Brock
Registered User
OHL Prospects: Preseason Top 30 for the 2020 NHL Draft
With the Ivan Hlinka tournament completed and OHL preseason action around the corner, it's time for the first draft list of the season. I only started doing a preseason list a few years ago, but I enjoy it because it gives you a great perspective on where players have come from (for fun, here's the 2019 preseason list).
This is obviously a very difficult list to make. The progression for draft eligible players can often be a tad unpredictable. The player you see in a sophomore season isn't often the same player you see in a freshman year. Growth spurts occur. Strength is added. Confidence grows. Timid perimeter players can become physical beasts, etc. Or, conversely, you've got players who look great as 16/17 year olds but just don't progress in their sophomore seasons. Plus, you've got all the players who haven't yet played in the OHL (at least more than a few games), but who are projected to be impact players in their draft year (like Ruben Rafkin or Oliver Suni, etc).
This year's crop for the OHL is a sharp contrast to last year. We go from one of the weakest groups the OHL has ever produced, to potentially one of the strongest. At this point, Quinton Byfield, Cole Perfetti, and Jamie Drysdale all look like candidates for the top 5. And upwards of a dozen or so players (including those three) already look like potential first round picks. When all is said and done, the OHL could very well take up a third of the first round. I think most scouts would echo my sentiment of being excited to watch this crop grow and develop this season.
Here's my early list:
1. Quinton Byfield - Forward - Sudbury Wolves
Byfield is a straight up beast. He's an August birth date, yet he's already 6'5, 220lbs. This is a man playing against boys at times. But what makes him a potential unstoppable force is the fact that he's actually a fantastic skater. He generates such power in his stride and just explodes into the offensive zone with what appears to be little effort. It's not that straight ahead speed that makes him so hard to contain though. It is his agility; stops, starts, turns. He can cut on a dime and it makes him very difficult to pin down in the offensive zone. Not only can he put you on his back, but he can skate circles around you. Byfield is also a terrific playmaker, something that was on full display at this year's Hlinka/Gretzky Cup. His reads and his anticipation are top notch, which is not something you see very often from players like him, who sometimes have a tendency to drive the net with their head down, using their size/speed advantage predominantly. An aspect of his game that really improved over the second half of his rookie OHL season and was evident at the Hlinka, is his play in all three zones. While there are no doubt times where you'd like to see him use his size more to be more assertive, his instincts and coverage are solid. In fact, you'll see him rotate back to the point and control play from there quite often in the offensive zone, to cover for pinching defenders. He swallows up so much ice with those strides, so the potential for him to develop further as a two-way player is extremely high. An area that I would like to see improve (on top of using his size more consistently away from the puck), is his shot. He can have a tendency to be too pass happy when in tight, trying to thread passes for higher percentage shooting lanes, rather than simply making that quick decision to put the puck home himself. Or he'll try to make an extra move to get the goaltender out of position, again, rather than trusting his shot. As he gains confidence here, the sky is truly the limit. He is a potential player with no flaws who is worth the price of admission to watch.
2. Jamie Drysdale - Defense - Erie Otters
Some may be slightly surprised to see Drysdale ahead of Perfetti, but I do think Drysdale is a special player (not to say that Perfetti isn't) and I'll take a potential franchise defender over a star forward. Compound this with the fact that this year's draft isn't very deep or strong on defense and I think Drysdale has slightly more value currently. Last year in Erie, not only did he play an insane amount of minutes for a 16 year old, but he was also only the fifth U17 defender in the new millennium to hit the 40 point plateau (along with Merkley, Ellis, Del Zotto, and Ebert). At the heart of Drysdale's game is his skating ability. He is just so smooth on the ice, taking little time to hit full speed coming out of the defensive end. But his four way mobility is such an asset in the defensive end. Even though he's not exceptionally strong yet, forwards rarely get by him in transition, or escape him in coverage. Drysdale is also highly intelligent and sees the ice so well. Calm under pressure, you rarely see him make a mistake, despite his aggressiveness on the attack. Quite frankly, I don't see many flaws in Drysdale's game already, and he's only going to get better. One thing that I would like to see improve is his shot and his confidence in using it. He opens up those passing lanes with his mobility when running the point, but you rarely see him looking to exploit those gaps for shots. Also would love to see him take more chances to jump up in the play as a 3rd or 4th man in, again relying on his mobility to recover should he need to. Last year, Drysdale was 29th in the league in shots among defenders. As an elite powerplay QB, I want to see that number jump.
