest minds; those who cover the league incredibly well and know the OHL inside, and out. These contributors supply me with their top 10 available players from the OHL, in addition to some comments. I then put it all together and provide you with a cumulative list. Call it "the consensus."
As always, this list involves contributions from a rather colourful cast of characters. Contributing their rankings and thoughts to this preliminary list for 2021 were:
Corey Pronman - NHL Prospects Writer for TheAthletic (@coreypronman)
Dominic Tiano - Writer for The OHL Writers (@dominictiano)
Dylan Galloway – Head of Eastern Scouting for Future Considerations (@dylangalloway_)
Ryan Kennedy - Associate Senior Writer for The Hockey News (@THNRyanKennedy)
Scott Wheeler - NHL Prospects Writer for TheAthletic (@scottcwheeler)
Steve Clark - Play by play voice of the Niagara IceDogs (@ClarkPlaybyPlay)
Dan Stewart - Director of DraftsProspects Hockey (@DStewartDP)
Will Scouch – Founder of Scouching Draft Analytics & Contributor to McKeen's Hockey (@Scouching)
Tony Ferrari – Director of North American Scouting for Dobber Prospects (@theTonyFerrari)
Mark Seidel - Scouting Director for NACS Hockey (@MarkSeidel)
Matt Young - OHL broadcaster (@mattyoung71)
Josh Bell – Director of Content and Scout for Future Considerations (@JoshuaBell31)
Tate Harris – Host of 'The O Show' Podcast (@tateharris9)
Raine Hernandez - OHL Scout for Puck Preps & Socials/NHL Draft for McKeen’s Hockey (@BringerOfRaine)
Levi Hill – CCHL Scout & Former OHL Video Tracker (@HillHockeyScout)
Rachel Doerrie - Scout and Host of the Staff and Graph Podcast (@racheldoerrie)
Eddy Jones - OHL Scout for The Draft Analyst (@eddyvanjones)
Josh Tessler - Director of Scouting for Smaht Scouting (@JoshTessler_)
and of course...myself (@BrockOtten)
Here's the List:
1. Brandt Clarke - Defense - Barrie Colts
Total Votes: 19
Highest Ranking: 1st (19x)
Lowest Ranking: -
Comments:
“Extremely high hockey IQ...Makes the right play almost every time...Has the ability to get shots through...Very mobile...Got better defensively as the year went on…” - Mark Seidel
"Clarke is a very well-rounded defenseman. His gap control is air tight and he can shut down the rush no matter the size of the attacker. Clarke will also change his strategy per attacker. Sometimes he will put pressure on the attacker from the blue-line out and sometimes he will sit net-front to wait for the perfect moment to pounce on the attacker in the corner. In transition, he won't often skate in a straight line from blue-line to blue-line, he will adapt based on the situation in the neutral zone. His speed can be deceptive at times, given that he will zig-zag when controlling the puck, but he has quality acceleration and his stride extension isn't too long or too short. Offensively, Clarke has shown to be a lethal power play quarterback as he is quite quick with his passing. But, you can also expect Clarke to pinch up and set up his teammates in the slot." - Josh Tessler
“Clarke may not look like your typical challenger for No. 1 overall, but that’s because he’s something a little different, something a little unique, and those players are always tougher to evaluate. By all accounts he made real progress on and off the ice this summer, too, which bodes well for his return to more competitive action and the pressure that it will include while he tries to play catch-up. He’s a low-floor, high-ceiling gamble in a draft full of those types.” - Anonymous
“A great skater with clever offensive instincts, he's precisely the type of blueliner that NHL teams are looking for. It's good to see him getting reps over in Slovakia, especially since he is a part of an elite class of D-men in this draft.” - Ryan Kennedy
“A truly exceptional offensive defenseman, Clarke has all the makings to be a premier point producer at the NHL level. He fits the mold of the modern-day NHL defenseman with effortless skating and exceptional mobility and speed. He does all this, however, with an ideal 6-foot-1, 185-pound frame, which is notably bigger than comparable high-profile defense prospects from previous years like Cale Makar, Quinn Hughes, and Jamie Drysdale. Clarke’s ability to dictate play from the back end is advanced among all OHL draft-eligible defenders. He’s a poised and patient puck carrier, and Clarke’s superb offensive instincts are highlighted with keen vision and tape-to-tape passing ability. Confident and decisive, Clarke is consistent with jumping into the play to create a numbers advantage. His offensive game seemed to take off after Barrie’s mid-season coaching change, so expect him to produce a wire-to-wire season of dominance. He thinks the game at such a high level that any over-aggressiveness inside the opposing end is quickly addressed with his speed headed the other. Clarke’s skating allows him to track back easily and a quick stick effectively break up plays. Much like Drysdale, Clarke should not be considered a stopper on defense, and although his reliability in his own end is generally solid, there remains room for improvement with his consistency in coverage.” - Eddy Jones
“Even though the point production hasn’t been there in Slovakia thus far, Clarke has been playing well. Playing against men, he has shown no fear in terms of being an aggressive offensive catalyst and that shows the high level of confidence that he is playing with. After Todd Miller took over in Barrie last year, we started to really see glimpses of that aggressiveness and if the OHL is able to start up, I think he returns to the OHL and immediately becomes one of the best defenseman in the league. While somewhat difficult to ascertain from video views, it would appear that Clarke has really improved his first step explosiveness and overall top speed and it is making him a more dynamic player overall. I actually feel that Clarke’s defensive game is vastly underrated. Playing with Don Mills in MM, that team was such a defensive force because of their systems (and talent level). Sure, Clarke is a bit of a riverboat gambler because he is trying to create scoring opportunities, but his defensive IQ and transitional defensive ability are quite advanced IMO. This is a potential top pairing defender in the NHL and they don’t grow on trees. I think he’s definitely in the group at the top of this draft class.” - Brock Otten
“This one (in regards to him being #1 on this list) is pretty clear. Clarke is an aggressive defender who pinches hard and pinches often. A straight-line defender rarely penalized doing so, Clarke shows the potential to be a high end offensive producer. I have questions about his mobility enabling that potential long term, but his instincts, passing skill and anticipation skills are high-end. While I may not draft him in the first five picks of this year’s draft, he’s not far back from there.” - Will Scouch
2. Mason McTavish
3. Brennan Othmann
4. Francesco Pinelli
5. Daniil Chayka
6. Brett Harrison
7. Chase Stillman
8. Ben Gaudreau
9. Artyom Grushnikov
10. Tristan Lennox
Over 15 Honorable Mentions as well.
Check the link for all the commentary as well.
Happy to answer any questions you may have.