3. Cole Perfetti - Forward - Saginaw Spirit
Tough to rank a player as good as Perfetti third, but someone has to be 3rd in this elite OHL class. Even in ranking him 3rd, I do think that Perfetti deserves to be in discussion for a top 5 selection along with Byfield and Drysdale. As an offensive winger (a projection, as I know he can lineup at center too), I do think that Byfield and Drysdale could be more complete players, and that's why I've got them ahead by a hair right now. This year, his game is bound to be dissected at times as is the case for any draft eligible player. And the first thing likely to be picked on is Perfetti's skating and size combination. He's not the biggest at 5'10, and he's not the quickest player on the ice. But I'm not worried at all about that. I actually think his start ups and edgework are improving greatly, and when you combine that with his elite hockey IQ, you have a dynamic offensive player. You saw what he is capable of at the Hlinka. Well second half of the previous OHL season, he was doing those things pretty regularly too. His anticipation, be it as a goal scorer or a playmaker, is top notch. And he just has this poise with the puck on his stick that can not be taught. He'll work the cycle, keep his feet moving, and eventually find an opening that he believes can create a high end scoring chance. And of course, he has a fantastic shot with a quick release that makes him equal part goal scorer and playmaker. At the Hlinka, I saw Perfetti be a lot more aggressive without the puck, especially as a forechecker and this is something that I really hope caries over to the OHL season this year. Don't be surprised at all if this kid is top 5 in OHL scoring this year.
4. Marco Rossi - Forward - Ottawa 67's
Here's a stat for you (courtesy the great pick224.com) that summarizes Rossi's impact beautifully. His even strength goals for percentage last year was a remarkable 85%, tops in the entire OHL by a pretty significant margin. He is such a strong overall player and a testament to that, is the fact that he was named the East's smartest player in last year's coaches' poll. He creates so much time and space for his wingers because of how well he dictates pace and how well he works below the hash marks. He's not a huge kid at 5'9, 175lbs, but he's very strong on the puck and comes away with the puck in so many of those 50/50 battles. That's because he anticipates the play well and is great at using his body to gain inside leverage on defenders. Rossi is also aggressive in attacking the net, using his strong skating ability and strength on the puck to fight through traffic to generate scoring chances. And as I alluded to earlier, he's a very strong three zone player who projects as a terrific two-way forward at the next level. This is a very complete player who is bound to generate buzz inside the Top 10 if he continues to improve next year as part of another strong Ottawa team.
5. Jacob Perreault - Forward - Sarnia Sting
Perreault was very impressive as a rookie in the OHL last year. The son of former NHL'er Yanic, Perreault is a multi-faceted offensive player. He does a lot of things well. His best asset is a terrific shot. Perreault's elite release allows him to be effective in traffic. He is also a good skater whose first few steps are quite impressive. His quick feet allow him to be a quick strike player who can find those soft spots and beat defenders to gaps or loose pucks. At the Hlinka Camp, we saw him be a lot more confident and aggressive as a puck carrier and this is something that I am really looking forward to seeing from him in his second OHL season. Last year, he was more of a supporting character who relied on his smarts and skill to finish off plays that his linemates created for him. But I want to see how well he creates his own chances this year. And speaking of the Hlinka, still shocked that he did not make that team. He would have been the perfect linemate for Quinton Byfield, who could use his speed and elusiveness to finish off the plays that he was creating.
6. Antonio Stranges
7. Jean Luc Foudy
8. Will Cuylle
9. Jaromir Pytlik
10. Ryan O'Rourke
11. Hayden Fowler
12. Evan Vierling
13. Ty Tullio
14. Logan Morrison
15. Donovan Sebrango
16. Lleyton Moore
17. Jack Thompson
18. Cameron Butler
19. Jack Quinn
20. Brandon Coe
21. Jake Murray
22. Alec Belanger
23. Issak Phillips
24. Cameron Tolnai
25. Gerard Keane
26. Reid Valade
27. Mark Woolley
28. James Hardie
29. Aidan Prueter
30. Alex Johnston
Happy to answer any questions.
Check the link for all the write ups and the HM's.
With the Ivan Hlinka tournament completed and OHL preseason action around the corner, it's time for the first draft list of the season. I only started doing a preseason list a few years ago, but I enjoy it because it gives you a great perspective on where players have come from (for fun, here's the 2019 preseason list).
This is obviously a very difficult list to make. The progression for draft eligible players can often be a tad unpredictable. The player you see in a sophomore season isn't often the same player you see in a freshman year. Growth spurts occur. Strength is added. Confidence grows. Timid perimeter players can become physical beasts, etc. Or, conversely, you've got players who look great as 16/17 year olds but just don't progress in their sophomore seasons. Plus, you've got all the players who haven't yet played in the OHL (at least more than a few games), but who are projected to be impact players in their draft year (like Ruben Rafkin or Oliver Suni, etc).
This year's crop for the OHL is a sharp contrast to last year. We go from one of the weakest groups the OHL has ever produced, to potentially one of the strongest. At this point, Quinton Byfield, Cole Perfetti, and Jamie Drysdale all look like candidates for the top 5. And upwards of a dozen or so players (including those three) already look like potential first round picks. When all is said and done, the OHL could very well take up a third of the first round. I think most scouts would echo my sentiment of being excited to watch this crop grow and develop this season.
Here's my early list:
1. Quinton Byfield - Forward - Sudbury Wolves
Byfield is a straight up beast. He's an August birth date, yet he's already 6'5, 220lbs. This is a man playing against boys at times. But what makes him a potential unstoppable force is the fact that he's actually a fantastic skater. He generates such power in his stride and just explodes into the offensive zone with what appears to be little effort. It's not that straight ahead speed that makes him so hard to contain though. It is his agility; stops, starts, turns. He can cut on a dime and it makes him very difficult to pin down in the offensive zone. Not only can he put you on his back, but he can skate circles around you. Byfield is also a terrific playmaker, something that was on full display at this year's Hlinka/Gretzky Cup. His reads and his anticipation are top notch, which is not something you see very often from players like him, who sometimes have a tendency to drive the net with their head down, using their size/speed advantage predominantly. An aspect of his game that really improved over the second half of his rookie OHL season and was evident at the Hlinka, is his play in all three zones. While there are no doubt times where you'd like to see him use his size more to be more assertive, his instincts and coverage are solid. In fact, you'll see him rotate back to the point and control play from there quite often in the offensive zone, to cover for pinching defenders. He swallows up so much ice with those strides, so the potential for him to develop further as a two-way player is extremely high. An area that I would like to see improve (on top of using his size more consistently away from the puck), is his shot. He can have a tendency to be too pass happy when in tight, trying to thread passes for higher percentage shooting lanes, rather than simply making that quick decision to put the puck home himself. Or he'll try to make an extra move to get the goaltender out of position, again, rather than trusting his shot. As he gains confidence here, the sky is truly the limit. He is a potential player with no flaws who is worth the price of admission to watch.
2. Jamie Drysdale - Defense - Erie Otters
Some may be slightly surprised to see Drysdale ahead of Perfetti, but I do think Drysdale is a special player (not to say that Perfetti isn't) and I'll take a potential franchise defender over a star forward. Compound this with the fact that this year's draft isn't very deep or strong on defense and I think Drysdale has slightly more value currently. Last year in Erie, not only did he play an insane amount of minutes for a 16 year old, but he was also only the fifth U17 defender in the new millennium to hit the 40 point plateau (along with Merkley, Ellis, Del Zotto, and Ebert). At the heart of Drysdale's game is his skating ability. He is just so smooth on the ice, taking little time to hit full speed coming out of the defensive end. But his four way mobility is such an asset in the defensive end. Even though he's not exceptionally strong yet, forwards rarely get by him in transition, or escape him in coverage. Drysdale is also highly intelligent and sees the ice so well. Calm under pressure, you rarely see him make a mistake, despite his aggressiveness on the attack. Quite frankly, I don't see many flaws in Drysdale's game already, and he's only going to get better. One thing that I would like to see improve is his shot and his confidence in using it. He opens up those passing lanes with his mobility when running the point, but you rarely see him looking to exploit those gaps for shots. Also would love to see him take more chances to jump up in the play as a 3rd or 4th man in, again relying on his mobility to recover should he need to. Last year, Drysdale was 29th in the league in shots among defenders. As an elite powerplay QB, I want to see that number jump.
3. Cole Perfetti - Forward - Saginaw Spirit
Tough to rank a player as good as Perfetti third, but someone has to be 3rd in this elite OHL class. Even in ranking him 3rd, I do think that Perfetti deserves to be in discussion for a top 5 selection along with Byfield and Drysdale. As an offensive winger (a projection, as I know he can lineup at center too), I do think that Byfield and Drysdale could be more complete players, and that's why I've got them ahead by a hair right now. This year, his game is bound to be dissected at times as is the case for any draft eligible player. And the first thing likely to be picked on is Perfetti's skating and size combination. He's not the biggest at 5'10, and he's not the quickest player on the ice. But I'm not worried at all about that. I actually think his start ups and edgework are improving greatly, and when you combine that with his elite hockey IQ, you have a dynamic offensive player. You saw what he is capable of at the Hlinka. Well second half of the previous OHL season, he was doing those things pretty regularly too. His anticipation, be it as a goal scorer or a playmaker, is top notch. And he just has this poise with the puck on his stick that can not be taught. He'll work the cycle, keep his feet moving, and eventually find an opening that he believes can create a high end scoring chance. And of course, he has a fantastic shot with a quick release that makes him equal part goal scorer and playmaker. At the Hlinka, I saw Perfetti be a lot more aggressive without the puck, especially as a forechecker and this is something that I really hope caries over to the OHL season this year. Don't be surprised at all if this kid is top 5 in OHL scoring this year.
4. Marco Rossi - Forward - Ottawa 67's
Here's a stat for you (courtesy the great pick224.com) that summarizes Rossi's impact beautifully. His even strength goals for percentage last year was a remarkable 85%, tops in the entire OHL by a pretty significant margin. He is such a strong overall player and a testament to that, is the fact that he was named the East's smartest player in last year's coaches' poll. He creates so much time and space for his wingers because of how well he dictates pace and how well he works below the hash marks. He's not a huge kid at 5'9, 175lbs, but he's very strong on the puck and comes away with the puck in so many of those 50/50 battles. That's because he anticipates the play well and is great at using his body to gain inside leverage on defenders. Rossi is also aggressive in attacking the net, using his strong skating ability and strength on the puck to fight through traffic to generate scoring chances. And as I alluded to earlier, he's a very strong three zone player who projects as a terrific two-way forward at the next level. This is a very complete player who is bound to generate buzz inside the Top 10 if he continues to improve next year as part of another strong Ottawa team.
5. Jacob Perreault - Forward - Sarnia Sting
Perreault was very impressive as a rookie in the OHL last year. The son of former NHL'er Yanic, Perreault is a multi-faceted offensive player. He does a lot of things well. His best asset is a terrific shot. Perreault's elite release allows him to be effective in traffic. He is also a good skater whose first few steps are quite impressive. His quick feet allow him to be a quick strike player who can find those soft spots and beat defenders to gaps or loose pucks. At the Hlinka Camp, we saw him be a lot more confident and aggressive as a puck carrier and this is something that I am really looking forward to seeing from him in his second OHL season. Last year, he was more of a supporting character who relied on his smarts and skill to finish off plays that his linemates created for him. But I want to see how well he creates his own chances this year. And speaking of the Hlinka, still shocked that he did not make that team. He would have been the perfect linemate for Quinton Byfield, who could use his speed and elusiveness to finish off the plays that he was creating.
6. Antonio Stranges
7. Jean Luc Foudy
8. Will Cuylle
9. Jaromir Pytlik
10. Ryan O'Rourke
11. Hayden Fowler
12. Evan Vierling
13. Ty Tullio
14. Logan Morrison
15. Donovan Sebrango
16. Lleyton Moore
17. Jack Thompson
18. Cameron Butler
19. Jack Quinn
20. Brandon Coe
21. Jake Murray
22. Alec Belanger
23. Issak Phillips
24. Cameron Tolnai
25. Gerard Keane
26. Reid Valade
27. Mark Woolley
28. James Hardie
29. Aidan Prueter
30. Alex Johnston
Happy to answer any questions.
Check the link for all the write ups and the HM's.
